aged nut cheese with herbes de provence

this is REALLY GOOD. maybe the best raw vegan cheese i've ever had. it's so easy (allbeit a bit time consuming) to make yourself and really affordable. please try this! it is incomparable to cheese. who wants the drug-filled mucus of another species when you can eat the delicious probiotics of cashews and grains?

i adapted this recipe from one i saw in vegnews (an all vegan magazine). although the actual hands on time for this is minimal, there's a lot of fermenting - so look at the recipe before you roll up your organic hemp sleeves. wanna get sexy while ya make it? look no further. 

aged chevre with herbes de provence: serves a party 

2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 3-4 hours

1/4 cup rejuvelac (see recipe below)

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons herbes de provence

to make 4 cups of rejuvelac: soak 1 cup whole grains (i used rye) in 2 cups of water for 8-12 hours. drain and repeat, continue to soak until the grains begin sprouting, then drain again. put the grains and 4 cups of new water in a mason jar and cover with a towel. let it sit for 2 days or so, until the liquid turns white. the white liquid is your rejuvelac! strain it. 

to make the cheese: blend cashews, rejuvelac and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt until very smooth. put it in a bowl, covered, and let it sit for 1-2 days until it's thick. then add in the nutritional yeast, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the herbes de provence. form the cheese into a roll using parchment paper. on another sheet of parchment paper, sprinkle the remaining salt and herbes de provence. transfer the roll onto that and roll it in the herbes and salt so it's covered. let THAT sit for 1-4 days until it's firm. it took one day for me. 

serve with raw or whole grain crackers. this pairs nicely with apples or olives. YUM. 

vanilla bean ice cream

you know that popular recipe i have for "the best raw vegan ice cream ever"? i am a liar. that stuff is off the chain, but nothing - and i mean, nothing - can compete with this recipe. it's one ingredient, stupid-easy, fat-free, around 150 calories, filling, full of fiber, dairy-free, delicious, and the best soft serve you will ever eat.

i sure hope you like bananas.

that's right, all that's in this recipe that's really necessary are frozen bananas. for the pictures you see here i added vanilla seeds, some sweetener and lemon oil. the possibilities are endless with this, feel free to add whatever you like. i'll be doing several variations in the future with ingeniously clever names such as: chocolate craze, caramel swirl, gone nuts... oh that's all i got. damn. that wasn't impressive at all. maybe you guys can help me think up some cute names? 

i am currently suffering a terribly uncomfortable sore throat and all i am capable of consuming is liquids; miso soup, tea, hot water. i've been having a lot of lemon (good for the throat and anti-inflammatory) to soothe my discomfort and hopefully bring the swelling down. that explains the lemon in the ice cream! this has been my dinner for two nights now, it's the closest thing to solid food i can have. grrr. 

the truly best raw vegan ice cream ever: serves one

2 frozen bananas

Optional add ons: 

seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 tablespoon maple syrup/date paste

throw everything in your blender and blend until GORGEOUSLY smooth like vanilla soft serve - i can never get over how pretty this looks. make sure to keep pushing the bananas down into the blades otherwise they'll just get shredded into small pieces and stick to the side.

holy three cheese pizza

my girl friend and i decided it should be illegal, or it's distribution at least regulated; for this pizza is dangerous.

these pictures aren't that great. sorry. we were not concerned with photography at this point - only devouring this work of cruelty- and dairy-free art. i could seriously have eaten the entire pizza, but we were civil and split it halfway.

the recipe is gonna be a little tricky to recreate because i used a bunch of leftovers, but if i give you a general outline you should be able to do it. trust in yourself. all it takes is some vegan cheese, veggies and love...

then again, doesn't everything? 

if you use a gluten free crust and only daiya cheese - this is soy-free, gluten-free and obviously dairy-free. hurray! if you wanna leave out the cheese and keep it totally whole foods, it'll still be delicious.

three cheese pizza with grilled veggies, black rice, and sweet & sour mustard sauce: 

pizza crust:
buy one pre-made (easy to be gluten free) OR use this gluten free recipe, OR:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 to 1 cup warm water
1 packet yeast
2 teaspoons sea salt & pepper
dried herbs of your choosing (i like basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme)

sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil (or use pine nuts and water)
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons mustard
a few drops of liquid smoke
handful fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
2-5 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons honey/agave 
water as needed

toppings:
2 grilled bell peppers
grilled eggplant slices
1 cup cooked black rice mix (like we used leftovers from a stir-fry)
handful basil leaves
1/3 cup shredded soya cheddar cheese (or use shredded daiya cheddar cheese)
1/3 daiya mozzarella shredded cheese
pepper and/or fave dried herb mixes
fave hot sauce
parma cheese!

make the crust: combine the yeast and warm water in a warm mixing bowl. sprinkle on a tinsy bit of sugar to feed the yeast. let it rise for about 10 minutes. add the other ingredients and kneed the dough or mix in your mixer (we have a kitchen-aid) until it's soft and elastic; 8-10 minutes. let it rise for an hour or until it doubles in size. then roll it out into a pizza crust! partially bake it for 8-10 minutes at 425 degrees.

to make the sauce: blend all ingredients until smooth. duh. if it's too thick, add more water. spread onto your par-baked pizza crust. theeeeennn... load on the toppings, with the cheese last, sealing in all the goodness. leave the pepper, hot sauce and parma off until it's out of the oven. bake for 8 minutes at 425 or until it looks done. slice it up and ENJOY the heck out of it.

aged pine nut cheese with garlic & rosemary

Oh so creamy. Oh so delicious. Oh so dairy-free. You need to make this... oh so soon. 

After learning from my first go at nut cheeses, I have improved the recipe. I used half pine nuts, put it through the Vita-Mix and didn't freeze it (still smacking my forehead for that). It ended up being SUPER creamy and full of flavour. I let it age for 3 days this time and warmed it in the oven for about an hour, which developed the flavour and rind ever more.

My mom, who used to be a cheese lover and has practically given up dairy now, says that she loves this. Greg said he liked it too although "it's nothing like cheese". I have to agree. Don't expect cheese when you eat this - it's not! It's delicious cashews, garlic and rosemary. Enjoy the incredible flavour and texture for what it is. I guess you could call it Nut Pate if you want. Anyway - it's tasty and good for ya.

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Aged Pine Nut Cheese with Garlic & Rosemary: makes 1 wheel 
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1 cup pine nuts
1 cup cashews
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of a lemon 
1 tbs sun dried tomatoes 
2-3 tbs whole rosemary 
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup water
2 tbs favourite oil 
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Soak the nuts for around 2 or 3 hours. Blend all ingredients in high speed blender or food processor (blender really makes a difference though) until smooth. See if you like the taste. Change it until you do.
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Line a colander with a cheesecloth and put it in a bowl. Transfer the cheese mix into the colander and set it in a warm place for 1 or 2 days. Then leave it in the fridge for another day. You can dehydrate it or put it in your oven at a low temperature for maybe 30 minutes so it develops a crust. Enjoy!
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In other news: I watched A Night At The Roxbury a few nights ago and my love of disco has been reborn.  I downloaded the album, and as I wrote this post I was listening to this:

And this...

YOU CAN'T SAY YOU DON'T WANNA DANCE TO THESE, ALRIGHT. 

Besides, the music videos are freakin' amazing. 

vanilla bean cheesecake

You know you want it.

This is basically the same recipe I've used before, and it's become hugely popular! This time I made a simple vanilla bean cheesecake. Vanilla is underrated, don't you think? I've always loved it myself but people tend to categorize it as "plain". That's a shame (and a rhyme).

Vanilla Ice is also underrated...

That was joke. But I won't lie here - I have memorized the lyrics to this song. YOU LOVE ME, OKAY.

Ooooooh boy this is just plain freakin' delicious. I love the sour you get from the lemon, just the right amount to pair with the sweetness and richness of the maple syrup and cashews. This time I put coconut chunks in the crust and they added another texture. NOM.

Like I've said, this and the chocolate banana coconut cream pie are my family's two faves. If I were you, I'd trust their judgement. Now - if you're one of those people who are worried about many calories are in a slice of this heavenly creation... STOP IT! Who cares? You're not eating the entire thing, and all that's in it are raw nuts, dates, maple syrup (or agave) and vanilla beans.

I really just don't worry about calories. When you are eating whole plant foods in reasonable amounts - you shouldn't either. What do you think is healthier? A 100 calorie pack of Thinsations, or a 200 calorie Larabar?

I really hope you said the Larabar. 

Let's compare the ingredients, shall we?

Thinsations: enriched wheat flour, sugar, glucose-fructose, canola oil with TBHQ and citric acid, cocoa, corn starch, sodium bicarbonate, salt, ammonium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate, colour and artificial flavour.
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Larabar: nuts, dates... LOL! 
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Anyway the point I have to share is that "low calorie" is not necessarily synonymous with "healthy".   This is a really important fact that I think too many people in North America don't understand or think of. The corporations have drilled into us that as long as it's low calorie - it's guilt-free! Ya know what, aspartame is low calorie and it causes blindness (it also turns into formaldehyde when it enters your blood). For Pete's sake, cement is low calorie. Getting my message?
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If you'd like to email me about this, please do. Back to cheescake bliss.
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Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Almond Crust: makes 1 cheesecake 

Crust:

1 cup dates

2 cups raw almonds

Surround the inside of a cake pan with wax paper or plastic wrap. Pulse dates and nuts together in food processor until you get a rough, sticky mixture that you can pat down with your hands into the bottom of the cake pan. Do so. Set in fridge.

Cheesecake:

3 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked for 3 to 4 hours)

3/4 cup lemon juice

2/3 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Blend all ingredients, EXCEPT coconut oil, together until smooth and creamy. Add coconut oil and make sure it blends completely. Taste it. Yes. Pour onto crust in cake pan and set in the fridge until it has the hardness you want (probably 3-5 hours or overnight). Take out of cake pan holding the wax paper or plastic wrap and put on your favourite plate. Slice and enjoy, or eat it like a wild animal.  

Apple Cherry Crisp

photo credit: vegfamily.ca

Recipe from The Everyday Vegan wheat-free, gluten-free option, soy-free

This is an easy, healthy, tasty apple crisp that can be modified to include other fruits or ingredients of your choice.  Unlike a lot of fruit crisps, I have kept the fat content low. This makes for a very healthy snack or dessert paired with some non-dairy ice cream or yogurt.

Fruit Mixture:
2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup (depending on sweetness of fruits, see note)
2 tsp arrowroot powder
2 cups chopped apples (cored and peel removed)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, stems and pits removed (or substitute more apples or other fruits, see note)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

Crisp Topping:
1 cup rolled oats (use certified gluten-free for a gf option)
1/4 cup oat flour (use certified gluten-free for a gf option)
2 tbsp unrefined sugar
1/2 - 3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp of sea salt
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp neutral-flavored oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the fruit mixture, mix maple syrup and arrowroot until smooth. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, then add maple syrup mixture and remaining fruits mixture. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish (8" x 8" or similar size). For the topping, in another bowl, combine oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well, then add maple syrup and oil. Work mixture with your hands, then sprinkle it evenly over the fruit, lightly pressing it down. Bake for 38-43 minutes until bubbling around the edges and lightly browned. Remove and cool a little before serving (lovely served with a non-dairy ice cream). Serves 4-5.

Note:
Try different fruit combinations, such as:
- 2 cups chopped apples; 2 cups blueberries
- 2 cups chopped apples; 2 cups frozen mango chunks
- 2 cups chopped pears; 2 cups frozen raspberries
- 2 cups chopped apples; 1 cup chopped pears, 1 cup frozen berries, 2 tbsp cranberries or raisins

Avocado & Pinto Bean Enchiladas

Recipe from eat, drink & be vegan.

photo credit: kitchenambition.blogspot.ca

This is spicy comfort food: enchiladas stuffed with beans and veggies, along with cashews and lightly mashed avocado - entirely scrumptious!  Pair with a salad dressed with "Cumin-Cinnamon Vinaigrette" (also from ed&bv).

9 -10 corn tortillas (6 inches each)
1/2 - 1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 - 2 1/2 cups white button mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14 oz) pinto beans, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 c raw cashew pieces
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted (about 1 - 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 jar (14.5 oz) prepared enchilada sauce (about 1 3/4 cups)
3/4-1 cup prepared chili sauce
3/4-1 cup vegan cheese, grated (ex: Daiya; optional)
1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)


Preheat oven to 400.  Place tortillas in a 8x12 inch baking dish, cover tightly with aluminium foil, and place in oven to soften for 5-10 minutes while preparing filling.  In a frying pan on medium heat, add oil, onions, chili powder, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms, beans, and cashews and saute for 5-6 minutes, tossing once to twice.  Immediately toss in lime juice and remove from heat to slightly cool.  In a large bowl, mash avocado and salt - this can be chunky.  Add veggie saute and lightly mix to incorporate.  In a separate bowl, mix enchilada and chili sauces.  Remove tortillas from oven, transfer to a plate, and cover with a tea towel to keep warm.  In the same baking dish, pour half of sauce evenly over bottom.  Place 1/4-1/3 cup avocado-veggie mixture in center of each tortilla.  Roll tortillas up, tucking in sides as you go, and place seam side down in baking dish.  Pour remaining sauce over top, and cover with aluminium foil.  Bake for 16-18 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 4-5 minutes, until bubbling around edges.  If adding cheese, sprinkle on after casserole has baked for 15 minutes, then baking uncovered for another 6-7 minutes to melt cheese.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.  Serves 4.

Notes:
1) If you can't find a mild chili sauce, use more regular enchilada sauce (using some from a second jar).
2) If corn tortillas dry out, re-soften by returning to oven in covered dish (or by coating with some enchilada sauce).