Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

this is not a problem though, i could eat it all day... and i do. i use it in smoothies, wraps, kale chips, soups, and salads! mainly in smoothies though. so yesterday i figured i make it into a salad instead of the usual green smoothie. oh wait - i had a green smoothie for breakfast.

but still.

dino kale is a bit bitter and tough for regular salad greens so what you do to make it all nice, soft and flavourful is massage your dressing in and let it sit for a few minutes. i did that while i cut up my other salad ingredients. they included: THE BEST TOMATOES EVER, grown on our deck. i also added some bell pepper, beans, and gardein because well... i like the taste. my dad thought i had put real chicken in the salad for a second. hah.

chop the veggies and kale, set aside. to make the dressing blend all ingredients until smooth. i hope you like it! then massage the dressing into the kale and let it rest for a 5-10 minutes, getting soft. put the tomato, pepper, raisins, chickpeas/nuts and protein on top and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw almonds, walnuts or pecans
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/3 cups packed medjool dates, pitted, softened* and chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon himalayan salt

Combine almonds, coconut and cocoa powder in food processor/blender and process until almonds are a fairly fine consistency. Remove mixture and set aside.

Add dates to the food processor/blender and process until dates become a paste. Add in the almond, coconut and cocoa powder mixture along with the remaining vanilla and salt. Pulse until just combined.

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, wax paper or parchment paper. Place mixture into loaf pan, press down firmly while smoothing out the surface. Here you can either put the brownies in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to harden a bit before cutting, or you can pull the brownies out right away and cut into 12 squares to make a 3-4 bite size brownie or cut into 24 squares for a 1-2 bite size brownie. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, or on the counter, for up to two weeks.

Notes:

the crust of these tastes like raisin butter tarts. holy moly. yet another dangerously delicious recipe...


these were originally going to be one giant raw blueberry pie, complete with a lattice top crust.

why pie? well, first of all - why not. but also because i just got home from an 8-day motorcycle trip with my dad across the cascade mountain range through canada and northern america. along the way i was able to get vegan food everywhere and it was all delicious; but sadly i could never get a slice of homemade, local, fresh, wild berry pie at any of the adorable diners we stopped at! apparently they like butter in small towns.

so i decided to make a raw blueberry as soon as i got home. we have tons of amazing blueberry bushes in our front yard and they make up a large chunk of my diet in the summer. mmm...

i'll be posting about my motorcycle adventure tomorrow, in case you're interested. in the meantime, make these tarts (or make it into one big pie) and enjoy summer before it winds down! i'll also be posting a recipe for a KILLER KALE SALAD. i had it for lunch. man, was it good. 

for one lovely afternoon: i suggest doing some yoga or meditation with this music, creating a kale salad with garden veggies, and finally making these tarts. following that, maybe have a glass of wine with your loved one and watching a movie? whatever floats your boat. it's your day.

• one head cauliflower
• 1-2 tablespoons sesame, coconut or olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon sriracha chili sauce
• 1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
• generous dash of garlic powder

Base

• 1 cup sugar of choice (organic pure cane, brown pure cane, turbinado, etc.)
• 3 tablespoons, give or take, sweet almond oil, jojoba or extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups spelt flour, or flour of choice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup neutral flavored or warmed coconut oil 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup organic pure cane sugar or finely chopped dates
• 4 small or 3 large bananas (preferably overripe), mashed

• kale, I used 10oz organic package from Trader Joe's
• 2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, fine ground
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• salt to taste
• sesame seeds to garnish

• one block firm or extra firm organic tofu
• 2 tablespoons tamari, bragg's liquid amino's or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon black or white pepper
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 cup quinoa, I used tri-color from Trader Joe's
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt to taste

• 3/4 cup oats, regular or quick (I used GF)
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 3/4 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger powder
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
• 1 tablespoon unsulphured organic molasses, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg or ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• sesame seeds & cinnamon, for rolling

i adore our yard. it consistently provides us with such a bounty of sun-grown nutrition, colour and love. if everyone had their own garden, the world would probably be a more peaceful and understanding environment! good vibrations, maaaaaaan.


my dad got a new barbeque this summer (it's huge) and we've been taking full advantage of it. the weather has also been great so at least once a week we harvest a bunch of veggies from the garden and grill them with herbs. the rest of the produce we get from the farmer's market.


and for dessert? fruit. we've got goji berries, strawberries, blueberries, and figs - all that satisfy my sweet tooth as naturally as you possibly can. i seriously implore you to grow some of your own food; even just a few basil plants or some kale will do to get you into the mindset of having harmony and a symbiotic relationship with mother nature.

that's all for today! keeping it short and sweet. here's some calming sounds to help you relax this afternoon.


don't worry, i'll be back with delectable recipes real soon. BUT FIRST - i'm going on a cross-country motorcycle trip with my dad. i know, i know. i am so grateful for this life!

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