CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

Last Night I Made:

CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES for DESSERT.

Recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking Cookbook by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

Organic vegan chocolate chips scones made with whole wheat flour and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar then baked until tops are golden brown.

Scones are sweet biscuits and can be mixed with different things like cranberries, currants, chocolate chunks, etc.

The possibilities are endless.

Instead of making the traditional sized scones, I decided to use my mini heart-shaped cookie cutters.

These scones turned out perfect.

Make sure not to skimp on the cinnamon-sugar.

It really adds that special touch.

BLUEBERRY PECAN CRISP

Today I Made:

BLUEBERRY PECAN CRISP for DESSERT.

Baked organic blueberries with a cripsy oatmeal pecan topping served warm with a scoop of Vanilla Bean WholeSoy & Co frozen yogurt.

The actual name of this recipe is "BLACKBERRY PECAN CRISP" from The Vegan Table By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

I found myself with way too many blueberries this week.

Bored of blueberry muffins, I scoured my cookbooks looking for something new.

When I came across this recipe, I figured that I could substitute the blueberries for the blackberries.

Not only was this dessert delicious, it's also super easy to make.

All you do is mix the berries with a little flour.

Process oatmeal, pecans, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and melted Earth Balance until crumbly and then sprinkle over the berries and bake until golden brown.

You can serve this warm or cold.

It's delicious both ways!

But make sure to serve with the WholeSoy & Co. Vanilla Bean frozen yogurt, it's creamy and super flavorful from the vanilla bean pods.

BANANA PUDDING SQUARES

Yesterday I Made:

BANANA PUDDING SQUARES for DESSERT.

Recipe from VEGNEWS August 2009 issue.

Vanilla pudding, layer of diced bananas and a crunchy crust.

This is actually the second time I made this recipe.

The first time, I followed the directions as written in the magazine but it didn't set at all.

The recipe says to mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt in a pot.

Pour a little bit of soymilk and form a paste.

Add the remaining soymilk and whisk until it comes to a boil.

Then pour over the diced bananas and crust and refrigerate until firm.

The second time, I mixed the sugar and salt in a pot.

Then I added the soymilk and heated it until simmering.

While waiting for it to come to a simmer, I whisked the cornstarch and a some warm soymilk

(from pot).

And then I added it to the pot and whisked until boiling and thickened.

Then poured it over the diced bananas and crust and refrigerated until firm.

And it worked out great.

Better than great!!!

This dessert is one of the best we've ever had.

There are no words to describe it.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE-SWIRLED CHEESECAKES

Zoom in to see swirl effect.

Yesterday I Made:

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE-SWIRLED CHEESECAKES for DESSERT.

Recipe from VEGETARIAN TIMES APRIL 2007 issue.

Chocolate cookie on the bottom layer, then layered with a Vegan cream cheese mixed with cocoa powder.

And to create the swirl effect an additional spoonful of plain cheesecake is swirled into the chocolate layer and then topped with raw cacao nibs (my own personal touch).

Husband liked it and that's all that matters to me.

The cheesecake is thickened with agar powder, a gelatinous substance derived from seaweed (thank you wikipedia).

STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE

Yesterday I Made:

STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE for DESSERT.

Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine.

A strawberry triple threat cake:

-Real pureed strawberries in the batter.

-Thinly sliced strawberries layered in between the two slices.

-Halved strawberries on the outside of the cake.

This cake turned out moist and light.

The frosting was made up of vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange juice.

A little sweet, but I've never been a fan of cake frosting.

The original recipe is not vegan, but I made a few simple substitutions:

-Egg Replacer instead of eggs.

-Earth Balance instead of butter.

-Soymilk mixed with apple cider to mimic buttermilk.

-Vegan cream cheese instead of regular cow's milk cream cheese.

And to make it even healthier, I used half whole wheat pastry and whole wheat flours instead of all purpose.

This cake is perfect for a gathering such as a baby shower, bridal shower, afternoon tea, or when you want to bring a smile to your husband's face after coming home from a long day at work!

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH CRUMB TOPPING

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH CRUMB TOPPING for DESSERT.

Recipe from VEGWEB.COM.

I used all whole wheat flour instead of AP flour.

This is a simple recipe with great results.

They are super moist, yet crunchy from the crumb topping.

The only thing I noticed, was that the crumb topping disappeared overnight.

My husband is not a muffin or cupcake fan and he loved these.

So, I will be keeping this recipe.

BLUEBERRY CAKE

Yesterday I Made:

BLUEBERRY CAKE for DESSERT.

Recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking Cookbook by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

This is basically a blueberry coffee cake.

There are three components to this dessert:

1. The cake (I used whole wheat flour instead of AP flour).

2. The blueberries (plain).

3.The Streusel topping (sugar, earth balance, flour, and cinnamon).

The recipe itself is pretty easy to make and also to make substitutions with the berries.

It bakes for 50 minutes and then you can either let it cool or serve warm.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TART **UPDATED**

As I mentioned in my original post, this tart was a little bit bitter and not really sweet at all.

So, I thought and thought about how to sweetened it up and then it finally clicked: RASPBERRY SAUCE.

Sometimes I make a simple blueberry sauce for our morning pancakes.

A simple sauce made up of frozen blueberries, water, and cornstarch to thicken it up a little.

As I was searching the web for a raspberry sauce, I realized that I could use the same technique as the blueberry sauce with just a few changes.

So here goes my nonrecipe recipe:

RASPBERRY SAUCE

-1 bag frozen organic raspberries

-1/4 cup filtered water

-2 teaspoons sugar

-2 teaspoons cornstarch

-1/4 cup filtered water

In a small heavy bottomed saucepan on medium heat, add the frozen raspberries and 1/4 cup water.

Cook until raspberries have broken down and are heated thru, stirring often.

Remove from heat and strain using a fine sieve.

(I save the seeds and use them in smoothies.)

Add the liquid back to the saucepan.

Add sugar, stir and cook on low-medium heat.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water with a small whisk until mixed.

Add to raspberries and stir until completely mixed.

Let cook until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring often.

Remove from heat.

Adjust sweetness to taste.

*Since I needed it to be sweet, I had to add another teaspoon of sugar.*

Let cool completely before adding it to chocolate tart.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TART

Yesterday I Made:

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TART for DESSERT.

Recipe from The Vegan Table By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

This tart is super chocolaty and nutty.

Topped with organic blueberries and raspberries.

The crust is made with a blend of pecans and walnuts and the filling with Scharffen Berger 99% Cacao Unsweetened baking chocolate.

If you are a chocolate lover, you have to give this tart a try.

Not overly sweet, almost a little bitter.

If you like your chocolate a little sweeter, you can use semi-sweet chocolate.

Just make sure it is VEGAN!

APPLE MUFFINS

Yesterday I Made:

APPLE MUFFINS for DESSERT.

Recipe from Natural Health Magazine.

Moist and crunchy muffins.

I've had this recipe for years and I finally got to make them yesterday.

They are made with 100% whole wheat, almond meal, walnuts, and apple sauce.

No cane sugar needed in this recipe.

Perfect for those watching their sugar intake.

They aren't fat free, but they are way healthier than other recipes.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Today I Made:

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE for DESSERT.

Recipe from The Vegan Table By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

A very traditional cake but always a favorite.

What makes this cake special is the leftover syrup at the bottom of the cake pan.

Just make sure, when you invert the cake onto a platter, do it over the sink.

It will leak all over the place.

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY COOKIES

This week I Made:

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY COOKIES for DESSERT.

Recipe from The Vegan Table By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

These are cookies are AMAZING.

They are super easy to make and really do taste like a PB & J.

Perfect for cookie swaps, tea parties, or just to satisfy a craving.

I'm not much of a cookie person, but these are out of this world.

I can't wait to make them again.

Unfortunately, my husband is getting his upper wisdom teeth extracted tomorrow afternoon, so I'm going to have to wait until he recovers.

Poor me, I mean, poor him.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COFFEE GANACHE

Yesterday I Made:

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COFFEE GANACHE for DESSERT.

Recipe from my new FAVORITE vegan cookbook, THE VEGAN TABLE by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

The perfect coffee flavored chocolate cake with a slight tangy apricot preserve glaze underneath the chocolate coffee ganache.

It turned out so moist even though I used all whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.

This book was just released last week and I just had to have it.

It's not available at any store yet, but you can order it thru Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.

This is Colleen's second book and I just think that it is THE best ever!

All the recipes sound and look great.

I will definitely be planning next week's menu straight from this book.

C'EST LA V

Yesterday we Bought:

tons of C'est La V Bake Shop cookies, biscotties, and scones for DESSERT!

C'est La V is an ALL vegan bake shop based in the Los Angeles area and owned by professional baker, Kim Garr.

She just started selling her baked goods at the Topanga Canyon Farmer's Market on Friday evenings.

My husband works just a few minutes away, so I decided to spend the day with him just so we could visit (and buy) C'est La V.

I think we ended up buying everything they were offering:

-Chocolate chip cookies

-Snickerdoodles

-Oatmeal Cranberry

-Ginger scones

-Cranberry Orange scones

-Chocolate Almond biscotti

-Pistachio Anise Seed biscotti

-Fudgy Brownies

We tried them all tonight and loved each and every one.

The fact that they are bite-sized makes them almost guilt-free.

I'm sure will be back for more next week.

FRESH BANANA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Today I Made:

FRESH BANANA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING for DESSERT.

Recipe from the March issue of VEGETARIAN TIMES.

2 layers of banana cake, chocolate frosting and thin slices of fresh banana.

This is another recipe my husband asked me to make in the past, but I always thought it looked a little boring.

Last night, he mentioned it again.

And he even threatened to make it himself.

So SURPRISE!!!

Can't wait for him to get home.

CHOLESTEROL FREE MINI BAKED DONUTS

Today I Made:

CHOLESTEROL FREE MINI BAKED DONUTS for DESSERT.

Original recipe from VeganYumYum.

Last time I made these was a year ago and ever since then my husband has asked me repeatedly to make them for him.

I always hesitated and now I know why.

THEY ARE SO AMAZING, I COULD EAT THE ENTIRE BATCH BY MYSELF!!!

But I can't because I have to share with my husband.

The batter was super easy to make and so was the coating (melted high quality chocolate).

They are cholesterol free and lower in fat than traditional donuts (since they're baked and not fried).

You do need a donut pan, which you can easily get thru Amazon.

LIME COCONUT CAKE WITH LIME COCONUT BUTTAHCREEM ICING

Last Thursday I Made:

LIME COCONUT CAKE WITH LIME COCONUT BUTTAHCREEM ICING for DESSERT.

Recipe from GET IT RIPE by JAE STEELE.

Spelt flour, unsweetened shredded coconut, coconut oil, and lime cake frosted with a super tangy lime coconut icing and decorated with thin slices of organic lime.

I was a little nervous about making this recipe since it would be my first time using spelt flour and coconut oil.

But, it turned AWESOME!!!

It was actually THE best cake I have ever made.

Most importantly, my husband LOVED it!

TOFU COCONUT CREAM PIE

Yesterday I Made:

TOFU COCONUT CREAM PIE for DESSERT.

Recipe from DeliciousTV.com.

Coconut milk, shredded sweetened coconut, firm tofu, in a sweet graham cracker crust.

This is my husband's all-time favorite DESSERT.

So, when he requested it last week, I quickly put it on THIS week's menu.

Ask and you shall receive.

The secret to making this recipe is to use regular old fashioned sweetened coconut.

The one that comes in the blue bag.

ASPARAGUS AND POBLANO TAMALES, GUACAMOLE, AND COCONUT PANNA COTTA

Yesterday I Made:

ASPARAGUS AND POBLANO TAMALES, HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE, and COCONUT PANNA COTTA for DINNER AND DESSERT.

Tamales are stuffed with an asparagus, poblano, red kidney bean mixture.

Then topped with a lemony guacamole and roasted poblano chili.

The panna cotta is basically a thick coconut pudding served with a Berry Coulis.

The tamales recipe from THE ACCIDENTAL VEGAN by Devra Gartenstein.

The guacamole recipe is from here.

Coconut panna cotta recipe from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson.

Traditional tamales have lard mixed into the dough and are stuffed with meats or cheese.

This recipe called for canola oil and two of my favorite things in the world: asparagus and poblano chilies.

How could I pass this recipe up?

I didn't follow the exact directions for the actual assembly and steaming as the book instructed.

In my family, we make tamales for Christmas every year.

So, I just went by memory.

But I do have to say, that tamale making takes time and patience.

You first have to soak your corn husks in water for at least 6 hours to make them pliable for folding.

While the husks are soaking, you make the stuffing and let cool.

Then you make the dough, preferably in a Kitchen Aid.

Drain, rinse, and dry the husks.

Begin smearing the masa (dough) and stuff with the stuffing.

Steam in a steamer for about 1:45 minutes.

They turned out delicious and I would definitely make these again.

The stuffing possibilities are endless.

Before we went vegan, one of my all time favorite desserts was panna cotta.

But, since becoming vegan, I stopped eating it.

Traditional panna cotta contains cream, milk, sugar, and gelatin.

Thanks to SUPER NATURAL COOKING, I can now savour it again.

Only this time, it won't be an artery clogging dessert.

And it goes perfect with the berry sauce.

The sauce is a mixture of fresh raspberries, blackberries, agave (or sugar), and lemon juice.

Simmered to release some juice, cooled, and chilled.

SELF-FROSTING PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES

The Day Before Yesterday I Made:

SELF-FROSTING PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES for DESSERT.

Recipe from My Sweet Vegan by Hannah Kaminsky.

Moist peanut butter cupcakes topped with a peanut butter chocolate spread swirled right into the batter before baking.

No need for extra frosting!

These are THE best vegan cupcakes we've had.

Perfect for introducing a NONVEGAN to VEGAN baked goods.

None would guess that they contain NO chicken eggs, cow's milk, or butter.

They are so unbelievably delicious and so moist.

Great with a cup of HOT morning coffee!