Dark Chocolate Hemp Seeds by HimalaniaMakes A Great Topping For Fruit Or Ice Cream

Hemp seeds and chocolate are a great combination!

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Healthy, Yummy Treat
When I saw this new product in the store, I scooped it off of the shelf as quickly as I could and couldn't wait to try it. You know I'm a big hemp seed fan - to date I've got over a dozen posts on them. And who doesn't love dark chocolate?

Hemp seeds are one of the best sources of highly digestible protein. And they contain all of the essential amino acids making them a "complete" protein. 

Hemp seeds also contain a good amount of omega-3 fatty acid with the perfect balance of omega-6. These fatty acids are important for the nervous system to function, for brain development, healthy skin, and a healthy heart and immune system. They also contain Stearidonic Acid (SDA) and Gamma LInolenic Acid (GLA), both of which help you utilize your omega essential fatty acids.

The best news is that American farmers are once again allowed to grow hemp thanks to a provision in the 2014 farmed bill. Because hemp is in the cannabis family (but has almost no THC and cannot make your high), the U.S drug laws prohibited the growing of hemp in the U.S. But everyone has finally come to their senses and now our farmers can tap into this very lucrative market. Canada's hemp production is bringing in almost a billion dollars a year! 

Although they look like papaya seeds, these papaya cubes
are covered with dark chocolate hemp seeds!

Himalania Dark Chocolate Covered Hemp Seeds

Two tablespoons of these chocolate covered hemp seeds provide:

160 calories 

9 g total fat

500 mg omega-3 fatty acid

1,500 mg omega-6 fatty acid

3 g high quality protein

3 g dietary fiber

17 g carbohydrates

0 mg sodium

Rich in iron, magnesium and copper

I love these over fruit or non-dairy ice cream. You can also sprinkle them on yogurt or bake them into muffins.

Chocolate covered hemp seeds over bananas and raspberries

Where to Buy
I found these at my local Whole Foods Market. But, as most everything else, you can buy them online at Amazon. If your local health food store doesn't have them, ask them to get them. They are delicious and healthy and I highly recommend them! 

They state that they are not dairy free (so they are NOT VEGAN) but I'm lactose intolerant and have had no issues with them since I only sprinkle a teaspoon or so on my fruit.

Enjoy!

Vegan Italian Pignoli CookiesAlmond Paste - Great For Gluten Free Baking

Pignoli cookies bring back flavors from my childhood.

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Cookies from my Childhood
If you were an Italian-American kid growing up in Brooklyn, I would venture to guess that you LOVE pignoli cookies. Every good Italian bakery in Brooklyn sold them. At the end of a big holiday meal, there would be fruit, nuts, and often a box of pignoli cookies that one of the aunts or uncles had picked up at a nearby bakery. I don't remember anyone in the family ever making these treats. Why would they bother when they were so readily available?  But sadly, since I moved from New York, I haven't found a bakery that sells them. Luckily, they are pretty easy to make. Who knew?

Gluten Free Baking
Many Italian cookies, like pignoli and amaretto cookies, are made with almond paste. It's the ingredient that gives these cookies their chewy texture and intense almond flavor. Almond paste is made from blanched almonds that have been mixed with sugar. For those of you avoiding gluten, almond paste is great for making yummy gluten-free desserts. It can be found in the baking section of your local grocery store. And since there is already sugar in the almond paste, there is no need to add much more (although I've seen recipes that call for quite a bit.) Another good reason for making them yourself!

A 7 ounce tube of gluten-free almond paste.

Pine Nuts - Buy Mediterranean
Four years ago I got a condition known as "Pine Mouth." This is where you get a bitter metallic taste in your mouth 12 to 48 hours after ingesting pine nuts. A lot of people I know have had the same experience. It can last for days or weeks and makes everything you eat taste like metal. Many link this to the flood of Chinese pine nuts that have hit the market. And, in fact, the nuts that caused this problem for me were from China. 

I have banned pine nuts from my diet for the past 4 years but I've decided to give them another chance, especially because I love them so much and simply adore pignoli cookies. This time, however, I will only eat pine nuts that are grown in Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Italy, and Portugal. They cost a lot more but if I can enjoy one of my favorite desserts and not get pine mouth, it's well worth it! (If anyone of you have experienced pine mouth from Mediterranean pine nuts, please let me know. So far I have not had any unpleasant reaction to these.)

Ingredients for pignoli cookies:
Cane sugar, almond paste, and Mediterranean pine nuts.

Silpat Baking Sheets
I love Silpat baking sheets, I won't make cookies without them. No need to grease the cookie sheet - the cookies will easily come right off of them. Look for Silpat baking sheets at your local culinary store or on Amazon. If you don't have these you can bake these cookies on parchment paper.

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Pignoli Cookies
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 14 cookies]
Requires a food processor such as a Cuisinart and a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking sheet

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed 
1 tablespoon water
7 ounce tube almond paste
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 cup Mediterranean pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Make a flax egg white by mixing the ground flaxseed in 1 tablespoon of water. Beat with a fork until gooey and set aside. 

Slice the tube of almond paste into 1 inch slices and place in a food processor with an S-blade. 

Process until the slices are broken up. Mix the sugar and the baking powder together and add them to the almond paste. Process until the mixture looks like crumbs.

Add the flax egg and process until the mixture clumps together.

Form 14 little balls, about one scant tablespoon each, and shove each one into a bowl containing the pine nuts. You may have to gently wet your hands to get the balls a little sticky. Push the nuts into the top and bottom of each cookie until they stick. Flatten and form each one in the shape of a cookie.

 Gently place the cookies on the parchment or Silpat-lined cookie sheet.

Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake until they spread out, get a little puffy and slightly browned, about 15 to 17 minutes. They will be very soft but will firm up as they cool.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet until they are firm enough to transfer to a wire rack, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool on the rack and serve.

These will disappear in a flash so you might need to double the recipe.

Per cookie: 111 calories, 7 g total fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 74 mg omega-3 and 2,411 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 2 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, and 8 mg sodium.

Vegan Coconut And Macadamia Nut CakeThe Perfect Easter Dessert

Coconut and macadamia nuts blend beautifully
in this simple and delicious Easter cake.

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Simple and Delicious
When the holidays come, I like to go with a simple dessert, like a cake without icing. It's quick and easy and I get to dress it up with fresh fruit, and a selection of dairy-free ice creams. And what goes together better than coconut and macadamia nuts? 

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Coconut and Macadamia Nut Cake
Vegan
[makes 12 servings]
Requires a 9 inch cake pan and wax paper

Earth Balance or olive oil to grease cake pan
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons room temperature water
1/2 cup almond or light coconut milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small ripe banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1 1/2 cup King Arthur white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup macadamia nuts

Cut the wax paper to fit the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan. Grease the sides with Earth Balance or olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Make flax eggs by mixing the ground flax seeds and water. Beat until gooey and set aside.

Place the milk, coconut extract, oil, mashed banana, sugar, and flax eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer until well combined.

Make sure the banana is very ripe.
One small banana should yield 1/2 cup of mashed banana.

Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and beat until well combined.
Add the coconut and blend in thoroughly with the beater.  

Crush the macadamia nuts and fold into the batter.

Crush the macadamia nuts with the side of a mallet.
Don't overdo - leave big chunks.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Place on a rack and cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Flip over onto a plate and slowly peel the wax paper off of the bottom of the cake.

Flip back over onto the rack and cool.

Place on a serving platter with the golden top up.  Slice into 12 or more pieces.

Serve with fresh raspberries or other fruit, like pineapple or strawberries, and a scoop of vanilla, or coconut non-dairy ice cream.

Per serving (make with unsweetened almond milk): 226 calories, 14 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 326 mg omega-3 and 760 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 3 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 198 mg sodium.

Apple, Pear, And Fresh Cranberry Crisp Vegan And Gluten Free

Add this Apple, Pear, and Fresh Cranberry Crisp
to your Thanksgiving dessert menu!

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Thanksgiving Isn't Just About Pumpkin Pie!
One of my favorite desserts, whether it be raw or baked, is fruit crisp. It's a dessert that really focuses on the fruit and doesn't need an overpowering amount of sugar. It also doesn't require mastering the art of making flakey pie crusts, which is challenging enough when you're using butter and white flour and not a bit concerned with how healthy it is. But trying to make one that is vegan, gluten free, and kinda healthy - well, it's tough.

But making a crisp is a snap. You just start with delicious, ripe fruit, sprinkle with a simple topping, and voila! And no one would taste the difference between Earth Balance and butter or would they know you added gluten-free oat flour or white whole wheat flour to the rolled oat topping rather than white flour. Or that you cut down the sugar by adding a touch of stevia. 

Today's recipe is the perfect dessert to serve for the holidays. It will stand proudly beside your pumpkin pie at the Thanksgiving table or will be a great addition to your Christmas dessert selection.

Make Dessert the Main Attraction
If you like to entertain but preparing an entire banquet is more than you can handle, invite your guests over for a selection of healthy desserts. Serve with a selection of nice teas, freshly brewed coffee, or a well-paired dessert wines. Desserts deserve more respect than to be served after a huge meal. Unless, of course, you have an extra "dessert stomach" like my grandson Matisse claims to have.

Complementing Autumn Flavors 
The orange and cinnamon flavors in this recipe season the baked pears and apples perfectly while the tartness of the fresh cranberries contrast beautifully with the sweet oat topping. 

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Apple, Pear, and Fresh Cranberry Crisp
Vegan, Gluten Free (with oat or other GF flour)
[makes 8 servings]
Requires an 8 inch square baking pan

For the topping
1/4 cup Earth Balance buttery spread plus some for the pan
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup oat flour or white whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon stevia powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


For the filling
3 cups peeled and sliced baking apples
2 cups peeled and sliced pears
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon loosely packed grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon stevia powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan with a small amount of Earth Balance. Set aside.

Prepare the topping by placing the oats, oat flour, sugar, stevia, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the Earth Balance and mix with a fork or your fingers until crumbly.

If you have severe sensitivity to gluten, use certified
gluten-free oats and oat flour for the topping.

Prepare the filling by placing all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well to combine.

Combine filling ingredients.

To make the crisp, place the filling in the baking pan, making sure that the cranberries are evenly distributed. Sprinkle the topping over the crisp uniformly.

Ready for the oven.

Bake in the preheated oven until the crisp is bubbly and the topping is browned, about 30 minutes. The apples and pears should be fork tender and not mushy. 

Remove from the oven, let sit for 10 minutes, and serve.

Per serving: 170 calories, 7 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, and 57 mg sodium.

Vegan Almond Polenta Cake

Almond polenta cake

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Polenta
Polenta, or cornmeal, may not be an ingredient that immediately comes to mind when baking a cake, but it adds a wonderful texture to this simple, low-calorie recipe. Dust with powdered sugar or with a scoop of vanilla Almond Dream non-dairy frozen dessert. 

Serve this cake with your favorite non-dairy ice cream.
Vanilla Almond Dream goes very well with this recipe.

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Almond Polenta Cake
Vegan
[makes 12 servings]
Requires a 9 inch cake pan

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic (non-GMO) polenta
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packets stevia
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
3/4 cup almond milk
2/3 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the pan by greasing the sides with Earth Balance or olive oil and lining the bottom of the pan with wax paper, cut to fit.

Make a flax egg by combining the ground flax seeds and water in a small bowl or cup. Beat with a fork until the mixture becomes gooey. Set aside.

Combine the flour, polenta, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and stevia in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar with milk, apple sauce, oil, almond extract, and the flax egg. Mix well until thoroughly combined.

Add the dry ingredients and mix again until well blended. Pour into the prepared 9 inch baking pan.

Sprinkle almonds evenly over the top and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 32 to 36 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a rack until fairly cool, about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle sliced almonds over batter and bake.

With a thin knife, carefully cut around the edges of the cake. Place a large round plate over the cake, turn over and release the cake into the plate. Peel off the wax paper.

Peel wax paper off the bottom.

After the wax paper is removed, place a large round serving plate over the cake and turn back over so that the almonds are visible. 

Slice and serve by itself or with a scoop of vanilla Almond Dream non-dairy frozen dessert.

Per serving: 171 calories, 6.5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 308 mg omega-3 and 899 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g dietary fiber and 193 mg sodium.

For more delicious vegan and dairy-free desserts, check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen: Delicious and Easy Vegan Recipes and Seasonal Food Plan.

Refreshingly Raw 20-Calorie Strawberry Popsicles - Gluten, Dairy And Sugar Free!

Delicious, raw vegan,strawberry popsicles - only 20 calories!

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Getting Ready for Summer Fun
My grandson is coming this summer to visit, as he does every summer. We have a folder called "10 days of fun" which we have been filling with ideas of things to do while he is here. He has recently taken an interest in cooking, so I thought one of the "fun" ideas would be to make popsicles. I will put this recipe in the folder but I'm hoping he will invent his own favorite concoction. 

My 10-year-old grandson, Xavier, loves to cook!

Ice Pop Maker
You don't need a mold but they are very inexpensive and make the process pretty fool proof. The results also a lot more professional looking.

 I bought a Norpro Ice Pop Maker for under $13 on Amazon and an extra bag of popsicle sticks for another few dollars. Some people just freeze the fruit mixture in a tall shot glass or ice cube tray and place a popsicle stick in it when it starts to freeze. But using a mold is a lot easier.

This frozen pop maker produces a nice looking popsicle! 

  
Here's a recipe, but like all recipes, it is just a suggestion.
Use any fruit or juice. Use your favorite sweetener or none at all. I love stevia because it's safe and calorie free. You can also blend fruit with non-diary milk or yogurt. The combinations are endless! 

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Sugar-Free Strawberry Popsicles
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 6 popsicles]

1 pint strawberries
4 packets stevia
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup water

Wash strawberries, remove tops and thinly slice.
Place in a bowl and sprinkle with stevia. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Slice strawberries and add stevia.

Placed in a food processor with an S-blade. Add lemon juice and process until it reaches the consistency of tomato sauce.

Processs until almost smooth.

Pour into molds but leave about 1/4 inch at the top to allow for expansion. This recipe will make about 6 popsicles.  

Fill popsicle mold with strawberry mixture.

Place the lid over the filled molds and insert sticks.

Place lid and insert sticks.

Pop in the freezer unit frozen, about 4 or more hours, or overnight.

Place in the freezer.

To remove the frozen popsicles from the mold, briefly submerge the popsicle maker in a large, deep bowl - the depth of the popsicles. Leave in for 20 to 30 seconds, until the popsicles slide out.

Dip in a large, deep container filled with warm water.

You can eat them right away, although you might want to return them to the freezer for another hour, wrapped in wax paper, to harden up a little.

You can store these in the freezer, wrapped, for a few weeks.

Enjoy!

* Per popsicle: 20 calories, 0.2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 39 mg omega-3 and 54 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber and 1 mg sodium.

Hemp, Almond Butter and Raisin Cookies - A Healthy Vegan And Gluten Free Treat Packed With Omega-3 And Very Low In Sugar!

This EASY, HEALTHY and DELICIOUS cookie
makes a great afternoon snack!

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A Healthy Remake
My nephew made some delicious cookies this weekend from a popular recipe on the web that called for peanut butter, hemp seeds, sugar, chocolate chips and eggs. As I am always looking for ways to turn delicious recipes into delicious and healthy recipes, I created a remake that:
* Made it vegan by replacing the egg with a flax egg. (This also added omega-3 and made them cholesterol free).
* Reduced the sugar by 75% and added some stevia to make up for it.
* Replaced the chocolate chips with raisins.
* Replaced the peanut butter with almond butter for those followers with peanut allergies. (Peanut butter is fine to use too if that's not a problem.)

The result was not only irresistibly delicious but each cookie has 563 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and a very favorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 3.5 to 1 (anything less than 4 to1 is good). These beneficial omega-3 fats come from the power seeds, hemp and flax. 

And they are very low in sugar with only 1 tablespoon used in the entire recipe! You can reduce the sugar in any recipe by adding some stevia to compensate. Even if you don't like stevia, if you leave a bit of sugar in the recipe, you will can get the sweetness you desire with much less sugar and without noticing the stevia. Personally I love stevia but some people don't care for it as much as I do.

Hemp seeds, almond butter and flax seeds

Cookie Sheets
I have an insulated cookie sheet that makes terrible cookies. Every time I try to use it, the cookies don't brown and never cook in the specified time. So if you are using one of these, you may have to extend the cooking time.

Nut Butter 
These cookies have a much better texture if you use crunchy almond or peanut butter.

Another tip for having success with this recipe is to stir up the nut butter to mix in the oils that are usually sitting on the top. The recipe is even better if you use a fresh jar because old almond and peanut butter can get hard and dry and won't make as good a cookie.

This recipe makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies. Feel free to double it for 3 dozen.

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Hemp, Almond Butter and Raisin Cookies
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 18 cookies]
Requires a Cookie Sheet and 1-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop (Optional)

1 tablespoon ground flax
3 tablespoons room temperature water
1/2 cup shelled, raw hemp seeds
1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
2 packets stevia powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup raisins, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crunchy almond butter (or peanut butter)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Make a flax egg by combining the ground flax seeds and water in a small cup. Beat with a fork until the mixture becomes gooey. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, mix the hemp seeds, sugar, stevia and baking soda. 

Stir in the chopped raisins until they are separated and coated.

Coat chopped raisins with hemp mixture to prevent clumping

Add the nut butter and the flax egg and stir until well combined.

Mix in nut butter and flax egg

Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop, drop tablespoons of batter onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Flatten with the back of a fork.

Flatten with a fork

Bake in the preheated oven until they firm up and brown slightly, about 13 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. Move them to a serving plate and let cool completely. Enjoy!

Per cookie: 75 calories, 6 g total fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 563 mg omega-3 and 1,979 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g dietary fiber and 49 mg sodium.

Raw Vegan, Gluten Free, Blueberry Cream Tart In A Chocolate Coconut Crust - Perfect For Valentines Day!

This blueberry tart makes a perfect Valentine's day dessert!

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Blueberries and Chocolate
I know, it's almost Valentine's day. I should be making something red, like chocolate covered strawberries or red velvet cupcakes. But I was inspired by the thought of whipping fresh blueberries and cashews into a creamy filling served in a simple raw crust made from heart healthy English walnuts, dried coconut and chocolate in its purest form - raw cacao. Is there a better way to say, "I love you" than giving a gift of delicious and powerful antioxidants? I don't think so.

Elegant or Casual?
This recipe makes enough for one 4 1/2 inch tart pan with enough crumble and filling left over for 2 small ramekins. A tart makes a very elegant presentation. But if you don't have a tart pan, feel free to use individual ramekins or small bowls for the entire recipe. Sprinkle the crust ingredients in the bottom of 4 to 6 individual ramekins or small bowls and cover them with the filling. It tastes just as delicious!

Don't have a tart pan? No problem.
Just sprinkle the crust on the bottom of individual ramekins.
Cover with blueberry filling, top with a blueberry and serve!

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Blueberry Cream Tart 
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
Requires a high speed blender, a 4 1/2 inch tart pan and 2 small ramekins
Plan 8 hours ahead to allow time for soaking and chilling
[ makes 4 to 6 servings]

For the Crust (Chocolate Crumble)
3/4 cup raw English Walnuts
3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
4 teaspoons raw cacao (or unsweetened cocoa)
1 tablespoon unsweetened, shredded coconut
Pinch of salt

For the Filling
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 6 hours
2 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked 6 hours
2 packets powdered stevia
1 cup fresh blueberries plus 8 for garnish

Prepare the crust. Place the crust ingredients in a food processor, such as a Cuisinart, fitted with an S-blade. Process until they form a "chocolate crumble" and are the size of bread crumbs. The will begin to stick together.

Making chocolate crumble for the crust

Place enough chocolate crumble into a 4 1/2 inch tart pan to cover the bottom and the sides. Press with your fingers to make a crust. You should have enough to sprinkle the bottoms of 2 small ramekins. If you do not have a tart pan, divide all of the crumble into four to six small ramekins.

Press enough of the crumble to cover the bottom and sides of a 4 1/2 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Sprinkle the rest in the bottom of 2 small ramekins.
You can use all ramekins if you don't have a tart pan.

Prepare the filling. Drain and rinse the cashews. Drain the dates reserving the soak water. (You will not be using the date soak water for this recipe, but save it for a smoothie.)

Place the cashews, dates, blueberries (reserving 8 for the garnish) and stevia in a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix or a Blendtec. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. 

Filling ingredients

Process the cashews, blueberries, dates and stevia until smooth

Spread the filling over the crust and garnish with fresh blueberries. Spread the remaining filling over the 2 individual ramekins and garnish each with a single blueberry. 
Cover gently with plastic wrap or was paper and refrigerate for one hour.

Carefully push the tart up from the bottom and remove the side pan. Enjoy!

Release from tart pan and serve.

Added Bonus and Tip
You may notice that it's almost impossible to get all of the filling out of your Vitamix. I just hate wasting all of those beautiful ingredients. So make a small smoothie!
Add the date soak water and a cup of almond milk to the blender with its residue filling. Blend until smooth and enjoy!