Life force: Two raw breakfasts from Jinu Abraham

Jinu Abraham, executive chef of the Heritage in Auckland, believes at least 50 per cent of our breakfast diet should be raw. These recipes, based on those served at the hotel's raw bar, will ensure you get the right start.

We introduced the raw bar, alongside our extensive breakfast buffet, earlier this year as a continuation of Heritage Hotel's healthy cuisine philosophy. As an Enviro Gold hotel we embraced the sustainability benefits of plant based meals while at the same time assisting our guests with their healthy goals through providing low-fat, nutritious meals.

Natural unprocessed and uncooked plant foods are the key component of the raw diet. Nothing is cooked above 41C as doing so can destroy enzymes in food that are believed to assist in the digestion and absorption process. Cooking can also diminish the nutritional value of food.

Here are two recipes that you can make at home to provide breakfasts which are unprocessed, unheated, with more energy and that are full of "life force'’.

Raw prune preserve

A sugar-free, raw alternative to jam for toast or to spoon on to breakfast cereals.

Makes 4 portions

200g prunes
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Zest and juice of 3 oranges
Pinch of flaky sea salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Soak the prunes in lime juice and orange juice for four hours.
2. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and whizz to desired consistency (smooth or chunky). Remove and add in the zests, salt and cinnamon powder.
3. Mix well and leave in the fridge for two days for the flavours to fully develop and mature. Will keep in the fridge for two weeks.

To favourite, print or share this recipe, go to the recipe page.

Raw granola

There are a lot of unusual ingredients here but they are readily available at health and wholefood stores. Don’t be put off by the activating, sprouting and dehydrating required, it’s easy once you get in the swing of it and the health benefits are well worth it.

Makes 4 portions

Dry ingredients
40g raw oat groats, sprouted and dehydrated
50g raw almond powder (from activated whole almonds) or use almond meal
120g whole raw dehydrated sprouted buckwheat
1 Tbsp activated and dehydrated sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp activated and dehydrated pumpkin seeds
25g raisins
25g shredded coconut
25g dried cranberries

Wet ingredients
Zest and juice of 3 oranges
1½ Tbsp raw coconut nectar
1 Tbsp extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil
Vanilla seeds, scraped from 1 vanilla pod
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp flaky sea salt

1. Mix all ingredients together and massage to ensure the wet ingredients mix well with the dry.
2. Dehydrate for 24 hours at 41C using a dehydrator. The granola can also be dehydrated in an oven on a very low temperature (70-80C) for 2 to 3 hours. Ensure nuts and seeds are well spaced out in the dehydrator or on an oven tray so they can dry fast and even. If dried correctly the granola will keep for 8 weeks in an airtight container.
3. Serve your granola with coconut yoghurt or plain yoghurt. Add extra freeze-dried fruits if you like.

To favourite, print or share this recipe, as well as information on how to activate, sprout and dehydrate seeds, go to the recipe page.

Jinu Abraham is the executive chef of Hector's restaurant at the Heritage Hotel in Auckland. Hector's was the first hotel restaurant in New Zealand to be vegetarian-accredited by the Vegetarian Society and Jinu has won many awards. Hector's delicious vegan and vegetarian range complements the established omnivorous fare.