Sweet Moments for Monique

Pistachio Loaf is a dense breakfast loaf speckled with beautiful pale green crushed raw pistachios and has a chewy texture.  Served with raw strawberry jam and smooth and creamy raw cashew nut milk, it makes a scrumptious, healthy, raw vegan breakfast.

I have to say that a very special lady inspired me to make this recipe. It is because of her wonderful loving sweet conscious presence during the making of this recipe and styling - photography that such joy emanates from the pictures. I hope you enjoy these sweet moment with Monique, pistachio "bread", fresh strawberry jam & a delicious glass of cashew milk. Some moments are just meant to share with heartfelt warmth.

Serves about 4 people

You Need

For the Pistachio Loaf

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 Tsp live nutritional yeast
• 1 cup raw pistachios, soaked, dried and slightly crushed
• A pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt

For the Strawberry Jam (makes 20-24 servings)

• 1 punnet ripe strawberries (without the green stalks)
• 2 cups of pure raw honey
• 1 orange zest, dehydrated
• 2 Tsp almond oil
• 2 Tsp fresh orange juice
• 1 cinnamon stick, cut into pieces
• 2 cardamoms
• A pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt

For the Cashew Milk

• 1 cup of cashew nuts, soaked overnight
• 4 cups of water

Method

For the Pistachio Loaf

Step 1. Sift the almond flour into a mixing bowl to add some extra air. Make a hole in the middle.

Step 2. Add the active live nutritional yeast to the warm water and mix well. Then pour the warm water in the middle of the flour with the salt and start mixing with a fork gently, kneading inwards from outwards going around the mixing bowl.

Step 3. Add the pistachios and continue mixing.  Add more flour or water, as needed, to make a pliable ball of non-sticky dough. Once it is done, set it aside and cover it with a wet towel for 5 minutes.

Step 4. Divide the mixture into two equal halves, place them in loaf moulds and place them in the dehydrator for 12 hours at 115 degrees F. Now, place one loaf on top of the other and slightly push it down and knead them a little together and then put it back in the dehydrator for another 12 hours or until desired texture is obtained.

For the Strawberry Jam

Step 1. Wash the strawberries thoroughly and place them in a gritty container. I used a sesame seed grinder bowl because of the edgy parts. Then with the help of a fork, gently crush the strawberries without making them too watery, they should only be stringy. Do this until they are all done.

Step 2. Add the honey, a pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt, orange juice, cinnamon stick and the cardamoms to the mixture and place it in the dehydrator for 4 hours mixing every hour or so.

Step 3. While the strawberry mixture is in the dehydrator, zest the orange. Place it on an organic cooking paper, drizzle the almond oil evenly over it. And then place it in the dehydrator for the same amount of time as the strawberry mixture.

Step 4. After 4 hours, take them out and gently mix them together. Place it in your favorite jam container and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. It is then a wonderful jam and it keeps well for 2 weeks. Remove the cinnamon and cardamom before serving. The longer it rests in the refrigerator, the better it tastes.

For the Cashew Milk

Step 1. Place the soaked cashew nuts into the blender, add a little water and blend for about 2 minutes. Continue blending adding a little water at a time to make it evenly smooth and creamy. Strain it through a cheese cloth, or have it just as is. It keeps well up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Step 2. Slice the pistachio loaf and serve it with 2 Tbsp of strawberry jam per serving and a cup of fresh cashew nut milk. Done, your raw breakfast is served.

Notes

• For the Strawberry jam and the loaf: I did this during the winter, and each dehydrator works slightly different depending on the design and weather conditions. So be your own judge.
• Baking is a sensitive chemistry and so it works slightly different depending on your logic of working.

Case Study

Pistachio loaf raw vegan and is alternative to the regular bread at breakfast.  It is healthy with almond flour and pistachios. No extra sweeteners are added in the loaf or cashew nut milk and the only sweetener is the raw vegan strawberry jam. It is really delicious, filling and is a real treat for special occasions.

• Almond flour is ground almonds and is a very good alternative to wheat flour.  It also has a low GI, and so is also good for diabetics.
• Pistachios have a mildly sweet nutty taste.  Most often, these are available as salted, but raw unsalted pistachios are also available. These are good sources of protein, B vitamins and phytonutrients.
• Cashew nuts are mildly sweet and have a creamy buttery taste.  These are so versatile, and can be made into flour, paste, and milk to use in a variety of recipes.
• Ripe strawberries have a sweet aromatic fragrance and fresh ripe ones are good sources of vitamin C.
• This raw strawberry jam has a fragrant aromatic flavor because of the cinnamon, cardamom and orange zest used in it and is much better than the plain old strawberry jam.

Health Benefits

1. This is a very filling and calorie rich breakfast.  It provides 40% calories of a normal diet.
2. Very good source of protein and dietary fiber, both of which provide satiety and helps not to feel hungry immediately after a meal.
3. This is also rich in total fats and saturated fats, so be careful not to have too many servings of this delicious breakfast.
4. Excellent source of Vitamin E, which functions as a natural antioxidant and along with copper and manganese, is very effective in neutralizing the free radicals in the body, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular, degenerative and anti-inflammatory diseases and a variety of cancers.
5. Very good source of the B-group vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B6, which are essential for release of energy from the food we consume, for maintaining the hemoglobin level in our blood, and also as cofactors for many metabolic reactions.
6. Good source of iron, that helps build the hemoglobin content in the blood and also reduces the risk of anemia.
7. Good source of magnesium that helps in relieving fatigue, relaxing the muscles, nerves and blood vessels, thus relieving the symptoms of asthma, migraine headaches, tension and soreness in muscles etc.
8. Phosphorus
9. 9. Good source of zinc. It helps quicken the process of wound healing and enhances immunity.
10. Very good source of copper. It reduces the risk of inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, enhances the activity of enzymes that are needed to maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, ligaments and joints.
11. Very good source of manganese, which plays an important role in activating the enzymes involved in detoxification process.
12. Good source of dietary fiber, which helps in regulating the bowel functions, reducing the risk of various intestinal disorders like hemorrhoids, constipation, IBS, etc.  Dietary fiber also reduces the absorption of cholesterol and also regulates the blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of this scrumptious breakfast provides the following nutrients:

Calories: 795% (41 Cal); Total Fats: 78%; Saturated Fats: 37%; Carbohydrates: 20%; Proteins: 50%; Fiber: 41%; Iron: 34%; Magnesium: 76%; Phosphorus: 67%; Zinc: 34%; Copper: 96%; Manganese: 113%; Vitamin E: 66%; Vitamin K: %; Thiamine: 30%; Riboflavin: 33%; Vitamin B6: 37%; Phytonutrients: 61 mg.

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