Happy Friday everyone!  I had a client cancel this morning, so I am jumping on the extra time to share my entry for the wonderful @cookwithus contest this week.  This week the theme is raw food--perfect for all of us fruit and veggie lovers!  Of course I have to give a huge thank you to the main team @chefsteve, @pandamama and @offoodandart for running what has become one of my favorite contests here on Steemit.  There are so many other contributors that make the contest great, so definitely check out the latest post to read about it and see all of the other cool people that keep the ship sailing!

The summertime is perfect for making raw meals!  Though I don't always do fully raw meals, I try to incorporate lots of uncooked elements in my dishes this time of year while everything is so fresh and vibrant.  From a meal prep perspective it can definitely save some time and energy, as well as help keep your kitchen cooler when you don't have to cook everything.  There are definitely some health benefits to eating more living foods, as well.  Certain nutrients can be degraded in the cooking process, so by keeping your foods fresh you retain some different nutrients than cooking those same foods.  I think it also gives you a really great connection to your food and where it comes from to eat it in its natural state.

One of the really neat things you can eat raw is sprouted beans and legumes!  You may have seen in some of my other posts recently sprouted mung beans and broccoli sprouts, which are two really easy and highly nutritious foods to include in your dishes.  This week I switched it up and sprouted lentils for my raw meal entry.

The process is pretty similar for most items that you can sprout.  The lentils I rinsed and then soaked in fresh water for about 8 hours.  I have the easy lids that allow water to drain out, but you can also use cheesecloth or something similar.  After soaking, rinse and drain out the excess water.  Generally the recommendation is to let the jar sit at a downward angle somewhere out of the way to let all of the water drain out during the sprouting process.  I usually just use the dish drain on the one side of my sink.  Repeat the rinsing and draining a few times a day until you get some cute little tails sprouting out.  Each variety may take a different amount of time, but these took about 4 days to get to the point where you can eat them raw or you can toss them in different cooked dishes.

Sprouting is a great way for anyone following a raw diet to still be able to consume a good source of protein and fiber.  The process also helps make some of the nutrients more bio-available than they would be when just cooking and eating lentils normally.  They have a really great crunchy texture, as well, so it is a nice element in a dish like the one I made that was mostly soft otherwise.

Because part of the point of eating raw foods or following a completely raw diet is to consume foods with the highest proportion of nutrients and life-giving forces as possible, it is also important to know the source of those foods and choose locally grown produce.  Most fruit and vegetables start to lose nutrients as soon as they are picked, so grabbing things right from your garden, local farm or the farmers market is the best way to make sure those beautiful raw dishes are really packed with as much good stuff as possible!  And of course you will always get the best flavor from seasonal produce. :)

All of my produce (with the exception of a lemon) came from my favorite farm stands at my local farmers market.  My lentils and beans I buy from a locally owned co-op store, and the herbs I grabbed right from the garden.  I think I may have enjoyed the meal even more having that sense of pride in all of the beautiful local foods!  The cantaloupe was perfectly ripe and juicy, adding that sweet and musky undertone to the gazpacho.  Fresh jalapenos always seem spicier than store-bought ones for a great kick to a dish.  The tomatoes--oh gosh, I could go on all day with just how good they are right now.  Of course cucumbers are also wonderfully crisp and refreshing right now.

My salad was pretty simple, but the peach dressing definitely packed a punch for only being three ingredients!  We are down to the last of our fresh-picked peaches from the farm, so I have been trying to use them up in ways that truly honor the flavor.  Basil was a perfect herb to pair with the peaches for a light, bright dressing.  All together it was a really satisfying and energizing meal!

Cucumber Melon Gazpacho

Made about 4 servings

• 2 cups fresh cantaloupe, seeded, peeled & cubed
• 1 1/2 cups cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, havled
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded & chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, peeled & chopped
• 1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh mint
• 1 lime, zest & juice
• extra chopped cantaloupe, cucumber & tomatoes for serving

Place all of the ingredients except for your reserved fruit for topping in a blender.  Blend on medium to high speed until fully incorporated.  I am loving my new Vitamix, which only took about 30 seconds to whiz all of this goodness together!  Pour into bowls and top with a few spoonfuls of cucumber and melon, and a few cherry tomatoes.

Carrot, Squash & Lentil Sprout Salad with Peach Basil Dressing

Makes 4 servings, plus extra dressing

• 2 large carrots, shaved into ribbons
• 2 small summer squash, shaved into ribbons (I used local Zephyr squash but zucchini works, too)
• 2 cups sprouted lentils
• 4 small fresh peaches
• 1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh basil
• 1 small lemon, juice & zest

Use a vegetable peeler or spiralizing tool if you have one to shave the carrots and squash into long ribbons.  Divvy up into bowls, then top with about a half a cup of the lentil sprouts.

To make your dressing, place the pitted peaches, basil and lemon juice and zest into a blender.  Blend on high speed until smooth.  Drizzle over your salad and serve!

The whole meal came together quite easily with the help of my blender.  I had to plan a little bit in advance to remember to sprout the lentils, but otherwise the meal was inspired straight from what was available at the market.  I hope I did the local bounty justice on this one.  Enjoy!