Vanilla Almond Milk

Vanilla Almond Milk

Vanilla Almond Milk

When I am craving something sweet, or just to make in the morning to pour over some oats, buckwheat, nuts and chopped up fruit… I make Vanilla Almond Milk. The sweetness comes from the dates and almonds which have a naturally sweet taste. There is no added sugar, but let me tell you it sure tastes like it!

Vanilla Almond Milk (yield: 2 cups)

  • 3 TBS raw almonds
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 dates (medjool or california dates)
  • 2 cups water

If you have a high speed blender (like a Vitamix) then just blend all ingredients on high speed until nice and creamy like milk (1-2 minutes). Otherwise grind up almonds in a coffee/herb grinder until fine and powdery. Then add water, almond meal, vanilla and dates to blender and keep blending until frothy. Enjoy!!!

Cream of Mushroom Soup (Raw, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

When I first was vegan what I really missed was the creamy soups, gravy, sauces that I had learned how to make from my mom. Now when I want something creamy and rich I go for something even better… cream made from nuts. So many nuts make really delicious cream, but my favorites are: hemp, cashews, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. Here is a recipe that I whipped up the other night made from sunflower seeds, but I am sure you could interchange those for any of the mentioned nuts. Make sure they are raw and if you don’t have a high-speed blender it helps to soak them for at least 4-6 hours before hand.

First start off with marinating mushrooms: (see the following pics and instructions)

Cream of Mushroom Soup (serves 2)

Marinate

  • 4-6 mushrooms chopped up finely (crimini or shiitake)
  • 1-2 TBS olive oil
  • 1 TBS liquid aminos (they can be soy or coconut aminos)
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)

Put the chopped mushrooms into the marinade and mix up… they will start releasing their juice and shrink as if they have been cooked in 5-10 minutes

Soup Base

  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 small green onion (save the green top for garnish)
  • 2 TBS wine (can be red or white, but just not sweet)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 celery stalk OR sprinkle of celery seed
  • black pepper to taste

Blend all these ingredients until uniform and smooth in consistency. Can blend for a few minutes in a high speed blender to heat it up to just over body temperature, or heat on the stove slightly. Remember if it is above 104 F than it is not considered raw anymore, but if you like hot soup than you can heat it up even more. Keeping it at a lower temperature will preserve the naturally occurring enzymes to make it easier to digest.

After you have blended up the soup base just mix in the mushrooms + marinade and then add some chopped green onion for garnish = delicious!!!

mushrooms before marinating

mushrooms before marinating

mushrooms after marinating

mushrooms after marinating

Raw Tacos with Cashew Sour Cream and Nacho Cheese

raw tacos

These raw tacos are one of the best recipes ever! For anyone who thinks raw is just cold, boring vegetables try this recipe. I have fooled many meat-eaters with the walnut and carrot taco “meat.”

Raw Tacos (makes 6 large tacos)

Walnut meat:

  • 1 c. walnuts (chopped)
  • 1 c. carrots (chopped)
  • *can also add ¼ c. beets for color
  • 1-2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • ½ cup onion (chopped)
  • 1 teas. cumin
  • ½ teas. coriander
  • 1 teas. paprika
  • ¼ teas. chipotle or chilli powder
  • 1-2 TBS liquid aminoes or ½ teas. salt

Use romaine or other lettuce like you would use a taco shell, for crunchy texture use cabbage.

Then fill taco with walnut meat, avocado, pico de gallo, cashew cheese and sour cream. Feel free to add any other foods you like on tacos. Enjoy!!!

-Make walnut meat in food processor, add carrots and beets first then walnuts, onion, garlic and spices. Mix until similar texture to taco meat.

-Cut up 1 avocado into thin strips.

-Chop ½ cilantro bunch and 1 onion, 2-3 tomatoes, and 1 jalapeno pepper without seeds (optional) to make pico de gallo for garnish.

-Top with cashew sour cream and nacho cheese (see following recipes)

Cashew Sour Cream

  • 1/2 cup soaked cashews (soaked for at least 4 hrs)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 TBS water to start (add more to make creamy)

Add all ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and add enough water to make consistency like sour cream.

Cashew Nacho Cheese

  • ½ cup soaked cashews (soaked for at least 4 hrs)
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 small tomato
  • ½ red pepper
  • ½  teas. tumeric
  • ½ teas. oregano
  • ¼ teas. chipotle (optional to give a little spice)
  • ½ -1 garlic clove (optional)
  • 1-2 TBS nutritional yeast (for cheesier flavor)
  • Pinch of salt

Add all ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and add a little water (if too thick) or more nutritional yeast (if too watery) to make a nacho cheese consistency. Can use as topping or a dip for veggies or kale chips.