Peanut and Sesame Tofu and Zoodles

Zoodles can make you not miss pasta at all.

My budget summer continues with a yummy bowl of peanut butter sauced spiraled zucchini and tofu. At Kroger, I bought two beautiful zucchini squashes for $1.59. Their two ingredient peanut butter (roasted peanuts and salt) is $1.79 throughout August (plus I loaded a 30 cent off coupon onto my frequent buyer card) and extra firm tofu is on sale for $1.59.
I'm obsessed with peanut butter-- sweet or savory. Nothing matters. If peanut butter is involved, my taste buds are all for it-- well, all-vegan of course. I prefer the crunchy over the creamy, but my childhood was the exact opposite. For some reason, I hated the texture, especially picking the random peanuts off my tongue.
Peanut and Sesame Tofu Zoodles is definitely for those needing an extraordinary salad. It is best served at room temperature. Yet I'm sure this would be amazing pan fried as well.

Peanut and Sesame Tofu and Zoodles Ingredients and Preparation

1 zucchini, rinsed and spiraled
1 cup chopped tofu
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Toss all ingredients together until evenly distributed.
Serve either cool or warm.

These dynamite, flavor packed zoodles will make you not mourn the loss of pasta.

Vegan Mofo Post #20: Mint Chickpea & Spiraled Veggie Salad

Nothing more engaging than a colorful medley of veggies and chickpeas. 

Spirals and spirals and spirals. I broke out the old Vegetti tool on fresh, organic zucchini. With carrots being tougher (maybe I should get a machine?), I fortunately found a large container of pre-spiraled carrots for $3. I came to Iovine Brothers Produce in Reading Terminal Market to pick up mint and lemons. The carrots were an unexpected surprise. So yes, I cheated.
With my light tahini dressing and pumpkin seeds, this lovely artist's eye salad has a lot of delicious flavors to chew on. It's rarely a dull moment.

Mint Chickpea & Spiraled Veggie Salad Ingredients and Preparation

1 15 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 zucchini spiraled
1 large carrot, spiraled
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
a sprig of mint, chopped
edible flowers, for garnish

Combine chickpeas, zucchini, carrots, and pumpkin seeds.
Mix together tahini, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, turmeric, and black pepper.
Add dressing to chickpeas, veggies, and pumpkin seeds. Mix well.

These edible flowers from Iovine Brother's Produce in the Reading Terminal are better than most. 

A work of art.

Vegan Mofo Post #11: Cacao & Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates

Who needs candy bars when dates provide irresistible ooey gooey goodness?

It's National Dessert Day and a fine time to share a four ingredient sweet and salty snack.

Dates are a sweet, divine decadence that one can split open and shove anything inside. Or eat plainly.

Recently, on a trip to the new Burlington Coat Factory downtown, I bought a package of Food Empowerment Project recommended Essential Living Foods Cacao Powder, a steal at $3.99, another birthday present to myself.

Stuffing dates should also be a mandatory weekend escape. There are many, many ways to craft-- nutty butters, chocolate and coconut oil, or pumpkin nougat (later). With raw crunchy salted peanut butter, a generous sprinkle of fair trade bliss, and a bit of cinnamon spice, this little treat in the afternoon feels so special and nice.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates Ingredients and Preparation

8 dates

2 tablespoon Trader Joe's Chunky Peanut Butter

1 teaspoon cacao powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Open up the dates and pit if needed.

Spoon in the peanut butter.

Sprinkle with cacao powder and cinnamon.

Not exactly a glamour shot, but these were good!

Close up shot. As scrumptious as candy.

Raw Date Syrup

Add sweetness to pancakes, smoothies, and such with yummy date syrup.

Happy August! Let the school countdown begin. I cannot be the only one excited. Haha. (smiling big)
For now it's the final Daytonian First Friday for me. Psyched about seeing great art and sampling fruit. I Never stop sampling free fruit. One of my favorite dried fruits is a medjool date. It's especially addicting whenever stuffed with Peanut Butter & Company's amazing award-winning Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter and raw walnuts. Okay, I may have been stretching the award-winning peanut butter just a bit but everyone and their mamas know that Dark Chocolate Dreams is the best chocoholic pb lover's treat.
With medjool dates, possibilities are endless.
Thanks to Oh, Ladycakes and sticky, dried fruit goodness, we have a rich, caramel like syrup that is thick and oozing sweet. One could simply mix soaked dates and water- voila! Instant dripping sap. Additions like lemon juice, vanilla bean, and even coriander (which I used here) can bring extra flavor flare to this great simple syrup! Cannot wait for the weekend. Stacked "buttery" pancakes galore.

Raw Date Syrup Ingredients and Preparation

9 medjool dates
1 1/4 cup water
pinch of ground coriander (optional)

Soak dates for 30 minutes to an hour. Or overnight if preferred.

Drain. Place into blender with water and optional coriander. Puree well.

Pour into a jar that can be sealed tight. I used one of my old coconut oil jars.

Place into refrigerator. It keeps yum up to 2 weeks.

Vegan Raw Berry Almond Pudding And Oat Parfait

Oooh la la! Magnifique!

I discovered five recipes in the draft section and wondered why this didn't quite get finished. Perhaps it's due to shameless procrastination or that silly thought that I created something so wonderful that it must remain my own secret recipe to be buried alongside me.
But alas, it has to be shared.
This almond pudding has steps similar to making homemade almond milk, but instead of using a sieve or strainer to take away the floating almond particles, I put it all to good use, blending it until smooth and pairing it with banana and berries. There will be graininess and slight crunchy texture in each spoonful, but can you expect any less from an almond?
Layered with fiber filled oats and topped with extra fruit it is the kind of breakfast parfait filled that will positively jumpstart your morning mood for yoga, a morning jog, or even work!

Raw Berry Almond Pudding And Oat Parfait Ingredients and Preparartion

1 1/2 cup almonds, soaked 6 hours (or overnight)
1 banana, ripened
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blueberries
juice and zest from one lime
3 teaspoon agave nectar (or 2 pitted dates)
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup rolled oats 

In a blender, puree almonds in some of the water (about a 1/3 cup or so).
Add banana, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, lime juice and zest, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Puree again.
Pour half into desired glass, add 1/4 cup of rolled oats, almond mixture, oats, and last bit of almond mixture!
Embellish with extra fruit.

A very perfect breakfast treat!

All fruit, almonds, & oats bliss.

Vegan Raw Walnut Taco Salad With Avocado Cashew Cream

The most amazing salad ever!

Yesterday's International Raw Vegan Day also included more than blended smoothies. For dinner came about an enticing, quite fulfilling meal that combines fresh, crunchy colorful veggies, rich, fibrous black beans, and "beefy" walnut meat surrounded in a "cheesy" smooth avocado cashew cream sauce that is finger licking incredible.
Who needs to cook when you can easily prepare a savory dish as yummy and simple as this?

Vegan Raw Walnut Taco Salad Ingredients and Preparation

2 cup spinach
2 cup black beans, rinsed
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
4 miniature bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon garlic

Walnut Meat

1 1/2 cup raw walnuts
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 tablespoon Liquid Braggs
pinch of paprika

Slightly grind walnuts and blend with remaining ingredients.

Avocado Cashew Cream

1 cup cashews, soaked (use some of the water)
1 avocado
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Combine all ingredients into a blender until reaching desired consistency.

Toss veggies and black beans together.

Add walnut meat & toss again.

Stir in avocado cashew cream and serve.

Happy International Raw Vegan Day Pumpkin and Spinach Pie Smoothie

Thick, creamy, & amazing that it must be eaten with a spoon.

Happy International Raw Vegan Day!
I'm challenging myself to eat and drink all things uncooked and unprocessed today; including having cashews on soaked mode for Raw Walnut Taco Salad for dinner (very excited!) and fresh fruit for snacking.
For breakfast is this yummy green smoothie. Sure it looks a bit slimy and gross, but it has spinach, pumpkin, oats, and frozen bananas- great ingredients right! Easy to make and a terrific start to the day- makes your belly fill full for quite a long while!

Vegan Pumpkin and Spinach Pie Smoothie

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups spinach
1/2 cup water
2 frozen bananas
4 dates, soaked
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Just blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Drink up!

Raw Crustless Beet & Avocado "Cheesecake"

My first successful raw "cheesecake" was worth the hours of preparation.

I have been working on raw "cheesecake" for a while now and kept using Trader Joe's Roasted Cashews. But after hours of soaking, they never quite captured smooth, desired consistency. Alas, I found their Raw Cashews and voila- achieved creaminess!
Yes, it takes me a moment to catch on, but I got it!
Beets and avocados seemed natural choice- all unorthodox and unique a pairing.
The cake originally did have a crust. It just didn't hold together properly.
There's no need to mourn loss. This yummy "cheesecake" definitely tastes wonderful- the avocado lime a perfect bottom of firmer stout and vivacious flavor. Its creamy richness is especially telling that it would make for a divine alone cheesecake. The beet portion was satisfying and greatly inspired by Vanilla & Spice's Raw Beet Cheesecake which contained adorable candied beet hearts adorning the top of her beautiful creation.

Raw Crustless Beet & Avocado "Cheesecake" Ingredients and Preparation

Beet Part

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
1 beet, pureed
2 tablespoon agave nectar
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend cashews with some of the water its been soaked in and once smooth blend beet puree.
Add agave nectar, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Pour this mixture into a desired mold. (I used an 8' inch plastic bowl)

Avocado Part

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
1 ripened avocado
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
juice and zest from one lime
1 teaspoon vanilla

Swirl avocado portion on top of beet & cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for four hours. Carefully scrap sides with a knife & gently turn bowl around onto a plate to release "cheesecake."

Raw jagged heart shaped beet slices & lime slice garnish the top.

Place back into the freezer for 10 minutes.

Thaw for about 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Very delicious! Personally quite enjoy the avocado section the best!