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These festive and rustic Pear Tartelettes with Dark Chocolate & Caramel are so delectable it feels rather a feat to convey in mere words their divinity… nothing can possibly match the exquisite experience of biting into such a dream!  Alas, proceed I must and, fortunately, their sheer memory has already made things easier…

 

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Encapsulating holiday decadence, these tantalizing tartelettes glisten in caramel and drizzles of dark chocolate atop beautiful layers of dried pear tucked inside a cookie-crisp crust finished with clouds of rich, vanilla bean ice-cream.  Pear Tartelettes with Dark Chocolate, Caramel & Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream (100% raw & vegan) are not only beautiful to behold I dare say they sing holiday carols to our taste buds with their incredibly vibrant and luxurious flavor.  Joy to the World!

 

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The apple (or pear in this case) doesn't fall far from the tree, as the inspiration for these beautiful Pear Tartelettes came from a traditionally cooked pie of the very same name which my husband used to request every holiday, birthday and other opportunity possible.  Since he loved it so much it was a necessity to recreate a raw vegan version.  Expectations were surpassed by far! This high vibe raw vegan delight is unbelievably BETTER!  Of course, I act surprised, perhaps because once upon a time it truly seemed that cooked recipe could not be improved upon if one tried, and yet I'm not.  Why wouldn't fresh, living ingredients with 100% of their life force essence completely blow us away!  

  

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Pear tartelettes are absolutely phenomenal even without the accompanying Vanilla Bean Ice-cream.   However, I'm never disappointed when that small voice of persuasion steers me to take things a step further – and this was no exception.  Vanilla Bean Ice-cream is a dream all in itself too!  Clouds of pure heaven.  And when two dreams unite, as in the case of magical tartelettes topped with pure clouds of heaven, well that's what we call a miracle, fit for celebrations!  Both the Tartelettes and the Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream are simple to prepare, though undivided care and attention to each element and sourcing of the very best of ingredients is needed. However, if you're anything like me, cozy, soulful kitchen time when heavenly tastes are a necessary means to perfection, letting go into the process is the reward and the beautiful result is simply one delicious circle of love.

 

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 This is my submission to the Tinned Tomatoes & Lisa's Kitchen No Croutons Required + Bookmarked Recipes Challenges and Ren Behan's Simple & in Season!

 

Recipe for Pear Tartelettes with Dark Chocolate, Caramel & Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream (Raw & Vegan)

(Makes 2 tartelettes)

INGREDIENTS

Raw Vegan Pear Tartelette, Crust & Crumb Topping

  • 3 Pears, peeled and thinly sliced (1/8")
  • 1 1/4 cup oat groat flour (measure the flour not the groats, grind groats in Vitamix to get flour
  • 3/4 cup dates, pitted
  • 1 t vanilla powder
  • 1 1/2 – 2 T water
  • 3 T extra virgin coconut oil
  • 2-3 drops lemon essential oil (edible grade only)
  • 3/4 t himalayan salt 
  • 1/4 cup soaked/sprouted/dehydrated walnuts
  • 2 T raw coconut crystals

Raw Vegan Caramel Filling

  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight
  • 1/4 cup raw coconut nectar
  • 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk + 1 or 2 T more as needed
  •  pinch himalayan salt
  • 1/2 t vanilla powder
  • 1-2 drops lemon essential oil (edible grade only)

Raw Vegan Dark Chocolate

  • 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 t ceylon cinnamon
  • pinch of himalayan or celtic sea salt
  • stevia to taste (I use barely any here)

Raw Vegan Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream

  • 16 oz frozen raw baby thai coconut meat
  • 2-3 frozen super ripe bananas
  • stevia to taste
  • 1/2 t vanilla powder

 METHOD

Dried Pears

  1. Assemble sliced pears on a teflex sheet of the dehydrator and dry at 115 for 2-3 hours. Alternatively, dry on lowest setting of your oven w/ oven door propped open an inch, for and hour.

Tartelette Crusts

  1. Process Oat Groat flour, Dates and Vanilla Powder in a food processor until well incorporated and broken down.  Add water, essential oil, coconut oil and salt and pulse until fully combined and dough sticks together when pinched between two fingers.
  2. Take 1/3 of the above mixture and set it aside for latter use in crumb topping.  
  3. Press the remaining 2/3 into two 4" diameter 3/4" deep pie tart tins.
  4. Place into the dehydrator at 135F for 1 1/2 hours. Turn down to 115 for another hour then remove and set in the freezer.  Alternatively, use your oven on lowest setting w/ door propped open an inch for only 1 hour.

Crumb Topping

  1. Toss the mixture set aside in step 2 above with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 2 Tbsp raw coconut crystals until crumb topping coated lumps are achieved. Set aside.

Caramel

  1. Blend all the ingredients in a Vitamix until smooth and creamy adding extra coconut milk as necessary to thin.  Place mixture in fridge where it will thicken slightly.

Dark Chocolate

  1. Whisk together all ingredients until completely smooth.

Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream

  1. Blend all ingredients in Vitamix, using the tamper, until super smooth and creamy. Scoop out into an air tight container and set aside.  If storing in freezer, allow to come to room temperature for an hour to thaw and make scoopable, before serving. I actually prefer storing mine in the fridge where it retains a whipped ice-cream texture. This ice-cream does not melt away like traditional making it very nice for entertaining!

Tartelette assembly

  1. Smear a thin layer of the caramel across the bottom of each tart shell.
  2. Neatly layer the dried pears inside the two tartelette crusts, smearing a bit of the caramel over each layer, including the top, as you go.
  3. Sprinkle crumb topping over top.
  4. Set tartes in freezer for 20 minutes to set.
  5. Remove from freezer and drizzle tartes with dark chocolate.
  6. Optional: Drizzle a very TINY amount (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) of coconut nectar across the top for an extra caramel topping affect. Don't go overboard or it will turn into a sticky ooey-gooey mess!
  7. Place back in freezer for final set.  Bring to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
  8. Tartelettes can be served whole or sliced into 4 – 6 pieces and topped with Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream.  The Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream will not melt at room temperature making these perfect for entertaining!  
  9. Revel with pleasure on a cloud of Sweet Holiday Bliss! 

 

Do you have a holiday favorite you'd like upgraded to a high vibe raw & vegan version?  Share in the comments below for the opportunity to have me recreate it for you!

 

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All Love,

Juliane

 

Thank you for visiting 🙂  

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Who’s ready for an insanely delicious comfort food recipe that tingles the tastebuds, warms the insides and satisfies our cravings for a rich bowl of creamy pasta without all the calories and carbs?

Enter this raw vegan (yes, it’s deliciously warm) version of one of StyleNectar’s most popular dishes ever, Tom Yum Soup.   I’ve been wanting to share this raw vegan twist on this hit recipe for such a long time and after testing it over and over to be sure it was perfect, it’s finally here!

Spicy Tom Yum Coconut Noodles prove once again that amazing, complex flavor, full-bodied hearty pasta decadence and our highest potential health, happiness and beauty are not mutually exclusive!  As I always say, it’s easy to prepare delicious food that tastes amazing- however, that’s not enough for me.  If it doesn’t make US look and feel as amazing as it tastes, it doesn’t make the StyleNectar cut.

This is my submission to Tinned Tomatoes & Lisa’s Kitchen No Croutons Required & Bookmarked Recipes Challenge, Fuss Free Flavours, & Ren Behan‘s + Feedingboys‘ Simple & in Season.

In this luxurious upgrade to the original non-vegetarian recipe, I was able to increase the coconut milk as the recipe no longer relied on animal product, thus taking the creamy rich factor off the charts!  Next, I increased the shiitakes for double the fabulous meaty texture.  And the piece de resistance, to soak up all that spicy Tom Yum decandence, oodles of perfectly al dente kelp noodles!  Fresh garlic, ginger, chilis and lime and few tweaks to replace the chicken stock and fish sauce to season everything up perfectly, and a star was born!  Hey, don’t take my word for it, just ask Jim who is in heaven right now gnoshing this down 🙂

If you haven’t tried Kelp Noodles this is definitely your lucky day.  These mineral rich babies, miraculously, have almost zero calories and when prepared properly, taste & feel exactly like pasta.  They soak up the flavors of any dish they’re paired with for that luxurious high-carb affect and NONE of the downside!  Coconut milk and shiitakes are both immune boosting powerhouses and the addition of anti-inflammatory ginger, cleansing cilantro and circulation-enhancing chilis take this bowl of deliciousness into true superfood heaven.

Another high-vibe, living foods recipe packed with energy, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and everything we need to stay healthy.  Filled with life force, love and the simplicity I’m learning is the foundation to everything exquisite. 

Enjoy 🙂

 

Recipe for Spicy Tom Yum Coconut Noodles (Serves 2-3)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups “no-chicken” or vegetable stock
  • 1 stalk fresh lemongrass thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger root thinly sliced
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp thinly sliced medium-heat red chili pepper + extra for garnish (seed & devein for less heat)
  • 12 oz kelp noodles, rinsed and drained
  • 1 or 2 strips wakame seaweed chopped into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 cups thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
  • 2 cups raw coconut milk** (or feel free to sub 1 can FULL FAT coconut milk in a pinch)
  • 1 Tbsp raw miso paste
  • 1 Tbsp raw honey
  • 1 tsp coconut aminos or tamari
  • 1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice or to taste + small lime wedges for garnish (remember, don’t add lime before bringing to a simmer or it goes sour!)
  • 4 Tbsp freshly chopped cilantro, 1/2 reserved for garnish

Method

  1. In a large pot combine the first 6 ingredients (veg stock through wakame)and bring to a light steam or baby bottle temperature to keep raw. Turn off heat, cover with a tight lid and let steep for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Alternatively, if you don’t care about it being raw, bring to a simmer, then simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Add shitakes and coconut milk and bring back to a light steam/baby bottle temperature.
  3. Whisk in remaining ingredients, garnish with extra cilantro, a few slices of red chili & lime wedges and relish in comfort food bliss! 

 

** Raw Coconut Milk:  I blend 2 cups raw, thai baby coconut meat with 1/2-3/4 cup (adjust depending on thickness you want) raw thai baby coconut water (Whole Foods sells both raw coconut meat & raw coconut water frozen or crack open your own), 1 Tbsp raw coconut butter & an optional 1 tbsp Tocotrienols (aka my fav non GMO sunflower lecithen) to help emulsify & voila, instant raw coconut milk. Store extra in ice-cube trays in freezer for smoothies.

Enjoy 🙂

Are you a winter or a summer person?  Or, perhaps do you love each season for it’s contrasting individuality? 

Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube to stay current on all things SN! 

All Love,

 Juliane

Thank you for visiting 🙂  

Comment, Like, Subscribe & Share!

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Tom Yum Soup

 

Who's ready for an insanely delicous, 15 minute Thai recipe?

Enter:  Tom Yum Soup

This stealthy combination of silky-smooth coconut milk, lemongrass, shitakes, and ginger is rich and magical.  Papery-thin slivers of chicken drenched in vibrant, buttery broth deliver perfection in every spoonful.

A dish this simple- yet so complex, so incredibly delicious, is a keeper in my repertoire! Soul warming, refreshing and filling at the same time.  I’m obsessed

~ you will be too!

 

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Ingredients for Tom Yum Soup

 

Recipe for Tom Yum Soup (Serves 4)

Ingredients (substitute tofu & vegetable stock for vegetarian version)

  • 5 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
  • 1 stalk lemongrass thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger root thinly sliced
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp thinly sliced, fresh, medium-heat red chili pepper + slices for garnish (seed & devein for less heat)
  • 2 cooked pasture raised, chicken breasts, thinly sliced across the grain **(See Note below)
  • 1 ½ cups thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk (DON’T use light!)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro + extra for garnish

 Method

  1. In a large pot combine first 5 ingredients (chicken stock through red chilies) and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 minute.
  3. Ladle into bowls adding extra fresh cilantro leaves & thinly sliced chili pepper for garnish.  Enjoy!
**For perfect, easy roast chicken breasts:  Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray heavy duty, rimmed baking sheet with grapeseed oil (or canola) spray.  Rub chicken breasts with a small amount of grapeseed (or canola) oil to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. Let rest for 10 minutes in order to let the juices redistribute into the meat- otherwise those beautiful juices will all run out onto your cutting board & you'll be left with dry meat & no flavor!

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Tom Yum Soup Simmering Away!

Questions of the day:

Do you have a favorite Thai dish?

What is your favorite cuisine?

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Blueberry Coconut Smoothie

Do you enjoy looking and feeling your best?  Then this energy boosting, make-yourself-radiant Coconut-Blueberry Shake is right up your alley! 

Plus it tastes amazing! (Think cross between malted milkshake & nut-brittle candy.)

I predict this exotic combination of flavors will fall into your weekly repertoire.  It's a recipe I can whip up on the busiest of days knowing I'll love the taste and be doing something great for my body.

Wild blueberries pack a healthy punch of phytonutrients, antioxidants & anti-inflammatories, while coconut milk nourishes and moisturizes the hair and skin.  Toasted pecans provide 19 vitamins and minerals, protein and… well, you get the idea!  It's fabulous in every respect so you'll just have to try it:-)

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1 cup frozen wild blueberries

3/4 cup coconut milk (or equivalent fresh baby thai coconut coconut meat & coconut water)

2 tablespoons water

2 1/2 tablespoons pecans

1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey, coconut nectar, maple syrup or Stevia

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or powder

Method

In a blender combine the blueberries, coconut milk, water, toasted nuts (or nut butter), honey and vanilla extract.  Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

NOTE:  If you don't have a heavy-duty blender like a Vitamix, use Almond Butter (or another nut butter- preferably raw) instead of the whole nuts to ensure a silky-smooth shake.

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Vegetarian Massaman

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A recent trip to visit family brought us to Greenville, South Carolina, a historic city of cozy neighborhoods with mature oak-lined streets and a downtown overflowing with culture and great restaurants. During our stay, we were treated to a wonderful Thai dinner at Lemongrass Thai Cuisine on North Main Street downtown.  

The food at Lemongrass is delectably fresh while delivering the diverse spices and aromas of Thai cuisine- salty and sweet, fiery and mild, sour and bitter – into perfect harmony.  The presentation of the meal was colorful and authentic, incorporating the rice tureen, clay pots and artful yet not-too-fussy arrangements.

Keeping it a little lighter, I ordered the Vegetarian Massaman Curry, a combination of mixed vegetables, potatoes, onions and pineapple sauteed in coconut milk and – of course – massaman curry, (a fragrant yellow curry that incorporates ground peanuts, lemongrass, and tamarind together with warm spices such as cardamom, bay leaves and fennel), topped with cashew nuts and avacado.  Absolutely phenomenal.

In fact, everything we ordered was terrific.  Fluffy jasmine rice.  Tender, perfectly cooked squid, muscles and shrimp flavored with basil, lime and ginger in the Tom Yum Talay (soup).  Crisp vegetarian spring rolls served with a tantalizing Thai sweet and sour sauce.  Hungry yet?

So, not only do I recommend the city of Greenville, SC as a great place to visit, but a stop into Lemongrass Thai Cuisine is essential while you're there!

Do you have a favorite Thai restaurant or Thai dish?  Do share 🙂

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