Raw Superfood Cookies

Cupcakes were easily the most offensive food trend of 2012. Between all the TV shows and the insane amount of sugar in traditional cupcakes, I am sooo glad cupcakes have been shown the door.  But what portable hand-held dessert will fill it's place? 

The answer: raw balls, bars, and cookies!  Raw treats, like these cookies, are the perfect way to introduce someone to the world of raw cuisine.  Raw desserts are significantly healthier than their baked counterparts, containing far less sugar and, with ingredients like hemp seeds and goji berries, they've got a mean nutritional punch.  In case you're unfamiliar with goji berries, they're a small red dried berry packed with antioxidants, carotenoids, and over 20 vitamins and minerals.  In other words, eat up!

Raw Superfood Cookies
Yield: 8 cookies

1/4 cup raw cashews
2 T chia seeds
2 T hemp seeds
2 T raw shredded coconut
1/3 cup medjool dates
1/3 cup organic apricots (unsulfured)
2 T goji berries

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until a thick dough forms.  Remove mixture from processor, divide into eight pieces, and roll into balls.  Flatten each ball (using a small glass) to form the cookies.  Store in the fridge/freezer (if you put them in the freezer, the goji berries will become crunchy!). 

This recipe was submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays, Wellness Weekends, Raw Foods Thursdays, and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Carrot Cake Bites: Raw + Vegan

Hallelujah, it's spring break!  I cannot express how desperately I needed a few days off.  I've been very stressed lately thanks to QAs, extracurriculars and most notably: computer glitches.  My computer crashed a few weeks ago and it had to be completely wiped to repair it.  I had all of my recipes bookmarked that I wanted to try (or had made and loved) in my web browser, so ALL of them were deleted when my computer was wiped.  Needless to say, I've spent most of spring break recollecting my recipes and saving them to word documents - a method that is much safer and more organized.  Anyway, enough about my technology troubles, let's talk carrot cake!

I'm going to be honest; I have never had real carrot cake before.  As a child, I thought carrot cake sounded and looked really weird/gross so I never tried it (and if I'm going to be completely truthful,
I really didn't like cake in general either - I'm a frosting girl :P).  However, I have come to realize the awesomeness  that is carrot cake.  Not only is it really tasty, it's an awesome way to sneak some vegetables in without knowing it too.  Speaking of veggies...

Carrots are a great source of vitamin A, which has been shown to help preserve/improve eyesight.  The humble little carrot is also packed with beta-carotene, a free-radical fighting antioxidant.  But in order for our body to properly absorb all this goodness, we need a little *gasp* fat.  In this recipe I used a combination of both almonds and walnuts to add some healthy fat.  Walnuts happen to be one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, an important type of polyunsaturated fat that our body cannot make on it's own.  With all of these nutrients packed in, feel free to eat a couple of these tasty bites!

Raw Carrot Cake Bites
Yield: 16 small/medium balls

1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup medjool dates, pitted
1 cup grated carrots, squeezed in a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Pinch sea salt
6 T organic raisins

1. Process the nuts and dates in a food processor until crumbly.
2. Add the grated carrots and spices. Pulse until the carrots are fully integrated in the mix.
3. Add raisins and pulse to combine. 
4. Remove dough from the food processor and roll into 16 balls.  Best stored in the freezer.

This recipe was submitted to Wellness Weekends, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Raw Food Thursdays, and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Raw Chocolate Cherry Basil Smoothie

Let me begin this post by saying I'm sorry.  Each weekend I try to get a post up, but to no avail.  I've been swamped with schoolwork: science fair (I'm going to the state competition!), my governor's school application, studying for quarterlies, essays, etc.  The only posts I've been able to make time for are the Recipe Redux posts since they are "required."  Hopefully as the school year comes to a close I'll be able to make an appearance a little more frequently.  But for now, thanks for sticking with me.

Green with Herb Envy was this month's Recipe Redux theme.  The goal: to use a fresh green herb in an untraditional way, so of course I  put some basil in a smoothie natch :P. 

Fresh herbs not only add lots of nearly calorie free flavor to your food but they provide plenty of health benefits as well.  Basil in particular has been known to have anti-inflammatory effects and promote cardiovascular health.*  Also, just 2 teaspoons of  basil provides 60% of your daily recommended value of vitamin K! 

The basil pairs really really well with the cherries and chocolate in this creamy, delicious beverage.  Blending herbs into your morning, snack time, or dessert smoothie may seem a little odd but trust me, you won't be sorry you did.

Chocolate Cherry Basil Smoothie
Serves: 1

1 3/4 cups organic baby spinach
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 T raw cacao powder
1 T ground flax
1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 medjool dates
1/2 cup frozen organic cherries
1 medium frozen banana

Place all ingredients into a blender.  Blend, pour, and enjoy!

This recipe was submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Raw Foods Thursdays, and Wellness Weekends.