Hail to the Kale Salad. {Chef AJ}

Love this Chef AJ salad. And love kale. Who'd a thought?! Chef AJ says, "Like a woman, this only gets better with age." I'd have to agree. On both accounts. You can watch her make it on YouTube here.

 

salad

2 large heads of kale

chopped almonds

tomatoes

 

dressing

1 cup raw almond butter (unsweetened and unsalted)

1 cup coconut water (or regular water)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice & zest (about 2)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 inch ginger, fresh, peeled & grated (or to taste)

2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari

4 pitted dates (soaked in water if not soft)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

 

In a  high-powered blender combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

 

Remove the thick, larger stems from the kale, chop and place in a a large bowl. Pour 2 cups of the dressing over the kale and massage the dressing into the kale.

 

Sprinkle with seeds or nuts, and any other salad toppings before serving.

 

Chef's Note: It is also delicious when made with peanut butter and you throw some shredded raw beets and carrots into the salad. If you have a dehydrator, dip kale leaves in dressing and dehydrate for delicious kale chips. If you are allergic to nuts, use tahini (sesame seed paste) or sunflower seed butter in place of the nut butter.



Raw Cashew Dreamcake.

These are sooooo good! A for sure treat staple in my house. I first had these at Mandy's house, who got the recipe on our friend Brooke's blog, who got it on My New Roots (just giving credit where credit is due... very important). And holy yum! It's originally made in a pie pan, but I converted them to mini muffin tins so I could freeze and have them on hand whenever the hankering for some yumminess came.

The hankerings came real fast... and they were gone from my freezer all too fast. Which means I need to stock pile again. My whole family loved these, and I don't feel a bit bad for them eating them either. Good, and good for you!

Crust

1/2 cup raw almonds (pecan or walnuts will also work)

1/2 cup soft Medjool dates
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Filling
1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours, overnight is best
juice of 2 lemons
the seeds of 1 whole vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract)
1/3 cup raw coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup raw honey (Vegans use agave nectar.)
1 cup raspberries (thaw completely if using frozen) [i've used blueberries too]

Place nuts and dates in a food processor with sea salt and pulse to chop until they are to your desired fineness (process a finer crust longer than a chunky one). Test the crust by spooning out a small amount of mixture and rolling it in your hands. If the ingredients hold together, your crust is perfect. Scoop out crust mixture in a 7” spring-form pan (if you don’t have a spring-form pan, use a pie plate lined with saran wrap), and press firmly, making sure that the edges are well packed and that the base is relatively even throughout. Rinse food processor well. [I filled my mini muffin pan with liners, used my small pampered chef cookie scoop, dropped mixture into liners and pressed.]

Warm coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan on low heat until liquid. Whisk to combine.

In the most powerful food processor / blender you own (you decide which one has the most torque) place all filling ingredients (except raspberries) and blend on high until very smooth (this may take a couple minutes so be patient).

Pour about 2/3 (just eyeball it, you can’t make a mistake!) of the mixture out onto the crust and smooth with a spatula. [I used the same small cookie scoop, filled it halfway, and filled each muffin tin] Add the raspberries to the remaining filling and blend on high until smooth. Pour onto the first layer of filling. [Then I used the same scoop and scooped about a full scoop onto the cheesecakes.] Place in freezer until solid.

To serve, remove from freezer 30 minutes prior to eating. Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices. Serve on its own, or with fresh fruit. Store leftovers in the freezer (what leftovers?). [I froze them in the muffin tray, then when they were all good and frozen transferred them to a freezer ziplock and had them on hand for a few days.]

Yum.

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.

Shrek Shake: Nutrient Rich Chocolate Smoothie.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... my #1 who once asked for Shrek Shakes now refuses to eat them. And now that she's 6, I really don't feel right about forcing her to eat them. And she doesn't take bribes anymore with her food. She's a stubborn one, enter the red hair.

I thought this would be a winner with the chocolate and the juice and the fact that it's not green... but no bueno. At least not for her... the rest of us loved it.

Ughhhh. And double sigh.

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate almond milk

4 ounces pomegranate juice

6 ounces baby spinach

1 banana, frozen

dates, to taste (i use 1)

3 tablespoons raw cacao powder or carob powder

2 cups frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon flaxseed

Blend all until fully processed and smooth.

Unprocessed by Chef AJ

Fruit-Flax Yogurt.

Back in September of 2009 - when I first read Dr. Fuhrman's book, Disease Proof Your Child, I knew this recipe was a first-try recipe. I knew the only way I'd be able to get my kids off dairy was to find a proper replacement for their yogurt on their morning waffles. It was a hit! We also subbed peanut butter, banana slices and a little honey too. Yum.

So, when a friend asked how she could ween herself off yogurt, I looked for this post, and couldn't find it. I can't believe I hadn't posted it yet! Belly Bites wasn't born yet... and I probably was a little unsure if I was even going to really do this plant-based thing. Funny how I totally proved myself wrong.

2 cups fresh or frozen berries, peaches, etc.
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
3 medjool or 6 deglet noor dates

Blend until smooth. Chill and serve. I love storing them in old baby food containers... perfect size for a snack or for lunch.

Banana-Date Scones.

These were a perfect way to use some really ripe bananas. Really moist and cake-like. Yum.

8 ounces dates

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas; their skin should be almost black)

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

1/3 cup rice milk

1/3 cup canola oil/coconut oil

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350*F and lightly grease two medium-size baking sheets.

Finely chop the dates, place in a small bowl, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour. Toss the dates to thoroughly coat with the flour, breaking apart any clumps. Set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together the flaxseeds and rice milk. Wish in the mashed banana, canola oil, and brown rice syrup. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, while what pastry flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir into the banana mixture until the ingredients are just moistened; the dough will be thick yet sticky. Fold  in the chopped dates and walnuts.

Lightly oil a 1/2-cup measuring cup and scoop generous half-cupfuls of dough onto a baking sheet, leaving about 3 inches of space between the scones.Gently pat down the tops of the scones and dab with a little rice milk if desired.

Bake for 32 to 34 minutes, until browned and firm. Transfer from the baking sheets to a cooling rack to complete cooling.

belly biters: shayne, jen & coco - yum!... ava - boo ... nolan never tried 'em

page 224-225

Snack Wrap.

We're in need of a little snack switch-me-up around here. The kids are tiring of veggie cookies and muffins. So I thought these would be a winner.

With Ava's sass lately, she's not a good judge of goodness.

And Nolan will eat most anything - especially if I feed it to him (I know, it's seriously pathetic that I still sometimes feed my 3, almost 4 year old!).

And then there's Coco. One tuff critic. And she liked these. All except the apple peel. Somehow she managed to get that off and spit that, and only that out.

whole wheat wrap/tortilla

natural peanut butter

sliced bananas

thinly sliced apples

pitted dates, chopped

ground cinnamon

Assemble how you like it and as much as you like it... yum. And obviously you could take this concept and take it anywhere your little heart desires. My kids just love things in wraps.

Raw Banana Split Cheesecake Cups.

I got this recipe off a new blog I've been diggin, Chocolate Covered Katie... then just adapted it to these little cheesecake cups. I'm into finding treats that I can have on hand in the freezer and just pull out what little bit I need to get my fix or help someone else get theirs. These do the trick... I think they're awesome. And the crust is awesome by itself... even awesomer if you add a little mint to the dough and roll them into balls. They're the same concept as my chocolate balls... but sweeter and simpler. Try them, you'll thank me or Chocolate Covered Katie later!

Fudge Babies Crust
1 cup walnuts
1 1/3 cups pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1. Blend all the ingredients, using a food processor or blender.
2. Line mini muffin tin with muffin holders.
3. Use a 1/2 tablespoon and scoop into each cup, and then press down to form a crust.

Banana Split Cheesecake Filling
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 medium frozen banana
1 teaspoon lemon juice
scant 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water {and possibly extra to get it to blend}
1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup, for sweetener

1. Soak the cashews overnight, then drain.

2. Blend everything very, very well... about a minute. 

3. Scoop into cups, I like to use my small cookie scoop. Or, you can use the ziplock trick... would probably make for prettier 'cheesecups'.

You can eat it now, or you can put it in the fridge to help set, or in the freezer for later. Frozen, it’ll keep for weeks, and it thaws perfectly. A-mazing!

Chocolate Balls.

These are now our go to treat...

There are about a million different variations out there... and ours have evolved a few times (Balls of Joy!). Where we're at now is mostly a recipe from The Kind Diet, but just adapted a bit to our needs. We like more nuts to stretch the other ingredients. The kids love them, they think the dates are chocolate balls... so it's only fitting we call them "Chocolate Balls". This is where we're at now... and the way Shayne likes them the best...

2 cups of nuts & seeds{i use: walnuts (they're the healthiest nut), almonds, pecans & sunflower seeds}

6 med jool dates, pitted

1/2 cup scant maple syrup or agave nectar

1/2 cup scant cocoa powder or carob powder

1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter {we like pb the best}

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup coconut, shredded and unsweetened

Place the nuts in the food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add the dates, and pulse until well combined with the nuts. Add the cocoa/carob powder, syrup/nectar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Process until the mixture is thick and smooth.

Form into small balls... I use a small cookie scoop. These are really rich, so I like small balls. You can also roll the balls in the shredded coconut...(the picture up top)... I like these best.

Put in a container or ziplock, and then stick them in the freezer until hardened.

To eat? Grab one out of the freezer, and you can risk knocking a tooth out by taking a bite right then and there - because you'll want to. Or, even better, and less risky - let it sit for a minute or so to soften a tad. SO YUM!

Variation: add a banana to the mixture just before you roll them into balls. Pulse to get it all incorporated. Don't massacre them, or they'll be juicy. Juicy is no bueno. These are a little more sticky, but are SO yummy!! And you can actually eat them right out of the freezer because they don't get super duper hard.

Balls of Joy!

Raw balls are quite the popular thing in the vegan/healthy food world. I've seen quite a few variations. They're so tastey. All natural. And have no oils. We first got hooked from the cinnamony ones from Beanland. Then I came up with this concoction in my head - all because of my love of Almond Joys. I took the ingredients down to Houston when we visited my brothers family - and tried it out with my 2nd favorite su chef, my niece Eden.

They came out tastier then they were in my head. And they even passed the toughest critic - my chocolate loving SIL, Jami. We were sneaking them out of the freezer the whole weekend, and I felt bad that I didn't leave them with as many as I thought I would.

Jami and I had fun coming up with a name for them. Frankly, we thought every name just involving the word balls was awesome. Go figure. We could also call these Coco's Balls... because she loves them! 

Makes 30 balls

1 cup almonds

½ cup walnuts

¼ cup sunflower seeds

1 ½ tablespoons coco powder

6 med jool dates {I get them at Sprouts or Costco}

½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Put the nuts and seeds in the food processor until crumbled. Add the coco powder and dates til dates are all broken up. Add the coconut. Should look like course meal. Use a cookie scoop to measure out and form into balls. I wet my hands to help compress the balls and not get too sticky. Put in a ziplock or freezer container and place in the freezer. Let them harden, if you can wait that long... and eat them right out of the freezer. YUM! And guilt-free!!