So I recently went into New York City to visit my friend who is training to be a yoga instructor. I am insanely jealous as this is something I have always wanted to do. One day, I definitely will, but for now I will continue practicing. I love yoga. It calms your mind, challenges you to push past your limits, and opens you up to change and try new things. What else can you say does that?? If you haven't tried it, give it a shot! I promise you won't be disappointed. Anyway, this past Sunday morning, my friend and I went to a yoga class and then ventured down to a raw food restaurant called One Lucky Duck. Stop making that face. I know it sounds gross and something you would NEVER even think about eating, but let me tell you, you have to try it to believe it. I had a delicious kale salad with grapes, pine nuts, and macadamia parmesan cheese. What?! Cheese made out of nuts?!! That's crazy. Well, yeah, it sounds crazy, but it was pretty freakin' delicious. My friend had a quiche that, I swear, tasted better than the real thing! To top it all off we got a raw, vegan sundae. It was made out of cashew and coconut cream. I honestly don't know how they come up with these things. It was absolutely incredible. It is pictured below if you don't believe me. And it tasted even better than it looks...
Raw food is exactly what it sounds like. Food cannot be cooked or heated because heat diminishes the valuable nutrients inherent in the food. Uncooked and unprocessed food is the most wholesome for the body. A raw food diet, leads you to have more energy, glowing skin, and a leaner body. While True Food Cooking isn't a raw food blog, I like to support all healthy lifestyles and I decided I'd give the raw food dessert thing a try since I am still dreaming about that delicious, creamy, raw sundae.
These little guys look and taste EXACTLY like cookie dough. The secret ingredient is cashews! They are some of the healthiest nuts. They have heart protective monounsaturated fats and copper for energy, bones, and blood vessels. They are made with no oil, no eggs, and no butter. My favorite part about them is that they are quickly whipped up in a food processor and you can eat it immediately. Not like I don't do that anyway with real cookie dough, but with this recipe, there is not even a single concern to bake them. I like to pop one, two, or three (ok I'll be honest maybe even more than that) for dessert or a midday snack. I promise everyone will love them! Raw foodie or fast food lover I guarantee you they'll be mouthwatering for all.
Raw Vegan Cookie Dough Bites (gluten-free)
Makes approx: 17 cookie dough balls
Adapted from: Averie Cooks
Ingredients:
Directions:
Adapted from: Averie Cooks
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup cashews
- 1/3 cup oats
- 2 Tbsp Agave
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (or to preserve true raw status, take 2 Tbsp Raw Cocoa Powder and add 1 Tbsp Agave, optional dash of vanilla extract, whisk and blend. Spread into a thin layer on wax or parchment paper, freeze. Take frozen chocolate off parchment and crumble the shreds into the mixture as your raw "chips").
Directions:
- Blend the oats and cashews in a food processor or blender until they become a fine powder. Make sure you don't overblend because it can quickly turn into cashew butter, while delicious we don't want that for this recipe.
- Add agave, maple syrup, and vanilla and blend in short pulses until just incorporated. Do not over process.
- Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
- Form into balls and put in freezer for 20 minutes. Or just eat them right away :)