There s a raw juice movement sweeping the nation. as is seems to do from time to time. I remember my family briefly going through a similar craze when I was young. It seems to be a binge and purge business, there one minute, gone the next. This goes a long way toward explaining the impressive selection of juicers to be found in many suburbian rummage sale block parties. Well, color me a bandwagoner, I m hooked. For how long it will last, no one knows. Many folks in the raw food community are onboard already, such as Phillip, Heidi, and Kris, to name just a few. Last week I wrote about my favorite fresh juice, or more precisely, about its color. This week we re showing how to make it. Without further ado, we give you The Director s Cut. The Director s Cut:2-3 large carrots, to taste2 ribs celery cucumber green apple1 small beet 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger Since we ve been slow posting this past week, we re going to be sure to include a bonus recipe in this week s edition of our mailing list, the Freshtopian. If you haven t already signed up, just enter your preferred email address in the widget at the site s upper right corner. That issue will be coming out this Sunday, so be sure to tell all the neighborhood kids to sign up to receive the free recipe and secret decoder ring. no, there s no decoder ring.

This Valentine s day, we ve gone buck-rogers with a racy show about aphrodisiacs! For the occasion we ve concocted a pulse-pounding chocolate sauce chock-full of sensuous spices like maca, cayenne, and cinnamon to get you in the mood for love. Treat your sweetie, (or yourself!) and use it to top some of our fabulous nearly raw vegan ice cream from episode #0055, or if you live in New York, grab some awesome raw vegan ice cream from Pure Food and Wine. Feel the love!Ginger-Cardamom Ice Cream:1 recipe Simply Vanilla Ice Cream Base and... add to the blender:1T fresh ginger juice, or 2t dried ginger1/8t cardamom Sensuous Spicy Chocolate Sauce:Serves 2 with extra for drizzling! 3T raw cocoa1t maca powder1t carob powder1/4t cinnamonpinch cayenne pepperpinch sea saltagave to moisten, about 4Twater as needed Whisk all sauce ingredients in a small dish, add water if the mixture remains un-saucy. Serve portions of the ice cream topped with the sauce, fresh banana and chopped raw almonds.

This episode we take you on a quick and dirty (and occasionally bloody) history of Valentine s Day. The story of this holiday and its patron saint is still a bit of a mystery. From Roman pagan festivals (Lupercalia), to saintly love letters sent from the joint, the truth behind the origins of Saint Valentine s Day continue to illude. Be sure to check back next Tuesday, when we'll be showing you how to make some festive pagan treats of your own.Oscar Director, Freshtopia.net

Friday, November 30th

Why is it that when raw-food health gurus go on national television, talking about all the wonderful soups, rich entrees, and magical desserts you can have on a raw food diet, so often they end up handing over to the excited and anticipating host a glass full of green glop? (see video here, and here for examples) The green smoothie; almost invariably it s met with a nervous stare, and followed promptly by an ick face upon tasting. We could make Cacao Pistachio Florentine, Portobello Burgers, or Curried Chocolate Pudding, but instead, in a moment of mindless passion, we make green smoothies. I say we because we at Freshtopia too have made this mistake. Check out first Green Smoothie episode here, and check out our old-timey stylings. It s an easy mistake to make. Once you get on the green smoothie train, you tend to ride it all the way to happy town. I don t really know what that means. The point is, often once people get into the GS, they tend to really get into the GS. It can be easy to forget that not everyone is so keen on the taste of pulverized kale and celery right out of the starting gate. It is not a transition food. There are exceptions. On a recent episode of Oprah, Dr. Memet Oz presented Ms. Winfrey with a bright green concoction that she was pleased to receive. Her response upon tasting, It s like a glass of fresh! Our green smoothie episode garnered us our first video response. Our friends Steelee and Jessica gave our first smoothie a try, and were less than enthused about it. Fair enough, I wasn t so jazzed at my first either. In time the body adjusts to the taste of more punchy, alkaline drinks, but it s a good idea to start with a more accessible smoothie. So, if you re up for giving it a shot, toss together the recipe below. As you ll see, it s so good even a child will like it! Green Smoothie 2.0:Serves 1-2 1 ripe banana1 Cup mango, chopped1-2 Cups fresh spinachWater as necessary 2 ice cubes 1 Tbspn flax oil, optional Blend as long as necessary. Make it as smooth as possible. Enjoy. The primary difference? More fruit, less (and less bitter) greens. Give it a shot and send us your video comments!

Fresh, ripe figs are the best. Sensuous, decadent and so delicious http://www.godhatesfigs.com/evil.html">it almost seems wrong. So good, in fact, that it's perhaps a little crazy to do anything to them except enjoy their sweet flavorful perfection. However, there are those times when madness and the presence of figs in your life intersect. Why not try stuffing your figs with rich, creamy macadamia filling with a burst of bright lemony flavor, and topping them with crunchy pecans and a drizzle of golden honey?Maybe it's not so insane after all Macadamia-Stuffed Figs: Serves about 4 6-8 large figs, or more if smaller onesMacadamia cheese: 1C macadamia nuts soaked 1hour or more Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2T honey or agave syrup 1t vanilla extract Dash of sea saltPecans and additional honey for garnishBlend all "cheese" ingredients in food processor until smooth and fluffy, scraping down sides of processor if necessary to ensure even blending. Cut figs in half and use small spoon or spatula to mound about 1T of filling (depending on the size of the figs) in each half. Press a pecan sliver into the filling and drizzle with additional honey before serving.Wicked delicious!

Never doubt our commitment to sparkle motion!Our house had a problem; we all loved sparkling water, but hated the wasteful plastic packaging and crazy cost. Americans drink more than 55 billion liters of soda and seltzer every year, which means over 3 billion cubic feet of packaging ends up in recycling facilities or worse, landfills! We were determined not to be those consumers any more.After doing some research, Barb determined that the answer to our sparkling dreams was a home carbonating unit with reusable bottles and also that there's some sort of inexplicable connection between sparkling water and yachts. For more information on our Edition One soda machine, visit http://www.sodaclubusa.com/default.htm">SodaClub.Even if you don't have a yacht, why not celebrate the blushing finale of peach season with a fresh white peach Bellini? White Peach Bellini: Serves 2-4 1 large white peach Juice of 1/2 lemon 2-3 raspberries, plus additional for garnish Agave to taste Sparkling water Remove the pit and chop the peach, then blend until smooth along with the lemon juice, raspberries and sweetener if using. Divide among 2-4 glasses, garnish with 1 or 2 whole raspberries and top with sparkling water, stirring gently.Cheers!

Living a fresh and healthy lifestyle? Missing things like decent candy bar? Here's a recipe that will make you forget all about those high-fructose corn syrup-laden bars in their landfill-destined plastic packaging. We've taken candy to a whole other place with the addition of powerful superfoods like maca, he shou wu, and raw chocolate. It's SuperCandy! These bars will not only satisfy the naughtiest sweet tooth, they'll give you an enduring lift that old-school candy can't match!This post has not been approved by the FDA. SuperCandy is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any illness, but it tastes great and may make you feel a little awesome . Caramaca-Chocolate SuperCandy:makes 8-16 barsWalnut crust layer: 1 1/2C walnuts 1/2C dates, chopped 1t vanilla Dash of sea saltCaramaca layer: 1/4C carob (un-roasted) 1/4C maca powder 3/4C agave syrup or honey 2T cold-pressed flax oil 1t cinnamon 1/2t sea saltPower chocolate layer: 1 1/2C raw chocolate powder 1/2C coconut butter (not oil!)or substitute your favorite nut butter 3/4C agave syrup 1-2T He Shou Wu (add more if you like!) 1t vanilla Dash of sea saltBlend all crust layer ingredients in food processor until cohesive, but still chunky. Press into bottom of small loaf pan. In a small bowl, whisk all caramaca ingredients together until a saucy consistency is reached. Pour caramaca over walnut layer and place in freezer while making the chocolate layer. In cleaned food processor, blend all chocolate layer ingredients until a nice fudgy consistency is reached. Press chocolate evenly over the caramaca layer and return pan to the freezer for about 1 hour to firm. Cut into squares or bars and enjoy!Feel super!Wondering where to get all this good stuff? Your local health food store will probably happily help you out, or go online to:http://oneluckyduck.com/">One Lucky Duck for raw chocolate powder, agave, and Artisana Coconut butter.Nature's">http://www.sunfood.com/cgi-bin/order/index.cgi?id=11427385397&d=single&item_id=1167&c=Raw/Organic_Food&sc=Maca&tc=">Nature's First Law for maca and raw chocolate.Herbal">http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/fo-ti-root.cfm?gclid=CJbr5Yqc-40CFQEBYQodf39kNA">Herbal Extracts Plus or Ocean">http://www.oceanwavevibrations.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=54">Ocean Wave Vibrations for He Shou Wu, aka Ho Shou Wu or Fo Ti.

Today s recipe is absolutely divine! We re making Mexican mole fresh-style! In this rich yet nutritious sauce, the delicious heat of chilies and the rich flavor of chocolate caper across the palate. Treat yourself to a dish that s fit for Aztec royalty, and so sexy, you won t believe that it was invented by nuns! Whatever its origin, be sure to give this delicious, raw vegan twist on a perennial favorite a try. This post is sponsored by Audible.com, click">http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/LandingPages/goldtrial14.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes">click here for free download and 14-day trial.Holy Mole with Faux Frijoles: Serves 2-4 Mole sauce 1C fresh tomato 1/3C olive oil 1/4C onion 1/4C raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 1/4C raw almonds 1 clove garlic 3 large dates 3-4 sun-dried tomato pieces 1 small dried pepper or ground chili powder to taste 1T raw cocoa powder, or carob if ya like 2t fresh oregano 1t ground cinnamon 1/2t ground cloves Smoked salt and black pepperFaux Frijoles: 1C sunflower seeds 1C zucchini, diced 1/4C red bell pepper, diced 1/4C sweet onion, diced 1t cumin Salt and black pepper Cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano for garnishSoak dates, sun-dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds and dried pepper if using, in about 1 1/2C warm water for at least 1 hour. De-stem and remove seeds from dried pepper. Reserve soak water and add all mole ingredients to blender and blend well, adding soak water as necessary to thin. Mix drained sunflower seeds with diced veggies and seasonings. Top with sauce and garnish with tomatoes and oregano.

It could be the heat, or perhaps I'm having a blonde moment. Maybe I'm just dizzy with summer excitement, but I'm attempting to recreate, fresh-style, a dish that is quite possibly the opposite of raw vegan uncookery.I'm talking about Barbeque! It's so crazy it just might work or is it just a delicious recipe and a great excuse for some bizarre factoids and possibly dismally inaccurate history?Pineapple Portabella BBQ! Serves 2-4Pineapple BBQ sauce: 1C pineapple plus 1/2C chopped for garnish 1C fresh tomato 2T sun-dried tomatoes 2T dates, soaked 1t chipotle pepper, soaked if using whole dried pepper 1t fresh ginger 1t garlic 1T apple cider vinegar 1T mustard 1t nama shoyu or soy sauce Smoked salt and fresh pepper to tasteSpice rub: 2T paprika 1T chile powder Pinch of ground clove Fresh pepper and dash of smoked salt, if desired 2 large Portabella mushroom capsBlend all sauce ingredients until smooth, adding water as necessary to thin. Cut the mushroom caps into strips, and marinate in the sauce for 2.5-3hours. Remove mushrooms from sauce, reserving the sauce for presentation, then press one side of each strip into the spice rub. Serve mushrooms garnished with sauce and the additional pineapple, sprinkled with remaining spice.Feel the heat!

Great Tomato Caper Update: Oh man. All I wanted was to make home-grown organic sun-dried tomatoes. We just didn t know what we were in for. This tomato caper business is making us all a little crazy. Growing your own tomatoes simply isn t for the faint of heart. We ve had casualties, replacements, funerals and a rather overactive zucchini plant. Here s Barb and me trying our best to talk about the garden without devolving into complete idiocy. Bonus garden tip! If you eat yogurt, or know someone who does, we ve also got a great use for those empty cups. Reuse rocks!

We re busting you into the Fort Knox of flavor! With summer s bounty rolling in on all sides, I wanted to do an easy rendition of a summer staple with a twist. You may have had gazpacho before, but did it shine? The many heirloom and unusual varieties of ingredients, like lemon cucumbers and tomatoes, are perfect for a novel color theme. It s time for gazpacho with bling! Traditionally this summer soup is thickened with bread, but using sun-dried tomatoes as an alternative makes it both fresh and gluten-free. Gazpacho is a great way to enjoy some of the best produce the season has to offer, and you ll have a great meal without even having to heat up your kitchen on a hot summer day! Golden Gazpacho: Serves 2 as entr e, 3-4 as appetizer 2 C yellow tomatoes, we like yellow cherry tomatoes 1 C lemon cucumber, chopped C onion, chopped 2T olive oil, or to taste 2T oregano, plus additional for garnish 1/8 C sun-dried tomatoes, soaked until soft Small clove garlic 1t mustard 1t agave syrup or honey Juice of lemon 1/8 Cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked Salt and pepper red jalapeno for garnish, minced Blend the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, agave, mustard and half the fresh tomatoes in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add remaining tomatoes, onion, oregano and cucumber, and pulse until desired consistency... Smooth? Chunky? You know what you like. Garnish with finely minced red pepper and fresh oregano. Edible flowers are nice too if you can get them, and you can get them if you try! Taste the sunshine, gold-diggers!

Today I can't concentrate, because the BOT house is under a massive attack by six-legged flying invaders. So, in order to go to a happy place, I'm hitting the couch to talk about cats. http://lolcats.com" target="_blank">Lolcats may be so two months ago, but I'm not quite sick of it yet, and delightful new permutations continue to arise, to distract me from the problem with my slightly obese calico, Bebel.Here's a http://cats.about.com/od/catfoo1/tp/rawfreezefood.htm" target="_blank">nicely comprehensive list of options in prepared raw cat food.Totally hardcore? Interested in making your own from scratch? http://www.holisticat.com/rawrecipe.html" target="_blank">Here you go.Remember, raw meat can carry food-borne illnesses, which may affect your pet, and can be passed to humans. Always use human-food grade meats and safe handling practices if you choose to feed your critters a raw diet. Kittens do not live by http://icanhascheezburger.com/" target="_blank">cheezburgers alone!

I m delving into an unfortunate part of my food history here: My brief love affair with store-bought poppy seed dressing. Maybe I just fell for the wrong one, but the romance came to an abrupt end when I came to my senses and read the label. Hydrogenated soybean oil? http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/18/FDGS24VKMH1.DTL" target="_blank">High fructose corn syrup? http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article2586652.ece" target="_blank">Sodium benzoate? No thanks.Years later I m working the issues out and rekindling the love, this time with healthy http://www.regaininghealthnaturally.com/Coconut_Information/Health_Benefits_of_Coconut_Oil.shtml" target="_blank">raw coconut fat, (http://www.living-foods.com/articles/coconutbenefits.html" target="_blank">and here), and sweet, sweet agave syrup. And what better vehicle than some of the delicious white peaches which are so very in season right now? Aromatic arugula and fennel make a simple salad that stands out! Arugula & White Peach Salad With Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing: Serves 2-4Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing: 1C young coconut meat, or soaked cashews if coconut is not available 1/2C coconut water, or filtered water 1/4C agave syrup 1/4C apple-cider vinegar 2T white onion 1T stoneground mustard 1T poppy seeds Dash of sea saltBlend all ingredients except the poppy seeds until smooth and emulsified. Add poppy seeds, blend very briefly to mix.Pour dressing liberally over 4C arugula, 1 large sliced white peach, 1/2C thinly sliced fennel, and garnish with pecans or pine nuts. Reserve the extra dressing for another beautiful summer day!

We're back in the kitchen again, turning up the heat on raw foods with South of the Border Tomatillo Rawvioli! I wanted to do a dish that showcased the delightful flavor of tomatillos, the husky green cousin of the tomato. The resulting creation is a lively celebration of Mexican-inspired flavor, beauty and nutrition that's the perfect antidote to the summertime dinner blahs! Why sift through yet another boring pile of the same old greens, or clog your arteries with yet another helping of mayo-drenched macaroni salad, when you could be enjoying a satisfying plate of fresh tomatillo sauce with light cucumber rawvioli filled with rich, spicy cashew filling?This is a rhetorical question.The zappy flavor of the tomatillo is happily married to the smooth creamy richness of avocado, and the whole affair is well-grounded with the earthy taste of cumin. I love this stuff; it tastes so great I can barely remember that it's healthy, raw and vegan! It tastes so great, I can barely remember what I'm doing . Tomatillo Rawvioli: Makes 3 large, or four small servingsZesty Tomatillo Sauce: 1 1/2 C tomatillos, chopped 1/2 a large avocado 1/4C sweet white onion, chopped 1/4C cilantro leaves 1 clove garlic 1/2 a large jalapeno 1t cumin 1t agave syrup 1t stoneground mustard Sea salt to taste Optional 1T olive oil or water to thinKickin' Cashew Ricotta: 1C raw cashews, soaked 1hr. and drained 1 clove garlic Juice of 1 lemon 1T nutritional yeast 2t cumin 1t chili powder Sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste1 medium English cucumber for the wrappersBlend all the tomatillo sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding additional water or olive oil if necessary. Set aside and blend all cashew ricotta ingredients in food processor until creamy and fluffy. Cut the cucumber into 24-28 round, thin slices with a vegetable peeler or mandoline. Scoop about 2t of the filling onto each slice and fold in half. Serve with the tomatillo sauce, and garnish with minced jalapeno or additional cilantro.Delicioso!

Last weekend while we were at Get Tough or Die Farms (Tanja s Mom s house), we were introduced to a new summer dessert. In Sacramento the mid-day temperature can get brutal by this time of year, and one day while we were all sitting outside sweltering, Melissa brought out a round of Watermelon Granitas for all of us. I was wowed, had two, and hinted for Tanja to use her familial leverage to get the scoop on the dish. This is surprisingly easy for a dessert that packs such a potent refreshment quotient, and with so little sweetener needed, it s shockingly guilt-free as well.Watermelon Granitas: 4 Cups watermelon, chopped Juice of 1 lime Pinch of sea salt 1-2 Tbspns agave nectar, or to tasteMakes 4-6 servingsBlend all ingredients together until smooth, about 20 seconds. Pour into shallow pan and place in freezer 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally until frozen. To serve, scrape ice crystals with a spoon or fork into serving glass, garnish with mint leaves or basil.http://www.thatsmyhome.com/mainstreet/icecream/granitas-ices.htm" target="_blank">This site has a few fun granita recipes we d like to try out soon. Consider substituting the sugar with agave syrup for a lower glycemic punch. A quick search for granitas will turn up many more recipes. If you find any winners, please do let us know!

We've had bees on the brain! Freshtopia.net dove into the sad tale of Colony Collapse Disorder, or "CCD," and its grim implications, to emerge on the other side with some words of wisdom on how to show our busy little sisters some love, and a sweet recipe to cheer us all up!For more information on bees and CCD check out:http://www.sfbee.org/resources.html" target="_blank">Resources page from San Francisco Beekeepers' Associationhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070511210207.htm" target="_blank">Overview of the science, from ScienceDailyWikipedia, for a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder" target="_blank">definition of CCD.Are bees on organic farms http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5194.cfm" target="_blank">faring a bit better?http://lighterfootstep.com/five-ways-to-help-our-disappearing-bees.html" target="_blank">Five ways to help bees.Hugg also has http://www.hugg.com/index.php?search=bees%2C+ccd%2C+organic+gardening&tag=true" target="_blank">many articles on the subject.And now, Honey Cream Pie: Serves about 8Crust: 2C raw pecans 5 large dates, soaked 1T honey 1T vanilla extract Large pinch each: -Cinnamon -Cardamom -Nutmeg -Sea SaltRemove date pits, and add all ingredients (except the pits!) to food processor. Pulse until a doughy, but not homogenous texture is achieved, adding a small amount of the dates' soak water if necessary. Press into pie pan and chill.Filling: 1 1/2 C cherimoya flesh (about 2 small or 1 large fruit) 1 1/2 C young coconut meat (about 2-4 coconuts) 3 T honey 1 1/2 T vanilla extract Dash of sea salt Shredded coconut and honey for garnishPeel and de-seed your cherimoya, and add all ingredients to your blender or food processor. Blend well until you have a smooth creamy consistency. Pour filling into waiting crust and chill to firm. Top with shredded coconut and additional honey before serving.

Despite dire warnings that they may be disappearing, bees just seem like they re everywhere lately, from the news to our neighbor s chimney. Freshtopia went on a field trip to learn more about the secret lives of these busy little critters. Peter Sinton of the San Francisco Beekeepers Association was kind enough to give us the inside story. Keeping bees is a great way to keep your garden beautiful and healthy, as well as keep some honey on the table (if you re OK with that). It s an interesting hobby with a long history, and it s easier than you might think! For all the information you need to get started, go to the http://www.sfbee.org" target="_blank">San Francisco Beekeepers Association website.