spinach | Raw Food Recipes

The Art of Flavour

Taste is the ability to respond to dissolved molecules and ions called tastants. Humans detect taste with taste receptor cells. These are clustered in taste buds. Each taste bud has a pore that opens out to the surface of the tongue enabling molecules and ions taken into the mouth to reach the receptor cells inside. There are five primary taste sensations:

1) SALTINESS Add a salty flavour to your food by using natural Celtic, Himalayan, and sea salts, but go easy on the portions. Even natural salts are not actually that good for us. You can also use nama shoyu (raw soy sauce), garlic “salt,” sun-dried tomatoes, and celery. Saltiness brings out all the other flavours to balance, especially anything sweet, so adding a dash to your chocolate recipes is a good thing.

2) SWEETNESS Sweetness balances the salty taste in your uncooking. Raw honey may be the first sweet flavour that comes to mind, but you can also use agave syrup, plain old fruit, maple syrup, dates and other dried fruits such as figs and apricots. Keep in mind that honey is not vegan, and maple syrup is not really raw. Both are better than refined sugar, however, and are packed with minerals and vitamins.

3) SOURNESS Balance salty and sweet flavours with a sour taste. A recipe containing these three flavours will provide great balance. For a sour taste use citrus juices, tamarind, raspberries, cranberries, pickles, tomatoes, rejuvelacs, and vinegars.

In general if your recipe has a good balance of the 3 flavors above, it is going to taste yummy!

4) BITTERNESS Generally speaking, bitterness is not desirable in large quantities, but it so happens that bitter foods and herbs can be quite healthy. They can also be tasty in the right quantity. Green tea and Okinawan goya (bitter gourd) are a case in point.

5) UMAMI Umami is a taste found naturally in seaweeds and is the response to salts of glutamic acid, like monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer used in many processed foods and in many Asian dishes. This stuff is definitely to be avoided, as is アミノ酸 (aminosan) found in far too many processed foods in Japan.

OTHER ASEPTS INFLUENCING FLAVOUR

A) AROMA Aromatics refer to the sense of smell, not taste, but they are closely related and influence each other. Aroma adds depth to flavours. Here are some aromatic ingredients to use in your uncooking: onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, celery, sweet peppers, ginger or galangal, citrus zest, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass. Aromatic herbs include parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint, etc. (fresh herbs are definitely better in the raw food context!) Aromas tend to come out far more when heating food, but do indeed apply to raw food preparation. Hot peppers and such like those listed below are also aromatic.

B) SPICINESS (HEAT) Spices add a combination of the above flavours, but also add different levels of heat, if not at least a “bite." Add dry spicy ingredients before marinating to balance the flavours better. Use oil to bring out the taste of dried herbs and spices. Items that add heat include black pepper, curries, chilis, cayenne, hot paprika, cumin, raw garlic, wasabi, cloves, tumeric, coriandar, mustards, etc.

C) CREAMINESS This is more of a texture than taste, but if all the spice is getting to be too much, a little nut mylk or kream can do wonders. No wonder so many hot Asian curries have coconut milk in them!

Too spicy? Add some sweetness or creaminess
Too sweet? Add some sour or spiciness
Too sour? Add sweet
Too bland? Add salt or some spiciness
Too salty? Add sour
Just needs a spark? Add acid or one of the aromatics added at the end of cooking, or just a touch of heat (spiciness)
Too harsh? Try just a touch of sweetness

Posts Tagged ‘spinach’

Carrot Blush

August 22nd, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

recipe by Rhonda of Hallelujah Acres

Ingredients:

4 carrots
1 beet with greens
5 – 6 leaves of Romaine or other leaf lettuce
3 – 4 leaves of spinach

Directions:

Scrub organic carrots or peel the carrots if they are not organic. Clean and cut beet into slender wedges, and wash & dry lettuce and spinach leaves. Juice half of the carrots, and the beet, then you may use the remaining carrots to help push the lettuce and spinach through the juicer.

Posted in Drinks & Smoothies

Tags: beets, carrots, romaine lettuce, spinach

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Summer Squash Salad with Dill Sauce

August 16th, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

recipe from Rene Oswald

Ingredients:

Salad:

3 yellow squash (about 2 lb.)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water for 15 minutes
10 sun-dried olives, pitted
2 ears of corn, kernels removed from cob
1/2 lb. lettuce or spinach leaves

Delicious Dill Sauce:

2 carrots, cut into 1 1/2” pieces
2 red bell peppers, seeds removed and cut into 1 1/2” pieces
1/4 cup raw tahini
2 dates, soaked in water for 15 minutes, pitted
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp nama shoyu (soy sauce)
1 tbsp chickpea miso or 1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt
1/2 tsp onion granules (or 1/4 fresh union)
1/16 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp dill weed

Directions:

Shred the spaghetti squash with a manual shredder such as the Saladacco or use the food processor with the shredding blade, juilianne with your knife. Transfer squash to a large bowl. Thinly slice the sun-dried tomatoes, chop the olives and fold into the squash with the corn. Serve over a bed of chopped lettuce greens. Place above sauce ingredients in high-speed blender. Run on high until smooth, run blender 1-2 minutes if you prefer a warm sauce. Fold in the dill weed and pour desired amount into the squash salad.

Posted in Dressings & Sauces, Salads

Tags: bell peppers, cayenne, corn, dates, dill, iceburg lettuce, lemons, lettuce, miso, nama shoyu/soy sauce, onions, spinach, sun-dried olives, sun-dried tomatoes, tahini, yellow squash

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Live Hot and Sour Soup

May 8th, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

recipe by Reinfeld and Murray

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
3 Tbs. nama shoyu or soy sauce
5 dried apricots
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
2 Tbs. organic raw apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup diced cucumber or zucchini
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced (2 Tbs.)
2 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 Tbs. raw agave nectar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions:

Stir together sprouts and nama shoyu, and let marinate while you prepare soup. Soak apricots in bowl of boiling water 5 minutes. Drain. Place apricots, tomatoes, green onion, vinegar, ginger, and 3 cups water in blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl, and stir in cucumber, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, agave nectar, cayenne pepper, and sprout mixture. Serves 4. You can heat this soup until it is warm and it will still be considered “live.”

Nutritional Information: Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 59, Protein: 2g, Total fat: 1g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 14g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 682mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 10g

Posted in Soups

Tags: agave, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, coriander leaves/cilantro, ginger, green onions, jalapeño chiles, nama shoyu/soy sauce, spinach, tomatoes

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