Holiday recipes usually conjure up visions of mashed potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Am I right? Well, you can have these recipes (and more!), raw vegan style! No need to deprive yourself of seasonal favorites, plus your guests will love them, too! I myself cannot do without raw eggnog during the festive season. Must have my eggnog!

So, without further ado, here are my favorite top raw vegan holiday recipes:

Raw Eggnog

Serve your guests a glass of this delicious Raw Eggnog. Oh so rich, this eggnog will soon get them into the festive spirit. Cashews, dates, and coconut oil are (crazily enough!) the main ingredients in this easy-to-whip-up recipe.

Just blend and serve immediately, and listen to the cries of delight!

Raw Mashed Potatoes

Every holiday meal has to have mashed potatoes, even a vegan meal! This Mashed Potato recipe is hearty and filling with a garlicky flavor. In case you are wondering, no raw potatoes here! These mashed potatoes are cauliflower and cashew based.

Make sure to include raw mashed potatoes as part of your festive meal!

Raw Stuffing

Walnuts, dates and celery are the key ingredients for this scrumptious Raw Stuffing. Include this stuffing at your next holiday meal - your guests will be asking for seconds!

Bonus: you can make this recipe in advance.

Raw Cranberry Relish

What's a holiday meal without cranberry relish? This incredibly simple Cranberry Relish recipe has just two ingredients - cranberries (of course!) and dates. It's also super tasty, and a must-have for your table.

For extra oomph and color, you can add a diced orange. Yum!

Raw Pumpkin Pie

Eating raw does not mean giving up your favorite foods. Whip up a Raw Pumpkin Pie for a holiday dessert. This pumpkin pie is light and creamy, and oh so good!

Keep this pie in the freezer. When you want to impress your guests, just pull it from the freezer, slice and serve!

Holiday favorites, raw vegan style...

Which of these recipes are you going to make this holiday season? As you can see, being a raw vegan does not mean depriving yourself of old favorites. And these recipes are so good, you can serve them to your non-raw guests with confidence.

And if you're making raw eggnog, I'll be right over!

It’s easier than you think to start going raw. You don’t have to run out and buy a bunch of expensive foods right away. Or appliances – you can start with just a cheap blender.

Here are 6 simple steps to get you started.

Then, if you’re still psyched about going raw, you can delve a little deeper into the raw experience!

• Find a fruit that gets you excited and eat lots of it! (My faves are green grapes and fresh blueberries. Simple but oh so tasty!)
• Buy a food processor or a blender. They don't have to be good ones - and you don't need both to START!
• Shop healthy. It all starts at the grocery store - buy healthy groceries that you enjoy and avoid buying junk like chips, cookies, etc. Eating healthy starts at the grocery store. Then, when you get peckish on the couch you don't have a lot of junk food in the house so you eat better stuff, like fruit or nuts.
• Find one raw recipe that appeals to you and make it for fun! Are brownies your thing? How about raw chocolate haystacks?
• Make your **next** meal a raw one. I mean it, right now!
• Invite your friend(s). Have a "learning-raw" party get-together!

Do you see how easy it is to start going raw? Your experience should be simple and fun. And not hard on your budget. Choose your favourite fruit, find a dee-lish recipe, get your taste of raw!

You've all heard of nut milk. Most of you have probably bought nut milk. But how many of you have made your own? I hear you saying, "But it sounds like too much work!"

Wrong! There is nothing simpler than making your own nut milk. Seriously! So if you haven't tried to make a nut milk yet, now is the time! Grab some nuts and let's go!

Why make your own nut milk?

Because it is so delicious, that's why! There's nothing tastier than a glass of chilled cashew or almond milk made by your own hands! Besides, nut milk is the perfect alternative to dairy. Creamy and nutty tasting (of course!), nut milk can also be splashed on your hot or cold cereal, or used to make soups and smoothies. And of course, it is super easy to make.

There's always a container of nut milk sitting in my fridge. It's a must-have for my raw breakfast cereal!

The easiest nut milk to make... Cashew Milk

Cashew milk is the easiest nut milk to make: just toss your ingredients into the blender and blend! Try my Raw Cashew Milk Recipe. You are going to wonder how you've ever gone without it!

No nut bag required for this recipe. (p.s. You can increase or decrease the water/nut ratio depending on the consistency/creaminess you require.) Now, wasn't that easy?

Next up... Almond Milk!

Don't let the scary term, "nut milk bag" throw you off! In this Raw Almond Milk Recipe, all you do is blend and strain. Yep, that's all! Do use a nut milk bag rather than cheesecloth. Check out this nut milk bag - see how simple it is, and cheap to buy, too!

As a bonus, you can use the almond pulp in other raw recipes!

Yes, it's that simple!

If you have a blender, you can make cashew milk. Add in a nut milk bag, and other nut milks are at your fingertips. I so recommend that you make your own nut milk. Start with the cashew milk and if you like (love!) that, buy yourself a nut bag and sample some other nut milks. You will wonder why you never tried these before!

I'm pretty much a pudding fan. Raw puddings are surprisingly easy to make, and I love their smooth creamy texture, mmm. Here are 5 recipes for you to check out, if you haven't already!

Note that the first 4 recipes use chia seeds to thicken, and cashews to add creamy texture. The last recipe uses avocado for both creaminess and texture. But one thing these raw pudding recipes do have in common is their extremely good taste!

Raw Rice Pudding

This Raw Rice Pudding recipe doesn't actually contain rice (sorry to disappoint!). Nonetheless, darlings, it will totally remind you of the rice pudding from your childhood.

Cashews and chia seeds and raisins (of course!) are some of the ingredients in this delightful pudding.

Creamy Raw Fruit Chia Pudding

You really must try this Creamy Raw Fruit Chia Pudding! It's fruity and chocolate-y, and oh so smooth and creamy... yum!

I use raspberries and strawberries here, but you can use whatever berries your little heart desires!

Orange Chia Seed Pudding

When I first made this Orange Chia Seed Pudding, my first thought was "creamsicle"! Bursting with orange flavor, and so creamy good, this pudding is a favorite of mine.

Make sure you use fresh juicy oranges for an optimum orange taste sensation!

Raw Chocolate Chia Pudding

I truly think this Chocolate Chia Pudding tastes like melted chocolate ice cream! But maybe that's just me. Even so, this is a delicious chocolate-y pudding that you'll love!

Cashews are key to making this pudding creamy good.

Raw Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Believe me, this Chocolate Avocado Pudding will rock your boat! Who knew that avocado and cacao (plus a few other goodies) could meld into such a scrumptious dessert?

Actually, the secret sweetener in this recipe is dates. Amazing, really!

Pudding for dessert... or just because!

All of these recipes taste best when chilled for a little bit. This is so the pudding thickens and the flavors meld. But the little bitty wait is what makes these raw puddings so darned good. You won't miss the 'real' thing when you have these recipes on hand!

In fact, why wait for dessert? Pudding for a snack sounds good to me!

It’s almost Father’s Day! What is the dad in your life's favorite dessert? One of these simple raw desserts will surely satisfy his sweet tooth! If he likes creamy desserts, try the raw cheesecake or the raw banana cream pie. For simpler fare, whip up raw apple pie or raw carrot refrigerator cake. Whatever you decide to make, you can be sure it will be a big hit with the dad in your life!

And if dad isn't into "raw food"? Don't tell him! What he doesn't know won't hurt him :)

Raw Banana Cream Pie

You can’t beat this delicious and simple raw dessert. So very smooth and creamy, yet easy to make, this Raw Banana Cream Pie will impress your dad! (Everyone wants seconds of this one, so if serving for a large group you may want to double it.)

Cashews, coconut, dates, honey, and bananas (of course!) are the main ingredients in this delightful recipe.

Raw Cheesecake

Here is a simple raw dessert that even your non-raw dad will love! This rich and delicious Raw Cheesecake tastes just like the real thing, try it and see.

Macadamia nuts, dates, and cashews feature in this cheesecake. Yum!

Raw Apple Pie

Here is a great simple raw dessert for the dads who love Raw Apple Pie. While not a ‘fancy’ dessert, this raw apple pie is both flavourful and filling, and can be made up to a week before dad’s special day!

If my dad was here, I'd make him this one because he loves apple pie. Oh pop, wish I lived closer to you!

Raw Carrot Refrigerator Cake Recipe

Who doesn’t love carrot cake? This simple raw dessert surprisingly has the texture and taste of cooked carrot cake, and keeps well in the fridge for several days. It even has a creamy cashew-based icing to make it perfect.

Surprise your pop with this Raw Carrot Refrigerator Cake this Father's Day!

Raw Chocolate Mousse

If chocolate is more your dad's thing, then treat him to this smooth and creamy Raw Chocolate Mousse. It's so easy - you just need your food processor.

Avocado is the secret ingredient, along with banana and cacao. Soooo good!

Hmm, which one to make?

Can't decide? Remember, you can always make more than one dessert! In fact, you can find more desserts in the raw recipes index. So what will you be making for dad this Father’s Day?

Iodine is a trace element that is naturally occurring in some foods, added to others (think iodized salt), and available as a supplement. Though our bodies require very little iodine, the lack of it can cause serious health problems.

Iodine is crucial to the proper function of the thyroid. Insufficient levels can contribute to hypothyroidism, mental impairment, and birth defects in children born to deficient mothers. Iodine deficiency is easily preventable if you are eating a diet that includes a variety of high-iodine foods.

Seafood, sea vegetables (kelp, nori, dulse), fish, milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, and iodized salt are the top sources. Other sources include some fruits and vegetables, including cranberries and potatoes.

Sources

As you can see, many high-iodine foods are not included in a raw food diet. However, it is still easy to fulfill your daily requirements. Here are some top iodine sources that you may use (there are others out there - these are just to give you an idea).

Keep in mind the RDA is 150mcg/day for both men and women, and higher for pregnant or nursing women.

I hope this has helped to clarify the iodine issue for you. What you need to do is analyze just how much iodine you really are getting in your diet. Then, if it's not enough, you need to find a way to increase the amount, either through foods or supplements.

Either way, it is vitally important that you are getting the amount required for optimum health!

What is it about desserts? No matter how healthy, raw, or vegan we are, most of us still crave desserts! Good thing going raw doesn't mean going without scrumptious sweets!

Frozen raw desserts are a snap to make and handy to whip out of the freezer when a craving hits (or guests arrive!). All of these desserts must be frozen as they contain coconut oil. Coconut oil is liquidy/soft in its warm state, but totally hardens in its frozen state. This is why all these desserts must be kept in the freezer.

So without further ado, here is a round-up of some of my favorite frozen raw desserts...

Raw Chocolate Cherry Fudge Cake

Ooh-la-la. Yes, this is as dreamy as it sounds. Chocolate and cherries combine for a tres decadent dessert. If you want to impress (yourself or whoever!), try this Raw Chocolate Cherry Fudge Cake!

While this dessert looks fancy-schmancy, it's requires only a blender. Super easy!

Raw Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Yes, you can go totally raw, and indulge in shortbread, too! These Raw Chocolate Shortbread Bars take shortbread to a whole new level with the zingy addition of lemon! Cashews, coconut and dates form the base for the bars. Cocao, coconut oil and cashews make for a yummy chocolate-y topping.

These bars are perfect to keep on hand in the freezer for unexpected visitors. I like to add thawed raspberries on top for an extra flavor kick!

Raw Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie lovers, rejoice! Here's a Raw Pumpkin Pie that is easier to make than a 'real' pumpkin pie, and tastes just as good or better!

When you're craving a slice, just pop it out of the freezer and serve frozen. Yum!

Raw Sesame Seed Bars

I try to keep a stash of these in the freezer at all times. One of my faves! This Raw Sesame Seed Bar recipe is full of sesame seeds, raisins, flaxseed, coconut, and tahini. And of course, coconut oil to hold it all together in the freezer!

No equipment required for this recipe. Just a big 'ol bowl and mixing spoon!

Raw Vanilla Drop Cookies

Freezer cookies are the handiest snack to keep on hand. And these Raw Vanilla Drop Cookies are guaranteed to hit your sweet spot. Tahini is the 'secret' ingredient that makes these cookies such a delight.

Try to save some of these tasty treats in the freezer for your friends!

Raw Cheesecake

Cheesecake is another dessert that I can't live without. What about you? If you're a cheesecake fan, then this dee-lish Raw Cheesecake recipe is for you. Believe me when I say it tastes like the 'real deal.' Truly!

Macadamia nuts, cashews, coconut, and dates are just some of the key ingredients that make this frozen cheesecake so delectable!

Ready, set... freeze!

What's in your freezer right now? Frozen raw desserts are a no-brainer... for when you're dying for a treat, or for a visiting friend/neighbor/whoever! I love to serve up a piece of pie, or a plate of cookies to my guests! (Confession: it's the sesame seed bars I have a hard time not keeping all to myself!)

Think you need to have 'fancy' equipment to make raw recipes? Think again! Here are some simple, delicious recipes that do NOT require a blender, food processor, or dehydrator!

Yep, no equipment required = less dishes to clean. Doesn't get any better than that!

No fuss, no muss!

Raw Breakfast Cereal

If you need to eat and run, then try the Raw Breakfast Cereal. Just mix all the ingredients up in your breakfast bowl and dig in! This is my weekend breakfast - nothing makes me happier than a bowl of this cereal topped with a splash of cashew milk. (p.s. this cereal reminds me of granola or Alpen.)

Best served with a nut milk, but if you're in a hurry, water will suffice.

Raw Pancakes

For a special occasion, decadent breakfast or a scrumptious treat, check out my Raw Pancake recipe. Beware, these flaxseed meal based pancakes are extremely filling (read: heavy and rich!).

Top with your fave fruit or berries - bananas, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries - and enjoy!

Raw Vanilla Drop Cookies

Craving a sweet treat but don't want to make a mess? Then whip up some surprisingly rich Raw Vanilla Drop Cookies! The secret ingredient is tahini, who'd have thought!

Grab one from the freezer for a quick sugar fix!

Raw Chocolate Haystacks

I dare you not to love my Raw Chocolate Haystacks! Coconut and cocoa = the perfect combo. Best kept in the fridge (keeps 'em moist and tasty!).

This recipe makes my Top-Five list because they are so quick and easy... and delicious!

Raw Marinated Mushrooms

Need a tasty salad-topper or a quick snack? Try my Raw Marinated Mushrooms! Serve on your fave salad for an extra kick. You'll be surprised at how good these little morsels are!

So delicious, yet so simple to prepare!

Raw Salad for Lunch

Need a super delicious 'make and take' salad? Check out the Raw Salad for Lunch. With just 3 ingredients (carrots, tomato and avocado), this salad is surprisingly delicious!

This is a great take-to-work salad as it's both quick and tasty!

So you see...

You can make delicious raw recipes even if you don't have a blender or a food processor.

All you need is a few ingredients and a hearty appetite. No equipment required! 

Stocking a raw food kitchen is one of the toughest parts of starting the raw food lifestyle.For many people, raw food staple ingredients are unknowns to them.

Some new raw fooders get overwhelmed by the recipes that call for a number of ingredients they don't have on hand or have not even heard of. Here are a few tips on stocking a raw food kitchen.

I've broken down this post into two sections: required kitchen implements and required raw food ingredients. This list is based on my personal experiences starting out as a raw fooder.

Required kitchen implements:
For a detailed discussion of kitchen implements, see my recommended raw food appliances post.

• Sharp knives
• Cutting boards
• A blender
• A food processor
• A dehydrator (optional)
• A coffee grinder for small seeds (optional)!

Example 20-item shopping list for stocking a raw food kitchen:

• 1. Seeds - Such as pumpkin, sunflower, or chia seeds (seeds are more affordable than nuts)
• 2. Basic nuts -  Such as almonds, walnuts or pecans (can usually substitute these for one another)
• 3. Creamy nuts - Such as cashews or macadamia nuts (creamy nuts are more expensive and should be used sparingly if you're on a budget)
• 4. Sea salt
• 5. Spices - Cinnamon, Italian spices, Cumin, Cayenne pepper, Curry powder (buy as needed)
• 6. Olive oil - Or another oil
• 7. Apple cider vinegar
• 8. Garlic
• 9. Flax seeds - Used as binding agents in many recipes to hold food together
• 10. A concentrated natural sweetener - Such as agave nectar or stevia
• 11. Nori rolls - Sheets of seaweed to make sushi-type rolls
• 12. Dates - Medjool are best, be sure to remove the pits (dates are used as natural sweeteners)
• 13. Bananas - Add creaminess and sweetness
• 14. Apples
• 15. Avocados
• 16. Lettuce
• 17. Tomatoes
• 18. Cucumbers
• 19. Onions
• 20. Your favourite fruits or vegetables - Such as fresh pineapple, kalamata olives, celery, kale, strawberries and/or grapes or whatever you like!

What do you think? When you started out stocking a raw food kitchen, what did you include? What couldn't you live without?

When making raw dishes that use a dehydrator, I usually make savory recipes way more than sweet recipes. This is because  dehydrator recipes take many, many hours to dehydrate! But when making sweet recipes, there are many quicker and easier ways to make raw desserts without having to use a dehydrator. But if you don’t use a dehydrator when making these dehydrator recipes, it would be impossible to achieve that satisfying texture of raw breads and crackers.

So here’s my list of easy raw food dehydrator recipes that you can make in your dehydrator. I know you'll be delighted with the results. I promise you'll find the long hours worth the wait after you've tasted these healthy and savory treats.

Raw pizza crust recipe

Most of the raw pizza crust recipes out there have too many ingredients and too many steps to follow. But in this dehydrator recipe, I came up with a very easy to make raw crust for your pizza.

In this raw pizza crust recipe, the first and most important step of all is you have to process the almonds until they become as fine as flour. Put the almond meal in a bowl and mix it with the rest of the ingredients to make your pizza dough. Then you can shape your crusts into circles or triangles, put them on parchment paper or Teflex sheets in your dehydrator and dehydrate them on high for 1 ½ hours. After reducing the temperature to 105 degrees, dehydrate for another 7-10 hours, making sure to remove the parchment/Teflex and flip the crusts over halfway through the dehydrating process. Once they’re all dry, store the crusts in a Ziploc bag and put them in the freezer. Now you have raw crusts ready anytime you want to make raw pizza!

Raw veggie burger recipe

You would probably wonder how a veggie burger could taste so savory and tasty. Well, this simple raw food dehydrator recipe will surprise you with its flavorful and moist raw patty. Except for hemp hearts and chopped veggies, just mix all of the ingredients together in a food processor and transfer it into a bowl, where you can add the rest of the ingredients. When the mixture is thoroughly combined, form the patties and place them on the dehydrator trays lined with parchment paper, and make sure they don’t touch each other. Set the dehydrator on high for 1 ½ hours then reduce the heat and dehydrate for 5 more hours. You can remove the parchment paper when the patties are firmly holding together. Continue dehydrating until they reach your desired consistency. Pair the veggie burgers with your favorite bread or cracker, and there you have your delicious raw veggie burger!

Raw onion bread recipe

Now here’s a raw food dehydrator recipe that doesn’t need too many ingredients, but can make enough for three Excalibur trays. Start by processing the sunflower seeds into a fine meal, set aside, then process the peeled onions in a food processor, but make sure they don’t turn mushy. Using a spoon, mix the onions with all of the other ingredients in a large bowl and spread them onto parchment-lined dehydrator trays. For the first hour, dehydrate the bread at 120 degrees before reducing the heat to 105 degrees for the next 6 hours. Remove the parchment at some point before it finishes dehydrating and flip the bread over. You can dehydrate it for another 4 hours or longer if you want it to be crispier. It’s really all up to you how you want your savory raw onion bread recipe to turn out, so go ahead and try them!

Raw flax cracker recipe

Yes, it's yet another raw flax cracker recipe. But hold on! It’s quite different I should say, because not only does it taste awesome, it’s also really easy to make with just a few ingredients. All you need to do is process all of the ingredients in a food processor, and when it becomes well blended but still chunky, spread the mixture onto two dehydrator trays lined with parchment/Teflex. Put them in the dehydrator at 115 degrees, and after an hour score the crackers with a knife, then reduce the heat to 105 degrees. After dehydrating for another 6 hours, flip the crackers, remove the parchment/Teflex, and dehydrate for another hour until they become cracker-like. I know it's tempting to nibble, but try to wait until they're done so you can enjoy your tasty raw flax crackers!

Start dehydrating now

These are just a few of my raw food dehydrator recipes that you can try out if you are new to using a dehydrator. They are quite simple yet very savory, and I’m sure you'll try making these recipes over and over when you get the hang of using your dehydrator.

Need a dehydrator? Check out The Rawtarian's recommended appliances here.