Raw Food Thanksgiving

Having a raw food thanksgiving does not have to be a challenge. There are many scrumptious ideas to put plenty of interesting and delicious dishes on your table for the holiday!

You can go for replacements for the traditional dishes or just look for outrageously good recipes and have fun with it! I make some vegan standard traditional recipes and I also include some fun raw recipes for my dinner with friends.

Try to find a few recipes that you would like to make and give a couple of them to friends to make and bring for a dinner.  There are plenty to choose from.  Here are a few raw food thanksgiving recipes that might inspire you to try. 

Holiday Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups almonds, soaked overnight, then rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups pecans, soaked overnight, then rinsed, dehydrated until crunchy (about 12 hours)
• 1 cup fresh shitake mushrooms (if dried, soak for 2 hours first)
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Celtic salt
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2-3/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp flaxseeds, soaked in 6 Tbsp water for 15 minutes

Directions:

Puree all of the ingredients, except the celery, onion, and flaxseeds in a food processor until they are well ground. In a large bowl, combine the celery, onion, and flaxseeds with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Shape the mixture into a shallow loaf on a solid dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for 12 hours.

This makes a wonderful raw food thanksgiving meat dish that will be a reminder of childhood meat options.

*Recipe modified from "Rawsome" by Brigitte Mars

Raw Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 20 minutes
• 1 medium cauliflower head, chopped (about 6 cups)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon or celery juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or flaxseed oil
• 1/2 Tsp sea salt

Drain and rinse the cashews. Place them in a blender with the cauliflower, half of the lemon or celery juice, the oil and the salt. Blend until totally smooth adding more juice as needed.

Mushroom Gravy

• 2 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms (button crimini works well)
• 1/2 cup dried mushrooms (to impart more flavor), soaked for 2 hours
  
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup raw almond butter
• 1 Tbsp minced onion
• 2 tsp raw soy sauce
• pinch of sea salt

Blend until smooth.

*This raw food thanksgiving recipe adapted from Naomi Shannon

Cherry Chutney

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cherries
• small handful raisins
• 3 Tbsp chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp tamari
• 1 1/2 clove garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 Tbsp curry
• Dash of fennel, mustard seed, cardamom, cumin, garam marsala, cinnamon.

Blend the ingredients together or use a food processor.

Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Torte

Crust:

• 2 cups organic chocolate cookie crumbs (see recipe below on how to make your own if you don't want to use commercial)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Mix coconut oil into cookie crumbs until crumbs hold together. Press in a very thin layer in tart plan and chill in freezer.

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked in water 1-3 hours, drained
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp agave syrup
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp hazelnut extract

Blend all the ingredients in a vitamix blender or a food processor until smooth. Fill cookie crumb crust and chill in freezer overnight. Remove tart from pan and serve. Store leftovers in freezer.

For raw vegan cookie crumbs:

• 2 cups cocoa powder
• 2 cups oat flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup agave syrup
• 1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix well. Crumble into small pieces (no bigger than 1/2 inch) onto dehydrator screens. Dehydrate for three days.  After dehydrating, process in food processor until into small crumbs. Sift off flour, using only the crumbs.

I hope these recipes will give you some new recipes to try at your raw vegan food thanksgiving table.  If you are going to a family or friends home for Thanksgiving offer to bring a dish to share .  This is a great way to show the beauty and good taste of raw food is all about. 

My best to you this Thanksgiving and may it be a time to give your love to your friends, family and community. 

Rhonda

Return to Raw Food Recipes page from Raw Food Thanksgiving page