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

Raw mini cheesecakes with spiced raspberry & cherry sauce

These mini cheesecakes are delightful! So cute, fun to make, and perfectly delicious. They are raw, vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free. Notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom infuse them with a holiday spirit and they're a great dessert to add to your friendsgiving and thanksgiving spread. The recipe was inspired by Elenore Bendel Zahn of the Earthsprout blog.

Raw Mini Cheesecakes

makes seven minis

Fig Crust:

• scant cup of dried figs
• 1/2 C. pepitas, preferably soaked and dried
• 1/4 C. sunflower seeds, preferably soaked and dried
• 1 Tb. ground flax seed
• pinch good quality salt
• 1-3 ts. water, as needed

Remove the tough stems from the dried figs and give them a rough chop. Place in a food processor and grind into a paste. Add the pepitas, sunflower seeds, flax, and salt and pulse until a dough forms, adding water only as necessary. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out in to a square of 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into seven long strips. Roll them up, pressing the ends together to form cylinders. Refrigerate while making the filling and sauce.

Lemon Cardamom filling:

• 2 small ripe bananas
• juice + zest of half a lemon
• 1/8 C. coconut oil, melted
• 1/8 C. coconut butter, softened
• 1 ts. ground cardamom

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined. Put the filling in the freezer to firm up while making the sauce.

Spiced Raspberry & Cherry Sauce :

• 1/8 C. dried tart cherries, soaked in water for 10 minutes 
• 3/4 C. raspberries (thawed if using frozen)
• 3 medjool dates
• juice of 1 orange + 1 Tb zest
• 1/2 ts. ground cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 Tb. ground flax
• 2 ts. psyllium husk

 Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until well combined. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the flax and psyllium to thicken the sauce, adding more if it is still too runny.  

Assembly:

Spoon some of the lemon cardamom cream into each of the little cheesecake crusts. Top with a dollop of the raspberry sauce and drizzle a bit on the side. Garnish with more dried cherries and a few goji berries for color. Enjoy!

Goodbye Cele

One of my kitty friends died yesterday. Her name was Cele, and this is what she looked like on her last day of life. The picture is deceptively pretty. You can't tell that one of her eyes was glued shut by this oozy goo, or that she was so weak from not eating that her back legs couldn't pick her up anymore. You can't hear her strange yowls or see the way her head would suddenly droop. In many ways her passing was a relief. I'm adding her to my Dia de los Muertos altar now.

In her younger days Cele was pretty. Little, lithe, and independent. We used to play a game where she would climb a tree, and scurry out to the branch right above wherever I was standing. And she is the mama of Buckley and Graham, the two brother cats that still grace the house where I live.

A friend of mine brought over this sweet lil bouquet with teensy mice in it. Kitty condolences. So nice.

This breakfast parfait to go of almond milk soaked chia + raw cacao mousse (recipe in a preceding post) was about the best thing that happened all day (other than the bouquet). Besides that I got myself in a bit of a gloom. Just off, you know? Uncomfortable in my own skin. It's cold outside and work was slow. I've got a crick in my neck. I feel simultaneously exhausted and lazy, like I'm not doing enough. Not reaching my goals fast enough. The voices in my head say a million mean things: you're weak, you're ugly, unremarkable, alone...all this and more. The best I can do for now is just be present with the gloom. It will pass I'm sure.

Dia de los muertos

For some reason I felt hesitant about putting this post up. I guess because it's not about food or cooking and it seemed a little silly and self centered. I've been questioning my reasons for having this blog...who is it for? What is it's purpose? What makes a post good? Or not so good? What do people like to read best? I'd like to post a lot more often than I do, but seem to get bogged down in deciding what is actually worthy of putting up here.

So I decided today to give myself permission to anything that I want with this blog. It's all about me! Anyone who wants to look on is more than welcome but from now on I am choosing to stop caring so much about what people will think and just write for myself, share whatever I feel like sharing. Make posts that are long, short, boring, fascinating, wordy, wordless, beautiful, ugly... and everything in between. I mean c'mon Julia! It doesn't really matter! Have fun! So here goes...

My Dia de los Muertos altar

They say the veil is thin this time of year, that we can feel with intensity the presence of the other sides and of those who came before us. It is the perfect time to think about death. To embrace it. Not to fear but to love this right of passage that each of us shall take. To honor those we love who have gone from this life.

I have so much fun with costuming that I am inspired to do more! On Halloween weekend I was in an exquisite Dia de los Muertos parade with everyone dressed in their finest calavera face paint and wicked garb. The creativity was inspiring! We danced through the streets of east Austin behind an incredible brass band before ending at Tillery park where there were altars of candles, pictures, pan de muerto, flowers, persimmons, skulls, and lace. I loved embodying the dead through this celebration, interacting with the darkness out in the open with love, colors, happiness, and sadness together.

 

Thank you to all my relations. Thank you for the gifts of life and the transformation of death. Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

Raw Walnut Almond Brownies

These raw brownies, inspired by the My New Roots blog are rich, fudgy and incredibly decadent, and they take just minutes to make. They'd make a great addition to a holiday party spread and are good enough that even your non-vegan and wary-of-raw-food friends will want seconds. I always love to bring healthy desserts to parties because then I know I've got a treat that I want to eat. Plus it's fun to introduce people to the delicious possibilities of raw foods!

Raw Walnut Almond Brownies

• 2 cups raw organic walnuts, soaked and dried*
• 2 ½ cups Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 cup raw cacao
• 1 cup raw unsalted almonds, soaked and dried* 
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt

• food processor

Place walnuts in food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Be careful not to over blend or you will end up with nut butter!

Add the cacao, cinnamon and salt. Pulse to combine.

Add the dates one at a time through the feed tube of the food processor while it is running until the mixture becomes cohesive. The dough will look crumbly but should hold together well when pressed. If the mixture doesn't stick together, add more dates.

Roughly chop the almonds. Combine the brownie dough and the almonds in a large bowl and mix together (the best way is to knead them in by hand). Press into a cake pan or mold lined with parchment paper. Place in freezer or fridge for 30 minutes to firm up before cutting.  Garnish with a few pinches of cacao powder sifted over the top. 

*It's always best to soak your nuts. Place them in a bowl with filtered water for 8 hours or overnight, then dry them in a dehydrator or in the oven at the lowest temperature possible. Read more about it here.


Some fun variations to try:

• substitute the almonds for some chopped pistachios and add a handful of dried cherries
• add a tablespoon of orange or lemon zest, a few drops of orange oil, plus 1/4 cup of cacao nibs
• stir in some toasted coconut flakes, a pinch of cardamom powder and the seeds from a vanilla bean
• get really sneaky and add a few tablespoons of vitamineral green or other green powder

Feels like fall

It's starting to really feel like fall here in Austin. Cooler nights and crisp clear days. We've even had some good thunder storms roll through! I'm mourning the end of the long days summer, the end of the hot nights perfect for eating watermelon on the porch, the end of fresh berries, and the last of the afternoons spent swimming and lounging at Barton Springs.

Saying goodbye to watermelon is harder for me than I can say. I find some consolation in the abundance of gorgeous winter squash, another of my very favorite foods!

As the weather changes the seasonal produce transitions from the water filled fruiting plants of summer (think cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, etc.) to the roots and hardier veggies of autumn (like carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, beets, cabbage, kale, etc.) Eating with the seasons is somewhat intuitive, but it can also take practice. In this globalized food system we've gotten used to having anything at any time. It is not uncommon in our grocery stores to see apples all summer, and tomatoes, asparagus, and even berries through the winter. So it takes conscious attention to eat seasonally.

In Chinese medicine autumn is the time of the metal element. Paul Pitchford writes that "Fall is the season of harvest, a time to pull inward and gather together on all levels...Everything in nature contracts and moves its essence inward and downward" (Healing with Whole Foods, p. 346) In this abundant yet contracting season Pitchford recommends that we eat heartier foods, cook with less water, and at lower heat for longer periods of time like baking.

Here in Texas where its still quite warm and sunny I still tend to eat lots of raw foods, salads, and smoothies through the fall. I do find myself baking more often and relishing the delicious caramel flavors of roasted squash, warming soups and cooked grains. Here's a bit of what I've been cooking up lately...

This dinner tasted like Thanksgiving had come early! And it's plated on my grandma's fancy china. 

Massaged kale + halved and roasted sweet dumpling squash + herbed millet pilaf with peas and cauliflower + carrot avocado glaze + pomegranate

The best batch of saurkraut I think I've ever made. Yes, I write love notes on my kraut.

Made with red and green cabbage, red onion, daikon, salt, cumin and caraway seeds

Napa cabbage boats + chickpea and parsley mash + shredded lettuce and carrot + a delicious red pepper tahini sauce + kraut on the side

simple breakfast of cinnamon apple slices + almond pulp cookies

Sprouted mung dal with sweet potato & cauliflower + carrot avocado cream sauce + flash steamed kale tossed in cilantro lime dressing

My post-yoga/pre-work breakfast to go: overnight white chia & oats in almond milk + dried super berries & cashews + cinnamon apples

When your smoothie matches your outfit you know its a good day! Banana raspberry chai smoothie + white chia soaked in almond milk with maca and mesquite + coconut flakes +goji berries

Another chia parfait! This time the smoothie was young coconut + pear + spinach + spirulina +date. Topped with toasted coconut

Butter lettuce, spinach & homegrown arugula + cucumber + carrot + chickpeas + pomegranate + parsley and olives. With a delicious orange carrot tahini dressing inspired by Earthyfeast

Purple cabbage & baby bok choi slaw + golden beet + caramelized onion + sauteed tempeh + green olives + ginger orange tahini dressing

Another post-yoga/pre-work breakfast to go: sprouted whole wheat sourdough + avocado + dual color kraut + vegan ceasar dressing + cilantro

Collard wraps with roasted kabocha squash, lettuce ribbons & cilantro + vegan ceasar style dressing + rainbow kraut

roasted turban squash, cauliflower & kabocha squash in coconut oil

roasted kabocha squash, cauliflower & white bean soup + massaged kale salad with lemon tahini turmeric dressing + sprouted whole wheat sourdough bread

 

oatmeal + carrot + dried fig & date + ground flax + vitamineral earth + a sprinkling of bee pollen & hemp seeds + homemade pepita milk