Lorraine Pascale's Raw Vegan Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream

I am slowly going through some of my bookmarked recipes and starting to tick them off.

Today, I share with you this Raw Vegan Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream.  This Raw Vegan Carrot Cake comes from Lorraine Pascale.

I have to be honest, I don't really do celebrity chefs, so when I first saw Lorraine Pascale on British TV.  the first thought that came to me was, here we go again another model turned celebrity chef, but her approach was really different from all those domestic goddess wannabees. Lorraine Pascale gained popularity without the gimmicks.  She really did win me over on her first cookery show and her down to earth honest approach, I have also come to have a much deeper respect for her as a person too.  

Anyway, this Raw Vegan Carrot Cake was the first that I had bookmarked from her Eating Well Made Easy from Lorraine Pascale.  The only change I have made to the recipe was the use of hazelnut, the original recipe uses walnuts and I did not have to pop this in the freezer, my fridge was plenty chilled.

The recipe makes a generous cake, I took a lot of this Vegan Carrot Cake into work and gave around tasters.  Everyone who had a piece was stunned first at the fact that it was completely raw, secondly that it was very much like baked carrot cake and lastly how Delicious it was, some even wanting a second piece.  The only person who was not that crazy about it was my husband.   He said.  I will eat this, but raw cakes just don't excite me.  Oh well, you cannot win everyone over. 

For the recipe for Raw Vegan Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Cashew Cram see here. 
Keep refrigerated.
Eat within the week.

Red Velvet Raw Vegan Beetroot 'Bounty' Heart Bars

I am absolutely in love with these 'Red Velvet Raw Vegan Beetroot 'Bounty' Bars', as much as one could be 'in love' with a raw dessert.  I don't do OMG, but this time the inner minx in me just could not resist yelping OMG especially on my first taste.  Every time I took a small bite , you know that feeling when your eyes dance in your head with delight - swoon - well I was not that far from that feeling.  These were pretty awesome in my opinion, and the flavour just got better as the days passed.  

The raw beetroot dyes and sweetens the white coconut and vice versa.  I was personally happy to eat these by hand like a bar of chocolate (rather than a spoon), but because of the natural beetroot juice colouring, BEWARE that your fingers will get a little stained; and for goodness sake do not wear white, in case some red coconut bits fall off and land on you - you have been warned.  

Whilst I was making these, I thought of my mother.  When I was a nipper, I remember my mother often treating herself to a bar of Bounty, because she loved the coconut content.  I know in my heart she would have loved these, but the greedy girl in me ate them all, not in one sitting but over the week.  I barely left the house that week meaning  there were no trips to my mother, hence the reason she did not get to try them.  I am a bit disappointed in myself for not jumping into the car and driving over with some of them, as I would liked to have known of her response to them, especially the raw aspect of the bars.  Although, my mother is quite adventurous compared to my sister-in-laws, going raw (unless its chutney, relish or a dip) may be a bit out there for her, but she may have surprised me and loved them as much as I did.

Anyway, when I plated these up ready for their photo-shoot, D muttered that they were not very neat and not fit for photographing.  I sort of agree with him and responded  'I just wanted to see if the recipe and combination worked', next time and there will be a next time I will make them look a little more neater than they are here, but truthfully I don't know when that is going to be so I have decided to share the ones that I have photographed with you now for VeganMofo 2014. 

Cacao Nibs and Avocado Mousse aka Raw Sludge Pie

I know, I know another vegan, gluten free Raw Food Tart filled with raspberries.  The truth is that I am trying to make the most of my garden raspberries while they are still coming from my garden.  

Also I want to tease some of you as this Sweet Pie is not all that it seems.  The mousse that is mimicking the appearance of dark chocolate is actually not chocolate.  For a start, it is not even chocolate, it is cacao nibs.  Secondly, what gives this pie filling a mousse like texture? There is a mystery ingredient well hidden in it - Avocado - a raw vegan nifty culinary trick I picked up from raw food bloggers when I first started blogging in 2009. Its absolutely amazing how avocado can form the base for one of the most luscious raw puddings around.  In fact Avocado Chocolate Pudding is probably one of the most popular raw food desserts around; and experienced raw fooders have probably had more raw chocolate pudding than they care to remember and don't quite understand what the fuss is, but for some us especially those living in the U.K, outside of the raw food scene its a very new way of preparing food and is getting big Wows! 

Anyway, this is my second recipe in the week with cacao nibs.  The first was Cacao Nibs, Raw Chocolate and Cocoa Muesli.  A little while back, I made some raw chocolate from scratch and have since acquired a taste for raw cacao.  Cacao nibs  can be ground and added to cakes and puddings.  I have to admit it is not to everyones taste, but give it a try, you just never know.  

Christmas Fruit and Nutroast Pie

Another vegan Christmas recipe to share.

Fresh Strawberry and Blackberry on Raw Cinnamon Almond Crust

I was conversing with a blogger friend some time last week and we both agreed that it was the first time that we had seen both locally grown strawberries and blackberries side by side.

It has been a strange summer, not that I am moaning it has been a fabulous change from the dreary persistent rain that has overshadowed me since I moved back to Wales.  So its been nice to see the sun still shining, though the early mornings and evenings are beginning to get a bit nippy on the cheeks.

Peach Doughnut and Date Crumble

My husband has a tendency to bring home fresh fruit always promising me that he will eat it or make a fruit salad for us both, but neither ever happens and I end up making something sweet with them, as was the case with some peach doughnuts he had brought home last week.  They were beginning to soften and bruise in places and in this humble abode, we do hate waste. 

Peach doughnuts are also known as Saturn peaches and flat peaches (see image below).   The first time I had a peach doughnut was in Edinburgh looking for the sunshine on Leith.   In recent years, they have become readily available.  I do find them far more sweeter and juicier than the round peach bum brand.   

Coconut Date Bars

I’ve been doing a pretty good job of using up what we have in our store cupboards, including tinned and dried goods, but with the good comes a little not so good.  I am also out of honey, maple syrup and golden syrup - so this means that no flapjacks were made this weekend. 

Instead I made use of some other ingredients to go with my oats: dessicated coconut and dates. 

The dessicated coconut seems quite perfect for this time of the year, looking like snow flakes, thankfully the subtle-sweet edible kind.  The chocolate coloured Kimia dates are imported from Iran. They were neatly packed in the box like dominoes. On the side of the box there was lots of interesting information, including the health property benefits of consuming dates such as Vitamin A - good for the skin, Vitamin B1 - regulating the digestive system, and Vitamin B2 to help the absorption of food (metabolism). Well regardless of the health benefits, I found them quite tasty, fleshy and juicy. Unlike other dates that can be a bit on the dry side plus you have to chew them to extract the flavour, these are soft and almost melt in your mouth like date syrup.

These 'Coconut Date Bars' are a little crumbly on top and not overly sweet.  The sweetness comes namely from the date-coconut filling.  I actually think they make a lovely change from the flapjacks.  Do try them if you get the chance.

I am sharing some of these 'Coconut Date Bars' with Raksha at Raksha's Kitchen who is hosting Cook Eat Delicious - Desserts this month.  The theme for December is Coconuts.  This food series was founded by Raven at  Cook Eat Delicious. 

Coconut Date Bars

Makes 6 - 9

Ingredients

275g pitted and chopped dates

75g vegan margarine or butter
60g brown sugar
180g plain flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
90g rolled oats
50g dessicated coconut
Method
Combine the dates and 200ml water in a small saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the dates are soft.
While the dates cook, melt the margarine or butter with the sugar, then pour into a mixing bowl.  Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder into the bowl, add the oat and mix until blended.  The dough will be crumbly.  Firmly pat about two thirds of the dough into a baking pan measuring 8 inch square. 
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.
Stir the coconut into the cooked dates.  Spread the date mixture evenly over the crust.  Then scatter the remaining dough over the date layers as a topping.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and dark brown around the edges.  Cool for 30 minutes before cutting into 6 to 9 squares.  In a sealed contained, they will keep for up to 2 weeks.  Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates.