Archive for March, 2009
Raw Chocolate and Wine Tasting with “Gnosis Chocolate”
Posted by: | Comments
Vanessa Barg
In preparation for the upcoming raw chocolate class I’ll be teaching this summer at the Natural Gourmet Institute, I’ve been hobnobbing with chocophiles. So, tonight I went to another raw chocolate and wine tasting where Vanessa Barg of “Gnosis Chocolate” launched her “Raw Star Salt Bar”, a velvety smooth raw fleur de sel chocolate bar with a flourish of pink Himalayan salt. Not only was it a wonderful treat to taste this new confection, but also to have finally met both her and chocolate connoisseur Clay Gordon of The Chocolate Life. Margaret Bodriguian of the “NYC Chocolate Meet-up Group” rounded up the evening with her passion and conversation for food that matters. ||| Photo Credit: Helen Castillo
Green Smoothie Recipe
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s the first day of Spring, and it’s time for renewal. So, here’s a green smoothie that will satiate your raw palate!
Green Smoothie
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 bunch of kale
1 bunch of spinach
1 head of romaine lettuce
3 ribs of celery
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
3 green apples, cored
1″ piece of ginger, peeled
¼ cup lemon juice
1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
1 oz. of wheatgrass juice (Optional)
Procedure
- In a high-speed blender, mix kale, spinach, Romaine lettuce, celery, cucumber, apples, ginger, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Add avocado and wheatgrass juice and pulse until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into a tall drinking glass and serve immediately. Mm, hmmm…! |||
Raw Chocolate and Wine Tasting with “Fine and Raw”
Posted by: | Comments
Daniel Sklaar and Helen Castillo
This evening, I had the great pleasure of attending the NYC Chocolate Meet-up Group’s raw chocolate and wine tasting hosted by Bacchus Wine, a local wine shop in Manhattan. Featuring an assortment of high-quality, unique wines from around the world paired with Fine & Raw Chocolates bonbons and bars hand-crafted in Brooklyn by the immensely talented Daniel Sklaar, who uses only natural ingredients with artisan low-heat techniques to preserve the integrity of raw vitality and flavor, these are fast becoming New York City’s sought-after treats. ||| Photo Credit: Margaret Bodriguian
Raw Desserts in the Making
Posted by: | CommentsWhat do chocolate, ice cream and great company have in common?
A realm of possibilities….For the past several weeks, I’ve been gathering information, tweaking, and testing recipes in preparation for the two new raw food classes I’ll be teaching this summer at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health, here in New York City. Mmm, mmm….Anything and everything is possible!||| Raw Chef-Instructor Helen Castillo — Photo Credit: Angela Wong
NEW CLASS — Raw Frozen Desserts: Very Cool!
demonstration
Don’t just endure the hot New York summer this year; create your own cooling system with this heat-beating array of ice creams, gelato, granita, slushes, and ice pops. Made with raw, non-dairy ingredients and naturally sweetened with fresh fruit and agave nectar, this rainbow of thirst quenchers tastes just picked. You’ll learn how to use a twin-gear juicer, Vita-Mix, dehydrator, and electric ice cream machine. You’ll also learn the differences between fruit-, nut-, and Thai coconut-based ice creams; properties of – and how to open – Thai coconuts; texture variations between high-speed blended slushes and a simple freezer-method granita; how to make flavored syrup; and use molds to shape your frozen masterpieces. Banana Ice Cream Parfait with Fresh Berries and Chocolate Sauce; Double Mango Sorbet (fruit-based); Vanilla Pecan Praline Ice Cream (nut-based); Orange Cream Ice Pops (Thai-coconut based); Basil and Mint-Infused Granita; and Snow Cones with Tamarind Syrup.
Saturday, June 27, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Raw Food Chef-Instructor Helen Castillo at the Natural Gourmet Institute
NEW CLASS — An Exploration and Celebration of (Mostly) Raw Chocolate
demonstration
Once, chocolate was a kiss we peeled from its foil wrapper. Now, there are various types of raw and non-raw bars and chips, cacao powder, cocoa powder, cacao nibs and carob. Choosing chocolate is not as simple as it used to be. Let this lively and informative class melt away your chocolate confusion! You’ll learn helpful definitions and distinctions, make sense of raw and non-raw sweeteners, watch nuts become nut milk, and discover herbs, spices, and nutrient-dense superfoods (like açaí, goji berries and mesquite) that augment chocolate’s flavor and benefits. Because young Thai coconuts are a staple in the raw kitchen and partner beautifully with chocolate, you’ll learn about their health properties, how to open them, and the difference between coconut oil and coconut butter. In addition, you’ll learn how to use the Vita-Mix, food processor, spice grinder, and electric ice cream machine. Chocolate Mesquite Milkshake; Rich Chocolate-Cacao Fondue with Fresh Strawberries; Supernatural Brownie with Dried Cherries; Chocolate Ancho Chile Pepper Tart with Cinnamon-Spiced Corn Relish; Chocolate Mint Ice Cream with Cacao Nibs; and Orange-Spiked Chocolate Truffles with Goji Berry Dust.
Thursday, July 30, 6:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Registration is now open. Will you join me?
Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health
48 West 21st Street
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10010
(212) 645-5170
