Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Raw Vegan Strawberry "Cheesecake"Bites

Cheesecake is by far my absolute favorite dessert, but not such a healthy choice when an average slice is about 1,000 calories. These are a wonderful substitute and are full of healthy ingredients.  These are by far the best raw food desserts I've ever made (and I've experimented with a lot!).
They are free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar. Don't let the 3 steps to this recipe fool you, it's actually a lot simpler than it looks. You just throw all the ingredients in each step into the food processor and that's it! Enjoy!

 Ingredients 


For the crust:

  •  2 cups of almonds
  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut
  • juice for 1/2 lemon

For the filling:

  • 3 cups of raw cashews   
  • 3/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup of honey
  • 3/4 cup of coconut oil
  • 1 Tbs vanilla

  For the topping:

  • 8 medium to large strawberries
  • 1/4 cup of coconut oil
  • 1 Tbs honey

 Directions

  1. Place all of the ingredients for the crust in a food processor.  Process until you have a sticky dough consistency. 
  2. Take a small amount of crust and roll it into a ball.  Then place it on the bottom of your muffin tin and press down firmly so it holds together.  
  3. Clean your food processor and place all the ingredients for the filling inside.  Process until you have a smooth cheesecake filling consistency
  4. Layer the filling on top of the crust, leaving just a little bit of room for the topping. 
  5. Place all of the strawberry topping ingredients into the food process and blend until you have a sauce like consistency.
  6. Add the topping on top of each mini cheesecake.  
  7. Place in the freezer for about an hour or until they are set. 
  8. Enjoy! 
 




Yummy No-Bake Energy Bites





It's been awhile since I've posted anything on this blog. Feels good to be back. Lots of things have changed. Most importantly... I'm a new mommy now! I have a 12 week old lil girl named Olive. She's my world and I've been trying to eat super healthy to be the best I can be for her. When I was searching for healthy snacks I came across this recipe in an online breastfeeding group that I'm in. When becoming a nursing mother, you have to constantly eat (hopefully healthy) to help your body continue to produce the much needed milk for your little one. I've tried about 4 different protein bars, balls, you name it, recipes and although they were all good, this one is my favorite. I love these! So easy to make and such a great snack even though they taste more like a dessert to me. They're great for everyone and also a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without the guilt. These are vegan, gluten free and have no refined sugar. Super easy snack to have on hand for anyone! Enjoy!





Ingredients  






 

  •  1 cup (dry) oatmeal
  • 2/3 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut 
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (or any nut butter you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (I used cacao nibs, but you could also use raisins)
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract    



Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour. Once chilled, roll into 1" balls and store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Now how easy it that!?