Cheesy Raw Kale Chips & Cheesy Raw Broccoli

Today, I am dehydrating 2 bunches of organic kale that was in the fridge, and one head of broccoli.

When you think "raw" food, generally you think raw fruits and veggies as they are in their natural state.  However, you can "uncook" foods using a food dehydrator.  These foods retain the life energy and enzymes close to their natural state.

You can make large batches to stock up and store your "uncooked" foods.  This prevents you from eating junk food and carbs (high calorie density foods) when you're running short on time and are unable to prepare something else.  Although dehydrating food can take an extremely long time (sometimes 24-36 hours in the dehydrator, depending on your model), it helps if you put it into proper perspective.  Consider dehydrated raw foods as your health and dietary safety net.  It's worth the time invested up-front to ensure your ability to access grab-and-go raw, low calorie dense food.

A note on low caloric density and raw food.... Raw food is alive. When you eat living plants, you are merging the life energy of the plants with your own. This amplifies your energy, giving you clean, pure energy that makes you feel amazing.  Also, plant-based foods are low in their caloric density. This means you can eat a little of it, and it fills you up.... and if you're not satisfied, you can eat MORE of it, and you don't have to worry about it making you fat, because it's low in calories.

Okay... So, here's the recipe I came up with for today's post.

Sauce (cheesy coating)

1.  Dr. Braggs Aminos - 1/4 cup
2. Garlic Paste - 2 teaspoons
3. Tahini (ground sesame seeds) - 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons
4. Lemon Juice - 2 tablespoons
5. Nutritional Yeast - 1/3 cup
6. Tomatoes - 2 small, vine ripened

Process all the above ingredients in your blender.  Make it into a creamy liquid, and then transfer it into a large  mixing bowl. 

Wash and then chop up (divide) your kale.  I used 2 bunches, but this was enough sauce for 4 bunches.  

Dump the kale into the bowl with the cheesy sauce, then massage the kale for 3-5 minutes. It will be much smaller when you're finished, taking up about half the space it did prior to massaging it. 

Place it onto the food dehydrator teflex sheet or on a layer of parchment paper lining your tray. 

Broccoli - chop it up, coat it, and transfer to dehydrator (as above with kale).

Place in dehydrator on 115 degrees and let it run.  You'll have to flip the veggies about half way through.  Let it dehydrate until the kale is crunchy.  The broccoli... well, I've never had dehydrated broccoli, so I don't know about this yet! 

I'll post pics when complete.

A note about the cheesy sauce... this stuff was tangy and delicious.  I couldn't stop eating it by itself.  I decided to spread it on a raw bagel that i made the other day, and it was delicious.  This would make a great salad dressing or dip.