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.