Salted Vegan Cardamom Caramel Sauce

We all love caramel sauce, er…well, at least I do, but I NEVER eat it because it’s loaded with refined sugar and dairy and it makes me loopy. Really!

SO, I just had to share my favorite vegan caramel sauce with you — two ways! One is plain and one has a dash of cacao for a little extra richness…as if it needs it. It’s super simple to make and all you need is a high-powered blender.

Drizzle this caramel sauce over fruit or coconut ice cream. Dreamy and Delish!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup medjool dates, pitted and soaked for 20 minutes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk (more if needed for thinner texture)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• Optional: 1 tablespoon cacao powder

Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until creamy smooth. Add more almond milk if too thick. Store in refrigerator in a squeeze bottle for up to two weeks.

Raw Vegan Brownies with Goji Berries and Cacao Icing

Valentines day is right around the corner, and what a better way to celebrate with some homemade vegan brownie for your sweetie. Who wants store bought chocolate in a red, foil heart anyway? Not me!

You can lose with these healthy, delectable treats that are high in protein, fiber, healthy fats and antioxidants. What?? Yes, that’s right. Skip the guilt and dive right in.

BROWNIE INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups raw walnuts
• 1/2 cup raw hemp seeds
• 1-1/4 cup pitted dates (I like medjool)
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs
• 1/4 cup goji berries, soaked for 10 minutes and drained

CACAO ICING INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe avocados
• 5 tablespoons cacao powder
• 5 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• pinch sea salt

Raw Kale and Apple Salad w/Avocado Lime Dressing

This salad is great for a BBQ, Potluck or Summer party. The avocado lime dressing adds the perfect creamy finish with a little garlicky touch. Don’t forget to de-stem and massage your kale!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head curly kale, de-stemmed and torn into small pieces
• 1 green apple, diced
• ½ avocado, diced
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup pine nuts

Place all ingredients into a large bowl and toss with dressing.

AVOCADO LIME DRESSING

• 1/2 ripe avocado
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients together into a blender until smooth and creamy.

Rawmesan Crusted Zucchini Chips

I love me some zucchini and it’s in full force here in Santa Barbara right now. These zucchini chips are to die for. I just decided to throw them together, so the measurements may not be exact, so feel free to play with what you add to them. You will need a dehydrator for best results, otherwise bake in the oven at 450 degrees for about 25-30 minutes until crisp. Be warned, they will shrink!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup raw hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Place sliced zucchini in a large bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Place remaining ingredients in a blender or coffee grinder and process into a powder. Sprinkle “cheese” powder over zucchini and toss around to coat slices evenly. Place on dehydrator screens in a single layer. Dehydrate overnight at 113 degrees or until crisp.

Raw Vegan Black Forest Cheesecake

Cherries and Chocolate are one of my all-time favorite combinations. Juicy, ripe, sweet cherries paired with creamy chocolate will make this amazing raw cheesecake a go-to recipe anytime you need to make a special treat. It’s perfect to take to a V-day party or make for your sweetie.

CRUST INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brazil nuts or macadamia nuts
• 2/3 cup raw, unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• pinch sea salt
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs

Process the nuts, coconut, cacao powder and sea salt together in a food processor into crumbs. Add maple syrup, vanilla and cacao nibs and process until mixture begins to stick together. If not sticky enough add extra maple syrup (start with 2 tablespoons.) Scrape out mixture into a 9″ spring form pan and press evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan using your fingers. Set aside

FILLING INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cashews, soaked 4 hours
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked 4 hours
• 1/4 cup melted cacao butter
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon tamari or Bragg’s aminos
• 1 cup raw cacao powder
• 1 – 10 oz. bag frozen cherries, thawed

Raw Peach Lavender Compote

Summer is my favorite time of year because fresh fruit is SO abundant, especially stone fruit. Nectarines and peaches are at their peak during this season, so take advantage!

This simple dish is raw, and takes minutes to make. You can use it on ice cream, as a relish on crackers and more. Make sure to pick ripe peaches that are ready to be eaten. You can also use nectarines or apricots as a substitute.

INGREDIENTS

• 5 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into ¼” cubes
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons raw local honey
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender buds

Place peaches in a medium size bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir to coat peaches. Let sit for about 20 minutes to marinate. Serve over vegan or dairy free ice cream.

Creamy, Raw Nut Milk

Vegan Nut Milks are super simple to make, really delicious and good for you. Soaking nuts can help cut the fat content down as well.

Be sure to always use raw nuts, as they are more nutrient dense then their roasted counterparts, and have less saturated fat.

I love to also make hemp milk using hemp seeds. You can get creative with this recipe and use whatever kind of nuts you like.

This nut milk is also a great base for vegan ice creams, especially if you have access to an ice cream maker! YUM!

Also, great to use on cereal, oatmeal or quinoa brekkie bowl, or used as a base for your morning smoothie!!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup raw almonds or cashews, soaked overnight
• 4 cups filtered water
• Stevia or coconut nectar/palm sugar, to taste
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or beans of a whole vanilla bean
• dash of cardamom, cinnamon or nutmeg (be creative, and use what you like)

After soaking almonds, drain and rinse them well. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If you want the milk completely smooth,  strain the milk through a fine sieve strainer or cheesecloth. Otherwise leave in the chunky bits for added nutrition and fiber!!

Raw Vegan Donut Holes

Donuts are an American favorite, but unfortunately they are loaded with sugar and fat. An evil combination when it comes to your health. These delicious donut holes are raw, vegan and delicious. Made with cashews and walnuts as a base, they are great for your brain, as well as providing sustained energy. I sometimes use different combinations of nuts, for different flavor, so get creative!

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/2 cups cashews
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 dates, pitted
• 1/4 c. grade B maple syrup or brown rice syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor cup fitted with the s-blade, grind the cashews, walnuts, coconut and sea salt to a crumbly consistency but leaving some chunks of nuts.

Add in remaining ingredients and process until the mixture forms into a sticky dough. Remove lid and scrape out into a bowl. Roll into small truffle size balls and roll in cinnamon or shredded coconut. Store in refrigerator.

Raw Vegan Lime Cheesecake

This little beauty is perfect to make for a Valentine’s Day bash. Who has valentine’s day bashes you ask? Well, all the single peeps of course!!! This is a decadent and healthy treat to share with all your friends…and family as well! Even the kids will love it!

Making desserts with cashews is one of my favorite things to do. They are so sweet and creamy that you won’t even miss the cream cheese, which is the normal and fatty ingredient in all regular cheesecakes.

Recipe & photo created by one of my very talented cleansers!

INGREDIENTS (CRUST)

• 2 c. raw pecans or macadamias
• 1/2 c. dried coconut
• ¼ c. agave nectar
• dash sea salt

In food processor, pulse pecans or macadamias, agave and coconut together until sticky. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan. If it’s too sticky you can wet your fingers and press into the pan.

INGREDIENTS (FILLING)

• 3 c. cashews, soaked for 4 hours
• 1 c. dates, pitted and chopped, soaked for 2 hours (save soaking water)
• 6 TBS. coconut oil, melted
• ½ c. lime juice
• ½ c. agave nectar
• 6 TBS date soak water
• 2 tsp vanilla or one vanilla bean

In a strong blender, blend cashews, coconut oil, lime juice, agave, date soak water, vanilla & dates until smooth. Pour into crust and freeze for 1-2 hours until firm. Remove from freezer and let sit for 15 minutes. Slice and serve immediately. Serve with berry sauce or fresh berries.

Karmic Raw Apple Pie

CRUST

• 2 c. Almonds, Walnuts or Pecans
• 1 c. Dates, pitted & chopped
• splash Coconut Water
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon

FILLING

• 5 Apples, Cored & Chopped with skins on into ¼ inch slices (I use a mix of apples, make sure to include 1 or 2 granny smith to give a tartness to the mixture)
• 1 cup Golden Raisins, soaked in 1 C. water for 4-8 hours (save soaking water)
• 1 cup Raw Cashews, soaked 4 hours
• 2 TBL. Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup or to taste
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg
• ½ tsp. Allspice
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• dash Cardamom
• 1 Tbl. Lemon Juice

Place cut up apples in a bowl with water to prevent them from turning brown.

Meanwhile, combine crust ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until combined into a sticky ball. If too thick add a little OJ or coconut water. Press into glass pie dish.

Place cashews in blender with 1/4 raisin soak water, vanilla, spices and agave.  Blend until creamy. If too thick, add more raisin water. Pour into a bowl. Add raisins and stir by hand. Drain apples and pour cashew mixture over the apples and stir to mix. Once evenly coated, pour into pie crust and chill for 2 hours or until firm.

Garnish with fresh berries, cinnamon, grated coconut or sliced almonds!