1. In a food processor combine the walnuts and pitted dates. Process till combined into a paste with the nuts retaining still some texture.The nut pieces should be about the size of breadcrumbs. Add the cacao powder and process until the cacao is mixed in well.
2. Press the walnut date paste into a 25cm (10inch) tart tin , I used a silicon one. There is enough mixture to go up the sides. Place into the fridge while you prepare the filling.
3. In a high speed blender combine the cashews, orange juice, mejdol dates. Process till smooth thick creamy texture, like thick custard. Add extra water in mixture is too thick (i feel that if the blender struggles extra water is needed). I needed to add the whole 1/4 cup of water.
4. Stir in the coconut oil and orange peel.
5. Poor the filling into the tart shell. Place in the fridge for several hours or till the filling sets.
6. Decorate with orange slices.

Tags: raw, dessert, dates, walnuts, cashews, orange, gluten free

1. In a medium sauce pan heat about 60ml (1/4cup water) and saute the onions, celery and chilli till soft. Add more water if the vegetables start to stick.
2. Add the orange juice, butternut squash and vegetable stock.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for half an hour.
4. While the soup is cooking chop together the parsley and walnuts.
5. Serve the soup garnished with the parsley and walnut mix.

Tags: butternut squash, soup, chili, orange, walnuts, parsley, oil free

Tags: carrot, pineapple, orange, raw, salad, oil free

1. Cook the wild rice and brown rice according to package instructions in separate sauce pans.
2. If you are using squash, slice the tops of and scoop out the seeds and fibres. Wrap them in some aluminium foil, leaving the top opening exposed. Place in a 180C oven for 30min.
3. Next prepare the stuffing.
4. In frying or saute pan heat about 60g (1/4c) water, add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots and thyme. Saute till softened about 10min, adding more water if needed. Place in a bowl.
5. Add the nuts, cranberries, juice and zest of the orange and both the wild and brown rice. Mix together.
6. If using peppers, cut them in half lengthways, remove the core, membranes and seeds.
7. Stuffed the peppers, try to get couple of flaked almonds or macadamias on the top.
8. Place the peppers in a baking dish, add 80ml (1/3cup) of water to the dish, cover with aluminium foil and bake for 25min at 180C. Uncover and bake further 5min to get the nuts on top browned.
9. If using the squash: after baking them for 30 min remove from the oven, stuff and cover in aluminium foil. Place back into the oven and bake for 20 min, uncover and bake further 5 min.
10. While the peppers or squash are baking prepare the sauce. In a medium saute pan, bring the Marsala wine to simmer, add the thinly sliced onion and a thyme sprig. Cover and cook for about 20min or until the onions are soft.
11. Add the tomato puree, cook for 1 min. Next add the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer. Switch the heat off.
12. In a high speed blender combine the onion mixture (thyme and all), cashews and water. Process till smooth. Pour back into the sauce pan and bring to a boil, turn down and let the sauce thicken, adjust seasoning. Don’t let this cook too long the sauce will thicken too quickly.
13. Wilt the spinach in a large saute pan.
14. Place a portion of spinach on the plate, top with the pepper and pour some sauce around (or over the top of the pepper). If serving the squash, serve the spinach on the side.
15. Enjoy :)

Tags: wild rice, rice , oil free, pepper, squash, cranberries, macadamia, Almond, orange, cashews, mains, christmas

1. First prepare your beetroot. Scrub them clean but keep root ends intact. Cook beetroot in boiling water for 20-30min till tender. Cooking time will depend on the size of your beetroot.
2. Let the beetroot cool down, slip of the skin and cut of the root and stalk ends. Cut each beetroot into 6 wedges. Place in a bowl.
3. Next segment the oranges. Using a sharp knife (serrated knife works well too) cut off all the peel including the white pith. Holding your orange in the palm of your hand over the beetroot cut segments away from their skins. When you have removed all the segments squeeze the juice from what is left from your oranges.
4. Thinly slice the red onion and add to the beetroot.
5. Remove strings from the celery stalks and slice quite thinly. Add to the salad.
6. Season with salt (optional) and pepper.
7. Place the salad in a serving bowl and top with the walnuts.

Tags: beetroot, orange, celery, walnuts, salad, nuts, oil free

1. First, prepare your fennel, remove the thick outer layer, cut the bulb in half and cut out the hard core at the base. Slice the fennel as thinly as you can, I used my mandolin for that job.
2. Slice the onion in the same fashion.
3. Using a sharp knife ( a large bread knife works great too) to remove the orange peel and pith of 2 oranges. You can either segment the orange, or just cut into pieces. My orange segments looked rather small so I decided to cut the orange up, segmenting just wouldn’t work.
4. To make the dressing juice the third orange (mine was small, you may only need half an orange if it is large), add salt pepper and the spoon of olive oil. Stir well.
5. Combine the watercress, onion, oranges and fennel together, dress with the dressing and serve.

Tags: watercress, fennel, orange, salad, raw

1. First scrub the beetroot clean and cut of the root end. You can peel it, I kept the skin on.
2. Remove the hard stems of the spring greens, and tear them into pieces. I had 2 massive leaves.
3. Peel the orange but keep the white pith on. I use a swivel peeler to do this, only works on fresh oranges.
4. Put all your ingredients into your blender and process until smooth.
5. Add more water if the smoothie is too thick.

Tags: beetroot, spring greens, grapes, orange, smoothie, drink, raw

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Cook the potato in its skin (or use leftover cooked potato). Cook for about 30min, or till soft when pierced with a fork. Drain and let cool. When cool enough to handle peel and put through a ricer or mash thoroughly.
3. In a small sauce pan place the lentils and 375 ml (1 and 1/2cups) water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15-20min till lentils are soft and almost all the water is gone. Let cool. Rest of the water will get absorbed as the lentils are cooling down.
4. Line a baking tray with a greaseproof paper, place the carrots on top and roast for about 20-30 min till the carrots are soft and begin to caramelise. Remove the carrots from the oven and let them cool down.
5. In a food processor, combine the lentils, carrots, garlic, spring onions, miso, cumin and coriander. Process into a a pate consistency, mainly smooth with some texture (see picture). The pate shouldn’t need salt as the miso is quite salty.
6. Tip the pate into a bowl and add the mashed potato and lemon juice to taste.
7. For the salad, fit your food processor with the grating attachment, grate the carrots, beetroot and cabbage.
8. Transfer to a large bowl, season with salt, add pecans, the orange juice and the vinegar.
9. Serve the pate and salad with some oatcakes or flat bread.

Tags: carrot, lentils, pate, beetroot, cabbage, orange, starters, light bites

1. Peel any damaged layers of the fennel, cut of the tough stalks and cut out the core. Cut into pieces about 1/2 inch (1.5cm). Put into a large bowl.
2. Zest 2 oranges, add the zest to your fennel.
3. Using a sharp knife ( I find a serrated bread knife works great) peel of the orange peel and the white pith. Cut into bite size pieces. I try to match the size of the fennel. Collect any juice and add together with the oranges to your fennel.
4. Now cut up the dates (again similar size) and add to the bowl. Add pinch of salt (optional). Toss together.
5. The juice of the oranges will self-dress the salad however if your oranges are not very juicy add the juice of the third orange to dress the salad.
6. Let it sit for about half an hour for the flavours to develop.

Tags: orange, fennel, dates, salad, raw