CHOCOLATE CHUNK BROWNIES with COCONUT MILK & OATS

Allo, loves. Hope you're doin' ok, but if you're not, that is alright too! Life is full of ups and downs, struggles and joys; it's the balance that I sit in gratitude with. The multiple, unique seasons of the earth are each necessary and dependent on one another to create a nourishing whole, and I believe my life is made up of the same recipe. (Obviously, I've been meditating a lot lately, and listening to Oprah's podcast). To celebrate whatever is worth celebrating in your day, I made brownies. 

ORANGE-BEETROOT TARTLETS with ALMOND-FIG CRUST

This post is dedicated to my mum, Nancy.

Sometimes I forget how similar we are until I find myself describing her to another person, or when Jack tells me, "You looked just like your mom when you did that!"

FREEZER FUDGE ENERGY BITES

YUUUUMMMMM. These are pretty plain to look at but the flavour is unreal. They are oh-so-gooey, sweet, and easy to grab as you're about to start a workout or head out the door. Or at any moment. Of course, they're also good for you. Mostly just dates, nut butter and a scoop of an awesome organic vegan superfood blend called Nourish. I made these a few nights ago - in just a few minutes, I might add - because I was craving something chocolate-y (the PMS struggle is real).

THE BEST CHIA PUDDING {with vanilla, cinnamon + raisins}

I have been eating this all week. It is SO GOOD and so good for you. It reminds me of rice pudding, which I used to love when I was a kid. Chia seeds are excellent at pulling toxins and other junk out of your system, and their texture is magical when you let them sit for a little while in liquid (in this case, spiced almond mylk). They puff up! I think it's adorable. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES with QUINOA and ALMOND BUTTER

So comforting is the chocolate chip cookie. I made this recipe 3 days in a row because it's so damn delicious and simple. If you have a Blendtec and their twister jar, the recipe becomes even easier because it grinds things into flours and butters in NO TIME. I throw in almonds and they practically evaporate into almond butter. Amazing. But if you don't have a twister jar / Blendtec blender, have no fear. Any other high speed blender should do the job. These cookies are perfect with a glass of fresh almond milk. I have a bunch of stuff I must do today so I am keepin' this post short. Enjoy!

SHOCKING PINK ICE CREAM

I'll be straight up: the colour is from beets. BUT. Do not fear - if you don't like beets, the flavour is subtle and you can cover it up with other yummy, pretty things like berries, coconut, Rawxies (which are soooo good, lemon poppyseed is my fave) and brownies. If you like beets, then this is probably your wet, ice creamy dream come true. If you aren't sure about beets WITH ice cream... just see what you think. Iiiii think you will love it. Pretty sure I got the idea to do this from Steph over at @happyandhealthy96 so shout out to DAT BABE. 

BAKED YAMS with TAHINI (AKA HEAVEN)

I eat this nearly every night and it never gets old. Ask anyone who knows me, they probably feel jealous of the yams and/or sweet potatoes. There actually IS a difference between yams and sweet potatoes. I like both though. I love both, to be honest. Sometimes I really question the deepness of my devotion to certain plants. Like last night I baked some potatoes and just stood there in the kitchen gobbling them down plain, while murmuring phrases of adoration to them. Is this normal? Ah, whatever the answer... I LOVE YAMS AND I DON'T CARE YOU KNOWS IT! As long as I have baked yams and/or sweet potatoes in my life, I am at peace with the universe. 

PEPPERMINT OREOS DIPPED IN DARK CHOCOLATE

This recipe is the BOMB. It tastes as good as the photos look, and I know ya'll are freaking out over the photos. Basically we've got chewy chocolate cookies sandwiching a peppermint vanilla coconut creme filling. Yupp. Oh right, then all the cookies are dipped in chocolate, making them double chocolate. Can life get any better? Well, yeah, because these are also really good for you and easy to make. Okay, now life can't get any better. Unless you throw in a bowl of banana ice cream (but that is a constant truth).

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES with BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

These are happy cupcakes. 

The ingredients are good for you in every way. They are healthy, wholesome, delicious and easy to make. They are lovely to look at, and fun to share. They are a mini celebrations of all that is good in this world! 

MARSHMALLOW CREAM CAKE

This was a delicious accident. I meant for this to be your run-of-the-mill raw vegan cream cake (which sounds like an oxymoron... shh), but I wanted to add a bit more substance to it without adding a bunch more heaviness, so I chose to throw in some chia seeds. I figured they could multi-task and work to thicken up the batter too, since chia seeds plump up with liquids and make a kinda superfood pudding. Well, thank goodness I did. When I took the cake out of the freezer, sliced myself a piece and tasted it - I was pleasantly surprised by the texture. It's light and fluffy just like marshmallows! Not nearly as sweet, because I prefer to leave my desserts au natural and not add too much sweetness (even though my sweeteners are pretty au natural themselves), but I immediately thought: I can call this bad boy a marshmallow cake!

MEYER LEMON COCONUT CREAM TARTS with MINT + LAVENDER

These are divine, and they are reppin' the world of desserts that don't include chocolate. The non-cocoa players need love too! I'm just mentioning this because a lot of my recipes lately have included that brown powder we all secretly kiss when no one is looking. This time, Imma be kissin' my Meyer lemons instead. Honestly when I eat chocolate I usually think something along the lines of "I NEED YOU IN MY LIFE ALWAYS AND FOREVER." But in reality, I go days without it and hardly notice (cacao, please don't be hurt, you're still in my heart). My point is: ya don't need cocoa or cacao powder to make a kick-ass dessert; raw, vegan, or otherwise. This recipe proves it. 

THE PERFECT RAW VEGAN BROWNIE (FOR TWO)

When life gives you cashews, dates and cacao powder... make this recipe. It is SO simple and takes only a few minutes to whip up. Then magically the final product is a glorious, moist, chocolately treasure you can share with your lover and/or yourself. It doesn't get better than this. This recipe was mainly copied from the basic brownie recipe in Lisa Viger's new cookbook: Easy, Affordable Raw. You might know Lisa from Raw on $10 a Day, a fabulous website that provides endless ideas for inexpensive, quick raw vegan recipes. Hers was one of my favourite inspirational blogs when I first went vegan and got into raw food. I love the cookbook too. It's basically her website on paper. If you are just starting to get interested in raw food, healthier vegan food, cleansing, sprouting, fermenting, or simply exciting new recipes - I suggest you check the book out. There's tons of useful info inside, plus loads of colourful photos. It's a very practical tool to have in your kitchen. 

RAWSOME WRAPS: spinach tortillas filled with mashed avocado and shredded veggies

These are SO easy to make, and the most refreshing lunch ever. They'd also be a great dinner if you want something lighter. Personally, I've been eating even more raw food than usual lately, just because that is what my body is telling me. I think listening to your body is the best decision when it comes to diet and exercise... and sleep for that matter. Get in tune with YOSELF and you'll feel a lot better.

RAW VEGAN ICE CREAM SANDWICHES: oat cookies with bubblegum ice cream

These are raw, vegan, uber nutritious and super delicious. Plus, they're pretty! Kind of. The best part about healthy dessert is that you can eat as much as you want without feeling gross or sluggish later. In fact, these give me natural energy to keep bein' busy and productive with my day. I ate almost all of them myself. No lie. My fave part is the cookie, they seriously taste like oatmeal cookies (and I adore oatmeal cookies). Smack some ice cream in between two of these cookies and whaddya get? Mouthgasms. And also technically an ice cream sandwich. I'm calling the ice cream "bubblegum" because that sounds cute and innocent, but I have a confession. The pink colour actually comes from beet juice. I know some of you might be reacting with "EW!" right now but please, hold the disgust for a second. All I ask is that you try the recipe and see what you think. In reality, you cannot taste the beet juice at all, it just adds a gorgeous colour that will illicit numerous "OOOH's!" (much more favourable). I threw some vanilla in with the ice cream and so I'm calling it "bubblegum" because it's vanilla in flavour and pink in colour; in essence, bubblegum. 

ICE CREAM TARTS with CHOCOLATE SAUCE & PECANS

 When I started making this recipe this morning my aim was to revamp one of my first ones ever (from 2011 when I started da blog). But I just realized that this turned into an almost exact replica of my immediately previous recipe, with the addition of a tart crust. Oops. Oh well! Don't cry over repeated ice cream + chocolate recipes, I always say. Actually that is the first time I've ever said that yet now I think it should be stated more often. I do eat banana ice cream and chocolate nearly every day, and positive reminders are always... positive. Ah, I just started the new semester today so my brain is already overworked. Thank goodness no one comes here for the prose. I know you only love me for my ice cream recipes and it's OOOKAY. I love you right back.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT and PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CAKE (aka THE ORGASM CAKE)

Oh yeah, I went there. Again. I made this cake for my mum's party, so fingers crossed that her friends like it. I'm also saving a piece as my secret santa gift for a party tomorrow night. Double fingers crossed. Or... fingers crossed on both hands; that's more comfortable. I am still on my Mariah Carey binge so please make this cake then eat it while listening to this (just wait for the chorus). 

BANANA VANILLA SOFT SERVE with DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Sooooo going vegan is pretty much the best decision ever, because it means you can eat ice cream and chocolate all day long and get healthier and happier than ever before. How is this possible? You can make the best ice cream in the WORLD with one ingredient: bananas. You can make the healthiest dark chocolate sauce ever with super nutritious foods like cacao and carob. I eat ice cream for breakfast regularly, and I am smiling and jumping around the rest of the day, every day. Why spoon a bowl of antibiotic- and sugar-loaded bovine secretions when you can gorge on ripe fruit!? No offence to the cows. They are awesome, but we don't need their milk. Another terrific bit of information about vegan ice cream: it's inexpensive! Organic bananas are often $1.00/lb here in Vancouver, Canada (conventional ones are 70 cents/lb or so) and I KNOW they are often cheaper in the States.

THE VEGAN CHRISTMAS PLATE: baked yams, steamed corn and pepper garlic brussels sprouts with mushroom nut loaf, tahini ginger miso gravy and orange cranberry sauce

Short notice, I know. I've been over-occupied lately with non-blog things, and I apologize for that. But here it is! A definitive Christmas plate for you and yours to enjoy this holiday season. I could eat this ALL DAY and when I made the recipe, I actually did. Now for some inspirational words before we all chow down for xmas: 

RAW VEGAN HOT CROSS BUNS

Just in time for the holidays, here's some wholesome buns for ya. I have way too much studying and essay-writing to get done today so I am gonna keep this post short and sweet (no pun intended... well okay, it was intended). As usual this delicious, easy, healthy treat is made from mostly nuts and fruit. Magical, ain't it? I know I say it like every day but I will never cease to be amazed and endlessly thankful that whole foods taste so damn good. Of course, it's not a coincidence. We have evolved to be attracted to foods that sustain us. That's why mangoes are perfect all by themselves. Try making these buns for the xmas season (or whenever you please) and see if ya like 'em. They were all devoured at my house within a couple days (thank you, Jack). 

CHOCOLATE COCONUT ALMOND BUTTER CUPS - OH BABY

Caution: these are almost as addictive as my chocolate cream caramel bars. This is the THIRD TIME I have made them because they are so damn delicious. Please, make them. Share them. Rejoice in the miracle that is raw vegan chocolate + almond butter + coconut. Essentially what you have here is a super wide peanut butter cup with raw chocolate, but I use almond butter instead of peanut butter, and I mixed in coconut shreds to thicken it up. By the way, I found the best shredded coconut! It's from a really neat little company right beside me (on Vancouver Island) called Harmonic Arts. They have the most amazing tea blends too, and many of their products are wild-harvested. Everything is organic.