Raw and Hot Chili

This dish is hot and spicy but it’s all raw and full of plant power.

1 cup soaked walnuts

1 cup carrots

1 medium Portabello mushroom

1/2 cup finely minced red bell pepper

1/3 cup finely minced red onion

1 finely minced jalapeno, without the seeds

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked (reserve 1 cup soak water)

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

1/3 cup soaked golden raisins

2 tbsp shallots

3 tbsp chili powder

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin

 Optional toppings:

Fresh cilantro

Green onion

Avocado

Put nuts and carrots into a food processor and run until well blended. This will be your “meat base,” so don’t over process. Once ground, place into a large bowl and set aside.  Either on a cutting board or in your food processor chop the mushrooms, red bell peppers, red onion, and jalapeno. Add this to the bowl.  In a high powered blender, such as a Vita Mix, add all of the remaining ingredients and blend until you have everything well combined and liquefied. Stir this mixture into the bowl with the existing ingredients to complete the chili. Place chili into a dehydrator set at 145 degrees for about one hour. Stirring the chili every 15 minutes, in order for it to warm evenly. Although your dehydrator will feel hot, the temperature of the food will not exceed 110 degrees in this amount of time.  Serve the chili warm and top with the fresh ingredients of your choice. Enjoy!