Raw Cashew Sour Creamed Mushroom Salad

I have fond memories of spending spring and summer school breaks out in the country at a relative's house. I always loved to be in the garden, chasing geese and hen, and hanging out on a plum tree, eating fresh fruit. After summer rain, the folks went out in the field to pick mushrooms.

Although, I loved the shape, color and scent of different mushroom varieties, as a kid, no one could make me eat them in any form. I was terrified of getting ill from poisonous species. One day, I said my prayers, and ate some plain white mushrooms. I absolutely loved the taste, but I didn't want to react; I wanted to make sure I survived the night. After this experience, nothing could stop me from eating these tasty little things.

This salad is one of my all time favorites, somewhat of a traditional Hungarian dish. The original recipe uses all cooked or canned mushrooms and standard mayonnaise blended with sour cream. During my second pregnancy, I was craving different foods from my childhood, including this mushroom salad. Because I was already on a vegan, raw food diet, I decided to try a raw version of it. Frankly, I love it more than the original version. Green onions and bell peppers are some of the staples of a spring Hungarian dish; they give it a fresh, light flavor, and the tarragon gives it an earthier flavor. Tarragon is a fairly strong spice, with a combination of mint, licorice, pine and peppery taste. If you prefer other herbs or spices, substitute tarragon with fresh organic dill. The cashew sour cream has a tangy flavor just as the standard sour cream, however it keeps the dish light and easily digestible, unlike it's original counterpart.

It always amazes me, how a few ingredients can bring forth such an abundance of flavors. As a busy mama, the less ingredients a recipe has, the faster it can be made and eaten. And taking care of a toddler and infant leaves me pretty hungry at times.

What you need

1 box of organic white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 organic red bell pepper, chopped
6 organic green onions, chopped
2 tbsp tarragon, chopped

Wash mushrooms, bell pepper, green onions and tarragon, well. Chop and add to a bowl. Leave out a tablespoonful of bell peppers, green onions and a teaspoon of chopped tarragon. You will use it to garnish your salad.

I just had to take a picture of all the ingredients in one bowl, the aroma of all these fresh items was irresistible.

You will use your high-speed blender to make the Raw Cashew Sour Cream mixture.

Raw Cashew Sour Cream

1 cup raw organic cashews
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Juice of one lemon
2 tbsp of chopped red onions
1/2 tsp salt

In a high-speed blender, add apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, red onions and salt. Blend until smooth, then add cashews 1/2 cup at a time. The end result should be a smooth, sour cream-like texture. If the cream is too thick, add water to it a 1/4 cup at a time, to assure smooth blending.

Add the sour cream mixture to bowl with the rest of the ingredients, and gently combine. Sprinkle top with the remainder of 1 tablespoon of green onions, 1 tablespoon of chopped red bell peppers, and 1 tsp tarragon.

I usually serve this salad with raw crackers, or in raw collard greens, as wraps. Enjoy.

In a near future post, I will provide my favorite green crackers recipe made of green vegetable pulp left over from our daily juicing.

Sprouted Quinoa Tabbouleh

Traditional tabbouleh is a Levantine Arab salad made with bulgur. I decided to substitute bulgur with sprouted quinoa. A friend introduced me to quinoa four years ago, after becoming aware of my gluten intolerance. Quinoa has a delicate texture with a slightly nutty flavor. It's an excellent substitution for rice or wheat, and it's a great source of protein. It contains all essential amino acids needed for tissue development, therefore it's considered a complete protein.

Sprouting Quinoa

1/2 cup dry Quinoa

2 cups water

(this makes 1 1/2 cups of sprouted quinoa)

Sprouting quinoa is very simple. Soak your quinoa in water for 30 minutes. For this recipe, I used 1/2 cup of dry quinoa, covered it with two cups of water. After 30 minutes, drain well, and place in a warmer area for sprouting. Rinse and drain every 12 hours, until 1/4 inch sprouts appear. My sprouting process took 36 hours and 1/2 cup of dry quinoa made 1 1/2 cups of sprouted quinoa.

Tabbouleh Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sprouted quinoa
1 cup diced organic tomatoes
2 cups diced organic cucumbers
1 cup diced organic red bell peppers
1/2 cup organic green onions
1/2 cup chopped organic red onions
1 cup organic parsley
1/4 cup chopped organic mint
1/4 cup chopped organic cilantro
chopped avocados (optional)

I love this dish because I include some of my favorite vegetables; the colors and aroma are irresistible. I find tabouleh to be one of the  most attractive fresh meals of spring or summer, and everything tastes so much sweeter when they are in season. And best of all, all these veggies can be grown in your own garden. Chop up all the vegetables and place them in a bowl.

To avoid breaking off the quinoa sprouts, I mix the vegetables together first, before adding the quinoa. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, this will allow the flavors to blend. 

Tabbouleh Dressing

3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Lemon juice
1 large Garlic clove
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste

Using your high-speed blender, blend ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Gently combine sprouted quinoa with vegetables. Plate your salad and pour desired amount of dressing on top. I served this as main course, added some chopped avocados and it was a very delicious and satisfying meal. If you want to add more protein to your dinner, serve tabouleh with salmon or chicken.

I appreciate feedback from my readers and friends. I'd love to know what you think and what are some things you would like to know more about? My desire is to provide valuable information to you, so leave a comment below.

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Raw Sauerkraut

Fermented vegetables are popular in many cultures and are known to help digestion of heavy cooked foods. However, they do far more than just help digestion. Fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut, cleanse your body’s digestive tract, encouraging growth of good bacteria. They detox the body and help control food cravings, therefore helping with weight loss. A healthy, clean gut ensures a strong immune system.

Sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables are sold at grocery stores, but most of these are pasteurized and high in sodium. It is best to make your own sauerkraut; it's an easy process and if sealed properly, it can store up to a year in your fridge. When vegetables are fermented, they become more nutritious filled with minerals, digestive enzymes, Vitamin C and probiotics. These are essential for our health and for an efficient body. Include a small portion of Sauerkraut in your daily diet.

Growing up in Eastern Europe, homemade fermented vegetables were a regular part of our meals. We've been in this country for over twenty years and my family still ferments cabbage and cultures green tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers and bell peppers.

The following recipe is from my mother and I'm grateful to enjoy sauerkraut frequently.  Feel free to post any questions you may have on this process. The instructions may sound difficult and long, however, you will master it instantly or in a couple of tries.

Raw Sauerkraut

2 lbs organic cabbage

2 heaping tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. dried dill

2 tsp. peppercorns

4 small bay leaves chopped into small pieces

Peel a couple of leaves off the cabbage and put it aside. Shred cabbage one pound at a time, with either your food processor or manually with a sharp knife. Add shredded cabbage to a large bowl and start massaging  it with your hands until it starts to wilt. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp peppercorns and 2 small chopped bay leaves. Mix cabbage and ingredients well, and place it aside. 

Shred the second pound of cabbage, add it to bowl, massage it, add remaining  ingredients and mix well. Let the cabbage sit in a bowl for a few hours until it wilts and lets out some of it's juice. Turn and mix cabbage manually every 30 minutes, to assure that there will be enough juice to start the fermentation. After a few hours, place cabbage with juice in a glass jar, cover it with the two cabbage leaves, pressing  it down firmly to assure that the cabbage is covered with its own juice. Two pounds of shredded cabbage should fill a half a gallon jar. Cover jar with cheese cloth or a paper towel. Because the juice might overflow during the fermentation process, place your jar on a towel. 

Fermentation will take about a week if the weather is cooler and the jar is not in a warm environment. The best quality sauerkraut is produced in around 65 Fahrenheit. This temperature allows the bacteria to ferment naturally in it's appropriate sequence. After a week, remove cabbage leaves from top, seal the jar and place in refrigerator. It may take an additional two weeks for the cabbage to turn as sour as most would prefer. 

Enjoy!