The Gluten-Free Dom

I was craving some fresh, uncooked food today. I used to work in a raw kitchen (Gorilla Food shout out!) and miss the awesome grub. So with a little time on my hands, I decided to take a stab at my own raw food lasagna (raw-sagna is so much fun to say though).The following recipe is fully inspired by the raw food mad scientist Aaron Ash and all the Gorillas working hard at my old haunt.

Ingredients and Directions
(1 serving)

Almond Cheese

-1/4 cup almonds (ground)

-a good pinch of fresh parsley

-salt and pepper

-pinch of Italian herb mix

-1 tsp chia seeds

Chuck into a food processor. Set aside in a bowl.

Tomato Sauce

-1 large tomato

-pinch of parsley, salt and pepper, pinch of cayenne and Italian herb mix again (I didn’t sway too far from an Italian flavor profile as you can see).

-1/2 tbsp olive oil

-1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

-1/2 clove of garlic

Again, food process this shiz.

Greens

-handful of spinach or more if you wanna really green up your lasagna

-1/4 sweet onion

-a little salt couldn’t hurt

Food process it again to break up the spinach

Zucchini Noodles

-1 zucchini

If you have a mandolin, thinly slice long strips of zucchini. I sliced strips with a knife but that made them all very umm, let’s say unique in their sizes.

Start layering by laying down zucchini, covering with greens, tomato sauce and cheesey sauce. Go crazy with it.

Note about recipe: I did find my lasagna a little watery but whatever, you can’t win ‘em all.

After hearing a ton of rave reviews about this place, I knew it was high time to pay a visit to Calabash Bistro. I made reservations for two, which was a good move because it was pretty dang busy. It was a crazy day at work so a rum based cocktail was in order. Calabash is a rum lover’s haven. They have an amazing selection of aged rums and cocktails. I tried to read over the list steadily and without bias but then I read “El Dorado 3 year old rum shaken with fresh organic coconut water, agave syrup, muddled lemongrass, mint and lime zest” (calabashbistro.com)… umm, yeah, sold. I practically yelled “Coconut Jumby, please!” to the bartender.

What a beauty. I might have helped finish off my dinner companion’s Jumby as well. Just doing my part to make sure nothing goes to waste.

It was food time and I had already planned what I was going to get beforehand (thank you, online menus). Then I was thrown a curve ball. Plantain chips? Yes. That had to happen before I hit up the Jerk Chicken. Boy, was I glad I made that decision.

These were so addictive. Spiced, crunchy, a little sweet… dang, I could really go for those right now. We devoured those pretty fast. Time for another cocktail? Okay.

The Dark and Stormy (apt name for the quality of my photo): “Our version of the national drink of Bermuda; Ginger infused Goslings Black Seal with homemade ginger beer, Angostura bitters, and house made ginger syrup” (calabashbistro.com). Holy heck, this was a gingery party in my mouth. I highly recommend getting one of these bad boys. 

The staff was super nice and although I found the food took a little while to come out, our server made sure to keep the cocktails coming and reassured us it wouldn’t be long. Not a big deal, I was enjoying chilling with my rum and chum.

Then, low and behold, my Jerk Chicken Board.

As you can see, I forgot to take a picture before I dug in. Garlicky veggies, seasoned and flavorful beans and rice and some “Oh My God” inducing Jerk spice chicken. I did the food dance. I was relieved that the rice was so tasty because it took up a large portion of the plate and nothing guts me more than a slab of flavorless rice. That being said, I only got two pieces of chicken. That was a little disappointing considering it’s a $14 meal. But man, did those two pieces pack some punch. I want to take shots of the Jerk sauce and chase it with Jerk soaked limes. 

I loved this place; the atmosphere, the rum, the food, the rum and the rum cocktails. To quote my favorite childhood movie, I give it “two very enthusiastic thumbs-up”.

Fresh lychees, cantaloupe, strawberries and mangoes. Mother Nature is no fool.