Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mint and Date Filling

Who doesn't like eating raw cookie dough? This girl does, and thanks to vegan batter you and I can do just that. I have never been much of a sweet or chocolate fan but recently, that has changed. Id consider myself a "cook" who likes to create and prepare dishes, but ask me to bake and that is a whole other topic. Mostly because I just cant follow a recipe; I am always adding extra ingredients or taking something out. I just throw things in a pan or a bowl and keep tasting as I go, but when baking that just does not fly very well.

With these chocolate chip cookies from OhSheGlows.com I just had to add extra ingredients, not because I didn't think the recipe was "good" enough but rather I like adding different ingredients. I added 3 tbsp of raw agave and 4 tbsp of peanut butter. Why peanut butter? As I was placing the dough on the cookie sheet, my dad who loves Chocolate Chip cookies from Nancy B's Bakery in West Homestead, Pittsburgh; walks in the kitchen and goes, Nancy B's uses peanut butter you know? So in went the peanut butter. If any of you are from "Pixburgh" and have visited the bakery, you know why they are so famous in Pittsburgh. nancybsbakery They are HUGE, I mean massive and are so chewy, soft and addictive, but not vegan. The cookies from OhSheGlows, with the addition of a few ingredients, made me forget the taste of my dads favorite cookies which are currently staring at me on the kitchen counter. Don't worry the vegan ones are right next to them!!

As for the filling, it is super sweet and and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 cup vegan butter (I use original Earth Balance)
6 Medjool Dates
6 fresh mint leaves.

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients in a mixer and mix till smooth. The filling will be sticky and thick. Place between 2

Raw Walnut Cake with Raspberry Sauce

With my birthday over my sweet tooth is still in full swing. I was inspired my @therawfoodie to come up with my own raw cake! It's super sweet and reminded me of my favorite nut rolls I would always eat for the holidays. Dates are super sweet and delicious and the prefect addition to raw sweets. 

Here's what you'll need:

I used a 7in round spring form pan (found at home goods for $4)

2 pound Medjool dates pitted

12 oz of figs

2 cups raw walnuts 

Tbsp vanilla bean powder

1 cup water

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions:

1. Place 1 pound of the pitted dates and all the figs in a food processor and pulse till smooth. This will be very sticky and clumpy. Add water if needed. Place in separate bowl.

2. Combine the walnuts, 1/2 cup water and vanilla bean and pulse till blended. Add remaining dates (leave about 10 out for raspberry sauce) blend till smooth. Set aside.

3. Clean processor and place raspberries and remaining 10 dates in and pulse till smooth. 

Place in pan in layers and place in freezer for about 20 minutes to make more firm, this is not required!

Power Nut/Date Balls

1. I'm obsessed with Dates. 2. I'm obsessed with dates....can you guess what 3 is? Yes I love dates and I'm always snacking on these little things that provide so much energy! I wanted something fun so I used the extra walnuts and dates and came up with these!

Yields: 5 large balls

What you'll need:

1 cup of raw walnuts

.5 cup walnuts for coating

10 Medjool dates

Water (optional)

Directions:

1. Add walnuts to food processor and pulse until fine. Set aside in bowl.

2. Take pitted dates and place in food processor and blend till smooth. It will be sticky and depending on how fresh your dates are you may have to add some water to make smooth.

3. After smooth, add the pulsed walnuts and mix together. You will most likely have to scrape the sides of the processor. Very sticky.

4. Take mixture out of food processor and place into bowl.

5. Using a flat surface like a paper plate or cutting board place the extra walnuts onto a plate or flat surface and lightly crush. You can make the walnuts small or large pieces, but I used small chunks.

6. Using your hands roll into ball shapes. I made 5 from this recipe, but you could make them smaller.

7. Now roll the balls through the walnut mixture. Coating all sides. They are fairly soft so make sure not to crush them.

*I have also seen people use goji berries, almonds, chocolate chips, flax and other toppings as well. Totally your performance.