shortbread v 2.0 -- vegan, gluten free, grain free, sugar free

These use xylitol from birch trees as a sweetener. Plus side -- xylitol tastes good and isn't bad for you. Minus side -- xylitol makes for 'damp' food. Somehow it likes to absorb water.

1 cup hot water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup xylitol


1 tbsp ground vanilla
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup ground chia seeds
2 cups almond flour
1 cup ground raw cashews

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup coconut flour


combine the ingredients:
bake at 345 for 40 minutes, then let sit in the oven once you turn it off for one more hour.

1. combine the ingredients in the order listed
2. roll out onto a baking sheet and score
3. bake at 345 for 60 minutes followed by 200 for 60 minutes and then leave in the oven and turn off the heat until the oven cools

Pizza for New Year's Eve

dough

ingredients:

1 cup  warm water

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp yeast

1 tbsp oregano

2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

1 cup almond meal

1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/2 cup quinoa flakes

2 cups kamut flour
3/4 cup spelt flour

(makes enough for 2 very large, thin crust pizzas or for a bunch of little pizzas)

directions:

1. combine water with honey (should be ‘bath’ temperature)

2. add yeast, stir, and let sit.

3. Combine other ingredients in a bowl (or in your mixer -- I use my mixer to make all doughs. but it's completely doable by hand, especially because of the short kneading time)

4. Add proofed yeast mixture and stir to combine and form into dough

5. Knead dough for a couple of minutes (only). Add as much kamut flour as you need to for correct dough consistency. Dough should be soft but not really sticky.

6. Make a dough ball, coat in olive oil, put in bowl, cover with a piece of parchment and a damp tea towel, and allow to rise.

When it comes time to make the pizza:

preheat the oven to 345

1. divide the dough into small portions

2. roll each portion on a piece of parchment until thin

3. cover each with tomato sauce (I reduced our usual sauce until it was super rich and thick)

4. cover the sauce with a mixture of grated mozzarella and parmesan

5. cover the cheese with sauteed onions and slice tomatoes or whatever else you fancy

6. bake at 345 for 30 minutes or until the cheese is getting golden and so is the crust

7. :)

New Year's Day Lunch -- a vegan delight

After a couple of hours out in the fresh air, we were ready for a virtuous lunch.

1. torn baby spinach dressed with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper
2. cashew dip
3. avocado dip
4. gluten-free pizza dough biscuits
5. pizza dough biscuits
6. crudites

Guacamole -- holy moly

3 small avocados
lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cumin


directions:

1. mash and combine

Great with crudites!

Cashew cheese -- cat chew cheese ???? raw, vegan, gluten free, dairy free and yummy

1 1/2 cups raw cashews soaked in filtered water with a little sea salt for at least 4 hours
1/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp mesquite
1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper
dash nutmeg

directions:

1. soak the cashews in filtered water for at least 4 hours and discard water
2. process the soaked cashews with 1/4 cup fresh water along with all the other ingredients

This makes a delicious creamy thick dip -- spreadable or scoopable. Does it taste like cheese? Great with fresh veggies.

shape cookies -- treats for warriors -- vegan, grain free, gluten free, sugar free

These are no good for school, but a simple and not too sweet cookie for kids little and big. The remind me ever so slightly of graham wafers, but their hit is more nutty. Nice with tea. Good for vegans and primal pale primitives as well. Evolved or not, you'll like 'em.

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup coconut nectar
1/4 cup coconut sugar

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


1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/2 cup ground cashews
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup ground sesame seeds

1/4 cup coconut flour


combine, chill, roll out, bake at 345 for 12 minutes

Vegan orange ice cream

ingredients:

1 400 ml can of organic coconut milk (don't use low fat, use regular)
1/2 cup coconut nectar

2 tsp orange essence
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt


directions:

1. combine the ingredients and chill
2. freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions.

Vegan Peanut Butter and Honey Ice Cream

When it comes to ice cream, one of my favourite ingredients is coconut milk. It is naturally creamy and offers a satisfying thickness and dreamy texture. While peanut butter and honey may not quite work themselves up to a tango, they are definitely dirty dancing after a fashion -- or maybe it's that awkward side to side thing kids used to do in high-school? P.S. Don't use 'light' coconut milk. Enjoy a small serving of ice cream that is made with all the fat of regular coconut milk -- not to mention peanut butter -- and you will find it satisfying.

ingredients:

1 can (400 ml) organic coconut milk

1/2 cup peanut butter -- smooth, organic, all natural etc etc

1/4 cup unpasteurized honey
1/4 cup coconut nectar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/16 tsp peppermint extract


directions:

1. combine the ingredients (I use an immersion blender), and chill
2. freeze in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions

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.