Garlic & Onion Cashew Cream Kale Chips

I don't use my dehydrator too often but when I do, I love making kale chips!  The kale chips sold in the stores can be a bit pricey so I love making my own organic kale chips at a fraction of the price.  This recipe has garlic and onion cashew cream massaged on to the kale and then dehydrated until crispy.

Ingredients:
2 bunches kale
1 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 4-5 hours
1/2 cup filtered water
1 medium garlic glove
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

 Instructions:

1. Remove kale ribs (save ribs for juicing or smoothies).  Tear the leaves into large pieces and wash and spin dry in a salad spinner.
2. Drain cashews and place in high speed blender with water, garlic, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper.  Blend until smooth and creamy like a thick dressing.  
3. In large mixing bowl, coat the kale pieces with the cream by massaging the cream on to the leaves with your hands.
4. Place on dehydrator trays leaving enough room for air to circulate around.
5. Dehydrate overnight or at least 13 hours.
6. Kale chips can be stored in air tight container at room temperature for a week.

Happy snacking!

Basil Pea Pesto

This pesto is delicious and is lower in fat than traditional pesto due to the addition of peas.  I served it with brown rice penne pasta.  Along with a salad this basil pea pesto pasta has become one of my favorite dinners.

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1 cup fresh or frozen green peas, cooked

1/3 cup pine nuts

1 tbsp sweet white miso (I used Miso Master Organic Miso)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Put garlic cloves in food processor and pulse until minced.
2. Put basil, peas, pine nuts, miso, and salt in processor and begin processing.  With the machine running, add water and oil in a slow stream through the open feed tube.  Process until mixture forms a paste.
3. Serve with pasta and enjoy.

Gluten Free Vegan Ube (Purple Yam) Oatmeal Cookies

 Ube or purple yam is very popular in Filipino desserts.  Growing up my favorite desserts were ube ice cream and ube cake.  While searching for ube recipes online I noticed that many recipes often call for artificial food coloring and flavoring to achieve the deep purple color and strong ube flavor.  This made me want to create an ube dessert that was all natural and healthy.  I decided to create a vegan gluten free ube oatmeal cookie.  I've heard that sometimes it may turn out blue or green after you bake it.  In my case, the cookies turned out blue-green but they still tasted good!

Makes about 26 cookies
Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked ube cut in pieces (boiled or roasted, I roasted mine in oven at 375℉ for 1 hour and peeled)
• 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 5 tbsp water)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (I used light coconut milk)
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 6 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup oat flour (ground gluten free oats)
• 1/2 cup almond meal (ground raw almonds, I used my leftover almond milk pulp)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350℉
2. Mix the ground flax seeds with water and let sit until it thickens (about 10 minutes)
3. Mix wet ingredients in food processor.  Process cooked ube, flax eggs, coconut milk, coconut oil, and maple syrup until smooth.
4. In separate bowl mix dry ingredients.  Mix gluten free rolled oats, oat flour, almond meal, baking powder and pinch of sea salt.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until combined
6. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  You may want to flatten them with your palm.  The cookies won't expand much.
7. Bake for 15-17 minutes until edges are slightly golden brown.
8. Let rest on baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to cooling rack.