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

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!)

Now that I’m pregnant, I have to get blood taken all the time. I get kinda queasy after wards, and usually need a sugar hit like fruit or juice. My husband came prepared the last time, buying me a Naked smoothie and an Almond Joy. The Almond Joy was good, and made luckily with dark chocolate, but way too sugary with a ton of horrible additives.

This recipe is a healthier version of Almond Joy made with coconut oil, carob, almonds, and agave. You’ll never know it’s dairy-free, sugar-free and gluten-free!!

• 

  ingredients

  1  cup melted extra virgin coconut oil

• 1/4 cup organic raw almond butter
• 3 drops Liquid Stevia Vanilla Creme
• 3 drops Liquid Stevia Chocolate
• 4 tablespoons agave
• 1 tablespoon organic vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup roasted carob powder (or chips and melt)
• 1/4 cup organic hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

To melt coconut oil, place jar under warm/hot water.

In a medium bowl, place melted coconut oil and almond butter. Stir until both are blended. Next, stir/whisk in Liquid Stevia Vanilla Creme and Chocolate, agave, and vanilla. Add in cinnamon and stir until it blends evenly. Slowly stir in carob a tablespoon at a time. The mixture should still be slightly runny. Add in almond meal, hemp seeds, and coconut. The mixture will run off the spoon, but very slowly.

Spoon into mini cupcake trays lined with paper liners. Pour in mixture half way. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes. When the candies are set, pop out and store in a freezer safe container. Keep frozen!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 3-4 ripe bananas
• 2-3 Tbsp Agave or Honey
• 1 C ground rolled oats
• 1 C almond meal or raw almonds
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon
• 2-3 T melted butter (or vegan butter alternative)
• 2 free range eggs (or vegan Ener-G Egg replacement)
• 1 tsp Vanilla

1. Begin by processing the almonds with a food processor until they are close to a flour consistency (or you can buy almond meal pre-made). Add oats into food processor until mixed well. Put into large bowl.

2. In large bowl combine “flours” with cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt and flax meal.

3. In a separate bowl, melt butter. Let butter cool for a bit. Then add eggs and vanilla to butter.

4. In a 3rd bowl, mash ripe bananas with a fork. Add agave to bananas and mix. (you may leave the bananas chunky or puree until super smooth, depends on your taste preference). Add bananas and agave to egg/vanilla/butter to the flour bowl. Mix all ingredients together with a large spoon. Then use that spoon to scoop mixture into muffin pan.

5. Bake muffins 25-30 minutes. Test with a toothpick, it should have residual dry crumbs only. (no moisture)

This recipe is dedicated to Riley Carrington, my god daughter

Looking for an easy dessert to make without getting an stomach ache or preparing something extravagant for hours?

Make a little extra of this pudding and store it in the fridge for a few days! *warning: can be addictive

Vanilla Pudding

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup pitted dates, soaked 10-20 minutes
• 1/2 cup fresh berries
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract/vanilla pod

Coconut Banana Pudding (chocolate or vanilla!)

• 1 ripe banana
• 6 dates, soaked up to 30 minutes
• meat and water from one young coconut
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/4 cup raw cacao or carob powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Coconut Banana PIE!!!!!!!

• 3 Avocados
• 3 Bananas
• 1/4 cup of honey or agave (add more or less depending on how sweet you like it)
• 1/4 cup of raw chocolate

*Mix these ingredients together in the vitamix or blender. In a blender you may need to add some water or nut mylk to get it to mix together. When creamy and smooth, spread the pudding into a dish.

Dairy-free Whipped Cream Topping:

• Meat from 2 young Thai coconuts
• 1/4 cup of honey/agave

Mix together in your food processor or high-speed blender. Mix until creamy and spread it on top of the chocolate mixture.

*Garnish however you like. I cut up one banana and sprinkled with coconut flakes

all of these recipes are dairy-free, gluten-free and raw! bona!

here is a great recipe for A Blueberry Breakfast Bread!

• 1 C egg whites
• 4 tablespoons light agave
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 c Organic unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 droppers liquid stevia *clear
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 C buckwheat groats, ground
• 1/2 C quinoa flakes
• 1/2 C quinoa flour
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 C fresh or frozen organic blueberries
• 2 tsp quinoa flour

preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites,agave, lemon juice, applesauce, liquid stevia, and cinnamon. Stir in the quinoa flakes. Allow to sit for a minute. They will puff up and soak in the liquid.

In coffee grinder or blender, grind buckwheat groats until powdered.  In small bowl, sift together ground buckwheat groats, quinoa flour, baking powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum.  Add pre-mixed dry ingre- dients to wet mixture.

Carefully dredge blueberries in 2 teaspoons quinoa flour and add to wet mixture.  Pour mixture in an 8×8 prepared glass baking dish that has been spray oiled and floured with quinoa flour.  Spread evenly with spray oiled spatula.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.

*leave the blueberries out for a plainer, anytime bread. Explore and experiment!

For Thanksgiving this year, I will be making a raw, vegan pumpkin pie… here’s the recipe I’ll use!

Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe

If you canʼt get your hands on a fresh pumpkin you can use  butternut squash or sweet potato.

Raw Pumpkin Pie Crust

• 1 Cup raw almonds, 1 Cup raw pecans (both soaked)
• 1/2 cup soaked 1 hour medjool dates, pitted
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of sea salt
• date soaking water if necessary

Blend the crust ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor. Process the nuts first, allowing them to get mealy. Slowly add in the dates, water, vanilla and cinnamon until the ingredients form a dough like consistency. The dough will form into a “ball” in the food processor.  Take the ball and whatever else is left over and evenly distribute in the bottom of a pie plate.

Raw Pumpkin Pie Filling

• 2 cups shredded pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potato flesh (or Organic Pumpkin Pie in a can if you’re lazy)
• 1/4 C raisins, soaked 1 hour
• 1 cup dates, soaked 1 hour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. freshly diced ginger
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. coconut oil or 1 tbsp butter
• Dash of vanilla
• 1 persimmon (optional: you can leave this out if you don’t find them)
• 1/4 cup almond milk or date water when needed to blend

If you donʼt feel like shredding the pumpkin by hand, simply cube and place in a high speed blender or food processor until itʼs nicely chopped. (or get it in a can, make sure it’s organic)

Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until nice and smooth. You might need to add more liquid to get it to blend well.

Pour into crust, then chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Almond Or Cashew “Whipped Cream”

• 1 cup almonds or cashews
• ¾ cup water
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)

For the smoothest consistency, use cashews or peeled almonds. Because of their alkaline nature, almonds help keep your blood at a neutral pH. And if you buy them raw, they’ll germinate when you soak them. Note for raw friends: Cashews are heated after being picked, even those labeled “raw”.

Soak 1 cup of almonds or cashews in 2 cups of water. If you’re in a very warm climate, soak them in your refrigerator. After 8-12 hours, discard the soaking water and rinse the nuts. In a blender, place the nuts and enough fresh water to allow the blender to operate. Blend, gradually adding enough water to achieve a smooth consistency. Makes 1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups.

Have an incredible day… but remember, EVERYDAY we can find reasons to be thankful, we don’t need a day to be told it’s okay!

After visiting San Francisco about 5 times in the past 2 years knowing fully well about Cafe Gratitude, I finally made it. And it was more than worth the wait.

cut to today: walking about 20 blocks, taking the Bart and 2 buses, I arrived. I am here.

it’s no wonder it’s such a challenge for people to stay healthy, and especially raw, while traveling. Most people won’t endure the above trek in order to achieve a healthy meal.

After arriving… again after ordering, and while eating…and once again after I am finished: I feel such gratitude.

I feel thankful for this beautiful food, for the love and intention that goes into every bite and sip, for the gracious and kind staff, for small details such as the Question of the Day (today’s: What are you devoted to?) for The Present Moment, and for my deep awareness of my body and my health to bring me to such a conscious place for lunch.

Here’s what I ordered: ‘I Am Healthy” Green Veggie Juice, followed by “I Am Giving” Asian Kale Salad with Teriyaki Almonds, sea vegetables and sesame seeds. For dessert (you can’t skip dessert when doing a review for a restaurant-it wouldn’t be fair) I had the raw Pecan Pie called “I Am Perfect” with Pecans and Dates and a Macadamia nut crust. mmmm. Afterward, while walking around the beautiful store, letting my food digest and my heart absorb my surroundings, I sipped on a cup of mint green tea with ginger and spices. (“I Am Charmed”)

I consider it a treat to be in such an amazing environment. I definitely don’t take it for granted. Every time I walk in such a place, i feel humble and gracious.

I feel at home here. I can sit Indian style like I would at home. I can ask questions that matter to me and know that they will be acknowledged and respected. There is a lot of love being felt here… the staff just had a group hug, for example. This is exactly how life is in my bubble, in my head, in my heart.

For now, all i can say is that until I can create my own sanctuary, my own yoga studio-juice bar-restaurant-safe place…

I’ll be venturing to Cafe Gratitude to fulfill these desires.

EASY AND HEALTHY

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES?…

and gluten free, dairy free and raw?

is it true? Here’s the recipe, you be the judge!

Cookie Batter

• 1 3/4 cups cashew “flour”
• 3/4 cup ground oat groats (or use all cashew flour for a much sweeter dough)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or dark chocolate stevia
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (room temp is fine if it’s warm in your house)

Chocolate Chips

• Blend 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup carob/dark chocolate, 1/2 cup cacao.
• Put mixture in freezer, then chop into chunks.

THEN…

• In a large bowl, mix “Cookie Batter” ingredients with hands.
• Add and fold in Chocolate Chips.

Form into balls, roll in cashew “flour” and refrigerate. (I put them on a plate or on parchment paper)

BONA!!!

**you can add less coconut oil (just do 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup) if you don’t crave that taste or if it’s too “buttery” but you need some to bind the ingredients.

**you can just add dark choc pieces from a bar that you put in the freezer and add a little agave unless you want that “bittersweet” taste

This amazing raw chocolate smoothie will leave you dreaming of it. (hence the name)

Raw cacao is the most abundant antioxidant in the WORLD, (far beyond blueberries and red wine) and will give you amazing energy and mental clarity. It also has a great amount of Magnesium in it, which most people are deficient in and don’t even know it. Make this as a caffeine free alternative to an energy boosting cappuccino or frappaccino, or a healthy indulgence…raw chocolate mylk-shake

ORAC scores for the Top 10 Antioxidants Foods (per 100 grams)

1) Raw cacao powder* 95,500
2) Raw cacao nibs* 62,100
3) Roasted cacao powder 26,000
4) Organic Goji Berries* 25,300
5) Acai Berries* 18,500
6) Dark Chocolate 13,120
7) Milk Chocolate 6,740
8 ) Prunes 5,770
9) Raisins 2,830
10) Blueberries 2,400

Source: US department of Agriculture/Journal of American Chemical Society

*Brunswick Laboratories MA, USA

Smoothie Recipe: Delicious Chocolate Dream

• 1 cup almond milk/oat milk/coconut milk or water -maybe more if you want the consistency thinner
• 1 Banana (Tip: I keep them frozen once ripe in a ziploc bag for easy access!)
  
• 1 small avocado (to make it creamy and for the good fats)
• 1/4 cup raw cacao nibs
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/4 cup agave (less or more depending on sweetness desire) or 1 packet Stevia
  
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (consistency and for the good fats)
• 2 tsp maca
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (lowers blood sugar levels)
• handful or two of ice
  (to make this a complete meal/more filling you could also add hemp, raw or brown rice protein)

This smoothie will give you an abundance of ENERGY! Forgot coffee, this smoothie will keep your energy high for hours with no “come down” like caffeine provides. Enjoy! It’s DELICIOUS!

Cacao Nibs