you wanna some raw lasagna?

Oh boy. Someone call the po po because we've got a CRIMINAL UP IN HERE! This recipe is under arrest for being too damn delicious and causing excess drooling. However, that should not stop you from making and devouring it. Think about this way: the jail... is in your mouth. Eeeeh? Get it? Wink wink, nudge nudge.

The version I made - and the one you see photographed in bad lighting because it was night time - wasn't 100% raw since I used hummus (which has cooked chickpeas), but in the recipe below I give you a raw hummus option instead. If you don't care about using normal hummus - go ahead. I ate this whole thing by myself so be sure to warn others that you won't be sharing, and that they should make their own.

raw lasagna with cilantro pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated veggies: serves 1 or 2 (probably just you) 

Marinated veggies: 

1 tomato

1 cup mushrooms 

Any other veggies you like

1 tablespoon tamari 

1 teaspoon walnut oil (optional) 

Cilantro-walnut pesto:

2 cups fresh cilantro 

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Juice from 1 lemon

1 peeled garlic clove

Salt, to taste

Water, as needed

Sun-dried tomato spread:

1/2 cup sprouted chickpeas (or cooked, if you like) 

1 tablespoon tahini 

Juice from 1 lemon 

1 peeled garlic clove

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Salt, to taste

Water, as needed 

Lasagna noodles:

1 zucchini

Other toppings: 

Handful of olives

1/4 cup chives

Other stuff you like

To prepare the veggies: slice the the mushrooms and tomato and put in a bowl. Throw the tamari (and oil, if using) on them and mix in with your hands until evenly covered. Put in the dehydrator or oven - at it's lowest temperature - to marinate while you make the other stuff. 

To make the pesto: pulse all the ingredients in your food processor until it becomes a pesto-like consistency, adding water or other liquid as needed. Put in a bowl and set aside.

To make the tomato spread: blend all the ingredients in your food processor until it's pretty smooth and the tomatoes are in small pieces and have started turning the mixture reddish, adding water or other liquid as needed. 

To make the noodles: slice the zucchini on a mandolin into thin pieces. 

Assembly: lay two noodles beside each other, slightly overlapping and layer with all the good stuff you just made. Top it off with olives and chives and you are ready to "arrest" this mofo. 

green tea soba noodles with roasted vegetables & herbs

My boyfriend and I have been eating so many veggie-noodle dishes lately. Our routine right now (and probably through the winter break) is to get up "early", work out together, make post-exercise green smoothies or juice, then do homework/something productive and go for a walk. Then we make lunch and watch whatever TV show we are currently addicted to - at the moment it is The Wire. Thug life.

Anyhoo, the past week we've been making different kinds of soba noodles with a ton of raw and roasted veggies like sweet potatoes, cucumber, mushrooms, cilantro, beets, onions, garlic, bell peppers, etc. I like to add raisins and peanuts on top. So today I prepared some green tea noodles and served them with delicious, fresh vegetables.

green tea soba noodles with roasted vegetables & herbs: serves two hungry people

Roasted veggies:
1 sweet potato
2 large beets
4 large mushrooms
4 garlic cloves
1 onion
1 tablespoon fave veg oil 
1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, fennel seeds, dill, paprika, turmeric, garlic powder and rosemary if you have it
1 teaspoon maple syrup 

Noodles:
1/2 package green tea noodles
1 teaspoon veg oil (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 

Toppings:
1/2 cucumber
1 cup cilantro 
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup raisins 

Prepare your plants: pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice all the veggies so they are all roughly the same size. Mix in the oil, herbs/spices and maple syrup until everybody is evenly coated. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the beets and sweet potatoes are soft and delicious. 

While they are baking, make the noodles: follow the instructions on the package, ya goof! Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking anymore. Then add a teaspoon of veg oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, if you like. 

Cut up the cuke and cilantro for the toppings. When the vegetables are ready: put your noodles in two bowls, place the roasted veggies on top, followed by the cucumber, cilantro, raisins, peanuts and whatever else you think to add. Eat with your significant other while watching cops chase drug gangs in 90's Baltimore. 

Namaste, yo.