Raw vegan bliss in Dallas

(Don't miss part one of this trip!)

Before leaving Dallas on Memorial Day, Matt and I stopped at Bliss Raw Café & Elixir Bar for lunch. After the rawesome experience at 105 Degrees a couple days prior, I was excited to feed my body some more raw goodness.



We found Bliss Café on a busy street in north Dallas, next to a shack-like Mexican joint and across the street from a drive-thru liquor store (oh, Texas). It’s teeny! It also turns out they have no indoor seating, but luckily their patio is shaded and well-ventilated, so the hot day didn’t interfere with our meal at all.



We had to try some of their namesake elixirs, so I ordered the sampler trio, consisting of 2-oz. pours of three of their bestsellers. The Chocolate Bliss ("raw cacao superfood power blend, vanilla agave, tocotrienols, cacao butter, and orange oil") was thin, almost chocolate-milk-like, and had a deep, rich chocolate flavor. The Paradise Lemonade ("goji berry-aloe lemonade with superfood pizzazz") was fascinating; tart and fruity from the goji with a sour tang from the aloe. This one was Matt’s favorite. The Hemp Horchata ("hempseed and cinnamon silky delight") was creamy and smooth with just the right amount of spice. I thought the latter would be a sure bet for my favorite (I looove horchata!), but in the end, I couldn’t decide which I liked best.



Matt got the Bliss Burger, a sunflower seed patty served on an onion “bun” with lettuce, tomato, onion, and avocado. He enjoyed it more than he expected to, especially with the raw ketchup and "mayo" it came with.



I got the Cowboy Rawko Tacos, dehydrated corn tortillas with chipotle-sunflower seed "beans," guacamole, nacho cheeze, sour kream, pico de gallo, and sides of salsa verde and salsa roja.



Is that gorgeous, or what?! In my excitement, I neglected to ask them to hold the lettuce. If you read this blog with any regularity, you’ll know that I do not eat lettuce, salad, greens, or leaves of any kind. Can’t stand any of it; don’t ask me why. (I realize I may be the only salad-hating vegan out there!) But these tacos, with their pliable shells, piquant "bean" filling, and tasty toppings, were so good that I set aside my hatred for all things leafy and green and just dug in. Matt almost fell out of his chair when he saw me eat a forkful of lettuce, and insisted on documenting the unprecedented occasion by taking a photo.



I stepped outside to take a couple pics while Matt relaxed at the table.



For dessert, we had their raw cheezecake of the day, which happened to be raspberry. It was still a little frosty when it arrived at our table, but considering the sky-high temperature outside, we relished those first icy bites. The berry-cashew filling melted on our tongues and offered sweet respite from the heat of the day, while the tender date-walnut crust provided a pleasantly chewy complement. It was a cooling, refreshing end to a wonderful, summery raw meal.



Considering I snacked on raw cashews and apple slices during the car ride that afternoon, and we swung back by 105 Degrees for dinner that evening, I ate almost completely raw that entire day. Do I need to rename this blog "Almost Raw"?! Not yet, but who’s to say where the future will take me.

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Raw revelry at 105 Degrees

I’d heard about it. I’d read about it. I’d researched it online. I’d seen tales of it on other blogs, both from those who have dined there (like Kristen) and those who have actually attended the academy (like Michelle and Robyn). And finally, over Memorial Day weekend, I had the opportunity to visit (and stuff my face at) Matthew Kenney’s all-raw restaurant 105 Degrees in Oklahoma City, OK. The Matthew Kenney, visionary king of raw, vegan, living, organic cuisine. The 105 Degrees, a groundbreaking, state-of-the-art facility housing the first-ever school for budding raw chefs. To say I was excited would be an outrageous understatement.



Matt (my Matt, not Mr. Kenney!) and I left Kansas City after work on Friday, and finally arrived in Oklahoma City after midnight. (More on our Friday night meal later this week.) We headed into the city shortly after 11am, navigated the Classen Curve with ease, and arrived at our destination immediately awed. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows are stunning, allowing you peer right in at patrons eating in one half (the café) and students working in the other (the academy). Inside the clean, bright space, the employees were dressed smartly, and the kitchen was completely open to the dining room (no ovens, no problems!). It’s readily apparent how thoughtfully designed 105 Degrees is. Everything there, from the lighting to the bamboo tables, is eco-friendly and sustainable. The smoothie I ordered to start even came with a glass straw.



Said smoothie was called the Blue Bee Milkshake—blueberries, local honey gelato, white chocolate, and bee pollen. Yes, raw vegan local honey gelato and raw vegan white chocolate. This was one of the best smoothies to ever pass my lips. Matt (who also sipped on a mimosa) was equally blown away by it.



Matt ordered a taco salad, which came topped with a huge fan of avocado and crumbled dehydrated corn chips. We all know I'm not a salad person, but I tried some of the corn chip bits, and they were much crunchier than I thought anything dehydrated could be.



My entrée...oh, my entrée. This raw mezze platter was absolute love at first bite. The marinated olives were herby and succulent. The eggplant chips were mildly seasoned with a crisp bite and a hearty chew. The macadamia hummus was impossibly creamy, and so rich that the mere 1/4 cup of it satisfied me. The hemp seed tabbouleh was crunchy and refreshing, and the warm nut-based falafel absolutely melted in my mouth. This was simply the best meal I could have ever hoped for at a raw food restaurant, and one of the best at any restaurant, period. "Delicious" does not even begin to tell the tale.



We would have been fools not to indulge in dessert! Matt let me choose, and I couldn’t resist the raw white chocolate mud pie. One word: DENSE. No, two words: DENSE and DIVINE. This was like an ultra-rich white chocolate fudge atop a dark brownie base, sitting beside a pool of cacao-nib-dusted ganache. In other words, an orgasm on a plate. We both utterly adored this.



I browsed through the shop for a few minutes, gazing longingly at all too many items, before leaving, sated and giddy with raw glee. As I’m sure Matt would tell you, I couldn’t stop talking about this meal...which is why it’s not surprising at all that we stopped back by 105 Degrees again on our way home Monday. (More about the days in between later this week.) I called ahead, and we picked up a couple smoothies. Matt got the Antiox-C (left), a blend of orange, lime, goji berries, black cherries, and raspberries, and I had the Maca Pitchu (right), containing raspberries, cacao nibs, maca powder, banana, and coconut butter. As Matt declared, "These raw people sure do know how to do smoothies, I’ll say that!"



(There’s another example of 105 Degrees’ eco-consciousness—those cups and straws are made of 100% corn and are designed to biodegrade in 30 days or less. Wow!)

I also got myself a takeout dinner of raw sesame noodles—kelp noodles (which I jumped for joy at the chance to finally try!) tossed in an almond butter sauce with spiced cauliflower, sweet peas, green onions, and spicy cashews. The slight crunch of the kelp noodles caught me off guard at first, but I soon began to savor the unique texture. Though the noodles are practically calorie-free, all the other elements of this dish combined to make it extremely filling—it took me two sittings to finish it off.



I just can’t say enough about 105 Degrees. It represents the very best in raw food and imaginative, nutritious culinary innovation. Five hours south of KC, it’s so close, yet so far away!

I’ll admit right here and now that I have a (no-longer-so-)secret dream of attending the 105 Degrees Academy. If I could guarantee it’d net me a lucrative career in food, I’d do it in a heartbeat. In the meantime, I’ll probably look at these pictures often and sigh at the perfection of the masterpieces I was lucky enough to get to eat there, all the while plotting how (and how soon) I can get back.

In my next entries, I’ll backtrack a bit and show you the rest of our Memorial Day weekend road trip to Dallas.

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* * * UPDATE!! * * *
There I was, finishing up my workday, when my email pinged with a new item. What I discovered in my inbox was something I never expected...a Facebook message from Matthew Kenney himself!



Aaahh! To a food nerd like me, a personal email from Matthew Kenney is like an email from Elvis. Or Jesus. Provided either of them had internet access, of course. Anyway, I was totally thrilled—it made my day! Matthew, 105 Degrees deserves all the flattery one can heap upon it, and then some. Thank YOU for creating such an incredible foodie paradise!

Yumtastic May leftovers

I’ve got so much yumminess to share! I ate this first meal on Cinco de Mayo. My friend Emily and I went to our favorite local Mexican joint (though not quite my favorite Mexican restaurant ever; that would be Ixtapa in Lawrence [see here]), Dos Reales, for drinks – Merlot for me, margaritas for her – and food. Emily, though not totally veg herself, had a vegetarian combo platter with a chile relleno, a bean burrito, and rice.



I special-ordered a black bean enchilada, sin queso, and a side of rice.



I made the self-frosting peanut butter cupcakes from Bittersweet-Hannah’s cookbook My Sweet Vegan.



Though I didn’t execute the swirl as neatly as I could have, they still turned out great.



At First Friday in the Crossroads Arts District, a girl had a vegan food table set up at one of the galleries. Matt bought a curried tofu burrito, and I had a bite. He also got a brownie, but I forgot to take a pic.



One night I whipped up a plain batch of Ani Phyo’s "Love-the-Chicks Pâté," a blend of almonds and sunflower seeds with a touch of turmeric.



I made a version of Baking Bites’ white chocolate chip-pistachio cookies (here's lookin' at you, Hannah!) to take to Lindsey’s birthday cookout at Tyler & Henry’s house.



At another weeknight dinner with Emily, this one at Wai Wai quick-Thai, I had my favorite—their cashew-tofu stir fry.



After my co-worker Sean’s wedding reception, Matt and I went for drinks – sangria for me, a chocolate martini (yep, really!) for him – and snacks at Boozefish Wine Bar. I had (what else?) the hummus trio. Clockwise from top, there’s artichoke basil, black olive, and traditional.



Upon Meaghan’s recommendation, I made these no-bake coconut-carob cookie balls.



Matt and I ate at a newish Mexican place in south Overland Park called Frida’s. It’s high-end, authentic Mexican—nary a burrito in sight! Nor, I’m afraid, was there anything remotely veganizable. But no biggie—I got the Pescado al Cilantro, a white fish filet marinated in cilantro pesto and grilled with slivered almonds and lots of olive oil. It was served with an herby green rice and grilled vegetables. Though super-oily, this was really good, and unlike any Mexican food I’ve ever had (even IN Mexico!).



Matt had the Chile Relleno de Callo al Cilantro, a pair of sautéed-scallop-and-cilantro-stuffed poblano peppers topped with tomatillo sauce, also served with green rice. Both of us loved our dishes; we will definitely be going back to Frida’s.



But that's not all! Dessert was a must once I saw what they offered—a non-dairy, corn-milk-based ice cream! I’ve never even heard of such a thing! Though Matt would probably have preferred chocolate, he let me order it with the cinnamon, caramel, and candied walnut topping option. Wow. Wow. WOW. This was just unreal. I can’t wait to go back and have it again!



I’ll wrap up with some homemade stuff. This is a raw blackberry crumble from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen. The topping is predominantly almonds and pumpkin seeds. Simple, summery, delicious.



Speaking of Ani, this is a riff on the raw wild rice salad she posted on her blog awhile back.



Here’s a random weekday breakfast of mine—plain yogurt, plump fresh raspberries, dehydrated buckwheat groats, and a sprinkle of blueberry flaxseed.



Last but not least, a ginormous batch of homemade hummus. I even cooked my own chickpeas from dried; the whole shebang. I ate half of it as-is, then added Ethiopian spices (berbere, cardamom, and mekelesha) to the other half, and oh man, it may have been the best hummus I’ve ever made. (Yes, maybe even better than my Indian spice variety!) I will have to make it again so I can blog about it.
...Would you judge me if I said this whole thing only lasted me a week?



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Raw flaxseed pancakes

Yep, more rawness! I’m following up my savory chilly chili with a sweet raw breakfast duo of flax pancakes ("flaxjacks," if you will) with blackberry-date sauce, both recipes adapted from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen. This meal is way (way WAY) faster to put together than the chili, so if you found that a bit intimidating, you’ll appreciate the preparatory brevity of this dish. These are obviously pretty dissimilar to real pancakes ("breakfast patties" may be a more apt moniker, but the method by which you eat them – with a knife and fork, drizzled with a syrupy fruit concoction – earns them the "pancakes" label), but they’re delicious in their own right.

This post was made possible by the munificent people at Pizzey’s Nutritionals. Pizzey’s is the only company on the market whose flax contains all three Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA, and DHA), and its shelf life is blessedly long (2 years without refrigeration!). Awhile back, they offered me "samples" of some of their high-quality flaxseed products—imagine my surprise when two 2-lb. bags (milled golden flax and SmoothOmega milled flax) arrived at my door, followed some time after by two more 2-lb. bags (organic milled golden flax and – get this – blueberry milled golden flax!) plus a box of individual-serving flax singles! WOW. I was blown away.



You can order Pizzey’s flaxseed online at FlaxMatters.com and get free shipping on all orders over $50! They’ve got numerous varieties of flax to choose from, plus some cool accessories like a flaxseed grinder and this cute lil flax scoop. I also think their flaxseed starter kit is a great idea. Thanks again, Pizzey’s, for your generosity!

Ok, I’m done flaxing poetic; on to the recipes!

For the pancakes:
1 1/2 cups ground flaxseed
1/4 cup (raw) agave nectar
1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp water

For the sauce:
1/2 cup blackberries
2-3 pitted dates

I recommend prepping the sauce first, so it can chill and thicken as you make the cakes. Just combine the blackberries and dates in a blender or food processor...



...and blend until smooth, adding a splash of water as necessary. Transfer to a small container and place in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. (It’ll keep for several days in there.)



For the flaxseed in this recipe, I used Pizzey’s milled golden flax with blueberries to give my cakes some fruity pizzazz. (Of course, regular flax will work just fine. If you’re grinding your own, start with one heaping cup whole flaxseeds, which should amount to roughly 1 1/2 cups when ground.)



Combine all the pancake ingredients in a bowl.



Mix well with your hands or a wooden spoon.



Divide the mixture into eight portions. Roll into balls and, somehow or another, form the balls into flat medallions.



I greased a half-cup measuring cup and used the back of a spoon to press each ball into a patty. A biscuit cutter would work even better for this, since you wouldn’t have to bang the cup on the counter each time to free the cake.



Place the cakes on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to eat. They’ll stay good for up to a week, so you can just take out one or two each morning for breakfast.



Serve the cakes with the blackberry-date sauce, and feel free to add other toppings (like maple syrup, agave nectar, or vanilla yogurt) in addition or instead. You might not guess it thanks to their diminutive size, but these babies are filling. They’re pleasantly mealy and mildly sweet, plus you’ll get a day and a half’s worth of Omega-3s in each cake! If breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, these cakes give it the respect it deserves.



(Pancakes) Yield: 8 pancakes. Per pancake: 157 calories, 10.6g fat (2g sat), 14.1g carbs, 6g fiber, 3.8g protein.
(Sauce) Yield: 8 servings. Per serving (about 2 Tbsp): 21 calories, .1g fat (trace sat), 5.5g carbs, 1g fiber, .2g protein.

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Loaded raw chilly chili

No time to chat, peeps; I’ve got a lot to show you today. As I’ve been saying lately, I’m working off a 1-2 month blogging backlog, so you haven’t seen much of what I’ve been eating more recently. I’ve actually been experimenting a lot with raw foods, and my Memorial Day weekend trip to Dallas (which you’ll see more about soon) funneled the last of my interest into true excitement. I’m not going all-raw or anything, don’t worry, but I do expect to be featuring more raw-ness on this blog than ever before. I want to get the raw food posts going as soon as possible so you can take full advantage of them in this summer’s heat.

The magnificent Ani Phyo gets credit for this dish. The chili recipe is from her new book, Ani’s Raw Food Essentials, while the taco nut meat, squash "rice," cashew cheeze, and red pepper-corn salsa are variations on recipes from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen. I won’t kid you; this meal is a ton of work. I did it all in one night (two and a half hours!), but feel free to prep one or two components at a time over the course of a day or two (or just leave a couple of them out) to make it more manageable. Put the work in, though, and you’ll be richly rewarded in the end.

For the taco nut meat:
1/2 cup raw almonds, dry
1/2 cup raw walnuts, dry
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos, Nama Shoyu, or soy sauce



In a food processor, pulse the almonds and walnuts into a powder.



Transfer the ground nuts to a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients.



Mix well and set aside. The nut meat alone will keep for 4 days in the fridge.



Yield: 8 servings. Per serving (2 Tbsp): 147 calories, 14.8g fat (2g sat), 2.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 2.6g protein.

For the Mexican squash "rice":
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
Splash of fresh lime juice



Place the squash cubes in the bowl of a food processor.



Pulse into small, rice-sized pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients.



Mix well and set aside. The "rice" alone will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.



Yield: 6 servings. Per serving (1/4 cup): 25 calories, .1g fat (trace sat), 6.2g carbs, 1g fiber, .7g protein.

For the cashew cheeze:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup water, as needed

In a food processor, blend all ingredients. Add only enough water to process into a thick cream texture. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. The cheeze alone will keep for a week in the fridge.



Yield: 8 servings. Per serving (2 Tbsp): 100 calories, 7.8g fat (1g sat), 5.9g carbs, 1g fiber, 3.3g protein.

For the red pepper-corn salsa:
2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 small jalapeño, minced
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside. The salsa alone will keep for a week in the fridge.



Yield: 6 servings. Per serving (1/4 cup): 18 calories, .2g fat (trace sat), 4g carbs, 1g fiber, .7g protein.

For the raw chili:
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup fresh corn kernels
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 small jalapeño, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.



Mix well. Transfer half the mixture to a food processor or blender.



Purée until smooth.



Transfer the purée back into the bowl with the veggie mixture and mix well.



Yield: 4 servings. Per serving (1 cup): 63 calories, .8g fat (trace sat), 13.2g carbs, 4g fiber, 2.7g protein.

WHEW! Serve the chili topped with spoonfuls of taco nut meat, "rice," and salsa and a dollop of the cheeze and you’ve not only earned a helluva pat on the back , but you’ve made the ultimate warm-weather meal—loaded raw chilly chili! Throw on some sliced green onions, diced avocado, or guacamole if you have any on hand. If you like gazpacho, you'll love this soup. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, very filling, and wonderfully refreshing. Summer in a bowl!



Per serving (1 cup chili, 2 Tbsp nut meat, 1/4 cup squash "rice," 2 Tbsp cashew cheeze, and 1/4 cup red pepper-corn salsa):
352 calories, 23.7g fat (3g sat), 31.8g carbs, 8g fiber, 10g protein.

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* * * UPDATE * * *
Saturday, 6/26... :]