Sweet Sun-Breads and Un-Cookies

Un-Cookies with Fresh Peaches!

It's June and the peaches from Fresh Connect are divine!

I made this un-cookie recipe to compliment their flavor and give a "peach-pie" taste- sensation to my favorite family members. If you have an Excalibur dehydrator, you can put the buckwheat cookie "dough" in a pie plate and make a crust (dehydrate at 110 degrees for 2 hours or until firm to the touch.) Fill with slices of fresh or marinated peaches*, sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon and orange juice return to the dehydrator to desired "done-ness" or serve fresh.

If you only have a few peaches, or if you have a Nessco dehydrator like mine, make un-cookies in the shape of peach slices and top each cookie with a small pile of sliced fresh peaches.

*Marinated Peaches (stay gooey-good for days and days)

For a more traditional "cooked" flavor, marinate the peach slices in cinnamon and orange juice a a splash of grade B maple syrup in a glass container in the fridge. Toss to coat the peaches occasionally. Use these "wilted" peaches as a topping or filling. You can also use some Cashew Cream "frosting" to "glue" the peaches to the cookies when serving. If using the marinated peaches, add some of the "syrup" formed by marinating the peaches to the frosting recipe. (See below)

I also made an apple-cinnamon-banana sun-bread at the same time. The ingredients complement each other and it saves a wash-up. Sun-breads and un-cookies can be frozen (and thawed in the dehydrator) for longer shelf-life. Be sure to remove some when they are still sticky-moist to reserve for later use.

Buckwheat Grout Un-cookies (or pie crust for fruit pie)

You will need a food processor fitted with an S-blade and a dehydrator with temperature settings below 110 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry-measure buckwheat grouts (sprouted 3 days)
• 1/2 cup dry-measure raw pumpkin seeds (soaked 1 hour or sprouted)
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1 apple cored and chopped
• 1/4 cup ground golden flax seed (optional)
• 1 inch fresh grated ginger
• 2 whole vanilla beans, scraped (or 2 tsp. vanilla powder)
• 1/2 nutmeg corn, grated
• 1 tsp allspice and/or cinnamon
• 1/2 cup soaked flame raisins (plus more for garnish, if making un-cookies)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• very small pinch of cayenne
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• clean source water
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup raw walnut or sunflower oil
• rose water (optional)
• 2 TBS heather or lavender flowers and leaves chopped (optional)
• Garnish with fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions:

Rinse the buckwheat grouts and seeds and discard the liquid. Seeds can be wet, just do not include the soaking water. Place all ingredients in the food processor, adding oil and herbs last. Process, scraping down the sides often and drizzling the oil as the processor runs until a smooth batter forms. Adjust for salt or sweet by adding more honey or sea salt. Remember the flavors will intensify with dehydration.

Spoon onto Teflex sheets or press a thin layer into an oiled pie plate. (Coconut, sunflower or walnut oil work well). Brush to top of the pie crust with oil. (You may have to dehydrate for an hour or so before you can brush the pie crust.) If you are planning to serve the entire pie immediately, you can skip this step. The oil creates a barrier that helps keep the peach juices from re-hydrating the crust, causing it to fall apart. If making the un-cookies, garnish the tops of each with soaked raisins. Tapp them in a bit to keep them soft after dehydrating. Dehydrate at 110 degrees until desired crispness is achieved. Flip cookies once.

If you like a cobler-like "crumbly top" for your peach pie, grind Brazil nuts in a spice mill with a pinch of living rock salt and the "pie" spices. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the peaches. You can also make this topping in advance and dehydrate to a dryer, more crumbly consistency. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

If you want to save some for later use, take the un-cookies out of the dehydrator while still soft and gooey in the middle, freeze or refrigerate on parchment. Reheat when ready to use by placing in the dehydrator at 110 degrees.

Banana-nut Sun-bread Recipe

You will need a food processor fitted with an S-blade and a dehydrator with temperature settings below 110 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry-measure buckwheat grouts (sprouted 3 days)
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds or sprouted sunflower seeds (soaked one hour or sprouted)
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1 apple cored and chopped
• 1 or 2 ripe bananas (the more banana you add the more moist the bread will be)
• 1/2-inch grated ginger
• 2 whole vanilla beans, scraped (or 2 tsp. vanilla powder)
• 1/2 nutmeg corn, grated
• 1/2 cup soaked raisins or dates
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• very small pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• clean source water
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup raw walnut or sunflower oil
• rose water (optional)
• 2 TBS heather or lavender flowers and leaves chopped (optional)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup of pecans and/or walnuts (soaked, rinsed and chopped.)

Instructions:

Rinse the buckwheat grouts and seeds and discard the liquid. Seeds can be wet, just do not include the soaking water.

Place all ingredients (except the nuts) in the food processor, adding oil and herbs last. Process, scraping down the sides often and drizzling the oil as the processor runs, until a smooth batter forms. Add nuts, pulse to blend and chop or add last and stir in with a spoon.

Spoon batter onto Teflex sheets as individual serving sizes or form manna-sized loaves. Dehydrate at 110 degrees until desired crispness is achieved. Flip once. If you want to save some for later use, take them out while still soft and gooey in the middle, freeze or refrigerate on parchment. Reheat when ready to use by placing in the dehydrator at 110 degrees.

Raw Cashew Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 cup un-roasted whole cashews (soaked at least one hour)
• 1/3 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1 tsp of orange zest
• pinch of fresh-ground nutmeg
• pinch of Himalayan pink salt (or other high-quality living salt)
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1/2 tsp of rose water (optional)
• 1 TBS unprocessed arrow root powder

( If using the marinated peaches, add some of the "syrup" formed by marinating the peaches to the frosting recipe.)

Instructions:

In food processor fitted with an S-blade, process until creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

TIP: Make tea before you toss small, flavorful, scraps into the compost. If using the herbs and ginger, take the coarse parts of the ginger peel, the lavender and/or mint stems and vanilla bean pod (after scraping) to make a light and lovely, mood-enhancing, cleansing tea. Place "scraps" in a stainless steel pan with clean source water, bring to a boil, let steep for 10 minutes or so. Strain into a cup. Sweeten with honey, as desired.

Keep a lot of empty space around your dehydrator for best results.

Vanilla Bean Banana Ice "Cream"

Ice "Cream"

We all agree, once you have this, you will never want dairy ice-cream again.

For "sorbet" use the ice "cream" recipe below and omit the bananas and sunflower seeds. Add any fruit; fresh or frozen or a combination of fresh and frozen.

You will need a high-speed blender. This recipe alone makes the price of a Vita-mix worth it!

Two to Four Servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of clean source water or coconut water
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 2 whole vanilla beans
• 1 cup activated sunflower seeds
• 6 clean source ice cubes
• 3 whole bananas (peeled and frozen)
• 1/3 cup of raw honey (optional)
• pinch of ground cardamon (optional)
• 1/2 to 1 cap-full of almond extract (optional)

Step one (optional): Activating the sunflower seeds is optional. However, it results in a creamier dreamier ice "cream." Activate to your preference, do not allow to sprout.

Step Two: It is important to start with softened seeds. To soften, soak in clean source water for a minimum of 20 minutes, drain and rinse before adding to blender. Put water, salt, seeds, and vanilla beans in first. Blend until vanilla beans are broken up.

Step Three: Add other ingredients. Use the auger to push frozen fruit and ice cubes into the blades while they are turning on low speed. Switch to high at the end. Do not over blend. It will heat the mixture. If it does, no biggy. You will just need to chill it longer, especially if you are making a layered dessert with several flavors. (See Neapolitans, below). Pour into glasses or ceramic bowls and chill in the freezer to desired consistency. Or drink as a thick mylk shake.

To make Vanilla Pear ice "cream", substitute frozen pear slices for bananas. Use 1/2 a pear per person (So far, this is every body's favorite! It's just hard for me to sacrifice the pears because they are so good to just EAT. I always seem to have plenty of extra bananas.)

To make Mocha ice "cream," use the recipe above and add 1 tsp of carob (or highest quality raw cacao powder) and 1 tsp of fine ground light roast coffee.

For a "Chunky Monkey" add chilled organic peanut butter from New Mexico and fresh or frozen bananas at the end and pulse so it's not totally blended in. This is especially good in a cocoa or carob ice "cream."

I like red bananas best, but any organic banana will do! I also like to add Mystic Tonic's, Vanilla Blend when I feel like I need extra boost. It has maca, hemp seeds, cordecepts and EFAs from natural sources. It is the only protein powder I will use.

Peanut butter from New Mexico is free from molds and pesticides. It is the only peanut butter I will use.

Add frozen aronia berries, blue berries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, kiwi, lemon, persimmons, fennel, oranges, pineapple, fresh pumpkin or strawberries for variety.

For basic

fudge sauce:

Mix, in this order:

• 2 TBs warm, but not boiling, water
• 3 TBs Carob powder or highest quality raw cocoa powder
• 1 TB raw honey
• 2 TBs grade B maple syrup
• scant pinch of Himalayan pink salt (optional)

Sometimes we make Neapolitans:

Make a full blender of vanilla (with pear or bananas). Pour 1/3 into chilled low-ball glasses. Place in the freezer while you add strawberries to the blender. Blend. Pour 1/3 on top of the vanilla. Place in the freezer while you add carob powder to the remaining third and pour onto the top. The last layer will be "loose" so you might add a little more salt and ice if you plan to serve right away. The result is a banded dessert that would impress even the most discerning mother-in-law! Garnish with a whole fresh strawberry on each glass.

ENJOY!

Layered Aronia Berry Parfait

Ultra-Healthy, Super Antioxidant Packed Delicious Desserts

What's so special about Aronia berries? Aronia Melanocarpa, the black version of aronia berries, is PACKED with antioxidants, and best of all for those of us living in the United States, they're very plentiful... In fact, the aronia berries I used to make this parfait were grown less than 20 miles from here by Steve Blazer on his 12-organic-acres near St. Joseph. Aronia's extremely high antioxidant levels make it one of the eight “true” superfruits in the world, and it's the only one of the eight that is native to the United States. Why go to Brazil or China to get your fill of antioxidants when you can buy them fresh or frozen from local organic farmers in the US?

Recipe:

You will need a Vitamix or high speed blender.

Ingredients: For each serving, add the following:

• 1 frozen banana, peeled
• 1/2 fresh or frozen pear, cubed and cored
• 1/2 cup frozen or thawed whole aronia berries (plus a few extra for garnish)
• 1 TBS of raw clover honey

Use the auger to push fruit into the blade to create an ice-cream consistency. (If your blender will not smooth out the frozen fruit without liquid, add a little coconut water until it starts turning freely.) Blend until smooth, pour into glass dishes, place in the freezer for 15 minutes to an hour. Do not wash out the blender. You will be making the topping in the same pitcher. The "left-over" dark purple sorbet that is still in the blender will create a beautiful violet hue for the topping.

Topping:

• 1/2 cup soaked, hulled, raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 whole vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup frozen coconut mylk
• 1 to 2 TBS of Raw White Honey or Clear Agave Nectar (to taste)

Blend until smooth, pour over the aronia berry sorbet, return to the freezer until firm. Top with thawed aronia berries.

(I created a marble effect in the topping using some of the juice from the frozen berries)

This will be amazing with fresh mint when it starts to peek through the snow any day now!

We will be featuring Steve's local aronia berries at our next distribution night. I'll keep you posted.

They are also great salad toppers! A teaspoon of these lovely dark tart berries is the antioxidant nutritional equivalent to a shot of Monovie (which retails for $35 a bottle!) Yikes.

If you like, sign up to "be a follower" of this blog and you will be automatically up-dated when I post more recipes about aronia berries. I'm having a blast experimenting with them. Here are a few tips I can share: If you are using in smoothies, add a little raw honey to bring out the rich tannins! Mixed well with pears, apricots, apples, bananas, cherries, and blueberries. Goat yogurt, if you partake, is a wonderful base for frozen aronia custard. Just mix a whole vanilla bean, 1/2 cup of aronia berries, (frozen or thawed ) a little clean-source water and ice in the Vitamix. Blend until smooth. Add plain organic goat yogurt to taste. I like it tart, so I add lemon. If you like it sweet, add honey or agave. You can "drink" it or set it in the freezer until it firms into a spoon-able ice-mylk consistency. YUM! [Photos TK. My family woofed it down before I could get picture! I love them!]

Green Banana Salads

Celebrate Green Bananas!

The Bananas are Green because they have not been gassed! This is a very good thing. Bananas will ripen on a sunny windowsill or in a paper bag. Allowing the bananas to have sun exposure increased the nutrient value.

We use the firm flesh of green bananas as often as we do the ripe ones. Green bananas have a lower glycemic index because many of the sugars have not yet formed. They also have more tannin that promote digestion and have anti-microbial properties. Slightly tart, they make a great topping for green salad or filling for wraps with orange pumpkinseed vinaigrette or as a snack with Greek or goat yogurt and honey. (Vegans can substitute cashew cream cheese and Agavi.)

Green Banana Snack

Peel and slice bananas

Add Cashew cream or yogurt

Add fresh herbs (Choose one or mix: fresh cilantro, sorrel, mint, fennel tops, or lemon balm)

Drizzle with Clover Honey

Add blueberries when you’ve got um!

Green Banana Salad Topping or Filling for Wrap

Peel and slice green bananas

Sprinkle very sparingly with Himalayan pink salt and a squeeze of lemon juice

Toss to coat. (Keeps refrigerated for several hours.)

Serve in a lettuce leaf with choice for fresh herbs or pea sprouts or place on top of a bed of mixed greens. Add dressing with whole seeds.

Orange-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

• Juice of one orange
• Zest of ½ an orange
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
• ½ a small onion or large shallot, diced
• 1 TBS live apple cider vinegar
• 1TBS of Namu Soyu (raw soy sauce)
• 2 TBS of raw pumpkin seed oil (substitute raw sunflower oil)
• 1 TBS of grade B maple syrup (optional)
• 2-3 TBS of raw pumpkin seeds

Marinate overnight for best results

Live Vibe: Treats! Banana Date Smoothie (or Ice "Cream")

Live Vibe: Treats!

For Your Bohemian Holiday of Choice

Banana Date Smoothie (or Soft-serve Ice "Cream")

Add to Vitamix or blender:

• 1 organic banana
• 2 soaked organic dates (plus 1/4 cup soaking water from dates)
• 8 oz of frozen organic coconut mylk*
• 1 TBS of raw organic honey or organic maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp of organic pure vanilla extract or organic vanilla bean seeds (optional)
• 1/2 tsp of organic almond extract (optional)

Note: (double for 2 or more servings)

*Buy frozen bags of coconut mylk or pour a can of organic coconut mylk into a zip-lock bag and freeze flat on a tray, so that it can be easily broke into pieces.

Soak dates for a couple of hours or overnight.

Peel the banana.

Add everything to the Vitamix and blend until smooth. Add extra clean source water for a smoothie.

Optional: Pour 1/2 the banana ice "cream" into chilled bowels, tip to keep it on one side of the dish. Add 1/2 tsp of carob powder and extra honey to remaining banana ice "cream" in the blender. (Do not over-flavor. Carob is quite strong. The color should be light mocha. ) Pour carob ice "cream" into other side of the dish. Make a yin-yan. Serve immediately or freeze for up to 20 minutes.

Please use organic foods to enjoy the full benefits of whole living food that is expressing love!