A Rouxbe Experience....A lesson in eating your homework.

 

I've taken a break this summer from posting since I've been a busy bee - mainly, eating my homework. I've recently graduated from Rouxbe's online Professional Plant-Based Certification Program, and we've been busy creating food and eating food, creating, and eating....it's been enlightening to say the least, and an amazing experience.

This has everything to do with going back to the basics. Going back to the things you think you know, to learn them in a totally new and inspired way. Chopping. Knife skills. How big is a small dice anyway, and how do you sharpen your knives, hold your guide hand, know when a pan is ready for a sautee. Chemistry, science, art, and total joy.

We've had so much fun with the plant-based recipes, and we've totally indulged this summer: hand made manicotti with tofu ricotta filling and fresh marinara, chocolate genache torte, soups, stews, bean salads, desserts, smoothies, and so much more! 

My favorite part of the course was the intended "mise en place" for each recipe, or rather, the idea of "everything in its right place" before you proceed with the recipe. So many meals have been ruined due to overcooking, leaving the stove for an ingredient, not timing things correctly, and mise en place allows you to have everything in the right place, chopped, measured, ready to go, so that you can ENJOY the process of cooking and be in the present moment. Symbolic, right? 

Here we go. 

Enjoy the gallery of plant-based nutritious cooking, where nothing is missing....except the junk. This is how we loved ourselves up this summer, with beans, grains, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, super foods, and all the lovely indulgences that these create, with whole foods. 

Knife skills!

Mise en place for roasted lemon cauliflower.

Spring asparagus rissotto. 

Mise en place for an arugula quinoa salad.

Coconut chickpea stew.

Penne carbonara (the vegan way)

Thai noodle soup.

Tofu chocolate mousse pie.

Braised seitan au jus with garlic greens.

Handmade manicotti, tofu ricotta, and marinara.

Handmade udon stir fry.

Mushrooms and beans.

Purslane and flower salad.

Chocolate genache pie with cherry/black pepper sorbet.

Mock tuna pate in collard rolls.

Mise en place for tempeh brocoli stir fry.

Polenta and broccoli/tempeh stir fry and heirloom tomatoes.

Cauliflower chimichurri.

Here are some photos of our last Rouxbe Assignment, which was to host an event with little canapés. So much fun enjoying good food and family and friends. 

Sweet pea and jimaca coconut samosas (raw) with lime creme.

Mini samosa burgers with onion and mango chutney.

Healing turmeric tomato soup, sweet potato crackers, borage.

Mini chocolate genache tortes with berry sorbet and coulis.

Fruit kabobs - can't have enough fruit kabobs!

Amazing best friends and family.

Raw Chocolate Berry Mousse

Is there anything better than chocolate mousse? I’d say yes ~ chocolate covered strawberries is a nice runner up. This recipe combines both of these tastes for an over-the top experience.

Due to the good fats, stevia, and low-sugar berries, this is also a nice low-glycemic, filling dessert (one might say, you may even try it for breakfast!)

1 cup fresh or defrosted strawberries (defrosted ones blend better)

1 dropper liquid stevia (or to taste)

2 heaping tablespoons raw cacao

½ avocado

Blend ingredients well until smooth.  Scoop out the contents in a bowl and mix in ¼ to ½ cup chopped strawberries (defrosted or fresh), and stir well. Garnish with shredded coconut.

Easy Peasy Chocolate Turtles

I typically make this with raw cacao but I was cleaning out my pantry and found some leftover boxes of baking chocolate. Not thoroughly raw, but they'll do. Also, this recipe is strictly based upon your likes - add more maple syrup if you like it sweeter, try mixing up your dried fruit, or make it like a trail mix turtle. There's no way you can mess it up. Add up the solid ingredients to the liquid so that it maintains a batter consistency and then you're done. 

1 package baking chocolate 
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon vanilla 

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate, oil and maple syrup.  

Taste it so that it's as sweet as you want it, then add vanilla. 

Add ins (the ones I used, but you can choose your own):
Cashews, hemp seeds, raisins, sliced almonds. 

Also, shredded coconut would be amazing.

Add your "add in's" to the pot and just stir to mix. Pour into silicone food-safe molds and refrigerate. You can also put the batter in an 8x8 and cut like fudge, or use cupcake liners. Enjoy! 

Raw Peach Cobbler with Chocolate Genache

Chocolate is one of my main obsessions. And since it's actually GOOD for your heart, and filled with antioxidants, why now? Now, let's make a distinction between cacao and cocoa. Cocoa is heated, and processed, and not what they mean when they say chocolate is good for you (although it's an upgrade from a chocolate bar). In a pinch, you can make this with simple cocoa and follow the rest of the ingredients and you're good to go. However, if you really want to reap the benefits of all that chocolate has in store, you definitely want to go with cacao, which is unheated, unprocessed, the raw, real deal. Cacao is one of the highest antioxidants fruits on this planet, especially if left alone (unheated and raw). So you can rest assured that this dessert is not only delicious but good for your glorious bod!

1 peach, sliced
1/4 cup walnuts, or amount that suits you

chocolate genache:

It's best if you make big batches of this in a blender and just have it in the fridge for later use (since it will be smoother) but if you're like me and just need something in a pinch, this smaller recipe can suit you just fine. You might just have to blend it really well with a spoon to let go of the lumps.  Or if you're ok with the lumps, then all the better. Otherwise, I'd probably quadruple the ingredients and blend it up in a strong blender and have enough for the week.

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1-2 tablespoon cacao
some vanilla extract, optional

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. What's great about this recipe is that you can make it thicker or thinner, just by adding more or less cacao...if you want a really thick mousse, add one more tablespoon of cacao. If you like it thin, just enjoy it as is.  Stir it really well with a spoon and drizzle a little over the peaches and walnuts.  This recipe would be good enough for two servings.  

Wild Raspberries

If you haven't been out this month to pick wild raspberries, you're missing out. More tart than your store-bought variety, they are small, juicy, a bit sticky (which is fun) and delicious.  

Most especially, wild raspberries are just that - WILD. Meaning, unchanged by man, not sprayed, modified in any way, so they contain so much more nutrition than what you can find boxed up in your local favorite store.  Raspberries are huge in anti-oxidant and are especially helpful for:  (1) female health and (2) weight loss.  You can find out more fun info HERE.

I also know that raspberry leaf (infusions, teas, etc.) are especially helpful with supporting women in their hormonal health.  I often heat up a big pot of water until boiling, then take a handful of raspberry leaves and mix it in, cover and let steep over night.  The next morning, I strain the tea and add it to smoothies or just drink it as is.  For an extra antioxidant boost, you can even add a little lemon peel and goji berries when it's steeping. I love the flavor combo that results. You can buy some great organic raspberry leaf tea HERE. 

We went for a hike this past weekend and the woods were absolutely filled with them.  We ate until we were happy, and left the rest for whoever else might want some after us.  I love doing that - taking just enough for us, and leaving some behind. 

I hope this encourages you to get out of the house for a bit of hiking and noshing on these amazing fruit. 

Orange Maca Truffles

There are so so so many recipes for truffles, and this is just one in the ocean of possibilities.  Play it up as you'd like.  Make them into balls and roll them in coconut or cacao or cacao nibs. Another option is to sprinkle coconut on the bottom of a dish (as you would flour, to keep mixture from sticking) and press in the mixture to form bars.  Refrigerate, cut and wrap...these are even better than the fruit/date bars you'd buy at a store...and so much healthier too. 

We made these for our Whole Foods demo last week on raw foods, and everyone loved them. Now, granted, these are dense - not for lounging around and enjoying while watching TV but rather to be used as fuel while on a hike, running, vigorous exercise, that type of thing.  

2 cups walnuts

 1 to 1.5 -cup dried unsulfured apricots (diced small)

¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (plus ½ cup set aside)

grated zest of one organic orange

1/4 cup orange juice, as needed

1 tablespoon maca powder

2 T vanilla extract

few pinches salt

Process the walnuts and salt in a food processor until it resembles rice, but not more.  Add in the apricots, salt, vanilla and maca and process until it starts to stick together between your fingers.  If needed, add a little of the orange juice as it mixes, until it really starts to stick together.   Timing is critical since over processing lets out the oils in the nuts (making a nut butter).

Remove the blade and scoop out about 1 tablespoon worth (I use the smallest cookie scooper utensil) and roll it between your hands to make a small ball.  Roll it in the coconut and set aside in a container.  Keep going until you’ve used all of the dough.  Sprinkle the remaining coconut around the truffles so that they don’t stick together, and refrigerate at least 2 hours to set.  Again, you can also make these into bars.  They keep well and taste delicious.  Enjoy! 

Scrumptious (and easy) Berry Dream Ice Cream

A few posts ago, I described having found the most amazing popsicle recipe.  We've been somewhat obsessed with it, and I have no shame reposting it (albeit with different and more eye-candy'ish photos).  It really is that easy, and maybe part of the reason that it's been on my mind is that we have it about 2-3 times a week round here. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

My favorite is to allow a little crunch to it...add in some crushed walnuts or cacao nibs, coconut, what have you...but it's like soft serve with some naughty add ins, except without the belly ache after, no bloating, and all the satisfaction of hunkering down to a nice bowl of chilled goodness.  

Yes.  You should buy a few cans and keep them refrigerated, as well as some spiffy frozen berry bags. And then you're all set.  

1 can (chilled) organic coconut milk

1 bag frozen strawberries

1-2 dropper fulls of liquid stevia (non alcohol is best)

In a vitamix or strong blender, combine all ingredients together until smooth. Dish out, spoon in hand, and enjoy wholeheartedly. 

3-Ingredient Popsicles

June is here, and it's all about ice cream.  The kind you can eat and enjoy and not think about the calories.  The kind you can make at home with two ingredients and feed it to your kids and know that you're sneaking in whole fruity goodness without all the craziness that's found in boxed, store-bought brands. 

The fun part about this ice cream is that you can have it your way - whip it up for a soft serve feel, or put it in popsicle molds for a tasty cool treat.  Here, I show you both versions, and you decide for yourself.  The recipe cannot be simpler.

~ One can organic whole coconut milk (not the light version), refrigerated overnight

~ 3/4 bag of frozen berries (variation 1 was strawberries, the pictured version is peaches, and the one in our freezer currently is blueberry...quite possibly my favorite)

~ 1/2 dropper full of liquid stevia

Blend everything together in a vitamix until well blended.  This is a VERY soft serve and should be eaten immediately...more like a frozen pudding than ice cream. But the popsicles are totally worth the wait and unreal!

That's the equation, really, and you can use it as a template and use your favorite fruit.  Peaches, raspberries, a mixture of berries, even pear...you can also hide in whole pieces of fruit to make it look pretty as the kids are eating it.  Enjoy! We're on our third batch this week.... 

Yum...from our home to yours. 

Divine Almond Oat Energy Balls

These are literally divine...I can't tell you how good these are and a bit addictive, but there are worse things to be addicted, so I say go for it. There are a lot of these same types of recipes online, so I can't take ownership for creating the first oat-based nut ball, but this is just a spin on such a creation - pretty generic ingredients, but the end product will fool anyone and it will knock their socks off.  These are great pre-workout, post-workout and as a snack for hiking, etc.  

2 cups oats (preferably raw, gluten free)
1/2 cup raw almond butter (roasted is fine, but not as optimal, or you can use peanut butter if you're not sensitive to it)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons cacao
pinch salt
few pinches cinnamon
7 pitted dates

Combine all the ingredients (except for the dates) in a food processor until well combined.  Add in the dates and combine some more until the mixture begins to hold together. If it needs a little help (if the dates are harder than desired) add a few tablespoons of water until it starts to stick together between your fingers.  Roll into balls, and enjoy! When refrigerated, they hold their shape better and harden a bit.  

Cinnamon Pear Raw Breakfast Bowl

Many people ask me what I eat for breakfast...but it really depends on the day....sometimes I just love water, sometimes a banana, sometimes a green juice or green smoothie....and more recently, I have a love affair with this easy pear cinnamon bowl. It really is the perfect balance of nutty/sweet/spice and cream.  You can't go wrong.  Change up the fruit, change up the nuts and seeds, add some apple juice instead of almond milk, add some cardamom for some kick...but have it. Just eat it.  You'll thank me. 

1 bartlett pear, chopped
2 tablespoons chia
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
a few dashes cinnamon
almond milk

Combine everything together and enjoy.  Now, this makes a lot - if you want to start out with 1 tablespoon of all the seeds, you can try it - and then most likely you'll have seconds. But go at your own pace and enjoy all the protein, nourishment, good fats, and energy this provides with very little sugar.  Long term energy at its best! Ps. This makes an awesome dessert too without the guilt!