Pine Nut Macadamia Ricotta Veggie Towers Recipe

I have to admit…I’m not Vegan but I do enjoy some of the Vegan recipes that I’ve made over the years. With that said, I know that we have Vegan readers here on The Classy Chics blog and wanted to share this recipe with all of you.

The recipe is courtesy of the VeganFusionAcademy.com who offers new programs in raw foods and Vegan cuisine. Please visit their site to learn more about their programs. This recipe makes 4 servings.

Live Pine Nut Macadamia Ricotta Veggie Towers Recipe

1 recipe Live Shoyu Marinade (see below)
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced rounds
1 recipe Macadamia Ricotta (see below)
2 large tomatoes, ½-inch slices (at least 8 slices) (large beefsteak tomatoes work wonderfully)
Black and white sesame seeds (optional)
Diced red bell pepper (optional)

Live Shoyu Marinade

1 tablespoon nama shoyu or wheat-free tamari
1 teaspoon agave nectar or coconut nectar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh minced herbs

Pine Nut Macadamia Ricotta

1 cup pine nuts or raw cashews, soaked 2+ hours
2 cups macadamia nuts or Brazil nuts, soaked 2+ hours
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, mince
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
½ cup rejuvelac (or water), as needed
Diced colorful bell peppers

1. Prepare the live marinade by placing all of the ingredients in a shallow dish and whisking well. Add the sliced zucchini and allow to marinate while preparing the remainder of the dish.

2. Prepare the Pine Nut Macadamia Ricotta by rinsing pine nuts and macadamia nuts and drain well for at least 10 minutes. Add to a food processor with the S-blade, blend on high speed for 10 seconds. Add rosemary, parsley, thyme, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Blend on high speed for about 20 seconds while adding rejuvelac (or water) through the top until a smooth cheesy consistency is reached.

3. To create the towers, place a slice of tomato on each plate. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoon of the macadamia ricotta over the tomato. Top with 2 slices of zucchini. Follow with another slice of tomato. Top with another 1 to 2 tablespoon of the macadamia ricotta and another layer of zucchini. Garnish with a sprinkle of black and white sesame seeds and some diced red bell pepper.

Variations ~ Replace the zucchini with turnips or cucumbers.

Another way you can present this dish is to reuse an 8-ounce plastic container as a mold to form individual lasagnas. For this, slice tomatoes as thin as possible. Create a tomato layer, top with cheese, then a zucchini layer, and repeat. When ready to eat, place a plate on top of container and flip. Gently remove the container and you will have a beautifully presented dish.