Friday, January 21, 2011

Mashed Potates--raw!!!


These are actually called Faux Mashed Potatoes because they aren't made with potatoes at all! This recipe is an adaptation of the one made famous by Juliano, author of RAW: THE UNCOOK BOOK. These taste like the real thing especially when smothered in the mushroom gravy (look for the recipe here on my blog). I did make them on Thanksgiving and people really liked them. I learned though that you have to be careful to blend them without the blender making them too hot. The flavor isn't as good if they have been heated--and they aren't technically raw anymore if the temperature goes over 110 degrees F.

1-1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 20 minutes
1 medium cauliflower, chopped (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice or fresh celery juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil or flaxseed oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons dehydrated vegetables (optional)--I didn't use these

Drain the cashews, rinse well, and drain again. Place in a blender along with the cauliflower, 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, and all the oil and salt. Process until completely smooth, adding a small amount of additional juice as needed to facilitate blending. Stir in the optional dehydrated vegetables and let rest for 30-60 minutes to allow the dehydrated vegetables to absorb some of the moisture and soften.

Variation: Replace half of the cauliflower with 3 cups of peeled and chopped parsnips. The parsnips will mellow the flavor of the cauliflower and add a delicate, buttery color.

Note: If you don't have a high-performance blender, you can make this recipe in the food processor fitted with the S blade but it won't be as smooth and creamy as if you used a blender. You can also put the cauliflower and cashews through a heavy duty juicer (such as a champion) using the blank screen, then transfer the mixture to a food processor or regular home blender and process until smooth.

Raw Food Celebrations by Nomi Shannon & Sheryl Duruz

No comments:

Post a Comment