The raw food diet is more of a lifestyle than a diet now and days. It has taken root in many people's lives and with good reason. "Raw foodism" advocates for eating foods that are as natural as possible: Vegan, all-natural, organic, and most importantly never heated above 115 degrees fahrenheit. These are typically the specifications for something to be considered "raw" as they ensure vital nutrients and minerals are not lost like in much of our processed and heated foods today.
A question often asked is how to make raw food dishes that are tasty and give your taste buds something new besides just nuts, fruits, and vegetable? It is actually much easier than it sounds, all it takes is a dehydrator, a bit of imagination, a dash of creativity and some coconut oil, and you can recreate many dishes and goods that you ate before changing your lifestyle.
Here are 4 dishes raw food dishes made with coconut oil that have come from members of our coconut community that they absolutely love!
1. Cacao and Almond Cookies
- 2 C Almond Flour
- 1/2 C Ground Flax
- 1/2 C Cacao Powder
- 2/3 C Skinny Coconut Oil
- 1/3 C Water
- 1/3 C Agave
- 1 T Vanilla
- 1 C Chopped Almonds
Mix the almond flour, flax and cacao powder. Stir in you Skinny Coconut Oil, water, agave and vanilla. When it is well mixed, stir in chopped almonds. Form into balls, press flat with palms and place on dehydrator screens. Dehydrate 1 hour at 145, then reduce to 116 and dehydrate for at least 5 hours or until desired dryness is achieved.
2. Agave Nectar Chocolate Bars
Cookie Layer:
- 1 4.7oz Agave Nectar
- 3 c cacao flakes
- ¾ c brazil nuts
- 7 Pitted dates
- 3 T Honey
- ¼ tsp Himalayan salt
- Dash of nutmeg & cinnamon
Chocolate Layer:
- 1 c arriba cacao paste
- 4 T Skinny Coconut Oil
- 4 T liquid raw honey
- pinch salt
- pinch nutmeg & cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp unheated vanilla
For the Cookie Layer place coconut and brazil nuts in a food processor and mix until a flour forms. Add all remaining cookie layer ingredients and mix until forming a dough. Press the dough into a cookie sheet or glass pan.
For the Chocolate Layer melt cacao paste by putting chunks into a bowl in a dehydrator and melt at 105 degrees. Once cacao is melted, add coconut oil and stir until melted. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour over Cookie Layer and smooth out the top. Chill in refrigerator until chocolate is hardened, about 1 & 1/2 hours. Enjoy
3. Coconut Squares
- 2c of shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/4c of Skinny Coconut Oil
- 1-2tbsp of agave nectar
- 1/4c of fresh fruit (recommend using blueberries, strawberries, or peaches)
Put the first three ingredients into a food processor and process for a minute or two. Add the fruit in after everything else has been combined. Process again for a few seconds. Place in wax or parchment paper lined pan and place in freezer for 30min-1hour.
4. Raw Pesto
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
- 2/3 c Skinny Coconut Oil
- 1 c pine nuts (other nuts, such as almonds or walnuts may be substituted)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/3 c yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until nuts are ground. Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! Super Easy!
There you have it 4 incredible delicious, simple, healthy raw food dishes. We believe that food should not only make you feel good but should taste good as well. That is why we recommend using Skinny Coconut Oil as your coconut oil for these recipes as it is raw food diet approved with a light fragrance and taste. It is sure to make these dishes go from excellent to divine.
