Sunrise Health Slaw

Our friends over at Sunrise Living have been experimenting with yummy vegan dishes and here is one of our favorites.  Their healthy summer slaw is delicious and can be served as a side dish and promises to be a hit at any family barbecue this summer!!  http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/blog/categories/senior-eats.aspx

Serves 4 to 6

The heat of summer calls for light, refreshing dishes. At Sunrise Senior Living, many of our seniors love coleslaw, an old-fashioned American favorite. While the traditional recipe is heavy on the mayonnaise , we’ve opted for a lighter, more healthful version that’s perfect to serve at this summer’s outdoor barbeques and picnics!

Tangy, and with just a touch of sweetness, our Sunrise Health Slaw is sure to be a hit at your next gathering. Using mustard as the flavor base instead of high-fat mayonnaise keeps it more waistline-friendly, too!

Ingredients:

-          shredded coleslaw mix – 4 cups

-          medium red bell pepper, seeded and small diced – ½ each

-          green onions, sliced thin – ½ bunch

-          red wine vinegar – 2 tbsp

-          vegetable oil or coconut oil – 1 ½ tbsp

-          vegan cane sugar or maple syrup – 1 tbsp

-          Dijon mustard – 1 tsp

-          celery seed – ¼ tsp

Method:

-          Toss together the coleslaw mix, bell pepper, and green onions in a medium bowl.

-          In a separate bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, mustard, and celery seed.

-          Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat. 

-          Cover the coleslaw and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving to soften the cabbage and develop the flavors. Serve chilled.

 http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil

 http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/blog/categories/senior-eats.aspx

Dreamy Vegan Chocolate Cake with Creamy Chocolate Frosting

This cake is a win win.  Healthy AND delicious!  I could eat the frosting by the spoonful haha.  I made some mistakes when attempting to make this cake, as it was a total experiment.  Because of the mistakes though it ended up being even more delicious and unique (i love how there are whole raisins, sunflowers and dates mixed in...yum.  and I like the texture of the frosting and cake)!  I sometimes sweeten desserts a little more when I make them for other people.  In my experience I have found that my taste buds have adjusted to a lower level of sweetness.  On this blog I have been experimenting with healthy whole foods to create yummy dishes.  This cake is one of the results of experimentation...kinda like a chocolate fruitcake.  A BRIDGE between healthy and sweet.  A yummy bridge, that will surprise you when you see the ingredients.  Have your cake and eat it too! 

 YUMMY!
HEALTHY!   http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed and http://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewilcox/2012/06/26/7-benefits-of-quinoa-the-supergrain-of-the-future/

Ingredients for filling:
3/4 cup flax meal
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped up dates (yummy option...any of your favorite dried fruit)
1/2 cup chopped up dried figs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce  
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1.5 cups almond milk (or any nut milk)
3/4- 1 cup raw cacao OR cocoa
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (or Himalayan sea salt...my cousin has been telling me how awesome it is and I've been meaning to do some research on it!)

Instructions:
Rinse off quinoa, boil in 1 cup of purified water and turn down heat to low.  Allow to soak up extra water.  This should take about 20 minutes.  Otherwise, just follow instructions on individual box :)  I had never made quinoa before (my sister always did that part lol) and it was really easy.

While you are making the quinoa do not snack on the enticing ingredients you are to assemble.  lol i did this ;)  Instead use your time more wisely by getting a long rectangle pan out and putting non stick baking paper along the edges inside, or anything that will allow the cake not to stick such as this fancy foil such as the one I used.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients except quinoa in high power blender.  (Check on your quinoa.  Make sure quinoa has absorbed all water.)  Blend on high.  OR.  PLAN B: 

haha

Remember how I said I made some mistakes?  Well, the biggest mistake I made was to start making the cake and not checking first to see if my mom had a blender.  Nope.  No blender.  Just a hand mixer.  So how to blend the ingredients?  I am used to making raw vegan cakes and a vita mix blender is usually all you need.  I don't think I have used a hand mixer since I was maybe five or six.  I was wondering, do these things ninja chop or just stir?  I gave it a whirl and was disappointed at first, realizing that nothing was chopped up.  I was thinking well I can either throw in the towel and give up or I can just pour the cake batter into the pan with whole sunflower seeds, dates and raisins.  What the heck why not?  But first I added quinoa to the large mixing bowl and the cake batter was nice and dense.

I spooned in the cake batter into the rectangle pan with non stick foil (or non stick baking paper).  making sure to evenly spread out the mixture the best that I could.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour until the middle is soft and still a little moist.  I had to keep checking mine.  I stirred it all up occasionally too because I noticed the sides and top were getting hotter and baking faster than the middle.  I am not an expert at baking so I figured it was best to stir it up so nothing would burn.

(meanwhile...while your cake is in the oven...)
FROSTING!!!!!  Time to make some delicious frosting that you are going to want to make some extra so you can freeze it so you have some extra to snack on when it is a commercial break or movie night.  Hey, it is a healthy treat right?
No guilt :)

The picture doesn't do this scrumptious treat justice.  Simply heavenly.  Here is the site that inspired me:  http://fooddoodles.com/2013/06/04/raw-vegan-chocolate-frosted-brownies/
 also, check out how great eating avocado is for your hair and skin!  http://www.tandurust.com/hair-care/avocado-benefits-hair-skin.html

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados
1/3 cup maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey*
1/2 cup raw cacao or cocoa
sea salt to taste
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Optional:  nutmeg and cinnamon

Blend or hand mix until a creamy and light texture.
Put frosting in fridge or freezer to keep cool.  Allow cake to cool in fridge without putting the frosting on.  Once cake has cooled you can put the frosting on.


These measurements are flexible (according to your taste).  You may like more or less sweetness, etc.
I had lots of left over frosting.  It keeps great in the freezer!  you don't even need to thaw it.  I am keeping my cake in the freezer and letting it thaw for a bit before eating.

Enjoy!

Vegan Summer Berry and Date Parfait

This is the perfect summer treat!  I really love berry season and this is one of the yummiest ways I can think of to enjoy fresh, local berries.  They are simple, quick and beautiful too :)

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)
*2 beautiful glasses (hey, this is important! :))
*1.5 cups of your favorite berry.  I used blueberries and raspberries.  Another delicious choice would have been mulberries.
*16 ounces of vegan yogurt, (you are going to divide into fourths)
*about 25 dates chopped up
*about 1/4 cup of flax, coconut or almond meal

First, add a thin layer of flax, coconut or almond meal to your first glass.  Next, pour in half of the yogurt.  The next layer is a thin layer of dates followed by a thin layer of berries.  Next add a layer of flax, coconut or almond meal.  Finish off with the rest of the yogurt (you should still have half reserved for the other dessert) for this parfait.  Add a thin layer of dates, berries and a dusting of flax meal.  

Copy directions for second dessert!  ENJOY :)

Garden Pita with Creamy Avocado & Kale and Cilantro

I wanted to make a healthy lunch for my parents.  I ended up creating something that I will no doubt regularly implement into my own quick and easy meals :)  These garden pitas are delicious, quick and simple to make.  If you want to make a strictly raw vegan meal, skip the pita and enjoy the rest as a fresh yummy salad!! :)

To begin:  I visited my local health food/grocery store and bought Ezekial sprouted grain pitas.  They were frozen at the store, and still a little cold by the time I got home so I put them in the oven for a few minutes.

Next, I threw two handfuls of chopped kale in a big bowl.  Make sure to remove any large stems.  I added:

(serves 2)  INGREDIENTS:
2 pitas (I used Ezekial sprouted grain)
1/2 avocado
1/8 cup olive oil
sea salt to taste
1 handful of cilantro
2 handfuls of kale (chopped and stems removed)
Juice of 1 lemon
any additional herbs or seasoning of your choice...get creative!

I took the pita bread and smoothed 1/4 avocado on the inside, inside each pita, using a total of 1/2 avocado.  I used the avocado as a replacement for mayonnaise.  Next I mixed together the kale, cilantro, salt, olive oil and lemon in a big bowl, breaking down the crunchiness of the kale until it was a bit softer.  I took that and used it to stuff the pitas.  It is a little creamy and tangy with a nice zing as you bite into it :)  Perfect!  My parents were a little hesitant at first, but ended up liking it.

 You can also add things like tomatoes, corn, shredded carrots & beets, onions, etc!!  YUM

 

Simple Raw Vegan Chocolate Desserts (chocolate almond butter cup & chocolate with walnuts and sea salt)

My mom and I (Kc) made these today for my cousin's birthday gift and for a way for my mom to healthfully enjoy chocolate while also incorporating coconut oil into her diet.

These are seriously YUMMY and seriously easy to make.  
What you will need:

 Chocolate:
1 cup of raw cacao powder  (you can also use cocoa!)
6-7 tablespoons of coconut oil...you want it gooey
3 tablespoons of liquid sweetener (maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey*)
cinnamon to taste
sea salt to taste 
Mix together and add cinnamon and sea salt to your liking; I use 5-6 shakes each

Filling:
Dessert #1.  2 tablespoons of almond butter
Dessert #2.  1/4 cup chopped up walnuts

Find two small storage containers (ours holds about 6 oz) and fill up both with a layer of chocolate.   You could also use cupcake liners, but then you will probably end up with 4 desserts.  Which is just fine :)

For the first dessert, scoop 2 tablespoons of almond butter inside, and use a spoon to spread chocolate on top to cover.  For your other dessert, sprinkle chopped walnuts inside and stir together.  Once evenly mixed together, sprinkle more walnuts on top.  

Garnish each dessert with a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Place in Freezer for 20 minutes, cut into small pieces, and then place in fridge for storage or eat right away.  ENJOY!! :)

Fresh Dandelion Green Salad with Almond and Sunflower Seeds

My sister and I just walked to the grocery store to get some rocket or spinach for the salad I was planning on making for lunch.  Well, the store was closed because it is a national holiday--Anzac Day!  What to do?  What else, but our favorite...urban herbin'!  I was brainstorming ideas for lunch and then I remembered all the beautiful dandelion greens growing nearby*.  They are a bitter green, so be prepared for that, but taste lovely to me with the right seasoning.  Also, they are packed with nutrition:  http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2441/2

"This food is a good source of Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Potassium and Manganese."  Who knew...that free 'weed' growing outside our homes is so good for us?  It also has amazing benefits for your liver and kidneys :))

*It is very important that you know for sure the dandelion greens are not sprayed with harsh insecticides or pesticides.   I know the spot that I get mine is free from pollutants and safe to eat. Also, some grocery stores are starting to sell them, such as Whole Foods Market in the USA.

Ingredients:
2 cups of washed dandelion greens, at least chopped in half lengthwise
a small handful of finely chopped up almonds
about 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Chopped up veggies (I used what we had on hand--carrots, corn, purple cabbabe)
Your favorite seasoning (I liked a small amount of sea salt, ground peppercorns, cayenne, garlic)
Lastly, I sprinkled ground up flax and sunflower seeds on top

Mix together and adjust seasoning to your liking! 

Raw Vegan Anzac Day Biscuits

First, I just wanna say THANKS everyone who is trying out our recipes on this blog!  My sister and I are very excited to share what we learn in the kitchen and connect with others who are also passionate about food, holistic health & creativity :)

Happy Anzac Day!!  Okay, well, Happy Inner Peace, LOVE and Acceptance Day too!  In the spirit of celebrating, my sister and I got creative and made some raw vegan Anzac Day Biscuits (cookies for all our mates in America)!  Seriously, these are perfect and I am told they taste very traditional :-)

Ingredients

3/4 cup of rolled oats
1/3 cup of shredded coconut
1/3 cup of sesame seeds
1/2 cup of almond meal
1/3 cup of vegan liquid sweetener--maple syrup or agave syrup or honey*
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
sea salt to taste

In a food processor, combine almond meal, coconut, sesame seeds, and oats until chopped finely.  Add in the salt, liquid sweetener and vanilla extract.  When the texture starts to clump up you are done processing.  The 'dough' mixture was difficult for us to roll into cookies by hand so we placed it firmly into a storage container.  We lined the bottom of the container with baking paper.  We placed the mixture inside and pressed down firmly until it was level in height.  We used baking paper on top as well since the doughy mixture was so sticky and hard to work with.  After that we cut the dough into bite size squares.  Place in the fridge for an hour and enjoy!

*some people agree that honey is vegan while others say it is not