Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

  • Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Salted caramel anything is amazing as far as I am concerned.  There is just something about that balance between the saltiness and the caramel that I love.  Maybe also because those are two things that are often craved. Salted caramel chocolate sounds more wonderful than just chocolate, and salted caramel crème brulee more fantastic than just crème brulee.  Doesn’t it?
    My Mom, who often begs me to make some cookies for her, was telling me about some salted caramel cookies she had tried at work from Great Harvest. She said they were good, but my cookies were better. Which got me to thinking, why not make my own salted caramel cookies?  After all, most of the things I veganize end up being really good, and sometimes even better than the original.
    So, for the cookie dough, I used maple sugar which is very caramelly tasting to me and an extra pinch of sea salt over the usual I use which resulted in a caramel tasting dough.  Of course you could just use coconut sugar if you didn’t have the maple, because it has the same brown sugar affect.  The cookies would have tasted kind of caramelly on their own, but I wanted chunks of “caramel” as well so I added dates too.  Which are basically nature’s gooey caramel!  The combination was pretty darn delicious!
    Since they were chocolate chip cookies, I added some good quality vegan dark chocolate chips as well.  The dough was amazing, so I knew these were going to be good.  I sprinkled some fleur de sel on them before baking, since they were salted caramel.  I could not wait to try them, since they smelled amazing while baking!  I tried one while they were still warm and omg sooo good!  A caramel flavored spft cookie with gooey dates, and melty chocolate chips! My Mom enjoyed them as well and said that you would never be able to guess that they were vegan.  If you are a caramel fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip 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 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 cup dates, chopped into smaller pieces
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate 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 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 dates and chocolate chips
    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. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
  • Vegan Raspberry Rose Cheesecake

    Vegan Raspberry Rose Cheesecake

    I know we are far from summer, but I am missing summer berries, so I thought I would make a raspberry cheesecake to remind me of it.  When I was little my favorite kind of cheesecake was the kind with the raspberry swirls.  Whenever someone had one of those cheesecake variety packs with all different flavors that was always the one I chose, even above chocolate and caramel. I am a big fan of fruit in desserts, and the contrast of the sweet tart raspberries to the sweet vanilla cheesecake is heavenly.  Well, I thought I would make one similar to that and take it up a notch by adding more raspberries to the cheesecake part and a little rosewater to make it smell absolutely heavenly!

    I used to always make all my vegan cheesecake with cashews as the base, but later that changed to coconut because cashews are spendy, and my body doesn’t always like them.  Also many of my readers were asking for nut free versions.  Now I have revamped that cheesecake base to include chickpeas along with the coconut to create a cheesecake that is creamy and rich tasting but not so heavy on the stomach.  Trust me, you can not taste them in there, you would swear it was cashews and chickpeas are the perfect sub for them!  Plus they are cheap and I always have them on hand since I usually just make a large amount then freeze them later for using in my meals.  

    I added raspberries, vanilla and rosewater to flavor the cheesecake base and it was heavenly!  I could not wait to try it in its chilled form!  But first I made a crust for it with oats and pistachios, because I think pistachios are so lovely with rose.  If you wanted this cake to be nut free though, you could just use shredded coconut instead.  I swirled the cheesecake with really good raspberry jam to give it loads of raspberry flavor.  Eric’s Dad gave us this jam that he made from his home grown raspberries and it is seriously the best I have ever tasted!  It worked perfect in the cheesecake!

    I had to wait overnight for it to chill, but it was worth the wait.  Sooo dreamy and crave worthy!  The base was rich, creamy, smooth and sweet scented with rose, vanilla and berries, and the gooey jam and salty sweet crust were perfect with it!  If you are missing summer too, make this cheesecake! It would also be perfect for upcoming Valentine’s Day next month! 

    Vegan Raspberry Rose Cheesecake

    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup pistachios (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 cooked chickpeas
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp rose water 
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbp coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
    • 1/2 cup fresh organic raspberries 

     

    Swirl:

    • 2/3 cup organic raspberry jam

     

    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. 

  • White Bean, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

    White Bean, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

    The weather can’t seem to decide what it is doing here lately.  It was thawing out and above 35F degrees, and then it was down to below zero then back to above freezing again. I will take the warmer days though, it is not often we see days above the teens and twenties this time of the year.  Last year we had a polar vortex and it was -60 windchill for a few days.  So I am grateful for this weather. One thing I enjoy to kind of take the chill off is warming soups.  I make at least 3 different kinds during the course of the week.  I have my favorites, but sometimes I like to come up with new ones.

    I was craving something hearty and filled with veggies and greens, and what I came up with was this white bean, sweet potato and kale soup!  I make soups like this a lot at work (not this exact one, but similar ones), and a lot of times they sound really good to me so I go home and make something similar.  I happened to have all of the ingredients for this on hand so it was perfect!  It always makes me happy when I don’t have to spend extra money to buy more ingredients.

    For the base, I went with home made veggie stock and tomatoes.  If you are wondering what I put in my stock, it is mostly onions and garlic (because they have the most flavor), plus a bit of celery. I know some people put carrots in their stock, but I find that they make it a bit too sweet for my liking. So I keep it to the other 3 veggies.  If you just keep your scraps in a bag in the freezer, later on when you have a lot you can whip up some stock with them.  Just simmer the veggies in filtered water on the stove on very low heat for about 4 hours, then strain and cool down.  Also, it is nice to portion out and freeze for later.

    Back to the soup though, I added oregano and basil to give it an Italian flavor, as well as some red pepper flakes for a little kick.  I would usually go with regular potatoes in a soup like this but I went with white fleshed sweet potatoes this time since I had them on hand.  Lastly some white beans for protein and some kale to get my daily greens in.  I try to eat a good amount of greens several times a day, so I include them in my lunch salads, as well as stir them into my soups at the last minute so they are just wilted but retain their nutrients.  This soup turned out so good!  It was dinner for a few nights, and it was nice to have something already made when I got home.  It was packed with flavor, was nice and warming and hearty and we both felt good after eating it. If you are in need of some healthy comfort food, give this a try!

    White Bean, Sweet Potato 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 dried basil
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups crushed canned tomatoes or fresh roasted*
    • 2 cups flavorful vegetable stock
    • sea salt
    • 4 cups cubed white fleshed sweet potatoes
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
    • 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, herbs, sea salt, pepper, and filtered water.
    4. Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until the tomatoes are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 30 minutes.
    5. Add the sweet potatoes to the pot, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes.
    6. When the potatoes are tender, stir in the beans and kale until kale has just wilted.
    7. Serve!

     

     

  • Vegan Orange Rosewater Creme Caramel

    Vegan Orange Rosewater Creme Caramel

    We are in the middle of citrus season, so I have been craving desserts with it lately.  I love all of it, lemons, grapefruits, limes and oranges.  But this time I chose the oranges because it is what I happened to have an abundance of on my counter fruit and veggie collection this week. I wanted something rich and delicious but easy to make, and so I made some creme caramel!  I was dreaming of a sweet orange creme caramel with a hint of rosewater.  I love rosewater in desserts, its aroma is unlike anything else, so heavenly!

    I recently picked up some rosewater at House of Halva in St. Paul MN, and it is some of the best rosewater I have ever had!  I was super excited because I hadn’t had any at home in a few years and I found this one for a really good price and it is good quality.  I have been adding it to my lemonade and berry kombucha and even in my vanilla lattes and it is amazing in drinks but I finally got around to including it in a dessert last weekend when I made the creme caramel.

    The best part about the creme caramel is it is easy to make.  For the custard, I used a coconut milk base because I think it makes the richest smoothest custard, and I added in a bit of orange juice and zest, plus vanilla and rosewater to make it fragrant.  A bit of maple syrup to sweeten and it is perfect!  Just a little cornstarch and agar and it makes a custard that is firm enough to hold up, but creamy when cut into.  It smelled amazing and tasted even better, even before setting.

    For the caramel I didn’t go the route of dissolving sugar in water I simply boiled down a little maple syrup with orange juice until it thickened slightly and then added some rosewater.  I could not wait to try these!  When I un-molded them the next day I was super excited!  They came out lovely, and I garnished them with some pistachios.  They were soooo good!  Creamy, rich and delicious with that heavenly scent of rosewater and sweet orange!  If you have oranges and rosewater on hand, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Orange Rosewater Creme Caramel
    Makes 4

    Ingredients:

    4 1 cup ramekins

    Caramel:

    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp orange juice
    • 1 tsp rosewater

     

    Custard:

    • 1 3/4 cups full fat coconut milk
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp orange juice
    • 1 Tbsp orange zest
    • 3/4 tsp agar powder
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch

     

    Instructions:

    1. Set 4 one cup (8oz) ramekins on a tray.
    2. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and orange juice bring to a boil.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it has reduced slightly.  Remove from heat, add rosewater and pour into the bottoms of the ramekins.
    3. To make the cream, combine the coconut milk, and maple syrup in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
    4. Mix the orange juice and zest with the vanilla, agar powder, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and then whisk into the hot coconut milk.  Whisk until just thickened, then pour into the prepared ramekins over the caramel.
    5. Place the tray of ramekins in the refrigerator until chilled completely.  For at least 2 hours, or overnight.
    6. Once the custards have set and you are ready to serve, place a plate on top of each one, then flip it over.  If they are sticking at all, run a knife along the sides to loosen being careful not to disturb the custard.
    7. Enjoy!  Refrigerate any leftovers.

     

  • Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies

    I don’t know about you, but the combination of peanut butter and jelly is one of the best things ever!  I have been craving a peanut butter and jelly dessert, so I was super excited when my boyfriend Eric’s Dad sent me some of his home made jam. It is the best jam ever, seriously.  He grows the raspberries in his back yard and makes jam to sell at the farmer’s market and it is the best I have ever tasted.  Raspberry has always been my favorite and his jam is perfectly balanced.  Just the right amount of sweet unlike the store bought stuff that tastes like it is all sugar. So since I had this fabulous jam, it was time I made that peanut butter and jelly dessert.

    I decided on some peanut butter and jelly brownies.  Because I had never made them before but they sounded amazing.  This was my new years day project, because I love staying home and baking in my pjs sometimes.  For the base I used my usual brownie recipe, but with some peanut butter added.  Because as far as I am concerned one can never have too much.  Then again maybe I am not the best person to judge that because I eat about a jar a week. I used whole wheat pastry flour in these, but if you wanted to make them gluten free, you could use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour instead swapped 1:1 (I have had success with this brand).

    The brownie batter tasted amazing.  I could not wait to bake it and try them out, but of course it needed the peanut butter and jam swirled into it.  They smelled amazing while baking.  Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and really good chocolate cake. Unfortunately I had to wait until the next day to try them because I was baking them in the evening and they had to cool so they cut nice.  But the wait was well worth it.

    They were crave worthy!  Fudgy decadent rich brownies swirled with gooey peanut butter and raspberry jam!  I think the thing that made them extra good was the fact that the jam and the peanut butter were both home made.  I make my own peanut butter every week because it tastes better than store bought and is much cheaper.  If you are a big peanut butter and jelly fan like I am, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies

    Makes 16

    Brownies:

    • 1/2 cup avocado oil 
    • 3 Tbsp creamy organic peanut butter
    • 1 1/3 cups maple sugar or 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

     

    Swirl:

    • 1/4 cup raspberry jam
    • 1/4 cup peanut butter

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    2. Whisk together the sugar, oil and peanut butter until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down.  Add the flax mixture and vanilla and mix until smooth.
    3. Add the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and beat until smooth.
    4. Scrape the batter into a greased 8×8 inch pan, then drop the peanut butter and jelly over it by the tsp or so randomly, and swirl it with a knife.
    5. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).  Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

    *If you would like to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (I have tested this brand and know it works well).

  • Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad 

    Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad 

    A lot of the time the recipes I make depend on what I already have on hand.  Because I hate wasting things, and I also like saving money and saving a trip to the store.  I had a leftover sweet potato on hand from making a sweet potato lasagna for Christmas, and I wanted to make something for lunch with it.  I thought about yam fries as a side for something else, or maybe roasted and mashed but then I remembered how much I like sweet potatoes roasted and in a salad.  We make a few salads at my work with roasted sweet potato salads and they are always so good!  I mean, I just love how they get all tender on the inside and crispy on the outside plus so flavorful when roasted!

    So, I made a kale salad and included them.  I had kale and cabbage on hand, so I used those as the base. My philosophy when it comes to greens is I can never have too much.  So pretty much most days for lunch I have a pile of greens (either kale, arugula, or spinach) with other veggies and some beans or tempeh mixed in.  This salad would be that way too. I also added in chickpeas for a little more protein and texture because why not.  For some reason really like chickpeas paired with sweet potatoes.

    The crunchy kale and cabbage and tender sweet potatoes needed a delicious dressing to coat them.  I thought about a vinaigrette, the tangy sweetness would be good with the veggies, but then I decided on a nut butter based dressing.  This is actually what I use most often, I usually make a good sized batch then keep it in the refrigerator for my salad for the week.  But for this salad I whipped up a smaller batch.  I like it because it tastes like a traditional creamy dressing but without the dairy.

    For this one I used a combination of ingredients that made it taste almost cheesy, almost like a ranch but without the herbs.  It was delicious!  Even better of course when mixed into the salad!  It was lovely with all of the different colors, but most importantly It was sooo good!  I loved the combination of textures and flavors it had!  Next time you feel like making a salad, give this a try!

    Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad 

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • sea salt
    • 1 large bunch kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
    • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
    • 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas (canned is fine, just rinse them well and drain well)
    • 1/2 cup cashew butter or almond butter (tahini will also work for nut free)
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp white miso
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp pepper

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and oil a sheet pan.
    2. Toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, spread out on the sheet pan and sprinkle with sea salt.
    3. Place in the oven and roast for about 30-45 minutes until tender (depending on your oven).  Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
    4. In a large bowl, combine the kale, red cabbage, chickpeas and sweet potatoes.
    5. In a smaller bowl whisk together cashew butter, lemon juice, water, yeast, miso, garlic, sea salt and pepper until smooth (adding a little more water if it seems too thick to pour).
    6. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to coat.
    7. Serve!
  • Vegan Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Pancakes

    Vegan Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Pancakes

    When you get a bunch of free bananas, you make banana goodies. Or freeze them for smoothies, but I already had some in the freezer so I made some banana bread pudding earlier this week, and then these banana hazelnut chocolate chip pancakes this weekend.  I guess I am in the mood for brunchy banana deliciousness.  I haven’t made pancakes in at least a few months so it was about time.  I actually decided to make them because I had a hectic long day at work after the holidays playing catch up and pancakes sounded like the perfect thing to calm down with.  There is something comforting about making pancakes and enjoying them in your PJs!

    I was going to go with just banana pancakes with caramel or syrup, but then I remembered that I had some Veggimins CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Spread from Raw Guru that I could drizzle over them. So I went with a banana chocolate chip hazelnut flavor combo.  I am one of those people who can’t just make plain anything so it isn’t surprising.  I love that these pancakes are so quick and easy to make so you can enjoy them fast!

    For the base, I used Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour because it is what I happened to have on hand, but you could use whole wheat pastry flour if you don’t want them gluten free.  Next I added in bananas and maple syrup for sweetness plus some hazelnut butter for richness instead of oil.  Yes, these are oil free, and you would never guess by tasting them.  Lastly I stirred in some chocolate chips because why not?!

    They cooked up beautifully and smelled amazing and I could not wait to try them.  But first, I topped them off with bananas, some chopped hazelnuts and of course the Veggimins CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.  I love that stuff, it is so good, and why not get your daily dose of CBD in chocolate form!  The pancakes were heavenly!  Sweet, filled with banana chocolate and hazelnut flavors and fluffy on the inside with gooey chocolate chips!  If you have some ripe bananas on hand, you know what to make now!

    Vegan Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Pancakes
    Makes 12

    Ingredients:

    Toppings:

     

    Directions:

    1. In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and process until just blended (alternatively you can whisk it if you don’t have a food processor), stir in the chocolate chips, pour into a bowl and set aside.
    2. To cook pancakes, preheat oven to 110 degrees. Heat a large ceramic non-stick* pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the batter in 1/4 cup amounts (I did 3 at a time, but it depends on your pan), and let cook for about 2-3 minutes on the first side until set and starting to brown, then flip with a spatula, and cook another 2-3 minutes.
    3. When cooked, place on a plate and keep warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining pancakes.

    *If you don’t have the Veggimins CBD chocolate hazelnut spread, you can whisk together 1/4 cup hazelnut butter (or almond butter or your choice of nut or seed butter) with 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder and 3-4 Tbsp maple syrup (or as needed to make it pourable), plus a pinch of sea salt instead.

    *Note: 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 Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel

    Vegan Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel

    I was gifted some really good sourdough bread and decided that it would be lovely in some bread pudding. I had made some pumpkin bread pudding a few months back with some sourdough bread and it was amazing and I have been wanting to make more ever since.  It was perfect timing!  I didn’t want to make it pumpkin this time though.  I figured since I had some really ripe bananas on hand I could make it banana bread pudding!  Bananas are a little bit naturally sweet so I knew they would be the perfect add in.  You would think that I would be all sweet treated out after Christmas but that is not the case.  I always up for vegan desserts!

    I had the day after Christmas off so it was the perfect time to make the bread pudding.  This is just the sort of thing to make after you sleep in late and have a relaxing morning at home.  I was feeling a bit stressed before Christmas, but I am feeling much better now after being able to relax, sleep in and make some fun things like this bread pudding.  For the soaking base I used oatmilk because that is what I happened to have on hand for making my lattes.  You could of course use your favorite plant based milk, but I recommend using something unsweetened.  If not you could always just cut back on the maple syrup in the recipe.

    Next I added in banana and some cinnamon and nutmeg to make it a little aromatic plus some maple syrup and vanilla to sweeten.  Not going to lie, I tasted some chunks of the soaked bread and it tasted good even before I baked it!  I mixed in some toasted hazelnuts, poured it into baking dishes and could not wait for it to be done baking.  It smelled amazing.  Like banana bread, but even better.

    When it came out of the oven, I wanted to top it with something good.  I love when bread pudding has a sauce, so I made a quick and easy gooey caramel sauce to top it with!  It was soooo incredibly good!  This has to be enjoyed warm, and it makes the perfect comfort food dish for a Winter day!  Eric loved it too, and ate even more than I did!  The only thing that would have made it even better is some cool vanilla ice cream on the side (but I didn’t have any at the time).  If you have some leftover sourdough bread, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Banana Bread Pudding with Hazelnuts and Caramel

    Serves 4-6

    Ingredients:

    Bread Pudding:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
    • 1/2 cup mashed banana
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

     

    Caramel:

    • 1/2 cup hazelnut 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

     

    Garnish:

    • additional toasted hazelnuts

     

    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, mashed banana, maple syrup, spices, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture.  Mix in hazelnuts.
    3. Transfer 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, sprinkle with hazelnuts, 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 Lava Cakes

    Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Lava Cakes

    After a hectic week last week, I decided that I needed to bake something chocolaty.  Brownies or chocolate cake sounded good, maybe with peppermint.  I had seen someone making some peppermint brownies on a morning show I was watching and the combo of chocolate and peppermint sounded amazing at the time.  I didn’t however want to bake a big pan of brownies or make a large layer cake that would have been more work than I was willing to put in after being at work in a kitchen all day, so I went for some mini lava cakes!  I had made some similar ones before and I knew they were nice and easy and I could enjoy some delicious cake quickly. 

    Raw Guru had recently sent me some cacao powder, so it was perfect!  It was just begging to be used in a recipe like this one!  For the base, I started out with quinoa flour which is naturally gluten free.  But you could of course use whole wheat pastry flour if you prefer that and it will work just as well.  Next, I added in the cacao powder of course to make it nice and chocolaty.  For the sweetener, instead of sugar I used dates because they keep the cake nice and moist and soft but not to heavy.  You would never guess that this is fruit sweetened. 

    It also happens to be oil free, because I use full fat coconut milk instead of oil and it comes out perfect!  Lastly a good amount of peppermint was important for that holiday twist!  For the filling I made a quick ganache so it would be nice and gooey and rich inside when you cut into it to enjoy it.  They smelled amazing while baking! I could not wait to try one!  

    I only had to wait 10 minutes.  I poured some of the extra ganache over it and it was amazing!  Gooey and rich as lava cake should be with a hint of peppermint and tons of dark chocolate flavor!  The only thing that would have made this even better is if I had some vegan ice cream on hand which I did not but it was still crave worthy!  If you are a big chocolate fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Lava Cakes

    Makes 4

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips (I like this brand)
    • 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk 

     

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)*
    • 2 Tbsp Raw Guru cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp peppermint extract
    • 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick part from the top of the can)
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil four 1 cup custard dishes or ramakins with oil.
    3. To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate and coconut milk in the top part of a double boiler, whisking them, and heat until they are melted and blended together and smooth. Turn off the heat but leave over the warm water.
    4. To make the cake batter, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, peppermint, coconut milk, 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 half of the cake batter to prepared dishes filling them half full, then drop 2 Tbsp of the ganache into each in the center. Spoon the remaining batter over each one, place on a tray, and place in the oven.
    7. Bake cakes until they are set, but not over-baked about 15-18 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool for about 10 minutes.
    8. Rewarm the extra ganache if it has solidified (if it is too thick or clumpy once it has warmed, whisk in a little water until it thins it will smooth out).
    9. When the cakes have sat 10 minutes, un-mold, pour the extra ganache over and enjoy warm.

     

    *If you prefer to use whole wheat pastry flour instead of the quinoa or gluten free flour, it can be used as well. 

  • Peppermint Vanilla Vegan White Chocolates

    Peppermint Vanilla Vegan White Chocolates

    The holidays are always hectic.  After all, everyone is rushing to buy presents, making plans going to parties, and planning out the food for their holiday gatherings.  It is always a bit of a stressful time, but I feel like it is even more so this year.  A few weeks back I had my car broken into and they caused a good amount of damage and it was in the shop for just over 2 weeks.  So I was dealing with that, and then there is the fact that I work in the food industry and we are a bit short right now at my work and I feel like I am running around like a crazy lady sometimes trying to squeeze everything into my day that I need to get done.  So I am all about the easy recipes right now for the holidays.  Because I am still in a good mood and grateful for the good things in my life despite the hectic stuff going on and I still want to make delicious treats!  Just not super time consuming ones.   That is where this white chocolate recipe comes in.

    This is a super easy recipe but it is sooo good!  I have always loved white chocolate.  Maybe it is because I am more of a vanilla than a chocolate person most of the time. If there was a vanilla cupcake and a chocolate one to choose from I would always go for the vanilla.  So when I was little I would go for the white chocolate.  The problem with a lot of commercial white chocolate now though is it isn’t really white chocolate at all because they have removed the cacao butter and replaced it with some sort of cheaper oil.  Which is no good as far as I am concerned, I want the real stuff!

    So I melt real cacao butter as the base for mine and trust me it makes all the difference in terms of flavor and aroma.  It smells sooo good while you melt it! Next, I add in coconut butter and cashew butter to make it nice and creamy.  Raw Guru recently sent me some so it was perfect! Their nut butters are silky smooth, so just the thing to use in recipes like this!  Next, a bit of vanilla and maple syrup to sweeten it. It is sooo good!

    But since it is the holidays I decided to add in a bit of peppermint and a little color to make these festive!  For the red I used beet powder, and for the green spinach powder.  They turned out so cute!  But more importantly they were super delicious!  Mellow and smooth, melt in your mouth white chocolate with the aromas of vanilla and peppermint!  If you are a white chocolate fan, definitely give these a try!

    Peppermint Vanilla Vegan White Chocolates

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    White Chocolate:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine cacao butter, cashew butter, vanilla, peppermint, maple syrup,  and sea salt over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Divide between 2 bowls (or glass measuring cups for easier pouring.
    3. Whisk the spinach powder into one, and the beet powder into the other bowl of white chocolate.
    4. Pour into chocolate molds, and place in the freezer until heard, which can take 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how warm it is.
    5. Pop chocolate out of molds and enjoy!

     

    Store in the refrigerator for a month or an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

     

  • Vegan Pecan Tassies

    Vegan Pecan Tassies

    When I was little my Mom and I always made a good assortment of cookies and treats for Christmas, and her favorite was the pecan tassies.  My Grandma passed down her love of pecan pie down to my Mom and then to me, so it is no wonder why we loved them. I think we got the recipe from an old church cookbook, or my Grandma’s old cookbooks from back in the day but I don’t remember since it has been ages since I made that classic version. I have been making vegan ones for quite a while now since I have been vegan for 7 years.  You might think it would be a little difficult to veganize a pecan pie (even a mini one like these tassies) but it is not at all!

    You have to start with a good rich crust.  For mine, I made my classic whole wheat pastry flour crust with a bit of Raw Guru almond meal to make it rich and buttery tasting.  That is one of my secrets to making an extra delicious pie crust!  Especially with these little pies it is important to make them delicious because there is a higher crust to filling ratio.  No rolling of crust required for these either which is nice, you just roll little dough balls and press them to the sides of the pan.

    For the filling I wanted it plenty sweet as pecan pie is supposed to be but do it without corn syrup.  I don’t use corn syrup in my recipes and prefer to use a natural sweetener like dates when making something caramel based like pecan pie.  Dates are nature’s caramel after all and make an amazing filling!  So I blended up some dates with a touch of maple syrup, vanilla and some pecan butter for a luscious and delicious filling!  Lastly I added plenty of pecans.

    These baked up beautifully!  I could not wait to try them and luckily they don’t need as much time to cool as a large pie!  They smelled amazing as I pulled them from the oven.  But they tasted even better!  Gooey sweet caramel pecan filling with plenty of crunchy pecans in a rich buttery tasting crust!  If you are a pecan pie fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Pecan Tassies 
    Makes 36

    Ingredients:

    Crust:

     

    Filling:

    • 2 cups soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well before using)
    • 1/2 cup raw pecan butter (cashew or almond butter will also work if you do not have pecan)
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans
    • 36 pecan halves

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, almond meal, 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. Roll the dough into 36 1 inch balls.
    2. Oil 3 12 hole mini muffin pans, place a ball into each and then press down into the center with the end of a wooden spoon or your fingers to hollow it in the center and press the dough to the sides creating an even crust on all of them.
    3. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
    4. 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. Spoon the filling into the crusts in the pie tin, and top with a pecan half to make the tops look pretty.
    5. Place pies in 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 cool for easier removal.
    6. remove from the pans and enjoy!

     

    These keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container, and frozen for up to 4 months in a container with a lid.

    *If you would like to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this brand and know it works well in a pie crust.

  • Vegan Gingerbread Roll Cake

    Vegan Gingerbread Roll Cake

    I made some gingerbread cookies a few weeks back, and ever since then I have been craving the flavor in the form of cake.  Not that there is anything wrong with cookies, but I am a cake kind of girl!  I was thinking a gingerbread layer cake with vegan “cream cheese” frosting, revamping one of my old recipes I had made a few weeks back.  But then the week got a bit hectic, it is Christmas time after all, and I have a lot going on.  So I decided that a rolled cake would be easier and simpler to make than a frosted cake, but just as delicious.  I guess this is the year of the rolled cake for me.  I made a pumpkin roll cake in the fall and a chocolate roll cake for Eric’s birthday last month, and now I decided to make one again.  What can I say?  I fell in love with them.  They are so much faster to make than a layered one that I have to take the time to carefully frost.

    For the base, I used my date sweetened cake batter to start.  I know it is a nice soft cake that bends a little more than one sweetened with sugar so it is perfect for this!  Plus, I just like sweetening things with dates in general.  They are nature’s candy after all, like little caramels, and they give the cake a caramel flavor.  Next, I added gingerbread spices, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and it smelled amazing.  I also added in a little molasses because it is kind of essential for classic gingerbread flavor as far as I am concerned.

    The cake baked up beautifully and my kitchen smelled amazing!  I had to make an equally as delicious filling for it.  I used a mixture of full fat coconut milk and raw cashew butter to make it nice and creamy to mimic a real cream cheese frosting.  I think it is actually even better than the real stuff honestly.  I sweetened it with a bit of maple syrup and vanilla and it was heavenly!

    It spread nicely onto the cooled cake and I was very pleased with how it rolled.  I let it chill overnight because by then it was pretty late and I knew it would slice nicer, so I had to wait until after work the next day to try it.  It was well worth the wait though!  I dusted it with a bit of coconut powdered sugar and it was lovely!  It was heavenly with the sweet and spicy soft gingerbread cake and creamy luscious cream cheese frosting!  This would be the perfect finale to your holiday meal, so if you are a gingerbread fan, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Gingerbread 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 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 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 or your preferred nut butter (just make sure it is smooth)
    • 1 Tbsp molasses
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla 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
    • 1/2 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. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
    3. Whisk flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    4. Place dates, water, almond butter, molasses, 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.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before topping with the powdered coconut sugar.

     

    *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).

  • Rutabaga and Yam Fries with Garlic Dipping Sauce

    Rutabaga and Yam Fries with Garlic Dipping Sauce

    One of my all time favorite things we make at the deli I work at is sweet potato or yam fries.  They are so simple but so good.  So, often times I will make them at home.  I call them my bacon, because they are to me what bacon is to meat eaters.  Hard to stop eating and kind of addictive.  You know maybe if more people tried them they would think giving up bacon isn’t so bad!  I was making a recipe for work the other day, and I got to thinking, since yam fries are good, what about other veggies as fries?  The rutabaga I was using for a recipe sounded like a good thing to test out, so I bought myself some and decided to give it a go.

    The truth is I used to hate rutabaga back in the day and my Dad would always tease me and say that is what we were going to have for dinner.  I don’t know why I hated it, I think it was because it was a foreign veggie to me at the time and I had been told it was gross and maybe once my Grandma had made some and I didn’t care for it.  But then when I was in college and experimenting with cooking and all sorts of new veggies I decided to try it again and ended up loving it.  The recipe that I had made the first time was a vanilla scented mashed rutabaga and it was amazing!  But it is so good roasted and in soups too I quickly discovered.  It has a sort of sweet flavor to it.

    I figured it would be perfect made into fries.  I combined them with some yams I had on hand, because why not do two different veggies?  As far as I am concerned the more veggies the better when it comes to what I eat. I kept them simple, just tossing them with a bit of avocado oil, sea salt, pepper and cayenne and it was perfect to showcase the sweetness of the rutabagas and yams.  They would have been good just like that, but I decided to make a dipping sauce as well.

    For the dipping sauce, I wanted something creamy and garlicy so I whisked together some almond butter, garlic, lemon and salt with a bit of water to thin it out and it was perfect!  You could use a different nut butter or even tahini for a nut free version if you prefer and it would be delicious as well.  The fries were sooo good!  The sweetness of the root veggies was brought out even more by roasting and the garlic sauce was the perfect partner for them!  Definitely give these a try this winter, just be warned, you may eat the whole batch they are pretty darn addictive!

    Rutabaga and Yam Fries with Garlic Dipping Sauce
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    Yams:

    • 2 medium sized yams, cut into fries
    • 1 large rutabaga peeled and cut into fries
    • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
    • 1/8 tsp ground cayenne or chipotle powder

     

    Sauce:

    • 1/3 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1/3 cup almond butter
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 garlic clove, minced

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the fries, preheat the oven to 400F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    2. Toss the fries with the oil, sea salt, pepper and chipotle powder until they are coated, and spread them out on the sheet pan.
    3. Place in the oven and roast until tender and starting to brown, about 45 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the dip, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth (if you want it thinner, add more water since almond butters vary in texture sometimes).  Set aside.
    5. When the fries are done, remove them from the oven and serve with the dip!
  • Vegan Maple Pecan Cookies

    Vegan Maple Pecan Cookies

    I have only made one Christmas cookie this year so far, and I only have 3 more weeks, so I am getting on it making some! When I was little my Mom and I would pick out a bunch of cookies to make every year then store them in the freezer to enjoy throughout the holiday season.  We had our favorites from my Grandma’s recipes or church cookbooks, but we also liked to go to the library and get cookbooks to find recipes in. I still like to continue on this tradition of making a variety of cookies to enjoy for a month or two from the freezer and to give as gifts.  At one point we had made some really good pecan sugar type cookies, and I was craving them the other day so I decided to whip up a veganized batch.  I had just bought some maple sugar so it was perfect!

    I based them off of my vegan sugar cookie recipe using the maple sugar instead of regular sugar or coconut sugar to give them a bit of a maple flavor to start.  I love maple sugar because it is more delicate than coconut sugar and dissolves a little better in a recipe like these cookies. Plus I just love the flavor.  It is basically maple syrup turned into granules. I also added a bit of vanilla extract and maple extract to make these smell heavenly!  Lastly some toasted pecans for crunch.

    This cookie dough is actually really easy to make, just mix, roll into balls, and bake!  None of that whipping the dough for a while, or chilling or cutting out or all that jazz.  In the extra time you save since they are so easy to make I highly recommend sampling the dough, it is amazing!  I could not stop tasting it in fact.  But eating cookie dough is my favorite part of the cookie making process.  They baked up beautifully!  I could not wait to try them.

    But I wanted to add something to make them even more delicious first, a maple pecan glaze!  I whisked together a bit of pecan butter, maple syrup and coconut butter and it was perfect on the cookies!  If you don’t have pecan butter you could use another nut butter like cashew or almond.  The cookies were sooo good!  They tasted rich buttery and delicious with the aroma of maple and crunch of toasted pecans!  If you are a big maple fan like me, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Maple Pecan Cookies

    Makes 28 cookies
    Ingredients:
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 cup chopped toasted pecans

     

    Instructions:

    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. In a large bowl, mix coconut oil with sugar and mix until well combined.
    4. Mix in the vanilla extract, maple extract and flax mixture until well combined.
    5. Add the baking soda, salt, then the flour, a cup at a time, mixing between each addition, until well combined.
    6. Mix in the pecans.
    7. Roll dough into about 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart, pressing them down slightly to flatten a bit.
    8. Place in the oven and Bake for about 13 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.
    9. Repeat with remaining cookies and let cool completely before you make the glaze.

    *If you want to make these gluten free, swap the whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 with Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this brand and know it works well (I can not say the same for all other brands as I have not tried them).

  • Vegan Hot Chocolate CBD Cupcakes 

    Vegan Hot Chocolate CBD Cupcakes 

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

    Tis’ the season for baking holiday treats, and although I love cookies, I thought some cupcakes were in order last weekend. We had just survived a snowstorm that lasted almost 3 days, and the sun was finally back out again so it was something to celebrate!  Not only that, this is my favorite time of year for baking, why not come in from outside and warm up the kitchen with something delicious baking in the oven.  Weller CBD recently sent me some of their CBD powdered drink mix to try and I loved it so I thought why not incorporate it into a baked good?!  I decided on some peppermint hot chocolate CBD cupcakes but more on those in a bit.  I love that Weller’s CBD Drink Mix can be added to any of your favorite drinks or recipes.  I had never heard of any CBD product like that.  Sometimes other brand’s oils and such have a strong flavor but this one doesn’t which is awesome for using in things like these cupcakes, or even just something like freshly squeezed orange juice!

    Not only do they carry CBD Powder, they also carry Sparkling Water and Coconut Bites as other fun ways to get in your daily dose of CBD.  The Sparkling water has 25mg of CBD per serving and the coconut bites have 5mg so whatever your dosage they have something for everyone!  All of their products are US grown, vegan and gluten free which is important to me as well, and why I love supporting companies like this one.  I use CBD daily in the morning and at night, usually in the form of oil so I was super excited about the Weller CBD Drink Mix as a new way to get my daily dose.   Each 1/4 tsp scoop has 10mg of CBD, so if you have a couple a day it is perfect!  I like to enjoy CBD daily for a sense of calm and overall well being.  It is an easy way to do something good for myself.

    Back to those cupcakes.  To start off I made a chocolate cake base that is really easy.  You just whisk it all together in a bowl, add a little apple cider vinegar to help it rise and pour it into the cupcake pans.  I added enough CBD powder so that each cupcake would have a 10mg serving of CBD. Also, I added a touch of peppermint for a seasonal twist, and because peppermint is so amazing with hot chocolate and just chocolate in general.  The batter tasted amazing even before I baked them.

    Once they were out of the oven, and my kitchen smelled so good I could not wait to try them.  But of course I had to let them cool first and add a delicious frosting.  Good frosting is essential to cupcakes after all, and I love mine piled high.  I made a rich and creamy frosting with coconut milk and cashew butter with a bit of cacao powder to make it chocolate plus some mint and it was sooo good!  But it was even better on the cupcakes.  They were heavenly!  Moist, soft chocolate cake with a luscious creamy chocolate frosting and a hint of mint, it is hard to eat just one.  Plus you get your daily dose of CBD in too!  Definitely give these a try and if you are interested in checking out the Weller CBD Products, you can do so on their website!

    Vegan Hot Chocolate CBD Cupcakes 

    Makes 16 cupcakes

    Ingredients:

    16 hole muffin pan, 16 silicone muffin tins, or foil muffin tins

    Cake batter:

    • 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp Weller CBD drink mix 
    • 1 1/2 baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1 tsp peppermint extract
    • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 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 additional coconut cream from the top of the can for a nut free version)
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter or melted cacao butter (NOT coconut OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    For Decorating:

    • Vegan Marshmallows
    • Vegan Chocolate Chips

     

    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 peppermint extract together, then pour into the flour mixture and whisk until well blended.  Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form
      5. Transfer cake batter to prepared tins and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
      6. 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.
      7. Spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes, top with marshmallows and chocolate chips and serve!

     

    *If you want to make these gluten free, swap the whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 with Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this brand and know it works well (I can not say the same for all other brands as I have not tried them).

    *For the coconut milk, you want a brand of coconut oil that is at least 2/3 to 3/4 of the can coconut cream or a can of unsweetened coconut cream or it will not work for the recipe.

  • Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

    Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

    I used to make gingerbread cookies a lot back in the day.  In fact, when I was a senior in college, I made gingerbread cookie sculptures for my senior art show.  Things like a gingerbread sculpture of my car, my house, and household items like a bed and table with chairs.  I really enjoyed it, it was a lot of fun being able to work with cookies and do art at the same time.  I have gingerbread cookies since then, but I haven’t attempted to make a vegan gingerbread cookie house surprisingly enough.  Maybe sometime when I have a lot of free time which doesn’t seem to happen in recent years around the holidays.  I do like to make gingerbread cookies though.  Now that Thanksgiving is over I thought I would whip up a batch!  Tis the season!  There is snow on the ground, and we are expecting more so it is the perfect time to stay cozy inside and do some baking.

    I admit I usually stay away from cookies that need to be rolled and frosted because I don’t have time to make fussy cookies after work on a weeknight, but since I had the day after Thanksgiving off it gave me plenty of time.  And these were really not all that fussy.  They start with a spiced molasses base with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and it smells amazing.  It is a delicious soft dough.  I should know I tasted enough. I mean eating cookie dough is one of my favorite parts of baking cookies.

    This is almost my original recipe that I made back in the day except for the flax eggs that I swapped in for the real ones. It works just as well, I don’t even notice the difference.  Another change I made is I used Raw Guru coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar I used to use and it tastes just as good.  This dough actually chills a lot faster than the original dough too because I used coconut oil instead of butter like in the original one. It gets hard pretty quick. This is one of the easier doughs to work with so long as you don’t chill it too long (or it will be hard).

    I cut them into cute little gingerbread men, stars and trees because why not?  I haven’t actually made any gingerbread men in a while I opted for stars the last few times.  When they were all cool, I decided to top them off with a cream cheese “icing” I say icing in quotes because it is not made with powdered sugar, it is made with healthier things like cashew butter and coconut butter with a touch of maple syrup.  These cookies turned out sooo good!  If you are in the mood for some classic holiday cookies, definitely give these a try!  In place of the glaze melted dark chocolate piped onto them would also be good if that is more your jam.

    Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

    Makes about 42 cookies

    Ingredients:

    Dough:

    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1/2 cup Raw Guru coconut sugar
    • 2/3 cup molasses
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water allowed to sit 15 minutes before using

     

    Icing:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, spices, and sea salt.
    3. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, molasses and flax mixture until smooth.
    4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth.
    5. Divide the dough into 2 balls, place each on a parchment lined tray, and roll out until 1/4 inch thick (if it is too sticky to roll, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes first.  Place in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes until more firm (but not hard, coconut oil hardens pretty fast), then cut into shapes and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Pop back into the freezer until completely firm, about 10 minutes.
    6. Place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until set (but not dried out).
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

    *If you want to make these gluten free, swap the whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 with Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this brand and know it works well (I can not say the same for all other brands as I have not tried them).

  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Silk Pie

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Silk Pie

    Pumpkin, pecan and apple were always staples at Thanksgiving growing up, and I made pumpkin and apple pies before Thanksgiving this year earlier in the season, but this year I decided to make a chocolate hazelnut pie specifically for Thanksgiving.  I was thinking something similar to French silk pie but with hazelnut because chocolate sounded so good to me at the time, and Raw Guru had sent me some of their Dastony Hazelnut Butter.  My family liked the idea too so I went for it!  I have a confession to make, I have decided I am not making much in the way of food for Thanksgiving this year, since we are going out to dinner the following weekend, but I am making dessert!  I get a little bit burnt out on making Thanksgiving food since I work in a deli and it is really busy this time of the year making all of the Thanksgiving dishes.  So I like a break on the actual holiday sometimes.

    But back to the pie which is the important part of this post!  I wanted it similar to French silk, so a classic buttery tasting pie crust.  For that, I used my classic coconut oil pie crust.  It has just 5 ingredients, whole wheat pastry flour, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and sea salt plus cold water.  It always tastes nice and rich, and bakes up nicely.  If you wanted to make it gluten free, you could swap Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour for the whole wheat pastry.  I have tried it before with good results (but I have not tested other brands so I can’t say the same for how they would turn out).

    For the filling, it needed to be rich and delicious almost like a chocolate mousse with hazelnut so I used a combination of full fat coconut milk (mostly cream) combined with the Dastony Hazelnut butter, and coconut butter for a crave worthy concoction.  Once I added the maple syrup and cacao powder it was heavenly!  I could not stop tasting it!  It is really easy to make though, you just buzz everything in the blender and pour it into the crust and chill.

    Lastly, I wanted to top it off with some coconut whipped cream and hazelnuts to make it pretty.  I could not wait to try it!  I had to wait until the next day for it to chill but it was well worth the wait.  It was crave worthy!  Rich, smooth chocolate hazelnut filling (way better than any Nutella I ate growing up), a buttery tasting crust and vanilla whipped coconut cream and crunchy hazelnuts!  Just the sort of thing you want to go back for a second slice of!  If you are in the mood for something rich and chocolaty, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Silk 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:

     

    Cream Topping:

     

    Garnish:

    • toasted hazelnuts

     

    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 the weights and foil and bake 10-15 minutes more or until lightly browned. When it is done baking, let cool completely.
    3. For the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into the crust.
    4. Place in the freezer until set, 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 20-30 minutes.
    6. Once the cream is ready, place it in a pastry bag and pipe around the sides of the pie (and serve with the extra if desired) or just spread it over the top in the center.  Garnish with hazelnuts, enjoy!

    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.

  • Vegan Chocolate Roll Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Roll Cake

    I had just made a rolled pumpkin cake and it turned out so well, I asked Eric if I could make him a chocolate rolled cake for his birthday. His birthday happens to land on Thanksgiving this year so we are kind of celebrating on different days before and after it since most places will be closed. I still wanted him to have a cake though, even though he will probably be enjoying some pie on his actual birthday.  It is tradition I make him a birthday cake or dessert every year.  Five out of the seven years we have been together it has been a chocolate cake because he is the biggest chocolate lover I know.  I have made raw cheesecakes, baked layer cakes, molten chocolate cakes but not a rolled chocolate cake yet.  I told Eric the idea for the cake and he liked it, especially when I described it as being like a giant Hoho cake.  But it would be way better than those little snack cakes we ate growing up because it would be made with better real ingredients.  I always thought those tasted a little bit off.

    For the cake portion, I made my fruit sweetened chocolate cake.  First, because I like to make fruit sweetened cakes as much as possible because they are better for you, and second because they always stay nice and moist.  When I make fruit sweetened cakes, I make them with dates usually blended up in the batter.  They give it a little bit of a caramel flavor too which is amazing with chocolate.  I have been making them this way for a few years now and they always turn out lovely!  I figured it would be good for a rolled cake too since you don’t want anything too dry.  This cake also happens to be oil free too because I use nut butter in place of oil, but you would never guess by tasting it!  The batter tasted fabulous even before baking!

    It baked up beautifully and while it was cooling in the garage (it is like 30 degrees in there right now, so I put it in there to cool faster), I whipped up the filling.  I wanted it to be rich, smooth and luscious so I used a mixture of coconut milk and Dastony Macadamia Nut Butter from Raw Guru in it and the texture was fabulous!  The macadamia nut butter is similar to cashew butter in recipes, but I like it even better!  I also added in a bit of maple syrup and vanilla and it tasted good even before it was on the cake!

    It rolled up beautifully, but I wanted to top it off with something so it looked prettier.  I thought about frosting, but a ganache sounded better.  After all, this was supposed to be chocolate decadence.  So I melted some dark chocolate together with coconut milk and viola!  Delicious ganache!  We could not wait to try the cake.  It was super delicious, the cake was nice and moist, with rich chocolate flavor, the perfect partner for the smooth vanilla cream, and decadent ganache!  If you are a chocolate fan, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Chocolate 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 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:

     

    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, 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 Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

    Vegan Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

    Cake rolls and jelly roll cakes were something that intimidated me for a long time growing up.  So for a long time I was scared to make one, until finally a couple of years ago I made a vegan chocolate chestnut yule log for Christmas and it wasn’t that bad.  In fact, it turned out fabulous!  I have since made a few other cake rolls, but it has been a while so I decided to make one last weekend.  I have been wanting to make a pumpkin cake roll for a while since I saw a non vegan one on Pinterest, and I knew I could make it just as delicious!

    Don’t let the idea of a rolled cake intimidate you (like it used to for me), I found that this cake was actually a lot easier and less fussy to make than a layer cake that needs to be frosted!  For the batter, I wanted something that would remain nice and soft when rolled, so along with the pumpkin I used dates to sweeten it, and  to keep it moist.  They give it an almost caramel like flavor and I love the idea of healthier fruit sweetened cakes.  This batter is easy to make, you just need a blender to make it nice and smooth. I added in plenty of pumpkin spices as well, and it tasted amazing even before I baked it.

    It smelled heavenly while baking!  Kinda like pumpkin pie, but sweeter.  I put it out in the garage to cool once it was done (since it is about 32F degrees right now out there) so I could frost it faster and it did the trick!  It was ready in about 45 minutes, normally it would have been a few hours.  Meanwhile I had to make a filling that was fit for such a delicious flavorful cake!  I wanted to make a vegan cream cheese frosting type filling and I had recently received some Dastony Raw Cashew Butter from Raw Guru so I figured that would make the perfect addition to my frosting to give it the cream cheese flavor.

    I added it to full fat coconut milk with a bit of maple syrup, and it tasted just like cream cheese frosting!  The cake rolled up nicely and I could not wait to try it!  But first, I dusted it with a little bit of coconut “powdered sugar” to make it pretty.  Yes you could use regular powdered sugar but I don’t have that on hand.  The cake was super delicious as well!  It was soft and light lightly spiced with the flavor of pumpkin and caramel and the rich cream cheese frosting was the perfect thing to pair it with!  If you are in need of a pretty dessert for Thanksgiving definitely give this a try, it is good for making ahead of time, and in fact better if you let it sit covered overnight before serving.

    Vegan Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
    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 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 Dastony raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    To finish:

    • 1/2 cup finely shredded dried coconut
    • 1 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar

     

    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, 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 serving.
    10. To make the coconut powdered sugar, buzz the coconut and maple sugar in a high speed blender until fine, then sift over the finished cake just before serving.

    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 Sweet Potato Casserole and Vegan Sweet Potato Maple Cake with McCormick Spices!

    Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole and Vegan Sweet Potato Maple Cake with McCormick Spices!

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

    There are so many things to be excited about around the holidays!  Seeing friends and family you might not normally see the rest of the year because they live far away, the celebrations, and of course the amazing food!  I have to say, ever since I was a little kid, the food has always been pretty important to me, even when I did not make it myself.  I loved helping my Mom and Grandma in the kitchen, preparing the meals and desserts for the holidays!  I am so happy I get to continue the tradition of making food for my loved ones around the holidays, even if my Grandmas are no longer around to celebrate with me.  I know they would love the things I am making.  Good recipes start with good ingredients, which is why I love McCormick® Spices.  They are really good quality (they know a thing or two about making spices since they have been around for over 100 years) and they are affordable which is important to me!  Also, you can find them at Walmart, which is where I bought mine, in the baking aisle with all of the other seasonings and baking goodies!  I don’t know about you, but it is one of my favorite aisles.  Maybe I am biased because I love to bake!

    I picked up some McCormick® vanilla (one of my most used ingredients in my recipes), nutmeg and cinnamon at Walmart. I planned on making a dish that my family loves, Sweet Potato Casserole!  We have always been fond of sweet potatoes, and although back in the day my Grandma used to make the casserole with the marshmallows, our tastes have changed a bit and we now prefer it a little simpler and less sweet (but still plenty sweet enough).  It is really simple to make, and so good!  I just take sweet potatoes or yams and roast them into sweet flavorful perfection in the oven, then scoop out the flesh and mash it until it is light and fluffy with a bit of McCormick® cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup, then top it off with crunchy pecans and a little bit of maple sugar!  When it is all baked and the topping is all crispy it is heavenly!  The perfect side dish for your holiday meal!  Recipe follows post.

    If you happen to have leftovers from the casserole, I also have a delicious Maple Sweet Potato Cake that I made with them.  Don’t have time to make something right away with them?  Put them in a container and freeze them for later.  Just thaw before using in your recipe.  I love leftover sweet potatoes in general, there is so much you can do with them.  Make pancakes, muffins, bread, or the cake that I just mentioned if you want to be a little more over the top.  I love making cakes, so of course that is what I chose.  Not only that, it is perfect for Holiday entertaining as well!  Who doesn’t love cake?  I know my family does.  My Grandma and Mom passed down their love of maple to me, so that is what gave me the idea to pair the sweet potatoes with maple in this!  Not only that, I already had the McCormick® spices and flavors on hand I would need for it!  So wins all around!

    I know some people like to make pie for the holidays, and we do as well, but I like cake even more because it just seems so festive!  For this one, I made a flavorful batter with the leftover mashed sweet potatoes, plus maple sugar and of course McCormick® cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla for an aromatic cake.  Let me tell you, it fills your home with the most heavenly aroma! What you get is a soft, moist but light and fluffy cake with a slight caramel maple flavor and sweet spices!  It would be good on its own, but I decided to make a luscious faux cream cheese frosting for it!

    That has always been my favorite type of frosting after all.  I was so happy when I figured out how to veganize it!  I use a coconut cream base with a bit of cashew butter to give it a nice texture along with maple syrup to sweeten, and this time I added some McCormick® pure vanilla extract to it!  Like I said earlier in the post, it is my most used flavor ingredient in my recipes.  The frosting was heavenly alone but I knew it would be even better on the cake!  Once it was all frosted and ready to go we couldn’t wait to try it!  It was sooo good, the soft sweet spiced cake with a hint of sweet potato and maple flavor plus the luscious creamy frosting!

    I hope you give these recipes a try this holiday season, my family loved them and I have a feeling you will too!  Definitely check out the McCormick® Spices next time you are in Walmart, or on their website HERE. They are just what you need for making super delicious holiday recipes, and so convenient!

    Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

    Serves 8-10

    Sweet Potatoes:

     

    Topping:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.
    2. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork all over, and place in the oven on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool until cool enough to handle.
    3. Remove the skins, place in a bowl, and add the maple syrup, coconut milk, McCormick Sea Salt, and McCormick® Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Mash together with a potato masher or a large fork, and then place in an oiled 8 or 9 inch square baking dish (or two smaller casserole dishes).
    4. Sprinkle the pecans over the top, drizzle with the maple syrup and mix together the sugar and McCormick® Ground Cinnamon and sprinkle over the casserole.
    5. Lower the oven temperature to 375F degrees, and place the dish in. Bake for 20 minutes until warmed through and the topping is toasted and lightly brown.
    6. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
    7. Enjoy!

    Keeps refrigerated for up to 1 week, when kept in an airtight container and the leftovers are perfect for using in my maple sweet potato cake recipe (see below)!

     

    Vegan Maple Sweet Potato Cake
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake
    2 6 inch cake pans
    Cake:

     

    Frosting:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, McCormick® Ground Nutmeg, McCormick® Sea Salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk sweet potato, pecan butter, McCormick® Maple Extract, McCormick® Vanilla Extract, and water together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale bubble swirls form in the batter and it is well combined (but don’t over mix).
    6. Fold in pecans.
    7. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs attached, about 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven.
    8. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pans to loosen. Turn cakes out onto platter; peel off parchment paper.
    9. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients but the coconut butter, in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  With the motor running, add the coconut butter and process a minute more (if it starts to get lumpy at all during the process it is just the fat separating because it is 2 different temperatures.  Just continue to blend until it is smooth, and it will get warm so it will just have to chill longer).
    10. Pour the frosting into a bowl and let sit in the freezer until the consistency of whipped cream, whisking every 15 minutes (this may take anywhere from 15 minutes to hour to an hour depending on how warm it has gotten and which appliance you used).
    11. When ready to frost, place one cake layer on a plate. spread frosting about 1/2 inch thick over the first layer, then top with the second. Spread remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake. You can tint the remaining frosting with natural food coloring if you wish and decorate the top, or just decorate with pecans.
    12. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

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

  • Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel

    When I was in high school, my Mom and I went on a trip to Europe.  When we were eating lunch in a small cafe, I tried my first creme caramel. When I ordered it, I am not sure what I was expecting but it was not like anything I had eaten before.  I think I was expecting it to be like creme brulee and be a little warm or something, but I was surprised when it was cool.  A silky smooth vanilla custard with sweet caramel and it was delicious even if it wasn’t what I thought it would be!  But surprisingly I never attempted to make my own at home until last year as much as I love making all kinds of desserts.  I guess maybe because it wasn’t something I had made before I thought it would be difficult but it wasn’t at all.

    So last year I made a vegan eggnog creme caramel, because Eric wanted it for his birthday last year.  Well, it has been almost a year since I made that, and so I figured why not make it again?  Except a little different.  This time I decided to make a pumpkin creme caramel because tis the season for pumpkin, and I thought this might be a nice little alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving in a few weeks.  Also, I was craving something creamy and pumpkiny but I just make some pumpkin pie in a mug last weekend and didn’t want to make the same thing again.

    This is really easy to make.  In fact, it is even simpler than the last one I made because I used maple syrup instead of the usual dissolving sugar in syrup.  I just took it and reduced it slightly to thicken it and it worked perfect!  Plus, I knew the flavor of maple would be amazing with the pumpkin and spices. For the base, I used coconut cream because I wanted these to be rich and creamy.  I added in pumpkin puree, and a little maple syrup as well as pumpkin pie spices and the base tasted wonderful after I cooked it even before it was chilled!

    I had to wait overnight to enjoy them, but it was so worth it!  They turned out super delicious!  Rich, creamy vanilla pumpkin spice filling and that sweet salted maple caramel on top!  Totally heavenly!  I shared some with Eric because it was his idea to make them last year and he loved these as well!  These would be perfect for Thanksgiving if you don’t want to make pie or other more complicated desserts, and they chill overnight so they are good for making ahead of time.  I hope you are all having a wonderful November so far!

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel
    Makes 4

    Ingredients:

    4 1 cup ramekins

    Caramel:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Custard:

    • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut cream
    • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 3/4 tsp agar powder
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch

     

    Instructions:

    1. Set 4 one oz ramekins on a tray.
    2. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and salt and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer whisking every so often.  Let cook for about 5 minutes until it reduces to about 1/4 cup or a little over 1/4 cup.  Remove from heat, and pour into  the bottoms of the ramekins.
    3. To make the cream, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
    4. Heat until it comes to a boil, then cook for about 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly until just thickened, then pour into the prepared ramekins over the caramel.
    5. Place the tray of ramekins in the refrigerator until chilled completely.  For at least 2 hours, or overnight.
    6. Once the custards have set and you are ready to serve, place a plate on top of each one, then flip it over.  If they are sticking at all, run a knife along the sides to loosen being careful not to disturb the custard.
    7. Enjoy!  Refrigerate any leftovers.

     

     

  • Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder

    Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder

    We are full swing into soup season, and in the deli I work in it is just flying out of the pots because it is the most popular thing we have right now.  I mean, I don’t blame people, I go home and eat warming soup too this time of the year most nights.  You would think that I would get tired of making soup at work and not want to make it at home, but that actually isn’t the case.  I love warming soup!  I was going through our box of recipes the other day at work and I came across a soup that I used to enjoy but can’t eat anymore because it isn’t vegan.  Well, I might just have to go home and make it I thought to myself. It was a butternut squash parmesan chowder and I remember it being really delicious. 

    I have been there 13 years, but it was 7 years ago I went vegan so I haven’t had it since then.  I do remember how it tasted though, enough to recreate it!  I had some butternut squash and all of the ingredients at home already so it was the perfect thing to make!  Don’t you just love when you don’t have to shop to make a recipe you are craving?! The original one was loaded with heavy cream, cheese, butter and refined flour.  I wanted to make mine a bit healthier while veganizing it.  I think I succeeded pretty well.

    For the creamy base, I used a mixture of coconut milk, broth and a little cashew butter instead of the cream.  It was just as thick and creamy as the original and I didn’t need to even add anything to thicken it, it was pretty thick on its own. To give it a cheesy flavor, I added some nutritional yeast and miso and it tasted as if I had added parmesan which is exactly what I was going for. For the veggies, it had to have butternut squash of course, but I also added in potatoes since it was a chowder, and celery and garlic for flavor. I figured it didn’t need carrots since it already had the sweet squash. Lastly, I added in some chickpeas for protein. 

    It smelled amazing and I couldn’t wait to try it!  It was soooo good!  Rich and creamy with a cheesy flavor, aromatic thyme and tender sweet squash and potatoes!  I only wished I had some crusty bread to dip in it.  Because I love doing that with soup!  If you are in the mood for comfort food, give this a try!  It is pretty quick and easy to make!

    Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp avocado oil
    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 1 stalk celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
    • 2 cups yukon gold potatoes, cubed
    • 1 15 oz can full fat or lite coconut milk
    • 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)
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp white miso dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water (optional)
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot with a lid, and add the onions celery, and garlic.  Sautee for a few minutes until starting to turn translucent, and add the thyme, potatoes, squash, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper.
    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 cashew butter and nutritional yeast, and cook until they are well blended into the soup, then add the chickpeas and cook until heated through.
    4. If it is too thick, add a little more broth. Enjoy!
  • Blueberry Pecan Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

    Blueberry Pecan Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

    I feel like fall is always too short.  I know it is still technically fall, but I mean the weather itself, I miss those moderate fall days where you just need a light jacket, and your hands don’t freeze when you go out for a walk.  It has snowed here a couple of days this week, and although I went outside for a walk, I didn’t really want to hang out outside for a long time because it is kind of cold and damp.  And so I figured it was the perfect day to do some baking!  I love warming up my kitchen with the oven, the heavenly aroma of whatever I bake wrapping me in its goodness. My Mom had gave me a bag of dried blueberries from Trader Joe’s a few weeks back and asked me to make her some oatmeal cookies with them, and I finally got around to it.  Oatmeal cookies are one of my favorites so I didn’t mind making them at all!

    I am just a fan of oats in general.  I have eaten oatmeal almost every morning for 18 years after all, and I have a bag of granola in my refrigerator at all times.  But I love oatmeal cookies because they seem like a semi healthy dessert since they have more fiber than most cookies.  My Mom always said they were the healthiest and I happen to agree with her!  Back when I was in cross country in college for all of our meets I would make a giant bag of oatmeal cookies for the team to enjoy after.  They loved it!  And I loved making them.  I still do, in fact I make them at work now because we recently started making vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and they are the most popular type of cookie that I make!

    For these ones I made a super delicious oatmeal cookie base with plenty of oat flavor in both the form of oat flour and oats, plus a bit of cinnamon to sweeten it (an essential ingredient in all of my oatmeal cookies to give them that something special) and the dough was delicious!  It was perfect with the sweet dried blueberries and crunchy toasted pecans I added in.  I figure blueberries and pecans are kind of a match made in heaven.  The dough was sooo good! I could not stop sampling it.  Eating cookie dough is my favorite part of baking cookies after all. 

    They baked up beautifully!  They were soft and chewy in the center and a little crispy at the edges just as oatmeal cookies should be, and the crunchy pecans and sweet blueberries were the perfect add ins.  I won’t judge if you eat some of these for breakfast!  If you are a fan of oatmeal cookies like I am, definitely give these a try! 

    Blueberry Pecan Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

    Makes 16 large cookies

    • 3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 2 flax eggs*
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat 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 blueberries

    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 blueberries, 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!

    *For the flax eggs, whisk together 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl.  Allow to sit in the fridge for 15 minutes until the mixture has set up (or become kind of thick).

  • Vegan Almond Joy Bites

    Vegan Almond Joy Bites

    I admit that growing up, Almond Joy and Mounds candy bars weren’t my first choice when it came to the candy swapping.  I wasn’t a big fan of that syrupy sweet weird textured coconut inside, that didn’t taste like actual coconut but more like it had coconut flavor in it or something.  Which is why I always just gave them to my Mom because she loved them.  I have since come to appreciate coconut, chocolate and almonds together though, now that I have had real coconut not covered in syrup, and sweetened just to my liking. I have even made my own almond joy and mounds and loved them!  I was making some this year to share with my Mom, and I thought why not share the recipe with you all?

    My recipe is a bit different than the traditional ones.  Starting with the filling, instead of using sweetened coconut, I use just dried unsweetened finely shredded coconut (the kind you find in the bulk bins at the health food store). To make it all stick together, instead of a sugar syrup, I use Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru mixed with maple syrup.  They seriously have the most deliciously smooth coconut butter!  It is perfect for making desserts!  lastly, a little vanilla and it is the most delicious coconut combination!  Just like macaroons!

    I tuck a toasted almond into the middle and it is perfect with the coconut.  I don’t know if they use toasted ones in the original Almond Joy, but I just think it tastes better.  Most nuts do, unless you want them to have less flavor like using raw cashews for a cheesecake or something and you want it neutral.  Lastly, instead of the milk chocolate that usually coats the candy bar, I use dark chocolate.  That was my Mom’s only complaint about them back in the day, and I have to agree, it is better with dark.  I did think about making it a vegan milk chocolate adding coconut butter to make it more traditional (and you totally can if that is your jam, just add 1/4 cup coconut butter to the dark chocolate when it is melted and mix well), but I went with the dark this time since they were to share with my Mom.

    They turned out sooo good!  They are way better than the original candy, the coconut flavor is real, and just the right amount of sweetness and that crunchy toasted almond in the middle is a nice surprise!  Of course it is totally heavenly with the dark chocolate coating.  I think if I had tried one of these as a kid instead of the store bought ones, I might have actually loved them!

    Vegan Almond Joy Bites

    Makes 14

    Ingredients:

    • 2/3 cup Dastony coconut butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1 1/2 cups finely shredded coconut coconut
    • 14 toasted almonds
    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. Mix together the coconut butter, maple syrup, water and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.
    2. Stir in the coconut until combined, then form into 14 little balls.
    3. Press an almond into the center of each of them (reshaping if necessary, you want it in the middle).
    4. Place on a parchment lined tray and freeze (in the freezer) for about 20 minutes until firm.
    5. Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    6. When the centers are ready, dip them one by one into the chocolate, letting the excess drain off (I like to set it on a fork), and place back on the tray.
    7. Place in the freezer until the chocolate has hardened, about 10-15 minutes.
    8. Enjoy!

    Candy can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

     

  • Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles

    Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles

    Do you ever just scroll through people’s food photos on Instagram and just get really hungry?  I totally do, and I saw some waffles a few days back on someone’s feed that looked amazing.  I told myself, you have to make waffles soon!  It had been too long, and they just sounded really good.  Well, I had some leftover mashed sweet potatoes yesterday and I thought, why not make some sweet potato waffles?!  I love repurposing food and making it into something more delicious.  I hate wasting food also, not that the sweet potatoes ever would have been wasted since they are one of my all time favorite things, but it is always nice to make something different the next day with leftovers instead of the same!

    When I was younger, my Mom used to make waffles and pancakes for dinner sometimes instead of breakfast and I loved it.  So that is what I usually do!  Mostly because I don’t have time to make a fancy breakfast in the morning and I have more time after work.  I figured the flavorful sweet potatoes would be the perfect addition to waffles!  For the base of these I used my usual waffle base with flax eggs and whole wheat pastry flour sweetened with coconut sugar, and added plenty of sweet potato!  For richness, a bit of  coconut milk and coconut oil (also to prevent sticking).  If you would like to make these gluten free, see note at the bottom of the post.  Lastly some cinnamon and nutmeg because they go so well with sweet potato!

    They smelled heavenly while they were cooking!  The aroma of sweet potatoes and cinnamon filling the air!  That is one of the reasons I love making waffles, the house smells so good!  I always worry a little when I make new types of waffles, especially ones involving adding wet ingredients like sweet potatoes because I tried to make pumpkin waffles one time and they stuck to my waffle iron so bad that I had to throw it away.  But these turned out beautifully!

    I could not wait to try them!  Maple syrup is standard of course, but I made a quick maple pecan syrup to top them off with as well as some sauteed apples and crunchy toasted pecans!  They were heavenly.  Fluffy in the middle crispy on the outside. You know 10 years ago I never would have guessed I would have been able to make vegan waffles this good!  But I do and that makes me happy!  If you have leftover plain mashed sweet potatoes on hand, give these a try!

    Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles
    makes 12 regular sized waffles

    Ingredients:

    Batter:

    • 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 3 Tbsp ground flax seed, whisked together with 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp filtered water (and allowed to sit 15 min. before using)
    • 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
    • 1 cup full fat coconut milk or oat milk
    • 1 cup smooth mashed sweet potatoes or sweet potato puree

     

    Instructions:

    1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and spices in a large bowl.
    2. Then whisk the flax mixture, coconut oil, coconut milk and sweet potato until smooth.
    3. Oil, and pre-heat waffle iron. Once it is heated, pour about 3/4 cup batter onto the 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 an oven at low heat (150F degrees).
    4. Serve with topped with whatever suits you!

    *If you would like to make these gluten free, you can sub Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (I have tested this flour and know it works well in this type of recipe).

  • Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

    Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

    Last Sunday Eric and I visited the apple orchard with our friends. It pretty much tradition for every Minnesotan to do so (well at least everyone I know). Plus, Sunday was a beautiful fall day and the trees are at their peak colors so it was the perfect day to visit. Also, it has been raining a lot here in Minnesota, usually on the weekends so we were thankful that it was finally nice for this one so we could finally visit!  It was packed, seems like everyone has the same idea, but luckily they still had plenty of apples!  When we walked in from the parking lot in the field, we were greeted with the aroma of freshly baked apple cinnamon doughnuts and pie, and kettle corn and it made me really hungry again even though I had just eaten lunch.

    We wandered though the orchard admiring the apple trees, but since they didn’t have pick your own that day we headed to the barn to sample all of the types that they had.  They had the old Minnesota standbys like the Honey Crisp, Haralson, and Courtland, but there were also a few varieties I had never tried before and I ended up buying some of (since I have not seen them on stores) like the Pizazz and Honey Belle.  I picked up bags of the last two, because they were both flavorful, sweet just a little tart and unique.  I knew they would make some really good desserts as well as snacks later in the week.  Monday I decided to use some of them to make Apple Pie Cookies!  I love a good old fashioned apple pie and was craving some, but one large pie seemed like a lot of work so I opted for the smaller ones instead.

    I wasn’t sure whether I should go for cookie dough or actual pie crust for these, but I went with the pie crust, crossing my fingers that it would work. Because mini pies with apple crust would be so adorable.  I sautéed the apples before using them in the pies because I figured the cookies would cook better and faster if the filling was pre-cooked. Apples are kind of hard after all, and usually require a long cooking time. I actually do this with my large pies too.  The cookies smelled amazing while baking and the best part was I got to enjoy them a lot faster than traditional pie because they baked up quick!

    These are something that is best served warm out of the oven.  Not because they are not good when they are cold, they still are, but I am one of those people who has to have my apple pie slightly warm.  It brings out the flavor more!  They tasted wonderful, sweet jammy apples baked to perfection inside, a flakey buttery tasting crust, and a hint of cinnamon!  They were really a lot more forgiving to put together than traditional large apple pie, and they were the perfect recipe to showcase those Minnesota apples!

    Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

    Makes 18

    Crust:

     

    Filling:

    • 3 medium sweet tart sweet apples (I used pizazz apples, but you can use other apples with a lot of flavor such as honey crisp, haralson, or pink lady)
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • juice of one lemon
    • a pinch of sea salt
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
    • coconut milk, for brushing
    • coconut sugar, for topping

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices.
    2. 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. Roll dough out into a large rectangle 1/8 inch thick using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin, and cut into 36 circles with a cookie cutter, then cutting a vent hole into half of them (alternatively if you don’t want to cut a hole, you can poke the top a few times with a knife before baking instead).
    4. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients but the arrowroot in a non-stick skillet.  Heat over medium and cook until the apples have softened, about 10 minutes, after they have softened add the arrowroot.
    5. Spoon the filling by the tsp onto half of the prepared little crust circles, and cover with the top pieces of dough with the vent hole (I used a small spatula to carefully move them), pressing the edges and crimping with a fork.
    6. Brush crust with a little coconut milk, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes until the crusts are starting to brown lightly.
    7. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack until warm.

     

    *If you prefer these to not be gluten free, you can use organic whole wheat pastry flour in place of the GF all purpose flour, the same amount.

  • Vegan Sweet Potato “Cream Cheese” Muffins

    Vegan Sweet Potato “Cream Cheese” Muffins

    Pumpkin has been getting all the love around here, I am not going to lie, I admit I get a little obsessed in the fall, since I am pumpkin deprived the rest of the year and it is one of my all time favorite things.  But you know what else is my favorite thing?  Sweet potatoes and yams!  Which is why I decided to give some sweet potatoes the dessert treatment last week instead of just reaching for the canned pumpkin immediately.  Sweet potatoes are even sweeter than pumpkin and just as delicious in desserts after all.  I usually just eat them in the form of yam fries, my all time favorite sweet potato savory thing to make, but that is year round.  I feel like baking more sweet comfort food items like muffins around this time of the year, so that is what I made with the sweet potatoes!  Some Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Muffins!

    Often times also, I will roast sweet potatoes and have leftovers and that is what I use for these.  Just cut them in half, and place them cut side down in a 375F degree oven and roast until tender, about 45 minutes to one hour.  Let cool, then blend up in the blender or food processor and they are ready for using in recipes like this one. But of course you can get canned sweet potato puree at the store if you don’t have time to roast them.  Just make sure the only ingredient is sweet potatoes and they aren’t the sweetened type.

    For these muffins, I wanted the base to be sweet but not use sugar, so I used dates to sweeten them along with the sweet potatoes to give them a nice soft texture.  They had a bit of a caramel flavor too thanks to the dates!  Also, I added a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg because they are lovely with sweet potatoes!  The batter tasted so good even before it was baked into muffins!  For the cream cheese, I wanted it to taste as rich as traditional cream cheese, so I used a mixture of Dastony raw cashew butter from Raw Guru and coconut cream (the unsweetened kind), plus a bit of maple syrup and it was heavenly!

    I could not wait to try these!  The elements tasted amazing even before assembling them and baking them, and they smelled heavenly while baking.  Luckily muffins don’t take long to bake, so I didn’t have to wait long.  They were sooo crave worthy!  The sweet potato base was soft and light with a caramel and spice flavor and it paired perfectly with the sweet, rich cream cheese filling!  These are kind of like cupcakes with cream cheese frosting but it is on the inside instead of the top!  If you are a fan of cream cheese frosting or filling and sweet potatoes, definitely give these a try!  It is the perfect time of year to do some baking!

    Vegan Sweet Potato “Cream Cheese” Muffins 
    Makes 10 standard sized muffins

    Ingredients:

    “Cream Cheese” Filling:

    • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp thick coconut milk or unsweetened coconut cream (from the top of a chilled can)
    • 1/3 cup Dastony raw cashew butter (or almond butter will also work here)
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar or lemon juice
    • 1/16 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp cornstarch

     

    Batter:

    • 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour*
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 2/3 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp Dastony raw cashew butter or almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Set out 10 standard sized muffin tins.
    2. To make the cream cheese, whisk together all of the cream cheese ingredients until smooth, and set aside.
    3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    4. Place dates, reserved water, cashew butter, sweet potato 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.
    5. Transfer batter to prepared tins, filling them 2/3 full, then place the cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and squeeze little of the cream cheese mixture into the top of each one (putting the tip about 1/4 inch into the batter).   Place in the oven, and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
    6. Cool before enjoying, store any extra in the refrigerator.

    *If you want to make these not gluten free, use organic whole wheat pastry flour instead, the same amount.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel

    Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel

    Earlier this week, a coworker shared some of her home made sourdough bread with me.  It was amazing.  I am super picky when it comes to bread. It has to be a crusty bread, with good texture (I do not like regular sandwich bread unless it is toasted), and a good chew to it.  I am not a big bread person but this stuff was bomb.  I haven’t had bread like this in years.  I enjoyed some with my soup, and I also decided to make some bread pudding with it.  I haven’t actually had any bread pudding since I used to order it at a restaurant back when I was in school (it was one of my favorite things at that restaurant).  I have never actually made it at home, and I had told myself earlier this year I should make some since Eric had it at a restaurant we were at for a special occasion and really enjoyed it.  Got me thinking I need to make some vegan bread pudding so I can have some too.  I had just been waiting to find the right bread, and voila!  I finally had some to make it with.

    Since it is fall, I thought I would give it a fall flavor twist with some pumpkin.  I usually have cans of pumpkin open from one thing or another this time of the year, so it was perfect!  You know what I realized while making this?  Bread pudding is a lot easier to make than I thought.  Especially when it is vegan and you don’t have to mess with eggs and measurements are a little bit less fussy.  Instead of eggs in this one, I made some flax eggs, and mixed them with a bit of oat milk, my favorite plant based milk.  I like it because it is pretty neutral in flavor, and nice and creamy.  I added in the pumpkin of course since this was pumpkin bread pudding, and the soaking mixture was  nice and thick, just the way it would have been in traditional bread pudding.

    I added in some aromatic pumpkin spices, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to make it taste like pumpkin pie and it smelled amazing!  Lastly, some maple syrup to sweeten, because it goes so well with pumpkin and baked sweet bread dishes.  My kitchen was filled with the most heavenly aroma!  I could not wait to try it!  It got a nice crust on the top from the maple sugar I had sprinkled on it, but bread pudding deserves a sauce, at least as far as I am concerned, so I made one.

    I whipped up a quick caramel sauce that came together in about 30 seconds from just pecan butter, maple syrup, water, sea salt and vanilla.  If you don’t have pecan butter, feel free to use almond butter.  I usually make my own pecan butter and use it in recipes like this because it has a caramel like flavor.  After I drizzled the caramel over the pudding and sprinkled it with pecans, it was all ready to go.  OMG was it ever heavenly!  I think I like it even better than the bread pudding I remember eating when I was younger!  If you have some good crusty bread, or sourdough bread on hand, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel

    Serves 4-6

    Ingredients:

    Bread Pudding:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
    • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar

    Caramel:

    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or raw 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

     

    Topping:

    • 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

     

    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, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, spices, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture.
    3. Transfer 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, sprinkle with pecans, 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 Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of pumpkin goodies this year.  I like apple treats and Halloween candy too, and I have been making those as well this October, but pumpkin seems to be the favorite.  Thank goodness for canned pumpkin though!  Back in the day, I used to like to roast off the pumpkin myself (and sometimes I would just use squash instead for pumpkin puree because it was easier), but now I am a lot more busy and appreciate the organic canned pumpkin. I would however like to still carve a pumpkin this year!  The thing about opening a can of pumpkin is that you have to use it up (or portion it out and freeze it) within a week.  Luckily there are plenty of things you can make on a whim with it.  Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, pancakes, waffles, a soup base, or just be weird like me and eat the puree plain (yes, I do that sometimes). Or in the case of last weekend make pumpkin cookies!  

    I actually had already made pumpkin cookies this year, but not pumpkin oatmeal cookies.  Some soft, chewy oatmeal cookies with pumpkin spice and goodies stirred in sounded fabulous!  My Mom always said when I was little that oatmeal cookies are the healthiest because they have plenty of good fiber from the oats and are less processed.  I have to agree, at least in the case of these cookies, which happen to be pretty packed with fiber in various forms.  Don’t worry, they don’t taste like healthy cookies.

    Even if they had healthy ingredients added. I added Dastony almond butter from Raw Guru, pumpkin puree, and flax eggs to keep these cookies moist and chewy, plus pumpkin pie spices and plenty of oats in both oat flour and rolled oat form!  Also, I stirred in some cranberries and walnuts for a few fall flavors plus vegan dark chocolate chips because I couldn’t resist!  The dough was so good I could not stop eating hunks of it.  I am one of those people who loves cookie dough even more than actual baked cookies so this is something that happens often and why I love baking cookies.

    They baked up nicely and filled my kitchen with the heavenly aroma of pumpkin spices!  I could not wait to try one, and of course I waited until they were just cool enough but still warm to try one!  They were soft and chewy, sweet and aromatic with the flavor of the spices, and they gooey chocolate chips, cranberries and crunchy pecans were so good with the pumpkin and oats!  If you are a fan of pumpkin or have some extra canned pumpkin on hand, give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    Makes 16 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup Dastony almond butter
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water, allowed to sit 15 min. before using
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
    • 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

     

    Directions:

    1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin, almond butter 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 chocolate chips, cranberries and walnuts and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack set at the middle position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    4. Roll the dough into 16 large balls (the dough will be sticky, it’s ok), and spread them out on the 2 cookie sheets with plenty of room in between, pressing down on them slightly. 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 Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix 

    I am not much of a coffee drinker, but since it is pumpkin spice latte season, I have had a few in the past couple of weeks when we go out for coffee on weekends instead of my usual matcha latte as a seasonal treat.  I know some people hate these things, and they get a bad rap (probably because a lot of places use overly sweetened flavor syrup for them), but when you get one that is made well, they are truly delicious. The ones I like to get are from local smaller coffee shops that use really good quality coffee and oat milk, and make their own pumpkin spice mix or flavors. It makes all the difference!  Anyways, they are not cheap (at least not to me, because I try to be thrifty) which is why they are a treat normally, so I thought I would try to make my own vegan pumpkin spice latte mix at home so I could enjoy a more cost effective version (and more often).

    Now like I said, I don’t normally drink much coffee so I didn’t have any on hand, but luckily Raw Guru sent me some of their Antioxidant Breakfast Blend Coffee to try so that was perfect timing!  It is a low acid coffee, so kinder on the tummy, which is good for me, since I am not used to drinking a lot of it.  It is a medium roast, but of course you could use whichever roast you like for your lattes! I tried some before I added the mix, and it was good on its own as well, which is important to me because I feel like if you can’t drink coffee plain, it won’t be good for mixed coffee drinks.

    For the mix, I started out with an oat milk base.  Why oat milk?  Well, I feel that it froths the best for a latte, and it is what I always prefer to order when I am at a coffee shop.  I also like oat milk because it has the most neutral flavor when it comes to plant based milk.  Planet Oat is what I usually buy because it has very few ingredients, and not things like added sunflower oil sugar.  I always buy unsweetened milk, as I prefer to add my own sweeteners that aren’t just sugar. To the oat milk base, I added plenty of pumpkin puree.  I wanted this to have actual pumpkin in it, unlike some drink mixes that are just all flavor.  This one has real pumpkin AND the spices!  I also added ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves so it had the flavor of pumpkin pie, and a touch of maple syrup to sweeten it.  As you will notice in the recipe, I say 1-3 Tbsp depending on how sweet you like it, and I added 1 because I am one of those people who doesn’t like drinks super sweet.  If you have a sweet tooth go ahead and add more.

    I could not wait to try it!  I took in the delicious aroma of pumpkin spice, took a sip and it was heavenly!  I enjoyed it just as much as the lattes I have enjoyed at coffee shops, and I know it had far less sugar in it so that is a win.  If you are a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, definitely give this a try!  Also if you make something with pumpkin and have a partial can left, like I often do, this is the perfect thing to make with it!  I hope you are all having a wonderful fall!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix 

    Makes 4 cups, enough for 4 16 oz lattes

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups thick unsweetened oat milk (I like Planet Oat extra creamy original)
    • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1-3 Tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like your coffee)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    For Serving:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into a jar and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (shaking well before each use).
    3. To make a latte, heat up 1 cup of the pumpkin spice latte mix in a saucepan (but don’t boil), add 1 cup hot fresh brewed strong coffee, and froth with an immersion blender.  Pour into a large (16 oz) mug and enjoy!

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels

    Halloween just a few short weeks away, and up until a few days ago I hadn’t made any candy this year yet! I always make peanut butter cups, and I need to get around to those, but this week, the first thing I made was some pumpkin spice latte caramels.  I am not usually a coffee drinker, but I have had a couple of pumpkin spice lattes this year just because I wanted to see what all of the hype was about, and because I wanted something a little different than my usual tea and I ended up loving them.  These were not your standard chain coffee shop fake pumpkin spice flavor in your coffee lattes though, we got them from a local shop that makes their own pumpkin spice syrup, and they made mine with oat milk which froths really well.  It has inspired me to make my own at home, which I will do soon, but until then, I made these truffles.

    I made caramel the other day for caramel rolls, and decided that it would be wonderful with pumpkin and spices in it.  Drizzled over cake, or on its own covered in chocolate.  I chose to make the latter this time.  I made my usual caramel recipe but with pumpkin and all of the spices I add to my pumpkin pie.  To thicken it enough to shape, I added in some coconut butter as well and it worked perfect!  Of course since it was a supposed to taste like a pumpkin spice latte, I added in a bit of espresso powder as well.

    It was divine just like that.  Like I could eat it with a spoon on its own good.  And I did,  a little because I had to make sure it was good about three times *wink* *wink*.  Once covered in chocolate though, it was delicious! The caramel is sweet, with just the right amount of pumpkin and spice, a hint of coffee and perfect when paired with the dark chocolate shell.  I debated whether or not I should share it, and I think I am going to save most of them for myself lol.  These would be perfect to enjoy with a pumpkin spice latte, just sayin.

    The classic Halloween candy is good, and of course I have my old standbys like the peanut butter cup, and I do plan on making a few more varieties, but if you are looking for something a little different, and you are a caramel fan like me, test out these babies!  What is your favorite Halloween candy?

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels

    Makes 12  truffles

    Caramel:

    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
    • 1/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 tsp espresso powder
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Chocolate:

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

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes or until it has thickened up enough to roll into balls.  Roll into 12 balls, place on a parchment lined tray, and place back in the freezer for at least 30 minutes until more firm.
    2. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring until it is all melted.  Dip each chocolate into the chocolate (I like to place mine on a fork) and let the excess drain off, then place back on the tray. Place in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes, and enjoy!

    *Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 month.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

    Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

    Last weekend we drove up to Duluth MN and Gooseberry Falls State Park for the day, since I took some vacation from work and those are some of my favorite places to visit.  It is about a 2 hour drive to Duluth and another hour up to the park, so as you can imagine we have to stop a few times.  Mainly  because I can’t stand to sit too long but anyhow, we stopped at Tobie’s which is a restaurant/gift shop/gas station that we have been stopping at ever since I was a kid when we would drive up north, and on the way to the restroom we walked past some really amazing looking caramel rolls.  Eric had to buy one, but sadly they don’t have any vegan version so I did not try it.  I know they are good, because I used to get them back in the day before I went vegan and they were sticky sweet deliciousness.  I made a note to myself that I needed to make some later in the week since I was off work.

    The rest of the day went well, The fall colors were amazing on the drive up, especially the firey red and orange maple trees, but I like when there is some yellow and green in there as well for the full rainbow affect. Gooseberry Falls was beautiful, even though the water was a bit higher than normal and it was muddy it was nice to breath in the fresh cool fall air in a place outside of the city. We got in a good hike and when it was time for dinner we stopped at At Sarah’s Table Chester Creek Cafe since I love that place and they always have good vegan options, even desserts.  Even though I did a lot of driving that day, it really didn’t seem like a lot since I enjoyed the trip so much!

    Back to those rolls I talked about making.  I had been wanting to make some vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls anyhow, so I changed that to caramel rolls since the dough would be the same, it is just the topping and filling that were different.  So, I made my usual cinnamon roll dough, and added pumpkin and spices in to make it super delicious.  For the caramel that would fill the rolls and top them, I did not want a traditional sugary caramel, I wanted one that had some nutritional value so I made it from dates, my go to vegan caramel source.  They are nature’s caramel after all, and when you blend them up with a few other key ingredients they make the most delicious healthier for you caramel.

    The rolls worked out nicely. I am always a bit nervous still when working with yeast, but they rose beautifully and baked up even better.  They gave off the most heavenly aroma while baking in the oven. I could not wait to try them!  But first, they had to be glazed with even more caramel, and I also topped them off with some toasted pumpkin seeds I had on hand.  They were so good!  Sweet, gooey and delicious with a soft, fluffy consistency and the flavors of pumpkin and spice!  These would make the perfect lazy weekend morning treat to enjoy with your coffee or tea!  I hope you are all having a great fall season so far!

    Vegan Pumpkin 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)
    • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 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

     

    Garnish:

    •  1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds for topping

     

    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, pumpkin, maple sugar, maple extract, salt and flax mixture and mix together to combine.
    3. Add the yeast, spices 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 Caramel Apple Cheesecake

    Vegan Caramel Apple Cheesecake

    I made a visit to a local apple orchard a few weekends back, and I still had some apples on hand, so I decided that I had to make something really delicious with them.  Pie sounded good, but you know what sounded even better?  A cheesecake with the elements of apple pie included.  A caramel apple cheesecake!  I had made one years ago, back when I was completely raw vegan, and it was really good, but I have been wanting to make a non-raw version for a while now.  Not that it wasn’t delicious, but I know not everyone wants to crack open Thai coconuts to make a cheesecake, and I felt that having cooked apples included in it and a crunchy streusel on top would make it even better.

    For my cheesecakes I usually make a crust involving oats and dates, and although it tastes good, I just want it a bit more crispy sometimes so I decided to try something new with this one. Plus, I figured the topping could double as a crust, because they would both have oats and I wanted them both crunchy.  So I made sort of a granola to solve the non-crunchy crust problem and it worked perfect!  I just used a mixture similar to what I use in my oil free granola recipe and it was super delicious even before it was turned into crust and topping.

    For the filling, I used my classic vanilla cheesecake filling, including an ingredient some may find odd, but it really works here.  Chickpeas!  I use them in place of raw cashews in my cheesecakes because then the cheesecake isn’t as heavy (but still rich tasting), and they are a lot cheaper.  Don’t worry you can not taste them at all, since they are a pretty neutral flavor they blend right in with everything else.  My taste testers were shocked to find out that they were in there since it tasted just like traditional cheesecake filling. I cooked the apples on the stove with a bit of maple sugar and spices and they were flavorful and delicious even before I assembled the cake.

    Lets not forget the caramel though. I made a gooey date caramel to swirl into the cake and drizzle on top and it was hard to stop tasting.  I could not wait to try the finished cake!  Sadly I had to wait until the next day to try it since I was making it after work at night.  But it was well worth the wait!  It was rich and creamy, the mellow vanilla cheesecake perfect with the sweet tart apples and crunchy cinnamony crust and crumble on top!  Plus the gooey date caramel of course!   Soooo good! If you have apples on hand, you know what to make!

    Vegan Caramel Apple Cheesecake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust and topping:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic rolled oats
    • 1/4 cup almond butter, divided
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water first, then drain very well before using.)

     

    Apples:

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

     

    Caramel:

    • 1 1/4 cups soft, pitted medjool dates (of not soft, soak in filtered water 30 minutes and drain before using)
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup filtered water (or as needed
    • 1/4 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 cooked chickpeas*
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
    2. In a bowl, combine the oats, 3 Tbsp almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt, and scrunch together with your hands until it is all coated. Spread out on the prepared pan, and bake for about 20-25 minutes until it is starting to brown and crunchy.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    3. Line the bottom of a 6 inch spring form pan with parchment paper.
    4. To make the crust, place 1 cup of the oats, the dates and 1 Tbsp almond butter in a food processor, and process until crumbs and starting to hold together. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside in the freezer.
    5. 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.
    6. To make the caramel, blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth (adding a little more water a very small amount at a time if needed to create a thick but pour-able consistency.
    7. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    8. To assemble the cheesecake, pour half the filling over the crust, then drop some of the caramel by the Tbsp over it, and swirl with a knife.  Scatter half the apple mixture over that, then pour the remaining filling over them.  Drop some more of the caramel on top of the cake and swirl with a knife (being careful not to go too deep so you don’t disturb the apple layer in the middle).
    9. 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).
    10. Remove from the freezer and un-mold.
    11. Scatter the remaining apples over the top, then top off with even more of the oat mixture.  Drizzle more caramel over the top and serve!

    This cake keeps for 1 week in a container in the refrigerator.

    *I use chickpeas in this, and no you can not taste them, they simply give it a nice smooth texture.  If you prefer cashews though, soaked cashews will work in place of them if you do not care for the chickpeas.

    *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.

  • Vegan Hazelnut Caramel Bars

    Vegan Hazelnut Caramel Bars

    When I go to the grocery store I admit I am usually in a hurry to grab what I need then get out.  Eric makes fun of me for it, saying I need to slow down sometimes, because I am missing out on things.  Surprisingly though I hardly ever forget something.  If I do though, I can get it at my work (I work in the deli of a health food store), or at the Aldi up the street.  On my day off last week though, I was taking it a little slower at Aldi since I didn’t have anything else going on, and I noticed that they had toasted hazelnuts.  I love getting pre-toasted nuts for recipes, because it saves me a lot of time in the kitchen. Especially when I go to grab the nuts for my nut butter and find out I haven’t toasted them yet.  Anyways, toasted hazelnuts sounded good, so I grabbed a bag figuring I could make something delicious with them.  So taking time to look around paid off that time.

    Later on that day, I decided to make some hazelnut caramel bars.  I wanted them to have the same type of filling as a pecan pie but with toasted hazelnuts instead.  It was an odd fall day, 80F degrees with a dew point of 70 so my Mom said I was crazy to be baking when I told her what I was going to do, but you know what?  Sometimes it is worth heating up the oven on a hot day for a delicious treat.

    I gave the bars a shortbread like crust to begin with, I wanted it to be buttery, rich and melt in your mouth.  I used a mixture of whole wheat pastry flour and tapioca flour to make it a bit more tender.  For the filling, a mixture of dates and hazelnut butter made for a luscious caramel.  I figured why not make these as hazelnut flavored as possible!  But if you can’t get hazelnut butter and don’t want to make your own you could use cashew butter instead or almond butter.  I mixed it plenty of hazelnuts and it was amazing. I could have sat there and ate it with a spoon but then I wouldn’t have enough for the bars.

    They baked up beautifully and I could not wait to try them!  Unfortunately since it was evening I had to wait for them to cool overnight.  At least it gave me something to look forward to after work!  They were sooo good!  Rich, and caramelly with a hint of maple and the nuttiness of the hazelnuts plus plenty of crunch, and that buttery crust!  Totally heavenly!  If you are a fan of hazelnuts, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Hazelnut Caramel Bars

    Makes 16

    Crust:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/2 cup tapioca flour (or cornstarch would work as well)
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil liquid at cool temperatures)

     

    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 hazelnut butter (or raw cashew butter or almond butter)
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup, plus more for brushing the top of the pie
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/3 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
    • 2 cups toasted hazelnuts, plus more for top of bars
    • maple syrup for brushing bars

     

    Directions:

    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 oil and stir (or use your hands and knead) until a smooth dough is created. Press into the bottom of an 8×8 inch square pan.
    3. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until just starting to brown.  Remove from the oven.
    4. To make filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor except the hazelnuts. Process until smooth, then scrape into a bowl and stir in the hazelnuts. Spread the filling over the crust, and top with more hazelnuts. Brush the top lightly with maple syrup. Place in the oven.
    5. Bake for about 20 minutes until it is starting to brown lightly.
    6. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving.
  • Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Ever since we rolled into fall earlier this week, I feel like the trees and nature have gotten the memo because the leaves are starting to change and there is a bit of the chill in the air.  I am kind of sad because I have a strained hamstring and can’t run through the crunchy leaves at the moment (one of my all time favorite parts of fall). But I can bike and walk to get out and enjoy nature and the outdoors.  The aroma of dried leaves and bonfires hangs in the air and makes me want to pull out all of my cozy sweaters and fall clothes, drink hot cider and bake spiced desserts. Especially of the pumpkin and apple variety.

    I have been on a pumpkin kick this week.  Because I am craving pumpkin spice desserts, and because I opened up a can of pumpkin and wanted to use it all and most recipes only call for about 1/2 cup.  I could have of course frozen it but that’s no fun.  We make pumpkin cookies at my work, and they were looking really good the other day, but sadly they are not vegan.  So, I decided that I needed to make some vegan ones of my own at home.  I wanted to make them a bit less cakey though, and add in chocolate chips instead of a glaze on top.  Because chocolate is actually amazing with pumpkin spice!

    These cookies are actually pretty simple to make, no complicated instructions or anything fancy.  They have plenty of pumpkin in the dough, and just the right amount of pumpkin spices. I also add in maple sugar and maple extract and it gives them that something special that is really good but you don’t know quite what it is.  The dough for these by the way is downright addictive and super delicious.  I could not stop tasting it while making them.  Eating dough is one of my favorite parts of baking cookies after all, since I like dough even better than actual baked cookies sometimes.

    But don’t worry, these cookies are just as delicious as the dough! They smell amazing while baking, and are heavenly when you eat them while the chocolate chips are still warm and gooey!  If you are in the mood for something pumpkin too, give these a try!  They are amazing with a cup of tea or coffee for a mid-morning treat! Fall is definitely my favorite season!

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    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
    • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

     

    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. Mix in chocolate chips until well combined.
    5. Put the dough in the refrigerator until it is a little more firm, about 30 minutes.
    6. Roll the dough into 12 balls (about 2 inches round), and place on the baking sheets, spread a few inches apart and flatten slightly.
    7. Place in the oven and bake until starting to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.

    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.

     

  • Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Fall may be here, but it is still pretty warm outside so I am still in the mood for ice cream treats.  So I thought, why not make some fall flavored ones?!  I have been making a lot of apple and pear stuff lately, so this time I made pumpkin.  Plus we are almost into October, so we are in prime pumpkin season!  I could have made scoopable ice cream but I made ice cream pops instead.  I like that they are individually portioned so you can just pull one out when you want one.  Plus, I made these CBD ice cream pops since Raw Guru had recently sent me some of their Cinnamint CBD oil.  Because why not get your daily dose of CBD along with delicious ice cream?!

    I take CBD every day to help with inflammation, mood and overall well being, and sometimes I like to add it to my recipes as well as just take it plain. I like the Veggimins brand because it is good quality and it tastes better than some other brands.  I have added it to my ice cream pops in the past with good results, so I knew it would work well in this recipe.  I was going to make these just plain pumpkin spice ice cream, but I thought that hazelnut would be delicious with the pumpkin and spices so I added that in as well in the form of hazelnut butter.

    The base for these was heavenly.  It tasted like a really good pumpkin spice milk shake.    First, I added in full fat coconut to make these rich.  They are ice cream after all and I like my ice cream to taste like it and I am really picky about the texture, it has to be smooth. I feel that coconut milk does the best job of this.  Next, I added in some canned pumpkin which I already happened to have on hand from another recipe.  Then the smooth hazelnut butter, which was some of my home made stuff but of course you can buy it at the store if you like, or substitute cashew butter for a more neutral flavor.

    Then, I added in just the right amount of the same spices that you find in pumpkin pie. I could not wait to try them!  But of course I had to let them chill overnight in the freezer.  It was well worth the wait though!  They tasted so good when I finally got to enjoy them after work the next day!  They were rich and creamy, lightly spiced with the aroma of pumpkin pie and a hint of nutty hazelnut.  If you are a fan of all things pumpkin like I am, definitely give these a try!  If you would like to get some Veggimins CBD for yourself, here is the code for 10% off on their website: VEGFRAGVANILLA

    Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops 

    Makes 4-6 (depending on your mold size)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/3 cup hazelnut butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 2 tsp Veggimins CBD oil
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup or to taste (stevia may also be used, a few drops to taste)
    1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
    2. Pour into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours (or when they are firm) or overnight to set up.
    3. Remove from molds (you may need to run them under hot water briefly to loosen them), and enjoy!
  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Granola

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Granola

    Fall is officially here, so I had to make something pumpkin spice.  I know everyone makes fun of people that like pumpkin spice and pumpkin spice lattes and whatnot, and while I agree that some things should not be pumpkin spice flavored (like certain savory items), most pumpkin spice is darn delicious and I love it.  Mostly I love making it at home though in the form of pumpkin treats.  Pumpkin treats make me happy, as does running through the crunchy leaves on crisp fall mornings, warm sweaters and bon fires. Which is why this is my favorite season. So back to that thing that I made.  I decided to whip up a batch of granola last weekend.

    Granola is something that I like to keep on hand at all times for snacking, and although I have my standard recipe that I usually make, being that I am excited for fall, I went with the pumpkin spice. I love that granola is such a blank palate for making delicious new flavors.  For this one I used oats as the base, added in pecans and pumpkin seeds, plus a bit of large flake coconut for crunch.  I know coconut might not be considered fall like but it is one of my favorite add ins for granola because it gets so nice and crispy and it is a little sweet.

    For the mixture to coat everything with I started with pumpkin of course, then added in maple syrup for sweetness and pecan butter for richness.  It might sound like an odd ingredient the pecan butter, but it is what I use to replace the oil because it is plenty rich (but you could use almond butter if you did not have it on hand or were not able to get it).  This granola does happen to be oil free!  I have been experimenting with a lot of oil free recipes lately with good results and turns out granola doesn’t actually need oil to be good and crispy.

    Lastly I added plenty of pumpkin spices into this granola, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  It smelled amazing while baking.  Like pumpkin pie crossed with spice cake or something.  I so could not wait to try it!  Luckily granola doesn’t have to set up, or cool so it doesn’t stick to the pan or anything so I didn’t have to wait long to try it.  It was amazing while still warm and fragrant!  Crunchy, crave worthy and delicious with just the right amount of spice and pumpkin flavor!  Do yourself a favor and whip up a batch to enjoy! Happy Fall!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Granola
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
    • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
    • 1 cups finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    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 pumpkin, 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.
  • Vegan Pear Spice Doughnuts with “Cream Cheese” Glaze

    Vegan Pear Spice Doughnuts with “Cream Cheese” Glaze

    At one of the apple orchards that we always used to go to growing up, they always made these cinnamon sugar doughnuts that you could smell from far away because they always seemed to have the aroma venting out of the building as if to entice you to buy one.  I never did end up buying one because we always usually just bought the apples, and then made desserts with them when we got home, like apple pie or crisp.  A few years back though after we had gone there I decided to make some apple doughnuts because they sounded so good.  I baked them to make them a bit healthier instead of the fried doughnut variety and they turned out super delicious.  This year I haven’t been to the apple orchard yet, I am going next weekend.  But I was craving some delicious doughnuts like the apple ones.

    I did have pears on hand and I figured they would make doughnuts that were just as amazing as the apple ones.  I tweaked the batter a bit actually with these and made them oil free so they are a bit healthier than the other ones as an added bonus but taste just as good.  I used plenty of pear in the batter because it was the star of the flavor show after all, then added in some cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to make them lightly spiced.  I added a bit of almond butter for the richness because I always have it on hand.  The batter tasted good even before I baked them.  I always like to test it for flavor before I bake it to see if the flavors are balanced (plus I love to taste it in general lol).

    The doughnuts baked up beautifully!  Now, I could have made them like the other ones with just cinnamon sugar on the outside and they would have been delicious and easy, but I decided to top them off with one of my favorite things a cream cheese, in the form of a sweet glaze.  I had recently received some Dastony macadamia nut butter and coconut butter from Raw Guru, so I combined them with a bit of maple syrup to make a faux cream cheese glaze.  It was so good I could have eaten it with a spoon but I knew it would be even better on the doughnuts.

    They turned out super delicious!  They were soft and sweet thanks to the pear, with just the right amount of spice, and the rich glaze was the perfect pairing for them!  If you have pears on hand, definitely give these a try!  To make the pear puree, you just take pears, core them, and throw them in the blender, blending until they become the consistency of apple sauce.  Super easy, and the perfect use for ones that are over ripe.

    Vegan Pear Spice Doughnuts with “Cream Cheese” Glaze 

    Makes 10 large doughnuts

    Batter:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 3/4 cup Dastony almond butter
    • 1 1/4 cups organic pear puree
    • 1 ½ Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 4 ½ Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 1/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • 1/8 tsp baking powder

     

    Glaze:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line 16 muffin tins with liners.
    2. Whisk together the coconut sugar, apple, almond butter and flax mixture in a large bowl.
    3. Add the flour, spices, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder and whisk until smooth.
    4. Spoon into the holes in the prepared pan, filling the holes 3/4 full.  Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the doughnuts are cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Once cool, pop out of the pan.
    5. To make the glaze, whisk all ingredients together until smooth, adding a little more water if it is too thick to make it a pour-able consistency.
    6. Spoon the glaze over the doughnuts, and serve!
  • Vegan Mexican Street Corn

    Vegan Mexican Street Corn

    I have been wanting to make veganized Mexican street corn for a while now, and I finally decided to do so this week when I got a good deal on organic sweet corn.  You know what is really sad? I haven’t had any sweet corn yet at all this year until now, and it is the end of summer!  So it was about time. What gave me the idea to make the Mexican street corn in the first place besides finding the corn on sale, was seeing someone make it in an air fryer on a show I was watching.  It seemed like a really good idea to roast corn in the air fryer. Especially when you are someone like me that doesn’t own a grill.  I use my air fryer all the time anyhow, even more often than my actual oven for roasting vegetables.

    It worked out perfect for the corn!  It roasted up in about 25 minutes and it was some of the best corn I had tasted, even without the topping I put on it.  Roasting it makes it even more sweet and flavorful.  I grew up always just eating microwaved or steamed corn and it just isn’t the same. Traditionally Mexican street corn has a mayonnaise mixture spread over it and it is then dipped in Mexican cheese.  Since I have always thought mayonnaise is gross and I am vegan I went about it a little bit differently.  Raw Guru recently sent me some macadamia nut butter, so I used that for the creamy element instead of the mayo.  It works similarly to raw cashew butter in things like vegan cheese sauce so I figured it would be perfect. Of course if you can’t get macadamia nut butter, you could use raw cashew butter instead in this recipe.

    I mixed it with a little bit of lime juice, garlic, sea salt and water and it was super delicious.  Way tastier than actual mayo would ever be.  It needed something cheesy flavored for the coating as well, so I went with nutritional yeast.  It is a vegan staple after all. Also, I sprinkled a bit of cilantro and paprika over it for color and flavor and because it is traditional.  It may not be quite as pretty as the real thing but trust me it is even better tasting.

    How things look isn’t always most important anyhow.  This corn was bomb, and honestly some of the best tasting corn I have tried!  Trust me when I say you might just eat the whole batch of this yourself, so maybe double it if you are sharing with other people.  I think this is one dish that is perfect for enjoying the last of the sweet corn of summer with!  So get on it!

    Vegan Mexican Street Corn

    Makes 3

    Ingredients:

    • 3 ears organic sweet corn, leaves and silk removed, and washed
    • 1/4 cup macadamia nut butter or raw cashew butter
    • 1 Tbsp lime juice
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 3 Tbsp minced cilantro
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • about tsp smokey paprika

    Instructions:

    1. Place the corn in your air fryer and cook at 375F degrees for 25 minutes until tender (alternatively you could use an oven and place the corn on a sheet pan, but it may take 5-10 more minutes).
    2. Meanwhile, mix together the macadamia nut butter, lime juice, and garlic plus 1 Tbsp of filtered water (or as needed to thin it out to mayonnaise consistency).
    3. When the corn comes out of the air fryer, brush the macadamia nut butter mixture over it, sprinkle it with the cilantro, nutritional yeast, and paprika, and serve!
  • Vegan Ginger Almond Butter Cookies 

    Vegan Ginger Almond Butter Cookies 

    Fall is nearly here, and even though we have had a warm week so far I am ready for a new season and all of it’s flavors. Yes I am one of those people who loves pumpkin spice (only when used in the right applications of course), and all other warming spices like cinnamon in an apple pie or ginger cookies.  Which is why I decided to make ginger cookies last weekend!  I love how they are slightly spicy and warming, perfect with a cup of tea and especially during fall and winter.  These would be a little bit different though than the ones I usually make, I decided to make almond butter ginger cookies since I had some Dastony almond butter on hand from Raw Guru.  I like nut butter cookies, the way they are soft and chewy and nutty and I thought the ginger would be perfect in them!

    I have been experimenting a lot lately with oil free baking and nut butter cookies are somewhat easy to make oil free due to their high fat content in the nut butter.  Oil free is not to be confused with low fat, it simply means you use a whole food product instead of oil which is more refined, like swapping the coconut oil for all almond butter in this case.  You might think that it makes baked goods less rich, but actually most of the time it turns out quite well, like with these cookies.

    They were really quite simple to make, just mix in a bowl, shape, roll in sugar and bake! I mixed in a few more spices besides the ginger, although the ginger was still the star.  The dough tasted amazing even before baking.  Yes, I always have to test my cookie dough.  You never know when you might forget to add something like the sugar.  Which has happened to me before and I ended up saving the batch because it wasn’t baked yet.  Nobody is perfect after all but it is nice when you can catch your mistakes and fix them.

    These cookies smelled amazing while baking!  The aroma of sweet spices and ginger filled my kitchen!  I did not wait for them to cool completely before trying one, because they were calling my name.  They were super delicious!  Soft and chewy with just the right amount of spicy ginger and warming spices with the rich flavor of almond butter!  These are perfect for fall, so definitely give them a try if you are a spice cookie sort of person like I am!  They would go perfect with a pumpkin spice latte after all, the unofficial drink of fall!

    Vegan Ginger Almond Butter Cookies 
    Makes 24

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar plus more for rolling cookies
    • 1 1/2 cups Dastony almond butter
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water allowed to sit 15 minutes)
    • 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
    2. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
    3. In a bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, almond butter , water and the flax egg until smooth.
    4. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and spices until smooth.
    5. Place some coconut sugar in a small bowl.
    6. Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls, then roll in coconut sugar and set on the prepared tray, 2 inches apart.
    7. Place tray in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until set.
    8. Remove from oven, and let cool before enjoying.

     

    *If you would like to make these gluten free, you can swap in Bob’s Red Mill all purpose baking gluten free flour for the whole wheat pastry flour.  I have tested this brand personally and know it works well.

  • Vegan Cinnamon Roll Cake

    Vegan Cinnamon Roll Cake

    At work in the deli last week, one of my coworkers decided to bake a cinnamon roll cake for our hot food bar.  We don’t usually make desserts for it but it is always nice to swap things up, and a lot of people have a sweet tooth.  Plus, who doesn’t like warm cinnamon scented cake? Anyways, the cake smelled amazing and sold well but sadly it wasn’t vegan so I could not try it.  So I decided that I was going to go home and make one of my own that was more suited to my tastes as well.  I prefer to make my desserts a bit less processed than traditional ones, so every time I veganize a recipe it becomes less processed as well. I was super excited about this one!

    I already love cinnamon rolls, but they are kind of a lot of work.  Cake is so much easier! And if I can get the same sweet cinnamony flavor, why not?!  For the cake base I started off with what I would use for my plain vanilla cake.  Cinnamon rolls have a vanilla base after all.  It was really quite simple to make, just whisked all together in a bowl!  Back in the day before I went vegan and I would make those vanilla cakes that you had to whip the eggs separately and cream the sugar and whatnot and you know what?  Honestly the texture of my vegan cakes is just as good and they are easier to make.  I used maple sugar to sweeten this one, because it goes so well with cinnamon.  Also, you may notice there is not any oil in this cake.  It actually doesn’t need it, because the coconut oil I use in the batter is plenty rich!

    I gave the inside of the cake cinnamon swirls as well, because cinnamon rolls have to have plenty of cinnamon!  I did swirls instead of just dropping it in because I figured it would be more evenly distributed that way.  Once it was all put together I wanted to make a streusel for the top like the one that was made at work.  I am a sucker for streusel after all.  I love it on anything dessert related.  I kept this one simple, just flour, sugar and coconut butter (not to be confused with coconut oil) plus some cinnamon and was looking forward to how crunchy and delicious it would get once baked!

    It smelled amazing while baking by the way.  Cinnamon reminds me of fall, which is appropriate since we are almost there!  I could not wait to try it, but I had to wait for it to cool a bit before un-molding.  As if it wasn’t already amazing how it was, I added some glaze like the cake at work had.  Except instead of making a powdered sugar glaze, I used coconut butter sweetened with a bit of maple syrup.  It was time to dive in.  The cake was soooo good!  It had a soft, light texture, and it was just the right amount of sweetness, with the perfect amount of cinnamon and vanilla.  That crunchy struesel topping made it crave worthy!  So the next time you are craving cinnamon rolls but don’t want to deal with yeast and kneading and whatnot, make this instead!

    Vegan Cinnamon Roll Cake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    one 6 inch cake 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
    • 1 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Swirl:

    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup at room temperature
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar
    • 2 tsp cinnamon

     

    Topping:

    • 1/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    Drizzle:

    • 1 Tbsp coconut butter
    • 1 tsp maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp filtered water, or as needed

     

    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, 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. Mix together swirl ingredients in a small bowl.
    7. Transfer half the cake batter to prepared pan then place the swirl mixture in a ziplock bag with the corner cut off and pipe it into a swirl from the center out.  Pour the rest of the cake batter over it, then do the same with more of the swirl. marble the swirls with a knife.
    8. Mix together the streusel ingredients in a bowl with your hands until it starts to clump together, then sprinkle over the cake.
    9. 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.
    10. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes, 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.
    11. Whisk together the coconut butter, maple syrup and water until smooth (adding a little more water if it is too thick to drizzle).
    12. Drizzle the coconut butter mixture over the cake, and serve!

    Cake keeps stored in a container on the counter for up to 1 week, or can be frozen for up to 4 months.

    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 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 Spiced Peach Hand Pies 

    Vegan Spiced Peach Hand Pies 

    We are kind of in between summer and fall right now.  The weather can’t seem to decide since we have gone from cool and 50F degrees and raining to sunny and nearly 80 within a few days.  Don’t get me wrong, I love summer but I am really excited for fall and that chill in the air is kind of nice, especially for running or doing anything active outside.  I am one of those people who likes it a little cool, so I am not sweating my butt off. I like to go enjoy the outdoors in the cool air in the fall then head inside for a warm drink like apple cider or a matcha latte.

    Since we are between seasons right now though, I decided to make a recipe that sort of was too on my day off last weekend.  I had some very ripe peaches on my counter  that needed to be used right away, so I was going to make some pie, but then I decided to include warming fall spices in them because I am in a fall sort of mood.  Spice is lovely with peaches just like it is with apples, and I will have plenty of those soon so why not enjoy the peaches while I still can.  That pie turned into hand pies, because I just didn’t feel like making a whole giant pie for myself.

    With hand pies, they are easier to share or I can freeze them for later.  Also, they are pretty simple to make and it is kind of fun to assemble them! First, I cooked the peach filling.  I do this, because they take less time to bake this way, and the fruit will always come out nice and tender.  I added some cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger for the spices, and a little bit of maple syrup to sweeten and it was perfect!  It needed to cool though before I made the crust so it didn’t melt it.

    For the crust, I used a simple recipe with whole wheat pastry flour, coconut oil, maple sugar and sea salt.  I wanted it simple to allow the flavor of the peaches to shine.  You could of course use Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour if you wanted it to be gluten free (I have tested this brand and know it works well).  They baked up beautifully and my house smelled amazing! I could not wait to try one!  I didn’t have to let them cool long, because I love warm fruit pie, especially with coconut milk ice cream (which sadly I didn’t have any of when I made these because I wasn’t thinking ahead).  They were super delicious!  Sweet, jammy peach filling with just the right amount of warming spices in a flakey tender crust!  Just the sort of thing that is perfect for in between summer and fall!

    Vegan Spiced Peach Hand Pies 
    Makes 8

    Filling:

    • 3 cups organic peaches, cut into small pieces (like 1/2 inch cubes)
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or 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)

     

    Topping:

    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a saucepan, combine the peaches, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes stirring often until the fruit is soft and starting to fall apart. Mix in the vanilla and flour and cool completely.
    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.
      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.
    3. To assemble, spoon about 2 heaping Tbsp of the peach filling over 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 spoon or the edge of something with a flat edge, like a spatula.
    4. Mix together the 2 Tbsp maple sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the pies.
    5. Bake for about 30 minutes until the crusts are starting to brown lightly.
    6. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack until warm.
  • Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Swirled Cheesecake

    Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Swirled Cheesecake

    Back when I first went vegan, I was really into raw style cheesecakes.  I say raw style because they were not always technically raw, but they did not need cooking and many of the ingredients were raw.  I probably made at least 75 different ones, because there was a point at which I made one every weekend I loved them so much.  One of the first ones was a peanut butter banana chocolate cheesecake.  In fact, I think it was about the second one that I made.  It was amazing.  Rich and delicious with a peanut butter banana and chocolate swirl plus some more peanut butter swirled in since there can never be too much peanut butter as far as I am concerned.  Well, I decided last weekend that the recipe needed revamping.  I mean it was delicious with the raw coconut meat and all, but lets be real, most people do not want to crack open 4 young coconuts to make a cheesecake.  They are expensive, and not everyone has a Coco Jack.  So, I have revamped the recipe using coconut milk and easier ingredients to find.

    I am always trying to improve upon my recipes as I learn new things, so expect to see more of this sort of thing on my blog.  I have plenty of recipes I need to update and make even more delicious!  Back to that cheesecake, I was craving something with chocolate and peanut butter, and I had bananas on hand so that was what drove me to make it.  I haven’t made cheesecake in a while also so it was about time.  The thing I love about these no bake cheesecakes though, is that they are fairly simple to make, and not fussy compared to say baking a cake and making a creamy frosting.  Just make the crust, make the filling, pour it in and chill!

    This one had more than one filling though, but no need to wash out the blender in between.  I made a creamy banana peanut butter filling, and a decadent chocolate peanut butter filling and they tasted amazing even before I poured them into the crust.  Yes, I always make sure I taste my filling while making things like this in case I forgot an ingredient (and because it is super delicious). One time I forgot to add my maple syrup, and it would have been kind of bland without it.  Yes, I make mistakes sometimes too, even though I have made hundreds of cakes. This one however had no problems with the filling and came out even better than I imagined!

    Once it was all set up I could not wait to try it!  It was rich and decadent, kind of like peanut butter cup flavored cheesecake but with the sweetness of banana added in.  Totally crave worthy!  I think the texture was even better than the other version I had made back in the day because it was a bit creamier like traditional dairy cheesecake and less stiff.  If you are a cheesecake lover like me, you totally need to give this a try! Trust me on this one, you will thank yourself later when you are enjoying it!

    Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Swirled Cheesecake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:

    • 3/4 cup organic roasted peanuts
    • 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water first and drain well)
    • 1 Tbsp organic peanut butter
    • 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 mashed organic bananas
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup smooth organic peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or cocoa powder

     

    Swirl:

    • 1/3 cup peanut butter

     

    Garnish:

    • sliced bananas, chocolate chips, peanuts

     

    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 but the cacao powder in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    4. Divide between 2 bowls.
      Add one back to the blender with the cacao powder and blend until smooth then pour back into the bowl.
    5. To assemble the cheesecake, drop half of each bowl of filling over the prepared crust by the tsp. randomly, then tap on the table, and drop some of the peanut butter over than randomly (but spaced out) by the tsp as well. Swirl with a knife a few times. Repeat with the remaining filling and more peanut butter.
    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).
      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.

  • Vegan CBD Caramels

    Vegan CBD Caramels

    My favorite way to enjoy CBD oil besides just taking a dose of it in the morning is to add it to chocolates.  Yes, I have added it to other things like smoothies, brownies, and ice cream pops, but chocolate is just so darn good and I always have just a little dark chocolate a day anyhow.  I usually just make solid chocolates, but filled ones are more fun.  My favorite type of filled chocolate to find in a box of chocolates was always caramel.  It was one of the sweetest after all, and I had a sweet tooth even more so when I was younger.  I still have a soft spot for caramel now though, although I tend to make my caramel a bit healthier now than the stuff I grew up eating.  That brings me back to the CBD chocolates!  I had never made CBD caramels before, but I decided it was about time I did last week.  Lily CBD had just sent me some of their 500mg CBD oil, so it was perfect! It had a more mellow flavor than some CBD oils, so I figured it would work well in my recipe. 

    I try not to eat refined sugar, so for my caramel base I used my favorite natural sweetener, dates!  They are nature’s caramel after all, and they blend up beautifully into a gooey sticky sweet caramel!  I combined them with a bit of coconut butter to thicken the mixture up and some pecan butter for richness because it has an almost caramel like flavor.  And of course a dash of vanilla. It wouldn’t be classic caramel without it!  I added in a bit of the CBD and it was super delicious CBD caramel!

    Yes I could have just eaten it with a spoon, it was that good, but I wanted to combine it with the chocolate as well to make it even better!  So I made little chocolate covered caramels in molds, so they looked nice and pretty.  You could of course chill the caramel a bit and roll it into balls, and dip it int the dark chocolate, but I just like the neat little squares. They were actually quite easy to make, and I actually enjoyed the process. Especially licking the bowls clean.  Just sayin. 

    When they were all set up and ready to try I couldn’t wait to taste one!  They were heavenly!  Rich gooey vanilla scented caramel, decadent dark chocolate and of course your daily dose of CBD!  You would never guess that they were vegan and didn’t have real caramel in them.  I take CBD oil daily to help fight inflammation and stress, if you like to take it as well, or are looking for a new way to enjoy it, and love caramel like I do, why not give this recipe a try!

    Vegan CBD Caramels

    Makes 20 caramels

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted
    • 1/4 cup raw pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp Lily 500mg CBD oil 

     

    Chocolate Coating:

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

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all filling ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth (if you do not have a high speed blender, you may have to pass the caramel through a fine meshed strainer to remove any date bits). Set aside while you melt the chocolate.
    2. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then pour a thin layer into the bottom of a 20 hole standard sized square chocolate mold, and place in the freezer until the chocolate has hardened.
    3. When it has, pipe or spoon the caramel into the molds over the hardened chocolate layer by the 1/2 tsp (about depending on your molds), trying to keep it from touching the edges and make sure the top is below the top of the mold.
    4. Pour more dark chocolate over that to fill the molds. Place in the freezer until hard, about 30 minutes to one hour depending on how warm it was.
    5. Pop the candy out of the molds and enjoy!
    6. Store extra caramels in the fridge.
  • Vegan Apple Streusel Muffins

    Vegan Apple Streusel Muffins

    I made apple scones earlier last week, and when I still had apples on hand, I decided that I needed to make some more apple goodies. I usually make apple crisps and apple pies and that sort of thing but this time muffins sounded good. I don’t make them often after all, and I was craving some. Also, I don’t think I have made apple muffins before. I was dreaming up some fragrantly spiced, sweet muffins packed with apple flavor and topped off with a crunchy streusel. I needed to make that happen.

    So, I blended up a few of my apples into some apple sauce, and used those for most of the wet ingredients in the muffins. They were sweet tart apples, so the flavor was perfect. I also added in some almond butter and a flax egg, and they provided just enough richness that you would never know these are oil free. Also, I added plenty of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and the spices went beautifully with the apple. I did not make these gluten free, because I had whole wheat pastry flour on hand but if you need to make them gluten free, I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour. I have used it in the past swapped with the regular flour and it works perfect!

    Lastly I topped them off with a crunchy oat streusel, because it is one of my all time favorite things especially on things that are spiced, and to top off muffins or a coffeecake. They smelled amazing while baking. Like that smell of the cinnamon apple doughnuts that wafts through the air at the apple orchard. I could not wait to try one! They were super delicious! Soft and sweet with a tender not heavy crumb and the lovely scent of fall spices.

    The streusel was crispy and the perfect pairing with it. I shared some with my Mom and she said they were some of the best muffins she ever had. That is a huge compliment considering she is not a muffin person usually. If you have apples or apple sauce on hand, definitely give these a try! They would be the perfect thing to bake on a cool fall morning and we are not far off from that!

    Apple Streusel Muffins

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 3/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 cup organic apple sauce
    • 1 ½ Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 4 ½ Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 1/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • 1/8 tsp baking powder

     

    Struesel:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp organic rolled oats
    • 3 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1/4 cup almond butter

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line 16 muffin tins with liners.
    2. Whisk together the coconut sugar, apple, almond butter and flax mixture in a large bowl.
    3. Add the flour, spices, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder and whisk until smooth.
    4. Spoon into the muffin tins.
    5. Mix the streusel ingredients together with your fingers until they start to clump together. Sprinkle over the muffins.
    6. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 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.
  • Vegan Maple Apple Scones

    Vegan Maple Apple Scones

    The deli I have worked at for over 13 years has always made scones. Everyone says that they are the best scones around, and I have to agree, because before I went vegan 7 years ago had tried them. They were tender and flakey, just the right amount of sweetness, and not dry and heavy at all. I learned how to make them from the baker, then came up with my own veganized recipe at home years later. They tasted just as good.

    Recently, in the last few months, I got the go ahead to start making some vegan scones at work since we are having a higher demand for plant based products. I couldn’t have been more thrilled! It makes me happy that more people are going vegan, and wanting more products. It is kind of fun to be able to bake at work too, since I usually just make the salads and vegan hot bar entrees. You would think I would get sick of it with blogging but I like variety and it is different there than at home.

    I was making them and smelling them last week (since my work station is next to the baked goods cooling rack as well), and I said to myself, I need to make some at home later. I had a bunch of apples that I had been gifted, so apple scones it was! It honestly makes me so happy that we are into apple season (almost) and on the edge of fall, my favorite time of the year!

    These apple scones turned out super delicious! I flavored them with a bit of maple and spice and they smelled amazing as they baked and tasted even better. They are so good served while slightly warm from the oven with a cup of tea! If you have apples on hand, give these a try!

    Vegan Maple Apple Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/2 cup pecan meal* or almond meal
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup solid virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks (if your house is above 65F degrees, chill it first)
    • 1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 1 1/2 cups tart sweet apples (such as honeycrisp) cut into small chunks
    • coconut milk for topping (if needed)
    • maple sugar or coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pecan meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut 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 into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in apples until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven).
    9. Cool on a wire rack.
    10. Enjoy!

    *If you prefer to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat pastry flour for an all purpose baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour (I have tried this brand with success).

    *For the pecan meal, blend about 3/4 cup pecans in a blender or food processor just until ground finely, but not too long or they will become butter. This should give you enough for the recipe.

  • Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac and Cheese

    Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac and Cheese

    As I was chopping some super strong onions at work and trying not to cry as my eyes burned I began to think about how it is funny you never become immune to them, even when you are someone like me who chops them just about every day. I also started to think about how good caramelized onion dip, or french onion dip is and how good those flavors would be in a mac and cheese. So, I decided that I needed to make some vegan mac and cheese when I got home.

    It was perfect! I already had onions, elbow macaroni and my secret sauce ingredient on hand. Oooh sounds exciting doesn’t it? But really my secret ingredient is just white fleshed sweet potatoes, or Japanese sweet potatoes. They have a more mellow flavor than the orange variety and they are perfect for blending up in things to get some extra veggies in them without anyone noticing. The thing that always bothered me about traditional mac and cheese was that there weren’t enough veggies in it.

    Well, I have fixed that with my mac and cheese recipes. The sauce for this is just a little bit of nut butter and mostly veggies. Honestly, this comes together in about 30 minutes too and is easier to make than any dairy mac and cheese I made from scratch back in the day. For this one I caramelized onions until they were golden brown, then combined them with the already delicious mac and cheese.

    The sauce has a few ingredients that may sound odd to you, like miso, white balsamic vinegar, stone ground mustard and nutritional yeast, but trust me on this one, they give it that amazing cheesy flavor! This is sooo good! The sauce is rich and flavorful almost like a mellow white cheddar, and the sweet caramelized onions are the perfect pairing with it! If you are in the mood for some somewhat healthy comfort food, give this a try!

    Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac and Cheese
    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 large sweet yellow onion, sliced thinly
    • 2 tsp avocado oil
    • 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potato* (the white fleshed variety)
    • 1 cup hot filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1/3 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1 medium garlic clove
    • 2 tsp stone ground mustard
    • 1 Tbsp white balsamic 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 gluten free elbow pasta

    Instructions:

    1. Heat a pan over medium heat, and add the onion and oil. Cook, stirring often until the onion caramelizes, about 15 minutes. You may need to add a splash of water now and then to prevent it from sticking on the bottom. Remove from heat once golden brown and tender. Set aside.
    2. Next, 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.
    3. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, then place back in the pot, add the cheese and onions, and stir to coat.  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 Key Lime Curd Bars

    Vegan Key Lime Curd Bars

    Key lime pie and all things tart citrus have always been favorites in my family. When I was little, my Mom and I would often buy truffles at a counter in a department store in the Mall, and it was usually the key lime flavored ones. One time the clerk said that she didn’t know why we liked them so much, because she thought they were too tart, but on the contrary we thought they were perfect! Often times I feel like citrus desserts have way too much sweet to counteract the tart but what I like is a balance of the two. When I make my key lime pies I often times use a little less sweetener for that reason. I love tart lime!

    So last week when I had a bag of limes on hand and was trying to decide what to make, lime curd bars came to mind. I have also always had a love for those lemon curd bars, so I figured why not make them in the fashion? I have never made lime curd bars before, so it was more exciting too. For the crust I made a shortbread cookie dough, and pre-baked it before adding the filling on top of it so it would be nice and crispy to contrast the filling. I used whole wheat pastry flour mixed with a little tapioca starch to lighten it but if you wanted to make these gluten free, you could swap it out for gluten free all purpose baking flour (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill).

    For the filling, I used plenty of lime juice and zest, with coconut cream to make it nice and rich since there would be no dairy or eggs in this, and combined it with a little maple syrup and vanilla to sweeten it. I thickened it with corn starch which worked out slick and you just pour the filling into the crust and let it before enjoying.

    Lastly since traditional citrus bars are topped off with a powdered sugar topping I wanted these to look just as pretty so I made a coconut “powdered sugar” dust. It isn’t super sweet like actual powdered sugar but it is pretty and goes well with the lime. If you area fan of citrus curd bars, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Key Lime Curd Bars
    Makes 16

    Crust:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/2 cup tapioca flour (or cornstarch would work as well)
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil liquid at cool temperatures)

    Filling:

    • 3/4 cup lime juice
    • 2 Tbsp lime zest
    • 1/2 cup cornstarch
    • 1 3/4 cups canned coconut cream
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp spinach powder (for color, optional)
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    For Topping:

    • 1/4 cup finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper (so that it goes up the sides too).
    2. To make the crust, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined, then press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
    3. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Remove from oven.
    4. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a sauce pan, except the vanilla extract, and whisk to dissolve the cornstarch. Place on the stove over medium heat, whisking constantly until it is starting to thicken. When it starts to thicken cook for a minute or two, until it is thickened to the consistency of pudding, then whisk in the vanilla extract.
    5. Pour the filling over the prepared crust, and let cool completely, then refrigerate for a few hours until completely chilled.
    6. Buzz the coconut in a blender until it is fine like flour, then dust the tops of the bars with it by putting it in a fine meshed strainer and tapping it over them.
    7. Cut into 16 bars.

    Store any extra bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

    *If you wanted to make these gluten free, you could use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour instead of the pastry flour.

  • CBD Dark Chocolate Mint Bark

    CBD Dark Chocolate Mint Bark

    I take CBD oil every day to fight inflammation and stress, usually in oil form, but it is so much more fun being able to enjoy it in dessert form, specifically in chocolate form. I enjoy dark chocolate just about every day, so I figure, why not add my CBD oil to my treats sometimes? Raw Guru recently sent me some lovely CBD products from Veggimins, including some of their dark chocolate bars and 500 mg peppermint CBD oil so that gave me an idea. Chocolate bark! I haven’t made any in ages, but I used to love making and eating chocolate bark back in the day as a kid, so why not?!

    I love that it doesn’t require any fancy chocolate molds, and it not fussy. I did not used to own chocolate molds, so it was one of the first things I made. I was picturing a dark chocolate bark swirled with green and white to make it pretty. Luckily it turned out just as I had planned. I hate it when things don’t turn out. They usually still taste good even if they don’t look pretty but I am somewhat of a perfectionist most of the time when it comes to the appearance of my desserts.

    I just melted some of that Veggimins dark chocolate, along with some other dark chocolate I had to create the base for the bark and added a little peppermint extract, along with the peppermint CBD oil to give it just enough peppermint flavor. I love peppermint things in the summer for their cooling affect!

    I then tinted some coconut butter green with matcha, which by the way also goes good with peppermint and chocolate and swirled that into the bark along with some coconut butter to create a tricolor affect. It was lovely, and so easy! If you are a peppermint fan, and would like to get your daily dose of CBD in chocolate form, give this a try!

    CBD Dark Chocolate Mint Bark

    Makes about 20 pieces of bark

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 2 tsp Veggimins CBD oil
    • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1/3 cup melted coconut butter plus 2 Tbsp
    • 1/2 tsp matcha powder

    Instructions:

    1. Line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment.
    2. Heat the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until melted, then stir in the CBD oil, and peppermint extract.
    3. Whisk the matcha powder into 1/3 cup of the coconut butter.
    4. Pour the dark chocolate into the prepared pan, then drop the coconut butter with the matcha over it by the teaspoon randomly. Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp of coconut butter over that, then swirl it all with a knife to create a pretty pattern.
    5. Place in the refrigerator until it is hard, about an hour.
    6. Remove from the pan and break into pieces.
    7. Enjoy!

    Keeps in a container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

  • Vegan Maple Cinnamon Rolls

    Vegan Maple Cinnamon Rolls

    Nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. It is such a happy smell, and one can not possibly be in a bad mood when exposed to the heavenly scent! At least I can’t. I have always loved them, since I was a little kid. I used to like it when my Mom made the ones from a can with the cream cheese frosting even though they weren’t home made. But what I really loved were the ones that my Grandma always bought at a local bakery. They were giant, and so fluffy, sweet and packed with cinnamon flavor, and topped off with a cream cheese icing.

    Well, it has been a while since I have had a cinnamon roll. I have made caramel rolls since I went vegan, and other types of rolls but not plain cinnamon. I don’t know why because every time I see them I tell myself that I need to make some because I get hungry for them. Maybe it is partly because I get a little overwhelmed with yeasted goodies sometimes because they take longer to make than say a cake that you just whip up and bake without rising time. But I had a few free hours last Sunday and I decided that baking some cinnamon rolls was the perfect thing to do.

    The yeast wasn’t so bad. In fact, kneading bread or roll dough is kind of relaxing and the finished product is totally worth the rising time. I just went for a walk and did other things while the dough did its thing. I decided to use maple sugar in these because I love that in combination with the cinnamon and they smelled amazing while baking!

    They had to be topped with some luscious cream cheese style frosting too! So, I used a combination of Dastony coconut butter and macadamia nut butter from Raw Guru with a little maple syrup and vanilla and it was heavenly! The rolls were soft and they had plenty of cinnamon and maple flavor which was perfect with the creamy rich frosting! If you are a cinnamon roll fan, give these a try, they are totally worth the extra time!

    Vegan Maple Cinnamon 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)
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 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:

    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

    Glaze:

    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, maple extract, avocado oil, 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. Brush with the maple syrup so you have a thin coating of it for the sugar to stick to. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, then sprinkle 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 Strawberry Cream Cheese

    Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese

    My Mom recently wanted me to try some vegan strawberry cream cheese that she had bought, because it was from a brand that had really good vegan ricotta that we both liked. I tried the cream cheese, but I thought it was just ok. It had kind of a weird aftertaste, and not enough strawberry flavor for me. I decided that I needed to make my own version of really good strawberry cream cheese that was more than just ok.

    For the base, I started off with a mixture of Dastony raw cashew butter and Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru. They had recently sent them to me, so it was perfect! The cashew butter was to give it that creamy spreadable consistency that real cream cheese has and the coconut butter was to thicken it once it chilled since I also added water to it to make it smoother and more spreadable.

    I added plenty of strawberries to it as well, since this was strawberry cream cheese after all, and the strawberry flavor should be the star of the show unlike that other stuff I tried. What I used were freeze dried strawberries actually because they are packed with so much flavor, and not any extra moisture. Lastly a touch of lemon juice and sea salt to give it that slight tang and it was perfect!

    I pretty much lived off of blueberry bagels spread with a super thick layer of strawberry cream cheese for a time when I was little, and I think I would have loved this veganized version just as much because it tastes just as good as dairy cream cheese if not better! If you have ever been a fan of strawberry cream cheese, give this a try!

    Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese

    Ingredients:

    Instructions:

    1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, and process until smooth.
    2. Pour into a container with a lid.

    Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

  • Vegan Spicedoodles

    Vegan Spicedoodles

    Snickerdoodles are a fairly common cookie, but I actually had never tried one until I was a senior in high school. I remember the first time I had one, it was at a coffee shop at a ski lodge with my friend, and she asked me if I wanted to split one with her since they were pretty large. At first I was wondering why she didn’t just pick the chocolate chip cookie, but then when I actually tried it, I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. It wasn’t just your standard sugar cookie. Yes, it had the rich texture and a nice soft and chewiness to it, but it had the aroma and flavor of cinnamon as well. I then decided that I liked snickerdoodles and a few weeks later we even attempted to make some at home. They didn’t turn out so perfect because we made them way too big and too close together, but they still tasted good.

    They aren’t something that I make often, but when I do, I always wonder why I don’t make them more often if that makes sense. I guess half the time what I make for cookies are requests from my family and friends. But last week I decided to make some soft sugar cookies (not the cut out kind), but then they happened to morph into snickerdoodles, because that sounded even better. I love cinnamon and sugar on things, I think it goes back to the days when I would beg my Mom to make me some cinnamon sugar toast as a kid.

    I have made vegan snickerdoodles before as an adult, but I actually like to add more spices than just cinnamon now hence me calling them “spicedoodles” in this post. Specifically I used some Chinese 5 spice powder in them, and I really loved that combination of spices with the sugar cookie.

    I used a combination of cashew butter and coconut butter to make the dough rich and delicious and it had a nice smooth consistency. Of course it had to have vanilla as well, and I used maple sugar to sweeten it because I felt that it would go good with the spices. They smelled amazing while baking and I could not wait to try one! I did not wait until they cooled completely I enjoyed one warm and it was heavenly! If you are a fan of snickerdoodles, give these a try for a twist!

    Vegan Spicedoodles

    Makes 24 cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Tbsp ground golden flax seed
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/2 cup light coconut milk
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 3/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar or coconut sugar, plus more for sprinkling
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder

    Instructions:

    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 milk, coconut butter and cashew butter 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, a cup at a time, mixing between each addition, until well combined.
    5. To bake, Preheat your oven to 350F 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. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
    6. Mix together 2 Tbsp sugar and the Chinese 5 spice powder, and sprinkle over the cookies.
    7. 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 before enjoying.

  • Vegan Marble Cupcakes

    Vegan Marble Cupcakes

    When I was a kid, marble cupcakes were always my favorite. I mean, you get the best of both worlds, chocolate and vanilla together! Also, they felt kind of special, because you usually would only get them at celebrations or birthdays! The weird thing is though, I have not really made many marble cakes since I became vegan.

    The one celebration cake I made that was a marble cake was about 10 years ago when I made one for an ex boyfriend. It was one that was pretty fussy where you had to whip the eggs separately and fold them in and what not, and I made a really good vanilla butter cream to top it off. It was the best marble cake I had ever tried at that point. And all my ex boyfriend said about it was that it didn’t taste like the cake at the grocery store (you know the ones made with fake ingredients and shortening?). There is a reason he is an ex lol. That cake was bomb.

    I was thinking about that the other day and I decided that I kinda wanted some marble cake again. But I didn’t want to make a giant cake, so I decided on cupcakes instead! After all, they are just as delicious, but less time and effort to make. The best part is, this batter is really easy to make compared to that cake I made 10 years ago that was super fussy.

    I frosted them with a pink coconut cream frosting and they were super delicious! Sweet and soft with the rich chocolate cake and fragrant vanilla cake combined plus the creamy frosting! If you are a marble cake fan, definitely give them a try!

    Vegan Marble 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
    • 3/4 cup granulated xylitol*
    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 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)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
    • natural vegan food coloring (optional), I used 1/2 tsp beet powder for pink, but matcha could also be used for green, or turmeric for yellow.

    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. Divide the batter between 2 bowls, and whisk the cacao powder into one of them, then whisk 1 Tbsp of the cider vinegar into each bowl.
    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. Spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes, and serve!

    *The reason I used xylitol for this cake was to keep it pale in color.  If you do not care for xylitol, use 1 cup coconut sugar or 1 cup maple sugar instead, just keep in  mind you will get a darker color cake. Or you could just use regular sugar if you prefer that.

    *Do not feed this cake to dogs, xylitol is toxic to them.

  • Vegan Chickpea Blondies

    Vegan Chickpea Blondies

    I think I use chickpeas in more recipes than any other bean. I am always making hummus, and salads with chickpeas and I even add them to cheesecake recipes instead of cashews as a nut free version. I recently made black bean brownies, so I figured why not make chickpea blondies?! I make so many other things with them, and they are a pretty neutral flavor so they go good in things that are vanilla flavored. Plus I love adding ingredients with fiber and protein to my desserts for an added boost so long as I can’t taste them.

    These blondies were really simple to make, you just blend the first part in the blender then mix in the rest and pour into a pan, that simple. For the batter though, in a regular blondie recipe I would have used coconut oil but in this one I used avocado oil because it has a more buttery flavor, and it will stay soft when cooled down (coconut oil desserts sometimes get too hard when refrigerated or too cool).

    To keep these nice and moist also I used some aquafaba because why not since I was already using chickpeas in the recipe. If you don’t know what aquafaba is it is chickpea liquid. Either canned or home made. If your chickpeas are already drained though, no worries, you can also use a flax egg for the recipe instead if you would like.

    The dough tasted super delicious, and they baked up beautifully! They smelled amazing too as I pulled them from the oven. Just like chocolate chip cookies. Honestly these are best when you enjoy them while still warm and the chocolate chips are gooey! They have a nice soft texture and a vanilla caramel like flavor throughout. Next time you have some chickpeas on hand and are in the mood for something sweet give these a try!

    Vegan Chickpea Blondies

    Makes 16

    • 1/2 cup avocado oil
    • 1 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
    • 3 Tbsp aquafaba (the liquid of canned chickpeas)* or 1 Tbsp flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 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.
    2. To make the dough, add the the oil, coconut sugar, chickpeas, flax and water mixture and vanilla to a high speed blender or food processor and process until smooth.
    3. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl.
    4. Add the flour, soda, and salt and mix until smooth.
    5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
    6. Pour into the bottom of the 8×8 inch pan and spread with a offset spatula or knife until the top is even, and place in the oven.
    7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until done in the center and lightly brown.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into bars. When ready to cut, just lift them out with the parchment onto a cutting board and cut into 16 bars.
    9. Enjoy!
  • Summer Basil Pesto Pasta

    Summer Basil Pesto Pasta

    When you are gifted a bag of pine nuts and a large bunch of basil, you make pesto! Or, at least that is the way I think. That is just what happened last week, and I had some whole wheat spaghetti on hand so it was perfect! Back in the day when I first got interested in cooking (college), basil pesto was one of the first things I made with pasta. I mean, it is so simple and so easy and you can be eating dinner in no time. Not only that, it is super delicious as well!

    Over the years I have made many different kinds of pesto, I started off with cheese included of course because I was a vegetarian at that point, then later moved on to adding nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor. Or just leaving it out all together, that is good too depending on what mood I was in. Normally I do not actually use pine nuts jut because they are so expensive (at least where I live), so I used almonds or walnuts instead. I was lucky this time though since I was gifted the pine nuts for the pesto so I could use them.

    They do make the pesto a little more buttery and smooth, I can see why they are in the classic pesto. I like mine with plenty of lemon juice and a good amount of garlic as well! Kinda like hummus, I add those two ingredients to that too more than most people. The pesto comes out super flavorful and pretty smooth since I used a Vitamix to blend it. It even tastes a little rich from the pine nuts! That is actually the only source of richness in this recipe since I did not use oil in it. It didn’t need oil.

    This is the perfect thing to make for dinner on a summer night when you don’t want to put in a lot of effort into making dinner, but still want something really satisfying, delicious and packed with flavor. It is kind of like summer comfort food!

    Summer Basil Pesto Pasta

    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
    • 3/4 cup pine nuts or almonds
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 1/4 cup filtered water or as needed
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper

    Pasta:

    • 4 oz organic whole wheat spaghetti
    • 2 cups organic cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

    Instructions:

    1. To make the pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until almost smooth (adding a little more water if you think it is too thick to coat pasta). Set aside.
    2. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
    3. Drain the pasta, then place back into the pan and stir in the basil pesto and tomatoes until the pasta is coated.
    4. Serve!
  • Vegan Maple Pecan Brownie Sundaes

    Vegan Maple Pecan Brownie Sundaes

    A lot of restaurants have brownie sundaes on their menu. I have seen other people order them, but I have never actually had one of my own. One of the restaurants I went to this year for my Birthday had a brownie sundae that came free if it was your birthday, but it wasn’t vegan sadly, so they brought it and my family ate it and I just watched. Don’t worry I wasn’t sad, but I was inspired to create my own brownie sundae at home! Why not? I like to bake brownies, and make ice cream!

    Now I could have gone with the standard plain brownies with fudge and vanilla ice cream, or maybe chocolate ice cream, but I was in the mood for caramel. So I decided to pair the caramel with what it pairs best with, pecans and maple. My decision may have just been influenced a little by the fact that I had recently made some maple pecan ice cream and happened to have it on hand. That and the fact that I love pecans, caramel and chocolate together. I mean, turtle (not the animal, the candy and flavor combo) is amazing.

    All I had to do was bake the brownies and make the caramel. I like my brownies super fudgy. So I made them a little different than usual and used a combination of nut butter and applesauce. Which also means that these brownies happen to be oil free as an added bonus! They turned out super delicious all fudgy and intensely chocolaty just how I like them with crunchy pecans and rich dark chocolate chips!

    I layered the brownies with my home made creamy rich maple pecan ice cream and some quick one minute caramel that I make often, plus the crunchy pecans and it was so heavenly! I am sure this is much better than that non vegan brownie sundae ever would have been!

    Vegan Maple Pecan Brownie Sundaes

    Vegan Maple Pecan Ice Cream

    Makes about 4 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 2 15 oz cans full fat coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans, chopped lightly
    1. To make the ice cream, combine all ingredients but the pecans in a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour it into an ice cream maker and process according to the directions. (If you do not have an ice cream maker, alternatively, you may pour it into a bowl, place in the freezer and whisk every half hour until it becomes the consistency of thick malt and proceed with the recipe).
    3. When it has finished, stir in the pecans, then pour into a freezer safe container with a lid and let chill and firm up a few hours more before serving.
    4. Enjoy!

    Vegan Pecan Brownies

    Makes 16 regular sized brownies or 9 large ones

    Brownies:

    • 3/4 cup applesauce
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter ( or smooth almond butter if you don’t have pecan)
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 3 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top
    • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, oil and 8×8 inch pan and line it with parchment.
    2. Whisk together the sugar, apple sauce 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 and sea salt and beat until smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
    3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle more chocolate chips over it.
    4. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).
    5. Let cool completely before cutting into bars, for the sundae recipe I cut them a little bigger than normal, 9 pieces instead of 16. But you can cut them the size you like.

    For Sundae Assembly

    Caramel and Pecans:

    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter (or almond butter if you don’t have pecan butter)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • filtered water as needed
    • toasted pecans

    Instructions:

    1. To make the caramel, whisk together the maple syrup, pecan butter sea salt and vanilla until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of filtered water, plus more if it seems too thick. You want to be able to pour it but not have it too runny.
    2. To assemble the sundae, place a brownie on a plate, then top it off with ice cream, the caramel and chopped pecans!
    3. Enjoy!
  • Oil Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Oil Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    I am often asked to create oil free recipes so I have been working on some lately, and one of the first things that I chose to make was chocolate chip cookies. I mean, chocolate chip cookies are pretty standard when it comes to classic recipes. I know they were certainly one of my favorites growing up. I remember being in my Grandma’s kitchen helping her make them as a child many times being super excited about them. She knew the recipe by heart she made it so often. I was always trying to steal the dough and she would pretend like she didn’t see me grabbing some. They were always so amazing while still warm and gooey from the oven too!

    The whole chocolate chip cookie baking process is just a really happy experience for me. Well, baking in general is my happy place so long as the recipe I am making turns out and this time it did so I was thrilled! I wanted a chocolate chip cookie that still tasted rich while being oil free, so what I used for the fat in the recipe was a combination of coconut butter and Dastony sprouted almond butter from Raw Guru. I figured the coconut butter would give it richness and the almond butter the chewiness that I like in my chocolate chip cookies.

    I used organic whole wheat pastry flour for the base, but of course if you are gluten free, you could use Bob’s Red Mill AP gluten free baking flour (I prefer that brand because it always works in 1:1 swaps). I used coconut sugar for the sweetener because I like the caramel like flavor it gives cookies and my Grandma had always used brown sugar in her cookies which kind of has the same affect.

    They turned out super delicious! Soft and chewy just how I like my chocolate chip cookies, with a light caramel like flavor and gooey chocolate chips as I enjoyed one while still warm! Next time you are in the mood for a good chocolate chip cookie, give these a try!

    Oil Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Makes 16 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    •  2 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter (not oil)*, warmed to liquid
    • 1/2 cup Dastony almond butter
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate 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, coconut butter and almond butter with sugar and mix until well combined
      Mix in the 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 chocolate chips.
    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. Remove from the oven, and press the chocolate chunks into the cookies (I do this instead of mixing them in because they look prettier and don’t melt so much that way), and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
    7. Repeat with remaining cookies and let cool for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.

    *For those unfamiliar with coconut butter it is the whole ground coconut flesh similar to nut butter, not the same thing as coconut oil. If you can not find any at the store or don’t want to order online you can make your own by buzzing finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut in a high speed blender until smooth, using the tamper to press it down into the blades. It takes just a few minutes. Alternatively you can use a food processor, it just takes a lot longer to blend and you need to scrape it down.

  • Vegan Raspberry Lavender Pie Cookies

    Vegan Raspberry Lavender Pie Cookies

    Raspberries are my all time favorite fruit. Maybe because they are somewhat abundant here in Minnesota and I ate a lot of them as a kid. Or because they have a season limited to a couple of months here so they also seem somewhat special. Yes, you can buy them year round shipped in from other places, but they are definitely best this time of the year when they are local. So, I have been making a lot of things with raspberries lately.

    Last week I thought some raspberry pie sounded good but I didn’t want to make a giant pie so I decided on mini pies instead. When I say mini, I mean really mini as in pie cookies. I have made them before in other flavors so I figured why not raspberry?! Plus they are all cute and shareable and perfectly portioned for a few bites!

    I also decided to make them a little fancier and add a touch of lavender to them. Berries and lavender are so heavenly together! These were easy to make. You just make a simple pie crust dough (the trick is not to completely over-mix it), then roll it out and have fun cutting it into cute little circles that you then fill with jam and another piece of dough. I felt kind of like a kid playing with play dough.

    They baked up beautifully and in much less time than an actual pie would have. Also most importantly they turned out super delicious! The pie crust was buttery and rich and the raspberry filling sweet and gooey! If you love fruit pies, and have raspberries on hand, give this recipe a go!

    Vegan Raspberry Lavender Pie Cookies
    Makes 18

    Crust:

    Filling:

    • 1/2 cup mashed raspberries mixed with 1 Tbsp maple sugar and 1 tsp cornstarch or 1/2 cup vegan raspberry jam
    • 1/2 tsp dried lavender flowers

    Topping:

    • coconut milk or aquafaba for brushing tops
    • maple sugar or coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
    2. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices.
    3. 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.
    4. Roll out into a large rectangle 1/8 inch thick using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin, and cut into 36 circles with a cookie cutter.
    5. Mix the jam with the lavender.
    6. Spoon the raspberries or jam by the tsp onto half of the prepared little crust circles, 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.
    7. Brush very lightly with a little coconut milk, then sprinkle with a little maple sugar.  Place the pan in the oven.
    8. 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.
  • Cake Batter Dessert Hummus

    Cake Batter Dessert Hummus

    I admit when I first heard about dessert hummus or using beans in dessert recipes I was completely skeptical. How could that possibly taste good? Would it still be beany flavored? But you know what? I am now a huge fan. I love using beans in my dessert recipes like my nut free cheesecakes, brownies and dessert hummus. They add protein and fiber which we all need, and they give the things I use them in a nice texture. I think I actually make dessert hummus now more than regular savory hummus at home. Earlier this week, I decided to make some cake batter hummus.

    Eric and I had been at a local ice cream shop over the weekend and had some vegan birthday cake ice cream, so I thought why not cake batter hummus?! I have always loved the flavor and aroma of vanilla birthday cake hence the name of my blog. My Grandma often times added a touch of almond extract along with the vanilla to her cake and cookie recipes so I do that as well and consider it birthday cake flavor for my recipes. Since she did make birthday cakes for family members and even let me help decorate some of them.

    This hummus is super simple to make. I always keep cooked chickpeas on hand for things like this and other recipes. I just cook a big pot, then freeze them in portioned out containers for later use. So I just took some of those and blended them up with some coconut milk and Dastony cashew butter from Raw Guru to make it nice and creamy and some dates to sweeten it. Because dates are about as natural and unprocessed as you can get when it comes to sweeteners.

    It was super delicious but of course it needed the vanilla and almond as well to be cake batter flavored. Also it needed the sprinkles. Because I think every birthday cake I had growing it up had some form of sprinkles. They just make everything seem more special even if they don’t have much flavor themselves! This hummus is good with a spoon of course, but I think my favorite thing to pair it with is strawberries! It is sooo good! You could even use it as a healthier frosting for something! If you are in the mood for some cake batter, give this a try!

    Cake Batter Dessert Hummus
    Makes about 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1 1/4 cups pitted medjool dates, soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes and drained
    • 1 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp almond extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup Dastony raw cashew butter or raw almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp vegan sprinkles

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients but the sprinkles in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth (adding a little more water if necessary). 
    2. Stir in the sprinkles.
    3. Enjoy! Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks in a sealed container.
  • Vegan Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Muffins

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Muffins

    Last weekend we took a trip up north to Duluth and we had to stop at a couple of gas stations along the way. I don’t usually pay attention to much in a gas station besides where the bathroom is on a road trip, but while I was in there some giant muffins caught my eye. They brought back memories of when I was younger and I used to go to the gas station with my Dad and beg him to buy me muffins and doughnuts. I loved those giant muffins! So, I said to myself as I was standing there, I need to make some muffins
    soon. So, I made some later in the week. Raw Guru had recently sent me some Rawmio Hazelnut Chocolate Spread some of the most heavenly stuff ever, and rather than just eat it with a spoon like I usually do, I decided that it would be awesome in the muffins.

    I was just going to make some chocolate hazelnut muffins, but since I had some bananas on hand, I decided that banana muffins sounded equally as delicious and I added those in there too. Plus, bananas give things a nice moist soft texture which is perfect in muffins! These were really simple and easy to make too, so perfect for when you don’t have a lot of time, but still want to enjoy something delicious and sweet!

    They actually happen to be oil free, because the bananas provide plenty of moisture and the nut butter provides a bit of richness. The batter was super delicious. Yes, I tested it and yes, I licked the bowl clean after I was done scooping the batter into the tins. It was even more delicious with the chocolate chunks I stirred into it. I just took some Rawmio dark chocolate bars and chopped those up and added them. Because one can never have too much chocolate in a chocolate dessert!

    The muffins baked up beautifully! Nice and domed on top. I hate flat muffins. The muffin tops are the best part after all, and when they are flat there is no top! Also, I hate when I bake them and then they fall and they are all sunken. These ones maintained their height even as they cooled. I had to try one while they were still a little warm because those gooey chocolate chips in the sweet muffin batter make it even better. They were super delicious! They had a moist, light crumb, plenty of chocolate flavor and a hint of hazelnut and banana! If you are in the mood for something chocolaty, give these a try!

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Muffins
    Makes 12

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 3/4 cup Rawmio chocolate hazelnut spread (or hazelnut 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 Rawmio Essentials dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate chips or chunks

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line 12 muffin tins with liners.
    2. Whisk together the coconut sugar, rawmio chocolate spread, 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. Spoon into the muffin tins.
    6. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 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.
  • Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

    Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

    Growing up, I used to love eggplant parmesan. Or anything parmesan for that matter, my Mom would make chicken parmesan a lot as well. I loved the red sauce served with it and the crispy parmesan crust, the cheese and all of the good flavors of course. Surprisingly I haven’t yet tried to make a vegan eggplant parmesan until this week. I have been wanting to for a while, and I finally had time on one of my days off so I went for it!

    Traditionally it is fried, and a pretty rich dish but I made mine much lighter. Since I never actually fry things I prefer to bake them or use the air fryer. I decided to bake these though because I had to spread them out on a large pan and I wanted them all to get done at the same time. To start off with, instead of an egg wash, I used a flax egg wash because it was what I had on hand. And it worked perfect! For the coating I used a mixture of almond meal and nutritional yeast with herbs and spices because I wanted it to be delicious but gluten free. The almond meal has some protein and the nutritional yeast gives it a cheesy flavor so it is wins all around!

    They baked up beautifully and I couldn’t want to add the sauce and cheese. For the sauce, I made it really simple and oil free but it turned out super flavorful. For the cheese sauce I used Dastony Raw Cashew Butter that Raw Guru recently sent me and it turned out rich and delicious! Who doesn’t love a good cashew cheese sauce?!

    Once the eggplant was all layered up with the cheese I could not wait to try it! It was super delicious, like an eggplant lasagna! If you get your hands on some eggplant, definitely give this recipe a try! Since it is eggplant season now, I expect to be seeing it at the farmer’s market soon!

    Vegan Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

    Makes 3 stacks

    Eggplant:

    • 1 medium Italian Eggplant, cut into thin 1/4 inch thick slices lengthwise
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups almond meal
    • 3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

     

    Sauce:

    • 3/4 cup tomato paste
    • 1 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

     

    Cheese Sauce:

    • 3/4 cup Dastony raw cashew butter
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the eggplant, preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    2. Spread the eggplant slices out on the pan.
    3. Brush the slices of eggplant on one side with the flax mixture.
    4. Mix together the almond meal, nutritional yeast, salt, basil, oregano, and garlic powder, in a bowl until well blended, then sprinkle it over each eggplant slice, patting it in after.
    5. Flip the eggplant slices over, and brush the other side with the flax mixture, and sprinkle with the remaining almond meal mixture.
    6. Place in the oven and bake until tender and starting to brown, about 25-30 minutes.
    7. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan. If it seems too thick, add a little more water. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every so often, then remove from heat.
    8. Meanwhile, to make the cheese sauce, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. You want it to be thick but pour-able so if it seems too thick, add more water.
    9. When the eggplant is ready, to make the stacks, place 3 slices of eggplant on a tray. Spoon some of the red sauce and cheese sauce over it, and top with another eggplant slice. Repeat 2 more times until you have 3 slices in each stack and end with the red sauce and cheese sauce.
    10. Serve!
  • Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake

    I have been wanting to make a peanut butter and jelly cheesecake lately. It all started a few weeks back when I made some peanut butter and jelly ice cream, and peanut butter and jelly white chocolates and I was going to make the cake right away but I decided to wait until my Birthday! A peanut butter and jelly cheesecake sounded like the perfect Birthday cake! I am obsessed with the combo after all and 4 years ago I made a peanut butter and jelly cream pie instead of cake and that was good.

    So I went for the cheesecake last weekend. It is actually my birthday today, but I made the cake early so I could enjoy it for a few days and not have to make it on my Birthday. Many people ask me why I make my birthday cake instead of buying it. Well, if I make it myself, I get exactly what I want. Plus I have fun making it! It is kind of like making art, making cakes. At least for me. I enjoy the process of creating recipes.

    Although I could have just made this cake vanilla and swirled it with peanut butter and jelly I decided to swirl it with peanut butter cheesecake and berry cheesecake. It just made it more pretty and extra delicious. I used a secret ingredient in the cake as well. Some chickpeas in place of the cashews I used to always use in my vegan cheesecake. Honestly they taste about the same, and my tummy likes them better. Also, it is so much cheaper and I always have chickpeas on hand. Don’t worry you can’t taste them at all!

    In addition to the cheesecake fillings, I did swirl the cake with gooey peanut butter and berry jam. I could not wait to try it! But it had to set up overnight first. It was well worth the wait though. It turned out sooo good! It was the perfect birthday cake, and a lot easier to make than a layer cake. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good layer cake, but cheesecake has a special place in my heart.

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly 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 organic peanut butter
    • 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 cooked chickpeas
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbp coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
    • 1/2 cup fresh organic raspberries or strawberries
    • 1/4 cup smooth organic peanut butter

     

    Swirl:

    • 1/3 cup organic raspberry or strawberry jam
    • 1/3 cup peanut butter

     

    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 but the raspberries and peanut butter in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    4. Divide between 2 bowls.
    5. Add one back to the blender with the raspberries and blend until smooth then pour back into the bowl. Whisk the peanut butter into the other bowl until well blended.
    6. drop half of each bowl of filling over the prepared crust by the tsp. randomly, then tap on the table, and drop some of the jam and peanut butter over than randomly (but spaced out) by the tsp as well. Swirl with a knife a few times. Repeat with the remaining filling and more peanut butter and jelly.
    7. 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).
    8. 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 Jalapeno Limeade

    Raspberry Jalapeno Limeade

    We are at the point in the Summer, right around my birthday where it is really hot here. Well, I consider it really hot. With the Minnesota humidity it is just downright sticky, and you start sweating within minutes of being outside. That doesn’t stop me from going out of course. I would much rather run and walk outside than workout indoors. I do tend to get super sweaty though, and if I stand in one place I start dripping sweat into puddles around me. I was at that point after my run last Wednesday and I decided that I wanted nothing more than an ice cold lemonade or limeade. Unfortunately I had to shower and get ready for work so I didn’t have time for that. But I told myself I would make one when I got home.

    I decided on limeade since I already had some limes on hand and wouldn’t have to buy anything to make it. I could have just made plain limeade, but where is the fun in that? I like fancy home made drinks. Especially ones involving citrus and berries. So I went for raspberry limeade since I had some raspberries as well.

    I love it when I have all of the things I need already for a recipe and don’t need to do any extra shopping. Raspberry limeade on its own would have been good but I threw some jalapeno in there for a kick as well. I love spicy things, and I love drinks that are infused with them, so I was super excited. Also, I should add this is sugar free, because I used stevia to sweeten it. So you will still feel good after drinking it no sugar high.

    It was really easy to make and within 5 minutes I was sipping on a super delicious fancy raspberry jalapeno limeade! It almost made me forget about being a bit too warm all day and made me feel refreshed! If you are craving something sweet and refreshing to quench your thirst, give this a try!

    Raspberry Jalapeno Limeade

    Makes 2 drinks

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup fresh, organic raspberries
    • 4 slices fresh jalapeno
    • 4 cups filtered water
    • 2/3 cup fresh organic lime juice
    • 1 1/2 tsp liquid stevia (or to taste) or 2 Tbsp maple syrup if you don’t prefer stevia
    • ice and lime slices for garnish

    Instructions:

    1. Mash the raspberries with the jalapeno in the bottom of a large glass measuring cup with the handle end of a wooden spoon until they are smaller pieces (or alternatively, use an immersion blender to make it easier).
    2. Add the filtered water, the lime juice and the stevia (or maple syrup) and stir until well blended.
    3. Add desired amount of ice and lime slices to two tall glasses, and pour the limeade into them. If you would like it to be free of chunks of fruit, pour it through a fine meshed strainer first.
    4. Serve!
  • Vegan Black Raspberry Blondies

    Vegan Black Raspberry Blondies

    Sometimes on my runs I am in the zone and sorting out my own thoughts, and other times I pay more attention to the beautiful things in nature around me. There sure is a lot of beautiful things to enjoy lately. Like a yard full of different colors of lilies, or the animals that all seem to be out. The best discovery I have made lately though were the wild black raspberries. I have been watching them ripen for the past week and they were finally starting to be ready last weekend.

    I decided I would go back later and pick some since I don’t usually stop during my run. It seems like the raspberries are going crazy this year! There are more than I have ever seen, usually it is a few patches, but this year they are everywhere! Maybe it was the weird weather we had last Winter and the late Spring, but whatever the case, I am happy there are so many. Eric and I picked a bunch, and snacked on a few but I decided that I should make some recipes with them as well. Because why not?! They are super delicious.

    So I made some black raspberry blondies. It was between that and brownies, but I am a vanilla girl after all, and I hadn’t made blondies in a long time so they won. I love that they are so easy to make, and so shareable too. I made my classic blondies with good quality vegan dark chocolate chips, and stirred in the raspberries. The dough was amazing. Just saying. Dough is my favorite part of the baking process so I had to try some.

    They smelled amazing while baking, and I could not wait to try them. Once they had cooled down and were all ready to go, I was all over them. They turned out super delicious with the rich vanilla cookie dough, dark chocolate chips and jammy black raspberries! I think using them in blondies was definitely the right choice!

    Vegan Black Raspberry Blondies

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup coconut oil
    • 1 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp ground golden flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 3/4 cup black raspberries

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment.
    2. To make the dough, mix together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until well blended with a wooden spoon.
    3. Add the flax and water mixture and vanilla and mix until well blended.
    4. Add the flour, soda, and salt and mix until smooth.
    5. Stir in the chocolate chips and black raspberries (they will get crushed a bit and that’s ok).
    6. Press into the bottom of the 8×8 inch pan, and place in the oven.
    7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until done in the center and lightly brown.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into bars. When ready to cut, just lift them out with the parchment onto a cutting board and cut into 16 bars.
    9. Enjoy!
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dessert Hummus

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dessert Hummus

    I am a huge hummus fan. I know, it is a stereotype that all vegans love hummus, and I fit into it I guess. But I like to have some on hand at all times for snacking on so I make it a lot. I love the classic hummus with chickpeas as the base, and lots of tahini and lemon and a little cumin and sea salt and garlic. But dessert hummus makes me really happy too. I mean, what other snack gives you dessert with lots of protein and fiber? I have made quite a few different types, but surprisingly never chocolate chip cookie dough until last week.

    Chocolate chip cookie dough is one of my favorite flavor profiles for desserts so kind of surprising I hadn’t but it was about time! Yes, I still use chickpeas as a base even though people tend to think of them as savory, but when they are blended all up into a dessert, they are a nice neutral base. I have even used them in cheesecake and ice cream before.

    In this recipe, I blended them up with medjool dates to sweeten the hummus and give it that sort of caramel like brown sugar sort of flavor that real chocolate chip cookie dough has, as well as added some pecan butter which also has an almost caramel like flavor and the hummus blended up all smooth, rich and delicious! I added in a little vanilla and a touch of sea salt as well and it smelled amazing and tasted even better.

    Lastly it needed the chocolate chips to be chocolate chip cookie dough, and those made it even more heavenly! It turned out sooo good! I used it for dipping my strawberries into and that was amazing, and I also ate some with a spoon. If you are a cookie dough fan, give this a try! It is better for you than traditional cookie dough, and just as delicious!

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dessert Hummus
    Makes about 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1 1/4 cups pitted medjool dates, soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes and drained
    • 1 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients but the chocolate chips in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth (adding a little more water if necessary). 
    2. Stir in the chocolate chips.
    3. Enjoy! Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks in a sealed container.
  • Vegan White Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups

    Vegan White Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups

    I am a bit obsessed with peanut butter and jelly lately. I made some peanut butter and jelly ice cream last weekend, I am contemplating making a PB and J cheesecake for my Birthday in a few weeks, and I decided to make some vegan white chocolate peanut butter and jelly cups too last weekend. What can I say, the flavor combination is kind of addicting. I mean, PB and J were about the only type of sandwich I would ever eat in my school lunches growing up because I hated lunch meat and the typical other sandwiches people would make. I guess I was meant to be vegan.

    Anyways, back to those white chocolate peanut butter and jelly cups. I had some Raw Guru cacao butter on hand, so I knew I could make some amazing white chocolate with it. I didn’t just make white chocolate though, I made peanut butter white chocolate. Because, why not add extra peanut butter flavor to it?! Peanut butter is one of my all time favorite things in the world after all.

    The white chocolate tasted amazing before I even poured it into the molds. I admit I had quite a few samples. For the filling, I used my home made peanut butter, and some really good strawberry jam that was made by one of my Mom’s friends. I knew these were going to be good and I could not wait to try them!

    Luckily they didn’t take long to set and I was able to indulge in one in no time. These are so much better than the white chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cups I used to love back in the day. I don’t sweeten my peanut butter filling at all because the rest of it is so sweet so there is this rich, salty peanut butter in the center that is amazing with the sweet gooey jam and sweet peanut butter white chocolate! If you are a PB and J fan, definitely give these a try!

    White Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups

    Makes 8

    Peanut Butter White Chocolate:

    • 1/2 cup Raw Guru cacao butter
    • 1/3 cup Raw Guru coconut butter
    • 1/4 cup organic smooth peanut butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

    Filling:

    • 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp organic peanut butter
    • 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp organic strawberry or raspberry jam

    Instructions:

    1. Combine cacao butter, peanut butter, coconut butter, vanilla, maple syrup,  and sea salt over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Pour into the bottoms of 8 large peanut butter cup molds or silicone muffin tins filling them just 1/3 full, and place in the freezer until hard, about 15 minutes.
    3. Next, spoon a scant teaspoon of peanut butter and jam onto the center of each, then pour the remaining peanut butter white chocolate over it. Place back in the freezer and allow to harden which can take about 20-30 minutes.
    4. Once they are all set, pop chocolate out of molds and enjoy!
    5. Store in the refrigerator for a month or an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
  • Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream

    It was really warm here in Minnesota last weekend. We really haven’t had any hot weather yet this year until now (we have been lucky), but now that we are almost to the 4th of July it is about time. I was day dreaming about some delicious cold ice cream on one of my runs last weekend and I made up my mind that I had to make some for myself. I mean, sure I could go out and buy some and that might be easier, but I wanted peanut butter and jelly ice cream and I don’t know if you can buy a vegan version of that at the store. Plus I think it is fun to make my own.

    I have actually made it before, but that was years ago and it was about time I made it again. I decided to use fresh berries to start with to make the jam swirl, and cook them into a “jam” myself instead of just using store bought jam since the berries are so amazing right now. Of course you could just use your favorite jam if you wanted to make it a little easier on yourself. The berry “jam” turned out so good though!

    For the ice cream, making the base was really simple. Just blend up all of the ingredients and pour into the ice cream maker. I used coconut milk for the base, because I like a nice rich and creamy ice cream, and just combined it with peanut butter, maple syrup and a touch of vanilla.

    After the ice cream was all churned and ready to go I layered it with the jam in a container. It had to sit for a few hours, to be the perfect scoopable consistency but it was well worth the wait. It was super delicious! The peanut butter ice cream so rich, creamy and dreamy and the sweet gooey raspberry jam the perfect partner for it! If you are a big PB and J fan like me, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream
    Makes about 4 cups

    Berry Jam:

    • 3 cups fresh organic raspberries and strawberries (strawberries cut into quarters)
    • 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup (to taste, depending on how sweet the berries are)
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water

    Ice Cream:

    • 3 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
    • 3/4 cup maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup smooth organic peanut butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

    Instructions:

    1. To make the jam, combine all ingredients but the arrowroot mixture in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes until the berries are falling apart and it is jammy.  Add the arrowroot mixture and cook just until thickened.  Remove from heat, and let cool completely, then refrigerate until cold (you will have extra for another use or for topping the ice cream, I store mine in a jar).
    2. To make ice cream, combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until well blended.  Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can pour it into a bowl, and whisk it every half hour or so until it reaches thick malt consistency. Then proceed with the recipe.
    3. Once processed, pour 1/3 into a freezable container with a lid, then drop a few large Tbsp grape jam on top.  Pour half remaining ice cream over, then more jam, then the remaining ice cream and more jam.  Swirl with a knife to distribute jam throughout and place in the freezer for at least a few hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.
  • Roasted Garlic Scape Hummus

    Roasted Garlic Scape Hummus

    About 10 years ago, I was shopping at a local co op that I made the trip to every weekend, and I came across an odd item in the produce. They looked like a bunch of green electrical cords or something, but they were obviously plants. What they were was garlic scapes, as I soon discovered when I read the sign near them. I was curious as to what they tasted like, so I brought some home and googled some recipes so I knew what types of things people used them in. I experimented a bit and bought them for a few weeks (until the season ended, since it is short), and I liked them best roasted. They get all crispy and yummy and snack-able when roasted. But they also make a great thing to add into your pesto. Garlic scape pesto is amazing. I get a bit excited now when I see them, because I know I won’t have too many chances to buy them since the season is short so I always buy a bunch when I can.

    I was at the Northeast Minneapolis Farmer’s Market last weekend, and I was lucky enough to score some there. The first thing I decided to make was hummus. I hadn’t made any in a while, and I was craving it. I like to include it in my lunches for dipping veggies, or to eat as a snack with chips. I figured roasted garlic scapes would make it super delicious!

    So I roasted them for a little while in the oven before adding them to the recipe. This has a whopping 2 cups of them, so it is packed with their lovely flavor. If you haven’t had them, they are not as strong as garlic cloves, they are a bit more mellow and sweet. Roasting them intensifies the flavor even more!

    I combined them with some classic hummus ingredients like chickpeas for the base, tahini to make it creamy, and a bit of lemon juice and sea salt to bring out the flavor of the scapes and it was super delicious! If you get your hands on some garlic scapes, definitely give this a try!

    Roasted Garlic Scape Hummus
    Makes about 2 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups garlic scapes, cut into 2 inch pieces
    • 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1/2 cup tahini
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup filtered water

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.
    2. Toss the garlic scapes with the oil and spread out on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Place in the oven and roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
    3. Remove from oven and let cool.
    4. Combine the scapes, and all other ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth (adding a little more water if necessary). 
    5. Serve!
    6. Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks in a sealed container.
  • Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Jam Bars

    Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Jam Bars

    I recently had dinner with my Mom at a local cafe and we were looking at the dessert case on the way out. There were beautiful cakes and tarts but the thing that caught our eye were some raspberry chocolate bars. They had a crunchy chocolate streusel on top as well as chocolate chips and a raspberry jam filling. My Mom said to me, I bet you could make some of those at home! So, I decided that I would create my own version!

    I tend to do baking projects on my days off when I have more time, and they sounded really good so I went for it! I have made jam bars before and loved them, I have just never tried chocolate ones. I decided to even improve upon the idea and make them chocolate hazelnut raspberry jam bars. Because I normally use nut butter in my jam bars anyway to make them extra delicious and I happened to have hazelnut butter and hazelnut meal on hand.

    Chocolate and hazelnuts are an amazing combination anyhow add in raspberry and its even better! The crust is really easy to make, you just mix it all together, press half into the pan, top with the jam and then crumble the rest of the crust and chocolate chips over that! I admit, I did sample a bit of the crust while I was making it, because it was like super delicious cookie dough. I am one of those people who likes to sample what I am making all the way through and I am just a sucker for cookie dough and batter!

    Lastly I sprinkled on some chocolate chips before baking because one can never have too much chocolate in a chocolate dessert, right? They smelled amazing while baking. Too bad I had to wait until they cooled completely to cut them so they stayed pretty. It was well worth the wait though! They were heavenly! Rich, chocolaty hazelnut cookie crust and crumble plus the dark chocolate chips and gooey tart sweet jam…total deliciousness! So the next time you are craving a baked chocolate treat, give these a try instead of just brownies!

    Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Jam Bars
    Makes 16 bars

    Ingredients:

    Crust/topping:

    • 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water mixed with 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3/4 cup hazelnut butter
    • 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/2 cup hazelnut meal
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

    Filling and Topping:

    • 3/4 cup vegan raspberry jam
    • 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees with the rack set in the center position. Line a 9×9 inch square pan with parchment, and/or grease it with coconut oil.
    2. To make the crust, whisk the coconut oil and sugar together in a bowl with the flax mixture until the sugar starts to dissolve. Then add the hazelnut butter and mix until combined.
    3. Add the flour, cacao powder, hazelnut meal, baking powder, sea salt and stir in until well blended.
    4. Spread 2/3 of this mixture over the bottom of the pan, pressing it to the edges with your fingers.  Then spread the jam over that with a spoon or offset spatula. Drop chunks of the remaining dough over that and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
    5. Place in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes until lightly browned and set.
    6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into bars.
  • Stuffed Roasted Peaches

    Stuffed Roasted Peaches

    In the fall, I like to make baked stuffed apples, roasted to perfection until tender and stuffed with a crunchy sweet streusel. So I figured baked peaches would be amazing that way in the Summer when they are in season. I had a few peaches on hand and decided to give it a try! They happened to be on sale that week so I had picked up a few. It always makes me happy when I can get organic fruit for a good price!

    The reason I had thought to make them in the first place was because I was dreaming about how good a warm slice of peach pie with cool coconut milk ice cream would be, but I didn’t have enough time to make that so I came up with the peaches. They were quick and easy to make, had the same flavors as pie would have but were a bit lighter and I had a delicious dessert ready in no time!

    I cooked the peaches a little bit before I added the streusel because I wanted them to get tender and not have the streusel burn or get too dark. I wanted the streusel also to be nice and crunchy so I added plenty of texture in the form of oats and large flake coconut. The streusel was even delicious before I sprinkled it over the peaches!

    They smelled so good while they were baking, just like a peach pie! Of course I had to serve them while still warm with a little bit of coconut milk ice cream! They were heavenly! All baked to jammy sweet perfection with the crunchy streusel! If you are looking for a simple but really good Summer dessert, give these a try!

    Stuffed Roasted Peaches

    Makes 4

    Ingredients:

    • 4 larger just ripe (but not mushy organic peaches, cut in half, and pits removed carefully
    • 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp coconut sugar, divided
    • 1/4 cup organic rolled oats
    • 2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp large flake dried coconut (unsweetened)
    • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
    • pinch sea salt

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
    2. Place the peaches cut side up in a pie plate or smaller baking dish. Sprinkle each with a teaspoon of coconut sugar, and cover with a lid or foil. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes when the peaches have began to soften.
    3. Meanwhile, while you are waiting for the peaches, combine 1 Tbsp coconut sugar, the oats, the flour, the coconut, coconut oil and the sea salt in a small dish and scrunch together with your fingers until it starts to form clumps. Set aside.
    4. When the peaches have baked 20 minutes, remove the plate with the peaches from the oven and sprinkle each with the streusel. Place back into the oven uncovered.
    5. Bake until the streusel is starting to brown and the peaches are tender, about 15 minutes more.
  • Vegan Strawberry White Chocolates

    Vegan Strawberry White Chocolates

    When I was little I was actually a bigger fan of white chocolate than dark or milk chocolate. I guess I have just preferred vanilla over chocolate most of my life, like whenever I had a choice of cupcakes it was always vanilla and not chocolate. My tastes have somewhat changed now I think the dark chocolate is catching up to the white as far as which I prefer, but I do still like to keep some white chocolate on hand along with my dark for when I want a bite of something sweet. I don’t buy my white chocolate at the store though, since most commercial brands don’t even use cacao butter anymore and use corn syrup instead of sugar plus of course milk (it is hard to even find a vegan white chocolate). So I make my own vegan version at home!

    This week, I decided to make some vegan strawberry white chocolates, just because that sounded like am amazing combination of flavors. Raw Guru had just sent me some of their raw cacao butter, so it was perfect! Real white chocolate has to have good quality cacao butter or it is not really chocolate at all. Theirs has such an amazing aroma and flavor!

    I just mix the cacao butter with some raw cashew butter, coconut butter, vanilla, and maple syrup to make the white chocolate and what results is creamy, dreamy melt in your mouth delicious white chocolate! I flavored it with freeze dried strawberry powder for a summer twist! Why the powder and not the actual berries? Well, it doesn’t add any excess moisture which would ruin the texture of the white chocolates. But it does load them up with strawberry flavor.

    They turned out heavenly! Delicious little bites with the aroma and rich flavor of white chocolate plus the sweet berries. It is kind of hard to eat one, just saying. I love the pink color that they have too! If you are obsessed with all things strawberry like I am right now, give these a try!

    Vegan Strawberry White Chocolates

    Makes 24

    Ingredients:

    • 1/3 cup Raw Guru cacao butter (2 oz)
    • 3 Tbsp raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup coconut butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp freeze dried strawberry powder*

    Instructions:

    1. Combine cacao butter, cashew butter, vanilla, maple syrup,  and sea salt over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Whisk the strawberry powder into the white chocolate.
    3. Pour into chocolate molds, and place in the freezer until heard, which can take 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how warm it is.
    4. Pop chocolate out of molds and enjoy!
    5. Store in the refrigerator for a month or an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

    *You make freeze dried strawberry powder by blending freeze dried strawberries in a blender or spice grinder until they are a fine powder. I get my freeze dried strawberries at Trader Joes or Aldi.

  • Vegan Black Bean Brownies

    Vegan Black Bean Brownies

    Last weekend my Mom asked if I could make black bean brownies. She had seen a recipe somewhere and it sounded good to her, plus once one of her coworkers had brought some in and she enjoyed them and she thought I might be able to make a vegan version. She isn’t vegan but she eats mostly plant based and is always up for healthier versions of things! I love the idea of using black beans in brownies. I have used chickpeas in my cheesecake batter before instead of cashews for a nut free version and to boost fiber and protein and that turned out awesome (you would not ever have guessed that they were in there), so why wouldn’t this work?

    Well, I was slightly nervous, because I was just modifying one of my existing recipes and I didn’t want the beans to screw up the moisture ratio and make them too dry, or make them too “healthy tasting”. I wanted these to taste like regular rich brownies. So I crossed my fingers, blended the beans in with the oil, and added just a tad more water. No, these are not low fat brownies. I don’t tend to like the texture when I have made brownies with apple sauce or something similar so I leave it in. These are after all a treat. I use avocado oil because it remains soft when cooled down, where as coconut oil gets too hard and makes brownies crumbly.

    The batter tasted good as I scraped what remained in the bowl after pouring it into the pan to ear it. It tasted like rich and delicious brownie batter and , I could not detect the beans. But would the texture be good and flavor be good after they baked? That was the question. They smelled amazing my home filled with the aroma of really good chocolate cake.

    I had to wait overnight for the brownies to cool down since I was making them at night but it was well worth the wait! They were super delicious! Fudgy, rich and filled with chocolate flavor, plus the chocolate chips to add even more goodness. You would never guess that they had beans in them! If you are up for trying something new, give these a try! They will satisfy your chocolate craving, plus give you a little extra fiber in your diet, which we could all use! My Mom loved them by the way, so they were a total success!

    Vegan Black Bean Brownies

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 3 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee or filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 1/2 cups vegan dark chocolate chopped or vegan chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, oil and 8×8 inch pan and line it with parchment.
    2. Place the oil, black beans, sugar, flax seeds, and coffee in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl.
    3. Whisk in the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and stir until smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips.
    4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle more chocolate chips over it.
    5. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).
    6. Let cool before cutting into 16 bars.
  • Vegan Snickers Almond Cheesecake

    Vegan Snickers Almond Cheesecake

    I loved Snickers bars as a kid. They were always the thing I traded other candy for on Halloween (well tied with peanut butter cups of course), because I couldn’t get enough of them. Well, as an adult I like to make my own home made healthier veganized version of Snickers, as well as Snickers inspired desserts, because that flavor combination is heavenly! They did not have Snickers almond bars when I was younger, but I have always thought those sounded good so when I decided to make a cheesecake last weekend I made a Snickers almond cheesecake. Just for those of you who are not big fans of peanuts like my Mom.

    I was really excited about this cheesecake. I haven’t made a cake in a while, and cheesecake happens to be my favorite. Raw Guru had also just sent me some Dastony almond butter so I figured it would be perfect for using in the caramel for the cake. Caramel is an essential part of Snickers after all. I made some gooey almond date caramel and it was perfect in the cake! Also, half of it I made into a super delicious chocolate fudge! These two toppings would be amazing on coconut milk ice cream as well, just sayin’!

    I made two different cheesecake layers, a vanilla almond which was supposed to taste kind of like the nougat in Snickers, and a chocolate almond on the bottom. I think it looks prettier with two layers, and I love a good chocolate and vanilla contrast so everyone is happy! I also put a layer of fudge and caramel, plus crunchy almonds and chocolate in the middle, and on top of the cake. I could not wait to try the finished product!

    It was sooo heavenly! Rich, creamy and dreamy with gooey caramel, intense dark chocolate and crunchy almonds! Way better than an actual Snickers bar! If you are in the mood for something decadent, give this cake a try!

    Vegan Snickers Almond 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)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

    Caramel and Fudge:

    Filling:

    • 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut cream (I used the thick part of a can of Thai Kitchen coconut cream, but their full organic full fat coconut milk will also work*)
    • 1 cup Raw Guru almond meal
    • 3/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water before using and drain well)
    • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup Raw Guru cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 Tbsp vegan dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
    • 1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted almonds

    For topping:

    • 2 Tbsp vegan dark chocolate chips or chunks
    • 2 Tbsp roughly chipped roasted almonds

    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 caramel, blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, then pour into 2 bowls. Put one back into the blender and add the cacao powder and blend until smooth. You want both to be pour-able but still thick, if they are too thick, whisk in a touch more filtered water until you reach the desired consistency.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients but the cacao powder, almonds and chocolate chips in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    5. Divide the filling mixture between 2 bowls. Pour one back into the blender along with 1/4 cup cacao powder and blend until smooth. Pour over the cheesecake crust.
    6. Next, drop some of the caramel and fudge by the tspful over the filling in the pan, then sprinkle over the almonds and chocolate chunks.
    7. Pour the second vanilla almond layer over that.
    8. Place back in the freezer to set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    9. Remove from the freezer, un-mold and drizzle with the remaining caramel and fudge and sprinkle with almonds and chocolate chunks. Enjoy!
    10. 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 when chilled.

  • Vegan Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

    Vegan Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

    When I am out running, often times I do my best thinking. It could be working out a problem in my head, thinking of the possible options to fix it, thinking up possible art projects, or many times it is ideas for recipes. That was how I came up with the chocolate dipped cheesecake stuffed strawberries that I made last week. I was thinking about how refreshing and delicious strawberries sounded and just wanted to make a simple recipe fixing them. I know I have been sharing a lot of strawberry recipes lately, but I am loving the fact that they are on sale a lot lately and they taste amazing because they are in season.

    We are kind of berry deprived much of the year here in Minnesota unless they come from far away but those ones aren’t very good, and they are expensive. I try to eat locally as much as possible too. Nothing beats fresh Minnesota strawberries! Anyways, back to those yummy chocolate dipped cheesecake stuffed strawberries. They are easy to make, so that is the best part, they just take a little time if you want them to look pretty.

    First, I dipped them in good quality vegan dark chocolate, then I made a luscious cheesecake filling. In the past I have made my cheesecake filling with a combination of full fat coconut milk cream and cashew butter, but since cashews don’t always agree with me I was happy that I had just received some Dastony macadamia nut butter from Raw Guru to use instead! It is super delicious stuff! I consider macadamia nuts kind of special, and the butter is just as amazing. It made for a creamy and delicious cheesecake filling.

    Once it was all piped into the strawberries, I was super excited. These are waaayyy better than classic chocolate dipped strawberries. But maybe I am biased since cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. These are heavenly! If you want to impress someone, make them a plate of these babies! Now is the perfect time to make them too since strawberries are so flavorful this time of the year!

    Vegan Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 16 larger fresh organic strawberries
    • 1 cup vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips, chopped
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the cream part from the top of the can)
    • 3 Tbsp Dastony macadamia nut butter, or raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup Dastony coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

    Instructions:

    1. Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then dip each strawberry into it, let the excess drip off and then set them on a parchment lined tray. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened.
    2. Meanwhile, to make the cheesecake filling, in a blender or food processor, combine the coconut milk, macadamia nut butter, coconut butter, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and sea salt until well combined. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes or until thickened to the consistency of whipped cream stirring every so often. Once it has reached the desired consistency, put it in the refrigerator.
    3. Meanwhile, using a pairing knife, cut divets into the tops of the strawberries so you have a little cavity to put the filling in. Set aside in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill them.
    4. To fill the strawberries, place the filling in a pastry bag (or a ziplock bag with a hole cut in the corner), and pipe into the tops of the strawberries.
    5. Place back in the refrigerator for about an hour until they firm up more.
    6. Enjoy! Store any extras in the refrigerator.

  • Vegan Cowboy Cookies

    Vegan Cowboy Cookies

    I recently saw a recipe for cowboy cookies (that wasn’t vegan), and I decided that I needed to veganize it because it sounded really good! Also, my Mom who is a big oatmeal cookie lover has been begging me to make some oatmeal cookies so it was the perfect opportunity! Although I like to spend a lot of time outside on the weekends I also like to take a little time to do some baking. Cookies are one of the things I bake most because the aroma of freshly baked cookies is one of my favorite and I love sampling the dough, plus nothing beats a warm cookie freshly baked!

    These ones are super simple to make. No fussy beating the dough or chilling or anything, just mix, roll and bake! So, you can be enjoying warm freshly baked cookies in about 45 minutes or less! I always love desserts that are almost instant gratification.

    For the base on these I used an oat flour, because I figured why not make them as oat filled as possible! I am a huge oat fan and in fact I have eaten oatmeal almost every day for the past 16 years of my life I love oats that much. My Mom always said oatmeal cookies are healthier so they don’t count so much as dessert. Well, I kinda have to agree, they have a lot more nutrition in them then say just a sugar cookie with white flour. I just love them because of their texture.

    Once the base was all made I mixed in some coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans to make them cowboy cookies. I actually really love this flavor combination! It is so heavenly! The coconut in the dough makes it a little sweeter, the pecans add a nutty crunch, and who doesn’t love gooey dark chocolate chips! These cookies are my favorite while still warm from the oven. If you are in the mood for some cookies, give these a try!

    Vegan Cowboy Cookies

    Makes 16 large cookies

    • 3/4 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 2 flax eggs*
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
    • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
    • 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

    Ingredients:

    1. preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment (or oil it).
    2. 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).
    3. Mix in the flour, soda, spices and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined, then add , chocolate chips, coconut and pecans and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    4. Lower the oven to 350F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    5. 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.
    7. Enjoy!

    *For the flax eggs, whisk together 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl.  Allow to sit in the fridge for 15 minutes until the mixture has set up (or become kind of thick).  

  • Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

    Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

    Every year I look forward to strawberry rhubarb season. Ever since I was a little kid and I would eat my Grandma’s home made strawberry rhubarb sauce by the bowlful and finish off the 2 lb jars she would make in no time. She always had a bunch of rhubarb growing behind her garage so she made loads of sauce every year. She is no longer around, so I usually get my rhubarb from my Dad’s house, and I still make strawberry rhubarb goodies because they are always so good. There is just something about that perfect balance of tart and sweet.

    Last week, I decided that I needed to make something strawberry rhubarb ASAP because I hadn’t made anything yet this year. We have been a little behind here in Minnesota when it comes to weather and growing things. Since we had loads of snow that stuck around until far into April. It’s ok though, it is something to look forward to!

    So I got some rhubarb, and made a strawberry rhubarb crisp! I am honestly surprised that I haven’t put a recipe on my blog for this before, because I have made it many times over the years, but it is so good, and definitely something you need to try if you have rhubarb where you live. The thing I love most about it besides it just being good is the fact that it is so easy to make. I love crisp just as much as pie, but there is no rolling out a bottom crust to deal with.

    For the filling, I keep it simple just strawberries, rhubarb, maple syrup, vanilla and flour and it bakes up to bubbly perfection! For the topping I like to add oats and coconut along with my flour to give it even more crunch and it is sooo good! This crisp is fabulous when served warm with coconut milk ice cream! Get the recipe on my website:

    Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
    Serves 2

    6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

    Fruit:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic rhubarb, sliced
    • 1 1/2 cups organic strawberries, quartered
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • pinch sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour

    Topping:

    • 3 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3 Tbsp large flake dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup organic rolled oats
    • 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp coconut oil

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 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, vanilla, sea salt, and flour. Spoon into prepared bowl or pie plate, and cover with foil. Place plate on baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling.
    2. Meanwhile, when the fruit in the oven is almost at 45 min, to make the topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together with your hands scrunching together to form small clumps until there are no floury spots left.
    3. Remove baking fruit from oven. Top with the crumble topping, spreading it out evenly over the fruit. Bake for about 15 minutes until lightly brown and toasted on top (keep a close eye on it could burn very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm, and top with some ice cream or coconut vanilla whipped cream and…enjoy!
  • Vegan Mocha Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Vegan Mocha Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    I am in an ice cream sort of mood lately. It is feeling more like Summer here now, and almost every time I go running I get home and I think to myself, ice cream sounds really good right about now. Too bad I usually have to go to work so there is no time for ice cream but I do not forget as the day goes on. I only dream up what flavor I would like or what I can make. So last Wednesday I thought about what sort of ice cream treat I would like to make, and chocolate, hazelnut and coffee sounded good so I decided to make some mocha hazelnut ice cream pops!

    I didn’t stop there though, I decided that I wanted to include some CBD oil in them as well, because why not get your daily dose of CBD oil along with your dessert! I had some Veggimins 500mg coffee cbd oil from Raw Guru on hand so it was perfect! It went with the flavor pairing and all!

    I wanted this ice cream to be rich and luscious so I gave it a coconut milk base plus hazelnut butter to give it that hazelnut flavor. I make my own nut butter a lot, so I happened to have the hazelnut butter on hand, but of course you can use store bought as well, or Raw Guru has some really delicious hazelnut butter.

    Also, I added plenty of cacao powder and some espresso powder to give it that intense mocha flavor. The ice cream base was super delicious, it was hard to wait until they were all frozen and set to go (that is the only bad thing about ice cream pops versus ice cream with an ice cream maker, longer before you can enjoy them). But they were well worth the wait! They were rich and creamy with intense chocolate mocha flavor and a hint of nutty hazelnut. Sooo good! If you are in the mood for some chocolate ice cream, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Mocha Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Makes 4-8 popsicles (depending on what type of molds you have)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1/4 cup Raw Guru cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup hazelnut butter
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp espresso powder or 3 Tbsp strong brewed coffee
    • 4 dropperfuls Veggimins organic coffee CBD oil 500mg 
    • 1/2 cup coursely chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients but the chocolate chunks in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into molds, and freeze until firm before un-molding.
    3. Once un-molded place back in the freezer until completely hard again.
    4. Get a rack ready to set your ice cream pops in (I used a cooling rack set over a bowl).
    5. Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
    6. Working quickly, spoon a little dark chocolate over each ice cream pop then place it in the rack. Once they are all dipped put them back in the freezer until completely hard again.
    7. Serve!
  • Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Pop Tarts

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Pop Tarts

    So last weekend I decided to make some chocolate peanut butter pop tarts. I know I just made raspberry pop tarts last week, but a friend asked me if I could make some involving chocolate too, so I couldn’t resist making them again. The other ones were so good after all and I did love chocolate Pop-Tarts almost as much as the strawberry and raspberry ones. Plus I have been in more of a pie making mood than a cake one lately, so it was perfect! Since they are basically hand pies.

    The pop tarts I ate growing up had a pretty bland weird tasting crust even if I thought it was good at the time. It really didn’t taste like pie crust at all. So when I make my home made pop tarts I want the crust to be delicious and actually taste like good pie crust. I made a whole wheat pastry flour based crust with coconut oil for the fat and it was perfect! You could of course use all purpose gluten free baking flour if you wanted to make these gluten free.

    For the filling I wanted it to have gooey peanut butter and chocolate, so I mixed my home made peanut butter with a rich dark chocolate ganache for the filling. I was super excited about these because I love all things chocolate and peanut butter and I could practically taste the finished product as I smelled them baking. But funny story, with the first batch, they started melting in the oven. I was super bummed, then I realized that I had measured the coconut oil wrong. I had to remake the whole thing!

    The second batch turned out perfect however with the correctly measured coconut oil. Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to know that I sometimes make mistakes too and stuff does not always come out perfect the first time. I decided to glaze the pop tarts with even more dark chocolate, because why not?! They were super delicious. Rich dark chocolate and peanut butter all soft and gooey on the inside and a flakey crust! So much better than the original Pop Tarts I grew up eating.

    Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Pop Tarts
    Makes 8

    Crust:

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

     

    Filling:

    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup peanut butter

     

    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. Set the dough aside in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
    3. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler with the coconut milk and peanut butter until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
    4. To assemble the pop tarts, spread about 2 Tbsp of the peanut butter chocolate ganache 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.
    5. 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.

     

  • Vegan Strawberries and Cream Mini Loaf Cakes

    Vegan Strawberries and Cream Mini Loaf Cakes

    I was planning on making something strawberry rhubarb last weekend but I wasn’t able to get rhubarb, so I just went with the strawberry instead! I wanted to make something I hadn’t made before, so I decided on a loaf cake. I don’t usually make them, since a lot of times I want cakes with frosting, but a strawberries and cream cake with a sweet glaze sounded just as good plus a whole heck of a lot easier!

    I already had strawberries on hand, so that was an added bonus! I love it when I have all of the ingredients for a recipe that I randomly think up, and I don’t have to spend extra money to buy more. It is just a good feeling! Anyways, these cakes were really easy to make. I use smaller loaf pans, because I like to be able to share them, they bake up a lot faster and they are so cute! I mean, who doesn’t love having their own whole little mini cake?

    No fancy tools required to make this cake either, you just whisk them all together in a bowl, pour into the pans and bake! Your kitchen will smell heavenly while they are baking too, like strawberry shortcake. Unfortunately they have to cool before you un-mold them if you want them to look nice so you will have to wait until they cool to take them out unless you don’t mind messy cake. Which by the way would totally be ok if you didn’t have to photograph them like me, because I can dig messy cake with the glaze poured on in the pan and eating it out of there.

    For the glaze I kept it simple. I am not a fan of refined sugar so no powdered sugar here, just a simple glaze made from Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru, a little lemon juice, maple syrup and strawberry powder. Once the glaze was poured over the cake, it was totally heavenly! Soft and sweet, packed with strawberry and vanilla flavor and just the pick me up I wanted on the weekend to go with my tea!

    Vegan Strawberries and Cream Mini Loaf Cakes
    Makes 4 mini loaf cakes

    4 mini (5×3 inch) loaf cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 cup coconut milk (at room temperature)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 cup sliced strawberries

    Glaze:

    • 3 Tbsp Raw Guru coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 tsp strawberry powder (I took freeze dried strawberries and ground them to powder for this)
    • filtered water as needed

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil 2 mini loaf pans lightly so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk oil , coconut milk, vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
    6. Cool cakes completely in pans on rack, about 1 hour. Let cool completely, then un-mold.
    7. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients, adding a little more water if it is too thick (you want to be able to drizzle it over the cakes).
    8. Drizzle the glaze over the cakes, and enjoy!

    *My mini loaf pans are 5×3 inches and 2 1/2 inches tall.  If yours are smaller, you will get 8 loaves, and decrease the baking time by half.

  • Roasted Spring Vegetable Buddha Bowl

    Roasted Spring Vegetable Buddha Bowl

    I tend to eat the same 4 things every week for dinner. Unless I am creating a new recipe then I will vary what I make. But the rest of the time when I make the same things it is mostly just because I know what I like, and because it ends up being a no brainer to make those recipes once I do it so many times. One of those items I make all the time is buddha bowls. I sometimes use different vegetable ingredients based off of what time of the year it is and what is in season or what I have on hand. I switch off quinoa and brown rice for the grain usually. But my current favorite is this one involving Spring vegetables.

    I get kind of excited about the different types of produce that can be found in the store in the Spring, Summer and Fall. But in the Spring I feel like I have been kind of deprived for a while of all of the super fresh vegetable type stuff since here in Minnesota we can’t really grow anything unless it is indoors. So it is awesome to see things like asparagus and radishes. I like to eat radishes raw but the other day when I made this bowl I thought to myself, how would they be roasted? The answer to that is super delicious. They kind of lose that peppery bite that they have and become a bit sweeter, kind of similar to roasting turnips.

    I combined them with asparagus, which I could not resist buying since it is so springy. As well as carrots, chickpeas and avocado in my bowl over brown rice and it was sooo good! But the part that made it really all come together was the creamy pumpkin seed butter sauce that I put over it all. I made it with Dastony Pumpkin Seed Butter from Raw Guru and you would swear it had dairy or cream or something in it it is nice and rich tasting.

    I added a little cumin, chipotle, lemon garlic and salt to it so that it was similar to a classic tahini dressing, but it was even more delicious since the pumpkin seeds don’t have that bitterness that tahini sometimes has. This bowl was so good I will probably be making it for the rest of Spring. If you are in need of a hearty healthy dinner that tastes like comfort food, give this a try!

    Roasted Spring Vegetable Buddha Bowl
    Serves 2-3

    • 2/3 cup brown jasmine rice
    • 1 1/3 cups filtered water
    • 2 cups sliced carrots
    • 2 cups asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
    • 2 cups radishes, quartered
    • avocado oil
    • sea salt

    Sauce:

    • 1/2 cup Dastony pumpkin seed butter
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1/8 tsp dried chipotle pepper
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste

    To assemble:

    • organic greens, such as arugula, spinach or spring mix
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1 avocado, diced

    Instructions:

    1. Place rice and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 25-30 minutes, or when the rice is tender.
    2. Meanwhile, to cook the veggies, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Toss the veggies with just enough oil to coat them lightly, then spread out on a sheet pan and sprinkle with sea salt Place in the over and roast until they are tender and starting to brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
    3. Whisk together the sauce ingredients, adding water to achieve your desired consistency.
    4. To assemble, put some greens into the bottom of each bowl, then top with the rice, the chickpeas, the veggies, and avocado. Drizzle the sauce over the contents of the bowl. Serve!
  • Vegan Raspberry Pop-Tarts

    Vegan Raspberry Pop-Tarts

    It was hard for my Mom to get me to eat breakfast when I was little. I just wanted to go to school or daycare and hated cereal so I would either eat Nutrigrain bars or Pop-Tarts so I didn’t have to sit down and take a lot of time to eat. The Raspberry Pop-Tarts were my favorite. But looking back on it, now that I have had plenty of pastries and real fruit they really didn’t taste like real pastries or raspberry at all even if they were amazing at the time. They had sort of a weird raspberry paste inside. I did however like the fact that they were iced and had sprinkles.

    I probably haven’t eaten an actual Pop-Tart since high school, but I have made my own at home with some success. No raspberry ones though until last weekend surprisingly. I had some raspberries on hand and was thinking that it would be awesome to make home made raspberry pop-tarts that were way better than those store bought ones I grew up eating. I am all for veganizing things and making them better.

    I was excited about these! I made a gluten free classic pie crust and used some home made raspberry jam as the filling. But of course you could use store bought if you have a favorite brand. These are actually pretty simple to make, although they do involve some mixing dough correctly and rolling it out and cutting it. But that is the fun part! Besides eating the finished ones of course. I wanted to put a glaze on them too, like the ones I ate as a kid.

    So, I used some Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru to make a simple but delicious glaze. The finished product was super delicious! Jammy, gooey raspberry filling and a flakey buttery crust with a sweet glaze! They were waaayyyy better than any of the Pop-Tarts I grew up eating! I definitely recommend you try these next time you are craving the Pop-Tarts of your childhood.

    Vegan Raspberry Pop-Tarts
    Makes 8

    Crust:

    Filling:

    • about 1/2 cup raspberry jam

    Glaze:

    • 3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp raspberry powder (I ground up freeze dried raspberries with a mortar and pestle)
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 3-4 Tbsp filtered water or as needed

    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.
    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.
    3. To assemble, spread about 2 Tbsp jam over 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. Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth (adding more water if too thick, you want it to be pour-able). Spoon some of the glaze over each pop tart, and smooth it out to cover the top. Let set before serving.

    *If you would rather not make these gluten free, just use the same amount of organic whole wheat pastry flour.

  • Vegan Chocolate Dipped Raspberry Lavender Ice Cream Pops

    Vegan Chocolate Dipped Raspberry Lavender Ice Cream Pops

    Warmer weather is approaching and they said it was supposed to be nice last weekend so I figured I would make some ice cream. Not the scoop-able kind though, some ice cream popsicles! I love that they are portable, and easily shareable and it is always nice to be able to take them along on a walk outside when it is warm. I made some chocolate dipped cherry ones a few years back and they were pretty bomb, so I decided to make some raspberry lavender ice cream ones dipped in chocolate this time.

    Raspberries have always been my favorite fruit. We always had raspberry jam at my Mom’s house when I was little, and my Mom used to make these really good cheesecake tart things topped with raspberries, and I feel like we bought them the most often just to snack on. I think what I love about them is the balance of tart and sweet that they have. It is perfect for my tastes. In the Summer here, there are woods close to where I live where you can pick wild black raspberries and they are amazing! We are not quite to that season yet, but I am still craving them! Hence using them in the popsicles.

    I decided to add the lavender because I am also loving that lately in desserts and drinks. It is so calming and heavenly. Also it pairs perfect with berries. The base for this ice cream was pretty simple, but tasted so good. Just coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, a touch of bright lemon, fragrant lavender and of course the sweet berries. I could not wait to try it in its finished form.

    Unfortunately I had to wait overnight because I was making these after work, but it was so worth the wait. I dipped them in good quality vegan dark chocolate, and they were so heavenly! They were rich and creamy thanks to the coconut milk, and the sweet raspberries and fragrant lavender were so good together! The dark chocolate put them over the top to crave worthy status! You can’t go wrong with berries, chocolate and ice cream. If you are looking for a cooling treat to make when the warm weather hits, give these a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Dipped Raspberry Lavender Ice Cream Pops

    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • pinch sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 tsp dried lavender flowers
    • 2 cups organic raspberries
    • 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the full fat coconut milk, syrup, vanilla, sea salt, lemon juice lavender, and berries in a blender and blend until smooth. 
    2. Pour into popsicle molds (I got 8 popsicles, but you may get more or less depending on the size of your molds.
    3. Place sticks into the molds, leaving about 1 inch at the top, then place in the freezer until completely hard, about 4-6 hours (or overnight).
    4. Remove from the molds then place back in the freezer on a parchment lined tray until completely hard (you don’t want them melty when you put the chocolate on).
    5. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then quickly dip each popsicle into it, then place back onto the tray and put back in the freezer until hard.
    6. Enjoy!  Store any leftover pops in a sealed container in the freezer. 
  • Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD Truffles

    Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD Truffles

    Back when I was in high school, my Mom and I would go to this tiny local coffee shop after church every week and get coffee. She would always get a white mocha, and for a while I would get a dark chocolate mocha before my tastes changed and I went to the less sweet coffees in college. Those dark chocolate mochas were bomb. Like drinking a dark chocolate coffee truffle! Even though I don’t drink coffee now, I still have that memory of how delicious they were and I do like coffee in my desserts, like the Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD truffles I made last weekend.

    I was thinking about those mochas I used to drink recently and imagining them as delicious truffles. That is how it all started. Well, that and receiving some Veggimins 500 mg Coffee CBD Oil from Raw Guru and being inspired to use it in something delicious. Because why not get your daily dose of CBD while enjoying yummy chocolate! If you have not heard of or tried CBD, it is great for managing inflammation in the body, helping with anxiety and energy levels, and general well being. I take it every day anyhow, so I am all for getting some with my chocolates!

    These are super easy to make, you just melt down vegan dark chocolate, I used some chopped Veggimins CBD Dark Chocolate and Rawmio Dark Chocolate (but you could use whatever you have on hand of course). And combine it with full fat coconut cream, and the CBD oil for a really rich chocolate ganache perfect for rolling into truffles.

    Then you melt some more dark chocolate, dip them and you have something super delicious (and more impressive looking than the time they actually take to make). If you are a lover of chocolate and coffee you will love these babies! I love them and I am not even a coffee drinker anymore. I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

    Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD Truffles

    Makes 12 truffles

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the chopped chocolate and coconut cream in the top of a double boiler and whisk every so often until it is all melted together smoothly. Add the CBD oil and whisk until well incorporated.
    2. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer until firm enough to scoop and roll, about 30 minutes or so.
    3. Roll the filling mixture into balls, and place on a parchment lined tray. Place in the freezer until they are firm, about 30 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, melt the other cup of dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    5. 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.
    6. When the chocolates are all dipped, place the tray in the freezer until the coating has firmed up.
    7. Store chocolates in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

    *If you don’t want to use CBD, just use 1 tsp coffee extract instead.

  • Vegan Porcupine Meatballs

    Vegan Porcupine Meatballs

    Growing up, I never realized how much work goes into making meat balls. I mean all the mixing and rolling them into a gazillion balls, that takes work! It’s no wonder we ate frozen meatballs growing up most of the time and not home made. Once in a while though my Mom would make some really good home made meat balls and they were a real treat. It is kind of the same way with me making my vegan meatballs, they are a few steps I won’t lie about that, but they are so worth it in the end.

    My Mom loves my vegan meatballs. Although she isn’t vegan, she tries not to eat very much meat. Every once in a while she asks me to make my vegan meatballs for her, and she says she likes them better than ones made with real meat. Well, last weekend she asked me if I could make some vegan porcupine meatballs, like they used to serve at her school when she was little. She even showed me the recipe in one of her church cookbooks. I had to make them!

    If you have never heard of porcupine meatballs, they are meatballs made with rice mixed into them in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce. They sounded good to me! I tweaked my classic vegan meatball recipe and it worked perfect! I used the same lentils and walnuts as the base, but swapped the rolled oats I normally use for the rice. This sounds kind of weird but the meatball mixture before I formed it and baked it was actually really good! I had to taste it because it needs to taste good before it goes into the oven or it won’t taste good when it comes out and I wanted to get the flavors right. Lucky they are vegan and I am not dealing with raw meat here that I would have to cook to sample.

    The usual sauce is usually tomato sauce and brown sugar with a few other things, but I swapped the brown sugar for a little maple syrup and a few other ingredients and it was perfect! It was so good on the meatballs! I almost wish I had made these sooner, they are fantastic! My Mom enjoyed them as well, and I think you will too should you choose to give them a try!

    Vegan Porcupine Meatballs
    Serves 4

    Meatballs:

    • 2/3 cup uncooked French lentils
    • filtered water
    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 Tbsp tamari or shoyu
    • 1/4 cup organic tomato paste
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 2 cups chopped walnuts
    • 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice

    Sauce:

    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup chopped onion
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
    • 1/2 cup tomato paste
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp tamari
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 tsp dijon mustard
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

    Garnish:

    • chopped fresh parsley
    • sliced scallions

    Instructions:

    1. To make the meat balls, add the lentils to a pot, and cover them with enough water to have a few inches above the lentils.  Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 30-40 minutes until the lentils are just tender but not mushy.  Drain very well, and set aside.
    2. In a pan, heat the olive oil and onions, and cook until the onions are softened and tender, about 5 minutes.
    3. Add the garlic and sautee a minute more until fragrant.
    4. Add to a food processor, along with lentils, and all other meatball ingredients.  Pulse until everything is blended but not completely smooth.
    5. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.  Roll the meatball mixture into one and a half inch balls (they may be a little soft), and place them on a lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until firm, but still soft in the middle.
    6. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the oil in a non-stick skillet, and add the onions.  Sautee for about 5 minutes until softened, over medium heat, then add the garlic and red pepper and cook a minute more.  Add the tomatoes, water, maple syrup, tamari, vinegar, mustard and sea salt, and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the flavors have combined.
    7. When the meatballs have finished cooking, toss them (very gently because they will fall apart if you are rough) with the sauce just before serving, and serve garnished with scallions and parsley!
  • Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Growing up, I used to eat a lot of canned soup and I thought nothing of it. That is, until me and my Mom started to make our own soups at home when I was in high school from a soup cookbook we had bought and when I later started working in a deli that makes its own soup. I never went back to the canned. It just tasted tinny to me and just over all inferior to the home made stuff. I guess I am just sort of s soup snob, or have been for a while.

    I am even super picky if I order soup in a restaurant and it is sub par because I make so many soups at my work and they have to taste good. So, one time (before I was vegan) I decided to order a broccoli cheese soup at a restaurant that was supposed to be good and I was really disappointed. It was really bland, and too thin, and cooked to oblivion. There has to be a better way to make this at home I thought, and I ended up making a version that was really good that I later made at work and the customers loved it! I hadn’t really made a veganized version of it yet, that is until last weekend. I decided it was time I make some because it used to be so good and I was sure I could come up with an even better animal product free version.

    I wanted it to have plenty of veggies in it, not be just pureed broth with a cheesy flavor. So, I added in broccoli, carrots, onions, potatoes, and garlic. Really I guess it was more of a chowder, which is why I am calling it that. I made a silky creamy broth with coconut milk, cashew butter and nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy flavor and it was so good you would swear it has dairy in it.

    I think I like this version even better than the original, and it is much better for you instead of the loads of cheese in the other soup. Even my boyfriend Eric likes it and he is not vegan, so that counts for something! If you are looking for a soup that is pure comfort food but still filled with veggies, give this a try!

    Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp avocado oil
    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 2 cups yukon gold potatoes, cut into cubes
    • 1 large head broccoli, flowrettes removed and stem peeled and diced (cut off the tough end)
    • 2 medium carrots, cut in half and sliced
    • 1 15 oz can lite coconut milk
    • 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)
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water
    1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot with a lid, and add the onions, celery and garlic.  Sautee for a few minutes until starting to turn translucent, and add the thyme, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
    3. Add the cashew butter, nutritional yeast, and cornstarch mixture and cook until they are well blended into the soup and it has thickened slightly.
    4. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Chocolate Crepes

    Vegan Chocolate Crepes

    Last weekend Eric and I were at a cafe that served crepes and we just had time for lattes even though he really wanted some crepes. So, I decided that later that week I would make some crepes. Classic vanilla crepes are so good with just cinnamon and sugar but I figured I would be a bit more fancy and make some chocolate crepes! Since I had never made them before. I am all for trying new things when it comes to recipes and why not make them chocolate?!

    Crepes are really simple to make, which makes me love them even more. When I was in high school, one of the most exciting days in our French class was when the teacher brought crepe batter, and let us make our own crepes. That is how simple they are to make if we could make them with no experience. Your first one might turn out a little weird (like pancakes sometimes do if you are heating the pan) but it’s an easy process.

    For these ones I made my classic crepe batter and flavored it with cacao powder to make them nice and chocolaty. I actually made them gluten free, but if you want to make them not gluten free, you can sub organic whole wheat pastry flour for the gluten free flour and they will turn out the same. They came out lovely, and they would have been good with just cinnamon and sugar (since chocolate goes well with it too), but I decided to add some other toppings and make them pretty.

    Just a bit of melted dark chocolate, some fresh strawberries and pistachios, and they were perfect! If you are a fan of crepes, make some at home! Of course you can add your own toppings if you want and even make them more dessert like with some ice cream or coconut whipped cream. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

    Vegan Chocolate Crepes

    Makes 12

    Crepes:

    • 1/4 cup ground flax seed
    • 3/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 1/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder
    • 3 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    For Serving:

    • melted vegan dark chocolate
    • sliced organic strawberries
    • pistachios

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crepes, mix together the flax seed and water in a bowl, and set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes until it is the consistency of egg whites.
    2. Meanwhile, whisk together the coconut sugar, flour, cacao powder, and sea salt in a bowl, then whisk in the coconut oil. Slowly whisk in the milk little by little to make sure the mixture stays free of lumps. Next, whisk in the vanilla, followed by the flax mixture you had set aside.
    3. Heat a non-stick ceramic 6 inch pan over medium heat, then pour in 1/3 cup batter, and swirl the pan so that it spreads out to the edges.  Cook for about 3 minutes on the first side, then flip over and cook the second side. Once the crepe is done, set aside on a plate.  Repeat with the remaining batter, separating the crepes with parchment paper on the plate so that they don’t stick together.
    4. To serve the crepes, drizzle with the vegan dark chocolate, and sprinkle with strawberries and pistachios (or feel free to be creative with toppings).
    5. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Coconut Lime Date Bars

    Vegan Coconut Lime Date Bars

    I have always loved date bars. They are sweet, and gooey and delicious with a buttery crust and topping. I don’t think they get enough attention from most people, same as dates in general because people probably just think that they are like prunes but they are totally missing out. But dates are nature’s caramel. I mean seriously they taste just like caramel, but of course are way healthier for you than actual caramel since they have fiber and nutrients. They are one of my favorite ways to sweeten things. But back to those date bars. I was craving some suddenly last weekend and I haven’t made any for a really long time so I went for it.

    Traditionally they have an oat crust and topping, and although I love that I decided to make mine a little different and give them an almond coconut cookie crust instead. OMG the dough by itself even before I baked them was heavenly. Probably because I included almond flour and coconut to make it extra rich and delicious. Since I used coconut in these I thought I would keep the tropical thing going and add some lime to the filling along with the dates.

    Since dates are so sweet, they are really good when you add citrus to them like lemons or limes. I had limes on hand so that is what I used and it was a perfect combination! The filling is literally just dates, water and lime juice and it is like a delicious lime scented caramel.

    The bars baked up beautifully! I could not wait to try the finished product, but of course I had to wait until they cooled completely otherwise they don’t cut as nice (and I am super picky about the way things are cut). They were sooo worth the wait though. They were buttery, rich and delicious thanks to the almond coconut crust and the gooey date lime filling was heavenly with it! If you are a fan of dates like me, definitely give these a try. Or if you haven’t tried dates because they look weird or whatever, you definitely need to put those judgements aside and you need to try them. Trust me on this one!

    Vegan Coconut Lime Date Bars
    Makes 16 bars

    Ingredients:

    Date Filling:

    • 2 cups soft, pitted medjool dates
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 1 Tbsp organic lime zest

    Crust/topping:

    • 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water mixed with 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3/4 cup almond butter
    • 3/4 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 3/4 cup almond meal
    • 1/2 cup finely shredded, dried coconut
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees with the rack set in the center position. Line a 9×9 inch square pan with parchment, and/or grease it with coconut oil.
    2. Blend the dates up with the water and lime juice and zest until smooth in a high speed blender. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
    3. To make the crust, whisk the coconut oil and sugar together in a bowl with the vanilla and flax mixture until the sugar starts to dissolve. Then add the almond butter and mix until combined.
    4. Add the flour, almond meal, coconut, baking powder, sea salt and stir in until well blended.
    5. Spread 2/3 of this mixture over the bottom of the pan, pressing it to the edges with your fingers.  Then spread the date mixture over that with a spoon or offset spatula. Drop chunks of the remaining dough over that.
    6. Place in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes until lightly browned and set.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into bars.
  • Vegan Key Lime White Chocolate Mousse Tart 

    Vegan Key Lime White Chocolate Mousse Tart 

    I was given a big bag of organic limes and so I thought it was the perfect time to make some key lime pie! Me not being one to make things just the same traditional way as everyone else though, decided to make a key lime white chocolate mousse tart instead. It would be like the pie, in that it would have plenty of tart lime flavor, but I also wanted the filling to have the mellow flavors of white chocolate and vanilla and a light fluffy texture. Also, I chose the tart instead of a pie because I like the fact that tarts always come out of my pans nicely because I have pans with removable bottoms. If you do a lot of baking definitely invest in some.

    This tart was going to be fabulous, and just the thing to make for Mother’s Day weekend. My Mom and I have always been big fans of key lime pie. We used to make it a lot when I was younger, and we both like the same balance of tart and sweet when it comes to key lime pie. It can’t be just sweet it has to have loads of tart lime flavor.

    For the crust on this pie, I decided to make it gluten free and combine almond flour and shredded coconut with some dates and a touch of sea salt to make a rich, super delicious tasting crust. Also, a very simple crust that doesn’t require any baking which means, less time spent making this which I am all for. For the filling I used a mixture of avocado and coconut cream and it was silky smooth deliciousness! I used coconut butter as well as cacao butter to thicken it for that white chocolate flavor. It was so good I could have poured it into a bowl and eaten it like mousse but I knew it would be even better once it was combined with the crust and whipped coconut cream topping!

    Once it was set up I topped it with the whipped cream and it was lovely. So delicious too! Better than many key lime pies and tarts I have tried in my lifetime with those heavenly notes of white chocolate and vanilla plus the tart lime flavor and fluffy whipped cream on top! If you are a key lime pie fan definitely give this tart a try!

    Vegan Key Lime White Chocolate Mousse Tart
    Makes one 8 inch tart

    Crust:

    • 1 1/2 cups almond meal
    • 1 cup finely shredded dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water first)
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

    Filling:

    • 1 cup Thai Kitchen organic full fat coconut milk (the thick cream part at the top of the can)
    • 2 smaller avocados (about 3/4 cup mashed)
    • 1 Tbsp organic lime zest
    • 1/3 cup lime juice
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup raw coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup raw cacao butter

    Topping:

    • 1 1/2 cups Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk (I use this brand because 2/3 of the can at least is cream, you need this or the recipe will not work)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    Instructions:

    1. Oil an 8 inch spring form tart 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. Press into the bottom and up the sides 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. Pour the filling over the prepared crust, and place in the freezer to set for about 4-5 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    4. Meanwhile to make the cream, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, and blend until smooth, then place in the freezer to chill (whisking occasionally) until it becomes the thickness of whipped cream which usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how warm the ingredients are. Once it has chilled, place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to top the tart with it.
    5. Remove the tart from the freezer, and spread the cream over it. Remove the outer ring of the tart pan, place on a plate and serve!
    6. Store any leftover tart in the refrigerator, covered or in a container with a dome.
  • Strawberry Pistachio Lemon Granola

    Strawberry Pistachio Lemon Granola

    When I was little I thought that granola was something that hippies ate that you got at the health food store. So in other words a health food. Little did I know that it was actually really delicious, which I discovered in college when I decided to make a granola recipe from a breakfast cookbook I had borrowed from the library. I made it and I was hooked. I loved that I could make different flavors and switch up the ingredients for interesting combinations. For a while I was making it every week, and I had a few friends who would actually request I make a bag of it for them it was that good. I don’t make it every week anymore, but I do make a big bag once a month to have on hand for when the granola craving strikes. I don’t usually have it for breakfast, it is usually a snack when I want something crunchy and slightly sweet. It is also awesome to top cut up fruit in a bowl off with.

    I ran out of my stash I keep in the refrigerator, and so I made some Strawberry Pistachio Lemon Granola last weekend. It was so good I just had to share the recipe with you all. I usually stick to pretty standard flavors lately but I felt like making something Spring like since it seems that Spring has finally sprung here with everything looking green and the flowers finally starting to show up. Strawberries are a must in the Spring for me so I figured they would be perfect to include!

    I had some pistachios on hand as well, and thought those would be lovely with the red strawberries. If you are looking for affordable shelled pistachios by the way, Aldi has them for a great price! Back to the granola though, lastly I wanted to add a bit of lemon and coconut, which I also like to include in my Spring desserts.

    OMG it smelled amazing while baking! That is one of the things I love about granola. That and eating it as it cools. A big portion of the pan is usually gone, because like pop corn, it is hard to stop snacking on. Especially if is calling to you in plain sight and smelling all delicious. If you have never made your own granola, you sooo need to try it!

    Strawberry Pistachio Lemon Granola
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 cup shelled pistachios
    • 1 cups finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter or almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup freeze dried strawberries

    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 oil, maple syrup, cashew butter, lemon juice and zest, 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. Stir in strawberries and enjoy!
  • Lavender Lemonade

    Lavender Lemonade

    It was a sort of gloomy day Wednesday, so when I got home I decided to make myself a fancy drink fit for a hot Summer day and pretend like it was nice outside even though it wasn’t. You would think I would go for hot tea or cocoa or something because it was chilly but I wasn’t in the mood for that I have been having that for months. You may be thinking I whipped up a martini or something, but nope! I went for lemonade. I have been kind of missing it since last Summer, and I had organic lemons on hand so why not?!

    Since this was going to be special lemonade I decided to make a lavender lemonade. I have made it before usually with berries or something else added but I just wanted lavender this time. It is super relaxing to drink and take in the lovely aroma. I often use lavender essential oils in my body care items like my deodorant and lotion to relax, or in my diffuser at home, and even in the diffuser in my car so I stay more calm while driving. It really works, plus it smells so good! So lavender infused lemonade is amazing!

    I didn’t mix essential oils into it though, I brewed a sort of lavender tea to make it. I also added butterfly pea flowers to it to give it a lovely color since I have a big bag of them on hand in my pantry. They start out blue when you brew them, then turn more purple if you add an acid like lemon juice, so they were perfect for this lemonade!

    It was really simple to make, just the lavender butterfly pea tea, a little more filtered water, fresh squeezed organic lemon juice and a little stevia. If you are not a fan of stevia, of course you could use maple syrup instead as I note in the ingredients list. This lemonade is super refreshing, calming and delicious! I will have to make it again on a day when it is actually hot and sunny this Summer! In the meantime, I think it would be perfect for Mother’s Day especially if your Mom happens to be a lavender fan!

    Lovely Lavender Lemonade

    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    • 4 cups filtered water, divided
    • 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp dried lavender flowers
    • 2 tsp dried butterfly pea flowers
    • 2/3 cup fresh organic lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 tsp liquid stevia (or to taste) or 2 Tbsp maple syrup if you don’t prefer stevia
    • ice and lemon slices for garnish

    Instructions:

    1. Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil on the stove, then remove from heat and add the lavender flowers and butterfly pea flowers. Let sit 5 minutes, then strain through a coffee filter into a large glass measuring cup.
    2. Add 2 more cups filtered water, the lemon juice and the stevia (or maple syrup) and stir until well blended.
    3. Add desired amount of ice and lemon slices to two tall glasses, and pour the lemonade into them. Serve!
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Red Lentil Hummus

    Roasted Sweet Potato Red Lentil Hummus

    We make giant batches of hummus in the deli where I work.  We are talking like gallons.  It is such good hummus too!  I think the trick to delicious classic hummus is plenty of lemon juice and sea salt.  Of course it has to have a good amount of tahini to make it rich and some cumin as well, then it is perfect.  One of my coworkers was making a batch of hummus last week and it made me crave hummus all of a sudden. I decided that I needed to make a batch at home.

    I usually stray away from classic hummus when I make it at home though since I can get the classic stuff at work. So I decided to make a roasted sweet potato hummus!  I already had some leftover roasted sweet potatoes on hand since they are something that I make often, so it was perfect!  I am always trying to come up with recipes that use things I already have so I don’t need to spend extra money or go to the store.  It is a good feeling using up leftovers too!

    I had some cooked red lentils on hand as well, from making another recipe.  I always keep portions of cooked beans and lentils (or lefotvers such as the lentils since I hate wasting food).  Here is a tip to save time and money.  Cook a big batch of beans or lentils, then let them cool and portion them out for whatever you will need them for.  I use mine in salads as well as hummus, and I need them a few times a week usually so it saves me a lot of time.  I do this with all of my beans.  It has been years since I have bought canned ones.

    Back to the hummus though, it turned out super delicious!  I used red lentils as the base (because I have loads of them in my pantry), combined them with the flavorful sweet potato, some tahini to make it silky smooth, lime juice to give it a bit of tartness, some cumin, coriander and chipotle for spice.  It was a delicious combination! I like this as a veggie dip, but of course you could use it as a sandwich spread or with crackers if those are more your thing!

    Roasted Sweet Potato Red Lentil Hummus

    Makes about 3 cups

    • 1 cup dried red lentils
    • 1 cup roasted sweet potatoes*
    • 1/4 cup sesame tahini
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 1 tsp cumin seed
    • 1/2 tsp coriander seed
    • 1/4 tsp ground chipotle
    • sea salt to taste

    Instructions:

    1. To cook the lentils, place them in a pot with 3 cups of water, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain any excess water, and set aside to cool.
    2. For the hummus, combine all remaining ingredients plus the lentils in a food processor and process until smooth.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container.

    *If you don’t happen to have leftover roasted sweet potatoes, you can make one: For the roasted sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 400F degrees, and place a sweet potato cut in half lengthwise cut side down on a lined tray.  Roast until the sweet potato is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.  Remove from the oven and let cool for the recipe.

  • Vegan Mexican Chocolate Lava Cakes

    Vegan Mexican Chocolate Lava Cakes

    Since Cinco de Mayo is this weekend, I decided to make something for dessert with a little kick. I had made a Mexican chocolate cake that was really good a few years back with a little bit of cinnamon and chipotle in the batter and that sounded good to make again, but I didn’t feel like making a giant cake for just a few people so I decided on mini lava cakes instead. They are just as delicious as a layer cake only way less work plus you get that yummy gooey chocolate instead of the frosting which is a good trade off.

    I made these after work, so they are actually pretty quick and easy. For the cake batter, I used my chocolate cake recipe which uses dates instead of sugar because it makes for a perfectly moist light cake which I knew would be perfect for these. Plus I just love things sweetened with dates they are about as natural as you can get when it comes to sweeteners. The cake batter tasted delicious especially once I added in the touch of cinnamon and chipotle powder to give it that heat. I always taste my cake batter to make sure it is good before I bake it. Not that I wouldn’t lick the bowl anyways because I love batter.

    For the lava part, I made a ganache with dark chocolate and coconut milk and it worked out perfectly! The cakes smelled amazing while they baked and I could not wait to try one. Luckilly these are almost instant gratification, you don’t have to wait long just almost 20 minutes to bake, 10 minutes to cool enough to remove them from the pans and volia! Delicious cake!

    I drizzled them with some of the leftover ganache and they were super delicious! Moist and soft rich dark chocolate cake with gooey dark chocolate in the center and of course a little kick from the chipotle and cinnamon. If you are in the mood for some chocolate cake, give these a try!

    Vegan Mexican Chocolate Lava Cakes

    Makes 4

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1/2 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips
    • 1/4 cup coconut cream (the thick part from the top of the can of coconut milk

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2  cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil four 1 cup custard dishes or ramakins with oil.
    3. To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate and coconut milk in the top part of a double boiler, whisking them, and heat until they are melted and blended together and smooth. Turn off the heat.
    4. To make the cake batter, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, chipotle powder, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, water, 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 half of the cake batter to prepared dishes filling them half full, then drop 2 Tbsp of the ganache into each in the center. Spoon the remaining batter over each one, place on a tray, and place in the oven.
    7. Bake cakes until they are set, but not over-baked about 15-18 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool for about 10 minutes.
    8. Rewarm any extra ganache if it has solidified.
    9. When the cakes have sat 10 minutes, un-mold, drizzle with the ganache and enjoy warm.
  • Vegan Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

    Vegan Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

    Cookies and cream ice cream was one of my favorites when I was a kid. My Dad usually had it on hand in his refrigerator and it was perfect for layering up with the other flavors for a giant sundae. He used to let me make whatever I wanted, no matter the sugar content or the size of the dessert so I usually went with the cookies and cream, peppermint bon bon, and moose tracks or something else similar plus a topping of fudge and caramel, and whipped cream. Sounds like an odd combination but I thought it was pretty darn good. That is also probably why I was so hyper sometimes.

    I have to admit I haven’t had any cookies and cream ice cream as an adult, since I am not really a big fan of Oreos now. I know that they are technically vegan but I try not to eat processed packaged foods with artificial ingredients. So, I thought I would make my own cookies and cream ice cream, with my own home made cookies, since I haven’t had any of that ice cream in so long!

    I made some chocolate shortbread cookies, which were also drizzled in chocolate (because why not?!), broke those up and stirred those into my ice cream base. They don’t taste exactly like Oreos, but I like them better. They taste like real cookies. For the ice cream base, I used a mixture of coconut milk and cashew butter to make it extra creamy and just added some maple syrup, vanilla and dash of sea salt (because it makes flavors even more intense) and it was perfect!

    This was not the ice cream I ate as a kid, it was better. I went a little overboard on adding cookie chunks (I have adjusted the recipe so you will have just the right amount), but it was ok, it was amazing tasting. The cookies stayed nice and crunchy, with plenty of chocolate flavor and the ice cream was rich and creamy with a nice mellow vanilla flavor. You would never guess that it was vegan! It tasted just as creamy as dairy ice cream! I am so happy ice cream season is now here.

    Vegan Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

    Makes about 3 cups

    Cookies:

    • 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 3 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil liquid at cool temperatures)
    • 1 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/4 cup melted vegan dark chocolate

    Ice Cream:

    • 2 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup (or to taste)
    • 1 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees, and line three baking sheets with parchment.
    2. To make the dough, mix all ingredients but the chocolate 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 circles with a medium sized cookie cutter 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 15-20 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. Drizzle with the dark chocolate then place in the freezer until the chocolate is set.
    6. Break up some of the cookies until you have 1 cup of cookie pieces and set aside. (reserve the rest for eating)
    7. For the ice cream, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    8. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions.
    9. Once the ice cream is done churning, stir in the cookie pieces and pour into a freezer safe container with a lid. Place the lid on, place in the freezer and freeze for about 4 hours or until firm enough to scoop. Enjoy!

    *Note: If you wanted to make these gluten free, you could use Bob’s Red Mill AP baking flour in the cookies instead of the whole wheat pastry flour subbed 1:1.

    *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 Banana’s Foster Truffles

    Vegan Banana’s Foster Truffles

    I had a bunch of ripe bananas on hand that I had picked up for free, and although I made some banana cookies, and cut some up for smoothies, I still had some I wanted to use for something besides just eating. I decided to make some banana’s foster truffles. I was recently looking through my banana recipes to try and get inspiration and I came across my banana’s foster cake and couldn’t help but think that flavor combination would be amazing with some chocolate in a truffle, so I went for it.

    Truffles are always one of my go to quick desserts to make. They don’t require a lot of effort besides the dipping and shaping but the whole process is kind of fun and I enjoy the fact that I can eat the extra melted dark chocolate. I mean, that is the whole reason you make truffles and chocolate treats at home right?! At least that is a big part of why I do. Funny story though, years ago I had an aversion to chocolate for a couple of years after being sick a couple of times after having some, and it made me think I was allergic to it because I would get a stomach ache every time after eating it. I didn’t eat it for a few years, but then after about 3 I started gradually eating it again and I was fine. Now I make it quite a lot. I just make sure it is really good quality chocolate not any of that fake stuff. I am happy it doesn’t affect me adversely now because I love it!

    Back to those truffles, I wanted the filling to taste like the banana’s foster dessert, which has cooked bananas, so I roasted the bananas in the oven before pureeing them for the filling. Of course I had to add rum as well, as is customary for banana’s foster. I wanted them to be a little boozy! I combined that with some cacao butter, cashew butter, and coconut butter to give them an almost white chocolate like base. I sweetened it with a little maple syrup and vanilla to give it a caramel like flavor as well and it was super delicious!

    Once it was all chilled, I rolled it into truffle balls and dipped them in good quality vegan dark chocolate! OMG were they ever heavenly. I mean the filling was good on it’s own, but even better with the dark chocolate! Trust me, bananas, rum and chocolate are a match made in heaven! If you have some bananas on hand definitely give these a try! You might not even want to share and just keep them for yourself.

    Vegan Banana’s Foster Truffles

    Makes 16

    Chocolate:

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

    Instructions:

    1. preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    2. Spread the bananas out on the pan, place in the oven and roast until they are starting to caramelize, about 35-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    3. Puree bananas in the food processor and then add all of the other filling ingredients and puree until smooth.
    4. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 20-30 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.
    5. Meanwhile,  melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler until smooth.
    6. 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.
    7. Store any leftover truffles in the refrigerator.
  • Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

    Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

    Over-ripe bananas are a good problem to have. I mean, you can cut them up and freeze them for smoothies or nice cream, or make some banana bread or cake, or mash them and make pancakes. I had gotten some over-ripe bananas from work, and I wanted to make something delicious with them besides all of the things I mentioned (because I like a bit of variety sometimes). I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make. It couldn’t be too time consuming, it had to be something easy to make and something that used ingredients I already had on hand. Since I am always trying to use up things I already have instead of spending more money. What I decided on was cookies. They were perfect, because they were easy to make, and I knew they would be super delicious!

    I didn’t want the cookies super cakey though, or just mashed bananas mixed in, because I don’t really like the texture of most banana cookies. So I decided to roast the bananas first to intensify their flavor and make them even sweeter then mix them into the dough keeping it in chunks. You could of course use dried banana chips and skip this step to make the recipe even faster, but trust me it is worth it for the flavor!

    These were oatmeal cookies, my favorite cookie because they are hearty and I love oats plus the chewy on the inside crispy at the edges texture is perfect as far as I am concerned and exactly what I like in a cookie. I added in crunchy hazelnuts and rich vegan dark chocolate chips along with the bananas and the dough was heavenly! Honestly eating cookie dough is my favorite part of making cookies.

    They baked up beautifully as well, and smelled amazing! Kind of like banana bread crossed with cookies containing brown sugar. But I didn’t even use brown sugar in these, I used coconut sugar which is a great brown sugar substitute! The cookies were super delicious! If you are craving cookies and have bananas on hand, now you know what to make!

    Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

    Makes 16 large cookies

    • 4 medium organic bananas, peeled and sliced
    • 3/4 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 2 flax eggs*
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
    • 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

    Instructions:

    1. preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment (or oil it).
    2. Spread out the sliced bananas on it, place in the oven, and roast for about 30-45 minutes until they are browned, and almost starting to caramelize and have lost some of their moisture. Remove from the oven and let cool until you are able to handle them comfortably. Set aside.
    3. 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).
    4. Mix in the flour, soda, spices and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined, then add bananas, chocolate chips and hazelnuts and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    5. Lower the oven to 350F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    6. 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.
    8. Enjoy!

    *For the flax eggs, whisk together 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl.  Allow to sit in the fridge for 15 minutes until the mixture has set up (or become kind of thick).  

  • Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Scones

    Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Scones

    I am so happy it is finally getting comfortably warm outside! Eric and I went for a walk in the afternoon around the Stone Arch area of Minneapolis last weekend and it was so warm that I wore shorts and a tank top and was even sweating a little despite the breeze. Let me tell you, it is a nice change from the snow we had just a couple weeks ago. We decided when we got done walking that something cool sounded good and I had the idea to hit up Crepe and Spoon a vegan and crepe shop in the area. I have always wanted to try it, and the ice cream I had ended up being super delicious. I got the raspberry lemonade ice cream in a waffle cone. I haven’t had a waffle cone since I was a kid probably and I loved it! We will definitely be going back there, especially this Summer.

    It was a little chillier on my other day off, so I decided to do some baking. I had picked up some organic strawberries at Aldi for a good price, and I thought they would be lovely in some scones. I had made some chocolate strawberry scones a while back before I went vegan and they were really good so I decided to recreate those.

    Scones are actually a fairly quick and easy thing to make provided you have your coconut milk chilled (which I always do because I store it in the refrigerator since I mostly use it chilled). For the base, I used a mixture of whole wheat pastry flour and almond flour with coconut oil and full fat coconut milk to make it nice and rich, plus of course some cacao powder and vanilla. The secret to making these flakey and delicious is to not over-mix the dough. this dough is super delicious by the way, I had to sample it before baking of course.

    They smelled amazing while they baked almost like brownies, and they were lovely when I pulled them out of the oven. I decided to top them off with a bit of melted dark chocolate too though to make them even more pretty. They were delicious warm (the best way to eat scones) with plenty of chocolate flavor, gooey chocolate chips and jammy strawberries in a tender dough! If you have strawberries and chocolate on hand, give these a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    Scones:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/2 cup almond meal
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cup fresh organic strawberries, sliced
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips or chunks
    • coconut milk for topping (if needed)
    • coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, cacao powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut 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 into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in strawberries and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a circle, a few inches high. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles (like a pizza).
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven).
    9. Cool on a wire rack.
    10. Enjoy!
  • Mini Avocado Lime Cream Tartlettes

    Mini Avocado Lime Cream Tartlettes

    I had a bag of limes on my counter just waiting to be used for something and key lime pie sounded really good, but I didn’t want to make a giant key lime pie just for myself and it seemed like maybe a lot of work for the energy level I had at the time. I was pretty tired from work and it just being gloomy outside but some summery limes in a dessert seemed like the perfect cure. So long as it was easy to make, so what I decided on was mini tartlettes. I love them because they are perfectly portioned, easy to share and I am not tempted to eat half a big pie.

    Since these were going to be easy to make, I made a no bake crust this time instead of the usual pie crust because waiting for them to bake and cool would take too long. I made a rich crust with almond flour and it worked out perfectly! Also bonus this is gluten free, because I did not use any flour for this, so I am sure some of you can appreciate that! Or you may be like me and have just have almond flour on hand you are not quite sure what to do with so this is the perfect use for it!

    The filling was super simple to make, you just buzz everything in your blender or food processor and voila! Delicious key lime pie filling. I used plenty of tart lime juice as well as zest to make these super fragrant, and just enough maple syrup to sweeten them. The base was a mixture of avocado and coconut milk and coconut butter, to make it nice and creamy and rich. I could have eaten it with a spoon like a mousse but of course then my tart shells would go to waste so I restrained myself.

    They were done in under and hour and they turned out super delicious. The filling tasted like a richer version of classic key lime pie, the almost buttery nutty almond tart the perfect pairing with it! If you are a fan of key lime pie, but don’t want to make a whole giant one, give these babies a try!

    Mini Avocado Lime Cream Tartlettes

    Crust:

    • 1 cup almond flour
    • 1/2 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

    Filling:

    • 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick part from the top of the can)
    • 1 medium ripe avocado
    • 1/3 cup lime juice
    • 1 Tbsp organic lime zest
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all crust ingredients in a bowl, and mix together.
    2. Press the crust mixture into the bottoms of 4 mini tart pans. Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
    3. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into the crusts, and set in the freezer until they firm up, about 30-45 minutes.
    4. Once they are set, enjoy!
    5. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • Vegan Coconut Macadamia Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

    Vegan Coconut Macadamia Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

    This year for Easter, I decided to make carrot cake. How original, I know but there is nothing wrong with sticking with tradition. You know what tradition I miss? When everyone used to get all dressed up for Easter. I know some parents dress up their little kids all fancy, but I feel like the majority of people go pretty casual for church and Easter brunch or however else they are celebrating. Everyone is free to wear what they want of course, and I have no problem with that, but I like dressing up and being fancy sometimes for special occasions since it is not something I get to do every day. You know what else I like dressing up? Classic desserts like carrot cake.

    That carrot cake I made for Easter? I dressed up a classic recipe with coconut macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Raw Guru had recently sent me some Dastony macadamia nut butter, and raw cacao butter so it was meant to be! I consider macadamia nuts really special and reserved for special occasions because they are usually pretty spendy (like $34 for 1 lb at a local store in the bulk section), so I often will use them for Holidays or other celebrations. I was super excited about the macadamia nut butter because that stuff is amazing. It is totally heavenly, and I could have just eaten it from the jar but I wanted to use it in something special like my cake.

    For the cake base, I used my classic carrot cake batter that is sweetened with dates instead of coconut sugar and uses nut butter instead of oil. It always comes out moist, yet light the perfect consistency. I mixed in some crunchy macadamia nuts, and sweet coconut as well as some spices and it was heavenly. I have to say I love cake batter. I always have to give it a taste to make sure it is good before baking it *wink wink*. But luckily most of it made it into the cake pans. The cakes smelled amazing while baking!

    Once they were all baked in cooled I made some epic macadamia coconut white chocolate frosting! It was light and fluffy, rich and creamy and could have been eaten with a spoon but it was even better on the cake! This cake is totally heavenly, and I was really happy with my choice to make it for Easter! I hope you all are having a wonderful Holiday weekend!

    Vegan Coconut Macadamia Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake Batter:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour)
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30
    • minutes and 1 cup of the water reserved
    • 1/4 cup Dastony macadamia but butter (or raw cashew butter)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup coconut milk at room temperature
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup finely shredded, dried coconut
    • 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
    • 1 1/4 cups shredded organic carrots

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk at room temperature (use a brand with at least 2/3 of the can coconut cream or the recipe will not work. I used Thai Kitchen)
    • 1/2 cup Dastony macadamia nut butter or raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp cider vinegar
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup Dastony coconut butter warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup Raw Guru cacao butter, warmed to liquid or additional coconut butter

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, macadamia nut butter, coconut milk, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended.
    4. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form. Mix in coconut, macadamia nuts and carrots.  Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
    5. Remove from oven and 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. Let cool completely.
    6. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer until thickened.  You want to whisk it every 15 minutes and you know it is ready when it is thick like whipped cream, about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.
    7. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread frosting 1/2 inch thick over it.  Place the other cake layer over that, then 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. It will take longer to bake, about 50 minutes to an hour.

  • Vegan Matcha Waffles

    Vegan Matcha Waffles

    I am obsessed with matcha tea. I drink it every day at work in chilled form unadorned, and on the weekends I like to enjoy a matcha latte at a coffee shop. It is my treat lately since I usually make stuff like that at home, but I do enjoy when someone else makes it sometimes. It has to be made in a nice mug though, there is something more special about that experience and sitting there sipping it slowly than drinking it out of a paper one. It was so nice last weekend that after Eric and I went to Art In Bloom at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, we stopped and enjoyed a latte sitting outside on the patio. Let me just say what a difference a few days make in terms of weather here in Minnesota. It was literally snowing for 3 days last week and now it is lovely and feels like spring.

    Back to the matcha though, every time I have one of those lattes I then feel like going home and creating something with matcha. I have been wanting to make matcha waffles for a while, since I got my new waffle maker for Christmas, and I finally got around to it last weekend. I mentioned to Eric that I had the idea to make some matcha waffles and he said he was really hungry they sounded good and so I went for it.

    I made my classic gluten free vegan waffle recipe, but added in a good amount of matcha, as well as some vanilla and almond extracts, because that combination of flavors is simply heavenly! They smelled amazing while cooking, the heavenly aroma of waffles filling my kitchen! Once they were all done and ready to enjoy, I decided to top them off with a pumpkin seed butter maple drizzle, made with Dastony Pumpkin Seed Butter from Raw Guru because I thought the green color would look lovely with the green waffles. I am that weird person who loves to match things, and I love monochromatic color schemes sometimes.

    The waffles were sooo good! Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle with the scents of matcha, vanilla and almond and the maple pumpkin seed butter drizzle tasted almost like a maple caramel on top of them! If you haven’t tried Dastony pumpkin seed butter it is actually pretty amazing. I like it in savory things like dressing but it worked perfect to create a caramel drizzle for the waffles! If you are a matcha lover or if you are just craving waffles, give these a try!


    Vegan Matcha Waffles 

    Makes 8

    Waffles:

    • 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour*
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp matcha powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp almond 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

    Pumpkin Seed Butter Maple Drizzle

    Instructions:

    1. To make the waffles, whisk together the flour, sugar, matcha, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt in a large bowl.
    2. Then whisk the flax mixture, oil, and coconut milk together until smooth.
    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. To make the pumpkin seed maple drizzle, whisk together all ingredients until smooth (adding a little more maple syrup if necessary to create a pour-able consistency.
    5. Serve the waffles with the syrup!

    *If you want to make these not gluten free, you can swap in organic whole wheat pastry flour or regular AP flour 1:1 for the gluten free. 

  • Matcha Coconut Easter Nests

    Matcha Coconut Easter Nests

    I love making Easter candy, and so when my Mom asked if I could make some white chocolate macaroon Easter nests I was all for it! I remember people always used to make them back in the day (they probably still do but I am out of the “normal” non-vegan food loop), and they were so cute! They had an either white or dark chocolate macaroon base, and usually jelly beans or those malted milk eggs inside. My Mom said she wanted the white chocolate ones, but tinted green.

    So, I decided to make these ones a little more grown up and include the flavors of matcha, dark chocolate and almonds. These things are all heavenly when combined with coconut. I figured these would be fairly easy to make, and they were. But they were a little time consuming (not going to lie). It was totally worth it though when they were done!

    I made some home made vegan white chocolate with a mixture of Dastony coconut butter and cashew butter plus some raw cacao butter from Raw Guru. It was silky smooth and so good even before I made it into the nests. I included a little vanilla and maple syrup as well, plus the matcha to tint it green and give it a lovely green tea flavor. I formed them into cute little nests, then as they firmed up in the freezer I got to work dipping my almonds.

    That was the part that was the most time consuming. These were going to be the eggs in the nests. Once they were all finished and put together they were so cute! Most importantly though they were heavenly! My Mom loved them too, which was also important. If you are looking for something festive to make for Easter, give these a try!

    Matcha Coconut Easter Nests

    Makes 24

    Ingredients:

    Instructions:

    1. In a bowl, mix together the coconut butter, cacao butter, cashew butter, maple syrup, sea salt, vanilla and matcha until smooth. Stir in the coconut until coated.
    2. Spoon into 12 mounds on a piece of parchment paper, then make a little indentation into the center of each (you may need to reshape a little with your hands, that’s ok). Place in the freezer to harden.
    3. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
    4. Dip each almond into it one by one, letting the excess drain off well, and set on a parchment lined tray. Place in the freezer until hard.
    5. Pipe a little of the leftover melted chocolate into the center of each coconut nest, and place 2 almonds on it. Allow to set.
    6. Enjoy! Store any extra in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a month.