Vegan Apple Squash Cake with Earl Grey Date Balls

Base:
2 cups Pecans

1/2 cup ground flax

1 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

a pinch of sea salt

10 deglet dates

Filling:

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 small organic butternut squash

a pinch of sea salt

1 can of organic coconut milk

1 cup melted coconut oil

Date Balls:

20 dates soaked in hot water with 1 tbsp earl grey tea (loose leaf)

bee pollen

2 tbsp coconut oil

Apple Topping:

1 macintosh apple

1/2 lemon juiced

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp maple syrup

Blend base ingredients in a food processor and press into a springform pan.  Then place in the freezer to chill.  In a high speed blender, mix filling ingredients.  Then pour into the base and place cake back in the freezer while you prepare the toppings.  Thinly slice apples and in a bowl, mix with lemon juice, cinnamon and maple syrup. Then, going back to the food processor, drain dates and blend them with the earl grey tea leaves for the bag. Use a mini ice-cream scoop to make ball shapes and top with bee pollen for nutrition and colour. Place in the freezer to set. Once the filling in the cake is solid enough, top with apple slices and date balls.  Let it set in the fridge overnight and serve next day :)

Raw Vegan Papaya Cheesecake with Passionfruit Fig jam and Mint Sauce

I haven't felt inspired to create anything in a really long time, but I think these good summer vibes have finally done the trick.  This tropical spectacle is sure to engage your pallet on a beautiful summers day. 👌🌞 

Filling:

2 cup Papaya

2 limes (juiced)

1/3 cup honey

2/3 cup melted coconut oil

2 tbsp soy lecithin

2 cups soaked cashews

Crust:

2 tsp matcha powder

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup pecans

1 cup walnuts

3 tbsp coconut mana

a dash of salt

Jam Topping

2 figs

4 passionfruit

1 orange

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp chia seeds

Mint Sauce

1/4 cup of mint (packed)

1/4 cup water

1 lime (juiced)

3 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp honey

1. Blend all crust ingredients in a food processor until it sticks together.  Press into the bottom of a springform pan and place in the freezer.

2. Blend papaya, lime juice and honey.  Either melt coconut oil on the stove on the lowest setting or with a double boiler, set your bowl of coconut oil atop a pot of boiled water and wait for the oil to melt, stirring occasionally.

3. Mix in coconut oil and soy lecithin and blend once more.  Pour on top of the base and set back in the freezer.

4. To make the jam topping, place figs (with skins), the contents of 4 passionfruit, one peeled orange and maple syrup in a blender and blend until smooth.  You will still see the flecks of passionfruit seed in the mixture.  Pour the mixture out into a small bowl and mix with chia seeds.  You can wait a while for this to thicken or just pour on top of the filling layer and place back in the freezer.

5.  Let the cake set for a good 5h or overnight.  Then decorate with fresh figs and mint of basal leaves.

6.  For the sauce, just blend everything in a high speed blender and drizzle on top.  It may be a bit runny but when it's refrigerated for a while, the consistence becomes more viscus. 

Rocky Road Caramel Drumstick Pie (Vegan)

~ Inspired by the nostalgia of caramel drumsticks and rocky road desserts, I half-hazardly combined the two in this vegan adaptation. ~

Graham Cracker Crust

1.5 cup finely ground gluten free graham crackers

1/3 cup coconut sugar

a pinch of salt

8 tbsp coconut oil

Mix together and press into a glass backing dish.

Bake for 7m @ 375 degrees.  Then let it cool.

Melt 1 cup dark chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Line the cooled crust and then place in the freezer to solidify.  This is to mimic the drumstick cone chocolate coating. 

Coconut Cream Filling

160 ml coconut cream

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder

3 tbsp agave

Almond Butter Caramel

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup agave (maple syrup would have been optimal but I was out.)

2 tbsp coconut oil

Toppings

Drizzle with almond butter caramel and top with vegan marshmallows, chopped, unsalted peanuts and shredded dark chocolate.

Aloe Jelly Bubble Tea

After my aloe plant fell over today, accidentally breaking off some fleshy leaf offerings, I wanted to try something different.

Strawberry Bubble Tea with Aloe Jelly

1 aloe vera leaf, peeled and cubed (Lu Hui)

1/2 a small lime

1 tbsp coconut sugar

1 cup of cold fruity tea (I used Teavana Strawberry Cream)

3-4 ice cubes

• Brew one cup of fruity tea and set aside or in the fridge to cool.
• Peel aloe, cut into cubes and place in a pot with the juice of 1/2 a lime and 1 tbsp of coconut sugar. 
• Let it simmer until the liquid has evaporated or absorbed into the aloe leaf cubes. 
• Place aloe cubes in the bottom of a clear glass.  Add cooled tea and ice.
• Enjoy!

Pu’erh Bubble Tea with Aloe Jelly

1 cup or pu’erh tea (brewed for 7m)(let cool)

1.5 tsp of honey

1 aloe vera leaf, peeled and cubed (Lu Hui)

3-4 ice cubes

A dash of almond/soy/hemp milk (the nature of almond or hemp milk might look kind of chunky, but it’s still just as tasty)

• Brew one cup of pu’erh tea for 7m 
• Add honey, let dissolve and set aside or in the fridge to cool.
• Peel aloe, cut into cubes and place in a pot on medium heat to absorb some of the liquid. * You can sweeten this with coconut sugar or honey as well but I wanted this recipe to be less sweet.
• Place aloe cubes in the bottom of a clear glass.  Add cooled tea and ice with a dash of milk and enjoy!

** Don’t make the same mistake as me and be sure to cut your aloe small enough to fit through a boba straw. :P **

Rosemary Cardamom Kumquat Tarts

These little beauties are tart with a pinch of savoury and sweet.  

The perfect transition from winter into spring/summer flavours.  

Rosemary Cardamom Tart Shells

1.5 cup Soaked Cashews

1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder

6 cardamom pods (extract seeds and blend in a spice blender)

2 tbsp fresh rosemary

4 dates

Kumquat Cashew Filling

3/4 cup seeded kumquats

12 tbsp water

4 dates

1/2 cup soaked cashews

White Chocolate Top Layer

1 cup cacao butter

2 tbsp coconut sugar( I used 2 tbsp honey but it separated when solidified)

A dash of grey sea salt

Candied Kumquats

8 kumquats

2 tbsp water

A pinch of vanilla bean powder

1.5 tbsp honey

Prep 2 cups of cashews the night before by soaking them in water in the fridge.  If you’ve forgotten, an hour or 2 before of soaking will do, if you have a high speed blender.  

Dry off your cashews with a fresh dish cloth.  Place 1.5 cups of cashews in a food processor with the rest of the crust ingredients.  Blend until smooth and press into silicone muffin tins or paper wrappers.  Place in the freezer.

Slice 3/4 cups of kumquats in half and remove seeds.  Place in a blender with the last of the cashews (1/2 cup), 12 tbsp of water to thin it out and 4 dates to cut the tartness. Blend until smooth.  The mixture should still be quite thick but at a touch more water if it’s not blending.  Fill the tart shells leaving a bit of room at the top and rerun to the freezer.

For the white chocolate layer, melt in a pot over low heat with coconut sugar and sea salt.  Let it cool slightly but not so much so that it starts to solidify again.  Pour over frozen tarts and return to the freezer.

Slice kumquats into wheel shapes and de-seed.  In the meantime, in a small pot, allow water, honey and vanilla to come to a boil.  One it’s boiling, add the fruit and bring it back up to a boil.  Then reduce to a simmer for 10m.  Remove from the stove and allow to cool before placing in a glass dish with the syrup in the fridge. 

Once the white chocolate layer is solidified, remove from their silicone tart shells and top with candied kumquats.  These tarts can then be stored in the fridge.  

Makes about 9 tarts

Could easily be made into a cake as well, using a spring form pan.

Takes ridiculously too long to make.

Grain Free Apple Turnovers via Life Made Full

Just spent the past 1.5h making some gluten free apple turnovers from the recipe I found over at 
Life Made Full: http://lifemadefull.com/grain-free-apple-turnovers-paleo-gluten-free-dairy-free/

They are delicious and a nice change from my ongoing chocolate everything obsession.
Despite begin time consuming, they're worth it for anyone looking for a gluten free option to regular turnovers.


Things to note:

- I ended up using arrowroot flour since I had no tapioca flour along with unbalanced almond flour instead of blanched.  These 2 substitutions didn't seem to affect the recipe in the slightest.

- The filling is slightly sweet.  If you're looking for something to really hit your sweet tooth, you may want to add some extra maple syrup or sprinkle them with confectionary sugar/icing before serving.  For my pallet, they were perfect.

- I beat my egg whites before putting them into the batter.  I don't know if this effected the recipe at but the batter seemed nice so you can add this step if you'd like.

Let me know how yours turn out! :)

Apple Squash Tarts

Crust

• 12 dates
• 150g walnuts
• 100g pecans
• a dash of sea salt
• a dash of cinnamon and ginger
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Squash Filling

• 1 cup squash
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 4 dates
• 1/4 lemon juiced
• 1/2 cup coconut oil melted

Cinnamon Apple Topping

• 2 small apples (peeled and chopped)
• 1/4 lemon juiced
• 1 tsp coconut sugar
• a dash of cinnamon, clove and allspice 

In a food processor, blend everything together until smooth and then press into muffin tins.  You can line them with liners or saran wrap for easier removal later.  Place them in the freezer.

In a high speed blender, blend filling ingredients until smooth and place equal amounts in the tart shells.  There may be a bit left over you can have as a tasty pudding later.  

Place all the topping ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Then top the tarts and place in the fridge overnight to solidify, or the freezer for an hour or less to speed things up.

Zucchini Bacon Stacks with Basil Curry Nut Cheese and Sun dried Tomato Tapenade

With an overflow of zucchini finally popping up in my family garden, I came up with this tasty way to experiment with their neutral flavour and sturdy texture.

 

Slice zucchini as thin as possible.  Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt to soften and set aside.

For the basil curry nut cheese, blend half a cup of soaked cashews, 1/2 tsp curry powder, a dash of sea salt, a couple of sprigs of purple basil and water for desired texture.  

Crisp up some bacon in the oven.  425 degrees for 12m.  Remove from the baking pan and pat dry with paper towels.  

Dice up some kale as small as possible.  Massage with some sea salt and set aside.  Then combine, 1/2 lemon juiced, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp of grainy mustard.  Massage the dressing into the salad. 

I used some store bought sun dried tomato tapenade but feel free to experiment with making your own.  

Layer the ingredients, stating with a layer of zucchini and build the stack to your liking.  Top with a dollop of basil curry nut cheese and a fresh sprig of purple basil.  Adapt this meal for vegans by using coconut bacon or omitting it all together. Enjoy! :)

Citrus Mango Ice Cream Cake with Mint Lime Coulis (Raw Vegan)

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups Walnuts
• 2 Medjool Dates
• A Dash of Sea Salt
• 4 pieces of Soaked Dehydrated Mango (insulated)
• 2 tbsp Coconut Flakes

Filling

• 3 cups Soaked Raw Cashews
• 1 Lemon, Zest and Juice
• 1 Lime, Zest and Juice
• 2 Oranges Zest, 1 Juiced
• 1 Mango
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 2 Medjool Dates
• 1/2 cup Melted Coconut Oil

Mint Lime Coulis

• 1/4 cup Fresh Mint (packed)
• 1/8 cup Water
• 1/8 cup Maple Syrup
• 1/2 tsp Chlorella
• 1/2 Lime, Zest and Juice
• 1 tbsp Chia Seed
• 2 tbsp Coconut Cream

1. For the crust, soak mango slices for at least 2h.  Then drain them and throw them into the food processor with the other ingredients.  Blend and press into the bottom of a spring form pan.  Place this in the freezer to solidify.
2. In a high speed blender place 3 cups of soaked cashews, lemon, lime and orange juice and zests, along with mango, honey, dates and melted coconut oil.  To melt the oil place it in a glass dish in a late bowl of boiling water.  Stir consistently.  This keeps all components of the cake raw.  Blend everything together and top off the crust with the filling layer.  Put this back in the freezer to set.
3. Then blend all coulis ingredients until smooth.  The chia will help to solidify the sauce slightly.  The colour may be off-putting but trust me, it’s taste is worth a mouthful.
4. When the cake has set, cut into slices and drizzle with coulis to serve. 

Summer Garden Salad with Mustard Mango Dressing

Summer Garden Salad

• 2 big handfuls of Kale
• Romaine
• Fresh Chives
• Red Pepper
• 1/4 an Avocado
• Coconut Bacon
• Fresh Grated Ginger

Mustard Mango Dressing

• The juice of one Lemon
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Mango
• A pinch of Salt and Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Grainy Mustard

To make the dressing, juice on lemon and place the juice in a blender.  Add all the other ingredients and blend.

Then chop kale into small pieces, dice up fresh chives toss in a bowl with the dressing.  Massage the salad until the kale softened a bit.  Place on a bed of romaine and then top with red pepper, avocado, coconut bacon and fresh grated ginger.  

Virgin Gold Mojito

Virgin Gold Mojito

• 3/4 cup Original Kombucha
• 2 sprigs of Fresh Mint
• Juice of one Lime
• 2 tbsp Coconut Sugar

Blend and pour over ice.  Then garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

This recipe could be adapted to a alcoholic version with white rum to your taste.

Refreshing Citrus Cooler

• 1 Orange
• 1 Grapefruit
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Lime
• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 tbsp Chlorella
• 1/2 tsp Maca Powder
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 Frozen Banana
• Ice

Juice all the citrus fruits and place the juice in a blender.  Add banana, coconut oil, chlorella, maca, almond extract and ice.  Then blend and enjoy.

Gingerbread Cheesecake (Vegan)

Gingerbread Cheesecake (Vegan)

Base:

9oz raw Almonds

A pinch of Sea Salt

10 Dates

1/4 cup Coconut Oil

Bottom Layer:

1 cup soaked Cashews

1/3 cup Vanilla Almond Milk

1/3 cup Molasses

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp fresh grated Ginger

1/4 tsp Cloves

A pinch of Sea Salt

The juice of 1/3 a Lemon

1/3 cup Soy Lecithin

Coconut Cream Centre:

1/3 cup Coconut Cream
1/3 cup Raw Cashews

1 tsp raw Vanilla Bean Powder

1/4 cup Vanilla Almond Milk

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

1/3 cup Coconut Oil

Top Layer:

Repeat recipe for bottom layer.

Blend all base ingredients until they stick together and then press into the bottom of a well greased springform pan, with coconut oil.  Place this in the freezer.

In a high speed blender, blend all the bottom layer ingredients except for the lecithin, until smooth.  Then mix in the lecithin until the granules are no longer visible and the consistency is thick.  Spread this out over the base and place back in the freezer.

Once again, in a high speed blender, mix all the ingredients for the coconut cream and pour over the first layer.  This one with take a while to set so give it a bit of time to freeze before re-making the gingerbread layer for the top.

Let the whole thing set in the fridge over night or in the freezer for 10-20m or so.

Strawberry Milkshake (Vegan)

Strawberry Milkshake (Vegan)

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup filtered water

1 cup strawberries

3 medjool dates

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp raw vanilla bean powder

Blend everything together and garnish with fresh berries.

Marzipan Protein Bites

These little morsels are rich and satisfying, made of nut butters and sprinkled with a touch of cacao.  It's like dipping your spoon into the almond butter jar but 10x better.

1/4 cup almond butter (raw is preferable, but I didn't have any)
1/4 cup raw walnut butter (Artisana)
5 medjool dates
1 1/2 tsp organic almond extract
1/8 cup melted coconut oil.
raw cacao powder for the topping

1) Blend nut butters, dates and almond extract in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth.

2) Place coconut oil in a glass dish, then place that dish in a bowl of boiling water until the oil is liquified.  Then add that to the blender mixture.

3) Press into a small dish or sealable container and top with raw cacao powder

4) Refrigerate until solid and cut into small squares.

Thai High Smoothie

Thai High Smoothie

1 mango

1 handful fresh parsley

3/4 cups water

1 handful ice

1/8 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt

the juice of 1/2 a lime

A fresh, creamy taste of summer to beat the snowy winter blues.  
Blend all together and enjoy :)

Basil Pear Juice (Blender Style)

Basil Pear Juice

For those of you without a juicer, there's no reason why you can't have fresh juice with a blender on hand and the simple purchase of something as cheap and reusable as a nut milk bag (about $12.)  This recipe is a sweet and refreshing example of how it's done, not to mention a good use for leftover stems from your greens.

-1/2 cup green grapes

-1/4 cup fresh basil

-1/4 cup fresh mint

-1 pear

-1/2 a lemon

-the stems of one bunch of kale (good use for leftovers)

-a dash of cardamom

-1/4 tsp maca

-1 cup filtered water

Blend everything together except the cardamom and maca in a high speed blender.  Then strain the mixture through a nut milk bag.

Pour the mixture back into the blender with some ice, cardamom and maca; then blend it all together.

Pour into a nice glass and drink up.

If you choose to try this recipe in a juicer, you could try using the whole kale leaf to get more liquid, though the taste might differ lightly.  

Vegan Turkish Coffee Pudding

This is a great pick me up treat that's satisfying and just enough sweet.

Vegan Turkish Coffee Pudding

1 1/4 cup Soaked Raw Cashews

1/3 cup Coconut Milk

3 tbsp Water

1/2 tsp Cardamom

1 tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

1 tbsp Instant Coffee

8 Deglet Noor Dates

Blend everything in a high speed blender until smooth.  Place in the fridge first to solidify a bit or eat as is for a nice coffee treat. 

Mint Chocolate Nib Smoothie

This Summer, I invented a smoothie that sort of tastes like mint chocolate chip!

-1/4 small honeydew melon
-1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
-1 tbsp coconut oil
-1 tbsp hemp seeds
-1 tbsp cacao nibs
-8 mint leaves
-6 ice cubes

Double Chocolate, Banana Peanut Butter Cake (Vegan)

Crust:

1 cup Raw Jungle Peanuts (soaked for a day and dried over night or dehydrated)

2 tbsp of Almond Butter

4 Medjool Dates

A pinch of Sea Salt

Banana White Chocolate Filling (Layer 1):

2 Bananas 

1/2 cup Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Raw Cacao Butter

3 Dates

1/2 cup soaked and drained Raw Cashews

Peanut Butter Filling (Layer 2):

1 cup Peanut Butter (Unsweetened/Natural)

6 tbsp of Soy Lecithin

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

3 Dates

Chocolate Gnash Topping:

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 cup Raw Cacao Powder

1/2 tsp of Raw Vanilla Powder

A pinch of Sea Salt

Instructions:

1) Soak Cashews and Jungle Peanuts throughout the day.  Remove the Jungle Peanuts, pat them down and leave them covered by a dry towel to dry up a bit over night.  Let the cashews continue to soak in the fridge.

2) The next day, blend the dry Jungle Peanuts in a food processor with the rest of the crust ingredients until smooth and it seems to bulk up around the sides.  Press that into the bottom of a springform pan that has been greased with Coconut Oil.  Place that in the Freezer.

3) In a high speed blender, mix all of the Banana White Chocolate layer until smooth.  If using a regular blender or one without a plunger, it's a good idea to boil some water, place a metal bowl over the boiling water and allow just the Cacao Butter and Coconut Oil to melt for easier blending.  Stir constantly if you choose this method.  When this layer is mixed, remove the base from the freezer and pour this layer on top.  Spread it evenly to the edges with a spatula or spoon and shake the tray a bit for a more even finish.  Place it back in the freezer.

4) Clean the blender and you're ready for the second layer.  Mix everything but the Soy Lecithin in the Peanut Butter filling layer until smooth.  Then add the Lecithin and blend again until it's thoroughly mixed.  Remove cake from the freezer and pour this layer onto, again, spreading it with the same technique mentioned above.  Place it back in the freezer.

5) Clean the blender once more and it's time for the Gnash Topping.  Mix all 3 ingredients and mix thoroughly. Remove cake from the freezer and cover with this final layer, starting at the centre and spreading it out with a spoon slowly.  Place it back in the freezer for an hour for quick setting or let it sit in the fridge overnight before cutting.

Note:  Since the Bananas will brown, this cake should be consumed within 4-5 days and be kept refrigerated.

Enjoy! :)