CINNAMON ROLLS with COCONUT FROSTING & CARAMEL RAISIN FILLING


Yeah, baby - I WENT there and made raw vegan cinnamon rolls - you know you love me. And even if you don't love me, you will love this recipe; so in a non-direct way I am receiving some love and I will take what I can get. It's a hard-knock life.

I ate three of these in mere minutes - it's part of my duty as a food blogger, alright - while moaning "oh my god... better than cinnamon buns... mmmm... what is happening..." And I meant it! Somehow these really do taste better than the baked version, though they don't taste exactly the same. Maybe it's because I know that they are super good for me, and nobody had to get hurt to make them. Maybe not. Maybe they just taste damn good for other reason than that. Either way, I am very pleased with how these turned out and I DEMAND you make them as soon as possible. Just kidding. I don't wanna tell you how to live your life. But I would gently SUGGEST you make them as soon as possible.

If you think these look or taste too good to be healthy - think again. (I love you! Why would I give you unhealthy recipes? DON'T YOU TRUST ME.) The main ingredients in these cinnamon rolls are oats and buckwheat groats, raisins and dates, coconut, and cinnamon; let's see what these fabulous foods do for us, shall we? 

Buckwheat groats regulate blood sugar and cholesterol, are rich in fibre, disease-fighting flavonoids and magnesium, fight against heart disease and have an enormous amount of phytonutrients like phenolics which are now being found to prevent disease. Raisins and dates are excellent for oral and eye health, alkalizing in the stomach, rich in bone-strengthening calcium, blood-building iron and copper and cancer-preventing antioxidants. Coconut is finally being recognized as the super food that it is: toting antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic properties that keep your immunity strong; they are rich in fibre, calcium, potassium, amino acids, magnesium and electrolytes. Coconut is almost identical to human blood plasma and can actually be used for blood transfusions (best when mixed with green juice which has almost the exact same make up as human hemoglobin)!

Here's to health! 


cinnamon rolls with coconut frosting and caramel raisin filling: makes 6-7 servings

dough:
3/4 cup gluten-free oats
3/4 cup buckwheat groats
3/4 cup raisins 
3/4 cup dates
Pinch of salt (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon water
Dash of cinnamon 

coconut frosting:
1 heaping cup young coconut meat
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
4 tablespoons agave syrup (or other preferred sweetener) 
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Water, as needed

caramel raisin filling:
1 cup dates
1/4-1/2 cup coconut water 
Cinnamon powder, to taste
1/4 cup raisins

To make the dough: pulse the oats and buckwheat groats in your food processor until they become a rough flour. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it all begins to stick together. Roll the dough into a square about 1/4-1/2 cm thick. Put this in the fridge for 1-2 hours. 


To make the frosting: blend all the ingredients together until it's smooth and drizzly. Set aside.

To make the cinnamon caramel filling: blend all the ingredients together - except the raisins - until smooth and thick like a paste. Set aside.

Cut the dough (which should now be a little more pliable) into strips and spread the filling evenly on each one, then sprinkle on the raisins and gently roll the strips up. Cover with the frosting and freak out at the awesomeness of the planet.