Category: dessert

Berry Oat Mylk

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Making your own oat mylk is so easy and economical. Adding berries takes it to a new level of enjoyment and can be frozen into popsicles.

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups berries, your choice or use cherries, mango, kiwi or pineapple
  • softened dates, depending on the sweetness of fruit. I usually add 5 and adjust more after tasting if needed.
  • Adding spices/herbs that you like add a nice flavor variation (cinnamon, chili, cardamom, nutmeg, mint, basil, etc.)

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You can drink it like this, but I prefer to strain out the remaining oat fiber and berry seeds, so I pour the mixture through a nut milk bag or fine strainer/sieve. Refrigerate and enjoy by the glassful, poured over granola or chopped fruit, or freeze in popsicle molds or ice cubes trays for frozen treat..

 

Berry- Spacho

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This is a wonderfully refreshing cool starter or dessert soup. Perfect at the height of berry season or you can use frozen berries that have been thawed.

  • 2-3 cups fresh berries, mixture is nice (strawberries, black, blue or raspberries)
  • 1 kiwi, diced
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1 lemon, squeezed
  • 11/2 cup fresh / frozen berries ( these are for blending so frozen and thawed is fine, I like strawberries  and raspberries for this. Blueberries will thicken up because of all the pectin they naturally have, so use more l juice or water if using them.)
  • 2 oranges, peeled and seeds removed or 1 cup juice
  • 5 softened dates
  • 1 cup water
  • pinch of cayenne, optional

In a mixing bowl, add fresh berries, diced kiwi, apple, cucumber and mint. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, fresh/frozen berries, dates, oranges and water. Blend into a creamy sauce. Pour this over the diced fruit and serve or chill. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne when ready to serve.

 

 

Frozen Berry Lemon Bars

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  • 1 can chickpeas, you only want the liquid. (Use the beans for making hummus or bake them for a crunchy salad topping.)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar, ground fine

Combine the chickpea liquid and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and using a hand or stand mixer, beat until soft peaks form. This takes a couple minutes. Then add sugar and beat until firm peaks form. Set this aside while you make the cashew cream.

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours
  • 5 dates, softened
  • 2 lemons, juice and zest
  • 1/4-1/2 cup water

Strain the cashews from soaking water and add to a blender with dates and lemon juice/zest. Add 1/4 cup water and blend starting on low speed until the cashews begin breaking up and then adjust speed to high. Add more water only if you need to in order for it to blend smoothly. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add

  • 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil (only if you need more lemon flavor)
  • 2 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil

Blend until thoroughly combined and creamy. Pour this cashew cream into the meringue, folding gently, rather than mixing. Then fold in:

  •  1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen ( I like to break frozen berries into pieces)

Line a pan with parchment or plastic wrap. Pour the mixture over a coconut-date crust that has been pressed into a pan and then freeze for several hours. For ice cream bars without a crust, spread into a plastic wrap-lined square pan and freeze.

  • For a crust:
  • 1/2 cup nuts or seeds
  • 1/2 cup pitted soft dates
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut shreds
  • Pinch salt

In a food processor, pulse until everything breaks down into a crumble that will hold together when pressed or pinched.

If you only want coconut crust, increase coconut by 1/2 cup and omit the nuts.

Let me know if you give this a try. I really liked the light refreshing taste and the ice cream- like texture without having to use an ice cream maker.

Berry Chia Jam

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  • 2 cups berries, (raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry or mixture)
  • 2 T honey or maple syrup
  • 2 T lemon juice, fresh
  • 2 T chia seeds
  • fresh herbs optional – mint, basil, oregano

Blend the berries, lemon juice, sweetener and some fresh herbs if using, until smooth or just a little chunk remaining. Pour into a bowl and whisk in chia seeds. If you prefer seedless jam, strain berry mixture through a fine sieve and grind the chia seeds before stirring into the fruit. Put into jars and refrigerate overnight.

Use this mixture as a topping for non-dairy ice cream, over biscuits or pancakes, to add beautiful color to dessert plates, or stirred into yogurt. Just enjoy the bright flavor and nutritional benefits!

Caramel Apple Dessert

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Caramel Apple Dessert ( Nut, Dairy, Gluten, Soy and Refined Sugar – FREE)

Crust
1 1/2 C hemp seeds (can sub cashews)
1/4 C coconut flour
3 Tbs honey
1 Tbs coconut sugar
1 Tbs coconut oil

In a food processor, combine hemp seeds and coconut flour and process until a very fine meall is reached. Add remaining crust ingredients and pulse until it becomes sticky. Press into a parchment lined 8X8 in baking dish.
Place in freezer while you make the filling.

Filling
1 1/2 cups of dried Apple slices, soaked for 15-30 minutes to soften slightly
2Tbs maple syrup or honey
1/3 C sunflower butter (may substitute,  almond or cashew  butter)
2Tbs coconut sugar
3 Dates
1/4 C cacao butter, melted (may substitute. Coconut oil)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Soak apples, strain and gently squeeze out excess water. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix well to completely combine into a thick caramel. Spread about half of this mixture over crust. Roughly chop the dried apples and add them to the remaining caramel. Stir to coat the apples well. Pour into pan and spread evenly.  Place in freezer while you make chocolate layer.

Chocolate layer
1/4 C cacao butter, shaved and melted, measure before melting ( may substitute coconut oil)
1/4 C cacao powder
3 Tbs maple syrup or honey

Pinch salt or sprinkle Malden salt on top.

Shave cacao butter into a small bowl or jar, melt it by placing the jar into a pan or bowl of steaming water. Once its melted, add to the remaining ingredients and whisk well to combine and until it is shiny and smooth. Pour over the caramel and apples. Place in refrigerator until set. Slice into pieces and enjoy!

Cherry Fudge Balls

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These would make a festive healthy treat for the upcoming Christmas holiday and also a special valentines treat. They are easy to throw together if you have some dried fruit and soaked nuts.  Soaking can be done a couple days ahead, as drained fruit and nuts will keep in the fridge for about five days in a sealed container. That can save time on the day you want to make everything.

The balls will also keep for several days in the fridge or much longer if frozen. Different fruit and nuts can be substituted to change the flavor profile. Also including a little cinnamon, ginger and cardamom would add a nice Chai flavor.

  • 2 cups walnuts, soaked for 4 hours, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup tart dry cherries, soaked for 15 minutes until soft
  • 3 dates, pitted and soaked with cherries
  • 6 Tbs. of cacao powder
  • 2 Tbs coconut sugar, ground fine
  • pinch of fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Put 2 Tbs of cacao powder and 1 Tbs of the coconut sugar in a small bowl, add the pepper, stir to mix  and set aside. Add the walnuts to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. add remaining ingredients and process until a dough is formed and the mixture is pretty smooth.  If you choose not to soak the nuts, the dough may be dry, so I recommend adding a tablespoon of water to make it more like fudge. Using a tablespoon or scoop, make small balls rolling in your palm and then placing in the powdered cacao, sugar, pepper mixture. Coat each ball with the powder and set in a serving bowl or on a plate. Take a bite, close your eyes and taste deeply!

Cardamom Chocolate Mousse Cake

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This celebration cake is a good source of  zinc, selenium, Vit. E, antioxidants, good fats, and digestive aid.

For this recipe you will need a Food processor and High speed blender

  • 1 ½ cup Cashews
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 cup almond or coconut milk/water
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Cardamom
  • ½ cup sweetener: coconut nectar, honey or maple syrup
  • ½ cup cacao butter, melted
  • ¼ cup Coconut oil, melted
  • 2 teaspoons lecithin

Crust:

  • 10 brazil nuts
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 ¼ cup almonds
  • 2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon of cardamom
  • pinch salt
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil

To make the crust: use a food processor and grind nuts until a fine meal is achieved. Add the cacao powder, cardamom and salt, pulse to combine. Add oil and pulse again to combine and continue until the mixture just starts to roll over as it is processed. Check consistency, pinch some of the crust and if it holds shape, it is ready. Press into a 10 inch springform pan.

To make the filling: Combine the cashews and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Stop and add the avocado, cacao powder, vanilla, cardamom and sweetener, blend until smooth, scraping down sides of container if necessary. Turn blender on and while it is on, add the melted oils and lecithin. Blend for another minute until completely incorporated. Pour filling mixture into crust, chill for at least 4 hours before serving