Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup oats (I use GF)
• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave
• 6 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise and seeded
• 2 tablespoons water, + plus more as needed
• pinch of mineral salt
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, cacao or carob nibs, or raw chocolate

Place all ingredients in food processor except for chocolate chips. Blend, scrapping down the sides as needed, until combined. (I like to leave mine a little on the chunky side). Add 1 or 2 tablespoons more water as needed. Remove mixture and place in a medium size bowl, mix in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, it will help the mixture stiffen a bit making it easier to handle. Roll into 1 inch balls or flatten like a cookie. If forming them into balls you may like to roll them in cacao powder, cinnamon or shredded coconut. I've done all three and all were great ! Makes approx. 12 - 18, depending on if your rolling or forming cookie shapes.

Store in fridge and enjoy within a few weeks. They also freeze well.

Optional add ins:
1/4 cup shredded coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon or so of cinnamon

• 1 cup oats, rolled or quick (I used GF)
• 1/2 cup hemp hearts
• 6 dates, pitted and chopped
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup (agave is fine too)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup water, as needed

Place all ingredients in food processor, except for the water, and blend until combined. Use the water one tablespoon at time if needed if mixture isn't clumping up. I used about 1 tablespoon, use at your discretion. Don't worry if it's seems a little too sticky, it will become a bit stiffer once refrigerated. And if it's a little sticky it will help when you roll the balls in a coating. If the mixture is too wet, try adding a pinch or two of oats. The dryer they are the more they will be a stiffer but chewy cookie, the moister they are they will be more like cookie dough...both ways are good. :)

Next, roll bits of dough into one inch balls. If dough seems too sticky to roll, refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes before rolling. I got 11 out of this batch, plus the little taste testing I was doing. You should expect about 12 balls. You can roll them in a variety of ingredients. I rolled some in hemp seeds, coconut, cinnamon and cacao powder. I wanted to experiment with different coatings. If rolling in powders be sure to gently lift and drop your coated balls a few times an inch or two above a hard surface to let any excess powder fall off.

Store in the refrigerator and eat within a couple weeks or so, or you can also freeze them and they will last even longer.

Notes: 

Don't worry about getting all the ingredients exact. If you add/subtract something they will still be great. You almost always can't go wrong with these.

These are great for special occasions and can be made well in advance to keep life a little simpler.

I always seem to add oats to my raw cookie bites. I use oats to cut down on the fat content. Feel free to adjust the oats using less and replacing the unused portion with hemp seeds.

• 3/4 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup oats (I used GF)
• 1 cup pistachios, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt
• 1/4 cup water, as needed
• 1/4 cup raw dark chocolate chips , cacao nibs or vegan chocolate chips

Place all ingredients in food processor except for 1/4 cup of the pistachio's, water and chocolate chips. Blend until combined adding the water a little at a time to help with the consistency of the dough, this will depend on your liking. Next, mix in the rest of the pistachio's and chocolate chips, using your hands for this is best. I also added a large pinch of oats for a more chunky feel to my cookies. Roll into 1 inch balls (mine were a bit bigger) and enjoy licking your fingers, and the bowl, when your all done. Makes approx. 13 - 16 balls.

Next, the crushed pistachio pieces to roll the balls in which is optional but a nice touch. On a flat surface, I placed two pieces of wax paper with about 1/4-1/3 cup pistachio's in between and used a rolling pin to smash the pistachio's, as shown above, in a somewhat rough crushing, leaving some large and mostly small pieces. Roll your balls on the nuts and store in airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for a couple weeks and last even longer in the freezer. You can always make these ahead for special occasions.

you know i'm weird, and i suppose this takes it to a new level. now i expect to become a complete social outcast, but that's okay - because my feet will be comfortable. also, i just don't give a damn what people think. if someone doesn't want to be friends because i have awesome footwear, well then they can't be that cool, can they? (the answer is nope.)

the shoes were pretty expensive but they're the birthday present i asked for from my parents. WOOT. the company is really cool of course. check 'em out here. i bought mine at MEC (another great organization).


i had to throw this photo in here, my cat is too adorable. her name's sugar. now time for a smoothie! our blueberries are going crazy and it makes me sing, SO MANY BLUEBERRIES. thus i have taken to freezing them, making them even better in smoothies. today's elixir was blueberries, strawberries, banana and dino kale.



here's the song for today. you gotta love da brat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, spelt or flour of choice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons organic pure cane sugar
• pinch of mineral salt
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 cup buttermilk (one cup non-dairy milk + juice from 1 lemon or 1 tbsp vinegar, white or apple cider)
• zest of two lemons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Pour batter onto griddle, using oil if needed in between batches. I like to use a 1/4 cup measuring cup for scooping batter, this way they are uniform in size. Cook until bubbles form on top or edges, and flip...usually about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on your griddle/skillet.