2014 sure has been a year full of cookbooks. Just as I finish cooking my way through one, another finds it way into my kitchen. That’s totally okay with me though. I’m thrilled there’s an increasing demand in the plant-based market and so many of my incredibly talented friends have been able to find a voice in the publishing world.

Perusing through my cookbook collection, it’s not hard to see that each one I own tells a different story, provides a twist on an old classic, or shares new techniques or ingredient combinations I had never thought of before. Each author has her or his own voice, and it is enhanced with each book’s ever-beautiful design and photography. When it comes to cookbooks, this crew doesn’t cut short on anything—humour, sass, creativity, or delicious food.

Today I’m featuring another example of a rising star in the cookbook world. Emily Von Euw is the voice behind the blog This Rawsome Vegan Life and is the author of the recent bestseller Rawsome Vegan Baking. Her brand new book, 100 Best Juices, Smoothies and Healthy Snacks, releases on Monday!

A little bit about the book:

• While the focus is on vitamin-packed juices and smoothies (both sweet and savoury), the book also includes nut mylks and mylkshakes, and healthy snacks like date bars, flax bread and kale chips.
• If you don’t own a juicer, that’s okay! All the smoothies and mylkshakes are made in a blender and most of the snacks use a food processor.
• There are tons of full-page photos to highlight the colourful, nutrient-dense drinks and snacks throughout the book.
• Tucked away in the back is a resources section that offers tips on techniques and recommended equipment brands in ranges that are best suited to your needs.

Emily doesn’t spend much time discussing the merits of juicing or writing out pages of detailed instructions (heck, you just push the carrots through the juicer, right?). Instead, she devotes her energy to concocting delicious-sounding recipes and creating colourful photos to inspire you to get juicing. I suspect for most people this will be more than enough and it certainly emphasizes an ease to which juices and smoothies can become part of a regular routine. I gave in to the allure of the lettuce turnip the beet juice and the simplicity of the energizer bunny almost immediately. Other recipes like the apple cinnamon delight smoothie, creamy iced chai latte and coco oat bars with peanut butter and carob are also on my to-make list.

But like a typical girl looking for a little comfort on a cold winter day, I also quickly spied a luscious-looking drink in the mylks and mylkshakes chapter—hello, homemade chocolate mylk! Seriously, guys, this is a chocolate milk lover’s dream come true. I wouldn’t compare it to any store-bought chocolate milk by any means. Think bold winter spices like cinnamon and nutmeg combined with a light cacao flavour and caramel date sweetness. It is pure magic.

For this recipe, you can make the mylk out of whatever nuts or seeds you have on hand—I used a mix of almonds, pumpkin seeds and hemp. I’d imagine this chocolate mylk could also be gently heated to create a warm mug of deliciousness. Thanks to Emily to allowing me to share the recipe with you today!

Spiced chocolate mylk

Yield: 4 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

For the spiced mylk:

• 1 cup (125 g) raw nuts, seeds or coconut meat
• 3 cups (237 mL) water
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of pink Himalayan crystal salt
• 3–5 pitted dates

To make it chocolate:

Follow the instructions for spiced mylk, adding 1–2 tablespoons (28–56 g) of cacao powder and, if you like, 1 tablespoon (28 g) of maca powder.

Directions:

1. Cover the nuts or seeds (if using) in water and let them soak for 6 hours, then rinse and discard the soak water.
2. Blend the soaked nuts, seeds or fresh coconut meat with the all the other ingredients until smooth, frothy and white.
3. Strain through a nut mylk bag or cheesecloth (or leave as is). Store in the fridge in a sealable glass container for up to one week.

From 100 Best Juices, Smoothies and Healthy Snacks by Emily Von Euw, printed with permission of Page Street Publishing

Cookbook giveaway

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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.

There are an epic number of pumpkin pies being shared this week, so why another? As the name implies, this is no ordinary pumpkin pie. It’s actually made with nuts and carrot juice!

I first had the opportunity to try this raw vegan pie when Jess, a.k.a. Natural Chef Niagara, came to my in-law’s house to cook and serve us a three-course vegan meal, which I had won as a raffle prize at the Niagara Veg Fest back in June. With busy schedules and newborn babies, we weren’t able to schedule a dinner until earlier this month but the wait was absolutely worth it.

Jess and her warming personality and incredible cooking talents made this night extra special. It was so nice to sit back, sip a glass of wine and watch her whip up our meal. Jess is a certified natural chef who studied at the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, and before moving to the Niagara region she lived and worked as a private chef in New York City. She had many interesting stories to tell about her work there and her aspirations for creating a similar base of clients in Canada.

A few weeks before, Jess and I discussed ideas for a menu and, based on my preferences and the availability of local, seasonal ingredients, and taking into account my husband’s cashew allergy, Jess came up with an incredible array of options for our evening.

As a starter, we were served a creamy butternut squash soup with apple barley salad. I absolutely loved the presentation of this dish—the barley salad in the middle of the soup gave each spoonful a little texture and a refreshing and tangy twist from the apples.

The main consisted of stuffed tempeh with yams, asparagus, mushroom ragout and kale chips. This dish incorporated some of my all-time favourite fall flavours, including mashed yams that were creamy and sweet, lightly sauteed and crispy kale, and the deep flavour notes and meaty texture of the mushroom ragout.

And finally, the “I can’t believe it’s not pumpkin” pie topped off this full meal. It consisted of a pecan crust and a creamy filling made of macadamia nuts, carrot juice and pumpkin pie spices. The texture of the filling is like a cross between a cheesecake and an ice cream cake but with pumpkin pie flavour. I loved this pie so much I asked for the recipe so I could make it again, and of course share the recipe with you!

After dessert, Jess cleaned the kitchen and dishes entirely and left any leftovers neatly in the fridge. For the entire evening, I truly felt like a queen.

For more information on Jess and her personal chef and catering services, check out her website.

"I can't believe it's not pumpkin" pie

Yield: 1 pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 1/4 cups raw pecans
• 4 dates
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• pinch of sea salt

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews or macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp agave nectar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp carrot juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tbsp chopped thyme [I used 1/4 tsp dried thyme]

Directions:

For the crust:

1. In a food processor, pulse pecans and dates to small crumbs then mix the other ingredients in by hand. Press into a 9" tart pan or pie dish. Chill the crust in the freezer for about an hour before filling.

For the filling:

1. Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender. Fill chilled pie shell. Chill in the freezer overnight for best results. Remove to set for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Natural Chef Niagara.

Although she may not know it, my stepmother Lisa is the most responsible for my love of cooking and baking and, ultimately, my endless appreciation for the culinary craft. Growing up, she taught me that food is not just nourishment; it is about celebration, community and love, and it enables us to feed our bodies as well as our spirits.

My mother Catherine, on the other hand, inspired me to pick up a camera when I was 14 and start shooting—anything—and to see the beauty in the little things around me and capture them within the frame. She gave me the courage to pursue this passion way back in high school and it created a whole new confidence in me.

The combination of influences has made me who I am today, and I’m incredibly grateful to have both of them in my life.

Mother’s Day was meant for people like Lisa and Catherine—people who give themselves willingly and selflessly to help those around them. Mothers come in all shapes and forms, but when it comes down to it, it is the nurturing, compassion, love and caring that makes someone a mother.

Since I won’t be able to see either of my mothers this Sunday, I decided to bring them a virtual Mother’s Day brunch right here on ADC. Because brunch is the quintessential Mother’s Day tradition, right? And as you can see, I opted to make pancakes.

Although pancakes are a rare treasure in my household, after discovering this little recipe using buckwheat flour and dates, I think I might proclaim every Sunday morning Pancake Day.

These pancakes are just like the thick, fluffy kind you’d be served in a restaurant. I’ve never been to a restaurant that takes it to this level though—with four layers of thick, gluten-free and vegan pancakes, coconut whipped cream and sliced strawberries. It’s like eating dessert for breakfast, but in a healthy way! I’d serve these with maple syrup for an extra sweet treat.

Three tips for making the perfect pancake:

1. These pancakes require you to blend the dates with the other liquid ingredients before mixing in the flour. Try to get the dates fully blended and smooth. If you don’t own a high-speed blender, try soaking your dates so they are super soft before blending.

2. Be sure to use a well-oiled skillet so the pancakes don’t stick to the pan, especially if you’re using a cast iron skillet. I found re-applying oil after each batch helped too.

3. Preheating your skillet is essential to a successful pancake. After your batter is ready, allow it to sit while you preheat the skillet. You know the skillet is hot enough when you drop a tiny bit of water on it and it sizzles.

Before you know it, you’ll have incredibly delicious pancakes that you can feel good about eating…or serving to your mom on Mother’s Day. Enjoy!

Gluten-free strawberry shortcake pancakes

Yield: 8 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 cups non-dairy milk
• 1 cup pitted Medjool dates
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Coconut whipped cream:

• 1 can (13.5oz) full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
• 2-3 tsp agave nectar or other sweetener
• Seeds of one vanilla bean

Layers and garnish:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions:

Coconut cream:

1. Scoop the cream from the top of the can, reserving the coconut water at the bottom of the can for other uses, like smoothies.
2. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the coconut cream until smooth and fluffy, about one minute. Add sweetener and vanilla seeds and whip until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pancakes:

1. To make the pancakes, whisk together the buckwheat flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
2. In a high-speed blender, blend the almond milk, dates and lemon juice until well combined and smooth. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until a thick batter is formed.
3. Preheat an oiled skillet over medium heat. Scoop 1/3 cup of batter onto the skillet and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Cook until the bottom is lightly browned, then carefully flip over to cook the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.
4. To assemble, place a pancake on a clean plate, place a layer of sliced strawberries and then spread or pipe the coconut whipped cream on top. Repeat with as many layers as you want (one or two per person is probably enough). Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from this one.

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.

Since completing my Certificate in Plant-based Nutrition, I’ve been fascinated by the growing wealth of evidence of the amazing power of nutrition and how it can influence health outcomes. There is often a lot of confusion surrounding the topic of nutrition, especially these days, when accurate information and research manipulated for marketing purposes are often mistaken for one another. We need to consider nutrition–and food–in its whole or wholistic form, not as single nutrients or as “bad” food or “super” food. It’s all about balance!

Kale from my garden. I’m so proud.

So I’m here to start sharing my own fabulous whole-food, plant-based meal and snack recipes that work for me, along with my usual sweet treats. Although the majority of my meals are simple, I occasionally end up with something pretty spectacular and I wonder, Why am I not sharing this with others?!

Let’s start with a salad I’ve been enjoying a lot lately.  With the cooler temperatures coming our way, I like to warm things up with the addition of roasted or steamed sweet potatoes, squash, beets and other colourful fall produce. So that’s exactly what I added to this salad, along with my favourite leafy greens and a handful of shredded carrot, chickpeas and pumpkin seeds. This salad is topped with my current go-to salad dressing–made with roasted shallots, white wine vinegar and a few simple spices.

Since kale is a cool-weather crop, this is the time to eat it. Those who are new to kale (I’m looking at you, Mom) often wonder how to prepare it. Being introduced to such a nutritional powerhouse that ends up tasting rather bitter is kind of a turn off. I’ve learned a few simple tricks that can turn your kale experience into a delicious success.

Three tips for preparing kale:

1. Buy fresh kale and use it up as soon as you can. Look for kale that has a rich green colour with crisp leaves. If it sits around too long, it will start to wilt and taste bitter. I found it can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before use. If it wilts too soon, don’t throw it out! Add it to full-flavoured soups or stirfrys or make kale chips!

2. Remove the stems when you chop it up. The stems are the bitter part of the plant. Strip them from the leaves with a sharp knife and discard.

3. Massage the dressing into the leaves and let it sit for about 15 minutes. A kale salad tastes best when the dressing has had a chance to soak into the leaves. This also helps soften the leaves, which is especially important if you are using the curly variety. For best results, use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves.

Roasted squash and beet salad with shallot dressing

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 1/2 small butternut squash, cubed
• 2 beets, quartered
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 1 cup arugula (or more kale)
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas
• pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Dressing:

• 4 shallots, peeled and halved
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup water (see notes)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Place the cubed squash on a sheet pan and lightly coat with oil spray and sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Add the shallots for the dressing on the same pan if there's room, or another small pan.
3. Place the beets in the middle of a piece of tin foil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold up the tin foil by folding the two ends in the middle to cover the beets.
4. Place the squash, shallots and beets in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until soft, turning the squash and shallots halfway through. The shallots should be starting to caramelize at this point.
5. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the other ingredients for the salad. Add all ingredients to a large salad bowl.

To make the dressing:

1. Add all dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

To assemble:

1. Massage the dressing into the kale salad. Divide among plates and top with roasted squash and beets. Serve.

I try to use very little oil in my meals, and this includes salad dressing. For a smoother dressing, feel free to replace the water with your choice of oil.

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).

First, I have to admit: I’ve never been a big fan of pie or tarts. I would much prefer a serving of pie filling, minus the heavy, buttery crust. So when I started dreaming about this idea for an alternative no-bake apple pie, I imagined a soft apple filling spiked with cinnamon and complementing spices, as well as my favourite alternative to a pastry crust, which is a simple blend of nuts and dates and a pinch of salt.

This is my first time making a crust with just walnuts, and dare of say I like them much better than my usual almond-based recipe. The raw walnuts provide a soft, buttery flavour and pair perfectly with the caramel flavour of the dates. The apple filling is made simply by simmering apples with apple cider and spices, and then layering it with a simple date cream. I used Granny Smith apples here, but feel free to mix it up if you wish. Enjoy!

No-bake apple tart

Yield: one 8-inch tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 cups California walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dates, soaked and drained
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the filling:

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 + 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1 cup chopped dates, soaked and drained

Directions:

For the crust:

1. In a food processor, process the walnuts to a coarse meal. Take care not to over process or they'll turn into butter.
2. Add the dates and salt and pulse to combine. The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers. If it seems too dry, add more water 1 tsp at a time.
3. Press the mixture evenly into an 8-inch tart pan with a removeable bottom. Place in the freezer while you make the filling.

For the filling:

1. In a large pan, carefully mix together the apples, 1 cup apple cider, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Heat over medium heat until the liquid comes to a boil, and then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the apples are soft but not mushy and the liquid is reduced.
2. While the apples are cooking, blend the dates and remaining 1/4 cup of apple cider until smooth. It should resemble a soft cream.
3. To assemble, remove the tart crust from the freezer and spread half of the date cream over the crust. Next, add a layer of the cooked apples, overlapping in a ring formation, and then top with the remaining date cream and another layer of apples. Garnish with walnut halves, if desired.
4. Serve immediately or store, covered, in the fridge until ready to serve.

This recipe was submitted to the California Walnut Commission for its California Walnuts Holiday Blogger Challenge.

Enter my brand-spanking new Excalibur dehydrator, recently given to me by a wonderful friend.

Hello, pretty thing, you are big and bulky but oh so useful.

She’s even got a power and temperature control.

And five large trays.

Dehydrators are the raw foodist’s version of an oven. The appliances gently blow warm air over food, causing it to lose its own moisture and dry out. This process can take anywhere from hours to days, depending on what you’re making.

This may seem like too long of a process to be worthwhile, yet dehydrating enables you to attain a wider variety of ways you can make food in raw form. From crackers and breads, to pizza, granola and dried fruit, it creates endless possibilities with flavours, textures and storage options. A whole new world opens up when you start making things and experimenting.

This practical piece of equipment will allow me to do much more than my previous round dehydrator, and I can’t wait to get started. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share a few of my favourite dehydrator recipes and uses for vegetarians, vegans and, of course, raw foodists, too. Whether you’re looking for some tasty snacks, to experiment with raw food cuisine or to just preserve some fruit, there’s so much you can do with a dehydrator at home.

While we’re on the subject of food (because that’s what this blog is all about, really), I’d like to draw your attention to a story I wrote for a website that is appropriately named Stop Chasing Skinny. I haven’t written much about my personal history here on ADC—because I’d much rather focus on things that make me happy—but when JL contacted me recently to ask if I’d be interested in sharing my story, I thought it was a good opportunity to write about a part of my life I don’t talk about much anymore, even though it was a huge part of my life at one time. Anyway, if you’re interested, you can read it here.

Without further ado, here’s one of my favourite dehydrator snacks—granola. It’s just a matter of mixing a few ingredients together, spreading it out on a dehydrator tray and letting the dehydrator do its magic!

Nut-free, go-to granola

Yield: about 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups raw oat flakes (use certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, coconut, sesame seeds, buckwheat groats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
2. Add the maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla and stir to cover all the dry ingredients.
3. Spread the mixture out on a teflex sheet on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110F for about 4 hours or until desired crunch is achieved. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer to preserve freshness.