snicker-doodle-do

Remember when I went to New York and ate a Babycakes? (That was a good day.) Well, I bought one of their recipe books and decided to try some baking of my own. The recipes are all gluten free, vegan, and so simple - it really makes splurging easy! 

Now, I would not recommend eating this way on a regular basis & I've been working on raw dessert recipes that are actually good for you. But, for someone transitioning to a LFRV lifestyle, sometimes cookies like this are a-okay. 

Kristin and I spent the afternoon adapting Babycakes' snickerdoodle recipe to our own version....and then we pretty much ate them all...

snicker-doodle-do:

1 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup raw sugar

3 tbsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup ground flax meal

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. sea salt

3/4 cup + 1 tbsp. coconut oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tbsp. vanilla extract

Mix together 1 1/3 cup sugar, rice and almond flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and 1 tbsp cinnamon. Melt the coconut oil and add to the mixture along with the applesauce and vanilla. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the freezer for half an hour. In a smaller bowl, stir the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tbsp. cinnamon while the oven preheats to 325F.  

Roll together teaspoon sized balls and cover with the cinnamon sugar. Place on a cooking sheet (covered with parchment paper) about an inch apart. Lightly press a fork over each ball to help them spread. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the cookie sheet, and bake for another 7 minutes. Once the cookies are brown and crispy, remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet. 

Enjoy with a big ol' glass of cold almond milk! 

What are your favorite desserts? I'd love to try to make more gf/vegan versions of the classics. 

mini fig pie

I have quite the sweet tooth, which is probably part of the reason I love a LFRV lifestyle...unlimited fruit! Summertime is great for fresh figs since they are in season and easy to find at most every grocery store. I bought a big bag and have been adding them to my smoothies, salads, and pie! 

mini fig pie:

1/2 cup raw almonds (ideally soaked for 4 hours)

1/2 cup mejooled dates

3/4 cup chopped figs

3/4 cup chopped strawberries

In the food processor, blend the almonds and dates until finely ground. Using your hands, mold into pie shape. Using the food processor again, blend the strawberries and figs until smooth. Pour the fruit mixture into your pie crust, drizzle with local honey, and enjoy! 


Easy as pie! 

key lime gelato

One thing I want to change is the general assumption that if you want to eat healthy, you have to miss out on great food. It's amazing to me that so many people assume I just eat cardboard all day. I want to show you that you can enjoy all the great flavors of foods you love and be healthy. 


My parents always talk about the "best key lime pie they have ever had" from a cruise they took 30 years ago. I guess I got my love for this tart pie from them! For tonight, I thought a cool gelato would be nice after this hot summer day. I still wanted that key lime pie taste, and after playing with some ingredients, I think I got it!. We froze it in separate cups and topped it off with some fresh mint from the garden. Now that I know I got the flavor down, I think I'll try to make a pie, too. 


key lime gelato:
1 avocado
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. coconut oil
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
Blend the ingredients using a Vitamix or a hand blender. Let it sit in the freezer for at least an hour. 

strawberry cream pie

I love hearing about famous people who eat a LFRV diet. I've read about anyone from Madonna to Ellen Degeneres to Drew Barrymore to Bill Clinton. What really encouraged me to eat this way was the number of professional athletes who have seen better results on this diet, too. I've read about body-builders, basketball players, cyclists, and Olympic runners who follow a LFRV diet.

But, I was really excited to here tha Jónsi is a raw vegan. If you don't know Jónsi, you must check out Sigur Ros and his solo project, Jonsi.

Jónsi and Alex have a cooking show on Youtube and it is awesomely cute. Their raw strawberry pie recipe looks delicious, so I decided to make one too! Of course, I changed a little bit, so here is my adapted version...

raw strawberry coconut cream pie:

crust

1 cup dates

1 cup coconut

1 cup almonds

pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp. coconut oil to coat the bottom of the pan

filling

2 cup coconut

2 tbsp. coconut oil
2 cup raw agave
2 cup strawberries

 
Chop the crust ingredients together in a food processor and then press along the bottom and sides of the pan. Blend the filling ingredients well in the Vitamix. Pour into the pan and top with fresh squeezed lemon juice. Let it sit in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving. BENNY APPROVED!


Yum!

i have revolutionized the cookie

Seriously, this is amazing. This cookie recipe is so simple, so tasty, and so good for you. It is even BENNY APPROVED!

oatmeal cookie:
2 ripe bananas
almond milk as needed
1 cup oats (more as needed)
2 tsp. cinnamon

I put a piece of cacao in the middle of each cookie because I love chocolate. These would also be great with raisins, almond slivers, goji berries, or any other filling.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

I could eat these everyday.

carrot cake cookies

I've been making a lot of carrot juice lately, and I hate throwing away all the leftover pulp. I've heard about people using the pulp to make breads, so I decided to try something similar and make cookies! I added raisins to make these cookies more like mini carrot cakes. You can dehydrate for a shorter or longer time depending on the consistency you prefer (a shorter time will give you softer cookies, longer will be more crispy).

carrot cake cookies:
2 cups carrot pulp leftover from juicing
1/3 cup ground flax
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1-2 tbsps. cinnamon (I like a lot)
1/3 cup almond milk - more as needed
2/3 cup raw agave
1/4 cup raisins

Mix the ingredients in the order listed above. Shape into cookies and dehydrate for at least 2-3 hours (more depending on your desired texture). I dehydrated in my oven overnight at the lowest setting with the oven door cracked.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is completely raw! By not cooking it, you keep all the nutrients intact. It has a low glycemic index (won't give you a sugar rush), and it contains minimal fat.

Enjoy!

pie for pi day

To celebrate Pi Day, let's eat some PIE!

I made this pie for a friend's birthday party and everyone loved it. No one even cared that it was "gluten-free-vegan-weird-tree-hugger" (yes, I have gotten that reaction before). Instead, everyone thought it was awesome - and a good summer treat.

I think I'll make it again for the 4th of July, yes?




blueberry chocolate mousse pie:
shredded coconut & dates (or 12 shredded coconut covered dates)
4.5 cups blueberries
25-30 dates, depending on the size
4 heaping teaspoons raw carob (optional)


Spread the coconut date rolls across the bottom of a cheesecake spring pan - this is the crust. In the Vitamix, blend the remaining dates and blueberries. Add the carob if you'd like it chocolatey. Pour the blueberry filling on top of the crust and let it sit in the freezer for a few hours. When you're ready to eat, open the spring pan and top with shredded coconut and sliced strawberries.

(recipe from Megan Elizabeth)

Enjoy!

lil sweet thang

I have a major sweet tooth, so I doubt I'll ever stop eating dessert.

Here's a lil sweet thang that is simple, nutritious, and delicious.

chocolate blackberry cobbler:

1 cup blackberries

1 sliced banana

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup cacao nibs

drizzle with honey

Enjoy!