Chilled Maple-Lime Citrus Salad

Chilled Maple-Lime Citrus Salad
vegan, serves 3-4

2 large navel oranges, rind sliced off, diced into large cubes
1 large pink grapefruit, rind sliced off, diced into large cubes
1-2 red plums, sliced
2-3 Tbsp goji berries
1 large lime, juiced + zest (+ reserve one slice for garnish)
2 tbsp grade B maple syrup
1 dash cayenne
tiny pinch of pink salt (optional)

optional to serve: candied almonds + cold-pressed raw pumpkinseed oil

Directions:

1. Prep all your fruit. Place in a large mixing bowl. If you have any leftover flesh or juicy skin, squeeze that juice into the bowl.
2. Add the goji berries, lime juice, plentiful lime zest and maple syrup to the fruit. Add the dash of cayenne and optional pinch of salt.
3. Fold gently.
4. Place fruit in the fridge to chill. When fully chilled and the flavors have marinated and the goji berries plumped, it is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestion: If serving on a plate, add a drizzle of your favorite cold-pressed oil. I used pumpkinseed oil and some homemade candied almonds. To make the almonds I add 2 tbsp sunflower oil to a skillet over high heat. And toast about 1/2 - 3/4 cup raw almonds for about 2-4 minutes. In the last minute I add 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup and a pinch of salt and spices. Toast for another minute or so and allow to cool before serving. Add a slice of lime and additional lime zest over top.

YOU GOTTA LOVE RAW VEGAN EGG NOG

You asked for it. No, really; you asked me to make a raw vegan egg nog recipe.. so I did. And dang, I sure am glad. This is delicious, warming, smooth, sweet and satisfying all at once. My dad agrees.

I wasn't actually planning on making anything today because I had a late night last night and meant to get some studying done today. Last night I went dancing with my lady friends and then we headed to an artsy shin dig in a sketchy area of downtown (rent is cheap so the poor artists flock there) I was wandering around the streets of downtown in my pimpin' jacket (it's giant, it's green, it's fake fur), a homemade turban to keep the rain off my glasses, and I was a little bit ahead of my friends... I am pretty sure I was mistaken for a homeless male drug addict. Milestone.

ANYWAY, I don't know where I was going with that, let's get back to decadent drinks and find that holiday spirit.

Although as a kid I loved egg nog because it was sweet and creamy and rich; as I grew older and made the choice to be vegan, this beverage became one of the first things took off my "I want this" list. Safe to say it was moved over to the "Never again" collection of foods. I think we all know it's not even remotely healthy, but we should also acknowledge that the stuff you buy in the grocery store is just weird. I mean, I'm sure the original homemade kind was a bit better; but now the generic variety is totally processed and totally suspicious.

There is really no reason to guzzle the milk of another species (mixed with the potential fetuses of ANOTHER species, mixed with processed white sugar) when you have this recipe! Seriously, check out the ingredients on egg nog next time you're tempted to buy it. Then think about what they really are. Yuck. 

OKAY I AM SORRY I'M BEING ALL WEIRD AND NEGATIVE TODAY. I personally don't tend to dwell on the ickiness - it's a word, shhhh - of animal products, and instead like to focus on the positives of healthy whole foods and plants. I guess my mind is trying to balance it out in this post. Ultimately I am not here to preach or tell you how to live your life and what to eat. I am merely here to humbly provide some simple, easy-to-make, mind-boggling delicious recipes. I hope you can appreciate and understand that. No time for haters up in here.

I am hoping these photos look okay to you, because I edited them on my tiny little lap top screen instead of the large monitor I usually use. The colour is also funky on my lap top screen so my fingers are crossed that these pics aren't terrible. Please forgive me if they look gross. I just realized how completely trippy it is that I am writing this in my bedroom right now, just typing out my thoughts as they come into my brain, and soon YOU are going to read them! And probably think "Wow, who IS this girl? She's lost it. I'm outta here."

But wait! I made you egg nog!

RAW VEGAN EGG NOG

1 cup pecans
3 cups water
1 cup dates
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Blend it all up. Use hot water if you want a warm drink. It should have the consistency of egg nog but if it's too thin, add more dates or pecans. If it's too thick, add more water. Change the spice amounts as you like. Mmm... This will serve around 4 people.

Fast Easy Almond Milk - Classic

Want to learn how to make creamy, amazing, totally delicious-tasting almond milk is a flash? Good! Today I share my easy method and even a super easy TWO-ingredient recipe with a secret ingredient. (Intrigued?)

For these recipes.. You DO need a high speed blender like a Vitamix. And some sort of fine mesh strainer OR a nut bag. But that is it! Seriously, go from raw almonds in a bag to creamy-tastic almond milk in under 45 minutes. Annnnd GO!...

Chocolate almond milk:


Flavors (classic vanilla, cacao, sweet spirulina green, cinna coconut)










The basics... Full recipe below.




The best part about homemade almond milk: you can chug the bottle and not feel guilty that it is all gone. Because you can easily make more!

OK, so I love love love love love love homemade nut milks. Not only do they taste amazing, but they are perfect for adding to smoothies, drinking straight from the chilled glass bottle, pouring over top hot and cold cereal, using in baking and other recipes and you can even add your homemade nut milk to hot beverages like tea and lattes. I just had a black tea latte and NO the milk did not curdle! Yay.

What is the difference between my method and other methods? Well one thing really: THE SOAKING TIME.

Normally, raw nut milk recipes ask you to soak the raw nuts in salted water anywhere from 4-8 hours to overnight. And yes this is a great way to get soft, easily blendable nuts. But I have found that my method below really does work! So having fresh almond milk in a flash is totally possible...

The trick is to use very hot water to soak the almonds. This softens them quickly.

Secret Recipe: Coconut Almond Milk. The other day I tried something new and crazy. Instead of using water to make my almond milk, I used chilled natural coconut water! I was kinda shocked when it tasted amazing. The best part, it was pre-sweetened from the sweet coconut water flavor and bonus - it contained added nutrients from the coconut water like potassium, magnesium, manganese and more. So you can try either classic water-almond or crazy new coconut-almond. Both use the same method. And both can be flavored however you'd like.



Nut Milk Bag: If you have one. Use it. They do make things a bit faster. But this method below is super if you do not have special tools like a nut milk bag, but do have a strainer.

Fast Easy Almond Milk - Classic
vegan, makes 4-5+ cups of almond milk (depending on how creamy you want it)

Step One: Grab your ingredients and tools.

Ingredients:
3-5 cups of fresh (preferably chilled) water (coconut version below!)
1 cup raw almonds

also:
salt (pink salt is my fave)
variety of flavors..
raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
vanilla bean or vanilla extract
raw dates or maple syrup or agave syrup
spirulina
cayenne
more!..

Tools: High speed blender + mesh strainer or nut milk bag + 2 bowls + bottles to store nut milk + spoon for pressing pulp

Step Two: Soak.
Add your 1 cup of almonds to a bowl and fill with about 3+ cups of HOT HOT HOT water. Enough to cover nuts generously. You could use boiling or simmering water, but I just use the hottest possible setting on my tap. Add in a dash of salt and swirl water. Let this sit for at least 20-30 minutes. I think one hour is a bit better, but I have even tested a 15-minute soak that does work. Basically, the longer you soak, the less pulp you will end up with in the end.

Step Three: Drain and rinse.
Drain the soaking water and rinse your soaked almonds with cool water. A few of the almond skins may pop off and that is a good sign that they have softened a bit.

Step Four: Blend.
Add the soaked almonds and 3 1/2 cups of fresh water to your Vitamix. Blend on low for a good three minutes. Finish blend by carefully blending (lid on) on medium or high for a minute or so to really thrash those almond bits and churn the milk.

Step Five: Strain.
Place your fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag over a large mixing bowl. Slowly pour the blended mixture and using the back of a spoon to press the liquid through, moving around the almond pulp so that the liquid can drain through. This process takes a good 2-4 minutes. Once you are left with wetish dry almond pulp in your strainer, scoop the pulp BACK in the blender. Add in 1/2 - 2 cups chilled water to the blender with the pulp.

Step Six: Re-Blend. The Pulp.
Blend the pulp with the additional water on low-medium for a few minutes. This milk may be a bit thinner, but once you combine it with the first round milk it will all even out. *not re-blending pulp is optional, but I find it helps squeeze all that goodness out of the almond bits leftover from first straining.*

Step Seven: Strain Again.
Finally, strain this mixture the same way you did with the first round of milk. NOW, you should be left with just about 1/4-1/2 cup of almond pulp - very dry in texture. If your pulp still seems wet and milky, keep repeating the blend and strain steps until it dries out. Do not be afraid of adding more water. It will still be nice and creamy.

Step Eight. Flavor.
You are now free to rinse your blender and pour the smooth, creamy, strained almond milk back into the blender container. Add your seasonings and flavorings! Here are a few ideas:

Chocolate -> Add 1-3 Tbsp cacao powder + 1-3 Tbsp maple or agave syrup (or 2-3 pitted Medjool dates) + dash cinnamon and or cayenne + 1/8 tsp pink salt
Sweet Spirulina -> 1 Tbsp spirulina powder (I use Spirulina Pacofica!) + sweeten to taste with dates or maple/agave syrup + 1/8 tsp pink salt
Strawberry -> Add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries! (this will slightly thicken your milk with fiber)
Classic Vanilla Bean -> scrape 1 vanilla bean (add seeds from pod) + sweeten to taste + 1/8 tsp salt

And if you want to try my Coconut Cinnamon flavor do this:
Instead of adding water when blending your soaked almonds, add chilled coconut water! This blends up sweet, creamy, coconut-infused almond milk. I add cinnamon too.

...And guess what, you can totally do this same method with almost any nut you'd like. Try walnut, cashew or even pistachio! (These nuts quick soak best)

Good luck and tweet me your finished homemade almond milk pics!!! @lunchboxbunch

PS. If you are like, wait, *8* steps??? SO not easy! Watch my VINE video and see that I showed this recipe in *six* seconds :) Follow me on Vine too!

Pulp pressing, to squeeze out all the "milk"

60-Second Applesauce

This 60-Second Applesauce with hints of cinnamon and maple is perfect for those times when you crave a super healthy sweet treat, or for when you may need some applesauce for baking purposes or other recipes and only have whole apples on hand. This is a quickie must-see recipe with a cute story that inspired me to try it..

Raw..

Simmered:

When life hands you apples. Makes applesauce.

In the Aisles Inspiration.. So I was in Whole Foods the other day, browsing in the baking aisle, comparing my oat brans from wheat brans when a mother and son came galloping down the aisle. The mom grabbed something from the grains section as her young son lingered behind her, having spotted something on the shelves.

"Applesauce! Applesauce! Mom look, applesauce!" He squealed with a passionate yearning in his tiny voice. The mom ignored him for a few seconds.

"Mom, can we get this please! Puh-leeeez! Applesauce!" It was like he had struck gold after digging in the mines for ten years. He was shouting the way I shout when I spot vegan cookies at a mainstream bakery. Finally his mom chimed in, very casually, without even looking away from the cereal box she was holding and scanning with her eyes..

"No no hunny. That stuff has preservatives in it, we make our own."

I silently nodded my head in approval, just about ready to spin around and give this stranger a big thumbs up sign. I restrained myself and we parted ways.

And the moral of the story.. 1) I found it adorable that this tiny boy craved applesauce the way most kids crave candy! He was blissful at the sight of it. 2) That little boy made me crave applesauce! Something I probably haven't craved since preschool. 3) His mom inspired me to get in the kitchen and try homemade sauce. Something I have actually never made before.

Two versions: I love a slow-simmered applesauce, rich with baked apple flavor, but I wanted to try two verisons: raw and simmered. Both using my Vitamix. This recipe worked beautifully and it is just one more thing I now love making in my Vitamix.

Simmered or Raw. Blended raw, this applesauce takes 60 seconds to make. The raw version has a bright and slightly tart flavor to it from all that fresh apple pectin and raw lemon juice. If you want a mellower, silkier, simmered applesauce (which tastes more like the kind you might buy at the store) all you have to do is simmer it on med-high for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour, cool and enjoy.

60-Second Applesauce
vegan, makes 1 1/2 cups

2 large apples, organic (any variety will work, the flavor will vary based o the sweetness and tartness of apple variety)
a few pinches of cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice (optional - keeps sauce from over browning if not using right away + adds a tart accent)
1/2 tsp maple syrup
2-4 Tbsp water (add to taste to achieve desired consistency)

Directions:

1. Roughly chop your washed apple. Squeeze lemon juice and strain away seeds.
2. Add apple, lemon, water, cinnamon and maple to blender. Blend from low to high for 30-60 seconds. Or until your blender purees everything. For fastest blending, use a high speed blender. In a less powerful blender you may need to add additional water to blend.
3. For raw sauce, pour and serve. Or pour, cover dish and chill in the fridge - serve when chilled.
4. For simmered sauce, pour applesauce mixture into a small sauce pot and simmer on med-high for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add additional spices or a few drops of vanilla extract if you'd like. Pour into serving dish, and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Raw applesauce should be eaten same day. Simmered applesauce can be stored, covered in the fridge for 1-3 days.

The simmered sauce becomes a bit thinner, silkier and less textured...

Caramel Apple twist? This sauce would be kinda amazing drizzled with some vegan peanut butter caramel! Like this..