easiest homemade cashewghurt + parfait

loaded with essential fats, vegan protein, and perfect probiotics-this yogurt takes only minutes and you'll have a tasty dairy-free, sugar-free treat!

3 c raw cashews soaked overnight & drained (note: i have also made this same yogurt with soaked brazil nuts and macadamia nuts-all versions taste a bit different and all are totally amazing..)
1/4 c lemon juice
11/4-11/2 c purified water
1/4 t Icelandic sea salt
stevia to taste (I added 2 droppers full)
1 t psyllium husk powder
6-8 opened capsules of a probiotic (I like this brand)
2 T unflavored collagen protein (optional)

-add everything to a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth. taste for sweetness and chill before serving. store in fridge up to 5 days.

-use it in smoothies, parfaits, or enjoy with my homemade lavender hibiscus granola... mmmmm!

note: you could totally turn this into a creamy, probiotic rich, dairy free ice cream too!

for this pretty parfait, i layered yogurt, raw granola, yogurt, chopped local apples, fresh raspberries, strawberries, dried mulberries and raw cacao nibs. yum!

mocha pumpkin superfood frappe!

all things pumpkin are on my mind at this time of year! and since it is still 80 degrees here in LB, I'm not quite in the mood for my usual super herb pumpkin hot chocolate- so i made a smoothie version to get in that pumpkin spirit!

i include a few of my new favorite superfood mixes from longevity warehouse that i have been absolutely loving lately! if you wish to try them, i highly recommend it! or, you can add your favorite mixes/superfoods that you have on hand at home! to purchase these products &/or read of their amazing benefits, you can go here.

the first one i added 1 scoop of, and contains the following: *Raw Lucuma Powder, Rice Bran Solubles, *Inulin Powder (FOS), *Raw Cacao Powder, *6-Mushroom Blend Extract Powder, *Raw Maca Powder, Himalayan Salt, *Raw Baobab Powder, *Vanilla Flavor Powder, *Proprietary Vegetable Blend (*Broccoli, *Broccoli Sprouts, *Tomato, *Carrot, *Spinach, *Kale), *Turmeric Extract Powder, *Stevia Extract Powder *Indicates Organic

the second one is similar, but a bit more protein: "Immortal Machine is a powerful combination of pure Superfoods and medicinal herbs designed to support peak performance in fighters, athletes, dancers, weekend warriors, and anyone seeking to intensify their positive output. Not only is Immortal Machine good for you, but the taste is out of this world. No other nutrition drink tastes this good!" Ingredients: Organic Non-GMO Hemp Protein Powder, Organic Arriba Criollo Cacao Powder, Organic Lucuma, Organic Ashwaganda, Wildharvested Shilajit, Organic Maca, Organic Mucuna, Organic White Kidney Bean Extract, Organic Amla, Himalayan Sea Salt, Organic Stevia Extract

i added 1 scoop of this also, along with 1/2 c organic pumpkin puree, 2 t pumpkin pie spice, 1 c coconut milk, 1/2 c coconut water, 1/2 c bone broth (sub with cold pressed longevity coffee if you need an extra boost!), 2 T raw hemp seeds, 2 T chia seeds, optional: 1/2 banana + 1 T cacao nibs on top

-blend until smooth, top with coconut cream + cacao nibs & drink chilled!

HOW and WHY to soak your nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, etc..

ever wonder what i mean when i say to use "activated almonds" or "sprouted oats" etc...? most nuts, seeds, grains and legumes are covered in natural chemicals - enzyme inhibitors and toxins - that protect them while growing, both from sprouting prematurity and also from predators. once harvested, these nutritional inhibitors are indigestible by the human body and must be broken down before consumption.

the very simple process of soaking releases these chemicals, helping your body to absorb your food's essential minerals and nutrients. this may help those who think they might have a grain or nut allergy, be able to digest and assimilate those foods just fine! additionally, by soaking nuts (especially for use in raw desserts) the texture, flavor and taste is much more ideal and appealing.

to soak:

place nuts in a glass bowl or jar and fill with filtered or purified water (option to add a splash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to help activation), making sure to cover the nuts completely. cover the jar or bowl and place in a cool spot to soak overnight (at least 8 hours). drain, discard the soaking water and rinse nuts, grains, etc.. with fresh water. if you aren't going to use them right away, to store either dehydrate back out in a dehydrator at 115F until crispy (do this with grains, nuts or legumes that you are planning on grinding into flour), OR store in an airtight container in the freezer.

now you are ready to use your activated & digestible foods! (:

high fiber & protein, low sugar, grain free // moist chocolate cake with fudge frosting

the base of this cake is ground flax & organic vegan protein powder-in place of flour, which keeps it very high in fiber and protein. lightly sweetened with coconut palm sugar which is lower GI than most sweeteners + more pure. then top it with a fuuuuuddgyy frosting made from raw honey and almond butter...= healthy chocolate heaven. sound kinda weird? well...doesn't taste weird. tastes like chocolate cake! mmmmm chocolate. 

grain free, dense, delicious, filling and healthy! super easy to make. so jump on it >>

-preheat oven to 350F. in a large bowl mix:

1 c flax meal
3/4 c plant based protein powder (I used an organic sprouted brown rice protein powder, vanilla flavored)
1/2 c coconut palm sugar
3 T cacao powder
1/2 t sea salt

-mix well, then add in:

2 organic eggs
1 c nut mylk
1 t pure vanilla extract
1 t acv

-mix until combined & pour into a well-greased round cake pan. bake for 25 minutes until a fork stuck in the center comes out clean. lightly tip out of pan and cool completely while making frosting:

1/3 c sprouted raw almond butter
1/3 c raw local honey or coconut nectar
1/3 c raw cacao powder
3 T nut mylk

-blend or whisk well until smooth. spread evenly over cooled cake & chill a few minutes before slicing & serving. decorate with pretty edible organic flowers & eat plain or with healthy ice cream! mmmm have your cake and eat it too. with love!

raw vegan pumpkin cheesecake

this is always a fall must. perhaps one of my favorite non-chocolate healthy treats and it is equally as good for you as it is good!! it's an easy, basic raw cake recipe that anyone with a blender & food processor can handle.

technically the way I make it isn't 100% raw, but it's a lot easier. if you wish, you can use raw peeled & chopped pumpkin instead of canned, but I find I enjoy bpa free organic canned pumpkin just as much and it saves me a lot of time.

as far as sweeteners go, pure maple syrup (grade b) is always a tasty addition to this fall-y treat. this time around though, I used lakanto sugar in its place which is a zero calorie, zero GI natural sugar alternative-it turned out delicious and made the dessert nearly sugar free! either way you choose, you can't go wrong.

crust:
1 c sprouted raw almonds
1 c sprouted raw pecans
15 large pitted dates
1/2 t sea salt
coconut oil as needed to help it come together
-process everything but the coconut oil until fine and crumbly. add coconut oil 1 t at a time until it all sticks together well. press evenly into the bottom & up sides of a 9"springform pan (alternatively you can use a pie pan here) and set in the freezer while making the filling.

pumpkin cheesecake:
1 can organic bpa free pumpkin (or 11/2 c raw peeled pumpkin chunks)
2/3 c coconut butter
2 c soaked cashews
1/2 c lakanto sugar (or pure maple or raw honey)
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 T nutritional yeast (makes the perfect "cheesecake" flava!)
splash of ACV
1/2 t each: vanilla bean powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and sea salt
-add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until verrrrry smooth. pour into crust and spread evenly. set in freezer for 2 hrs until firm, slice, serve as is, or with coconut whip, fresh figs, etc... make this yummy treat for your next party! no one will even know it's healthy (:

barramundi fish with swiss chard & sweet potato

have you ever tired this fish? if not, you should. it's one of the healthiest and most delicious fish in my opinion, and very mild. 
dr. oz says this about barramundi: "If the Barramundi fish were a human, he would be a tree-hugging, salad-loving vegetarian. The Barramundi, hailing from the coast of Australia, eschews his fellow fish, dining on plankton instead. That means he doesn't load up on mercury-packed smaller fish and has extremely low levels of the toxin, which is especially important for pregnant women. Free of mercury, but full of heart and brain-healthy omega-3s, the Barramundi, which is becoming more popular in the US, is a shoe-in for one of the top 5 superfoods. Bonus: the white meat is light, flaky and delicious"

this dish is a delicious and easy way to enjoy this fish with loads of other nutritional foods!

4 barramundi fillets, washed
1 lb cubed sweet potatoes (i used white sweet potato here)
coconut oil
fresh thyme
crushed garlic
1/2 t each paprika, cumin, sea salt, black pepper
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly 
1 bunch swiss chard, shredded
1 T raisins
2 T raw activated sunflower seeds 

toss sweet potato chunks with coconut oil, garlic, 1/4 t salt & thyme. roast @ 400 F for 30-35 minutes until soft, stirring halfway through. 

meanwhile, in a large skillet, season barramundi with 1/4 t salt, pepper, paprika & cumin. add 1 T coconut oil to the skillet and cook fish for 2-3 minutes each side until opaque throughout. transfer to serving plates & add another tablespoon of coconut oil to the frying pan. add shredded swiss chard, onion, garlic, raisins & pine nuts & cook until onions are translucent and chard is wilted. season with s + p & add to serving plates along with fish & roasted sweet potato.

raw kiwi-ginger squares

this raw, vegan, and grain free delight is sure to make your tummy happy... and all others who you share it with! it's a 4 layered chilled dessert-but don't let that intimidate you, it's deliciously easy!!

crust:
1 c almonds
1 1/2 c dates
coconut oil
-in a food processor, process almonds until fine. then add dates and process until it sticks together easily between your fingertips, adding a bit of coconut oil if needed. line a glass baking dish with parchment paper or use a tart pan with a removable bottom. evenly & firmly press crust into the bottom of pan and set in freezer.

creamy filling:
1 c cashews soaked overnight + drained
2 c brazil nuts soaked overnight + drained
3/4 c coconut oil
1/2 c lemon juice
1/2 c liquid sweetener of choice
1/2 t vanilla bean powder
1/4 t sea salt
-add all ingredients to a high speed blender and run until completely smooth. remove 1/2 of the mixture into a bowl and set aside. to the blender, add 3 T minced ginger & blend again. pour over crust and set back in freezer. add the remaining filling back to the blender and add in a large handful of baby spinach + 2 peeled kiwi fruit & blend until smooth. evenly pour this layer over the ginger layer and set back in freezer.
-neatly peel 2 more kiwi and slice into rounds. lay out evenly on top of the tart and keep in freezer until firm & ready to slice-about 3 hours.

enjoy!!