Archives for posts with tag: coconut

I’ve been having fun creating superfood recipes lately, and this one was inspired by a box of ripe mangoes and a dinner party invite. Almonds, coconut, lucuma, honey, mango, banana, macadamias, vanilla – this cake is more chock-full of nutrients than most people’s meals. Protein and mineral rich almonds, immune-system and weight-balancing coconut, vitamin-C packed lucuma and mango, enzyme-rich raw honey, and much more.

All that goodness and three delicious, complex textures and flavors to tantalize the taste buds to boot! The bottom layer is a dense, cakey coconut lucuma extravaganza, topped with smooth mango puree swirled with a beautiful coconut macadamia vanilla creme. This is why raw desserts are amazing. Every bite is packed with yumminess and vitality.

Coconut Lucuma Cake with Mango and Coconut Vanilla Crème Swirl

Cake Layer:
1 cup almonds, ground to powder
1 cup dried coconut, ground to powder
½ cup lucuma powder
6 dried apricots
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp water

Mango Puree:
4 cups fresh diced mango (2 large)
2 dried bananas
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Coconut Vanilla Crème:
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup Thai young coconut meat (1 large)
½-1 cup young coconut water or plain water
1 vanilla bean
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Method:

Grind the almonds to a powder in a coffee grinder or high powered blender. Set aside. Grind dried coconut to a powder using the same method. Combine the almond, coconut and lucuma powders in a food processor and add apricots, honey, coconut oil and water as needed. Whir until combined. Press into a springform cake pan and place in the refrigerator.

Combine mango, dried bananas and coconut oil in food processor or high powered blender and whir until completely smooth. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Rinse your food processor or blender, then combine coconut vanilla creme ingredients and whir until smooth. Add more coconut water or water as needed to achieve a very smooth, creamy consistency.

Spread the mango puree over the cake layer. Then make little wells and add the creme a little bit at a time until it is well distributed. Using a chopstick, swirl the mango and creme together. Place the entire cake in the freezer to set for about an hour, then remove to the refrigerator. Serve chilled and eat within 4 days.

Just in case my oreo pie recipe didn’t clue you in, I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret. I love oreos. In my pre-raw days, I used to indulge in a box of these seemingly innocent little biscuits more often than I’d like to admit. I say seemingly innocent because in advertisements, they are always being eaten by sweet little children, joyfully dunking their sandwich cookies in tall glasses of creamy milk.

Now I know that the biscuits are made of white flour and a dozen other nasty ingredients that I’m not keen to ingest, and I don’t even want to contemplate how they make that cream. But the flavor and texture combination is just so good! Hence, my desire to recreate the oreo experience in a healthy, natural form. Or shall I say forms. Because an oreo pie is great for a special occasion, but it’s not something I’m going to whip up for my inner child for an after school (or work) snack.

And so, the oreo milkshake was born. It can be made in under 15 minutes – perfect for an indulgent afternoon snack. The hardest part is opening the young coconut, but once you’ve done it a few times it will only take you a few minutes. If you want to try this recipe and it’s your first coconut, I suggest reading up on how to open a young coconut.

Furthermore, this delicious milkshake is full of nutritional goodness and will leave you positively bursting with energy. Coconut water is among the most hydrating substances on earth, so it will really give your body a boost that you will feel instantly. Raw cacao is full of antioxidants, magnesium, and natural mood elevators (think dopamine, seratonin, anandamine, phenylethylamine, and MAO inhibitors). Yes, there’s a reason human beings love eating chocolate: it makes us feel bliss and well-being. I eat it at least once a day, but in its natural, more potent and less adulterated form. The milkshake also contains vanilla bean, which is also associated with feelings of well-being, gogi berries which are high in antioxidants, agave nectar which contains many trace minerals and is a low-GI sweetener, and coconut oil, a great healing oil that is good for the skin and associated with weight loss. Talk about a super snack!

Oreo cookies and a glass of milk have nothing on this milkshake.

Oreo Milkshake
(serves 2)
1 young coconut
1/2 vanilla bean
2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp gogi berries
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 Tbsp agave nectar, or to taste

Open the coconut and pour the liquid into a powerful blender. Scrape the soft coconut flesh out with a spoon and add to the blender. Add the 1/2 vanilla bean, cacao powder, gogi berries, coconut oil and agave nectar. Blend on high until all the ingredients are fully combined.

Garnish with dried shredded coconut and cacao nibs, if desired. Drink, enjoy, and feel the energy!

This is one of my first original raw dessert recipes, and it’s intense.  A dark, bittersweet base reminescent of an oreo cookie crust is topped with a vanilla cream filling and drizzled with dark chocolate. How amazing that such a decadent treat is actually full of nutrition!  Chocolatey, creamy, dark and dreamy…

NOreo CheeZeCake

Crust
3/4 cup carob powder
1 cup brazil nuts
1/2 cup dates
4 Tbsp coconut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 vanilla pod
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp himalayan salt

Process all the crust ingredients together in food processor; the nuts will get crumbly and the mixture become sticky (like a pie crust…). When it just begins to come together, press into a springform cake pan and refrigerate while you’re making the:

Creamy Cheezy Vanilla Goodness
1 1/4 cup cashews
3/4 cup almonds
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup coconut milk*
1 tsp vanilla extract

Grind the almonds and cashews to a fine powder/paste in a food processor or powerful blender.  Add agave, coconut oil, coconut milk, and vanilla, and whir until really smooth. Spread over crust using a rubber spatula.

*Make coconut milk by blending the flesh of a young coconut with its own liquid.  Or just throw both the flesh and liquid into the blender with the other ingredients!

Chocolate topping
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp water
1 tsp agave nectar

Mix all ingredients and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cream in desired pattern (I wanted to do marbling, but ended up with something a little more Jackson Pollack).

Pop the entire cake in the freezer until firm. Dig in – no guilt allowed!