Chocolate Energy Bars -- Sunflower seeds and hemp hearts

If my son could, he'd subsist on these. Fortunately, there's actually nothing in these he should be eating, so I don't mind throwing a few in his lunch box every day. As he watches the other kids eating their jello and rice crispy marshmallow treats, he actually pities them they don't get to have these. 

ingredients:

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw hemp hearts

1/4 cup ground sesame seeds -- black

1 cup raw cacao powder

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp stevia powder

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 cup coconut butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

directions:

1. combine the first set of ingredients (up to not including the dates) and process until fully powdered

2. add the pitted honey dates (check for pits) and pulse until completely chopped

3. add the coconut butter and pulse until combined

4. add the coconut oil and pulse until combined

5. press into a silicone pan (I use 2 square ones), and score into pieces

6. chill or freeze until set

7. break along score marks and store in airtight containers in the fridge

Chocolate School Muffins -- a sugar free, gluten free, nut free, grain free delicacy

I continue with making lunch box fare for my 4 year old. I keep coming back to a variation on the chocolate muffin because of his enduring a reliable passion for chocolate. These muffins are not really sweet, because the large amount of raw cacao is bitter enough to counteract even the datey-est of dates. However, the taste is very pleasant and satisfying, and they provide a solid belly-filler around which to build a lunch box. I got one of those little quad boxes for LZ, and will put steamed broccoli in one (tried baby tomatoes, carrots, celery etc, but he just wants broccoli), cubes of cheese in one, and some grapes or macaroons or energy bars in the fourth. It gives good variety, good nutrition, and plenty of energy to keep a small human going all day. I also send a separate snack box with a few energy bars in case he needs it, but he touches that rarely. Well, I recommend these to anyone who wants a nut-free, gluten free, wholesome meal for breakfast or lunch. If there are any seeds you don't like, it's easy enough to substitute. Hate pumpkin? Use sunflower! Hate sesame? Use extra hemp hearts. It's all good.

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil (organic and unrefined)

1 cup pitted honey dates

2 cups hot water

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

4 eggs

1/2 cup raw cacao

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1tsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp sea salt

4 tbsp ground chia seeds

1 cup ground pumpkin seeds (or 1 cup of ground sunflower seeds, or some combination of the two)

1/2 cup hemp seeds 

1/2 cup ground flax

1/4 cup ground black sesame seeds

1 cup shredded coconut -- ground

1/2 tsp baking soda

directions:

1. combine the dates, coconut oil, and hot water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then, puree with an immersion blender. Alternately, you can use a food processor, or a regular blender.

2. add the cacao, vanilla, salt, ground chia seeds, ground pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds), hemp seeds, ground flax, ground seseame seeds and blend again

3. add the baking soda and blend

4. add the eggs and blend

4. stir in the ground shredded coconut

5. scoop into prepare muffin cups and bake at 345 for 40 minutes

Red Rice Sushi

I usually make our sushi with cal rose brown rice. I get grains that are so short they are nearly round. However, I ran out of brown rice, and tried making sushi with colusari red, which is a medium length whole grain, and is red. I cooked it the way I cook brown rice for sushi -- 1:2 with water -- and it ended up adequately starchy and sticky that it held together for our cute and colourful sushi rolls. Tonights escapade involved black sesame seeds, avocado, and spinach. I hate to be redundant, but that's what I had in my fridge. Did I mention I hate shopping? These taste great! I wonder what purple rice sushi would taste like??

ingredients:

1 cup red colusari rice
2 cups water

brown rice vinegar
sea salt

avocado

spinach leaves

nori


directions:

1. cook the rice in the water -- 1 hour
2. season the rice with the vinegar and sea salt
3. spread the rice on sheets of nori
4. lay down the fillings, and roll the sushi up
5. slice and serve

Superfood Energy Bars -- a vegan, gluten free, sugar free, high energy snack

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground black sesame seeds

1/4 cup flax meal

1/4 cup wheat grass

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 cup goji berries

1/2 cup golden berries

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup organic coconut butter

directions:

1. in a food processor, combine the raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flax meal, wheat grass, vanilla bean, and sea salt

2. turn on and process until it resembles sand

3. add the dates, goji berries, and golden berries and pulse and then process until ground up

4. add the coconut oil, and pulse

5. add the coconut butter, and pulse

6. divide between 2 square silicone pans, score into pieces, and freeze

7. when fully chilled, break along the score lines, and store in airtight containers in the fridge.

More Breakfast Muffins -- dates and seeds and yummy goodness

Once again I've decided to go with that whole alchemy thang that happens when I combine date, vanilla, and ground sesame. It's not that it turns to gold or anything so prosaic. It's just that it's more than you think it's going to be. It doesn't taste all date-y and seed-y. It's delicious and wholesome at the same time. And these are a great way to start the day, or a snack on the go. Grain free, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, nut free. But still super good for you, super moist, super yummy. How does she do it? The best part is my kid loves them and is happy to start the day with them, which I know will give him the energy he needs to play and learn.

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

2 cups water

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup hemp hearts

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

4 eggs

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup black sesame seeds

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 tsp baking soda

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. in a food processor, process the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds to a fine grind. Add the sesame seeds and shredded coconut

2. add the dates and process again, followed by the baking soda

3. in a bowl, pour hot water over coconut oil to melt

4. add the apple cider vinegar

5. add the shredded coconut, flax meal and chia seeds

6. add the sea salt and vanilla bean

7. add the eggs, and mix well

8. add the mixture of ground dates and seeds and baking soda, and mix well

9. scoop into 24 prepared muffin cups and bake at 345 for 35 minutes