Tag: vegetarian

Vegan Macadamia Nut Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Vegan Macadamia Nut Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Vegan Macadamia Nut Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Happy Fourth of July! This is a delightful summer recipe perfect for cooling off at the end of the day. The base is similar to my Key Lime Pie Cheesecake, but the macadamia nuts make it richer with an almost white chocolate feel to it. The raspberry sauce is a good contrast with its bright fruitiness brings the proper balance to the dish.

Vegan Macadamia Nut Cheesecake

 Ingredients

  • For the crust
  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (1 sleeve of whole graham crackers-make sure they are vegan) I used the blender to grind them into crumbs
  • 1 TBL brown sugar
  • 3 1/2 TBL vegan butter, melted
  • For the cheesecake filling
  • 1 cup roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup coconut milk (full fat from a can)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp pure almond extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Prepare muffin pan with 12 liners.
  3. Mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and vegan butter in a bowl until combined.
  4. Divide evenly into prepared muffin tin.
  5. Press crumbs down into pan with the bottom of a cup or you fingers.
  6. Bake 6-8 minutes until lightly golden.
  7. Cool completely.
  8. While crust is cooling, place macadamia nuts and cashews in a small saucepan and cover with water.
  9. Bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes.
  10. Drain and set aside.
  11. In the container of a high powered blender combine the coconut milk, coconut oil, vanilla, almond extract salt, and agave and blend until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
  12. Add the cooked and drained nuts to the blender. Start your blender on a low speed and slowly turn it up to high, then blend on high for 1 minute until completely smooth.
  13. Divide batter evenly over the prepared crust.
  14. Freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. Store in the freezer and allow them to thaw about 20 minutes on the counter before eating for the best texture.
  15. Top with Raspberry sauce before serving.

Raspberry Sauce

 Ingredients

  • 3 cups frozen raspberries
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 TBL agave nectar

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  2. Cook, stirring frequently, until the raspberries are soft and falling apart, and the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Father’s Day Roundup

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

I took a poll for my husband’s and my father’s favorite recipes on the website. I’ll share in case you are in need of some inspiration for Father’s Day, and you don’t feel like making the chocolate cake from last week.

My Husband’s top picks are:

Chocolate Peanutbutter Cup/Swirl Vanilla Ice Cream

Mexican Food with These Refried Beans 

Pot Pie

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My Dad said:

Lasagna

Quiche

and Chocolate Cake 

Happy Father’s Day Chocolate Cake

vegan blackout chocolate cake
vegan blackout chocolate cake

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

 Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. Top the cake with chocolate mousse, serve, eat, and then take a nap. Happy Father’s Day!!

BBQ Tofu Tacos with Honey Mustard Slaw – Vegan and Gluten Free

BBQ Tofu Tacos With Honey Mustard Slaw
BBQ Tofu Tacos With Honey Mustard Slaw

I first made these tacos while we were staying with some friends. We don’t get to see them often and I honestly didn’t know what they liked to eat, but wanted to surprise them with dinner after work. I saw several bottles of honey mustard in their refrigerator and decided to make something that would go with that flavor. Thus the slaw was born, and the BBQ tacos soon followed to make a full meal. I think it’s a super fun combination. It also has the benefit of being fairly nutritious and tasting naughty; perfect for Father’s Day.

BBQ Tofu Tacos With Honey Mustard Slaw – Vegan and Gluten Free

 Ingredients

  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 1 LB extra firm tofu cut into strips
  • 1 TBL tamari or soy sauce -gluten free if needed
  • 1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce -gluten free if needed
  • 6 small tortillas, I prefer corn tortillas -gluten free if needed
  • 1/2 recipe prepared honey mustard red cabbage and green apple slaw (vegan version if you are vegan)
  • 1 recipe guacamole (optional but delicious)

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
  2. Add olive oil, swirl to coat the bottom, and add the tofu in a single layer.
  3. Cook until the first side of the tofu is golden brown, and it easily comes off the pan to be flipped. If you have to scrape at it, just let it cook a little longer.
  4. Flip/stir tofu and continue to cook until most sides are golden brown.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tamari stirring to coat the tofu.
  6. Add BBQ sauce and stir again to coat tofu.
  7. Divide tofu evenly between warmed tortillas, top with cabbage slaw and guacamole if using.
  8. Serve warm.

Red Cabbage and Green Apple Slaw With Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

red cabbage and green apple slaw
red cabbage and green apple slaw

Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone! I have just the thing to top those veggie burgers to jazz them up with minimal effort, or to serve as a beautiful side. This delightful cabbage and apple slaw. It is pictured here over a store bought veggie burger (field roast). I used store bought as they hold up better on the grill, at least compared to the homemade burgers I make.

This slaw is easy, beautiful, quick, and can feed a crowd and will please the majority of eaters. My 9 month old loved the cabbage and even my picky toddler tried it.

To make your slaw instagramable rinse it a few times in cold water before mixing with the vinaigrette, and only toss together right before serving. The rinse step is totally useless for taste, but makes it prettier as the cabbage doesn’t bleed its color as much if rinsed.

Red Cabbage and Green Apple Slaw

 Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 TBL honey, or agave if vegan
  • juice from half a lemon, about 1 TBL
  • 1 TBL white vinegar
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 2 TBL dijon mustard
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 a small head purple cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 green apple,cut into thin stripes

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the honey, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, mustard, and salt.
  2. Add cabbage and apple and toss to combine.
  3. Store in the refrigerator until serving.

Happy Mother’s Day 2017 Vegan Brunch Ideas

Vegan Benedict With Hollandaise
Vegan Benedict With Hollandaise

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. there are so many ways to celebrate, but as you would imagine, my favorite way is with food. I’m traveling this weekends so I won’t be cooking, but I hope you are! I was lucky enough to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom and 2/3 of my brothers a few weeks ago when I was visiting “home.” My brothers and I took my mom out without any of our spouses or children. It was a delightfully relaxed meal:)

If you are cooking a Mother’s Day Brunch I have a few suggestions for you, all that I would be more than happy to receive if someone were cooking for me.

I would do something savory:

Vegan Benedict With Hollandaise
Vegan Benedict With Hollandaise

Vegan Avocado “Eggs” Benedict

Vegan Breakfast Potatoes 

Vegetarian Quiche

Vegan Scrambled Tofu 

Something Sweet

Aquafaba chocolate french toast with bourbon date caramel
Aquafaba chocolate french toast with bourbon date caramel

Vegan Chocolate Aquafaba French Toast

Vegan Pancakes of any kind

Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Scones

Vegetarian Almond French Toast

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

And don’t forget the:

Coconut Whipped Cream

Date Caramel and Coconut Whipped Cream for topping just about anything

 

 

 

 

If you’re looking for something else check out my baked goods and breakfast categories.

Vegan Key Lime Pie Cheesecake

Vegan Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
Vegan Key Lime Pie Cheesecake

Today is my mother-in-laws birthday! Happy Birthday second mom! In fact,  all of my in-laws have birthdays in the next week. That’s right, mother, father, sister, brother in law, and even my husband! This recipe is in honor of my brother-in-law. He is a wonderful person who truly loves key lime pie. He is also always willing to eat what I’m making with little concern, judgement, or preconceived notion of what it might taste like based on the ingredients it contains.. Can’t ask for more in a person.  I also thought this was good timing with Cinco de Mayo coming up, which is, obviously, a perfect time to eat things that are flavored with lime.

Happy Birthday to all my chosen family!

Vegan Key Lime Cheesecake

 Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp lime zest
  • 1/2- 2/3 cups key lime juice (from all but 5 limes in a 1lb bag)
  • 1/3 cup agave necter (more if you desire)
  • 1 TBL + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • For the crust
  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (1 sleeve of whole graham crackers) I used the blender to grind them into crumbs
  • 1 TBL brown sugar
  • 3 1/2 TBL vegan butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Prepare muffin pan with 12 liners.
  3. Mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and vegan butter in a bowl until combined.
  4. Divide evenly into prepared muffin tin.
  5. Press crumbs down into pan with the bottom of a cup or you fingers.
  6. Bake 6-8 minutes until lightly golden.
  7. Cool completely.
  8. While crust is cooling; place cashews in a small pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then drain.
  9. Place the cooked cashews, coconut oil, coconut milk, salt, lime zest, lime juice (start with 1/2 cup), agave, and vanilla in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.
  10. Taste and adjust lime and sweetness ratio to your liking. Just add a little at a time, blend briefly, then taste. I like 2/3 cup lime juice to 1/3 cup agave.
  11. Pour into the muffin pan on top of the cooled graham cracker crust and refrigerate overnight.
  12. You can also freeze these with excellent results, just thaw them on the counter for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Happy Earth Day! Peanut Noodle Salad for Spring

Vegan Peanut Noodle Salad
Vegan Peanut Noodle Salad

It is really feeling like spring might stick around here on the East Coast. I’m pretty happy about it. My littles are loving the park and I am loving the sunshine! For Earth Day we are focusing on treating the Earth with respect. Also an everyday lesson, especially with a two year old! Wolfie is a sweet, emphatic kid, however, she is two. We are constantly working on how our actions affect others, and the world around us. Something we should all probably think about more often.

To celebrate Earth Day we are eating lots of lovely, easy to make, flavorful, and vegetable forward meals. This is one of my old favorites with a few extras to jazz it up. I hope you like to additions.

Vegan Peanut Noodle Salad

 Ingredients

  • 1 package Tempeh cut into 1″ cubes
  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 2 TBL tamari
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 8.8 oz dried Udon noodles cooked according to package directions, drained, and cooled to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup water reserved from cooking noodles
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 TBL lime juice
  • 3 TBL brown sugar
  • 2 TBL tamari
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2′ pice of ginger, minced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
  • 1/2 cup julienned red pepper
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Heat a large case iron skillet over medium high heat.
  2. Add oil, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan, and add the tempeh.
  3. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown on all sides, 5-7 minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat and drizzle the tamari over the tempeh, stir, and sprinkle the chili powder over the tempeh, stir and set aside.
  5. In a large bowl combine the reserved cooking liquid, peanut butter, lime juice, brown sugar, tamari, and red pepper flakes whisking to combine.
  6. Add the cooked noodles and toss to coat with dressing.
  7. Add sugar snap peas, red pepper, scallions, and cilantro tossing to combine.
  8. Top with tempeh croutons and serve at room temperature or cold.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream (vegan, gluten free)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Ice Cream Nice Cream
Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Ice Cream

In the mood for a rich and decadent ice cream, but feel like you should be avoiding dairy, sugar, and really trying to eat better overall? Or, perhaps need a quick dessert for Easter? Well, here you are my friends. A delightful, quick, easy, sugar free, healthy treat that is surprisingly close to ice cream in taste and mouthfeel. It is heavy on the banana flavor, but the chocolate and peanut butter do a lovely job of complementing it and bringing out flavors one would expect.

This is nice cream is basically a smoothie and something I have considered eating for breakfast, maybe stirring it into my oatmeal. So many options for a treat made from real ingredients with no added sugar.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Nice Cream

 Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 frozen bananas cut into 1″ chunks (about 2 cups)
  • 6 TBL full fat canned coconut milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 TBL cocoa powder
  • 3 TBL crunchy peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Puree banana, coconut milk, vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder until smooth in a food processor or blender.
  2. Add peanut butter and pulse a few times to combine.
  3. Eat immediately, or store in the freezer for later. If storing in the freezer allow nice cream to thaw at room temperature a few minutes before serving.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls for Easter With a Video

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Who wants fresh, fragrant cinnamon rolls? Ohh, I do, pretty much every day! For several reasons I try to save them for special occasions, such as Easter. I have tweaked my recipe a bit to make it a little easier and give more consistent results. I also did some experimentation with various sugar free options, but haven’t perfect them yet. I’m happy to give suggestions if you leave a comment with a question, but I need to make a few more batches before I share the results.

These are soft, pillowy, cinnamon filled, sweet nuggets of goodness. Perfect to make the day before and let rise in the refrigerator overnight and bake off in the morning just in time for breakfast.

Because there are a few steps here that are a bit hard to explain I have made a video.

Cinnamon Rolls

Originally from The joy of vegan baking

 Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer powder (equivalent of 3 eggs)
  • 6 TBL water
  • 4 1/2-5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (one packet)
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1/3 cup Earth Balance Buttery spread or sticks
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Filling
  • 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 TBL cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread or sticks
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • Icing
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 TBL non-dairy milk

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer whisk the egg replacer and water until smooth- set aside
  2. In a small saucepan heat together the milk, Earth Balance, sugar and salt until the butter is almost melted.
  3. Remove from heat and stir until butter is melted. Make sure this mixture is warm, not hot or it will kill the yeast.
  4. Add 3 cups of the flour and yeast to the egg replacer/water mixture.
  5. Add the warm milk mixture and mix with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer you can do this by hand.
  6. Switch to the dough hook and mix, adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough forms a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
  7. Remove the dough hook and drizzle olive oil over the ball of dough, cover with a damp towel and set aside to rise for 1-2 hours.
  8. Once dough has doubled in size, punch it down then allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
  9. While dough is resting combine the filling ingredients and set aside.
  10. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll dough into a rectangle about 18″ by 12″.
  11. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough, all the way to the edges.
  12. Roll dough into a log and slice into buns, as large as you like. I like mine to be about 1 1/2″ thick.
  13. Place buns on a rimmed baking sheet or pan close enough to almost touch each other. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper (for easier cleanup).
  14. Let the the rolls rise until almost doubled in size, about and hour. Alternately at this point cover the rolls with cling wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight. They will slowly rise there. In the morning set the on the counter as your oven preheats and proceed as usual.
  15. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  16. Bake rolls for 20-30 minutes depending on their size, until golden brown.
  17. While the rolls are cooking combine the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk stirring until smooth.
  18. When rolls are cooked remove from oven and drizzle with icing.
  19. Serve warm.