Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

raw vanilla coffee creme pie with a chocolate crust

2:12 PM

i don't even LIKE coffee; yet this is one of my new favourite recipes. my opinions on coffee are what you might expect: it's acceptable in moderation! i do not think it is a good idea for your mind or your body to chug 5 cups of cream- and sugar-laden coffee every day; but the occasional mug of organic black coffee can be beneficial. i prefer getting my caffeine from green tea simply for the flavour. now that i think about it - i bet this recipe would be delicious with some potent green tea substituted in for coffee!

hmm... i may have to try that.

this recipe is delightful and - i give you fair warning here - difficult to stop eating. the crust is a mix of nuts, dates, cacao and cinnamon so it is like a spiced chocolate base; then the creme layer is a smooth blend of black coffee, cashews, and a whole food sweetener of your choice (everyone has their preference). i drizzled a salted caramel sauce on top made from date paste and sea salt and for the finishing touch added some goji berries, raw pumpkin seeds and coffee beans for colour and contrast. HECK YA.

bathe in the lusciousness of the creme layer mixed with the crunchy bite of the cinnamon chocolate crust. OH MA GERD - IT'S SO GOOD. i should buy some restraints when i make this from now on to control myself. i predict the family will enjoy it as much as me and my boyfriend did this morning. yep, that's right. we ate it for breakfast... after some fresh juice of course.

how's the weather where you live? it has been raining here for days and i'm lovin' every minute - i'm lovin' it. (no affiliation to mcdonalds here.) as long as i wear a good pair of boots and bring an umbrella the rain don't bother me none. plus it's really cozy when you're inside with a fire, special people, two cats and this creme pie...

i suggest eating this at most a few hours before you go to sleep otherwise it might keep you up if you are sensitive to caffeine. try it for breakfast! it was perfect.

cashew coffee vanilla creme cake with a cinnamon chocolate crust: serves 8 or so

cashew coffee vanilla creme:

2 cups raw cashews

seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup (or agave/raw honey/date paste)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup very strong, brewed organic coffee

cinnamon chocolate crust:

1 cup pecans

1 cup dates

2 tablespoons cacao powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder

salted caramel drizzle:
1/2 cup dates covered in enough water (or coffee) to cover them
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon nut butter (optional)

to make the creme, blend all ingredients until smooth. set aside.

to make the crust, process the nuts into a rough flour in your food processor and add all the other ingredients until you can press it together, then press it into the bottom of lined small spring-form pan. scoop on the creme and let it set in the fridge or freezer.

to make the caramel drizzle, blend the dates, water/coffee, salt and nut butter (if using) until smooth and pretty liquid. if it is too thick - add more water; if too thin - add more dates. drizzle on top of your creme pie and garnish with coffee beans, goji berries and pumpkin seeds. it is better - but difficult - to wait until the next day to eat this, let the flavours get to know each other. then DEVOUR.

I selected this post to be featured on Vegan Blogs. Please visit the site and vote for my blog!

bay leafs

PARSNIP & SPLIT PEA SOUP: SLOW COOKER OR STOVE TOP

2:35 PM

Split pea soup is always welcome soup in my home. I remember growing up eating it often. Back then I ate it mostly out of the can...gasp...but gladly today I enjoy preparing my meals from scratch. Making your own soups is so much more rewarding and flavorful. These days, I definitely like to control what goes into my food. This soup is easy to put together, delicious and hearty enough to fill you up. The recipe is adapted from Robin Robertson's book entitled 'Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker'. I added the carrots and garlic because I love them both. I also added in the poultry seasoning that I'm finishing off. If you don't have poultry seasoning you could add herbes de provence which is a great all-around herb blend for soups as well (I always keep this one on hand). With soup season under way, this recipe will be adapted to what I have on hand and used often!

Full of protein and fiber, split peas are a great way to meet your daily requirements of these important nutrients. As a new vegan, I'm always looking for plant-based protein rich sources and these fit the bill with 8 grams of protein and fiber per 1/2 cup cooked. They're also a great source of manganese, copper, folate and vitamin B1. To top it off, they are low in fat. However you can get in your peas, enjoy them often!

PARSNIP & SPLIT PEA SOUP: SLOW COOKER OR STOVE TOP

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large parsnips, quartered and chopped
2 large carrots, quartered and chopped
1 pound dried green split peas (about 2 1/4 cup), picked over and rinsed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or herb de provence, optional
2 bay leaves
6 cups water or vegetable broth, + more as needed
1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional (I didn't use any)
mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

This soup can be prepared either of two ways along with a fat free, no oil option. One is in a slow cooker and the other on the stove which is how I prepared it...

Slow Cooker method:

Saute onions, garlic, carrots and parsnips with olive oil until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Place sauteed vegetables in slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients. Slow cook on low for 8 hours. Remove bay leafs and using a submersion blender, blend until desired consistency...blending more for creamy and less for chunky. Taste for seasoning....

Stove top method:

In large pot or stock pot, heat olive oil and saute onions, garlic, carrots and parsnips until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour stirring occasionally. Remove bay leafs and using a submersion blender, blend until desired consistency...blending more for creamy and less for chunky. Taste for seasoning...

Oil Free, Fat Free Method:

If you don't want to saute, just add your lentils, vegetables, spices and liquids in the crock pot and turn on low, cook for 8 hours. If using stove top method, place all ingredients in pot, bring to boil and simmer for an hour.

Serve with whole grain or artisan bread. I just paired mine with some good seeded bread I had on hand and added some diced raw carrots on top which gave a nice freshness and crunch to the soup. Crumbled Coconut Bacon is also a nice topping.

Serves 4 - 6,

Notes:

This soup pictured here is what the consistency looks like the next day. Your soup right after cooking will be slightly thinner but still delicious! You could start with 5 cups of water if you'd like it really thick from the start, adding water as needed. Even the next day, I added a bit more more water as it was really thick after being in the refrigerator.

If you don't have parsnips on hand, dice up a couple red, yukon gold or small russet potatoes. You could also use a couple extra carrots or add 2 stalks of celery instead.