Emily von Euw's Blog, page 19

MANGO BANANA ICE CREAM SUNDAE

Good god yes. I hadn't made banana ice cream in MONTHS and MONTHS and MONTHS so this tasted even more orgasmic than it usually would have. Bananas and mangoes are meant to be together and dammit - if you try to break them up, ya best watch out because I will track you down. Doesn't sound very vegan of me, but this is an exception to the Nice Rule (that's not really a thing, I just made it up right now).


I've been watching videos of Evan Rock on Youtube lately. He's this human who decided to quit being a real estate agent in LA - or somewhere like that - and fly to Hawai'i to live off the grid with a bunch of durian and coconut gurus/addicts. Sounds like my kinda paradise... mostly. So then I gotta little down because here I am in The City chillin' with cement buildings, traffic, McDonald's advertisements, raaaaaaaaiiin, and probably too much Netflix. (Although to be fair it has hardly rained this year. What's up, climate change.) I just wanna get awaaaaaayy, man! Forage for WILD MANGOSTEENS and shit.

But of course then I picked myself up out of that mood because my life is still pretty much the best thing ever. Summer is coming, I've got parks and mountains to hike, bike and explore whenever I feel like it, I go to the farmers market every week and though we definitely do NOT get the variety of fruit that Hawai'i and other tropical regions grow, we do get *HEIRLOOM TOMATOES* and that makes everything okay. I'd love to head off to Thailand or the Big Island or somewhere sunnier than here eventually, but right now I am here and that is beautiful. There's no point wishing you were always somewhere else. I need to appreciate the present moment and space I am in. I need to listen to my tattoo that reminds me to "BE HERE NOW".

I wonder if this post seems disorganized... hopefully not. You know me, I just tend to type whatever my fingers tell me to. It's all very stream-of-consciousness. Without further ado I give you a freaking delicious recipe: banana mango sundaes for erryone! I wasn't planning on photographing this or sharing it on the blog but when I tasted it, I didn't have a choice. Simplicity is sexy. Pllleeasssee get organic, fairly trade fruit! It tastes better! x


MANGO BANANA ICE CREAM SUNDAE 
Serves: me

4 peeled frozen bananas
4 sliced mangoes 

Break up the bananas into chunks and throw in your blender. Blend until you get a magical banana soft serve concoction. If you don't have the greatest blender, add some water or non-dairy mylk to keep it all goin'. Add in a few mango slices, then scoop into a bowl and top off with the rest of the mangoes. 

P.S. You might be thinking: this is way too much for one person to eat. Well then share it! But personally I ate this all and was cryin' for more. High carb livin', folks. 

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



http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

SPICY PEANUT SOBA NOODLES WITH VEGGIES

Yum. Couldn't stop eating this. Jack's lucky I have some semblance of self control because he got a [small] bowl when he came over last night. I absolutely LOVE buckwheat noodles and every time I make them I wonder why I don't do it more often. They are terrific for you as well, lots of iron, fibre and protein. Aaaaand we all know the divine nature of peanut sauce so I don't think I need to go into that too much. It's freaking heavenly. The recipe calls for cilantro but I accidentally grabbed parsley. I DO KNOW how to tell the difference between them but all I saw in the grocery store was a bunch of leafy greens, and a sign that said "organic cilantro parsley" and "sale" so it was an automatic response to throw the cilantro parsley in my bag. I like the shredded carrots in here too, they add a juicy, sweet crunch.

This recipe is from my girl Kathy's new cookbook, Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen. Kathy is also the founder of findingvegan.com which is like the ultimate source for all delicious vegan recipes, it inspired when I first started blogging. I think she is one of the most gorgeous women I have seen (check out her YouTube for adorable recipe videos) and she seems to be a wizard at making healthy vegan comfort food. Her new cookbook is full of hearty, wholesome, vegan noodle bowls, sandwiches, burgers, soups, wraps and other stuff you want in your mouth.


SPICY PEANUT SOBA NOODLES WITH VEGGIES
Text excerpted from HEALTHY HAPPY VEGAN KITCHEN, © 2015 by Kathy Patalsky. Photos © Kathy Patalsky.

3 cups uncooked soba noodles

SWEET AND SPICY PEANUT SAUCE:
3 to 4 tablespoons peanut butter, softened
2 tablespoons grade B maple syrup
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1⁄2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
Few pinches of cayenne
1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup plain nondairy milk or water (see Note)

1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 teaspoons hemp or sesame seeds (optional)
1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon crushed peanuts

Note: Add more or less non-dairy milk depending on how thick you like your sauce. Adding more will thin out the consistency.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse
the noodles under cold water. For chilled noodles, transfer the noodles to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Otherwise, cover the noodles to keep warm. 
For the Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce: In a food processor or blender, combine the peanut sauce ingredients, adding the nondairy milk last a spoonful at a time until you reach a thickness you like, and process until smooth. If the noodles are cold and dry, a wetter sauce may be best, but if the noodles were just cooked and are still steamy and slightly wet, a thinner sauce may be better. You can also adjust the thickness by adding a spoonful more or less of the nut butter.

For warm noodles and sauce, pour the sauce in a small saucepan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes just to warm. Otherwise, pour the sauce directly over the chilled noodles and place back in the fridge until ready to serve.

To serve, toss the dressed noodles with the carrots and seeds (if using) over the top. Sprinkle with the cilantro and peanuts to serve. 


Did you like this post? Then *subscribe to my blog* and get all my posts by email!
http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

FREEZER FUDGE ENERGY BITES

YUUUUMMMMM. These are pretty plain to look at but the flavour is unreal. They are oh-so-gooey, sweet, and easy to grab as you're about to start a workout or head out the door. Or at any moment. Of course, they're also good for you. Mostly just dates, nut butter and a scoop of an awesome organic vegan superfood blend called Nourish. I made these a few nights ago - in just a few minutes, I might add - because I was craving something chocolate-y (the PMS struggle is real).

I shared it with gave it to Jack and he said it was the best recipe I have ever made! 

Keep in mind he was under the influence of some medicinal herbs so he probably would have thought a straight-up head of lettuce tasted incredible, but STILL.

The mixture of the walnut butter with the dates and Nourish make it taste like those "fancy" chocolates I used to love when I wasn't vegan: Purdy's Hedgehogs! I'm not sure why people like to make chocolates in the shapes of animals that have nothing to do with the food, but I'm not gettin' my panties in a twist about it. I DO let my panties get twisty when I see ads and restaurant signs that present animals in their living form - example: a dancing cow or a pig wearing a chef's hat - that SERVE those same animals, dead and cooked on plates. In my head I imagine if roles were reversed and things just get weird and disturbing after that. I am going to stop this ramble right now and move on to telling you about something much more pleasant: Nourish! It's a powder blend of organic dried plant foods like cacao, mushrooms, fruits, roots and seeds. Made by a company called Immortal Food, whose vibe is promoting living healthy and getting strong on plant-based nutrition. Yay! I like this blend because it's not super protein-rich like some other ones. We don't need that much protein. It also has a lot of dried fruit ingredients like bananas and berries so hey, antioxidants. It's main ingredient is organic cacao powder so basically anytime you want super powered chocolate, just use Nourish instead of cacao or cocoa powder. Done.

Alright, Jack and I are about to hit up da gym so I'll talk to ya later. Recipe is below!
x


FREEZER FUDGE ENERGY BITES
Makes 8-10 bites

Caramel layer:
1 cup gooey dates 
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

Chocolate layer:
1/4 cup walnut butter
1 scoop Nourish 
1 teaspoon water, if needed

To make the caramel: pit the dates then mash them with the water and vanilla until you get a thick caramel-y mixture. You NEED gooey dates for this, otherwise: try soaking drier dates in water until they get more moist. Press this mixture into cupcake papers or a small lined baking pan.


To make the chocolate: stir all the ingredients together until smooth. If your walnut butter is very thick, you will have to add some water. Otherwise: use any other nut or see butter you have that is liquid-y. I like Prana Bio nut butters for this. Scoop this mixture on top of the caramel layer and freeze until solid (a couple hours at least).

Note: I was paid by Immortal Food to feature their product in this recipe, but I only feature and accept payment for products I genuinely like. Ah, the complicated life of a professional blogger.

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

http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

BANANA CINNAMON CREPES with BERRY ICE CREAM + MANGO

Alright. So these are so crazy yummy.

I inhaled all of them within minutes and it's a true miracle I was able to hold off until I got some semi-decent photographs. The crepes themselves taste like banana bread and if you roll them up they'd be a terrific, healthy and addicting snack wherever you go. If you can control yourself and not eat them all before you leave your dwelling, that is. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt here.



Obviously the berry ice cream is the bomb dot com as well, because the base for it is frozen bananas. If you eat vegan and/or raw food and haven't tried banana ice cream yet... what are you doing with your life!? I'm not hatin', but seriously!? It's a game changer, dude. Get on that NOW. So we've got delicious, creamy, sweet berry nice cream inside a banana bread fruit roll-up and we top that off with mango chunks, cinnamon and mint leaves. HELLO, HELLO. This is why I inhaled them all so fast. (Also because I was in a rush to run out to a friend's potluck, but still.)

Before going vegan and mostly raw, I didn't eat crepes that often and if I am being honest (which I am...) the thought of crepes didn't get me off that much. I never super duper liked pancakes or waffles as a kid either - unless they were covered with peanut butter, but this rule applies to all things - and crepes just seemed like fancy pancakes. So my attitude about them was very "meh". Still being honest: I haven't changed my thoughts on these foods much since I was a wee tot. Call me crazy but I'd choose a bowl of mango slices covered in cinnamon or a giant green smoothie over crepes any day...

UNTIL TODAY. Or actually, a few months ago when I tried raw vegan crepes for the first time at Tao Organics in North Van. Another game changer, they were. Ever since then I have had them on my recipes-to-make list for da blog. And finally here today, I share my version (which happens to be low in fat and high in DAMN TASTY). As some of you know, I have gradually shifted to a high carb, low fat diet. Always made up of whole foods and 100% vegan of course, I have found I just feel best when I loooooaaaaddd up on carbs like fruit, rice and veg and minimize my consumption of stuff like coconut oil, nuts and seeds. These foods are GREAT and you should include them your diet, we just don't need that much of them. Or at least I don't. So this recipe doesn't have any high fat ingredients! Woo! All fruit, all the time. That's the way I like it.

Let's inhale some crepes, baby.


BANANA CINNAMON CREPES with MANGO and BERRY ICE CREAM 

Crepes:
4 peeled bananas
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 cup coconut mylk

Ice cream:
3 peeled frozen bananas
1/4 cup berries

Fruit:
1 cup berries
2 mangoes 

Garnish:
Fresh mint leaves
Cinnamon

To make the crepes: blend the bananas with the cinnamon and coconut mylk until smooth. Pour into thin circles on parchment paper lined dehydrator trays (I used a 1/4 cup of batter per crepe), or baking pans, and "bake" in your dehydrator at 115 degrees for 3 1/2 hours or in your oven at its lowest temperature. The end result you want is crepes that don't stick on your finger and when you press on them. I tested mine throughout the "baking" process; for awhile the batter was still liquidy and my finger would just move it around, then it started getting more solid but when I poked it a little dough would stick to my finger and break off from the crepes, then finally I was able to press on the crepes and my finger came away clean. At this point, take them away from the heat and let them cool for 20-30 minutes. Gently pull them away from the parchment paper and there you go!

To make the ice cream: blend the bananas and berries until smooth. Spread this inside your crepes, along with the chopped fresh mango and berries, and decorate with cinnamon and mint leaves.

///


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


http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

GOOEY CARAMEL CHOCOLATE BARS with BUCKWHEAT

Last night I dreamt I was in Hawaii (albeit my unconscious mind's own version) on a boardwalk in the ocean. I found a forest of wild fruit and was so overjoyed I started crying and fell over. There was papaya, mango, orange, pear, grapefruit and more. Good dream.

Now I just wanna look at postings for places to rent in Hawaii on craigslist. Sigh.

I can't really complain though. Here in the pacific northwest we have our own edible, sweet goodies: apples, berries, plums, peaches, grapes, pears, melons, kiwi(!?), and drum roll please... *HEIRLOOM TOMATOES*. I admit I get hung up on the grass on the other side of the fence, but the eatable plant scene in BC is nothing to be sad about. This summer I am planning on foraging my ass off in the urban landscape. I watched a documentary called Fruit Hunters (recommended by a reader!) awhile ago and it got me so pumped about searching for edible plants in my own city. I got into city fruit foraging at the very end of summer last year so I could only go out one time; but it was dreamy. I found figs, prunes and kousa dogwood tree berries. I used fallingfruit.org to find everything.

It's definitely an addicting hobby (or I am just strange) because I get thrilled when I think about getting out on my bike again, with a backpack and a map showing where all the spots are I can find wild edible plants. And I mean, this is just in the CITY, when I imagine being in the north (way rural) or going to a tropical region, my heart starts skipping beats.

Now switching to a totally unrelated topic, this recipe! Yeah. None of the ingredients are locally foraged. Mais c'est la vie, non? That doesn't change the fact that they taste like a raw vegan caramel chocolate orgy in your mouth. You might ask: but how would you know what that tastes like!? I know because I have experienced it. With these bars. Improve your day / life and make them now! They only take a few minutes to make, then you just gotta freeze 'em til they get nice gooey and sticky and cold... aaaaand the final step: annihilate with your mouth. Awesome facts about da barz: they are no-bake, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free (if ya want), coconut-free, and refined, processed crap-free.

Jack is more eloquent that I am and he says: "These melt in your mouth bars are very rich in flavour and can pacify anyone's ever-craving sweet tooth."

So there you have it. These are peace-loving chocolate bars. WUT IS THERE NOT 2 LUV?


 GOOEY CARAMEL CHOCOLATE BARS with BUCKWHEAT

Crust:
1 cup buckwheat groats
1 cup dates
1/4 cup water

Caramel:
1 1/2 cups dates
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Chocolate:
1 1/2 cups dates
1 heaping tablespoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon almond butter
1/4 cup water

Add ons:
Sea salt
Sesame seeds

To make the crust: soak the buckwheat groats in water for 30 minutes, then rinse and dehydrate until they are dry again. I threw mine in the oven at 150 degrees for 2 hours. Then grind the dried buckwheat into flour in a food processor or blender. Add the dates, then add water as needed until you get a dough mixture that holds its shape when you press it together (in other words: not too crumbly). Press into the bottom of a lined 9X9 baking pan and put in the fridge.

To make the caramel: blend all the ingredients until smooth, adding water as needed until you get a very thick yogurt consistency that holds its shape. Spread evenly onto your crust and put in the freezer.

To make the chocolate layer: follow the same instructions as for the caramel layer, and spread on top of the caramel. Sprinkle on a little sea salt if desired (do it.) then leave in the freezer for at least 4 hours or until they have hardened up. Gently slice and serve with some sesame seeds on top.

ADAPTIONS: use tahini instead of almond butter to make them nut-free, use vanilla powder instead of vanilla extract, use rolled oats instead of buckwheat groats, use carob or cocoa powder instead of cacao powder.

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


http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

THE BEST CHIA PUDDING {with vanilla, cinnamon + raisins}

I have been eating this all week. It is SO GOOD and so good for you. It reminds me of rice pudding, which I used to love when I was a kid. Chia seeds are excellent at pulling toxins and other junk out of your system, and their texture is magical when you let them sit for a little while in liquid (in this case, spiced almond mylk). They puff up! I think it's adorable. 
I have been biking and hiking around the past several days because it's been warm[ish] and sunny[ish] and making this recipe is what keeps me energized and fuelled. It's filling, comforting, light and delicious. I could just keep going on and on. It's like the most satisfying meal for me to make right now. I personally love topping it off with fresh fruit, especially mango and kiwi because that's what I've been buying. I like the bursts of colour they give too. AAAAANDD I think that the raisins in this recipe make it special. You get these surprise bites of sweetness and ugh maybe I am too obsessed with food experiences but it just seems heavenly to me. Like, what else could I ask for? I have chia pudding with raisins! 
Okay I feel like I am not making much sense anymore... I haven't worked out yet today so my brain ain't workin' right and thus my writing suffers. 
If you think chia is weird, try this recipe and prove yourself wrong (or you might still think it's weird, so you'd actually prove yourself right... which is rewarding!) If you like chia and have been wanting to try making chia pudding: do it, babe. 
*Note: the lovely wooden spoon dunked in the pudding is from PARK WOODSHOP. 

THE BEST CHIA PUDDING {with vanilla, cinnamon + raisins}
Serves one or two

1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon almond butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup 
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup raisins
Fruit, if ya want

Blend together the water, almond butter, cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup. You just made really yummy almond mylk.

Pour the mylk into a bowl and then stir in the chia seeds and raisins. Let this sit for a couple hours, or until the chia seeds have puffed up and soaked up all the extra almond mylk. If you're really impatient, use half the mylk so you don't have to wait as long. But personally I think it's best when the chia is really puffy (which takes a bit longer).

Top with fresh and/or frozen fruit and whatever else you like. Nom!

Did you like this post? Then *subscribe to my blog* and get all my posts by email!
http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

TWO INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

Eating healthy treats couldn't be easier. These are soooo good and only ask for two ingredients: dark chocolate and peanut butter.

I hope you're having a nice day. It's a long weekend and all, so that's more reason to celebrate, riiiiight? Honestly, I am NOT feeling my best. My period started today and the weather here - clouds and rain - has really been bummin' me out. Right now I'm listening to The Carpenters and they're helping a bit. But I think I just need to accept that I am allowed to be not 100% happy all the time. Was that a confusing sentence?

I have been SO positive and enthusiastic about life for the past year, but the past week I've been trying to fight off the blues. At first I though I was feeling less than my norm (super awesome) because I wasn't eating greens enough or drinking enough water or getting enough sleep or stressed with school... I could go on. But I corrected all these factors (ate more greens, drank more water, mediated to calm down about school, and got more strict with my sleep sched) yet the melancholia persisted. WHY!? What was I doing wrong!? My conclusion is: [the weather and also] it's OKAY to be a tad glum sometimes. I've written posts before wherein I explain how sometimes I choose to ignore my less-happy feelings so I can stay focused on being positive. But you guys are smarter than me. Many of you reached out and told me I shouldn't ignore unhappy feelings, I should embrace them! That's what I am doing now. Well, it's a slightly begrudging embrace but I AM accepting it. I don't have to be ON all the time. It's perfectly normal and probably healthy to let myself experience the unhappy emotions when they come. Then they will pass and I will have engaged in another chapter of this incredible, colourful relationship of being alive in the world.

I'm not gonna give up on everything and fall to the bottom of the blues pit though. I am going to dip my feet in and be cool with it. I am going to go through these feelings and emotions and thoughts and meditate on them. I will ask myself why I am feeling them, why now, and what I can do about it. I'm not entirely sure how long this funk will last, but regardless I will continue to take care with myself; nourishing my body and mind with whole plant foods, plenty of hydration, yoga, sleep, laughter and quiet time. Moral of the story: you're allowed to feel sad for no reason sometimes. As long as it isn't hard core depression or anything (in that case: talk to a professional, seriously), I think as complex, self-aware humans beings in this hectic sphere of modernity - aka the 21st century - it would be crazy NOT to feel emotionally confused at times.

In any case, this recipe will make everything a little better.


TWO INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
Makes 3-6, depending on how big you like 'em

1/4 cup peanut butter
2 bars Zimt chocolate 

Melt the chocolate. In cupcake papers, pour in a tiny bit of melted chocolate and put in the freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate hardens. Scoop in a teaspoon or tablespoon of peanut butter then cover up with more melted chocolate. Stick the freezer again until hardened. Enjoy!

ADAPTIONS: use any nut or seed butter instead of peanut butter (coconut butter would be amazing too); use any other organic, raw, vegan dark chocolate instead of Zimt. But I gotta say: Zimt is my fave because my good friend, Emma makes it and she has excellent taste. All the ingredients are fair-trade too. 

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

http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

MY BASIC GREEN JUICE RECIPE for CLEANSING YOUR BOD

Okay here's the thing: smoothies are great, salads are great, rice bowls are great, but juice gives me something I can't get anywhere else. When I get into rhythm of having a glass of green juice or carrot juice or beet juice a few times a week, I notice I feel cleaner and clearer. I feel lighter. My skin glows a little bit. I think I might have more energy but that could be wishful thinking.
I know that a lot of folks out there say a big ole 'boooo' to juice because it doesn't have fibre, and some people say it's unhealthy because it has too much sugar. Well, I say try it out and make up your mind. Personally a glass of juice every few days provides me with this next-level sensation I cannot find elsewhere, no matter how many bowls of banana ice cream I consume. I judge things by how they make me feel and using that method, I judge juice very nicely. I used to make super sweet juices (100% pineapple mmm) but gradually my taste buds have matured and now they're cool with mostly veggie juices, sweetened just with carrots or beets (sometimes a tiny bit of apple or pineapple because I do have a sweet tooth at heart, and that's never goin' away MKAY) 
I have recently gotten into juicing cabbage. So good. And when you do it with purple cabbage HOLY the colour is crazy gorgeous! I always throw in a chunk of ginger too because it basically is the holy grail of disease-fighting foods. Celery is another great one, it's super hydrating and detoxing. Same goes for parsley... and cilantro... and lemon. And do I even NEED to explain why spinach is good for us? I think we are past that. I hope. 
I also used to drink huge glasses of juice but I have come to understand I don't need that much to get the glow/benefits. I make a 500ml glass (2 cups) of juice a few times a week and that's enough pour moi. Everyone is different so as usual I simply recommend ya do what works for YOU. By the way, if you don't know if you love juice or not yet - and thus don't have a juicer - you can simply blend up the ingredients then strain. Although at this point I'd probably just add a few bananas and some coconut milk and call 'er a smoothie. But that defeats my ode to juice as written above... so I will stop typing now.

MY BASIC GREEN JUICE RECIPE for CLEANSING YOUR BOD

4 stalks celery
2 cups parsley or cilantro
3 cups spinach
1/4 cup pineapple 
1 tablespoon chunk ginger 
1 lemon

Wash everything, then juice it all and drink. WOO! If it's too tart, add an apple or more pineapple, but eventually I guarantee you're gonna grow to love the flavour without any extra sweetness. 

Did you like this post? Then *subscribe to my blog* and get all my posts by email!
http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

PORTOBELLO BURGERS with COLLARD GREENS, GUACAMOLE and HIPPIE CHIPS

This is fast food, and it's real good food too. If you've never had a portobello burger before, your world is about to change. Although if we are being critical, there is never a moment where the world - and by proxy our own individual worlds - isn't changing. So it's more realistically a matter of magnitude of change, not change vs. no change. Okay, back to the food. Shrooms are meaty, flavourful, savoury delights. When you stick 'em between a giant collard leaf instead of a wheat bun, it just gets better. Collard greens are crunchy, refreshing and hydrating. Mushrooms are disease-fighters. Life is a miracle.

Throw whatever else you want on these bad boys, I know that fresh tomatoes would be epic (but I am holding out buying them 'til they come back to the farmers market... I worship heirloom tomatoes), as well as some red onion (which I just didn't have in my house and was too lazy to go get). The textures in this recipe are soooo perfect for each other. You've got the meaty mushroom, the creamy guac, the fresh greens AND the amazing crunchy, savoury, heavenly Hippie Garden Chips.

I love everything about these chips. They are made just up the road from where I live, in [relatively] small batches, by hand, with only organic and raw, vegan ingredients. The company that makes them is rad and we're kinda buddy-buddy (whatup, Jo and Rach!) so they asked me to come see them making the chips a few weeks ago. It was neat. They seriously make these chips JUST like I do at home: blend up a simple raw vegan dressing, cut up a bunch of organic veggies, then toss both together and dehydrate. The outcome is flavour-tastic. My favourite variety is Snacking Stir-fry but I ate those bags all so quickly that I was left with only Crunchy Coleslaw (still really yummy FYI) left for this recipe.

Grab a burger, open up a bag of Hippie Chips, hug somebody. (Just make sure they give you permission first).


PORTOBELLO BURGERS with COLLARD GREENS, GUACAMOLE and HIPPIE CHIPS

2 portobello mushroom tops
1 teaspoon Bragg's liquid aminos or tamari 
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes 
2 huge collard leaves
1 bag Hippie Garden Chips
2 tablespoons tahini

Guacamole: 
1 avocado
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes (optional) 

Toss the mushroom tops in the Bragg's or tamari. Set in the dehydrator at 115 degrees (Fahrenheit) - or in your oven at its lowest temperature - for 30 minutes or until they soften and darken a little. 

To make the guacamole: mash the avocado flesh with the lime juice, salt, pepper and chili (if using). Adjust according to taste. Some garlic might be nice. 

Take a mushroom top and spread on some guacamole, then pile with greens and tomatoes. Drizzle in a little tahini if you like, then wrap up in a collard leaf! Serve with the Hippie Chips and enjoy. 

Did you like this post? Then *subscribe to my blog* and get all my posts by email!
http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

STRAWBERRY CASHEW CREAM CAKE with CAROB DRIZZLE

This cake tastes like a strawberry milkshake. The best part is: it's good for you and really easy to make. Oh, that was two parts.

I been tryin' to include more colour in my diet lately. Don't get me wrong, I have green smoothies and carrot juices, bananas blueberry nice cream and baked jewel yams like errday. But I DO admit I get into routines. I let myself fall into the pattern of ONLY having the things just listed, day in and day out. So I guess a better way of saying "tryin' to include more colour in my diet lately" is: I am trying to get a more colourful VARIETY out of my diet these days. Inspired by Instagram accounts like this one, I realized I'd gotten lazy with trying new fruits and veggies. So off I went to the grocery store yesterday and bagged up a bunch of fresh ingredients I haven't gotten in awhile: papaya, mango, broccoli, purple cabbage and grapefruit. And I got tangelos too, which I had never had before but lemme tell ya: they are deliciously juicy and sweet, very similar to oranges but cooler-looking. Well ok, now I have made oranges feel bad. Oranges: you are JUST as cool-looking. I meant to say tangelos are DIFFERENT-looking. I love all ya'll citrus fruits, mkay!?

Then today I went to my fave organic vegan grocery store downtown, Eternal Abundance. Pretty sure I was MEANT to visit because they were having their monthly 15% off customer appreciation day thingy. Perf. I stocked up on all things beautiful (which is actually like everything in the store): more mangoes, apples, collard greens, more broccoli, cilantro, more tangelos, oranges, avocado and coconut meat. OH. AND. BHARI. DATES. You need them in your life. That is all. Get 'em from here if you're in North America.

So I have been juicing up a storm and adding waaaay more greens to my meals. I actually put purple cabbage in my smoothie. These are new horizons and I am lovin' it. Some people think social media sites like Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram are just a waste of time but I have to disagree. They inspire me with colourful photos and recipe ideas! When I get a little bored with my go-to meals, I just look through my IG feed and find myself reinvigorated with raw vegan kitchen creativity. So now that I have written a decent-length post, I can offer you a recipe. Check out this sexy best.


STRAWBERRY CASHEW CREAM CAKE with CAROB DRIZZLE:
Makes 8-10 servings

Crust:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup almonds 
Dates, if needed

Cream cake:
2 cups frozen strawberries
2 cups cashews, soaked in water for at least an hour then rinsed 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Carob drizzle:
1 tablespoon carob powder 
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional)

To make the crust: grind the oats and almonds into flour in a high speed blender and then continue until they become a paste. This works perfectly if you have a Blendtec blender outfitted with the Twister Jar, but otherwise you may need to add some dates so it sticks together more, and do it in a food processor. You want to end up with a mixture that holds it's shape when you press it together so add as many dates as needed, or some coconut oil or water. Press into the bottom of a lined spring form pan (mine was about 6 inches). Put in the fridge.

To make the cream: blend all the ingredients - except the strawberries - together until smooth and thick, like {non-dairy} yogurt. Set aside about 1/4 or 1/3 of this mixture in a bowl. Throw the strawberries in the blender with the mixture that's still in there and blend until it's smooth and a lovely pink. You still want the texture to be like very thick yogurt so if it's too thin, add some more coconut oil, cashews, or some dates. Pour onto your crust, then scoop on the remaining white cream mixture, spreading it evenly. Or not. Put the cake in the fridge for at least 12 hours, but preferably 24-48 hours, so the flavours can get to know each other.

To make the carob drizzle: melt the coconut oil (if using) and then stir together all the ingredients until smooth. Garnish the cake with fruit and nuts, drizzle with carob sauce, and enjoy!

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


http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/