(I have received numerous emails from readers who claim “this recipe changed my life” or “was a life-saver” because of it’s delicious meaty flavor, so I’ve removed it from the members-only section and have made it public for everyone.)

This is a potential life-changing, culture-changing recipe, one I wish I knew how to make back in April 2005 when I first embarked on a journey of discovery with raw and living foods.

You could be a meat-eater and eat this instead of meat, and be satisfied. That is not only my own sentiment, but the conclusion of my 70-something marginally raw parents, who were quite impressed when I put this on the table. My mom went crazy over it, and my dad, who is not much into this whole living foods business, really had his eyes opened, I think.

I set out to make a meaty-tasting “salsa” type recipe with 100% raw mushrooms plus seasonings, without other vegetables. And in this case, I left out the olive oil and added only raw almond butter and a bit of lemon juice as a binder, with some fresh garlic, green onions, and generous fresh black pepper… and of course the ever-present “himmy” salt.

If I’d had socks on, this dish woulda knocked them off. For all it’s simplicity, this is the recipe I am most proud of and most pleased with on this whole site. Because it’s the savory, meaty, deeply grounding kind of food that I crave, and the sort of thing a family could make almost every single day, to offset whatever else they might put on the table.

It will play off of whatever else you are eating. Shoot, I ate this Mushroom dish for dinner with organic tortilla chips and 2 sliced bananas and was in heaven. Heaven, I tell you. And fully sated afterwards. But I could’ve had it with any salad, any warm live soup (what a great cold-weather meal!), or a bit of Ezekiel bread (what an amazing salad sandwich or wrap filling this would make!), or just some different fresh fruit, and it would complement any of it equally.

This is a dish to server to your non-raw friends and family, and would make for a killer buffet or raw pot luck dish. You could serve this as part of a “rawish” meal with Yukon Gold potatoes or brown rice (am swooning at just the thought). You could have it with toast for breakfast. Or you could add this to a miso broth with fresh greens.

I’m just getting started. I bet I could serve this a different way for a raw or rawish meal every day of this month. Might be an interesting blog project!

Anyway… make this. And tell me what you did with it!

Recipe for: Mushroom…”Salsa”, “Dip”, “Tapenade”, “Meat Substitute”

• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, trimmed and chopped fine (2-1/2 cups after chopped)
• 2 green onions, trimmed and chopped fine (2 tablespoons after chopped)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine (1 teaspoon after chopped)
• 2 tablespoons raw almond butter (must be raw. measure heavy)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon quality natural salt, such as Himalayan Crystal salt
• very generous grinding fresh black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Then serve and feast!

Suggested uses:

• Serve with raw chips or organic tortilla chips
• As filling for Salad Sandwich or raw wrap
• As a side dish with a salad
• Add to some warm miso broth (or other kind of broth)
• Serve as “rawish” meal with organic potatoes or brown rice