Raw Inspiration

While definitely not a puritan raw foodist at this moment, it is necessary for my mental health to 'eat green' everyday and is inspiring to eat raw delicious foods as often as possible. Here is a sampling of following that inspiration to introduce raw foods more often in my family life. My children have no idea mommy once worked at a vegan restaurant called Kung Food in San diego back when she was a college student. Or the profound change her body (and mind) went through, though it was not visible as a weight issue is for many people. It was felt more as a sparkle, and since then raw foods have become dear friends at my table. However, sometimes we lose touch for awhile, and then something happens and we get to know each other again. ")

Thank you Betsy, for asking for the recipe. I needed to do this!

Raw Chocolate Cake inspired from the book Soar on Raw by Erini L:

Xochiquetzal's Adorned Chocolate Cake

2 cups Brazil Nuts or cashews ( we used cashews and pecans)
3/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/3 agave nectar (we used honey and sugar)
2 Tablespoons lucuma powder (we used maca)
2 vanilla pods ( we used homemade vanilla extract from the Smith's)
Dash of salt

TOPPING

1 Cup berries of your choice (can be fresh or frozen)
2Tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1 vanilla pod

Grind the nuts in a coffee grinder or blender until they are fine and powdery. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the cake ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. You may wish to add 2-3 tablespoons water if you find the mixture is very sticky.

Take two flat plates and spread half the mixture on each one. They can go in the fridge directly on top of each other and chill for at leastna half hour. You will know it is ready when a knife can be cut through it without any mixture sticking to it.

While cacao mixture is setting, make the sauce by blending all the ingredients (I put frozen berries in a saucepan with the sweetener on low heat just until thawed).  It should be of a thick liquid consistency, not runny.

How you choose to finish this cacao cake is up to you but the aim is to place one layer berry sauce over the first cacao plate and then cover it with the second layer.  Use a spatula to carefully lift the mixture from one plate to another to mainyain its shape.

Decorate with plenty of berries, flowers, and imagination.