Raw Cuckoo for Cocoa Pops?

I found this recipe for Quinoa Cocoa Pops months ago and put it aside, just waiting until I was able to get my dehydrator. I almost made them in the oven (and you probably can), but decided to wait.  I made a batch today and what fun. Loulou suggests serving this in a bowl with nut mylk, just like cereal, oooh, and maybe some bananas? That sounds fantastic, however, I am not sure mine will last through the evening. They are a wonderful munchy snack and would be excellent to pack if you are traveling. They are loaded with nutrients and such a creative way to prepare sprouted quinoa. I added a little more cacao powder than the original recipe and a dash of cinnamon. This treat is such a nice change as It's hard for raw foodies to find sweet  and crunchy snack.

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RAWSOME Product - Raw Candy in a Jar!!

Fresh, Raw, Organic Halvah

Ingredients: "Raw", Organic, Mechanically-Hulled Sesame Seeds*, fresh, raw, honey.

This stuff is sooooo good!!! Sesame seeds are freshly ground two or three times to keep the temperature low enough to retain enzymes and life energy. It is then immediately refrigerated and is guaranteed to taste and feel better than roasted and/or ground nut and seed butters. This sweet and delicious raw, organic, Halvah is available through AE Vincent.

This is great in smoothies, on sliced apples, recipes that call for tahini, or just licked right off the spoon! You can also chop raw nuts and roll them into nut balls with the Halvah for an energy packed breakfast. I am on a very strict diet that focuses on eliminating mold, which is present on most packaged foods that sit on store shelves. This is on my Doctor's list of things to eat. It may be a little pricey, but worth it for the quality product you get.  Arlie has some  other super fresh, high quality items as well, especially if you want fresh, raw nuts - they are shelled and immediately vacuum packed to keep them fresh. Don't forget to tell Arlie that Barbara sent you!

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Green Mango Smoothie

Prepare nut mylk, using cashews or soaked almonds, or even a mixture of nuts and seeds, whatever you desire.  Pour nut mylk into blender and slowly add each of the following:

1 frozen banana, peeled  (Add banana first using ice crushing mode if you  don't have high speed blender)
1 mango, pitted
1 orange, skinned  
1/4 c shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
2 Tbsp flax seeds, ground (I mix with hemp seeds)
3 -4 kale leaves, stems removed

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Quinoa - Another Breakfast Favorite

So what do you do when you are sick and tired of smoothies? Here is a yummy and nutritious recipe idea adapted from an awesome Gone Raw recipe. This dish is made using sprouted quinoa, which is chock full of enzymes and protein. It does require some advanced preparation, but I actually found it fun and fulfilling to watch my little quinoa sprouts.

Sprouted Quinoa Breakfast Delight

1/3 cup sprouted quinoa

1 small, ripe banana

2 tsp agave or honey (according to taste)

1/2 apple, chopped

1 tsp organic shredded coconut (optional)

raisins or dried cherries, cranberries

raw walnuts, chopped  

Mash banana with a fork. Add to quinoa sprouts. Add remaining ingredients and sweeten with agave to taste.  You can warm this in the dehydrator if you like, but it is yummy just as is.  ENJOY!

 Directions For Sprouting

Rinse quinoa well and cover with water in a wide-mouth glass jar and lid. Let soak 8-12 hours. Drain water, rinse, and keep in a dark cool area, replacing jar lid with a screen or cheesecloth, (use the rim or a rubber band to hold  the cloth in place) to cover the opening. Rinse 2-3 times a day until tails form. Rinse well and return to jar with rim and cap. Refrigerate. Rinse daily to retain freshness. Give it a try! It is so easy, and they are great in salads, sandwiches, and garnishes for soup.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

1.5 Frozen Bananas (or any fruit, berries, mango, etc)

1 Tbsp Organic Peanut Butter (or any nut butter)

1 Tbsp Raw Tahini  or Fresh Raw Halvah

1 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds (I mix dark, golden and hemp)

* In order to receive the nutritional benefits from flax seeds, they must be ground. Ground flax seeds get rancid quickly, so only grind a small amount and keep refrigerated)

2-3 Organic kale leaves, stem removed (opt)

1-2 Dates soaked, to sweeten (opt)

1 tsp Organic Almond Extract (or any flavor you prefer) 

Combine water and nuts and grind in a high speed blender.

Pour through a strainer or nut mylk bag. 

Add Frozen banana and crush. Add all other ingredients, blend and enjoy! 

There are so many variations to this. Use your imagination. (Add shredded coconut, skip the cacao and peanut butter, and make a Very Berry shake.)  The combinations are endless.

What better way to start the morning than with a smoothie? Better yet, make your own nut mylk! What suits your fancy? Almond mylk, sunflower seed mylk, cashew mylk? I used to buy the boxes of almond milk until I discovered the joy of making it on own. It is therapeutic for me. Sometimes, I use a nut mylk bag to strain the  nuts and sometimes, I just leave the nut meat in.

Making Nut Mylk with a Nut Mylk Bag

Generally, I use about 1/2 cup of nuts to 1 1/2 cups of (RO) water. (Will keep in refrigerator 3-4 days).  Grind the nuts (or seeds) in a high speed blender. Place the nut mylk bag inside a bowl or pitcher. Pour the mylk into the bag, hold closed at top and gently squeeze the mylk thru the bag. Leftover nuts can be dehydrated and used in cracker or bread recipes.

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