BY SUSAN JANE WHITE

WTF Brownies

MAKES 25 BROWNIES

Raw, pink, vegan brownies with added probiotics.

#WTAF

2 cups walnuts
1 tsp. probiotic powder
12 Medjool dates, stones removed
6–8 Tbsp. cacao or cocoa powder
Pinch of sea salt flakes
2 Tbsp. beetroot powder, to dust (optional)

Using a food processor, pulse the walnuts and probiotic powder until they are crumbly. While the motor is still running, add the Medjool dates down the food processor chute, one by one. It’s important to remove the stones first and to check for black dust. If you find that dreaded powdery black stuff, stop the motor. Discard the defective date and any date it happened to socialize with, then wash your hands thoroughly and proceed as usual. (Black dust is a sign of plant mold. Guh!) When all the dates have been added, spoon in the cacao or cocoa powder. A generous pinch of sea salt flakes is all that’s required now. Give it one last blast in the food processor. Pinch the brownie “dough” together with your fingertips. If it sticks, you’re ready to foxtrot.

Scoop into a lined loaf pan. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon and freeze. After 1–4 hours, remove from the freezer and chop into bite-size brownies. Return to the freezer in an airtight container. This is where they will live until beckoned. The idea is to eat them straight from frozen. You’ll soon understand why. I tell my children they are ice cream brownies and dust them with beetroot powder for their Barbie-loving friends.

Lemon Shizzle Cake

SERVES 16

This sticky citrus cake is practically belching with age-defying vitamins like E, C, and plant-based calcium. Its fantastical glow comes from a spice called turmeric, also known as poor man’s saffron. Turmeric delivers a cargo of anti-inflammatory artillery for squeaky bones and damaged skin. Think of it as Botox baking.

3 cups ground almonds
4 eggs
Zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon
6 Tbsp. coconut oil
Up to 3 Tbsp. light agave or honey
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. unrefined salt

Drizzle:
Juice of 1 lemon
About 2 Tbsp. light agave or raw honey

Preheat the oven to 340°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch brownie pan with parchment paper. Blend everything in a food processor or electric blender. That’s it! Pour into your prepped pan and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, removing it from the oven before it browns. Leave to cool in the pan. Now for the shizzle. Gently warm the lemon juice with the agave or honey in a small saucepan. Taste test. Add more sweetener if it seems alarmingly tart. Remove from heat and immediately pour over your cake. A few piercings from a fork will help. Admire your brilliance.

Anti-Aging Chocolate Mousse

SERVES 4

What happens as we age? We’re not as quick to solve problems, while multitasking can seem as torturous as understanding string theory. That’s because our cognitive ability begins to decrease. We’re inclined to get more stressed and snappy as our concentration levels lapse. Our bones thin. Our arteries narrow. Our bodies creak. Our broad mind and narrow waist begin to change places. Gah!

Is aging inescapable? Yes, but we can certainly change the speed at which we age. Surely that’s a thrilling concept? New genetic research claims that human beings may one day have a lifespan of 400 years. Embryologist Lewis Wolpert says this is because normal genes do not promote aging, and no one dies of the condition “old age.” Rather, complications arise that make recovery trickier in an increasingly frail body. But what if we could optimize our well-being? Nurture our vitality? Offer stronger, robust genes to generations to come?

So are we programmed to age? Or is it that our body’s repair mechanism just packs up? This difference could be crucial to genetic scientists. And, of course, to you.

How can we improve our chances of having a healthy old age? If we nourish our cells, our cells will nourish us. Let me help you do exactly that. Play around with flavors in this recipe: fresh ginger, chai spices, matcha green tea powder, lavender, baobab, lúcuma, acai, mandarin oil, black pepper, and sea salt. Give it your signature.

2 ripe avocados, pits and skin removed
6 Tbsp. cacao powder
4 Tbsp. maple syrup or coconut nectar
3 Tbsp. nut butter
Pinch of sea salt
½ tsp. real vanilla extract (optional)
Seeds from ¼ pomegranate, to decorate
Coconut pouring cream, to serve

Pulse all the ingredients (except the pomegranate seeds and coconut pouring cream) together with a handheld blender. It’s best to let it chill for 30 minutes before you wolf it down, but excitement may override your sensibilities. No shame in that. Dish the mousse into glass tumblers and top with the antioxidant-rich pomegranate seeds. Really fabulous served with coconut pouring cream—just use coconut milk in place of the creamed coconut in the recipe for homemade coconut milk yogurt. This mousse is a great recipe to make ahead of time for a dinner party, even up to three days in advance, as long as no one else knows where it’s stored. You can also use it as a breakfast straight from the fridge. Not so great as a face mask.

From The Virtuous Tart by Susan Jane White, © 2015 by Susan Jane White. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications. RoostBooks.com • SusanJaneWhite.com