When I made these Raw Chewy Oat Apple Cookies I knew I had a winner. If the Husband chooses to eat a raw cookie, actually chooses instead of just acquiescing to a slightly forceful request to be a taste tester, then I know they’ve made it!

I usually play with cookie recipes after making almond milk because I can’t stand to throw the pulp away. I’ve found that almond pulp works well in most cookies as long as there is plenty of moisture from other ingredients. Do you remember my first raw cookie attempt? The dry Sahara Desert Cookies originally called Raw Banana Snickerdoodles reposted with a plea for help! They were kind of amazingly awful.

These cookies are good. And they’re soft and chewy in the middle as long as you keep an eye on them in the last few hours of dehydrating. They aren’t overly sweet. All sweetness comes from the dates and apples. If you’re making these for children, you may want to add a tablespoon of raw coconut sugar, maple syrup, or honey for non-vegans to increase the crowd appeal.

I love when raw cookies even look like cookies. Want one?

This recipe may seem complicated at first, only because of soaking the oat groats. Raw oats are very tough and need to be soaked and rinsed to break down the starch. They need to continue soaking for up to 48 hours to be digestible in their raw form. So plan on making these cookies 2 days after the soaking begins.

Raw Chewy Oat Apple Cookies

by Heather

Ingredients:

• 1 c. oat groats, soaked for 48 hours, rinsed, and drained (divided)
• 1/2 c. almonds
• 1 c. almond pulp leftover from making almond milk
• 3 scoops vegan protein powder (I use Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein)
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 
• 1/2 – 1 c. almond milk
• 1/2 c. dates, soaked 30 minutes, rinsed, drained, and chopped
• 3 small apples, peeled, cored, and diced

Directions:

1. Soak 1 cup of oat groats in 4 cups of water for 48 hours. Drain, rinse, and replace water every 6-8 hours. Groats will expand so you will end up with more than 1 cup.

2. Pulse 1/2 c. almonds in a food processor until roughly chopped. Set aside in a large bowl.

3. Place 1 cup of the soaked oat groats in a food processor and put the remaining groats in the large bowl with the almonds.

4. Add almond pulp, protein powder, sea salt, and cinnamon to the food processor and mix until creamy. Slowly add almond milk until the batter is wet enough to move freely in the food processor.

***Note, raw foods “baking” is not an exact science. Length of soak time will impact how much almond milk you’ll need to add to the batter.

5. Pour batter into the large bowl with the almonds and remaining oat groats and mix in chopped dates and diced apples by hand.

6. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop dough onto dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate at 118 degrees for 12 hours. Then remove cookies from sheets and place on mesh trays until the bottom crisps up to desired dryness. 2 hours should be plenty. Cookies should have a crispy exterior and a soft center.

Yields 2 dozen cookies

Readers, dish!

• Have you ever made raw cookies?
• How do you use your leftover almond pulp?
• Are you a soaker? A sprouter?

Packing, planning, teaching fitness classes, and making raw foods. That has been my week so far. I’m not complaining. I’ve enjoyed almost every minute of it. (Why is there always a 20 minute line at the Walmart checkout? I’m comforted by the fact that there will be no Walmarts in Manhattan!) As many of you know, I’m in flux right now as I prepare for a move to New York in just a few weeks, but I’m excited to have the time to prepare the best that I can. Thank you so much for your encouraging words through Gluten-Free Cat, email, and Facebook!

Last week’s Raw Foods Thursday was another delicious event, and the theme screamed “Desserts!” Here are a few scrumptious highlights:

Chocolate Brownie Balls by newcomer Christine of The Raw Project. (Please go check out her blog, because her posts are inspiring!)

Maple Pumpkin Seed Cups by Davida of The Healthy Maven (Check out her interview at Around the Plate!)

Rawk Candy Cups by Betty Rawker (You will immediately order a jar of Raw Organic  Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions.)

Watermelon Sherbet by Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily (And a bonus smoothie for those of us who long for an ice cream maker this time of year!)

Pomegranate Macadamia Raw Cheese Cake by Apples and Ginger (This is a testimony to raw foods artistry.)

I’d love to highlight them all as they were just incredible desserts, but you’ll just have to see them all here.

What do you have to share this week?

Here’s how you can participate:

• Simply link up a raw foods recipe (see What is Raw Food?), mention Raw Foods Thursdays, and link back to this post so your readers can join in the fun!
• Please link to the recipe, not to a blog’s home page, so we can all find your raw foods recipe.
• You may link up a recipe that you’ve made in the past. Just make sure to share something different each time you participate.
• Be sure to leave a comment letting us know who you are and what you’re sharing.
• Feel free to use the Raw Foods Thursdays blog badge created by the lovely, talented Heather Peters!

• Plant-based meals that are not cooked.  Dehydrators may be used.  (The raw foods community has differing views on temperature, but the range is between 104 and 118 degrees.) Feel free to link up recipes that use a slightly higher temperature as long as they could be made at 118 with a longer dry time.
• Raw Ingredients: vegetables, fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, gluten-free sprouted grains, beans, and oils.

What isn’t raw?

• Anything cooked or heated above 118.
• Anything processed.  If it comes from a can or a package that lists more than one ingredient, chances are it’s not raw!
• If your recipe contains an ingredient like maple syrup that makes your submission “almost raw”, please share it anyway. Raw sweeteners are easy to substitute.

(And if you haven’t already entered Monday Lovin’ Gluten-Free Cookbook Giveaway #3, you still have a few hours to do so. The giveaway ends at midnight tonight!)

Happy Summer! Well, I know that the calendar doesn’t say that it’s summer yet, but for all students and teachers in the South, school is out! And for us, that’s the definition of summer!

While I was enjoying the 23 submissions to last week’s Raw Foods Thursdays I realized that many of you are ready for summer too. Check out these cool, summery submissions.

This Fresh Fruit Tart on a Chocolate Brownie Crust by Jodi of Purely Nourished caught my attention immediately. What a beautiful creation for the Memorial Day weekend! I’m thinking we all need to bookmark this one for the 4th of July celebration ahead!

Have you made the summer switch to iced coffee yet? Mellow of A Life Unprocessed shared how to make Cold Brewed Coffee for those hot summer days.

How many summer nights do you keep the stove off and just eat cereal? Come on, you can admit it. We all do it! But here’s a cereal that you can feel good about serving your family for dinner. Amber of A Tasty Alternative shared a Raw Apple Cinnamon Cereal that is packed with seeds and appley goodness.

And what could be more summery than a cold wrap filled with spicy flavor? Johnna of In Johnna’s Kitchen submitted these mouthwatering Living Foods Pad Thai Wraps that I’m crazy for!

And it wouldn’t be summer without a Frosty or two? Can you believe Raia’s Chocolate Peppermint Frosty has avocado and spinach in it? Check out Raia’s Recipes for this summertime smoothie and a host of other delicious creations.

This week I’m sharing my Raw Red Velvet Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting.

Now it’s your turn. What do you have to share?

Here’s how you can participate:

• Simply link up a raw foods recipe (see What is Raw Food?), mention Raw Foods Thursdays, and link back to this post so your readers can join in the fun!
• Please link to the recipe, not to a blog’s home page, so we can all find your raw foods recipe.
• You may link up a recipe that you’ve made in the past. Just make sure to share something different each time you participate.
• Be sure to leave a comment letting us know who you are and what you’re sharing.
• Feel free to use the Raw Foods Thursdays blog badge created by the lovely, talented Heather Peters!

What are Raw Foods Meals?

• Plant-based meals that are not cooked.  Dehydrators may be used.  (The raw foods community has differing views on temperature, but the range is between 104 and 118 degrees.) Feel free to link up recipes that use a slightly higher temperature as long as they could be made at 118 with a longer dry time.
• Raw Ingredients: vegetables, fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, gluten-free sprouted grains, beans, and oils.

What isn’t raw?

• Anything cooked or heated above 118.
• Anything processed.  If it comes from a can or a package that lists more than one ingredient, chances are it’s not raw!
• If your recipe contains an ingredient like maple syrup that makes your submission “almost raw”, please share it anyway. Raw sweeteners are easy to substitute.

(And if you haven’t already entered Monday Lovin’ Gluten-Free Cookbook Giveaway #2, you still have a few hours to do so. The giveaway ends at midnight tonight!)

I’m a little giddy about this recipe. Ever since my juice cleanse I’ve been craving beets. I rarely cook beets, but do I love juicing them and shredding them for salads. The beet is such a sweet root that I decided that it would have to make a lovely raw dessert.

I was right.

I came up with this Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

This Red Velvet Cake was so good that I had to call in one of the Raw Foods Potluck Girls for an emergency “I can’t believe this tastes so good” taste test. (If someone texted you with an invitation to taste a raw cake, wouldn’t you come running?)

Plus, cake like this is too good to eat alone.

The cake is a simple combination of beets, apples, cashews, and dates. The creamy frosting is basically whipped cashews and dates. Simple, natural, and so delicious.

Raw Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

by Heather

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 c. cashews, soaked
• 1 c. dates, soaked
• 1 c. dried shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 c. shredded beet (divided)
• 1 c. shredded apples (peeled and cored) – about 2 small apples
• 2 T. coconut oil, softened (Place oil in a measuring cup and put the measuring cup in a bowl of warm water.)
• ¼ tsp. sea  salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 c. cashews, soaked
• 1/3 c. dates, soaked
• 2 T. coconut oil, softened
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• 2-6 T. water

Cake Preparation:

1. Soak 1 cup of cashews and 1 cup of dates in a bowl of filtered water for 30 minutes. (In a separate bowl, soak the cashews and dates for the frosting. See below.)

2. Peel the beets and apples and shred them with a grating blade in the food processor. Set 1 cup of the beets and the apples in a large bowl and add the shredded coconut.

3. Place the other cup of beets in the food processor fitted with the S blade. Drain the soaked cashews and dates and add them to the food processor. Add softened coconut oil, sea salt, and vanilla and process until creamy.

4. Add the cake batter from the food processor to the shredded beets, apples, and shredded coconut and fold together until well incorporated.

5. Press mixture into an 8-Inch springform pan and place in the freezer while you make the frosting.

Frosting Preparation:

1. Soak 1 cup of cashews and 1/3 cup of dates in a bowl of filtered water for 30 minutes.

2. Place drained cashews and dates in a Vitamix or high-powered blender along with the coconut oil, vanilla, and sea salt.

3. Blend until creamy, slowly adding between 2 and 6 tablespoons of water to desired consistency. You will need more or less water depending on the length of time you soaked your cashews and dates.

4. Remove the cake from the 8-Inch springform pan and frost. Sprinkle with a few extra shreds of beet.

5. Serve immediately and freeze leftovers.

Serves 8

Too yummy not to share!

Readers, dish!

• What is your favorite raw dessert?
• Do you have a favorite dessert that you would like to make raw?
• Are you a red velvet cake fan?