Pumpkin is very hard to use raw.  I hate battling through the tough skin only to be confronted with the thick, solid flesh.  I also don't think that eating raw pumpkin is the best choice for digestion, so I turn to carrots - great raw, easy to work with, orange, mild and pre-sweetened.  Since the defining flavors of a good pumpkin pie are sweet and spice, and not pumpkin, carrots are a perfect choice.  

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped carrots
1 cup coconut cream (creamed whole coconut, not just the mylk)
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 drops stevia

Crust:
1/2 cup sprouted, dried buckwheat groats
1/2 cup sprouted, dried almonds
6 large dates, chopped
3 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 dashes sea salt

Directions:
Chop the carrots in a food processor until they are as smooth and creamy as you can get them.  Add the remaining ingredients and continue to process until smooth.   Set aside.
To make the crust, process the buckwheat and almonds in a food processor until the pieces are mostly powder with some small chunks.  Add the remaining ingredients and process until uniform and slightly sticky.  
Press the crust mixture into two  4" square ring mould and top with the pumpkin pie filling.  Press down and smooth out the top.  Refrigerate for an hour and then carefully remove from the mould, slice and garnish with whipped cream.  

I was sitting around thinking about enchiladas one day when it hit me!  What could make this Mexican favorite even better?  Indian flavors!  This is a gorgeous blend of Mexican and Indian.  It is amazingly delicious.  Make it.  Eat it.  You will be glad you did.  Charlie and I both freaked out and didn't share this one with anyone...

Ingredients:
Sauce-
1 cup coconut mylk
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (or to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Chiladas-
3/4 cup black lentils, sprouted and cooked
1/2 medium diced red onion
4 ounces baby spinach
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, crushed and left for fifteen minutes (increases healthful properties)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
white pepper to taste
10 fresh corn tortillas, 6"

Directions:
Mix all Sauce ingredients in a blender until it is smooth.  Transfer to a sauce pan and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes, uncovered, over medium heat.  Saute red onion for 3 minutes over high heat, then add garlic and tomatoes and reduce heat to medium.  Cook for another four minutes or until the tomatoes are just starting to wrinkle.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, cook for another few minutes until the spinach is wilted.  Transfer mixture to a bowl.  Pour the sauce into a large bowl.  Heat the tortillas (oven, toaster, stove top - your choice) so that they are soft and pliable.  Dip each tortilla in the sauce, then spoon a 1/4 cup of the lentil filling into the tortilla, so that the filling is in one straight line.  Roll the tortilla up around the filling and then place it seam side down in an 8" x  8" baking dish.  Place the tortillas side by side until the baking dish is full.  Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Serve with a fresh green salad and a side of lightly steamed broccoli for the best meal you've ever had.  Or, at least, the best meal I've ever had.  

Strawberry shortcake is an amazing dessert - sweet and satisfying, a celebration of gorgeous berries, but not too heavy.  I often make a double batch because it is so good for breakfast, too.  

Ingredients:
Dry
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch or coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet
1 3/4 cup purified water
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tablespoons flax meal
3 teaspoons vanilla
15 drops liquid stevia

Whipped Cream
1 cup coconut cream (the thick white cream that floats to the top of coconut mylk)
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground chia seeds
10 drops liquid stevia

1 pint strawberries

Directions:
Refrigerate coconut cream in a metal or glass bowl for at least a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Combine all wet ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Let sit 15 minutes to thicken.  Combine wet and dry ingredients until you have a uniform batter.  Bake in muffin tins (I prefer silicone to avoid extra oils) for 20 minutes.  Let cool before eating, they will firm up a little on the inside as they cool.  Combine Whipped Cream ingredients in chilled bowl and beat with a hand mixer for several minutes, until it starts to thicken and expand.  Slice strawberries.  To assemble the cakes, layer one cake with strawberries and Whipped Cream and eat immediately!

Makes 10 large cakes

Sometimes simplicity is the key.  I woke up a few days ago and had three events to go to - and all three were potlucks.  I had a few bags of broccoli crackers, but I wanted to bring something to eat with them.  I had some zucchini and some carrots and went from there, and it was so popular that I had to promise to post the recipe when I got home - so here it is.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup raw cashew pieces 
2 1/2 Tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 Tablespoon Cajun seasonings
1 teaspoon cumin
sea salt to taste


Directions:
Process the cashews alone in a food processor with an S-blade.  When they are buttery and smooth, add the remaining ingredients and process into a uniform consistency.  Enjoy with crackers, crudites or on sandwiches.


Makes about 6 cups