Garden of Life RAW meal replacement shake

I am trying TWO new things as we speak.

1) This shake:

and

2) Blogging from my iPhone.

I am a fan of Garden of Life products in general. They seem to use quality ingredients and put together good combinations. Although I have read about them, & researched their ingredients, I have not tried too many of their products myself, as I experienced so many sensitivities to so many ingredients that it was difficult for me to find ANY commercial product that did not contain at least one ingredient to which I was sensitive.

The good news is, I believe my gut has (finally!) come a long way in healing. I have been branching out with more and more foods, & experiencing only minor, if any, reactions.

So I am once again trying a few commercial products, & hoping I do ok with them. Today I am trying this Garden of Life RAW meal replacement shake.

Generally, I believe that if one is eating a healthy balanced diet, there is no need for additional supplements or protein shakes. I found that, for me, when I eat high raw, I feel amazing and have no need for vitamins or protein supplements. As I've shared before, my lab tests have borne that out, which is awesome.

However, I have NOT been eating well lately, and certainly nothing that could be considered "balanced". I have been lacking in both energy & motivation to come up with menu ideas or prepare anything- so my diet has consisted of nuts, apples, rice cakes, maybe a salad or piece of gluten free toast. Not a sustainable source if energy or nutrients!

So, I figured why not try a meal replacement shake? Especially one that is raw & vegan. It's got to be better than a dinner of rice cakes ;)

So, as I'm sitting here sipping my vanilla shake, I have to say, it's not bad! I blended the packet with 16oz of filtered water, and first tried it just like that, to see what it was like. It was surprisingly tasty. I decided I'd like it cold, & a little more flavor, so I added some frozen bing cherries. Very tasty. Decided I'd like it colder, so added some ice cubes- and we have a winner.

Cheers!

Valentine Rice Krispy Treats (gluten free, corn free, vegan)

Good morning and happy Valentine's day!

Today I share with you cocoa and vanilla rice krispy treats. These treats use brown rice syrup instead of marshmallows, so they contain NO gluten, corn, soy, or animal products. Yum!

Easy Gluten Free, Vegan Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients
1/3 cup nut butter of choice (I used cashew, but I think peanut or hazelnut would be fantastic with the cocoa treats)
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups gluten free crispy rice cereal (I use this one) It also comes in cocoa.

Method
In a large pan, heat nut butter and brown rice syrup over low heat until melted and well combined.
Stir in vanilla extract
Turn off heat
Stir in rice cereal until well coated with syrup mixture

Spread rice mixture in brownie pan to cool.

Alternatively, you can use a rice mold to make all kinds of shapes. I find this easier than cutting out rice krispy treats with a cookie cutter. This is what my rice mold looks like:

You can find rice molds (sushi molds) in Asian grocery stores. If you are lucky to live in a city that has a Chinatown, you can find them in ALL shapes and sizes- and super cheap. I found my heart mold, which also came with a flower mold, for 99 cents in San Francisco's Chinatown. If you can not find them in a local shop, you can also find them on Amazon.

How to make your own vanilla extract

There seems to be some confusion out there regarding extracts, and whether they are gluten (or other allergen) free.  Commercial vanilla extract is made using alcohol and vanilla beans. Any type of alcohol will work (which is great news for those of you who plan to follow this recipe and make your own at home). Commercial extracts do not need to list the type of alcohol used- but it is pretty safe to assume that the alcohol is either derived from gluten-containing grains, or corn (it is possible the alcohol used might come from sugarcane, potatoes, or another starchy substance but you cannot tell from the label on the extract).

Does the type of alcohol, or more accurately, the ingredient from which it is derived, matter? I'm not sure. Shauna of Gluten Free Girl, whose writing I love and research and advice I trust, reports in this post that while it was once believed that alcohol derived from wheat, barley or rye contained gluten, it is now believed that the gluten proteins are destroyed in the distilling process. Therefore, grain based alcohols and extracts would be considered gluten-free. Some brands of extract are certified gluten-free; whether this is because the distilling process has denatured the gluten protein, or because they use an alcohol derived from a non-gluten containing grain, such as corn, I'm not certain. For those with corn allergies, Cornallergens.com lists vanilla extract as an ingredient to avoid.

In the past, I have gotten sick from recipes using commercial vanilla extract (the quality stuff, no fillers or imitation vanilla) and when I substituted vanilla powder instead of extract, I tolerated the dish just fine. That led me to believe the vanilla extract was the culprit. That's when I started using vanilla beans or vanilla powder in all of my baking and smoothies- which I now actually prefer, since I find that the real vanilla bean has an even better flavor than extract... mmmmm.

However, there are some recipes where you may want the vanilla flavor, but you do not want little black specks from the vanilla bean in the final product. What to do?

Good news! It is very easy to make your own vanilla extract. It is also much less expensive to make it yourself than to buy quality commercially prepared vanilla extract. It is also pretty cool to be able to adjust the flavor of your homemade extracts to your needs and liking, simply by varying the type of alcohol or the variety of vanilla bean. Tip: if you are really into vanilla, order a sampler variety packand try different types of beans- I did this a while back and it has been a lot of fun pairing certain varieties with certain recipes.

If (like me) you are wondering which alcohols are derived from which ingredients, a beverage industry site explains this about different types of alcohols (spirits):

Generally speaking, spirits are classified by the fermented material that they are distilled from. Whiskies, Vodka, Gin and most types of Schnapps are made by distilling a kind of beer made from grain. Brandy is made from fermented grape juice, and Fruit Brandy is made from other fruits. Rum and Cane Spirits derive from fermented sugar cane juice or molasses. Tequila and Mezcal come from the fermented pulp of the agave plant. Fortified wines are hybrid beverages in that they are a blend of fermented wine and distilled spirits (usually Brandy).

Note the above is just a general guideline and somewhere to start. If you plan to make your own extracts, and wish to avoid a certain ingredient, be sure to research the ingredients in the specific brand of alcohol you plan to purchase. When I went searching for vodka, believing all vodkas were made from potatoes, I found nearly all of the vodkas at the (very large) liquor store I went to were actually derived from corn. Thanks to the very helpful manager, we did locate a vodka derived from grapes, which was a fantastic surprise. Grapes are even better than potatoes for me!

 

So, after all of that... here is how you make extract:

Super Easy, Allergy Friendly Vanilla Extract

Ingredients
1-2 vanilla beans of choice
1 cup alcohol of choice
Glass container

Method
Place the vanilla beans in a glass container, and pour enough alcohol in the container to cover the beans.

You do not need to use whole beans, you can use the bean after you've scraped out the inside for another recipe. This is a great way to make those expensive vanilla beans go even further.

I used Indian vanilla beans, because that is what I had on hand. I'd had these for a while, and they were getting a little stiff and not so good for scraping out for baking, so I just broke 2 whole beans in half and put them in the jar.

Keep the mixture in a cool dark place, and every week or so, give the jar a little shake to mix things around. The extract is ready in about 4-6 weeks, but it will continue to get darker and stronger over time.

Here is a comparison with a batch I made a few months ago:

Ideally, you would use a dark glass jar to protect from light, but I just used the paper bag that the vodka came in.

That's it! I will soon be trying this recipe with mint and other flavors to make more extracts. I would love to hear your experience with this, especially if you have tried other flavors.

Enjoy!

Raw Vegan Valentine Cookies

This recipe was inspired by a great recipe on Veggie Wedgie- check it out here. I love Veggie Wedgie! This recipe is also linked to Wellness Weekends and Allergy Friendly Friday, be sure to check each of those pages for more gluten free, allergy-friendly recipes. If you are gluten free and vegan, and you do not know of Cybele Pascal, get thee to her page now. If you are gluten free and sugar free, be sure to visit Diet, Dessert and Dogs for amazing sweet and savory recipes... and dogs. Food and dogs...what more could you possibly want in a blog? (Woof, woof, nothing, says Bailey from the Healing Kitchen. Wag, wag)

But first, read the yummy recipe below. Trust me, you want to make these cookies!

I think these are the best cookies I've ever made. Ever. Even way back when I could eat butter, eggs, flour, and Crisco (shudder). Seriously, these are as good or better than any raw,vegan, cooked, or traditional cookie I've ever tasted. Bonus: these are much easier to make than baked cookies! Bonus bonus: they are super healthy! (links to health info at bottom of recipe) 

This recipe has no gluten, wheat, sugar, corn, dairy, egg, soy, or nightshades/potato.

These cookies are mostly raw. To make them truly raw, you could use raw oat groats, and make a raw jam for the filling. I was lazy and used gluten free rolled oats and lingonberry jam I had in the fridge. 

Raw Vegan Valentine's Day Cookies

Makes approximately 30 sandwich cookies

Special equipment: Vitamix or food processor, Dehydrator (optional)

Ingredients

3/4 cup raw almonds

3/4 cup raw hazelnuts

1 cup gluten free oats

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 Tbsp coconut oil

pinch vanilla powder(ground vanilla bean)

pinch himalayan salt

few teaspoons of water, if needed

Method

One at a time, grind the almonds, hazelnuts, and oats into flour. I did this in the "dry" container for the Vitamix. You can probably do this in a food processor, or perhaps a coffee or nut grinder. You want a fine flour, not just finely chopped nuts. You could also use nut pulp left over from making nut milk (keep it in the freezer until you need it), or purchase nut flour (but nut flour is really expensive).

Whisk nut and oat flours, vanilla powder, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the agave nectar and coconut oil, and knead with your hands until well combined and you have a dough that sticks together when you press it between your fingers. If dough is too dry and crumbly, add some water, one teaspoon at a time. Knead, and add more water if necessary. I did not need any water this time, but sometimes I do. Be careful not to add too much water, or you'll wind up with a sticky mess.

Roll out the dough on parchment paper or silpat. Using your favorite cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes. Carefully transfer to dehydrator tray lined with teflexx sheet or parchment paper. Dehydrate at 145 degrees F for one hour, then 115 degrees F for as long as you like to get the consistency you desire. I dehydrated for about 6 hours... but a few cookies may have disappeared from the trays in that time... had to taste, you know... 

Add jam to cookies, and assemble.

You can eat these as soon as you cut them, or dehydrate first. It is up to you! 

They are very good for breakfast. They are also very good frozen. Mmmm.

Click on the following links for more information on the health benefits of almonds, hazelnuts, another page on hazelnuts, nuts in general, oats, lingonberry, another page on lingonberry, and coconut oil. Click here for more information about the health benefits of raw & living food.

Key Lime (Mini!) Pies

I created this recipe for an online recipe contest. I am so nervous and excited... this is my first contest! Click for more on Vegan Culinary Crusade's Raw Recipe Challenge, and to see the other beautiful entries. Wow. 

Since I'm in Florida, I decided to make... what else? Key Lime Pie! It's the state pie, you know : ) Can you believe that Key Limes and macadamias are both local? As in- people have them in their back yards??? How amazing is that? (I have to remind myself of the good things about Florida while we melt in the summer heat and humidity right now) Three months of sweltering heat... ah, it's the price we pay to have tropical fruits in the back yard... 

OK... here goes... enjoy, with warm wishes from Florida! xo

Bailey the Beach Dog 

(and Healing Kitchen mascot :)

Raw Vegan Key Lime Mini Pies

Makes three 4"pies

Ingredients

For the crust
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
Approximately 10 pitted dates, unsoaked
Pinch himalayan salt

For the key lime filling
1 cup soaked cashews
2 tablespoons key lime juice (if you can't find key limes, persian limes will do) Reserve a slice of lime or curl some lime zest for garnish
2 tablespoons light agave nectar
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
Approximately 1/4 cup filtered water (just enough to blend)
Teeny pinch of himalayan salt

For the vanilla creme (you will have extra vanilla creme)
1 cup soaked cashews
3 tablespoons light agave nectar
1 vanilla bean- scraped or ground whole in coffee grinder (see this post)
Approximately 1/4 cup filtered water- enough to blend to a creamy texture

Method

Crust
Briefly pulse macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and himalayan salt in food processor until dry and crumbly. Don't overprocess or the crust will become oily.

Add dates and process until combined. Amount of dates will vary- you want a consistency that will stick together when you press it between your fingers.

Press the mixture into your desired pie pan.

Set pie crusts aside. Tip: put your pie shells in the freezer while making the filling. When you are ready, the cold crust slides out of the tart pan much easier. (or maybe this is just because I'm in Florida, where it is so hot that things tend to melt just sitting on the kitchen counter? LOL)

Filling
Blend all ingredients in Vita-Mix or blender. Pour into pie shells.

Gently slide crusts out of tart pans. Add a slice of lime for garnish:

Vanilla creme
Blend all ingredients in Vita-Mix or blender.
Place a dollop of vanilla creme on each key lime pie:

Enjoy!

Note: You will have extra vanilla creme. You can use it to make more filling, make another pie, use it in a berry parfait for tomorrow's breakfast- or just eat it with a spoon. Ha. OK, try not to just eat it with a spoon. I'm sure you will find something delicious for the vanilla creme. You can't really make half a recipe for the creme, because there won't be enough volume for the blender to blend. But a little extra vanilla deliciousness is not a bad thing!

I used the leftover vanilla creme to make mini black forest pies. I had an abundance of fresh cherries in my refrigerator, and what better way to use them than (more) pie. Mmmm!

Pssst... did you know that cashews are one of the world's healthiest foods? Click here for more nutritional information about cashews, limes, dates, and pine nuts

*This post also linked on Cybele Pascal's Allergy Friendly Friday and Diet, Dessert and Dogs' Summer Wellness Weekends. Click on over and take a look at the other great allergy-friendly and healing recipes!

Gluten Free Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

The first time I made butter bean cookies, I thought they had a texture similar to a scone. So I experimented, and came up with this recipe.

Gluten Free Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten free flour mix
• 1 1/2 tsp corn-free baking powder
• 1/4 tsp organic cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
• Dash himalayan salt
• 1/2 cup canned white beans, liquid reserved (I used cannellini beans)
• 1/2 cup sucanat, or substitute brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen rasberries (I always recommend using organic berries)
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chunks ( I cheated and used Ghiardelli baking white chocolate- not ideal, since it contains dairy, but you could use this recipe for vegan white chocolate)

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat
• In the food processor, mix dry ingredients: GF flour mix, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla powder, and salt. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• In the food processor, mix white beans, sugar, applesauce, and approximately 1 Tbsp of bean liquid. Process until smooth.
• Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir to combine. If it is too dry, add a little more bean liquid.
• Add raspberries and white chocolate chunks and stir to combine.

• Scoop out a scone-size amount of dough, shape a little with your hands if desired, and put on parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheet.

• Bake at 350F for approximately 20 minutes. Edges will get slightly brown, and the middles will be firm. They will firm up a little more after they cool, so don't overcook.
• Let cool, and enjoy!

These freeze well and defrost nicely in the microwave.
p.s. can you believe I forgot to take a photo of the final product? I will try to remember next time.

Gluten free cherry vanilla pecan waffles

Rainier cherries were on sale this week at Whole Foods.

Gluten free cherry vanilla pecan waffles (vegan)
Makes 10-12 waffles

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten free flour mix
• 1 tsp guar gum
• 1 tsp corn-free baking powder
• 4 Tbsp organic cane sugar
• 3/4 tsp himalayan salt
• 3/4 tsp vanilla powder
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 4 Tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 cup seltzer water
• 3/4 cup white grape juice

Method

• In a large bowl, mix together gluten free flour mix, guar gum, sugar, salt, chia seeds, vanilla powder, and pecans.
• Add seltzer water, white grape juice, and grapeseed oil and stir to combine. Make sure you don't have any lumps.
• Make waffles according to the directions for your waffle maker. 

Ugh! Please excuse the terrible lighting in this picture.

Top with fresh cherries, and additional pecans, if desired. Enjoy!

Key Lime White Chocolate Cake Pops

Here is the second raw vegan cake pop recipe!

Key Lime White Chocolate Raw Vegan Cake Pops

Makes approximately 8 cake pops

Ingredients
1 cup raw macadamia nuts
1/8 tsp himalayan salt
Key lime juice to taste. I don't think I measured, but probably about 1 key lime/1 Tbsp juice.
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped (keep the empty bean for future recipe: vanilla sugar)
3-4 pitted dates- I didn't use these, but will next time. I think the cake pops need the dates to hold together. I used light agave nectar for a sweetener, but if you use dates, you won't need agave.
Lollipop sticks
White chocolate coating

I made macadamia flour in the VitaMix. If you don't have a VitaMix, I think you can probably skip this step and process everything in the food processor.

Add macadamia flour (or whole raw macadamias) and salt to food processor, and pulse to combine (process a little longer if whole macadamias).

Add key lime juice, vanilla bean, and dates to food processor. Process until mixed, and dough-like consistency.

Roll pieces of dough into balls, and place on cookie sheet or tray to go in the freezer. Tip: using a parchment paper (or Silpat) liner will help prevent your cake pops from freezing to the cookie sheet.

Note: My key lime pops were very soft. I think adding dates will prevent that next time. I simply forgot to add dates when I made these! The ones I made froze well, and tasted great (and actually had a great texture once frozen- more like a truffle), but they would not have stayed on a lollipop stick upright, as suggested here. As it was, the sticks wanted to fall over rather than stay upright in the key lime balls. You can see below that the cherry vanilla ones were firmer. That's what you're going for.

Insert lollipop sticks in balls. Freeze.

While cake pops are in the freezer, mix up the white chocolate coating, described here and here.

Spoon white chocolate coating over each cake pop, and re-freeze. They won't take long, you will be able to enjoy them in about 10 minutes. They are even better the next day, after freezing overnight! Yum!

How to make your own vanilla powder

I started making my own vanilla powder for two reasons:
1) I have not yet found a vanilla extract that contains no gluten, corn, or potato (if you know of one, please let me know)
2) Fresh vanilla from the bean tastes amazing

You can buy vanilla powder already made. It comes in a little jar like this, and costs about $18/oz (yikes!)

Making your own vanilla powder is super-easy. Take one vanilla bean:

Cut it into smaller pieces, and put in a clean coffee grinder (these are pieces of vanilla bean added to some already ground vanilla)

Give it a whirl, and  you wind up with vanilla powder

Just keep processing until it's as fine of a powder as you can get. You really want a fine powder, not chunks of vanilla bean. I've found my coffee grinder does not process all of the vanilla as fine as the commercially prepared version, but it's very close. What you see around the lip of the coffee grinder is what you are going for. The pieces you see in the bottom need another whirl or two. 

I store the ground vanilla in that little jar I showed above, and refill as needed. I find grinding two beans at a time lasts me quite a while. I also use a little paintbrush (that I only use for vanilla powder) to get every last speck of vanilla out of the coffee grinder and into the vanilla jar.

It measures 1:1 with vanilla extract, but I tend to use slightly less (due to cost) and it still works great.

The best source I've found so far for vanilla beans is Beanilla.com- you can order from them directly, or through Amazon.com here