Veg Vivaciously: Nutiva

9/26/2011

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Vegan Coconut Pie

Vegan Coconut Pie

I am absolutely cocoNUTs about Nutiva products. I realized after making this pie, exactly how cocoNUTs I am. They really are the ones that got me embracing coconut oil and all the things you can do with it.

After using the oil in smoothies and various other un-cooking plant based dishes, I decided to actually try baking with it. Then after deciding that I wanted to kick it up a notch and make a coconut pie!

I realized after baking this pie, I hadn't used my stove in about nine months! Funny how time flies when you're having Un-Cooking fun! Luckily for me... my stove still worked!

Anywho...I created this vegan coconut pie. Hope you enjoy it!

Pie Filling

1 pack silken firm tofu

2 tbsp coconut manna

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup coconut milk

2-3 teaspoons organic vanilla extract (non-alcoholic)
½ cup coconut nectar

¼ cup tbsp sugar in the raw/turminado sugar

2 cups raw coconut flakes (unsweetened)

Pie shell

1 cup raw pecans (pre-soaked)

2 tbsp sugar in the raw/turminado sugar

2 tbsp coconut nectar

2 tbsp coconut flour

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger powder

Please Note: (a) Pie shell ingredients for the bottom. Please double the entire pie shell ingredients for a shell that covers the bottom and goes up on the sides. (b) Pie shell tastes like a gingerbread cookie. It really compliments the overall pie taste. If you don't want that "gingerbread" flavor, then simply exclude the ginger powder.

MAKING THE PIE SHELL


Ginger Pecan Pie Shell

Take the pecans and put in the food process. Process until all the pecans are crumbly. Add the other dry ingredients, then the wet ingredients. Making sure its processed well. Should look crumbly like a graham cracker crust before its patted down.

Take all the ingredients and place it on the bottom of your pie dish. Pat down firmly until its evenly flat. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes in the oven.

Take out after 10 minutes and let it cool before adding your pie crust. (It will cool while making your pie filling *wink*)

Please Note: I like a thicker crust on the bottom. So I did not go up on the sides of the pie shell pan.

MAKING THE PIE FILLING


Pie Filling

Take all of the ingredients for the pie filling and put them in your blender and blend until its smooth and creamy. Then pour it on top of your cooled pie shell.

Optional: Sprinkle a little coconut flakes on top.

Ready for the oven!

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes in the oven.

Please Note: Pie will NOT be completely done! It will still be a bit custardish. Don't worry, this will solidify in the refrigerator.

Take out of oven to cool. Then place it in the refrigerator to sit and settle for at least 2 hours before diving into it!

Enjoy!

This was after an hour of refrigeration. I couldn't wait for it to set completely. *smile*

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9/11/2011

VIVACIOUS SKIN: My Two Biggest Beauty Secrets (Shhhh!)

I get compliments all the time on my skin. People usually say I look about 10-15 years younger than I actually am. When I let them know my age, they typically want to know my beauty regime. It's a shame to say that I don't have a complex one. I don't have 4-7 different cleansing aids for my face and body. My bathroom isn't cluttered with all of that mess either! Well...at least not anymore.

I have a simple regime that I want to share with everyone. I use the same soap on my face as I do my entire body. It's interesting how mainstream society will have one to think that because your face is "sensitive" you need a special blend of harsh chemical components to clean and tone your skin. I get a chuckle every time I think about that, because it just doesn't make any sense. Let's think about this for a moment, taking a look at children. Parents use the same soap all over their child's face and body. The skin is its most sensitive and pure in our youth, why has this changed simply because we've aged?

It hasn't! Yes, we age and our skin is reflective of our aging process. More goes into our skin than just the topical. We have to take as much care about what we put into our bodies, as we take the care for what we put on our bodies. By drinking water and eating a healthy balanced diet, your skin will automatically exude vivaciousness. Mainstream society has us thinking that we can use "insert brands here" to stop the aging process, reverse it, dye our skin color (ooops I mean even and tone our skin), and all of that is supposed to leave our skin looking vibrant and with a "glow"?

I'm here to tell you that glow is temporary, because many of those products literally burn the outer layer of your facial skin off. So of course revealing that second layer of skin will look "brand new". Well...because it is. While it's true, our face is sensitive, mainly because there are thinner layers of skin on our face than the rest of our body, it simply means the face needs less attention than the rest. Meaning, your face needs less chemicals on it, not more.

MY REGIME

I wash my face, as I do my entire body, with a castile (a vegetable base) soap. My preferred brand of castile based soap is Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. Aside from the fact that they are castile based, they are filled with a combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils, creates a unique soap that cleans effectively without being aggressive and produces a velvety-lather that leaves the skin silky-smooth and refreshed. As if all of this just isn't enough...it's a fair trade product! This makes me a customer for life!

I've been using Dr. Bronner's for quite some time now. I use it on my face, body and hair! (I'll blog about my Dr. Bronner's hair regime on a later date.) I love the mixture of oils that leave my skin feeling squeeky clean and moisturized. You would think with all of the oil components that's in it, it would leave your skin really oily, but it doesn't. It cleans deep beyond the surface removing excessive dirt and since using it, I notice that I only have to do a deep exfoliating treatment once a week or two. (Don't worry, I'll also blog on my home-made exfoliant on a later date.)

After washing, I pat my face and body dry and I simply put on organic extra virgin coconut oil. This is my main moisturizing regime. Even when I make home-made lotions, oils and body butters I use organic extra virgin coconut oil as a base. The same coconut oil that I cook with, is the same coconut oil that I put on my face, body and hair. There are many brands of coconut oil out there, I've never tried any other brand other than the Nutiva brand. It really compliments the Dr. Bronner's soaps, I believe, and leaves my skin with a glow. I don't wear make-up and I never look dull or lifeless. I look happy, even when I'm not smiling, because my skin is vibrant and I even have that "pregnant woman's glow" that we ladies all long for.

For easier accessibility I simply pour the organic extra virgin coconut oil into little 3oz bottles, this way its easy to use. And if it solidifies, I run it under warm water for a minute to liquify it, then I put the oil on my face and body. And voila! You now have vivacious skin that's healthy and glowing, not just on your face, but also your arms, abs, legs...really your entire body is rejuvenated. Believe it or not your face isn't the only body part that glows. It like it illuminates your entire body! So give it a try.