Raw Recipes

A lot of so-called raw seaweed salads found in oriental restaurants are actually made from blanched or parboiled seaweeds from the upper green zone which is more susceptible to pollution (and the recipe usually includes white sugar), so if you are a strict raw foodist, I advise you to learn to make your own raw seaweed salads from the brown zone which includes alaria, a very clean and vital choice. Dry alaria needs to be reconstituted with water for a few hours. As you sprinkle water on the dry alaria, think of it as making a pancake batter, and you want enough water to wet the flour, but not so much that it's runny. After the alaria is reconstituted, use a knife or scissors to cut it finely. (You could also cut dry alaria finely with a scissors before reconstituting it.) Add lemon juice. This will help release nutrients into solution, and it will also allow you to preserve reconstituted alaria in the refrigerator for up to three days. You may find it gets more tender with time. If you're not adverse to using heat, you can also blanch alaria briefly, steam for ten minutes, or even pressure cook for five minutes.

A salad marinade or dressing can be made with grated ginger juice (squeeze the juice out of the pulp or use a juicer), orange juice or raw unpasteurized honey for sweetener, sesame or toasted sesame oil or olive oil, a dash of tamari and/or brown rice vinegar. Mix it all together in proportion to suit your taste. The longer the alaria soaks, the more tender it becomes. Now imagine using this seaweed salad with chopped apples, or adding it to a dark green salad that includes romaine or baby greens, cucumber and parsley. Or how about small chunks of oranges or clementines? Yum! Keep experimenting! Keep it fresh and alive!

Thinly slice one pound of unwaxed cucumbers and sprinkle with one teaspoon of sea salt; set aside for thirty minutes. Dice half of a red pepper. In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons lemon juice, half a tablespoon sesame oil, one teaspoon rice vinegar. Lightly rinse the cucumbers, combine with the red pepper and a quarter cup of reconstituted and chopped alaria (see Raw Alaria Basics). Toss with the dressing.

Salad:

3/4 cup alaria, soaked and sliced
1 medium carrot, grated or sliced in very fine matchsticks
1/2 red onion, sliced in thin half-moons
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup celery, cut in 1/8" slices
1-2 scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 pear, cut in 1/2" chunks
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Dressing:

1" piece of fresh ginger, grated and juice extracted
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
1 tsp umeboshi vinegar
1 Tbsp rice syrup or honey
1/4 cup olive or sesame oil

Whisk together dressing ingredients. Set aside. Combine salad ingredients, except for walnuts, chopping and adding pear last to prevent it turning brown. Add enough dressing to lightly coat salad ingredients and toss gently. (Extra dressing may be refrigerated to use on other salads.) Allow salad to marinate 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle walnuts over top before serving.

Combine chopped tomatoes, avocado, lime and/or lemon juice, scallions, cilantro, sweet and/or hot peppers, olives and a dash of cayenne with finely chopped rehydrated alaria and a tablespoon of olive oil. Serve on a bed of mixed salad greens, or use as a stuffing in pita bread, tacos or tortillas, with grated cheese, beans and rice on the side.

2 pears (you can substitute apples)
Lemon juice
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, grated
1/2 c dry-roasted nuts or seeds (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or sunflower seeds)
1/2 c dried soft dulse, cut into small pieces
1-2 Tbsp Vegenaise or tofu mayonnaise
1 tsp umeboshi vinegar

Chop pears into 1/2" pieces. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Add celery, carrots, nuts or seeds (chopped coarsely if desired) and dulse. Combine with Vegenaise and umeboshi vinegar to taste.

1 c dulse, rinsed and cut into small pieces
2 cups sprouts
1/2 cup sliced red and yellow peppers
1/2 cup sliced scallions or red onion
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 cup avocado, scopped with a melon ball tool
1 tomato cut into small wedges

Combine the above salad ingredients and serve on a bed of greens, topped with dressing.

Dressing: lemon juice, raw honey, and tahini, in proportion to your taste

Shred or grate carrots and beets
Soak the grated carrots and beets in a dressing of lemon juice, raw
honey, and ginger juice

Top with your choice from each group below:

• reconstituted dried cherries, cranberries, raisins
• walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds
• rinsed dulse, chopped fine
• parsley, chopped fine