this was the first raw dessert i ever made four years ago. it was love at first bite and remains my favorite sweet treat to date. thanks to the tangy lemons, this pie curbs just about every one of my cravings during the summer months. the abundance of avocados give it a creamy texture with loads of health benefits (which you can read here). it is a breakfast staple every morning as long as it is in my house.

raw lemon icebox pie

crust

1 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts

3 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 cup coconut flakes

2 tbs. raw honey

blend all ingredients in food processor or vitamix blender. add raw honey to the dough-like mixture & combine with hands. place mixture in pie pan and spread evenly. set in fridge.

filling

2 cups ripe avocados

1 1/2 cups lemon flesh (no seeds)

juice of 1 lemon (no seeds)

2 cups pitted dates

2 tbs. raw honey

blend all ingredients in food processor or vitamix blender. pour into pie crust and spread evenly with spatula. sprinkle coconut flakes on top. place in freezer for 1 hour.

*i store mine in freezer and let sit in fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

this blog hosts a post about a farmer’s market at least every couple of months (if not more), but the joy these outdoor frolics produce mixed with the frequency they occur here in southern california are enough to write home about. yesterday, i headed over to ocean beach for their weekly fruit-filled gala for some food and fresh air.

when my grandmother’s blackberry cobbler is nowhere in sight, chewy chocolate chip cookies are my dessert of choice. i love taking a time-tested formula that has been perfected over the years and transforming it into a cleaner, healthier version of its kind. this particular cookie was inspired by the recipe found on the back of a sunspire chocolate chip bag, undergoing a few tweaks here and there, which resulted in my new favorite chocolate chip cookie.

chocolate chip cookies

1/3 cup sunflower oil

2 tbs. dark molasses

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 organic eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1-2 cups grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Mix liquid ingredients. Stir in flour & coconut sugar. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

last summer, this chocolate milkshake was my breakfast of choice. every morning included cacao and avocados until the creamy smoothie wore out its welcome here in my abode. these days, i am leaning toward more fruits and veggies for a pick-me-up. it takes minutes to make and not much longer to digest. if you’d like to try it, throw these ingredients into a blender and enjoy!

• 1 orange
• 1/2 avocado
• handful of blueberries
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1 tbs. coconut oil
• ice

nothing sounds better to my taste buds right now than a homemade chai latte, iced or hot. after trying jyoti bihanga’s sensational version of the beverage a couple of weeks ago, i came home and scavenged the internet, looking for a recipe that would satisfy my appetite. and just like that, she appeared on my favorite food blog.

soup was not on my list of favorite foods growing up, simply because i had not yet been exposed to all the wondrous variations available to me. combining an array of fresh vegetables and beans in one pot seems a little more than brilliant. i made this black bean soup over the weekend and could not have been more delighted with the outcome. the recipe can be found here.

much of last weekend’s yoga retreat was spent at the table indulging in gorgeous, gourmet meals that delighted every taste-bud known to man. regardless of our differences, good food has a way of bringing us together and creating a state of satisfaction…even if momentarily.

last night, i had dinner at jyoti-bihanga, a sweet, little vegetarian restaurant in normal heights and one of my favorite places to eat in san diego. the staff is just about the friendliest you will find anywhere and every dish is consistently delicious.

for the past 2 months, i have sworn off all things chocolate just to convince myself that my daily dose of the sumptuous stimulant had not become a full-blown addiction. undoubtedly reassured (by my lack of cravings) that my frequent indulgence is nothing more than pure pleasure, i whipped up a batch of homemade brownies this weekend only to fall in love all over again with the heavenly dessert (also known as breakfast ’round here). i am including the recipe, which was adapted from green kitchen’s recent raw hazelnut and chai brownies post.

2 cups fresh dates (remove seeds)

4 tbsp coconut oil (room temperature)

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp coconut or almond flour

blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until it becomes a dough-like consistency. press dough into mini cupcake muffin tins or onto a plastic wrap-lined plate. place brownies in fridge for at least half an hour to set.

after hearing about cucina urbana since their doors opened, i finally paid a visit to the popular italian eatery last night. it did not disappoint. every dish we ordered was prepared to perfection, but it was the exquisite pizza that won me over with its melt-in-your-mouth cheese, savory tomato sauce and specks of fresh oregano. and the fregolata is just about as divine as a dessert can be. now i know what all the fuss is about.

(food staging credit: adam pizer)

a one-pot dish always seems to be a simple solution to a last minute “friends for dinner” meal. so, i threw together this easy soup recipe last night, which has the ability to please just about any audience (beans can replace chicken for vegetarians).  it is just as nourishing & satisfying as it is delicious and requires very little prep/clean up time.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Soup

1 lb. chicken (with bone)

4 celery stalks (chopped)

2 parsnips (chopped)

6 carrots (chopped)

5 golden Yukon potatoes (quartered)

1 leek (sliced thinly)

2 garlic cloves

2 tbs. fresh thyme (without stem)

1 bay leaf

1 head of kale

salt & pepper

Place all ingredients into a large pot of water. Bring to a boil & simmer for 2 hours.

because i was never exposed to the good stuff, or simply because a piercing palate takes years to polish, chocolate was never a passion of mine growing up. a slice of rich fudge sounded about as appealing to me as sitting in a pew on sunday morning, listening to my preacher address the appointed duties of a submissive housewife. fast forward 15 years to a time when a piece of pure, dark chocolate has the finesse it takes to satisfy even an overparticular woman, like myself, whose preferences are not easily quenched.

last week, a friend of mine surprised me with a vosges blood orange caramel bar. even though i usually avoid anything made with corn syrup and white sugar, the kind gesture was enough to make me want to try the caramel-filled chocolate squares. each bite was full of 100 thrilling flavors that inspired me (as many dishes do) to find a healthier version much like the fare at hand. i have not yet discovered a way to infuse my candy with caramel, so i whipped up a batch of chocolate fudge bars (as seen above), adapted from this recipe.

so maybe i don’t need a day designated to love in order to celebrate it. and maybe i can easily justify the substantial amount of chocolate i consume on a daily basis without a particular holiday’s permission. maybe i don’t need a special occasion to adorn my home with fragrant flowers. and just maybe i will kiss the object of my affection any. time. i. want. however, i do need a good reason to eat three different desserts in one sitting, because that is what i did when i was presented with more than my fair share of monster cookies, heavenly oat bars, and unsurpassed homemade peanut butter cups, which deserve a post of their own (and will get one as soon as i confiscate the recipe).

hope your valentine’s day was as sweet as mine.

xoxo

cheesecake may not be my sweet tooth’s first choice, but after discovering (and devouring) a raw version of this heavenly dessert, my mouth is singing a different tune. the recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs, new roots, which brilliantly creates and shares the most incredible vegetarian dishes along with beautiful photos.

raw raspberry cheesecake

crust:
1/2 cup raw pecans (or almonds)
1/2 cup soft medjool dates
¼ tsp. sea salt

filling:
1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours
juice of 2 lemons
seeds of 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp. vanilla extract)
1/3 cup raw coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup raw honey (or agave nectar)
1 cup raspberries (thaw completely if using frozen)

Directions:
1. Place nuts and dates in a food processor with sea salt and pulse to chop until they are to your desired fineness (process a finer crust longer than a chunky one). Test the crust by spooning out a small amount of mixture and rolling it in your hands. If the ingredients hold together, your crust is perfect. Scoop out crust mixture in a 9” spring-form pan (if you don’t have a spring-form pan, use a pie plate lined with saran wrap), and press firmly, making sure that the edges are well packed and that the base is relatively even throughout. Rinse food processor well.
2. Warm coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan on low heat until liquid. Whisk to combine.
3. In the most powerful food processor / blender you own, place all filling ingredients (except raspberries) and blend on high until very smooth (this make take a couple minutes so be patient). If you have a Vita-Mix, absolutely use it.
4. Pour about 2/3 of the mixture out onto the crust and smooth with a spatula. Add the raspberries to the remaining filling and blend on high until smooth. Pour onto the first layer of filling. Place in freezer until solid.
5. To serve, remove from freezer 30 minutes prior to eating. Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices. Store in fridge or freezer.

i don’t wait for valentine’s day to indulge in chocolate. or love, for that matter. my insatiable appetite is always in the mood for both. this chocolate heart was concocted in my kitchen yesterday to pacify a few eager sweet tooths. it turned out to be the most flavorful chocolate i have tasted in a long time. possibly the best yet. seriously.

RAW CHOCOLATE BAR

• 1 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/2 cup raw coconut oil
• 1/2 cup raw agave nectar
• almonds (chopped)
• raisins
• dried mulberries
• goji berries
• cacao nibs
• shredded coconut

1. place a piece of plastic wrap on top of a cookie sheet.
2. liquify coconut oil by placing jar in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes.
3. combine cacao powder and liquid coconut oil in a bowl.
4. mix together until completely smooth.
5. add agave nectar and blend thoroughly.
6. stir in chopped almonds, dried fruit and cacao nibs.
7. spread mixture (1/2 inch thick) onto plastic wrapped cookie sheet.
8. sprinkle shredded coconut on top of chocolate bar.
9. set in freezer for 1 hour.
10. break apart chocolate into pieces and enjoy!
11. store chocolate in sealed container in the freezer.