Winter Warmers

Many plants, like the tulip and the apple tree, would not blossom in the springtime were it not for the period of dormancy that is the gift of winter’s chill. Their example can inspire us to use this season of slumber to cleanse ourselves like flora shedding lifeless foliage so that we, too, may emerge from under the frost refreshed and renewed when spring arrives. –Anonymous

What a wonderful third seasonal workshop we had at Amity Point last Thursday. I made lots of nice and warm raw foods. Sounds like a contradiction but totally possible! The menu started with my version of miso soup, full of garlic and ginger and sea-veggies, a sauerkraut demonstration, to ensure lots of living pro-biotic enzymes during the winter months, a hot spicy curry and parsnip 'rice', and the most comforting, warm apple and blackberry 'scrumble' with hot vanilla custard. The custard came out of a mistake when once heating almond milk on the stove and it strated to thicken! My milk turned into cream, which was fine as I had a crumble to eat anyway. Then I thought about making an authentic looking and tasting vannila custard using the same technique, using saffron and turmeric to turn it a nice yellow colour, and fresh vannila pods to make the delicate flavour. I must say, it really was one of the best 'mistakes' I've ever made : ) Mush better than 'birds' instant custard any day, and full of my favourite ingredients.. vannila, saffron, almonds and dates. Mmmm.. comfort food at it's best!

Apple and blackberry 'scrumble'.. I forgot to take some pictures of the custard ; ( But here are the recipes......

Apple and Blackberry Scrumble
This is a winter classic, my memories of childhood winters were all about eating hot apple crumble and custard and roasting chestnuts in the fire! I thought that a raw version of the humble-crumble could never quite cut it, but this really does! Especially when eaten straight out of the dehydrator (or low oven), it has that ‘just baked’ feeling, without the stodginess of wheat and margarine topping and overly sloppy sweet filling. This keeps the freshness and beneficial enzymes of raw local apples, ayervedic spices and wholesome nuts and date topping. If you want to make a cooked crumble, try making this topping instead of a conventional topping; it really is much tastier and easier! The longer you leave the filling to marinade, the softer it will become, so I try to make it a day in advance, popping it in the dehydrator for a few hours before serving. You can also try this one with pears, adding seasonal berries such as blackberries, or using a combination of fruits you have to hand for a sort of fruit-salad-crumble, such as mango, bananas and kiwis. Serve with hot vanilla custard for a real comfort food treat.

Topping:
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup Buckwheaties (or rolled oats)

1/2 cup soaked dates

In a food processor, combine all ingredients until they become crumbly. Add half of the dates first, adding more if needed. Do not over process, you want a crumble mixture not a dough….

Filling:6 medium sized apples (1 pureed/ 5 sliced)

1/2 cup soaked dates (+soak water)

1/4 cup raisins

2 tsp cinnamon1 tbs lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp nutmeg

Put the thinly sliced apples into a dish. In a blender, puree the other two apples and all other ingredients. Pour over the sliced apples, adding a few whole raisins.
Either cover and leaver overnight, or place in the dehydrator or very low over with door ajar for a few hours to warm through. Scatter over the crumble topping for the last hour.

Thick and creamy Vannila Custard

Makes 2 cups:

2 cups almond milk (made with 1 cup almonds and 2 cups water, or other nut or seed)

1 tbsp lecithin granules

12 soaked dates

1 vannila bean (or 1 tsp vanilla essence)

1 pinch saffron strands

1 pinch turmeric powder

Make the almond milk in the usual way, soaking the nuts overnight or for 6+ hours, and blending with clean water until well blended. Strain through a nut milk bag, and pour milk back into the blender,
Add the lecithin, soaked dates, saffron and turmeric. If you have a powerful blender like a vitamix, add a whole vanilla bean, skin and all. If using a normal blender, split the bean lengthways, and scrape out the tiny seeds from the middle. Add this to the milk, and blend until well mixed.
Pour the vanilla milk into the blender, and heat gently over a low heat, stirring frequently. The milk should start to thicken. Make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom. If you aren’t worried about it being totally raw, you can bring it gently to the boil, which will make a thicker custard. Keeping it within ‘finger’ heat, will make a warm runny custard. Serve over raw or cooked crumble, any dessert, or soaked or poached dried fruits.

Enjoy a warm winter of high vibrational living foods with added warm energy added. Raw food doesn't have to mean cold food. Get creative with warming spices, dehydrated foods and warming teas and soups, and when you feel like a good proper cooked soup or curry, go ahead and get heated from within! Next months workshop: Festive party!!