Meltaway Peppermint Patties
26 May 2010 3 Comments
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: chocolate, cocoa, coconut, cookies, dates, dessert, entertaining, maple syrup, quick and easy, raw, snack, vegan, vegetarian
I love Coconut, Chocolate and Mint! YUM!!!!! If you are not into mint just leave it out and enjoy the chocolate coconut goodness! This was super simple and fast to make and more importantly to enjoy!! Love that! Keep these babies cold and they are perfect for these already super hot summer days!
Meltaway Peppermint Patties
recipe adapted from Elaina Love
Mint layer:
3 cups dry, raw shredded coconut
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. mint extract or 3 drops peppermint essential oil
Chocolate or carob layer:
3 cups dry, raw shredded coconut
1/3 cup maple syrup or date paste (made by blending dates and water)
1/8 cup organic cocoa powder or raw carob powder (add until mixture reaches desired color)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. Celtic sea salt
1: Blend the first 3 cups of coconut in a dry blender on low speed with the lid off. Use a spatula to keep things moving until it becomes the consistency of butter. Make sure you do not blend so long as to separate all the oil from the coconut. This step is tricky, and takes a good blender like a Vitamix. If you don’t have a Vitamix, you can still do this step, although you may need to separate the coconut into 2 batches.
2: Remove the coconut and put in a mixing bowl. Add the sweetener and mint extract. use a spatula to mix well. Set aside.
3: Blend the coconut for the chocolate layer. Mix the coconut by hand with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
4: Separate the chocolate mixture into 2 halves. Take one half, and press it into the bottom of a 4 x 4 baking dish or Tupperware. Put it in the freezer for 5 minutes until it is solid.
5: Remove your dish from the freezer and add all of the mint layer. Place in the freezer again for a couple of minutes.
6: Add the second half of the chocolate mixture to the top of the mint layer. Freeze again until solid or refrigerate.
7: Pop the meltaways out of the container by twisting or using a spatula to pry up. Place on a cutting board and cut your candies into whatever shape you like using a sharp, thin knife. Enjoy and store in the refrigerator.
Natural Gourmet Institute Friday Night Dinner
07 Mar 2010 4 Comments
in New York Highlights, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: comfort food, cookies, dessert, entertaining, salad, soup, vegan, vegetarian
YUM!!
Over the years I have taken several fabulous classes at Natural Gourmet Institute. They also offer a Friday Night Dinner at which the “Chef Instructors and students
of our Chef’s Training Program pour their expertise and enthusiasm into a three-course vegetarian dinner”. We wanted to check this out and this last Friday we got to go! It was great! They transformed the classrooms into communal tables with candles and flowers but the highlight of the evening was the meal! It was so deelish. Sorry, I did not take any pictures, but at least you will be able to drool over the menu 
It is a great deal and was super fun. At the end of the meal the chefs come out to explain the meal and answer questions. It was great to meet them and to applaud the people who created such an amazing feast!
They change the menu every week so I know we will be going back soon enough. Our entire meal was vegan (yeah!) but even if there is a vegetarian part of the meal, there will always be a vegan alternative.
Check out the menu!
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (this was so good! they had roasted the butternut before pureeing, so it gave it this great carmelized flavor)
Bitter Greens Salad with Pecans, Shallots, Spicy, Smoky Dressing (of course I have had my fair share of salads, but this one was amazing! The smoky flavor was so different and deelish!)
Tempeh Scallopini with Portobello Risotto, Roasted Asparagus, Pepper Coulis (YUM!! The Risotto was made with a brown basmatti and was sooo creamy. The tempeh was insane and the asparagus were perfect!)
Maple Pecan Cookie, Vanilla Bean Sorbet, Caramel Crème, Strawberry Coulis (we loved the whole meal, but for me, dessert is typically the highlight and this one was amazing! the cookie was so sweet and mapley! ahhh! the vanilla bean sorbet was made out of young coconut and the caramel creme was divine!)
Can you tell that I enjoyed our meal?? I want to plan another night out there, who’s in??
Prix Fixe: $40.00 (includes tax)
6:30 p.m. seating
BYOB
Reservations required: 212-645-5170 (ext. 0)
Raw Chocolate Mint Coconut Cookies
15 Feb 2010 4 Comments
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: agave, cacao, chocolate, coconut, coconut oil, comfort food, cookies, dessert, quick and easy, raw, snack, vegan, vegetarian
These are DIVINE! I love anything chocolate, mint and coconuty so this is the perfect snack for me! YUM! They were incredibly fast to throw together and were ready and set super fast in the fridge. I was surprised… normally it takes at least a half hour to an hour for my desserts to set and this one was ready so fast! I would suggest doubling this recipe if you want them to last at all
If you are not into mint, I would recommend leaving the peppermint oil out and making them chocolate coconut cookies. I am sure that would be deelish as well!
YUM!! Such chocolate goodness!
Cookie batter is always so good, but now that I know how good this was Done, I was happy I waited
Spoonfuls, ready to start setting
So easy to peel these off and munch!!!
ENJOY
Raw Chocolate Mint Coconut Cookies
1/2 cup Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Raw Cacao Butter
1/4 cup Agave
2 Tablespoons Raw Honey or agave
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
5-10 drops organic peppermint oil
1 1/2 cup Raw Cacao Powder
1 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
- Combine all ingredients except the cacao powder and coconut in a Vita-mix or food processor and process for 2 minutes till completely combined.
- Place the Cacao Powder and Coconut in a bowl and pour the liquid mixture on top and combine with a wooden spoon.
- On a small baking tray lined with wax paper, place tablespoon spoonfuls of the mixture and set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. By the time you know it they will be ready to munch on. Be careful, they go quick
Channukah Pot-luck Part 3
23 Dec 2009 3 Comments
in Home Cooking, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: cake, chocolate, comfort food, cookies, dessert, entertaining, snack, vegetarian
Ahhh Dessert!
Thank you Shalon and Prema!
Shalon made such a deelish Red Velvet Cake and Prema brought over these adorable and scrumptious Crumbs Channukah Cupcakes. My favorite dessert ever is Icing, and both desserts brought over were covered in it! YUM!
Thanks everyone for coming over! You all made the night so special for us
We did quite a number on this one
These cupcakes are so cute!!
So special! Michael and I bought this together in Israel! Happy Channukah!
Here is the recipe Shalon used the the Red Velvet Cake
Red Velvet Cake
Recipe from Bon Appétit
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (she used lowfat milk instead)
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
Frosting
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions.
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.
For frosting:
Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top of cake, pressing lightly to adhere. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)
Cocoa V: New NYC Vegan Chocolate Bar!
09 Dec 2009 9 Comments
in In the News, New York Highlights Tags: cake, chocolate, comfort food, cookies, dessert, vegan, vegetarian
OMG!! I am going to be all over this! Thank you NY TIMES!! How fabulous! Stay tuned……
For Vegans, Sweets of Their Own
Vegans, who avoid all animal products, must read the fine print when it comes to chocolate because even the darkest bittersweet may contain milk solids. Pamela Blackwell, above, an owner of the vegan restaurants Blossom in Chelsea and Blossom Cafe on the Upper West Side, has given them a place, Cocoa V, to ease their concerns: two narrow brick-walled spaces, one a vegan dessert and wine bar and, next door, a shop.
The chocolates created by Patrick Coston, her pastry chef, are made with organic cocoa, cocoa butter, soy lecithin and sugar or agave syrup. They are dark, smooth and intense. In the wine bar, which is outfitted with low tables, chocolates, brownies and savories like dairy-free “cheeses,” quiche and tea sandwiches are served with wines, coffee, tea and satisfyingly intense hot chocolate. The store also sells the sweets, including bonbons for $2.75 each, and pastries.
Cocoa V, 174 Ninth Avenue (21st Street), (212) 242-3339.
Buckwheat Apple Cinnamon Cookies
30 Nov 2009 1 Comment
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes Tags: agave, almonds, breakfast, buckwheat, coconut, cookies, dates, dessert, flax, oats, raw, snack, vegan, vegetarian
More Apple Cookies I am on a kick here. These were great! They had a bunch of ingredients and made a little more than I wanted, but since when do I complain about too much of a good thing?!?! It was a little hard to work with all these ingredients in the food processor. I would suggest processing all the dry ingredients and then pouring that mixture into a large bowl. Then adding the wet ingredients to the processor and then combining dy and wet together…that would simplify matters. But either way I am sure you would be happy with the results. These are good!
Buckwheat Apple Cinnamon Cookies
Recipe from The Sunny Raw Kitchen
makes a big batch of cookies
1 1/2 cups soaked almonds
1 1 /2 cups soaked buckwheat
2 cups apples, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup dates, soaked
3/4 cup dried coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup agave nectar (or to taste)
1/4 cup liquid vanilla
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup ground oats
1/4 cup ground flax
1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oat flakes
Mix all ingredients except oat flakes in a food processor until well incorporated. (You may need to do this in more than one batch!)
Transfer batter to a large bowl and mix in the oat flakes by hand.
Drop by the spoonful directly onto a dehydrator mesh and flatten with a spatula or a glass. (Mine were about 1/3″ thick.)
Dehydrate overnight at 110.
Apple Cookies
18 Nov 2009 2 Comments
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes Tags: agave, coconut, cookies, dessert, quick and easy, raw, snack, vegan, vegetarian
Ahhh Fall we meet again When I think of fall, I think of fresh and crisp apples. There are so many varieties and so many flavors! Love them! Such a great snack, but also so fun to cook with of course.
This was something I was able to just throw together to have healthy and quick snack bites in the house. They turned out deelish! They are super light and slightly chewy inside. So perfect for a great, sweet, apply bite.
Apple Cookies
3 apples, cored
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raw honey or agave
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 cup dried coconut
Blend/Process everything till combined. Either form into balls with your hands or use an ice cream scoop to drop cookies directly onto teflex sheet. I love using an ice cream scoop for raw and non-raw cookies alike. They make everything uniform and are so super easy to use. Dehydrate cookies for about 10-12 hours until solid on the outside but still chewy inside. ENJOY
Halva Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
11 Nov 2009 5 Comments
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes, Superfoods, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: agave, almonds, Ani Phyo, chia, comfort food, cookies, dates, dessert, flax, Halva, quick and easy, raw, snack, superfood, tahini, vegan, vegetarian
AMAZING!!!!!!!! Michael and I loved these!!! Growing up in a Jewish household halvah was always one of our go-to desserts and this is a fabulous raw substitute I know when I make these for my family they are going to freak! These were (as in they are already gone haha) one of the best cookies ever! I used frozen raspberries and the raspberry sauce tasted sooo fresh and soo BRIGHT! YUMM!!! Plus how cute are they !?!??! Try these asap and let me know what you think.
Halva Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
These were thankfully inspired by Ani Phyo’s Halva Chia Thumbprint Cookies
Raspberry Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3 cup pitted semi-soft Medjool dates
1/8 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup water
Combine well in blender. Chill till ready for use.
Cookies:
3/4 cup flax seed powder
1/2 cup tahini
3/4 cup almond meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pitted semi-soft Medjool dates
Recipe for Raspberry Sauce
Combine dry ingredients with tahini in a food processor and mix well. Add in dates and mix till combined. Roll dough into 10-15 balls. Place on sheet preferably lined with parchment paper. Use your thumb to make an indentation into the center of each cookie. Fill each with generous amount of sauce. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 min. or more to firm up. Will keep for several days or many weeks stored separately from jam if you can keep them that long haha Enjoy!!!
These are the cookies up close, so easy to make!
a close-up of these little gems! mmmmmm
Smaller journal: Raw Brownie Bites With Vanilla Icing
21 Oct 2009 4 Comments
in In the News, Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes Tags: cake, chocolate, comfort food, cookies, dessert, quick and easy, raw, snack, superfood, vegan, vegetarian
So fabulous! I couldn’t be happier to share this article with all of you!
Marisa’s Healthy Kitchen and my Raw Brownie Bites With Vanilla Icing were featured in the Smaller journal, a journal of ideas and inspiration by the editors of Small Magazine. THANKS!!
Check it out here
Banana Coconut Cookies
08 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: banana, Cashews, coconut, cookies, dessert, quick and easy, raw, snack, vegan, vegetarian
These were super good! I love banana and coconut and this was such a great combo! If you want them gooier take them out of the dehydrator earlier. Enjoy
Banana Coconut Cookies
1 cup of cashews
4 cups dried coconut
3 ripe bananas
- In a food processor combine the cashews and coconut until chopped fine
- Add the the bananas and process until smooth
- Roll the dough into your hands into cookies and flatten them.
- Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 8-10 (overnight) ten hours
- Enjoy
