Fresh Blueberry Pie (Sugar-Free)

Fresh Blueberry Pie

This is a delightful, tasty pie! A lightly baked coconut-almond crust filled with a raw creamy blueberry filling. (Sugar-free, Wheat-free!) Full of antioxidants and healthy fats and nutrients.

If you happen to be following the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan, a small slice topped with stevia sweetened whipped cream would be a great (S) dessert. If you're not familiar with THM check out the web site or book reviews on Amazon or visit their Face Book page. There's a revolution of fluffy Mamas slimming down because of it!

Getting rid of sugar and wheat is something I've not been able to do in the past. Bread has always been my weakness, and though regular sugar has not had a place in my recipes for some time, maple syrup, coconut sugar and sucanat are not what I want to consume right now. Candida is an underlying concern so I'm even watching my fruit consumption. THM has delivered me from unnecessary sugar and wheat in my diet, and from those terrible late afternoon carb cravings! I'll explain more at a later time about what's been going on in my life and kitchen related to THM, but for now, on to this scrumptious recipe . . .

Coconut-Almond Crust

  




Processing the Filling

Oh so good!

Fresh Blueberry Pie (Sugar Free)

by Kathy Reynolds

Cook Time: 10 minutes

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A lightly baked coconut-almond crust filled with a raw creamy blueberry filling.

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond meal or flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut
• 5 Tbs melted butter
• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 Tbs homemade Truvia (1 tsp pure Stevia per 1 cup Erythritol) or Stevia or other, taste to your liking

Blueberry Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup raw cashews (or 1/4 cup cashew butter)
• 1 Tbs almond butter
• 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (separated)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp salt (I like Pink Himalayan)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Stevia to taste (equivalent to 2 or 3 Stevia packets)

Instructions

For Crust:

• Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl. Using your fingertips, pat the mixture into a glass pie plate until you form a pie crust. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool.

For Filling:

• Place one cup of blueberries aside. Put all remaining ingredients into a food processor. Process well, stopping and scraping down batter several times. You should not be able to taste pieces of cashews in the mixture. When desired consistency is reached, mix in the one cup of blueberries that you set aside. Pour this raw filling into your crust. Smooth the top and dot with additional blueberries if desired. Refrigerate. Serve with stevia sweetened whipped cream or coconut cream for the topping.

I love to find new recipes and tweak them to my liking. My inspiration for this recipe came from here: Low Carb Almond Pie Crust  and Raw Blueberry Pie

Chocolate Mint Leaf Pudding

Raw Chocolate Mint Leaf Pudding

sweetened with banana & honey

Today is the first day of summer and the temperature outside is climbing toward 90 degrees.  I'm not tolerating the heat well these days and I feel that I'm in for trouble. We've not turned on the air conditioning yet indoors, but we're going to soon I reckon, regardless of the high cost of keeping cool. 

What is your choice of a refreshing cool drink or a good-for-you snack? Today, I was thinking of something minty to go with a little chocolate—my most favorite food combination ever!

I enjoy watering my few flowers, herbs and small vegetable garden. When I water the chocolate mint plants which have taken over one of my planters, I immediately smell that awesome chocolate minty flavor—you can almost taste it in the air. Pick a leaf and whiff an aroma from heaven . . .

The Chocolate Mint 

in my yard

Adding the leaves to this pudding recipe or in a smoothie adds a refreshing minty flavor. 

Raw Chocolate Mint Leaf Pudding

by Kathy's Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

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Enjoy this "Pudding Perfect" chocolate/mint flavor sensation to cool off this summer.

Ingredients (1-2 servings)

• 1 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1 ripe banana (sliced)
• 1 avocado
• 3 Tbs raw cacao powder
• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 2 Tbs raw local honey
• 10-20 chocolate mint leaves (or any mint leaves)

Instructions

• Add all of the above ingredients to a high-powered blender (like Vita-Mix) and blend well. Pour into dessert dishes and refrigerate several hours before eating if you want it cold and a bit firmer.

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Try juicing mint, or freezing the leaves in ice cubes. Have you  tried it fresh in your herbal tea? It's also a great addition to your dinner salad. Check out more recipes and read more about this plant that is good for much more than tea.

What are the health benefits of fresh mint? Of course it is great for digestion as you'd imagine green leaves to be, and it's calming effect helps with nausea and indigestion. Mint is commonly used in oral health, killing germs and inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth. 

Yummy!

Do you like pretty chocolate candy decorations? 

Martha Stewart tells us how to make these easy 

chocolate dipped mint leaves!

Have you tried this yet? 

How do you use fresh mint in your kitchen?

Linking up with Gluten-Free Cat and Raw Foods Thursdays 
and Intoxicated on Life and Wellness Wednesdays

Raw Strawberry Cream Pie

Raw Strawberries, 
a Nut Crust, and Cashew Cream—
Makes a Perfect Pie! 

Berry season is here and I couldn't be more delighted. We're stocking up, and making room in the freezer too!

I made this raw strawberry treat for my guests on Memorial Day, and they scraped their plates! It's the perfect dessert for a July 4th celebration, summertime entertaining, or a family get-together.

  

The Nut Crust

My pie crust is made with a combination of three different nuts: 

Walnuts
Brazil nuts
Almonds

Line the crust with sliced strawberries

Add the cashew cream center

Raw Strawberry Cream Pie

by Kathy's Kitchen

Keywords: raw dessert gluten-free raw soy-free vegan pie spring summer

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Who doesn't LOVE the deliciousness of raw strawberries 'n' cream?

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups of raw nuts (I used a combination of walnuts, Brazil nuts, and almond flour)
• 1 cup of date paste cut in pieces (or pitted dates)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Cashew Cream Filling:

• 2 cups of raw cashews
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of coconut butter
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (I used slightly less)
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar

Strawberry Topping:

• 2 cups of fresh strawberries
• 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbs of pure maple syrup
• Handful of fresh blueberries (optional)

Instructions

• 1. Combine ingredients for crust in a food processor. Blend well until moist and a little sticky. Press the mixture into a pie plate along the bottom and sides. If you like, you can add a little fine coconut underneath to help keep crust from sticking.
• 2. Cut the washed strawberries into slices and line the crust in a single layer. Set aside the rest.
• 3. Make the cashew cream filling by placing all ingredients into a high-powered blender (like a Vita-Mix), being careful to mix, using the tamper, for short spurts of time. It's very thick! You will need to push down the sides several times. Pour cream mixture into the pie plate and spread evenly. *
• 4. Mix in the lemon juice and maple syrup with the remaining strawberries. Make a pattern along the outward crust with the slices, and then dump the rest into the middle and spread until the top is evenly covered. Dot with blueberries as desired.

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* Pop into the freezer for 20 minutes or refrigerate for one hour before proceeding to step 4 where you add the topping.

Keep refrigerated and enjoy!

Summer is Sweeter 

with Raw Strawberry Pie

Linking up to Gluten -Free Cat and Raw Foods Thursdays

and Real Food Wednesdays with Kelly the Kitchen Kop

and Foodie Friends Friday Sweet Treats Party!

Raw Chocolate Avocado-based Pudding

Get Your Chocolate Fix the Healthy Way—

Raw Chocolate Pudding

I've made avocado-based raw puddings before so I know how tasty (and nutritious) they are! I hadn't made a chocolate version yet, so here's what I came up with today.

This is one healthy treat that I would have loved to make and feed to my boys when they were growing up. Well, now I can treat them when they are here to visit, and meanwhile I can treat myself and Hubby.

Raw Chocolate Pudding

by Kathy's Kitchen, Health, & Nutrition

Prep Time: 10 min

Keywords: raw pudding dessert

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I added in the coconut sugar after the pudding was already made, as it just needed a bit more sweetener. Most of the time I use stevia in smoothies and drinks, but I love the taste of organic raw coconut sugar and I thought this might be a good use for a bit. It was.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 2 medium size ripe avocados
• 1 large ripe banana
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
• 2 Tbsp brown rice syrup
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1-2 Tbsp coconut sugar

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender (like Vita-Mix) and pulse at first. Then blend until very smooth. You many need to stop and stir a few times. Pour into one large or two medium sized dessert cups and refrigerate until cold. Enjoy!

Last year I bought two bags of raw cacao powder before Christmas. I'm still into my first bag so I guess I don't make chocolately things too often. Plus, for a time I was not eating chocolate at all. I missed it! I look on raw cacao a bit differently than other candy bar chocolates or processed cocoa, and I believe in its health benefits. There is a difference between commercial chocolate which has no health benefits and organic dark chocolate, the kind with no added sugar.

Is it just hype, that raw chocolate 

is good for you?  

Do some research and decide for yourself. Eating large amounts of cacao can be detrimental especially if it is not the raw organic kind, and even then I wouldn't overdo it, but certainly the raw version is the healthier choice.

I know of one person who eats chocolate medicinally to help with depression. It works for him. Raw cacao is also high in antioxidant flavanoids, sulfur and magnesium. Its essential fatty acids are believed to help the body to raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol.

According to the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity scale (shown below), raw cocoa powder is tops, even much higher than goji berries and blueberries which we hear about so often. The thing is, you can eat a considerable amount of these berries with no side effects, whereas if you consumed large amounts of chocolate or cocoa you'd expose yourself to the dangers of too much oxalic acid (interferes with calcium absorption), theobromine (affects our nervous system), and of course caffeine. Keep this in mind.

Raw cocoa powder ranks highest of the Top 10 Antioxidant Foods (per 100 grams) 

1) Raw cocoa powder 95,500

2) Raw cacao nibs 62,100

3) Roasted cocoa powder 26,000

4) Organic Goji Berries 25,300

5) Acai Berries 18,500

6) Dark Chocolate 13,120

7) Milk Chocolate 6,740

8) Prunes 5,770

9) Raisins 2,830

10) Blueberries 2,400

Source: US department of Agriculture/Journal of American Chemical Society

References and Related links:

Examining the Properties of Chocolate and Cacao for Health

Nutritional Benefits of Raw Cacao (Raw chocolate) 

Linking up with Wellness Wednesday

Banana Berry Frozen Dessert

 

Banana Berry Frozen Dessert

I know a lot of you reading this have heard of this recipe or have enjoyed it yourself, but it's so GOOD and NATURAL that it's worth repeating until everyone has placed it in their recipe files! (Or have it planted firmly in one's brain.)

This was my yummy treat to myself after a long week of sticking to a new juicing lifestyle change!

I looked forward to making this since yesterday, and several times at work today!

This is an awesome treat for anyone of any age!

 It's super easy to make and only uses these three ingredients:

Frozen Bananas
Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Blueberries

Let your frozen fruit thaw about 30 minutes before using (the time depends on how clumped together and frozen your fruit is). 

The fruit should be slightly thawed and easy to put through your juicer or to blend in a high-powered blender, or in a food processor. I used my Omega juicer with the "blank" attachment (not the one I use for juicing).


Just mix them all together and serve immediately, or place it in a container and freeze for later. (Even the really frozen "icy" version is ice-cream-heavenly, especially if you've been deprived of sugary sweets for awhile.)

To prepare your bananas ahead of time: 
Peel ripe bananas, slice them, and place them in a Zip-Lock bag and freeze.

Variations:
Try using a variety of frozen fruit like peaches, pears, apricots, or raspberries.
Add nuts, carob chips, or cocoa / raw chocolate powder.
Make a plain banana frozen dessert and top it with berries or a homemade chocolate sauce.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Mine is chocolate chip mint! I'll have to make a version of that sometime in the near future. I have some chocolate mint plants growing in the yard and want to experiment some with that.

Happy to be linking up with Wellness Wednesday!

Raw Cranberry-Raisin Scones

Raw Cranberry-Raisin Scones

I offered one to my son at lunch today. "This doesn't look like any scone that I've ever seen before," he commented. And even though he's not a raisin fan, he liked it!

I think these look, and are, delicious, and I like the wholesome nutty-fruity flavor. But, if you are used to baking with white flour and sugar, (or eating regular scones), and you are not used to eating such whole-food goodness, then your taste buds may not be satisfied. My sons used to hear me say something like, "They have a health-food flavor," concerning some of the goodies I'd make.

I've found that when I'm not eating sugary sweets and only eating natural fruits and less-sweet hearty foods, I lose my cravings for those high-carb delights and actually love the simple healthier delights such as these raw Cranberry-Raisin Scones!

These are sweetened with a little brown rice syrup so they don't taste gooey sweet. Eating a wholesome dessert makes me feel good, and I think about all the awesome nutrients I'm getting and their healing effects.  

If you look closely you'll spot some orange specks . . . you know what those are, right? Carrots! They are also made with apples, walnuts, raisins, and of course cranberries. Next time I'm adding even more cranberries and I'd like to try some with blueberries or perhaps a mixture of the two!

This recipe is very similar to one in The Raw Family Newsletter  by Victoria Boutenko.

Mixing it Up

Ingredients:

2 large carrots (cut in pieces)

2 apples (cut up)

2 cups walnuts

1 cup flaxseed (ground)

1.5 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen and thawed)

2 cups organic raisins

5 Tbs. brown rice syrup (or honey)

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)   

In a food processor, process the walnuts until broken into small pieces, then place them in a large mixing bowl. Do the same with the apples, and then the carrots, individually, placing all in the bowl. 

Next, into the bowl, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well. (I ground my whole flaxseed using a Vita-Mix.) 

Ready for the Dehydrator

Arrange big fat spoonfuls of dough in rows on a Teflex dehydrator sheet. Dry at 110 degrees for about 6-8 hours, then remove the Teflex sheet and turn them onto a regular mesh tray and dry for another 6-8 hours or until they meet the desired dryness and consistency. I always do a taste test! This recipe made about 40 scones.

 

Snackin' on Scones 'n' Tea

Raw Cranberry-Raisin Scones—Ready to Eat!

For best results, I keep my cookies and scones refrigerated, or bagged in the freezer. BTW, those are sesame sprinkles on top!

 Linking up with Wellness Wednesdays! 




And linking up with Raw Foods Thursdays!

Popeye's Peachy Green Raw Pudding + MORE Ginger-ly Recipes!

Popeye's Peachy Green Raw Pudding

—with Ginger

I made this a few days ago and it tastes awesome—

What a healthy treat too!

And you thought I was depriving myself, doing this ALL RAW one-week-of-each-month uncooking!  Well, let me tell you . . . I'm not!

Yes, I am drinking juices and eating salads and raw veggie this 'n' that. But eating ALL (or mostly) RAW does take a little extra planning, and I'm not used to thinking too far ahead.

There are recipes to find (the fun part) and making sure I have ingredients on hand, and any prep that needs to be done. Then if you're doing 10 other things during the day like the normal lady in charge of the home and kitchen does, on top of those, you still have to plan the what, when, how and why.

In actuality, the first two days I spent with a dull headache but I managed to stay 100% raw. Days 3 and 4 were a bit harder—I felt good and wanted to eat more, and I didn't plan as well, so I managed about 90-95% raw up through today (day # 6). And at least the cooked foods I ate were healthy foods (sweet potato, rye crackers, sauteed veggies, taco shell) except for the small bag of potato chips I ate when I went to hear Sheriff Richard Mack speak last evening (I was hungry and cold it was a long meeting and I ran out of my healthy snacks and it was either that or a hot dog or hamburger). Not too shabby! 
 

I just may do an extension into week 2 since it's going so well, and ideally, THIS IS HOW I REALLY THINK I SHOULD BE EATING to get the most health benefits for me.

Eating Ginger-ly


My focus today is on GINGER and I'll be sharing some super recipes I've made, and give you some neat links to check out at the end, but right now take a peek at how easy Popeye's Peachy Green Pudding is and enjoy it with your family.

Add the following in order, to your high-speed blender (Vita-Mix) and blend well:

1/2 to 3/4 cup almond milk (or your choice milk)
Stevia to taste (I use about 1/3 of a packet) or other sweetener
1 Tbsp fresh ginger sliced
2 cups cut up, partially-frozen peaches
Big handful of spinach leaves 

 Pour into dessert cups and enjoy!

 Why Do I Want to Eat Ginger?

Adding ginger into my diet makes a lot of sense when I see all the following benefits of ginger and how they apply to me:

• Prevents migraines
• Stimulates and improves digestion
• Relieves nausea
• Neutralizes acid
• Decreases joint inflammation and pain of arthritis and also pain after a work-out
• Potent antioxidant (antibiotic, anti-fungal)
• Decreases flatulence
• Lowers cholesterol and improves cardiac health
• Thins the blood and prevents blood clotting
• Boosts immunity
• May prevent ovarian, prostate cancer, and other cancers
• Helps absorption of nutrients in digestion
• Aphrodisiac effect
• And more!

Did you know?

Ginger  is among the most important plants used in herbal medicine. It has been around a LONG time; the cultivation of ginger goes way back in history and is mentioned in the oldest medical texts from India and China.

Here's another healthy treat I made. Since the recipe only made two dozen cookies, my hubby said to make more!

 Raw Ginger Snap Cookies 

Inspired from this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups of raw almond meal (or flour)
1.5 cups of organic raisins
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp fresh peeled ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbs. maple syrup
2 Tbs. melted coconut oil
Raw coconut sugar to garnish

Place all ingredients into a food processor and mix well until you get a sticky dough to work with. (There were chuncky pieces of raisins still present.)

Form into small balls and press flat onto a dehydrator sheet. Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees for approximately 12 hours until the outside is slightly crisp. Keep refrigerated or frozen.

You may also eat the cookies without dehydrating. Like cooky dough?  

This is YUMMY stuff!

Lined up ready to go!

 Immune Boosting—

Apple-Beet Blend Juice

Put the following ingredients through your juicer:

1 large beet cut and peeled 

2 large carrots

2 apples sliced

2 large celery

Tbs size of raw ginger

2 garlic cloves

Few Tbs. of fresh lemon juice

This is a very good tasting and refreshing drink!

Tropical Fruity-Kale Smoothie

Add these Ingredients to a high-powered blender, adding in 4 large kale leaves separate and last, using the tamper to mix:

1 orange cut and peeled
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
 1 Tbs. fresh ginger
1.5 cups frozen cut strawberries
1 Tbs. coconut butter (optional)

Carrot Ginger Soup 

I had a cream of carrot soup last month at a restaurant and it was so delicious. I think that's why I thought of making this soup. Do a search for "raw carrot ginger soup" and you'll find many similar soups to choose from if you want to try this. 

I liked it OK, but I added in some sauteed onion, garlic and celery, plus I warmed it! (It's been freezing here in Arkansas this week.) It has a base of avocado and is very healthy for you—maybe if I'm sick I'll think of this again.

Stay tuned in and next week I'll fill you in on the rest of my raw diet experience.

How do you like to use ginger? I'd love to hear about it!

More Recipes Using Ginger . . . 

Speaking of being sick, check out this Homemade Ginger Tea!

Here is a great recipe for Red Cabbage and Apple Salad With Ginger Vinaigrette 


Make Raw Vegan Orange Ginger Pad Thai Recipe (Salt Free - Oil Free)

Make Your Own Happy Juice and Tonic 

 Informational Links:

Natural News shares this informative video:  The Amazing Health Benefits of Ginger  

Seven Ways Ginger Can Spice Up Your Health

10 Healing Benefits of Ginger


Linking up with Healthy Habits Tuesday and Wellness Wednesdays

And linking up with Raw Foods Thursdays

and Foodie Friends Friday