Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: pudding

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

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

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

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

Vegan Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
- 1 3/4 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
- 1/2 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 2 Tbsp maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
Caramel:
- 1/2 cup pecan butter, cashew butter or almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2-3 Tbsp filtered water, or as needed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil two 1 quart baking dishes (or see bottom of post for other baking dish options).
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water mixture, oat milk, maple syrup, cacao powder, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture. Mix in chocolate.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dishes, (including the liquid, pour it over them). Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 25-30 minutes (see bottom for other pan sizes baking times), or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed and baked into pudding at the bottom.
5. Remove from oven.
6. Whisk together the caramel sauce ingredients, drizzle over the pudding then let cool about 10 minutes and enjoy warm!
For 6 small ramakins: bake 15 minutes

For 1 8×8 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish: bake 30-40 minutes
January 4, 2021
Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding
When I have a lovely loaf of crusty bread, there are two things I love doing most with it. Enjoying it with soup so I can dunk it in and soak up the goodness, and making bread pudding. I usually end up doing both if it is a large loaf and I have enough. I had a lovely loaf of sourdough bread that was getting a little dry since I had it for a few days, so I decided it was perfect for bread pudding. Eric loves it too, so win win for both of us if I make a batch and share. His Dad recently sent us a bunch of his home made jam, so I thought I would make a raspberry swirled bread pudding. Back in the day my Mom and I used to go to a local restaurant that had the best raspberry bread pudding. It was totally heavenly served warm with cool whipped cream and a sweet sauce. I have always wanted to recreate it and now was my chance!

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

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

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

Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
- 1 3/4 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
- 1/2 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1 cup raspberry jam
- 2 Tbsp maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil two 1 quart baking dishes (or see bottom of post for other baking dish options).
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water mixture, oat milk, maple syrup, spices, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture. Mix in chocolate.
3. Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared baking dishes, (including the liquid, pour it over them). Then spoon half the jam over them by the Tbsp. Top with the remaining bread mixture, and more jam. Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 25-30 minutes (see bottom for other pan sizes baking times), or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed and baked into pudding at the bottom.
5. Remove from oven.
6. Let cool about 10 minutes and enjoy warm!
For 6 small ramakins: bake 15 minutes

For 1 8×8 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish: bake 30-40 minutes
January 27, 2020
Vegan Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel
I was gifted some really good sourdough bread and decided that it would be lovely in some bread pudding. I had made some pumpkin bread pudding a few months back with some sourdough bread and it was amazing and I have been wanting to make more ever since. It was perfect timing! I didn’t want to make it pumpkin this time though. I figured since I had some really ripe bananas on hand I could make it banana bread pudding! Bananas are a little bit naturally sweet so I knew they would be the perfect add in. You would think that I would be all sweet treated out after Christmas but that is not the case. I always up for vegan desserts!

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

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

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

Vegan Banana Bread Pudding with Hazelnuts and Caramel

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
- 1 1/2 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
- 1/2 cup mashed banana
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
- 2 Tbsp maple sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Caramel:
- 1/2 cup hazelnut butter, cashew butter or almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2-3 Tbsp filtered water, or as needed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Garnish:
- additional toasted hazelnuts
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil two 1 quart baking dishes (or see bottom of post for other baking dish options).
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water mixture, oat milk, mashed banana, maple syrup, spices, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture. Mix in hazelnuts.
3. Transfer to the prepared baking dishes, (including the liquid, pour it over them). Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 25-30 minutes (see bottom for other pan sizes baking times), or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed and baked into pudding at the bottom.
5. Remove from oven.
6. Whisk together the caramel sauce ingredients, drizzle over the pudding, sprinkle with hazelnuts, and enjoy warm!
For 6 small ramakins: bake 15 minutes

For 1 8×8 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish: bake 30-40 minutes
December 26, 2019
Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel
When I was in high school, my Mom and I went on a trip to Europe. When we were eating lunch in a small cafe, I tried my first creme caramel. When I ordered it, I am not sure what I was expecting but it was not like anything I had eaten before. I think I was expecting it to be like creme brulee and be a little warm or something, but I was surprised when it was cool. A silky smooth vanilla custard with sweet caramel and it was delicious even if it wasn’t what I thought it would be! But surprisingly I never attempted to make my own at home until last year as much as I love making all kinds of desserts. I guess maybe because it wasn’t something I had made before I thought it would be difficult but it wasn’t at all.

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

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

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

Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel
Makes 4

Ingredients:

4 1 cup ramekins

Caramel:
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Custard:
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut cream
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp agar powder
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Instructions:
1. Set 4 one oz ramekins on a tray.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and salt and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer whisking every so often. Let cook for about 5 minutes until it reduces to about 1/4 cup or a little over 1/4 cup. Remove from heat, and pour into the bottoms of the ramekins.
3. To make the cream, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
4. Heat until it comes to a boil, then cook for about 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly until just thickened, then pour into the prepared ramekins over the caramel.
5. Place the tray of ramekins in the refrigerator until chilled completely. For at least 2 hours, or overnight.
6. Once the custards have set and you are ready to serve, place a plate on top of each one, then flip it over. If they are sticking at all, run a knife along the sides to loosen being careful not to disturb the custard.
7. Enjoy! Refrigerate any leftovers.
November 11, 2019
Vegan Yogurt Cheesecake in a Jar
Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. It was even before I went vegan. I thought I would never enjoy it again when I had to give up dairy, but boy was I wrong! Vegan cheesecakes are even more delicious than their dairy cousins if you ask me. In fact, it was a raw cheesecake that made me decide to take the plunge and go vegan 7 years ago. I tried it and it was so good, I decided that if I could still enjoy delicious goodies like cheesecake as a vegan it would not be bad after all! I don’t even miss any non-vegan items now.

Sometimes I want cheesecake, but I don’t want to make a whole big giant one just for myself and my boyfriend Eric so I make smaller ones. But last week, I had made some vanilla coconut yogurt using some vanilla Sunbiotics probiotics powder from Raw Guru and I decided that it would be amazing in some mini cheesecakes. I decided to do something I haven’t done before and made cheesecakes in a jar. Why not? They are portable, so if you want to bring a treat to go with your lunch, or save it for later, just screw the top on!

Once the coconut yogurt is made, these are really easy to whip up fast. The yogurt is an overnight process, but it really is worth it, and that probiotic powder gives it the perfect tang! I try to get in a daily dose of gut healthy probiotics so I love that I can include it in dessert. I wanted these to be simple and easy so for the crust, I used some home made vanilla granola I already had on hand. You could use store bought though if you wanted.

I made 3 different fillings, because variety is the spice of life! But of course you could just pick one (the filling recipes below are for 3 jars). I made strawberry, blueberry and caramel and they were all super delicious! This is not a super stiff dense cheesecake, it is more light and creamy like a cheesecake yogurt mousse which is how I wanted it. These are crave worthy! If you are a cheesecake fan, give these a try!

Vegan Yogurt Cheesecake in a Jar

Serves 3

Ingredients:

Vanilla Coconut Cheesecake Yogurt:
- 2 cups organic full fat coconut milk (use a brand that has a thick cream at the top (2/3 of the can), such as Thai Kitchen or it won’t be thick enough)
- 1 tsp Sunbiotics vanilla probiotic powder
- 1/2 cup Dastony coconut butter or home made coconut butter (not oil), warmed to liquid
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup date paste* or maple syrup
For assembly:
- Vegan Vanilla Granola
- Flavor of choice (pick one):
  - Caramel: 1/2 cup date paste mixed with 3 Tbsp almond butter, 1 tsp vanilla and a few Tbsp filtered water to thin out (add more if too thick).
  - Raspberry: Mash 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries with 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  - Blueberry: Mash 1 1 1/2 cup frozen (thawed) blueberries with 2 Tbsp maple syrup
1. To make the yogurt, combine the coconut milk and probiotic powder in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover, and let sit overnight on the counter until tangy.
2. The next day, blend with coconut butter, vanilla extract, and date paste until smooth, then pour into a bowl and chill until just thickened to the consistency or heavy cream.
3. To assemble, put 3 Tbsp granola into the bottom of 3 small jars, then top with 2/3 of the cheesecake yogurt (divided between the three).
4. Top with the flavor of choice (dividing evenly between the three), then the remaining yogurt.
5. Serve!
6. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week with a lid on.
*Date Paste: Blend 1 ¼ cups pitted soft medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain) and 2/3 cup filtered water in a blender until smooth. Store in a jar in the refrigerator up to 1 week. This can be used in recipes instead of other liquid sweeteners such as maple syrup or coconut nectar.
February 20, 2019
Vegan Eggnog Creme Caramel
For Eric’s Birthday I always ask him if he wants me to make him a cake or some sort of dessert. Because he has the biggest sweet tooth I know, and I am always happy to make one! In past years it has always been cake, but this year he said he wanted a creme caramel with cinnamon and bourbon. I thought to myself, that kind of sounds like eggnog, so it would be perfect for this time of the year too! I was totally game to try making some! I have never actually made a creme caramel before. Well, a non raw traditionally cooked one with thickening agents at least. I made a raw pumpkin one in the past but that was different because I just used coconut butter to thicken it. I wanted these to taste as traditional as possible. So, I looked at many recipes online to see how other people made them, and then made one with the best concepts combined.

I wanted to make these without refined white sugar, so I made them with maple sugar. The maple flavor is so delicious with the ingredients in this as well, so it was perfect! I will admit, I was a bit intimidated when I started this because I was concerned about the caramel not being the right texture and the custards not setting and whatnot, but I went for it. The caramel part turned out good, and made my kitchen smell like a maple syrup factory! So then it was time for the custards. First off, I tried making them with coconut milk and a little cashew butter mixed in because I thought it would make them richer and less coconutty tasting. Well, it worked…sort of. They turned out a bit lumpy and cracked, with a little bit of an odd texture not smooth but ended up tasting good. I did not consider that a win however even though they tasted good because I wanted them to be perfect for Eric’s Birthday (and because I am kind of a perfectionist when it comes to making things for people), so I tried making the custard again, only with just coconut milk and no cashew butter this time.

The second round came out perfect! Nice and smooth, with a good flavor. I had added a hint of cinnamon, nutmeg and bourbon and they tasted just like eggnog. You couldn’t really taste the coconut. I crossed my fingers as I un-molded them because I was afraid that they might crack. But they all came out really nicely and I was super happy with them! But the most important thing was that Eric liked them! These are an easy dessert to make, and it can be done ahead of time, so they would be the perfect dessert for a Holiday meal!

Vegan Eggnog Creme Caramel
Makes 4

Ingredients:

4 1 cup ramekins

Caramel:
- 1/4 cup of maple sugar
- 2 Tbsp filtered water
- 2 tsp bourbon
Custard:
- 1 3/4 cups full fat coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp maple sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp bourbon (make sure it is vegan on Barnivore)
- 3/4 tsp agar powder
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Instructions:
1. Set 4 one oz ramekins on a tray.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the maple sugar, bourbon and water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until it begins to darken in color and all sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and pour into the bottoms of the ramekins.
3. To make the cream, combine the coconut milk, maple sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
4. Mix the bourbon with the vanilla, agar powder, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and then whisk into the hot coconut milk. Whisk until just thickened, then pour into the prepared ramekins over the caramel.
5. Place the tray of ramekins in the refrigerator until chilled completely. For at least 2 hours, or overnight.
6. Once the custards have set and you are ready to serve, place a plate on top of each one, then flip it over. If they are sticking at all, run a knife along the sides to loosen being careful not to disturb the custard.
7. Enjoy! Refrigerate any leftovers.
November 27, 2018
Mini Vegan Swedish Rice Rings with Raspberry Sauce
When I was little, my Mom used to make one of the most delicious desserts for the Holidays, a Swedish rice ring. No, we are not Swedish, my Mom’s side of the family is German in fact, but she got the recipe from a coworker back in the day and it was a keeper. It was like the most delicious rice pudding, scented with vanilla and almond, shaped into a beautiful ring with a bundt pan. It was topped off with sweet raspberry sauce, which made it even better. Both me and my Mom’s favorite fruit is raspberries. So, I would beg her to make it every year. She made it from the time I was little, until at least high school. I never actually watched her make it, I just enjoyed the results. It kind of went by the wayside, being replaced with other things, like cookies I wanted to make and whatnot, but last week I thought about it, and how good a vegan version of it might be. Funny I haven’t thought to veganize it until now, because it was fairly easy to do so.

I am not sure what kind of rice my Mom used, but I went for the jasmine rice I had in the cupboard. It has a sweet aromatic aroma and it was perfect for the rice pudding. Bonus, it cooks up way faster than brown rice, and this had to have a white rice in it as was tradition. I combined it with a coconut cream mixture I usually use for “whipped cream”, thickened it with coconut butter, and it was perfect! It was so delicious with the almond extract and vanilla, and it smelled amazing! I could have eaten it just like that, all fluid and whatnot like a bowl of sweet risotto, but I poured it into mini molds. Mini molds because I don’t have a lot of people to feed it to, so they were perfect for sharing. The longest part of this recipe is simply waiting for it to firm up in the refrigerator. But it is so worth the wait!

I made a simple raspberry sauce to top it off with and it was lovely once drizzled with it! It was sweet and delicious just like my Mom’s rice ring but without all of the animal products. The original one had milk, butter, gelatin and whipping cream. But I did not even miss it, the vegan version was so good! I had to share it with my Mom of course, and she loved it as well. If you are looking for a Holiday dessert that is a little different, give these a try!

Mini Vegan Swedish Rice Rings with Raspberry Sauce
Makes 6

Ingredients:

Rice ring:
- 1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
- 1 3/4 cup filtered water
- 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
Raspberry Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (and thawed) organic raspberries
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
Instructions:
1. To cook the rice, combine it with the water in a pot, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is really soft, about 15-20 minutes or so.
2. Stir in the coconut milk, maple syrup, sea salt, vanilla and almond extracts, and coconut butter, and stir until very well blended. Remove from heat.
3. Grease 6 mini bundt pans (mine are silicone, and I recommend it), and pour the rice mixture into it. Place in the freezer for a few hours until they are set up completely.
4. Meanwhile, to make the raspberry sauce, mash the berries with the maple syrup in a bowl until the consistency of jam.
5. Unmold the rice rings from the pans, and arrange them on plates, flat side down.
6. Pour the raspberry sauce over them, and enjoy!
7. Store any extras in the refrigerator, covered.
December 18, 2017
Berries and Cream Chia Pudding
Before I went vegan, I was obsessed with stove-top rice pudding. I would make it with arborio rice, which is usually used for risotto, so it would get super creamy and delicious. I had two favorites, one that was made with butter, coconut milk and had dates stirred into it at the last minute and topped off with toasted coconut, and one that had white chocolate, cream and strawberries. They were both amazing! I haven’t made rice pudding in years because I haven’t been that much into rice, but I have found that I like chia pudding just as much. It becomes creamy fast without having to cook it or stand at the stove, and it packs much more of a nutritional punch with its heart healthy omega 3 oils. I am a huge chia seed fan. They make it into my overnight oats every day, and I love it when I can include them in my desserts as well. I like to make quick berry chia jam a lot, and of course I love chia pudding.

So a few days back, I was thinking something creamy and delicious like rice pudding sounded good…so chia pudding it was! This one was kind of modeled after that creamy berry rice pudding I used to make. Except way less sugar, no dairy and no cooking required! I used a creamy coconut milk base laced with vanilla and it was plenty rich and delicious! I blended berries into this mixture, and folded some in as well for maximum berry enjoyment. It tasted sooo good! Once the chia seeds did their thing it was even better than I had imagined.

Sweet and delicious, it tasted almost like berry ice cream, but with the texture of rice pudding, jammy sweet berries throughout. This was dessert, but honestly you could get away with eating some for breakfast. When I ate complely raw, I would often have chia porridge for breakfast because the chia seeds keep you full and are satisfying. If you are looking for a quick and easy comforting dessert and you have berries on hand, give this a go!

Berries and Cream Chia Pudding
Serves 3

Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups full fat organic coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups organic strawberries (diced) and raspberries, divided
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup chia seeds
Instructions:
1. In a high speed blender, combine the coconut milk, 3/4 cup of the berries, maple syrup, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
2. Add to a bowl with the chia seeds and remaining berries and whisk until blended.
3. 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.
4. Enjoy!
April 21, 2017
Sweet Potato Pie Chia Porridge
I love sweet potatoes so much, I eat them almost every day. Funny, because there was a time in my life when I did not care for them. Back when I thought they all came in cans with syrup (I was a kid), because that was the only way I had been served them. On Thanksgiving with marshmallows of course. But I was inspired by a cookbook to try roasting them back in college and I was ready to try them again. I fell in love with them, they were nothing like the overly sweet syrupy ones, just naturally sweet and delicious! They quickly became one of my favorite things, and still are. Very few days go by when I don’t have sweet potatoes in some form or another in my meals. Yam fries, roasted and stuffed, or in soup, I have to have them! And, you know what? They are healthy too! Especially for endurance athletes like runners. Which includes me. A sweet potato contains your daily percentage of vitamin A and vitamin c which are good for immunity, and potassium and magnesium as well, which are important for healthy muscles and nerves. So those people who tell you all carbs are bad…don’t listen to them. These are good healthy carbs, which are important for your body, especially if you work out a lot.

I like to combine those carbs with some protein. For dinner I like to stuff my roasted sweet potatoes with black beans or toss roasted ones into a salad with chickpeas. But you don’t have to limit the sweet potatoes to lunch and dinner. They make a great breakfast as well! The recipe I am sharing with you today combines them with chia seeds for protein and healthy omega 3 oils. It is a sweet potato pie porridge, and it tastes like dessert, but it will fuel you for the day, and keep you satisfied. I always include chia seeds in my breakfasts for that reason. This is easy to make, if you roast sweet potatoes for dinner, just throw an extra one on if you know you are going to be making this.

The sweet potatoes get buzzed in the blender with a little nut butter (a touch of fat helps you stay more satisfied), a few dates for sweetness (I like fruit to sweeten my breakfasts if I sweeten them at all), and a little vanilla and cinnamon. Then they get mixed with the chia seeds, and they can sit overnight in the fridge to be enjoyed the next day, or you can enjoy them after 30 minutes if you wish. This is delicious! There is nothing like having a delicious breakfast that tastes like dessert that is healthy too!

Sweet Potato Pie Chia Porridge
Serves 2-3
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato*
- 1 Tbsp pecan or almond butter (optional)
- 3-4 large soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in water 30 minutes before using and drain)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 2/3 cup chia seeds
Toppings:
- pecans
- cranberries
- coconut
Directions:
1. In a blender, combine filtered water, sweet potato, nut butter, dates, vanilla, and cinnamon and puree until smooth.
2. Pour over the chia seeds in a jar and stir to blend.
3. Let sit at least 30 minutes at least or cover and refrigerate overnight to allow seeds to soak up liquid and become porridge.
4. Top off with desired toppings, and enjoy!
*To roast sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 400F degrees, line a sheet pan with parchment, and place them cut side down on the tray. Roast for about an 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and mash with a fork (or potato masher).
January 8, 2017
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.

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.

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.

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.

May 17, 2016
Vegan Sticky Toffee Mocha Pudding

When I was in high school, every Sunday after church my Mom and I would stop at this tiny little local coffee shop. They had the best tasting coffee I had ever had. When I first started going there I would order a dark mocha, and my Mom would order a white chocolate mocha. They were sooo good. Definitely dessert in a cup. Which is why eventually my large dark mocha turned into a large Americano when I cut out refined sugars. Anyways, it always smelled so good in that shop and it was something I looked forward to. I no longer drink coffee (I eat it in desserts sometimes but that is it), but I love the smell.

My Mom was browsing some of my recipes and she came across a sticky toffee pudding. She then got it in her head that she wanted some, but modified slightly. With coffee and chocolate added. She asked me if I would make her some, and how could I say no? It sounded so good! I mean, sticky toffee pudding is already really good, moist caramelly cake filled with dates, bathed in a caramel syrup…yuuuummmm! One of my favorite things!

I added some good quality brewed coffee that my Mom supplied me with to the batter for the pudding to give it just the right amount of coffee flavor. Also, I had to add a bit of cacao powder and chocolate chunks to make this mocha. It smelled absolutely amazing while baking. I topped it off with a quick “caramel” sauce, and it was ready to dive into. Because this is something that must be enjoyed warm while the chocolate is still ooey gooey, and the cake is super soft. OMG…was it ever heavenly! My Mom loved it too, and she said it was exactly as she had pictured it to be. It was perfect, because the recipe made two, so we each had one! If you are looking for something special to make for Mom on Mother’s Day in the form of dessert, think about these little bowls of deliciousness.

Vegan Sticky Toffee Mocha Pudding
makes 2

Cake:

1/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup soft medjool dates, pitted, and soaked for 30 minutes, 2 Tbsp of the water reserved
2 Tbsp raw pecan butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)
1/3 cup strong coffee
1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup vegan chocolate chunks

Sauce:
2 Tbsp smooth pecan butter or almond butter
1 Tbsp maple syrup
filtered water as needed

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Oil a 2 one cup ramakins with coconut oil. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, pecan butter, vanilla and maple extracts, and coffee into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Stir in dates and chocolate chunks. Whisk cider vinegar into the batter until bubbles form.

Transfer pudding to ramakins and bake until tester inserted into center comes out somewhat clean, about 20- 24 minutes (do not overbake).

Whisk together the sauce ingredients until smooth and pour over cake in ramakin. Enjoy!

April 24, 2016
Vegan Shamrock Shooters

Avocadoes are amazing, that silky texture, delicious flavor and loads of healthy fats and health benefits to boot. Funny thing, one time I was talking to this guy who was supposed to be an expert on produce, and he said that avocadoes were bad for you because they contained fat. I got right on the defense of the poor avocadoes and set him straight. The body needs these healthy whole fats to function, and boy was he wrong. I take my fruits and veggies very seriously after all, and I wouldn’t want anyone to be misinformed.

I love my avocadoes, and could eat them in any form, just plain, as a guacamole, or as a luscious pudding or cake frosting. Even if you do not like avocadoes I guarantee I can feed you a recipe that you will enjoy them in. Especially desserts. They make the most delicious key lime pies and ice cream when mixed with a few other ingredients, and of course they make perfect silky pudding.

The recipe I am sharing with you today is super simple. Only 7 ingredients, and anyone can make it. I made this last weekend when I was given a few avocadoes, and told pudding or mousse would be the perfect thing to make with them. But just plain pudding or mousse wouldn’t do. I wanted the lovely color of the avocadoes to shine through and was in the mood for mint…St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, and I am all about the green stuff right now. So I made shamrock shooters. Or chocolate mint mousse with a layer of chocolate mint, and vanilla mint, topped off with dark chocolate. These are raw, but if you do not have the raw ingredients not to fret, I have given substitutions so you can still enjoy them. My taste tester loved them, and I thought they were delicious as well!

Vegan Shamrock Shooters

Serves 6

4 medium sized just ripe avocadoes, diced

3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar (or maple syrup)

pinch sea salt

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/4 cup raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder if not raw)

chopped raw dark chocolate (or good quality vegan dark chocolate if not raw) for garnish

Combine the avocadoes, raw coconut nectar, sea salt, vanilla, and peppermint extracts together in a food processor and process until smooth. Remove half, and place in a bowl, add the cacao powder to the remaining avocado in the food processor and process until uniform in color. Place the chocolate mixture into a pastry bag and pipe into the bottoms of 6 shot glasses, filling half full (or you may spoon it in, piping just looks neater). Then do the same with the plain mint avocado mixture on top of the chocolate. Sprinkle the tops with the dark chocolate and serve!

March 15, 2016
Vegan Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding

Last week, after Eric and I went to the apple orchard he told me I should make pudding with some of the apples. I have never actually heard of apple pudding, so I had to ask him to elaborate, and what he described to me sounded like sticky toffee pudding but with apples for extra goodness. A soft baked pudding with a caramel like flavor, sweet apples and sauce. Sounded good to me, so I decided to make this.

I have made sticky toffee pudding before, so I made this very similar, only substituting applesauce for the most of the usual oil and adding in chopped apples with the dates. So, this is actually a lower fat dessert believe it or not, but you would not be able to tell it is so scrumptious! The dates and apples melt into the cake part creating a caramel apple cake and it is just crave worthy.

I topped it off with a simple caramel like sauce made from maple syrup and a little pecan butter and it was perfect. The only thing I might add is some cool vanilla ice cream on top of the warm dessert. I am a big fan of that sort of thing…different temperature and texture sensations in dessert. This is quick to make, so the perfect dessert for a weeknight when you and your someone special want something sweet. Because it makes two servings, it is perfect for two!

Vegan Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding

makes 2

Cake:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup applesauce

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)

2 Tbsp filtered water

1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped into small pieces

1 small apple, chopped

Sauce:

2 Tbsp smooth pecan butter or almond butter

1 Tbsp maple syrup

filtered water as needed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Oil a 2 one cup ramakins with coconut oil. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk oil, maple extract, 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. Stir in the dates and apple. Transfer cake batter to ramakins and bake until tester inserted into center comes out somewhat clean, about 24 minutes (do not overbake).

Whisk together the sauce ingredients until smooth and pour over cake in ramakin. Enjoy!

October 25, 2015