VANILLA CHERRY NICE CREAM

So. I shaved my head. (Well actually Jack shaved it, but only because I asked him to.) We're all voyeurs at heart so if you wanna see what I look like now, just check out the photo on Instagram.

MANGO BANANA ICE CREAM SUNDAE

Good god yes. I hadn't made banana ice cream in MONTHS and MONTHS and MONTHS so this tasted even more orgasmic than it usually would have. Bananas and mangoes are meant to be together and dammit - if you try to break them up, ya best watch out because I will track you down. Doesn't sound very vegan of me, but this is an exception to the Nice Rule (that's not really a thing, I just made it up right now).

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).

GOOEY CARAMEL CHOCOLATE BARS with BUCKWHEAT

Last night I dreamt I was in Hawaii (albeit my unconscious mind's own version) on a boardwalk in the ocean. I found a forest of wild fruit and was so overjoyed I started crying and fell over. There was papaya, mango, orange, pear, grapefruit and more. Good dream.

Now I just wanna look at postings for places to rent in Hawaii on craigslist. Sigh.

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. 

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! 

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. 

LIFE-CHANGING MARZIPAN & BUTTERSCOTCH ICE CREAM SUNDAE

I was going to call this Sex In a Bowl but that would've been NSFW. Anyways, that's what it SHOULD be called. It's... unreal. It's... perfection. It's... heaven. I can't say enough about it so I'm just gonna keep this post short and say: you need this in your LIFE. It is so easy to make, and I have been whipping it up daily for the past week because now I can't live without it. I very seriously think to myself: as long as I have a life supply of this, everything is okay. You will understand once you make it. One of the best parts of this three ingredient recipe (besides the fact that it's mouthgasmic and yes, has only three ingredients) is that it's really good for you! The only ingredients - drum roll, please - are frozen bananas to make the ice cream, almond butter for the marzipan, and carob syrup for the butterscotch. The world is too good to us.

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: 

ALOHA, SUPERFOOD CHOCOLATES!

This recipe was inspired by Aloha's superfood chocolate bar. Their chocolate is some of the best I have ever put in my mouth, so I HAD to recreate it in my kitchen. I think the superior taste must come from the magical ingredients - spirulina, mushrooms, berries, coconut, cashews, vanilla - that develop this ridiculously satisfying flavour. It just tastes... real. It's like a vitamin pill in the form of decadent, sweet, dark chocolate. Share these with the ones you love, because it'll give 'em long life and good vibes.

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).