The Avocado Queen Welcomes You

This blog is mostly about raw vegetarian/vegan recipes, many of which incorporate avocados. Since I became a raw/live food vegan several years ago, avocados became an important part of my diet. I'd even say that they are my favorite food, and as it turns out, they are also considered one of the world's healthiest foods. While my primary purpose here is to showcase avocados and how awesome they are, I will also share some recipes that are just plain good raw/live food as well as vegan food.

Most recipes are accompanied by a meditation or reflection - posting as "food for thought."

Wishing you peace, love, joy, and blessings wherever you are in your journey towards health...

All recipes of the Avocado Queen are original creations. In some cases, variations on other recipes have been made and credit of that original source has been given.

All content on this blog is strictly the property of the owner or has been used with permission. If you see a recipe or photo that you like, please contact the owner for permission to share it...more than likely, your request will be honored as long as you agree to give credit to the original source.

Making (Vegan) Food Taste Good

I think that one of the keys to preparing vegan food, whether it be "raw" or "cooked" is incorporating spices and seasoning to create flavorful dishes that everyone will enjoy.

A few essentials:
Garlic - I put garlic in almost everything.  Just a little clove can go a long way.  It gives foods a rich, pungent flavor.  I really love my garlic press!

Onion - Again, a bit of onion can go a long way, adding depth to the flavor of food, especially crackers and nut meats that go into the dehydrator of a "raw" kitchen.

Apple Cider Vinegar (an unpastuerized brand like Braggs) - A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar gives foods a tangy flavor.  Sometimes for "raw vegan cheeses", I will use up to a full tablespoon for a zestful flavor.

Lemon Juice - It must be fresh squeezed.  Usually, I use half a lemon to balance flavors in sunflower seed pates, hummus, and nut meat burgers.  It is necessary for all of the "raw vegan cheeses" that I make.

Miso - I like white miso which has a mildly sweet and salty essence.  Often I buy organic miso - incredibly delicious - from a local Korean market.

Cheese:
To create a cheese flavor, nutritional yeast works really well.  Although it is not considered a "raw" food, I do not think it necessarily corrupts the raw lifestyle, because a little bit will go a long way.
I have successfully created raw vegan cheeses with a base of soaked pine nuts, macadamia nuts, and cashews (sometimes a blend of these) using fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon), garlic, onion, and/or unpastuerized apple cider vinegar (like Braggs).  Incorporating white miso can also be a way to create a cheesy essence.

Nut meats and burgers:
Sage, cumin, coriander, oregano, and thyme give foods an earthy, hearty, grounded flavor.

Hummus, pates, bean dips:
Cumin is essential.  Adding a little bit of garam masala or curry can also go a long way.

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Spice Notes:
Cayenne - a pinch here and there will provide a grounding effect in foods
Vanilla Bean - to create exotic notes in a dish, and always to be used in desserts
Chipotle - works similarly to cayenne and gives variety
Parsley and Cilantro - add a fresh aromatic flavor to foods (see recipe for Salsa Verde)
Tumeric - when combined with apple cider vinegar, a mustard flavor gets created