Raw Food Recipes [Search results for NuNaturals] 

With the Great Sweetener Debate (mainly not raw agave nectar) in full swing, I thought I would weigh in where I could. And what better way to start than a product that's not raw. Didn't think I would go there, did you?

But check this out, in all seriousness. Whatever foods you choose to consume should be your business and yours alone. The recipes showcased on The Daily Raw Blog are what I eat personally and I want to share. I may not use all raw products, but that's okay, you can choose raw substitutions to match your needs. On the products that aren't of a raw nature, I want to provide you with as much information (based on my understanding of them) as possible so you can make your own decision.

As far raw sweeteners go, there were a couple of great posts I have read over the last year or so that have done a beautiful job on the subject. I honestly don't feel I can add more to the topic.

Agave Nectar — To Use Or Not To Use — Kristen Suzanne
sweet possibilities: the lowdown on raw sweeteners — Bitt of Raw
List of Raw Sweeteners — RawInfo.com
Guide to Raw-Friendly Sugar-Free Sweeteners — Raw Food, Right Now!

On to NuNaturals. I recently had the opportunity to try out NuNaturals Stevia products and create some pretty tasty recipes.

NuNaturals’ NuStevia products provide several forms of stevia extracts in liquid and powder form. It contains zero calories and has a low glycemic index so it doesn't effect blood sugar levels, making it safe for diabetics.

Like stevia, a little goes a long way when it comes to NuStevia. In some of the components of the recipes, I used the bare minimum of extract (20 drops from a convenient dropper) and I still received a sweet dish. There was no strange aftertaste or smell, as a matter of fact, it brought out the natural flavors of the ingredients, only enhancing the recipe.

Pure Liquid™ Alcohol Free Stevia™
Size: 2 fl oz
Price: $14.15
Ingredients: Water, vegetable glycerine and natural flavors
Sweetness: 6 drops = 1 teaspoon sugar

Pure Liquid™ Cocoa Bean Extract
Size: 2 fl oz
Price: $13.99
Ingredients: Water, 20% pure grain alcohol, vegetable glycerine, NuStevia Stevia extract and natural flavors

Pure Liquid™ Lo Han Supreme™
Size: 2 fl oz
Price: $17.99
Ingredients: Water, 20% pure grain alcohol, vegetable glycerine, NuStevia Stevia extract

Luohan guo (or Luo han guo) is a fruit from China and Northern Thailand, traditionally used in medicine and as a sweetener. The fruit extract is nearly 300 times sweeter than sugar. According to Wikipedia, "The sweet taste of luohan guo comes mainly from the mogrosides, a group of Triterpene-Glycosides that make up approximately 1% of the flesh of the fresh fruit." NuNaturals is certified to contain a minimum 80% of the mogrosides in its Lo Han Supreme extract.

Cheesecakes!
I have stated for the record that my favorite dessert is cheesecake. In the April/May 2010 of Fine Cooking there was a beautiful spread on cheesecakes complete with 18 variations. A few of which I have garnered inspiration.

Chocolate Cheesecake
CRUST
2 cups walnuts, unsoaked
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup organic cocoa or carob powder
20 drops NuNaturals Pure Liquid Cocoa Bean Extract
1 cup dates, pitted, unsoaked

Process nuts, and sea salt in a food processor until fine; add powder, extract and dates. Continue to process until well-incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom. Place the pan in the freezer until filling is ready.

FILLING
3 cups cashews, soaked for 1 hour to soften
1 ½ cup lemon juice (about 5-6 lemons)
½ cup organic cocoa or carob powder
¼ teaspoon NuNaturals Pure Liquid™ Cocoa Bean Extract
½ teaspoon NuNaturals Pure Liquid Alcohol Free Stevia, or more to taste

Mix cashews and lemon juice in blender; process until smooth and creamy. Add powder, extract and stevia. Continue to blend, maintaining a thick, creamy consistency. Make sure filling has no lumps.

Pour the mixture into the crust. Place the cheesecake into the freezer for at least 2 hours or until solid.

TOPPING
¼ cup Cacao Nibs
Sprinkle cacao nibs on top of the cheesecake. When serving, cut the number of slices needed and replace the rest of the cheesecake in the freezer. Let the slices sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving.

Mango Ginger Cheesecake
TOPPING*
“Crystallized Ginger”
4 tablespoons finely shredded peeled ginger
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Toss ingredients in a bowl. Spread mixture on mesh dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12-24 hours or until dry and slightly crunchy.

*Alternately, top cheesecake with slivers of fresh ginger.

CRUST
2 cups walnuts
1-inch piece ginger, peeled
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ teaspoon sea salt
20 drops NuNaturals Pure Liquid™ Lo Han Supreme™
1 cups dates, pitted, unsoaked

Process nuts, ginger, coconut flakes and sea salt in a food processor until fine; add extract and dates. Continue to process until incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom. Place the pan in the freezer until filling is ready.

FILLING
3 cups cashews, soaked for 1 hour
1 ½ cup lemon juice (about 5-6 lemons)
2 ripe Mangos, peeled
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
½ teaspoon NuNaturals Pure Liquid™ Lo Han Supreme™
½ teaspoon NuNaturals Pure Liquid Alcohol Free Stevia, or more to taste
Mix cashews and lemon juice in blinder; process until smooth and creamy. Add mango, ginger, Lo Han and stevia. Continue to blend, maintaining a thick, creamy consistency. Make sure filling has no lumps.

Pour the mixture into the crust. Place the cheesecake into the freezer for at least 2 hours or until solid.

When serving, cut the number of slices needed and replace the rest of the cheesecake in the freezer. Top a few slivers of crystallized ginger on top of each slice. Let the slices set at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving.

Mint Chocolate Cheesecake
CRUST
2 cups walnuts
¼ cup organic cocoa or carob powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
20 drops NuNaturals Pure Liquid Cocoa Bean Extract
1 cup dates, pitted, unsoaked

Process nuts, and sea salt in a food processor until fine; add powder, extract and dates. Continue to process until incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom. Place the pan in the freezer until filling is ready.

FILLING
3 cups cashews, soaked for 1 hour
1 ½ cup lemon juice (about 5-6 lemons)
1 cup loosely packed chocolate mint leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ teaspoon NuNaturals Cocoa Bean Extract
½ teaspoon NuNaturals Pure Liquid Alcohol Free Stevia, or more to taste

Mix cashews and lemon juice in blender; process until smooth and creamy. Add mint, extract and stevia. Continue to blend until all the mint is processed to tiny specks, maintaining a thick, creamy consistency. The cheesecake should have a light green hue. Make sure filling has no lumps.

Pour the mixture into the crust. Place the cheesecake into the freezer for at least 2 hours or until solid.

TOPPING
Chocolate Glaze
¼ cup water
¼ cup maple syrup (not a raw product)
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons coconut butter

Combine ingredients in the blender until well combined. Pour the glaze on top of the cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the freezer for an hour or until the glaze hardens.

When serving, cut the number of slices needed and replace the rest of the cheesecake in the freezer. Let the slices sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Cheesecake
TOPPING
¼ cup blueberries
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Toss ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

CRUST
2 cups walnuts
½ teaspoon organic vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dates, pitted, unsoaked

Process nuts, and sea salt in a food processor until fine; add extract and dates. Continue to process until incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom. Place the pan in the freezer until filling is ready.

FILLING
3 cups cashews, soaked for 1 hour
1 ½ cup lemon juice (about 5-6 lemons)
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
½ teaspoon NuNaturals Pure Liquid Alcohol Free Stevia, or more to taste

Mix cashews and lemon juice in blender; process until smooth and creamy. Add blueberries, extract and stevia. Blend until blueberries are incorporated, maintaining a thick, creamy consistency. The cheesecake should have a pretty purple hue. Make sure filling has no lumps.

Pour the mixture into the crust. Place the cheesecake into the freezer for at least 2 hours or until solid.

When serving, cut the number of slices needed and replace the rest of the cheesecake in the freezer. Let the slices sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving. Arrange blueberry topping on the cheesecake slices.

NOTE: One cheesecake recipe makes approximately 48 mini cheesecakes.

NuNaturals gives four (4) winners one box of NuStevia White Stevia Powder, 50 ct. packets, and one bottle of our Vanilla Stevia Liquid, 2 oz.
For a chance to win, leave a comment below.

Optional entries: Here are more ways to enter. Each Way Gets You One Entry, except #1.

Remember, leave a separate comment on my blog for each entry you want. If applicable, please leave the link to your Facebook/Twitter/Blog in the comment you leave me.

1. Link the Daily Raw Blog's 3rd Anniversary Cyber Celebration back on a Blog Post of yours. **You Get 5 Extra Entries for Doing This** Please leave a link. And create 5 separate comments in the comment field below.

2. Follow Me. If you are already following me, let me know.

3. Post this on your Twitter: "NuNaturals giveaway at josculinary.com"

4. Post this on your Facebook: "NuNaturals giveaway at josculinary.com"

The deadline, for the all the contests, is tonight at 12:32 a.m. {May 28th} (EST).CLOSED Random.org will pick the lucky winner.

This giveaway is open to U.S. mailing addresses only.

I don't know how it happened, maybe because of the excited over the two days but I think I missed announcing the winners of NuNaturals. Congrats everyone!

The winners are Serenity Love Sincere Peace Earth, Emilyplayscello, a Green Spell and sn . Congrats you now own NuNaturals' box of NuStevia White Stevia Powder, 50 ct. packets, and one bottle of Vanilla Stevia Liquid, 2 oz.

I had a review set for today for NuNaturals but time got away from me and it wasn't finished. It will have to wait until after the celebration.

I want to take the time to acknowledge the company because they were a very generous sponsor and I actually do enjoy their stevia products, as I believe The Daily Raw Blog winners will also.

There are recipes posted today that I do use their products and I have more that I will post with my review.

Terilynn

Nothing makes me happier than my lovely children eating and loving raw.

Mixed Fruit Ice cream
2 cups of your favorite frozen fruit
1 ½ -2 cups almond milk
1/16 teaspoon NuNaturals Stevia
¼ teaspoon NuNaturals Lo Han Extract

Place frozen fruit in blender, add 1 ½ cup almond milk or more as needed until you reach a slightly slushy consistency. Blend in the stevia and Lo Han Extract. Serve immediately.

Just for fun: Pour ice cream in 3 oz paper cups, place popsicle sticks in the center. Freeze for 4-8 hours until ice cream is frozen solid. Bishop made these for his class picnic.

Mango Selection: If you are eating a mango straight, go for one that is not overly ripe. Choose a mango that is plump and heavy for its size and has a nice sweet fragrance.

How to cut a mango

A mango has a flat, oblong pit in the center of it. Hold the mango with one hand, stand it on its end, stem side down.

With a sharp knife, cut from the top of the mango, down one side of the pit. Then repeat with the other side.

Take a mango half and make lengthwise and crosswise cuts in it, avoid cutting through the peel.

Cut away the mango pieces from the peel.

This milkshake is very delicious and satisfying. For this recipe, choose a mango that is very ripe. Mango Milkshake

Meat from 2 ripe mangos
1 cup cold almond milk
1/16 teaspoon NuNaturals NuStevia Pure White Stevia Extract

Blend ingredients. The mixture should be smooth and slightly thick.

More information on mangos visit mango.org

In Ani’s Raw Food Essentials: Recipes and Techniques for Mastering the Art of Live Food, Ani Phyo guides readers through the fundamentals of raw food preparation in a simple and user-friendly manner.

Phyo has left no stone unturned when it comes to this collection of over 250 recipes. As in her previous book, Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen, she offers tips, cleaning product recipes and advice on how to be eco-friendly. Divided into three parts, Part 1 is the basics; it uncovers the mysteries of dehydrating, soaking and sprouting, fermentation and pickling. This section presents a few starter recipes: flatbreads and pickles, to be exact.

Phyo gets down to business in Part 2 where she showcases her talent of taking a basic recipe, using minimal ingredients and straightforward instructions, and creates variations. For example, her recipe for “Basic Nut Mylk” on page 41 transforms into “Vanilla Almond Mylk,” (p.41) “Chocolate Flurry Shake” (p. 42) or “Chilled Chai Frosty Shake” (p. 45). Another good example is the insanely, easy recipe for “Buckwheat Crispies” on page 63. The only ingredient is one pound of buckwheat groats and the recipe can be used as cereal in “Chocolate Crispies” (p. 63) or as “Basic Buckwheat Batter” (p. 115) for “fried” onion rings (p. 116) or as the base for “Buckwheat Pizza Crust” (p. 213).
Phyo offers effortless, quick, step-by-step instructions on the techniques of every raw culinary dish imagined. She leads with, a fruit smoothie (p. 31), and travels right along, from breakfast to desserts, with the likes of “Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Coconut Bacon Scramble” (p. 85) to Kimchi (p. 126), to “Vietnamese Pho Noodle Soup” (p. 232), to “Lucuma Ice Kream” --- and we haven’t even touched the chapter on feeding your raw dog.

Pay attention to the green and gray boxes interspersed throughout the book, they offer handy tips (“Dehydrating in Your Oven” p. 195) and bits of factoids (Is Sugar Vegan? Turbinado vs. Sucanat vs White Sugar” p. 57).

Part 3 is a resource guide to Phyo’s uncooking videos, metric conversions, movies to watch and advice on reducing your carbon footprint.

My one complaint of the book is not enough color photos. Fortunately, Phyo has the skill of descriptive writing that brings a dish to life, but the dowdy black-and- white photography doesn’t add anything to the book. Part of the appeal of living foods, especially in a cookbook, is experiencing the “life of the foods” through the vibrant colors and textures seen through the photography. The dozen or so colored photos in the book are definitely drool-worthy. I would gladly trade seeing photos of Phyo (although, she is quite beautiful) for a few more colored pictures of the food.

All-in-all, one of the most enticing aspects of “Ani’s Raw Food Essentials” is Phyo’s flair of providing “recipe” road maps to the gentle encouragement of creating your own culinary journeys in the kitchen. Which is how it should be.

My journey started with crepes.

Apple Crepes
Makes 4 wrappers
From Ani’s Raw Food Essentials page 69
1 cup cored and diced apple
½ cup flax meal
2 tablespoons agave syrup
½ cup water, or as needed

Place the apples in the bottom of a high-speed blender. Add the flax meal, agave, and water. Blend until smooth.

Spread the mixture evenly onto one lined 14-inch square Excalibur Dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate for 4 to 6 hours at 104 °F, or until completely dry. You can also flip the crepes, peel off the liner, and dehydrate for another couple of hours until dry.

Crepes with Herb Cream and Red Pepper Sauce
by The Daily Raw Café

1 Crepe recipe, making 8 small rounds

RED PEPPER SAUCE
Make 1 pint of sauce

2 red peppers, seeded, coarsely chopped
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked, reserve ½ cup soaking water
¼ cup reserved sun-dried tomato water, or more as needed
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth, silky sauce. Adding enough of the soaking water to reach desired consistency.

FILLING
1 cup soaked cashews
¼ cup reserved sun-dried tomato water, or filtered water
2 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine cashews, water, vinegar, onion and garlic in a blender; process until cashews break down into a creamy, yet slightly chunky crème. You want the consistency of a ricotta. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Fold in parsley and basil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Assemble crepes
On a clean work surface, place 1-2 rounded tablespoons of filling in the center of each crepe, shiny side down. Roll up crepe.

Spoon red pepper sauce on a serving plate, arrange crepe on top. Serve immediately, crepes will become soggy if left on sauce too long.

Chocolate Crepes with Chocolate Cream
by The Daily Raw Blog
CHOCOLATE CREPE WRAPPERS
Add 2 tablespoons organic cocoa powder to the ingredients of the crepe wrapper recipe. Continue to make crepes as instructed.

CHOCOLATE CREAM
1 cup soaked cashews
½ cup water
½ cup raw agave nectar*
20 drops Cocoa Bean Extract**
2 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid)

Blend ingredients until you have a smooth, creamy texture.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup raw agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup coconut oil (liquid)

Blend ingredients.

Note: If the sauce becomes cold, it will solidify, just place it in the dehydrator for an hour at 115 degrees to melt.

Assemble crepes
Place the crepe with the shiny side up. Put the cream in a line down the center of the crepe. Fold the right side just past the middle and then do the same with the left.

Drizzle chocolate sauce on top of the crepe and sprinkle with coconut “powder”

ANI’S SERVING SUGGESTION: Grind dried coconut into powder, and sprinkle over your crepes through a sieve to give a powdered sugar look. (p. 71)

* I used Xagave Raw Agave Nectar (review next week)
**I used NuNaturals (review next week)

IN THE LATE yet still note-worthy department. The Daily Raw Café was mentioned in last Wednesday’s Denver Post (June 9, 2010). You can read the write-up here.

My book is in the final, final, final stages of coming out. Self-publishing is a b*****! You are in charge of so ALL the aspects of development (editing, layout, design, cover art, author bio, yada yada, ya, ) on top of writing the little creature.
The buck stops with you all the way. So much pressure! I want the best book possible for the resources available to me. It’s a lot of hard, tedious work. Which makes me wonder why on earth am I doing it again very soon (yes, there will be another book out before the year is out!). Well, we all know the answer, I am a bit wacky in the brain and I loved the experience so much, I wanted to do it again right away. Don’t laugh, I’m serious ;).

WOW, now that’s a beet! This colossal-sized beet emerged from our garden. Man on the Raw and our daughter Avery planted it in mid-March. This root vegetable has an interesting backstory. Man on the Raw was working the compost when he spied a sliced beet top with dead stems and leaves attached.

Nothing out of the ordinary, until he notices one leaf thriving amongst the deceased foliage.
On a whim, he decided to plant it and see what happens. Several months later, on a rainy June weekend in Denver, the jolly red giant emerged with an amazing amount of greens. All of which made many quarts of beet and carrot juice.

Here is a list of sponsors, for The Daily Raw Blog's 3rd Anniversary Cyber Celebration, who have generously donated some pretty fabulous prizes. More to come....
105 Degrees
Blackbird Naturals
Book Publishing Company
Chia Seeds Direct
Eden Foods
Emma and Rod MacDougall
Jenna Norwood
Kaia Foods
Krazy Kracker Lady
Living Harvest
Living Nutz
Living Tree Community
NuNaturals, Inc.
Pure Jeevan
Raw Food Rehab
Raw Indulgence (Raw Revolution)
The Raw Food World
RAWvolution
Raw Spirit Fest
UBRaw
UliMana
Wheatgrasskits.com
Zukay Live Foods

105 Degrees
Blackbird Naturals
Book Publishing Company
Chia Seeds Direct
Eden Foods
Emma and Rod MacDougall
Jenna Norwood
Kaia Foods
Krazy Kracker Lady
Living Harvest
Living Nutz
Living Tree Community
NuNaturals, Inc.
Pure Jeevan
Raw Food Rehab
Raw Indulgence (Raw Revolution)
The Raw Food World
Raw Spirit Fest
RAWvolution
UBRaw
UliMana
Wheatgrasskits.com
Zukay Live Foods

Let's give another shout out to my wonderful sponsors, without them I wouldn't be able to give you, my readers, some pretty awesome gifts and I am so thankful that the sponsors made this possible.

I want to let you, my wonderful readers, know that I appreciate you. With all the blogs out there, you take the time to visit The Daily Raw Blog and I think that's pretty cool. Although, there isn't a physical party (something to shoot for at 5th anniversary...methinks) to attend, I hope you stay within the spirit of a party.

Visit the cyber celebration when you have the time and leave smiling. I will make sure you have plenty to explore.

Love,
Terilynn

Giveaway Guidelines
As The Daily Raw Blog gears up for a super Cyber Celebration, I wanted to give you the information regarding the contests.

Here are the guidelines for the giveaways for May 27th. There will be at least 24 giveaways starting at 8:32 a.m. until 8:32 p.m. (EST). The giveaways will post every half hour with maybe a surprise bonus giveaway added in.

The deadline, for the all the contests, is 12:32 a.m. May 28th (EST). Random.org will pick the lucky winners.

You can enter as many drawings as you want for the amount of entries possible. Unless otherwise stated all contests are open U.S. mailing addresses only. I am truly sorry everyone else in the world.

Each Way Gets You One Entry
Remember, leave a separate comment on my blog for each entry you want. If applicable, please leave the link to your Facebook/Twitter/Blog in the comment you leave me.

1. Leave a comment on the giveaway post starting with the first post on May 27th.

2. Link the Daily Raw Blog's 3rd Anniversary Cyber Celebration back on a Blog Post of yours. You can mention the celebration on your blog before May 27th. For this you have my utmost gratitude and **5 Extra Entries** Please leave a link AND create 5 separate comments in the comment field of each giveaway on May 27.

3. Follow Me. If you are already following me, let me know.

4. Post on your Twitter: More information on each individual May 27 giveaway posts.

5. Post on your Facebook: More information on each individual May 27 giveaway posts.
Have fun everyone and good luck!
Terilynn

A note regarding cyber time. Right now as I post it is just about 11 p.m. on Sunday night. When I hit send it the post will read sometime after 2 a.m. Monday morning. I do this so I can have a morning post but blog at night before bed.

On May 27th, I would like my first giveaway post to read 9:32 a.m., in order to do this I will be posting at 6:32 a.m. Please feel free to enter the contest as soon as the post is up no matter what time it may be. You will have until 12:30 a.m. (May 28) Eastern Standard time to enter all the giveaways.

The 9:32 a.m. time issue is my own sentiment doing, my first post was at that time on May 25th, 2007.

Are you having a party soon? Do you have your menu planned yet? Might I suggest the book “Raw Food Celebrations Party Menus for Every Occasion" by Nomi Shannon and Sheryl Duruz? And once it has been decided the menu will be one featured from the book, is it too rude of me to invite myself to the party?

After using “Raw Food Celebrations Party Menus for Every Occasion” there should never be a reason why anyone couldn’t effortlessly prepare a raw food meal and dazzle friends. NEVER A REASON. With six different menus to choose from, Italian, Thai, Brunch, Cocktail, Traditional and Light Luncheon buffet, Ms. Shannon and Ms. Duruz lay out the ground work for you.

Easy-to-follow recipes with step-by-step instructions, equipment lists and a “Planning Ahead” section makes it feel like these two ladies are in the kitchen with you. From someone who loves to prepare ahead, that section is my favorite.

It breaks everything down for you, from when to grocery shop, set the table, which components of recipes can be prepared ahead of time and so much more. Make sure you pay attention to the “Serving Suggestions,” sections. They are chock-full of useful tidbits for creating a memorable meal.

Last weekend, I created the Thai Menu as an early anniversary celebration. I didn’t prepare everything on the menu but the items I did make were visually stunning and tasted incredible.

Daily Raw Café Annversary Celebration On the MenuThai TeaThai Coconut SoupThai Cucumber Salad
Phad Thai
Phad Thai, pg. 35

Thai Tea
(adapted from Raw Food Celebrations)
8 cups water
4 cups loosely packed Thai basil leaves (approximately 32 leaves)
Juice of 2 medium-sized limes
¼ teaspoon stevia*
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh peeled ginger

Combine water and basil in a blender. Process until basil is chewed finely. Stain the mixture through a nut milk bag. Return basil water to the blender; add lime juice, stevia and ginger. Blend until well-combined. Serve on ice.

*I used NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract

Thai Cucumber Salad
(recipe from Raw Food Celebrations)
6 Kirby cucumbers or other small cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 limes, juiced
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons light agave syrup

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving time. This can be made the night before.

Thai Coconut Soup, p. 36