Creamy, zesty, cashew nacho cheese is delicious for dipping and great on tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. You make it in the blender, no cooking required, and it’s so versatile! Nutfree option

I have a couple of versions of nacho cheese on the blog . They are nut-free, so I decided to make a nut-based version which is creamier and more decadent. This is a super easy vegan cheese recipe. Just add everything to the blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. 

From there, you can adjust the flavors by adding more spices or adjust the tang with lemon juice to make this your own. 

Use this cashew nacho cheese over nachos, burritos, a taco bake, baked potatoes, on blanched broccoli, or however you like. Add some salsa for even more flavor and serve with your fave tortilla chips! For a more neutral cheese sauce recipe see my potato carrot vegan cheese sauce

Why You’ll Love Cashew Nacho Cheese

• rich and creamy vegan cheese sauce with no oil needed
• velvety smooth with light smoky and spicy notes
• versatile! Adjust saltiness and spiciness easily. Serve on nachos, tacos, burritos, and more!
• naturally gluten-free with an easy soy-free option

Continue reading: Cashew Nacho Cheese (gluten-free, oil-free with soy-free option)

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These Vegan Snickerdoodle Energy Bites are the perfect thing to have on hand anytime. But especially around fall and winter when you’re really craving a holiday cookie but don’t actually want to deal with 1, baking and 2, all the cookie-snacking consequences (hello sugar coma). Because these simple vegan snacks are made from wholesome plant-based ingredients only – no added refined sugar, gluten, or oil– they are a festive treat I’m happy to enjoy anytime and kids love them too.

Continue reading: No Bake Vegan Snickerdoodle Bites

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Gena Hamshaw, who blogs at the full helping, has a book out to introduce you gently to adding raw foods to everyday options. Choosing Raw: Making Raw Foods Part of the Way You Eat
What I like about this book is that it gradually introduces you to raw options. The book is not about eating entirely raw all the time. It makes it easy to add the raw and regular plant based meals to everyday options and allows you to choose your way of healthy eating. There are chapters that take you through “Tried and tested” recipes with everyday cooked food mixed with some raw, the next level introduces you to “something new” and then takes you to the “Brave new world” of raw food. 

The book has chapters on nutrition and Myths and misconception which cover information on protein, questions about soy, fats, oils and more. There is a dizzying amount of information on the web and extreme ideas about some of these topics. I was very happy to see a balanced perspective on the topics in the book. 

I have followed Gena’s blog for a long while now and have been continuously impressed with the knowledge she has to share. Her posts are insightful, food simple and delicious and the blog humble and welcoming. 

I made a couple of recipes from the book and have book marked a bunch more to try this summer like Mesquite glazed Tempeh, Raw Carrot Falafels, a couple of the dressings. 

The decadent Blueberry cheesecake was made into personal tarts so I could keep some for hubbs later. (pictured above) Quinoa Meatless balls served with zucchini badly made into wide pasta. I don’t have a spiralizer or julienne peeler :). The meatballs come together very easily and can be added to anything. 



Caesar dressing from the Dinosaur Kale and Bean Salad. Tossed in some chickpeas and peppers and made Rainbow Chard wraps.



Gena is a nutritionist and everything in the book comes from research and not claims. She also tells you her story through her eating disorder, fully raw to the mixed raw diet which is written very honestly and the story is very engaging. There are 125 recipes, 21 meal plans, and absolutely beautiful photography in the book by Hannah Kaminsky.

From Choosing Raw by Gena Hamshaw. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2014.

Print

Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake

If you think authentic cheesecake flavor is impossible without the cheese, think again. Raw cheesecake happens to be one of the most authentic tasting raw desserts, thanks to the magical combination of cashews and coconut oil. The cheesecake is easier to prepare in a high-speed blender than a food processor, but the processor can work if that’s what you have. Just be sure to soak your cashews overnight! If you don’t have cashews, macadamia nuts are a perfect substitute.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 497kcal

Author Gena Hemshaw

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups almonds
• Pinch sea salt
• 2 cups pitted Medjool dates

Filling Ingredients

• 3 cups cashews soaked in water overnight and drained
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2/3 cup melted coconut oil
• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup agave nectar

Topping Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar or pure maple syrup

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Place the almonds and sea salt in a food processor and grind roughly. Add the dates and process until the mixture is well processed and sticks together when you squeeze a bit in the palm of your hand. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Use a high-speed blender or food processor (high-speed blender is preferable, but a food processor will work as well) to process all the filling ingredients thoroughly, until they are silky smooth. If you’re working with a processor, you may need to stop often to scrape it down. Pour the mixture over the layer of crust and use an inverted knife to smooth it over. Place the cheesecake in the freezer for an hour, then transfer it to the fridge and let it set overnight.
• When the cheesecake has set, blend 1 cup of blueberries, the lemon, and the agave nectar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the remaining whole blueberries. Pour the mixture over the cheesecake (or you can spoon it over individual slices). Serve.
• Cover and store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 10. If you freeze the cake, defrost the slices in the fridge for several hours before serving.

Notes

nutrition based on one serving

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 510mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 4.9mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg

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There are so many recipes that I have to try from the book. All of the layer cakes, mousse cakes, cheese cakes, creme brulee, tarts. I made the almond joys. They are so quick to put together and also so quick to disappear. They also are perfect Easter Candy, make egg shaped balls! I also made the S’mores cupcakes into mini tarts. One tart disappeared as soon as hubbs came home, and the other was instantly picked up by a 5 year old visitor that day. #kidapproved too! 

Raw food I always thought would be a long process or a lot of dehydration and steps, but this book changes it all. There are very few dehydrator recipes and everything is fantastically delicious, healthy and decadent all the same time. 

No Dairy, refined sugar, eggs, processed flour and gluten. If you love sweet and want to keep it healthy, this is the book for you. 

If you are not a fan of dates or banana or coconut in all forms or cashews, then try a few recipes from the rawsome vegan baking blog tour or Emily’s blog and decide!  More gorgeous photographs from the book and recipe list on Emily’s blog here.

Enter the Book giveaway at the bottom of the post. Giveaway is now over.

I definitely need a Cocojack to make some of the young coconut recipes. If you are new to raw desserts and in Seattle, try some of the delicious desserts at Jodees Desserts or Thrive in Seattle.  

Emily’s creations will surely be a crowd pleaser this summer. A creamy chilled Pink cherry Ice cream cake any day over a baked frosted one.

Below S’mores cupcake tarts



Thank you, Page Street Publishing, Kathy Hester, and Emily for the book to review and giveaway!


This Photograph above and Recipe by Emily von Euw.

Almond Joys with Crunchy Coconut Center Enrobed in Raw Chocolate

These are a little bit addictive for coconut lovers. My mom does not have a very big sweet tooth but she devoured these in minutes, because she loved Almond Joy while growing up. I see that as a job well done on my part! The best compliment is when someone can’t stop eating your recipe, or asks for seconds.

Makes: 6 large
CHOCOLATE
4 tablespoons (60 ml) melted cacao butter
¼ cup (30 g) cacao powder
2 tablespoon (40 g) preferred liquid sweetener

COCONUT CENTERS
1 ¼ cups (107 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon (15 ml) melted coconut oil, or as needed
1 tablespoon (20 g) agave nectar, or as needed

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE: Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE COCONUT CENTERS: Put half of the coconut into your food processor 
and process until you get a chunky butter consistency; it may take several minutes. 

Add the rest of the ingredients, including the remaining coconut, and process until it all sticks together. If it’s too dry, add more coconut oil or agave nectar. Press this mixture into flattened balls and put in the fridge for an hour, until they set. Then dip in the chocolate and allow the chocolate to set. Finally—eat.

The Publishers are giving away a copy of the book to one of the blog readers! Please enter the giveaway below. 

Giveaway is now over. 

The post Almond Joys Recipe and Rawsome Vegan Baking Book Review. appeared first on Vegan Richa.

When Dianne asked me about reviewing Practically Raw Desserts – Flexible Recipes for All Natural Sweets and Treats, by Amber Shea-Crawley, I was initially skeptical about how many recipes I would be able to try and also like. Some raw recipes I have seen on the Interwebz have been quite extensive in terms of work as well as time and Hubbs isnt much fond of raw desserts much either. But this book and Amber’s earlier book have changed that game. Consider me converted Amber.

This book offers an amazing variety of desserts with each recipe being very flexible. Most recipes have options to make them raw, baked, or easy freeze or other methods, which makes them very approachable. I do not have a dehydrator and the baked options made me very happy. 
There are several options for substitutions for most of the ingredients. Also all recipes are free of dairy, eggs, gluten, wheat, soy, peanuts, corn, refined grains, refined sugars, yeast, starch, and many recipes are free of grains, oils, nuts, and added sugars too making them quite a nutrient dense treat.

I made a bunch of goodies from the book and so many more bookmarked. The Strawberry shortcupcakes, Dulce de Leche spooncream, Carrot Cake! and Confetti Birthday cake. so pretty, intriguing and I bet delicious!

These Raw Baklava blondies are a great snack filled with many nuts and dates and raisins.



The book has amazing amount of information packed into it with recipes for basics, pantry list, equipment guide, nut milks, nut soaking guides, and substitution options and so much more. 

Almost All recipes have a picture, which is very helpful to get an idea of how the recipe will turn out. There are Cookies, Bars, Cakes, Pies, Puddings, Candy, and frostings, glazes, ganaches. The book also has a resource guide provides information on where to source ingredients.

I do have a high speed blender, but no food processor. The baklava and lemon curd came out of my magic bullet!

Coconut Lemon curd was a big hit. I made sandwich cookies with some of the leftover curd after licking most of it while I prepped and photographed, with my gf sugar cookies for a fantastic lemony whoopie!

Thank you Dianne Wenz and Vegan Heritage Press for providing me with a review copy of Practically Raw Desserts. And thank you Amber for all the work that went into this book.

Midnight Mocha Cookies
These dark chocolate darlings are so low-cal and low-fat, they actually would make a perfect midnight snack, but it is their deep cocoa color and flavor that gives them their name. They’re also perfect for dipping into a good cup o’ joe in the morning! The coffee extract is optional, but it works wonders at bringing the mocha flavor to the forefront.

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup almond flour 
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup very strong brewed coffee, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup coconut nectar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon coffee extract (optional)

Preparation: 
In a food processor, combine the flours, cacao powder, sugar, and salt and pulse together. Add the coffee, coconut nectar, vanilla, and coffee extract and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Add additional coffee, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to help the dough stick together. The mixture will be very thick. (Alternatively, you may mix the batter in a stand mixer.) 

Make It Raw: Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a Teflex-lined tray. Use a fork to gently flatten the cookies to 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick, leaving fork marks in the center. (They may crack a little at the edges; that’s okay.) Dehydrate at 110°F for 1 to 2 hours, flipping the cookies over halfway through, until they have firmed up slightly. 

Make It Baked: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to gently flatten the cookies to 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick, leaving fork marks in the center. (They may crack a little at the edges; that’s okay.) Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies brown slightly. Use a spatula to move the cookies to a wire rack and let cool before handling.

Make It Easy: Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a waxed-paper-lined plate or baking sheet. Use a fork to gently flatten the cookies to 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick, leaving fork marks in the center. (They may crack a little at the edges; that’s okay.) Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Chef’s Tip: Don’t be shy about adding extra liquid (water, coffee, or nondairy milk) to the batter as needed to help the dough become moist and scoopable but still moldable. 

Substitutions:
• Almond flour: cashew flour or any other nut flour
• Coconut palm sugar: Sucanat, date sugar, evaporated cane juice, or organic white or brown sugar 
• Coffee: water or nondairy milk plus an additional 1/2 teaspoon coffee extract or instant coffee granules 
• Coconut nectar: maple syrup, agave nectar, or any other liquid sweetener 
Variations: 
• Nut-Free Mocha Cookies: Replace the almond flour with Sunflour 
• Double Chocolate Mocha Cookies: Pulse some nondairy chocolate chips or cacao nibs into the dough. 
• No Caffeine at Midnight! Cookies: Use water or non-dairy milk in place of coffee and omit the coffee extract.

From Practically Raw Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley. ©2013 Amber Shea Crawley. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press.



Vegan Heritage Press has kindly offered a copy of the book to one of the blog readers. 
This giveaway is open to US residents only as per publisher’s request.  Please enter the Giveaway in the Widget below.

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I couldnt do last weeks VeganMonth of food Iron chef with Banana and coffee.. but this week it is Coconut.

Almost Raw, Glutenfree, Rum balls. 

 

And also a rescue feature today. Scroll down to read more about Old Dog Haven!

 

Print

Coconut Almond Rum Balls. Glutenfree. Vegan

Coconut Almond Rum Balls. Easy Festive Coconut rum balls. Make these into Indian sweet Ladoo with cardamom instead of rum.

Course Dessert

Cuisine fusion

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 157kcal

Author Vegan Richa

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cup dry coconut small flakes
• 2 Tablespoons oats
• 2/3 cup almonds
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon warm coconut oil
• 3 Tablespoons raw sugar ground to a fine powder
• 1-2 Tablespoons Agave or maple syrup or any thick sugar/sweet syrup
• 2 -3 Tablespoons Rum or fruit juice of choice
• cocoa powder coconut flakes or melted vegan chocolate for rolling

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Grind the almonds and oats to a coarse powder.
• Add 1/2 cup coconut flakes and grind all together again until most coconut flakes break into smaller flakes/coarse powder.
• In a bowl, add this clumpy mixture, rum, oil, salt and agave and mix. Add sugar and mix in.
• Mix and keep adding coconut flakes if needed till you get a soft dough. Adjust sweetness by adding more powdered sugar or agave.
• Chill for half an hour.
• Make balls and roll in coconut flakes, or cocoa powder or dip in melted chocolate.

Notes

nutritional information based on one serving

Variations:  Add some chocolate chips or pistachios in the middle.

Substitute rum with favorite essence/extract(a few drops of rose, vanilla, kewra or a pinch or cardamom) to make them into festive Indian sweet balls ( Laddoo). 

Nutrition

Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Rescue:

Old Dog Haven is a wonderful set of people working to help Washington state’s homeless Senior dogs, sometimes out of state dogs too!

They also assist in senior dog placement.Their goal “To provide a loving, safe home for senior dogs abandoned at this stage of their lives. When we have room, and the means, we take these dogs into our homes; if possible we adopt out those with a reasonable life-expectancy. We care for the rest as long as they have good quality of life. In addition, we try to assist owners in finding new homes for their senior dogs through our website and referrals”

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