Check out this delicious Raw Coconut Yogurt. Perfect for a healthy Valentine’s! Just head over to One Green Planet.

These recipes come from one of the raw food classes I took earlier this year. They are slightly adapted to use what I had on hand. I don’t have a Vita-Mix and these three recipes can be made without that pricey piece of equipment! Although they may be a little chunkier….ha ha ha!

Eating raw isn’t an all or nothing thing for me- I just like the idea of preparing and eating raw food dishes because of their high nutritional content. So use what you have on hand and if it isn’t perfectly raw than so be it!

Eat these tapas style, or put them together in a wrap!!

Raw Falafel

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tomato chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 shallots
• 1/4 cup olives, stones removed (*I used kalamata which means my falafel aren’t technically “raw” due to the way they are processed)
• 2 tsp oregano
• pinch of cayenne
• pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 tsp himalayan sea salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until throughly mixed. Form into falafel balls and dehydrate at 145 degrees F for 1 hour, and then 105 degrees F for another hour or so.

Raw Hummus

• 2 cups grated zuchinni, some water squeezed out
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 clove garlic, chopped
• pinch of black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil (start with 1/4 cup until desired thickness is reached)

Head on over to One Green Planet to grab this yummy recipe!

I hope you all had great holidays and fun New Year’s celebrations! I had a great Christmas, spent in Whistler with my family and my boyfriend. It snowed the whole time, and I gave snowboarding a go. Our car was jam-packed so when we picked up a little Christmas tree there one was only one place for it…thanks Mom! We also had no room to bring up ornaments for the tree….but we are a festive family and thought of something suitable

New Year’s was also spent in Whistler and my boyfriend and I enjoyed a great meal at Earl’s and more than enough jagerbombs!!

With the holidays behind us though, it’s time to get back on track! But that does not mean you have to skip dessert. 

Raw food desserts are amazing because they taste delicious and sweet, as dessert should, but they are made with healthful and nutrient-dense ingredients! I first tried this coconut cream pie in a raw food class that I took. It blew me away that something could taste this good and not only be healthy, but also contain so few ingredients. It was so rich and satisfying that just a small portion is all you need.

This recipe can make one large 9-inch pie, but I chose to make 5 smaller pies instead.

RAW Coconut Cream Pie

Crust:

• 2.5 cups dry coconut flakes
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup packed, finely chopped dates
• 1/4 tsp raw vanilla powder, or 2 vanilla beans

• 1 1/4 cups coconut milk (this is coconut meat and water blended together- not canned coconut milk.
•  3/4 cups coconut meat
• 3/4 cup packed, finely chopped dates
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
• 2 pinches salt
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp raw scented coconut butter

Blend all ingredients except coconut butter in blender until smooth. Add coconut butter last and blend until smooth. **If you have a Vita-mix this will be easy…if you are like me and don’t have one, you may need a bit of extra liquid or to do small batches. I ended up using a food processor for this step because my blender sucks.** Pour into prepared crust and top with coconut flakes. Refrigerate or freeze for about an hour. Enjoy!

Check out my latest post on One Green Planet!

This is another delicious recipe from my raw foods class. The class that this recipe comes from focused on high nutrition snacks. I would suggest making these in bulk as they can take up to 48 hours to deyhydrate. If you make one giant batch you can store them in the freezer. The chocolate used in this recipe contains only healthy ingredients- these snacks provide a perfect burst of energy for you….which is what a snack is really about.

Pineapple Dips

• Pineapple(s), sliced into 3″ x 1″ pieces

When I posted this grilled vegetable tart on puff pastry, I promised a future vegan vegetable tart. The time has come now, and One Green Planet has published my article. Enjoy!

I know I just recently posted a cupcake recipe….but really, is there such thing as to many cupcakes!?

For the last couple of years during the summer our town has been having outdoor movie nights. The most recent one was held in a park and the flick for the night was a 90′s classic- Jurassic Park. I knew I had to whip up a batch of dino- themed cupcakes! I used my favourite recipe for vegan chocolate cupcakes (again!) and decided on a cookies and cream flavoured icing. The Oreos in the icing tinted it grey and made me think of dirt and rocks (and dino poop as my friend pointed out…!) with the dinosaurs on top! We ordered a pizza, gathered up our blankets, and made plenty of popcorn. Cupcakes in tow we set up camp on the hillside to watch the movie. It was a bit chilly out but the sky was clear and it was great to be able to watch a movie we all love underneath the stars! The cupcakes were a hit, too

Chocolate Dino Cupcakes with Oreo Icing

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

These cupcakes are unique and delicious (and vegan!!). I love this recipe for chocolate cupcakes and I’ve used it many times before. This buttercream has a subtle flavour, almost hard to pinpoint, but it’s the aromatic spices of chai tea. If you aren’t concerned about these cupcakes being vegan, by all means replace the Earth Balance with regular butter.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chai Tea Buttercream (adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World)

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the vinegar with the almond milk and let sit for five minutes.

Whisk together the almond milk/vinegar, oil, sugar and vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add wet to dry and mix until combined.

Pour batter into greased cupcake molds and bake for 25 minutes, or until springy. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance vegan margarine (or butter)
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 chai tea bags
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1/4 tsp salt

Beat the earth balance until soft.

Brew the tea in the two tablespoons of boiling water and let sit for ten minutes to steep. Then, add the almond milk.

Add that mixture, plus the powdered sugar and cinnamon to the earth balance and continue to beat for 10 minutes until very light and fluffy.

Frost cupcakes and enjoy!

I bought nutritional yeast (nooch) quite awhile ago and I was very curious as to what it tasted like. I found a recipe for a vegan alfredo sauce and thought that might be a good starting point. In case you don’t know, nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that has a ‘nutty’ or ‘cheesy’ flavour, which is why so many vegan recipes use it. I can’t say that it is my favourite flavour in the world, but I’m glad I tried it, and I would like to try it in other recipes. Although this doesn’t taste identical to true alfredo sauce, if you know anyone that is vegan, this could be a great option for a pasta dish. You could easily add in tomatoes, broccoli florets, or peas to add some more flavour to the dish. I used a gluten free pasta made from brown rice, but any pasta will do.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Pasta (adapted from Oh She Glows, originally from VeganYumYum)

• Pasta of your choice
• 1/3 heaping cup raw cashews
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp non-dairy butter (I just used regular butter)
• 2 tsp organic Tamari soy sauce, or to taste
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Kosher salt, to taste (I used 1/4-1/2 tsp I think)
• 1/2 tsp Paprika, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Herbs or veggies to add into Alfredo, if desired

Directions: Cook your pasta until al dente and then drain, and rinse with cold water.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce: Add all ingredients except pasta into a blender and blend until smooth.

Add the drained pasta back into the pot and pour on your desired amount of sauce into the pot. Heat over medium stirring frequently. Add in vegetables if you desire and cook until heated through. Enjoy!