Raspberry Limeade Cupcakes

Raspberry Limeade Cupcakes~
Yield: 2 dozen

I made these for a girls night, and they were a hit :) These little gems, scream summer! If you like food coloring, than add a few drops of green to the cupcake batter. I'm not a fan of the artificial coloring, since I had read somewhere that the food dye is tested on animals.

Cupcake Batter
1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened hemp milk (really any non-dairy milk will work)
1/2 cup lime juice
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons lime zest chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine non-dairy milk and lime juice in a medium bowl. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to thicken. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Add coconut oil, vanilla extract, and lime zest to the lime juice non-dairy milk mixture, whisking to combine.

3. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture, stirring gently till no longer lumpy and the batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly into lined cupcake pan.

4. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Repeat the process till all of the batter is gone.

5. Allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Raspberry Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup raspberries, pureed
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 Tablespoons vegan margarine
hemp milk to thin

1. Add pureed raspberries, vegetable shortening, vegan margarine and powdered sugar in a bowl. Blend until smooth, adding non-dairy milk to desired consistency.

2. Frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Raw Cashew Vanilla Frosting

Raw Cashew Vanilla Frosting
Soy Free; Gluten Free; Raw; Vegan

This recipe makes 4 cups. So, knowing that there will be leftovers you can double the cupcake recipe or cut this in half. Or, use on a bowl of fresh fruit for a sweet and simple dessert :)

2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup date water (use more or less to achieve desired consistency)
1/3 cup ginger syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
pinch of salt

1. Blend all of the ingredients in a high powered food processor till smooth and creamy. Chill for a 10 minutes to allow to thicken. Frost cupcakes or scoop on fresh fruit .

Raw Pear Walnut Cheesecake

Raw Pear Walnut Cheesecake
Vegan; Raw; Gluten Free; Serves 8

Lately I've been on a ginger kick. From the Ginger Chai cupcakes for my birthday to this, it seems that striking gold with my adult recipes =)

Ingredients

Crust:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup Medjool dates, soaked overnight
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Filling:
3 cups raw unsalted cashews, soaked overnight and drained
1 ripe pear, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup coconut oil, liquidfied
2/3 cup ginger syrup
1/4 cup pear juice (unsweetened)
1 whole vanilla bean pod, split open and vanilla scraped out

Topping:
1 pear coarsely shopped
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tsp. ginger juice


Steps

1. To make the crust, pulse walnuts, dates, and sea salt in a food processor until well combined and crumbly. Press the crust into the bottom of an 8-inch spring form pan.

2. For the filling, combine cashews, pear, coconut oil, ginger syrup, pear juice, and vanilla in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth and well combined. Pour the mixture on top of the crust and spread evenly.

3. To make the topping, add pears, walnuts, and ginger juice in a bowl. Combine until walnuts and pears are coated and pour on top of the 'cheese' layer. Freeze until set, about 3-4 hours.

4. Take the cake out to thaw for about 40-50 minutes before serving. You'll want to cut it when it's still semi-frozen.

Tooth Care~Earth and Animal Friendly

Tooth Care~Earth and Animal Friendly

I haven't posted one of these in a while, so here are some natural tips on keeping your pearly whites sparkling....

Teeth Whitening

1 ripe strawberry
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1. In a cup or glass, mash the strawberry and add the baking soda. Mix.

2. Apply the mixture to your teeth with a toothbrush. Leave on for about 5 minutes.
Brush your teeth with your favorite cruelty-free toothpaste or for a smaller carbon footprint, use the recipe below and rinse.

3. Enjoy your newly white teeth. Now that's something worth smiling about!

Tooth Paste

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Vegan; Makes 24 cupcakes

Bruce and I went to a potluck last night, and I brought these. Since it was a friends birthday, and I said I'd make the birthday cake. These little gems were such a hit, so I was told I needed to share the recipe. I adapted this recipe in San Antonio from 2 different recipes. Living in Colorado I got 2 dozen vs. the 3 dozen I got in SA. Also, in SA I could use baking powder and baking soda. Here I have to omit the baking powder and use the same amount of baking soda, without adding more.... So, one never knows until you make a mistake through trial and error....

To make the cake:

2 cups plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 cup coconut oil, liquidfied
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 oz. carrot baby food (I use carrot, apple and parsnips from a squeeze out tube)
1 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. vanilla extract
egg replacer equavilent to 3 eggs
3 cups coarsely grated carrots (can be shredded in food processor), from about 2 carrots
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 1/2 cups ground walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

2. To make Carrot Cake: Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice and cardamom. Beat oil, both sugars, baby food, ginger, and vanilla extract until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add egg replacer, beating after. Add flour mixture in two additions. Add carrots, pineapple, raisins and nuts; beat just until blended. Divide batter in cupcake liners and bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool on baking racks and cool completely.

See Recipe in Blog for Frosting and top with toasted coconut or walnuts....

Vegan Zucchini Lemon Cupcakes

Vegan Zucchini Lemon Cupcakes
Makes 16 cupcakes

I made these for Bruce's birthday (which had passed). It's been a busy month, again, not an excuse! However, what Bruce does like, is how it turns into a celebration through the month, and not just one day. I had to adapt this recipe (original came from Fragrant Vanilla Cake) since it called for ingredients that I don't have and one that I had never heard of. I'm including the frosting recipe, but Bruce liked having the lemon curd on and in the cupcake.

Cake:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup pastry flour
2/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup grated green zucchini skin
1 cup pureed zucchini
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquidfied
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Curd Filling:

1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp agave nectar
1/4 cup cornstarch
pinch of sea salt
2 Tbsp plain coconut yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut oil, liquidfied

Frosting:

3 8 oz pkgs non-dairy cream cheese
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
a pinch of sea salt


1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line cupcake or muffin pan with parchment cupcake liners. Whisk flour, baking soda, and sea salt together in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk oil, syrup, juice and zest, coconut milk, vanilla extract, zucchini, and pecans together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely in pan on rack for about an hour.

2. To make the filling, combine agave nectar, cornstarch, and sea salt in a medium pot, and whisk until combined. Add the juice, zest, coconut oil, coconut yogurt, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium high heat whisking constantly until thickened to a curd or pudding like consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let chill in the fridge until very cold, at least an hour.

3. To make frosting, whip cream cheese until smooth, then add agave nectar, vanilla, and sea salt and beat until smooth.
To assemble cupcakes, take an apple corer and remove the middle of each cupcake. Fill cupcake hole with lemon curd, and allow to set for about an hour before frosting. Frost with cream cheese frosting and top with either toasted coconut shreds or toasted pecans.

Raw Pistachio Macaroons

Raw Pistachio Macaroons
Gluten Free; Raw; Makes 50

I made these for a potluck over the weekend, and everyone LOVED these. So much that I had a lot of requests for it, so I hope you enjoy! These are super easy and great for potlucks or just to impress your friends. Hope you enjoy!

3 cups raw pistachios
3 tablespoons coconut flakes (plus extra for garnish)
2/3 cup melted coconut oil
2/3 cup agave
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Clean the pistachios from their outer shell, in a food processor blend them into flour.

2. Mix everything in a big bowl using a spatula. In a shallow bowl, place the extra coconut flakes (about 1/2 cup). Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in the extra coconut flakes, put in the fridge for 24 hours.

3. Serve garnished with coconut flakes and fresh fruits.

Raw Blueberry Cheesecake

Raw Blueberry Cheesecake
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Yield: Makes 12-16 Servings

Crust Ingredients:
1 Cup Almonds
1 Cup Pre-Soaked Dates
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
Zest of 1/2 a Lemon
pinch of sea salt

Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:
2 1/3 Cups Pre-Soaked Cashews
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, liquidfied
1/2 Cup Agave Nectar, or Maple Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon (about 1/4 cup)

Blueberry Topping Ingredients:
1 Cup Blueberries
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Pre-soak cashews and dates separately overnight.

2. In a food processor, combine dates, almonds, shredded coconut and lemon zest. Press into a springform pan.

3. Combine filling ingredients in a food processor, blend until smooth. Pour filling on top of crust and spread out until smooth. Cover with foil and freeze overnight. The freezing process will re-harden the coconut oil and set up the cake. After it is frozen you can refrigerate and it will be ready to serve after about one hour. Even though you have to freeze this cake to set it up, it is not a frozen cake… once refrigerated, it takes on an extremely similar texture to a regular old cheesecake.

4. Topping: Combine berries, extract and sugar in a small bowl. Place on a slightly frozen cheesecake and let set for a few hours. Serve and Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Almost-Raw Cheesecake

Pumpkin Spice Almost-Raw Cheesecake
Vegan, Gluten Free, Almost Raw

Getting back from vacation, I was able to finally get to the pumpkins that I thought were going to go bad. Ending up having almost 8 cups of pureed pumpkin, I'll be posting the next few recipes calling for pumpkin. I took this to a potluck on Sunday, and didn't even get a slice since it went SO fast! Adapted from Addicted to Veggies.

Crust:

1 cup Walnuts
1 cup Dates
1 pinch of salt

Filling:

1 cup Cashews (I soaked overnight)
1 cup Macadamia nuts (I soaked overnight)
2 cups fresh/raw pureed Pumpkin Flesh
1/2 cup Coconut Sugar plus 3 heaping Tbsp
1/4 cup Coconut Oil- liquefied
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground Allspice
1/2 tsp ground Cloves
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
2 pinches Salt

1. Combine walnuts, dates and a pinch of sea salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Press mixture very compactly into the bottom of a spring-form pan. I used the back of a spoon and my thumb to press the crust down, and it worked perfectly.

2. Take all filling ingredients and blend in food processor until smooth. Just let it go for a few minutes…. the texture should be nice and creamy. (I had to add a little bit of water, so I didn't burn out my food processor motor.)

3. Pour filling on top of crust and spread out until smooth. Cover with foil and freeze overnight. The freezing process will re-harden the coconut oil and set up the cake. After it is frozen you can refrigerate and it will be ready to serve after about one hour. Even though you have to freeze this cake to set it up, it is not a frozen cake… once refrigerated, it takes on an extremely similar texture to a regular old cheesecake.

Cardamon Oatmeal Fig Cookie

Cardamon Oatmeal Fig Cookie
yields about 16 cookies

By replacing the cinnamon and raisins, and using figs and cardamon you find yourself with spicy and earthy flavors in your mouth! Finding this recipe was a blessing, since I had figs in the fridge that were going to turn at any moment. Bruce loved these and in fact, I offered one to my boss and he liked it! My boss is the "we have to eat meat" kind of guy, so there you go.....

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
2/3 cup gluten-free flour mix, such as Bob’s Red Mill (or all-purpose flour)
1 1/2 tsp egg replacer
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 T coconut oil, melted
2 T unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup fresh figs, stems trimmed and chopped into chunks (use at least one cup)


1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, egg replacer, baking soda, salt, cloves, cardamom and oats together until thoroughly combined.

2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the brown rice and maple syrups with the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together. Fold in the fig segments. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

3. Once the cookie dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheets, keeping in mind that these cookies will spread out (so don’t crowd them together).
Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cookies have firmed and are golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Found: Keepin' It Kind

Vegan Key Lime Pie

Vegan Key Lime Pie
45 minutes

I made this for a potluck on Sunday, and I didn't even get to make it out of the house before all but 2 slices were gone. Rave reviews from the entire party, so I know this is a hit! Super Easy, I had it assembled in about 30 minutes and froze it for about 8 hours with about a 30 minute commute in between. In a perfect world maybe freezing over night would work, but when your short on time, this still makes a spectacular presentation!

Ingredients:

Crust
1 cup almonds
1 cup dried Medjool dates
pinch of sea salt

Filling
3 1/2 cups raw cashews -soaked over night
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup agave
1 cup organic, unrefined coconut oil- liquefied (see below)
1/2 cup water
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
for extra lime flavor, I added about a 1/4 lime zest (optional)

Directions:

To melt coconut oil, if solid:

Measure out 1 cup of solid coconut oil and place in shallow bowl of warm water. As it softens, stir. Replace the water in the shallow bowl with fresh warm water and repeat until all is melted. I only needed to have the oil sit in the water for about 10-15 minutes to make it reach a fully liquid state.

To make crust:

Blend almonds, dates and a pinch of sea salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Press mixture very compactly into the bottom of a spring-form pan. I used the back of a spoon and my thumb to press the crust down, and it worked perfectly.

To make filling:

Take all filling ingredients and blend in food processor until smooth. Just let it go for a few minutes…. the texture should be nice and creamy.

To assemble:

Pour filling on top of crust and spread out until smooth. Cover with foil and freeze overnight. The freezing process will re-harden the coconut oil and set up the cake. After it is frozen you can refrigerate and it will be ready to serve after about one hour. Even though you have to freeze this cake to set it up, it is not a frozen cake… once refrigerated, it takes on an extremely similar texture to a regular old cheesecake.

Found and inspired by Manifest Vegan and a fellow Pinterest.

Frozen Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake

Frozen Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake
Vegan; Raw; Gluten Free; Serves 8

I made this for Grants birthday. Super easy to make, your food processor will be used a lot. Grant liked it, however depending on where you live-the cake to be more like a ice cream cake may stay more frozen then thawed.... I took it out an hour before, but it was still more frozen-still very yummy! Bruce loved it, too! I garnished it with strawberries covered in vanilla coconut yogurt and then frozen.

Ingredients

Crust:
1 cup(s) almonds
1 cup(s) Medjool dates
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Filling:
3 cup(s) raw unsalted cashews, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup(s) strawberries
2/3 cup(s) coconut oil
2/3 cup(s) agave
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup(s) strawberries
1 tbsp. agave
1/4 cup(s) orange juice

Steps

1. To make the crust, pulse almonds, dates, and sea salt in a food processor until well combined and crumbly. Press the crust into the bottom of an 8-inch spring form pan.

2. For the filling, combine cashews, strawberries, coconut oil, agave, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth and well combined. Pour the mixture on top of the crust and spread evenly.

3. To make the topping, add strawberries, agave, and orange juice to blender. Blend until smooth and pour on top of the 'cheese' layer. Freeze overnight.

4. Take the cake out to thaw for about 40-50 minutes before serving. You'll want to cut it when it's still semi-frozen.

Found from a reader of The Kind Life