raw food

Vanelja’s Raspberry Chocolate Truffles

1 cup almond flour/almond meal
½ cup coconut flakes
4 tbsp coconut butter
¼ cup raspberries
4 tbsp maple syrup or coconut syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

Raw chocolate, melted

 

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth dough. Pour the dough onto a plate and form truffle balls with your hands. If the dough feels too soft, add some almond meal so that you get a consistency that is easy to mold. You can also keep the truffles in the fridge for 1 hour which helps them to harden. Dip the truffles into melted chocolate and freeze for about 1 hour. Store in the fridge.

Shop

Vanelja’s Blackberry Dream Cake

Crust:

1 cup almonds
7 fresh dates, pitted
½ tsp ground cardamom
tiny pinch of sea salt

Filling:

3 cups cashew nuts, soaked for 1 hour
5-10 tbsp full-fat coconut milk, kept in the fridge (the white thick paste)
juices from half a lemon
⅓ cup coconut syrup
1 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract

⅓ cup blackberries
⅓ cup raspberries
½ cup blackberries for the decoration

Cake tin diameter: 16-18 cm / 6-7 inches

Prepare the crust and place the almonds in a blender and blend until fine crust. Add dates and salt and blend until moldable dough. Cover the bottom of the can tin with a piece of parchment paper so that the cake is easier to remove later. Press the dough into the bottom of the cake tin. Prepare the filling.

Place the cashews, coconut milk, lemon juice, syrup, coconut oil and vanilla in a blender and blend until a very smooth mixture. Add a little bit of liquid, if needed, so that you get a smooth texture with no crumbs, but keep the mixture as thick as possible. Taste and add more sweetener, if you like. Pour half of the mixture into the cake tin and smooth out the surface with a spoon. Drop a handful of blackberries or raspberries here and there into the mixture. Place the raspberries into the blender and blend with the remaining mixture until smooth. Spoon the pink mixture on top of the white layer into the cake tin. Smooth out the surface with a spoon. Freeze for 2 hours or until solid. Take out of the freezer & remove from the cake tin when frozen. Let thaw for about 30-60 minutes before serving. Top with berries, pumpkin seeds/pistachios & coconut whipped cream drops.

Vanelja’s Raw Carrot Cake
with California Raisins

Base:
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
1 ½ cups raw walnuts
½ cup California raisins
7 fresh dates, pitted
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ cup almond flour

Frosting:
1 cup cashews, soaked for 1 hour & rinsed)
5 tbsp coconut cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Grind the carrots into popcorn sized pieces in a food processor. Add California raisins, walnuts and dates, vanilla extracts, salt, cinnamon & cardamom and pulse to mix. NOTE! The batter should remain coarse and have a cake-like texture so be careful not to over-blend it until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir in the almond flour. Line a 7-9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and scoop the batter in. Spread and press down evenly.
Add the cashews to a food processor or to a high-speed blender with coconut cream, lemon juice, syrup and vanilla. Blend until silky smooth. The icing should resemble cream cheese. If needed, add a little water. Spread the icing over the cake. Pop the cake in the freezer for 3 hours. Bring back to room temperature and remove from the cake tin. Let thaw for 30 minutes. Decorate and enjoy! Store in the fridge and use within a week.

Stuffed Gingerbread Dates

12 fresh dates, pitted⠀
¼ cup gingerbread dough (I used 1 plate of Myllyn Paras ginger bread dough)⠀
100 g dark chocolate, melted⠀

On top: ⠀
peanut butter⠀
crushed peanuts or coconut flakes⠀

Roll out the gingerbread dough until about 2 cm / 0.8 thick disc. Cut into cubes around the size of the head of the thumb. Use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise slit into the dates. Remove the pits. Place one gingerbread cube inside each date. Close glently and dip into melted chocolate. Sprinkle on peanut butter & crushed peanuts. Place into a freezer for 30 minutes to harden. Serve and enjoy. Store in the fridge and use within 3-4 days.

Gingerbread Sweetpotato Dream Cake

Well here’s a winter treat worth sharing. This creamy raw cake gets its surprising richness from sweet potato and gentle warmth from gingerbread spices. And lemme tell you that it is one heavenly union.

Made in collaboration with Electrolux Explore 7 blender and Asennemedia

As you may may have noticed from my previous blog post where I launched my new ebook Dreamy Season – Wholesome food for Holidays & winter, I’m kinda of a Christmas freak. Like I could actually eat Christmas related food the whole winter season and when it comes to Christmas recipes, my imagination seems to be endless.

One of my favorite nice cream recipes I’ve ever created is a gingerbread nice cream that has sweet potato in it. Homehow those two elements make a perfect match and I’ve been wanting to bring them together in some other dish too.

Gingerbread Sweetpotato Dream CakeElectrolux Explore 7 blender

The idea evolved when I got to test the new Electrolux Explore 7 blender. As the first thing I wanted to try with it was a smoothie. I’m kind of a smoothie nerd and my way to test a blender is to see how smooth it actually makes my smoothie. And I have to say I was kind of surpised. Blenders in this price group usually leave smoothies a bit grainy but this baby blended them smooth as velvet. Really nice job.

The second thing I wanted to test was a raw cake. The batter there is thicker than in a smoothie so it gives new challenges to the blender. Again, very nice, very smooth. One great feature in Explore 7 blender is that it’s designed in a way that though it makes mixtures smooth it doesn’t heat up the ingredients so it keeps everything fresh and the nutrients alive n´ kicking. It isn’t a blender for thick nut butters, raw cake crusts etc, but you can definitely make great soups, smoothies, raw cake batters, grind nuts and even make juice (!) with it. Plus it’s pretteehh.

Oh, and back to my sweet potato gingerbread matching mission. So when I challenged the blender with a raw cake I wanted to make something christmassy. Because of my christmas mania condition, you know. Then I remembered the heavinly union of the gingerbread and sweet potato in my nice cream and the idea was born. Also wanted to make a nut-free raw cake for a change, as people ask me about them constantly.

And it came one fine piece of cake, I have to admit.

Try it yourself to get yourself into Christmas mood and let me know how it resonates! And if the Explore 7 blender resonated, tune into my Instagram as I’m giving away one blender on my today’s IG post. See you there!

V

Blueberry Dream Cake - Raw cake by Vanelja

Well hello, babes! Finally it’s happening, updated Vanelja.com has opened its doors and welcomes you to take a tour. Though it took quite some time to get this open, it has been heart-warming to notice how many of you regularly uses the recipes on my site, as I have got tons of messages from people asking when all the material will be returning. So sorry you’ve had to wait for them, but happy to know you’ve missed my treats!

Blueberry Dream Cake by Vanelja

And now when the new site is open I’m also beyond excited to launch my brand new grocery: Blueberry Dream Cake by Vanelja. It is a treat that I absolutely ah-dore and I’m just so super duper happy to start offering my all time favorite raw cake to people. I get asked almost weekly if I do catering or if I take orders for my dream cakes, and now I can finally say YES!

And this one is truly a raw cake of my dreams. If I should pick only one sweet treat to consume for the rest of my life, it would be my Blueberry Dream Cake, most def, no doubt about it. It has such a mouth-watering taste with the pecan based crust with a hint of cardamom and the rich blueberry filling. The texture is creamy and fluffy yet the cake is very fresh because of the white layer with some hints of lemon in it. I honestly start salivating even now when describing it to you, haha. And what’s lovely about this Blueberry Dream Cake is that there is no coconut flavor that pushes through, which I feel is a problem in many raw cakes.

Blueberry Dream Cake - Raw cake by Vanelja

I’ve made my Blueberry Dream Cake in collab with Green Street, a big-hearted Helsinki-based provider for raw cakes and other healthy food. The cake will be out very soon, at 15th of May to be exact, and you’ll be able to buy it from certain retailers, supermarkets and cafés in Helsinki and Stockholm. Gonna list down all the retailers here on my site soon! And if you want to have a whole cake, preordering is open NOW and the first deliveries start 15th of May. If you have some parties coming up this spring and summer, like graduation parties, family get-togethers, brunches for friends etc. you can preorder the cake HERE. It is a great thing to serve for a big bunch of people as it is vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened, so it fits to most diets and most occasions. I prefer it as a weekend brekkie, as it is perfect for cozy slow mornings.

The decoration of these photos are not included in the cake, but it has a beautiful pattern on the surface (which you can see here) so it can be served as it is, or  you can finish it for example with some blueberries or edible flowers.

Blueberry dream Cake brekkie

At the moment the availability of my Blueberry Dream Cake is limited only to Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, but hopefully we’ll get the cake to wider reach too. Again, gonna be updating the retailers here on my site. And if you have a café and you’d think my Blueberry Dream Cake could match your selection, throw me a message!

But in the meantime, let me know how you like my cake and my new site! There are still some new features on their way + one surprise gift for you coming before the summer, so stay tuned – especially on Vanelja’s Instagram, as that is the place where I holler most often about my moves.

xo

V

Healthy Easy Bliss Balls

Healthy Easy Bliss Balls

Vanelja’s Easy Almond Bliss Balls

(makes about 15 bliss balls)

1 ½ cups almonds (raw or dry roasted)

7 fresh dates, pitted

½ tsp ceylon cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

tiny pinch sea salt

+ sesame seeds on top

Blend almonds in a blender until fine crust. Add fresh dates, pinch of ceylon cinnamon and nutmeg plus a tiny pinch of celtic sea salt. Blend until mouldable dough. Form tiny balls and roll them in sesame seeds. Keep in the fridge or freezer for a moment to get them nice and cool.

Hiya Honey! Look what I’ve got for you today – A dreamy and creamy blueberry thyme raw cake –  A cake that can also be found on the cover of the latest THRIVE magazine. That’s right, babe, my cake is an actual cover girl! So sooo amazing! There’s also a four page spread & a feature of me in the magazine in where I share some of my food secrets + many many other great features and recipes of super talented recipe creators.

I first created this blueberry raw cake in the spring with a collaboration with a Finnish salad and herb producer Järvikylä when I made an adaptation of their thyme blueberry cake and during the summer the cake photo has become easily one of my most shared and liked IG posts ever and it has been so much fun to see people making their own creations of it and posting them on their pages and sharing them with me. The beauty and magic of Instagram.

To celebrate my cover photo I thought to share the recipe here on my site too – So here you go, my friend, go and enjoy these blueberry filled dream bites!

V

(gluten free, dairy-free, naturally sweetened)

Base:

½ cup pecan nuts

½ almonds

7 fresh dates, pitted (or dried organic soft apricots)

a pinch of sea salt

 

Filling:

2 cups cashew nuts (soaked for 30 minutes & rinsed)

½ ripe banana

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

5-6 tbsp raw organic honey (or maple syrup or coconut syrup)

¼ cup oat milk or almond milk

fresh lemon juice from ½ lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup blueberries

a handful of fresh thyme leaves

 

On top:

blueberries

fresh thyme

 

Pan diameter: 18 cm / 7 inches

Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a cake pan. Place the almonds and nuts into a food processor or a high-speed blender and blend until crust. Add dates or apricots and salt and blend until moldable dough. Press the dough firmly into the bottom of the cake pan. Prepare the filling.

Place all the filling ingredients (except blueberries and thyme) into the food processor / blender and blend until smooth. Add some dairy free milk, if needed, to get a smooth texture, still keeping it as thick as possible. Pour about ⅓ of the mixture into the cake pan and smooth out the surface. Add blueberries and thyme to the food processor / blender and blend with the remaining mixture. Taste and add some spices if needed. Spoon the filling into the cake pan and even the surface gently with a spoon so that you don’t mix the white and the purple filling. Top with blueberries. Place the cake pan into the freezer for about 2-3 hours or until the cake is solid. Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a serving dish. Let thaw for a moment. Sprinkle on some thyme leaves, serve and enjoy. Store in the fridge.

 

As seen on THRIVE magazine!

It’s always so fun to watch how people have different ways of reacting to the first rays of spring sun here in the North. After a long and dark winter people get so cute with their excitement. Some switch immediately into their light jackets and start to trip along with their small spring shoes even though the ground is still completely frozen. (Ok, that was totally a granny thing to say, but I’m a person who just hates to freeze and keeps her pantyhoes on until June. So yeah, I’m a granny.) And some optimistic people, like my dear partner, switches the summer tires on. And then go travel with the tram or taxi when the snow suddenly decides to return. (Like it tends to happen and like it also happened last weekend.)

 

And then there are people like me, whose first thought is: Ice Cream! It really is some chemical reaction that happens in my brain: Sunrays --> Must make nice cream.

 

During the last week I have managed to make nice cream from many different kinds of ingredients, for example from purple yam aka Ube. The color was so amazing so it just yearned to be blended into a nice cream. Check it out from my Instagram

 

The same thing happened a few days ago when I received a box of smoothies and breakfast bars from Semper. Naturally they started a new life as a nice cream. Well, some of them. Most of the bars ended up in the “quick snack stash” in our car and the smoothies in our refrigerators “panic shelf”, which is our family’s life saver. We are just so bad in routines, meal planning and all that wise adult stuff and the mealtimes manage to surprise us almost every time. Plus we usually move with super short notices so everything that is healthy and easy to grab along is totally needed in our household.

 

One of our favorite snacks are nice creams that can always be found in our freezer. Either we make nice cream from frozen bananas with frozen berries or fruits or almond butter or then we enjoy smoothie popsicles. It’s fun to have the familiar breakfast/snack, as in yogurt with berries and granola, in a form of an ice cream. The kiddo loves it and I don’t have to feel guilty for giving her ice cream or two as a evening snack. Win/Win. 

 

Oh, and all the nice cream lovers in Finland – or people who understand Finnish – the Finnish version of the N’Ice Cream book by me and Tuulia Talvio is coming out as an ebook in a month with some new bonus recipes. So stay tuned, if you wish to download a huge package of nice cream recipes into your phone or computer. In the meantime you can start your Summer of N’Ice Cream with these popsicles!

 

V

 

In collaboration with Semper 

 

Almond Yogurt:

2 cups raw almonds (soaked overnight or 3 hours)

2 ½ cups water

2 tbsp raw organic honey or maple syrup

1 probiotic capsule OR 1 package vegan yogurt starter OR 3 tbsp unflavored vegan yogurt with active bacterial culture

1 – 3 tsp agar agar (if you want your yogurt to be thicker)

 

Blend the soaked and strained almonds, water, and sweetener in a blender until smooth. Strain the mixture with cheesecloth on top of a bowl, so that you get a nice white almond milk. You can use the leftover almond pulp for example in crackers or bread rolls. If you want your yogurt to be thicker, add agar agar and boil the almond milk in a pot carefully for about 5 – 7 minutes. Take the pot from the stove and let it cool  down (to a body temperature). Pour in the probiotics and mix. Pour the yogurt into a sealable clean (boiled or washed in a dish machine) and dry glass jar. Close the jar with a lid or cover with a cheesecloth and a rubber band. Turn the oven light on, but do not heat the oven. The oven light should keep the oven warm enough for the yogurt. Place the yogurt in the oven with the light on and leave the yogurt to set for about 8 – 12 hours. The longer you let the yogurt ferment, the stronger and sourer the flavor will be. Store the yogurt in an airtight container/jar in the refrigerator.

 

Berry mixture:

-Blueberries, apple, fresh mint leaves and rolled oats OR Semper Fruit & Oat Blueberry, Apple, Mint Smoothie 

-Raspberries, pear, rolled oats OR Semper Fuit & Oat Raspberry, Pear, Aronia Smoothie

 

Add a big handful of berries, handful of rolled oats and a sliced fruit into a blender and blend until you have a thick and smooth smoothie. Add a drop of water if needed.

 

Oat Crumble:

1 cup rolled oats

3 fresh dates or ¼ cup organic raisins (soft and moist, not dry and hard)

1 tsp dried berry powder

OR 2 Crumbeled Semper Soft Oat Bars 

 

Blend the rolled oats and dates or raisins in a blender into a crumble or puree with a stick mixer.

 

Assembly:

Pour some almond yogurt into a bowl and add a few tablespoons of berry mixture. Stir gently few times so that you get nice swirls. Slice in some fresh berries if you like. Pour the mixture into a ice pop molds but leave a small space for the oat crumble. Fill the molds with the oat crumble or crumbled oat bars, add sticks and put into a freezer.

In collaboration with Semper.

 

Time to fulfil your wishes. Your nut-free wishes! Nearly every time I post a new sweet recipe I get messages from my lovely readers with allergies asking if it would be possible for them to prepare the recipe without nuts or almonds. Most of the times I have to disappoint them because nuts and almonds play such a significant role in many raw/health recipes, and the recipe just wouldn’t be the same if you substitute them with something else.

But now, my babies – now I have something magnificent for you! Something that is nut-free, raw, vegan, gluten free, dairy free and naturally sweetened, all at the same time. And delicious too! This one is truly a crowd pleaser.

And it doesn’t lay on coconut! Many times nut-free treats use coconut to get the creamy rich texture, but I know that the taste of the coconut doesn’t please everyone. And I have to admit that I don’t prefer a strong coconut flavor either and nowadays I use coconut in my recipes in veeery subtle ways so that the strong hippie vibe doesn’t push through. (All my love to hippies ♡)

So, therefore I picked a more neutral ingredient here that still gives a nice wholesome consistency. I picked chickpeas – le chick! Those brilliant little creatures that are so versatile, nutrient-rich and lovely. Then I accompanied them with fresh organic dates. Because dates are my no. 1 favorite sweeteners and they also add a nice little bonus to the texture and taste. I really could not survive without fresh dates in my kitchen.

Which brings to mind another quoestion I get asked a lot – Which dates do I use? Well, the ones that you can always find from my kitchen are fresh organic dates by Fontana that are sold in cardboard boxes in fruit ja vegetable section in supermarkets – at least here in Finland. I like the texture, the taste and the fact that they are organic. They are also easy to find because they are available very widely in the supermarkets – at least here in Helsinki. So I was very happy to pair up with Fontana with this post, because I actually use their dates A LOT.

And here’s my hot tip for a natural date sweetener:

Buy a package of fresh dates. Preferably organic. Take about 20 dates, take out the stones and place the dates in a blender. Add about 1 cup water and 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp vanilla powder, if you like. Blend until creamy and smooth sauce. Add more water, if needed. And if you like your sauce to be extra smooth, remove the date skins under a running water. Then pour the sauce inside a sealable clean jar. Now you have a lovely sweetener that you can use when baking in breakfasts or in any way you want. Store the date paste sealed in a fridge and you can use it easily for 2 weeks.

Now there you have it. Go ahead and make this date caramel paste & my Le Chick! Caramel Bars and serve them for example to your Valentine next week. Moi moi!

V

In collaboration with: Fontana organic dates

(Nut-free, Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined sugar-free)

 

Base:

1 cup chickpeas (cooked / from a can)

10 fresh dates, pitted

5 tbsp coconut flakes / shredded coconut

½ tsp vanilla powder (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

 

Caramel:

10 fresh dates

3 tbsp tahini (or your favorite nut/almond butter)

3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

3 tbsp water

3 tbsp coconut syrup (or raw organic honey)

½ tsp vanilla powder (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

a tiny pinch of sea salt

 

Chocolate frosting:

6 tbsp raw cacao butter, melted

4 tbsp coconut oil, melted

6 tbsp raw cacao powder

4 tbsp coconut syrup (or raw organic honey)

a tiny pinch of sea salt

 

OR about ½ cup of your favorite raw chocolate melted

 

Tin size: 17 x 12 cm / 7 x 5 inches

 

Base:

Cover the tin or the freezer safe container with parchment paper. Add the chickpeas into the blender and blend. Add dates, coconut flakes and vanilla and mix until a thick sticky mass. You may have to scoop down the sides of the blender in between blending. Taste and if you want add vanilla or other sweetener, for example coconut syrup. Spoon out the dough into the tin and even the surface with a spoon. Prepare the caramel sauce.

 

Caramel sauce:

Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until sticky sauce. Add a drop of water, if needed, but try to keep the mixture as thick as possible. Spoon out the caramel sauce and spread onto the base mixture. Prepare the chocolate frosting.

 

Chocolate frosting:

Melt cocoa butter and coconut oil in a warm water bath. Add cocoa powder, syrup and salt. Mix until a nice sauce. Taste and add more some of the ingredients, if needed. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the caramel sauce. Put into the freezer and freeze for a couple of hours or until solid. Take out of the freezer and cut into bars. Let thaw for about 15 minutes before serving. Store in the freezer or in the fridge.

 

New year, fresh winds! A new edition of my very first cookbook, It’s a Pleasure – Sweet treats without gluten, dairy and refined sugar (in Finnish: Kiitos hyvää – Herkkuja ilman sokeria ja gluteenia) has just came out in Finland with new recipes in it. 

I’m really excited that I had an opportunity to design new stuff for this title, as I feel that although the book came out already two years ago here in Finland, the subject is still very topical.

Well, actually I can’t think of a time when healthy yet delicious sweet treats would go out of style. At least they are very much trending in our household all the time. And it was only 3 months ago when the book came out in the US, so it’s great to blow some new wind to these sails also in Finland! (I know there might not be that kind of idiom in English, but you get the point.)

So cake, muffins, donuts, cookies, chocolates, candies, ice creams and other heavenly goods, all without gluten, dairy and refined sugar. Gentle yet effective ease for sweet cravings with 86 recipes. Pretty luscious package, if I may say. And you’ll recognice the new Finnish edition by the green stamp it has on the cover. 

To celebrate the new edition I wanna give away one copy of the new Finnish title to one lucky reader. All you have to do is drop a comment and say hello here in the comment field and I will pick a winner (located in Finland) on Sunday 22nd at 22.00. (10 pm)

Of course I don’t wanna leave you guys from other counties with empty hands, so I’m giving away one copy of the English title, It’s a Pleasure too. So eeeveryone can join! And please do!

Here is also one of the new recipes from the new Finnish edition: my current No.1 favorite raw cake, Raw Licorice Chocolate Mousse Cake, with a super soft and tasty filling and crunchy truffles. Enjoy, babes!

V

(raw, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free)

Crust:

1 cup almonds

½ cup pecan nuts

5 fresh dates

3 prunes

3 tsp licorice root powder / licorice root extract powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp anise powder

½ tsp sea salt

 

Filling:

1 cup cashew nuts (soaked for 1–3 hours)

1 cup coconut milk (room temperature)

6 tbsp coconut syrup or raw organic honey

1 tsp tamari soy sauce

1 cup raw cocoa powder

pinch of sea salt

5 tbsp cocoa butter (melted)

5 tbsp coconut oil (melted)

 

Chocolate Licorice Sauce:

2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)

2 tbsp raw cocoa powder

2 tbsp licorice root powder or licorice root extract powder

½ tsp vanilla powder

2 tbsp coconut syrup (or maple syrup)

a tiny pinch of sea salt

 

On top:

Small truffles made from the crust dough + black sesame seeds

raw cocoa powder

 

Tin/Cake mould size: 17 cm / 7 inches

 

Crust:

Cover the bottom of the cake mould with a parchment paper so that it is easier to remove later. Add the almonds and nuts into a blender and blend until fine crust. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until a thick and sticky dough. Check the taste and add more seasoning if you like. Spoon out the dough and put into a bowl, taking aside about 4-6 tablespoons of the dough, from which you’ll later make the truffles. Press the rest of the dough firmly onto the bottom of the cake mould. Prepare the filling.

 

Filling:

Toss out the soaking liquid of the nuts and rinse the cashews in cold water. Place the nuts into the blender and add the coconut oil. Also add the syrup and tamari. Blend. Add the raw cocoa powder and salt. Also pour in the cocoa butter and coconut oil. Blend until a smooth thick mass. Pour the mass into the cake mould. Even the surface with a spoon. Place the cake mold into a freezer for about 2 hours or until it’s totally firm. In the meantime prepare the truffles and the sauce. When the cake is firm, take it out of the freezer, remove from the mould, dizzle some shosola sauce on and decorate with the truffles you’ve made. Serve and enjoy. Store in the fridge.

 

Truffles:

Prepare small balls from the dough crust you had set aside. Roll the truffles on black sesame seeds pressing them firmly but gently so that the seeds stick and cover the balls evenly.

 

Chocolate Licorice Sauce:

Add the raw cocoa powder, licorice powder, syrup and salt into the melted coconut oil. Mix well so that you get a nice chocolate sauce.

More healthy sweet treats: It’s a Pleasure cookbook

Makes 15-20 pieces

Caramel

  • 15 fresh dates
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1-2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • 15-20 pecans
  • 4-5 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter or almond butter

Icing

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate or raw chocolate

On top

  • flaky sea salt

Pit the dates. Put the dates, coconut oil, water vanilla extract and salt into the blender and purée. Caramel should be thick and smooth. Spoon the caramel in a freezer-safe container and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes so that it thickens a bit and is easier to handle.

Line a small baking sheet with a parchment paper. When the caramel sauce has thickened, take about teaspoon-sized dollops of the caramel and place onto the prepared baking sheet and mold the caramel into balls. Press a pecan into each ball. And then add about half a teaspoon of peanut butter on each pecan nut and place the tray into a freezer. Freeze for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime melt the chocolate on the top of a double boiler / in warm water bath. Take the pralines out of the freezer and dip each of them into the chocolate icing. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and return them to the freezer just to set. Bring out, serve and indluge. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Recipe from the book IT’S A PLEASURE by Virpi Mikkonen

Crust:

  • 1 cup pecan nuts
  • 5-7 fresh dates, pitted
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • a tiny pinch of sea salt

Filling:

  • 1 cup cashew nuts
  • ⅓ cup cacao butter
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • ½-1 cup coconut milk (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup coconut syrup (or maple syrup)
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • a tiny pinch of salt

Chocolate sauce:

  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 2 tbsp coconut syrup (or maple syrup)
  • a tiny pinch of sea salt

On top:

  • pecan nuts
  • raw cacao nibs
  • coconut flakes

Tin diameter:

  • 7 inches / 18 cm

Crust:

Chop the nuts in a blender. Add the dates and cardamom with nuts and blend into crumbly dough. Press on the bottom of the cake tin.

Creamy Filling:

Mix all ingredients in a blender until you have a smooth creamy mixture. If needed, add more coconut milk to get smoother texture but still keeping it as thick as possible. Taste and add seasoning or sweetness if desired. Pour the dough into the cake tin over the crust and put the tin into a freezer for 2 hours or until solid.

Chocolate sauce:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Drizzle on top of the raw chocolate cake.

Decorate with nuts, cacao nibs and coconut flakes. Try also fresh berries and n’ice cream! Serve and enjoy!

FOLLOW VANELJA ON:

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

  • 3 frozen bananas
  • 5 tbsp rum
  • 2 tbsp almond liqueur
  • 3 tbsp organic raisins
  • 1,5 tablespoon raw cacao powder
  • 1 tbsp organic honey (or coconut syrup, stevia or sweetener of your choice)
  • 2-3 tbsp almond milk (or other milk), if needed
  • 3 rkl raw cacao nibs

Peel the bananas and cut them into small coins. Put the bananas into an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight. In the meantime pour the almond liqueur and rum into a small pot ja bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and add raisins to the alcohol mixture and let marinate until the bananas are frozen.

To make the ice cream, add bananas into a blender and pulse until a crumble forms. Keep on pulsing until the bananas start to form a smooth texture. You might have to scrape down the sides of the blender a few times. Add the marinated raisins, chocolate, vanilla and sweetener and keep on pulsing until you get a smooth and creamy ice cream texture. Mix in the raw cacao nibs and stir with a spoon. Scoop into a bowls, serve and enjoy! If the ice cream melts too much while you process it, you can freeze it a little bit before serving.

* More healthy, dairy free ice cream recipes in Kind Ice Cream for You e-book!

  • 2 fresh figs
  • 2 cup pistachio milk (or 0,25 cup pistachios and 2 cup of water)
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 banana
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • +1 tsp rose water (optional)

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Check the taste and add some seasoning or sweetness if desired. Enjoy!

PISTACHIO MILK

  • 2 cup pistachios (salt-free)
  • 4 cups of water
  • 2 tbsp of organic honey (or one fresh date)
  • ½ tsp vanilla powder

Soak the pistachios in the water for a few hours. Drain the soaking water and rinse pistachios. Place nuts, 3 cups of water, honey and vanilla to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the nut milk through a fine sieve, cheese cloth or nut milk bag. Store the pistachio milk in the refrigerator in a sealed bottle or a glass jar. Shake before use and enjoy! Use within a week.

More delicious smoothie recipes from VANELJA´s free e-book: Creamy Smoothe Guide!

FOLLOW VANELJA:

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

Download your own Creamy Smoothie Guide HERE for free! + subscribe to VANELJA newsletter for more pure pleasures, recipes and news.

1.Easy Ice Cream Pops:

(About 3 ice pops)

Ice-cream:

  • 2 large ripe bananas
  • 2 heaping tbsp almond butter or nut butter (for example peanut butter)
  • 2 tbsp raw cacao nibs

Puree the bananas and peanut butter in a blender. Add cacao nibs and mix gently. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds and freeze. When the ice pops are frozen remove the molds. Serve and enojy!

2.Luxury Ice Cream Pops:

(About 5 ice cream)

Ice cream:

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 heaping tablespoons almond butter or nut butter (for example peanut butter)
  • a small handful of almonds
  • ½ tsp vanilla powder
  • 1 tbsp coconut syrup
  • About ¼ cup oat milk (or almond milk or coconut milk)
  • 2 tbsp raw cacao nibs

Chocolate frosting:

  • ¼ cup raw cocoa mass
  • 2 tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp honey or coconut syrup
  • a pinch of sea salt

(Or use melted raw chocolate or sugar-free dark chocolate for frosting)

On top:

  • Crushed nuts or almonds or coconut flakes

Add bananas, peanut butter, almonds and a little bit of water into a blender. Puree until smooth. Do not add too much water so that the mixture does not become too runny, because then the ice cream can become grainy. Add honey or stevia, vanilla and raw cacao nibs. Stir softly. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds and freeze. When the ice pops are frozen prepare the chocolate frosting. Melt the cocoa mass and coconut oil in a warm water bath. Add syrup and salt. Stir. Take the ice creams out of their molds and frost them with chocolate. Sprinkle on some nut crust. Serve right away or store in the freezer.

FOLLOW VANELJA:

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

Crust:

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 4 fresh dates
  • ½ tsp cardamom

Creamy Filling:

  • 1 cup cashew nuts
  • ½ cup almond milk (or oat milk or other desired milk drink)
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 2 tbsp organic honey
  • ½ cup cold-pressed coconut oil (melted)
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • ½ tsp ceylon-cinnamon
  • ½ tsp vanilla powder

Raspberry Filling:

  • 1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries
  • 1 tbsp organic honey
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds

Coconut Whipped Cream:

See the instructions HERE.

On top:

raspberries
cardamom/cinnamon

Dish diameter: about 7 inch or 17 cm

Crust:

Place the nuts into a blender. Blend until crumble. Wash dates and remove stones. Add dates with nuts and puree into crumbly dough. Add cardamom. Cover the bottom of a cake tin with a piece of parchment paper. Press the dough on the bottom of the cake tin. Prepare the filling.

Creamy Filling:

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Taste and add seasoning or sweetness if desired. Pour the filling on top of the crust. Put in a freezer. In the meantime prepare raspberry filling.

Raspberry Filling:

Puree the raspberries in a bowl and mix with honey. Add chia seeds and melted coconut oil. Let thicken for about 15 minutes. Take the cake from the freezer and pour the raspberry layer on top. Put the tin back into the freezer for about a couple of hours. In the meantime prepare the coconut whipped cream.

Coconut Whipped Cream:

See the instructions HERE.

Take the frozen cake from the freezer. Allow to melt for a moment. Apply coconut whipped cream and raspberries on. Serve and enjoy. Store in a refrigerator.

Follow Vanelja!

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

Smoothie:

  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1 ¼ – 1 ¾ cups almond milk (or oat milk or other desired milk drink)
  • 1 banana
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • ½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla powder

Mix all ingredients (except the raspberry layer) in a blender until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add enough liquid to get the desired thickness. Taste and add seasoning or sweetness if desired. Put in the fridge until you’ve made the raspberry filling.

Raspberry layer:

  • 1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries
  • 1 tbsp organic honey
  • 3 tbsp chia seeds

Puree the raspberries in a bowl and mix with honey. If you use frozen raspberries, let them thaw and use only the berries, not all the juice. Add chia seeds and allow to thicken for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the coconut whipped cream.

Coconut Whipped Cream:

Get the Instructions HERE.

On top:

cardamom & cinnamon
raspberries

Assembly:

Pour smoothie to glasses until half full . Add a layer of raspberry filling and fill up the glass with smoothie. Add coconut whipped cream on top. Sprinkle some cardamom, cinnamon and raspberries on. Serve and enjoy!

Follow Vanelja!

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

Base:

  • 3 cups almonds
  • 1 cup grated coconut / coconut flakes
  • 1 medium sized banana
  • 5 tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp organic honey (or coconut palm syrup)
  • a pinch of sea salt

Chocolate Filling:

  • 5 tbsp grated cocoa butter
  • 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • 3 tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp organic honey (or coconut palm syrup)
  • a pinch of sea salt

Frosting:

  • 1-2 bananas
  • coconut whipped cream (See instructions HERE)

On top:

  • coconut flakes

Cake tin: about 7 inch or 17 cm

Coconut whipped cream:

Prepare coconut whipped cream. See instructions HERE. Move the whipped cream to the refrigerator and let it sit until you’ve made the cake.

Base:

Chop the almonds in a blender. Add coconut flakes and the banana and mix to a smooth paste. Add raw cocoa powder, sweetener and salt. Stir. The dough should be now easily moldable, quite dry but not crumbly or flaky. If necessary, add ground almonds or coconut flakes. Taste and add sweetness if desired.

Chocolate Filling:

Melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil in a warm water bath. Add peanut butter, cocoa powder, honey and salt. Stir. Taste and add sweetness if desired.

Assembly:

Cut a round piece of baking paper on the bottom of a cake tin so that the cake is easy to move afterwards. Press half of the base dough into the bottom of the pan tightly and evenly. Apply a thin layer of chocolate filling over the dough base. Leave the rest of the chocolate filling wait in the warm water bath. Transfer the cake tin in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened. Take the pan from the freezer and press the rest of the base dough over the chocolate filling. Then pour the rest of the chocolate filling on top of the dough and put the pan in the freezer again.

When chocolate has solidified in the freezer, remove the cake from the pan and lift on a serving plate. Let the cake melt for a moment in a room temperature. Slice a banana or two and put the slices on top of the cake. Take the coconut whipped cream from the fridge and frost the cake. Add some coconut flakes on top. Serve and enjoy!

Follow Vanelja!

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

Chocolate Pudding Breakfast Cake

Crust:

1 ¼ cup gluten-free rolled oats

4 tbsp sesame seends (or other seeds you like)

½ cup soft dates

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt  

 

Filling:

1 ¾ cups oat milk (or coconut milk or other dairy-free milk)

¼ cups chia seeds

¼ cup raw cocoa powder

4-5 tbsp coconut oil (heaping tablespoons soft oil. or alternatively 4 tbls melted cacao butter)

1 ripe banana

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 soft dates

if more sweetness desired, use honey for example

 

Topping: (not necessary)

Coconut whipped cream. Get the recipe here.

 

(Size of the pan: max 7 inch or 4 x 8 inch / 17 cm or 10 x 20 cm)

Prepare a small cake tin by putting a piece of paper on the bottom of the tin so that the cake is easier to take out later. Prepare the crust by mixing all ingredients in a blender or use a hand blender. Mix only a little bit so that the dough is easy to mold but the rolled oats do not get grinded into pulver. Taste and add seasoning or sweetness if desired. Press the crust onto the bottom of the cake tin. Prepare the filling.

Put all ingredients in a blender and puree. Taste and add sweetness if desired. Pour the filling into the cake tin and put the tin into the freezer for at least an hour, or until it gets solid.

In the meantime prepare the coconut whipped cream for the top. (Cake goes also well without.) Get the recipe here.

Take the cake from the freezer, remove from the pan and let it melt for a little. Cut the cake into pieces while it is still slighly frozen. Add some coconut whipped cream on top of the cake and sprinkle some raw chocolate, muesli or cocoa powder. Serve and enjoy! Store in a refrigerator.

Follow Vanelja!

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

1 big or 2 small persimmons (remove skin if not organic)

½ avocado

2 tbls chia seeds

2 tbls pumpkin seeds

2 tbls almond butter (unsweetened)

1 tbls hemp protein powder

1 cup coconut water or oat milk or other liquid desired

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

On top:
sliced persimmon
cinnamon & nutmeg
seeds

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. Add as much liquid as you need to get the consistency you want. Check the taste and add some spices if desired. Pour in bowls and add toppings. Serve and enjoy!

 

(raw, nut-free)

Chocolate:

  • 1,5 dl of cocoa butter, melted
  • 0,5 dl cold pressed coconut oil
  • 1,5 dl raw cocoa powder
  • 4 tablespoons organic honey (or coconut palm syrup)
  • a pinch of sea salt

OR Use about 2 dl of melted raw chocolate or sugar-free dark chocolate.

Soft caramel filling:

  • 10 soft Dates
  • 2 tablespoons cold pressed coconut oil, melted
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 0,5 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • plus Caramel Stevia drops (optional)

Melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil in a warm water bath until liquid. Add cocoa powder, honey and salt. Stir. Check the taste and add more sweetness if desired. Pour a little bit of the chocolate mixture in the bottom of a chocolate molds or ice cube molds. Place the mold in the freezer and prepare the caramel filling in the meantime.

Soak the dates for about 15 minutes if they are not super soft. (with completely dry dates this recipe will not work) Remove the stones from dates. Remove the skins of dates, if you want your caramel to be very soft caramel or if your blender is not super effective. Add the dates and melted coconut oil into a blender and mix. Add enough water to get the mixture smooth, soft caramel-like purée.

Take the mold from the freezer and add a dab of caramel filling in each mold with a little spoon or a piping bag. Fill the molds with the remaining chocolate. Put the molds back into the freezer for about half an hour. Take out, serve and enjoy! Store in a refrigerator.

Follow Vanelja!

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

  • 3 oranges
  • 3 tbsp local raw honey
  • 1 tsp orange flower water
  • 3 tbsp chia seeds
  • 3 tbsp orange zest

Puree the oranges in the blender until the mixture is smooth. Add honey and orange blossom water and stir. Taste and add sweetness, if you want. Pour the mixture into a clean, sealable glass jar and stir in the chia seeds and orange zest. Leave to thicken, stir after 15 minutes and put the jar in the fridge for about 1 to 5 hours. Use on top of pancakes or other goodies! Store in a refrigerator in a closed jar. Use within a week.

Mint Truffle Chocolate Bars:

  • 0,5 dl cacao butter
  • 0,5 dl raw cacao mass
  • 4 tbls cold-pressed coconut oil
  • 5 tbls raw cacao powder
  • 4 tbls organic honey (or coconut palm syrup)
  • few drops chocolate flavored stevia (optional)
  • 0,5 tsp vanilla powder
  • 0,5 tsp peppermint extract
  • mini pinch of sea salt
  • 1 dl of almond meal

Chocolate coating:

  • 1 dl grated raw cacao mass
  • 0,5 dl grated cacao butter
  • 2 tbls cold-pressed coconut oil
  • 4 tbls raw cacao powder
  • 4 tbls organic honey (or coconut palm syrup, or stevia)
  • 0,5 tsp vanilla extract or few drops vanilla flavored stevia
  • mini pinch of sea salt

Mint truffle bars:

Melt the cacao butter, cacao mass and coconut oil in a warm water bath until liquid. Add raw cacao powder, honey, stevia, vanilla and peppermint extract and sea salt. Stir. Check the taste and add more spice if needed. Mesure the almond flour into a blender and add the chocolate mass. Mix until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and put it into the freezer for about 15 minutesi. Prepare the chocolate coating in the meantime.

Chocolate coating:

Melt the cacao butter and coconut oil in a warm water bath until liquid. Add cacao powder, honey, and salt and mix. Check the taste and add sweetens if needed.

Take the chocolate mass from the freezer and from small chocolate bars. (If the mixture is still too loose put it in the freezer for a moment.) Glaze the bars with the chocolate coating. If the frosting is too runny, keep it a little while in a cold water bath so that it thickens a little bit. When all the bars have coating, put the in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Store in a refrigerator. Best when kept in a room temperature for a while before serving!

(Raw, gluten-free, dairy-free)

The dish diameter about 8 inch or 17 cm

Crust:

  • 1 ¼ cup almonds
  • 5 soft dates
  • a pinch of sea salt

Filling:

  • 1 ¼ cup cashews (about an hour steeping)
  • ¼ cup almond milk (or other milk drink)
  • 2 tbsp of manuka-honey + 1 tablespoon of organic honey
  • ¼ cup lemon squeezed juice
  • 1 tsp bourbon-vanilla
  • ⅔ cup melted cold-pressed coconut oil (replace partly or completely with melted cocoa butter if you dislike the taste of coconut)

frosting:

  • 1 ¼ cup blackcurrants
  • 1 tbsp manuka-honey + 2 tbsp of domestic organic honey
  • 1 tbsp melted coconut oil or cocoa butter
  • 1 tsp of bourbon-vanilla

Chop the almonds in a blender into a fine crust. Mix soft dates and salt in. Cut a round piece of baking paper in the bottom of cake mold so that the cake is easier to transfer later. Press the dough firmly on the bottom of the cake mold. Prepare the filling.

Puree all ingredients, except the coconut oil in a blender until smooth thick paste. If necessary, add a little bit of liquid, if the blender is too lazy to agitate the mixture, but keep the mixture as thick as possible. Melt the coconut oil and pour in the blender. Stir the mixture until smooth. Check the taste and add some spices if desired. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the dough onto the cake mold and put the tin in the freezer. Prepare the glaze in the meantime.

Puree the blackberries, honey, vanilla and melt coconut oil/cocoa butter until smooth. Check the taste and add some spices if desired. Take the cake mold from the freezer and pour the glaze on the surface of the cake. Put the cake back in the freezer for about two hours. Take out to room temperature, serve and enjoy!

FOLLOW VANELJA!

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Popcorn :

  • ¼ cup organic popcorn kernels
  • 2 tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil for frying
  • a pinch sea salt

Add coconut oil into a large pot. Heat the oil, add the corn kernels and close the lid. Bake until all of the corn kernels are popped. Rock the boiler so that the grains do not burn. Add a pinch of sea salt. Prepare the chocolate mass.

Rosemary raw chocolate :

  • 1 cup melted raw cacao mass (or cocoa butter + raw cocoa powder)
  • 2 tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp local organic honey
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • a pinch sea salt

Grate the cocoa mass into a heat-resistant bowl. Add coconut oil. Melt the mixture. Add honey, rosemary and salt. Taste and if necessary, add sweetness or some spices.

Take about one fourth of a cup of popcorn and mix about half of the chocolate mass in a bowl with the popcorn. Place the chocolate popcorns on a flat dish / plate with a spoon. Sprinkle more popcorn on top and pour in the remaining chocolate. Sprinkle some chopped rosemary on top of it all. Put the chocolate popcorn in the freezer for about 15 mins. Enjoy! Store in a refrigerator.

  • 1 cup nuts and / or almonds
  • 2 dried figs
  • 2 dried plums
  • 4 dried apricots
  • 3 dates
  • a handful of grated coconut
  • a cup cocoa butter
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 4 tbsp of raw cacao powder
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla powder

Crush the nuts in a blender, pour the crumbs in a bowl. Chop the dried fruits and add to the bowl. Add the coconut and mix. Melt the grated cocoa butter in a warm water bath. Mix the cocoa butter among the cocoa powder, honey, salt and vanilla. Pour the chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth and taste if the mixture needs more sweetening or salt. Apply the mixture into a rimmed baking dish and place in the freezer to solidify, for about half an hour. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

( no-bake, gluten-free, milk-free )

4-5 pieces

Crust:

  • 3 dl pecan nuts
  • 1 dl of dates

Rose Whipped Cream :

  • 2 cans of coconut milk stored in a refrigerator
  • 1 tablespoon thick honey or coconut palm syrup
  • ½ tsp vanilla powder
  • 1 teaspoon rose extract (optional)

filling :

  • banana
  • strawberries

On the surface :

  • strawberries
  • grated coconut

Prepare the crust. Chop the pecans in a blender into small crumble. Add dates and stir until the ingredients begin to stick together. Press dough into small tart tins put in the freezer.

Make the whipped coconut cream. Take the cans out of the fridge and scoop out the white solid layer on top of the cans. Add the honey, rose extract and vanilla. Whip until the texture reminds whipped cream and the stiff peaks form. If the mixture goes too loose, put it in the freezer for a few moments.

Take the tart tins from the fridge, slice bananas and strawberries into the tarts, spread the rose whipped cream on top and top with sliced

  • 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp of chia-seeds (optional)
  • 1 ¼ cups almond milk (or for example oat milk or rice milk)
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened smooth almond or nut butter of your taste
  • 1 tbsp organic honey or coconut syrup
  • ½ tsp vanilla powder / vanilla seeds
  • ½ tsp of Ceylon cinnamon
  • On top: banana slices

 

Pour all other ingredients except the banana into a jar and stir carefully with a spoon. Close the lid and leave the mixture to sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning top with banana slices and enjoy your lovely breakfast!

  • romaine salad, or any other desired salad
  • carrots
  • celery
  • avocado
  • sprouts
  • watercress

Try also cucumber, bell pepper, spring onion, parsley, basil, mint, beans, lentils or feta cheese!

THE SAUCE:

  • 1 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp of tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds)
  • 5 tbsp of sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp of Tamari soy sauce
  • ½ – 1 clove of garlic
  • juice of half a lime

Prepare the sauce by mixing the ingredients into a smooth paste with a spoon. Crush the garlic and stir.

Place a lettuce leaf or two to make a base. Spread the sauce you made all over the lettuce leaf. Grate the carrot or cut it into thin sticks. Cut the celery into long narrow sticks. Do the same with the avocado. Arrange celery, grated carrots and avocado on the other side of the salad leaf. Add the sprouts and herbs. Close the wraps by rolling. The paste on the salad should keep the rolls together. Serve and enjoy fresh!

ALMOND MILK

  • 2 dl of almonds
  • ½ dl of water
  • 2 dates
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla powder

Soak the almonds for 5 hours or overnight or use without soaking. Blend almonds, dates, and water into a smooth mixture in a blender. Strain the pulp for example with a cheese cloth. Season with pure vanilla powder.

/

OAT MILK

  • 2 dl rolled oats
  • ½ dl water
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt

Rinse oats and soak them for about half an hour or overnight. After soaking, rinse the oatmeal in order to get out the “oat slime”. Put the oatmeal to a blender with the water. Add water if you want your milk to be more watery. Blend at full speed for about 15 seconds. Strain the milk and remove the remaining pulp for any future use. Rinse the blender and pour the milk back in. Blend again and strain again. Add desired spices. Store in a fridge and use within 4-5 days. Shake before use!

/

SESAME MILK

  • 2 dl sesame seeds
  • ½ l of water
  • 4 dates
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Soak the sesame seeds for about 6 hours or overnight. Soak the dates in separate container. Rinse the seeds. Add the water, seeds and dates into a blender. Blend at full speed for about 30 seconds. Strain. Add the spices and stir. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight bottle or jar and enjoy within 4-5 days. Shake before use!

+

CASHEW MILK

  • 2 dl cashew nuts or other desired nuts
  • ½ l of water
  • 2 dates

Soak the nuts overnight, or use without soaking. Rinse and blend all together, season/sweeten as desired, strain and enjoy.

HEMP MILK

  • 2 dl hemp seeds or other seeds of your choice
  • ½ l of water
  • 2 dates

Soak the seeds overnight or use without soaking. Rinse, blend with water, season as desired, strain, enjoy.

RICE MILK

  • 1 dl of rice
  • 0.8 l of water
  • vanilla bean

Boil the rice and vanilla bean in water until the rice is cooked. Remove the vanilla bean and blend the mixture in a blender. Allow to cool down, sweeten if necessary and strain the drink.

QUINOA MILK

  • 1 dl quinoa
  • 0.8 l water
  • 2 dates

Rinse the quinoa. You might want to soak them overnight and rinse in the morning again. Cook quinoa in water until done. Pour into blender and add a couple of dl of water. Blend and add more water if necessary. Spice up/sweeten as you like and strain the drink.

(2 dl)

  • 1 cup liquid organic honey
  • 1 cup hard, crystallized organic honey
  • ¼ tsp vanilla powder

Measure and place both sorts of honey in a blender, mix at low or medium speed (I used Vitamix, the lowest speed). Let the blender run for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the machine. You’ll see how the color of the mixture becomes lighter. If necessary, turn the blender off, so it does not overheat. Finally, mix in the vanilla powder. Pour the mixture into a clean and dry glass jar. Store in room temperature or in the fridge. Whipped honey becomes a little bit stiff in the cold.

Whipped honey can be used as a spread, in baking, with yogurt, fruit or however you wish!