Chocolate Mylkshake

1 small avocado (1/2 cup avocado)

3-4 dates, pitted (or 2 tbs. raw honey)

2 tbs. raw cacao powder

1 tbs. raw cashew butter (or nut butter of your choice)

2 cups water

2 cups ice (or more, depending on thickness desired)

1. Blend all ingredients together in high speed blender. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Spiced Banana Bars

4 bananas

4 tbs. sunflower seed butter (unsweetened)

2 tbs. ground cinnamon

2 tbs. coconut sugar

1. Slice bananas lengthwise into halves.

2. Drizzle 1 tbs. of sunflower seed butter onto each half.

3. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and coconut sugar.

4. Enjoy!!!

Cherry Chia Seed Parfait
(Serves 2)

1/4 cup cherries, fresh or frozen (pitted)

1.5 cups dairy-free milk (I used Homemade Nut Milk)

4-5 medjool dates, stoned (1-2 tbs. raw honey will also work)

1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1/4 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chia seeds

1 cup fresh fruit (I used blueberries, strawberries and pitted cherries)

1. Place cherries, milk, dates, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon into blender. Blend until mixture becomes liquid.

2. Pour mixture into a large bowl and add the chia seeds. Slowly stir together, gently breaking up any chunks of chia seeds.

3. Let sit for 10 minutes, then gently stir mixture again. Let sit for another 10 minutes and stir once more.

4. Cover bowl with sealed lid/plastic wrap or place mixture into a jar and cover with lid. Place in refrigerator overnight.

5. The following day, place 1/4 cup chia seed pudding into a drinking glass, jar or bowl. Top with 1/4 cup fresh fruit. Add another 1/4 cup chia pudding and top with another 1/4 cup fresh fruit. Enjoy!

*Great toppings/layers for this parfait include granola, coconut flakes, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.

The Best Raw Chocolate Bars

(serves 8-10)

1/2 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup sunflower seed butter, unsweetened (raw cashew or raw almond butter also works)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

2-3 tbs. raw honey

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup raisins (or sub any dried fruit)

1/4 cup coconut flakes

1. Combine coconut oil, seed butter, cacao powder and honey in a blender or food processor.

2. Place chocolate mixture in a bowl and add pumpkin seeds, raisins and coconut flakes. Stir ingredients with a spoon until well combined.

3. Pour the chocolate mixture into a parchment paper-lined 9 x 13 inch pan. (I used two 7.5 x 3.5 inch pans). Place in fridge or freezer for 1 hour to solidify. Store in fridge in a sealed airtight container up to 3 weeks.

*These bars begin melting the moment you remove them from the fridge, so keep them cold until ready to eat.

Swiss Chard & Ginger Saute

(serves 2 as a meal/serves 4 as a side dish)

1 bunch of swiss chard (about 6 leaves)

1 tbs. ginger root, peeled and chopped

1 tbs. coconut oil

1. Place coconut oil in skillet or large saucepan and heat over medium heat.

2. Rinse swiss chard. Remove the thickest part of ribs and discard (or save for your next juice or smoothie.) Cut the leaves crosswise into one inch-wide strips.

3. Once the oil is heated, add ginger and let cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add swiss chard to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to combine with ginger and oil. Cover with a lid and let cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. (The leaves will wilt and shrink when warmed.)

Chocolate Orange Pudding

3/4 cup fresh-squeezed blood orange juice (valencia oranges also work)

7 medjool dates, pitted

1 tsp. orange zest

1 avocado

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1. Place dates and orange zest in orange juice and let soak for 3-4 hours. Soaking them in the fridge overnight also works.

2. Blend dates, orange juice, zest, avocado and cacao powder in food processor or high speed blender. Place pudding in fridge and let chill for one to two hours before serving.

3. Optional: Top with orange zest and cacao nibs.

4. Keep pudding in fridge for up to 5 days.

Winter Green Smoothie

(Serves 2)

3 cups chopped kale leaves

2 pears, peeled, de-seeded and chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

2 inch piece of fresh ginger root

1 cup water 1-2 cups of ice

1. Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender. Drink up!

Nut-Free Granola

1 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted

1 cup pumpkin seeds, unsalted

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup hemp seeds or chia seeds

1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

3 tbs. pure maple sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup raw honey

1/2 cup sunflower seed butter, unsweetened

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup medjool dates, coursely chopped

1/2 cup dried figs, coursely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Cover two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

3. Place 1/2 cup of the sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup of the pumpkin seeds into a coffee grinder or food processor and pulse until seeds are chopped into pieces. (After I process mine in a coffee grinder, I have 1 part course flour and one part chopped seeds.)

3. In a large bowl, combine all seeds, including the processed portion, (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp, chia) and shredded coconut.

4. Add maple sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Mix well. Set aside.

5. In a small saucepan, heat coconut oil, raw honey, sunflower seed butter and honey over low heat for about four to five minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Once it has melted and become a thick liquid, pour over seed mixture and mix with a spoon until well combined.

7. Spread granola mixture onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets, making a thin layer by flattening with a spoon, keeping the mixture together as if you are making a giant cookie cake.

8. Heat for 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring and flattening every 25 minutes.

9. Remove from heat. Add dates and figs to granola and mix well. Flatten mixture onto cookie sheet and let cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Store in an airtight container in fridge up to three weeks.

*Option: If you do well with nuts, I recommend adding 1/2 cup pistachios and 1/2 cup cashews in place of the sesame/hemp/chia seeds.

Raw Vegan Apple Pie Tarts

(makes four 4-inch tarts or one standard-sized pie)

Crust

2 1/4 cups raw cashews

1/4 cup raw coconut oil

1-2 tbs. warm water

8 medjool dates, stone removed and chopped

1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Place jar of coconut oil in large bowl of hot tap water and let sit until the oil becomes liquid.

Option 1 (for those of you using a food processor):

1. Place cashews, warm water, melted coconut oil, dates and vanilla in a food processor and process until you have a dough-like consistency. You may have to remove mixture and gently mash it with your hands to have a smooth consistency.

2. Fill your tart pans with the dough-like mixture, forming a crust. Save 1/2 cup of the crust for the crumble that will top your tarts.

3. Place tart pans with crust (and the leftover mixture for the crumble) in the refrigerator.

Option 2 (for those of you NOT using a food processor):

1. Place cashews in a coffee grinder, a few at a time, to create a cashew flour.

2. On a plate or in a bowl, mash the dates with a fork (I used an avocado masher) until they are a gooey mess. Set aside.

3. Place cashew flour, water and melted coconut oil in a large bowl and mix with a fork until well combined.

4. Add dates and vanilla to cashew flour mixture and mash with a fork until the mixture is smooth. You may also want to use your hands to mash it up well.

5. Fill your tart pans with the dough-like mixture, forming a crust. Save 1/2 cup of the crust for the crumble that will top your tarts.

6. Place tart pans with crust (and the leftover mixture for the crumble) in the refrigerator.

Apple Filling

4 apples (large)

6 medjool dates, stone removed

2 tbs. raw almond butter

1 orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 or 2 tbs. of water (as needed)

1. Peel, core and chop apples into small pieces. I like mine chopped really small for this tart. You will be using one cup of the chopped apples for the sauce.

2. In a food processor or high speed blender, combine 1 cup (only) of the apples, 6 dates, 2 tbs. almond butter, 1/2 cup orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add one or two tbs. of water if the mixture is too thick.

3. Once the mixture is combined, place it into a large bowl with the chopped apples and mix with a spoon.

4. Place about 3-4 tbs. of apples into each tart.

5. Crumble your leftover crust and sprinkle onto each tart. Store in fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Raw Key Lime Pie

Crust
1.5 cups almond flour
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, ground (I use a coffee grinder)
1/4 cup raw coconut oil
2 tbs. raw honey
3 tbs. fresh grated ginger root
1. Place jar of coconut oil in a bowl of hot tap water until the oil becomes liquid. I sat mine out in the sun for 15 minutes and it melted quickly.
2. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, macadamia nut flour, coconut oil, raw honey, and fresh grated ginger root with a fork. Then massage mixture with clean hands until it becomes dough-like in texture.
3. Mold the dough into a pie pan.
4. Set in freezer while making the filling.

Filling
2 avocados
12 dates, stoned
1/4 cup raw coconut butter
juice of 8 key limes*
zest of 10 key limes*
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Place jar of coconut butter into a bowl of hot tap water until oil becomes liquid. I sat mine in the sun for 15 minutes to melt.
2. Place avocados, dates, melted coconut butter, juice of limes, zest of limes, and vanilla into a food processor or Vita-Mix blender until smooth.
3. Pour filling into pie crust and set in fridge for one hour.
4. Store in fridge up to 3 days.
*Please keep in mind that the key limes I used were smaller than golf ball size. If using anything larger, you may want to decrease the amount of limes you use. I recommend taste-testing as you go.

Summer Berry Crisp

Filling
3 cups berries (I used blueberry and dewberry)
2 tbs. raw honey or pure maple syrup
juice of 1 orange
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place berries, honey, orange juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix well.
3. Transfer mixture to a pie plate or casserole dish. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. Make topping.

Topping
2 cups almond flour/meal
4 tbs. coconut spread, room temperature (butter or coconut oil)
2 tbs. raw coconut sugar
pinch of salt

1. Mix almond flour, coconut spread, sugar, and salt together in bowl.
2. After berry mixture is done cooking, sprinkle with topping.
3. Cook for 25 minutes in oven.
4. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!
5. Store in fridge for up to 3 days.

Guacamole
(Serves 2)

3 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 lime, juiced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbs. cilantro leaves
1 tsp. salt

1. Scoop avocado into a bowl.
2. Mash with a fork until you have a smooth, chunky texture.
3. Add lime juice, jalapeno, onion, garlic, cilantro leaves, salt and mix gently.
4. Eat until your heart is content.

Sunflower Seed Butter and Jam Bars

Homemade Cherry Jam
2 cups cherries, fresh or frozen (thawed), pitless
1/4 cup raw honey
juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Place fresh or thawed cherries into a medium size saucepan and mash with a fork until flattened and slightly chopped. Turn heat onto low and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
2. After 10 minutes of simmering and stirring, add honey and lemon juice.
3. Cook at a simmer for 5-10 more minutes, stirring often. I cooked mine about 20 minutes total. You want your jam to slightly thicken while cooking. I tested mine by dipping a spoon into the jam and letting it sit out at room temperature for a couple of minutes. If you feel it has thickened to a near jelly-like texture, it is ready. It will thicken a bit more once you remove it from stovetop and it cools.

Seed Butter Bars
1 tbs. chia seed meal (ground chia seeds)
3 tbs. warm water
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 and 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup coconut spread or coconut oil, softened to room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix chia seed meal into a small bowl with warm water and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, coconut sugar, salt, and baking soda.

4. In separate bowl, combine sunflower seed butter, coconut spread, vanilla, and chia seed mixture. Pour this delicious (go ahead and try it out for yourself) batter into the flour mixture and stir until well combined.

5. Press about 3/4 of the batter onto bottom of 8×8 baking dish. Spread jam evenly on top of dough. Use the rest of the dough as topping by crumbling it into tiny pieces and sprinkling it over jam. Bake for 15-20 minutes in oven.

6. Let cool. I sat mine out for about an hour before I cut into it. Store in fridge (covered) up to 4 days.

Homemade nut milk is fairly simple and easy to make. You can use it in cereals, smoothies, and herbal tea, or drink it on its own. When I have it around, it goes into my smoothies.

Raw Brazil Nut Milk

1 cup raw brazil nuts
3 cups filtered water
3 dates or 2 tbs. raw honey
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract

Soaking
1. Place brazil nuts in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 2-8 hours.
2. Strain water from brazil nuts and set nuts aside. Dispose of water.

Making the Milk
1. Set a strainer over a bowl and place two layers of cheesecloth onto strainer.
2. In blender, place brazil nuts and 3 cups fresh filtered water and blend on high speed for about a minute.
3. Pour milk into cheesecloth-covered strainer (see photo above for visual).
4. After milk has settled, close cheesecloth and squeeze out remaining milk into strainer.
5. Pour strained milk back into blender and mix with dates (or honey) and vanilla until well combined.
6. Enjoy a cold glass over ice. Store in fridge up to 3 days.