Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

RAW VEGAN HERB-INFUSED SPECIAL BROWNIES

3:55 PM

Look at my GIFs!!!

I'm gonna start off by saying you can use whatever herb you like to infuse these brownies with... I certainly have my favourite. You can make them special or "special" - if you catch my drift - it's really up to you, as always. I am sure that mint, basil or rosemary would all taste great. Hehehe.

I've made many raw brownie recipes before but this one turned out uniquely delicious, most likely due to the undertones of infused coconut oil. That's right, kids. Today we will be infusing coconut oil with herbs! *WOAH SIDE NOTE I JUST HEARD MAJOR THUNDER OUTSIDE THE WINDOW*

Okay I'm back. Just to note: you strict raw foodies will be mad at me for calling these 100% raw because infusing the coconut oil requires mixing it with boiling water and letting it simmer for a few hours. But can we please all chill and understand that coconut oil and boiling water meeting is not the end of the world? Still mega healthy. The plan for this batch of raw brownies involves friends and anime movies. Oh and a record player. It's gonna be a good night. Let's get unbaked!

raw vegan special brownies

brownies:

3/4 cup rolled oats (or hemp seeds)

3/4 cup walnuts

1 cup dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 heaping tablespoons Jump Up and Go Go (or cacao powder)

Pinch of salt (optional)

3-4 tablespoons coconut oil infused with herbs of your choosing (recipe below)

glaze:
1 tablespoon each of almond butter, maple syrup and cacao powder

To make the herb-infused coconut oil: bring a small pot of water to boil; add in 3-4 tablespoons of coconut oil, along with however much of your dried herbs you like. Lower the temperature to simmer and let the herbs and coconut oil get to know each other for 2-6 hours, but check frequently to add water as needed (because it will evaporate). Once you want to take it off the heat, let the water evaporate completely, then let the mixture cool. Strain, disgardng the herbs and keeping the liquid coconut oil (which will now be greenish). Now it's ready to use! Let's get funky!

To make the brownies: pulse the oats and walnuts in your food processor until they become a powder. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it all sticks together and tastes OUTTA DIS WORLD. Press into a lined baking dish and put in the fridge to set for a few hours. Spread on your glaze and munch munch munch.

avocado

Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

7:06 PM

Chocolate

WALNUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE CREAM CUPS

11:25 AM

beet

RUBIES {what my regular cooked dinner looks like}

1:05 AM

For whatever reason, I was having trouble titling this post; should I name the recipe that is included? Should I call it "What I Ate For Dinner"? Em was stumped. Then she remembered that while she was eating this giant bowl of colourful goodness (and inexplicably talking in third person), she couldn't stop thinking it was like she was eating jewels! Not in a "My Strange Addiction: Can't Stop Eating Precious Stones" way, but more in a "these colours are so vibrant it's like I am eating rubies or gems" kind of way... you dig?

Anyhoo - the point of this post is to show you guys what an average dinner looks like for me these days. As most of you know - I do not eat a 100% raw diet anymore. I believe everyone should eat to feel their best and be their happiest; I've learned that a mostly raw diet does this for me. And no matter what, I always eat whole foods and vegan.

So this recipe is a perfect example of what an "regular" dinner is for me right now. Sometimes I will go through phases where I just eat salad for dinner, or smoothies, or fancy raw meals or what have you; but generally-speaking it's a lot like this: steamed veggies with beans or tofu, and occasionally whole grains.

I pretty much eat fruit all day, and then make sure that the majority of my dinner is straight-up vegetables (making my diet primarily fruits and veggies); I almost always steam my veggies, but sometimes I'll cook them at a low temperature in the oven. I aim to stay away from oils but occasionally I'll add a teaspoon of olive oil to soften up eggplant or tomatoes, etc.; and lately I haven't been making sauces either, instead just using a bit of Himilayan pink salt for enhanced flavour. I eat as many veggies as I want, but moderate the amounts of denser foods like whole grains and high-protein foods. Sometimes I'll just have a huge bowl of only vegetables like broccoli or potatoes; in fact, that's what I have been doing recently because I haven't wanted to cook brown rice or quinoa. Note: when I say "veggies" I am including non-sweet fruits in there too; like tomatoes, bell peppers, etc. Let's keep life simple, shall we?

Summing it up: I eat raw all day, and basically all of that is fruit and greens in the form of juice, smoothies, or giant bowls of fruit. My dinner is a huge portion of lightly cooked vegetables, usually followed by a raw dessert since I always have one around (plus that's where I get my nuts and seeds in for the day). If you have any questions: please ask! I know many of you are new to this kind of lifestyle and could be confused about how and what to eat. I am here to help! *big smile*

Now onto the recipe.

I used heirloom tomatoes from our garden and beets and yams from the farmer's market. I threw in some organic chickpeas - because why the heck not? The beets and yams were steamed. The tomatoes were drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, then cooked at about 200 degrees until they softened up and got juicy. They are LIKE CANDY when you prepare them this way. Also: tomatoes, when gently cooked with olive oil, have more absorbable lycopene. Boom!

slow-cooked tomatoes with chickpeas, steamed beets & yams

1 cup cooked or sprouted chickpeas

2-3 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes

1 large peeled beet

1 peeled yam

Spices, salt, olive oil

Rub the tomatoes with olive oil and salt and then cook in the oven at about 200 degrees until they start to smell amazing and get juicy and soft. You can take them out whenever you want but I usually leave them in for 30 minutes or so. Steam the yam and beet until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Toss the chickpeas with your favourite spices (I used cumin, coriander and turmeric) and salt, if desired. Throw everything together and sprinkle on salt, pepper, curry powder, peanut sauce, or whatever else you want. Now nourish your body and soul.

butter

WALNUT BUTTER

9:46 PM

cashews

Zucchini + Mint + Cashew Ricotta + Pasta

3:33 PM

Today it's a celebration of zucchini & mint...and lots of it!

Zucchini + Mint + Cashew Ricotta + Pasta Ingredients

A fresh combination paired with lemon, pasta, cashew ricotta cheese, garlic and a dusting of almond parmesan to top it off. A simple, wholesome and flavorful meal that can be enjoyed warm or chilled.

Zucchini + Mint + Cashew Ricotta + Pasta 1

Zucchini + Mint + Cashew Ricotta + Pasta 2

The cashew ricotta is so easy to make. Soak your cashews for 3+ hours in purified water. The soaking will increase enzyme activity, offer greater absorption of the food's nutrients by the body and help to increase digestibility. Once done, place all ingredients in blender/food processor and process for 3-5 minutes. So simple and good! Once you make it a few times you'll adjust the flavoring to your liking. Some like it very salty while others may not. You may like to use apple cider vinegar in place of the lemon. You may even prefer to add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast or a 1/2 teaspoon of mellow miso for an extra layer of flavor. Whatever you have on hand is good...from the simplest of ingredients listed to the addition of the extras mentioned will give you great results.

I used a gluten free penne pasta here but feel free to use whatever pasta you like. I've also made this with a quinoa linguini pasta that was fabulous as well. For the zucchini I used my wok. I love using my carbon steel wok for tender vegetables like zucchini that can overcook quickly. The carbon steel wok is perfect in that it heats up quickly and cools down quickly once removed from the heat so your tender vegetables will not overcook.

Zucchini + Mint + Cashew Ricotta + Pasta Mixed

Mix everything together making sure to season to taste with mineral salt & cracked pepper, and serve with a good dusting of almond parmesan, it makes all the difference in the world...trust me!

Zucchini + Mint + Cashew Ricotta + Pasta

Ingredients

4 zucchini, thinly sliced and cut in half
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup mint (loosely packed), julienned
1 - 2 lemons
8 oz. penne pasta (about 2 cups)
olive oil
mineral salt & cracked pepper to taste
lemon wedges, to serve
almond parmesan, to serve

Cashew Ricotta

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 3+ hours
3 tablespoons water
1 small garlic clove
juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
mineral salt & cracked pepper to taste
dash or two of onion powder, optional

Start by preparing your cashew ricotta. Soak your cashews for 3+ hours in a jar with at least 1 cup water. Once ready, drain and rinse your cashews. Place the cashews and remaining ingredients into your food processor/blender and process until smooth, about 4 minutes or so, scrapping down the sides as needed to make sure everything comes together nicely. Add an extra tablespoon of water if needed, you may need to if you didn't soak the cashews longer than 3 hours. Set aside. This can be made in advance, a day or two, and kept in the fridge until ready to use. When ready, let set at room temp for an hour or so.

In a large pot, cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse and place back in the pot you cooked your pasta in. Using the strainer you strained the pasta in (if the holes aren't too big to catch the lemon seeds), place strainer over pasta and add the juice of one lemon along with a small glug of olive oil. Mix well, let set until ready to add the zucchini and ricotta.

In large wok/skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and cook your zucchini and garlic to your liking. I like mine al dente and only cook for about four minutes at most, depending on how thick the slices are.

Add your cashew ricotta to the pasta and mix well. Add in the zucchini, garlic and mint, gently toss to coat. Taste for flavor and serve. Serve with lemon wedges and a good dusting of almond parmesan...it's simply delicious!

Serves four generously.

Enjoy!