A little superpower is what I’m aiming for these days. After a very busy summer of recipe testing (and, naturally, a lot of taste testing) and photography for the book, I’m refocusing my goals for the next few months to me. That means pulling on my workout pants, fastening my workout bra (these babies need support) and tying up my running shoes. Thanks to the help of Christy, I’m hitting the gym at least four times a week and I’m feeling amazing.

They say exercise is only 20% of the equation though. Fueling your body with good food makes up for the rest.

With this new plan, I’m focusing on balancing macronutrients and, as always, adding lots of colourful veggies to my meals every day. While optimal macro ratios vary from person to person, I’m learning through meal-planning for my fitness goals that I feel my best on a plan of high complex carbs, moderately low protein and low fat.

This means I’ve been on the lookout for nutrient-dense meals and snacks to fuel my days. While Vega protein smoothies have been my recovery fuel of choice, my pre-workout meals require a bit more thought than whisking together some powder and almond milk.

Enter my superpower matcha vanilla overnight oats—a nutritious breakfast and pre-workout meal in one. It was inspired by the bag of matcha green tea powder that Kiss Me Organics sent me to try out a few weeks ago and, well, because I love overnight oats.

Did you know that matcha powder contains 137 times the antioxidants of brewed green tea? Unlike brewed tea, the powdered form contains the entire tea leaf, which dramatically increases the nutritional content. And, most importantly for me, matcha powder provides a mild, steady boost of energy as it acts as a stimulant and is ideal for helping me stay focused and get through my workouts.

But I know you’re curious about the giveaway, so here it goes: I enjoyed the Kiss Me Organics matcha powder so much, I asked the company if I could give some away to a friend—that’s you. Not only did they agree to send a bag of matcha powder to one lucky ADC reader, but they also offered a discount code for all of you to use! See the details below.

Matcha green tea powder giveaway

For a chance to win a bag of Kiss Me Organics matcha powder, enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the US. I’ll choose a random winner on October 8th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

15% discount for ADC readers

For a limited time, Kiss Me Organics is offering a 15% discount on their matcha green tea powder. The product is available exclusively through Amazon.ca and Amazon.com <– click through one of the links and enter the code N7G4NPPT- (good in both Canada and the US). The discount expires on October 31, 2014. Thanks to Amazon’s amazing shipping policy, I’m pretty sure it’ll be eligible for free shipping, too.

Superpower matcha vanilla overnight oats

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp Vega One all-in-one nutritional shake, French Vanilla flavour
• 1 tsp matcha tea powder (I used Kiss Me Organics)
• ½ tsp vanilla powder
• 1 cup almond milk

Directions:

1. Stir together oats, chia seeds, Vega powder, matcha powder and vanilla powder.
2. Whisk in the almond milk until Vega and matcha powders are dissolved. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with more almond milk and berries, if desired.

I’m traveling to Portland next week to join 200 other vegans who are invading the city for the 2nd annual Vida Vegan Con. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to see other fellow bloggers like JL, Gena, Dreena, Hannah, Hannah, Angela, Terry, Isa, Fran, Kate and many others.

When I feel overwhelmed with anticipation of events like this, all I want to do is eat celebration foods—you know the kind you don’t normally indulge in? The kind you eat when you are surrounded by people who make you happy and you feel like your life couldn’t get any better.

But I live by the mantra that you will feel good by eating well, so I decided to create a treat that is good for me but also satisfies my craving for something sweet.

Enter this easy-to-make, creamy pudding. The winning ingredient: chia seeds!

Of course, I’m not the first to come up with the idea of chia seed pudding, nor am I the last. Why? Because chia is a pretty amazing ingredient. Besides its incredible nutrition profile, one of the most magical characteristics of chia is how it can act as a thickening agent. When soaked in liquid such as almond milk, the seeds expand and soften, creating a thick, goopy concoction. I tend to use chia mostly as a thickener for smoothies or a vegan egg replacer in baking.

You may be familiar with pudding using whole chia seeds but I’m not a big fan of the texture, so I thought about the idea of grinding the chia and then blending with almond milk and a few other ingredients. The result was a creamy and delicious pudding—no pre-soaking required! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Smooth mocha chia pudding

Yield: 1 to 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup whole chia seeds
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla powder or extract
• 1/4 tsp espresso powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Grind the chia seeds in a high-speed blender until powdered (make sure the blender container is completely dry first). Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. This may take a couple of minutes. Be sure to stop and scrap down the sides and bottom of the container too, otherwise you might find globs of chia at the bottom!
2. Transfer the pudding to a container, cover and chill in the fridge for an hour or two before serving.

Recipe inspired by Kiersten's recipe.

The winner is Shani! Congratulations. Please email me at nicole [at] www.adashofcompassion.com so I can get you set up.

While I’m here, I thought I’d share a quick and easy recipe that is great for holiday parties and gifts. These were included in October’s Treat of the Month Club. I hope you enjoy them as much as our club members did!

Coconut joy truffles

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 3 cups shredded coconut (medium desiccated)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 6 tbsp melted coconut butter

Chocolate coating:

• 2/3 cup melted cacao butter
• 2/3 cup cacao powder, sifted
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Using a high-speed blender or spice grinder, blend 2 cups of the shredded coconut to a fine meal. Pour it into a large bowl and mix in the remaining filling ingredients.
2. Form the mixture into small balls about 1 tablespoon each and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or Silpat. Place in the fridge or freezer to firm up.
3. To make the chocolate coating, whisk all coating ingredients together until smooth.
4. When the coconut balls are hardened, dip each one in the chocolate coating and place back on the cookie sheet. Return to the fridge so the coating can firm up. Store in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.

To melt the coconut butter and cacao butter, place in a shallow bowl over a pot of simmering water or warm in a dehydrator at 110F until melted. Take care not to overheat.

It all started with a request to bring dessert to my father-in-law’s birthday celebration at the family cottage last weekend. When I know I’m going to be with people who make it worth a four-hour car ride north of the city, I feel inspired to fill a cake pan with something very special.

Without a doubt, raw vegan cheesecake is the ultimate dessert for milestone celebrations. Of course, I love cashew-based cheesecakes as much as the next person. Cashews hold a wonderful balance of sweet and savoury flavours, as well as being creamy and white in colour, making a perfect imitation of a creamy white cheese. But since my hubby is allergic to that reliable off-white nut, I knew I had to revise my plan of attack.

Early last year, you might remember my experiments to create a raw cheesecake sans cashews and coconut, which resulted in my cute, single-serving strawberry dreamcakes. That recipe made use of macadamia nuts, which are no doubt pricey but are like the Rolls-Royce of nuts in the world of raw desserts (taste one spoonful of my easy macadamia caramel and you’ll see).

Using a similar macnut base, my new family-approved raspberry lemon dreamcake is a real winner—the cream (cheese) of the crop, if you will. The crust, made up of ground almonds, coconut and date paste, adds a satisfying crunch. The “cheese,” comprised of fresh lemon juice, macadamia nuts, agave nectar and coconut oil, lends the creamiest, smoothest texture. And the topping, a simple swirl of raspberries and agave combined with the remaining 1/2 cup of filling, takes the presentation of this beloved dessert to a professional level.

The fact that this so-called cheesecake is made almost entirely of nuts will completely fade from memory upon first bite, which literally melts in your mouth. Your friends and family will be utterly baffled, and when you mention it is made with raw, whole foods instead of artery-clogging cream cheese, you will become a healthy-cake magician.

Start spreading the word that vegans can make magic happen.

Also, did I mention how easy it is to make? Just put everything in a blender, pour it into a springform pan and then chill. I wish I had a better photo to show you of the swirl design on top. I’ve included directions on how to master the swirl in the recipe below, but also check out this video for a live demo.

Enjoy!

Raw raspberry lemon dreamcake

Yield: one 8-inch cake

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 cups raw almonds
• 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup date paste
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the lemon filling:

• 3 cups raw macadamia nuts
• 1 cup homemade almond milk
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup raw agave nectar
• 1 tsp vanilla powder (or vanilla extract)
• 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted

For the raspberry swirl:

• 1 cup raspberries
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

For the crust:

1. Using a food processor, process the almonds and coconut to a coarse meal. Add the date paste, vanilla and salt and process until well combined.
2. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For the filling:

1. Using a high-speed blender, blend the macadamia nuts, almond milk, lemon juice, agave nectar and vanilla powder until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the coconut oil and blend to combine.
2. Reserve 3/4 cup of the filling and pour the rest into the springform pan with the crust. Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

For the swirl:

1. Using a blender, briefly blend 1/2 cup of the reserved filling with the raspberries and lemon juice until smooth. (The remaining 1/4 cup of lemon filling can be used for touchups after swirling. You should also reserve a small portion of the raspberry mixture for touchups, too.)
2. Starting in the middle of the cheesecake, pour the raspberry mixture in circles, moving outwards to evenly distribute around the top of the cheesecake.
3. Now you are ready to swirl. A chopstick (or something similar) is the best tool for this purpose. Insert the chopstick just below the surface of the raspberry colour near the outer portion of the cake, and begin moving it around, swirling the fillings into each other. I usually make a figure eight motion to integrate the colours. It's important to know when to stop, as too much swirling will blend everything together and you will lose the contrast of colours. Use the reserved filling and raspberry mixture to touch up areas that have too much of one colour. Just pour a small drop of the mixture in that area and swirl lightly.
4. Place the finished cheesecake in the freezer to set, about 2 hours, or until the middle of the cheesecake is firm to the touch. Decorate with fresh raspberries before serving, if desired.

Recipe inspired by Sweet Gratitude.

Although buckwheat has a deceptive name that can easily cause confusion, buckwheat is not wheat, nor is it related to wheat. It’s a seed! Raw and gluten-free enthusiasts alike are now rejoicing this healthful and versatile ingredient.

My favourite way to use buckwheat is to sprout it, and then turn it into raw treats like these sprouted buckwheat bites. Despite the size of the actual groat, buckwheat is among the fastest growing of all sprouts.

To sprout, simply soak the groats for 30 minutes, rinse thoroughly and then place them in a large mason jar fitted with a sprouting lid (or you can use cheesecloth and a rubber band fitted over the jar opening). Place the jar on an angle upside down in a dish rack so excess water can drain from the jar. Allow to sprout for 24 to 36 hours, rinsing twice a day, or until the sprouting tail is as long as the seed.

Once sprouted, buckwheat becomes packed with live enzymes and vital nutrients.

My last two batches of buckwheat sprouts were made into these quick and easy treats. Don’t be intimidated by their miniature size because they pack a substantial punch of deliciousness. The fresh vanilla powder is the star of this flavour show, perfectly balanced by the sweet dried fruit and crunchy buckwheat and hemp seeds.

With these mini bites of energy on hand, you’ll have no problem keeping up with family and friends during summer weekends full of activites like cycling, running and gardening.

A quick reminder: If you haven’t yet signed up for the Treat of the Month Club for the month of May and beyond, you still have time! We’re taking sign-ups until the end of April.

Blog updates: Please note that I’ve added a new category under my recipes menu to include “vegan + gluten-free” and “vegan + raw” for those who are looking specifically for raw and/or gluten-free recipes. I’ve also updated my FAQs section.

Sprouted buckwheat bites

Yield: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or seeds of 2 vanilla beans)
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 2 tbsp dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp dried currants
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1 tbsp water, or as needed
• 1/2 cup sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat groats

Directions:

1. Using a food processor, process the almonds to a coarse meal. Take care not to over-process or they will start to release their oils and turn into nut butter.
2. Add the vanilla powder, chopped dates, dried cranberries, dried currants and hemp seeds and process until the mixture is well combined and starts to come together. It should look like a thick, wet dough and should stick together when pressed between two fingers. Depending on how soft your dates are, you may need to add the water and pulse to combine.
3. Next, add the buckwheat and pulse just to combine.
4. Use a half-tablespoon measure to scoop up the dough and roll into balls with your hands. You can leave them as mini balls or form them into square bites by pressing down on the dough ball and forming a square with your fingers. Freeze the balls or squares in an airtight containter to keep them from going soft.

If you prefer to make buckwheat bars, you can double the recipe and press the dough into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Freeze for one hour and then cut into bars.

My creamy chocolate torte recipe came to mind last week when I was dreaming about desserts (which I’m embarrassed to admit happens all too often). I imagined the mousse filling would make a lovely after-dinner dessert served in individual glasses and topped with coconut whipped cream and chopped chocolate and nuts.

The next day, I made that dream come true.

Let me tell you straight up: this mousse is no pudding in a cup. It’s thick and rich and melt-in-your-mouth smooth—everything you’d want in a sophisticated yet simple dessert.

The secret is in the coconut milk. Make sure to purchase a brand with a high fat content (check the nutritional label to make sure it’s at least 20%) and place it in the fridge overnight so that the cream separates from the liquid. (While you’re at it, refrigerate a second can for the coconut whipped cream topping.)  Oh, and good quality dark chocolate is also key to making this mousse truly orgasmic (I use Camino dark chocolate bars with 65% cacao).

One thing I love about this recipe is its versatility. Since there are a myriad of flavour pairings that work well with chocolate, you can put your own spin on it by swapping out the 2 tablespoons of nut butter for your preferred flavour.

For the mousse pictured here, I used macadamia nut butter, but I’ve also experimented with peanut butter (Reese’s Pieces, oh how I’ve missed you!), almond butter (a pairing that will never go out of style), and even pureed raspberries (strained) in place of the nut butter for a more sophisticated version.

Hubby and I will be enjoying this dessert for our third anniversary this weekend. I can’t wait.

As always, I had my kitty cat on hand to help with photo styling…or by sitting in the way of my window light. Please meet Eli, my new photo assistant and the pesky little brother of Leola. He’s quite the character, and he’s also got the loudest motor I’ve ever heard. He was even purring when this photo was snapped!

Dark chocolate mousse cups

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup nondairy milk
• 1 tbsp agar flakes
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
• 3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 tbsp natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Coconut whipped cream:

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
• 1/4 cup vegan powdered sugar, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder (or pure vanilla extract)
• 3 tbsp Ener-G egg replacer (optional)

Directions:

1. Pour the nondairy milk in a medium saucepan, sprinkle the agar flakes on top and swirl the pan lightly. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to allow the agar flakes to soften.
2. Scoop out the coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk (reserve the remaining liquid for other uses) and add it and the chocolate to the pan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cream and chocolate are melted.
3. Pour the mixture into a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend for 2 or 3 minutes until smooth and bubbly.
4. Divide the mixture between four serving glasses and lightly tap on your counter to loosen any air bubbles. Place the glasses in the fridge to set, about 2 hours. Garnish with coconut whipped cream and chopped chocolate and nuts, if desired.

Coconut whipped cream:

1. For best results, place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
2. Scoop the coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk (reserve the remaining liquid for other uses) and place it in the cold mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean powder and egg replacer (this is entirely optional, but it helps create a lighter, fluffier texture) and whisk until soft peaks form.

At the demo, I remember mentioning a certain kitchen gadget that has been invented specifically for banana soft serve, but nobody had any idea what I was talking about.

Well, here it is, folks: the Yonanas. Have you heard of this before?

While I’m not so sure I would spend $60 on something that can easily be made in my blender, I won’t stop making new versions of the delicious frozen treat. My latest creation involves combining the raw cookie dough blizzard with the raw Oreo cookie blizzard from our demo recipes to make chocolate chip sundae sandwiches!

For these pretty babies, I made a version of the raw chocolate cookie portion of Oreo cookies and dehydrated it overnight, then combined raw cookie dough balls with banana soft serve for the filling. I put it all together using my new ice cream sandwich molds I picked up on my trip to San Francisco and, voilà! Pretty frozen treats perfect for summertime reminiscing.

Chocolate chip sundae sandwiches

Yield: 4 sandwich cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw oat flakes (use certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate chip filling:

• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• 1/4 cup raw oat flakes (use certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp raw chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chips)
• 2 large frozen and peeled bananas

Directions:

For the cookies:

1. In a blender or food processor, grind the almonds into flour, pour into a bowl and set aside.
2. Grind the oats into flour and add to the bowl with the almond flour.
3. Add the cacao powder and salt and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and maple syrup and stir until the mixture becomes a thick, moist dough.
4. Roll out the dough on a dehydrator teflex sheet so that it is about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. If using an ice cream mold, use it to score the dough. Alternatively, use a large cookie cutter to score the dough. Dehydrate at 110F overnight or until desired texture is achieved.

For the chocolate chip filling:

1. In a blender or food processor, process the almonds into flour. Pour into a medium bowl.
2. Next, process the oats into flour and add to the bowl with the almond flour.
3. Add the vanilla bean powder, cinnamon, salt maple syrup and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
4. In a blender or food processor, blend the frozen bananas until a creamy soft serve consistency is achieved. Add the cookie dough filling and pulse to combine.

To assemble:

1. Follow instructions on your ice cream cookie mold, or spread a thick layer of the chocolate chip filling on a cookie and place another cookie on top, pressing down gently. Refreeze for one hour before serving. These can be stored in the freezer for a longer period if tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and parchment paper.

Can you tell I’m still dreaming about sandwich cookies?

Raw vanilla-spice macaroons

Yield: 6 sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the macaroons:

• 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 tsp ground spiced tea (I used 2 bags of bengal spice)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 4 dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar
• 2 tbsp coconut butter, softened
• 2 tbsp water

For the cacao cream filling:

• 1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least one hour
• 1/4 cup coconut butter, softened
• 3 tbsp raw agave nectar
• 1/2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt

Directions:

For the cookies:

1. In a food processor, process the coconut flakes, ground tea, vanilla bean powder and salt until combined.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and process for a minute or two until well combined. The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers. If it seems too dry, add more water.
3. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough onto a dehydrator tray and gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (you should get 12 small cookies). Dehydrate the macaroons at 105 degrees for about 6 hours or until desired texture is achieved. They should be crisp on the outside but still chewy on the inside.
4. Spread a small amount of the filling (recipe below) on half of the cookies and press another plain cookie on top to form a macaroon cookie sandwich.

For the cacao cream filling:

1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.