raw challenge - day 53 - mushroom burgers and catsup

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I’m now over half way through the challenge. With 47 days left to go, how do I feel? Really not that different. The 5 pounds I lost during the first 2 weeks have stayed off. I look the same. I feel the same. (o.k.- I guess that I've never been more, er- regular) I think the same. No earth shattering changes to report and staying on track really hasn’t been that difficult . I think that most of us lean towards consuming more raw foods during the summer months, anyway. The weather is warmer. There is lots of fresh, local produce to eat. But there are still a few unexpected things that I miss. Mostly simple things like rice, hard boiled eggs and catsup….

Someone once told me that food such as omelettes, hash browns, burgers and fries are really just a vehicle for catsup. And I couldn’t agree more. Back in my previous, non-raw life I’d been known to put great care into making a gourmet style sandwich or a fancy-pants frittata, only to douse it with a generous pour of sweet, saucy, tomato-ey catsup. As my inner white trash lives and breathes, I remain an enthusiastic fan of this deliciously diverse condiment.

Just one problem- it’s cooked. Or perhaps it is not a problem at all, but merely a challenge. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you my proudest raw creation to date, raw ketchup. I am also sharing the accompanying recipes for raw mushroom burger patties and flax seed ‘buns’, but really….. aren’t they just the vehicle?

Mushroom Patties

1 ½ T extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ t apple cider vinegar
2 c chopped crimini mushrooms
½ c almonds, soaked 8 hours, rinsed and drained
½ c pumpkin seeds, soaked 8 hours, rinsed and drained
2 green onions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ t ground fennel seeds
½ c parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 t salt
pepper to taste

In large bowl, whisk together olive oil and vinegar. Toss in mushrooms and allow to marinate 15-20 minutes. Process almonds and seeds into small pieces in food processor. Transfer to large bowl. Process mushroom mixture with green onions, fennel, garlic and parsley until chunky. Transfer to same bowl. Add s & p and stir ingredients until well combined. Shape mixture into patties (about 1/4" thick). Dehydrate on parchment paper or Teflex screens @ 118* for 8-12 hours, until crust forms on outside, flipping over at around the 5 hour mark and removing the parchment or Teflex.

Flax Seed Crackers

1 c. flax seed (soaked in 2 c of water for 2 hours)
½ c sunflower seeds
1/2 c ground flax
3/4 t salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 T poppy seeds
2 T nutritional yeast
2 T sesame seeds
1 T apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor. Roll dough out between 2 layers of parchment paper or teflex sheets, peeling away the top layer when the dough is fully rolled out. Dehydrate at 114 degrees for 3 hours. Turn crackers over onto regular mesh screen, peeling away the 1 layer of parchment or teflex. Continue to dehydrate another 3 hours. Remove crackers from dehydrator and cut into ‘cracker sized shapes. Allow to dry on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Store in a tightly sealed container (at room temperature) for up to 1 week.

Catsup

1 c diced fresh, ripe tomatoes
1 T apple cider vinegar
½ t salt
½ c sun dried tomatoes that have been soaked for 2 hours in warm water
2 pinches allspice
2 pinches ground cloves

Squeeze excess liquid from the sun dried tomatoes and roughly chop. Add to food processor with remaining ingredients. Whirl to combine well. Stop and scrape ingredients down from the inner sides of the processor. Whirl some more, until mixture is smooth. At this point, you can serve the catsup as is (a little rustic in texture) or pass the mixture through a wider mesh sieve. This will make a smooth, glossy catsup that looks like the real thing.