Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

There are a lot of vegan and raw ice cream recipes out there.  I remember googling it once and finding a ton.  I think I even remember a blog called "Even Vegans Scream for Ice Cream."  You can make some great ice cream using coconut milk and an ice cream maker.  I've even blended up some coconut milk, vanilla bean, cocoa powder and agave; poured in ice cube trays; frozen; then blended again for a more 'real' ice cream.  This recipe, however is a quick-I want some ice cream right now- kind of recipe.

Blend the following, quantity from greatest to least:

Frozen bananas,

Peanut butter (or other nut butter),

 Non-Dairy Milk/Coconut Milk,

Cashews,

Cocoa Powder,

a tiny bit of agave nectar or honey,

1 tsp Vanilla,

1 tsp Coconut Oil (opt but good for you--and TASTY)

 I used my 'ninja' food processor, but I think a regular blender would work just fine.  Blend till desired consistency.  I leave a few little pieces of cashew for a little crunch. *  Note, if you use just-ripe bananas it will taste less banana-like.  If you use overripe bananas it will taste like...bananas.  Which could be good- just depends what you're going for.  

 Make your own variation with a frozen banana base- or maybe some other fruit?  How about maple pecan ice cream using a little real maple syrup and some pecans?  Avoid the saturated fat and sugar of traditional ice cream, improve your health, and hit that 'ice cream craving' with real food.

For a less fat version make this chocolate shake I used to make all the time.  But don't feel guilty about eating a little of this recipe...don't forget that these are good fats for the health of your brain, dry hair, dry skin, and lots more.  And don't forget that good fats will help kids with their behavior ( my kids devour this ice cream!) and it helps those suffering from depression.  These fats and oils are the ones they are talking about that should be eaten in moderation for your health.



Raw Carmel Fudge/Chocolate Fudge Sauce

This is a twist on my 5-minute- raw fudge recipe I posted a while back. It tastes a little like carmel fudge thanks to the texture and flavor of coconut milk and coconut oil.

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (natural kind with no added sugar or fats)

1/4 to 1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup agave nectar (or other non-crystalline sweetener)
(can experiment with reducing sweetener)

1 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

dash salt

(Optional: Top with shredded coconut and dried cranberries)

Blend ingredients in a food processor. Spread in pan lined with foil (so when it's solidified you can lift it out and cut into squares) and put in the freezer for at least an hour.

You can leave this as sauce and serve over coconut milk ice cream at a special occasion! When you need to bring a dessert to a friend's house or a similar function, I don't know if there's a quicker dessert to whip up and let set up while your getting ready for your party. I love that this is made with nutrient dense ingredients, healthy fats and anti-oxidant-filled cocoa; and that a couple squares are so rich and satisfying that there's really no chance of an 'eating the whole pan of brownies' type of thing to occur!

I didn't remember to take a picture of this new version.  So just picture a combination of my original fudge and my Chocolate Nut Ball dessert  : )

Cilantro Cashew "Cheese" Ball

This recipe is from the from greenereating.com girls.  It's an adaptation of the dressing on their raw taco salad.  I made this for a party and vegans and non-vegans alike loved it.  The simple instructions for making it are found here.  It feels good and TASTES good to be eating good-for-you fats instead of artery-clogging saturated fats that are in a normal cheese ball.

Coconut Lemon Lara Bars

Pictured here on my 'Rosie the Riveter" lunch box, this is a twist on my 'Cocoa Babies' Lara Bar recipe.  It's another sugar-free, nutrient-dense treat or power bar, loaded with good fats, tons of protein, and lots of fiber.

Remember that "Not only do [cashews] lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but they help to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Cashews have one of the lowest overall fat contents of all of the common nuts and are a good source of oleic acid, the same fatty acid that makes olive oil so heart healthy.  Studies have shown that people who eat nuts on a daily basis are less likely to gain weight and have a tendency to be thinner, on average, than those who don't. It may be that eating nuts like cashews is so filling that it reduces overall calorie consumption."1  They are also a great source of magnesium, antioxidants, and much needed copper.

Coconut, as well as coconut oil,  has amazing health properties- too many to list here, so read up about it on this site.

Lemons not only have high levels of potassium, vitamins A and C, they are acidic, which turns alkaline in the body and then fights acidosis.

Here's how to make them.  (Recipe found here) Blend the following ingredients in a food processor or blender:

1 cup cashews

1 1/2 cup pitted dates

dash of salt

zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbl of lemon juice

1/2 cup coconut

Adjust any ingredients to taste or consistency desire. 

Spread in a 9X9 pan and then cut into squares, or roll them into balls, or do what I do, put on some plastic wrap, mold into a long line and then cut into 1 inch pieces.

Optional:  Add 1 Tbl of chia seeds to your 'dough' to get more electrolytes than Gatorade out of your snack.

 *I soaked my dates in water for 1/2 hour first (then drained) to get a softer dough this time.  They came out a little too soft, so I blended up some almonds and rolled them  in the almond dust at the end of making so they'd be easier to pick up and pack in lunches.

Cocoa -Babies (Peanut Butter Chocolate Laura Bars)

Want to be sugar-free with  me this year?  I think we should try!  Thanks to Green Smoothie Girl's reminder, I've been saying(...to myself...not out loud,)  "I love my body, it serves me well."  When we love our body we will treat it with respect.  Which means not abusing it by eating junk and then feeling horrible, physically and emotionally about it, and then repeating the abusive cycle.  I'm not talking about being crazy and extreme (your not going to offend your Grandma by not eating a piece of her homemade apple pie she hands you, right?) But other than acting 'normal' in such instances, I don't think you can ever be too healthy.

In light of my sugar-free goal was looking up how to make your own lara bars (they are made of dates and cashews, with some variances on that basic formula) and found a ton of recipes.  A perfect sugar-free, sweet and delicious treat.  I based this recipe off this one here.  She has tons of variations, so get with it!

This tastes a bit like chocolate peanut butter cookie dough.

1 cup dates

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cashews

2 Tbl cocoa

1 Tbl dried cranberries

dash of salt

Blend (in a food processor or blender) and adjust any ingredients to taste or consistency desire.  I made these ones pretty stiff so they'd pack easy to work, workouts, and school lunch.

I put my dough on some plastic wrap, smooshed it into a long roll, let it sit in the fridge for a few minutes until a little firm, then cut into 1 inch pieces.  *These don't need to be stored in the fridge.

Optional:  Add 1 Tbl of chia seeds to your 'dough' to get more electrolytes than Gatorade out of your snack.

Pop Tarts?!

It's winter vacation, which means lots of family time and kid-friendly projects.  One of our cooking projects was this little treat, whole wheat pop-tarts.  I based it off a recipe found here.  Start by making the dough:

Whole Wheat Pastry Dough
1 C whole wheat
1/2 C white flour
2 t sugar
1/2 t salt
½ c. cold buttery spread (like earth's balance,) sliced
4-5 Tbsp. cold non-dairy milk

In large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, and salt. Cut in slices of butter using a pastry cutter (or fork, if you have to, I've always used this whisk I have that has a flat bottom) until the largest pieces resemble peas. It’s important that you don’t touch the crust with your bare hands, no matter how tempting that mixing option might be. You want the butter to stay as cold as possible and your hands will warm it up and make the crust less flaky. Pour the milk over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time, just until moistened enough to hold the dough together. Use a fork to stir the dough after you’ve added each tablespoon of milk. Quickly form the crust into a ball. Refrigerate until ready to use


Then roll out,  Cut into equal parts (good luck) spread all fruit jam in the middle, leaving 1/2 inch border.  Put another piece of dough on top and then crimp edges together with a fork.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Don't under cook.  Wait until it puffs up pretty good and gets golden brown.  This batch of pastry dough makes enough for one cookie sheet of pop-tarts.  I doubled the batch and made Pearl Pie with the rest.

5-Minute Raw Fudge/Almond Joy Fudge

I know, another dessert post.  'Tis the season.  When you get invited to that cookie exchange this year, lets, instead of supporting heart disease, the number 1 killer in america, diabetes, and obesity (it's projected that 3 of 4 Americans will be obese in 2020) bring something like this has good fats and a low glycemic index.

This amazing article from Dr. Fuhrman here says:

Today, more and more researchers are finally aware that it is not fat in general that is the villain, but saturated fat, trans fat, and fats consumed in a processed form. Fats from avocado, raw nuts, and seeds are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that offer unique health benefits.

Recent evidence shows that the frequent consumption of nuts is strongly protective against heart disease. It has been shown that people eating nuts daily, or more than once a day, had a 59 percent lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease.

One study estimated that every exchange of one ounce of saturated fat to one once of nut-fat from consuming a whole nut was associated with a 45 percent reduction in heart disease risk

Study after study shows that raw nuts and seeds not only lower cholesterol, but also extend lifespan and protect against common diseases of aging. They also provide a good source of protein, which makes up about 15 to 25 percent of their calories.

*But don't go NUTS on the good fats:

While nuts and seeds have great health benefits, they are higher in calories and fat compared to vegetables, beans, and fruits so they should be consumed in smaller amounts. Nuts and seeds contain about 175 calories per ounce, and a handful could be a little over one ounce. For most of us, they are not a food that should be eaten in unlimited quantity. Unless you are thin and exercising frequently, hold your consumption of raw nuts and seeds to less than two ounces a day.

And don't forget how good healthy fats are especially for our kids' brans, behavior, and development.

Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that reduce inflammation, inhibit cancer development and protect our blood vessels. (found in some green vegetables, walnuts, and flax, chia, and hemp seeds)

Other benefits:

• Improves your child's intelligence

• Aids depression and Attention Deficit Disorder

• Improves memory

• Important for brain and eye development

• Promotes smoother skin; prevents wrinkles

• Helps prevent heart disease and arthritis

• Lowers risk of Alzheimer's and senior dementia

• Lowers "bad" cholesterol

And finally the recipe, based on this one by Princepessa:

Ingredients

1 cup nut butter (peanut or almond)

1/2 c. cocoa powder

1/4 c. coconut oil

1 Tbl vanilla

1/8-1/4 cup agave nectar (I used 1/8 and it was very dark choc. tasting yum!)

1/2 cup chopped almonds

opt 1/4 c. shredded coconut (if making almond joy fudge)

Blend ingredients in a blender/food processor.  Spread in a 11x7 glass pan (it will be liquid) and refrigerate for at least an hour until set.  Keep in freezer when not eating.  (I made this recipe so quickly when I realized I had to leave in an hour to a friend's party and bring a treat.  It was the most delicious thing ever.  So rich, that a couple bites will satisfy all cravings.)

Chia Snowballs

This recipe came from 'green smoothie girl' robyn and her friend here.  They just released their book "Healthy Holiday Favorites" available for purchase here.  Her co-author Desiree has a great gluten-free blog here.
1 c. peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1/2 c. raw honey
1/2 c. brown rice syrup or agave nectar
3 Tbl chia seeds
4 c. brown rice cereal
1/4 c coconut (approx)

Stir together the peanut butter, honey, brown rice syrup and chia seeds.  Slowly stir in brown rice cereal, form into balls (it's very sticky!) and roll in coconut.  Put in fridge till set.  Enjoy.  *I also just pressed some into a pan like rice krispy treats to save a little time and for non-coconut fans.  Either way they taste great and are a little better for you than the typical holiday treat.

(The only brown rice cereal that I found at my local grocery store was 'Inviro-palz organic koala crisp' cereal which tastes just like cocoa krispies.  They, of course, tasted great!  You could also try kashi cereal.)

*Note:  I made these again and changed them a bit because it seemed unnecessary for this recipe to have so much sugar!  I only used a little squirt of agave and they turned out the same as with 1/2 c agave.  So ease up on the sugar (you just need some 'glue' for consistency sake which can be achieved with the peanut butter and a little honey) and they'll still taste great!

Pumpkin Pie Wontons

http://www.fatfreevegan.com/desserts/pumpkin_pie_wontons.htm

1 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
16 packaged wonton wrappers
Granulated sugar for dusting
Ground cinnamon for dusting
Preheat oven to 400°. In medium bowl, mix pumpkin, maple syrup, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
Place one wonton wrapper flat on work surface. Spoon 1 Tbsp. filling into center. Moisten edges of wonton with water and fold in half to form triangle. Press edges to seal. Repeat with remaining filling and wontons.
Arrange filled wontons on ungreased baking sheet. Lightly coat wontons with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle each with sugar and cinnamon.
Bake until golden, about 16 minutes. Turn and bake 2 more minutes. Set baking sheet on wire rack to cool.

Raw Mint-Chocolate Cream Bars

Thanks to my friend Jess A. for this recipe!  It is my new obsession!
Ingredients:

CRUST

* 3/4 cup almonds

* 5 dates, pitted

* 10 prunes (or more dates, if preferred–replace 2 prunes with 1 date)

* 2 tsp vanilla extract

* 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (raw cacao powder if you have it)

* pinch sea salt

FILLING

* 1 1/2 cups soaked cashews

* 1 cup almond milk

* 1/2 cup agave nectar (or honey)

* 1 tsp mint extract

* 1 tbsp vanilla extract

* 1 tsp xanthan gum (I didn't use)

* pinch sea salt

* 1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach

* 1/2 cup coconut oil

* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (raw cacao powder if you have it)

Directions:

1. Lightly oil a square baking dish (8″x8″ or so). Set aside.

2. Combine all CRUST ingredients in a food processor and pulse/blend until crumbly, but sticky enough to stay put when pressed against the side of the work bowl.

3. Empty crust mixture into the baking dish and press evenly onto the bottom. Set aside.


4. Combine all FILLING ingredients EXCEPT coconut oil and cocoa powder in a blender and blend smooth. Add coconut oil and blend again. This should yield about 4 cups of cream filling.

5. Pour half of the filling mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly across the crust layer. Place baking dish in the freezer and allow to freeze until firm to the touch (probably at least an hour or so).

6. Meanwhile, re-blend the remaining filling with the cocoa powder. Add a drizzle of water to thin, if necessary. I probably added nearly 1/4 cup water to get the texture similar to the pre-cocoa consistency.

7. Once the green layer has hardened in the baking dish, pour the remaining, chocolate-ized filling overtop, creating a new brown layer.

8. Freeze again until firm to the touch. Cut into small rectangles and serve. Store in the refrigerator (or keep in freezer for more of an ice cream cake effect).

Raspberry-Chocolate Mousse

I got found recipe here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La9sL1u2OcA  I love the nutritional information on this video and I love how she tells us how healthy (amazing ORAC score) dark chocolate is for us.  Keep talking, lady; you know what I like to hear!
Ingredients:
1 block of silken tofu (NOT the water packed stuff refrigerated.  The kind on the shelf)
1/3 cup sweetener (agave or real maple syrup)
2 Tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
 Stop here for chocolate mousse or add to make raspberry:
1 tsp raspberry extract
1 cup fresh raspberries

Blend all in a food processor or blender.  Loved and enjoyed by vegan/non-vegan alike (but best to keep the tofu part secret.  They will never know unless you tell them.)

I'm just sayin...

..santa claus melon is so good. Get one if you can! They are called 'Santa Claus' or 'Christmas Melon' because they have a really long shelf life and often show up in winter time. Yes, I googled it so I could tell my kids why it was named that...

Craving Chocolate?

I wanted chocolate one day but not sugar and I found these on Susan's blog fatfreevegan.com here http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/06/11/coco-choco-balls/ They are my new favorite treat. Thank goodness they don't make very many!
Cocoa Chocolate Nut Balls
Ingredients:

1/2 cup cashews (or mix sunflower seeds in — in any proportion you want, or use 100% sunflower seeds)
1/4 cup dried, not dehydrated, finely diced fruit (cherries, raisins, dates, figs, apricots, etc.)
1 tbl carob powder
1 tbl cocoa powder (or substitute carob)
2 tbl shredded coconut, chopped very fine or ground
1/4 cup raw (unsalted) almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini (adjust for consistency — add more ground cashew)
1-2 tsp sweetener (honey, agave syrup, sucanat, etc. Amount as desired) — dates sweeten enough without additiional
2 tbl coconut milk (or more for proper consistency)
sesame seeds or chopped, shredded coconut as needed (since these are for rolling, it’s hard to estimate).
Optional: green powder: spirulina/chlorella plus

Preparation:

Grind cashews (a food processor or blender works).
Mix dry ingredients: ground cashews, carob, cocoa, and coconut (+ sweetener if crystalline). When mixed well, add dried fruit.
Optional ingredient here is the green powder. Add 1 tbl if desired. Just watch consistency and add more coconut milk if necessary.
Mix in coconut milk, almond butter and sweetener.
Consistency should be moist but able to form into balls and not stick to your hands. If too dry, the ingredients won’t hold together.

Roll amount (recommend ~ 1 tbl – 1 inch diameter) of “dough” between hands.
Roll in and coat with sesame seeds and/or coconut.
Roll again to sink seeds into ball.

This makes about 8 candies. I like to freeze them though it’s not necessary and they don’t freeze entirely but firm up some. These are really good if they sit in fridge overnight; the coconut flavor comes out.

*I used peanut butter (tahini didn't seem very dessert-ish) and 2 Tbl of cocoa powder because I didn't have carob, and the tiniest bit of agave for sweetness.

Applesauce Muffins

This muffin has applesauce, and squash in it, and hardly any oil or sugar!
Batter
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. non-dairy milk
1/2 c. butternut squash or carrot puree
1/2 c. brown sugar (or other sweetener of choice)
1/4 c. canola oil
1 egg replaced (1 T ground flax seed mixed with 3 T water)
Topping
2/3 c. oats
1/4 c. brown sugar or other sweetener
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. margarine (or equivalent)

Combine topping ingredients and stir. Combine dry batter ingredients in large bowl. In second bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add the flour mixture slowly until just moistened. Don't over mix! Fill 12 muffin cups, sprinkle with topping. Bake till topping is browned and toothpick comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

Microwaved Baked Apples

This is the easiest 5 minute treat out there! It reminds me of my Mom's apple crisp recipe we ate on special occasions growing up. It could maybe only be improved with my friend's candied walnuts on top. (walnuts sauteed with honey)

1 apple (they say honey crisp holds it's shape best but I did it with fuji apples)

2 tbl frozen berries (I used cherries)

2 tsp agave nectar (or other sweetener)

dash of cinnamon

Core out apple (just scoop out apple with knife and spoon) but leave bottom of apple intact. Place in microwave safe deep dish. Fill apple with frozen berries, drizzle agave nectar over, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover with a lid and microwave for 3-5 minutes, checking for softness after 3.

Granola Balls from the wholefoods website

Made in our house for the last few years instead of cookies, these are granola balls. They go just as fast as cookies but you can feel slightly better about giving your kids and yourself some healthy fat and some fiber to slow down the sugar.

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 c coconut
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/2 c honey
1/4 c brown sugar (can be reduced-it's just so the honey taste doesn't overpower)
1/2 c trail mix (I usually add more) (I love the kinds with lots of fruit in them)

I forgot that the original recipe calls for you to toast the oats and coconut on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees but I find it unnecessary and I skip that part.

Heat peanut butter, honey and brown sugar in a small saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and form into 1 inch balls. Refrigerate an hour before serving (a step that doesn't often happen here.)

Healthy Chocolate Shake by greenereating.com

You will never need chocolate ice cream again. This is so good! My kids know it as chocolate ice cream with sprinkles (green flecks from the spinach)

3 c. Very Vanilla Soymilk (I don't like vanilla soymilk so I just add a tsp of vanilla extract to my regular soymilk)
3 c. spinach or kale
4 to 5 frozen bananas

4 T. cocoa powder
1/8 t. stevia (I forgot to add sweetener the other day and I didn't notice a difference.)

Blend until smooth.

I think I will add some frozen raspberries next time...mmmm.

Look at http://www.greenereating.com/search/label/Smoothies for more great smoothies.

Green Drink by Jess

I make this drink at least daily. It makes me feel so good and I know people that attribute their good health to drinking green drink. Everyone in my family is obsessed with this drink too. I put it in the fridge for my husband to take to work in the morning and my son (who rarely touches a vegetable willingly) drinks almost as much as I do when we make it together. He's always asking for "green juice."

Juice:
1 or 2 cut up apples
1/2 to 1 cup pineapple
a few handfulls of any greens (spinach is what I normally do but you can do anything green)

1 or 2 cups water (depends how strong you want it)

(sometimes I also add wheat germ and ground flax seed)

I don't have a juicer so I blend my greens and fruit and then strain it through a strainer with really small holes (i bought a metal mesh I don't have a juicer so I blend my greens and fruit and then strain it through a strainer with really small holes (i bought a metal mesh Kitchenaid one at Target)

Chocolate Pudding by "Deceptively Delicious"

No, my kids are not strictly vegan. (I just gave them traditional Mac N' Cheese the other day because there was still some left in my cupboard.) I am not about to make that choice for them and I'm not into being too strict on issues that I don't need to be strict on. (I don't like them eating candy, but I still let them go trick or treating once a year. I don't like them drinking sugar water but I'm not going to say no when a friend gives my kids a Capri Sun.) I believe in moderation. I don't want to make food an issue, especially when people, girls especially, can have major issues with food even without the pressure of a parent. I have chosen a whole foods diet and I will provide that for my family as best I can. It's about eating food that's good for you- not about what you can't eat!

Here is a fun recipe that provides good fat for kids' brains!

Chocolate Pudding

1/4 c margarine spread (Eating a whole foods diet is about NOT eating fake stuff so I don't like the idea of fake butter just because it is labeled "vegan." I have found a great one though, called Smart Balance Organic. It is vegan and is made of soybean, canola, and olive oils that improve cholesterol)

1 c avocado puree

1 c confectioner's sugar

1/2 c cocoa powder

1 t vanilla

1/4 c cornstarch

In saucepan melt marg; stir in avocado, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Cook 3-4 mins, mashing out any avocado lumps, till thickened. Take off heat and gradually add cornstarch. The recipe says to serve warm, but I served it cold, later, and the kids loved it!