Raw Vegan Nut-free Oil-free Cacao Truffles

Yes, you read that right.  Low-fat chocolate?  Did hell just freeze?  Possibly.  It's been pretty cold around here.  When the lady hormones kick into high gear and all I want to eat is rich, creamy chocolate, I have to get creative. We all know that raw cacao has plenty of health properties, but when you have to make candies by adding oils or nuts, it can get pretty heavy and calorie-dense.  Now, I'm not one to count calories, but I do like to go light on my digestive system, especially since I've been juicing a bunch lately.  When I received my latest ten-pound box of medjool dates from 7HotDates.com, I had an idea.  And it was a good one!  If you are looking for a low-guilt alternative to the standard chocolate bar, enjoy these... Lots of these. 

Raw Vegan Nut-Free, Oil-free Cacao Truffles

Makes 20-25 truffles

12-15 soft medjool dates (you could use a harder variety of date soaked for an hour or so in warm water, just drain the water before processing.)

4 tbsp raw cacao powder (or cocoa)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1-2 tbsp plant-based milk

Shredded coconut for rolling (or other toppings such as crushed walnuts, cacao powder, etc)

Add the dates to a food processor and pulse until a ball forms.  Open the processor and break the date ball apart leaving pieces evenly spaced around the blade.  Then, add the cacao powder, vanilla, and salt.  Replace the lid and pulse again until you see that the moisture has broken into small crumbles.  At that point, as the processor is running, add just enough milk to turn the mixture into a smooth and creamy texture.  Once the texture is smooth, you're ready to form into balls, but wet your hands first to keep it from sticking.  Prep a bowl for rolling your balls into the coconut or other toppings.  I just put a few tablespoons of coconut in a small bowl.  I scooped about one teaspoon of the truffle mixture at a time and rolled into a ball between my palms before dropping into the coconut and rolling around to coat.  Once coated, place on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate.  They will be very soft, but once cooled, they will firm up and be the perfect rich and creamy texture that we all love our truffles to have.  

The most difficult part of this recipe is not eating them all at once.  Holy geez, they're amazing!

My Favorite Green Juice Recipe

If you've been following me on Instagram, you've probably noticed that I drink a lot of fresh vegetable juice.  I love how I feel when I get that big glass of nutrient-dense liquid down my trap first thing in the morning.  I have tons of energy, and my body just feels good.  I can drink a juice and not get hungry for hours.  It's amazing what happens when your body is fueled on nutrients instead of sugar.  Lately, I've been trying to drink two juices per day, so I usually make a green one for the morning and a a root vegetable based juice for later in the day.  That way, I'm getting lots of variety, which means more vitamins and minerals.  My favorite green juice is easy and quick to prepare, yet also tastes great.  This can also be a very cost-effective juice that anyone can make.  

My Favorite Green Juice

1 cucumber, peeled if not organic

2 apples, any variety

1/2 lemon, peeled

1 cup fresh parsley

2-3 cups kale, or any green you like

I made this one today using dandelion greens with the kale.  I made a trip to Whole Foods yesterday and decided to be adventurous with some new green leafy veggies.  There was a tinge of bitterness from the dandelion, but I really didn't mind.  I love trying new stuff.  Give this a try and see if you love it as much as I do.

Recipe: Creamy Dreamy Mint Green Smoothie

Tonight, I experienced one of my toughest-yet power yoga sessions.  All of those warrior 2s, planks, and camels left me feeling like a champ... and starving.  After unpacking from the day and settling in, I whipped up this little treat to serve as my dinner.  

My favorite ice cream has always been mint-chip.  But since I no longer partake of standard dairy-based desserts, I like to get creative.  The nice thing about a raw food lifestyle is that you can enjoy something that tastes like dessert with zero guilt!  This milkshake-style smoothie contains plenty of vitamin-rich fruit and veggies with a great balance of carbs and protein for an after-workout recovery meal.  It tastes amazing, and won't weigh you down.  I will definitely be making this more often!

Creamy Dreamy Mint Green Smoothie

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used my homemade hazelnut milk for this one.)

1-2 cups of kale

3-4 frozen bananas

1/2 cup fresh mint

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 scoop plant-based protein powder (I use Plant Head brand vanilla protein.)

2 tsp Dandy Blend tea (optional, but awesome.)

Pinch of salt

Sweetener of choice (I used a scoop of stevia for extra sweetness.)

Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Enjoy! 

Recipe: Quick and Easy Raw Pad Thai

Since I discovered raw and living foods, this has been one of my go-to dinner recipes.  It's really fast to whip up, delicious, and with so much fiber, very filling.  Plus, it's super versatile and easy to adjust depending on what's in the fridge.

Raw Vegan Pad Thai

Serves 1 or 2

Noodles

3-4 of your favorite veggie:  carrots, zucchini, diakon radish, cucumber, etc. (Use all of one or a combination.  It's totally up to you.  For the bowl in the pic, I used 4 heirloom, colorful carrots.)

1-2 scallions

Cilantro, for garnishing

Sauce

2 tbsp tahini (can use peanut, almond, or cashew butter)

1-2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (could use soy sauce, tamari, nama shoyu)

1 lemon, juiced

1 tbsp sweetener of choice

1 garlic clove (or tsp garlic powder) 

1" fresh ginger (or tsp ginger powder)

Dash of cayenne pepper

For the noodles, just cut into shreds using your favorite tool for the job.  I used my food processor with the shredder plate.  It was the fasted way to go for me.  If you don't have a special tool or processor, just use a veggie peeler and make long flat noodles.  Chop the scallions finely and set aside.  

For the sauce, blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.  I have a Baby Bullet that works great for small batches of sauce and dressings. 

In a large bowl, add the sauce and noodles, then combine well until all of the noodles are coated.  Sprinkle the scallions and cilantro on top, and lightly mix.  You want the color from the toppings to stay vibrant for presentation. I was out of cilantro, so I just left it out this time.  

Then, pull out a pair of chopsticks, and dig in!  You may use a fork if you must, but I think it takes away from the feeling of eating international cuisine. ;-)

 

Vegan Vacation, Part Four: Meeting Naturally Lauren, A Juice Bar, and Adventures in Pizza

When I got into this raw vegan thing a few years back, I never expected that my YouTube stalking of Dara Dubinet would lead me to making new friends in all parts of the country, but what do you know?  After joining the "More with Dara" community, I met some amazing people... Fellow women (and some men, too) who had been through their own health struggles and healed with the help of natural living and healthy food.  It was such a joy to find these other people who understood me and why I live the way I do.  We shared instagram handles and Facebook info, and discovered that a lot of us are bloggers.  One particular MWD (that's what we call ourselves) was something of a kindred spirit.  Both of us with young daughters, we just "clicked".  I started following NaturallyLauren.com and reading about her day-to-day adventures and healthy struggles.  Lauren is a J-poucher, and if you don't know what that is, don't feel bad.  Neither did I until I read her awesome post about her digestive issues and the incredible road she's taken to heal.  You can check it out here:  http://www.naturallylauren.com/#!My-Journey-to-Jpouch-No-Colon-Still-Rollin/cmbz/67EA1602-81D6-49F4-991F-8F330D2FEAB4

All of this to say, Lauren is awesome, and basically, my sister from another mister.  So, when we realized that she only lives about 20 minutes from my mom in New Jersey, we knew we HAD to make time to meet.  On the last full day of our vacation mom, Matt, Aubrianna, Charlotte, and I met Lauren and her daughter, Little A, at Fresh Press Juice Co in Cranford.  I fell in love with this town, you guys.  The juice bar is located right on the main drag in a little modern retail center that resembles as old town square.  It's adorable.  Lauren and Little A were waiting on us, and as soon as we walked in, it was hugs all-around.  I felt like I'd know her for years.  The funny thing is that I was a little nervous on the way there.  You know how they say, "never meet your idols because you're bound to be disappointed."?  Well, that was kinda stuck in my head.  I worried that our in-person meeting would be uncomfortable or awkward, like maybe we'd be different face-to-face.  Silly, right?  These are my insecurities, fellas.  I shouldn't have worried because it was a great time.  She is every bit as warm and lovely as she appears online, and I'm so happy that we were able to spend that time together.  We got to chat for a couple of hours and learn each other's stories.  The kids had an amazing time, as well.  The older girls loved that fact that their names are almost the same, and Charlotte enjoyed chasing them up and down the hallway to the bathroom.  I have to say sorry to the owner at this point in the post.  We were a little rambunctious that day.  But that's what happens when you get hopped up on green juice and acai berry bowls. 

Instant buddies... And stinkers.  So much cute in this picture.  We make pretty kids, let me tell ya.

Acai bowl a.k.a heaven.

Carrot cake smoothie for the road.  This one's not on the menu, but if you ask, I bet she'll whip it up.  So delicious!

Speaking of the owner, what a kind, driven, and knowledgable lady.  And drop-dead gorgeous, I might add.  I sampled a few things, and all of it was delicious!  They offer all kinds of juice, smoothies, superfood bowls, and even some grab-n-go items in the cooler.  Charlotte spotted the beet hummus first thing, so that's what she had.  Lauren's daughter had a cup of banana ice cream with a few little toppings added in, all healthy of course.  I can't wait to go visit again next time we head up there.  I want to try everything!

It was hard to leave, but all good things come to a close.  So, we hugged and said our goodbyes.  I had such a lovely time that day.  

******************

That night, mom's "other half," Gary, picked a place for dinner that he thought would be great for me.  It's called Healthy Garden, located in Piscataway.  It's a nice little natural food cafe that serves a bit of everything... Sandwiches, burgers, pizza, burritos, quesadillas, salads, smoothies, juices, with lots gluten-free and dairy-free options.  I ordered a veggie pizza, and meant to have them leave off the vegan cheese since I'm really not a fan of Daiya.  I know, I'm not a good vegan if I don't espouse the virtues of fake cheese, but I just really think it tastes awful.  (There goes my shot at an endorsement.)  It reminds me of the "cheese-like food topping" that I accidentally bought once back in my omnivore days.  I'll give them props for making a convincing-looking substitute, but I just don't like the flavor at all.  So, as you can guess, I wasn't impressed with the pizza.  The crust was really tasty, but apparently if you order their vegan version of this pizza, instead of swapping the parmesan containing pesto out for a different sauce, they just didn't put any sauce at all on it.  It was crust, veggies, and melted Daiya which came out surprisingly greasy.  I think if I go back, I'll request that they add red sauce and leave off the cheese.  The veggies were nicely seasoned, though.  Everyone else thoroughly enjoyed their meals.  They had some very nice looking sandwiches.  My niece got a veggie burger that was as big as her head!  Definitely a good bargain for the price.  This place has tons to offer, so I'm looking forward to trying it again and getting something different.  It seems very promising, and I'll know to be more specific next time.

The next day, we were leaving for home.  Our flight wasn't until early evening, so we took advantage of the time we had and went shopping before meeting Gary for lunch at Brick House.  I was a little worried when we chose a place renowned for their grilled animal carcasses, but as it turned out, they had an easily-modified flatbread pizza with mushrooms and arugula.  It's totally vegan if you leave off the cheese.  The server was very understanding and helpful, too.  And this pizza, was super delicious, even with very little in the way of toppings.  The sauce had so much flavor, that it didn't need much else.  Granted, I would prefer more vegetables in all my meals, but for making do, it was great.  They fire-grill their pizzas, so the crust was to-die-for!  Definitely calling this one a win. 

After lunch, we started our long, traffic-laden drive back to Newark.  After a stop at Target for some essentials and a hat modeling adventure...

... We said our goodbyes, and parted ways.  Mom, of course, cried.  Aubrianna, of course, cried.  And I tried to be the tough one, but I whimpered.  My brother, though, was totally the strong one.  It's hard to walk away from my momma, no matter how old I get.  But, I sure hope that's how Charlotte feels when she's grown.  

Waiting for our flight.  She just couldn't hang anymore.  

The flight home was without incident, and it sure was nice to get back to my bed, and who am I kidding?... My food.  No matter how nice convenience feels, nothing beats making my own green smoothie or gigantic salad.  I hope that next time we can try more of the raw offerings in New York City.  That will make for some incredible blog posts!  Don't ya think?  

See ya next spring, Jersey!

Raw Lemon-Ginger Super Cookie Balls

Charlotte and I made some raw sugar cookies a few days ago following Gena's recipe from ChoosingRaw.com, and they were pretty awesome.  But, since we ate them all, we were in need of something sweet again.  I had just finished making a carrot, orange, ginger juice, and felt like more ginger was called for.  Charlotte happened to be chewing on a little piece of ginger at the time, so I knew she was in agreement.  We looked around the kitchen to see what else we had on-hand, and this is what we came up with:

Raw Lemon-Ginger Super Cookie Balls

10 medjool dates

8 tbsp almond flour

6 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

4 tbsp hemp seeds

2 tbsp lemon juice

1" fresh ginger, grated

Pinch of sea salt

Place the dates in a food processor and pulse until they are well chopped, starting to form a ball.  Next, add all the other ingredients, EXCEPT 2 tablespoons of the shredded coconut.  You'll use it as the outer coating of the finished cookies. Pulse the cookie mixture until it's well blended and sticking together.  Once your cookie mixture is ready, measure tablespoon scoops of "dough" and roll into balls.  Lastly, drop the cookies into the reserved coconut and coat them.  Then, try to resist eating them all at once.  It's tough, I tell ya!  Enjoy! 

Vegan Vacation, Part Three: Asbury Park, NJ

I've been slacking on my posts in the past couple of weeks, I know.  Life has just been so darn busy, and with the change of seasons coming quickly (it's 73 today, but promises of temps in the low 40's are set for Friday, ick.), I've been trying to fit in as much outdoor time as possible.  So, bare with me as I try to find balance and bring you some fresh content.

When we last spoke, I'd been all over lower Manhattan and had some crazy-good vegan fare.  Today, we travel southeast to Asbury Park, NJ.  This is, supposedly, one of the nicest beaches in the area, and I'd have to say that, from what I saw, it's understandable.  The official close of the season had already happened when we were there, so a lot of businesses were shut down, but we were able to dip our toes in the (very cold) Atlantic Ocean and snag some seashells.  

I should note that the last two times we took Charlotte to the beach, she was terrified of the noisy water and cried if we got within thirty feet of it.  The sand, however, was her jam.  She even tried to study it closely by ingesting it at one point, obviously while Daddy was in charge.

On this trip, I wasn't sure what to expect of her.  After all, it was almost a year since our Miami adventure, and she's now a big fan of garden hoses and daily showers.  Well, I can report that she was a big fan... To the point that I was a bit nervous seeing just how comfortable she was with the "big pool".  I'm convinced she'd have jumped right in if I'd let her.  It was far too chilly for that, though, so we just swung her feet and let her touch the water.  Her squeals of joy were adorable, if I do say so myself.  

Some things never change. 

This beach, let me just tell ya, was pristine.  I'm not sure what it's like during peak season, but on our trip, it was extremely clean.  The sand was littered only with seashells, and the sidewalks were devoid of trash.  There is some of the prettiest architecture on the drive in and along ocean avenue, as well.  Color me impressed.  I've only ever seen southern beaches, and Santa Monica on one short excursion, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was pleasantly surprised.  

We walked the boardwalk and let the girls play in the sand for a while, then made sure to take lots of pictures.  I couldn't believe how many in-tact shells we found, which was a lot of fun to show Charlotte.  We stuffed a few into her diaper bag and headed off to find some lunch.  

True "stinker" face, if ever there was one.

I pulled up my Happy Cow app, and found a few very vegan-friendly places, but they'd all closed for the season the previous weekend.  Bummer! Mom, however, found a place just a short walk from where we had parked called "Cubacan".  It was (obviously) a Cuban restaurant, so I figured I could find something tasty on their menu.  It was a bit early for dinner, and we almost had the place to ourselves.  Let me tell ya, the decor is amazing!  (And I didn't even think to get a picture, damnit.) It reminded me of our previously mentioned trip to Miami.  I just adore art-deco style, and this place made me happy as soon as I walked in.  Geometric patterns mixed with curved lines, black & white with bursts of bright green, and the bathroom was all red and black... Gorgeous.  We were seated at a table midway through the restaurant where we could still see the beach, and were promptly attended to.  Our server was very friendly.  I glanced over the menu and noticed that most items contained animal products, but I asked him to suggest something for a vegan.  He said their house salad was fantastic, which I had no doubt about.  Most house salads are just plain iceberg lettuce with limp cucumbers, flavorless tomatoes, croutons, and a big red onion ring resting on top.  This salad, though, was listed as baby greens, tomato, red onion, cucumber, and green olives with citrus vinaigrette.  If they go out of their way to add olives, I'm in.  They listed black beans as a side, so I asked if they were vegan, but after checking with the kitchen, he informed me they were cooked in chicken broth.  Poo.  So, I looked again and saw "garlic string beans", which he said WERE vegan, being lightly sautéed in olive oil.  Right on!  Not a big meal, but enough to hold off the hunger for a while.  My brother ordered some gigantic sandwich loaded with all kinds of not-vegan-friendly stuff, and my mom had something with chicken, I think.  Who cares, really?  We are all about the plant-based finds in this series.  

Anyway, the food arrived and was beautiful, as expected.  I always wish salads were bigger when I eat out, but that's just not the world we live in.  Maybe some day.  The green beans were bathed in garlic, and I ate them with my fingers.  No shame!  The salad dressing was so delicious.  It wasn't overpowering, but just added a lovely flavor to the lettuce and fixins.  I truly enjoyed every bite.  It would've been nice to try a vegan restaurant, but this is what we call "making it work".  I can't complain.  The service was impeccable, and the food was great.  

Get these!  You will not regret it.  Holy coconut, Batman!  So delicious!

After lunch, we decided to head back, but not before stopping at a local health food store, Dean's Natural Food Market. I can't pass a health food store or a juice bar.  Ha!  This place is like a mini Whole Foods, with aisles lined with organic fare and fresh produce... Also known as "heaven" to me.  The girls were asleep, so mom stayed in the car while Matt and I explored.  I found a huge tray of mixed sprouts for salads, some coconut chips, AGED VEGAN CHEESE(!), and crackers for Charlotte.  We also discovered that my brother has his own line of apple juice.  Wink wink. 

 

It was such a cute little store, clean and brightly lit.  They even had a fresh salad bar and hot food offerings.  If you're ever in the area, check it out.  It was quite the lovely little find.  

Too much beach fun for this kid. 

I discovered while there, that my fellow blogger friend NaturallyLauren, is from that area.  If you haven't checked out her blog yet, do yourself a favor.  It's full of beautiful pictures and gorgeous food.  She's has quite the health story to tell, too.  Oh, and in my next post, you'll meet her.  We were able to meet in person on my trip, and she was just as lovely as I thought she would be.  It's so wonderful to meet online friends in person, especially those who share your love of all things healthy and happy.  It is such a blessing to find our kindred spirits.  I'm loving life! 

P.S. When we got home, I made a big salad and roasted veggies which looked like this: 

Roasted beets and potatoes, with sautéed beet greens and cannellini beans.  Delish!  And we went to bed happy, with full bellies.  :-)