Carrot Cake Pancakes

1 1/4 cups spelt flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of ground ginger
1/4 cup sucanant
3/4 - 1 cup of milk (we use soy milk)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 TBSP freshly ground flax seeds
2 cups finely grated carrot (about 1 pound)
Cooking spray - I use organic olive oil spray

1. Combine flour and the next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup sucanant and next 4 ingredients (through flax seed); add sucanant mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrot. I simplify this step by combining EVERYTHING in my blender or Vita Mix.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon 4 (1/4 cup) batter mounds onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Repeat procedure twice with remaining batter.

Apple-Chocolate Cake

2 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup soft coconut oil
2 cups sucanant
3 TBSP freshly ground flax seed soaked in 9 TBSP soy milk for 1-2 minutes
1/2 cup water
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
2 cups grated apples
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a bundt pan. In medium bowl mix together all dry ingredients. In another bowl, cream coconut oil and sucanant together. Add flax seed mixture. Add water and blend well. Gradually add spelt flour mixture and beat until fluffy. Fold in nuts, apples, chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon into pan.
3. Bake about 1 hour. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

This recipe is amazing. I found it over on Simply Yum and modified it a bit because we do not own an ice cream maker... yet :) You can find Ninny's recipe here. If you have never visited Simply Yum, you must. She recently has posted a bunch of raw dessert recipes that have my mouth watering and tummy begging for more :)

This recipe is really rich. Usually my husband and I have no problem finishing anything that is chocolate... this one fills you up really fast and conquers that chocolate craving quite effectively :)


Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

1 cup raw cashews
2-4 cups milk (we use soy)
1/2 cup agave nectar
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla or 1/2 a vanilla bean
2 cups of ice cubes

In a blender (I use my amazing Vita-Mix) combine the cashews and only 1 cup of milk until smooth. Add the remaining milk, agave, cocoa, peanut butter and vanilla and blend well.

Christmas Salad

Salad:

1-2 Fuji or Gala Apples, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 pear, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 bag of craisins
1 cup of candied pecans (recipe below)
2 heads of romaine lettuce torn into bit size pieces
1bag of spinach


Candied pecans

Combining 1 cup of pecan halves and 1/4 cup sucanant in a frying pan. Stir over medium heat. When the sugar starts to melt and turn a caramel color, add 1/4 cup hot water and the zest from one orange. Stir constantly until water has evaporated and sugar crystals have dissolved. remove to a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and separate pecans before they cool.


Dressing:

1/2 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 T Lemon juice
1 T red onions
1/2 t salt
2/3 t poppy seeds after blending
Blend all ingredients then add 2/3 olive oil


Combine in a large salad bowl. Do not add dressing to salad until you are ready to eat, the salad will wilt if setting too long.

Breakfast Cookies

½ cup pumpkin seeds, unsalted
½ cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
½ cup sesame seeds, unsalted
3 ½ cups wheat flour (we use hard white wheat)
1 cup milk (we use soy)
2 ½ cups rolled oats
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup honey
1 cup craisins, soaked in ¾ cup hot tap water – save liquid
2 TBSP freshly ground flax seeds soaked in 6 TBSP milk (we use soy) for 1-2 minutes
1 tsp vanilla



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grind seeds until fine (optional)
3. In a mixing bowl, combine coconut oil, honey, soaking water from craisins, flax seed mixture and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Fold in craisins. You should have a moist and slightly stiff batter. In a separate mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (including nuts). Combine both bowls.
4. Scoop cookies with a cookie scoop and place on a parchment lined baking sheet (they don’t spread much). Flatten each with bottom of cup or fork. Bake @ 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 large sweet potato--peeled and cut into .5" cubes
3 small carrots--peeled chopped
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, in juice
4 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbs cumin
1 tbs chili powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 c. water

Directions:

1. Sauté oil, onions, garlic and salt until onions are translucent.
2. Put chopped sweet potato and carrot in the bottom of the slow cooker, add onion mixture, layer beans and tomatoes with the spices. Cook on high for about 6 hours.
3. When it starts to smell really nice, stir it around and add a cup of water. (at 5 or 5.5 hours)
4. The chili can be served on top of brown rice or with corn bread.