Raw Christmas Treats Round-Up

Being a grown-up at Christmas can be tough. Before working full-time and taking on the responsibilities that come with getting married and moving to another state, I would have had about ten Christmas treats baked by now, have eaten at least half of them, watched about eleven Christmas movies, and have tins of goodies on all of my family and friends' doorsteps. As of right now I have watched maybe two Christmas movies, made one batch of chocolate covered crunchy peanut butter balls, and have delivered zero goodies to anyone… It changes THIS week. No more putzing around with to-do lists and piles of laundry and cooking. I'm going to let the house get dirty, wear my least favorite socks and shirts leftover when it's laundry day, and bake some darn cookies. All I want to do is hang out with my husband and get fat on the couch with piles of treats while watching movies with little elves and talking snowmen and forget that I am a responsible 24 year old for a few nights. I want to sit and take way too long to wrap all the special gifts we got our family, fill tins of goodies and stand in line way too long at the post office to mail them without a care in the world. I don't care if I still have to show up to work all day for the next five days, THIS IS STILL HAPPENING PEOPLE. I refuse to let another week go by half-committed to this season. (Deep breath.)

Now that I have that off of my chest, here is a little round-up of the healthy, raw versions of my favorite Christmas treats I made last year for those of you looking to watch your refined sugar intake this season (without compromising flavor, I promise these will not disappoint). 

1. Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

2. Peanut Butter & Brazil Nut Chocolate Fudge

3. Mint Chocolate Pudding

4. Snowball Cookies

5. Triple Layer Mint Fudge Brownies

Raw Black Bottom Pumpkin Pies with Whipped Coconut Cream

I'm currently sitting in my kitchen with my first test batch of cinnamon rolls in the oven (recipe coming soon!) while writing this awesome post on the best pumpkin pie I've ever had. Life is feeling pretty good right about now (and it is smelling AMAZING). Oh and I am eating a salad. Need to offset the weekly treat indulgence with lots of veggies and juicing in between. I promise I don't only eat what I post! It's about balance. And these pies will knock the socks off your taste buds without all the added refined sugars and flours found in your typical treats (cough... like these cinnamon rolls... cough...).

Last year when I made my first raw pumpkin pie I swore I would never eat a baked pumpkin pie again. That was a little bold, but my love for the raw pie still stands. This year I decided to mix it up a little by adding the black bottom. But why stop there? Then came the chocolate crust. Then I made it cuter in a new mini-pie form. Everything tastes better when cute and small. I might be inclined to say I kicked last year's pie in the butt. But I won't say. You'll just have to make both and decide for yourself. 

Notes: In order to make this completely raw you will need to use raw pumpkin instead of the canned, and substitute cashew cream for the whipped coconut cream. 

Yields four 4-inch mini pies. Could substitute one 9-inch tart pan with removable sides, if desired. 

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1 cup of dates

Pinch of pink salt

Dash of cinnamon

1 or 2 tablespoons of water

Pumpkin Filling

1 15oz. can pumpkin puree preferably organic and in a BPA free can

3/4 cup raw agave

1/4 cup whipped coconut cream

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Raw Chocolate

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

1/4 cup coconut oil melted

4 teaspoons raw agave

One batch of whipped coconut cream. 

Begin by making the coconut cream and transferring it to an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

For the crust, remove the seeds from the dates, give them a chop, and soak them in water for at least 10 minutes to hydrate and soften. In the bowl of your food processor, process the almonds and cashews until they resemble a fine meal. Add the cacao powder, salt, and cinnamon. Pulse to incorporate. Add the soaked dates and process until fully incorporated and crumbly. Add only one tablespoon of water and process, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is slightly sticky and binding together. Add any additional water slowly to avoid adding too much, it will make handling the dough very frustrating in the next step (guilty...). Lightly grease four 4-inch springform pans (or tart shells or ramekins) with coconut oil. Divide the crust mixture evenly between the four, and using your fingers, press the dough into the pans and up the sides evenly. Transfer pans to the freezer to chill while you prepare the chocolate.

For the raw chocolate, combine all the ingredients in a small dish and whisk together until all the cacao clumps are gone and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pie pans from the freezer and spoon 3 teaspoons of the raw chocolate into each pie shell, giving it a nice base layer of chocolate. Return to the freezer for the chocolate to set.

For the pumpkin filling, combine the pumpkin, agave, and pumpkin pie spice and whisk vigorously to get rid of any clumps of pumpkin. Fold/stir in the whipped coconut cream last. Remove the pie shells from the freezer (if the chocolate is set, if not then give it a few more minutes). Divide the pumpkin filling evenly between the four dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. 

When ready to serve, run a knife around the outside of the removable shell before unclasping and removing (if using springform ones like mine). Top with whipped coconut cream and a dash of cinnamon (optional). 

Zucchini Bread

I always thought zucchini bread was suppose to taste like zucchini! Until one trip to my local market when I came across their bakery sampling slices of vegan zucchini bread and I ventured to taste it for the first time in my life. I was floored. "This doesn't taste like a vegetable?! It tastes like a moist, sugary, delicious spice cake!" Low and behold, this was the same week our zucchini plant was producing a crazy amount of squash and my lack of creativity in the ways of using zucchini had our freezer overflowing with homemade veggie burgers. Of course, this was a good thing for Scott and I who love our homemade veggie burgers (recipe here). But now our kitchen was filled with the smell of sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves as I baked my first loaf of this newly discovered bread. It was a hit. I continued baking a loaf every week or two until I got the recipe just right to share with you all. See what torture we go through in order to deliver the very best recipes on here? We had to eat fresh veggie burgers night after night, stuff our faces with banana bread waffles every weekend for weeks, eat slice after slice of moist zucchini bread this summer, and don't even get me started on all the chocolate covered crunchy peanut butter balls we had to eat last Christmas in order to bring you the recipe! I know, I know, we suffer. (*eye wink*)

*The additional 1 1/2 cups of water towards the end of the recipe was added due to the use of coconut flour. If you do not use coconut flour and replace it with more oat flour instead - do not add this extra liquid.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour

3/4 cup oat flour

3/4 cup coconut flour or more oat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 1/2 cups raw turbinado sugar or brown sugar

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon almond milk unsweetened

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoons molasses

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water*

2 heaping cups of shredded zucchini

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients in the first list (spelt flour through turbinado sugar). In another medium size mixing bowl, combine the water and ground flax. Stir well and let sit for a moment or two. Then add in the remaining wet ingredients (all but the zucchini). Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Lastly, add the shredded zucchini. Stir well until fully incorporated. 

Pour the batter into a 9x5 inch loaf pan greased with coconut oil. Bake for 1 hour, then check by inserting a sharp knife or skewer into the center. If it does not come out clean, return the loaf to the oven and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Mine took the full hour and fifteen minutes before it was done. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and let fully cool on the counter top. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to 5 days (or store in the refrigerator for about a week).

I love eating a slice warmed in a pan on the stove, and sometimes topped with a spread of Earth Balance butter. Scott loves icing his for desert, or topping a warmed slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Any way, you can't go wrong with this moist and delicious spice bread!

Raw Cacao Coconut Truffles

These delicious little morsels are packed with nutrition. They contain healthy fats, protein, and vitamins from the raw nuts, and the most delicious antioxidant rich superfood, raw cacao. Not to mention delicious coconut and raw agave nectar! Even threw in some raw sweetened cacao nibs for extra sweet chocolatey goodness. These are so healthy you can eat them guiltlessly as a snack in the middle of the day, or save them for a sweet dessert later. 

Ingredients

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup organic unsweetened coconut, shaved/shredded

1/3 cup raw cacao powder

1/3 cup raw cacao nibs (sweetened or unsweetened)

3 tablespoons raw agave nectar (or more if you like 'em super sweet!)

2-3 tablespoons water

Combine the nuts and coconut in a food processor, and process until they resemble a coarse meal. Then add in the raw cacao, and pulse to combine. Next, add the agave and a tablespoon of water. Pulse, scrape down sides, pulse, and repeat until it turns into a sticky glob. Add in the additional tablespoons of water one at a time if needed. 

Using a cookie scoop or spoon, shape the mixture into small balls and roll in additional coconut (if desired). Then place them on a plate and freeze for at least 20-30 minutes. Transfer them to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to eat.  

Raw Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have fallen in love with raw desserts. Healthy, easy, tasty, and no heating of your oven required! This is one of many raw desserts I will post.  All ingredients are mixed in their raw form, only natural sugars are used (no processed/added sugar), and they are chock full of healthy vitamins, proteins, and antioxidants (as found in raw cacao powder/nibs). Here is to taking back dessert and making it nutritious without sacrificing deliciousness!

Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw cashews
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar
1/2 cup raw cacao nibs (or vegan chocolate chips)

Combine almonds and cashews in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until it resembles a course meal. Add in the cinnamon, raisins, and agave nectar. Blend until thick and gooey. It should form a sticky ball. If it is too wet or sticky, try adding some whole wheat flower. And if it is too crumbly, try adding a teaspoon of water at a time. Turn mixture out into a large mixing bowl and add the raw cacao nibs (or vegan chocolate chips). Use your hands to incorporate the chips into the mixture. Then, form the batter into balls (I use a cookie scoop to measure and form them easily), and place them on a plate. Freeze for at least 15 minutes, then flatten the balls with either the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week - but I guarantee they won't last that long!