My dad loves chocolate, I mean really loves chocolate. He isn’t going to be with me this Father’s Day since we live a few states apart, but since he generously passed on his love of chocolate, I will generously eat this cake in his honor. Love you daddy!
I did think about making something for my husband and father of my children, but I make things for him all the time. I’ll make sure to make some of his favorites for him, and I’ll even share the cake.
This is a lovely combination of several recipes on my blog, and comes together into a delightful blackout chocolate cake topped with chocolate mousse.
Vegan Blackout Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse
Cut the top off one cake to make it flat. Frost it and stack the second cake on top. Frost top and sides of cake and pat chocolate chips into sides and top.
Top the cake with chocolate mousse, serve, eat, and then take a nap. Happy Father’s Day!!
Aquafaba chocolate french toast with bourbon date caramel
I know I just posted yesterday, but this is worth it, I promise. A dark chocolate vegan french toast, topped with buttery bourbon date caramel and crunchy, salted pecans. Oh man, yes you want this. All components are surprisingly easy to make, you know, if you wanted to make someone special a Sunday brunch next weekend…
4 slices bread of choice, I recommend something on the rustic side
Coconut oil for cooking -or other oil
Instructions
Whisk together the aquafaba, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large shallow bowl until frothy.
Add the cocoa powder and whisk until combined.
Heat a large skillet over medium low heat. I use my cast iron, other’s have recommended a non-stick skillet if you don’t have cast iron.
Dip bread into the aquafaba mixture and let it sit for about 30 seconds to soak up some deliciousness.
Add oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
Transfer bread to the hot pan (I can cook two pieces at a time in my pan), and cook until the first side is firm and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until it is also starting to brown and has firmed up.
Serve with bourbon date caramel and chopped pecans.
Bourbon Date Caramel
Ingredients
1/2 cup prepared date caramel
2 TBL vegan butter ( I use Earth Balance)
1/4 cup coconut milk (full fat from a can)
1 TBL bourbon
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Heat ingredients together in a small pan over low heat stirring frequently.
I know I just posted the Italian Tofuballs a few weeks ago, but I figured out how to add a few more cups a vegetables to the mix while keeping the flavor and texture. I just had to share. This version calls for an egg, which helps the texture a bit, and helps them hold together. If vegan you can omit the egg altogether or substitute with a few tablespoons of aquafaba. These are a delightful snack, I actually even like them cold, or can be used to go with pasta. My toddler gobbled these up.
Tofu Balls with Extra Veggies
Ingredients
2 TBL oilve oil
11/2 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup minced onion
11/2 cups finely chopped spinach
3 mushrooms, minced
1 lb water packed extra firm tofu
1 TBL Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 TBL nutritional yeast
1 egg beaten (omit if vegan, or try 2 TBL aquafaba lightly beaten with a fork)
1/4-1/3 cup vegan bread crumbs
Neutral flavored oil for cooking
Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add oil, zucchini, onion, spinach, and mushrooms and cook 5-8 minutes or until most of the water has been released and cooked off.
Mash tofu in a large bowl with your hands or a potato masher.
Add Italian seasoning, salt, garlic, egg, cooked vegetables, and nutritional yeast and stir together.
Add bread crumbs a few tablespoons at a time stirring to combine. The mixture should start to stick together.
Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings to taste.
Heat about a 1/4″ of oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet to about 350 degrees. I never actually check this with a thermometer, but you should. It should be hot, but not smoking, and when you flick a few drops of water into the oil it should sizzle and pop.
Form the tofu mixture into walnut sized balls with your hands. Pack them a bit, but don’t worry if they feel loose as long as they hold their shape in your hand. If they don’t add more breadcrumbs until they do.
Carefully place the tofu balls in the hot oil, and cook until one side is golden brown (3-4 minutes), flip them and cook on the other side another 3 minutes or so until golden brown.
Unless you have a super huge skillet you will need to work in batches. You might need to add more oil between batches. If this happens don’t forget to reheat the oil before frying.
Once cooked remove the tofu balls and place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
Serve hot with pasta and sauce, or just eat as is. Super yummy snack!
You could also bake these on an oiled baking sheet at 375 for about 20 minutes. Still good, but not quite the same.
This pregnancy thing is kicking my butt again. I have to be super careful of what I eat avoiding: acidic, fatty, and spicy foods. Even the good fats were sending my body into a tizzy! So here i sa delicious, low-fat, sugar-free, whole grain muffin to satisfy. I’m not going to lie, I was surprised at how well these turned out! They are moist, flavorful, sweet, and really don’t taste “healthy”! I’m planning on experimenting with the addition of berries and the like as the base for these is just so wonderful.
Due to the lack of fat these will only keep on the counter for about 2 days, then you should freeze them and thaw as desired.
These really are a perfect start to your 4th of July celebrations as they are easy to make, ready for snacking throughout the day, and healthy. If you are looking for something a bit more traditional for the 4th, I have a few ideas:
Vegan Chocolate Aquafaba Brownies with Cheesecake Swirl
I saw this lovely recipe on the Aquafaba facebook page and had to try it out. Of course, I couldn’t leave well enough along and had to change things up just a bit. The brownie recipe is from Fried Dandelions ( I just reduced the sugar and added more chocolate) and the inspiration and cheesecake recipe is from Vegan Lass (I added a bit more flavor from extracts). I arranged my fruit into a flag just for Memorial Day. This part is optional, eating these brownies is not. I can’t even describe how amazingly fudgy these are. The cheesecake and fruit is just enough to balance the chocolate so you want to keep eating them. I especially recommend them at room temperature as that is when the fudge really stands out. Any fruit will do here as long as you like the combination of the fruit with the chocolate.
Vegan Chocolate Aquafaba Brownies with Cheesecake Swirl
Ingredients
For the Brownies
1/4 cup coconut or mild oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup aquafaba -liquid from a can of beans (white, garbonzo or black beans all work)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 c flour
For the Cheesecake Swirl
4 oz vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
1 tsp good-quality vanilla extract
1/2 tsp bourbon
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp granulated sugar
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 tsp)
1/4 cup sliced strawberries, or whole raspberries
1/4 cup blueberries
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×6 or 8×8 inch baking pan and set aside. I used parchment paper also, but that is optional.
In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and oil together. When melted, remove from heat. Add in brown sugar, maple syrup and the salt and whisk together.
Whisk the black bean liquid in the measuring cup for about 1 minute until slightly foamy (bubble all around). Pour into the chocolate mix and whisk together. Add vanilla, cocoa powder and whisk to incorporate.
Add the flour to the chocolate mixture and mix well.
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and set aside.
In a bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth with an electric mixer.
Add the milk, vanilla, almond, and bourbon, and lemon juice and beat until light and smooth.
Dot the brownie batter with spoonfuls of the cheesecake mixture.
Gently swirl the mixtures together using a knife or similar.
Distribute the fruit according to your plan, then place in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. The brownies should be mostly firm, with just a slight wobble in the middle when shaken.
Mother’s Day is on Sunday, yes, this Sunday. I know you want to make something special for the mother in your life, and since she is vegan it can be hard. This will be the perfect fix. Super easy to make as long as you have an electric mixer, looks fantastic, and will leave your both in the best of food comas. It can also be a mix and match to fit her taste buds allowing you to choose the toppings and extras of your choice. You will also impress her with your aquafaba chocolate mousse as aquafaba has just hit the mainstream in the last few weeks. You are on the cutting edge of vegan culinary delights!! Go you!
note: If you happen to be planning ahead the mousse is best made the night before-if not, don’t worry, make it now and it will still take perfect, it just won’t be as firm.
Mother’s Day Parfait with Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse
toppings and extras of choice: hot fudge sauce, liqueur such as amaretto, fruit such as berries, chopped nuts, candy, coarse salt, fresh mint, who knows!
Instructions
Start with a tall glass or parfait dish (does anyone actually have one of these?)
Layer as you desire starting with the cake.
If you are using liqueur drizzle a small amount (1 tsp) on each layer of cake.
Top with extras, then mousse. Your choice if you want to add some whipped cream to the layers of save it for the top.
Layer on until you reach the top of the dish and finish with a heap of whipped cream.
I’m in a very celebratory mood. Thanksgiving has just finished, my daughter’s first birthday was Thursday, and Christmas and New Years are right around the corner. The celebration and the holidays mean food and family to me. I am ever so lucky to be home in Wisconsin with my family right now. We get to do a birthday celebration, and a second Thanksgiving. I also get to be around people who love food as much as I do!! My mom, my little brother, my dad (though he doesn’t really cook), and my best friend from forever (she drove five hours with two small children to come see me for a few days, that’s love!) So this week I’ll get to talk about food, eat food, and celebrate with some of my favorite people. I’m very happy to be home.
To get these celebrations off on the right track I’m sharing my first aquafaba recipe. Aquafaba is simply the juice you drain from a can of garbonzo or white beans, or the cooking liquid if you make your own. You know, the stuff you usually pour down the drain. Well, if you save it, and whip it, the texture is exactly that of whipped egg whites. It’s an amazing trick. This chocolate mousse it lighter than air, it simply melts on your tongue, is richly, deeply, chocolate, and well, pretty amazing. This is a great recipe to start with for aquafaba as it is super simple, and the texture will blow your mind. For more information on aquafaba, and other ideas visit the official aquafaba website.
Aquafaba chocolate mousse
Ingredients
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
2 TBL non-dairy milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
dash of salt
1/2 cup aquafaba (the liquid drained from a can of from white or garbanzo beans)
Instructions
Mix the chocolate chips, milk, vanilla, and salt in a small metal or glass bowl.
Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water and stir until the chocolate is just melted.
Remove the bowl from the pan, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile whip the aquafaba with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form 5-10 minutes. It will look like whipped egg whites.
Once the chocolate has cooled to room temperature gently fold it into the whipped aquafaba until the mousse is a uniform color.
Set the mousse in the refrigerator and allow to cool. You can eat it right away, but I like it pretty well chilled. Overnight is great and it will last a few days.
Happy Food Ninja 