THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

This is a healthy twist on an old American favourite. To be honest, I've never tried (non-vegan) Thousand island dressing, but looking at the ingredients, this comes unbelievably close to what I imagine it would taste like! It's sort of like a tomato-ish mayonnaise. Like most raw dressings it's incredibly easy to make. Pour it on salads, zoodles, or other raw veggie dishes to create a creamy, crunchy, delicious raw meal!

Recipe
2 tomatoes
1 small carrot, peeled
2 tbs tahini
2 tbs chopped spring onion (green part only)
1 tsp sauerkraut (optional)
2 medjool dates
1 tsp paprika

- Blend all ingredients together and you're done! I sprinkled some dill & spring onion and juiced a bit of lime on top too.

CHILLI CHEESE FRIES

This is a fun, healthy way to use the chilli non-carne recipe here. 

Fries

1 kg potatoes, peeled is desired

2 tbs paprika

1 tbs cumin

Cheese sauce

1/3 cup cashews

1/2 cup water

3 large fries

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp mustard powder

2 cups chilli

Handful of coriander, chopped

Method

• For the fries, preheat the oven to 180C. Slice the potatoes into chips. Sprinkle the spices on top and thoroughly mix with a spoon or your hands to evenly coat each chip. Place in the oven for around 20 minutes or until soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside.

• For the cheese, blend the cashews, water & fries (Yep- add some of your fries! It tastes delicious, I promise!) on high for at least 30 seconds, until completely smooth. Add in the lemon juice & mustard powder and blend until well combined.

• Spread the fries evenly on a plate or large, flat-bottomed dish. Pour the chilli and cheese sauce over the fries. Sprinkle with coriander,

Enjoy! 

CHILLI (non-carne)

Unfortunately for us, our families aren't vegan, so we try to encourage them to eat less animal products by making yummy vegan dishes :) While we both enjoy raw or predominantly raw diets, we love to cook for our families. Here is one very popular vegan-for-omnivores Mexican dish that is super delicious and very versatile. It is low fat, loaded with veggies and totally scrumptious! It is a good idea to make large batches of the chilli and freeze some to use in different dishes to keep meals interesting & more convenient to prepare! 

Recipe 

1/2 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP) (make sure it's organic!)

1 cup boiled water

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 carrots, grated

2 zucchinis, grated

1 capsicum, finely diced

500g cooked kidney beans

2 cans diced tomatoes 

1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce

Salt, to taste

Method

• Put the TVP in a bowl with the boiled water and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Strain the TVP and squeeze as much water out of it as possible. Add about 1/2 cup of water to a saucepan and bring to medium heat. Add the TVP and cook for 10 minutes, stirring. Once cooked, put aside in a bowl.
• Add another 1/2 cup of water to the saucepan and add the onion and garlic in. Stir until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.
• Add the TVP back into the saucepan, along with the spices, carrot, zucchini, capsicum, tomatoes & kidney beans. Cook for 1 hour.
• Add in the sweet chilli sauce and salt. Finished! Serve with chopped coriander. 

Looking for ways to serve your chilli? Try these ideas...

- on rice (try turmeric-infused rice!)

- on pasta

- on a baked potato

- in tacos (with salsa & salad ingredients)

- in a burrito (with rice, salsa & guacamole)

- on nachos (with a cheesy sauce on top)