Emily von Euw's Blog, page 16

CUCUMBER SOUP with MANGO SALSA

ACTUALLY SO GOOD.

This recipe is from Gena Hamshaw's new cookbook, Food52 Vegan. I have also tried a kabocha curry recipe from the book and it was equally delicious. Gena's creations are always simple, great-tasting, and made with whole foods. Oh yeah and if you don't already know, Gena runs Choosing Raw, an epic food blog.


I'm tired today - I think because of the rainy weather we've been having - and not really in the mood for writing, so I'm gonna end this post by saying: try this soup and give yourself a hug ASAP. You deserve both. xx


CUCUMBER SOUP with MANGO SALSA
Serves 4

Soup:
2 large cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large Hass avocado
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1⁄3 cup (80ml) water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Salsa:
1 cup (170g) diced mango, in 1⁄2-inch (1.3-cm) cubes
1⁄2 cup (75g) fresh, raw corn kernels
1⁄2 cup (20g) finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and pepper

1. To make the soup, put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, adding a bit more water if needed to achieve a perfectly creamy texture. Taste and add more salt if desired.

2. To make the salsa, put the mango, corn, cilantro, olive oil, and lime juice in a small bowl and stir until evenly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve the soup topped with the salsa.
Reprinted with permission from Food52 Vegan, by Gena Hamshaw,copyright © 2015, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of PenguinRandom House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2015 by James Ransom.
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DIY NATURAL VEGAN MOUTHWASH

"Natural" doesn't really mean anything (basically if something exists, it's natural; I'm natural therefore I am...) but I threw that word in the title just to give you an idea of what this mouthwash is all 'bout. The ingredients are basic, maybe in your house already, and edible; though I do not recommend drinking this mouthwash. Firstly because it'd just taste REALLY minty and salty and sweet and strange. But also, after you gargle with it in your mouth, it is carrying a bunch of icky stuff that you want to spit OUT, not ingest. 

I have an electric toothbrush, a tongue scraper and I try to floss everyday; but even still I would find plaque on my teeth after my chomper-cleaning routine. This bummed me out, so I decided to step my oral hygiene game and that's when I started using this mouthwash. After gargling with it pretty passionately for 30 seconds or so, the layer of grime on my teeth GOES AWAY. My mouth feels so clean and fresh and life is better. Try out this recipe and see if it works for you! xx

DIY NATURAL VEGAN MOUTHWASH

1 1/2 cups water (filtered or purified is ideal)
2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking soda 
2 tablespoons xylitol 
4 drops peppermint essential oil
4 drops tea tea essential oil 

Mix it all up and keep in a glass bottle wherever you do your mouth-cleaning stuff.

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MANGO CURRY with CHICKPEAS

Finally sharing this amazing recipe from Richa Hingle's newest cookbook. It is the best curry I have ever had / made and you need it in your life, even if you think you're doing ok without it (... you're the ones you need it most). I've tried a bunch of other recipes from the book - Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen - as well and loved them all; like spicy potato-filled samosas, flavourful veggie-filled dishes and loads of DIY spice mixes. The recipe I am sharing from the book today is magical for me since I've always adored curries but have never been very good at making them. This curry is sweet, spicy, SO CREAMY, thick, and basically just mango, coconut milk and garam masala. When you pair it with rice and cilantro, the whole world kind of falls away as you take a bite; you and the curry become one. I was trying to listen to The Savage Lovecast while I ate it but it was hard to concentrate because of all the flavour explosions that were happening in my mouth. I'm serious: best curry I have ever had.. and I have had a lot of curry. Now I've said and thought the word 'curry' too many times so it doesn't seem like a real word anymore. Don't you love it when that happens? It illustrates how fluid and temporal the meanings of language actually are.


MANGO CURRY with CHICKPEAS Recipe from Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen. Copyright © 2015 by Richa Hingle. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.
Chickpeas:1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas 2 teaspoons safflower or other neutral oil1/4 teaspoon cayenne1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala 1/4 teaspoon salt
Curry:3/4 cup chopped red onion1 (1-inch) knob of ginger3 cloves garlic2 tablespoons water1 teaspoon safflower or other neutral oil1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds2 bay leaves4 cloves1 1/4 cups canned or culinary coconut milk3/4 cup ripe mango pulp or puree (unsweetened or lightly sweetened canned)1/2 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons apple cider vinegarGenerous dash of black pepper1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala, for garnish2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish
2. Chickpeas: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, tilt the skillet so the oil coats it evenly. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add the cayenne, cinnamon, garam masala, and salt and mix well to coat. Cook for another 2 minutes and set aside.
3. Curry: In a blender, combine the onion, ginger, and garlic and blend into a smooth puree with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cloves. Cook for 1 minute. Add the pureed onion and cook until the onion mixture is dry and does not smell raw. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking, 13 to 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk, mango pulp, salt, and vinegar and mix well. Add the chickpeas and all the spices from the chickpea skillet to the sauce skillet. Add a dash of black pepper.
4. Mix, cover and cook until the sauce comes to a boil, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens and desired consistency is achieved, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and tang. Add 1/2 teaspoon or more sugar if the mango pulp was not sweet. Garnish with cilantro and a dash of garam masala and serve hot.

Note: I added extra turmeric powder and chili flakes to the curry, and chopped green onions to garnish. 
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MY CURRENT FAVE SMOOTHIE {RECIPE}

As the title blatantly shouts, this is my smoothie of choice right now. I made it for the first time maybe four days ago (when I was still hungry after dinner) and ever since I have been having it every morning with my oatmeal before I go to the gym. It came together randomly and ended up blowing my mind. It's nice and sweet but also super nutritious. I just put in all the ingredients for this drink on cronometer.com and here's what we've got going for us when we sip it down: nearly 20% of your recommend daily intake for protein, 58% for riboflavin (B2), 79% for pyridoxine (B6), 499% for vitamin C (!!!), 107% for copper, 28% for vitamin K, 37% for magnesium, 64% for manganese, 36% for potassium, 30% for selenium, and I could just keep going.

THIS IS IN ONE [DELICIOUS] DRINK, PEOPLE. HELLO.

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GOJI APPLE SMOOTHIE
1 frozen, chopped apple2 frozen, peeled bananas2 cups green grapes1/4 cup dried goji berries1-2 cups water, as desired
Blend it all up, drink it all down.
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CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BROCCOLI + CHIPOTLE ALMOND SAUCE

I still haven't showered today. Apparently it's good for the skin to let your sweat dry after you've been in the sun, because it helps with vitamin D absorption. So I hear. I am using that as my excuse for being smelly and sticky right now. I went to the gym this morning (and sweat out a storm) then immediately made this when I got home. Seriously, I didn't even take off my shoes. Then I laid out in the sun for the afternoon while I listened to Dan Savage's Lovecast. In short: I don't think I need to take a vitamin D supplement TODAY. Hah. I will shower after I write this post though, because I am obsessed with how good it feels to be clean after being sweaty. Yes, I am super privileged because I get to shower everyday. I am also super grateful, not that that matters. I guess I'll talk about the recipe now...


Along with the delicious, tender baked squash we've got our greens in the form of steamed brocco. Love it, even though it makes me fart up a storm. And finally the true fabulousness of this recipe is the almond sauce. Holy crap, wherever you are, I need to tell you: it's amazing. Make it. Let's eat good food now, kay? And be thankful that we actually have access to fresh food, because lots of folks do not.


CREAMY BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BROCCOLI + CHIPOTLE ALMOND SAUCE

Baked butternut squash:
1 small butternut squash
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or lemon juice)
1 teaspoon dried basil 
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 head broccoli
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

Almond sauce:
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon tamari
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 garlic clove
3-4 tablespoons water, or more, as needed

To prepare the squash: peel, deseed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; toss with melted coconut oil, salt, pepper and herbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, or until each piece is tender all the way through (test one with a fork).

Cut the broccoli into bite size pieces and steam for 7-8 minutes or until vibrantly green and slightly tender.

To make the sauce: blend everything together until smooth, adding as much or as little water as you like.

Place butternut squash and broccoli on a plate or in a bowl, drizzle with your sauce, then sprinkle on green onion and sesame seeds.

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CREAMY VEGAN MAC + CHEESE with OTHER GOOD STUFF

This cheese sauce recipe is based on the one from Buzzfeed that every vegan on earth tried a couple weeks ago. Jack was one of those vegans and he made it for him and me because he's a sweet heart. He tripled the recipe - we eat a LOT - so I got to have cheesy leftovers for a whole week! I loved putting it on rice along with steamed kale and beans. You can see my week of cheese on my Instagram feed.


After I used it all up, I just wanted more. But of course me being me, I cannot follow a recipe exactly. It's in my DNA or something. So I adapted this one to my own liking, adding extra goodies like miso and turmeric - that is the recipe you will find in this post. It doesn't taste like dairy cheese because the ingredients are absolutely unrelated to dairy cheese; but it IS a creamy, flavourful, delicious recipe that any mouth can probably appreciate and enjoy. I would HIGHLY recommend adding one more ingredient to this, by the way. It's the Bac'n Chedd'r Dip from Let Thy Food and it's outta this world. Add it into the sauce when blending, or scoop it on top. The ingredients are organic and mainly whole foods (think cashews, chilis, miso, spices).

The best thing about this cheese sauce is that it is made out of mainly potatoes and carrots. It's oil-free and gets its fat content from walnuts, which are super good for ya. What does all this mean? IT MEANS you can eat as much of this sauce as you desire, and you'll most likely still feel real good! As I said, I really like having it with rice and steamed kale, but you can serve it with whatever you prefer: any other whole grain, rice noodles, wheat noodles, buckwheat noodles, on veggies, on nachos... the list goes on. Get creative, or don't. But in any case, try it out and let me know what you think. Personally, I am obsessed. In the recipe I give below, I had the cheese sauce with kamut pasta, steamed kale, sunflower seeds and tomatoes from the backyard. It was heavenly.


CREAMY VEGAN MAC + CHEESE with OTHER GOOD STUFF

Cheese sauce:
2 yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped 
1 tablespoon sauerkraut
2 tablespoons miso paste
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts, ideally soaked in water for 5 hours then rinsed 
3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

Tahini sauce:
1 heaping tablespoon tahini
1 garlic clove
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon miso paste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3-4 tablespoons water, as needed

Your fave pasta, rice, whatever (I used whole grain kamut pasta)
1 big bunch kale
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

To make the cheese sauce: boil the potatoes for 3 minutes, add the carrots and boil for another 3 minutes, add the onion and keep boiling until the potatoes are tender (it'll probably take another few minutes). Then scoop out the boiled veggies - but keep the water! - and add to a blender. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the blender, as well as most of the water you used for boiling (maybe 1 1/2 cups or so, add as needed). Blend it all until you get a creamy cheese sauce type thing. Adjust according to taste, adding more salt or whatever. You want it to taste very flavourful at this point and almost a little more salty than you'd normally like, because this is going to spread out on noodles / rice so the flavour will be less strong.

To make the tahini sauce: blend everything until smooth, adding more water if needed to get a creamy dressing consistency.

Rip the leaves off the kale and steam them for 5 minutes or until vibrantly coloured.

Cook your pasta, rice or whatever you're using according to directions on the package, and drain but don't rinse. Add the cheese sauce to pasta, rice, whatever and mix in well, add the kale, tahini sauce and tomatoes; enjoy!

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A NICE GREEN SMOOTHIE with MINT + TURMERIC

I was gonna call this a "healing" green smoothie blah blah blah but then I though, "Hmm, don't wanna buy into that pseudoscience stuff so I'll keep it simple." Because honestly I don't know if this smoothie will heal anything for you, but in my opinion it's at least certainly nice and yummy and green. I'll leave it at that. I am not a doctor. 
I made this smoothie to sip while I flipped through two new cookbooks I got in the mail. They are both beautiful and you should check 'em out for sure. One is Gena's (from Choosing Raw), it's called Vegan, and it's in collaboration with Food52. And the other is Susan Jane's second cookbook, it's called The Virtuous Tart; it's dairy-, cane sugar- and gluten-free. Obviously I know and adore Gena so her book was unsurprisingly gorgeous and full of easy, delicious recipes. I've already tried the kabocha curry and it was divine. But I actually didn't know Susan Jane before I got her book (I have since learned she is f#cking hilarious), and was downright giddy to read her handwritten note for me on the front page; apparently I've been a bit inspiring for her with my raw desserts and she made up an entirely raw cake recipe thanks to it! She even gives me a shout out on page 111. Can you hear me blushing? Does blushing make a sound? I've tried a recipe for golden turmeric milk from her book and it was basically orgasmic. Note: she does use honey and eggs in some recipes but they are easily replaceable with vegan versions. I just used date syrup instead of honey for the walnut-based milk. 
Looking at these two books has really rebooted my passion for recipe-making. As has stalking Jenny Mustard's Youtube channel. All these ladies are reminding me how much I love cooking and inventing in the kitchen. So as you may have noticed, I am posting a bit more regularly / often this week. Yay! Maybe Em is back!? Maybe? I do apologize for letting my posting slack lately. I've been daydreaming about other shit and haven't felt like photographing my food. I admit I've also lost some excitement when it comes to food. I used to love making, photographing and sharing recipes on this blog multiple times every week but in the past few months it's been once a week if I am feeling energetic! I want this to change. I wanna re-find my love of recipe-creating and show it on here again. I think that's the direction I am on now, so be patient, but I think regular posting is coming soon. I feel like my writing in this post is not grade A because I am listening to music at the same time so I get distracted. Oops. 
Anyways: how about this smoothie, eh? It's refreshing, yummy and well, green. I like adding mint to smoothies because it makes my mouth taste good after, and there's also other good stuff in here like ginger and turmeric because they are SOOO amazing for your body and mind. I wanna go now so I hope you have a fabulous day full of self-expression and non-judgement. x 

A NICE GREEN SMOOTHIE with MINT + TURMERIC

3 frozen bananas
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean
1 tablespoon date syrup 
2 cups water
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1-2 cups spinach leaves

Blend everything up. adjust according to taste, and drink!

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SUMMER ROLLS w/ GARDEN VEGGIES, BASIL + TAHINI CHILI SAUCE

YAY 4 SUMMER ROLLS! These are super cute and even more delicious to eat. I am sorry I haven't been posting very often lately but that's gonna change. I'm going to be spending more time on this blog again now that my third book, The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook, is finished! You can pre-order it now if you'd like (you'd like). On that note, this recipe for summer rolls is a great example of the kind of recipes that fill up my new cookbook so if you dig these rolls, you will REALLY dig the book.

I have a little announcement to make: I'm taking a big break from school. Altogether I'll be taking at least a year off, because I've been enjoying summer off for the last 4 months, and now I have dropped my classes for the up-coming semester. Obviously since I enrolled, I was planning on going to university for fall, but I need to be honest with myself as much as possible, and in this case that meant I had to drop my courses. I don't feel that school is a smart place for me to be right now, for my mental health or my happiness (the two, of course, are inextricably connected). It's hard to explain why I'm doin' this to someone else because this decision is deeply emotionally-driven, and largely sits with me knowing myself really well. I KNOW that if I attend university this semester, it will probably lead me into depression, anxiety and lots of stress. I'm not the kind of kid who's ever been stressed out from school, so although that is normal for lots of folks, it's majorly unusual for me.

I have a history of chronic depression. I've never been officially diagnosed but I know. When an episode used to hit I'd lie in bed for days, not wanting to eat or drink, constantly thinking about how being dead would be the easiest escape and about how stupid and naive it is to be happy. It's a terrible, dark, cold, extremely lonely place. I used to feel like this most of the time but just pretended I was fine, whilst inside my head I defined myself first and foremast as sad and alone. As long as I can remember, that was mainly how I thought of myself, as a sad, lonely girl in a world that didn't understand me. This wasn't mere teen angst either, since it started when I was quite young and went on into my 20's (I'm 22 now) and my depression was never related to life events or relationships; it always had to do with the nature of the universe and the real meaningless of "all this".

In the past two years I have made serious efforts to focus on doing things that make me happy in order to combat my depression. Years ago I suffered from a combination of bulimia, anorexia and more generally, orthorexia when I first became vegan, and even before that I was obsessed with being thinner and "healthier". This is was a reason I went vegan (slightly embarrassing to admit now!!) Over several years I finally came to find a healthy relationship with food, instead of a poisonous one. I learned to love myself. And finally I allowed myself to be happy. I started nourishing my body not just with the right foods, but the right foods in ABUNDANCE. Almost like magic, my depression left. I had never experienced this before, and years earlier I had come to assume I would simply be sad most of the time and that was my lot in life. But no! Ever since I began eating whole foods in abundance, meditating, spending more time outdoors, and focusing on other activities that brought me happiness and physical and mental health - motivated by self-love and NOT an obsession with being thin or societal pressure - my depression went away. I don't know how to describe it except to say I lived with a total lack of sadness, for once in my life! And without that sadness, I was happy! I was excited to BE ALIVE. I had never known this feeling over a long-term period.

But here's the thing: I know my depression could always come back if I don't maintain my current routine. That routine involves doing stuff that makes me happy, examples are: eating as much healthy food as I desire, and occasionally indulging in something not that healthy BUT something that'll make me happy in the moment; exercise (weightlifting, biking and hiking for me); staying hydrated; mediating; listening to music; being productive almost every day, and on days where I don't do work for my blog, my books, etc. I spend that time practicing self care. Somedays I do not want to get out of bed and I think, "It'd be so much easier to lie here all day and listen to sad records." But on those days I make extra effort to do those things that make me happy; I'll go lift weights, listen to a fave album, bike through the trees and make some juice. Then maybe watch a documentary about the cosmos. Meditating is a huge help as well. What I'm trying to say is that recipe for happiness works great most days, but even still, sometimes I sense my dark side seeping upwards into my head and so I know it's always with me and has the potential to become unmanageable if I let it. That's why I need to always remember how important it is to keep my happiness routine going. My depression used to be malignant, now it's mostly benign, but every so often, or if I don't focus on things that are good for me, it comes back. Only for a short time, maybe a day, maybe a few hours. But it's there.

The whole point of me divulging all this is: I feel that if I go to school this semester, the balance will be tipped too far towards depression and away from happiness. I have loved school up until now, and am sure I will miss it again soon, but for whatever reason my mental state is not ready for it right now. I am an extremely emotionally-sensitive person and going to school might break me at this point in my life. I need to keep focusing on my happy activities. Instead of studying history for the next few months, I'd rather travel a bit, work on my blog, do some long distance bike rides, go to the gym everyday, and make sure I eat a ton of good-for-me foods to nourish my brain and body. So that's what I am gonna do.

Important to note: I am very privileged thanks to factors such as my skin colour, location, family, access to education, the internet, the fact that I'm financially comfortable, my able-bodiedness, and more. Most people don't have the opportunity to go to post-secondary school and even fewer people have the privilege to decide not to go although they could if they wanted. This is because the system that controls our world at this time is a kind of capitalism, and this species of capitalism demands and relies on social inequalities and human rights violations. I don't have a solution to this problem, but I at least know it IS a problem and the first step to overcoming it is acknowledging it. 


SUMMER ROLLS w/ GARDEN VEGGIES, BASIL + TAHINI CHILI SAUCE

Tahini chili sauce:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon chunk fresh ginger
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon sauerkraut
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1-2 tablespoons dried deseeded red chili skin, or more, as desired
Water, as needed

Rice papers 

Filling:
1 red beet, shredded
3 carrots, shredded
3-4 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup basil leaves 
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Whatever else your heart desires 

To make the sauce: blend everything together until smooth. Adjust according to your taste preferences, and add as much water as needed to get a creamy consistency.

To make the wraps: dip a rice paper sheet in cold water for 5 seconds, then lay it flat on a damp cloth and let sit for 15 seconds while you fill it up with your goodies. Fold the skin on one side over and wrap under the fillings, then wrap up like a burrito. Hope that made enough sense.

Dip in yo sauce and enjoy.

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KALE + EDAMAME DUMPLINGS w/ SIMPLE DIPPING SAUCE

FINALLY DID IT. I have been wanting these for awhile and today my dumpling dreams came true. They are surprisingly easy but look really impressive. Makes ya seem fancy even if you don't have a clue. I am sneaky and just went and bought frozen dumpling skins so duh that makes basically them way less difficult effortless. You can make your own if you like (just google a recipe). The only ingredients are usually flour and water. Moving on. I got this recipe from a beautiful new cookbook written by the magnificent minimalist, Jenny Mustard. It's called New Vegan. She is Swedish and thus so is her book, but fingers crossed there's an English version coming soon! It's still just a great book to flip through, which is what I did, and then got Jenny to translate the recipe I wanted to try (i.e. dis one). 
I am pretty much in love with Jenny. Unfortunately she is already taken, plus she's in Sweden, plus I'm wit Jack. Ah well. 
Jenny's style is just UGH so simple and gorgeous, from her outfits to her hair to her make up to her food and photos. And when she talks with her lil accent... *weak in the knees*. She has an EPIC youtube channel she does with her beau, David, and I hiiiighly recommend you go check it out and subscribe. The quality is great and the content is unique. The only reason I actually discovered Jenny was through her getting in touch with me; she wanted to do a video featuring one of my recipes. Then I started stalking her online and realized how inspiring she and her work are. Current state: head over heels. If you know Swedish, go buy her book right now! If not, I think you should still buy it because like I said - it's lovely to flip through. Or go pressure her publisher to publish it in English. For real, the non-Swedes need it. 
This recipe is delicious, made with fresh whole foods and lots of greens. I can never follow a recipe exactly as it's written - seriously cannot do it - so I adapted this one a little bit and what's written below is what I did. In the original recipe there's spinach instead of kale and just a few other minor differences. I also improvised a simple dipping sauce that tastes bomb with the dumplings. It's all below. Stay fresh, my friends, and keep fighting the good fight (aka the fight against injustice, imo)! 

KALE + EDAMAME DUMPLINGS w/ SIMPLE DIPPING SAUCE
Adapted from the recipe in Jenny Mustard's lovely new cookbook, New Vegan . 

Filling:
3 cups kale, lightly steamed
1 cup edamame beans, steamed
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 green onions, sliced
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 tbsp maple syrup
Black sesame seeds (optional)
Sauce: 1 tbsp tamari1 tsp maple syrup1/4 tsp chipotle powder1 tbsp rice vinegar 

Around 15-20 vegan dumpling skins (found 'em in the freezer section in an Asian supermarket)

To make the filling: blend all ingredients together in a food processor until you get a chunky paste. Taste and adjust accordingly. 
Assembly: place about a tbsp of the filling on each dumpling skin. Moisten the edge of the skin halfway around with some water with your fingers. Fold over, creating a half-moon shape. Press firmly and create small folds along the edge. Steam the dumplings until the skin is somewhat transparent, about 3-5 minutes. If you don't have a steamer it's ok to fill the bottom of a pan with water and steam the dumplings, covering the pan with a lid. Garnish with sesame seeds.To make the sauce: stir all ingredients together. 

Nom it. 

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CRUNCHY GOOEY SWEET CARAMEL CHOCOLATE BUCKWHEAT SLICES

So these are really decadent.

A new and now very dear friend, Sophie, stayed with me for a few days over the last week/weekend and we made these up before watching a movie called Inside Out. It's funny because when were discussing our fave movie genres I basically just listed a bunch of dark, depressing films where people die (*shrugs with helpless look*) and Sophie was like: dude, I love kids movies and chick flicks. EVEN STILL: we both really liked Inside Out. It's a kids movie but I tell ya, directors for kids movies are now A) giving the lil ones way more credit than ever before and B) considering the parents and other non-kiddie folk. This movie had a lot of mature themes and basically was about explaining the psychology of the human brain... in a really entertaining way. The main character was a girl but I was so pleased to see how traditional gender expectations were blatantly being broken: the girl was in pretty gender-neutral clothing the whole time and her fave hobby was hockey. Progress.

Honestly, being vegan this long (6 years woo woo, I just turned 22!) is making me way more sensitive or something because I was literally just tearing up typing that. Seriously. I also start crying when I think about chickens cooing. Such a pretty sound.

I don't know where this post is goin' and I like it like that. I guess I will talk about the recipe now.

As the title suggests (or rather, explicitly tells you) these babies are crunchy, gooey and sweet. We have got three layers going on and they each bring their own delicious personalities to the table. The crust is crunchy thanks to the buckwheat, it's like little bite explosions. The caramel is RIDICULOUS and addictive. Tastes like all things fancy and rich. The chocolate is... well, we have all already come to love raw chocolate so I don't need to say more. It's damn good. Bring all these components together and whadda we get? Multiple foodgasms! Yaaaaaaay.

I really hope whoever reads this enjoys my sporadic writing style and total lack of a theme to this post. I think I am really funny and quirky in just the right way but I can easily see someone thinking I am super tacky. I mean, I am super tacky. But I like that about myself. I almost wrote "lame" instead of "tacky" there but I am trying to watch my language; using words like stupid, dumb and lame is kinda ableist and can offend people with mental or physical impairments. We gotta be considerate of everyone! We also need to be considerate of our mouths, and treat them right. How do we do that? Make this recipe and put it in your mouth. Also: brush your teeth and FLOSS. Kay, I'm out. x


CRUNCHY GOOEY SWEET CARAMEL CHOCOLATE BUCKWHEAT SLICES

Crust:
1 1/4 cups raisins
3/4 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup pecans
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Caramel:
1 1/2 cups dates
2 tablespoons date syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla bean
1/4 cup hazelnut butter
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup almond milk or more, as needed

Chocolate:
3 heaping tablespoons coconut oil
3/4 cup dates
2 tablespoons cacao powder
A few tablespoons water, as needed

Toppings (optional):
Pinch of fluer de sel
Date syrup
Black sesame seeds

To make the crust: throw everything into a food processor and whizz until it becomes a crumbly, sticky mixture that can hold its shape when pressed together between your fingers. Press this into a lined 9x5 loaf pan and put in the fridge.

To make the caramel: blend everything up until smooth, adding almond milk as needed, but try to use as little almond milk as possible. It should be thick, creamy and delicious (like... well... caramel). Spread evenly onto your crust and put back in the fridge.

To make the chocolate: blend everything until smooth, adding water if you need to. It should be a slightly thinner consistency than the caramel, like chocolate syrup. Pour and spread evenly onto your caramel layer. Sprinkle on pretty things. Put in the freezer for a few hours until it's solid and the caramel is gooey and holds its shape when cut. Alternatively, leave it in the freezer overnight and then wait for the whole thing to thaw enough so you can cut it.

ADAPTIONS: use any gooey, sweet dried fruit instead of raisins; use any nuts, seeds or gluten-free unrefined flours instead of buckwheat groats and pecans; use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean; use any nut or seed butter instead of hazelnut butter; use water instead of almond milk; use coconut butter or date syrup instead of coconut oil; use cocoa or carob powder instead of cacao powder. 

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