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. 

I know all you health skeptics out there believe anything that’s non-fat, low sugar, diet anything will not taste good. But I dare you to try this recipe, I promise you will be really surprised to find this chocolate cake doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of flavor nor deliciousness. It is adapted from my culinary hero, Ina Garten or the Barefoot Contessa’s chocolate cake recipe. On sick days when I was little, (whether I was actually sick or my mom fell for the “not feeling well” act) I would lie in bed all day and watch cooking shows with my mom. I fell in love with cooking and was fascinated by all of the talented cooks and I was inspired by the variety of recipes. My favorite cooking show to watch was Barefoot Contessa. Ina Garten made delicious, simple recipes with quality ingredients in her beautiful home on the beach in the Hamptons. She would cook a wholesome meal for her husband, Jeffrey,  entertain a cocktail party with her whimsical hors d’oeuvres and drinks, or make an impressive meal for a small dinner party. 

Ina Garten truly inspired me to start cooking. My first cookbook I bought was Barefoot in Paris and it is full of delicious recipes. However, most of her recipes are heavy on the butter and oil, and high in sugar. Not exactly conducive to an active, healthy lifestyle. This chocolate cake originally had 1/2 cup of oil and 2 cups of sugar! Even if this cake does feed about 8 people, your guests will likely leave with a sugar coma and a trip to the mall for a larger pant size. This recipe, however, doesn’t sacrifice flavor or taste!  Instead, I made a few healthy swaps (like substituting non-fat greek yogurt for oil) to make this classic dessert a little easier on your waistline. Of course, you can have your cake and eat it too!