Cashew ice cream bites with crispy chocolate coating

Most times when I make “raw desserts” like these ones I use buckwheat in the base as I think it can get quite “heavy” and almost too filling if there is nuts and seeds in the whole thing. PLUS the toasted buckwheat gives a great crispy texture!

This goodies takes a bit of preparation or - more accurately - that you have time to do the cake the day before you’d want to serve/enjoy it. Mostly because the cake needs a good 8 hours or too so set in the freezer. The steps before though doesn’t take much time at all and aren’t tricky. So - let’s get baking right this second so that you could enjoy a bite or two (or 5) tomorrow!

Cashew ice cream bites with crispy chocolate coating

Makes 12

Chocolate layer

4 dl / 1.6 cups whole buckwheat groats

24 fresh dates, pitted

1 dl / 0.4 cups cacao, preferably raw

2 pinches sea salt

3 Tbsp light tahini *

Ice cream filling

3 dl / 1.2 cups cashew nuts, soaked for 2-4 hours

2 dl / 0.8 cups coconut milk or oat cream

10 fresh dates, pitted

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

1 pinch sea salt

100 grams frozen (or fresh if in season and locally grown) blueberries, thawed

25 grams freeze-dried berries, for example raspberries and strawberries

How to

Soak the cashews for 2-4 hours.

Pre heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F.

Put the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Bring about 5 dl of water to a boil. Pour over the buckwheat, then rinse with cold water. Put the buckwheat on a baking tray, toast in the oven until dry and crisp - takes about 10-15 minutes. Stirr every now and then.

Mix the toasted buckwheat for a minute in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to a dough. You might want to add a bit more water if the dough feels too dry. Divide the dough in half. Roll the doughs, one at a time, in to thin “sheets” between two baking papers using a rolling pin. You want the sheets to be the same size as the bottom of a small baking tin which you’ll use to freeze the ice cream bites in. Put one sheet in the bottom of the baking tin (with a baking paper underneath). Put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Rinse and drain the cashews. Mix with the rest of the ingredients - except the blueberries - until completely smooth using a blender. Pour 2/3 of the mix on top of the chocolate base. Add the blueberries to the blender and mix until completely smooth once more. Pour over the cashew base. Sprinkle over the freeze-dried berries. Put in the fridge for 2 hour. Take out, and finish by adding the second crispy chocolate layer on top, lightly press in down. Put back in the fridge and let sit over night.

Remove from the fridge and cut in to small pieces, to get the prettiest pieces it’s easiest to cut them straight out of the freezer - however I prefer to wait 5-10 minutes before serving. It’s THE BEST, trust me! Even though it’s reallyyyyy heard not to start eating them straight away…

HOPE YOU LIKE THEM!

*If you cannot find light one I’d suggest you’d use cashew butter instead, as a dark tahini will give to much flavour here - we want to get the “humble” flavour/quality wihich both light tahini and cashew butter have - unlike other nut/seed butters (which I LOVE too, but just not here).

Recipe was first published in The Gothenburg-Post/Två dagar

Chocolate cranberry bliss balls with toasted sesame

Bliss balls is what I make when I crave something sweet but don’t want to make a whole cake. I use whatever dried fruits/berries (such as organic apricots, blueberries or mulberries) or fresh dates I have at home. Instead of oil I prefer to get my fat from tahini or any kind of nut butter as I like to use the WHOLE food, plus it’s adds LOTS of awesome flavour. Cacao is every so often in my bliss balls, and maybe some additional flavour such as cinnamon, blueberry powder or like here - cranberry powder! Then it’s the rolling left - coconut, toasted sesame seeds or nuts or berry powder all works perfectly!

These ones are my new favourites because A) they contain tahini which I love B) they are tangy thanks to cranberry powder and C) lightly crisp on the outside thanks to the toasted sesame seeds!

Hope you like them too! And please let me know your favourite bliss ball combinations!

Chocolate cranberry bliss balls with toasted sesame

Makes about 16

Ingredients

3 dl / 1.2 cups rolled oats

12 fresh dates, pitted

3/4 dl / 0.3 cups cacao, preferably raw

2 tsp cranberry powder

2 Tbsp light tahini

2-3 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp cacao nibs (optional)

a good pinch of flakey salt

For rolling

1 dl / 0.4 cups unhulled sesame seeds

How to

Mix the oats, cacao, cranberry powder and salt in a food processor. Add the dates and mix until crumbly. Add tahini and water to combine. Add a bit more water if necessary. Now you might want to add your cacao nibs. The batter should be a bit sticky as the oats will soak up the liquid when you let it sit for a moment.

Pre heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Spread out the sesame seeds on an oven tray and toast the seeds for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Form the batter in to about 16 balls. Roll in the sesame seeds. Store in the fridge or freezer - I like them best well chilled, pretty much straight from the freezer!

Cinnamon cookies with salty chocolate peanut butter

These little semi raw cookies are easy to make, pretty to look at and AWESOME to eat!!

I got the idea for these ones after yet another of my bliss balls-moments where I topped a cinnamon ball with a spoon of chocolate peanut butter. It was SO GOOD!

Here I’m using both almond butter (in the cookie) and the peanut butter (for the topping), but you could use either almond butter or peanut butter for both!

So, here’s my latest contribution to the world on yummy plant based treats, hope you like it!

Cinnamon cookies with salty chocolate peanut butter

Makes 16

Cinnamon cookies

10 fresh dates, pitted

1 Tbsp almond butter (or peanut butter)

3 dl / 1.2 cups rolled oats

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

2-3 Tbsp water

1 pinch of flakey salt

Salty chocolate peanut butter *

1 1/2 dl / 0.6 cup unsweetened peanut butter crunchy (or almond butter)

1-2 Tbsp cacao powder, preferably raw

1/2 dl / 0.2 cups natural peanuts

1 Tbsp water (depending on how runny your PB is)

1 pinch of flakey salt

For garnishing

flakey salt

dried edible flowers (optional)

How to

Mix all the ingredients for the cinnamon cookies until you get a smooth dough, using a food processor. Add a bit more water in necessary. Form in to about 16 cookies, press down a small spoon in the middle of every cookie. Put the cookies on a plate.

Mix peanut butter, water, cacao and water until well combined. You might want to add a splash of water if the PB feels too thick. Add the whole peanuts and pulse until desired crunchiness.

Fill/top the cookies with the chocolate peanut butter using a small spoon. Sprinkle with flakey salt and dried flowers.

Put in the fridge, preferably for about an hour before serving.

Dig in and ENJOY!

* Make your own OR, you could also use the “Peanut butter chunky choco from” Urtekram. Super yummy and ready to go!

Loveable (raw)yum

This is my - semi raw - take on a Swedish classic called Kärleksmums. Chocolaty, slightly salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy and PACKED with plant based protein!

The recipe is from my second book The new green protein where I call them “Kärleksfulla (raw)mums”. That’s not all, it’s also my first ever recipe shared in a live television show! This very morning that happened! So, let’s just say that from this day on this cake will be quite special - not only because it’s yummy and works for as well fika as an afternoon snack but also because it reminds me to sometimes take a step back and enjoy the feeling of reaching milestones. And appreciating where hard work has taken me. Well done!

So, I’ll probably make another batch as soon as I get home (the friendly people at SVT enjoyed it all) and spend the rest of the evening with a couple of blankets, lit candles and all my new cookbooks that have finally reached me!

I know you wonder about the recipe. Here it comes!

Loveable (raw)yum

12 pieces

Base

2 dl / 0.8 cups toasted whole buckwheat *

1 dl / 0.4 cups pepitas

1 dl / 0.4 cups raw cacao

10 fresh dates, pitted

2 Tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

1-2 Tbsp water

Ganache

2 Tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

1/2 dl / 0.2 cups raw cacao

3/4 dl / 0.3 cups water

8 fresh dates, pitted

1 pinch unrefined salt

1/2 dl / 0.4 cups shredded coconut

How to

Mix all the dry ingredients until a fine crumble using a food processor, it’s nice to keep some of the buckwheat whole as that will give an extra crunch! Add dates, oil and water and mix in to a dough. Press out the dough in a small baking tray, put in the fridge.

Melt the oil on low heat. Mix all the ingredients for the ganache, except for the shredded coconut, until completely smooth. Preferably use a high speed blender if you have one - or continue mixing using a food processor - this might take a bit more time.

Spread the ganache over the base, sprinkle over the shredded coconut. the cake in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving. I even keep mine in the freezer as I love my bite properly chilled!

ENJOY!

• Toasted buckwheat: Put the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Bring some water to a boil and then pour over the buckwheat. Rinse with cold water and let drain for a few minutes. Toast in a dry pan, on medium heat, until golden and crisp. Let cool. 

Recipe from The new green protein. Photo by Fanny Hansson.

Apple cake bliss balls with cacao nibs

Delicious small bites of - my take on - a soft and sweet Swedish apple cake! Inspired by my dear friends at Food Pharmacy I made these ones the other day when I wanted something sweet for fika (Swedish word for a time of day when you sit down/chill out/have a snack + cup of tea or coffee or some other drink maybe). And I am very happy with the result - natural sweet, nutty and nutritious ingredients flavoured with two of my favourite spices; cinnamon and cardamom cannot go wrong. So it wasn't much of a gamble to be honest.

Unlike most bliss balls these ones are soft - and almost kind of chewy. As the cashews are soaked before mixing the bliss ball batter, they are easier to digest (+ nutrients even more accessible)+ adds an extra creaminess to the balls. Now let's bake!

Apple cake bliss balls with cacao nibs

Makes about 20 bliss balls

Ingredients

2 dl cashew nuts, soaked for 1-2 hours in 5 dl water I 1 tsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar

2 dl steel cut oats

1 red apple, roughly grated

6 fresh dates, pitted

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

2 tbsp cacao nibs (optional)

grated coconut for rolling

How to 

Drain and rinse the cashews. Mix with the rest of the ingredients, except for the cacao nibs, until a soft and smooth batter. Add the cacao nibs and pulse a few times. Form in to 20 balls, and roll in grated coconut.

Store in the fridge or freezer. 

Soft raspberry ice cream with whipped coconut cream and hazelnuts

A quick dessert, or why not a weekend breakfast och brunch. That's one of many clever things about nourishing food, you can have them at anytime from breakfast to dessert! Avocado is the secret ingredient which makes this quick ice cream irresistibly soft and creamy. Try substitute raspberries for blueberries, blackberries or a mix of you favourite berries!

And oh, if you can't find hazelnuts without skin in your grocery you can scroll down to find my tips on how to remove skin from hazelnuts (as it has the tendency to give a bitter taste we want to remove it). Plus tips on how to best deseed a pomegranate - knowledge you cannot live without!

Now, who wants soft ice cream in 15 minutes?!

Soft raspberry ice cream with whipped coconut cream and hazelnuts

Serves 4

15 minutes

Ingredients

3 ripe avokados

500 g frozen raspberries

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

4 fresh dates, pitted (use more for a sweeter taste)

Topping

1 1/2 dl / 0.6 US cups coconut cream

1 dl / 0.4 US cups pomegranate seeds

1/2 dl / 0.4 US cups toasted hazelnuts, skin removed 

2 tbsp cacao nibs

Fresh lemon balm

How to

Whip the coconut cream until fluffy. If you find it hard to get it fluffy you can let it sit in the fridge for about 30 minute, as that will make it more firm and easier to whip.

Thaw the raspberries for 5 minutes. Mix with the rest of the ingredients for the ice cream using a immersion blender, food processor och preferably high speed blender until SUPER smooth. Add more dates for a sweeter touch.

Divide in to 4 small (or 2 big if you're on that mood) bowls and top with coconut cream, hazelnuts, pomegranate seeds, cacao nibs and last but not least fresh lemon balm. Eat straight away!!

Toast and peel hazelnuts

Pre heat the oven to 175 degrees celsius. Put the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast for about 10 minutes, until the skin starts to crackle. Let cool. Put in a clean kitchen towel and rub to remove the skin.

Deseed a pomegranate

Cut of the top crown and the bottom of the fruit. Now carefully cut the fruit from the top to the bottom, along the inner gentle ridges/fruit membrane which you are suposed to see once the top and bottom are removed. Normally you'll get about 6 cuts. Open the pomegranate, so that you get separate sections. Now you can easily deseed the pomegranate, using your fingers, preferably over a bowl. Remove any membranes that might come with the seeds.

This is a recipe that I created for Swedish vegan food magasin VEGO some time ago! Photo and recipe by me.

Berry smoothie and coconut chia bowl with granola

This is not only breakfast art, but also a great flavour and texture combination. The smooth berry smoothie together with the creamy chia pudding plus the crunchy granola! During weekends when a have a bit more time I love to make this for breakfast or brunch, sometimes I even serve it as a dessert! Also, one last thing before I'll let you run off to the kitchen to start mixing, try using other berries than raspberries for variation - any berry works just as fine! 

Smoothie and coconut chia bowl with granola

Makes 2 bowls

Smoothie

1 ripe avocado 

1 green banana, cut in pieces and frozen 

2 dl frozen raspberries 

2 tbsp nut milk

1 fresh date, pitted 

Coconut chia pudding

1 dl coconut milk

1 dl water 

2 tbsp chia seeds 

A good pinch of pure vanilla powder 

Granola

4 dl seeds/nuts/grains (rolled oats/pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds/hazelnuts)

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp cardamom 

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

1 good pinch Himalayan salt

1 dl water

2 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

3 fresh dates, pitted

1 dl toasted coconut flakes

2 tbsp cacao nibs 

1 dl dried berries/fruits (raisins/blueberries/goji berries)

How to

Whisk together all the ingredients for the coconut chia pudding. Let sit for about 30 minutes until creamy. Stir half way through to avoid clumps. 

Mix all the ingredients for the smoothie in a mixer until smooth. 

Divide smoothie and chia pudding in to two bowls. Top with granola and freeze dried berries 

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Mix your choice of seeds/nuts/grains (I used a mix of chopped hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, rolled oats), cinnamon, cardamom, pure vanilla powder and a good pinch of Himalayan salt in a mixing bowl.

Bring water, oil and dates to a boil. Let simmer for 1 minute. Mix until completely smooth using a hand blender. Add to the mixing bowl and mix everything together using a wooden spoon until every bit gets covered. Spread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crispy and golden, stirring every now and then, for about 30 minutes.

Let cool. Add 1 dl toasted coconut flakes + cacao nibs + your choice of dried berries/fruits (I used goji berries + raisins).

Buckwheat chocolate bliss balls with blueberry and coconut

I really love almonds, nuts and seeds. As a snack, on top of a salad, on my morning porridge, mixed to a nut butter and in raw desserts. Nuts contain LOTS of greats nutrition, and they also contain a lot of fat. Good fat, but still, even good things can be to much. Therefore I like to sometimes use toasted buckwheat whenever I make raw desserts or bliss balls for afternoon snack. Buckwheat groats contains lots of great nutrition, but less fat then nuts and seeds. And also - the toasted buckwheat gives a delicious crunchy texture, and it's gluten free. 

So, I came up with a simple recipe for a perfect and delicious little ball with buckwheat instead of the commonly used nuts or seeds. This buckwheat bliss ball is the perfect “fika” but also a great afternoon snack. I made them the other day, during one of the retreats here in France this summer - and everybody loved them. The chocolate together with the blueberry is a really tasty combination. And the tiny bit of sea salt that I always add makes all the difference. 

A few things to have in mind is: add more cacao for an even more chocolaty flavor, add more blueberry power for even more of a berry taste, and more dates for a sweeter touch. Mix it until you make it - so to speak! 

Enough writing. So, here is the recipe for these little ones, hope you like them! 

Buckwheat chocolate bliss balls with blueberry

Makes about 20 bliss balls

Ingredients

2 1/2 dl dried whole buckwheat groats (buy toasted ones if you find in your store, then you kan skip the first instruction below on how to toast them yourself)

3/4 dl cacao 

2 tbsp blueberry powder 

A pinch of flakey salt 

10 fresh dates, pitted 

2 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil 

1-2 tbsp water

Shredded coconut for rolling

How to

Put the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Bring some water to a boil and then pour over the buckwheat. Rinse with cold water and let drain for a few minutes. Toast in a dry pan, on medium heat, until golden and crisp. Let cool. 

Mix buckwheat, cacao and blueberry power until some of the buckwheat has been crushed. I like my bliss balls to have quite a few whole buckwheat groats left as I like the crunchy consistency, but you can also mix until a flour like consistency. Add dates, coconut oil and water, mix until a dough. You might want to add a bit more water to get the dough to stick together. 

Form the dough in to about 20 balls, roll in shredded coconut. Put on a plate and let chill in the fridge for at least 30 minites before serving. Allowing time in the fridge (or freezer if you cannot wait to dig in!) will make them even more firm and - if you ask me - even tastier!