Blikki Magazine - Holiday Issue 2013 No. 6

Over 30 Raw, Gluten Free and Vegan Holiday Treats!

Blikki

Holiday Issue

The Magazine for Compassionate Living

Get a Holiday head start Easy Homemade Holloween Treats p.8 Festive Cookies, Cakes, and Pies p.30

how to’s - easy cake decorating p.58 - gluten free pie crust p.60 - non-dairy whipped cream p.61

plus: strategies for managing Holiday Stress p.18

October / November 2013 Price: FREE www.Blikki.com

Easy to Download Recipes

Holiday Issue October / November 2013

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Contents Feature Articles: 6 8 18 20 24 30 56

Navigating Dietary Restrictions Candy!

Managing Holiday Stress - 9 Tips 8 Must Have Tools in the Raw Kitchen Buying Holiday Wine Holiday Desserts - Cakes, Pies, Cookies How To Decorate a Cake - 58 Gluten Free Pie Crust - 60 Raw Coconut Whipped Cream - 61 Gluten Free Deep Dish Pie Crust - 62 64 Vegan Appetizers

[ [ In Every Issue

Editor’s Note 4 Contributors 70 Quick Bites! 72 Soul Food 73

©2013 Blikki.com, All Rights Reserved. Blikki® is the registered trademark of Blikki.com. All other marks are either trademarks, service marks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. No portion of this magazine may be reprinted, copied or distributed in print or on-line without prior written consent.

The statements and products featured in this publication and/or on this site may not have been evaluated by the US Food & Drug Administration. The statements and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The articles written are from the author’s viewpoint and or opinion and may not necessarily reflect he opinions or views of Blikki, its owner, publisher, or editors. Articles are copyright of the author and used with permission.

from the

editor

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his month’s issue focuses on the best part of the holidays – holiday treats! If you’re like me, you just love this time of the year. I jokingly call it “Eating Season”. I can’t wait to be greeted by the wafting fragrance of fresh baked holiday bread, or the smell of ginger bread, cookies or pies fresh from the oven, or even to delight in a simple, but gorgeously decorated holiday table. What I enjoy most during this time of year are the small acts of kindness that seem to come naturally. I wish that we would treat every day like we do during the Holidays.

As always, for this issue, we’ve found some really awesome food bloggers from all over the Globe to share their favorite gluten free, vegan, vegetarian and raw-food holiday recipes. They’re all delicious, and I bet you’ll have a difficult time choosing which recipes to share with your family first.

Although it’s only October, this will be our last issue for the year. So we are sharing traditional holiday recipes for Halloween through Christmas -- delicious Halloween candy recipes (page 8), appetizer recipes (page 64). As well as strategies to help you tamp down your stress during holiday festivities (page 18), and we’ll help you “crack the code” of dietary restrictions if one of your guests says they’re a “Flexitarian” or are on the Paleo diet (page 6). And last, but certainly not least we have partnered with The Organic Wine Cellar to create a fantastic feature to help you select organic wines for yourself or to give as a holiday gift (page 24).

And on a more personal note, as we end our first year of publication, I want to send heartfelt and special thanks to our readers who’ve been steadfast and faithful in their support of us since our beginning – even before we had a “real” magazine to publish. So, we send special Blikki-love to Elizabeth Lopez, Vanessa Meagher, Anne Olson-Calpe, Karla Rae Harris Jordan, Andy Shreffler, David McKenzie-Kong and Adelaide Lowrey. We want to let each of you know that you have touched us with your numerous FaceBook comments and “shares” and unwavering support of our mission of spreading compassion worldwide.

As we close the year, we tip our glass in a toast to wish each of our readers, a healthy, happy and safe holiday season. Looking forward to more conversations with all of you in 2014!

Hippie Diva Hippie Diva, Editor HippieDiva@blikki.com Like us on Facebook FACEBOOK.COM/BLIKKIORG

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all brings with it the wonderful colors of nature, the coziness of a wood fire on a cool evening, and the anticipation of the Norman Rockwell golden turkey and steaming gravy served to a glowing gathering of friends and family. Wait, what? Not anymore. Odds are that if you are hosting a holiday meal this year, at least one friend or family member will have dietary restrictions that differ from those gathered together.

A little preparation and research will help reduce the stress and let you be the gracious host you are.

As a host, never make assumptions about your guests. Just because Aunt Betty has always eaten all the whipped cream in years past doesn’t mean she won’t be eating lactose-free this year.

Be sure to ask your guests if they are following a restricted diet and just what those restrictions actually mean. If you are unfamiliar with how to prepare a vegan desert without any eggs or dairy for instance, it is perfectly acceptable to ask your guest to bring one. Or let’s say you are hosting a raw feast; be sure to tell your guests exactly what this means so your uncle Bob doesn’t show up with his famous chicken liver terrine en croute. If you are lucky enough to be someone’s guest, be forthright with your dietary needs and offer to bring a dish (or two!) that you know you can eat and others will enjoy regardless – now is not the time to experiment with foods more conventional eaters don’t even know exist.

Often the food restrictions that people follow are not black and white but the following is a basic primer of what you can likely expect within each category.

Paleo: NO – grains, dairy, legumes, refined sugars YES – meat, fish, seafood, eggs, fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, nut and seed oils Vegan: NO – meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy, gelatin, cane sugar, honey YES – grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, beet sugar, nuts, seeds, nut and seed oils Vegetarian: NO – meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy 6 - Aug/Sept | 2013 | www.blikki.com

YES – grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, nut and seed oils, sugar Ovo-vegetarian: as for a vegetarian but the diet includes eggs but no dairy Lacto-vegetarian: as for a vegetarian but diet includes dairy but no eggs Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: as for a vegetarian but the diet includes both dairy and eggs Pescetarian: as for a vegetarian but the diet includes fish and seafood

Gue to D

Navigat the Holi

Raw: no foods are to be heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Most raw foodists are vegan, but some do eat raw eggs and cheese made from raw or unpasteurized milk.

Gluten Free: NO – wheat, rye, barley, kamut, spelt, sometimes oats If you are preparing a meal for a person with celiac, there are many products in sauces and packaged foods that contain gluten so be sure to visit www.celiac.com to check the list.

Flexitarian: diet is plant-based with the occasional inclusion of meat products As much as we may wish for stressfree holidays, there will always be the naysayers, the comments and the questions about why you or one of your guests eat the way they do. If you know the questions will be directed at you, plan ahead and be prepared to explain your position to others (in that nice non-confrontational way you have practiced in the mirror!) Regardless of what is or is not in dish or meal, when it is delicious and made with love, it will hardly matter.

Jill Hillhouse is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner working in Canada whose practice is based on her philosophy that each individual is metabolically unique.

She seeks to identify the root cause of peoples’ health concerns and to educate and inspire them to be an active partner in their own health.

by Jill Hillhouse, BP

ess Who’s Coming Dinner?

ting dietary restrictions during idays.

PHE, CNP

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W

hat if, instead of buying Halloween treats for your family, you could make your own “Peppermint Patties”, “Rolos”, “Almond Joys” or other Halloween candies?

Well, you can! Our gluten free and vegan versions of these candies not only taste divine, but they are free of scary ingredients too.

the recipes “Peppermint Patties” Rawlos “Almond Joy” Candy Bars “Junior Mints” Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Goo Goo Clusters Cocomo Bars

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“Peppermint Patties” Makes about 12 vegan patties

1/2 cup coconut oil 1/4 cup agave nectar or honey 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil (organic) 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chunks Elana’s Pantry 1. In a small bowl, combine coconut oil, agave and peppermint oil, mixing with a spoon 2. Smash clumps of coconut oil against side of bowl until mixture is smooth 3. Freeze mixture for a few minutes until it starts to harden, then remove from freezer

4. Use a 1.5 teaspoon ice cream scoop to measure out little balls onto a parchment paper lined plate 5. Place plate in freezer to firm up mint balls; when firm, remove from freezer 6. Squish balls down into flat little patties on parchment paper

7. Melt chocolate over very low heat; allow to cool slightly 8. Dip patties into melted chocolate 9. Place patties on parchment paper to harden

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Rawlos

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Ingredients

Directions:

Assembly:

For the caramel: 1 cup medjool dates (soaked for 15 minutes in hot water) 2 tbsp peanut butter (Whole Earth is my favourite) or raw almond butter 2 tbsp raw honey or agave 5 tbsp cacao butter (melted)

For the sticky caramel:

1) In molds of your choice pour enough chocolate to cover the base.

For the chocolate: ​100g cacao butter 5 tbsp shelled hemp seeds 3 tbsp raw honey/agave 2 tbsp chocolate powder 2 tbsp lucuma

1) Whizz in a blender until you get a smooth caramel cream and pop in a bowl in the freezer whilst you make the chocolate.

I like to leave the caramel mixture in overnight so it hardens as you can then get small spoonfuls and it’s easier to work with. ​For the chocolate: 1) Blend really well until you get a smooth yet runny chocolate cream.

2) Pop in the freezer for a few minutes.

3) Spoon in a dollop of caramel into each mould and press down lightly with your finger or a cold spoon.

4) Now pour more chocolate over the top (I either spoon it in or pour my chocolate mixture into a squeezy bottle for better precision) 5) Set in the freezer and eat! www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 11

“Almond Joy� Candy Bars Yields 1 dozen vegetarian candy bars 1 cup (90 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly packed 3 tablespoons coconut oil 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt 12 (or more) whole almonds 4 ounces (110 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped In a food processor, process the shredded coconut, coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract,

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and salt until it forms a thick paste, about 2-3 minutes.

Test the coconut to see if it holds together by squeezing it in your palm. If the coconut is still too loose, continue to process for 1-2 more minutes.

Drop the coconut mixture by the tablespoon onto a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper. Form each ball into a small rectangle by pressing it into formation.

Press an almond on top of the coconut rectangles.

The Pastry Affair

Freeze the coconut for 15-30 minutes, or until solid.

Melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between each increment until the chocolate is smooth.

Skewer each frozen candy bar onto a toothpick and dip into the melted chocolate, tapping off any excess chocolate.

Wait for the chocolate to dry before removing from the toothpick.

“Junior Mints�

(Dairy, Soy, and Egg Free) Ingredients

2. Allow it to harden if it needs to in the fridge.

1/2 c. coconut oil (you want it to be somewhat solid, so keep it at a temperature below 76 degrees) 1/4 c. honey 1 c. Enjoy Life Mega Chunks 7 drops peppermint essential oil (or 3/4 tsp. peppermint extract)

3. Make balls with the mixture and put them on parchment paper and put them back in the fridge to harden.

Instructions

5. Pour chocolate over the top of the balls to coat. Put in fridge to harden.

1. Whip coconut oil, honey, and peppermint together in a bowl with a fork (you can also use a mixer, but we are lazy)

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4. Melt chocolate either in microwave (stir every 30 seconds to avoid burning) or in double boiler or saucepan on low heat.

6. Try not to eat them all in one sitting!

The Leaking Boob

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Delicious Obsessions

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (Vegan) • 1 cup coconut oil • 1/4 cup honey, maple syrup, coconut syrup, brown rice syrup, or agave • 1/4 cup organic cocoa powder • dash of sea salt • peanut butter or nut butter of your choice (chilled) In a double boiler or a saucepan over very low heat, melt the coconut oil and sweetener (if using honey, you will need to whisk until the honey is dissolved). Add the cocoa powder and salt and whisk vigorously until well combined.

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Either pour or use a spoon to fill the cups 1/4 full (I find a glass, Pyrex measuring cup works great). Stick the cups in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate is hard. Remove from the freezer and using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop the chilled peanut butter out and place in the cups. You can use the back of the spoon to press them down just a tad, but leave room for the chocolate to get all the way around the peanut butter. Next, pour or spoon the chocolate over the peanut butter until the cup is almost full and the peanut butter is covered. Place back in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. Now, they are ready to eat! Don’t forget to store in the fridge or the freezer to keep them from melting!

Goo Goo Clusters (Raw) Step 1: Chocolate Shell 1/2 cup raw cacao butter* (or coconut oil) 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder) 1/4 cup maple syrup (or coconut nectar, etc) Line a muffin pan with 12 paper baking cups. Gently melt cacao butter over a double boiler or in a food dehydrator. Stir in cacao powder and maple syrup. Once melted use a Tablespoon to pour 3/4 to 1 Tablespoon melted chocolate into the bottom of each paper muffin cup. Put in the freezer to firm up while you make the other layers. Save the remaining chocolate for coating the candies at the end!

Step 2: Coconut “Marshmallow” 1 cup dried coconut 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla pinch pink Himalayan sea salt Note: This will easily make twice the amount of the coconut layer than you need, but I find it hard to blend only 1/2 a cup coconut properly. Just form coconut macaroon cookies with the remaining batter. OR, you can attempt to make a half batch of this with your food processor.

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Blend 1 cup dried coconut in your food processor for a one to two minutes until it is finely broken down. Add in maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and sea salt, and blend for another minute or two.

Form little balls of the coconut mixture with your hands and mash down onto the chocolate layer in the muffin cups.

Step 3: Caramel Layer 6 medjool dates (pits removed) 3 Tablespoons maple syrup 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil 1 teaspoon vanilla pinch pink Himalayan sea salt Blend all ingredients for up to 2 minutes until you have a sticky caramel. Spoon on a little bit of the caramel over the coconut layer, then add the nuts below.

Step 4: Nut Layer 1/2 cup rough chopped raw walnuts (or use pecans, almonds, or raw jungle peanuts)

over the remaining melted chocolate from above. If you don’t want the candy “cup” look, with the ridges on the sides, then you can remove the candies from the muffin cups just before covering with chocolate and set on a flat piece of parchment paper to firm up. Put into the freezer for 20 minutes or so. Enjoy!!

Candy should be stored in the freezer or refridgerator.

Note: The nut layer is totally optional. If you would like to make a nut free treat, just omit the nuts.

Or you can experiment with using sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead!

Push your chopped nuts or seeds into the caramel layer, then spoon Betty Rawker www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 15

Cocomo Bars (Raw) Before you get started, soak one cup of dates for at least four hours.

The Base 1 cup of soaked dates 1/2 cup of cacao powder 1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup of almonds Process the above in your food processor until it all comes together. Press the mixture into a parchment lined loaf pan, flatten the top and set aside.

The Middle Layer 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup of coconut oil 1/4 cup of coconut nectar (or sweetener of your choice) a pinch of turmeric (optional) 2 tbsp of coconut flour 16 - Oct/Nov | 2013 | www.blikki.com

Process the first four ingredients in your food processor until smooth, remove the blade and stir in your coconut flour.

If the mixture seems a bit moist, don’t worry, it all works out. Pour the mixture over your base and smooth out the top. Then place it all in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

been in the freezer, you’ll want to spread the chocolate fairly quickly so that it doesn’t harden unevenly.

Slice with a cool, dry knife and store the bars in the fridge.

The Chocolate Layer 1/4 cup of cacao powder 2 tbsp of coconut oil 1/4 tsp of vanilla powder Place the ingredients into a stainless steel bowl and rest the bowl over a pot of simmering water just long enough for the oil to melt.

Give it all a good stir and drizzle it over the top of the first two layers.

Because the first two layers have

Simply Dish

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Converting Measurements Because our readers are all over the world, you may need a conversion table before you prepare our recipes. Below is a great link and a conversion table from their page to get you started: Converting Recipes to Metric Measures (visit The Metric Kitchen web site for full details).

Liquids (and Herbs and Spices)

Weight

Liquids can be converted to liters or milliliters with the following table. Small volumes (less than about 1 fluid ounce or 2 tablespoons) of ingredients such as salt, herbs, spices, baking powder, etc. should also be converted with this table.

Do not use this table to convert other non-liquid ingredients.

Weights can be converted with the following table. Note that the ounces referred to in this table are not the same as fluid ounces.

To download any of our recipes, click the Download Recipe button. d Downloae p Re ci www.blikki.com | 2013 | Aug/Sept - 17

Dr. Laura Figoski, is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor (N.D.) practicing in San Francisco, CA.

Managing Holiday Stress: 9 Tips to Stay Happy Dr. Figoski offers tips and strategies on how to avoid holiday stress

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e’ve all heard that the holidays are supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year.” But between traveling, weather, relatives, money and social gatherings, the holidays can often be a big source of stress.

This stress taxes your body and make you more susceptible to getting sick. Which then, becomes another source of stress during an already busy time of year.

While I can’t solve the longstanding family tension, I can offer you a few tricks to help you keep calm, relaxed, stress-free and healthy throughout the holiday season.

1.

Speak up about your needs and don’t let “family obligation” force you to do something 18 - Oct/Nov | 2013 | www.blikki.com

harmful to yourself. If planing the perfect gourmet five-course holiday meal is causing you distress, speak up and either ask others to help or scale back.

2.

Remember what the holidays are really all about.

Ultimately, this time is about getting together with those you love, giving back to those less fortunate and feeling grateful for the past year and the year to come.

It’s easily to get lost in the details and the expectation of judgmental in-laws, but once you remember and remind those around you about the greater meaning, it is hard to really be upset about a burned casserole.

3.

Keep up your regular exercise routine, and/or add in some walking, yoga or tai chi. The stress relief benefits are tremendous both for your body and mind. If you need to vent some frustration or anger a vigorous workout is a great way to do that. Also, walking after big holiday meals will help digestion and build strong bonds with your walking mates.

4.

Food… this one can be tricky, especially if your food habits don’t jive with those whom you are gathering. To support your body and to not add any physiologic stress on top of emotional stress, it is best to stick with what you know works

for you. Feel free to give yourself permission for some celebratory indulgence; but don’t let an occasional indulgence turn into a new bad habit. Sugar, alcohol, and rich foods (along with foods you may be sensitive to) can all cause stress to your body. Taxing it with these foods leaves you less reserves to manage everything else.

5.

Make sure to take a high quality multi-vitamin and multi-mineral supplement, with a full spectrum of B complex vitamins, daily. The multi will help to fill gaps in nutrition and the B complex vitamins are critical for supporting your body during times of stress.

6.

Consider taking adaptogenic herbs. This is a category of herbs that help your body adapt to stress. They provide energy when it is needed, but also help you to calm down, rest and relax. Ashwaganda, ginseng, rhodiola and licorice are all examples of herbs that are adaptogens.

For best results consult with a naturopathic doctor or other herbal practitioner to make sure you get a formula that is appropriate for you.

7.

Avoid stimulants, especially sugar and caffeine. While providing an initial burst of energy, these deplete the body’s reserves and leave you worse off then when you started, thus leading to another dose and a roller coaster of mood, energy and symptoms.

8.

Mindfulness practices are wonderful at managing

stress, and also preventing that stress from getting so overwhelming in the first place. If you do not have a form of mindfulness or meditation that you do regularly, begin with some simple, conscious, focused and intentional deep breathing. Five to ten minutes daily can make a big difference. Start now. Start before things get overwhelming.

Mindfulness practices work because they teach your brain what it is like to feel calm and relaxed and help you to build conscious awareness of it. That way, when you are stressed, you can consciously remind yourself to return to that state of calm and your brain knows where to go. They also work best when that calmness is familiar and accessible, which is something that comes with regular practice.

“this too shall pass,” and before you know it, a fresh start in January 2014 will be here. Safe and happy and stress-free holiday wishes to you and yours.

Dr. Laura Figoski, is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor (N.D.) practicing in San Francisco, CA. Emphasizing nature-based, individualized and holistic recommendations, she provides naturopathic primary care with a focus in heart disease and diabetes. Ultimately, her mission is to help her patients find or regain peace, joy and ease.

9.

Extra immune support. If you know you are prone to get sick this time of year, it is good idea to make sure your immune system has all the support it needs. In addition to all of the above, extra vitamins A, D, and C as well as the herbs astragalus, ginger and licorice are all going be helpful in supporting your immune system and fighting off viruses.

All of the above are great ways to decrease stress and to help protect your physical body from its damaging effects. And, they all work to support each other, so the more you do the more effective they all are. Whether you are excited about or dread the approaching holidays remember that, just like everything else, www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 19

EQUIPMENT

8

Must Have Tools

for the Raw Kitchen

Whether you’re a raw food newbie or eat completely raw, having the right tools to prepare your raw soups, sauces, cakes, snacks, and other tantalizing goodies can make all the difference in your raw food experience. Karolina Eleonóra of The Raw Dessert Kitchen shares her “musthave” kitchen gadgets and appliances. These tools will make prep easy and your presentation “picture perfect” as you to churn out your pretty and amazing-raw meals.

1. Cake and pie forms Two sizes of spring forms is useful to make cheesecakes and regular cakes. However you can make raw pies in any container as it doesn’t need to be in an oven like conventional pies. This opens up for unexpected creativity. A mini teacup pie anyone?

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2. Zester Is basically the same tool as you use when shredding parmesan cheese. It is also used to shred citrus fruits (zest) in the raw food kitchen but also nuts and vegetables. You can chop citrus zest with a knife, but this tool makes it quicker.

3. Pastry bags with different tips This is a fun and small investment. It is used to make decorations, to apply frosting, to fill cupcakes, “leathers” (rolled up dried fruit sheets) to fill glasses with mousse etc.

4. Coffee grinder A small and flexible electrical kitchen tool that can be used to quickly grind dry nuts and seeds into fine flour. Yet again you can use your blender or food processor if you want to make nut and seeds flour, a coffee grinder is not essensial, but makes it easier for you. Plus if you don’t have a high powered blender like a Vitamix, you’ll get finer flour using a coffe grinder.

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EQUIPMENT

5. Blender / Food processor A blender is cone shaped and it’s job is to blend food with higher content of liquid, such as smoothies, juices, creams, sauces and thin batters. A food processor requires less or now liquid to function and can do the heavier jobs.

Use it when you make crusts, pizza dough, pie and cake fillings, cake bases, whipped creams and so on. We recommend the high powered blender Vitamix to do the job for you.

6. Digital kitchen scale When following raw chocolate recipes it’s practic to have a kitchen scale to get exact measurement. Choose a scale which provide easy to read measurements and high precision with a tare function, which allows you to subtract the weight of the bowl or plate from the measurement.

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7. Vegetable juicer Turns carrots, celery sticks, apples, kiwis, lettuce, kale, zucchinis and other fruits and vegetables into wonderful juices. Maybe you want to color a cake with red beetroot juice? Or add carrot juice to a carrot cake? Or you want to make an apple pie and soak the raisins in raw apple juice? This is when the vegetable juice comes in handy.

8. Dehydrator Is a food dehydrator, which is used to dry vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs and to make raw pies, crusts, pizzas, burgers, breads, crackers, cookies, to melt Coconut oil or Cacao butter etc. You can sprout nuts and seeds and then dry them in the dehydrator in order to make flour of it later. Dehydrators have round shapes or square. The square models often have five to nine trays that are topped with plastic sheets, and on top of them removable mesh sheets, with a non-stick surface. If your food is very moist or loose, you use the non-stick sheet, which after a couple of hours in the dehydrator is peeled off. We recommend the Excalibur dehydrator ovens.

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Insider’s Guide Buying

Holiday Wine

by Drew Cuddy I love the holidays. The fresh winter air, nights by the fire, and celebrating with family and friends. I love everything about the holidays, especially gift giving.

While choosing original gifts for the holidays can be some of the most stressful tasks we face all year long, it doesn’t have to be. I choose wine!

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For my friends and family of legal drinking age a fine bottle of wine, chosen thoughtfully, can be a most memorable and special gift. Sure, you’re not a sommelier and you might not know the best vintages of Chateaux Margaux but you don’t need to! For something really special, choose an organic wine.

Winemaking began in the Middle East over 8000 years ago and for most of its long history winemakers have used basic organic farming techniques to make legendary wine without modern synthetic pesticides. Using only elemental sulfur dusted over plants, farmers succeeded in popularizing winemaking across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Only in the past few centuries have humans begun developing and using advanced pesticides to make farming easier.

Early-modern pesticides included arsenic, mercury, and lead. While they increased farmers’ productivity, consumers suffered terrible health and environmental effects.

As the complexity of modern synthetic pesticides rises, so does their litany of health and environmental complications.

On the other hand, wine can provide significant health benefits. Research has shown that compounds found in wine, such as resveratrol, are linked to longevity and heart health. Why must farmworkers, consumers, and environmental diversity suffer from caustic chemicals when wine not only benefits health but can be made equally fabulous in an organic environment?

The international Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements guiding principle is that, “organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people”. Today nearly 2000 winemakers around the world are producing certified organic wines and more are choosing to convert to organic every year.

can grow an equal quality grape using agriculture that benefits the health of their family and land.

It’s these reasons that I’ve chosen to work exclusively with small family estate wine producers and why everyone should buy organic.

They aren’t following a trend; they do it for their personal passion for health and quality.

When choosing wines for holiday gifts, I choose organic because I care. Giving organic wine says “I care about your health, I care about your enjoyment, and you matter to me!”

But how do you choose these wines?

The most important piece to the organic puzzle is certification.

Plenty of winemakers and shops will say that a wine is organic but only those with official certification can be verified and held accountable. Certification shows that the producer is serious and committed to organic farming.

Look for an official seal from the USDA and one of the many other international seals.

Brian and Drew Cuddy, founders of the Organic Cellar, are importers of fine organic wines of the world. The Organic Cellar specializes in old world wines from single- family producers whose passion and history drives quality.

When choosing organic wines, look for these certifying lables:

When I visit organic winemakers they tell me they’ve chosen to grow organic because they want their children to walk safely barefoot in their fields, they value their workers and client’s health over profit, and that they www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 25

Sicilian Varietal Six Pack The perfect gift for an emerging wine lover, experienced enthusiast, or organic oenologist! This pack of six Organic Certified wines are from the Rilento Wine Company based in Gibellina Nuova in Sicily, Italy. This is a rare opportunity to experience six distinct single varietal wines from one single region. It includes a lovely mix of both international and native grape varietals; from Chardonnay to Grillo, Pinot Nero to Nervo d’Avola.

Whether its gifts for friends or a gift for yourself this is a thoughtful & wallet friendly option for your Holiday giving! Make this your first purchase from The Organic Cellar!

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Organic European Explorer Pack For the busy hostess, old-world wine drinker, or regular re-gifter, the Organic European Explorer ($125) pack is a homerun. Six organic certified wines from Italy, France, and Spain shine in this holiday oriented pack. Toast the New Year with award winning Cava and Prosecco, pair your holiday feast with a rich Chianti or Navarra, ruminate on the joy of a crackling fire with a fine Nebbiolo or right bank Bordeaux.

Regardless of your winter leisure, you’ll find a perfect complement in this case.

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Biodynamic Batch Designed for the wine collector with one of everything, the organic devotee, or the health guru, I’ve picked six that I call the Biodynamic Batch. The batch includes six incredible biodynamic (a step beyond organic) certified wines from Italy, Spain, and France focusing on traditional grape varieties, ancient farming practices, and world-class quality.

Biodynamic producers integrate organic farming with a series of ecosystem fortifying treatments and intense manual vine management used by most of the world’s finest wine producers. This method of winemaking is as effective for quality as it is for the environment. Low sulfites, heightened varietal expression, and intense terroir driven flavors are typical of biodynamic wine and this pack is no exception.

For $150, this pack is an exceptional steal that will age terrifically and be enjoyed for years to come.

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Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Allyson Kramer

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M

aking a dessert from scratch to share with family and friends is a favorite way to show love during the Holidays. Our healthier versions incorporate the Season’s most beloved flavors – pumpkin, gingerbread, caramel, apple, and chocolate!

And the best part? No one will believe they’re eating a healthy dessert!

the recipes Macadamia Nut Pie Vegan “Mincemeat” GF - Apple Pie Cheesecake Persian Love Cake Pumpkin Lucuma Cheesecake GF - Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies GF - Gingerbread Raw Pumpkin Pie Paleo Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Raw Black Forest Gateau Pumpkin Spice Pie Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Pie GF - Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies GF - Quinoa Chocolate Cake GF - Chocolate Hazelnut Brown Butter Cake

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d Downloae Recip Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Living Healthy with Chocolate

No-Bake Macadamia Nut Pie Crust: 1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened 1 cup almond flour 1/2 cup pecans 5 tbs coconut oil, melted 1 tbs raw honey 2 tbs raw cacao powder Filling: 1 cup almond butter 6 large Medjool dates 1 cup plain yoghurt (I used Greek yogurt) 4 tbs coconut oil (melted) 1 tsp orange juice 1 tbs vanilla extract pinch salt 1/2 cup macadamia nuts

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Crust: Grind the pecans in a blender, or food processor

plain yogurt, vanilla and salt and process until you achieve a smooth consistency

In a bowl combine the ground pecans, coconut oil, honey, cacao powder, almond flour and shredded coconut. Work the mixture with your hands until all is combined and a dough is formed

Pour the mixture on top of the crust

Pat the crust mixture onto the bottom of an 8 inch removable bottom pan

Freeze for about 2 hours before serving

Filling:

The pie has a very smooth consistency, similar to a cheesecake. Best to keep it frozen or it will get softer if kept in the fridge.

Remove the pits from the dates In a blender or food processor process the dates until smooth Add almond butter, coconut oil,

Ground the macadamia nuts until just coarsely chopped, leaving a few larger pieces and toss it on top of the pie

Vegan “Mincemeat” Servings – 8-10 mince meat pies Ingredients 160g (1 cup) of raisins 160g (1 cup) sultanas 70g (1/2 cup) dried apricots 40g (1/4 cup) chopped blanched almonds 1 tbsp linseeds (flax seeds) 3 tbsp agave syrup 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups apple sauce 65ml (1/3 cup) water 1 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp mixed spice Zest of One Whole Medium Sized Orange 2-3 tbsp brandy (optional) Directions Mix together all ingredients with 5 tbsp of water. Cover and simmer for 30 -40 minutes.

During this time you may need to add additional water. Stir the mincemeat ever 5 minutes to keep an eye on its consistency.

Add brandy during the cooking process or at the end if desired (it will also help preserve the mincemeat once placed in sterilised seal tight containers).

Place in to two jars or set to one side if you plan on using it straight away for your pies!

Pie Crust 2 cups wholegrain spelt flour ½ cup milk 110g (½ cup) of vegan margarine 1 tsp cinnamon Directions Preheat oven to 180C (350F).

Process flour and vegan margarine in a food processor until the two have formed fine breadcrumbs; slowly add in milk until the dough forms a ball (keep the food processor on low as you add in the milk).

Remove the dough from the food processer, bring it fully together with your hands (preferably cold hands) and place between two

pieces of baking parchment or greaseproof paper. Roll the pastry out as thinly as you can get it (about 1-2cm).

If you’re baking the mince pies using a muffin tray use a cutter 2-3cm larger than the circumference of the top of the muffin hollow to cut discs of pastry to fill them. They method can be used to cut discs if you are using individual pie cases. If you’re not using a non stick tray or cases be sure to light grease either or before placing your pastry inside.

Stab the bottom of each case a few times with a fork before placing a small sheet of greaseproof paper and a tablespoon of dried beans/lentils in to each. Place in the oven to blind bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile bring remaining pastry and cuttings back together and roll out as before. Using your knife or cutter of your choice, cut small pieces of pastry to place on top of the filled mince pies.

Remove the pastry cases from the oven, remove bean/lentils and greaseproof paper.

To Assemble:: Fill each one with 1 tbsp of mincemeat (or your desired amount) and place one of your small cuttings of pastry on top. Place back in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until the pastry feel crisp to the touch and is starting to brown.

Allow pies to cool in the tray or cases. Serve warm or cold with your creamy topping of choice!

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Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Peachy Palate www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 33

Apple Pie Cheesecake ~ Vegan & Gluten Free Crust: 3 cups whole pecans 4 tbsp granulated sugar 3 tbsp superfine brown rice flour 6 tbsp melted vegan margarine

Filling: 2 tbsp almond milk 3 tbsp lemon juice 3 tubs tofutti better than cream cheese 1 package (19 oz) extra firm regular tofu (not silken) 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or one scraped vanilla bean pod 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 3/4 tsp cloves 6 tbsp superfine brown rice flour

Topping: 2-3 medium sized honeycrisp or granny smith apples 2 tbsp cold vegan margarine, cut into small bits 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 1/4 cup potato starch mixed with 1/4 cup very cold water

Crust:

Filling:

To make crust, preheat oven to 400 째F. Pulse pecans, sugar and superfine brown rice flour in food processor until crumbly. Stir in melted vegan margarine with fork until well mixed. Press mixture into springform pan until crust is about 1/4 inch thick. Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes. Let cool slightly and reduce heat to 325 째F.

Place all ingredients for filling into bowl and stir together until roughly mixed.

Transfer to food processor and blend until smooth. Spread the contents of food processor evenly into baked crust and place in oven.

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Bake for 70 minutes. Turn off oven, but leave cheesecake in oven for an additional hour. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack until room temp. Chill in fridge for a few hours before making topping.

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Allyson Kramer

Topping: Slice apples thinly, leaving peels on apples.

Toss with margarine and place into small frying pan. Saute over medium heat until apples are softened and a good amount of water has been produced. Stir in brown sugar and let mixture cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add in potato starch mixed with water, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Top cheesecake with apple mixture and chill in fridge for a few more hours or preferably overnight until firm.

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Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Tumeric and Saffron

Persian Love Cake Ingredients Serves 8

3 cups almond meal 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 cup strained yogurt 2 tablespoons rose water 1 teaspoon ground cardamom Zest of 1 lime 1 tablespoon lime juice 1/4 cup chopped pistachios 1/4 cup sliced almonds (lightly toasted) 1 tablespoon dried rose petals (crushed) *optional

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Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl combine almond meal, sugar, butter and salt. Mix thoroughly by hands.Lightly butter the bottom of a 9- inch springform pan. Divide mixture in half and press half of the mixture evenly into the bottom of the greased pan.Beat the eggs lightly and add to the remaining almond meal sugar mixture.

Add yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, cardamom and rose water and using a wooden spoon mix all wingredients together until well blended. Pour the creamy mixture over the prepared base in the pan and using a small spatula smooth out the surface. Sprinkle

the chopped pistachios, sliced almonds and rose petals on top or however you want to decorate.

It's your love cake!Set the cake on the middle-rack of the oven and bake for (45-50) minutes until center is set and the cake is golden.Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan.

Transfer the Persian love cake onto a serving platter, slice and serve with a dollop of strained yogurt, some fresh sliced fruits and a hot cup of chai.

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Pumpkin Lucuma Cheesecake Single Serving

Crust 3/4 cup almonds 1/4 cup dates Grind the almonds to flour in a food processor.

Add the pitted dates and process into a dough.

Add 1 teaspoon water if needed to hold the mixture together.

Filling 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree 1 cup cashews 1/2 cup water 6 tablespoons maple syrup 4 tablespoons lucuma powder 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 4-8 drops stevia 1 teaspoon psyllium 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 5 teaspoons melted cacao butter Blend all but the psyllium, oil, and butter in a high speed blender until smooth.

Add these last three ingredients.

Blend to combine.

d Downloae Recip Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Sweetly Raw

Pour the mixture over the crusts.

Chill in the fridge or freezer until firm (at least 8 hours in the fridge).

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Gluten Free Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies Makes 16 small but rich brownies Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl: 8 ounces (about 1 cup) pumpkin or winter squash puree 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 6 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg pinch allspice pinch cloves 1 large egg, room temperature 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Bourbon Brownie Batter: 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (1 scant cup) 2/3 cup sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons Bourbon 1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces) sweet white rice flour 1 tablespoon tapioca flour 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces/80g) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips Preparation: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ยบF. Line an 8x8 or 9x9" square baking pan on all sides with parchment paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving a 2" overhang.

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Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Bojon Gourmet Make the cheesecake: To extract excess moisture from the pumpkin, spread the puree in a 1/4" thick layer on a triple layer of paper towels, then stack 3 more paper towels on top, and press down gently. Let the pumpkin drain while you begin mixing the cheesecake batter. The paper towels will peel off easily.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-low until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until fluffy, a few minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle once or twice to make sure the mixture is completely smooth. Beat in the salt and spices until combined,

Drizzle and Drag

Gently pour the cheesecake all over the top of the batter

Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the top in 7 or 8 big blobs.

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Drag the tip of a paring knife through the batters back and forth a few times in both directions to swirl.

then the egg and vanilla extract. Peel the paper towels off of the pumpkin puree and add it in, scraping the bowl and paddle again, until the mixture is homogenous. Place the cheesecake batter in the refrigerator while you...

Make the brownie batter: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, add the chocolate, and stir until just melted. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and bourbon until smooth. Add the flour, cocoa and salt and whisk until smooth.

Stir in the chocolate chunks.

Scrape about 3/4 of the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Gently pour the cheesecake all over the top of the batter. Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the top in 7 or 8 big blobs. Drag the tip of a paring knife through the batters back and forth a few times in both directions to swirl.

(But don't over-swirl–you want the mixtures to stay separate.)

Bake the brownies until puffed all over, about 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then use the parchment handles to lift the mega brownie out. (Optionally, chill the brownies until cold for the cleanest cuts, about 2 hours). Use a large chef's knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut to trim away the outer 1/4" (if you like), then cut the brownies into 16 squares.

Store the brownies in the fridge; they are best within the first 2 days of being baked, but will keep for up to 5.

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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Yield: 16-20 gingerbread

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Ingredients 285 grams (~2 3/4 cups, but please weigh it!) almond flour or almond meal 1/4 cup (33 grams) coconut flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (120 grams) honey 1/4 cup (60ml) molasses 1/4 cup (56 grams) coconut oil, melted Directions In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and set this bowl aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.

Divide the dough into four balls, place the balls in plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or until the dough is quite firm.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Get out two pieces of parchment paper or two Silpats and flour both of them with almond flour or whatever kind of flour you like. I normally don't flour my Silpats but here it's absolutely necessary.

Take out one ball of dough at a time, roll it out to about ⅛", and, working quickly, use your cookie cutters of choice to cut out the desired shapes. I prefer to cut the shapes, leaving about 3/4" between each one, and then remove the dough surrounding the shape. That way I don't have 40 - Aug/Sept | 2013 | www.blikki.com

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Texanerin to worry about damaging the gingerbread men. Gather up the leftover dough and place back in the freezer. Bake the gingerbread men for 7 - 9 minutes. They'll still be soft when you take them out of the oven.

Immediately remove the piece of parchment paper or Silpat from the pan to prevent the gingerbread men from baking even more. If you want them slightly crunchy, you can let them cool on the cookie sheet. When completely cooled, you can pipe on some white chocolate for decoration.

Store in an airtight container. They get really soft if not properly stored or if left too long uncovered. I didn't pack mine up for several hours but luckily liked my gingerbread men that soft however. The only downside is that they stuck together a little (but you can easily pull them apart again).

Raw Pumpkin Pie makes one pie

Crust: 1 cup cashews 1 cup almonds 1/4 cup raisins 1 cup dates 1/8 teaspoon salt Pumpkin filling: 1 sugar pumpkin (about 7 cups), peeled, gutted and cut into cubes 1 cup dates 4-5 tablespoons melted coconut oil 1/3 cup maple syrup 1-4 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & cloves) To Make The Crust: Process the nuts in your food processor until they are like a rough flour. Add the dates, raisins and salt. Pulse until it all sticks together in a lump.

Press into the bottom of a pie dish and refrigerate.

To Make The Pie Filling: Process the pumpkin cubes until they can't get any smaller in your food processor. Add in the other ingredients and process until it can't get any smoother. Transfer the filling to your high speed blender and blend on the highest setting to get it super smooth like the cooked version. Add whatever you think it needs.

Spread the filling onto your pie crust and let it set in the fridge for a few hours.

d Downloae Recip Photo and Recipe Courtesy of This Rawsome Vegan Life www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 41

Paleo Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Servings: 8-10 Crust 1 cup raw almonds 1/4 tsp. sea salt 10 medjool dates, pits removed 1/4 cup raw honey, melted 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Cheesecake 4 cups raw macadamia nuts or cashews 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk 2/3 cup raw honey, melted 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp. lemon juice Dulce De Leche 2 cans full fat coconut milk (about 3 1/2 cups) 1 cup raw honey 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. sea salt Chocolate Drizzle 2oz 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate bar 2 1/2 Tbsp. raw honey Equipment: 6" to 9" springpan Large saucepan Stirring spoon Large food processor or blender Parchment paper To Make The Crust Layer: 1. Place the almonds in food processor or blender and blend into small chunks. Add the remain-

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ing ingredients and blend until combined (you will have a thick paste).

2. Line the bottom of your springform pan with some parchment paper and place the crust ingredients on the bottom of the pan. Press the crust across the bottom of the pan using your hands (you can use another piece of parchment paper to help keep the crust from sticking to your hands). Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the cheesecake layer To Make The Cheesecake Layer: 1. Place the macadamia nuts or cashews in or blender and blend into small chunks. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until well combined and smooth.

2. Pour the cheesecake layer into the pan on top of the crust. Place in the freezer while you prepare the dulce de leche layer.

To Make The Dulce De Leche Layer: 1. Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add all of the dulce de leche ingredients to the pan. Stir to combine the ingredients.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir the ingredients frequently to prevent from burning. Continue to cook the dulce de leche until the sauce is reduced by about half and has turned a light brown/caramel col-

or. It can take up to 30 minutes for this to occur.

3. Pour the dulce de leche layer into the pan on top of the cheesecake layer. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours to set.

To Make The Chocolate Drizzle: 1. To make the chocolate drizzle, microwave the raw honey in a heat safe bowl for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until just melted. Add the chocolate and stir. The chocolate should begin to melt from the heat of the honey mixture. If it does not fully melt, you can put it back in the microwave on 50% setting and heat for another 15 second at a time until fully melted, stirring each time. Be careful not to leave the chocolate in the microwave too long or it will scorch.

To Assemble: 1. Loosen the cheesecake by running a think knife around the inside of the pan. Remove the cheesecake from the pan and gently transfer to a plate.

2. Take a spoon and drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cheesecake. Top with fruit garnish (optional) and serve. Store any extra in the freezer and allow to thaw for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

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Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Paleo Cupboard

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d Downloae p Re ci Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Raw Lifestyle Co 44 - Oct/Nov | 2013 | www.blikki.com

Raw Black Forest Gateau - Chocolate Cake Recipe You will need: A batch of my raw coconut chocolate recipe made and in the freezer - spread it over two large trays so its very thin like the outside of the cake shown.

Raw Chocolate Recipe 1 and 1/3 cup of coconut oil melted 1 cup of natural raw cacao powder 1/2 cup of raw vanilla plant/pea protein 1/2 tsp of natural vanilla pinch of sea salt 50 grams of dried finely shredded coconut 1/4 cup of honey - or agave Simply melt the coconut oil and then using an electric beater or blender whizz it all together until smooth. Pour into a tray and set in the freezer.

Raw Chocolate Cake Makes three ‘cake’ layers 1 cup of almond flour 1 cup of cacao powder 1 cup of pea/plant protein in vanilla or chocolate 1.5 cup of soaked and pureed dates ( soak overnight in really minimal water and blend with water in) 1 tbsp pure vanilla ¼ cup of agave syrup/ honey or maple syrup depending on your preference ¼ cup of chia seeds ¼ cup of melted coconut oil Water on the side Add the cacao powder, protein and almond flour and wet down slowly with water until you can mix it together by hand-don’t get it sloppy though! Now add the remaining ingredients and mix by hand roughly then place in

the blender and process to form a mealy rough dough. It shouldn’t be to wet. Easily pressed together!

Now separate into three bowls.

Place two bowls aside and then firmly press the mixture from the first bowl in to your tin to form your first layer of cake!

Place in the freezer until firm, carefully remove with a thin metal fish slice and place on a plate in the freezer. repeat this step until you have all three cake layers ready for assembly. This could take a full day.

cooler till we are ready to layer.

Other ingredients 550g of cherries soaked in water 1tsp of vanilla. If you can’t find cherries then use strawberries

Raw Chocolate Fudge Sauce 1 cup of soaked and pureed dates (soak overnight in really minimal water and blend with water in) 1/2 cup of cacao powder 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil 2 tbsp. agave/honey/maple pinch of sea salt

Place the next ‘cake’ layer on top and repeat all layers again.

Puree together until super smooth and place aside Raw Chocolate Mousse 1 large or two medium avocados pureed 3 tbsp. of cacao powder 1 tsp pure vanilla 3 tbsp honey/agave/maple pinch of sea salt Puree all ingredients into a mousse and place aside Coconut Whip 1 can of coconut cream/milk – place in the fridge/cooler the night prior to making 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tbsp. agave/honey/maple Remove from the cooler and open the can. Pour off the clear liquid and you will have left the hard white part. Beat this on high with an electric beater with the added ingredients and then place in the

Making the Layers!

Remove the cake bottom from the freezer. Spread a layer of the chocolate sauce and then scatter 1/3 of the cherries/berries.

Spread 1/3 of the coconut whip over the top of the cherries and evenly level out. You should be able to just see the cherries.

Now you have two layers done you’re ready to make the final layer and top of the cake! So far you have the following layers 1 Cake, Chocolate Sauce , Cherries then coconut whip 2 Cake, Chocolate Sauce, Cherries then coconut whip 3 Cake Now place in the freezer for two hours to set so we can finish it off!

Carefully remove the tin it has been made in and place on your chosen dish for presentation.

Remove the actual raw chocolate ( pre made from recipe above) and break into sizes like above. Spread chocolate fudge around the sides of the cake and stick the chocolate pieces on evenly to form a basket.

Now spoon in the chocolate mousse then the rest of the coconut whip and decorate with cherries and chocolate!

Store in the cooler but place in the freezer for 30 minutes prior to serving to firm it up

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d Downloae Recip Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Nouveau Raw

Raw Pumpkin Spice Pie Makes a 6� springform pan Ingredients: Crust: 1 1/2 cups raw pecans (unsoaked) 1 cup packed Medjool dates (Pitted, chopped) 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon Filling: 3 1/2 cups cubed pumpkin 1 ripe avocado (peeled, seeded) 1 1/2 cups medjool dates (pitted) 1 Tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil (melted) 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 2 Tbsp raw agave nectar 1 Tbsp lecithin powder (add as the last ingredient) Preparation: Crust: Combine the pecans, dates and cinnamon, in your food processor.

Mix until well-blended.

Please be sure to not over process or the nuts will release too much oil. The batter should stick 46 - Oct/Nov | 2013 | www.blikki.com

together when you pinch it between your fingers.

Press into a pie pan evenly and set in the fridge while you make the batter. You can press some of the crust up the sides of the Springform pan if you wish.

Filling: Chop up your pumpkin into cubes before you add it to your food processor. Be sure to remove the seeds and skin.

Process your cubed pumpkin until it is really well-broken-down.

Transfer the pumpkin into your blender and add the avocado, coconut oil, dates, pumpkin spice and agave and blend until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Slowly add the lecithin while the blender is running. You want to add this last because it is a thickener. Your recipe will taste just as good without it but lecithin helps the pie to set up for slicing.

Pour the mixture into the pie pan over the crust.

Set in the fridge to chill. Your pie will be ready within an hour, you just want it to set up. Don’t expect the color of your pie to be really orange.

For the icing, I made the Raw Caramel Frosting with chopped up pecans in it.

Topping Ingredients for caramel: 1/2 cup of raw almond butter 1/2 cup maple syrup or raw dark agave syrup 1/2 cup date paste 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/8 tsp salt Preparation for caramel sauce: Place all ingredients in a high-powdered blender and process until smooth.

Stop occasionally to scrap the sides down.

Store in the fridge in a glass container. Good for approximately 2 weeks. To soft, leave out at room temperature for a few hrs or pop in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Pie Serves 8-10 Pie Ingredients: 1 graham cracker pie crust (look to see if it contains honey- many don’t) 3 oz. semi sweet baking chocolate (dairy free) 3 bananas, ripe 2 cups almond milk or other non dairy milk 1 package vanilla pudding mix (not instant the stovetop kind) Coconut Whipped Cream Ingredients *optional 1 can coconut milk (regular) 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup or confectioners sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder

Chocolate Drizzle Ingredients *optional 1 oz semi sweet baking chocolate (dairy free) Pie Assembly Directions: 1. Remove graham cracker crust lid. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

2. With a spatula carefully spread chocolate mixture over crust, gently dragging it up the sides. Set crust in refrigerator to harden.

3. When chocolate is firm, slice one of the bananas and place half of it on the bottom of the crust.

Reserve the other half banana.

4. Blend 2 remaining bananas with 2 cups almond milk in a blender. Add to a saucepan with vanilla pudding mix and cook as directed on package. This makes the vanilla pudding turn into banana pudding with no artificial

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flavors. (Bring to a boil over medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils.)

5. When thickened pour into pie crust and cool until chilled and set.

If you want the lowest fat version, stop here and serve as is without coconut whipped cream and chocolate drizzle 6. Garnish top of pie with remaining banana slices. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.

7. If desired top with coconut whipped creme and chocolate drizzle, or serve as is for a lower fat version. Instructions below.

Coconut Whipped Cream: 1. Place can of coconut milk in refrigerator for 6-8 hours, or in freezer for 3-4 hours until really really cold.

2. Place metal bowl and egg beaters or immersion blender stick in freezer for minutes.

3. Remove can from freezer and turn upside down. Open can and pour off coconut water. (reserve for another recipe such as a smoothie).

4. Remove bowl from freezer and scoop out coconut cream with a spatula and add to chilled bowl.

5. Whip cream until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup or vanilla extract if desired. Whip again until combined.

6. Garnish or serve.

Chocolate Drizzle Directions 1. In a microwave safe bowl melt chocolate (1-1/2 minutes on high).

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Low Fat Vegan

2. Drizzle over pie or dessert and serve. www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 47

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GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE MINT PINWHEEL COOKIES Makes about 40 cookies

Ingredients Cookies 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips – For Vegan/Dairy-Free use dairy free chips 1/2 tsp. Mint Extract ¾ cup Butter – Vegan/Dairy-Free 1/3 cup Sugar 1 Egg – for Vegan use ¼ cup water 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 1 ½ cups Sorghum Flour ½ cup Tapioca Flour ¼ cup Chickpea Flour ½ tsp. Xantan or Guar Gum ½ tsp. Sea Salt (if using salted margarine or butter omit salt)

Add the melted chocolate to half of the dough and blend in well.

Gather vanilla dough into a ball and flatten ball between two pieces of plastic wrap. Roll dough out into a 13” X 9” rectangle.

Place the dough, still between two pieces of plastic wrap, on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm.

Repeat with the chocolate dough.

Using a ruler to measure, trim the rectangle to the correct size.

When chilled, take dough out and place the rectangle on the counter. Peel off the top piece of plastic wrap from each rectangle. Invert one rectangle and gently place the exposed sides of the dough rectangles together on top of each other. If the dough is soft again re-chill it before the next step.

Chocolate Spread 1 cup Chocolate Chips – use dairy-free for Vegan/Dairy-Free 1 tsp. Mint Extract

Use the plastic to roll dough lengthwise, jelly roll style. If the dough is soft again re-chill it before the next step.

Directions When ready to bake pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt ½ cup of chocolate chips over hot water and stir in mint extract until smooth. Set aside. In a bowl, cream butter (or margarine) and sugar together. Add egg (or water) and vanilla, and blend in well.

In a separate bowl add flours, xanthan or guar gum and salt and mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter (margarine) mixture and stir until well blended. Divide the dough in half.

Cut dough into ¼ inch thick slices and place 2-inches apart on a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake 7-8 minutes.

cookies, chocolate side up, on a rack. When the chocolate is set and firm, transfer cookies to a tin or airtight container until ready to serve. Separate the layers of cookies with wax paper to prevent the cookies from sticking or breaking.

Dough roll can be frozen for later use. When ready to bake, allow the dough roll to thaw in the refrigerator until it can be easily sliced into cookies.

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Optional: While cookies are cooling, melt remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 tsp. mint extract over hot water. Stir until smooth.

Place ½ tsp. of chocolate on the back of each cookie. Allow chocolate to set by placing the

Recipe Courtesy of Gluten Free Baking Bear www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 49

d Downloae Recip Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Ant and Anise

Quinoa Chocolate Cake 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa OR 2 cups + 4 teaspoons cooked quinoa 4 large eggs 1/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup (6 ounces) butter, melted and cooled 1-1/2 cups sugar 1 cup cocoa powder 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt To Cook Quinoa: Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and drain. Place in a medium saucepan with water

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and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. When the quinoa boils, cover the saucepan and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, leave the saucepan lid ajar and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Spread the quinoa on a baking sheet and cool completely, about 10 minutes.

For The Cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Place quinoa in a food processor and add 1 egg.

Blend for 2 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the processor.

Repeat this step another 3 times, blending in each egg separately for 2 minutes and scraping down the sides of the processor before you add the next egg. When all eggs are incorporated, blend for 1-2 minutes more. Add milk, vanilla and melted butter and blend until incorporated. Next up, the dry ingredients: Add sugar and blend until incorporated.

Add the sifted cocoa mixture and blend until incorporated.

Pour batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes

out clean. Remove cakes from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Turn cakes out onto a cake rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely before frosting.

Coconut Buttercream Frosting 4 egg whites 1 cup sugar pinch of salt 12 ounces (1-1/2 cups) butter, in cubes and softened slightly 3 tablespoons coconut cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Remove the mixing bowl from the heat and move it to your stand mixer. With the whisk attachment,whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl continue to whisk until the mixture is glossy and cool, another 4 minutes or so.

Now you’re ready to add the

After all of the butter is incorporated and the buttercream is silky smooth, add the coconut cream and extracts and mix until incorporated. Makes enough to frost an 8-inch layer cake.

S:7 in

HOW TO

LIVE UNITED: JOIN HANDS. OPEN YOUR HEART. LEND YOUR MUSCLE.

FIND YOUR VOICE.

GIVE 10%. GIVE 100%.

GIVE 110%.

GIVE AN HOUR.

S:10 in

Fill a medium saucepan ? full with water and bring to a simmer. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites, sugar and salt. Place the mixing bowl on top of the simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches 160F. (If you don’t have a candy thermometer, whisk until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg white-sugar mixture is warm to the touch.)

butter: Change to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, add the add the softened butter one piece at a time. Mix well after each piece of butter added. Occasionally stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. (If the butter is too soft, the buttercream may be too runny. An easy fix is to place the whole bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to let the butter firm up a bit before you continue mixing.)

GIVE A SATURDAY. THINK OF WE BEFORE ME. REACH OUT A HAND TO ONE AND

INFLUENCE

THE CONDITION OF ALL.

GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

LIVE UNITED

™

Want to make a difference? Help create opportunities for everyone in your community. United Way is creating real, lasting change where you live, by focusing on the building blocks of a better life– education, income and health. That’s what it means to Live United. For more, visit LIVEUNITED.ORG.

www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 51

GF Chocolate Hazelnut Brown Butter Cake Makes one 8" cake Ingredients: 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for the pan 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (preferably dutch-processed), plus 1 tablespoon for the pan 1/2 vanilla bean 1 1/4 cups hazelnuts, toasted, skins rubbed off, cooled 1/4 cup flour (such as sweet rice, or all-purpose) 1/2 teaspoon salt 7 ounces (about 1 cup) egg whites, from about 7 eggs 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) finely chopped dark milk chocolate

d Downloae Recip Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Bojon Gourmet

bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with the dull side of a knife, and add the pod and scrapings to the butter. Cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until the butter browns and smells nutty, 8 - 10 minutes. The butter will foam up, and the milk solids on the Directions: Position a rack in the center of the bottom of the pan should be a rich oven and preheat to 350ยบ. Using the brown color. The rest of the butter will remain golden-amber. Watch 1 tablespoon of butter, grease an 8" round cake pan, line the bottom it carefully, as it can go from brown to burnt in little time. Remove with a round of parchment, then from the heat and let cool sightly. butter the parchment. Dust with the 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, In a food processor, combine the turning the pan to coat it evenly cooled nuts, flour, cocoa powder and tapping out the excess. Set and salt. Grind very finely. aside.

In a large metal bowl, whisk together the whites and the two sugars. Place over a water bath or directly over a low flame if you're feeling butch (but be careful!) and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture feels warm to the touch and the sugar is mostly Place the remaining butter in a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla dissolved. Remove from the heat, Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and toasted. Let cool slightly, then rub between your palms or a tea towel to remove most of the skins. Let cool completely.

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and whisk in the almond mixture.

Place the bowl on a damp towel to secure, and gradually whisk in the warm butter, 1/4 cup at a time, so that the mixture emulsifies. Fold in the chopped chocolate. The batter will be fairly liquid. It can be baked now, or allowed to hang out in the fridge for up to several days.

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 30 - 40 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed lightly. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 or 20 minutes.

Loosen the edges with a small spatula if necessary. Place a large plate over the pan, grasp with bemitted hands, and flip the whole thing over to invert. Remove the pan and peel off the parchment. Let the cake cool a bit more. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The cake will keep for several days at room temperature, or up to a week in the fridge.

www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 9

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20 YUMMY RECIPES YOUR WHOLE FAMILY WILL BEG FOR!

Grow A Garden from Kitchen Scraps p.36 Nutrition Q&A Vegan? How Much Protein is Enough? p.10

Straight Answers About The Carnitine Controversy! p.42

4 of Our Favorite Summer

Raw Chunky Monkey Ice Cream p.32

Food Blog Sites p.12

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Easy to Download Recipes p. 11

Photos Courtesy of Fragrant Vanilla Cake

HOW TO

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Cake Dec

By Jana Free

How to make your cakes look as good as they taste!

corating in 6 Easy Steps www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 57

HOW TO

1. Before you place your cake on a cake plate or

serving platter, make sure that you place parchment paper or liners underneath it. This will help keep your cake plate clean while frosting, as you’ll remove the parchment or liners after you are done.

Use three to four pieces of paper or liner, fanned out at the center of the plate and overlapping for easier removal later.

2. Use an offset spatula for frosting your cake,

as it makes for a cleaner, smoother cake. It will be much more efficient than ordinary spatulas as well. When frosting the middle layers of your cake, spread frosting sparingly while still making sure that enough flavor and texture will be dispersed throughout the entire cake. Ideally, you’ll want a layer of frosting that is about ½ inch thick, and remember to only frost within ½ inches of the edge of the cake. This prevents frosting from oozing out of the sides when you place the cake layers on top.

3. When frosting the outside of the cake, begin by

place a generous heap of frosting on top of the cake.

You will then begin to spread the frosting down the sides, smoothing as you go. You will want to aim for a side layer of frosting that is about ½ inch thick.

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4. Take care to smooth the sides of the cake as

you frost, rotating and frosting either clockwise or counter clockwise, in whichever direction feels more comfortable to you. After the sides of the cake are frosted and smoothed, begin working on the top. At this point, you can add more frosting if needed, or remove excess frosting with your spatula.

5. In preparation for piping designs on your

frosted cake, you will need to fill a pastry bag with the colored icing of your choice. We find that the easiest way to fill a pastry bag is to place it in a cup, with the sides hanging over the rim to hold it still and open. Begin to spoon the frosting into the pastry bag, and leave about four inches free at the top of the bag. Once the bag is filled, twist the top, squeezing the frosting to the bottom of the bag.

6. To pipe the icing onto your cake, squeeze the

filled bag with the heal of your hand, keeping the top of the bag twisted with the same hand the entire time. Use your other hand to assist with flow and movement when doing the piping. As you pipe, you’ll want to apply just enough pressure to squeeze out the amount of icing you need, in the pattern that you desire, and then you will release the pressure while lifting up the pastry bag.

www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 59

HOW TO

GF Coconut Nut Pie Crust (gluten, grain, and dairy free) Ingredients 3-4 Medjool dates 1/2 cup crispy walnuts (soaked and dehydrated is best) 1/2 cup crispy pecans (soaked and dehydrated is best) 1/4 cup macadamia nuts (soaked and dehydrated is best) 1/2 cup organic shredded coconut 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil 1/4 tsp. Vietnamese cinnamon (optional) dash of sea salt

Delicious Obsessions

Instructions 1. Soak your dates for an hour or so in warm water. Remove the pits.

2. Throw the nuts, dates, shredded coconut, cinnamon, and sea salt into your food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

3. With the food processor running, pour in the coconut oil, and blend until combined. Make sure you drizzle it in, otherwise it tends to seize up into a hard coconut oil glop.

4. Press into your pie pan or whatever dish you’re using.

5. Chill for an hour or so to get the coconut oil to solidify. This will hold the crust d together.

Downloae 6. Fill with your favorite cold pie filling and enjoy!

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Raw Coconut Whipped Cream 2/3 cup packed young coconut pulp 1/2 cup coconut water 1/4 cup macadamia nuts 2 tablespoons coconut nectar or maple syrup 2 drops stevia 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of salt 1/2 cup melted coconut oil Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy.

Add the oil and blend to combine.

Chill the mixture for at least 6 hours or until it firms.

Sweetly Raw

d Downloae Recip

Suggestions: I’ve gone really light on the nuts here, and kept it high in coconut.

I used stevia in place of another sweetener. You can add the sweetner of your choice.

You can add a few pinches of ground ginger or fresh ginger juice, and cinnamon for a nice kick!

To speed up the firming of the cream, chill it in a large metal bowl.

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HOW TO

Gluten-Free Deep Dish Pie Crust Makes 1 pie crust Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups teff flour 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon melted Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 2/3 cup maple syrup 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon Celtic Sea SaltÂŽ Directions: Preheat oven to 375ÂşF. Lightly oil a 9-inch deep dish pie pan on the bottom and up the sides with 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil.

To make the crust, combine the teff flour, oil, maple syrup, and salt in a medium-size bowl and stir until well combined.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pie pan and use your fingers to press it out in an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan. Poke a few holes in the dough with a fork.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until it loses it shine. Remove from the oven and add your pie filling.

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Leslie Cerier

d Downloae Recip

SUPERNATURAL Made with less than 5 ingredients, these cereals pack naturally occurring protein and fiber from Rye, Hemp, Quinoa and Chia.

These are some Supergrain cereals! www.attunefoods.com www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 9

T

he flavors of the Holidays are meant to be shared. Spread the joy of the Season with our selection of delectable Holiday appetizer recipes.

Each vegetarian recipe is easy to prepare, and so delicious, we bet that all of your holiday guests (yes, even the meat eaters) will enjoy them!

the recipes Vegan Mushroom Crostini Vegan Mango Crostini Vegan Crumpets Vegan Potato Empanada Vegan Onion Bhaji

1 1

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2 3 5 4

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Globetrotter. Designer. Food Blogger. Pallavi currently lives in the southern part of India, after spending the past ten years of her life living in six cities in three different countries. A graphic designer by day and food blogger by the weekend she is passionate about cooking, food photography and growing her own herbs Photos and Recipes Courtesy Veggie Zest

1. Crumpets

Heat a non-stick pan or an electric griddle and wipe the surface generously with some vegetable oil.

Cooking time 30 minutes plus 2 hour for fermentation

To give a perfect round shape to the crumpets – use a biscuit cutter.

Makes 8

Ingredients: 1 cup warm milk 1/4 cup warm water 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup gram flour (or replace the with A.P flour) 2 tsp dried yeast 2 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder few thyme sprigs vegetable oil for cooking

Place the biscuit cutter in the center of the pan/griddle and ladle about 2 tablespoon full of batter inside the biscuit cutter.

Dissolve yeast in water let it rest till it becomes bubbly.

Flip the crumpet and cook for another minute or two on the other side. Cool on a rack.

In a large bowl, sift together flour and gram flour. Add sugar to the mixture, keep aside.

Add the yeast & milk to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon till it forms a smooth (lump free) mixture. It will resemble the consistency of thick cream.

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave for about 2 hours in a warm spot. After 2 hours the mixture will be very bubbly and would have doubled in volume.

Mix the salt and baking powder into the batter.

Place a few sprigs of thyme on the exposed surface.

Cook the crumpet on low for about 3 minutes on one side.

Run a knife through the edge of the crumpet (so that it detaches from the biscuit cutter).

2. Mango Crostini Makes 8 Crostini Ingredients: For Balsamic Reduction: 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup honey Mix both ingredients in a non reactive metal pan.

On medium low cook till the mixture reduces into a thick sauce. Let cool at room temperature.

For Crostini: Goat cheese 1 ripe mango, cut into bite size dices 1/2 loaf french baguette, cut into slices some basil leaves Toast the baguette in the oven for 2 minutes till the bread gets a little bite.

Generously smear goat cheese on the baguette slices.

Top the crostini with few pieces of mango.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction and garnish the crostini with fresh basil leaves. Serve right away.

3. Potato Empanada with Cilantro & Scallion Pesto Makes 8 Empanadas

Ingredients: For the dough: 2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp dry active yeast 1/4 cup warm water, plus more for kneading the dough 1 tsp salt Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and let it rest for 10 minutes or till it gets bubbly.

In a large bowl mix flour and salt and add the yeast into it.

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Hot Chocolate Ingredients: 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups coconut milk 1/3 cup water Dash salt 1/4 cup Cocoa Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream 1/4 cup Agave Directions: 1. Stir together Agave, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add coconut milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature.

Do Not Boil.

2. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired.

Five 8-oz. Servings

Adding 1 tbsp warm water at a time, knead the flour mixture till everything is well incorporated and it comes together as a dough.

Place in a bowl (large enough for the dough to rise), cover with a kitchen towel and keep in a warm spot for 1 hour or till the dough becomes double in size. After an hour knead the dough a few times and divide into 8 equal parts.

Shape the parts into a ball. Keep aside.

For the stuffing: 3 medium size potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced into small pieces 1 medium red onion, finely chopped 1 small red bell pepper, diced 2 tbsp fajita seasoning mix 1 tbsp ground cumin handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped salt little olive oil In a large pan heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook till they turn transparent. Add bell peppers and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add salt and mix well. Add potatoes and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the seasoning and salt and stir till all the veggies are coated with the seasoning evenly. Turn the heat off and add cilantro. Mix well, and keep aside to cool.

For the pesto: 1 1/2 cup fresh cilantro 1 cup scallion greens, chopped juice of 1 lime 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated salt 1 tbsp water Add all the ingredients in a blender and mix till it becomes a smooth paste.

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To make the Empanadas: Preheat the oven at 350 F. Prepare a banking tray.

Roll out one dough ball into a thin round. Place some potato stuffing horizontally towards one side, leaving 1/2 inch gap from the side.

Roll the dough like a cigar and pinch to seal the seams and the edges. Bring both edges together and pinch to seal forming a round doughnut shape.

Repeat with other balls. Place the empanadas on a baking sheet.

Brush some egg-wash on the surface – this step is optional.

Bake for 20 minutes or till the top turns golden.

Cool and serve warm with cilantro pesto.

4. Mushroom Crostini Makes about 5 to 6 crostini

Ingredients: 4 cups a mixed variety of mushrooms 2 tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 1/2 tsp honey salt & pepper plain cream cheese to smear a crusty baguette – sliced a few chives for garnish Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan.

Add garlic and saute for a few seconds – till it starts releasing a nice aroma.

Add the sliced mushrooms and stir till the slices are coated with oil evenly. Let the mushrooms cook (stirring occasionally, uncovered) till all the water evaporates

and they start browning.

While the mushrooms cook, in a small bowl add 1 tbsp olive oil, balsamic, mustard, honey some salt and pepper and mix well to form the dressing. Keep aside.

Once the mushrooms are cooked and turn slightly brown, season them with some salt and pepper.

Turn the heat off and keep uncovered.

Toast the sliced bread and smear with a generous amount of cream cheese.

Spoon some mushrooms on it and drizzle the dressing on the crostinis.

Garnish with chives and serve right away.

5. Naan Pizza with Za’atar & Eggplant Naan Bread Pizza Base: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp olive oil 3/4 cups lukewarm water

on each side. You don’t want to cook it completely at this stage since you will be throwing it into the over after putting the toppings on it.

Tahini Hummus

Keep the half cooked naan wrapped in a kitchen towel, while you prepare the toppings.

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans

For the Pizza Topping: Tahini Za’atar mixed with good quality olive oil to form a spreadable consistency Red bell peppers diced into bite size pieces Eggplant, diced into bite size pieces 3 to 4 tbsp olive oil Salt In a non-stick sauce pan heat 3 tbsp oil.

Add eggplant and cook on medium low till they turn golden and are cooked through. Add salt.

Transfer the eggplant into a plate – keep aside.

In the same saucepan add 1 tbsp oil and cook bell peppers with some salt till they become soft.

Keep aside.

In a large bowl mix flour and baking powder and give it a quick mix.

To assemble the Pizza:

Add oil and mix with a fork. Adding a small amount of water at a time – knead to form non sticky dough. Use as much water as needed.

Smear a spoonful tahini on naan followed by equal amount of za’atar.

Let the dough rest for 1 hour.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or till the edges of the pizza starts to turn golden.

Divide the dough into 4 to 5 pieces and roll out each piece into a 1/4 inch thick round. I flattened it using my hands but use whatever method feels comfortable.

On a nonstick pan over medium low heat cook naan for 2 minutes

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Arrange eggplant and bell pepper on the pizza.

Remove from the oven and drizzle some extra tahini before serving.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste) 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil Preparation: Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can.

Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well.

Garnish with parsley (optional).

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CONTRIBUTORS

Jill Hillhouse BPHE, CNP is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner whose practice is based on her philosophy that each individual is metabolically unique. She seeks to identify the root cause of peoples’ health concerns and to educate and inspire them to be an active partner in their own health.

Dr. Laura Figoski, is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor (N.D.) practicing in San Francisco, CA. Emphasizing nature-based, individualized and holistic recommendations, she provides naturopathic primary care with a focus in heart disease and diabetes. Ultimately, her mission is to help her patients find or regain peace, joy, and ease.

Veggiezest: Globetrotter. Designer. Food Blogger. Pallavi currently lives in the southern part of India, after spending the past ten years of her life living in six cities in three different countries. A graphic designer by day and food blogger by the weekend she is passionate about cooking, food photography and growing her own herbs Low Fat Vegan Chef: Veronica Grace’s blog, Low Fat Vegan Chef, focuses on promoting a low fat vegan approach to a whole foods diet and lifestyle. Veronica also teaches and encourages her readers to eat fresh, plant-based foods as often as possible.

Ditch the Wheat: Carol is a twenty-something young woman living in Ontario, Canada. Carol started eliminating gluten from her diet in 2011. Since then she went on to form the popular blog, Ditch The Wheat, and write her grain free dessert cookbook, Indulge. Carol is known for her baking recipes that feature coconut flour.

Nouveau Raw: Amie Sue Oldfather is the author of the award winning blog “Nouveau Raw”. Where her heart and passion is to share her healthy recipes that are not only pleasing to the eyes but to the taste buds too! She is also this year’s winner of the “Best of Raw” award!

Texanerin: Erin Dee, who is originally from Texas but currently lives in Germany, is the recipe developer and blogger behind Texanerin Baking. Her blog focuses on making healthier whole grain, grain-free and gluten-free desserts that taste just as delicious and decadent as their unhealthy counterparts.

This Rawsome Vegan Life: I’m Emily, 19 years old, and love eating plants. My mostly raw, always vegan lifestyle is something I am proud to share, and my recipes are the best way to do that. On my blog - This Rawsome Vegan Life - I provide recipes that are kind on the planet, animals and your body.

Delicious Obsessions: Jessica is a real food nut, avid reader and researcher, blossoming yogi, and animal lover. Her life-long passion for food has made the kitchen the place she is happiest. Jessica loves to show people how making small changes in their food selections can greatly impact their lives.

The Bojon Gourmet: Alanna is a food stylist, photographer, and recovering pastry chef based in San Francisco, and the mastermind behind acclaimed recipe blog The Bojon Gourmet. Bojon (“no job” backwards), is not just a state of unemployment, but a state of mind. Read more about the Tao of Bojon.

The Pastry Affair: Kristin Rosenau is a photographer and science teacher with a serious sweet tooth. As a self-taught baker, her love affair with pastries began in her own kitchen. The voice behind the blog, Pastry Affair, she develops recipes for the home cook, combining a mixture of rusticity with a dash of honesty.

Turmeric and Saffron: Azita Mehran is an Iranian food blogger and photographer.

She moved to the U.S after high school to pursue higher education in psychology and counseling. Azita currently lives in New York with her husband and two daughters, where she is also a Persian language and spirituality teacher.

Leaking Boob: Lindsay Gray is the author of the blog The Leaking Boob. She lives with her husband, Steve, and 6 month old daughter, Lilah in St. Louis, MO. Lindsay began her real food journey when Lilah was diagnosed with reflux when she was only one month old. The whole family is now healthier and happier!

Sweetly Raw: Heather Pace’s passion for food led her to the completion of a two year culinary school program at the age of 21 and has worked in various restaurants, bakeries, and as a personal chef. She is the author of six raw dessert e-books, owns a small raw catering company, and teaches raw food classes. Find her books and recipes at SweetlyRaw.com.

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Paleo Cupboard: Was created to show the world that healthy food CAN be delicious, and to help redefine what everyone thinks “healthy” is.

Allyson Kramer’s namesake blog features healthy vegan and gluten-free recipes.

Her background is in fine art, but her true passion is creating beautiful and delicious recipes. Allyson is also the author of two fabulous gluten-free cook books.

Elana’s Pantry: Elena Amsterdam is an author, photographer, healthy foodie and the creator of the food blog Elena’s Pantry.

In addition to creating gluten free, organic wholesome recipes for her blog, Elena has alsopublished 3 books. Including her most recent “Paleo Cooking From Elena’s Pantry”

Fragrant Vanilla Cake: Amy Lyons is the recipe creator at Fragrant Vanilla Cake, a blog specializing in raw, vegan, and vegetarian recipes. She uses her eye to create food art that is pleasing to look at while being deceptively nourishing. Her mission is to revamp classic recipes and make them healthier while being exquisitely delicious.

Carmelia Cakery: Victoria Leith is a musician, mother and raw gourmet dessert maker in the United Kingdom. Her beyond delicious are endorsed by many, but most of all, our favorite raw chef Russell James. But wait! There’s more, Victoria has found the time to write her book “Carmelia Cakery, the Raw Unbakery” (available for purchase at her web site).

Betty Rawker like to thinks of hersself as the raw “Betty Crocker”, transforming the comfort foods we grew up with into raw, paleo, grain free goodies that are truly good for us, and comforting for our bodies.

We have fallen in love with her raw food recipess, and wehope you enjoy her recipes as much as we do.

Peachy Palate: Michelle Hunt is a 25 year old retired marketing coordinator who lives in Dublin, Ireland. On her blog, Michelle creates healthy food and is a blueberry and peach fanatic -- hence her blog name “The Peachy Palate”. Michelle wants to entice you to have a fun-filled, full-flavoured life!

Ant and Anise: Kris Neely is a professionally trained chef and co-creator of Ant & Anise, a food blog she produces in Vancouver with her aunt, Eve Johnson. Ant & Anise seeks out simple, elegant, healthy food, based on local, seasonal ingredients, and has a fondness for grain-free and gluten-free recipes.

Living Healthy With Chocolate: Adriana Harlan is an avid kite surfer and body boarder, and in her spare likes to get creative in her kitchen developing healthier dessert alternatives. Allyson is part of a movement that wants to help people understand that we can convert our favorite healthy sweets to new one that we will love!

HeartMath LLC provides unique services, products and technologies to improve well-being, build resilience and reduce emotional stress.

HeartMath published research has demonstrated a critical link between emotions, heart function and cognitive performance. Their award-winning HRV technologies for stress reduction and resilience building have won numerous awards.

Simply Dish: Erin Bosdet is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist (CHN), a vegan chef and a mom. She is passionate about nutrition, photography and raising her son. Her Simply Dish pages were created to inspire you and to share nutritious and delicious plant based recipes with you and your family.

Leslie Cerier, “The Organic Gourmet,” has been teaching the art of farm to table healthy and delicious cooking at some of the finest eco lifestyle centers in the world. Leslie is a national authority on gluten-free cooking and baking specializing in local, seasonal, whole foods and organic vegetarian cuisine.

Raw Lifestyle Co.: Julia Grenon Doran lives in Australia where she dedicates her time to researching and studying the effects of proper nutrition on the body. She is also the author of “The Book Of Raw - Delicious Cheesecakes” which can be purchased from her web site.

Gluten Free Baking Bear: Bryna Bear, RN loves to bake. She is the creator of the Gluten Free Baking Bear blog designed to share recipes and help people to convert their favorite recipes into gluten free ones; some with vegan and dairy free variations. Her motto is “A good recipe is a good recipe!”

The Raw Dessert Kitchen: Karolina Eleonóra has spent the last 5 years in the kitchen doing what she loves most -creating raw food desserts! After years of exploring exciting ways of making healthy desserts she decided to run her own busines and together with her partner, Jakob, and they created The Raw Dessert Kitchen.

Click a Contributor’s Bio to visit their Facebook page

www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 71

Quick Bites (super fast vegan recipes )

Photo and Recipe Courtesy Ditch the Wheat

Pecan Pie “Lara Bars�

Ingredients: 1/2 cup of Seedless/Pitted whole medjool dates (about 7 dates) 1 cup of pecans 1/2 tsp vanilla

2. Add all of the ingredients into the food processor. Process until desired smoothness. I added half of the pecans, all of the dates, and the vanilla, processed and then added the remaining pecans to get a nice texture.

Instructions:

3. Take the mixture and mold into 5 bars.

1. De-pit your dates. Take a date and gently tear it apart and pull out the seed.

4. Store in your refrigerator.

d Downloae Recip 72 - Oct/Nov | 2013 | www.blikki.com

Soul Food

Identity Theft

W

by Kim Allen

ithout thinking about it, point to yourself. You probably didn’t point to your head. Rather, you pointed to the center of your chest, the area around the heart.

And the reason most of us do is evident in the way the word heart is used in just about every culture and language around the world: Follow your heart; speak from your heart; in your heart you know. All metaphors for the authentic you!

Being true to your heart is the formula for living the life you want. When there is an alignment between what’s in your heart and the actions you carry out the better life seems to work. You’re fulfilled, content and at peace. You feel care, appreciation, love, joy, compassion, kindness-heart-felt emotions that not only feel good, but are good for you, too. Is it any wonder we all live for the moments our hearts come alive?

If you want to manifest more of who you truly are, start by considering what you value most. What you value is at the core of who you are. Core values are the embodiment of intelligent operating principles that give meaning to life, rejuvenate spirit and create a sense of well-being.

Still not sure what’s at your core? Here are some questions to help you sort through all the should’s, could’s, and would’s that can get in the way of hearing what your heart wants you to know: • • • • •

What matters most to you?

What’s important to you professionally? Personally?

What values do the people you admire exemplify?

What motivates you to put in more effort at work?

What would you do Saturday morning if time, distance and money weren’t an issue?

Now, ask yourself: Do you follow your heart as consistently as you would like? If not, what do you want to do about it? {B}

This article was reprinted courtesy of HeartMath LLC, heartmath.com. For more tips go to their FaceBook page, facebook.com/heartmath.

www.blikki.com | 2013 | Oct/Nov - 73