Saturday, April 13, 2013

Let us eat cake!

Carrot Cupcakes:


Ingredients:

1 grated organic apple
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup margerine (non gmo olive oil based found in health food stores)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raw organic cane sugar
1 1/2 cups rice flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1 cup grated carrots
 2 tablespoons egg replacer ( mixed with water and whisked with a fork to resemble whisked egg whites)
1 cup chopped walnuts

For frosting:
1 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup water
3 Tablespoons of honey or agave (for those not wanting to use honey)

Directions:

For Cupcakes:

Place all ingredients except for grated carrots and walnuts into a vitamix/blender and blend until creamy smooth.
Remove from blender, place in a bowl and add grated carrots and walnuts.
Spoon into cupcake baking tray.
Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F

For frosting:

Place macadamia nuts, water and honey (or agave) into the blender/vitamix and blend until creamy smooth.
Spoon onto cupcakes once they have cooled down and serve.

Sensationally divine on the palate!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Nutty Sauces and Nutty Cheezes

Mac Nut Cheezy Sauce:



Ingredients:
2 cups macadamia nuts
1.5 cups chopped orange bell pepper
1 orange
4 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons Braggs aminos (or soy sauce)

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender/vitamix and blend until creamy.
Ready to serve and delicious on steamed broccoli.

Peanut "breading" sauce: Breaded eggplant

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw, crunchy peanut butter
2 Tablespoons hemp oil
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (source of vitamin B12)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro/or Italian parsley
2 Tablespoons chopped green onions
1 large eggplant sliced into thin slices. (This is kept separate. First sprinkle eggplant slices with sea salt and allow it to stand for 1 hour. Then rinse with fresh water and dry with a paper towel. The sauce will be used to coat these slices)

Directions:
Combine ingredients and blend in a vitamix or blender until creamy
Place batter on both sides off the eggplant slices and lay on an oiled baking sheet.
Broil/grill on low until browned ~ approximately 5-8 minutes. use fork or spatula to flip over and brown other side for about another 5 minutes.
Eggplant is done when browned and tender.
Garnish and serve.



I served the steamed broccoli with Mac Nut Cheezy Sauce and the Breaded Eggplant in peanut breading sauce with a side salad of beet chard and beetroot.

Hemp ~ Pine Nut sauce:

(also featured under the hempa-licious section)


Ingredients:

1 cup hulled hemp seed
1 cup pine nuts
1 large red bell pepper
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 Tablespoons of Braggs amino's (or soy sauce)
3 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup water
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a Vitamix or blender and blend into a creamy texture.
Ready to serve as a side dip or use as a sauce on a main dish.
Extremely yummy and you'll have people demanding the recipe!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Hemp - alicious!

Information on hemp as a food source:



Hemp Oat Muffins


Ingredients:

1 cup hulled hemp seed
1 cup (gluten free) rolled oats
1 cup  oat bran
2 cups soy milk (organic non GMO)
1/2 cup Agave
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp egg replacer (reconstitute with water to form stiff  beaten egg white consistency)
1 cup raisins

Directions:

Place all ingredients except the egg replacer and raisins in your blender or vitamix and mix until creamy.
Add the egg replacer and raisins
Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes

Serve warm or cool with a teaspoon of strawberry jam

So hemp - alicious that these muffins don't even last for an afternoon in my house!


Hemp Peanut Butter Cookies


Ingredients:

1 cup raw sugar
1 cup organic peanut butter
1 cup hulled hemp seed
3 teaspoons egg replacer mixed with 4 Tablespoons warm water

Directions:
Add all ingredients together
Knead into a ball
Roll out and cut into cookie shapes
Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F
Cool for at least 10 minutes to allow cookie to harden

Easiest cookies in the world to make, highly hemp-alicious and packed with protein and omega 3's and 6's

Hemp Nut Burgers



Ingredients:

10 ounces/396g medium tofu
1 cup hulled hemp seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
6 basil leaves, chopped
2 Tbs Braggs Aminos/soy sauce
2 Tbs flax meal
2 cups organic herb seasoned stuffing

Directions:

Places all ingredients except the stuffing into a blender or Vitamix.
Place the stuffing into a bowl and pour the hemp tofu mixture over it, mix well and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
Form into burger patties and bake on a greased baking tray at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Serve with a salad of dark green leafy lettuce, red and yellow peppers and kiwi fruit.

Garnished with a sprinkling of hemp seeds.

Very tasty and satisfying giving you protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

Hemp Orange Smoothie




Ingredients:

You can use any combination of fruits but for this recipe. I used:

2 oranges
2 fresh bananas
4 tablespoons of hulled hemp seed
4 cubes of ice

Optional extra: 1 cup pineapple chunks

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a Vitamix or blender and blend until creamy smooth.
This may be used as 2 portions depending on how hungry you are

Extremely satisfying and energizing!

 Hemp-Pine Nut Sauce:


Ingredients:

1 cup hulled hemp seed
1 cup pine nuts
1 large red bell pepper
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 Tablespoons of Braggs amino's (or soy sauce)
3 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup water
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a Vitamix or blender and blend into a creamy texture.
Ready to serve as a side dip or use as a sauce on a main dish.
Extremely yummy and you'll have people demanding the recipe!

Zucchini in Hemp sauce:


(A variation of raw vegan fettuccine Alfredo using zucchini noodles and hemp sauce as the Alfredo sauce)

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini
Hemp sauce ingredients as above

Make zucchini noodles by using a vegetable peeler and peeling large strips of the zucchini into a bowl. Place hemp sauce over the strips and mix them together.
Ready to serve with a garnish of your choice. It's as easy as that!

Lentil Hemp balls:



Ingredients:


 1.5 cups of precooked lentils
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped eggplant
2 grated carrots
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
A dash of Braggs aminos
Salt, pepper and dried Italian herbs to taste
Fresh basil, rosemary and oregano to taste (approximately 1 Tablespoon of each, finely chopped)
2 Tablespoons Egg replacer
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds (in a separate bowl)
4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (in another separate bowl)

Directions:

Place the olive oil in a pan
Saute onions and garlic and add the other veggie ingredients and lentils while stir frying
Add Braggs aminos, slat, pepper and herbs
Remove from pan and place in a bowl
Fold in the reconstituted Egg Replacer
Shape mixture into balls and roll first in the hemp seeds and then in the nutritional yeast
Deep fry for a few minutes to make them crispy.

Serve on a bed of couscous, with green beet chard salad, cucumbers,tomato orange peppers and fresh papaya.

Garnish with a sprinkling of hemp seed.

Almond-Date Hemp and Chia Seed Bites:



So easy, so delicious and so nutritious!

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds
1/2 cup soaked, pitted dates
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds

Directions:

Place the almonds in the vitamix or blender and blend until powdered.
Add soaked, pitted dates and blend.
Remove mixture from vitamix/blender and knead with hands. Separate it into 2 sections  and add the hemp seeds to one half and the chia seeds to the other half, mixing and kneading with your hands.
Roll or flatten mixture out on a board and cut into small squares.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to harden/set.
Place on a serving dish and garnish with shredded coconut and whole dates.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Vegan Festive Menu

Vegan Festive Lunch Menu:

Serves 6



STARTER:
Butternut Squash Soup

MAIN COURSE:
Tasty Falafal
Stuffed Peppers
Tofu Spinach Cannelloni
Quinoa salad

DESSERT:
Tofu Chocolate pudding
Raw vegan "Cheesecake"

Butternut Squash Soup:

Ingredients:
1 medium Butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Sea salt
Ground black pepper or lemon pepper
Dried or fresh Italian herbs (I use fresh basil, oregano, parsley and spring onions)
Parsley for garnish.

Boil butternut squash and drain water into a separate cup or bowl. When soft remove from heat and place in a blender or vitamix.
Stir fry onions and garlic in olive oil
Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning
Add this to the butternut squash in the blender, blend until creamy and slowly add little bits of the saved water until the preferred consistency is reached, then reheat on stove top just before serving.

Garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Guaranteed to be a hit with your guests!


Tasty Falafal:

Ingredients:
1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans) (blended smooth  in blender or vitamix)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
1 finely chopped zucchini
1/2 finely chopped eggplant
salt
ground black pepper
1/2 cup Fresh herbs ~ basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, spring onions, all finely chopped
(Optional extra for a spicy kick ~ 1 red hot chili pepper)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Stir fry all the veggie ingredients and add to blended garbanzo beans.
To make into balls add:
 2 Tbsp Egg Replacer (mixed with enough water separately to resemble beaten egg whites)
2 Tbsp organic Spelt flour (or any flour of your choice)

Dip the golf size balls of mixture into additional flour, just enough to coat them and deep fry in oil of your choice. Apparently canola oil or coconut oil is the best option for deep frying.
Place on a paper towel afterwards to drain oil residue off the falafal balls and serve.


Stuffed Peppers:

1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell pepper
1 pack of Ground Veggie Mince or 1 cup dried TVP (reconstituted with 1 cup water)
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 eggplant finely chopped
1 large carrot finely chopped
1 large tomato finely chopped
1 cup mushrooms finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh herbs finely chopped ( garlic chives, rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley and whatever else tickles your fancy)
Sea salt, Black pepper
1 tbsp Braggs amino acids ( or soy sauce)
2 tbsp olive oil

Cut the peppers in halves and scoop out the seeds, place on a baking tray
Stir fry the other ingredients and then scoop the mixture into the peppers
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes to soften the peppers slightly
Serve with garnish of your choice
Optional extra : add a dab of Veganaise on the top of the stuffed peer as a tasty garnish.

These are absolutely satisfying and scrumptious!


Tofu Spinach Cannelloni:


Ingredients
  • 12 cannelloni/manicotti noodles, cooked el dente
  • 1 16 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1o oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed and chopped – or 1 bag of fresh baby spinach, chopped
  • 16 oz. firm or silken tofu
  • ½ cup soaked cashews, drained and finely ground (optional)
  • ¼ cup shredded carrots (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp.sea salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Shredded vegan cheese (optional)
Instructions
  1.  Saute the onions in the oil until translucent. Stir in the spinach and turn off the heat.
  2. In a bowl, mix the tofu, cashews (if using), carrots, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.
  3. Add the spinach-onion mixture to the tofu mixture and stir until well-mixed.
  4. Preheat oven to 350F. Pour a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ pan.
  5. Fill each cooked shell with filling using a small spoon. Line the filled shells up in the pan and cover with the rest of the pasta sauce.
  6. Cover the pan with foil to keep the shells from drying out.
  7. Bake for about 30 minutes,or until bubbling.
  8. If adding vegan cheese, sprinkle it on top for the final 2 minutes in the oven.

Quinoa Salad:

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (precooked)
1 tomato chopped
1 cucumber chopped
6 dark green or red lettuce leaves rolled and chopped
6 calamata olives chopped
1/2 cup of sprouts
1/2 cup fresh herbs of your choice chopped (I always use a combination of rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley and chives)

Add ingredients together in a bowl, toss and serve with optional balsamic vinegar or Goddess Dressing.

Tofu Chocolate Pudding:

Ingredients:
2 tubs of Silken Tofu (firm) in the vacuum sealed packs
2 bars of Dark Chocolate
2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
1cup of 100% choice grade Maple Syrup

Blend together in a blender or vitamix and place in refrigerator to thicken.

This is healthy death by chocolate....UNBELIEVABLY good!

Raw Vegan "Cheesecake":


Crust ingredients:

1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts (or a combination of walnuts and macadamia nuts)
1/2 cup dates
1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
1 pinch sea salt

White cheesecake filling ingredients:

3 cups cashews
1 large lemon juiced
3/4 cup agave or honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
Up to a 1/4 cup of water, if necessary to facilitate blending

Fruit topping ingredients:

2 cups frozen strawberries

Preparation:

1. Add the macadamia nuts, salt and dates into your blender/vitamix until creamy.
2. Next, get our your cheesecake pan and sprinkle the coconut on the bottom as your very first layer. Press the macadamia nuts and date mixture down into the pan to form the crust.
3. Place filling ingredients into your vitamix/ blender and blend! Add as little water as necessary to facilitate blending. (Try to add as little water as possible.) Pour mixture on top of crust.
4. Place the above in freezer for an hour to set.
5.Place strawberries in blender separately. Blend until smooth and pour this mixture on top of the crust/cream cheese, which was just in the freezer for about an hour. Replace the raw cheesecake recipe back in freezer. Freeze until the "cheesecake" reaches the desired consistency (approx 5 hours)
6. Defrost this raw cheesecake recipe for about a half-hour before eating

Monday, October 22, 2012

Vegan protein sources

How much protein do you need per day?

This is a commonly asked question and there is a simple answer. A normal healthy human needs 1gm protein per 1kg of body weight. This is easily obtainable on a vegan diet, especially if you are making high quality nutritious food choices. To figure out how many kilograms you weigh if you are used to measuring in pounds, just divide your pounds by 2.2. I hope you have immense fun discovering all the wonderful protein sources the earth has to offer. Avoid dry and oil roasted nuts and seeds and those with added salt and sugar, the raw variety are delicious!

Legumes and Grains

Lentils 1 cup Protein 17g
Chick Pea ( Garbanzo Bean ) 1 cup Protein 16g
Black bean 1 cup Protein 15g
Kidney bean 1 cup 15g
Soybean 1 cup Protein 30g
Soy milk 1 cup Protein 7g
Tofu 1/2 cup Protein 20g
TVP 1/2 cup Protein 16g
Brown rice 1 cup Protein 5g
Couscous 1 cup Protein 6g
Oats cooked 1 cup Protein 5 g
Quinoa cooked 1 cup Protein 5 g
Pasta, wheat cooked 1 cup Protein 8 g
White rice cooked 1 cup Protein 3 g
Whole wheat bread 1 slice Protein 4g
Wild rice cooked 1 cup Protein 4g


Nuts and Seeds (raw)

Almonds 1/2 oz Protein 3g
Cashews 1oz (28g/1/4cup) Protein 2.5g
Peanut butter 1 Tbsp Protein 4g
Pecan 1oz (28gm/1/4 cup) Protein 3g
Macadamia 1/4 cup Protein 2g
Walnut 1oz (28g/1/4cup) Protein 5g
Pine nuts 3 Tbsp Protein 4gm
Flax seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 1.5g
Hemp seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2.5g
Chia seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 3g
Pumpkin seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2g
Sesame seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2 g
Sunflower seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2g
Tahini (sesame seed paste) 1 Tbsp Protein





Vegetables with a high protein content

(Cooked unless otherwise noted)
Asparagus 1/2 cup 10g
Beet greens 1/2 cup 20g
Broccoli 1/2 cup 25 1/2 cup 17g
Corn on the cob 1 ear 48g
Edamame 1/2 cup 65g
Green peas 1/2 cup 61g
Hubbard squash 1/2 cup 51g
Kale 1/2 cup 18g
Mung Bean Sprouts 1/2 cup 11.5
Mushroom Portabella (grilled) 1/2 cup 21g
Spinach 1/2 cup 21gSpirolina 1Tbsp 20g
Sugar snap peas 1/2 cup 33.5g
Chard

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Enticing Entrees




Chickpea Tofu Curry

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1-1.5 Tbsp Mixed Indian curry, mild, medium or strong according to you palate (I used medium Durban Indian curry masala)
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cubed firm tofu
1/4 cup water
salt, pinch
ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chopped basil, parsley and oregano for garnish and sliced cherry tomatoes
fresh organic spinach leaves

Heat oil in a frying pan and add the curry powder, mixing it in well.
Add onion and garlic, stir frying continually as you add each ingredient
Add sun dried tomatoes
Add Chick Peas
Add broccoli and yellow pepper
add 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper
Add tofu cubes and simmer

Serve on a fresh bed of spinach leaves with mango chutney as a sambal and basmati rice.
Garnish with herbs and tomatoes

serves four




Seared Eggplant Tofu Sandwich


Rosemary garlic bread
Red leaf lettuce
Veganaise (I used the grape seed variety)
Eggplant
Onions
Roma tomatoes
Avocado
Red Pepper
Extra firm tofu cut into thin strips
Fresh parsley, basil and oregano
Balsamic vinegar

Lightly sear the onion, eggplant, red pepper and tomatoes in a frying pan with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I cook each item separately and layer them on the bread as they are cooked.
Cut bread into thin slices and spread the veganaise on each side.
Place the lettuce next as a foundation and layer the ingredients: eggplant, tomato, avocado, red pepper, tofu and herbs
This is a killer sandwich and extremely satisfying! Enjoy :)


Vegan Babotie

Babotie is a traditional South African dish with Malaysian influences. It is an extremely flavorful curry dish usually using ground meat, which I have substituted with TVP (textured vegetable protein or Boca ground bits, which is a pre-made soy protein option) This dish is high in protein and high in taste!

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions
180g veggie mince
1 clove garlic
1 slice bread (I use Ezekial sprouted grain bread)
1 cup soy milk (or any other milk substitute)
1 tbsp medium hot curry
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tbs raw sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp mango chutney (medium or hot, depending on your taste)
1 tsp apricot jam
1/2 cup raisins
1 bay leaf
splash of Braggs amino acids or soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp egg replacer
1 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp oregano
1 vacuum tub of silken tofu for topping
shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C)
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat, cook onions and garlic and add curry powder, then add veggie mince and bay leaf.
Place the milk in a shallow dish and soak the bread. Squeeze excess milk from bread and set milk aside. add the bread to the veggie mince mixture
Stir in the raisins, apricot jam, chutney, salt ,pepper, other curry powder ingredients.
Pour mixture into a prepared baking dish and remove bay leaf
Bake in oven for 30 minutes
While babotie bakes, whisk together the tub of silken tofu and 2 tbsp egg replacer and add a teaspoon of medium curry powder, salt and pepper and remainder of milk.
Pour over dish and bake for another 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Garnish with shredded coconut and serve with rice, couscous or quinoa.
Guaranteed to be a hit at dinner parties!
Serves 4-8


Vegan Kebabs

Astoundingly yummy and incredibly quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

"Blissful Bits" (made by Eco Vegan) or another vegan alternative

Mushrooms
Polenta sliced and halved or quartered
Red and orange peppers
Zucchini (baby marrow) sliced

Bake all of the above on a baking sheet or tray in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, turn veggies over and bake for another 10 minutes, with a sprinkle of sea salt, black pepper, and drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup olive oil infused with finely chopped fresh organic herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary, parsley and garlic chives, and add a drizzle of Braggs aminos (or soy sauce).

Serve on a bed of Couscous

Side salad:
Lettuce, tomatoes, radish sprouts, calamata olives and avocado


Bon appetit!

 

Sweet Potato Cottage Pie:

1 package of ground vegetable protein or one cup of prepared TVP (textured vegetable protein
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1/2 tub of mushrooms
1 corn on the cob (slice kernels off it)
2 carrots, sliced in small circles
2 Roma tomatoes (or any type that is available)
3 cups of fresh spinach
1/2 bunch of spring onions, chopped
handful of basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley
salt, pepper and Braggs Amino sauce to taste (small amount of soy sauce can be substituted)
3 sweet potatoes (boiled and mashed with soy milk and sea salt)
Italian parsley garnish

Stir fry all the above ingredients except the sweet potatoes, starting with sauteing the onions and garlic in a small amount of olive oil, then adding the fresh herbs followed by the mushrooms, corn, carrots, tomatoes and very last the corn and spring onions with a dash of Braggs Aminos for flavor.

 
Place the stir fry in a Pyrex dish and add the mashed sweet potato topping. Place in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes to heat if desired and garnish with parsley.
 
Guaranteed to satisfy anyone fortunate enough to be served this tasty dish!
 
 
 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Sweet Cakes and Delectable Treats

Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake

Oh so yummy but has more of a sticky brownie consistency

2 cups raw walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates
3/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut oil
berries for garnish

In food processor chop walnuts for 20 seconds until they have a sandy consistency. Add dates, coconut oil, agave, vanilla and salt.Process until mixtures forms a ball. Firm into a cake and ice with cashew macadamia nut frosting.
Optional: you may dehydrate the cake for 30 minutes at 118 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the texture slightly firmer.

Cashew Macadamia nut frosting:
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp water

Blend together and place in fridge to cool and thicken. Cover chocolate cake with this mind blowingly delicious frosting and decorate with fresh berries.

This "cake" is extremely rich and you will feel satisfied with just a very small wedge. Place in freezer.

Someone once said "Let them eat cake", I say " Eat nutritious cake"

Raw vegan Pecan Pie

Crust:
2 cups raw pecans
1/2 cup dates pitted and soaked
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp vanilla

Filling:
1 1/2 cups dates pitted and soaked
1/2 cup raw pecans
1/3 cup raw honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup water

Topping:
1 cup pecans

For Crust:
Blend pecans in food processor (or blender or vitamix) until fine. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Remove from food processor and pat into pie dish.

Filling:
 Place pecans in food processor and blend until smooth. Add other ingredients and blend until creamy. Pour filling into pie crust.

Topping:
Decoratively place pecans on top of pie and garnish with fresh organic berries.

This pie will knock your guests socks off! It is best if you place in freezer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour and then store in refrigerator.







Papaya Banana Pudding:

1 ripe papaya
1 banana
2 Tbsp agave (or raw honey which is not considered vegan)

Place in blender or vitamix and blend until smooth
Eat immediately or refrigerate to set and thicken.

The simplest, healthiest and tastiest pudding in the world!Garnish with a blackberry.

serves one-two


Insanely delicious Carob Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance which is made from palm, flax and olive oil)
1/2 cup sugar
2Tbsp Egg Replacer (reconstituted with water to form a stiff egg white consistency)
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup carob chips

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
~blend flour, oats, salt and baking soda
~ In another bowl combine vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, egg replacer
~Add dry ingredients
~Add carob chips
~Drop teaspoons full onto a greased baking sheet
~Bake for 8-10 minutes (chewier if you bake for 8 minutes)
~decorate with more carob chips just when you remove the cookies from the oven and they're still hot
~Allow to cool

Makes about a dozen
Enjoy!

 Cherry Pie: (raw)


Ingredients:

CRUST:
2 cups almonds
1/2 cup dates, pitted and soaked

FILLING:
5 cups cherries (I used frozen and thawed)
2 bananas
3 Tablespoons raw honey

Directions:

FOR CRUST:
~ Grind the almonds until fine in a food processor/vitamix/blender
~ Add dates and blend until smooth
~ Pat mixture into a pie plate

FOR FILLING:
~Combine 4 cups of cherries, 2 bananas and 3 tablespoons of honey and blend until smooth.
~ Remove from vitamix/blender and add 1 cup whole cherries
~ Pour into crust
~ refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow it to solidify

Serve garnished with whole cherries and mint leaves.
Guaranteed to provide a taste bud frenzy of delight!