(Raw, Gluten Free, Vegan, No Refined Sugar)

I was playing around in the kitchen, and made something that is definitely not Nutella, it is not trying to be Nutella, do please don't expect Nutella, but it is quite yummy and not very sweet.

Basically, I wanted something chocolatey but soft and creamy and nutty, and for a change not my homemade chocolate.  

So I came up with this, and it hit the spot.   I've made a few variations and can really say that each different nut really gives it a totally different texture and taste - so experiment with some small batches with different nuts and see what you like best (I'm partial to almond).

It can be used as a dip, a spread, a ganache for a hard chocolate shell or just eaten off the spoon.  If you put it in the fridge it will get solid, if you leave it on the counter, it will be softer.  

This makes a very very small amount, so 2x the recipe if you want more. 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of nuts almonds, macadamia, cashews, hazelnut, whatever you fancy - each will give a slightly different characteristic to the final product (soak nuts 8 hours first; except the cashews only need 2-3 hours)
• 1/4 cup of raw cacao powder
  
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil (solid rather than liquid works better)
  
• 1 teaspoon of maca powder
  
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (liquid)
  
• 1-2 Tablespoon of coconut nectar, carob extract or maple syrup 
• NOTE - add less or more of your sweetener depending on your personal preference, I only add 1 Tablespoons total

Directions

• Put all ingredients into your blender or small food processor
  
• Blend
  
• Scrape down sides if needed
  
• Blend
  
• Taste
  
• Add more sweetener to your desired taste
  
• Blend until it tastes perfect to you
  

Pour into jar to store on counter or in the fridge.  It will get very firm in the fridge, and softer on the counter.  
Putting it into little jars as gifts works really well too.  

(Gluten Free, Vegan, Raw, Fermented, Refined Sugar Free) 


I love almond milk.  I love kefir.  What better than homemade almond milk fermented with kefir grains?!

This drink is smooth and tangy at the same time, and chock full of great probiotics for you.

Drink it straight, put it in your muesli, or mix it with some chia seeds for a raw dessert - however you use it it won't last long.

There are two steps to this process, first to make the almond milk, second to ferment it.

Do watch the slide show below for key steps in images and captions.  

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups of almonds, soaked for 4-12 hours
  
• 5 cups of water
  
• 5 dates (soaked for 2-12 hours)
  
• 1/2 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
  
• 1/8 teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt 

Directions

• Drain and rinse the almonds after they have soaked
• Put all ingredients in your Vitamix or other high speed blender
  
• Blend until smooth - 1-2 minutes
  
• Strain through a cheese cloth, nut milk bag or Chinese soup bag**
  
• Squeeze to get all the liquid out

• Put the almond meal aside to use in the fabulous Raw Brownies with a Secret recipe.

• Pour the almond milk into a glass jar
  

Now, you could just stop here, and enjoy your almond milk - and trust me, I did, at least one glass before fermenting the rest!

To Ferment

• Add 2 Tablespoons of kefir grains*** to your large glass jar of almond milk
  
• Cover with a cloth and rubber band and place in a warm place to ferment (the top of the fridge is good)
  
• Ferment for 4-12 hours depending on the weather - taste after 4 hours, then every couple hours until it is the taste you like
  
• Don't worry if the almond milk kefir separates (see photo below), it is normal, just stir it with a non-metal stirrer and either keep fermenting or strain depending on the taste.  
• Once it tastes right to you, strain the grains with a plastic strainer
  
• Save the grains in a glass jar in the fridge to use again

Once fermented, put in a glass bottle with a lid put in the fridge.

We usually finish it within two days, but it will last almost forever in the fridge. Did I mention a glass of Almond Milk Kefir goes great with these Raw Brownies?

You can also use this to make an awesome smoothie - almond milk kefir, some berries, acai berry powder and a banana - sooooo good!  This is a great way to use it if you accidentally ferment it a bit too long.

** Chinese Soup Bags can be found in the local ParkNShop or Wellcome in Hong Kong, they cost about 10 HK for 3 bags - great value and perfect for nut milk!

*** I use water kefir grains, then I keep them separate from my other grains in a jar dedicated to using with nut milks.  You can also use dairy milk grains, and they will work fine as well, it depends on what you have.

**** The reason I keep my nut milk grains separate from my other grains, is so that if I am sharing grains with someone with a nut allergy, I know not to give them the nut contaminated grains.  This is just a precaution because I love sharing my kefir grains.

Related Links
LoulaNatural - Raw Almond Milk
LoulaNatural - Kefir FAQ

(Gluten Free, Vegan, Raw Refined Sugar Free)

Recently, I made some fabulous homemade almond milk, which I then fermented into fermented almond milk kefir.  Super yummmmy!  It left me with a whole load of raw, slightly damp, almond meal.  

I knew just what I wanted to make - raw balls!  Then as I was rolling them, I decided to do raw brownies instead.  See, this is how I cook, or not cook in this case... I go by feel and mood, and often forget to take photos or write notes.  So most of the recipes on this site I have made numerous times taking notes, so I can share them with you.

They have two different additions to most raw balls or raw brownies:
1 - black mission figs, the only reason I used any dates at all, was that I ran out of the figs, the figs really made a difference.  I made another batch with only dates (I was out of figs) and it was good, but not as good as the batches with figs.  So in short, use figs!
2 - peppermint extract, the flavor pulled the whole taste together perfectly

Ingredients

• 1.25 cups of slightly damp almond meal OR 1.5 cups of dry almond flour
• 1/2 cup of black mission figs (ideally soaked for a couple hours)
  
• 1/2 cup of dates (ideally soaked for a couple hours)
  
• 3/4 cup of coconut flakes 
  
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds 
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (more or less to your taste)
• dash of Himalayan pink salt
  
• 1/2 Tablespoon of peppermint extract - shhhh, this is the secret ingredient 

Directions

• Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until it forms a ball
  
• Taste, see if you want to add anything at this point, then add
• Scrape down the sides, smash the ball, and blend some more
  
• The less blended the more texture - if you blended it a lot, but like more texture, add some extra coconut flakes or hemp seeds right at the end.  
• If it is too dry, add some of the liquid from the soaked figs/dates
• Prepare a glass baking tray by putting a layer of coconut flakes in the bottom
  
• Press in the brownie mixture
  
• Set in freezer for 3-12 hours, then cut into very small brownie bites
  

These can then be stored in the freezer for months or in the fridge for a couple weeks - but they won't last that long!  My kids love them, and they go great with a glass of homemade almond milk kefir.

(Gluten Free, Raw, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free)

This is so easy, and after sharing it with friends this weekend I am happy to share the recipe too.  

Three ingredients and a blender - that is all you need.  Any blender.

Amounts may vary slightly, play around to get the texture and taste you like.  

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe bananas
  
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of coconut oil (can use some coconut butter too)**
  
• 4 Tablespoons of really good raw cacao powder, like this one (seriously, this is the secret to the recipe!!)
  

Directions

• Put bananas, coconut oil and raw cacao powder in the blender 
  
• Blend until very smooth
  
• You might need to stop the blender and wipe down the side with a spatula once or twice

Option 1 (see below right)
Serve it bowls right away - it is a light fluffy, truly decadent chocolate mousse

Option 2 (see below left)
Pour into a pie tray and refrigerate or freeze
A few hours later, take out, top with berries
Let it warm on the counter until it is soft enough to serve
Note, when I served this today, it all fell apart (see photo above) - but nobody complained, and not a crumb was left!

Option 3
Pour it into ice pop molds and make 'fudgicles' 

Option 4
Use this to make Our Birthday Cake - this will make it a bit richer than the recipe on that page

Option 5
Use this to make frosting for any cake

** The amount of coconut oil depends on the size of your bananas - if your blender is struggling a bit, add some more.  I used about 1/2 cup plus 1 or 2 Tablespoons of coconut butter today.

You can also play around with adding other things - an avocado, raspberries, dark cherries, etc... once you get the base down, it is very flexible!

Actually, I made this yesterday, and we had four small bowls of raw vegan chocolate mousse.  Then I poured the extra into the pie tray, and froze overnight.  This morning I took it out and added the berries around 11am, and we ate it around 3pm.  It was gone by about 3:30pm!