Happy Raw Foods Thursday! I’ve had a fabulous raw foods week, and I hope you have too. I am loving eating high raw/vegan, and Thursdays are the highlight of my week. This is when I learn from raw experts and newbies alike and plan my menu for the next week. Last week’s raw fun culminated with our Raw Foods Potluck. I’m sharing that experience in the linky below.

Raw foods have delighted me for years now. But every other time I’ve committed to a raw diet, I’ve gone all in, 100% raw for a specific amount of time, anywhere from 21 days to a month. I’ve done raw bootcamps, 21 day raw cleanses, one month raw challenges, and I’ve loved every one. But when it was over, it was over. But committing to high raw/vegan has been a refreshing decision. It isn’t militant or restrictive. I can enjoy my raw meals, but if I want some cooked quinoa or some hummus on a raw cracker, there is nothing stopping me. Right now, this is working. Well. And your submissions are helping me immensely! Just look at some of my favorite submissions from last week.

This gorgeous Cleansing Beet Salad by Kimmy of Rock My Vegan Socks is on my list for next week. Kimmy brilliantly mixes root veggies with arugula and fennel. What a flavor combination!

These Raw Paleo Strawberry Macaroons by Tessa the Domestic Diva are nut-free raw treats that you can feel good about.

This Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse by Dawn of Small Footprint Family is just another reminder that avocado and cacao are the “two great tastes” in the raw foods world.

I ‘ve been inspired to dehydrate fresh mangos for these Raw Mango Energy Bars by Janet of The Taste Space.

And berries, ginger, and beets in a smoothie? Yes! Try this Anti-Inflammatory Berry Good for You Smoothie by Erin of Sift, Stir & Savour.

These Raw Superfood Cookies by Sadie of Sweet Smart Vegan showcase gogi berries which are packed with antioxidants, carotenoids, and over 20 vitamins and minerals. Yes, please!

Just one more sweet treat…can you tell I have a bit of a sweet tooth this week?

Laura’s Wild Orange Chocolate Balls – a delicious combination of two classic flavors.

This week I’m sharing my post about last weekend’s Raw Foods Potluck. There are links to all sorts of amazing raw recipes that you’ll love! What do you have to share?

Here’s how you can participate:

• Simply link up a raw foods recipe (see What is Raw Food?), mention Raw Foods Thursdays, and link back to this post so your readers can join in the fun!
• Please link to the recipe, not to a blog’s home page, so we can all find your raw foods recipe.
• You may link up a recipe that you’ve made in the past. Just make sure to share something different each time you participate.
• Be sure to leave a comment letting us know who you are and what you’re sharing.
• Feel free to use the Raw Foods Thursdays blog badge created by the lovely, talented Heather Peters!

What are Raw Foods Meals?

• Plant-based meals that are not cooked.  Dehydrators may be used no higher than 118 degrees.  (The raw foods community has differing views on temperature, but the range is between 104 and 118 degrees.)
• Raw Ingredients: vegetables, fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, gluten-free sprouted grains, beans, and oils.

What isn’t raw?

• Anything cooked above 118.
• Anything processed.  If it comes from a can or a package that lists more than one ingredient, chances are it’s not raw!

We had an incredible Raw Foods Potluck over the weekend, and I can’t wait to share the inspirational feast that we enjoyed.  I will give you a sneak peak at the dessert that I brought to the event. While creating these Strawberry Fudge Cups I had three goals. First, I had to use some of my leftover almond pulp. Second, I wanted to incorporate fresh fruit. And third, it had to be sweet enough to call it a dessert, yet not so sweet that it would be a decadent treat.

I think I succeeded! But I was quite nervous to show up to a potluck with a dessert that I had created just that afternoon, especially when the event was being hosted by certified raw foods chefs! (Just check out those chocolate almond butter bites in the background!) Yikes!

All you need is a food processor or blender to mix the batter and a freezer or refrigerator to help the cups solidify. That’s it. No fancy gadgets here.

Strawberry Fudge Cups

by Heather

Fudge Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. almond pulp, leftover from making almond milk (or use almond meal)
• 1/2 c. raw almond butter (skip the roasting in this recipe)
• 1 c. strawberries
• 1/3 c. Raw Cacao Powder
• 1/4 c. Raw Coconut Nectar
  
• 1/3 c. Organic Raw Coconut Butter
  
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. dates, soaked for 30 minutes and chopped finely

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 T. Organic Raw Coconut Oil
  
• 1 T. Raw Cacao Powder
  
• 1/4 c. Raw Coconut Nectar

Extra:

• 10 whole strawberries, cut and fanned

Directions:

1. Place all fudge ingredients in a food processor except for the chopped dates. Process until smooth.

2. Add chopped dates and pulse once or twice so the dates remain chunky.

3. Scoop fudge dough into 10 muffin tins lined with muffin liners, place them in the freezer, and begin preparing the frosting.

4. Place 1 T. of coconut oil in a small glass dish. Place the dish in another bowl of hot tap water to gradually soften the coconut oil. Continue replacing the hot water until the coconut oil is almost a clear liquid.

5. Combine melted coconut oil, cacao powder, and coconut nectar in a small bowl and mix with a fork.

6. Drizzle the frosting over each strawberry fudge cup and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

7. Top each fudge cup with a fresh strawberry right before serving. You can serve it in the muffin liner or carefully remove the fudge cup from the liner.

Yields 10 fudge cups

You can serve them in the muffin liner or carefully remove the liner and serve on a plate.

Readers, dish!

• What’s your favorite raw chocolate treat?
• What’s your favorite fruit to eat with chocolate?
• Would you bring a tried and true dish to a potluck or do you experiment and bring something new?

Merry Christmas family and friends! We are enjoying a quiet Christmas this year. Listening to Christmas music, decorating our Charlie Brown Christmas tree, watching Christmas movies, caroling, evenings with friends, snuggling with Max. Max does quiet Christmas really well.

Last year we traveled to visit my mom. While I’m missing her this Christmas, I love that traditional family recipes can bridge the miles. I wanted to share one of mom’s favorite gluten-free Christmas dessert recipes with you called Berries on a Cloud. There are a few preparation steps that need to be taken days ahead. If I hadn’t been so behind on my Christmas shopping you would have had this recipe last week! Sorry.  Just think how you’re extra ahead for Christmas 2013!

Berries on a Cloud is a perfect one-dish dessert for a crowd. Prepare the three layers one day at a time.

Slice and serve.

Don’t look for anything healthy in this recipe. Just enjoy the beautiful Christmas color and the light, fluffy decadence!

Berries on a Cloud

from Heather’s mom

Merengue Layer Ingredients:

• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 c. sugar

Cream Cheese Layer Ingredients:

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 8 oz. cool whip
• 1 c. mini marshmallows

Berry Topping Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can cherry pie filling
• 2 12-oz packages of frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1/4 c. water

Directions:

Day 1

1.  Preheat oven to 275.

2.  Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt to soft peaks.

3.  Add 1 3/4 c. sugar and beat until stiff.

4.  Lightly grease 9×13 pan.  Spread egg white mixture in the bottom of the pan.

5.  Bake for 1 hour at 275.  Turn oven off and leave for 8 hours or overnight.

Day 2

6.  Cream together cream cheese, 1 c. sugar, and vanilla.

7.  Add cool whip and mini marshmallows and refrigerate overnight.

8.  Spread cream cheese mixture over the merengue.

Day 3

9.  Puree 1 package of thawed raspberries with 1/4 cup water.

10.  Strain berry puree through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the seeds.

11.  Mix cherry pie filling, 1 package of thawed raspberries, and pureed raspberries.

12.  Spread berry mixture over the cream cheese layer.

13.  Cut and serve.

Serves 12-14

Have a merry Christmas!

Readers, dish!

• What’s your favorite Christmas dessert?
• Are you having a quiet or busy Christmas?