Tag: raw

Coconut Chocolate Brownie Bites {Paleo, Vegan}

On February 21, 2017

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Paleo, Products I Use, Recipes, Vegan

It’s been a while since I’ve poster a new no-bake bite recipe for you to try, so I’m excited to share today’s recipe for coconut chocolate brownie bites!

A few weeks ago, I was at a women in business event with a group of consultants, human resources professionals and business owners. Before the session, Susan, a friend and fan who attends my cooking classes in the community, walked in. She was holding a bag of Emmy’s Cookies that she had bought at Starbucks that morning. Knowing what I do, she came up to me and said, “These are so expensive! I bet you know how to make them at home!”

Since I’m always up for a challenge, I started experimenting! What I’m sharing with you today is the final outcome of playing in the kitchen to come up with my own version of those chocolate coconut no-bake cookies. Like most of my no-bake bites, they start with a base of nuts and dates. They’re a great option for a snack or a sweet treat and are perfect for someone who is on the go (kids love them, too!).

I had a few coworkers sample them today for me to give me feedback, and everyone loved the sweet and salty combo paired with the rich chocolatey taste. As someone who used to h-a-t-e coconut anything, I really love these, and so does my husband, who isn’t much of a coconut fan either.

One of the fun, new things I’ve started doing with no-bake recipes like this is experimenting with vanilla powder instead of vanilla extract. I find that the taste isn’t as bitter, but you can totally use vanilla extract in this recipe if you prefer. If you use the powder, it’s a 1-1 substitution for the extract. I buy the Nielsen-Massey brand of vanilla powder at MOMs Organic Market. Most natural food stores and Whole Foods carry vanilla powder, in case you’re interested!

I have a feeling these are going to become one of your new favorites, so let me know if you give them a try 🙂 They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo, and raw, in case that helps you decide!

Coconut Chocolate Brownie Bites

Yield: ~24 bites

Ingredients

2 cups raw walnuts
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1 1/3 cups Medjool dates, pits removed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

Directions

In a food processor fitted with the S-blade, process walnuts and salt for about 15 seconds. Add cacao powder and pulse to combine.
Add dates, vanilla, and maple syrup, and process until a dough begins to form.
Add coconut and pulse several times until just combined. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll between your palms. Toss balls in shredded coconut (optional) and store in a glass container in your fridge.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Bites {Gluten-Free, Paleo, Vegan}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On April 16, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

After making this Cinnamony Snickerdoodle Smoothie a few weeks ago, I told you I would come up with a recipe for Snickerdoodle bites…so here it is!

These little treats comes together in about 10 minutes and are great to make with your kids. I was able to recreate the chewy texture and cinnamon-sugar flavor of traditional Snickerdoodle cookies without using refined sugar or flour.

The key is using blanched almonds.

I bought mine at Trader Joe’s and dumped the whole bag in the food processor to grind them up until they reached a fine almond meal. You can also just use blanched almond meal if you have it, but the method I used is the cheaper way to go.

Most grocery stores sell blanched almond slivers in the baking aisle, so you should have no problem finding them. (I tried the recipe with whole almonds, and it didn’t taste as good.)

These bite-sized treats make a great dessert or after school snack.

They have an energizing combo of healthy fats, fiber and protein from the almonds and almond butter along with a hefty dose of blood-sugar balancing cinnamon. I know you will love this recipe! 🙂

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Bites

1 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 cup Medjool dates (pitted)
1/3 cup almond butter
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cinnamon-Sugar Coating

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons coconut sugar

Put almonds in a food processor and process until it reaches a fine consistency and no chunks of almond remain.
Add dates, almond butter, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon and process until everything is combined, about 60 seconds.
Shape dough into small balls (press between your hands, so they stick together) and roll in the cinnamon-sugar coating. Store in the refrigerator.

*If dates are not soft, soak them in warm water for 15-20 minutes and drain them, squeezing out excess water before adding them to the food processor.

Beautifying Raw Purple Cabbage Slaw {Breast Cancer Prevention Month Recipe}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On October 20, 2014

In Products I Use, Recipes

**October is breast cancer awareness month.**

I know several women who have survived and others who have lost their battle with this terrible disease. Chances are, you or someone you love has been affected. Cancer is a complex disease, so I don’t pretend to have all of the answers or solutions for how to fix or heal it.

Because this blog and my overall food philosophy focus on empowering you to nourish your body and transform your health, today’s post features a recipe that is full of beautifying, anti–cancer nutrients.

As many of you know, I strive to “upgrade” my diet and “add in” more of what is healing, nourishing and energizing…so we’re going to flip our focus today to breast cancer prevention.

All of us are aware that breast cancer exists and know that we don’t want to have it, but what have we learned about how to prevent it?

What can we do proactively to give our body the best chance to be well and protect ourselves against diseases like cancer in the first place?

I’ve learned a lot from some incredible doctors, researchers and nutritionists over the years about what we can do help our body’s chances of staying well by eating a nutrient-rich diet.

Dr. Fuhrman, whose focus on anti-cancer nutrition has influenced how I eat, outlined his top tips for breast cancer prevention here.

One of his tips is to eat more foods like the ones outlined in this recipe, especially cabbage.

Up until about a year ago, I had never bought purple cabbage and certainly hadn’t cooked with it.

I had tasted it sprinkled in to salad mixes before but never thought much about it until reading The Beauty Detox book by Kimberly Snyder and being introduced to this recipe, which Kimberly spins as a way to reduce crow’s feet.

Red cabbage is one of Dr. Fuhrman’s anti-cancer, anti-fat storage foods called GBOMBS. It contains powerful nutrients that help our body reduce inflammation and detoxify (get rid of harmful toxins that build up).

Those two processes are the SECRETS to losing weight, having clear and beautiful skin, and not getting sick. The more inflammation-fighting, detoxifying foods we eat, the better off we will be.

This recipe is also a much healthier option than most mayo-loaded slaws that we’re used to eating 🙂

And it’s really easy to prepare. Just like this paleo cole slaw I featured a few weeks ago that was a hit!

**If you’ve been reading this blog for some time, you should have all of the main ingredients below (ACV, tamari, tahini and nutritional yeast or “nooch”). If not, check out this point where I covered what they are, why they’re good for us, and where we can buy them. Stocking a healthy pantry is KEY to eating well.**

Ingredients (Organic, when possible)

3 cups purple cabbage, shredded (you can do this manually or with the single shredding blade on a food processor)
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar (ACV) (for more on ACV, check out this post!)
1 teaspoon tamari
1 tablespoon tahini
1½ tablespoons nutritional yeas t (I buy it in bulk at MOMs, but you can also find it at Wegmans, Whole Foods, Roots, and most natural food stores or online at Amazon or Vitacost)

Optional Ingredients

¼ cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
A few avocado slices
¼ cup chopped pitted black olives

Click here for the full recipe from Kimberly Snyder’s website and here to read all about nutritional yeast!

Perfectly Paleo Parmesan Cheeze

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On May 4, 2014

In My Story, Products I Use, Recipes

Broccoli with non-dairy “snow” sprinkled on top. Yum!

When I found out that dairy products were triggering a lot of the health issues that had plagued me since childhood, I started to give them up little by little. I had been eating foods that I thought were good for me my whole life that had actually been harming me.

The more I cut out, the better I felt. It seemed like a miracle!

The last two foods I took out of my diet (after much resistance!) were yogurt…and my beloved Parmesan cheese.

Pasta, pizza, zucchini, ravioli, Beefaroni, zucchini, summer squash, and broccoli all tasted infinitely better when covered with a generous coating of Parmesan cheese.

I used it so often, I didn’t know how I would live without it and struggled to find alternatives that were even remotely comparable. Fortunately I’ve found a recipe that looks and feels just like it and tastes “cheesy” enough to satisfy! It’s considered paleo, too, because it doesn’t contain any dairy. (I don’t follow the paleo diet exclusively, but whenever I’m looking for recipes, I use it as part of my search since paleo automatically means it’s dairy and gluten free.)

The best part? It’s one of the easiest recipes I’ve made and has only 3 ingredients 🙂 Hooray for simplicity!

Perfectly Paleo Parmesan Cheeze

Parmesan cheese made with “nooch” and cashews!

Ingredients

1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup unsalted cashews (Trader Joe’s has the cheapest!)
1 teaspoon sea salt

Mix it in a food processor until it is the texture of Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle it on cooked veggies, salads, pasta, or on anything else you’d normally use Parmesan cheese. I used it on sauteed broccolini with tomatoes and garlic the other day and on my salads throughout the week, and it was so good! YUM!

Go From Nacho Cheese to “Nooch”o Cheese!

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On April 25, 2014

In My Story, Products I Use

Despite the fact that I was a lifelong lover of dairy products like yogurt (ate it every day!), ice cream, string cheese, and Parmesan cheese, I cut out dairy products a couple of years ago.

It turns out that dairy products were triggering a number of health issues I had for most of my life – from allergies, congestion, sore throats, ear infections, indigestion and acid reflux to skin issues, gas and bloating. I used to get congested frequently, had chronic ear infections (which meant lots of antibiotics), and took Claritin and Zyrtec for seasonal allergies, along with reflux reducing meds like Prilosec (for 10 years!).

For me, cutting out dairy has been one of the keys to begin healing my body, not being sick so often (almost never!)…and getting off of those medications naturally. It’s been pretty amazing!

Check out my *NEW* Pinterest board – Deliciously Dairy Free – for additional articles on the topic as well as dozens of recipes for non-dairy alternatives to foods like cheese, cheesecake, ice cream, milkshakes, dips and dressings. I will be featuring many of them in upcoming blog posts, so stay tuned!

One of the questions people often ask me is, “How do you live without cheese? I could never give up cheese.” The short answer is there isn’t an “exact” match, BUT I’ve found some great options to use as replacements!

One of those foods is nutritional yeast (AKA “nooch”).

Nutritional yeast! I bought this kind at Wegmans, but you can also get it at Whole Foods, MOMs, or online

Nutritional yeast! I bought this kind at Wegmans, but you can also get it at Whole Foods, MOMs, Roots, or online at Amazon, Vitacost or other health food retailers.

A few years ago, I had never even heard of nutritional yeast and certainly wouldn’t have guessed it was something edible. This is kind of like the eggplant naming question…couldn’t they have picked a more appealing name??

Despite its odd name, this stuff has been a staple in our pantry for the past 3 years. You can find it online, or at Wegmans, MOMs, Whole Foods, Roots, or other natural food stores.

Here’s the 411 on why you might want to get yourself some “nooch”!

If you don’t eat dairy (or are trying to reduce it!), it’s a great substitute for cheese-based preparations. It has a “cheesy” smell and taste to it.
It’s a great source of protein and contains essential amino acids (protein building blocks!).
It’s loaded with vitamins, especially B vitamins, which are important in hundreds of your body’s processes, including staying energized and fighting stress.
It’s low in sodium.

If you can get past the weird name, it’s worth giving this stuff a shot.

I will be posting my favorite “nooch” recipes in the coming weeks – check out the list below for a sneak peek of what I will be making and sharing!

This is what “nooch” looks like out of the container

Herby homemade popcorn
Salad dressings
Kale chips
“Cheezy” curly kale salad
Dairy-free “cheese” sauce for mac & cheese or nachos
Nutty rawmesan cheese (a substitute for my beloved Parm cheese!)

Want to learn more about nooch? Click here or here!

If you’re interested in going dairy-free and what it could look like for you, check out this 28-Day Dairy Free Challenge with Dr. Oz or this information on elimination diets from my favorite blog, Nourishing Meals!

Stay tuned for future recipe posts featuring this quirky but healthy ingredient!

Healthy & Homemade Donut Holes! {Gluten-Free, Paleo, Vegan}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On March 19, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan

“These satisfy my sweet tooth without eating Little Debbie Donut Bites!”

“These won’t make it home!”

And finally, “So, there’s no sugar in these?”

These were just a few of the comments made by a donut-loving friend last night as he was enjoying a new treat I prepared for our church small group that we host each Tuesday.

I had never made them before, so I didn’t know what to expect. They were a huge hit, so you can bet I will be making them again, given the response! I never thought they would be compared to donut holes in terms of taste and texture, but I’ll take it!

They are SO easy to make, too. They’ll become a new staple in your house, I’m sure!

Healthy & Homemade “Donut” Holes

Mmm delicious!

The recipe is adapted from this one on the Nourishing Meals blog. Tom and Ali have some awesome gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free recipes, so I will be featuring more of them in the future.

Ingredients (see notes below regarding substitutions & where to find ingredients*)

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
unsweetened, shredded organic coconut

Directions

In the food processor fitted with the “s” blade, grind the almonds and walnuts until finely ground.
Add the dates, raisins, spices, and salt and grind to a fine meal.
Add the almond butter and vanilla extract and process again until completely mixed.
Form into balls and roll in shredded coconut.

I put mine in the fridge for about an hour, so they would firm up a little bit, but you can enjoy them right away, if you’d like!

Ground “meal” prior to rolling them into balls

*Ingredient & Substitution Notes

Can’t have walnuts or almonds? Use any other nuts or seeds in this recipe instead!
You find Medjool dates in the produce section of the grocery store OR online. We buy ours at BJs Wholesale club in a big container. Trader Joe’s also sells them.
If you don’t have cardamom, you can sub in ground ginger, more cinnamon or a combo of nutmeg and cinnamon instead.
The cheapest place I have found almond butter is at Trader Joe’s. If you can’t have almonds, sub in Sunbutter.
You can find unsweetened, shredded coconut in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or online here. We buy ours at MOMs in bulk.