Banana and Chocolate do the Babycake

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups very ripe banana pureed with a hand blender

1/2 cup coconut nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar

4 eggs

2 tbsp ground chia seeds

1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1/2 cup raw cacao

1/2 cup ground cashews
2 cups almond flour

1/2 tsp baking soda


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the banana, coconut nectar, and coconut oil using a hand blender (or by hand)
2. add the eggs and mix well
3. add the chia seed, sea salt, vanilla bean, raw cacao and cinnamon
4. stir in the cashews and almond flour, followed by the baking soda
5. scoop the batter into prepared muffin cups, and bake at 345 for 45 minutes

makes 24 baby cakes

Baked Veggies

This dish is an enduring addiction of mine. The simplicity of the flavours of vegetables baked separately with a little coconut oil and sea salt combine together to make a complex and stunning bouquet of deliciousness.

1. 500 g king baby oyster mushrooms, sliced, tossed with coconut oil, and sea salt, and baked at 345 for 30 minutes

2. 1 red cabbage, diced and 1 heart of celery sliced, tossed with coconut oil and sea salt and baked at 345 for 30 minutes

3. 1 butter nut squash, diced,  tossed with coconut oil and sea salt, and baked at 345 for 45 minutes

4. 3 small sweet potatoes (asian kind) cut into pieces, one medium onion diced, 1 pint grape tomatoes cut into eighths, tossed with coconut oil and sea salt and baked at 345 for 50 minutes

5. 1 large parsnip cut into pieces and 3 large carrots cut into slices all tossed with coconut oil and baked at 345 for 25 minutes


directions:

After all the ingredients are baked, combine them. I made this a couple of days ahead, then reheated it slightly. Perfection!!

Simple Soup for a Cozy Lunch

We had friends coming for lunch. This is what we ate!!

As a post Christmas meal, it was both virtuous and delicious.

ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 onion, very finely chopped

4 cups chickpeas, soaked but not cooked
500 g frozen green peas

1/4 cup finely crumbled dried mushrooms (I used my coffee grinder!)
1/4 cup beluga lentils

2 cups finely chopped red cabbage
3 cups diced sweet potato
2 cups diced carrot
2 cups diced celery

1 tbsp marjoram
1 tbsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
4 tsp sea salt
black pepper

8 cups water

after:

2 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste


directions:

1. layer the ingredients in the crockpot in the order listed
2. cook for 6 hours
3. serve to good friends with a soupçon of whimsy

Garlic buns to go with soup

A simple savoury treat to go with a great bowl of soup. Pair this with the tomato and coconut milk veggie soup, and you will be a happy camper.

1 cup warm water
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp yeast

1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup flax meal

2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano

3 cups spelt flour

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar


1. combine the warm water, honey, and yeast and set aside
2. combine the flakes, seeds, almond flour, sea salt, garlic, chill, oregano, spelt flour
3. mix the water with the dry ingredients, and add the vinegar
4. knead to form an elastic dough
5. divide the dough into 20 balls of 50 g each
6. rise and bake

Tomato and Coconut Milk Veggie Soup -- vegan and gluten free, naturally.

Tomato sauce and coconut milk do mellow naughty things together.

This is a brilliant soup for lunch or dinner -- hearty but will not induce coma.

4 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

4 cups of soaked chickpeas
500 g green peas

1 1/2 cups very finely chopped red cabbage

2 cups diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
3 cups diced sweet potato

4 tsp sea salt
black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp marjoram

400 ml 1 can coconut milk

500 ml tomato sauce -- I went to my freezer for this sauce

4 cups water


directions:

1. layer the ingredients into your crockpot in the order listed
2. cook for 6 hours
3. enjoy. Delicious!!!!!

We served this for lunch on the 26th when Nana and Papa visited us along with little garlic buns, and crudites with guacamole. Yum!

Bread -- Our Latest

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp bread yeast

2 tsp sea salt
a little black pepper
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup quinoa flakes

4 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 1/2 cups spelt flour +-
(or you can choose kamut if you prefer)

1

Post-Christmas Settle-Down

We enjoyed our annual x-mas day tradition of friends and family coming over for 'breakfast'. I call it breakfast, but since people come over at 11, it's not really breakie in the bacon-and-eggs sense of the word. It's just a meal. But it's loved ones and good moods, a day off, music, lots of food, and relaxed good times. We got to enjoy such delectable goodies as baked veggies, baked apple, blueberry breakfast cake, banana baby cakes, fresh baked bread, gravlax for those of us who partake, and cookies of all denominations. The best part was seeing people we love seeing. The worst part? Nothing! It was all good.

Giant Baked Apple

Baked Veggies

Banana Babycakes

Blueberry Breakfast Babycakes

Sugar Cookies

Cookie Bars

Apricot Oatmeal Cookies

Bread

Chocolate Almond

Buttery Apricot Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp orange extract

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup kamut
1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped apricots


combine the ingredients
roll into balls and place on a baking sheet
flatten
bake at 345 for 12-14 minutes

Giant Baked Apple

I like to use nemesis to bake apple like this.
I melt the coconut oil for a few minutes in the oven as it preheats, then toss the ingredients with the melted oil before packing it all into the dutch oven, and baking it for 60 minutes.  Delish.


The thing about this is it's more than apple sauce, but less than pie. The vanilla makes it a party. You can skip the vanilla if you want, and go spicier with flavours like ginger and saigon or korintje cinnamon. The ceylon is a lyrical whisper in an apple orchard instead of a unwavering solo aria. The tart apples give more distinct apple flavour and intention than galas would. Addictive and scrumptious.

ingredients:


4 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted

12 cups coarsely chopped apple  -- I used very tart apples this time
2 cups organic thompson raisins
1/2 tsp sea salt
a little black pepper
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon


directions:

1. melt the oil in a casserole and toss all the ingredients well before covering and baking for 60 minutes at 345. I use a giant cast iron casserole.

Blueberry baby cakes -- grain free, gluten free, etc etc

Breakfast on December 25th is looming large, and in preparation I am making baby cakes and baked apple. Other goodies have already been made. Yet more are still to follow. These are light and moist, delicate and sweet, wholesome enough for breakfast, but not stodgy. Perfect with tea. Try 'em. You'll like 'em.

 ingredients:

 2 cups warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup unpasteurized local honey
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
ground black pepper (just a little)
1/4 cup hemp hearts, ground
1/2 cup raw cashews, ground
1/2 cup white sesame seeds, ground
1/4 cup white chia seeds, ground
1 cup shredded coconut, ground

 4 eggs

1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups blanched almond flour

 2 cups of frozen blueberries (still frozen) or fresh if you have

 coconut sugar to sprinkle on top


 directions:

 preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the honey, coconut oil, and water
2. add the vanilla bean, cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper
3. stir in the ground hemp, cashews, sesame seeds, chia seeds, and coconut
4. mix in the eggs and the baking soda
5. stir in the almond flour
6. quickly fold in the blueberries and scoop into 24 prepared muffin cups
7. sprinkle the top of each generously with coconut sugar
8. bake at 345 for 50 minutes

Banana babycakes -- gluten free, grain free, wholesome, delicious

Banana cake doesn't have to be a dirty word.  These little cuties are among my husband's addictions. I usually make 'em without chocolate, but this time I added the naughty little whisper of very dark chocolate for an extra kick of dissipation. I went with crude and roughly chopped up a bar of very very dark european chocolate, so the pieces of chocolate are kind of in your face. Aside from that they are gluten free, grain free, sugar free, wholesome, and made with kind thoughts and turbulent dreams.

The truth is that these little cakes are not evil, they're just drawn that way. The coconut nectar is a graceful and eloquent sweetener that refuses to spike your blood-sugar, and marries beautifully with anything fruity. Ta da, banana bliss.

1 1/2 cups very ripe banana pureed with a hand blender

1/2 cup coconut nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

2 tbsp ground chia seeds

1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 tbsp ceylon cinnamon

1/2 cup ground cashews
2 cups almond flour



1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup good quality european chocolate (callebaut chips or a dark bar chopped coarsely) (optional)
directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the banana, coconut nectar, and coconut oil using a hand blender (or by hand)
2. add the eggs and mix well
3. add the chia seed, sea salt, vanilla bean, and cinnamon
4. stir in the cashews and almond flour, followed by the baking soda
5. scoop the batter into prepared muffin cups, and bake at 345 for 45 minutes

makes 24 baby cakes


I made a double batch -- 24 with chocolate and 24 without

Crockpot Stew -- giant lima beans in the pink

You are probably sick of me going on about the goings on in my crockpot. But let me tell you that this one is too good to miss. Imagine the satisfying toothsome texture of giant limas simmered in a stew of veggies, tomato sauce, and coconut milk. The coconut milk mellows the bite of the tomato sauce, and the veggies all add sweetness and texture. Truly a delicious combination. Yo, vegans!!

ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

3 cloves of garlic, very finely minced

1 large onion, very finely chopped

500 g frozen green peas

4 cups giant lima beans soaked but not cooked (bring to a boil in plenty of water for 2 minutes then turn off heat and soak for 1 hour. Rinse well)


2 cups diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
3 cups diced sweet potato

3 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp herbe de provence

4 cups tomato sauce (either make it using tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, or take some out of your freezer)

400 ml coconut milk


1. layer the ingredients in the order listed
2. cook for 4-6 hours on high in your crockpot

Vegan Sugar Cookies suitable for school V 2.0

1/2 cup water
2 tsp egg replacer
1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup agave
1/2 cup coconut sugar
4 tbsp xylitol

1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup peppermint extract

1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tbsp ground vanilla powder

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup chia seeds, ground
1/4 cup white sesame seeds, ground
1 cup shredded coconut finely ground

1/4 cup arrowroot flour

1 cup sunflower seeds, finely ground to powder

1/2 cup coconut flour


directions:

preheat oven to 345

1. combine the ingredients
2. if desired, chill and roll into balls, then flatten with the bottom of a glass (wet it first so it doesn't stick)
3. otherwise, drop spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet and flatten, although they won't be as round

bake for 20 minutes

Chocolate almond

2 cups raw almonds -- roasted to perfection and broken into pieces

3 cups good quality chocolate
1 tbsp vanilla extract
pinch sea salt


directions:

1. melt the cocolate in a double boiler
2. add the salt and vanilla if you want
3. stir in the crushed roasted almonds
4. spread on a lined baking sheet to cool
5. break into pieces and store in an airtight container

vegan 'sugar' cookies sans sugar, sans gluten, sans grain

1/2 cup water
2 tsp egg replacer
1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup agave
1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup peppermint extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup chia seeds, ground
1/4 cup white sesame seeds, ground
1 cup shredded coconut finely ground

2 tbsp arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp baking soda


1/2  cup sunflower seeds, finely ground to powder

1/2 cup coconut flour

coconut sugar and
xylitol to sprinkle on top


directions:

1. combine the ingredients
2. chill the dough
3. roll between 2 layers of parchment and cut with cookie cutters
3.5 OPTIONAL sprinkle the cookies with coconut sugar and/or xylitol
4. bake on a lined cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 345
5. store in an airtight container

Cookie bars for school

This rich and dense mixture of ground seeds, shredded coconut, raisins, and chocolate chip makes a satisfying and delectable treat. Gluten free, sugar free (except for the callebaut chocolate), nut free, grain free, and vegan, it's a pretty good choice for all those on your list. Best of all, I doubled and recipe and baked it on a parchment lined full-sized cookie sheet (the kind with edges), so I made a lot at once. Woot. Actually, that's not the best part. The best part is that they are super yummy.

ingredients:

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup flax meal
1/4 cup agave
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil

2 eggs or 1/2 cup water and 2 tsp egg replacer mixed together

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp saigon cinnamon

1 tbsp ground vanilla

black pepper

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
1 cup shredded coconut 

1 cup pumpkin seeds, ground to a powder
1 cup sunflower seeds, ground to a powder
1/2 cup sesame seeds, ground to a powder

1 cup raisins

1 cup chocolate morsels, bittersweet

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the flax meal and boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes

2. add the coconut oil, coconut sugar, and apple cider vinegar

3. add the cinnamon, vanilla, sea salt, and black pepper

4. add in the hemp seeds

5. add the almond flour

6. add the raisins, chocolate, and walnuts

7. press into a rectangular baking dish lined with parchment

8. bake at 345 for 50 minutes

9. cut into bars

10. store in an airtight container when cool

Black sushi

We got some organic black rice and it became sushi.

Apparently black rice gets its intense colour from anthocyanins (yay). So, together with avocado, nori, and organic sesame seeds, this meal is a winner.

Rice:

2 cups raw rice
4 cups water
sea salt



apple cider vinegar
sea salt


nori

avocado

organic brown sesame seeds