Mini Strawberry Rose Ice Cream Bombes

Have you ever been in a rose garden?  You know, the type with rows and rows of beautiful roses where you walk along the path admiring all of the beautiful varieties and stop and inhale the fragrance of the blossoms.  I admit, it has been far too long since I have actually visited one of these heavenly places, but as I was running past some beautiful roses in a yard yesterday, I couldn't help but imagine it would be to have a rose garden in my own back yard.

The type where the vines go up so high on the fences around it you can't see in unless you actually enter.  The type of place you just go to be alone and sit among the beautiful flowers and just enjoy.  I can't actually have a garden where I live sadly, but I dream about it. 

I imagine if I had a rose garden, and I were to have a garden party, I might serve something like these mini strawberry rose ice cream bombes I made this weekend. 

The inside had dreamy strawberry ice cream scented with rose, as well as a layer of sweet strawberries.  I covered them in crunchy pistachios, which were lovely against the pink ice cream, then drizzled them with a bit of sweet white chocolate.  They were beautiful, and would have been perfect for a garden party in a rose garden!  I will keep on dreaming about my rose garden, and be thankful I have delicious desserts fit to serve in one!

Mini Strawberry Rose Ice Cream Bombes
Makes 4

Strawberry Rosewater Ice Cream:
1 1/2 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled

1 cups organic strawberries, hulled
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar
1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp rosewater
1/8 tsp sea salt

For the Bomb:

1 cup chopped shelled pistachios

6 medium strawberries, sliced

4 oz vegan white chocolate, chopped

For the ice cream, combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, pour into freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least a few hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

To assemble the bombs, line four 4 inch bowls with plastic wrap.  Spoon some of the ice cream into each mold, filling half way.  Top each with strawberry slices, then more ice cream.  Smooth the top, and spoon about 2 Tbsp pistachios over each.  Press in.  Place back in the freezer for a few hours to firm up.  When ready to serve, melt white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals (or in a double boiler) until smooth.  Remove the bombs from the freezer and unmold onto plates.  Sprinkle each with pistachios, and drizzle with white chocolate.  Serve!

Mini Raw Carrot Cake Cheesecakes

Carrot cake or cheesecake...that was the question.  The moist spicy carrot filled cake topped with luscious white sweet frosting...or the creamy rich melt in my mouth cheesecake. I was craving both, and it was a tough decision which to make!  I took a poll on Facebook from my friends but still couldn't decide! I love both, and I wanted to make both this weekend, but that was just a lot more work than I wanted.  So...I remembered a hybrid of the two I had recently seen on Without Adornment which was a carrot cake topped with cheesecake.  It was a genius brilliant idea, so I decided to create my own carrot cake cheesecake.

I wanted this to be a raw cake, since I am not into heating the oven right now in the summer and waiting for things to cool.  I kind of guessed when creating the cake part as to the amounts of pecans, coconut and carrots to use, but it turned out delicious!  I spiced it with fresh ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom, and sweetened it with vanilla, dates and maple syrup.  It would have been delicious just as was, but what is a carrot cake without raisins (golden in my case) and chopped nuts (pecans) mixed in?  

I was quite excited about the cake portion and could have just ate that before I had a chance to make the cheesecake part, but I knew as a whole it would be ten times more delicious!  

I used my usual raw cheesecake base sweetened with maple and spiced up with cardamom.  The flavor was just lovely!  It would be perfect with the cake base!

Once the cake was set, I topped it off with a layer of beautiful white frosting, because I just felt it was needed.  I was in a bit of an over the top kind of mood.

As I finally enjoyed one of the little cakes, what I tasted was better than I could have imagined!  Combining your favorite desserts when you can't decide which one to make is clearly a wonderful idea!

Mini Raw Carrot Cake Cheesecakes
makes four 4 inch cheesecakes

Cake:
1 1/4 cups pecans
1 1/4 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 inch chunk fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 Tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
7 dates, pitted
2 cups grated organic carrots
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Filling:

2 3/4 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight)

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut water (or filtered water)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tsp ground cardamom

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

2 tsp maple extract

Cream Topping:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup coconut water

3/4 cup fresh young coconut meat* (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean (reserved from filling)
1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Lightly coat four 4 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the carrot cake, process pecans, coconut and sea salt in a food processor until the pecans are fine crumbs, then add the spices, syrup, vanilla and dates and process until well mixed.  Add the carrots and process until blended but not pureed (a few carrot flecks). Mix in the raisins and pecans.  Firmly press crust into the bottoms of the prepared pans, and set aside.

To make the cheesecake filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut water, lemon juice and syrup, coconut oil, sea salt, cardamom and vanilla and maple extract in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the cheesecake filling over the carrotcake, then place in the freezer until it is set, 4 to 6 hours, then once set store in the fridge.

To make topping, drain cashews and blend all ingredients until smooth in a food processor, and set in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency. Place in a pastry bag and pipe decoratively around the top of the cheesecake. Store leftover cake in the fridge.

Raw Peach Crumble Timbale

I used to make crumble or crisp every weekend.  I looked forward to that hot bubbly fruit filled goodness emerging from the oven at about the point where I could barely stand the amazing aroma.  I would then wait only wait a few minutes for it to cool, pile on the ice cream, and enjoy its sweet jammy goodness with the silky ice cream melting into it to cool it down.   Times have changed however.  Of course I still love crisp, but I am not into hot desserts so much this summer, or heating the oven.  In fact, before this week, it had been about 6 months since I had made one! 

I was craving the flavors of a peach crumble but I did not want to heat up the oven.  So of course, the perfect solution was to make a raw peach crumble!  The filling still had to have the touch of cinnamon, maple and vanilla, and the topping still had to have crunch and pecans. 

I suppose I could have just placed the peaches in a bowl, dumped the pecan crumble on top and scooped in my ice cream...but I wanted it to look a bit more pretty, so I decided to make a timbale. 
I figured, as well as being pretty the timbale would guaruntee that every bite would be filled with the pecan crumble topping goodness, as I placed a layer in the middle of the timbale as well!  I then served it with some peach thyme ice cream I had on hand.  It was delicious!  The sweet juicy peaches laced with cinnamon and the crunchy nutty topping...so heavenly!  I never would have though I could make crumble without the oven, and obviously I was wrong!  I have a feeling I am going to be making this a lot in the next couple months!

Raw Peach Crumble Timbale
makes 2

Crumble:
1 cup pecans
4 soft pitted dates
1/8 tsp sea salt or to taste
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup coursely chopped pecans

Peaches:
4 ripe organic medium peaches, sliced
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Peach Thyme Ice Cream or your favorite ice cream

In a food processor, combine 1 cup pecans, dates and sea salt and process until finely ground.  Place in a bowl and mix in maple syrup and chopped pecans with hands until it holds together a little when squeezed.  Set aside. 
In a large bowl, combine peaches, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon, and mix well.  Let sit for at least 30 minutes. 
To assemble, place a 4 inch round ring mold on each of two plates (or I used the top part of my 4 inch springform pan.  You can also use a 4 inch wide can with the bottom cut out.)  place 1/2 of the peach mixture (dividing between the two molds) into the bottom of the molds, arranging the peaches so they are flat and pretty.  Top with half the crumble mixture, then the other half of the peach mixture then the remaining crumble mixture.  Carefully remove the molds, and serve with peach ice cream (or whichever flavor you like)!

Red and Gold Beet Salad

It is no secret that I am a beet lover.  I have used beets in all sorts of things on this blog from brownies, to cheesecake to cookies, to a dessert lasagna.  But, I also love them in savory applications of course.  Although I love to just eat beets plain with a little vinegar, (and I do so often)  there are so many fun ways to play with them and make them look pretty in salads!I was recently at Heartland Restaurant in St. Paul, and I had the most wonderful little amuse bouche with beets.  It had a silky red beet chevre mousse, crunchy beet chips, and marinated beets!  It was amazing, and it made me want to create
 a salad with the same textures and flavors!

So I thought last weekend was the perfect time to do so, since I decided to make myself dinner instead of going out.  I have been making lots of use of my dehydrater lately, and so it seemed like the perfect way to make the beet chips rather than frying them. They turned out beautifully!  Kind of addictive and it is a wonder they made it onto the plate with the salad. 

For the "chevre" beet mousse, I decided to use my almond chevre instead of the real thing as I am in love with nut cheeses lately and I alway have plenty of almonds on hand.  It was just as delicious as the real chevre, still silky and creamy with the lovely shocking pink of the beets! A simple arugula salad with raw beets and pistachios, and sweet and tangy jewel like marinated beets completed the plate.  It was almost too pretty to eat, but who am I kidding...I polished off every last bite! 

Red and Gold Beet Salad
Serves 3

Beet Chips:
3 medium red beets, sliced very thin
3 medium golden beets, sliced very thin

Marinated Beets:
3 medium red beets, roasted*, peeled and cut into small dice
3 medium golden beets, roasted*, peeled and cut into small dice
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp maple syrup, or honey

Beet Almond "Chevre" Mousse
1 cup ground raw almonds (or almond flour)
2 Tbsp organic lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
2-4 Tbsp filtered water
1 small garlic clove
1 small roasted red beet*

Salad:
1 large bunch of baby arugula, spinach, or a mixture of your favorite greens
1 raw golden beet, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1 raw red beet, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup shelled pistachios

To make beet chips, place them on a tray in a dehydrater and dry them for about 8 hours or more depending on the size of the beets.  When dry, coat with a light coating of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Set aside. 

To made marinated beets (dividing between 2 separate bowls), combine beets, lemon juice (1 1/2 Tbsp each bowl or about 1/2 a lemon) and honey (about 1/2 Tbsp each bowl) and toss to combine.  Set aside.

To make beet chevre mousse, combine all ingredients, except water in the food processor and process until blended, then add a little water at a time until it is a chevre consistency (but not too runny).  Place the mixture in a pastry bag, and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine greens and julienned beets and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.  Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Toss to combine.

To plate, place a mound of the greens on each of 3 plates, and sprinkle with pistachios.  Spoon a bit of the marinated beets onto each plate, and pipe a fat line of the beet "chevre" onto each plate as well.  Place a few of the beet chips onto each plate as well, and serve!

*To roast beets, wrap them in foil  (I did separate foil for the gold and red beets to preserve the color) and roast them at 475 degrees for about 1 hour or more until tender when poked with a knife (depending on the size of the beets).  Remove from oven, and let cool before peeling. 

Pretty In Pink Ice Cream Sundae

Since I was a child, I have always been attracted to all things pink.  It is just a happy color!  Things have not changed now that I am 27.  I wanted a pink Birthday cake this year, and it was pink, inside and out!  So when I saw a challenge on Sweetly Raw to create a vegan ice cream sundae, I got to thinking, I need to enter this, and I thought a pink one would be lovely! 

I could make 3 different pink flavors of ice cream and top them off with delicious things!  There would be no bubble gum or cotton candy flavored ice creams...I was thinking more along the lines of pink fruit flavors! 

First off, raspberry lavender.  It is such a beautiful combination with the sweet tart berries, and the floral almost herbal lavender. I thought I could top it off with some fresh raspberry sauce as well to balance out the sweet ice cream. Second, a strawberry rosewater ice cream.  Since strawberries have a more delicate sweet flavor, I thought they would pair well with the delicately flavored rosewater.  It was the most beautiful light pink color, and I topped it off with a bit of red sweet strawberry sauce. Third, was a cherry almond ice cream.  I love this combination of flavors, as the sweet cherries and almonds work well with one another.  It was a little nutty and sweet, similar to a cherry nut ice cream I enjoyed as a child and ordered often at the local ice cream shop.  I topped it off with a bit of cherry almond sauce, keeping with the pattern of the sundae so far. 

Although the sundae would be delicious with just the ice creams and their sauces, I thought it deserved to have a little crunch as well, so I added some pistachios.  The green color was beautiful against the pink ice creams.  Also, some fresh fruit was needed!  Afterall...what is a sundae without a cherry on top?  Or some strawberries and raspberries!

I piled it all into one of my Grandmother's antique rose bowls because I felt the lovely pink was appropriate for such a creation.  I couldn't wait to dive in, and it was delicious!  All of the beautiful fragrant fruit flavored silky ice creams and sweet sauces!  I am not embarassed to say I polished off the entire bowl! 

Pretty In Pink Ice Cream Sundae

cherry almond ice cream:
makes 5 cups

3 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled

2 cups organic cherries, pitted

3/4 cup agave nectar

2 Tbsp almond butter

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

In a blender combine all ingredients, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, pour into a freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

raspberry lavender ice cream:

Makes 5 cups

1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp dried lavender, divided

2 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled

3/4 cup agave nectar

12 oz fresh organic raspberries or 12 oz bag frozen raspberries

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup lite coconut milk to a simmer and remove from heat. Add 1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers and stir in. Let cool, then chill in the fridge until very cold to let lavender infuse. Strain coconut milk, discarding lavender then add chilled milk to a blender, along with all other ingredients (except remaining 1 Tbsp dried lavender) in a blender, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, stir in remaining Tbsp lavender and pour into a freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.


strawberry rosewater ice cream:
Makes 5 cups


3 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled

2 cups organic strawberries, hulled
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp rosewater
1/2 tsp sea salt


Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, pour into freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least a few hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.


Raspberry Sauce:
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Strawberry Sauce:
2 cups fresh organic strawberries
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract


Cherry Sauce:
2 cups fresh organic cherries, pitted
2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp almond extract

For the raspberry sauce, puree all ingredients until nearly smooth, and set aside until ready to assemble. Repeat with remaining sauces.   


For assembly:
1/4 cup pistachios (each sundae)
fresh organic raspberries, strawberries and cherries
fresh basil leaves


To assemble, scoop 2 scoops of each ice cream into an obling bowl. Top with a bit of each fruit puree, pistachios, fresh fruit, and basil. Enjoy!

Mini Raw Banana Caramel Cream Pies

I had a craving for banana cream pie this weekend and I was not going to ignore it.  But, the recipe I had made in the past just wasn't going to cut it.  Egg yolk and butter filled custard topped with mile high whipped cream!  I tend to eat a large amount when I make it so I wanted something a little more kind to my system this time.  So...I decided that I needed to create a raw version, and for some reason I wanted it to involve caramel! 

So I got to work creating my masterpiece!  I wanted to make an individual pie, since I know I will eat the whole thing.  So I scaled it down to a 4 inch.  Love my mini pie pans!

For the crust I used a simple pecan base sweetened with dates, since they both so lovely with bananas!  The filling was to be creamy and luscious, so I used a cashew coconut base with a touch of vanilla.  I blended bananas into it as well as layered them into the filling, since I wanted them to be very present...as this was afterall, banana pie! 

It had to have raw caramel layered into it as well, so I whipped up a almond date maple caramel with a hint of sea salt and it was delicious!  Of course it also had to be topped off with cream, so I used a coconut filled vanilla cream to top the pie!

It was decadent and delicious!  I was not missing the eggs and heavy cream at all!  In fact this was way better than the coconut cream pies I have made in the past!  And I thought I could never improve upon that one!

Mini Raw Banana Caramel Cream Pies
Makes two 4 inch pies

Crust:
2 cups pecans

1/4 teaspoon sea salt
7-8 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:

1 1/4 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight and drained)
1/2 cup young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews)

1/4 cup coconut water (or filtered water)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

scant 1/4 cup agave nectar or honey

1/4 cup plus 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

1/2 cup ripe mashed banana

1 sliced banana

Caramel:

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp almond butter

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp maple syrup

6 dates

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

a large pinch of sea salt

Cream Topping:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup coconut water

3/4 cup fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean (reserved from filling)
1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Line two 4 inch pie pans with plastic wrap. To prepare the crust, process pecans and sea salt in a food processor until the pecans are fine crumbs, then add the dates and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Firmly press crust into the bottoms and up the sides of the prepared pans, and set aside.

To make the filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut meat, coconut water, lemon juice, agave nectar, coconut oil, sea salt and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add 1 cup ripe mashed banana and puree until smooth.  

To assemble, arrange a layer of banana on the bottom of each pie.  Top with a couple Tbsp caramel, then half of the filling, then another layer of banana layers, then more caramel, then the remaining filling.  Place in the freezer until it is set, 4 to 6 hours, then once set store in the fridge. Before topping, lift out of pie pans using plastic wrap, and place on serving plates. 

To make topping, drain cashews and blend all ingredients until smooth in a food processor, then scrape into a bowl and place in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency. Place the topping in pastry bag and pipe decoratively around the top of the pies. Store leftover pies in the fridge.

Mini Raw Key Lime Raspberry Cupcakes

I never had tea parties when I was a little girl.  I guess me and my friends prefered to just play barbies or dress up or chase the cat around the house.  We weren't the type to sit down and pretend to have tea and crumpets.  In fact, when I was five I hated tea.  But I imagine if I did have tea parties, I would have served mini cupcakes. 

They would have looked something like these mini raw key lime raspberry cupcakes I made last week!Because anything I served at my tea party would have had to have pink frosting. 

I made my usual raw cupcake base which is mostly coconut and almonds sweetened with a bit of agave and vanilla, and added a good amount of lime zest and juice to make them sing of lime when you bit into them. 

For the frosting I used a cashew coconut recipe which is increadibly creamy and laced it with fresh raspberries to tint it pink (no food coloring needed).  Lastly, I decided that the cupcakes needed to be topped off with raspberries. 

They were adorable, and more importantly they tasted amazing!  They had the tartness of lime and raspberries, but the sweetness of vanilla cake.  I would have been proud to serve them at  tea party as a girl.  I would love to enjoy them with a crisp white wine as an adult! I guess you are never too old to enjoy cute little desserts!

Mini Raw Key Lime Raspberry Cupcakes
Makes 24


Cake:
2 cups raw almonds
1 3/4 cup finely shredded dried coconut
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp organic lime zest
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp coconut oil
seeds of half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for frosting) or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract


Frosting:
1 1/4 cups raw cashew pieces soaked at least 3 hours but preferably soaked overnight
1/2 cup filtered water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean
1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
6 organic raspberries

24 organic raspberries for topping

For the cake, line a 24 hole mini muffin tin with liners. In a food processor, combine almonds, coconut and sea salt in a food processor and process until finely ground, the consistency of almond flour. Add maple syrup, coconut oil, lime juice, lime zest and vanilla bean and process until smooth, well combined and holding together when squeezed. If not holding together add a little more coconut oil by the tsp. until it does. Scoop up the mixture by the rounded Tbsp, and drop into mini muffin tins, pressing into a cupcake shape. Place in the refrigerator to set, about an hour. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth. Place in the fridge for about 1-2 hours until pipeable. When ready to frost, place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, and pipe onto cupcakes.  Top each with a raspberry!

Raw Chopped Taco Salad

I am still on a kick where I don't care to use the oven or stove.  I mean it was over 100 degrees on Monday!  Plus, I work in a hot kitchen all day with a hot chefs coat, so cooking food is not appealing when I get home for dinner.  But, I still want to eat good food, and I don't want to have to eat out all the time.  So...raw food is becoming more of a frequent thing in my kitchen. A few nights ago, I wanted taco salad.  However, I did not want to cook beans or turn on the oven to crisp tortillas.  So, I decided to make a salad plate with the flavors of a taco salad with fresh raw ingredients.  

I had bought some local corn and zucchinis and I thought they would be delicious chopped up with a bell pepper, some shallots, and a chili lime dressing.  I also made some taco "meat" instead of having beans out of walnuts seasoned with nutritional yeast and taco spices. It was so delicious I could have eaten it on its own, but I knew it would be a perfect component to my salad. To finish it off I made some fresh salsa from some heirloom tomatoes I had bought as well and guacamole as they are both a must when Mexican food is served at my house!   Once I threw it all on top of a bed of greens, it was quite delicious!  As I was enjoying the last morsel, I was glad I hadn't caved and turned my oven on or bought take out.

Raw Chopped Taco Salad: 
serves 3-4

Salsa:
1 jalapeno, minced (seeded if desired)
2 medium organic heirloom tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup packed fresh organic cilantro, chopped
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
juice of one lime
sea salt to taste

Guacamole:
3 medium organic avocados
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped organic cilantro
juice of one large lime
sea salt to taste

Taco "meat":
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp chipotle powder, or to taste
1 garlic clove
sea salt to taste
2-3 Tbsp filtered water (or as needed)

Salad:
2 ears of fresh organic corn
1 organic yellow zucchini, cut into small dice
1 organic green zucchini, cut into small dice
1 yellow or red bell pepper, cut into small dice
1 large shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/8 tsp chipotle powder or to taste
juice of 2 large limes
1 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt to taste

Lettuce of your choice to serve
hot sauce to serve (optional)

To make salsa, combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside. 
To make guac, with an immersion blender in a tall measuring cup, puree until smooth (or if you like chunky, mash in a bowl).  Set aside.
To make taco meat, combine all ingredients in a food processor (except water) and process until well chopped, but still chunky.  Add a little water at a time until the mixture starts to clump together.  Set aside. 
To make salad, remove kernals of corn from the cobs and add to a large bowl, along with all other ingredients.  Toss until well combined. 
To assemble, place some lettuce on each plate, then top each with some salad, salsa, taco meat, and guacamole.  Drizzle with hot sauce if desired, and serve!

Fruits of Summer Ice Cream Sundae

Sitting out on picnic table in the sunshine, eating ice cream after running through the sprinkler.  This was an important part of summer to me when I was a kid.  I loved any kind of ice cream...peppermint bon bon, sherberts, cookie dough, strawberry, peach, chocolate...I ate them all!  I would even scoop them all into one bowl if I had the option to!  I loved to load them up with toppings as well.  I can remember being at my Dad's house when I was about eight making myself an ice cream sundae.  I grabbed everything and anything ice cream related or that could be used as a topping and started crafting my masterpiece.  I scooped 3 different ice creams into a bowl.  Peppermint Bon Bon, Strawberry, and Moose Tracks. I then loaded it up with fudge, caramel and reddi whip.  Not to stop there however, I topped it off with M&Ms and chocolate chips.  It was a monster bowl of ice cream, and I ate it all!  Looking back on it, it sounds way too sweet and kind of disgusting to me now, but I was in heaven at the time!
 

My tastes have drastically changed and I am no longer into that overly sweet stuff.  I much prefer things which are made sweet by fruit instead of just sugar, and I am in love with coconut milk based ice creams instead of the dairy I used to indulge in all the time.  And so recently when I was looking through photos of the ice cream on my blog, I thought, wouldn't it be lovely to create a sundae featuring fruit and herbs? 
I had recently made lemon basil ice cream and it was so refreshing that I knew it would be perfect among the other ice creams in the sundae.  I also whipped up a batch of raspberry lavender and peach thyme.  They were all wonderfully fragrant and just sweet enough, but not overly so. 
 

I spooned them into one of my Grandmother's antique dishes, and topped them off with a bit of fresh raspberry sauce, crunchy pistachios, and a mixture of fruits I happened to have on hand. 
 

It was the most beautiful sundae I had ever layed eyes on...almost too pretty to eat!  You may be wondering if I ate this concoction myself or shared, as it was a rather large bowl.  I ate every last bite myself!  It was too good to share...that bowl at least.
 

Luckilly I had enough ice cream leftover to share some.  Who says ice cream sundaes have to be overly sweet and dripping with gooey sauces?  Light and refreshing is so wonderful especially when it is near 100 degrees and you don't want to be feeling heavy. 
 

Fruits of Summer Ice Cream Sundae

peach thyme ice cream:
makes 5 cups

2 Tbsp fresh thyme

3 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled

3/4 cup agave nectar

2 medium fresh organic peaches, diced

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

In a blender combine all ingredients, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, pour into a freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

raspberry lavender ice cream:

Makes 5 cups
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp dried lavender, divided

2 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled

3/4 cup agave nectar

12 oz fresh organic raspberries or 12 oz bag frozen raspberries

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup lite coconut milk to a simmer and remove from heat. Add 1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers and stir in. Let cool, then chill in the fridge until very cold to let lavender infuse. Strain coconut milk, discarding lavender then add chilled milk to a blender, along with all other ingredients (except remaining 1 Tbsp dried lavender) in a blender, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, stir in remaining Tbsp lavender and pour into a freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.


lemon basil ice cream:
Makes 4 cups

3 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
3 Tbsp organic lemon zest
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, pour into freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least a few hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

Raspberry Sauce:

2 cups fresh raspberries
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Puree all ingredients until smooth.

For assembly:
1/4 cup pistachios (each sundae)
assorted fresh organic fruit (I used raspberries, blackberries, peaches, and strawberries)
fresh basil and thyme leaves

To assemble, scoop 2 scoops of each ice cream into an obling bowl.  Top with a bit of raspberry puree, pistachios, fresh fruit, and herbs.  Enjoy! 

Raw Pretty in Pink Birthday Cheesecake

Yesterday, I turned 27.  However, I still feel as if I should be 21...as 27 is getting so close to 30!  This will not stop me however from acting younger than my age.  I never want to be boring, and I still like to do things like wear hello kitty kitty band-aids, run through sprinklers and have a pink birthday cake.  

Yes, I had to have a pink Birthday cake!  I have been asked by so many people in the last week, "Shouldn't someone else make your cake?"  or "You shouldn't have to bake on your Birthday!"  My answer to that was, no one I know would be able to create the cake I wanted the exact way I wanted it.  Plus, making cakes is something I enjoy and shouldn't I enjoy myself on my birthday?  Plus...technically I wasn't baking it because it was a raw cheesecake.  

I didn't spend my entire day on it however, I also took the time to celebrate with family and a good friend going out to dinner at La Belle Vie, one of my favorite restaurants!  

Because although I made my cake, I didn't want to cook dinner on my birthday, and their food is excellent!  It was a wonderful time, and we all had a lot of fun!  

Back to the birthday cheesecake...it had a pistachio crust, and the filling was vanilla rosewater scented with a layer of vanilla with lavender, then strawberry, and last raspberry.  It was beautiful naked, but since it was a birthday cake, I decided to pipe cashew coconut frosting around the cake to make it even more beautiful!  

It was delicious as well, fragrant and rich...just as cheesecake should be.  I much enjoyed it, and it made me happy just looking at it knowing it was exactly the birthday cake I had dreamed of creating, plus even better!  Since I am not the type of person who wants a boring white birthday cake full of bleached flour and white sugar.  Real ingredients are what I find truly delicious.  

Whoever made the rule that you can't make your own birthday cake probably just didn't feel like making one or didn't know how to...making my own birthday cake is an experience I much enjoy, and will repeat for many years to come!

Raw Pretty in Pink Birthday Cheesecake
Makes one 6 inch cake

Crust:
3/4 cup shelled pistachios

1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3-4 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:

2 1/2 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight and drained)
1/2 cup young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews)

1/2 cup coconut water (or filtered water)

1 tsp rosewater

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp agave nectar or honey

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

1/2 cup fresh organic strawberries

1/2 cup fresh organic red raspberries

1 Tbsp organic lavender

Cream Topping:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup coconut water

3/4 cup fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean (reserved from filling)
1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)


4-6 fresh organic raspberries

 

Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process pistachios and sea salt in a food processor until the pistachios are fine crumbs, then add the dates and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.

To make the filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut meat, coconut water, lemon juice, rosewater, agave nectar, coconut oil, sea salt and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Remove the filling from the food processor, and divide evenly between 3 bowls. Place 1/3 into the food processor and add 1/2 cup of strawberries. Puree until smooth and scrape back in the bowl. Add another 3rd of the filling to the food processor and add 1/2 cup raspberries, and puree until smooth. Add the lavender to the third bowl and stir in until combined.

To assemble the cheesecake, pour the vanilla lavender filling over the crust, then smooth to the sides.  Then the strawberry, then the raspberry. Place in the freezer until it is set, 4 to 6 hours, then once set store in the fridge.

To make topping, drain cashews and blend all ingredients until smooth in a food processor, then divide into 2 bowls.  Place one half back in the food processor and throw in about 4-6 raspberries, and blend (to tint pink).  Place back in the bowl and and set bowls in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency. Place the two frostings in pastry bags and pipe decoratively around the top and bottom of the cheesecake. Store leftover cake in the fridge.