Decadent Triple Layer Chocolate Caramel “Cheesecake” with Raspberry Sauce

Makes 16 servings.

This is decadent dessert which was created to celebrate a special birthday and the reunion of dear friends. It is very rich, so a little goes a long way. Play around with the ingredients and get creative with the decorations! Add a dollop of cashew pear cream for extra points!

Crust

1 ½ cups nuts (e.g. almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts or a combination)

1 ½ cups soft dates (if hard, steam to soften)

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup unsweetened, dried, shredded coconut

Pinch of salt

Salted Caramel

1.5 cups (packed) dates

¾ cup nut butter (cashew or mixed nut butter are great)

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

3 cups cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed*

1 cup non-dairy milk (cashew or almond work well)

200 grams dark chocolate 60 – 80% depending on sweetness you prefer

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Raspberry Sauce

1 bag frozen raspberries (12 oz or 340 g)

1/3 cup water

2 teaspoons cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water

Directions

1. Prepare crust. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture is still crumbly but well combined. Press together to test. If it holds together, it is ready to use. If not, pulse a little more. Press into a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for a few hours or freeze for at least an hour before adding the caramel layer. 2. Prepare caramel. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until very smooth. Remove from processor and carefully spread over the crust. Refrigerate or freeze. 3. Prepare cheesecake filling. Melt chocolate on low heat stirring frequently. While chocolate is melting, blend cashews, milk, lemon, and vanilla in a high-powered blender until very smooth. Add melted chocolate and blend into the cashew mixture – first on low speed, gradually increasing speed until thoroughly mixed in. Pour on top of caramel layer. Chill until firm – ideally overnight or a minimum of 4 hours. 4. Raspberry sauce. Over low heat, place raspberries and 1/3 cup water. Heat to boiling and then combine cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water and stir into the raspberries. Keep stirring for about 3-4 minutes until cornstarch thickens the mixture. Pour into a jar to cool. Use to decorate the plate or simply pour a little over each slice of cake. 5. Decorate. An easy, pretty way to decorate is to melt about 50 g chocolate and pour swirly lines over the chilled cake. Add raspberries around the edge of the cake and in the middle for color. For a fancy birthday cake, you can add a 4th layer of chocolate fudge frosting (or replace the caramel with fudge frosting) and reserve some frosting to pipe around the cake. If using as a fourth layer, make this layer number 2 after the crust and the caramel layer number 3. For extra points, sprinkle a little cocoa powder on the plate before serving.

*If you need to do a speed soak, use boiling water and soak 30 minutes or more.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

½ cup pitted soft dates, packed

½ cup boiling water or hot non-dairy milk

½ cup nut or seed butter

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Put the dates in a heatproof bowl or a large glass measuring cup. Add the boiling water and let soak until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer the dates and the soaking liquid to a food processor. Add the nut butter, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the work bowl. Use immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using. Cracked Grain Pumpernickel Bread

Cracked Grain Pumpernickel Bread

This bread is yummy. It is a little reminiscent of a loaf or bran muffins. It is a very heavy, nutrient-dense, high fiber bread. It does not hold together like regular bread, so works better for open-faced sandwiches rather than traditional sandwiches. It is wonderful with nut butter and bananas or with avocado and tomato slices. It can be toasted, if desired. Enjoy!

4 cups (1 L) cracked multigrain cereal (e.g 8-grain or 12 grain)

2 cups (500 ml) mixed seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower, etc)

1 cup (250 ml) ground flaxseed

1 cup (250 ml) rye flour (or other whole grain flour

1 tsp (5 ml) salt (or 1 ½ tsp (7 ml) , if desired)

5 ½ (1375 ml) cups hot water (just below boiling)

¾ cup (185 ml) molasses

3 Tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together cereal, seeds, flour and salt. In another bowl stir together water, molasses, vinegar and baking soda.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir well for at least 2-3 minutes.

Cover and let stand overnight or for 4 hours.

Spray or oil two loaf pans. Divide dough into the 2 pans.

Bake for 1 hour then lower the heat to 250 degrees F and bake another hour or more until firm.

The Three Sisters Go Green

From: The Kick Diabetes Cookbook

Makes 6 cups (1.5 L)

The three sisters––squash, beans, and corn––were the main crops of several Native American nations. These plants benefit each other, so they were grown close together. Not surprisingly, the combination of this companionable trio benefits people as well. Adding greens makes the mix even more powerful. Vary the seasonings to suit your taste. You can replace butternut with other small winter squashes, but the others may be more difficult to peel.

1 cup (500 ml) water or vegetable broth

3 cups (750 ml) peeled and cubed butternut squash

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1½ cups (375 ml) fresh or canned diced tomatoes

1½ cups (375 ml) cooked or canned pinto beans or pink beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup (250 ml) frozen or canned corn

1 green chile, minced (optional)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin

1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano

½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt (optional)

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups (500 ml) stemmed and thinly sliced kale or other dark leafy greens, packed

2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced fresh cilantro or parsley

Put the water, squash, onion, and garlic in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, optional chile, cumin, oregano, optional salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle the cilantro over the top just before serving.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Sauce

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Sauce

Sweet potatoes (also called yams) are among the most nutritious and delicious of all the starchy vegetables. Use sweet potatoes with the bright orange flesh for this recipe.

Ingredients

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes

Potato Filling 2 Tbsp vegetable broth (or 1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil) 1 medium onion, diced 1 small green pepper, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 c cooked black beans (or one 15 oz can drained) 1 1/2 c corn kernels (fresh or frozen) 1 1/2 c diced fresh tomatoes sweet potato pulp from the baked sweet potatoes 1/4 c cilantro (or parsley), chopped seasonings to taste (e.g. ¼ tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp each salt, coriander, turmeric, oregano, basil, thyme; 1-2 tsp chili powder) 1 tsp minced chipotle or other hot pepper (optional) 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Avocado Sauce

1 ripe, medium-sized avocado 1/4 cup plain vegan yogurt, vegan mayonnaise (or creamy vegan salad dressing) 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice Dash of favorite hot sauce (optional) or cayenne 1 large clove garlic Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Wash sweet potatoes and pierce with a fork. Place on a cookie sheet lined with a silicon mate or lightly oiled. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45-60 minutes, or until soft. 2. While potatoes are baking, prepare the avocado sauce. Blend together avocado, lime juice, garlic, vegan yogurt or mayonnaise and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. If you are not using the yogurt or mayonnaise, you may need to add a little water or non- dairy milk to thin mixture for piping. Put sauce into a zip lock bag and refrigerate. 3. Prepare filling for potatoes. Heat oil or vegetable broth on medium heat and add onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add black beans, corn, tomatoes, hot pepper (if using), salt and spices, and turn heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes. 4. Turn oven off. While the mixture is simmering, remove cooked sweet potatoes from the oven and slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out about half the flesh in each potato, leaving plenty of potato so the skin remains firm and the potato can hold its shape. Put hollowed out potatoes back in the oven to keep warm. 5. Stir the sweet potato flesh into the black bean/corn mixture and let cook another 5-10 minutes so spices are nicely distributed. Turn off heat. Add cilantro and lime juice. 6. Remove potatoes from the oven and pile filling back into potato halves. 7. Remove avocado sauce from the refrigerator and cut a hole in one corner of the bag (at the bottom). Pipe avocado sauce over filling. Serve with a large salad or green vegetables.

Salad Dressings

Salad dressings are generally based on oil, vinegar (or lemon) and sugar. Oil-free dressings are generally very high in sugar and sodium. They do little to enhance the nutritional value of salad. These dressings are whole-food based so much more nutrient-dense than store-bought dressing. The fat comes from seeds or nuts and the sweetness from dried fruit. Enjoy!

Golden Hemp Dressing

Makes about 3 cups of dressing.

One-quarter cup of Golden Hemp Dressing provides omega-3 fatty acids and is packed with riboflavin and other B vitamins, including vitamin B12. If you prefer, use yellow zucchini, complete with peel.

1/2 cup hemp seeds

1 cup water

2 cups zucchini, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

3 Tbsp light miso

1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp ground cumin or turmeric

1/2 tsp garlic, crushed (optional)

1 tbsp golden raisins (or other light-colored dried fruit such as pears or apples) (optional)

Place all of the ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Store in a sealed glass jar, in the refrigerator, for up to two weeks.

Variation

Green Goddess Dressing: Replace mustard and cumin with 1 cup of fresh herbs (basil, oregano, and parsley work very well), and double the amount of garlic to 1 tsp. Keep the skin on the zucchini.

Lemon Tahini Dressing

Makes 1-1/2 cups (375 ml)

Tahini is a delicious sesame seed butter used that became well known in the West with the introduction of Hummus. Tahini may be used to flavor sauces and soups, or to give creamy texture in a dressing like this one. Stir tahini before using as oil may separate. Try this dressing on salads, steamed broccoli, and baked potatoes.

1/2 cup (125 ml) tahini

1/2 cup (125 ml) water 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice

1-2 Tbsp (30 ml) tamari or 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

2 cloves garlic, (optional) (not necessary to chop if going in a blender)

1 tsp (5 ml) cumin powder (optional)

Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Put the tahini, water, lemon juice, tamari, garlic, and cayenne in a blender and process for 30 seconds or until smooth. This dressing will keep, in a covered container and refrigerated, for up to 3 weeks.

Creamy Cashew Dressing

Makes about 2 1/2 cups of dressing.

1 cup cashews, rinsed

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or other light-colored vinegar)

2 Tbsp light miso

2 cloves garlic

3-4 dates (optional)

1 tsp horseradish (optional)

1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Blend ingredients on high speed until smooth and creamy. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Cashew Pear Cream

Cashew -Pear Cream (cream or whipping cream substitute)

This is the healthiest, most delicious replacement available for whipping cream. Use in a breakfast bowl, on fruit salad, on pumpkin pie, apple crisp, baked or grilled fruit or other desserts.

1 x 15 oz can or jar of pears in water or juice or about 2 cups home canned pears with juice

1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 2-4 hours* and drained)

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Blend ingredients at high speed until very smooth. 2. Pour into a jar and refrigerate. For a thinner cream sauce, use 1-1 1/4 cup cashews, for a thick whipping cream consistency, use 1 3/4-2 cups cashews.

Notes:

Use home canned pears if available. To make a raw pear cashew cream, use ripe fresh pears (2-3 large pears) and 1/4 cup water or coconut water with 1 1/2-2 cups cashews.

*Soaked cashews blend more easily, but raw cashews (well rinsed) can be used.

Plain Cashew Cream (no pears)

1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 2-4 hours* and drained or just rinsed)

1/4-1/2 cup water or coconut water (depending on thickness desired)

2-3 medjool dates (other other dates – double amount if using small dates)

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Blend ingredients at high speed until very smooth. 2. Pour into a jar and refrigerate.

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 24-28 cookies.

1 cup (250 ml) dates, pitted, packed

1/3 cup (80 ml) boiling water

1 cup (250 ml) natural peanut butter (if very thick, thin with 1-3 Tbsp oil)

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla

1/4-1/2 tsp (1-2 ml) salt

1/3 cup (80 ml) ground flaxseed

3/4 cup (125 ml) oat flour, coconut flour or almond flour (or other flour as desired)

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.

2. Put dates in a 2-cup measuring cup, pour in boiling water and cover for 5-10 minutes to soften dates.

3. Place dates (with water), peanut butter, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. 4. Add the flaxseed and flour and pulse until thoroughly mixed.

5. Form into 1 inch balls. Place on an silicon mat on a cookie day or on an oiled cooked try. Press with a fork the flatten.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until nicely browned. 7. Cool. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

Antioxidant-Rich Red Lentil Soup

I keep jars of lentil soup in the fridge as a staple. Lentils are great sources of protein and iron and they require no presoaking!

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 large red pepper, diced

1 medium potato, diced (optional)

3 tomatoes, diced

2 cups (500 ml) red lentils

4 large garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp (45 ml) fresh ginger root, finely grated

2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh turmeric root, grated (or 2 tsp turmeric powder)

2 Tbsp (30 ml) curry paste 1 Tbsp (15 ml) gara masala

1/8 tsp (1 ml) crushed red pepper or 1 small hot pepper (optional)

8 cups (2 L) vegetable stock*

1 cup (250 ml) diced parsley or cilantro salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2-1 cup (125-250 ml) thick milk or cream (cashew cream or coconut milk work well)

* Use a homemade or commercial vegetable stock. Alternatively, use 1/4 cup (60 ml) miso, 7 cups (1.75 L) of water, and 1 cup (250 ml) white wine.

Braise onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes in about a cup broth or wine until soft and translucent. Stir occasionally. (If you prefer, you can also sauté in a Tbsp (15 ml) olive or avocado oil).

Stir in the rest of the stock, potatoes, red pepper, tomatoes, and seasonings. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until for an hour or until potatoes and lentils are done. Stir in parsley, salt, pepper and cream. Serve hot.

Decorate with dehydrated colored peppers or fresh herbs, if desired.

Variations: 1. Replace the potato with 2 cups of mashed squash or pumpkin. 2. Add 2 diced carrots or 2 stalks celery. 3. Squeeze on some fresh lime juice. 4. Adjust seasonings to your palate. Add fresh cumin, if desired.

Cheezy Kale Chips

Kale chips make a great, nutrient-dense snack. Even picky little eaters will gobble them up. You can use just about any dressing to flavor the chips. For super simple kale chips, sprinkle on a little avocado oil (1 Tbsp/15 ml), tamari (1 Tbsp/15 ml) and lemon juice, lime juice or balsamic vinegar (2-3 Tbsp/30-45 ml). Toss with a mixed herb seasoning. The recipe below uses the cashew red pepper “cheese sauce” as a dressing, so if you are making the sauce and have a little left over, there are few better ways to use it up!

About 12 cups (3 l) of kale (or about 2 heads) 1 cup cashew red pepper “cheese” 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh squeezed lemon juice, or white balsamic or other vinegar 2-3 tsp (10-15 ml) tamari 1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) herbs or spices 1/4 cup (60 ml) nutritional yeast

1. Wash kale and move stems. 2. Tear into good sized pieces (not too small) and put into a very large bowl. 3. Toss with cashew red pepper “cheese” sauce, lemon juice, tamari, herbs and/or spices, if desired. 4. Dehydrate at about 115 degrees for 4-6 hours. (Can also be done at a higher temperature 130-140 degrees for about half the time. If you do not have a dehydrator, you can bake these chips in your oven at about 250 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until crispy).

Seedy Vegetable Crackers

These crackers are absolutely delicious, and nutritious. They bear little resemblance to boxed commercial crackers. I find that many of the healthier crackers on the market are difficult to digest – perhaps long cooking times cause this. These crackers are made from vegetables and seeds with herbs for seasoning – no flour, no oil, no preservatives. I keep them in a tin or in the freezer to retain crispness. If you do not have a dehydrator, you could try cooking them on the lowest temperature of your oven. I have not tried this, so you would be experimenting. Of course, they would be ready much more quickly. Serve with nut cheese, sliced avocado and tomato, or your favorite spread.

2 cups (500 ml) sunflower seeds

1 cup (250 ml) pumpkin seeds

6 cups (1.5 L) water

1 cup (500 ml) flaxseeds

2 cups (1 L) water 1/2 cup (125 ml) ground flaxseeds

6 cups (1.5 L) coarsely chopped vegetables (e.g. butternut squash, carrots, zucchini, peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc.)

1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh parsley, basil, dill or other fresh herbs (optional)

2 Tbsp (30 ml) ginger, grated or 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

2 Tbsp (30 ml) tamari or 1 tsp (5 ml) salt (optional)

1. Soak sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in 6 cups (1.5 L) water for at least 2-4 hours. 2. Soak whole and ground flaxseeds in 2 cups (50 ml) water for at least 30 minutes. 3. In a food processor fitted with an s-blade, process vegetables until chopped into very small pieces. Add herbs, ginger or garlic and pulse until thoroughly blended with other vegetables (should be soupy). Place vegetables in a large bowl. 4. Drain sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds and add to vegetables. They can be chopped in the food processor first if you prefer, although they are great whole. Stir in whole and ground flaxseeds, red pepper flakes, salt or tamari (if using), and stir well. 5. Divide mixture onto 3 nonstick sheets on dehydrator trays. Spread evenly using a metal spatula or flat rubber spatula. 6. Dehydrate for about 8 hours at 110 degrees, then turn scored crackers, and turn crackers over onto a mesh dehydrator try and dehydrate for another 12 hours or until dry and crispy. 7. Store in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place or in a freezer.

Variations: replace ½ cup of sunflower seeds with chia seeds, sesame seeds or other seeds. Reserve some of the salt for the top of the crackers instead of adding to the batter.