Raw Vegan Dinner Platter #1

So last night was my mom's birthday, and my dad asked me if I would plan the dinner, making all of the food - except for the chicken he will make- vegan. The last couple of times that I've made dinner, I have also made vegan appetizers. Last night, I used two different original recipes. The first being my 'Portobello Mushroom Bread and Butter' and the second 'Pine Nut Pesto Cucumber Bowls'. They are both very easy to make and super yummy. They are raw vegan friendly too, and people who are not vegan will love them and not miss out on the meat and cheese apps.

For the Portobello Mushroom dish, you'll need...
1 or 2 big portobello mushrooms (depending on how many you want to make)
1/2 a ripe avocado (will do 2 mushrooms)
Crumbled cashew nuts (about 1/2 a cup for 2 mushrooms or 1/4 for 1)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (for 2 mushrooms again, or 1/4 for 1)
Capers

First, take your mushrooms and put a layer of avocado on the inside of the mushroom going around the stem. Next, sprinkle your cashew nuts on the avocado (as many as you like). Than, cut your cherry tomatoes either in half, or into three pieces - which I find works better- and layer them onto of the nuts and avocado. Put a few capers on top of the tomatoes and repeat for the second mushroom. See, easy!!



For the cucumber dish you'll need..
1 long cucumber
3/4 cup pine nutes
1/4 cup basil pesto
Water
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp lemon juice

In a blender, blend the pine nuts and a little bit of water until it is a thick paste. Add in the pesto, garlic, and lemon juice. If you feel you need to add more pesto, lemon, or garlic because the taste is too dull for your likings, go ahead. Cut the cucumber in thick slices (about 3/4ths of an inch). Using a knife, make a little bowl on the top of the cucumber, but do not cut all the way through. Scoop some of the pesto and pine nut mixture into the cucumber bowl. Decorate with little pieces of cucumber and pine nuts.
Enjoy!

Always thinking of music and food,

Julia