Fiesta Cashew Spread & Raw Collard Green Burritos

Inspired by the delectable Raw Beet Soup I've been loving for breakfast for the last couple of weeks, I decided to continue my exploration of raw vegan food. First off, I made this delicious Fiesta Cashew Spread. Fabulous with crackers or fresh vegetables (my 12 year old was eating this with a spoon!) , the spread combines the richness of cashews with the freshness of peppers and cilantro. Easy to make with a mini-prep, a nice switch from hummus, here's the recipe:

Fiesta Cashew Spread:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours (or as long as you have), then drained
water
1 medium red bell pepper, white removed and chopped
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp corriander
1/4 tsp nutritional yeast
lemon juice to taste (I probably used about 1/4 tsp+)
salt to taste

Add the cashews to a mini-prep and process with water until broken down to a smooth consistency (taste - it may look grainier than it tastes). Add some lemon juice and salt (adjust later). Add the chopped peppers and process. Add the spices and nutritional yeast and process. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt. Add the fresh cilantro at the end and process. Makes a little over a cup. Keep refrigerated.

I've noted a couple of folks using raw collard leaves to make wraps (most notably, the fab and frugal vegan chef Melody over at Melomeals) so I decided to use my Fiesta Cashew Spread along with guacamole, fresh peppers, and lettuce to create Raw Collard Green Burritos:



I couldn't believe how hearty and filling these were! Not to mention, delicious! These could turn into an addictive lunch item for me. I was expecting the collard greens to be tougher and much less tasty than they were. (If you find them intimidating though, use a large lettuce leave instead).

The thing I love most about raw food is that it inspires you to really pay attention to what you are eating, to notice all the flavors and textures you're enjoying. I'm looking forward to exploring this cuisine more. Enjoy!