Epic Halloween Cake! (and contest winner!)

The moment you all have been waiting for is here! I finally made a giant epic cake thingy using 4 pounds of nuts, a crap load of chocolate, and a whole bunch of epicness! Sure it may not look like very much to the naked eye, especially if you bring into consideration that it looks about the size of a regular cake. Bring in the fact that its completely raw and I ate a most of it single handedly, and we have a whole new story.

This cake may be one of my greatest accomplishments yet! Though the pictures arn't exactly what I had desired, it still looked epic and tasted delicious! So pictures aside, i'm proud of this cake of epicness and no one will take that away from me. NO ONE!

Epic Halloween Cake

Cake Ingredients

2 c. Macadamia Nuts

2 c. Brazil Nuts

1/2 c. Flax Seed

1/2 c. Pumpkin Seed

3/4 c. Hemp Seed

2 c. Shredded Coconut

1/2 c. Coconut Oil

3/4 c. Agave

3/4 c. Dates

4 tbsp. Salt

-Blend together your nuts and seeds until it resembles a crumbly flour.

-Add the remaining ingredients and blend until a dough begins to form.

-Set aside.

Raspberry Cream Ingredients

1 c. Raspberries

1/2 c. Cashew Cream*

1/2 c. Agave

-Add everything into your blender and blend until smooth.

-Set aside.

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

2 c. Raw Cacao Powder

1 c. Coconut Oil

1/2 c. Cashew Cream*

3/4 c. Agave

2 tsp. Salt

-Blend everything together until smooth.

-In round cake pan, begin assembling your cake. Put down a layer of the cake dough so that is covers the bottom and the edges.

-Put down a layer of the chocolate frosting and then a layer of raspberry cream. Then add another layer of dough and repeat. Keep doing this until you are out of raspberry cream, but make sure there is enough frosting to cover the cake's outside.

-Put the remaining dough down as a top layer. Then, coat the cake entirely with the remaining of your frosting. Add coconut shavings if you so desire.

-Put the cake in the freezer for about 10-20 minutes so the icing can set.

-Enjoy!

Yep, i'm proud of this recipe. It took me a while to come up with the recipe, but it was very much well worth it! So many combinations for something like this, though. A raw chocolate hazelnut spread instead of frosting, coconut instead of cashew cream. I guess I just love food in general!

Everyone i've had tried this told me they loved it. My mom said it was the best thing i've made yet and both of my brothers enjoyed a slice. Even my girlfriend, who usually isn't fond of my cooking, told me it tasted excellent. And for the record, i'm the only person even remotely vegan let alone raw who tried it. That should say something! I preferred the chocolate frosting though, while they enjoyed the cake itself a bit more.

Now that my dessert is out of the way, time to announce the winner of my raw dessert contest. And the winner of the Raw Sample Pack from NutsOnline.com iiiiiiiiiiis.....

pureglow*16

She was the only eligible contestant to actually put her own recipe in. She also both liked both myself and Nuts Online on twitter. Not to mention, my obsession with peanut butter may have helped her just a bit.

Congrats Pureglow*16. Be sure to email me your address and phone number at the626drew@gmail.com so i may send your prize right away!

And everyone, don't forget to check out her awesome recipe for Raw Reeses!

Whats your favorite Halloween candy?

-Andrew D. Morrison-

Pumpkin Brownies

Pumpkin, chocolate, pumpkin, chocolate, pumpkin chocolate! I can't decide which to choose! So wait...if I can't decide, then why not choose them both?

Last year during Vegan Mofo, I remember seeing a few posts on Pumpkin Swirl Brownies. I even made some when I used my other site and was pretty proud of how they turned out. Now that i'm a raw foodies though, I was very curious of if I could recreate the dish of pure epicness. I do have some newly made raw pumpkin puree in the fridge, so whats stopping me? Its brownie time.

Raw Pumpkin Brownie

(Serves 12)

Brownie Ingredients:

2 c. Pecans

1 c. Pumpkin Seeds

3/4 c. Cacao Powder

4 Dates (pitted)

1/8 tbsp Coconut Oil

1/3c. Honey/Agave

2 tsp. Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

-Grind your pecans and pumpkin seeds into a coffee grinder until they become almost the texture of flour.

-Put your nut/seed flour, the cacao powder, and salt into your food processor. Pulse it a few times until they are well mixed.

-Add in your remaining ingredients and mix them until it forms a crumbly dough. Add a bit more coconut oil or honey if you thing its needed.

-Mold half of your dough into a container and freeze. Set the other half aside.

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients:

Ingredients:

1/2 c. Pumpkin Puree

3 Medjool Dates

2 tbsp. Honey/Agave

-Blend everything together in your food processor or blender.

-Pour the filling over the first brownie layer. Then add the remaining chocolate as a second layer.

-Enjoy!

This turned out excellently, even with the ingredients being as simple as they are. It was a little time consuming making the pumpkin puree, but I guarantee you it was well worth it. Pumpkin-chocolate combinations are kind of different, but I'll be looking forward to finding out other things I can do with the two. Especially with orange and black being perfect halloween colors! MWAHAHAHA!!!!

What are your favorite orange and black things?

-Andrew D. Morrison-

Raw Pumpkin Puree

PUMPKIN!!!!! PUMPKIN PUMPKIN PUMPKIN PUMPKIN PUMPKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can you ever have fall without pumpkin? Carving, Pies, and pumpkin...well..everything!

So it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that the minute I got the opportunity, I bought myself a pumpkin and carved the heck out of it. Kudos to anyone who can guess what I carved. If you can, leave a comment below telling me what or who you think I carved!

Here's a hint:

Making raw food from pumpkin, however, is a bit harder if you don't do it right. Most pumpkin purees involve boiling the pumpkin to soften it enough to use. With this in mind, I set out to create a delicious pumpkin puree without having to cook it. So this is what i've come up with.

Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients:

1 Pie Pumpkin

1 Apple

-Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out all of the seeds and insides. An ice cream scoop works excellently for this. Then core the apple.

-Cut up the pumpkin and apple into small pieces or cubes and put those pieces into a juicer.

-Put both the pulp and the juice into a food processor or blender and blend until the texture is smooth. Add water if needed until everything is smooth.

-Enjoy!

I also saved some of the juice just for the sake of Harry Potter references

Finally, a pumpkin puree that a raw foodist can partake of. Some people just settle for carrot puree and say you can't tell the difference, but if I want some pumpkin then i'm gonna have some pumpkin!

Pumpkin is also one of the nutritious fruits available (yes, its a fruit). Not only the mineral rich flesh, but the seeds are also incredibly good for your body and in many cases considered one of the healthiest foods on earth. But I didn't really use the seeds in this recipe in this post, so lets save that for another day.

I'm not big on counting my calories since I really dont need to worry about it with a raw diet but for those of you who are, there are only about 40 calories in every half cup of this puree! It contains a load of beta-carotene, which is basically just Vitamin A when its in the body. Vitamin A is awesome for your vision and helping to reverse skin damage. Also this vitamin is not too bad at boosting your immune system so when its combined with the vitamin C that's in here, its a perfect food for those winter colds.

It also has about 5 grams of fiber for ever 1/2 cup so your digestive system and cholesterol levels will both thank you for that. The Vitamin E in here will help your skin and the vitamin B5 will help to balance out your hormones.

So not only is this stuff going to taste incredibly good in a pie (a recipe for that is coming), but its also amazingly healthy for your body too! I added the apple in here to give it some sweetness for desserts, but you don't really need it if you plan on using this recipe for a soup. Expect me to be eating this stuff all month long!

Whats your favorite pumpkin recipe? And did anyone get what I carved?

-Andrew D. Morrison-

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Torte (aka. Reeses!)

What better way to start off Vegan Mofo than with a dessert recipe? Something sweet and delicious to start off October and to give you something to snack on as you make your way through the month.

I dislike how all of the dessert recipes show up at the end of the month when you have little time to prepare yourself. All of the attention for Halloween and candy comes when its a bit too late and when things are almost over and done with. So with the taste of a Reeses peanut butter cup, but the creamy and chocolaty melt-in-your mouth feel of a chocolate torte, this halloween candy will satisfy Ladies and gentleman, boys and ghouls...... raw peanut butter torte!

Raw Chocolate - Peanut Butter Torte

Torte Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. Cacao Powder

3/4 c. Pecan Flour

6 tbsp. Coconut oil

6 tbsp. Honey

-Mix all of your dry ingredients together all of your dry ingredients in your food processor. If you don't have pecan flour, just process them in a coffee grinder a few times until they form a flour-like texture.

-Add in the liquid ingredients and mix until it dorms a very wet dough, almost the texture of peanut butter.

-Mold the dough into muffin tins, poking a hole into the top where the cream will go.

-Freeze the muffin pans while you make the cream.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cream Ingredients:

1/4 c. Cacao Powder

6 tbsp. Almond or Peanut Butter

1/4 c. Coconut Oil (melted)

1/4 c. honey

-Mix all of the ingredients in your food processor or a blender until it forms a liquidy cream. Add a few tablespoons of water or extra coconut oil if needed.

-Take your tortes out of the freezer and spoon the cream into the holes you made.

-Freeze for at least 30 minutes or until everything firms up.

-Eat and enjoy!

I had both of my little brothers try them, and they claim it to be excellently similar to Reeses peanut butter cups only chocolatier! My parents liked them as well, my dad saying they were good but not quite the same. Maybe a bit more peanut butter will do the trick but the texture was spot on!

They melt quickly though so be warned! They taste best straight from the freezer. I'll work on getting them a bit longer-lasting just so I can bring them to school and brag around Halloween time about my vegan epicness!

Whats your favorite Halloween candy or treat?

-Andrew D. Morrison-

USDA's Evil Little Secret

I am so sick and tired of people falsly telling the world what to eat. I'm sick of it! Now before you continue reading this, i'm going to warm you that I do argue against the government just a little bit in this post, but I am NOT planning on protesting outside of city hall in an attempt to make a statement for change in what I truly believe in.

As many of you health minions of mine know, the USDA comes out with a little something every ten years known previously as a My Food Pyramid, although recently it has been changed into My Plate. This guide is essentially the American guideline for what healthy eating supposedly should look like. You can either look at the chart and decide what you need nutritionally based off what you eat, or you can simply go to ChooseMyPlate.gov and have it do everything for you based off of your size and level of activeness.

2005:

2011:

As this may be an excellent conversion from what it has been in the past, the opinions of the USDA have shown to be over-biased for the past couple of years. I mean, think about it. Grains can be found in a chemically-enriched and overly processed piece of bread according to their standards. Meat can easily be greasy and fried as long as its 4-6oz a serving. Not to mention that even a milkshake is considered dairy under their standards. Sounds to me like the equivalence of any fast-food restaurant i've ever walked into.

I will admit that the increase in fruits and vegetables is a plus but by their daily allowance, it could very well be one of those extremely sugary fruit cups packed in syrup that a majority of American kids currently pack in their lunches. Why would such a "loving" government who "cares" for its people ever wish to harm the citizens of out nation?

The answer is actually incredibly simple and has been going on since the foundation of our country. The United States Department of Agriculture gets a large bit of its money from big-buisness farmers and drug companies. When food began to become studied in the late 20th century, protein was thought to be the absolute most important thing for you. Everyone needed protein and you couldn't be strong without it. Meat, being a sufficient source of protein, was then raised and bred to feed our nation. It has always been about getting as much protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and whatever else we've been told, despite the source of our information.

What we fail to realize is that our bodies need good, whole food to be sustainable instead of the overly processed chemical dumps our bodies have been put into. "FIBER" in big bold letters on the box catches your attention and you automaticlly think thats what you need for a healthy diet. So what is it do we need?

Do we need foods that have been grown in horrible conditions and covered with pesticides?

No.

Do we need food that has been canned, cooked, or processed?

No.

Do we need "enriched" foods where all of the healthy parts are replaced with man-made chemical vitamins and minerals?

No!!

Do we need sugary fiber bars and get-slim-now milkshakes?

HECK NO!!! (They taste gross anyway)

We need food that is not only going to bring nourish and sustain our bodies, as well as are going to fill our soil back with nutrients. We need foods that don't require the counting of calories to keep the weight off. What we need for optimum health is food that will teach us to trust our bodies so that we cleanse ourself out and learn to trust our bodies and know what we need. Optimum health is not going on a diet and getting a few nutrients a day. Nutrition can even be a cure for any illness you may have when done right. Getting more and more of one nutrient is not what we need.

Perfect health is when all of the nutrients in your body work together in perfect harmony. So sorry My Pyramid. Sorry to mess up your little USDA plan. Lets see what you guys come up with next time.

-Andrew D. Morrison

Raw Berry Ice Cream w/ rasperry-lavender compote

Ice cream is one of my absolute favorite things to both make and eat. I got an ice cream maker for christmas and since then, my exploration into the world of frozen deliciousness has sent me into the abyss. A little creativity, and you could set up some of the most astounding flavors your tastebuds have ever been introduced to.

With heat among us, I figured a simple berry ice cream would make an excellent dessert. So simple, so common, yet so delicious!

Raw Berry Ice Cream

w/raspberry-lavender compote

Ingredients:

1 c Cashews

1/4 c Raw Almond Butter

(My favorite is made by Mara-Nantha)

1 c Water

1 c Mixed frozen berries

1 tbsp Himalayan Sea Salt

Method:

-Blend all of the ingredients into your blender or food processor. Make sure to blend until smooth and creamy.

-Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the instructions for your make and model. Now if you do not own an ice cream maker, then place the mixture into the freezer for about 2 hours. Then stir everything and place it into your refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Compote Ingredients:

1 c raspberries(frozen or fresh)

8 tbsp. fresh lavender

1 tsp. raw honey

Method:

-Blend ingredients in your blender or food processor until it forms a chunky puree.

-Chill for at least 10 minutes (if you can wait that long!)

This fancy-ish dessert is as simple as that! Blend it up, let it freeze, and you suddenly have something that is not only rich, creamy and sounds like it belongs on a 5 star menu, but one of the healthiest desserts you may ever encounter (especially if you are relatively new to living foods and raw eating).

My family had mixed opinions on it. My mom said the ice cream itself didn't have enough of a sweet aspect to it, but that the raspberry compote countered that and fit in nicely. Personally, I think that the ice cream was incredibly creamy, but I might have added more berries next time.

Also, quick tip. MaraNantha is the ONLY raw almond butter I use and I would strongly suggest this product for so many reasons. It is a bit expensive, but it is a great consistency which i havnt been able to find in other raw nut butters. It's also organic, and i have seen jars of it at almost every grocery store i shop at so finding it isn't any trouble. Check them out!

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

-Andrew Morrison-