Virtual Vegan Potluck #3

I can’t believe it’s that time again…Virtual Vegan Potluck #3 is here!

For the past two VVP’s, I’ve made desserts. (Click here and here to review my previous VVP posts.)  Surprised, aren’t you? Ha ha ha.  But, this time around, I’m shaking it up a bit, and I’m sharing a main course dish! Woohoo!

Ok, so here’s the deal. I’ve been eating a high-raw vegan diet off and on since last May. And I love it. It makes me feel my best. My heart doesn’t skip as much. My weight stays pretty stable. My energy levels are higher. I sleep better, and the list goes on. But, there are some popular foods in the raw-vegan circles that I’ve yet to embrace. Raw “noodles” is one of them. But, not one to be easily defeated, I keep trying. And this time, I think I got it! I’ve conquered my dislike of the raw noodle! Yes! Bring on the summer cucumbers and zucchinis!

I’ve shared a recipe or two in the past that has featured raw zucchini noodles, and I’ve eaten and not disliked them, but I’ve never relished in their flavor. But, during my nightly watching of food related YouTube videos (I <3 YouTube!), I stumbled upon a suggestion to peel the zucchini before using it. Hum…Why haven’t I tried that?! With this also came the revelation that I find the yellow summer squash milder in flavor than the green zucchini squash. A short trip to the store and a little digging for the spiralizer I bought last summer and promptly put in storage, and by golly, I think I got it!

At the same time, I went ahead and spiralized a large, peeled cucumber, which I then squeezed in a kitchen towel to remove the excess water from the noodles. Success once again!

Both noodles went in the dehydrator for some warming while I made the sauces to cover each.

First up, the sauce I used with the cucumbers. Sooooo gooood!

Raw Tomato-fredo Sauce (or Raw Tomato-fredo Hummus/Dip/Soup)

1/2 c cashews, soaked

1/2 c tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)

2 TBSP sun dried tomato powder (Read below to find out how to make your own!)

1/2 lg red bell pepper, diced

Seasonings: salt, pepper, oregano, granulated garlic, onion powder (all to taste)

First, make your sun dried tomato powder by grinding 1/4-1/2 cup frozen sun dried tomatoes in a small food processor or bullet style blender. After the tomatoes become a fine powder, add cashews, tomatoes, and red pepper to blender/food processor bowel and pulse to combine. Add seasonings and processes mixture until desired consistency is reached. (I left mine on the thick side, and it really stood up to the cucumber noodles.)  You might want to strain the resulting mix through a fine mesh strainer; this will enhance the flavor of your sauce and, of course, make it a little thicker

I loved this sauce on the cucumber noodles. I’m pretty sure I could spiralize three or four cucumbers and toss them with this sauce and call it a salad. I think some ripe olives and maybe some fresh herbs like parsley or a chiffonade of basil would be awesome adds to a cucumber and tomato-fredo noodle salad. Mmmm…

I can also see myself using this sauce as a raw hummus type dip with raw veggies, spread on a lettuce leave for a raw sandwich or burrito, eaten with a spoon as a raw soup, and tossed with dehydrator warmed veggies for a primavera type dish.

For the second sauce, all I did was marinate some thinly sliced mushrooms in 2 TBSP of tahini and 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil. I stored the mix in a zip top bag so I could squish the mixture around a couple of times a day, making sure each ‘shroom was soaking in marinade. Then, I dumped the mushrooms and their marinate onto a plate and heated them in the dehydrator for a little while. Finally, I added the peeled, yellow summer squash noodles, mixed, and ate!

As I was eating the mushrooms, I kept thinking how good it would be with a little tofu. So I added some

Have you ever tried this tofu? I love it!

All I did was slice the block into four slabs, then stacked the slabs and sliced them into long strips, then cut across the strips to create little blocks of tofu. I didn’t even have to press it! That’s why I love this stuff so much

I gobbled up the rest of the noodles and shrooms after I added the tofu. Triple yum!

Thanks for stopping by!  Don’t forget to check out the rest of the VVP participants. Click here to start from the beginning, or click the photos below to work your way forward and/or backward through the VVP chain.

Follow Veggie V on Facebook! Follow Veggie V on Twitter! Follow Veggie V on Pinterest! Join the Raw Fusion Rest group!

The New Green Smoothie Diet Solution Review & GIVE-A-WAY!

Farmer’s Markets are starting to pop-up. Strawberries are showing up in droves at the grocery store, and asparagus is available at the co-op down the street. Yup. Summer is just around the corner. (Well, for my Northern hemisphere readers, anyway *wink*) And I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some winter weight to get rid of before the shorts and bathing suits come out of storage.

One way I’m getting myself back on track and celebrating the change in seasons is by doing a 30 day raw challenge. A fellow blogger and I have started a Facebook group, the Raw Fusion Rest, and we’d love it if you joined us. The group is closed, meaning you’ll have to ask for membership, but everyone is welcome – even non-vegans. The focus of the group is raw/high raw vegan, but any percentage of a raw food diet is perfectly fine. Join up! You’ll love it

Now, onto the fun stuff…a give-a-way!

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Elizabeth Swann who graciously offered to send me a copy of her latest book, The New Green Smoothie Diet Solution, to review and give-a-way. Considering how lax I am on adding greens to anything except a salad, I jumped at the chance!

Elizabeth is an ND (Doctor of Naturopathic medicine) who has been working with clients for more than 10 years. Based in Mount Carmel, Israel, Elizabeth’s goal is to education people about the healing powers of food and how easy it is to make healthy, life-long lifestyle changes.

The New Green Smoothie Diet Solution is really informative. I expected it to be just be a “cook” book, but green smoothie recipes are only part of what you’ll find in this handy little book. The rest of the pages are filled with tons of information about greens and how to use them to overcome sugar cravings, detox, build your immune system, negate the negative effects of stress/feel calmer, improve the look and feel of your hair and nails, and even increase your vitality.

How about a Dandy Pineapple Detox Smoothie, a Kale-n-Orange Weight Loss Smoothie, or a Melon Head Green Smoothie? Sounds good to me!

Elizabeth has graciously offered to give-a-way a digital copy of The New Green Smoothie Diet Solution to one lucky reader of Veggie V’s Vegan Adventure. To enter, just leave a comment telling me how you do or want to incorporate green smoothies into your diet. And, for extra chances to win, signup to follow Veggie V by email (or by WP reader if you have a WP blog), and follow Veggie V on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. Leave a separate comment letting me know you did any or all of these things. Contest is open world wide!

Contest open today, Wednesday, May 8, through Friday, May 10 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Good luck!

 

 

Raw Fusion Reset

Please join me, Veggie V, and Mattie from Mattie’s Raw Fitness Beauty for the Raw Fusion Reset on Facebook.

We started the group to help you (and us!) get back on track with your healthy eating plan – just in time for summer

While the group’s focus is raw veganism, everyone is welcomed. Some of us, myself included, are planning a 30 day, 100% challenge, and others are just there for ideas on how to add more raw foods into their lives.

The Raw Fusion Reset officially begins Monday, May 6, but we’re already gearing up for a healthy, happy, and raw-food packed month by posting shopping ideas, uncooking and juicing ideas, recipes, and tips, and a whole lot more!

Join us!

VegFest Michigan 2013

Guess who went to Veg Fest…

We did!

Last Sunday, my friend Ellen and I went to Veg Fest Michigan.

The event was held in Novi, Michigan, which is about a two hour drive one-way for us, but worth it! We got there around 11:30 and spent the next few hours fighting the crowd enjoying the company of thousands of other vegans and vegan wanna-be’s as we all wandered from vendor to vendor, sampling their tasty goodies and learning about their vegan-friendly businesses.

13-vegfest-map-for-web

Aside from the vendors, there were five guest speakers and three recipe demonstrations.

13-vegfest-program4.14

We were too busy sampling the goods to make it to Scott Jurek‘s talk (darn it!), but Ellen got to listen to Carol Leifer – and get her autograph- while I visited a few more vendors. Then, I joined Ellen for the John Salley presentation and the…wait for it…Dr. Barnard presentation! Woohoo!

Among the too many to mention foods we ate, Ellen noshed on a giant plant of vegan nachos. They were really, really good. I had a couple, but I made myself a giant plate of nachos the night before, so I didn’t really have a taste for them. And, I was stuffed from my sampling

Sweet Magnolia Vegan Cupcakes had a table, and Ellen and I both bought cupcakes, which were ah-mah-zing! Seriously delicious. And, they were on Cupcake Wars that same night! They didn’t win, but at least they lost to another vegan cupcake business. Sweet Magnolia ships all over the country. Check them out!

I did end up purchasing a big ol’ smoothie from Crushed Healthy Smoothies before I headed into the presentations. They were kind enough to customize one of the recipe options for me and even asked if I was allergic to the bananas I requested be left out of my smoothie. Nope, just a preference; no need to clean the blender. Wasn’t that nice? If you saw the endless line of thirsty patrons behind me, you’d agree

Ok, onto the presenters.

First up, John Salley (former NBA star for the Detroit Pistons and nearly 20 year vegetarian/vegan) entertained the crowd for about an hour by sharing an analogy relating the human body to a Ferrari car engine with the idea being you wouldn’t put junky fuel in a Ferrari, so don’t put junky fuel in your own engine/body. I thought it was a pretty decent analogy, especially for new vegans or flexitarians. John also talked about his involvement in the restaurant chain What Crepe?, which apparently has quite a few vegan options on the menu. He is also working on a line of vegan wines called The Vegan Vine. I don’t drink alcohol, but for those of you who do, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for this. Many traditional wines aren’t vegan because they are often clarified with fish bladder or have other non-vegan additives.

I took a few notes on what John Salley had to say:

• There’s no need for oil to be added to food. Eat the whole food, not the oil.
• If you’re new to the vegan way of life, or if you’re trying to help someone transition, don’t be afraid to use substitute foods like Beyond Meet and Daiya cheese.
• You don’t have to give up your favorite family foods to become vegan. Figure out ways to veganize them. It’s easy!
• Consider taking digestive enzymes to help with your vegan transition or if you’re having digestive issues.
• There’s no need to salt food. John says he takes about a 1/4 tsp of Celtic sea salt as as supplement daily by letting it dissolve on his tongue. That way, his body knows it’s getting the sodium it needs without craving it throughout the day.
• Eat raw whenever possible. John eats a high-raw, vegan diet. (High five!)

After John Salley, Dr. Barnard spoke to a packed house. He was, of course, promoting his newest book, Power Foods for the Brain, but he also spoke about plant-based diets in general. It was really interesting to see and hear Dr. Barnard in person. I’ve seen him speak on YouTube and on PBS, and, I must admit, I was surprised by how small he is; he’s not a little dude, but he certainly doesn’t have a commanding presence. (The complete opposite of John Salley!)

Both Ellen and I took some notes on what Dr. Barnard had to say. This is what we came up with:

• As humans, we have very little need for iron. We get plenty in the foods we eat, and we should not be taking iron supplements.
• Additionally, we should not be using cast iron pans on a regular basis to cook our food. The added iron/metal can eventually lead to swelling of the hypothalamus, which can lead to memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
• If we choose to take multivitamins, we should look for a formula that does not contain minerals because we also get plenty of copper and zink in our food and (municipal) water supple.
• Saturated fat intake has a direct correlation to memory loss. Anything over 13g a day is thought to lead to memory loss and associated afflictions. (The average person following the SAD likely consumes at least 25g of saturated fat a day.)
• People need very little protein for optimal health. A whole-foods, plant-based diet with adequate calories will meet all of your protein needs.
• Vitamin E, B12, B6 and Folate are great dietary additions to help thwart memory loss, but they should come from whole food sources, not supplements.
• We should not be using aluminum. Cadaver brain exploration shows traces of aluminum in the brains of those suffer extreme memory loss. This includes cooking in aluminum pots and pans, using tin-foil, and use of aluminum storage and drinking containers.
• The sterhols in grapes helps improve memory.
• Lipitor may lead to memory loss. Dr. Barnard gave a statistic about a number of nursing home patients who have experienced Alzheimer’s like memory loss while taking Lipitor; the memory loss reversed itself after discontinuation of the medication.
• Dr. Barnard suggests treating food related illness with food first and medicine second. Treat medication as the alternative treatment. (Amen!)

After the presenters, we wandered back through the vendor area where  I noticed John was still meeting and greeting the crowd. The line was basically non-existent, so I hung out for a few minutes and got to meet him I told him I wanted a picture for my blog, and that I, too, was a high-raw vegan. He was interested, and asked me to send him this picture, which I did!

Ellen took the picture, and she said she had trouble getting all of both of us in the same shot because John is so tall – ha ha!

Phew! That’s quite a few notes, but both speakers were just so darn entertaining! I loved the crowd’s excitement, too. The MC spoke of the increased popularity of the event, siting just a few years ago, VegMichigan could barely fill a high school auditorium, and this year, they packed a giant convention center.

Overall, VegFest was an awesome event! If we’re still living in the area, I’m hoping to make it to VegFest Cleveland on June 1. If not, I might be able to make it to VegFest Chicago. Fingers crossed I make it to at least one more VegFest this summer And, fingers crossed, you make it to a veggie celebration near you, too!

Spring Into Healthier Eating: Crazy About Kale Book Review

Are you crazy about kale? I am! And so is blogger and cookbook author Hallie Klecker from Daily Bites. Hallie’s newest creating, Crazy About Kale, is a super affordable ebook that highlights 40 gluten-free, dairy-free kale recipes, including smoothies and juices, salads, side dishes, main dishes, and snacks and sweet treats. And while not all of the recipes are vegan, most are, and the ones that are not, are easily veganized. You should definitely check this out!

After picking up some red Russian kale a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to dig into this book and whip up some tasty new dishes. Red Russian kale is new to me; although we grew some last summer, it didn’t quite grow enough to eat. I wasn’t sure how I’d like it, but after ready Hallie’s review of each of the different varieties of kale (curly, lacinato, and red Russian), and spying some yummy recipes featuring my new find (Although, as Hallie pointed out, the varieties are interchangeable and are really a matter of preference.), I was ready to get creative in the kitchen.

The New Fashioned Potato Salad was super yum (I didn’t include the raisins or currents because sweet and savor together doesn’t do it for me.); the Spanish Style Braised Kale is beckoning to be made, and I can’t wait to whip up a batch of Kale in Almond Cream Sauce. And, the next time I break out the juicer, the Lean & Green Lemonade is at the top of my to-make list!

There are lots more recipes I can’t wait to dig into in Crazy About Kale, and if all of the kale plants we have started actually grow this year, I’ll be able to eat my way through this cookbook 4 our 5 times this summer I can’t wait!

Disclosure: Hallie provided a copy of Crazy About Kale for my review, but the opinions expressed are all mine

 

Spring into Healthier Eating: Peace Salad Party!

First things first…The winner of the Plant Powered 15 by Dreena Burton is Bex of How to Feed a Vegan. Congratulations, Bex!

Now, onto my  next Spring into Healthier Eating review…Peace Salad. Have you heard of this yet? I hadn’t either until I received an email from my only real-life vegan friend (as opposed to my virtual vegan friends – ha!) asking if I wanted to have a Peace Salad party. Um…sure?

Peace Salad is the newest brainchild of raw-food, vegan blogger, Sandy Henson Corso, the owner of  Peaceful Daily and Sandy’s Salad.

In the book, Sandy lists 100 tips for peace. Practiced together, they’re like a salad

To celebrate the book, people are hosting Peace Salad parties all over, so we did, too!

Last Saturday night, we gathered a few friends and enjoyed some lively conversation over an abundance of vegan eats and treats. Ok, there were also some vegetarian cupcake there, but they were from a small business down the street, so at least we were supporting local business

Check out this spread!

Ellen, the hostess of the party, made some of her favorite party foods, including this macaroni salad (from the Forks Over Knives cookbook (I gave her that book as a Christmas gift )) and those crispy apple muffins in the background (from the Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook).

Ellen also made her famous bruchetta (with a pesto recipe from The Kind Diet) and this super delicious cheeze dip (made with Teeze, soy cherizo, and spicy tomatoes). We couldn’t stop eating this stuff!

Someone else brought giant vegan cupcakes from a local restaurant, and someone else brought hummus and tabouli from a local artisan.

There was also lots of wine!

I brought a giant pan of raw vegan brownies, using my Brown Batter Bites recipes, and frosted them with chocolate cashew cream (made by blending cashews, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a little date soaking water – left over from the date paste I used in the Brownie Batter Bites).

And a bunch of Gabby’s Pizza Bites.

The mixture was so massive, I had to bust out the beast – my 13 cup Kitchen Aid food processor.

And I made this giant bowl of Asian Rice Noodle Salad, which got rave reviews!

Here’s the recipe!

Asian Noodle Salad

1 pkg rice noodles, cooked according to package directions (I used Brown Rice Noodles)

1 sm pkg shelled edamame (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 c shredded carrot

1 small bunch scallions, diced on the diagonal (white and green parts)

2-3 TBSP toasted sesame oil (more or less to taste)

1/4  c tamari (more or less to taste)

Cook noodles according to package directions, and allow to cool. Mix noodles, edamame, carrots, and scallions in a bowl. Add sesame oil and tamari and toss to combine. Add more sesame oil and tamari to taste, or after noodle salad sits for a while. (My suggestion is to make this salad ahead, and let it sit in the refrigerator to allow flavors to meld.)

So easy, and soooo good!

I hope you decide to have a Peace Salad party, too. It’s a great excuse to gather your friends and family and share your ideas on peace and happiness while you enjoy some peaceful, vegan goodies. Enjoy!

 

Spring into Healthier Eating: Plant Powered 15 (Review & Give-a-Way!)

And the winner is…Erica Wollman! Congrats to Erica who won the contest for Happy Herbivore Abroad. Woohoo!

Guess what…It’s time for another give-a-way!

Today, we’re reviewing the newest ebook of long-time plant-based powerhouse, Dreena Burton. Dreena’s new collection of recipes is titled Plant Powered 15, and includes 15 delicious plant-based recipes, which includes breakfast, dips and dressings, soups, main courses, and desserts. So far, I’ve tried the Green Goddess Dressing and the Almond Blondies, and holy kale! Soooo good! My favorite part about the Green Goddess Dressing is it’s secret ingredient…beans! And, big bonus, it contains only a tiny bit of overt fat (a smidge of tahini)! No oil, no avocado – just beany, herby goodness. Mmmm…!

Not to be outdone, the Almond Blondies pack a powerful, healthy, sweet punch with dates, almond meal, maple syrup and coconut sugar. Throw in a healthy does of Omega 3′s with some chia seeds (They’re a great binder!), and you’ll be sneaking healthy goodness into dessert time by tonight!

Sticky Almond Blondies

These are positively delicious. They have the dense, sticky, decadent texture and
quality of a traditional blondie, yet are made with wholesome ingredients – and no flour
or oil!

1 tbsp ground white chia
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 tsp black-strap molasses
1/2 cup pitted dates, lightly packed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 + 1/8 tsp sea salt
few pinches freshly grated nutmeg
2 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2-3 tbsp nondairy chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°F. In mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add ground chia,
maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, molasses, and dates. Process on low speed to first
incorporate, and then increase speed slightly to fully pulverize and smooth dates. Once
smooth, turn off mixer and add baking soda, salt, and nutmeg – mix just briefly and then
add almond meal, and coconut sugar. Process on low speed until mixer just comes
together (do not over-mix). Transfer mixture to an 8” x 8” brownie pan, and press in with
a spatula. If using chocolate chips, lightly press into top of batter. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove, let cool completely, and cut into squares. Squares can be refrigerated for a
week or more (as if they’ll last)! Makes 16 blondies.

Chocolate Note: I usually make these without chocolate chips, and sometimes I’ll simply
sprinkle a few chips over top of half the batch – either way, these are crazy-good!

Recipe from “Plant-Powered 15” by Dreena Burton. For more recipes and information,
visit http://www.plantpoweredkitchen.com. Photo credit: Nicole Axworthy

Dreena has graciously offered to share a copy of Plant Powered 15 with one lucky reader – open to anyone in the world! That’s right folks; we’ve got ourselves an international give-a-way! Woot!

To enter, leave a comment for each of the following activities (You must leave a comment for each for the additional entries.):

• Leave a comment sharing your favorite plant-based dish (Recipes are not necessary, but feel free to share a link, if you’d like)
• Sign-up to receive Veggie V blog updates by email, and let me know you did (or do).
• Follow Veggie V on Facebook, and let me know you did (or do).
• Follow Veggie V on Twitter, and let me know you did (or do).
• Tweet the following: Enter to win #PlantPowered15 by @dreenaburton at www.veggiv.wordpress.com! Visit blog and retweet to win!   (and let me know you did).
• Follow Veggie V on Pinterest, and let me know you did (or do).
• Follow Dreena on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, and let me know you did (or do).

Contest open now through Wednesday, April 17 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Good luck!!

Disclosure: I received a copy of Plant Powered 15 in exchange for this blog review. And I’m glad  I did

Spring into Healthier Eating: Happy Herbivore Aborad Review & GIVE-A-WAY

It’s that time of year again. The snow is melting; the grass is growing; the flowers are blooming (Hello, daphadills!), and your shorts, tank tops and bikinis are waiting for their seasonal debuts. Wait. What?! Shorts, tank tops, and bikinis?! How did that happen already?!

If you’re still clinging to the over sized sweatshirts and elastic waits of winter, you’re in good company. And, I’ve got great news; I’ve got some secret weapons to help get us off the couch and back on the beach. It’s book review time!

For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing one or two posts reviewing cookbooks, eBooks, and DVD’s that will inspire you to shake off the winter blues and eat something other winter fruit. (A girl can only eat so many apples and oranges!)

The first book review includes a give-a-way! Woohoo!

Happy Herbivore Abroad is Lindsay Nixon’s third book…so far. Just last week, Lindsay announced the pre-order of new book, Happy Herbivore Light & Lean. (Here other two are The Happy Herbivore Cookbook and Everyday Happy Herbivore. I’m a big fan of all of Lindsay’s cookbooks so far, and I can’t wait for the new one to come out In the meantime, however, we can all enjoy the flavorful yet still low-fat and always vegan recipes in Happy Herbivore Abroad, which features over 135 from around the world. And, big bonus, all of the recipes are made with easy-to-find everyday ingredients!

I have to admit, I was a little reluctant to jump on the international recipe bandwagon. Even though I consider myself pretty open-minded when it comes to ingredients, the combinations of some ingredients doesn’t always appeal to me. But, page after page, this cookbook keeps sending me back to the kitchen. One of my favorite recipes so far is the “Cheater” Pad Thai. I especially love the idea for the lower calorie version replacing some (or all – like I did!) of the noodles with thinly sliced cabbage. Yum! I think this recipe would be great with zucchini noodles, too, or a mix of any veggie noodle, kelp noodle, or tofu noodle of your liking.

Here’s the original recipe (which can be found on page 179 in HHA):

“Cheater” Pad Thai

(serves 2)

1/4 lb thick rice noodles

2 TBSP low sodium soy sauce

1 TBSP smooth peanut butter

1 TBSP sweet chili sauce

1/4 tsp granulated garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp hot sauce

3 oz bean sprouts

chopped raw peanuts (optional garnish)

lime wedge (optional garnish)

Prepare rice noodles according to package ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk 2 TBSP warm water, soy sauce, peanut butter, chili sauce, garlic powder, ginger, and hot sauce together until combined. It may appear too runny at first, but it’s not. Taste, adding more hot sauce if desired. Using tongs, toss prepared noodles with sauce until all noodles are evenly coated. Plate and top with bean sprouts. Garnish with chopped, raw peanuts and a lime wedge, if desired.

As written, each serving is less than 300 calories and has just over 4 grams of fat. But, if you’re a volume eater (like me!), you can save yourself some calories by using the Lower Calorie Pad Thai suggestion on page 179 and gobble up the whole recipe Or, if you want more veggies in your meal, try the Vegetable Pad Thai suggestion, also on page 179. (Double the sauce and add a bag of your favorite frozen veggies to the recipe.) Delish! (Find some more suggestions for sauce uses here.)

Thanks to publishers of HHA, you have the chance to win your own copy of Happy Herbivore Abroad Woohoo! Give-a-way time!

To enter the give-a-way,  do any (or all!) of the following:

• Leave a comment below with your favorite low-fat or fat-free recipe tip/s and/or trick/s
• [Administrative Edit]
• Follow Veggie V (@veggie_v) on Twitter and post a separate comment

And, don’t forget to like Happy Herbivore on Facebook and Follow HH on Twitter, too!

The contest will be open all week, until Friday, April 12, at 11:55 p.m. EST. Good luck!

Contest open to US and Canadian residents only.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Happy Herbivore Abroad to review.

Raw Carrot Cake Cookies

Happy Easter!

I whipped up these tasty little treats earlier this week, and have been enjoying and sharing them for days.

Staying with my theme of using as much left-over almond milk pulp as possible, the base for these cookies is almond pulp. If you don’t have almond pulp, almond meal/flour should work (your dough may require more liquid), and if you can’t have almonds, any nut/seed meal/pulp should work. I don’t know about grain based flours; they’re much denser, so you may have to play with the liquids a bit if you choose to use a base like that. Enjoy!

Raw Carrot Cake Cookies

1 c wet/fresh almond pulp

1 c dry/dehydrated almond pulp

1 large banana

10 regular sized dates, soaked

1/2 c shredded carrot

1/4 c raisins, soaked

1/4 c goji berries, soaked

1/4 c coconut shreds, unsweetened

1/2 c pecan pieces (or other nut)

2 t vanilla powder (or 1 TBSP vanilla extract)

1 t cinnamon

1/4 – 1/2 c water (use the date soak water for more sweetness)

Add almond pulp, banana, dates, cinnamon, vanilla and 1/4 c water to food processor and pulse until combined. (You don’t want to see pieces of banana or date.) Then, either pulse in remaining chunky ingredients or fold in by hand.  Scoop cookie mix onto mesh dehydrator trays, flatten to form a cookie shape, and dehydrate until dry. NOTE: Do not flatten cookies by pressing into the mesh; the dough will squish through to the other side, and your cookies will be stuck on the tray. Lift each cookie and flatten it in your hands or on a solid service.

Dehydrator times will vary: I start the process at 145F for about an hour, then lower to about 110F. My cookies took 4-6 hours at this temp.

The cookies become much darker as they dry.

If you want to “cook” these cookies in the oven, I’d suggest a lower temperature for a little bit longer time – perhaps 250-300F for 15-20 minutes. You want them dry to the touch and firm in the middle.

Vanilla Cashew Butter Balls

Thanks to everyone who commented for a chance to win the free download for the Vegan Delish app! The winner was LV, who said…

I’m always on the lookout for inspiration in cooking! Sometimes I’m just not very creative.

Congrats! Be on the lookout for more give-a-ways! (There are at least two book reviews/give-a-ways coming, and maybe more!)

Today, I’m sharing another recipe to help use up the never ending supply of almond pulp you probably have hogging valuable space in your freezer. No? Well, I do! I need to dehydrate some SOOOOO bad! That’s a weekend plan And, bonus, it uses my favorite nut butter…cashew!

Vanilla Cashew Butter Balls

1/4-1/2 c cashew butter, softened

2 TBSP date paste

1/4 c almond meal/flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla powder (optional)

Stevia or other additional sweetener (optional)

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined. Scoop into balls and sprinkle with vanilla powder. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Notes:

Cashew Butter: If you’re cashew butter is stiff and/or dry, heat it up. It heats up beautifully and will be nice and creamy again in no time. [Of course, if you can't eat cashews, don't have/like cashew butter, use something else ]

Vanilla powder: What’s vanilla powder? It’s just just ground vanilla bean and/or pod. It’s a lot stronger than extract, so be cautious before you dump it into something if you’re new to the product.

Optional Sweetener: I gave my mix a little squirt of liquid stevia, but it didn’t make much difference in the sweetness. You might want to try some maple syrup (You may need to increase you almond meal due to the extra liquid.) or some coconut sugar (You might have to loosen the mixture with a tiny splash of non-dairy milk or water to counteract the extra dry ingredient.) I can see these rolled in sugar, too. Yum!

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