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Fig Chia Cookies

· Natalie 12 Comments

The easiest 3 ingredient cookie you need in your healthy snack arsenal! These raw vegan cookies made with figs and chia seeds are sweet, simple, and high carb low fat.

Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies

This Fig and Chia Raw Vegan Cookies recipe has been staring me in the face and begging me to post it on the blog for a while. This was my first go to snack recipe when I started experimenting with raw food. This was also the first recipe that caused my Vitamix to overheat. I completely panicked, sure I had broken the thing, but it came back to life about an hour later (phew!). So I suggest a food processor for this one.

The figs on the tree in my yard are just beginning to ripen, so I’ve been enjoying a freshly picked fig or two each day (if I beat the squirrels). So with figs on my mind, I finally decided to post this recipe.

Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies

Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies

These raw vegan cookies are a cinch to make with only 3 ingredients! . The combination of cinnamon and fig is one of my favorites, but the recipe is really versatile. In the past I’ve added all sorts of things to this recipe: shredded coconut, ginger, vanilla, cacao powder, raisins etc.

If you want to make these totally fat-free, then just leave out the chia seeds altogether. I add them for texture, crunch, and a little binding power, but you can still make scrumptious figgy cookies without them. Or replace them with your favorite seeds or nuts instead!

Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies

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Fig Chia Cookies

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  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Total Time: 70 minutes
  • Yield: 8 -10 cookies 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups dried figs (black mission are my favorite)
  • 2 tbsps chia seeds + more for sprinkling on top (I used white chia seeds)
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Remove the hard stems from the dried figs.
  2. Combine the dried figs, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a food processor. Process until it starts to clump together.
  3. Roll the dough into balls and flatten into cookies.
  4. Sprinkle the tops with chia seeds.
  5. Refrigerate for about an hour before eating.
  6. Keep in the refrigerator.

Fig & Chia Raw Vegan Cookies

Another easy no-bake fruity cookie recipe…Bejewled Maca Cookies

Bejeweled Maca Cookies | No-Bake, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Or if you are a vanilla bean lover like me…3 Ingredient Vanilla Mulberry Cookies

Vanilla Mulberry Cookies

Sushi in a Jar

· Natalie 11 Comments

I hinted about a savory parfait in this post a few weeks back, and here it is: a Sushi Parfait. This was a lot of fun (and a little messy) to make. About halfway through layering everything into the jar, I realized I forgot the nori. The nori is a must! It gives the whole parfait that authentic sushi vibe, plus a salty flavor without any added salt. I had no choice but to deconstruct, reconstruct, and make a mess along the way.

Customize your parfait! The important elements are rice, veggies, nori, jar. The rest is up for adaptation. Here are some ideas…

  • Rice: I used white sushi rice because I love that it’s sticky and sweet. Brown rice would add a nice nutty flavor and some healthy fiber. Or go the unconventional route and use quinoa or millet.
  • Veggies: Try carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, avocado, red or green cabbage, zucchini, bell pepper, or any other sushi-esque vegetable.
  • Sauce: I went with coconut aminos because I love the taste, but tamari and nama shoyu would both work too. Or give my orange-ginger sauce a try.
  • Extras: For a little something extra, add sesame seeds, fresh ginger, dulse flakes, wasabi (if you’re really brave), the possibilities are never-ending.

Have fun making your parfait look stunning. Dice your veggies into small pieces, slice them into thin strips, or shred them into noodles with a vegetable peeler for color and texture contrast. Garnish with a few sprigs of green onion or a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Here’s how I made mine…

Sushi Parfait

1 cup cooked sushi rice, cooled

1/2 of a lemon

1/4 tsp grated ginger

3/4 cup sliced carrot

1/2 of an english cucumber (*see note) peeled into noodles

1 stalk green onion, chopped

1-2 sheets of nori

2 tbsps coconut aminos for dipping

  1. Squeeze the juice from the 1/2 lemon over the rice, sprinkle on the ginger, and mix.
  2. Tear up the nori sheet(s) into small pieces.
  3. Layer your parfait!

*Note: These are the long skinny cucumbers usually wrapped in plastic. They are less watery, less seedy, and taste sweeter. They’re my favorite, but a regular cucumber will work too.

Raw Oatmeal Pancakes with Peach Compote

· Natalie 1 Comment

Once long, long ago before I was vegan or raw, I went to The Flying Biscuit Cafe for breakfast. I ordered their famous oatmeal pancakes with warm peaches. I only made it through about one of the three pancakes before I was stuffed, and forget the side of grits. These pancakes were dense, hearty, and full of texture They were completely the opposite of your typical soft, fluffy, pillow-of-air pancake. In addition to oats, they had a generous helping of sugar and cinnamon. With the caramelized peaches on top, I felt like I was eating dessert at 9 a.m.

Since buttermilk and eggs aren’t really my style nowadays, I made my own version. I still kept all the good stuff — cinnamon, peaches, oats — but left out the animal products, the fat, and the griddle.

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Raw Oatmeal Pancakes with Peach Compote

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  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 300 minutes
  • Total Time: 320 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Description

Inspired by these Raw Pancakes from Gena Hamshaw

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 bananas
  • 1/2 cup raw rolled oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • PEACH COMPOTE:
  • 1–2 peaches (about 1 cup, sliced)
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. FOR THE PANCAKES: Blend the bananas, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup oats until combined.
  2. In a bowl, stir the remaining 1/4 cup of oats into the batter.
  3. Divide the batter into 4 pancakes on a lined dehydrator tray. I used about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Spread them out just a bit so the diameter is approximately 4 inches. They should still be quite thick.
  4. Dehydrate for 2 1/2 hours at 115 degrees. The tops should be fairly dry at this point.
  5. Flip the entire sheet over onto the mesh tray and peel off the liner carefully. The undersides will still be very wet, so use a spatula to help separate the pancake from the liner. Try to preserve the nice round shape.
  6. Dehydrate for another 3 hours until they are dry but still soft.
  7. FOR THE COMPOTE: stir everything together in a bowl. Set the peaches aside for a few hours while the pancakes are dehydrating to sweeten and get juicy.
  8. Pile up your pancakes and top with the peach compote.

Red White and Blueberry Pie

· Natalie 2 Comments

Since tomorrow is the 4th of July, I created a patriotic summer treat that is festive and of course fruity. By fruity, I mean this pie is almost nothing but fruit!

I like to call this a smoothie pie because the filling is similar to a smoothie, but thicker. The longer you let it freeze, the thicker it will be. The crust is made of figs…that’s it. It’s simple, yummy, and fat-free. The filling is like a thick pineapple smoothie made of frozen pineapple, frozen banana, and non-dairy milk. Pineapple and berries is a superb combination. This layered pie is stunning and tasty, plus it’s as refreshing and healthy as a smoothie, which is perfect for summer.

Because this pie has to be kept cold, it may not be best to bring to your 4th of july party. For a great potluck appetizer, check out my recipe for raw sliders. They are the ideal finger food that everyone will love, raw or not.

May your 4th be fun, fruity, and full of pie.

Red, White, and Blueberry Pie

2 cups dried brown figs

2 cups frozen pineapple

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

1 frozen banana

1 cup blueberries

15-20 sliced strawberries

  1. Process the dried figs in a food processor until they just start to clump.
  2. Press into a pie pan lined with plastic wrap. I made a smaller, deeper pie, but the recipe makes enough for a regular 9″ pie pan.
  3. Blend the frozen pineapple, milk, and frozen banana until smooth.
  4. Arrange the sliced strawberries and blueberries into the bottom of the crust in a thin layer. Spread a layer of pineapple filling on top. Arrange another layer of berries, then another layer of pineapple filling. Finish with a layer of beautiful berries.
  5. Freeze for at least 2 hours before cutting and enjoying.

Fudgy Vanilla Swirl Brownies

· Natalie Leave a Comment

We began Brownie Week with cakey brownies, and we end with fudgy.

Growing up I remember making many batches of brownies with my sister from a box. We were rarely able to agree on which kind to make. She always wanted to follow the directions for fudge-like, but sometimes I wanted cake-like. My protests were mostly just to spite her monotony; I didn’t really care. Most of the batter would be eaten off the beaters, spatula, and our fingers, never making it to the oven, so it really didn’t matter. That is just the obstinate little sister I was (am?).

These are inspired by cream cheese brownies. The vanilla pudding swirl mimics that classic white-on-brown look, and chocolate and vanilla are a tried and true pair.

The vanilla pudding is just a simple chia pudding with a lower liquid-to-chia-seed ratio that is blended on high for a silky smooth texture. Unlike the brownie-making of my childhood, there is no brownie batter to sneak by the fingerful. However, the vanilla pudding is fantastic when stolen out of the blender.

Fudgy Vanilla Swirl Brownies

Makes 8

3 cups dates

1 cup raw rolled oats

1/3 cup cacao powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder

Vanilla Pudding

1 cup non-dairy milk

1/4 cup white chia seeds

1/4 cup agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla bean powder

  1. Soak the chia seeds in the non-dairy milk for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to the blender and add the agave and vanilla. Blend on high until completely smooth. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
  2. Grind the oats in the food processor until fine. Add the dates, cacao powder, vanilla, and salt. Process until it forms a ball.
  3. Press the dough into a lined loaf pan.
  4. Using the back of a spoon or a chopstick, make squiggles and swirls and peaks and valleys in the top of the brownies. Spoon the vanilla pudding on top of the brownies so it fills the crevasses.
  5. Refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting and eating. Keep in the fridge.

In case you missed a day of Brownie Week, here’s a recap:

Which Brownie Week recipe was your favorite? Are there any other brownie/bar recipes you’d like to see in a Brownie Week encore?