Raw Cashew Blackberry Vanilla Dreamcake

This Dreamcake is so delicious. Very easy to make and you will pretty much always make it to perfection. I often use double the recipe, this way it makes a nice thick cake. On the picture above the recipe was made as described below.

This recipe is made with cashews. I love making recipes with them because they can make a really creamy mixture and you can add any flavors to it and it will taste great. Initially, I did not soak my cashews when I was making recipes, whether I was making “cream cheese” like mixtures or cake and I thought they were hard to digest. Since then, I make sure that I soak them overnight for at least 12 hours and it changed everything. My recipes are now so much creamier and I don’t have any problems with the digestion anymore.

Do you know where cashews come from?  Read this post to find out.

Ingredients:
Crust:
1/2 cup raw almonds (pecan or walnuts will also work)
1/2 cup soft Medjool dates
¼ tsp. sea salt

Filling:
1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours, overnight is preferred
juice of 2 lemons
the seeds of 1 whole vanilla bean (or 1 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract)
1/3 cup raw coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup raw honey (solid or liquid.)(Vegans use agave nectar.)
1 cup blackberries or any berries (thaw completely if using frozen)

Directions:

  1. Place nuts and dates in a food processor with sea salt and pulse to chop until they are to your desired fineness (process longer for a finer crust than vs. chunky crust). Test the crust by spooning out a small amount of mixture and rolling it in your hands. If the ingredients hold together, your crust is perfect. Scoop out crust mixture into a 7” spring-form pan (if you don’t have a spring-form pan, use a pie plate lined with saran wrap), and press firmly, making sure that the edges are well packed and that the base is relatively even throughout. Rinse food processor well.
  2. Warm coconut oil and honey in a double boiler on low heat until liquid. Whisk to combine.
  3. In the most powerful food processor/blender you own (you decide which one has the most torque) place all filling ingredients (except raspberries) and blend on high until very smooth (this make take a couple minutes so be patient). If you have a Vita-Mix, absolutely use it.
  4. Pour about 2/3 (just eyeball it, you can’t make a mistake!) of the mixture out onto the crust and smooth with a spatula. Add the raspberries to the remaining filling and blend on high until smooth. Pour onto the first layer of filling. Place in freezer until solid.
  5. To serve, remove from freezer 30 minutes prior to eating. Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices. Serve on its own or with fresh fruit. Store leftovers in the freezer (what leftovers?).

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Benefits of eating cashews

If you’ve been avoiding nuts due to their high calorie and fat content, reconsider adding them to your diet. Though a single ounce of raw cashews contains 155 calories, a diet rich in nuts may actually aid in weight control, explains the Linus Pauling Institute. Opt for raw cashew nuts to boost your nut intake, and you’ll enjoy several health benefits because of their rich mineral content.

Rich in Iron
Raw cashews provide beneficial iron. Your body needs iron to produce heme — the active component of the protein hemoglobin, which is essential for oxygen transport. Getting enough iron in your diet also supports your immune system, and iron helps your white blood cells destroy infectious agents. Each 1-ounce portion of raw cashews provides 1.87 milligrams of iron — roughly 11 percent of the recommended daily intake for women and 23 percent for men.

Copper and Zinc
Add raw cashews to your diet and you’ll also reap the benefits of their zinc and copper content. Zinc activates hundreds of proteins within your body, including proteins needed for healthy cell growth and a robust immune system. Consume an ounce of raw cashews to boost your zinc intake by 1.62 milligrams — 20 percent of the recommended daily zinc intake for women and 15 percent for men. The copper in raw cashews helps your body process iron, aids in the production of energy and strengthens your blood vessels. An ounce of raw cashews also offers 615 micrograms of copper, which is 68 percent of the recommended daily intake for women and men.

Thanks to Sylvie Tremblay from www.livegstrong.com

What do you know about cashews?

I was researching cashews to be able to share with you their benefits. What I found really surprised me.

I asked myself in the past “how do cashews grow?”, but I never really looked into it until today. In my searched I got on a site that was talking about the cashew apples and I got really curious. So I have decided to give you a quick overviews on where cashews come from.

The cashew tree called “Anacardium occidentale”. It is an evergreen tree that only grows in tropical country because it is very sensitive to frost. After its fourth years of growth it produces the cashew nuts and cashew apples. It can grow as high as 46 feet.

Anacardium occidentale tree

The cashew nut is often served as a snack or used in recipes like other nuts, although it is actually a seed. The cashew apple is a fruit, whose pulp can be processed into a sweet, astringent fruit drink or distilled into liqueur.

——- Cashew Flowers ———————- Cashew Seeds —————— Cashew Apples

The fruits are harvested carefully when ripe. The seed is removed and dried in the sun. In their raw form, the outer layer of the fruit contains multiple toxins—including anacardic acid, a powerful skin irritant similar to the toxin found in poison ivy—that must be removed prior to eating.

Roasting or steaming the cashews destroys the toxins, but it must be performed carefully because the smoke can irritate the lungs, sometimes to a life-threatening degree. When they are roasted, cashews change from their natural greenish-gray color to the light brown ‘nut’ sold in stores.

With that bit of knowledge, I have just learned that cashews can’t be fully raw, unless they are handled with extreme care (one by one) to remove the outer layer and then soaked in turmeric water to get rid of the left over poison.

Next time you crack open a tin of cashews, take a moment to appreciate the long journey those little c-shaped ‘nuts’ took from the tree to your table!

 

Raw Salted Caramel Chocolate Pecan Torte

This Dessert is always a winner. I have not met anyone so far who did not enjoy this dessert. It is amazing. You make it in about 20 minutes and put it in the freezer and serve it when ready. It could keep in the freezer for a long time, but that does not happen in my home. I have a hard time to resist sneaking into the freezer and grabbing a bite, then another…

All you will need for this amazing dessert is a food processor and a blender. It contains only 6 ingredients in total (and that is including salt).

Ingredient: 
The crust:
6 oz (about 1 1/2 cups) pecans
6 oz (about 1 1/2 cups) dates

The caramel:
6 tablespoons of maple syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice
3 oz (about 3/4 cup) dates
1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt (useless if you are watching your salt intake)

The filling:
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
1/2 cup of maple syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice

Direction:
1. To make the crust, pulse the dates and pecans in a food processor until it forms a dough ball. If after a while the dough hasn’t come together, add a little bit of water slowly until it does. It might require only a few drops.
2. Grease a 9-inch pan lightly with coconut oil. Press the dough into the pan and spread it out evenly into a pie crust shape, raising it at the side. Make sure there are no holes in the bottom.
3. Make the caramel by blending together the maple syrup and dates in a food processor until smooth and golden in color. Once it’s blended into a sauce, add in the sea salt and mix gently.
4. Pour the caramel in a thin layer on top of the bottom of the crust, spreading it out evenly.
5. To make the filling, mix together the maple syrup and melted coconut oil in the blender at slow speed. Then slowly add the cacao with the use a stiffer to make the mixture really smooth, as the liquid is turning at low speed until it’s uniformly mixed. Once all the chocolate is in, you can stop the blender and wiped the side and blend it a little more.
6. Carefully cover the caramel layer with the chocolate layer with a soft spatula.
7. Garnish the top with pecans and sea salt if desired.
8. Refrigerate your torte until the filling sets. Remove it from the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Personally, I liked this when it was still slightly chilled but you can also eat it at room temperature.

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I guarantee you that you will make a lot of friends with this dessert.

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What Are the Benefits of Eating Hemp Hearts?

Overview

Hemp hearts are the edible insides of hemp seeds. Many health benefits accompany the consumption of hemp hearts because of their high and diverse nutritional content. For starters, they are a complete protein. Hemp hearts also contain the essential fatty acids omega 6 and omega 3. In addition, hemp hearts are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. They are also packed with vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B1, B2, D and E, as well as the minerals calcium and iron. Hemp seeds contain 25 percent protein, 35 percent fatty acids and 27 percent carbohydrates (primarily fiber).

Energy

The combination of calories, complex carbohydrates and protein in hemp hearts provides long-lasting energy. Hemp hearts have been shown to increase levels of energy without other stimulants like caffeine and sugar. They provide more energy with less fillers, like sugar and saturated fat, than common energy bars.

Appetite and Weight

The amount of protein in hemp hearts is effective in curbing hunger, especially between meals. They are a healthy addition to a weight loss plan since they provide essential nutrients such as protein, essential fatty acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals without adding an excess of calories, starches and sugars. Their effect on hunger results in healthier eating habits such as choosing fresh fruits and vegetables over pastas and breads. The weight lost with the assistance of hemp hearts is unlikely to be regained, because it is a daily dietary adjustment rather than a temporary fix.

Digestion

High in fiber, hemp hearts have many health benefits related to the digestive system. Fiber consumption is essential for a healthy digestive system and keeps bowel movements regular. A digestive system with plenty of fiber is able to efficiently remove wastes from the intestines on a daily basis, which is a preventative measure for intestinal diseases. Soluble fiber works in the intestines to lower levels of LDL cholesterol, and insoluble fiber has been linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Also, hemp hearts are easily digestible by the human body.

Cellular Health

The balance of essential fatty acids paired with the complete protein found in hemp hearts promotes cellular recovery and development. Larken Bunce, an educator and clinical herbalist, states, “Hemp’s unique fatty acid composition and balance can have significant impact on inflammatory processes and cell membrane activities, which are the foundation of numerous chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, neurodegenerative disorders, hypersensitivities and auto-immune conditions.” The high concentration of essential fatty acids found in hemp seeds also supports the transportation of oxygen to cells throughout the body. The presence of oxygen in cell membranes helps to block viruses, fungi and bacteria.

By Caitlin Erwin
http://www.livestrong.com/article/154639-what-are-the-benefits-of-eating-hemp-hearts/