Carob Energy Chunks

I tried to recreate the energy chunks you find in YES! Organic Market or Whole Foods. Each time the result has been slightly different, but I was able to capture the ratios for this one. I think they came out pretty good and were worth sharing.  I like to eat these as a snack, on-the-go or during the afternoon just when my energy plummets.  The sunflower seeds are a natural energy boost and will bring you back to life!

Ingredients

• 3 dates, chopped
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1-2 tsp agave
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup carob chips

Instructions

Combine the almonds and dates and grind until a powder forms (be careful not to over grind because they almond will begin to turn to a butter, which you do not want!).

Add the remaining ingredients and grind until the batter forms a soft ball.

Form into 1-inch balls or press into a brownie tray and place into the fridge.  When cool, cut into squares or whatever you like.

mangia!

I scream for Ice Cream!

Niki got me an ice cream maker for Christmas. I love ice cream, but what I love more is that now I can make whatever flavor I want. I typically do this on a Friday night (wild).  Since January, Ive experimented with four recipes.  The first, I decided, had to be simple and classic – Vanilla Cardamom. I’m obsessed with Cardamom, so I thought it sounded like a delightful combination with the classic vanilla.  The second, I went for the dynamic choc + PB combo when I whipped up a batch for our reunited Supper Clubs! – Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel.  The third was a bit of an experiment – Coconut Ginger Almond  (got rave reviews from this one.)  The most recent batch I made was to celebrate the 29th year of Meagan Metzger.  In honor of her love of coffee I tried out a Cappuccino Chunk.  I have to admit, this process of ice cream making will definitely take some work, but I was able to conjure up a helpful tip from Betty Wilson, Meggie’s southern-cookin grandma who lives in North Carolina….Put a dash of alcohol in the ice cream because it lowers the freezing temperature and make its smooth and creamy to serve.  We shall see! I have yet to try it out, but will do soon.  Recipes are below and all inspired from ‘The Vegan Scoop’ by Wheeler del Torro.  I know what you are thinking, I’m so wild and crazy these days. Well at least you got some ice cream recipes out of it!

Vanilla Cardamom

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 2 cups soy creamer
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon ground cardamom

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup almond milk with arrowroot powder and set aside.

Mix the soy creamer, remaining almond milk and sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat.  Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and immediately add the arrowroot mixture.  This will cause the liquid to thinken fairly quickly.

Add vanilla extract and cardamom.

Refrigerate mixture until chilled, approximately 2-3 hours (This step is pretty important.  The mixture has to be very cold before putting it into the ice cream maker).

Place the mixture into your ice cream maker, and follow manufacturers instructions from there.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened (or chocolate) almond milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 2 cups soy creamer
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 1 cup chopped chocolate covered pretzels

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup almond milk with arrowroot powder and set aside.

Mix the soy creamer, remaining almond milk, sugar and cocoa powder in a saucepan and cook over low heat.  Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and immediately add the arrowroot mixture.  This will cause the liquid to thinken fairly quickly.

Add vanilla extract.

Refrigerate mixture until chilled, approximately 2-3 hours.

Place the mixture into your ice cream maker, and follow manufacturers instructions from there.  Just in the last minutes of churning, swirl in the peanut butter and pretzels.

Coconut Ginger Almond

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups coconut milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon coconut extract (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup crystalized ginger pieces, chopped
• 1 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup coconut milk with arrowroot powder and set aside.

Mix the remaining coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat.  Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and immediately add the arrowroot mixture.  This will cause the liquid to thinken fairly quickly.

Add vanilla and coconut extracts.

Refrigerate mixture until chilled, approximately 2-3 hours.

Place the mixture into your ice cream maker, and follow manufacturers instructions from there.  Just in the last minutes of churning, swirl in the ginger pieces, coconut and almonds.

Cappuccino Chunk

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 2 cups soy creamer
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup espresso
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 cup chocolate chunks

Instructions

To make cappuccino:  Make espresso and then place into a saucepan with cinnamon and cocoa powder.  Stir until boiling and set aside.

To make ice cream: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup almond milk with arrowroot powder and set aside.

Mix the soy creamer, cappuccino, remaining almond milk, and sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat.  Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and immediately add the arrowroot mixture.  This will cause the liquid to thinken fairly quickly.

Add vanilla extract.

Refrigerate mixture until chilled, approximately 2-3 hours.

Place the mixture into your ice cream maker, and follow manufacturers instructions from there.  Just in the last minutes of churning, swirl in the chocolate chunks.

mangia!

Almond-Cranberry Granola

yields about 8 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups of rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup dried cranberries (or cherries)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 250 degree.

Combine oats, almonds and coconut in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine the wet ingredients in a separate large bowl.  If you have kitchen gloves or plastic baggies, cover your hands with them and for about 10 minutes (or until the oil is completely saturated into the sugar) massage the wet mixture.  It should form into a molasses-type sugar mixture.

Add the wet mixture to the oat mixture and continue to coat the oats until completed covered.

Spray 2-3 cookie sheets with cooking spray and divide oat mixture evenly.  Bake in the oven for 60 minutes total, but turning the oats every 20 minutes (so you will turn them 3 times).

Once they are browned and cool, add cranberries and store in an air-tight container.

mangia!

Spicy Peach Smoothie

I’ve really been enjoying peaches this summer and thankfully there has been a wonderful  abundance at the markets.  I’ve also been working on incorporating Ayurdevic healing spices* into my diet as much as possible because, especially for Vata-types like me, these spices get the digestive juices flowing and aids in better digestion.  I also just love sweet + spicy as a combo.  So this morning, I decided to try something thats got it all: a spicy peach smoothie.  My almost-rottening peaches needed to be eaten, so in went the peaches with the usual banana base.  Then added cardamom and a touch of cayenne.  It was the perfect start to a wonderful hump-day.

Ingredients 

• 1 local peach
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup regular soy milk
• 1/4 cup ice
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• dash of cayenne, to taste

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in bullet or blender and drink up!

mangia!

*More on this to come, but for now the spices I take include  tumeric, cayenne, black pepper, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, cloves and coriander.  I make a spice blend using these spices and use in meals when possible.  If I cant get it into a meal, Ill take a tsp, like a pill or vitamin, and wash it down with a drink.

Chai-Spiced Almond Cookies

Adapted from a recipe in ‘The Vegan Table’ by Colleen Patrick Goudreau, these cookies taste like a cup of chai tea, but make your kitchen smell even better.

makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of non-dairy butter, soft
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar, divided ( I didnt have confectioners at the time so I used regular cane sugar + 1-2 tbsp cornstarch and it worked great)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp all-spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup whole wheat (pastry is best) flour
• 1 cup of chopped, toasted almonds
• rock salt (for coating)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  With hand mixer, beat together butter, 1 cup of sugar, vanilla, almond extract and spices.  Add flour and mix until blended.  Add 1/2 of the chopped almond to dough.  Roll into small balls, about the size of a tbsp and coat them in sugar +salt mixture.  Then, coat in remaining chopped almonds.  Bake for about 10-15 minutes.

mangia!