Shout out

I want to give a shout out to one of my new faavvvvvorite blogs Whole Hearted Eats

I discovered this blog, written by a lovely woman named Sophie, through her gorgeous instagram account. Her blog is full of beautiful photographs of her delightfully simple and healthy recipes, plus great info on healthy cooking and eating. So far everything I've made from the blog has been fabulous. I want to make every single one of her dishes!

Here's my rendition of Sophie's raw vegan fig bars. They were quite simple to make and lovely as a breakfast treat

The flax 'rye' crackers made a perfect accompaniment to a sweet potato soup I made.

If you try only one recipe from Whole Hearted Eats, try these banana bread pancakes. I am happy to say that this was the first meal I ate in the new year, the perfect fuel after a long night of New Year's Eve dancing. To me, these are the perfect pancakes. They are vegan, simple to make, and most importantly delicious. And the recipe works! Though the batter is gluten-free, it still holds together nicely and cooks up beautifully. Made with a base of oats & hazelnuts they are nutrient rich and filling, but not too heavy. Plus, the sweetness from the banana means you don't need much maple syrup. 

A trillion thanks to Whole Hearted Eats for the incredible recipes and inspiration!

Dark chocolate truffles with balsamic & tamari

Though I've never actually made a list, this is definitely one of my top 5 all time favorite recipes. I make these truffles for exquisite parties, as gifts for family and friends, and sometimes just to have on hand for when I'm in need of a decadent & healthy treat.

This recipe for dark chocolate truffles was inspired by the talented Renee Loux. The truffles are vegan, gluten-free, and raw with the exception of maple syrup and vanilla extract. Notes of balsamic vinegar and tamari bring out an incredible tang in the chocolate and the magical synergy between raw cacao and vanilla bean give them further complexity. Try them once and you'll never forget them.

Dark chocolate truffles with balsamic & tamari

• 2/3 cup raw cashew butter or raw almond butter
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 4 Tbsp. coconut butter
• 1 Tbsp. good quality balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. good quality tamari, Nama Shoyu is best
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Seeds from one vanilla bean
• 1.5 cups raw cacao powder, plus for as needed
• Cacao powder for dusting

Begin by softening the coconut butter in a heatproof jar or glass placed in a bowl of hot water. Combine the nut butter, maple syrup, coconut butter, balsamic vinegar, tamari, vanilla extract and vanilla bean in a medium bowl, stirring until well mixed and smooth. 

Sift the cacao powder (this is important to remove any lumps!) into the bowl and mix to thoroughly incorporate. Use a sturdy spoon as the mixture will get quite stiff. Add more cacao if necessary to achieve a smooth thick base. If the mixture is not stiff enough to handle, refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to help it solidify.

Roll 1.5 Tbsp. into balls and roll in a shallow dish of cacao powder to coat. Alternately roll in coconut flakes or hemp seeds. Store in a sealed container the fridge or freezer. For best flavor, allow the truffles to return to room temperature before eating. Makes about 24 truffles. Enjoy!

Amaaazing Maca Caramel Bars

Ok, so these bars are fabulous. With a crunchy fig and pepita crust, a gooey caramel center, all topped with dark delicious chocolate they are a decadent treat. Made with activated pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds they are raw, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free. Plus I included a few superfoods like maca & milk thistle seed! 

Maca

Not only does its malty flavor make the perfect caramel, this potent root nourishes the body and balances the endocrine system.  A powerful adaptogen, maca can help each body differently based on its specific needs. Native to the Andes mountains of Bolivia and Peru maca has long been used as a superfood to energize naturally, balance hormones, and increase fertility. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals including B, C, D, and E, iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, selenium, phosphorous & calcium.

Milk thistle seed

I added a bit of ground milk thistle seed to the crust because of its detoxifying properties. Milk thistle will boost the health benefits of this treat without altering the flavor much, though it's not essential to the recipe (and you can still make the bars if you don't have it on hand). Milk thistle seed contains the liver-protecting compound known as silymarin that actively repairs liver cells damaged by alcohol and other toxic substances by stimulating protein synthesis. Silymarin also seems to encourage liver cell growth and has antioxidant properties.

Maca Caramel Bars

with fig & pepita crust + dark chocolate

For the crust:

• 1 cup figs, roughly chopped
• 5 medjool dates
• 1 cup pepitas, soaked and dried if possible
• 3/4 cup sunflower seeds, soaked and dried if possible
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• 2 Tbsp. ground milk thistle seed (optional)
• pinch sea salt
• 2-3 Tbsp. water, as needed

For the maca caramel:

• 12 medjool dates
• 3 Tbsp. raw tahini
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
• 1-2 Tbsp. maca powder
• seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch sea salt

For the dark chocolate

• 3/8 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3/8 cup raw cacao butter, melted
• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 3-4 Tbsp. maple syrup
• pinch sea salt

For the crust, begin by placing the figs in a food processor and grinding into a paste. Add the dates and then the rest of the ingredients except for the water and process until the mixture begins sticking together. Add water one tablespoon at a time just until the mixture begins to form a ball that holds together well. Press the crust mixture into a parchment lined brownie pan and set in the freezer. 

For the caramel, place the dates in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the tahini and coconut oil, followed by the rest of the ingredients and keep processing until the caramel gets really smooth and sticky. Remove the crust from the freezer and use a spatula to spread the caramel evenly over the crust. Return pan to the freezer.

For the chocolate, melt the coconut oil and cacao butter in a bowl placed over a second bowl filled with hot water. When melted, sift in the cacao powder and whisk in the rest of the ingredients, stirring until smooth and well blended. Remove the pan from the freezer and spread the chocolate over the caramel layer. Return to the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes to fully set. Slice with a sharp knife and enjoy! 

Kabocha carrot ginger purée with maple walnut granola & hempseeds

I am lucky to have the day off and got to eat my breakfast at home today! Thought I was going to make a smoothie bowl this morning but it is just too chilly. Instead I made what I suppose it is a sort of winter "smoothie." It took just minutes to make and tasted so nourishing and warming on a December morning.

Measurements aren't so important when making something as simple as this. Just go with your intuition, taste along the way, and adjust accordingly.

To make the puree, chop two carrots and a nice chunk of kabocha squash. Place in a small sauce pan with a bit of water and several slices of fresh ginger. Steam until soft. Transfer the cooked veggies and ginger to a blender or food processor. Add a nub of coconut butter or coconut oil, a pinch of each of your favorite warming spices (I used cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, and a bit of Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamineral Earth), a bit of sea salt, and enough nut milk (I used homemade almond milk) to blend into a smooth yet thick puree. Top with your favorite granola, a sprinkle of hemp seeds, and garnish with a few carrot ribbons (make them with a carrot peeler).

Delicious success

My first very class held at Busy Being yesterday was a delicious success! It was such a pleasure to share some decadently healthy holiday treats in such a great location.

In the class we made raw walnut brownies with tart dried cherries, and mini vegan cheesecakes with lemon cardamom cream & a spiced raspberry sauce. And all of this was made on a small foldout table and using just a food processor. It really showcased the simplicity of making raw desserts. As long as you have a few essential tools, you can make gorgeous food pretty much anywhere!

The holiday season is such a wonderful time to showcase raw desserts. Not only are they simple to make, they are healthy too! The recipes I taught use only whole food ingredients, nothing processed or refined. They call on fruits (like dates, bananas, and figs) for sweetness, and activated nuts and seeds (that have been sprouted and dried) for richness and body. Best of all they are incredibly delicious. Share them with your friends and family and even the health food skeptics will be asking for seconds. 

Special thanks to my friend Tamara for planting the seed for this workshop in my mind, to Amber at Busy Being for hosting the class, to my dad for his keen edits to my recipe handouts and for trusting me with his kitchen tools, to my mom for loaning me plates and her cuisinart, and to all the lovely folks who attended the class.

I am so happy for the opportunity to grow into my role as a teacher and I can hardly wait to teach again!

Announcing Jewel House Kitchen's First Class!

 

Raw Desserts for the Holidays

 

Come to Busy Being on Sunday December 8^th for an afternoon workshop on raw vegan holiday desserts. We’ll be making (and eating!) raw chocolate brownies studded with nuts and fruits, and luscious raw tartlets that are perfect for holiday parties. Simple to prepare and utterly delicious, these desserts will wow your friends and loved ones. Leave with recipes and inspiration to make some gorgeous, healthy treats. 2:30-4:30pm, $20

Aaaaaaand there will be some magnificent treats for sale the day of the class. Like these vegan dark chocolate truffles with balsamic vinegar and tamari. You'll definitely want to leave with a gift box of these. Or two.

Giving thanks

I had so much fun making food for my family's potluck style thanksgiving gathering. This year my contributions were 

a vegan tempeh shepherd's pie with loads of veggies and topped with coconut butter & herb mashed potatoes...

a delicious kale salad with roasted brussels sprouts & onions, dried cherries, and a citrus tahini dressing... 

and two vegan, gluten-free pumpkin pies made from two cute little pumpkins!

We ate one of the pies on the evening of thanksgiving, and saved the second for the perfect breakfast on the following morning. The crust is probably my favorite part. It has a nutty flavor and delicious crispy texture. Made with oats and pecans it is gluten-free and vegan. Press it in the pie pan and you can skip the stress of rolling out the dough. My mom said she'd even eat the crust by itself!

 Amazing vegan pumpkin pie with the perfect gluten-free crust

 

For the crust: 

• 1 cup rolled oats, processed into a fine flour in your spice grinder or food processor
• 2 cups raw pecans, plus a few extra for decoration *use soaked and dried if possible
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, plus a bit to grease the pan
• ¹/₄ cup brown rice syrup
• 3 Tbsp. ground flax
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¹/₂ tsp. salt

For the filling:

• 1 medium pie pumpkin (to make 2¹/₄ pumpkin puree)  
  
• ¹/₄ cup pure maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
• 1 Tbsp. psyllium husk
• ¹/₃ cup natural unrefined coconut palm sugar
• ¹/₈ cup brown rice syrup
• 1 can coconut milk (freeze for 30 minutes, then skim off 1/4 cup of the thick cream at the top)
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
• 3 Tbsp. coconut butter, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• ¹/₂ tsp. ground ginger
• ¹/₂ tsp. nutmeg pinch of ground cloves

Directions 

1. First, slice your pumpkin in half, scrape out the seeds, rub with a bit of coconut oil and bake face down at 350 degrees until nice and soft, about 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. Scrape the meat away from the rind and puree it in a food processor until smooth.
2. For the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-inch pie dish with coconut oil. In a food processor, mix oat flour and pecans, and process until it just begins to clump. Melt the coconut oil in a pyrex glass set in a bowl of hot water. Mix the brown rice syrup in with the oil. Put the pecan mixture into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Use your hands to combine everything well. You should be able to form a ball with the dough. If it’s too dry, add a bit more coconut oil.
3. Spoon the dough into the pie dish  and press down very firmly to form the crust, bringing it up along the sides and fluting the edges if you like. Prick crust with fork several times. Prebake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes, watching closely so as not to burn. Remove and cool for at least 10 minutes.
4. For the filling,  in a large bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, arrowroot powder, and psyllium. Now add all ingredients and whisk together, adjusting spices and sweetener to taste. 
5. Scoop the filling into crust and smooth with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and cover crust edges with tinfoil to shield the crust from burning, then bake for another 25 minutes, checking it after 15 minutes or so. Place on cooling rack for 1 hour. Transfer to fridge for a minimum of 3 hours (this is important!) before slicing with a sharp knife.

Among the katrillion things I am thankful for are...

a family of kale eaters who helped me polish off that enormous salad and then played games with me for the rest of the evening

my dad, who generously bought ALL of the ingredients that went in to these creations

the beautiful, sunshiney "winter" days in Austin,

new and old friends, connecting, reconnecting, feeling my roots grow stronger

all my incredible teachers

the constant (really it is non-stop!) flow of inspiration from the artists, dancers, yogis, herbalists, craftsmen, cooks, and magic makers in this world

plants growing

pretty clothes

dancing

the realization this week that I am who I once dreamed of being. which means that mayyyybe someday I'll become the woman I see in my mind's eye today