Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

  • Savory Lentil and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

    Savory Lentil and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

    I have always had a thing for squash.  It is the vegetable that I always used to get the most excited about, and when Fall rolled around, I had to have some in my kitchen at all times.  There was a point when I ate it almost every day, and my skin turned slightly orange.  My Mom called it my squash tan.  I try to branch out a little more now and eat a variety of things, but I still devour a couple of squash per week.  My favorite thing to do with them is to stuff them.  With things like soup, or savory rice or quinoa stuffings. I was in the mood for a really hearty dinner a few nights back, because it was a chilly day and I was super hungry from a big workout and working, so I made a lentil and wild rice stuffed squash.

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    Lentils and wild rice are used often in my kitchen lately, because to me they are perfect for comfort foods like creamy wild rice soup, or lentil walnut meatloaf.  Combining them together is awesome because they have this beautiful earthy savory flavor that is perfect for this time of the year.  I kept this stuffing pretty simple, adding some mushrooms and garlic for flavor, celery for texture and saltiness, and a little thyme because it is my favorite Fall and Winter spice.  For the squash, I used buttercup, because it is my all time favorite squash, the perfect balance of sweet and starchy.

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    There was a time in my life when I had squash roasting in the oven almost every night, and it is always comforting to smell it roasting in the oven and warming up the house.  This recipe takes a little time to cook, but it is not difficult to make or hands on time consuming.  It is sooo worth the time though!  I made extra and served it for dinner the next night!  It is deliciously savory, like warm you up, satisfy your comfort food craving but still feel good after meal.   I think I might just be making this often this year!

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    Savory Lentil and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash
    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    • 2/3 cup wild rice
    • 2/3 cup French lentils
    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 2 stalks celery
    • ¾ cup sliced crimini mushrooms
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • ½ tsp dried thyme
    • Sea salt to taste
    • 2 medium buttercup or kabocha squash, cut in half and seeds removed

    Directions:

    1. Place the wild rice in a pot with just enough water to cover by 3 inches, then bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer.  Cover and cook for about 1 hour until the rice is tender and starting to bloom.  Drain.
    2. Meanwhile, do the same with the lentils as you did with the rice, and cook for about 40 minutes until tender.  Drain.
    3. Meanwhile, while the rice and lentils are cooking, preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
    4. Place the squash in the oven, cut side down on an oiled baking tray.  Bake for about 1 hour until tender.
      While the squash is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the celery and mushrooms.  Sautee for about 10 minutes over medium heat until tender, then add the garlic, thyme, the cooked lentils and wild rice.  Season to taste with salt, then stir all together.
    5. Once the squash have finished cooking spoon the lentil and wild rice mixture into them.  Serve!

     

     

     

  • Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

    Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

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    When it comes to Halloween candy, I have always gone for the chocolate over every other type of candy.  You can have the smarties, suckers, and jolly ranchers…I was all about the Reese’s peanut butter cups, Snickers, and Milky Ways.  I am still this way as an adult.  Not that I buy commercial candy at the store, because it is much more fun to make your own, and that way you know that the ingredients are quality and no fillers or weird ingredients you don’t want to put into your body.  Dark chocolate can be good for you if it is the right kind.  So, I thought why not make a healthier nut butter cup with no sugar just good dark chocolate and nut butter?!  I know many of you are looking to cut your sugar intake for a variety of reasons, so these are for you!  Everyone should be able to enjoy dark chocolate after all!

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    I made my usual dark chocolate recipe, but instead of the maple syrup, I substituted SweetLeaf stevia drops.  The English toffee flavor, because it is my favorite and it gives it a hint of caramel.  But of course, you could just use plain if you like.  I am not a fan of all stevias, some leave a weird aftertaste, but SweetLeaf does not have that.  It is the only brand I like.  I have been sweetening my smoothies and such with it for over 10 years when I don’t want to add excess sugar and it always tastes good.  This chocolate was no exception.  I gave it a good pinch of sea salt as well, resulting in an almost salted caramel flavor with the English toffee stevia.  I love peanut butter cups, but I am such a peanut butter obsessed person, that I thought I would do something a little different this time and make almond butter cups.  Variety is the spice of life right?  And getting  stuck in ruts is not always a good thing.  There will be more peanut butter inclusive posts in the future, don’t worry, but for today almond butter is the star!

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    I had also just been given a big container of chunky almond butter, which I had never actually tried before so I wanted to use that.  I was never a fan of crunchy peanut butter growing up, but this almond butter is awesome!  I like crunchy almond butter!  It was perfect to fill these little chocolate treats with too!  I did not add any sweetener to my almond butter because I like my nut butter cups to be salty on the inside and sweet on the outside.  But of course you can do what you like with yours.  These were awesome!  I did not even miss the regular sweeteners, and would not have guessed that they were stevia sweetened if someone else made them and gave them to me.  These are sort of grown up Halloween candy.  Because to me almond butter has always been a little more grown up than peanut butter (probably because I never tried any until high school).  What is your favorite Halloween candy?

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    Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
    Makes 6

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup cacao butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 3/4 cup cacao powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp SweetLeaf Stevia English Toffee Sweet Drops (or regular plain stevia drops)
    • 1/3 cup crunchy salted almond butter

    I melt my cacao butter and coconut butter in the top of a double boiler. Whisk together the chocolate ingredients until smooth.
    Set 6 medium sized peanut butter cup molds (or silicone muffin tins work too) on a tray. Pour the chocolate into the bottoms of the molds, filling them 1/3 full. Place the tray in the freezer for about 15 minutes until firm.
    Once firm, spoon a little of the almond butter (like 1 heaping tsp) into the centers of the tins on top of the chocolate (but not too mounded or it will stick out the top or ooze to the sides. Pour the remaining chocolate over the top and place back in the freezer to firm up, about 20 minutes. Unmold and enjoy!
    Store any leftover candy in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

  • Vegan Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

    Vegan Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

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    One time, back when I was in high school, I had to bring a dessert to a cross country banquet to share, and my Mom decided to make brownies.  Now mind you, we did not make them from scratch, we bought the mixes at the store, and at that point in my life I could not even imagine making brownies from scratch.  We were making some turtle brownies this time.  They came out of the oven lovely and smelling like decadent chocolaty goodness, but they had to cool on the counter.  We had to go somewhere, and thought nothing of leaving them out in the open, because our Maine Coon cat Heather was well behaved and never jumped up on counters as far as we knew, but when we got home, guess who thought that the brownies smelled good too?  We caught her up on the counter licking the caramel. Bye bye brownies, we had to start over, and luckily Heather did not get sick, but it was kind of funny.  I guess cats sometimes get sick of cat food and want goodies too.

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    Speaking of caramel in brownies…I  made some brownies with caramel in them on my day off this week and they were amazing.  I had leftover caramel from another dessert I had made, my delicious date caramel recipe that I make often for anything and everything, and I decided it would be awesome in brownies.  But not just brownies, cheesecake brownies with pecans. I was going for pure decadent rich deliciousness here.  I mean, I knew they would be good, but they FAR exceeded my expectations.  I used a mixture of pecan butter and avocado oil in the brownie part instead of coconut because I don’t like how hard coconut oil gets when cooled in desserts.  This made them fudgy and rich.  For the cheesecake part, a mixture of coconut milk and cashew butter because I think this gives it the best flavor, and this stuff was so good I could have eaten it with a spoon. once combined with the caramel and pecans and baked…wow, did it smell amazing!

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    I let them chill overnight, which was really hard considering I wanted to try them so bad, but I wanted them to cut nicely.  It was well worth the wait.  They were decadent, rich, and delicious.  You would not be able to tell that these are vegan, refined sugar free, and gluten free at all, they taste like regular brownies.  These are honestly the best brownies I have made, and I would proudly serve them to a group of omnivores!  Thumbs up from my taste testers too, bet you can’t eat just one!

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    Vegan Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    Caramel:

    • 1/2 cup soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in water and drain well first)
    • 1 heaping Tbsp pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)

     

    Cheesecake swirl:

    • 3/4 cup thick coconut milk (from the top of a chilled can)
    • 1/2 cup cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch

     

    Brownies:

    • 1/2 cup avocado or olive oil
    • 3 Tbsp pecan butter, or almond butter
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp reduced aquafaba or 2 flax eggs*
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (plus more for sprinkling the top)

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (adding a little water if necessary, it should be the consistency of pourable but still thick caramel).  Pour into a bowl and set aside.
    2. To make the cheesecake swirl, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.
    3. To make the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees. Whisk together the sugar, oil and nut butter until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down.  Add the aquafaba and vanilla and beat until smooth.
    4. Add the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and beat until smooth, then stir in the pecans.  Scrape the batter into a greased 8×8 inch pan, then drop the cheesecake and caramel over it in 2 Tbsp amounts, and swirl it with a knife.  Sprinkle with a few more pecans.
    5. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).  Let cool before cutting into bars.

     

    *The aquafaba is the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas.  You want it to be thick like egg whites.  If you are wanting to make flax eggs, simply mix together 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds, and 6 Tbsp filtered water and let sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before using in the recipe.

     

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  • Vegan Caramel Apple Galette

    Vegan Caramel Apple Galette

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    The weather has been just glorious here lately!  I am loving these cooler crisp fall mornings and warmer sunny afternoons.  To be honest I wish it could be like this year round.  40-50F degrees in the morning and 60-70F degrees in the afternoon is awesome!  Sunday was just like that.  It was nice and cool for my 10 mile run, and it was nice to not be sweating profusely and have more energy.  I always feel energized when the weather is cool, it makes me feel as if I can run farther and faster.  Also, the leaves are beautiful, and they are starting to flutter to the ground like confetti.  Running through the crunchy leaves makes me happy.  Since it was such a beautiful day, I made a trip to Alexis Bailly Vineyard with Eric, and it was the perfect weather for a wine tasting and then a walk along the river in downtown Hastings.  Fall days like this are what I look forward to all year round!  Also, I did some baking this weekend, a delicious caramel apple tart!
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    My Grandpa had given me a bunch of locally grown apples a few weeks ago, and I have been making loads of apple goodies.  I wanted to make something a little more classic that I could share with him and my family and that is why the apple galette came to mind. It is much easier to make than pie being rustic, and almost impossible to mess up.  Not only that, it is as good as pie, bakes faster and you don’t have to worry about 2 crusts.  Galettes are one of my favorite fruit desserts.  In my pies and galettes, I like to use a mixture of nut flour and regular (well either oat or gluten free usually in my house) flour to make it extra delicious.  Trust me, this is the type of pie dough that you sample and go, this is delicious!  It tastes kind of like cookie dough in my opinion.  Yes, I taste my dough every time.  That way I can make sure it will be good once baked, and I am not missing an ingredient like the coconut sugar.
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    I kept the filling really simple and classic to allow the apples to shine.  They were very flavorful apples, a mixture of Honeycrisp and Haralson my favorites for baking. It smelled amazing when I pulled it from the oven. I made a date caramel to top it all off once baked, and it was delicious!  I served it with a Golden Chai Spiced Coconut Milk Gelato I recently made and it was crave worthy!  Thumbs up from everyone else I shared it with too, our plates were cleaned fast.  If you are looking for a delicious way to showcase those fall apples, give this a try!
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    Vegan Caramel Apple Galette
    2 galettes
    Ingredients:
    Crust:
    • 3 cups gluten free oat flour (gluten free all purpose flour will work here too, I use Bob’s Red Mill)
    • 1 cup pecan meal (or almond meal)
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup coconut oil, in its solid form
    • 1/4 cup raw pecan butter or almond butter
    • cool filtered water as needed

     

    Filling:
    • 2 large apples, sliced thinly
    • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • juice of one small lemon
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • a pinch of sea salt
    • coconut sugar, for topping

     

    Caramel:
    • 3/4 cup pitted dates soaked in filtered water for 3o minutes and drained (1/4 cup soaking water reserved)
    • 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Directions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt.  Cut in coconut oil and nut butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces.  Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky.  Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.  Divide into 2 pieces and shape into rounds (if it is too soft, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm it up slightly.  You want it pliable, but not super soft or it will be hard to shape).
    2. Roll each out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin.  If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up.
    3. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.  To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
    4. Arrange the apples over the crust leaving a 1 inch boarder, then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Brush sprinkle with a little coconut sugar.  Place in the oven.  Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if they are very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.
    5. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth (pass through a fine meshed strainer if there are any chunks left).  If the caramel is too thick for drizzling add a little more water.  Drizzle over the top of the galette, and serve!
  • Mini Vegan Apple Maple Cheesecakes

    Mini Vegan Apple Maple Cheesecakes

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    Apples are abundant in my kitchen lately.  So, when I got home from work Friday, and had the urge to bake something to relive stress and chill out, it was going to be apple.  I had a bunch of ideas for what I wanted to make bouncing around in my head and couldn’t decide on just one, so I had to ask Eric help me decide.  He said apple cheesecake sounded the best to him.  It sounded good to me too, and I knew I would have more time on the weekend to bake something else if I wanted to so cheesecake it was!  The idea of apples and cream cheese has always been a winner to me, ever since I had a Dutch apple pie with cream cheese filling when I was a kid.  It was amazing.  So I was excited about these!  I decided to make mini cheesecakes, because they are much easier than making a large one, plus good for small families such as mine when you don’t want a giant cake.  Not only that, how cute is it to have your own little individual cheesecake?!

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    I kept the crust simple and plain, because I wanted to showcase the cheesecake and apples. For the filling, I sweetened it with a little maple syrup and maple extract, and it tasted wonderful!  I could have eaten it with a spoon, like rich frosting, but I poured it into the molds of course.  I kept the apple part simple, just a little cinnamon and maple syrup like my classic apple pie, but it tasted so good because the apples were very flavorful.  It is important to buy things like local apples whenever you can, because they taste much better, and of course they have more nutrients than ones that have sat too long in transit.

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    I finished it all off once it was set with a little caramel, and it was so delicious!  I am glad Eric decided on these for the dessert to make, because they are better even than I expected!  Sweet, with the scent of maple and cinnamon, a little tart from the apples, and the gooey caramel to top it off… all together simply heavenly!  If you have some apples lying around from your last trip to the apple orchard, you must give these a try!

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    Mini Vegan Apple Maple Cheesecakes
    Makes 6

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup gluten free organic oat flour
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/16 tsp sea salt

    Topping:

    • 2 cups diced apples
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

    Cheesecake Filling:

    • 1/2 cup full fat organic coconut milk at room temperature
    • 1/4 cup cashew butter
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    Quick Caramel:

    • 1 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • filtered water as needed

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, stir together all ingredients in a bowl, and then press into the bottoms of 12 silicone muffin tins.  Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
    2. To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the apples are softened, about 7 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.
    3. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    4. Pour the filling over the crust, spoon the apples over it, and place in the freezer to firm up for about 45 minutes or up to an hour.  Once they have firmed up, unmold them and place them on a tray.
    5. To make the caramel, whisk together the pecan butter, maple syrup, and just enough water to make it pourable.
    6. Once the cheesecakes have set, drizzle the caramel over the cheesecakes and serve! Store any left over cheesecakes in the refrigerator.
  • Golden Chai Coconut Milk Gelato

    Golden Chai Coconut Milk Gelato

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    You would think I would stop with the ice cream making now that the temperatures are falling a little, and Fall is here.  Nope!  I love ice cream, and truth be told I even have to keep a supply on hand in the Fall and Winter to go with things like fruit pies and crisps which I like to serve warm with ice cream on the side.  The ice cream is essential to those in my opinion.  It provides something a little cool and creamy to balance out the warm and gooey of those desserts.  I am a big texture and flavor person when it comes to food, so it must have balance.  I make all of my ice cream in my own home too, that way I can choose what flavors I want and make them to fit with what I am serving them with.  I knew I was going to be making some apple desserts soon which would need ice cream, so I made Golden Chai Coconut Milk Gelato.

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    Copper Cup sent me some of their turmeric latte mix to test out, and it is delicious!  If you haven’t heard of it, it is a slightly sweet blend of spices that you add to coconut milk, and voila!  A delicious warming drink.  It also contains turmeric of course, and ginger so it has anti-inflammatory benefits as well.  I like it before bed, as it is calming plus has no caffeine. The company was previously named Golden Chai, and they are in the process of renaming to Copper Cup.  To celebrate, they are offering a deal on their website for 25% off your order. Use the offer code COPPERCUP25 when placing your order. Also, they are allowing me to give away some of their awesome mix to one lucky winner on Instagram, so be sure to head over there to enter!  Here is the link of you want to enter!  So, not only have I been drinking the turmeric lattes this week, I also decided to add it to the ice cream that I mentioned earlier.

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    I was thinking, why not!  The aroma and flavor of it remind me of Fall, and I bet it would be awesome in some coconut milk ice cream to serve with my Apple Pie! So, I made a 5 ingredient gelato using it.  Just coconut milk, cashew butter, dates, sea salt and the Copper Cup Turmeric Latte Mix.  Why the cashew butter you might ask?  Simple, it gives the ice cream that rich smooth flavor of gelato.  No icy low fat ice cream here…I like my ice cream to taste indulgent so even just a little will satisfy!  It tasted amazing too!  Smooth, sweet, and lightly spiced with the lovely golden hue of the turmeric. This is a super easy simple recipe, and it is perfect for this time of the year!  Because I don’t know about you, but I am baking a heck of a lot of apple and other fall fruit desserts lately that need to be topped off with ice cream!

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    Golden Chai Coconut Milk Gelato
    Makes about 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups full fat organic coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 2 packages Copper Cup Turmeric Latte Mix

     

    Directions:

    1. To make the ice cream, combine coconut milk, cashew butter, dates, sea salt and chai in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    2. Once it has finished churning, pour the ice cream base into a freezer safe container with a lid.  Place in the freezer with the lid on, and continue to freeze until firm enough to scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.
  • Vegan Spiced Apple Crisp in a Jar

    Vegan Spiced Apple Crisp in a Jar

    Apple crisp is the quintessential Fall dessert as far as I am concerned.  I know most people would say pie, but in my house growing up, my Mom made apple crisp more often, since it was a quick and easy week day dessert that she could make after work and have it be ready by after dinner time.  Hers always included sweet tart apples like haralsons or honeycrisps were her favorite, and they are awesome for baking as well as being local.  She always used plenty of cinnamon and a little lemon juice in the filling for that something extra.  We like our apple crisp to be a little tart along with the sweet.  The topping always had to include oats, which made it extra crunchy.  None of that just flour business.  I make mine similar, except mine is veganized, I use maple syrup in the filling,  and I add coconut to my topping.  I have probably made this recipe at least 100 times over the years and it is always good.  I got some cute little mason jars for serving desserts in (yes, I bought them for that purpose, because they are adorable and it makes them easy to share without being messy) and I wanted to make apple crisp and serve it in them.

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    I read that mason jars can go in the oven, but instead of doing that, I cooked the topping and apple filling separately, and then spooned them into the jars (they looked cleaner this way as well).  I had gotten a big bag of local apples from a family member so I was all excited about making these!  It is only this time of the year you can get them after all.  I know apples come from around the world year round and are at the store but it is just not the same as the local ones.  I added a few extra spices this time, some nutmeg and cardamom along with the cinnamon to make these extra good.  I cooked the filling on top of the stove, which was much faster than the oven by far, and it gave me a chance to taste it for seasoning before it was finished.  It was delicious!  I baked the topping in the oven to crisp it up nicely before spooning it over the apple filling in the jars.  it smelled heavenly in my kitchen!

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    They were delicious!  Just as good as crisp baked only in the oven, but a lot faster.  The apples were sweet, and jammy and the perfect consistency (thanks to being able to test them for doneness), spiced lightly, and the perfect pairing for the crunchy topping.  These are good as is, but even better topped off with some coconut milk ice cream.  Also, these are portable, and I imagine they would be perfect for bringing to a Fall picnic!

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    Vegan Spiced Apple Crisp in a Jar

    Serves 4

    Fruit:

    • 4 cups organic sweet tart apples (such as honeycrisp or pink lady), diced
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste depending on how sweet your apples are)
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cardmom
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
    • 2 tsp lemon juice

     

    Topping:
    • 3 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
    • 3 Tbsp large flake dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
    • 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 3 Tbsp coconut oil

     

    6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
    2. Place all of the filling ingredients except for the flour in a saucepan over medium heat until the apples start to sizzle, then lower heat to medium, cover, and cook until the apples are tender (stirring often) about 15minutes.  Add the arrowroot, and stir until thickened.  Remove from heat.
    3. 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. Spread out on a sheet pan, place in the oven and bake until crunchy, about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.
    4. Spoon the apple filling into jars, then top with the crumble topping.  Serve!

     

  • Vegan Apple Cinnamon Cobbler with Almond Biscuits

    Vegan Apple Cinnamon Cobbler with Almond Biscuits

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    I can not believe October is here already! But I love it. I have to say, this is my favorite time of the year!  I was lucky enough to have this past Saturday off of work to run a 5k, and the weather was perfect.  A little chill in the air, the leaves were just starting to change color on the trees, and the sun was shining.  It just made me happy.  I felt really good during the race, and ended up being the first woman despite not hitting my time goal.  I spent most of the rest of the day outside, but I also decided to bake something Fall like because I was in the mood for it.  The cooler air makes me want to fire up the oven.  When most people think of apple desserts, they probably don’t think cobbler, but that is what I made.  Because a cobbler sounded amazing and I had some local honeycrisp apples just begging to be used in it.
    apple-cinnamon-cobbler-with-almond-biscuits-2
    I mean, there is nothing like a warm cobbler served with cool coconut ice cream melting into it.  That is just pure bliss right there and enough to put me in my happy place.  I didn’t go all crazy with flavors here, I kept it simple with classic cinnamon.  For the biscuits to top if off, I used almond meal along with the gluten free flour to make them taste especially rich and flaky.  I have been doing this with all of my cobblers for a while, and it gives them that something special.  Sometimes I use pecan meal or walnut meal, but almond was my nut of choice this time.  The dough for them tasted delicious even before I placed them on top of the cobbler.  For the filling, I added a little lemon juice along with the apples and plenty of cinnamon because that is how my Mom always made her apple pie, and it was the best so I wanted my filling to taste like that.

     

    apple-cinnamon-cobbler-with-almond-biscuits-1
    I was super excited about this, because it smelled amazing while baking.  I served it warm (of course) topped off with some of my vegan pumpkin spice caramel ice cream.  It was sooo good!  Those I shared it with enjoyed it too, and it did not take long for the baking dish to be empty.  This is the perfect Fall dessert and baking project for a Saturday night!  I hope you all are having a wonderful Fall so far!
    apple-cinnamon-cobbler-with-almond-biscuits
    Vegan Apple Cinnamon Cobbler with Almond Biscuits
    Serves 4
    Ingredients:
    Fruit:
    • 3 cup organic sweet tart apples (such as honeycrisp or pink lady), cut into chunks
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    biscuit topping:
    • 3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup almond meal*
    • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
     6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate
    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Oil a 6 inch wide pie plate or bowl with coconut oil. In a large bowl, toss together the fruit, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla.
    2. Spoon into prepared bowl or pie plate, and cover with foil. Place plate on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling.
    3. Meanwhile, when the fruit in the oven is almost at 45 min, to make biscuits, in a large bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces.
    4. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Place dough on a floured work surface, and pat into a 1/2 inch tall rectangle.
    5. Remove baking fruit from oven. Cut small shapes out of the dough using a cookie cutter (or free form it), and place on top of the cobbler.  When all biscuits are on top of cobbler, sprinkle with coconut sugar and return to the oven.
    6. Bake for about 20 minutes until biscuits are cooked through and lightly brown and toasted on top (keep a close eye on they could burn very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm, and top with some ice cream or coconut vanilla whipped cream and…enjoy!
    *raw almonds ground to a flour consistency in a food processor, or you can buy almond meal at many stores.
  • Autumn Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

    Autumn Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

    We have this Summer berry quinoa salad in the deli I work in, and it is super popular.  It is a sweet salad with creamy coconut milk, and fresh berries, and I always have said to myself, it would make a good breakfast.  And told myself that I would make it at home.  Well, Summer has come and gone, and berries aren’t in season anymore and I still have not made it. But I still wanted to try quinoa for breakfast.  After all, it is high in protein and fiber and is a blank palate for creating deliciousness.  I am usually an oatmeal eater, but this sounded good.  So, I created a Fall version of the berry quinoa and added things to it in order for it to be a suitable breakfast instead of just a salad.  I have never been a cold cereal girl, it is almost always something warm, so I was looking forward to this.

    autumn-quinoa-porridge-3

    I used the quinoa as the base of course, but once it was done cooking, I added a quick almond milk to make it creamy.  How do you make a quick almond milk?  Simple, whisk almond butter into filtered water.  Works every time.  I do this often because I really don’t go through enough almond milk to make a big batch.  I sweetened it with a little stevia (I do not usually prefer too sweet of things in my breakfast) and cinnamon.  I had to add in some more healthy protein boosters, so I added chia seeds and hemp seeds which are a regular addition to my usual oatmeal for healthy omega 3 oils.  Instead of the berries in the other recipe, I used dried pears, cranberries and figs.  They plumped up nicely as they sat in the warm quinoa porridge for a little while.

    autumn-quinoa-porridge-1

    It was delicious!  Warming, comforting, filling, sweet and delicious.  This is the type of breakfast that keeps you satisfied, no getting hungry within a few hours.  Which is important to me, because I eat lunch a little later than most.  I enjoyed it warm, but I shared some with Eric and gave it to him in a jar because he needs quick breakfasts before going to work early.  So, it can be served either way.  Give quinoa a chance for breakfast, you will be happy you did!

    autumn-quinoa-porridge-2

    Autumn Quinoa Breakfast Porridge
    serves 2

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
    • 1 cup plus 3/4 cup filtered water (divided)
    • 3 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp Sweetleaf stevia sweet drops (or your choice sweetener to taste, maple syrup works too)
    • 1 Tbsp chia seeds
    • 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
    • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
    • 1/4 cup dried figs, cut into pieces
    • 1/4 cup dried apples, cut into small pieces

    Directions:

    1. To prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and 1 cup of the water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain any liquid and place back into the pot.
    2. Whisk together the 3/4 cup filtered water, almond butter, sea salt, cinnamon, and stevia (or whatever sweetener you are using), then pour over the quinoa in the pot and mix well.
    3. Add the chia seeds, hemp seeds and dried fruit and stir to combine. Serve warm, or place in the refrigerator in jars and serve the next day for breakfast.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 4

    Sometimes you have a good week where everything goes right, and sometimes you don’t.  What matters is how you deal with it, and whether it makes you a better person, or a worse person.  Well, I had one of those not so good weeks, you know where nothing goes the way you planned it, things break and need to be fixed, work is crazy, and it rains a lot.  But you know what?  I got through it without having a breakdown thanks to prayer, baking (to calm myself) and running (to get out my frustrations).  Eric had had an even more stressful week than me, so I thought I would bake us a delicious cake to make the weekend better.  I knew the next week would be a lot better after all!  Also, Saturday was the 4 year anniversary of the day we met, cake was needed to celebrate that too!  I can’t believe it has been 4 years, it seems like only yesterday he was trying to sell me $18 worth of vanilla beans for $2 on his second day of work as a cashier, because he was distracted by me, and that cute smile caught my eye (don’t worry, I was honest and fixed the mistake).  We met at the health food store where the deli is that I work in.  Best friends right away.  So that is worth cake!  Not that anyone ever needs a reason to eat cake… just sayin’.

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 1

    I decided to make a pumpkin spice cake.  It has been ages since I made a plain pumpkin spice cake, usually it is all jazzed up with some unusual flavor or another.  But you know what?  I wanted the classic.  Pumpkin spice with cream cheese frosting.  Eric’s only request was that the frosting contain cinnamon.  Which sounded perfect!  This cake is relatively simple to make as far as the batter goes.  One of the things I used to hate about traditional cake recipes with eggs and such is that you had to beat the batter a certain way, fold it together etc.  Vegan cakes are so much less fussy.  I used my classic pumpkin pie spice mix in this but with one special ingredient, chipotle pepper.  For a little warmth and heat.  You may think this sounds weird, but it just gives that cake that *POP* of flavor that is unexpected.  One of the first things Eric and I realized we had in common is our love for spicy things, so it was fitting that I added a little to this cake.  The cakes smelled amazing while baking, like Autumn spices.

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 2

    I made a faux cream cheese frosting with a coconut milk base and a little cashew butter.  It tastes even better than actual cream cheese frosting if you ask me.  I am actually kind of grossed out by real dairy now, because of the stuff that is behind it and the actual dairy itself.  Can any of you other vegans relate?  Anyways, this “cream cheese” frosting was wonderful!  I added the cinnamon like Eric wanted and it was so good you could eat it with a spoon.  But once on the cake, even better.  This cake tasted fabulous!  The warming spices were perfect in the soft, light pumpkin cake, and the frosting was luscious, sweet and creamy!  It was simply crave worthy!  Lets just say the pieces of cake I cut for us to enjoy were gone really fast.  We both loved it!

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free 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
    • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
    • 1 cup 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 raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. 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 and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment fit to the pan.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    3. 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. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cakes out onto plates, and peel off parchment paper. Slice each in half horizontally so that you have 4 layers (being really careful, because it is delicate).  Set aside, covered so that it doesn’t dry out.
    4. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    5. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread frosting 1/4 inch thick over it.  Place the other cake layer over that, then spread more frosting over it like the last layer.  Repeat with another layer, and top off with last piece of cake.  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 1 hour.



  • Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes and Sweetleaf Stevia Giveaway!

    Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes and Sweetleaf Stevia Giveaway!

    Sweetleaf 2

    When SweetLeaf Stevia contacted me to see if I would like to do a collaboration I could not say no!  To be honest, I have been buying their stevia for over 10 years, and I used to go through a lot of it.  I have tried a few other brands and none of them measure up taste and quality wise to Sweetleaf Stevia.  They have many products, but the sweet drops have always been my favorite.  English toffee was always my flavor of choice.  Back when I still drank lots of coffee, it was all I used to add to it.  I didn’t want all of that extra sugar most people put in their coffee after all, and it gave it a caramelly flavor without the sugar.  I would even bring it places with me in my purse so I could add it to my coffee because I didn’t care for the sweeteners at the coffee shops.  So, I can assure you Sweetleaf Stevia is quality product.  And, if you prefer another flavor in your coffee, they have 20 flavors of sweet drops!

    Sweetleaf 1

    They sent me several products to test out this time, including stevia packets, raspberry lemonade water drops, and liquid drops English Toffee (my favorite), Vanilla Creme, and Pumpkin Spice (which I was really excited about trying as it is Fall now).  The packets are awesome for adding to coffee or tea, because they are close to traditional sugar packets.  The raspberry lemonade drops make water more interesting, which is perfect for those who have trouble drinking lots of water because it is too boring for them.  That is not me, I love water, but it is good!  I added mine to some water with lemon in it already because I like the balance of tart and sweet and it was super refreshing!  As far as the liquid stevia flavors went, I enjoyed the vanilla in some coconut yogurt and it tasted delicious!  The English toffee, is awesome in coffee like I said, but also good to sweeten anything that you want to have a sort of caramel flavor.  So, for instance if you were making some coconut whipped cream, add it instead of the vanilla and maple syrup, because it tastes just as good, and no effect on your blood sugar!  My advice is, start by adding one dropperful, taste, and adjust to taste from there (adding by the drop after that, since you can’t take away, you can only add).  The pumpkin spice drops, I wanted to make something special with in honor of it finally being fall, and to show that you can make sugar free desserts.

     

    Pumpkin Cheesecakes 1

    So I made mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes. Yes, they were completely sugar free!  Not even any dates in the crust.  The pumpkin spice stevia drops smell like delicious cinnamon, and I might add these are good in coffee too!  But they worked perfectly in the cheesecakes.  I made a sort of cookie crust for these, using the pumpkin spice drops, and it tasted slightly like spice cookies but more mellow.  For the filling, I added the pumpkin spice stevia as well, along with a few of my usual pumpkin spices and it was a delicious combination of flavor!  The stevia made the filling just sweet enough, and you would never have known it was sugar free!  Once they were all chilled, I topped them off with coconut whipped cream sweetened with…you guessed it, the pumpkin spice stevia drops.

    Pumpkin Cheesecakes 2

    These little cheesecakes were delicious!  You could not tell that they had no sugar in them, and I would be proud to serve them to guests at a Fall party.  Maybe you can’t do sugar in your diet, or you know someone else who can’t.  Share this recipe with them, they will thank you, trust me!  Even though I can eat sweets, I sometimes like to limit my sugar intake so these are perfect for that and you won’t feel deprived, or like you are eating something yucky (like some stuff that leaves the sugar out).  Sweetleaf Stevia is your savior when it comes to sugar free desserts just sayin!  Guess what?  They have been kind enough to allow me to give away some of their product!  I am giving away one of the English Toffee Sweet Drops and one of the Pumpkin Spice Sweet Drops to one lucky winner (in the US)!  Just scroll to the bottom of the page to enter my giveaway.  Or, head over to the Sweetleaf Stevia website and check out their products!  You can find them in most health food stores or Co ops (at least in Minnesota where I live).

    Sweetleaf

    Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes
    Makes 8

    Crust:

    • 1/2 cup gluten free organic oat flour
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice Sweetleaf Stevia Drops
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Cheesecake Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp ginger
    • 1/16 tsp cloves
    • 1/16 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 tsp pumpkin spice Sweetleaf Stevia Drops
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    For Topping:

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, stir together all ingredients in a bowl, and then press into the bottoms of 12 silicone muffin tins.  Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
    2. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    3. Pour the filling over the crust, and place in the freezer to firm up for about 45 minutes or up to an hour.  Once they have firmed up, unmold them and place them on a tray.
    4. Meanwhile, combine all of the topping ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until thickened (to the consistency of whipped cream) about 30 minutes.
    5. Once the cheesecakes have set, and topping has chilled, pipe the topping over the cheesecakes and serve! Store any left over cheesecakes in the refrigerator.



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  • Vegan Pumpkin Caramels

    Vegan Pumpkin Caramels

    Pumpkin Spice Caramels 3

    Is it weird that I have never actually had an actual pumpkin spice latte?  The thing that everyone is always obsessing about this time of the year, I have never had.  I make lots of pumpkin spice desserts though!  I am going for the pumpkin desserts full force.  I made pumpkin cheesecakes, and a pumpkin spice cake (the recipes for both will be shared soon), and pumpkin caramels just this week!  And, I am sharing the caramel recipe with you today.  I was just in the mood for caramel, and I had an open can of pumpkin, so I decided to make pumpkin caramels dipped in dark chocolate.  Making candy (or any dessert for that matter), is something I find enjoyable and relaxing!  So, it was the perfect Friday night project after work.  I am one of those people who would rather stay at home and make goodies in the kitchen in my PJs on a Friday than go out and party.  Partly because I work Saturdays, but I am also a huge introvert.

    Pumpkin Spice Caramels 2

    I made the caramels with dates, an ingredient I consider essential to any vegan caramel.  They are about as natural as you can get when it comes to sweeteners, and they just taste so darn good!  I added all of my usual pumpkin pie spices and some raw pecan butter to give it even more of a caramel flavor, and it tasted amazing!  This is one of those things where you take a spoonful and then have to go back for another, and another, and another until you have a big pile of tasting spoons!  I added some coconut oil to these to make them hold up and be a little more firm so they could be shaped or cut into squares, and the consistency turned out perfect! I dipped them in a home made dark chocolate, and couldn’t wait to taste the finished product.

    Pumpkin Spice Caramels 1

    They were soft, sweet, caramelly, pumpkin, decadent, melt in your mouth amazing!  I have a feeling you will all love them, and they would be a nice Halloween candy for next month!  I am all about making your own Halloween candy, because so many of the commercial ones are not vegan, filled with preservatives and fake ingredients and lots of sugar.  If you make your own, you know that they are quality!  So what if they don’t turn out perfect looking (mine don’t always), what matters is how good they taste as you devour them!  I hope you are all having a wonderful start to Fall!

    Pumpkin Spice Caramels

    Vegan Pumpkin Caramels

    Makes 12 caramels

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted
    • 1/4 cup raw pecan butter
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

     

    Chocolate Coating:

    • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
    • 3/4 cup raw cacao butter warmed to liquid (or coconut oil may be used instead)
    • 3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt

     

    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).
    2. Spoon into square molds and place in the freezer until firm, about 3 hours (alternatively, spread out on a sheet of parchment to about 3/4 inch thick, and cut into squares once hardened).
    3. To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, in a small bowl.
    4. Lay out a piece of parchment, and dip the caramels one by one into the chocolate and set them back on the tray.  Allow the chocolate to set (which will happen faster if you place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes).  Store extra caramels in the fridge.



  • Spiced Maple Pecan Butter

    Spiced Maple Pecan Butter

    Pecans make me think of my Grandma.  It may sound like sort of an odd statement, but hear me out.  She used to always buy these amazing giant caramel pecan rolls for Easter, and had to have pecan pie at every Thanksgiving because it was her absolute favorite.  But it doesn’t stop there, she loved pecan sandies and tassies and always looked for the pecan caramels in a box of candies.  She was a pecan lover.  I would bring her my desserts, and she would always be grateful and try them all, but you could see her eyes light up when it was something pecan like a nut tart or tassies.  The last thing I gave her when she wasn’t doing so well was a pecan pie truffle and it was the only piece of food she wanted to touch on her plate.  I miss her and how happy she always was and willing to go out of her way to make sure you were too.  But I am happy to have the good memories I shared with her.  I have inherited her love for pecans.  It got passed down from her to my Mom to me.  I go through a lot of pecans in my house.  To be honest, I buy them in big bags at Costco to keep the costs down. Yes, they are a little more spendy than almonds, but it is worth it to me, and one of the things I consider special.  They make recipes taste better!

    Spiced Maple Pecan Butter 1

    I use a lot of pecan butter in place of oils in things like pie crusts and cakes lately and it gives the final product a delicious flavor you can’t quite put your finger on.  Like, it is really good but what makes it so good?!  I make my own pecan butter at home, because it is SOOO much cheaper than buying it.  I would not buy it because of that.  I actually make all of my own nut butter in the Vitamix, because I can make whatever I want then!  I usually make plain pecan butter because I use it in recipes, but I decided to make some Spiced Maple Pecan Butter in honor of Fall and my love for all things spiced this time of the year.  It turned out super delicious so I just had to share the recipe with you all.

    Spiced Maple Pecan Butter 2

    So, what do I do with this?  Well I do eat it with a spoon or with apple slices.  Those are my favorite ways to enjoy it.  But it would be good spread on toast for a Fall treat.  When served like that, it reminds me of the cinnamon sugar toast my Mom used to make when I was little.  Or, if you wanted to make some really awesome but butter cups, melt some dark chocolate and use it for the filling like in this recipe HERE.

    Spiced Maple Pecan Butter

    Spiced Maple Pecan Butter
    Makes about 2 1/2 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 4 cups raw pecans
    • 3/4 cup maple sugar (or you may use coconut sugar)
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cardamom
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional, if you are using the coconut sugar)

     

    Directions:

    1. Place the pecans in a high speed blender and blend until smooth (alternatively this can be done in a food processor but it takes a lot longer and will most likely not get as smooth).
    2. Add the maple sugar, sea salt, spices, vanilla, and maple extract and blend until smooth.
    3. Store in a jar in the refrigerator.



  • Vegan Black Bean Tostadas with Apple Salsa

    Vegan Black Bean Tostadas with Apple Salsa

    What do you do when you have a hungry boyfriend who has had one of those terrible horrible no good very bad days arriving at your house and you have nothing made?  You improvise and raid the pantry and make a random delicious recipe.  I guess I am a softie when it comes to hungry people and I usually end up making them food.  And I know he would do the same for me if he had time to cook (but it’s ok, he does other nice things for me).  After all, a good meal always makes one feel better, am I right?!  Well for me it does.  So, I started to raid my pantry yesterday for this quick meal.  Eric loves Southwestern type food since he is from there so I decided to make tostadas.  Not traditional or authentic though.  These were kind of seasonal fusion due to using ingredients I had on hand.  I had some lovely honeycrisp apples, because they are wonderful this time of the year, so I made a quick salsa including them.  Apple salsa is actually pretty delicious and goes awesome with savory food.  Along with the usual salsa add ins like tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and garlic, I added some apple cider and a touch of maple syrup.  It was refreshing and delicious!

    Black Bean Tostadas with Apple Salsa 1

    For the protein filling on the tostadas I kept it simple with black beans sautéed with sun dried tomatoes, alliums and spices.  Having a big bag of cooked black beans in your freezer always comes in handy when it is meal time.  I find myself grabbing them often for everything from salads, to hummus to this recipe.  I topped off some toasted tortillas with the flavorful beans, some lettuce and the salsa and it was a light and delicious lunch!  Eric scarfed it down in no time, and it boosted his mood a little.  If you have some apples from the local orchard that you want to use in something other than dessert try out this salsa recipe! It is also good for spooning over greens in a salad, which is what I did the next day in my lunch along with some sautéed tempeh.

    Black Bean Tostadas with Apple Salsa

    Vegan Black Bean Tostadas with Apple Salsa
    Serves 4

    Salsa:
    1 large sweet apple (honeycrisp or pink lady work well) diced
    1 cup halved organic cherry tomatoes
    1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
    1 small red or white onion, diced
    1 jalapeno, minced
    1 clove garlic, minced
    juice and zest of 1 lime
    1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    sea salt to taste
    1 tsp red pepper flakes
    2 tsp maple syrup

    Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) to let the flavors combine.

    black beans:
    2 tsp olive oil
    1/2 cup minced onion
    1 garlic clove, minced
    2 tsp chili powder
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked in water until soft (3 Tbsp water reserved), drained and chopped
    2 cups cooked black beans

    In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onions. Sautee for about 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sea salt. Sautee a minute more until the spices are fragrant, then add the tomatoes, beans and reserved water.

    For assembly:
    8 sprouted corn tortillas
    1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
    hot sauce (optional)

    Heat the tortillas in a 400 degree oven until toasted and crisp. Set on a plate. Spoon some of the bean mixture over the tortillas, top with a little lettuce, a little salsa, and some hot sauce. Enjoy!



  • Vegan Caramel Pear Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Caramel Pear Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Pear Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 4

    Apples get all the love in the fall.  But you know who else deserves some love?  The pears.  If you get a perfectly ripe pear that is sweet, juicy and delicious, it is like dessert.  I was never that fond of pears growing up, but that was because the ones I are mostly came in cans with syrup.  Just not the same, and nothing like fresh ones.  When I started to buy fresh ones, I fell in love.  D’anjou are my favorite, because they are perfectly sweet, but I am not going to turn down a good Bartlett.  Which is the most widely available kind around here.  I saw some perfect pears at the store last weekend and I had to get some.  I didn’t yet know what I was going to use them for, but I knew they would be delicious.  I thought about a pie, mixing them with some apples I had also picked up, but I had just made pie, so I decided it was a cake baking weekend.

    Pear Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 2

    It has been a while since I have made a pear cake, so it was perfect.  I was craving caramel, and cream cheese frosting, so I decided on a vegan caramel pear cake with cream cheese frosting.  For the cake, I used the pears pureed along with some dates to sweeten it.  This also gave it a beautiful caramel flavor.  The cake layers themselves are actually fruit sweetened.  The sweeter and more juicy the pears you have, the better this cake will taste.  I added a little almond butter as well to the batter for richness, and some cinnamon to make it more aromatic, and it tasted wonderful.  Yes, I always taste my batter.  Something I learned when I was young… because I wanted something sweet, but now it is also to make sure I didn’t miss an ingredient.  One time, I actually forgot to add the sweetener and I realized it before baking luckily thanks to my cravings for cake batter.

    Pear Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    I made a date caramel to fill and top the cake off with, and a luscious cream cheese frosting to cover it.  All of the components of the cake were coming together and tasting amazing on their own, so I couldn’t wait to enjoy the finished product!  It was just as I had imagined, and the perfect end to a weekend meal.  Sweet with the essence of pear, gooey caramel, and creamy decadent cream cheese frosting.  This is something I would pay big bucks for in a bakery, just sayin.

    Pear Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 1

    Vegan Caramel Pear Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 cup 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 pureed ripe pears
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Caramel:

    • 1 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak in filtered water 30 minutes and drain well)
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)
    • 2 Tbsp melted cacao butter* (warmed to liquid)

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. 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 and line the bottom of the pan.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    3. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pear 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. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cakes out onto plates, and peel off parchment paper. Slice each in half horizontally so that you have 4 layers (being really careful, because it is delicate).  Set aside, covered so that it doesn’t dry out.
    4. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth (add a little more water if too thick).  Set aside.
    5. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    6. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread frosting 1/4 inch thick over it.  Then spread some of the caramel over that.  Place the other cake layer over that, then spread more frosting, and caramel over it like the last layer.  Repeat with another layer, and top off with last piece of cake.  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 1 hour.

    *If you do not have cacao butter, you may use additional coconut butter in its place.  Just keep in mind the frosting will not taste like white chocolate.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream

    This time of the year gets me excited.  It makes me happy to be able to wake up on a cool morning, run through the crunchy leaves, eat some warm oatmeal when I get home and drink a warm matcha latte while dreaming up some fall baking recipes.  That is my ideal weekend morning actually.  Don’t even get me started about wearing warm sweaters and going for moonlit walks with Eric with the scent of bonfire in the air.  I love Fall.  it is my favorite season.  For the weather, for the experiences, and for the food of course!  Pumpkins and apples are highly anticipated at my house.  Especially since you can buy them locally at the orchards.  I am always a fan of buying local produce.  So, I am diving into the fall recipe creating full force.  I don’t care if it is not technically fall, I am one of those people that thinks of September as the beginning of fall, even if it is not official.  Some people do things like put up their Christmas decorations early, well I like to start the Fall festivities early.  I bought some pumpkin puree last Friday, and decided to make some Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream.

    Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream 1

    I am not a fan of really sugary pumpkin spice stuff like those syrupy lattes that you find in a lot of coffee shops with no real pumpkin. What I am a fan of is real, home made pumpkin desserts with healthy ingredients.  So, that is what I was going for with this.  For the base I blended coconut milk with almond butter for a silky base with pumpkin puree and added the spices I like to use in my pumpkin pies.  It tasted wonderful!  I sweetened it with dates, because they are actually my favorite sweetener of choice.  I mean, it doesn’t get any more natural than using a dried fruit (unaltered of course with no preservatives) as a sweetener in your dessert.  I could have left this ice cream just plain pumpkin spice and it would have been good, but I decided to add caramel to it as well.

    Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream 2

    The caramel had a date base too, because dates are like nature’s caramel candy.  This ice cream ended up being simply heavenly!  Back when I was in college, I went to a Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream store when I was visiting Boston for a 10k race, and I had some pumpkin ice cream.  I thought it was the cat’s meow and the most delicious pumpkin thing I had eaten.  Well, guess what?  This ice cream trumps that!

    Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream 3

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream
    Makes about 3 ½ cups

    Ingredients:

    Ice Cream Base:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup organic pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/3 cup pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water 30 minutes and drain well before
    • using)
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Caramel:

    • 3/4 cup pitted medjool dates (soaked as above if not soft)
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • ¼ cup filtered water (or as needed)

     

    Directions:

    1. To make the ice cream base, blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.  Pour into an ice cream machine, and process according to package directions.  Or, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour into a bowl, place in the freezer and stir every 30 minutes until the consistency of soft serve.
    2. Meanwhile, to make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth adding a little more water if needed if the caramel is too thick.
    3. Once the ice cream has finished churning, spoon some of it into a container with a lid, then some of the caramel, then more ice cream, then more caramel then more ice cream.  Swirl with a knife, and tap on the counter.  If you have extra caramel it is ok, just serve it with the ice cream.  Place the ice cream in the freezer and allow it to freeze until firm enough to scoop.

     



  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies 2

    I caved.  I jumped on the pumpkin spice bandwagon.  What can I say?  Fall is in the air and I am in the mood for pumpkin and apples.  My first baked good, pumpkin cookies.  We make pumpkin cookies at my work, and they are always very popular this time of the year.  They smell amazing as they bake, the aromas of sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger filling the air, and they always make me hungry.  After experiencing being in a kitchen with those cookies I always want to go home and bake some.  When I was in college in the fall, I made soft pumpkin cookies for my cross country team and they were wonderful!  Not vegan though, so I was hoping to recreate them this week when I made my pumpkin cookies.  They were soft, aromatic, and kind of like a pumpkin cake married a cookie.

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies 3

    They had a lot of butter, sugar, and eggs in them, so I veganized them swapping out a lot of stuff.  I have to say, they turned out pretty awesome!  I love it when the vegan version of something tastes better than the original version I used to make.  These actually ended up being oil free, since I used pecan butter as the fat.  It gave it touch of nutty flavor that was a nice touch as well.  I used my usual pumpkin pie spices in this and the dough tasted amazing even before I baked the cookies.  I mixed in chocolate chips, which were not in the other cookies I used to make, but they were swapped in for something extra instead of the glaze I used to put on the other cookies.  I love chocolate with pumpkin spice, it is heavenly.

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies 1

    These smelled wonderful as I pulled them from the oven.  Once they were cool enough to enjoy, and I could taste one, I was very pleased.  Like classic soft pumpkin cookies, but better.  The rich little chocolate chips, the perfect touch.  This is only the first of the pumpkin recipes that will be coming from me this year, expect many more because I love it, and pumpkin comes only a certain time of the year!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
    makes 1 1/2 dozen

    Cookies:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter (or almond butter)
    • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 2 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1 Tbsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 12 oz vegan chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.
    2. In a large bowl, combine pecan butter with sugar and mix until well combined. mix in the pumpkin, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until well combined.
    3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together spices, flour, salt, baking powder, then add to the large bowl, and mix until well combined. Mix in the chocolate and set aside.
    4. To bake, Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the dough in about 2 Tbsp amounts on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart.  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.



  • Giant Vegan Oven Pancake with Sauteed Pluots

    Giant Vegan Oven Pancake with Sauteed Pluots

    Giant Oven Pancake with Sauteed Pluots 3

    Sometimes you just want pancakes, but don’t want to slave over a hot stove flipping them.  If that is you, read on.  It is definitely me, because I have other stuff to do sometimes!  When I was younger my Mom would make oven pancakes in a pie dish or skillet and they were always delicious.  We would top them off with sautéed fruit or powdered sugar and lemon zest.  I never thought of them as lazy pancakes, just different pancakes.  I now appreciate the hands off approach to them though.  I haven’t had one of those pancakes in ages to be honest, probably the last time was when I was still in high school.  But I was thinking about them yesterday, and decided I wanted to make one.  Pancakes just sounded good, it was kind of a gloomy cloudy afternoon.  To me, they are sort of a comfort food, and not just breakfast fare.  They are perfect for an out of the ordinary dinner.

    Giant Oven Pancake with Sauteed Pluots 2

    I kept these pretty simple, making the batter in the blender (which is what I always do for pancakes now, because it has a nice pour spout and all).  I made them gluten free, with applesauce to keep them moist instead of the loads of oil in some traditional pancakes, and a little nut butter for richness.  With a little maple syrup to sweeten the batter it tasted just right.  I heated my cast iron skillet in the oven, poured in the batter and waited.  I wasn’t quite sure how this would turn out to be honest, because this is the pancake batter I normally just use to make small pancakes.  But it cooked up beautifully!  One giant pancake with the texture of a regular pancake.  It smelled amazing.  I made some sautéed pluots in maple syrup to top it off, because that is what I have on hand, and the pluots are wonderful this year!

    Giant Oven Pancake with Sauteed Pluots 1

    It tasted like heaven.  Just as I had imagined it, and now I have a no fuss way to make pancakes.  I mean, sure you can’t stack it, but it is much more fluffy than the little pancakes, since it is taller and bigger which I love.  Feel free to top this off with whatever fruit you have on hand and is in season.  For upcoming fall, I think pears and apples will also be lovely!

    Giant Oven Pancake with Sauteed Pluots

    Giant Vegan Oven Pancake with Sauteed Pluots 
    Serves 2-3

    Pancakes:

    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 cup apple sauce
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 cup filtered water
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • Coconut oil for the pan

     

    Topping:

    • 3 pluots, sliced
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees with the rack in the center of the oven.  Place a 9 inch cast iron skillet (or 9 inch baking dish) in the oven.
    2. In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients (except the coconut oil) and process until just blended, and set aside.
    3. Once the oven and pan have heated carefully remove the pan from the oven and oil with a little coconut oil.  Pour the pancake batter into the hot skillet, and place in the oven.  Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the pancake is set in the center.  Remove from oven.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the pluot topping, combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook until the pluots have softened.  Once they have softened, add the vanilla.  Top the hot pancake with it!

     



  • Vegan Hazelnut Crusted Apple Pie

    Vegan Hazelnut Crusted Apple Pie

    I ran my second race of the season Friday, and it was a bit challenging, but I like a challenge.  The course was not fast and flat like the previous one I had done, and I had gone into this thinking I was going to break my time from a few weeks back because I had people to push me.  Well…not so much.  It was like running a cross country course with slippery mud, dirt ruts, long grass and all!  So despite having a little slower time than I wanted (but hey, it was 30 seconds faster than last year at the same race), I said to myself, “I’ll take it!” because it was a bit warm and humid that day too.  It is those challenging runs and races that make us stronger after all.  I should feel awesome by the time the cool fall air rolls in and the temps in the AM are in the mid 50s.  That is my favorite type of running weather.  Especially when the trees are changing color and you can run through the crunchy leaves on the paths.
    Hazelnut Crusted Apple Pie 2
    I am in the mood for Fall, cozy sweaters, pumpkins and apple pie.  So, since I had the rest of the day off Friday, I made a glorious apple pie. One that was mounded tall with apples.  None of that flat pie because the apples shrunk type business.  Fill it properly!  For the filling I used my favorite local apples, the honey crisps.  No, they do not contain honey, I am still vegan, it is just what their name it.  They were developed here in Minnesota which I think is pretty awesome!  Anyways, they are the best pie apples next to Haralson which are from here too, and which is what my Mom uses. My Mom always said to use tart apples for pies for the best flavor and honey crisps are a perfect balance of tart and sweet.  Mom’s pies were always the best!  She doesn’t bake them anymore, so I share some of mine with her.
    Hazelnut Crusted Apple Pie 3
    I was going to make a regular old apple pie, but nut crusts on pies are always amazing so I made a hazelnut crust for this one.  It was so rich and delicious once baked to perfection!  When the apples were bubbling and the sweet aroma was permeating my house, I was happy with the sight of it as I pulled it from the oven.  After letting it cool, I couldn’t wait to dive in.  I topped it off with some of my pecan pie ice cream and it was amazing!  I love this time of the year!
    Hazelnut Crusted Apple Pie
    Vegan Hazelnut Crusted Apple Pie

    Makes 1 8 inch pie

    Ingredients:

    Crust:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 cups hazelnut flour*
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut oil, in its solid form
    • 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp almond butter
    • about 4-6 Tbsp cold water

     

    Filling:

    • 4 large sweet tart apples (such as honey crisp), diced
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 4 Tbsp all purpose gluten free flour
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Directions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flours, sugar, sea salt.  Cut in coconut oil and hazelnut butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces.  Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky.  Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.  Divide into 2 balls.
    2. Roll each out into about a 9-10 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin.  Place bottom crust into an 8 inch pie pan and fit to edges.  If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up. Set aside in the refrigerator. Set the top crust aside (if it is pretty warm, place it in the refrigerator too, you just do not want it to get too hard or it will not be pliable to shape over the filling).
    3. Pre-heat the oven to 400F degrees. In a large bowl, toss together the filling ingredients. Spoon into crust.  Place the top crust over the filling using the parchment to assist. Crimp the edges, and cut a vent in the center.  Bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes in the middle rack of the oven until apples are cooked through and bubbling.
    4. Remove from oven and let cool until warm, and top with some vegan ice cream or coconut vanilla whipped cream and…enjoy!

     

    *To make hazelnut flour, place hazelnuts in the blender and blend for about 30 seconds until they are finely ground like flour (but not too long or you will have butter).
    *Note: if you would like to make this a gluten free pie, I have also used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour to make this crust with success, so just replace the whole wheat in equal amounts with it.



  • Vegan Double Berry Chevre

    Vegan Double Berry Chevre

    One of the most popular things I hear from people when I tell them I am vegan is that they could never do it, because they could never give up cheese.  Well, guess what?  I used to think the same thing.  When I was vegetarian I actually ate loads of cheese making things like pizzas, French onion soup topped off with cheese, lasagna, and cheesecake.  I never thought I could give it up.  But I did…and it really wasn’t hard once I realized that there are so many great vegan options to replace it with, most of them that can actually be made in my own home!  Although I love melty cheese, and I have come up with a replacement for that, chevre used to be another favorite of mine.  In fact, I ate it ever day at one point in my life.  I loved it with fresh berries or on top of baked pears or apples for dessert or sprinkled over salads.  Every time I went to the local co op I would stock up, so much so that they actually remembered me and my cheese habit and teased me about it.  I would buy a lot at a time to get me through the week.

    Vegan Double Berry Chevre 3

    Well, I luckily I can make a vegan version of chevre that is pretty bomb and just as good as the dairy stuff.  I use a base of either cashews or macadamias (if I feel like splurging), and it tastes rich and delicious!  It is actually one of Eric’s favorite things, even though he isn’t vegan.  He has asked me many times, when are you making that cheese stuff again???  Well, I decided to make some a few days back, but I was in a little bit of a sweet mood, so I added berries to it.  Berry cream cheese was one of my absolute favorite things as a kid.  I begged my Dad to buy blueberry bagels and strawberry or raspberry cream cheese because that was my favorite combo.  This cheese ended up kind of tasting like that.  But better of course.

    Vegan Double Berry Chevre

    I didn’t load this up with sweeteners, throwing in a few dates along with the berries did the trick because the berries were plenty sweet.  I used freeze dried berries in this because that is what I happened to have on hand, and I wanted this cheese to be firm enough to cut (real berries would have made it too soft, but if spreadable cream cheese is what you are going for you can use fresh, just use less).  It tasted delicious!  Now, if only I had some vegan blueberry bagels…I would be set!  This is actually awesome served with fruit though or crackers.

    Vegan Double Berry Chevre 2

    Vegan Double Berry Chevre
    Serves 8-10

    Ingredients:

    • ½ cup raw cashew butter
    • ½ cup full fat organic coconut milk*
    • ¾ cup freeze dried raspberries and strawberries
    • 3 Tbsp raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2-3 soft, pitted medjool dates
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 cup crushed freeze dried raspberries and strawberries for coating the cheese

     

    Directions:

    1. In a high speed blender, combine the cashew butter, coconut milk, 3/4 cup dried berries, coconut butter, dates, sea salt, lemon juice, and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes until more firm, them scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log.  Place in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours.
    3. Once chilled enough, roll in the dried berries, and serve!

    *If you want to make this raw, you may use raw coconut milk.



  • Vegan Pecan Pie Ice Cream

    Vegan Pecan Pie Ice Cream

    It may still be technically Summer, but Fall is in the air.  When I am out on my runs, the air smells like fall, a few leaves are starting to change color at the edges and flutter down from the trees, and the air feels a bit cooler.  I love it!  This is my absolute favorite time of year.  Sorry Summer.  But cozy sweaters, comfort food, and pumpkins make me happy.  So I am starting to shift my mind to recipes that echo that mindset.  Somewhat… because the recipe I am sharing with you today is Fall themed, but acceptable for warm weather too.  Which is kind of where the seasons are at, so how appropriate!  Pecan pie ice cream.  Honestly, the idea came to me, because I knew I would be making some apple desserts soon, and I wanted something delicious to top them off with.  Little did I know, I would end up eating most of it plain because it was so good.

    Vegan Pecan Pie Ice Cream

    Pecan pie has always been a favorite in my family.  My Grandma and Mom always chose it first at Thanksgiving over pumpkin and apple, and so I learned to love it too. Except, I had a slice of all three pies on Thanksgiving because I don’t discriminate pie.  The pecan pie was bomb though.  What’s not to love about gooey pecans suspended in brown sugar caramel over a flaky crust?!  Everything but the sugar content most likely.  Well, luckily I have since revamped the recipe so it is not so sugary and I can feel better about enjoying it.  This ice cream is a lot simpler than pecan pie, it has fewer ingredients and is pretty easy to make.

    Vegan Pecan Pie Ice Cream 1

    I knew it was going to be amazing when I tried the base before freezing it and it tasted like the most wonderful melted milk shake.  I made the base pecan caramel flavored, as well as swirled a caramel throughout the ice cream.  Once finished it was crave worthy!  Kind of reminded me of butter pecan, but better thanks to the caramel.  This is the perfect thing to top off apple pie with if it can last that long and you don’t devour the whole batch first!

    Vegan Pecan Pie Ice Cream 3

    Vegan Pecan Pie Ice Cream
    Makes about 3 ½ cups

    Ingredients:

    Ice Cream Base:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup raw pecans, divided
    • 1/3 cup pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water 30 minutes and drain well before
    • using)
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Caramel:

    • 3/4 cup pitted medjool dates (soaked as above if not soft)
    • 2 Tbsp pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • ¼ cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • ½ cup toasted pecans

     

    Directions:

    1. To make the ice cream base, blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.  Pour into an ice cream machine, and process according to package directions.  Or, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour into a bowl, place in the freezer and stir every 30 minutes until the consistency of soft serve.
    2. Meanwhile, to make the caramel, combine all ingredients but the pecans in a blender and blend until smooth adding a little more water if needed if the caramel is too thick. Stir in the remaining pecans.
    3. Once the ice cream has finished churning, spoon some of it into a container with a lid, then some of the caramel mixture, then more ice cream, then more caramel then more ice cream.  Swirl with a knife, and tap on the counter.  If you have extra caramel it is ok, just serve it with the ice cream.  Place the ice cream in the freezer and allow it to freeze until firm enough to scoop.



  • Vegan Apple Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    Vegan Apple Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    Apple Oatmeal Cookies 2

    Local apple season is now here!  I am excited about visiting the apple orchards, walking the rows of trees, and getting some of my favorite varieties.  I haven’t gotten a chance to do that yet, but I was able to pick up some Honey Crisp apples, my favorite kind at the store I work in.  They are amazing, the perfect balance of tart and sweet, and they were developed at the University of Minnesota so they are a local apple.  There is nothing like biting into one of those, or making a delicious apple pie with them.  I dried some of them to make apple chips last week, and I decided that some of them needed to be used in a recipe.  Of course you can buy apple chips at the store, but home made are so much better especially when made with flavorful apples like the Honey Crisp.  If you want to make them, all you need to do is slice the apples thinly and dehydrate them at 115F for about 20 hours until completely dry.  They make a wonderful snack!

    Apple Oatmeal Cookies 1

    So back to this recipe I made with them.  I decided it was a good day to bake oatmeal cookies.  They remind me of fall and cross country races since that is what I always made for my team gatherings to share.  They were always a hit!  My Mom always said oatmeal cookies are healthier because they come with fiber so that always justified enjoying them after races.  For the ones I made this week, I added the dried apples, crunchy walnuts, and a hint of spice.  The dough tasted amazing (yes, that counts, it is the best part besides the warm ones right out of the oven) and I could not stop sampling it.  They smelled amazing while baking, the aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg and something sweet baking filling my kitchen and home.

    Apple Oatmeal Cookies

    Once cool enough to sample, I dove in, and they were wonderful!  They were crispy on the outside, soft in the middle just as they should be with chewy apples and crunchy walnuts throughout and of course that aromatic spice mix.  They taste just like fall, reminding me of lazy Fall Saturdays when I was younger.  I know it is technically not Fall yet, but as far as I am concerned it is fall.  The weather is starting to cool down, it is September, and I am ready for cute fall sweaters and crisp mornings.  These are the perfect thing to kick off the season with!

    Apple Oatmeal Cookies 3

    Vegan Apple Spice Oatmeal Cookies
    Makes about 4 dozen

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1/2 cup raw pecan butter (or almond butter)
    • 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
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 2 cups chopped walnuts
    • 2 cups dried apples, cut into pieces

     

    Directions:

    1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the coconut oil, pecan 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, spices, soda, and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined, then add pecans and apples 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 12 large balls, and spread them out on the 2 cookie sheets with plenty of room in between. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden, but not overbaked. Let cool on sheet a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack lined with parchment to cool.
    *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 Chip Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting

    Banana Cake 4

    One time I found out Eric threw out some over ripe bananas.  “What were you thinking?!” I asked.  “You should have given them to me!” I said.  I mean, he knows I freeze them for smoothies, and can make some bomb vegan desserts with them (which I always share with him).  Not just banana bread, but nice cream, cakes, cookies and whatnot.  I am one of those people who asks the people at the store if they have overripe bananas in the back I can have that they can not sell.  I hate throwing out such a useful ingredient.  To be completely honest, I don’t think I have bought a banana in a while because of this.  Of all of the things I make with banana, I think cakes and banana bread are my favorite.  Probably because my Mom used to make that type of stuff when I was little and it was always so good!  She revamped my Grandma’s banana bread recipe adding chocolate chips to it instead of the nuts and switching out the milk with soy milk when I was little and it always turned out wonderful.  My favorite was when she made it in a cake pan, and we put frosting on it.

    Banana Cake 1

    Well, I decided that I was a banana cake type of weekend last weekend.  Banana chocolate chip cake.  Probably because my coworker made banana chocolate chip scones in the deli, and they made me want banana chocolate chip something.  There is just something comforting about banana chocolate chip baked goods.  They remind me of the excitement of waiting for my Mom’s desserts to be done baking and cooling enough to cut into and enjoy.  Because if they don’t require frosting, you know they are amazing when the chocolate chips are still gooey.  Well, my cake would need to cool completely unfortunately because I was going for a layer cake.  Cream cheese frosting used to be my old standby, but I decided to make a peanut butter fudge frosting this time.

    Banana Cake 2

    This cake is actually fruit sweetened, thanks to the dates and bananas in the batter. The dates give it a caramelly flavor reminiscent of brown sugar which is what my Mom used in her banana bread.  I made this oil free as well, swapping in peanut butter in place of the oil.  It was perfectly moist thanks to the bananas and dates, and the peanut butter added just the right amount of richness.  Once it was frosted we couldn’t wait to dive in.  It was simply heavenly let me tell you!  I think this would be the perfect simple Birthday cake!  If you are not a fan of peanut butter, use your favorite nut butter instead, just make sure it is one that is smooth and spreadable.

    Banana Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup organic peanut butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup pureed organic bananas
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1/4 cups pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes, and 1 cup of the water reserved
    • 3/4 cup organic peanut butter
    • 3/4 cup cacao powder
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. 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 and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment fit to the pan.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    3. Place dates, reserved water, peanut butter, banana 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. Mix in chocolate chips.  Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. 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.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients In a high speed blender, and blend until smooth (since moisture content in dates varies, and nut butters may vary in runniness, if it seems too thin, add a little more cacao powder, too thick, a little more water.
    5. 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 1 hour.



  • Vegan Mini Caramel Pecan Banana Cream Cheesecakes

    Vegan Mini Caramel Pecan Banana Cream Cheesecakes

    I used to have this fabulous banana cream pie recipe that I made quite often when I was in college. It had the most luscious coconut banana cream filling, and sometimes I would even top it off with caramel and pecans for good measure and because it was so good.  I always made it in a deep dish pie plate just so there could be extra filling and whipped cream.  It was super decadent and super sugary.  Good memories come with that pie, and I was thinking about it when I got a bunch of free slightly damaged bananas from the store (super good deal by the way for anyone who is looking to make smoothies and banana bread).  I thought…man, that pie sounds good right now.  But it was a week night, and making a big pie would have been too time consuming, not to mention I wouldn’t have anyone to share it with until the weekend…so I came up with a compromise for something that I would enjoy just as much.  Mini caramel pecan banana cream cheesecakes.  I love cheesecake just as much as I loved that pie, so I was happy about it.  Someday I will completely remake that giant pie, but for now cheesecake!

    Mini Caramel Pecan Banana Cream Cheesecakes 3

    This is something super simple that anyone can make by the way, which I know you all will love!  No complicated fancy steps.  For the crust, I made a pecan butter laced one that tasted like cookie dough.  It was the perfect base for the luscious filling!  Of course coconut had to be included here, so coconut milk blended with banana, vanilla  and maple syrup made the most delicious but simple filling.  For the caramel I went for the quick route and made my go to 30 second caramel made with pecan butter and maple syrup.  Seriously, it reminds me of caramel and if you don’t have dates on hand to make date caramel or don’t feel like blending anything this is perfect!  Plus, the slight nutty pecan flavor goes beautifully with the bananas.

    Mini Caramel Pecan Banana Cream Cheesecakes 2

    They were ready in about an hour (most of which was chilling time) and they were scrumptious!  If you think you can’t bake, guess what?  With these you don’t have to!  Which is bonus for summertime when you don’t want to heat up the oven. Or, if you think you are bad at making vegan desserts, these are hard to mess up so they are a good place to start learning.  The next time you have bananas on hand, give these a go!  Trust me, you will be happy you did!

    Mini Caramel Pecan Banana Cream Cheesecakes 4

    Vegan Mini Caramel Pecan Banana Cream Cheesecakes
    Makes 8

    Crust:

    • 1/2 cup gluten free organic oat flour
    • 1/4 cup raw pecan butter*
    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Cheesecake Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup mashed organic banana
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 sliced organic banana

     

    For Topping:

    • 1/4 cup raw pecan butter*
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • pinch sea salt
    • filtered water as needed

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, stir together all ingredients in a bowl, and then press into the bottoms of 12 silicone muffin tins.  Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
    2. To make the filling, combine all ingredients but sliced banana in a blender and blend until smooth.
    3. Place the sliced bananas over the crust in the tins, then pour the filling over the bananas and place in the freezer to firm up for about 45 minutes or up to an hour.  Once they have firmed up, unmold them and place them on a tray.
    4. whisk together the caramel ingredients, then drizzle over the finished cheesecakes and sprinkle them with pecans. Store any left over cheesecakes in the refrigerator.

    *If you do not have pecan butter, you may use your favorite nut butter instead.



  • Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”

    People consider berries to be sexy.  But you know what else is sexy?  Beets.  I mean, they are beautiful.  Look at the color, they are sweet, and they keep you healthy.  They are a pretty amazing vegetable if you ask me.  Beets are actually one of my favorite things to juice, because the juice on it’s own tastes amazing.  But I also love them roasted.  In fact, this was how I first enjoyed them and I fell in love.  Back in college actually.  Sad that I didn’t really get to enjoy beets until then.  I admit as a child, I was a bit intimidated by them, and the only beets that I was ever offered were of the canned variety at my Grandma’s house.  I thought that they looked scary so I passed them up.  When I started to explore cooking though in my early 20s, I decided that I wanted to try making a roasted beet salad from a vegetarian cookbook that I had checked out from the library at the time. They tasted so good when prepared that way!  The sweetness intensified through roasting.  That is now my favorite way to cook them over boiling them any day.

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with Chevre 1

    If I am eating them plain, I love them with a little vinegar and sea salt so they taste almost like pickled beets.  I had gotten some beets and berries at my work thinking they would be lovely together in a colorful salad.  I was thinking light salad at first, but them I decided to make it a main course by adding some quinoa for protein.  If I am looking to boost a meal quinoa is one of my go to ingredients.  It packs protein and fiber perfect for a satisfying dinner. I kept the flavor of the salad simple to allow the ingredients to shine adding only a little olive oil and lemon juice for the dressing.  Also, some fresh basil joined the show because that is an herb that I have growing on my patio and I use it as much as I can in the Summer.

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with Chevre 2

    It was good as it was, but I also added some toasted almonds for crunch, and some cashew chevre to add a little richness.  I am a big texture and flavor person, so it was important to different flavors and textures in this salad.  Not only did it end up being beautiful thanks to all of the beautifully colored ingredients, but it tasted amazing.  This is something I would pay big bucks to be served in a restaurant.  It was so good.  Summer is almost over, and I am kind of hanging onto the last of it with salads like this that are fresh, but also hearty since it has cooled down a bit.

     

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 4 medium sized red beets
    • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • sea salt to taste
    • 1 cup blueberries
    • 1 cup blackberries
    • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (if larger, tear them into pieces)
    • 1/2 cup toasted almonds
    • cashew chevre*

     

    To roast the beets, wrap them in foil, and roast them in a 400F degree oven for about an hour to an hour and a half depending on how big they are until they are tender when pierced with a knife.  Once roasted, allow to cool, peel and cut into large dice. Meanwhile, to prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside.

    To assemble the salad, combine all ingredients in a bowl except the chevre, and toss together until well combined.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with the chevre (you will have more left over for another use).

    *Use this chevre recipe and omit the herbs: https://www.fragrantvanilla.com/vegan-herbes-de-provence-chevre/



  • Vegan Blueberry Muffin Cake

    Vegan Blueberry Muffin Cake

    Blueberry Muffin Cake 1

    Blueberry muffins remind me of lazy Saturday mornings.  When I was little, I would beg my Dad to let me help him make them. It wasn’t that difficult…considering we used the ones from a box.  My Dad did not inherit my Grandma’s baking skills.  But I still loved the muffins anyhow.  Especially when still warm and occasionally with strawberry cream cheese which was another favorite thing of mine at that point in my life.  I could have cared less about the other breakfast foods, since meats were not appealing to me even at that age, but the muffins got me excited.  I always had to lick the batter from the bowl as well, even if it was raw and I was always warned against it.  Luckilly now when I make blueberry muffins, I can lick the bowl and know I am safe since I make vegan muffins that contain no raw eggs.  I still love blueberry muffins, and I have to say I don’t make them nearly enough.  Well, I had blueberries on hand, and I was going to make some last Monday on my day off.

    Blueberry Muffin Cake

    But I decided to make them into a delicious quick bread instead of individual muffins.  So, a muffin cake if you will, which is sometimes what my Mom would do with muffin recipes sometimes, make a loaf instead of muffins.  Sometimes a nice slice of sweet bread is nice spread with nut butter.  I made this bread fruit sweetened with dates, which also kept it nice and soft and moist.  They also gave it an almost caramel like flavor reminiscent of brown sugar without being refined.  That is why I love dates in things!  They are about as unprocessed as you can get when it comes to sweeteners, but they make things taste amazing.  I made this oil free also, choosing to use pecan butter instead of oil.  I have been doing that a lot lately, because it adds a bit of protein besides just oil, and gives the baked good a special flavor that leaves you wondering what is so good but you can’t quite pinpoint what it is.  I also added a touch of lemon for a pop of flavor and it was just what the bread needed to be extra delicious!

    Blueberry Muffin Cake 2

    It baked up lovely, filling my home with the most heavenly aroma of blueberry muffins.  A comforting aroma that reminded me of Saturday mornings past (even though I was baking these on a Monday night not Saturday morning).  I decided to glaze the bread with a light lemon glaze, and it was perfect!  The blueberries had baked into it as little jammy bursts of flavor in the soft moist cake.  It tasted like the most delicious blueberry muffins I had ever had!  This is really quite easy to make, so don’t reach for that boxed muffin mix…try this out instead!

    Vegan Blueberry Muffin Cake

    Makes 1 mini loaf

    Ingredients:

    Batter:

    • 1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates, soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes and drained
    • 3/4 cup filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter or raw almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 cup organic blueberries

     

    Glaze:

    • 3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • filtered water as needed

     

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and oil a mini loaf pan*.
    2. To make the batter, combine the dates, water, pecan butter, vanilla, zest, and sea salt in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and blend until combined (but don’t overblend).  Add lemon juice, and blend slowly until bubbles form (you don’t want to go fast or you will deflate it).  Fold in the berries, and pour into the prepared pan.
    3. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out almost clean.  Let cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding.
    4. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, adding just enough water to create a glaze that can be drizzled but isn’t too runny. Drizzle over the cake and serve.

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



  • Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese Galettes

    Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese Galettes

      Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese Galette 4
    I hope you all had a good weekend, I certainly did!  Usually every year I go to the Minnesota State Fair, but Eric and I are both not wishing to spend a lot of money lately and it ends up costing a lot, so we decided to go on another fun outing instead.  What we decided to do beats walking around in crowds and eating greasy food any day. We decided to make a trip to Taylor’s Falls and go for a hike, then visit Wild Mountain Winery afterwards for some wine tasting.  It was a great idea!  Taylor’s Falls is always beautiful, and you get the feel of going up north without having to drive too far out of the city, plus the views on the trail are beautiful!  We hit up the winery afterwards, which is always a good way to spend your day off, and tasted some delicious wines.  This is actually my favorite winery, because back in 2012 when they first opened, they had a Facebook giveaway for a case of wine and I happened to win it!  I was super excited.  But not only are their wines delicious, the people who work there are really nice, and you can even walk through the vineyard and get a look at the wine grapes!  It is a very relaxing place to be!
    image1 (13)
    image2 (2)
    All that hiking and wine had me and Eric hungry, so luckily I had dinner and some fabulous dessert all ready when we got home.  That fabulous dessert I am talking about was a vegan blueberry cream cheese galette.  I was craving blueberry pie, but to be honest I didn’t feel like making a fussy pie so I went for a rustic galette instead.  Funny because when I had the idea to make it in my head my Mom asked me, “When are you going to make one of those rustic pies again?”  And suggested that I share when I did.  There was plenty to go around and share and I ended up sharing with several family members since even after Eric and I had big pieces there was more left because this recipe makes two.  I made the crusts for these a little different than my usual, using organic whole wheat pastry flour with pecan meal to make it extra delicious and rich.  Instead of using just coconut oil for the fat in the crust, I used mostly pecan butter and a little coconut oil as an experiment to see how it turned out.  The result was a flaky, buttery and delicious crust!
    Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese Galette 2
    Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese Galette 1
    For the cream cheese filling I used a mixture of coconut milk and cashews  which makes the best substitute as far as I am concerned in vegan baked goods.  It is crave worthy when baked into things and this was no exception.  I kept the blueberry part of this galette simple to allow the blueberries to shine.  Once all baked up, it smelled amazing.  It was even more delicious than it smelled too!  You would never know this was vegan by tasting it, and I got a thumbs up from everyone who tried it.  If you have some fresh blueberries on hand, you know what to make!
    Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese Galette
    Vegan Blueberry Cream Cheese Galettes

    2 galettes

    Ingredients:

    Crust:

     

    Cream Cheese:
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp cider vinegar

     

    Filling:
    • 2 cups fresh organic blueberries
    • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • juice of one small lemon
    • a pinch of sea salt

     

    • coconut sugar, for topping

     

    Directions:
    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt.  Cut in coconut oil and pecan butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces.  Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky.  Add a touch more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.  Divide into 2 pieces and shape into rounds (if it is too soft, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm it up slightly.  You want it pliable, but not super soft or it will be hard to shape).
    2. Roll each out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin.  If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up. Using the parchment to move it, place on a sheet pan.
    3. To make the cream cheese, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.  Set aside.
    4. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.  To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
    5. Spread the cream cheese over the crust leaving a 1 1/2 inch boarder.  Spread the blueberries over the cream cheese, then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Brush sprinkle with a little coconut sugar.  Place in the oven.  Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if they are very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.
    *If you want this to be gluten free, Gluten Free All Purpose Flour or Gluten Free Oat Flour will work as well in this recipe (the same amount substituted for the whole wheat flour).
    **To make pecan meal, place 1 cup pecans in the blender and buzz until fine like flour. Almond flour may also be used in this recipe.
    ***If you do not wish to use pecan butter, 1/2 cup coconut oil may be used instead (along with the 1/4 cup already in the recipe).



  • Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Jam Swirl 

    Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Jam Swirl 

    What does one do with 3 lbs of blueberries?  Eat them all in a big bowl and end up like Violet Beauregarde in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and turn into a giant blueberry?   To be completely honest after seeing that movie as a kid, I always thought about that scene of the movie when eating blueberries.  Not that it stopped me from eating them ever, it just made me laugh a little.  Well, I made a few things with those 3 lbs of blueberries I had at my house and I didn’t turn into a giant blueberry.  Although I am sure I am filled with plenty of antioxidants now.  I did eat some plain, as did Eric since he saw my huge bowl and swooped in to steal a few.  But I made some delicious recipes with them as well!  The first of which was a cheesecake ice cream with a blueberry swirl.  My Mom asked me if I had ever made blueberry jam, so I decided to make a quick blueberry jam, and it was so good, I decided it needed to be served with some cheesecake.  But I decided on cheesecake ice cream instead of actual cheesecake because it is Summer, and ice cream is so refreshing. I apologize if you are sick of my ice cream posts…but I am not sick of eating or creating ice cream yet!  It is good stuff!

    Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Jam Swirl 1

    The base for this is actually quite simple.  I always use coconut milk for my ice cream bases.  Not low fat though.  Because  I used to use that when I was all fat phobic 10 years ago and it just makes for a harder more icy ice cream once it freezes.  If you use full fat, it turns out creamy and delicious.  Ice cream is meant to be an indulgence after all.  I would rather have a small amount of something rich than a large amount of something that is just ok.  Texture is very important to me.  This ice cream also has cashew butter to give it that cheesecake sort of flavor.  Plus a touch of vanilla bean, because vanilla bean flecks in ice cream has always made me smile. Growing up it made me feel like the ice cream was better quality (not that it always was, but the belief was there).

    Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Jam Swirl 2

    I swirled my quick blueberry jam into it and omg…it was amazing!  So much more refreshing than just cheesecake would have been, and just as I had imagined it.  This reminds me of an ice cream I had as a kid in an ice cream shop up North in Minnesota that I used to go to with my Dad.  I had it several times one of the trips and asked for multiple scoops…like 3 in a waffle cone.  It was so good.  Well, this is just as good, and it is vegan!  Nothing beats that, am I right?!

    Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Jam Swirl 4

    Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Jam Swirl 
    Makes about 3 1/2 cups

    Ingredients:

    Blueberry Jam:

    • 3 cups fresh organic blueberries
    • 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 Base:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • seeds of one vanilla bean, or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Directions:

    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 blueberries have popped 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 the ice cream, combine coconut milk, cashew butter, dates, sea salt and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    3. Pour 1/3 of the ice cream base into a freezer safe container with a lid then drop some of the jam over it.  Repeat with another layer of ice cream and jam, then another.  Swirl with a knife to marble the jam (just a few times, not too much).  Place in the freezer with the lid on, and continue to freeze until firm enough to scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.  Serve with extra jam if you wish.



  • Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes 4
    I have been in the mood for chocolate chip cookies lately for some reason.  Maybe it is the fact that at the deli I work in, my station is next to the baked goods cooling rack and those darn cookies cooling smell sooo good!  They are not vegan, so I am never tempted to steal one and eat it, but they do put me in the cookie making mood.  I made some recently, but the urge to make cookies came up again this week!  I can’t make cookies for dinner, but I can make pancakes, so I made chocolate chip cookie pancakes.  My Mom and I used to make pancakes for dinner when I was growing up more than we actually made them for breakfast, so pancakes for dinner is nothing unusual.  We found the best recipe too, one that was just the right texture and flavor.  Luckilly, I haven’t had a hard time creating good pancakes as a vegan.
    Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes 5
    It is really easier than you think to veganize pancakes!  For these, I used apple sauce and pecan butter as my egg and oil replacers.  The pecan butter gave them a chocolate chip cookie sort of flavor because pecans to me taste kind of caramelly.  I added maple syrup to sweeten them and they tastes delicious!  Pretty simple to make really, and quick to get on the table fast!  I pressed my favorite vegan chocolate chips into these as they finished cooking to make them appear like cookies, and keep my griddle clean (if I mixed in the chips, they would melt all over the griddle).  These are actually oil free and gluten free, but they taste so good you would never know.
    Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes 3
    They are like chocolate chip cookies and pancakes melded together into a hybrid.  They taste like the cookies, but have the texture of pancakes.  Simply heavenly!  Serve with regular old maple syrup, or do what I did and whisk some pecan butter into your syrup to make it taste a little like caramel and use that to top them.  This is the perfect weekend treat for a lazy Saturday morning, or of course if you are like me and prefer them later in the day, a sweet indulgence of a dinner!
    Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes 2

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes
    Makes 12

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana
    • 1/4 cup raw pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 1/4 cups organic Thai Kitchen light coconut milk
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and process until just blended, pour into a bowl and set aside.
    2. To cook pancakes, preheat oven to 110 degrees. Heat a large 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, press a few chocolate chips into the top (if you mix them in before hand they get all gooey on your griddle this is why I press them in), 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.

    *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.



  • Moroccan Lentil Stew

    Moroccan Lentil Stew

    Moroccan Lentil Stew Tomatoes

    I visited my Grandpa last Sunday and came home with about 10 lbs of fresh tomatoes from his garden.  What does one do with that many fresh tomatoes besides make sauce?  Well, I found lots of uses for them!  I love my Grandpa’s Tomatoes, and every year I anxiously await them.  It is so nice of him to share so many with me, and I am very appreciative.  My grocery bill always goes down, because I enjoy all of the tomatoes in my recipes when they become available instead of buying canned, dried or of course fresh for my salsas, soups and sauces.  Many of the tomatoes end up fresh in my lunch salads or roasted and paired with pastas, but I immediately dried a bunch of these in the dehydrator.  They are honestly the best tasting dried tomatoes I have ever had.  I dry a bunch every year and enjoy them for the next couple months (because they only last me that long, I use them a lot).

    Moroccan Lentil Stew Tomatoes 1

    Some of the batch I dried on Sunday was put to use right away.  I decided to make a Moroccan Lentil Stew because it was kind of a rainy day, and I am ready for Fall.  Normally I might have used canned tomatoes in something like this, but the dried ones are so lovely, and way more flavorful.  Lentils are a staple in my diet.  I eat them almost daily, and whenever any omnivore asks me where I get my protein they are my first answer (of the long list because as fellow vegans know, there are lots of vegan protein sources).  I enjoy simple stews made with them the most.  They are comforting, always delicious and easy to make because lentils cook faster than most beans. Lentils are just awesome!

    Moroccan Lentil Stew 1

    Anyways, I had some cauliflower and zucchini on hand, and they made it into the stew as well.  I used my Moroccan spice blend in this which is super aromatic and once you start cooking this people will show up in the kitchen in no time!  My home smelled delicious. It cooked up in less than 45 minutes and very little hands on time (which is always important, I know you all have other things to do while you are home as do I).  It was super satisfying.  The intensely flavored tomatoes infused the spiced broth, and the veggies and lentils had soaked it all in.  Sooo good.  If you had some flatbread to serve this with, that would be awesome, because trust me you want to soak up the juices.  If you would like to make your own dried tomatoes like I used in the recipe, simply cut them into 1/2 inch thick wedges, spread them out on a lined dehydrator tray, sprinkle with a little sea salt and dry for about a day and a half at 115F degrees or until they are completely dry.

    Moroccan Lentil Stew

    Moroccan Lentil Stew
    Serves 1-2

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup diced onion
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/8 tsp chipotle pepper
    • 1/2 tsp thyme
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
    • 1/3 cup dried lentils
    • 2 1/4  cups filtered water
    • 1 cup cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces
    • 1 cup zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice

    Directions:

    1. Heat the olive oil in a medium stock pot.  Add the onions and sautee for a few minutes until softened, then add the garlic and herbs and spices and sautee a minute more.
    2. Add the salt, tomatoes, lentils, and water and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 30 minutes until the lentils are starting to get tender.
    3. Add the cauliflower and zucchini and cook for about 10 more minutes until they are tender.  Add the lemon juice and serve!



  • Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

    Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies 5

    I am sure a lot of you might think I am crazy when I say this, but growing up, Oreos were never my favorite cookies.  Even as a kid, I could tell that they were not like my Grandma’s delicious home made cookies.  Something tasted off about them.  I now know it is because there is artificial stuff and preservatives in them. If there was a buffet at a get together with cookies on plates, I always would seek out the home made items instead of the packaged ones.  Sorry Chips Ahoy, you didn’t meet my standards either.  Anyways, that doesn’t mean however I don’t like sandwich cookies, I love them in fact, they just have to be home made!  I see all of these interesting new flavors of Oreos on the shelves at the store like birthday cake, mint, and peanut butter among others.  But the peanut butter particularly caught my eye.  Peanut butter Oreos could totally be home made!  So I decided that they were going to be my Monday project.

    Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies 2

    But, I didn’t make cookies that were exactly like Oreos.  I made a veganized version of a dark chocolate cookie that used to be a favorite recipe of mine, and added peanut butter along with the coconut oil because why not?  Extra peanut butter never hurt anything.  I love peanut butter and could eat a whole jar if I could.  It is honestly one of my top 5 favorite foods. I added chocolate chips to the cookies as well to make them extra delicious.  The cookies baked up lovely, and there was even an extra one to try before slathering the peanut butter over them.  They had the texture of my Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies but of course a chocolate base instead of vanilla.

    Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies 3

    Once I sandwiched them together with the peanut butter they were simply heavenly!  Sooo much better than any Oreo could ever hope to be. I would even go as far as to say they were crave worthy. Then again, I am biased because chocolate and peanut butter is one of my top go to dessert combinations.  I could have hogged them all for myself, but I was nice and shared them with Eric because he is even more of a chocolate lover than I am.  If you are looking for a new recipe to make and are in the mood for something decadent, go for these.  They may be more work than going to the store and buying a pack of Oreos (yes, I know they are vegan), but they taste so much better and you will be so much  more satisfied and pleased with yourself if you make these.  I promise.

    Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

    Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
    Makes 12 sandwiches

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened but not liquid
    • 3 Tbsp peanut butter
    • 2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
    • 3/4 cup organic peanut butter

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
    2. In a large bowl, beat together coconut oil, peanut butter, maple sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix in dry ingredients until well combined, and then the chocolate until well incorporated.  Chill the dough slightly until it is not so sticky, about 15 minutes.
    3. Scoop the dough into 1 Tbsp balls, and drop them onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes until firm but not overbaked. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    4. Flip half of the cookies over and spread about 1 Tbsp peanut butter over them (not spreading completely to the edges).  Top with the other cookies bottom side down to the peanut butter to form sandwiches.  Enjoy!

     



  • Vegan Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

    Vegan Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

    Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream 2

    So, I ran my first race in a year last weekend.  It was actually only my second in 4 years (after previously running about 20 a year), because I took a long time off of running in races after a string of injuries that had me feeling burnt out about it. I have still been running since then, but not competing at all.  I love going out for a run, and not having to think about it.  Not worrying about how fast I am going and whatnot.  But I have finally gotten to the point where I am ready to race again and actually push myself to try and run a better time.  The types of things going through my head when deciding to race or not were like… am I going to see people I know and embarrass myself?  Is it going to be a lot harder than it used to be?  I hope I don’t get injured.  You see, I used to run something like a 16:30 or less 5k on the regular and I knocked that out like it was nothing, so now that I am nowhere near that speed I question myself.  But hey, I am not a wimp, so I went for it.  It was a small local race after all, and I had to start somewhere.  By the way, none of the above problems I mentioned happened.  It went really well.  It was a rainy day, which some people might look at as a bummer but you know what?  I like running in the rain, it is refreshing and cooling in the Summer.  My goal was to break the time I ran last year, and I did that by 45 seconds.  I pushed myself, but I think I can push myself harder next time and get an even better time.  I wasn’t even sore the next day which was a plus. Sometimes you just have to face your fears and jump back into things.  You would think after running in the rain the last thing I would want is ice cream.  But not the case.  I wanted some really good ice cream.

    FullSizeRenderimage1

    I don’t go out and buy ice cream, I make it.  Not that there aren’t really good vegan ice creams out there now, but most of them have lots of refined sugar in them…and the flavors I want are not always available in stores.  I wanted some toasted almond fudge ripple ice cream.  Also, I did not want to go through a lot of work to make it.  So, this was fast and easy to make.  To be completely honest, start to finish including churning time (but not freezing time to firm it up after) was about 30 minutes.  Just blend up, churn, whisk the fudge together and assemble.  For the base I used only 5 ingredients, but it tasted amazing.  Almond butter gave it an incredible richness.  The fudge had an almond butter base as well, keeping with the theme.

    Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream 1

    I combined them with toasted almonds to complete the ice cream and it was amazing.  It tasted as good as the ice creams I remember getting at those shops with about 50 flavors as a kid.  You would not be able to tell this is vegan.  It tastes sweet, rich and delicious.  Just what I was going for.  And it doesn’t have to be a super hot day for me to appreciate it.  This stuff is darn addictive, I am just warning you!

    Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream 3

    Vegan Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream
    Makes about 3 1/2 cups

    Ingredients:

    Ice Cream Base:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup roasted almond butter
    • 1/3 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Fudge:

    • 1/2 cup roasted almond butter
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)

     

    For assembly:

    • 3/4 cup chopped or sliced toasted almonds

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine coconut milk, almond butter, dates, and sea salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    2. Meanwhile, whisk together the fudge ingredients until smooth, adding a little more water if too thick.
    3. Pour 1/3 of the ice cream base into a freezer safe container with a lid then drop some of the fudge over it and sprinkle with the toasted almonds.  Repeat with another layer of ice cream, fudge and almonds, then another.  Swirl with a knife to marble the fudge (just a few times, not too much).  Place in the freezer with the lid on, and continue to freeze until firm enough to scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.



    Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream 4

  • Vegan Marionberry Peach Crisp

    Vegan Marionberry Peach Crisp

       Marionberry Peach Crisp 4

    There was a time in my life that I loved fruit crisps so much that I made them every single weekend for months on end.  It may sound weird, but it was something I looked forward to.  I do tend to get stuck in ruts sometimes when I really like something (or more so I used to) and make it time and time again because I just crave it.  I would switch up the fruit at least and use what I had on hand or what was in season.  But by far, my favorite was anything involving berries.  Why crisp?  Well, simple, it is easier to make than pie, but just as good as far as I am concerned.  You still get the bubbling gooey fruit and crisp crumbly topping.  My Mom always made apple crumble pie, and so I have always had a bias towards putting crumble toppings on my pies those being my favorite over double crust pies.  She also made her crisps the same way, with oats always included in the topping.  So that has been my go to topping for crumble.  Just plain flour and sugar doesn’t do it for me, it has to have the substantial crunchy oats too!

    Marionberry Peach Crisp

    Well, I am no longer stuck in this rut.  I now branch out and make other desserts on the weekend.  I made some cobblers recently, and got to thinking, I have not made a crumble in a while.  So I remedied that and made one.  I had a busy weekend ahead with a road race and festival to go to Saturday, and family stuff and a dinner on Sunday, so I wanted something that didn’t take a lot of effort or hands on time to make, so I made that.  It did not take a lot of effort at all, and I could work on chores while it was cooking. You know how that goes, multi-tasking!  I am used to it working in a kitchen and making several things at once every day.  But you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to while you make yours, in fact, you know what would be nice, to go outdoors and sit in the sunshine while it bakes and read a book!  Just set a timer of course.

    Marionberry Peach Crisp 2

    I decided to make this a little different than the ones I have made in the past.  I kept the fruit part really simple, only four ingredients to allow the berries and peaches to shine through with their sweet flavors.  For the topping, in place of my usual coconut oil I used pecan butter.  This was a little bit of an experiment because in the past I had always thought that things like this needed oil to crisp up and brown, but what the heck, I was trying it.  Because I am trying to use more whole foods like nut butter in my recipes than just oil for the fat component.  I am happy to say it worked!  It browned to the level I wanted it to, and the pecan butter gave it a nice nutty flavor.  This crisp smelled amazing as I pulled it from the oven and tasted even better.  It was nice to sit and enjoy this and just relax for a little while.  If you have blackberries and peaches on hand, you know what to do now!

    Marionberry Peach Crisp 1

    Vegan Marionberry Peach Crisp

    Serves 4

    Fruit:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic peaches, sliced
    • 1 1/2 cups marionberries
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour

     

    Topping:
    • 3 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
    • 3 Tbsp large flake dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
    • 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp raw pecan butter

     

    6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Oil a 6 inch wide pie plate or bowl with coconut oil. In a large bowl, toss together the fruit, maple syrup, 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 20 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 Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies 4

    One of my favorite places to be as a child was in my Grandma’s kitchen.  She was always making something delicious no matter what time of the day, and she often baked things.  Like chocolate chip cookies.  She must have baked hundreds of batches of them.  She always had them on hand to give away to people in cookie tins.  I would sit there and watch her make the dough, roll the cookies and place them in the oven.  She had the recipe in her head, she made it so often she never needed recipe cards for reference or a timer on the oven.  She just knew when they were done.  And they always seemed to turn out perfect. When she wasn’t looking I would always steal dough, and she would warn me not to eat too much because would get a tummy ache but I never did.  I loved the dough the best, and the warm baked cookies.  Once they cooled I wasn’t compelled to eat so many even though they were really good.  I am just a cookie dough girl, and when they are still warm from the oven the chocolate chips are still gooey and they are crave worthy.  Good memories.  I miss my Grandma, and her delicious cookies.

    Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies 3

    I wasn’t so into baking at that time, just eating but now I am a baker myself.  I think my Grandma would be proud!  I made some chocolate chip cookies last week and they made me think of her.  Some maple pecan chocolate chip cookies.  She always added nuts to her chocolate chip cookies, I think pecans, but it was so long ago I can’t  remember.  I just wanted some good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies!  I added maple sugar to the dough, because maple and pecans are a match made in heaven.  The dough was so incredibly good!  I ate too much just sayin.  But hey, that is my favorite type of cookie.  Unbaked.  But they did smell amazing while baking, and tasted wonderful too once they were done.

    Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies 1

    I like to eat them while the chocolate chips are still gooey.  These have a hint of maple flavor, and they are rich and delicious thanks to the coconut oil and pecan butter both of which I used in them.  They are not diet cookies.  They are indulge in them because they are rich but still better for you than regular cookies cookies and I am proud of them!  They got a thumbs up from my taste testers too, which is a big complement because they can be picky.  If you are looking for a sweet indulgence to make this weekend, give these babies a try!

    Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies 2

    Vegan Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Makes 16 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    •  2 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1/2 cup raw pecan butter
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1 cup mini vegan chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

     

    Directions:

    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and filtered water.  Set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, coconut oil and pecan 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 and pecans. Place in the freezer for about 10  minutes until it is firm enough to scoop (if it is too soft at all, it may not be, in that case proceed with scooping. It just depends on how warm the coconut oil was).
    3. To bake, Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 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.  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.



  • Watermelon Basil Slushie

    Watermelon Basil Slushie

    When I was little, I used to love getting things like Sno Cones, Mr. Mistys at Dairy Queen, and Hawaiian Ices at the fair.  They were so refreshing…and so sugary.  Just what my 10 year old self loved!  I can’t say I have had anything like that in about 15 years, but good memories go along with those because they were always consumed at places I had a lot of fun at as a kid!  I guess the large amount of sugar turned me off and the fact that most of them are not made from actual real fruit.  Eric still loved slushies, and still buys them at the gas station by our house.  Because he does not care if they are sugary.  He often comes home with a large one. You know the bright red and blue ones you know are just sugar water and color?  He loves them.  I am trying to get him to drop some of the refined sugars, but you know how that goes.

    Watermelon Basil Slushie 4

    So, I thought I would make a healthy slushie.  Just to prove that they don’t have to be loaded with sugar and color to be good.  I had a watermelon waiting for me at home, and I was in need of some cooling down so it was perfect!  It was super simple to make, save cutting the watermelon which can be a little time consuming.  But once that is out of the way it goes really fast.  I picked some fresh basil from my patio and added that, along with some lemon juice and a little stevia.  I buzzed it up in the blender and voila!  Refreshing deliciousness!  It was so good!  Way better than any of the slushies I remember having as a kid.

    Watermelon Basil Slushie 3

    If you wanted to make this a little boozy and add some tequila that might be good too, but I was just looking to hydrate at that point.  The watermelon made it a lovely pink color naturally, and it was sweet but not sickeningly so.  I will have to remake this again and share it with Eric, since I just made it for myself this time.  I can’t believe I have never tried making anything like this before, it is pretty awesome, and is perfect on  hot day!

     

    Watermelon Basil Slushie
    Serves 1

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups watermelon, cut into chunks
    • a few Tbsp fresh basil leaves
    • juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
    • about 1/2 tsp liquid stevia (or to taste)
    • 3 cups ice cubes

    Directions:

    Combine all ingredients in a blender with the watermelon at the bottom, and blend (but not too long or it will be all liquid) until the ice is finely crushed.  Pour into a nice tall glass, and enjoy!



  • Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodles

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodles

    My Grandpa grows a garden of just cucumbers and tomatoes every Summer, and he always shares a bunch with me.  I am extremely grateful for that.  They are honestly the best tomatoes and cucumbers I have ever tasted and every time I get one at the store I am disappointed because they don’t measure up to these.  I love eating the cucumbers with hummus, but I also love adding them to salads because they are so cooling in the Summer.  I got some black bean noodles recently to try and ended up loving them, so I decided to make a salad with those and the cucumbers.  Black bean noodles may sound weird or different to some, but they are actually really good!  I like them better than regular noodles, and they pack 25 grams of protein per serving!  So, you can get your protein without having to add any extra protein to the noodles.  Who says vegans don’t get enough protein?!  I certainly do!

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodle Salad 2

    The salad I made was actually really simple, I added carrots and scallions as well for some crunch and color, and a miso almond dressing. To be quite honest, this dressing is a staple in my refrigerator, and I have it on hand at all times.  My favorite use for it is to drizzle it over roasted yams which I also top off with black beans and cabbage for a satisfying meal.  So I knew this dressing would be good on the noodles.  The salad came together fast, which is important for busy nights, and it tasted amazing.

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodle Salad

    I shared some with my Mom and Eric because I made a bigger batch, and they thought it was really good too!  It may look simple and plain, but once you taste it I guarantee you won’t be able to stop eating it until the whole plate is gone. It makes a good lunch for the next day too if you have leftovers since it is served cold.   Another thing about this that is awesome, is it is pretty cheap to make!  So wins all around!

     

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodles
    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    Dressing:

    • 1/2 cup raw almond butter
    • 2/3 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 Tbsp white miso
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • ½ tsp sea salt

     

    Salad:

     

    Directions:

    1. Place all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Set aside.
    2. Cook noodles according to package directions and cool.
    3. Combine noodles with veggies and dressing in a bowl and toss together until combined.  Serve!

     



  • Vegan Hazelnut Cookies and Cream Parfait

    Vegan Hazelnut Cookies and Cream Parfait

    Sometimes on my runs when I am having a tough time, I day dream about other stuff.  Don’t get me wrong, I love it and I am grateful for every run good or bad, but sometimes it takes more mental toughness when I feel tired or conditions aren’t ideal.  Well, yesterday I was having a tougher time but I was determined to run the distance I decided I was going to run because it wasn’t like I was injured or in pain or anything, I just didn’t have that oomph for the last 3 miles of it.  It was getting hot and the sun was beating down, and I began to think about how good cookies and cream stuff used to be.  I hadn’t had cookies and cream anything in ages.  I used to have big bowls of cookies and cream ice cream at my Dad’s house when I was little and I made a raw version with mint a while back which was delicious and also a pie, but not much since then.  Even after all of that cookies and cream daydreaming, when I finished my run, all I was hungry for however was just water and later oatmeal.

    Vegan Hazelnut Cookies and Cream Parfaits 2

    I spent some time with Eric and his friends in the afternoon, and while there, I watched Eric put away a bunch of Oreos. “They are vegan!” he said to me.  But to be honest, you know me, I don’t go for store bought things with ingredients I can’t pronounce and loads of sugar at this point in my life.  I just rolled my eyes at him and smiled.  But, I then remembered my earlier daydreams and thought to myself, I should make something cookies and cream.  Twice in one day thinking about the cookies and cream…I have to now.  Of course I would make my cookie crumbles healthier and with whole ingredients.  I decided to make parfaits.  Because they are easy, not fussy, and no cook.  It was perfect.  They weren’t just going to be cookies and cream though, I wanted to add hazelnuts in as well.  Because hazelnuts are so darn good with chocolate stuff!

    Vegan Hazelnut Cookies and Cream Parfaits 1

    I made two layers of mousse for these, chocolate and vanilla hazelnut to be layered with the cookie crumbs.  The crumbs are super easy to make, no forming into cookies required, just buzz in the food processor and they are ready to go.  These ended up being super decadent and delicious and plenty sweet without being sugary. I shared them with my sugar loving boyfriend too.  If you have ever been a fan of cookies and cream, try these babies out next time you have a craving!

    Vegan Hazelnut Cookies and Cream Parfaits 3

    Vegan Hazelnut Cookies and Cream Parfait
    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    Cookie Crumble:

    • 1/4 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats (or gluten free organic rolled oats)
    • 1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts
    • 1/4 cup finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Mousse:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
    • 1/4 cup hazelnut butter
    • 1/4 cup raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder

     

    Assembly:

    • roasted hazelnuts

     

    Directions:

    1. For the cookie crumble combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until crumbs and starting to hold together when squeezed.  Set aside.
    2. To make the mousse, combine all ingredients but the cacao powder in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  If there are any lumps at all, continue to blend.  Pour half into one bowl, and half into another, and whisk the cacao powder into one of them.  Place in the freezer until they are thick like whipped cream (about 45 minutes).
    3. To assemble, sprinkle some of the crumble into the bottoms of 4 smaller jars along with some hazelnuts.  Spoon some of the plain hazelnut mousse over that, then some more crumbs, then some chocolate mousse.  Repeat this until all of the mousse and crumbs are used up.  Sprinkle the tops of the parfaits with hazelnuts.

     

     



  • Vegan Tomato Chocolate Cupcakes

    Vegan Tomato Chocolate Cupcakes

    Eric needed some cheering up, and it was a rainy day so I decided to bake him some cupcakes.  Because cupcakes make everything better (at least for the moment) right?  His favorite thing is chocolate (anything chocolate), so that is what I made.  But these were special chocolate cupcakes, they had a secret unexpected ingredient.  Tomatoes.  I have them coming out of my ears right now, my counter is overflowing with them. This is a good thing though!  I love fresh tomatoes!  I have been using them in savory things, but did you know that they help to keep chocolate cake moist when baked into the batter?  Tomato soup cake was popular back in the day, and I remember seeing it in quite a few of my Grandma’s church cookbooks.  Tomatoes are technically a fruit after all, so it makes just as much sense to add them to cake as it does zucchini.

    Chocolate Tomato Cupcakes 3

    These were super quick and simple to make.  I didn’t have a lot of time so that is what I was aiming for.  They took less than an hour to make (I sped up the cooling process by placing them in the fridge for a short time).  Nothing fussy here, just whisk together the ingredients and bake.  Back when I used to make non-vegan cupcakes I felt like they were more fussy.  With creaming the butter and sugar and whatnot, but these are really hard to mess up.  For the frosting I wanted to make something fudgy and decadent.  So I turned to pecan butter.  Nut butters always make things good as far as I am concerned.  I whisked in some cacao powder, and maple syrup and it was so good.  Like rich decadent fudge, something you would want to eat with a spoon.  And I did enjoy some…hey that is a perk of being the baker.  But I saved enough for the cupcakes too.

    Chocolate Tomato Cupcakes 4

    Once assembled, these were so good. Perfectly moist, sweet chocolate cake, gooey rich frosting, heaven in a cupcake tin.  You can not tell that they have tomatoes in them.  So *shhhh* don’t tell anyone.  I didn’t tell Eric, I just said that they were fabulous chocolate cupcakes.  So, the next time you have lots of tomatoes from your garden, or you need some mood boosting (because chocolate and cupcakes can do that), try these babies out!  Nothing to be intimidated about here, just easy to make deliciousness!

    Chocolate Tomato Cupcakes

    Vegan Tomato Chocolate Cupcakes
    Makes 10 cupcakes

    Ingredients:

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp pureed tomatoes
    • 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Frosting:

    • 3/4 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1/3 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    Whisk flour, cacao powder baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk tomato puree, pecan butter, vanilla extract, and water together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined. Transfer cake batter to standard sized muffin tins placed in a muffin pan to make them stable. Place in the oven and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 12-15 minutes. Cool completely.
    Meanwhile, to make the frosting, whisk together all ingredients until smooth (since nut butters vary in texture, if it is too thin, add a little more cacao powder, too thick, a little more water). Spread or pipe the frosting over the tops of the cooled cupcakes.



  • Vegan Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream

    Vegan Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream

    Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream

    There was a point in time where I drank coffee in the morning like it was water.  I would have 3 32 oz mugs before noon from the time I was in college until about 4 years ago. I liked coffee, but I always drank it so fast (because I am busy most mornings) that I hardly ever got to enjoy it, it was more of a routine.  You would think I would have been bouncing off the walls with all of that caffeine but it became normal to me.  All until one Sunday I got ill, and afterwards I just didn’t like drinking coffee anymore.  It might have had something to do with the fact that I had made a coffee flavored cake that day.  But whatever the case, I stopped drinking my coffee every morning cold turkey.  I did have headaches for a while which made me realize that I was addicted to it and it probably wasn’t good for my body at that volume.  I don’t drink it anymore, but I do still love it in desserts like tiramisu.  I do love the smell of freshly ground coffee as well, it is a happy comforting smell, it reminds me of being in my Grandma’s kitchen, and lazy weekend mornings.

    Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream 4

    Back in the day when I drank all that coffee, I discovered a delicious flavor pairing.  Coffee, caramel and peanut butter.  I had a caramel flavored stevia that I used to use in my coffee, and I ate peanut butter in my oatmeal every morning, so one day, I was enjoying them together and I noticed how good they tasted together!  I made a few desserts with that flavor combination and they were so good!  I was thinking about that the other day and I decided that some coffee caramel peanut butter ice cream would be really good.  It is really hot and sticky here lately.  Like come home after every run drenched hot (and not because I ran through a sprinkler).  So I am making ice cream every week.  And of course I have to make different flavors to keep it interesting.  I have been making a lot of fruity ones, so the coffee caramel peanut butter was a nice trade off.

    Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream 1

    It is super simple to make, just blend, freeze and enjoy.  But if you wanted something less smooth, I think adding chopped peanuts would be delicious for crunch.  This is good even alone, but to be more decadent (because I was in that sort of mood) I topped mine off with some raw date caramel thinned out a little so it was pourable. It was simply heavenly!  Trust me, you must try out these flavors together, you will love it!  The salty peanut butter is so good with the sweet caramel and aromatic coffee.

     

    Vegan Coffee Caramel Peanut Butter Ice Cream
    Makes 4 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 2 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 ½ cups soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well
    • before using in the recipe)
    • ½ cup organic peanut butter
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp very finely ground organic coffee (use your favorite kind) or 2 Tbsp coffee extract
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour through a fine meshed strainer over a bowl to remove any bits, pressing until all of the smooth base has gone through.
    3. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions. Once it has finished, pour into a freezer safe container with a lid, and freeze for about 4 hours or until firm enough to scoop. Enjoy!

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

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



  • Summer Cantaloupe, Sun Dried Tomato and Macadamia Chevre Salad

    Summer Cantaloupe, Sun Dried Tomato and Macadamia Chevre Salad

    Summer Cantalope, Sun Dried Tomato and Chevre Salad

    I once overheard a woman yelling at the produce guy at the grocery store because they did not have any arugula at the time.  She was mad because she wanted to make a recipe using it and nothing else would do.  I felt like telling her that she could improvise and use spinach, or maybe some dandelion if she still wanted that peppery flavor…but I decided not to get involved because she probably would not have listened.  She seemed like she was mostly complaining to complain.  But a valuable lesson could be taught here.  The ability to improvise when it comes to cooking is very important. There is usually something you can substitute  for another ingredient if it isn’t available.  Also, never be rude to the produce guy, it isn’t his fault that there is none of whatever you want available.  It is usually a problem with the supplier, or maybe it is out of season (I have seen that conversation as well).  Sometimes people don’t realize that veggies and fruits have seasons.

    Summer Cantalope, Sun Dried Tomato and Chevre Salad 2

    So about this improvising thing.  I feel I have it down pretty well.  Even improvising with what is in my fridge, and just cooking with that.  It helps save money too.  I always try to use what I have on hand first before going to the store and buying new stuff.  I did that last night, when I made a salad whose ingredients might seem random, but they were so good together!  I had some arugula from the farmer’s market, some sun dried tomatoes, I had just made with tomatoes from my Grandpa’s garden, and a ripe cantaloupe waiting to be cut up.  I decided to use them together in the salad along with some nut chevre, toasted almonds and fresh rosemary.  I tossed it all in a very simple balsamic vinaigrette and it was delicious!  It pays to raid the fridge sometimes!  I definitely recommend trying this if you have a ripe cantaloupe!

    Summer Cantaloupe, Sun Dried Tomato and Macadamia Chevre Salad
    Serves 2

    Macadamia Chevre:

    • 2 cups raw macadamia nuts, soaked for 4 hours, and drained
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/3 cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    Dressing:

    • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar*
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • sea salt to taste

     

    Salad:

    • 1 bunch organic arugula
    • 2 cups diced organic cantalope
    • 1/2 cup organic sun-dried tomatoes*, rehydrated if too tough (soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain before using.
    • 1/2 cup toasted almonds
    • about 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary broken into pieces

     

    Directions:

    1. For the chevre, in a high speed blender combine the soaked macadamias, filtered water, lemon juice, salt and coconut butter and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, place in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes until it is easier to work with, then scrape onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a wheel while wrapping tightly. Place in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours. Store cheese in the refrigerator.  You will only need about 1/4 of this cheese for the recipe, so crumble that into pieces and set aside, and save the remaining other cheese for another use (it does freeze well when wrapped tightly or in a container).
    2. For the dressing, whisk together all ingredients until smooth and set aside.
    3. To assemble the salad, toss the arugula, cantaloupe, and tomatoes with the dressing, then place on a serving plate.  Scatter the almonds, crumbled chevre, and rosemary over it and serve!

    *I made my own sun dried tomatoes by cutting them into wedges, and dehydrating them at 115F degrees for 24 hours.

    *If you want this to be truly raw, swap out the balsamic vinegar for cider vinegar or lemon juice.



  • Vegan Mini Chocolate Almond Brownie Cheesecakes

    Vegan Mini Chocolate Almond Brownie Cheesecakes

    On my days off, I like to make something a little decadent. This time, I made some chocolate almond brownie cheesecakes.  I am loving desserts like this lately because they are easy, but they are just as delicious as their larger cousins.  I had just made some fresh almond butter, and I was craving chocolate cheesecake, so that is how I decided on the combo.  It has been darn near perfect weather here lately, but I still didn’t feel like heating up the oven to bake something.  It is funny, before I went vegan I was baking cheesecakes all the time, and now it seems weird to me.  Because all of the ones that I make are no-bake, and they all taste so much better to me than the dairy ones.  In fact now as a vegan, dairy kind of grosses me out.  Because of the harm to the animals while it is being produced, and what it is actually made out of.  So I am very happy to be able to make vegan cheesecakes.

    mini chocolate almond cheesecakes 1

    If you have never tried a vegan cheesecake, or you are not vegan and you are skeptical that they can be just as good as regular cheesecakes, this would be a good recipe for you to try.  It is pretty simple, the smaller cheesecakes are easier to make than one big one, and they taste amazing!  The brownie base is really simple to make, just mix it together and press it into the tins, no baking required!  But, it tastes as good as baked brownies and I included chocolate chips for extra chocolate goodness.  For the filling, I added in some almond butter along with the cacao powder to give these a nutty almond flavor and the mixture was so delicious I could not stop sampling it.  I used a coconut milk base, which is my favorite in cheesecakes, because it gives them a silky texture.

    mini chocolate almond cheesecakes 2

    These came together very fast, which is always a win when it comes to dessert as far as I am concerned.  I want to dive in, you know?  But unfortunately I had to take the pics before I dove in so that you can see what these delicious little chocolaty gems taste like.  They look delicious in the photos, but trust me, they taste even better.  These would be perfect to bring to a gathering because they are so much easier than carting a large cheesecake around that you later have to cut.  These are just set on a plate and serve!  Not a fan of almonds?  You can swap them out for your favorite nut butter.

    mini chocolate almond cheesecakes 3

    Vegan Mini Chocolate Almond Brownie Cheesecakes
    Makes 8

    Brownie:

    • 3/4 cup gluten free organic oat flour
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup organic almond butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

     

    Cheesecake Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk at room temperature
    • 1/4 cup organic almond butter
    • 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    For Topping:

    • toasted almonds
    • 1/3 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the brownie, stir together all ingredients in a bowl, and then press into the bottoms of 8 silicone muffin tins.  Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
    2. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour the filling over the brownie in the tins, sprinkle with the toasted almonds, and place in the freezer to firm up for about an hour.  Once they have firmed up, unmold them and place them on a tray.
    3. Melt the chocolate for the topping in the top of a double boiler until smooth, then drizzle over the finished cheesecakes.  Place them in the freezer until the chocolate has set for about 5 minutes then enjoy!  Store any left over cheesecakes in the refrigerator.

    mini chocolate almond cheesecakes



  • Vegan Blueberry Maple Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits

    Vegan Blueberry Maple Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits

    Blueberry Maple Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits 1
    When I was younger I used to go to the library every week and check out cookbooks.  I would sit with a big old pile of them and page through them looking for new recipes to try.  This is how I taught myself to cook in fact!  One Summer in college, I would make 1 new recipe a day.  It kept things interesting.  I made a lot of savory things, but one if my favorite books was a pie book.  It had all of the best ideas in it as far as I was concerned, and I loved pie.  I made quite a few recipes from that book, one of which was a maple blueberry pie.  I made it during the Summer when fresh, local blueberries were available, and it was amazing. It was simple, but so good. No wild flavors here, just maple and blueberries with a classic pie crust.  Minnesotan all the way, because we grow some delicious blueberries here this time of the year, and produce local maple syrup.
    Blueberry Maple Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits 5
    Saturday I was thinking about that pie and how good it was, and how much I wanted to make it, but I also wanted to make a blueberry cobbler, because the previous weekend I had made a peach one and it was so good.  So, I decided to make a blueberry cobbler with the same flavors as the pie.  But, I added in pecan as well.  Because blueberry maple pecan, now that is out of this world good!  A cobbler is a little easier than making a pie too, provided you don’t overmix the biscuits so that they stay flaky.  But no rolling stuff out and worrying that it will tear and whatnot.  That is always what intimidated me about pies.  I kept the filling pretty simple for this, to allow the flavor of those delicious blueberries to shine.  For the biscuits, I made my usual with pecan meal and they tasted amazing.  One of my coworkers at the deli makes these maple pecan scones and these taste like those but even better.

    <

    Blueberry Maple Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits
    This smelled like heaven while it baked and bubbled away in the oven.  I could not wait to dive in and top it with some of my blueberry walnut lavender ice cream I had in the freezer.  Lets just say this was devoured fast.  Maybe normal people might get four servings out of this but I get two.  I love my fruit desserts.  This tasted like Summer, the jammy sweet blueberries a perfect pairing with the flaky nutty maple scented biscuits that topped it off. If you have blueberries on hand, give this a go, you will be happy you did!
    Vegan Blueberry Maple Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits

    Serves 4

    Fruit:
    • 3 cups fresh organic blueberries
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    biscuit topping:
    • 3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup pecan meal*
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)

     

    6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

    Instructions:

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

     

     *raw pecans ground to a flour consistency in a food processor



  • Vegan Roasted Tomato Sweet Corn Pizza with Rosemary

    Vegan Roasted Tomato Sweet Corn Pizza with Rosemary

    I wish I could have a garden of my own, but unfortunately I can’t.  Thankfully I have people who share their garden fresh veggies with me!  My Grandpa does every year, he grows cucumbers and tomatoes, and they are always way better than store bought.  My coworker brought some tomatoes in to work last Friday, and offered them to me and I was like “Heck yes I will take them!” I can never say no to free veggies, and it was very thoughtful of her to share them.  I immediately began thinking about what I wanted to make with them the rest of the day, and I decided on pizza.  Before I went vegan I would make pizza once a week.  Every time trying out new cheeses and toppings.  It kind of went by the wayside, the once a week thing, but I still make them once in a while and the vegan ones are just as good!

    Vegan Roasted Tomato and Sweet Corn Pizza 5

    One of my favorites used to be margherita pizza with tomatoes fresh from my Grandpa’s garden.  It was so simple to make, but always so good.  Especially good when I took the time to roast the tomatoes before putting them on the pizza.  The flavor gets so intense that way, sweet and savory all at once, the tomatoes sort of jammy.  I decided to make them like that for this pizza as well, although I did not make margherita this time.  I added local sweet corn along with those tomatoes, home made vegan mozzarella, and It topped it off with fresh rosemary.  Which I had also gotten from my coworker.  It all smelled amazing.

    Vegan Roasted Tomato and Sweet Corn Pizza 3

    There is nothing like making dinner with veggies that were just picked when it comes to flavor.  This pizza was wonderful.  You know, at one point, I thought I would never enjoy melty cheese again as a vegan (because I don’t like most of the store bought ones), so I am really happy that I can and I can make my own delicious pizzas with melty cheese at home.  The omnivores I shared this pizza with approved of it too, which is always good when trying to get people to lean more towards vegan foods.  If you have garden fresh tomatoes and a hankering for pizza, you must try this out!

    Vegan Roasted Tomato and Sweet Corn Pizza

    Vegan Roasted Tomato Sweet Corn Pizza with Rosemary

    Makes one 14 inch pizza

    Vegan Mozzarella Cheese:

    1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
    1/4 plus 1 Tbsp filtered water
    3 Tbsp agar flakes or 1 Tbsp agar powder
    2 tsp lemon juice
    1 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt
    1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
    1 tsp guar gum

    To make the cheese, heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer.  Meanwhile, dissolve the arrowroot starch in the water and set aside.Once the coconut milk has come to a simmer, add the agar flakes, and heat until they are dissolved (mine took about 8 minutes, if you are using the powder, it should dissolve within one minute).Next, add the lemon juice and sea salt to the coconut milk.  Mix the coconut oil with the guar gum so that the guar gum does not clump up.  Turn off the heat and add the arrowroot mixture, guar gum and coconut oil. Whisk for about 30 seconds, then pour into a silicone mold (I used a loaf pan, but if you had another shape you would like to use go ahead). Refrigerate for a few hours until firm, then pop out of the mold. You will need half the cheese for this recipe, reserve the other half for another use in the fridge, wrapped in an airtight container.  Shred the half you will be using into a bowl, and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    Roasted Tomatoes:

    3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
    olive oil
    sea salt

    Preheat the oven to 450F degrees.  Toss the tomatoes with just enough oil to coat and a little sea salt, and spread out on a sheet pan.  Place in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes until starting to brown at the edges and softened.  Remove from oven and set aside.

    Pizza Dough:

    1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    1/2 tsp xanthan gum
    1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp filtered water

    To make the pizza crust, combine the flour, xanthan gum and sea salt in a bowl, and whisk until well blended. Add the oil and water, and mix in until you have a soft dough.  Turn out onto a sheet of parchment paper with a light dusting of flour, and roll out into a 14 inch circle.  Set aside.

    For Pizza Assembly:

    olive oil
    3/4 cup fresh, organic corn kernals
    1 garlic clove, cut in half
    a few sprigs fresh rosemary

    Pre-heat the oven to 400F degrees.  Set a pan on the center rack with an upside down sheet pan, or a pizza stone set on it. Brush the crust with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and slide the parchment with the crust on it onto the stone.  Bake crust for 10 minutes, then remove the crust from the oven (still on the parchment). Brush the crust with olive oil, and rub with the garlic cloves. Top with the tomatoes, corn, then the cheese, making sure it is all evenly distributed.  Place the pizza in the oven, turn up the temperature to 475F and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown (keep an eye on it after 15 as some ovens cook faster than others). Remove the pizza and parchment from the oven, slide pizza onto a cutting board or plate, scatter rosemary over the top, slice and enjoy!



    Vegan Roasted Tomato and Sweet Corn Pizza 1

  • Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler

    When I was little, and into sugary popsicles, I could have cared less about watermelon.  It was all about the brightly colored freezes, bomb pops and those sorts of things when it came to keeping cool in the Summer.  But now as an adult, I have an appreciation for naturally cooling foods.  Give me a watermelon after a run when I am feeling overheated, and I could eat the whole thing.  I have before actually.  I guess sometimes I think of watermelon more as a refresher and form of getting liquids in than just a fruit.  I have blended up just watermelon and drank it before and it was wonderful.  It is one of the most refreshing, cooling and lovely foods you can get in the Summer, and I appreciate that I can find them locally grown here in Minnesota!  If I had my own garden, I would definitely plant some.

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler 1

    I was given some watermelon this week, and I finally got around to cutting it up.  I snacked on some of course, but I also made a refreshing drink with it to share.  It had been a hot day.  Even in the morning on my run you could actually see the humidity and moisture in the air as the sun was rising.  Then I worked in a hot kitchen, went for a walk in the hot sun in the afternoon and I was ready for some serious refreshment.  In the form of a watermelon drink.  I also had some fresh cherries that I wanted to include in this to make it extra delicious, as well as limes, and basil.  To sweeten it a little, I added some apple juice instead of another liquid sweetener.  Lastly, I topped it off with some sparkling water for a little bubble action.  It was perfect!  And just what I was looking for.

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler

    I immediately felt cooler, and began to forget about being sweaty.  This was the essence of real watermelon.  When I look back on all of the watermelon candy and fake watermelon flavored stuff I ate as a kid, it seems weird to me now.  The real thing is so much better!  Now of course I made these non-alcoholic, but if you are in the mood to partttayyy, or kick up your feet and relax, you could add some tequila to this, or even a white or rose wine. That would be delicious too.

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler
    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups organic watermelon cut into cubes
    • 1 cup fresh, organic cherries, pitted
    • 3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 1/4 cup apple juice
    • ice
    • sparkling water

     

    Directions:

    1. In a blender, combine the watermelon, cherries, basil, lime juice, and apple juice, and blend until smooth.  Pour through a strainer into a glass measuring cup with a pour spout.
    2. Place a handful of ice into two glasses, then pour the strained mixture over that, and top off with sparkling water.  Serve with a sprig of fresh basil!



  • Vegan Maple Pecan Muffin Pancakes

    Vegan Maple Pecan Muffin Pancakes

    Maple Pecan Pancake Muffins 4

    I saw on a local news show, a segment about muffin tin pancakes and apparently they are all the rage lately on social media.  I must be out of the loop, because I had not heard about them until that point.  Whoever invented them though is genius, because they are so much easier to make than flipping pancakes.  They may not be as pretty, but they certainly are functional.  I remember going to these pancake breakfasts as a kid for fund raisers, and they would be stacking loads and loads of pancakes off of the ginormous grills and serving them up to the long lines of hungry people.  I kind of loved those, because the pancakes were always fluffy and delicious and I could have as many as I wanted.  I used to be a huge pancake lover and I could eat a lot.   They had to have butter though, and actually whipped cream and strawberries were my favorite topper, even over the classic maple syrup.  So, imagine having these muffin pancakes at a big event to serve, they might look a little different and be a little smaller, but hey, you could serve a crowd fast with no flipping.  I shared them with Eric, who always seems to have trouble wrangling up breakfast when it gets busy in the morning. Maybe you are like that too, if so read on!

    Maple Pecan Pancake Muffins 3

    I a modified version of my usual pancake batter, adding in pecan butter, chopped pecans and maple to make them extra delicious!  To be honest, when I was making these I did not know if they would turn out like the non-vegan ones that inspired them, but I prayed about it and crossed my fingers.  When I took a peak in the oven after a few minutes, they looked promising!  They were done fast, like in about 12 minutes, and they popped out of the muffin tins beautifully!  But did they taste like pancakes was the question.  I made a maple pecan syrup for them, because it just sounded good at the time, to echo the pecan maple theme of these.  They were delicious!  They tasted just like pancakes, and of course they are, they are just presented a little differently.

    Maple Pecan Pancake Muffins 2

    I hated to eat breakfast when I was a kid, so my Mom would give me portable things like bars to bring to school.  But I could see these being a good portable breakfast with the syrup in a container on the side, or even if you stuffed them with jam instead of using syrup so the stickiness was on the inside.  I would have loved these for breakfast, and even been excited about eating them.  Because I have always loved cute little unconventional things.  So, if you are looking for an easier way to make pancakes, give these guys a go!

    Maple Pecan Pancake Muffins 1

    Vegan Maple Pecan Muffin Pancakes
    Makes 14

    Pancakes:

    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp pecan butter
    • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans

     

    Syrup

    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients (except the pecans) and process until just blended, stir in the pecans, then pour into a bowl with a pour spout and set aside.
    2. To cook pancakes, preheat oven to 375F degrees. Oil a 14 hole muffin pan with coconut oil.  Pour the pancake batter into the muffin tins, and place in the oven.  Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the pancakes are set in the center.  Remove from oven.
    3. To make syrup, whisk together the maple syrup and pecan butter. Top the pancakes with it!

    *Note: If you do not have a non-stick pan, and don’t mind these not being oil free, go ahead and use a little coconut oil when cooking them to prevent sticking.



  • Vegan Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecakes

    Vegan Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecakes

    Vegan Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Cheesecakes 4

    When I was younger I used to browse recipes online and cook books from the library and actually make them exactly as they were.  But now I rarely do that.  Because of course, most of the recipes I come across that look really good to me are not vegan, and I didn’t used to be a vegan or care about the nutritional content of things, but now I do!  So now I say to myself, how can I veganize that and make it better?  So, I was having one of those moments recently when a friend on Facebook posted a recipe for some peanut butter cheesecake bars with a cookie dough bottom.  They sounded really good, and I knew I could make a vegan version!  But, I decided not to make them into bars, I made them into little mini cheesecakes instead. Because I have made a lot of bars lately, and I feel like cheesecakes are cuter. Yes, I sometimes decide on things based on cuteness.  Nothing wrong with that!  We eat with our eyes after all.

    Vegan Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Cheesecakes 3

    I am game for cookie dough anything, and I love peanut butter so I was excited about this.  I made some vegan cookie dough with oat flour as the base and a little peanut butter added in…’cause why not?!  I stirred in some of my favorite vegan chocolate chips and it was good stuff.  I could have just eaten that. I am one of those types of people who likes cookie dough better than actual baked cookies and I am not ashamed of it.  I restrained myself from sampling too much, and pressed it into the bottoms of my muffin tins.  That is the beauty of mini cheesecakes, you can use fun little muffin tins that are easy to unmold (mine are silicone, that way I am not wasting paper and foil).

    Vegan Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

    For the filling, I used a simple coconut milk base laced with peanut butter and it was luscious.  I knew these were going to be amazing once they had chilled.  I topped them off with some melted dark chocolate too, because that is what the other recipe I was basing this off of had, and they looked like pure deliciousness goodness.  Talk about little heavenly bites!  This is some crave worthy stuff.  Three of my favorite things all together, cheesecake, cookie dough and peanut butter.  You can’t go wrong with that!  Trust me, you need to try out these little gems and share them with your family and friends.  They will thank you, and you will all be happy!

     

    Vegan Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecakes

    Makes 8

    Cookie Dough:

    • 1 cup gluten free organic oat flour
    • 1/4 cup organic peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

     

    Cheesecake Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk at room temperature
    • 1/4 cup organic peanut butter
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    For Topping:

    • 1/3 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips

    Instructions:

    1. To make the cookie dough, stir together all ingredients in a bowl, and then press into the bottoms of 8 silicone muffin tins.  Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
    2. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour the filling over the cookie dough in the tins, and place in the freezer to firm up for about an hour.  Once they have firmed up, unmold them and place them on a tray.
    3. Melt the chocolate for the topping in the top of a double boiler until smooth, then drizzle over the finished cheesecakes.  Place them in the freezer until the chocolate has set for about 5 minutes then enjoy!  Store any left over cheesecakes in the refrigerator.

     



  • Vegan Chipotle Peach Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits

    Vegan Chipotle Peach Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits

    chipotle peach cobbler with pecan biscuits 4
    When I see a recipe that looks amazing on TV or Facebook or wherever I happen to be, I say to myself, I need to veganize that. I saw someone making peach cobbler a few weeks back on a cooking show, and it wasn’t vegan at all but I said to myself, I need to make an even better vegan version of that.  The version that was being made had loads of dairy, eggs, and refined sugars (just so much sugar I could not even comprehend it, like 2 full cups in the recipe).  Mind you, I make my cobblers a different way than this one was made, but I just wanted peach cobbler after watching that show and becoming hungry for it.  I got busy though, and had to wait a few weeks but finally I got around to making it last weekend!  Fresh, ripe peaches and nectarines are one of the highlights of my Summer.  Anyone who lives in a state where they are grown, and can get them locally is really lucky!  Just sayin’.  We don’t have them here in Minnesota, but we can still buy them.
    chipotle peach cobbler with pecan biscuits 3
    So, I got some for my special cobbler I had been waiting weeks for.  I didn’t want a plain old cobbler though, I wanted something a little more fun.  So, I added some chipotle powder to the filling, because I like a little heat with my fruit sometimes.  It goes beautifully with peaches!  I added just a touch of cinnamon too, because it adds a hint of sweetness.  I sweetened this all with maple syrup which also loves chipotle and peaches.  It was an amazing combination!  I chose to make pecan biscuits to top it off.  Cornmeal biscuits sounded good too, but I figured I would save that for another day…maybe paired with blueberries.  I love peaches and pecans together, I recently made some peach and pecan muffins that were wonderful, so I went with that combo again.
    chipotle peach cobbler with pecan biscuits
    These smelled amazing while baking, the most heavenly aroma filling my home.  Like peach jam and pecan scones together!  My biscuit topping is after all, my scone dough.  Which is why they are so good.  The cobbler tasted wonderful too, sweet peaches with a little kick of chipotle and the flaky nutty biscuits to top it off…simply heavenly!  If you have access to fresh peaches, do give this recipe a try, I am almost certain you will love it as much as I did, especially if you top it off with some cool ice cream and eat it warm!
    chipotle peach cobbler with pecan biscuits 1
    Vegan Chipotle Peach Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits
    Serves 4
    Fruit:
    • 3 cups organic peaches, sliced
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/4 tsp ground chipotle powder
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    biscuit topping:
    • 3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup pecan meal*
    • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

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



  • Vegan Strawberries and Cream Doughnuts

    Vegan Strawberries and Cream Doughnuts

    Strawberries and Cream Doughnuts 4

    When I was little I was a big Strawberry Shortcake fan.  As in the popular cute kids TV character with her own show.  My Grandma had taped the episodes for me and I would watch them over and over again.  If you never watched the show, Strawberry Shortcake was the main character and she had friends who also had dessert themed names and clothes, like Apple Dumpling and Raspberry Tart.  They all had pets too with names like custard, who was Strawberry Shortcake’s cat.  I would have loved to have been Strawberry Shortcake and lived in a delicious village filled with food themed items.  I used to imagine her house smelled like strawberry shortcake, and she baked desserts all day. Sounded like fun!  So now, whenever I smell something strawberry baking, I think about this chapter of my life, when I loved Strawberry Shortcake.  I really think sometimes the 80’s cartoons were the best, and they need to have more shows for kids like that now.

    Strawberries and Cream Doughnuts

    Back to the baking part, my coworker at the deli likes to make strawberries and cream scones, and whenever that sweet aroma hits me, it reminds me of strawberry shortcake, and also makes me want to bake something with strawberries.  Well, she made some the other day and I decided that making something with strawberries sounded like a good idea! But I had just made scones, so I decided on doughnuts.  Because I thought I could put a delicious glaze over them too with strawberries and coconut cream.  Ever since I bought my doughnut pan, I am really into baked doughnuts.  I can say I have had a regular fried doughnut in over 10 years because they didn’t appeal to me, but I love the cakey baked ones.  So easy too, just pour the batter in, bake and top with whatever you want if you want anything.  Plus, they are healthier if you use the right ingredients.

    Strawberries and Cream Doughnuts 1

    I made the cake base for mine fruit sweetened with freeze dried strawberries and dates.  If you are wondering why freeze dried strawberries are in this recipe, well, they do not add excess moisture and they have loads of flavor.  So I gave these doughnuts a double strawberry whammy with both fresh and freeze dried.  They turned out so delicious too!  My kitchen smelled like Strawberry Shortcake’s house (well, at least as I imagine it would smell)!  The doughnuts turned out light and delicious with jammy strawberries on the inside and the rich strawberries and cream glaze was the perfect topper.  These taste like Summer!  Trust me, you need to give them a try the next time you are in the mood for a strawberry dessert!

     

    Vegan Strawberries and Cream Doughnuts
    Makes 6-8 Large doughnuts (depending on your molds)

    Ingredients:

    Batter:

    • 1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates, soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes and drained
    • 1 cup coconut milk
    • 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter or raw almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup freeze dried organic strawberries
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 cup organic strawberries, cut into eighths

    Glaze:

    • 1 cup full fat coconut milk at room temperature (not just from the top of the can, but blended)
    • 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries, crushed
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter (not oil), warmed to liquid

    Freeze dried or fresh organic strawberries for topping the doughnuts

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and oil a doughnut pan.
    2. To make the batter, combine the dates, coconut milk, pecan butter, vanilla, dried strawberries, and sea salt in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and blend until combined (but don’t overblend).  Add cider vinegar, and blend slowly until bubbles form (you don’t want to go fast or you will deflate it).  Fold in the strawberries, and pour into the prepared doughnut pan.
    3. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the doughnut comes out almost clean.  Let cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding.
    4. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, and place in the freezer to thicken just a little.  Once it has thickened, spread it over the tops of the doughnuts, and top them off with freeze dried strawberries (or fresh if you prefer).  Enjoy!



  • Vegan Black Forest Scones

    Vegan Black Forest Scones

    Black Forest Scones 3

    When I was little, I thought cherries were something that you could only get in cans. I also thought that they were naturally fire truck red, and sickeningly sweet.  Something that went on top of your Sundae’s just to top it off…but didn’t taste all that good when you actually ate them. Needless to say I was never a fan of marschino cherries, or the canned super sweetened cherries that end up in diner pies across the country (that said, if you have a diner and you make pie from real cherries you pitted yourself, you are impressive and special).  My family always used those cherries to top off cheesecake and I thought it was gross.  So, with all of this negative cherry experience and thinking they tasted off (funny how even as a child I did not like fake foods) I was not a fan of cherries.  That is until I had my first real ones when I was a bit older.  I think I was in high school, and my Mom and I bought them at the co op.  Fresh organic cherries, a world of difference from the fake canned ones or cherries in syrup.  They tasted like summer.  Sweet, a little tart and juicy. After that, every Summer I have appreciated cherries.

    Black Forest Scones 2

    I do not have a cherry pitter, so I pit them by hand when using them in desserts, but it is always worth it.  My Mom bought a bag and shared some with me last week, and I decided to make some scones with them and share them with her as a thank you.  I was going to make just cherry scones, but then she said, why not black forest?  Black forest stuff is always amazing after all.  Who doesn’t like a little chocolate with their cherries?!  So I whipped up a batch of them, which didn’t take long at all.  Which is kind of the beauty of scones.  They only take 20 minutes to bake and they are good warm so not a lot of time before you can enjoy them.  I included chocolate chips in them along with the cherries in the chocolate scone base, and they were heavenly. People say scones need eggs, cream, and butter to be good…and I say no way!  Vegan scones are where it is at.  Just as good, better for you and no animals were harmed in the process.

    Black Forest Scones 1

    You know what would be really good for next time I make these (or for when you make them since you haven’t eaten them yet), to make Black forest shortcakes with berries and coconut cream.  Just an idea for anyone who wants to make this into something a little more elaborate.  I am always thinking about dessert possibilities you know?  Well, I hope you give these a try the next time you have fresh organic cherries, and a free Saturday morning, you will be happy you did!

    Black Forest Scones

    Vegan Black Forest Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/4 cup 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
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 cup fresh organic cherries, pitted and halved
    • 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
    • coconut milk for topping
    • coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425F with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    2. To a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa 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, cherries, and chocolate chips to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    3. Place dough on a piece of parchment, and shape into a circle 1 1/2 inches thick . Cut into 8 wedges and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar. 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). Cool on a wire rack.



  • Raw Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons

    Raw Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons

    Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons 3

    My Mom brought me some dried cherries and shredded coconut and asked me if I could make her some cherry coconut bon bons.  The cherries were so amazing and fresh and flavorful, and the coconut so sweet and delicious that I was up for trying to make some!  After all, she has good taste in food and good ideas for possible things to try making, so I knew these would be good.  When I was little, we would page through cookbooks we got at the library together and find recipes we wanted to try making.  Often times we would change up the ingredients to make them our own, and to our own tastes.  Now she sometimes just asks me if I can create something, which I am always happy to do because in a way it is still trying something out together.  I wasn’t sure by what she meant by coconut bon bons at first, because my Grandma used to make some that were smooth on the inside, but what she meant this time was ones with a macaroon like texture.  We both love macaroons so I was excited to make these.

    Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons

    They are really pretty easy to make if you have a food processor, just throw all the macaroon ingredients into a food processor, blend and roll into balls and dip into dark chocolate.  I am finding my body is happy when I sweeten things with fruit lately, so I kept the macaroon part of these completely fruit sweetened.  The cherries and coconut added plenty of sweet, and the chocolate of course!  I added a little almond butter and coconut butter to bind them and they were just right.  I made my own raw chocolate for these, but if you have a favorite raw chocolate brand, by all means go ahead and use it.  These are fabulous!  Chewy and coconutty with the flavor of cherries and rich dark chocolate…a match made in heaven!  I never used to like things like chocolate covered cherries (or Queen Anne cherries) with the white gooey syrupy stuff around the cherries and milk chocolate when I was a kid.  Funny how they were even too sweet then, but I loved this chocolate cherry combo!  Real food does taste better though!  My Mom loved these, and she was very happy with them, which made me happy.  If you are a cherry fan, give these a try!

     

    Raw Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons
    Makes 12

    Macaroons:

    • 1 1/2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut
    • 3/4 cup soft unsweetened dried cherries
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1//3 cup raw almond butter
    • 1/3 cup raw coconut butter
    • 3/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

    Raw Chocolate:

    • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
    • 3/4 cup raw cacao butter warmed to liquid (or coconut oil may be used instead)
    • 3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt

    Place 1 1/2 cups coconut, cherries, vanilla, sea salt, almond butter, and coconut butter in the food processor and process until smooth and well combined. Add remaining 3/4 cup coconut and pulse until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Form mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place in the freezer to harden for about 30 minutes.
    To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, in a small bowl.  Lay out a piece of parchment, and dip the macaroons one by one into the chocolate and set them back on the tray.  Allow the chocolate to set (which will happen faster if you place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes).  Store extra macaroons in the fridge.

     



  • Double Berry Mango Layered Smoothie

    Double Berry Mango Layered Smoothie

    Mango Berry Smoothie

    On a hot and humid day, something cooling and refreshing is absolutely essential.  I have been enjoying my popsicles and ice cream lately, but smoothies do the trick too for when you want something a little less sweet but still filling and refreshing.  Last weekend, Eric and I got back from a day outside in the sun and we were both feeling overheated, so I decided to make us a smoothie.  I admit, I had been thinking about it for a while before we got home, ’cause hey, it was hot and I was thirsty and hungry.  And I dreamed up this layered mango berry smoothie.  Because I make a whole lot of plain 1 color just blend and serve smoothies.  Which there is nothing wrong with of course, but lots of colors is more fun right?!  So I went for that.

    Mango Berry Smoothie 1

    We stopped at the store on the way home for a few ingredients because I only had frozen bananas and strawberries, but the mangoes and blueberries caught my eye.  I decided a mango berry smoothie sounded divine.  To be honest, mangoes and berries are my favorites in the Summer.  It took a little more time to blend this smoothie, but the ingredients are pretty simple and straight forward.  Each layer was blended with a little coconut milk and dates for sweetness, but it didn’t need much more than that.  It was nut free, oil free, fruit sweetened, gluten free, and I think that covers a lot of the bases for things people can’t have, so this smoothie is pretty inclusive for all to be able to enjoy!  It was so good though!  Really refreshing, and the fruit flavors were really allowed to shine.  Needless to say, it was gone really fast (and not because it melted).  If you are looking for a delicious Summer smoothie, try this out!

     

    Double Berry Mango Layered Smoothie
    Makes 1 large smoothie

    Layer 1:

    • 1 cup mangoes
    • 1/3 cup coconut milk
    • 1 pitted, soft medjool date

     

    Layer 2:

    • 1 cup organic strawberries, frozen
    • 1/3 cup coconut milk
    • 1 pitted, soft medjool date

     

    Layer 3:

    • 1 cup organic blueberries, frozen
    • 1/3 cup coconut milk
    • 1 pitted, soft medjool date

     

    Instructions:
    In a blender, combine the mangoes, coconut milk and date, and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and set aside.
    Next, do the same with the strawberries, coconut milk and date, and then pour that over the mango layer in the glass. Last, blend the blueberries, coconut milk and date, and pour that over the strawberry layer. Serve!



  • Mini Vegan Dark Chocolate Fig Cakes

    Mini Vegan Dark Chocolate Fig Cakes

    Dark Chocolate Fig Cake1

    I get really tired of all of the negativity online. People are so mean to one another, and they think it is ok to say whatever they want just because it pops into their head, and they are not face to face with the person they are saying it to.  It is all over, and of course I have had a few negative comments  here and there on my own pages and blogs, which I do not take to heart or listen to.  But the worst is when people comment on one another’s appearances.  Especially women I feel can be really nasty to one another.  You would think that this day and age people would be more accepting of different types of appearances but it is really sad that they aren’t.  The other day I saw one woman say to another, you would be much prettier if you lost some weight.  I have heard that one before, “You would be much prettier if you had longer hair”.  “You would be much prettier if you wore some makeup”.  “You would be much prettier if you weren’t so skinny”.  I have been a victim of one of these “You would be much prettier if you _____.” sentences myself, and it is really not ok.  How about these people who are saying these things would be much prettier if they were more accepting of different types of beauty.  Because really it isn’t anyone’s job to judge appearances and how people look.  I always stop myself when I find myself judging anyone on appearance and say to myself, you are wrong.  What matters is what that person is like on the inside.  Ok, I know that whole rant just now has nothing to do with food, but I just wanted to talk about it because it is something that has been in my head a lot lately.  We are all too hard on each other.  Lets just all be nice to each other and call out only the positive things!

    Dark Chocolate Fig Cake2

    Now if only people treated each other like they do their favorite foods, we would not have a problem.  Nobody ever looks at a chocolate cake and says it is ugly, they just admire how it tastes because that is what counts.  Even if that particular cake is not aesthetically pleasing to them, they can still appreciate it for being delicious.  I made some chocolate cake last Friday, because I was in the mood for chocolate cake. It was not fancy, but it was delicious. I have been wanting to make a chocolate cake with figs for a while, and I finally got around to it.  To be honest, I was under the weather last week battling a cold, (yes, we vegans can get sick too, and it is not because we are weak, our bodies can get stressed out too and say uncle when we have a lot going on) and I couldn’t smell very well, so I wanted to make something simple, and something I could taste.  Chocolate tasting doesn’t seem to be affected, so I decided on that cake.  Also, it was not much effort, and because I was tired from the week it was a good thing to make.

    Dark Chocolate Fig Cake3

    I made them into cute little bundt cakes.  These cakes ended up being oil free and low fat, but not on purpose.  I have been using nut butters in place of oil in a lot of my cakes lately instead of oil because I prefer that, but I plumb forgot to add it to this one when I was making it.  I thought it might be not as rich tasting because of this, but it was totally rich tasting! The moisture from the figs and dates I used to sweeten it and keep it moist made it taste rich without it actually being rich.  By the way, figs are awesome when pureed in used in cake, just one of my discoveries from this experiment.  I stirred in chocolate chunks to make them extra chocolaty, and drizzled them with a little ganache just because and they were perfect!  If you are looking for an easy, healthier and delicious chocolate cake recipe (that is also portion controlled I might add), try these out.  You will be happy you did.

    Dark Chocolate Fig Cake

    Mini Vegan Dark Chocolate Fig Cakes
    4 mini bundt cakes

    • Ingredients:
    • 2/3 cup soft dried figs (if they are too dry soak them in filtered water until softer before using and drain well)
    • 1/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, use same instructions as figs)
    • 1 1/4 cups filtered water
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
    • 2 Tbsp unsweetned cocoa powder
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chunks

    For topping (optional)

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and oil four mini bundt pans with coconut oil.
    2. In a high speed blender, combine the figs, dates, water, salt, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
    3. Add the salt, soda, baking powder, flour, cocoa powder, and blend until just smooth.
    4. Add the cider vinegar, and blend briefly just enough to get some foaming action throughout the batter but be careful not to over-blend or you will get dense cake.
    5. Stir in the chocolate chunks, and pour into the prepred bundt pans.  Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes in the center rack of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs attached.  Let cool in the pans before unmolding. Unmold, and drizzle with the melted chocolate.



  • Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Basil Chevre Roll Ups

    Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Basil Chevre Roll Ups

    Vegan Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Basil Chevre 4

    When I was in college, my Mom and I liked to go to a Spanish tapas restaurant that served these amazing, flavorful little plates (tapas), and the best part about it was being able to try a bunch of different things and share them with each other. I liked them all, but there were a few that were my favorites. They had these cheese stuffed roasted red peppers that stood out to me as the tastiest. I have always loved roasted red peppers, they are easy to make yourself at home, but you can also find them at most grocery stores. Just make sure they are organic ones made with quality ingredients and no bad preservatives. I have made the cheese stuffed peppers at home before (this was before I was vegan actually), and they were wonderful. Of course like everything else I put my own spin on them. Kind of surprising I have never recreated them in a vegan version, but I was given a few red bell peppers from the reject pile for free at work (they were slightly damaged, but hey, they were beautiful in my eyes because I got to create something with them) and decided to go for it!  The peppers they used at the restaurant were not bell peppers, they were these little red ones, but I thought bell would work just as well if I rolled them up into little packages.

    Vegan Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Basil Chevre 3

    I roasted them in my oven to flavorful perfection, skinned them, and they were ready to roll!  I made w basil chevre with fresh basil from my patio, lemon juice and some scallions for flavor.  It was delicious stuff, and I could have eaten a bowl of it with chips but it was even better once it was paired with the sweet and savory red peppers.  They made the cutest little roll ups!  I drizzled a little lemon juice mixture over them to give them a pop of flavor and they were wonderful!  Savory little pockets of deliciousness describes them perfectly.  I was always a cheese lover before I went vegan and now I am a vegan cheese lover.  I think non-vegan me would not have known this wasn’t real cheese, because it was sooo good in the peppers!  These would be so pretty to serve as an appetizer at a party.  But of course, you can be like me, the extreme introvert who doesn’t throw many parties, and just eat them at home and share with your boyfriend if you want.  At any rate, they are delicious no matter who you share them with, so give them a try!

    Vegan Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Basil Chevre

    Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Basil Chevre Roll Ups
    Serves 4

    Peppers:
    2 large bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise, and seeded
    olive oil

    Filling:
    3/4 cup raw cashew butter
    1/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    1/3 cup filtered water
    2 tsp lemon juice
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
    1 scallion, sliced

    To finish:
    1 Tbsp lemon juice
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1 tsp finely chopped basil
    good pinch sea salt

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.

    2. oil a sheet pan, and the peppers (with just enough oil to coat but not too much) with the olive oil, and place the peppers cut side down on the pan. Place in the oven, and roast for about 30 minutes until they are softened and they are beginning to brown at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool until cool enough to handle. Remove the skins carefully.

    3. To make the chevre, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Set aside.

    4. When ready to assemble, cut each pepper half in half (top to bottom). Spread some of the chevre over each piece about 1/4 inch thick, then roll up and secure with a toothpick. Place on a plate.

    5. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, basil and sea salt and drizzle over the roll ups. Serve!



  • 5 Ingredient Vegan Mango Almond Cardamom Ice Cream

    5 Ingredient Vegan Mango Almond Cardamom Ice Cream

    It was super hot the last part of this week in Minnesota where I live.  Like the type of heat that when you walk outside your hair frizzes, your mascara starts running, and your armpits decide to cleanse their pores by sweating profusely.  Also, so humid that you feel like it is extra effort to breath because you are breathing in water.  I was hot all day Wednesday.  I went for a run before work, and it was really tough.  My face felt like it was on fire by the end and I was sweating buckets.  Sorry if any of that grosses anyone out, but I am just trying to explain the feeling of it all. Then I spent the day sweating in a hot kitchen with lots of ovens and things boiling on the stove, and after work Eric and I went out for a walk and  the dew points were in the 70s which is tropical.  The fact that I had company during this walk made it better though, I forget more about how I physically feel if I am talking to someone about interesting stuff.  It felt so good to be back in my air conditioned house after that, and I was grateful.  I feel genuinely sorry for anyone who does not have air conditioning.  I wanted to make something cooling and refreshing to enjoy for dessert, something that didn’t heat up the oven.

    mango almond cardamom ice cream 3

    I had some mangoes I had acquired from the discard pile at work because they were damaged, well super ripe…so perfect for blending up.  Ice cream was what I had on my mind.  Creamy, dreamy mango ice cream.  These mangos were really flavorful so it was perfect!  I used my usual coconut milk base made even more creamy with a bit of almond butter.  It was heavenly.  I then added a touch of cardamom and it was perfect.  The ice cream base was so good I could have drank it as was like a big old giant malt, but it made it into the ice cream machine, and what emerged was pure deliciousness.  Of course it was more refreshing and delicious once chilled.  It was super easy to make, which is what I was going for.

    mango almond cardamom ice cream

    Nothing beats a non-fussy dessert sometimes when it is too hot to think, and you want to just relax. A whole ice cream buffet sounded really good, but of course if you are going for home made that would be a lot of work to make multiple ice creams. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? As a kid, I mine was cookie dough ice cream, or peppermint bon bon. Yeah, I went for the really sweet stuff. Now, I appreciate the fruity ones too like this mango. Did I mention that it is completely fruit sweetened? Well it is, and I love that I can eat it and still feel good and not like I am in a sugar coma.

    mango almond cardamom ice cream 1

    5 Ingredient Vegan Mango Almond Cardamom Ice Cream
    Makes 3 cups

    1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    1/2 cup raw almond butter
    1 1/2 cups diced fresh ripe organic mango
    1/4 tsp ground cardamom
    1/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    1/4 tsp sea salt

    Instructions:

    Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

    2.Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.

    3. Once it has finished freezing in the machine or bowl, pour into a freezer safe container with a lid, and continue to freeze until firm enough to scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.



  • Summer Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Nut Chevre

    Summer Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Nut Chevre

    Summer Roasted Vegetable Pasta 1

    Do you ever go to the farmer’s market or store and see loads of beautiful fresh local veggies and just decide to buy a bunch thinking that they would make some sort of beautiful dinner?  Well, I do that, and I did that last week.  I was really craving some sort of roasted vegetable dish with all sorts of veggies in it.  What I really can’t wait for is the tomatoes in my Grandpa’s garden to be ready because they taste the best and those are wonderful roasted with pasta.  I can not have my own garden so I am lucky that my Grandpa shares with me.  When I bought this big bunch of veggies last week, I did get tomatoes, but they were nowhere near as flavorful as his.  Luckilly, roasting always brings out flavors and makes everything delicious and that is what I love about it.

    Summer Roasted Vegetable Pasta 2

    I did make a roasted vegetable pasta this time, and it is really easy to make, it just takes time to let it the veggies caramelize to perfection in the oven.  I used my favorite gluten free pasta, an edamame mung bean pasta.  It has 24 grams of protein per serving, and the only ingredients are mung beans and edamame.  It is very neutral and I actually like it better than traditional pasta.  Once the veggies were all roasted and tossed with the pasta I just added a little lemon juice, and it was so good! But then I decided to make it even better and top it off with some Vegan Herbes de Provance Chevre I recently made.  It was wonderful.  I love having access to all of these beautiful veggies in the Summer!

    Summer Roasted Vegetable Pasta

    Summer Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Nut Chevre
    Serves 2

    2 medium organic zucchinis, cut in half, then sliced 1 inch thick
    2 medium yellow summer squash, cut in half, then sliced 1 inch thick
    3 medium organic tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
    1 medium eggplant, cut into 1 inch hunks
    2 bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
    1 red onion, thickly sliced
    olive oil
    sea salt
    2 garlic cloves, minced

    4 oz edamame mung bean fettuccini
    1 medium pot filtered water, salted generously
    juice of one lemon
    olive oil

    4 oz Vegan Herbes de Provance Chevre, or your choice vegan chevre

    Instructions:

    1.Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Oil a sheet pan.

    2.Toss the veggies with just enough olive oil to coat, and sea salt to taste, and garlic, and spread out on the sheet pan. Place in the oven and roast for about 30-40 minutes until the veggies are tender and starting to brown at the edges.

    3.Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the filtered water according to package directions, drain, and add back to the pot. Once the veggies are done, add them to the pot with the pasta, add lemon juice and just a little more olive oil and sea salt as needed, toss together and serve with the chevre crumbled over it.



  • Vegan Almond Fig Bars

    Vegan Almond Fig Bars

    I bought a big bag of dried figs a while back thinking I was going to make something fabulous with them, and I got around to making a few things but still had a lot left since it was a 3 lb bag.  It has been in my fridge ever since, and every time I dig to the back of the fridge, I see it and say to myself, I should make some fig bars.  Well, the last time I saw them I finally said, today is the day.  I was in a baking mood, and nothing else was standing out to me as something good to make, so it was perfect timing.  I was always a fan of Fig Newtons growing up, and I have thought about making a vegan version of those, but you know what? I like date bars even better, so I thought why not make a date bar style bar with a fig filling.  I used to make a really good date bar before I went vegan. If you are not sure what date bars I am talking about, I am talking about the ones with the crumble type filling.  Those are awesome.

    Vegan Almond Fig Bars 3

    But, I was going to one up the ones I used to make before I went vegan and make them  with an almond crust.  Almonds love dates after all.  Or at least they go beautifully together.  The dough kind of reminded me of peanut butter cookie dough, but it was made with almond butter.  So good for sampling.  I love sampling dough.  Which I am sure you know if you have been following this blog a while.  I made a jammy fig filling scented with orange and a little vanilla sweetened with a little maple syrup and it was heavenly.  it would have been good on toast with almond butter had I not been using it all in this recipe.

    Vegan Almond Fig Bars

    They baked up beautifully, just as I had imagined.  The crust was buttery, nutty and aromatic with almonds, the filling jammy, sweet and delicious.  These are the type of treat you would hope to find home made in a coffee shop to go with your morning tea or coffee.  Or the type of thing my Mom would pack in my lunch as a kid.  She liked to make bars because she said they were easier than cookies.  Anyways, these were sooo good.  Sometimes it is kind of fun to use ingredients you already have on hand that you find in your refrigerator!

    Vegan Almond Fig Bars 4

    Vegan Almond Fig Bars
    Makes 16 bars

    Filling:
    1 1/4 cups dried figs
    3/4 cup orange juice
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1/8 tsp sea salt
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Crust/topping:
    1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    3/4 cup coconut sugar
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    3 Tbsp aquafaba (or flax egg)*
    1 cup almond butter
    1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    2/3 cup sliced almonds

    To make the filling, combine the figs and orange juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, and cook at a low heat until the figs are hydrated, about 10-15 minutes. Add to a food processor with all other ingredients and process until a jam like consistency. Set aside.
    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.
    Whisk the coconut oil and sugar together in a bowl with the vanilla and aquafaba until the sugar starts to dissolve. Then add the almond butter and mix until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, sea salt and stir in until well blended. Spread 2/3 of this mixture over the bottom of the pan, pressing it to the edges with your fingers. Then spread the filling over that with a spoon or offset spatula. Drop chunks of the remaining dough over that, and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake for about 45 minutes until lightly browned and set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into bars.

    *Aquafaba is the liquid of chickpeas, either canned or leftover from cooking. You want it to be thick like egg whites once cooled. If it isn’t then place it in a sauce pan and reduce it until it is thicker then cool before using. If you want to use a flax egg in this recipe, simply mix together 3 Tbsp filtered water and 1 Tbsp ground flax seed and refrigerate for 15 minutes before using.



  • Vegan Snickers Layer Cake

    Vegan Snickers Layer Cake

    Snickers Cake 6

    My birthday was last Friday, so this post is a little belated, but I promise you the recipe that accompanies it is well worth the wait. Normally I post my birthday cake recipe on my Birthday but it was a little busier this year and I wanted to relax and not stress myself out last week so I figured it was ok to wait. This year I turned 31, and I feel like I am more mature now that I am in my 30s, but I still also feel like I am 25. I don’t feel old enough to be 30 if that makes sense. When I was younger, I guess I thought I would have everything in my life figured out by the time I was 30 but I am still working on it, and learning valuable lessons. One of which is to take care of yourself first, because if you don’t do that, you will not be able to help out or take care of anyone else. It is not being selfish, it is being smart. Another thing, when I was younger I cared more about what other people thought about me and now, not so much. So what if I am a quiet introvert that likes to spend more time with the cat or just my significant other instead of going out to parties and being social? Also, who cares if someone doesn’t like what I am wearing or how I do my makeup? I wear what I like, and I am comfortable with how I look and who I am. Be who you are, do what you enjoy, dress how you like, what matters is that you are happy.

    Snickers Cake 5

    You know what made me really happy? The Snickers layer cake I made for my birthday. I am usually a vanilla girl, but this year I went chocolate with my cake, because that is what I was craving. And after all, I was the one making it so I had full say in what it was. I have always made my own cake, since I got into baking because it is the only way I can get exactly what I want, plus I actually enjoy it! I don’t know anyone around here who would make me a vegan Snickers cake. So, I went for it. I will admit right now, that this cake has quite a few steps to make it. None of them are very difficult, it is just a little more time consuming. But this is after all a special occasion cake so it is worth the time!

    Snickers Cake

    For the cake layers, I made a rich chocolate cake with dates to sweeten it. I find that dates give the cake the perfect amount of sweetness and moisture when baked for the proper amount of time. You can not taste the dates, they just give it a brown sugar like note of flavor. This cake batter recipe has been called the most delicious by my omnivore family and friends. So naturally I had to use it for this cake. I made a mousse filling topped off with peanuts that tasted like the nougat inside a snickers, as well as date caramel to top it and the cake off. For the outside of the cake, I made the most luscious peanut butter fudge frosting. It is only 4 ingredients, and simple to make, but it is sooo good.

    Snickers Cake 2

    Once this cake was assembled it was pretty marvelous to behold.  But most importantly, it met my standards for taste.  It tasted amazing.  Way better than any snickers bar because cake was involved.  Dare I say it one of the best cakes I have made lately (which is not to say the other cakes weren’t really good, this one just was out of this world good).  It was the perfect birthday cake.  I was very happy with it, it was fun to make on my day off, and it was a really good birthday present to myself.  Don’t worry, I did not eat it all myself, I am not selfish, I shared.  But it is something that you will want to go back for seconds for.  Just sayin’ when your Birthday comes around take note of this cake.

    Vegan Snickers Layer Cake
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:
    1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour works also)
    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 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    1/4 cup organic peanut butter (smooth)
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1 cup filtered water
    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Peanut Butter Caramel:
    1 cup pitted medjool dates
    3 Tbsp organic peanut butter
    1/3 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/8 tsp sea salt

    Filling:
    1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    1/2 cup organic peanut butter
    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

    Frosting
    3/4 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes, and 3/4 cup of the water reserved
    1 cup organic peanut butter (smooth)
    1/2 Tbsp cacao powder
    pinch sea salt

    about 1 cup organic peanuts

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line the bottoms of two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with coconut oil so that the cake doesn’t stick. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, peanut 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. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23-25 minutes. 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. Cut cakes in half horizontally with a serrated knife, or very sharp long knife (being very careful so that they don’t break) cover (so that they don’t dry out, you may stack them with parchment in between) and set aside.
    For the caramel, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth (adding a little more water if needed to create a caramel that is not super runny but thin enough to almost pour). Set aside in the refrigerator.
    To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth, then pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until it is the consistency of whipped cream (it takes about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten). Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to frost.
    To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth (since hazelnut butters and dates can vary, if the frosting is too thin, add a little more cacao powder, too thick, add a little more water). Set aside in the refrigerator.
    To assemble the cake, place one layer on a plate, spread 1/3 of the filling over it, then some of the caramel and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the peanuts. Repeat with another layer and another, then ending with a cake layer on the top. Place the cake in the freezer for about half an hour to 45 minutes to firm up the filling so it stays put when you frost the cake. Spread the chocolate frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake. Top off with more peanuts, and pour remaining caramel carefully over the top allowing it to drip down the sides (if the caramel is not runny enough to drip down the sides of the cake add a little water to it first). Enjoy! Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.



     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Vegan White Chocolate Raspberry Peanut Butter Cups

    Vegan White Chocolate Raspberry Peanut Butter Cups

    White Chocolate PB Raspberry Cups 4

    One of my favorite things about Summer is the raspberries.  Being able to buy fresh, local organic ones at the store or even better, finding them on my walks when I am in the woods.  It is like finding treasure when you come across raspberries, they are like little edible jewels!  I remember my Dad used to grow raspberries in his garden also, but the wild ones are always the tastiest.  I love raspberries in every form though, so I won’t complain when I get my hands on some.  Fresh are awesome, but I also like to keep dried ones on hand for when I want to make something more shelf stable, or color and flavor a frosting or whipped coconut cream without adding excess moisture.  I used some of those in the awesome candy I am sharing with you today, white chocolate raspberry peanut butter cups!

    White Chocolate PB Raspberry Cups

    I am a huge PB and J fan, and I was craving that in dessert form, so I made PB cups.  Back when I was in college, they had white chocolate Reese’s PB cups and I thought they were pretty awesome at the time.  I am sure I would find them way too sweet now, but that was kind of what I was going for with these, plus the raspberries of course which gave them a PB and J like flavor.  I made my favorite white chocolate recipe, which I think I have down pretty well now after some tweaking.  It is just the right amount of sweet and has a little vanilla added, because the good quality white chocolate bars with vanilla beans in them that actually smelled like vanilla were always my favorite.  For the filling, I did not sweeten the peanut butter, because I feel that these are sweet enough with the white chocolate and the salty peanut butter adds a nice contrast.  The raspberries added little pops of tart flavor.

    White Chocolate PB Raspberry Cups 2

    These were so freaking good!  They were way better than the white chocolate PB cups I ate back in the day, and the PB and J like twist on them with the raspberries put them over the top.  I even shared some with someone who is not a big fan of peanut butter and she loved them too.  If you are a PB and J fan, you must try these, they are worth the little bit of time to make them, and I must warn you hard to share.

    White Chocolate PB Raspberry Cups 1

    Vegan White Chocolate Raspberry Peanut Butter Cups
    Makes 6 large candies

    White Chocolate:
    1/4 cup cacao butter (2 oz)
    2 Tbsp raw cashew butter
    1/4 cup coconut butter
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    2 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)

    1/4 cup freeze dried raspberries

    1/4 cup organic peanut butter

    Combine all of the white chocolate ingredients over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.  Pour into the bottoms of 6 larger peanut butter cup tins (or molds), then place them in the freezer to set.

    Mix the raspberries into the peanut butter, and set aside.

    Once the bottom chocolate has set, spoon about 1 heaping tsp of the peanut butter mixture onto the top of the set chocolate, then pour remaining melted chocolate over that. Place them in the freezer to set, about 15 minutes.



  • Vegan Herbes de Provence Chevre

    Vegan Herbes de Provence Chevre

    Herbes de Provance Chevre 3

    I used to be a huge cheese eater before I went vegan. There was a point in time, I would go to the local cheese shop every week and pick out a different cheese to try. There are hundreds to choose from, so I always had a new one to try. Usually, it ended up on my weekly pizza, but sometimes I enjoyed it for dessert with fruit. I said to myself, I could never give up cheese. But guess what? a few years later I did give up cheese. Well, I gave up dairy, and at that point, I did not think there was a good substitute for cheese. I was not a fan of the store bought stuff that was available at the time that was vegan. That is, until I discovered making my own. I made my own vegan chevre and it was even better than the dairy version I used to enjoy. Chevre was a cheese I had eaten often, topping off salads, or for dessert with berries. So, I was super happy when I was able to make it vegan. I have since figured out to make my other favorite vegan cheeses too, so I never miss dairy cheese. In fact, now to me dairy cheese is kind of gross to me, and when you read about what the animals go through to make it, you do not want to eat it. On a side note, since I went vegan there are a lot more vegan cheese options in stores now that there weren’t before and they are actually good. Miyoko’s Kitchen, Punk Rawk Labs and Kite Hill are wonderful brands you can buy at the store if you do not have time to make cheese.

    Herbes de Provance Chevre 1

    I decided a few days back that it had been too long since I made chevre last, and I wanted some to top salads with so I made a batch. Not just plain old chevre though, Herbes de Provance chevre.  I tried one in the past when I used to eat dairy, and it was amazing.  So, I wanted to make my own version and see if I liked it better.  I told Eric I was making some, and he was like “Heck yeah!  I love your chevre!” I think he might like it even more than me which means a lot because he used to be a big cheese eater.  I was excited about this cheese too.

    Herbes de Provance Chevre 4

    It is really quite easy to make if you have a high speed blender and a little time to let it sit.  But how did it taste?  Wonderful.  It is good with crackers, but it is awesome to crumble on top of a salad with butter lettuce, toasted almonds, fresh berries, and a light vinaigrette.   If you feed this to omnivores, I can guarantee you they will think that it is real cheese and not vegan.  It is awesome stuff.  If you are skeptical try it out!  Not a fan of cashews or allergic to them?  You may swap them for raw macadamia nuts, or almonds instead.  Keep in mind though each nut has its own unique and wonderful flavor, so each of these variations will taste a little different.

    Herbes de Provance Chevre
    Vegan Herbes de Provence Chevre
    Serves 10

    2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours, and drained
    1/4 cup filtered water
    1 Tbsp lemon juice
    1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    1/3 cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    1 Tbsp thyme
    1 Tbsp basil
    1 Tbsp marjoram
    1 Tbsp rosemary
    1 Tbsp lavender
    1 Tbsp tarragon

    In a high speed blender combine the soaked cashews, filtered water, lemon juice, salt and coconut butter and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, place in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes until it is easier to work with, then scrape onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a wheel while wrapping tightly. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes until more firm (you want it to hold shape, but still stick to the herbs). Place the herbs on a plate, then roll the wheel in the herbs. Place in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours. Then enjoy!



  • Vegan Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie

    Vegan Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie

    Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie 6

    Cheesecake anything always gets me going.  From the time I was little I would always choose cheesecake over any other dessert hands down.  There is just something crave worthy about the texture and flavor of it.  For a while when I was in college I would buy a piece of cheesecake from the local co op every weekend and really look forward to it.  They probably thought I was weird too when I asked for the biggest piece every time.  I then learned to make my own, and it was something I made often.  When I went vegan, I discovered I could make cheesecakes just as delicious (if not more, because dairy and eggs really gross me out now) as their conventional cousins.  And, I have made loads of vegan cheesecakes.  I don’t think I could ever tire of them.

    Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie 3

    So, last weekend, I thought cheesecake and pie both sounded good and I decided on a cheesecake pie.  I wanted it to have plenty of fruit in it, because fruit pies are my favorite, and I wanted it to be sort of like a cheesecake cream pie.  I had lots of blackberries and blueberries I had rescued from the discard pile as being too ugly to sell, and I knew they would be delicious in my pie, because glamorous berries don’t matter when they are buried in cheesecake.  For the filling I used a coconut cashew base, which is my favorite for texture and flavor in vegan cheesecakes, and it turned out perfect once the flavorful ripe berries were added.  I topped it all off with a whipped coconut cream in cream pie fashion.  It was lovely.

    Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie 4

    It tasted amazing as well. The crust crunchy, slightly salty and sweet, the filling melt in your mouth rich, sweet with berries and creamy, and the topping almost cloudlike.  You could not tell it was vegan at all, and it was way better than any cream pies or cheesecakes I had eaten growing up.  It was decadent as all get out.  It was a good weekend and I wanted the dessert to reflect that.  Eric and I had visited a local winery for a wine tasting and bought some berry wine, so we enjoyed it with that after dinner Sunday.  It was the perfect end to a really great day.

    Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie

    Vegan Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie
    Makes one 8 inch pie

    1 8 inch pie plate

    Crust:
    3/4 cup finely shredded dried coconut
    3/4 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats, or raw walnuts
    1/2 cup ground flaxseed
    1 cup soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them 30 minutes and drain well before using)
    1/4 tsp sea salt

    Filling:
    1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
    1/2 cup pitted soft medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them 30 minutes and drain well before using)
    1 Tbsp lemon juice
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours and drained
    3/4 cup coconut butter warmed to liquid
    1 1/2 cup mixed fresh organic blackberries and blueberries, divided

    Topping:
    1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
    1/4 cup pitted, soft medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them 30 minutes and drain well before using)
    pinch sea salt
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    For the crust, combine all ingredients in the food processor until finely chopped and starting to hold together when squeezed (if it doesn’t you may need a few more dates).  Press the mixture into a 8 inch pie pan or spring form pan greased with coconut oil.
    For the filling, combine all ingredients but the berries in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the berries and blend until smooth. Stir in the remaining berries and pour into the crust. Place in the freezer to firm up (about 2 hours).
    Meanwhile, for the cream topping, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until it is thick like whipped cream (whisking every so often), about 45 minutes.  Once the cream is ready, spread over the top of the pie.  Pie keeps refrigerated for 1 week in a container.

    Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie 2



  • Vegan Double Blueberry Almond Waffles

    Vegan Double Blueberry Almond Waffles

    Blueberry Almond Waffles

    I don’t think I have made waffles since last year. So I thought it was about time. The funny thing is, most of the time when I was growing up waffles were for dinner instead of breakfast or brunch in my house. I mean, Mom would occasionally make them after church, but it was weeknight dinners that I remember having them for most. I remember I was quite excited when we got a Belgian waffle maker. We found a recipe we liked which was light and fluffy, and it was our staple, a pretty plain recipe that could be topped off with anything, essentially a blank palate. I thought my days of making fluffy waffles that were crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle were over once I went vegan. Because the old ones required whipping egg whites to make them fluffy with the yolks added back in later, and of course milk and butter.

    Blueberry Almond Waffles 1

    I didn’t make waffles for a few years to be honest because I feared they would not turn out. But then I discovered aquafaba (the greatest vegan egg substitute made from chickpeas), and there was hope. It behaves like eggs, and it worked perfectly in waffles! So, that is what I use now whenever I want to make waffles which are fluffy. This time, I had some fresh organic blueberries, so I decided to make blueberry almond waffles. For the waffle base, I used my usual recipe, but with almond milk instead of coconut and a touch of almond extract because I love the taste and aroma of it. I stirred freeze dried blueberries into the batter, to make these double blueberry waffles. Why dried? Well, the fresh ones tend to gum up my waffle maker, and the dried ones pack a lot of flavor as well. Plus I was going to top it all off with a fresh blueberry sauce.

    Blueberry Almond Waffles 2

    They smelled amazing while I was making them. I love the way waffles fill your kitchen and home with the most heavenly aroma. I topped them off with a fresh blueberry maple syrup, and topped them off with toasted almonds. They were heavenly. This is the type of thing I imagine being served at a classy little bed and breakfast for brunch. If I had the money to go to one. But they are good for dinner as well of course, since that is what I made them for. Waffles are good all times of the day as far as I am concerned! If you have blueberries on hand, give these a go!

    Blueberry Almond Waffles 4

    Vegan Double Blueberry Almond Waffles

    makes 10-12 depending on your waffle maker

    Batter:
    2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    1/4 cup coconut sugar
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp aquafaba*
    2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
    1 tsp almond extract
    2 cups almond milk
    1 cup freeze dried blueberries

    Sauce:
    1 1/2 cups organic blueberries
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    pinch sea salt

    Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, then whisk in the wet ingredients and the blueberries.  Pre-heat waffle iron. Once it is heated, add about 1/3 cup waffle batter to the iron and close it (the size of the scoop of batter you need may change if you have a larger iron, mine is smaller).  Cook according to waffle iron package directions.  Keep warm in an oven at low heat (150F degrees).
    Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often until the blueberries have burst and it has thickened.

    *Aquafaba is chickpea liquid.  You may used canned, or if you are using the liquid from home cooked chickpeas, reduce it to the consistency of egg whites.  Alternatively, you may use 3 flax eggs for the recipe (3 Tbsp ground flaxseed, whisked together with 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp filtered water).



  • 6 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Fudge Gelato

    6 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Fudge Gelato

    For most of my life I have been a vanilla girl.  It was always vanilla cupcakes over chocolate, vanilla cheesecake over chocolate mousse cake, and vanilla ice cream over chocolate any day.  I don’t know if maybe the chocolate was just too intense for me when I had a good sized piece of dessert with it or what, but I have always preferred vanilla.  That is until lately.  I feel like in the last year I have come to appreciate chocolate more, actually craving chocolate things and wanting to make more chocolate cakes and desserts.  I guess now it is more of a balance between chocolate and vanilla which is good because everyone needs balance and variety in their life right?

    Chocolate Fudge Gelato 3

    So I was in one of these chocolate sort of moods last Friday, and I wanted some chocolate gelato.  Rich, smooth, silky chocolate gelato…it was sounding really good to me when I was on my post work stress relieving walk.  So, it had to happen.  I knew I could pull it off fast, ice cream is so easy and quick to make, when you are impatient or have little time.  It ended up being only 6 ingredients.  This is not diet or low fat ice cream.  So if you are one  of those people who fears fat, you might as well stop right here.  It does however contain healthy fats.  Coconut milk and walnut butter.  Nothing like getting some healthy omega 3 oils in your ice cream (walnuts have more than other nuts, which is why I love them). I sweetened it with dates, because I love how they give things almost a caramel flavor note.  It ended up being only 6 ingredients which is awesome for those who like simple things which was me the day I made it, I was not into having a big long ingredient list.

    Chocolate Fudge Gelato 1

    The base tasted amazing, and once churned into soft serve it tasted like delicious fudge ice cream, which is why I am calling it that.  It was so rich and chocolaty, sweet and delicious. Just a small serving will satisfy, which is good for those of use “ahem” (me) who sometimes are not good with portion control when it comes to things that are really good.  If you are in a chocolate mood, you need to try this.  It will make you happy, I promise.  Even if you don’t have an ice cream maker, I have instructions for you so you can enjoy it.

    Chocolate Fudge Gelato 4

    6 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Fudge Gelato

    Makes 4 cups

    2 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    1 1/2 cups soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well before using in the recipe)
    ½ cup raw walnut or almond butter
    1/2 cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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

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

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



  • Vegan Mint Chip Cake

    Vegan Mint Chip Cake

    Mint Chip Cake 5

    I loved mint chip (or peppermint bon bon) ice cream growing up as a kid, and I still enjoy it as an adult. There is just something so refreshing and delicious about it, especially in the summer since the mint is cooling.  I always was attracted to the green color also, but now I make mine green with mint or spinach instead of the fake food coloring that is in a lot of commercial conventional mint chip ice cream.  Anyways, I made some recently, and I decided that a mint chip cake would be even more fabulous!  I didn’t make an ice cream cake however, since I have made a mint chip ice cream cake before.  I wanted a mint chip cake with baked chocolate cake layers so decadent that they taste like brownies.

    Mint Chip Cake 3

    I have a go to chocolate cake recipe that I use for a lot of bases that was perfect for this cake.  It is sweetened with dates, uses nut butter instead of oil, and it is gluten free.  If baked for the proper amount of time, it is the perfect texture, and you would not be able to tell it was vegan at all, let alone healthier cake.  It is awesome.  So, once I had that all made, I made a luscious mint chip frosting with a coconut milk cashew base laced with both fresh mint, and mint extract for extra freshness. It tasted just like the ice cream, but you could eat it and not get an ice cream headache.

    Mint Chip Cake 1

    Lastly, I added some delicious chocolate chips and it was perfect.  Like the classic ice cream flavor and a cake were morphed into a hybrid.  It was so good.  The perfect dessert for Summer when you don’t want ice cream but you want cake.  It was simply heavenly and it was perfect for the hot day we enjoyed it on.  Don’t let the idea of a layer cake intimidate you, it is actually pretty easy to make, and so worth the time!

    Mint Chip Cake

    Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    3 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:
    1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free 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 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    1/4 cup raw almond butter or pecan butter
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1 cup filtered water
    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Frosting:
    1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk*, chilled
    3/4 cup raw cashew butter
    1 cup fresh peppermint leaves
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1 tsp peppermint extract
    1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    1/2 cup vegan chopped chocolate or chocolate chips plus more for serving

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line the bottoms of t three 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. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, pecan 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. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. 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.
    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). 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).
    To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, spread some frosting over it and sprinkle about 1/2 cup chocolate chips over it. Place the another cake layer over that, and sprinkle more chocolate chips over it, then top with the last layer.  Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle more chocolate chips over the cake, and serve!

    *You want a brand of coconut milk that is rich and mostly cream (at least 3/4 of the can) or the recipe will not work.  I like organic Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.

    Mint Chip Cake 2

  • Vegan Lentil, Mushroom Yam Tacos

    Vegan Lentil, Mushroom Yam Tacos

    I had a really bad day a few Fridays ago.  I was feeling kind of tired and out of sorts because I was fighting off getting sick and at work and was sort of out of balance, I dropped a large can (like 96 oz can) coconut milk in the cooler (I work in a deli). It fell in such a way that it spilled down 3 shelves and their contents, all over the wall, the ladder rack next to the shelves, and the floor.  It was an uber mess.  I haven’t made a mess that bad in a long time, and certainly not outside my own home.  I felt so bad, and wanted to cry, and at the same time was in a state of shock.  That just sort of threw a wrench in my day (and I am sure my coworker’s days) to clean up the mess.  But it got cleaned up, and people were nice about it (although I am still catching crap for it a week later). I just have to laugh at myself looking back.  Anyways, that was how my work day went.  I got off work, and I checked my Instagram, and I saw that I had won $100 from US Bank in their #Extra100MN contest (you post a photo and say what you would do with an extra $100 this month).  My photo that won was one of my vegan desserts, and I said I would like to use the extra 100 dollars to make some more vegan goodies and desserts (because that is what I do, but I don’t always have a lot of money to do so).  Winning that was a highlight to an otherwise bad day, it was like God was trying to tell me, “Hey, its alright, cheer up and forget the bad stuff.  I will take care of you”.  So, my day went from kind of sucky to good.

    Lentil Yam and Mushroom Tacos 1

    So, I got this gift card in the mail, and I am going to be posting a few fabulous desserts I made with some of it, but of course I had enough to buy several special recipes worth of food, so I did.  I have been wanting to make tacos for a long time, but the truth is I thought all of the ingredients would add up and be too expensive so I kept putting it off.  Yes, I know on their own maybe the ingredients arent a lot, but when you add up things like tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers etc, when you are not able to get to a farmer’s market and don’t grow them it is spendy sometimes especially organic. I am on a budget after all, and I try not to splurge a lot.  So, this was my chance to make those tacos with the little extra money.  I have been craving tacos for a while, so I was excited about this.  Yes, it took a little time to prepare them, but this was my after work project.

    Lentil Yam and Mushroom Tacos 2

    They were non-traditional. But you know what?  I didn’t care, because I am a Minnesotan and the Mexican food up here isn’t always traditional. Plus, I cook with what is available, and what tastes good to me.  Eric who is from Arizona and loves traditional Mexican food always gives me crap about the non-traditional tacos etc. I make so I had to mention that. But I know he secretly loves it anyhow.  I made lentil mushroom taco filling, topped it off with roasted sweet potatoes (one of my favorite things in the world), and some more traditional things, like salsa, cabbage and avocado.  All served on sprouted corn tortillas.  They were wonderful.  It was worth all of the work to prep for them, and honestly, we got 2 meals out of them, because it made enough for two days (and we both like to eat, so the servings were generous).  You have no idea how happy this meal made me.  So, thank you US Bank for the $100.  And I will be sharing the other recipes I made with it soon.  And the moral of the story, if you are having a bad day pray about it.

    Lentil Yam and Mushroom Tacos

    Vegan Lentil, Mushroom Yam Tacos
    Serves 4

    Salsa:
    3 medium organic tomatoes
    2 bell peppers, diced
    1 small red onion, diced
    1 jalapeno, minced
    1 clove garlic, minced
    juice and zest of 2 limes
    1/4 cup chopped cilantro
    sea salt to taste
    1 tsp red pepper flakes

    Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) to let the flavors combine.

    Yams:
    3 small garnet yams, cut into large dice
    olive oil
    sea salt

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Toss the yams with olive oil and sea salt and spread out on a sheet pan. Roast for 1 hour to an hour or so until they are tender and starting to brown at the edges. Set aside.

    Taco Filling:
    1 cup green lentils
    filtered water
    2 tsp olive oil
    1 cup sliced mushrooms
    1/2 cup minced onion
    1 garlic clove, minced
    2 tsp chili powder
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1/4 tsp sea salt

    In a pot, combine the lentils and just enough water to cover them by a couple inches, and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, and cook for about 40 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the mushrooms and onions. Sautee for a few minutes until the mushrooms have softened, then add the garlic, and spices, and sea salt, and sautee until fragrant. Set aside until ready to assemble.

    For assembly:
    8 sprouted corn tortillas, warmed
    1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
    2 diced avocadoes

    Spoon some of the lentil filling mixture into the taco shells, top with some sweet potatoes, a little salsa, cabbage, and avocado. Enjoy!



  • Vegan Almond Joy Cupcakes

    Vegan Almond Joy Cupcakes

    My Mom asked me to make her something chocolaty that she could bring to a dinner with her friends, so of course I said yes. I am always up for making things for other people to enjoy, I can’t have my own Mom having to go out and buy some baked goods to share at a party after all. So, I made her some chocolate cupcakes. Not just any chocolate cupcakes though, because that would be kinda boring. Almond Joy Cupcakes. One of her favorite candies is almond joy after all, so it was a good choice.

    I made a decadent yet oil free, gluten free, and fruit sweetened cake batter, that tasted wonderful even before I baked it. Yes, I taste my batter. It has prevented me from forgetting ingredients before, and when I smell it and see it staring up at me looking so tasty I have to try it. I mixed in almonds, coconut, and chocolate chunks all the ingredients of the classic candy bar. But of course these would be way healthier than candy bars. I love the idea of being able to share healthier desserts that taste just as good as traditional ones and have people enjoy them just as much.

    I frosted them with a whipped coconut cream so there was a balance of chocolate and coconut like in the candy bar, and topped it off with more of the goodies that I had mixed in. They were just as I had imagined they would be. Chocolaty, sweet, just the right amount of coconut and almonds for crunch, and silky smooth frosting that melted in my mouth. If you have ever been a fan of Almond Joys you must try these. My Mom loved them as well, which was the important part. I will have to wait to hear if her friends enjoyed them, but I have a feeling they will!

    Vegan Almond Joy Cupcakes
    makes 16

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour works also)
    • 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 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    • 1/4 cup raw almond butter (smooth)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup finely shredded, dried coconut
    • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chunks
    • 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    Garnish:

    • almonds, vegan chocolate chunks and finely shredded dried coconut for garnish

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line 16 muffin tins with liners.
    2. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    3. 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, then fold in the coconut, almonds and chocolate chunks.
    4. Transfer batter to prepared tins and bake until tester inserted into center comes out almost clean, about 12-15 minutes. Cool completely.
    5. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth, then pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream (stiff peaks, it takes about 45 min to chill).
    6. Pipe or spread the frosting over the cupcakes when it is ready and top with almonds, chocolate chunks and coconut.
    7. Serve!

     



  • Tahini Broccoli Salad

    Tahini Broccoli Salad

    My Mom brought me some broccoli, crasins and tahini, and asked me if I would make her a broccoli salad with it.  She was thinking, sort of like a twist on the classic broccoli salad that people make and take to picnics.  You know the one, with the bacon, mayo dressing, sunflower seeds, and raisins.  The one I jokingly call broccoli barf, because I am not a fan of  the animal products and loads of sugar used in it, I am a vegan after all.  We used to have it at our family get togethers when I was little and It was about on the level of jello salad with veggies in it for me (aka not a fan), I have always wondered where some of these combinations came from.  Or, what by definition is a salad?  It is not necessarily something healthy…as we all know.  I have never felt that meat belonged in a salad.  So, I was thrilled when my Mom asked me to make a healthy vegan version of this classic salad.  One that we would both enjoy and feel good about eating!

    Tahini Broccoli Salad 1

    I love tahini dressing, and so does my Mom.  We used to order a salad at a local restaurant that had it on there when I was little, and now as an adult, I have enjoyed making my own version at home.  It is a simple classic tahini dressing, laced with lemon, a touch of cumin and garlic and it is so good, and so versatile.  It was really delicious on this salad.  It tastes rich, but it is just the delicious tahini!  The crasins swapped in for raisins was a great idea, they added a nice contrasting color to the broccoli and of course sweetness.  I also added in some dried mango for another sweet flavor, since the dressing was completely savory (unlike the classic broccoli salad which is super sweet).  And lastly, of course I had to add some sunflower seeds for crunch.  I have nothing against those.

    Tahini Broccoli Salad 2

    The salad was delicious! It was savory, with just enough sweetness coming from the dried fruit.  I am not a person who likes super sweet salads, and a little sweetness can go a long way for me.   I of course shared it with my Mom, who loved it as well, which meant a lot since she is my biggest food critic.  If you are looking for an easy and delicious salad to make ahead for lunches, or to share at a picnic, this would be awesome.  It doesn’t spoil as fast as mayo salads would.  And of course, no need to tell your guests it is healthy and good for them.

    Tahini Broccoli Salad

    Tahini Broccoli Salad
    Serves 3-4

    4 medium sized heads broccoli, torn into bite sized pieces
    1/2 cup sunflower seeds
    1/2 cup unsweetened dried mango, sliced thinly
    1/2 cup dried cranberries
    1/2 cup tahini
    1/3 cup filtered water
    1/4 cup cider vinegar
    1/2 tsp cumin
    1 small garlic clove, minced
    1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste

    Place the broccoli flowrettes, sunflower seeds, mango, and cranberries in a bowl. Whisk together tahini, water, cider vinegar, cumin, garlic, and sea salt in a bowl (if it is too thick add a little more water, if too thin a little more tahini). Toss the dressing with the salad, and serve!



  • Vegan Miso Almond Brownie Cakes with Caramel

    Vegan Miso Almond Brownie Cakes with Caramel

    miso almond caramel brownies 3

    I love white miso.  It has a delicious sweet and salty sort of flavor.  Some people are weird about it, like, euw, miso, because it is a fermented product, but it is delicious and as you know, I love to ferment things like sauerkraut and kombucha.  So I don’t mind the fact that it is fermented.  Anyways, it adds wonderful flavor to whatever you use it in, most commonly soups or things like savory salad dressings.  But I like it when paired with sweet things as well!  A few years back, I made some miso almond brownies, and I was thinking about them lately when someone told me they made my recipe for them.  This is a recipe from 2011, so I have changed quite a few things about my baking since then.  I decided I needed to revamp them to make them up to my standards now.

    miso almond caramel brownies 2

    I also decided that I wanted little brownie cakes instead of bars, because that is more fun.  One of these little cakes is perfect for two people.  These, unlike my old recipe, are gluten free, and oil free.  Also, the other ones had tofu in them, to keep them moist and instead of eggs, but here I have used aquafaba (the liquid of cooked or canned chickpeas, and one of the best egg replacers I know).  And, the other ones had a sort of ganache on top, but I topped these off with a miso laced caramel.  I love caramel with nuts and chocolate.  It is a match made in heaven as of course you know!  Anyways, these took less time to bake, the centers stayed perfectly gooey and moist, and when topped off with the caramel, they were wonderful!  That miso added a little something extra, and the almonds made them slightly nutty.  One of these is perfect for sharing with someone, so if you want to impress that someone special, bring them one of these.

    miso almond caramel brownies

    Kind of fun to redo a recipe I made years ago, I should really do it more often because I feel like I am a better baker now, and I have new techniques that are more slick.  I never stop learning, I am always trying to absorb new and better ways of doing things, especially making delicious desserts.  Looking back at posts from 5 years back I have learned a lot, and I like to think my photos have gotten way better.  Anyways, sorry for getting all nostalgic, I hope you enjoy the recipe!

    miso almond caramel brownies 1

    Vegan Miso Almond Brownie Cakes with Caramel

    Makes 4

    Caramel:
    1/2 cup soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in water and drain well first)
    1 Tbsp creamy organic almond butter
    1 heaping Tbsp white miso
    1/8 tsp sea salt
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)

    Brownies:
    1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp creamy organic almond butter
    1 Tbsp white miso
    1 cup coconut sugar
    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp reduced aquafaba or 2 flax eggs*
    2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup gluten free all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/4 teaspoon sea salt

    To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (adding a little water if necessary, it should be the consistency of pourable but still thick caramel). Pour into a bowl and set aside.

    To make the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees. Whisk together the sugar, nut butter, miso until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down. Add the aquafaba and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and beat until smooth. Scrape the batter into four oiled 1 cup glass ramakins . Place in the oven, and Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until set (but do not over bake). Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, then spoon the caramel over each one.  Enjoy!

    *The aquafaba is the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas. You want it to be thick like egg whites. If you are wanting to make flax eggs, simply mix together 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds, and 6 Tbsp filtered water and let sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before using in the recipe, and also add 1/4 cup extra water to the recipe.



  • Vegan Galaxy Berry Swirl Ice Cream

    Vegan Galaxy Berry Swirl Ice Cream

    I wanted to make a red, white and blue ice cream for the 4th, but I never thought that I would end up with a beautiful galaxy ice cream.  Most of the time in my kitchen, recipes sort of go like this.  It is an experiment, I am not exactly sure how it will turn out, and I build on it as I go, writing down the process so I can share it if it is a successful recipe.  So, I have made ice cream hundreds of times before, I know how to do that, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted an ice cream cake, or just a berry ice cream that was scooped.  If I mixed all of the berries together in the ice cream and blended it, then I wouldn’t have a pretty red, white and blue ice cream, it would just be purple.  So I decided to make layers of ice cream in a container.

    I made a vanilla almond coconut milk ice cream base which was delicious, silky and tasted better than any dairy that I remember having before going vegan. It was like the heavy cream of vegan milks if you will. I figured I would freeze it in the ice cream machine, then divide it in two and make one blueberry flavor and one strawberry raspberry flavor. It worked well, but when I was whisking the berries into the vanilla ice cream, it created these lovely swirls of color, and it looked kind of patriotic to leave some white in with the colors. I froze it like that in a container, and I expected it to be pretty, but what I ended up with was galaxy ice cream.

    You know, the galaxy trend that you see everywhere nowadays, like the galaxy prints on clothing, galaxy doughnuts etc…you know those beautiful swirling colors that look like a galaxy? Well this ice cream looked like that, so it was only appropriate to give it that name.  Just a beautiful accident.  I love it when my experiments yield better than expected results.  Because you know sometimes, I mess up and have to throw out a recipe and that makes me very sad.  Luckilly it doesn’t happen often and the good times more than make up for the mess ups.  Anyways, now I have this delicious ice cream to enjoy for the 4th of July to feel festive with!  I hope you are all having a wonderful day with your families and friends at your BBQs and get togethers!

    Vegan Galaxy Berry Swirl Ice Cream
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 2 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    • 1 cup raw almond or cashew butter
    • 1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 1/2 cups fresh organic strawberries and raspberries (mixed together)
    • 1 1/2 cups fresh organic blueberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients but berries in a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    3. Meanwhile, while the ice cream is churning, puree the strawberries and blueberries separately and place in separate bowls.
    4. Divide the ice cream between the two bowls, and fold in the berry mixture leaving streaks of white.
    5. Spoon into a freezer safe container with a lid, alternating the two flavors, and continue to freeze until firm enough to scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.

     



  • Vegan Vanilla Berry Cake with “Cream Cheese” Frosting

    Vegan Vanilla Berry Cake with “Cream Cheese” Frosting

    Since it is the week of the Fourth, I thought it would be appropriate to make a festive cake!  When I was little, my Mom would always make festive 4th of July desserts with fresh berries, and I guess I like to keep that tradition going.  She was a sheet pan kind of cake maker, I am a layer cake maker.  But the similar flavors were all there with the cake I made.  She used to make a cream cheese cake with berries on top, and I made a vanilla layer cake with cream cheese frosting.  Well, faux cream cheese frosting, of course since I am vegan.  I have been buying berries by the bucketfulls, so I had plenty on hand for this cake.

    For the cake layers, I just used my favorite date sweetened vanilla cake recipe.  Why dates?  Well, they keep the cake moist and if you bake it just the right amount of time it is the perfect texture and you would swear it was a regular conventional cake and not a vegan fruit sweetened one.  I knew it would be the perfect pairing with the fresh berries and cream cheese frosting too, so that they were allowed to shine. Before I went vegan I was way into the cream cheese frosting.  It was my favorite because, it was like a way to get cheesecake and regular cake at the same time (since it reminded me of cheesecake).  So luckily I have come up with a vegan version of cream cheese frosting that I enjoy even more.

    Once the cake was all assembled, it was lovely.  I had been tasting the elements as I went separately, which is one of the perks of being the baker, but I wanted to try it all together.  I shared some with Eric, and we both thought it was amazing.  I gave some to my Mom as well and she said it tasted as good as if not better than traditional cake.  I would call this a win. And it ended up looking so festive and perfect for the 4th of July!  Of course my cake is gone and it is not the 4th yet, but it was good while it lasted.  I think this cake would be perfect for any Summer celebration. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday weekend!

    Vegan Vanilla Berry Cake with “Cream Cheese” Frosting
    Makes 1 6 inch 3 layer cake

    3 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

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

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled (be sure to use a brand that is mostly cream, 3/4 of the can or so or it will not work in this recipe.  I like Thai Kitchen Brand)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (not oil, warmed to liquid)

     

    Filling/Topping:

    • 1 1/2 cups mixed fresh organic berries

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F and position rack in center of oven. Line the bottoms of three 6-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.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water and additional 1 cup 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.
    3. Whisk cider vinegar into the batter until bubbles form. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. 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.
    4. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    5. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread about 3/4 cup frosting over that and press some of the berries into it. Place  another cake layer over that, then 3/4 cup more frosting and more berries then the last cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with berries.



  • Vegan Chili Mango Dark Chocolates

    Vegan Chili Mango Dark Chocolates

    I was given a bag of dried, unsweetened mango.  It was delicious!  It tasted like fresh mango intensified!  I snacked on some, but I wanted to make something with it as well.  Something in the form of dessert that I could share with the person that gave it to me.  I decided that I wanted to pair the sweet, tangy mango with dark chocolate. As if that wouldn’t be a good enough pairing as it is, I added in a little heat in the form of chili too.  Eric is always telling me that he misses fruit candy made with chilies that he got in Arizona when he lived there as a kid, so I figured I would share some of these with him as well.

    Chili Mango Dark Chocolates 2

    They are really quite simple to make if you can find the dried, unsweetened unsulfured mango.  This kind came from Trader Joes.  When I am looking for dried fruit, I always look for unsweetened and unsulfured because dried fruit is already concentrated and very sweet so why add a bunch of refined sugar to it? Also, I don’t like un-natural preservatives in my foods.  I mean, they were meant to have a shelf life, not last forever.  But anyways, this mango was perfect.  I made raw dark chocolate the way I always do, and stirred in the finely chopped mango and chili flakes.  The combination was delicious, I thought to myself when I had a taste before pouring it into the molds.  It is that simple, just mix together, pour into molds, chill and enjoy!

    Chili Mango Dark Chocolates 1

    They tasted fabulous once set, sweet, rich, a little spicy, and the type of thing that you want to indulge in but it only takes a few to be satisfied.  I think sometimes when flavors are more interesting we are satisfied with less.  At least that is how I feel.  I can’t wait to share these and get other people’s takes on them!  I think if you try them, you will enjoy them as well, provided you like a spice in your life.

    Chili Mango Dark Chocolates

    Vegan Chili Mango Dark Chocolates
    Makes 6

    Chocolate:
    3/4 cup raw cacao powder
    1/2 cup melted cacao butter (warmed to liquid)
    pinch sea salt
    1/4 cup maple syrup (at room temperature)

    1/2 cup chopped, dried unsweetened mango
    1/2 tsp red chili flakes

    To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth in a medium sized glass measuring cup. Mix in the mango and chili flakes. Spoon or pour into molds, and place in the freezer to harden, about 30 minutes. Pop out of molds and enjoy! Store any extra in the refrigerator.



  • Vegan Summer Berry Sweet Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Summer Berry Sweet Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Summer Berry Sweet Rolls 3

    My perfect summer day off involves going for a run in the morning and having it be cool and refreshing outside, then enjoying some berry picking and more time outside maybe going for a walk in the woods, and later making something fabulous with those berries, and afterwards relaxing with my favorite person and a glass of wine.  That was last Sunday, a really good day.  I picked some wild raspberries, and they were fabulous.  That is one of my favorite parts of Summer is the wonderful fruit and it actually being available locally.  I have yet to go to a strawberry farm, but I like the wild raspberries best anyhow.  I have been wanting to make sweet rolls for a long time, and since it was my day off, I finally got around to it.

    Summer Berry Sweet Rolls 4

    I used to make sweet rolls quite often a few years back actually, but the whole yeast thing and letting the dough rise, and flour that I used to use were all kind of off putting to me lately.  I don’t want to say that I have gotten lazier, just busier, and I now often times want things that require less time. Which is good for you all in a way because I know you do not want to spend all day in the kitchen either.  So, made my first gluten free (well non raw gluten free) sweet rolls.  They have baking soda and powder and cider vinegar to help them rise instead of the usual yeast and it works pretty slick!  I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour because I feel like it has the best texture for baked goods.  I used the fresh raspberries along with some blueberries to fill these rolls, and they turned out awesome!

    Summer Berry Sweet Rolls 6

    They had to have a “cream cheese” topping of course, so I made a faux cream cheese that I have used in the past and it was perfect. They were delicious warm, with the gooey frosting and jammy berries inside.  Summer’s take on regular sweet rolls.  These only take about 15 minutes to bake, so they really don’t require much of your time before you can enjoy them!  If you are looking for the perfect weekend morning treat (because these were made for lazy Saturday mornings), you need to try these!

    Summer Berry Sweet Rolls

    Vegan Summer Berry Sweet Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
    Makes 4

    Dough:
    3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill all purpose baking gluten free flour
    1/2 tsp guar gum
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp baking soda
    1/8 tsp sea salt
    1/4 cup filtered water
    1 Tbsp maple syrup
    1 tsp cider vinegar
    2 Tbsp coconut oil, warmed to liquid plus extra for brushing

    Filling:
    1 cup fresh organic raspberries, mashed
    1 Tbsp maple syrup
    1 Tbsp chia seeds
    1/4 cup fresh organic blueberries

    “Cream Cheese” Frosting:
    1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    1/4 cup coconut milk (or as needed)
    1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    1/8 tsp sea salt
    1 Tbsp maple syrup

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and line 4 muffin tins with coconut oil.
    To make the dough, combine the flour, guar gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl, and mix together. Mix in the water, vinegar, and coconut oil until blended, then knead the dough lightly and place it on a sheet of parchment (dust it lightly with flour). Roll out 1/4 inch thick in a rectangle on the parchment.
    Mix together the filling ingredients, and spread over the dough (leaving a 1/2 inch boarder at the top and bottom). Roll up from the top down jelly roll style. Cut into 4 pieces, and place cut side up in an oiled muffin tin. Brush the tops with a little coconut oil. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until puffed up and starting to brown a little (but do not overbake). Remove from the oven and let cool until warm.
    Whisk together frosting ingredients, and spread over the tops of the rolls. Enjoy!

    Summer Berry Sweet Rolls 2



  • Vegan PB & J Pop-Tarts

    Vegan PB & J Pop-Tarts

    PB & J Poptarts 2

    I was never much of a fan of pop-tarts when I was little truth be told, especially not the fruit ones, they tasted artificial to me. Probably because there was loads of sugar and artificial ingredients. The only ones I kind of liked were the cinnamon sugar. I did however love pie and pastries, just the real ones not usually the store bought packaged ones. Luckilly as an adult, I can make home made pop tarts that actually taste like pie, and that I enjoy! I have made a few different kinds, my favorite of which was a pumpkin pie variation last fall. I have been wanting to make a peanut butter and jelly variation for a while now, and now I finally got around to it.

    PB & J Poptarts 1

    Truthfully, this has been in my head for months, but I kind of wanted to wait until berries were plentiful, because I knew I needed raspberries for it. Raspberry jam was always my favorite, thanks to my Mom, because that is what she always had on hand. I have always had an appreciation for the seeds in a chunky raspberry jam, so that is how I make mine. I even add chia seeds to give it even more texture. I made a quick jam for these, and it was perfect! I added a little of my home made organic peanut butter to the centers of the tarts with the jam and it was like an exciting PB and J!

    PB & J Poptarts 3

    Is it weird that I think of PB and J as a dessert item? Well I do, because it is sweet and salty and kind of crave worthy. So to me these pop-tarts are more dessert than breakfast or snack. This is mostly because I don’t like things that are too sweet after my workouts in the AM when I eat breakfast before work and prefer to indulge later. But if you have a sweet tooth and want to eat them for breakfast like the original pop-tarts were intended for go for it! These are sooo good. I love the gooey PB and J center, it is so much better than any of the pop-tarts I had growing up. I think you will agree, and if you are looking for the perfect weekend morning project, give these a go!

    PB & J Poptarts

    Vegan PB & J Pop-Tarts
    Makes 6

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

    Filling:
    1 cup fresh organic raspberries
    1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
    1 Tbsp chia seeds

    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp peanut butter

    Glaze:
    3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    1 Tbsp raspberry juice
    1 Tbsp maple syrup
    pinch sea salt
    3-4 Tbsp filtered water or as needed

    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 large rectangle and cut into 6 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 375 degrees.

    To make filling, mash the berries, maple syrup and chia seeds together into a chunky jam.  Set aside.  Spread about 1 Tbsp peanut butter over half of the dough rectangles, then spoon about the same amount of jam over that. Cover with the remaining pieces of dough (I used a small spatula to carefully move them), pressing the edges and crimping with a fork. 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.

    Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth (adding more water if too thick, you want it to be pourable). Spoon some of the glaze over each pop tart, and smooth it out to cover the top. Let set before serving.



  • Vegan Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream

    Vegan Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream

    There is nothing more refreshing to me than mint lately. My favorite thing to do after a workout or being in the hot sun is to take a bath with peppermint oil, or use my home made peppermint body spray after. It is so cooling and it smells amazing. Another favorite refreshing thing, iced matcha lattes. I got to thinking about the two and got it into my head that I should make some matcha mint chip ice cream. I am always thinking about what recipe I want to make next and what sounds good. Especially when I am hungry after a run. So I had to make said ice cream. It was about 90 degrees the day I made it so it was the perfect thing to cool off with!

    Matcha Peppermint Chip Ice Cream 1

    Mint chip ice cream (or peppermint bon bon as we called it here) was always a favorite of mine when I was little, I would have it at my Dad’s house. I loved the pretty light green color and little flecks of chocolate. I loved it even more when served with hot fudge. Now as an adult, I know that green color is fake, it was loaded with refined sugar, and that dairy would give me a tummy ache. But it is still a good memory, and I am not sad because I know I can make my own vegan healthier version. Adding the matcha is my grown up twist and this ice cream is a lovely color thanks to the mint and matcha not artificial color.

    Matcha Peppermint Chip Ice Cream 2

    This ice cream tastes wonderful, let me tell you. It is so smooth and rich tasting you would swear it had real cream but it is actually coconut milk and cashews. My favorite combination for a smooth ice cream base. I added in my favorite vegan sugar free chocolate chips and it was epic. I could not just have a scoop of it, I had to have a bowl. But that is the way I have always been with ice cream! If you are looking for a better version of a childhood classic, you need to try this out!

    Matcha Peppermint Chip Ice Cream

    Vegan Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream
    Makes 3 cups

    1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    1 Tbsp matcha powder
    1 cup fresh organic peppermint leaves
    1/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1 cup vegan chocolate chips

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



  • Grapefruit Lavender Body Mist and Rosemary Mint Body Mist

    Grapefruit Lavender Body Mist and Rosemary Mint Body Mist

    I love essential oils.  They make all the difference sometimes in terms of the way your body feels.  For instance.  Walking into a room to the aroma of lavender and grapefruit I am calmed and relaxed.  I sometimes like to use this scent in my room at night for that reason if I am feeling stressed or just want to feel a little pampered. If I want to cool off, a bath laced with peppermint oil does the trick. Not only that, it makes me feel more energized if I am tired and hot.  Or in the morning, I have this rosemary toner that sprays on that makes me feel awake. I love essential oils and natural scents.  I am not a fan of artificial perfumes with synthetic fragrances.  To be honest, those make me feel sick, and so for about the past 10 years I wear only real fragrances, like essential oils.

    Body Spray 1

    I decided last week, I wanted to make my own refreshing body mists.  So, I did a little research on what to use in them, then decided on what worked for me, and made some.  It was really quite easy, and what is better than creating your own scent that you love?  I made rosemary mint, for when I need a little cooling action or something to make me feel more refreshed, like say after my workout when I am really hot (because sometimes even after a shower I still am), or even before to energize me.  When I was in high school we used to rub a little peppermint under our noses to make us more energized before track races.  It worked!  It still works now, peppermint is a happy scent that makes me feel awake and clean.

    Body Spray 2

    The second was a grapefruit lavender.  I often use this combination when making my own deodorant, so I know I love it.  But I thought it would be a good scent for before bed to relax me, or just to spray on if I felt a bit stressed (or just to smell good of course).  Both of the scents were so easy to make and smell so good!  Plus cheaper to make than the ones you can buy if you have all of the oils already.  The thing is if people stopped using all that synthetic fragrance stuff and went for this, I think they would feel so much better because they wouldn’t be putting toxins on their body and they would be surrounding it with scents to heal it instead of hurt it.  So, here are the recipes if you wish to try them for yourself!

    Body Spray

    Rosemary Mint Mist

    8 oz spray bottle

    1 1/2 Tbsp vodka

    6 drops rosemary essential oil

    4 drops peppermint essential oil

    scant 1 cup filtered water

    Grapefruit Lavender Mist

    8 oz spray bottle

    1 1/2 Tbsp vodka

    6 drops grapefruit essential oil

    4 drops lavender essential oil

    scant 1 cup filtered water

    For either flavor, add all ingredients to the bottle, put the top on and shake.  Spritz yourself a few times and feel refreshed! Shake every time before using.



  • 5 Ingredient Vegan Blackberry Hazelnut Ice Cream

    5 Ingredient Vegan Blackberry Hazelnut Ice Cream

    Blackberry Hazelnut Ice Cream 1

    When I bought an ice cream maker about 10 years back, I had no idea how much I would use it.  But I ended up using it almost every week for a few years.  I originally bought it because I wanted to create healthier ice cream than the store bought that wasn’t full of weird additives.  At the time, I wanted everything to be low fat, sugar free (back in the days when I considered that healthy, and did not read ingredients on things necessarily to find out what was being subbed for those things). I of course didn’t have a blog yet either and wasn’t vegan and I experimented with making things like low fat frozen yogurt (which did not have a very good texture).  The ice creams tasted ok, but there was one ingredient that I discovered which really changed home made ice cream making for me and allowed me to create some bomb ice creams. Coconut milk.  I started out with low fat, but then got hooked on full fat organic for the silkiest creamiest ice creams.  It is a blank palate ready for whatever flavors you wish to make.

    Blackberry Hazelnut Ice Cream 2

    I now pretty much have the ice cream thing down. It is equally good made with young coconut meat and cashews mixed together for a good mouthfeel.  But when you are in a hurry, coconut milk is hands down the winner as far as I am concerned.  I now know that my body needs healthy fats in order to function, and I am not fat phobic, so I no longer make low fat ice cream because I would rather have a smaller serving of something that tastes amazing than a large serving of something mediocre.  Unless of course it is banana nice cream, which is soft serve and that is a different story (love that stuff).  So if you want low fat, make banana soft serve. If you want more traditional tasting ice cream, read on.

    Blackberry Hazelnut Ice Cream 3

    I made this wonderful blackberry hazelnut ice cream last week to go with a pie I had made and it was sooo good!  I had to share the recipe with you all because it is only 5 ingredients and super simple to make.  The texture kind of reminds me of gelato, and the flavor is like no other.  Sweet and nutty.  Like Fancy PB and J thanks to the hazelnut butter and blackberries. If you get some fresh organic blackberries, you must try this ice cream.  I have included instructions both for with an ice cream maker and without, so no excuses not to try it!

    Blackberry Hazelnut Ice Cream

    5 Ingredient Vegan Blackberry Hazelnut Ice Cream
    Makes 3 cups

    1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    1/2 cup raw hazelnut butter
    1 1/2 cups fresh organic blackberries
    1/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    1/4 tsp sea salt

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



     

     

     

     

  • Spicy Ginger Garlic Saurkraut

    Spicy Ginger Garlic Saurkraut

    ginger garlic saurkraut

    What many people don’t realize is that keeping your gut healthy is important.  If it is not healthy, and does not have enough healthy bacteria in it, you might start to have problems with digestion, get sick more often (because much of your immune system is there), have skin issues, and feel tired among other things.  And those aren’t even the most serious issues.  I don’t want all that, so I try my best to feed myself probiotic rich foods.  You can get probiotics in pill form, but of course you have to be careful what kind.  Some are not vegan, and some do not work as well as they say that they do.  It is really best to get most of your probiotics from your diet if you can.  Things like kombucha, sauerkraut, cultured coconut yogurt, and miso are rich in probiotics.  I started out making sauerkraut thinking it would be a fun thing to do, and because I like it, but I then realized that it can be a great source of probiotics!

    ginger garlic saurkraut 2

    Today I am sharing with you my latest sauerkraut.  I will call it quasi kimchee, because it was inspired by some kimchee.  I bought some kimchee at the health food store I work in (vegan of course, it did not contain any fish like some of the traditional ones do), and it was so good I was hooked.  Problem is it is kind of spendy, and I knew I could make something similar at home.  So I just used the same ingredients listed in it, and came up with something that I liked just as much.  The process is different than making kimchee, so before anyone starts telling me it is not authentic, I was not trying to be.  I just wanted something that tasted good. Saurkraut is really easy to make once you get the hang of it, and so worth it to get your daily dose of probiotics in.  I love adding it to my lunch salads, or wraps to give them that extra punch of flavor!  Don’t be afraid to try making your own, I have never had a batch not turn out.

    ginger garlic saurkraut 3

    Spicy Ginger Garlic Saurkraut

    Makes 2 32 oz jars

    1 large head green cabbage, 3 outer leaves reserved whole, and the rest thinly sliced or shredded
    1 Tbsp sea salt
    1 large carrot, cut julienne
    1 garlic clove, sliced
    1 1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
    1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
    filtered water as needed
    1 large 8 cup jar with a wide mouth

    In a large bowl, combine the sliced cabbage with the sea salt. Massage with your hands, squeezing it until you get a good amount of water out of the cabbage at the bottom of the bowl and it is softened a little. Mix in the carrot, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes. Place in the 8 cup jar, pressing out any air, and pour in the extra water at the bottom of the bowl. Top with the reserved cabbage leaves. If the water does not rise above the cabbage in the jar, pour filtered water over it so it does (you want all the cabbage completely submerged). Put a weight on top of the cabbage leaves so that they stay submerged (I used a small prep bowl that fit inside the jar) you do not want the cabbage exposed to the air. Cover the jar with a towel and place it somewhere where it will not be disturbed like in a closet (and you may want to set it on a tray in case it leaks a little). Check it every few days to make sure it does not have any mold on the top, and if it does simply remove it with a spoon (the rest is ok as long as it is in the brine). After 7 days, it should be ready (or when it is fermented to your liking, I just find that mine is usually done after 7). Place in jars and store in the fridge.



  • Vegan Mixed Berry Pie with Pecan Crumble Topping

    Vegan Mixed Berry Pie with Pecan Crumble Topping

    IMG_3362
    Berries make me think of summer.  Eric and I always pick the wild raspberries and mulberries that we come across on our walks, as sort of a little sweet treat.  They are kind of special, like little jewels in the forest because you don’t see that many of them, and they are only around for a short time.  I always look forward to that.  I have never actually gone to a farm and picked berries, just the wild ones.  That is something I hope to do soon.  But for now, I am buying berries like crazy at the store, because they are my favorite fruit.  After all, in Minnesota we only get the really good ones for about 3 months of the year.  And the local ones even less than that.  Around my Birthday mid-July it is peak berry season, and I always have to go to the Farmer’s Market to get some.
    IMG_3363
    But, that time is not here yet, and I wanted pie, so I just bought berries at the store.  I wanted a pie with more than one type of berry, because there is something that I love about each one, and when you combine them it is even more delicious!  Strawberries are more sweet so when combined with raspberries, they are balanced.  Blueberries have a gelling quality that makes them perfect for pies when cooked, so I included those as well.  I also added a little lemon to this pie, because I love lemon with berries.
    IMG_3366
    For the topping, I wanted a crumble instead of just a crust, because crust is more difficult when you are in a hurry, and more opportunities to have it go wrong.  Plus I love a good crumble topping, it is my favorite.  I included oats and pecans to make it extra crunchy.  This pie smelled simply heavenly while baking.  Filling my entire house with the aroma of sweet jammy berries and baking pie crust.  I couldn’t wait to dive in.  But unfortunately I had to wait until it cooled because pies look prettier when sliced cool.  I served it with some berry ice cream I had made and shared it with Eric.  It was fabulous!
    IMG_3368
    Vegan Mixed Berry Pie with Pecan Crumble Topping

    Makes 1 8 inch pie

    Crust:
    1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour
    3 Tbsp coconut sugar
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    6 Tbsp coconut oil, in its solid form
    about 2-3 Tbsp cold water

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

    Topping:
    1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour
    2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
    1/4 cup gluten free rolled oats
    1/2 cup chopped pecans
    pinch sea salt

    To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a 2-3 Tbsp water as needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    Roll out into about a 9 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Place dough into an 8 inch pie pan and fit to edges (being careful since gluten free dough is more fragile). If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up. Flute the edges, or crimp with a fork. Set aside in the refrigerator.
    To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix together and squeeze together until it is clumping up a bit. Set aside.

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

    Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.



  • Vegan German Chocolate Potato Cake

    Vegan German Chocolate Potato Cake

    German Chocolate Potato Cake 5

    When someone asks me if I can veganize a recipe I am always game.  So when a reader asked me a few weeks back if I would make a potato cake, I was excited to do so!  I had never actually had a potato cake, so I looked up other recipes to see if I could get an idea of what it was, and I gathered that most of them are chocolate.  So that was even better.  I am not going to turn down making a chocolate cake. I told Eric about it, and he said I should make it a German chocolate potato cake.  After all, the cake layers would be the same, I would just be adding some caramel filling laced with coconut and walnuts!

    German Chocolate Potato Cake 3

    I loved the idea. So, I made the cake layers with mashed potatoes, well, potato puree, and all of the ingredients I usually include in my chocolate cake, and even the batter tasted amazing. But what was important was the fact that the cake had the perfect texture. I did not even use any oil in it! I used pecan butter and the potatoes instead and what resulted was the most moist soft and delicious cake. I frosted it with a simple fudgy frosting made from dates, pecan butter, cocoa powder and sea salt. That stuff was so good. Also, I made a date caramel for the filling and topping with walnuts and coconut as is customary for German chocolate cake.

    German Chocolate Potato Cake

    This cake was freaking delicious. Me and Eric shared a few pieces with some wine as is tradition on Sunday nights for us, and we were both in awe of the cake. He said it was the best cake I have ever made. Well, I don’t know about that because I think some of the others were equally delicious, but it ranks way up there. I shared some with my Mom as well, and she loved it too. So, you should totally make this if you are craving decadent deliciousness. I think it would make the perfect birthday cake as well for any of you who have birthdays coming up.

    German Chocolate Potato Cake 2

    Vegan German Chocolate Potato Cake
    Makes 1 6 inch 4 layer cake

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:
    1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
    1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    1 cup coconut sugar
    1 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    3/4 cup pureed cooked potato
    1/4 cup raw pecan butter or almond butter
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    3/4 cup filtered water
    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Frosting:
    1 1/4 cups pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes, and 1 cup of the water reserved
    3/4 cup raw pecan butter or raw almond butter
    3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    pinch sea salt

    Caramel:
    1 cup pitted medjool dates
    3 Tbsp raw pecan butter or almond butter
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    pinch sea salt
    1/3 cup filtered water
    ¾ cup finely shredded, dried coconut
    1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk potato puree, pecan butter, vanilla extract, and coconut milk together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cake out onto platter; peel off parchment paper.

    Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender, and blend until smooth (since moisture content in dates varies, and nut butters may vary in runniness, if it seems too thin, add a little more cacao powder, too thick, a little more water). Set aside.
    To make the caramel, combine all ingredients but the coconut in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Stir in coconut until well combined.
    To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread frosting 1/2 inch thick over it, then half of the caramel.  Place the other cake layer over that, then spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake. Spread the remaining caramel over the top of the cake.

    *If you would like a 4 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans.
    German Chocolate Potato Cake 1



  • Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

    Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

    PB Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
    It has been a very long time since I made banana bread.  I used to make it often when I was younger.  I remember it was one of the first things I attempted to bake at home when I was in middle school.  Using my Grandma’s recipe written on a worn out card.  Those were the days when we still had recipe boxes before I was saving my recipes on my electronics.  Funny thing, I can’t even think of the last time I printed out a recipe besides my books.  Anyways, this recipe of Grandma’s was pretty awesome.  I always left out the nuts but kept the chocolate chips.  Over ripe bananas have always had a place in my home, even before I became vegan and used them to substitute for eggs, and make nice cream out of.
    PB Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 1
    So anyways, I decided to make banana bread last week. But I substituted peanut butter for the oil in the recipe I have used in the past and it was so freaking delicious!  I am obsessed with peanut butter, and I am always looking for recipes to add it to.  This was a great choice for that.  I think my Grandma would have been impressed by my ability to veganize and healthify old recipes, if she were alive today. She was one of my biggest fans, and taste testers when I started blogging.  She was always accepting of me being a vegetarian (I was not vegan yet at that time), and never gave me a hard time for eating different than everyone else.  She was the cool Grandma.  If you are looking for a simple and delicious weekday treat, this PB banana bread is a good choice.  It keeps well, and although I am not a Mom (however, I do pack things for my boyfriend Eric to eat sometimes), I think this would make the perfect addition to a child’s lunch.  Or just for your treat with your morning coffee.  I hope you are all having a good weekend!
    PB Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 3
    Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
    Makes four mini loaves
    Cake:
    1 cup coconut sugar
    1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp sea salt
    1 cup pureed ripe organic banana
    1/2 cup peanut butter
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1/2 cup water
    2 Tbsp cider vinegar
    1 cup vegan chocolate chips
    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Oil 4 mini loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    Whisk banana, vanilla extract, peanut butter and water together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar and stir quickly then fold in the chocolate.
    Transfer batter to prepared pans and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.  Let cool before enjoying.


  • Raw Strawberry Jam and Almond Butter Cups

    Raw Strawberry Jam and Almond Butter Cups

    Strawberry Almond Butter Chocolate Cups 3

    I try to be thankful for the little things.  I am trying not to dwell on the negatives or things I can’t change lately and instead try and find the positives in things.  And if I can’t find a positive, like it is a really bad day or something I go home and do something that I enjoy to calm and relax myself.  Like making chocolates.  One can simply not be unhappy while making chocolate.  Chocolate makes me happy at least.  The other thing about it is, it is easy to make.  Of course you could start off with pre-made raw chocolate and melt it and that would be even easier but I usually make my own because it is cheaper.

    Strawberry Almond Butter Chocolate Cups 4

    I had some strawberries in my fridge and I was thinking about making chocolate dipped strawberries, but then I was also craving some nut butter…so I decided to make raw strawberry jam almond butter cups so I could have it all.  I whipped up my raw chocolate, and while the bases of the cups were setting I made the jam.  It is only 3 ingredients, so super simple and fast to make and of course it is raw so it doesn’t require cooking.  I had just made raw almond butter the day before so I was set!  They were ready within the hour and I was so ready to try one.

    Strawberry Almond Butter Chocolate Cups

    Talk about pure delicious goodness!  This is such a heavenly flavor combination! Like a AB and J with chocolate.  My Mom occasionally made me almond butter and jelly sandwiches as a kid, and I always thought that they were a little more special than PB and Js (as delicious as they were) because almond butter was harder to come by at that point in time.  Anyways, I was also happy I did not have to heat up the kitchen to make these, because it had been a hot humid day.  If you are in need of a little deliciousness in your life, do try these chocolate cups!

    Strawberry Almond Butter Chocolate Cups 2

    Raw Strawberry Jam and Almond Butter Cups
    Makes 6

    Chocolate:
    3/4 cup raw cacao powder
    1/2 cup melted cacao butter (warmed to liquid)
    pinch sea salt
    1/4 cup maple syrup (at room temperature)

    Filling:
    1/3 cup raw almond butter*
    1/3 cup quick raw strawberry jam (recipe follows)

    To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Spoon a little chocolate into the bottoms of 6 peanut butter cup molds, filling them about 1/4-1/3 full. Place in the freezer until hard, about 10 minutes. Once the chocolate has hardened, spoon a heaping tsp of the almond butter over that, making sure it stays in the center (so you don’t have it oozing out the sides later). Spoon a tsp of jam over that. Pour more chocolate over the cups until the jam is covered, and place them in the freezer until set, about 20 minutes. Store any extra in the refrigerator.

    Quick Raw Blackberry Jam:

    1 cup organic strawberries
    1 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    1-2 Tbsp chia seeds

    Combine berries and nectar in a food processor and pulse until the strawberries are saucy. Pour into a bowl. Stir in the chia seeds. If they are very runny (if you used frozen) use 2 Tbsp chia seeds, if they are fresh use one. Keeps for 1 week in a covered container in the refrigerator.

    *If your almond butter is really runny, whisk some melted coconut butter or coconut oil into it, about 1 Tbsp to thicken it up.



  • 5 Ingredient Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

    5 Ingredient Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

    It was really hot and sticky last Monday.  I went out for a walk in the afternoon, and when I got home, I felt like I had been dipped into a stinky pond.  I took a refreshing bath laced with peppermint oil, and that helped to cool me down, but I also decided that I needed to make ice cream.  Because ice cream is always appreciated on a hot day, am I right?!  I knew I wanted to make something with strawberries, since I had a bunch of organic strawberries on hand, but I did not want it to require a lot of time or energy to make.

    Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

    If you have followed my blog at all, you may have noticed in the past I make some pretty fabulous ice cream flavors with a few components, like red velvet cake ice cream, or blueberry cobbler ice cream that have things that have to be made besides just the ice cream.  Well I was not doing that.  I wanted a simple blend and churn and chill ice cream.  What I decided on was strawberry cheesecake ice cream.  And it only ended up having 5 ingredients, which was awesome.

    Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream 3

    I always make coconut milk based ice creams, but I enhanced this one with cashew butter to make it taste like cheesecake. The organic strawberries were pretty sweet and flavorful, so all that was needed to sweeten it was some dates (but not too many).  This is as simple as it gets, but I promise you it is so good, and so worth making for yourself to enjoy!  I have included instructions for both with an ice cream maker and without, so everyone can make this.

    Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream 1

    5 Ingredient Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
    Makes 3 cups

    1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    1 1/2 cups fresh organic strawberries
    1/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    1/4 tsp sea salt

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



  • Vegan Strawberries and Cream Popcorn

    Vegan Strawberries and Cream Popcorn

    Strawberries are finally in season here, so I have been a little obsessed with them lately.  Strawberries and rhubarb of course, but strawberries on their own are pretty sweetly satisfying too.  Someone was telling me about some Mango popcorn at a local store, and I thought to myself, I want strawberry popcorn.  It was going to happen. No, I did not puree strawberries and pour them over popcorn, it was a bit more shelf stable than that.  I used freeze dried strawberries, about the most flavorful berries short of picking your own local ones.  They are great for when you want to add strawberry flavor without any moisture.

    Strawberries and cream popcorn

    I decided to call this strawberries and cream popcorn, because that is what it tasted like.  The classic dessert in snack form, popcorn style.  Kind of sweet and salty, just the sort of thing I crave.  It was easy to make, and sooo good!  I had a large pan of it sitting there, and let’s just say 1/4 was gone before the photo taking process was over.  That is sort of how it is being a food blogger. The food is right there calling your name. I wasn’t exactly generous with this either, I shared a small portion, but most of it I kept to myself, it was that good.

    Strawberries and cream popcorn 1

    I remember when I was a kid, they had flavored popcorn you could buy and it was these bright colors that I am sure were not real.  It was supposed to be berry, but it did not taste like real berries it tasted like nasty artificial flavors.  Sadly it was the pretty colors that drew my 8 year old self to it and I was not impressed after eating that stuff.  Well folks, this is the real deal version of that popcorn.  So much better, it tastes amazing like the essence of strawberry and you will not regret making it.

    Strawberries and cream popcorn 3

    Vegan Strawberries and Cream Popcorn

    Makes 8 cups

    Coating:
    1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    1/4 cup  plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    2 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)
    8 cups plain popcorn
    1 cup organic freeze dried strawberries, crushed

    To make the coating, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, then pour over the popcorn in a large bowl, and add the berries. Toss together until all of the popcorn is coated, and the berries are evenly distributed. Allow to cool until the coating dries (I put it in the freezer for 15 min). Enjoy!



  • Just Vegan Cakes and Recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Layer Cake

    Just Vegan Cakes and Recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Layer Cake

    IMG_3313

    I am excited to announce, that I have just released my third cookbook, “Just Vegan Cakes“! I have been working on it for over a year, making delicious cake recipes every weekend and gathering them together to share with you all.  I can not tell you how excited I am for this moment to have came to release the book.  I spent many hours making the recipes, editing the book, and making sure it was just how I wanted it before I shared it with you, so I am quite excited.  I got the idea for writing this book when I was baking my boyfriend’s Birthday cake and said to myself, I should create a cookbook entirely of vegan cakes.  That was actually the first baked cake I had made in a while after being completely raw for two years and I had so much fun making it.  To me, baking cakes is therapeutic.  It is something I enjoy, something I do on a lazy Saturday or after a stressful day at work to calm down and relax.  Maybe you feel the same?  Well, in that case, this is the book for you.  I included lots of photos as well, so that you can see how yummy the cakes are.  I feel that it is very important to have photos in my cookbooks.  Because sometimes I like to browse cook books, just to admire photos.

    Turtle Cake

    Almond Joy Cheesecake

    So what sort of cakes are in this book?  Well all sorts, raw and baked is the short answer, but I will elaborate.  I start off with a chapter on cheesecakes, and mousse cakes.  Many of them are raw, because I still love raw cheesecakes but others are not, because I know not everyone eats entirely raw.  I like to have a balance.  I have cakes like Raw Almond Joy Cheesecake, and Raw Margarita Cheesecake with Strawberry Swirl.  The next chapter is just for cupcakes and small cakes.  Because I love mini cakes, and sometimes it is not always practical to make a whole cake.  I have included recipes like Cookie Dough Cupcakes, and Blackberry Lime Cupcakes.  The third chapter is for simple cakes.  These are the cakes my Mom and Grandma often made, and the simple one layer cakes we all bake for bake sales and to bring to family events.  Things like Double Berry Cream Cheese Coffeecake and Coconut Tres Leches Cake.  Next, my favorite chapter, the layer cakes.  Layer cakes are where I feel like I can truly be artistic.  I love lots of frosting too, and they include multiple layers of it, so that is another reason why I love them.  I have included cakes like Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake and Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake.  I am also sharing a recipe from this chapter later in my post, my Peanut Butter Banana Layer Cake.  The fifth chapter is all about chocolate.  I had to include a chocolate cake chapter, it just seemed right.  These cakes are decadent as all get out.  Cakes like Turtle Cake (which happens to be the cover photo), and S’mores Cake.  Lastly, I have a chapter on ice cream cakes.  Which sounds really good to me right now because it is so hot and humid here.  Cakes like Berry Rose Ice Cream Cake, and Key Lime Pie Ice Cream Cake.  Wow, I am making myself hungry describing all of these cakes.  Lots of deliciousness here, I promise you.

    Margarita Cheesecake

    Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

    Blackberry Lime Cupcakes

    If you would like to get yourself a copy of my book, it is available on either Create Space HERE or Amazon HERE.  It is also available in Kindle edition on Amazon, which is convenient if you are not a print sort of person.  By buying this book, you will be supporting me and allowing me to keep my blog going so I can share free recipes with you.  Trust me, it is much appreciated because I love to share recipes and I want to keep doing so.  So, now comes the exciting part.  I am giving away a copy of my book to one lucky reader.  All you need to do is scroll down to the bottom of the page to enter my Rafflecopter Giveaway.  But first, don’t forget to check out the recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Layer Cake.  It is worth your time!  Good luck!

    PB Banana Cake

    Peanut Butter Banana Layer Cake

    Makes 1 6 inch 4 layer cake
    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:
    1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    1 cup coconut sugar
    1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    1 cup mashed bananas
    1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp water at room temperature
    2 Tbsp smooth organic peanut butter
    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Frosting:
    2 15 oz cans organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
    2 cups unsalted roasted peanuts, soaked for 4 hours and drained
    3/4 cup raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1 3/4 cups coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    1/2 cup smooth organic peanut butter
    2 large bananas, sliced, divided (slice just before using, one for the filling and one for the topping)

    Preheat oven to 375F and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with coconut oil. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in large bowl to blend well. Whisk bananas, oil, water, peanut butter, and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.  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. Place in refrigerator to chill until very cold to make slicing easier. When chilled, slice cakes horizontally in half so that you have 4 layers.

    Meanwhile, to make frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.  Pour the frosting into a bowl and let set in freezer until the consistency of whipped cream (this may take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on how warm it has become).

    When ready to frost, place one cake layer on a plate. Spread frosting about 1/2 inch thick over first layer, then top with second.  Repeat the frosting, then top with a layer of sliced bananas, then the peanut butter, being careful so the cake does not slide. Then top with another cake layer, then more frosting, then the last cake layer. Allow to set for 30 minutes in the freezer (cover the bowl of frosting with plastic and put it in the freezer too) to allow the middle layers to set up so they don’t slide when frosting the rest of cake.

    Once they have chilled, spread frosting over top and down sides of cake, and use some of the extra to pipe around the bottom if desired (put it in a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off). Garnish top of cake with remaining bananas.

    Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

    *If you would like a 4 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans for about 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached.

    Banana PB Cake



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  • Vegan Coconut Caramel Cake

    Vegan Coconut Caramel Cake

    Coconut Caramel Cake 5

    My Mom gave me a bag of shredded coconut and asked me to make something delicious with it.  I made some macaroons, but I also made the most glorious cake.  To begin with, when the idea of making a coconut cake came to mind, I was going to go for a classic coconut layer cake.  You know, all coconut.  Coconut cake layers and frosting.  But then I decided that caramel and coconut would be even better.  I mean, think about it.  German chocolate cake frosting is bomb and it has caramel with coconut.  So, that is where I was going with it.

    Coconut Caramel Cake 4

    I made the cake layers caramel flavored with dates and pecan butter, and they tasted amazing.  Even the batter before it was baked. They ended up being perfectly moist and soft yet fluffy like cake should be.  Needless to say I was proud of those cake layers.  I decided that the cake should have a caramel layer in between the cake layers so I whipped up some date caramel.  Lastly, I frosted it with the most luscious fluffy whipped coconut frosting, and dusted the outside with that fancy coconut.  It kind of looked like a giant snowball before I dropped a few raspberries onto it for garnish.

    Coconut Caramel Cake 3

    I could not wait to try it.  When I did, I was surprised with a party in my mouth.  Of sweet delicious flavors that is. The caramel was so good with the coconut and the coconut on the outside added a nice crunch.  It was simply heavenly.  I shared some with my Mom and Eric and they loved it too.  This is something you can’t just have one piece of, just sayin. I wish I could share a piece with you all, but since I can’t, I am sharing the recipe so you can enjoy it too!

    Coconut Caramel Cake

    Vegan Coconut Caramel Cake
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    2 6 inch cake pans

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

    Caramel Filling:
    1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    3 Tbsp raw pecan butter or raw almond butter
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    large pinch sea salt

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

    Finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut

    Preheat the oven to 375F and position rack in center of oven. Line the bottoms of two 6-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. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, pecan butter and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended.

    Whisk cider vinegar into the batter until bubbles form. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. 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.

    Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread the caramel filling over it, then spread about 3/4 cup frosting over that. Place the other cake layer over that, then spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake. Coat the outside of the cake with shredded coconut.
    *Note: if you would like to make a 9 inch cake, double the cake recipe (and frosting recipe) and bake in two nine inch round pans, it will take 50-60 minutes to bake.
    Coconut Caramel Cake 2



  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones 4

    I made some home made Nutella last week, and it got me wanting to make more hazelnut stuff.  It was just so good, so addictive.  Like you can’t have just one spoonful.  That is the problem with me and nut butter.  Anyways, I decided to make chocolate hazelnut scones.  I see my coworker making scones all the time at work and it makes me hungry for them.  So often times, I will make my own at home.  That way I can make whatever flavor I am craving as well, and of course know the scone is completely vegan.

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones 2

    Anyways, back to these scones.  They were triple chocolate double hazelnut.  Because I used cacao powder in the dough as well as chocolate hazelnut butter, and chocolate chips.  They also had crunchy chopped hazelnuts.  This was such delicious dough, you have no idea.  I ALWAYS taste my dough or batter, no matter if I am making cookies, scones, or cake.  It has prevented me from forgetting to add sugar before, and not only that it is the home baker’s privilege to taste that deliciousness.

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones 3

    I kind of left clumps of the chocolate hazelnut butter in them so it would create pockets of goodness in them once baked.  They baked up beautifully and smelled amazing when I pulled them from the oven.  They were tender and flaky as scones should be.  I would feed these to anyone skeptical that vegan baking is as good as traditional baking.  Sooo good.  These would make the perfect Saturday morning treat, baking them in your pjs and enjoying them while relaxing sounds perfect.  But of course you can make them right now too if you can’t wait.

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones
    Makes 8

    2 3/4 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    1/4 cup raw cacao 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
    1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut butter or hazelnut butter
    1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 cup coconut sugar
    coconut milk for topping
    coconut sugar for sprinkling
    1 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts
    1 cup vegan chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 425F with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    To a large bowl, add the flour, 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, as well as the hazelnut butter, hazelnuts and chocolate chip, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy (you want pieces of coconut oil and hazelnut butter).
    Place dough on a piece of parchment, and shape (by patting and pushing together) into a circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
     



  • Vegan Lentil Walnut Burgers

    Vegan Lentil Walnut Burgers

    I make veggie burgers a lot at work, but for some reason not much at home. Maybe it is because there are only a few types of veggie burgers that appeal to me, and to me most veggie burgers are nowhere near similar to meat burgers.  Not that I ever miss meat, in fact it grosses me out.  But I used to be a big burger eater back in high school before my veggies only days.  Nothing beat a big juicy burger at that point. I finally came up with a veggie burger that I think is much better than those meat burgers ever were, and I am sharing that recipe with you today.

    Lentil Walnut Burgers 3

    It is a lentil walnut burger.  I love lentils, they are a staple in my diet, and so it is no surprise that I used them in this burger recipe that I enjoy most.  I have used them in loaves and meat balls, so it seemed right.  They are neutral, and pack protein and fiber so what’s not to love?!  I combined them with heart healthy walnuts as well as a few other savory ingredients and the mixture itself tasted delicious even before I baked them.

    Lentil Walnut Burgers

    I don’t have a grill and I don’t like to fry things in oil in a pan and risk the burgers falling apart, so yes I baked my burgers.   Which is actually the easiest no fuss way to make them.  And they smelled wonderful.  They were served up like classic burgers with some home made ketchup and they were so much better than any meat burgers I ever tried as a kid.  These got a big thumbs up.

    Lentil Walnut Burgers 2

    Vegan Lentil Walnut Burgers
    Serves 4

    Burgers:
    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 Tbsp miso paste
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1 cup chopped walnuts
    1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats (or as needed)

    To make the burgers, 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 40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Drain, and set aside.

    In a pan, heat the olive oil and onions, and cook until the onions are softened and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sautee a minute more until fragrant. Add to a food processor, along with lentils, and all other loaf ingredients. Pulse until everything is blended but not completely smooth (if it seems too sticky add some more oats).

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.  Shape into 4 burgers (they will be a little sticky) and set on the pan.  Place in the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes until set.



  • Raw German Chocolate Macaroons

    Raw German Chocolate Macaroons

    My Mom gave me a bag of fancy shredded coconut and told me to make something good out of it.  I made a cake decorated with it, which will be shared in the near future in case you are interested, but I also decided to make some coconut macaroons.  Because she loves coconut macaroons, and I have to agree with that, because they are pretty darn delicious.  I could have just made the classic coconut and left it at that, but I wanted to make something a bit more exiting and something that included chocolate.  So I ended up making German Chocolate Macaroons.

    German Chocolate Macaroons 2

    I know there are plenty of good recipes out there for baked macaroons, and I have made some but really my favorite are the raw ones.  So I made these raw.  They are really pretty simple to make, easy and hard to mess up. They got a bit of a caramel flavor thanks to the dates, and instead of adding chopped walnuts I added walnut butter to help hold them together.  Just a few tablespoons of raw cacao powder was enough to make them taste like the classic cake. The mixture was quite delicious, and I ended up with a few less macaroons because of that since I had to taste it to make sure it was good…several times…just to make sure, you know?  Of course you do, stuff like that is hard to resist.

    German Chocolate Macaroons 3

    I dipped them in chocolate once they were finished to make them extra good.  These tasted like German chocolate cake but were so much easier to make, and of course portion controlled.  I couldn’t wait to share them with my Mom and see what she thought about them.  They were sooo good.  If you are looking for a simple and easy dessert that tastes amazing, give these a go!

    German Chocolate Macaroons

    Raw German Chocolate Macaroons
    Makes 12

    Macaroons:
    1 1/2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut, divided
    1/2 cup pitted soft medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water and drain well before using in the recipe)
    2 Tbsp raw walnut butter
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    2 Tbsp cacao powder
    1/4 tsp sea salt

    Raw Chocolate:
    1/4 cup raw cacao powder
    1/4 cup raw cacao butter warmed to liquid (or coconut oil may be used instead)
    2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup

    pinch sea salt

    Place 3/4 cup coconut, dates, walnut butter and vanilla and sea salt in the food processor and process until smooth and well combined. Add cacao powder and remaining 3/4 cup coconut and pulse until the mixture holds together. Form mixture into 12 balls (they will be fragile before dehydrating, so be careful) and stick a clove into the top of each. Place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
    To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, in a small bowl.  Lay out a piece of parchment, and line up the macaroons on it. Drizzle the macaroons with the chocolate (I like to put it in a plastic bag, and cut off the corner and squeeze it out to drizzle it).  Allow the chocolate to set (which will happen faster if you place them in the freezer for about 5 minutes).  Store extra macaroons in the fridge.

    *Note, since dates can vary in softness and moisture levels (depending on if you soaked them or not), if the macaroons seem too dry, add more dates (before adding the last coconut).  If they seem too wet, add more coconut.



  • Vegan Matcha Chocolate Chip Pancakes

    Vegan Matcha Chocolate Chip Pancakes

    Matcha Chocolate Chip Pancakes 2

    What do you make for dinner on a rainy day when you need a mood booster?  Pancakes.  At least that is what I made.  Colorful pancakes, because those are fun right?!  Well, I was just in a matcha sort of mood, so I made matcha chocolate chip pancakes to share with Eric, because he is the biggest chocolate lover I know, and he likes his tea as well.  Matcha just makes me happy.  The earthy, savory aroma that surprisingly goes so well with sweet things, the comfort of it, the beautiful green color.

    Matcha Chocolate Chip Pancakes 1

    My Mom sometimes made banana chocolate chip pancakes, and I always loved that, so this was kind of a grown up version of that.  Because to me matcha is grown up and sophisticated.  Paired with dark chocolate, even better.  These are super simple to make, just blend in the blender briefly, and cook! You can have them on the table quick.  They are oil free, and you really don’t need oil they have a wonderful texture as is.

    Matcha Chocolate Chip Pancakes

    The warm pancakes with the melty chocolate chips are simply heavenly.  I also made a chocolate syrup to top them off because Eric loves his syrup on pancakes.  I topped mine off with fresh berries.  These are happiness on a plate, and I can guarantee they will make you smile.  Is it weird that I almost never make pancakes for breakfast, but dinner instead?  I think I learned that from my Mom, who would make them for dinner with me when I was younger.  I always looked forward to that, and I don’t mind keeping up the tradition.

    Matcha Chocolate Chip Pancakes 3

    Vegan Matcha Chocolate Chip Pancakes
    Makes 12

    Pancakes:
    1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    2 Tbsp matcha powder
    2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 cup applesauce
    1 1/4 cups Thai Kithcen light coconut milk
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    3 Tbsp maple syrup

    1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

    Chocolate syrup:
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
    pinch sea salt

    In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and process until just blended, pour into a bowl and set aside.
    To cook pancakes, preheat oven to 110 degrees. Heat a large 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, press a few chocolate chips into the top (if you mix them in before hand they get all gooey on your griddle this is why I press them in), and cook another 2-3 minutes. When cooked, place on a plate and keep warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining pancakes.
    To make the topping, whisk together the syrup and cacao powder and sea salt until smooth (adding a little water if too thick, or more cacao powder if too thin).   Top the pancakes with it!

    *Note: If you do not have a non-stick pan, and don’t mind these not being oil free, go ahead and use a little coconut oil when cooking them to prevent sticking.



  • Vegan Green Tea Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes

    Vegan Green Tea Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes

    Did your Grandma ever make jam? Or did she have friends that did who shared it with you? Well mine did, and let me tell you, that jam was some of the best I have ever eaten. I mean really, most store bought jam just doesn’t compare to home made. So, I was thinking about how I don’t eat much jam anymore and the fact that I kind of missed it at that moment. I decided at that point that I needed to make some of my own. The reason I stay away from most of it now is the loads of sugar that is added to it. But in making my own I could control that. I made a quick strawberry rhubarb refrigerator jam, with chia seeds to thicken it. Because to be completely honest making that Grandma style jam where you have to boil the jars and all scares me. Anyways, the quick jam I made turned out so delicious!

    Green Tea Cupcakes with Strawberry Rhubarb Filling 2

    It reminded me of that jam I enjoyed as a child, but had much less sugar so it was just right for my tastes. Of course I just enjoyed some of it. Because who doesn’t love a PB & J? But I wanted to make something with some of it too. So, I decided it would be awesome stuffed into cupcakes. I love a good surprise inside my cupcake. Nothing like biting into one and finding delicious jam like a jelly doughnut!
    Green Tea Cupcakes with Strawberry Rhubarb Filling 1

    I didn’t just make these vanilla cupcakes though, I made them green tea cupcakes. Green tea is so good with berries, and if you haven’t tried this combination you simply must! In the summer a chilled green tea with berries is so refreshing. But back to my cupcakes. Matcha (green tea) powder makes it possible to make pretty much green tea anything without having to steep tea bags or worry about your food tasting bitter because you steeped them too long. You just add it to the recipe, so easy!  These cupcakes turned out so delicious! I frosted them with a fluffy matcha coconut buttercream and it went so well with the jammy sweet strawberry rhubarb and moist matcha cake. The color combination made me happy too. I would have shared these with you all if I could, but since I couldn’t I figure sharing the recipe will have to do!

    Green Tea Cupcakes with Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

    Vegan Green Tea Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes

    Makes 10

    Cake:
    3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
    3/4 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1 1/2 Tbsp matcha 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 coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/2 cup light coconut milk
    1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    3/4 cup Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Refrigerator Jam

    Frosting:
    1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight in the refrigerator
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1 1/2 Tbsp matcha powder
    1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    Organic strawberries for decorating

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Set out 16 standard sized cupcake liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, matcha, baking soda, sea salt, in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, oil, coconut milk, and vanilla 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. Spoon the batter into the bottoms of the liners, then top with a scant Tbsp jam, then the rest of the batter (but not filling more than 3/4 full). Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until set.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

    To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer.  Chill for about 30-45 minutes until the consistency of frosting.  Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use. When ready to use, place in a pastry bag and pipe over the cupcakes (or just spread it). Top with a half a strawberry. Enjoy! Refrigerate any leftovers.



  • Spicy Quinoa Veggie Black Bean Salad

    Spicy Quinoa Veggie Black Bean Salad

    I had one really busy day last week where I got home late from work, was feeling stressed and didn’t want to fuss over dinner.  A pre-dinner walk with Eric helped, but I was still not in the mood to cook something complicated.  It was a warm day so salad sounded awesome.  You wouldn’t think I would want to make salads that require chopping things at home since that is what I make all day at work, but making salads all day makes me hungry for them sometimes.  A quinoa salad was what I was craving.

    Spicy Veggie Quinoa Black Bean Salad 1

    I am not a big rice fan, so quinoa is my go to thing when it comes to grain like dinners.  I had a bunch of veggies on hand that someone had given me, some tomatoes, peppers, scallions, and fresh basil, so I knew they would make this a colorful and delicious meal.  I always say, the more veggies, the better.  I can never get enough.  Yes, I even crave veggies more often than fruit.  Weird I know.  Anyways, I also had black beans, so I figured make this an extra protein rich salad.  I added in some spicy jalapenos and chipotle peppers for a kick because it just sounded good.

    Spicy Veggie Quinoa Black Bean Salad 2

    This was so refreshing and delicious, and so quick to make!  I didn’t have to heat up the oven so my house stayed cool which was a bonus as well.  I have to say, eating this sort of food does lift my mood.  All of the pretty colors and delicious flavors!  Yum! If you are looking for an easy and delicious meal, try this out. It is good to make ahead of time as well if you want some for lunch the next day.  I made extra for just that reason.

    Spicy Veggie Quinoa Black Bean Salad

    Spicy Quinoa Veggie Black Bean Salad

    Serves 4

    1 cup white quinoa, rinsed
    2 cups filtered water
    1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
    2 scallions, sliced
    1 large red bell pepper, diced
    1 large green bell pepper, diced
    2 roma tomatoes, diced
    2 jalapenos, diced
    1 Tbsp ground cumin
    1 Tbsp chili powder
    1/4 tsp chipotle powder
    sea salt to taste
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1/4 cup lime juice
    1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

    To prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa with all other ingredients and toss until well mixed. Serve at room temperature.



  • Coconut Matcha Mint Mousse with Berries

    Coconut Matcha Mint Mousse with Berries

    I am not a coffee drinker, but I do love a good matcha latte once in a while.  I was thinking about how good it is to top off your matcha latte with coconut cream, and I decided that making a coconut matcha mousse was a good idea.  I had some fresh berries, and I thought they would be lovely in a parfait layered in glasses with the mousse. I also decided that I wanted to add a touch of mint to this mousse along with the matcha for a lovely cooling effect.  I love all of these flavors together too, they go so well as if they were meant to be.

    Coconut Matcha Mint Mousse with Berries 2

    This was super simple to make and it did not heat up the oven (which is important on a hot day, when I am trying to conserve energy and not have to turn on the AC in my house).  Not only was it simple, it was delicious.  Silky smooth, cooling, the earthy matcha and bright peppermint perfect with the fresh sweet berries.  I think this would be perfect for making ahead of time and serving at a Spring or Summer party.

    Coconut Matcha Mint Mousse with Berries 3

    Also, how lovely is this color combination?!  The pale green looks so beautiful against the red berries.  How food looks is very important to me because I do believe you do eat with your eyes and why not use all of the senses while enjoying it?!  If you wanted to make this a raw recipe (I know some of you might), you could swap out the canned coconut milk for 1 1/2 cups young coconut meat, and 1/4 cup coconut water.

    Coconut Matcha Mint Mousse with Berries

    Coconut Matcha Mint Mousse with Berries
    Serves 3

    Mousse:
    1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight in the refrigerator
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1 1/2 Tbsp matcha powder
    1/4 tsp peppermint extract
    1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    Assembly:
    1 cup strawberries (quartered)
    1 cup organic raspberries

    To make the mousse, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer.  Chill for about 30-45 minutes until the consistency of frosting.  Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
    To assemble, set out 3 small glasses. Spoon (or pipe) the mousse into the bottoms of the 3 glasses, then top with berries, then more mousse, then more berries then more mousse. Top off with a few more berries. Serve or refrigerate until serving.



  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Berry Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Berry Cake

    The best things in life are free.  Going for a run and taking in the fresh air.  Smelling the lilacs. The sunshine. Taking in the beauty of nature God has created.  I have been appreciating all of this lately.  Work can be busy and stressful, bills can get expensive, and things don’t always go as planned in your life, but the little free things that make me happy are always there.  I am not picky, and it doesn’t take a lot to keep me happy and content.  You know what else makes me happy?  Cake. It isn’t always free, because it costs money to make it but it is still happiness on a plate, and more fun to make yourself.  I was hard core craving chocolate cake last weekend, so I made one.

    Chocolate Hazelnut Cake 2

    A chocolate hazelnut cake with berries.  Because I had berries on hand, and home made Nutella sounded fabulous.  I made decadent chocolate cake layers, which were actually oil free since I used hazelnut butter instead of the oil which gave the cake a nutty flavor.  For the frosting, just a simple mixture of dates, hazelnut butter, cacao powder, water and sea salt.  The most delicious chocolate frosting that tastes just like Nutella and works perfect for spreading smoothly over your cake.  That is if it all makes it onto the cake, you may be tempted to just eat it with a spoon.

    Chocolate Hazelnut Cake 1

    I filled the cake with fresh strawberries and blackberries, and OMG, was the combination ever heavenly.  It was the perfect Sunday night treat.  This was the chocolate cake I had been dreaming of for a week.  Happiness on a plate.  You will be in your happy place if you eat this cake.  Feel free to use whatever berries you have on hand if you make it, raspberries would be awesome in this as well.

    Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Berry Cake

    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:
    1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour works also)
    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 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    1/4 cup raw hazelnut butter (smooth)
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1 cup filtered water
    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Frosting
    3/4 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes, and 3/4 cup of the water reserved
    1 cup raw hazelnut butter (smooth)
    1/2 Tbsp cacao powder
    pinch sea salt

    Filling:
    3/4 cup organic blackberries and strawberries (strawberries quartered)

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line the bottoms of two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with coconut oil so that the cake doesn’t stick. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, hazelnut 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. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. 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.
    Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth (since hazelnut butters and dates can vary, if the frosting is too thin, add a little more cacao powder, too thick, add a little more water).
    To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread about 3/4 cup of the chocolate chip frosting over it. Place the strawberries and blackberries on top of it. Place the other cake layer over that, and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with more berries if desired, and serve!



  • 5 Ingredient Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream

    5 Ingredient Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream

    It has been really warm here lately, more like Summer weather than Spring.  I think it is mostly the humidity, and it does wonders for plants but it makes me overheated and craving things like ice cream.  So, I decided that I needed to make ice cream.  I used to make ice cream every week, and have it in the freezer at all times.  But that habit has fallen by the wayside this past year and sadly I haven’t made any in a few months.  It used to be a thing of mine to make new flavors every week.  So, it was about time I made some.

    Caramel Ice Cream 1

    I wanted something simple and easy.  So I made some salted caramel ice cream.  Only 5 ingredients.  Just blend it up, freeze and enjoy!  Anyone can make this.  Including this busy girl.  I used coconut milk for the base because it is actually my favorite non-dairy milk to use in desserts, and especially ice cream.  Because to me, the ice cream needs to have the richness of the stuff I enjoyed as a child and coconut milk is perfect for that!  Dates are like nature’s caramel candy to me, so naturally I used them as the caramel in this.  Along with pecan butter, vanilla and sea salt you would swear this had real caramel in it.

    It is sooo good.  Good on its own, awesome with some raw caramel drizzled over it for extra goodness, or the perfect thing to serve atop some warm berry crisp.  I always like to serve my fruit pies and crisps warm with ice cream.  It is just the right thing to do.  Yes, I am picky.  Anyways, this ice cream is wonderful, so you should try it!  Don’t have an ice cream maker?  No worries, I have included the instructions for how to make the ice cream without it.

     

    Caramel Ice Cream 2

    5 Ingredient Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream

    Makes 4 cups

    2 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    1 ½ cups soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well before using in the recipe)
    ½ cup raw pecan butter
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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

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

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



  • Individual Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Almond Biscuits

    Individual Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Almond Biscuits

    Individual Strawberry Rhubarb Cobblers 4

    A lot of times when I go out running, I admire the gardens in people’s yards as I run past wishing they were mine, and I was able to grow all of the good stuff they are.  I live in a townhome, so all I am allowed is small pots.  I grow herbs, but that is about it. There isn’t much growing this time of the year, but there is rhubarb, which got me to thinking I want strawberry rhubarb something or other. It is such a delicious combination.  My Grandma used to make the most delicious strawberry rhubarb sauce, and I would eat so much that she would say “Careful, or you will get a stomach ache!” I assume from all of the sugar.  I never did though.  I loved that stuff.

    Individual Strawberry Rhubarb Cobblers 2

    My Dad grows rhubarb, and I hope to go over to his house and pick some soon, but I caved and bought some at the store because it was there,  and I had loads of strawberries at home and I wanted to make something strawberry rhubarb!  I had recently seen some individual strawberry rhubarb cobblers on Facebook, and I admit they made me crave them hard core.  They were not vegan, but I said to myself, I can veganize them and I bet they will taste even better.  So I did.  I one upped them too, and made almond biscuits.  I made a few cobblers with nut biscuits last year and I fell in love with them.  My Mom enjoyed them so much she asked me to make them a couple times, so I shared some of these with her too.  OMG…did they ever smell amazing while baking. Like strawberry rhubarb pie, but these were so much easier to make.  They were so delicious!  The perfect way to end my strawberry rhubarb draught (both items are seasonal here in Minnesota in the Spring, and we have been eating winter produce for so long)!  Also, nothing beats having your own cute little individual dessert!  It is all yours, and portion controlled.

    Individual Strawberry Rhubarb Cobblers

    Individual Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Cobblers with Almond Biscuits
    Serves 4

    Fruit:
    1 1/2 cups organic strawberries, quartered
    1 1/2 cups sliced organic rhubarb
    1 Tbsp maple syrup
    2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
    1 Tbsp lemon juice
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    biscuit topping:
    3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
    1/2 cup almond meal
    2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
    1/8 tsp sea salt
    2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks
    1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Oil four 1 1/2 cup (capacity) ramakins with coconut oil. In a large bowl, toss together the fruit, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, flour. Spoon into the ramakins, and cover with foil. Place plate on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling.
    Meanwhile, when the fruit in the oven is almost at 45 min, to make biscuits, in a large bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Place dough on a floured work surface, and pat into four circles slightly smaller than the ramakin’s width (they don’t have to be perfect).

    Remove baking fruit from oven. Place biscuit circles on top of the cobbler. When all biscuits are on top of cobblers, sprinkle with coconut sugar and return to the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes

    until biscuits are cooked through and lightly brown and toasted on top (keep a close eye on they could burn very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm, and top with some ice cream or coconut vanilla whipped cream and…enjoy!



  • Vegan Blackberry Chocolate Chip Coffeecake

    Vegan Blackberry Chocolate Chip Coffeecake

    vegan blackberry chocolate chip coffeecake 5

    I wanted cake last weekend, but I did not want to have to make one that I had to frost.  I wanted it to be bake and bam!  It was done, and once cooled enough, ready to enjoy.  I knew it was going to be a busy day and I didn’t have a lot of time.  So, I decided on coffeecake.  Everyone in my family loves coffeecake, something about the delicious streusel topping, which always has to have oats included.  That is how my Mom always made it.  And, that is how I like it best.  They add a nice texture without always having to use nuts.

    vegan blackberry chocolate chip coffeecake 4

    I had blackberries on hand, and I wanted to include chocolate, so blackberry chocolate chip it was.  The batter was sooo good.  I always lick the bowl, part of the perks of being the baker.  It smelled amazing as it baked as well.  The aroma of cakes baking always makes me happy.  Unfortunately I accidentally burned my hand when trying to remove it from the oven, but it was worth it for this delicious cake.  Part of being a cook and a baker, it seems to go in pairs.  I burn myself accidentally at work, then it happens again soon after.  Sometimes I have to just laugh at myself.

    vegan blackberry chocolate chip coffeecake 3

    The cake was everything I had hoped for.  It was studded with jammy blackberries, and melty rich chocolate chips (I did not cool it as long as advised because I was so anxious to try it).  Sooo good!  I got good reviews from family members as well.  This cake is really simple to make, and perfect for something to enjoy on a Saturday morning when you want something really good that doesn’t require a lot of hands on time.  I always make time for making baking, it is my happy time.

    vegan blackberry chocolate chip coffeecake 1

    Vegan Blackberry Chocolate Chip Coffeecake
    Makes one 8 inch round cake

    Streusel:
    1/2 cup gluten free oats
    1/4 cup coconut sugar
    1/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
    1/8 tsp sea salt
    3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

    Cake:
    3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
    1/2 cup coconut sugar
    3/4 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1/2 cup applesauce
    2 Tbsp coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    3 Tbsp filtered water at room temperature
    1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    1/2 cup chocolate chips
    1 cup cup blackberries

    For the streusel, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix and squeeze together with your hands until it forms small clumps. Set aside.

    Preheat oven to 375F and position rack in center of oven. Line an 8×8 inch square cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat pan sides lightly with coconut oil so that the cake doesn’t stick. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk applesauce, coconut oil, water, and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form. Stir in the blackberries and chocolate chips. Transfer the cake batter to prepared pan, then sprinkle the streusel over the top.

    Place in oven and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool cake completely in pan before serving.



  • Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant

    Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant

    Commercial deodorants can contain some nasty stuff like aluminum (linked to cancer and alzheimer’s disease), parabens (hormone disrupters), artificial fragrances, propylene glycol (can cause damage to the nervous system in large quantities), phthalates (hormone disrupters), triclosan (considered carcinogenic).  I mean yes, they make you not smell or sweat, but sweating is normal and healthy, your body uses it to rid itself of toxins as well as cool itself. And, there are natural ways to combat that funky smell.  I used this commercial deodorant for the first 20 years of my life, but then learned what I was exposing myself to, so I decided to switch to natural brands.  I have the mentality, if I wouldn’t want to eat something I wouldn’t want to put it on my skin, because that is pretty much what you are doing when you put things on your skin.  Your skin is absorbing what you put on it and it is going into your cells and bloodstream.  This is actually why I started making my own deodorant a few years back.  It is kind of fun, and I can choose what flavors I like.  I use essential oils to scent it.

    Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant 3

    I always use a coconut base, but I have been experimenting lately and decided to try adding a little cacao butter in with the coconut oil I always use since it works wonderful in body care products.  It gave the deodorant a chocolate aroma.  I decided to add mint to it, since it is refreshing and mint is a scent that I like during the warmer months.  It is sort of cooling and energizing. So, perfect for a warm morning to apply before or after your workout, which is when I use it.

    Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant 2

    Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant 1

    I bet you are asking, but does this deodorant work?  Why yes it does!  I sweat a lot.  In the summer there is a puddle underneath me when I stop running while I do my stretching. So, I can definitely tell if it works.  It keeps any bad smell coming from my arm pits from happening.  Just sayin.  Not only that, it smells good when I start to sweat because the essential oils are warmed up. So yes, it works very well.  If you want to be kind to your body, try making some for yourself, it is really easy.

    Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant

    Cacao Mint Coconut Deodorant

    3 Tbsp raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    1 Tbsp cacao butter, warmed to liquid
    1/4  cup arrowroot powder
    5 peppermint essential oil
    1 Tbsp baking soda*

    In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, then pour into an empty deodorant container, or what I do, since I don’t have deodorant containers, pour it into a couple of silicone cupcake molds.  Place in the refrigerator until it firms up, about an hour.  I actually like to store mine in the refrigerator, it makes it really refreshing when you put it on in the morning.  Note, it will be more solid if kept refrigerated.
    *Note, some people are sensitive to baking soda on their skin, if this is you, leave it out.



  • Vegan Hazelnut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Hazelnut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Hazelnut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies 4

    I first fell in love with hazelnuts when my Mom and I were in Europe when I was in high school, and we bought some really delicious hazelnut chocolates in Belgium.  They were the best chocolate I had ever tasted.  I hadn’t had much exposure to hazelnuts before that, save buying Nutella (the commercial brand really doesn’t taste much like hazelnuts in my opinion), and that was not a good way to get the flavor of real hazelnuts.  Now I consider them kind of special, because they are a little more spendy and less common than almonds.

    Hazelnut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

    So, I recently made some hazelnut butter and I am enjoying using it in recipes.  I decided last Friday that I wanted some chocolate chip cookies, and it made its way in there too along with some chopped hazelnuts.  I also decided that a touch of coffee would be a delicious addition.  The dough tasted wonderful.  Good dough is the true measure of a good cookie to this dough lover.  And I ate plenty of it.

    Hazelnut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies 2

    The cookies smelled amazing while baking.  And of course I had to try one warm out of the oven.  Because that is the second best time to enjoy cookies (second after dough eating). The soft hazelnut coffee scented cookie with the gooey chocolate chips was heavenly.  Baking is definitely my favorite Friday night activity.  So relaxing, and who doesn’t like a little cookie aromatherapy?!

    Hazelnut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies 1

    Vegan Hazelnut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Makes 28 cookies

    Cookies:
    2 Tbsp ground flax seed
    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
    1 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    1/2 cup hazelnut butter
    1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    1 Tbsp espresso powder
    3 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    1 cup mini vegan chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
    1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

    In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and filtered water. Set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
    Meanwhile, in a large bowl, coconut oil with sugar and hazelnut butter and mix until well combined.
    Mix in the vanilla extract and flax mixture until well combined.
    Add the baking soda and salt and espresso powder, then the flour, a cup at a time, mixing between each addition, until well combined.
    Mix in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop (if it is too soft at all, it may not be, in that case proceed with scooping. It just depends on how warm the coconut oil was).
    To bake, Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. To Form the cookies take about a 1 inch chunk of dough, and form into a ball.  Place on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart, and press down just slightly. Bake for about 12 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.



  • Raw Salted Caramel Chia Pudding

    Raw Salted Caramel Chia Pudding

    When I was younger, I used to make rice pudding a lot.  Not the baked kind, but the kind made with Arborio rice that you had to sit and stir for a while to make it creamy. I made all sorts of different flavors.  Once it was chocolate which I stirred chocolate chunks into at the last minute so they were melty, another time strawberry white chocolate and also a caramel version with dates.  That one was my favorite.  I stopped making this pudding however because it was full of refined white starches and really didn’t make my system feel the best as delicious as it was.
    Salted Caramel Chia Pudding 3
    I thought I would probably never be eating anything like that again, until I discovered chia pudding.  Chia pudding is awesome because you get protein in place of those white starches, as well as healthy omega 3 oils.  You can’t beat getting stuff like that in your dessert!  I love it when desserts come with benefits besides just tasting amazing.  Anyways, I decided to make a salted caramel chia pudding last weekend because some rice pudding (or tapioca pudding, since it is kinda like that too) sounded good.
    Salted Caramel Chia Pudding
    I used dates to sweeten it, as they are nature’s caramel candy and as unprocessed as it gets when it comes to sweeteners, which is why I use them a lot.  It was really simple to make, only 6 ingredients (including water and salt which aren’t really things you would need to shop for), all of which I have on hand at all times, and it was sooo good!  It might not be the most colorful looking thing, or the prettiest, but it is damn delicious!  Really, raw comfort food.  Because I consider pudding that tastes like this a comfort food dessert.  If you want a really easy delicious raw dessert, try this out.
    Salted Caramel Chia Pudding 1
    Raw Salted Caramel Chia Pudding
    Serves 3
    2 cups filtered water
    1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates
    1/4 cup raw pecan butter
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    2/3 cup chia seeds
    In a high speed blender, combine the water, dates, pecan butter, and vanilla and blend until smooth.  Add to a bowl with the chia seeds, and whisk until blended.  Let sit at least 30 minutes at least until the seeds have become creamy like rice pudding and soaked up a lot of the liquid.
    Salted Caramel Chia Pudding 4



  • Raw Strawberry Almond Energy Bites

    Raw Strawberry Almond Energy Bites

    It is so beautiful here lately.  I enjoy every bit of my morning runs, taking in the aroma of lilacs and blossoms with petals on the path at my feet, and the birds and frogs singing. Everything is alive again!  The rhubarb is even almost ready, which is really exciting.  I am a big fan of strawberry rhubarb, and I wait every year to enjoy that combination.  My Dad grows it in his back yard and he always shares.  Until then, I am enjoying the strawberries.  Not local ones yet, but next month.  I have been using a lot of dried organic strawberries in things because they pack so much flavor and not a lot of moisture if you are making something like say, energy bites.  Which is exactly what I used them for a few days back.

    Strawberry Energy Bites 2

    Energy Bites are my go to snack.  I make all different kinds, but my favorites involve one of two things.  Chocolate or fruit.  This last time I decided on strawberries of course, and they were delicious, which is why I have to share the recipe with you.  They are relatively simple to make, and so satisfying and good.  To be honest, these are often times my bed time snack.  You know, when you want something munchy, but not bad for you, because it is right before bed?  Maybe they should be called my bed time snack bites.  But then people would probably get confused and yell at me for eating before bed.  So I call them energy bites because they are perfect to eat after your workout as well.

    Strawberry Energy Bites 3

    Anybody can make these, and I think anyone could enjoy them.  They taste much better than most commercially made energy bars or bites, and of course good ingredients go into these and with store bought ones you don’t know sometimes.  These keep in the refrigerator for about a month, but I actually like them frozen because it gives them a firmer texture (even though they only last a week at my house).  I hope you are all having a lovely weekend!

    Strawberry Energy Bites 1

     

    Raw Strawberry Almond Energy Bites

    Makes 16

    1/3 cup pitted medjool dates

    2 scoops Sprout Living Vanilla Lucuma Protein Powder (about 1/4 cup)

    1/3 cup raw almond butter

    ½ cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries

    ½ cup raw gluten free rolled oats (sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats may be substituted)

    1/2 cup hemp seeds

    In a food processor, combine the coconut butter, almond butter, and dates together, and blend until smooth, then add the strawberries and oats, and pulse to blend.  The add to a bowl. Add all other ingredients to the bowl, and mix until well distributed. Press out into a rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper, and cut into shapes with a small cookie cutter (re-pressing out scraps). Alternatively, you may roll them into balls (or sort of press them into balls, since it takes a bit of both).  Set those on a parchment paper lined tray, and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes until firm.  Store in a container in the refrigerator.



  • Vegan German Chocolate Pancakes

    Vegan German Chocolate Pancakes

    German Chocolate Pancakes 2

    Pancakes can be breakfast, dinner or dessert right? Well I think they can. I was thinking more along the lines of dessert when I decided to make German Chocolate Pancakes one night last week to boost my mood. There seemed to be a lot of crabby people everywhere that day. Maybe it was the rainy chilly weather that was subconsciously messing with people’s minds and making them not so nice. Well, I had had just about enough of it, luckily I had ran that day so I did not snap or get crabby and kept a good attitude. Work was super busy as well and I was a bit tired when I got home. But not too tired to make pancakes, because making pancakes makes me happy. For whatever reason I got it into my head that some chocolate pancakes sounded really good, and I knew Eric would agree with me when I shared them with him.

    German Chocolate Pancakes 4

    I have made German Chocolate just about everything else, but never pancakes. The pancakes turned out to be oil free since I replaced the usual oil in my other recipe with mashed banana. They tasted rich as ever though, and you would have never known it. I topped them off with a date caramel laced with coconut and walnuts just as in any classic German chocolate cake. They were so good. These were definitely dessert, but I wont judge if you make a meal out of them. If you are craving German chocolate cake for breakfast, this is a good way to enjoy it.

    German Chocolate Pancakes

    The only good thing about hard days or crabby people is they often lead to good recipes (at least at my house). What do you like to do to get yourself in a more positive mindset?  I like to create recipes of course, but I also like to go for a run or walk to clear my head of negativity.  A little chocolate never hurt either.

    German Chocolate Pancakes 3

    Vegan German Chocolate Pancakes
    Makes 12

    Pancakes:
    1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 cup mashed banana or applesauce
    1 1/4 cups Thai Kithcen light coconut milk
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    3 Tbsp maple syrup

    Topping:
    3/4 cup soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water 30 minutes and drain well before using in recipe)
    3 Tbsp raw pecan butter (or almond butter)
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    pinch sea salt
    1/3 cup filtered water, or as needed
    1/3 cup finely shredded coconut
    1/4 cup chopped walnuts
    mini vegan chocolate chips (optional)

    In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients and process until just blended, pour into a bowl and set aside.
    To cook pancakes, preheat oven to 110 degrees. Heat a large 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. When cooked, place on a plate and keep warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining pancakes.
    To make the topping, combine the dates, pecan butter, vanilla, salt, and water in a high speed blender or food processor and process until smooth (adding more water if too thick, you want it pourable). Stir in coconut and walnuts and top pancakes with it!

    *Note: If you do not have a non-stick pan, and don’t mind these not being oil free, go ahead and use a little coconut oil when cooking them to prevent sticking.