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Raw Pecan Pie

raw pecan pie

Raw Pecan Pie
Recipe Type: Dessert or Snack
Cuisine: Raw
Author: Charlotte
Serves: 8-10
Mmmmmm Pecan Pie! I was in a cooking mood (Well, technically ‘Uncooking’ hehe) but my cupboards were looking rather bare. Pecans! I had loads of pecans. So naturally the first thought to pop into my head was PECAN PIE. Yum. But not any old fatty, creamy pie, this pie is raw, sugar free, vegan, gluten free, made with a couple of wholesome, healthy ingredients. You can make them as big or small as you want. You could double the recipe and make one big pie or lots of mini ones. I put mine into silicon cupcake cases and it’s a great size and made them easy to take out, Perfect!
Ingredients
  • For the base:
  • 1 Cup Nuts – I used half cashew, half almond and that worked well
  • 3 Medjool Dates – Or if not medjool, use a few more and soak in water for 30mins before using
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the Filling:
  • 1/2 Cup Pecans
  • 1/2 Cup Medjool Dates (about 6) same as above if not using medjool
  • 1/2 Vanilla bean pod, scrape the seeds out – or a couple of drops of vanilla extract
  • 1-2 Tbsp Water – enough to make the paste soft and smooth
  • Also don’t forget some extra Pecans for the top – amount varies on how big or small you make your pies
Instructions
  1. For the base : In a Thermomix or food processor combine all of the ingredients and blend until the pieces are broken down and stick together when pressed. Spoon evenly into your desired pan or cupcake cases. I used silicon to help with removal.
  2. Press down gently to create a thin, even crust on the bottom and sides.
  3. Put them in the freezer while making the filling.
  4. For the filling: Place the dates, vanilla & pecans in a Thermomix or food processor.
  5. Add about 1-2 tbsp fresh water and blend until smooth and gooey, scraping down the sides often.
  6. Spoon into the chilled crusts and top with extra pecans.
  7. Place in refrigerator and allow pies to set for at least 1 hour.
3.2.2029
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{Slightly} Healthier Chocolate Brownies

Healthier Chocolate BrownieEvery now and then, this girl just needs chocolate. Colour me wrong, but sometimes, I just need chocolate. Today was one of those days. No sooner was my youngest riding off into dreamland, and I was in the kitchen throwing together a chocolate brownie. This one uses Rapadura and hazelnuts, so it’s not perfect, but it’s better than refined sugar.

The calorie count difference between rapadura and brown sugar is minimal, maybe one or two, but the big difference between them is in the vitamin c and iron percentages. 200g of sugar contains no vitamin c, and 5% iron, while 200g of rapadura contains 7% vitamin c and 42% iron. You’re still having the calories, but at least you’re getting something good with them.

Serve with home made Rapadura ice cream, or on it’s own as a yummy snack.

Recipe Type: Sweet, desert
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15
A great, quick brownie for your sweet fix, without being terribly bad for you.
Ingredients
  • 200g Rapadura Sugar (brown will do too)
  • 115g butter
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon rum extract (vanilla will do)
  • 2 eggs
  • 115g plain flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 50g hazelnuts chopped (walnuts will work too)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4/350F
  2. Mix all ingredients together in the order given
  3. Pour into a greased baking tin
  4. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes
  5. Serve warm with icecream or on it’s own as a snack.

nutrition

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{Slightly} Healthier Ice Cream With Rapadura

Ice cream, lovely as it is, is not exactly good for you. It’s sugary, fatty, and well, yum.

Rapadura Ice Cream

But, it’s summer, and when my children want ice cream, I’d rather give them something full of vitamin C, iron and B Vitamins: enter Rapadura Ice Cream. Now, sometimes I’ll have a nice, healthy yoghurt ice cream on hand, which is by far my preference for the children, but everyone cheats some times.

The rapadura gives this ice cream a really rich, caramel flavour, which I find delicious.

I use my Thermomix to mix this up, but you can use any blender or food processor. It’s also preferable to use an ice cream maker, and if you don’t have one – I don’t – use a steel container. I don’t have one of those easier, so I just use any old bowl, and it works a charm.

 

{Slightly} Healthier Ice Cream With Rapadura
Recipe Type: Ice Cream
Cuisine: Sweets
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
I make ice cream in the Thermomix. If you have an ice cream maker, you can use the same ingredients but follow manufacturer instructions. If you have neither, use a regular blender for this recipe.
Ingredients
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 250g cream
  • 250g milk
  • 150g [url href=”http://www.amazon.co.uk/Biona-Organic-Rapadura-Sugar-Pack/dp/B006MW27UG” target=”_blank” title=”Affiliate Link: Rapadura Sugar”]Rapadura [/url]Organic Whole Cane Sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • pinch salt
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients into the Thermomix bowl and cook for 5 minutes and 80C on speed 4.
  2. Pour into a freezer bowl, and place into the freezer for 3-4 hours until firm.
  3. Mix it all up again, and return to freezer. Repeat every couple of hours until it is the right consistency, then serve.
  4. If you’re saving it for another day, remove from freezer about 15 minutes before you want to serve.

nutrition

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Quick And Easy Healthier Carrot Cake

A few years ago I made the perfect carrot cake. I don’t know what recipe I used and have never found it again, but I suspect if I did I wouldn’t use it anymore anyway – it probably had too much sugar and white flour in it anyway.

Carrot CakeI’m still in search of the new ‘perfect’ carrot cake, but these come up a really good alternative, in the meantime.

They last two or so days in a lunch box, and make a great school snack, largely because they’re ‘cake’ without being ‘cake’. We also make them without frosting to make them that little bit healthier, but really, I don’t think it needs anything more anyway.

If you don’t have Rapadura*, you can substitute for brown sugar, but Rapadura is a healthier alternative. I have linked you to the brand we use. Same for the coconut oil.

Possibly one of my favourite things about this carrot cake is that it is so quick and easy to make – no faffing required, and it is really tasty.

Recipe Type: Cake, Snack
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 18
I make these in a brownie pan, and don’t add any frosting to them at all. You could mix cream cheese and icing sugar to frost, but we like them just like this. They make lovely lunch box snacks. You can add nuts if you wish – just adjust the amount of raisins.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups carrots (roughly four or five medium sized carrots)
  • 140g raisins
  • 125ml [url href=”http://www.amazon.co.uk/Biona-Organic-Virgin-Coconut-Pack/dp/B0062Y7RTU/” target=”_blank”]coconut oil[/url]
  • 115g plain wholemeal flour
  • 115g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
  • 100g [u][url href=”http://www.amazon.co.uk/Biona-Organic-Rapadura-Sugar-Pack/dp/B006MW27UG” target=”_blank” title=”rapadura”]rapadura [/url][/u](or brown sugar)
  • 2 eggs
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 160C/320F
  2. Grate carrots finely
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed
  4. Mix together till it’s all incorporated, but work quickly before the baking powder and bicarb go ‘flat’
  5. Scoop into muffin or brownie trays/cake tins
  6. Cook for 20 minutes in cake tin/brownie pan but about 12 – 15 in muffin tins.
  7. Check by sticking a skewer in the middle. If It comes out clean, they are ready.
  8. If you’re using a Thermomix:
  9. Chop the carrots on Turbo for 3-4 seconds
  10. Add ingredients in order listed
  11. Mix on reverse speed for 30 seconds,
  12. Knead for 1 min on closed lid setting
  13. Scoop into muffin or brownie trays/cake tins
  14. Cook for 20 minutes in cake tin/brownie pan but about 12 – 15 in muffin tins.
  15. Check by sticking a skewer in the middle. If It comes out clean, they are ready.

 

 

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Goji Almond And Sprouted Buckwheat *mostly* Raw Balls

Goji BallsThese Goji, Almond and Sprouted Buckwheat balls are mostly raw, other than the choc chips. You can make your own coconut oil chocolate and then it’s completely raw! They can also be made nut free by swapping the almond meal for seeds like sunflower or pepitas. Other wise they are Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Refined sugar free, Yeast free & Corn free. Can’t get much better than that!

They do call for some organization as the buckwheat needs to start the sprouting process a day or 2 before they are ready. But it’s totally worth it! These are so lovely, sweet and the buckwheat makes a nice change than just regular old nuts in the usual bliss balls (ed: the Australian version of these date balls) I make. It’s cheaper too 🙂

Goji Almond & Sprouted Buckwheat *almost* Raw Balls
Recipe Type: Snack
Cuisine: Raw
Author: Charlotte
Serves: 16-20
These balls are mostly raw, other than the choc chips. You can make your own coconut oil chocolate and then it’s completely raw! They can also be made nut free by swapping the almond meal for seeds like sunflower or pepitas. Other wise they are Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Refined sugar free, Yeast free & Corn free. Can’t get much better than that! They do call for some organization as the buckwheat needs to start the sprouting process a day or 2 before they are ready. But it’s totally worth it! These are so lovely, sweet and the buckwheat makes a nice change than just regular old nuts in the usual bliss balls I make. It’s cheaper too 🙂
Ingredients
  • 1 cup medjool dates, pitted [about 14]
  • 1/3 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup raw buckwheat grouts, sprouted [yield: 1 cup sprouted]
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup goji berries
  • 1/4 cup carob/chocolate chips, cacao nibs or home made chocolate or even some dried fruit like sultanas
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch Himalayan rock salt
Instructions
  1. To sprout buckwheat: place the raw buckwheat grouts in a glass container and fill with water. Place a lid on it and store it in the fridge overnight to soak. In the morning, drain and rinse.
  2. Drain thoroughly and leave on the counter for 24 hours.
  3. At the 12 hour [or so] mark, fill with water and drain again and follow the steps Goji Ballsabove.
  4. Your buckwheat should be ready at around 24 hours.
  5. Spread out onto a kitchen towel to make sure most of the moisture is removed.
  6. To make balls: place dates, almond meal, buckwheat, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor.
  7. Process until desired consistency is met.
  8. Drop mixture into a large bowl and mix in goji berries and choc chips.
  9. Wet hands and roll the mixture into balls.
  10. If the mixture is too sticky, out it in the freezer for a few mins to harden up
  11. Store in a container in the fridge or freezer
3.2.1753
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Buckwheat Banana Bread

A lovely, sugar free banana bread, perfect for a healthy, nutritious snack.

Buckwheat Banana BreadI don’t use artificial sweeteners, and I certainly don’t let my children consume Aspartame. The problem with anything ‘sugar free’ or ‘free from’ is that to replace the sugar, they usually put a list of chemicals in it’s place. When that’s the case, I’d rather just have the sugar.

A great substitute for sugar in baking, is dates. Pureed with just a little water to help the machine, I often replace date puree for sugar at a one for one ratio. Try it, and see what you think!

Despite the ‘wheat’ in the name buckwheat, there is no wheat in it – it’s entirely wheat free. The consistency is a little different than normal flour and it may take a little getting used to, but it’s entirely worth it!

 

Buckwheat Banana Bread
Recipe Type: Muffins, snacks,
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 50
Buckwheat and bananas? yum, yum, yum, and guilt free too, with it’s sugar-free and gluten free ingredients.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1 ½ cups buckwheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅓ cup date puree (1/3 cup dates, covered with hot water and blended)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger spices
Instructions
  1. Melt the butter and set aside.
  2. Whip the bananas until they are smooth and airy.
  3. Add the date puree, egg, vanilla, spices and butter to the bananas.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and pour into a cake or muffin pan
  6. Bake at 180C or 350F for about 30 minutes for cupcakes, 40-45mins for bread or cake
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Healthy Chocolate Date Balls

There’s a brand of ‘chocolate’ bar that we love around here, but it’s pretty expensive. They put the ingredients and roughly the amounts on the back of the packaging though, so we’ve been trying to make them the same. I think we need some kind of cold pressing equipment to make them stick together as bars, but they work pretty well rolled into balls or made in a brownie pan.

chocolate date balls

The reason I love these for my children is that apart from the cocoa – and you can substitute it for cacao – there’s only fruit and breakfast oats in it. When my daughter refuses to have breakfast, she’ll have these, and I’m just fine with that on occasion.

Another bonus of  date balls, is that they are pretty versatile. Just add the basics, and the rest is up to you.

Put them on a pretty plate, and wrap a ribbon around, and you’ve got a lovely gift too.

For twenty more date ball ideas, check out Bliss Balls For Beginners.

Chocolate Date Balls
Recipe Type: Snack,Treat, Healthy
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Total time:
These originated from Nakd bars, which I couldn’t afford to keep buying. Looking at the ingredients on the back, we came up with an earlier version of these. They are delicious!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dates
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup oats
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • Something wet: a 1/4 cup apple juice or 2 tablespoons peanut butter, just enough to hold the batter together.
  • [u]Optional extras:[/u]
  • You can add a variety of things – nuts, dried fruit, berries
Instructions
  1. Mix everything together in a food processor or blender.
  2. You want it well mixed, but not smooth.
  3. Either roll the batter into balls, then around a plate of coconut and place in the fridge.
  4. Alternatively spread it out on a baking sheet and refridgerate.
  5. Once set, cut into squares and enjoy.

Reposted from Diary of a First Child

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Raw Caramel Slice


Rawfood, Caramel Slice
I’m super excited to welcome Charlotte as an author on Keeper of the Kitchen. I met Charlotte in Perth, Australia, and I’ve always been so inspired by her adventures in raw food preparation. She makes it look so good, and I’m really chuffed that she’s agreed to share her recipes with us!

——————————————————-

This is a raw, dairy free, vegan (if not using honey!), gluten free caramel slice alternative. I say alternative but for me there is no question which one I would rather eat. This still has high calories like a regular caramel slice but they aren’t empty calories. With nuts, coconut oil and raw cacao powder full of healthy vitamins and minerals there is no reason not to eat this delicious slice. I like to cut it up into little squares and freeze it, perfect for that 3pm sweet craving or to have ready for unexpected guests.

I make it in the Thermomix, but you can make it in any high powered blender.

Raw Caramel Slice
Recipe Type: Desert, Sweets, Raw
Cuisine: Raw
Author: Charlotte F
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15
Just to taunt you for now – recipe will be up shortly – is this raw, dairy free, vegan (if not using honey!), gluten free caramel slice alternative.
Ingredients
  • [u]Base[/u]
  • ½ cup Medjool dates
  • 1 cup almonds
  • ½ cup cashews
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence[br]
  • [u]Caramel[/u]
  • ½ cup tahini
  • ½ cup maple syrup or raw honey
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • Large pinch Himalayan salt[br]
  • [u]Chocolate topping[/u]
  • 3 tbsp raw cacao
  • 1 tsp carob powder
  • 3-4 tbsp coconut sugar, rapadura sugar or agave syrup
  • ½ cup coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Grind pitted dates and nuts in blender. Add vanilla & blend until it’s sticky. If it’s not becoming sticky add an extra date.
  2. With a spatula or back of a spoon press mixture into a rectangular dish greased in coconut oil.
  3. Blend caramel ingredients together and pour over biscuit base and set in the freezer for 20 minutes.
  4. While the slice is setting, for the chocolate topping blend coconut oil and all other ingredients. The heat from the blender usually melts the coconut oil if it is solid.
  5. Then pour chocolate topping over slice and place back in freezer to set again.
  6. With a warm knife, cut into small squares to serve.

 

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Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

If you fancy a healthier cheesecake, you’ve come to the right place. This is a dairy free, vegan, sugar free cheesecake alternative. And it’s pretty darn good.Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

I make it in the Thermomix, but you can make it in any high powered blender. It’s both labour intensive and totally not. It’s a perfect dinner party recipe, especially for people not familiar with raw food. Check out The Rawtarian from time to time – this is an adaptation of her recipe.

Raw Strawberry Cheesecake
Recipe Type: Desert
Cuisine: Raw Food
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 18
Take this desert out of the freezer half an hour before you expect to eat it and don’t forget to return it to the freezer when you’re done. If it’s for snacks rather than dinner, freeze in single portion sizes
Ingredients
  • Crust ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup pitted dates
  • 1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • White cheesecake filling ingredients:
  • 3 cups cashews
  • 3/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup agave or honey
  • 3/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • Up to a 1/4 cup of water, as needed for blending
  • Fruit topping ingredients:
  • 2 cups frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup dates
Instructions
  1. Sprinkle coconut into a large glass dish to serve as a base for your cheesecake.
  2. In your food processor, place 1.5 cups of cashews, salt and dates, and blend to a crumbed consistency.
  3. Pour into dish on top of coconut and press down to form a good, firm base.
  4. Next, blend together the ‘cheesecake filling, adding as little water as possible and as required to make your blender work. In the Thermomix you shouldn’t need to add much water at all. This needs to be smooth and creamy in consistency.
  5. Spread the mixture on top of the base.
  6. Freeze for about an hour to allow it to firm up.
  7. When you’re ready for the last step, blend the berries and dates until they are nice and smooth. Pour this mixture on top and freeze again for another few hours at least.
  8. Take out of freezer about half an hour before eating, so that it’s still firm, but edible.
Calories: 349.0 Fat: 24.9 g Carbohydrates: 31.6 g Sugar: 18.7 g Sodium: 65.7 mg Fiber: 2.2 g Protein: 5.4 g Cholesterol: 0.0 mg

Reposted from Diary of a First Child

 

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Crystallised Hazelnuts

20130504-200906.jpg There are few things in a kitchen that bother me quite as much as waste. And when the item about to be wasted is an expensive one, like hazelnuts, it bothers me even more. So, when you’ve made Hazelnut Syrup and strained the nuts off, rather than binning them: turn them into Crystallised Hazelnuts.

Because they’re made with Rapadura they’re not as bad for you as they would be with normal sugar, but they can also be made with normal sugar. I just prefer it this way.

You can keep these on hand for a light nibbley snack, they are so good, or you can use them as an ice cream topping, which is delicious. Try it with home made ice cream or frozen yogurt.

They add a perfect crunch and are simply delicious.

I must admit I’m not sure about the nutritional value after having been boiled for almost an hour and then dried out, and covered in sweet Rapadura, but it’s great.  And a fabulous way to make sure there’s no wastage.

Crystallised Hazelnuts
Recipe Type: Sweets, Ice cream topping
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 250g
I’m sure you can make these just on their own, but if you’ve gone to the trouble of boiling them in Rapadura or sugar, you may as well make syrup with the bit you pour off, then make this delicious snack.
Ingredients
  • 250g Hazelnuts, lightly crushed, without skin
  • 500g Rapadura
  • 500g Water
Instructions
  1. Prepare as for Hazelnut Syrup.
  2. Once you filter to separate the syrup and nuts, put the syrup aside to cool.
  3. Spread the Hazelnuts over a baking tray
  4. Place in the oven at 90C /194F for 3- 4 hours until they are beautifully crystalised and crunchy and golden in colour.
  5. Use a spatula or spoon to move them around every half hour or so to make sure they don’t burn.
  6. D’lish