Semi-Raw: Vegan Snickers Slices

I think Snickers had to have been my favorite candy bar back in my days of careless processed food eating… Just the combination of peanuts with caramel, chocolate and nougat was a pretty heavenly experience. Of course I gave all that up and haven’t had one in years! So I adapted this recipe from a few I saw online and it’s pretty spot on! I’d say EVEN BETTER than the original! Prep your blenders and give these a whirl, you won’t be regretting anything but finishing them all yourself… 😉

Ingredients:

BASE

• 2 cups almond meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill pre-made, or you could pulse your own raw almonds into a flour using a food processor)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp maple OR agave nectar (I used raw agave)
• 2 tbsp natural peanut butter (The ingredient should be only ONE thing: roasted peanuts)
• 1 tsp ground vanilla beans or extract
• 1 pinch Himalayan sea salt

PEANUT CARAMEL

• 3 cups pitted medjool dates
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

CHOCOLATE TOPPING

• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/4 cup maple OR agave nectar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil

Instructions

1. For the BASE place all ingredients into a high speed food processor or blender.
2. Blend until it looks like a dough
3. In square glass dish (I used 8×8) press the dough into the base (You can lay down wax paper so it’s easier to pop out later, not necessary though)
4. Place in freezer.
5. For the PEANUT CARAMEL place all ingredients except the PEANUTS into a high speed food processor or blender.
6. Blend for quite awhile
7. When it has turned into a sticky caramel consistency, add peanuts and pulse for a few seconds to mix in.
8. Spread evenly over the top of the BASE.
9. Place back in freezer for at least 4 hours or until set.
10. For CHOCOLATE TOPPING place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
11. Whisk together until it turns into a runny chocolate consistency.
12. Pour over the top and spread evenly.

You should be able to slice and eat them almost immediately as long as the chocolate solidifies on the frozen caramel layer. Enjoy a guilt, sugar and dairy free Snickers slice!

 

Cooked: Vegan Raaka S’Mores

S’mores… Who doesn’t love the flavor fusion of decadent chocolate with soft pillowy toasted marshmallow sandwiched between crunchy sweet graham crackers? It’s something I’ve missed for a very long time and I’m going to go so far as to say this vegan S’mores creation far outweighs any other I’ve had, vegan aside. I think the secret was in the chocolate. I recently discovered a line of chocolate that I’m absolutely smitten with! It’s a company called Raaka! They ethically source their cacao beans, never roast them to leave the true flavors intact as to honor the essence of what chocolate is… They are also here in Brooklyn and make their handmade bars in small controlled batches. I recently signed up for their chocolate of the month mailings: BEST. DECISION. EVER.  For this particular vegan S’more, I chose their 75% dark bar that boasts tasting notes of golden plum, rice wine and pistachio. It’s truly something to behold. Another great bar for a S’more would be their vegan Coconut Milk or the Bourbon Cask bar. Yum!   For the marshmallows, I can’t find anything better out there than Dandies! Definitely go with these as they are flawless puffed delights sans gelatin.     Ingredients:

• Vegan Graham Crackers (I used Erewhon brand)
• 1 bar of Raaka chocolate (I used 75% Madagascar)
• Several vegan marshmallows ( I used Dandies)

Directions: There are actually a couple ways to pull this off, if you have access to a flame and want to roast your marshmallows the old fashioned way, by all means — please do it! I went ahead and just set the marshmallows on the graham crackers with a tray underneath (just in case!) on broil in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the marshmallows began to brown slightly. Next, place a couple squares of Raaka on the warm toasted marshmallows and close with another graham cracker! This is about as close to camping as I get, and boy is it delicious!   To check out more of what Raaka has to offer: http://www.raakachocolate.com/

Cooked: Quinoa Mac n’ Smoked Cashew Cheese

It’s been awhile. I know. I’m putting myself in time out actually. It’s been far too long since my last post so I’m going to try and make up for some lost time and post a few recipes this week! Here’s the first one and it’s something I adapted after tasting the baked artichoke macaroni at one of my favorite vegan restaurants here in Brooklyn; M.O.B. It has this yummy creamy smokey cheese with pecans and a side of broccolini. Such a comfort meal and very satisfying! M.O.B. doesn’t use the quinoa macaroni that I prefer. I like to go with quinoa since it’s gluten free and makes me feel like I ate a healthy grain. So here we go…

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz box of quinoa elbow pasta cooked according to directions (you can use shells, rotini, etc if you prefer!)
• 1/2 lb of broccolini 
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (grade A or B)
• a few handfuls of pecans
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Smoked Cashew Cheese (see below)

Smoked Cashew Cheese:

Combine the following in a high speed blender, except Olive Oil and blend while adding Olive Oil slowly to the moving blender. Add water to create the desired cheesy consistency.

• 1 Cup Cashews (preferably soaked for 3-4 hours)
• 1/3 Bell Pepper (yellow, orange or red)
• A nice big pinch of smoked salt (or sea salt)
• 1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
• Water, as needed

Directions:

In a pan on medium heat add some olive oil and sliced broccolini, cooking for 5-8 minutes until bright green and semi soft.

Mix pecans with maple syrup and spread on a nonstick parchment sheet and bake in oven for 5 minutes at 350. Careful not to overcook as this will begin to burn and smoke up your kitchen if you leave it in too long.

Add smoked cheese to cooked elbow macaroni and mix well. Serve with the candied maple pecans on top and grilled broccolini on the side. Enjoy!

Cooked: Perfect Potato Salad

Technically this dish is “semi-raw”, being that it contains raw mayo, pickles, olives, dill and celery, but the potatoes need to be cooked. Boiled, to be exact. You could use cubed jicama in place of the potatoes if you’re wanting this to be truly raw. Otherwise, for delectable deliciousness… Follow these directions. I love to pair this with a chilled glass of fresh watermelon juice!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 6-7 Yukon Potatoes
• 5-6 Dill Pickles, diced finely
• Black olives, sliced
• Fresh Dill (dried may be used)
• Raw Cashew Mayo (see below)

Raw Cashew Mayo:

Combine the following in a high speed blender, except Olive Oil and blend while adding Olive Oil slowly to the moving blender. Add water to create the desired mayo-like consistency.

• 1 Cup Cashews (preferably soaked for 3-4 hours)
• 1/2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Tsp Dry Mustard OR mustard of choice
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Submerge potatoes in a large covered pot and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, check with a fork to ensure potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Drain water and let cool. Cube potatoes and add to a large bowl with the other salad ingredients. Mix in the mayo and add some extra splashes of Apple Cider Vinegar and black pepper. Enjoy!

Raw: BLAT Wraps

I had made a delicious raw mock “tuna” and a Dijon mayo dressing sauce to go with it last week and I actually ended up with more of the sauce/mayo than the mock “tuna”. I was pondering what I could use the rest of the mayo for when it suddenly dawned on me… Raw BLATs! So, here they are, people! I had at least 5-7 of these babies tonight and I was so pleased with how they turned out!

Ingredients:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Tomatoes (sliced)
• Avocado
• Coconut Bacon (I used the Phoney Baloney brand)
• Raw Cashew Dijon Mayo

Raw Cashew Dijon Mayo:

Combine the following in a high speed blender and blend until smooth!

• 1/2 cup raw coconut water
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 cup raw cashews (you may also use pine nuts or macadamia nuts)
• 1/4 cup stone ground mustard

Assemble the BLAT wraps by taking one romaine leaf at a time and putting several slices of tomato down, cubed avocado and a small handful of coconut bacon. Top with Dijon mayo and devour!

Raw: Sour Cream & Onion Kale Chips

I’ve had some of the store bought kale chips in this particular flavor and I did enjoy them, but let me just say… These ones are so much better! Not to toot my own horn or anything like that… Seriously, give these a shot. I just kind of threw the ingredients together by taste and ended up with something that I’m going to make again and again since they keep disappearing!

Sour “cream” & onion mixture per one medium head kale:

• 1 1/2 Cup Raw Cashews (soaked for 3-4 hours and drained)
• 1/4 Cup Chopped White Onion
• 2-3 Scallions
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• Water (as needed to make a creamy texture)

Combine all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend thoroughly until a very creamy texture is achieved. In a large bowl combine washed and torn pieces of kale with the sauce mixture and massage into kale until fully coated. Place on dehydrator sheets and set to 115′ F for 6-8 hours depending on desired crispiness.

Enjoy and repeat. Trust me, you’ll want to!

Raw: Coconut Pudding

This is such a simple yet decadent dessert. I love having this chilled in summertime. Something about the sweet smoothness of coconut flesh is just divine! Luckily for you all, it’s pretty darn simple to throw together and very healthy at that! No added sweeteners are necessary.

In a high speed blender combine the following:

• 2-3 cups young coconut meat (this is sold frozen in health food stores, but the best way is to scrape it out of a young coconut yourself)
• 1/3 cup coconut water
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Blend until thoroughly smooth and at desired consistency, place in a covered container and chill for several hours, garnish with dried coconut (optional) and devour! Yum!

*Note: You may also add 1/4 cup raw cacao powder if you’re desiring a chocolate coconut pudding.

Cooked: Spicy Udon & Veggies

I absolutely love this dish! Anything spicy and savory with an Asian flare is right up my alley. This yummy noodle concoction has become a staple in my home although I’m always shifting the ingredients a little here or there, adding a different veggie or using a different type of noodle. Feel free to make this “your own”. Typically I’ll use Soba noodles for this, but today I’ve made it with organic Udon noodles and it turned out fabulously! It’s very simple to make as it’s basically just three components: noodles, sauce, veggies.

Spicy Almond Butter Sauce:

• 1/2 cup raw organic almond butter
• 1/4 cup nama shoyu, tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Sriracha sauce (or less if you prefer)
• several Tbs water to even out the mixture

Noodles:

• One 12.8 oz package of Organic Udon noodles (You may also use rice noodles or Soba)

Vegetables:

• 1 cup broccoli
• 1/3 cup diced red pepper
• 1/3 cup diced green onion
• 1/3 cup diced yellow squash
• 2 tbs minced fresh ginger

For the sauce combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. The sauce should be on the thick side. Cook noodles according to the directions on the package. For preparing the vegetables, add sesame oil to a medium pan under medium heat then add in chopped broccoli and diced red pepper. Shift the veggies around frequently for a few minutes and then add in the green onion and yellow squash (if using). Add in the minced ginger last. Careful not to burn, keep the veggies moving in the pan until cooked as desired. Add the sauce to the noodles, mixing in thoroughly and then add in the vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs such as cilantro and basil. I also like to add in fresh lime juice at the end… Enjoy!

Raw: Mean Green Smoothie

This delicious smoothie is as yummy as it is good for you! The Maca powder, Chia and Hemp seeds will give you stamina and energy to last throughout the day and coconut water is the ultimate hydration. Baby spinach is rich in many micro-nutrients including Vitamin K, A, C, and folate; also the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. I know quite a few people afraid of green drinks, but this one definitely doesn’t taste like lawn clippings or anything of the sort! Just embrace the chlorophyll and your body will thank you! With any smoothie, feel free to make alterations based on your own personal tastes. This can be made in any blender or food processor, but as I’ve said before — having a Vita-Mix or Blendtec is a priceless piece of equipment when it comes to raw foods & smoothies!

• 1 cup young coconut water (I like to use fresh Thai coconuts, but feel free to use whatever you can find)
• 2 frozen bananas
• 2-3 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1-2 tsp. of each of the following: Maca powder, Chia seeds, Hemp seeds

Blend all the ingredients until smooth and enjoy! Serves 2.

Product Review: Coconut Bacon by Phoney Baloney’s

I attended The Seed on this past rainy Saturday in NYC with my beautiful fiance and a good vegan friend of ours . What an amazing paradise full of vegan food, products, information, yoga and people! I must have been in a vegan-coma-daze because I only took a couple of photos toward the end of the day and both didn’t really turn out well enough to post, sorry! At any rate, we picked up a few things that we’ve been partial to for awhile at the event like Treeline vegan nut cheese; who needs dairy anymore? One Lucky Duck raw chocolate chip cookies that taste heavenly! And some seaweed based caviar-like spread called Caviart. YUM!

One product we came home with was something we tried for the first time; coconut bacon!? I honestly was never a bacon die-hard or anything before I stopped eating animals nearly 8 years ago. Sure, I enjoyed it and I definitely remember what it tastes like, it’s not something you forget. Every once in awhile I’ll get a craving for something smoky and savory which I usually quench by making a BLAT (Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato). The thing I like most about this coconut bacon is the very thin and crispy texture it has, unlike tempeh bacon. I also feel better about eating coconut than I do any soy product these days. This product is pretty awesome and versatile and the taste is… SPOT ON! Almost in a freakishly perfected way. I highly recommend this product to people who love that smoky, thin and crispy bacon taste and want to eat a completely plant-based replacement that is soy free and most importantly, ANIMAL free!

I could see myself using this on a baked potato, in a sinful rendition of vegan mac n’ cheese, on a BLAT sandwich, in a salad and MORE! The bag says it can even be used in baking… which strikes me as pretty weird, personally. Although I know the whole bacon dessert thing is in full swing these days with oddities like bacon chocolates, shakes, cupcakes and donuts. As long as you’re not hurting any of my pig friends to appease your peculiar food desires, I say pick up a bag of this awesome coconut bacon and knock yourself out!