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Cocoa Chews
Mar 14, 2012

Cocoa Chews

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All this talk about Cuisine Camino lately and it just made me think of the Cuisine Camino Cocoa Powder that I have in my cupboard.  So I thought “how about I make a chewy cocoa treat?”

And here it is… my creative endeavors for the day :-)

I know they look like my Cashew Cranberry Chews, but it’s a different picture (no really!!).  Similar chewy texture but these Cocoa Chews have a yummy cocoa flavour!!

To keep the chewy texture it’s important to keep them in the freezer (out of sight, out of mind – yeahhh, not so much!!!).  The recipe makes about 40 squares!!  Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups raw cashews
    • Note: for nuts and seeds raw is always best (I also use organic), in their natural state and easiest to digest!  To make nuts even easier on the digestive system you may choose to soak the nuts and then dry then in a dehydrator before you grind them in the food processor
  • 8 pitted medjool dates
  • 8 dried apricot
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
    • Note: with any dried fruits like apricots and cranberries, etc. always try to use sulfite free, i.e. they will not have the original bright orange/red colour but will be a darker almost brown colour, I also use organic when possible
  • 2 Tbsp Cuisine Camino Cocoa Powder (did I mention it’s a local company that produces this!! Love to support our locals!!)
  • 1 Tbsp agave
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions:   Add cashews to food processor and process until fine like a flour (I prefer a fine grind, but you can also make more chunky).  Add dates, apricots and cranberries and process further until well mixed (will be a little gooey but still somewhat flakey).  You may need to adjust the quantity of dates/apricots/cranberries depending on how fresh they are, I think I added a little extra today.  Add cocoa powder, oil and agave and process until nice and “gooey”.  Press into cookie sheet and put in freezer for an hour or two.  Once they have hardened a little cut into squares and store in freezer.  Enjoy!!

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Processor, Raw Food, Recipes, Snack, Soy Free, Sweets, Vegan/Vegetarian ·
Southwest Black Bean and Roasted Butternut Squash (sans Burger)
Mar 8, 2012

Southwest Black Bean and Roasted Butternut Squash (sans Burger)

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Southwest Black Bean and Butternut Squash (sans burger) with Guacamole, Salsa, Squash & Nacho Chips

Ok… so the original intent was to make Kris Carr‘s Crazy Sexy Diet – Southwest Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Burger with a side of guacamole & salsa…. but,ummm, ahhh…. that’s not exactly what happened.

Instead, in it’s place I created Southwest Black Bean and Roasted Butternut Squash (sans Burger)  (i.e. without the burger format :-) ).

I have to say .. going with the flow is one of the things I love (absolutely love) most about putzing in the kitchen…. I often start with one dish in mind, but once the creative juices take hold, there’s no telling what new and wonderful delight will result. How fun is that? :-)

So today’s menu includes:

  • An adapted version of Kris Carr‘s Crazy Sexy Diet – Southwest Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Burger – which I will now call Southwest Black Bean and Butternut Squash (sans Burger)
  • Guacamole (my variation of Raw Judita’s Classic Guacamole from her book Going Raw)
  • Snell House Foods Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Southwest Black Bean and Butternut Squash (sans Burger)
(variation of Kris Carr’s recipe in Crazy Sexy Diet P. 219)

Ingredients:
  • 2 cans black beans, mashed (Eden brand is the best with minimal salt, rinse well)
  • 1 butternut squash, cut into small cubes (2 cups for recipe and remainder used as side dish with meal)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 tbsp Braggs
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • Pepper
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal

Snell House Foods - Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   Remove rind from squash and cut into small cubes.  Rinse with cold water and drain well.  Toss with olive oil and pepper.  Place on cookie sheet and bake 25-30 minutes, or until tender.  Toss occasionally.
Cook rice as per directions on package.
In a fry pan, heat a little olive oil add onion and garlic and cook until light grown.   Place rinsed and well drained black beans in a bowl, mash using potato masher.  Add onion/garlic mixture, tamari, cumin, worcestershire and pepper.  Add cooked rice and cornmeal.   Mix well.
Add a little olive oil to fry pan (use the same one you used for onion/garlic) and add black bean mixture and cook until browned, toss and brown all sides.
Serve black bean (sans burger) with Salsa (did I mentioned I love, love, love Snell House Black Bean & Corn Salsa!! :-) ), guacamole and roasted butternut squash.   Add a few nacho chips and/or green salad.
Enjoy!!

Filed Under: Cooked Dishes, Dinner, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Recipes, Soy Free, Vegan/Vegetarian ·
Guacamole
Mar 8, 2012

Guacamole

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Guacamole

I soooooo love love love (did I mention I love) Avocados!!  I could so live on them!!  They are delicious and very good for you (me :-) ).

Guacamole is great as a snack just on its own, use to dip veggies, top a flax cracker (yum!!), use within wraps, or use as a side dish to my Southwest Black Bean & Butternut Squash (sans Burger) recipe.

Below is a very easy recipe (10 minutes tops) to make guacamole.  My version includes a few variations from the classic Guacamole recipe by Raw Judia in her book Going Raw (P. 102) - which by the way is an excellent book with great recipes and great insight to help you transition to a raw diet.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium avocados
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped & crushed
  • Dash (or two) cayenne pepper
  • 2-4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (I prefer with 4 tomatos, although recipe above was made with 2)
  • 1/4 red onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp parsley (cilantro would have been better but I didn’t have any)

Instructions:
Place avocado in a bowl add lemon and mash.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Enjoy!!!

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Lunch, Nut Free, Raw Food, Recipes, Snack, Soy Free, Vegan/Vegetarian ·
Vegan Nachos
Mar 6, 2012

Vegan Nachos

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Vegan Nachos

Yum!!  Ok, so I can’t tell you how long I’ve longed (longed) for nachos & margarita’s!!

But on a school night?

Ya but, I’m on a stay-cation so technically it’s not a school night for me :-) !!  I’m off work, enjoying a week of relaxation, rest and doing the things I love!! And I love to cook and try new vegan/raw vegan recipes…. so here I am.

So, school night or not, Nachos and Margarita’s are on the menu, woohooo!!!

This is the first time I’ve tried Happy Herbivore’s Low Fat Vegan Nacho Cheese, and I have to say it’s definely very VERY yummy!!  I also have her book, Everyday Happy Herbivore, you will have to try it, she has some great recipes and great vegan insights!!!

My recipe below is inspired by Happy Herbivore’s Low Fat Vegan Nachos Cheese Sauce, but as usual I have my own variation of the recipe based on my tastes and the ingredients I have on hand.  I hope you enjoy!!!

Ingredients – Nachos Platter:

  • 1 bag (212g) Garden of Eatin’ Sesame Blues (I find these the most flavourful, with basic ingredients and they have less then half the salt of other brands;  this time I also included a handful of regular white/yellow nacho chips, but I wouldn’t do this next time as they were way too salty – 180g vs. 80g in the Garden of Eatin’ version).
  • 1-2 jalepeno pepper, chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 onion, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
Ingredients – Vegan Cheese Sauce:
(my variation of Happy Herbivore’s Low Fat Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce):

  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 onion, chopped
  • ⅔ cup almond milk
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 orange pepper
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • a dash of cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Scatter the nachos on a platter.  Spread the white/regular nachos around the edge and then the blue nachos in the middle.  Sprinkle the hot peppers, green onions, onions and tomatoes over the nachos. For the sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until thickened.  Once the sauce is thickened, pour 1/2 the mixture over the nachos and then put in the oven for 15-20 minutes (you may wish to grill for the last few minutes).  Once out of the oven, pour the remaining sauce over the nachos!!

Ola!!  Enjoy!!  Yum!!

Filed Under: Cooked Dishes, Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Soy Free, Vegan/Vegetarian ·
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