Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE BROWNIES

Base:
1 cup cashews
1 cup buckwheat groats
2 cups Medjool dates
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Middle:
1/3 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tablespoon water

Top:
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon cacao powder

To make the base: grind the cashew and buckwheat into flour in a high speed blender. Transfer to a food processor and add the rest of the ingredients. Process until it all starts to stick together. If it's still too crumbly, add more dates or 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or water. Press into the bottom of a 4X2 baking pan or whatever mold/shape you like.

Once it sets a bit, spread on the peanut butter. If your PB is too thick, just whisk in 1 tablespoon of water.

To make the top: stir together the ingredient until smooth. Pour on top of the peanut butter layer and let the whole thing chill in the fridge (pun intended) for a couple hours or ideally overnight so the flavours can get to know each other. Slice and nom!

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MEYER LEMON COCONUT CREAM TARTS with MINT + LAVENDER
Makes two huge tarts; four servings

Crust:
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 cup almonds
1 teaspoon maple syrup (if desired) 

Lemon coconut cream: 
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup cashews 
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (preferably from Meyer lemons since they're sweeter) 

Garnish:
A few mint leaves
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup (optional) 

To make the crust: put the groats and almonds into a high speed blender and blend until it turns into a thick, slightly crumbly paste. If needed or desired, add a little maple syrup, then press into two tartlet molds or whatever shapes/molds you like. Put in the fridge.

To make the lemon coconut cream: put the coconut and cashews into your high speed blender and blend until it turns into a thick paste/butter. Stir in a 1/4 cup lemon juice and the maple syrup until evenly combined (or blend it in). If you'd like more lemon flavour, add more lemon juice! I like mine quite tart - no pun intended, seriously - so I used a full 1/2 cup. Spread this mixture evenly into your crusts, then let them sit in the fridge overnight or for at least a couple hours so the flavours can get to know each other. Garnish with mint, basil, lemon zest, maple syrup or whatever else you like! Life is good! 

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 3 tablespoons water 
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 12 oz tomatillos, diced or quartered or 1 can (15oz) crushed
• 2 poblano or Anaheim peppers, de-seeded and diced
• 1 corn off the cob or 1 cup frozen or canned sweet corn
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• salt to taste

optional garnish

• avocado, diced
• bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• tortilla strips
• cashew sour cream or cilantro-lime cashew sour cream

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil/water over medium heat and sautee onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic powder, oregano, cumin and chili powder, cook for 1 minute more stirring frequently, or just until spices and herbs become fragrant. Add tomatillos, poblanos, corn, beans, quinoa and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve in individual bowls topped with garnish of choice. Pairs well with corn bread too, either on the side or broken up in your chili!

Serves 4 - 6.

Notes:

Add in a package of organic tempeh for added hardiness. This Three Grain Tempeh is my favorite flavorwise.

You can rinse your quinoa if you like. I honestly usually skip this step but if you prefer you can run the quinoa under cool running water using a fine mesh seive.

Adjust the spices to your taste. If using broth you may like it as is, if using water you may like to add more.

This can also be made in the crock pot/slow cooker, add all the ingredients, cover with the vegetable broth and cook on medium or medium-low for 4 hours.

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THE PERFECT RAW VEGAN BROWNIE (FOR TWO)

Adapted from "Basic Brownie with Chocolate Frosting" in Easy, Affordable Raw by Lisa Viger

Brownie:
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup cashews 
1/4 cup cacao powder
Pinch of salt

Frosting
2 teaspoons melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons cacao powder 

To make the brownie: in a food processor, process the cashews until they are ground finely, then add the rest of the ingredients and process until it all begins to stick together. Press the brownie mix firmly into a cookie or tartlet mold. Refrigerate until it will hold its shape, then carefully take the brownie out of the mold and set aside. 

To make the frosting: mix together the frosting ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread on top of the brownie and enjoy! I like to chop it up and add it to my banana ice cream. 

ADAPTIONS: You can use any other nut instead of cashews. You can use carob or cocao instead of cacao. Salt is optional. You can use avocado, cacao butter or coconut butter instead of coconut oil. You can use date paste instead of maple syrup. 

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These are SO easy to make, and the most refreshing lunch ever. They'd also be a great dinner if you want something lighter. Personally, I've been eating even more raw food than usual lately, just because that is what my body is telling me. I think listening to your body is the best decision when it comes to diet and exercise... and sleep for that matter. Get in tune with YOSELF and you'll feel a lot better.




A special ingredient in these are the tortillas. They are from a company called Raw Wraps (go figure) and they are amazing! Basically just made from greens (kale or spinach) and apples and quinoa, they taste delicious and are a super effortless way to get in your dark leafy greens for the day, in burrito format. I've made this recipe several times now because it's so simple and nutritious. Besides, the colours are down right joyous. Pretty colours keep me comin' back. Jack vouches for them too, he ate more than me! I don't even need to add salt or any other flavourings or oils. The wraps plus avocado, lemon, carrot, zucchini and golden beet are enough on their own. Having said that, my palette for raw food has evolved over the years and I have grown to love the taste of really simple food. I can understand if most people still like some other seasonings so if you want to add salt, pepper, chili, hummus, hot sauce or whatever else you like - go for it.

I sliced the veggies on a mandoline, which I highly recommend. You can use a cheese grater (inexpensive) or spiralizer (quick and easy) but the mandolin (still pretty quick and easy, with more options) is my fave for aesthetics. I love my spiralizer but the curly noodles are a little obnoxious-looking, so when I know I'm going to photograph a recipe, I get out the mandoline. I have a stainless steel, French-made one from Lee Valley and it's terrific. With ease I can slice out whatever size strips/noodles I want: thick, thin, wide, narrow, long, short. It's easy to clean and as long as you're watching yourself, quick to use. Just be careful with your fingers! Mandolines have very sharp blades (duh).


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RAW VEGAN ICE CREAM SANDWICHES: oat cookies with bubblegum ice cream

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Ice cream:
4 peeled, chopped frozen bananas
1/4 cup beet juice
1 teaspoon vanilla powder

To make the cookies: grind the oats into flour in a food processor or high speed blender. Mix in the maple syrup and coconut oil until you get a doughy mixture. Press half of it into the bottom of a 9x3 bread pan (lined with parchment paper or coconut oil) and set aside.

To make the ice cream: blend the bananas and vanilla together in a high speed blender until smooth and thick like soft serve. If you need to, add some coconut milk. Carefully pour in a little bit of beet juice (you don't have to use the full 1/4 cup) and swirl it just once or twice with a spoon, then scoop the ice cream evenly on top of your first cookie layer (in the bread pan). Freeze this until solid, then press on the remaining half of the cookie dough. Put back in the freezer until the cookie layer on top is solid, then cut with a warm knife or a cookie cutter. Enjoy!

SUBSTITUTIONS & ADAPTIONS: you can use buckwheat groats (gluten-free) or cashews instead of oats, you can use coconut ice cream or mango sorbet instead of banana ice cream. You can mash up some berries and throw them in the ice cream instead of beet juice. You can use date paste instead of coconut oil and maple syrup (in the cookies). You can use vanilla extract instead of vanilla powder. 

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Ingredients

• 3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, cubed 1/2 inch
• 2 medium/large leeks, sliced and dirt removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water (water saute)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons each dried tarragon & savory or 1 tablespoon herbes de provence or thyme
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3 cups cooked or 2 cans (15 oz.) cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

 When I started making this recipe this morning my aim was to revamp one of my first ones ever (from 2011 when I started da blog). But I just realized that this turned into an almost exact replica of my immediately previous recipe, with the addition of a tart crust. Oops. Oh well! Don't cry over repeated ice cream + chocolate recipes, I always say. Actually that is the first time I've ever said that yet now I think it should be stated more often. I do eat banana ice cream and chocolate nearly every day, and positive reminders are always... positive. Ah, I just started the new semester today so my brain is already overworked. Thank goodness no one comes here for the prose. I know you only love me for my ice cream recipes and it's OOOKAY. I love you right back.




I totally failed at redoing the original recipe; it was a peanut butter crust with buckwheat, filled with banana ice cream and topped with a thick chocolate frosting. The only thing I really did the same was the banana ice cream filling. The crust in THIS recipe is made from pecans and raisins, and the "frosting" is definitely a drizzle. I guess this just means I will have to try my hand at a third attempt. I don't hear any complaints, right?

I'm finding it very relaxing, rejuvenating and nostalgic looking through my old posts (back when I just started this blog in the fall of 2011). Now I read what I wrote back then - I was 16 years old - and realize how much simpler life was. I had just started university, not sure where I wanted to go with it. I had never been in a romantic relationship. Veganism was all new and thus very exciting, with so much to explore and learn. And obviously, no one read my blog then! Or, almost no one. What I mean is that I wasn't defined by my blog or cookbooks. Of course I'm not entirely now, but you all know me through those platforms. I wasn't a professional blogger or author or vegan public figure or whatever ya wanna call me... I was simply Emily! A young teenager, freshly vegan and enthusiastic about sharing my passion for compassion with the world and everyone around me who would listen. In short: I was a baby! It's helpful for me to go back to those times, via reading my blog posts from that age, to remind myself who I was and how I got to be who I am now. As humans, we are constantly changing; physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. For one second we are never the same. Being a human is a crazy, chaotic, entropic, wonderful experience. I decided this year that every year I want to look back at who I was a year ago (example: on New Years, I reflected about who I was at the beginning of 2014). I want to remember who I was, what I thought about myself and the world around me, and what I wanted. I've made it a goal to try to always improve myself every year. I want to look back and say, "Hey, you were awesome! But you've accomplished even more now! High five, woman." This isn't to devalue myself now, I'm not standing here - yep, I've got a standing desk - thinking I suck or anything. I just believe in consistently trying to be a better version of myself, while simultaneously loving whoever I am at any given time. After all, self-love should be everyone's #1 priority. Without it, what's the point of anything?

Loving myself is at the heart of everything I do. Maybe that sounds ridiculously arrogant, since we live in society that shakes its head at being proud of yourself and loving who you are, but it's true. We're allowed and expected to compliment our friends, peers, and partners all the time, but what about complimenting ourselves? Self-love is independence, healthy confidence and a necessity for a happy life. Get in front of the mirror today and express out loud all the things you like about yourself, physical and non-physical. You're a magnificent creature who can do anything you set your mind to.

Looking back at my older posts, I am proud of who I was then, and even more proud of who I have grown into. I look forward to future years when I can reflect on this time in my life with a smile on my face, and gratitude for myself and the world that built me. For now, I'm gonna eat another one of these tarts. Wanna join?


ICE CREAM TARTS with CHOCOLATE SAUCE & PECANS 
Makes about two big ones. 

Crust:
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup raisins

Chocolate sauce:
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

Ice cream:
2 cups frozen bananas (peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes) 

To make the crust: process the pecans in a food processor until they turn into tiny crumbs. Add the raisins and process until it all starts to stick together. Press into two lined tart tins and put in the fridge. 

To make the chocolate sauce: stir the ingredients together until smooth. Add water if it's too thick.

To make the ice cream: blend the bananas in a high speed blender until smooth and thick like soft serve ice cream. Scoop into your tart crusts. Drizzle on your sauce and eat 'em up.

ADAPTIONS: use any nut or seed instead of pecans. Use dates, figs or prunes instead of raisins. Use cocoa powder or carob powder instead of cacao powder. Use vanilla extract instead of vanilla powder, or omit the vanilla powder. Use coconut ice cream instead of banana ice cream. 

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