Sometimes I want to tighten everything up by eating raw foods exclusively for several days, especially after a gastronomic free-for-all like the holidays. Here’s a raw recipe that I count on for times like that. It's suave and pretty too (see pictures below). This is a riff on the Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho in Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen cookbook.
Fog City Vegan Gazpacho
2 tomatoes – medium to large
2 pitted medjool dates
¼ cup Brazil or other raw nuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small clove of garlic or ½ large
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 Tablespoon agave
3 sun-dried tomato pieces
1 Tablespoon Nama Shoyu (plum vinegar) or Bragg Liquid Aminos**
2 cups water
Garnishes
Large satisfying chop of whatever vegetables please you including celery, avocado, tomato, mushrooms, bell pepper.
Put all Gazpacho ingredients in blender. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. Pour into soup vessel. Garnish generously with vegetables.
**As much as I love vinegar, and I do love vinegar, Living Foods recipes generally do not use them because their high acidity can destroy healthy bacteria in the intestines. Raw apple cider vinegar, unfiltered brown rice vinegar and plum vinegar have more balanced acid levels and so are used in moderation.