The humble pea is so often over looked as the traditional meat and 3 veg kind of vegetable, and we don’t really give them their rightful place as a “super food”. Well, this dish packs a nutritional punch.
Michelle (raw vegan chef student) is definitely one of our rising stars. She shows again and again that food can look good, taste and be so good for you.
Peas are packed with health-protective phytonutrients. One of these phytonutrients—a polyphenol called coumestrol–has recently come to the forefront of research with respect to stomach cancer protection. The unique phytonutrients in green peas also provide us with key antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Green peas are a great addition to your menu because, in addition to their concentration of vitamins and minerals, they also provide the carotenoid phytonutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known to promote vision and eye health.
If you love to garden, you will know they are also one of the good guys in the veggie bed. Peas belong to a category of crops called “nitrogen fixing” crops. With the help of bacteria in the soil, peas and other pulse crops, are able to take nitrogen gas from the air, and convert it into more complex and usable forms. This process increases nitrogen available in the soil, without the need for added fertilizer. Their also easy to grow, which means you know exactly where they come from, and you can pick them fresh from the garden for maximum nutrient value!
Phew, now we’ve filled your head with all that data, enjoy getting to know peas again! We know you will love this dish… Great work yet again Michelle!
- [b]Pie Crust[/b]
- 1 Carrot
- 1 medium Yellow Onion
- 1 Cup Pine Nuts
- ½ Cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 TBSP Tamari Sauce
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice[br][br]
- [b]Filling[/b]
- Spinach Cashew Cheese (see recipe below)
- ½ Cup frozen Peas
- ½ Cup Sundried Tomatoes, chopped[br][br]
- [b]Spinach Cashew Cheese Recipe[/b]
- 1 Cup Cashews (soaked 2 – 4 hours, then washed and drained)
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Shallot
- 1 clove Garlic, chopped
- ¼ Cup Almond Milk
- 1 pinch Himalayan Salt
- 2 Cups Spinach
- Process the carrot in a food processor until fine.
- Add the onion, Pine Nuts, Pumpkin seeds, Tamari and Lemon Juice to the food processor and pulse until a formable mass results without losing the seed integrity.
- Press into 10 mini quiche pans.
- Dehydrate at 46C for 12 hours, or longer if you want the pie crust to be more crunchy.[br][br]
- Spinach Cashew Cheese (see recipe below)
- Stir the frozen Peas and Sundried Tomatoes into the cashew cheese.
- Fill each Pie crush with the Pea and Spinach Cashew cheese.
- Top with Alfalfa Sprouts and serve with a side of sauerkraut and sliced Roma tomatoes.[br][br]
- Place the Cashews in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Add the Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Shallot, Garlic, Almond Milk, Himalayan Salt and 1 Cup Spinach.
- Process until smooth.
- Add 1 Cup Spinach and pulse until the spinach leaves are roughly chopped.
If you want to take your raw food journey to a more advanced level, consider our Raw Vegan Culinary Course.