Chocolate Mint Ice Cream DREAM the Raw Vegan Way

While the recent heatwave didn't result in raised temperatures in Los Angeles (it only ;) got to 107˚F here) as much as it did in other areas of the States, it was plenty enough for an excuse for eating pounds of watermelon and frozen treats for a few days in a row!

Most RAW foods are already cooling as they are but when it's this hot, cold (temperature-wise) foods just feel good, period. And when they're the yummiest desserts without sugar and cream and gum and coloring and what not... all the stuff that can leave someone suffering afterwards, there's no reason not to indulge :)

Chocolate-mint ice cream, anyone? Personally, I love both cacao and fresh mint, and I've never been a big fan of chocolate-mint anything. It's very rare that I like the combination in any form but it has happened. Mint is cooling though, besides being so delicious and full of aroma when picked fresh from the garden so it had to be part of the fun and ended up being an ingredient in the originally planned cacao-berry-superfood "ice dream", as I call them.

So what went into it? Well....lots, but just pick and choose your own ingredients if you don't want to duplicate this exact creation. This version however is loaded with antioxidants-rich goodies:

Chocolate Mint Ice Cream

Ingredients (serves1-2 people):

1 cup of frozen blueberries

1 banana that has been sliced and frozen (much easier to blend slices)

6 heaping tsp cacao powder

2 tsp coconut butter

1/2 tsp maca powder

1/2 tsp Spirulina

sliver of fresh ginger

1 tsp bee pollen (not vegan)

sprig of fresh mint

4-6 ice cubes

1/2-1 cup cold water (add slowly while checking consistency)

Blend it all into a divine, soft serve, "ice dream" meal. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve and enjoy....while sitting in the garden, bird-watching - that's a must! ;)


♥

Dita

Oatmeal...A New Way

This might take me forever to type but, who knows, maybe someone else is healing a broken bone. 

I’m healing a broken finger….so, I will make this short, because I haven’t mastered typing with one hand and it is quite challenging.

One of many important nutrients most people don’t get enough of is silica. And silica happens to be crucial for strong bones. If you believed it was calcium and that you get that from milk, sorry, that’s simply not the truth. By the way, if you know someone who is suffering from Alzheimer's or even better, would like to prevent it ;) silica-rich foods should be on their menu!....and you might wanna share this with someone with anemia as well.

Where do you get silica from?

More common ways (especially when following a raw, vegan lifestyle) are simply consuming sunflower seeds, cucumbers, green leafy vegetables, etc.
But there are some foods and herbs that are incredibly rich in silica, such as Horsetail, Oatstraw…and OATS!!!
I have been making horsetail infusions as well (and WILL tell you all about it) but after years of not consuming any grains, the other day I opted for oats in the “raw” form…..if we can say that, I kind of doubt it….let’s call it “raw-ish”, ha!….oatmeal. As far as preparing it, I did NOT cook it though. THAT much I CAN say : )

And, I might as well mention, that this makes an absolutely delicious and satisfying meal.

So here we go. Here’s what I did:

“Raw” Whole Oat Groat Meal (Oatmeal)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup “raw” oat groats* 

1-2 pinches vanilla (ground bean)

hot water / almond milk for blending

optional: pinch of salt

Toppings I used: maple syrup, cacao nibs, cinnamon, goji berries

More topping ides: fresh berries, sliced bananas, walnuts, coconut sugar, whatever you love with oatmeal

*make sure it’s not the toasted variety…..they’re commonly sold in bulk in health food stores

To prepare:
1) rinse the oats and soak them in pure water overnight (or for just a few hours if that’s all you have)
2) strain and rinse the soaked oats and blend them in a high-speed blender with all of the ingredients above (except the toppings)….blend in sweetener too if you desire a sweeter meal
3) serve in a warmed up / hot (but safe to touch) bowl and add your favorite toppings

Enjoy this heart-warming meal for breakfast on a cool morning or as an afternoon meal, like I did, following a salad…..Always eat your greens in first! ;)

To be honest, I don’t think I would have ventured for this if it wasn’t for a broken bone. So, thank you, finger! : )

As yummy as it is, from now on this will be a go-to “dish” on cooler days, for sure. 

Happy Summer days!….and if you live on the Southern hemisphere, I hope you still have plenty of sunshine! : )

Will be in touch soon!

♥

Dita

To-Be-Devoured Persimmon Pie For The Holidays

One of my dear clients who quickly became a wonderful friend too invited me to a Diwali dinner and when I asked her to please tell me what to bring, she said: "a yummy, raw dessert".

Shouldn't be a hard task for someone who eats stuff like that every day, right? Um, not quite! My palate is so different...not like the average person's, to say the least. So every time I get asked to make something for a party or some kind of get together where there will be a variety of non-raw-foodie people present, I get nervous. It's not as simple as writing recipes for a blog and pointing out what is optional what is not and what ranges of the amounts of ingredients you may add to this or that...no, you make it once and that's it. You take what you've made and the guests will either like it or they won't. End of the story. Whew. And it's not that I really care about whether people like my food or not..they can always have something else...but in THIS case...well, this was a different story! Diwali is a beautiful and very important holiday and I felt truly honored to be invited and treated as part of the family and I wanted to make something that they would like. So, it was quite nerve-wracking process! : )

Whenever I'm preparing something for a new crowd I taste test my mixtures and once I find the perfect (to my palate) balance I add more sugar or salt or spices, depending on what kind of dish it is. In this case, obviously, since it's a dessert, I added some sugar. That is optional though if you've been on raw foods for a while and enjoy things closer to their original state.

So, what did I make? Well, the title already has given it away...
I'm not a pie person. Mainly because I don't have a family to feed (yet) so what will I do with a pie? Eat it all? Probably! That's what would happen but (1) I don't want to do that to myself and (2) I'm just not motivated enough to make a pie for me only.

And so, I had to come up with a recipe from scratch because I'd never made persimmon pie before...and I must have done pretty well since it was devoured within minutes, with not a crumb of it left! Ha! Never seen a crowd like a raw dessert so much! And, that's why I'm sharing the recipe with all of you...


Raw Persimmon Pie
Ingredients:
(Makes One 9-inch (23 cm) Pie)

For The Crust
1 ½ cups cashews (use a bit less if you're like me and prefer a thinner crust)*
½ cup dry shredded coconut
8 dried cherries**
4-5 Medjool dates**
1 vanilla bean (only the scrapings of it)
pinch of salt

3 T coconut oil

* any kind of (or the mixture of) buttery nuts may be used: macadamia, walnuts, pecans work well
**any dried fruit you like may be used (I like adding some for tartness, like cherries) but you may use only sweet ones and add a squeeze of lemon or even some lemon zest for a nice twist

For The Filling
9 ripe (soft and dark orange!!) Hachiya persimmons
1 T coconut oil
3 T coconut sugar (optional, taste test the filling for sweetness)
½ tsp psyllium husk powder
½ tsp (or a bit less) allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger powder

Preparations:
1. Grind all crust ingredients, except for the coconut oil, in the food processor to make a homogenous mixture
2. In a glass bowl, work the coconut oil into your crumbly mixture by hand. Make sure the oil is well distributed and there are no chunks of it anywhere in the dough.
3. Press the dough into a pie shell (you may even use a shallow bowl instead) and pinch the edges. Place it in the fridge for 15 minutes to let the crust become firm.
4. To make the filling, the easiest thing to do is to squeeze the soft insides of persimmons into the a blender by cracking the skin open while holding the fruit above the carafe and let the soft part drop in there. Don't use any of the skin or the stems and leaves, of course, only the soft part of the fruits.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients except for maybe all the sugar and blend them into a smooth pudding-like consistency.
6. Taste test your filling mixture and add sugar (or anything else) as desired to adjust the flavor to your and you guests' liking.
7. Pour the filling into the pie crust you have chilled and either spread it with a spatula or make a pattern on top or decorate it later with berries, dried fruits, edible flowers, nuts, coconut flakes, or anything you have on hand and you think would go well and / or look pretty.

I had no berries at home and that's what I would have put on...so, I just made a swirl, which people also commented on and really liked :) simple things can really work well.

8. Place the pie in the fridge to cool and set for at least an hour before serving. You want to make sure it becomes firm enough so that the slices don't collapse and look like sauce upon cutting the pie.

Persimmon Nutrition
Besides the fact that persimmons are so delicious, you may want to take advantage of their ease of use now that they're in season because they're very nutritious too! Read all about their health benefits and another recipe made with them here.

Happy first week of the Holiday Season!...

More to come soon... : )

P.S: What does the Holiday Season come with for many of us? Parties, dinners, abundance of food, temptation to overeat and, yes, actual overeating and being less active...which, more often than not, leads to weight gain.

How would you like to do yourself a favor and help "reset" your body and mind before you're invited to those parties, social events and huge dinners?
You're in luck! Very soon you'll have a chance to sign up and join a group of like-minded people for a Pre-Holiday Body & Mind Reset - Detox Program!..

Stay tuned for the details on that!

♥

Dita

Featured in Funky Raw, UK's raw food magazine

Fig Bread Gets Photobombed!!

Don't you hate when that happens?!?!

That's definitely NOT the case around here. I love living in a place where it does happen : )

I was trying to focus in on the food, which I'm about to share the recipe for with you in a moment…when she just elegantly walked into the picture. Needless to say, I was distracted for a few minutes and decided to watch the deer (there were three of them) around who are most welcome in the yard. But I did get back to work, eventually, so here's a recipe, with some unique photos this time…

I've been making fig bread for the past few weeks and can't get enough, it seems. What started out as an experiment last year, during fig season, continued and developed into a regular production around here….because it's simply delicious. So, I've decided to share this with you while figs are still available AND fresh pumpkin seeds are out too…a nice combination.

Besides the flavor…
This snack food is incredibly rich in minerals (almonds, figs, and pumpkin seeds are all loaded with nutrients good for your bones, heart, skin, and even libido!) and very satisfying and easy to take with you. I have been taking them along for trips I went on lately and even when I'm just out and about…they're nice to carry in your bag so you have something nourishing to reach for wherever you are.

Raw Foodie's "Manna"  - Fig Bread

(Ingredients for 2 trays worth - 72 pieces, the way I cut them)

2 cups almonds

½ cup chia seeds

8-10 mission figs*

~1 tbsp cinnamon (fine powder)

pinch of your favorite salt

optional: cayenne pepper to taste, few extra figs for topping

pumpkin seeds for topping 

Directions:
0. If you have time, soak the almonds for up to 8 hours (or overnight)
1. In a food processor, grind the almonds fine and then add 8-10 figs and process further.
2. Grind the chia seeds (if you have a spice grinder or designated coffee grinder, otherwise just use them whole) and add them to the mixture, along with the cinnamon, salt, and cayenne (if you're using any)
3. Spread your batter onto two reflex sheets (about half of your batter on one and half on another) to prepare for dehydration.

Now, this step is optional:

(4.) Process a few more figs into a jam-like consistency (doesn't take much) and spread a thin layer on top of the batter. This will make them look even prettier and provide a nice gooey surface to hold the pumpkin seeds on top.

With "fig jam" layer

Without "fig jam"

5. Score, according to desired shape and size (I usually make square ones, 6 x 6 = 36 per tray).
6. Sprinkle / carefully place pumpkin seeds on top of the squares nicely, pressing them into the batter gently.
7. Place the trays in the dehydrator and dehydrate them for 1-1.5 hours at ~130 °F (54 °C).
8. Carefully flip them onto other trays with screens only, peel the teflex sheets off from the bottom, and  put them back in the dehydrator for several hours (depending on how soft or firm you'd like them to be) longer at 115 °F (46 °C).
9. Devour some of what's left (after coming around and tasting them while "baking") and let the rest cool before putting them in containers for storage. Most of the time I don't even put them away though. If you're not using the dehydrator for something else for a while, you can just leave them in there on the trays to store and get some out to eat / take with you every day (as long as they last).

Enjoy your raw manna! : )

Tropical Bites Beat Donuts

What do you do when they ask you to bring donuts to a meeting?  Bring donuts, right?  Nope. At least, I didn't : )
I've made these instead. They're relatively quick, easy, have only a few ingredients, and everyone will love them…Not to mention the added benefit of nutrients in them.
These fiber-rich balls are high in minerals and you might even get some bromelain out of them. Bromelain, which is an enzyme found in pineapple, may help digest proteins and even have anti-inflammatory characteristics. Oh, and the nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, the kind that's good for you ;) and cashews happen to score 100 in the amino acid department, meaning that they're a very good source of and close to being a complete protein!  It's almost too much to get from a sweet snack, isn't it!?!

So, if you have a get-together to go to tomorrow, might as well pull out the following from your pantry and get to work or rather, dance in the kitchen while creating these tropical, magical bites!

Why did I choose to use pineapple? That's what I happened to have on hand and it was the main ingredient I wanted to work around. Use may whatever dried fruit you have for an alternative, maybe not tropical, but other fruity snacks. Dried cherries make a wonderful dessert too.

Tropical Bites

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup cashews

pinch of ground vanilla

pinch of salt

10 medjool dates

1 cup dried pineapple 

3 tbsp coconut flakes

shredded coconut, or other preferred ingredient, for rolling

Preparation:
1. Grind the nuts in a food processor until they're coarsely chopped
2. Chop the pineapple chunks and the dates into small bits if they're large pieces and/or on the dry side and add to the nut "meal" along with the rest of the ingredients
3. Process the ingredients until there are no large chunks of anything remaining but don't overdo it
4. Using your palms, roll spoonfuls of the dough into balls and then roll them into shredded coconut or   something else you prefer.

Share and enjoy!

They would keep at room temperature but I predict there will be none left to store! : )

The No-Nut, No-Machine !!! Chocolate Mousse Pie

Yep, you can just whip it up by hand and make no mess at all….fast track to chocolate heaven! :)
I just wish my grandma was here. This kind of pie would be a perfect way to celebrate her 86th birthday today! I love you so much, grandma! ♥

Avocados are one of the creamiest fruits and they:
- are a complete protein!
- are a great source of calories with healthy monounsaturated fats, which are easily burnt for energy
- have anti-inflammatory qualities
- are a rich source of B vitamins, including folate (B9), and vitamin C
- are an amazing source of pantothenic acid and minerals such as potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus
- are a good source of fiber

……All of which translates into their being a wonderful food for your skin, bones, heart-health, and supporting a healthy pregnancy.

With cacao being the second main ingredient, giving you loads of antioxidants and minerals, you can't go wrong with something so delicious, so good-for-you, and so quick and easy to prep...

Avocado Chocolate Mousse Pie

Ingredients:

(Makes 1 mini pie)

Crust

2 Tbsp coconut butter

2 Tbsp coconut flour*

2 Tbsp shredded coconut

maple syrup (as needed)

Filling

1 avocado

3 Tbs + 2 tsp cacao powder

2 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp coconut oil

vanilla

tiny pinch of salt (optional)

dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Optional garnish: sliced fruit, dried fruit, chopped nuts, coconut flakes

*Feel free to use almond flour instead of coconut flour, if you'd like, or make a more common, nut & date (or any dried fruit) base, like the one here, for a cashew creme pie.

To Prepare:
1. Place the coconut oil in a dish that you can place in hot water and let it sit till it's melted (unless it's warm where you are and it is already in liquid form)
2. Mix the crust ingredients in a small bowl simply using a fork and press it into a tiny pie shell or a shallow bowl
3. Scoop out the avocado, mesh it with a fork and whip it into a smooth consistency as much as you can
4. Mix in the maple syrup and the coconut oil (make sure it's not hot) and little by little, add the rest of the ingredients while stirring it until you get a homogenous filling.
5. Taste test and add more sweetener, etc. to your liking
6. Pour the filling into your crust, decorate if you like, and place the pie in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving.

Note: this also goes for a chocolate pudding recipe so if you have extra filling you're in luck. Gooble it up right away or chill it for a treat later.

Sweet ♥

D.

One Savory, One Sweet..

Thank the Universe for laptops and Wi-Fi!  I'm sitting at the airport in Las Vegas, waiting for mechanics to replace a part on the airplane I'm supposed to take home….and I've decided to use this time to share an experience…

Yay for high-resolution phone cameras...I even got some usable photos! :)

While on a business trip, I stayed with my best friend who was more than enthusiastic about learning to prepare some raw foods.  We had lots of fun making 2 - 4 dishes a day (!) and one of the days she had guests over so we even got to introduce others to the magic of this way of eating.

Truth be told, I had no idea whether they would even want to touch raw foods but I wasn't worried about it because my friend was planning on cooking a big pot of veggie soup as well… Except, she didn't end up to...

So, what was initially planned to be a "tea party", later changed to being a girls' night in with dinner, ended up being a raw finger food sampling experience...

***

Oops, new update, they've just announced that this plane can NOT be repaired, so I got plenty of time to give you this recipe, or at least, finish it sooner than later : )

***

So what did we make? As you know, I believe in keeping things simple. I don't think there is a better way to inspire people than showing them how easy it is to prepare delicious, healthy dishes. We made some savory bites and some dessert to top them off.

Savory Walnut Pâté Bell Pepper Boats
Ingredients:
2 - 3 bell peppers (I like using red and orange but it would look really nice to have all colors, yellow and green as well)
2 cups walnuts (you may soak them if you have time)
1 small shallot (or half a medium size purple onion)
6 - 8 leaves of fresh sage
juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp (or to taste) salt
few sprigs of parsley for garnish
optional: 1 clove of garlic and some parsley added to your ingredients

To prepare:
1. Place walnuts into the food processor and grind them until they're fine but not so much that they start becoming a nut butter.
2. Chop the shallot, the sage leaves, and the garlic and parsley (if using some in the pâté) really fine, into tiny pieces
3. Add the chopped ingredients and salt to the lemon juice, stir, and add the mixture to the walnuts.
4. Mix your ingredients well and add more lemon juice / olive oil to your pâté if it's on the dry side. Ideally, you'd like it to have a spreadable texture. Set it aside.
5. Cut up the bell peppers into quarters (try cutting along the veins, where the "dimples" are, that way you'll end up with "boats" that will hold the pâté nicely. Then cut the quarters in halves again.
6. Fill each pepper boat with a couple of spoonfuls of the pâté, arranged them alternating the colors you have on a plate or tray and garnish each with a leaf of parsley or other herb of your choice.
Serve immediately.

Note: This recipe can be made into a dip as well and served as part of a crudité. Add more lemon juice and/or oil of your choice to make it into a softer, more liquidy, consistency and serve it with a variety of chopped up veggies.

For dessert, I intended to make macaroons, because they're so easy but our guests were already there and starved when I haven't even finished the pâté so by the time I got to start on the sweets I decided to quickly roll them into balls and we served them right away as well.

Snowballs
Ingredients:
2 cups dry shredded coconut (plus some extra to roll the balls in)
1/2 cup almond meal (or ground almonds)
1/2 cup honey/agave syrup/sweetener of your choice
1/4 cup coconut butter/oil (I used about half of each for a total of 1/4 cup)
1/2 - 1 tsp ground vanilla
tiny pinch of salt
optional: few tbsp of cacao powder to add to half the mixture if you wish

To prepare:
1. Grind the shredded coconut in a food processor so that it's finer
2. Combine the dry ingredients: the coconut, the almond meal, and the vanilla, in a mixing bowl
3. To melt the coconut butter/oil and honey (if necessary), place your jars in hot water. As an alternative, you can measure them in the unmelted form and place them all in a small bowl that is sitting inside another bowl with hot water in it. Stir your wet ingredients and the salt until melted and homogenous and add this mixture to the dry ingredients.
4. Combine everything till your mixture holds together and you are able to form balls by rolling a spoonful of it at a time between your palms. Roll each ball in the shredded coconut and place them on a serving platter. About half way through, add a few spoonfuls of cacao powder to the mixture (if you want two colors and flavors) and finish up making balls the same way.

It's probably not much of a surprise that all of the pepper boats and snowballs were gone in no time so they've been tested…you can make these for someone who might have not had a chance to try raw foods yet. They're quick, easy an delicious. What else would you need?

I just wish we had taken photos of all of us! We even had the honor of having a beautiful baby entertain us but no pictures…hmmm…oh well, next time.

Some Nutrition Facts 
The two main ingredients, walnuts and coconut, in the above menu, are both "brain foods". They both contain very healthy fats. Walnuts are high in Omega-6, and even more importantly, Omega-3 fatty acids. Coconut is high in saturated fat (yes, it's good for you!), is a good "hormone precursor", especially when it comes to the production of testosterone and progesterone, and coconut oil supports the thyroid and weight-loss.
Bell peppers are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. If you are using red ones you are getting more antioxidants, overall, more health benefits but it's good to eat a "rainbow diet" and include as many colors as possible, if not in every dish, throughout the day. Herbs (used in the pâté) are loaded with minerals and vitamins and sage is particularly known for improving memory and helping those with Alzheimer's disease (Did I mention coconut oil does the same? If you know someone who needs help in this department, I definitely encourage you to look into this and maybe give it a try, say, start with a  spoonful of coconut oil mixed into a breakfast dish, whatever that may be for you, or the person to be helped.) and it has high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities. How many foods / dishes are there that do all this? : )
Enjoy!

♥♥♥

Cinnamon-y Rolls

This recipe might as well be dedicated to my dearest sister, not only because today is her birthday but also because she will surely appreciate it. The traditional pastry version of these were one of our childhood favorites. I remember how excited we were whenever we stopped by a bakery and got to pick out whatever we felt like, which, quite often, was a cinnamon roll made of phyllo-dough. But that's a different story...

I had my dearest friends over for an afternoon to share some vegan and some raw foods with them under the red woods in the yard.  Since they're neither into a vegan nor a raw lifestyle, it was nerve-racking enough to come up with something that, hopefully, they'd like.  And lo and behold, she couldn't have coconut butter or honey!  You know what that means when it comes to making raw desserts (which I was in charge of creating, of course)....constraints, to say the least! :)  I had already planned on making certain sweets when I found out and had to figure out something completely new since my original recipes contained both the ingredients she avoids.  So, I ended up making a much healthier version of an all time favorite.

Cinnamon-y Rolls
1 cup almond flour
1 cup ground yellow flax seeds
a dozen dates
2 handfuls of (crimson) raisins
bit of coconut oil (just have some ready)
pinches of salt
cinnamon
handful of pecans or walnuts

Preparation:
1.  Make a "sauce" by blending all of the dates (pits removed, of course), a handful of raisins, dashes of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt with a little bit of water.  Make sure you end up with a thick and smooth date paste by starting with very little water and adding more as needed.  You will probably have to give it a whirl several times and scrape down what ends up on the walls of your blender.
2.  In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, the flax seeds, salt, and a dash of cinnamon. Add some of the date paste and a tad bit of (start with a half a teaspoon) coconut oil and work your mix into a somewhat sticky dough.
3.  Roll the dough into a ball and then spread it out, using a bottle or a rolling pin with oil on it, on a teflex sheet.  Roll it into about a half-inch thick sheet, as close to a square shape as you can manage.
4.  Here comes the first test: try rolling it up to see if it breaks. You need a pliable dough that will not break and/or stick to the surface it is on. If you have trouble with it you might need to add a bit more oil and work the dough a little longer before you roll it out again. This takes practice so be patience.
5.  Once you're confident your dough will work, spread the rest of your date paste on top of it, sprinkle it with nuts that you have chopped up into tiny pieces, and sprinkle it with more cinnamon, to taste.
6.  And now, the really tricky part: roll up your dough carefully and as tightly as you can.
7.  Cut the rolled up "pastry" into about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick slices and lay the slices flat on a teflex sheet.
8.  Dehydrate them for a few hours, depending on how much time you have or how crisp you prefer them.
9.  Serve them warm by themselves or with ice cream (that's what I did this time)


Have a sweet and lovely day!

Love and Blessings!

Are you ready for the 3-minute "Ice Dream" ?!

94 degrees (34 ˚C) calls for a frozen treat and that's where the thermometer sat the other day so...this is how it went down in the kitchen...

I had to make up something like ice cream but without the less-than-good stuff in there, of course.... What do we know ice cream for? Its sweetness, creaminess, and icy, cooling effects. So I grabbed ingredients that meet and surpass those qualities..

mango - for flavor, and the creaminess it provides
banana - for choline, because chances are you don't get enough if you're a raw vegan, eating only whole foods (I'm not into supplements / pills)
coconut butter (or oil) - for more creaminess and healthy fat
hemp protein - for Omega 3 and healthy protein

selection of herbs, etc. - for the "super" aspects of it :)
ginkgo biloba - for brain power, why not
maca - excellent hormone-balancer that also adds creaminess
cayenne - to spice it up and deliver nutrition
turmeric - not for the color but for its amazing anti-inflammatory power

Here's the trick to ensure you're able to make such instant treats any time you feel like it:
1. keep glass(es) in the freezer for serving cold treats
2. have frozen fruit readily available at all times. I always try to keep a variety of berries / mangoes cut in chunks / sliced bananas, etc. in the freezer and here are the exact quantities if you wish to follow along:

Mango Ice Dream
(Serves 1-2 lucky people)
1 banana (sliced and frozen beforehand)
1 large mango (cut into chunks and frozen beforehand)
1 heaping tbsp coconut butter
sweetener of your choice: I used raisins
handful of ice cubes - I have small hand :)
1/2 cup water (maybe a little more if your blender is struggling)

optional:
1 tbsp hemp protein powder
1/4 tsp maca powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
pinch or two of gingko biloba
cayenne
1/4 tsp bee pollen (you can use more if you're used to it)

Add as little water as you can start with and blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender, using the tamper. Keep pushing down the contents and add a bit of water if it's a struggle (don't kill your blender) but keep it on the low end with the water so that you do get ice cream instead of shake. Serve in chilled ice cream cups, devour, enjoying every bit of it, and give thanks : )

♥♥♥

Dita

Pretty In Pink AND Purple

Colorful concoctions on a whim..
Not just pretty colors but also such delicious flavors....hmmm, they're divine. New favorites of mine I'll be sharing with you in a moment. I cut up a mango the other day to freeze so I could make ice cream but then I changed my mind. I made an amazing raspberry concoction with it instead. It's similar to ice cream but without too much of the creaminess (no mylk used at all). The flavors combine incredibly well. Was it an accident? I don't think so; don't believe in them : ) Five ingredients, two minutes, and you'll be in heaven, I promise!
I made this with raspberries first and devoured it all and so the next day I had to make more, almost the same blended up yumminess where I replaced the raspberries with blueberries, since I had no more raspberries :) Make it either way, depending on what you have available or which sounds more delicious to you. They're both so flavorful and satisfying.

I could call it a "Mango-Berry Frozen Dessert" but that would be too usual, wouldn't it?

Pretty In Pink (or purple) 

(Serves 1, maybe 2)

1 mango (that has been cut into chunks and frozen)

1 box of raspberries or blueberries (the typical 6 oz box sold at grocery stores, I know, shame on me....but the market was sold out so what's a girl to do? )

1 pink orange*

2 tbsp coconut butter

sweetener of your choice: dates / honey / whatever you prefer

*You can use any kind of orange of course but these Cara Cara Oranges are so incredibly tasty and go so well with this recipe. They're not quite red on the inside like blood oranges but pinkish color. Beautiful and so delicious. Get them if you can find them. I got them at a local market.

How to make it:

Put the berries on the bottom of the blender (unless they're frozen too, then leave them for the top), then the peeled orange cut into chunks, then the butter and your sweetener, then top it all with the frozen mango chunks (and the berries, if you're using frozen ones). Blend it all up.

Wait, save a berry or two to place on top of your cup of yumminess, I didn't remember to do this the first time around, with the raspberries so I had to use something else.

You're in for a TREAT! 

...And the nutrition they will provide you:
In general, mangoes and berries are known for being very rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. They're also mentioned in lots of literature for their anti-cancer qualities and are notably high in certain minerals. Here's the breakdown:
Mangoes: high in vitamins C, E and B 6, fiber, and copper. They provide lots of skin nutrition and support digestive health.
Raspberries: rich in vitamins C and K (!), fiber, and exceptionally high in manganese (!!!), which is rarely found in fruits. Manganese is an important mineral for maintaining strong bones and helping prevent premature graying of your hair.
Blueberries: rich in vitamins K, and C, fiber, and is also quite high in manganese....providing similar health benefits to those of raspberries. Blueberries also stand out for their 6:10 ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids and are a good brain-food, so make friends with them, if you haven't yet.

Enjoy these quick desserts and have a lovely weekend!

Biscotti In The Raw

Having turned vegan at such a young age, there are many recipes I never made, cooked or baked the traditional way. While a vegan lifestyle is well-catered to by restaurants and health-food stores I have never seen and/or tried even vegan biscotti, not to mention raw and living vegan biscotti. For some reason though it popped into my head about two weeks ago when I started brainstorming and trying to figure out what to make during the holidays. And then...everything started late (yes, so late that I just started this morning, two days before Christmas, crazy!) because of long hours at work and our busy little life getting in the way of life. While I haven't seen the sun in our beautiful valley for days and the rain won't stop coming down I was courageous enough to attempt to take some photos of these fresh out of the "oven" and here are the results. A double batch of incredibly flavorful (much more so than I expected) biscotti and pictures that will not hurt the reader's eyes, I hope ('sigh'). It could be worse, right!??
I've made two flavors, the classic, Italian version, of course for one. And I planned on making something else for the other but changed my mind in favor of the Carob-Hazelnut variety. Go ahead and substitute cacao for the carob if you prefer a chocolatey version, I probably would too, normally, but I'm avoiding caffeine this week. Ok, too much unnecessary information...here are the recipes, preceded by a health-note:

Nutrition
Almonds, one of the well-known cancer-fighting miracles of nature, are the main ingredients I'm using. Remember to save your pulp every time you make nut mylk, that's where your cheap, eco-friendly, almond flour will come from. And what better way to use almond flour!?
Anise seeds, like most spices/tiny seeds, are very rich in minerals and most B-vitamins, and they're known to be a digestive aid.
And if you go with carob, as I've mentioned before, this caffein-free bean is very rich in calcium, practically fat-free, has no oxalic acid to interfere with absorption of nutrients, and is naturally sweet so you'll probably use less sweetener in your recipes when using carob.

Classic Biscotti The Raw Way

(Makes 8 slices)

6 cups almond flour

6 tbsp golden flax seeds

2 cups raisins (soak them in orange juice or water beforehand)

sweetener (honey/maple syrup/agave syrup) to taste
optional: ~1 tsp coconut oil

2 tsp anise seeds

zest of 1/2 to 1 orange

little salt

soaking liquid

Raw Carob-Hazelnut Biscotti

(Makes 8 slices)

6 cups almond flour

6 tbsp golden flax seeds

2 cups raisins (soak them in orange juice or water beforehand)

1/2 cup carob powder

sweetener (honey/maple syrup/agave syrup) to taste
optional: ~1 tsp coconut oil

few dashes of cinnamon

little salt

soaking liquid

1/2 cup hazelnuts 

Directions:

1. Soak the raisins beforehand for a little while, half an hour will do. I used orange juice but you can use water just as well. Whatever you're using, save the soaking liquid to add to your batter if needed.

2. Grind the flax seeds and put all ingredients (except for the chopped hazelnut, if you're making that version) in the food processor and run it to get an evenly crumbly mixture. Pinch test it, if it sticks together between your fingers you don't need to add more liquids, otherwise add some but just a spoonful at a time because it's very easy to overdo it with these kind of batters.

3. Pour your mixture into a bowl and by kneading it a couple of times form it into a loaf. If this is not happening because your batter is too crumbly, again, add a little liquid.

4. Place your "loaf" onto a teflex sheet and shape it into a flattened, firm, log. Slice it carefully, on the diagonal, making about half inch or a little thicker (~1.5 cm) slices. 

5. Stand them up on a sheet and dehydrate them for an hour at 140˚F (~60˚C) and then lay them flat on a screen and dehydrate them for a few more hours at 115˚F (~46˚C). 

If you have kids, they'll keep asking you "When are they gonna be done?" so make sure to keep them busy with something else. When they are done, have some fresh, while still warm, with a cup of mylk and/or a fruit spread if desired. Once they're cooled off, consider wrapping some for a Christmas present for someone. There's nothing like a home-made present you put your love into! You might want to save a couple so your kids can put them out there on Christmas Eve for Santa too. You never know...one day he might be inspired to go raw and refuse all the cookies at other households ; )

Happy "Baking"!

Nuts Dressed for The Holidays

While I'm a huge fan of roasted chestnuts, and do indulge every year, they're not the only warming holiday treat I can think of, not to mention that they can't be eaten raw. I figured it would be nice to have cupfuls of different kinds of flavored nuts on the table. They're so satisfying to have around and they can be done raw. No roasting or toasting required. They only take a few minutes of preparation and then the dehydrator takes care of the rest. Voilà, your family and friends and your guests can reach for just a handful of savory or sweet goodness amidst the, you know, everything else that's going on...
The savory ones are still being made so here are some sweet versions for now.

Chocolate Almonds

To be coated:

1 1/2 cups almonds

1/2 cup raisins

For the coating:

3-4 tsp honey / agave syrup / other sweetener

2 tsp melted coconut oil / other oil

2-3 tsp cacao powder

tiny pinch of salt

optional: pinch of vanilla, pinch of cayenne

1. Mix the oil, sweetener, and salt and then add cacao little by little. Taste test and adjust the amount of sweetener. Raw cacao is quite bitter so if you're not used to that you might need to add more sweetener to your mixture or simply use less cacao.
2. Optional: Chop up the raisins into smaller pieces.
3. Add the almonds and raisins to your mixture and make sure all of them are coated well.
4. Spread them out on a teflex sheet and dehydrate for a few hours at 115˚F (46˚C).

Maple Walnuts

To be coated:

Walnuts that have been soaked for a couple of hours OR rinsed. The ingredients will only stick to wet walnuts. You may use maple syrup instead of solid sweeteners and then you can keep your walnuts dry. If you go that route the end result will have a glazed look instead of what's pictured here.

For the coating:

4 tbsp maple crystals / coconut sugar / other solid state sweetener in crystal form

1 tbs cinnamon

1/2 - 1 tsp mesquite powder*

tiny pinch of salt

optional: add lucuma powder to your mixture for a hint of "caramel"

1. Mix your coating ingredients. Taste test and adjust the amount of cinnamon, you might want to add more if you're a huge fan of cinnamon like myself. Mesquite has a unique flavor so use less if it's new to you and add more if you like it.

2. Add the wet (really damp but not dripping wet) walnuts to your mixture and make sure all of them are coated well. Because of their shape this might take some moving them around with your hands or a fork so that you get the mixture in the grooves as well. 

4. Spread them out on a teflex sheet and dehydrate for a few hours at 115˚F (46˚C), until crispy.

By the way, good luck having an untouched batch at the end! You might want to make a double batch to start with because the smell and just knowing that they're in the dehydrator might invite more visitors, like Cookie Monster, etc. whom will make sure only about a portion of these nuts will get all the way dehydrated and crunchy. Either way, if by any chance you ended up with empty trays at least you made your house smell like a healthy cake shop :)

*Magical Mesquite

What's used to be a staple food for Native Americans is available in health-food stores now in a powder form. It's a nutritious way to add a very distinct, somewhat sweet and malty, or even caramel-like flavor. Mesquite helps balance one's blood sugar level, which makes this superfood an excellent choice for those healing from diabetes. Very high in protein, fiber, minerals, and the hard-to-get amino acid, lysine, it's no surprise it has been pronounced a "superfood". Use it in desserts, smoothies, mylkshakes, even soups, etc.

Soft & Crunchy Carob Energy Bars

There's a Bio store (organic health food grocery store) in Budapest that carries some cookies that are filled with a carob-sesame-honey filling. I lived on those for a while when I was there. Aside from the honey, they're vegan and whole grain and organic but of course not raw. That was perfect for me back then when I was a vegan whole foods enthusiasts and had not even heard of the strange concept ; ) of eating raw yet. So I was in heaven when they had them and was quite upset whenever they were out. They sold like hotcakes so you had to be on top of things and learn when they were delivered and be there shortly after. But that was then....and THIS is now.

It's been long overdue that I combined the above described flavors and created a raw delicacy and without further ado I'll share with you the "rawsome" outcome of my trial-and-error snack bars.

Crunchy Carob Energy Bars

(Makes 5 bars)

1/4 cup and 2 tsp carob powder

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup buckwheaties*

2 tsp lucuma powder

1/4 cup and 3 tsp tahini

3 tsp honey (not vegan) or maple syrup (not raw) or agave syrup

juice of 1 small carrot and a 1 in (~2 cm) piece ginger

For coating: cinnamon or extra carob powder or lucuma powder

* Buckwheaties are sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat. You could just soak and dehydrate them to be qicker. I usually make a big batch to have them around whenever I need to use them in a recipe.

Directions
1. Optional: grind the sesame seeds just a little bit to break them up.
2. Using a fork, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl adding the juice little by little.
3. Add more juice if the mixture is too dry to handle and add more carob powder if it gets too wet. Taste test and add more sweetener if desired.
4. Form bars or any other shapes out of the mixture. It will be a sticky experience but it's so worth it. Roll each bar into cinnamon or carob powder.
5. Store them in the fridge if you prefer them firm, leave them out for a softer snack.

Carob's benefits
This caffein-free bean that's commonly used instead of cacao in desserts is very rich in calcium, practically fat-free, has no oxalic acid to interfere with absorption of nutrients, and is naturally sweet so you'll probably use less sweetener in your recipes when using carob.

Buckwheat and ginger have warming energy, a perfect cold-weather food. Sesame seeds and tahini are extremely rich in minerals and B-vitamins and will nourish your bones, your hair and skin.

That's right, these bars are not only yummy but quite nourishing as well. I took one a day with me to work last week and looked forward to my after-lunch dessert more than ever :) They're great for traveling too. Enjoy!

Figs In Thumbprints

I got figs! My dear colleague keeps bringing me goodies and a few days ago freshly picked black mission figs were hiding at the bottom of the brown bag he walked in with. Can you believe I had never had fresh figs in my life? Somehow, I never felt the urge to try. Well, that's the past. The now is filled with cookies because my very favorite cookies were teff cookies that were filled with figs. I'm still dying to have the recipe but I can't get a hold of the person who made them for a co-op in the Southwest. Oh well, they were not raw anyway. You know what's next, right? One day I'm going to try to recreate them with either teff flour or sprouted teff grains. That's the future. But to concentrate on the "now", I'll share with you these almond based cookies...

Almond-Fig Thumbprint Cookies

(Makes 16 cookies)

Filling:

6 pieces of fresh figs/other seasonal fruit/perhaps rehydrated dried fruit

Aren't they beautiful?!?

Cookie Dough:

2 cups almonds*

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground golden flax seeds

1-2 tbsp (or more) coconut sugar / other sweetener

1-2 tbsp water

pinch of salt

Optional: seeds from 2 pods of cardamon

* I soaked mine, which adds moisture so if you skip the soaking you'll need to add more water / liquid sweetener. Use your judgement.

Preparations:
1. Process the figs into a jam-like paste, remove from the food processor and put it aside.
2. Without rinsing the processor, place all of the cookie dough ingredients, except for the water, in the processor and make them into a paste. Keep an eye on it while it's being processed and add water as necessary.
3. Roll your dough paste into a ball and divide into quarters, then repeat. This way you'll end up with 16 cookies of the same size. Roll the chunks into balls now and press down at the center of each with your thumb. Do this before transferring them onto the dehydrator screens, that way you can make corrections if a cookie spreads open too much, etc. When done, place them all on a screen.
4. With a tiny spoon, scoop some filling into each dimple.
5. Place cookies in the dehydrator and dehydrate them at 115 °F (46 °C) for a few hours, depending on how moist you like them. They stay very soft on the inside even after 5-6 hours of "baking" but the time depends on your location, machine, how much food you have in there all at once, etc.

In you haven't eaten them all yet while checking on them every now and then...they're great cookies to add to a lunchbox. These cookies are also perfect when having people over who have never tried raw foods. It's time to inspire them.
Enjoy!!! : )

Notes on Nutrition
Both main ingredients, figs and almonds, are high in fiber, rich in antioxidants and minerals, and have anti-cancer properties.
Traditionally, figs are known for enhancing sexual desire but that's not all! They're rich in calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. They will strengthen your bones, keep your eyes healthy, and some claim they even help provide relief from a sore throat. I haven't tried this remedy yet. Have you? If you have, please comment below! Thanks in advance. : )
And, as far as almonds, here's what I wrote about them before: they are among the most nutritious nuts. They have loads of fiber and are especially high in manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin E and riboflavin (vitamin B2). Their high mineral content helps build and maintain strong bones, while the fiber helps in the prevention of colon cancer. B vitamins and vitamin E (an antioxidant), along with calcium, magnesium, and zinc are very important brain foods. A lot of us are deficient in magnesium (do tight muscles or muscle spasms/quivers sound familiar?), which is not so hard to acquire, but it’s a water-soluble mineral so it’s important to replenish your body with adequate amounts on a daily basis! What foods are good sources of magnesium? Good news: nuts and dark chocolate are among the richest sources of this essential mineral! Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, which will help you keep your heart healthy. They’re a really good snack choice for diabetics too, because they’re high in protein and low in carbohydrates.