Fabulous Living Oatmeal

This is the BEST oatmeal we've ever tasted. It's nothing like cooked, mushy oatmeal. The texture and flavor are fantastic. Delicious and nutritious!!!! A nice hearty breakfast when you are craving something more than a smoothie. Sticks to your ribs AND energizes! Great way to send your kids off to school!

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Mocha Almond Fudge Crunch - Breakfast Cereal

I LOVE sprouted quinoa. Once it's sprouted (which is very simple and only takes a day or so), this recipe is quick and easy! See below for sprouting instructions.

Note- don't like mocha? Eliminate coffee extract. Want to avoid cacao? Replace it with carob powder.

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Rawfully Tempting Raw Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bark

This was gone gone gone before I could get a good photo. Tempering raw chocolate is possible, but challenging. I'm not a greatchocolatier as I don't have the patience or the equipment, however, I try to attempt manually tempering whenever possible. For a quick..."I don't care about fussing" treat...simple - DO NOT temper. Throw this tastiness together, and store in the refrigerator or freezer. WARNING: It will melt in your hands..so EAT it quickly, or break into smaller, bite-sized pieces. This will cure any junk food craving for sweets!  There are several optional ingredients. I hope you use this blog for educational purposes, so even if you don't choose to use all of the suggested ingredients, you may at least become aware they exist.

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Rawfully Tempting Herb Stuffing

It's getting close to that time of year again...This stuffing is superb and can be ground into the most amazing "bread crumbs." Totally dry it makes a great munchy mix. Rehydrate it or only partially dehydrate it, for a soft, fluffy stuffing. I'm loving this recipe and the house smells so good too!

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Sunny Cherry Mango Smoothie

I had some leftover mango in the freezer along with delicious fresh cherries. On top of that, a tray of freshly sprouted sunflower shoots was smiling at me. Why not combine them all?

This was such a pleasant change and W and I enjoyed it a lot! Remember this is just a suggestion. Please feel free to make any changes, depending upon what you have available at home.

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Sprouted Rum Buckwheat Crunchies

Sprouted Buckwheat Crunchies can be made in almost any flavor...just change the extracts. My favorite flavors are rum and mint, but caramel is yummy too! Use the basic recipe and switch up extracts for variety.  Store these in an airtight container, or glass ball jar in the freezer and always have them on hand. 

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How to Prepare Sprouted Chickpea/Garbanzo Flour

Sprouted chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are chock full of wonderful nutrients, however, have never been a favorite of mine in their raw state. But, aside from hummus, they are awesome when used in cakes, cupcakes, breads and pizza crusts, imparting a really nice "cake-like" texture. They are versatile and can be used freshly sprouted and ground, dehydrated whole, then frozen, and re-hydrated when needed, or dehydrated and ground into a beautiful flour.  I suggest you experiment with all of these beautiful textures to see how they work.

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Kamut - How to Sprout

Kamut is an ancient grain believed to have originated in Egypt. Compared to common wheat, Kamut is richer in protein and contains minerals such as magnesium, zinc, Vitamins B and E, and unsaturated fatty acids.  Kamut flour has a sweet, but mild taste and can be substituted for wheat in any recipe. Kamut kernels may be sprouted and used in raw bread or cracker recipes. It can also be used as a malted grain or juiced like wheat grass. Some who are allergic to wheat (gluten) are able to tolerate Kamut. If you have difficulty digesting Kamut, try substituting with sprouted buckwheat.

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Buckwheat - How to Sprout

Buckwheat is simple to sprout and takes less time  than other grains because technically, once rinsed, it doesn't need to be soaked. Buckwheat is gluten free and can be a great alternative to those with a sensitivity. Once sprouted, dehydrate and grind into flour, or use whole and add a crunch to a variety of recipes. Some examples I've made are Candied Mint Buckwheat, Rum Buckwheat, Peppermint Buckwheat, etc. I use it in bread, crackers, chips, granola and cereal as well. 

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Cocoa Crunchy Granola

A great breakfast treat for your kids when trying to wean them off of junk cereal. It's also a great snack to pack in their lunch boxes. For the "big" kids, this is just a delicious and nutritious treat for any time of day. Traveling? Take this treat on the road. This is  a very versatile recipe. I encourage you to pick and choose the ingredients you like, and have...and re create your own version. Pssst! Add a little ground flax or chia and water to the mix, and you can form into little energy bars or cookies.

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Sunflower Seeds and Shoots...and Putting it All Together...

When you start exploring the world of Living Food, it can seem a little intimidating. It's been over 2 years now, and as I sit here with a happy tummy and a glow of accomplishment, I have to tell you some of my thoughts... and also share my meal with you. It took me about 30 minutes to put this gorgeous meal together. Yes, some things were prepared in advance, and when you learn how and when to do this, it makes the joy of preparing a successful raw living meal, immeasurable. All of the steps that I've learned up until now are coming together, like musical notes for each instrument in a symphony. The gratification I'm feeling is immense. How can I put these feelings into words and accurately convey to you, just how fulfilling and worthwhile this can be?  The commitment to invest a bit of  your time and energy, and learn about living food is required. I like to play... and I love to experiment, in fact, to me they are one and the same. I never imagined I'd be where I am now...chopping greens out of my garden, photographing them, and then writing about it. Have a few moments to spare? I'd love to show you what I prepared for dinner tonight...

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Glazed Cinnamon & Spice Cake/Donuts

Hold onto your hats ladies and gents, and hear me out on this one. No curling up your noses...promise? Sprouted chickpeas work wonders in living brownies, cookies and cakes. The texture is fantastic! Yes, their flavor can be a bit overwhelming,  so you have to get creative and find ways to bring out the yummy flavor tones. Something spicy like cinnamon and nutmeg work quite well. I recently posted my RT's Deep Chocolate Decadence, also made with sprouts....do I hear an OINK?

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Sprouted Quinoa and Sprouted Quinoa Flour

Quinoa is a great food. Sprouted Quinoa is even better! Ancient Incas used Quinoa as a grain. It's gluten free, and a rich source of amino acids and protein.While many people boil and eat like rice, this wonderful ingredient can be sprouted and sprinkled on salads, soups and wraps. You can also  dehydrate it  into lovely crunchies, which can be used in cookies, brownies and other treats, or dehydrate and grind into a lovely flour. I have both whole dehydrated Quinoa and ground Quinoa flour at all times in my freezer. Quinoa sprouts are a abundant sources of vitamins C and E, as well as phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. It takes less than 24 hours to grow. Soooo easy!

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Sprouting - Lentils, Garbanzos and Mung Beans - Oh My!

Beans, beans, beans. We've got lentils, garbanzo beans and mung beans  and it's time to do some sprouting. There are many health benefits to eating sprouts and I've read that sprouting increases enzymes up to 600%. I don't know that's true, but I do know they feel good and my body tells me what's good and what's not. It says, "Sprouts are GOOD!!!"

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Carrot Cake

My first attempt at a moist, rich carrot cake creation. My "professional taster", W LOVED it. I don't use a lot of sweeteners, but I think this one needs a little more "sweets" than I added. Otherwise, the texture and flavor are fabulous. I'm excited to get a texture so close to the SAD version.

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Sprouted Quinoa Tabbouleh

If you have never used quinoa before, you should consider giving it a try. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all eight essential amino acids. It also contains magnesium, iron and calcium, is gluten-free, easy to digest and very low on the glycemic index. (Great  for people who suffer from migraines).  When sprouted, it has a delicious, nutty flavor that has many applications. It can be used in crackers and breads or dehydrated and ground into flour. It can also be used in salads or as a garnish for many dishes.  This salad is light and refreshing. Be creative and create your own version!

Check out my Sprouted Quinoa Breakfast Delight for a yummy way to start your day!

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Oats - How to Sprout

I use sprouted oats in the preparation of breads, crackers, cookies, cereal, cakes, etc. There is a lot of confusion with regard to raw oats in particular. I'm going to post the information I've found to be most helpful and hopefully save you some of the frustration I encountered.

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Rawfully Tempting Basic Bread Dough

I really love the taste and texture of sprouted Kamut breads, although, I can't eat a ton of it.

Some gluten sensitive people can handle Kamut and some cannot. If you've never tried it, go easy. I make my bread in small, 2" squares and that is all I need.  This is a basic bread dough recipe, and I encourage you to experiment with adding ingredients to give it more flavor.

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Tip for Making Sprouted Oat Flour

*Tip: After your oats are sprouted and dehydrated, store them in the freezer prior to grinding. I find this makes grinding them into flour much easier. It also keeps the grains cooler, so they don't heat as much during the grinding process. 

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Okay, these are not something I'm going to snack on ever day, but, what a tasty treat! Gotta let yourself indulge once in awhile! Right? They are also a great dessert to make for non-raw foodies who would probably never know they are raw!

You all know how much I LOVE *Medicine Flower raw, organic extracts. Feel free to use whichever vanilla extract you like, but I swear the combination of the maple syrup and the MF vanilla, makes these cookies taste like they were made with BUTTER!!! What flavor!!!

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