In the Raw: Not-Tuna Pate with Pesto

There are some incredibly creative raw recipes out there.

You can make pasta from zucchini, cheesecake from nuts and dates, & taco meat from walnuts (for real!)

And it's not just for show. This stuff actually tastes amazing.

Take, for instance, my dinner last night: Not-Tuna Pate with homegrown tomato slices topped with fresh pesto.

My husband loved it too. Not that his palate is hard to please. He's a guy--if it's edible, he loves it. But even this fancy-schmancy presentation didn't turn him away. (It is pretty, don't you think? I was excited about it. But then again, I'm easily amused...)

So, why go raw, you may ask? There are about a kajillion reasons. But here are a just a few:

1. Preserve all the enzymes in your living food (heat destroys enzymes)
2. Save time in the kitchen 
3. Keep the house cool in the summer with the oven/stove turned off
4. Eat more vegetables, fruits and healthy nuts & seeds
5. Raw food gives you more energy
6. Your skin will have a glow about it
7. Digestion (and bowel movements) will be improved

If you're new to the "going raw" trend, it's one that I would encourage you to look into. I don't know about you, but I get tired of eating the same old salad everyday because I know I need to eat more vegetables. Plus, it's good to get out of a cooking rut!

Here are some websites that I've found helpful when searching for new raw food ideas:

Gone Raw-this is a great blog full of user-submitted raw recipes, forums and news about raw, vegan & vegetarian fare.

Raw Food Made Easy-I watched one of Jenny Cornbleet's Raw Food DVDs before I came across her site. She explains everything and makes it super easy. 

We Like it Raw-This blog's recipe section features super slick pictures (which are a necessity for recipes in my mind). 

And to get you started, here's the recipe for my Not-Tuna Pate with Pesto:

1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds, soaked

1/4 c. raw almonds, soaked

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. minced celery

1 Tbsp. minced onion

1 Tbsp. parsley

Throw the sunflower seeds, almonds, water, lemon juice and sea salt into a food processor or blender (a Vitamix if you have one). Blend to a paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined. It looks like Tuna Salad, but it's not (obviously). 

I didn't really follow a recipe for the pesto--I just kind of threw some things in the Vitamix and went to town. I know I used:

1 c. walnuts and/or pine nuts

4 cloves garlic

4 Tbsp. olive oil

sea salt

lemon juice

lots of fresh basil leaves

Ok, now it's your turn!! Where do you find your raw recipes? What is your favorite one?