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Raw Vegan Avocado BLT Wraps are over the top YUM!  Shown here using a Collard Wrap.

Avocado BLT Wraps are so over the top delish it’s insane!  We’re talking when I served them to my friend she couldn’t believe it wasn’t actual, real bacon inside!  Loaded with strips of meaty, thick-cut ‘bacon’ brimming with smoky-sweet-salty deliciousness tucked alongside fresh, juicy heirloom tomato, buttery avocado, crisp green lettuce and a thick creamy hemp mayo –  these Avocado BLT’s are built to please!

Avocado BLT Wrap shown here wrapped in Raw Nori Wrap – Jim’s fav! 

While the best part about these dreamy Avocado BLT wraps is definitely their amazing flavor, these high-vibe living food wraps also deliver potent immune-boosting, beauty enhancing power to make our cells sing and our energy soar!  Here are just a few of the fabulous gifts your body, mind and spirit will be receiving from this decadent Raw Vegan BLT Wrap…

Shiitakes: Widely referred to as “medicinal mushrooms”, shiitake mushrooms are able to enhance immune function bi-directionally, giving it a boost when needed, and cutting back on its activity when needed. Shiitake mushrooms provide what researchers refer to as “anti-cancer immunity” and are able to help macrophage cells achieve an activated profile so they can do a better job clearing potentially cancerous cells by suppressing their production and multiplication due to a compound in Shitake called lentinan. They’re rich in B vitamins—an excellent of pantothenic acid, a very good source of vitamin B2, and a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, choline, and folate. Shiitake are high in concentrated minerals, an excellent source of selenium and copper and a very good source of zinc.  Shiitake mushrooms are also rich in highly absorbable iron which is useful in the body for improving oxygen circulation, production of blood in the bone marrow as well as healthy bones and gums.

Avocado: Rich in healthy monounsaturated fats. Provides close to 20 essential nutrients such as potassium (1 avocado has twice the potassium of a banana) which helps balance your vitally important potassium/sodium ratio. 

Tomato: Excellent source of antioxidants such as lycopene, a carotenoid pigment which has recently been found to have an important connection to bone health.  Tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together of platelet cells in the blood, a factor especially important in lowering risk of heart disease like atherosclerosis. High in Vitamin C (33% RDA per serving) & Biotin (24% per serving). 

Nori: The seaweed that wraps sushi and our BLT Wraps! Nori is very rich in protein containing between 1-2 grams of protein per 2 gram serving making it the world’s richest source comparable in density to spirulina, chlorella and soybeans. Nori is high in fiber, comprised of approximately 33% fiber.  It’s also high in iron, with 100 grams containing 88% of our daily value. Nori improves bone health as 100 grams of nori contains 28% of our RDI of calcium and 85% of our RDI of magnesium. Sea vegetables such as Nori are the plant world’s premier source of iodine which is crucial to thyroid health and a multitude of bodily functions. 100 grams of nori contains approximately 6 mg of iodine or, otherwise stated, one sushi roll wrapped in nori contains 92 mcg of iodine which is almost the full RDI. Nori also contains 288% of our vitamin A, 60% RDI of thiamine, 194% of riboflavin, 78% RDI of niacin and 475% RDI of folate.

And that’s just the tip of the ice-berg baby! There will be multitudes more AMAZING miracles happening to your beautiful self as you devour these divine Avocado BLT wraps!

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I love using either Nori or subbing Collard Greens for an equally delicious wrap.  Collards are remarkably mild in flavor, perfectly sturdy and when all slathered up in to LIVE for thick, creamy hemp-cashew mayo and stuffed with Avocado BLT fixings… mmm mmm it’s a party for our tastebuds!

 

Recipe for Raw Vegan Avocado BLT Wraps

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

Raw Vegan Bacon 

  • 3 cups sliced shitake mushrooms, stems removed (or sub 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp raw coconut aminos 
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika (technically not raw so if you’re a purist skip)
  • 3 drops liquid stevia, a touch of maple syrup, or your fav sweetener to taste

Hemp Mayo 

  • 1C hemp seed
  • 3 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (or sub fresh lemon juice)
  • 10 cashews
  • 2 Tbsp EVOO
  • 1/2 cup filtered water (more or less depending on how thick you like it)
  • 3/4 tsp onion powder or more to taste
  • sea salt to taste

Raw Vegan BLT Wraps

  • 8 Raw Nori Wraps (or 4 Large Collard Leaves)
  • 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into long strips (not too thin not too thick we just want it to be easy to roll up)
  • 2 avocados, sliced into long strips, or mashed w tines of a fork
  • green leaf lettuce
  • vegan bacon 
  • hemp mayo 

Method

Raw Vegan Bacon

  1. Whisk together coconut aminos, sesame oil, sea salt, smoked paprika, and stevia. Taste to adjust seasonings.
  2. Dump all your sliced shitakes or portobellos into a large ziplock along with the marinade. Massage carefully so as not to break the mushrooms. Marinade for 20 minutes flipping once.
  3. Place mushrooms on a teflex sheet in your dehydrator on 145F for 1 hour, turning down to 115F for 2 more hours or longer til reach desired texture – the portobellos will take longer as they’re thicker. I personally like the ‘bacon’ a little meatier and moister as it has that thick center cut texture that way.

Hemp Mayo

  1. Place all the ingredients in the Vitamix and blend til thick and creamy. If you want more of a cream cheese texture, which will be less drippy in the wraps, start with less water. Conversely, use more water for a mayo texture. As always taste to adjust seasonings to your preference. 

BLT Wraps

  1. Slather rough side of each Nori sheet with a Tbsp of Hemp Mayo. If using mashed avocado rather than strips, spread the avo on first, then top with the mayo. (Alternatively use 4 collard leaves de-stemmed and halved for rolling OR for burrito fashion: remove only thickest bottom part of stem, leaving collard leaf whole to be wrapped burrito style & cut diagonally into halves after stuffing/rolling.)
  2. Place one green leaf lettuce leaf on each wrap.
  3. Arrange a few tomato strips, avocado strips (unless using mashed avo) & shiitake (or portobello) bacon on each wrap.
  4. Roll up tightly into a cone shape (Temaki-style), securing with a bit of water along one edge of nori. Or, role evenly into a cylinder and feel free to slice into sushi-sized bites. (If using halved collard leaves, roll & secure with a pretty party toothpick. If using whole collard leaves, roll like a burrito, folding top and bottom edges in first then rolling up left to right and cutting in half on a diagonal which will keep everything secured- use party pics if necessary.)  
  5. Serve any remaining Hemp Mayo on the side for dipping.

Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite “traditional” recipe you’d like upgraded into a beautiful Raw Vegan version?  Share below for a chance to have me recreate it for you!

 

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Much Love,

Juliane

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 Yes, it's Dairy Free, Sugar Free & totally tastes SO much better!

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Gourmet Raw Dark Chocolate Bark (for Glowing Skin!)

 

Gourmet Raw Dark Chocolate Bark proves once again that delicious treats can and should be amazing for you!  This absolutely delectable confection elevates indulgence to a whole new level.  Rich, smooth chocolate in its freshest, most flavorful form packed with your favorite raw, sprouted nuts and divinely sweet, dried fruit… hey we've even tossed in some fabulous chia for an omega-3 boasting over-the-top crunch!

And Psssst… this recipe takes all of 5 minutes hands-on time 🙂

 

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All this flavor, texture, creaminess and chocolate bliss stands on it's own – trust me, ours have barely lasted 2 days they're THAT GOOD – and yet these babies are ALSO going to make you GLOW!  These little chocolate bars are packed with the power of cacao and all it's skintastic flavanols to fight free radicals keeping skin dewy, hydrated, thickened and protected from UV rays to boot!  The addition of chia adds omega-3's, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium and antioxidants.  Coconut oil has it's own share of amazing benefits which you can read about here.  And, as if that wern't enough to get excited about, your choice of sprouted nuts and dried fruits add even more superfood enzymes and antioxidant oomph to this veritable cocktail of beauty in a bar!

 

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Who says we can't have our candy bars AND glow too… not us!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, these divine chocolates will put you into a great mood as well!  Raw cacao contains the feel good chemical called PEA (phenylethylamine) which is the same chemical our brain produces when we fall in love.  PEA acts similar to amphetamines such as dopamine or norepinephrine producing feelings of euphoria, happiness and love!  It really doesn't get any better than this 🙂

 

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Recipe for Gourmet Raw Vegan Dark Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup cacao (or sub carob powder)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • raw honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut nectar or stevia to taste (I used around 1 1/2 tsp liquid stevia & it was perfectly "dark chocolate" sweet. Use more for "milk chocolate" sweet.)
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1/2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts (preferrably sprouted more on that here) and dried fruit (I used sprouted walnuts & almonds and chopped apricots, dates & cranberries plus a sprinkling of chia)
  • optional: vanilla powder, cinnamon, maca, espresso powder, ginger, cayenne, raw flaked coconut or citrus zest ~ get creative!

Method

  1. If your coconut oil is above 76F and not already liquified, place it in your mixing bowl over a pot of barely steaming water and stir just til melted. Remove immediately to keep raw.
  2. Whisk in cacao, sweetener and optional add-ons until smooth. I used stevia which whisks right in, combining easily.  If using maple syrup or coconut nectar you may want to use your food processer or blender to ensure emulsification & prevent separation of ingredients.  However, as long as you pop this in the freezer immediately, you can probably get away with just whisking.
  3. Stir in nuts and dried fruit.
  4. Line an 8×8 glass baking dish with parchment paper leaving enough overhang to create "handles" on the sides for lifting out the chocolate once it's set. Pour chocolate mixture into parchment lined dish. Spread around distributing nuts & fruit evenly. 
  5. Let set in freezer for an hour. Remove and lift out of dish using parchment paper overhang "handles".
  6. Break into pieces or cut into 8 or 12 uniform squares for your daily dark chocolate fix! Store your chocolates in the freezer and not in the cupboard where it will melt!

Enjoy 🙂

 

Stay tuned … Salted Caramel Chocolate Mini's coming soon!

 

Do you have a favorite chocolate treat you'd like upgraded into a beautiful raw vegan confection?

Share in the comments below and I'll recreate it for you!

 

All Love,

Juliane

 

You may also enjoy:  Fiery Onion Rings w Creamy Aioli Dipping Sauce (Vegan, Raw, GF)

 

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am in love with plant based Living Foods!  SO fresh.  So clean.  So flavorful.   Not to mention energizing, beautifying & healing…  they taste better than traditional cooked fare!  I really feel it's what nature intended for our nourishment.   

French Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie with "whipped cream" is no exception – this coming from a girl who always disliked hated pumpkin pie – that is until 6 years ago, when I discovered an amazing French recipe for cooked Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie.  Of course, now that I follow a primarily Raw Vegan foodstyle (because it tastes and makes me feel so amazing!) I had to figure out a way to upgrade that French recipe to a delicious, enzyme rich, Living Foods version.   

 

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Perfect for entertaining – or for just having as your own special, beautifying treat awaiting you in the freezer.  Since it's frozen it remains beautifully fresh compared to a traditional pie.IMG_5837

This knockout has a candied cookie-like crust and a creamy cheesecake-esque pumpkin filling. 

 

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Oh, and shhh… don't tell anyone about the secret ingredient that makes this SO much creamier & delish than any pumpkin pie you've had before (carrot juice).  Plus, as always, it's unbelievably simple to prepare.

 Please enjoy!

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Recipe for French Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie

Crust:

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cup raw pecans (or a combo of pecan, macadamia & walnuts, preferably soaked overnight & deydrated for 24 hours)
  • 
1/2 cup raw hazelnuts (preferably soaked overnight & dehydrated for 24 hours)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 
1 tablespoon coconut oil

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons date paste (or use 2-3 dates mixed into 1st step of nut processing- just be careful not to turn the nuts into date-nut butter!) 
  • 1/2 tsp himalayan salt

Method:

  1. Place nuts in food processor, pulse into small crumbs – be mindful not to overprocess into nut butter!
  2. Combine the rest of ingredients by hand in a separate bowl.  
  3. Add this mixture to the crumbed nuts, mixing by hand until fully incorporated.  Mixture should stick together when pinched between fingers.
  4. Dump this into a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom (or use saran if tart pan is one piece).  If you don't have a tart pan, use a pie plate with saran. 
  5. Press mixture firmly into tart pan or pie plate.  Depending on size of your pan, thickness of your crust, you may have extra crust left over (especially if using the shorter edged tart pan.  No problem! Just make some mini tarts or cutout a few "cookies" with your favorite cookie cutter!  Once dehydrated fill the extra tarts with any leftover filling you may have- or with a little cashew cream topped with fresh sliced fruit! Pretty & Yummy 🙂
  6. Dehydrate 48 hours at 115.

  7. Chill crust in freezer for 1/2 hour before filling. 

Filling

Ingredients:

  • 
1 1/2 cups cashews 
  • 1/2 cup chopped pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil

  • 1/2 cup carrot juice plus 1/4 cup reserved for blending assistance if needed (yes that's right, carrot juice!) 
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla 
  • 
1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

Method:

  1. Blend all ingredients in Vitamix until super smooth.  Add additional 1/4 cup carrot juice as needed to facilitate blending- tho try not to use more than 2 tablespoons.

  2. Pour into tart crust and chill in freezer overnight.
  3. Store in freezer and slice it right out of the freezer.
  4. Add a small dallop of whipped cream (click preceding link for recipe!) if desired.

**Disclaimer! The above recipe is my tweaked version which is SO amazing as I've already mentioned, I know:) However, I wasn't able to get pictures of it so the pics here are of the 1st version which looks a little different. The above tweaked recipe will have a more solid, finely ground crust and the filling is much smoother and creamier. Bottom line, your pie will have a less grainy texture in both the filling & crust. Although they look somewhat similar I wanted to point this out.  

 

Let me know how you like this one!  Did you make any tweaks to make it your own?  How were your Holidays?  Any New Year's Resolutions?

All Love,

Juliane

 

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My first Raw Vegan Christmas was a great success (if I do say so myself).  We enjoyed a beautiful, comforting and delicious feast that left us feeling wonderfully nourished and uplifted.  Here's a peek at our all raw vegan menu:

 

Christmas Dinner 2014

 

Appetizers: Herbed "Goat" Cheese with Sesame-flax Crackers & fresh Peruvian Olives

~

First Course:  Cream of "Roasted" Red Bell Pepper Soup

Dinner:

Marinated Portobello & Wild Mushrooms 

Creamy Root Vegetable Mash & Gravy

Savory Stuffing

Wilted Garlicky Greens

Sweet-tart Cranberry Jelly

Dessert:  French Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie with Whipped "Cream"

 ~

Organic Wine Pairing:  Equilateral Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 by Gabrielle Collection in Napa

  

 

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Herbed "Goat" Cheese with Sesame-flax Crackers.  Creamy, fresh & tangy – just like goat cheese – you'd probably not know the difference were you not aware it's actually raw vegan!  Recipe coming soon – including recipe for the amaze crackers too.

 

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Cream of "Roasted" Red Bell Pepper Soup – and yes it had that smoky, roasted flavor – Secret to be revealed in upcoming recipe post…

 

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Once again, the incredible First Course, Cream of "Roasted" Red Bell Pepper Soup… So velvety and delicious.

 

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Creamy Root Vegetable Mash & Gravy - omg, how luxuriously decadent are these… with fantastic gravy to boot.  So.  Good.  Recipes coming soon… Meantime, don't forget about my Raw Creamy Cauliflower Mashed "Potatoes"

 

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We could not get over this amazing Savory Stuffing.  Just like traditional – wait, take that back – Better than traditional.

 

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The house smelled just like it does every Christmas, all the flavors of each dish mingled together perfectly just like they do in the traditional versions.  We found ourselves exclaiming repeatedly each dish was our favorite – all so yummy.

 

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Marinated Portobell0 and Wild mushrooms – meaty, unctuous perfection alongside a dreamy root vegetable mash…

 

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This sweet-tart cranberry jelly is delish right out of the jar… Perfect as a jam on toast too! Also, don't forget about my delish older non-raw recipes for  Cranberry Hot-Pepper Jelly & Easy Cranberry Sauce.

 

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The Pièce de résistance… I figured out how to raw veganize my favorite French Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie with dreamy whipped cream! Oh my gooodness, I'm seriously making myself so hungry right now 🙂

 

I'll share ALL the recipes with you over the next several posts.  So stay tuned!  How are you doing?  We're having a lovely holiday season… lots of huge, cozy fires in the fireplace, old movies, long walks, beautiful music and, of course, delicious raw vegan yumminess.  

 

How are you spending the holidays? 

All Love 

&
a 2014 filled with Happiness, Joy & Laughter!

 

~Juliane

 

 

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Caesar Salad with Cashew "Parmesan Cheese" is out of this world – in fact it's on the menu for dinner tonight!

Say goodbye to the health nightmare of Caesar Salads past…

Hello to crisp, fresh romaine tossed in a decadently creamy Caesar dressing – with just the right

zing of garlic plus tangy capers – all topped with a hearty snowfall of Cashew Parmesan.

(tastes so amazing, it's actually better than Parmigiano-Reggiano.)

 

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Did you know Romaine clocks in at 7 grams of protein per head!

 

Incredible, beautifying, healthifying flavor in each and every bite.  It's pretty likely you'll make this one at least two days in a row…

Luscious.

Filling.

Beautiful Living Goodness.

 

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Oh, my gosh I'm making myself drool 🙂  Wait til you see the Cashew Parmesan…

 

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 Trust, you'll be eating this delicious Cashew Parmesan by the spoonful from the mixing bowl… AMAZE!

 

Recipe for Caesar Salad (For 2 large dinner salads)

Dressing:

  • 2 heaping Tbsp. hemp seeds
  • 2 – 3 small cloves garlic (or to taste)
  • 2 Tbsp purified water (I sometimes go up to 3 Tbsp depending on consistency, start w/ less as you can always add more)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp low sodium tamari or coconut aminos (which has less salt than Braggs & tastes great)
  • juice of 1 lemon (depends on size of lemon, I usually use a whole lemon)
  • 1/8 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Himalayan pink salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  1. Whiz all of the above together in a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix, until rich and creamy. 

Cashew Parmesan Cheese

  • 1 cup raw, soaked/dehydrated, cashews** (or substitute hemp seed, or soaked/dehydrated pine nuts or walnuts) 
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped 
  • 1/2 – 3/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt (or to taste) 
  1. Pulse all the above in food processor until texture of Parmesan

Salad:

  • 3-4 hearts of romaine, chopped 
  • 2 tsp of capers (or do as I do, and use 1+ Tbsp & mash half of them)
  1. Toss romaine with as much of the dressing as needed to coat generously.  (If you're using the extra amount of capers, toss the mashed capers into the greens as well.)
  2. Sprinkle a generous helping of Cashew Parmesan over greens and garnish with the rest of the unmashed capers.
  3. Enjoy!

 ** Cashews are often not actually raw even when stated as such, because they are usually steamed out of their shells. Soaking and sprouting steamed nuts would obviously be futile as they're no longer live & their enzymes have been destroyed. If you are able to source truly raw cashews, do sprout & dehydrate first to release the phytic acid, deactivate enzyme inhibitors & increase vitamins & beneficial enzymes. You may also substitute hemp seed or sprouted/dehydrated pine nuts or walnuts -all of which taste excellent in this recipe.

 

How was your Thanksgiving?  We spent Thanksgiving celebrating WITH the turkeys at an amazing animal sanctuary (post coming soon).  And, I made my first 100% Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner!  I may do it again for Christmas to share with all of you 🙂  

Have you ever entertained with a vegan or vegetarian meal/menu?  What did you make?

 

 

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