Month: May 2016

Chef AJ’s Brawnies

If you love fudgy chocolate, this is the dessert for you!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups walnuts
  • 2 cups pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp alcohol-free vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. In a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, process walnuts into a powder. Do not over process into a nut butter.
  2. Add the cocoa or carob powder and process again.
  3. Add the dates until a ball forms.
  4. Then add the vanilla and briefly process again.
  5. Place in an 8”X8” square pan and freeze until firm.

Chef’s Note: You can use any raw nut or seed (or combination) instead of the walnuts.

 

We keep these stored in the freezer, no thawing before eating necessary!

Enjoy 🙂

Raspberry Lemon Chia Pudding

Want a healthy, sweet treat? Try this tasty fruit filled chia pudding.

This recipe was found on Esther’s Kitchen FB page by Esther’s Executive Chef Deb Gleason.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup plant milk (rice, almond, soy, etc.)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 4 large Medjool dates
  • 5 Tablespoons chia seeds

 Directions:

  1. Blend everything except for the chia seeds in a blender or food processor (I used my Vitamix) until smooth.
  2. Pour into a bowl, stir in the chia seeds and allow to sit overnight or at least 4 hours in the fridge.

Enjoy 🙂

Moroccan Sweet Potato & Lentil Stew

We have been loving this stew! We took it to a potluck and it got so many compliments. We always double the recipe as it gets eaten so quickly. The recipe is made for the Instant Pot but if you don’t have a pressure cooker, we have included stove top directions below.

This recipe is adapted from this Instant Pot recipe. The recipe below is doubled from the original recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lg onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • Moroccan spice blend (below)
  • 2 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
  • 4 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalk celery, chopped
  • 2 cups green or brown lentils
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • Diced greens (optional)

Moroccan Spice Blend Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 4 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • Pinch cloves
  • Pinch chili flakes

Instant Pot Directions:

  1. Sauté onions for 2-3 minutes in Instant Pot, adding broth or water in small amounts as needed so they don’t stick.
  2. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Add 1/2 of the spices, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, and raisins. Cook for another minute or two.
  4. Stir in lentils and broth. Cover and set for manual, 10 minutes pressure. When done, allow pressure to come down naturally.
  5. Once pressure is released, take off lid and stir in tomatoes and the other half of the spices. Then stir in greens.
  6. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Stove Top Directions:

  1. Sauté onions for 2-3 minutes in vegetable broth or water, adding more broth or water in small amounts as needed so they don’t stick.
  2. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Add 1/2 of the spices, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, and raisins. Cook for another minute or two.
  4. Stir in lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 40 to 45 minutes until the sweet potatoes and lentils are tender.
  5. Stir in tomatoes and the other half of the spices and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
  6. Stir in greens and serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Enjoy 🙂