Easy raw desserts don't have to involve soaking, sprouting, dehydrating or thinking much in advance at all. Just make sure to keep the basic easy raw dessert ingredients on hand, like  dried coconut, some nuts (pecans, almonds, etc), a sweetener (agave nectar, dates, etc) and raw cocoa powder and you can whip up easy raw desserts in no time!

When I am craving a simple raw food dessert here are a few of my go-to easy raw dessert recipes.

Easy raw desserts - 3 best ideas

Raw brownies (with optional raw chocolate icing) - This is a perfect raw dessert to feed to your family as a simple raw dessert that satisfies. Even teenage boys like this one, I am told!

Raw chocolate fudge in 1-minute - This easy raw dessert is awesome because you can make it in just a few minutes, and no special equipment is required. This is a small chocolate fix perfect for one person.

Raw sesame seed bars -Try this recipe as one that you keep on hand in the freezer for when you're looking for an easy raw dessert that keeps well in the freezer so that you always have something sweet on hand. No equipment required!

What are some of your favourite easy raw dessert recipes?

How to sprout seeds, you wonder? It's so easy! In this post I've explained how to sprout seeds in a simple, step-by-step format.

Follow me and you'll no longer be wondering how to sprout seeds ever again! It's really so easy. Once you've got the hang of it you'll find it easy to keep a jar of seeds on your windowsill 24/7.

My favourite sprouted seeds are the good ol' standby, alfalfa sprouts, but there are many types of seeds that can be sprouted in a similar fashion. The only difference is the time they take to sprout. The process remains the same.

How to sprout seeds:

• 1. Choose your seeds! Most health food stores offer a variety of seeds that can be sprouted in their bulk section. Some common seeds are alfalfa, mung, broccoli, radish, and adzuki seeds. When in doubt, just ask for some "sprouting seeds" at your local health food store.
• 2. Get ready! You'll need a jar that can "breathe." For example, try taking a canning jar. Cover the top with some cheesecloth (cloth with tiny holes in it) and secure it with a rubber band. The cheesecloth doubles as a strainer.
• 3. Seeds in. Throw a small amount (for example, a tablespoon of alfalfa seeds or 1/4 cup of adzuki beans because they're bigger) of seeds into a jar.
• 4. Soak for 6-8 hours (or overnight). Add a couple of cups of water so that the seeds are totally underwater. Leave the jar upright.

Part II

• 5. Drain. Dump out all the water. You should be able to just leave the cheesecloth on and tip the jar into the sink. Water will come out but the seeds will stay in.
• 6. Rinse and drain again right away. This is important because seeds have a layer of "do not grow" protection on them. You want to make sure this layer is rinsed off because it can inhibit their growth.
• 6. Tip jar on angle and leave alone for 24 hours. Place the jar in a bright spot, like on a windowsill. Leave it alone for 24 hours.
• 7. Keep watered. Every day, sometimes twice a day, give them a good rinse so that everything gets wet, but then drain them again right away. Always leave the jar on an angle so that water can get out and air can get in.
• 8. Eat! Once the sprouts look good enough to eat, just start eating! I keep my jar in the fridge once they look ready to eat. I love to eat sprouts on veggie burgers!

All types of seeds look different when they're ready to eat.

Fresh sprouts are a cost-effective and fun way to keep fresh, organic greens in your diet all year long. Know you know how to sprout seeds!

There are times when even raw vegans just miss eating meat, especially when you’re still a newbie transitioning from a non-raw diet. You feel the craving for that meat texture your palate had been used to for so many years.

But don’t despair just yet because these raw vegan meatless recipes will help you forget about eating animal products and think about raw food the next time a craving crosses your mind. And by mock meat, I mean all natural and no processed food involved. Completely vegan and meatless, of course!

Raw mock "tuna" salad

This raw tuna salad recipe’s flavor comes from its vital ingredient – seaweed. Before making this recipe, presoak the seeds in lukewarm water for an hour or so and rinse them well. Get rid of all the water and place all the tuna pate ingredients in a food processor.

Process on high until the pate mixture becomes very smooth. You may serve this raw tuna pate with some chopped onions, parsley, crackers or even an apple. Be creative and find the perfect combination that suits your taste.

Raw walnut pate

This is one savory raw vegan dish you’ll surely love. It’s quick to make and tastes so good it won’t last for too long.

Set aside the soy sauce first and then process the rest of your raw walnut pate ingredients in a food processor until smooth and cream-cheese-like. Add the soy sauce (important!) to the mixture and process again for a bit more. Scoop the pate on cucumber rounds (cracker-style) and they're ready to eat!

Raw taco filling

If you’re still having a hard time transitioning to raw food, it’s great to have flavorful vegan “meat” like the raw taco meat recipe once in a while. It really helps satisfy that sudden craving. This recipe’s ingredients are sundried tomatoes soaked in oil, walnuts, olive oil, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and sea salt.

Simply mix all the ingredients in a food processor until you reach a nice taco filling consistency. I like serving mine on romaine lettuce topped with tomatoes and fresh sprouts.

Raw vegan mock "chicken" salad

So maybe this raw mock meat vegan recipe doesn’t taste chicken-like, but I tell you, the texture is so much like chicken salad! And it’s really comparably tasty in its own raw vegan food right. You’ll need a food processor for this raw vegan chicken salad recipe.

Dump all the ingredients into your food processor and process for only a few seconds. It should still be chunky and not over-processed. Transfer the chicken salad onto a plate and eat up! It’s best to eat it right away because it doesn’t keep well for long. However, you may let it sit for about 30 minutes after processing to allow the flavors to combine. You may also serve it in lettuce wraps and top with optional slices of avocado.

Raw fake "bacon" lettuce tomato sandwich

Do you miss the texture of bacon? Thought so! But you don’t have to go back to eating the typical fatty and oily bacon. This raw bacon lettuce tomato sandwich may not have anything that looks remotely like bacon, but you will be astounded at just how much dulse seaweed can parade as bacon!

To make you very own vegan BLT sandwich raw style, just spread raw mayonnaise or raw ranch on a piece of romaine lettuce, add sliced tomatoes, and finally the dulse seaweed. Put together only when you’re ready to eat for the best raw fake “bacon” experience.

Raw vegan mock meat recipes

Now that you have a list of raw mock meat vegan recipes in your arsenal, whenever you’re having a difficult time during your transition or if you simply want to spice up a recipe with a traditional texture sometimes, you can make one of these standby raw mock meat recipes instead. Before you know it, you’ll probably never even entertain thoughts about meat anymore. Seriously!

The Raw Food Podcast is a free radio show hosted by Laura-Jane The Rawtarian. You'll find tons of raw food info and healthy inspiration in Laura-Jane's podcasts... and they are free to listen to.

There are several ways to listen to a podcast:

• You can play the podcast directly from within the episode.
• You can download the MP3 (link provided in the episode).
• You can also "subscribe" to The Raw Food Podcast in iTunes using your Apple smartphone, iPad, etc.
• If you have an Android device, you can also use a podcast app - Laura-Jane uses the free "podkicker" app - where you then search for "raw food podcast."

Raw Food Podcast Episode Guide

Raw Recipes:

RFP06: Raw alfredo sauce - In this podcast, Laura-Jane describes how to make a scrumptious cashew-based raw alfredo sauce.

RFP14: Raw Pizza - In this episode, Laura-Jane explains how to make delicious raw pizza!

RFP10: Raw cheese - Laura-Jane explains how to make raw cheese in your blender. She also dispels the myth of 5-day cheese.

RFP11: Raw veggie burgers - In this episode, Laura-Jane tells you how make delicious raw veggie burgers in your dehydrator! 

RFP03: Green Smoothies, Oh Yeah! - Laura-Jane dishes all the dirt on green smoothies! What's in them, what do they taste like, why cleaning your blender immediately is so important, and much more.

RFP27: Nut milks - Laura-Jane the Rawtarian talks about making nut milk. Topics covered: nut milk bags, cashew and almond milk, &  making recipes with leftover almond pulp. 

RFP20: Raw Soup - Don't shy away! - In this episode, Laura-Jane debunks the myths about why some people shy away from raw soups. She also shares the simple trick that ensures your raw soups are delicious every time straight out of the blender!

Raw Sweets:

RFP01: Raw Brownies - Laura-Jane shares her wonderful raw brownie recipe in this sweet episode!

RFP19: Raw Cakes - How to make 'em! - Laura-Jane offers very practical advice about how to make raw cake. She discusses a variety of options, including raw refrigerator cakes, raw freezer cakes and dehydrator cakes.

RFP12: Top Desserts in the Raw - In this episode, Laura-Jane shares the inside scoop on making raw desserts, five different types of raw desserts, and talks a bit about her raw dessert book.

RFP26: Frozen Raw Desserts - Laura-Jane The Rawtarian explains how to make raw frozen desserts such as raw fudge, raw chocolates, raw pies, raw cheesecakes and raw ice cream!

Raw Discussions:

RFP08: Finding Balance - Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw - Laura-Jane's husband, Cameron, shares how he started out as a vegetarian, and then moved to vegan and now to high raw. He brings a practical perspective to healthy eating and shares some great tips on how to find balance in your life. 

RFP09: Get off the bus! - Laura-Jane shares a powerful story about "riding a bus" as a metaphor for healthy eating. Lots of inspiration for helping you deal with people in your life who are not supportive of your way of eating.

RFP33: Raw or Not! - In this episode, Laura-Jane shares general principles shared by the raw food community regarding which ingredients are raw or not. She also answers FAQs regarding raw food.

RFP32: Decision-Free Living - Laura-Jane shares the concept of "decision-free living" and how implementing a simple rule can help you make better food decisions every single day with way less mental effort.

RFP24: How raw food changed my life - In this episode, Laura-Jane tells a longer version of her story of how she went raw many years ago and hasn't looked back since. What makes her story unique is that she had no plans of going raw for the long term! 

RFP25: New year, new you - Laura-Jane The Rawtarian ponders our love/hate relationship with new year's resolutions. She then details 3 changes you can focus on to help you make lasting change in your life when it comes to food.

RFP13: Vegan Protein - Laura-Jane  shares a simple concept of what protein is and where you can get proteins in a plant-based, vegan diet.

RFP23: How to eat healthy every day - In this episode, Laura-Jane shares some thoughts & tips about emotional eating.  Set yourself up for success by applying these tips to your raw food lifestyle!

The Rawtarian:

RFP15: Recipe Organization - App Launch - In this episode of The Raw Food Podcast, Laura-Jane talks about how she uses her recipes (cookbooks, printouts, eBooks, etc.). She and Cameron (her husband) also chat about The Rawtarian's Raw Recipes app.

RFP29: Zen and the Art of Cookbooks - In this episode, Laura-Jane celebrates her new print cookbook, which is a major milestone in her life. But this episode is more about the zen of achieving big goals (like publishing a cookbook or losing a substantial amount of weight or achieving another big "event") than about the cookbook itself. 

Raw Kitchen

RFP07: Raw Appliances -  Laura-Jane explains the order in which she purchased her raw food kitchen appliances, including cheap blender, food processor, high-speed blender and dehydrator. She also briefly touches on secondary appliances like spiralizers and juicers.

RFP16: How to Dehydrate - In this episode, Laura-Jane tells you how to successfully dehydrate!

RFP04: Food Processing -  Laura-Jane dishes all the dirt on making raw food recipes in a food processor! What's a food processor, how is it different from a blender, do you need both, and some examples of recipes you can make in a food processor.

Raw Tips & Techniques:

RFP30: Simplify your own recipes - Learn how to simplify recipes yourself! Laura-Jane outlines the main types of ingredient categories (sweeteners, thickeners, creamers, binders) & shares her top tips for ingredients you can eliminate to simplify your raw recipe! 

RFP02: How To Eat Raw on a Budget - In this episode, Laura-Jane The Rawtarian provides four tips on how to eat raw on a budget.

RFP31: Traveling and Eating Healthy - In this episode, Laura-Jane shares her tip & tricks for staying healthy 'on the road.'

RFP35: Sprouting The Easy Way - Learn how to grow fresh sprouts using only a mason jar, some cheesecloth, and sproutable seeds! For detailed instructions, check out her written instructions here.

RFP05: Nut Substitutions - Laura-Jane goes into detail on how to make nut substitutions in raw food recipes. She outline three main groups of nuts/seeds: creamy nuts, flour-like nuts, and oily nuts.

RFP34: Healthy Sweeteners - Laura-Jane outlines which raw sweeteners she uses, including fruits, maple syrup, agave nectar, unpasteurized honey and stevia.  Also, at the end of the episode she discusses low-glycemic and high-glycemic sweeteners.

Raw Guests:

RFP21: Guest David Backus, Raw Chef - In this episode, Laura-Jane chats with David Backus of Local Organic Lunch, a raw food accessible eatery in Denver, Colorado. They also discuss how important it is to visit your local raw and organic food vendors.

RFP22: Guest Jinjee from The Garden Diet - In this episode, Laura-Jane speaks with Jinjee Talifero, a homeschooling mother of 5 raw vegan children, the co-founder of www.thegardendiet.com and author of “Raising Raw Vegan Children.”

RFP28: Guest Gina Silvestri -  Laura-Jane interviews Gina Silvestri, a Life Coach, radio host and Certified Reiki Practitioner. Seven years ago, Gina weighted 300 pounds and had 17 official medical diagnoses. She healed herself naturally through raw food. 

RFP18: Guest Jodi Lebrun, Holistic Life Coach - Laura-Jane talks with Jodi Lebrun in this episode. Jodi is a Holistic LIfe Coach and a Yoga Lifestyle Educator whose passion is helping women to re-connect with themselves through Yoga, Ayurveda and Creativity. 

RFP17: Guest Andreea Fegan from Little Bites of Joy - Laura-Jane interviews Andreea Fegan. Andreea is a certified Raw Chef and Raw Foods Teacher (Levels 1-3), and a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, affiliated with SUNY. She also offers classes and workshops on raw and vegan topics.

Ever want to try out a small version of a Rawtarian recipe to see if you'll like it? Hate wasting expensive ingredients on large recipes? Have a big family or raw food business that you need to prepare large recipes for? Well you're in luck: you can now adjust recipe serving sizes up and down here on my recipes! Ingredient amounts will adjust automatically. Works with both cups/tbsp (customary) and ml/grams (metric)!

I have wanted this feature since 2009 when I first started this website! And I have certainly received countless requests for this, since it is so handy. And this feature is finally here and live on each recipe!

To use this feature, simply click on the small edit (pencil) icon near the "servings" section on each recipe - then you can select your desired serving size from a drop-down menu, and the ingredients will update automaticaly.  (Alternatively, click on the number of servings in the ingredients area, and this will get you to the same drop-down menu.)

I took care to manually set the minimum and maximum size for each of my 100 free recipes and my 115+ TRK recipes. This is because, as you can imagine, some recipes just will not blend or process properly if the size too tiny or too huge! Thus, the available serving sizes vary for each recipe--from as small as 1 serving to up to 50 servings in some cases!

Generally, though, the best bet is to use the serving size that is a best fit yet is as closest to the "default" serving size as possible. Because of course, when multiplying a recipe by, like, 20, things get a little sketchy! But doubling, tripling etc is usually a no-brainer.

For those of you with my apps, this feature will hopefully be included in the next app that I am working on, which will be a new and improved version of my "raw recipes" app.

If you have any problems, bug reports or thoughts about how to improve this adjustable serving-size feature, I would love to hear from you!

Contest now closed. Congrats to Kinsey for winning this sweet nuts.com prize pack!

Oh  yeah, it's time for another fine contest here at The Rawtarian! You know I like to spoil you with goodies, especially RAW GOODIES!

How does winning a raw nuts and sweets variety pack from nuts.com sound?

Pretty darn good? Then keep on reading...

Just a few of the things that are included in your prize pack...

• Organic almonds
• Organic cacao nibs
• Organic cacao goji energy squares
• Raw acai blueberry superfood cereal

And more!

Enter to win now!

To qualify for the giveaway, leave a comment below filling in the blank: "My favorite raw recipe that uses nuts is ____________!"

The winner will be announced on December 3, 2014, so stay tuned!

The Story

You are on a bus full of people. It's traveling fast along a road. It's fun on the bus. Everyone is laughing and dancing and having a good time.

While dancing, you look out the window. You see a yellow sign whiz by. It says, "Caution: Road Closed Ahead. Danger!"

You turn to others on the bus. You say, "Did you see that sign? It said,  'Road closed ahead!'"

The others on the bus just shrug, laugh and keep dancing. "We didn't see a sign!"

You forget about it, and continue dancing. But as the bus rolls along you notice another street sign: "Caution. Road ends ahead. Steep drop. Extreme danger. Turn around immediately."

You turn to your seatmate and point, "There, did you see THAT sign? It said that the road is going to end. Didn't you see the sign?" Your seatmate says, "I didn't see the sign. Are you sure? You must be imagining things."

Next, you see a huge red billboard on the side of the road. "Road ends in 50 meters. Last exit before road drops off! Danger!"

Still, the others on the bus are oblivious to the signs. And the people on the bus start to think that you are the crazy one, imagining signs that they cannot see.

Asking the bus driver to stop the bus to let you off is hard. And watching the bus pull away while you're standing alone on the side of the road is a dark, lonely moment.

Your Journey

But once you start walking something beautiful will happen. You'll see a figure up ahead - another person walking ahead of you.

You pick up the pace to catch up. Finally, out of breath, you're close enough to talk. You ask, "Where are you going?"

They answer, "Well, I was traveling on a bus, but I kept seeing these signs..."

Are you still on the bus? Have you seen the signs? I will walk with you.

Yours truly,

Do you love eating fresh, green alfalfa sprouts? You can easily make them at home. And they are so cheap to make!

Let me explain how to grow sprouts (for example, alfalfa sprouts or lentil sprouts) at home using only a mason jar, some cheesecloth and sproutable seeds.

Step 1

• 1. Get a large clear mason jar (will hold approximately 3 cups water.)
• 2. Place two tablespoons dry sproutable seeds inside jar. (Example of seed types: alfalfa seeds, clover seeds, quinoa seeds, etc.)
• 3. Add 2 cups cold water.
• 4. Cut a piece of cheesecloth into a small round circle - about the size of a big hamburger bun. Place round cheesecloth on top of jar.  
• 5. Secure cheesecloth with the metal ring that came with the jar. (You don't need the round disc that also came with the lid. Discard it.)
• 6. Let sprouts soak like this on the counter for 8-24 hours.

Step 2

• 7. After soaking for 8-24 hours, take jar to sink. Tip it over, drain all water out into sink.  (You do not need to remove lid. Cheesecloth acts as strainer.)
• 8. Get a medium bowl. Place jar upside down inside cereal jar, leaning a bit to the side. (So that any excess drips will collect in cereal jar but the jar can still "breathe.")
• 9. Throw a teatowel or cloth over the jar, so it's in the dark. Let sit for 24 hours.

Step 3

• 10. After 24 hours, remove cloth. Your sprouts should be starting to grow! Take jar to sink. Add 2 cups cold water, then drain immediately. (The point is to moisten the sprouts a bit.)
• 11. Replace in bowl, similar to last time. Cover again with tea towel. Let sit for another 24 hours.

Step 4

• 12. After waiting another 24 hours, remove cloth again. Your sprouts should be getting big! Take jar to sink. Add 2 cups cold water, then drain immediately. (The point is to moisten the sprouts a bit.) Let sit for another 24 hours.
• 13. Your sprouts are now ready, or close to being ready!

Eat immediately. Feel free to let them grow for another 24 hours or so. (If you ever want them to stop growing, just put the whole jar in the fridge.)

Ice cream is sooo good, even in its 'plain-Jane' form. You'd be surprised at how many people say that vanilla is their fave flave!  But you gotta add some excitement to your ice cream at least once in your life!

Here's a selection of raw vegan ice cream toppers that just may surprise you. Start the ball rolling with a serving of Raw Soft Serve Ice Cream or Raw Chocolate Ice Cream ...

Raw Brownies

Seriously, Raw Brownies make an ah-mahzing ice cream topper. Just make up a batch of brownies and DON'T put 'em in a pan! Keep the crumbled-up mixture in a container, and mix some in with your ice cream whenever the mood strikes.

Try it. And admit that you like it!

Raw Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

Here's another excellent ice cream topper. Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge. The name says it all, dontcha think? Mix in fudgy chunks of goodness with your ice cream. Devour immediately.

Pair this topper with raw chocolate ice cream for a flavor extravaganza!

Raw Granola

If you're in a 'nutty' mood, try topping your ice cream with Raw Granola. Sunflower seeds, hemp seeds & pecans are just a few of the ingredients in this super yummy granola.

Always keep a batch of granola on hand for breakfast... and for ice cream!

Raw Caramel Sauce

Oh yeah, now we're talking! A Raw Caramel Sauce to drizzle over your ice cream. Oh, so sweet and simple!

Dates and cashews are the main ingredients in this sauce.

Raw Strawberry Sauce

Fruit lovers, don't despair.  Here's a delightful Raw Strawberry Sauce that will bring a smile to your face! Drizzle this sauce on top of your ice cream and garnish with fresh sliced strawberries. Yum!

Chia seeds are used to thicken this sauce, but you can omit for a more syrup-y consistency.

And you might also try...

You can also top your ice cream with a variety of fresh/dried fruits & berries, as well as your favorite nuts & seeds. The combinations are endless: cherries & raw cacao nibs, pecans & raisins, walnuts & blueberries... you see where I'm going, right?

What are your fave vegan ice cream toppers? Please do share!

If you are a raw food newbie, you might be asking yourself... what ingredients are essential to making great-tasting raw recipes?"  Good question! There are many raw products and ingredients out there in the big 'ol world--so what do you really need?

Now, think about a carrot for a moment. A carrot tastes good, it's crunchy and it tastes like a carrot! But what does it bring to a recipe? It doesn't really do anything but be a carrot (and we're totally fine with that!). The following must-have ingredients have attributes that contribute universally to a wide variety of recipes. They may add texture or sweetness or a unique flavor. Some add creaminess or thickness or body. Do you see where I'm going with this? :)

If you peek into my kitchen cupboard, you will for sure see these 7 raw ingredients...

Coconut oil

Hardens & adds texture

Coconut oil is liquid at room temperature, firm-ish in the fridge, and solid when frozen. This attribute makes it the most versatile and useful raw food must-have. Check out how I use it in this Raw Pumpkin Pie recipe. The filling is liquid-y to start with, but lo! after a stint in the freezer, the pie is ready to slice and eat. Yum!

Raw Cream Cheese Icing, on the other hand, is kept in the fridge. In this recipe, the coconut oil loses its liquid quality and nicely firms up so that the cream cheese is now spreadable. Like real cream cheese!

I also use coconut oil in its liquid form, as in this Raw Egg Nog. Here it adds texture (body) to the nog.

Olive oil

Adds flavor & texture

Here is another oil that I consider a must-have. Olive oil adds flavor and texture (body) to certain recipes. And it is versatile. It stands alone drizzled over a salad. Or it can be added to recipes - like this Simple Raw Garlic Salad Dressing!

Olive oil also ramps up the flavor and crisp-factor in this scrummy Raw Kale Chips recipe.

Sea salt

Adds flavor

"Flavor" pretty much sums up why sea salt is a must-have! Sea salt revs up any recipe, both savory and sweet.

Erm, not much more to say on the subject of salt!

Cashews

Adds creaminess & texture

Cashews are da bomb when it comes to adding creaminess & texture to recipes. When blended, the nuts take on a lovely, creamy texture that is perfect for a variety of recipes. Note that cashews don't add a lot of flavor- they are best used as a 'base' ingredient.

Blend cashews into soups -  check out this Raw Tomato Soup - and sauces for a nice, thick texture. Or use them in desserts and fillings like cookies, cheesecake, and Raw Fudgsicles!

Lemon juice

Adds acidity & flavor

You can't beat lemon juice for adding major zing to your recipes! Its tartness takes a recipe from ordinary to OH YES! Like these Raw Cranberry Lemon Cheesecake Bites. Lemon juice is the surprise ingredient that elevates the taste factor.

You can add lemon juice to recipes like smoothies, sauces and desserts. Our tastebuds can always use a little extra kick, yes?

Chia seeds

Thickens & adds texture

Ah yes, chia seeds. This ingredient definitely makes my must-have list. Chia seeds are tiny hard seeds that absorb up to 10x their weight in water. Hence their super-power ability to thicken anything you add them to! If you haven't tried chia seeds yet, get a move on! Here is a de-lish breakfast recipe for you to start with: Raw Porridge.

I use chia seeds in puddings, sauces and smoothies. A very useful little seed!

Dates

Adds texture & sweetness

Dates are never missing in action in my kitchen. Never! They add both texture and sweetness to raw food recipes. You won't miss white sugar when you use dates, trust me! Dates are 'sticky', which makes them ideal for binding recipes together, like my Raw Brownies. This recipe is a classic example of how dates excel in a recipe.

Besides using dates in many of my desserts, I also blend them into smoothies. Again, the dates add body to the smoothie, as well as sweetness. A total must-have ingredient!

Must-have ingredients... yes?

I hope I've given you some ideas here, though I'm pretty sure you have tried many, if not all, of these ingredients. You can see how important they are. What other must-have raw ingredients do you keep in YOUR kitchen?