Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: matcha

  • Vegan Matcha Mint Doughnuts

    Vegan Matcha Mint Doughnuts

    I can’t believe it is already Christmas this week!  Time has flown, and as always this time of year is busy, so instead of making a cake this week when I felt like making a treat, I decided to make doughnuts instead!  I like to enjoy doughnuts with my coffee sometimes on the weekends, and when I make a batch, I always freeze some for future enjoyment. I wanted to make some Vegan Matcha Mint Doughnuts this time, and I recently received some Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru which is my main ingredient in my doughnut glazes!

    I like making my own baked doughnuts because they are healthier than buying store bought ones, and I use good quality ingredients.  For the cake portion, I used my vanilla cake recipe, which is really simple to mix!  I flavored it with a bit of matcha powder, vanilla extract and peppermint extract.  The batter itself tasted delicious.  I always give it a try, to make sure I don’t forget something (one time I forgot the sugar…oops!  but luckily I tried it and figured it out before dumping it into the pans). A note on the flour in this, if you prefer to use gluten free flour, Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour will work well, I have tried it before with good results.

    They baked up beautifully and my kitchen smelled amazing!  Once they had cooled down and were all ready to glaze, I was getting more excited.  Like I mentioned earlier, I use Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru as a base, instead of the usual powdered sugar.  Not only is it healthier, but it sets nice just like a powdered sugar glaze, and I prefer the sweetness level.  I find powdered sugar glaze to be a little too sweet sometimes because there is not much in it to cut the sweetness.

    The Vegan Matcha Mint Doughnuts turned out sooo good!  They were sweet and soft with a hint of vanilla, matcha and mint, and just enough sweetness in the glaze!  I enjoyed them with my coffee and it was such a delicious pairing, but I am going to try them next with a matcha latte because they are matcha after all and I love that too!  If you are a matcha fan definitely give these a try!  If you would like to get some Dastony coconut butter from Raw Guru you can find it on their website.

    Merry Christmas!  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday week!

    Vegan Matcha Mint Doughnuts
    Makes 6 Doughnuts

    Ingredients:

    one 6 hole doughnut pan

    Cake:

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

     

    Icing:

    • 1/2 cup melted Dastony coconut butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3-4 Tbsp filtered water or as needed
    • 1/4 tsp matcha powder

     

     

    Instructions:

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

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

    Notes:

    *If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar. (if you use the granulated it will be more green)

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

  • Vegan Matcha Vanilla Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

    Vegan Matcha Vanilla Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

    For my Birthday this year I decided to make my own cake despite being a bit busy, and that is why it has taken me a while to type up the recipe.  I have been busy planning my wedding and I just moved a few weeks ago, and this was actually the first item I have baked in my new kitchen!  But it seemed like a good way to try out baked goods in the new oven. I have really been enjoying a lot of matcha lattes lately, so I thought I would make a cake with that flavor and add in a white chocolate element to make it even better!

    This cake base is actually really easy to make, just a one bowl sort of thing.  Sometimes I blend up dates to sweeten my cake bases but I wanted to keep it more simple this time so I went with regular sugar.  I added in a good amount of matcha and vanilla and it was perfect!  I couldn’t wait to see how it baked up! The batter was certainly delicious!

    It baked up nicely and my kitchen smelled amazing! Honestly vanilla cake is one of the best aromas ever and that is why I named this blog what I did!  Once it had cooled down it deserved a delicious frosting, so I whipped up a coconut milk based cream with coconut butter and white chocolate to thicken it and give it a white chocolate flavor.  I also added in a bit of matcha for a lovely green color!

    I could not wait to try the finished cake!  It had been a several day process (I was working those days so I baked the cake portions ahead of time) and it was finally ready to enjoy on my birthday!  It was super delicious with a light vanilla matcha scented cake and creamy sweet white chocolate matcha frosting!  It was perfect paired with a matcha latte (what else?!)!  What can I say, I love matcha!  If you do too, give this a try!

    Vegan Matcha Vanilla Cake with White Chocolate Frosting
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    two 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

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

     

    Frosting:

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

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil two 6 inch round baking pans and line them with parchment at the bottom so it will not stick.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, matcha and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared pans.
    7. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then un-mold, by cutting around the edges if they are stuck at all, then putting  plate over the top, then flipping it onto that plate then placing a plate on the bottom and flipping it upright onto that plate.
    9. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten).  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    10. When ready to assemble, spread about 3/4 cup frosting over the first layer of the cake, then top with the other cake layer.  Spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake.
    11. Enjoy!

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

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar for this, it will work in place of the maple sugar.  Or if you want it more green and less brown, then you can use granulated.

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

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

  • Vegan Matcha White Chocolate Filled Eggs

    Vegan Matcha White Chocolate Filled Eggs

    I love making Easter candy!  One of my favorites has always been filled chocolate eggs.  This year I made some raspberry ones, and some caramel, and also some with a matcha white chocolate filling earlier this week!  I had enjoyed a white chocolate matcha latte recently and I decided that it would make a heavenly chocolate egg filling so I went for it! Matcha is one of my favorite flavors, and I love its brilliant green color which is perfect for spring!

    For the filling, I made a white chocolate cream with a cacao butter base with some raw cashew butter and coconut butter to give it a rich and creamy texture.  I added a bit of maple syrup and vanilla to sweeten it and it was heavenly!  I have used this before as a truffle base and it is always so good!  It is heavenly with berry or fruit flavors or even things like coffee or almond and I knew it would be amazing with the matcha.

    It was really hard to stop sampling it! When it was chilled enough to shape, I shaped it like play dough into eggs.  I should add that this has to be the right temperature to shape, if you chill it too long it becomes too hard, and if it isn’t chilled enough it starts to melt a little while you are shaping it so it is best to check it often while chilling.  You want it kind of the consistency of really thick frosting or play dough.

    Once the eggs were all shaped, I chilled them and dipped them in dark chocolate.  I could not wait to try the finished product!  They were totally heavenly!  The sweet, mellow white chocolate vanilla filling was creamy and rich, the perfect partner for the matcha and dark chocolate!  If you are a fan of matcha, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Matcha White Chocolate Filled Eggs 
    Makes 12 large eggs

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1/4 cup raw cacao butter (2 oz) or coconut oil if unavailable
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup raw coconut butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 tsp matcha powder
    • 1/4 cup filtered water

     

    Dark Chocolate:

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

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients but the matcha and water over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Whisk the matcha  into the white chocolate along with the water. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 12 balls, rolling them with your hands and shaping them into eggs.   Place on a parchment lined tray, and place back into the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.
    4. Once the filling has firmed up, dip each chocolate into the dark chocolate, being sure to let the excess drain off, and place back onto the tray (I like to set mine on a fork to allow it to drain better). Once they are all dipped, set them in the freezer until hardened.

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

  • Vegan Strawberry Matcha Chocolate Bars

    Vegan Strawberry Matcha Chocolate Bars

        

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

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

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

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

    Vegan Strawberry Matcha Chocolate Bars

    Makes 4

    Matcha and Strawberry White Chocolate:

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

     

      Dark Chocolate:

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

     

        Instructions:

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

     

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

  • Vegan Matcha Chocolate Bars with Cacao Nibs

    Vegan Matcha Chocolate Bars with Cacao Nibs

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

    Vegan Matcha Waffles

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

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

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

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


    Vegan Matcha Waffles 

    Makes 8

    Waffles:

    • 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour*
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp matcha powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp almond extract
    • 3 Tbsp ground flax seed, whisked together with 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or another neutral oil
    • 2 cups light coconut milk

    Pumpkin Seed Butter Maple Drizzle

    Instructions:

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

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

  • Matcha Coconut Easter Nests

    Matcha Coconut Easter Nests

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

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

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

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

    Matcha Coconut Easter Nests

    Makes 24

    Ingredients:

    Instructions:

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

    Vegan Matcha Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Much of the time I get inspired for recipes by finding random ingredients at the store. Like last weekend I found a bag of pistachios at Aldi for a really good price and I decided that they would be amazing in some chocolate chip cookies. Everyone uses walnuts mostly in theirs if they use nuts at all, and that is in fact what my Grandma used in hers, but I like to switch things up from the norm. I thought little green pistachios would be lovely in chocolate chip cookies especially since I am all about the green theme this week with St. Patrick’s Day being next weekend.

    I even took it a step further and decided to add matcha to the dough to make them an over all lovely green hue. I love matcha in desserts in case you haven’t noticed if you have followed me for any amount of time. I have quite a few of them including it! I was super excited about making these on my day off. Cookies are so easy to throw together unlike some other desserts that take a lot of prep time and chilling time, you can be enjoying cookies in under an hour!

    Plus I like the fact that I get to eat the dough while I am making them. Best part of the whole process next to warm cookies with gooey chocolate chips! The dough for these was heavenly. I probably ate a couple of cookies worth at least! It baked up beautifully too. I thought that the color might fade but it remained a vibrant green! So festive looking for St. Patrick’s Day!

    They tasted amazing once baked as well, soft and chewy with a little bit of crispiness at the edges, gooey rich dark chocolate chips (because I had to enjoy one while still warm of course), and the crunchy salty nutty pistachios …it was the perfect combo! Next time you are in the mood for some really good cookies, whip up a batch of these babies!

    Vegan Matcha Pistachio 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 cashew butter
    • 1 1/2 cups granulated organic cane sugar
    • 1 Tbsp matcha powder
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup chopped pistachios
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.
    2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and filtered water.  Set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, coconut oil and cashew butter with sugar and mix until well combined
      Mix in the vanilla extract and flax mixture until well combined.  Add the matcha, 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 pistachios.
    4. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
    5. To Form the cookies take about a 1 1/2 inch chunk of dough, form into a ball and on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart, and press down just slightly. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until puffed and just starting to brown slightly.
    6. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
    7. Repeat with remaining cookies and let cool for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.
  • Vegan Matcha Mint Hemp Truffles 

    Vegan Matcha Mint Hemp Truffles 

    You would think that I would be sick of treats from Christmas, but I am not.  In fact, I still am in the mood for delicious treats, especially of the chocolate variety.  The Holidays are not technically over after all, so why not make more?!  Raw Guru recently sent me some Rawmio dark chocolate bars and Dastony coconut butter and so I decided that some peppermint truffles sounded amazing.  But to make them even more amazing I added matcha into the mix as well because I love it!  In fact I drink it daily instead of coffee but it is so good in desserts too.  I was super excited about the truffles, because not only are they easy to make and I get to enjoy the finished product fairly quickly, I get to lick all of the excess chocolate from the bowls.  My favorite part of the process.

    These were going to be good.  But I decided to make them even better and add some Veggimins 500mg full spectrum hemp extract that Raw Guru had sent me as well, so I could get my daily dose of CBD oil with my dessert.  I take CBD oil daily anyhow to combat inflammation and stress, so I love the idea of getting some in with my truffles.  Also, I figured I would share some with Eric because he benefits from CBD oil too.  This particular Veggimins oil is flavored with peppermint as well, so it was perfect for these truffles! If you are wondering if the truffles tasted like hemp, no they did not.  All you can taste is the delicious mint, matcha and chocolate!

    For the filling I wanted it to be rich and creamy, so I used a combination of cacao butter, coconut butter and cashew butter to give it a white chocolate flavor base.  I added a good amount of matcha, vanilla and mint so the filling and it was so heavenly I could not stop tasting it.  The flavor was kind of like the Andes mints I grew up eating, they always had a mellow smooth vanilla mint flavor.

    I melted down the Rawmio essentials bars for the coating, and since some were chocolate mint, I had a double mint thing going on with the truffles.  OMG were they ever heavenly!  Creamy, rich, chocolaty, minty and cooling and satisfying.  Although, I might have trouble just eating one a day (which is what I usually do when I make chocolates like this), I might need two of these babies.

    Vegan Matcha Mint Hemp Truffles 
    Makes 14 truffles

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

     

    Dark Chocolate:

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 14 balls, rolling them with your hands.   Place on a parchment lined tray, and place back into the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile,  melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler until smooth.
    4. Once the filling has firmed up, dip each chocolate into the dark chocolate, being sure to let the excess drain off, and place back onto the tray (I like to set mine on a fork to allow it to drain better). Once they are all dipped, set them in the freezer until hardened.
    5. Store any leftover truffles in the refrigerator.
  • Matcha Mint Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

    Matcha Mint Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

    It is in the single digits here in Minnesota.  When I went to yesterday morning it was -5F degrees.  Which kind of feels like a shock right now because it has been in the 30s and 20s lately and that feels pretty warm compared to this.  I like to go outside and soak up the sun, but that is kind of hard for me right now since no matter what I wear the cold seems to find it’s way in.  I would run in this weather because at least I am working up a sweat (kind of), but walking is hard because I just don’t ever get warm.  I have become wimpier I have decided the older I am, because when I was in high school, I spent every day of the Winter outside pretty much for Nordic skiing practice even when it was below zero.  Not so much now.  I am kind of hibernating, and I know I should be stronger as a Minnesotan but oh well.  I am finding plenty of things to do indoors though, and at least I can still use my treadmill and bike so I don’t go stir crazy.  I have been making delicious things in my kitchen as well, some more time consuming, like the Sweet Potato Lasagna I made for Christmas, and some super simple, like the Matcha Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Energy Bites I made last night.  I am obsessed with matcha lately.  It is not just for drinking (although I do drink it daily), it is awesome in sweet applications.

    I have a container of energy bites on hand at all times.  Although they are a good snack, and pack plenty of energy, they are mostly eaten as dessert.  Because they taste just like bites of cookies, but are way better for you.  I always include some sort of protein powder, some nut butter, and plenty of healthy seeds.  For these ones I used almond butter because it goes well with matcha, and a bit of coconut butter to firm them up.  I sweetened them with dates, and it was just enough to make it taste like the brown sugar in cookies. I added in hemp and chia seeds for some heart healthy omega 3 oils, and lastly some refreshing peppermint.  It was heavenly just like that, but there was one last thing I needed to add, some chocolate chips.

    Dark chocolate vegan chocolate chips of course.  I rolled them into balls, chilled them and voila!  Deliciousness.  These are relatively quick and painless to make. They are sweet, minty, crave worthy and delicious.  They taste like cookies but you don’t even need the oven. You will get some antioxidants from the green tea, fiber from the oats and seeds, omega 3 oils from the seeds, and protein from the powder and almond butter, these are a balanced snack with benefits!  If you are craving cookies but want something a little healthier give them a try!

    Matcha Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Energy Bites

    Makes 16

     

    • ½ cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • ½ cup raw almond butter
    • 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates
    • 2 Tbsp matcha powder
    • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1 1/2 cups raw gluten free rolled oats
    • ¼ cup chia seeds
    • ¼ cup hemp seeds
    • 3 Tbsp vegan vanilla protein powder (I used Sunwarrior, but I like Sprout Living too)
    • 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a food processor, combine the coconut butter, almond butter, dates, matcha and peppermint together, and blend until smooth, then add the chia seeds, hemp seeds, and protein powder and blend again until well mixed.
    2. Add the oats and blend until mostly smooth (of course there will still be a few bits and the seeds will stay whole mostly but it is ok).
    3. Add the chocolate chips, and pulse until they are evenly distributed.
    4. Remove from the processor and squeeze and roll into balls with your hands. Set those on a parchment paper lined tray, and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
  • Vegan Matcha White Chocolate Tiramisu Cake

    Vegan Matcha White Chocolate Tiramisu Cake

    Matcha Tiramisu 3

    Tiramisu was an exciting dessert to me the first time I tried it in an Italian restaurant.  I was on vacation with my Mom up in Duluth when I was in high school, and since we were on vacation, we decided to order dessert (which we didn’t normally do on a regular basis).  It was so delicious!  The layers of moist ladyfingers, coffee, cocoa and cream…sooo good!  Definitely something we wanted to enjoy again, so we decided to make our own at home.  We made a traditional Italian recipe with the ladyfingers, zabaglione, espresso and it was super delicious but a lot of work.  So worth it though!  I have since made a few vegan versions like this Raw Banana Tiramisu, and this Vegan Tiramisu Cake.  Both involving coffee. But what I have been really wanting to make for a while is a matcha tiramisu!  I don’t drink coffee, but I do enjoy matcha quite a bit and am a huge green tea lover.  I finally got around to making the matcha tiramisu last weekend.

    Matcha Tiramisu 4

    I don’t usually use ladyfingers in my tiramisu recipes anymore because most of the commercially available ones are not made with good ingredients that I want to eat, and I don’t feel like making my own (too much piping and work), so I usually just use cake layers which is what I did this time.  It is so much easier just baking one layer, baking and ta-da!  You have your cakey part of tiramisu and if you ask me it tastes better than the lady fingers.  I scented my cake with matcha because I wanted this to have plenty of matcha goodness.  It is a subtle flavor that tends to be drowned out by other flavors, so I needed to make it present.  The cake batter tasted amazing on its own even before I baked it!  I knew this was going to be super delicious once the cream and matcha soaking syrup were added.

    Matcha Tiramisu 1

    Instead of the usual zabaglione custard and whipped cream needing to be folded together that classic tiramisu has, I opted instead for a white chocolate cream that tasted even better!  It was much easier to make as well.  Once the cake was all assembled, dusted with matcha and lovely I couldn’t wait to try it!  It was just as delicious as it appeared too!  Moist vanilla matcha cake, sweet luscious white chocolate cream, and of course the earthy matcha throughout.  So tasty!  If you are not a coffee drinker, then this is the perfect tiramisu for you!  My taste testers much approved as well.

    Matcha Tiramisu 2

    Vegan Matcha White Chocolate Tiramisu Cake
    Makes one 2 layer 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking 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 raw almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp matcha powder
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Cream:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
    • 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
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)
    • 1/4 cup melted cacao butter warmed to liquid (or additional coconut butter if unavailable)

     

    To soak:

    • 1/4 cup thin coconut milk
    • 1 tsp matcha
    • 2 tsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Matcha powder for dusting layers

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil two 6 inch round cake pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment.
    3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, water, matcha, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    5. Pour the cake batter into prepared pan, and place in the oven.
    6. Bake cake until set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, about 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool completely, then unmold onto a plate. Cut in half horizontally so that you have 2 layers.
    7. To make the soaking liquid, whisk together the coconut milk, matcha, maple syrup and vanilla. Brush this over each cake layer.
    8. To make the cream, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten).  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    9. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, dust with about 2 tsp matcha powder (I used a fine meshed strainer with the matcha powder in it and tapped it above the cake layer to distribute it evenly).  Spread cream 1/4 inch thick over the cake layer.  Place the other cake layer over that, dust with the matcha in the same manor as the other layer, then spread more cream over that.  Dust the top of the cake with about 2 tsp matcha powder.  Let sit for a few hours 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.



  • 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.



  • 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.



  • White Chocolate Matcha Hemp Eggs

    White Chocolate Matcha Hemp Eggs

    I am on an Easter candy making kick. It is really quite fun, and of course you get to enjoy a delicious end product and maybe share it with others if it is good enough.  I made some last night that was just that. Delicious. But not what you would expect.  I love my hemp seeds, and recently made some hemp seed butter.  I thought incorporating it into a candy would be awesome, so I could get my healthy fats, and enjoy my dessert too.  So, I decided to go with the color.  By color I mean the lovely green of the hemp seeds.  I added matcha to the hemp seed butter as well for the filling of this candy.

    White Chocolate Matcha Hemp Eggs 3

    Why not have some anti-oxidants with your healthy oils and dessert?!  Ok, at this point, I know it sounds more savory than sweet.  But don’t you worry, I added cacao butter and vanilla and sweetened it up so that it tasted heavenly.  White chocolate with green tea.  You don’t really taste the hemp seeds, but they contribute to the lovely color.

    White Chocolate Matcha Hemp Eggs 1

    I dipped them in raw white chocolate to complete them.  Since I was in more of a vanilla white chocolate sort of mood than a dark chocolate one.  Plus they looked more like real eggs, and I loved the contrast of the off white chocolate shell on the pale green filling. They tasted sweet and wonderful as well, you would never know they were made from healthier ingredients!  Definitely something wonderful to fill your Easter baskets with!

    White Chocolate Matcha Hemp Eggs

    White Chocolate Matcha Hemp Eggs
    Makes 12

    2/3 cup raw hemp seed butter*
    1/2 cup raw cacao butter, warmed to liquid
    3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    2 tsp matcha powder
    pinch sea salt

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

    Whisk together all filling ingredients until smooth, then place in the freezer to firm up (but not until it is hard), about 15 minutes (whisk every 5). Once it is the consistency of play dough, form into little egg shapes (it is ok if it sticks to your hands a little, but if it is too warm, put it back in the freezer). Place the eggs on a foil lined tray, and place back in the freezer for about 15 minutes to chill.
    Meanwhile, whisk all of the white chocolate ingredients together in a bowl. Set the bowl next to the eggs, and dip each into the white chocolate letting the excess drain off, and placing back on the tray (I like to set them on a fork for dipping). Once they are all dipped, place back in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden, then dip them again, and repeat. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a month.

    *You can buy raw hemp seed butter, or if you have a high speed blender, make it like I did.  To do so, place about 3 1/2 cups shelled hemp seeds into your blender and blend until smooth, using the tamper to press them down into the blades (do not try this with a regular blender, it will not work). Store in the refrigerator.



  • Matcha Almond Fig Overnight Oats

    Matcha Almond Fig Overnight Oats

     Matcha Overnight Oats 2

    I got my hands on some gorgeous figs, and although I enjoyed some plain, some made it into my breakfast as well.  I have been making special variations of overnight oats on the weekend.  During the week I am pretty boring, just the same old spices that are cheap and quick.  But on the weekends I feel like I can play around a bit and make something special.  The one that I made with the figs, contained green tea as well.  I like to have some matcha during the day for a boost, but I figured, why not include it in my oatmeal along with the figs and some almonds?

    Matcha Overnight Oats 1

    It was a lovely colored and delicious combination.  This gave me energy for hours!  With the tea, fiber and protein (I included some vanilla powder). I need to eat things like this after a run in order to refuel and stay energized throughout the day. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on figs, you must try this.  I always kind of consider figs special because I do not find them often here.

      Matcha Overnight Oats

    Matcha Almond Fig Overnight Oats

    Serves 1-2

    1/2 cup gluten free steel cut oats or rolled oats (if you want this to be raw use raw rolled oats)

    1 1/2 cups filtered water

    2 scoops Sprout Living Epic Vanilla Lucuma Protein Powder*

    1 Tbsp chia seeds

    1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    1/2 tsp pure almond extract

    1 Tbsp matcha powder

    stevia or maple syrup to taste

    1 cup fresh figs, quartered

    1/4 cup chopped raw almonds

    In a jar, combine all ingredients, and stir to mix together.  Let sit in the refrigerator covered overnight.  Enjoy in the morning!

    *If you do not wish to add protein powder, then simply use your favorite non dairy milk reduced to 1 cup in this recipe.



  • Vegan Matcha Raspberry Meringues

    Vegan Matcha Raspberry Meringues

     

    With all of the vegan meringues that have been popping up lately on social media I had to try my hand at making some.  I admit that these types of things have always intimidated me a bit, especially macarons which I used to love before I stopped eating animal products.  Funny because I like to make lots of different desserts, but I tend to make what I know well.  Time for me to step outside the box though.  I need that every once in a while, keeps life interesting.  So, I figured I would start off with something simple. I used the aquafaba method for meringue making which in case you haven’t heard is using the brine from canned chickpeas. It whips up into a beautiful meringue!  I do not have a stand mixer, so I used my food processor to whip the liquid up.  It worked so much faster than everyone says a stand mixer does.  I admit I had a few fails, about 4.  The first time, I added the sugar too fast, and it was not fine enough, and it turned into liquid.  The second, it whipped up into a beautiful marshmallow fluff, but I had no stabilizers in it so when I put it in the oven it ran to flat pancakes.  The third, they didn’t get hard enough in the oven even after 3 hours they were like marshmallows. Luckilly I have a lot of access to chickpea liquid since I make loads of them at my work in the deli.  I am sure if I were using the usual refined sugar in my recipes like everyone else, they would have turned out.  But that is not something I keep in my home, or want to eat. So…I have been working with coconut sugar and xylitol.  I saw a post on the FB group Vegan Meringue- Hits and Misses about someone dehydrating xylitol meringues so I figured I would try my own version of that.

    Green Tea Meringues 4

    Every time I have used the xylitol it whipped up nicely.  So, the question was would it stay nice in the dehydrator since I did not have success with the oven the first time I tried that.  The meringue was lovely, shiny and perfect. I decided to add in a little matcha powder with the vanilla just to make it more interesting.  I can never leave things plain…my brain just doesn’t work that way.  I also folded in tart freeze dried raspberries because I love berries with green tea, and I thought the red and the pale green would be lovely.

    Green Tea Raspberry Meringues

    I popped them in the dehydrator, and crossed my fingers, and prayed they would turn out.  24 hours later, I ended up with delicious little meringues!  I was so happy they actually turned out you have no idea. The earthy sweet green tea base was perfect with the flecks of tart raspberry. I have included the recipe if you have a dehydrator and want to try this too.  I am not done experimenting yet with my meringues, and I have another experiment baking as I type this.  Stay tuned.

    Green Tea Raspberry Meringues 2

    Vegan Matcha Raspberry Meringues

    Makes 12

    1/2 cup aquafaba*

    1/2 tsp guar gum

    1/2 tsp cream of tartar

    1/2 cup powdered xylitol sugar**

    pinch sea salt (if your chickpea liquid has no salt)

    2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

    1 Tbsp matcha powder

    1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries, crushed up into smaller pieces

    In a food processor (which is what I used, or you may use a stand mixer with a whisk attatchment), whip up the chickpea liquid until it has reached pretty stiff peaks. This will take about 2 minutes in the food processor.  Add the guar gum and cream of tartar and process until incorporated.  Add the sea , sugar and arrowroot with the motor running, a little at a time through the feed tube (so you do not deflate it), then allow to process until the sugar is completely dissolved and the meringue is smooth, shiny and thick.  Add the vanilla and matcha, and blend until uniform in color. fold in the raspberries.

    Carefully place the meringue mixture into a pastry bag with a large tip, and pipe into meringues on a parchment paper lined dehydrator tray.

    Dehydrate at 155F for 24 hours, until crisp.  Remove from the dehydrator and store in an airtight container.

    *Aquafaba is the liquid from chickpeas.  You may either use the liquid from canned chickpeas, or liquid from chickpeas you have cooked yourself (if it is thick enough).

    **I buzzed the xylitol in the blender until fine before using in the recipe, this makes it less likely to deflate the meringue. Xylitol is toxic to dogs the same way chocolate is, so do not let your dog get ahold of this marshmallow fluff.

    ***Please note, if it is very humid where you are and your meringues get a little soft, just place them in the fridge in the container you store them in and they will become more crunchy.

    Green Tea Raspberry Meringues 1



  • Raw Fudgy Matcha Mint Brownies

    Raw Fudgy Matcha Mint Brownies

    Matcha Mint Brownies 4

    Matcha makes me happy. That happy color along with the earthy aroma and flavor is something that I love.  I have always been a green tea fan, ever since I was young which is odd because I didn’t always like other types of tea, just green.  I knew I enjoyed drinking a warm cup of it, and now as an adult I still do.  It is a comforting flavor.  Savory almost, but it goes so well with sweet if you pair it with the right things. Matcha is more spendy than just plain old green tea so I treat it like a treasure, something that is a treat since I buy the good quality stuff.  To me a cup of matcha tea is a luxury, but using matcha in a dessert is also special.  So when I wanted to make some fancy brownies last week, I decided to invite matcha to the party.

     Matcha Mint Brownies 2

    I had some fresh mint, and I included that as well for another flavor note.  Just a little, not so much as to overpower the matcha.  The two flavors married well with the dark chocolate of the brownies.  In my raw brownies, I don’t usually add raw chocolate to the batter, just cacao powder but this time I did and it made them extra delicious. They may look like ordinary brownies, but put one in your mouth, and bam!  You have devoured it and are searching for more.  They are that good.  The earthy matcha, fresh mint and rich chocolate are a match made in heaven.

    Matcha Mint Brownies 3 

    Raw Fudgy Matcha Mint Brownies

    Makes 16 small brownies

    Ingredients:

    1 cup finely shredded, dried coconut

    1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

    1/2 cup ground flax seed

    1/4 tsp sea salt

    1 1/4 cups pitted soft medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in water 30 minutes and drain well before using)

    1/2 cup raw cacao powder

    1/4 cup fresh peppermint leaves (or 1/4 tsp fresh peppermint extract)

    1 Tbsp matcha powder (plus more for sprinkling on top)

    3/4 cup chopped raw chocolate

     

    Combine the coconut, pumpkin seeds, flax seed, and sea salt in a food processor and process until very finely ground.

    Add the dates, and process until they are fine as well.

    Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and dough like.

    Press into a 1/2 inch thick square on a parchment lined tray, dust with matcha, and enjoy at room temperature, or chill if you would like them firmer.

    Store any extras in the refrigerator.

     



  • Raw Matcha Almond Tart with Berries

    Raw Matcha Almond Tart with Berries

    Green Tea Tart 2

    The weather here has been glorious lately.  Waking up to about 45 degrees, running in the cool morning air, taking in the aroma of the few spring blossoms that have decided to start blooming and listening to the song of the excited birds is pretty amazing in the morning.  Then in the afternoon it is warm enough to sit outdoors and chill or go for a walk to get my daily dose of vitamin D.  I get excited when it is shorts weather from morning until evening, and no extra clothes layers are needed.  I am craving warmer weather things as well, like fresh berries. So I bought a few last weekend and enjoyed some plain, but the rest ended up on a delicious matcha almond tart I made.

    Green Tea Tart 3

    I love all things matcha and especially with sweet almond.  I discovered this combination when making matcha tea with almond milk.  It is sooo good!  So I thought a tart with a creamy matcha almond filling would be amazing with the fresh berries and a crunchy crust.  It was so refreshing and light, yet satisfying.  Just the way I like my desserts, and perfect for Spring! If your Mom is a matcha fan, I think this would be perfect for Mother’s Day.

    Green Tea Tart 4

    Raw Matcha Almond Tart with Berries

    Makes one 8 inch tart

    8 inch tart pan

    crust:

    1/2 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats

    1/2 cup finely shredded, dried coconut

    1/4 cup ground flax seed

    3/4 cup soft, medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in water for 30 minutes and drain well first)

    1/8 tsp sea salt

    2 Tbsp raw almond butter

    Filling:

    2 cups young coconut meat*

    1/2  cup coconut water

    3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or agave nectar

    1/4  tsp sea salt

    2 tsp matcha powder

    seeds of one vanilla bean, or 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

    1/2 tsp pure almond extract

    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid**

    fresh organic strawberries and blueberries for garnish

    raw almonds for garnish

    To make the crust, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until finely chopped and holds together when squeezed (if it doesn’t add a few tsp water and pulse until it does).  Press into an 8 inch round tart pan with a removable bottom (I like to oil mine with coconut oil first). Set aside.

    Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients but the coconut butter in a food processor and process until smooth.  With the motor running, add the coconut butter and process a minute more.  Pour into the prepared crust, and let sit in the freezer for about 1 1/2 hours until firm.

    When ready to serve, garnish the top of the tart with fresh berries and raw almonds. Store cake in the refrigerator.

    * 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours and drained can be substituted for the coconut meat if unavailable.

    **If your young coconut meat is especially soft and watery, you will need to add at least a few Tbsp more coconut butter.

    Green Tea Tart

     

  • Raw Green Tea Ice Cream with Strawberry Swirl

    Raw Green Tea Ice Cream with Strawberry Swirl

    Green Tea Strawberry Ice Cream 3
    When I was enjoying a cup of warm matcha recently, I admired the lovely green color in my mug and I thought, how lovely would it be to make a matcha ice cream with a strawberry swirl?  The green contrasting the red, and the earthy matcha paired with the sweet berries.  I had to make it.  I have always been a fan of matcha ice cream, ever since I tasted some as an 8 year old in a Japanese restaurant.  At that point, I felt like I was eating something exotic and special.

    Green Tea Strawberry Ice Cream

    I still love it.  Especially when made with coconut based ice cream, because that flavor is perfect with the matcha.  That is exactly what I used for this recipe.  The base tasted wonderful, even before I put it in the ice cream maker.  Once frozen and swirled with a simple strawberry sauce, it was simply heavenly.  I don’t care if it is not summer yet, I love my ice cream.  And this is the perfect spring ice cream!
     Green Tea Strawberry Ice Cream 2

    Raw Green Tea Ice Cream with Strawberry Swirl
    Makes about 6 cups

    Ice Cream:

    1 cup coconut water

    2 Tbsp matcha powder

    4 cups young coconut meat*

    1/2 cup raw coconut nectar or maple syrup

    seeds of one vanilla bean or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

    a pinch of sea salt

    1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

    Swirl:

    1 1/2 cups fresh organic strawberries

    2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar

    pinch sea salt
    Add coconut water to a high speed blender or food processor, along with matcha, coconut, coconut nectar, vanilla, and sea salt. Process until smooth, then with the processor running, add the coconut oil slowly and process until well incorporated, about a minute. Pour the strained mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to directions.

    Meanwhile, to make the strawberry swirl, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Set aside.

    When ice cream has finished churning, remove from ice cream maker, and pour 1/3 of it into a freezer safe container with a lid. Then spoon some of the swirl over. Then half the remaining ice cream, then more swirl, then remaining ice cream, then swirl.  Swirl the ice cream through with a knife to marble it.  Cover.  Let sit in the freezer for at least four hours or overnight to firm up to scoopable consistency.

    *If young coconut meat is unavailable, you may substitute 4 cups raw cashews, soaked 4 hours and drained.

    Green Tea Strawberry Ice Cream 1

  • Raw Matcha Coconut Cream Pie

    Raw Matcha Coconut Cream Pie

    Matcha coconut lattes are amazing, and one of my favorite warm drinks lately. If I want something a bit jazzier than tea since I don’t drink coffee they do the trick.  The sweet flavor of the coconut along with the earthy matcha is simply heavenly!  Which got me to thinking, a coconut cream pie with matcha would be amazing.  I had to make one.

    So that is what I made last weekend.  The most luscious pie I have made in a while with two of my favorite flavors involved.  This pie was pretty simple.  A classic raw pie crust, filled with a matcha laced coconut cream and large flake coconut like a classic coconut cream pie topped off with more coconut cream.  It was one of the best coconut cream pies I have made, and I have made quite a few.

    Billows of coconut whipped cream are one of my favorite things, bring matcha to the party and put it in a crust even better!  If you are a coconut cream pie fan, or a green tea fan, you must try this! It is perfect for spring, and I think it would make the perfect finale to an Easter brunch or dinner.

    Raw Matcha Coconut Cream Pie
    Makes one 6 inch pie

    1 six inch deep dish pie plate

    Crust:
    3/4 cup finely shredded dried coconut
    3/4 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats
    1/2 cup ground flaxseed
    1 cup soft pitted medjool dates
    1/4 tsp sea salt

    Filling and  Topping:
    4 cups fresh young coconut meat packed*
    1/2 cup fresh coconut water
    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar, or your choice of raw liquid sweetener
    1/4 tsp himalayan salt or sea salt
    1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds of  a vanilla bean
    2/3 cup  plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

    1 Tbsp matcha powder
    1 cup large dried coconut flakes

    Additional matcha and coconut flakes for serving

    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 6 inch pie pan or spring form pan greased with coconut oil.

    To make the cream, combine the coconut, coconut water, coconut nectar, sea salt, vanilla and process until smooth.  Add the coconut butter with the motor running and process for a minute. Divide between 2 bowls. Whisk the matcha powder into one, then fold the coconut into it.  Pour the matcha filling over the prepared crust and place in the freezer to firm up (about an hour). Place the other bowl in the freezer for about 45 minutes and chill until it is the consistency of whipped cream.
    Once the filling and the cream have chilled long enough, top the filling with the plain cream, dust with a little matcha powder, and top with more large flake coconut before serving.
    *If you do not mind this pie not being nut free, and coconut meat is unavailable, you may use 4 cups raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours and drained instead.

     

  • Raw Green Tea Almond Raspberry Granola

    Raw Green Tea Almond Raspberry Granola

    My Mom drinks green tea every day, and she loves my granola for breakfast. So I thought I would create a recipe for her that combined two of the things she loves.  Plus, I am a fan of granola myself and I can not resist anything with matcha in it lately.  It has found its way into many of my desserts, and I am always discovering new and delicious things to pair with it.  This really turned out to be a granola tailored to my Mom though, since it had lots of her favorite things in it.  Not just the matcha powder, but almonds, raspberries and coconut as well.  My Mom always said almonds are the king of nuts when I was a child and I was skeptical about eating them.  Now I as an adult I finally see where she was coming from.  She has also always been the biggest coconut lover I know, eating my Mounds bars after Halloween because I didn’t like most coconut stuff much as a child.  Boy has that changed. We both have a love of raspberries, and always anxiously await summer when they are in season.  The sweet and tart together along with the seedy texture makes us both happy.

    So, I knew we would both find this granola delicious!  The earthy matcha was wonderful with the berries and sweet almond.  This is a wonderful snack in my opinion and a wonderful breakfast in my Mom’s.  She likes to enjoy it with milk, and I enjoy it crunchy and munchy.  The best thing about raw buckwheat granolas is they are a bit more crunchy than the traditional home made oat granola.  which is exactly what I enjoy.  I love to top off smoothie bowls with it or raw coconut yogurt.

    Raw Green Tea Almond Raspberry Granola
    Makes about 8 cups

    2 cups raw buckwheat
    1 1/2 cups dried large coconut flakes
    2 cups raw almonds, soaked for 6 hours and drained
    1/3 cup raw coconut nectar or maple syrup (or more if you prefer sweeter)
    1/4 cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    2 Tbsp matcha powder
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/2 tsp almond extract
    1/4 cup filtered water
    1 cup dried raspberries

    Soak buckwheat for 30 minutes, rinse very well (as it has a slimy coating that needs to be removed) and drain. Place in a large jar and set in a well lit area (natural light, but not in direct sunlight). Let sit for a couple days, or until little sprouts begin to emerge from the buckwheat, rinsing 2 times a day. Once sprouted, drain well, and place in a large bowl, along with the coconut, and almonds.
    In a food processor, combine the coconut nectar, coconut butter, sea salt, vanilla, almond extract, water and matcha. Process until smooth and pour the mixture over the granola and mix well with your hands. S
    pread out on 2 lined dehydrator, and dry for about 12 hours or until crispy.
    Mix in the dried berries once dried. 
    Can be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks at room temperature.

  • Vegan Matcha Pear White Chocolate Layer Cake (gluten free)

    Vegan Matcha Pear White Chocolate Layer Cake (gluten free)

    I love everything about matcha.  Its earthy aroma and flavor, its beautiful green color, and how wonderful it goes with sweet things.  Although I am perfectly happy with my matcha lattes, I am a big fan of allowing it to be the star in other things as well. Some of my favorite things to pair it with are chocolate, both white and dark, almonds, and certain fruits.  I have made some things with banana and matcha and that was an amazing combination, but recently I tried pear and oh boy was it wonderful.

    I tend to make things based on what I have on hand, and last weekend I knew I wanted cake, and I knew I wanted to include matcha.  But the other components had not fallen into place yet.  I was thinking about it all day at work on Saturday and then finally when I was shopping for my groceries afterwards I saw the perfectly ripe pears. They were calling my name.  They sounded so good to me at that moment.  So…I thought why not pair the matcha with the pears in a cake?  Maybe add in a little white chocolate in the frosting for good measure too!

    I was excited about this one!  I love trying new flavor combinations and this one was going to be wonderful, I could feel it.  For the cake batter, I added pureed pears to keep it moist once baked, and a bit of earthy matcha as well not wanting to limit it just to the frosting.  It smelled amazing and I needed to make a frosting that was just as much so.  I did not have any young coconuts at the time, and I know you all sometimes appreciate when I use easier to find things in my recipes so I went with organic coconut milk for the creamy part of the frosting along with coconut butter to thicken pureed pears.  Adding pears to frosting?  Yes!  It worked too, adding extra sweetness and bulk without being entirely coconut or having to add cashews.  So I kept this nut free as well.  Some cacao butter also made its way into the frosting to give it a hint of white chocolate along with the earthy matcha and it was heavenly.

    I could have eaten that frosting in a bowl with a spoon like mousse, but I thought it would be better to clothe the cake with it. I loved the color this cake turned out, a light mossy green that made me long for spring and warmer weather and a walk through the forest.  It tasted simply heavenly, the sweet pears and white chocolate in the frosting perfect flavors for the earthy matcha to play with.  I topped it off with some of my matcha white chocolates just because.  Trust me, if you are matcha obsessed like me, you need to make this for yourself.  It will put you in your happy place!

    Vegan Matcha Pear White Chocolate Layer Cake (gluten free)

    Makes 1 6 inch 4 layer cake

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:
    1 1/2 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (or GF oat flour works here as well)
    1 cup coconut sugar
    1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp sea salt
    2 Tbsp matcha powder
    1 cup pureed fresh pear
    1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp light coconut milk at room temperature
    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    Frosting:
    2 cans organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
    2 cups peeled, diced fresh pears
    3/4 cup raw coconut nectar, maple syrup or agave nectar
    1/2  tsp sea salt
    2 Tbsp matcha powder
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1 1/4 cups coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    1/3 cup raw cacao butter, warmed to liquid**Garnish:
    Matcha powder
    Chopped Raw Matcha White Chocolates

    Preheat the oven to 375 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 coconut oil so that the cake doesn’t stick and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment fit to the pan.
    Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, sugar and matcha powder in a large bowl to blend well.
    Whisk oil, coconut milk, 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.
    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, then place in the fridge 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 the frosting, combine all ingredients but the coconut butter and cacao butter in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  With the motor running, add the coconut butter and cacao butter and process a minute more.  Pour the frosting into a bowl and let sit in the freezer until the consistency of whipped cream (this may take anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour depending on how warm it has gotten).
    When ready to frost, place one cake layer on a plate. spread frosting about 1/2 inch thick over the first layer, then top with the second.  Repeat the frosting, then another cake layer, then more frosting then the last cake layer. Spread frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake.  Dust the top of the cake with matcha (I put mine in a fine meshed strainer and tapped it over the top) and matcha white chocolate if desired.  Store cake in the fridge.

    **If you can not get cacao butter, you can substitute more coconut butter or coconut oil.

    ***if you would like a 4 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans.

     

  • Vegan Matcha White Chocolates

    Vegan Matcha White Chocolates

    I have a thing for matcha lately.  Whether it is my cup of mid-morning matcha at work or a smoothie or some chia breakfast porridge, I love the stuff.  Everything about it is appealing to me, from its beautiful green hue to its earthy addictive aroma and flavor.  I love it in desserts paired with sweet flavors like almond, vanilla or white chocolate.  Since I had some raw cacao butter on hand, I wanted to make some matcha white chocolates because they sounded absolutely heavenly.  I am actually more of a vanilla girl than a chocolate girl (shocking I know), so these were right up my alley.

    I thought I would mold them into cute little hearts as well, since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and they might make wonderful gifts (if they last that long with me around).  I admit the process of making these was a bit of an experiment and I was not sure how they would turn out.  The last time I tried to make a white chocolate with cacao butter I ended up throwing it out because I ruined it.  I had my fingers crossed this time. I used a mixture of  raw cacao butter and raw coconut butter plus a little cashew butter for the base, with maple syrup to sweeten.

    They were heavenly, and they melted on my tongue into sweet deliciousness.  I would not mind (would love) a box of these for Valentine’s Day if someone gave them to me who had made them and knew me well enough to know I would appreciate these more than regular chocolates. Because (most of) us women appreciate creativity and things which are out of the ordinary with thought and time put into them.  If you are reading this and your lover loves matcha, you might have to get on making some for them as a special treat!

    Vegan Matcha White Chocolates
    Makes about 24 small chocolates

    Ingredients:

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

    Instructions:

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