Mint And Basil Ice Cream - The Raw Vegan Way

Basil is an amazing culinary herb, and many of us are used to adding it to a variety of dishes, but did you know that it makes for an awesome, refreshing raw ice-cream?

With its delicious flavor derived from a unique combination of essential oils, basil has been hailed for its potent health effects for generations, and is a major constituent of herbal remedies in numerous world cultures.

In India alone, basil leaves are successfully used in the treatment of stress, asthma and diabetes, yet only recently have scientific studies managed to reveal that basil possesses powerful antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties.

Moreover, just a few basil leaves can provide significant amounts of the vitamins K and A, as well as some manganese, iron, vitamin C and beta-carotene.

Basil's primary essential oil, which also provides it with its strong clove scent, is called eugenol, and it presents itself as a spicy, soluble, pale yellow liquid. While traditionally used in perfumeries and various flavorings, eugenol can be used medically as a local antiseptic and anesthetic.

This flavor is often beautifully complemented by mint, which is famed for its many medicinal purposes, including as an antipruritic (predominantly in insect bite treatments), a mild nasal decongestant, a diuretic and a mild stomach pain relief.

The strong and sharp flavor of mint is easily soothed by the delicate cashew cream that forms the basis of our invigorating dessert. When served with a chilled green smoothie, the raw basil mint ice-cream enhance the flavour significantly!

Equipment Needed:

• Blender - Blendtec HP3A Recommended

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of freshly chopped basil leaves
• 4 cups of soaked raw cashews (or raw almonds)
• 3 to 4 cups of fresh spring or raw water
• half a cup of raw honey or agave nectar (can add more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon of fresh mint leaves

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth
2. Move the mixture into a deep container and place into the freezer
3. Stir gently every few hours until it is frozen
4. Serve alone or with your green smoothie. The ice-cream can keep in the freezer for around 2 weeks.

Raw Soup - Butternut Squash And Apple

The sweet and savory butternut squash is an awesome vegetable to eat during the winter, not only because it is incredibly nutritious, but also because so many different types of foods can be prepared with it!

Today, we will be pureeing it into a lovely, reinvigorating soup that I like to eat on cold winter mornings. It gives me that energy boost I need to make it through a chilly day and can work wonders on my overall mood.

Rich in almost every vital nutrient group, squash can provide significant amounts of complex carbohydrates, that are slowly released into the bloodstream, and vegetable fiber that keeps hunger locked up till lunch time.

This is one of the reasons why squash is such a great breakfast food. It also contains a lot of vitamin C and good amounts of vitamin A, manganese, folate, essential fats, thiamine, copper, niacin, tryptophan, pyridoxine and many more.

The second important ingredient in our delicious squash soup is apple, which has been known for its many dietary benefits since the 19th century, when the famous saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." first became popular.

Apples are amazing sources of antioxidants, which may even have the ability to reduce the risk of developing prostate and colon cancers. Apples can help dieters lose weight, due to its low sugar and high fiber content, as well as fight heart disease through important phenolic phytochemicals.

Apple and squash make for a deliciously sweet and flavorful soup combination, that is perfectly balanced out by the added orange and lemon juice!

Equipment Needed:

• Blender

Ingredients:

• 2 apples, cored and cut
• 100 grams of peeled butternut squash
• 1/2 orange, peeled
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 cup almond milk
• 3 tablespoons of raw pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tarragon
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients except the parsley until you have obtained a smooth and creamy soup. You may need to add up to a glass of fresh water to obtain the desired consistency. Serve with sprinkled parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Raw Chef's Christmas Recipes

Russell James amazes us once again with his fine collection of delicious raw recipes for the perfect Christmas dinner. His Raw Christmas Recipes cookbook is part of a popular series consisting of 6 lovely booklets which bring together mouthwatering recipes that look absolutely amazing and are simple to make.

Thanks to Russell's clear and easy to follow directions, you too can become a gourmet chef and whip up the most spectacular raw Christmas recipes for your family, including specialties like Cucumber Canapes with Macadamia Puree & Balsamic Figs, the heavenly Sinderella beverage with pomegranate and pineapple, as well as the chocolate macaroons with spiced cashew cream centers.

To put together these savory recipes, Russell makes use of common raw kitchen appliances, including blender, food processor, dehydrator and juicer. While he enjoys adding a festive touch to these dishes, by browsing through his many recipe books, you may discover that he has made a habit of preparing all of his recipes with the same attention and care, emphasizing both on the nutritional value and visual appeal of a dish.

Russell James is one of the most loved personalities in the UK raw food community, whose passion for raw nutrition and dedication for the art of food preparation have confirmed his status as the number one Raw Chef in Britain.

Following nearly a decade of experience in raw food preparation, Russell James has put together a lovely series of theme-specific cooking booklets, which includes the lovely Raw Chef's Christmas recipes, featuring over a dozen festive meals and beverages that will delicately combine exotic aromas as well as pack a substantial nutritional punch that can keep you energized on a chilly winter day.