RAW LEMON PESTO ZUCHINNI PASTA
2 cups packed fresh basil
2 medium cloves of garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup raw pine nuts
2 tbl of fresh lemon juice
1 tbl of fresh lemon zest
2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoons sea salt
4 medium zucchini

Run the garlic through the chute of the food processor. Add the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and oil and process until smooth. Add pine nuts and nutritional yeast and process being careful not to over process the nuts. Set the pesto aside. Peel 4 medium zucchini, and put through a spiral vegetable slicer or spirooli. Place the zucchini “spaghetti” on paper towels to dry. Put dried zucchini strands in a serving bowl, mix together with  lemon basil pesto and serve.

NOTE: You can get buy a spirooli at Organic Lives (Vancouver, BC) to make your veggie pasta, I’ve also seen them in cooking stores.

Wow your dinner guests with this Yummy Raw Apple Pie Recipe from Vegan Sweet Tooth I know I did!

This is so delicious! Try out the chocolate pound cake posted by Chef In You made with tofu instead of eggs. Check out the other alternative recipes too!

Vegan Overnight Breakfast Casserole (Via Hell Yeah It’s Vegan)

You have to go to this blog and check out the recipes! I am loving this one especially. It is the jack pot of goodness! I am going to make it for mother’s day, I might even try making the Bacon Cheddar Mini Vegan Quiches.

Rustic Bread & Eggplant Lasagna

Pictures and Recipes (Via Vegan Yum Yum)

Serves 9-12

3 Tbs Olive Oil
4-6 Cloves Garlic, minced (optional)
2 28 oz Cans Organic Tomatoes, blended
2 tsp Salt
4 tsp Dried Italian Herbs
Olive Oil, for drizzling
2-3 Medium Eggplants, peeled
8-10 Large Slices of Sourdough Bread
1 Cup Breadcrumbs (or 2 more pieces of bread for toasting and food processing)
1-2 Large, Ripe Tomatoes, fresh, for garnish
Basil, for garnish

In a very large skillet with high sides, or a sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sweat the garlic for 1-2 minutes, then add tomatoes, salt, and herbs. Cook for 30 minutes (bubbling), stirring occasionally. Invert a mesh strainer over the top of the pan to prevent splatter, if desired.

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Meanwhile, prep two baking sheets with parchment paper. Peel the eggplants by slicing off the top and bottom and using the cut edge to start your vegetable peeler. Holding the eggplant vertically, cut the eggplants into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange in one layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle liberally with olive oil.

Bake eggplant for 30-40 minutes at 400Fº, turning once, until very, very soft and browned in some places.

Spray both sides of each slice of bread with spray oil and “grill” in a hot skillet until browned on both sides. You can also simply toast the bread, but I think you get more flavor with grilling.

In a large baking dish (a lasagna dish), spread 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce. Line the bottom of the dish with bread, filling as many as the gaps as possible without overlapping.

Place half of the eggplant on top of the bread, followed by another 1 to 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce.

Add a second layer of bread.

Add the second half of the eggplant, and all of the remaining sauce. Make sure that the bread is completely covered by sauce. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top.

Place fresh tomato slices on the top of the lasagna, sprinkled with salt and pepper.

Bake for 40 minutes at 400º F. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Top with basil leaves and drizzle sweet and thick balsamic vinegar (or balsamic syrup) on the plate if desired. Enjoy!

Best raw chocolate fudge cookies
Recipe inspired by Renee Underkoffler

1 cup almonds
1 1/2 cups cashews
1 cup dates
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon coconut butter (also known as coconut oil)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa
Pinch of seasalt

Soak almonds overnight. You’ve gotta do it because the almonds need to be soft. Drain and rinse.

Soak cashews for an hour. Drain and rinse.

Soak dates for about an hour. Drain and rinse. (Note: Date soak water is sweet! Throw it in your next green smoothieor something. I never throw it away.)

Process almonds and cashews in a food processor until they (almost) resemble flour. Add dates, agave nectar, coconut butter and vanilla. Process until well mixed and doughlike.

Add the cocoa powder and sea salt and process again.

Form cookies. Dehydrate for ten hours or even up to a full day if you want them to be crispy. I like them quite soft, myself.

Enjoy this chocolatey goodness!