Carrot Muffins with Cashew Lemon Frosting

 

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

1.  2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1/2 cup almond meal (if you don't have almond meal, just increase the flour by 1/2 cup)
3. 2 tsp baking soda
4. 1/2 tsp sea salt
5. 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
6. 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
7. 1 Tbs Saigon cinnamon or traditional cinnamon
8. 2 cups grated carrot
9. 1/3 cup canola oil
10. 1 tsp vanilla
11. 1/2 cup agave syrup
12. 2 eggs (use 2 Tbs of ground flax seeds and 7 Tbs of water to make vegan)
13. 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
14. 1/2 cup finely shredded coconut (check out the bulk section of the health food store)
15. 1/2 cup organic raisins
16. 1/2 cup crushed pecans

Frosting:
(recipe adapted from Ani's Raw Food Desserts (Kream Cheeze Frosting) by Any Phyo)

1. 1 1/2 cup raw cashews
2. 3 Tbs lemon juice
3. 3 Tbs agave
4. 1/4-1/2 cup water

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl add dry ingredient:  whole wheat flour, almond meal, baking soda and sea salt.  Grate in nutmeg, ginger and add cinnamon. I suggest using Saigon Cinnamon, which has a sweet red hot flavor.  You can buy a giant bottle from Costco for under $4.00.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, grate two cups of carrots using your food processor or cheese grater.  Add oil, vanilla, agave, eggs and applesauce.  Mix together and fold in coconut, raisins and pecans.
• Incorporate the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.
• Spoon muffin mix into a greased muffin pan.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• While the muffins are baking, prepare the cashew frosting.  Using a blender or food processor add all frosting ingredients and blend until smooth.
• After muffins have cooled, transfer the frosting into a plastic freezer bag.  Cut one of the corners of the bag and squeeze frosting in a circular motion onto the muffins.

~Gotta love a recipe that can be breakfast or dessert~

Chocolate Peanut Shake/Ice Cream

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1. 3 Tbs organic peanuts
2. 2 Tbs raw cacao or dark cocoa powder
3. 3 Medjool dates (available at Costco or the bulk section of your health food store)
4. 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
5. 1-2 cups ice
6. 1-2 cups vanilla hemp milk (available at health food stores)

Directions:

• In a blender, place the pitted dates, peanuts, cocoa powder and vanilla.  If you don't have a high speed blender, you may want to chop your dates and give this a quick pulse now.  
• Add ice and pour hemp milk over the ice.  If making this as an ice cream, then add less milk and more ice.  If you want to make a shake, then add less ice and more hemp milk.   Don't worry, you won't get high off hemp, but you will get some really amazing benefits; omega fats and protein, just to name a few.
• Blend to your desired consistency (I like mine a little bit chunky) and serve.

~Tastes just like a very popular candy bar!~

Cacao Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Earth Balance (you could also use coconut oil if desired)
2. 1/2 cup Raw Cacao
3. Strawberries

Directions:

• Using a double broiler, or a glass bowl on top of a sauce pan filled with a little water,  heat butter until melted (over low to medium heat).
• Mix in Raw Cacao powder, reduce heat to very low.
• Wash strawberries and dip into the chocolate mix.  Set onto a plate or baking sheet.  Let chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

~Antioxidant Dessert~

Mayan Hot Cacao~Liquid Superfood

Serves 1
Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2- 2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
2. 2 teaspoons agave syrup
   
3. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4. A sprinkle of nutmeg
   
5. Pinch of chili powder
6. 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
7. Dash of sea salt
   
8. 8 ounces hot water
   

Directions:

• Boil water.  
• Mix cacao powder, agave syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and chili powder in a coffee mug.  
• Add water.  
• You can mix in cream or top with whip cream if you want a more decadent drink.
  

~Enjoy~

Raw Chocolate Truffles

Here is the source for this recipe:

Raw Chocolate Truffles Galore and much more…

Chef Karolina’s Raw Chocolate Truffles 
 
Prep time:  10 mins.
Un-Cook time:  20 mins (to roll and dredge in toppings)
Yield:  25 truffles

Ingredients:

1 cup cacao powder
1 cup cashews
½ cup maple syrup
Water (to mix) 

Mix cashews in a food processor to a powder, adding water to mix.  Add maple syrup to cashews and process then mix with cacao powder, refrigerate for a few hours or overnight for better results.

*roll in shredded coconut, chocolate nibs, cacao powder, dehydrated cherries or ginger, or whatever you love!
*try macadamia nuts instead of cashews


THEY ARE SOOOO GOOD!

I made some last night and coated mine with coconut, crushed salted almonds, and crushed biscotti.  Macadamia nuts would also be really good, or maybe add in a little orange or lemon zest.

The recipe calls for raw cacao, which is considered to be a "super food".  If you want to learn more about cacao, then watch this video of David Wolfe.  You can find raw cacao powder at most health food stores.  I bought the brand Navitas at Super Supplements.

If you love dark chocolate, then give these truffles a try.

Nuts about Raw Pecan Pie

Here is a good dessert to try out.                            

                                                      

I actually found this recipe in UsWeekly (not that I read that garbage or anything...wink...wink)  Of course, I had to modify it just a bit, but mainly because I don't like following directions.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1. 2 cups raw walnuts (rinse them first, this helps eliminate any bitter taste)
2. 2 cups pitted dates 
3. 1 cup coconut flakes

Filling:

1. 1/2 cup unrefined virgin  coconut oil
   
2. 1 cup organic raisins
3. 1 tsp vanilla extract
4. 1/3 cup maple syrup
5. 1 tsp sea salt
6. 1 cup raw pecans, soaked

Directions:

• Mix walnuts, dates and coconut flakes in food processor until combined.
• Press mixture into the bottom of a pie pan, or muffin pan.
• Blend the filling ingredients until smooth.
• Pour into crust/s
• Garnish with pecans and freeze for 5 hours.

I suggest the muffin pan and keeping the extras in the freezer.  Wrap them individually, or put them in a Tupperware.  

You can find organic virgin unrefined coconut oil at most health food stores.  It is all the rage right now because of it's proposed health benefits!  If you want to read more, click on the hyper link above.  I bought a jar and put half in the bathroom and half in the kitchen.  I use the one in the bathroom for skin care.  I put it on my face, lips and hands.  The one in the kitchen I use as a butter or oil substitute (it's solid below 85 degrees).  Try it on toast instead or butter, or add it to the water when making rice.  It will give your rice a nice tropical flavor.

Another thing I like to do with coconut oil is add it to my coffee!  No, it's not gross, it's good!  I put in a little soy milk and a small dab of coconut oil.  Okay, at least try the dessert :-).