Summer Time Sweet Treats

I grew up in my parents bakery. My mother would bring me to the shop early in the morning and I'd sleep on the wooden bakers table before school. You might say that baking and desserts are in my blood. Since going vegan five years ago and then raw vegan almost two years ago, I've cut out all refined sugar and lost my cravings for sweets in general. I do eat a ton of fruit and feel like that satiates any natural sweet cravings. Still I love creating traditional desserts in a healthy, vegan, macroraw way to impress and nourish my friends, family and clients. Summertime is a busy time here around my NH lake for gatherings. Recently I created a few new dessert recipes to share with my peeps and would love to share them with you too!

Raw Vanilla Cheezecake with Fresh Summer Berries

I made this delectable cheezecake for our Fourth of July celebration, hence the star berry decoration. We had friends over and enjoyed a vegan BBQ, Dandies over the fire, swimming on the lake and fireworks. The cake was cool refreshing finish to a wonderful day.

CRUST:

2/3 Cup Hazelnuts (or Almonds)

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

Process the nuts and salt in a food processor until flour like.

3/4 Cup Dry Coconut

1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

2/3 Cup Dark Unsweetened Dry Cherries

2 Tablespoons Coconut Nectar (or Maple Syrup-not raw or Raw Honey-not vegan)

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

Add the coconut, vanilla, cherries, nectar, and oil into the processor with the nut flour and process to form a dough like consistency. Press this into the bottom of a spring-form pan that has been lightly coated with coconut oil. Set the crust aside and make the filling.

FILLING:

3 Cups of Cashews that have been soaked at least 1 hour

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 Cup Lemon Juice

3/4 Cup Coconut Nectar 

3/4 Cup Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Pour into pan over prepared crust.

TOPPING:

Any fresh summer berries. I used Strawberries, Raspberries and Black Raspberries.

Arrange the fruit on the top of the filling before placing in the freezer.

Freeze cheezecake for 6 hours or overnight.

Raw Mint Layer Brownies

-adapted from http://www.theaquino.com

I recently tried these to serve at a Rawk Starz show. All the attendees loved then and I've received several requests for the recipe.

BOTTOM BROWNIE LAYER:

2 Cups Raw Brazil Nuts (or other raw nut)

1/4 Cup of Raw Cacao Powder

4 Tablespoons Coconut Nectar

1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Sea Salt

Process nuts and cacao powder in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process well. Press into the bottom of an 8 * 8 pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the next layer.

MIDDLE MINT LAYER:

20 Mint Leaves

1 Tablespoon Spirulina

1 1/2 Cups Raw Coconut Flakes

1/3 Cup Coconut Nectar

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

Process mint, spirulina, and coconut until mint is broken into tiny pieces. Add nectar and oil and process well. Press onto the bottom brownie layer and place in the freezer while you prepare the top layer.

TOP CHOCOLATE LAYER:

1/4 Cup Raw Cacao Powder

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil (melted)

1/4 Cup Coconut Nectar

Pinch of Sea Salt

Mix all in a bowl  and pour over mint layer. Place in freezer for at least one hour. Remove from freezer and flip bars onto a cutting board. Peel off the parchment paper and cut into small squares. Garnish each bar with a fresh mint leaf.

Baked Chocolate Gluten Free Macro Fudge Brownie 

I'm 34 weeks pregnant with a surrogate baby boy. He and I had a craving for old fashioned fudgy brownies today. Here's the healthy version I created. Just one was rich and satisfying enough.

1 Cup Shredded Zucchini

1 Banana Mashed

2/3 Cup Water

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

3 Tablespoons Chia Seeds (Ground in a Spice Grinder)

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

3/4 Cup Pure Organic Maple Syrup

3/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 Cup Coconut Flour or Brown Rice Flour

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

Pre-heat oven to 350

Mix zucchini, banana, water, vanilla, chia, oil and syrup in a medium bowl and set aside. Sift cocoa powder, flour, sea salt and baking soda in another bowl. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and evenly press into a 9 *13 pan that has been coated with coconut oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 30 minutes. Pour fudge topping (recipe below) over brownies and spread evenly. Place the pan in the freezer until frozen or as long as you can wait! Cut into squares with a sharp knife and remove brownies with a spatula. Enjoy!

Fudge Topping:

1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (melted)

3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

Dash of Pure Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Sea Salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.