YECENIA CURRIE: SWEET & SAVORY LIFE
ON BIG BLEND RADIO: Yecenia Currie talks about plant-based cooking and her new book, “Sweet & Savory Life: Simple Flavor-Filled, Plant-Based Recipes to Nourish Mind, Body, & Spirit.” Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
In a world where the health-conscious and flavor-seekers can unite, each page of Yecenia Currie’s new cookbook is a testament to her unwavering commitment to creating recipes that are filled with nutrition while simultaneously exploding with flavor. Currie’s goal in “Sweet & Savory Life” (March 1, 2024, Trilogy Publishing) is to “amplify plant-based deliciousness” by focusing on recipes that are packed with both nutrition and flavor.
But this cookbook goes beyond just nourishing the body. Currie emphasizes the holistic aspect of nourishment by highlighting how food can also feed the mind and spirit. She has successfully completed a holistic nutrition and culinary training course to further her knowledge of conscious cooking and to incorporate the healing benefits into her recipes. And it’s with this mindfulness of our overall well-being that sets “Sweet & Savory Life” apart from many traditional cookbooks.
From extreme foodies to casual, at-home chefs, readers can shake things up in their kitchens and breathe new life into their daily meals. Whether you’re a seasoned plant-based enthusiast or just beginning to explore the culinary realm, “Sweet & Savory Life” will inspire readers to infuse their cooking with love and intention — and a dash of culinary alchemy.
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE COVERED BROWNIE TRUFFLE BITES
Featured in Yecenia Currie’s new cookbook, “Sweet & Savory Life,” this recipe makes about 14 balls.
Brownie Base
½ cup tahini
½ cup cacao powder, unsweetened
¼ cup coconut flour
1½ tbsp plant-based chocolate protein powder of choice
2 tbsp ground chia seed
2 tsp ground flaxseed
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup almond or coconut milk, unsweetened
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp sea salt
3 tbsp almonds, crushed
Chocolate Glaze
3 tbsp unrefined virgin coconut oil
2 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
Finishing Touches
Cacao nibs
Sea salt flakes
1) Start by gently pulsing the almonds in your food processor until they break into small chunks, then set them aside in a small bowl. Alternatively, you can use a large kitchen knife to roughly chop nuts.
2) Brownie Base: Add all the brownie ingredients, except the almonds, to your food processor. You can also use a hand mixer if you don’t have a food processor. Blend until a ball starts forming, then add the crushed almonds and pulse a few times until fully incorporated.
3) Scoop out tbsp-sized pieces of the brownie base and roll them into individual balls.
4) Place them on a parchment-lined plate and store in the freezer to firm for a few minutes while you make the chocolate glaze.
5) Chocolate Glaze: Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan, then transfer it to a small bowl. Use a fork to blend in the cacao powder first, then add the maple syrup and whisk until creamy and well blended.
6) Dip each ball, one at a time, into the glaze. Then sprinkle a few cacao nibs and sea salt flakes overtop so that they dry in place.
7) Place them in the fridge to set for about 10-15 minutes. Keep chilled until you’re ready to enjoy.
Notes: My go-to chocolate plant-based protein powder is the Collagen Building Protein in Chocolate Fudge by Sunwarrior. I also use the Chocolate Protein Superfood Powder from Anima Mundi Apothecary.
Don’t overdo it with the salt; 2-3 flakes should be plenty. The glaze tends to dry pretty quickly, so I like to set out the cacao nibs and salt flakes like a little topping station beforehand to make it easier to apply before the glaze hardens.
Yecenia Currie has followed a plant-based diet for over 13 years. Her heart for healthy living is modeled by her commitment to honoring her temple and treating it with the utmost care and reverence in order to live a full, vibrant, “Sweet & Savory Life”! Yecenia successfully completed a holistic nutrition and culinary training to further her knowledge and incorporate the healing benefits of conscious cooking. In 2014, she became a certified yoga instructor to deepen her daily practice and help support others on their mind-body wellness journey. She and her husband, Roger, have traveled to over 45 countries to date, and those travels have inspired many of her creations in the kitchen. Yecenia is from Upstate New York and currently resides in Los Angeles. “Sweet & Savory Life” is her first cookbook. For more info, visit https://yeceniacurrie.com/
