By Heather Haxo Phillips

Makes 2 cups

·         2 cups almonds

·         1 cup Rejuvelac (or 1 cup water with 2 capsules of probiotic powder)

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         1 tablespoon lemon juice

·         2 teaspoons miso

·         a pinch of nutmeg

·         dried or fresh herbs and spices to garnish such as  basil, parsley, rosemary or cracked pepper

 Directions:

1. Blanch the almonds by bringing approximately four cups water almost to a boil and turn off the heat. Add the almonds and allow to sit for 3 - 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the almonds in cool water, then slip off the peels.
2. Place the almonds and Rejuvelac in a high-speed blender and process until smooth, adding more Rejuvelac if necessary to form a smooth, creamy texture. 
3. Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag or cheesecloth-lined strainer (such as a strawberry basket or colander). Allow to strain and ferment for 12-36 hours, until desired tartness is achieved. 
4. Remove the cheese from the strainer and add the salt, lemon juice, miso and nutmeg.  Adjust the salt and lemon juice to your liking.
5. To create a typical chevre-style log, place your cheese as a ball in the middle of a large piece of wax paper.  Roll the sides of the wax paper until you have created a tube shape with your cheese.  Place your cheese, in its wax paper, in the refrigerator 8 – 24 hours so that it can set and thicken.  Just before serving, sprinkle the herbs/spices on all sides of the roll until well covered. Then roll it off the wax paper and onto a plate.  Cut and serve as desired.
6. To mold the cheese into a thick chevre-round, place a nutmilk bag or cheesecloth over your favorite round mold.  Firmly push the cheese into the mold.  Refrigerate the cheese until ready to use, 8 – 24 hours is best.  Plate it by turning over the mold and removing your cheesecloth.  Decorate with your herbs and spices.

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the “Chevre” will last for up to one week.

It’s that time of year again.  Sure, you tried to give up the enriched wheat flour, the partially hydrogenated oils, and the inverted sugars… but we all know what happens when those adorable girls show up at your door with boxes of Girl Scout cookies.  Are you sure you can resist the allure of thin mint bliss?

Well, thanks to Rawdorable chef Shannon Marie, you won’t have to.  Check out mission “Chocotastrophy,” her personal challenge to create raw vegan versions of the 5 top selling Girl Scout cookies: Thin Mints, Samoas (Carmel Delights), Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties), Do-si-dos (Peanut Butter Sandwiches), and Trefoils (Shortbread Cookies).

Have you ever found yourself in the position of needing to loose more than 100 pounds?  Have you ever taken a leap of faith from a secure, successful career to choose your own freedom and fulfillment?  Do you know what it is like to loose the weight, leave the job, and learn to fly?

Well, Alison Ottaway does.  As far as miracle stories go, I believe Alison has lived through 3 or 4 of them, and is still going strong.  It all began in her early twenties, when she refused some chocolate raisins offered her by a friend.  One small step gave her the courage to become the woman she knew she was meant to be, exercising at home, shifting her diet, and ultimately loosing over 140lbs.  A year and a half later, she felt like a new person, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

By her late twenties, she was leading a life that by most accounts could be termed 'successful.' She had a stable marriage, a mortgage, and a highly lucrative job at Microsoft. However, her BMW, expensive lifestyle, and nights spent out drinking did not satisfy her, and she found inside herself a growing desire to feel vibrantly free and alive. Again, it was time for

I love raw pie! Strawberry pie is one of the first treats I made when I first became interested in Raw foods. When I first encountered a recipe on the internet I thought it was too good to be true. Now I make it all the time and have perfected this simple recipe. Its best served with raw vegan vanilla bean ice cream, especially to children or adults with a desire for a special treat that takes little time to prepare. I hope you relish this recipe as much as I do! 

Crust

• 2 cups almonds (soaked & dried or raw, chopped down in the food processor)
• 4-6 medjool dates (process first to make into a paste)
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• generous pinch of salt

Filling

Ever since I learned cooking from my mom Lalit-Amma when I was 9 or 10, I have secretly wished to break the rules and guidelines to come up with my own "specials." They included mixing and matching fruits and vegetables, various grains instead of one, and of course, raw foods.

When I came to work for Cafe Gratitude in December of 2006 as the payroll and accounts payable manager, my adventurous self ( inspired by my mom and the great American spirit of freedom and independence) was energized to recreate some of my mother's recipes with a touch of "BAM!"

By Chef Heather Haxo Phillips 

(read about her here)

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many of us are thinking about the sweeter things in life.  Perhaps you are planning on trying a new recipe for your honey – or you have a sugar addiction you are trying to rein in.   Either way, it is likely that in the new few weeks you will be surrounded by mounds of sweet things.  For optimal nutrition, many of us try to limit the sugars we eat.  Yet not all sugars are created equal.  Some sugars make us feel terrible, other sugars make us feel great!  Some sugars are empty calories, while others have significant nutritional value.  How do you know what to eat?  Do you know what sugars are really best for you? Which sugar is best for which use?  This overview will help answer these questions. 

At Cafe Gratitude, we go out of our way to support businesses that share our mission:

Crafting nutritious whole foods locally and in the most environmentally sustainable way possible.

That's why we are proud to offer a delectable selection of Coracao's signature chocolates this holiday season.  These sweet treats are as dense in minerals and micronutrients as they are in 'Yum!' 

Here's a recipe for the holidays from I am Grateful, our recipe book with many of our Cafe Gratitude dishes, drinks and desserts.  Buy the book here or at any of the cafes!