chocolate and vanilla kale chips

in my mind i've been calling these his and her kale chips, because he (john) loves chocolate...

and she (me) prefers vanilla.

the sweet kale chips were inspired by jess of cupcakes and kale. with kale chips i don't usually follow measurements - i find it easier to taste as i go. for the chocolate kale i used the same ingredients as jess, subbing vanilla water and adding a bit of maple syrup. with the vanilla chips i used a few tablespoons coconut oil, coconut flakes, chia seeds, agave nectar, a pinch of salt, vanilla water, and the insides of one vanilla bean, which were purchased fairly cheap in bulk here.

after massaging everything really well into my garden kale, i placed the coated pieces onto teflex sheets and dehydrated at 115 degrees overnight. the outcome was a sweet little snack packed with green nutrition that even he (who doesn't care much for kale) can enjoy.=)

raw raspberry brownie bites

to make raw brownies you simply need five things (dates, nuts, cocoa/cacao powder, salt and a food processor) and not even five minutes. they are one of the easiest desserts to make. you blend the ingredients for about 30 seconds, press them into brownie shapes and they're ready.

this time we added raspberries to snaz them up a bit. adding berries and liquid vanilla made the batter a little wet, so we dehydrated our brownie bites a few hours.

as raw brownies are very rich, bite-sized pieces are the best way to serve them, in my opinion. (they're actually more like a delicious nutty fudge than a brownie, but a little less dense.)

raw raspberry brownie bites
(makes about 18-20)

1 C medjool dates
1 C raw nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, or a mixture)
1/4 C cacao powder
8-10 raspberries
3 tsp liquid vanilla*
generous pinch of salt

in a food processor, blend until batter holds together when pressed. shape into bite-sized squares.

*liquid vanilla is made by mixing three vanilla beans, chopped, with one cup water in a high speed blender. in this recipe, lv can be replaced with vanilla extract or scraped raw vanilla bean, to taste.

***

i hope everyone is having a nice weekend. we're snowed in (but not really) and i'm loving it.=)

desserts in jars: choco-coco cream

this twisted treat is decadently sweet, smooth and super creamy. add some peppermint and goji berries for a festive delight!

the chocolate cream is made with avocado and honestly, you'd never know. non raw-foodies have tried it and loved it. let's not forget, avocado is a superfood! (one that's getting mighty pricey, have you noticed?)

there i am in the spoon=)

the coconut cream is made of cashews and young coconut meat. the addition of vanilla bean makes it taste like vanilla mousse. mmm, vanilla is my favorite.  

the recipes call for raw cacao (though any cocoa powder would do) and coconut butter or coconut oil. more and more are using coconut oil (for more than just cooking, wink wink).

non-gmo soy lecithin in this recipe is optional as a thickening agent. those who like to work with irish moss gel may use that, but neither are neccesary for this dessert. you may also sub vanilla extract for the vanilla bean. i've posted the recipes before but here they are again.

coconut cream

(adapted from sweet gratitude's coconut meringue)

3/4 C coconut milk*

2/3 C coconut meat from one young coconut

2/3 C cashews, soaked about 2 hours

2 T agave

1/2 a vanilla bean (scraped insides only)

1 tsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

blend all in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy, then add:

1 T non-gmo soy lecithin

2 T coconut oil or coconut butter

resume blending until fully incorporated. set in fridge until firm. 

*coconut milk can be made by mixing one part fresh or dried coconut with three parts water.

***

chocolate cream

adapted from heathy's chocolate nutless creme

one large ripe avocado

1/4 C agave

2 T water

1/2 a vanilla bean (scraped insides only)

pinch salt

1 T coconut oil, melted

5 heaping T cacao powder

in a high speed blender, blend first five ingredients well. add remaining ingredients, and continue to blend until smooth. chill for a few hours before serving. 

***

today i'll be making more gifts in jars. it just makes sense when you've got over 100 mason jars lying around!

weekend recap

friday, my four year old niece alaina came over to spend the night and the next day with us. what an imagination she has! the best was when she turned my crochet hooks into dental instruments. it was so cute watching john the dentist work patiently on alaina's teeth with two yarn needles.=)

source

we broke up our saturday with trips to the pop shop, the collingswood famers' market, and the local library. the weather was rainy and the last time i took alaina to the community garden, she wanted to go home shortly after. and i had to carry her back. so i didn't mention it this time. however, alaina surprised me by asking, "can we go that garden place again?" we sure can!=)

 community garden 9/18/11

this time she ate tomatoes and lettuce straight off the plants. she admired each and every flower and wanted to know what the plants were called. she asked if she could pick things for me to take home. it was so sweet!

at the library, i read her some stories then let her choose some movies to watch later. she picked ramona and beezus and one of those teenie bopper's concerts whose name i can't remember. (do i sound old or what?) i chose mary poppins.=)

thankfully we didn't get to the concert, but we did watch about 15 minutes of ramona and beezus, which i enjoyed more than she did! as a child i loved beverly cleary books, and this was a surprisingly good adaptation. like many booknerds, i'm hesitant to watch movie versions, but ramona and beezus was pretty cute.

before alaina left, she told me i was her best friend, then sang a song about me being her best friend. there's nothing sweeter than her little voice. really there's nothing sweeter than just spending time with a child. i'm already planning her next visit!

we finally got some sun and i was able to photograph the results of my kitchen marathon.

first we have apple-banana fruit roll-ups. making fruit roll-ups is great because 1) they're a perfect way to use up ripe fruit 2) they're easy and inexpensive to make 3) they're a nice candy-like snack for when i'm craving something sweet and chewy.

i don't have a recipe for my fruit roll-ups, though my friend heidi has some good ones on her blog. what i do is throw about 2-3 ripe bananas and 1-2 apples in the food processor with juice from half a lemon per excalibur dehydrator tray. i've used all kinds of fruit with banana, like watermelon, pear, peach and berries.

when using ripe banana, there's so need for added sweetener. after processing the fruit until smooth, i spread the batter onto teflex dehydrator sheets thin, but not so thin that the teflex shows through, and dehydrate until dry and pliable anywhere from 110-135°. then with kitchen scissors, i cut each tray of fruit leather in sixths, roll them up, and store them in ziploc bags or glass jars.

rosemary and sage are growing gorgeously this time of year. i paired the two herbs to create savory flax crackers and raw pizza crusts.

a sweet version of flax crackers was made with apples, dates and maple syrup. they were lovely with a little peanut butter. i'd like to do some tweaking before i share the cracker recipes, as the batter was a little too thick and took a long time to dry.

my mom and i also had a nice two-and-a-half hour gabfest on the phone. we love to gush over alaina, and we're talking about doing a detox challenge together.

i hope your weekend was full of love, laughter, and yummy treats!

::floral divider source

blueberry zucchini bread

two summer gems baked into one moist and delicious treat!

blueberry zucchini bread
adapted from allrecipes

ingredients

3 C flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 T cinnamon
3 pastured eggs
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C applesauce (unsweetened)
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 T vanilla extract
2-3 C grated zucchini
1 pint blueberries

method

• grease and flour pans*, and preheat oven to 350°.

• sift flour, salt, baking soda, powder and cinnamon in a bowl.

• beat eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar and vanilla together in another bowl.

• add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat until mixed.

• fold in zucchini and mix well. gently fold in blueberries.

• pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 50 to 70 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

* this recipe made one 8x4 loaf and 12 cupcakes. the cupcakes were done in about 25 minutes. you could also make 2 8x4 loaves or 4 mini loaves.

zucchini bread recipe

yields 2 loaves

ingredients

3 C unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder 
3 tsp ground cinnamon
3 pastured eggs
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C unsweetened apple sauce
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 C grated zucchini
1 C chopped walnuts (optional)

method

grease and flour two 8x4 inch pans. preheat oven to 350°. 

sift flour, salt, baking soda, powder and cinnamon in a bowl.

beat eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar and vanilla together in another bowl.

add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well.

fold in zucchini and walnuts. pour batter into prepared pans.

bake for 50 to 70 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.


enjoy!=)


*recipe adapted from mom's zucchini bread with mommy from seattle's modifications

luscious lemon cupcakes and three legume quinoa

delightful. i enjoyed making these cupcakes as much as i did eating them.

lemon in the midst of winter is a great pick-me-up.

 ♥

the vibrant color and citrus scent tickle me pink and inspired me to add raspberries to the icing. raspberry and lemon - need i say more?

many thanks to the lovely candice of chia seed me for sharing the recipe, and ms. isa, author of vegan with a vengeance for creating animal-free gems.

above is a quick quinoa i threw together with ingredients i had on hand. it went over with our friends just as well as the cupcakes and was really simple to make.


three legume quinoa

1 C quinoa, rinsed well
2 C filtered water
1 C cooked kidney beans
1/2 C fresh or frozen shelled organic edamame 
1/4 C fresh or frozen peas
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
italian seasonings, to taste
salt, to taste
olive oil

in a large saucepan over medium, heat 1-2 tsp olive oil and garlic a minute or two, stirring often.

add rinsed quinoa and toast about 5 minutes, stirring often.

add water and bring to a boil. cover, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes.

add seasonings and legumes. cover and simmer 3-5 more minutes. quinoa is ready when all water has been absorbed and grain is "fluffy".

this salad is delicious served warm or chilled.

note: for a "crunchier" quinoa, use a bit less water. i usually cut back a tablespoon or two.

optional: add olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar. top with raw or toasted almonds or pepitas before serving.


+ highlighted hearts under an image indicate photos not taken by me. click for the source.

stuffed squash and raw brownie bites

 inspired by heathy

 

recipe from the delicious revolution

spaghetti squash and pumpkin cookies

heavens to betsy, was this ever a flavorful fall meal! my kitchen smelled so good while the spaghetti squash and pumpkin cookies were baking, it may have even lured a new furry into our family! (more on that to come... don't want to jinx it!) edit: that little furry is named sammy and he already has a family. he still comes to visit!

 

this was my first time with spaghetti squash. it took a few bites for me to get used to and by leftovers the next day i was hooked! i find it super yummy, warm or cool with olive oil, himalayan salt, pepper, and oregano.

sauteed artichoke hearts and organic shelled edamame also went nicely with the strands of squashy goodness. john enjoyed both dishes as well.

for those who haven't tried spaghetti squash, i'd describe it as a sweet winter squash with an interesting texture... almost like zucchini pasta, but cooked. all you do is slice it in half, length-wise, bake it face down at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or so, then go at with a fork. the flesh naturally falls apart into spaghetti-like strands.

...though the name is a bit misleading, as it doesn't taste at all like spaghetti. think yummy, slightly crunchy, healthy pasta alternative... a nice seasonal sub for kelp noodles and other gluten-free pastas!

image source

for those who have tried it, do you like spaghetti squash? how do you prepare it?

on to dessert...

though i prefer to make raw sweets, john loves baked goodies and is so appreciative when i bake him something, it almost makes the burnt fingertips and messy counter tops worthwhile. i also kind of feel bad i didn't make him zucchini brownies once this summer.

with homemade pumpkin puree in the fridge ready to expire, i searched for an easy pumpkin cookie recipe that included ingredients i had on hand. (i love the man but wasn't about to knock myself out running around!=)

these vegan old-fashioned soft pumpkin cookies were outstanding! more like little pumpkin cakes or pumpkin roll - so moist and flavorful! i bet the recipe could even be used for vegan pumpkin roll - i'll have to try it, though i'm not sure how it will compete with my mom's famous pumpkin roll...

mine may stand a chance since i add a deliciously unique fall flavor with asian five spice powder (a mix of cinnamon, anise, fennel, ginger, clover, and licorice root... hmmm, shouldn't it be called six spice?)  have you tried five spice powder? are you in love with it, too?

i wrote down my alterations but lost the paper. i remember using more cinnamon (maybe 2 tsp?) and a heaping tsp five spice. i cut back on the nutmeg and ginger and didn't add any cloves - only what was in the five spice powder. with no applesauce in the house, i substituted one ener-g egg replacer.

the recipe made 27 large cookies. thinking of pumpkin rolls, john thought they would taste great with cream cheese icing. i've made this vegan cream cheese frosting recipe before with vegan carrot cupcakes and everyone (including me) loved it. i'm not usually a big fan of cream-cheesy desserts.

so out we went for vegan cream cheese. (i'll run around if he's willing to keep me company!=) it was a total impulse purchase and i didn't read the ingredients until i got home. next time i'd like to try raw cream cheese, but with rejuvelac and cashews. i may even take a stab at an uncooked pumpkin roll rawl!=)

squash and greens

two words: delicious. nutritious.

roasted veggies over herbed cole slaw

quinoa with butternut squash and greens

black bean burrito on sprouted grain tortillas
salad with maple balsamic vinaigrette

escarole soup with kabocha squash and chick peas

john and i have been enjoying winter squash and greens almost every evening. during the day, we like to drink our greens. trips to animo juice, an organic cafe a few towns over are so colorful this time of year.

we usually order a juice and a wheat grass shot. the juice below is called garden state and was made from carrot, greens, apple and lemon. i forgot what john had, but it was yummy and contained spirulina.

green smoothies at home haven't been too exciting. (i miss my berry smoothies!)

blub blub

=)

*

so what are your plans for the weekend?

i have an idea for the mommies that read my bloggie:

make food with your kiddies!

this is a great time of year to make soup or baked goodies. my friend made pumpkin bread from scratch with her 2 and 3 year-old and said they had an absolute blast! it's a cute way to spend time with your children and celebrate natural foods, while teaching them the important skill of preparing their own food.

roasting pumpkin seeds is a fun activity for the kids, and you could puree the pumpkin for all kinds of yummy treats like pie or cookies.

here's an easy and deliciously rich peanut butter cookie recipe from pam i recently tried that would be perfect for the little ones - only 3 ingredients!
 

note: i recommend using unsweetened peanut butter or less sugar

if you have a blender and a dehydrator, you could make some apple cinnamon fruit roll-ups.

with homemade green powder for added nutrition

you can see the little green specks, but the taste is masked by sweet apple and cinnamon. a nice idea for the pickier eaters to get their greens in!

just some ideas. i'd love for you to share yours in the comments!

also, what were some things you loved doing with your family as a child?

i was reminded of how special it was to eat dinner with my family every night by this article. stephanie nielson is truly inspiring.

have a wonderful weekend!

=)

stuffed zucchini and nectarine cobbler

muth family farm's organic csa week 9: kale, chard, romaine, watermelon, fennel (woohoo!), green onions, eggplant, golden squash, zucchini, jalapeno, sweet peppers, heirloom tomatoes, white onion, white pepper, cucumber, blackberries and raspberries

the zucchini didn't have to go into our basket, and we were encouraged to take as many as we wanted. i could always make more zucchini chips, but i stood there thinking, 'how could i use these for dinner tonight?'. enter bernadette.

bernadette says something like, "oh i love when they're big like that" and i resist the urge to yell out "that's what she said!".=) she begins explaining to one of the workers that she stuffs and bakes the larger zucchini. my ears perk right up and i butt join right into that conversation!

bernadette says she simply scoops out the centers and makes a stuffing made of chopped onions, tomatoes and italian seasonings, which goes in the hollowed out centers.

raw

like zucchini boats! she bakes them for her family with a rice-based cheese and describes them as being like pizza! genius!

baked

herb stuffed zucchini with fennel

1 large zucchini

1 C. diced tomato

1/4 C. diced onion

3/4 C. chopped fennel

1 T. balsamic vinegar

1-2 garlic cloves

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. rosemary

few basil leaves, chopped

drizzle olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

slice zucchini vertically and hollow out the center (a teaspoon does the trick). chop the center and add all ingredients to a large bowl. mix well, adding olive oil to your liking. pack stuffing into centers.

enjoy raw, dehydrated a few hours at 115°, or baked for about 20 minutes at 400°.

for a cheesy flavor and added protein, top with gina's hempasan.

•

so bernadette introduces herself and says she eats a lot of raw food (figured - she had the glow). she tells me of a website  (i forget the name) with a recipe for a raw peach cobbler made with peaches and mangoes. tell me more!

bern says she blends some of the fruit with dates to make a sauce, then pours it on the sliced peaches. she tops it off with walnuts and raves that it tastes just as good as cooked cobbler. just to be sure, i had to try it for myself... *wink*

and she wasn't kidding! fresh out of peaches, i substituted nectarines, as any fruit would taste amazing, i'm sure. mmmmMMM! when are you making this!?=)

community nectarine cobbler
(serves 2)

2 nectarines, sliced thin

sauce:
1 ripe mango
1 medjool date
pinch of salt
1/4 inch piece of vanilla bean, or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
juice of 1/4 lemon

blend all sauce ingredients until smooth. pour over sliced nectarines.

topping:
1/4 C. walnuts
1/4 C. pecans
1 medjool date
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
drizzle of maple syrup

in a food processor, blend all topping ingredients until crumbles form. sprinkle on nectarines and enjoy!

•

if you're reading, thanks bernadette!!!