Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Month: April 2020

  • Veggie Lentil Soup 

    Veggie Lentil Soup 

    It is so weird to think that 15 years ago I really didn’t eat any lentils, or even know how to prepare them. I now love them and make them at least several times a week, usually in soup form.  Last weekend I felt like a classic lentil soup, not a chili, or a curry just a regular one.  So I made one, because I love lentil soup in any form!  It is one of our better sellers at work, and it is awesome because lentils cook up so much faster than beans.  Plus, I always feel good after eating them, they are filling so you won’t be hungry for a while but not heavy.

    I wanted this soup to have a tomato base, because the tomatoes add so much flavor. If it were summer, I would use fresh tomatoes and roast them first before using them in the soup (try it sometime, sooo good), but since we don’t have them growing here yet (or for a while) right now I used canned.  I used a good amount of lentils of course too, and added plenty of veggies.  Celery, onions and garlic is my favorite flavor base for soups, and that is what I used here.

    This is pretty easy to make, I don’t sautee anything because I prefer to cook my soups without oil  most of the time (plus it eliminates a step and tastes just as good).  I just throw it all into the pot and cook it!  The only thin I threw in later were the yams and potatoes because I didn’t want them to get mushy.  It smelled so good while cooking I could not wait to try it!

    It was so good!  Robust in flavor, and satisfying!  It didn’t matter that it was warmer outside when we ate it. I am one of those weird people that still eats soup in the summer, and ice cream in the winter anyhow.  If you are looking for a new soup for dinner, give this one a try!

    Veggie Lentil Soup 
    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 4 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 2/3 cup French lentils
    • 1 medium yam, cut into cubes
    • 4 medium yukon gold potatoes, cubed
    • about 4 large organic kale leaves, washed and torn into bite sized pieces

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine the water, onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, red pepper, sea salt, and lentils in a pot and bring to a boil.
    2. Lower to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until the lentils have softened somewhat, then add the yams and potatoes, and cook for another 15 minutes more when the veggies are all tender.
    3. Stir in the kale and cook until bright green and slightly softened, about a minute.  Remove from heat and serve!

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Roll Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Roll Cake

    I was craving chocolate cake last week, but I didn’t want a layer cake, so I made a rolled one!  It may sound harder to make a rolled cake, but it is actually easier and faster once you get the hang of it.  Plus you don’t have to frost anything perfectly which is nice sometimes. For this one I made a nice glaze.  I have made a plain chocolate roll cake before, like a giant Ho Ho, but I thought it would be even better with peanut butter mousse filling instead of plain vanilla.  I have been a bit obsessed with the chocolate and PB combo ever since I first had a peanut butter cup.

    For the base, I made my date sweetened chocolate cake. I could have used a sugar sweetened one, but I like the slight caramel flavor the dates give this cake, and the fact that it is nice and moist (but still light) so it rolls up nicely and breaks less. Also, I am a fan of fruit sweetened recipes! Dates are one of my favorite things to use for sweetening, I call them nature’s caramel because when you blend them up, they taste like caramel! The batter for this cake tasted amazing, and I knew it would be even better once baked. It made my cake smell like brownies while it was in the oven!

    Once it had cooled, I made a peanut butter mousse filling for it.  I used a coconut cream base, because it always turns out so velvety smooth, and added a good amount of peanut butter to it. It spread over the cake nicely then I drizzled a bit of peanut butter over that for even more peanut flavor. It rolled nicely, and then I had to make a topping for it so it could be even more pretty. You could just dust it with cacao powder if you wanted it more simple but I went for a ganache.

    Chocolate ganache is one of my all time favorite things, and it is an easy cake topper that looks nice without a lot of effort. I just melted together coconut milk and dark chocolate for this one. The cake turned out lovely and super delicious!  Like peanut butter cup in cake roll form!  If you are a chocolate and peanut butter lover like me, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Roll Cake
    Makes one 15 inch long roll cake

    Ingredients:

    10×15 inch jelly roll pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
    • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Filling:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk or unsweetned coconut cream, such as Thai Kitchen brand chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can thick cream if you are using a milk or it will not work in this recipe)
    • 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter, plus 2 Tbsp for drizzling
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    Ganache:

    • 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
    3. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    4. Place dates, reserved water,  peanut butter, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    5. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes.
    6. Cool cake completely.
    7. To make the filling, combine all ingredients but the additional 2 Tbsp peanut butter (for drizzling) in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
    8. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    9. When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, drizzle the two Tbsp of remaining peanut butter over it randomly, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling.  Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling because the cake will be covered.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before topping with the ganache.  Once it has chilled, cut off the ends to make it nice and even.
    10. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then whisk in the coconut milk until smooth.  Pour over the cake and smooth out over the top and sides (but leaving the pretty ends exposed).
    11. Chill until the ganache has firmed up, and serve!

    *If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).

  • Vegan Poppy Seed Rolls

    Vegan Poppy Seed Rolls

     

    Sweet rolls are for lazy weekend mornings, and days off.  So I decided to make some on my day off last Monday.  I know a lot of you may be feeling like there are a lot more of them lately with everything being shut down, so why not make some sweet rolls?  They always cheer me up. Maybe that is because they were considered a treat when I was little or reserved for special occasions. My Mom would make them on weekends occasionally and I loved it, or we would pick some up on a road trip or enjoy them on a holiday.  They were usually cinnamon rolls, orange coconut rolls, or caramel rolls and I love all of those but sometimes now I like to be creative and make new varieties. 

    Like the poppy seed ones I made last weekend.  Raw Guru recently sent me some of their Dastony poppy seed butter, and I thought it would make the perfect filling for rolls.  I have seen lots of lovely poppy seed bread on social media including swirled varieties, and that is what gave me the idea since it sounded so good. Plus that lovely black swirl would make them really pretty! 

    I used my classic roll dough that is the base for my caramel and cinnamon rolls, and although it uses yeast, it is easy to manage.  It kneads up nicely and rolls nicely.  I love kneading dough because it is a great stress reliever!  Too bad I don’t make bread and yeast recipes as often as I used to.  For the filling I took the poppy seed butter and mixed it with a bit of maple syrup for sweetness plus some whole poppy seeds for a little crunch.  So it was spreadable and crunchy. 

    The rolls baked up beautifully, and when they had cooled a bit from the oven, I added a cream cheese style glaze.  They were sooo good!  Like a poppy seed swirled bread but in sweet roll form!  If you are looking for something delicious and fun to make while you are stuck inside, definitely give these a try! 

    Vegan Poppy Seed Rolls

    Makes 12

    Dough:

    • 1/4 oz active dry yeast
    • 1/2 cup warm water ( 105-110F degrees)
    • 3/4 cup warm coconut milk (I warmed it up on the stove)
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or as needed

     

    Filling:

     

    Glaze:

    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut butter (not oil)
    • 1/4 cup coconut milk or as needed
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the dough, combine the yeast and the warm water (about 110F degrees, you don’t want to kill the yeast) plus a pinch of maple sugar and stir to dissolve. Let sit 5-10 minutes until it starts to foam.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, maple sugar, vanilla extract, salt and flax mixture and mix together to combine.
    3. Add the yeast, and 2 cups of flour and mix to combine.
    4. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix until you have a smooth dough (you may need to use your hands at the end to mix it in).
    5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and supple. If it is too sticky add a little flour but you want to add as little as possible because if you add too much the dough gets tough.
    6. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
    7. When it is ready, turn out onto the counter or a board and roll out into a 9×15 inch rectangle.
    8. Mix together the filling ingredients and spread it evenly over the dough.
    9. Roll it up, then cut the roll into 12 pieces.
    10. Oil an 8×8 inch square baking pan, and place them in the pan.
    11. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
    12. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    13. When the rolls have risen for 45 minutes, place them in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes until starting to brown and cooked through.
    14. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes.
    15. Whisk the glaze ingredients together, adding a little bit more coconut milk if it seems too thick.
    16. Pour the glaze over the rolls, and enjoy!

    These keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

    *If you don’t have poppy seed butter, you can blend 1/2 cup poppy seeds with 1/4 cup raw cashew butter in a blender until combined and poppy seeds are breaking down to substitute for it. 

  • Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

    Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

    We went through a brief snowy cold week in Minnesota, and I didn’t know whether it was winter or spring for a minute.  So I have been wanting to make some desserts and spend a bit of time in the kitchen in my free time instead of just being outside and I also haven’t been quite sure what to make because of the being in between seasons.  I feel like lemon goes for both winter and spring so that is what I have been drawn to flavor wise.  And I have been in a lemon dessert mood lately.  I made a lemon cream pie for Easter, and I decided to make some lemon poppy seed cookies this week. I was always a big fan of lemon poppy seed muffins growing up, or cakes so why not cookies?  I love that tart sweet lemon flavor combined with the nice crunch of the poppy seeds.

    So I thought it would be perfect in some buttery  cookies! For the dough, I used my sugar cookie recipe and tweaked it a bit to add some fragrant lemon flavor in both zest and juice form.  Adding lemon zest to a lemon recipe makes all the difference, trust me.  So much aroma.  Just be sure to use organic lemons that aren’t sprayed.  The dough for these smelled heavenly and tasted even better.

    Eating cookie dough is one of my favorite parts of making cookies.  I have always been this way ever since I was a little kid “helping” my Grandma bake cookies and sneaking dough when she turned her back.  If she caught me she would tell me that I would get a tummy ache if I ate too much, but I never did.  At least there aren’t raw eggs my cookies now because they are vegan!

    They baked up beautifully!  They smelled amazing and I could not wait to try them!  But first I wanted to add a glaze to make them pretty and even more delicious.  I took some Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru and mixed it with a little lemon juice and maple syrup and it was the perfect easy glaze. The cookies were sooo good!  Rich and buttery tasting with plenty of lemon flavor, those crunchy poppy seeds and sweet glaze.  It is the perfect time to get some baking in!

    Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

    Makes 24 cookies
    Ingredients:
    Cookies:
    • 2 Tbsp ground golden flax seed
    • 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 Tbsp lemon zest
    • 1 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar* (or coconut sugar, if you want these more yellow and less brown, you could also use granulated sugar)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/8 tsp turmeric powder (optional for color)
    • 3 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/4 cup poppy seeds

     

    Glaze:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed, filtered water and lemon juice and zest.  Set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
    2. In a large bowl, mix coconut oil with sugar and mix until well combined.
    3. Mix in the vanilla extract and flax mixture until well combined.
    4. Add the baking soda, salt, turmeric then the flour, a cup at a time, mixing between each addition, until well combined.  Mix in the poppy seeds until evenly distributed.
    5. To bake, Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll balls into about 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart.
    6. Place in the oven, and bake for about 15-18 minutes, until puffed and just starting to brown slightly.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.  Repeat with remaining cookies and let cool completely.
    7. To make the glaze, whisk all of the ingredients together (if it seems too thick to drizzle, add a little more lemon juice to it).
    8. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.
    9. Place the cookies in the freezer until the glaze is set.
    10. Enjoy!

     

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pop Tarts

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pop Tarts

        

    I loved Nutella as a kid.  I remember thinking it was pretty awesome that I could have chocolate on toast for breakfast (because it pretty much just tasted like chocolate with not much nut flavor since it is so sugary).  It is pretty much dessert after all.  My Mom wouldn’t let me eat it all the time for that reason, and so it felt like a treat.  I still love the chocolate hazelnut combination and even make my own nutella sometimes, but it is definitely a healthier version with hazelnuts as the first ingredient and not sugar.  

    There are a few vegan nutella brands that I like too, like the Rawmio Chocolate Hazelnut Spread and CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Butter from Raw Guru.   They are delicious just with a spoon or in recipes.  They recently sent me some of the CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and I decided to make some pop tarts with it.  Pop tarts were another thing I loved growing up, and I enjoy making home made ones.  They are way better than the store bought versions ever were, more like mini hand pies because the crust actually tastes good. I thought nutella ones would be heavenly!

    So I made my classic flakey coconut oil pie crust for the outside, and used that hazelnut butter for the filling.  They actually were pretty quick and easy to make, since I already had the hazelnut butter.  But if you would rather make your own instead of using store bought I have included instructions at the bottom for that as well.  Don’t have hazelnut butter?  Use your favorite nut butter, it will still be amazing!  

    These smelled amazing while baking.  Like chocolate pie! I could not wait to try them!  But I let them cool down first, and then added a dark chocolate glaze.  Since pop tarts are just so much better with a glaze.  They were totally heavenly!  My 8 year old self would have loved them!  If you are a nutella fan, give these a try! 

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pop Tarts

    Makes 8

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup coconut oil in its solid state
    • about 6-7 Tbsp cold water (or as needed)

     

    Filling:

     

    Glaze:

    • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    2. Roll out into a large rectangle and cut into 16 identical rectangles.  Chill if too soft before assembling.  You want the dough a little pliable, but not so warm that it will break. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Put the dough in the refrigerator for a few minutes if it seems too soft. 
    3. To assemble the pop tarts, spread about 2 Tbsp of the hazelnut butter on half of the dough rectangles (leaving a boarder so you can attach the dough at the sides). Cover with the remaining pieces of dough (I used a small spatula to carefully move them), pressing the edges and crimping with a fork or the edge of something with a flat edge, like a spatula. Bake for about 30 minutes until the crusts are starting to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack until warm.
    4. Melt the dark chocolate for the glaze in the top of a double boiler. Spoon some of the dark chocolate over each pop tart, and smooth it out to cover the top. Let harden before serving.

     

    *If you would prefer to make your own filling, you can mix together 1 cup hazelnut butter with 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/4 cup maple syrup (or to taste) and 1/4 tsp sea salt.

     

  • Vegan Black Sesame Maple Ice Cream

    Vegan Black Sesame Maple Ice Cream

    I am a big tahini lover, I like to keep some on hand at all times for recipes both sweet and savory, or just for drizzling over things and snacking on.  We have a giant tub of it in the deli I work in for making things like hummus, and one time my coworker stated that he hated plain tahini, so I proceeded to get a spoon and eat a giant spoonful of it.  Yum, tastes good to me!  I said.  It is after all kind of like peanut butter with a less dominant flavor.  I know some brands can have a little bit of a bitter aftertaste, but even if they do I have come to love tahini of all kinds.  One of my favorite brands is Dastony Tahini from Raw Guru.

    It is the smoothest tahini I have ever tried.  Their regular tahini is really good, but they recently sent me some of their black sesame tahini and it is beautiful! I have used it to make cookies before and they were sooo good.  So I thought, why not try making a black sesame ice cream with it?  I like things like halva which is pretty much straight sweetened sesame, so why not in ice cream with a bit of coconut cream for the base mixed with the tahini then sweetened?  I also added a little maple to it, because I thought it would be a great combo.

    This was a super simple recipe to make which is always awesome as far as I am concerned.  That is if you have an ice cream maker.  If not you can still make it but it is a little more hands on, because it involves whisking it every so often in the freezer. To make the base though, you just blend everything up, pour it into the ice cream maker, and that’s it besides just pouring it into the container.  It comes out like a nice soft serve but if you want it more scoopable, you just need to let it sit a few hours.

    It turned out so good!  The ice cream was silky smooth rich and creamy with a light tahini flavor and a hint of sweet maple!  It had a beautiful color as well thanks to the black tahini!  If you have tahini on hand, and you are in the mood for some ice cream (we are approaching that season), give this a try!  If you don’t have black tahini, you can use regular tahini as well, it just won’t be this color.

    Vegan Black Sesame Maple Ice Cream  
    Makes about 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup (or to taste)
    • ½ cup Dastony black sesame tahini
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions.
    3. Once the ice cream has finished churning, pour it into a freezer safe container with a lid.
    4. Place the lid on, place in the freezer and freeze for about 4 hours or until firm enough to scoop. Enjoy!

     

    *Note, if you do not have an ice cream maker you may also freeze it this way. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer. Whisk once every half hour until it has frozen to the consistency of soft serve. Then continue to pour into your freezer safe container as the above directions state.

    *If your ice cream gets hard after freezing, let sit out about 15-20 minutes before scooping.

  • Vegan Lemon Cream Pie

    Vegan Lemon Cream Pie

        

    I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!  Saturday we had beautiful warm weather here, but for Easter Sunday it was snowing and just pretty slushy and cold which was a bit weird, but it didn’t stop me from getting outside for a walk with Eric in the afternoon. It was a bit weird watching the Easter Sunday church service on TV but still nice to spend time with those closest to me.  We made a simple Easter dinner with maple dijon glazed smoked tempeh, vegan cheesy potato casserole, a green salad with blackberries and pine nuts, a lemon carrot salad, and my banana caramel rolls and it was all really good! I haven’t had an Easter meal at home with my family in years, so I enjoyed it very much!  For dessert (which we had later because we were all pretty full), I made this vegan lemon cream pie!  

    I just love lemon desserts in the spring and so I figured it would be perfect for Easter this year.  I have always liked lemon meringue pie, but I prefer a cream on top of my pie to meringue so I made a coconut cream topping instead.  Also I did this because I feel like the cream keeps nicer for a few days and I made this in advance.  For the crust, I made my classic pie crust with coconut oil because it always turns out well. You have to blind bake it with weights so it gets nice and crispy since the filling doesn’t bake in there long, but it is worth that extra effort. 

    The filling is pretty easy to make, you make it on the stove, then pour it into the crust and bake it for a short time.  It has plenty of tart lemon flavor which is super important to me when it comes to lemon desserts. I don’t like it when they are too sweet, I want to be able to taste that tart lemon but still have it be balanced.  I feel like I achieved the perfect balance this time!  Once it was all cooled, it was time for the cream!

    Coconut cream is my topping of choice for most of my pies, because it is simple and easy to make and so rich and delicious!  The sweet creamy topping is the perfect pairing for the tart lemon filling and buttery crust!  My family and I loved this pie, and I hope you do too!  Why not give it a try this spring if you have lemons on hand!  I hope you all have a wonderful week!

    Vegan Lemon Cream Pie

    makes one 8 inch pie

    Crust:

    • 1 1/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 3 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut oil in its solid state
    • about 3-6 Tbsp cold water

     

      Filling:

    • 3/4 cup lemon juice
    • 2 Tbsp lemon zest
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cup cornstarch
    • 1 3/4 cup (one 15 oz can) full fat organic coconut milk* or canned unsweetened coconut cream
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric (for color, optional)
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    •  

    Cream Topping:

     

      Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a 10 inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer it to an 8 inch pie dish.  Flute the edges, and set aside in the refrigerator until solid.
    2. Pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees. Place foil inside the pie crust, and weight down with pie weights or dried beans.  Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven.
    3. Meanwhile, for the filling, combine all ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook until thickened. Remove from heat, and pour into the prepared pie crust. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled.
    4. To make the cream topping, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until it is thick like whipped cream (whisking every so often), about 20-30 minutes.
    5. Once the cream is ready, spread over the top of the pie, and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

     

    Pie keeps up to 1 week in the refrigerator, covered or in a container.

    *If you wanted to make the crust gluten free, you could swap Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour for the whole wheat pastry. I have tried this brand and know it will turn out well.

    *For the coconut milk, you want the kind that is 3/4 full of cream in the can, or it will not work and turn out runny, I used Thai Kitchen full fat milk, but their unsweetened canned coconut cream would work as well.

  • Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    I don’t know why everyone throws all of their broccoli stems away and just keeps the flowrettes, honestly the stems are the most delicious sweet part of the broccoli in my opinion!  So, when I was making a big broccoli salad the other day at work and had a lot of stalks bound for the trash, I decided to save a few and make a broccoli slaw.  I mean, you could pay a lot more for a bag of broccoli slaw mix at the store (essentially just shredded stems with carrots), so why not make your own from stalks?!  I had made a broccoli apple almond slaw years ago on this blog and decided it was time for an update as well.  Not because it was bad as it was, but because I wanted to take new photos.

    This salad is sooo good, and so easy to make!  The most time consuming part is just cutting the broccoli julienne.  I sit and chop veggies all day though, so it isn’t a big deal to me.  But if you are not good with a knife and don’t feel like cutting the broccoli julienne, you are welcome to shred it instead, it will still be delicious in this salad. I combined it with a sweet honeycrisp apple, my go to apple for salads because it is so flavorful, as well as some sweet raisins and almonds.

    The dressing had to be delicious as well. Since the salad already had almonds in it, I figured I would make a creamy almond butter dressing for it. Honestly nut butter based dressings are my favorite and the ones I use most often. They are oil free, good for you and they only take a minute to whip up.  I keep some in the refrigerator at all times, usually it is a walnut pumpkin seed butter base, but almond butter is used often for dressing in my house too.  This one I wanted to be sweet and tangy.

    The salad turned out sooo good!  This would be the perfect thing to make for a side dish, or for lunches to bring to work (when everyone goes back to work, or maybe you are still working during this whole coronavirus thing like me).  It is crunchy, the broccoli and apples are sweet, the almonds add a nice crunch, and that silky tangy dressing is perfect on it!  Give this a try next time you have some leftover broccoli stalks on hand (or if you don’t just have stalks, chopped broccoli would work as well, just use about 4 cups).

    Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    Serves 6-8

    Ingredients:

    Salad:

    • 6 broccoli stalks, peeled and cut julienne (or shredded with a larger setting on a grater)
    • 1 large tart sweet apple, such as honeycrisp, cut julienne (or shredded with a larger setting on a grater)
    • 1/2 cup raisins
    • 1/2 cup chopped almonds

     

    Dressing:

    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a bowl, combine the broccoli stalks, apple, raisins, and almonds.
    2. Whisk together the dressing in another bowl (if it seems too thick, since almond butter varies in thickness, add a little more water).
    3. Toss the dressing with the salad, and serve!
  • Vegan Banana Caramel Rolls

    Vegan Banana Caramel Rolls

    Easter is coming up next weekend, and although it will be a little different this year, me and my family will still be enjoying good food.  Honestly, most years we go out to dinner for Easter, so it will be nice to make some of the traditional things I enjoyed growing up and share with my family.  It has been quite a few years since we cooked for ourselves and enjoyed a meal at home. Growing up, my Mom always hosted Easter, and it will be like old times, except with only 3 people instead of 10.  We are making a veganized version of cheesy potatoes I loved growing up, and I am going to make some maple dijon glazed tempeh instead of the ham we used to have, and a couple of flavorful salads.  Plus, we need some sweet rolls, because those were one of the other favorites we always had.

    So, last weekend I baked some vegan banana caramel rolls, and I am going to freeze some for us to enjoy next weekend (since I won’t have time to make them then). I am still working (I work in a grocery store deli), so even with all of the shut downs it doesn’t mean I have tons of extra time. Caramel rolls were one of my favorite things that were served with the Easter meal and my veganized version is just as good! 

    This time I decided to make banana, because banana and caramel go so well together, and also the banana gives them a nice soft texture and a little sweetness. For the dough I used my whole wheat pastry flour as the base, with banana and coconut milk to give it a nice soft texture.  I usually use a flax egg too, but the banana worked just fine to make them tender.  The dough is soft and kneads up nicely.  I find it kind of stress relieving to knead out dough!  I spread a date caramel on the inside so these would be nice and sweet, and still just as delicious as the original but a bit healthier.

    They baked up beautifully, and smelled amazing while baking!  I spread more caramel over them after they baked and could not wait to try one!  These are sooo good warm from the oven!  If you are a caramel roll fan, definitely give them a try!  They would be perfect for your Easter brunch too!

    Vegan Banana Caramel Rolls

    Makes 12

    Dough:

    • 1/4 oz active dry yeast
    • 1/2 cup warm water ( 105-110F degrees)
    • 1/2 cup warm coconut milk (I warmed it up on the stove)
    • 3/4 cup mashed banana
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 3 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or as needed

     

    Caramel Filling/Topping:

    • 1 1/2 cups soft, pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water 30  minutes and drain well before using)
    • 3/4 cup pecan butter (raw cashew butter or almond butter would also work if you don’t have pecan)
    • 1/2 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the dough, combine the yeast and the warm water plus a pinch of maple sugar and stir to dissolve. Let sit 5-10 minutes until it starts to foam.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, banana, maple sugar, vanilla extract, salt and mix together to combine.
    3. Add the yeast, and 2 cups of flour and mix to combine.
    4. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour and mix until you have a smooth dough (you may need to use your hands at the end to mix it in).
    5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and supple. If it is too sticky add a little more flour but you want to add as little as possible because if you add too much the dough gets tough.
    6. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
    7. Meanwhile to make the caramel, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth (if it is too thick, add a touch more water, you want it spreadable at this point, but will add more liquid later for topping the rolls with half the mixture).
    8. When it is ready, turn out onto the counter or a board and roll out into a 9 x 15 inch rectangle.
    9. Spread about half the caramel evenly over the dough.
    10. Roll it up, then cut the roll into 12 pieces.
    11. Oil an 8×8 inch square baking pan, and place them in the pan.
    12. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
    13. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    14. When the rolls have risen for 45 minutes, place them in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes until starting to brown and cooked through.
    15. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes.
    16. Whisk a little more maple syrup or water into the remaining caramel if it seems too thick to pour over the rolls.
    17. Pour the caramel over the rolls, sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and enjoy!

    These keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

  • Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

    Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

    About 10 years ago, there was a really good local upscale restaurant (that has sadly since closed) that my Mom and I would visit often, and they had amazing banana cream pie.  I can’t say that I had eaten much banana cream pie before I had it there, but after I had tried it, I ended up making my own at home quite a few times because I craved it and it was so good!  I love recreating things I try when I am at restaurants.  It has been ages since I made a banana cream pie though, I don’t think I have made one in 2 years.  So I figured it was about time!  Last week I made a chocolate banana cream pie!

    I had bought a whole bunch of bananas, but wasn’t feeling like just eating them by themselves and they were getting perfectly ripe, so it was perfect!  Also, my Mom’s birthday was last weekend and since she enjoyed that other banana pie so much, I thought this one would be good to share with her! She is not really a cake person, so I don’t usually bake a cake for her birthdays, usually a pie.  I knew this one was going to be good!

    I thought about making a baked crust, but I wanted a chocolate crust, and not one made from cookies so I made a no bake press in crust instead and it worked out great plus was much easier to make.  For the filling, I used plenty of bananas with cashew butter and coconut butter to create a creamy dreamy texture.  It tasted amazing too!  Like chocolate banana ice cream.  Maybe I just think that because I am a fan of nice cream (banana based ice cream) and I used to make that often, but it is so good!

    I added in a layer of bananas, then topped it off with plenty of vanilla coconut whipped cream!  That is one thing I have to have on my banana cream pie is coconut whipped cream piled high!  The pie was sooo heavenly!  That chocolate in the filling made it even better than just an original banana cream pie, and it was so rich and delicious you would never guess it was vegan and gluten free!  If you are a banana cream pie person, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
    Makes one 8 inch pie

    one 8 inch pie pan, or removable bottom tart pan

    Ingredients:

    crust:

    • 1 cup finely shredded dried coconut
    • 1 cup gluten free organic rolled oats (or additional coconut)
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup soft medjool dates, pitted (soaked in water 30 minutes and drained well if not soft)
    • 1 Tbsp raw cashew butter

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup mashed organic banana
    • 2 Tbsp raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter (not oil), warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 organic bananas sliced

     

    Topping:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk (the kind that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work in this recipe, I used Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 2/3 cup coconut butter (not oil), warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp raw cashew butter

     

    For garnish:

    • Chopped vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

     

    1. To make the crust, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until finely chopped and starting to hold together.  Press the mixture into the 8 inch pie pan or 8 inch removable bottom tart oiled with coconut oil.  Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
    2. For the filling, combine all ingredients except the 2 sliced bananas in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into the prepared crust, and top with the banana sliced in an even layer. Place in the freezer while you prepare the cream topping.
    3. To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Then place in the freezer, whisking every so often until it reaches the consistency of thick cream.
    4. Spread the whipped cream over the pie and place in the refrigerator to set for about 30 minutes.
    5. Garnish the top of the pie with vegan dark chocolate.
    6. Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator.

     

     

     

  • Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Eggs

    Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Eggs

       

    I loved Easter candy as a kid.  Those pastel wrappers and fun varieties of candy I couldn’t get the rest of the year, I loved opening up my Easter eggs from the hunt and finding out what was in them.  One of the Easter candies I got most excited for were the raspberry cream eggs. They were larger than the fun sized candy, and that filling was so good.  Kind of like raspberry marshmallows but better. So now I like to make my own home made veganized version that is probably healthier than the ones I ate as a kid.  It is the perfect time, since we are all spending a bit more time at home due to the Coronavirus quarantine.

    These are fun to make too!  For the filling I made it a white chocolate raspberry filling.  The white chocolate truffle filling being a combination of Raw Guru cacao butter and Dastony coconut butter and cashew butter.  This is what I use for my white chocolate usually in combination with a bit of vanilla and maple syrup to sweeten. For the raspberries I used freeze dried ones.  You may be asking why not fresh?  Well, they are spendy this time of the year, especially in Minnesota.  And, the freeze dried have plenty of flavor plus they don’t add excess moisture.

    This is why they are perfect for something like this!  I use them in frosting to make it raspberry flavored for that reason too.  The texture comes out lovely!  I could not stop sampling the filling because it was so good!  It was kind of fun to shape the little eggs, kind of like play dough!

    I dipped them in vegan dark chocolate and I could not wait to try one!  Once they had set, I dove in!  They were heavenly!  Rich, creamy sweet raspberry filling with a hint of vanilla and that decadent dark chocolate was perfect paired with it!  These are sooo much better than the ones I grew up eating! If you have a bit of extra time, why not try making your own Easter treats?!

    Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Eggs 
    Makes 6-8 large eggs

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

     

    Dark Chocolate:

    • 1 1/2 cups vegan dark chocolate, chopped or vegan chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients but the berries and water over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Pulverize the berries in a blender until fine, then whisk into the white chocolate along with the water. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 8 balls, rolling them with your hands and shaping them into eggs.   Place on a parchment lined tray, and place back into the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.
    4. Once the filling has firmed up, dip each chocolate into the dark chocolate, being sure to let the excess drain off, and place back onto the tray (I like to set mine on a fork to allow it to drain better). Once they are all dipped, set them in the freezer until hardened.

    Store any leftover truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.