vegan, grain & sugar free cookie dough

keeping this in your freezer is a good idea for when those sudden sweet cravings come. this way you can totally enjoy cookie dough by the spoonful in an absolutely nutritious way! and i'd bet you have every one of these ingredients in your kitchen right now.

1 c raw cashews, soaked + drained
1 t vanilla bean powder
1/4 c almond meal
1 T raw wild jungle peanut butter (any nut butter works)
1/4 t sea salt
2 full droppers of stevia or 1/4 c brown rice syrup
1/4 c cacao nibs or high quality chocolate chips

-in a high powered blender or food processor, process all but the nibs until completely smooth. mix in nibs by hand and transfer to a glass jar. set in freezer a few minutes and enjoy by the spoonful!

dehydrated sushi crisps

these may sound weird/freaky but trust me.... they are tasty and the perfect snack to go! since i travel & fly a lot, they have been awesome to take on the plane to snack on and totally nutritious. 

you'll need:
5 raw organic nori sheets

21/2 c raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight & drained
2 bell peppers, seeded & cut into chunks
1 small cucumber, chunked
2 T liquid aminos

1 large handful fresh parsley
1 T fresh rosemary
OR
1 T curry spice

-add everything but nori sheets to a food processor & pulse until combined (adding curry to half the batch & fresh herbs to the other). spread mixture thin & evenly onto nori sheets & roll up like a cinnamon roll. place on a parchment-lined dehydrator tray & dehydrate at 115F overnight until crispy, then slice into 1/2"-1" pieces. store in an airtight container & munch! yum!!

heavenly salted caramel chocolates infused with power foods cordyceps + ashwaganda

this raw, vegan, and allergen-free treat is a mustttt people! my favorite caramel treats I've made to date. 

these creamy, chewy, mouthwatering friends have a nearly identical taste/texture to the milk chocolatey caramel squares that i loved as a child. buT there is a huge added bonus: power foods. in my chocolate? oh yeah. the taste blends in and makes the rich caramel-y flava pop. so if you're going to eat chocolate every day (me), might as well add some crazy good nutrients yeah? (that is, to boost the already nutrient dense raw organic cacao!)

makes 20-25 chocolates 

caramel:

1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted

1/3 cup raw creamy almond butter

1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon pink salt

1 tablespoon coconut oil

-add all ingredients to a food processor and process until very smooth and creamy. chill a few minutes in freezer if needed, then roll into balls, rectangles, or squares. set them on a parchment lined tray and set in freezer while making the chocolate coating.

chocolate: 

1 cup raw cacao paste OR stevia sweetened dark chocolate chips (like these)

2 teaspoons cordyceps 

1 tsp ashwaganda 

1-2 t coconut oil for right consistency

-gently warm the chocolate over a double boiler. once fully melted, turn off the heat and stir in the ashwaganda and cordyceps. take each caramel and use a toothpick or 2 forks to roll it in the chocolate. if the chocolate is too thick, you can add in a bit more coconut oil. place them on a parchment lined plate and sprinkle them with a pinch of sea salt flakes to finish. stick them back in the freezer to firm up. store in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge and enjoy!

note: if you don’t have the ashwaganda or cordyceps, you can simply omit, or add your favorite power foods! 

asian almond-miso kelp noodles

this raw dish is TASTY. mixed the sauce with kelp noodles for myself and organic buckwheat soba noodles for the rest of the family-they loved it!

noodles:
1 pack of organic kelp noodles, rinsed & added to a large bowl with a squeeze of lemon (alternatively use your favorite noodle! kelp is awesome because it is flavorless, has a yummy texture, is zero calories and super nutritious!)

sauce:
1/2 c fresh cold pressed orange juice
3 T evoo
1/4 c raw activated almond butter
2 T organic white miso
2 T lime juice
2 t acv
a dash of stevia
2-3" piece peeled ginger
1 clove garlic
pink salt to taste

-blend all sauce ingredients until smooth. toss with noodles, chopped green onion, chopped activated almonds, raw sliced mushrooms, halved cherry tomatoes & local greens!

the perfect pancake

my goal for the family we cook for is to introduce one very healthy meal here & there, and then upgrade the quality of their food overall. since we've been here, I buy pretty much 100% organic and local whenever possible. I figure small changes eventually make a big impact!

well tonight was one of those fun nights where the meal was VERY healthful and absolutely devoured by all 12 people, ages 8 to 45. not only that, but it was quick and easily whipped up in 30 minutes (serving 12 people with only 30 minutes of prep is quick-trust me!) 
the cakes are gluten & grain free, and friggin fluffy! yes yum. if you follow this blog regularly, you know we all love breakfast for dinner around here. so we served up these yummy pancakes with a side of organic veggie & egg scramble + organic (locally & humanely raised) bacon. 

serves 4-5
ingredients

3 large eggs

1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons almond or full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon organic honey or a few drops of stevia 
juice of 1/2 lemon 

1 teaspoon organic pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of high quality sea salt

fresh/frozen wild blueberries or good quality chocolate chips 

fresh bananas

coconut whip 

pure grade b maple syrup

-add all ingredients (except blueberries/chocolate chips, bananas, coconut whip & pure maple) to a high speed blender and run until smooth & whipped.

-grease a large skillet with coconut oil and place over medium heat. once the skillet is hot, pour out 1/3 c batter and smooth into a circle. drop a tablespoon or two of blueberries/choc chips onto cake & cover pan with a lid. cook for about 2 minutes covered, then flip and gently press down. cover and cook another 2-3 minutes until done. repeat with all the batter & serve up with homemade coconut whipped cream (or just coconut butter would be delish too), pure maple & bananas!

100% raw carrot cake // white chocolate-maple cream frosting // caramelized purple carrot ribbons

carrot cake is usually a crowd favorite. this cake is dense, moist, full of wonderful nutrients and completely satisfying. 

making it requires a few steps, but nothing crazy. its actually simple to make with easy ingredients most health-conscious families will already have in their pantry. feel free to use substitutions wherever needed!

makes a large cake-enough to feed a party of 15-20 at least! use organic ingredients whenever possible!

caramelized carrot ribbons:
using a potato peeler, make ribbons from 1 large purple carrot.
load them onto a parchment lined dehydrator tray and pour maple syrup over the top. massage the syrup into each ribbon, sprinkle with a generous amount of cinnamon & dehydrate a few hours until crispy-or almost crispy. save for topping.

cake:
4 large local & organic rainbow carrots, washed & cut into chunks
3 c sprouted buckwheat, oat or almond flour (or a mix)
1 c soft packed dates (pitted)
1 c organic raisins
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
2 t ceylon cinnamon
1 t high quality sea salt

-mix everything in a large food processor until it turns dough-like. press 1/2 of the dough evenly into the bottom of a parchment-lined 9" springform pan & set in freezer.

frosting:
3 c cashews, soaked & rinsed
juice from 2 large lemons
1/2 c melted cacao butter
1/2-2/3 c pure maple syrup (grade B is best)
filtered water, if needed to blend

-add everything to a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth-may take a few rounds. pour 1/3 of the frosting over the first layer of cake & set back in the freezer until firm. then, evenly press the rest of the cake mixture over the cream layer & set in freezer for 30 minutes. remove from freezer once set and remove cake from springform pan. douse the cake in the remaining frosting & top with crunchy caramelized carrot ribbons. set in freezer for another hour or so before slicing. share & savor!

the last time i made the cake i topped it with plain walnuts and dusted it with cinnamon. i also made it in a 6" springform instead of a 9". it turned out taller, looking like this:

pistachio lemon-poppy seed granola - to warm your fall soul!

just another heaven-sent granola recipe...

this granola is naturally gluten-free, but if you need to eat gluten-free make sure to buy certified gluten-free oats. if you don’t have certain ingredients on hand you could swap in any sprouted nuts or seeds you like.

batch yields about 4 c

Ingredients:
3 cups sprouted gluten-free oats
1/2 cup raw pistachios
1/2 cup sprouted buckwheat groats
3 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 small mashed banana
1/2 cup lakanto sugar (or coconut palm sugar!)
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
zest from 3 lemons
juice from 3 lemons

-preheat your oven to 325F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

-combine oats, pistachios, buckwheat, chia & poppy seeds in a bowl & set aside. 

-in a blender, combine the banana mash, lakanto sugar, coconut oil, and lemon zest and juice. blend until smooth, add into the dry ingredients & combine together well.

-spread the mixture out evenly amongst the two baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes. remove and stir, then bake an additional 10 minutes until golden brown. 

-cool completely. pop it back, eat it with your fav mylk or yogurt, or put it in small baggies and send it to school with your kids! makes a perfect snack on the go. 

my favorite fall food: roasted delicata squash! + "fry sauce" dip

i cannot stress enough how important it is to make your own condiments. I've posted an easy ketchup recipe before, and this mayo recipe is also a must-have. plus, fry sauce? it always wins (when its healthy-that is).

delicata squash is my absolute favorite squash to cook and eat! why? it's sweet and delicious but more important, you can eat the SKIN. yes. and it is tasty! one of the few squashes that the skin is thin though to taste good-and it's important to eat because think of how many nutrients are contained in there! so, here is an easy and delicious way to cook up this pretty little food.

for squash:
4 local delicata squash, washed, ends cut off, seeds scooped out & cut into 1/4" rings
3-4 T coconut oil, melted
pink salt + pepper to taste

-toss all ingredients in a bowl to coat well. lay out on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake @375 for 15 min. flip, bake for another 10 minutes, turning on the broiler for the last 5 or so if you like crispy edges! remove & cool.

for healthy "fry sauce", first make homemade mayo:
1 c evoo
1 T mustard
1 T acv
1/8 t pink salt
1 egg room temp

-add everything to a blender jar, let sit for 10 min then blend on high for 1 min. voila! mayo. (note: add fun things to spice it up like garlic, basil, chives, chipotle, paprika etc..)

then in your blender jar, keep 1/2 c mayo and add in:
2 T organic tomato paste
1 t freshly grated horseradish
favorite seasonings
pinch of pink salt

-bled to combine & dip in squash, sweet potato fries, anything!