Category Archives: raw

The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake You’ve Had in Your Life Just Happens to be Vegan and Gluten-Free!

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Chef Leah

There’s no dessert quite like cheesecake. Smooth, creamy, sweet, decadent — what’s not to love? However, most of the cheesecakes you encounter in restaurants and coffee shops are made with tons of dairy and gluten. Since we love this delectable confection so much, we decided to make our own, using plant-based ingredients. The filling utilizes cashews and coconut milk, blended to perfection. Stunned by our stellar results, we decided to share the secret with you. You can thank us later.

CRUST INGREDIENTS

1 cup packed medjool dates, chopped
1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
pinch of sea salt

FILLING INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1 small lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup pumpkin puree (about 1/3 small can)
pinch of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

vegan whipping cream
additional chopped walnuts and/or pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour cashews into a container filled with boiling water and let them soak, uncovered for one hour. Meanwhile, chop the dates and place them into a blender or food processor. Blend them until they turn into a thick paste. You may need to add a bit of water for smoothness.

Remove dates from blender or food processor and set aside. Wash and dry the interior, then pour in walnuts. Blend until they achieve a fine consistency. Add dates to the walnut mixture and blend together for a couple of minutes. They will be sticky, so add a little more water if necessary. Be careful — you don’t want your crust to be runny!

Press your mixture into a round cake pan or deep pie pan and spread thoroughly. Use a large spoon to tamp down the surface. Set the pan aside and prepare filling ingredients.

Wash and dry blender or food processor one more time. Drain the cashews, then place them into blender/food processor. Add the coconut milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract and spices and blend for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be creamy and frothy. Pour it over the pie crust, making sure it is evenly distributed.

Place the pan in your freezer for 3-4 hours. Remove, thaw slightly, and dig in! You can top your creation with additional chopped walnuts and/or vegan whipping cream if you desire. But this cheesecake tastes heavenly all on its own!

Serves 4-6 people. Guests will be your friends for life. This is the best cheesecake you’ve ever tasted, guaranteed. You’ll want to make it again and again. It’s an excellent Thanksgiving dessert, and we’ve been known to have it for breakfast (but don’t tell anyone). Leftovers can be frozen for several weeks, and keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Don’t expect them to last that long.

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Herb Tofu Scallion Spread is Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Delicious on Crackers or Bread

Posted on October 26, 2019 by Chef Leah

You’ve undoubtedly had the disheartening experience of going to a potluck and encountering a slew of dairy-based dips and spreads. This can be frustrating if you’re doing your best to follow a vegan, gluten-free diet. Don’t despair! Here is a delicious, creamy spread you can make from tofu that tastes just as good as the dairy-based variety! Even your non-vegan friends will love it. They may even beg you for the recipe. The spread is healthy, since it utilizes basil and Italian parsley, herbs that are rich in vitamin C. The tofu adds protein and calcium. Much healthier than your average spread, and so easy to make!

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 14-ounce package of firm tofu, drained
2 teaspoons white miso (make sure it doesn’t have soy sauce, which contains wheat)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup water

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

black olives
capers
sliced zucchini
salad mix
carrot sticks
gluten-free crackers or bread

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan on medium setting. When oil is hot, add chopped garlic and fry for about one minute. Pour in scallions and red pepper and continue frying for about 2-3 more minutes, until the scallions are bright green. Remove from the burner and set aside.

Crumble tofu into a blender or food processor. Add the basil, parsley, sea salt, lemon juice, miso, and water (try less than 1/4 cup of water at first, then add more if mixture is too thick). Pour in the scallion/red pepper/garlic mixture and continue blending until your mixture is creamy and frothy. Scoop mixture out of the blender or food processor and transfer to a medium-sized bowl.

Serve with crackers, wedges of gluten-free bread, and condiments like black olives, capers, salad mix, carrot sticks, zucchini slices, etc. Really, the possibilities are endless. You can make an entire meal out of this tofu spread if you so desire. It’s much heartier than you might imagine.

Serves about 4 people, depending upon whether you transform this spread into a main dish or serve it as an appetizer. You can cover leftovers and store them in your refrigerator for up to three days. You don’t need to tell anyone that it’s made from tofu — unless you feel like it, of course. Your friends will be astonished! You’ll want to make this simple but elegant spread again and again.

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Eat Hearty With Our Vegan, Gluten-Free German Potato Salad (Stovetop and Instant Pot Recipe Included!)

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Chef Leah

Fall is coming on strong! We don’t know about you, but we’re craving some carbs! It’s best to stick to the healthy kind, like organic potatoes. Recently, we found ourselves with a small sack of red potatoes — don’t ask how THAT happened — and wanted to do something fancier than just boiling them and slathering some Earth Balance over the top. So we modified a German potato salad recipe, substituting tempeh bacon for the animal variety, and were wowed by the results! We purchased smoky bacon tempeh from the supermarket, and discovered that it imparted the delicious flavor that is so essential to German potato salad. Try this dish, we think you’ll be impressed by its authenticity.

INGREDIENTS

6 cups sliced red potatoes (you can use small white ones, as well, or a mixture)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
1/2 chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 cup stock water (from boiling potatoes)
1 package tempeh bacon strips

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice potatoes into 1/2 inch disks, cover with water, and boil on stovetop, or place in steamer basket over water in Instant Pot and cook on manual for 3 minutes and natural pressure release. The potatoes should be tender, but not too soft. Meanwhile, fry the tempeh strips in a bit of olive oil until they are crispy but not burned. Remove from pan and set on a paper (or cloth) towel to drain off excess oil. Combine vinegar, mustard, onion, liquid smoke, and black pepper in a large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Crumble in bits of tempeh bacon. Scoop 1/4 cup of water from the top of the boiling potato pan, or take 1/4 cup water out of the bottom of the Instant Pot once potatoes are cooked, and add to mixture. Stir some more until everything comes together.

Remove potatoes from stovetop or Instant Pot and drain excess water by placing them into a colander. Shake off any remaining water and pour the potatoes into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a large spoon. The mixture will smell divine! You’ll be able to tell when it’s done, because it’ll look delicious and you’ll want to dig right in.

German potato salad is best enjoyed hot! You can serve it all by itself, or with a side of gluten-free bread. It’s a great addition to potlucks! This dish is super-hearty, due to the winning combination of potatoes and protein-rich tempeh. Serves 4-5 hungry people. It keeps well in the refrigerator, securely covered, for 2-3 days. Warning — you may find yourself sneaking into the kitchen for late-night snacks! We feel confident that you’ll enjoy this autumnal favorite as much as we do.

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You Won’t Be Able to Stop Eating This Vegan, Gluten-Free Rhubarb/Pear/Almond Crumble!

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Chef Leah

It already feels like autumn where we live, and we’re craving warmer, heartier foods. Of course, sweet desserts are delicious any time of the year. We recently modified a traditional rhubarb/pear/almond crumble recipe by substituting Earth Balance for butter, and gluten-free flour for the whole wheat kind. Our results were stellar. You’ll keep going back to the pan for this dessert — again, and again and again. Try your hardest not to devour the entire thing!

FILLING INGREDIENTS

2-3 Bartlett pears, depending on size (red is great, but yellow will do)
2 long stalks fresh rhubarb
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup lightly packed turbinado or coconut sugar
1/2 cup light gluten-free flour (We like Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose)
fresh grated zest of one lemon
pinch of sea salt

CRUMBLE INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup gluten-free flour
1/4 cup lightly packed turbinado sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/2 teaspoons vegan butter or margarine such as Earth Balance

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and toast the almonds for 5-10 minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside. Cut pears into thin slices and cut rhubarb into small chunks. The rhubarb’s texture may seem much harder than the pear’s, but both will soften nicely while baking and achieve the same consistency. Using a large bowl, mix the pears and rhubarb together with the other filling ingredients. Set on counter to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

Grab another bowl and combine the crumble ingredients, except for the butter or margarine. Cut the butter or margarine into small pieces and stir into the mixture. It’s okay if it comes out a bit lumpy, since the butter/margarine will melt in the oven, anyway! No point in worrying when you’re so close to your goal!

Pour the filling into a square pan and spread evenly. Spread the crumble mixture across the top and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired. A little bit of cinnamon goes a long way! Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool, but not too much! Your crumble is best served hot.

Call 3-4 of your best friends and tell them to come over immediately, so the dessert won’t be gone before they arrive. The crumble serves 4-5 people with ease. We love it as is, but you can get fancy with added vegan ice cream and/or whipped cream. With so much sugar, this dessert is not a diet food, but it IS 100% vegan, gluten-free, and scrumptious. Welcome, autumn!

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Nothing Says Summer Like Strawberry Gazpacho!

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Chef Leah

Cold soup is manna to your throat on a hot summer day. When the outdoor temperatures soar, appetites often plummet. However, you don’t want sunshine to cause you to sacrifice good eating or proper nutrition! This vegan, gluten-free recipe is incredibly easy to make (and inexpensive!), and you won’t have to spend hours slaving over a hot stove. The addition of strawberries to the traditional gazpacho recipe makes the dish sweet and extra-zesty. You can top the soup with gluten-free croutons and/or sliced strawberries if you’d like to get fancy. Here’s how:

SOUP INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (We used red. Any color will do).
1 cup chopped cucumber, peeled
2 cups chopped strawberries
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable broth (make sure it’s wheat-free!)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

CROUTON INGREDIENTS
3-4 slices gluten free bread, chopped into cubes
3-4 springs thyme, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
olive oil for pan (about 1 tablespoon)

SOUP INSTRUCTIONS

Place all soup ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend on medium setting until thoroughly combined. If mixture is too thick, add additional vegetable broth. It should have a nice, creamy consistency and appealing color. That’s really all there is to it! Pour into container, cover securely, and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Serve with croutons and/or additional sprigs of thyme.

CROUTON INSTRUCTIONS

Cut your gluten-free bread into small chunks and dice garlic. Chop the thyme into tiny pieces. Coat the bottom of a small pan with olive oil and fry the garlic until it’s slightly browned. Add the bread cubes and continue frying until they begin to turn brown. Make sure not to burn! Add the thyme and fry for another 2-3 minutes until bread is golden brown and all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Remove bread from pan and allow excess olive oil to drain. Sprinkle croutons and/or sliced strawberries on top of your gazpacho and serve!

This magnificent dish serves 5-6 people. It pairs well with a small salad or an additional loaf of gluten-free bread. For a festive experience, serve outdoors with a pitcher of lemonade, a glass or two of vegan white wine, or a mug of gluten-free beer. Your guests will love this summery meal, and you will, too. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days, but don’t wait that long to consume it! Have a lovely summer, and stay cool!

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Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls

Posted on November 30, 2018 by Chef Leah

It’s both easy to make, and colorful! Just the zest we need for these chilly, late-autumn evenings.

INGREDIENTS FOR SLAW
1 cup purple cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons and then cut into 1-2-inch strips
½ can black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chopped green onions
½ red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon olive oil
Pinches of salt and pepper

SALSA VERDE INGREDIENTS
¾ cup fresh salsa (hot or mild to taste)
1 avocado, diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1-2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Slice medium-sized spaghetti squash in half (lengthwise) and coat inside with thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place squash halves upside down in medium-sized pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes at 400 degrees until pulp is soft. You should be able to insert a fork into it without difficulty.

Meanwhile, prepare the slaw in a large mixing bowl. You’ll be wowed by its beauty. After you have squeezed in the lime juice, set mixture aside to marinate.

Place avocado, salsa, garlic, cilantro and lime juice into blender or food processor and combine until your mixture is smooth and slightly frothy. Scoop the slaw into squash halves and fill to overflowing, then spoon a liberal dollop of salsa verde over the top. Finally, garnish your masterpiece with extra cilantro, salsa, toasted pepitas, or any other topping of your choice. Feel free to get creative!

This amazing creation serves 2-3 people, but feel free to double the recipe if you have more guests. Serve by itself (it’s filling!) or with wine, beer, cider and/or a side of gluten-free garlic bread. Of course, any leftovers will keep just fine in the refrigerator for several days. But they definitely won’t last that long.

Your friends will be begging you for the recipe, and you’ll want to make this meal again and again. With its vibrant, red and green hues, the dish is a great, festive lead-up to the holiday season.
Try it, we’re certain you’ll agree. Bon Appetit, and happy, stress-free holidays!

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Easy Raw Pumpkin Flax Crackers

Posted on January 17, 2016 by HGFV Anne

This is a variation on our favourite fast and easy dehydrator crackers. It is just as fast and easy, but different enough to deserve its own recipe page.

This recipe calls for maple sugar, but you could just as easily use date sugar or coconut sugar, or even regular vegan sugar. It only calls for a tablespoon of the sugar, so these are not sweet.

Easy Raw Pumpkin Flax Crackers

1 cup flaxseed
1 cup flax meal
1 T. hemp seed
1 T. sesame seed
1 T. black sesame seed
2 T. pumpkin flour (you can get this on Amazon here)
1 tablespoon maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
2 cups water

Put all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix with a whisk until well blended.

raw pumpkin flax crackers ingredients

 

Next, stir in the water, and mix it well. The mixture will seem very soupy, but wait until you see what it does in the next five minutes.

Let set for five minutes.

Ladle mixture onto dehydrator trays covered with Teflex sheets or parchment paper (do not use wax paper or aluminum foil).

Quickly spread the mixture as thin as you want it. This recipe makes exactly two full dehydrator trays for an Excalibur dehydrator.

raw pumpkin flax crackers ready to go in the dehydrator

After spreading the mixture on your dehydrator trays, let it stand 5 more minutes. This is important, so that it firms up just a bit more, making it easier to score the crackers, so that they will break apart nicely when they are done.

Score the crackers.

Put in dehydrator at 115 degrees, and dehydrate until the crackers are completely dry. You really can’t over-dehydrate them, and we dehydrate them for at least 24 hours.

When they are done, break the crackers apart, and store in an air-tight container.

These are truly among the best raw crackers we’ve had. They have a fantastic texture, are incredible for you, and are so easy to make!

Pumpkin Flax Crackers and Original 3-Seed Flax Crackers
raw crackers in canister jar

 

close up raw crackers

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Vegan German Chocolate Fudge

Posted on September 16, 2014 by HGFV Anne

If you have a sweet tooth, or are just craving something sweet, or have kids who you are trying to wean away from processed sugar, then this Vegan German Chocolate Fudge should fill the bill. To be more precise, it is raw, gluten-free, and vegan! This Raw Vegan German Chocolate Fudge is also really easy to make (if you are making it for kids, get the kids involved!)

Raw Vegan German Chocolate Fudge

Assemble the ingredients for both Gluten-Free Raw, Vegan Fudge Recipe that Doesn’t Need to be Frozen, and Raw Vegan Caramel

In total, you will need (for the fudge and the caramel):

Fudge

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw cacao
4 to 8 medjool dates (pitted)
agave (how much will depend – see recipe)

Caramel

1/3 cup almond butter
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
a dash of salt

..and also coconut to top the fudge.

Step 1 the Fudge

Follow the directions for the fudge here.

Once the fudge is made, put it in the refrigerator while you make the caramel.

Step 2 – the Caramel

Follow the directions for making the caramel here.

Put the caramel in the refrigerator.

While the caramel is cooling, remove the fudge (which should be firm now), and cut it into pieces.

Step 3 – Assembling the Vegan German Chocolate Fudge

Remove the caramel from the refrigerator, and frost each piece of fudge with some caramel.

fudge with caramel frosting

 

Top with coconut, and that’s all there is to it!

raw vegan german chocolate fudge gluten free

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5-minute Raw Vegan Caramel (Gluten-free, too!)

Posted on September 16, 2014 by HGFV Anne

This raw vegan caramel is incredibly easy to make! It starts out like a thick sauce, but you can put it in the refrigerator and it will thicken up enough to be more like a frosting (which you can then spread on our Gluten-Free Raw, Vegan Fudge). Top that combination with organic coconut flakes, and you have vegan German Chocolate Fudge that is also raw and gluten-free!

Raw Vegan Caramel

Inspired by The Delicious Revolution

For this recipe you will need coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.

raw vegan gluten free caramel ingredients

In a food processor or high speed blender blend:

1/3 cup almond butter
1/3 cup coconut oil (solid, like shortening, not liquid oil)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
a dash of salt

raw vegan caramel in food processor

 

Let it blend until completely blended, and then let it blend a little more.

Really, that’s all there is to it!

As soon as it’s ready, it will be at its most liquid, gooey stage.

raw vegan caramel in bowl

 

After it cools down you can use it to frost things such as brownies or fudge, or to make our Raw Vegan German Chocolate Fudge!

Vegan German Chocolate Fudge
raw vegan german chocolate fudge gluten free

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Gluten-Free Raw, Vegan Fudge Recipe that Doesn’t Need to be Frozen!

Posted on August 18, 2014 by HGFV Anne

Have you noticed that nearly every recipe for raw, vegan fudge requires you to keep it in the freezer? Whether the raw fudge with cacao recipes, or the raw fudge with dates recipes (and certainly the raw fudge with coconut oil recipes), they mostly call for you to freeze the fudge.

Frustrating, isn’t it?

So, here is our recipe for gluten-free, vegan raw fudge (with raw cacao and dates!)

And you don’t have to freeze it!

raw vegan fudge

 

Gluten-Free Raw, Vegan Fudge

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw cacao
4 to 8 medjool dates (pitted)
agave (how much will depend – see below)

Place nuts in a food processor with the S blade. Pulse until finely ground. Add in the raw cacao, and turn the processor on until the nuts and cacao are well-blended and are a fine powder.

Add in at least 4 and no more than 8 dates, depending on your taste. Process until uniform and the dates are fully incorporated into the mixture.

Now, turn the food processor on, and through the top start drizzling in agave, slowly, until the mixture comes together and forms a solid ball of dough. You want it to have the consistence of playdough.

Line a loaf pan with waxed paper or plastic wrap, and press the fudge into the bottom of the pan. Cover the top of the fudge with the waxed paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Remove the fudge from the pan, and cut into squares.

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