Vegan Raw Desserts

vegan

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

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Chocolate Mousse, this is probably one of the most loved desserts of all time! The smooth, creamy, silky texture, combined with a rich dark chocolate flavor is irreplaceable!

vegan-chocolate-puuding

This recipe took me almost two full years to develop because I am such a mousse snob. I grew up enjoying the original homemade version loaded with lots of sugar and milk of course and I refused to settle for anything less! Finally I have created a dairy-free, gluten-free and most importantly refined-sugar free mousse that you can feel good about enjoying!

Check out my latest cooking segment on CW6 San Diego Living.
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Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Print Recipe
Chocolate Mousse is one of the most loved desserts of all time! The smooth, creamy, silky texture, combined with a rich dark chocolate flavor is irreplaceable!
Servings Prep Time
8 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Servings Prep Time
8 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Print Recipe
Chocolate Mousse is one of the most loved desserts of all time! The smooth, creamy, silky texture, combined with a rich dark chocolate flavor is irreplaceable!
Servings Prep Time
8 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Servings Prep Time
8 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into blender. Blend until silky and smooth consistency. (About 1 minute)
  2. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes

Helpful Hint:

I love topping my mousse with a fresh batch of coconut whipped cream. It really compliments the dark rich filling.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Milk

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Sometimes, being dairy-free can feel limiting. I grew up drinking milk with every meal, and drinking chocolate milk with my school lunches was always my favorite. Once I realized dairy was one of the main reasons my stomach hurt, I simply had to cut it out. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t miss it! Lucky for me, playing in the kitchen is literally my favorite thing in the whole world. It makes me happy, destresses me when I have a bad day and feels super rewarding when someone enjoys my one of my treats. In any case, this Chocolate Hazelnut Milk was created out of nessesity. I was craving something chocolaty, rich and smooth and, after 3 attempts, I nailed this recipe!

Check out how easy it is to make this recipe on your own.


Chocolate Hazelnut Milk
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Chocolate Hazelnut Milk
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 5 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 60-90 seconds. Strain through a nut milk bag. Store in airtight mason jar.
Recipe Notes

Helpful Hints:

Add an additional teaspoon on cacao powder if you really love chocolate.

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Pumpkin Pie Bars

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Vegan Pumpkin Bars

Enjoy these two-step vegan pumpkin bars that are so easy to make you’ll be wondering why you weren’t making them sooner. They are packed with all the flavors of Thanksgiving but are naturally sweet without all the refined sugar or gluten.

  • Originally Posted on mindbodygreen 11/20/16 http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-27580/pumpkin-pie-bars-no-baking-required.html
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars
Print Recipe
If you are looking for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert then look no further! These pumpkin bars are easy to make, refined sugar free and vegan!
Servings Prep Time
8 bars 10 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
8 bars 10 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars
Print Recipe
If you are looking for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert then look no further! These pumpkin bars are easy to make, refined sugar free and vegan!
Servings Prep Time
8 bars 10 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
8 bars 10 minutes
Passive Time
1 hour
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
Servings: bars
Instructions
  1. Process all crust ingredients in food processor until graham cracker–like consistency. Press crumble into strudel or 4-by-4-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Blend all filling ingredients in blender until smooth, creamy consistency. Evenly spread filling onto crust. Set in freezer for 3 hours. Cut and serve while still frozen with a warm knife.
Recipe Notes

Helpful Hint: If you want these delicious little desserts to look even cuter, top them with a little vegan coconut whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

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FAT: It Doesn’t Make You Fat!

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food-nature-autumn-nuts

F-A-T.  This three letter word has caused too much confusion for far too long!  Today, I want to shed some light this topic. People are still afraid of eating fat, which is so sad.  Back in the day, it was widely excepted by nutritionists that consuming fat caused people to get fat. But the science of today has been updated… much like your new smart phone (loving that new iOS 10!). And, let’s be honest, none of us want to trade in our new and improved smart phones for an outdated flip phone. So, it is time for all of us to get the latest update, but this time for our nutrition and better health! My goal is to keep this post short and sweet as this is the first post I am writing on this topic, and I am sure there will be many more to come.

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Lets start with the most basic fact we need to know. Fat is essential to our diets and general wellbeing. Now to be clear, I am talking about healthy fats like nuts, avocados, olive oil and coconut oil. I do not mean the unhealthy fats in processed fast food. To understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy fat check out this link.

olive-oil

So why is healthy fat so essential?  Eating fat improves your energy levels, regulates hormones, supports brain function, helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A,D & E), helps gain muscle and, when eaten with carbs, slows down the absorption of food, which helps control blood sugar spikes! Meaning it controls insulin spike! This is so important because insulin is a fat-storing hormone. So fat actually does the opposite of what we all thought to be true years ago. These are just some of the awesome benefits to eating fat. If you would like to learn more, I suggest checking out Eat Fat, Get Thin, & Always Hungry?.

I hope this post peaks your curiosity and inspires you to learn more. Be on the look out for my next blog on what I eat in a day to stay on track.

Carrot Cake

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Fall is coming! Well, it is for most of you in America! For us here in San Diego, I think we have a few more Santa Ana’s and warm beach days before we feel the cool nights and brisk days… But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to make delicious goodies with more cinnamon and nutmeg to get me in the mood! This week, I am finally sharing my recipe for raw carrot cake.
vegan-carrot-cake
This is a very special recipe to me. I developed this cake over a year and a half ago, and it was so good, it almost made it into my cookbook, Sweets in the Raw: Naturally Healthy Desserts. However, something wasn’t 100% with it. I mean, it was a solid 97%, which is way more than a passing grade, but I knew I could make it better with a little time. Now I should mention, the previous “final recipe” took six attempts to get it right. This new recipe took an addition two more attempts, and I have finally nailed it! I really love this dessert, and you’re going to love it too.
Vegan Carrot Cake
Print Recipe
Calling all carrot cake lovers! Living healthy no longer means living without your favorite cake! Enjoy this healthy spin on an old time favorite.
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Passive Time
Let Set Over Night
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Passive Time
Let Set Over Night
Vegan Carrot Cake
Print Recipe
Calling all carrot cake lovers! Living healthy no longer means living without your favorite cake! Enjoy this healthy spin on an old time favorite.
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Passive Time
Let Set Over Night
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Passive Time
Let Set Over Night
Ingredients
Cake
Vanilla Cashew Frosting
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Directions For Carrot Cake: Process all ingredients except for additional ingredients in food processor until process until even consistency. Sprinkle in remaining ingredients and pulse until evenly blended. Firmly press crust into silicone mold and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Directions For Vanilla Cashew Frosting: Blend all ingredients until smooth even consistency in blender. Remove cake from silicone mold. Evenly spread frosting onto cake. Set aside in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Recipe Notes

Helpful Hint

The flavors of this cake get deeper and more powerful with each hour it sets. I suggest making these one day before you plan on serving for the perfect flavors.

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Sweets In The Raw: Naturally Healthy Book Launch Party

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raw book launch party

Earlier this month, I had my official launch party for my cookbook, Sweets In The Raw: Naturally Healthy Desserts, at True Food Kitchen Fashion Valley.  I pulled out all the stops to make it truly amazing! I figure you only have one big launch party for your first cookbook ever, right?!?

raw book launch party food

I was so happy to see everyone who came to support and celebrate the book, despite it being a Thursday night, the official start of the football season (Go Chargers!).

raw book launch party group shot

To see so many loving and familiar faces was truly humbling, but to see so many new people who have been following me through my blog, social media and TV appearances was incredibly flattering. Thank you ALL for being so supportive. I really hope you love this book and the desserts inside it as much as I loved creating it! With that being said, there were so many different things that came together to create this event, so I wanted to take a minute to share some images and thank some important people who made it all possible.

raw book launch party book display

vegan lemon cookies
vegan chocolate truffles                 sunfoods launch party
raw book launch party samplingraw book launch party 3

A massive thank you to Sunfood, True Food Kitchen (Lea, the restaurant manager there is the best) and BROOKE LIMPERIS PHOTOGRAPHY for sponsoring my event. Not to mention everyone who has made this cookbook a reality: Mike Carpenter (photographer), Stacey Uy (graphic designer for cookbook), Danielle Grady (editor), Lisa Dibbell (editor), Jeniffer Thomas (book consultant), Samantha Murphy (social media graphic designer), Kristi Dosh (national pr), Tricia van Dockum (local pr), Paulina LaScola (photographer) and of course my #1 supporter, Dan Marquis (test taster & husband).

raw book launch party people raw book launch party event                              raw book launch party book signing

Long before before creating this cookbook, I dreamed of how it could impact individual people’s lives and then hopefully, the world. At the event, I was able to hear everyone’s specific stories as to why they came, and those stories were truly inspiring.  To see the impact this project has already started to create is incredible. Without you, I would’ve never thought about making a cookbook.

raw book launch party group shot true food raw book launch party family pic