Raw Vegan Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

I absolutely love mushrooms cooked, but can’t stand them raw. So when I decided to start eating more raw food, I was missing my mushrooms! Or having to eat them cooked. I’ve tried a few different raw vegan recipes featuring mushrooms, like stuffed mushrooms, and while it was better than eating them plain (yuck), I still didn’t really love them. I figured my best chance for creating a raw mushroom dish that I loved was to use my dehydrator.

If you want to eat a raw vegan diet, but you still love the taste of cooked food, a dehydrator will save you. Keep the temperature setting at 115 degrees F or below, and you won’t destroy any of the important enzymes in raw food, but the warmth is enough to change the texture and taste of the food, similar to cooking at higher temperatures. In the case of mushrooms, these are every bit as delicious as sauteed mushrooms.

Ingredients:

200g portobello mushrooms
5 tbsp (100ml) virgin cold-pressed olive oil
1 small clove garlic
1 small lemon
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp rosemary (fresh if possible)
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt (more or less to taste)

Instructions:

Brush any debris off the mushrooms and cut into slices about 1 cm (1/4 inch) thick. If you have a Pyrex baking dish that will fit in the tray slots of your dehydrator that works best, otherwise the teflex sheets will be fine, you just may need to add a bit more olive oil. Put the mushroom slices in the baking dish if you have one, otherwise put them into a bowl.

Crush or mince the garlic as fine as possible. Add to the bowl with mushrooms. Strip the rosemary leaves off if using fresh rosemary and chop as fine as possible. Add to the bowl with mushrooms, along with all the olive oil and other spices.

Using your fingers toss the mushroom slices in the oil and spices until the mushroom slices are  evenly coated. The portobello will absorb the olive oil, you may need to add more if you still have any ‘dry’ patches.

If you are using a baking dish, spread the mushrooms evenly over the bottom of the dish and insert it into the tray slots of your dehydrator. Otherwise, spread the mushrooms evenly over a teflex sheet and insert the tray into the dehydrator.

Mushrooms tossed in olive oil and spices before dehydrating

Turn on the dehydrator and set the temperature at 115 F (45C). Check on them occasionally, to mix and add more olive oil if they are getting too dried out.  In about 2-4 hours your mushrooms will be done and ready to eat. You’ll have to do some taste testing to see when they are right for you. When they are getting close to done, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over them.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

Serves 2-3

Related posts:

1. Cheesy Vegan Kale Chips I honestly cannot get enough of these delicious kale chips....

Super C Hydrating Fizzy Refresher

This is one of by favorite refreshing pick-em-up drinks. I drink it nearly every day and I really miss it when I don’t. This is one of my ‘happy foods’, combining red bush tea (also known as rooibos) and the fermented wonder-drink kombucha. Rooibos tea is high in minerals, loaded with antioxidants and very hydrating, making it a great isotonic sports drink.

Combine the hydrating properties of Red Bush tea, the vitamin C and antioxidant properties from superfoods camu camu and lemon, and the energizing zing of kombucha and what have you got? Why a Super C Fizzy Antioxidant Refresher of course! Okay, enough silliness. But seriously, this tasty beverage always lifts my spirit as well as my energy levels. It’s quick and easy to make, but so good for you. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

2 cups Red Bush tea (2 cups boiling water, 1 red bush tea bag, make the day before and store it in the fridge overnight and it will be ready to make a cool, refreshing drink for you the next day)
1 cup kombucha tea
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoon sweetener (raw unfiltered organic honey, raw agave syrup, or raw yacon syrup)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon camu camu powder
1/2 teaspoon MSM powder
powdered organic ginger to taste
dash of cayenne

Instructions:

I keep the red bush tea in the fridge, and make a new batch as soon as I use the tea from the previous day. This way my Super C Fizzy Antioxidant Refresher drink always comes out refreshingly cool right out of the blender.

Add all ingredients except the kombucha tea to the blender. Blend thoroughly until the sweetener is completely dissolved. Add the kombucha tea and pulse the blender briefly to just mix everything.

Serve and drink. Garnish with a sprig of fresh wild mint if you like.

Makes up to 3 servings, unless you love it as much as I do and drink it all!

Lemon Mint Tea

Ingredients:
Juice of one large lemon
4 T fresh apple mint, roughly chopped
3 large leaves fresh lemon balm, finely chopped
2 T honey (more or less to taste)
2 cups boiling water
salt

Instructions:
Put the kettle on to boil. In the meantime, chop the apple mint and lemon balm.

Place into a glass or ceramic bowl. I use a Pyrex measuring cup.

Squeeze in the lemon juice.

Add honey, and a scant dash of salt, you don’t need much. Use Pink Himalayan Salt or Celtic Sea Salt if possible. Use just enough salt will help take the edge off the lemon juice and bring out the flavors, but not so much that you notice it.

Pour 2 cups boiling water over the mixture. Stir and leave to steep for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm, or leave to cool then serve chilled over ice.

Makes 2 glasses.

Variations:
Any sort of mint will do if you don’t have apple mint, but you may need to reduce the amount used for stronger flavored mints.

Related posts:

1. Super C Fizzy Antioxidant Refresher This is one of by favorite refreshing pick-em-up drinks. I...
2. Mexican Rice This is a great accompaniment to enchiladas or burritos for...
3. Quinoa Salad If you like couscous salads but are looking for something...