ABUNDANCE! It is that time of year!  Celebrate with these lovely recipes that can be eaten any time of the day.

Raw, Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

adapted from http://www.choosingraw.com/raw-vegan-blackberry-cheesecake-bars/

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts

1 cup of pecans,  soaked in water for at least two hours and drained

1 cup pitted dates

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided in half

1 cup blackberries

1/2  cup cashews, soaked in water for at least two hours and drained

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/3 cup maple or agave syrup

Instructions

1. To make the bottom layer, place the walnuts, 1/2 of pecans, dates, and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt in a food processor and pulse to break the ingredients down, till they’re crumbled. Run the motor and process till the mixture is ground up and sticking together when you squeeze a little in your hand.

2. Press the bottom layer into a small casserole or baking pan that has been lightly greased with olive or coconut oil (I used 11″ by 7.5″). Set aside while you make the top layer, or chill overnight.

3. To make the top layer, blend the cashews, rest of pecans, blackberries, oil, remaining 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, and syrup in a high speed blender or food processor till they’re as smooth as possible. Pour the top layer over the bottom layer in the pan. Use a spatula or inverted knife to smooth the top layer over very evenly.

4. Transfer the dish to your fridge and chill for at least three hours. Cut into bar shapes and serve.

Yields 15-20 bars, depending on how big you’d like them.

These bars are sweet, a little tart, full of delicious fat from walnuts and coconut, and deliver all the joy of raw cheesecake with a little more portability.

 

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale taken off of stem and broken by hand into small pieces.

Fill a large bowl with kale and water to soak while preparing sauce.

Sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

2 T lemon juice

1 cup of sunflower seeds, soaked at least two hours

1 T miso

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t tumeric

1/4 t corriender

2 T tahini

1/4 t sea salt

Blend in a blender well.

Drain kale

Pour or scoop sauce over kale and massage with hands until kale is evenly covered with sauce.

Oven

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper

Lay out kale

bake for 10 minutes, then flip with a spatula and bake for another 5 minutes or until crisp

store in airtight container

Dehydration

lay in clumps on trays, space every other tray

Dehydrate apron 18 hours at 118 degrees

store in an air tight container

ALMOND ZUCCHINI Muffins(PALEO)

PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

35 mins

TOTAL TIME

45 mins

This paleo almond zucchini bread is slightly crunchy on the outside and super moist on the inside. It’s the perfect way to use up summer zucchini.

INGREDIENTS

•1½ cups almond flour

•1½ teaspoons baking soda

•½ teaspoon salt

•1 teaspoon cinnamon

•1 cup grated zucchini, water squeezed out

•3 eggs

•3 tablespoons maple or agave syrup

•1 banana, mashed

•1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with paper liners or silicone liners

2. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Combine wet ingredients besides zucchini in a stand mixer and beat on medium for about 2 minutes. Alternatively, combine in a large bowl and whisk together vigorously.

4. Add zucchini and mix until combined.

5. Pour dry ingredients into wet and mix until incorporated.

6. Pour batter into muffin tins.

7. Bake for 27-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

9. Transfer bread out of loaf pan and cool on wire rack.