Ginger-Mint-Lemon Strawberry Salad Avocado

Fresh Ginger. I have been grating fresh raw ginger on my salads, in my miso soup and over top just about everything lately. (Ginger + lemon + roasted beets = YUM!) Raw ginger is warming and soothing. Stimulating yet settling. I love it. And fresh ginger pairs so nicely with sweet strawberries. This fruit salad and sunny day lunch/breakfast or brunch tartine is one to crave. Easy to make!..

wheat sourdough. luckily, I am someone who CAN handle a little gluten (gf folks, use gf bread)..

More hemp seeds please..

Ginger-Mint-Lemon Strawberry Salad Avocado
vegan, makes 4 1/4 cups

3 cups fresh organic strawberries, sliced
1 small avocado, diced
1 large or 2 small lemons, squeezed + pinch of fresh lemon zest
1/8 tsp fresh raw ginger, grated with a microplane
splash of grade B maple syrup (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh peppermint, finely chopped + a few leaves as garnish
2-3 Tbsp raw organic hemp seeds (optional)

for tartines: add your favorite toast to serve (optional: drizzle of your favorite oil like macadamia nut, pumpkinseed or EVOO)

(You could also do "deviled avocados" and stuff avocado halves with this fruit salad - hemp seeds on top!)

Directions:

1. Wash and slice berries, removing tops. Place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add diced avocado, lemon juice, ginger, mint and maple syrup.
3. Fold well. Let marinate at least a half hour for best flavor. I place in fridge to marinate and chill.
4. Serve!

Ideas:
* Add hummus to your toast before adding the berries and avocado salad on top.
* Try sprouted grain toast for extra nutty flavor.
* Add raw walnuts for an nuttier salad.

baby tomato...

AVOCADO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE with GOJI BERRIES

If you like avocados and you like chocolate; you will appreciate this recipe. Its creaminess is thanks to those magical green monsters that are full of healthy fats, protein and fiber, all wrapped up in one delicious package. When I eat avocados, I like to massage the seed on my face and neck, it feels good and it simultaneously rubs the avocado meat on my skin which is great for it. Just remember to wash it off, otherwise people will think you are turning into a goblin...

But hey, maybe it's been a dream of yours to look like a goblin. In that case, you're welcome.

I was gonna make these into individual cakes but decided that I'd throw everything together in a large spring form pan just because I haven't done that in awhile and it DOES seem more impressive. Don't you agree? If not, too bad. What's done is done, buddy. And what's done is also deliciouusss. I didn't add too much sweetener to this, so the flavour of the avocado comes through and combines with the cacao powder and raisin-walnut crust to create a smooth, decadent, uber nutritious experience in your mouth. Yes, it is an EXPERIENCE.

I kinda sorta made this cake as a happy birthday present for my friend (whose name is ALSO Emily, go figure). Almost all my friends are 20 now! We be growin' up, yo. I think my soul is like 72 years old though, and I've always felt that way. These days, instead of wishing my loved ones a "happy birthday", I tend to say "happy continuation day" instead. It's a Buddhist thing. See, in Buddhism it is taught that we are all part of the universe and the universe is equally part of all of us; it has been this way for eternity. Thus, we are never really born and likewise never really die. We simply continue to be! I dig it.

And what better way to "continue to be", than with raw vegan chocolate mousse cake? No better way - this is it, people. So make this recipe, nom it down and thank the universe and your own creative spirit for the gifts of life and ability! I hope you are having an amazing week; I know I am. It's safe to say that things are going swell, even swimmingly! And you know when ANYBODY says "swimmingly", they must be feeling freaking fantastic... listening to this mix doesn't hurt either.

AVOCADO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE with GOJI BERRIES 

Crust:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins

Mousse cake:
2 avocados
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons cacao powder
2 tablespoons maca powder
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
3-4 tablespoons coconut nectar or date paste
Pinch of salt

Topping:
1 tablespoon each of almond butter, cacao powder and coconut nectar
1/4 cup dried goji berries

To make the crust: pulse the walnuts into powder in a food processor, then add the raisins and process until it begins to stick together. Press into the bottom of a small spring form pan. Put in the fridge.

To make the cake: blend or process all the ingredients until smooth and thick. Spread evenly on your crust and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. 

When ready to serve: take our your cake. Make the chocolate sauce by stirring the almond butter, cacao powder and coconut nectar together until smooth. Drizzle over your cake and garnish with goji berries. Slice. Ain't it nice? Oh, I also sprinkled some chia seeds on there.

MINTY GREEN CHOCOLATE CREAM BARS + A LITTLE HEARTBREAK

Note: I know I usually keep things light and cheery on my blog but I lay my heart out a little bit in this post; I hope that's okay with you. It just kinda happened.

I got an email from a reader a couple (?) weeks ago, in which they asked me to recreate a raw treat served at their local cafe. This treat was a "delicious choc mint slice cake" and it looks like this. Oh and apparently some of the ingredients are green powders. That is what I had to go on. Into the kitchen I went! Ended up with these bad boys and BOY, ARE THEY BAD (in a good way).

The base is an oat and date crust, the middle is a raw chocolate-maca mixture, and the top is an avocado/mint/green powder concoction. All together they make one amazing result. And they are SUPER nutritious. Think of this recipe as a health supplement and dessert all in one. I know, life seems too good to be true sometimes. Just like my cat, Dante, seems too adorable to be real. He is currently trying to divert my attention to me rubbing his ears and kissing his nose. He does this by pulling my hand away from the computer mouse and to his face. CAN HE GET ANY CUTER? No.

Back to food. I won't lie; I made these a couple days ago and since I never write down my recipes, the precise amounts of ingredients are now slightly foggy in my confusingly and consistently fluid mind. This means your recipe may not turn out EXACTLY as what you see in these photos, but that's cool, right!? Life is about variety. Try making the recipe and adjusting it to your liking. I mean, you should always do this but you know... just sayin'. If it turns out horribly, please tell me - because maybe I forgot to write an ingredient down. 

Well, since there's nothing left to discuss concerning the recipe, I am going to rant a little about my personal life right now, because I'm feeling kinda low. Maybe it's just the change of seasons (hello, Autumn); maybe I'm getting bored with my day-to-day routine; or maybe, subconsciously, I don't WANT to be happy all the time! In any case, I'm glum as a chum. What's a chum. Irrelevant. 

I'm having a lot of mixed emotions involving past and current lovers, what they mean to me, and how they make me feel and think (compared to how I would on my own). You have to understand that I'm an independent person. I have always valued time by myself and often cancel or avoid plans with friends so I can have MORE time alone. It's not that I don't like my friends, I simply am most comfortable when left by myself, in my own head space. I have trouble - more so lately - expressing myself to others successfully and this usually makes me just want to give up communicating. Fortunately there's a few people in my life who understand this, and we can spend time together not saying a word. As recently acknowledged with a newly intimate partner, you don't have to talk to have beautiful conversations with another person. 

Having said that, I still feel that no one really gets me, but me. Thus I prefer to be left alone because that is where I am most comfortable. And yet I find myself missing certain people from my past. Are they thinking about me? Do they still love me? Do they still hate me? Do they think I am a terrible or beautiful person? Regardless, I can't be with them anymore... we had too much passion for two people. They knew me as much as any person possibly could but ultimately they didn't like what they saw, and neither did I. 

Talk about "fate"; this person literally just called me as I was typing that last sentence. Apparently they do love me, but we will "never be speaking again". Now I am almost in tears. Too much emotion for one person. 

With all that going on (and now being done with, apparently...), I have also struck up a new flame. Whether it's a rebound or not, I do not know. But either way it's nothing serious, and mostly for pure and simple fun. It's very pleasant having a partner you can be candid and affectionate with. I think we can all benefit from being completely naked with someone (literally and/or figuratively). It's therapeutic and can be healing if you allow it. But now I am polarized: I am starting to care about this person in a serious way so I want to spend more time with them while at the same time, I am wanting to cut things off because of the same reason. 

Here is where we return to my need for independence. I believe I shouldn't have to depend on any external substance to be happy, and that includes people. When I begin getting very close with a romantic partner, I find that I quickly become "addicted" to them; I want to spend all my time with them, give them everything I can, and simultaneously throw all my other responsibilities out the window. Obviously this is not healthy, so I don't want it to be this way. Perhaps this is a reason I love being alone: it stamps out any chance of me becoming dependent on another person. Ah, who knows. Not I. So I am left unsure of what to do about this new individual, my heart and brain being pulled in opposing directions; while I am still recovering from a very trying, emotionally-charged and painful relationship with another that is now "officially" over. 

I suppose that wasn't a conclusive story at all... but that's fitting, since my thoughts and decisions on these situations and relationships aren't conclusive either. I'm in the dark midst of figuring out what to do and think and how to feel about all this. 

No matter, here's a healthy recipe for you guys. Thank you for always being here for me and giving me your love and support. It's very helpful for me to write out my thoughts and I hope they are in someway useful to you; whether you can relate, contrast, or simply sympathize. You're my rock! 

minty green chocolate cream bars 

Base:
1 cup oats or buckwheat groats
1 cup dates
1 teaspoon cacao powder (optional) 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional) 

Chocolate layer:
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1/4 cup melted cacao butter
1/4 cup dates
1 tablespoon maca powder
1 tablespoon lucuma powder
1 banana (optional, to add bulk) 

Mint layer:
1 avocado
3-4 tablespoons greens powder (I used this one)
1/6 cup coconut nectar (or other preferred liquid sweetener) 
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 
1/8 cup packed mint leaves (or approximately 10 drops of peppermint oil) 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
Pinch of salt (optional) 

To make the base layer: pulse the oats or buckwheat groats in your food processor until you have a rough flour. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it all begins to stick together. Press into the bottom of a lined baking pan and put in the fridge. 

To make the chocolate: blend all the ingredients together until smooth. If it's too thick, add some water. Pour onto your base and put in the freezer until solid, about 1 hour. 

To make the mint layer: blend all the ingredients until smooth. Spread onto your chocolate layer and refrigerate overnight until it's set. Decorate with mint leaves and cacao nibs if you wish. 

creamy mushroom soup with avocado + miso

I love raw soups. They are basically savoury smoothies that you top up with herbs and veggies and eat with a spoon. Okay, maybe that isn't the most appealing way to describe them, but my point is: they are full of only the healthiest whole foods your body wants, and served in a way that is easy for your system to absorb. You get excellent nutrition that much quicker... and it tastes freaking amazing.  

My favourite type of raw soup (although there are several worthy competitors) is mushroom soup. I tried adding an avocado this time and the result was magnificent. I think my mom was reading my mind the day I made this because I was going to use the normal white mushrooms we usually have in the fridge, when she came home with fresh shitakes and portobellos. Shitakes are my all time fave shroom! I highly recommend marinating the mushrooms you will use for the garnish. All you have to do is rub them with tamari and a bit of olive oil, then leave them in the dehydrator or on the counter while you make the soup. It brings out their rich flavours and softens them.

creamy mushroom soup with avocado + miso: serves two to four 

Soup:
1 portobello mushroom 
3 shitake mushrooms
½ avocado
1-2 tablespoons miso
2 cups hot water
3 dates (optional) 
1 teaspoon walnut oil (optional) 

Garnish:
3 sliced shitake mushrooms, marinated in tamari for a few minutes 
Salt + pepper
¼ fresh cilantro leaves 

Blend all the ingredients until smooth and adjust according to taste. Pour into bowls and top with mushrooms, cilantro and sprinkle on salt and pepper, if desired. 

avocado banana chocolate milkshakes with vanilla bean coconut cream

I assure you, these WILL bring all the health-conscious and morally compassionate boys to the yard. What other kind would you want running around on your lawn anyway? The recipe is a rich, creamy, chocolate milkshake made with bananas, avocado and dates. I topped it off with whipped vanilla bean coconut cream and cacao nibs. It is actually perfection, and I don't take any credit - as per usual, this is all thanks to Momma Nature. 

If you don't like or have avocado, you can use this "milkshake" recipe instead. It basically just has more bananas and is equally delicious, in my humble opinion. 

I guess sometimes you just need to drink a giant whole food milkshake, not stopping to breathe, and fighting anyone who tries to steal a sip, then of course lick the glass clean afterwards... right!? I mean, it contributes to a healthy mind and body! Necessary pleasures are... necessary.

I WILL say that this recipe has a proud amount of fat - but don't run and hide from me just because I said that, okay? They are super healthy fats that your gorgeous bod needs to thrive. Just keep your other fat intake low on the day you eat this and you ain't got nuttin' to worry about. In fact - expect to see your skin and hair look a bit shinier. Coconut milk is mega awesome for you, and so is the mean, lean, green avocado.

avocado banana chocolate milkshakes with vanilla bean coconut cream: serves 3 or 4

Chocolate millshake or use this recipe:

1 avocado

1 banana

1 cup dates

1 large scoop Vega chocolate protein powder (or 2 tablespoons cacao powder + 1/4 teaspoon stevia)

1-2 cups vegan milk 

1-2 cups ice

Whipped coconut cream:

1 can coconut milk, left in the fridge or freezer overnight

Bean from 1/2 vanilla pod

1/8 teaspoon stevia 

To make the milkshake: blend all the ingredients until smooth, adding as much vegan milk and ice as needed to make it thick, creamy and cold. Adjust according to taste, then fill up 3 or 4 glasses.

To make the whipped cream: take the can out of the fridge - DON'T SHAKE IT! Open it gently and scoop off the solid fat that has settled on the top. Put it in your mixer bowl (I have a Kitchen Aid), or a normal bowl if you have a handheld mixer. Add the stevia and vanilla beans and whisk until stiff peaks form. Top off your glasses with it and enjoy the heck out of what you just made.