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 :)

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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! :)

Spiced Squash Pie with Vanilla Date filling (Raw Vegan)

I experimented with squash this thanksgiving season and this pie was an instant success.  When my friend woke up with cravings for it the next morning, I knew I just had to share.

Crust:
Mix equal parts;
Hazelnuts
Cashews
Pecans
Flax
Hemp Seeds

It should be 1 1/3 cup approximately

12 Medjool Dates
2 tbsp Apple Pie Spice


Filling:
1/2 Butternut Squash
6 Medjool Dates
1/2 can Coconut Milk
8tbsp Soy Lecithin
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
1tbsp Cinnamon
1tbsp Cardamom
1/4 tbsp all spice
Pinch of Sea Salt
1/3 a Lemon Juiced

Topping:
1 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Bean Powder
1 tbsp soy Lecithin
1/3 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
5 Medjool Dates
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
A pinch of Cardamom and Cinnamon

Instructions

1) Blend all the crust ingredients in a food processor until it sticks together.  Press it into the bottom of a pie pan.  I chose a glass one.  Place that into the freezer for the time being.

2) Cut the skin off half a squash and place it in a high speed blender.  Add the rest of the ingredients for the filling and blend until smooth.  Pour that into the base and place back into the freezer.

3) For the topping, blend all the ingredients and put into a piping bag. Decorate the top as desired. 

4)  Let the pie set overnight or in the freezer for an hour for quick setting.