While quinoa is higher in oxalates, this method of cooking significantly reduces them. It’s also a  foolproof way of cooking quinoa, as you pour off the extra water (and extra oxalates) after 12 minutes, just like pasta.

With traditional tabouli ingredients, like cucumber, mint, parsley, lemon, and garlic, this is a refreshing and delicious salad that will become a summer staple!

Quinoa Tabouli Salad

Ingredients:

l cup quinoa, soaked for at least 8 hours and rinsed

2 cups filtered water 

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup cucumber, diced small 

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped 

1/2 cup scallions, finely sliced 

1 cup Mint-Garlic Dressing (see recipe) 

Lettuce leaves as a garnish

Directions

1. Cook quinoa by putting into a pot of boiling water and boil for 12 minutes. Then drain. (This method of cooking reduces the oxalates.)
2. When cool, add cucumber, parsley, and scallions. 
3. Add Mint-Garlic Dressing and toss.
4.  Chill in refrigerator before serving on lettuce leaves. 

Mint Garlic Dressing

Ingredients:

1/4–1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, to taste (start with less) 

1/2 cup organic, unfiltered olive oil 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, minced

Directions:

1. Combine lemon juice, mint, and garlic in a blender. Slowly add oil while blending to emulsify.

 Chilli is a staple dish that’s a firm favourite for many reasons – it’s easy to make, hard to mess up and full of flavour.

 To make a hearty vegan chilli, combine tinned tomatoes, a meat-free stock cube, tinned beans (kidney beans work especially well), fresh onions, peppers, fresh chilli, garlic, chilli powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and coriander, then let it simmer away while all the flavours incorporate. Once it’s ready, serve with brown rice for a nutritious meal.

Healthy Raw Vegan Caramel Slice

Ingredients for the three layers

Base

½ cup chopped Medjool Dates (around 8 Dates)

1 ½ cups Almonds

½  tsp Vanilla Powder

Pinch of Fine Celtic Salt

Caramel Filling

½ cup Almond Butter

60gms of Cacao Butter

½ cup Maple Syrup or Coconut Nectar

½ tsp Vanilla Powder

Pinch of Fine Celtic Salt

Chocolate topping

4 tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

4 tbsp Coconut Nectar

60gms Cacao Butter

60gms Coconut Butter

Preparation

Base – Food Processor

Process Almonds in a food processor until finely chopped and then add rest of the base ingredients and process to a fine crumb.

Pour mix into a square or rectangular dish lined with Glad Wrap. I used a dish that measured 22cms x 17cms which gave a slice 3.5cms high. You could even go a little larger in the dish. Use the back of a spoon to press the mix evenly and firmly into the bottom of the dish then place in fridge while making up the caramel filling.

Caramel Filling – Blender (eg Vitamix)

Melt the Cacao Butter and pour into the blender along with all of the other filling ingredients.

Blend well and then pour onto the cooled biscuit base and place in freezer to cool quickly while preparing the topping.

Chocolate Topping

Melt both the Cacao Butter and the Artisana Raw Coconut Butter together and then stir in the Cacao Powder and the Coconut Nectar, and blend in thoroughly.

Cool for a few minutes and then pour the topping mixture over the base and caramel filling and place back in freezer to set again or, if you are not using the slice that day, place in the fridge to set overnight.

This makes a very rich and delicious slice so slice into small pieces.