Raw Brownies

It's hot and sticky.  The AC has been running for three days straight and you've been craving brownies.  Not popcicles, or ice cream or anything else that would actually COOL you down. Brownies.

But.. making brownies means turning on the oven, and that ain't gonna happen.
You consider just eating a handful of chocolate chips, but really... how is that going to satsify a craving for brownies.

It's not.. and you will end up with melted chocolate all over your hands.

So then, you put two and two together.  Why not make a RAW brownie?  An ultra fudgy, gulit free, super healthy, gluten and refined sugar free, vegan raw brownie. They look like brownies and taste like brownies but require no oven, just a food processor and five minutes.

These sweet treats are packed full of walnuts, dates, raw cacao, and dried cherries. They are high in protein, fiber, rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  They're sinfully rich and dense, curbing the desire to devour the entire pan(which I've done many a time with regular 'ol brownies).  Enjoy as a sweet treat after dinner, or crumble some on top of ice cream for a more decadent dessert. Dessert that's actually GOOD for you....

Raw Brownies (makes 9- 2" brownies)
From my dear friend Jane, via " Raw For Dessert" by Jennifer Cornbleet

1 1/2 c. walnuts
small pinch of sea salt
8 dates
1/3 c. raw cocoa powder
1/4 c. raw cacao nibs
1/4 c. dried cherries
1 t. water

Place walnuts and salt in a food processor and pulse until they resemble fine crumbs. Add dates and mix until it comes together  Add cocoa powder, cacao nibs, dried cherries and water and mix until well combined. Press into a pie plate or small baking dish (I used a tupperware container) and cut into small squares and refrigerate until firm. 
Keep refrigerated.

Raw Pesto Pizza with Tapenade and Cashew Ricotta

Ok.. let's be real, this isn't a pizza.

Although pesto and tapenade can be found on a traditional pizza, the rest of the ingredients don't really bare any resemblance. The crust is made from buckwheat and flax, brazil nuts stand in for parmesan, and blended cashews make a creamy cheese substitute. 

I love pizza as much as the next person, especially when it's topped with shaved asparagus, butternut squash, or corn and zucchini. I've been cutting way back on my dairy and cheese consumption, so I figured this would be a tasty stand in.  Sure, I could have just piled a ton of vegetables on a pizza crust sans cheese but I wanted to do something a little different...

I've been on a bit of a raw food kick lately.. maybe it's the warmer(ish) weather, or the need to do a little internal spring cleaning, or the fact that summer is on it's way and I'm not sure if my ass is going to fit into my bikini.

I made some buckwheat and flax crackers the other day and decided to use some as a "pizza" crust base inspired by a raw pizza I used to make when I worked at Cafe Gratitude.

So... I whipped up a batch of tapenade using some kalamata olives, capers, garlic, parsley and a little olive oil. Then I made my go-to pesto consisting of spinach, basil, walnuts, olive oil, garlic and a little lemon. 

The restaurant made a delicious brazil nut parmesan which I used to sprinkle on everything.. just brazil nuts, a little garlic and a pinch of salt in the food processor. 10 seconds. Done.

For the cheese, I soaked some cashews for about 4 hours and blended them with a squeeze lemon and some salt thinning it out with a little water.

First I spread the crackers with a bit of the cashew cheese, followed by the tapenade and then the pesto. Then I added a generous sprinkle of the brazil nut parm and a handful of pea shoots.

Healthy.
Delicious.

Raw Food done right.

Rawsome Banana Cacao Ice Cream

Holy amazeballs this stuff is no joke.

Banana ice cream has been all the rage lately. I mean what could be easier than throwing some frozen bananas in a food processor and having a creamy treat in less than five minutes.
I decided to give it a go, but wanted something a little more decadent.

I mixed together some unrefined coconut oil, raw cacao powder, raw cacao nibs and some honey to transform this dessert into a superfood treat!

Coconut oil has gotten a bad reputation for being unhealthy since it contains saturated fat.  However, most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is easily digestible and turned into quick energy, and therefore is less likely to cause obesity.  It has also been shown to have anti-microbal benefits and can boost immunity.

RAW cacao is known as food of the gods and is actually one of the healthiest foods on earth.  No joke. It has one of the highest levels of antioxidants on the planet.  It lowers blood pressure and can prevent heart disease.  It has more magnesium than any other food (the one mineral westerners are most deficient in). Magnesium helps to reduce stress, relaxes the muscles and builds strong bones and teeth. It also makes me feel amazing!! After consuming raw cacao I feel more energetic, like a great coffee buzz but without the crash.

RAW honey is anti- bacterial, ani- microbal and anti- fungal.  It boosts immunity, is great for ulcers and aids digestion and has anti-cancer properties.  A spoonful of local raw honey is also great for those of us that suffer from seasonal allergies.

So... now that you know how good the stuff is.. Let's do this!

Fun with science:
Coconut oil is solid below 76 degrees and turns liquid at any temperature above that. When the liquidy coconut cacao mixture hits the ice cold banana puree it instantly turns solid.  Hello, magic shell!!!

Rawsome Banana Cacao Ice Cream (serves 2-4)

5 bananas, peeled, cut into pieces and frozen for at least 12 hours

Magic shell:
1/4 c. coconut oil (if your coconut oil is solid, heat it gently till it becomes liquified)
1/4 c. raw cacao powder
1 T. raw cacao nibs
1 T. raw honey

In a small bowl mix together the coconut oil, cacao powder, nibs and honey.
Meanwhile, place the chopped frozen bananas in a food processor and give it a whirl, scraping down the sides every thirty seconds or so (it took about five minutes to get a creamy texture).  When the texture is nice and smooth, add in half of your "magic shell" ingredients and pulse a couple times to incorporate.  Divide the ice cream between bowls and top with the remaining shell mixture.  Dig in and prepare for a serious energy boost!

Next time I'm totally adding peanut butter.  Just sayin'.