Hummus!

I think hummus is a food group for vegans. For this one it is at least! I put it on everything, and I love the way it lends itself to multiple flavours! It's also a great way to sneak in some beans if you didn't love them right away(like me). Chickpeas have quite a neutral flavour in comparison to most beans(you can even use them as a base for brownies!!). Canned is easy, but purchasing them in bulk and cooking them yourself is super simple and cost conservation! Plus you don't have to worry about any pesky BPA being in your can lining.

Hummus is ridiculously easy to make, and the only thing really limiting you with it is your imagination. You can even swap chickpeas for edamame, mash in steamed sweet potato, or mix in different types of beans or avocado for creaminess. The basic recipe consists of chickpeas, tahini(sesame seed butter), garlic, lemon, salt, and olive oil. I like it with lots of garlic and rosemary, or super spicy! It's great for dipping, topping salads in place of dressing, or in wraps.

Rosemary Garlic Hummus


2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder(fresh is good too)
salt to taste
1/4 cup water(or more, depending on desired consistency)

Place everything in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. It thickens up when placed in the fridge, so you may find you need to add more water the next day. It also tastes better after a couple hours when the flavours have had a chance to mix.

Other add in's that could taste good:
Hot Sauce
Caramalized Onions
Roasted Garlic
Curry Powder
Sweet Potato
Ginger
Chopped Herbs

How To: Make Nut Milks

Almond milk is one of the first raw things I tried making. It can be as simple as dumping a tablespoon of almond butter in the blender with water, or you can go the whole route of soaking your nuts, then blending and straining the mixture. I don't mind either way, leaving it unstrained gives it a little more texture and fiber. My favorite is a blend of cashews and almonds, cashews for their creaminess and texture, and almonds for their flavour. Almonds are a little easier to blend after soaking, but cashews can go straight in. Soaking is beneficial for removing enzyme inhibitors on nuts which aids in digestion, and removes phytic acid which can inhibit mineral absorption. Sometimes I soak my nuts, sometimes I don't. It's not the end of the world if you don't have the time! If you don't own an high speed blender you'll get better results if you soak them however.

Yeah you can buy almond milk from the store, but things that sit on shelves for long periods of time give me the heebie jeebies sometimes. Making it is super quick, and it'll last in your fridge for about 3 days fresh.

You can make nut milk from pretty much any combination of nuts you like, some of my favorites are cashew, brazil nut, and macadamia nut. The proportions are the same, and you can experiment with adding more or less water for thicker milk if preferred.

Cashew Almond Milk

Raw, vegan, gluten free, soy free

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup almonds

1 1/2 cups water

Blend until smooth. A Vitamix is best for the best texture. 

Optional: Strain through cheesecloth into a container for a smoother milk

If desired you can add some stevia, vanilla extract, or cocoa powder for a different flavor.

Coconut Dream Bars

As of late I've been on a coconut binge. No shame though. Coconut is awesome for you! It may have gotten a bad rep in the past due to it's saturated fat content, but since it's natural saturated fat, not man made, it's not bad for you. Some fats are healthy for you, and the fat in coconut oil can improve your heart health, boost your thyroid, increase your metabolism, and support your immune system. The magic ingredient in coconuts is lauric acid, which has unique health benefits. Your body converts it into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-protozoa properties. The medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil are also smaller, so they're easier for your body to digest and use as fuel. Whereas long-chain triglycerides, which are harder for your body to break down, and therefore easier to store as fat.

Farmers discovered this back in 1940 when they tried to use low grade coconut oil to fatten their livestock. It didn't work! Instead it made the animals leaner and more active. Coconut oil has shown to help optimize body weight, and can improve healing and immune function. All the more reason to scarf down these bars!!

Coconut Dream Bars

Raw, Vegan, Gluten and Soy Free

2 cups pitted dates

2/3 cup almonds

2/3 cup cashews

2/3 cup shredded,unsweetened coconut

2 tablespoons coconut oil(melted)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Topping

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil

2-3 packets stevia

coconut for sprinkling

In a food processor process dates, almonds, cashews and coconut oil until thoroughly mixed, but a little chunky. Add in coconut and chocolate chips and process until combined. Press into a 9x9 pan.

Topping: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, pour over bars. Sprinkle with coconut.

Place bars in fridge or freezer to set, cut into pieces!