Salmonella free COOKIE DOUGH!!! :)

I got the inspiration for this from the awesome vegan dessert blog, Chocolate-Covered Katie's most popular post. However, her recipe wasn't working out for me for some reason, so I completely reinvented it working around a couple of same base ingredients.

1 Can of Chickpeas, Drained (Yes, you read that right. Chickpeas. Garbanzo beans.)
2 1/2 Tablespoons Nut Butter of your choosing
2 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
About 120 Ml (1/2 Cup) Sweetener-I used a combination of Agave & Maple Syrup
145 Ml (or a little over half a cup) Rolled Porridge Oats (Oatmeal)
1 Sun-Dried Vanilla Bean
1-2 Tbsp Rice Milk
1 Tbsp Gluten Substitute (I used Orgrans' G-F Gluten Substitute)
1 Tbsp Cornflour
1 Tbsp Arrowroot
1/2 Tbsp Date Sugar (Optional)
1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 tsp Fleur De Sel/Sea Salt

Everything goes into the food processor at high speed. Leave it on for a few minutes, stir periodically. You may do what I did and add some vegan chocolate chunks, or you can stir in some cinnamon. Freeze for 20-30 minutes if you want it a bit thicker.
Makes a huge bowl of cookie dough-divide between 2-4 people. Yum!!

Smokey BBQ Sauce

I gotta say-I like this BETTER than SAD (Standard American Diet) type BBQ!

240 Ml(1 Cup) Chopped Tomatoes or Cherry tomatoes
9 Sundried Tomatoes
7-8 Dried Pitted Dates
2 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 Large Clove Garlic
1/2 Tbsp Water
1/4 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1/4 Tsp Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Chipotle Powder
1 tsp Mixed Herbs; or Thyme
1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cayenne Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Mustard Seed
Pinch of Cumin (optional)
Pinch of Onion Powder/granules (optional)

Everything goes in the blender @ high speed until well mixed. This may take a while. This recipe will be easier if you double it, however I didn't have enough ingredients on hand to make a larger batch.

Cheezy "pasta" sauce

240 Ml(1 Cup) Cashews
150 Ml(5/8 Cup) Sunflower Oil
120 Ml (1/2 Cup) Water
4 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
2 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Tsp Ground Mustardseed
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/4 Tsp Fleur De Sel (or sea salt)
1/8 Tsp Onion Granules

Blend on high speed for a few minutes...
Serve over grated butternut squash as I have done in the photo (which taste like noodles with this sauce) or quinoa with chopped tomatoes & basil.

Hot & Earthy Carrot Basil Soup

I make a lot of soups, the majority of which I do not post the recipe to (sorry) because they are just spur of the moment things I do not bother to measure out. I love raw soups because they are so cheap, easy, delicious, healthy, and did I mention easy? I like that. A lot. I think this is one is tied with my Creamy Spiced Corn Chowder for my favourite soup recipe.

Hot & Earthy Carrot Basil Soup:

4 Organic Carrots
1 Stick of Celery
4 Sun Dried Tomatoes
Large Handful of Fresh Basil
A Few sprigs of Fresh Parsley
360 ml (1 1/2 cups) Warm Water
2 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
2-3 Tbsp Basic Cashew Cheeze, optional
1 tsp Black Pepper
A few grinds of Mustard Seed, optional
A pinch of Fleur De Sel, optional

Blend all ingredients together in a blender. Garnish with nutritional yeast if you like (as I did). Mmmm! Serves 2.

Basic Cashew Cheeze

200ml Cashews
About 3 tbsp Sunflower oil
1 Clove Raw Garlic
Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Soak cashews in water overnight. Put drained cashews, oil & garlic into blender or food processor, add a fair amount of sea salt (maybe a half a tablespoon, but your taste buds are your best guide) and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Blend, stir, blend, stir, blend, stir, ect until smooth and creamy...and enjoy! Tastes great on everything and you can hardly tell it's not real cheese!