Raw Foods Recipes: Gluten Free Diet Christmas Dinner Menu

Having delicious raw food recipes that are 100% compatible with a gluten free diet makes for a delicious and satisfying Christmas dinner.  There’s no need to feel deprived.  I enjoyed Christmas dinner at the home of my dear friend and colleague Chef Karen Osborne.  Karen invited us to join her family, including her mother and brother for a fantastic Christmas meal.  She went all out.

Take a look at the video for photos.

Three of the recipes are included in this blog post.  The German Carob Cake recipe, made with 100% gluten-free, whole raw foods without any added oil or processed sweeteners  is available in our new book, “Dessert:  Making It Rich Without Oil” .  The book contains close to 50 recipes for equally as delicious and nutritious desserts.

The remainder of the recipes were those we taught during our “Healthy Holiday Feasts Class”  Healthy Holiday Feasts Class, taught in November.  You can download the recipe book and access the videos online at https://drritamarie.com/wp-clone/videoclasses/holidayfeasts2010-11. Use coupon code BLOGVIDEOS for a special discount.

These recipes are good every day of the year, and promote energy and mental clarity, rather than sluggishness as do your typical holiday meals.

Christmas Kale Salad

By Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

Ingredients

• 2 bunches dinosaur kale
• 1 small head red cabbage
• 1 small red or yellow onion
• ½ cup tahini
• Juice of 1 small  lemon (about 3-4 tablespoons)
• ¼ cup water
• 1 inch slice ginger
• ½ teaspoon kelp powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions 1.  Shred or finely slice the kale, onion and cabbage and place in a bowl. 2.  Blend tahini, lemon juice, water ginger, kelp and salt until creamy.  Adjust water to if the mixture is too thick. 3.  Pour dressing over vegetables and mix well to combine. 4.  Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Apple Ginger Pie

By Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

Crust

• ½  cup pecans
• ½  cup hazelnuts
• ½ cup shredded dried coconut
• ½ cup dates

1. Place all ingredients in food processor fitted with S Blade and run until it just starts to hold together and the nuts are chopped finely.
2. Press the crust mixture into a glass pie dish.

Filling

• 4 medium apples
• 1 inch slice ginger
• ½ cup almonds preferably soaked and drained or soaked and dehydrated.
• ½ cup shredded dried coconut
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup date paste
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Process the apples, ginger and almonds until coarsely chopped, by hand or in a food processor.
2. Stir in coconut, lemon juice, date paste and cinnamon.
3. Place filling in crust.  Decorate top as desired with apple slices, coconut or other fruits.

Waldorf Salad

By Chef  Karen Osborne

Ingredients

• 5-7 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 3  large apples , chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup  rough chopped walnuts, soaked & dehydrated
• 10 ounces arugula
• 2 cups coconut meat, young Thai
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 medjool dates
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic granules
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/32 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoons orange juice
• 1 cup pecans, soaked & dehydrated

Directions: Candied Pecans

1. Combine coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt, orange zest and orange juice in a bowl.
2. Stir and press with the back of a spoon until it becomes a thick paste.
3. Add more orange juice if necessary, but keep it thick.
4. Stir pecans into the mixture until coated.
5. Put pecans on a non stick sheet in the dehydrator at 105 degrees for 12 hours or longer until crispy.
6. Store these in an airtight glass jar in the freezer.

Dressing

1. Combine coconut meat, water, lemon juice, dates, salt, garlic and cayenne in a high speed blender until smooth being careful not to let it get warm.
2. Set aside as you prepare the salad

Salad

1. Combine celery, apples, raisins, and walnuts in a large bowl.  Stir in the dressing.
2. Serve the celery apple mix on a bed of arugula and top with candied pecans.