Raw Vegan Beetroot Burgers with Mango Lime Sauce

Mmm burgers especially the juicy ones with lots of flavour. I always loved Grill'd which is in my opinion one of the best burger places in Melbourne. But you know you have to sacrifice a few things when you want to be raw vegan.....but not burgers!!!

These burgers are dry on the outside but when you bite into them they are so moist and amazingly flavourly (I know thats not a word) in the inside. And with the mango sauce oh my god it is to die for, that tanginess from the lime just gives that extra kick of flavour.

Raw Beetroot Burgers with Mango Lime Sauce


Makes 4

Burgers:
3 cups beet, chopped
1/2 cup finely shredded dried coconut
1/4 cup raw, shelled hemp seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 inch chunk fresh ginger
juice and zest of one lime
1/4 tsp sea salt

Mango sauce:
1 1/2 cups mangos
1/4 cup lime juice
sea salt to taste

Tomato, spinach and mango pieces to serve

For the burgers, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth and well combined.  Shape into 4 burgers, and place on a lined dehydrator sheet.  Dry for about 4 hours or until desired consistency. 
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. 
Serve the burgers on the spinach topped with the sauce, tomato and mango (or however you desire your burgers)

Recipe derived from Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Raw Vegan Carrot Falafel with Tahini Lemon Sauce

Falafels were always a favourite thing to put in sandwiches and have as a side for dinner but they aren't the healthiest things around seeing as though they are fried in oil. These raw carrot falafels are absolutely to die for, especially with the lemon tahini sauce. Due to the fact the falafels are dehydrated they are crisp on the outside but so moist and delicious in the inside. It goes perfect with the tahini lemon sauce because the falafels actually have tahini and sesame seeds in them and are coated with sesame seeds.

These falafels on top of salad of your choosing and dipped in the tahini lemon sauce I find is the perfect dinner or lunch. They are packed full of goodness and fill you up making you feel satisfied, healthy and not bloated after eating. The recipe I used for these came from Fragrant Vanilla Cake, her recipes are to die for.

Raw Carrot Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Serves 4-6

Falafel:
4 medium organic carrots
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked and dried
1/4 cup raw walnuts, soaked and dried
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp tahini
juice of one lemon
1 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
1 cup raw almond flour (or more if needed)

Coating:
1 cups raw walnuts soaked and dried
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Tahini Sauce:
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup filtered water or as needed
juice of two lemons
2 garlic cloves, minced

To make falafel, place carrots in the food processor and process until finely chopped.  Add the yeast, sunflower seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds, garlic, tahini, cumin, lemon juice, chipotle, sea salt, and process until smooth.  Add the almond flour and process until well combined.  Remove from the food processor and if it seems too soft, add a little more almond flour (it should be the consistency of very soft soft cookie dough). 
Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls, and place on a plate.  
In a food processor, combine the walnuts, yeast, sea salt and sesame seeds for the coating and process until finely ground.  Pour into a bowl, and roll each of the falafel balls in it.  
Place the balls on a lined dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for about 16-18 hours, or until the outside is crunchy and they are firm, but not dried out in the center. 
Meanwhile, to make the tahini sauce, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.  If too thick add a little more water until the consistency of dressing. 

Serve with a salad on the side and the tahini sauce!

Raw Vegan Coconut Yoghurt Nectarine Cake

When I turned raw vegan I discovered coconut yoghurt, oh and what an amazing experience that was. It goes so well in smoothies, on granola, with fruit and now I have figured out that it even goes in cakes. Behold the Coconut Yoghurt Peach Cake!!! 

Now when it comes to the coconut yoghurt part I am so lazy. I do not make my own, in Melbourne you can buy something called Co-Yo which is raw vegan natural coconut yoghurt and it is amazingly delicious. So the recipe I used calls for store bought coconut yoghurt not home made.....apologies for my laziness! 

I could not get enough of this mixture, its so creamy, sweet and absolutely heavenly. I couldn't wait for the cake to be ready, I swear I was checking it every hour to see if it was hard yet but no I had to wait 4 hours....longest 4 hours of my life!!! 

Raw Nectarine Coconut Yogurt Cake
Makes one 6 inch cake

Crust:
1 cup dried finely shredded coconut
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
10-12 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped (if they are not soft, soak them in water until they are and drain them well)
1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Coconut Yoghurt Filling
2 cups coconut yoghurt (co-yo)
1/3 cup coconut nectar
3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut water

Nectarine Filling
2 cups coconut yoghurt (co-yo)
1/3 cup coconut nectar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1 cup fresh organic nectarines
1/3 cup coconut water

Nectarines and coconut, for decoration

Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process flax, coconut and sea salt in a food processor until fine crumbs, then add the dates and cardamom and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers (if not holding together, add more dates). Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.

To make the coconut yoghurt filling, place coconut yoghurt, coconut nectar, coconut oil and vanilla extract in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

To make the nectarine filling, place place coconut yoghurt, coconut nectar, coconut oil, nectarines and vanilla extract in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

There are two ways to assemble this cheesecake; layered or swirled.
For the layered look place all the nectarine mixture on top of the base and shake pan until spread over the base and then place the coconut yoghurt layer on top of the nectarine layer and shake the pan to cover the layer below. Tap pan lightly on the bench to settle the mixture and prevent air bubbles
For the swirled look, place tbsp of each mixture on top of the base and once the base is covered swirl with a knife. Repeat this process until the mixture is finished or the pan is full. Tap the pan lightly on the bench to settle the mixture and prevent air bubbles.

Place in the freezer for 4 hours or until firm enough to unmold. Serve and enjoy! Store in the fridge.

Raw Vegan Strawberry and Kiwi Cheesecake

Green and pink are the colours which form swirls of raw goodness. This cheesecake was so fun to make due to all the colours it involved and swirling the colours together was so much fun. The revealing of it is always so exciting, taking it out of the tin to reveal these amazing colours and layers which have all formed together to create heaven in a cake. And then to be able to decorate the top with all the goodness that is inside the cake is even more satisfying.

The only thing I would do differently next time would be putting the spinach in whilst the mixture is still in the blender so it blends it up smoothly and I don't get these bits of spinach in it but apart from that I would do everything the same. The original recipe which was from Fragrant Vanilla Cake I changed a bit by omitting the strawberry puree and making the mixtures separately and it worked out amazingly as you can see by the photos and it tastes like pure heaven.


Raw Strawberry Kiwi Cheesecake
Makes one 6 inch cake

Crust:
2/3 cup dried finely shredded coconut
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 cup dried finely shredded coconut
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
10-12 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped (if they are not soft, soak them in water until they are and drain them well)
1 inch chunk raw red beet

Strawberry Filling
2 cups raw cashews, soaked
1/2 cup coconut water
1/3 cup raw coconut nectar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1 cup fresh organic strawberries
1/2 cup fresh beetroot, chopped

Kiwi Filling
2 cups raw cashews, soaked
1/2 cup coconut water
1/3 cup raw coconut nectar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1 cup fresh organic kiwi
handful of spinach

Fresh strawberries and kiwis for decorating

Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process flax and coconut in a food processor until fine crumbs, then add the dates and beet and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers (if not holding together, add more dates). Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.

To make the strawberry filling, in a high speed blender place coconut water, coconut nectar, vanilla and coconut oil and blend until combined. Then add the soaked cashews one cup at a time blending after each add until completely smooth. Pour filling into the mini food processor and add strawberries and beetroot and process until smooth. Set aside.

To make the kiwi filling, in a high speed blender place coconut water, coconut nectar, vanilla, coconut oil, spinach and kiwi and blend until combined and smooth. Then add the soaked cashews one cup at a time blending after each add until completely smooth. 

There are two ways to assemble this cheesecake; layered or swirled.
For the layered look place all the kiwi mixture on top of the base and shake pan until spread over the base and then place the strawberry layer on top of the kiwi layer and repeat until completely covered.
For the swirled look, place tbsp of each mixture on top of the base and once the base is covered swirl with a knife. repeat this process until the mixture is finished or the pan is full. Tap the pan lightly on the bench to settle the mixture and prevent air bubbles.

Place in the freezer for four hours or until firm enough to unmold. Serve and enjoy! Place leftovers in the fridge.

The Ultimate Raw Carrot Cake

There is carrot cake and then there is CARROT CAKE!!! And this by far is the ULTIMATE raw carrot cake. I have made raw carrot cake before and yeh it tasted like carrot cake but it was not as exciting as this was to make and to eat. This is cheesecake and carrot cake combined into one.....in my opinion you cannot get any better than that.

So I will start from the bottom and go up from there. On the base you have raw carrot cake, then the layer on top of that is carrot cake flavoured raw cheesecake and then the layer on top of that is vanilla raw cheesecake and then frosted with raw vanilla frosting and topped with dates and cashews. Both my best friend at uni and my boyfriend's mum said and I quote;

"Absolute Perfection"

And that is coming from two people who eat meat and every other animal product available and only get raw food when I make it for them. 

The Ultimate Raw Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake Base:

1/2 cup raw almond meal

1 cup raw coconut flour

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

12 medjool dates

1/2 tsp ginger powder

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup dried shredded unsweetened coconut

1 - 1 1/2 cups grated organic carrots

Vanilla Cheesecake Layer
2 cups raw cashews, soaked
1/3 cup raw coconut nectar, or agave nectar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 coconut water
1/2 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid 

Carrot Cheesecake Layer

2 cups raw cashews, soaked

1/3 cup raw coconut nectar, or agave nectar

1/2 cup coconut water

1/2 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1/2 cup grated organic carrots

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp cinnamon

Vanilla Frosting

1 cup raw cashews, soaked

1/4 cup coconut water

2 tbsp raw coconut nectar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 tbsp raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid

For the carrot cake base, in a mini food processor place almond meal, coconut flour, dates, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon and process until the dates are incorporated and it is all well blended. Add the coconut and 1 cup of carrots and process until pretty smooth. If not coming together like a dough add another 1/2 cup of carrots and process until incorporated. Grease a 6 inch springform cake time with coconut oil and pour the base mixture into it. Pack it in the bottom of the tin to form the base of the cake and set aside.

For the vanilla cheesecake filling, place coconut nectar, vanilla, coconut water and coconut oil into a blender and blend until combined. Add the cashews to the blender one cup at a time, blending till smooth after adding each cup. Place in a bowl and set aside.

For the carrot cake cheesecake filling, place coconut nectar, coconut water, coconut oil, grated carrots, ginger and cinnamon is a blender and blend until smooth and combined. Add the cashews to the blender one cup at a time, blending until smooth after adding each cup. 

To assemble the cake, pour the carrot cake cheesecake filling on top of the base and shake the tin to spread the mixture over the base. Then on top of that layer pour the vanilla cheesecake filling and again shake the tin to spread that layer on top. Place in the freezer for 4 hours or until firm enough to unmold.

For the vanilla frosting, place coconut nectar, vanilla, coconut water and coconut oil in a blender and blend until combined then add the cashews and blend until smooth. Place in the fridge for about 15 to 30 minutes or till it becomes thick enough to pipe onto the cake. Place in a piping bag and pipe around the top and edges of the cake. Top with dates and cashews and serve!! Store extra cake in the fridge.

Raw "Spaghetti & Meatballs"

My all time favourite comfort food was anything to do with pasta whether it was carbonara, marinara, meatballs, cannelloni or just even the simplest of things like pasta with pesto. But it got a bit out of hand where I was eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The amount of carbs I was putting into my body with no exercise made me gain 20kgs which I didn't realise until someone pointed it out to me. That day when that person pointed out my horrible eating habits was around 3 months ago now and ever since then I have been raw vegan and haven't looked back. The thought of that many carbs and fat going into my body sickens me now.

But when being raw vegan there is no missing out on that food that you always used to eat, no way I wouldn't allow it. These meatballs were a test on my cheap dehydrator to see if it actually worked because the first time I tried it, it failed. But to my disbelief and surprise it worked amazingly. The meatballs were firm on the outside but moist in the middle and tasted amazing!!! If you closed your eyes and ate this without knowing it was raw vegan you would think it was proper spaghetti and meatballs, its that good and that yummy!!

Raw "Spaghetti & Meatballs"

Meatballs:
1 cup dried tomatoes 
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1/4 cup hempseeds
3 cups button mushrooms
1 tsp each dried basil and oregano
1 tsp fennel seed
1 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
sea salt to taste
1 cup raw walnuts, chopped

Sauce:
4 large tomatoes, diced 
1 cup dried tomatoes, soaked for 30 minutes and drained well
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh basil
sea salt to taste

6 medium zucchinis, peeled lengthways into noodle (1 zucchini per person)

To make the meatballs, place the dried tomatoes in a high speed blender or food processor and grind to a powder.  Add to a food processor along with the  carrots, onion, garlic, flax, hemp, mushrooms, herbs, miso, nutritional yeast and sea salt and blend until well combined. Add the walnuts and pulse until everything is finely chopped.  Shape the mixture into small 1 inch meatballs, and place on a lined dehydrator sheet.  Dry for about 8 hours until firm.  
Meanwhile, to make the tomato sauce, combine tomatoes, the sun dried tomatoes, the garlic, basil and sea salt and blend until smooth. 
Place zucchini in a bowl, top with tomato sauce and meatballs and serve!

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

It felt like summer time when I ate breakfast this morning. All these tropical fruits and berries, it was amazing! By far the best way to start the day. Ever since making my first smoothie bowl I have found I absolutely love them for breakfast. The smoothie is delicious and the toppings have amazing benefits for your body. It fills you up for ages and keeps you energised for most of the day.

I decided to make a collage of the toppings I put on my smoothie this morning. All these toppings provide such good vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein and fatty acids to your body. They are nature's super foods.

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie:
1 large banana, cut into pieces
1 cup frozen organic mango
1 1/2 cups organic pineapple
a few organic raspberries
270ml coconut milk

Toppings:
pineapple
raspberries

almond slices

bee pollen (omit if vegan)
ground flax seed
shelled raw hemp seeds

For the smoothie, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, using the tamper to press the mixture into the blades.  Pour into a bowl, top with toppings (I used about 1 Tbsp of each).  Enjoy!

Note* I make the smoothie the day/night before so I don't waste time at breakfast time so its ready to go for breakfast the next day.

Raw Sushi with Corn Hummus

I was introduced to normal sushi at a very young age and from the first bite I absolutely loved it. When I wasn't vegan I was a huge fan of seafood, I loved everything except muscles and oysters but give me a spaghetti marinara for dinner and I would gobble it up. My favourite sushi bar was Sushi Sushi, there sushi was always freshly made and perfectly rolled. One of the things I missed most when turning raw vegan was a good California roll until I found out that I could make raw sushi.

For one of my birthday's my brother's girlfriend (now ex girlfriend) gave me a sushi kit which had everything in it to make the perfect sushi roll. It sat up in the cupboard for years and years because I never made my own sushi I always bought it until I became raw vegan and discovered raw sushi that is when the kit came in very handy. It took a while to master the art of rolling sushi especially because it was raw so it didn't have the sticky rice to hold it together. But I managed to master it very quickly and now I can make the perfect raw sushi. If you do not have a sushi kit like I do I do recommend investing in a bamboo sushi mat, it helps with the rolling of the sushi and makes them come out perfectly cylindrical. 

What I love about raw sushi there are so many choices of fillings, the possibilities are endless. For the rice you can make corn hummus, parsnip rice, sprouted hummus, really anything that sticks together will work as replacement for the sticky rice normal sushi uses. And as for the fillings, any raw veggies work perfectly just make sure they are thinly cut into thin sticks so its easy to roll up and not too bulky.

Raw Sushi with Corn Hummus

Corn "hummus":

1 1/4 cups fresh organic sweet corn

1 cup raw cashews (soaked 2 hours and drained)

sea salt to taste

1 garlic clove

Filling choices:

Zucchini, cut julienne

Carrot, cut julienne

Sundried tomatoes

Spinach

Cucumber, cut julienne

6 nori wraps

To make the hummus, place all hummus ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, set aside for later on.

To assemble the rolls, place 1 piece of nori on your bamboo mat (shiny side down) and spread about 3 tbsp of the hummus along the edge closest to you. Next, place your fillings in a line on top of the hummus. Next roll it up, pulling it towards you as you roll to tighten the roll, wet the edge with water to make the nori stick together to seal the sushi roll and set aside.

Repeat as many times as your hummus lasts. Cut each roll into desired size. Enjoy! Store in the fridge.

Raw Pina Colada Cheesecake

To start off with I just have to say that this is one of the most amazing raw cheesecakes I have ever made. When I used to drink alcohol, pina colada was at the top of my 'to drink' list. After a year of not drinking to be honest I do miss it but why have alcohol when you can have the same flavour but in a healthy way.

This is not only raw vegan but it has the goodness of pineapple and coconut oil in it. Two foods that are amazing for your body.

Pineapple is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C.

Coconut oil on the other hand is good for your whole body in general.
1. Controls weight
2. Eases digestion
3. Supports immunity
4. Boosts metabolism
5. Calms sugar cravings



Everything turned out perfectly with this cheesecake; the swirl, the consistency, the look.....absolutely everything.

Raw Pina Colada Cheesecake

Crust:
1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1 cup dried shredded coconut
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
10-12 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:
4 cups raw cashews, soaked
1/3 cup coconut water
1/2 cup raw coconut nectar, raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean
1 cup fresh organic pineapple

Swirl:
2 medjool dates, pitted (soaked if not already soft)1/2 cup fresh organic pineapple

Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process macadamias, coconut and sea salt in a food processor until the nuts are fine crumbs, then add the dates and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers (if not holding together, add more dates). Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.

To make the filling, drain the macadamias (or cashews) and combine them with coconut, coconut water, coconut nectar, sea salt and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. With the processor running, add the coconut oil, and process for a minute until blended. Set aside.

For the swirl, combine dates and pineapple in the food processor and process until smooth.
To assemble cheesecake, drop the two fillings over the crust by the Tbspful and the pineapple swirl by the tspful until they are all used up tap the bottom of the pan on the counter to level. Swirl with a knife, and place in the freezer for about 4 hours to firm up.

Raw Carrot Chocolate Cupcakes with Blueberry Frosting

When I found this recipe on http://fragrantvanillacake.blogspot.com.au it was a layered cake but me myself am a big fan of bite sized treats so I made the cake into cupcakes. What I love about these cupcakes are they don't even look raw. They actually look fluffy and like they have risen in the oven.

Blueberries are one of my all time favourite berries so this recipe really stood out as a favourite. Blueberries are rich in micronutrients containing essential mineral manganese, vitamin C, vitamin K and dietary fibre. Above all of that nutrients they taste absolutely amazing.




I find raw cupcakes very therapeutic to make due to the fact you have to make them look like cupcakes and it takes precision to ice them nicely and correctly to make them look presentable. Frosting cupcakes is one of my favourite things to do ever since I mastered the art of the piping bag. I mastered piping frosting by baking normal cupcakes on a regular basis for friends and family but I never ate my cupcakes I always gave them away because I loved people's emotions and smiles whenever they ate them. Then I discovered raw cupcakes and I ditched the oven and gained a food processor and blender.....best investment ever if I may add.

Another good investment which I found absolutely perfect for raw vegan cupcakes are silicone cupcake liners. Just roll the cupcake dough into a ball then pack it into one of these babies and take the dough out of the liner and voila! Its in the shape of a cupcake....no one will ever know the difference.







Raw Carrot Chocolate Cupcakes with Blueberry Frosting


Cake:
1 1/2 cups carrot pulp
1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 1/4 cups raw coconut flour
1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1 cup water or until mixture comes together as a dough

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups fresh organic blueberries
4 soft medjool dates, pitted (if not soft, soak them in filtered water 30 minutes and drain well)
a pinch sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid

blueberries, to decorate


For the cake, combine the carrot pulp, dates, vanilla, and sea salt in a food processor and process until it is well combined and the carrots are very finely chopped.  Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and well combined. Add the water 1/4 cup at a time, you just want the mixture to come together as a workable dough, make sure you don't add too much that it becomes sticky and unmanageable.  Line up your silicone cupcake moulds and roll balls of mixture which will fill the moulds  Place the balls of mixture into the liners and press down to fill and shape the ball and then peel back the liner from the cupcake and place the cupcakes on a tray ready to be frosted. 

To make the frosting, combine the berries, dates, sea salt and vanilla in the blender and blend until smooth.  Add the coconut oil and process until smooth (if it is clumpy at all, it probably needs to warm up a little, so process until it is not lumpy).  You will be using the frosting right away before it starts to set up.

To frost the cupcakes, spoon the frosting into a piping bag with a star shaped nozzle and pipe from the outer edge inwards toward the middle, finishing off with a quick upwards flick of the piping bag, this makes that peak in the middle of the frosting. Do this to all the cakes then place a blueberry on the top of each frosting peak. Store in the fridge to keep the cake and icing set. Serve and enjoy!!