Just Desserts 10

Just Desserts

Delicious, Nutritious Raw Delights

By Heathy Pace

Just Desserts: Delicious, Nutritious Raw Delights 2

Acknowledgements

A special thanks goes to my very dear friend, soul sister, and editor, Carmella, who continues to inspire me with her talent and passion as a raw food chef. This book would never have come to fruition without all the time, energy, support, and love that she has poured into this project. To my mom, my biggest supporter and the willful taste tester of my creations, good and bad. All my love and thanks for your encouragement to follow my dreams, and for putting up with years of listening to the constant hum of the Vitamix, food processor, and dehydrator! And lastly, I wish to thank Peaches4Ever/Margaret Ray De Arenas who provided the title for this book during a contest held on Raw Freedom Community.


Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................. 3

FOREWORD .............................................................................................. 6

ABOUT ME............................................................................................... 7

MY PHILOSOPHY: HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO! ........................... 8

INGREDIENTS ........................................................................................... 9

EQUIPMENT ........................................................................................... 12

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK - HELPFUL HINTS........................................14

Measuring Tips ............................................................................................................................ 14 Melting Cacao Butter and Coconut Oil ................................................................................. 14 Temperature Tips........................................................................................................................ 15 Serving Tips................................................................................................................................... 16

EASY GUIDELINE FOR CREATING BEAUTIFUL DESSERTS....................... 19

THE RECIPES......................................................................................... 20

PART 1: THE BASICS .............................................................................21

Basic Dark Chocolate................................................................................................................. 22 Chocolate Crème......................................................................................................................... 23 Nutless Chocolate Crème.......................................................................................................... 23 Coconut Whipped Cream......................................................................................................... 24 White Chocolate Coconut Cream........................................................................................... 24 Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse ...................................................................................... 25 General Berry Sauce................................................................................................................... 25 Chocolate Sauce .......................................................................................................................... 26 Easiest Caramel Sauce #1 ....................................................................................................... 26


Caramel Sauce #2...................................................................................................................... 27 Vanilla Cheesecake Filling ......................................................................................................... 27 Most Basic Nut Crust................................................................................................................. 28 Coconut Crust............................................................................................................................... 28 Chocolate Crust............................................................................................................................ 29 White Pastry Crust...................................................................................................................... 29

PART 2: SWEET FUN!.............................................................................30

CAKES ....................................................................................................31

Marble Cheesecake .................................................................................................................... 31 Mango Cake with Lime Cream ............................................................................................... 33 Vanilla Cake with Pink Frosting ............................................................................................... 35 Chocolate Orange Cake ............................................................................................................ 37 Quick N Easy Moist Chocolate Cake..................................................................................... 39 Strawberry Lime Mousse Cake................................................................................................ 40 Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake............................................................................................ 42 Double Chocolate Maca Cake................................................................................................. 44

PIES AND TARTS.................................................................................... 46

Beautiful Chocolate Berry Pie................................................................................................... 46 Caramel Macadamia Pie........................................................................................................... 48 Raspberry Lemon Pie.................................................................................................................. 50 Maple Pear Tarts ........................................................................................................................ 52 Chocolate Coconut Tarte .......................................................................................................... 53

COOKIES AND BARS...............................................................................55

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies............................................................................................................. 55 Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies ..................................................................................................... 57 Chocolate Chip Cookies............................................................................................................. 59 Super Granola Bars .................................................................................................................... 60 Double Chocolate Energy Bar.................................................................................................. 61

N’ICE CREAMS ....................................................................................... 63

Raspberry Ice Cream.................................................................................................................. 63 Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream ............................................................................. 65 Cardamom Vanilla Ice Cream ................................................................................................. 67 Pomegranate Cranberry Ice Cream........................................................................................ 68 Double Strawberry Macadamia Nut Ice Cream................................................................. 69


Maple Ginger Ice Cream........................................................................................................... 71 Chocolate Lucanilla Ice Cream ................................................................................................ 72

MISCELLANEOUS TREATS ......................................................................73

Fruit N Chocolate Parfait .......................................................................................................... 73 Banana Coconut Wraps: 3 Ways........................................................................................... 74

Fruit Spring Rolls .....................................................................................................75 Chocolate Hemp Ravioli........................................................................................77 Banana Phyllo Triangles..........................................................................................79

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups................................................................................................. 82 Dessert Sushi ................................................................................................................................ 84 Peppermint Chocolate Squares ............................................................................................... 86

RAW RESOURCES................................................................................... 88

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION ......................................................... 90


Foreword

Heathy and I first ‘met’ a couple of years ago on Raw Food Talk’s message board. We hit it off right away. Before long, we were regularly emailing each other and found out that we had a lot more in common than our passion for raw food prep. It’s hard to put into words the deep bond that we now share. I’ve stopped counting the number of times that we make the exact same dish on the same day, type virtually the same sentence while chatting, or that she ‘happens’ to send me a chat just as I’m about to have dessert. lol I have had the extreme pleasure to brush shoulders with the ‘Raw Goddess’ in our kitchen, not once but twice in the last year! These were magical, fun, inspiring and creative times that I will never forget (to say nothing of how everything she makes tastes so exquisite!) I continue to be blown away by Heathy's talent and enthusiasm for recipe creation. She is no doubt the most gifted raw chef I’ve ever met. Like anyone who’s been drooling over Heathy’s recipes online, I was anxiously awaiting the release of her first ebook so that I could whip up some of her delightful desserts at home. In that light, having some experience in online publishing, it just seemed natural that I give her a hand in the technical department. I am beyond thrilled that her amazing and scrumptious creations can now be enjoyed by the raw food community at large. I have no doubt that ‘Just Desserts’ will become a classic in raw dessert making; just as it has already become a reference in my sunny raw kitchen.

Enjoy!

In radiance and health,

Carmella Soleil Designer and Editor of ‘Just Desserts’ http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/ http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/ November 2008

http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/

http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/


About Me

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a sweet tooth, coming by it honestly as my mom’s favourite food is chocolate! As I became more health conscious and turned vegan at the age of 14, I discovered new ways to still enjoy my beloved desserts by using natural sweeteners and fruits in place of refined sugar, and wholegrain or soy flour instead of bleached white flour. A few years later, I learned about raw and living foods and realized that even

baked desserts with more natural ingredients aren’t so good for the body. My passion for food led me to enter culinary school at age 18. While I didn’t care for the classic French Cuisine that the program was based on, I gained valuable experience by learning the basics and all that the food industry has to offer. I would have loved to attend pastry school, but my knowledge of the contents of conventional desserts turned me off of that idea. Instead, I decided to get to work in my own kitchen, creating healthy desserts using mostly raw, unprocessed and natural ingredients. These days, playing in the kitchen is still my biggest passion, whether it's making desserts or any other raw food dish. I also teach food classes and work as a personal chef and yoga instructor. I feel it's important to do the things I love in life!


My Philosophy: Have your cake and eat it too!

Dessert is yummy, satisfying, fun, visually pleasing, and (dare we say) even sexy! Dessert often has a reputation of being “bad” or fattening. (We’ve all heard the saying: “I feel it going straight to my hips!”) Raw desserts, however, enable us to enjoy truly healthy and satisfying treats. My recipes have been lovingly created and are full of nutrients, energizing superfoods, quality sugars, and healthy fats. These desserts can be great when transitioning from cooked foods to a raw diet, as they look and taste very much like their SAD (short for Standard American Diet) counterparts. After a while, you may just crave a simple pudding with fresh fruit, but it’s great to have options. Be sure to pull out one of these recipes for your non-raw friends and family to show them that raw food is so much more than just celery sticks and lettuce.


Ingredients

Sweeteners

Here are the sweeteners that I use. Feel free to exchange one for another in any of the recipes.

Agave Nectar – From the agave plant, this liquid sweetener is low glycemic and adds sweetness without lending any particular flavour. Make sure you are using raw agave, as some are heated. Dates – In all my recipes, I’ve used soft Medjool dates. If you are working with dates that are a bit dry, soak them for a few hours first. Use the soaking liquid in a smoothie or in place of water in a dessert recipe. Dried Fruits – Another great way to add a different sweet taste to a dessert. Always use unsulfured dried fruits, found at most health food stores, or better yet, dehydrate your own. I especially love to use dried pineapples, mangoes and apricots in my recipes. Fresh Fruits – It is important to always use ripe fruit. This means that the sugars in the fruit have had a chance to develop, creating sweetness, while at the same time enabling the body to digest it easily. Honey – Produced by honeybees, and therefore non-vegan, this sweetener has a very distinct flavour that can change the finished dessert, depending on the variety. Make sure to use raw or unpasteurized honey, as some are highly processed. Maple Syrup – This product is vegan but not raw, extracted from the maple tree and then boiled to create a sweet liquid with an excellent flavour.


Nuts

Besides sweeteners, nuts form the bulk of most raw desserts, lending various textures and flavours. Things to remember…

- In recipes that call for nuts that are already ground, process the nuts into fine bits in a high-speed blender, coffee grinder, or food processor before using. - If you are not using a high-speed blender such as a Vita-mix or K-Tek, grind cashews and other nuts in coffee grinder or a food processor first before blending in order to achieve a smooth creamy texture. - When over processed, walnuts, pecans, and pine nuts will become really oily. Process just enough to grind or incorporate them into your recipe. - I recommend soaking nuts and seeds to release the enzyme inhibitors, making them more easily digestible. That being said, soak nuts only when specified in a recipe, as using soaked nuts will change the texture. If the recipe doesn’t call for soaking, use the nut in its dry state, or soak and then dehydrate it.

Other Ingredients Almond Milk/Pulp – Almond milk is a simple mixture of 1 part soaked nuts to 2-3 parts water, blended together and strained. Almond pulp is what is left over from making nut milk. I have used wet almond pulp in my recipes, but feel free to use the pulp of any other nut. Blueberries – Please note that all of my recipes have been made with wild blueberries. If using commercial ones, you may need to adjust the amount of sweetener as these aren’t as sweet. Cacao Beans and Nibs - Cacao beans are the seeds of the cacao fruit, which grows on a jungle tree in Amazonia. In their book Naked Chocolate, it is David Wolfe and Shazzie’s contention that raw cacao is actually a superfood. Nibs are crushed pieces of cacao beans.


Cacao Butter - This is what white chocolate is made of. Cacao butter is the pure oil of the cacao bean. It melts at approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it is even firmer than coconut oil at room temperature. Makes for absolute decadent desserts! Cacao butter usually needs to be ordered online.

Cacao Powder - The most common and popular form of cacao. Again, I prefer to buy online, as my local health food store sells it at an exorbitant price.

Carob Powder - Carob has a sweet taste similar to chocolate, but with less fat and calories. It can be used as a substitute for, or in combination with, cacao powder in any recipe.

Coconut Oil - Coconut oil (not to confuse with ‘coconut butter’) is firm at room temperature and is often used in order to harden chocolate. You can find coconut oil at most health food stores (make sure the label specifies that it's raw or processed at low temperatures!) However, I find it can be outrageously expensive, especially when you use a lot. For my part, I prefer to order it online.

Extracts – Look for high quality extracts at your local health food store, such as almond, peppermint and vanilla (which is also used in the form of whole beans.) Lecithin – Comes in granules and liquid form, but I’ve used the powdered form in my recipes. To make lecithin powder, grind the granules in a high-speed blender or coffee grinder. Psyllium – I’ve used psyllium hulls (also known as husks) in my recipes; the powder form will change the amount needed. For best results, use the hulls/husks or play around with what you have, starting out with less. Sea Salt – Always optional but brings out the flavours of ingredients, even if it’s just a pinch. Young Coconuts – Also known as Thai coconuts, these have softer flesh than the more common mature, brown coconuts. Young coconuts can be found at most Asian markets and some large grocery stores.


Equipment

The Essentials

Blender – Although any blender will do, a high-speed blender, like the Vita-Mix or K-Tek, will take things to a whole new level, assisting you in creating smooth creamy textures. Food Processor – This handy machine processes ingredients without blending them – perfect for grinding nuts, chopping fruits, making crusts, cookie dough, and some fillings. Pie Plates – For making pies. Spatula – For scraping up the blender and food processor. Spring Form Pans – These pans come in a variety of sizes and are really helpful in un-moulding cakes with minimal fuss. I highly recommend using spring form pans, but if you do not have access to these, a regular cake pan or margarine tub, lined with saran wrap will do.

Other Non Essential But Helpful Tools

Candy Moulds – For making chocolate candy. Coffee Grinder – For grinding small amounts of various ingredients such as nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, etc Dehydrator – Mostly called for in some cookie and bar recipes to obtain that ‘baked’ texture.


Ice Cream Maker – This is certainly not necessary if you are only making ice cream occasionally, but if this gadget is something you want to invest in, there are a wide variety of makers on the market. You can really pick and choose which one is for you, according to your budget and preference. I use a Cuisinart 1 1/2 quart automatic which I really like because all I have to do is pour my mixture, and then walk away for 15-20 minutes while the maker does its thing. Microplane – Great for zesting citrus fruit. Offset Spatula – Both small and large, help in spreading creams and fillings, smoothing the tops and sides of cakes and spreading batter for wraps on dehydrator sheets. Piping Bags – Fill with cream for decorating cakes or filling tarts. Silicon Muffin Cups – Perfect for making tarts. They are also called for in this book for making chocolate shells. Tart Shells with Removable Bottoms – Available in different sizes and great for presentation!


How To Use This Book Helpful Hints

Measuring Tips Coconut Oil and Cacao Butter – Use the liquid amount

Dates – Pit and then pack them into the measuring cup, unless specified otherwise (ex: use 6 large dates).

Fresh Fruit – Roughly chop before measuring, unless specified

Young Coconut Pulp – Always pack it into the given measurement.

Melting Cacao Butter and Coconut Oil There are a few ways to melt cacao butter and coconut oil. However you choose to do it, stir it occasionally to break up little chunks and speed the melting process. 1. Chop into small chunks or grate it (cacao), and place into a bowl. Place this bowl into a dehydrator at 115F until melted.

2. On a hot summer day, melt it in the sun!

3. Fill a small pot with water and gently warm it over very low heat on the stove. Place chopped cacao or coconut oil into a glass or stainless steel bowl, and place over the pot of hot water (the bowl should not touch the water) ‘bain-marie’ style. Continually stir until the cacao melts. Dip your finger in occasionally to make sure it is warm but not hot to the touch.


Temperature Tips Dehydration Temperatures – I always start with a high temperature of 140F for the first hour of dehydrating and then lower the dial to 110F for the remaining time. This is best in order to avoid bacteria growth and speed up the drying process, while having no adverse affects on the internal temperature of the food. For more information, here is a detailed explanation by Excalibur about this very topic. Ingredient Temperature – Starting with ingredients as close to room temperature as possible helps in the blending process. When frozen fruit is called for, thaw it first (if you can) unless specified. When adding ingredients like cacao butter and coconut oil that are temperature sensitive, it is especially important that the other ingredients are room temperature/warm to prevent the cacao butter and coconut oil from seizing before they can be incorporated. This is easily accomplished by blending the other ingredients first. When combining honey and frozen fruits in any of the recipes, make sure that the latter are completely thawed to prevent honey from seizing up while blending. Chilling – The baking of raw food! The refrigerator and freezer are often used to ‘set’ raw desserts, for a few hours to overnight. Recipes containing temperature sensitive ingredients like cacao butter and coconut oil usually get chilled to create a firm texture. Nuts and powders (such as cacao, carob, maca) act as thickening agents also, assisted by the chilling process to set a dessert.

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/article.php?action=view&article_id=19&return_url=YXJ0aWNsZS5waHA/X3JlcXVlc3Q9WVRveE9udHpPams2SWtWWVEwRk1TVUpWVWlJN2N6b3pNam9pTmpFMFltTmtPRFF5TURJd1ptSXhOems1TmprMFlUQXpPVE15Tm1VMk4yWWlPMzA9


Serving Tips Slicing

When slicing your desserts, run a sharp knife under hot water for a few seconds and then dry it. This allows for clean cuts. Clean the knife after every cut you make to avoid having bits of cake stick to the knife. Also, pull the knife out the side of the cake, rather than lifting it out of the top.

For 12 evenly sized pieces of cake or pie, slice into quarters, then into thirds.

For 16 evenly sized pieces, slice into quarters, slice each quarter in half, and then each one in half again. Presentation

Since most people eat with their eyes first, presentation is just as important as how the dessert tastes. The options are limitless for dressing up any treat, but here are a few ideas and tips. Sauces can be added to almost any cake, with many to choose from depending on the particular dessert:

- Berry sauces are versatile as they add a lightness, sweetness, and touch of acidity. This complements chocolate, berries, and other fruits, adding lovely colours too.

- Caramel sauce pairs nicely with chocolate, apple, cinnamon, banana, and nuts.

- Chocolate sauce goes well with desserts featuring berries, banana,

orange, nuts, caramel, and mint. There are a few ways to use sauces:

• Spread a circle of sauce on the plate as a base and then place the piece of dessert on top.

• Drizzle the sauce over each piece of cake/pie/ice cream/tarts.


• Drizzle a ring of sauce around the dessert.

• Spoon little dots of sauce on the plate for a fun effect. There is a wide array of garnishes to choose from when plating your dessert. Mix and match to come up with combinations that you like!

- Fresh or dried fruits always add colour and dimension. Chop the fruit really small, into larger chunks, or slice it. Sprinkle over the dessert, on the plate around the dessert, or use the fruit as a base for individual pieces of cake to sit on.

- Chopped nuts are nice sprinkled on top of a dessert. Use whole or

halved nuts to create a pattern on top of a cake/pie, or one nut piece to garnish a single serving of dessert.

- Shredded coconut looks pretty sprinkled on a dessert or around the

plate, adding a delicate, snowy element. Simply grind the coconut in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender for an even and finer texture.

- Cacao adds just a touch of dark colour when needed. Choose from

whole beans or nibs on the top or sides of a dessert. For a dusted touch, use a sifter to sprinkle cacao powder.

- Lucuma, maca or cinnamon powders can be sifted for a ‘powdered

sugar’ look. Just be careful not to add too much, as these are strong flavours.

- Flowers are always a beautiful addition if you can get your hands on

some edible ones. Choose from pansies, rose petals, marigolds, tulip petals, orchids, violets, nasturtiums, orange blossoms and snapdragons.

- Citrus zest adds a punch of flavour and colour.

- Herbs can be used too; mint, chocolate mint, lavender… I even use

chopped parsley to garnish when I need something green on the plate.


- Ice cream adds another flavour, dimension, and colour to a plate. Just make sure that the flavour goes with the central dessert. For example, pair a berry dessert with vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Avoid pairing a mint ice cream with an apple cinnamon dessert.

- Whipped Cream or Chocolate Crème beautifully tops off any dessert,

adding height and colour contrast. Dollop with a spoon or use a pastry bag to pipe swirls.

Another tip for plating wonderful desserts is colour, colour, colour! First, think about the colour of your dessert and what would make a nice accent flavour and colour. For example, a chocolate cake would pair well with berries, or vanilla. You could drizzle the cake with a vibrant raspberry sauce, dollop of vanilla whipped cream, and add a piece of fresh green mint as a nice accent. Dust the whole thing with a little cacao powder and voila; you’ve got a dessert that looks like something from a restaurant! Take it a step further by carefully deciding what plate to serve your dessert creation on. While a white plate serves as the perfect blank canvas for any dish, it's also fun to play with different backgrounds. In this particular case, the chocolate cake and its toppings would look great on any plate, but a light colour would provide a nicer contrast.

How long will your desserts keep?

You can keep any of the cakes, pies and fillings in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure you store them in airtight containers. Also avoid garnishing with fresh fruit before freezing, as this will change the texture of the fruit. If freezing, thaw the dessert partially, slice it, top with garnishes, and then serve. Dehydrated goodies will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, or in the fridge for up to 2 months. The longer the item was dehydrated, the longer it will keep.


Easy Guideline For Creating Beautiful Desserts

- Start with a basic nut crust, to which you may add in extras such as coconut, finely chopped bits of dried fruit, or citrus zest.

- Next, spread a filling or firm cream over the crust, making it as thick or thin as you like.

- Then, add a sprinkling of chopped nuts, berries, or nut crumble. This is optional but adds a nice crunch in between the smooth fillings.

- On top of that, spread either the same filling as your first one, or a different one altogether. Various coloured fillings can really jazz up a recipe!

- Finally, when you are ready to serve, top the dessert with a dollop of cream, drizzle of chocolate or fruit sauce, and a garnish of nuts, berries, or other fruit, if desired.


***** THE RECIPES

*****


Part 1: The Basics

The first part of this book is made up of some basic recipes that I think provide a good foundation for building scrumptious desserts. Each of these recipes can be used as the base of a recipe, as a filling along with other goodies, or as a topping to garnish a creation. A lot of the recipes throughout the book will call for one or more of these basics, so you may be referring to this section often. But not only that, most of these are great when enjoyed by themselves! For example, I love a bowl of Nutless Chocolate Crème topped with fresh berries, or I make up a batch of Berry Sauce and then use it to drizzle over desserts and smoothies. Roll any of the crust recipes into balls for a quick, sweet treat any time. Note: Recipes with (*) in their title denote a general recipe found in this Basics section.


Basic Dark Chocolate This is a base for other recipes, which call for chocolate that hardens, such as the Peanut Butter Cups, Berry Cream Cups, and Chocolate Peppermint Squares. Add more agave if you want a sweeter chocolate.

1/3 cup melted cacao butter 1/4 cup agave 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup cacao powder, sifted Mix the melted cacao butter with the agave, vanilla, and sea salt in a warm bowl. Slowly mix in the cacao powder until the mixture is smooth. Notes: - It is recommended to only use agave or maple syrup as sweeteners in this Dark Chocolate.

- It is key that the sweeteners are at room temperature or they will cause the mixture to seize up.

- The mixture will harden fast due to the cacao butter, so keep the bowl over another bowl of hot water while mixing.


Chocolate Crème My boyfriend thinks this recipe tastes just like ‘real’ chocolate pudding! 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup agave 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter Blend the cashews, water, agave, vanilla and sea salt until completely smooth and creamy. Blend in the cacao products until smooth. Chill for a few hours.

Nutless Chocolate Crème This recipe is lighter than the Chocolate Crème above, using avocado as the base instead of nuts. 2 medium avocadoes 1/2-2/3 cup agave 4-5 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons carob powder Blend the first five ingredients until smooth. Add the cacao butter, powder, and carob, and continue blending until completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill for a few hours or until it firms up slightly.


Coconut Whipped Cream 1 cup packed young coconut meat 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 3-4 tablespoons light agave Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Chill to set.

White Chocolate Coconut Cream This cream makes a great topping on any cake or brownie, or use it as a dip for fresh fruit! 1 cup firm young coconut pulp, packed 1/4 cup dried, shredded coconut 1/4-1/3 cup water (See Tip) 3-4 tablespoons agave, or to taste 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Blend the first 4 ingredients until smooth and creamy. Now add the butter and oil, and blend to incorporate. Chill for a few hours until firm. Tip: Start with 1/4 cup water and blend, adding a bit more if needed to create a smooth cream


Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse Yet another creamy chocolate recipe, but with macadamia nuts and coconut. The psyllium gives it a lighter, more mousse-like texture. 1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked a few hours 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup young coconut pulp 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 2 teaspoons psyllium hulls/husks Blend nuts, water, coconut pulp, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt until smooth. Add the cacao powder and butter, blending some more. Lastly, add the psyllium and blend again until completely smooth.

Note: This will firm up as it sits in the fridge.

General Berry Sauce 1-2 cups fresh or frozen berries Agave, to taste Lemon juice, to taste Blend all until smooth. Notes: - Thaw frozen berries before using, to allow for easy blending.

- If using raspberries, strain to remove the seeds.


Chocolate Sauce I like to double or even triple this sauce so as to have some extra on hand. It’s great on ice cream, cakes, as a fruit dip, in smoothies… or eaten with a spoon 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave 2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1 teaspoon carob powder 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Blend all ingredients until smooth. Use immediately, or let the sauce sit in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight for a spreadable frosting. Note: Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Easiest Caramel Sauce #1 1/2 cup cashews 1/2-2/3 cup water 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave 3 pitted dates Blend all together until smooth and creamy, starting with 1/2 cup water and adding a bit extra if needed for a thick but fluid consistency.


Caramel Sauce #2 1/3 cup pitted, packed dates (about 4 medium) 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1/3 cup almond milk (See instructions on p. 10) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt Blend all ingredients until smooth. Note: Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Vanilla Cheesecake Filling 2 cups cashews, finely ground* 1/4 cup raw honey 1/4 cup agave Juice of 1 medium lemon 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In high-speed blender, combine all ingredients until smooth, adding a very small amount of water, if necessary to easily blend the mixture. Tip: For ease of blending, add the liquid ingredients to the blender first, and then add the ground cashews.


Most Basic Nut Crust Use this basic crust for pie or cheesecake, or shape into balls or flat rounds for cookies. 2 cups nuts of your choice 1/2 cup dates, pitted and packed In a food processor, combine the nuts and dates into crumbs. The mixture should stick when pressed together. Variation: Use this as a very basic nut crumble. Process the ingredients into coarse crumbles and sprinkle over fruit or puddings.

Coconut Crust This is for the coconut lovers! 1 cup soaked almonds 4 medium dates, pitted 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1 cup shredded coconut Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process into a dough. Press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” tarte pan or pie plate.


Chocolate Crust This crust is light on the chocolate, so add more cacao if you would prefer it to be more chocolatey. 1 cup almonds, soaked, drained, and dehydrated (or unsoaked dry almonds) 1/2 cup walnuts 6-7 large pitted dates 2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 tablespoon carob powder 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process into a dough. Press into a pie plate or into the bottom of a 7” or 8” spring form pan.

Note: Add 1-2 teaspoons water as needed, if the dough is slightly dry.

White Pastry Crust This is the recipe I prefer when I want the look of a “real” pastry crust, or am looking for a lighter tasting/dainty crust. 2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut or cashews 2 tablespoons agave Pinch of sea salt In a food processor grind the nuts until as fine as possible. Add remaining ingredients and process until moist and crumbly. Press into the bottom of an 8 or 9” tarte pan or pie plate.


Part 2: Sweet Fun!

In this next section, I provide recipes that are made up of a few different components, most often containing one of the “Basics”. This is where you get to have all kinds of fun, using layering effects to create different textures, flavours, and colours all together. Remember the word ‘improvise’. There have been many times when I’ve wanted to try a certain recipe, only to realize that I didn’t have all the ingredients. It’s never stopped me! I always come up with a substitute. This is how some of the best recipes are created…and THAT is the beauty of food. Ten different combinations can come together to produce delicious and unique results! Ok, ok… Enough talking. Let’s get to the desserts already!


Cakes

Marble Cheesecake This cheesecake combines three recipes from the Basics section; a firm chocolate crust topped with smooth chocolate swirled into vanilla cheesecake.

Chocolate Crust* 1 cup almonds, soaked, drained, and dehydrated (or unsoaked almonds) 1/2 cup walnuts 6-7 large pitted dates 2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 tablespoon carob powder 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Grind the almonds in food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process into a dough. Press into the bottom of a 7 or 8” spring form pan.


Vanilla Cheesecake Filling* 4 cups cashews, finely ground 1/2 cup raw honey 1/2 cup agave Juice of 2 medium lemons 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In high-speed blender, combine all ingredients until smooth, adding a very small amount of water, if necessary to easily blend the mixture. Pour on top of crust. Tip: For ease of blending, add the liquid ingredients to the blender first, and then add the ground cashews. Chocolate Sauce* 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave 2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1 teaspoon carob powder 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Blend all ingredients until smooth. Spoon blobs of the chocolate sauce on the cheesecake, and swirl it around with a knife or toothpick, into your own creative pattern. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge or freezer for a few hours or overnight to set. Run a knife in between the cheesecake and the pan before removing the ring.


Mango Cake with Lime Cream This is yummy if you enjoy mango like I do! With the addition of a layer of creamy cheesecake, this is always a hit. The lime cream or raspberry sauce on top are optional, but I think that a sauce makes a special addition to the dessert.

Crust 1 1/2 cups pecans 1/2 cup dates, pitted and packed Process the nuts and dates into fine crumbs. Press dough into the bottom of a 7" or 8” spring form pan or mini individual pans. Vanilla Cheesecake Filling* 2 cups cashews, finely ground 1/4 cup raw honey 1/4 cup agave Juice of 1 medium lemon 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In high-speed blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Evenly spread the mixture over the nut crust.


Note: Grind the cashews in a high-speed blender, food processor or coffee grinder. This makes it easier to blend the ingredients together. Mango Layer 4 cups mango, diced (fresh or frozen and thawed) 2 dried pineapple rings, soaked 2-4 hours (See Note) 1 small, really ripe banana 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (optional) Puree all ingredients until smooth in a food processor or blender. Pour over the cheesecake layer. Chill in the freezer to set. Run a knife in between the cake and the pan before removing the ring. Serve with the following Lime Cream or Raspberry Sauce*! (See recipe on p. 25) Lime Cream 1 small avocado Agave, to taste Lime juice and zest, to taste Blend all until smooth. Note: Using dried pineapple rings keeps some texture and is different than fresh.


Vanilla Cake with Pink Frosting At first glance, this cake might look like a lot of work, but it’s really quite simple. The only requirement is patience, since the cake will have to chill a few times during the assembly process. You can switch it up by trying a cheesecake filling in place of the Chocolate Crème, or a different frosting in place of the strawberry one.

Cake 1 cup walnuts 1 1/4 cups pitted, packed dates 1/2 cup dried apricots, or pineapple soaked 4-6 hours 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups lightly packed almond pulp 2-3 tablespoons ground yellow flaxseed, if needed In a food processor, finely grind the walnuts and set aside. Process next four ingredients until smooth. Add the ground walnuts and almond pulp and continue blending into a smooth dough. Add the flax, if the dough is too moist. If it isn’t sweet enough, add a little agave. Chill until ready to assemble.


General Chocolate Crème* 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup agave 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter Pinch of sea salt Blend the cashews, water, agave and sea salt until completely smooth and creamy. Add the cacao butter and blend. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the powder. Chill a few hours to stiffen. Strawberry Frosting 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped strawberries 1 cup cashews 1/4 cup agave 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon ground lecithin Blend the first four ingredients until smooth. Add the oil and lecithin and continue blending until smooth. Chill in the fridge for a few hours and then spread over the cake. Assembly Press 1/3 of the cake mixture into an 8” spring form pan.

Spread 1/2 the Chocolate Crème on top. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to set the crème.

Next, press another 1/3 of the cake into the pan, and then spread the rest of the Crème on top. Chill again to set.

Spread the last 1/3 of the cake on top. Chill for a few hours to set.

Remove the spring form ring and frost the cake with the strawberry frosting.

Garnish with cacao nibs and sliced strawberries. Chill the whole cake in fridge or freezer until nice and firm, before serving.


Chocolate Orange Cake I clearly remember the day Carmi and I made this cake together while testing recipes for this book. Little did I know that it would soon become her favourite cake! I take it as a good sign. I, too, love the flavours of chocolate, orange, and vanilla in this delicious variation of the Vanilla Cake on p. 35.

Cake 1 cup walnuts 1 1/3 cups pitted, packed dates 1/2 cup dried apricots, or pineapple soaked 4-6 hours 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups lightly packed almond pulp 2-3 tablespoons ground yellow flaxseed, if needed In a food processor, finely grind the walnuts and set aside. Process next four ingredients until smooth. Add the ground walnuts and almond pulp and continue blending into a smooth dough. Add the flax, if the dough is too moist. If it isn’t sweet enough, add a little agave. Chill until ready to assemble. General Chocolate Crème* 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/3 cup water


1/2 cup agave 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter Pinch of sea salt Blend the cashews, water, agave and sea salt until completely smooth and creamy. Add the cacao butter and blend. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the powder. Chill a few hours to stiffen. White Chocolate Orange Cream 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1/3 cup agave 1 1/2-2 teaspoons packed orange zest (or more, to taste) Pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil

Blend the cashews with orange juice, agave, zest, and sea salt until smooth. Add the butter and oil and continue blending until incorporated. Chill in the fridge for a few hours. Assembly Press 1/2 of the cake mixture into an 8” spring form pan.

Spread 1/2 the Chocolate Crème on top. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to set.

Next, spread 1/2 of the White Chocolate Orange Cream and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to set.

Repeat layers and chill the whole cake in fridge or freezer until nice and firm, before serving.

When firm, remove the spring form ring.

Garnish with fresh orange slices and cacao nibs for pretty presentation and an extra juicy burst of flavour. Note: If you wish, use the Nutless Chocolate Crème* on p. 23 in place of the Chocolate Crème*.


Quick N Easy Moist Chocolate Cake Here’s a quick chocolate cake when you need to whip up a dessert in a pinch! The apple provides moisture, and adds an extra nutritional punch.

1 1/2 cups almonds, ground 1 cup walnuts 1 cup dates, pitted, packed 1 medium apple, peeled, grated 1/4 cup carob powder 1/4 cup cacao powder 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In a food processor, blend the ground almonds, walnuts and dates into small crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to bring all ingredients together. The batter will seem a bit wet, but will firm up as it chills.

Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8” cake pan. Chill.


Strawberry Lime Mousse Cake I’m a chocolate lover all the way around, however, this dessert is my absolute favourite! I’ve made it into personally sized cakes, parfaits, pies, as well as in spring form pans to create different looks. Top it off with marinated berries for a gourmet dessert.

Crust 1 1/2 cups walnuts 1/2 cup pitted, packed dates Grind walnut and dates together in a food processor into small crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 7 or 8 ” cheesecake pan or individual round molds. Filling 2 cups roughly chopped, packed strawberries, fresh or frozen 1/4 cup agave 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon lime zest, gently packed Pinch of sea salt 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon psyllium hulls In a blender, combine the first 5 ingredients. Add the nuts and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add the coconut oil and psyllium, and quickly blend again until completely mixed through.


Marinated Berries 2 cups diced strawberries 1/4 cup lime juice 2 tablespoons agave 2 teaspoons lime zest Gently mix the berries with the other ingredients. Marinate for 10 minutes to 1 hour. Note: If the berries sit in the lime for too long, they will start to get soggy. Assembly Spread the filling evenly over the crust and chill in the fridge for a few hours or until set.

Arrange the marinated berries on top. Option: Spread half the filling over the crust. Top with a layer of the nut crust (you may need to double the crust recipe for this) before spreading the rest of the filling on top. Strawberry Sauce 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries Agave, to taste Lemon juice, to taste Blend until smooth. Variations: - Use half strawberries and half raspberries in the filling and serve with Raspberry Sauce. (See recipe on p. 25)

- For a parfait, layer the strawberry filling with chopped nuts or crumbled cookies, and fresh berries in a glass to create individual desserts.


Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake At home, during the summer months, I pick wild blueberries when they are growing in abundance. Whatever berries we don’t eat fresh are packed into the freezer for the rest of the year to enjoy… until it’s picking time again! This was one of the two birthday cakes I made for myself last year, and my friends really enjoyed it.

Crust 1 cup almonds, ground 1/2 cup walnuts 5-6 large dates, pitted 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In a food processor, combine all ingredients until crumbly. The mixture should easily stick together when pressed.

Press the crust into the bottom of a 7” or 8” spring form pan. Filling 2 cups cashews 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/3 cup agave 1/2 cup water


1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup melted cacao butter 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 1/4 cup cacao powder, set aside 1/2 cup blueberries, set aside Blend the first 6 ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Blend in the cacao and coconut butters. Pour half of this mixture into a bowl. Set aside.

Add the cacao powder and 1/2 cup of blueberries to the remaining half. Blend until smooth. Pour the cacao/blueberry mixture over the crust and spread evenly. Chill about an hour to set the top.

Repeat with the first blueberry mixture. Chill.

Blueberry Topping 3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided 2 tablespoons agave 2 large dates, pitted 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon psyllium 1/8 teaspoon sea salt Blend together 1 cup of blueberries with the other ingredients, until completely

smooth. Fold in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of blueberries. Chill. Gently spread this mixture over the cheesecake. Optional: For pure decadence, serve with General Chocolate Sauce* on p. 26 Note: For a quick topping, make a blueberry sauce instead of the blueberry topping.


Double Chocolate Maca Cake This could also be called Superfood Cake because it is packed with ultra nutrients, and is delicious too! I often use this recipe as a base, topping it with various creams, fruits, and sauces, as shown below. Your non-raw friends will be asking, "Wow! What the heck is in this chocolate cake!?!"

Chocolate Maca Cake 2 cups pecans 1 cup Brazil nuts 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup cacao powder 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons maca powder 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 2 teaspoons lucuma powder (optional) 1/8 teaspoon sea salt Grind the Brazil nuts down to crumbs in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Press into the bottom of a 7”or 8” spring form pan. Chill while making the mousse.


Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse* 1 cup macadamia nuts 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup firm young coconut pulp 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 2 teaspoons psyllium hulls/husks Blend nuts, water, coconut pulp, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt until smooth. Add the cacao powder and butter, blending again until smooth. Lastly, add the psyllium and blend again until completely smooth. Spread this mousse evenly on top of the Maca Cake. Chill for a few hours or overnight.


Pies and Tarts

Beautiful Chocolate Berry Pie Here’s a simple pie that I love to make in the summer after picking beautiful blueberries.

Crust Choose a crust of your choice and press it into the bottom of an 8 or 9” pie plate. Filling 1 recipe Chocolate Crème* 2 cups fresh blueberries (or berries of your choice) Chocolate Crème* 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup agave


1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter Blend the cashews, water, agave, vanilla and sea salt until completely smooth and creamy. Blend in the cacao products until smooth. Assembly Gently fold the blueberries into the Chocolate Crème (before chilling). Spread the filling into the crust and chill to set. Note: If using frozen blueberries, fold them in before they thaw to avoid bleeding of the juices.


Caramel Macadamia Pie A friend gave me the challenge of turning a cooked caramel macadamia nut pie into a raw version. Here’s what I came up with: crunchy macadamia nuts in a sweet creamy caramel filling, all in a nutty pie crust.

Crust 1 cup walnuts 1/2 cup pecans 1 cup dates Pinch of sea salt Process all ingredients into a dough. Press into the bottom of a pie plate. Chill. Filling 3/4 cup soft dates (about 6 large) 1/3 cup agave 1 cup pecans, soaked 2-4 hours 1/2 cup packed young coconut meat 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1/3 cup young coconut water Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts, halved or roughly chopped


Blend all ingredients, except macadamias until completely smooth and creamy. Keep blending! Fold in the macadamia nuts. Pour into pie crust. Chill in fridge or freezer until the filling sets. Variation: To make a Caramel Chocolate Macadamia Pie, use the General Chocolate Crust* on p. 29 with this filling. Drizzle the top with Chocolate Sauce* (See recipe on p. 26).


Raspberry Lemon Pie This is a deliciously simple pie variation of my Rich Raspberry Lemon Stack Cake (to be featured in Just Desserts - Part II). Have fun decorating it with different berries or fruit sauce!

Crust 2 cups macadamia nuts 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut 2 tablespoons agave 1 teaspoon lemon zest Pinch of sea salt Process all ingredients in a food processor until moist and crumbly. Press into the bottom of a 9” tarte pan or pie plate. Chill while making the filling.

Raspberry Lemon Filling 2 cups cashews 1/2 cup agave 1/2 cup lemon juice 3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed) 2 teaspoons packed lemon zest


1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon ground lecithin Blend all but the coconut oil and lecithin, until smooth and creamy. Add the last two ingredients and continue blending until incorporated.

Spread the Raspberry Lemon Filling evenly over the crust. Chill for a minimum of 6 hours (or overnight) to make sure the topping is firm. Garnish with fresh berries and Berry Sauce* (See recipe on p. 25).


Maple Pear Tarts This is a great recipe to make in the fall when pears are in season.

Crust 2 cups walnuts 1/2 cup dates 1/2 cup shredded coconut In a food processor, mix these ingredients into a smooth dough. Press some dough into the bottom and up the sides of small tart shells. Chill in the freezer while you make the filling.

Filling 1-2 cups diced pear (diced small) 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1 teaspoon minced ginger 1 teaspoon lemon juice Gently mix all ingredients together and let the pears macerate in this syrup for anywhere from 1-6 hours.


Now spoon some of the pear into the tart shells with a little bit of the syrup. Serve immediately.

Variation: For a pie, press the crust into a 9” pie shell, and double the filling ingredients.

Chocolate Coconut Tarte I remember creating this tarte in my early days of playing with raw recipes. It can be topped with fresh fruit, coconut, a sprinkle of cacao powder, or fresh flowers!

Crust 1 cup soaked almonds 4 dates, pitted 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1/4 cup shredded coconut


Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the dates and process until smooth. Add the last two ingredients and process into a dough. Press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” tarte pan. Filling 1/2 medium avocado 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 2 large ripe bananas 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave 10 large dates, pitted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or seeds of 1 small vanilla bean 1 cup cashews 1/3-1/2 cup raw cacao powder (depending on how chocolatey you like it) In a high-speed blender, mix first 6 ingredients until smooth. Then add the cashews and continue blending until creamy. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cacao powder by hand. Fill the crust with this mixture and chill in the fridge until set.


Cookies and Bars

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies I love oatmeal raisin cookies, so of course I just had to create a raw version. The key to the chewy texture is less dehydration time, so that they are solid on the outside but still soft on the inside. Enjoy with a glass of almond milk!

1/3 cup melted coconut oil 1/4 cup olive oil 1 medium apple, peeled and cored 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup agave 6 large dates, pitted 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1 cup pecans 1 cup walnuts


2 cups ground oat groats (See Note) 1 cup ground yellow flax 1-2 cups raisins Blend the first 9 ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Grind the nuts in a food processor, keeping some texture. Stir the nuts, oats and flax into the liquid mixture. Fold in raisins.

Spread spoonfuls of the dough onto Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115F for 5-6 hours and then flip them onto the mesh sheets. Continue dehydrating another 4-5 hours or until they are firm on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside.

Dehydrate even longer for a firmer cookie. Note: Grind oat groats into a powder in a high-speed blender or coffee grinder. Variations: - Roll the dough into balls and chill in the fridge instead of dehydrating.

- For Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, use cacao nibs in place of the raisins.


Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies This is a chocolate version of the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I like to add cacao nibs to the batter, but raisins, dried cranberries, coconut or any other dried fruit would also work well.

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 apple, cored and peeled 1/2 cup agave or maple syrup 7 large dates, pitted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1/3 cup cacao powder 1 tablespoon carob powder 1 cup ground oat groats 1 cup pecans or walnuts 1/2 cup almonds 1/4 cup ground yellow flax 2-4 tablespoons cacao nibs (optional) Blend the first 7 ingredients until smooth. Add the cacao and carob powders and continue blending until fully incorporated.


In a food processor, grind the almonds. Add the pecans and continue grinding into crumbs.

Stir the ground oat groats, nuts and flax together in a bowl. Add the blended mixture and stir all together, adding the cacao nibs for an extra chocolate crunch.

Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a Teflex sheet.

Dehydrate at 145F for 1 hour. Lower temperature to 115F and continue dehydrating until desired texture is achieved, removing Teflex after a few hours. Variation: For a Caramel Chocolate Cookie, before dehydrating the dough, make indentations (size of your choice) with your thumb or spoon. When cool, pour Caramel Sauce* (See recipes on pps. 26-27) into each cookie. Chill a few hours before serving.


Chocolate Chip Cookies I grew up with homemade chocolate chip cookies on a regular basis, so when I discovered cacao nibs I was a happy camper. These are especially great straight out of the dehydrator while they’re still warm.

1 cup cashews 1 cup lightly packed almond pulp 1/4 cup agave 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 2 tablespoons lucuma powder 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 pinches of sea salt 1/4 cup cacao nibs Grind the cashews in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients, except the nibs and process into a smooth dough. Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in the cacao nibs by hand. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a Teflex sheet and press to flatten.

Dehydrate at 115F for about 6 hours, or until you are able to transfer them onto a mesh sheet easily. Continue dehydrating until the cookies are still chewy on the outside, or longer to achieve a crispier cookie.


Super Granola Bars I love these granola bars because they are packed with superfoods and are easy to “grab n’ go”. I throw them into my purse, pass them out to friends, and give them to my mom for her desk drawer at work.

Follow Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe on p. 55

Add to the dough: 1 cup shredded coconut (add more or less depending on your preference)

1 cup cacao nibs 1 cup dried, chopped apricots or dried cranberries 1/2 cup hemp or sesame seeds 1/2 cup goji berries 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Form into a square on a Teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 115F for 6-8 hours and then flip onto the mesh screen. Continue dehydrating for 10-12 hours. Cut into bars. Dehydrate another few hours, or until desired firmness.

Note: This makes a large batch and freezes well for up to 2 months.


Double Chocolate Energy Bar Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Take a few bites of this bar! It’s loaded with dried fruit, raw chocolate, and protein rich nuts and seeds.

1 recipe Basic Dark Chocolate* 1/4 cup shredded coconut 1/4 cup nuts, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons dried cranberries or finely chopped dried apricots 2 tablespoons goji berries 1 tablespoon sesame or hemp seeds 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds 1 tablespoon cacao nibs Basic Dark Chocolate* 1/3 cup melted cacao butter 1/4 cup agave 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup cacao powder, sifted Mix the melted cacao butter with the agave, vanilla, and sea salt in a warm bowl. Slowly mix in the cacao powder until the mixture is smooth.


Notes: - It is recommended to only use agave or maple syrup as sweeteners in this Dark Chocolate.


- The mixture will harden fast due to the cacao butter, so keep the bowl over another bowl of hot water while mixing. Assembly Stir the dry ingredients together and then add into the Basic Dark Chocolate, mixing well.

Spread into a 6” square pan. Chill. Cut into bars or squares. Note: It’s best to combine the dry ingredients first, and bring them up to room temperature before mixing them into the chocolate, since the chocolate will begin to harden quickly.


N’Ice Creams

Raspberry Ice Cream This is a smooth, delicious, creamy yet light ice cream. It does require a little time, but it's well worth the effort. If you are short on time, then simply use strawberries instead since there is no need to strain the seeds. You can also use any other berries such as blueberries or blackberries. I've added lucuma, but it tastes just as great without!

4 cups raspberries 1 cup almond milk (See instructions on p. 10) 1 cup cashews 1/2 cup agave 3 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons lucuma (optional)


Puree the raspberries until smooth. Strain the seeds through a fine mesh strainer (or whatever else you have - a nut milk bag should do). I strained the puree twice, but you might not have to. This should yield 1 1/2 cups seedless raspberry puree. Add all ingredients (sans the seeds, of course) to the blender and mix until completely smooth and creamy.

Chill the mixture and then process though an ice cream maker OR freeze in an ice cube tray until solid and then process through a champion juicer with the blank plate or high-speed blender. You can also make popsicles out of it!


Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream The refreshing flavour of mint is combined with chunks of chocolate in this creamy ice cream. This was inspired by one I tasted at Tree of Life.

2 cups macadamia nuts 1 cup packed young coconut meat 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup agave nectar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/4 teaspoons mint extract 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup cacao nibs or raw chocolate chunks (See Basic Dark Chocolate* recipe on p. 61) Blend all but nibs until completely smooth and creamy. Chill and then process through an ice cream maker, folding the chocolate chunks in at the end. Freeze.


If you do not have an ice cream maker, freeze in a bowl and stir every 30 minutes OR freeze in an ice cube tray until solid and then process through a champion juicer with the blank plate or high-speed blender. Fold in the chocolate chunks before serving. Variations: - For a light green ice cream, add 1/2 cup fresh mint, packed and use only 1 teaspoon mint extract.

- Instead of using chocolate chunks or nibs, serve topped with Chocolate Sauce* on p. 26.


Cardamom Vanilla Ice Cream Cardamom pairs really well with vanilla. If you take it to the next level by adding chocolate, you’ve got a super duper treat!

1 1/2 cups firm young coconut pulp, packed 1 cup cashews 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup agave 3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup coconut oil Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy. Add oil and blend to incorporate. Chill the mixture for a few hours.

Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays, then process through champion juicer with the blank plate or in high-speed blender.

Variation: Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Drops Scoop the frozen ice cream into a piping bag and pipe little blobs. Freeze until firm and then dip into the Basic Dark Chocolate (See recipe on p. 88).


Pomegranate Cranberry Ice Cream This is a nice treat during early winter when pomegranates and cranberries are in season. Make sure to juice them yourself!

1 cup pomegranate juice 1 cup cranberry juice 2 cups cashews 1/2 cup agave, or more to taste 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 teaspoons lightly packed orange zest 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy. Add the oil and continue blending to incorporate. Chill the mixture and then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays, then process through champion juicer with the blank plate or in high-speed blender. Note: I juiced the pomegranate seeds and cranberries in the juicer, but you could also blend the fruits in the blender and then strain.


Double Strawberry Macadamia Nut Ice Cream Ice cream is great in the summer, but why not enjoy it all year around? Use frozen strawberries and make this during the winter. I love the combination of the smooth cream, chunky berries and crunchy nuts.

1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews 1 1/2 cups strawberries, chopped, packed 1 cup almond milk (See instructions on p. 10) 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon agave 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt --- 1 cup strawberries, chopped, packed, and lightly mashed 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped Blend all but the last two ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Pour the blended mixture into a bowl and chill in the fridge until cold. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.


Near the end of freezing, add the strawberries and nuts to the mixture in the ice cream maker. If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the blended mixture into a bowl and freeze for 2 to 3 hours. Then mix with a spoon and fold in the additional strawberries and nuts. Serve immediately or return to freezer until desired consistency is reached.


Maple Ginger Ice Cream I love the distinct maple flavour with a ginger undertone of this super easy ice cream. Sliced banana and chopped nuts would make a great topping, or simply enjoy it "au naturel".

2 1/2 cups cashews 2 cups almond milk 1 cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger, packed 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add more ginger and/or maple syrup, to taste. Chill the mixture and then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays, then process through champion juicer with the blank plate or in high-speed blender.


Chocolate Lucanilla Ice Cream Here's an ice cream that combines chocolate, lucuma, and vanilla. If you are into it, exchange the agave for maple syrup to complement the maple flavour of the lucuma. I like to top this with banana slices and cacao nibs!

2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews 2 cups water 1 cup young coconut pulp 1/2 -2/3 cup agave 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 pinches of sea salt 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1/2 cup cacao powder 1/4 cup lucuma powder 1 tablespoon carob powder Blend the first 6 ingredients until completely smooth. Add the coconut oil and powders, and continue blending until creamy and smooth. Chill the mixture until cold, and then process through an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays until solid and then process through a champion juicer with a blank plate or high-speed blender.


Miscellaneous Treats

Fruit N Chocolate Parfait Gotta love a parfait! It can be assembled in a matter of minutes if you have a filling recipe ready. Then simply add a layer of chopped nuts and fruit and -- voila!

For this recipe you will need:

• Either of the Chocolate Crème recipes from the Basics section on p. 23 • Berries of choice • Coconut Whipped Cream* on p. 24

Assembly Layer either of the Chocolate Crème* recipes with sliced berries and chopped nuts in a glass or bowl.

Top with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream* for real decadence. Note: Dress it up by serving it in a martini glass!


Banana Coconut Wraps: 3 Ways I came up with this recipe as I was getting ready to make Sarma Melngailis’ coconut wraps, but didn’t have enough young coconuts. Since I used to make ‘crepes’ all the time with bananas, I decided to mix the two together to see what I could create. Blend together: 1 large banana 1/2 cup young coconut water 1/2 cup packed young coconut meat Pour half of the mixture onto a Teflex sheet. Pick up the tray and swirl the mixture evenly around, creating a very thin layer. A spatula may help, but I find this method to be easiest.

Repeat with other half of mixture.

Dehydrate at 115F for 4-5 hours or until you can easily peel and flip the sheet over and dry the other side. Continue dehydrating another hour or until still pliable, but easy to handle.

Notes: - You can play around with the ratio, using more or less coconut and banana.

- If not using right away, store the wraps in saran wrap, being careful that the sheets don’t touch as they will stick. They will keep at room temperature for up to 1 month.


Fruit Spring Rolls

This makes a light dessert and is really pretty too! Perfect for entertaining, especially on a hot summer’s day. Here’s the chance to be creative – use fruits that you love!

Wrappers Make Banana Coconut Wraps on p. 69. Cut each sheet into 4 equal sized squares. Filling Banana Papaya Avocado Kiwi fruit Strawberries Mango Any other fruit you can think of! Cut fruit into 3” sticks. Arrange them on one corner of the coconut wrapper. Roll up into a spring roll, making sure that it is tight and that the sides are tucked in.


Salsa Use any combination of fruits you like, diced small and gently mixed together. Spoon over the spring roll. Mango Ginger Dipping Sauce 2/3 cup diced mango 1” piece fresh ginger, peeled 1/3 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons light agave Pinch of sea salt Blend until creamy. Serve with the Spring Rolls.


Chocolate Hemp Ravioli

The hemp and cacao in these wraps makes this a true superfood dessert!

Ravioli Wrappers Prepare the Banana Coconut Wraps mixture on p. 69. Pour and spread into rounds on the Teflex sheet before dehydrating. Filling

• 1 recipe Chocolate Crème* • Hemp seeds as needed

Chocolate Crème* 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup agave 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter


Blend the cashews, water, agave, vanilla and sea salt until completely smooth and creamy. Blend in the cacao products until smooth. Chill for a few hours. Assembly Spread about 1 tablespoon of Crème on 1/2 of each round. Sprinkle with hemp seeds.

Fold in half. Press to seal each ravioli.

Dust with cacao powder, fresh berries, and edible flowers.


Banana Phyllo Triangles

I used to make chocolate banana triangles using phyllo pastry in my cooking days. Here is a raw version that I swear tastes so much better!

Phyllo Wrappers Make Banana Coconut Wraps on p. 69. After dehydrating, cut each sheet into long strips, 2”- 3” wide. Filling

• 1 cup Coconut Whipped Cream* (See recipe on p. 24) or Vanilla Cheesecake Filling* (on p. 27)

• 1 large banana, chopped • Optional: Chocolate Sauce* on p. 26 or Caramel Sauce* on pps. 26-27

Assembly Gently fold the banana into the whipped cream.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto the top of each wrapper and fold it over to create a triangle (See detailed instructions on pps. 80-81.)

Drizzle with General Chocolate Sauce or Caramel Sauce and sliced bananas.


How To Make A Phyllo Triangle

1. Spread a few tablespoons of the filling in the bottom right hand corner (closest to you) of the wrapper.

2. Fold the filling and wrap over to the left to form a triangle shape. This will form the rest of the triangle.

3. Fold the triangle down so that it lines up with the edge of the wrapper.

4. Fold the triangle over to the opposite side.


Note: If they're to be eaten within 24 hours, stop here, cutting the excess wrapper. Otherwise, the triangles will be too thick, and therefore tough.

5. Fold the triangle straight down again.

6. One more fold over! Now cut off the little flap remaining at the bottom.

7. Voila; the finished triangle!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups I loved chocolate peanut butter cups when I was a kid. However, as I got older, I developed an intolerance to peanuts. Almond butter now fills that craving, and in this recipe it does the trick for my beloved old favourite!

Chocolate Cup 1 recipe Basic Dark Chocolate* Basic Dark Chocolate* 1/3 cup melted cacao butter 1/4 cup agave 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup cacao powder, sifted Mix the melted cacao butter with the agave, vanilla, and sea salt in a warm bowl. Slowly mix in the cacao powder until the mixture is smooth. Notes: - It is recommended to only use agave or maple syrup as sweeteners in this Dark Chocolate.



- The mixture will harden fast due to the cacao butter, so keep the bowl over another bowl of hot water while mixing. Swirl the melted chocolate mixture evenly around the inside of 10 mini silicone muffin cups. You may have to do 2 coats to create a solid cup. Chill 30 minutes in the fridge to harden the chocolate. Peanut Butter Filling 1 cup raw almond butter 2 tablespoons agave 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Mix filling ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.

Assembly Peel the silicone cup away from the chocolate, leaving a chocolate shell. Fill the cup with some Peanut Butter Filling. Optional: Spread more melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter filling. Now it’s just like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup!


Dessert Sushi Here’s a sweet twist on sushi. Remember to eat it with chopsticks!

Nori 2 medium bananas 1 teaspoon spirulina Blend bananas and spirulina until smooth. Pour onto a Teflex sheet and spread a thin, even layer over the entire sheet.

Dehydrate at 115F until you are able to peel the entire sheet off easily, about 6-7 hours.

Flip the banana sheet onto the screen sheet and continue to dehydrate a bit longer (no more than an hour), making sure it is still pliable. Cut the sheet of “nori” into four equal squares.

Cashew Rice 1 cup cashews or macadamia nuts 1 teaspoon agave 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil 3-4 teaspoons water


Grind the cashews in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender as finely as possible. Transfer to a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Fillings A variety of your favourite sliced fruit. Here are some choices: Strawberries Kiwi Orange Avocado Mango Banana Pineapple Pomegranates Assembly Press some of the ‘Rice’ mixture onto one of the “nori” sheets, as you would with sushi rice.

Arrange your choice of fruit along one end of the “nori” sheet, over the “Rice”.

Roll up tightly and let sit for a few hours to soften.

Slice the roll into 1-2 inch pieces with a sharp knife.

Serve with General Chocolate Sauce* (See recipe on p. 26), as the ‘soy sauce’ and mashed avocado as the wasabi.


Peppermint Chocolate Squares This recipe is based on the traditional mint Nanaimo bars that I used to enjoy. A dense, chocolate nut crust, creamy mint filling, topped with solid dark chocolate. What’s not to like!?!

For this recipe you will need:

• 1 recipe Chocolate Crust* • 1 recipe Mint Filling • 1 recipe Basic Dark Chocolate* (See recipe on p. 77)

Chocolate Crust* 1 cup almonds 1/2 cup walnuts 6-7 large pitted dates 1 1/2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 tablespoon carob powder 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process into a fine but crumbly mixture.


Mint Filling 2 cups cashews 1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed 2/3 cup water 1/3 cup agave 1/4 cup melted cacao butter 1/2-1 teaspoon peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint essential oil (optional)* Blend the cashews, mint, water, and agave until smooth and creamy. Add the cacao and the mint extract, starting with a small amount and adding more, to taste. Chill this mixture in the fridge or freezer for a few hours or until firm. *You may want to use the extract in addition to the leaves, for a stronger peppermint flavour. Assembly Press Chocolate Crust into the bottom of an 8” pan.

Spread Mint Filling evenly over the crust.

Top with Dark Chocolate mixture.

Chill about 30 minutes in the fridge (the chocolate should still be slightly soft) and then slice into squares with a wet, hot knife. Continue to chill until the coating is hard.


Raw Resources Here are some online resources that I highly recommend checking out.

Online stores that carry a wide array of products from raw ingredients to dehydrated goodies, books, equipment, and more:

Canada

Real Raw Food – http://www.realrawfood.com/

Upaya Naturals - www.upayanaturals.com

US

The Raw Food World - http://www.therawfoodworld.com/

Sunfood - http://www.sunfood.com/Catalog/Default.aspx

Alissa Cohen - http://www.alissacohen.com/

Online raw forums and blogs full of recipes, information, and meet ups:

The Sunny Raw Kitchen - http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/

Raw Goddess Heathy - http://rawgoddessheathy.blogspot.com/

Raw Freedom Community - http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/

We Like It Raw - http://www.welikeitraw.com/

http://www.realrawfood.com/

http://www.therawfoodworld.com/

http://www.sunfood.com/Catalog/Default.aspx

http://www.alissacohen.com/

http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/

http://rawgoddessheathy.blogspot.com/

http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/

http://www.welikeitraw.com/


The Raw Chef - http://www.therawchefblog.com/

Raw Food Talk - http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/

Gone Raw - http://goneraw.com/

G Living - http://gliving.tv/greenchefs/

Some raw food recipe books, ebooks and literature that I highly recommend include:

Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen

RAWvolution by Matt Amsden

I Am Grateful from Café Gratitude

Raw Food Real World by Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenny

The Complete Book of Raw Food by Baird and Rodwell

The Best of the Sunny Raw Kitchen by Carmella

The Best of Raw Freedom Community by Carmella

Purely Delicious Raw Food Magazine

http://www.therawchefblog.com/

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/

http://goneraw.com/

http://gliving.tv/greenchefs/

http://astore.amazon.com/thesunrawkit-20/detail/0974896306




http://astore.amazon.com/thesunrawkit-20/detail/157826278X

http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/07/best-of-sunny-raw-kitchen-now-available.html

http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/introducing-best-of-raw-freedom.html

http://ww10.aitsafe.com/go.htm?go=www.purelydelicious.net&afid=14140&tm=1&im=5


**** PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

****

If you wish to print a text-only version of this ebook, select pages

90-154 in the print menu.

Just Desserts Delicious, Nutritious Raw Delights

By Heathy Pace


Acknowledgements A special thanks goes to my very dear friend, soul sister, and editor, Carmella, who continues to inspire me with her talent and passion as a raw food chef. This book would never have come to fruition without all the time, energy, support, and love that she has poured into this project. To my mom, my biggest supporter and the willful taste tester of my creations, good and bad. All my love and thanks for your encouragement to follow my dreams, and for putting up with years of listening to the constant hum of the Vitamix, food processor, and dehydrator! And lastly, I wish to thank Peaches4Ever/Margaret Ray De Arenas who provided the title for this book during a contest held on Raw Freedom Community.


Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................. 3

FOREWORD .............................................................................................. 6

ABOUT ME............................................................................................... 7

MY PHILOSOPHY: HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO! ........................... 8

INGREDIENTS ........................................................................................... 9

EQUIPMENT ........................................................................................... 12

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK – HELPFUL HINTS........................................14

Measuring Tips ............................................................................................................................ 14 Melting Cacao Butter and Coconut Oil ................................................................................. 14 Temperature Tips........................................................................................................................ 15 Serving Tips................................................................................................................................... 16

EASY GUIDELINE FOR CREATING BEAUTIFUL DESSERTS....................... 19

THE RECIPES......................................................................................... 20

PART 1: THE BASICS .............................................................................21

Basic Dark Chocolate................................................................................................................. 22 Chocolate Crème......................................................................................................................... 23 Nutless Chocolate Crème.......................................................................................................... 23 Coconut Whipped Cream......................................................................................................... 24 White Chocolate Coconut Cream........................................................................................... 24 Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse ...................................................................................... 25 General Berry Sauce................................................................................................................... 25 Chocolate Sauce .......................................................................................................................... 26 Easiest Caramel Sauce #1 ....................................................................................................... 26 Caramel Sauce #2...................................................................................................................... 27 Vanilla Cheesecake Filling ......................................................................................................... 27 Most Basic Nut Crust................................................................................................................. 28


Coconut Crust............................................................................................................................... 28 Chocolate Crust............................................................................................................................ 29 White Pastry Crust...................................................................................................................... 29

PART 2: SWEET FUN!.............................................................................30

CAKES ....................................................................................................31

Marble Cheesecake .................................................................................................................... 31 Mango Cake with Lime Cream ............................................................................................... 31 Vanilla Cake with Pink Frosting ............................................................................................... 33 Chocolate Orange Cake ............................................................................................................ 34 Strawberry Lime Mousse Cake................................................................................................ 36 Quick N Easy Moist Chocolate Cake..................................................................................... 38 Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake............................................................................................ 38 Double Chocolate Maca Cake................................................................................................. 40

PIES AND TARTS.................................................................................... 41

Beautiful Chocolate Berry Pie................................................................................................... 41 Caramel Macadamia Pie........................................................................................................... 42 Raspberry Lemon Pie.................................................................................................................. 43 Maple Pear Tarts ........................................................................................................................ 44 Chocolate Coconut Tarte .......................................................................................................... 45

COOKIES AND BARS...............................................................................46

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies............................................................................................................. 46 Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies ..................................................................................................... 47 Chocolate Chip Cookies............................................................................................................. 48 Super Granola Bars .................................................................................................................... 48 Double Chocolate Energy Bar.................................................................................................. 49

N’ICE CREAMS ....................................................................................... 50

Raspberry Ice Cream.................................................................................................................. 50 Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream ............................................................................. 51 Cardamom Vanilla Ice Cream ................................................................................................. 52 Pomegranate Cranberry Ice Cream........................................................................................ 53 Double Strawberry Macadamia Nut Ice Cream................................................................. 53 Maple Ginger Ice Cream........................................................................................................... 54 Chocolate Lucanilla Ice Cream ................................................................................................ 55


MISCELLANEOUS TREATS ......................................................................56

Fruit N Chocolate Parfait .......................................................................................................... 56 Banana Coconut Wraps: 3 Ways........................................................................................... 56

Fruit Spring Rolls .....................................................................................................57 Chocolate Hemp Ravioli........................................................................................58 Banana Phyllo Triangles..........................................................................................59

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups................................................................................................. 60 Dessert Sushi ................................................................................................................................ 61 Peppermint Chocolate Squares ............................................................................................... 63

RAW RESOURCES................................................................................... 64


Foreword Heathy and I first ‘met’ a couple of years ago on Raw Food Talk’s message board. We hit it off right away. Before long, we were regularly emailing each other and found out that we had a lot more in common than our passion for raw food prep. It’s hard to put into words the deep bond that we now share. I’ve stopped counting the number of times that we make the exact same dish on the same day, type virtually the same sentence while chatting, or that she ‘happens’ to send me a chat just as I’m about to have dessert. lol I have had the extreme pleasure to brush shoulders with the ‘Raw Goddess’ in our kitchen, not once but twice in the last year! These were magical, fun, inspiring and creative times that I will never forget (to say nothing of how everything she makes tastes so exquisite!) I continue to be blown away by Heathy's talent and enthusiasm for recipe creation. She is no doubt the most gifted raw chef I’ve ever met. Like anyone who’s been drooling over Heathy’s recipes online, I was anxiously awaiting the release of her first ebook so that I could whip up some of her delightful desserts at home. In that light, having some experience in online publishing, it just seemed natural that I give her a hand in the technical department. I am beyond thrilled that her amazing and scrumptious creations can now be enjoyed by the raw food community at large. I have no doubt that ‘Just Desserts’ will become a classic in raw dessert making; just as it has already become a reference in my sunny raw kitchen. Enjoy! In radiance and health, Carmella Soleil Designer and Editor of ‘Just Desserts’ http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/ http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/ November 2008


About Me Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a sweet tooth, coming by it honestly as my mom’s favourite food is chocolate! As I became more health conscious and turned vegan at the age of 14, I discovered new ways to still enjoy my beloved desserts by using natural sweeteners and fruits in place of refined sugar, and wholegrain or soy flour instead of bleached white flour. A few years later, I learned about raw and living foods and realized that even baked desserts with more natural ingredients aren’t so good for the body. My passion for food led me to enter culinary school at age 18. While I didn’t care for the classic French Cuisine that the program was based on, I gained valuable experience by learning the basics and all that the food industry has to offer. I would have loved to attend pastry school, but my knowledge of the contents of conventional desserts turned me off of that idea. Instead, I decided to get to work in my own kitchen, creating healthy desserts using mostly raw, unprocessed and natural ingredients. These days, playing in the kitchen is still my biggest passion, whether it's making desserts or any other raw food dish. I also teach food classes and work as a personal chef and yoga instructor. I feel it's important to do the things I love in life!


My Philosophy: Have your cake and eat it too!

Dessert is yummy, satisfying, fun, visually pleasing, and (dare we say) even sexy! Dessert often has a reputation of being “bad” or fattening. (We’ve all heard the saying: “I feel it going straight to my hips!”) Raw desserts, however, enable us to enjoy truly healthy and satisfying treats. My recipes have been lovingly created and are full of nutrients, energizing superfoods, quality sugars, and healthy fats. These desserts can be great when transitioning from cooked foods to a raw diet, as they look and taste very much like their SAD (short for Standard American Diet) counterparts. After a while, you may just crave a simple pudding with fresh fruit, but it’s great to have options. Be sure to pull out one of these recipes for your non-raw friends and family to show them that raw food is so much more than just celery sticks and lettuce.


Ingredients

Sweeteners

Here are the sweeteners that I use. Feel free to exchange one for another in any of the recipes. Agave Nectar – From the agave plant, this liquid sweetener is low glycemic and adds sweetness without lending any particular flavour. Make sure you are using raw agave, as some are heated. Dates – In all my recipes, I’ve used soft Medjool dates. If you are working with dates that are a bit dry, soak them for a few hours first. Use the soaking liquid in a smoothie or in place of water in a dessert recipe. Dried Fruits – Another great way to add a different sweet taste to a dessert. Always use unsulfured dried fruits, found at most health food stores, or better yet, dehydrate your own. I especially love to use dried pineapples, mangoes and apricots in my recipes. Fresh Fruits – It is important to always use ripe fruit. This means that the sugars in the fruit have had a chance to develop, creating sweetness, while at the same time enabling the body to digest it easily. Honey – Produced by honeybees, and therefore non-vegan, this sweetener has a very distinct flavour that can change the finished dessert, depending on the variety. Make sure to use raw or unpasteurized honey, as some are highly processed. Maple Syrup – This product is vegan but not raw, extracted from the maple tree and then boiled to create a sweet liquid with an excellent flavour.


Nuts

Besides sweeteners, nuts form the bulk of most raw desserts, lending various textures and flavours. Things to remember… - In recipes that call for nuts that are already ground, process the nuts into fine bits in a high-speed blender, coffee grinder, or food processor before using. - If you are not using a high-speed blender such as a Vita-mix or K-Tek, grind cashews and other nuts in coffee grinder or a food processor first before blending in order to achieve a smooth creamy texture. - When over processed, walnuts, pecans, and pine nuts will become really oily. Process just enough to grind or incorporate them into your recipe. - I recommend soaking nuts and seeds to release the enzyme inhibitors, making them more easily digestible. That being said, soak nuts only when specified in a recipe, as using soaked nuts will change the texture. If the recipe doesn’t call for soaking, use the nut in its dry state, or soak and then dehydrate it.

Other Ingredients Almond Milk/Pulp – Almond milk is a simple mixture of 1 part soaked nuts to 2-3 parts water, blended together and strained. Almond pulp is what is left over from making nut milk. I have used wet almond pulp in my recipes, but feel free to use the pulp of any other nut. Blueberries – Please note that all of my recipes have been made with wild blueberries. If using commercial ones, you may need to adjust the amount of sweetener as these aren’t as sweet. Cacao Beans and Nibs - Cacao beans are the seeds of the cacao fruit, which grows on a jungle tree in Amazonia. In their book Naked Chocolate, it is David Wolfe and Shazzie’s contention that raw cacao is actually a superfood. Nibs are crushed pieces of cacao beans.


Cacao Butter - This is what white chocolate is made of. Cacao butter is the pure oil of the cacao bean. It melts at approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it is even firmer than coconut oil at room temperature. Makes for absolute decadent desserts! Cacao butter usually needs to be ordered online.

Cacao Powder - The most common and popular form of cacao. Again, I prefer to buy online, as my local health food store sells it at an exorbitant price.

Carob Powder - Carob has a sweet taste similar to chocolate, but with less fat and calories. It can be used as a substitute for, or in combination with, cacao powder in any recipe.

Coconut Oil - Coconut oil (not to confuse with ‘coconut butter’) is firm at room temperature and is often used in order to harden chocolate. You can find coconut oil at most health food stores (make sure the label specifies that it's raw or processed at low temperatures!) However, I find it can be outrageously expensive, especially when you use a lot. For my part, I prefer to order it online.

Extracts – Look for high quality extracts at your local health food store, such as almond, peppermint and vanilla (which is also used in the form of whole beans.) Lecithin – Comes in granules and liquid form, but I’ve used the powdered form in my recipes. To make lecithin powder, grind the granules in a high-speed blender or coffee grinder. Psyllium – I’ve used psyllium hulls (also known as husks) in my recipes; the powder form will change the amount needed. For best results, use the hulls/husks or play around with what you have, starting out with less. Sea Salt – Always optional but brings out the flavours of ingredients, even if it’s just a pinch. Young Coconuts – Also known as Thai coconuts, these have softer flesh than the more common mature, brown coconuts. Young coconuts can be found at most Asian markets and some large grocery stores.


Equipment

The Essentials

Blender – Although any blender will do, a high-speed blender, like the Vita-Mix or K-Tek, will take things to a whole new level, assisting you in creating smooth creamy textures. Food Processor – This handy machine processes ingredients without blending them – perfect for grinding nuts, chopping fruits, making crusts, cookie dough, and some fillings. Pie Plates – For making pies. Spatula – For scraping up the blender and food processor. Spring Form Pans – These pans come in a variety of sizes and are really helpful in un-moulding cakes with minimal fuss. I highly recommend using spring form pans, but if you do not have access to these, a regular cake pan or margarine tub, lined with saran wrap will do.

Other Non Essential But Helpful Tools

Candy Moulds – For making chocolate candy. Coffee Grinder – For grinding small amounts of various ingredients such as nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, etc Dehydrator – Mostly called for in some cookie and bar recipes to obtain that ‘baked’ texture. Ice Cream Maker – This is certainly not necessary if you are only making ice cream occasionally, but if this gadget is something you want to invest in, there are a wide variety of makers on the market. You can really pick and choose which


one is for you, according to your budget and preference. I use a Cuisinart 1 1/2 quart automatic which I really like because all I have to do is pour my mixture, and then walk away for 15-20 minutes while the maker does its thing. Microplane – Great for zesting citrus fruit. Offset Spatula – Both small and large, help in spreading creams and fillings, smoothing the tops and sides of cakes and spreading batter for wraps on dehydrator sheets. Piping Bags – Fill with cream for decorating cakes or filling tarts. Silicon Muffin Cups – Perfect for making tarts. They are also called for in this book for making chocolate shells. Tart Shells with Removable Bottoms – Available in different sizes and great for presentation!


How To Use This Book – Helpful Hints

Measuring Tips Coconut Oil and Cacao Butter – Use the liquid amount

Dates – Pit and then pack them into the measuring cup, unless specified otherwise (ex: use 6 large dates).

Fresh Fruit – Roughly chop before measuring, unless specified

Young Coconut Pulp – Always pack it into the given measurement.

Melting Cacao Butter and Coconut Oil There are a few ways to melt cacao butter and coconut oil. However you choose to do it, stir it occasionally to break up little chunks and speed the melting process. 1. Chop into small chunks or grate it (cacao), and place into a bowl. Place this bowl into a dehydrator at 115F until melted.

2. On a hot summer day, melt it in the sun!

3. Fill a small pot with water and gently warm it over very low heat on the stove. Place chopped cacao or coconut oil into a glass or stainless steel bowl, and place over the pot of hot water (the bowl should not touch the water) ‘bain-marie’ style. Continually stir until the cacao melts. Dip your finger in occasionally to make sure it is warm but not hot to the touch.


Temperature Tips Dehydration Temperatures – I always start with a high temperature of 140F for the first hour of dehydrating and then lower the dial to 110F for the remaining time. This is best in order to avoid bacteria growth and speed up the drying process, while having no adverse affects on the internal temperature of the food. For more information, here is a detailed explanation by Excalibur about this very topic. Ingredient Temperature – Starting with ingredients as close to room temperature as possible helps in the blending process. When frozen fruit is called for, thaw it first (if you can) unless specified. When adding ingredients like cacao butter and coconut oil that are temperature sensitive, it is especially important that the other ingredients are room temperature/warm to prevent the cacao butter and coconut oil from seizing before they can be incorporated. This is easily accomplished by blending the other ingredients first. When combining honey and frozen fruits in any of the recipes, make sure that the latter are completely thawed to prevent honey from seizing up while blending. Chilling – The baking of raw food! The refrigerator and freezer are often used to ‘set’ raw desserts, for a few hours to overnight. Recipes containing temperature sensitive ingredients like cacao butter and coconut oil usually get chilled to create a firm texture. Nuts and powders (such as cacao, carob, maca) act as thickening agents also, assisted by the chilling process to set a dessert.


Serving Tips Slicing

When slicing your desserts, run a sharp knife under hot water for a few seconds and then dry it. This allows for clean cuts. Clean the knife after every cut you make to avoid having bits of cake stick to the knife. Also, pull the knife out the side of the cake, rather than lifting it out of the top. For 12 evenly sized pieces of cake or pie, slice into quarters, then into thirds. For 16 evenly sized pieces, slice into quarters, slice each quarter in half, and then each one in half again. Presentation

Since most people eat with their eyes first, presentation is just as important as how the dessert tastes. The options are limitless for dressing up any treat, but here are a few ideas and tips. Sauces can be added to almost any cake, with many to choose from depending on the particular dessert:

- Berry sauces are versatile as they add a lightness, sweetness, and touch of acidity. This complements chocolate, berries, and other fruits, adding lovely colours too.

- Caramel sauce pairs nicely with chocolate, apple, cinnamon, banana, and nuts.

- Chocolate sauce goes well with desserts featuring berries, banana,

orange, nuts, caramel, and mint. There are a few ways to use sauces:

• Spread a circle of sauce on the plate as a base and then place the piece of dessert on top.

• Drizzle the sauce over each piece of cake/pie/ice cream/tarts.


• Drizzle a ring of sauce around the dessert.

• Spoon little dots of sauce on the plate for a fun effect.

There is a wide array of garnishes to choose from when plating your dessert. Mix and match to come up with combinations that you like!

- Fresh or dried fruits always add colour and dimension. Chop the fruit really small, into larger chunks, or slice it. Sprinkle over the dessert, on the plate around the dessert, or use the fruit as a base for individual pieces of cake to sit on.

- Chopped nuts are nice sprinkled on top of a dessert. Use whole or

halved nuts to create a pattern on top of a cake/pie, or one nut piece to garnish a single serving of dessert.

- Shredded coconut looks pretty sprinkled on a dessert or around the

plate, adding a delicate, snowy element. Simply grind the coconut in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender for an even and finer texture.

- Cacao adds just a touch of dark colour when needed. Choose from

whole beans or nibs on the top or sides of a dessert. For a dusted touch, use a sifter to sprinkle cacao powder.

- Lucuma, maca or cinnamon powders can be sifted for a ‘powdered

sugar’ look. Just be careful not to add too much, as these are strong flavours.

- Flowers are always a beautiful addition if you can get your hands on

some edible ones. Choose from pansies, rose petals, marigolds, tulip petals, orchids, violets, nasturtiums, orange blossoms and snapdragons.

- Citrus zest adds a punch of flavour and colour.

- Herbs can be used too; mint, chocolate mint, lavender… I even use

chopped parsley to garnish when I need something green on the plate.


- Ice cream adds another flavour, dimension, and colour to a plate. Just

make sure that the flavour goes with the central dessert. For example, pair a berry dessert with vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Avoid pairing a mint ice cream with an apple cinnamon dessert.

- Whipped Cream or Chocolate Crème beautifully tops off any dessert,

adding height and colour contrast. Dollop with a spoon or use a pastry bag to pipe swirls.

Another tip for plating wonderful desserts is colour, colour, colour! First, think about the colour of your dessert and what would make a nice accent flavour and colour.

For example, a chocolate cake would pair well with berries, or vanilla. You could drizzle the cake with a vibrant raspberry sauce, dollop of vanilla whipped cream, and add a piece of fresh green mint as a nice accent. Dust the whole thing with a little cacao powder and voila; you’ve got a dessert that looks like something from a restaurant! Take it a step further by carefully deciding what plate to serve your dessert creation on. While a white plate serves as the perfect blank canvas for any dish, it's also fun to play with different backgrounds. In this particular case, the chocolate cake and its toppings would look great on any plate, but a light colour would provide a nicer contrast.

How long will your desserts keep?

You can keep any of the cakes, pies and fillings in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure you store them in airtight containers. Also avoid garnishing with fresh fruit before freezing, as this will change the texture of the fruit. If freezing, thaw the dessert partially, slice it, top with garnishes, and then serve. Dehydrated goodies will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, or in the fridge for up to 2 months. The longer the item was dehydrated, the longer it will keep.


Easy Guideline For Creating Beautiful Desserts

- Start with a basic nut crust, to which you may add in extras such as coconut, finely chopped bits of dried fruit, or citrus zest. - Next, spread a filling or firm cream over the crust, making it as thick or thin as you like. - Then, add a sprinkling of chopped nuts, berries, or nut crumble. This is optional but adds a nice crunch in between the smooth fillings. - On top of that, spread either the same filling as your first one, or a different one altogether. Various coloured fillings can really jazz up a recipe! - Finally, when you are ready to serve, top the dessert with a dollop of cream, drizzle of chocolate or fruit sauce, and a garnish of nuts, berries, or other fruit, if desired.


***** THE RECIPES

*****


Part 1: The Basics The first part of this book is made up of some basic recipes that I think provide a good foundation for building scrumptious desserts. Each of these recipes can be used as the base of a recipe, as a filling along with other goodies, or as a topping to garnish a creation. A lot of the recipes throughout the book will call for one or more of these basics, so you may be referring to this section often. But not only that, most of these are great when enjoyed by themselves! For example, I love a bowl of Nutless Chocolate Crème topped with fresh berries, or I make up a batch of Berry Sauce and then use it to drizzle over desserts and smoothies. Roll any of the crust recipes into balls for a quick, sweet treat any time. Note: Recipes with (*) in their title denote a general recipe found in this Basics section.


Basic Dark Chocolate This is a base for other recipes, which call for chocolate that hardens, such as the Peanut Butter Cups, Berry Cream Cups, and Chocolate Peppermint Squares. Add more agave if you want a sweeter chocolate.

1/3 cup melted cacao butter 1/4 cup agave 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup cacao powder, sifted Mix the melted cacao butter with the agave, vanilla, and sea salt in a warm bowl. Slowly mix in the cacao powder until the mixture is smooth. Notes: - It is recommended to only use agave or maple syrup as sweeteners in this Dark Chocolate.


- The mixture will harden fast due to the cacao butter, so keep the bowl over another bowl of hot water while mixing.


Chocolate Crème My boyfriend thinks this recipe tastes just like ‘real’ chocolate pudding! 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup agave 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter Blend the cashews, water, agave, vanilla and sea salt until completely smooth and creamy. Blend in the cacao products until smooth. Chill for a few hours.

Nutless Chocolate Crème This recipe is lighter than the Chocolate Crème above, using avocado as the base instead of nuts. 2 medium avocadoes 1/2-2/3 cup agave 4-5 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons carob powder Blend the first five ingredients until smooth. Add the cacao butter, powder, and carob, and continue blending until completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill for a few hours or until it firms up slightly.


Coconut Whipped Cream 1 cup packed young coconut meat 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 3-4 tablespoons light agave Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Chill to set.

White Chocolate Coconut Cream This cream makes a great topping on any cake or brownie, or use it as a dip for fresh fruit! 1 cup firm young coconut pulp, packed 1/4 cup dried, shredded coconut 1/4-1/3 cup water (See Tip) 3-4 tablespoons agave, or to taste 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Blend the first 4 ingredients until smooth and creamy. Now add the butter and oil, and blend to incorporate. Chill for a few hours until firm. Tip: Start with 1/4 cup water and blend, adding a bit more if needed to create a smooth cream


Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse Yet another creamy chocolate recipe, but with macadamia nuts and coconut. The psyllium gives it a lighter, more mousse-like texture. 1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked a few hours 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup young coconut pulp 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 2 teaspoons psyllium hulls/husks Blend nuts, water, coconut pulp, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt until smooth. Add the cacao powder and butter, blending some more. Lastly, add the psyllium and blend again until completely smooth. Note: This will firm up as it sits in the fridge.

General Berry Sauce 1-2 cups fresh or frozen berries Agave, to taste Lemon juice, to taste Blend all until smooth. Notes: - Thaw frozen berries before using, to allow for easy blending.

- If using raspberries, strain to remove the seeds.


Chocolate Sauce I like to double or even triple this sauce so as to have some extra on hand. It’s great on ice cream, cakes, as a fruit dip, in smoothies… or eaten with a spoon 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave 2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1 teaspoon carob powder 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Blend all ingredients until smooth. Use immediately, or let the sauce sit in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight for a spreadable frosting. Note: Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Easiest Caramel Sauce #1 1/2 cup cashews 1/2-2/3 cup water 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave 3 pitted dates Blend all together until smooth and creamy, starting with 1/2 cup water and adding a bit extra if needed for a thick but fluid consistency.


Caramel Sauce #2 1/3 cup pitted, packed dates (about 4 medium) 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1/3 cup almond milk (See instructions on p. 10) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt Blend all ingredients until smooth. Note: Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Vanilla Cheesecake Filling 2 cups cashews, finely ground* 1/4 cup raw honey 1/4 cup agave Juice of 1 medium lemon 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In high-speed blender, combine all ingredients until smooth, adding a very small amount of water, if necessary to easily blend the mixture. Tip: For ease of blending, add the liquid ingredients to the blender first, and then add the ground cashews.


Most Basic Nut Crust Use this basic crust for pie or cheesecake, or shape into balls or flat rounds for cookies. 2 cups nuts of your choice 1/2 cup dates, pitted and packed In a food processor, combine the nuts and dates into crumbs. The mixture should stick when pressed together. Variation: Use this as a very basic nut crumble. Process the ingredients into coarse crumbles and sprinkle over fruit or puddings.

Coconut Crust This is for the coconut lovers! 1 cup soaked almonds 4 medium dates, pitted 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1 cup shredded coconut Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process into a dough. Press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” tarte pan or pie plate.


Chocolate Crust This crust is light on the chocolate, so add more cacao if you would prefer it to be more chocolatey. 1 cup almonds, soaked, drained, and dehydrated (or unsoaked dry almonds) 1/2 cup walnuts 6-7 large pitted dates 2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 tablespoon carob powder 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process into a dough. Press into a pie plate or into the bottom of a 7” or 8” spring form pan.

Note: Add 1-2 teaspoons water as needed, if the dough is slightly dry.

White Pastry Crust This is the recipe I prefer when I want the look of a “real” pastry crust, or am looking for a lighter tasting/dainty crust. 2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut or cashews 2 tablespoons agave Pinch of sea salt In a food processor grind the nuts until as fine as possible. Add remaining ingredients and process until moist and crumbly. Press into the bottom of an 8 or 9” tarte pan or pie plate.


Part 2: Sweet Fun! In this next section, I provide recipes that are made up of a few different components, most often containing one of the “Basics”. This is where you get to have all kinds of fun, using layering effects to create different textures, flavours, and colours all together. Remember the word ‘improvise’. There have been many times when I’ve wanted to try a certain recipe, only to realize that I didn’t have all the ingredients. It’s never stopped me! I always come up with a substitute. This is how some of the best recipes are created…and THAT is the beauty of food. Ten different combinations can come together to produce delicious and unique results! Ok, ok… Enough talking. Let’s get to the desserts already!


Cakes

Marble Cheesecake This cheesecake combines three recipes from the Basics section; a firm chocolate crust topped with smooth chocolate swirled into vanilla cheesecake. For this recipe you will need:

• 1 recipe Chocolate Crust* (See recipe on p. 29) • 1 recipe Vanilla Cheesecake Filling* (See recipe on p. 27) • 1 recipe Chocolate Sauce* (See recipe on p. 26)

Assembly: Press crust mixture into the bottom of a 7 or 8” spring form pan.

Pour Vanilla Cheesecake Filling on top of crust.

Spoon blobs of the Chocolate Sauce on the cheesecake, and swirl it around with a knife or toothpick, into your own creative pattern.

Chill the cheesecake in the fridge or freezer for a few hours or overnight to set. Run a knife in between the cheesecake and the pan before removing the ring.

Mango Cake with Lime Cream This is yummy if you enjoy mango like I do! With the addition of a layer of creamy cheesecake, this is always a hit. The lime cream or raspberry sauce on top are optional, but I think that a sauce makes a special addition to the dessert. Crust 1 1/2 cups pecans 1/2 cup dates, pitted and packed Process the nuts and dates into fine crumbs. Press dough into the bottom of a 7" or 8” spring form pan or mini individual pans.


Vanilla Cheesecake Filling* 2 cups cashews, finely ground 1/4 cup raw honey 1/4 cup agave Juice of 1 medium lemon 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In high-speed blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Evenly spread the mixture over the nut crust. Note: Grind the cashews in a high-speed blender, food processor or coffee grinder. This makes it easier to blend the ingredients together. Mango Layer 4 cups mango, diced (fresh or frozen and thawed) 2 dried pineapple rings, soaked 2-4 hours (See Note) 1 small, really ripe banana 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (optional) Puree all ingredients until smooth in a food processor or blender. Pour over the cheesecake layer. Chill in the freezer to set. Run a knife in between the cake and the pan before removing the ring. Serve with the following Lime Cream or Raspberry Sauce*! (See recipe on p. 25) Lime Cream 1 small avocado Agave, to taste Lime juice and zest, to taste Blend all until smooth. Note: Using dried pineapple rings keeps some texture and is different than fresh.


Vanilla Cake with Pink Frosting At first glance, this cake might look like a lot of work, but it’s really quite simple. The only requirement is patience, since the cake will have to chill a few times during the assembly process. You can switch it up by trying a cheesecake filling in place of the Chocolate Crème, or a different frosting in place of the strawberry one. For this recipe you will need:

• 1 recipe Cake • 1 recipe Chocolate Crème* (See recipe on p. 23) • 1 recipe Strawberry Frosting

Cake 1 cup walnuts 1 1/4 cups pitted, packed dates 1/2 cup dried apricots, or pineapple soaked 4-6 hours 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups lightly packed almond pulp 2-3 tablespoons ground yellow flaxseed, if needed In a food processor, finely grind the walnuts and set aside. Process next four ingredients until smooth. Add the ground walnuts and almond pulp and continue blending into a smooth dough. Add the flax, if the dough is too moist. If it isn’t sweet enough, add a little agave. Chill until ready to assemble. Strawberry Frosting 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped strawberries 1 cup cashews 1/4 cup agave 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon ground lecithin Blend the first four ingredients until smooth. Add the oil and lecithin and continue blending until smooth. Chill in the fridge for a few hours and then spread over the cake.


Assembly Press 1/3 of the cake mixture into an 8” spring form pan. Spread 1/2 the Chocolate Crème on top. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to set the crème.

Next, press another 1/3 of the cake into the pan, and then spread the rest of the Crème on top. Chill again to set.

Spread the last 1/3 of the cake on top. Chill for a few hours to set.

Remove the spring form ring and frost the cake with the strawberry frosting.

Garnish with cacao nibs and sliced strawberries. Chill the whole cake in fridge or freezer until nice and firm, before serving.

Chocolate Orange Cake I clearly remember the day Carmi and I made this cake together while testing recipes for this book. Little did I know that it would soon become her favourite cake! I take it as a good sign. I, too, love the flavours of chocolate, orange, and vanilla in this delicious variation of the Vanilla Cake on p. 33. For this recipe you will need:

• 1 recipe Cake • 1 recipe Chocolate Crème* (See recipe on p. 23) • 1 recipe White Chocolate Orange Cream

Cake 1 cup walnuts 1 1/4 cups pitted, packed dates 1/2 cup dried apricots, or pineapple soaked 4-6 hours 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups lightly packed almond pulp 2-3 tablespoons ground yellow flaxseed, if needed


In a food processor, finely grind the walnuts and set aside. Process next four ingredients until smooth. Add the ground walnuts and almond pulp and continue blending into a smooth dough. Add the flax, if the dough is too moist. If it isn’t sweet enough, add a little agave. Chill until ready to assemble. White Chocolate Orange Cream 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1/3 cup agave 1 1/2-2 teaspoons packed orange zest Pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil Blend the cashews with orange juice, agave, zest, and sea salt until smooth. Add the butter and oil and continue blending until incorporated. Chill in the fridge for a few hours. Assembly Press 1/2 of the cake mixture into an 8” spring form pan.

Spread 1/2 the Chocolate Crème on top. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to set.

Next, spread 1/2 of the White Chocolate Orange Cream and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to set.

Repeat layers and chill the whole cake in fridge or freezer until nice and firm, before serving.

When firm, remove the spring form ring.

Garnish with fresh orange slices and cacao nibs for pretty presentation and an extra juicy burst of flavour. Variation: If you wish, use the Nutless Chocolate Crème* on p. 23 in place of the Chocolate Crème*.


Strawberry Lime Mousse Cake I’m a chocolate lover all the way around, however, this dessert is my absolute favourite! I’ve made it into personally sized cakes, parfaits, pies, as well as in spring form pans to create different looks. Top it off with marinated berries for a gourmet dessert. Crust 1 1/2 cups walnuts 1/2 cup pitted, packed dates Grind walnut and dates together in a food processor into small crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 7 or 8 ” cheesecake pan or individual round molds. Filling 2 cups roughly chopped, packed strawberries, fresh or frozen 1/4 cup agave 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon lime zest, gently packed Pinch of sea salt 1 1/2 cups cashews 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon psyllium hulls In a blender, combine the first 5 ingredients. Add the nuts and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add the coconut oil and psyllium, and quickly blend again until completely mixed through. Marinated Berries 2 cups diced strawberries 1/4 cup lime juice 2 tablespoons agave 2 teaspoons lime zest Gently mix the berries with the other ingredients. Marinate for 10 minutes to 1 hour.


Note: If the berries sit in the lime for too long, they will start to get soggy. Assembly Spread the filling evenly over the crust and chill in the fridge for a few hours or until set.

Arrange the marinated berries on top. Option: Spread half the filling over the crust. Top with a layer of the nut crust (you may need to double the crust for this) before spreading the rest of the filling on top. Strawberry Sauce 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries Agave, to taste Lemon juice, to taste Blend until smooth. Variations: - Use half strawberries and half raspberries in the filling and serve with Raspberry Sauce. (See recipe on p. 25)

- For a parfait, layer the strawberry filling with chopped nuts or crumbled cookies, and fresh berries in a glass to create individual desserts.


Quick N Easy Moist Chocolate Cake Here’s a quick chocolate cake when you need to whip up a dessert in a pinch! The apple provides moisture, and adds an extra nutritional punch. 1 1/2 cups almonds, ground 1 cup walnuts 1 cup dates, pitted, packed 1 medium apple, peeled, grated 1/4 cup carob powder 1/4 cup cacao powder 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In a food processor, blend the ground almonds, walnuts and dates into small crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to bring all ingredients together. The batter will seem a bit wet, but will firm up as it chills.

Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8” cake pan. Chill.

Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake At home, during the summer months, I pick wild blueberries when they are growing in abundance. Whatever berries we don’t eat fresh are packed into the freezer for the rest of the year to enjoy… until it’s picking time again! This was one of the two birthday cakes I made for myself last year, and my friends really enjoyed it. Crust 1 cup almonds, ground 1/2 cup walnuts 5-6 large dates, pitted 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In a food processor, combine all ingredients until crumbly. The mixture should easily stick together when pressed.

Press the crust into the bottom of a 7” or 8” spring form pan.


Filling 2 cups cashews 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/3 cup agave 1/2 cup water 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup melted cacao butter 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 1/4 cup cacao powder, set aside 1/2 cup blueberries, set aside Blend the first 6 ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Blend in the cacao and coconut butters. Pour half of this mixture into a bowl. Set aside.

Add the cacao powder and 1/2 cup of blueberries to the remaining half. Blend until smooth. Pour the cacao/blueberry mixture over the crust and spread evenly. Chill about an hour to set the top.

Repeat with the first blueberry mixture. Chill. Blueberry Topping 3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided 2 tablespoons agave 2 large dates, pitted 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon psyllium 1/8 teaspoon sea salt Blend together 1 cup of blueberries with the other ingredients, until completely smooth. Fold in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of blueberries. Chill. Gently spread this mixture over the cheesecake. Optional: For pure decadence, serve with General Chocolate Sauce* on p. 26 Note: For a quick topping, make a blueberry sauce instead of the blueberry topping.


Double Chocolate Maca Cake This could also be called Superfood Cake because it is packed with ultra nutrients, and is delicious too! I often use this recipe as a base, topping it with various creams, fruits, and sauces, as shown below. Your non-raw friends will be asking, "Wow! What the heck is in this chocolate cake!?!" For this recipe you will need:

• 1 recipe Chocolate Maca Cake • 1 recipe Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse*

Chocolate Maca Cake 2 cups pecans 1 cup Brazil nuts 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup cacao powder 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons maca powder 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 2 teaspoons lucuma powder (optional) 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Grind the Brazil nuts down to crumbs in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Press into the bottom of a 7”or 8” spring form pan. Chill while making the mousse. Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse* 1 cup macadamia nuts 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup firm young coconut pulp 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup cacao powder 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter 2 teaspoons psyllium hulls/husks Blend nuts, water, coconut pulp, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt until smooth. Add the cacao powder and butter, blending again until smooth. Lastly, add the psyllium and blend again until completely smooth. Spread this mousse evenly on top of the Maca Cake. Chill for a few hours or overnight.


Pies and Tarts

Beautiful Chocolate Berry Pie Here’s a simple pie that I love to make in the summer after picking beautiful blueberries. Crust Choose a crust of your choice and press it into the bottom of an 8 or 9” pie plate. Filling 1 recipe Chocolate Crème* (See recipe on p. 23) 2 cups fresh blueberries (or berries of your choice) Assembly Gently fold the blueberries into the Chocolate Crème (before chilling). Spread the filling into the crust and chill to set. Note: If using frozen blueberries, fold them in before they thaw to avoid bleeding of the juices.


Caramel Macadamia Pie A friend gave me the challenge of turning a cooked caramel macadamia nut pie into a raw version. Here’s what I came up with: crunchy macadamia nuts in a sweet creamy caramel filling, all in a nutty pie crust. Crust 1 cup walnuts 1/2 cup pecans 1 cup dates Pinch of sea salt Process all ingredients into a dough. Press into the bottom of a pie plate. Chill. Filling 3/4 cup soft dates (about 6 large) 1/3 cup agave 1 cup pecans, soaked 2-4 hours 1/2 cup packed young coconut meat 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1/3 cup young coconut water Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts, halved or roughly chopped Blend all ingredients, except macadamias until completely smooth and creamy. Keep blending! Fold in the macadamia nuts. Pour into pie crust. Chill in fridge or freezer until the filling sets. Variation: To make a Caramel Chocolate Macadamia Pie, use the General Chocolate Crust* on p. 29 with this filling. Drizzle the top with Chocolate Sauce* (See recipe on p. 26).


Raspberry Lemon Pie This is a deliciously simple pie variation of my Rich Raspberry Lemon Stack Cake (to be featured in Just Desserts - Part II). Have fun decorating it with different berries or fruit sauce! Crust 2 cups macadamia nuts 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut 2 tablespoons agave 1 teaspoon lemon zest Pinch of sea salt Process all ingredients in a food processor until moist and crumbly. Press into the bottom of a 9” tarte pan or pie plate. Chill while making the filling.

Raspberry Lemon Filling 2 cups cashews 1/2 cup agave 1/2 cup lemon juice 3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed) 2 teaspoons packed lemon zest 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon ground lecithin Blend all but the coconut oil and lecithin, until smooth and creamy. Add the last two ingredients and continue blending until incorporated.

Spread the Raspberry Lemon Filling evenly over the cake. Chill for a minimum of 6 hours (or overnight) to make sure the topping is firm. Garnish with fresh berries and Berry Sauce* (See recipe on p. 25).


Maple Pear Tarts This is a great recipe to make in the fall when pears are in season. Crust 2 cups walnuts 1/2 cup dates 1/2 cup shredded coconut In a food processor, mix these ingredients into a smooth dough. Press some dough into the bottom and up the sides of small tart shells. Chill in the freezer while you make the filling. Filling 1-2 cups diced pear (diced small) 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1 teaspoon minced ginger 1 teaspoon lemon juice Gently mix all ingredients together and let the pears macerate in this syrup for anywhere from 1-6 hours.

Now spoon some of the pear into the tart shells with a little bit of the syrup. Serve immediately. Variation: For a pie, press the crust into a 9” pie shell, and double the filling ingredients.


Chocolate Coconut Tarte I remember creating this tarte in my early days of playing with raw recipes. It can be topped with fresh fruit, coconut, a sprinkle of cacao powder, or fresh flowers! Crust 1 cup soaked almonds 4 dates, pitted 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 1/4 cup shredded coconut Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the dates and process until smooth. Add the last two ingredients and process into a dough. Press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” tarte pan. Filling 1/2 medium avocado 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 2 large ripe bananas 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave 10 large dates, pitted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or seeds of 1 small vanilla bean 1 cup cashews 1/3-1/2 cup raw cacao powder (depending on how chocolatey you like it) In a high-speed blender, mix first 6 ingredients until smooth. Then add the cashews and continue blending until creamy. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cacao powder by hand. Fill the crust with this mixture and chill in the fridge until set


Cookies and Bars

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies I love oatmeal raisin cookies, so of course I just had to create a raw version. The key to the chewy texture is less dehydration time, so that they are solid on the outside but still soft on the inside. Enjoy with a glass of almond milk! 1/3 cup melted coconut oil 1/4 cup olive oil 1 medium apple, peeled and cored 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup agave 6 large dates, pitted 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1 cup pecans 1 cup walnuts 2 cups ground oat groats (See Note) 1 cup ground yellow flax 1-2 cups raisins Blend the first 9 ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Grind the nuts in a food processor, keeping some texture. Stir the nuts, oats and flax into the liquid mixture. Fold in raisins.

Spread spoonfuls of the dough onto Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115F for 5-6 hours and then flip them onto the mesh sheets. Continue dehydrating another 4-5 hours or until they are firm on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside.

Dehydrate even longer for a firmer cookie. Note: Grind oat groats into a powder in a high-speed blender or coffee grinder. Variations: - Roll the dough into balls and chill in the fridge instead of dehydrating.

- For Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, use cacao nibs in place of the raisins.


Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies This is a chocolate version of the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I like to add cacao nibs to the batter, but raisins, dried cranberries, coconut or any other dried fruit would also work well.

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 apple, cored and peeled 1/2 cup agave or maple syrup 7 large dates, pitted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 1/3 cup cacao powder 1 tablespoon carob powder 1 cup ground oat groats 1 cup pecans or walnuts 1/2 cup almonds 1/4 cup ground yellow flax 2-4 tablespoons cacao nibs (optional) Blend the first 7 ingredients until smooth. Add the cacao and carob powders and continue blending until fully incorporated.

In a food processor, grind the almonds. Add the pecans and continue grinding into crumbs.

Stir the ground oat groats, nuts and flax together in a bowl. Add the blended mixture and stir all together, adding the cacao nibs for an extra chocolate crunch.

Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a Teflex sheet.

Dehydrate at 145F for 1 hour. Lower temperature to 115F and continue dehydrating until desired texture is achieved, removing Teflex after a few hours. Variation: For a Caramel Chocolate Cookie, before dehydrating the dough, make indentations (size of your choice) with your thumb or spoon. When cool, pour Caramel Sauce* (See recipes on pps. 26-27) into each cookie. Chill a few hours before serving.


Chocolate Chip Cookies I grew up with homemade chocolate chip cookies on a regular basis, so when I discovered cacao nibs I was a happy camper. These are especially great straight out of the dehydrator while they’re still warm.

1 cup cashews 1 cup lightly packed almond pulp 1/4 cup agave 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 2 tablespoons lucuma powder 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 pinches of sea salt 1/4 cup cacao nibs Grind the cashews in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients, except the nibs and process into a smooth dough. Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in the cacao nibs by hand. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a Teflex sheet and press to flatten.

Dehydrate at 115F for about 6 hours, or until you are able to transfer them onto a mesh sheet easily. Continue dehydrating until the cookies are still chewy on the outside, or longer to achieve a crispier cookie.

Super Granola Bars I love these granola bars because they are packed with superfoods and are easy to “grab n’ go”. I throw them into my purse, pass them out to friends, and give them to my mom for her desk drawer at work. Follow Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe on p. 46 Add to the dough: 1 cup shredded coconut (add more or less depending on your preference) 1 cup cacao nibs 1 cup dried, chopped apricots or dried cranberries


1/2 cup hemp or sesame seeds 1/2 cup goji berries 1/2 cup sunflower seeds Form into a square on a Teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 115F for 6-8 hours and then flip onto the mesh screen. Continue dehydrating for 10-12 hours.

Cut into bars. Dehydrate another few hours, or until desired firmness. Note: This makes a large batch and freezes well for up to 2 months.

Double Chocolate Energy Bar Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Take a few bites of this bar! It’s loaded with dried fruit, raw chocolate, and protein rich nuts and seeds. 1 recipe Basic Dark Chocolate* (See recipe on p. 22) 1/4 cup shredded coconut 1/4 cup nuts, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons dried cranberries or finely chopped dried apricots 2 tablespoons goji berries 1 tablespoon sesame or hemp seeds 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds 1 tablespoon cacao nibs Stir the dry ingredients together and then add this mixture into the Basic Dark Chocolate, mixing well.

Spread into a 6” square pan. Chill. Cut into bars or squares. Note: It’s best to combine the dry ingredients first, and bring them up to room temperature before mixing them into the chocolate, since the chocolate will begin to harden quickly.


N’Ice Creams

Raspberry Ice Cream This is a smooth, delicious, creamy yet light ice cream. It does require a little time, but it's well worth the effort. If you are short on time, then simply use strawberries instead since there is no need to strain the seeds. You can also use any other berries such as blueberries or blackberries. I've added lucuma, but it tastes just as great without! 4 cups raspberries 1 cup almond milk (See instructions on p. 10) 1 cup cashews 1/2 cup agave 3 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons lucuma (optional) Puree the raspberries until smooth. Strain the seeds through a fine mesh strainer (or whatever else you have - a nut milk bag should do). I strained the puree twice, but you might not have to. This should yield 1 1/2 cups seedless raspberry puree.

Add all ingredients (sans the seeds, of course) to the blender and mix until completely smooth and creamy.

Chill the mixture and then process though an ice cream maker OR freeze in an ice cube tray until solid and then process through a champion juicer with the blank plate or high-speed blender. You can also make popsicles out of it!


Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream The refreshing flavour of mint is combined with chunks of chocolate in this creamy ice cream. This was inspired by one I tasted at Tree of Life. 2 cups macadamia nuts 1 cup packed young coconut meat 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup agave nectar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/4 teaspoons mint extract 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup cacao nibs or raw chocolate chunks (See Basic Dark Chocolate* recipe on p. 22) Blend all but nibs until completely smooth and creamy. Chill and then process through an ice cream maker, folding the chocolate chunks in at the end. Freeze. If you do not have an ice cream maker, freeze in a bowl and stir every 30 minutes OR freeze in an ice cube tray until solid and then process through a champion juicer with the blank plate or high-speed blender. Fold in the chocolate chunks before serving. Variations: - For a light green ice cream, add 1/2 cup fresh mint, packed and use only 1 teaspoon mint extract.

- Instead of using chocolate chunks or nibs, serve topped with Chocolate Sauce* on p. 26.


Cardamom Vanilla Ice Cream Cardamom pairs really well with vanilla. If you take it to the next level by adding chocolate, you’ve got a super duper treat! 1 1/2 cups firm young coconut pulp, packed 1 cup cashews 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup agave 3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup coconut oil Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy. Add oil and blend to incorporate. Chill the mixture for a few hours.

Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays, then process through champion juicer with the blank plate or in high-speed blender. Variation: Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Drops Scoop the frozen ice cream into a piping bag and pipe little blobs. Freeze until firm and then dip into the Basic Dark Chocolate* (See recipe on p. 22).


Pomegranate Cranberry Ice Cream This is a nice treat during early winter when pomegranates and cranberries are in season. Make sure to juice them yourself! 1 cup pomegranate juice 1 cup cranberry juice 2 cups cashews 1/2 cup agave, or more to taste 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 teaspoons lightly packed orange zest 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy. Add the oil and continue blending to incorporate. Chill the mixture and then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays, then process through champion juicer with the blank plate or in high-speed blender. Note: I juiced the pomegranate seeds and cranberries in the juicer, but you could also blend the fruits in the blender and then strain.

Double Strawberry Macadamia Nut Ice Cream Ice cream is great in the summer, but why not enjoy it all year around? Use frozen strawberries and make this during the winter. I love the combination of the smooth cream, chunky berries and crunchy nuts. 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews 1 1/2 cups strawberries, chopped, packed 1 cup almond milk (See instructions on p. 10) 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon agave 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt ---


1 cup strawberries, chopped, packed, and lightly mashed 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped Blend all but the last two ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Pour the blended mixture into a bowl and chill in the fridge until cold. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Near the end of freezing, add the strawberries and nuts to the mixture in the ice cream maker.

If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the blended mixture into a bowl and freeze for 2 to 3 hours. Then mix with a spoon and fold in the additional strawberries and nuts. Serve immediately or return to freezer until desired consistency is reached.

Maple Ginger Ice Cream I love the distinct maple flavour with a ginger undertone of this super easy ice cream. Sliced banana and chopped nuts would make a great topping, or simply enjoy it "au naturel". 2 1/2 cups cashews 2 cups almond milk 1 cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger, packed 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add more ginger and/or maple syrup, to taste. Chill the mixture and then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays, then process through champion juicer with the blank plate or in high-speed blender.


Chocolate Lucanilla Ice Cream Here's an ice cream that combines chocolate, lucuma, and vanilla. If you are into it, exchange the agave for maple syrup to complement the maple flavour of the lucuma. I like to top this with banana slices and cacao nibs!

2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews 2 cups water 1 cup young coconut pulp 1/2 -2/3 cup agave 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 pinches of sea salt 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1/2 cup cacao powder 1/4 cup lucuma powder 1 tablespoon carob powder Blend the first 6 ingredients until completely smooth. Add the coconut oil and powders, and continue blending until creamy and smooth. Chill the mixture until cold, and then process through an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays until solid and then process through a champion juicer with a blank plate or high-speed blender.


Miscellaneous Treats

Fruit N Chocolate Parfait Gotta love a parfait! It can be assembled in a matter of minutes if you have a filling recipe ready. Then simply add a layer of chopped nuts and fruit and -- voila! For this recipe you will need:

• Either of the Chocolate Crème recipes from the Basics section on p. 23

• Berries of choice • Coconut Whipped Cream* on p. 24

Assembly Layer either of the Chocolate Crème* recipes with sliced berries and chopped nuts in a glass or bowl.

Top with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream for real decadence. Note: Dress it up by serving it in a martini glass!

Banana Coconut Wraps: 3 Ways I came up with this recipe as I was getting ready to make Sarma Melngailis’ coconut wraps, but didn’t have enough young coconuts. Since I used to make ‘crepes’ all the time with bananas, I decided to mix the two together to see what I could create. Blend together: 1 large banana 1/2 cup young coconut water 1/2 cup packed young coconut meat


Pour half of the mixture onto a Teflex sheet. Pick up the tray and swirl the mixture evenly around, creating a very thin layer. A spatula may help, but I find this method to be easiest.

Repeat with other half of mixture.

Dehydrate at 115F for 4-5 hours or until you can easily peel and flip the sheet over and dry the other side. Continue dehydrating another hour or until still pliable, but easy to handle.

Notes: - You can play around with the ratio, using more or less coconut and banana.

- If not using right away, store the wraps in saran wrap, being careful that the sheets don’t touch as they will stick. They will keep at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Fruit Spring Rolls

This makes a light dessert and is really pretty too! Perfect for entertaining, especially on a hot summer’s day. Here’s the chance to be creative – use fruits that you love!

Wrappers Make Banana Coconut Wraps on p. 56. Cut each sheet into 4 equal sized squares. Filling Banana Papaya Avocado Kiwi fruit Strawberries Mango Any other fruit you can think of! Cut fruit into 3” sticks. Arrange them on one corner of the coconut wrapper.


Roll up into a spring roll, making sure that it is tight and that the sides are tucked in. Salsa Use any combination of fruits you like, diced small and gently mixed together.

Spoon over the spring roll. Mango Ginger Dipping Sauce 2/3 cup diced mango 1” piece fresh ginger, peeled 1/3 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons light agave Pinch of sea salt Blend until creamy. Serve with the Spring Rolls.

Chocolate Hemp Ravioli

The hemp and cacao in these wraps makes this a true superfood dessert! Ravioli Wrappers Prepare the Banana Coconut Wraps mixture on p. 56. Pour and spread into rounds on the Teflex sheet before dehydrating. Filling

• 1 recipe Chocolate Crème* (See recipe on p. 23) • Hemp seeds as needed

Assembly Spread about 1 tablespoon of Crème on 1/2 of each round. Sprinkle with hemp seeds.

Fold in half. Press to seal each ravioli.

Dust with cacao powder, fresh berries, and edible flowers.


Banana Phyllo Triangles

I used to make chocolate banana triangles using phyllo pastry in my cooking days. Here is a raw version that I swear tastes so much better! Phyllo Wrappers Make Banana Coconut Wraps on p. 56. After dehydrating, cut each sheet into long strips, 2”- 3” wide. Filling

• 1 cup Coconut Whipped Cream* (See recipe on p. 24) or Vanilla Cheesecake Filling* (on p. 27)

• 1 large banana, chopped • Optional: Chocolate Sauce* on p. 26 or Caramel Sauce* on pps. 26-

27 Assembly Gently fold the banana into the whipped cream.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto each wrapper and fold it over to create a triangle (See detailed instructions on pps. 80-81 of the Photo version.)

Drizzle with General Chocolate Sauce or Caramel Sauce and sliced bananas. Note: Fold triangle 3 times if they are to be eaten within 24 hours, otherwise they will be too thick, and therefore tough.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups I loved chocolate peanut butter cups when I was a kid. However, as I got older, I developed an intolerance to peanuts. Almond butter now fills that craving, and in this recipe it does the trick for my beloved old favourite! Chocolate Cup 1 recipe Basic Dark Chocolate* (See recipe on p. 22) Swirl the melted chocolate mixture evenly around the inside of 10 mini silicone muffin cups. You may have to do 2 coats to create a solid cup. Chill 30 minutes in the fridge to harden the chocolate. Peanut Butter Filling 1 cup raw almond butter 2 tablespoons agave 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Mix filling ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Assembly Peel the silicone cup away from the chocolate, leaving a chocolate shell. Fill the cup with some Peanut Butter Filling. Optional: Spread more melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter filling. Now it’s just like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup!


Dessert Sushi Here’s a sweet twist on sushi. Remember to eat it with chopsticks!

Nori 2 medium bananas 1 teaspoon spirulina Blend bananas and spirulina until smooth. Pour onto a Teflex sheet and spread a thin, even layer over the entire sheet.

Dehydrate at 115F until you are able to peel the entire sheet off easily, about 6-7 hours.

Flip the banana sheet onto the screen sheet and continue to dehydrate a bit longer (no more than an hour), making sure it is still pliable. Cut the sheet of “nori” into four equal squares.

Cashew Rice 1 cup cashews or macadamia nuts 1 teaspoon agave 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil 3-4 teaspoons water Grind the cashews in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender as finely as possible. Transfer to a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Fillings A variety of your favourite sliced fruit. Here are some choices: Strawberries Kiwi Orange Avocado Mango Banana Pineapple Pomegranates


Assembly Press some of the ‘Rice’ mixture onto one of the “nori” sheets, as you would with sushi rice.

Arrange your choice of fruit along one end of the “nori” sheet, over the “Rice”.

Roll up tightly and let sit for a few hours to soften.

Slice the roll into 1-2 inch pieces with a sharp knife.

Serve with General Chocolate Sauce* (See recipe on p. 26), as the ‘soy sauce’ and mashed avocado as the wasabi.


Peppermint Chocolate Squares This recipe is based on the traditional mint Nanaimo bars that I used to enjoy. A dense, chocolate nut crust, creamy mint filling, topped with solid dark chocolate. What’s not to like!?! For this recipe you will need:

• 1 recipe Chocolate Crust* (See recipe on p. 29) • 1 recipe Mint Filling • 1 recipe Basic Dark Chocolate* (See recipe on p. 22)

Mint Filling 2 cups cashews 1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed 2/3 cup water 1/3 cup agave 1/4 cup melted cacao butter 1/2-1 teaspoon peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint essential oil (optional)* Blend the cashews, mint, water, and agave until smooth and creamy. Add the cacao and the mint extract, starting with a small amount and adding more, to taste. Chill this mixture in the fridge or freezer for a few hours or until firm. *You may want to use the extract in addition to the leaves, for a stronger peppermint flavour. Assembly Press Chocolate Crust into the bottom of an 8” pan.

Spread Mint Filling evenly over the crust.

Top with Dark Chocolate mixture.

Chill about 30 minutes in the fridge (the chocolate should still be slightly soft) and then slice into squares with a wet, hot knife. Continue to chill until the coating is hard.


Raw Resources Here are some online resources that I highly recommend checking out. Online stores that carry a wide array of products from raw ingredients, to dehydrated goodies, books, equipment, and

more:

Canada

Real Raw Food – http://www.realrawfood.com/

Upaya Naturals - www.upayanaturals.com

US

The Raw Food World - http://www.therawfoodworld.com/

Sunfood - http://www.sunfood.com/Catalog/Default.aspx

Alissa Cohen - http://www.alissacohen.com/

Online raw forums and blogs full of recipes, information, and meet ups:

The Sunny Raw Kitchen - http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/

Raw Goddess Heathy - http://rawgoddessheathy.blogspot.com/

Raw Freedom Community - http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/

We Like It Raw - http://www.welikeitraw.com/

The Raw Chef - http://www.therawchefblog.com/


Raw Food Talk - http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/

Gone Raw - http://goneraw.com/

G Living - http://gliving.tv/greenchefs/

Some raw food recipe books, ebooks and literature that I highly recommend include:

Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen

Rawvolution by Matt Amsden

I Am Grateful from Café Gratitude

Raw Food Real World by Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenny

The Complete Book of Raw Food by Baird and Rodwell

The Best of the Sunny Raw Kitchen by Carmella

The Best of Raw Freedom Community by Carmella

Purely Delicious Raw Food

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