Raw ravioli

Raw vegan ravioli featuring

watermelon radish + almond "cheese" + flat leaf parsley + smoked sea salt

and a light arugula salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil, spirulina, and smoked salt

Got some gorgeous watermelon radishes and I decided to try them as a variation of the raw foodie classic beet rawvioli. Who wouldn't love their bright green rims and rosy pink cheeks? 

Watermelon radishes are members of the Brassica family of vegetables. They contain the anti-oxidant sulforaphane which is shown to protect against numerous cancers. Fresh radish is rich in vitamin C, and contains folates, riboflavin, thiamin, and minerals including iron, magnesium, copper, and calcium. Paul Pitchford writes in Healing with Whole Foods that radish has a cooling thermal nature that moistens the lungs, cuts mucus, removes stagnation and detoxifies. Radish can relieve thick mucous (often associated with over consumption of dairy and animal products), clear the sinuses, relieve indigestion, and cool heat-induced conditions, and aid the body in purging toxins.

The radish rawvioli turned out fabulous! The lemon marinade softened them just enough to make them easy to eat with a knife and fork and kept their pink color vibrant. And the almond "cheese" is absolutely delectable. The combination of the garlic, nutritional yeast, and smoked sea salt gives it a satisfying, almost meaty depth. I really recommend using smoked salt if you can find it (Austinites won't have trouble locating it in the bulk spices at Wheatsville, Whole Foods, or Central Market) as the aroma it brings is almost intoxicatingly good. Served with a little side salad it made the perfect light supper for a warm summer evening.

Raw Ravioli

1 large watermelon radish
juice of ½ lemon
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Almond “Cheese”
Smoked sea salt, parsley and green onions for garnish

 1. Slice the radish into thin rounds. Ideally one would use a mandolin slicer, but if you're careful you can do it with a very sharp knife. You want them as thin as possible so take your time. Leave them circular, as I did, or stack and trim them into squares for style.
2. In a bowl, dress the radish rounds with the lemon, olive oil, and  a pinch of salt. Marinate for 1-2 hours.
3. Spoon a dollop of the almond "cheese" on one beet slice, then top it with a second slice. Repeat until you have the amount of Rawviolis you desire.
4. Garnish with parsley, green onions, and smoked sea salt.

Almond “Cheese”
Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, soaked and peeled
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. green onion, minced
1 Tbsp.  nutritional yeast
zest of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 
Smoked sea salt (or regular sea salt)

1. Soak almonds in water for at least 8 hours. Drain, rinse well, and remove almond peels.
2. In a food processor, place all ingredients and blend to mix to the consistency of a thick spread, like goat cheese. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Grilling vegetables

Grilling isn't just for meat! Yesterday at my family's Fourth of July dinner get together I held down the veggie front with organic sweet corn, baby bok choi, radicchio, onion, and a portobello mushroom.

I dressed the portobello in a marinade of tamari, coconut oil, garlic, salt and pepper. The rest of the veggies got a dash of that as well before I popped them on the grill.

Everything came out suuper delicious! The bok choi took the shortest time on the grill and I found it helpful to prop their leafy green parts up on the other veggies to protect them from charring while the thick bottoms cooked. And the onions which I sliced into rounds and skewered took longest. I left them on for a good ten minutes after everything else which brought out their sweet caramel flavor. The mushroom was rich, juicy and so satisfying.

I ate everything as a grilled veggie platter with some fresh oregano and parsley from the garden, another dash of tamari, and topped with avocado. Next time I want to make portabello burgers!

Nieces: Naomi + Maya and me with our chalk on the Fourth