Today I am home, visiting with one of my oldest and dearest friends on the east coast near Washington DC. It’s so nice being here with our new baby, in the fall season. I took a jog today to really soak up autumn-the changing and falling leaves, the cool air against my skin, and the crisp colors.

We decided to make a big feast for dinner! We made one “regular” lasagna (gluten-free and free range meat) and one DELICIOUS vegan pumpkin lasagna. here’s the recipe!

for the layers:

• *brown rice lasagna (you could use quinoa also, or any lasagna that’s gluten-free)

• *1 1/2 C Pure canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) I like Trader Joes Organic canned pumpkin

• *for mock ricotta, see below
• *1 egg (or egg replacer like flax and water)
• *almond milk
• *4 C spinach
• *nutmeg, salt, pepper, sage to taste (i like a lot!)
• *nutritional yeast sprinkled on top for mock parmesan
• *cream sauce: 3 tbsp vegan butter (or regular if you don’t care), 3 tbsp tapioca starch 1 1/4 almond milk

Time to play!

1. Prepare the brown rice lasagna according to the box instructions, until al dente (firm, not hard)

2. For the pumpkin sauce, mix pumpkin, egg replacer and 1/4 C almond milk. Then mix in nutmeg, salt, pepper and sage.

3. For the mock ricotta cheese:

• ½ cup macadamia nuts
• ½ cup almonds
• 1 can water, or enough to cover to the level of the nuts
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, you may want to add up to 2 more tsp
• 3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup almonds, or up to 2 cups

Preparation for Mock Ricotta Cheese:

In your high powered blender, blend mac nuts, almonds, water, 1 tsp of salt, and apple cider vinegar. This will take about 7-8 minutes. Blend until very smooth.

Add the rest of the almonds, 1/4 c at a time, waiting until they are finely ground and fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt, if desired.

Blend until smooth, with a very slightly grainy texture (It should NOT be gritty). You may want to finish this in your food processor (unless you have a great blender).

4. Make the “cream” sauce by melting the butter on low heat. When it’s melted, whisk in tapioca starch, then remove from heat. Slowly whisk in almond milk, then turn the heat back on and whisk constantly until the consistency is thickened enough to coat a spoon. (about 3-5 minutes)

5. Begin layering all the ingredients. Start with a small amount of the pumpkin sauce to layer on the casserole dish and to act as a non stick ingredient. Then add strips of lasagna. Then pumpkin sauce, then mock ricotta cheese. Add a layer of fresh spinach leaves. Then drizzle the cream sauce on top.

Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the casserole dish. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast on top for a mock parmesan flavor.

6. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit for 10 minutes and serve warm.

7. Enjoy your delicious lasagna and store the leftovers or have a big meal and share with friends (with wine!!)!

A friend of mine wanted me to make a raw, gluten-free, dairy-free cake for her co-worker who loves chocolate.  Here’s the recipe I used:

Crust:

raw chocolate cake!

• 1/2 C cacao powder
• 1/2 C carob powder
• 1/2 C ground raw almonds
• 1/3 C agave/honey
• 1/4 C cacao butter
• sea salt to taste

Filling:

• 2 C Cacao powder
• 1 1/2 C agave
• 1 C coconut butter (melt by placing in a warm/hot bowl of water)
• 1 tbsp lucuma powder

1. take all ingredients for the crust and mix in the food processor. Once they are combined, take the filling and push it into a pie/tart pan with your fingers. (the best kinds are the ones that have a removable bottom) Chill in the fridge for an hour or freezer for 30 minutes.

2. Mix the filling ingredients and add on top of the filling. Put back in the fridge or freezer for at least an hour. Viola!

You’ll never know (or anyone else) that this is completely gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and HEALTHY for you! Cacao is the highest ranked antioxidant in the world!

*Top with raspberries, strawberries and/or nuts and drizzles of cacao! (an easy cacao topping is mixing cacao powder and agave with a spoon until it’s runny)

Kelp noodles rawk!!! They are virtually calorie free and don’t taste like the sea at all. There is no sugar, gluten, wheat, rice or flour. Kelp is known to aid the metabolism, boost energy, aid in digestion and they contain an abundance of minerals.

Ingredients for Raw, Vegan Pesto Kelp Noodles:

*2 packages Kelp Noodles

*2 large bushels of fresh Basil leaves

*1 Cup fresh Spinach

*1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*1/2 Cup raw Pinenuts

*2 fresh Garlic cloves

*1/2 Teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

pinenuts

Directions:

1) soak kelp noodles in warm/hot water for at least 20 minutes. Drain and  wring out excess water.

2) combine all ingredients in food processor/Cuisinart (except kelp noodles)

3) taste the pesto. It may need more sea salt or garlic for your taste. Also, if it’s too chunky, add more olive oil or a little bit of filtered water. If it’s too watery, add more pine nuts or spinach/basil.

Pesto Kelp Noodles

If you want a variation, try my recipe for Cheezy Kelp Noodles!

I love this recipe for raw, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. They taste like the raw cookie dough we aren’t supposed to love and eat while we’re making “real” cookies… only these are egg-free and completely safe to eat a ton of! Now I’m sharing the recipe with you, for your noshing pleasure.

Recipe for Raw Chocolate Chip Cookies

*2 C nuts (soaked almonds)

*1/2 C dates

*1 tsp vanilla extract

*1/2 tsp sea salt

*1/4 C coconut oil, melted (not in a microwave)

*1/4 C-1/2 C chocolate chips (depending on your love of chocolate)

Directions

1. With a food processor, grind up all above ingredients except the chocolate chips. If you process them for a long time they will taste much more like cookie dough, if you process for less time they will have a nutty consistency which is fun and tasty, too!

2. After processing to desired consistency, drop the chocolate chips into the dough and mix with a spoon. Then pulse 3-4 times to mix it and grind the chips into the mixture.

3. Take a cookie sheet and spread the cookie dough into the pan, using your fingers to press into the corners and flatten into one even, level, layer.

4. Put in the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes to an hour to harden.

5. I then took it out and used heart cookie shape cutters but you can roll them into a ball and leave them that way, use another shape, or take the ball and flatten it into a round “cookie”. sky’s the limit! ENJOY!!!

Makes: 24 slivers of a large pie, or 4 smaller pies with 6 slices
Equipment needed: Food Processor

blending the crust

For the Crust

2 cups raw macadamia nuts OR a blend of almonds, walnuts and pecans
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1/4 cup dried coconut

For the “Cheese”

3 cups chopped cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour

blending the "cheese"

3/4 cup lemon juice (or lime juice-i used limequats for this! so delish)
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt (optional)

For raspberry sauce:
1 bag frozen raspberries (or blackberries/strawberries)
1/2 cup dates

DIRECTIONS

To make the crust, process the nuts and dates in the food processor. Sprinkle dried coconut onto the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Press crust onto the coconut. This will prevent it from sticking.

To make the cheese, blend the cashews, lemon, honey, gently warmed coconut oil (do not use microwave), vanilla, sea salt, and 1/2 cup water. Blend until smooth and adjust to taste.

Pour the mixture onto the crust. Remove air bubbles by tapping the pan on a table.

Place in the freezer until firm. Remove the whole cake from the pan while frozen and place on a serving platter. Defrost in the refrigerator. (the more defrosted the better the taste)

To make the raspberry sauce, process raspberries and dates in a food processor until well blended. (Do not use a blender for this or the raspberry seeds will become like sand.)

finished product!

Recipe:

*8 oz Coconut Milk (coconut butter + filtered water) or Almond or Oat Milk (can buy boxed)
*2 Tablespoons Cacao Powder
*2 Teaspoons Cacao Nibs
*1 scoop (2 Tablespoons) Protein Powder of your choice (Raw, Brown Rice or Whey)
*2 drops of chocolate stevia concentrate
*2 drops of vanilla creme stevia concentrate
*handful or two of ice

Optional:

*maca powder- 1-2 teaspoons
*banana or dates (take out the pit!) for sweetener instead of or in addition to stevia
**toppings: buckwheat grawnola, goji berries, cacao nibs

Hello wonderful Philosophie lovers!

THIS SUMMER, all LONG DISTANCE CLEANSES are on sale!!!!

do you live outside of Los Angeles but want to get healthy and ready for summertime? Have you been curious about a cleanse or ready to get back on track but need a little push and guidance? I’m here to help! All you need is a blender, a local grocery store/farmers market to get fresh, organic produce and a computer!!!!! Spots are limited!*

*I can only take a few clients each week so that I can give you unlimited attention (i.e. skype chats, instant messaging, gchat, email, phone calls) so book your spot TODAY!

$99 (regular $199)

for more information or to book your long distance cleanse contact: Sophie@thephilosophie.com

Today I met a client to take her grocery shopping after doing a 3 day Philosophie cleanse. She bought pineapple and said it’s one of her faves…so, since it’s almost summer, I thought I’d post some recipes for yummy Pineapple Salads!!

Sweet and Tropical tasting-Creamy Pineapple Sauce:

1/4 cup cashew or macadamia butter

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1 tb. lemon juice

1/2 tb. olive oil

2 tsp. dried dill

Pineapple Waldorf Salad:

1 chopped apple

1/2 C Pineapple chunks

3 stalks celery, sliced

3-4 scallions, chopped

1/2 C walnuts or pecans

1/4 C parsley, chopped

Creamy Pineapple Sauce

Sea Salt to taste

Bon Appetite!

Hello wonderful Philosophie lovers!

Beginning TODAY, APRIL 1st, all LONG DISTANCE CLEANSES are on sale!!!!

do you live outside of Los Angeles but want to get healthy and ready for summertime? Have you been curious about a cleanse or ready to get back on track but need a little push and guidance? I’m here to help! All you need is a blender, a local grocery store/farmers market to get fresh, organic produce and a computer!!!!! Spots are limited!*

*I can only take a few clients each week so that I can give you unlimited attention (i.e. skype chats, instant messaging, gchat, email, phone calls) so book your spot TODAY!

$149 (regular $199)

for more information or to book your long distance cleanse contact: Sophie@thephilosophie.com

Kelp noodles are spectacular!!! It is virtually calorie free and doesn’t taste like the sea at all. There is no sugar, gluten, wheat, rice or flour. Kelp is known to aid the metabolism, boost energy, aid in digestion and they contain an abundance of minerals.

PREP TIME = 10 – 15 minutes

WAIT TIME = 0 – 1 hour

EQUIPMENT = High powered blender,  dehydrator

LASTS = 1-2 days

SERVINGS = 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 packages Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles
• 1⁄2 c nut cheeze
• 1⁄8 c olive oil
• 1 t fresh oregano, minced
• 1 t fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 t garlic, de-centered, minced
• 1⁄2 t Celtic sea salt
• 1 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 2 t Bragg Aminos or Nama Shoyu
• 3 T Nutritional Yeast

STEP 1

Soak the kelp noodles in hot water for 10-20 minutes. Drain and wring out the excess water.

STEP 2

Mix all ingredients in blender. Add sauce to kelp noodles.

STEP 3

It’s ready to serve now but if you want the pasta warm and soft, place all the pasta on a big serving plate and spread it out evenly. Then put the plate (or just put the pasta on the tray if you don’t have an Excalibur) with the pasta in the dehydrator for 1 hour at 120°F. Serve right out of the dehydrator so it is warm. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can put your oven on the lowest setting and put the plate on the stove shelf, or serve cold for a “cheezy pasta salad”!

if you don’t want to make the sauce “cheezy” you can substitute the cheese for fresh basil and spinach and make it a Pesto pasta. (my favorite!) Garnish with raw pine nuts, tomatoes and spinach leaves. (check out the recipe –>here!)