A Big Kiss for Mom!

Hi everyone! I am so excited to return to my happy raw kitchen just in time to share a special raw treat for Mother's Day.

This big giant "kiss" is so fast and easy. It is a raw variation of something I used to make with the little ones in my former daycare, and everyone always loved it! We used to make it with rice krispie treats or chocolate covered cheerios...shhhh!

You will need a few simple things:

1.) A funnel...this one has a lovely "kiss" shape:)

2.) A favorite recipe for raw chocolate, or raw brownies, or *anything else that can be shaped. Some yummy raw chocolate, either plain, or with fruit and nuts added is always delish!

3.) A square of foil or shiny silver fabric if you have it. You will need a bit of clear tape to secure the top if you are using fabric.

4.) A square of waxed paper.

5.) A strip of paper for a sweet message to tuck in. I printed out some messages on a word document and cut them into strips.

Step 1:
Prepare your treat recipe. I used some raw chocolate covered buckwheaties, the raw foodies answer to the chocolate "crunch" bar :)

Step 2:
Fill a funnel with the treat mixture to shape it. Be sure to plug the hole in the bottom of the funnel with something if your mixture might run out. Raw brownie mixes should be fine without filling the hole. Of course, you can hand shape brownie type treats into a "kiss" shape by hand. (I set the chocolate crisp filled funnel in a teacup to chill in the fridge until hard).

When it was chilled, I un-molded the "kiss".

Step 3:
Wrap the treat in waxed paper.

Step 4:
Wrap the treat in foil or shiny metallic fabric for a more eco-friendly version:)
Before securing the tip, tuck in your paper strip with a sweet message to Mom!

*** ETA*** For my sweet "fruity" friends :)!!!

*You can still enjoy making this treat with all fresh fruit.

Simply fill the corner of a "baggie"(I know, not so eco-friendly) with fruit. I used berries, but any small or cut up fruit could work. Secure the bag with a twist tie and snip off the excess bag.

I added a small circle of light cardboard (from a tea box) under the berries to prevent squishing and shape the bottom of the sweet fruity kiss. I used the seal from a mason jar as a template for the circle.

Wrap in foil or fabric, adding a special message as desired.

Smaller kisses can be made simply using strawberries.


I hope you like this fast and easy raw treat idea.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone.

Love and hugs (and raw chocolate, or fruity, kisses) to all!!!
Angela

P.S. to all my blogging buddies...By the looks of my Google reader, you have all been very busy since I was away, and I look forward to seeing what everyone has been up to.

The Juiciest Turkey Ever!

This really is the juiciest turkey I ever ate:)

For breakfast today I enjoyed a fruit arrangement in the shape of a turkey. This is another really easy idea for a raw vegan turkey:)

I started with the tail by laying out 9 pieces of banana, sliced on the diagonal. Each slice was topped with a clementine segment.

Next I made 8 grape and berry skewers. I actually threaded the berries and grapes on lollipop sticks. They were the perfect size and I prefer using them to sharp wood skewers when making them for children. I nestled them between the clementine slices.

The body of the turkey is half of a pear, with currant eyes and a beak cut from a slice of dried mango. The waddle is a goji berry, and the feet are cut from the mango using kitchen shears.

This could be a colorful, sweet, raw vegan addition to your Thanksgiving table.

If you are looking for a more traditional faux turkey, there are quite a few vegan options.

You have probably heard of Tofurky

Here is a Celebration Roast which was recommended to me by Joyce of Beautiful Living Food. Thanks Joyce!

Google for more options:)

There are also many links in my first Thanksgiving post for raw vegan Thanksgiving recipes. Many are for making your own turkey-like substitute.

Here is something you can do to actually save a turkey instead of serving one this year!

BTW~I noticed today was called Thankful Thursday.

The holiday season always makes me think more about what I am thankful for anyway:)

I could list everything I appreciate, but the list would be too long, as I realize I am thankful for just about everything in my life, especially my family.

But, if I had to pick one thing I am grateful for it would be my mother.

My beautiful Mom taught me so many things.

She taught me how important my health is, and that all the money in the world wouldn't make you happy if your health was bad.

She taught me by example how satisfying it is to be honest, giving, and loving.

She instilled a love of nature in me that is still so strong, especially in my decision to be vegan. She planted a tree when I was born:)

She showed me that real, true beauty comes from your heart.

She also showed me that you can hang a pair of cherries over your ears like earrings:)!!

She showed me the meaning of unconditional love, and by doing so enabled me to give it to my own children.

She gave me a childhood filled with hugs, laughter, fruit, play-doh, and her singing:)

My Mom has such a joy for life, and I appreciate that she instilled that joy in me.

She always let me 'be myself'. I am grateful that I wake up each day happy, and with a smile because of that:)

Most of all, she taught me how to appreciate each and every wonderful day, never to take anything for granted, appreciate the little things in life, and to live my life so I never have any regrets.

Thank you Mom, you gave me the best gift I have ever received...you.

Raw gifts for Mom

Here is a sweet treat for your Mom! This is a quick and easy way to show her how much you love her.

Pretty in Pink














Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cocoa butter
¼ cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut butter
6 drops beet juice
3 drops oil of peppermint
½ tablespoon agave
1 huge perfect strawberry
1 wooden skewer
floral tape and artificial leaves
candy mold

Preparation:
1.Melt cocoa butter,coconut butter, and coconut oil in small bowl set inside bigger bowl of hot water.Stir till well melted.Strain any un-melted bits.

2.Mix in peppermint oil,agave, and beet juice (juice does not seem to alter taste).

3.Let cool till very thick almost like frosting. It may take a while to get to this stage,mixture will separate but will eventually become opaque and come together when it is ready.

4.Dip skewered strawberry into mixture and spoon the rest into candy mold (approx 1/4 cup mold). Tap mold on counter to level candy and release any air bubbles.Let strawberry dry before adding floral tape.Tape from under berry, add leaves a few inches down.

5.Chill(freeze or fridge) candy in mold until firm. Pop molded treat out when firm.

Perhaps she would enjoy a lovely bouquet!

Bountiful Bouquet














Ingredients:

12 mini sweet bell peppers, red,yellow,orange
1 head broccoli, cut into long florets
1 carrot, sliced with wavy knife if desired
1 yellow squash, 1/4" slices
1 zucchini squash, 1/4" slice for flowers.or very thin for centers
several leaves of red cabbage
scallions, as many as desired
Preparation:

I put all flowers on skewers covered with floral tape just up to the flower part.I built up a few layers of tape under the flower to prevent sliding,but you can use a slice of carrot to prevent this.(I plan on experimenting with skewers dyed with green juice when I have time. If serving to children, you may want to use lollipop sticks or drink stirrers, in place of skewers.

1.Cut flower shape from yellow squash. Add carrot center.

2.For tulips use, mini sweet peppers,cut zig-zag shape, remove any seeds,fill with shreds of purple cabbage. Leave some small peppers whole,like buds.Use cut part as small flower.

3.Cut root off scallion,make several lengthwise cuts in that end about one inch long,place in ice water to “bloom”.

4.Cut flowers of purple cabbage with centers of carrot and squash.

5.Arrange in pretty cup, container, or plant some in wheat grass. Of course you can use any veggie combo. The classic radish rose would look good.I kept this simple.

6.Use broccoli florets to fill in.

Serve with a favorite dip.

note:all cutters were from Wilton and can be found in the cake decorating department of craft or large department stores,they are fondant cutters, sold in sets of 3 sizes.

Here is one more unique gift for Mom that you can make yourself

Berry-yummy Bouquet














Servings:
makes one bouquet,and extra dipped fruit

Delicious and simple chocolate-dipped strawberries, good for special occasions.

Ingredients:
½ cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa butter
2 tablespoon cocoa powder, heaping,or more to taste
1 tablespoon light agave
12 strawberries
6 blackberries
1 medium bunch grapes
1 bunch mint
wooden skewers
cup or container for arrangement
floral foam to fit container
Preparation:

1.Wash and dry all fruit.

2.Melt coconut oil and cocoa butter in a small bowl placed in a larger bowl of hot water.Stir until well melted, strain out anything that is not melted.

3.Add cocoa powder and agave. Allow mixture to cool down till thickened,like hot fudge.

4.Skewer desired amount of berries.Dip/twirl berries into chocolate.(At this point you could double dip chocolate into chopped nuts or shredded coconut.)Dip extra berries and grapes in remaining chocolate so you don’t have to eat arrangement right away!

If desired you should have enough chocolate for 24 strawberries,for a fuller bouquet.of course you may use any fruit you like in this,the combinations are endless,I just used what I had in the fridge!

I had a piece of Styrofoam to stick skewer in till chocolate dried

5.Arrange in cup or container using mint to fill in.

For bouquet pictured I dipped 12 strawberries, 6 blackberries and had 5 plain grape skewers. I added about 4 grapes under the berries to hide skewers.

A plateful of chocolate dipped strawberries would be lovely.

Remember, Mother's Day is Sunday. I wish all Moms everywhere a happy day!