Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Posted by Michele at 3:18 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 26, 2012 as "Another Vegan Treat"

I love mousse... Wait, let me say that I LOVE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (that's better), so that was going to be a sad good-bye. Or not... This one is all the deliciousness (and none of the post-delicious-eating-throwing-up). Thanks to Whole Foods for the recipe (which I only modified slightly). I'd had the WF mousse made with tofu and wasnt all that impressed, but this one? OUT OF THIS WORLD. I made it tonight. YUM!


Vegan Chocolate Mousse

3/4 cup raw cashews
20 pitted dates
15oz pureed butternut squash
3/4 - 1 cup chocolate coconut milk
1/4c unsweetened dark chocolate powder
1tsp vanilla extract

Soak the cashews and dates in hot water for 2 hours (with my run and needing to go to the market, mine soaked for almost 4 hours and this worked GREAT). Drain well. In a food processor (or high powdered blender), process the cashews, dates, butternut squash, and 3/4 cup of the coconut milk until smooth. Add the cocoa and the vanilla (and up to 1/4 cup of additional chocolate coconut milk if you need it), and process until the mixture becomes the proper chocolate mousse consistency.

8 servings/300 calories each

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Posted by Michele at 3:17 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 25, 2012 as My (Vegan) Happy Place)

I have to admit... the vegan baking? Yeah, I'm hooked. Even on the (no)baking goodies.

When I was pregnant with Bobby and Maya, Peter used to go by the Whole Foods near the hospital and bring me these DELICIOUS vegan chocolate peanut butter bars. Sadly, the WF near our house doesnt make these, but he'll periodically grab one if he's at the one near the hospital (which is about 15 minutes from his work). I searched for the WF recipe, but alas... No go.

So, instead I just searched for vegan chocolate peanut butter bar today... and oh, what I found! Thanks to Yummy Vegetarian Recipes for the recipe which I modified slightly. They are chilling now, but I ran my finger along the left over peanut butter on the mixing bowl and dipped it in some of the dredges of chocolate... OH HAPPY PLACE. How I have missed you PB-Choc Bars!!

This whole dairy free thing... I could get TOO used to it!

Vegan Peanut Butter- Chocolate Bars
(no bake)
serves between 16-25, depending on how you slice them

9oz smooth peanut butter
2oz Earth Balance (or other vegan butter alternative) (for PB) plus 1oz Earth Balance (for choc)
1.25 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1tbsp vanilla
7oz Icelandic chocolate (I use half 56% and half 70% dark)

In a mixing bowl, blend the peanut butter, 2oz of EB, sugars, and vanilla until smooth. Place a large sheet of wax paper in a 9x9 dish. Spread the peanut butter mixture in the 9x9 pan.

Melt the chocolate with 1oz EB. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture.

Chill until the chocolate is cool to the touch. Cut into squares (and try not to gorge yourself on them!)

Servings and (approx) Calories:
16 bars- 250 calories
20 bars- 200 calories
25 bars- 150 calories

Vegan Black Bean Soup

Posted by Michele at 3:15 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 22, 2012 as "Giving Up Giving Up"

Lenten Vegan Black Bean Soup
(modified from "Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker")

1 medium sweet onion (diced)
1 medium carrot (diced)
1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 cans (15.5oz) black beans (dont drain or rinse)
1 large can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes (dont drain or rinse)
4 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp chili powder blend
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
rice and chopped onions for serving (optional)

Toss all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Puree half of the soup before adding it back in. Serve over rice and add raw chopped onions, if you'd like.

4 servings. calories per serving (without the rice and raw onions/svg suggestion): 400 calories

Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze

Posted by Michele at 3:13 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 17, 2012 as "Sweets for Sophia"

While my sweet little one may have wanted cookies, I wanted to do a cake as well... So, I made a cake (chocolate and orange, of course) on Valentine's Day, which I then took to my in-laws on Wednesday to have with dinner as well, and Sophia got her cookies. Everything turned out so well, that I wanted to share the (vegan) recipes so that you could enjoy a bit of Sophia's sweetness in your life! :)

These recipes originated in the Veganomicon. The cookie recipe was initially modified by Polly, and further modified (as was the cake) by yours truly.

Chocolate-Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze (vegan)

Melt 7.5oz (Icelandic) chocolate (45%) with 1.75 cups of freshly brewed coffee.

In a mixing bowl, mix together:
1.5 cups sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4cup cornstarch
1 tbsp orange extract.
1/2 cup orange marmalade (unsweetened)

Once cooled, add in the chocolate and mix together.

In a bowl, mix together:
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1tsp baking soda
1.5tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until well mixed.

Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 325 for 50-55 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Let completely cool. When the cake is cool to the touch, mix together:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp orange juice

The glaze will be fairly thick. Add more sugar/juice to get the proper "glaze" consistency. Spoon over evenly.

16 slices, 220 calories each

Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies

Posted by Michele at 3:12 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 17, 2012 as "Sweets for Sophia"

While my sweet little one may have wanted cookies, I wanted to do a cake as well... So, I made a cake (chocolate and orange, of course) on Valentine's Day, which I then took to my in-laws on Wednesday to have with dinner as well, and Sophia got her cookies. Everything turned out so well, that I wanted to share the (vegan) recipes so that you could enjoy a bit of Sophia's sweetness in your life! :)

These recipes originated in the Veganomicon. The cookie recipe was initially modified by Polly, and further modified (as was the cake) by yours truly.


Chocolate Orange Cookies (vegan)
In a mixing bowl, combine:
1/4c canola oil
1/4c applesauce
1/2c orange marmalade (natural and unsweetened is best)
1.5tsp orange extract

While this is mixing, melt:
7.5oz dark chocolate
(I use a mixture of 3.25oz each Icelandic 56% and 70%)

Add in the melted chocolate to the wet ingredients. Turn mixer off while you combine (in another bowl):
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup hazelnut flour
3/4tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt

Add the dry to the wet, mixing on 3 (low-med) speed, a third at a time. Then add in:
1/2 cup dried crandberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips ( I used 1/4 mini chips and 1/4 reg chips)

The mixture will be wet and sticky. Make 24 balls. Roll them in:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
(there will be a little sugar left over- keep it)

Press the balls into discs. Place on a cookie sheet. These wont spread out much, so you can easily do 10-12 per sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sift some of your leftover powdered sugar over the still-hot cookies. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

This recipe makes 30 cookies (2.5 dozen), 150 calories each.

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Posted by Michele at 3:11 PM 0 comments

Originally published here on February 12, 2012 as "Oh My...Cookies"

Made these this afternoon... Oh My Deliciousness! I modified the recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies from The Vegan Table (page 159, for those interested).

Vegan (Crunchy) Almond Butter and (Cherry) Preserves Cookies

75g coconut butter (about 1/3 cup)
1/2c light brown sugar
1/2c crunchy almond butter
2tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2tbsp cherry preserves

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

Beat together coconut butter, brown sugar, almond butter, almond milk, and vanilla.

Mix flours and baking powder in a bowl. Slowly beat into the wet ingredients.

Make 20 balls with the dough. (I cook 2 rounds of 10 balls each). Using your thumb, make an indentation in the cookie balls as you are flattening them. Place them on the baking sheet and spoon in 1/4 tsp of cherry preserves into the thumb indentation.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375. Cool on the rack for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Cool for 5 minutes before eating.

20 cookies at 115 calories each