This pie is probably one of my favorite raw pies I have made so far and everyone who tries it agrees. The avocado gives the filling a nice light green color and super creamy consistency. If you like tart desserts, you will love this pie!

Raw Key Lime Pie

Crust:

• • ½ cup desiccated coconut
• • ½ cup rolled oats (or more coconut)
• • 1 cup macadamia nuts
• • ½ c dates
• • ¼ t salt

Filling:

• • 1 ½ cups avocado
• • 1 cup soaked cashews (drained)
• • ½ cup lime juice + 2 tbsp lime zest
• • ½ cup fruit sweetener (or agave)
  
• • pinch of sea salt
• • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder
• • ½ cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
• • 1/3 cup water to blend

Whipped Cream Topping:

• • 1 ½ cup soaked cashews
• • 3 tablespoon fruit sweetener (or agave)
• • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder
• • 1 T ground lecithin (optional)
• • ¼ cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Start with the whipped cream, blend all ingredients on high until smooth. Pour into a flat container and place in the freezer for 2 hours until set, then transfer to the fridge until ready to use.

For the crust, process the coconut, oats, salt and macadamia nuts until fine. Add the dates and process until the mixture sticks together when pressed between two fingers. Press into a lightly oiled pie plate and place in the freezer while you make the filling.

Blend all filling ingredients on high until smooth. Pour filling into chilled pie crust and place in the freezer to set for 2 hours. Store pie in the fridge until ready to serve. Before serving, pipe whipped cream onto pie with an icing bag.

I normally shy away from gluten-free baking. It just seems to complicated. Most recipes have a list of 5 or more different flours that need to be used in very specific ratios. I realize that many people appreciate gluten free baked goods and so I decided to conquer my fear. I have done some gluten free quinoa cakes, but to be honest they still sort of taste like quinoa and are rather grainy. They taste great to me, but if you are trying to impress a “regular” person, I wouldn’t suggest using quinoa flour.

I was very happy and surprised with the results of this cake. The main flour used is brown rice flour with some cornstarch which gives it a lighter texture; the xanthum gum takes the place of gluten. This cake is incredibly moist without any added oils. The pears, spices and almond extract compliment each other beautifully. This is definitely a cake you can serve to guests without anyone knowing it is gluten free or “healthy!”

Recipe: (note t=teaspoon T=tablespoon)

• 1 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch (or potato starch)
• 1 cup unsweetened soy yogurt (or other nondairy yogurt)
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1 banana mashed
• 2 pears (1 diced into small cubes, one sliced for the top)
• 3/4 t xanthum gum
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 2 t chai spice (or 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/2 t ginger, 1/2 t cardamom, 1/2 t allspice)
• 1 T vanilla
• 1 T almond extract (optional)
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 c non-dairy milk (if needed)

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix all of the wet ingredients together including the mashed banana and one diced pear (not the nondairy milk) and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add the non-dairy milk only if the dough is very dry. The dough will be slightly more stiff and sticky than regular dough, restrain yourself from adding extra liquid. Press the dough into an oiled 9×9 or 8×8 baking dish. Lay the sliced pears on top and sprinkle and extra tablespoon of coconut sugar on top if desired. Bake at 180 C or 350 F for 50-60 minutes (I did 60), because it is a very moist cake. Remove from the oven and let cool an hour before serving.

Pear Cream:

• 1 c soaked cashews (reserve liquid from soaking)
• 1 c chopped ripe pears (about 2 medium)
• 2 T coconut oil
• 1/2 t vanilla powder
• stevia to taste (or other sweetener)

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender on high until smooth. Add extra soaking water if necessary to blend. Place in a flat dish in the fridge to thicken for at least 4 hours.

Submitted to: Wellness Weekend

I think people love the idea of desserts that are guilt-free and healthy (I know I do). I mean really, I can have my cake and eat it too! I love trying to come up with new ways to use up an over-abundance of ingredients we might have on hand. We have quite a few bags of kale waiting to be used, so naturally, I have been trying to come up with as many different ways to use kale as I can! Kale cake? Why not? There is zucchini cake and even spinach cake! So why not kale?

Others looked on skeptically as I was making this cake. Normally, I like to keep my ingredients a secret until after the dish has been tasted (you know, so I don’t scare anybody off). This time, though, I informed everyone that I was making a Kale Superfood Cake (and the green color is a bonus for St Patrick’s Day)! Kale, avocado, dates and pistachios are the “superfoods” I chose to include in the cake. I would suggest not telling anyone that this is a “Kale Cake,” but rather call it a pistachio or St Patrick’s Day cake. No one will guess that there is kale in there. I will admit, I was rather surprised at how good this cake turned out. The cake is extremely moist and studded with tiny bits of dates and chunks of pistachio. The batter is very lightly sweetened and slightly spiced. I topped the cake with the cashew sour cream frosting from my ebook.  Now I am thinking of what else I can make with kale! Kale ice cream? Why not?

Recipe:

Dry:

• 2 cups white spelt flour (can use whole flour, but it will not be as “cakey”)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch
• 1/2 c chopped pistachios

Wet:

• 6 large medjool dates or 10 deglet or bhardi (about a cup not packed)
• 1/2 cup liquid sweetener (I used fruit sweetener)
• 1/2 cup mashed avocado (about 1 avocado)
• 2 cups packed washed and blanched kale
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup soft coconut oil
• 1/2 cup soy milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

In a bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. In a food processer, process the first 6 wet ingredients until smooth. Add the soy milk mixture and process again. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thourougly. Oil a 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with coconut oil and dust flour evenly over the oil. Press the dough into the pan and bake at 350 F or 180 C for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool for 10 minutes then remove cake from pan and let cool completely on a wire wrack. Cut cake in half diagonally and frost with the cashew sour cream frosting in my ebook, or leave cake whole and frost as is.

out of the oven

cut in half

decorating

Submitted to: Wellness Weekend

Cashew cheesecakes have been quite popular in this household recently. They taste amazing and are garenteed to be a crowd-pleaser. I love coming up with new flavors. Here is my recipe for a Lemon Strawberry Cheesecake and a Strawberry Key Lime Pie Cheesecake.

Orange Almond Creamsicle Swirl cake. I use to love orange creamsicle popsicles as a kid. I added almond extract to the white cream just because I love the almond flavor, but you can leave it out if you like.

You know you want a bite!

Crust:

• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons ground flax 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons liquid sweetener
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

Orange:

• 2 cups soaked cashews
• 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice (or sub tangerine juice)
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 10 drops liquid NuNaturals stevia (or to taste)
• zest of one orange
• 2 tablespoons ground lecithin
• natural orange food coloring (optional)

Almond:

• 1 cup soaked cashews
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 15 drops liquid NuNaturals stevia (or to taste)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 1 tablespoon ground lecithin

Start with the crust. Pour the coconut flour, salt and desiccated coconut into a food processor and process until fine. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the dough sticks together when pressed between your fingers (you may need to add another tablespoon or two of water). Press dough into a 8 or 9 inch spring-form pie pan. Place the crust in the freezer while you make the filling. Blend all ingredients for the orange filling and pour into a bowl. Blend all ingredients for the white almond filling adding just enough of the soaking liquid from the cashews to blend and pour into a separate bowl. Take the crust out of the freezer and pour 1/2 of the orange filling into pan. Swirl 1/2 of the almond filling on top and tap the pie plate to release air bubbles. Repeat the steps again and place the pie in the freezer to set for 2 hours. Remove pie and serve or store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Submitted to: Wellness Weekend

Whether you want to call it a cake or a bread, it is moist and not too sweet with a hint of banana. Sweetened with bananas and dates and made with homemade quinoa flour, this cake is wholesome enough to have for breakfast, yet decadent enough to serve to guests for dessert!

Quinoa flour is quite easy to make at home, but you will need a high-speed blender such as a vitamix.

Homemade Quinoa Flour: (makes 1 3/4 c)

• 2 cups whole quinoa

Turn the oven on to 350 F (180 C). Pour the quinoa onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and blend in a blender until fine and powdery. Use immediately, or store in a airtight container in the fridge.

Banana Cake: (Note “T”=tablespoon “t”=teaspoon)

• 1 3/4 c quinoa flour
• 3 bananas (2 mashed, 1 sliced)
• 7 large medjool dates
• 1/2 c water
• 1/2 c nuts (I used silvered almonds, but walnuts, shredded coconut or cashews would be good)
• 1 T vanilla
• 1/2 c coconut oil melted
• 1/4 t salt
• 3/4 t xanthum gum
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 T apple cider vinegar

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and xanthum. In a blender, blend the 2 mashed bananas, dates, water, coconut oil, vanilla and vinegar. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. Press the dough into a oiled 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. Top the cake with sliced bananas and chopped nuts of your choice. Bake cake for 25 minutes at 350 F. Remove and let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

This cake is great on its own, but I also like to serve it frosted with the cashew frosting in my ebook.

Submitted to: Wellness Weekend

I make savory dishes just about every night, but I usually find that the pictures just do not do the dish justice. Thus I resort to more of the dessert recipes to share on my blog.

I taught a raw “cooking” class this weekend and this sauce was one of the recipes I demonstrated. We have been loving this sauce and have eaten it every night for about 4 days! If you don’t like cooked tomato sauces, then I would give this one a try. It is not acidic and is extremely flavorful.

In this photo, I served the sauce over lightly cooked zucchini noodles, broccoli and mushrooms. I crumbled in some of my Onion, Cheese Bread which served as the “meat” for my bolognese sauce. Perfecto!

This sauce is really good on just about anything. You can use it as a dip for vegetables, mix it into noodles or pour it over your salad. The optional powdered lecithin stops the tomato sauce from separating. It is not necessary, but is nice to use if you are serving this sauce to guests. If you do not have the fresh herbs on hand, you can get away with using just the dried ones listed.

Marinara Sauce:

• 3/4 cup dehydrated tomatoes (soaked for 3 hours and rinsed)
• 2-3 cups roughly chopped tomatoes (depending on the consistency you want)
• 2 medjool dates
• 1 c red pepper roughly chopped
• 1 c celery roughly chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic granules (or 1/2 clove of garlic)
• 1/4 c fresh basil
• 1/4 c fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon tamari (optional, if the dried tomatoes are salted then leave out)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 6 kalamata olives (reserved)
• 1 tablespoon powdered lecithin (optional)

Blend all ingredients except olives in a blender until smooth. Add the olives and blend just until chunky. Serve.

The recipe for this Raw Banoffee Pie is in my new recipe ebook Gluten Free Guiltless Vegan Desserts.

Submitted to: Wellness Weekend

Here are a few of the recipes you will find in the book:

Raw Banoffee Pie

Raw Caramel Cookie Dough Bars

Gluten Free Banana Cupcake

Gluten Free Carob or Chocolate Cake

Here is the link to view it on Amazon UK and Amazon US

*I have had a few people comment that they would love to buy my new ebook, but they do not have a kindle. I would just like to make sure everyone knows that you do NOT need a kindle to purchase and view the ebook on Amazon. A simple free kindle download is available for both PCs and Macs and allows you to view any kindle book on your computer. Click here to download kindle for mac.

Submitted to: Wellness Weekend, Potluck Party

It was hard for me to imagine that a raw banana bread could actually taste like… well banana bread. It is mildly sweet, moist and slightly squishy just like real bread! After I experimented with the Cheese Bread, I figured I could just substitute some of the ingredients and hope it came out well! This bread really hit the mark for us!

Similar to the Cheese Bread, you do not need a dehydrator to make this. You can do it in a low oven with the door slightly open.

Recipe:

• 2 cups whole almonds
• 1/3 cup psyllium
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 3 ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
• 4 large medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or 1 teaspoon maple extract, (optional)
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 1/2 cup ground flax seeds

Fold in:

• 1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
• 2 (or more) chopped medjool dates

First grind the almonds in a food processer. You do not want a fine meal or flour, but not chunks either, somewhere in between. Remove the ground almonds into a bowl and process the remaining ingredients. Pour the ground almonds back into the food processer and process until mixed. The dough should just stick together when pressed. Do not add water unless absolutely necessary. Fold the chopped walnuts and chopped medjool dates into the dough. Place dough onto a mesh dehydrator sheet or a parchment lined baking sheet (if you are using the oven). Shape into a loaf and score with a knife into slices. Place in the dehydrator at 145 F for about 1 hour or in the oven with the door ajar at 175 F (or as low as it will go) for the same amount of time. After an hour, the loaf should form a nice crust. Cut the loaf into slices and lay onto your tray. You can dehydrate/bake at the same temperature as before for about 3-4 hours or until the slices are at your desired dryness or you can turn the dehydrator down to 115F for 10 hours. If you are not using a mesh sheet, you will have to flip the slices have way through. Once cooled, store the slices in a sealed container in the fridge.

So yes, this is a super rich and decadent treat, but honestly, one slice is very satisfying and will go a looong way! It is a special treat after all! ;-) I garentee you whoever you make this for will definitely be impressed (if they like cheesecake)… it was a winner around here! The strawberry sauce really makes the cake, so feel free to literally slather it all over the top after serving! The little heart swirls look cuter though…

Doesn’t it just scream, “EAT ME!”

Here ya go…

Recipe:

This recipe makes a BIG pie. You will need a spring-form pie pan

Crust:

• 1 1/2 c rolled oats (could use almonds or coconut, but I figured there were enough nuts in the rest of the pie)
• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 1/2 t xanthum gum (or 1 T ground flax mixed with 3 T warm water)
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 3 c cashews (soaked for 4 hours and reserve liquid)
• 2/3 c lemon juice
• 3/4 c coconut oil warmed to a liquid
• 30 drops liquid NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (or alcohol free vanilla)
• 2-3 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoon liquid or granules of lecithin (can leave out, but it will not be quite as creamy)

Strawberry Sauce:

• 1 c defrosted frozen strawberries with juices
• 2 dates

Start with the crust. Pulse the rolled oats in the food processer until they are slightly broken (do not over-process). Add the almond butter, salt, xanthum gum or flax gel and process again. Next add the almond extract and slowly pour the maple syrup in while the food processer is running. Taste and adjust. The crust should just stick together when pressed between your fingers. If not, add 1 tablespoon of water. Press the crust into a 8 or 9 inch spring-form cheesecake pan (or just a regular pie plate). Make sure the crust is not too thick, it should go 1/3 of the way up the sides of the pan. Place the crust in the freezer while you make the filling.

Blend the strawberries and dates until completely smooth. Pour into a squeeze bottle. If the strawberries have lots of seeds, you may need to strain the sauce for it to come out smoothly, mine was fine without straining.

Blend the cashews with the warmed coconut oil, lemon juice, sweetener and vanilla. Add as much of the soaking liquid from the cashews as needed to blend completely smooth. If your lecithin is in granule form,  grind it in a spice grinder before adding to the filling or use liquid lecithin. Blend the lecithin into the filling. Taste and adjust.

Pour half of the filling into the pie crust. Tap the pie on the counter to release any air bubbles. Dot the surface of the filling with the strawberry sauce and swirl the filling with a chopstick or knife. This part of the filling will not be visable, so it can be your trial run. Pour the remaining filling into the pie crust and again tap the pie and dot the top with the strawberry sauce. If you are using a regular pie plate you will have extra filling. Swirl the top and place in the freezer to set for 2 hours and then keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve the slices with extra strawberry sauce and sliced almonds if desired.

Submitted to: Wellness Weekend, Potluck Party