Cookies on Our First Hallowe'en

This Halloween is not only the first one that Paloma can understand as a holiday, but, in a way, the first one for me. Although I've been living in the U.S. for twelve years, not having a young child and growing up without this tradition left me somehow indifferent to all the festivities. This year, everything's changed.

Paloma is in daycare now, and is very curios about all the Halloween decorations and pumpkins that they've acquired. It's funny how having a little kid can bring back the long gone excitement of the holidays.

I loved the challenge of making these raw cookies, playing with the shapes and colours. As for the flavours, I wanted to evoke true autumn tastes like pumpkin spice, carrot cake, nutmeg and clove, as well as include some new additions like matcha, mango, and black sesame. I was thrilled when everyone who tried the cookies loved the result.

This was a chance for me to experiment with sprouted oat flour, which I've been meaning to do for a while. I started with making a basic dry mix, and then added different ingredients for various cookie flavours.

Matcha powder (green tea powder) is another ingredient that I just started using. It's been getting lots of great publicity, as I always see tempting matcha recipes on food blogs and in magazines. Delicious!
The multi-coloured oak leaves are also edible. Made of fresh coconut meat, flax seeds, and various fruits and vegetables - the recipe is coming soon!

These are quite nutritious and work well as breakfast cookies. Paloma was thrilled to have one for breakfast along with the usual green smoothie.

I came up with three types of frosting - chocolate, caramel, and coconut butter. Some cookies were simply glazed, and some - layered similarly to Oreos.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Basic Mix
2 cups almond flour
2 cups sprouted oat flour
1/2 cup ground rolled oats
1 cup maple syrup powder
pinch of salt

Pumpkin Cookies
2 cups basic mix
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup freeze dried carrots - ground
1/2 cup date paste
3/4 cup carrot puree (2 carrots, 1/2 cup freshly squeezed carrot juice, 1/2" piece fresh ginger root - all pureed in a high speed blender)
1/2 cup carrot pulp left from making carrot juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon each clove

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Matcha Cookies
1 cup basic mix
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup date paste
1/2 tablespoon matcha powder

Mango Cookies
1 cup basic mix
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup date paste
1/2 cup mango puree (dried mango slices soaked in water for 2 hours, drained, and blend with water reserved from soaking)

Chocolate Cookies
1 cup basic mix
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1 tablespoon raw chocolate

1 tablespoon carob powder
1/4 cup date paste

Black Sesame Cookies
1 cup sprouted oat flour
1/4 cup maple syrup powder
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup date paste
4 tablespoons coarsely ground black sesame seeds

Frosting
raw chocolate
caramel (in the raw chocolate recipe, substitute raw cocoa powder with lucuma powder and leave out mesquite powder)
coconut butter

The cookies can be shaped into simple squares or circles. Shaping them in figure molds takes some more time, but makes for a pretty result. If one of the mixes turns out too sticky and not firm enough, rolling it between a Teflex sheet and a sheet of parchment paper and drying a little in the dehydrator should ease the cutting/shaping process. Once the cookies are shaped, dehydrate them at 115F until they are dry on the outside and slightly moist and chewy on the inside.

Portobello Mushroom and Curried Spinach Quiche

This dish combines our love for Indian spices, mushrooms, and a quiche. This was my first attempt at working with Irish moss, partly in an effort to avoid using cashews as a filler. Besides being incredibly nutritious, Irish moss works miraculously as a natural thickener. I'm always looking for a lighter alternative to nuts, and this proved to be a great one.

For this recipe, you might end up with some extra filling, which is still very good by itself, with a green salad or crackers. Knowing my family's appetite, I made a double portion of the crust "dough", and used it for a variety of tart sizes, making individual ones for Paloma. She now eats entirely on her own and enjoys being in charge of her meals, not letting anyone interfere with her spoon. Having a quiche all to herself made her one happy girl, and there may have been a few second helpings involved.

As predicted, I didn't regret making the extra quiches, as all of them were gone in no time.

The quiche is particularly good when combined with a simple watercress and pea salad, my newfound culinary delight. I've tried watercress many times before, and always believed it to be too strong and tangy for me to enjoy. Well, I've recently realized that that's not always the case. If you try it in a right combination of flavours that balance the tang just right, it's quite refreshing and delicious.

We've been enjoying milder weather, which is always exciting after months of lazy summer heat. Consequently, our farmers market has opened for a new season, and the lengthy wait for the freshest local produce is over. We're happy.

Enjoy your weekend!

Portobello Mushroom and Curried Spinach Quiche

Crust

(adapted from Living Raw Food)
1 1/4 cups almonds - soaked overnight
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 cup ground golden flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-2 tablespoons purified water
1 tablespoon Garam masala

1 tablespoon Chunky Chat masala

Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar
1 tablespoon green curry paste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Filling
3 large Portobello mushrooms - sliced
5 ounces baby spinach
1/4 large yellow onion - sliced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
3/4 cup fresh coconut meat
little more than 1/4 cup coconut water
1 handful cilantro
1/4 cup Irish moss - soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes
2 teaspoons green curry paste
1 teaspoon raw agave nectar
sea salt to taste

Mix all the crust ingredients in a food processor until smooth, adding more water if needed. Press the dough into a 9 inch tart shell with a removable bottom, or 3 to 4 miniature tart shells with removable bottoms. Distribute the dough evenly against the sides and bottom of the shell. Place the tart shell(s) in the dehydrator for 4-5 hours. Gently remove the shell from the mold, and put it back onto a screen-lined dehydrator tray. Dehydrate for another 8-10 hours until completely dry and crispy. Store refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Whisk all the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl, set aside.

In a large bowl mix together mushrooms, spinach, onions, and the majority of the marinade, reserving a small amount for later. Make sure to thoroughly mix the marinade with the vegetables, use your hands. Spread the mixture onto Teflex-lined dehydrator trays. In a small bowl, combine the green peas and the reserved marinade, place the bowl on the bottom of dehydrator. Dehydrate all the vegetables at 110F for 1-2 hours, mixing occasionally.

In the meantime, blend together the coconut meat and water, Irish moss, cilantro, curry paste, agave and salt in a high speed blender. When the vegetables are dehydrated, combine the mushroom and vegetable mixture together with the coconut blend in a food processor. Mix it, but don't puree. Remove from food processor and set aside. Drain the dehydrated peas, and gently fold them into the mushroom mixture. Adjust the salt and spices. Pour the filling into the crust, let it set in the refrigerator for a little while and enjoy.

If you won't be eating the quiches right away, it's always better to keep the crust and filling separately, and combine as needed.

Ginger & Lemon Pyramid Cakes

My professor once told me that everyone's personality has a distinct shape, much like a zodiac sign. She said that she is a circle, which somehow made perfect sense, and we proceeded to guess the shapes of everyone in the classroom. Circle? Triangle? Square? Everyone had some good laughs while guessing. I knew right then and there that I am a triangle.
I love triangles as a visual element. They always appear in my doodles, which are said to be a great tool for looking into one's subconscious. Of course, I equally enjoy the triangle's 3d sister, the pyramid.

Recently, when I saw a mini pyramid cake form for sale, I knew right away that I found a way to do justice to one of my favourite cakes, ginger and lemon. I've been making it for a couple of years now, but every bite from every batch makes me smile, close my eyes, and listen to the flavours, just like the first time around.

A simple almond and date crust (at the base of the pyramids) frames the creamy and zesty filling. Here, I sprinkled the cakes with some ground freeze-dried bananas for a pyramids of Giza effect.

Enjoy and have a lovely weekend!

Lemon and Ginger Cake

(Adapted from The Raw 50)
Crust
1 cup dates - pitted and soaked for 2 hours
2 cups raw almonds - soaked overnight
3 tablespoons ground flax seeds

Filling
1 cup dates - pitted
1 cup raw almonds - soaked overnight
1 cup meat from young Thai coconut
1/2 cup gingerroot - chopped

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup lemon zest
1/2 cup coconut oil

For the crust, mix the dates, almonds, and flax seeds in a food processor until creamy. Transfer into a 9-inch tart or cake pan. Form the crust with your fingers.

For the filling, use a food processor to combine the dates, almonds, coconut, and ginger until finely blended. Add the lemon juice, zest and coconut oil. Process until creamy. Spread the filling over the crust.
Dehydrate at 110F for about 6 hours. The cake should be firm, but not completely dry. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Creamy Apple-Anise Soup and Pumpkinseed Cheese

Some foods have a distinct seasonal disposition. Ice cream for summertime, apple pie in the autumn, hot soup during winter, and roasted artichoke in the spring. Well, I have a feeling that this soup surpasses seasons. It's both light and hearty and is just as delicious chilled as it is warm.

I often daydream about food and make up different recipes while doing things unrelated to cooking. Well recently, in the middle of a daydream, I got an idea for making a soup that would have nut milk for its base. I imagined a bowl full of soup that is "blond" and creamy, and became excited about the possibilities of the milk's earthy flavour.

It took quite a bit of experimentation until I was able to minimize the ingredients to two simple companions to almond milk - apple and fennel. Combined with the milk's nutty taste, the two bring a sweet and fresh presence to the bowl. The spice of chili and coriander deepens the flavour and ties the whole thing together with a slight kick. The use of nut milk instead of whole nuts makes for a much lighter soup.

Pumpkinseed cheese is a fairly recent discovery. The first time I made it, I could not believe what a wonderful result I got with so few ingredients. It's a bit like a cracker. A cheesy, healthy, and delicious one. I've made it very frequently over the past couple of months. It's simple, and works as a wonderful snack or part of a meal. I like to serve the soup with this "cheese," but it's very possible to pair it with any crackers of your choice.

Almond Milk

1 cup almonds - soaked overnight
3 cups water
3 dates

In a high speed blender, thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Strain through a nut bag or double lined cheesecloth, carefully squeezing all the liquid out. Use 2 cups of the milk for soup, and if you have some left over, enjoy it with your breakfast or cookies. You can make these cookies out of the left-over almond pulp.

Creamy Apple-Anise Soup

2 cups almond milk
1 fennel bulb - roughly chopped
1 large apple (any kind) - cored and roughly chopped, reserve 1/4 for garnish
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 small chili pepper - seeded
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Garnish
the reserved 1/4 of apple - cut in small cubes
pumpkin seeds - optionally soaked and dehydrated for extra crunch
drizzle of chili olive oil (optional) - olive oil mixed with chili powder
fresh mint or cilantro leaves

In a high speed blender, combine all the ingredients until smooth. Adjust the salt and spices. Garnish with the cubed apple, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of chili olive oil. Before serving, heat up in the dehydrator or serve chilled.

Pumpkinseed Cheese
1 cup pumpkin seeds - soaked overnight
1/4 cup purified water
1/8 cup lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In a food processor, blend all the ingredients until smooth. Thinly spread onto Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115F for 6 hours. Flip and remove the Teflex. Break into pieces and dehydrate for another 2 hours.