Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

6/18/2016 0 Comments

Somethings in life are too good not to share. These comforting cookies, are one of those things. Sweet, satisfying, soft, with a slight chew, moist but not too moist. They create perfect, inviting, palm-sized, BIG, beautiful cookies.

These scratched my itch, but like a mosquito bite once you scratch it sometimes it makes it worse and you scratch more, in this case I had one cookie, then a half of one later and the other half shortly thereafter. They are so good!! "Mmm, mmm, mmm" says my husband. I thought these would be a great post to share for Father's Day. Who doesn't love a cookie? Plus, no soaking, refrigerating, just mix, bake, consume, repeat.

"Damn, I gotta have the other half of that cookie" - Gerald. Haha!!

Plus, they are healthy. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of butter vs. 1 cup of sweet potato puree, 1 1/2 cups of sugar vs. 2 tbsp. of agave syrup, plus 1 egg and 1 egg yolk vs. flax meal and water. Say what? I used amaranth flour so they are busting with protein! You can have one after you work out with 12.4 grams of protein a cookie. ;) Get your cookie on with these amazing Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies! Love, Christa

Makes 10 Huge Cookies

Ingredients:
1 Cup Sweet Potato Puree
1/2 Cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp Agave Syrup
2 tsp Flax Meal
3 Tbsp Water
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Amaranth Flour (or All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour)
1 Cup Oats
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Course Sea Salt
1 Cup Chocolate Chips (I used mini)
1 Cup Raisins (I used jumbo)

Loving Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheight. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
Take a baked sweet potato, remove the skin, puree in a food processor until you have 1 cup. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. Agave, 2 tsp Flax Meal, 3 Tbsp Water and 1 Tbsp Vanilla. Process until well combined.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, 2 cups Amaranth Flour, 1 Cup Oats, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tsp Sea Salt. Add the pureed mixture to the oats. Mix well, kneading if needed until incorporated. Fold in the chips and raisins.
Take 1/3 Cup and fill with cookie dough, thwack it into your palm, with moist hands gently create the cookie shape. Use 1/4 Cup for 20 cookies and a tbsp for smaller servings. Place on the prepared pan, repeat until done.
Bake for 12-17+ minutes until nice and golden, puffy and done on top. We recently moved and this oven seems to have one temperature, HOT, so I only baked them for 9 minutes in a hot oven, I think 12-17 minutes at 325 would be sufficient, but take it longer if needed.
Remove from oven, cool to touch on pan. They will continue cooking on the pan. Transfer to a cooking rack. Enjoy! These make HUGE yummy cookies!

Notes:

You can replace the chocolate chips with dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, dried cherries and the sort.
You can use your favorite sweetener, pass or use more.
You can use more puree and skip the peanut butter if you are allergic to nuts, or use a seed butter like sunflower.
Waist Disclaimer! These do have a whopping 433 calories a cookie if you make them this large with 12.4 grams of protein, so if you use 1/4 cup you can have 20 cookies at 216 calories and 6.2 grams of protein per cookie. Or 2 tbsp at 108 calories with 3.1 grams of protein a cookie, see? You can still have some! :)
Adapted & Veganized from King Arthur Flour.

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3 Ingredient Homemade Chocolate - Raw & Vegan

2/21/2016 0 Comments

With only 3 Ingredients you can be making homemade chocolates! This is my staple, quick and easy chocolate recipe. Feel free to add a dash of salt, a hint of flavor with vanilla or your favorite extract, add dried fruit, nuts, nut butter, coconut flakes or anything your heart desires to make a special treat. For fun, watch the quick how to video!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Coconut Oil - Melted
3 Tbsp Cacao
2 Tbsp Agave (or desired syrup)

Loving Preparation:
Melt the coconut oil in a hot water bath. Add the cacao and agave. Mix well. Pour into desired mold or a pan line with parchment paper. Freeze until solid. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Filled Strawberries

2/10/2016 0 Comments

What is better than Chocolate Covered Strawberries? Chocolate Filled Strawberries. With only 4 ingredients and in a mere 10 Minutes you can be biting into a moist, juicy berry with a chocolate filled center. When you are making them, make a couple extras, pop one in your mouth before refrigerating for a shot of chocolate, yum! Then place them in the fridge for 10 minutes and eat them or serve. How easy, delicious and appealing. My husband and I had these alongside the chocolate covered strawberries and decided these were the winners. We both liked them even better! I didn't know that was possible.

Imagine having a gathering and you walk out with a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate filled strawberries, can you see the eyes lighting up with excitement as they reach for one? Or you surprise your most loved person in the whole world with them! I made them for my husband and I was surprised at how happy he was to be greeted with the plate of beauties and to "test" them for you all!

Ingredients:

16 Strawberries
1 Tbsp Cacao
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil - Melted/Liquid
1 Tbsp Agave

Loving Preparation:

Wash the strawberries. Slice the ends off. Carefully cut out the center making a well for the chocolate.
Mix together the cacao, melted coconut oil and agave until smooth. You can also use leftover chocolate after making chocolate covered strawberries, melted chocolate chips or a melted chunk of a chocolate bar. Note: double or triple chocolate ingredients if needed for bigger berries.
Spoon the chocolate sauce into strawberries. Place each berry in a clean empty ice cube tray so it can hold the berry upright. Continue until done. Place in the fridge for 10+ minutes until the chocolate firms up. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2/9/2016 0 Comments

Does it get any better than a chocolate covered strawberry? A ripe, juicy, red berry dipped in sweet chocolate. I can actually remember distinct moments of biting into a chocolate covered strawberry. A hard chocolate exterior breaks and bursts the berry into your mouth. One chocolate covered strawberry swoops me away to a heavenly place.

I think you will be pleased with this recipe and how simple it is. It takes few ingredients and you can eat them shortly after making them. These are perfect for Valentine's Day or any other day in my book. They make a beautiful treat for your love as well as served at a gathering or to anyone you love. That includes yourself! ❤️‍

Ingredients:

16 Fresh Strawberries - Washed & Dried
3 Tbsp Cacao Powder
3 Tbsp Agave (Maple, Brown Rice Syrup or favorite)
3 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil

Optional Toppings:

1 Tbsp Coconut Flakes
1/2 Tbsp Pecan Pieces
1/2 Tbsp Cashew Pieces

Loving Preparation:

Place the washed and dried strawberries on a plate.
Mix together the melted coconut oil, cacao and agave until smooth in a small cup or short glass. Taste, adjust as preferred. Mix toppings in a small bowl and set aside.
Dip the strawberries in the chocolate, let any extra chocolate drip off naturally. Set on a plate. Repeat until all the berries are dipped. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
Repeat, dipping the berries in chocolate, one by one until complete. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
Repeat, dipping each one by one. At this point I decided to decorate the berries sprinkling the toppings on the tips. Feel free to continue repeating until desired thickness is reached. Enjoy any extra chocolate poured in a mold and frozen or as desired.

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Raspberries & Cream Oatmeal with Chocolate Sauce

1/25/2016 0 Comments

Chocolate is food from the gods; it's energy, vitality, oneness.
Murray Langham, Chocolate Therapy

Raspberries, a touch of cream, a hint of vanilla, pinch of salt, cranberries and oats create a pie-like base that is luxuriously delicious as is. Add an extra bit of cream on top with a healthy chocolate sauce and you are in heaven! We both licked our bowls. There is something magical about combining raspberries with chocolate. We are blessed to live near acres of raspberry farms and can buy big bags for a unbelievably low price so you may find some extra raspberry recipes this season. I am like a kid in a candy shop only this one is super healthy! Enjoy life with a pleasurable breakfast.

Raspberry & Cream Oatmeal with Chocolate Sauce - Serves 2

1/3 Cup Oats
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk (Cream); Divided
3/4 Cup Filtered Water (or non-dairy milk)
1 Cup Raspberries
Pinch Sea Salt
1/3 Cup Cranberries
1/4 tsp Vanilla
Sweetener as desired (we passed)
1 Tbsp Melted Chocolate Bar or Chips (Or below recipe)

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil
1/4 Tbsp Agave (+ more if desired)
1/2 Tbsp Cacao or Cocoa

Peaceful Preparation:

Combine the oats, 1/4 cup coconut milk, filtered water, raspberries, salt, cranberries, vanilla and any sweetener if desired in a rice cooker. Press cook and sit back as it cooks. Alternatively, place everything in a non stick pot, heat over medium-low heat until absorbed.
Mix the chocolate sauce ingredients together until smooth. I made a larger batch and froze the extra in a heart mold and scooped out 1 Tbsp, feel free to do as you please.
Mix the oatmeal ingredients together once done. Divide into two bowls. Pour the balance of the coconut milk on top (1/4 cup) and the chocolate sauce. Serve! Feel free to add extra goodies like coconut flakes, berries, bananas, cacao nibs etc.

Notes:

Use your favorite berry.
Double the recipe for bigger bowls or more servings.
Use your favorite non-dairy milk, the creamier the better.

Idea inspired from one of my favorite sources of chocolate inspiration Chocolate Covered Katie. Recipe modified from Strawberry Creme Oatmeal with Ruby Red Gems found in my new cookbook!

Without chocolate sauce and cream it looks like this. Still delicious!

To healthy yet delicious food with love,
Christa

PS - My husband is having a new event in Mexico City! I will be on site and would love the chance to meet you, share and even have some vegan food together! Wouldn't that be awesome! There will be a full day lecture and 2 full day tours. One is to the National Museum of Anthropology and the other is to Tula and Teotihuacan! This is the largest city in the world with more to do and see than you can imagine. We visited Mexico City and the sites in late 2015, climbed the pyramids and it is a must do. Hope to see you there. Love, Christa

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Chocolate Cheesecake Cups [Vegan + Raw]

1/6/2016 0 Comments

A cashew cream cheese base is combined with agave, vanilla and raw cacao for a luxuriously creamy treat. It sits on a bed of oat flour, agave and dates. They can be enjoyed as they are or with a little toppings of cacao nibs and coconut flakes. I liked the ones with the toppings best! Enjoy a raw, chocolate, vegan treat with gluten-free options, unlike traditional varieties it has no refined sugar, dairy, or butter or oil. My husband remarked "is there another one?" and in fact you can have another for it is healthy too! In my new cookbook I have pages of raw vegan cheesecake because I love them so much!! I hope you make this dessert and let me know how it is - tag #artisticvegan.

They make 6 cups and it is wildly easy! Press the crust, pour the cheesecake opt to top and freeze.

Once they're frozen, remove from the freezer, remove the cupcake liner and defrost for desired length. I find 10 minutes is great.

Simple Crust:

3/4 Cups Oat Flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. Agave
1/2 Cup Dates Soaked for 30 minutes to 1 hour until soft

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:

3/4 Cup Cashews Soaked for 4 hours, Drained and rinsed
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Dairy Free Milk (Cashew or Coconut is preferred)
1/4 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Agave
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp. Cacao

Peaceful Preparation:

Combine the crust ingredients in a food processor. Blend until sticky and combined. Press into 6 cupcake liners. I prefer silicone based for less sticking.
Combine the cheesecake fillings in a blender. Blend until smooth, scrape the sides, blend again. Pour on top of crust.
If you want to top, feel free, or proceed to freeze. I topped a couple with coconut flakes and cacao nibs, the rest I left as is. Freeze until solid, I find overnight is best. Defrost for 10 minutes before eating.

Tip:

Use Almond Flour or Certified Gluten-Free Oats for a Gluten-Free experience.
Use your favorite syrup, like maple!

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Chocolate Almond Butter Nice-Cream [Raw + Vegan]

6/1/2015 0 Comments

Chocolates, almond butter, frozen bananas and a splash of coffee create an unbeatable way to start the day. Add some dates to sweeten the load with flax-meal, spirulina and other super-foods to jump-start your body. Once topped with chia seeds and cashews you have the ultimate breakfast. This can be enjoyed any time of the day.

Lush

Creamy

Chocolatey

Sweet

Superb

Total Time: 10 Minutes | Serves: 2

Ingredients:

3 Cups Frozen Bananas
2 Tbsp Cacao or Cocoa
1/4 Cup Dates
Heaping Spoon of Almond Butter
Opt: Splash of Coffee (or Dairy Free Milk)
1 Tbsp Flax Meal
Opt: 1 tsp Beet Powder , 1 tsp Spirulina, 1 tsp Chaga, 1/2 tsp Reishi Powder

Top With:

1/4 Cup Cashews
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
2 Tbsp Coconut Flakes or Dessicated Coconut

Peaceful Preparation:

Combine ingredients in a blender. Pulse on and off until it whips around the blade.
Press down the sides. Pulse/blend. Pulse down the sides. Pulse/Blend. Repeat until you are able to blend it and whip it into a smooth consistency.
Place in two bowls, add desired toppings or line the edge with cashews and sprinkle with chia seeds and coconut flakes.... eating healthy never tasted so good!

May your week be filled with with light, passion, happiness, peace and love!

Christa

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Apricot Cacao Nice Cream

1/23/2015 0 Comments

Creamy banana nice cream is infused with coconut milk, dried apricots, cacao nibs and cacao powder creating a tantalizing treat! Add a dash of reishi mushroom extract and flax powder to get an added boost for your brain and immune system. In a matter of minutes you can have a guilt-free, gluten-free, raw vegan breakfast for two! Did you know Reishi Mushrooms are known as "the mushroom of immortality" and the "herb of spiritual potency" in China? Now, you can enjoy its many healing benefits for spirit and body! Cheers to your health, shine ever so brightly!!!

Total Time: 5 Minutes | Servings: 2 Bowls

Ingredients:
1/2 cup + 1 dash Coconut Milk
3 cups Frozen Bananas
1/4 cup Dried Apricots
1 tbsp Cacao Nibs
2 tbsp Cacao Powder
1/2 tsp Reishi (Opt but recommended!)
1 tbsp Flax Meal

Peaceful Preparation:
Place everything in a high speed blender, blend until nice and creamy, pushing down the sides as needed with a spatula or butter-knife. Place in a bowl or cup, top with an apricot and enjoy!!!

Notes:
Freeze the bananas in 1" - 1.5" chunks the night before, or until hard.

Source for Reishi Mushroom Information: http://mushrooms4health.com/reishi-mushroom-of-immortality/

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Blackberry Nice Cream Tower with hints of Chocolate and Ginger

1/1/2015 0 Comments

Happy New Year!!!

I hope you are all off to a great start this New Year. It's almost hard to believe it is 2015. I still remember Y2K and how I thought there would be a sudden shift of the way we lived. Now, 15 years later, we are seeing futuristic technological advancements that do seem to be out of the Space Age. My husband discusses some of them as well as many other life-changing enlightening topics in his new book 7th Planet, Mercury Rising! It is hot off the press, released 1/1/2015!!! I can NOT wait to read it! I've had the joy of hearing it and reviewing it, but not doing a deep dive with my notebook and highlighter out. Soon! Gerald was blessed with the artistic touch from UHL Studios where artists David Uhl and Stuckie D took Gerald's design concepts and created a beautiful masterpiece! Thank you both so much for pulling this together so quickly and doing such fine work. Each time I see it I say "wow"!

Gerald was blessed on more than one account with editorial oversight from Jeanie Brosius King, co-owner of Junction Rivers Winery in Junction, Texas. She worked long hours under an incredibly small deadline and got the job done with smiles along the way. Thank you Jeanie for your endless dedication to Gerald's mission!!!

The excitement is in the air tonight at our home! Good news is on the horizon for The Artistic Vegan Community as well. Select recipes from Artistic Vegan will now appear on One Green Planet's website! The first recipe shared was a huge success getting over 2K likes in the first day and at 3.8K today. I am so happy to be a part of the "Green Monster" movement!

With the onset of 2015 it brings thoughts of New Years Resolutions. Do you make resolutions each year? If so, do you keep them? Do you ever go back and see if you finished them? This year I decided to do something different. I'm going to dig out old journals, (I have some on my desk now in anticipation) vision boards and to-do-lists to see what I accomplished and what I didn't. If the old resolution, goal or to-do list item still resonates with me then I am going to start there versus making a whole bunch of new resolutions. I want to have better self-integrity and keep my dreams alive. I also want to keep doing what I've been doing...it seems to be working. More of that please! :) So, that is my plan! What is yours?
Now, enough soul food let's get to the yummy ice cream. This recipe was inspired by a funny conversation I had with a girlfriend, Mari. I was telling her that in general "I keep a somewhat vanilla front with sparks of chocolate chips here and there." She thought it was pretty funny and came back with "I think I am more like vanilla or even strawberry with a chocolate vein and hidden wells of hot ginger no-one was expecting to find and some pretty tooth breaking nuts too." I about rolled on the ground, tickled by her expression, but then the "fat girl" in me thought dang, that ice cream sounds good! haha!

The next morning I was bubbling with enthusiasm as I made ice cream inspired from my friends interpretation of her personality. It sure made it more exciting than most mornings. I decided to add a spark of my flare with blackberries and beet powder for a pulsing vibrant color. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. It is a new favorite flavor of ours. Mari-Ice-Cream bursting with life! This ice cream reminds you of why you are alive. To live, enjoy, taste, touch, feel and splurge in a health conscious way. It is enormous, creamy, pretty and vibrating with life. Enjoy this mouthwatering, lick-your-bowl, "did you finish yours?" treat!

Ingredients:

3 cups frozen bananas
1 cup frozen blackberries
1 tsp beet powder
1 tsp fresh ginger - peeled and sliced fine
1/4 cup cacao nibs
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup dairy free milk

Directions:

Place ingredients in a blender or food processor
Use a butter knife or strong spatula to press sides down, repeat until creamy
Give it an extra blend
Place in a zip lock bag with the corner cut off, seal and squeeze in circular motions into two bowls creating a large tower of ice cream.
Dig in!!!

Thank you all for your support in 2014! May many lives be changed as more people take on a new lifestyle that embraces Mother Earth! To your continued health journey.

With love,
Christa

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Neapolitan NiceCream

11/23/2014 0 Comments

Neapolitan NiceCream with Sliced Bananas and Chocolate! Oh Mama Mia!

This dessert inspired breakfast is actually healthy for you and absolutely lick-your bowl delicious! I added super-foods in the chocolate and berry mixture to provide us with the fuel needed for our day.

VANILLA

3 frozen ripe bananas, frozen the night before in 1-1.5" chunks
Add a dash of Vanilla

Blend or Place in a Food Processor and pulse, using a spoon and patience as you stop to scrape down the sides, giving it an extra good whip at the end for a creamy ice-cream. Use an ice-cream scoop and place in a bowl. Place bowl in freezer while prepping the next flavor.

STRAWBERRY

2 frozen ripe bananas, frozen the night before in 1-1.5" chunks
1 cup frozen strawberries
OPT: 1 tsp beet powder

Follow directions above, place next to the vanilla ice cream and place back in freezer.

CHOCOLATE

3 frozen ripe bananas, frozen the night before in 1-1.5" chunks
1 tbsp (or 2 for darker)
OPT: 1 tsp Reishi Mushroom Powder, 1 tsp Chaga Mushroom Powder, 1/8 tsp Resveratrol (or any other boosters!)

Follow directions above and serve with a banana sliced lengthwise and cut in half, decorate and opt to place a chocolate in the middle. YUM! You could take it the next level and add coconut whipped cream and chocolate sauce....maybe next time. :)

*Tip if you place your dish in the freezer first it helps prevent melting.