Chocolate Mudballs.

 

So yum, and the kids love making these too. A cross between chia snowballs and chocolate balls.

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup brown rice syrup (honey or agave)
1 1/2 cups puffed millet or brown rice krispies
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup wheat germ (or ground flax)
2 tablespoons powdered cocoa
1/4 cup chocolate chips, optional
unsweetened flaked coconut, optional

Heat the peanut butter and brown rice syrup until melted.  In a separate bowl mix cereal, oats, wheat germ, cocoa, and chocolate chips (if using).  Roll into balls using about a tablespoon of mixture.  Roll in coconut or sesame seeds if desired.  Store in refrigerator.*Or add the coconut into the mixture, then roll.

from Simply Real Food

Vegan Reeses PB Cups. aka "Hockey Pucks"

This is another from Chef AJ in her book, Unprocessed. I totally agree with her on using dates as a sweetener... it's totally my favorite. The date paste makes the filling for these so creamy and sweet. SO yummy!! And with only 5 ingredients, can't beat it.

This recipe almost made 48 mini cups... I think it was a few shy of 2 full pans of them. The original recipe in the book she has you make the filling put it in a 24 piece silicone brownie pan, freeze, and then mold the filling around it. Hence the hockey puck name. My mom made them first and didn't like the 2 different steps and waiting time. So I changed it up. I think they're much cuter!

filling
1 cup date paste (below)
1 cup peanut butter, unsweetened and unsalted
1 tablespoon vanilla

crust
2 cups unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup raw cacao powder/cocoa powder (or to taste)
2 cups pitted dates
1 tablespoon vanilla

In a food processor fitted with the "S" blade, process crust ingredients until crumbly and all nuts are broken up. Fill mini muffin tins with liners and scoop 1 tablespoon of crust in and smoosh down and up the sides to form a crust. Kinda like a mini pie mold. Finish with the rest of the cups.

Wipe out the food processor and add the filling ingredients. Process until smooth and creamy. Put in a zip-lock and cut off the tip and fill each cup.

Freeze until firm or eat now... either way? Yum....

Unprocessed by Chef AJ

Date Paste

1 pound of pitted dates

1 cup of liquid (water, unsweetened non-dairy milk, unsweetened juice)

Soak dates in liquid overnight or for several hours until much of the liquid is absorbed. In food processor fitted with the "S" blade, process dates and liquid until completely smooth. Store date paste in the refrigerator.

Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding.

I found this on LovesVeggiesAndYoga and it's Ava's favorite dessert to go in her little ziploc lunch container for school. Yeah for all the protein, fiber and little Omega 3's these little seeds have! Hardly a dessert! I usually double or triple this batch.

2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup nut milk
2 tablespoons agave and/or stevia to taste
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all the ingredients. Stir all the ingredients together and leave on countertop for 20 minutes. Use a whisk if necessary & it may seem like all that chocolate will never dissolve, but it will. And the results will be so worth it.

Come back to it 20 minutes later and stir again. Either devour now...

...Or pop in the fridge for a few hours. Know that the pudding will continue to thicken for the next 4-6 hours. What I like to do is put it in the freezer after it's thickened in the fridge to create an almost ice-creamy like treat with frozen chocolate chia pudding.

This is after 4 hours in the fridge. Whatever you do with it, it'll be chocolaty & yummy, plus you're getting all the great health benefits of chia seeds like extra Omega 3's, yay for the little chia seeds!

Chewy Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies.

Love these cookies I adapted from Veganomicon. I made the already vegan cookies into naturally sweetened ones and used the healthier coconut oil instead of canola and swapped out most the white flour for whole wheat. Love the texture of the raspberry seeds in the soft cookie.

1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup maple sugar (or 1 cup sugar)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (sift if clumpy)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350*. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the raspberry preserves, sugar, oil, vanilla, and almond extract.

In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the other ingredients. Add the dry to the wet in three batches, mixing well with a fork after each addition. When you get to the last batch, you may need to use your hands to work the batter into a soft and pliable dough.

Roll the dough into walnut-size balls and then flatten them with your hands into 2 1/2-inch-diameter disks. Place on cookie sheet (they need be only 1/2 inch apart because they don't spread out when baking). Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

adapted from Veganomicon

page 234

makes 2 dozen

time: 35 minutes

Vegetarian Mixed-Bean Chili Express.

This stuff is goooood... and everyone tore it up! Never thought I'd say something with TVP is good. But it is!

6 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

1 tablespoon chili powder (preferably a dark variety, such as ancho)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 (28-ounce) low-sodium diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans, rinsed & drained (or 1 - 15ounce can)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed & drained (or 1 - 15ounce can)

1 1/2 cups cooked small red beans, rinsed & drained (or 1 - 15ounce can)

3 cups hot water

1 1/2 cups dry textured vegetable protein
1 cup frozen whole-kernal corn
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot-pepper sauce
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon agave nectar
2 tablespoons cornmeal or mas harina
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish

Steam-fry the garlic in a large, heavy nonstick skillet for 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes (with juice), beans, hot water, vegetable protein, corn, bell pepper, soy sauce, hot-pepper sauce, onion powder, cocoa powder, and agave.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the cornmeal or masa harina over the top and stir in thoroughly. Season with salt. Garnish with cilantro. Serve.

Make 6 Servings. 57 gram carbohydrates per serving


page 226



Chocolate Crunch Hazelnut Macaroons.

These babies are from my new favorite raw website, KristensRaw. When I first posted about Shrek Shakes back in 2008 on  Lugubrious Delights, she commented on the post...

"I love love love this post :)

And, I love the name "Shrek Shakes." Brilliant!!!

Cheers, Kristen"

I don't know how she found it... but I felt totally cool that #1, someone commented on one of my recipes and called me brilliant (or at least the Shrek Shake name) #2, it was from a legit chef and #3, someone was complementing me on something new, and very unmainstream that I was trying to do for the benefit of my family. Obviously something that has become very dear to my heart.

Well, it took me a couple years to get back to her... and with the recommendation of these macaroon-beauts from a friend... I've found her again... and can't wait to try more of her recipes. So, thank you Crysta and Kristen, these are AMAZING!! 

They're my new favorite go-to freezer treat... and probably even edge out chocolate balls... though my raw banana cheesecake cups are such a close second.

I altered the amounts a little bit to stretch the more expensive ingredients and give me a cheaper bang for my buck! Her recipe is here.

1 1/2 cup hazelnuts*
1/2 cup raw chocolate powder
1 cup dried coconut, shredded & unsweetened
3/4 cup raw agave nectar
2/3 cup coconut butter/oil
1/4 cup raw cacao nibs {i used part of a cacao bar that I got in the baking section at walmart}
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt

Using a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, grind the hazelnuts to a fairly medium/fine grind. Transfer to a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir all the ingredients together well by hand, or use a mixer with a paddle attachment to make it easier. {{After I ground the nuts, I just added everything to the food processor and pulsed everything all together. Which, I prefer because it breaks up the coconut so you don't have crazy coconut threads sprouting off each macaroon.}}

Use a tablespoon measurement to spoon out the batter and place on a cookie sheet {I like using a tablespoon size cookie scoop}. Freeze for up to an hour and enjoy.

*My favorite way to make these is with hazelnuts, but if you don't have those on hand, you could try other nuts or seeds.

Serving suggestion:

My favorite way to enjoy these is straight from the freezer or refrigerator. When I take them to a party, I put them in the host’s refrigerator, or freezer, until I’m ready to serve them. If they sit at room temperature they can get a little soft (but still yummy). An option to help prevent the softening at room temperature is to dehydrate them at 105 degrees for 16 - 24 hours right after you make them. ~~ from Kristen

Chocolate {Chip} Brownie Waffles.

Yum! These were a beast to get off of the iron. It's probably a combination of a few things; I didn't use oil, maybe because I used wheat flour, maybe because I didn't cook long enough... or maybe because my waffle maker is a piece. But, they still tasted yummy! And that's all that really matters! They ended up working better for me as pancakes. We ate with sliced strawberries and whipped cashew cream. Totally more of a dessert but I balanced out the meal with Shrek Shakes.

2 cups whole wheat flour {calls for: all-purpose flour}

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups almond milk {calls for: soy milk}

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vanilla or plain soy yogurt

1/3 cup applesauce {calls for: canola oil}

2/3 cup shy of agave nectar {calls for: sugar}

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips, chopped coarsely {i omitted}

2/3 cup pecans, chopped coarsely

nonstick cooking spray

Preheat your waffle iron. Have a heat-proof silicone spatula on hand to help remove the hot waffles when ready.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Form a well in the center of the sifted ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy milk, water, soy yogurt, canola oil, sugar and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Use a wire whisk to combine all the ingredients. Just before everything is fully blended, fold in the chopped chocolate chips and pecans. Combine until the ingredients are just moistened; do not overmix.

When the waffle maker is heated and ready to go, spray with cooking spray. Pour batter in and bake according to waffle iron directions. The waffles should be lightly browned. Use a spatula to carefully lift the waffles onto a cutting board. Separate with knife and serve immediately.

Veganomicon
by: Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero
page 74-75
makes: 14 to 16 waffles
time: 30 minutes

Belly Biters:

the kids & i: YUM!

Fuhrman Fudgecream.

With this whole new lifestyle change - I've always wondered how we'll get around the icecream thing. I just figured that'd be one of my 10% things... and I'd have to just deal with the belly ache. 

Not so Joe. Enter this awesome stuff. All healthy ingredients and it's awesome. The cashews are one of the tricks that vegans get their creamy into something. And it totally works in this. 

I put them in old baby food containers and have little individual portions for my kids... and me.

Oh, and if anyone knows me - knows how much I love me some banana icecream with brownies from Coldstone... this just so happens to be the greatest compromise ever for me! ;)

I'm not saying it's going to totally trump regular icecream or frozen yogurt... I'm not crazy (least I don't think so!). But I am saying this is a guilt-free way to do it! Trust me, Coldstone will still always have a special place in my heart and my belly!

2 ripe bananas
1 cup cashew nuts
2 tablespoons carob powder (or cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 - 1/2 cup almond milk (i love the unsweetened vanilla flavor)

Blend ingredients together in blender or food processor. Pour into containers to freeze. Yum!

{This recipe was originally made for fudgsicles, but those are far too messy for me. To make the messy pops you follow the above, minus the milk and spoon into ice pop trays to freeze.}

Disease-Proof Your Child
Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD
page 208