Easy and Oh-So-Delicious #Vegan Chocolate Cake #recipe

I made this cake for my birthday last week. Even though we had a vegan cake and cupcakes coming from Miku Vegan Kohvik, as well as a traditional handmade birthday kringel from my brother, my mother and I suddenly thought that there might not be enough cake. 
I started out making one
So easy and so delicious!


Cake Ingredients (1 layer)

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350F, and lightly grease an 9" round (spring-form) cake pan. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well. Mix wet ingredients in a large measuring cup, then pour into bowl and mix gently, making sure to blend the mixture well. Pour into cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.



NOTE: Do not make the glaze until cake is completely cool! 


Chocolate-Coconut Glaze

1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
2 tbsp soy (or other non-dairy) milk
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract


Combine sugar, oil, soy milk, and cocoa powder in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Lower heat and simmer for two minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and continue stirring for another five minutes. Stir in vanilla, and pour/spread onto cake. The glaze hardens quickly, so if you want to decorate with shredded coconut or sprinkles, do it immediately! 

Summer Cleanse 2014

Did you know that you could be carrying around up to 10 pounds of toxic waste in your body, which may be slowing down your ability to lose weight?

This toxicity may be causing other unpleasant symptoms such as:

• Headaches
• Low energy
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• Skin conditions such as acne
• Insomnia
• Eczema
• Excess weight
• Food Allergies
• :( :( :(

Don't despair - I've got great news for you! Many, if not all of these problems can be reversed! Not only that, but you can actually

Reboot your Body in 14 Days!

This will change your life forever! With my 2-Week Summer Cleanse Group Program, you can gently detoxify, uncover your natural GLOW, and look and feel great for summer!

Are you ready to recharge for the summer?

Are you ready to boost your immune system?

Are you ready to detox & lose extra weight in a safe and fun way?

Do you want to say goodbye to sugar cravings and say hello to a new way of eating?

Are you ready to ditch the diets, stop counting calories and reboot your entire body?

Get Renewed, Recharged, and Revitalized in this one-of-a-kind, 14 day step-by-step system that will help you to:

Tone your body

Reduce the toxic load

Improve your digestion

Uncover hidden food allergies

Make weight loss fun & easy

Imagine how good it will feel to discover your personal health blueprint + find the foods that best fuel your unique body!

With this program you will:

• Uncover hidden food sensitivities that are making you feeling ‘blah’
• Learn what foods fuel your body
• Rev up your metabolism
• Release stubborn weight + reduce cravings
• Say good bye to sugar cravings
• Reduce the inflammation that leads to weight gain

Fresh Kai's Summer Cleanse comes with the following:

• Summer Cleanse Guide

• Recipe Guide with 89 Recipes!

11 Smoothies
10 Juices
6 Raw Delicious Dips
5 Dressings
12 Meals in the Raw
5 Cooked Meals
4 Raw Soups
6 Warm Soups
10 Snacks
8 Desserts
8 Transitional Recipes PLUS 4 Desserts

• Shopping List

• Summer Detox Food Diary 
• 11 Day Blank Meal Planner

• Summer Cleanse Handouts:

Journal & Vision Board Yourself to the Body You Deserve
Low Glycemic Handout
Find Your Carbohydrate Tolerance

• Daily Email Support

• Private Facebook Group with Daily Community Support

• *NEW* 2 Laser Coaching Sessions to Get You (and Keep You) on Track!

When you have completed your adventure, your life will be changed!

• You will have lost 3-5 pounds in just one week
• With your new ‘Ditch the Diet’ mentality, you will have kissed goodbye the cravings and the bloat!
• You will feel increased energy
• You will have mental clarity and no more ‘brain fog’
• You will have learned simple techniques for eating and detoxifying that you can use for a lifetime!

Here's what some of last years' cleansers are saying:

"I lost 15 pounds! I feel alert and am waking up with more energy that I remember having in a long time. I don't crave coffee anymore. My skin has cleared up, and I've connected a persistant rash on my face to a dairy intolerance, and it has now also cleared up completely. I feel unclogged, less tense, and more like myself."  -Siobhan


"At first I was very skeptical about the breakfast menu, but I quickly discovered that the recipes suited me very well. I loved the morning lemon water and smoothies and my husband and I enjoyed the rest of the recipes, too - so much that we have continued to make some of them after the cleanse! The best part of the summer cleanse was feeling lighter, healthier and being able to fit into my "skinny jeans" again."  -Mari-Ann

Raw-velation

          I jumped back on the 28 Day Transition to Raw program this Halloween. I haven't been following the program exactly this time around, which, as a lifetime member of the community (love that!), I do not think is necessary.  I have a good idea of the recipes that I like and that work for me, and I can pick and choose what to make depending on what is in my fridge or what's fresh at the store. I am excited to see the extras we will get this time around with Thanksgiving falling into the mix. It's so nice having the forums and ongoing support of the friends I have made there.

        Last night I made a modified Raw Zucchinigetti, to which I added some raw olives. I think I need to start making larger portions... I love that Miss H gobbles up a lot of the raw dishes I make and often turns her nose up at cooked vegetables. When we had lunch at the co-op the other day, Miss K scarfed up a veggie pad thai (and picked out the veggies) while Miss H was happy as a clam with the raw cole slaw and "potato" salad that she picked out from Blossom Raw Food Cuisine. 

Raw Zucchinigetti with olives

        Today I started out with a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a maté latte (okay, not completely raw with the addition of some hazelnut mylk). For lunch I ate half a watermelon. It's definitely the end of the season for melons, but there might still be a few pretty good ones at our Kroger. I'm going to miss these melon mono meals in the winter!

I'm going to miss this lunch in the winter

         On another note, it's been really interesting to see the drama and controversy happening in the raw food world. I stumbled on some videos about other raw food 'programs' on YouTube a few days ago, and I've been watching a lot about 80-10-10 (80% carb, 10% protein, 10% fat), essentially a high carb, low fat raw vegan diet that involves eating a LOT of fruit and apparently little else. At first I thought it sounded pretty crazy to eat 30 bananas a day, but the more I listen, the more I start to see a lot of validity to getting most of one's calories from pure, fresh fruit. At this point, however, I am not yet inclined to make a smoothie out of a kilogram (2.2lbs) of dates and water.
         Of course, I am just scratching the surface and so I might be missing something, but as with most things, I think there needs to be a balance. From my own experience, eating fresh, raw, whole foods is a lot better (and easier) than relying on dense "gourmet" raw meals that consist primarily of nuts and seeds. Well, I'm not finished with this topic yet, but I suppose I have rambled on enough for one day... :)

I'll just leave you with a photo of tonight's dinner.

Raw "stir fry"

Go Raw Cookie & Chip Review

I'm back on the Garden Diet this month, and I finally made it into Roanoke to pick up some groceries and supplies from our Natural Foods Co-op. I knew they had been doing some remodeling and rearranging (looking good, guys!), but it looks like they have also expanded their raw food selection. I noticed these organic raw cookies and crisps from Go Raw that I had not seen before, and had to try them. I've learned that, when it comes to eating raw foods, my weakest point is when I am hungry and don't feel like doing a lot of food prep; that's when I'm most likely to grab a piece of bread or some cookies or whatever prepared snack item I find in the pantry. These seemed like such a great healthy snack-y item to have on hand for those "emergencies". I was tempted by the Ginger Snaps and Carrot Cake flavors,  but finally settled on the Lemon Super Cookies and the Spirulina Super Chips.

Oh. My. Goodness. These crunchy tidbits are so simple, yet so tasty. Perfectly sweet. At a generous average of 20 pieces per serving (160 calories for those of you who care about that sort of thing), they are very satisfying! There are 3 servings in each 3 oz. bag. The online price is $5.49/bag (or 12 bags for $51.49), and I got them for  $4.79 at our co-op. I cannot wait to try the other flavors! Masala Chai, anyone?

This picture does not do these cookies justice ...

The main ingredients of the cookies include organic coconut, sesame seeds, and dates. All seeds are sprouted prior to being dehydrated to maximize nutrition and digestibility. Go Raw products are all organic, vegan, certified gluten free, nut free and kosher. They are low in sodium and rich in potassium, omega-3 and -6.

Freeland Foods is a family owned company based in California. The Go Raw line includes the Super Chips/ Super Cookies, granola bars, flax crackers, sprouted seeds, granola, and even chocolate bars. (I will note here that a few of their products do contain raw agave nectar and cacao, for those of you avoiding those ingredients.)

Watch this video to learn more about Freeland Foods and how they make their raw food products:




Shop online at www.GoRaw.com
and check them out on Facebook!



This review was not endorsed in any way by Freeland Foods; I purchased the product with my own money and did not receive any compensation for my review. I wrote this review simply because I think the company and their products rock! 

Vegan Apple Muffins

I bought a bag of "juicing apples" a few weeks ago, but when I got them home I realized that they were too mealy for eating, let alone for juicing. I went on a hunt for non-applesauce recipes, and found a recipe for  caramel apple upside down cake. It was good, but not wonderful, and it wasn't very pretty, either, so the rest of the apples continued to sit in the fridge until the other day when I decided to make a little treat for the guys working on the fireplace. Muffins seemed like a good choice; quick and easy, plus they would give me a chance to use up some of those apples! I didn't get to sample the first batch since I was in the middle of a juice fast, but I think I really scored with the recipe I came up with. My kids scarfed down a couple, and I left the workmen the rest.  The next day, the workmen said that they were some of the best muffins they had ever had and that they could've used at least a dozen more. (I'm guessing that they either might have been exaggerating a bit, or maybe they just don't get too many fresh from the oven muffins.) In any case, they're a good breakfast option because they come together so quickly and they're not too sweet.

Vegan Apple Muffins

1 3/4 c flour*
1/4 c brown sugar**
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp salt
1 cup non-dairy milk
1/3 c oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c diced apples (approx. 1 large apple)
(1 c chopped walnuts would probably be a good addition)

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup, then stir into dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the apples. Divide batter between 12 greased or lined muffin cups and bake for 20-22 minutes, until the tops spring back when tapped. Let cool slightly, and enjoy!

*I used a combination of mostly spelt flour with just a little unbleached all-purpose wheat flour and thought they turned out just lovely
**use 1/3 c for slightly sweeter muffins

Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes

I wanted to make pancakes this morning using some buckwheat flour I picked up yesterday. However, when I went online to find a good recipe for vegan buckwheat pancakes, I discovered that almost all the buckwheat pancake recipes included other flours and were a little more complicated than I felt like dealing with this morning. I decided to experiment and took and combined a few different recipes. I took a chance and used all buckwheat flour and ended up with these simple but tasty pancakes!

Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes

2 cups buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 tbs agave syrup
2 cups non-dairy milk
1/2 cup fruit juice
2 tbs coconut oil + more for frying

Combine all dry ingredients, then mix in wet ingredients to make a relatively thick batter. Pour on a hot, oiled griddle (I use my reversible stovetop cast iron griddle). When the top is bubbly and starting to dry, flip and cook until done. Serve with organic grade B maple syrup (or your favorite pancake topping).

I think that the reason so many recipes call for the addition of other flours in buckwheat pancakes may be purely aesthetic; buckwheat flour does make for rather dark pancakes. The buckwheat has such a nice flavor- a welcome change from regular wheat. I found these pancakes filling, yet not too heavy, and my kids gobbled them up so fast (even Miss H, who normally isn't a huge fan of bread-y foods) that I didn't get a chance to get a very good picture! Enjoy!

I Am Focused- Brazil Nut "Parmesan"

You didn't think I would leave you with just the picture, did you?

I absolutely LOVE the "I Am Focused" brazil nut parmesan recipe from I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude.
Simply toss 1 cup of brazil nuts, 1 clove of garlic, and 1/3 tsp salt into a food processor, process with the S-blade until fine and fluffy, and enjoy! According to the book, this is one of the most popular garnishes at Cafe Gratitude, and after one taste I could understand why. It's great on pasta (or raw veggie noodles), but I  think it is especially fabulous on leafy green salads.  Having recently reaffirmed my love of garlic, I admit that I add more than one clove of garlic to my mix.

As long as I am raving about the brazil nut "parmesan", I should say that I have found I Am Grateful to be one of the more accessible raw food recipe books that I have read. The recipes are very tasty, and many of them do not require a lot of exotic ingredients (though a dehydrator and good blender are recommended). For instance, it seems that young coconuts are a staple in many raw food books, and although I love them, it is just not feasible for me to prepare a lot of food with them since I have a hard time finding young coconuts around here. (And when I do, they are expensive!) Granted, there are a few recipes in I Am Grateful that do call for young coconuts. You will also need Irish moss to prepare some of the desserts and, I think, a couple of the cheeses. Overall, though, there are enough recipes with more common ingredients to make this book well worth it; the "I Am Original" onion bread, the recipe through which I was actually introduced to this book, is amazing, and probably worth the price of the book alone.

Yum!

12 Vegan Snack Ideas

Here is a round up of some of our favorite quick, easy and yummy vegan snacks. 


The simple:


1. Green popcorn Drizzle freshly popped popcorn with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with nutritional yeast and spinach powder (or spirulina). For a red hot variation, try sprinkling with garlic powder, paprika and a little cayenne instead.


2. Ants on a log ...it's a classic! Spread peanut butter on celery sticks and top with raisins. For a variation, try cashew butter and chopped, dried apricots.


3. Trail mix I don't know about you, but I hate sifting through bags of unwanted sunflower seeds, which is what pre-made trail mixes inevitably become. Explore the bulk section of your local natural food store. Make your own mix with only your favorite fruits, nuts, sesame sticks or pretzels (and maybe chocolate)! 


4. Edamame I always make sure I have a bag or two of these soybeans in the pod in the freezer. Seapoint Farms has some that are ready to eat and thaw in a couple minutes under hot water.  We eat them plain, but they are good with a sesame dipping sauce, too.

The savory:

5. Pita chips with hummus Make your own pita chips! Cut pita bread into wedges, and lightly brush with olive oil. Arrange in a single layer and bake at 425F for about 7 minutes. Serve with hummus. If you want to get fancier or make it a meal, serve with dolmas, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke and olives.

6. Lettuce wraps Top large lettuce leaves with your favorite filling and roll up like a burrito. Try vegan "egg" or "chicken" salads, baba ganoush or try this raw Italian Veggie Medley. Top with sprouts.

7. Easy tacos Top hot corn tortillas (get yourself a bag of Masa and make your own- it's so worth the few extra minutes) with avocado and a little salsa or tabasco. Add some green onion or grated vegan cheese, if you want.

8. Baked tofu sticks with dipping sauce  There are lots of variations on this one: roll tofu sticks in seasoned bread crumbs and serve with marinara or BBQ sauce, or marinate the tofu and dip in a peanut sauce.  I do not have a favorite go-to recipe for the tofu sticks, but I have a few recipes bookmarked that I am planning on trying out soon. Peanut sauce is easy; just mix together some peanut butter, coconut milk, agave (or other sweetener), soy sauce and a touch of lime juice.  Red pepper flakes are good to give it a little kick, and I like to add a little galangal (use ginger in a pinch).

The sweet:

9. Apple sandwiches Core an apple and cut into round slices. Spread half of the slices with peanut butter and top with the remaining slices. Try different nut butters and top with granola, shredded coconut, banana slices, or chocolate chips.

10. Apple wedges with caramel dip Let an 8oz container of vegan cream cheese soften slightly, then add 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well, until sugar melts. Serve with apple wedges.

11. (Homemade) granola Serve with your favorite non-dairy milk, or layer with fruit and yogurt in a pretty glass bowl for a guilt free parfait. For some reason I never ate a lot of granola, but since getting my friend Megan's Maple Walnut granola recipe, it has become a staple at our house! ( 

12. Banana con leche (banana milkshake) I fell in love with this drink in Costa Rica years ago. It is so easy yet amazingly delicious, and quite filling. Simply blend 1-2 bananas with your favorite non-dairy milk until frothy and serve in a pretty glass. 

I'll leave you with a not quite as healthy bonus, just because they are yummy and I'm enjoying some with a mug of peppermint tea as I write this post...

Lazy "Quick and Easy" S'mores Top graham crackers with vegan marshmallows and semi-sweet chocolate chips

A Month of Raw Food

Has another month really passed by without me writing a single blog post?  I have been meaning to! I've just been having so much fun trying out new raw recipes that I haven't gotten to writing about them, although my friends on Facebook have seen the previews :)

Here are some of my favorite dishes this month!

Strawberry-Apple Muesli with Raisin Sauce
(adapted from Vibrant Living: A Live Foods Resource and Recipe Book)



I actually don't measure any of the ingredients for this recipe; I just eyeball the amounts.

Muesli:
1 c rolled oats
2 tbsp flax seeds
1 apple, cored and chopped
1/2 c strawberries, sliced

Sauce:
1/3 c raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 ripe banana
1-2 tbsp hot water

Place oats and flax seeds in a bowl and top with water or fresh nut milk of your choice.  While the oats and seeds soak, hop the fruit and prepare the sauce.  Place raisins, banana, spices and water in a blender and blend until smooth.  (I usually let the raisins soften up a bit in the water while I chop the fruit).  Add chopped fruit to the oat mixture and top with the sauce.Yum!


Italian Veggie Medley (adapted from a recipe courtesy Amy Tuggle)




2 medium tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 stalk celery
1/2 large bell pepper (or any fresh spicy pepper if you prefer)
1 tbsp Italian spice blend (or a combination of fresh herbs, if you have them!)
1/3 c sunflower seeds
1/3 c sun dried tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Soak sunflower seeds and sun dried tomatoes in filtered water overnight.
Dice tomato, zucchini, celery and pepper and place in a medium bowl.  In a food processor, combine drained sunflower seeds, soaked tomato, and spices and pulse until fairly fine.  Combine with the diced veggies and add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. This mixture is fabulous over zucchini noodles or in lettuce wraps and sprinkled with nutritional yeast.


Save the Tuna Salad Nori Rolls (From Baby Greens: A Live-Food Approach for Children of All Ages.
Recipe by Chad Sarno, (c)2004, 2005 Michaela Lynn and Michael Chrisemer. All rights reserved.)

Yields 4 servings.




1 c almonds, soaked 10-12 hours
1 c sunflower seeds, soaked 10-12 hours
1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, minced
1 tbs fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp fresh sage, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp kelp granules
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/3 c celery, minced
1/4 c red onion, minced
1/3 c pickles, diced

Homogenize almonds and sunflower seeds. Add remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly by hand.  Serve as is or wrapped in nori with assorted veggies.


Raw Kale Salad




1 bunch kale
1 large carrot, grated
1 avocado
a big handful of pine nuts
1 or 2 green onions, chopped
lemon juice, to taste
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Wash kale and pat dry.  Remove tough stems.  Roll the kale up and slice thinly (or simply tear into bite size pieces).  Place kale in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, and massage kale (ahh, to be a vegetable in a raw food kitchen); it will quickly start to wilt and become tender and oh so tasty.  (I don't think I will ever cook kale again after making this raw salad).  Add carrots, pine nuts, green onion and avocado and mix well. I served this salad on the Carrot Wrap recipe from Evie's Kitchen: Raising an Ecstatic Child
and topped it with sprouts.


I hope you saved room for dessert....!  It's strawberry picking time here in Virginia!
We made this Strawberry Shortcake (recipe from I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude) with some of the berries we picked the other day.

Can you believe this is only HALF the recipe!? (Something about the 9 cups of almond flour in the original recipe clued me in on the fact that I would be fine cutting it in half!) :)

Of course, I have continued to juice and make all sorts of smoothies, as well as these dishes. I can't wait for blueberry season because I've completely depleted my stash of frozen blueberries from last year!  Also, not to say that I don't still love a carrot-apple-ginger cocktail, but I am happy to report that I have a new favorite juice: just cucumber with an added a spoonful of sole (super saturated Himalayan salt solution). It's a nice change to the typically sweet juices I have been making, and as the weather continues to get warmer, it is so refreshing!

What’s (Not) Cooking?

Although I have been a veg*n (by which I mean vegetarian of varying degrees, occasionally vegan, but for the most part lacto-ova) for more than 20 years now, over the past couple of years my diet has slipped a bit from the whole foods my body craves towards "quick and easy" (read: processed). I subsisted almost entirely on string cheese for the better part of a year when Kiira was just over a year old, and now that I have two young children the situation has, in some ways, gotten even worse. Since Kiira is still such a light eater, it barely makes sense to cook up a whole dinner each night, and we have gotten accustomed to snacking all day and often not even having a proper meal together. Not that grazing is all that bad, but this did make me want to make some adjustments and get back into a routine of family mealtimes. I also recently I noticed my skin breaking out more than usual and realized that a more serious dietary overhaul was probably in order. I decided to focus on cutting out the processed stuff and buying more whole foods, and in effect, force myself to prepare more wholesome foods. I considered eliminating dairy, but due to the B12 issue I will (probably) never be completely vegan. Although I am not opposed to taking dietary supplements, I want to be able to get all my necessary nutrients from the food I eat. Although some would argue with me, I have seen enough evidence that B12 is not readily available from a 100% plant based diet to make me think that it is not a perfect diet, especially for children (I'd rather them have a little milk or cheese rather than pond scum spirulina or chlorella). I have dabbled in and researched some more extreme diets over the years, but in the end I am a believer of moderation and a super natural path. For instance, I recently read The pH Miracle
and found it a little too drastic for my tastes; so many wonderful fruits and veggies get cut out in that diet and it seems to me that God wouldn't have put them here if they weren't meant to be eaten.

That being said, as the weather warms, I am starting to explore raw food again.

I unintentionally started this a few months ago when I was gifted a juicer that I have been putting to very good use (thanks again, Megan!!!). I think that daily dose of living enzymes worked to prime my system and give me a newfound craving for more raw foods. Around the same time that I started juicing regularly, I started making other changes in my life as well, such as the feng shui that I mentioned in my last post, and starting to exercise more regularly. As I was getting my priorities in order, I decided to drop one of my classes so as not to get as stressed out as I was in December, trying to finish two intense classes on top of taking care of my girls and building my fledgling business. A few weeks later I found a check in the mail, a refund for the class, and I decided to splurge on a kitchen appliance that I have wanted for many, many years. (Ironically, it is a food processor…)

My Vita-Mix (yay!) arrived a couple of weeks ago and I absolutely love it! What a great investment! I have been using it several times a day on average, and have made everything from hummus to smoothies to bread to hot soup in it. Not everything I have made in my Vita-Mix is all raw, but the machine is so versatile that I just had to mention some of the cooked recipes as well, because even cooked food prepared in a Vita-Mix is so much fresher than anything you could buy premade from the store. Speaking of recipes, I have been scouring Paperback Swap, Amazon and Barnes & Noble for good raw food (un)cookbooks, but found that many of the recipes are too complicated for everyday eating; they often require days of preparation and sprouting, not to mention ingredients that are not easily obtained here in rural Virginia. For a diet to be truly sustainable, it needs to be based on local, seasonal produce. Years ago when I first tried an all raw diet, I found it hard to plan meals and have all the ingredients on hand and ready to use (sprouted, fermented, etc), and eventually went back to cooked foods. I am now realizing that it is possible to eat a raw diet with minimal preparation and planning, simply by buying seasonal produce and having a few staples on hand. I am seriously considering creating my own recipe book of the easiest and tastiest foods I discover. One of my favorite recipes so far has been the Caramel Apple Breakfast Pudding from Vibrant Living, a living foods recipe book that I rediscovered on my shelf recently. It consists of shredded apples topped with a "pudding" made from sprouted wheat berries, soaked almonds, apricots, banana and a dash of cinnamon.

  
If you're hungry for lunch, here is a recipe for a Raw Butternut Pecan Salad, adapted from a salad I discovered at our local co-op.  Please note that the given amounts might have to be adjusted a bit, since I was given this recipe without the exact amounts (and for a much bigger batch!). As a guideline, the squash should make up about half of the salad, and the pecans, onion and raisins combined should make up the other half. This makes a big batch!

 Raw Butternut Pecan Salad

2 lbs butternut squash, grated

2 cups pecans, soaked in water for at least 2 hrs

1 small onion, finely chopped

1- 1 1/2 cup raisins and/or dried cranberries 

A couple handfuls fresh cilantro (or parsley, in a pinch), chopped

2 Tbs ground cumin

2 Tbs ground coriander

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Enjoy!

 

Bread Pudding

A little warming comfort food for those of you who are snowed in. Best served warm with milk.

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
6 slices day old bread
2 tbs. melted butter
handful of raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar (unrefined or turbinado work well)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract



Heat oven to 350F.Break bread into small pieces and place into an 8x8 baking pan. Drizzle melted butter over bread.  Scatter raisins on top, if using. In a medium bowl, beat eggs.  Add milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, and beat until well mixed.  Pour egg and milk mixture over bread, and push down until bread is covered and soaking up the liquid.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the pudding puffs up slightly and springs back when lightly tapped.

Piparkoogid!

I love wintertime because of the increased opportunities for baking and reliving childhood memories.  I grew up helping my mom make Snickerdoodles every winter, but in Estonia, the hot holiday cookies are piparkoogid, or gingerbread cookies. I made them last year and my daughter Kiira loved them so much that she begged me to make them all summer, too. (I told her she would have to wait for winter!) So a few weeks ago, I bought a set of snowflake shaped cookie cutters especially to pack along on our trip to Estonia, because I knew we would want to make up at least one batch of these spicy sweet treats. I'm pretty sure this will become a wintertime tradition for us!  I just do not understand why so many people in Estonia buy their piparkoogi dough from the store ready made; it is quite easy and fun to make a fabulous gingerbread dough from scratch. 

My recipe, adapted from Nami-Nami, follows:


Vürtsikad Piparkoogid (Spicy Gingerbread Cookies)

2 dl syrup  (0.85 c)
2 dl sugar (0.85 c)
1 tbs cardamon
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground dried ginger
1 tsp fresh grated ginger (optional)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
250 g butter (1 c) cut into pieces
2 eggs
600 g flour (6 c)
2 tsp baking soda

Place the syrup, sugar, and spices in a saucepan and ring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add butter.  Stir until the butter is melted, and let cool slightly.  Pour syrup into a large bowl and beat eggs in one at a time.  Mix flour and baking soda together and mix into the syrup and butter mixture a little at a time. Mix or knead the dough well, and then wrap tightly and refrigerate at least overnight, or up to two weeks.
Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately 2mm (1/16in) and cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters.  Bake the cookies at 200C (400F) for 6-9 minutes.

NOTES: For the syrup, I usually use a combination of whatever I have one hand, such as molasses, corn syrup, agave nectar, honey, etc.  You can also make a sugar syrup by melting 150g (approx 3/4 c) sugar in a saucepan, then adding about the same amount of hot water.

This recipe does make a good amount of dough, and although I have not tried it, it should freeze well.

To make the icing, mix powdered sugar with a small amount of water or fruit juice (depending on desired color; I used aroonia concentrate for the ones in the picture) to a sour cream like consistancy, about 1-2 tsp to a cup of sugar.

What are some of your favorite wintertime traditions?

Happy Winter!

Kai

Pecan Praline Cookies

I had a craving for candied nuts the other day and came across a fabulous recipe for pecan praline cookies.

These are so delicious and easy and perfect for the holidays!

2 egg whites
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups finely chopped pecans

Beat the egg whites until they are frothy.  Fold in brown sugar, flour, vanilla and pecans. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased pan, flatten a bit with your spoon and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.  (I used stoneware and baked them for about 15 minutes). Let cool before removing from pan.