Raw Pumpkin Turtle Cake

 

There is a restaurant called Cafe Latte in St. Paul MN, that serves an amazing cake, called Turtle Cake.  Ït is a decadent chocolate cake with lots of gooey fudge, caramel and pecans in between the cake layers. Anyone who lives in the twin cities practically has heard of it, and I admit I used to go there and order it to go many times when I was in college.  A couple years ago, I decided to recreate a vegan version of it and it was even better than the original. 

 

Last year, in the fall, since that other vegan turtle cake was so good, I decided to make a pumpkin turtle cake.  It turned out amazing as well, and since I tend to be more of a spice cake kind of a girl than a chocolate cake girl, the combination together was perfect!  Since I have since become a raw vegan, my challenge to myself last weekend was to make a raw vegan version of that pumpkin turtle cake. 

 

 

 

For the cake layers I used a mixture of buckwheat, walnuts and coconut, because I find that it makes the cake a little lighter than simply nuts alone.  Of course plenty of pumpkin and spice as well, with dates to sweeten.  I knew it would be delicious because I had to enjoy the extra batter left over after I had spread it out onto the dehydrator sheets. 

 

 

I made a raw date caramel, one of my favorite things on Earth lately to go between the layers and on top of the cake.  It was hard to quit sampling it, but knew I would not end up with a pretty cake if I didn't.  I made a luscious fudgy frosting, and enjoyed my time assembling the cake, because in my opinion, decorating a cake is one of the most relaxing, calming activities you can do.  Plus, of course the fact that you get to eat the leftover frosting.  The cake turned out beautifully!  As I was diving into a large piece of it, I couldn't help but think that this raw version was my favorite of the three turtle cakes I have made in the last couple years.

 

 

Raw Pumpkin Turtle Cake

Cake:
1 cup sprouted, dried buckwheat (or additional walnuts if unavailable)
1 cup soaked and dried walnuts
1 3/4 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 inch chunk fresh ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
18 medjool dates, pitted
2 cups cubed raw organic squash*  

1/2 Frosting:
3/4 cup raw agave nectar or raw honey

1 1/2 Tbsp raw coconut oil, liquified

3/4 cup sifted raw cocoa powder, or more if needed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp maple extract

Caramel:
20 medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup agave nectar or honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped pecans for filling
3/4 cup whole pecans for topping

To make the cake, combine coconut, buckwheat, and walnuts in the food processor and process until finely ground. Add the sea salt, ginger, spices, vanilla, and dates and process until well blended and starting to hold together. Remove from processor and transfer to a large bowl. Place the squash in the food processor and process until very finely chopped, add back in nut mixture and process until combined.  Shape the mixture into 3 four inch (about) circles, and place on a teflex lined dehydrator sheet.  Dehydrate for 6 hours, then flip over and let dehydrate another 2 or 3. Remove from the dehydrator and set aside while you prepare the frosting and caramel.
To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth (if too thick add a little water, and if too thin, a little more cocoa powder). Set aside. 
To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth, adding a little more water if too thick (you want to be able to drizzle it). Press the mixture through a fine meshed strainer to get rid of any date bits (optional, but creates a smoother caramel).   
To assemble the cake, place one round on a plate. Spread a couple Tbsp of frosting over, then a couple Tbsp of caramel.  Then top off with a few chopped pecans. Top with another cake layer and repeat.  Then top with the top cake layer.  Spread frosting on the top and sides of the cake.  Drizzle remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake (if you put it in a bag and cut the corner off (pastry bag style) it makes it easier).  Top off with the whole pecans, arranging them decoratively. 

*I use squash because it is sweeter than pumpkin and tastes better raw.  You can use raw pumpkin if you prefer.

Raw Squash and "Sausage" Manicotti

One of the dishes that I loved most as a child was manicotti.  My Mother's manicotti that is.  It was always so flavorful and warming, not to mention the delicious cheese filling that would ooze out when you cut into it with your fork.  I can remember helping her make it, stuffing the shells in the kitchen as we laughed and joked about things, me all excited for the dinner that was to come. 
I decided this weekend that it would be fun to make raw manicotti, since I really haven't had any since I enjoyed my Mom's as a kid. It would be somewhat similar.  I wanted it to be bathed in a flavorful red sauce, have a creamy cheese filling, and also the tasty sausage enclosed in the pasta. 

 

So I got to work, and decided to use some tomato wraps for the "pasta" which I made in the dehydrator like fruit leather.  They were a beautiful color!  For the "cheese"filling, I combined pine nuts with squash for a seasonal twist.  The "sausage"was made from walnuts, as I love the texture they provide.  Would it satisfy my manicotti craving though?  Yes!  It was wonderful, I might have even liked it a little better than Mom's but do not tell her I said so. 

 

Raw Squash and "Sausage" Manicotti
Serves 2

Tomato "pasta"sheets
2 medium tomatoes
2 tsp agave nectar
a pinch of sea salt

Sauce:
1/3 cup soaked sun dried tomatoes, drained
1 large organic tomato, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 date, pitted
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
sea salt to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
filtered water as needed

Filling:
1/2 cup raw winter squash, diced
3/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
filtered water as needed

Walnut "Sausage":
1 1/4 cups raw walnuts, soaked and dried
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp dried thyme
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1-2 Tbsp filtered water

fresh organic spinach (optional)

To make the pasta, combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Spread out on a dehydrator sheet lined with teflex, and dry for about 6-8 hours, or the consistency of fruit leather.  Remove from the dehydrator, peel off the sheet and cut into 4 squares.  Set aside.
To make the sauce, combine all ingredients except water in a high speed blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Add a little filtered water as needed until the sauce is smooth and pourable, but not so much that it is too runny. Set aside.
To make the squash filling, combine all ingredients except water in the food processor and process until smooth, adding filtered water as needed to create a ricotta like consistency.  Set aside.
To make the walnut sausage, combine all ingredients except water in a food processor and process until combined and finely chopped.  Add 1-2 Tbsp water, enough to make the mixture clump together. 
To assemble, spread a little of the sauce onto two plates. Lay out a "pasta" sheet, and spoon some of the walnut "sausage" to one side, then some of the squash filling over it.  roll it up, and place on one of the plates. Repeat with remaining pasta so that there are two on each plate.  Spoon more of the sauce over the manicotti on each plate, and top off with spinach if desired.  Serve!

 

Raw Coco Mac Caramel Dark Chocolate Candy

I just don't get as excited about buying bags of halloween candy as most people do.  Maybe it is because most of the commercially made is far too sweet for me, and full of artificial things.  Or the fact that I can't justify sitting and eating it because I don't get any trick or treaters at my house.  Normally, I would just forget the whole candy thing all together...crazy I know because I am sure a lot of you look forward to the candy. 

 

For some reason this year though, I decided that I wanted to make some of my own candy. This is very uncharacteristic of me because I would rather have a big piece of pie or cake than candy. But I wanted to create my own candy, something that was not buyable. 

 

I thought about going the recreating snickers or twix route, but I wanted to be a bit more creative.  So, I came up with Raw Coco Mac Caramel Dark Chocolate Candy.  I have to admit, I was influenced a little by my Mother who insisted I make something with coconut.  No problem as I love the stuff. 
Then I thought why not make a sort of almond joy, but with macadamia nuts.  This was not the stopping point however because I then decided to add caramel, one of my favorite things in the world. 

They turned out so increadibly good too.  The type of candy where you eat one and go for another...which is not how I feel about the normal Halloween candy.  These would actually make a nice gift too around the holidays, I would love a tin of them.  These were worth the extra effort!
 

 

Raw Coco Mac Caramel Dark Chocolate Candy
makes 16
 
2 cups finely shredded dried coconut
1/4 cup coconut butter
2 Tbsp raw agave nectar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
 
Caramel:

10 medjool dates, pitted

 1 Tbsp raw almond butter

2 Tbsp agave nectar or honey

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 Tbsp water

 

16 raw macadamia nuts

 

1/2 cup raw coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1/4 cup raw agave nectar or honey

pinch of salt

 

To make the coconut layer, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until combined.  Press out onto a plastic lined sheet pan, 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 16 squares, and place in the freezer to firm up.  To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.  Press the mixture through a fine meshed strainer to remove any date bits.  Place the caramel in a bag, cut the corner off, and pipe onto each coconut square in about 2 tspful amounts.  Top each caramel mound with a macadamia nut.  Place in the freezer until hard. 

To make chocolate, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Let sit a few minutes until it thickens to the consistency of melted chocolate. Line a sheet pan with foil.  Dip candies into the chocolate, using a fork and set on the foil to dry.  Once they are all dipped, place in the freezer to set.  Enjoy!

Raw Banana Spice Streusel Coffeecake with Banana Spice Ice Cream

 

Whenever anyone tells me that they throw away over-ripe bananas, I ask them..."What is wrong with you?!"  And then tell them to save them for me next time.  Because to me they are a gold mine, just waiting to be utilized in something delicious! 

 

So when they were going to simply toss a bunch of over the hill bananas at work (since people do not typically buy them when they look like that, except maybe me because I mostly use them for cakes and such), you bet I pounced on them!  I was pretty thrilled as I have been wanting to try making a raw banana cake lately. 

 

I know people do not typically think of bananas being fall-like, but I thought a spiced banana streusel coffeecake would be appropriate!  Warming spices, no matter what they are in remind me of autumn.  Especially when the aroma of the cake starts to fill the kitchen as it is "baking" in the dehydrator.  For this cake, in between the cake layers, and the streusel, I added a bit of caramel, as caramel and bananas belong together, and why not make the cake even more heavenly?! 

The cake was wonderful on its own, but me, always wanting to be a bit excessive sometimes in the dessert department accompanied it with raw banana spice ice cream.  I had far to many bananas afterall to be used in the cake alone. One person's over ripe bananas worthy of tossing are my treasure.  And delicious treasure it was!

Raw Banana Spice Streusel Coffee Cake
Serves 4

Cake:
1 cup soaked almonds, dehydrated
1 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats (or additional almonds if you don't care to make them)
1 3/4 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
12 medjool dates, pitted
2 small organic bananas, mashed

Streusel:
3/4 cup dried shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup pecans, soaked and dried
8 medjool dates, pitted
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Caramel:
10 medjool dates, pitted
1 Tbsp almond butter
2 Tbsp agave nectar or honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp water

Banana Spice Ice Cream (recipe follows)

To make the cake, combine buckwheat, coconut and almonds in the food processor and process until finely ground. Add the sea salt,  spices, vanilla, and dates and process until well blended and starting to hold together.   Add the banana, and process until well combined.  Place the mixture onto a teflex lined dehydrator sheet, and shape into a square, about 2 inches thick. Dehydrate for 6 hours, then flip over and let dehydrate another 2-4 (until dry but not too dry, still a little moist in the middle). Remove from the dehydratorset aside while you prepare the streusel and caramel.
To make the streusel, combine 3/4 cup coconut and 3/4 cup pecans in the food processor and process until finely ground. Add the dates and sea salt and process until starting to hold together. Pour into a bowl, and mix in the remaining coconut and chopped pecans. Set aside in the fridge.
To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.
To assemble the cake, cut off the ragged edges so you have a nice square, then cut in half. Spread half the caramel over one half, then sprinkle with half the streusel. Top with the other half of the cake, spread with remaining caramel and sprinkle with the remaining streusel. Serve with banana spice ice cream! 

Raw Banana Spice Ice Cream:
Makes about 4 cups

1/2 cup coconut water
1 cup raw cashews, soaked 4 hours and drained
1 cup young coconut meat, chopped
1/4 cup raw agave nectar or raw honey
seeds of one vanilla bean
a pinch of sea salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 small, ripe organic bananas
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

 Add coconut water to a food processor, along with cashews, 1/2 cup cashews, coconut meat, agave nectar, vanilla, sea salt, spices and bananas. Process until smooth, then with the processor running, add the coconut oil slowly and process until well incorporated, about a minute. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Remove from ice cream make and pour into a freezer safe container. Let chill in the freezer for a few hours until a little more firm before scooping.

Raw Almond Joy Granola

When I would go trick or treating as a kid, after I arrived home with my large stash of candy, I would spread it out on the floor, and divide it into two piles.  The "gross"candy, and the chocolate.  Yes, all I cared about was the chocolate.  All the stuff like laffy taffy, jolly ranchers, tootsie rolls (because they were not real chocolate so it didn't count) and anything not chocolate...that I traded, or gave to my parents.  Peanut butter cups were my favorite, snickers and butterfinger a close second.  But there was one chocolate that I would always give to my Mom because I didn't care for it and it was her favorite, Almond Joy.  I didn't like the coconut, and I didn't like the almonds.  Crazy, because as an adult I love both of those things!  But my Mom was appriciative, and so it worked out.

So, why did I decide to make Almond Joy Granola this week?  Well, I wanted to make a chocolate granola since I have never made one,  and I thought coconut and almonds would be delicious in it!  In the spirit of Halloween candy all over the place right now, I called it Almond Joy.  Although, this in my opinion was way better than the candy bars, which I now find way too sweet.

I used my usual sprouted buckwheat base, mixed in large flake coconut (one of my favorite things in the world), raw almonds, and cacao nibs for add ins.  Let's not forget the chocolaty goodness though, I made a coating from raw cacao powder and almond butter with a little agave nectar to sweeten, and it was delicious! 

My entire house was filled with the aroma of chocolate, which was an especially wonderful suprise to wake up to in the morning when the granola had finished in the dehydrator.  As usual, I could not stop sampling it, but I had to restrain myself and wait until after I had gone for my run to enjoy it. 

 

Raw Almond Joy Granola



Makes about 8 cups

2 cups raw buckwheat
2 cups dried large coconut flakes
1 1/2 cup raw almonds, soaked for 6 hours and drained
1/3-1/2 cup raw agave nectar or honey (depending on how sweet you want it)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3 Tbsp filtered water
1 Tbsp almond butter
2 Tbsp raw coconut oil, liquified
1 cup cacao nibs
1 cup large flake coconut (optional)

Soak buckwheat for 12 hours, rinse very well (as it has a slimy coating that needs to be removed) and drain. Place in a large jar and set in a well lit area (natural light, but not in direct sunlight). Let sit for a couple days, or until little sprouts begin to emerge from the buckwheat, rinsing 2 times a day. Once sprouted, drain well, and place in a large bowl, along with the coconut, and almonds. In a small bowl, whisk together the agave nectar (or honey), cocoa powder, sea salt, vanilla, almond extract, water, almond butter, and coconut oil. Pour the mixture over the granola, and mix well with your hands. Spread out on 2 dehydrator sheets lined with teflex, and dry for about 12 hours or until crispy. Pour into a bowl, and mix in cacao nibs and additional 1 cup coconut, enjoy! Can be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks at room temperature.

Raw Carrot Cake Cannoli

 

When creating desserts, I consider mistakes simply valuable learing experiences.  So no harm in making one say, such as dehydrating something a bit too long and having it turn out crispier than intended...right?  The best thing is when a so called mistake leads to the creation of something delicious.  I had this type of experience this weekend. 

 

 

I wanted to make some carrot apple crepes to use for a savory dish, but I ended up dehydrating them too long and they were a bit crispy and a little too sweet for the dish I wanted to make.  However, suddenly an idea popped into my head...raw carrot cake cannoli!  They were still rollable, and would be perfect as a cannoli shell. 

 

So I made some raw coconut "cream cheese frosting", and to it I added the classic carrot cake ingredients.  Sweet organic carrots, golden raisins, pecans, spices...well, at least my classic carrot cake.  It was delicious!  Like carrot cake with extra frosting!

 

Because frosting is the best part right?  I also added the extra to the finished dish on the side, just because I love it so much.  Let me tell you, these were not on the plate long before I took them down.  I was glad I had made a mistake with the shells, because I would rather have dessert for dinner anyhow. 

 

Raw Carrot Cake Cannoli
Serves 2

Shells:
1 small organic carrot, chopped
2 medium organic apples
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp coconut butter

Filling:
1 cup  plus 2 Tbsp raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup plus 1Tbsp coconut water
1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups fresh young coconut meat* (or additional soaked cashews if not available)

1/4 cup raw agave nectar or raw honey
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
1 cup shredded organic carrot

3 Tbsp golden raisins
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Raw agave nectar or honey for plating (optional)

For the shells, combine all ingredients until smooth in the food processor, and spread out into a sqare on a teflex lined dehydrator sheet. Dry for about 8 hours, or until dry, but still a little plyable (you need to be able to roll it and cut it).  Cut into 4 squares, and roll each into a tube about 1 1/2 inches high.  Place back into the dehydrator for a couple more hours until very crisp.  Set aside. 
To make cream, drain cashews and blend with the coconut water, coconut, agave nectar, and vanilla until smooth in a food processor.  Add the coconut oil with the motor running.  Set in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency. Remove 1/3 of the mixture, and reserve for plating. Mix the carrots, golden raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pecans into the remaining cream.  Place the carrot mixture in a ziplock bag and cut the end off.  Pipe the mixture into the shells, and place them on plates, two shells on each plate.  Place the remaining plain cream in a pastry bag and Pipe it decoratively onto each plate beside the cannoli.  Drizzle each plate with a bit of the honey if you wish, and serve!

Raw Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

When people tell me they hate vegetables I don't believe them, and I work hard to change their opinion.  I had a guy walk up to the deli counter at work last week, and tell me that he wanted anything but vegetarian food.  I guess he had a bad experience maybe, or just thought that vegetables were bland.  At any rate, I told him that I was a vegetarian and that we happened to have lots of good vegetarian food.  He ended up walking away with 2 vegan and one vegetarian salad...it was nice to know I could have some sort of a good influence on someone. 

 

Speaking of people not liking veggies, I like to hide vegetables in things like delicious desserts and make them so good that even the veggie haters would eat it.  Of course I like to use the more unusual like beets and parsnips, but pumpkin finds its way into my desserts often this time of year.  Afterall, who doesn't like pumpkin desserts?  So this weekend I made some raw pumpkin caramel rolls.  I have a feeling even a veggie lover would gobble them down in no time.

 

I have to admit, raw caramel rolls intimidated me a bit, but that doesn't stop me lately.  I figured at worst I would have something ugly that tasted good.  What intimidated me the most was the fact that I had to roll them up, but parchment helped with that.  Also, I wanted to use some sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat in place of some of the nuts.  It worked wonderfully though!  The rolls turned out beautiful, and the only bad part was they were too good and I ate too many.  That is a problem I can live with though. 

 

Raw Pumpkin Caramel Rolls
Makes 12

Cake:
1 cups sprouted buckwheat groats, dehydrated until dry
1 cup walnuts, soaked and dehydrated until dry
1 3/4 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 inch chunk fresh ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
18 medjool dates, pitted
2 cups cubed raw organic squash

Filling:
16 dates
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup filtered water
1 Tbsp coconut butter
a pinch sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Caramel:
10 medjool dates, pitted
1 Tbsp almond butter
2 Tbsp agave nectar or honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup filtered water

36 raw pecan halves

To make the dough, combine coconut and pecans in the food processor and process until finely ground. Add the sea salt, ginger, spices, vanilla, and dates and process until well blended and starting to hold together.  Place the  squash in the food processor and process with other ingredients  until it is all pretty smooth.  Place the mixture on a piece of parchment paper, and spread out into a large rectangle, 1/2 inch thick.  Set aside while you make filling. 
To make the filling, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.  Remove from the food processor and spread out over the dough, leaving 1 inch at the bottom. Using the parchment to help, roll up, jell roll style from the top down. Cut into 12 rounds.  Place rounds, cut side up onto a teflex lined dehydrator sheet, and dehydrate for 6 hours or until dried, but not hard. Remove from the dehydrator. 
To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth, add a little more water if mixture is too thick (by the Tbspful). Press the caramel mixture through a fine meshed sieve to get rid of any date pieces for a smoother caramel (or skip this step if you don't care). 
Drizzle the caramel each over the rolls, and top each roll with 3 pecans.  Enjoy!

Raw Apple Spice Granola

 

 

Biting into a honeycrisp apple is like ingesting a little piece of heaven.  Seriously, they are the perfect balance of sweet and tart with the just right amount of crunch.  If you are from Minnesota, you know what I am talking about, especially the locally grown ones.  If not, I hope you have had a chance to try one.  Since they are so good, I couldn't help but think they would make fabulous apple chips.  So a few weeks ago, I made some using the honeycrisps, and they were the best apple chips I have ever tasted!  

They were perfect for snacking on, but I knew they would make for a delicious additon to some raw granola!  So, I added it to a batch of granola I was making along with the spices I consider essential to my apple pie and my favorite nuts, and it was fabulous!

 

The honeycrisp apples were like little bursts of sweetness in the crunchy granola.  I have to admit I have been eating this a couple times a day this week because I enjoy it so much!  What can I say, it makes the perfect breakfast (instead of cereal) and bedtime snack!  Beginning and ending my day with it certainly puts me in a good mood.

 



 

 

Raw Apple Spice Granola



Makes about 8 cups

2 cups raw buckwheat
1 1/2 cups dried large coconut flakes
1 cup pecans, soaked for 6 hours and drained
1 cup raw walnuts, soaked for 6 hours and drained
1/4 cup raw agave nectar or honey
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp maple extract
1 Tbsp filtered water
2 Tbsp raw coconut oil, liquified
1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
2 cups dried apple

Soak buckwheat for 12 hours, rinse very well (as it has a slimy coating that needs to be removed) and drain. Place in a large jar and set in a well lit area (natural light, but not in direct sunlight). Let sit for a couple days, or until little sprouts begin to emerge from the buckwheat, rinsing 2 times a day. Once sprouted, drain well, and place in a large bowl, along with the coconut, pecans, and wanuts. In a small bowl, whisk together the agave nectar (or honey), cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, sea salt, vanilla, maple, water, and coconut oil. Pour the mixture over the granola, and mix well with your hands. Spread out on 2 dehydrator sheets lined with teflex, and dry for about 12 hours or until crispy. Pour into a bowl, and mix in cranberries and apples, enjoy! Can be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks at room temperature. 

Raw Pistachio Baklava with Pistachio Ice Cream

 

I made raw baklava a couple weeks back, and loved it so much that I decided I needed to make it again.  But me not being one to make the exact same thing twice in a row decided to switch it up a bit.  I had a large bag of pistachios, and I thought they would be lovely in the baklava! 

So much more pretty than brown walnuts, which don't get me wrong are delicious, just not as gorgeous as pistachios. To me, pistachios are a bit special.  I remember one time when I needed some for a recipe and I loaded up a large bag of them only to get home, look at my reciept and realize I had just spent over $40 on them.  I have since bought and used them as if they are something precious. 

This baklava I was imagining would be something special though, lovely green pistachios, red dried cranberries, and golden sweet honey between wafer thin sweet sheets of "filo dough".  I knew it would be heavenly.  I even decided to make pistachio ice cream to go along side it because I felt that all the crunch needed a creamy accompaniment.

Once all created and assembled, it was a sight to behold, almost too pretty to eat, but who am I kidding...I dove right in and devoured like nobody's buisness!
 

 

Raw Pistachio Baklava with Pistachio Ice Cream
Serves 2

"Filo" sheets:
1 large organic apple
1/2 cup almond meal
a pinch of sea salt
1 tsp raw agave nectar or honey
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Filling:
1 cup shelled pistachios
6 medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
1 cup large flake coconut
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
2 Tbsp raw agave nectar or honey plus additional for serving

For the "filo sheets", combine the apple, almond meal, sea salt, agave nectar, and cardamom in a food processor and process until smooth. Spread out thinly onto a teflex lined dehydrator sheet in a large square. Dry for a few hours, or until not tacky anymore, then score into 9 squares. Place back in the dehydrator for about another 6-8 hours or until very crispy. Remove squares (you will have one extra to snack on).
For the filling, combine pistachios, dates, crasins, coconut, and cinnamon and cardamom in a food processor and pulse until well combined but not pureed. You want to have chunks still. Add 2 Tbsp agave nectar and pulse a few more times. Remove from the food processor.
To assemble, set out 2 plates. Drizzle each with a bit of the agave nectar or honey. Place one filo square on each, and top with 1/3 of the pistachio mixture (deviding evenly between the two). Top each with another square, then half the remaining filling (deviding evenly between the two). Then another square, then the rest of the filling then another square. Drizzle each baklava with a bit more agave nectar or honey, and scoop some pistachio ice cream beside each (recipe follows). Enjoy!

Raw Pistachio Ice Cream:

1/2 cup coconut water
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 4 hours and drained
1/2 cup  pistachios, soaked 4 hours and drained
1 cup young coconut meat, chopped
1/4 cup raw agave nectar or raw honey
seeds of one vanilla bean
a pinch of sea salt
1 large handful spinach
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 cup chopped pistachios

 Add coconut water to a food processor, along with cashews, 1/2 cup cashews, coconut meat, agave nectar, vanilla, sea salt and spinach. Process until smooth, then with the processor running, add the coconut oil slowly and process until well incorporated, about a minute. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Remove from ice cream maker, stir in 1 cup chopped pistachios and pour into a freezer safe container. Let chill in the freezer for a few hours until a little more firm before scooping.

Mini Raw Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake

It has been a while since I have made cheesecake...well, maybe more like a month and a half.  But that is a long time considering I was making it every weekend for a while!  I guess I was giving the cheesecake a break for a while so I wouldn't get tired of it.  But then again I do not think it is possible to get tired of raw cheesecake.  It is one of my favorite things in the world.  This weekend I decided to break that no cheesecake streak and make some. 

 

 

I have had quite a few requests for a raw pumpkin cheesecake, so pumpkin it was!  I suppose I could have gone traditional and just done a pumpkin filling and left it at that.  But that is not how I operate, so although I packed the luscious pumpkin filling with plenty of spice and deliciousness, I added caramel swirls as well.  

 

If you have been keeping up with my blog, there has been a lot of raw caramel going on, as it is quite addictive.  I knew it would be perfect combined with the creamy filling!  I decided to use a combination of pumpkin seeds and pecans in the crust in keeping with the whole pumpkin theme and it was delicious with the rest of the cake! 

Spiced pumpkin seeds made it onto the top of the cake as well, because I couldn't resist pairing the lovely green with the pale orange of the cheesecake.  I couldn't wait to dive into this one.  As if I hadn't sampled plenty of the filling already, but there is something more special about having your own individual cake to devour.  Devour I did.  I have a feeling you would love this too, so do check out the recipe below!

Mini Raw Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecakes
Makes four 4 inch cheesecakes

Pumpkin seed garnish:
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp raw agave nectar or raw honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt

 Crust:
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds 
1 cup raw pecans, soaked and dried
10 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt

Caramel:
10 medjool dates
2 Tbsp raw coconut butter or macadamia butter (raw almond butter will also work)
3 Tbsp raw agave nectar or honey
1 tsp maple extract
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp fleur de sel
1/4 cup filtered water (or more if too thick, add an additional Tbsp at a time)
 

Filling:

2 1/4 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked 6 hours)
1 cup fresh young coconut meat (or additional cashews if not available)

1/2 cup coconut water (or filtered water)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp raw agave nectar or raw honey

2 inch piece fresh ginger, chopped

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

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

2 cups chopped raw organic squash or pumpkin*

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

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

1 cup fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
3 tablespoons raw agave nectar or raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla and seeds of half a vanilla bean (the other half of the one you used for the filling)
1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

For pumpkin seed garnish, mix together seeds, agave nectar, spices and sea salt and spread out on a dehydrator sheet.  Dehydrate until dried (about 4 hours), and set aside. 

Lightly coat four 4 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process pumpkin seeds, 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 bottom of the prepared pans, and set aside in the freezer.

To make caramel, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth (if too thick add a little more water 1 Tbsp at a time).  Press the caramel mixture through a fine meshed strainer to get rid of any date bits (optional, but makes for a prettier caramel).  Set aside. 

To make the filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut water, lemon juice, agave nectar, ginger, spices, sea salt, vanilla and squash in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the oil to the food processor with the motor running and let process until well blended.  Remove the filling from the food processor, and press through a fine meshed strainer (if a smoother result is desired, but you can skip this step if you don't care). To assemble the cheesecake, pour half the filling over the crusts then dot the filling with caramel by the tsp.  Pour the other half over, then dot the top of the cheesecake with the caramel by the tsp, and swirl with a thin knife.  Then place the cheesecakes in the freezer until it is set, 4 to 6 hours, then once set store in the fridge. 

To make the cream for the edges, combine all ingredients but the coconut oil in the food processor and process until smooth. Add the coconut oil with the motor running and process about a minute more.  Place in a bowl and put in the freezer to set until frosting consistency, about an hour. 

To serve the cheesecakes, place on plates.  Place cream in a pastry bag and pipe along the edges of the cheesecakes (if you have extra and you feel like it you can go along the tops as well).  Garnish the top of the cheesecakes with the pumpkin seeds and serve!  Store leftovers in the fridge.

*I use squash instead of pumpkin in my recipes because it is sweeter, you may need to adjust the sweeteners and add more if you are using actual pumpkin.
 

Raw Southwest Quinoa Sushi

I used to love sushi when I was a pescatarian, in fact I ate it quite often.  But once I stopped eating fish, I didn't seem to crave it as much.  Although I ordered vegan sushi once in a while, it never seemed to have much flavor, or the same deliciousness that I had previously thought the fish sushi had.  It needed something...like maybe more flavorful veggies than just cucumber?  I always found myself loading it up with the extra wasabi on my plate for pow, because I like the kick.

So, I am not sure what possessed me last week to create sushi at home, but I decided to.  I figured I could tailor it to my tastes.  Oh yes, it was non-traditional, but that is just how I roll...sushi roll that is.  I decided to replace the rice with sprouted quinoa, as I am not a big rice person anyways.  I mixed black and white quinoa to make it pretty. 

I thought about making Asian flavored sushi, but instead decided on a southwest sushi because I have been craving those flavors lately and I had all the ingredients.  I combined green and yellow summer squash, red bell pepper, avocado, and green onions in the filling then laced it with some hot sauce for a kick in place of the traditional wasabi. It was pretty, but more importantly, it was the best veggie sushi I have had!  I enjoyed the twist on a classic, and I think I may just have to make more sushi soon!

Raw Southwest Quinoa Sushi
Serves 2-3

1 cup quinoa (I used mixed, black and white)
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

1 medium zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into match sticks
1 large bell pepper, cut julienne
2 medium avocado, cut into strips
a few green onions, sliced
raw hot sauce (optional)

6 nori sheets

To sprout the quinoa, rinse well, then soak it in cool water for 6-8 hours, then drain and rinse again.  Place in a jar, with a breathable lid, and let sit for 1-2 days, rinsing and draining well twice a day to prevent mold.  Your quinoa should be sprouted in 2 days.  Once sprouted, place in a covered bowl in the fridge until ready to use.  If you do not wish to sprout the quinoa, you are also welcome to cook it the traditional way. 
Mix the rice wine vinegar, honey, and sea salt into the quinoa until well blended.  To assemble, lay out a sheet of nori, and spread about a 2 inch strip of quinoa near the top of it.  Place a line of a few zucchini strips, yellow summer squash strips, red bell pepper strips and avocado strips in the center, and sprinkle with some green onions.  Place a little bit of hot sauce along the veggies if desired.  Roll up tightly from the top down. Moisten the edge at the bottom to get it to hold together.  Repeat with the other 6 nori sheets.  Slice each roll into 6 rounds, place on plates and enjoy!