Blueberry Peach Cream Chia Pudding

I saw a recipe by Susan Powers that folded blueberries and peaches into a chia pudding. I liked the idea of fruit with the chia seeds so decided to make a recipe of my own. I used some leftover vanilla whipped cream that I had made for a pie, mixed it with coconut water to create a milk of sorts that was rich with flavor and texture. The chia seeds, a great source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids, need liquid to become a pudding. The chia seeds absorb the liquid and results in something like a tapioca texture, though it doesn't taste like tapioca. Still, I like the texture because it's rich, satisfying, and filling. This recipe tastes more like dessert but would be great for breakfast as well. I love that it looks like a parfait. It looks indulgent but is good for you in every way. It's also fast and easy. Give it a try!

Whipped Cream:
1 oz. soaked Irish moss
3/4 c. coconut meat
1 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. soaked and drained cashews
1/4 c. agave
1 t. lemon juice
2 t. vanilla
2 t. lecithin (if using soy lecithin, please use non GMO lecithin)
1/2 c. soft coconut butter
pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients, adding lecithin and coconut butter last. Blend until smooth. Pour cream into a shallow pan and refrigerate until set. This usually takes a couple of hours.  You can use the leftover cream as a cookie filling or in a parfait or as a pie topping.

Whipped Cream "Milk": 
When set, take 1/2 c. whipped cream and blend with 1/2 c. coconut water. Filtered water will also work well but will lack the coconut flavor.

Chia Pudding:
4 T. chia seeds
1 c. whipped cream milk (or however much the above proportions made)
3 medjool dates, chopped finely
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 c. fresh or frozen peaches (thaw fist if using frozen peaches)
1/2 c. fresh or frozen wild blueberries  (again, thaw if using frozen berries)

In a medium sized bowl mix all ingredients except fruit with a spoon.  Allow pudding to sit for about 15 to 20 minutes or until chia seeds have absorbed the liquid. Fold in the fruit until well incorporated.

If making a parfait, keep out some of the fruit to put between pudding layers. Layer pudding alternately with the fresh fruit. Top with more fruit as your last layer.

Serves 3-4.

Brazil Nut Truffles

I went to visit a friend who had taken a bad fall and needed something to bring along that was quick and easy. I didn't have a lot of time to fuss. These little truffles, along with some of the previously posted peanut butter cups, did the trick. They look kind of fancy but take no dehydration time and very little fridge time. The blender does all the work, but you get all the credit.

Brazil Nut Truffles:
2 c. raw Brazil nuts soaked for two hours and drained*
4 T. sesame oil
1/3 c. liquified coconut oil (softened to oil)
4 medjool dates
2 T. agave
2 t. vanilla
1/4 t. sea salt
1 c. raw cashews ground to flour

Blend all ingredients except cashew flour in a Vitamix. You'll need to use your tamper to get them processed into something resembling a nut butter. Scrape the mix into a bowl and fold in cashew flour. The cashew flour will give the truffles a little body. Refrigerate the mixture for about an hour. Roll into balls of any size you wish. Mine were about one inch. Place truffles on a silicone tray or a shallow pan.

Chocolate Sauce:
1/4 c. liquified coconut oil
1/2 c. raw cacao powder
1 t. vanilla
2 T. coconut nectar
pinch of sea salt

 Whisk ingredients together until you have a smooth, silky chocolate sauce. Pour sauce into a bottle with a cone lid (like those bear shaped bottles your honey used to come in or like the mustard and ketchup bottles found in restaurants). Alternately you can use a sandwich sized Ziploc bag, cutting a small corner off the bottom of the bag (simulating a pastry bag).  Squeeze the chocolate into squiggle lines on each truffle. Place in the refrigerator or freezer once again to firm up chocolate, approximately 15 minutes. Then take them to a friend's house, have a cup of tea, and make each other laugh.  Keep any extra truffles in the fridge or freezer.

*You can skip soaking the nuts if you are in a hurry, but Brazil nuts are hard and soaking makes them easier to blend.

Almost Seven Layer Bars

Remember those gooey, rich, decadent seven layer bars you ate when you were a kid? I remember them being full of sweetened condensed milk, chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut, and I don't know what else.  Well, maybe people are still making them, but I haven't eaten anything like that in decades. Until now. These bars are reminiscent of those I occasionally ate as a child. Even though these are raw and definitely a better choice than the ones from my youth,  raw desserts should still be consumed with moderation. These are delicious, indulgent, and decadent, but they are also really sweet. I rarely say that as my sweet tooth is highly developed, but these did me in. So a little goes a long way. And then a little more....you know how it is...

Almost Seven Layer Bars:
Crust:
3 c. cashews ground into flour
4 medjool dates chopped
1 T. agave
1 T. coconut oil melted
1/2 t. sea salt

Pulse ingredients in a food processor until dates are incorporated.  Try not to over-process because the cashews will blend into butter. Pat into the bottom of a brownie pan.

Topping:
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. cacao nibs
1 c. coconut flakes
1/2 c. agave or maple syrup*
1 t. vanilla
1 t. sea salt

Mix all ingredients by hand until well incorporated. Spoon on top of crust. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for about 4 hours or until warm and chewy.

*not raw

No Chicken Noodle Soup

People often ask me how I eat raw during cold Minnesota winters. I admit, sometimes it isn't easy. Sometimes nothing would feel better than having my hands around a warm bowl of soup. Usually you'll find my hands around a warm cup of tea, instead, but every once in awhile I do crave a bowl of soup. This was one of those days. It's unusually cold in Minneapolis right now, and I wanted the comfort of warmth. My solution was this soup that looked a lot like chicken noodle soup but was a healthier version using daikon noodles as the pasta. Warmed in the dehydrator, it did the trick.

No Chicken Noodle Soup: 

For veggies:

 2 c. spiralized diakon noodles

2 large carrots chopped

1/2 c. chopped green cabbage

1 T. chopped jalapeno for garnish

Broth:

3 c. warm water

2 heaping T. white garbanzo miso

3 limes

1 clove garlic 

1 jalapeno

Blend broth ingredients in a Vitamix for several minutes so that the power of the blender warms the broth. Pour over noodles. Serve immediately for a warm soup. Alternately, warm the soup in a dehydrator until it is your desired temperature. If staying true to raw is important to you, then warm at about 118 degrees or lower.

Root Vegetable Soup

This soup delighted me. I've been having too many treats lately, many of them full of heavy nuts. I wanted to give my liver a break and thought some root vegetable would help. Daikon and burdock are great detoxifiers for the liver. I also added maitake mushrooms, which are excellent immune boosters and are said to inhibit or reverse tumor growth.  I have to admit that as I was making it, I thought I was doing something good for my body, but I didn't necessarily think it would be something I'd love to eat. I was wrong! The flavor in this soup was so delicious that it was just as good as a treat. Better, really.  I have to remind myself of this often, given my sweet tooth. Sometimes a really good combination of vegetables is more satisfying than sweet. My mind just tricks me into thinking I want dessert (constantly).  I certainly feel better after eating vegetables. This soup is chock full of them. I didn't even need dessert afterwards. My body thanked me, and I bet it'll do the same for you.

Root Vegetable Soup:
Broth:
3 c. unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 c. liquid coconut aminos
2 limes, seeded
1 T. coconut nectar (optional)
2 stalks lemongrass thinly shaved
1 inch ginger
1/2 jalapeno
1 small clove garlic

Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix. Pour the broth through a nut milk bag* or cheesecloth to strain out the lemongrass and ginger pulp. Blend broth long enough to warm it up.

Vegetables:
2 peeled burdock roots cut on the bias
2 daikon roots cut in half moons
1 yellow bell pepper
1/2 c. thinly sliced green cabbage
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes
1 c. maitake mushrooms
2 T. almonds

Place all the vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the broth over the vegetables. Serve immediately or warm later in the dehydrator at 118 degrees or lower.

*I make my own nut milk bags out of a very fine tulle mesh. My sister, Mary, taught me this. The material is inexpensive and can be found at any fabric store. Simply sew a small rectangular bag about the size of a large mason jar, leaving one end open. The opening at the top of the bag should be a bit larger than a mason jar. Fold over the top edge and run a seam around it, leaving a small opening to run elastic through the hem.  Run a thin piece of elastic through the hemmed opening and sew in the hem. You now have a nut milk bag that can be used to strain the pulp of your homemade milks, or in this case, strain the pulp from vegetables. These bags are washable and reusable and much easier to use than cheesecloth.

Pad Thai with Squash Noodles

I had a huge butternut squash begging to be made into noodles. The color of the squash looks like Pad Thai to me, so I made a spicy sesame and tomato sauce, and voila, I had a pretty convincing Pad Thai. I added red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, green peas, and jalapenos to give it some color. Paint your Pad Thai with whatever vegetables call you.

Pad Thai:
Noodles:
1 large butternut squash spiralized into noodles
(alternately you can slice them with a mandoline)
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1/4 c. chopped red onion
1 c. green peas
1/2 chopped jalapeno

Put all ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well.

Sauce:
1 c. sesame oil
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes rehydrated
1/2 c. fresh chopped tomato
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
3-4 dehydrated red hot chili peppers
1 lime
1 T. black sesame powder

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until liquid. Pour over noodles and toss well.

Garnish:
1/4 c. cashews
1 T. sesame oil
pinch of sea salt

Toss nuts in oil and salt.  Top each Pad Thai serving with a spoonful of nuts.

Note: Depending on how large your squash is, this recipe will vary in servings. My one huge squash made enough for 4-6. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge

Ok, I know that peanut butter isn't raw, but after I made the white chocolate pecan fudge, I agreed with Heather Pace that peanut butter would be great in the recipe. So I went out and bought some because it's not something I keep on hand. I meant to make her version, but I couldn't get online to see the recipe. Instead I made this super simple version which tastes like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I have to admit, I wasn't trying hard, so the end product wasn't as pretty as if I had been trying, but the taste was so good that I had to post it anyway. It also uses maple syrup, which is not raw either. So for the purists, this recipe may not be for you, but you could amp up the rawness by adding lacuma powder, maca powder or any other superfood powder. For the novice raw eaters or the part raw eaters, give it a try.

 Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge: 
1 c. organic peanut butter
1/2 c. softened coconut butter
3 T. maple syrup
2 t. vanilla

Blend all ingredients in a small food processor. Spoon into silicone molds or a shallow pan.  Set aside.

Chocolate Topping:
2 T. softened coconut butter
2 T. Navitas Naturals Cacao Paste shaved into pieces
1 T. maple syrup

Put all ingredients into a small bowl. Place that bowl in your dehydrator until the chocolate is soft enough to whisk. Whisk ingredients until you have a thick chocolate sauce. Spoon some chocolate onto each piece of fudge. When finished with the chocolate, place the fudge trays in the freezer until hardened. This shouldn't take very long, maybe about thirty minutes.  Pop fudge out of the trays. If using a shallow pan, cut pieces and remove them from the pan.

I'm keeping mine in the freezer so they'll last. One little bite after dinner is just enough to make me feel like I've had my dessert.

Note: Since this recipe isn't raw, you could also melt the chocolate in a double boiler method. If you don't have a double boiler, just put the ingredients into a small saucepan. Then place that saucepan in another larger saucepan that contains some water. Place the larger saucepan containing the smaller saucepan on the stovetop at the lowest heat. Whisk as chocolate is melting until all ingredients are well incorporated.  Follow recipe directions from here.

White Chocolate Pecan Fudge

This recipe was inspired by Heather Pace's recipe at sweetlyraw.com.  I made it a little simpler because I didn't have all the ingredients she used, but the idea of flavors is hers. The beauty of this recipe is its ease. It blends quickly and sets up quickly as well. No need to make it far in advance. Make it alongside your dinner, and you'll have a sweet treat to enjoy for dessert before the dinner dishes are even cleared.

White Chocolate Pecan Fudge

1/4 cup melted Navitas Naturals Cacao Power
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup melted coconut butter
1/4  pecans
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all  ingredients and blend until smooth in a high speed blender. Spoon into a silicone ice cube mold or candy tray. Alternately you can spoon the mixture in a shallow pan and cut into pieces when chilled.
Chill for an hour in the freezer. Pop out the candies and store in the refrigerator.

Mushroom and Spinach Quiche

 Here is the mushroom and spinach quiche recipe.  Similar to the spinach and cheese quiche, this pie uses the same crust recipe but has a different filling. The mushrooms give it a meaty flavor that is less reminiscent of an egg quiche and more like a savory pie.  Still delicious whatever way you cut it.

Crust: 

3 large sweet onions

3/4 c. flax meal

3/4 c. sunflower seeds ground to flour

1/4 c. plus 2 T. coconut aminos

1/3 c. olive oil

Slice onions as thinly as possible. When finished with slicing, add all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Take one half of the mixture and blend it in a high speed blender. Return the blended portion to the unblended portion and mix again. 

Form two crusts on a Teflex lined dehydrator tray.  Each crust should be about 8 inches in diameter. Make a small  1" lip on the crust to hold the fillings. Dehydrate these two crusts at 105 degrees for twenty-four hours. 

Remove the Teflex sheet and place crusts back on tray, ready to be filled.

Filling:

1/3 c. coconut amino acids
2 cloves garlic
4 c. baby portobello mushrooms
4 c. spinach
1/2 c. raw pine nuts

Blend all ingredients except 1/2 c. mushrooms in a high speed blender. Pour into quiche crust. Dehydrate about 10-12 hours at 105 degrees. 

Finishing: Top quiche with a mixture of  the reserved baby portobellos marinated in balsamic vinegar (balsamic is not raw), cherry tomatoes cut in half, and spinach leaves. I just did alternating layers of each around the pie.

Spinach and Cheese Quiche

I made two raw quiches for my brunch. One was spinach and cheese and the other was mushroom and spinach. I riffed off of Matt Amsden's quiche recipes. I've talked about his book RAWvolution before in this blog. It's a great book full of simple but delicious recipes. It's kind of a go-to book for raw dinners that you want to make right before eating. For many of the recipes, there isn't elaborate dehydrating or chilling time. This recipe, however, does require dehydrating the quiche crust. I also chose to dehydrate the pie for a few hours so the 'cheese' looked baked. The inside of the pie stays creamy, but the overall look is one of a baked quiche. 

 

Spinach and Cheese Quiche:

Crust: 

3 large sweet onions

3/4 c. flax meal

3/4 c. sunflower seeds ground to flour

1/4 c. plus 2 T. coconut aminos

1/3 c. olive oil

Slice onions as thinly as possible. When finished with slicing, add all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Take one half of the mixture and blend it in a high speed blender. Return the blended portion to the unblended portion and mix again. 

Form two crusts on a Teflex lined dehydrator tray.  Each crust should be about 8 inches in diameter. Make a small  1" lip on the crust to hold the fillings. Dehydrate these two crusts at 105 degrees for twenty-four hours. 

Remove the Teflex sheet and place crusts back on tray, ready to be filled.

Filling:

1 large or 2 small lemons peeled and seeded

1/4 c. plus 2 T. coconut aminos

2 T. nutritional yeast flakes

1/2 red bell pepper

1 1/2 c. pine nuts

2 c. spinach

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Pour into quiche crust. Dehydrate about 10-12 hours at 105 degrees. 

Finishing: Top quiche with spinach leaves and sun-dried tomato slices.

Sweet Crepes with Fruit Filling

I know these look and sound a lot like the turnovers, but the pastry is different.  These crepes were light and fluffy because they contained bananas and coconut. Bananas give cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. a moistness that is hard to otherwise achieve in a dehydrated pastry. Dehydration, as its name implies, takes the moistness out of the recipe and generally leaves you with a heavier, denser version of whatever it is you are making. So to make a light crepe in a dehydrator is nothing short of brilliance to me. Leave it to Matthew Kenney and his team to figure it out. The following pastry recipe is his and can be found in his Everyday Raw Desserts cookbook. He has elevated raw cuisine to an art, and he inspires me virtually everyday to try something new. 

crepes are the larger, lighter rounds

Banana Coconut Crepes with Fruit Filling:
Crepe: 
1/2 c. mashed banana
1/4 c. chopped young coconut meat
1/2 c. shredded coconut
1 T. lemon juice
1 c. water
1 T. coconut oil, melted (coconut oil will melt quickly in the dehydrator)
1/4 c. agave, maple syrup or honey
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 c. flax meal

To make the crepes, blend all ingredients except flax meal until smooth.  Add the flax meal and continue to blend until well incorporated. Spread into 6 to 7 inch rounds on dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate 5 to 6 hours, until dry but pliable.

Filling:
4 c. sliced mixed fruit
1/4 c. agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey
1 t. lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, scraped
pinch of sea salt

To make filling, toss fruit with agave nectar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt.
 Fill each crepe with approximately 1/2 c. of filling. Drizzle with agave. 

Note: I sprinkled mine with shredded coconut after it was assembled. This is my addition and not Matthew Kenney's.

Serves 4-8.

Blueberry Pancakes

I've wanted to try this Matthew Kenney recipe for a long time but haven't because I can't eat bananas. Having friends over was a perfect excuse to finally try it. Of course, I had to send the leftovers home with my guests, but it was worth it. So while I can't testify to their deliciousness, I feel confident in saying they must have been good because I had ready takers.  I can say the pancakes were fluffy as a pancake should be.

Note: The idea is Matthew Kenney's, but I made adjustments to his recipe. This recipe is my altered version.

Blueberry Pancakes:
2 ripe bananas
2 c. soaked and drained pecans
2 c. soaked and drained pinenuts
1 c. filtered water
1/2 c. agave
1 T. vanilla
1 t. sea salt
1/2 c. organic wild blueberries for the pancake mix
1 c. organic wild blueberries reserved for topping pancakes

Add all ingredients except the blueberries to a Vitamix blender and blend until smooth. Pour the batter into another bowl and add blueberries. (Note: I used small wild blueberries, but you can use the regular sized ones just as easily.)  Spoon onto Teflex sheet in whatever size pancakes you want. Pancakes can be wide but should be no taller than 1/2 inch. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 24 to 48 hours. The pancakes should be pliable and peel off the sheets.

Serving: Warm maple syrup in the dehydrator towards the end of the dehydrating time for the pancakes. I put it in the dehydrator for about an hour prior to serving. Serve pancakes with syrup and top with fresh blueberries.

Not Pumpkin Pumpkin Pie

I love the taste of pumpkin pie. Though I've made raw pies using fresh chopped pumpkin, the texture has been a little chunky. Matthew Kenney uses fresh squeezed carrot juice for his pumpkin pies, so I thought I'd give it a try. My recipe is similar to his with some variations. I thank him for the idea. I then added a 'whipped cream' on top, reminiscent of the cool-whip that used to be served on pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving. I give thanks I no longer think cool-whip tastes good. I'll take this version any day. And truly, it tastes better than any pumpkin pie I remember.  But then again, it's been a really long time since I've had that kind of pie. Still, my bet will always be on the pie with the freshest, truest to nature ingredients. And though I can't say I appreciate the origin of Thanksgiving, I can say I'm a fan of giving thanks to the many blessings in my life. The practice of gratitude changes lives.  In that spirit, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

Not Pumpkin Pumpkin Pie

Crust:
2 c. pecans
7 medjool dates
1 T. maple syrup
pinch of sea salt

Pulse ingredients in a food processor until the nuts roll into a ball like mixture. Press mixture into a pie pan. Set aside.

Filling: 
1/2 c. soaked and drained cashews
1/2 c. maple syrup
2 T. agave
1/2 c. melted coconut oil (in dehydrator or at lowest temp in a double boiler method)
2/3 c. fresh carrot juice
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. sea salt
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

Blend all ingredients, adding coconut oil last. Blend until mixture is very smooth. Pour into crust and chill in freezer overnight.

Whipped Cream:
1 oz. soaked Irish moss
3/4 c. coconut meat
1 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. soaked and drained cashews
1/4 c. agave
1 t. lemon juice
2 t. vanilla
2 t. lecithin (if using soy lecithin, please use non GMO lecithin)
1/2 c. soft coconut butter
pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients, adding lecithin and coconut butter last. Blend until smooth. Pour cream into a shallow pan and refrigerate until set. This usually takes a couple of hours. Spoon a dollop onto the pie with each piece or frost the whole pie.

Garnish with chopped pecans if desired. 

Use a warm knife to cut pie into pieces. Serve and enjoy. 

Savory Crepes with Tomato, Spinach and Mushroom Filling

I love the lightness of these crepes. These are another creation by Matthew Kenney and can be found in his Everyday Raw cookbook. I made slight adjustments in my version. I also added a cashew cheese spread as an option for filling. Made with yellow squash, coconut and flax meal, these crepes are light and fluffy and can be filled with anything savory. You could also use them as tortillas and fill  them with guacamole and salsa. These delights went pretty quickly at my brunch, so I didn't have a lot leftover to experiment with. I'll certainly make them again because I find it hard to find a raw tortilla or crepe that I don't have to make myself.  And since they are so easy and quick (in raw food terms), there's no reason not to make them. They sound fancy, but they're easy to make and satisfying to eat.  

Savory crepes & filling in the lower left corner and cheese in glass container

Savory Crepes:
1/2 c. flax meal
1/2 c. chopped yellow squash
1/4 c. young coconut meat
2 t. lemon juice
1 c. filtered water
1 T. agave
1/4 t. sea salt
1/4 coriander
1/4 t. cumin
2 T.  cilantro

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Spread in 7-8" rounds on a Teflex sheet. Place that sheet on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 105 degrees for approximately 6 hours. The crepes should peel off the sheet easily. They should be dry but pliable.

Filling:
2 c. spinach
1 1/2 t. olive oil
1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. halved cherry tomatoes
1 c. sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/4 c. chopped red onion
2 T. coconut amino acids
1 T. apple cider vinegar

Toss all ingredients in a bowl.

Cashew Cheese Spread:
1 c. soaked and drained cashews
1/2 c. fresh coconut meat
1/2 c. Irish moss
1/4 c. water
3 t. nutritional yeast
1 t. coconut amino acids or Bragg's liquid amino acids
1/4 t. turmeric
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. 

Assembly: Spread cheese over crepe. Place filling on one side of crepe. Fold the crepe in half.   Enjoy. 

Cinnamon Rolls

Since I suggested using the caramel sauce as a delicious addition to the turnover recipe I posted a few days ago, I thought I'd give you the cinnamon roll recipe next. It's adapted from Cafe Gratitude's I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude cookbook. Cafe Gratitude is the place that got me started on my own raw food journey years ago when they first opened. I'd go to San Francisco every year for a yoga retreat. When the restaurant first opened, a friend from SF took me there. As someone with food sensitivities, it was so amazing to me that I could eat everything on the menu. I mean everything. I had never had that experience in a restaurant before.  I'd be lucky if I could find a salad that I didn't have to have most of the ingredients removed in order to eat. (Since when did salads come with everything but vegetables, anyway?) Well, I had a great time eating at Gratitude that first time, and though several of them are gone, and the menu has changed, they still have a sweet spot in my heart. Sweet, literally, when you taste this recipe. It is really sweet, really indulgent, but I guarantee you will not be missing those traditional ( and not so good for you) cinnamon rolls when you taste these. You really can have your cake and eat it, too.  But even too much of a good thing is too much. You won't need a lot of these rolls. They pack a wallop in a small bite.

Cinnamon Rolls:
Pastry:
1/2 c. soaked and drained almonds
2 c. almonds ground into flour (Vitamix works great)
1/3 c. flax meal
7 pitted medjool dates
2 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 - 1 c. coconut milk

Filling and Topping:
2 c. pecan pieces
1/2 c. agave
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla

 For the pastry dough:
Mix all ingredients together except coconut milk. Slowly add as much coconut milk as needed to form a dough that is dry enough to roll out but wet enough to stick together. (You don't want it to be runny.)  Roll out the dough on a Teflex sheet to about 1/2 inch thickness. To do this, press out the dough flat with your hands until it is relatively even.  Then place another Teflex sheet (or parchment paper) over the dough and use a rolling pin to make it smooth and rectangular. You can shape the uneven rolled edges into the rectangle with your hands or push them in with a knife.

Next, place about 3/4 of the filling on one half of the dough. You want to reserve some of the filling for the top of the cinnamon rolls. Use your judgment for how much you want in the rolls and how much you'll put on top. With a spatula carefully pick up the side of the dough that doesn't have the filling and flip it over the side with the filling.  Press the edges together on all sides. Slice the long roll into 1" slices to help the dehydrating process. Later you can cut the slices into smaller pieces if desired. Top the rolls with the remaining topping. Dehydrate at 105 degrees until rolls are semi- soft. This will take about 6-8 hours, give or take a few.

Caramel Sauce:
1 c. macadamia nuts
1/3 t. salt
1/4 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. agave
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. yacon syrup

Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix. Macadamia nuts are hard and will take awhile to break down. Drizzle sauce onto your cinnamon rolls after removing them from the dehydrator. You will have more than you need for the rolls, so use the rest on ice cream, in the apple turnover recipe, on the sweet crepes, or any other way you'd like.

These rolls are pretty dense and quite sweet, so a little goes a long way. They freeze really well if you'd like make them last.

Enjoy!

Apple Turnovers with Fruit Filling

These turnovers were so easy to make and so delicious to eat. Considering many of the dishes I served at my brunch had nuts in them and were on the heavy side, the lightness of these delights created a great balance. One friend said her teen age son would even eat them because they reminded her of fruit leathers. Of course, I think they are so much better than that, but if her son would eat them, I think that's a pretty great compliment. The turnover recipe is adapted from Matthew Kenney and has a different filling than his recipe.  Check his recipe out in Everyday Raw Desserts. I know I'll make the pastry part of these often because I can see many uses for them. They aren't really so different from the crepe recipes that will show up soon, but I think the folded turnover presentation makes them a fun alternative. I hope you like them.

 

Pastry:

2 c. chopped apples

1/2 c. agave nectar 

1/2 c. water

2 T. olive oil

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

3/4 flax meal

Blend apples, agave, water and oil in a Vitamix until mixture is an applesauce texture. Add the salt and flax meal and blend until the mixture is a doughy consistency. Spread the mixture thinly in 7-8" circles on Teflex lined dehydrator sheets. You can also use parchment paper on the dehydrator trays if you don't have Teflex.  Dehydrate at 105 degrees for approximately 6 hours or until pastry is pliable and can be peeled from the lining. 

Serving: Fold turnover in half and then half again. You will have two pockets within each turnover to fill with fruit of your choice.  

You can also spread a chocolate sauce or caramel sauce on the turnover prior to the filling for an added flavor.  Since I had leftover pastry after the party,  I used the leftover caramel sauce from the cinnamon rolls and then added fruit. It was jaw dropping good. I was happy eating them this way for three days.

Note: Matthew Kenney's recipe uses a dehydrated blueberry filling that I would have made except my dehydrator broke the morning I was to make the filling. His filling would be easier to eat without making a mess, but I love messy food, so I don't mind the berries falling out as I take a bite. If you're a tidy eater, definitely check out his recipe. Once my new dehydrator comes, I'll be making these again and doing it his way

Enjoy.

I had seven friends over for brunch today because I needed to fill my house with life and laughter. These were the gals for the job. I can always count on them to make me laugh deep belly laughs.  I spent the week making a raw spread that will be showing up in these blog posts for awhile. I'll show pics of the whole table in this post, but you'll see the individual items in subsequent posts. On the menu were savory crepes with a tomato/portobello/spinach filling, a 'tofu' scrambler, a sweet banana/coconut crepe with a berry filling, apple turnovers with a fruit filling, a mushroom/spinach quiche, a spinach/tomato quiche, blueberry pancakes, cinnamon rolls, and a green salad. I also made fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and a cranberry/pear/lime juice. Along with the bottle of champagne brought by one of my friends, we ate and drank heartily while talking about everything under the sun for about four hours. It was almost time to eat again at that point.

I love these women, and I am so grateful for their encouragement and their appreciation for my food. They give me so much. They're my lifeline. So thank you, my friends, for coming over and making me feel happy to be here once again.  And for understanding me and 'getting' what I've got going on over here.  You top my gratitude list every day.

 Life is so good with good food and good friends.

Double Chocolate Tart

I had a craving for chocolate (when don't I?) so I made this super rich, double chocolate tart. This is for the true chocolate lover with its chocolate crust and filling. Or for anyone who needs an energy lift because it will make you fly.

Crust: 
1 1/4 cups almonds
1/2 c. pitted, packed dates, chopped
1/4 c. raisins
4 T.  cacao powder
1 t. vanilla
1-2 t. water if needed
Pinch of salt

In a food processor grind the almonds to flour. Add the raisins, dates, salt and cacao. Grind until broken down. Add the vanilla and water. Grind and then press some mixture together to make sure it sticks. Add a little more water if needed. Press into a pie pan.

Filling: 
1 1/2 c. cashews soaked for two hours and drained
1 c. raw cacao powder
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. agave
1 t. vanilla1/4 t. salt
1/2 liquid coconut oil (melted in a dehydrator or by double boiler method)

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil in a high speed blender. Add coconut oil and blend again until fully incorporated. Pour into crust, reserving some if desired to make decorative swirls on top of pie. Freeze pie overnight. 

Serves 6-8.

Chai Chia Pudding

Chia seeds are pretty popular right now and with good reason. Chia is considered a superfood and is similar in nutritional benefits to flaxseed. Both are exceptional sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, which help to balance the ratio of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) within out naturally high omega 6 diet.  Chia seeds also support increased mental function, help to lower inflammation, improve cardiovascular function, and support healthy immune systems. Chia seeds, as opposed to flaxseeds, are high in antioxidants and don't oxidize as flax does. Chia seeds are stable and can be stored for long periods, whereas flaxseeds and oils can go rancid quickly, especially if not kept in a cool dark place. Chia seeds are also a source of easily digestible protein and contain many important minerals, specifically calcium and iron. Lastly, chia seeds are a great source of fiber.

I usually throw a scoopful in a smoothie as a thickener because I can't eat bananas. It's an easy way to incorporate chia into a diet. But every once in awhile I make a pudding out of them. Chia seeds absorb liquid quickly, so pudding is almost instant. Here is a really easy recipe for a chai flavored pudding. You could also take out all the spices except vanilla to have a vanilla chia pudding. Or you could add a few tablespoons of cacao nibs for chocolate chia pudding. Make any of the puddings the night before, and you'll have a quick and nutritious breakfast to start your power-ful day.

Chai Chia Pudding:

2 c. chia seeds
2 c. coconut milk
4 medjool dates
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cardamom
1 t. ginger
1 t. maca powder
1 t. mesquite powder

Put the chia seeds in a bowl.  Blend the rest of the ingredients in a high speed blender. Pour this liquid over the chia seeds. Set in refrigerator for at least two hours. Serves 2-4.

Blackberry and Fig Smoothie

Today's smoothie was so good I had to post it. It's full of antioxidants in both fruit and vegetables as well as fiber and protein in chia seeds and almond butter. Superfood supplements round it out for a power packed delight. Smooth and creamy, it's a delicious start to a day and will carry you well into the afternoon. I took a dance class, went rock climbing, and rode by bike twenty miles on it. See what you can do!

Blackberry and Fig Smoothie:

1 c. spinach leaves
1 c. blackberries
5 dried black mission figs
4 medjool dates, pitted
3/4 c. coconut milk
2 T. raw almond butter 
1 T. cacao powder
1 T. chia seeds
1/4 t. pomegranate powder or seeds
1/4 t. maca powder

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Garnish with a tablespoon of cacao nibs.

Raw Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recently I went to my favorite raw dessert blog, SweetlyRaw.com to look at her pumpkin recipes. She has many on her blog, several of which I've tried and loved. I appreciate that she has so many to choose from. This recipe is inspired by her, though I changed a few things in the filling. Check out Heather's blog and try some of her recipes. She's a true chef. Try my recipe if you want a truly raw pie that uses raw pumpkin.

Crust: (Heather's recipe)
1 1/4 cups almonds
1/2 c. pitted, packed dates, chopped
1/4 c. raisins
4 T.  cacao powder
1 t. vanilla
1-2 t. water if needed
Pinch of salt

In a food processor grind the almonds to flour. Add the raisins, dates, salt and cacao. Grind until broken down. Add the vanilla and water. Grind and then press some mixture together to make sure it sticks. Add a little more water if needed. Press into silicone molds.

Filling:
1 medium sized pie pumpkin chopped
1 c. cashews soaked for two hours
1/2 c. hemp milk
1/4 c. tablespoon maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 t. cardamom
3/4 c.  liquid coconut oil

Blend all but the oil in a blender until completely smooth.  Add the oil and blend again to incorporate. Pour the mixture over the crust. Chill for 3 hours in the freezer to set.

Chocolate Drizzle:  optional
1/4 c. liquid coconut oil
1 T. raw cacao powder
1/2 t. maple syrup

Whisk all ingredients together. Lightly drop some chocolate from a spoon onto the cheesecake. Use a chopstick to swirl the chocolate into the pumpkin filling. Chill for 3 hours in the freezer to set.

Butternut Squash Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms

Lately I'm into vegetable pastas. Fall is an abundant time for squash, which makes great noodles. Butternut squash is a brilliant yellow and has a cheesy flavor to me. I might be influenced by the color, like when orange cauliflower is called cheddar cauliflower (but doesn't take at all like cheese). But I maintain that the flavor of butternut squash is a little cheesy. I look for squash that has big bottoms because that is the part that will be spiralized. The long necks will provide some squash for pasta, but the majority will come from the bottom part. Note: I use the smaller neck parts in smoothies with pumpkin pie spices.

Noodles:
1 large butternut squash spiralized
salt

Toss noodles with a little salt and let soften for about 10-15 minutes. Rinse well and drain. Set aside noodles until dressing is made.

Spinach:
3 c. baby spinach
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice

Toss spinach with oil and lemon juice. Set aside.

Mushrooms:
2 c. mushrooms
2 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. coconut aminos

Slice mushrooms and toss in other ingredients. Let marinate for about thirty minutes.

Pasta Sauce:
1 c.  cashews soaked for at least 1 hour
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. white miso
1 T. nutritional yeast
1/2 filtered water
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

Assembly:
Drain mushrooms of marinade. Put mushrooms and spinach in a large bowl with pasta noodles. Gradually add pasta sauce until you have your desired amount. Toss the noodles in the dressing. Salt and pepper if desired.

Kiss My Cabbage

Hey, I want to tell you about a great line of raw fermented foods I recently discovered. I was at the Linden Hills Farmer's Market here in Minneapolis and came across this lovely woman named Adrienne Logsdon who makes "Kiss My Cabbage" fermented foods ranging from sauerkraut to kimchi. She uses fermenting crocks (yea!) and doesn't use sugar (double yea!). I sampled all the flavors and loved them all, especially her curry kimchi. She's based out of St. Croix Falls, WI but sells at smaller markets as well. The vegetables are grown on a nearby farm called Burning River Farm in Frederic, WI whenever possible. I really enjoyed talking to Adrienne and greatly appreciated her dedication to pure raw fermented foods. I also love her simple labels that remind me of making potato stamp prints on old grocery bags when I was a kid. Please look her up on Facebook and support her when you see her products. They are tasty and so good for you. I was a little sad that I had already spent all my money on other vegetables, but I spent what I had left on this lemon garlic cabbage. It was the only item for which I still had enough cash.  I would have bought one of everything if I had seen her first. But at least I used some of what I bought to make my own batch of brussel sprout kimchi which is fermenting as we speak. And yes, I use a crock, and no, I don't use sugar.

Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles

Tonight I made a quick dinner that took about fifteen minutes but was very satisfying. I made a simple dressing to put over kelp noodles, savoy cabbage and some red peppers. It was easy, bright, and fun to eat with chopsticks. Eating well couldn't be simpler.

Pad Thai Sauce:

1/4 c. raw organic almond butter
1/4 c. coconut oil liquified
2 T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos
juice of one lime
2 T.  sesame seeds
1 red hot chili
1/4 to 1/2  c. filtered water

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Set aside.

Pad Thai:
1 12 oz. package of kelp noodles, rinsed
1 c. thinly sliced savoy cabbage
1/2 c. basil leaves ( keep some out for garnish)
1/2 red bell pepper chopped plus a few tablespoons for garnish

Put all ingredients into a large bowl. Pour dressing over noodles, cabbage, basil and pepper. Toss mixture in dressing. Garnish with basil leaves and red pepper. Serves two.

Note: I have to buy kelp noodles online because I haven't found them readily available. Try vitacost.com for some good deals.

Lotus Pear Tart with Fig Crust

I made this tart for a dinner with a friend who doesn't have the sweet tooth I have.  I told her I was still serving dessert because dinner isn't done until then. So I came up with this little tart using pears and figs and coconut nectar because it's less sweet than agave. I had an Asian theme to the dinner, so when thinking of something sweet that would go well, pears came to mind. I don't really even know why, but I went with it. To tie it all together, I topped the tart in dried figs in the shape of a lotus flower.  With the pears and dried figs, it's a perfect tart for fall.  It even looks like fall.

Lotus Pear Tart with Fig Crust:
Crust:
1 c. almonds soaked and dehydrated
7  dried Symrna figs with the stems cut off (these are the yellow figs)
3 medjool dates

Process all ingredients in a food process until the dough is sticky. Press into a tart shape with your hands or use a 6" quick release cake pan with removable bottom.

Filling:
1 c. soaked cashews
1/2 c. soaked macadamia nuts
2 pears (use different kinds for fun: I used a Bosc and an Asian pear)
1/4 c. coconut nectar
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. vanilla
1/3 c. coconut oil

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil until well incorporated. Add coconut oil and continue blending until mixture is smooth and creamy.  Pour into tart shell. Refrigerate for a couple of hours until filling is firm to touch.

Garnish:
1 pint dried black mission figs, each fig cut in half

When tart is set, place fig halves in a circular layered pattern resembling a lotus on the top of the tart.

Isn't she beautiful?

Lemon Custard with Raspberry Filling

Looking to make a quick dessert that didn't require too much prep time or dehydrating time, I made this lemon custard, which is really just another variation on raw cheesecake filling. I didn't want the heaviness of a crust to get in the way of the flavors, so this time I chose to layer the custard with some blended raspberries. Easy, quick, beautiful and satisfying, yet it looks kind of fancy. Perfect for those dinners where you'd like to end with something sweet but don't have the time to make a cake or pie.

Lemon Custard with Raspberry Filling:

Custard:
1 c. soaked cashews
1/3 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. agave plus 2 tablespoons
1/3 c. coconut oil at room temperature
2 T. lemon zest
seeds scraped from one vanilla bean
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil in a high speed blender until well incorporated. Add coconut oil last and blend again until thoroughly mixed. Pour half of mixture into two glasses and set in refrigerator until the custard is firm to the touch. This usually doesn't take more than twenty minutes. Keep the other half of custard mixture at room temperature.

Raspberry Filling:
1 pint fresh raspberries
4 T. agave
1 T. lemon juice

Blend ingredients in a high speed blender. Pour a layer onto the custard cups. This layer should be thin, about half what the custard layer was. Reserve the remaining raspberry filling for a final garnish.

Next, spoon the remaining custard into the center of the raspberry layer. The raspberry layer will fill around the sides of the custard so that the custard looks like a little island floating in a raspberry sea. Set the cups in the refrigerator again until the top layer of custard is firm to touch.

Spoon a few drops of raspberry filling onto the custard centers as a final garnish. You are ready to serve your beautiful desserts.

Lima Bean Avocado Dip with Flax Crackers

I made two different kinds of flax crackers to be able to take to work for lunch. One was a plain flax cracker and the other was an olive flax cracker. I needed something to put on them, so I made this really quick and tasty dip out of lima beans, avocado and raw tahini. I often make a cashew cheese to go with crackers, but this time I wanted something a little lighter with more vegetables. It was a great snack full of healthy fats in the flax meal and avocado, protein in the tahini, with the lima beans in the dip and celery in the crackers serving as vegetables. I used a dehydrator to make the crackers, but you could also make these in your oven by setting it to the lowest temperature and cracking the door open.

Flax Crackers:

Plain Version:
1 c. chopped celery
1 1/2 c. flax meal (ground flax seeds)
2 T. oregano
1 c. filtered water
1 t. Himalayan sea salt

Process all ingredients in a food processor. Spread mixture thinly on a Teflex lined dehydrator sheet. Score the crackers for easy separation after dehydrating. Dehydrate crackers at 105 degrees for about 5-6 hours. Flip crackers and remove Teflex sheet from the tray. Continue to dehydrate for another 5-6 hours or until crackers are crisp.  Break or cut crackers into desired sizes using scored marks as guides.

Olive Version:
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. flax meal (ground flax seeds)
1/2 c. buckwheat groats
1 c. filtered water
1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives
1 t. Himalayan sea salt

Process all ingredients in a food processor. Spread mixture thinly on a Teflex lined dehydrator sheet. Score the crackers for easy separation after dehydrating. Dehydrate crackers at 105 degrees for about 5-6 hours. Flip crackers and remove Teflex sheet from the tray. Continue to dehydrate for another 5-6 hours or until crackers are crisp.  Break or cut crackers into desired sizes using scored marks as guides.


Lima Bean Avocado Dip: 

1 package frozen lima beans
1/2 avocado
1/4 c. raw tahini
1 jalapeno pepper
2 T. apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1 t. cumin
 pinch of Himalayan sea salt

Process all ingredients in a food processor. Spread dip onto crackers and enjoy.

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

I made this variation of a Linzer cookie, originally called Linzertorte and hailing from Austria, based off a recipe by Matthew Kenney. Linzer cookies are traditionally two blanched almond cookies with a layer of black currant jam in between. The cookies usually have a cutout on the top layer so you can see the jam beneath. The ones I made use a raspberry jam because it's my favorite flavor. Mine are really big because the cutout I had was large. Truth be told, most of my kitchen equipment is currently packed in my garage while my house is on the market, so I didn't have access to my smaller cookie cutters. So these are bigger than usual and have an angel shape cutout. The nice thing about the angel cutout is that the cutouts became their own little bite-size cookies. So cute! The cookies are also traditionally dusted with a bit of flour, which, honestly, I just forgot to do. So I'll tell you to do what I didn't do, but it doesn't matter in taste. These little (well, big) nuggets made me a bit nostalgic, as cookies often do. Who takes the time to make real homemade cookies anymore? I guess I do, and I hope you will, too.

Raspberry Linzer Cookies: 

Cookies:
3 c. almonds ground into flour
1 c. coconut flour plus 1/2 c. coconut flour to be set aside and used for dusting
3/4 c. agave
2 T. lemon zest
2 T. coconut oil in liquid form
1 T. vanilla seeds scraped from beans (I use Ojio wildcrafted vanilla because the scraping has been done for you)
pinch of sea salt

Mix the almond and coconut flours until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and process the dough in a food processor using the "dough" button, if you have this option.Otherwise pulse the dough until it forms a ball.

Roll out the dough onto a Teflex sheet. Place another Teflex sheet (or parchment paper) over the dough and roll the dough evenly with a rolling pin. You can also smooth the dough with your hands if you don't have a rolling pin. The goal is to get the dough as smooth  and thin as possible without it falling apart.  As the dough rolls out, you'll find you have more than what can fit on one Teflex sheet. Take the extra, ball it up and repeat the above process on another Teflex sheet. I ended up with three sheets full of cookie cutouts.

Using a cookie cutter (preferably a Linzer cookie cutter with fluted edges but any will do) cut into shapes. Divide the cookies in half. One half of the cookies will have cutouts. You can either use a smaller cookie cutter to do the cutouts or cut small circles into each cookie. You should have an equal number of cookies with cutouts and without. If your cutout shape was done with a cookie cutter, keep those shapes because they'll make their own little cookies. Place the Teflex sheets containing the cookies  (and cutouts) onto dehydrator trays. Dehydrate the cookies at 105 degrees for about 10 to 12 hours, flipping about halfway and removing the Teflex at this point. Cookies should be crisp but hold together.

Jam: 

3/4 c. raspberries
4 dates
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. chia seeds
1 t. vanilla
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Place in the dehydrator for about 2 hours until jam becomes slightly thick but still pliable.

Assembly:

Spread about 1 T. of jam on a cookie without a cutout and top with a cookie with a cutout. Repeat until all cookies are paired with jam in the middle.

Dust each Linzer cookie with coconut flour. Voila. Enjoy with a warm cup of tea and think fondly of Grandma.

Carrot Ginger Soup

This morning is cool and crisp, a whisper of the seasons changing. Fall always makes me want a warm bowl of soup. These days when I crave soup, I just whirl it in the Vitamix for several minutes and let the warmth of the motor running warm the soup. Sometimes I also put it in the dehydrator to warm it up, but the Vitamix warms it pretty fast. It never gets as hot as I used to eat my cooked soup, but it does the trick for me.

Today I made this delicious soup using some fall produce. It's sweet like the carrots and pears that make it up, but it's also a little savory because of some of the spices. A nice combination.

Note:  Keep a tight lid on your blender. Carrots are hard on a blender. I got a dreadlock head-full of carrot soup when my lid worked its way off and my soup landed in my hair.

Carrot Ginger Soup:

5 large carrots chopped
1 cup water
1/2 c. coconut milk
1 pear
1/2 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. cashews
one large knob of ginger
1 garlic clove
1 t. garam masala
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Garnish with chives, chive blossoms, and a dollop of almond butter.

I wanted almond butter with this soup. A little on top was enough. Feel free to omit it. It might just have been my daily almond butter craving.

Strawberry Citrus Mint Cupcakes

I made some cupcakes for a friend's birthday. They look similar to a cupcake I've posted before, but this one has a citrus mint frosting. Unlike many raw desserts, cupcakes are relatively quick to make and require no dehydrating. So you can whip up a cake in less time than it takes to bake one. The frosting requires some refrigeration time to set, so give yourself a few hours from start to finish. You can also make the frosting prior to the cakes and have it already set in your fridge or freezer. There are endless possibilities for flavor combinations. For a sweet little book on raw cupcakes, check out Nataliakw.com who has figured it all out for you in her sweet, little cupcake book, Cupcake Heaven.

Strawberry cupcakes:
2 c. chopped strawberries, packed
3/4 c. raw honey or agave (I used agave)
1/2 c. raw coconut oil ( I melt mine in the dehydrator. You can also put some into a Pyrex measuring cup, place that cup in a pan of water, and heat it on the stovetop at the lowest possible setting)
seeds of 2 vanilla beans
pinch of salt
2 c. raw coconut flour

Place the strawberries in your food processor fit with the S blade and process until smooth. Add honey or agave, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt and process again until well combined. Finally add the coconut flour and process until completely combined. Fill your cupcake liners to the top and press firmly to form their shape. Freeze for two hours to firm. Once solid, pop the cupcakes out of the liners , and they're ready to be frosted.

Frosting:
2 1/2 c. raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours and drained/rinsed
1/2 c.  agave
6 T.fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 c. water
1 t. lemon zest
1 t. lime zest
1 t. orange zest
1 t. vanilla

pinch of Himalayan sea salt
1/ 3 c. raw coconut oil ( in liquid form)
2 T. mint leaves

Place all ingredients except coconut oil  in a blender and blend until very smooth. Add coconut oil and blend again until just combined. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours until firm.  Alternately, freeze for one hour until firm. When thickened, frost the cupcakes. Garnish with strawberries.