CHOCOLATE COCONUT PEPPERMINT BITES


This recipe for chocolate coconut peppermint cups is special because my mom - who doesn't like sweets - actually ate a whole one all by herself. Usually she just has a bite of my dessert recipes to be polite but when I offered her a chomp of mine last night and she tried it... I never got it back. Although I was looking forward to eating it myself (did not happen), I was more importantly just excited that she liked them enough to eat a whole one. It's probably because they taste so damn fresh; I recommend you eat these after lunch or dinner to leave your mouth feeling minty clean. The only ingredients are coconut, carob, maple syrup and mint. The best things in life are simple, or at least the best recipes are. I've made a recipe similar to this one before but my photo skills were not as developed then, plus I just wanted to make these again and figured I may as well give ya a new recipe. I can't imagine anyone complaining about this.


ORGANIC BURST SMOOTHIES!


Ey, babes, guess what time it is. It's Smoothie Time (AKA the best time)! This morning I got busy in the kitchen whipping up two different super nutrient-dense drinks for ya'll to slurp up with a smile. The special ingredients in these recipes are Organic Burst super foods! Within these colourful liquid concoctions are amazing concentrated forms of the healing and energy-giving plants: wheatgrass, acai berries, maca root and baobab fruit. Woo! Let's party cuz we can! Ain't no better way to start the day then with a giant glass of raw vegan fruity goodness in the most digestible format. Your body will be doing the happy dance.  Mine definitely is right now! Hence all the exclamation points!


SALTED CARAMEL + SESAME CHOCOLATE CREAM TARTS


It's recipes like these that I find easy to compare with sexual experiences. I promise you'll get some intense mouthgasms when you bite into one of these tarts. I did. 

When basic logic is applied one can see how most - if not all - pleasurable moments in our lives are as such because of hormones. Namely endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin and the like. Some might think this is depressing, but I think it's totally awesome. Why do I love Jack? Well, for a lot of reasons that are unexplainable at the moment. But a huge part of it is because when I am around him and when I think about him, oxytocin is released in my brain! I associate positive emotions with him and my body and mind wants me to stick with the relationship because our evolutionary history values solid reproductive partners. When ya really give it a think - we are still such primal creatures. We are ANIMALS through and through. Sure, in the last several thousands of years our environment has changed - but our biology has not. Look around: we are uber preoccupied with eating, sex and... oh that's pretty much it. Of course we've got culture and art and music and important movements for social, political and environmental policy improvement; these seemingly have nothing to do with our fundamental drives but in a lot of cases I think you can still relate it back. There's no doubt that the general public is most focused on appeasing their senses. We are a sensual species! We like feelin' good. So do other mammals (because we are mammals, after all)! 

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE + BANANA ICE CREAM SANDWICHES


Oh yeah. This is happening. Too epic to handle? No. I believe in you. Just take a breathe and allow the fact to sink in that you can make giant peanut butter cookies, sandwich them with soft serve banana ice cream... and it's healthy. THIS WORLD IS SO FREAKING AWESOME.

The only ingredients in these deliciously sexy treats are nuts, oats, fruit and... oh - that's it! Don't believe me? Make them yourself and find out. And you only need to use oats if you don't like using lots of nuts. But if "the more nuts, the better!" is your motto, then by all means the only ingredients you require are nuts and fruit. (I really, REALLY hope someone out there actually has that as their life motto.)


I WROTE ANOTHER BOOK! (AND IT'S AVAILABLE NOW FOR $15)


Hey, guys. Guess what. I wrote another book!

"Wow, I wasn't expecting THAT after reading the title."


Okay fair enough, that was a lame surprise. But still! I am so excited! Let me tell you about the cookbook. It is called 100 Best Juices, Smoothies & Healthy Snacks and it is just that! I give you 100 recipes for the best juices, smoothies, nut milks, energy bars and easy vegan snacks. All there recipes are vegan, gluten-free and soy-free. And with the exception of some savoury smoothie recipes (think of them as soups) where some veggies need to be steamed, all the recipes are RAW too! There is a full page colour photo for every recipe (all photos are taken by me, as per usual) and I think they are some of the best pictures I have done yet. I am really proud of this cookbook and I cannot wait for you to get it in your hands and start making healthy, wholesome, vegan delights in the kitchen!


WALKING ON TWO FEET: THOUGHTS ON A CRUELTY-FREE FUTURE


Today's post is not specifically about food. It is more generally about life.

At the beginning of summer (4 months ago) I walked around my university campus with camera in tow. I thought it was time to photographically capture the beautiful, minimalist shapes and colours of the area. A lot of students say that our campus is dreary and depressing; but I think it's inspiring and the perfect blank canvas for academic and personal creativity. I couldn't have designed it more elegantly myself. The architect was fellow Canadian Arthur Erickson, a favourite of mine. In all his projects it seems to me that he saw the intricate design lines in nature and recreated them as simply as possible, constructing humble yet mesmerizing functional forms where you, your work, and nature were the real focus. I could talk about his architecture forever though. Moving on.


SWEET POTATO WEDGES with GARDEN SALAD + SWEET CORN


This is a perfect example of what my dinners look like these days: loads of baked sweet potatoes, greens and fresh veggies. I don't use any oil or salt and yet the whole meal ends up being so flavourful and delicious I can hardly believe it! My secret? Lemon or lime juice and herbs and spices!  Feel free to add a pinch of Himalayan salt if you want to, but I am JUST SAYIN: I don't use any when I make this. I also used to think I HAD to use oil to get my potatoes just right, but I was wrong! I have learned that if you bake them on parchment paper and spray them with a bit of lemon or lime juice (this adds flavour too) they will turn out perfectly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside - exactly how I love them. You might be thinking: "But Emily - those aren't sweet potatoes because they aren't orange!" Well, my friend, they actually are! Sweet potatoes come in many varieties. There are white ones (my favourite), orange ones, purple ones, and all kinds of variations in skin colour, flavour and more. Also, yams and sweet potatoes are NOT the same! Go figure.

RAW VEGAN BLOODY MARY


I was really surprised at how delicious this tasted. Then again, if I thought a moment longer I would've realized it shouldn't be surprising at all. I love tomatoes, garlic, lemon and spices! But I've never been into alcoholic drinks, so the idea of Bloody Mary was not exactly a turn on. However, it's one of my moms favourite cocktails so I decided to make a healthy vegan version just for the challenge. It turned out splendidly. I actually didn't want to hand the glass over to mom because I wanted it for myself! I didn't add any booze (to my mothers dismay) but if you want to, don't let me stop you. This is great a juice recipe on it's own, or a terrific healthy base for a real cocktail.

OAT & PECAN CAKE with VANILLA GINGER FROSTING


I wanted to keep this recipe simple and beautiful; those two features often go hand-in-hand, incidentally. The ingredients are wholesome, nutritious gifts from nature and the cake they end up making is a delightful treat to enjoy and share with those you care for. I imagine this cake being eaten in a sunny garden where flowers bloom, golden rays shine on skin moisturized with coconut oil, and a comfortable atmosphere invites subtle waves of laughter and easy conversation.

COME TO MY VEGAN MEET-UP + POTLUCK!

BIG NEWS! If you live near or in Vancouver, BC, Canada I would love if you could make it out to my first ever vegan potluck! We will be gathering at a lovely home in East Van with a big garden and dining area. Please bring whatever vegan dish you like (raw or cooked, sweet or savoury, crunchy or creamy, etc.), although I would ask that it's made with mostly whole foods (so I can try it!) and list the ingredients in case there are people with food sensitivities or certain preferences. Also feel free to bring vegan wine, beer, tea, kombucha, or whatever! The meet-up will be commencing in the evening around 6:15 pm and we can hang out as late as we please. We can make this event into whatever you want it to be. Vegan dance party? Hell yeah! Calm philosophical moral discussion? Alright! Just stuffing our faces with magical food? It's all good. I would love to meet you, so come on over if you can! This is a great opportunity for me to connect with all of you, but more importantly for all of us to connect with each other! Who doesn't want more vegan friends!?

Note: you do not have to be vegan or even vegetarian to come. As long as you have an open and accepting mind, EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Having said that, this will be a no-hate zone. Discrimination of any kind will not be accepted. But that probably goes without saying because I know you're all pretty much the coolest homo sapiens ever.

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Date: Saturday, September 13th 2014
Time: 6:30 pm until whenever  
Location: email me at emilyvoneuw@gmail.com to get the address 


OAT & CASHEW THUMBPRINT COOKIES with BERRY CHIA JAM


Note: I am honoured to say this recipe was featured in Vegetarian Times!

These are almost dangerously tasty. You've got a heavenly cookie base mainly made up of cashews and oats, creating a nest for fresher-than-fresh berry jam with chia seeds. That's it. Simple, right? Definitely. But simple doesn't mean boring. This recipe will blow your mind and your mouth will cry for more. I just gobbled up two and almost didn't stop to breathe. Fortunately, the planet is awesome and allows these cookies to be super healthy, raw and vegan without compromising on flavour or sexy looks.

Yeah, I just called these cookies sexy.