CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BROCCOLI + CHIPOTLE ALMOND SAUCE

I still haven't showered today. Apparently it's good for the skin to let your sweat dry after you've been in the sun, because it helps with vitamin D absorption. So I hear. I am using that as my excuse for being smelly and sticky right now. I went to the gym this morning (and sweat out a storm) then immediately made this when I got home. Seriously, I didn't even take off my shoes. Then I laid out in the sun for the afternoon while I listened to Dan Savage's Lovecast. In short: I don't think I need to take a vitamin D supplement TODAY. Hah. I will shower after I write this post though, because I am obsessed with how good it feels to be clean after being sweaty. Yes, I am super privileged because I get to shower everyday. I am also super grateful, not that that matters. I guess I'll talk about the recipe now...

STRAWBERRY CASHEW CREAM CAKE with CAROB DRIZZLE

This cake tastes like a strawberry milkshake. The best part is: it's good for you and really easy to make. Oh, that was two parts.

I been tryin' to include more colour in my diet lately. Don't get me wrong, I have green smoothies and carrot juices, banana blueberry nice cream and baked jewel yams like everyday. But I DO admit I get into routines. I let myself fall into the pattern of ONLY having the things just listed, day in and day out. So I guess a better way of saying "tryin' to include more colour in my diet lately" is: I am trying to get a more colourful VARIETY out of my diet these days. Inspired by Instagram accounts like this one, I realized I'd gotten lazy with trying new fruits and veggies. So off I went to the grocery store yesterday and bagged up a bunch of fresh ingredients I haven't gotten in awhile: papaya, mango, broccoli, purple cabbage and grapefruit. And I got tangelos too, which I had never had before but lemme tell ya: they are deliciously juicy and sweet, very similar to oranges but cooler-looking.

AVOCADO ZUCCHINI SUSHI with BROWN RICE

So technically this isn't sushi, it's maki. Even then it's my humble take on it, not traditional. And that's ok!

MY FAVOURITE GREEN SMOOTHIE

I have made a lot of smoothies. I drink at least one, usually two, and often three, everyday and I have been doing that for years. I plan to continue doin' it for the rest of my life. I have written an entire cookbook on smoothies (it's coming out in December and you can pre-order it here). Let's just say I know a thing or two about them; including making their textures, flavours and colours the most appealing possible.

PERFECT RAW VEGAN GRANOLA (+ PERSIMMON STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE)

Hello, hello! And happy Sunday! I have spent the entire morning working at my new standing desk (which I got on Craigslist for $30, whaddup), trying to figure out how to make my blog more beautiful and efficient for you. My conclusion is that it's gonna have to wait. I am so busy these days with school, promoting my second book (pre-order your copy now!) and trying to maintain a life that I don't have the time to build a whole new website... yet. However, I want you to know it is something I am planning on doing. I wanna update my recipe index, take better pictures, give you more recipes, focus on putting out great YouTube videos (like recipes demos and FAQ's), and in general just keep improving This Rawsome Vegan Life. I hope that's cool wit you. Don't worry - I'm not gonna turn it into some bland, generic webpage. TRVL is my heart and soul and I always mean to show that in this cyber corner of the 'net. But you don't wanna hear about me and GALANT here wishfully searching for unicorn HTML code... you wanna hear about granola.

Let's talk about granola. This recipe is the bomb! 

CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES with WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM + CHOCOLATE

WOAH. Let's slow things down for a second to acknowledge that these cupcakes are vegan, gluten-free, and made with whole foods. THANK YOU, EARTH.

They're also made with leftovers. Yup. I bought a bag of carrots from the farmers market last week and juiced them, then I was left with all this beautiful carrot pulp. I didn't wanna just compost it so I thought "Hey! I could make carrot cupcakes!" Then I did that. I know, my stories are always so exciting. The cupcake recipe is pretty basic - mostly carrots, nuts, raisins and spices - but that don't stop some epic flavours from being created. Then I topped 'em off with vegan gold AKA whipped coconut cream. Technically coconut cream is not raw, but I give you a raw cashew cream option since I'm inclusive like that. I swirled the cream with raw chocolate sauce because... raw. chocolate. sauce.

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.)