Make it cherry ;P Haha have fun with this one! You seriously can’t mess it up. I invite you to truly savor the beautiful people in our lives right now and have this memorial day be one of utmost gratitude. If you are having a celebration and feel anxious around food at parties, this is your time to seriously practice self trust, self love, and release the ideas of shame around certain foods. We are here to be happy and free, and we can choose a perception that serves us. No more beating ourselves up. Just fully enjoy!
If you feel called to help those who have been wounded in war, whether that be physically, mentally, or even a loved one of a wounded warrior, I invite you to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project. This is a very progressive organization active in helping those who need it most. I am confident the funds will help. Or, if you live in the SoCal area, it would be awesome to see you at their 5k in late August.
Crust:
20 medjool dates, pitted
6 oz raw almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
Steps:
Line a 9×6 baking dish with parchment paper (feel free to try round spring cake pan, pie plate, or square pan!)
Using food processor S blade, blend the crust ingredients until well combined and pressable texture for crust, nice and chunky, not paste or butter
Press crust evenly into parchment lined dish
Cheesecake:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in the fridge overnight and drained
To everyone out there who once said, “I LOVE CHEESECAKE” Look no further. Seriously.
These babes are so delish, and are actually full of ingredients for sustained calm energy, mood, and even improve digestion and immunity! How!? Well, using healthy foods like dates, pecans, and cashews of course. But also! I am a huge fan of the Lavva Yogurt company.
Their yogurt is pili nut based with 0 (zero!) added refined sugars, and 50 billion! Yes 50 billion probiotics. Probiotics are amazing for of course digestion and beautiful perfect snake poops, (yay!), but did you know that most of our serotonin (the feel good neurotransmitter) is produced in the gut? Plus, our GI is an open vessel to the outside world, and is lined with inflammatory and immune cells ready to fire to protect us from invaders. It makes sense if the biota is thrown off, our immunity and inflammation would be all over the place.
I love how this yogurt tastes and makes me feel so much that I got it for a yogurt parfait bar at one of The Shift retreats that I chef at. The ladies 1. loved it and 2. Were floored with how amazing their digestion was after just one weekend! Granted, my whole foods plant based cuisine helps peoples digestion, but honestly often people will complain of discomfort and gas due to so much fiber they are eating all of a sudden. With the addition of this effective delish yogurt, it really helped!
Fall is! Well, here in Venice, CA it actually still feels like Summer… BUT the PSL (pumpkin spice latte) is back at Starbucks sooo therefore it’s time to throw pumpkin spice, pecans, and chai gingery goodness in absolutely everything.
I am a huge fan of drink mud. The founders are basically neighbors of mine, local here in Venice. They have a great mission to help get people feeling energized and thriving without overstimulating the adrenals from coffee. Their product drink mud has medicinal mushrooms, cacao, turmeric, and Indian Chai spicee. It does have a tad of caffeine, making these superfood balls the best pick me up that ever happened!
Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup almond butter
8-10 medjool dates, pitted
1-2 Tbsp Drink Mud Powder: https://www.mudwtr.com/ . (option to use your favorite mix of spices and superfoods like pumpkin pie spice, spirulina, maca, hemp, cinnamon, cacao, etc.)
1-2 thumbs fresh ginger, grated (optional)
2-3 tsp vanilla extract
sprinkle of pink salt
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice powder
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
Steps:
Food processor S blade: blend chickpeas, dates, tahini, nut butter, vanilla, mud powder, ginger, and salt until smooth
In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin spice powder, cinnamon, coconut, and pecans
Using a tablespoon, create balls of dough and roll them into the separate bowl to coat with pecans, coconut, and more spice
Keep in the fridge for about a week or freeze for about a month
Warning: you will feel like LIFE IS AMAZING after eating these and you may want to run 15 miles or something. Do your best not to eat them before bed 🙂
Mmmm comfort food at its finest. I love using chickpea pasta and other bean pastas. They’re super high in protein, fiber, iron, and resistant starch to really help feed your good gut bacteria- helping not only your digestion and blood sugar levels, but also your immunity and mood! Lots of nerves in the gut- feed it well!
Serves about 8:
1 cauliflower, rough chop into large florets
1 yellow onion, discard outer layer and chop into quarters
1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 avocado
1 boiled sweet potato (skin removed)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1/4 – 1/2 lemon
16 oz dry elbow macaroni pasta (I like using banza chickpea pasta)
1 cup frozen peas
Steam onion and cauliflower until soft and translucent (about 15 minutes)
Combine steamed vegetables with salt, pepper, avocado, potato, and nutritional yeast in a food processor S blade or high speed blender and blend until smooth
Boil macaroni according to manufacture’s instructions and mix with peas. Pour sauce over macaroni and peas and mix well. Transfer to casserole dish for serving
These enchiladas are by no means at all traditional. Traditional as in white flour tortillas and cheese and meat… blegh! Sounds like a mess of weight gain, and heart disease! Time for a neeeeeew recipe. This recipe has got kale, shrooms, quinoa, and all simple wholesome ingredients. Mmm what could possibly be more deliciously satisfying and nourishing.
Completing my master’s and dietetic internship in South Texas where cola, taki’s, breakfast tacos, and bacon fat laden pinto beans are unfortunately staples, the statistic that 3/4 of Americans are overweight or obese made sense to me. What’s crazy is that, a calorie dense, nutrient poor diet is actually quite common. Even where I live now in Los Angeles, California. I have a couple of clients who, prior to working with me, had never chopped a vegetable before. Gawd. I love my job. And these enchiladas. They’re not insanely overly stimulatingly like oh my gawd so f***ing good (if you’re comparing to something thats been salted, oiled, idk.. fried and oober processed) . Recalibrate your taste buds. And these will knock your socks off. 😛
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (I like the Fire Roasted diced tomatoes from Muir Glen – no salt added)
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
The Enchiladas
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3/4 pound baby bella or button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup diced jalapeño peppers (or for V mild version, use poblanos)
3 cups kale, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
10 6-inch organic corn tortillas (I used masienda brand – just corn, lime, water)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
avocado on avocado on avocado
Steps:
To make the enchilada sauce, heat water in a medium skillet or pot. Saute onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes
Add the chili powder, cumin, thyme, tomatoes, and maple syrup
Transfer sauce to a blender or food processor, and blend till smooth. Add a little water to adjust the consistency as you wish. Set sauce aside till you’re ready to use.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pot over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp water (have some handy to add if burns off). Saute onion and garlic till onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has been released and evaporated.
Add the chilis to the pot and give them a stir. Add the kale and allow it to wilt slightly. Add the cumin, sea salt (optional), black beans, corn, and quinoa. Continue heating mixture until it’s completely warm and well mixed.
In the bottom of a casserole dish, spread a thin layer of the enchilada sauce. Place about a quarter cup mushroom and quinoa mixture in the center of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla up and place it into the dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Cover them all with a layer of enchilada sauce and bake for 25 minutes. Top the enchiladas with chopped cilantro, avocado, and pumpkin seeds, and idk. More corn because noooom!!!
Also, squeeze a lime on there and, call me crazy, but I put a little cinnamon on mine and it was off the charts
So.. why is this recipe so generally disease reversing?
No Salt: although 0 calories, it is a super processed white powder (aka crack cocaine) that causes responses in the brain to make us not only want to eat more, but that makes wholesome food taste less flavorful. Cut the salt, and all of a sudden, celery, cilantro, avocado and lime dance on your tongue like a tap dancer in times square. Flavors so very exciting, no white powder added. Plus plus, high sodium intake has been shown to decrease calcium absorption / utilization. That ain’t good!!! Also also. Sodium is important. This is different than salt. Naturally occurring sodium is sufficiently found in wholesome plant foods like the veggies I mentioned a second ago. No stimulants needed. Excess sodium causes water retention, causing blood volume to increase, leading to high blood pressure, strokes, heart disease, etc.
No Oil: Talk about caloric density. Not many foods are more calories per pound than oil… are any foods more calorie per pound?? Just a tiny bit of oil adds a lot of calories with not much benefit. All it really does is make you eat more calories than you’re designed to eat plus make you want to eat more. The fat from the avocado and pumpkin seeds is fantastic. You got fiber and zinc and fresh phytochemicals and antioxidants. Avocado oil and pumpkin oil?? Mmm I’ll pass.
Nutrient Dense: Self explanatory. Every calorie is full of nutrition. Helping you to feel calm, balanced, satisfied, energized, clear headed.. not to mention beautiful bowel movements. Which is actually a huge fricken deal these days. If there’s a magazine rack in your bathroom… call me!!! You need help!!!
Intact Grains: Ok, obvi the tortillas are made of corn flour, which is not intact. The quinoa tho- that’s good stuff. And the tortillas I used were just 3 ingredients: non-gmo corn, lime, and water. That’s all you need. No gums, oils, preservatives, or fortified etc etc. Keep it simple. The more whole the better.
Beans: Resistant starch is liiife. Did you know that resistant starch in beans actually decreases the glycemic load of your next meal? Also, beans are such great sources of protein, iron, fiber. Eating them has been shown to help decrease risk of so many diseases and cancers. If you’re afraid of fartiness. Don’t fret. The resistant starches may take a couple of weeks for your gut to adjust to. Start with a little bit like 1/4 cup a day for a week and work your way up to ~1-3 cups or so / day. A healthy gut can process beans just fine. Little to no fartiness. If you’re used to eating a V low fiber diet. Warn your friends and family your increasing ahead of time hahaha.
Greens: The most nutrition per pound possible. Everything you need. Just amazingness.
Mushrooms: Should be eaten cooked. Mushrooms help decrease excess estrogen that may cause breast cancer- very well targeted, doesn’t cause low estrogen if you are healthy. Also, mushrooms contain lectins (ABLs) that recognize cancer cells and prevent them from growing and dividing. Also also, mushrooms upregulate IgA antibody secretion, helping the immune system. Also also also, they have beta glucans which also boost immune function. PLUS they make their own vitamin D if exposed to the sun!! Honestly. All plants are amazing. I just don’t have all day to tell you every magical component of everything gawd!
Onions: Eaten raw the allinaise enzyme is active and is potent cancer fighter. Onions also help to blunt blood sugar spikes. Onions and garlic are antimicrobial and help the immune system to fight viruses and fend against cancers. Scallions are great too.
Healthy Fat: Includes fiber 🙂 Necessary for healthy hormones, satiety, clarity, and overall optimal health. It doesn’t take much though. A little dab will do you.
Peace of mind: Honestly, of course. A favorable health destiny is priceless. HOWEVER I say “generally” disease reversing because I do have clients with eating disorders, amenorrhea, and anemia, and athletes who aren’t getting in enough calories and wasting away, or frail adults, etc. Who, it is healthier for them to eat more refined foods. More calorically dense foods. More stimulating foods. These recommendations are for the general average American looking to lose weight, lower their cholesterol, blood pressure, have regular bowel movements, and reverse type 2 diabetes. Have your healthy AF enchiladas, and your vegan cookies too maybe. Ok? All depends on your goals and what you, you beautiful individual, need.
Fact: The way we prepare our food changes its nutrient content. So, if you’re going to cook your food, in a soup is the best way! Cooking in water means the food can’t go over 212*F. This is a plus because the higher the heat, the more nutrients are denatured and destroyed and the more carcinogenic properties begin to form. With moist heat, there is now browning or charring occurring. Also, in a soup all of the nutrients are cooked into the broth instead of drained out. So you’re eating all of those incredible vitamins and minerals instead of pouring them down the drain with the water.
Medicinal Ingredients
Is it possible to make a whole foods plant based soup that isn’t medicinal magic? Flavor it up with ginger, garlic, and onion, Throw in that turmeric and black pepper and make a curry. Use all those veggies you never heard of like romanesco, leek, and lion’s mane mushroom. The ingredients in hearty wholesome soups and stews are powerful disease prevention and reversal medicine for a calm mind and a happy healthy and long beautiful life!
Variety on Variety
Vegetable soups, bean stews, creamy squash, chili, bisque, even chilled raw soups! The possibilities are endless. Thickening up by blending with cashews, chopping some veggies chunky, blending others, using vegetable juices for a base, maybe even coconut milk, garnishing with pumpkin seeds, or even avocado. There are so many kinds of soups. I eat them almost daily and don’t think I’ll ever get sick of them.
Easy Peasy
Feeling lazy? Me too. I’m down to heat up some water and throw in all my favorite veggies and spices any day. ( me everyday ) Yay soup!
Underrated AF
Soup is a great option. Sure, if you get it in a can it can have some extra sodium look for less than 300mg of sodium per serving or find “no salt added” or “low sodium” options and maybe if you get them at a restaurant they’ll have some oil, but overall, whole foods plant based soups and soups are an incredible option not to be overlooked. Please try making at LEAST one of these recipes this winter!
3 cups carrot juice (3 pounds of carrots, juiced, or put 2-4 carrots chopped in a blender with enough water to reach 3 cups and blend until smooth) (they sell carrot juice at whole foods and trader joe’s)
2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes (Muir Glen Fire Roasted – No Salt Added)
3 cups canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth/stock
diced avocado and chopped green onion, garnish
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and adjust seasoning to taste.
3. THE HERO POT
A large pot
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
1 small chunk of ginger
1 tbsp ground or fresh turmeric
1 sweet potato
1 cup red lentils
~6 cups filtered water
~1/2 cup broccoli
~1/2 cup celery
~1/2 cup mushrooms
~1/2 cup peas
Lime and avocado to garnish
Prep ingredients: chop vegetables, mince garlic + ginger
Sautee onions and garlic in pot in 1/3 cup of water (keep a jug of water nearby to add as needed)
Add turmeric, lentils, sweet potato, and 5 cups of water and bring to boil for about 10 minutes
Turn down heat to simmer and add in rest of ingredients to simmer for about 15 minutes
Who doesn’tLove pasta? Yes, love with a capital “L”. For these recipes I used banza pasta made from chickpeas. Bean pasta is awesome! It is super high in nutrients like iron and beneficial fiber. Plus it is loaded with protein. It’s gluten free and only takes 7-8 minutes to cook. Obsessed. I particularly like the Banza brand because it looks just like regular pasta and has a really nice consistency. Some bean pastas that I have tried are a little mealy and chalky, this brand is nice and noodle-y. I don’t know how else to describe it 😛 Hope you enjoy these recipes! xo
Mmmm when I had this recipe the first time I could have sworn it had peanut butter and sugar in it with its gingery garlic creamy deliciousness. Its just sesame seeds and dates!? What!? So simple and I can assure you this recipe will not disappoint!
Adapted from Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Quick and Easy Chilled Sesame Noodles
Serves 6
Ingredients:
8 ounces bean pasta, cooked according to package directions, rinsed under cold water, and drained
1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed
1 pound mushrooms, chopped + steamed (or use another pound of broccoli or any other vegetable you love!)
1 large red bell pepper
6 scallions thinly sliced
For the Sauce
1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds, lightly pan toasted
1 cup water
2-3 tablespoons raw almonds or cashews (preferably soaked / sprouted)
3 tablespoons lime juice (or rice vinegar / apple cider vinegar)
Steps
In a high speed blender, puree all the sauce ingredients until smooth
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, bell pepper, scallion, steamed broccoli, and veggies with the sauce until thoroughly coated.
Divide among 6 plates and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Prescription Pesto
Yaaas pesto :-P. This recipe has got all the medicine in it, and TBH: there is nothing I crave more. This pesto is BOMB. Don’t be fooled by the word, “medicine.” Back in the day when you used to plug your nose to get the stuff down. This powerful pesto has got the most potent DNA protecting and disease reversing foods like greens, turmeric, beans, walnuts, and garlic. And this medicine, baby. Just can’t get enoughhh yuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look no further for your bomb-@$$ salad! This baby is so good. And medicinal. Here are just 5 reasons why this salad needs to GET IN YOUR BELLY:
1. Vitamin C + Iron Combo
Vitamin C is needed for peak absorption of plant based iron. So the vitamin C from the orange and lime in the dressing combined with all of these iron packed greens?! Watch out world, you’re blood is builllttt!
2. Bones of STEEL
Plant based sources of calcium: kale, collards, sesame seeds, oranges… they are all great sources! Throw them all together and you are left with nothing but a mineral dense delicious meal fit for a superhero.
3. Anti-inflammatory + Protein
Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory aid, shown to help not only with stomach issues, but migraines, arthritis, and any kind of ache or pain. It is truly a great go-to cure all.
4. Protein + Fiber Packed
Did you know that 50% of calories from green leafys is from protein? Plus, sesame seeds have more protein per weight than any other nut or seed. Protein and fiber are important to turn off hunger hormones. Plus healthy sources of fat (sesame, walnuts) help curb cravings a lot too. So this salad will get you shredded baby. Yes, shredded.
5. Simple, Fresh, Versatile
Make this dressing with whatever ingredients you have on hand. No sesame? Use cashews or hemp instead. Or whatever seed or nut you have on hand honestly. This is delicious with mint, basil, or dill instead of cilantro, and can be used as a dip, filling, or topping for any plant based burger, falafel ball, or, even throw a banana in and drink as a smoothie?! The sky is the limit. Enjoy 🙂
PS: I have a few spots open for one-on-one counseling with me! Click here to schedule a free consult with me to see if I am right for you 🙂
Growing up in a home with a perpetual aroma of freshly baked bread and an ever-replenishing plate of homemade muffins, cookies, or brownies, I could never give up milk, butter or eggs. No way. How could I? Oh, and I definitely could not ever give up muenster cheese. The divine moldy cow teet fluid suffocated in sodium and grease, in between sour dough smothered in 100% cow fat, and grilled. Divine. Delicious acne. Heavenly mood swings, bouts of depression, energy crashes, and stomachaches.
Although I am not a French trained gourmet baker, my taste buds do not lie. There are certainly ways to enjoy baking, without the harmful baggage. Here, you will learn how to make scrumptious baked goods taste the way you like, and make you feel that glowing radiant health that you deserve. What is life without energy. Only alive radiant energy in my baked goods. peace sign
Flour
“The whiter the bread, the sooner you’re dead.” ~Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Ideally, we want to transition from white flours to more wholesome flours or products.
Instead of 100% white flour, try:
½ whole grain or bean flour + ½ white flour
Make your own oat flour: blend rolled or quick oats in the blender or food processor until flour consistency
Does what you are making really require flour? I used to think that cookies and brownies needed flour until I tried white bean snickerdoodles and black bean brownies that use beans for a base instead.
Little cholesterol and saturated fat bombs. There are lots of healthier alternatives.
The tried and true is the flax or chia egg:
1 Tbsp ground flaxseeds + 3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp chia seeds + 3 Tbsp water
Mix until well combined and let sit until it forms a gel.
For a light and fluffy product, instead of 1 egg, try:
1 tsp. baker’s yeast dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
Mix until well combined and gelatinous
For thick and dense products, like brownies and cookies, instead of 1 egg, try
½ cup mashed ripe banana
¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
¼ cup canned pumpkin or squash
Ener-G Egg replacer product
2 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp potato starch + 2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp. instant mased potatoes
2 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water
Mix until well combined and gelatinous
Tip: if you need to replace just an egg white, try:
Aquafaba: Don’t pour the canned bean liquid down the drain! Aquafaba in latin means “water bean”. It is the bean water from a can or from cooking beans.
Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to whip it up and after beating for five minutes, the liquid will start to form stiff peaks, just like egg whites. To stabilize the aquafaba, add an acid such as lemon juice, vinegar, or cream or tartar. Use ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar or ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar for ¾ cup of bean liquid. Adding an acid is especially helpful when you are making something that will not be eaten right away as it helps the aquafaba to remain aerated.
Aquafaba in Recipes:
1 tablespoon for one yolk
2 tablespoons for one egg white
3 tablespoons for a whole egg
Another egg white alternative:
1 Tbsp plain agar powder dissolved in 1 Tbsp water, whipped, cooled, and whipped again for each egg white.
There are lots of other egg replacements out there. Have you tried tofu scramble? For quiches and custards ¼ cup of pureed soft tofu works tremendously.
Milk
For a cholesterol, hormone, and unfavorable protein-free alternative try unsweetened and unflavored varieties of plant milks. Soy, almond, and rice milks are common neutral good ones.
Instead of buttermilk, try:
1 cup unsweetened soy milk + 2 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar.
Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined and creamy. Equal to 1 cup buttermilk
Butter / Oil
Solid or liquid, animal or plant, it is still 100% fat, absorbed way too quickly, very calorie dense, and not health promoting. Usually, these are added to moisten the product. What’s fabulous about vegan baked goods, is that they do not need to be cooked all the way since the ingredients do not harbor food born illnesses like salmonella. So, they will certainly be ooey, gooey, and moist. Yet instead of doing so with butter or oil, replace with applesauce, mashed banana, or another chia egg.
Sugar
White sugar is stimulating, like a drug. It excites us and gets us addicted so we can’t stop thinking about it. After we have a hit of white sugar and our blood glucose levels spike, a crash follows. Leading to fatigue, depression, anxiety, and even headaches post-sugar hit. My recommendation? Stay away from drugs. Crack. Cocaine. White sugar. Etc.
Whole fruit is sweet enough! Dates are loaded with potassium (more potassium than bananas), fiber, and even have great iron and calcium too! Instead of sugar, blend pitted dates into your recipe. Make sure they are moist enough by soaking them in warm water for at least 15 minutes before using if they are too hard. They should be nice and mushy and combine easily.
Baking healthy vegan is the best. It’s super easy cleanup, no grease, no scrubbing, no flour everywhere. I love it. You actually feel like you did a service sharing these goodies with people too. No more giving away stomach aches and post-eating purging episodes. This is a real issue people. Now’s the time to inspire others with how delicious healthy baked goods can be! Your homework: Fail. Try and try again. I am certain you will make some incredible things. And I am certain some things won’t be the bees knees. That’s ok. Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. Have fun!
SNICKERDOODLES
Makes 10-12 cookies
Equipment:
– 2 baking sheets
– parchment paper
– food processor
– oven
Ingredients:
– 1 can white beans
– 1/3 – 1/2 cup pitted dates
– 1 ripe banana
– 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
– 1/4 cup nut butter (1 ingredient only)
– 1/2 vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 1 tsp baking soda
– chopped raw walnuts to garnish
Preheat oven to 350*F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
In a food processor with an S blade, blend all ingredients except walnuts
Scoop out about 1/4 cup of dough onto parchment and using the back of a spoon or a knife, spread into a cookie shape
Bake for about 15 minutes
Once cookies are dry enough to get off of the parchement easily with a spatula, press walnuts into cookies and transfer to a plate or cooling rack
Ahhh Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday. Take the stress away and leave nothing but joy to saturate your friends and family. Which is really what Thanks. Giving. is all about, isn’t it? Sometimes, these family occasions can be looked at as a burden. I invite you to challenge that. Let’s put in an effort out of love. It is worth it. And maybe even take it to the next level- provide your family a truly compassionate dish option 😛
Apple Pie
This is the gourmet recipe from the incredible healing cafe, Organic Garden Cafe in Beverly, MA where I’ve been working at seasonally since high school. Jacob Massey is an amazing raw vegan pastry chef. This pie: UNREAL. You have to believe me, seriously you must try it <3. I’m obsessed. Maybe its the already delicious food it’s made out of. Or maybe it’s all the joy he puts into his work. I’d say both. Anyone who has it tastes and feels the incredible-ness.
Makes 6 Pies:
Crust:
10 cups walnuts
7 1/2 cups pitted moist dates or coconut date rolls
2 1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp coconut palm sugar
2 1/4 Tbsp coconut oil
Line spring form pans with parchment paper
Pulse and blend in food processor until well combined and a little chunky, not too smooth
Distribute crust evenly into pans and press to smooth
Filling:
10 quarts chopped into 1/2 inch cubes apples
4 cups soaked dried apricots
2 cups soaked raisins
3/4 cup psyllium
1/2 cup fresh ginger (not peeled but washed)
1/4 cup cinnamon
2 tsp salt
Blend soaked fruit, psyllium, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in food processor until smooth
Combine with chopped apple and mix well. The juices from the apple will release and the dried fruit mixture will distribute nicely
Distribute filling evenly on crusts and press to smooth
Crumble:
8 cups walnuts
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp coconut palm sugar
Pulse in food processor until well combined and forms a nice crumble texture, not too smooth like butter
Distribute crumble over pie fillings evenly and smooth gently
Freeze pies overnight and thaw in the refrigerator. Freezing and thawing gives the apples a delicious cooked texture and releases all the wonderful juices.
Try your best to share with someone 😉 Happy Thanksgiving!
Inspired by the Quinoa Medley (#4 below). Use whatever herbs you like and have so much fun! This dish has wowed so many people and honestly, you can’t go wrong. A sweet tangy dressing, epic freshness and beautiful colors with the pompom. Mmm mmm!
1-2 bunches of kale
2 pomegranates
1 bunch green onion (half chopped half blended)
1 large bunch dill (half chopped half blended)
1 bunch mint (half chopped half blended)
2 Tbs tahini (I used 2 Tbs hemp seeds)
2 cups currents or raisins (I didn’t use raisins at the demo)
½ cup pure lime juice
½ cup orange juice
4 dates
2 cups walnuts
Wash, de-stem, and schiffinade kale
Chop using either a food processor S blade, or a knife and cutting board, half of the bunches of scallion, dill, and mint
Deseed pomegranates (with a large spoon, banging on the outside of 1/2 of the fruit so the seeds just fall into your palm)
chop walnuts
Blend juice, dates, and the other half of the bunches of green onion, dill, and mint
Massage dressing into kale thoroughly with gloved or very very clean hands
Using tongs, mix in nuts and pomegranate seeds
Serve chilled
3. FullyRaw Pumpkin Pie
I made this pie many times in Indiana where little local persimmons are all over the place. There were two local persimmon trees at Purdue where I would frequently sit under, wait for the wind to blow, and eat all of the fruit that fell to the ground! The samples I made in the video below could not have gotten better reviews. It is amazing how people think healthy food won’t taste redonk. And when it does, the light in their eyes! Priceless.
FullyRaw Kristina’s Pumpkin Pie:
Crust
~1 lb dates
1.5-2 cups pecans
1-2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Pie Filling
2-3 cups pie pumpkin
~2 lbs dates
Ginger, thimble sized piece
~168grams persimmon pulp
1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Crust
Using food processor S blade, put pecans in first, then dates and cinnamon, and pulse and blend until desired crust texture
Take out the blade
Press all around pie crust
Pie Filling
Put pumpkin chunks and then dates, persimmon, cinnamon, ginger, and spice in vitamix, or food processor S blade
Blend until completely smooth
Rubber spatula into pie crust
Freeze to set (about 2 hours)
4. Quinoa Medley
I’m actually obsessed with Chef AJ and The Plant Based Dietitian, Julieanna Hever. I got to meet Chef AJ at Chicage Vegan Mania when I went with the club that I helped to create, “Be Veg at Purdue”. She made this quinoa medley at her demo and everyone was like. HOMINA. No oil? No salt?? So much flavor?!! Howw does she do it. A must make dish for every occasion. Both Chef AJ and Julieanna Hever have the best recipes. Definitely check them out!
Time: 25 minutes. You will need: large pot, knife, cutting board, large bowl, large spoon, measuring cups. Serves: ~20. (½ cup servings)
Ingredients:
16 oz dry quinoa (about 2 ½ cups)
2 cups raisins
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 pomegranate
1 bunch scallion
½ bunch cilantro
½ bunch parsley
½ – ¾ cup lime juice (about 8 limes)
Steps:
Rinse quinoa and then bring to a boil in 5 cups of water. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. (cook to manufacture’s instructions on box)
Allow quinoa to cool. Chop herbs using a food processor S blade, or by hand. Juice limes.
Combine ingredients in large bowl. Serve chilled. Keeps well for about a week in the fridge.
My roommate in Texas made this twice for a project and guess who ate it all. GUILTY (well, you know, ate most of it). It is so amazing! Food52 is a great resource for reliably bomb vegan recipes.
I hope this helps you to bring something healthy and delicious to your table. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
VITAMIN KATIE 