Sweetly Raw

Raw Chocolate for Valentines Day

2012-01-25T20:10:00.003-06:00

Valentines Day is just around the corner. How will you be celebrating with your special someone?? I'll be in Toronto with my sweetie!

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm doing a Raw Chocolate Valentines Special just like I did at Christmas. I have an assortment of goodies to choose from and if I do say so myself, they make lovely gifts. I'm so excited that I finally have my labels for the caramel pecan choccies! What do you think of them?

Here's what's available from the Sweetly Raw Chocolate Shop! I'm taking orders from now until February 10th. All orders placed in the next 24 hours (by 8pm Jan 26th) will receive a FREE caramel pecan choccie cluster.

For full details and to order, email me heather@sweetlyraw.com

Chocolate Truffles in 8 flavors: Dark chocolate, mint, orange, cinnamon spice, maca, coconut, banana, and hazelnut. Choose from a box of 6, 12, or 15.

Caramel Pecan Choccie Cluster

Pecans and caramel in dark chocolate

Jumbo Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Jumbo Peanut Butter Cups (not raw)

So treat yourself or your darling to some organic raw vegan choccies for Valentines

Raw Vegan BBQ Wraps and Chocolate

2012-01-19T16:49:00.000-06:00

BBQ wraps are my new favorite way to roll up veggies! I stumbled upon this when I recently made a half batch of Abeba Wright's raw BBQ chips as part of my savory dehydrator blitz. This recipe was posted on the Renegade Health Show including a video of her showing exactly how to do it (and by the way, Abeba is the coolest ever). You wouldn't think much of the written recipe at first glance but are these ever fantastic. The mixture is bursting with flavor.

I made some round chips and then decided to cover an entire teflex sheet with some of the liquid mixture in hopes of making pliable veggie wraps. It worked beautifully! My chips were a bit too thin so my note to self is to make them thicker next time - but nonetheless they were crunchy and addictive straight outta the dehydrator. The next day, however, they had softened up and I had to stick them back in the D for a few hours to crunchify them again. Didn't get a chance to get a pic of the chips as they were gone in no time. I will make the full recipe next time!

I've been making great wraps with lettuce (put down first to keep the wrap from getting soggy), spinach pesto, cucumber, tomato, avocado...

And my homemade sauerkraut!

Then roll it up seam side down, and voila!

Abeba's BBQ Chips & Wraps

1 1/2 cups water

2 carrots

2 tomatoes

1-2 dates (soaked 30 minutes)

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 stalk celery

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (soak 30 minutes)

Dash of cayenne

Nama shoyu, sea salt, or tamari, to taste

2/3 cup flax seeds (soaked in water overnight)

Blend all ingredients except flax seeds in a blender until smooth. Check taste.

Add flax seeds and blend again. The mixture should be slimy and a little thick, like pancake batter.

Drop by spoonfuls on teflex sheet. Dehydrate for 10-12 hours at 105F. Flip krackers and remove sheet. Continue dehydrating for 8-10 hours or until desired crispness is obtained.

Yields 4-5 trays or 200-300 krackers.

*Heathy's Note:

BBQ wraps: Spread a thin layer of the blended mixture on an entire teflex sheet. Dehydrate for 4-6 hours at 115F or until you can peel the dried sheet off the teflex.

Turn onto the mesh screen and continue drying until completely dry but still pliable.

Careful NOT to over dry or the sheet will be come hard and brittle.

Slice the sheet into 4 square wraps.

Spinach Pesto Spread is great in the wraps!

I made a spinach pesto the other day. Pesto-ish I should say. Certainly not close to the conventional but I'm totally enjoying it, especially in my bbq wraps! I'll make it again using half basil and half spinach. I blended spinach with olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, and apple cider vinegar.

I've been making (and eating) a lot of sauerkraut lately.

It goes on my breakfast eggs, into my salads, and sometimes I eat it straight up. You can see my kraut recipe HERE. I used green cabbage, beets, and carrots in my last batch. I just love the pretty pink color the green cabbage transforms into. Do you make your own fermented veggies? What's your favourite? I'm thinking about fermenting celery next, as funny as it sounds!

I added a new post to Universal Eater featuring a Veggie Egg Muffin recipe. If eggs are your thing, check it out!

On a sweet note, the day of love is coming soon!

I'm doing a Valentine's Raw Chocolate Special in honor of the occasion just like I did for Christmas. After seeing my chocolate Christmas pressies I had people emailing to try and order items that weren't available so this time I've added a few things to the list: Jumbo Almond Butter Cups (raw) and Jumbo Peanut Butter Cups (not raw).

What else is available?

Caramel pecan turtles

Chocolate Truffles in 8 different flavours: dark chocolate, coconut, orange, mint, banana, hazelnut, maca and cinnamon spice

I'm taking orders between now and February 10. Email me heather@sweetlyraw.com for full details.

Adventures in Raw Vegan Breads

2012-01-17T11:58:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I pulled out the ol' dehydrator and got creative in my kitchie. Raw breads, crackers, and wraps were on the agenda. Mostly recipes that were new to me - yummy looking ones that I bookmarked over time from various blogs. I made the tried and true Onion Veggie Bread recipe too just in case the others didn't turn out. I've tried recipes that were just plain inedible and had to be thrown out. I mean hey, after all that work you want to enjoy the fruits of your labor. I'm happy to say that I have two new favourite breads. One cracker recipe was a flop so I won't bother mentioning it, and I made BBQ chips/wraps (another post) which were almost as great as the breads.

Yes you can have your bread and eat it too!

Nut free, gluten free, raw vegan, soy free...

The first item of goodness is Gena's Raw Tomato Bread

Perks: This bread has a super duper tomato flavor, is pliable making it perfect for a sandwich, and nut-free. I didn't have any basil so left that out but the oregano came through as a subtle background taste. I suggest playing around to see what thickness you like (as with any bread or cracker). I like mine on the thinner side, but thick enough to hold nicely together when stuffed with fillings. Also, I want a MOIST, pliable bread. NOT a hard thin "bread" that's really a cracker if you know what I mean. Some bread recipes are actually crunchy crackers. That being said, I'm sure you could continue dehydrating this recipe and get delicious tomato crackers. Think I'll do that next time.

Raw Tomato Bread (raw vegan, gluten, and soy free)

Makes 8 large pieces

5 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes

3/4 cup flax meal

1 tbsp tamari or nama shoyu, or sea salt

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsps dried basil

1 clove garlic

black pepper to taste

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1) Blend all ingredients but the sunflower seeds together in a high speed blender till thick. Add sunflower seeds and blend till mixture is thick and uniform, but the seeds lend a tiny bit of texture.

2) Turn mixture out onto a teflex dehydrator sheet and use a spatula or inverted knife to spread it out evenly on the sheet.

3) Dehydrate at 115F for 15 hours. Flip the bread and score it into 8 pieces on the wet side, and dehydrate for another 4-6 hours, till totally dry.

Michelle and Lori's Pepper Sunflower Seed Bread was next on the list. I loved the look of their thick bread sticks, and like the fact that it's also a nut free bread. Their recipe called for cardamom but I omitted it, and added a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast into the mix for a cheesy bread. I'm hooked on it! I made a thinner bread than theirs and it's not pliable but rather a moist firm bread that is great topped with spreads or as a side item to a salad.

Pepper Sunflower Seed Bread

2 cups sunflower seeds grind into flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup tahini
1 orange bell pepper
1/2 cup water
**2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Place all ingredients except water into a food processor and puree till combined.
Slowly add in water until everything looks combined. Bread batter will be a little thick and sticky.
Spread the bread batter onto a dehydrator sheet and shape any way you like.
Place into a dehydrator at 110F. Let dehydrator overnight or till you reach your desired texture for your bread.

*Don't have a dehydrator? The girls have an option for that!
**Heathy's addition for a cheese bread and omit the cardamom.

Sunflower pepper bread with dilly avocado spread... perfect addition to a salad, or as a snack. The spread is simply: avocado, fresh dill, apple cider vinegar, garlic, water, olive oil, and himalayan salt.

Onion Veggie Bread

This is a fabulous version of the popular onion bread that every raw foodie has tried. Since I don't like onion much, this suits me perfectly! Found on Gone Raw. Sometimes I just use 1 onion and sub extra zucchini. I like to add a little salt as I find it a bit bland with only one tablespoon of tamari. Play around to see what you like.

1 medium zucchini, shredded

1 large carrot, shredded

2 large onions, shredded in a food processor

1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 tbs nama shoyu (or tamari)

1/2 cup water

1 cup ground flaxseed

1 cup ground sunflower seeds

1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt (added by me)

Mix together the veggies, olive oil, water, and shoyu in a bowl.

Add the seeds and mix to combine.

Spread a thick layer of the mixture evenly on teflex sheets. Score into desired sizes.

Dehydrate at 145F for 1 hour and then turn the temperature down to 115F and continue dehydrating for 6-8 hours, flipping over to the mesh screen halfway through.

What do these breads all have in common??! Sunflower seeds! I've been getting kinda seedy around here lately. You saw the chili sunflower and pumpkin seeds on my soup. I made roasted sunflower seed butter the other day too. I could have blended forever I'm sure, to get a completely smooth butter but I'm fine with it have a bit of texture. It's super easy...

DIY Sunflower Seed Butter

Toast a minimum of 1 cup raw sunflower seeds in the oven at 350F for until fragrant and slightly golden.
Process toasted seeds in a food processor until completely broken down.
Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, and himalayan salt to taste (the salt really brings out the flavor). Blend again until smooth.
Enjoy on veggies, fruit, raw crackers/breads!

What raw bread and cracker recipes do you love?!

Raw Vegan Meets Paleo

2012-01-13T16:21:00.000-06:00

Thats right. My favorite way to eat since saying goodbye to my strict vegan ways (I'd call myself semi- paleo). Why do I love it? Simply because of the way it makes me feel. My palate could certainly do without it, but the food makes me feel grounded, balanced (physically and emotionally), and nourished. And to be exact, A lot of my diet still revolves around raw vegan food though and the following meal I enjoyed this week is the perfect example of combining the two diets. Also, being Day 10 of my sugar cleanse, this is the kind of food that keeps sugar cravings away. I find it fascinating that I have NO desire for sweet things when I eat this way.

Spaghetti N Meatballs
Raw zucchini noodles and sun dried tomato sauce with cooked moose meat balls, raw pesto drizzle, and raw parmesan. On of the best darn meals I've had in a while. Yum!

I'm not much of a soup person but felt inspired to make a creamy broccoli soup a few days ago after making some bone broth (with carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and himalayan salt).
I cooked some broccoli in the broth and then blended it along with the above veggies that I used to make the broth, cayenne pepper, and a big spoonful of leftover onion yogurt dip. Voila - easy creamy spicy broccoli soup. I topped mine with chili seeds I made the other day. Pumpkin and sesame seeds tossed with olive oil, chili powder, onion powder, and tamari - roasted in the oven.

The great thing about cooking (unlike baking) as that you don't need measurements for most dishes. Simply make it to taste!

Creamy Spicy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

Bone, veggie broth, or almond milk
Carrot
Celery
Onion
Garlic
Broccoli
Himalayan salt
Cayenne
Yogurt or coconut milk or cashew cream

Breakdown
Cook veggies in liquid. Puree until smooth in a blender. Season. Enjoy!

Another meal I've been enjoying is paleo moose & veggie meatloaf. For those who are interested in the recipe, check out the post HERE on Universal Eater.

Wishing you a happy weekend! It's minus a million here so I'll be bundled up inside :)

Veggie Party Food

2012-01-10T17:09:00.000-06:00

It's day 7 of my sugar cleanse. Going strong! Zero sugar cravings - but I sure do enjoy looking at yummy sweet things on friend's blogs and I'm still waiting to use the mini donut pan I got for Christmas.

On the weekend a few of my girlfriends were over for a birthday celebration. Normally we enjoy ~~too many~~ desserts (we had a chocolate party before Christmas) but since that wasn't an option for me, I nominated myself to be in charge of the appetizers.

Raw Pizza
You've seen this one many times before on the bloggie. Recipe HERE. Buckwheat tomato pizza crust, sun dried tomato sauce, pesto, sunflower seed cheese, spinach, marinated mushrooms and red pepper. This is always a winner.

Stuffed Mushrooms
I found this great recipe and made a few minor modifications. A mixture of cooked mushroom stems, sundried tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spinach, mixed with just a few spoonfuls of yogurt (instead of the cream in the recipe). I sprinkled them with raw parmesan and popped em' into the oven (omitted the breadcrumbs).

Thai Veggie Wraps
Nicole requests these every time so naturally they were on the menu. Stuffed with spiralized zucchini and carrot, cucumber, red pepper, and avocado. The dipping sauce is lime juice, tamari, fresh ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil, and olive oil.

Veggies with Onion Garlic Yogurt Dip

A simple veggie platter with a new dip that I threw together just minutes before their arrival. This is especially great with the crackers from Twin Cakes Bakery! I cooked up some onion, spinach, and garlic and mixed it into some greek yogurt along with a little mustard powder and himalayan salt. I'll be making this one again! If you do yogurt, try it. If not, cook up the veggies and add to a thick cashew cream.

Have any yummy sugar free recipes or ideas, raw, vegan, or paleo? Let me know!

Snacking in a Winter Wonderland

2012-01-08T16:59:00.002-06:00

It's a super winter wonderland up here these days. I love looking out from my warm cosy place at the fluffy snowflakes falling and splashes of snow on the trees. A few days ago my friend Nicole and I took a long snowshoe trek through a bush trail. The snow was deeep so it took a lot of work to wade our way through but so glad we did. It was an excellent workout! Can you find Nicole in the above photo?? :)

From the lookout at the top of this steep hill, we slid down - snowshoes and all! Unfortunately I kept getting caught on rocks along the way. The trees helped me along!

Brussel sprouts have quickly become a new favorite food of mine - specifically roasted brussels. Yum! I've made them countless times this winter already. Leftovers are especially great. I enjoy them chopped up over my breakfast eggs, cold in salads, or as a snack. Here's the recipe my mom has been making for years. Being on my sugar free plan at the moment, I used red pepper strips the other day instead of apple and it was lovely.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2 lbs brussel sprouts (cut the bottom off and score an X in it)
1 large apple, sliced (peel on) or red pepper
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Himalaya salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Toss all ingredients together.
Roast in a pan for 40-50 minutes at 375F, or until you can pierce the sprouts with a fork easily (but NOT mushy). Check them after 30 minutes, stir and continue cooking.

Chunky Veggie Spread

I decided that some creativity was in order with the last batch of roasted sprouts, so this chunky veggie spread was born. It goes well spread on crackers ,veggies, and is great in a nori/veggie wrap.

Add a bunch of roasted brussel sprouts (with onions and red pepper) to a food processor.
Add a squirt of lemon juice, olive oil, and a large spoonful of tahini. Blend all together.
Pulse in a large handful of spinach.
Fold in a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes.

Can you find me hiding in this pic??

Gourmet Delights

2012-01-07T16:31:00.000-06:00

When I returned home from my Christmas vacation, a box of goodies from Twin Cakes Bakery was awaiting me. I was SO excited to finally try the creations of Michelle and Lori, two of my favorite blogger friends and chefs extraordinaire!

Crackers, balls, and biscotti in multiple flavors. Mmm! I didn't know where to begin! Actually... yes I did. Sweets first, lol. These were the last sweet things I ate two days ago before starting my sugar cleanse yesterday.

The chocolate truffles were absolutely delicious. Rich and chocolatey - dark with with enough sweetness. I love the crunch of cacao nibs on the outside. I'm huge on textures.

Cocoa coconut bite was yummy. Think chocolate macaroon!

Carob brownie. Well I love my carob! The texture was much different than the others, I think due to the coconut butter and carob together. Loved it!

The mint chip coconut bites were an explosion of peppermint when I opened the bag. Biting into one was even better. Mint, coconut, and chocolate are three of my fave flavors so these were one of my favorites.

I loved the cashew nib dough ball the best! These are sweet with a chewy texture and again, crunchy nibs just round it all out.
Spiced cacao dough ball was lovely too. First I tasted the chocolate and then the cinnamon and the heat of the cayenne came in at the end in a wave.
Mesquite cacao biscotti was my least fave but still nice. I LOVED the cardamom almond biscotti though! So light and crunchy and flavorful. I haven't tried the cashew biscotti yet as I didn't notice it at the bottom of the pile and won't be having any sweet things for a while.

Onto the crackers... these are all super crunchy and just the right thickness.
The plain jane crackers are my favorite, with the base of buckwheat and sunflower seeds. I liked the spiced cheese crackers second. These could get addictive, especially with a spread on them!

The collard green onion crackers were nice and I sprinkled some on my salad for a flavorful crunch. Not a fan of the savory kale crackers - even though I like kale. I found the taste a bit strong but work well in a salad or with a spread on top.

Have you tried any goodies from Twin Cakes Bakery??

Sugar Free New Year

2012-01-05T12:27:00.000-06:00

Happy 2012!!! It's time to start the new year by going sugar free for a bit. Last year I started January with a sugar detox (which prompted me to start Universal Eater) and I felt amazing. Since that time I've done a few more sugar free blitzes and always come out feeling rebalanced and energized in mind, body, and spirit. I know it's the perfect way for me to start 2012. My original plan was to start on January 1st, but still being away on holiday it just didn't happen so I started yesterday.

What are your goals for 2012?

I always feel a little nervous at the start. I wonder if I can do it. Or rather, I KNOW I can do it but I wonder if I WILL see it through. Have you ever wanted to start a new food plan but question if you can do it right before you jump in? Or have you ever made a commitment to yourself only to fall off the wagon partway along? There seems to be a natural tendency for me to want something more when I'm told I can't have it. Leading up to my start date I kept thinking about how crappy it was going to be to give up my favorite chocolate and desserts. Fortunately, once I'm a few days into the plan I adjust and am happy to go without for a while, knowing that I will enjoy these foods even more when I eat them again.

During my past sugar detox plans I've had people emailing curious to know more about what I'm eating and recipes and if I'll ever post in Universal Eater again. Yes it is my aim to post recipes over there and share what I'm eating. It's a fun chance for me to play with new recipes.

My goals
Here's what I aim to accomplish this month as a result of my sugar detox.

Eat a sugar free and cacao free diet for 3-4 weeks.
This means even fruit free except for berries which are low glycemic and the stevia that's in the protein powder I'll be using for shakes.

Eat sufficient protein every day.
A good amount of animal protein keeps me going and prevents any sugar cravings. Eggs, wild meat, fish, plain yogurt, nuts/seeds, and whey protein powder.

Rebalance my mental/emotional self.
From my experience this diet is much more balancing and grounding than a fruit diet or juice fast even though those are both great cleanses. I benefit hugely from taking time away from the stimulating effects of sugar and cacao.

Lean out.
I don't care about a number on a scale. I want a lean body mass with good toning. I can tell by the way my clothes fit and by the way I look in the mirror whether I'm making progress or not. I've got a trip to Costa Rica in March so it's time to get bikini ready. I'll be doing short but efficient workouts every day, mostly from Body Rock.

The Naked Sprout Raw Restaurant

2011-12-31T16:19:00.000-06:00

Happy New Years Eve! What fun things will you be doing tonight to celebrate? Do you have a list of resolutions for 2012?

Today my man and I went to a hot flow yoga class at Chrysalis Yoga. I love checking out new studios when I travel, and it's always nice to enjoy someone else's class since I'm normally the one teaching. After a sweaty workout we stepped next door to The Naked Sprout raw restaurant for some lunch. After hearing good things about the restaurant from Marlie, I knew I had to venture over to it during my Christmas trip.

It's a super cute restaurant with lots of natural light and wooden tables. The loungy couch area is perfect for sipping on drinks, and there's a Japanese style table with floor cushions which is where we sat. The place was empty and only 2 other tables filled up while we were there - I'm not sure if it's regularly slow or if it was due to New Years eve tonight.

I scoped out the menu beforehand and decided on the taco salad. I've made it and eaten it at other raw restaurants before so was curious to try it here. It was OK but overall I was disappointed. The chips had good crunch but completely flavorless. I expected a scoop of the "sunflower taco meat" but it was just taco meat "crumbs" sprinkled through the salad. Just a little drizzle of sour cream on top and the guacamole got lost in the lettuce. The salsa had a lot of onions which I don't like and picked out. On the positive, it was light and flavorful. My favorite is still Rawvolution's taco salad.

J got the lasagna. He'd hoped it could be warm (outta the dehydrator) - but no go. It was layers of sliced zucchini rounds with a big slice of tomato, marinated mushrooms, tomato sauce, and nut cheese. Not the most impressive looking lasagna, but he enjoyed it and the bite I took was lovely! All the flavors and textures together were great. I spread a little of the green cheese on one of my chips.

We just had to sample a dessert so shared a piece of pumpkin spice cheesecake. Good sized piece for $9. I could tell the crust was made with brazil nuts and coconut which was nice. The filling had perfect flavor and the texture was soft but "thick". It wasn't as silky as the cheesecakes I've made or eaten.

We enjoyed herbal teas too which came with these cute little timers depending how long you wanted it to steep. They have a huge selection of tasty looking teas.

On another note, with all the fresh snow here J got out his snowmobile for the first ride of the season. We had a fun ride last night!

I wish you a magnificent New Years Eve wherever you may be. We're heading out to a few places for some fun!

A Merry Christmas Vacation

2011-12-29T21:18:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas! I hope you've had spectacular celebrations and are enjoying some time off work. For the first time in my life, I'm away from my family to spend the holidays with my sweetheart (a cool story about him in another post) and his family. Also for the first time in my life, I've had a green Christmas. I'm not talking about a tropical destination, but rather the Toronto area. We were hoping, wishing, praying for snow but it just didn't happen... until the 27th. Not so bad. It was an adjustment for me since I'm used to piles of snow at Christmas.
Within the first week of arrival I wound up with an eye infection. Not fun, but short lived and my eye is good to go. Otherwise, I've been having a marvelous time. We've done all kinds of great things. Here's just a bit.

A trip to Niagara on the Lake for a tour of 4 wineries, dinner at a fabulous restaurant, an overnight, and browsing the cute shops on main street. It's one of the cutest towns I've been to.
Here we are in a wine cellar at Laileys where we got to sample unfinished wines straight from the barrels! They make incredible ice wine too - which, of course, is especially great with high quality dark chocolate.

We had dinner overlooking Niagara Falls one night. The falls are lit up in different colors at night time on both the Canadian and American sides. It's so pretty! I got a pic before the colors started up and its fuzzy so I didn't take anymore, but at least you get an idea. There's something magical and mesmerizing about it.

After dinner in Toronto one night I had attempted a shot of the CN tower - it looks more like a psychedelic Christmas tower.

We took a hike along Rattlesnake Point Lookout on the Niagara Escarpment. Here's a shot from the top of my boyfriend's parents property.

Super cool rock stacks!

A little yoga on the rocks!

It looks funny, but was too cold to take my socks off.

We took small trip to visit my best friend from college and her husband. Always great times when the two of us get together!

How did you spend the Christmas holidays?

Chocolate Covered Christmas

2011-12-13T21:51:00.001-06:00

Happy Holidays! I'm sure you're busy getting ready for Christmas. I've been working hard, making lots of chocolates. Lots of them have been shipped all over the place and some of them are for gifts. Do you make any edible Christmas pressies?

Here's just a sampling of what I've been making this holiday...

Chocolate Covered Brownies.
I mean, it's a special time of year right? Gotta make the regular raw brownie even better!

Peek-a-boo! Choccies in tins are always cute.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
This was my first time making these, as I've only made almond butter and pistachio butter cups before. Raw chocolate with roasted peanut butter filling. These are for my darling who loves peanut butter and chocolate together.

They're jumbo style and totally yummalicious!

Choccie Fruit and Nut Clusters
Almonds, dried apricots, and raisins in dark chocolate. Can't go wrong with a cluster, plus they're so easy to make.

Nutty Choco Chip Balls
Dates, almonds, shredded coconut, and mini chocolate chips. This is a really easy gift if you're short on time.

I thought it was fun to wrap them in little colored foils.

Caramel Pecan Turtles and Cashew Turtles
I've made countless amounts of these guys. They're always requested and loved.

Granola
I intended on making my raw coconut vanilla granola but just didn't have the time, so I made this super easy baked granola with oats, honey, nuts, seeds, and vanilla. Simple and delish. Some friends got it bundled in cute little christmas bags, while others are getting it in a jar. Didn't capture a picture of this :(

Chocolate Truffles
These are selling like hotcakes. I'm making lots of flavors: dark chocolate, mint, orange, cinnamon spice, banana, coconut, peppermint coconut, hazelnut, and maca lucuma.

Cookie Caramel Peanut Chocolate Bars
The piece de resistance. My latest creation. Cashew cookie bottom topped with caramel with roasted peanuts and sprouted dehydrated buckwheat folded in - the whole thing covered in dark raw chocolate. These are divine!

What yummy things are you making for the holidays?

Sweet N Crunchy

2011-12-05T10:51:00.000-06:00

Last month this idea that popped into my head and I just had to try it. Lucuma Crunch Cups - which then turned into chocolate covered cups. Yum yum! Caramel flavor with crunchy bits. I absolutely adore mulberries and how they get crunchy when really cold. If you don't have them, use another dried fruit like goji berries or raisins - or omit entirely. I always keep a jar of sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat on hand for times like this (and particularly like it mixed into chocolate).

Lucuma Crunch Cups

4 tablespoons lucuma
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
4 tablespoons sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat
3 tablespoons mulberries
Full handful chopped cashews

In a bowl, whisk together the lucuma, syrup, coconut milk, and vanilla.
Add the coconut oil and whisk again.
(Whisk quickly or make sure the oil is warm to make sure the mixture doesn't start firming).
Add the dry items.
Spoon the mixture into mini silicone cups and chill in the fridge or freezer until firm.

Chocolate Lucuma Cups - I dipped the hard/chilled cups into melted basic raw chocolate and sprinkled them with dried maple flakes.

Pumpkin Lucuma Cheesecake

2011-11-30T17:35:00.000-06:00

I feel like the energizer bunny with these pumpkin desserts. I was going to post the Lime Berry Parfaits I made last weekend for dinner guests but wanted to keep going with the pumpkin flow.

Pumpkin Lucuma Cheesecake with Coconut Whipped Cream

I reeeeally love this recipe. I based it on my Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake and I think I prefer this one better. It's soft in flavor with a luscious, moussey texture. I can tell that the lucuma is there but it's light, as is the pumpkin taste, and the cinnamon. Add more cinnamon if you really want it to come through. I just wanted it as an undertone. I went with individual cakes but you can make it into an 8" cake. I topped them with coconut whipped cream, sprinkled cinnamon and maple flakes on top, and swirled a yacon syrup drizzle around the plate.

Crust

3/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup dates

Grind the almonds to flour in a food processor.
Add the pitted dates and process into a dough.
Add 1 teaspoon water if needed to hold the mixture together.

Filling

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons lucuma powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4-8 drops stevia
1 teaspoon psyllium
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
5 teaspoons melted cacao butter

Blend all but the psyllium, oil, and butter in a high speed blender until smooth.
Add these last three ingredients. Blend to combine.
Pour the mixture over the crusts.
Chill in the fridge or freezer until firm (at least 8 hours in the fridge).

The lake is starting to freeze... bye bye water! Here was the beach yesterday. The pic doesn't do it justice. The ice was breaking and washing up to the shore - as the sun shone down on it, the ice looked silvery and gold.

The beach today was calm and without the waves, the ice still start to set quickly on the lake.

And I couldn't resist a few yoga poses with this stunning background!

With one of my best friends - my mom! And doggie Ally.

Pumpkin Ice Cream and Chocolate

2011-11-27T11:04:00.000-06:00

Pumpkin ice cream was another recent creation - because - well, I'm still making my way through all this baked pumpkin. The same chocolate sauce that got swirled into the pumpkin cheesecake was drizzled on top.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

I used coconut milk and almond milk as the liquid, as I didn't want to make the ice cream too coconuty - but use all coconut if you like. I'm sure it would be tasty.

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup coconut milk

1 1/4 cup almond milk

3/4 cup cashews

1/3 cup maple syrup

6-10 drops stevia

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy in a high speed blender.

Chill for at least 6 hours.

Process through an ice cream machine according to the manufacturers directions.

Choccie Coconut Squares

I love making things from leftover parts of recipes. Here's the result of too much crust for the pumpkin cheesecake (which a few people reported making - cool!). I added shredded coconut to the dough, pressed it out, sliced into small squares and then dipped it into raw chocolate. Voila, cute little choccies to serve to friends which is what I did.

Cheesy Kale Chips were a recent item in my dehydrator. Oh how I adore them! These ones are crunchy, cheesey, and downright delicious. I've been thinking lately that I'd like to make some curry chips, and sour cream n onion style too!

A batch of Veggie Onion Bread made it's way into the dehydrator too. These make the best raw sammies and are a great side to a salad, spread with avocado!

Here's a beautiful recent sunset. I love seeing the open water with snow all around. Soon the lake will be covered in ice thick enough to drive vehicles on it. Yes, there is such a thing as winter roads up here!

Three weeks left to order my raw chocolate truffles and caramel turtles.

Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

2011-11-20T15:55:00.002-06:00

The pumpkin keeps coming! I wish I had made this for Canadian Thanksgiving but it's never too late. Marlie asked if I have a pumpkin patch in my back yard - No, but this was a huge pumpkin! A load of it has gone into the freezer for future use. I've finally gotten around to make a pumpkin cheesecake. I paired it with a chocolate crust spread with chocolate sauce, and the same sauce swirled into the filling. I have to say that I will definitely be making this again!!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Swirl

Chocolate Crust

This crust recipe did more than I needed for the cake. I pressed a little into mini silicone cups to make mini cheesecakes and then cut some into squares and dipped in chocolate.

1 1/4 cups almonds
1/2 cup pitted, packed dates, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
4 tablespoons cacao powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 teaspoons water
Pinch of salt

In a food processor grind the almonds to flour.
Add the raisins, dates, salt and cacao. Grind until broken down.
Add the vanilla and water. Grind and then press some mixture together to make sure it sticks. Add a little more water if needed.
Press into the bottom of an 8" spring form pan.

Filling
This filling is so delicious that you could eat it as a pudding with the addition of extra liquid or less coconut oil.

1 1/4 cup packed pumpkin puree
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup
7-10 drops stevia
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon dry)
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Blend all but the oil in a blender until completely smooth.
Add the oil and blend again to incorporate.
Pour the mixture over the crust.
Chill for at least 8 hours in the fridge to set.

Try making mini cheesecakes too!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!

Luscious Pumpkin Mousse Recipe

2011-11-16T13:55:00.000-06:00

I'm still on a roll with the pumpkin treats. Pumpkin mousse was in order recently. I still have ice cream to post, and will be making pumpkin cheesecake this week. Mmm! What pumpkin delights have you been making?

Pumpkin Mousse

I can never get enough irish moss based desserts. The moss adds such a great spongy yet fluffy texture, while providing sea veggie health benefits. Again, I've used fresh baked and pureed pumpkin, but go the easy route and use canned if you want.

1 cup pumpkin puree*
1/2 cup irish moss gel
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
3-4 drops stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2-3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/3 cup melted coconut oil

In a high speed blender, puree all but the coconut oil, until smooth.
Add the oil and blend again.
Pour the mixture into ramekins.
Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

Check out a few of my low glycemic desserts from last Autumn:

Apple Zucchini Crumble

Crustless Yam Custard Pie

Vegan Carrot Apple Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream

Pumpkin Mousse

From now until December 18th place your order for raw chocolate truffles and caramel pecan turtles!

Vegan Pumpkin and Apple Butter Recipes

2011-11-13T10:45:00.001-06:00

If you haven't already tried making apple butter or pumpkin butter I suggest you hop into your kitchen and get a batch going right away. They're easy, inexpensive, healthy, and delicious treats to make during the cold months. My favorite part of these spreads (besides eating them, of course) are the aromas they fill the house with while simmering on the stove top.

Apple Butter
It's basically a sweet luscious thickened version of apple sauce.

4 large apples, cored and diced (keep skin on)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup water or apple juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add all ingredients but the vanilla to a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer on low/medium heat for 45 minutes, until the apples are really soft and the liquid is gone.
Puree the mixture with the vanilla in a blender until smooth.
Note: proceed with caution if blending while the apples are still hot. Otherwise cool first.
Chill the butter and store in the fridge for up to 10 days in the fridge.

Pumpkin Butter
This was the result of having lots of freshly baked pumpkin that needed using. If you don't have fresh, use canned pumpkin puree.

3 cups packed pumpkin puree
1/3-1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour, or until the liquid is gone and the mixture has thickened.
Use as is, or transfer to a blender and puree until extra smooth once the mixture is cooled.

Or try the Apple Squash Butter I made last year. It was really yummy too and worked great as both a spread and pudding.

Vegan Pumpkin Pudding and a Winner

2011-11-06T11:42:00.000-06:00

The raw chocolate giveaway has come to an end.... but it was a challenge finding a winner! Why?? It started when the random number generator lead me to a name who left no email address. Ok no biggie, I tried again - another person who didn't leave an email. Ok, again - a third person who didn't leave an email (which is strange because while reading through as answers came in it seemed like most people did leave an addy). This time I clicked on their name which led me to a website where even their "about" page had no contact info. After that I chose the name before the prior person - they had an email and got back to me quickly. Congrats Kat! Your choccies are coming soon!

I've been inspired to make more pumpkin treats after receiving this cute pumpkin from a friend's garden, and a huge pumpkin from my mom. I had trays of pumpkin baking in my oven all afternoon a few days ago. While still warm, I spooned the pulp away from the skin and chilled it before pureeing in the food processor. I conjured up all kinds of images of what I'd like to create with it. I like the idea of using pumpkin that I prepped and baked myself but you can easily use canned pumpkin in these recipes. The homemade stuff is a bit thicker if I remember correctly, so you may have to adjust the liquid accordingly.

Pumpkin Pudding

(vegan)

I decided I wanted to make a pudding without irish moss this time and remembered that Gena used xantham gum as a thickener in one of her recipes. I went on the lesser side as I know how gummy it can make things and proceeded with caution. I absolutely loved the end result. I couldn't resist topping the pudding with cashew caramel turtles!

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup pitted, packed dates - chopped
4 tablespoons thick coconut milk
2 drops stevia
1/2-3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon xantham gum

Blend all but the gum until smooth and creamy. Add the gum and blend again.
Chill, sprinkle with cacao nibs, choccie chunks, or whatever else you like, and eat up!

Pumpkin Shake was a great afternoon snack. It all started with the fresh seeds and "guts" blended with water to make pumpkin milk! A bit strong on its own but in a shake it works beautifully and makes it creamy! Next time I would water it down more. Probably more like 1 3/4 cup water but who knows, you might like it stronger.

Fresh Pumpkin Milk

2/3 cup seeds/guts
1 1/4 cup water

Blend both together in a high speed blender.
Strain through a nut milk bag.

Pumpkin Shake: Blend some pumpkin seed milk, bit of coconut milk, dollop of pumpkin pudding, more cinnamon, stevia, and ice!

I hope you're having a lovely weekend! Go eat some pumpkin! :)

Lime N Cherry Parfait Recipe and the Chocolate Giveaway

2011-11-02T18:01:00.000-05:00

Its been fun reading your answers for the raw chocolate giveaway. My mouth gets watering and my mind begins conjuring up more delicious choccie ideas. Theres a trend of caramel and mint being the two most popular flavors with chocolate. Yum! There's still 2 days to enter the giveaway for a chance to win my turtles and truffles. You can place your chocolate order with me anytime from now until Christmas. It's nice to see interest from all over the place!

I've deviated from all the Autumn inspired goodies lately, but I'll be back at it today. Someone gave me a little sugar pumpkin from her garden last night at yoga. I was stoked! I'd actually been thinking about getting my hands on a home grown pumpkin and then POOF, there it was! Soup, pudding, smoothies... I have too many ideas for the actual size of pumpkin.

Anyway, back to what I came here to post! I made mini Triple Berry Lemon Cheesecakes for a recent catering event. I always make enough to have extras which came in handy for a dinner party last weekend. I love lemon and berries together!

Thai Veggie Rolls came to the party too. I've made these so many times over the years but for some reason haven't taken the time to post them on my blog. The rice paper wraps are cooked, but these are still a great high-raw veggie appetizer. These particular ones I made with spiralized zucchini (to simulate vermicelli noodles), spiraled carrots, cucumber, red pepper, avocado, and fresh mint/basil. The fresh herbs really add oomph. The dipping sauce is one of the most important things to bring the flavors to life. I don't have measurements, I just add the following until it tastes right: tamari, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, olive oil, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, and chili flakes.

The piece de resistance was these Lime N Cherry Parfaits I made in honor of a few of my favorite people coming for dinner last weekend. It all started when the abundance of ripe avocados in my fridge. I wanted something different than what I normally do with them which is eat them in my salads, make caesar dressing, or chocolate pudding - all of which I've done recently. While my brain was simmering on what to do, I remembered the bags of frozen cherries I have from the summer. During cherry season which was particularly great this year I decided to freeze them in large amounts. Then it came to me - limey avocado pudding and cherry jelly together in a parfait. There's just something about a parfait when feeding guests. You can't really see it here but I layered the parfaits with shredded coconut and chopped almonds just to give some crunch.

Lime N Cherry Pafaits

Lime Pudding

1 1/2 cups mashed avocado
1/2 cup + 6 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons lime zest
1/3 cup raw agave
5-6 drops stevia
6 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Blend all but the coconut oil until smooth. Add the oil and blend again.
Chill in the fridge for a few hours.
This will store in the fridge for 5-6 days.

Cherry Jam

2 1/2 cups cherries *
1 large pitted date
Squirt lemon juice
2 drops stevia
3 tablespoons chia seed

Pit the cherries (this is super easy if they're frozen and thawed).
Blend most of the cherries (reserve about 1/4 of them) with the date, lemon and stevia.
Add the rest of the cherries and blend on low to chop them up, keeping some texture.
Transfer this mixture to a container with a secure lid. Add the chia and shake up.
Allow the chia to swell for an hour, shaking periodically.

*I measured out frozen UNpitted cherries. If using pitted, add a few extra. Measure them fresh or frozen. Do not measure them thawed because they'll shrink down significantly.

On another note, I was awarded the Liebster Blog Award by my friend Marlie at Barefoot and Frolicking (thanks girlie!). If you haven't already, check out her beautiful, fun, and creative blog!

“Liebster” is German and means ‘dearest’ or ‘beloved’ but it can also mean ‘favorite’. The rules of winning this award are as follows:

1. Show your thanks to those who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal 5 of your top picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Enjoy the love and support of some wonderful people on the www!

Now I'm sending the award out to these ladies whose blogs I absolutely adore!

1. Michelle and Lori at Pure 2 Raw
2. Nicole at A Dash Of Compassion
3. Karina at Gluten Free Goddess
4. Kelli at Animal Friendly Eating
5. Lisa at Raw On $10 A Day (Or Less!)

Order Raw Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtles... and a Giveaway!

2011-10-30T17:11:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that I love chocolate. I love eating it, dreaming up new recipes, making it, and sharing it. This summer I sold my raw chocolates and desserts at the local farmers market. It was so much fun that I'm continuing the sweet goodness by selling a few of my most popular items throughout the Christmas holidays. I've decided to make some of these goodies available to anyone in North America during the holiday season.

From now until Christmas enjoy my raw chocolates...

Cinnamon Cashew Caramel Turtles
Cashews in cinnamon caramel, wrapped in rich dark chocolate

Chocolate Truffles

Flavors: dark chocolate, mint, coconut, hazelnut, banana, cinnamon spice, and orange

Caramel Pecan Turtles
Pecans and caramel wrapped in rich dark chocolate

Get your turtles in red and green packages for Christmas, or my regular colors, pink and purple. Choose from white or gold boxes with ribbons or my bright pink boxes for your truffles.

To place an order, contact me via email for full details: heather @ sweetlyraw.com.

To kick things off, I thought it would be fun to do a chocolate giveaway. I've had a few giveaways before and they're always so much fun (choccie turtles in the easter egg box was pretty cute). I love reading people's answers.

The Giveaway:
1 pink box of truffles in assorted flavors and 6 caramel pecan turtles.

To enter:
Answer the question below and leave your email address. The cut off is midnight on Friday November 5. A random number generator will select the winner and then I will contact the winner, get your address and send your goodies! The winner will have 24 hours to reply to me or I will use the generator to choose another winner.

What is your favorite flavor with chocolate?

For me it's really hard to choose because it all depends what I'm eating in the moment, lol. My top are probably caramel, banana, coconut, and mint (I can't resist a chocolate covered banana or a chocolate mint truffle!).

Tis the season to eat or give some raw chocolate!

Contact me - heather @ sweetlyraw.com to order or inquire.

Fall Fun Fudge

2011-10-27T20:46:00.002-05:00

My title is really cheesy but the "fun" just fit in so well with the other "Fs" lol. Today I made raw chocolate fudge while the snow, yes SNOW started falling. It was more like rainy snow though and fortunately it stopped and the ground is clear. We often have a light covering of snow by Halloween. I hope it holds off as long as possible this year.

This is the simplest dessert recipe ever because its preparation only requires a bowl and spoon. Yeah. I was going to mix it all up in the food processor but didn't feel like pulling it out or cleaning it just for this small batch. I pressed walnuts into the top and realize that they now look more like brownies but they're a fudgey consistency. Alternatively sprinkle cacao nibs, goji berries, or coconut flakes on top. Try variations. Roll the dough into balls and roll in lucuma, cacao, or carob powder. I'm telling you, this stuff is soooo yummy - I think the lucuma really makes it. See for yourself!

Raw Chocolate Fudge

Generous 1/2 cup almond butter
3 tablespoons agave
5 drops vanilla stevia
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 tablespoon lucuma powder

Add the almond butter, agave (or other liquid sweetener), stevia, vanilla and a pinch of himalayan salt to a bowl.
Stir it all together.
Add in the powders and stir again. Sift if your powders are lumpy OR throw all the ingredients into a food processor.
Press into a small container lined with plastic wrap. Press chopped nuts into the top (optional).
Chill and slice!

Mister fudgey got dropped in carob powder!

He can't resist rolling around in it!

Or just press the edges into carob!

Voila! 5 minute raw chocolate fudge for a cold rainy/snowy afternoon. Happy weekend everyone!

Oh, and if you haven't had enough of my passionate parfait action.... here's another one I made with the pumpkin and chocolate puddings last week...

Just Can't Get Enough - Pumpkin Crunch Parfait

2011-10-23T19:32:00.000-05:00

I guess I just can't get enough Fall flavors and goodies! I used part of the recipe from my Chocolate Pumpkin Parfait to make a Pumpkin Crunch Parfait that combines the pumpkin pudding with a coconut whipped cream and is layered with pecans and crunchy maple flakes. I made these for company and they were well received.

Coconut Whipped Cream

I've gone light on the nuts here, and kept it high in coconut. A few drops of stevia allow for less sweetener. Add a few pinches of ground ginger or fresh ginger juice, and cinnamon for a nice kick!

To speed up the firming of the cream, chill it in a large metal bowl.

2/3 cup packed young coconut pulp

1/2 cup coconut water

1/4 cup cashews

2 tablespoons coconut nectar or maple syrup

2 drops stevia

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy.

Add the oil and blend to combine.

Chill the mixture for at least 6 hours or until it firms.

I've enjoyed several hikes up the little mountain in my town this Fall. It's such a beautiful view all along the way!

Leftover pumpkin pudding can be turned into a delicious shake! I blended a bit of the pudding with ice, coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and stevia. It tasted a bit like eggnog. Yummm!

Pumpkin Parfaits

2011-10-18T22:32:00.001-05:00

Since Thanksgiving I've been on a pumpkin kick - I have zero interest in pumpkin during any other time of the year. The mousse I made last year inspired these pumpkin parfaits. I topped the puddings with raw chocolate sauce and sprinkled cacao nibs on top.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Parfait

Pumpkin Pudding

Silky nut free pudding! I used canned pumpkin and coconut milk (yup, I took the ~~lazy~~ quick route on this one), but you can roast your own pumpkin if you wish and make your own coconut milk by blending the pulp and water of a young coconut - make sure its thick.

2 cups cooked pumpkin
1/3c + 4 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 cup irish moss gel
1/4 cup pitted, packed dates
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Pinch himalayan salt
12 drops stevia
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Blend all but the oil in a high speed blender until smooth.
Add the oil to incorporate.
Chill the pudding for a few hours in the fridge.

Chocolate Pudding

Gotta love an avocado based chocolate pudding. It's tried and true! You can use either a food processor (which I did) or blender for this one since everything is soft, but if using a processor chop the dates in it first.

1 cup mashed avocado
7-8 tablespoons cacao powder
1/2 -2/3 cup water
1/3 cup pitted, packed dates (chopped)
2 tablespoons carob powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
12 drops stevia

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, until smooth and creamy.

I also made the parfaits in martini glasses for dessert and wine night!

It's so fun seeing all the wonderful Autumn goodies popping up in the blogsphere. What yummy things have you made?

Thanksgiving Goodies

2011-10-16T10:31:00.001-05:00

I hope you had a great thanksgiving last weekend. I'm grateful for the magical one I enjoyed with friends and family. I happily buzzed around my kitchie preparing Autumn inspired desserts for our feast.

Pumpkin pie is always a "must"! In years past I've made raw pumpkin pies/cakes and always enjoyed them. I really like the pumpkin mousse tarts with coconut whipped cream that I made last year. The filling is so great on it's own, and is nut-free to boot! Three years ago I made a yummy carrot based raw pumpkin cheesecake.

This year I opted for a vegan Pumpkin Pie by the lovely Gluten Free Goddess, served with a scoop of raw vanilla ice cream. The Universe tested me on this one... First I discovered that my molasses had gone extremely bitter (ok I admit it was a few years old but I thought this stuff lasted forever). So in the middle of preparing the filling I had to walk to the grocery store. That was fine because I needed a lime or orange too. Well, wouldn't you know that I got chatting with someone and forgot it! I used lemon instead. The filling was absolutely delicious but I think I added a bit more liquid to make the cashew cream than I should have - the vita mix definitely wanted more than 2 tablespoons! The pie didn't get all the baking time it called for because it darkened quickly on the top and I didn't have foil to cover it and continue baking, and then the oven started smoking and set off the smoke alarm. Sheesh! As Karina states in the recipe, the pie will set up even more as it chills and I allowed it to do so for 24 hours. I knew it was underdone (stupid oven) but crossed my fingers and said a little prayer, lol. At the moment of unveiling, I got the spring form ring off just fine, it seemed nicely set.... but once I cut in, it was still on the soft side. My guests didn't mind one bit and thoroughly enjoyed, just as I did. The flavor and creamy texture are glorious and the praline (which I wanted to eat all by itself) and crust add a great touch. I decided that leftovers would be best served semifreddo style!

The full Thanksgiving moon was exquisite over the lake...

The second dessert I made was a Cranberry Concord Crape Cheesecake with Cranberry Date Compote. The filling gets extra silkiness from the cacao butter, and the textured compote topping has a nice tartness to contrast the sweet filling. A nice combination.

Cranberry Grape Cheesecake

Crust

1 cup blanched almonds
1/3 cup ground oat groats
3 tablespoons maple sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

In a food processor, grind the almonds into fine crumbs.
Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and blend to combine. Add the oil last and pulse to incorporate.
Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8" spring form pan. Set aside.

Filling

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups cashews
3/4 cup grape juice
1/3 cup maple syrup or agave
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 drops stevia
5 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
2-3 drops orange essential oil (optional)

Blend all but the oil and butter in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Add these remaining two ingredients and blend to incorporate.
Pour the filling over the crust and tap the pan to release air bubbles and even out the surface.
Chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Cranberry Date Compote

1 1/3 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh grape or orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest or 2 drops orange essential oil

Add all ingredients to a food processor and grind together, keeping some texture.
Spread over the chilled cheesecake.

I couldn't resist making a mini tester for myself before it went to the guests ;)

Is it looking like Fall in your area? Check out all the leaves in my parents yard!

Autumn Delight Recipes

2011-10-08T15:19:00.002-05:00

I've got Autumn treats and a super cute visitor to share today! I've made Raw Apple Crumble twice in the past month . I love this dessert when apples are in season. I like to serve it with a hearty scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce on top but when I want something fast I leave it plain. I use my favorite crumble topping along with a simple mixture of apples, dates, and cinnamon.

Crumble

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup pitted, packed dates

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup ground oat groats

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

In a food processor, grind all ingredients together into a crumbly, yet moist texture.

If you want the mixture to press together a bit better, add 1-2 teaspoons of water.

Evenly spread the crumble over the filling.

Apple Filling

6 large apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

4-6 medjool dates

Cinnamon, to taste

Dash of sea salt

In a food processor pulse 4 of the apples into small chunks and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Process the remaining 2 apples with the dates, cinnamon and salt, until smooth (like applesauce).

Mix both together and spread into the bottom of a 9x9" pan.

Sprinkle the crumble on top.

One of my favorites, Cinnamon Marshmallow Mousse, was on the menu recently too! I drizzled it with chocolate sauce and an extra dash of cinnamon. Yum yum! Perfect for this time of year.

Cinnamon Marshmallow Mousse

1 cup irish moss gel*

3/4 cup cashews

6 tablespoons water

6 drops stevia

5 tablespoons coconut nectar or maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon lecithin powder

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

Pinch of himalayan salt

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy in a high speed blender.

Add the oil and blend to incorporate.

Spoon into ramekins or dessert bowls and chill in the fridge until set (minimum of a few hours).

Or garnish with chunky coconut flakes and cinnamon!

Lemon Berry Swirl Cheesecakes with Berry Jelly were recently served up as part of a catering gig.

This little guy sauntered through my yard last week... adorable eh?! I got super close to take photos. He didn't seem bothered by me but then again he has some darn good protection!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians! I hope you're enjoying the same magnificent weather that we are.

Grapes, Peaches, and Nectarines

2011-10-04T22:11:00.000-05:00

I'm back on the sweet things again - but in moderation! In fact, my desire for sweet things has diminished quite a bit. My body was definitely re-set from my sugar cleanse. I've been back at it in the kitchie again making yummy things.

A friend recently gave me a bunch of gorgeous concord grapes from her vines. To reap their juicy rewards, I blended them on a low speed in the blender and then drained the juice with a strainer. I was inspired to make squares with a chewy bottom, creamy grape filling, and whipped cream topping. I garnished with dried figs and served them with grape jelly. Yum!

Concord Grape Cream Squares

Crust

3/4 cup cashews or almonds
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup ground oat groats
1 tablespoon ground yellow flaxseed
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
Pinch of salt
1-2 teaspoons water, as needed

Grind the almonds in a food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients except the coconut oil and water. Grind to combine.
Add the oil and blend again.
Add the water and pulse together until the dough will hold together when pressed in your hand.
Press the dough into the bottom of a small pan (I used approx 4x6"). You could double and use an 8x8" pan.

Filling

0.7oz soaked irish moss*
1 cup concorde grape juice
1/2 cup cashews
4 drops stevia
1 1/2 tablespoons liquid sweetener
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/3 cup melted coconut oil

Chop the irish moss. Blend in a high speed blender with the grape juice until completely smooth and slightly warm.
Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and blend until smooth.
Add the oil and blend again to combine.
Pour the filling over the crust.
Chill in the fridge or freezer until firm, 6-12 hours.

*Soak in enough cold water to cover for at least 6 hours.

About a month ago, the abundance of ripe Ontario peaches inspired me to make a Peach Cake. Also with irish moss (you can see that I just can't get enough), they add a nice lightness to the dessert. I set the filling on a coconut almond crust and topped it with more peaches and fresh cherries. This recipe yields a 6" cake in a spring form pan. I didn't do any measurements for the crust but it's a basic date nut crust with the addition of coconut.

Summer Peach Cream Cake

Crust

Almonds, ground
Dates
Shredded coconut
Vanilla

Grind ingredients together in a food processor. Add 1-2 teaspoons of water if needed to press the mixture together.
Press into the bottom of a 6" spring form pan.

Filling

1/2 cup irish moss gel
2 cups diced peaches (no need to peel)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
8 drops stevia
1/3 cup cashews
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon psyllium
2 drops peach medicine flower essence (optional)

Blend all the ingredients except the oil and psyllium until completely smooth and creamy.
Add those two ingredients and blend again to incorporate.
Pour the filling over the crust.
Chill in the fridge for at least 6-8 hours, or up to 12 hours.

Juicy ripe nectarines acted both as the highlight and garnish of a summer time batch of Vanilla Mousse. I made my favorite, cinnamon marshmallow mousse without the cinnamon and added extra vanilla. I love this stuff. I sprinkled a layer of blueberries into the ramekins before pouring the blended mousse mixture on top.

Sugar Detox... The Verdict

2011-09-23T10:25:00.001-05:00

I've successfully made it to day 14 of my sugar detox diet and my body is definitely thanking me for it. I feel rebalanced - energetic, light, and like my metabolism is back to normal. Here's an overview of how days 8 - 14 went....

Sugar Detox Day 8

This afternoon I made zucchini hummus for friends and I. Yum yum, love this stuff. I brought raw crackers and veggies to have with it. The girls were drinking wine which I would normally do too - but I drank water in a wine glass instead. I brought over a pizza crust, cashew cheese, and pesto, and together we made tomato sauce and topped the whole thing with lots of veggies. It made for a great meal to go with our chick flick!

Meals

- 2 eggs with spinach, red pepper and tomato

- Protein shake: 1 1/2 scoops New Zealand whey protein powder, frozen wild blueberries, spinach, strawberries, plain yogurt, water

- Lots of veggies, zucchini hummus, flax crackers

- Slice of raw pizza, 1 oz moose meat

- 1/2 cup plain yogurt

Exercise
Lawn mowing and window washing - 40 mins

Day 9

Someone was confused about how I could say I'm feeling thinner even though I mentioned some weight gain recently. Too many sweet things over the course of the summer equalled a "too heavy" feeling. I knew it was time to get off the sugar for a bit. Consequently, my metabolism has kicked up, I'm eating only what I need and not pecking away at sugary things, and so my weight is dropping. I know this because my clothes are getting loose.

Meals

- 2 eggs, spinach, zucchini, tomato
- Protein shake
- Small salad with 2 oz moose meat
- 1/2 protein shake
- Veggies, 2 oz moose meat, few raw crackers, zucchini hummus

Exercise

The Firm - weight training/cardio 45 mins
I tried one of the small exercises with 15 lb weights for the first time. I'm getting stronger, yay!

Day 10

Today I made a big batch of chili! It's a comforting warm food for this chilly time of year. I used moose meat, zucchini, onion, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, tomatoes, black beans, garlic, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, cayenne, and sea salt.

Meals

- Protein shake
- 2 eggs with big salad
- 1/2 cup chia pudding (almond milk, chia)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- Moose meat veggie chili, fresh tomato, flax crackers, chipotle dip
- 1 egg

Day 11

This afternoon I decided to throw some kale in my protein shake. Im fine with spinach and chard in shakes because they're quite neutral, but kale is quite strong. Strangely, I could smell the kale in the drink but I couldn't taste it. Success!
I realize it doesn't look like the most well rounded plan today, but it suited my busy schedule. The egg will keep me going through the night. I didn't get any exercise today.
This afternoon I made walnut zucchini crackers and two kinds of "crab" cakes for the dehydrator. Will feature the crab cakes in another post.

Meals

- Protein shake
- Salad (romaine, kale, tomato, red pepper, cucumber, avocado) with 2 eggs
- Protein shake with kale
- Chia pudding (almond milk, chia)
- 1 egg

Day 12

Can't believe it's almost to the two week mark. This plan has been effortless and freeing! Zero cravings. I want to continue eating this way with little treats here and there - not vice versa. I've leaned out a bit in 12 days. Today I tried on a pair of jeans that I bought and wore after a juice fast. They haven't fit in a long time. Well, they fit me again! I think this plan is a much better way for me to slim down and feel balanced than a fast.

I haven't done any exercise in a few days other than short walks. I feel so much better when I work out so it's time to get into action tomorrow!

Meals

- Protein shake
- Salad with moose meat, zucchini walnut crackers with zucchini hummus
- Chia pudding (almond milk, chia)
- 2 eggs, 1 tomato

Day 13

Almost there! Today I made up for my lack of exercise in the past few days. It felt sooo good! My body especially needed to be stretched out. Yoga will be on the agenda again tomorrow.

I made eggplant dip today. It's the same one I posted last winter on Universal Eater. Often I leave it chunky but today I pulsed it in the food processor to make it a bit creamier. I also added 1/2 a zucchini to the dip and stirred in a whole bunch of fresh parsley.

A friend gave me a big bag of amazing concord grapes from her vine so I juiced them this afternoon. My mind is conjuring up different ideas of what to make with them. I mixed some with chia to make a grape jelly and will try it soon.

Meals

- Protein shake: whey protein powder, water, plain yogurt, frozen berries, kale
- Moose meat veggie chili with kale, 1 piece veggie bread
- Plain yogurt
- Salad, 2 eggs, zucchini walnut crackers, eggplant dip

Exercise

- 30 minutes power yoga
- 30 minutes The Firm weight training/cardio
- 1 hour walk

Conclusion

I feel so good on this food plan that it's my priority to stay on it with little treats here and there. I have to get back to making chocolate/desserts and I'm curious to see how it goes when I start eating sweet things again. I believe the key for me is to eat enough protein that I DON'T crave the sugar. I've proven to myself that I can lean out just as much with a sugar free diet as with a juice or smoothie fast, and feel much more balanced and satisfied in the process.

On that note, stay tuned for pre-sugar detox treats!

Sugar Detox - Why this works for me and Chipotle Sun Dried Tomato Dip

2011-09-17T14:08:00.001-05:00

Sugar Free Day 5

The days are moving along smoothly. The only minor twinges I feel are when looking at my favorite blogs when they're featuring yummy sweet things, or when I'm doling out raw chocolate to friends and family. I remind myself that I'll be eating sweet things soon enough.

It was an exciting morning as a beautiful birthday gift arrived in the mail from one of my dearest friends, Ulyana. Gorgeous turquoise hoop earrings - she knows me well, it's is my favorite stone. I bought a turquoise ring last month that the earrings go perfectly with. This stone has powerful healing properties!

It was a catering day. I assembled tuno salad sammies, packed up kale chips, and made delicious cucumber dill soup which I hope to make again soon and write down to share with you.

Meals

- 2 eggs, chard, tomato (same ol'!)
- Protein shake: 1 scoop protein powder, frozen wild berries, plain yogurt, water
- Snack of lettuce/tomato, tuno salad spread, 1/2 piece veggie bread
- Cucumber dill soup, tuno sandwich w lettuce and tomato, 3 oz moose meat, handful kale chips
- Protein shake

Exercise

- Self "Your Best Butt Fast" - 40 mins
There's a segment that really gets your booootox! Another video I've had a long time and enjoy periodically. I like that a bit of yoga is incorporated at the end.

Day 6

Moving right along! I feel energized and thinner even though I'm eating substantially. Normally after a meal I crave something sweet even if something small. With this diet plan I feel satisfied after every meal.

A reason why I think this works for me...

Someone recently asked what my blood type is. I'm type O - the hunter/meat eater/oldest blood type - according to Dr. Peter D'Adamo who wrote Eat Right For Your Type. I came across this book for the first time when I was 14 years old, and had just turned vegan. When I started getting terrible fatigue, became underweight (to the point that people called me anorexic), and pale, my mom suggested I heed this information. Of course not! I was very set on my new healthy lifestyle and wasn't going to turn back because it was "the way". Now, years later, I see truth for me in his research. I see that I feel best on the diet he maps out for Type Os and it does for my Type O friends who used to be vegans too. I certainly don't follow it to the letter but the idea of more animal protein for my type seems fitting and I have an O friend who followed it exactly and got marvelous results. Go figure, my mom is lucky Type AB - more the vegetarian! But in any event, I can't help but suggest that if you're a Type O who is struggling on a raw/vegan diet, check out this book.

My boyfriend made this delicious spicy dish for dinner. Zucchini noodles with a tomato curry sauce made of fresh tomatoes, spinach, onion, garlic, curry, sea salt, and hot peppers, toss with prawns. I don't normally eat prawns since they're "bottom feeders" but I enjoyed a few in this dish.

Meals

- Protein shake
- Handful almonds and cucumber
- Salad (romaine, tomato, red pepper, celery, avocado), 4 oz moose meat, 1 piece veggie bread spread with egg salad
- Plain yogurt with wild blueberries
- Edamame
- Zucchini noodles with cooked tomato curry sauce, prawns and raita
- Protein shake

Exercise

40 minute power walk

Day 7

This is hump day! Halfway along. I had to package an order of turtles and I had a second of feeling like I wanted one but the thought passed quickly enough.
I still get hungry often on this food plan even though I'm eating quite a bit. All the protein is pumping my up metabolism I suppose. I ate yogurt just before going to bed and I still woke up in the middle of the night feeling hungry... I guess I'm still finding just the right amount to eat.

I made a yummy chipotle sun dried tomato dip (recipe below) to bring for a girls night along with tomato flax crackers and veggies. I'll definitely be making it again! There were yummy looking sweet things to be eaten and normally I would have brought a raw dessert but was just as happy with veggies, crackers, and dip.

Meals

- Protein shake
- Miso soup, salad with 2 oz moose meat, 1 egg, 1/2 piece veggie bread
- Protein shake with spinach
- 2 eggs with cooked chard and fresh tomato
- Flax crackers with sun dried tomato chipotle dip, cucumber, red pepper, romaine
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt

Exercise

- 45 mins power yoga - Shiva Rea, Yoga Shakti
She's fabulous and this video is great because you can customize your own yoga routine with the yoga matrix.

Chipotle Sun Dried Tomato Dip

1/2 cup packed sun dried tomatoes, soaked in enough water to cover
3/4 cup cashews
3/4 cup tomato soak water
1/2 cup diced tomato
1 clove garlic
3/4 - 1 teaspoon himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

Blend all ingredients until smooth, reserving one piece of sun dried tomato.
Chop the dried tomato and stir into the blended dip.

Wishing you a great weekend!

Sugar Detox Days 3 & 4... and savory raw recipes

2011-09-13T21:32:00.000-05:00

Day 3 Sugar Detox

As continued from my last post. Another happy healthy day (which began with this beautiful sunrise). My strength and energy are back to normal. My mood is stable, and I feel thinner. I was in the kitchen this afternoon making yummy savory things (see below). Today I've been thinking about how easy it is to do a sugar detox diet - so why do I let myself get carried away on sweets to begin with? I'm wondering if it's all in my mind, or if it's the protein and lack of sugar that allows me to follow through effortlessly... or BOTH?! Any thoughts?

Meals

- 2 eggs cooked in coconut oil, chard, tomato slices
- Protein shake: 1 scoop protein powder, frozen blueberries, strawberries, plain yogurt, water
- Salad: Romaine, celery, tomato, red pepper, avocado, olive oil, sea salt, 3-4 oz venison, 2 seed crackers
- Protein shake
- Few handfuls kale chips

Exercise

1 hour power yoga

Yoga is such a big part of my life. In addition to teaching it, I normally do it most days of the week but this summer I've slacked in favor of weight training routines. Time to get back on a regular schedule!

As you can see, my menu is boring these days, but I enjoy it. Here are some exciting eats from my recent weekly catering service that fit right in with my plan. As I write this, the smell of onion veggie bread, tomato chipotle flax crackers, and cheesey kale chips are wafting from my dehydrator. I'll be eating tuno sandwiches tomorrow. Mmmm!

Tuno Salad Sammie on Onion Veggie Bread

"Tuna" Salad
This stuff is sooo goood. I've made it many times before and enjoy it in lettuce leaves, in celery, on fresh tomato, and on raw crackers or bread. This recipe comes from Ocean and I've changed it slightly to suit my own taste. It looks like a lot of ingredients at first glance but I assure you it's very simple.

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked
1 cup walnuts, soaked
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs nama shoyu or tamari
1 teaspoon kelp flakes
1/2 - 1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3 tbs pickle juice* or more apple cider vinegar
1/2 - 1 teaspoon sea salt (use less if you're using pickle juice)
1 raw pickle, chopped (*Bubbies) - optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3-4 tbs chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

In a food processor grind the nuts and seeds.
Add the next seven ingredients and process to combine.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the dill, green onion, celery, red pepper, and parsley.

Onion Veggie Bread

This is a fabulous version of the popular onion bread that every raw foodie has tried. Since I don't like onion much, this suits me perfectly! Found on Gone Raw. Sometimes I just use 1 onion and sub extra zucchini. I like to add a little salt as I find it a bit bland with only one tbs of tamari. Play around to see what you like.

1 medium zucchini, shredded
1 large carrot, shredded
2 large onions, shredded in a food processor
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 tbs nama shoyu (or tamari)
1/2 cup water
1 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt (added by me)

Mix together the veggies, olive oil, water, and shoyu in a bowl.
Add the seeds and mix to combine.
Spread a thick layer of the mixture evenly on teflex sheets. Score into desired sizes.
Dehydrate at 145F for 1 hour and then turn the temperature down to 115F and continue dehydrating for 6-8 hours, flipping over to the mesh screen halfway through.

Day 4

Feeling good mentally and physically. I feel like I've lost 5 lbs which probably isn't possible, but it feels that way, lol. Speaking of health, we already know that happy bowels equal great health and a flat stomach. Mine were a mess (constipation) when I was sick and I'm happy to report that they're heaps better! When I eat too much cacao or sweets the reverse is true and things had been less than stellar lately. Well, things are superb in that department as a result of this diet (and its only the 4th day). Isn't it the truth that we feel great when we're pooping properly?!
Anyway, I made delicious egg salad this afternoon. Something I haven't made since the last time I did this plan. I simply pulsed some hard boiled eggs together in a food processor with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, then folded in chopped green onion and celery.

Meals
- 2 eggs, cooked in coconut oil, chard, tomato
- Protein shake: 1 scoop protein powder, frozen blueberries, plain yogurt, water, ice
- Kale chips, celery
- Salad (romaine, chard, tomato, red pepper, avocado) with 1 oz venison, egg salad, a few flax crackers
- Protein shake

Exercise

-30 minute Jillian Michaels workout
This is a total butt kick in 30 mins! There are 4 different workouts on the dvd so it's nice to have a choice and switch it up.
-30 min walk
....................................

4 days down and 10 to go!

Time For A Cleanse

2011-09-12T11:33:00.002-05:00

I want to say thank you again for all the fabulous comments on my last health post that keep coming in. It's really nice to read the experiences of your shifts in diet and what works/doesn't. If it interests you, take a peek at what others had to say. It's really wonderful to see people regaining their health just like I have!

It's that time again. Time for a "cleanse". But not the kind of cleanse I used to do (juice fasting, smoothie fasting, fruit fasting)! Nope! Three days ago I began the same sugar-free/cacao-free diet plan that I followed for the month of January. You may remember that I started up a whole new blog, Universal Eater, devoted to my new omnivorous lifestyle. People have asked if I'll post there again and then answer is yes. I'll be posting there regularly (following this post) in the next 2 weeks with what I'm eating and what exercise I'm doing.

So why am I doing this again?
I've been pumping out a LOT of chocolates and desserts this summer, which means eating lots of them too! And not just raw, but some cooked vegan items that I've featured at the farmers markets. I'm such a sucker for all these yummy things when they're floating around and then I want to eat more of the sweet stuff than the protein rich foods I know my body desires. Even fruit, being as natural, healthy, and beautiful as it is can have an effect on me when eaten in excess as I've done lately (watermelons galore, peaches, cherries by the bucket, bananas, etc etc). Consequently I've been experiencing some brain fog, weight gain and irritability, so I know it's time to press the reset button. I've been gearing up for this for a few weeks but needed the right time to start. And this time only for 2 weeks since I'll have to return to making sweet things. In the meantime, I'm only catering savory items.

Here's what I'll be munching on:

Salads/veggies
Wild meat (elk, moose, venison, bison)
Wild fish
Eggs
Sea veggies
Plain yogurt
Extra virgin coconut and olive oil
Wild berries
Whey protein powder
Stevia
Nuts/seeds (minimal)

Here's what I will be avoiding:

Sweeteners
Cacao
Carob
Super foods
Fruit, except berries
Grains

A note about my meals: I don't portion out my food. I don't count calories. I drink lots of fresh water in between meals and often a daily glass of powdered greens in water. I eat when I feel hungry, not when I "should" be eating (ie: 12:00 = lunch). I prefer smaller meals more frequently. Don't bother telling me what looks "wrong" in my diet plan.

Day 1 Meals

- 2 farm fresh eggs cooked in 1/2 tsp coconut oil, fresh raw salsa, raw gazpacho soup
- Scoop of plain yogurt
- Nori roll with parsnip rice, cucumber, red pepper, avocado
- Salad (greens, cucumber, tomato, red pepper, avocado) with tomato chipotle dressing, and wild deer meat.
- Small bowl plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup smoothie: strawberries, greens, yogurt, water

Exercise

30 minutes yoga
25 minute walk

Overview

Even though part of me was worried I might not be able to go off sugar, I was really excited to get started on my plan! I've been looking forward to it for a while, knowing how amazing I felt eating this way before. I found the day effortless and satisfying. It's so interesting to watch my positive response to a protein rich, sugar free breakfast. It's like night and day compared to eating a sweet breaky of fruit or smoothie. My egg and veg breaky totally satisfied me and I had no desire to keep snacking as I normally do after eating fruit or other sweet things. Around 9pm I was quite hungry so drank a little of my mom's smoothie. I guess I didn't eat enough throughout the day and will get more calories in tomorrow.

Day 2

Today I woke up feeling really hungry but first and always, hot lemon water to hydrate and cleanse. My breakfast was just what I needed and then I waited 30-40 minutes to do a workout. I'm feeling a bit tired today as I adjust to the lack of sugars and stimulants. I am also a bit weak which I noticed in my weight training but did my best to power through it. Fortunately I had the foresight to bring a little baggie of almonds to an afternoon event as I got ravenous by late afternoon. Otherwise I'm feeling great. My body sure feels better already and I feel like I'm metabolizing my food.

Meals

- 2 eggs cooked in coconut oil, chard, tomato slices, raw salsa
- Protein shake: 1 scoop protein powder*, water, frozen strawberries/blueberries, chard, ice
- Salad with deer meat and tomato dressing (same as yesterday)
- Handful of almonds
- protein shake: 1 scoop protein powder, frozen blueberries, chard, yogurt, water, ice
- Few raw seed crackers with cheddar dip

*I use a high quality whey protein powder sourced from New Zealand and is sweetened with stevia.

Exercise

- 40 minutes weight training/cardio: The Firm - Tough tape 2

Despite the cheesey 80s factor, I love this video and have had it for years but am doing it consistently this summer. I love how I can use 10 lb weights for it now (used to use 8), and do full pushups instead of on my knees. If you want a great workout that incorporates weight training with some cardio, this is for you - its NOT for the faint of heart. If you use weights that are challenging for you, you'll be workin' and sweating by the end.

Day 3

It's just the beginning so "to be continued", but it's off to a good start. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling really hungry and by the morning I was famished. I've rarely wake with strong hunger pains. As I said yesterday, I think my metabolism is revving and I'm easily burning the kinds of foods I eat on this plan. My breaky is the same as yesterday (and probably will be most days).

I realize that this isn't the best plan for everyone, but it sure works for me! :)

Have you ever done a completely sugar free detox? If so, how did you feel on it?

Summer In Review

2011-09-10T10:52:00.000-05:00

Summer is winding down but we've been fortunate enough to enjoy an unusual heat spell in the past week with temperatures around 29C (85F) - just my style! Lots of time in and around the lake. Today I was downloading and looking back on photos from the past few months and thought I'd share some. We've had lot of company, I've taken three trips, done lots of catering, gone in the farmers markets, spent time with friends, been out in the boat and to the beach, and done plenty of lounging around outside. It's been blissful!

A trip to the beach one afternoon with girl friends.

A hike in the woods.

I took two trips to the community north of here where my man is stationed as a police officer....

... its a northern paradise up there!

With gorgeous sunsets!

I saw an old childhood friend and her sweet little baby.

I enjoyed heaps of watermelon lemonade...

... And little picnics at the beach. I made and ate raw gazpacho countless times. It went great with dehydrated crackers.

Enjoyed my lake - the view to the west...

And a view to the east.

I celebrated my birthday last week with friends and family. For the first time in years I had a cooked cake - chocolate beet cake (made by my mom) with raw vanilla ice cream.

On one of the rare rainy days this summer, we lit a fire in the wood stove.

Gorgeous butterfly - photo taken by my dad.

We fed Miss Ducky today. She comes around a lot.

What fun things did you get up to this summer? Have a great weekend!

Truffles, Tarts, and Donuts

2011-09-07T20:47:00.001-05:00

Here's another brief update on the happenings in my kitchen within the past month.

The Farmers Market is only running a few more times this season (boo hoo, how does the summer fly by so fast?!). Donut holes made it into the last market.

Donut Holes
Inspired by Nicole's recipe

1 1/2 cup almonds, ground
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup pitted, packed dates, chopped
1/4 cup ground yellow flax
1/4 cup lucuma powder
1/4 cup irish moss gel
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 drops stevia

Grind all ingredients in a food processor, grinding into a dough.
Chill the mixture in the fridge until it stiffens slightly.
Roll into balls and roll into a dry sugar of your choice. I used raw sugar which I think looks best and gives a nice crunch when you bite into the balls. Try rolling in coconut sugar or lucuma powder.

Many truffles were packed up in pink, white, and silver boxes. Dark chocolate, orange, cinnamon spice, maple, coconut, and hazelnut are the flavors I offer.

And an old childhood friend who no longer lives in town made it to my booth.

I made this Chocolate Truffle Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream and my Strawberry Lime Mousse Cake (also featured in an Australian dessert class) recently as part of a catering job.

Raw Pizza was featured on my raw food menu a few weeks ago.

Tomato buckwheat pizza crust with sun dried tomato sauce, cashew cheese, pesto, marinated mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini, spinach, and fresh basil. Yum yum! This is always a hit.

Inspired By Mint

2011-08-28T09:12:00.000-05:00

First I want to say thanks to those of you who shared what diet works best for you! It seems as though a lot of us have similar requirements and feel best on a high raw diet with some animal protein. I'm SO happy that I made the shift. I'm not sure where I'd be today if I hadn't.

Now, onto the food. Mint has been a summer inspiration! I have it growing in my herb garden, but there are patches of magnificent wild peppermint growing in my yard too. It was begging to be used in a creation last week so I came up with Chocolate Mint Cream Bars. Oooh were they good and I have a few tucked away in the freezer for a special occasion. If you're a regular reader, you know I'm a huge fan of irish moss and love soft mousses and puddings so I decided to add this element to the mint bars. The result was a light, flavorful moussey topping on a dense chocolatey base which also acts as the brownies I sell at the Farmer's Market. I couldn't resist drizzling my favorite raw chocolate sauce on top.

Chocolate Mint Cream Bars

Chocolate Brownie Crust

1 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/4-1/3 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons water, as needed

Grind the almonds in a food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients and process to combine into a dough.
If the mixture is too crumbly and dry, add a little water.
Press into the bottom of a 9x9" pan. Set aside.

Mint Cream Topping

1/2 cup irish moss gel
1 cup cashews
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup packed peppermint leaves
1/4 cup liquid sweetener of choice
5-7 drops stevia
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1-3 drops pure peppermint essential oil*
2 teaspoons melted cacao butter

Blend all ingredients until smooth, except the cacao butter. Start with less mint oil and add more, to taste.
Add the butter and blend again to incorporate.
Spread the mixture over the chocolate crust and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before slicing.
Drizzle chocolate sauce or any other garnish you like.

*Use a high quality one. Remember, a little goes a long way!

My latest book, Ice Cream In The Raw was released earlier this summer and in addition to creating the recipes, I use the book often. The vanilla is still my most tried and true favorite but many of the others are a second best. A customer requested Caramel Ice Cream with "some kind of crunchy things throughout". I made the Lucuma Caramel Swirl Ice Cream from the book with a little extra sweetener and without the swirl - then added chopped caramel pecan turtles. I have to say, it was pretty heavenly. I recently made the Mint Chip Ice Cream for an order and naturally had to make extra for myself as it's just so darn delish.

On another note, here are some cool pics I thought you might like - all taken by my mom this summer. This is the beauty we're fortunate enough to see on a daily and weekly basis around my house.

Mister Beaver going to make his home which is just around the corner from my home :)

This fox keeps coming around our house so we feed him. Isn't he adorable?!

This eagle has his nest just down the river so we see him from the boat.

Great blue heron.

I'm off to enjoy some sunshine by the lake before driving to the city this afternoon. I hope you're having a great weekend and to those of you on the East Coast, I'm sending loving vibes your way.

From Vegan to Omnivore - An Update

2011-08-25T20:58:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've brought up the subject of my health status yet I continue to receive regular emails from people who are going through the same/similar issues as myself and are wanting support/advice. Other readers are just plain curious to know where I'm at in this journey. The most common questions I'm asked are: 1. Are you still eating meat? 2. I'm experiencing 'a,b,c' just like you did. Can you help me? 3. How do you feel these days?

The good news is that I'm still feeling great! A million times better than I did this time last year. Last summer was a terrible one physically, mentally, emotionally, and I'm so grateful to feel like a normal human being again. For a quick breakdown (full story HERE) - my digestive tract was in bad condition and I had constant gut pain, was constipated, got to the point of daily headaches, was so depressed/purposeless that I was on the verge of suicide, had constant angry outbursts, anxiety, fatigue, weakness, etc, that lasted about 8 months.

Going back to January when I stopped posting updates on Universal Eater... I felt amazing on my sugar free/cacao free diet, eating mostly meat, eggs, veggies, plain yogurt, and a bit of nuts/chia. I feel that cleansing my body of ALL sugars (yes, even fruit) and cacao for a while was extremely important, and something that I'd like to do once a year. Mentally my status was on an even keel, and physically my strength was back so I started working out. My body started to lean out immediately after cutting the sugars (since I was still imbalanced, even a little sugar was causing my body to puff up). My motivation was high and all was good. An interesting thing happened too. Normally I despise winter. In my northern location in Canada we have very long, cold, dark winters that get me down and leave me with a perpetual chill. For the first time since I can remember, I felt comfortable in the cold. Near the end of January I started eating a small amount of sugar and cacao again and still felt great. By the time I went to Australia in mid February I was still eating meat (wild kangaroo!), occasional eggs, raw milk, and incredible biodynamic yogurt. By the way, chia pudding made with raw milk and topped with goji berries and cacao nibs is so rich, creamy, and satisfying!

These days I still eat meat on a regular basis and I do eat some form of animal protein every day. I feel off if I don't and end up reaching for too much sugar and cacao. Actually, it's my natural tendency to want to eat sweet things over anything else so I do have to be careful and make sure that I get sufficient protein. If I don't eat meat I enjoy fish (my dad catches it a few times a week) or eggs. In addition I eat daily salads, lots of fruit, nuts, seeds, moderate cacao, and my beloved daily raw dessert. I feel much more balanced physically/emotionally eating this way. I know that excess cacao throws me off (especially when eaten on an empty stomach) so I know when to take a little break from it.

Just to be clear - this is what works for ME. I'm NOT suggesting that this is the way for everyone - in fact, I know that a raw and/or vegan diet works for some people. I DO believe that everyone on a SAD diet can benefit from eating raw vegan for a period of time in order to cleanse the body and mind. After that, it may be time for a rebuilding phase and this is where the animal protein comes in. Veggie proteins just don't do it for me in the same way. I've finally discovered that it's important to listen to my body instead of my head. Some days I crave eggs and the thought of meat turns me off - so I eat up my eggs with my veggies and feel great! Other days the opposite is true so I eat accordingly.

A meal of 2 eggs with spinach, zucchini, and tomatoes. I love runny yolks - a yummy form of biotin!

Interestingly I got many compliments about my looks when I was sick. On a regular basis I was told I looked great, looked healthy, looked fit. Yeah I was thin but I was tired 24/7 and slogging along. Last summer I went to my friend's gym in the city and while he was doing his workout, I took an exercise class - the same style of class I've taken many times in the past. I couldn't believe it when I was so weak that I could barely make it through 12 pushups on my knees.

I've put on some weight since changing my diet (I'd rather be 10 lbs thinner) but I'm healthy and strong again. Whoa am I strong! (well for my standards). Some muscles have reemerged that I think had started to atrophy over the past few years. I'm able to do super workouts now. I'm up to 20 "real"/man pushups in a row and complete up to 60 full pushups in a workout, something I couldn't do before. It's a great thing and I feel extremely empowered and motivated to continue.

So on that note, I'm happily forging ahead with my omnivorous, high raw diet. I feel purposeful again and life is pretty darn good...

I'd love to hear from you. Do you feel amazing on a long term raw food/vegan diet? Have you tried raw and run into any imbalances? Is the thought of eating cooked food or animal protein scary if it means gaining a few pounds, even if it means becoming healthier?

Berry, Cherry, Fruity Goodness

2011-08-20T11:36:00.000-05:00

Besides the berry goodness, I've been into some cherry goodness in the past month. The BC (British Columbia) cherries are normally stellar but this year they're over the top. Big, fat, juicy cherries! Mostly I enjoy them straight up, but I've gotten a little creative too. Cherry Coconut Breaky Parfait was a simple banana coconut pudding layered with cherries and garnished with coconut whipped cream and cacao nibs.

At the end of dipping chocolate truffles for the market, I couldn't resist dipping a few cherries. What a divine combination!!! I love the crunch and slight bitterness of the dark chocolate paired with the sweetness and juiciness of the cherry.

Last month I ate watermelon like a champ. By the slice, as lemonade, and in smoothies. I was surprised to discover that watermelon and banana are a yummy combo when blended. All kinds of recipes were sprinkled around the blogsphere, especially watermelon lime slushies which I'm a big fan of. Simply blend fresh and frozen watermelon (or all fresh and sub ice cubes), with lime juice and a few drops of stevia. It's perfect on a hot day!

Watermelon, strawberry, mint, and lime are another fabulous combo.

The raspberries in my yard inspired me to make a summery Lime Berry Tart, inspired by a Sweet Gratitude Recipe. This was sweet and sour and downright delicious!

Berries Galore!

2011-08-10T10:29:00.002-05:00

I know I said that my next post was going to be a health progress report (it's half written), but I've been racing against the clock these days to cater heaps of food.

Here's my easy peasy strawberry pudding, which works as a template for any fruit. This time I paired it with mango and peach pudding for a summertime parfait! For my catering menu last week, kiwi, strawberries, and an almond coconut mixture were layered together for a color and flavor explosion (no time to snap a pic of that). The Ontario peaches are ripe and I'm taking advantage. They're beautifully juicy and flavorful!

Strawberry Pudding

3 cups diced strawberries*
1 1/2 cups cashews
2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup liquid sweetener
Pinch of salt

*Sub half of each mango and peach.

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Taste test and adjust!
Yum yum, make your parfait!

On another occasion I used an abundance of raspberries from the garden to create a simple parfait. In the bottom of the glass I spooned a mixture of blended and whole berries, followed by the mango peach pudding and more berries.

Speaking of raspberries, we've had a bumper crop this year! There have been necessary daily trips to the stalks to pick baskets to be eaten fresh and many to be frozen for the winter. What a treat!

With more berries on the menu, a Peach Banana Raspberry Smoothie was a sweet breaky the other day. Frozen bananas, water, fresh peach, ice, stevia, and tocotrienols all blended up with lots of raspberries floating throughout.

What fruit are you enjoying this summer??

On that note, I'm off to the kitchen and then some time at the beach. Chocolate truffle tart, Coconut pecan bars, cakes, turtles, and truffles are on my to-do list!

Sweet Summer Recap

2011-08-01T10:02:00.000-05:00

It's been a whirlwind for me lately. All kinds of food is being pumped out of my kitchie for catering jobs and I've been selling my sweeties at the local farmers market. In between all the food, I've been enjoying ample time in the sun by the lake and spending quality time with friends and family. Summer is favorite time of year and I wish it lasted all twelve months! While I've barely had time to pull out the camera, here are a few of the latest eats around here...

Raw Berry Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream

Such a classic, right?! How can you go wrong with this dessert in the heat of summer? This crumble is a simple mix of berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) tossed with a berry sauce (handful of berries, a medjool date, squeeze of lemon juice), and topped with my "go-to" crumble topping. A scoop of vanilla ice cream tops the whole thing off!

Speaking of ice cream, here are the marbled results of leftover raw chocolate and vanilla ice creams! It's really quite easy: two slightly softened ice creams layered together in a container. Freeze for a while and then scoop through all the layers. Voila! Swirls of yumminess! I topped it with dark chocolate fruit and nut clusters (which I'm selling at the market now). Yummm!

Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes were the results of leftovers from a large cheesecake.

I really should be documenting my fun trips to the Farmer's Market but there's always such a flurry of activity that it never happens (I've gone in two so far this summer and will participate in the remaining markets that run to the end of September). I've been selling my chocolate caramel turtles (top seller!), various truffles, coconut macaroons, granola bars, oatmeal raisin cookies, mini cheesecakes, fruit and nut chocolate clusters, date nut balls, etc. It's a bummer that I only have two pictures to share...

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Just Desserts. These are always a hit!

Lemon Berry Swirl Cheesecake was part of a catering job last week...

...So were these Cacao Brownies!

And last, but not least, I made my white chocolate orange cake from Just Desserts for my sweetheart's birthday. After sampling it at my mom's birthday, he requested it for his own! I covered it with a raw chocolate ganache and garnished it with cherries. He was in tenth heaven.

On another note, I continue to receive emails from readers who are curious to hear where I'm at in my health journey. I've been remiss for not keeping up with that - BUT have starting writing a little post with an update.

Fresh Mexican Food

2011-07-18T21:09:00.003-05:00

How about a super fresh Mexican dish - raw vegan style?! For years I've been making these fabulous raw veggie fajitas by my rad friend, Jozzie. A few months ago this entree made an appearance at my and Anya's raw dinner party in Australia and people raved. Two weeks ago it was featured on my local catering menu (which I recently started up again). This recipe is simple and over-the-top delicious. The great thing is that they can be served after just a few hours of marinating, for super crunchy veggies - OR they can be marinated and then dehydrated for a few hours giving them a "cooked" feel, which is what I did this time. Your friends and family won't know these are raw - and with the meaty portobello mushrooms they won't miss the meat. Dress 'em down or dress 'em up as much as you want. I like to serve them with guacamole, salsa, sour kream, and cheddar sauce.

Want some more ideas? Check out my past Mexican food class!

Raw Veggie Fajitas

Throw these together just a few hours before eating, or allow the veggies to marinate 8-12 hours. I prefer 12 hours to let the flavors mingle and the veggies to soften. I also like to add a little acidity in the form of apple cider vinegar to the marinade. Make them as spicy or mild as you like - I do best with 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne since I'm a wimp when it comes to spice!

2 large portobello mushrooms

3 bell peppers, sliced into strips

1 zucchini, sliced into sticks

1 sweet or red onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup nama shoyu or tamari

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Toss all ingredients together in a big bowl.

Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 12 hours.

Optional: dehydrate for a few hours after marinating.

Serve in romaine lettuce leaves with sauces and salsa.

Sour Kream

This is cool, refreshing, and goes perfectly with the fajitas. I also like to use half apple cider vinegar, half lemon juice. Play around.

3/4 cup raw cashews

3/4 cup young coconut pulp

1/2 cup water

1- 3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon himalayan or sea salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy in a high speed blender.

Chill for a few hours.

Salsa

This is an easy recipe that I never measure. It's easy to adapt it to your own taste. Sometimes I add red onion, sometimes I add jalapeno. Lemon or lime juice depending on my mood... lots of options! Simply chop the ingredients in a food processor, season, taste, and reseason. Voila!

Tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, jalapeno pepper (optional), himalayan salt, lemon juice.

Cheddar Sauce

The famous raw cheezy sauce. Great on fajitas and as a veggie/cracker dip.

1 large red bell pepper

2-3 tablespoons water

1 cup cashews

2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon tahini

2 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 large clove garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Chill.

I served up some fajitas to my mom for the first time and she loved them!

You know I can't get through a post without mentioning something sweet! Here's another recent menu item. Blueberry cheesecake. Same recipe as my strawberry cheesecake.

What refreshing summer eats are you enjoying?!

On another note, I'm excited to share that I was featured in Fitness Magazine online this week as a "Fit Blogger We Love" - not sure how they found me, but I was thrilled to do a little interview and share my fruit crumble recipe.

Raw Fruit Crumble

2011-07-10T20:41:00.001-05:00

Fruit crumble has been my treat of choice lately. It's light, sweet, and works well with any fruit. Last week I made an Apple Strawberry Peach Crumble using the topping from the Mango Berry Crumble I made last summer. I turned leftovers into yummy ice cream sundaes which made ideal lunches in the heat of summer.

Apple Strawberry Peach Crumble

Fruit:

3- 4 cups cored, peeled, thinly sliced apples

2 medium peaches, peeled and sliced

2 cups diced strawberries

Extra handful strawberries

Blend the handful of strawberries until smooth.

Toss all ingredients together.

Spread the fruit into the bottom of a 9"x 9" pan.

Crumble:

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup pitted, packed dates

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup ground oat groats

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

In a food processor, grind all ingredients together into a crumbly, yet moist texture.

If you want the mixture to press together a bit better, add 1-2 teaspoons of water.

Evenly spread the crumble over the fruit.

Serve immediately, chill for a few hours, or dehydrate for a few hours until warm.

For a Banana Ice Cream Crumble, I simply blended frozen bananas in my vita mix (you can use a food processor) until smooth and layered with the crumble. I topped it all off with delicious wild dwarf raspberries. They taste exactly like the raspberry gummy candies I loved as a kid!

Or how about a Blueberry Ice Cream Crumble? Blend 75% frozen bananas with 25% frozen blueberries for creamy berry ice cream.

Yummmm!

Tutti Fruity Raw Summer Sweets

2011-07-04T10:11:00.001-05:00

The summer sun has me craving cold fruity treats. I've been chowing down on lots of watermelon, stone fruits, banana ice cream, and sipping on watermelon lemonade. Soon the wild blueberries will be out and I'll be in tenth heaven.

Yesterday I whipped up this frosty smoothie for an outdoor lunch on my dock. It was a scorcher outside so this was just the drink to cool me down. Substitute your favorite fruits for the peaches and mango if you like.

Frosty Fruity Smoothie

1 - 1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 large frozen banana
1/2 cup chopped frozen mango
1/2 cup chopped peaches
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla
Stevia, to taste

Blend all ingredients until smooth and frosty.

This Strawberry Cheesecake with Glazed Mango Strawberry Topping went to a friend the other day. You can find the recipe HERE, with the addition of shredded coconut to the trust and chopped mango/strawberry tossed with berry sauce.

A Banana Chia Pudding Parfait was my Sunday Brunch recently. It's a basic chia pudding layered with banana vanilla soft serve (frozen bananas and pure vanilla extract blended until smooth), goji berries, frozen/thawed wild blueberries, and coconut vanilla crunch granola. I like how the blueberry juice bleeds into the ice cream. It was light and cooling in the heat.

It's a basic chia pudding layered with banana vanilla soft serve (frozen bananas and pure vanilla extract blended until smooth), goji berries, frozen/thawed wild blueberries, and coconut vanilla crunch granola. I like how the blueberry juice bleeds into the ice cream. It was light and cooling in the heat.

Oh, and I can't forget the Carob Pudding I enjoyed for dessert last week. Carob is such an amazing food - hence the reason I devoted a whole recipe book to it, lol. Anyway, during my regular breaks from cacao, carob does the trick in curing my cravings. The carob nut cups are still my favorite though. If you haven't tried them, you ought to!

On the note of summer, friends and I took a trip to the park last weekend. We enjoyed a picnic and had heaps of fun lounging on the beach, in the water, horsing around, and walking through the woods.

I hope you're having a fun summer too!

Decadent Raw Chocolate Cake

2011-06-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago my cousin (who I haven't seen in 10 years) and her husband visited from Montreal. Since they've never tried my food I was excited to whip up some eats for them. I went with this dark chocolate mousse cake paired with vanilla bean ice cream from my new eBook, Ice Cream In The Raw, and strawberry sauce, garnished with a yacon syrup drizzle and cacao nibs. It was a meal in itself. Totally rich and delicious!

Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake

Crust:
3/4 cups almonds
1/4 cup pitted, packed dates
Cacao powder
1-2 teaspoons water

Grind the almonds in a food processor.
Add the dates and continue to process into a doughy texture.
Add cacao powder, to taste. Add a little water, if necessary to ensure the dough holds together when pressed.
Press into the bottom of an 8" spring form pan. Set aside while making the filling.

Filling:
3/4 cup irish moss gel*
1 cup water
3/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cacao powder
6 drops stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon himalayan salt
4 1/2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Combine all ingredients but the butter and oil, until smooth and creamy.
Add the final two ingredients and blend to incorporate.
Pour the mixture over the crust and chill in the fridge until firm, at least 6-8 hours.

*If the gel is already chilled, pack it into the cup.

On another sweet note, the lovely Lisa of Vegan Culinary Crusade is hosting a raw ice cream sandwich challenge ending tomorrow, so get your entries in. I know how exciting these dessert challenges are, having hosted 3 of them myself, but I also know how difficult it is to judge these things because everyone is oozing with creativity! Im thrilled that a copy of Ice Cream In The Raw will be awarded to the second place winner. Lisa made my Apple Crumble Ice Cream Parfait but turned it into ice cream sammies - great idea! I hope you're inspired to get in your kitchie and make some too. Good luck!

Ice Cream In The Raw eBook

2011-06-17T10:20:00.005-05:00

I'm super excited to announce the release of my latest raw dessert ebook,

"Ice Cream In The Raw"!!!

Summer is here, and "Ice Cream In The Raw" is the perfect collection of delicious, frosty raw vegan ice cream recipes to keep you cool and satisfied during the hot months. These treats are easy to prepare, and are great healthy alternatives to regular ice cream. Enjoy a variety of recipes, from simple classics, to more elaborate desserts for entertaining that are sure to impress both you and your guests. You'll find fun recipes that your kids will love, and of course, great toppings too!

This gorgeous book will get your mouth watering and fill you with inspiration. I like to think of it as more of a guide to create your own masterpieces!

Here's what you will find in “Ice Cream In The Raw”:

50 pages with 5 chapters featuring 40 different recipes

A detailed table of contents for easy navigation

Helpful hints and tips

Gorgeous mouth-watering photos for every recipe

Easy to follow instructions

Here's a visual sneak peak of what 'Ice Cream In The Raw' has in store for you...

Coconut Truffle Ice Cream

Blueberry Cardamom Ice Cream

Jackfruit Ice Cream

Strawberry Ice Cream

Lucuma Caramel Swirl Ice Cream

Orange Creamsicle Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Pina Colada Sherbet

Hazelnut Vanilla Ice Cream

Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Bars

Spirulina Ice Cream

This incredible recipe collection features 40 raw vegan recipes with the following chapters: Classics, Entertaining, Summer Bliss, Frozen Fun, and Toppings. Enjoy these recipes and more!

Pina Colada Sherbet

Classic Vanilla Ice Cream

Mint Chip Ice Cream

Ice Cream Cones

Orange Creamsicle Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Banana Mulberry Crunch Sundae

Coconut Truffle Ice Cream

Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Bars
Sorbets and Sherbets
Lemon Ginger Granita

Spirulina Ice Cream

Raspberry Goji Ice Cream

Jackfruit Ice Cream

Blueberry Almond Coconut Crunch Ice Cream

Lucuma Caramel Swirl Ice Cream

Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

White Chocolate Strawberry Ice Cream
Carob Banana Soft Serve
Avocado Pistachio Vanilla Ice Cream

Apple Crumble Ice Cream Parfait

Fudgey Chocolate Sauce

Caramel Sauce

Maple Cinnamon Pecans

And More!...

Impress your friends and family this summer with incredible raw vegan ice creams!

Ice Cream In The Raw is available for download now

Purchase the Ice Cream In The Raw eBook and download today:

$14.99

Best Deal: Purchase 1. Ice Cream In The Raw, 2. Just Desserts, 3. The Moonie Pie Recipes, and 4. Party Parfait and SAVE...10% off!*

$39.97

After your purchase is completed, you should receive an email with download instructions within the next few minutes. (If you don't see it in your inbox, you might want to make sure it hasn't been sent to your SPAM or junk folder!) *Note: For the Best Deal package, Ice Cream In The Raw will download for you immediately and the other three books will be sent to you shortly after.

~All book sales are final~

Having trouble downloading the ebook?

Contact Heather - heather@sweetlyraw.com

Exciting News and Raw Strawberry Pudding

2011-06-12T19:56:00.001-05:00

The beginning of summer is such a beautiful time up here in the North. Right now the pretty purple lilacs are in full bloom. Soon the lupins, wild roses, dwarf raspberries, and strawberries will be out. This afternoon I just happened to catch a shot of the lilacs in my yard with a gorgeous butterfly resting on them.

I have some exciting news! I'm in the midst of finishing up a new eBook which will be released by next week. Ice Cream In The Raw is a 50 page book featuring 40 ice cream and topping recipes.

Still on my irish moss kick, here's a yummy nut-free, creamy strawberry pudding that I whipped up last week. A batch of moss gel lasts a week - enough time to pull a few creations together. I had some chocolate crumbs from a new cake creation (that's coming soon too), so thought they'd be a nice little added touch.

Strawberry Pudding

1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
1/2 cup irish moss gel*
1/2 cup young coconut pulp
3 tablespoons liquid sweetener
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 drops stevia
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

Blend all ingredients except the oil, until smooth.
Add the oil and blend to incorporate.
Chill the pudding in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

*Irish Moss Gel

3/4 cup water

2 oz soaked irish moss

1. Rinse a handful of irish moss in cold water until any bits of debris have been removed. Rinse until the water runs clear.

2. Allow the moss to soak in cold water for 6-12 hours.

3. Remove the moss from the soak water - do not rinse.

4. Chop the moss and blend it with the 3/4 cup water until it warms up and turns into a gel.

5. Chill the gel in the fridge for 6-7 days, or use immediately. When using in recipes where it's already chilled and firm, make sure to pack it into the cup to get a proper measurement.

Stay tuned for my new baby, Ice Cream In The Raw... :)

Orange Vanilla Bean Mousse

2011-06-08T10:11:00.001-05:00

Last week I was in the mood to play with irish moss. I love this versatile sea veggie because it creates the most incredible silky, fluffy, spongy, raw desserts - particularly mousses, puddings, custards, and pie fillings. Another great thing about irish moss is that it provides a thick, creamy texture without using any nuts. I prefer to combine it with young coconut, coconut oil, and a bit of cashews in addition to flavorings and fruits, for an ideal consistency.

I had originally intended for this mousse to be only vanilla flavored, but an overflow of bright oranges in the fruit bowl caught my eye so I just had to try adding it at the end. Am I ever glad I did - the orange kicked up the taste ten fold. Try using fresh orange juice in place of the water and slightly decrease the sweetener. This dessert is light and spongy, making it perfect for summer.

Orange Vanilla Bean Mousse

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup irish moss gel*
1/2 cup cashews
5 tablespoons maple syrup
5- 6 drops stevia
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons packed orange zest
2 drops orange essential oil (optional)

Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy.
Add the oil and blend to incorporate.
Pour the mousse into ramekins or small dishes.
Chill in the fridge until firm, at least 6 hours. Serve it with orange segments if you like.

*Irish Moss Gel

3/4 cup water

2 oz soaked irish moss

Rinse a handful of irish moss in cold water until any bits of debris have been removed. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear.

Allow the moss to soak in cold water for 6-12 hours.

Chop the moss and blend it with the tea or water until it warms up and turns into a gel.

Chill the gel in the fridge for 5-7 days, or use immediately.

If you'd like more irish moss recipes, try some of my other creations:

Dark Chocolate Mousse

Springy Strawberry Pudding

Cinnamon Marshmallow Mousse

Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Mulberry Mousse

Mint Vanilla Pudding

Cherry Almond Pudding Parfait

Time for Tarts

2011-05-22T18:14:00.000-05:00

I couldn't help getting creative with leftover filling from the mini cheesecakes I made the other day. I swirled the mango and strawberry fillings together in a crust that I had made during my recent dehydrator blitz. Mango Berry Swirl Tart! Oh boy, was it yummy!

Crunchy Almond Pulp Crusts

1/2 cup almond pulp

1/3 cup ground oat groats

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon ground yellow flax

1 medjool date, minced

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon melted cacao butter

Pinch of salt

Mix all but the cacao butter in a food processor until smooth.

Add the butter and zap to combine.

Press the dough into mini tart pans with removable bottoms, lined with seran wrap (I tried it both ways and actually it was fine without the seran but if it seems a little sticky, use the wrap).

Dehydrate at 145F for 2 hours.

Lower the temperature to 115F and continue to dehydrate for 8 hours, or until you can remove the crust from the pan.

Set on the mesh screen and dehydrate another 4-6 more hours or until dry and crunchy.

I also made Raspberry Carob Pudding Tarts. For these I used the almond crusts done in a small/deep tart mold with a few raspberries and the carob pudding from Raw Food Carob Desserts.

I hope you've had a wonderful, sweet filled weekend!

Springy Sweets - Raw Strawberry and Mango Cheesecakes

2011-05-18T20:42:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I was in the kitchie blending up mini strawberry and mango cheesecakes for a healthy living event today that my friend Nancy presented. I'm always excited for people to try raw vegan goodies for the first time to see that healthy options can taste great!

Mango Cheesecake

Crust*

1 cup almonds
1/4 cup pitted, packed dates
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon water

In a food processor grind the almonds.
Chop the dates and add to the almonds with the salt. Grind again into crumbs.
Add the water and zap again until the mixture turns into a moist dough that holds together when pressed.
Press into the bottom of a spring form pan, mini pans, or small silicone muffin cups.
Set aside.

Filling

2 cups chopped mango
1 cup cashews
3 tablespoons liquid sweetener
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 drops vanilla stevia
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons melted cacao butter

Blend all but the coconut oil and butter until smooth and creamy in a blender.
Add the oil/butter and blend to incorporate.
Pour the filling over the crust.
Chill in the fridge or freezer until firm.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Crust - see above*

Filling

2 cups chopped strawberries
1 cup cashews
4 tablespoons liquid sweetener
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3-4 drops vanilla stevia
2 1/2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Follow mango filling instructions.

Together, Nancy and I made my caesar salad, falafel veggie wraps, zucchini pasta with tomato pesto sauce, and a cold salad of cooked millet with raw veggies in a light vinaigrette to serve for lunch.

Fresh zucchini noodles with tomato sauce. It was a scrumptious lunch!

What yummy things did you have for lunch today?!

Rainy Day Raw Chocolate

2011-05-14T12:45:00.001-05:00

Yesterday it was chilly and rainy here... the perfect day to turn my kitchen into my little chocolate factory - something I've missed for a while. In fact, I haven't made choccies in my own kitchie since before heading to Australia mid February.

I made a variety of goodies...

Fruit and Nut Clusters - as simple or exciting as desired depending on which dried fruits and nuts you want to use. I use a basic dark chocolate with goji berries, cashews, almonds, raisins, and dried jakfruit in mine. I made a second tray of these alone!

Mint Moonie Pies. Oh yeah! I love these!! It's been a while since I've had a batch of these around.

Fruit and Nut Cups - With freeze dried strawberries, almonds, mulberries, raisins, and goji berries. In little silicone cups.

Turtle Balls - A take on my caramel pecan turtles. Chewy, crunchy, sweet, and downright decadent!

Centers prepped and ready for dipping into chocolate.

Dipped, with a mini pecan on top :)

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mini Cheesecake. Because... why not?! I've never tried a chocolate covered cheesecake before, have you? This little gem has a blackberry inside...

... and is garnished with a freeze dried strawberry that I brought all the way back from a strawberry farm in Australia.

Peppermint Patty Cups - dark chocolate with refreshing mint cream.

So that's a taste of what's been going on in my kitchie. Have you made any yummy chocolate treats lately?!

3 In One

2011-05-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

A few posts ago I mentioned my dehydrator extravaganza which included a Crunchy Oaty Cereal recipe. A quest to find uses for the mounds of almond pulp in my freezer resulted in these three recipes with one base. Soft, dense chocolate chip cookies which double as chewy chunky granola bars, and which triple as crunchy granola - all zipped together in the food processor. What could be easier?! All the almond milk is perfect for your cereal, cookies, and chia pudding.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups lightly packed almond pulp*

1/2 cup ground oat groats

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/3 cup ground yellow flax

4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt

Cacao nibs

Combine all ingredients except the cacao nibs together in a food processor.

Briefly pulse in the nibs.

Arrange spoonfuls of dough on a teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 145F for 2 hours. Turn the temperature down to 115F and continue dehydrating for 6-10 hours depending on how soft you like the cookies on the inside.

Almond Milk*

Soak 1 cup raw almonds in enough water to cover them plus one inch, for 12 hours.

Drain and rinse until the water runs clear.

Blend the almonds with 3-4 cups water until smooth.

Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag.

*Use the pulp in cookies, cakes, crackers...

Granola Bars

Add your favorite dried fruits, nuts, seeds to the dough (in this batch I added chopped dried apricots, goji berries, hemp seeds, sprouted buckwheat, coconut, cacao nibs, walnuts, dates, and cinnamon).
Form the mixture into a square, dehydrate for a 2 hours at 145F. Lower the temperature to 115F and continue dehydrating for 6 hours.
Slice into bars, and dehydrate 2-4 hours more.

Granola

Take the granola bar mixture, add more shredded coconut and crumble onto a teflex sheet.
Dehydrate until crunchy, about 12 hours.

Dehydrated goodies make especially great gifts!

Ways With Chia

2011-05-03T15:44:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite breakfast foods is chia pudding. I appreciate the versatility of this little seed which the Aztec Warriors used to consume for long lasting energy.

I think there's something for everyone when it comes to chia. Since some people don't like the tapioca-like texture, blending it is a great option, yielding a smooth, thick and creamy pudding. If you fit into that category, check out some of my past concoctions: Chocolate chia pudding, pineapple vanilla chia pudding, blueberry pudding, and cranberry pomegranate compote which is a delicious cake topping. I however, love the texture and usually opt for the simplicity of shaking chia seeds and almond milk (or raw cow milk when I can get my hands on it) together at least 30 minutes before chowing down. My favorite mix-ins are cacao nibs, goji berries, and jarrah bee pollen.

Five little tips and ideas:

1. Shake up the mixture in a jar with a tight lid for ease.
2. Continue shaking it periodically for the first 10-15 mins to prevent clumping (which is annoying). If this happens, use a fork to unclump, or blend on a low speed just to break it up.
3. If your mixture is too thick simply add more liquid. If the mixture is too thin either add more chia (if you have time to wait for them to expand), or blend it with a banana and/or nut butter.
4. Chia break for a group or kids? DIY chia bowls are fun. Make a batch of Basic Chia Pudding and set out bowls of garnishes for everyone to make their own.
5. Short on time? Shake it up before going to bed in order to give more than enough time for the seeds to swell.

Here are three quick, easy and tasty chia puddings using one simple mixture as a base. Garnishes are the fun part that makes each pudding unique. I'm all about different textures. I like crunchy with smooth. Try bananas, berries, granola, coconut flakes, dried fruit, cacao nubs, dehydrated buckwheat, nuts, the list is endless.

Basic Chia Pudding
1 cup almond milk
1-2 tablespoons chia seed
Vanilla bean and a pinch of salt (optional)

Shake 1 cup coconut milk with chia seed in a jar with a tight lid.

Allow the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes for the chia to swell completely.
Add toppings of your choice!

Chai Chia Pudding
Infuse almond milk with an herbal chai tea bag for 8-12 hours. (I let the tea bag and milk sit in the same jar that I'll later add the seeds to).
Follow the Basic Chia Pudding recipe.
I like to garnish it with cinnamon, stevia, coconut flakes, and cacao nibs.

Chocolate Chia Tapioca

Make basic chia pudding and then stir in: cacao powder, liquid sweetener (my fave is maple syrup), and vanilla. I like to garnish it with cacao nibs and an extra drizzle of syrup.

Here are a few facts about the wonder seed. Chia is:

-Rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids

-A complete source of dietary protein, providing all essential amino acids.

-High in calcium, enzymes, and minerals.

-Absorbs more than 9 times its volume in water, which means that a small amount keeps a person feeling full and satisfied for a long time.

-Super high fiber content acts as an intestinal broom (you know what that means! wink wink;)

-Easily digested and absorbed for energy.

-Contains no taste = it takes on any flavors that are added to it.

-Doesn't go rancid and can easily be stored.

I hope you'll give chia a try if you haven't already. Or maybe switch it up a little if chia is already a staple in your diet.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T15:09:00.001-05:00

Wishing you a Happy Easter! Since I've been home from Australia, I've had such an urge to get creative in my kitchen again. The list of things to share is piling up, but time is short, so here are just a few of the latest goodies and recipes.

With heaps of almond pulp in my freezer just begging to be used, it was time to fire up the dehydrator. Dried almond flour, cereal, and cookies (next post) were the result...

Crunchy Oaty Cereal

I've made this cereal multiple times over the past two years (never got around to posting it until now). It reminds me of some kind of boxed crunchy oat cereal and I think it's scrummalicious! If you want squares, spread it out thin on your teflex sheets and score into the size you want. If you want little clusters, add an extra 1/2 cup dry coconut and simply sprinkle bits onto the teflex sheets.

1 cup packed almond pulp

3/4 cup dried shredded coconut

2/3 cup oat flour

1/3 - 1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon himalayan salt

Mix all ingredients together.

Spread out on teflex sheets and dehydrate at 145F for 2 hours.

Turn the temperature down to 115F and continue to dry for 8-10 hours (or until dry and crunchy), flipping onto the mesh screen halfway through.

If you want little clusters, add an extra 1/2 cup dry coconut and simply sprinkle bits onto the teflex sheets.

It appears that April is the month of Birthdays. Eight of my friends, plus my mom celebrated this month. I whipped up Carob Pecan Cheesecakes for my friends Pammie, and Nicole in the past week. I love this cake - it's extremely soft and silky with a very light milk carob taste.

Pammie blowing out the candles on her cake...

I also made my favorite carob creation, Carob Nut Cups. They're the best replacement for cacao that I've ever had. I got Anya into these in OZ, and there we were in the little caravan, stirring up batches of carob "chocolate" hehe. They're great when you need a little break from cacao, and they're what got me through my 3 1/2 month cacao hiatus.

Upside down carob cups dusted in carob powder.

Carob cups with cashews, goji berries, and bee pollen.

Tower of carob cups. You can see the pollen that floated to the bottom.

I hope you're having a magnificent Easter!

Australia - A Raw Dinner Party

2011-04-19T15:40:00.000-05:00

My remaining weeks in Australia were spent in Byron Bay (surprise surprise). After trying to find some decent accommodation and bouncing around from place to place, I ended up at Anya's new abode - a little caravan on a friend's beautiful property. I was offered this boat to stay in, but the conditions inside were such that it was no possibility). Somehow, we made it work in the little caravan, and with my dear sisters energy, it felt more homey than anywhere else I could have stayed at that point.

It was a rather hilarious time and we continually found things to laugh about: the tiny couch as my bed, no running water, our makeshift outdoor kitchen, the door that swung open if it wasn't properly slammed shut (and yes it flew open in the middle of the night on a number of occasions), muddy floors when it rained, peeing outside in the night since we had to use someone else's toilet, sharing one towel between us, hitch hiking home from a party in another town one night, having to be on constant watch out for the deathly King Brown Snake which was lurking and we saw one day.... and other funny things. Great memories!

Recently, Anya and I put on a raw dinner party for 20 people. After spending heaps of time running around to find organic ingredients, we got to work in our outdoor kitchen. Much to our dismay, it rained most of those days and when the wind came we got sprayed. Fortunately we had cover overhead and forged onward!

We created the menu below, with 2 options for the appy, entree, and dessert. We also made a platter of cute heart choccies to go with the biodynamic wine/champagne.

Menu

Appetizer

Caesar Salad - with peppery avocado dressing, buckwheat croutons and rawmesan

Crackers and Dips - italian herb crackers, cheddar cheese, walnut crackers, zucchini hummus and cucumber

Entree

Lasagna - zucchini noodles with basil pesto, sundried tomato sauce, marinated mushrooms, and seed ricotta cheese with spinach

Mexi Fajitas - marinated veggies in romaine wraps with sour kream, salsa, and guacamole

Dessert

*Mandarin Dragon Fruit Swirl Cheesecake - with tropical fruit salsa and dark chocolate sauce

Chocolate Truffle Tart - in a cacao nut crust with raspberry sauce and vanilla bean ice cream

Dark chocolate hearts with walnuts, goji berries, cashews, and cacao nibs

Caesar Dressing

This is my favorite caesar dressing. The fresh black pepper really makes it!

2 medium avocados
1/2-1 cup water
1/3 cup cashews
1/4 cup lemon juice, or more
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1-2 teaspoons himalayan salt
1-2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-3 cloves garlic
1 date, pitted

Blend all ingredients until smooth, starting with lesser amounts of salt and pepper. Add enough water to achieve desired thickness.

Rawmesan

1/2 cup brazil nuts
1/2 cup pine nuts or cashews
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1/4-1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt
1/2-1 small clove garlic, minced

Pulse all but the pine nuts (if using - otherwise the mixture will become too oily) in a food processor until almost ground.
Add the pine nuts and pulse again until crumbly.

Zucchini Walnut Crackers

These are some of the best crackers around. Originally from the book Raw Food Real World, I remember when these started popping up on all the raw food forums years ago as "Just Like Ritz" crackers.

2 1/2 cups walnuts
2 1/2 cups peeled, cubed zucchini
1/2 cup ground golden flax seed
1/4 cup hemp or sesame seed
2 teaspoons himalayan salt
(less if using fine celtic sea salt)

In a food processor, grind the walnuts into crumbs. Transfer to a bowl.
Grind the zucchini into small bits. Do NOT process into a puree! Keep texture. Add to the walnuts.
Stir in the flax, hemp, salt, and water (1/2-3/4 cup). Add enough water to create a thick, spreadable mixture.
Spread evenly on teflex sheets.
Dehydrate at 145F for 3 hours. Turn the temperature to 115F and continue dehydrating for 8-12 hours, flipping onto the mesh screens after a few hours.

Zucchini Hummus

Here's a rough guideline for zucchini hummus. I like mine a touch lemony and sometimes I add cumin, but usually I keep it neutral. For the dinner party we added a handful of cashews to even out the taste, as zucchini often leaves a funny after taste. I've also turned this into a dilly hummus by omitting the cumin and pulsing in fresh dilly after blending everything else.

2 cups chopped, peeled zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
Lemon juice, to taste (4-6 tablespoons)
3/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds
1/2-1 teaspoon himalayan salt
2 cloves garlic
Cumin, to taste
Optional: cashews (add a bit of water too), or cayenne

Mandarin Dragon Fruit Swirl Cheesecake

*Follow this RECIPE but make the following changes:

Transfer 2/3 of the mandarin filling to a bowl.
Blend pink dragon fruit or white dragon fruit and raspberries into the remaining 1/3 filling with a little extra coconut oil.
Pour the mandarin filling over the crust and pour blobs of the pink filling on top, making sure it pierces through. Swirl the fillings together with a chopstick or knife.

A few production shots...

Assembling fajitas... people thought the dehydrated veggies were cooked, and they thought the coconut sour cream seemed just too real. It means we did our job :)

Plating up desserts. Ketchup and mustard bottles (which you can buy for super cheap) make excellent squirt bottles for these occasions.

A small section of our friend, Al's yard got transformed from this....

Into this...

We had beautiful live music too. Jasmine and her friend are incredible!

As I write this, I've just returned home a few days ago. As much as it's wonderful to be home (I came back early for various reasons), I miss Australia. I miss Byron Bay, I miss the ocean, the beach, the weather, texting/talking to Ulyana whenever I want, the biodynamic yogurt, the raw milk, and especially Anya and all our antics.

Hugest thanks to everyone who made my Australia trip so incredible!

Australian Adventures - Melbourne

2011-04-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

A few weeks after my trip to Adelaide, I flew from Byron Bay down to Melbourne for my next adventure. Lucy Stegley of Raw Events Australia kindly organized a raw dessert demo for me at RMIT University. This was a fun event with 85 people in attendance and an intermission where people could purchase delicious raw food from the Realfoods Cafe. I was a busy bee beforehand, prepping heaps of mini Cacao Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cookies for samples. Other goodies I demoed were Strawberry Lime Mousse Cake, Raspberry and Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait, Granola Bars, and how to open a young coconut. Lucy demoed a Carob Cake Shake.

Raspberry and vanilla chia pudding parfait with blueberries and figs.

How to open a young coconut.

Making almond milk for the chia pudding.

That week I spent time with one of my favorite raw food chefs, Omid Jaffari. We had a great time going out and about in the city, and playing in the kitchen. He made me some spectacular food, and he particularly enjoyed my vanilla moonie pies!

A night out with Omid and Paul.

Omid made me this cinnamon chia porridge with caramelized almonds and apples, one morning. Yummm!

Lucy brought me out to her family's beautiful farm one day. I was in a total state of bliss as we picked two grocery bags of the sweetest, juiciest figs from the tree. I'm sure I ate about 30 figs that afternoon. Then it was time to pull out the dehydrator to turn these juicy gems into chewy fig candies. I want to live in a place where I can grow a fig tree!

Under the fig tree which has to be protected from the birds with this net. They still manage to poke their beaks through and chow down a bit. Smart birdies!

Figgies, prepped and ready for dehydration!

We took a little walk on the beach - not exactly swimming weather, but fabulous none the less. I love these little beachy huts.

Back in Byron Bay, my friend Gordy came over from New Zealand for a 9 day visit. We met 3 years ago while working at the same restaurant in NZ, and our passion for food, spirituality, and nature made us instant friends! By day we enjoyed swimming, lounging on the beach, walking and shopping (eeks, I did too much shopping). By night we took advantage of Byron's restaurants - some great, some not so good. Two chefs will always dissect the food, lol.

At Surfers Paradise, an hour away from Byron where we took a day trip.

I introduced Gordy to the King of fruits - Durian! The verdict? He thought it was ok, but too rich, so I ended up eating most of it.

I thought Mister Durian needed his portrait on the beach.

Can you tell that I love the beach???