raw vegan food Archives - Denise Belisle

January 10, 2016February 2, 2018

Neapolitan Raw Cheese Cake

This was a nice treat for New Year’s Eve. I had saved a few pieces of Neapolitan raw cheesecake I had made for a dinner I had with friends the week before. I wanted to save these pieces to end the year with a Bang!

This raw cheesecake is so good and smooth that it is a great alternative to the lactose version. It is pretty easy to make and a little more time consuming if you make it in 3 colors, but it is worth it.

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup raw almonds (pecan or walnuts will also work)
1 cup soft Medjool dates
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼- ½ tsp sea salt

Filling:
3 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours, overnight is best for a very smooth texture
juice of 4 lemons
the seeds of 2 whole vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
2/3 cup raw coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup raw honey (solid or liquid.)(Vegans use agave nectar.)
½ cup (or more to taste) sifted raw cacao
1 cup strawberries (thaw completely if using frozen)

Directions:
Crust:
1. Place the nuts in the food processor and pulse to chop until the large pieces are broken down.
2. Add the dates, sea salt and vanilla and pulse to chop until it starts to stick together. (It is preferable to have a finer crust than a chunky one). If you find it hard to get it to stick together, just add a few drop of water as you pulse and it should do the trick.
3. In a 9″ spring-form pan place in the bottom a cut round wax paper. This will help avoid your crust to stick to the bottom of your pan.
4. Scoop out the mixture and evenly tap it in the bottom of the pan. Place it in the freezer.

Filling:
1. Warm coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan over really low heat until liquid.
2. In the most powerful food processor/blender you own (if you have a Vitamix or Blendtec, use that) place all liquid ingredients (melted coconut oil, honey, lemon juice, vanilla) and mix well.
3. Drain and rinse the cashews and gradually add them to the liquid.
4. After you have mixed it well and you get a homogeneous mixture, you should have a little over 5 cups of thick liquid. you now have to separate it in 3. 2 cups for the vanilla part, 2 cups for the chocolate part and 1+ cup for the strawberry part.
5. Mix the sifted cacao with 2 cups of the mixture and pour it on top of the crust and place it back in the freezer for it to harden a little.
6. Mix the melted or fresh strawberries with the 1+ cup of the mixture until smooth. Pour on top of the chocolate mixture. You might have to wait until the chocolate part in the freezer has hardened a little. Then pour the remaining vanilla mixture on top of the strawberry and place in the freezer until solid.

To serve:
Remove the raw cheesecake from the freezer at least 30 minutes before serving.
Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices.
Serve on its own, or with fresh fruit or make a strawberry coulis by melting 2 cups of strawberries and mix it in the blender until smooth and pour on top of the cut pieces. If you find it too bitter, you can add some sweetener.
Store leftovers in the freezer (if any).

Would you like more recipes like this one?
Click Here to Subscribe

January 10, 2016

Are you, like me, part of the statistics?

Are you making New Year resolutions? How long are you able to stick to it? Only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions. Most resolutions last about 4-6 weeks, after that excuses are taking over. The #1 resolution is losing weight. On average the top 3 are related to improving physical wellbeing.

I am part of the statistics as my own resolution is part of these top 3. Pretty much every year I have the same resolution… or should I call it a continuation resolution: “Having a vibrant and healthy life”. The reasons why I do it every year is because it is not something I can achieve and then say “I’m done”. Having a vibrant and healthy life requires a constant awareness of what I do and what I eat. I have had different health problems over the last few years and I spent 2015 getting rid of quite a few of them. I am now ready to soar and get back to the health level I really want to be. I am not expecting it to be an easy trip but I am in for the long run! As I am getting older, I find that there are more road blocks on my way. These used to be pebbles and year after year they seem to grow larger. I realized that some of them are inevitable and I just have to take my time and do all I can to either chiseled them down or simply go around.

If you are also on the top 3 and wish to improve your physical wellbeing, that’s great. I will be right there with you and we can support each other along the way. Accountability is one of the biggest tools to success. I welcome you to share with me your goals and aspiration for 2016. Let me know how I can help you achieved them. How can I be of assistance? What tools would you like me to share with you? Just email me, I would love to hear from you!

January 6, 2016January 6, 2016

The Many Uses of the Mighty Moringa Tree

Called the “miracle tree” on account of its many virtues, Moringa is very well known in India, parts of Africa, the Philippines and several other countries, yet it is relatively unknown in countries such as the USA. However it seems from the current buzz around it that it may well soon experience a rise to new popularity. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine due to its properties as an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antidepressant, anti-diabetes, pain and fever reducer and even asthma treatment. We’ve dedicated a full page on our site to a detailed herbal report on the amazing Moringa and those interested in herbalism would do well to investigate this plant.

It also contains numerous powerful anti-cancer compounds such as kaempferol, rhamnetin and isoquercetin. Now, researchers are discovering that Moringa has anti-cancer potential with positive results so far against ovarian cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma in lab tests. A list of these studies can be seen on Pubmed here.

Please note that it’s a long way before Moringa can be claimed as a cancer cure, but this kind of study is important because it indicates the potential for a starting point for a medicine of the future. It’s especially interesting because Moringa is already in common use – not only in herbalism but in a wide variety of other applications.

Moringa is now extensively cultivated throughout Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Central America, but the largest Moringa crop in the world is produced by India – where it grows natively. It’s fascinating to note that may be one reason why the death rate from pancreatic cancer in India is a stunning 84% lower than in the United States! Moringa supplements are available online.

Note – as always, this article is not medical advice nor a substitute for consultation with a medical professional.

Source: http://familylifegoals.com/breaking-study-green-herb-cure-5-different-types-cancer-including-ovarian-liver-lung-melanoma/?t=hhl

November 29, 2015February 2, 2018

Succulent Chocolate Mousse Cake

Rich, succulent and melting in your mouth is the best way to describe this recipe.

I was out for dinner a few weeks ago and I ordered a dessert and got really surprised with the taste and the texture. I had to ask the server what were the ingredients of this amazing dessert. The one that gave me an Ah Ah moment was the full-fat coconut cream… When I heard it, I say “Of course!” and it gave me the idea to create this dessert.

I am sure you will love it and don’t be shy to share it with your friends and family.

Crust:
½ cup pecans
½ cup walnuts
½ cup raisins
½ cup Medjool dates
1/8 tsp salt

Filling:
2 cans of full-fat coconut cream
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
½ cup cacao powder
¼ cup of melted coconut oil
½ cup of maple syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice

Crust direction:
1. Place the nuts, raisins, and dates in a food processor and mix well until the mixture stick together.
2. Mix in the salt
3. Press the crust in the bottom of a 9 in x 9 in or equivalent glass pan.

Filling Direction:
1. Pour the 2 cans of coconut cream into a large bowl.
2. Mix well with a hand mixer until you get a soft mixture.
3. Add the vanilla and maple syrup.
4. Add the cacao powder slowly and keep mixing as you do so.
5. Keep mixing until you get a smooth uniform mixture.
6. Pour the mixture on top of the crust and place in the freezer.

Topping directions:
1. Mix the coconut oil, maple syrup and cacao powder until uniformly mixed.
2. Once the filling is frozen, pour the chocolate mixture on top of it and spread uniformly.
3. Put back in the freezer.

Remove from the freezer 20-30 minutes before serving.

Would you like more recipes like this one?
Click Here to Subscribe

November 29, 2015February 2, 2018

Raw Orange & Chocolate Cake

I have been eating and making raw vegan desserts for about 5 years. After making many recipes and experimenting with my own creation, I have to say that I now have more successes than failures. Yeah!

One of my successes was last night. I invited my neighbor for dinner and I know that she loves Orange-Chocolate treats. Therefore in her honor, I created this amazing and light dessert.

I say light because instead of using nuts for the filling I used frozen bananas. It worked out really nicely and no added sugar necessary. Try this one out during the holiday and you will amaze your friends.

Crust
1 cup of almonds
16 Medjool dates
2 tbs cacao powder
Zest of an orange

Filling
¼ cup coconut oil melted
¼ cup cacao powder
½ cup orange juice
3-4 large frozen bananas

Topping
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tbs coconut oil melted

Crust directions:
1. Place the almonds and Medjool dates in a food processor and mix well until the mixture sticks together.
2. Mix in the cacao powder.
3. Press the crust in the bottom of a 9 in x 9 in or equivalent glass pan.
4. Sprinkle the orange zest onto the lightly press crust.

Filling directions:
1. Place the bananas in a Vitamix mixer (if you don’t have a Vitamix, let the bananas melt to soften them) and mix them until they are all crumbled.
2. Pour in the orange juice, coconut oil, and mix until you get a uniform mixture.
3. Mix in the cacao powder
4. Pour the banana mixture on top of the crust and place in the freezer.

Topping directions:
1. Mix the coconut oil, maple syrup and cacao powder until uniformly mixed.
2. Once the filling is frozen, drip the chocolate mixture on top of it my making criss-cross or zig-zag patterns
3. Put back in the freezer.

Pull out of the freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Would you like more recipes like this one?
Click Here to Subscribe

October 4, 2015February 2, 2018

Raw Orange Date Squares

This is one of my favorite desserts. My friends are very surprised when I say that because they know how much I love chocolate and having a non-chocolate dessert as my favorite is unthinkable. It is very easy to make and it is simply delicious. You can leave it in the freezer and pull it out as you need it. You can let it sit for 5 minutes and it is ready to eat.

Ingredients:
Filling
2 cups chopped, pitted dates
2 Tbsp. water
Juice of 1 large, unwaxed orange (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
Zest of 1 large, unwaxed orange
Quick oats for sprinkling (optional)

Crust:
2 cups pecans or walnuts (I used 1 cup of each)
1 cup raw oats ground in a coffee grinder or oat flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Direction

Soak dates in water and orange juice for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on quickly they soften.
Coarsely grind nuts in a food processor. Add ground oats or oat flour and pulse to mix.
Add cinnamon first, then maple syrup one tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together.
Lightly oil a 9-inch square pan or round cake pan with coconut or olive oil
Press a little over half of the nut mixture into the bottom of the pan, reserving the rest for later.
Sprinkle the orange zest onto the crust.
Puree the date and orange juice mixture until it reaches the desired consistency. I left a few larger pieces of dates for texture, but you can blend them to a perfectly smooth texture too.
Pour the date mixture over the crust.
Crumble the remaining half of the crust mixture over the dates; press lightly with your hands of a spoon. Sprinkle some quick oats on top for garnish (this is optional, but looks nice).
Refrigerate to set.

Enjoy

Would you like more recipes like this one?
Click Here to Subscribe