Christmas balls!

Nuts, cranberries, allspice and cinnamon - amazing Christmas flavours. How about having all that deliciousness bound together into one tasty bite? Well, that's what you get with my raw Christmas energy balls!

Seasonal fruit and nuts

Anyone who has followed my blog for a while knows that I just love energy balls, and make a variety of flavours to suit all occasions, so it only makes sense to have one especially for Christmas. These are perfect if you love a touch of decadence without a dilemma, as these treats taste amazing, but are also good for you too.  A combination of healthy fats and proteins with slow release sugars, these bite-sized goodies just hit the spot with seasonal spices and a touch of raw chocolate too. Perfect for anyone who eats dairy free, gluten free, plant based or just wants a break from refined and processed foods.
I've used allspice alongside cinnamon as it's such a Christmassy flavour. A small dried fruit from a pimento tree, it is a type of pepper with hints of clove and nutmeg. It can actually benefit health as the phytonutrients contained in the tiny corn have anti-inflamatory properties. Allspice can also help aid digestion and absorption of nutrients as well as reduce wind - could be useful after a good helping of sprouts on Christmas Day!
You can use whatever nuts you like in these balls - I've gone for walnuts and almonds, but pecans would add an even extra hint of richness. To keep this a completely raw treat, I've used raw cacao powder, but if you only have normal cocoa powder to hand, don't let that stop you giving these a go, they will still taste gorgeous.
A handful of these popped in a bag make a lovely Christmas gift too - just make sure you give them away quickly or you find the only person receiving the gift of Christmas balls is you!
Enjoy.
Christmas raw energy balls

Christmas balls!

1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup dried dates
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground all spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange juice or water
desiccated coconut
Place the walnuts and almonds into your food processor and pulse a couple of times to break them down a bit. Add the dates, cranberries, raisins, cacao powder and spices and pulse again a few times, then blitz until combined. Add a little orange juice or water to help it stick together but not too much or it will be too wet and soggy. Take a teaspoon full and roll into a ball in the palms of your hands. Roll in desiccated coconut to cover. Repeat until all the mix is used up.
This is enough for approximately 18 balls.

Amazing Banoffee Pie - raw and dairy free! Part one.

I love pudding. It's no secret. I have a sweet tooth that loves to be satisfied. Unfortunately, most traditional puddings and desserts are packed full of dairy - dollops of butter, lashings of cream and of course bundles of fat and calories to go with it!! It's not a wonder that when I finally banished dairy from my diet, I lost weight without trying!
So  now I am on a continual quest to find puddings that I can eat - dairy free and delicious of course - without falling back onto too many fake alternatives which are often packed full of chemicals and nasties that I really don't want to consume. I want real food in my pudding. I do want to have my cake and to eat it!
One of my favourite puddings of all time is Banoffee Pie. I'm not sure if it's the deep rich caramel flavour or the sumptuous cream and banana mix which makes it so tantalising on the tongue - or maybe all the flavours together is the key. Banoffee Pie is a Sussex creation, first found on the menu of the Hungry Monk back in the 1970s, and being a Sussex girl, it's only right that I should indulge and support our local cuisine. But that combination of caramel made from condensed milk and the thick creamy topping means that, sadly, my banoffee pie days are over.
Or so I thought until my lovely husband, knowing how much I miss my scrumptious puds, found a recipe for, and made me, Raw Banoffee Pie. What a man!! Made from whole foods, no added sugars at all - and it tastes absolutely wonderful.
As a dish, it's not too complicated to make, but has a few component parts, so this recipe is being split into two posts (what a tease!!) but if you can't wait, then check out the whole thing on this wonderful site http://www.gluten-free-vegan-girl.com/2013/04/no-bake-vegan-banoffe-pie.html
So this dish has three component parts - the crust, the caramel and the cream. Each one can be used to  make other yummy dishes, hence why I want to break them down for ease of reference. Today, I'm focusing on the caramel and the cream. Next time the base and bringing the whole recipe together. It doesn't take up loads of time, just needs a little planning ahead.
The raw caramel is amazing, and is one of the things I demonstrated at my first Sensitive Foodie cooking demo the other week. It went down really well, and we have all be devising other uses for it ever since!! The coconut cream is so easy and absolutely gorgeous and can definitely be used as whipped cream for other puddings. It tastes gorgeous and it's hard not to eat it all straight from the bowl.

First, the caramel. Made from whole dates and vanilla, the flavour is influenced by two things - the type of dates used and time. Richer dates, like medjool, produce a deeper caramel flavour. I've used these and Halawi dates and the flavour is lighter with the Halawi. Still gorgeous though! The texture is also slightly smoother with the medjool dates. As for time, the flavours mature over a few days, so if you can, make this caramel and keep it in a pot at the back of the fridge where no-one will find it (otherwise they will eat it!!) for a few days before you want to use it. If you can't, don't worry, your caramel will still be good, just not quite as deep as it might be. Finally, I use vanilla paste rather than vanilla essence, just because I found it produces a better flavour. If you only have essence, then use it, but check your flavour as you may need to add a bit more.
Raw caramel
3 cups pitted dates
1 cup of almond milk (or other non-dairy milk - not soya milk)
1 tsp vanilla paste
a pinch of salt (be careful!)
Place your dates into a food processor and blend until all mushed up. Add 3/4 of the milk, vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt and blend until smooth. Add more milk to get a thick, creamy texture, as needed. It will take about 5 minutes on a medium speed. Taste and add more vanilla or salt to balance the flavour (the salt counterbalances the sweetness. It's needed but its easy to add too much!). Once you're happy with the flavour, stop eating it or you'll have to make more, put in a pot and hide!
Whipped coconut cream

1 tin of full fat coconut cream
vanilla essence
pinch of salt (optional)
This is where you have to plan ahead for sure. To be able to whip your cream, you need cold coconut milk, so pop it in the fridge to chill over night. When you open the tin, most of it will be of a creamy, thick consistency. Carefully scrap out all the thick stuff and put in a bowl. There may be a little thin coconut water left at the bottom - keep separate and use for another recipe. I'd actually had my tin in the fridge for a week (never got around to using it when I'd planned to) and the whole tin was solid. Perfect for whipping. Then all you need to do is add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence to the coconut and whisk until you have a smooth cream. It takes about one minute with an electric hand whisk. Taste and add more vanilla essence if you need to and a tiny pinch of salt if you feel it's required. It really does taste like whipped cream!! The cream needs using pretty quickly, so if you're not ready to use it there and then, pop the bowl in the fridge so it keeps it shape (the fat in coconut changes consistency with temperature).
So there you have it - two components of the pie that can be used elsewhere. Earlier I started discussing banana splits and chocolate sundaes with my daughter…….watch this space! And the rest of the banoffee pie recipe will come next time!

Dairy and yeast free pizza - it's tasty, honest!!

Having a dairy and yeast intolerance, I've got used to not eating my favourite foods, often just admiring them from afar. There is one though, that tortures me - pizza! I love it - that crunch of a crisp base, the fantastic combinations of toppings that may your tongue tingle in appreciation and the beautiful soft, gooey cheese on top that just brings all three elements together. But for me, no matter how much I may love it, it does not love me - devil food!!!
All the vegan cheese I have tried in the past just doesn't do it for me, there's always a strange tang which puts me off. And over here in India, I've never seen it on the supermarket shelves in Bangalore. So I was delighted at the last cooking demo I attended that one of the things they made was a soft 'cheese' that had a flavour similar to strong cheese - ie: stinky sock flavour! When it was passed round the room, I was not convinced as to be honest, it smelt and tasted like off cream gunge, but later on when they made pizza, the flavour and texture just worked, and it browned slightly on top.  I couldn't eat the pizza, but they cooked some for me separately on some vegetables, so it was half way to a pizza but not quite there!

I had a few attempts at making this cheese myself; the first was too dry and took a long time to ferment and just wasn't quite right. The second, my hand slipped when adding water, so was too runny. Thankfully, in the tradition of the 3 bears, the third attempt was just right! I wasn't sure how to make a non-yeast pizza base from scratch, so cheated and used Orgran pizza base mix. This is a gluten free, dairy free, yeast free, everything you can think of free product which is has a pretty reasonable taste and easy to make up. As it's the gluten that gives dough it's elasticity and mouldability, gluten free flours can be dry and crumbly, but this Orgran mix didn't have that problem.
I made the 'cheese' 2 days before making the pizza so it was suitably stinky! After making up the base according to the packet instructions, I rolled out the dough, smothered it with tomato puree and chopped herbs, sprinkled crisp red pepper, onion, mushroom, sliced tomato and basil, then spooned on a few dollops of the 'cheese', then left it to the oven gods to do some magic!
For the pizza aficionado, it probably wouldn't taste so good, but to me it was delicious and I enjoyed every mouth-watering bite. One to make again that's for sure!
Raw sour cheese
1 cup cashew nuts (I only used 1/2 cup as only making for 1)
1/3 tsp salt.
Soak the cashew nuts in water for a minimum of 2 hours. Drain out the water and blitz in the food processor to a smooth paste.  You may need to add a little water. Place in a bowl or container, cover with a close and leave to ferment for 24-72 hours (it depends on how warm the room is). Once it starts to smell sour, and the texture changes, add a little salt to taste and it's ready. It will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Sweet treat - raw and dairy free!

Last month, I disappear off with a friend for a few days to visit Auroville, an alternative community nestled in the countryside near to Pondicherry on the Tamil Nadu coast. Auroville is a fascinating experiment in human unity and focuses on sustainable living as well as the environmental, social and spiritual needs of mankind. We spent a lovely few days relaxing under immense banyan trees, participating in yoga, pottery and a lot of chatting! The food was amazing, much of it organic and locally grown, and of course they had a wide choice which included dairy-free and vegan options, so I, and my stomach, were happy!
One evening, we found ourselves at a farm house within the settlement, in a group gathered around a big bonfire singing 'mindful' songs - it was a truly hippy experience! We arrived a little late, and the vegan spread provided must have been delicious, as the only thing left were a few small dark balls scattered on a plate, covered in white flecks. Someone said they were pudding; unconvinced, I tried one as I was so hungry and discovered much to my surprise and delight that they were little balls of sweet heaven! Looks were very deceiving! The host told me they were raw date and nut balls - that was it!  How can that taste of chocolate though???
I know that many people believe that we should be eating mostly or all of our food raw. There is a great film called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead about a guy juicing his way to health, which is really worth watching, if only for the people watching experience. Check out http://www.jointhereboot.com to find out more.
But I digress! So I do include lots of raw veggies in my diet, but I'm not a complete raw foodie, so hadn't come across these raw date balls before.  Doing some research on the internet, I found a guideline recipe on Yummly.com, but then changed it a little to suit what we have available here in Bangalore. If you're a committed calorie counter, then all these nuts and dried fruits might freak you out a little, but do note there is no added sugar. A handful of nuts is the same amount of fat as a teaspoon of refined oil, plus you get all the extra nutritious goodies such as vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre, but that's a whole posting in itself. My husband and son love these balls and they're difficult to binge on; they are really filling!
Vegan choco-nutty-fruity balls
1 cup/120g of nuts, raw and unsalted - I used almonds, walnuts and cashews

1/2 cup/120g organic pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup/ 120g dried cranberries or apricots
1/2 cup raisins
2 tbspns cocoa powder
1 tbspoon fresh orange juice
few drops almond essence
for coating:
1/2 tspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup/30g fresh or dessicated coconut

Place nuts, dates and rest of dried fruit in a food processor along with cocoa powder and almond essence. Blitz until everything is ground together - add orange juice a few drops at a time until the mixture binds together - you probably won't need all of it. On a plate, combine the cinnamon and coconut. Roll small portions of the mix into balls, then roll them in the coconut mix until covered. Once all done, place in a container and refrigerate. Then enjoy over a relaxing cup of tea, after a workout or at any time you fancy a sweet nibble!