raw vegan treats

If you are anything like me and have a bit of a sweet tooth, the thought of no longer enjoying delectable, sweet treats in your diet is almost too much to handle! However, I personally do not want to consume food that not only has no nutritional value but in order to digest the food, my body must take from it's store of precious vitamins and minerals. For example, many people consume dairy products because they are marketed as a good source of calcium. Dairy products are acidic to the body and disease thrives in an acidic environment. So for your body to maintain an acid-alkaline balance calcium is leached from your bones. The very reason you are consuming dairy is probably the very reason why you should limit it in your diet or give it up altogether. But, I digress. If you are looking for some ways to replace the sugar, dairy and fat laden products that are found on supermarket shelves read on for some healthy treat ideas.

fresh fruit

My mother always repeatedly told me two things during my childhood and so much so that now I hear her voice in my head! If I didn't know the meaning of a word or how to spell a word I was told to "look it up in the dictionary", and if I was hungry and asking for a snack in between meals I was told to "have a piece of fruit". Most of the time I wasn't actually hungry, so I would wait for my next meal. So, I say the same thing to you if you feel like snacking: go for the fruit first! Try to eat seasonal fruit, and if you eat fruit by itself, you will digest it easier as it passes through your stomach within 30 minutes. Fruit is low in calories, full of nutrients your body needs to thrive, and great for your digestion and elimination due to the fibre content. If you want something that tastes more like a dessert, freeze the fruit and eat out of the freezer! Fruit that works really well for this are bananas, berries, mangos and also grapes. If you have a juicer, select the blank plate and feed the frozen fruit through for a natural, delicious ice cream!

superfood trail mix

I love to make a good, wholesome trail mix. It's super duper easy to pop in your bag and take with you anywhere you need to go. This is great for people who are very active and have high energy needs. A trail mix usually contains a mixture of dried fruit, nuts and seeds, so you are getting a boost of natural sugars, protein and good fats. I have a standard trail mix which consists of about an equal quantity of dried fruit to nuts and seeds. I always buy organic and my dried fruit is sulphur and preservative free. I also "activate" my nuts and seeds, which releases the enzyme inhibitors so they are easy to digest. This involves soaking them in filtered water for 12 hours and dehydrating them at 40 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. My favourite combo is dried bananas, dried figs, dried apricots, dried goji berries, activated almonds, activated walnuts, activated pepitas/pumpkin seeds (a great source of iron), raw brazil nuts and some dried shredded coconut. Super duper yum!

chia pudding

I have a young friend who is ten years old and when she comes over to my house she always requests this sweet pudding I made for her one day with chia seeds. Chia seeds are a fantastic source of Omega 3 AHA, dietary fibre and other vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and vitamin C, as well as being a source of complete protein. When liquid is added to chia seeds a gel forms, making these nifty seeds useful as a replacement for eggs, and they can also be added to green smoothies, sprinkled on your breakfast or eaten as my berry chia pudding which consists of 1/4 cup chia seeds, 1/2 cup frozen berries, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, juice of 2 oranges and pulp of 1 passionfruit. Mix together well and let the mixture set in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes before eating.

do-it-yourself popcorn

Even though I now eat a raw vegan diet I am not against consuming some wholesome popcorn every now and then if the occasion calls for it... namely, the movies! The smell of popcorn fills every movie theatre so instead of missing out I make my own! I use nutritional yeast, which gives the popcorn that cheesy taste, and gives me a good dose of vitamin B12. Again, I use organic popcorn kernels, and pop the kernels in coconut oil (also known as coconut butter). Coconut oil is the only oil I will cook with as it is the healthiest and safest, and will never go rancid. Cover the bottom of the pot with coconut oil and a single layer of popcorn kernels. Pop the kernels at a medium heat with the lid on. Turn off the heat and allow to cool before adding a seasoning of nutritional yeast and Himalayan crystal salt or Celtic sea salt according to taste. For sweetness, add a small amount of coconut sugar instead of the nutritional yeast. 

brooke's bliss balls

Bliss balls are the superstars of the raw food world. You can find many recipes on the internet and all you need is a high quality blender or food processor to make them. Bliss balls are pretty much your go-to when you have a craving for anything that has chocolate or crunch! You can mix up the ingredients and create your own, and they're great for a snack or as a dessert. You can also transport them easily so you will never have to feel left out at a dinner party again. And the bonus is that you won't have a sugar hangover after eating them!

1 cup pitted dates (substitute: dried plums or dried apricots)
1 cup walnuts or cashews (substitute: almonds or pecans)
1/4 cup dried goji berries
1/4 cup cacao or carob powder (carob is caffeine-free)
1 tablespoon almond butter
1/4 cup dried desiccated coconut, for rolling

Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender (if using a blender start with the nuts, then add the dried fruit and then mix in all the other ingredients). Take a tablespoon of the mixture to roll into a ball, and if desired, roll in the dried desiccated coconut. Continue making balls until the mixture runs out. Store bliss balls in a covered container in the fridge (for a month) or the freezer (up to 6 months).

These are a few ideas to get you started. Hopefully you will find these sweet treats satisfying; I know I do! Speaking of raw vegan treats, my stomach is starting to rumble, and I hear the bliss balls calling my name...