Zizi's Adventures - Real Food, Real Stories

Raw Vegan Sugar Free Banana Ice Cream

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Whoever had made first this raw, one ingredient banana ice cream, changed so many people’s life! The first time you make this, you should eat it plain to appreciate it in its singular ingredient glory. It is so simple to make so I wouldn’t call this a recipe. Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6, soluble fiber, and contain moderate amounts of vitamin C, manganese and potassium.

Thanks to my friend, Emiko, who sent me this link, I discovered this creamy, frosty, sugar free, vegan, raw dessert. You only need very ripe bananas & a food processor and of course your freezer. I used 3 bananas to make it and it serves 2-3 persons.

Peel bananas and cut them into small pieces. Place the pieces on a tray (or plate) and freeze for 2-3 hours. Start blending the banana pieces in the food processor. In the meantime scrape down the bowl when the bananas  stick. Whizz 3-4 minutes until it gets smoothy. Of course you can combine with vanilla, roasted nuts or chocolate. The result… priceless!

If you haven’t tried raw banana ice cream, you shouldn’t miss it! 🙂

Raw Tabuleh

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Raw tabuleh… why is it raw? And how? Raw because I replaced the cooked bulgur with cauliflower. The tiny little white specks look pretty much like bulgur when mixed with all the other ingredients.

The idea comes from a friend of mine, Giulia, who made cauliflower-walnut pesto for me, Karin and Regula last October when we visited her in Tuscany. Then and there I fell in love with Tuscany: the landscape, the weather, the crisp fresh air, the cypress trees and the food we ate and made at Giulia’s gorgeous place. Tuscany has a very special kind of magic that you feel immediately when you arrive.

I made this tabuleh salad for a picnic spent with great friends in a park in Budapest. You can eat it as a salad with other yummie bits and pieces or as a side dish with grilled vegetables or meat.

Raw Tabuleh

Ingredients (serves 4)

– 1 medium sized cauliflower (about 400 g), cut into small florets
– 3 bunches of parsley, chopped
– 1/2 bunch of mint, chopped
– 4 tomatoes (about 350 g), chopped
– 2-3 spring onions, chopped
– 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
– 100-150 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
– salt, pepper

Method

Place cauliflower florets (use the stems to eat it raw or make soup) in a food processor then blend into grain-size pieces. Place it in a large bowl and toss with the chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes and spring onions. Add olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Place the bowl in the fridge and leave it there for at least 2 hours.

Picnic with friends in Istvan Szent Park, Budapest…

Raw Zucchini Spagetthi With Creamy Tahini Sauce

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Although I’m ovo-lacto vegetarian I cook and bake a lot of vegan meals too. I’m also interested to challenge myself with making raw meals. Raw foodism can include any diet of primarily unheated food, or food cooked to a temperature less than 40C (104F) to 46C (115F). It is believed that foods cooked above this temperature have lost much of their nutritional value and are less healthful or even harmful to the body. Also rawfoodblogs prove that the meals are made from simply ingredients are so colourful, tasteful and nutritious.

I love pasta and I eat a lot. In the summer heat I  don’t like cooking when the kitchen is already steamy and hot. I decided to try something new and make a different kind of ‘pasta’. This raw version of spagetthi is very versatile, it can be eaten as a salad or a main course.

Raw Zucchini Spagetthi with Creamy Tahini Sauce

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 4 baby zucchini (either yellow or green, about 10-15 cm / 3,93-5,90 inch long)
– 2 tablespoons tahini
– 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 1 tablespoon soy sauce
– 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (flake)
– 2 tablespoons water
– a pinch of chili flakes

Method

With a julienne peeler slice the zucchinis (until the middle of the zucchinis, seed parts). Place the sliced zucchinis in a bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together tahini with lemon juice, soy sauce and nutritional yeast. Dilute the sauce with 2 tablespoons water, then add chili flakes and mix until smooth. Pour the sauce over the zucchini spagetthi and work it in with your hands.

Superfood Breakfast: Raspberry Almond Milk Smoothie

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My newly discovered non-dairy milk is almond milk. I know I could make it easily at home (recipe here and here) but to be honest I’m a bit lazy and buy it at the organic farmers market from a Hungarian farmer. He makes a thick, creamy almond milk that tastes and smells like marzipan. I love it!

Almond milk contains ground almonds and water. It’s a healthy alternative to cow’s milk, and contains more vitamins and minerals (vitamin E, A and D, manganese, selenium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, fiber, phosphorous and calcium) than soy or rice milks. Unlike animal milk, it doesn’t contain cholesterol or lactose so it’s suitable for lactose intolerants, vegans and vegetarians. It doesn’t contain saturated fats or cholesterol, but it does contain omega-3 fatty acids, so it’s very good for your heart. Almond milk is also high in protein.

Five years ago I had a different breakfast habit than now. I used to have a slice of toast with butter and a cup of tea. I slowly changed my eating habits so my breakfasts changed too. I usually drink a big glass of vegan smoothie (green or fruit) or juice every morning. As I studied at the school of natural therapies fruits in their raw forms are exactly what your body need for energy. They are easy to digest and the sugar from fruits (glucose) are in the form that your body can easily turn into energy. And this is what we need every morning: energy, right?

Fruits make you energetic in the mornings, grains nourish at lunch time and vegetables clean your body in the evenings.

Raspberry Almond Milk Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 500 ml almond milk
– 60 g raspberry (frozen or fresh)
– 3 teaspoon honey / maple syrup / rice syrup

Method

Place all ingredients in the blender and process for 5 minutes, until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more almond milk.

If you leave it thick you can use it as a vegan yoghurt. I added oatmeal to it and it became a wholesome nutritious breakfast.

Raw Brownie

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I love brownies… ie I would love if I shouldn’t add so much sugar to the dough to make the brownies moist and gooey. That’s why I don’t bake it very often.

But this is history… now I can make gooey brownie that sweet enough although there is no sugar in it! It doesn’t contain egg, dairy and flour either. You don’t even have to bake it, you only need a strong food processor to make it.

This is a healthy brownie. That’s all.

Recipe adapted from Sarah!

Raw Brownie

Ingredients (for a 22*22 cm / 8,6*8,6 inch cake pan)

– 2 and 1/2 cups dates, pitted
– 1 cup raw cocoa
– 2 cups walnut
– 1/2 cup almond, chopped roughly
– 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

Place walnut into the food processor and blend until the nuts are finely ground. Add cocoa, salt and blend again for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add dates while the processor is running. Work until the “dough” or mixture easily sticks together (if it doesn’t add 1-2 dates).Press the “dough” into the lined cake pan, sprinkle the top with almond (press almond pieces into the “dough”). Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes or in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Enjoy without remorse! 🙂