Image: Johanna Best

Guaca/Cacaomole!
Serves one, maybe two, depending on if you are as greedy as we are!

Guacamole – Basic recipe:

1 large avocado
1 small clove garlic, crushed
¾ tablespoon lemon or lime juice, or to taste
salt and black pepper, to taste

Very yummy additions:

I add all of these, but feel to pick and choose and will!

1 small tomato, diced
Sprig of parsley or coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds – mineral and protein rich with a yummy crunch!
2 sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in water, if not stored in oil), chopped
fresh or dried chili, to taste
4 olives, stones removed, and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed (or ½ teaspoon ground coriander)

Make mine a Cacaomole!

Add 1.5 teaspoons cacao powder

Superlove, me baby!

For a super-dooper nutritional boost, add any, or all of the following, which you will find in on-line raw food shops.

½ teaspoon purple corn – high in antioxidants
½ teaspoon reishi mushroom powder – great for the immune system
1 tablespoon goji berries – high in vitamin c, contains B vitamins, and all of the essential amino acids
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes – high in B vitamins, also adds yummy savoury taste. (Not raw. Folks in Sweden can buy this online from Goodstore or at their store in Stockholm.)

How to make it

Mash the avocado with a fork, and stir in the remaining ingredients. If you are making a large batch of this, you can whizz up the avocados in a food processor, but stir in the extras by hand to maintain the contrast in texture.

Divine served in a nori roll with strips of cucumber, carrot, red bell pepper, apple and some green leaves and sprouts e.g. alfalfa or sunflower sprouts.

Or, you can serve as a dip with yummy raw veggies.

And, of course, you can serve with Mexican food!

Recipe and Image by Johanna Best

www.miss-best.com

Miss Best's Raw Chocolate Brownie!

Miss Best’s Raw Chocolate Brownie
Serves 4

(Note: this brownie tastes even better when left in the fridge for a day, so do feel free to make it in advance!)

1 cup brazil nuts
1 cup dates
1/3 cup raisins
¼ cup goji berries
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 tablespoon water
Small pinch of salt
pinch of vanilla powder or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

optional: 2 tablespoons dried coconut

Frosting

1 large avocado
3 tablespoons cacao powder
2 tablespoons agave (or maple) syrup
zest from one organic orange
pinch of chili powder (optional)

Start by making the brownie. Pop the nuts in the food processor and give them a whizz to make them into a course crumb. Add the dates and process to combine. Now add the raisins, goji berries, cacao, water, salt, and vanilla and process until you get a nice ‘dough’.

Take a plate and sprinkle the bottom with the dried coconut (optional). Shape the brownie dough into a 10 cm x 10 cm square (approx 4 inch x 4 inch).

Now, here’s the thing about the frosting. The amounts I have given above makes twice the frosting you need. This is because I find that if I halve the recipe there isn’t enough to blend properly in the food processor.

So this is what I suggest:

Either:

Use the above amounts, use just half of the frosting, and chill the remainder. It then gives you one portion of delicious chocolate pudding, which is heavenly eaten on its own, or mixed with chopped bananas and coconut chips.

Or

Use half the amount (1 small avocado (or 1/2 large), 1.5 tablespoons cacao, 1 tablespoon agave syrup and the zest from half an orange) and use a hand held blender.

Which option do I use? The one with the bonus serving of chocolate pudding of course!

So, blend all the frosting ingredients together and smooth on to the brownie. All done! Enjoy!

Like this recipe? You can find 43 more here!

Loving Life – Loving Desserts

43 delicious, but secretly healthy, recipes to make you smile

by Johanna Best.   www.miss-best.com