Raw Mediterranean Mushroom Casserole

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you, inspired from one of my idols ~ Mimi Kirk ~ who released her first raw food recipe book in her seventies and she now travels the world inspiring so many others. Just the thought of looking as good as Mimi does at 75 years of age is enough to make me want to eat this way forever!

Those of you who attended the raw food presentation yesterday already know how delicious this casserole is, and it’s quite comforting to have a warm meal on a cool evening. For those of you who weren’t there, I dare you to try this recipe so you too can experience the true flavours we enjoy in the raw food world.

Raw Meditterranean Mushroom Casserole

Ingredients For Casserole:
4 large Portobello mushrooms
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
½ cup pesto (see recipe below)
½ cup nut/seed cheese (see recipe below)
4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
½ cup black pitted olives
¼ cup capers
Pine nuts and/or parsley for garnish

Ingredients For Marinade:
½ cup cold pressed olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon Lemon

Equipment:
5 Tray or 9 Tray Excalibur Dehydrator
Glass baking dish/casserole dish (which fits into your dehydrator)

~Slice mushrooms then place in the baking dish and cover with olive oil, tamari and a good squeeze of lemon. Marinate for approximately 15 minutes turning twice.
You’ll know they are ready as the mushrooms will shrink considerably in size, then pour out excess marinade.
~Sprinkle chopped onion across mushrooms, spoon a layer of nut cheese, followed by a layer of pesto.
~Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes, olives and finally capers.
Dehydrate at 44 °C or 110 °F for 3-4 hours until the mushrooms soften slightly and the cheese and pesto melts.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and parsley and serve.
* If you want to add some crunchiness after dehydration add some finely chopped celery, carrots and red capsicum

Raw Pesto

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil, tightly packed
1-2 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 cup pine nuts (soaked for several hours or overnight)
1/3 cup cold pressed olive oil
Himalayan Salt

Equipment:
High Speed Blender

Place nuts and garlic in blender and pulse until broken down. Add basil and pinch of salt, then pulse while slowly adding olive oil until smooth and creamy. You may need more olive oil to achieve this consistency. Taste for saltiness and adjust accordingly.

Nut Cheese

Ingredients:
2 cups cashews (soaked 4 hours in spring water)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch himalayan salt
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2-3 tablespoons tamari
1/3 cup coconut oil or as needed

Equipment:
Total Nutrition Centre (Omega cold press juicer or similar) or high speed blender

Ensuring you have changed to the blank attachment on the juicer, pour the soaked nuts through the juicer and they will extrude like a paste and should fall directly into your bowl. You could use a high speed blender if you don’t have the correct juicer, however it will be a smoother texture. I personally like the nutty texture.
Then stir in all other ingredients, pat the mixture down into a dish/container and place in the fridge for several hours to set. Once set, the cheese should be firm and able to slice but still spreadable.

*Please note, if you’re making the Raw Mediterranean Mushroom Casserole, don’t place it in the fridge as it will be easier to spread when the mixture has not set.

This nut cheese is a staple in my fridge, and in the next post I’ll show some photos of the healthy lunch I had with it today 🙂