Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

  • Vegan Samoa Bars

    Vegan Samoa Bars

    I was never a Girl Scout, but my parents always bought Girl Scout Cookies when I was little.  I had a few favorites, Tag-a-longs, Thin Mints and Samoas are usually what we would buy.  This one year they had these really good strawberry cream sandwich cookies but those were short lived unfortunately. The Samoas were my all time favorite though.  What’s not to love about caramel, cookie and chocolate with coconut?!  I make my own now, just because most commercial cookies are a little too sugary for me even if they happen to be vegan.

    But this year I decided to do something a little different and make Samoa bars!  I thought they might be a bit easier than shaping the cookies.  It would be an experiment, but I had my fingers crossed and hoped for good results.  I actually just modified the cookie recipe for bars and it worked out great!  For the crust I used my vanilla cookie recipe and baked it in an 8 inch pan. That is the only part of the recipe that required baking though the rest is no bake.

    For the filling I made the date caramel I used for the cookies, but I make a little more to make a thicker layer.  Because it is the best part after all!  At least as far as I am concerned, I love date caramel so much I could just eat it with a spoon.  After that portion of the bars were made, I cut them into squares before I added the chocolate because I wanted to dip the bottoms into it just like the cookies.

    They were looking so good once I added the chocolate drizzle!  I could not wait to try them!  Lucky I did not have to wait long, the chocolate set fast. They were totally heavenly!  Plenty of gooey sweet coconut caramel on top of a crunchy sugar cookie and rich dark chocolate!  If you are a Samoa fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Samoa Bars
    Makes 16

    Ingredients:
    Crust:
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 3/4 cups maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

     

    Caramel:

    • 1 1/2 cups soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water 30 minutes and drain before using)
    • 3 Tbsp almond butter
    • 3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp  filtered water or as needed
    • 3/4 cup finely shredded dried unsweetened coconut

     

    Chocolate:

    1 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate chips or chunks

     

     Directions:
    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and filtered water.
    2. In a large bowl, mix coconut oil with maple sugar and mix until well combined.
    3. Mix in the vanilla extract and flax mixture until well combined.
    4. Add the baking soda, salt, then the flour, until well combined.
    5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
    6. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan.
    7. Bake for about 30 minutes, until set and just starting to brown slightly.  Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack to cool completely.
    8. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients but the coconut in a high speed blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Stir in the coconut.
    9. Spread the caramel mixture over the crust.
    10. Put the bars in the freezer until the caramel is a little more firm, about 20 minutes.  Cut into bars, place on a parchment lined tray spaced out slightly and freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.
    11. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    12. Drizzle the chocolate over the top of the bars.
    13. Place the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
    14. Enjoy!  Store any extra cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

     

  • Vegan Irish Oatmeal Layer Cake

    Vegan Irish Oatmeal Layer Cake

    The first time I ever attempted to bake a layer cake, it was an Irish oatmeal cake.  It was for my Mom’s Birthday.  I had just graduated high school, and I was just getting into baking.  It seemed simple enough after I read the directions.  But…simple it was not for me at least.  It seemed to bake up well, but then I tried to unmold it…while it was still a little warm and plop.  One big pile of cake.  Not shaped like cake anymore. Just a pile. I started crying because I wanted my Mom’s Birthday cake to be perfect.  I had forgotten to oil the cake pan.  And I now know from this valuable lesson that a piece of parchment at the bottom of the pan is important too.  My Mom just gave me a hug and said we could still eat the delicious crumbs.  So we just poured the frosting over them.

    For years  I did not attempt to make an Irish oatmeal cake. But then one St. Patrick’s Day a few years back I made one and it turned out awesome. No pile of crumbs, just a beautiful delicious cake.  I sweeten the cake with dates and a bit of cinnamon and it tastes almost caramel like.  The nutty oats pair well with it, and give it a lovely texture.

    I frost it with a date caramel frosting, like the cake I had tried to make when I was younger.  It is sooo good.  No more being scared of oatmeal cakes.  It is a shame I waited so many years to make one.  But I have been making it the past few years now.  This cake is delicious!  I am a big oatmeal lover, and it was nice to enjoy it in another way besides just my morning oatmeal.

    Vegan Irish Oatmeal Layer Cake 

    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic gluten free rolled oats
    • 1 cup hot filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups organic oat flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1/4 cups pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    • 3/4 cup raw pecan butter or raw almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Place the oats in a bowl, and pour 1 cup of hot filtered water over them. Let them sit for 30 minutes.
      Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper.
    2. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment fit to the pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    3. Place dates, reserved water, pecan butter, additional water, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture as well as the soaked oats into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    4. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
    5. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cakes out onto platter; peel off parchment paper.
    6. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients In a high speed blender, and blend until smooth.
    7. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread a layer frosting over it.  Then top with another cake layer.  Spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake.

    ***if you would like a 2 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans. The baking time will be longer, more like 45-50 minutes.



  • Vegan Strawberry Matcha Chocolate Bars

    Vegan Strawberry Matcha Chocolate Bars

        

    It has been feeling like spring here in Minnesota, so I am in the mood for spring colors and flavors.  I am so ready to put away the heavy winter clothes and bring out the fun spring wardrobe! But I know the weather can turn on a dime so it will still be a few weeks I am sure before I can store away the coats for good for the season.  I am going to soak up as much sunshine as I can, and savor the fact that the snow is melting and make spring themed food.  Like these strawberry matcha chocolate bars that I made last week.

    For some reason, I love the flavor matcha for spring.  Mainly because of the green color, which is perfect for growth to symbolize spring, but also it is so light and fresh!  Strawberries are a late spring crop here, coming in about May or June, but I like to start enjoying them as soon as I can get them for a good price in stores.  For these bars though, I actually used freeze dried ones (so they didn’t add moisture to my chocolate) so it didn’t matter.

    I had the idea to make a chocolate bars with spring colors in a white chocolate and swirl that into a dark chocolate bar, and strawberry powder and matcha powder were the perfect way to accomplish this!  They would have been good on their own as flavored white chocolates, but I just love the combination of white and dark chocolate so much when they are combined. One is dark and intense and one is mellow and sweet so they balance each other out.

    These turned out just as I had imagined them!  Super delicious with the rich dark chocolate, the light smooth sweet strawberry chocolate and the earthy matcha!  They were perfectly balanced, and so heavenly!  I have to admit, I made these just for myself and I did not share.  But they would make a lovely gift, and they would be perfect for Easter as an alternative to store bought candy. 

    Vegan Strawberry Matcha Chocolate Bars

    Makes 4

    Matcha and Strawberry White Chocolate:

    • 1/4 cup cacao butter
    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter (warmed to liquid)
    • 2 Tbsp raw cashew butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp matcha powder
    • 2 Tbsp strawberry power (I took freeze dried strawberries and ground them up with a mortar and pestle)

     

      Dark Chocolate:

    • 1 1/2 cups chopped good quality vegan dark chocolate

     

        Instructions:

    1. Combine the cacao butter, cashew butter, and coconut butter, and  in the top of a double boiler, and melt until smooth.
    2. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt and whisk together until well blended.
    3. Divide between 2 bowls.  Whisk the matcha into one, and the strawberry powder into the other.
    4. drizzle half of the matcha white chocolate and strawberry white chocolate in random designs into the bottoms of 4 standard sized chocolate bar molds set on a tray.
    5. Place the tray with the molds in the freezer until the white chocolate has set.
    6. Meanwhile, clean out the double boiler, and add the dark chocolate to it, melting it until smooth.
    7. When the white chocolate has hardened, pour the dark chocolate over it to fill the molds, and smooth to the sides (working quickly because if you go too slow the white chocolate will start to melt and not look neat).  Then drizzle the remaining strawberry and matcha white chocolate over that.
    8. Set the tray with the molds back into the freezer until set, about 20 minutes.
    9. Unmold and enjoy!

     

    Chocolate bars keep in a container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

  • Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups

    Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups

    When I was in middle school and I ate school lunch, one of my favorite things were the lasagna roll ups. When I saw that they were on the menu, I looked forward to lunch time.  Oddly enough though, I haven’t actually ever had lasagna roll ups since I left middle school, because most people, myself included make lasagna the old school way.  I had a coworker at the deli who made them and they always smelled good and I told myself I would eventually make a vegan version (since hers weren’t vegan) but I never got around to making them.  Until now that is!

    Last week I decided to make some because I had bought some lasagna noodles that I wanted to use up in my cupboard.  It was the perfect excuse to make the lasagna and I had the time to make the rolled version.  To be honest, I don’t usually even make my lasagna with traditional noodles, I make it with short noodles and make a “lasagna” casserole, so this would be much more fancy!

    For the “ricotta” filling, I used a tofu base, because that is what my Mom used to use when she made lasagna when I was little and I loved it!  The texture comes out perfect and you don’t even miss the cheese! I mixed in a little cashew butter to give it a little richness and it was perfect!  I wanted to keep this lasagna fairly simple, so I just added spinach instead of sauteeing a bunch of other veggies.  Plus I figured it would roll better.

    Once it was all assembled and I put it in the oven, it smelled so wonderful while baking! I could not wait to try it! When it was dinner time, it was sooo good!  This tastes every bit as delicious as those lasagna roll ups I enjoyed growing up, with none of the dairy!  If you are looking for some delicious comfort food, give these a try!

    Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups

    Serves 4

    Sauce:

    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • 1 small red onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

     

    Ricotta:

    • 1 16 oz package extra firm tofu
    • 1/3 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
    • 2 tsp white miso
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup chopped spinach

     

    Pasta and assembly:

    • 1 12 sheet package lasagna noodles
    • spinach
    • vegan mozzarella cheese

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pot, and add the onions and garlic. Sautee over medium heat until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
    2. Add the vinegar, herbs, tomatoes and sea salt and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the flavors have blended and the tomatoes are more softened. Remove from heat.
    3. Meanwhile, to make the ricotta, combine the tofu, cashew butter, miso, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt in a food processor and process until blended.  Add the chopped spinach and pulse until distributed.  Set aside.
    4. Cook the noodles according to package directions, and drain well. Set aside (not stacked on top of each other, spread them out, as they may stick).
    5. Oil a 2 quart casserole dish.
    6. To assemble, spread about 2 Tbsp of the ricotta over each noodle, place a few spinach leaves on top, and roll up.  Place in the prepared pan.  Repeat with remaining noodles, ricotta and spinach.  Pour the pasta sauce over the rolls in the pan evenly, and sprinkle the vegan mozzarella over it.
    7. Place in the oven and bake until bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.
  • Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirled Banana Bread

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirled Banana Bread

        

    Banana bread was always one of my favorite baked goods growing up.  Whenever we had over ripe bananas on hand, my Mom would make my Grandma’s banana bread recipe, and it was always so good. She would usually swap out the nuts for chocolate chips and that was my favorite way to enjoy it!  Now I like to switch up my recipes and try new things though, so last weekend when I decided that banana bread sounded good I made an extra delicious one.  Some dark chocolate peanut butter banana bread.  Ever since I finished off my Valentine’s day peanut butter cups, I have been craving more PB and chocolate! 

    It was super easy to make too, which I appreciated since I wanted to spend a lot of time outside instead of just in the kitchen since the weather has been a lot nicer.  Before last weekend it was below freezing (and below zero a lot of days) for about 2 weeks, so it was hunker down weather.  Not anymore, but I enjoy coming back inside to enjoy delicious treats like this banana bread! 

    It actually contains no oil, since I use peanut butter in place of it for the richness in this recipe. The batter is amazing too even before baking!  Yes of course I had to taste it, wouldn’t want to forget an important ingredient and I had to make sure the flavors were balanced.  I also had to lick the bowl though of course. I made the batter chocolate peanut butter, and also added dark chocolate chunks and peanut butter swirls to make this extra good. 

    It smelled so heavenly while baking, I could not wait to try it!  Once it had finally cooled down enough to enjoy, I had to try a slice!  It was sooo good!  Moist and soft but light, with plenty of sweet banana flavor, rich dark chocolate and gooey chocolate chips so perfect with the smooth peanut butter!  This is not my Grandma’s banana bread, but I know she would approve and love it if she were still around.  If you are a chocolate and peanut butter fan like me, definitely give this a try! 

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirled Banana Bread 

    Makes one loaf 

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
    • 1 cup mashed ripe organic bananas
    • 1 ½ Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 4 ½ Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 ¼ cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • ¼ cup cacao powder
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • 1/8 tsp baking powder
    • ¾ cup chopped vegan dark chocolate chips or chunks
    • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and lightly oil an 8×4 inch loaf pan.
    2. Whisk together the coconut sugar, peanut butter, banana and flax mixture in a large bowl.
    3. Add the flour, cacao powder, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder and whisk until smooth.
    4. Add the chocolate chips, and mix in until well distributed.
    5. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan, then spoon half the peanut butter over it by the Tbsp.  Swirl with a knife. Pour the remaining batter over that, drop the remaining peanut butter over it, and swirl with a knife.
    6. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
    7. Let cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before enjoying.
  • Blood Orange Dark Chocolate Tarts

    Blood Orange Dark Chocolate Tarts

        

    I love blood oranges!  Their sweet flavor, and lovely color are perfect, and they are only available for a short time usually around here, so I always get some when they are available! Surprisingly though, I had not bought any yet this year because I hadn’t seen them but when I came across some this week, I bought a bunch!  I couldn’t wait to snack on them, but also I wanted to make something with them. I thought a blood orange dark chocolate mousse would be good, but I decided to turn that into a tart filling.

    Back in the day I made this really good mousse recipe that was just chilled whipped cream that you folded melted chocolate into and it was the best thing ever. I have since veganized it and I now make it with chilled coconut cream and it turns out just as delicious! For the filling though, to make it blood orange flavored, I added both the juice and zest of blood orange plus a little vanilla and it was perfect!  I could not stop sampling it, it was like the best truffle ever!

    I made some of my classic coconut oil pie crusts, that have a buttery flakey texture and flavor and they were perfect with the filling! Yes I could have gone with a no bake crust but this would be so much better and worth the little bit extra effort, since the filling is so simple. I could not wait to try one! I topped them each off with a blood orange slice.

    They were heavenly!  The filling was rich and smooth and intensely chocolaty with the sweet scent of orange and vanilla, so good with the rich crust! If you wanted to tone down the intense chocolate you could top it off with some coconut whipped cream.  But I loved it as is!  If you are a chocolate fan, definitely give this a try!

     

    Blood Orange Dark Chocolate Tarts

    Makes 4 4 inch tarts

    Ingredients:

    Crust:

    • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/3 cup coconut oil*
    • about 2 Tbsp cold water

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk, chilled (the thick part from the top of the can)
    • 2 Tbsp blood orange juice and 1 Tbsp blood orange zest
    • 1 cups vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
    2. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, cacao powder, 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.
    3. Divide the dough between 4 small 4 inch tart pans, and press it into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust.  Prick the bottom a few times with a fork, and cover with foil, snugly against the bottom.  Fill with pie weights or dried beans or rice.
    4. Place the tart shells on a sheet pan, then place the pan in the oven, and bake until set, about 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until more dry and starting to brown a little, about 20-25 minutes.
    5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    6. For the filling, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then pour into a glass measuring cup with a spout.
    7. Place the coconut milk, orange zest and juice and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth.
    8. Turn the food processor on, and with the motor running, slowly pour the chocolate into it and blend until uniform in color.
    9. Pour the filling over the crust and spread evenly.  Place in the freezer to firm up if not already firm (it doesn’t take long usually just 10 minutes or so).
    10. Garnish the top of the tarts with blood orange slices.
    11. Enjoy!

      Tart keeps refrigerated for 1 week in an airtight container.

  • Vegan Raspberry Cupcakes

    Vegan Raspberry Cupcakes

     

    I started this blog 11 years ago last week, and although it seems like I have been making recipes forever I still can’t believe it has been that long! I started this blog back in 2010 as a way to share recipes with others, since before that I had simply been posting them on Facebook and honestly I never thought so many people would appreciate them or make them!  Let me tell you, I appreciate all of you that enjoy my recipes and make them, I am so happy to be able to share with you! I used to make a lot more recipes, since I had more time back in the day, and now it is down to a few a week, but I am still enjoying sharing! 

    This year was a bit challenging since we remodeled my kitchen and I wasn’t able to use it for a while, and life happened and got busy, but I feel like I have still made some stuff that I hope you appreciated too! I will continue to make and post my recipes, since it is such a big part of my life, and I enjoy creating new things so I might as well document it and share it right?!  I decided to make some raspberry cupcakes for my blogaversary this year to celebrate!

    Because I love filled cupcakes, and I love raspberries and I haven’t made any in so long! Plus it just seemed perfect for Valentine’s Day! These are heavenly!  I made a simple vanilla cake for the base, which is really easy to make, just whisk it together, and bake!  It doesn’t have any oil, or butter just full fat coconut milk which is plenty rich for the cake to be moist. The thing I love about cupcakes is they bake up so much faster than actual cake.  These made my kitchen smell amazing!

    For the frosting, I used a coconut cream (basically just full fat coconut milk with lots of cream), and freeze dried raspberries to give it plenty of raspberry flavor.  It tasted like raspberry cheesecake!  Sooo heavenly!  I could not stop tasting it!  Lastly, I filled these cupcakes with raspberry jam!  They were so heavenly!  A vanilla and raspberry lover’s dream!  If you are a raspberry fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Raspberry Cupcakes

    Makes 16 cupcakes

    Ingredients:

    16 silicone muffin tins, or foil muffin tins

    Cake:

    • 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or macadamia nut butter (or additional coconut cream from the top of the can for a nut free version)
    • 3/4 cup freeze dried raspberries
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
    • natural vegan food coloring (optional), I used 1/2 tsp beet powder for pink

      Filling:

    • 3/4 cup raspberry jam (about)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Set out 16 muffin tins.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter until bubbles form.
    6. Transfer cake batter to prepared tins and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
    7. For the frosting, 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 45 minutes to one hour.
    8. Meanwhile, using a tsp or a knife, scoop a divet into the center of each cupcake (you can eat the scraps, you won’t need them for the rest of the recipe).
    9. Spoon the raspberry jam into the center of each cupcake.
    10. Pipe or spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes, and serve!

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Caramel Rolls

    Vegan Chocolate Caramel Rolls

        

    I have been telling myself that I wanted to make some sort of sweet rolls since before the Holidays, and I finally got around to it last weekend.  They are a bit of a project, since the dough requires rising time and whatnot and time is something I have not had a lot of lately. It has now calmed down though, and so I am happy I get to make more fun things like sweet rolls! I have never made them with chocolate before, so I thought I would try it this time!  I decided on caramel rolls, because I love the chocolate and caramel combo.

    Don’t let the yeast dough intimidate you. I admit, it used to intimidate me back in the day because it wasn’t something I had a lot of experience with, but once I started using it, I was pleasantly surprised that it was pretty easy! There is something kind of enjoyable and relaxing about kneading bread dough that I love!  I used the dough I normally make my sweet rolls with and added in a bit of cacao powder to make them chocolate. 

    For the caramel, I know I could have made a traditional caramel with vegan butter and brown sugar, but I prefer date caramel, because it has more nutritional benefits to it.  I am obsessed with dates, they are like nature’s caramel!  I can’t believe that I didn’t want to eat them when I was little because I thought they looked weird.  Man I was missing out!  Anyways, they make the most amazing caramel when blended up with a few other ingredients.  

    I wanted these rolls to have another chocolate element as well, so I rolled chocolate chips into them, and sprinkled some on top. Because melty chocolate chips are amazing in baked goods! These smelled so good while baking, I could not wait to try them!  I waited just long enough to cool then I had to have one!  They were sooo good!  Chocolaty, and gooey with plenty of caramel and melty chocolate chips!  These would make the perfect weekend brunch treat! 

    Vegan Chocolate Caramel Rolls 

    Makes 12

    Dough:

    • 1/2 cup warm water ( 105-110F degrees)
    • 1 packet active dry yeast (1/4 oz)
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder
    • 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

     

    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

     

    To Finish: 

    • 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    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.  Add the yeast, and 2 cups of flour and mix to combine.  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).
    3. 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.
    4. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.  When it is ready, turn out onto the counter or a board and roll out into a 9×15 inch rectangle.
    5. 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).
    6. When it is ready, turn out onto the counter or a board and roll out into a 9 x 15 inch rectangle.
    7. Spread about half the caramel evenly over the dough, and sprinkle with 3/4 cup chocolate chips 
    8. Roll it up, then cut the roll into 12 pieces.
    9. Oil an 8×8 inch square baking pan, and place them in the pan.
    10. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
    11. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    12. 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.
    13. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes.
    14. Whisk a little more maple syrup or water into the remaining caramel if it seems too thick to pour over the rolls.
    15. Pour the caramel over the rolls, sprinkle with more chocolate chips and enjoy!

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

  • Vegan White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie

    Vegan White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie

    When I was little, there was this strawberry silk pie from Baker’s Square that they would have around Valentine’s Day that I just loved.  My Dad had gotten one a few times and it was sooo good!  It had a creamy strawberry layer, plenty of whipped cream on top, and pink white chocolate curls. I don’t even know if they make it anymore, but I was thinking about how good that pie was the other day and that I should make something similar but vegan.  I am not sure what was in the filling, but I thought a strawberry white chocolate cream filling would be amazing!

    So I got to work on it!  That pie had a classic pastry crust, so I made a traditional baked crust for mine.  The filling isn’t cooked, so I made the crust and cooled it before filling it.  It was my classic coconut oil crust that is nice and rich with a buttery texture.  I knew it would be perfect with the sweet filling!

    I made a strawberry white chocolate cream, starting off with coconut milk as the base and adding coconut butter and cacao butter for a white chocolate flavor and to thicken it. Plus a little vanilla and maple syrup for sweetness and plenty of berries to give it a lovely pink color and sweet flavor!  I also mixed in chopped strawberries, and swirled some strawberry jam into the pie.  You wouldn’t think that berries would be very flavorful this time of year since it is Winter here, but I lucked out and got some at Aldi that were just as good as summer berries!

    Lastly I topped it off with a coconut whipped cream and more berries.  It was so heavenly!  It was rich and creamy with plenty of strawberry flavor which was perfect with the mellow smooth white chocolate and vanilla!  I shared some with my Mom and she loved it as well!  If you are a strawberry fan, and looking for a Valentine’s Day dessert, this would be perfect!

    Vegan White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie

    Makes one 9 inch pie

    1 8 inch pie plate

    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:

    • 1 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups mashed strawberries, divided
    • 1/2 cup coconut butter warmed to liquid
    • 1/2 cup cacao butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup strawberry jam

     

    Cream Topping:

    • 1 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    For Decoration:

    • sliced strawberries

     

    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 a9 inch removable bottom tart pan or 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. Let cool completely.
    3. For the filling, combine coconut milk, maple syrup, sea salt, vanilla and 1 cup of the strawberries and blend until smooth. Add the cacao butter and coconut butter and immediately blend just until it thickens on a lower speed (don’t over blend or it may clump up.  If this happens just keep blending until smooth, then chill for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally until thickened).  Fold in the rest of the berries. Pour into the crust.
    4. Drop the jam over the filling by the Tbsp, and swirl with a knife to create marbling.  Place in the freezer to firm up (about 2 hours).
    5. Meanwhile, for 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 45 minutes.
    6. Once the cream is ready, spread over the top of the pie. Decorate with strawberries, and serve!
    7. Pie keeps refrigerated for 1 week in a container.
  • Vegan Rosewater White Chocolate Truffles

    Vegan Rosewater White Chocolate Truffles

    Rosewater is such a heavenly flavor that I don’t use nearly enough!  I recently found mine (it had gotten pushed to the back of the refrigerator), and decided that I needed to make something with it this week.  I had recently purchased a big bag of cacao butter, so combining it with white chocolate sounded amazing. I have already made some chocolates for Valentine’s Day, but I figured I could always share some!  I love making truffles of any kind and Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to try making new recipes.

    Back in the day, my Grandma would always give us kids a box of chocolates, and it was always exciting trying all of the different ones, trying to guess what they were before biting it.  I may know what is in all of the truffles I eat now, but I like to have a variety to choose from when the chocolate craving strikes.  Plus it doesn’t seem right to not have chocolate candy for Valentine’s day, and making it for those I like to gift is more special that simply buying it in my opinion.

    For the base of these, I wanted them to be rich and creamy so I started off with a cacao butter base, combined it with some coconut butter and cashew butter and it was the perfect texture!  Once I added some maple syrup to sweeten and the vanilla and rosewater it was heavenly!  I could not stop sampling it!  I have this problem a lot lol.  I think this is why I enjoy making desserts like this to much.  I have to taste it and make sure it is good after all (wink wink).  Once the centers were all ready to go, they needed a coating.

    I could have done white chocolate, but I wanted to cut the really sweet filling with some intense rich dark chocolate.  They were fabulous!  The sweet rosewater and vanilla combo was so heavenly in the rich melt in your mouth filling!  The dark chocolate worked so well with all of it!  If you are a rosewater fan, give these a try!  You may not even want to share them, which is ok too!

    Vegan Rosewater White Chocolate Truffles 

    Makes 14 truffles

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1/2 cup cacao butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter at room temperature
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 tsp red beet powder
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp rosewater
    • 2 Tbsp filtered water

     

    Dark Chocolate:

    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 14 balls, rolling them with your hands.   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 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 the refrigerator for up to 1 month (or freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container).

  • Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Cake 

    Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Cake 

    I haven’t made an actual layer cake in a while, so when I was craving chocolate cake this week, I decided to go for it.  They are a little more work than other cakes, and I am a busy person, so when I have time to make one, it is usually a relaxing day to play with recipes.  This one actually took me several days to make since I was making it after work, but I enjoyed the process.  I look at making cakes as a relaxing activity.  I thought about making just a regular chocolate cake, but I wanted to make something more special and incorporate berries, since Valentine’s Day is coming up.  I am all about the berries, and chocolate and pink desserts.  This one had a little of all of those things.

    It sort of evolved as I made it into the end result.  First, I made the chocolate cake layers. I used my date sweetened chocolate cake recipe for a nice and moist but light fluffy intensely chocolaty rich cake. I then was going to just put some berry jam and chopped berries.  But I thought, you know what would be even better?  A layer of strawberry cheesecake!  Why not?!  This is a fun experiment after all.

    So I made a strawberry cheesecake filling. Once that had set up, I wanted it to have a nice rich chocolate frosting, so I made my vegan cream cheese style frosting that has both coconut milk and cashew butter to make it rich and creamy. But I added in a good amount of cacao powder to give it that rich chocolate flavor.  It almost tasted like chocolate mousse and it was hard to stop sampling it!

    I could not wait to try the finished product!  It was so heavenly!  The soft decadent cake was perfect with the creamy sweet cheesecake filling, flavorful berries, and rich chocolate frosting!  This would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!  But of course it would be good year round, I am always in the mood for cake!

    Vegan Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
    Makes one 2 layer 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose 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 almond butter
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Cheesecake Filling:

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, chilled (use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can coconut cream or the frosting will not set up, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil two 6 inch round cake pans with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment.
    3. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Place dates, water, almond 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. Pour the cake batter into prepared pans, and place in the oven.
    6. Bake cakes until set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, about 30-35 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool completely, then un-mold them onto two plates. cover and set aside.
    7. To make the filling, combine all ingredients but the fresh berries in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Stir in the chopped berries.
    8. Place one cake into the bottom of a springform pan, then pour the cheesecake filling over it.  Place the other cake on top, and put into the freezer for a few hours until the center is all set.  Keep in the refrigerator until ready to frost.
    9. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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 frost.
    10. Unmold the spring form pan and place the cake on a plate.  Spread the frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake.
    11. Decorate with remaining frosting and enjoy!
  • Vegan Chocolate Caramel Hearts

    Vegan Chocolate Caramel Hearts

    Valentine’s Day is about a month away, so I figured why not make some candy!  Not that I didn’t make candy for Christmas, but there is a candy for every season right?  Luckily the candy that I make isn’t just complete sugar and has some nutritional value.  Making candy for Valentine’s day is sort of a yearly thing.  I used to just buy it growing up to give away to my classmates, or buy it for myself, but now I make it. My Grandma always used to buy me a box of chocolates every year though and I looked forward to that.  The filled ones were my favorite, especially the caramels.  So that is what I decided to make this week.

    Some chocolate caramel hearts! I figured I might as well make something that looked cute and festive as well as tasted good.  I know some people hate Valentine’s Day and the cheesy kitschy aspect of it, but I actually like it!  Even when I didn’t have a significant other back in the day I enjoyed at least spending time with my Mom on that day and going out to a fun dinner or something and making something chocolate for dessert.  I still enjoy the holiday, and making fun goodies for it!

    For the filling on these hearts, I made a date caramel because I much prefer it to actual sugar caramel. Dates have lots of fiber and nutrients, and I call them nature’s caramel because they taste just like it.  I blended them up with almond butter, coconut butter, vanilla and some water and one chilled it becomes a moldable caramel.  I shaped it into little hearts and chilled it before dipping them in dark chocolate.

    These are a little bit of work, but I enjoyed making them and they are worth the effort!  They are totally heavenly!  The caramel is sweet and vanilla scented, with a gooey chewy consistency and it is paired perfectly with the dark chocolate!  These would be perfect for sharing on valentine’s day!

    Vegan Chocolate Caramel Hearts
    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups soft pitted medjool dates soaked in water 30 minutes until soft and drain well before using in recipe
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/3 cup filtered water
    • 1 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the caramel filling, combine the dates, almond butter, water, coconut butter, vanilla, and sea salt in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Drop it onto a parchment lined tray by the mounded tablespoon, you should have about 10 mounds.  Place in the freezer until they are more firm (about 20 minutes), and you can shape them into hearts.  Shape them into eggs with your hands (like you would with play dough.  Put them back on the tray and freeze until hard, about 1 hour to 1-2 hours.
    3. When the centers are almost ready, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    4. Dip each caramel heart into the chocolate, coating it completely and allowing the excess to drain off (I like to set mine on a fork to do so), and place back onto the tray.  When they are all done, put them back into the freezer to harden the chocolate if it isn’t set yet.

     

    Store caramels in the refrigerator for up to a month in an airtight container with a lid.

  • Vegan Mocha Rocky Road Skillet Brownies

    Vegan Mocha Rocky Road Skillet Brownies

    I have been wanting to make something rocky road for a while now since I had some leftover marshmallows from the holidays, and I got my chance this week. I had made some vegan brownies at work and they smelled so delicious and inviting I just had to make some of my own at home.  Rocky road brownies! And I recently remembered that I own a nice cast iron skillet because I made a vegan frittata that I know works great for baking things like brownies in so I figured I would use that to make them.  Most of the time I will just bake them in a pan, but I feel like the skillet is more fancy and fun!  After all, who doesn’t love getting a giant brownie wedge instead of a tiny brownie all to themself?!

    When I bake the brownies in the skillet, I usually start by warming it up in the oven first to help the brownies cook a little faster. You just gotta be careful and remember that the handle is hot when you go to put it back in the oven. I almost burned myself, although I should totally know better since I work in a kitchen every day (facepalm).  For the base of these, I used a mixture of avocado and almond butter for the fats.  With this combination they will stay soft and fudgy.  If you wish to use another neutral oil (as long as it is liquid at room temperature), or even olive oil feel free though, they will still come out nice.

    They have plenty of cacao powder in them to give them that rich chocolate flavor I crave from brownies, but I thought they would be even better if I added in some espresso powder to give them more depth, and because I thought they would be amazing with a mocha alongside later for a snack. I know rocky road variations are all different but I went with the combo of toasted almonds, marshmallows and chocolate chunks!

    They smelled heavenly while baking, and I could not wait to try them!  Once they had cooled and I was able to cut a wedge, they did not disappoint! They were fudgy and rich, with a hint of coffee flavor, the marshmallows and chocolate chunks on top had toasted into gooey deliciousness, and the toasted almonds were the perfect touch.  They were totally heavenly!  If you are craving something chocolate, definitely give these a try!  And they are amazing with a cup of coffee!

    Vegan Mocha Rocky Road Brownies
    Makes 16

    Brownies:

    • 1/2 cup avocado oil
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water)
    • 1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour (or AP flour will work as well)*
    • 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 Tbsp espresso powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling top
    • 3/4 cup vegan marshmallows, plus more for sprinkling on top
    • 3/4 cup chopped almonds, plus more for sprinkling on top

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and oil a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet. Place the pan in the oven while you make the batter.
    2. Whisk together the sugar, oil and almond butter until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down. Add the flax eggs and beat until smooth. Add the flour, cacao powder, espresso powder and sea salt and beat until smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips, marshmallows and almonds.
    3. Remove the pan from the oven.
    4. Scrape the batter into a the pan,  smooth it out, and sprinkle with more marshmallows, chocolate chips and almonds.
    5. Place back in the oven, and Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set (but do not over bake because you do not want it dry).
    6. Let cool at least 45 minutes before cutting into wedges.

     

    *If you wish to make these gluten free, I can recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour because I have tried it before in my brownies and it works great!

  • Cherry Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

    Cherry Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

    You would think that I would be sick of cookies after it being Christmas cookie season, but that isn’t the case.  My Mom gave me some dried cherries and pecans and asked me to whip up a batch of Cherry Maple Pecan Cookies, and I said why not?! They sounded super delicious after all.  Oatmeal cookies are her favorite. She would always tell me that they were healthier than other cookies when I was little, so you could feel better about eating them.  It is kinda true though!  At least they have more fiber.  They are one of my favorite types of cookies as well, because of their texture.  Soft and chewy but with crispy edges and a nice texture. 

    The thing I like about them also, is that they are simple and straight forward to make, which is nice after the more putzy Christmas cookies I have been making lately.  For these, I used oat flour because I figured why not make them all oat.  But you could use whole wheat pastry flour or regular AP flour if you prefer that.  To sweeten them, since I wanted them to have a maple flavor, I used maple sugar.  This is my favorite type of sugar!  It makes everything so good!  I also added in a little maple extract and vanilla extract to make them extra aromatic. 

    These have a good deal of oats mixed into them as well to make them nice and chewy!  I added in plenty of cherries and pecans because my favorite thing about oatmeal cookies besides the texture is the delicious add ins!  Sometimes I just add chocolate chunks.  But I loved this combo as well!  The dough was super delicious.  Yes, I always have to eat some of the dough, it is my favorite part about making cookies! 

    They smelled amazing while baking and I could not wait to try them!  Luckily I didn’t have to wait long, because they don’t have to cool completely and are best when still warm from the oven.  They were sooo good!  Soft and chewy in the center, crispy at the edges with sweet cherries crunchy pecans and the scent of maple!  This is the perfect thing to enjoy mid-morning with an oat milk latte.  Just sayin! 

    Cherry Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

    Makes 16 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp water (allowed to sit 15 minutes before using)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 1 1/2 cups oat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
    • 1 cup dried cherries

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the coconut oil, and sugar until well blended. Add flax eggs, vanilla, and beat until well combined (the mixture will become very thick).
    2. Mix in the flour, soda, spices and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined, then add cherries, and pecans and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    3. Lower the oven to 350F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    4. Roll the dough into 16 large balls, and spread them out on the 2 cookie sheets with plenty of room in between. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden, but not over baked. Let cool on sheet a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack lined with parchment to cool.
    5. Enjoy!

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding 

    Vegan Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding 

    Over the New Years holiday, we got a bit of snow and it was chilly for a few days before it warmed up again so I figured it was the perfect time to make some sweet comfort food.  Not only that, why not make something delicious to celebrate?!  I had a loaf of somewhat stale sourdough bread and I decided to make my favorite bread recipe, bread pudding! But I thought why not make it extra decadent and delicious this time and make a chocolate bread pudding with chocolate chunks. Now that would have been delicious on its own, but I decided to go over the top and add pecans and caramel as well and make it a turtle bread pudding.

    I did not call it turtle in the title though, because when I do I always get plenty of questions as to what turtle is or why I am putting an animal product that sounds like it doesn’t fit in my recipe in there (man actual turtle bread pudding sounds absolutely horrid lol). In case you have never heard of turtles, they were a caramel dipped in chocolate with pecans pressed into it (that looked like a turtle hence the name) but it now also refers to the chocolate, caramel and pecan combo.  So if I ever mention turtle this is what I mean and it is one of the best combos ever!

    Anyways, back to the point of this post, the bread pudding.  I started out with a good amount of that crusty sourdough, and then made a mixture of oat milk, flax eggs, maple syrup and cacao powder for a chocolaty batter.  It soaked into the bread beautifully, and I mixed it with pecans and poured it into the casserole super excited for the results!  It smelled amazing while baking like the best brownies or chocolate cake!

    It was lovely when I took it out of the oven, the top nice and crispy, and if you dove into it, a tender layer of pudding revealed!  I topped it off with some quick pecan caramel, more pecans and it was perfect!  It was one of the most delicious desserts I have had lately, the perfect sweet comfort food. I shared some with my Mom and she loved it so much, she wanted me to save some extra for her for the next day.  If you are a chocolate fan, and you have some stale bread on hand, definitely give this a try! Also, since this is technically my first post of the new year, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  Lets hope 2021 is an amazing year and certainly less crazy than the last. Wishing you all the best, and happiness!

    Vegan Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding 

    Serves 4-6

    Ingredients:

    Bread Pudding:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 3/4 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
    • 1/2 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar (or coconut sugar)

     

    Caramel:

    • 1/2 cup pecan butter, cashew butter or almond butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 2-3 Tbsp filtered water, or as needed
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil two 1 quart baking dishes (or see bottom of post for other baking dish options).
    2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water mixture, oat milk, maple syrup, cacao powder, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture.  Mix in chocolate.
    3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dishes, (including the liquid, pour it over them). Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
    4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 25-30 minutes (see bottom for other pan sizes baking times), or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed and baked into pudding at the bottom.
    5. Remove from oven.
    6. Whisk together the caramel sauce ingredients, drizzle over the pudding then let cool about 10 minutes and enjoy warm!

    For 6 small ramakins: bake 15 minutes

    For 1 8×8 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish: bake 30-40 minutes

  • Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake

    For Christmas this year I thought I would make a yule log.  Because they are so festive and so pretty!  But I have to admit, roll cakes are something that I like to make year round because to me they are easier than layer cakes but you get just as much delicious filling!  I like chocolate and peppermint around the holidays, so that is what I flavored this one with. In my book “Just Vegan Cakes” I had a chocolate peppermint cake that was heavenly, and I wanted to make this one taste the same, only rolled and with a slightly different batter.

    Since I wrote that book, I have realized that date sweetened cake batter works best for roll cakes because it keeps the cake nice and pliable.  For this one, I used a cacao and mint laced date sweetened batter, and it was heavenly!  Yes, I always have to sample the cake batter lol.  This cake batter also happens to be oil free, because I use nut butter in place of oil and it works out beautifully!

    It baked up nicely and my kitchen smelled amazing!  It deserved a delicious filling, so  I used a coconut milk base, with cashew butter, and cacao butter to thicken it and make it rich.  It tasted like white chocolate mousse!  Even better once I added the peppermint extract and vanilla. I decided to tint it pick to make it prettier. I knew it would be heavenly with the dark chocolate!

    For the outside of the cake I could have just dusted it with some coconut powdered sugar but I decided to make a dark chocolate ganache to finish it off.  It was so heavenly! Rich and sweet cake with a aromatic smooth vanilla mint cream filling and decadent ganache on the outside!  This was the perfect thing to make for Christmas!

    Vegan Chocolate Peppermint 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 cashew butter or your preferred nut butter (just make sure it is smooth)
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp peppermint extract
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Filling:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, such as Thai Kitchen chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can cream or it will not work)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1 tsp beet powder
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted cacao butter or 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, water, almond 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 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, 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 Winter Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

    Vegan Winter Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

    I made shepherd’s pie for Thanksgiving this year, and I might make it again for Christmas because I love it so much! It is a dish that takes a little bit of time and love so it is for special occasions.  Since I tend to make quick recipes for dinner most of the time.  I made a new recipe with lentils this time for Christmas, and winter veggies, so I thought I would share the recipe.

    If you think that shepherd’s pie has to be rich and meat filled think again.  I remember having it as a kid with ground beef, and a generic blend of veggies like peas, corn, and carrots in a meat gravy and it was ok, but not my favorite thing.  The mashed potatoes were the only part I really enjoyed at that point.  I have never been a meat lover, always choosing veggies first even before I became vegan.  So when I make my shepherd’s pies, I use ingredients I love and veggies that add flavor instead of just being there.

    Things like leeks, squash and mushrooms plus a few others for color.  I just make the cooking broth into a sort of a gravy to keep it more simple, and it works perfect!  This time I used lentils where the meat would be.  Normally I use tempeh, but I figured I would make a recipe for those who are soy free, and I like to switch things up sometimes.  It was delicious and hearty!  I actually made a larger batch of this recipe a few days before Thanksgiving, to serve on Thanksgiving day day since I knew I wouldn’t have time to cook. These reheat beautifully in an oven.  If you are going to serve the next day, skip the oven part after assembly, cover with foil, and refrigerate.  Pop in the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (uncovering the last 10-15), and you have delicious dinner!

    Vegan Winter Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

    Makes 4 Pies (or one large pie to serve 4-6)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/3 cups uncooked French lentils
    • filtered water

    Veggies:

    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 large leeks sliced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 cups diced butternut squash
    • 2 cups sliced carrots
    • 2 cups sliced celery
    • 1 tsp dried thyme
    • 1 1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
    • 1/2 cup peas (frozen is fine)
    • 2 cups flavorful veggie stock, store bought or homemade*
    • 2 Tbsp tamari
    • ¼ cup arrowroot starch dissolved in 1/4 cup filtered water

     

    Topping:

    • 6 russett potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
    • sea salt to taste
    • 1 Tbsp coconut butter (optional)
    • 1/4 cup coconut milk  (or as needed, you may also add water, and it will still be good)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Cover the lentils with the filtered water by a few inches. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain well, season with sea salt to taste and set aside.
    2. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, and add the leeks, garlic, thyme, squash, carrots, and celery, and cook until they have softened a bit, then add the garlic, mushrooms, peas, tamari, and stock and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, and place the lid on the pot.  Let cook until the veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.  Once they are tender, add the arrowroot mixture, and let cook a few more minutes while stirring until it has thickened. Remove from the heat.
    3. Meanwhile, place the russets in a large pot of salted boiling water on the stove, and bring to a boil.  Cook until the potatoes are tender, and drain.  Add sea salt to taste, along with the coconut oil and milk and mash until soft, adding a little more milk if desired.
    4. To assemble, spoon the veggie mixture into 4 ovenproof bowls (or one big baking dish if you prefer), then top with the lentils, and lastly with the mashed potatoes.
    5. Place the pies in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes until bubbling.  Let cool slightly before serving.

     

    *Veggie Stock

    Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

    Ingredients:

    • 1 large onion (or about an onions worth of onion trimmings)
    • 2 stalks celery (or 2 cups celery trimmings)
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
    • filtered water

    Instructions:

    Add the onion, celery, garlic, and water to a 2 1/2 quart stockpot and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for a few hours until the veggies have released their flavors.  Strain into a container, pressing the veggies against the strainer to extract all the juices.  Let cool, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze.



  • Vegan Sugar Cookie Wreaths

    Vegan Sugar Cookie Wreaths

    I can’t believe Christmas is 2 weeks away!  Where has the time gone this year?  Also, it has been warmer here lately in Minnesota and we have no snow on the ground so it doesn’t seem like winter is on the doorstep.  But I am still in a Christmas cookie baking mood! Baking a bunch of different kinds of cookies this time of the year is one of my favorite parts of the season!  When I was little my Mom and I used to make our old favorites plus a few new ones we wanted to then freeze some of them in a big container to enjoy for the holiday season plus share some with others.  My grandma also had a similar tradition, only she mainly made the cookies to pack into tins to give as gifts.  I always loved the variety she made. I enjoyed the cookie making process, plus the heavenly aroma of cookies that filled our home always made me happy!

    Some cookies were easy to make, and some were a bit more tedious, but I think the tedious ones ended up being my favorite usually. The ones like the sugar cookies or gingerbread that I was able to decorate and add a personal touch to.  Last weekend I decided to make some sugar cookies.  I saw some non-vegan sugar cookie wreaths on Pinterest, and decided that I would try to make my own version!

    Sometimes when baking I use coconut oil in my cookies, but this time I decided to use Earth Balance buttery sticks because it was what I had on hand.  I used maple sugar to sweeten them and whole wheat pastry flour for the base, so they are a little darker than traditional sugar cookies.  But if you wanted them lighter you could go with the AP flour and granulated sugar.  The dough was super delicious even before the cookies were baked.  Yes, I was eating the scraps as I rolled them out!

    They smelled heavenly while baking and cooling and they deserved a just as heavenly decoration on top!  Instead of making a traditional powdered sugar glaze, I made a coconut butter maple glaze tinted green with a bit of spinach powder, then topped them off with crunchy pistachios and sweet cranberries. They turned out sooo good!  They were buttery and sweet, that coconut glaze the perfect topping with the salty crunchy pistachios and chewy cranberries! I would be proud to include these on any gifted cookie plate or in a cookie tin.  They are so cute and taste so good!

    j,,

    Vegan Sugar Cookie Wreaths

    Makes about 3 dozen cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup Earth Balance vegan butter, softened (or your favorite plant based butter)
    • 1 cup maple sugar (coconut sugar or granulated sugar will also work)
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp thin coconut milk
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Icing:

    • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp spinach powder or matcha powder
    • chopped pistachios
    • dried cranberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line two sheet pans with parchment.
    2. In a bowl, mix together the butter and maple sugar until well combined.  Add the flax mixture and 2 Tbsp coconut milk, and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour, baking powder and sea salt and mix until the dough has formed. It should be smooth and pliable, if it seems too stiff add a touch more coconut milk.
    3. Turn the dough onto a sheet pf parchment and roll out 1/4 inch thick.  Use cookie cutters (1 larger round and one smaller round) to cut out wreath shapes and move to parchment lined trays (if the dough seems too soft to manage, pop into the refrigerator for a few minutes).  Re-roll any scraps and repeat.  Set at least 1/2 inch apart on baking trays.
    4. When the cookies are all on the trays, place them in the oven and bake for about 12-13 minutes until set and just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
    5. Mix together the coconut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and spinach powder until smooth adding a touch more filtered water if it is too thick (you want it a thick glaze consistency).
    6. Spread or pipe a thin layer of the icing over the cookies, and sprinkle with the pistachios and cranberries.  Set the glazed cookies in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes until set.

     

    Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.  Cookies keep up to 2 weeks refrigerated, or 4 months frozen

     

  • Vegan Pink Peppermint Truffles

    Vegan Pink Peppermint Truffles

        

    I have been seeing lots of mint flavored treats around lately for the holiday season, and they all sound good to me so I thought I would make one of my own!  I am not big on candy canes, but what I do love is the chocolate mint combo. So, I decided to make some peppermint truffles!  I like to make both cookies and candy around Christmas to enjoy so I figured I would get started on the candy part.  I had all of the ingredients I needed on hand, and I was super excited! 

    For the filling, I wanted it to be creamy, rich and have a little bit of a white chocolate flavor, so I started with a cacao and coconut butter base.  I also added in some raw cashew butter to give it that soft creamy texture that I love about truffles.  I added in vanilla as well along with a good amount of peppermint extract because I love those two flavors together.  Sometimes I tint my peppermint stuff green with matcha or spinach powder but this time I decided to tint them pink, my favorite color.  Of course you can do the green if you prefer.  But I love anything pink! 

     

    Truffles are kind of tedious to make, but they are well worth it. It is even kind of fun rolling the filling into balls like play dough!  I always end up sampling a bit though.  It is hard not to because it smells so good and it is so delicious! Once they are all shaped I freeze them for a bit so that they hold their shape when dipping.  I didn’t used to be as good at making truffles when I started, they came out a bit wonky and sometimes not evenly dipped in the chocolate but I have had a bit of practice now.  They are not perfect, but much better than they used to be! 

    I dipped them in vegan dark chocolate to finish them off.  They turned out super delicious!  Soft and smooth, with the mellow sweet scent of vanilla and cool peppermint, the perfect match for the rich dark chocolate coating! If you are a peppermint fan, definitely give these a try! 

    Vegan Pink Peppermint Truffles

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1/2 cup cacao butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw cashew butter at room temperature
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 tsp beet powder
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup filtered water

     

    Dark Chocolate:

    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 14 balls, rolling them with your hands.   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 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.
    5. Store any leftover truffles in the refrigerator.
  • Gingerbread Granola

    Gingerbread Granola

    The Christmas music everywhere has begun!  Not that it is a bad thing, it gets me in the mood for the season, and I have a few songs that I really like.  But then there are the over-played ones with 5 different versions of the same song that I hear over and over on the satellite radio at work many times a day that get a bit old.  When I am at home though, I create a playlist of the good ones to listen to while doing things like holiday baking or present making!  Now that Thanksgiving is over, I am craving more Christmasy flavors like gingerbread. I will definitely be baking some cookies soon, but I decided to make gingerbread granola last week! I like to keep granola on hand at all times in my pantry for when the snack craving hits.  My favorite are those made with aromatic spices, like this one!

    For the base, I always like to use a combination of oats and coconut to start, because the coconut gives the granola a nice sweetness along with the crunchy oats.  I added 5 different types of nuts to this one, because at Christmas when I was little, we always had a bowl of nuts in the shell on the counter, and a nutcracker so we could enjoy them.  So a variety like this makes me think of Christmas time and I thought it fit in my Christmasy gingerbread granola.

    To coat the mixture I used a combination of nut butter, apple sauce, maple syrup, molasses and spices.  Yes, that is right, no oil.  I used to think that you could not get crunchy granola without oil but I was totally wrong and now I usually use either apple sauce, pumpkin or sweet potato puree, or banana in its place with great results.  Once you bake it, it gets nice and crispy! It smelled sooo good while baking, like a batch of delicious cookies!

    I could not wait to try it!  But first I added in some dried cranberries for color.  It was sooo good!  It was crunchy and aromatic with the scent of Christmas cookies!  I could not stop sampling it as I walked by, be warned this stuff is addictive and may not last long in your home!  If you are a granola fan, definitely give this a try!  If you always buy store bought especially give it a try, because once you make your own you will never go back!

    Vegan Gingerbread Granola
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 cup raw pecans
    • 1 cup raw walnuts
    • 1/2 cup raw almonds
    • 1/2 cup pistachios
    • 1 cups finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup organic apple sauce
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp molasses
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup dried cranberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350F and set rack at the medium position
    3. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, and coconut, and set aside.
    4. In another bowl, whisk together apple sauce, maple syrup, nut butter, molasses, spices, sea salt, and vanilla extract until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended.
    5. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly.
    6. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
    7. Stir in cranberries, and enjoy!

    Keeps for up to 1 month in the refrigerator in an airtight bag, or at cooler room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

  • Mini Vegan Bourbon Pecan Tartlettes 

    Mini Vegan Bourbon Pecan Tartlettes 

    This year for Thanksgiving instead of making one giant pie, I decided to make mini pecan tartlettes.  My family really hasn’t had big gatherings for Thanksgiving in years, since my Grandparents stopped being able to host years ago so we have always tried to keep it simple. Now that both of my grandparents are now gone, and we are dealing with quarantine this year it is going to be just 3 of us, so I thought I would make smaller portions, and tartlettes are perfect for that!  If I have leftovers I can easily freeze them as well for my Mom to have later (since I chose pecan pie because it is her favorite).

    Since my Mom, Eric and I all like the flavor of bourbon, I decided to make some bourbon pecan tartlettes!  I had made a large one with these same flavors years ago before I went vegan, and I have been wanting to make one ever since. This was the perfect opportunity!  I just gave them a classic coconut oil pie crust, because that is my go to, and it always turns out so delicious and buttery!

    For the filling, I used my date caramel.  Since I discovered date caramel when I was raw vegan for a few years I have never gone back to making refined sugar caramel. Date caramel is so good and it is about as natural as you can get when it comes to caramel.  Dates are nature’s candy after all! I just blend them up with some nut butter and a few other things and I could seriously eat that caramel with a spoon!  It makes amazing pie filling!

    Once the pecans and bourbon were mixed in and they were baking they filled my home with the most heavenly aroma!  I could not wait to try one, but of course they had to cool first.  They were super delicious!  That sweet gooey date caramel with a hint of bourbon and vanilla flavor was so good with the toasted pecans and buttery crust!  These will be perfect for Thanksgiving this week!

    Mini Vegan Bourbon Pecan Tartlettes 
    Makes 6 small tartlettes

    Ingredients:

    Crust:

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

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well
    • before using)
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter (or almond or cashew butter)
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup, plus more for brushing the top of the tart
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/3 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp bourbon
    • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
    • 2 cups toasted pecans, chopped plus more for top of tart

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
    2. 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. Divide dough into 6 pieces, and press into the bottom and up the sides of 6 4 inch inch tart pans.  Set aside in the refrigerator.
    3. To make filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor except the pecans. Process until smooth, then scrape into a bowl and stir in the pecans. Spread the filling over the crusts, and top with more pecans. Brush the tops lightly with maple syrup. Place on a baking tray, then place the tray in the oven.
    4. Bake for about 25 minutes until the crust is starting to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

    For Thanksgiving, part of the tradition at my house is to always have some fabulous desserts. Pumpkin pie is traditional, but sometimes I like to switch it up a little bit with the pumpkin desserts.  I made some pumpkin creme caramel before and pumpkin cakes, and this year I decided that a vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake would be amazing!  Cheesecake happens to be one of my all time favorite desserts after all, so why not combine it with the classic Thanksgiving dessert!

    I have had pumpkin cheesecake before, but it was less pumpkiny and more just cheesecake flavored.  Which there is nothing wrong with, but I really wanted this one to taste like creamy pumpkin pie.  So, there would be plenty of pumpkin and spices in it!  For the crust, usually for my no bake cheesecakes, I use a no bake oat crust, but this time I decided to make a pie crust style one.  Just to kind of go with the pumpkin pie theme.  It was hard to stop sampling!

    Once the cheesecake was all set up, I topped it off with a coconut cream.  I piped mine on, but you could just spread it on if you wanted and it would be just as good! This cheesecake was sooo good!  It tasted like pumpkin pie but in cheesecake form, and the amount of aromatic spices was perfect!  The crust was nice and buttery and crunchy which I loved with the cheesecake as well!  If you are looking for a delicious dessert to make for Thanksgiving consider this cheesecake!

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

    Makes 1 6 inch cheesecake

    Ingredients:

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 2 Tbsp tapioca flour (or cornstarch would work as well)
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar
    • pinch tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat coconut cream (I used the thick part of a can of Thai Kitchen organic full fat coconut milk*)
    • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter

     

    Topping:

    • 1 1/4 cups canned full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (not coconut oil), warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
    2. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, tapioca flour,  sugar, and sea salt. Mix in butter and stir (or use your hands and knead) until a smooth dough is created. Press into the bottom of a 6 inch round spring form pan.
    3. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until just starting to brown and set.  Remove from the oven, and let cool completely.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    5. Pour the filling over the prepared crust and smooth the top.
    6. Place cheesecake in the freezer until it is set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    7. Remove from the freezer, and set in the refrigerator while you make the topping.
    8. To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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).
    9. Pipe or spread the topping over the cake.
    10. un-mold and enjoy!  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

     

    *I use Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.  If you are using a different brand, just make sure it is the thick type, 2/3 of the can at least should be very thick cream or it will not work in this recipe.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie in a Mug

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie in a Mug

    I love a good pumpkin pie.  It is the essential fall dessert, and is actually somewhat healthy compared to many other pies (not that I always care, but I like to get my veggies in sometimes with dessert).  I make it in some form every year whether it be mini ones, or a fancy larger one, maybe with a pecan or apple layer on the bottom. But sometimes I just want a smaller serving of it just for myself for a few days (the mini pies make a lot of servings so those don’t quite count).  Which is where pumpkin pie in a mug comes in!  I had made one about 10 years ago that was really good, but it wasn’t vegan and I have been telling myself ever since that I need to veganize it.

    Well, I finally got around to it this year. I wanted to make something pumpkin pie that was simple and quick with not a lot of servings so I went for it, and it turned out really good!  A good pumpkin pie has to have good texture as far as I am concerned.  I have had a few that seemed overcooked and mealy in texture and I was not a fan.  So I make mine with ingredients that when blended together come out silky smooth like custard.  Which is technically what pumpkin pie filling is. For my filling I use a mixture of organic pumpkin puree (canned is fine too), coconut milk, a little coconut butter and maple syrup with just a bit of maple syrup to sweeten it.  It comes out much nicer than the pie filling I used to make that had eggs and dairy.

    The filling also had to have just the right amount of spices.  I don’t care for pies that have way too much spice so you can’t taste the flavor of the pumpkin, or ones that don’t have enough so it tastes somewhat bland. I feel like I achieved the perfect balance here, and added just the right amount of maple syrup so the sweetness is nice and balanced too.  Plus the maple goes so well with the spices.  I feel like also, because I don’t use any granulated sugar here it helps the pie come out smoother as well.

    I poured the filling into little mugs, it made 3 which is perfect because I could share one and keep 2 for myself!  They baked up beautifully and made my kitchen smell amazing.  The only bad thing about it is you can’t enjoy it until it cools down.  But I got to enjoy some after work which was a win!  I topped it with a little coconut cream and it was perfect!  I really didn’t miss the crust because the filling is my favorite part anyhow.  If you are the same way, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie in a Mug

    Makes 3 8 oz pies

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 2 cups organic cooked pumpkin (canned is ok too), packed
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk
    • 2 tsp coconut butter
    • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 /4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 teaspoon agar powder

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
    2. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    3. Pour into 3 1 cup mugs or ramekins, and place in the oven.
    4. Bake until set, about 40 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool.
    5. Top with coconut whipped cream, and enjoy!
  • Chocolate Pecan Pie Cups

    Chocolate Pecan Pie Cups

    It was incredibly nice last weekend, so I didn’t spend much time in the kitchen. Instead, I spent lots out time outdoors, because how often is it 70F degrees in November?!  But we got snapped back to reality yesterday when it rained all day, then today when it snowed a few inches, plus ice pellets.  Winter is knocking on the door, but that means it is the perfect time to create deliciousness in the kitchen!  I am kind of on a pecan desserts kick lately.  Well, pecan pie specifically.  I made some pecan pie chocolate chunks bars last week and they were so good that I thought I might try making that flavor combination into a candy!

    I really wanted more of that gooey pecan pie filling after eating those bars, but with more of a caramel filling and chocolate ratio minus the crust (sorry crust, not that you weren’t good, but I am obsessed with the filling), so I thought making some chocolate cups sounded amazing!  I used a very similar filling to the bars.  Only I didn’t add the coconut oil and water, and I upped the maple syrup slightly since these are candies. The filling was a date caramel, my favorite caramel because it is way less processed than the kind made with sugar.

    This caramel whips up fast, and in fact I made twice the amount called for in the recipe, just so I would have extra to enjoy!  I mixed some toasted pecans into the half that I was using for the filling and it was super delicious!  This stuff is really hard to stop tasting. Luckily I had that extra caramel on the side so I had plenty left for the chocolate cups! I like chocolate cups as opposed to something you have to shape and dip sometimes because they are easier, and work well for more gooey fillings.

    These turned out so heavenly!  The caramel was rich, scented with vanilla and gooey with those crunchy toasted pecans and dark chocolate, it was hard to just eat one.  But I saved some for later so I had something to look forward to enjoying.  Needless to say, I didn’t end up sharing any of these and that doesn’t happen often!  If you are a pecan pie fan, definitely give these a try!

    Chocolate Pecan Pie Cups

    Makes 6

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1/2 cup soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well
    • before using)
    • 2 Tbsp pecan butter (or raw cashew butter or almond butter)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

     

    Chocolate:

    • 1 1/2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor except the pecans. Process until smooth, then scrape into a bowl and stir in the pecans.
    2. Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    3. Pour enough chocolate into each of 6 silicone baking cups, or large PB cup molds to cover the bottom by 1/4 inch. Place in the freezer until firm.
    4. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the filling into each cup on top of the chocolate trying not to touch the edges with it, and smoothing the top down a little so it doesn’t stick up too high.
    5. Pour the remaining chocolate over the fillings, and then place them in the freezer until the chocolate has set, about 20 minutes.
    6. Remove from the molds, and enjoy!

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll

    Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll

    October is over and I hadn’t baked any pumpkin cake yet this year! I made other pumpkin things like pumpkin bars and cookies but no cake, my favorite thing!  It has been a bit busy this Fall, more busy than normal it seems for me.  But it is being busy with all good things like getting engaged (and starting the wedding planning process), doing activities with family and friends and working more so it is ok.  But I haven’t had as much time to bake. So I was thankful I had time this week to make my pumpkin cake!  I was going to make a classic one with cream cheese frosting but decided instead on a chocolate pumpkin cake.

    Because I am in a chocolate mood lately.  I think it is because I am enjoying some of my home made chocolate Halloween candy and it just made me want more. Plus nothing beats a rich chocolate cake!  I like pumpkin spice mocha lattes so I figured a chocolate pumpkin cake would be just as fabulous!

    For the base of this roll cake I use a batter made with dates to sweeten it.  Why dates?  They help keep the cake nice and moist along with the pumpkin so it is much easier to roll plus give it an almost brown sugar caramel like flavor.  Nothing is worse than a roll cake breaking so I try to make mine more roll-able.  If you are not a date fan, don’t worry, you can’t really taste them in this.  I personally love them though, I think they taste like nature’s candy!

    To fill the cake, I made a pumpkin cream filling with pumpkin spice and it was heavenly! So lovely with the chocolate cake on the outside!  Lastly I topped the cake off with a rich chocolate ganache.  I could not wait to try the finished masterpiece. It was sooo good!  The cake was soft and sweet and paired perfectly with the lightly spiced pumpkin cream and dark chocolate ganache! If you are a chocolate cake fan, definitely give this a try this pumpkin season!

    Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll
    Makes one 15 inch long rolled cake, serves 8-10

    Ingredients:

    15×10 inch jelly roll pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work), chilled
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    Ganache:

    • 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
    • 1/3 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. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    4. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, 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.
    6. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
    7. Cool cake completely.
    8. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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, 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.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before frosting.
    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!

    Keeps for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

    *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 Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze

    Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze

    In the deli I work in, we usually make pumpkin cookies.  They are soft, with a maple glaze and just the right amount of pumpkin spices.  I tried one years ago before I was vegan, and they were delicious!  They are a seasonal item that is made every year, and everyone loves them!  I have never really made a veganized version at home, but I decided it would be fun to this year when I had some leftover canned pumpkin from another recipe. Also I wanted to test a vegan version out in case I would like to make some at work, since I have made vegan baked goods there for about a year now, but that involves making new recipes since we didn’t have any before.

    I based this recipe off of a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I use for work with a few tweaks like adding in the pumpkin and spices!  This dough is really easy to make, and not fussy.  It uses melted coconut oil as the fat in the dough, which gives them a nice texture once baked!  They do need to chill a little bit if the dough is really warm and sticky, but other than that they are just roll, press down and bake!

    I could not stop sampling the dough, it was sooo good!  I am a sucker for cookie dough, and honestly it is my favorite part of the cookie baking process.  You have to make sure it is good after all, or you didn’t miss an ingredient. One time I forgot the sugar in my cookie dough, and it was a really good thing I tasted it so I didn’t mess up the whole batch. Anyways, this time I was testing for the spices to see if they had the proper amount and they were perfect!

    The cookies smelled so good while baking!  Once they had been removed from the oven and cooled down a bit, I gave them a sweet maple glaze like the ones at work. I did not use powdered sugar though, I used a mixture of coconut butter and maple syrup which is my go to glaze.  The cookies were super delicious!  Soft and sweet with aromatic pumpkin spices, and that maple scented glaze was the perfect touch!  These ones are just as good as the ones at work, and honestly less fussy to make (I have watched my coworker make the other ones).  If you are a pumpkin cookie fan, give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze 

    Makes 12 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar coconut sugar
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder

     

    Glaze:

    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water (or as needed)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line 2 sheet pans with parchment.
    2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla until well combined.
    3. Mix in the flour, spices, sea salt, baking soda and powder, until smooth.
    4. Put the dough in the refrigerator until it is a little more firm, about 30 minutes.
    5. Roll the dough into 12 balls (about 2 inches round), and place on the baking sheets, spread a few inches apart and flatten slightly.
    6. Place in the oven and bake until starting to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.
    8. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth adding more water if necessary to create a pourable glaze.  Drizzle over the cookies, and allow to set (you may pop them in the freezer for about 5 minutes to make it set faster).

     

    Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 4 months.

    *If you wish to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat flour 1:1 for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this flour and know it works well.

     

  • Individual Vegan Apple Pies

    Individual Vegan Apple Pies

    I have been enjoying lots of apples lately since we went to the apple orchard a couple of weekends ago.  Nothing beats a fresh Minnesota apple as far as I am concerned, especially for apple pie!  I made some last week, because I have been craving it and finally had the time.  My Mom always made the best apple pie when I was little.  People would always ask her to bring it to gatherings or Holidays like Thanksgiving.  She didn’t make her own pie crust usually, she used the store bought, but what made it so good were the Haralson apples and dash of lemon juice in the filling plus not as much sugar as most people use.  It was the most balanced apple pie ever with a little bit of tartness plus sweet from the apples.

    I make my apple pies the same way now.  Plenty of apple flavor.  It absolutely matters what type of apples you put into the pie you make.  I would recommend ones that taste good to you before you bake them.  If you use really mild flavored ones the pie might come out somewhat bland.  One time we had to use these frozen ones to make something at work and I think they were red delicious apples (my least favorite) and they needed a lot of doctoring up.

    I decided to make two smaller pies, because I wanted to share one and keep one for myself.  It is kind of fun after all to have your own little dessert!  I got two servings out of it though.  I made my classic pie crust, with vegan butter as opposed to coconut oil for a more pliable crust to work with for a double crust pie.  I admit I tend to make crumble top pies more because they are a little less fussy, but I felt like cutting cute shapes out of the dough this time.

    My kitchen smelled amazing while it was baking, and I could not wait to try it!  The pie turned out sooo good! I served it warm with coconut milk ice cream.  If you just want a really good classic apple pie, give this one a try!

    Individual Vegan Apple Pies
    Makes two 4 inch inch deep dish pies

    Filling:

    • 4 cups Haralson (or other tart sweet apples) cut into 3/4 inch cubes
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar (or brown sugar)
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • juice of one lemon
    • a pinch of sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour

     

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup Earth Balance buttery sticks (pressed into the measuring cup), or your favorite vegan butter to bake with
    • about 6-12 Tbsp cold water

     

    Topping:

    • thick coconut milk
    • maple sugar

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven tp 400F degrees.
    2. To make the filling, combine the apples, maple syrup, and cinnamon, vanilla, lemon juice, sea salt and flour in a bowl.
    3. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices. Cut in Earth Balance 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.
    4. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each out into a 5 inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer two of them to two 4 inch deep dish pie plates.  Pour the apples into the pies, cut a hole in the remaining dough circles right in the center with a cookie cutter, then place them on top of the pies.  Pinch the edges down to seal them, and trim off the excess (you can roll this out and create cute shapes for the top of the pie). Flute the edges.
    5. Brush the pie with a little coconut milk, top with any extra dough shapes if you want to decorate it, and brush those with a little milk too.  Sprinkle with maple sugar, and place on a baking sheet.  Prick the crust a few times with a fork, and place it in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, then check to see if the top is getting too brown, if it is tent with foil and place back in the oven until the pie is bubbling about another 15 minutes.
    6. Remove from the oven to a wire rack.
    7. Allow to cool completely before serving.

     

    *If you want to make this 1 8 inch pie instead of the two smaller pies, roll the dough into 2 9 inch circles instead of 4 and proceed the same with the recipe, just keeping in mind it might take about 15-20 minutes longer to bake.

    *If you want to make this gluten free  swap the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free baking flour, or your favorite GF flour.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 

    I know a lot of people hate all of the hype of pumpkin spice lattes, and I get it.  There are many chain coffee shops that just use a mix that doesn’t even contain real pumpkin and isn’t that good.  But once you have had one at a coffee shop that makes their own artisan drinks with real pumpkin and spices it is hard not to love them.  Or if you make your own like I do sometimes. I actually love them as long as they are good quality.  I love getting fall themed coffee with Eric at one of our favorite local shops and going for a walk, sipping it as we go.  It is one of my favorite things ever!

    I also love making pumpkin spice latte flavored things.  I have made a few cakes, and candies.  But I thought some pumpkin spice ice cream would be amazing!  So I whipped some up last week.  I have my ice cream maker in the freezer at all times ready to go in case the need to make it strikes, and I use it pretty often because I always have to have some ice cream on hand even in the cooler months.

    I usually start with coconut milk as my base, because it always turns out so rich and creamy.  For this one, I combined it with cashew butter to give it almost a cheesecake like quality.  If you are not a fan of cashew butter though, feel free to substitute almond butter.  I combined the base with a good amount of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices plus dates.  I like sweetening it with dates because they give it a caramel like flavor and don’t add as much moisture as liquid sweetener does. If you would prefer to use maple syrup instead though, you can it will just freeze a little harder.

    To make this coffee flavored, I added some ground espresso powder.  If you like it strong you can use two Tbsp or if you just like a light coffee flavor just use one.  The base for this tasted sooo good I could not wait to try it once it was churned.  It was totally heavenly!  Sweet, creamy and rich with all of the pumpkin spice coffee flavored goodness!  This would actually be really good as affogato (with coffee poured over it).  If you are a pumpkin spice latte fan, give this a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 
    Makes 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk or coconut cream (unsweetened)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or almond butter
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
    • 1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    • 1-2 Tbsp espresso powder  (depending on how much coffee flavor you like)
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions.  Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    3. Pour into a freezer safe container with a lid, and continue to freeze until firm enough to scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.
  • Vegan Apple Pie Cupcakes

    Vegan Apple Pie Cupcakes

    The weather has been fabulous here lately, and I have really enjoyed getting out and enjoying the fall colors and activities.  Last weekend we went for a hike along the St. Croix and then made a stop at Pleasant Valley Orchard to do some apple picking.  I normally do this earlier in the season but it has been a hectic year so we waited until later.  But it worked out because the drive was lovely!  It was the perfect day to be at the orchard, nice and sunny and moderate temperatures.

    Last year when we went it was a chilly rainy day so we felt lucky this year!  We picked a bunch of honeycrisp and haralson apples, which was what was available that day and they happen to be our favorites.  They were developed here in Minnesota, so maybe I am biased, but they are also the perfect balance of tart and sweet which makes them perfect for baking with!

    I decided to make some apple pie cupcakes with them.  I recently saw a non vegan recipe for some and  decided I needed to make my own.  I haven’t made cupcakes in a while, and filled cupcakes sounded even better.  Anything apple right now makes me happy!  It is a little longer process since you have to make the filling and not just a frosting but it is totally worth it and the perfect day off activity if you feel like spending time in the kitchen.

    For these, I used my vanilla cake base made with a bit of applesauce.  You don’t need to buy applesauce either, just take one of your apples, cut it into pieces and throw it in the blender until it is finely pureed. That is what I do!  This cake batter is really easy to make too, no fussy instructions with that, just mix, pour into the tins and bake! For the filling I just cut the apples small and cooked them with a bit of maple syrup and cinnamon and they were perfect!

    Lastly the cupcakes needed a cream cheese style frosting because I love that with apples or on an apple cake!  I used a combination of coconut cream and cashew butter to make it nice and rich tasting.  These turned out sooo good!  The apple filling tasted just like apple pie and it was perfect with the soft sweet cake and dreamy cream cheese frosting!  If you are looking for an apple baking project, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Apple Pie Cupcakes
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup apple sauce
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Filling:

    • 2 small tart sweet organic apples (such as honeycrisp), diced into 1/2 inch pieces
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp cornstarch

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/4 cup cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (not coconut oil), warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil 8 muffin tins or line them with paper liners.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk , apple sauce and vanilla together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared tins.
    7. Place in the oven, and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 17-20 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    9. Meanwhile to make the apples, combine the apples, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a pot and cook over medium heat until the apples have softened, about 15 minutes.  Mix together the lemon juice and cornstarch and cook until the sauce around the apples thickens.  Let cool.
    10. Use a teaspoon to scoop out about a large teaspoon of cake from the middle of each cupcake, and fill with the cooked apples.
    11. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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 frost.
    12. When ready to assemble, place the frosting in a pastry bag and pipe over the cupcakes.
    13. Enjoy! Refrigerate cupcakes if you have leftovers.

    Cupcakes keeps stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

    This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Caramel Apple Cobbler 

    Vegan Caramel Apple Cobbler 

       
    I finally got my hands on some Minnesota grown apples.  Although I love to just eat them, I really wanted to bake something with them as well. An apple pie sounded good, but then I also love crust-less things with a topping like an apple cobbler or apple crisp.  I went with the cobbler, because I saw a caramel apple cobbler on Pinterest that wasn’t vegan but sounded really good.  Plus it is a bit easier to make than a whole pie and perfect for two people to enjoy!
    I don’t think I have even made a cobbler since last year!  I love them though!  The bubbly fruit underneath those tender flakey biscuits!  When making apple pies, cobblers and crisps, it is important to me to get a good balance of tart and sweet with the apples.  Which is why I like to use sweet tart apples like honeycrisp or haralson, and add a touch of lemon juice.  The type of apples you use in a pie makes all the difference though.  If you have some bland apples, you will need to add a little more lemon juice and sweetener.
    I didn’t need much sweetener for mine, because the apples were already pretty sweet.  For my biscuits I actually use my scone recipe for the dough.  Because they are rich, flakey and just the right amount of sweet.  I do the method of baking the fruit for a while by itself until it is bubbly then add the biscuits at the end of the baking so that they don’t get overdone and it works pretty well!
    Lastly when the cobbler was all bubbly and lovely coming from the oven I decided it needed some quick maple caramel so I topped it off with that.  It turned out sooo good!  This cobbler was totally heavenly! I served it warm with some coconut milk ice cream and it was crave worthy!
    Vegan Caramel Apple Cobbler 
    Serves 4
    Ingredients:

    Fruit:

    • 3 cups organic sweet tart apples (such as honey crisp or pink lady), cut into chunks
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Biscuit topping:

    • 1 1/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Caramel:

    • 2 Tbsp pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or more if you need to thin it out more)
    • pinch sea salt

     

    6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Oil a 6 inch wide pie plate or bowl with coconut oil. In a large bowl, toss together the fruit, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla.
    2. Spoon into prepared bowl or pie plate, and cover with foil. Place plate on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling.
    3. Meanwhile, when the fruit in the oven is almost at 45 min, to make biscuits, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces.
    4. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Place dough on a floured work surface, and pat into a 1/2 inch tall rectangle.
    5. Remove baking fruit from oven. Cut small shapes out of the dough using a cookie cutter (or free form it), and place on top of the cobbler.  When all biscuits are on top of cobbler, sprinkle with coconut sugar and return to the oven.
    6. Bake for about 20 minutes until biscuits are cooked through and lightly brown and toasted on top (keep a close eye on they could burn very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm.
    7. Mix together the maple syrup and pecan butter for the caramel, and drizzle it over the top of the cobbler.
    8. Top with some ice cream or coconut vanilla whipped cream and…enjoy!
  • Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread 

    Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread 

    Last weekend Eric and I drove up north to Banning State Park in Minnesota to enjoy the fall colors, and it was honestly some of the most spectacular scenery I have seen this time of the year.  The conditions seem to be just right this year, it stayed warm pretty long, and everything is vibrant right now. Everyone else seemed to have the same idea, it was more packed there than I have ever seen it with lines that seemed like a mile long of cars parked outside the parking lot.  We went on about a 5 mile hike to this waterfall and back and hammocked along the way and it was a fun day but we were both pretty tired for the ride back.  While in the car I had time to think about what I felt like baking on my day off.  There was a chill in the air which had me craving warming spices.

    I had some over ripe bananas at home, so I thought a spiced banana bread might be good. But then I remembered how much I liked gingerbread and decided to make it a gingerbread spiced loaf!  I know gingerbread season is usually a bit later into the holidays but why not make something gingerbread now?!  It was the perfect thing to make, because it is easy, and I knew I would love it.

    I tweaked the base for my Grandma’s banana bread recipe, adding in molasses and spices and even the batter was delicious. I always liked gingerbread in the fall, and in fact when I was in cross country I would make cookies for the team and use my acorn cookie cutter to make gingerbread acorns with a maple glaze that we all loved. Speaking of which, I need to make a veganized version of those!  But for now this banana bread was what I was excited about.

    I added in pecans to give it a nice crunch, and it was ready to go into the oven. It made my kitchen smell amazing!  The aroma of warming spices always makes me happy.  I could not wait to try it! Once it was all cooled and ready to cut I was super excited!  It was sooo good!  Moist and delicious but not too heavy with a sweet banana flavor that was perfect with the ginger and the rich molasses! If you have bananas on hand, now you know what to make next!

    Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread 

    Makes 1 loaf

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup maple sugar*
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water (allowed to sit 15 min. before using)
    • 1/2 cup oat milk*
    • 2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil*
    • 1 Tbsp molasses
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil an 8×4 inch loaf pan.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flax mixture, oat milk, bananas, oil, molasses and vanilla until smooth.
    3. Whisk in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves then the vinegar until combined.
    4. Fold in the pecans until evenly distributed.
    5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few crumbs attached.
    6. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the pan.

     

    Bread keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container or wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 4 months.

    *Notes:

    Instead of the maple sugar, you could also use coconut sugar or granulated sugar if you prefer those.

    You can use any type of unsweetened plant based milk in this recipe, such as soy, almond or coconut instead of the oat if that is what you have on hand.

    If you would like to make this oil free, use 1/4 cup almond butter ( or your favorite nut or seed butter) instead of the oil.

    If you would like to make a gluten free version of this bread, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (I have tried this brand and know it works well for recipes like this).

  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts

           

    When Eric and I were walking through Target last week, some pumpkin pie pop tarts caught my eye. Now mind you, I have never really liked pop-tarts, I always thought they tasted sort of fake and not anything like real pastry with overly sweet filling.  The only ones I would tolerate were the cinnamon flavored.  But for some reason, seeing these ones at the store made me want to make home made ones.

    I knew I could make them way more delicious than the store bought ones.  Because these would have real pie crust not that fake stuff.  No, these are not low fat, but I would never eat a pop-tart for breakfast anyway…so that is not a problem.  To me this type of stuff is dessert.  I think I wanted to make them because there is just something I love about having your own individual pie, and pop tarts are sort of like hand pies.

    I filled them with something that tasted just like my usual pumpkin pie filling, a simple mixture of just pumpkin, coconut sugar and spices and it was just perfect when wrapped in the rich dough.  I topped them off with a sweet pumpkin glaze, and these were the best darn pop-tarts I have ever tasted!  If they had tasted like this when I ate them as a child I would have had them for breakfast every day.

    I don’t know about you but I have been obsessed with pumpkin and all things fall lately.  It is my favorite time of year after all, and I have to make all of the things pumpkin, spiced and apple so these pop tarts made me happy!  If you feel the same, definitely give these festive pop-tarts  a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts

    Makes 10

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup coconut oil in its solid state
    • about 6-7 Tbsp cold water

     

    Filling:

    • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Glaze:

    • 3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 3-4 Tbsp filtered water or as needed

     

    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.
    2. Roll out into a rectangle using floured parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Cut into 10 rectangles.
    3. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
    4. To make filling, mix together all ingredients. Spoon the filling onto half of the prepared little crust pieces (leaving a little boarder), and cover with the top pieces of dough (I used a small spatula to carefully move them), pressing the edges and crimping with a fork.
    5. Place on a parchment lined pan, then put into the oven. 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.
    6. Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth (adding more water if too thick, you want it to be pourable).  Spoon some of the glaze over each pop tart, and smooth it out to cover the top. Let set before serving.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Bars

    Vegan Pumpkin Bars

    I bought my first can of pumpkin last week. I have been wanting to make something with pumpkin since the beginning of September which is considered pumpkin season start to me!  I have made a few pumpkin spice lattes, but a dessert sounded nice. I will make a pumpkin pie later in the season, since that is more Thanksgiving like, but I decided to make some vegan pumpkin bars. I made some raw ones many years ago, but I have never actually made baked ones so I figured I would give that a go.

    I always liked pumpkin bars back in the day, those cakey ones with the sweet cream cheese frosting on top!  For these, I used something similar to my pumpkin cake base, and baked them in a bigger pan. This batter uses dates as a sweetener, to keep them nice and moist and give them an almost caramel like flavor that I love.  The batter is actually oil free too, I use almond butter instead to give it richness.

    I used whole wheat pastry flour for these, but if you wanted to make them gluten free, I can recommend Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour instead and subbing it 1:1.  I have used this brand before and it comes out just as delicious with the same texture.  This batter is super delicious.  Yes, of course I sampled it!  That is one of my favorite parts of the baking process after all! They baked up nicely, and made my kitchen smell amazing! I have to say, pumpkin spice is one of my favorite aromas in the world!

    Lastly, I made a rich cream cheese frosting to spread over them, because that is an essential part of these bars as far as I am concerned.  They turned out so heavenly!  The soft lightly spiced sweet pumpkin cake was perfect with the luscious smooth vanilla cream cheese frosting!  If you are in a pumpkin dessert eating mood like I am, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Bars
    Makes 16 bars

    Ingredients:

    8×8 inch square pan

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 2/3 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 3/4 cup canned full fat organic coconut cream  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work), chilled
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/8 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
    3. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    4. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, 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.
    6. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
    7. Cool bars completely.
    8. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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 frost.
    9. When ready to assemble, spread frosting over the top of the bars, cut into bars and enjoy!

     

    Keeps for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

    *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).

     

  • Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup

    Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup

    The weather is starting to cool off here, I am seeing a touch of color starting on some of the maple trees, and I am getting the comfort food cravings.  So I thought I would make some warming soup last week.  We had a few rainy days here, and it was just the thing to warm me up.  Especially the day Eric and I decided to go for a bike ride then got rained on half way through and had to ride an hour in the cold rain. I made some butternut squash, chickpea and kale soup!  One thing I am super excited about right now is squash coming into season. It is one of my favorite veggies ever!

    For this I used half my butternut squash for soup and I used the other half to roast and stuff for dinner another day.  I love making home made soup. I don’t think I have actually bought any soup at the store, especially canned since my Mom taught me to make soup when I was in college.  The flavor is so much better, and there is just no comparison.  Plus most soup is pretty cost effective to make anyhow, especially if it lasts for a few meals!  This one did for us!

    This is really simple to make!  I used my favorite soup base, which is just celery, onions and garlic with a little thyme.  If you use a flavorful broth for this, it makes it even more delicious. I used some home made broth, but you can use store bought if there is one you like!  After the less tender veggies simmered, I added the squash and let it cook for the last 10 minutes or so just so it didn’t get too mushy. Lastly the beans and kale. I like to add the kale at the last minute so that it retains more nutrients.  This is something I do often, add greens to my soup at the last minute to add extra goodness!

    This soup turned out super delicious! I served it with some home made bread to dunk in it, and the broth was nice and flavorful. I love the sweet squash with the other savory veggies!  Which fall vegetable or fruit are you most excited about?  I love the squash but I am also excited for apple season!

    Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup
    Serves 3-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup diced red onion
    • 4 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp thyme
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 4 cups flavorful vegetable stock
    • sea salt
    • 4 cups cubed butternut squash
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 2 cups fresh kale, torn into small pieces

     

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan.
    2. Add onions and celery and sauté until tender.
    3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, thyme, sea salt, pepper, and filtered water.
    4. Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until the veggies are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 20 minutes.
    5. Add the squash to the pot, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes.
    6. When the squash is tender, stir in the beans and kale until kale has just wilted.
    7. Serve!

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Latte Cookies

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Latte Cookies

    I have been really into coffee flavored things lately.  I do love my oat milk lattes, but coffee is so amazing in desserts as well!  Even when I was a kid, and I hated actual coffee I loved tiramisu and chocolates that were flavored with a little coffee. So I was excited when Raw Guru sent me some Rawmio Hazelnut Latte Spread.  It is like really good vegan nutella with a hint of coffee.  I love their nut butters!  So I decided it would be delicious in some cookies.  Well, I was hinted at by one of my family members who wanted me to make cookies actually and I loved that idea!

    Nut butter cookies are one of my favorite things, peanut butter cookies, almond butter cookies and hazelnut butter cookies.  These ones are just taken up a notch with the chocolate and a bit of coffee!  I love that they are one of the easiest cookies to make, no fancy mixing or chilling required!  I used the hazelnut latte spread in them, along with some cacao powder and espresso powder to give them even more of a coffee flavor.  If you can’t get the spread no worries, I have included directions on how to make it with plain hazelnut butter or another nut butter. 

    I also mixed toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate chips into the dough to make it extra good.  And it was so delicious that I had a hard time not eating too much of it before it was made into cookies. That is my favorite part of making cookies though, eating the dough.  It has to be sampled right?!  They smelled amazing while baking!  I could not wait to try them! 

    I did not have to wait long for them to cool. These are the perfect type of cookie to eat while the chocolate chips are still warm and gooey!  They are rich and decadent tasting packed with chocolate flavor, a hint of coffee and crunchy hazelnuts!  They would be amazing with a hot cup of coffee for dunking!  I am totally going to try that tomorrow!

      

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Latte Cookies

    Makes 12 cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 cup Raw Guru coconut sugar
    • 3/4 cup Rawmio hazelnut latte spread (or hazelnut butter)*
    • 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3 Tbsp cacao powder
    • 1 Tbsp espresso powder
    • ¾ tsp baking soda
    • ½ tsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ¾ cup vegan dark chocolate chunks or chips
    • 3/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts 

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water. Set aside for 15 minutes.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix together the coconut sugar, hazelnut latte spread (or hazelnut butter), coconut oil, vanilla and the flax seed mixture until smooth.
    4. Mix in the flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt and stir until completely combined.
    5. Mix in chocolate chips and hazelnuts
    6. Shape the cookie dough into 12 balls, and spread out evenly on the pan. Flatten them slightly with your hand.
    7. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until they are starting to brown slightly and are just set.
    8. When they are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack.
    9. Enjoy!

      *If you don’t have the hazelnut spread and are using hazelnut butter, then add 1 tsp espresso powder, and an additional Tbsp cacao powder to the recipe. Also, if you would rather use almond butter or another type of nut butter if you can’t find hazelnut you can use that as well.

  • Maple Pumpkin Seed Butter Cups

    Maple Pumpkin Seed Butter Cups

    Pumpkin seed butter is something that is totally under appreciated. I actually really like it!  Its lovely green color, slightly nutty flavor and rich texture! Raw Guru recently sent me some Dastony sprouted pumpkin seed butter and I was excited.  I tend to get stuck in the rut of eating peanut butter and almond butter or using tahini but pumpkin seed butter is actually really delicious and really healthy!  Pumpkin seeds are high in antioxidants and magnesium, and have a good amount of fiber.  I am trying to get more of a variety in the things I eat and get out of those ruts so pumpkin seed butter is the perfect thing to switch it up with.  Plus I feel like we are getting into pumpkin seed season here.  I know it is not technically fall, but September is fall as far as I am concerned.  Next month we will be carving pumpkins and toasting the seeds!  Which is actually something I look forward to every year.  My Mom used to roast the seeds when I was little for us to enjoy as a snack, so I continue on with the tradition.

    Back to that pumpkin seed butter though, I thought it would be good to include it in a recipe, especially since some of my readers may have a nut allergy and this would be suitable for them. The first thing I made is some pumpkin seed butter cups.  Because I was craving nut butter cups and I figured the beautiful green pumpkin seed butter would be perfect in some!  It has to be one of the prettiest nut butters there is.

    I could have just put it into the cups as it was just plain with a little sea salt and that would have been good, but I thought it would be even better with a touch of maple syrup added to it.  It was a delicious combination and I could have just eaten it that way with a spoon but I knew it would be even more crave worthy with the dark chocolate.  They were totally heavenly.  I love peanut butter cups, but these are just as good!  The pumpkin seed butter is rich and just sweet enough with a hint of maple flavor and the intense dark chocolate is the perfect pairing with it!

    I am one of those people who likes really intense dark chocolate with a high cacao content, so I usually mix a regular dark chocolate with some unsweetened chocolate to achieve this balance.  But if you are more of a sweet (vegan) milk chocolate person go for it with that!  That is what making things like this is about, enjoying the process of making them, modifying them to your tastes and enjoying your work!  Although, these are pretty easy not too much hard work involved.  If you get your hands on some pumpkin seed butter, give these a try!

    Maple Pumpkin Seed Butter Cups
    Makes 6 large cups

    Chocolate:

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

     

    Filling:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    2. Spoon a little chocolate into the bottoms of 6 peanut butter cup molds set on a plate or tray, filling them about 1/4-1/3 full.  Place in the freezer until hard, about 10 minutes.
    3. Mix together the pumpkin seed butter, maple syrup and sea salt until smooth.
    4. Spoon a heaping 1 tsp of the pumpkin seed butter mixture over the hardened dark chocolate layer, then pour the remaining dark chocolate over it in the cups until the pumpkin seed butter is covered, and tap the tray on the counter to level it.
    5. Place them in the freezer until set, about 20 minutes.
    6. Enjoy! Store any extra in the refrigerator.

    *If your pumpkin seed butter is particularly runny, you may want to mix a Tbsp of coconut butter with it to thicken it up a little bit.

    *If you can’t find pumpkin seed butter, you can make your own by blending up 4 cups of raw pumpkin seeds with about 1/2 tsp sea salt in a high speed blender and using the tamper to press them down into the blades until smooth.  It is a bit thicker and less spreadable than store bought, but if you want it more smooth, you can add a few Tbsp avocado oil to it while blending.

  • Vegan Blueberry Sweet Rolls

    Vegan Blueberry Sweet Rolls

         

    We are at the tail end of summer, so I am enjoying all of the berry deliciousness that I can!  Which includes desserts, and other creations besides just eating them plain.  Like these vegan blueberry rolls! When we visited Eric’s Dad in July he sent us home with lots of his home made jam, and I had something specific in mind for the blueberries.  These rolls!  I love sweet rolls of any kind.  Of course everyone thinks to make the caramel rolls or cinnamon rolls but I like to switch it up and use other fillings sometimes.  I have been wanting to make blueberry for a while because they just sounded good. 

    It is funny, back in the day the thought of making sweet rolls intimidated me. Or just yeast breads in general, because they are a little more work than a quick bread and whatnot. But I soon got used to them and actually enjoy making them now!  They are so worth the effort, especially sweet rolls like these babies. I made my dough with a little coconut milk to give it a bit of richness and sweetened it with maple sugar since it goes so well with blueberries. The dough came together and kneaded up nicely!  

    I used that blueberry jam from Eric’s Dad along with some fresh blueberries and they were so pretty with the colorful filling even before baking! They smelled so good I could not wait to try one when they came out of the oven. But I had to put a glaze on them first, because what is a sweet roll without a little glaze?  At least I think it is important. So I made a sweet blueberry glaze with Dastony coconut butter and raw cashew butter from Raw Guru.  It is a cream cheese style glaze, and you would swear it has dairy because it tastes rich and creamy. 

    These rolls turned out sooo good!  I love gooey sweet blueberry jam inside of a soft, warm sweet roll!  These are a nice switch up from cinnamon or caramel rolls when it is blueberry season. I am going to have to try making them with other fruit as well. Maybe some apple ones, since apple season is now here! Anyways, if you are looking for a sweet weekend treat, why not whip up a batch of these blueberry rolls! 

    Vegan Blueberry Sweet Rolls

    Makes 12

    Dough:

    • 1/2 cup warm water ( 105-110F degrees)
    • 1 packet active dry yeast (1/4 oz)
    • 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:

    • 3/4 cup blueberry jam
    • 1 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed and drained) blueberries 

     

    Glaze:

     

    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. 

  • Vegan Cream Cheese Apple Pie Bars

    Vegan Cream Cheese Apple Pie Bars

    I know it isn’t technically fall yet, but the weather has been feeling more like fall, and I am super excited about enjoying all of the delicious fall foods.  Especially the sweet ones involving pumpkin apples and spices.  I am looking forward to visiting the apple orchards soon!  I was gifted some apples and was in the mood for apple pie, but decided to make some apple pie bars instead because they can be shared more easily.  Also, I have been wanting to try making some apple cream cheese bars since last year.  I have made an apple cream cheese pie before, but I have been meaning to try making it in bar form.

    I decided to make these oil free, and use pecan butter instead of coconut oil in the crust and topping. It is one of the richest nut butters, so it works just as well plus gives these bars a nutty flavor. I make my own in a high speed blender.  If you don’t have access to it don’t worry you can use almond butter instead (or see the bottom for a coconut oil variation if oil free isn’t your thing).  The apples in the filling werea local variety, the Haralson, so they were nice and tart and perfect for apple pie! I prefer the tart ones in baked desserts, because then once you add the sugar the flavor is nicely balanced.

    Raw Guru recently sent me some of their Dastony raw cashew butter and I knew it would be perfect in the cream cheese layer of the bars.  I combined it with coconut cream and maple syrup for a rich and delicious tasting vegan cream cheese that set up nicely once baked thanks to the cornstarch I added.  Lastly I topped the bars off with a crunchy oat streusel topping.  They smelled sooo delicious while baking!

    I could not wait to try them!  They were sooo good!  They had a crunchy buttery tasting crust, the cream cheese layer was smooth and rich, a perfect partner for the sweet tart cinnamon scented apples and the crispy streusel on top! My taste testers loved them as well!  If you are in the mood for apple pie, give these babies a try! They are completely heavenly!  Like the best apple pie ever but in bar form!

    Vegan Cream Cheese Apple Pie Bars
    Makes 16

    Crust:

    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*

     

    Cream Cheese Filling:

    • 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut cream (the thick part from the top of a chilled can)
    • 1/2 cup Dastony raw cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Filling:

    • 3 medium or 4 small apples, sliced 1/4 inch thick
    • 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

     

    Topping:

    • 1 cup gluten free old fashioned oats
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3 Tbsp pecan butter or almond butter

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a 9×9 inch square pan with parchment.
    2. Mix together the crust ingredients, and press into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until set.
    3. To make the cream cheese, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, then pour over the crust.
    4. Mix together the apple filling and arrange over the cream cheese layer so that the apples are flat.
    5. Mix together the streusel filling in a bowl, and scrunch together with hands until it clumps up.  Sprinkle over the apples.
    6. Place in the oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes until the streusel is lightly browned and apples are tender.  Note, since some ovens vary in temperature, check the bars after about 30 minutes and if they are starting to get too dark, tent them with foil so that they do not burn.
    7. Once the bars have finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely.
    8. When the bars are cool, cut into 16 bars, and enjoy!

    *Notes:

    If you would like to make these gluten free, you can swap in Bob’s Red Mill GF baking flour (or your favorite similar flour, I just have used this brand and know it works well) for the whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe 1:1.

    If you would like these bars to be a little more rich, you can use coconut oil in the crust and crumble portions of this recipe in place of the pecan butter.

     

  • Vegan White Mocha Truffles

    Vegan White Mocha Truffles

        

    When I was in high school, every Sunday after church my Mom and I would stop at a local coffee shop on the way home and pick up drinks.  I started out with a dark chocolate mocha, then graduated to americanos later on.  But my Mom always got the same thing every time. A white mocha.  They made the best white mochas, she said.  And she still thinks so because every now and then she picks one up from there.  They do have really good coffee!  Whenever I see a white mocha on a menu I think of my Mom. They are pretty delicious.  Sadly, it is almost impossible to find a vegan one so I haven’t had one since back in the day. 

    But I was thinking about those days, and I decided that some white mocha truffles would be really good!  Raw Guru had just sent me some raw macadamia nut butter, and I figured it would make the perfect creamy element in the truffles along with some of their raw cacao butter and coconut butter. White chocolate truffles are heavenly on their own, but add in coffee to the mix and I figured they would be out of this world!  

    I am kind of a coffee snob, I admit it. The coffee has to be really good, and be drinkable on its own and still taste amazing without anything added to it in order for me to buy it.  Not bitter or burnt tasting that is a no go.  It has to be smooth, and delicious.  I have been buying the same brand of local coffee for about a year now because it is hands down the most amazing coffee I have ever had. It is called Dogwood Coffee and there are several locations in the twin cities.  Eric and I started going to this place last year when we were trying out different coffee shops around here and we were hooked. They roast their own beans, and it is seriously the most amazing coffee! No, this is not a sponsored post, I just want all of you to know about it who may live around here (Minnesota), or they do have an online store if you don’t. I also like supporting local businesses especially during this time. 

    Anyways back to the truffles, that is what I used in them along with my white chocolate cream base, and the filling tasted amazing!  I dipped them in vegan dark chocolate to contrast the white, and it was the perfect combination.  The filling is rich and creamy with the scent of white chocolate, vanilla and aromatic coffee, it is totally heavenly!  If you are a coffee and white chocolate fan, definitely give these a try! 

    Vegan White Mocha Truffles

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

     

    Dark Chocolate:

    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 14 balls, rolling them with your hands.   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 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.
    5. Store any leftover truffles in the refrigerator.
  • Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Dessert Hummus

    Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Dessert Hummus

    I am a huge hummus fan. When Eric and I went on vacation last month, almost every day for lunch I would buy hummus and vegetables to dip in it for lunch and it made me so happy. They are not all created equally though, some are definitely better than others.  We make a really good one at my work, that I think is one of the best I have tried.  It is a huge batch, starting off with 20 cups uncooked chickpeas so a big job to make, but I don’t mind doing it at all because I love the stuff!  I don’t just love savory hummus though, I love the sweet stuff too.

    Dessert hummus wasn’t really a thing until a few years back but from the first time I heard of it I loved the idea. Why not get your fiber and protein in your dessert?  I made some for myself and I was hooked. I think I made a chocolate one first, but I have since branched out to others, like chocolate chip cookie dough, salted caramel, chocolate cake batter, and cake batter. Last week, I decided to make a raspberry cheesecake flavored one.  Because cheesecake sounded good, but I hadn’t made a dessert hummus in a while, and also hummus is easier to make than a cake.

    This is super simple to make, you just throw everything in the blender, buzz it and voila!  Deliciousness!  I used chickpeas as a base, because I always have a large amount pre-cooked and portioned out in my freezer.  But you could use white beans if you wanted.  I added some coconut cream and cashew butter to give the hummus that creamy cheesecake feel, and it was so silky smooth and creamy!  For the sweetener I used maple syrup, because it blends in well, but if you wanted to you could use 1/2 cup of pitted medjool dates (I have done this before in my dessert hummus and it works well).

    Lastly I added in plenty of berries and a touch of lemon juice to give it that something extra.  It turned out super delicious!  I love this just with a spoon (which is how I ended up eating most of it) , or for dipping chocolate or brownies into, or fresh fruit if you wanted to keep it a bit lighter and more healthy.  If you still think dessert hummus sounds weird, just give it a try, I almost guarantee you will change your mind!

    Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Dessert Hummus
    Makes about 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup (or to taste, if you like it sweeter add 1/2 cup)
    • 1/2 cup coconut milk (or as needed)
    • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or almond butter

     

    Instructions:

    Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth (adding a little more water if necessary).  Keeps in the refrigerator for about 1 week in a sealed container.

     

  • Flavor Fall! With Torani Sugar Free at Walmart

    Flavor Fall! With Torani Sugar Free at Walmart


    This post is sponsored by Torani but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

    Fall is nearly here and that means it is time for all things fall themed like pumpkin spice lattes!  Fall is my favorite season and I really look forward to sipping cozy drinks.  Although I sometimes buy them at local coffee shops, nothing compares to enjoying a well crafted latte in the comfort of my own home.  I can do just that with Torani Sugar Free Syrups!  I have been enjoying Torani Syrups in my coffee drinks for years at coffee shops, but I was happy when I discovered that it can be purchased at my local Walmart Supercenter! Just in time for Fall, Walmart will now carry two new flavors, Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup and Torani Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup.  So I can make my own fancy drinks at home!

    If you haven’t heard of Torani Sugar Free Syrups, they are really delicious, calorie free and made with simple thoughtfully sourced ingredients. They are perfect for bringing out the best in your drinks, so that they taste like something you bought from a local barista. These fall flavors would be perfect for adding to things like cider or hot chocolate as well as coffee drinks.  The possibilities are endless for being creative!  They are easy to use, just add a couple of tablespoons to whatever drink you want to flavor!

    I decided to make myself a pumpkin spice mocha!  Normally I would stay away from a mocha in a coffee shop because they tend to use a lot of sugar, but at home I can make it sugar free with the Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup! You have no idea how excited I was about that!  This drink is actually completely sugar free, but tastes just as delicious as the regular ones!  The mocha I made had a rich chocolate flavor the perfect amount of sweet pumpkin spice to balance it out. Another thing about making your drinks at home, it is a lot cheaper than always going out and buying them, which I can appreciate.

    Don’t you feel like making your own fabulous drink now? I am so happy that fall is almost here, and soon I can wear my cute cozy sweaters, and enjoy warming drinks like this pumpkin spice mocha in my own kitchen!  I don’t even have to go out if I don’t want to! Now all we need is the fall colors to start appearing on the trees, this is my favorite time of the year! If you would like to create some fabulous cafe worthy fall drinks of your own, you can find Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup at your local Walmart Supercenter!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Mocha

    Serves 1

    Ingredients:

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a saucepan, combine the oat milk and cocoa powder over medium heat, and heat until it is just starting to simmer, and the cocoa powder is dissolved.
    2. Remove from heat, whisk in the Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup, and brewed espresso until well blended.
    3. Pour into a large mug and top off with the vegan whipped cream.
    4. Serve!

     

  • Vegan Blueberry Vanilla Waffles

    Vegan Blueberry Vanilla Waffles

    Last month when Eric and I visited his Dad in Michigan we went blueberry picking and ended up with loads of berries to bring home.  I ate a bunch right away, but froze about half for using later, since I always like to have frozen fruit on hand for recipes.  I have been wanting to make waffles with some of them ever since I got back because blueberry waffles used to be something I enjoyed when I was younger. Even if they were the frozen kind.  I figured I could make a way better version now!

    I finally got around to it on my day off earlier this week.  Waffles just sounded good. The funny thing is, I never actually make them for breakfast, usually just for a snack, or dessert, or even dinner. My Mom used to sometimes make pancakes or waffles for dinner when I was little and I always thought that was awesome. So I made these in the late afternoon to enjoy.  I wasn’t exactly sure how they would come out since I used frozen and thawed berries, but they were a success!

    I made a vanilla scented waffle batter and used coconut milk since it tends to be a little richer to help the waffles get that nice crunch on the outside. Plus a touch of avocado oil to give them that buttery flavor. If you wanted to make them oil free, you could just leave it out, but then use full fat coconut milk (in its liquid state mixed well) instead of the light. Also, these are not gluten free, but you can make them gluten free if you like, using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free AP Baking Flour instead of the whole wheat pastry. I have tested this brand in waffles and know it works well (if you have a favorite brand you know works though, go for it with that one).

    The batter tasted like blueberry muffin batter. Took me back to my childhood when my Dad used to make blueberry muffins on weekend mornings and I always wanted to lick the bowl.  These smelled amazing while cooking, and I could not wait to try them. The finished waffles actually tasted like blueberry muffins, and I served them with additional blueberries because one can never have too many when they are really delicious ones!  If you are in a waffle making sort of mood, give these a try!

    Vegan Blueberry Vanilla Waffles

    makes 8 medium sized belgian waffles

    Ingredients:

    Batter:

    • 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 Tbsp ground flax seed, whisked together with 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or another neutral oil
    • 2 cups light coconut milk
    • 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed and drained well) plus more for serving

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the waffles, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt in a large bowl.
    2. Then whisk in the flax mixture, oil, and coconut milk together until smooth. Fold in the blueberries.
    3. Heat your oven to 150F degrees and oil, and pre-heat waffle iron. Once it is heated, pour about 1/3 cup batter onto the waffle iron or until the iron is just covered (but not so much that it will ooze out) and close it.  Cook according to waffle iron package directions.  Remove from the waffle maker and keep warm in the oven while you make the others.  If you have a waffle maker the size of mine (regular belgian waffles), you may have more than 8 waffles.
    4. Serve the waffles with additional fresh blueberries!

     

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Roll Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Roll Cake

    Sometimes you just feel like making a really good chocolate cake. I was in that sort of mood last weekend. So I decided to make one.  I had some raspberry jam on hand and I thought it would be perfect with a dark chocolate cake. I decided to make a roll cake, because a layer cake is a little more time consuming. You would think that roll cakes are more difficult but once you get the hang of them, they are actually surprisingly easy! I wanted a dark chocolate cake base with a raspberry cream and raspberry jam inside.

    For the cake part, I used my date sweetened dark chocolate cake.  It is always nice and pliable thanks to the dates, and happens to be fruit sweetened which I love as well. Also the dates give it a slight caramel like flavor along with the chocolate. I have tried making these sort of cakes with a sugar type base, but they just aren’t as forgiving with rolling as the fruit sweetened one is. While this was baking, my kitchen smelled like heavenly brownies!

    For the raspberry cream filling, I used a mixture of coconut cream and cashew butter to make a luscious base.  It is almost cheesecake mousse like.  To sweeten it and give it that raspberry flavor I used mostly raspberry jam.  It was a really delicious jam that Eric’s Dad made and it is just the perfect amount of sweet and tart with plenty of raspberry flavor.  You want to use a flavorful jam for this that you can really taste the raspberries in, not one that is simply just sweet.

    I spread a little bit of jam on top of the cream before I rolled the cake as well for extra raspberry flavor.  When it was all done and had had time to set, I finished it off with a layer of dark chocolate ganache on the outside.  That is my favorite way to decorate the outside of a chocolate roll cake.  It is almost like a really thick fudge, so yummy!  This cake as a whole was totally heavenly!  The rich vanilla raspberry cream and gooey jam on the inside were perfect with the soft dark chocolate cake and ganache!  If you are in a chocolate sort of mood, try this out sometime!

    Vegan Chocolate Raspberry 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 raw cashew butter or almond butter (or your preferred nut butter, just make sure it is smooth)
    • 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 coconut cream, such as Thai Kitchen chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can cream or it will not work)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/2 cup raspberry jam
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2/3 cup melted coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    Ganache:

    • 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
    • 1/3 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, water, almond 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 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, 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 Blackberry Almond Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

    Vegan Blackberry Almond Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

    When we visited Eric’s Dad last month, he gave us a bunch of his amazing jam.  It is seriously some of the best jam I have ever tasted, made from local fruit he picks in his town in Michigan, and from his own garden.  I love it plain or on toast, but it also inspired me to make some delicious desserts, one of which was these brownies. I was in a brownie making mood, and I couldn’t help but think the blackberry jam would be amazing swirled into chocolate.  So I made some!

    I couldn’t just stop there though, I wanted these to be over the top delicious so I decided to add a vegan cream cheese element as well and make them cheesecake swirled.  Because why not?  When it comes to brownies, the more decadent the better, right?!  I used one of my brownie recipes with applesauce in the base to keep them nice and fudgy.  They do still contain a little bit of oil, but if you wanted them oil free, you could replace it with nut butter, such as almond butter which is already in another part of this recipe. I just find that the texture is slightly different that way though, so I prefer a little oil in mine.

    For the cheesecake, I used a mixture of coconut cream and almond butter to make it nice and rich as well as give it that almond flavor I was going for.  It was heavenly before I even added it to the brownies!  If it seems a little runny before you bake it, no worries, it will firm up when baked!  It was so pretty with that purple blackberry swirl!  These smelled amazing while baking! I love the aroma of brownies, it has to be one of the happiest smells on Earth!

    They turned out lovely, but I had to wait until the next day to try them because I made them in the evening. It was well worth the wait though, I had something to look forward to coming home from work the next day. They turned out sooo heavenly!  Rich and fudgy, with plenty of cheesecake and that gooey tart sweet blackberry jam!  If you are in the mood for something decadent and chocolaty, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Blackberry Almond Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies 
    Makes 16

    Cheesecake swirl:

    • 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut cream (from the top of a chilled can)
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Brownies:

    • 1/4 cup avocado oil
    • 1/2 cup apple sauce
    • 1 cup coconut sugar 
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/2 cup blackberry jam
    • 1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chunks

     

    Ingredients:

    1. To make the swirl, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.
    2. To make the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 375F degrees. Whisk together the sugar, avocado oil and applesauce until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down.
    3. Add the flax water mixture, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
    4. Add the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and beat until smooth.
    5. Scrape the batter into a greased 8×8 inch pan, then pour the swirl over it, then drop the jam by the tsp over that. Sprinkle with the chocolate chunks.
    6. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).
    7. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
  • Vegan Blackberry Crumble Pie

    Vegan Blackberry Crumble Pie

    I haven’t had more than a few days of vacation here and there for at least two years.  I have also been working all throughout the quarantine since I am an essential worker, so not a lot of time off then, so when I had an opportunity to go on a road trip vacation with Eric to see his Dad who lives in Michigan of course I went!  I haven’t even been on an actual road trip since I was in middle school so it sounded like fun. It was a fun trip, lots of outdoor state parks to visit along the way, and of course the time with his family was the best part.  While we were there his Dad, took berry picking. He makes the best fruit jams I have ever tried so he knows what is good.
    We picked a total of 10 lbs of wild blackberries together and they were the most flavorful delicious berries you can imagine! Of course nothing beats fresh picked off the bush!  We took the ones we didn’t eat home (I have been eating so many berries lately I should look like Violet Beauregarde blue from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).  At least I know I am getting my antioxidants!
    So when I got home, I decided that a blackberry pie sounded amazing. I don’t usually get that many blackberries when I find them at the store because they are usually a bit spendy here, but since I had a large amount I could finally make a pie!  I haven’t made pie in ages also, so it was about time.  Sadly none this summer yet because of the kitchen remodel and being busy so it was about time!
    I didn’t even need to sweeten the berries that much because they were packed full of flavor.  I just used my classic coconut oil crust, and put a nice crumble topping on the pie because it is my favorite. Double crust pies may be a little bit prettier, but nothing beats a good crunchy streusel!  This pie turned out super delicious!  I had to wait until it cooled to cut it so it would look pretty in my pictures, but it is amazing served warm with coconut milk ice cream!  I hope you all had a wonderful July!
    Vegan Blackberry Crumble Pie

    Makes 1 8 inch pie

    Crust:
    1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    3 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    6 Tbsp coconut oil, in its solid form
    about 2-3 Tbsp cold water

    Filling:
    6 cups fresh or frozen organic blackberries (if they are frozen, thaw them first, and drain off any liquid)
    juice and zest of one small lemon
    1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    2 Tbsp arrowroot powder or organic whole wheat pastry flour
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    pinch sea salt

    Topping:
    1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    2 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
    3/4 cup gluten free rolled oats
    pinch sea salt

    To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, 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 a 2-3 Tbsp water as needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    Roll out into about a 9 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Place dough into an 8 inch pie pan and fit to edges (being careful). If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up. Flute the edges, or crimp with a fork. Set aside in the refrigerator.
    To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix together and squeeze together until it is clumping up a bit. Set aside.

    Pre-heat the oven to 400F degrees. In a large bowl, toss together the filling ingredients. Spoon into crust. Scatter the topping over that. Bake for 1 hour in the middle rack of the oven until berries are all jammy and it is and bubbling (after 15 minutes check it and if it is getting too dark, tent it with foil for the rest of the time in the oven).

    Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.

  • Vegan Mocha Roll Cake

    Vegan Mocha Roll Cake

    I feel like my Birthday crept up on me this year. There has been so much crazy stuff going on, and so many changes, including my kitchen remodel that just wrapped up a couple weeks back (thank goodness) that I forget what month we are in.  But I still decided to make a birthday cake this year and give the new oven a go baking a larger cake.  My old oven was a little touchy and sometimes would malfunction, but this one seems to work great and I am grateful to be able to use it from now on.  I baked a mug cake with sprinkles last Friday, but that was my test cake before the Birthday cake, so this one was the first full sized one I have made. This year I decided to make a roll cake. This past year has pretty been the year of the roll cakes for me, I have fallen in love with them.

    Funny, because I used to be so intimidated by them in the past and now I find them easier and faster to make than a traditional layer cake.  I wanted something with coffee, so I made a mocha cake this time!  Chocolate and coffee are a match made in heaven after all!  For the cake portion, I like to use my date sweetened cakes for the roll cake, because they are a bit more forgiving and pliable.  Plus I just like date sweetened cakes in general.  The dates give the cake a slight caramel flavor, similar to how brown sugar would. I just added some of my favorite strong brewed coffee to it to give it mocha flavor and it tasted amazing!

    For the coffee cream filling, I used a combination of coconut milk and raw cashew butter to make it nice and creamy, and added a bit of coffee and cacao to it to give it that mocha flavor.  It was heavenly even before I added it to the cake!  Lastly it needed something on the outside so I gave it a ganache icing.  It was lovely!  I am a big fan of ganache on cakes if I am in a chocolate sort of mood!

    I could not wait to try it!  But I let it sit overnight because I was making it in the evening for the next day and I wanted it to cut nicely.  It was well worth the wait!  Sooo heavenly!  That rich coffee cream, soft dark chocolate cake and gooey ganache were a perfect trio!  If you are a chocolate and coffee fan, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Mocha 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 raw cashew butter or almond butter (or your preferred nut butter, just make sure it is smooth)
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp espresso powder
    • 2 cups strong brewed coffee
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Filling:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, such as Thai Kitchen chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can cream or it will not work)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or raw almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp espresso powder
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 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
    • 1/3 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, coffee, almond 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 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, 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 Vanilla Cake In a Mug

    Vegan Vanilla Cake In a Mug

    It was Friday, at the end of a long week, and I was in the mood for some cake.  But I didn’t want to go through a lot of trouble to make it, because I also wanted to relax and enjoy, so I decided to make just one small cake for myself to enjoy that I could eat right away. A mug cake!  I haven’t made one in ages. I don’t think I have even made a vanilla mug cake like this one. I made a souffle one time in a mug that was similar back before I was vegan.  But cake sounds even better. I thought about making a chocolate one, but decided on vanilla because it brings back good memories and my birthday is next week, so I wanted something sort of birthday cake like. Not that I won’t make another birthday dessert, I am all for going all out next week on something.

    This time though I wanted to keep it simple.  I made my classic vanilla cake batter that is super easy, just whisk it all together pour it in and bake!  None of that beating of anything separately and folding it in type of business. I used to make those types of cakes back in the day and although it was fun and exciting at the time, I want something with a bit less steps at this point.

    This cake batter doesn’t actually have any oil, it is made with full fat coconut milk instead to give it that richness and it works out perfect. I used whole wheat pastry flour here, because it is what I prefer, but if you prefer regular AP flour, or even GF flour (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill GF all purpose baking flour, because I have used it with great results) that will work as well here swapped in. I stirred in some sprinkles at the last minute because why not make it cute?!

    It baked up nicely and my kitchen smelled amazing. Like the name of my blog lol, like Fragrant Vanilla Cake.  It is one of my favorite smells in the world after all.  I could not wait to dive in!  Once it had cooled enough to enjoy, and I got to try it, the flavor was just what I imagined.  That classic mellow sweet vanilla with a nice soft crumb that I wanted to keep eating until it was all gone.  If you are in the mood for some classic vanilla cake, give this a try!

    Vegan Vanilla Cake In a Mug 
    Makes one larger mug cake or 2 smaller

    Ingredients:

    one 2 cup mug or two 1 cup mugs

    Cake:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp vegan sprinkles (optional)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    3. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    4. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    5. Transfer the cake batter to a 2 cup larger mug or 2 1 cup mugs.
    6. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes for the larger mug and about 15 for the smaller 1 cup.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool, at least until just warm.
    8. Enjoy!

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

     

     

  • Vegan PB and J Ice Cream Sandwiches

    Vegan PB and J Ice Cream Sandwiches

    It has been quite steamy outside here in Minnesota lately, so it is the perfect time to enjoy cool treats like ice cream!  I have been wanting to make some, and Eric and I had been watching a video on YouTube about this place that makes all sorts of different ice cream sandwiches, and it made me hungry. So I decided that I needed to make my own at home.  I thought long and hard about what kind I wanted to make, that would fit with the ingredients I had on hand, and I ended up landing on PB and J.  Because I am kind of obsessed with that combo.

    I was thinking PB cookies with raspberry ice cream for the “jelly” flavor.  I make peanut butter cookies at work all the time, but not much at home, so those sounded good as well, if I had extras to snack on.  The thing I like about Peanut butter cookies is they are nice and simple.  These ones always turn out good, and the dough is super delicious too if you are one of those people like me that likes to eat the cookie dough and thinks that is one of the best parts of the process.

    For the raspberry ice cream I used a coconut milk base with a bit of cashew butter to make it nice and creamy.  The base tasted amazing even before freezing, like delicious raspberry cheesecake batter. It turned out nicely in the ice cream maker, but if you didn’t have one I have included instructions for how to make it without one as well.  It was heavenly on its own but I knew it would be even better with the cookies!

    I haven’t had an ice cream sandwich in quite a few years, so I was excited about these!  They turned out super delicious!  The creamy smooth raspberry ice cream was the perfect partner for the rich, slightly salty, chewy peanut butter cookies! I did think about swirling PB and J into this too, and you could if you wanted to, I just didn’t want it to be super messy and oozing out. They were perfect as is in my opinion!  If you are a PB and J fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan PB and J Ice Cream Sandwiches 

    Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
    Makes 12 cookies

    Ingredients:

    Cookies:

    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 3/4 cup organic peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and water.  Place the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes, this is your flax egg.
    2. In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix together the sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and flax egg, until smooth.  Then mix in the flour, soda, baking powder, and sea salt in until the mixture is smooth.
    3. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line a sheet pan with parchment.
    4. Shape the cookie dough into 2 inch balls, place on your baking sheet a few inches apart and flatten with a fork, like you would with peanut butter cookies.
    5. Place in the oven and bake at 350F for 12 minutes or so, until lightly browned and set.  Allow to cool on a rack, then place in the freezer until ready to add the ice cream.

     

    Vegan Raspberry Ice Cream
    Makes 3 cups

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1 1/2 cups fresh organic raspberries
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions.  Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    3. Pour into a freezer safe container with a lid, and continue to freeze until firm enough to spread onto the cookies for sandwiches.

     

    Assembly:

    1. Spread some of the ice cream about 3/4 inch thick on half of the cookies, then add the other half to sandwich together.
    2. Place them all on a tray in the freezer until they are firmed up, then enjoy!
    3. Place any leftovers in a container with a lid, and store in the freezer for up to a month (they keep longer but might get freezer burn).
  • BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    When I was a kid, sloppy joes were a staple at just about every summer gathering or party that I went to.  Most likely because they were great for making in a crock pot and having ready ahead of time, and everyone loved them.  They actually weren’t my favorite most of the time unless someone had a really good recipe but I still would eat them as was tradition.  Now of course I have to pass most of the time because I am vegan and ground beef an option for me.  But I have come up with a recipe to make at home that I actually really love, much more than those ones I grew up eating.  I am a big fan of lentils, and I had seen other people make lentil sloppy joes so I gave it a go.

    The only putzy part about this is cooking the lentils, but luckily they cook a lot faster than most beans.  I cooked mine a day ahead of time actually to speed the process.  I like to use french lentils for this, but green lentils or brown will work as well, anything that holds its shape and doesn’t fall apart too much (like red lentils, which would not be a good option).  I made a simple sauce  for these with ingredients I already had on hand and it worked out great!

    I know some people put a lot of extra veggies in their sloppy joe mix but I just went with onions, garlic and tomatoes and kept it simple. To make it BBQ flavored and a bit tangy, I added apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup for a little sweetness and some smoked paprika to give it that smokey flavor.  I don’t like my sauce super sweet, but if you are one of those people that does, feel free to add a little maple syrup. That is what cooking for yourself is all about, making recipes that are tailored to your own tastes!

    These turned out super delicious!  They were way better than the ones I grew up eating.  They had plenty of flavor, and were filling without being heavy.  I served them on buns the first day, but for leftovers the next day I served them over some brown rice and that was good as well!  So you have options here if you are not a bread person or are gluten free.  I hope you all are having a wonderful summer so far!

    BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/3 cups dried french lentils or green lentils
    • filtered water
    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, minced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 6 oz can tomato sauce
    • 1 5 oz can tomato paste
    • 3/4 cup filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
    • 8 whole wheat buns for serving

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a medium pot, combine the lentils and enough filtered water to cover them by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape. Remove from heat, drain well and set aside.
    2. In a medium saucepan, heat the onions and garlic in the oil and saute until starting to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, paprika, black pepper, and sea salt and bring to a simmer.  Allow to cook for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
    3. Mix in the lentils, and cook until everything is heated through.
    4. Serve the BBQ Lentils on the buns.

     

  • Vegan White Chocolate Mango Raspberry Cheesecake

    Vegan White Chocolate Mango Raspberry Cheesecake

        

    I can’t believe it is already July!  Time has flown this year with all that is going on, and I feel a bit out of sorts as to what month it is lately since I am not in my usual routine.  I haven’t done much cooking and baking lately because my kitchen has been in the process of being remodeled and it’s been hard to use it. Luckily it is about done, and since July is here, and it is hot, I thought it would be the perfect time to make a no bake cheesecake!  Which is honestly what I usually make anyway because they are just as delicious as the baked but easier.  Since mangoes are super delicious right now, and some at the store were calling my name, I decided to make a white chocolate mango raspberry cheesecake!

    For the base, I used my usual full fat coconut milk. I always have cans of it on hand, and it makes for luscious cheesecake.  I then usually add something like cashews or chickpeas to add bulk and a nice texture but this time I simply used a good amount of sweet mango since this was a mango cheesecake after all.  I also added in a bit of lime juice and vanilla for flavor plus maple syrup to sweeten it and it was heavenly!  Instead of the usual coconut butter I use to thicken my cheesecakes, I used melted cacao butter this time to give it the white chocolate flavor. 

    Although I could have made my raspberry swirl completely with raw raspberries, I mixed them with jam so that they would be a little less runny and more vibrant in color and it worked out perfectly.  That bright red against the pale yellow of the mango cheesecake was lovely! I could not wait to try it, but I had to wait until the next day because I was making it at night. 

    Once I finally unmolded it and got to dive in, it was heavenly!  Rich and creamy with a sweet mango flavor, a hint of lime, mellow white chocolate and jammy raspberries!  It tasted like summer, which is what I was going for, I didn’t have to heat up the oven to make it and it was easy to make!  If you are in the mood for cheesecake give this a try! 

    Vegan White Chocolate Mango Raspberry Cheesecake

    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup almonds (for nut free version use finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut instead)
    • 3/4 cup organic gluten free rolled oats, or quinoa flakes
    • 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water first and drain well)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat coconut cream (I used the thick part of a can of Thai Kitchen organic full fat coconut milk*)
    • 3/4 cup cubed fresh mango
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 Tbsp lime juice 
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste
    • 3/4 cup melted cacao butter

     

    Swirl:

    • 2/3 cup organic raspberry jam mashed together with 1/3 cup fresh raspberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. Oil a 6 inch spring form pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
    2. To make the crust, place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until crumbs and starting to hold together (if they are not holding together when squeezed, add a few tsp filtered water and blend). Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
    3. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    4. Pour half the filling over the prepared crust  then drop some of the jam over than randomly (but spaced out) by the tsp as well. Swirl with a knife a few times. Repeat with the remaining filling and jam.
    5. Place cheesecake in the freezer until it is set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    6. Remove from the freezer, un-mold and enjoy!  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

    *I use Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.  If you are using a different brand, just make sure it is the thick type, 2/3 of the can at least should be very thick cream or it will not work in this recipe.

  • S. Pellegrino Essenza

    S. Pellegrino Essenza

    This post is sponsored by S.Pellegrino Essenza but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

    Staying home for dinner does not have to be boring, it can be exciting and fun with the right meal and beverages!  Yes, you could go pick up takeout and I admit that I have a few times, but overall, I find that lately I am cooking about the same amount of meals at home as I always do.  I enjoy cooking at home, and I try to make restaurant quality food. And you know what makes good food even better?

    A fancy drink to go with it, like S. Pellegrino Essenza!  It goes well with many things, especially Summer dishes, and it is made zero calories and zero sugar.  Which are all important to me.  They have three delicious flavors at Walmart, Tangerine & Wild Strawberry, Lemon & Lemon Zest, and Dark Morello Cherry & Pomegranate which are all delicious, but I chose the Tangerine & Wild Strawberry to pair with my meal. From the minute you open the can, you are greeted with the aroma of refreshing citrus and sweet strawberry. It pairs well with light dishes like sauteed veggies, which I make a lot and this is why it is my favorite flavor. You can find all three flavors of S. Pellegrino Essenza I mentioned earlier, at your local Walmart.

    When the weather gets warmer I love things like fajitas and tacos, because they remind me of Summer.  They also pair perfectly with the S. Pellegrino Essenza!  When I make Mexican food, I like a fancy drink to go with it and since I don’t typically drink alcohol the S. Pellegrino Essenza is the perfect healthier choice!  It is light, refreshing, fruit flavored and delicious!  This time I paired it with veggie fajitas.  They are one of my favorite dishes to order when I go out for dinner in the summer, and I love to recreate them in the comfort of my own home.

    You know what is nice about enjoying dinner at home also?  You can still dress up create a beautiful table setting and make a restaurant quality meal, but you don’t have to drive anywhere to enjoy it!  I am one of those people who likes eating out in a restaurant but I also like sharing a quiet dinner with family at home, and I can bring that experience home by putting out a nice table setting, and serving S. Pellegrino Essenza!  You can find it at your local Walmart store, or Walmart online, just click to sign in at Walmart.Com and add S.Pellegrino Essenza to your cart!

    Rainbow Veggie Fajitas

    Serves 2

    • 2 bell peppers, cut julienne
    • 1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
    • 1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1 tsp avocado oil
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1/8 tsp chipotle powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • corn tortillas
    • 1 sliced avocado
    • 1 cup vegan refried beans
    • 1/2 cup salsa

    Instructions:

    1. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the bell peppers, mushrooms, onions and garlic. Sautee until starting to soften, then add the chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and sea salt, and cook for a minute more until the spices are fragrant.
    2. Serve with corn tortillas, sliced avocado, refried beans and salsa.  To assemble, spread a little refried beans on a tortilla, then top with the veggie mixture, avocado and salsa.

     

     

  • Vegan Maple Oatmilk Latte Popsicles

    Vegan Maple Oatmilk Latte Popsicles

    One of my favorite things lately is an iced oatmilk maple latte. Ever since I had one at a local coffee shop in Minneapolis called Dogwood Coffee back at the end of May.  It was the first time the shop had opened back up after all of the quarantine closures and I could not wait to have my favorite coffee again. It was sooo good, we all ordered one, and even Eric who isn’t even vegan had the oatmilk version and loved it. Since my pocket book can’t afford for me to go out to coffee more than once a week however, or I don’t always get into the cities every weekend, I have been making my own at home with the coffee beans I purchased there and they are just as good (I just don’t have the lovely atmosphere of the patio there to enjoy).

    When I was making some the other day and it was like 90F degrees, I decided that they would make amazing popsicles to cool off with. Why not?  They are already like a treat to me, and it would be easy enough to put them in my popsicle molds and freeze them. I love making home made popsicles and creating my own flavors. I usually find the store bought ones to be too sweet, and I like a little more unusual ingredients anyhow.

    For the base I used a combination of fresh brewed coffee chilled and of course the oat milk. Now of course you could use a different type of milk such as coconut milk if you wanted these even more like really rich ice cream bars and less like popsicles, but I like the oatmilk flavor best with coffee, and I have added in a little bit of cashew butter here for a little richness already. I added a little maple syrup for the sweetness as it is included in the classic latte that I love. Just enough to give it a little flavor but not make it overly sweet. If you prefer really sweet coffee drinks, you can add a few Tbsp more.

    These turned out sooo good though!  I don’t usually drink my coffee in the afternoon, but I have been having one of these after work to cool off with after the hot car ride home.  They are rich with coffee flavor mellowed out by the oatmilk, with just enough sweetness from the maple to make them dessert like.  If you are an oatmilk latte fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Maple Oatmilk Latte Popsicles

    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cups oat milk
    • 1 cup strong brewed coffee
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the oat milk, coffee, cashew butter, syrup, and vanilla  in a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into popsicle molds.
    3. Place sticks into the molds, leaving about 1 inch at the top (if your molds don’t stabilize the sticks, wait until the mixture is half frozen to put them in), then place in the freezer until completely hard, about 4-6 hours (or overnight).
  • Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes

    Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes

    If you grew up in the 80s or early 90s, then you probably remember Strawberry Shortcake. I loved strawberry shortcake. In fact, I wished I could be her at one point, living in a giant strawberry with my pets and baking things. I had the strawberry shortcake movie when I was little and I would sit and watch it over and over. And I had the dolls. She was pretty awesome. So now whenever someone mentions strawberry shortcake, I think of the character first, then the dessert.  But the dessert is pretty darn delicious. I even liked the store bought stuff people used to serve back in the day with the store bought sponge cakes and cool whip.  But now I have leveled up. I like to make my own biscuits and coconut whipped cream.

    So last week I was craving strawberry shortcake and I went for it!  You could go the cake route, but I make my own biscuits instead as I mentioned earlier because I feel like they hold up better and offer more texture. I actually use my scone base as the recipe and it is so rich, delicious and flakey!  This is the scone recipe that I use in the deli I work in and they always sell well. If you wanted to make these gluten free you could use Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour 1:1 it works just as well, I have tried it before.

    For the whipped cream, I made a simple lightly sweetened coconut whipped cream that was 100 times better than the cool whip I grew up eating on strawberry short cake. I am kind of obsessed with coconut cream in case you hadn’t noticed, I do use it a lot in my recipes, even for frostings.  I know you can just whip up the cream and leave it like that but I like it a little more stable, so I added in coconut butter to keep it from melting on the shortcakes.

    I cooked the strawberries with a little maple syrup, to make them all jammy and yummy for the shortcakes.  These turned out sooo good! I think they might have been the best strawberry shortcakes I have had, nothing like the ones I ate growing up, leveled up from those like 10 times!  If you have strawberries on hand, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes
    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    Fruit:
    • 3 cups fresh organic strawberries
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch dissolved in 2 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Shortcake biscuits:
    • 1 1/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Coconut whipped cream:

    • 1 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, at room temperature
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a medium saucepan, toss together the berries and maple syrup, and cook over medium heat until the berries are starting to fall apart.  Add the arrowroot and lemon juice mixture and vanilla, stirring constantly and cook just until thickened.  Remove from heat and let cool.
    2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack at the center position.
    3. Meanwhile, to make biscuits, in a large bowl, combine the flour, pecan meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, along with the pecans, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Place dough on a floured work surface, and pat into a 1/2 inch tall rectangle.  Cut into 4 squares, then shape them into circles and place on a parchment lined baking tray.
    4. Place biscuits in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until starting to brown and done in the middle  (but not over-baked).
    5. Remove biscuits from the oven and let cool.
    6. For the whipped cream, 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 45 minutes to one hour.
    7. To assemble, slice a biscuit in half (carefully), spoon some strawberries and coconut cream over that and top with another biscuit and more coconut cream.  Repeat with the other 4.  Serve!
  • Vegan Double Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

    Vegan Double Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

    A while back, in the deli I work in, we got almond butter shipped to us instead of tahini.  Since we were unable to return it, and I am the vegan baker there, I suggested we make some almond butter cookies with it!  We didn’t really have any other recipes that we could use it in so it was perfect!  I thought it would be a short term thing, but they sold so well, they ended up being a permanent item that I now make. They are really good, like a more grown up peanut butter cookie.  I have made them at home before, and I felt like making some last weekend.  But with a twist, with chocolate added.  Because I was in a chocolate sort of mood. 

    Also, I had been gifted some almond butter, and Raw Guru recently sent me some of their coconut sugar, so it was perfect!  These cookies are really simple and easy to make, which I love.  Nothing complicated like chilling dough, or rolling them out or anything.  If it is a week day, I am not wanting to make anything that requires a lot of time. I want to be enjoying those cookies fast, you know?! 

    I pretty much used my peanut butter cookie base for these, but added in cacao powder to make them chocolate.  The cookies are rich and delicious from the large amount of almond butter plus a little bit of coconut oil. If you wanted them to be oil free, you could swap the coconut oil for more almond butter instead, and they would still work out, they just wouldn’t brown as much. I also added in chocolate chips to make these double chocolate.  The dough was sooo good!  I could not stop sampling it! 

    They baked up beautifully, and my kitchen smelled amazing. I could not wait to try them! Luckily they didn’t have to cool completely and I could enjoy them while still warm.  They were sooo good!  Soft and chewy, with a nutty chocolate flavor, and the gooey chocolate chips made them even better!  If you are an almond butter fan, definitely give these a try! 

    Vegan Double Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

    Makes 12 cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 cup Raw Guru coconut sugar
    • 1 cup smooth roasted almond butter
    • ¼ cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3 Tbsp cacao powder
    • ¾ tsp baking soda
    • ½ tsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ¾ cup vegan dark chocolate chunks or chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water. Set aside for 15 minutes.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix together the coconut sugar, almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla and the flax seed mixture until smooth.
    4. Mix in the flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt and stir until completely combined.
    5. Mix in chocolate chips.
    6. Shape the cookie dough into 12 balls, and spread out evenly on the pan. Flatten them slightly with your hand.
    7. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until they are starting to brown slightly and are just set.
    8. When they are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack.
    9. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Blue Moon Truffles

    Vegan Blue Moon Truffles

        

    When I was little, my Dad and I would go on a trip up to northern Minnesota every year, and the town we would stay in had this awesome little ice cream shop.  They had the most delicious ice cream I had ever had up to that point in life.  Flavors like blueberry cheesecake, rocky road and blue moon.  The blue moon was something that I had not heard of before visiting there.  It was delicious, with almost an almond extract like flavor.  It had been years since I had enjoyed it then a local ice cream shop called Minnesota Nice Cream had it this past summer in a vegan soft serve version and it was amazing too (I go to that place often in the warmer months).

    I can definitely say I am a fan of blue moon.  Plus it is pretty to look at, that sky blue hue, and sweet fragrant flavor what’s not to love?  Unless you hate almond flavor, then maybe it isn’t for you, but my Mom and Grandma loved putting it in things so I grew up loving it. I have only ever had blue moon ice cream though, nothing else blue moon flavored, so I got to thinking there should be some more blue moon in the world. 

    So this week, I decided to make some blue moon truffles. I figured make a white chocolate truffle base and give them the same flavor as the ice cream. For the base, I used Raw Guru cacao butter as the base because it is essential to real white chocolate. That is why I don’t like a lot of store bought white chocolate because they use cheaper substitutes like palm oil or something (plus some aren’t always vegan of course).  But mine has to have the real stuff. I also added in some Dastony coconut butter and raw cashew butter to make it extra creamy and melt in your mouth.  I sweetened it with a bit of maple syrup, and added in the almond and vanilla extracts to give it that classic flavor. 

    To make it that beautiful blue color, I used butterfly pea flower powder.  I have the flowers on hand for making a lovely tea, but they work great when ground up to color things too. I bought them on Amazon.  The filling was super delicious, and I dipped it in melted dark chocolate.  The truffles were heavenly!  They tasted like the ice cream but with white chocolate on the inside, and it paired so well with the dark chocolate!  If you are in the mood for something sweet, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Blue Moon Truffles

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

     

    Dark Chocolate:

    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 14 balls, rolling them with your hands.   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 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.
    5. Store any leftover truffles in the refrigerator.
  • PB and J Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

    PB and J Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

    In case you are wondering why I haven’t been posting as many new recipes lately, it is because my kitchen is in the process of being remodeled and I have had limited access to it off and on.  Which makes me a little less motivated to make anything that can’t be made in the instant pot or air fryer since I can plug those in places that are not in the kitchen and it is usually just for my dinner. During the time that I had to use it for a few days with a gap in between the wall paper being removed and the other stuff being torn out, I made these energy balls.  They are a staple in my refrigerator for when the snack craving hits!

    I might be able to make a couple more things between now and when they replace the cabinets and everything to make something else, but for now I am just trying to enjoy doing other things like be outside while this is going on. So I apologize if you are missing my new recipes. I love these energy balls, because they are so easy to make and they taste like cookies. I switch up the flavors a lot so I don’t get bored, and this time I was craving a PB and J flavor.

    I used dates to sweeten them, and peanut butter and coconut butter to bind them plus oats as the bulk of the recipe. I love oats for breakfast, and for things like this, because they are packed with fiber and they keep me full longer. I also added some chia seeds, hemp seeds and vanilla protein powder for extra protein since these are supposed to be a substantial snack. For the J (jelly) part of the PB and J I used some Trader Joe’s freeze dried raspberries.

    I wanted these to be shelf stable and not too gooey which is why I didn’t use actual jam. And lastly, because chocolate chips make everything better I added in some chocolate chips, because why not?  They turned out super delicious, like a PB and J in cookie form but with chocolate!  If you are in need of something sweet that is healthier than just eating a cookie, give these a try!

    PB and J Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

    Makes 16

    • 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates
    • 1/4 cup plant based vanilla protein powder
    • ½ cup smooth peanut butter
    • ½ cup coconut butter (not oil), warmed to liquid
    • ½ cup gluten free organic rolled oats
    • ¼ cup chia seeds
    • ¼ cup hemp seeds
    • 1/2 cup Trader Joe’s freeze dried raspberries
    • 1/2 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a food processor, combine the coconut butter, peanut butter, and dates together, and blend until smooth, then add to a bowl.
    2. Add all other ingredients to the bowl, and mix until well distributed.
    3. Roll into balls.
    4. Set those on a parchment paper lined tray, and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
  • Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese

    Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese

         

    Who doesn’t love mac and cheese?!  Growing up, I pretty much lived off of things with cheese like grilled cheese, or mac and cheese.  Not that I was picky or anything, but I just loved them so much and would ask my parents if I could have them often.  I can still enjoy mac and cheese now as an adult, even if I am vegan, because making vegan mac and cheese that tastes delicious actually isn’t difficult at all!  I have perfected my own cheese sauce recipe that is to my liking, and it is even good on potatoes if you are not in the mood for pasta. Or even poured over steamed broccoli, like my Grandma used to do. Except she used Cheese Whiz.  But I thought it was the greatest thing ever when I was little. Which got me to thinking, why not just put broccoli in my mac and cheese?!  

    So I made some broccoli mac last week.  I had some lentil based fusilli pasta on hand, so it was perfect!  I know lentil pasta might sound a little weird, but it is actually quite delicious and tastes pretty much like regular pasta but much higher in protein so it is a complete meal.  For my cheese sauce, I use a mostly veggie base. I have seen other people use a combination of potatoes and carrots, and I have tried that one, but it isn’t my favorite. I use roasted sweet potatoes for the bulk of my base. 

    You can use orange or white fleshed variety, but I used the white. I just like their flavor slightly better in mac and cheese. I used a little Dastony raw cashew butter from Raw Guru along with it, just enough to make it creamy. I find that some mac and cheeses that use only cashews as their base can get a little too heavy and I don’t digest them well.  This sauce is creamy, rich tasting and sooo good!  I have even added some chipotle to it to make a nacho cheese sauce and that is delicious as well. 

    I just threw some broccoli into the pot about 2 minutes before the pasta was done cooking and it was tender and cooked just right!  This mac and cheese turned out bomb!  If you think you can’t have delicious mac and cheese as a vegan, give this one a try, I think it will change your mind! 

    Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese

    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potato* (the white fleshed variety)
    • 1 cup hot filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1/3 cup Dastony raw cashew butter
    • 1 medium garlic clove
    • 2 tsp stone ground mustard
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp white miso (optional)
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 16 oz organic lentil pasta
    • 1 large head organic broccoli, cut into florettes and stem peeled and cut into small pieces

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the sweet potato, water, cashew butter, garlic, mustard, vinegar, yeast, and sea salt in a high speed blender and blend until smooth and the consistency of cheese (if it is too thick add a little more water).  Set aside.
    2. Cook pasta according to package directions, and when there is 3 minutes left, add the broccoli and cook until it is bright green and tender.  Drain, the pasta and the broccoli then place back in the pot, add the cheese and and stir to coat.
    3. Pour into a serving dish, and serve!

    *To cook the sweet potatoes, I like to roast them in the oven.  Take a large sweet potato, poke a few holes in it, and cut in half lengthwise.  Place cut side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment and bake for about an hour at 400F degrees or until tender.  Remove from oven and let cool before mashing.

  • Vegan Lilac White Chocolate Mousse Tarts

    Vegan Lilac White Chocolate Mousse Tarts

    Lilacs are one of my favorite things about Spring. I mean yes, it is nice that the weather is warm again, or that I don’t have to wear a coat and the grass is green, but lilacs just make me so happy. I mean tulips are awesome, and pretty but lilacs have that heavenly aroma that is like no other.  It seriously motivates me on my run when I am half way though and running past a bunch of fragrant lilac bushes.  Last week one day it was raining in the morning but that didn’t stop me from going out for a run.  It is actually kind of peaceful when you have the roads and trails to yourself because all of the fair weather people are staying inside since they melt when they get wet.  That and there is a quiet stillness with just the sound of the gentle rain.

    I ran past a bunch of lilacs and they smelled so amazing that I wished I could bottle that smell and wear it as a perfume.  Then I began to think about how I could make a lilac dessert of some sort. I have seen other people make them, and they are edible so why not?!  Something with lilac cream sounded heavenly!  I was on it! I went biking later that day and picked a few. I wish I had lilacs in my yard but that isn’t the case.

     

    I decided to make some white chocolate lilac cream tartlettes. Raw Guru recently sent me some cacao butter and raw cashew butter both of which I use for my white chocolate desserts, so it was perfect!  I started out with a coconut cream base, added those in and a touch of vanilla and I had a nice base for the lilacs. I used a good amount of them in this, and the cream was heavenly!

    They deserved a buttery rich crust, so that is what I made, just my classic pie crust. I thought about making these no bake, but I prefer actual pastry sometimes instead of a press in raw type crust. Not that I don’t like those sometimes, because they have their place. But this time I wanted the rich style!  The tartlettes turned out sooo good!  The lilac cream was heavenly, rich and delicious with that creamy white chocolate flavor, the perfect thing to fill a buttery crust with!  If you are a big lilac lover like me, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Lilac White Chocolate Mousse Tarts
    Makes four 4 inch tarts

    Crust:

    • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/3 cup coconut oil*

     

    Filling:

    • 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick part from the top of the can)
    • 1/2 cup fresh lilac blossoms
    • 2 Tbsp Dastony raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup Raw Guru Cacao Butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • a drop natural vegan purple food coloring (optional)

     

    Garnish:

    • lilac flowers

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.
    2. To make the crusts, combine the flour, coconut sugar, sea salt and coconut oil in a bowl and scrunch together with your hands and fingers until the coconut oil is well distributed, but it is clumping up and smaller than pea sized chunks remain.  Add the water and mix together until it forms a ball (but you don’t want it too sticky).  If it happens to be too dry, add a touch more water. Divide dough into 4 balls.
    3. Oil four 4 inch tart pans, and press the dough balls into the bottoms of the pans and up the sides, trimming off any extra.
    4. Place the tart shells on a baking tray in the oven, and bake for about 30 minutes until lightly browned at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    5. To make the filling, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  Place in the freezer, until thick like whipped cream consistency, stirring every so often (about 30 minutes or so depending on how warm it was)  Once it has chilled, place it in a pasty bag and pipe into the tart shells.
    6. Arrange berries on top of the tarts, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

     

  • Vegan Dark Chocolate Mocha Brownies

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Mocha Brownies

    Nobody can be in a bad mood while baking brownies.  Which is why when I am feeling a bit out of sorts, I like to bake some.  Which is exactly what I did a few days back after work, because I needed a nice little pick me up. Plus they just sounded good. I have been in a bit of a chocolate mood lately.  Just being in the kitchen with that heavenly aroma radiating from the oven makes me happy.

    Raw Guru recently sent me a big container of their raw cacao powder and coconut sugar, so it was the perfect thing to make!  Some chocolate inspiration to get me going. I recently upgraded my brownie game, melting dark chocolate into the batter along with the other wet ingredients because it gives the brownies that fudgy texture that I love.  Get out of here with those cakey dry ones, I am not a fan of those at all. No, my brownies have to be rich, decadent and fudgy!  Plus I love those middle pieces with the most fudge above all else!

    These are simple to make, once you take care of melting the chocolate and adding it to them, the rest just gets all mixed together.  I thought about making these plain classic brownies, but I decided that a hint of coffee would be heavenly in them, so I added that in as well, and it made the chocolate even more intense. Funny thing is, I didn’t drink coffee for years, but just last year I fell back in love with it and now I am adding it to lots of stuff.  Oat milk lattes are my hot drink of choice lately!

    As much as I would have liked to have just dove into the pan of brownies soon after they came out of the oven (and I usually would) I had to wait for them to cool, because they may be delicious while still warm, but they are not very pretty then when you try to get them out of the pan, and I needed to take some pics for you all!  They turned out super delicious!  Nice and fudgy, rich chocolate flavor and that little hint of coffee!  If you are in a chocolate mood like I have been, definitely give them a try!

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Mocha Brownies

    Makes 16 brownies

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water (allowed to sit 15 minutes to gel before using)
    • 7 oz vegan dark chocolate (about 1 1/4 cups chopped chocolate or chips)
    • 1 cup Raw Guru coconut sugar*
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil*
    • 2 Tbsp Raw Guru cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 Tbsp strong brewed coffee
    • 2/3 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour *
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment at the bottom.
    2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flax and water, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, until it is smooth.  Set aside.
    4. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt and oils, and whisk together until well combined, then add the flax and water mixture and whisk until blended.
    5. Add the cacao powder, coffee and melted chocolate and whisk until smooth and well blended.
    6. Add the flour and whisk until completely blended (if you don’t mix well it could separate).  Stir in the chocolate chips.
    7. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
    8. Place in the oven, on the center rack, and bake for 30 minutes until the brownies are set (but do not overbake).
    9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into 16 bars.

     

    Brownies keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container on the counter, or 2 weeks refrigerated.  They can be frozen for up to 4 months.

    *Notes:

    *If you would prefer to use granulated sugar that would work as well in this recipe.

    *If you would like to just use one type of oil in this recipe, you can use additional coconut oil instead of the avocado, just keep in  mind the brownies may be a little bit more hard at room temperature or at cooler temps.

    *If you would like to make these gluten free, you can use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour in place of the whole wheat pastry flour.  I have tried this brand and know it works well when used in brownies.

  • Dark Chocolate Lavender Truffles

    Dark Chocolate Lavender Truffles

         

    I have been a bit stressed lately due to my my kitchen being remodeled, stuff going on in my personal life, and the change of routine that came with all of this Covid 19 business. There has just been a whole lot going on lately, and being someone that doesn’t do well with change, it has been crushing me a bit. To be honest, I haven’t been that hungry or making that many recipes, but I feel like I am finally starting to calm down a bit and get back to my normal routine and self.

    One thing that I like to enjoy when I am trying to relax is the scent of lavender.  It is so heavenly and honestly one of my favorite scents ever next to vanilla.  I love it in baths, or to diffuse it as an essential oil, or in a home made body spray, and drinking a lavender infused tea but it is so good when included in desserts as well! So, I decided to make some dark chocolate lavender truffles.

    I had made some about 10 years ago, and remembered that recipe so I thought now was the perfect time to make some. Why not?  Chocolate makes me happy, and these truffles are so easy to make and require only a few ingredients.  Three to be exact, which we can all deal with even when we are having a hard time right? I thought about how I wanted to infuse the lavender in and I thought about just grinding up the dried flowers, but I wanted these to be smooth and luxurious inside not have a weird texture.  So, I infused the coconut milk for my ganache filling with dried lavender and it worked out perfect! 

    It seriously smelled so good while it was steeping.  Like heavenly coconut lavender flan or something. After that, I just strained it and combined it with melted dark chocolate to make the centers. It is kind of fun rolling the filling into little balls, almost like play dough.  I ate a few in the process and they were good even without the coating. But lastly to make them pretty I dipped them in melted dark chocolate.  These turned out so heavenly and they brightened my day, even if it was just a little bit.  The scent of lavender is totally relaxing too!  If you are a lavender fan like I am, definitely give these a try!

    Dark Chocolate Lavender Truffles

    Makes 12 truffles

    • 1/2 cup coconut cream (the thick part from the top of the can of coconut milk (I used organic Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1 Tbsp dried lavender
    • 2 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks, divided

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the coconut cream and lavender in a small sauce pan over medium heat, and heat until it starts to bubble and the coconut milk is melted and hot.  Remove from the burner, and let sit aside for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine meshed strainer to remove the lavender chunks.
    2. Combine the coconut cream with 1 cup of the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler and whisk every so often until it is all melted together smoothly.
    3. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer until firm enough to scoop and roll, about 30 minutes or so.
    4. Roll the filling mixture into balls, and place on a parchment lined tray. Place in the freezer until they are firm, about 30 minutes.
    5. Meanwhile, melt the other cup of dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    6. Dip each of the chocolate filling balls into the melted chocolate one by one letting the excess drain off (I like to use a fork to set them on to dip them). Set on the parchment lined tray.
    7. When the chocolates are all dipped, place the tray in the freezer until the coating has firmed up.
    8. Store chocolates in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

     

  • Vegan Vanilla and Chocolate Pancake Cereal 

    Vegan Vanilla and Chocolate Pancake Cereal 

    I don’t know about you, but I am always drooling over other people’s food photos on Instagram.  One of the latest crazes that caught my eye was the pancake cereal I have seen a few people make.  I love pancakes, so it looked like it was right up my alley!  I was also kind of in the mood for doing something that would keep me occupied for a while on my day off, so it was perfect!  They are a bit tedious to make, but it is so worth it, trust me on this one!  Everyone else I have seen just made classic pancakes, but I thought they would be even more amazing if I did both chocolate and vanilla!  Because why not?!

    I am one of those people that likes to go the extra mile with things most of the time. I used my classic pancake batter as the base.  When I made normal sized pancakes they get nice and fluffy, so I thought it would work well here.  Plus it is just sweet enough, and tastes like the pancakes I loved growing up, but without all of the eggs and milk since these are vegan.  The batter is super simple to make, you just whisk it all together and Ta Da!! You are ready to make some!

    I mixed cacao powder into half of the batter to create the chocolate flavored ones.  Then came the tedious part.  Since these are mini pancakes and I don’t have some sort of contraption to distribute dots onto the pan, I placed the batter in a pastry bad, and piped it onto the griddle.  They cook up nice and fast! At first tried to flip a whole bunch with one giant spatula, which worked but they stuck together a bit.  So I used an offset spatula I normally use for cake decorating to flip a few at a time and it was perfect!

    They turned out so cute!  This recipe makes about 4 servings worth.  You could put them in a bowl and pour maple syrup over them, or you could go cereal style like I did and go for the oat milk.  Or of course feel free to add your favorite things to them, like say chocolate chips or berries, or even whipped cream maybe?  Why not?  The possibilities are endless!  The next time you have a little time on your hands and want to make something fun, give these a try!  They are sooo good!

    Vegan Vanilla and Chocolate Pancake Cereal 
    Makes 4 servings

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 1/2 cups oatmilk
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder

     

    Directions:

    1. In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients (except the cacao powder) and process until just blended (alternatively you can whisk it if you don’t have a food processor), divide between 2 bowls, and whisk the cacao powder into one of them.
    2. Place the vanilla batter into a pastry bag, and the chocolate batter into a separate one (or if you don’t have pastry bags, ziplock bags with the corner cut off with work well too).
    3. To cook pancakes, heat a large ceramic non-stick* pan over medium heat. Once hot, pipe 1/2 inch round pancakes onto the pan (I did about 15 each time), and let cook until the bottoms are done for about 2-3 minutes on the first side until set and starting to brown, then flip with a small offset spatula (or a spatula if you don’t mind them sticking together a little), and cook another minute or so on the other side.
    4. When cooked, place on a plate and keep warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining pancakes and chocolate batter.
    5. To serve, place in a bowl and add your favorite add ins!  I poured oat milk over them!

    *Notes:

    If you want these to be gluten free, use Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour in place of the whole wheat pastry. I have tested this one and know it works well.

    If you do not own a non-stick pan, you may need to lightly oil your pan to prevent sticking, if you do not mind these not being oil free.

  • Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Granola

    Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Granola

    I made a chocolate peanut butter roll cake last week, and it was so good that I am keeping the chocolate peanut butter theme going. Not with a dessert this time though, with a delicious snack!  My last batch of granola was running low, and it is something that I need to keep in my pantry at all times for when the craving hits!  So it was time to make a new batch. I did not want to have to buy ingredients to make, it so I used what I had on hand. I always of course have chocolate and peanut butter, and I decided to add banana to the mix, because why not?  It is such a heavenly combo!

    I have been making granola for about 15 years, ever since I discovered that home made was healthier than store bought, as well as fun because I can make my own flavors.  It is really easy to make as well!  I am a huge oat lover, so I always have plenty on hand to make stuff like this. I add coconut to the base as well to give it sweetness as well as extra crunch!  But of course if you are not a fan, you could just use additional oats.

    Instead of using oil to coat this granola like traditional granola, I prefer to use a nut butter and pureed fruit (or vegetable) mixture. In this case it was banana, but I have used pumpkin, apple and sweet potato purees before as well with good results! You wouldn’t think that it would get as crispy, because sometimes when you sub them for oil in things like cookies they are soft, but this granola crisps up nicely!  I sweetened it with maple syrup this time.

    It smelled so good while baking!  Like chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies, which were one of my favorites growing up.  I added chocolate chips as well once it had finished baking (since they melt).  It was sooo good! This is one of those things that you can’t stop sampling while it is cooling on the stove. Or at least I can’t. It is so munchable!  If you are a granola fan, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Granola
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 1/2 cups peanuts
    • 1 cup pecans
    • 1 cups finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup mashed bananas
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup peanut butter
    • 3 Tbsp cacao powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350F and set rack at the medium position
    3. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, and coconut, and set aside.
    4. In another bowl, whisk together banana, maple syrup, peanut butter, cacao powder, sea salt, and vanilla extract until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended.
    5. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly.
    6. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
    7. Stir in chocolate chips.
    8. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Cheesecake

    Vegan Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Cheesecake

         

    Cheesecake has to be my all time favorite dessert!  Even before I was vegan I would make it or buy it a lot. There is just something so crave worthy about the creamy rich texture, and I love that I can make whatever flavor I am craving at the time. I have over 50 recipes for cheesecake on this blog alone. But I am still coming up with new ones though!  I make most of my cheesecakes coconut cream based, cashew based or even a combination of coconut cream and chickpeas (which sounds odd but it works really well and tastes great).  But never a tofu cheesecake surprisingly, which seems to be a vegan staple. Well, I finally made one last weekend. 

    Tofu has a cheese like texture when treated right, so why not?  Also it is a little bit less heavy than the coconut cream on my stomach, so I figured why not give it a try!  Also, it is high in protein, which is a nice perk as well for someone like me who works out a lot and I like to get a little extra when I can.  For the crust, I used a simple almond, oat and date combo and it worked out well and was easy to make. If you wanted it nut free, you could use sunflower seeds, and sunflower seed butter instead of the almond. 

    The filling was really simple to make, tofu, maple syrup, cacao butter and sea salt buzzed up in a blender.  It tastes like rich chocolate mousse thanks to the cacao butter giving it a little richness and it was dreamy!  I made a quick raspberry jam to swirl into it, because raspberry and chocolate are so heavenly together!  

    The cheesecake turned out rich and creamy, slightly less heavy than the coconut cream ones, and a little more mousse like.  It had a rich chocolate flavor, and that tart sweet raspberry swirled into it was perfect!  If you are a fan of chocolate, definitely give this a try!  It is easy to make and so good! I love that it doesn’t require baking also!

    Vegan Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Cheesecake

    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup roasted almonds (for a nut free version, use sunflower seeds)
    • 1/2 cup organic gluten free rolled oats, or quinoa flakes
    • 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water first and drain well)
    • 1 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Swirl:

    • 3/4 cup raspberries, mashed 
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp cornstarch

     

    Filling:

    • 2 cups organic firm silken tofu
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbp cacao butter, warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. Oil a 6 inch spring form pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
    2. To make the crust, place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until crumbs and starting to hold together (if they are not holding together when squeezed, add a few tsp filtered water and blend). Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
    3. To make the filling, place the raspberries, maple syrup and cornstarch in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat until thickened.  Remove from heat and let cool. 
    4. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    5. To assemble, pour half the filling over the crust, then drop half the raspberry swirl by the tsp over it. Swirl with a knife. Pour the remaining filling over that, and then drop more of the jam over it, and swirl with a knife. Tap on the counter to level. 
    6. Place cheesecake in the freezer until it is set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry, but cover the top so it doesn’t dry out).
    7. Remove from the freezer, un-mold and enjoy!  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

     

  • 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.

  • Tahini Lemon Broccoli Pasta

    Tahini Lemon Broccoli Pasta

    I know a lot of people are ordering takeout with the whole Coronavirus going on, but that hasn’t been the case with me.  We usually do takeout instead of delivery if we are going to do something like that, but only for a special occasion like my Mom’s birthday coming up, since we can’t go out for it.  Otherwise on weekdays, and most of the time, after work I just prefer quick recipes.  I had a lovely jar of Dastony tahini on hand that Raw Guru had recently sent me, and I thought it would be perfect in a pasta recipe as a creamy sauce.

    Most people think of using tahini in hummus, or maybe as a dressing, but it is good on pasta as well!  Kind of like the way thai peanut noodles are made with peanut butter (I love those too), but a nut free version with a different flavor.  I love tahini with a bit of lemon.  This local restaurant that my Mom and I used to go to when I was little had a tahini lemon salad dressing that we loved, so I use the combo often because I have not gotten sick of it in the last 20 years.  I had some whole wheat pasta on hand, as well as some broccoli, so I thought I would combine them with the tahini.

    This is really simple to make!  While the pasta is boiling, you make the sauce, and then add the broccoli at the end of cooking, then toss with the sauce and dinner is ready!  I like simple recipes when I get off work, and this is about as simple as they come. I combined the tahini with a bit of lemon like I mentioned earlier, some garlic, a little cumin and some red pepper flakes and it was perfect!

    I love tahini, and this dish lets it shine!  It is super satisfying with the creamy sauce, substantial pasta and lightly cooked broccoli!  If you don’t like broccoli, you could sub your favorite veggies. This would also be good with asparagus for spring!  I am going to try that when it comes into season!  I hope you are all staying well, and enjoying spring!

    Tahini Lemon Broccoli Pasta

    Serves 2-4

    Pasta and Broccoli:

    • 8 oz organic whole wheat fusilli pasta
    • 2 medium heads organic broccoli, cut into flowrettes

     

    Sauce:

    • 1 cup Dastony tahini
    • 1/3 cup lemon juice
    • 1/2 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • pinch red pepper flakes

     

    Instructions:

    1. Cook pasta according to directions in a pot of salted water.
    2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the sauce.
    3. When the pasta has about minute left to cook, add the broccoli, and cook until it is bright green and slightly tender, about a minute or two.
    4. Drain, then place back in the pot and mix with the sauce.
    5. Serve!

     

  • Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Eggs

    Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Eggs

    I used to get excited about Easter candy growing up.  Those pretty pastel wrappers, and getting to enjoy things I didn’t the rest of the year like Robin’s Eggs malted milk balls, raspberry cream eggs, and Reese’s peanut butter eggs.  I wasn’t a big fan of those big jelly beans though, they had a weird flavor.  So now as an adult I like to try to recreate my favorite Easter candies in healthier veganized versions. Not only that, I just find making my own treats to be fun and relaxing.  Also, it is the perfect thing to do right now if you are being cooped up from the coronavirus quarantines.  I am not completely cooped up, since I still have to go to work (I work in a grocery store), but since I can’t do some of the other things I like to do I have a little extra time to make treats like these!

    I have made them before, but I didn’t have the recipe on my website.  I am finally getting it up there!  It took a few experiments to make these the right texture.  The first try I thought I would try to thicken the peanut butter to make it shape-able with peanuts I whizzed up in the blender.  But that didn’t work too well, they were still pretty gooey. The ingredient that worked perfect was peanut flour (or peanut powder as it is sometimes labeled)!  In traditional peanut butter egg recipes, they use powdered sugar, but since I try to stay away from refined sugars I wanted something else that would thicken it up the same way.  The peanut butter flour works the same, and I just add a touch of maple syrup for sweetener.

    You could even leave out the maple syrup if you wanted them a little less sweet, since the chocolate is sweet.  I do that sometimes.  It is kind of fun shaping them into eggs, like a kid playing with play dough.  Or at least that is how I always feel when I do this sort of thing. You give them a little chill in the freezer and they are just the right consistency to dip into chocolate!

    I admit it is a little tedious dipping them into the chocolate, but there are only 10 so it isn’t as tough as say dipping 50 truffles!  It is worth your effort though!  These are sooo good!  I enjoy these even more than the ones I grew up eating with the fake ingredients!  I am debating whether or not I want to share or keep them for my own personal indulgence.

    Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Eggs
    Makes about 10

    Ingredients:

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, peanut flour, maple syrup, and sea salt until smooth and well combined.  You want it to be the consistency of dough, if it is still too soft (since peanut butter may vary in how liquid it is), add a little more peanut flour.
    2. Shape into eggs, and place on a parchment lined tray.  Place in the freezer to chill for 1-2 hours.
    3. Meanwhile, when you are ready to dip the peanut butter centers, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    4. Dip each peanut butter egg into the chocolate (letting the excess drain off, I like to set mine on a fork to dip to make it easier) and place back onto the tray until they are all done.  Place in the freezer to set the chocolate until it is hard, which usually takes 5-10 minutes.  Enjoy!

    Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in a container with a lid for up to a few months.

  • Vegan Pistachio Lemon White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    Vegan Pistachio Lemon White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    This whole social distancing thing isn’t so bad for an introvert like me.  I can still do most of the activities I normally do, like going for bike rides, walks and runs outside, doing art like painting at home, and of course baking things.  As long as I can still be close to my family and Eric, I am good.  That said hopefully everything goes back to normal soon for the sake of all of the people without jobs right now, or those that are getting the virus.  In the mean time when we are all staying at home, I figure it is the perfect time to make new recipes.  I do still have to go to work, since I work in a grocery store as my full time job, but in my free time I am making new things like these cookies!

    Spring is now here, and one of the flavors that makes me think of Spring is lemon.  I know citrus is a winter fruit as well, but in early spring it is something that is still delicious before the spring fruits start to become available. I added it to my chocolate chip cookie dough base recipe to make a lemon flavored cookie. I swapped out the chocolate chips with creamy home made white chocolate chunks, and salty nutty pistachios since those flavors go so well with lemon.

    The dough was super delicious.  I have to admit that eating cookie dough while making cookies is one of my favorite parts of making cookies.  That lemon flavor adds a nice bright flavor.  I love that these do not have a fussy dough, and you just mix the ingredients together and bake.  They smelled amazing while baking and I could not wait to try them!

    Since I used my home made chocolate chunks in these, I had to add them after baking since they are more prone to melting. I would recommend you doing the same, unless you want them to run out of your cookies. But they were when added at the end, they are so good in these cookies!  They were heavenly!  Soft and chewy with a bright lemony flavor, creamy white chocolate chunks and crunchy pistachios! If you are a cookie fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Pistachio Lemon White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
    Makes 16 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    •  2 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 cup pistachios
    • 3/4 cup vegan white chocolate chunks or chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.
    2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and filtered water.  Set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix coconut oil with sugar and stir until well combined.  Mix in the lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract and flax mixture until well combined.  Add the baking soda and salt then the flour, a cup at a time, mixing between each addition, until well combined.  Mix in the pistachios.
    4. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
    5. To Form the cookies take about a 1 1/2 inch chunk of dough, form into a ball and on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart, and press down just slightly. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until puffed and just starting to brown slightly.
    6. As soon a you remove them from the oven, press in the white chocolate chunks.
    7. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
  • Classic Vegan Carrot Cake

    Classic Vegan Carrot Cake

    Spring is finally here!  Well, calendar wise at least, it is still a bit chilly but there are glimpses of it with the pussy willows popping out along the pond, and a few plants starting to sprout out of the ground, plus of course the longer days.  After winter I am all about anything over 40 degrees and consider it nice.  Since we are into spring now, and there isn’t much you can do right now besides stay home (and go to work if you are in one of the jobs still open like mine, since I work in a grocery store), it is the perfect time to bake something.  It has been kind of a mad house at work lately, with everyone trying to get their groceries and just a weird time in general with this whole corona virus thing, that baking brings me a bit of calm as well.

    I had some carrots on hand, so I decided to make a carrot cake.  Now, I have made fancy ones in the past with lots of add ins, and although I like to do stuff like that, I realize that not everyone likes that kind of carrot cake, and they just want a classic one.  With plenty of carrots, a little spice and cream cheese frosting. I see people asking for a recipe like this a lot, so I figured I would make one.  Also, carrot cake just sounded good.

    This cake is pretty easy to make, for the batter I used a whole wheat pastry flour but you could use regular flour if you prefer that (or see below for a GF option).  I added in cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, which were always used in the carrot cakes my Mom made growing up, and I used maple sugar to sweeten, because I love the maple flavor it gives the cake. It doesn’t need any oil, unlike the cake I grew up eating though, because I used full fat coconut milk including the cream in this and it works perfect for adding richness.

    I gave it a creamy fluffy faux cream cheese frosting with a full fat coconut milk (cream) base and some Dastony pine nut butter from Raw Guru.  I behaves similarly to raw cashew butter (which could also be used) but is kinder on my stomach (cashews don’t agree with me most of the time).  It gives it that cream cheese like flavor, along with a little lemon juice.  Once the cake was all frosted and assembled I could not wait to try it!  It was heavenly!  Like the carrot cake I remember eating growing up! If you are looking for a good classic carrot cake recipe, give this one a try!

    Classic Vegan Carrot Cake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    one 6 inch cake pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup maple sugar
    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups shredded organic carrots
    • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/2 cup Dastony pine nut butter (or raw cashew butter or macadamia nut butter)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp lemon juice or cider vinegar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup melted Dastony coconut butter (not coconut oil)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil two 6 inch round baking pans and line them with parchment at the bottom so it will not stick.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.  Fold in the carrots until well combined.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared pans.
    7. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then un-mold, by cutting around the edges if they are stuck at all, then putting  plate over the top, then flipping it onto that plate then placing a plate on the bottom and flipping it upright onto that plate.
    9. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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.
    10. When ready to assemble, spread about 3/4 cup frosting over the first layer of the cake, then top with the other cake layer.  Spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake.
    11. Enjoy!

    Cake keeps stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

    If you would like to make a 9 inch round cake, double the entire recipe, and bake it in two 9 inch round pans, increasing the baking time to 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your oven).

    This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Maple Pecan French Toast Casserole 

    Vegan Maple Pecan French Toast Casserole 

    I always loved french toast growing up.  Even though it is something that is supposed to be made with leftover stale dry bread, I always thought it was special because I didn’t get to have it often. Yet, we always had the ingredients on hand. I thought that when I went vegan it would be harder to make delicious french toast, but I was wrong.  It is actually easy!  Especially if you go the route I did, and make it in a nice big casserole fit for a brunch feast!  Plus you don’t have all of the raw eggs and milk in it (which I am actually kind of grossed out by now, since I have been vegan for a while).

    I had a slightly stale good quality loaf of sourdough bread last week, and I decided that a fabulous french toast casserole sounded like the perfect way to use it. I could have gone the old fashioned route with french toast and made slices to cook individually, but since Easter is coming up, and Easter brunch is a big thing I thought why not develop a recipe that could feed more than a few people as a side. So I cubed up the bread and got to work on the soak for it. Traditionally it would have eggs, milk and a little sugar, but instead of the eggs, I used flax eggs (1 Tbsp ground flax seed plus 3 Tbsp filtered water per egg), oat milk and maple syrup instead.

    I let the bread soak in the mixture for a little bit and tasted a chunk and it had good flavor even before it was baked so I could not wait to try it!  I mixed in some pecans as well for texture and crunch and since they go so well with maple syrup and french toast. I lastly sprinkled it with some maple sugar so it would get nice and crispy on top.  It smelled amazing while baking.  The aroma of sweet maple filling the air!  Kind of like caramel rolls (because I like to use maple in mine).

    I could not wait to try it!  Once it cooled down a little I had to dive in.  It was totally crave worthy!  I haven’t had anything like this in years, and I have always wanted to make a french toast casserole. It was sweet, but just the right amount of sweet with a maple flavor throughout, with a tender soft texture at the bottom and crunch on top!  The crunchy pecans were a nice touch. If you are looking for a dish to share for Easter, this would be perfect!  Or just for a weekend treat, because you should definitely not wait to make this.

    Vegan Maple Pecan French Toast Casserole  

    Serves 4-6

    Ingredients:

    Casserole:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 3/4 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
    • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar (or coconut sugar)

     

    Caramel:

    • 1/4 cup pecan butter (cashew or almond would also work)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil a 1 1/2 or 2 quart baking dish (see bottom for other options).
    2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax mixture, oat milk, maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread cubes and toss to coat in the mixture.  Toss the pecans with the bread.
    3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, (including the liquid, pour it over it). Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
    4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 25-30 minutes (see bottom for other pan sizes baking times), or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed and baked into pudding at the bottom.
    5. Remove from oven.
    6. Let cool about 10 minutes and enjoy warm!

     

    For 6 small ramakins: bake 15 minutes

    For 1 8×8 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish: bake 30-40 minutes

  • Vegan Matcha Chocolate Bars with Cacao Nibs

    Vegan Matcha Chocolate Bars with Cacao Nibs

    St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow, and although it doesn’t feel so much like it this year due to the virus going around and events being cancelled, I still like to enjoy some festive stuff at home so I made some green chocolate bars!  I like to try to stay positive.  And even if we can’t all go out and do the things we usually do, or would like to do why now enjoy yourself at home?  I was going to make some chocolate anyway because I had run out of my stash, and I wanted something cheery and fancy so I made some Matcha Chocolate Bars with crunchy cacao nibs.  I have been making a lot of mint stuff for St. Patrick’s Day because it is festive and green, but matcha has that lovely green hue as well and I have been in love with it since I first tried it! I drink matcha tea every morning at work, and I like my matcha lattes on the weekends when I have more time, but I especially love matcha in sweet desserts.  It is amazing in white chocolate. I have made some plain matcha white chocolate before but I wanted some dark chocolate in there as well, so I was thinking a two layer bar.  Before I went vegan I thought that white chocolate would be a thing of the past, since milk seems like it is a big part of it, but luckily I was wrong. I have been able to make super delicious white chocolate!  It may take a few more ingredients, but that’s alright.  I like it even better than the stuff I ate growing up, which probably had some artificial stuff in it. For mine, I use a cacao butter base, with a bit of coconut b\utter and macadamia nut butter sweetened with maple syrup and a bit of vanilla. Raw Guru recently sent me some Dastony coconut butter and macadamia nut butter so it was perfect! If you don’t have macadamia nut butter, no worries, raw cashew butter will work as well (and I know it is a bit easier to find). This white chocolate is seriously crave worthy!  I added a bit of matcha to it for a lovely green hue and flavor! Once it was all hardened in the molds, I added a layer of dark chocolate over it and some cacao nibs for crunch!  I could not wait to try them!  I had to have a big chunk when they were finally ready.  They were super delicious!  That white chocolate mixed with the dark was almost a milk chocolate like flavor and it was so good with that earthy hint of matcha and crunchy cacao nibs.  If you have to stay home, why not make a delicious treat for yourself like these?! Vegan Matcha Chocolate Bars with Cacao Nibs Makes 4 Matcha White Chocolate:   Dark Chocolate:
    • 1 1/2 cups chopped good quality vegan dark chocolate
      Topping:
    • cacao nibs
      Instructions:
    1. Combine the cacao powder, cashew butter, and coconut butter, and  in the top of a double boiler, and melt until smooth.
    2. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, matcha and sea salt and whisk together until well blended.
    3. Pour the matcha white chocolate into the bottoms of 4 standard sized chocolate bar molds set on a tray.
    4. Place the tray with the molds in the freezer until the white chocolate has set.
    5. Meanwhile, clean out the double boiler, and add the dark chocolate to it, melting it until smooth.
    6. When the white chocolate has hardened, pour the dark chocolate over it to fill the molds, and smooth to the sides (working quickly because if you go too slow the white chocolate will start to melt and not look neat).
    7. Sprinkle with the cacao nibs, about 2 tsp per bar.
    8. Set the tray with the molds back into the freezer until set, about 20 minutes.
    9. Unmold and enjoy!
      Chocolate bars keep in a container in the refrigerator for up to a month.  
  • Grandma’s Banana Bread Veganized

    Grandma’s Banana Bread Veganized

    My Mom made the best banana bread when I was little. It was my Great Grandma’s recipe, passed down to my Grandma, then to my Mom.  Written out on a recipe card, from a time long before we could look up recipes online. I have tried many different kinds, we often had some at church gatherings back in the day, or neighbors brought some over, or they had it at potlucks and whatnot, but my Great Grandma’s recipe was the best. It was moist, and soft but not too dense (some banana bread gets a bit too dense for my tastes).  She always made it with walnuts for a little crunch, then my Mom modified that to add chocolate chips, which I always loved growing up.

    The thing I love about this bread is it is so easy to make too.  Surprisingly I have never tried to veganize this recipe, but I was thinking about making some banana bread last weekend and I thought, why not?!  I have her old recipe card, and I veganize old recipes from back in the day all the time.  It was about time after all. I missed that banana bread recipe.

    It was actually really easy to veganize. Eggs, milk, and butter would need to be substituted.  I swapped out the eggs for flax eggs which are usually my go to egg replacer. I always have ground flax seed on hand, since I use some in my oatmeal.  To make a flax egg, you just mix together 1 Tbsp ground flax seed and 3 Tbsp filtered water and allow to gel 15 minutes.  It works perfect in recipes like this or cookies.  I used oatmilk instead of the sour milk in the original recipe, and added a little cider vinegar to this one (for the sour) and it worked perfect!  Instead of the butter I used avocado oil, because it has a buttery flavor.

    I added the walnuts and the chocolate chips, because I used to love them both in the recipe.  I know some people don’t like nuts, so they could leave them out but I enjoy some texture. The bread smelled amazing while baking and I could not wait to try it!  It rose nicely in the oven and it was beautiful!  Once it had cooled and we were able to dive in, it was super delicious!  It tasted just like the bread I grew up with, and I am sure Grandma would be proud if she were still here to try it.  She always enjoyed when I shared my baked goods with her when she was not able to bake anymore.  If you are looking for a really good classic banana bread recipe, give this one a try!

    Grandma’s Banana Bread Veganized

    Makes 1 loaf

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup maple sugar*
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water (allowed to sit 15 min. before using)
    • 1/2 cup oat milk*
    • 2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil*
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
    • 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil an 8×4 inch loaf pan.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flax mixture, oat milk, bananas, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
    3. Whisk in the flour and baking soda, then the vinegar until combined.
    4. Fold in the walnuts and dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
    5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few crumbs attached.
    6. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the pan.

     

    Bread keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container or wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 4 months.

    *Notes:

    Instead of the maple sugar, you could also use coconut sugar or granulated sugar if you prefer those.

    You can use any type of unsweetened plant based milk in this recipe, such as soy, almond or coconut instead of the oat if that is what you have on hand.

    If you would like to make this oil free, use 1/4 cup almond butter ( or your favorite nut or seed butter) instead of the oil.

    If you would like to make a gluten free version of this bread, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (I have tried this brand and know it works well for recipes like this).

  • Vegan Peppermint Marble Cake

    Vegan Peppermint Marble Cake

    St. Patrick’s day is less than 2 weeks away, so it is the perfect time to make all things green.  Especially fun desserts.  Cakes are my favorite.  So even though I made a green cheesecake last week, I decided to make another different green cake this week.  Last year I made a peppermint vanilla cake and it was amazing but I thought it would be even better as a marble cake.  As much as I love vanilla cake, marble was always my favorite growing up, because it was reserved for special occasions like birthdays.  I had a few for my birthday celebrations over the years.  Plus you get a nice mix of chocolate and vanilla cake if you are having a hard time deciding which you want.  Since it is so good, I thought it would be delicious with peppermint added to the mix.

    So, I made my vanilla cake base, and tinted it green for the mint.  All natural color of course, I used spinach.  I wanted it to retain its nice green color and not turn brown, so although I usually use maple sugar in my cakes (like my classic vanilla cake), I used xylitol in this to keep the lovely color.  If you would prefer another granulated sweetener though, I listed a few that will work at the bottom. I mixed cacao powder into half the batter to create the chocolate mint batter and it was perfect!

    They both tasted so good even before baking!  I was wondering if they would retain the lovely color while baking, and I was pleasantly surprised.  It was an even more intense lovely green shade after.  Sometimes with natural coloring it reacts with your rising agents and acids and creates a weird color or brown (I am looking at you beet powder), but the spinach powder I used worked perfect!  I should note that matcha would work in this as well if you are a green tea fan like I am.

    I topped it off with a fluffy white coconut cream based frosting flavored with mint and vanilla and it was heavenly!  I could have just eaten the frosting plain like a vanilla peppermint mousse it was that good, but it was even better on the cake!  Marble cake got a St. Patrick’s Day makeover and I loved it!  The cake was soft, fluffy and moist, with a mellow peppermint flavor, rich chocolate cake and sweet vanilla, so good with the creamy frosting!  If you are in the mood for cake, give this a try!  If you are just a mint fan, this would be wonderful any time of the year, not just on St. Patrick’s Day!

    Vegan Peppermint Marble Cake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    one 6 inch cake pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup xylitol* (see below for other sweetening options)
    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick canned kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1 Tbsp spinach powder
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder
    • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (not coconut oil)
    • spinach powder for coloring

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil two 6 inch round baking pans and line them with parchment at the bottom so it will not stick.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk, peppermint and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Divide the batter between 2 bowls, and whisk the spinach powder into one, and the cacao powder into the other.
    6. Whisk 1 Tbsp of the the cider vinegar into the batter in each bowl.
    7. Transfer the cake batter to prepared pans, dropping each color randomly into both prepared cake pans, alternating so you get a nice pattern.  Swirl a few times with a knife (but don’t overdo it, you want to still have different colors).
    8. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 25-30 minutes.
    9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then un-mold, by cutting around the edges if they are stuck at all, then putting  plate over the top, then flipping it onto that plate then placing a plate on the bottom and flipping it upright onto that plate.
    10. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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.
    11. When ready to assemble, spread about 3/4 cup frosting over the first layer of the cake, then top with the other cake layer.  Spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake.
    12. If you have extra, whisk a little spinach powder into it to decorate the top with the extra frosting like I did.
    13. Enjoy!

     

    Cake keeps stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

    Notes:

    *Do not feed this cake to your cats or dogs, because xylitol is toxic to them the same way chocolate is. If you would rather use coconut sugar or maple sugar for this, either will work in place of the sugar, the cake may just be a little more brown than green and you will need to use 1 cup instead of the 3/4 cup xylitol (since the xylitol is sweeter).  Or if you prefer 1 cup granulated sugar that would work as well.

    If you would like to make a 9 inch round cake, double the entire recipe, and bake it in two 9 inch round pans, increasing the baking time to 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your oven).

    This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Dark Chocolate Orange Brownies

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Orange Brownies

    I have been loving the combination of chocolate and orange lately.  I recently made some Chocolate Orange Hazelnut Cupcakes and they were so good, so I wanted more of that chocolate orange flavor combo. I was in the mood for some brownie baking last weekend, so it seemed like the perfect time to use it again.  I have never made chocolate orange brownies.  Which is kind of surprising because I have made just about every flavor of brownie imaginable.  I probably have at least 20 brownies on this website.  I usually go for a fudgy brownie base, with some sort of add ins swirled in, but I wanted to keep these simple and let the flavors shine.

    Normally I use cacao powder in my brownie base to give it a chocolate flavor, but I wanted to switch it up this time and use mostly melted vegan dark chocolate and just a little cacao powder to make these extra fudgy and decadent.  I am not a cakey brownie fan to be honest.  I have made a few batches that tasted good but were too cakey in the past which was a bummer because I wasn’t looking for a cake I was looking for brownies.  I think I hit the jackpot with this batch the way they turned out.

    They have about 1 1/4 cups melted dark chocolate in them so they almost have to be good.  I added in plenty of orange zest, because I wanted to be able to taste it, as well as smell it. The batter tasted amazing!  I could not stop sampling it.  That is my favorite part of brownie making after all, sampling and licking the batter from the bowl that is left over.  One of the best things about these is they are really simple to make, no beating of the batter for minutes or any of that, just a quick mix in a bowl and you have delicious brownie batter!

    They smelled amazing while baking!  We could not wait to try them.  Although I say to let them cool completely before cutting, I they are amazing while still warm too if you prefer that.  They are rich and fudgy, just how I like them with a decadent chocolate flavor and a hint of fragrant orange.  Sooo good!  Are you a center brownie person, or do you prefer the edges? I like the gooey center pieces!

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Orange Brownies

    Makes 16 brownies

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water (allowed to sit 15 minutes to gel before using)
    • 7 oz vegan dark chocolate(about 1 1/4 cups chopped chocolate or chips)
    • 1 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar*
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil*
    • 1 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 Tbsp organic orange zest plus 2 Tbsp orange juice
    • 2/3 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour *

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment at the bottom.
    2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flax and water, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, until it is smooth.  Set aside.
    4. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt and oils, and whisk together until well combined, then add the flax and water mixture and whisk until blended.
    5. Add the cacao powder, orange zest and juice and melted chocolate and whisk until smooth and well blended.
    6. Add the flour and whisk until completely blended (if you don’t mix well it could separate).
    7. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
    8. Place in the oven, on the center rack, and bake for 30 minutes until the brownies are set (but do not overbake).
    9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into 16 bars.

     

    Brownies keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container on the counter, or 2 weeks refrigerated.  They can be frozen for up to 4 months.

    *Notes:

    *If you would prefer to use granulated sugar that would work as well in this recipe.

    *If you would like to just use one type of oil in this recipe, you can use additional coconut oil instead of the avocado, just keep in  mind the brownies may be a little bit more hard at room temperature or at cooler temps.

    *If you would like to make these gluten free, you can use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour in place of the whole wheat pastry flour.  I have tried this brand and know it works well when used in brownies.

  • Vegan Grasshopper Cheesecake

    Vegan Grasshopper Cheesecake

        

    When I was a kid, my Mom and I used to go to this local diner that had the best grasshopper malts.  I loved those things.  Smooth peppermint ice cream base, with gooey chocolate fudge, it was totally heavenly!  So sometimes now, I like to create desserts with those same flavors.  I have made my own malts, but it is fun to try other things as well. Like this cheesecake I made last weekend. Since it is now March and St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and all things green are in high demand, I made a festive green grasshopper cheesecake.

    I wanted it to have all of the same flavors as that delicious malt!  I gave it a crunchy chocolate cookie type crust but with less refined ingredients first. For the cheesecake base, I used my usual cheesecake base that combines coconut cream, chickpeas and coconut butter.  It may sound odd to add chickpeas to a cheesecake base, and I get asked if it is good every time, but trust me it is!  I mean, I would not keep using it if it wasn’t good. The chickpeas act the same as raw cashews in the base, but it is a little kinder on my tummy that way (me and cashews don’t always agree) and cheaper. If you prefer the cashews though, by all means, swap soaked, drained cashews in for the chickpeas. 

    I added in a good amount of spinach as well for that lovely green color.  That filling was heavenly.  It tasted kind of like the Shamrock Shakes I remember drinking as a kid, but better.  That or melted mint chip ice cream base sans the chocolate chips.  Which was also a favorite of mine. It needed some good ribbons of fudge in it though, in order to be a grasshopper cake.  So I whipped up some quick gooey vegan fudge.  It was so good I could have just eaten it with a spoon but I knew it would be even better in the cheesecake. 

    Once it was all set and ready to go I could not wait to try it!  It was heavenly!  Rich, creamy and smooth, with a mellow vanilla mint flavor and that dark chocolate fudge!  It was so good on the crunchy crust!  I topped it off with adorable Rawmio Vegan Chocolate Mint Hearts from Raw Guru to make it look pretty. This would make the perfect festive green dessert for St. Patrick’s Day!

    Vegan Grasshopper Cheesecake

    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut
    • 1/2 cup organic gluten free rolled oats, or quinoa flakes
    • 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water first and drain well)
    • 1 Tbsp cacao powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Filling:

     

    Swirl:

    • 1/2 cup cacao powder
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Garnish:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Oil a 6 inch spring form pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
    2. To make the crust, place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until crumbs and starting to hold together (if they are not holding together when squeezed, add a few tsp filtered water and blend). Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
    3. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Set aside in the refrigerator.
    4. To make the fudge, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, adding a touch more water if you think it is too thick.
    5. To assemble the cheesecake, spoon some of the fudge onto the crust by the teaspoon, then top with half the filling, then a little more of the fudge, then the rest of the filling, then more of the fudge (you may have extra, it’s ok, just use it for serving the cake), then swirl it with a knife or toothpick to create a pretty pattern.
    6. Place cheesecake in the freezer until it is set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    7. Remove from the freezer, un-mold and enjoy!  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

    *I use Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.  If you are using a different brand, just make sure it is the thick type, 2/3 of the can at least should be very thick.

  • Raspberry Rose White Chocolate Latte

    Raspberry Rose White Chocolate Latte

    Everyone has those little thing in life that make them happy. For me, one of those things lately is lattes.  Every weekend Eric and I stop and get a latte of some sort at a local coffee shop.  Sometimes it is just a plain oatmilk latte, other times a little something added like a hint of lavender and vanilla.  Or, maybe I am in the mood for a peppermint matcha latte or a pumpkin spice latte (when it was fall).  It is always something I look forward to, a treat for the weekend!  If we don’t have time to go though, I do enjoy making my own.  Sometimes they are even as good as the ones we order at the coffee shop. I saw an ad online for a white chocolate berry rose latte mix and said to myself, I need to make that. It was just a little spendy, and not something I could buy locally.  So I whipped up a latte with those same flavors last week. 

    I had all of the ingredients on hand to do so, even the cacao butter from Raw Guru to make the white chocolate flavor in it. It didn’t contain any caffeine, because there was no tea or coffee in this one, so it was suitable for me to make in the evening after work to relax with.  That is the only thing about tea and coffee lattes I don’t like sometimes, I can’t drink them later in the day or I won’t be able to sleep.  So I always have them earlier in the day.  This one however would be perfect for before bedtime to wind down with.

    I used oatmilk for the base, and added a bit of Raw Guru cacao butter to give it a white chocolate flavor and make it a little more rich.  I wanted this to have plenty of raspberry flavor, so I infused it with dried raspberries.  I always keep them on hand anyway for decorating or coloring things, or just giving them a super delicious berry flavor.  I also added in some dried lavender, just a little, because I wanted this tea to be aromatic.  Also a good splash of rosewater since this is a raspberry rose latte. I am really loving rosewater lately it makes everything smell amazing.  A touch of maple syrup to sweeten the latte and it was perfect!

    It smelled so good and I could not wait to try it!  I gave it a little froth on top and it was perfect!  Smooth, and rich tasting thanks to the cacao butter, aromatic with florals, and sweet with berries.  Simply heavenly!  The perfect thing to chill with in the evening, and even a bit comforting.

    Raspberry Rose White Chocolate Latte

    Makes 2

    • 2 cups thick unsweetened oat milk (I used Planet Oat)
    • 1 Tbsp Raw Guru Cacao Butter
    • 1 tsp dried lavender
    • 3 Tbsp dried raspberries
    • 1/4 tsp beet powder (optional for color)
    • 2 tsp maple syrup
    • 2 tsp rosewater

     

    Instructions:

    1. Bring the oat milk to a boil in a saucepan with the cacao butter, until it just comes to a boil and the cacao butter is melted then remove from the heat.
    2. Place the lavender and berries in a tea infuser and add to the pan, making sure it is submerged.  Add the beet powder as well, and stir in.
    3. Let the tea steep for at least 5 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse the tea.
    4. Remove the infuser, add the maple syrup and rosewater and froth with an immersion blender or frother. Pour into two cups and enjoy!
  • Vegan Caramel Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

    Vegan Caramel Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

    My Mom asked me last weekend if I could make some date bars in cookie form.  Like the oatmeal mixture on the outside and date caramel in the center.  We decided that making some oatmeal caramel cookie sandwiches were in order.  I have always loved oatmeal sandwich cookies.  Ever since I had those oatmeal cream pies as a kid in my lunches.  Funny they call them oatmeal cream pies when they are cookies.  But anyway, they were the best thing ever to my middle school self.  I have since made a veganized healthier version of them but never with caramel before so I thought this was a great idea!

    For the cookies I used a completely oat base with both oat flour and rolled oats.  I always have a large supply of oats on hand because they have been my go to breakfast for about 18 years. I sweetened them with coconut sugar and a little cinnamon and vanilla. I also added a little almond butter along with the coconut oil to give them a nice soft texture.  The dough was sooo good even before baking.  I think eating cookie dough is one of my favorite parts of the cookie baking process!

    They smelled amazing while baking, just like the oatmeal cookies my Mom and I used to make when I was little. Once they were all cool it was time for the filling!  Although I could have made a more traditional caramel with sugar and all, I made a date caramel.  It is much less work than actual caramel and still delicious as well as being better for you.  Dates are plenty sweet even without adding anything.  I call them nature’s caramel!  So I whipped up a quick and easy delicious date caramel.

    When the cookies were all assembled, I could not wait to try them!  They were soft and chewy with nice texture from the oats, and that hint of cinnamon nutmeg and vanilla was lovely.  The caramel was nice and gooey, plenty sweet and the perfect thing to pair the cookies with!  They reminded me of those oatmeal cream pies I used to eat, only better because they had caramel instead of the vanilla marshmallow fluff that was in the other ones.  Next time you are craving something sweet, give these a try!

    Vegan Caramel Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches
    Makes about 18 sandwich cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups oat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1/4 cups soft, pitted medjool dates
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Directions:

    1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the coconut oil, almond butter, and sugar until well blended. Add flax mixture, vanilla, and beat until well combined (the mixture will become very thick).
    2. Mix in the flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined.
    3. Heat the oven to 350F degrees with the rack set at the middle position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    4. Roll the dough into small 1 1/2 inch balls, and spread them out on the 2 cookie sheets with plenty of room in between, and flatten them out slightly. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden, but not over baked. Let cool on sheet a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack lined with parchment to cool completely.
    5. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If it seems a little too thick (since dates vary in moisture levels) just add a tad more water. You want to be able to pipe it, but still have it be thick enough it maintains shape when piped.
    6. Place the caramel in a pastry bag.  Flip half of the cookies over, and pipe the caramel onto them.  Top with the rest of the cookies.
    7. Enjoy!  Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Orange Kale Salad 

    Orange Kale Salad 

    Spring is on the horizon, it has been warm and sunny here lately with the snow rapidly melting and lovely outside.  I have been trying to get out for a walk everyday and it is nice that now when I get home from work it is still light outside.  Even though citrus season is almost over with winter being almost over I am still enjoying it at the moment before more local produce becomes available in a few months.  We are a bit behind some of the other states here in Minnesota and it is sometimes end of April before we see local produce.  So oranges and grapefruits it is!

    Last weekend I decided to make a refreshing kale salad with orange.  I used to make kale salads all the time, and I do at work, but I don’t make them quite as often at home now and enjoy them more when I do.  My favorite dressing with kale is a simple vinaigrette, and for this one, I combined some balsamic vinegar with a bit of orange for the acid.  I think balsamic is my favorite vinegar because of its rich flavor and less acidity.  I also sweetened the dressing with a bit of maple syrup since it goes so well with the orange and balsamic and it was nice and balanced.

    The key to kale salads, is to massage the dressing into the kale with your hands to soften it, it makes such a huge difference compared to just pouring it on.  It makes it more tender and easy to eat as well as less bitter.  I massage giant batches of kale at work for our salads.  Since this kind of smushes up the kale, I like to add the more tender ingredients like the oranges at the end and toss them in gently.

    This salad turned out so good!  In addition to the oranges, I also added some pistachios for crunch, dried raspberries for sweetness and color and onions to give it more flavor.  It was a party in my mouth!  If you are craving something fresh and flavorful, definitely give this a try!  It has even more flavor the next day if you have leftovers.

    Orange Kale Salad 

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 large bunch kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
    • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
    • 3 Tbsp orange juice
    • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 2 medium oranges, peeled and sliced
    • 1/4 cup sliced red or white onion
    • 3/4 cup toasted pistachios
    • 1/2 cup dried raspberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a large bowl, combine the kale, red cabbage, orange juice, vinegar, oil, maple syrup, garlic, sea salt and pepper.
    2. Massage the kale and cabbage with your hands until it softens slightly and is all coated.
    3. Add the oranges, onions, pistachios and berries, and mix gently with your hands until everything is well distributed.
    4. Serve!
  • Vegan Chocolate Orange Hazelnut Cupcakes

    Vegan Chocolate Orange Hazelnut Cupcakes

    Chocolate and oranges are a match made in heaven. My Mom used to buy dark chocolate oranges, shaped like an actual orange with sections when I was little and I thought they were the coolest thing ever. I mean chocolate is already the coolest, but make it shaped like and orange with orange flavor, even better.  So ever since then I have always loved the combo.  I felt like making some chocolate cupcakes last weekend, and decided to make them chocolate orange, but take that even up a level and add hazelnut to the mix.

    Raw Guru recently sent me some Rawmio orange chocolate hearts and those were kind of the inspiration for the chocolate orange flavor because I remembered how good it was, plus they sent me some Rawmio chocolate hazelnut spread which I thought would be amazing in cupcakes as well!  I was super excited about these!  I made a simple chocolate cake base, with coconut milk and the Rawmio chocolate hazelnut spread for richness.  I also added in a bit of orange juice and zest to give them a lovely orange flavor.  The batter tasted heavenly even before I baked it!

    They smelled amazing while baking as well!  I could not wait to finish them and of course try one.  But first, I needed to create a luscious frosting for them. I used full fat coconut milk (mostly the cream) to make it extra rich and smooth and added in more of the Rawmio chocolate spread as well as some more cacao powder and maple syrup to sweeten plus orange.  It was sooo good, like just eat out of a bowl good, because it tasted like chocolate hazelnut orange mousse.

    The finished cupcakes turned out lovely!  I topped them with some dried orange slices and some of those adorable Rawmio chocolate orange hearts.  They were so good too, rich soft chocolate cake with a hint of hazelnut and orange topped off with the most luscious mousse like frosting that echoed the flavor of the cake.  If you are a chocolate fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Orange Hazelnut Cupcakes
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1/4 cup Rawmio Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (or hazelnut butter)
    • 1/4 cup orange juice plus 1 Tbsp orange zest
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/4 cup Rawmio Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (or 1/4 cup hazelnut butter mixed with 1 Tbsp cacao powder and 2 tsp maple syrup)
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp orange zest
    • 1 Tbsp orange juice
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted Dastony Coconut Butter (not coconut oil), warmed to liquid

     

    Garnish:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil 8 muffin tins or line them with paper liners.
    3. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk, the Rawmio chocolate hazelnut spread, and the orange juice and zest together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared tins.
    7. Place in the oven, and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 17-20 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    9. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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 frost.
    10. When ready to assemble, place the frosting in a pastry bag and pipe over the cupcakes.
    11. Garnish with Rawmio chocolate hearts.
    12. Enjoy! Refrigerate cupcakes if you have leftovers.

    Cupcakes keeps stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

    This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Tagalong Cookies

    Vegan Tagalong Cookies

    Tis’ the season for Girl Scout cookies.  I used to love them growing up, especially the Samoas and Tagalongs, but my Dad always bought the Thin Mints as well.  So now as an adult, I like to make my own home made versions.  I know there are vegan Girl Scout cookies but I would rather just donate money to the Girl Scouts directly if I want to donate since I prefer cookies that aren’t made with artificial more processed ingredients. For my own, I use quality ingredients, and they even taste better than the originals I grew up with!  Plus it is fun to recreate your own.  I love making my own treats! So I decided to make some vegan Tagalongs this week.

    The original cookies had a vanilla base, so I created some buttery vanilla cookies for mine as well.  I used whole wheat pastry flour for the dough, but if you wanted to make these gluten free, you could use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour instead (I have tested this brand with my baked goods and know that it works well swapped 1:1).  The dough tasted delicious even before it was baked.  Eric was begging me to eat some of it too, so I probably ended up with a few less cookies, but it’s alright, cookie dough is one of my favorite parts of the process of baking cookies too.

    They smelled amazing while baking. But I knew they would be even better once I added the peanut butter and chocolate!  I mean, peanut butter and chocolate is one of my all time favorite combos!  I used my home made peanut butter for these, and I did not sweeten it at all, because I figure the cookies and chocolate are sweet enough, but you could sweeten it with a little coconut sugar or a dash of maple syrup if you wanted to.

    Lastly I dipped them in dark chocolate, then let them chill and harden.  I could not wait to try the cookies!  They luckily it didn’t take that long since they were cool to begin with.  They were sooo good!  The crunchy sweet vanilla cookies had much more flavor than the originals, and the salty creamy PB and decadent dark chocolate were perfect on them!  These are sooo much better than the ones I grew up eating.  If you were ever a fan of Tagalongs, give these a try!

    Vegan Tagalong Cookies
    Makes 16 cookies

    Ingredients:
    Cookies:
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 3/4 cups coconut sugar or maple sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 3/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup organic peanut butter

     

    Chocolate:

    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips

     

     Directions:
    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and filtered water.  Set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
    2. In a large bowl, mix coconut oil with maple sugar and mix until well combined.
    3. Mix in the vanilla extract and flax mixture until well combined.
    4. Add the baking soda, salt, then the flour, until well combined.
    5. To bake, Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    6. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (there should be about 16), and place on prepared cookie sheet a couple inches apart, pressing down so that they are about 1/2 inch thick.
    7. 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 completely.  Save the parchment lined tray.
    8. Spread a 1/8 inch thick layer of peanut butter over each cookie, and place in the freezer until completely cold.
    9. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    10. Dip each cookie into the chocolate (carefully (I set mine on a fork and did it) and set on the parchment lined tray that you baked them on.  When they are all done, place the tray in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
    11. Enjoy!  Store any extra cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

     

  • Vegan Banana Bread Granola

    Vegan Banana Bread Granola

    Store bought granola has nothing on home made.  It is so much fun picking your own flavors and ingredients.  Although I have my favorites, I try to switch it up a lot according to what I have on hand and try new things.  I always keep a bag of granola in my pantry at all times, so I end up making it a lot.  Last week, I decided to make a banana bread granola.  What I mean by banana bread, is the flavors and ingredients that would be in a good banana bread.  Because banana bread is kind of breakfasty and snacky like granola.  Also I just love all of the flavors in it.

    I had all of the ingredients on hand so it was perfect!  I always have a big stock pile of oats because I eat them for breakfast every day anyhow.  I added in walnuts and almonds for the nuts.  Walnuts are traditional in banana bread, at least in my family and I just wanted a variety so I went with the almonds. I also added in coconut for extra sweetness and crunch.  I like a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg in my banana bread as well, because that is what my Mom and Grandma used to add to theirs.

    For the coating on the granola, I went oil free, replacing the banana with oil.  I have done this the last few times I made granola (replacing the oil with fruit or veggies).  I used pumpkin and sweet potato before and it worked great so I figured why not banana?  It is a similar texture.  You wouldn’t think that it would get crispy but it totally does!  And, you have an oil free crunchy snack!  I figure there is enough richness from the nuts and coconut already.  I sweetened it with maple syrup and added in a bit of almond butter (also in place of some of the oil) as well and it was the perfect coating.

    It smelled so good while baking!  Just like banana bread!  I could not wait to try it!  I did try some warm, and it was amazing but I had to wait for it to cool to add my final touch, the vegan dark chocolate chips!  My Mom always put chocolate chips in her banana bread so they were a must for this!  It was sooo good! Crunchy, sweet, a touch of salty, and so addictive.  I could not stop sampling it. Instead of buying granola at the store next time, whip up a batch of your own, it is so worth it!

    Vegan Banana Bread Granola
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
    • 1 cup raw almonds
    • 1 cups finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup mashed bananas
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350F and set rack at the medium position
    3. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, and coconut, and set aside.
    4. In another bowl, whisk together banana, maple syrup, nut butter, spices, sea salt, and vanilla extract until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended.
    5. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly.
    6. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
    7. Stir in chocolate chips.
    8. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Vanilla Berry Rose Doughnuts

    Vegan Vanilla Berry Rose Doughnuts

    Since it is Valentine’s week, I am using that as an excuse to make all things pink and girly.  Yes, that includes making cards and whatnot, but desserts are part of that too.  I had already made some chocolate, so it was time to whip up something else so I have a nice variety.  I decided on doughnuts.  I just made a cake last week for my blogaversary, so I wanted something a little easier.  Baked doughnuts did the trick!  I still kind of get my cake, but no careful frosting involved and I get to enjoy them faster.

    I have been wanting to make something with white chocolate and rosewater for a while, so I thought I would include both in these.  I also wanted to include berries because they are so heavenly with that flavor combination. For the batter, I started off with a simple vanilla doughnut batter.  I used whole wheat pastry flour this time, but you could use a gluten free all purpose baking flour if you prefer that.  I added in some berry powder that I made with freeze dried berries, and a bit of rosewater and it was heavenly!

    The batter tasted amazing even before baking, and smelled even better when it was in the oven.  I could not wait to try the doughnuts, but I first had to let them cool then unmold and glaze them.  Because what’s a doughnut without a glaze or frosting?  Not a fun doughnut that is for sure.  I just love looking at all of the doughnuts with their beautiful glazes and colors.  So pretty.  This isn’t a fried doughnut like most of the ones you find in the shops, but I still wanted it to be pretty.

    Raw Guru recently sent me some of their cacao butter and coconut butter, so I figured they would be perfect for a white chocolate flavored glaze!  Since cacao butter is a must in white chocolate.  I mixed them with a little rosewater, vanilla, maple syrup and berry powder and it was just right for a glaze.  I could not wait to try the finished doughnuts!  They were sooo good!  Soft and cakey with the scent of vanilla and rosewater plus the sweet berry flavor, totally heavenly!  I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

    Vegan Vanilla Berry Rose Doughnuts
    Makes 6 Doughnuts

    Ingredients:

    one 6 hole doughnut pan

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 2 Tbsp strawberry or raspberry powder*
    • 1 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp rosewater
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    White Chocolate Icing:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp Tbsp melted Raw Guru coconut butter
    • 2 Tbsp melted Raw Guru cacao butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 tsp rosewater
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp strawberry or raspberry powder*
    • 3-4 Tbsp filtered water or as needed

    For Garnish:

    • Freeze dried strawberries and raspberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil a doughnut pan.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar and strawberry powder in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk, vanilla extract and rosewater together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the batter to prepared pan.
    7. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.
    8. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients except the water.  Then whisk in the water until smooth and uniform.  If it is a little too thick add just a few tsp more water until it is a pour-able consistency.
    9. Spoon the glaze over the doughnuts, and sprinkle with freeze dried berries.
    10. Allow glaze to set, then enjoy!

    Doughnuts keep stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

    Notes:

    *If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

    *To make berry powder, place freeze dried berries in the blender and blend until they are a fine powder.  I get my freeze dried berries at Trader Joe’s.

    *This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Raspberry Pistachio “Milk” Chocolate Bars

    Vegan Raspberry Pistachio “Milk” Chocolate Bars

    I have been seeing lots of ads for vegan chocolate bars online that look amazing.  But unfortunately I can’t afford to buy them right now, because they are a bit over my budget this month, and the shipping price is pretty high.  So, I decided to make my own instead!  I actually have some cool chocolate bar molds, and thought they would make nice gifts as well.  Also, then I can add in whatever I like and personalize them.  I usually make dark chocolate bars when I make them, but this time I wanted to try milk chocolate because that was the type I was seeing online that sounded so good.

    I am not sure what they use in their bars, some of the ones I wanted to try were oatmilk and coconut and I assume they don’t just put liquid milk into them.  I don’t have coconut milk powder (and I am not sure if oat milk powder exists), but I did have coconut butter on hand and thought that might work well so I went for it!  You could use whatever vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips is your favorite for these, but I used Lily’s vegan dark chocolate chips.  I melted them in the top of a double boiler, and then whisked in the melted coconut butter and it was so good when I tried it even before I put it in the molds.  It tasted just like milk chocolate.

    I poured it into the molds, then added some crunchy freeze dried raspberries and pistachios. I recently made some raspberry truffles and loved them so I wanted to use that flavor profile again, and the crunchy green pistachios were so lovely with the raspberries!  I popped them into the freezer and waited for them to set (which luckily wasn’t long).  The ones I was gifting I put into little baggies and tied them with ribbons.  I really loved how they turned out!

    The chocolate was smooth and melt in your mouth like milk chocolate should be, a little more mellow than dark, and the tart sweet raspberries and crunchy salty pistachios were the perfect add ins!  By the way if you are looking for shelled pistachios for a reasonable price Aldi has them!  If pistachios and raspberries aren’t your jam, you could try other fruit and nut combos, like blueberry pecan or strawberry almond or even things like cacao nibs and lavender flowers.  Feel free to be creative with these!

    Vegan Raspberry “Milk” Chocolate Bars

    Makes 4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups good quality vegan dark chocolate, chopped
    • 1/2 cup coconut butter
    • 1/4 cup freeze dried raspberries, crushed
    • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

     

    Instructions:

    1. In the top of a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate, then add the coconut butter, and whisk together until completely blended.
    2. Place the chocolate molds on a tray.  Pour the chocolate into the chocolate bar molds, and sprinkle them evenly with both the raspberries and pistachios.
    3. Place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set, which will take a 1-2 hours.
    4. Pop the chocolate out of the molds and enjoy!

    Store chocolate in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

  • Vegan Vanilla Cake

    Vegan Vanilla Cake

    I can’t believe that I started this blog 10 years ago. Although it didn’t really start as a blog.  It started out as a way to share my recipes all in one place, somewhere other than just in my Facebook notes.  I was experimenting with new recipes all the time, and sharing the good ones. Back then I figured only a few of my friends would look at it, but as it turned out I joined some blogging communities and found that other people appreciated them as well. I also learned a lot of things from the other bloggers, and found that I really enjoyed blogging.  The recipe making, the sharing, the photography and creating art in a way.  I graduated with an art degree, but I actually work in the food industry as a cook in a health food store not in anything specifically art.  So, in a way I am happy that I am still using my degree to create this blog and photograph my dishes.  I do consider my food creations art as well.

    10 years ago when I started the blog I wasn’t vegan either.  My food has really evolved a lot since then.  I was making a lot of dairy heavy dishes, like cheesecakes (which are still my favorite and even better now that they are veganized), mousses and cream pies.  And, when I started the blog, I had a separate one for the savory dishes called Garlic and Sea Salt.  After a while I just combined the two because it was a lot easier and less confusing. I started experimenting with more vegan recipes in 2010, but actually went completely vegan back in 2012, and then converted the blog to completely vegan. From then on out I have been committed to making delicious vegan recipes, and it has been a lot of fun!

    I really appreciate everyone that has been along for the journey with me, thank you to all of you that have followed me over the years.  It means so much when you comment back when you enjoy a recipe, and makes me happy that I can create things that you can enjoy again and again!  Surprisingly though, I have never actually made just a plain vegan vanilla cake on the blog.  I made a raw vegan one years back but never a baked one.  Funny because of my blog’s name, and because I love vanilla cake so much.  I guess I am always just trying to come up with new creative flavors, but of course I need a plain vanilla cake so it is about time.

    So I whipped one up for this blogaversary!  It isn’t that I haven’t made a vanilla cake in the last 10 years, just that I haven’t typed up a recipe for one.  Well, here it is, fabulous vanilla cake!  I hope you all enjoy it, and I will definitely continue to create new delicious recipes for you all in the new year!

    Vegan Vanilla Cake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    one 6 inch cake pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup maple sugar
    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (not coconut oil)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil two 6 inch round baking pans and line them with parchment at the bottom so it will not stick.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared pans.
    7. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then un-mold, by cutting around the edges if they are stuck at all, then putting  plate over the top, then flipping it onto that plate then placing a plate on the bottom and flipping it upright onto that plate.
    9. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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.
    10. When ready to assemble, spread about 3/4 cup frosting over the first layer of the cake, then top with the other cake layer.  Spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake.
    11. Enjoy!

    Cake keeps stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

    If you would like to make a 9 inch round cake, double the entire recipe, and bake it in two 9 inch round pans, increasing the baking time to 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your oven).

    This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • 40+ Vegan Valentine’s Day Desserts

    40+ Vegan Valentine’s Day Desserts

    Desserts are an essential part of Valentine’s Day as far as I am concerned.  My first good memories of the holiday were of bringing goodies and cute little cards to school to exchange with classmates, and Grandma giving me heart shaped boxes of chocolates.  I was all about the chocolate, conversation hearts were cute, but were more suited for decorating things.  In high school a few years in a row I baked sugar cookies to share with others and they were always well received along with the chocolates.  And ever since then I have always made something to celebrate the holiday.  Although now it is usually lots of chocolates (Eric loves chocolate and sharing some is tradition) and some sort of cake, because that is my favorite.  Over the past few years I have accumulated loads of Valentine’s day worthy desserts to share with you all, because any excuse to make anything chocolate, or pink, or with hearts and I am on it.  I am a total girly girl when it comes to that stuff.  I mean, if there were a natural non-refined way to add sparkles I would do that too…but I stick to the color for now.  Anyways, I have gathered together some of my favorite Valentine’s Day worthy recipes so that you don’t have to search hard for that special dessert.  As you may notice, I have a lot of cakes on this list, because cake is the thing I love to make the most.  I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s day, and get to spend it with people that you love, because everyone deserves to feel loved and appreciated. Be sure to do something nice for yourself too! And now, I give you my best Valentines Day desserts!  Enjoy!

    Vegan Raspberry White Chocolate Truffle Hearts 

    Whatchamacallit Bars

    Vegan Whatchamacallit Bars

    Vegan Rose White Chocolate Hearts

    Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Jam Cups

    Peanut Butter Hearts 

    Matcha White Chocolates 2

    Vegan Matcha White Chocolates

    Butterfinger Hearts 1

    Raw Butterfinger Hearts

    almond-butter-chocolate-figs

    Raw Almond Butter Stuffed Figs

    FV

    Chocolate Cherry Rose Cups

    Raw Chocolate Blood Orange Caramels 1

    Raw Blood Orange Caramel Dark Chocolates

    White Choc Raspberry Popcorn 2

    Vegan Raspberry White Chocolate Popcorn

    Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn 4

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn

    raspberry-cheesecake-brownies-5

    Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

    Red Velvet Bars (1000x750)

    Raw Red Velvet Bars

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    Vegan Strawberry Sugar Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Lavender

    Vegan Pin Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Brownies 

    Dark Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Brownies

    Vegan Strawberry Frosted Vanilla Shortbread Cookies 

    Strawberry Blondies (500x320)

    Raw Strawberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

    Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

    Vegan Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

    Chocolate Dipped Raspberry Lavender Popsicles

    Vegan Red Velvet Chocolate Chunk Pancakes

    Red Berry Love Ice Cream FV

    Raw Love Berry Ice Cream

    double-raspberry-heart-scones-3

    Vegan Pink Raspberry Heart Scones

    Red Velvet Doughnuts

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Glazed Red Velvet Doughnuts

    Vegan Chocolate Almond Raspberry Mousse Tart 

    Vegan Mini Chocolate Almond Mousse Tarts

    Mexican Chocolate Lava Cakes

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake

    Vegan Raspberry Rose Cheesecake 

    Chocolate Beet Cake

    Nut Free Vegan Double Chocolate Cheesecake 

    strawberry cheesecake 5

    Raw Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

    Strawberry Almond Cake 5

    Vegan Strawberry Almond Layer Cake

    FV

    Raw Red Velvet Cake

    mini-mocha-cakes-5

    Mini Vegan Mocha Layer Cakes

    Blood Orange Chocolate Cake 4

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Blood Orange Layer Cake

    Nut Free Vegan Raspberry Swirled Vanilla Cheesecake 

    Red Velvet for 2 5 (500x446)

    Raw Red Velvet Cake with Strawberry Frosting for Two

    Neapolitan-2BCake

    Raw Neapolitan Cheesecake

    Raw Strawberry Tiramisu FV

    Raw Strawberry Tiramisu

    Molten PB Chocolate Cakes 1

    Vegan Peanut Butter Lava Cakes

    Rose Pomegranate Cheesecake FV

    Raw Rose Pomegranate Dream Cake

    Pink Velvet Cupcakes FV

    Raw Pink Velvet Cupcakes

    Chocolate Strawberry Snack Cakes 4

    Mini Raw Raspberry Filled Heart Snack Cakes

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cake

    Red Berry Orange Love Tart FV

    Raw Red Berry Orange Love Tart

  • Vegan Tiramisu Cheesecake

    Vegan Tiramisu Cheesecake

        

    The first time I ever tried tiramisu was at an Italian restaurant with my Mom when we were on a family vacation. I wasn’t a huge fan of coffee at the time, but it still sounded interesting so I ordered some.  It was fabulous!  Layers of soft cakey lady fingers with a hint of coffee, lots of cream and a touch of chocolate.  We decided that we wanted to try to make some at home, and we made the traditional type with the ladyfingers, zabagliogne made with egg yolks and heavy cream and all.  It was a process but it turned out so good!  I still love tiramisu but I make much easier veganized versions of it now that taste just as good. 

    I have been craving tiramisu lately because I haven’t had it in so long, so I decided to make a tiramisu cheesecake.  I had recently bought some really good coffee from a local coffee roaster called Dogwood Coffee.  Eric and I love to go there and get oat milk lattes (they always have yummy seasonal ones) and so I thought I would buy some to try at home.  I got their Neon Espresso and it is sooo good!  Just a splash of oatmilk and it is perfect!  It has a chocolate like flavor and it so smooth. I figured it would be so good in my tiramisu.  

    For the base, instead of the usual cheesecake crust or lady fingers, I made a layer of vanilla cake with a hint of coffee.  Then I soaked it with a bit an espresso syrup, and dusted it with cacao powder.  Next I made the cheesecake layer.  I used my usual vanilla cheesecake base, but added the espresso to it. I use a mixture of coconut milk and chickpeas as my base, which may sound weird, but trust me you can’t taste the chickpeas at all.  They were my swap for cashews a while back to make nut free cheesecake, and I make most of my cheesecakes this way now. 

    I could not wait to try it!  To finish it off I dusted it off with a bit of cacao powder and it was perfect!  It tasted just like tiramisu, but in cheesecake form!  Creamy, with a light coffee flavor, a soft layer of espresso soaked cake on the bottom, it is so good!  Even better with a cup of coffee on the side.  If you are a fan of tiramisu definitely give this a try! 

    Vegan Tiramisu Cheesecake

    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    one 6 inch cake pan

    Bottom Cake:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 2 Tbsp strong brewed good quality espresso 
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar

     

    Soak:

    • 1 Tbsp strong brewed good quality espresso 
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder 

     

      Cheesecake Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat coconut cream (I used the thick part of a can of Thai Kitchen organic full fat coconut milk*)
    • 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp finely ground good quality espresso
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbp coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

      Topping:

    • cacao powder unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
    • chopped vegan dark chocolate

     

      Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil a 6 inch round baking pan and line it with parchment at the bottom so it will not stick.
    3. Whisk flour, espresso, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared pan then place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    8. Mix together the coffee and maple syrup for the soak, then brush the cake with it generously (you may have a little left over). Dust with 1 Tbsp cacao powder. Set aside. 
    9. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    10. Pour over the prepared cake.
    11. Place cheesecake in the freezer until it is set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    12. Remove from the freezer, un-mold and dust with cacao powder and sprinkle with dark chocolate.
    13. Enjoy!

    Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator, keeps for up to 1 week.

     

    *I use Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.  If you are using a different brand, just make sure it is the thick type, 2/3 of the can at least should be very thick cream or it will not work in this recipe.

    Notes: If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar. If you would like to make a 9 inch round cake, double the entire recipe, and bake it in a 9 inch round pan, increasing the baking time to 40 minutes (depending on your oven). This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Creamy Potato Leek Soup

    Vegan Creamy Potato Leek Soup

    When I was little, one time when my Mom and I were out shopping on a Saturday, we stopped at this restaurant that I considered a little bit fancy at the time. Fancy was anything with ingredients I couldn’t pronounce or where the wait staff wore nice uniforms.  They had a leek soup on the menu and we ordered it.  I had never heard of leeks in my life.  But I ended up liking it, because it was packed with rich flavor.  After that my Mom made a leek soup at home and it was even better.  I decided that I liked leeks.  I was making something with them the other day at work and I decided that I should cook with them more often. 

    So, I decided to make a creamy potato leek soup when I got home.  I knew it would be fairly simple and easy to make which is always a win on a week night when I am tired.  The thing about leeks though, if you have never cooked with them before, is that they are very sandy.  Even when you think you have washed the outside all nicely, when you cut into them you find sand.  So I like to clean them once, then plunge them into a bowl of water, swish them around, let the sand settle, then scoop them out and use them in my recipe.  Then they will be all good and delicious in your soup. 

    For this soup, there is no sauteeing required, and I did not use any oil for this reason.  You just add the veggies and stock to the pot, let it simmer until it is all tender, and then add the “creamy” part of it.  For that, I could have just added some coconut milk and called it a day, but instead I wanted to add a little more protein so I pureed chickpeas into the coconut milk as well as a little cashew butter.  It made for a thick cream that was perfect in the soup! 

    I could not wait to try it!  It smelled amazing and tasted even better.  It has plenty of rich onion and leek flavor, a smooth rich texture and it is perfect served with crusty bread for dipping!  That is one of my favorite uses for crusty bread besides bread pudding, dunking into my soup!  If you are in need of some comfort food, give this a try! 

    Vegan Creamy Potato Leek Soup

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 1 large leek, sliced thinly (and washed very well, I like to put mine in water after cutting, then drain)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 3 cups yukon gold potatoes, cubed
    • 1 cup carrots, sliced
    • 1 1/2 cups veggie broth (or as needed)
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1 cup full fat or lite coconut milk
    • 1 cup chickpeas
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp white miso dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water (optional)
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
    1. Add the onions, leeks, garlic, thyme, potatoes,  veggie broth, salt and pepper to a medium sized pot.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
    3. Add the coconut milk, chickpeas, cashew butter, and nutritional yeast, miso and cornstarch to a blender and blend until smooth.
    4. Add the mixture to the soup, and cook until they are well blended into the soup and it has thickened.
    5. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Chocolate Football Cookies 

    Vegan Chocolate Football Cookies 

    My favorite football team the Minnesota Vikings were eliminated a few weeks ago from the Superbowl running, but I will still be watching because it is tradition, and I do love Superbowl food like nachos and cauliflower wings plus watching all of the interesting commercials!  Also I decided to make some cute football cookies.  Because why not?!  I usually just focus on the savory things at this occasion but cookies sounded good too. I decided on chocolate cut out cookies, because they are already the color of footballs and I am in chocolate sort of mood.

    These are actually pretty easy to make, minus the time it takes to roll them out and cut them, but I always find that part of the process kind of fun, like a kid playing with play dough. Didn’t you ever take play dough, roll it out like cookies and pretend they were cookies (not actually eating them but pretending to)?  Well, I did because even back then I liked to play pretend kitchen and “make” food a lot.

    For the base I used whole wheat pastry flour because it is what I have on hand, plus cacao powder to make them chocolaty and a bit of maple sugar to sweeten.  You could use coconut sugar or just granulated sugar if those are your preferred sweeteners as well.  I used coconut oil combined with avocado oil simply because I feel like coconut oil on its own gets too hard at room temperature (or cooler) with baked goods, so the avocado oil makes them a touch softer like cookies with real butter would be.

    They smelled wonderful while baking!  I could not wait to try them but first, I had to decorate the tops or they wouldn’t be footballs. I decorated half with melted dark chocolate and half with some white icing, but you could do one or the other if you prefer.  They turned out super delicious!  I prefer the ones topped with chocolate myself, because one can never have too much chocolate.  But my Mom, who I shared some with since she loves cookies, enjoyed the white icing the most.  If you are celebrating the Superbowl, why not make some cookies to go along with your spread?!

    Vegan Chocolate Football Cookies 

    Makes about 28

    Ingredients:

    • 1 3/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil liquid at cool temperatures)
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

      Icing:

    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter
    • 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 2 tsp maple syrup

     

      Dark Chocolate:

    • 1/2 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line three baking sheets with parchment.
    2. To make the dough, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined and smooth (it may be slightly crumbly, and that is ok, just squeeze it back together), then place on a piece of parchment paper and roll out 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into football shapes with a medium sized cookie cutter (or make a stencil and cut with a knife carefully) and place them onto two of the prepared pans. Re-roll any scraps squeezing them back together and rolling them out, and cutting into more shapes until all of the dough is used.
    3. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until set and just barely beginning to brown at the edges.
    4. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool completely on wire racks.
    5. When the cookies have cooled completely, to make the icing, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, then place in a ziplock bag with the corner cut off or a small pastry bag and pipe lacing on the football cookies.
    6. Or, if you want to make the chocolate lacing, melt the vegan dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler, and then place in a ziplock bag with the corner cut off or a small pastry bag and pipe lacing on the football cookies.
    7. Put the cookies in the freezer on their tray until the icing or chocolate has hardened, then enjoy!

    *Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for up to 4 months.

  • Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

    Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

    When I have a lovely loaf of crusty bread, there are two things I love doing most with it.  Enjoying it with soup so I can dunk it in and soak up the goodness, and making bread pudding.  I usually end up doing both if it is a large loaf and I have enough.  I had a lovely loaf of sourdough bread that was getting a little dry since I had it for a few days, so I decided it was perfect for bread pudding.  Eric loves it too, so win win for both of us if I make a batch and share.  His Dad recently sent us a bunch of his home made jam, so I thought I would make a raspberry swirled bread pudding.  Back in the day my Mom and I used to go to a local restaurant that had the best raspberry bread pudding.  It was totally heavenly served warm with cool whipped cream and a sweet sauce.  I have always wanted to recreate it and now was my chance!

    It is weird, I never actually tried making home made bread pudding until this year.  Even though I have made home made bread a lot.  I was missing out!  It is so easy and so good!  In fact, the whole process of making this is done in less than 45 minutes. You could use whatever bread you like of course but it helps if it is a bit dry to soak up the batter.  I like a crusty bread also so that it holds its share somewhat and the top gets a little bit crispy.  For this one I used an organic wheat sourdough.

    For the batter I used oat milk because it is what I have on hand for my drinks like coffee and matcha lattes, but it works perfect because it is pretty neutral in flavor.  I mixed it with flax eggs, and maple and vanilla to sweeten and it was just right.  The bread soaked it up beautifully!  I put plenty of raspberry jam in the bread pudding, but I also added chocolate chunks because why not?!  Chocolate and raspberries are a match made in heaven after all!

    It smelled so good while baking!  I could not wait to try it.  It baked up beautifully into a french toast like consistency, crunchy on top and light and fluffy inside.  The gooey dark chocolate and sweet raspberries made it over the top amazing!  This would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!  Eric loved it too, the leftovers were gone in no time!  If you have some crusty bread that has sat for a few days, this is the perfect thing to make with it!

    Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding 

    Serves 4-6

    Ingredients:

    Bread Pudding:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 3/4 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
    • 1/2 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
    • 1 cup raspberry jam
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar (or coconut sugar)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil two 1 quart baking dishes (or see bottom of post for other baking dish options).
    2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water mixture, oat milk, maple syrup, spices, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture.  Mix in chocolate.
    3. Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared baking dishes, (including the liquid, pour it over them). Then spoon half the jam over them by the Tbsp.  Top with the remaining bread mixture, and more jam.  Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
    4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 25-30 minutes (see bottom for other pan sizes baking times), or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed and baked into pudding at the bottom.
    5. Remove from oven.
    6. Let cool about 10 minutes and enjoy warm!

    For 6 small ramakins: bake 15 minutes

    For 1 8×8 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish: bake 30-40 minutes

  • Vegan Chocolate Almond Mousse Tarts

    Vegan Chocolate Almond Mousse Tarts

    I am in a chocolate dessert sort of mood lately. Maybe it is because Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and chocolate just feels right, or because eating chocolate seems to make me forget about winter.  Anyways, I decided that I needed something chocolaty last week, and since I had already recently made brownies and cake, I thought something with a chocolate mousse sounded lovely!  What I decided on was chocolate mousse tarts. My Mom had recently talked about a chocolate almond butter tart that she used to buy at Trader Joes that was really good, that she couldn’t get anymore.  So, I thought I would make something kind of similar and share.

    Little tarts are perfect for sharing! Plus, I know I feel special when I am enjoying my own cute little mini dessert.  These do require baking for the crust portion, but they aren’t difficult to make.  For the crust, I had thought about making them no bake, but I wanted the rich buttery pie crust that comes with baking.  I just used my classic pie crust dough and it worked perfect!

    For the filling I used coconut milk, the full fat kind that is mostly cream.  Please note, this thick kind is absolutely essential to the recipe turning out and thickening.  Plus, it makes it darn delicious when it is all rich and smooth.  Also, I added almond butter since these are chocolate almond butter tarts.  The filling was silky smooth and packed with chocolate flavor thanks to the large amount of cacao powder I used in it.

    I was pleasantly surprised by how fast I whipped these up.  Then again I cooled the crusts out in my garage since it was below freezing out there.  They turned out sooo good!  The crust was buttery and flakey and the filling smooth rich and delicious with a slight nuttiness from the almonds, and plenty of rich cacao flavor!  If you are a chocolate fan, definitely give these a try!  They would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!

    Vegan Chocolate Almond Mousse Tarts

    Makes 4

    Crust:

    • 1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp flour
    • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut oil
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3-4 Tbsp filtered water or as needed

    Filling:

    • 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick part from the top of the can of coconut milk, use a brand that has mostly coconut cream (3/4 of the can), or it will not work for this recipe)
    • 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 3 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1/2 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.
    2. In a bowl, combine the pastry flour, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and sea salt in a bowl, and mix together with your hands, scrunching the coconut oil into the flour until you have smaller pea sized pieces.  Mix in the water until a dough is formed, then divide into 4 balls and press them into four 4 inch tart pans, into the bottoms and up the sizes of the pan so it looks nice.  Prick a few holes into the bottom with a fork.
    3. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and set.  Remove from the oven and let cool.
    4. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer, stirring every so often until it is almost the consistency of mousse or whipped cream this will take anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes depending on how warm your ingredients were.
    5. Once the filling has thickened, spoon into the crusts (it will be mounded), then refrigerate until completely set (1/2 hour at least).
    6. Enjoy!

     

  • Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Sweet Rolls

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Sweet Rolls

        

    I have made classic caramel rolls, and cinnamon rolls but I thought I would make something a little different last weekend as far as rolls went because I am always open to trying new things when it comes to making recipes! I has some of Eric’s Dad’s home made jam and I thought about making some strawberries and cream rolls, but then I thought peanut butter and jelly rolls sounded even more amazing so that is what I made!  It was the perfect day to do so because it was in the single digits outside, so perfect baking weather to stay inside warm and cozy.

    A while back sweet rolls intimidated me because of the whole yeast and letting it rise factor. But once you get the hang of it, it is really quite easy and simple!  These do take a bit of time, but it is the perfect weekend project, and you can enjoy the fruits of your labor after!  There is nothing more satisfying than making your own really good treat like these rolls! For the base, I used whole wheat pastry flour because it is what I have on hand and it worked perfectly!  Could you use regular AP flour?  Yes, if you prefer a lighter roll, I just like the whole wheat.  I added a bit of peanut butter and vanilla to it plus a bit of maple sugar to sweeten and it was just right. 

    It kneaded up and rose nicely.  For the filling, I gave it a layer of peanut butter and jelly because  just adding the peanut butter to the dough wasn’t enough peanut butter flavor for me.  They smelled amazing while baking! Once they emerged from the oven and had a little time to cool, I made a quick peanut butter maple topping that tasted like peanut butter caramel and drizzled that over them. 

    They were sooo good!  Soft textured rolls just as sweet rolls should be with gooey peanut butter and jam inside and that sweet glaze was just the thing to top them off with!  Kind of like a PB and J in roll form.  If you are a big PB and J fan like me, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Sweet 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 peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 3 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or as needed

     

    Filling:

    • 3/4 cup peanut butter
    • 3/4 cup strawberry or raspberry jelly

     

    Topping:

    • 1/4 cup peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/8 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, maple sugar, 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 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. When it is ready, turn out onto the counter or a board and roll out into a 9 x 15 inch rectangle.
    8. For the filling, spread the peanut butter evenly over the dough, then the jelly.
    9. Roll it up (the short side down, so you have a longer roll), 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. To make the topping, whisk the peanut butter and and maple syrup together until smooth with the sea salt.  Add a little more syrup if it seems too thick (since peanut butter varies in thickness) to pour over the rolls.
    16. Drizzle the peanut butter mixture over the rolls and enjoy!

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