I don’t know what got into me last week but I suddenly needed a break from the kitchen. That rarely happens, but between recipe testing for a mini project (soon to be announced!) and a couple of food photography gigs, I’d had enough of food and needed a breather.

Sometimes a little downtime is necessary. I’ve felt uneasy about things lately, specifically this little space of mine within the world wide web. I often wonder: Are people reading? Do they enjoy my recipes? Do they even care? We’re living in a world where online content is changing and updating at warp speed—every day there are depressing news headlines making the rounds, a shocking Twitter comment or YouTube video goes viral, “new” recipes posted on a gazillion blogs—and I feel like I’m being eaten alive by social media. I just can’t keep up.

But you know what? This isn’t about being the most popular blogger, making money, or having hundreds of recipes in my archives. This isn’t about being at the top of the search engine when someone types in “vegan” (I’m not mobile-friendly anyway; thanks Google!) or being the first to post about the latest food trend or vegan discovery. When I first started this blog, my mission was (and still is) to document my favourite recipes and to show the world that veganism isn’t about restriction or deprivation. This is about putting attention and care into the recipes I create and then sharing them with you.

I’ve gotten a whole lot more out of this blog than I had ever imagined. It has connected me to an entire community of caring, compassionate and very talented individuals; it has made me fall in love with photography all over again and landed me so many awesome side projects; it has deepened my friendship with Lisa, with whom I’ve partnered on a number of fun projects, including two ebooks and a cookbook (<– pinch me); and it has given me, this very shy girl, a voice.

All this is to say that although I don’t post nearly as much as I would like to, I truly appreciate you. It’s difficult working so hard to fill a space where I feel like no one is listening. But I know you are. And for that, I am grateful. The more people sharing and reading and trying healthy, plant-based recipes means change is happening. As the popular Michael Jackson song goes, together we are healing the world and making it a better place.

What this has got to do with carrot muffins, I have no idea. But here you go, a recipe I’ve been playing with for a few months now, tinkering here and there until I felt it was just right. I’m a big fan of carrots and chai tea, so I figured putting them together in muffin form would be pretty tasty. And, indeed, they are.

Grating carrots by hand is no fun, so if you have a food processor with a grating blade this is the time to use it. These lightly sweetened, chai spiced muffins make use of my favourite flour blend (oat, buckwheat and almond) and the applesauce and moist chunks of carrots make it so there is no need for oil. They make wonderful breakfasts and snacks on the go.

P.S. You have until Wednesday, April 29 to enter my giveaway for an awesome JK Gourmet product pack, including a box of my favourite almond flour!

Gluten-free, oil-free masala chai carrot muffins

Yield: 8 to 10 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 chai tea bag
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 1/2 cup light buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1½ cups grated carrots
• 1/3 cup pitted and chopped Medjool dates

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a muffin pan with 8 to 10 muffin liners.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the almond milk over medium heat until almost boiling. Add the tea bag, cover with a lid and remove from heat. Allow to seep for a 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove the tea bag and gently squeeze out any liquid. Discard tea bag. Whisk in the maple syrup, applesauce, and lemon juice.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, buckwheat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped dates.
6. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle a little coconut sugar on top of each muffin. Bake at 400F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.

It took me  almost two years to figure out how to make my own flavoured popcorn.

That’s a long time to go without popcorn.

I’m not just talking about the air-popped, coconut-oil and nooch-sprinkled stuff that has become most people’s movie night treat. It’s the stuff that, much like Cracker Jack, is coated in a crunchy, or sometimes even gooey, sweet glaze that makes you lick your fingers and want more.

You see, my obsession with candy-coated popcorn began almost two years ago when Lisa and I discovered this totally rad chai masala popcorn at Food Fight! in Portland, Oregon. It was made by a local company called Masala Pop, and to say it was love at first bite would be an understatement. We were infatuated. We bought as many bags as we could fit into our carry-ons, and I’ve been dreaming about it ever since I inhaled the crumbs from the bottom of my last bag (I could only buy two).

Since then, we’ve been on a mission to create our own version. Lisa hit it big time when she came up with a chai-spiced popcorn that rivaled our original love—psst, you can find that recipe in our Edible Gifts ebook. We’ve been playing with other flavours too, and today I wanted to share my latest favourite.

With cooler fall weather comes pumpkin everything, as you well know, so I thought it would be fun to add this flavour to the mix. Combine warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves with a little pumpkin puree and sweetener, and you’ve got yourself the perfect popcorn coating. Tuck yourself under a warm blanket in front of the boobtube (do people still say that?) with a big bowl of this crunchy, sweetly spiced corn. Or, better yet, package it up in little cellophane bags for awesome Halloween party favours. Your guests will be begging for the recipe. Enjoy!

And, don’t forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a copy of YumUniverse before October 23rd!

Pumpkin spice popcorn

Yield: Makes 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pop the popcorn kernels using an air-popper. If you don't own one, you can use your stove: Add 2 teaspoons of coconut oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels. Cover and allow to pop for 3 to 5 minutes, while moving the pot in circular motions around the burner, until the sound of popping slows down considerably. Pour the popcorn into a very large bowl.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, sea salt and cloves. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a minute or two.
4. Drizzle half the mixture over the popcorn and gently toss to coat using a large spoon or clean hands, until the popcorn is evenly coated. Drizzle on the remaining mixture and toss again until evenly coated.
5. Spread the popcorn onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, mixing gently halfway through. Allow to cool completely before serving. It will firm up as it cools.

Well, hello there! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve posted a recipe here. I’m sorry for my absence, but there’s been a lot happening over here these past few months, and clearly posting on my blog has not been one of them.

While I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately, it has all been for other projects (like cookbook photography for Dreena and Ricki). My own recipe development has been kicked up a notch too, but I’ll have to save those details for another day.

With all that’s been going on, I need meals that are quick, simple and nutritious. Yesterday, I threw together this dish and knew it had to be shared. The quick baked tofu is inspired by a recipe in Clean Start and, although I don’t eat tofu very often, this is my favourite way to enjoy it. It took less than 30 minutes to prepare this entire dish, which was awesome. And, it also makes great leftovers!

Today it’s a sunny +10 degrees, which means spring is here! Thankfully it seems to be the end of winter jacket season (and no more seeing fur-trimmed jackets everywhere I turn) here in Ontario. I’m definitely going to have to make time to get outside and visit this city’s amazing farmers’ markets so look out for more delicious recipes coming soon, all inspired by local produce I’m sure. Hello, asparagus, beets, strawberries and rhubarb—oh how I’ve missed you!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Quinoa and kale with baked ginger tofu

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:

For the ginger tofu:

• 1 (350g) package extra firm tofu, pressed
• 2 tbsp mellow miso (I used mellow brown rice)
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 cup water

For the quinoa and kale:

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vegetable broth (or more water)
• 1 small bunch kale (about 6 cups), chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions:

For the ginger tofu:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and lightly oil an 8x8 inch square baking dish.
2. Cut the block of tofu into 12 even rectangles. Do this by cutting the block in two squares crosswise, and then cut each lengthwise into three thin slices. Cut each piece diagonally, making a total of 12 triangles.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, tahini, maple syrup, brown rice vinegar and ginger. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Pour a spoonful into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread out to make a thin layer on the bottom. Add the tofu in a single layer and then pour the remaining sauce over top to cover the tofu.
4. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip tofu pieces over. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes.

To make the quinoa and kale

1. In a medium saucepan, add the onion and a splash of water. Cook over medium heat until onion is softened.
2. Add the quinoa, water and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
3. Add kale and stir until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with baked tofu.

Ah, January, the first month of the year is already drawing to a close. As completely amazing as 2013 was, I have big plans and long lists to accomplish this year.

With so much going on, I’m embracing 2014 with simplicity on the food front. I adore one-pot meals that are delicious yet realistic and achievable with busy schedules. Brown rice with colourful stir-fried veggies is a staple in my house, but I’ve recently discovered grated cauliflower to replace rice for a more nutritious and vegetable-packed meal. Have you tried it yet? I have to say, it is incredible and super simple.

Today I’m sharing this recipe for cauliflower fried rice over on Jackie’s incredible blog, Vegan Yack Attack. Head on over to her blog to check it out!

I’m pretty excited to be a part of my friend Ricki’s virtual book tour for her beautiful new cookbook, Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free. You may have already read the praise she’s been receiving from others, like Angela, Tess, Allyson, Gena , JL, Carolyn and Dreena.

Ricki’s blog, RickiHeller.com (formerly Diet, Dessert & Dogs), has become a go-to resource for vegans and others with food allergies or sensitivities or looking for insight into the anti-candida diet. Over the years, Ricki has shared her struggles with health and weight because of her addiction to unhealthy sweets. When she cut out all refined sweeteners from her life, she began to search for alternatives and, in the process, learned to create recipes that are both healthy and satisfying. 

Her new book features an array of sweet treats that are vegan, allergy-friendly and, with the use of sweeteners like coconut sugar, stevia or agave nectar, every recipe has a reduced glycemic load. So, if you love baking like I do but want to start making use of ingredients like gluten-free flours and natural sweeteners, and also avoid common allergens like gluten, dairy and corn, this book is for you!

Baking with natural, whole-food ingredients is simply better for your body and, ultimately, your well-being, but Ricki has also taken great care to ensure her recipes taste just as good as traditional desserts, if not better. I’m so proud of Ricki on this new book, which also features beautiful, full-page photos scattered throughout, and I know it will soon become a cherished book in my collection.

Since Ricki is a local vegan superstar here in Toronto, I first had the opportunity to meet her at Ange’s birthday party back in 2011, when she introduced me to her Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies. When I came across the recipe in this book, I knew it would be one of the first things I made. These high-protein, bite-sized gems are a perfect little pick-me-up after a long day of work or school—and they’re made with almonds and hemp seeds to boot!

Ricki knows the process of baking without gluten, eggs, dairy or refined sugar is a little different from that of conventional baking, so her book also includes a thorough introduction on how to best use whole-grain, gluten-free flours, natural sweeteners, natural non-hydrogenated fats, and vegan egg replacers, as well as what to expect when baking with whole-food ingredients.

This Caramel Ice Cream, for example, makes use of cashews, sweet potatoes and coconut milk. It may seem like an unusual combination of ingredients that aren’t meant for ice cream, but you will be amazed by how much this tastes like caramel! It was decadent and creamy, and I loved it with bits of chocolate chips and cacao nibs mixed in.

This Grain-Free Autumn Fruit Crumble is a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for this time of year. Although it was hard to choose, this was probably my favourite so far, likely because these seasonal fruits have been calling my name for the last few weeks. I loved the crunchy topping, and the perfect balance of tart and sweet fruit. I served it with a dollop of coconut whipped cream (because whipped cream makes everything better).

Luckily, I was given permission to share this recipe with you today—straight from the book! If you get a chance, I highly recommend trying out this crumble recipe, and picking up a copy of Ricki’s book. The holidays are fast approaching, and this book would give you lots of options for desserts that will please everyone. Enjoy!

Grain-free autumn fruit crumble

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup (45g) coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup (65g) natural raw walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup (80g) natural raw skin-on almonds, preferably organic
• 1/3 cup (50g) coconut flour
• 1/4 cup (40g) potato starch
• 1 tbsp (30ml) ground cinnamon
• generous pinch sea salt
• 3 tbsp (45ml) coconut oil, at room temperature, preferably organic
• 30 drops pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste
• 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp (45ml) water

For the filling:

• 2 medium pears, washed, cored, and diced, peeled or unpeeled
• 2 medium sweet apples, washed, cored, and diced, peeled or unpeeled
• 1 cup (115g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp (1ml) ground ginger
• 2 tbsp (30ml) coconut sugar
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp (1ml) pure stevia powder or 1/3 tsp (2.5ml) pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste
• Coconut whipped cream for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease a 9-inch (22.5cm) square pan or a 6-cup (1.4L) casserole or souffle dish with nonstick spray or coconut oil.
2. Make the topping: Place the coconut sugar, walnuts, almonds, coconut flour, potato starch, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles a fine meal with no pieces of nuts visible.
3. In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the coconut oil. Whisk in the stevia, vanilla and water. Pour the coconut-oil mixture in a ring around the dry ingredients in the processor and pulse until it all comes together. It should look like moist clumps. Set aside.
4. Make the filling: In a large bowl, toss the pears, apple, and cranberries together with the cinnamon and ginger. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, lemon juice, and stevia, and stir until the sugar begins to dissolve. Drizzle over the fruit and then toss again to coat evenly.
5. Assemble and bake the crumble: Turn the fruit mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with the topping. Press down gently on the topping.
6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes (depending on the depth of your pan, you will need more or less time for the fruit to cook), rotating the dish about halfway through baking, until the crumble topping is deeply browned and the fruit is soft. Serve immediately or at room temperature with a little coconut whipped cream. May be frozen.

Recipe from Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free, reprinted with permission

Now, don’t be fooled by appearances. This stew may have a somewhat long list of ingredients but it is a whole lotta delicious. Sometimes combining a handful of seasonal elements together in a simple way allows each ingredient to shine without a lot of fuss—that is what I love about one-pot meals. This recipe is easy, uncomplicated and just the kind of food I eat every day.

The textures and flavours of this dish are quite varied and yet work together really well. The eggplant, with its slightly bitter taste and meaty texture, balances the surrounding flavours of the other, more pronounced ingredients like the sweet butternut squash and the vibrant tomatoes. Then you get a decisive smack from the fresh ginger that breaks through the familiar only to end in a sweet suggestion of Moroccan spices.

I should note that I roasted my eggplant and butternut squash beforehand, which brings out the flavours of these hearty vegetables. However, I don’t think it’s completely necessary if you’re pressed for time. You may just need to adjust the cooking time and simmer the stew until the vegetables and lentils are cooked through. I also used canned tomatoes here since “fresh” tomatoes at this time of year are transported in and, in my opinion, taste awful. But feel free to use whatever works for you.

Moroccan vegetable and lentil stew

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant, cubed
• 1 butternut squash, cubed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2-inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup dried lentils
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F and oil the bottom of two sheet pans.
2. Spread the eggplant onto one pan and the squash onto another. Bake until soft, about 30 minutes.
3. In a large pot, add a splash of water and cook the onion, garlic, ginger and carrots over medium heat until soft. Add water as needed so the ingredients don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the spices and cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently.
5. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, lentils as well as the roasted eggplant and squash and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until lentils are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This particular granola, with its golden hue and warming spices, has been my comfort food during this otherwise dismal and very hostile transition to winter. I spend late evenings wrapped up in a thick, cozy comforter on the couch, hands wrapped around my favourite blue and black cereal bowl that is tucked up against my chest, perhaps subconsciously filling an emotional void, a fear of what’s to come when winter hits and the frigid, dark days become the norm.

Warming vegetable soups, maple-kissed oatmeal and spiced tea are my salvation until next spring. As is this granola, sometimes eaten straight up but most often drowned in a sea of almond milk and topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

I’ve made many granola adaptations over the years, but this is the first time I’ve added pumpkin puree to the mix. I wish I had thought of this earlier, because it makes for a fantastic binding agent for the oats and other dry ingredients. This is a very versatile recipe, so feel free to swap out the buckwheat, seeds or fruit for whatever you have on hand.

Pumpkin spice granola

Yield: about 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup buckwheat groats
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup dried chopped apricots
• 2 tbsp shelled hemp seeds
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 6 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat groats, dried cranberries, dried apricots, hemp seeds and spices.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, water, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to coat.
4. Divide the mixture between two dehydrator trays and dehydrate for 3 to 4 hours at 115F or until dry. Oven option: Spread the mixture evenly onto a large cookie sheet and bake at 300F for 45 minutes.

I’m not getting off the baked doughnut bandwagon yet, either. This time, I experimented with an allergen-friendly version so some of my gluten-, nut- and dairy-sensitive colleagues could enjoy them, too. And, well, because it just meant another fun challenge in the kitchen. I do love challenges.

Thanks to Lani at LPK’s Culinary Groove, one of my favourite bakeries in Toronto, I’ve learned to be a little more daring when it comes to gluten-free, vegan recipe development. I participated in her Introduction to Gluten-Free Baking workshop a few months ago and I simply relished my experience working in a professional kitchen alongside her, if only for a few hours.

The keys to successful gluten-free, vegan baking? Use a combination of flours that include rice, bean and two starches. My go-to mix includes brown rice flour, chickpea flour, potato starch and tapioca starch—or a similar combination like in the recipe below. Also, a combination of binding agents is often required to keep things together. For the recipe below, I’ve included both flax and Ener-G powder.

One of my favourite treats to bring to parties and to the office, these cinnamon-spice doughnuts have a lovely, fluffy crumb. The deep, spicy flavour is enhanced by the cinnamon sugar topping—a must, as far as I’m concerned. Enjoy!

Gluten-free cinnamon spice doughnuts

Yield: 2 dozen mini doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/3 cup Sucanat, ground
• 1 1/2 tbsp flaxmeal
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup nondairy milk
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• Ener-G egg replacement for one egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar coating:

• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (ground cinnamon + organic cane sugar)
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Lightly oil two mini doughnut pans and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, Sucanat, flaxmeal, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder and baking soda.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk, sunflower oil, applesauce, egg replacement and vanilla.
5. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine, making sure there are no more large clumps.
6. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared doughnut pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a doughnut comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. For the cinnamon sugar topping, simply dip each doughnut in the melted Earth Balance and allow excess to drip off. Then dip in the cinnamon sugar to cover all sides.

To avoid soggy doughnuts, I prefer to freeze the doughnuts for an hour after baking and dipping them while frozen to keep the Earth Balance from soaking right in.

As much as I love the traditional (vegan) recipes—and I have many!—I’m here to introduce my latest holiday favourite. Inspired by a desire to incorporate healthier ingredients into my holiday baking repertoire, I wanted to give the basic idea a new, raw foodie twist to balance out the other sugary items that are sure to be involved.

Alas, these cute little raw gingerbread people are made with ingredients like almonds, flax and freshly grated ginger. This recipe is based on my flourless almond ginger cookies and is a great option for anyone trying to avoid gluten or sugar this season. These cookies are dense and chewy and have a nice gingery bite to them. Another bonus is that they can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer until your guests arrive.

I highly recommend using a mini cookie cutter to make bite-sized cookies—they turned out to be so cute!  And if you want to kick it up a notch, I bet these little guys would be really good dipped in raw chocolate. Oh, I wish I had thought of that before I took these photos. I may just have to dig them out of the freezer and give it a try… Enjoy!

Raw gingerbread people

Yield: 24 mini cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 tbsp flax meal
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 cup raw almond butter
• 3 tbsp raw agave nectar
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients together until smooth.
2. Wrap the dough mixture in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. This helps it firm up for easier rolling.
3. Once the dough is cold and no longer sticky, roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4 to 1/8 thickness. Using a mini cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them on a dehyrator tray.
4. Dehydrate at 105F for 8 to 12 hours, depending on the size of your cookies and your desired texture. Store cookies in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

If you don't own a dehydrator, simply place the cut-out cookies on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Store them in the freezer until ready to serve (they will go soft if they sit out too long).

I spent a couple of hours last weekend throwing together some different ingredients and flavour combinations, and I wanted to share my two favourites with you. The chocolate sunbutter balls (second from left in the photo below) contain a base of sunflower seed butter—my latest obsession—along with the addition of heart-healthy almonds, flax and hemp as well as antioxidant-rich cocoa. The spicy fig balls (second from right) are equally fantastic, combining a nut base with fibre-rich figs, flax and the warming spices of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Of course, you’re welcome to swap any of the ingredients or add sweetener to suit your tastes, but I think they’re pretty darn good just the way they are. Enjoy!

Spiced fig balls

Ingredients:

• 8 dried figs
• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
• 1 1/2 tbsp chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 tbsp flax meal
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, soak the dried figs in hot water for about 15 minutes. Drain, coarsely chop and set aside.
2. In a food processor, process the almonds and walnuts to a coarse meal.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, including the soaked figs, and process until well combined. The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers.
4. Roll the mixture into balls (I used heaping tablespoons). Store balls in a tightly-covered container in the freezer.