RAW CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH BITES

I love no cook simple raw desserts.  There's something so satisfying about them.  This is a recipe that literally could be tweaked so many different ways to give you many, many delicious treats.

I took my Raw Cranberry + Sweet Cacao Nibs Icebox Cookie dough recipe and just changed it up a bit.  It almost tasted like you are savoring some chocolate truffles or something.  I hope you love them just as much as I do.

RAW CHOCOALTE COOKIE DOUGH BITES

1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup dates
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons raw agave or honey
Shredded coconut for coating

Process the nuts in your food processor until finely chopped.  Add in the dates and process until the ingredients are mixed well and it starts to get moist from the dates.  Add in the cacao powder and agave or honey and process to combined.  Roll the dough into bite size rounds and roll the balls in a plate of coconut shavings to coat.  Chill for about 1 hour in an airtight container and they are ready to serve!  So simple!

You can get creative and use other delicious goodies to coat your cookie dough bites.  Yum!

Bon appetit!

KIDS PICK: (RAWVEGAN) FUDGESICLES!

 

 

Summer is upon us and boy does my son like anything that is frozen and sweet like ice cream.  As most moms are, I am always trying to make my own healthier version of my son's favorite foods.  I made this Chocolate Almond Milk Ice Cream not to long ago and the fact that my son loved it, made me so happy.  

 

His favorite after "school" snack for the past year and half happens to be popsicles.  So, I've made him several different varieties, but recently I made these "fudgesicles" for him and he love them too!    (Do you all remember Fudgesicles?  Do they still make those?  I don't even know...)   Ridiculously simple, I love it.  Sometimes, I will even try to sneak some spinach into it. - Shhhhhh!  Just take the Chocolate Almond Milk Ice Cream recipe and pour it into the popsicle mold and freeze.  Voila!

 

 

RAWVEGAN FUDGESICLES

 

 

1 cup almond milk

2 frozen bananas (freeze in small pieces)

1 heaping tablespoon of raw cacao powder

1 tablespoon raw honey or agave

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Blend all of the ingredients together in a high speed blender.  The consistency should be thicker than a smoothie.   Pour the mixture into your favorite popsicle molds and freeze.

Enjoy!

 

 

Join the discussion!

What's your child's favorite raw or vegan after school snack?   Feel free to share it in the comments below. Links are welcome!

 

 

RAW STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE WITH VANILLA CREAM

 

 

It's strawberry season and I am loving it!  These Raw Strawberry Shortcakes with Vanilla Cream is so refreshing and easy to make.  The cookie dough is really versatile, I can see myself using this raw cookie dough recipe for many tart like treats.  Oh, and I hope to be able to go strawberry picking soon too!



 

 

RAW STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE WITH VANILLA CREAM

 

For the Raw Cookie Dough

1 cup raw walnuts

1 cup raw cashews

3 tablespoons raw agave

1 teaspoon water

 

For the Vanilla Cream

1 1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 hrs
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp agave (or 2 dates - I used the dates)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberries

For the vanilla cream, in your food processor blend all ingredients, minus 1/4 cup water. Stop frequently to scrape the bowl. When the mixture is quite smooth, drizzle in the last 1/4 cup water till fluffy.  Chill in the refrigerator.

 

 

For the raw cookie dough, process the walnuts and cashews in the food processor until they are chopped small and are combined well. Then add in the agave, process until crumbly, and add in the teaspoon of water. Process until a large sticky ball of dough is whirling around in your bowl. Remove the dough, place it between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the cookies out of the dough using a small circle cookie cutter (mine was about 2 inches in diameter), and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and chill in the freezer for about an hour.

 

Once the cookie dough is chilled, plate it onto your plate or platter, then add sliced strawberries on top of it, then add a dolop of the vanilla cream and top it with strawberry tips.

 

Voila!  So pretty and delicious!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Join the discussion!

If you have a favorite strawberry dessert recipe, feel free to share it in the comments below. Links are welcome!

 

 





NO COOK APPLE CRUMBLE

 

I love the fact that in Los Angeles you can drive anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours (depending on where you live) and be at the mountains, the snow, dessert, the beach, wineries, or a farm.  I am bummed I missed out this year, but I've had a couple of my mommy friends who took their kids apple picking, one of them being our lovely contributor Britney.  She took her daughter Zion to Oak Glen Apple Orchard.  Also, my friend Deborah over at My Life At Playtime took her three kids over to Riley's Farm.  Check our her blog post about their excursion HERE.  Looks like so much fun!!

 



 

So, with the fall season fully in swing now here (FINALLY!), I've been wanting to make an apple dessert.  This recipe is so super simple and so delicious and can be eaten several different ways.  For all you raw foodies, this is a raw dessert.  Here's what you do...

 

NO COOK APPLE CRUMBLE

 

For the crumble

 

3/4 cup walnuts

3/4 cup almonds

6 -8 pitted dates

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

In a food processor, chop all ingredients together into a crumbly, but moist texture.  Set aside in a bowl.

 

 

For the apple filling

 

6 large apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

4-6 medjool dates

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Dash of sea salt

In a food processor PULSE 4 of the apples into small chunks and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Process the remaining 2 apples with the dates, cinnamon and salt, until smooth (like applesauce). Mix both together and spread into the bottom of a 9x9" pan and then sprinkle the crumble on top.

 

This crumble by itself can be used to top yogurt, add to your cereal, topped on fresh fruit, topped on icecream... the options are endless.

 

Same goes for the filling.  I was eating the filling by itself last night. So good!  I added some to the overnight oatmeal for my husband.  You can also mix it into your cereal, yogurt or top it on ice cream.  So delicious!

 

Enjoy! 

 



 

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite Raw or Vegan Apple Dessert recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.

 



RAW CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

 

 

 

I am not complaining, but I have been so busy this week.  And sometimes there are those days where you just crave something sweet.  I am seriously craving these raw chocolate turffles that I made this past weekend at The Matthew Kenney Academy.  This recipe is so easy that you won't know why you've never made these before.  And I LOVE the fact you can easily change the flavors by simply changing the toppings you use to coat the truffle.

 

Here's the rundown...for these basic cacao truffles...
 

RAW CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 cup cashew butter

1/2 cup agave

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup cacao butter, melted

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup cacao powder

Pinch of salt

 

Directions:

 

Blend all the ingredients together except the cacao powder in a high speed blender until smooth. Add the cacao powder and blend just until the ingredients are incorporated.  Pour the mixture into a bowl and place it in the refrigerator or freezer until the mixture firms up.

 

Take a small scooper and scoop the mixture and roll them in to small balls about 3/4" in diameter.  Chill until they are ready to serve. 

 

You can also roll the truffles in different flavor toppings to add that next level of flavors.  If you would like to do this, have small bowls with your toppings ready so you can roll the truffle in them and then chill until serving.

 

Here are some ideas of flavor mixes you can use:

• Pistachio , Salt, Cardemom
• Cacao nibs, Cinnamon, Coconut Sugar
• Cacao Powder, Maca Powder, Cinnamon
• Pumpkin Spice, Cayenne, Cinnamon
• Cacao Powder, Cayenne, Sea Salt
• Pumpkin Spice, Ground Ginger

 

There are so many other flavors you could blend and use, the sky's the limit.  I am sure you will find your favorite.  Mine was the Cacao Powder, Cayenne and Sea Salt.   I think I need to pick up or make some lemon salt for this recipe.  Lemon salt, cacao powder and cayenne for a little spice kick sounds awsome!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interesting in trying more of Matthew Kenney's recipes you should definitely pick up one of his many fabulous COOKBOOKS. 

 

You can find other delicious raw chocolate recipes in his Raw Chocolate cookbook too.

 

 

 

 

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite Chocolate Dessert recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.