Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

Oh yeah. This is happening. Too epic to handle? No. I believe in you. Just take a breathe and allow the fact to sink in that you can make giant peanut butter cookies, sandwich them with soft serve banana ice cream... and it's healthy. THIS WORLD IS SO FREAKING AWESOME.

The only ingredients in these deliciously sexy treats are nuts, oats, fruit and... oh - that's it! Don't believe me? Make them yourself and find out. And you only need to use oats if you don't like using lots of nuts. But if "the more nuts, the better!" is your motto, then by all means the only ingredients you require are nuts and fruit. (I really, REALLY hope someone out there actually has that as their life motto.)




How did these come into existence? My friend Amanda is a genius and it was all her idea. A few weeks ago she suggested we make peanut butter cookies with banana ice cream (she has tried my banana ice cream before and quickly realized its magical qualities). Obviously I loved the idea so she came over yesterday and I whipped these up as we talked about stuff in the kitchen. 'Stuff' is such a great word. But back on track: this recipe is simple, delicious, healthy and quick to make (what else is new?) We both agreed that the cookies remind us intensely of those Nature Valley peanut butter granola bars that we enjoyed as kids. As long as you love peanut butter and bananas, you should consider this heaven in your hand. And ya know what? Since I love everyone I am gonna be accommodating so even if you hate peanut butter and bananas (what is wrong with you though) you can still make this recipe kick-ass and suitable to your taste preferences! Just use any other kind of nut butter, and make coconut ice cream or mango sorbet instead. Done.

Yet another wonderful feature of this seemingly perfect treat? If you have something against the sandwich format or are just lazy, you can simply throw it all into a bowl and chow down. I rolled the extra cookie dough into balls and threw it on the leftover ice cream along with some coconut sugar. This was my dinner. #perfectlife #bananaicecreamforever

Note: even though I just called this a 'treat', you can seriously eat it any time of the day and in whatever quantity you desire. That's the best part about eating healthy food. No restrictions, yo. Okay I have probably babbled enough about this so let's get to it. WE ALL SCREAM FOR BANANA ICE CREAM! And we can probably scream louder and longer because the wholesome ingredients in our ice cream provide us with energy and high quality nutrition. I'm just SAYING. Okay seriously I will leave now. Enjoy the recipe.

x

Note: I am honoured to say this recipe was featured in Vegetarian Times!

These are almost dangerously tasty. You've got a heavenly cookie base mainly made up of cashews and oats, creating a nest for fresher-than-fresh berry jam with chia seeds. That's it. Simple, right? Definitely. But simple doesn't mean boring. This recipe will blow your mind and your mouth will cry for more. I just gobbled up two and almost didn't stop to breathe. Fortunately, the planet is awesome and allows these cookies to be super healthy, raw and vegan without compromising on flavour or sexy looks.

Yeah, I just called these cookies sexy.




Okay I just drank a giant green smoothie and NEED TO PEE. Be right back.

Thoughts while in the bathroom: my world is way too trippy lately but at least I have people who care what I have to say. Speaking of what I have to say... the following is a bit of a ramble through my mind and what's been going on in there lately. Let's jump in.

I'm in the middle of this weird identity "crisis". As my blog and myself become more and more popular, and I'm working on promoting my cookbooks (you can find them here and here); I'm beginning to realize my life is rapidly changing and I am at the start of a new phase IN my life. I'm going to increasingly be in the public eye as a symbol of veganism and health and I will largely be defined by my diet and how I present myself through my blog and book(s). I've been in radio and TV interviews and meeting with local businesses, and in those situations my appearance really matters. On a personal scale, this means I need to start dressing a bit more professional and taking care with my appearance. This is slightly uncomfortable because for the past two-ish years, I've basically become a radical feminist only shopping at thrift stores, buying over-sized men's clothing, not shaving [anything], boycotting make-up and shampoo, etc. Well the fact of the matter is I have to put that phase behind me and look forward to actually LOOKING like the 'business woman' I have, in a sense, made myself into. I got rid of all my old clothes and am now slowly rebuilding my wardrobe with good quality, NEW clothes that actually fit my figure. I was showing my parents a dress after I bought it a few months ago and my dad proclaimed, "You look like a girl, again! When did that happen!?"

Until the past year and more specifically the last eight months, the reality that I have created my own business, have a blog that is popular enough to (mostly) live off of and am a published best-selling author all before the age of 21 hadn't hit me fully. I started this blog about four years ago as a hobby and mostly at the suggestion of family and friends. Sure, I daydreamed that maybe it'd get a few readers; and when I walked by the vegan section in bookstores it was fun to pretend my name was on one of the book spines... but now these dreams have literally become true and I am FINALLY letting that settle in. Like I said, this is the beginning of a new phase in my life... one that I think will be mainly defined by fame and fortune professionalism and the message of veganism. I am genuinely excited for the future and also the fact that I have no idea what it holds. What am I going to do next? I feel like things are just going to keep improving because I actively put positive energy into my environment and my work... and clearly that has been paying off!? At the same time, I need to stay realistic and not get ahead of myself. A great mantra is: expect the worst and hope for the best. I do that every day; I'd say I'm an optimistic realist. Another one I need to remember is: BE HERE NOW! I have tattooed on my wrist but too often I forgot to take a breath and appreciate the moment at hand for what it is, for all it is!

But it's also not like I'm just sitting here and just desperately hoping all this good fortune lands in my lap. I was talking to a friend the other day and she was asking how you get to where I am (I think the term she used was "vegan famous") and she answered her own question by saying it must just be good karma. I'm not saying that I haven't been extremely fortunate and blessed on my journey thus far, because I have greatly. But it was a little offensive to hear that because I don't think many of my friends are really aware of how much time, thought and effort I put into this blog. Yes, I LOVE my "work". It feels wrong calling it work because it's my passion! But no, that doesn't mean it's effortless. I am dedicated to you and making the world a better place through wholesome eating and living, and that dedication is official now. There ain't no goin' back! I am only going to work harder to inspire as many people as I can.

Right now though, I'm gonna go eat another cookie.


OAT & CASHEW THUMBPRINT COOKIES with BERRY CHIA JAM 

Cookies:
2/3 cup cashews
3/4 cup oats (I used plain rolled oats, you can find raw oats if you like) 
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Pinch Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Jam:
1/2 cup berries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3 dates, cut into small pieces
Water, as needed (I used about 3 tablespoons) 

To make the cookies: process all the ingredients but the oats together in a food processor until they form a thick, chunky kind of cashew butter. Add the oats and pulse until it all starts sticking together. Form into thumbprint cookies and put in the fridge for a few hours so they can set. 

To make the jam: put all the ingredients except the chia seeds in a food processor and process until it's as smooth as desired. Mix in the chia seeds with a spoon, then fill each thumbprint cookie with the jam. Yussss. 

CASHEW SAGE COOKIES WITH LEMON DRIZZLE

Cookies:
1 cup cashews
1 cup dates
1 tablespoon sage leaves

Drizzle:
1 banana (or small handful of cashews if you don't want banana flavour)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 

To make the cookies: process the cashews and sage leaves into powder in a food processor. Add the dates and process until it all begins to get sticky. Roll into balls, then press into cookies. Put in the fridge. 

To make the drizzle: blend everything until smooth. I used cashews but that's only because I have no ripe bananas at the moment (I KNOW, IT HAS BEEN A ROUGH DAY). 

Did you like this post? Then *subscribe to my blog* and get all my posts by email!

I made these for my friend, Vanessa, because she has a handful of food sensitives which leaves her unable to make a lot of my recipes. Sad face. My goal in making these was to keep out all the stuff she can't have, and throw together all the stuff she loves! Happy face. The visual inspiration came from a treat I saw in the dessert display shelf at Gorilla Food a couple days ago when I was there with Vanessa (who, by the way, has her own awesome food blog which you can check out right here).


If you're getting tired of all these sweet recipes - especially after I've promised numerous times I'll be making more savoury stuff - please don't leave me yet! NEVER LEAVE MEEEE. I swear some non-desserts are on their way. *Cough cough raw vegan poutine cough* Having said that, you guys are giving me some great dessert ideas to rawify like tiramisu, ferrero rochers, chocolate croissants, baklava... so those should be expected too.


I think I'm in the midst of winter blues or something like it. I've been feeling pretty low lately. It's nothing physical - I'm as healthy as can be so don't ya worry about that. Nevertheless, emotionally I feel at rock bottom. Maybe it's because of what is going on in my life as far as relationships and personal struggles go, maybe it's because we haven't gotten sun in days and my body is telling me I need some vitamin D, maybe I'm just bored because school is done for a few weeks. Probably, it's a conglomeration of all those factors. All I know is that for the past two days (maybe more) I haven't wanted to see anyone, talk to anyone, or do anything besides burn smoky incense, cry for no reason and lay in bed listening to Joy Division, Swans, New Order, My Bloody Valentine, Radiohead, King Krule and Arcade Fire.

I know in years, I'm young (20 is considered young, right? I don't know anything anymore...)  but I can't help sensing that this gloomy feeling will never go away completely, but only be diminished temporarily by distractions like friends, romantic partners, school, movies, exercise, food, etc. It seems like the only things that aren't distractions are getting lost in great music and meditating. I've talked about this subject before: I usually feel utterly alone and lost in the world. I don't even feel human most of the time. I think I was meant to be a tree, or a sloth... or a moth.

Life is too emotionally overwhelming for me to cope with, and the fact that I feel that no one can understand what I go through every day only makes it more depressing. I mean even with my closest friends and family... they have never really seen what I am, and I don't know how to show them. But in any case, I don't particularly care about showing them. What's the point? Ya know? I hope some of you read this and can connect with my situation. Otherwise you are probably thinking, "Okay - this girl is crazy, naive AND mega depressing... I'm getting outta here."

Please don't go though! I made you cookies!



I certainly don't want to turn this into a pity party. I have an AMAZING LIFE. I am surrounded by loving, beautiful, devoted individuals who constantly make me feel great about who I am - that includes you! Thank you! I am young, healthy, getting a great education, financially stable (if that matters), living a gorgeous city, finding great success in work I absolutely love doing (this blog)... I mean I basically have my own dream life and couldn't possibly ask for more. The world seems to be on my side, blessing me with everything I could ever want; while my own mind is against me, never letting me be permanently content. This anguish has nothing to do with my life circumstances, it just seems to be part of my inherent nature. Once I described it as "being so happy, I have to be sad." Does that make an ounce of sense?

Ah, I dunno. Let's eat healthy food and worry about this later. I sincerely apologize if this post bummed you out. It's not like I'm faking it when I act happy - I can BE the happiest person I know! I'm just saying that it seems like my natural, default setting is sad... and I wish it was otherwise.

UPDATE: Okay so I wrote the post above about 2 days ago and I am relieved to say that since then, my spirits have been lifted substantially. A really good friend came over and made me feel loads better. Today I am ready to return to my positive and productive self. It's not like I am fixed forever; I know I'll be sad again at some point. But for now I am appreciating this renewed joy for all it is. I like to see happiness and sadness as intertwined and equally valuable, I work to find balance in all aspects of my life; and a balance between happiness and sadness is included in that.


ALMOND CACAO COOKIES with SALTED MACA CARAMEL

Almond cacao cookies:
1 cup almonds
1 cup dates
2 heaping tablespoons cacao powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Salted maca caramel:
1 cup dates
2 tablespoons maca powder
Himalayan pink crystal salt, to taste
3/4 cup water, more or less as needed 

Topping (optional):
Pecan halves, walnut halves and/or almonds

To make the cookies: pulse the almonds into flour in a food processor, then add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until it all sticks together. Press into the bottom of a lined baking pan and put in the fridge. 

To make the caramel: blend all the ingredients until smooth and thick like whipped cream. Put this in the fridge for about 2 hours. 

Use a cookie cutter to make your cookies, then scoop a spoonful of caramel on top of each one. Press a walnut, almond or pecan onto the dollop of caramel. Refrigerate overnight or at least for a few hours... then enjoy with fresh almond milk!

yum. that's what these babies are.

i will admit right off the bat - i didn't make the chocolate chips myself today so they aren't 100% raw in the photos. but as long as you make your own raw chocolate chips (or buy some), you're golden!


i was asked to give a raw cookie recipe so here it is. these are mostly oats with a bit of coconut, almonds and agave (i didn't have any dates!) i recommend using dates if you have them, they're a whole food whereas agave is more processed... still far better than white sugar though ;)

personally, i find these more satisfying than baked cookies. they taste just as good, and the bonus is that they're good for you. nothing to feel guilty about here! i bet these would be good if you dehydrated them for a couple hours, they'd get like baked cookies on the outside. for me though - they were great as is.

i made quite a few so i'll be giving them away to friends and what not. it would've been nice to go downtown and give them to the homeless. last time i was downtown i was bringing some raw brownies to a friend's house and didn't think to share them with the people who needed them more than my or my friends until after i was coming home... dang. next time!

hopefully you're not homeless and so can enjoy them in the comfort of your dwelling today.


in your food processor, pulse oats, almonds and coconut chunks until they're like a rough flour. add all the other ingredients and blend until it comes together. add raisins and chocolate and mix in by hand. then form them into balls and flatten. dehydrate if you desire. hurraw!

Today was long, tiring, wet and cold. I'm exhausted, and looking forward to collapsing into my bed in a few hours.
When I finally got home from class and the library, finished all my other house work and homework, sent some emails and made weekend plans; all I wanted was a cookie. Not a wonderfully healthy, sprouted nut and raw honey based cookie - a terrible, ewwy-gooey, flour and sugar cookie from the killer oven!

I had found a cookie recipe that I wanted to bake for X-mas for the fam a little while ago, and it's all I could think about when I got home. I follow what my mind and body tell me - which 99% of the time is "YAY ORGANIC FRUIT AND GREENS!", but I won't lie: I love some cooked foods.

Maybe for emotional reasons, "addictive" reasons, or just 'cause IT'S OKAY TO EAT COOKED FOOD (for all you hard-core raw fooders out there who kick yourself every time you eat something cooked), I enjoy cooked meals every now and again. Usually with friends and family, for special occasions, or simply when the dish is too amazing to resist. An example is eggplant. Oh. My. God. Just slice it and bake it until it's soft. Same goes for garlic and onions.

@#$*%&$%#! Food is such a beautiful thing. Cooked OR raw.

I'm also not gonna sit here and say I don't feel guilty after eating cooked food sometimes. I'm really trying to work on getting over this. My mind knows it's okay and that we've been cooking our food for thousands of years; yet another part of me thinks it makes me weak, or selfish for not putting my body's needs first. For now, I've just gotta get over it and figure out what works best for me.

It scares me a little when I become so fixated on my diet, it's not healthy, even if being healthy is my goal. I have this link at the bottom of my blog for this reason; sometimes I DO become too idealistic and almost dogmatic about my diet, something I don't like at all. So in a way eating cooked food helps me stay realistic, if that makes sense.

*For those cooked foodists out there, this is probably sounding very strange, for raw foodists, you probably know what I'm talking about =)

Right now the bottom line is that I listen to my body and occasionally my body wants cooked food - so I will eat it. Simple as that.

So as I was saying... I decided to make these cookies. They turned out perfectly divine and delicious. I got the recipe online, and it said it was from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. My dad and mom LOVE them (especially my dad, I get the von Euw sweet tooth from him).