Cookies & Bars

Walnut Oatmeal Raisin Cookies



2 cups (200 g) walnuts
1 cup (30 g) (178 g) packed Medjool dates, pitted (soak for 15 minutes if they are very dry)
1 cup (80 g) rolled oats
½ tablespoon (7.5 ml) vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄₄ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup (73 g) raisins

Additional

2⁄₃ cup (80 g) chopped walnuts
1⁄₄ cup (20 g) rolled oats

Put the walnuts into a food processor and process until they almost turn into walnut butter. Add the dates and process again until it becomes doughlike, then add oats, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt and process until well incorporated and doughy.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the raisins.

Take one heaping tablespoon of mixture at time in your hands and shape into twenty balls. If your mixture isn’t sticking together, sprinkle it with two teaspoons of water.

Spread chopped walnuts and oats onto a clean surface work area. Press the balls into the chopped walnuts and oats and shape into cookies.

Chill the cookies in the freezer for a chewier texture or in the refrigerator for a softer cookie.

Store in an air tight container in refrigerator or freezer for one month.

(yields about 20 cookies)

Strawberry Almond Macaroons




3/4 cup almond pulp, left over from making almond milk

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (unsweetened coconut flakes are fine too)
1/4 cup coconut nectar or other liquid sweetener (the almond milk recipe I use calls for dates, so the almond pulp is slightly sweetened. If your almond pulp is not subtly sweet, experiment with adding slightly more sweetener and cutting back on the coconut oil, below)
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries, preferably organic

Process all ingredients except for freeze dried strawberries in a food processor or mini-prep until they form a dough with some texture. Add a little more sweetener or water if the mixture becomes too thick.. Once the mixture is the right texture, pulse in the strawberries for a few seconds (I crushed the strawberries in the bag a bit before adding them to mixture in the food processor). Line a dehydrator tray (including the grid sheet) with a Teflex sheet and scoop round tablespoons of dough onto the sheet, resulting in about 10 macaroons. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 6 hours, or until macaroons hold together well but remain soft and pliable.

(yields about 10 macaroons)

Mango Bars

2/3 cup dried mango, soaked for 1 hour and drained
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
2 tsp vanilla bean powder (or 1 TBSP vanilla extract)
1 1/4 cup raw almonds
3/4 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt

In a food processor, combine the mango, dates, and vanilla. Process into a very smooth paste. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until everything is well combined but some texture in the nuts and seeds are retained.

Press the mixture into an 8x8 square or 8x11 rectangle (depending on the thickness you want) on parchment paper or a Teflex sheet. If you don’t have a dehydrator place the bars in the freezer to firm up. If you do have a dehydrator, heat the bars at 110 degrees for 6 hours. Remove the teflex sheet and continue to dehydrate for another 6 hours. Cut into bars.

Dehydrated the bars will keep at room temperature for 2 weeks. In the freezer they will last as long as you can resist them (a couple of months at absolute most).

Citrus Coco-nana Squares



2 Tbsp chia seeds
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp lime zest
2 medium organic bananas
3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed until runny
3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or raw agave nectar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat
1 cup finely shredded coconut
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Soak the chia seeds in the lime juice for about 15 minutes. Combine the seeds and lime juice with the lime zest, bananas, coconut butter, coconut nectar, vanilla extract, sea salt and process until smooth and well combined. Pour into a bowl and add buckwheat, coconut, and macadamia nuts and mix with hands until well blended. Place on a lined dehydrator sheet, shape into a square about an inch thick and use a knife to cut into 12 squares (but do not separate) and dehydrate* for 24 hours (flipping half way through and separating the squares) or until completely dry.

Mango Energy Bars (Raw)

Made with dry mangos

Dehydrating brings everything together.

Raw Mango Energy Bars

2/3 cup dried mango, soaked for 1 hour and drained
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup raw almonds
3/4 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup rolled oats (fyi, these are not technically raw)
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt

• First of all, if you don’t have a big food processor, consider cutting the recipe in half, or work in two batches.
  
• First, process the drained mango, dates, and vanilla in a food processor until you have a very smooth paste.
  
• Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until everything is well combined but some texture in the nuts and seeds are retained (I had some real big almond chunks!).
  
• On parchment paper or a Teflex sheet, press the mixture into a square or rectangle (mine was around 8×8″ but it depends how thick you would like your bars).
  
• Dehydrate at 110F for 6 hours. Flip onto a mesh and continue to dehydrate for another 6 hours at 110F. Cut into bars. (If you don’t have a dehydrator place the bars in the freezer to firm up.)
  
• Store at room temperature (will keep for 2 weeks if they even last that long!) or in the freezer.

Makes 28 bars.

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe

 

Prep time

1 min

Cook time

1 min

Total time

2 mins

 

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• one pound of frozen strawberries
• one cup of ice cubes
• 2 droppers of liquid stevia
• matcha green tea powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Blend ingredients until mix is creamy but is also icy.
2. Scoop sorbet into bowls and place into freezer until desired texture is reached.
3. Immediately before serving, dust with matcha green tea powder.
4. Serve and enjoy.

Avocado Lime Popsicles

Avocado Lime Popsicles

Yields 6 to 12 popsicles

1 cup filtered water

2 over-ripe bananas

2 avocados

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Dash unrefined sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to Popsicle molds.

2. Freeze for at least 24 hours before serving.

Banana Bread

IngredientsCombine in a large bowl:
2 c whole spelt flour (or whole wheat or barley - or a mix of flours)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
-
Combine separately
3 lg very ripe bananas (about 1&1/2c) - mashed
2 eggs
*1/2 c brown sugar or sucanat
1/2 c milk (or substitute or sweet fruit juice/less sugar)
zest of a lemon or orange (optional)
2 tsp vanilla or 1 Tbsp dark rum, amaretto etc.
-
Lightly fold and mix wet and dry until just incorporated.
-
Optional: Fold in approximately:
1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 - 1/2 c dark chocolate pieces
1/2 c chopped dates, cranberries, blueberries......

Directions
Pour into a generously greased and dusted loaf pan - any smallish pan will work.
Bake at 350 for about 50 min - a toothpick inserted in center should come out clean.
Wait 10 minutes before removing from pan and placing on a rack to cool.
Enjoy :-)

* For sugar-free or a lower-sugar banana bread, replace the sugar with 1/3c of unsweetened fruit juice concentrate (apple, orange, white grape), agave syrup, maple syrup or honey.

Pumpkin Bread (grain-free, gluten-free)

Ingredients

Dry
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
heaping 1/2 teaspoon of cloves and cinnamon
heaping 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Wet

1 cup pumpkin1/2 teaspoon liquid Stevia or 1/2 cup honey1/3 cup coconut oil3 eggs1/3 cup water (reduce to 3 tablespoons if using honey)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease baking pan with coconut oil then line the bottom with a piece of baking sheet. (the baking sheet will keep the bottom of the bread from sticking when you flip it out).
   
2. In a small bowl add all the dry ingredients and toss around until all dry ingredients are incorporated into each other.
   
3. Then in a large bowl add 3 eggs and beat until frothy then add 1 cup pumpkin and mix until there are no more lumps then add coconut oil while mixing and continue to mix until thoroughly incorporated, then add Stevia or honey and mix in as well.
   
4. While mixing slowly add a third of the dry ingredients into the wet followed by a third of the water and continue mixing, once slightly incorporated do the same thing and put in the next third of the dry ingredients followed by the next third of water in the bowl and continue mixing the entire time. Continue this until all the ingredients are in the large bowl and mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
   
5. Pour mixture into loaf pan and spread around so it is spread out evenly in the loaf pan and place in the oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Raw Banana Macadamia Coconut Pie

WOW!!!!! Post via http://fragrantvanillacake.blogspot.ca/2013/01/raw-banana-macadamia-coconut-dream-pie.html - Looks Amazing!!!!

When I started to get serious about making desserts back in college, one of my favorite things to make was banana cream pie.  I thought my recipe was the best...deep dish banana bourbon cream pie, piled high with billowy, clouds of whipped cream and topped off with toasted coconut.  It was pretty amazing, and I made it many times, never thinking it could be trumped. 

That is, until this weekend.  I made the most amazing banana cream pie I have ever tasted, and it by far kicked that other banana cream pie's butt.  It needed no dairy, eggs, and refined sugar, it was veganlicious, and way more amazing! 

I had two large bunches of bananas on my counter last week, so a banana something or other was in order.  I made a cake, which will be posted soon, but I also made this Raw Banana Macadamia Coconut Dream Pie.  I call it a dream pie because it was.  When I started to make it, there were three things I was sure of.  It needed a coconut macadamia crust, plenty of sweet, creamy filling, and coconut cream on top.  

Once I got to making the filling, however, I decided that it would be even more amazing with a layer of chocolate and vanilla cream frosting.  The best of both worlds to accompany the bananas in the sweet pie! 

Once it was set, I topped it off with coconut cream, but then decided that something crunchy on top would be even better so I topped it off with a sort of macadamia and coconut streusel.  This pie ended up being a fufillment of all of my cravings.  Crunchy and a little salty from the crust and topping, creamy, sweet and dreamy in the middle, plus chocolate and fruity bananas...pure heaven!  You simply must make this if you love banana cream pie so you can try it for yourself!

Raw Banana Macadamia Coconut Dream Pie

Makes 1 6 inch tart

Crust:
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cups shredded, dried coconut
1/2 cup sprouted, dried buckwheat (or additional coconut
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
8 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:

2 cups sliced bananas
1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours in filtered water and drained)

1 1/2 cups young coconut meat or soaked cashews (drained)

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp raw agave nectar or honey

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

1/3 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

2 sliced bananas

3 Tbsp raw cacao powder

Cream topping:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/4 cup coconut water

1 cups fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
3 Tbsp raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 teaspoons vanilla and seeds of half a vanilla bean
1/4 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup large flake coconut
large pinch of sea salt
1 Tbsp honey

For the crust, combine the nuts, coconut, and buckwheat in a food processor and process until crumbs. Add the sea salt and dates and process until the mixture starts to come together when squeezed. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 6 inch springform pan, sprayed with non-stick coconut oil spray. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

For the filling, combine 2 cups bananas, coconut, coconut water, agave, sea salt, and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the coconut oil and process for a minute. Divide the mixture into 2 bowls, then place one back in the food processor and add cacao powder.  Process until combined. Pour the chocolate filling mixture over the prepared crust, then top with sliced bananas, then the plain filling, then more bananas.  Place in the freezer to set for about an hour. 

 
Meanwhile, to make the topping, combine the cashews, coconut water, sea salt, honey, and vanilla anc process until smooth. Add the coconut oil slowly with the motor running (If the mixture starts to separate and clump, the filling is too cold to emulsify the oil, so warm some of it and process again). Place the topping in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes until it firms up to frosting consistency. Once frosting consistency, move to the fridge until ready to use.
Once the filling has set,spread over the tart.

In a food processor, place macadamia nuts, coconut, sea salt, and honey and pulse until chopped.  Sprinkle over tart, and serve! Store extra in the fridge.

Spirulina Macarronz

Yields: 12 pieces

1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup raisins and currants, soaked
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
3 TBS xylitol (or other preferred sweetener)
2 TBS spirulina
1 TBS cacao butter, melted
1/2 tsp of lemon juice (optional)
pinch of salt


1. Blend all ingredients in the food processor until you can mold the dough with your hands. They should stick together.

2. With a mini-ice cream scoop, scoop them to form the shape and place it on a large flat plate.

3. Refrigerate them for about 3-6 hours. It will firm up in the refrigerator giving you bite-size all-healthy macaroons!

Spirulina Macaroonz. I love it I love it!

Raw Lime Avocado Tart

For the crust - a mixture of shredded coconut and macadamia nuts for tropical flavors along with some buckwheat for crunch

For the filling - a combination of fresh coconut meat, avocados and plenty of lime juice and zest for tartness (which is very important in a lime pie or tart)

Topped off with coconut cream

Raw Lime Avocado Tart
Makes 1 6 inch tart

Crust:
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cups shredded, dried coconut
1/2 cup sprouted, dried buckwheat (or additional coconut
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
8 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:

1 1/2 cups avocado

1 1/2 cups young coconut meat or soaked cashews (drained)

1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tbsp organic lime zest

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp agave nectar or honey

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

1/4 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Cream topping:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/4 cup coconut water

1 cups fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
3 Tbsp raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 teaspoons vanilla and seeds of half a vanilla bean
1/4 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

For the crust, combine the nuts, coconut, and buckwheat in a food processor and process until crumbs.  Add the sea salt and dates and process until the mixture starts to come together when squeezed.  Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 6 inch springform pan, sprayed with non-stick coconut oil spray.  Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

For the filling, combine avocado, coconut, lime juice and zest, honey, sea salt, and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth.  With the motor running, slowly add the coconut oil and process for a minute.  Pour the filling into the crust, and place in the freezer to firm up, about 2 hours or so.  

Meanwhile, to make the topping, combine the cashews, coconut water, sea salt, honey, and vanilla anc process until smooth.  Add the coconut oil slowly with the motor running (If the mixture starts to separate and clump, the filling is too cold to emulsify the oil, so warm some of it and process again). Place the topping in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes until it firms up to frosting consistency. Once frosting consistency, move to the fridge until ready to use.
Once the filling has set, place the topping in a pastry bag and pipe decoratively over the tart.  Serve!  Store extra in the fridge.

Avocado Mousse

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
juice of 4 limes
3 T raw blue agave
1.5 T raw cacao nibs (optional)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve.

Nan's Shortbread Cookies

1 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
4 cups of flour

Mix butter and sugar, work in flour.
Bake at 350 for around 10 minutes.

I like to add vanilla, rosemary or lavender........
mmmmmmmmm

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups - the healthier version & most ridiculously delicious things in the entire world

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup Earth Balance butter
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares (naturally sweetened or low in sugar)
1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener
1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk
1/4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

PREPARATION

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (If You Care makes unbleached liners made from recycled paper.) Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
3. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well. 
4. Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups. 
5. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.
6. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. 
7. Top with chopped nuts. 
8. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

Chocolate Coconut No-Bake Protein Bars

Makes 8 large bars or 12-14 snack-size squares

Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup softened coconut butter
3-4 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder
3/4 - 1 cup water

NOTE: If you are using quick oats instead of old fashioned, you will require less water

Directions:
Line a square baking dish with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add water to 3/4 cup of water to the oats, stir, and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the oats absorb the water.

Add the protein powder and coconut butter to the mixture. With clean hands, kneed the batter until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture becomes moist and doughy. (I found it helps to roll it all into a big, solid ball). If the powder is not dissolving into the mixture, add more water, a tablespoon at a time.

Press the mixture into the square dish evenly. Flatten out the top with a spatula until smooth and even.

Pop in the freezer for 30 min. The mixture should be firm and cool but not frozen solid. Lift the paper out of the dish onto a cutting board and cut into desired squares.

Topping tips: Feel free to add other ingredients to the mix like mashed banana, almonds, ground flax seed, anything goes! You may even want to top the squares with a sprinkling of unsweetened, shredded coconut, or slivered almonds before freezing.

Nutritional info for 8 bars:
Calories: 250
Carbs: 21 g
Protein: 20 g
Fat: 20 g

For 12-14 snack-size squares:
Calories: 154
Carbs: 13 g
Protein: 14 g
Fat: 13 g

*Nutritional info will vary slightly depending on the type of whey protein you use

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
50 g of coconut oil
75 g of cocoa butter
1 1/2 cups of cocoa powder
2/3 cup of agave nectar
2 tea spoons of Vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of coconut milk (3 1/2 cups of water + 3 cups of coconut flakes)

Preparation:
Melt the cocoa butter in a dehydrator or in a bain-marie. While it is melting, in a blender put the water and the coconut flakes to make the coconut milk and filter. Put the coconut milk in a Vita-Mix with the vanilla, agave and cocoa powder. Add the melted oil and butter and blend briefly at low speed. In a container, pour and leave in the fridge for one to two hours.

It's ready!