Raw Vegan Pizza Balls - version II

Raw Vegan Pizza Balls

Bite size pizza - raw, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free.  This is a super tasty tweaked version of my Raw Vegan Pizza Rounds and Poppers.  There's just a slight difference between the two recipes, but enough to notice so thought I would post this recipe as well.

I popped these yummy snack size bites into the dehydrator for just a couple hours and boy, I don't know how I stopped myself from eating them one by one!  They are SO good right out of the dehydrator, but no worries if you do not have one as these tasty pizza balls can be eaten without dehydrating.  Yep.  Sure can.

Bite Size Pizza - the Raw Vegan Way

When you bite into these delicious balls of bliss, especially right out of the dehydrator, you'll think you're eating a slice of pizza.  Pretty close to it at least.  Plus they are chewy and... oh my... I think I need to make another batch.

Raw Vegan Pizza Balls Makes approximately 18-20 small bites

1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 heaping cup sundried tomatoes (soaked in 1 cup of water - reserve water)
1/3 cup onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup hemp heart seeds
1/2 heaping cup nutritional yeast (needed for "cheese" flavor)
1 tsp fennel seeds (needed for tasty pizza flavor)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
*optional black olives (about 5-6 quartered)

In a food processor add sunflower seeds and process until small bits that resembles flour.  Do not drain the soaked sundried tomatoes - simply scoop them out of the soak water, give a gentle squeeze and add them to the processor.  Add in all remaining ingredients *except* water and process until mixture holds together when forming a ball.  You may need to stop and scrap down the sides, etc. as mixture will be somewhat thick.  It shouldn't, *but* if the mixture seems too dry add in some of the soak water a little at a time until achieved.  Take a little taste test too - you know you want to.

Roll the mixture into small bite size balls.  You'll probably want to do another taste test at this time.  If there are any left and you don't want to dehydrate them, serve immediately or put them in the fridge to chill.

Or - put them on a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110°F for approximately 2 hours or longer if you wish.  This will not turn them into crust or crackers, it will simply firm them up a bit more.  You will definitely want to do another taste test right out of the dehydrator - mmmmm!  In fact, at this point you may want to make a double batch.

Peace☮
Rocki

Sweet Potato Fudge Cookies - Semi-Raw and Vegan

Sweet Potato Fudge Cookies

I'm quite pleased with how this experiment turned out!  Delicious, chewy, fudgy, healthy and guilt-free cookies that are vegan, gluten-free and semi-raw. 

I like to keep most of what I eat nut-free, but of course I do enjoy the occasional nut loaded food.  Instead of using any type of nut or seed, I decided to try a sweet potato to create a yummy raw cookie.  Well, short version... raw sweet potatoes do not agree with my digestion, plus there are some things that are simply not meant to be eaten raw, in my humble opinion. 

Anyway, to satisfy my curiosity and tummy, I steamed the sweet potato.  Voila'!  That worked out much better.  Even though the sweet potato is lightly steamed, with everything else involved I consider this recipe to be semi-raw.

These cookies are dehydrated, but no worries as there's other options in case you don't have one or feel like waiting a few hours until they are done.

Before I get to the recipe for these super yummy cookies, I just want to make note that the dough is very thick when processing.  So if you do not have a good heavy duty food processor, you'll probably want to split it in half and finish processing it that way.  I'll explain in the recipe when to split the batch.


Sweet Potato Fudge Cookies
Semi-Raw and Vegan

2 cups roughly chopped steamed sweet potato (not yams)
1 1/2 cups semi-packed medjool dates (if dates are hard, soften them up a bit in water)

Put the above ingredients in food processor and process just enough to break down a bit.  Leave the mixture in the processor and add in the following:

1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 oat flour (I make my own from gluten-free oats)
1 Tbs agave (or more to desired sweetness)
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt
fresh water

Start processing until everything is well combined.  If mixture seems too dry, start adding water 1 TBS at time.  At this point, if your processor cannot handle the dough mixture, remove about half of it to a bowl and continue processing until well combined and then do the same for the mixture in the bowl.

Form into cookies and place on mesh tray.  Dehydrate at 115° F for approximately 7-10 hours.  Time frame will vary due to location, weather, humidity, dehydrator, wetness, thickness, etc.

No dehydrator?  No problem.  Simply roll the cookie dough into bite size balls and if so desired, roll the balls into shredded coconut, hemp seeds, etc. then pop them in the freezer.

Or... if you're not raw, pop them in the oven at a low temp for about 30 minutes or until desired doneness. 

Store in freezer or fridge. 

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Vegan Brownie Bars

Raw Vegan Brownie Bars

Here is another version of my raw vegan brownies.  You can never have too many brownie recipes.

This one I actually threw together because I was in need of a quick chocolate brownie fix.  We don't actually eat too many sweets.  Most of the desserts I make either go to Mark's work, family, or in the freezer for when we do want a treat.

Anyway, this recipe turned out very good.  Wish I would have taken more photos, but this is the only one as it was just going to be an Instagram post... didn't think I would blog about it, but it's too yummy and simple to not share.

Raw Vegan Brownie Bars

1 cup heaping pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1/3 cup hemp heart seeds
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 Tbs coconut oil (liquid)
1 cup packed medjool dates
pinch of sea salt

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until mixture is well combined - do not over process.  Test to make sure you can form a ball with it in your hands and then pop it into your mouth.  You need to make sure it tastes good, right?  

Press mixture firmly in a lined 7x5 glass dish.  I over wrap my dish then fold it back over while pressing down on it with a large spatula.  Place dish uncovered in freezer for at least 60 minutes.  Remove from dish and cut into desired size bars or bites and enjoy!

Store in fridge or freezer - if there's any left that is.

Peace☮
Rocki

Tomato Stack

Tomato Stack Lunch

Want a quick, simple and satisfying lunch or snack?  Try my super easy Tomato Stack.  You should have seen the whole tomato as it was as big as my hand!  In fact, I could have stacked it higher, but this was perfect.

This is so simple that it doesn't actually require a recipe, so I'm just going to write up the basics and you take it from there.  Okie dokie? 

Tomato Stack

1 large tomato - sliced thick
1 small avocado - mashed and seasoned to taste
sliced sweet onion
sprouts

Layer ingredients and enjoy.

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Green Protein Bars - Vegan and Gluten-Free

Raw Green Protein Bars

The other day I experimented and created another new recipe that turned out awesome! I make a variety of energy bars, but this one is different. These earthy tasty bars are very nutritious (not a dessert bar) and because of the nutrients in them, I had a hard time coming up with a name. So I decided on Raw Green Protein Bars. 

These make an excellent travel pick-me-up bar, but need to be kept chilled for long distance. I tested them out and they did well at room temp for a few hours and only got soft, not melty - in the southwest.  I'm going to experiment a bit more with these to see if I can get a longer lasting bar without having to be chilled.

Go Green!

Raw Green Protein Bars - Vegan and Gluten-Free

1 heaping cup packed medjool dates
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbs goji berries
2 Tbs flax meal
1 Tbs spirulina
1/4 cup raw vegan protein powder (I use Sunwarrior Warriors Blend Natural)
2 Tbs almond butter

In food processor, process all ingredients until mixture starts holding together and you can form a ball with it.  Mixture will be warm and play-do like.  Put into an over lined 7x5 pan and press down firmly.  Cover lightly with the wrap and freeze for approximately 60 minutes.  Cut into small bars, bites or size of choice and store in fridge.

These can also be stored in the freezer as they will harden, but will soften up of course after a while - makes for a great on the go bar.

Enjoy!

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Carrot Cake Cookies - Vegan and Nut-Free

Raw Carrot Cake Cookies - Vegan and Nut-Free

Carrots.  I love carrots!  I eat them whole, shredded, grated, julienned, chopped, diced... guess I could just sum it up and say I eat them raw.

Not only are carrots delicious in the raw or as a savory side dish (not to mention packed with nutrition), they also make a very yummy dessert - like cookies!  And smoothies, shakes, cakes, pies... I'll stop.

I wanted a cookie without nuts.  I'm not a nut hater and I do love them, but I like to keep a low fat diet so I don't use them that much.  When you bite into these cookies, it's like taking a bite of moist carrot cake. Mark REALLY loves them.  I have to hide them in the back of the fridge or put them in a hidden container.  Kidding.  Maybe.

Raw Carrot Cake Cookies - Vegan and Nut-Free
makes approximately 20-24 small cookies

1 full cup carrots - roughly chopped
1 cup hemp heart seeds
1/4 cup coconut shreds
2 Tbs raw vegan protein powder (or replace with flax meal or more hemp)
1 cup packed medjool dates
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves

In food processor, process carrots into tiny little bits.  Do not over process - you don't want mush, just tiny bits.  Put into large bowl and add in the remaining ingredients.  Stir well to combine.  Mixture will seem too wet, but after dehydrated they will be deliciously moist cookies.

Form into small balls and flatten into cookie shape.  You may need to periodically wet and dry your hands as they'll get a bit sticky. Put onto lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 145° F for 1 hour only then turn down to 115° F.  Once tried to touch on top, remove and flip them from the lined tray onto a mesh tray and continue dehydrating until done.  Total time varies approximately 10-12 hours or until desired liking. These took me 10 hours total time. 

Store in fridge or freezer in a sealed container.

NOTE:  these are too wet for bliss balls or non-dehydrated cookies.  However, if you do not have a dehydrator you can use shredded carrots or squeeze dry the processed carrots with paper towels and add in a about 1/4 cup flax meal until the mixture holds together.

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Cookie Dough Bliss Balls

Raw Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

 

This is another recipe that I transferred from my old blog



My grandma made the best oatmeal molasses raisin cookies.  In fact, I can still smell them!  Lots of fun was spent in the kitchen at my grandparents house.  Sweet memories.

My Raw Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are guilt-free, gluten-free, healthy and very tasty.  They go pretty quick too, so next time I'll make a double batch... maybe even triple. 

The aroma of these cookies in the dehydrator is like pure bliss!

No worries if you do not have a dehydrator as you can eat these cookies completely raw!  You can form them into cookie shapes or Bliss Balls (see below) - they taste like oatmeal cookie dough! 

Raw Vegan Cookie Dough Bliss Balls

For this batch I did a little of both, and Mark took them to work to share.  I rolled some in hemp heart seeds, some in coconut sugar and the rest I left plain.  Shredded coconut would be a nice topping too... so many choices.

Here's my simple recipe for a yummy healthy treat.

Raw Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Bliss Balls

1 heaping cup of soaked steel cut gluten-free oats (rinsed and drained) - or regular oats
1 cup flax meal
1/2 cup walnuts (soaked and dehydrated - optional)
2 Tbs hemp heart seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp Roasted Saigon Cinnamon (or regular)
1/4 tsp sea salt

Put into food processor and pulse to combine.

Add in:
1/2 cup packed medjool dates (or dates of choice), process until well combined and can hold it's shape when rolled into a ball.

Add in 1/4 cup full of golden raisins and pulse just a few times to mix in.  You can leave the raisins out if you like.

For dehydrated cookies:

Form into balls, sprinkle with a tiny bit of coconut sugar (or sugar of choice) and flatten.  Put onto mesh dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees for approximately 4-6 hours or until desired doneness.  Time will vary due to weather, location, dehydrator, etc.

For bliss balls:

Form into round balls and if desired, roll into coconut shreds, hemp seeds, coconut sugar... or leave plain.  I love them plain.

Store them in the fridge or freezer - if they last that long. 

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Chocolate Almond Bars

Raw Chocolate Almond Bars

Prior to going raw, I thought the one thing I would no longer be able to have was chocolate.  Not that I ate a lot of chocolate candies, but I've always loved chocolate in a variety of ways.  In fact, I used to buy the organic vegan chocolate bars and they would actually last me a whole week because I would only eat a little square each day.

As you can see above, as well as many of my other recipes here and on Instagram, chocolate is still in my life - but now it is healthy raw cacao and tastes so very good! 

This chocolate bar recipe is a variation of several others I make and is very versatile.  Next time I make a batch I'll take pictures of all the silicone molds that I use and the different types of candies from bars to yummy fillings.

Raw Chocolate Almond Bars

1/2 cup cacao powder
3 Tbs agave (or maple syrup is fine)
1/2 cup coconut oil (liquid form)
2 Tbs grated cacao butter (melt the raw way or as you wish)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch sea salt
almonds pieces - or can omit

In a bowl wisk all ingredients except almonds. Pour into molds of choice (I use silicone molds) or a tinfoil lined dish.  Add desired amount of almonds on top. Put in freezer for at least 60-90 minutes or until hard. Remove from molds, test for chocolaty goodness and store in freezer... if they make it that far.

Note: these will start to get a little melty if left at room temperature for too long, maybe 10 minutes or so.  I'm still working on a chocolate recipe to give it a longer counter life - but then again I don't thing they would last that long anyway ;)

Peace☮
Rocki

Mango Strawberry Rolls

Mango Strawberry Rolls

Just cut into a fresh mango and want to turn it into something fun?  Or perhaps you have a romantic day or evening planned with your special someone and want to add a little more sweetness to it.  Well here's a quick and easy idea:

Mango Strawberry Rolls

Mango
Strawberries
Sharp knife
Mango cutter if you have one - I got mine at Target and LOVE it!

Cut the fresh mango.  With a sharp knife, cut very thin slices and set aside.  Chop the strawberries.  Now this part is a little messy and sticky, but worth it.  Put some chopped strawberries on the mango strip and roll it up.  Set aside and roll as many as you wish.

I garnished mine with cilantro, but mint would be perfect.

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Vegan Pizza Rounds and Poppers

Raw Vegan Pizza Rounds and Poppers

Pizza anyone?  Here's a fun tasty variation of my full size Raw Vegan Pizza that makes a perfect little bite size snack, appetizer or even a meal.  Plus, you don't need to dehydrate them if you don't want to.

Dehydrated or not these are tasty little bites of pizza

This batch I dehydrated (well, except for a few that accidentally ended up in our mouths), but I've also made them without dehydrating.  Seriously, these are SO very yummy right out of the food processor!  The texture is a little different without dehydrating, soft and chewy, but you'll definitely taste the delicious pizza flavor either way.

These were perfect for our lunch with a nice green salad and watermelon

You can either make them round little balls like pizza poppers or flatten them out like mini pizza's - or both.  They make fun and tasty appetizers with or without toppings.  I've made them with a topping of raw vegan cheese with a variety of different veggies on each one.  Put a little olive in the middle of the rounds and you'll have an awesome popper!  A fun and nutritious appetizer to take to parties and family dinners. 

Raw Vegan Pizza Rounds and Poppers
Makes approximately 18 small bites

1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 Tbs flax meal
1/4 cup hemp heart seeds
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup heaping sundried tomatoes (soaked and drained)
1/3 cup onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
*water if needed

In a food processor, add sunflower seeds and process until small bits like flour.  Add in all remaining ingredients *except* water - process until mixture holds together when forming a ball.  If it seems too dry, add 1/2 tsp water at a time until achieved.

With your hands roll into small bite size balls. Take a little taste test - you know you want to.  You can leave them all round little balls or flatten with your hands into little pizza rounds - like cookies. You'll probably want to do another taste test at this time.  If there are any left and you don't want to dehydrate them, serve immediately or put them in the fridge to chill.

Or - put them on a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110° F for approximately 1-2 hours.  This will not turn them into crust or crackers, it will simply firm them up a bit more which makes them perfect if you want to turn them into an appetizer with toppings.  You will definitely want to do another taste test right out of the dehydrator - mmmmm!  In fact, at this point you may want to make a double batch.

Peace☮
Rocki

Raw Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl

Raw Vegan Carrot Cake Smoothie

I love carrots! Especially organic carrots.  Not just because they're clean, but they are also sweet and oh so tasty.

What steered me in this direction, to make this delectable smoothie creation, is the color orange.  Ever turn I made there it was - orange.  From carrots to fruits, clothing to flowers, the cool motorcycle I was behind and even my big knife with the orange handle.  So I took the hint and went from there.

Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl

Gooey Crumble:
2 dates
small handful walnuts
pinch of cinnamon

With fork and knife, or hands, crumble together in the old fashioned way.  This is fun and gooey. Set aside.

Smoothie:
1 super large organic carrot or 2 average size
2 frozen bananas
1/4 cup hemp milk (or milk of choice. adjust as needed)
a few shakes of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

Blend smoothie ingredients until creamy. It will be somewhat thick, but if you want it thinner, add some water a little at a time until you've reached the desired texture. 

Put a little of the gooey crumble at the bottom of bowl, mug or dish of choice - this is for when you've finished the smoothie, you can enjoy the last little bits.  Pour into dish. Stick gooey crumble on side of dish and lick fingers - this is so while you're enjoying the smoothie you can take a pinch, dip it in the bowl and pop it in your mouth.

Say it with me: mmmmmmmm!

Peace☮
Rocki

p.s.
If you want more of my recipes sooner than later, I post on IG (Instagram) daily.  While I do post regularly here on my new blog, sometimes life takes over and IG is quicker.  However, plans are to post more often here :)

Raw Apricot Bars - Vegan and Gluten-Free

Raw Vegan Apricot Bars

Whether fresh, dried, in smoothies, desserts, jams or savory meals, we love apricots!

One of Mark's favorite treats is my Raw Apricot Bars.  Like many of my other recipes, this has expanded from a few ingredients to several.  Coming up with different recipes depends on what I have on hand and my taste buds at that moment.  For the most part I like to keep it simple, but then there are times I want to be more creative and use a variety of ingredients. 

These apricot bars are chewy right off the bat with loads of flavor!  I can't go on without mentioning the nutritious side of this delicious bar.  Besides Vitamin C, apricots are a good source for Vitamin A as well as potassium and fiber, just to name a few.  I don't want to overlook all the other ingredients in this recipe, but I would be writing a short novel on each one if I did.  I'll just say that this is one healthy raw vegan treat.

Raw Apricot Bars - Vegan and Gluten-Free

1/2 cup cashews
1 cup dates
1 cup dried apricots
2 Tbs dried coconut shreds
1/4 cup hemp heart seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

In food processor:
- add cashews and process until semi-small bits
- add in the dates and apricots and process until broken down somewhat
- add in the remaining ingredients and process until well combined and can hold its shape - form into a firm ball to check then pop it in your mouth.

In an over lined 8x6 dish (or size of choice) scoop mixture in - it may appear that the dish is too small, but hang on we're not done yet.  Pat down enough so you can take the over wrap of the lining and cover the mixture.  Use your hands, spatula, small cup or other item and press/roll firmly down on the mixture until entirely evenly flat and firm. 

Put dish into freezer for at least 60 minutes.  Cover the dish, but not sealed.  Remove from freezer, lift out with the lining and onto a cutting board.  Discard lining and cut into desired size bars. 

I keep them stored in the freezer and we take one out when we want a snack.  They don't freeze like an ice cube, so you can eat them as soon as you take one out or let it sit on the counter for a few minutes if you prefer a more softer bar.  You can store them in the fridge as well, but I believe they last longer in the freezer - hidden behind the bananas so Mark can't find them.

Peace☮,
Rocki

Cashew Pine Nut Cheese - Raw Vegan Zucchini Rolls

Raw Vegan Zucchini Rolls

Zucchini.  The versatile vegetable that is loved by raw vegans alike and is a main staple in our home.  From simple raw chips to pasta noodles, fries, smoothies, desserts, lasagna to wraps and... well I'll stop here before I start drooling all over my laptop.

Easy Raw Vegan Cheese Recipe

I've had a love affair with zucchini all my life.  My grandma used to make this yummy tomato, yellow squash and zucchini dish that I would scarf down whenever she made it.  Oh my gosh that was so delicious!  I think I need to recall how she made it and turn it into a raw dish - Rocki style.

Zucchini Rolls with Raw Vegan Cashew Pine Nut Cheese

Zucchini rolls are so easy to make and the variations you can come up with are endless.  For this version I made one of my chunky raw cashew cheese recipes to hold all the goodies inside.  Then I grabbed some veggies for the filling, tuned the radio to KSLX for some good old classic Rock n Roll then started rolling zucchini... and rockn' out.

Cashew Pine Nut Cheese - Raw Vegan Zucchini Rolls

For the cheese:
1 cup cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours, rinse and drain)
2 Tbs pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup + 1 Tbs water

Put all ingredients into your vitamix/blender and blend until semi-smooth - unless you want it entirely creamy.  If so, then continue to blend and you may need to add a little more water.  I wanted this cheese to have a thick and somewhat chunky texture to hold it's shape.

For the wraps:
1 very large zucchini
green onions
mushrooms
spinach
cilantro

I used my mandolin to make thin zucchini slices.  You can use the veggies I have listed or other veggies you would like (tonight we had zuc rolls with a pile of shredded carrots and the cheese for the filling - nom nom nom!)  Spread some of the cheese onto the zucchini slices.  Start at one end and top with one of the veggies, roll once, add another veggie, roll once... you get the idea.  End with a little dab of cheese to make sure it sticks.

And there you have it.  Zucchini rolls 101.  Easy as pie.  Mmmmm... pie.  I think I want dessert now.

Peace ☮,
Rocki

Spicy and Savory Brussels Sprouts- Raw Vegan Snack

Brussels Sprouts - Spicy and Savory

Brussels Sprouts.  We love them!  So many ways to prepare them and they are delicious steamed.  But I just had to get these little guys back into my raw diet.

I've seen several variations of Brussels Sprout chips from individual leaves to the whole entire sprout, so I thought I would put my own spin on these delicious little munchkins.

 

Brussels Sprouts in the dehydrator

 

I had a big batch on hand, so into the garden I went.  Oh, I call my kitchen "the garden" :)  Anyway, Mark and I love spicy food, so I made half of the batch savory and the other spicy.

 



Raw Vegan and Gluten-Free Brussels Chips

 

The end results from my official taste taster: "YUM-MEEEEEE!" (imagine eyes wide open with a big grin on his face while reaching for a handful)  I guess that means they passed and can be added to my recipe pile in the corner of the garden.  One of these days I plan on preparing some e-books for all my raw vegan recipes.

Several ideas for other flavors are dancing around in my head.  We may be eating a lot of Brussels Sprouts. 

Spicy & Savory Brussels Sprouts - Raw Vegan Snack
makes 60 bite size pieces

30 Fresh Brussels Sprouts - halved and set aside

Combine the following in a bowl:
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 Tbs EVO (extra virgin olive oil)

Add Brussels and combine until well coated. Let sit for about 15 minutes.  Place cut side up on mesh dehydrator tray.  I sprinkled the following onto half of the Brussels batch: Smoked Paprika, Smoked Cumin and Ancho Chili Pepper powder.  However, the spices or other seasonings can be added to the oil mixture instead - it was an after thought since we love a little heat.

Dehydrate at 115° F for approximately 8-12 hours or until desired texture.  Time will vary due to veggie size, weather, moisture, etc.  These little munchkin snacks are full of flavor and delicious crunchy or a little chewy.

Notes: due to Brussels Sprout size varies from tiny to large, you may need to add a little more oil and/or adjust the seasonings to your liking.  If you do not have a dehydrator, no worries as you can use your oven.  They won't be considered "raw", but you can still enjoy this nutritious snack!

Peace  ☮
Rocki