Vegan Fudge Pops

In this recipe, the Catherine of Food Snob make a vegan chocolate pudding and froze it into pops. Since she says they are the "best fudge pops ever" I knew I had to try them. They are amazing, rich, creamy, smooth and chocolaty....try these!

Chocolate Pudding

1 (12.3 ounce) package silken tofu, drained
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 cup maple syrup

Blend tofu until very smooth, blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into Bathroom Cups and place Popsicle
Sticks into each one. Freeze for at least 6 hours.

My silken tofu package......don't you think it is pretty? You won't use the whole package of this type, the measurement is for the Mori-Nu "Juice Box" aseptic package. However, it was cheaper to get this bigger package and I can save the leftover tofu for smoothies.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This smoothie is super healthy and simple to make. I will be using Splenda instead of the sugar..

Strawberry Smoothie
1 frozen banana
5-6 large or 10-12 small frozen strawberries
sweetener of choice
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)
1/2-1 cup milk (I use skim milk, use your favorite milk here or OJ)

Blend until very smooth, serve immediately.

Orange Strawberry Smoothie

I wanted to use up some oranges I have, and some of the strawberries I bought. I came up with the following recipe.

Orange Strawberry Smoothie
3 oranges, juiced or 1 cup OJ
1/2-1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. honey or Splenda

Puree in blender until smooth, serve immediately. As you can see, I only had 2 oranges so I used a bit of milk for the rest of the liquid. Still delicious!

Strawberry Banana Apple Smoothie

Um, yum. I just happen to have all of these ingredients and you would think I have leftovers or something to eat for lunch and everyday, which I don't and I end up eating knock-off Lucky Charms, LOL. Which don't get me wrong, they are really good but I am getting rather tired of the same old. Here is the recipe, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. Cut the recipe in half for one serving as shown.

Chai Pancakes & a better Iced Chai Tea recipe

I made these a long time ago with a recipe that I threw together and they were OK, but not spicy like I imagined. Chris mentioned making Chai Pancakes and I found this recipe, which looks and sounds delicious. I both <3 Chai Tea and pancakes so it is a good combination. It has added spices and I didn't think to do this to my recipe. I brewed my Chai Tea the night before with the milk (I cut the recipe in half as it is just Chris and I eating these). I will be serving these with Real Maple Syrup.

BTW, I figured out the best way to make Iced Chai, and that is with 4 tea bags per 4 cups milk and 2 tbsp. Splenda or sugar, bring to boil and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 5 minutes, cool. Add about 1-1&1/2 tsp. vanilla, optional. Stir. Serve over ice. I now use only the Chai Masala that I got from Laxmi Palace.

So how were they? The verdict is they are the best pancakes I have ever tasted. EVER. Chris agrees, especially since he loves spicy things.

Veggie Fajitas and Chocolate Banana Bread

Hi kids, today's recipe is Veggie Fajitas....I know, I know....I don't even need a recipe for this recipe, LOL. This does however give me the chance to break out the cast iron skillet and saute` up some veggies, like tomatoes, onions and peppers. I was going to use some squash/zucchini, but they are out of season and too d*mn expensive and I don't live in Richmond anymore so I can't go to Tan-A and get it GRRR. I can't wait for summer! But I digress.......I may go out to the store and get some cactus, I am undecided. Chris says that he likes cactus so I might go out. A lot of these recipes that I did look at call for Monterey Jack cheese, but I like them without the cheese. You can serve the fajitas with some sour cream and salsa...fresh or bought. I ended up getting zucchini since the store I went to had them on sale and they also had artichokes on sale so I may go back and get some of those for another meal later in the week ;O) Feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand, for 2 people I used 1&1/2 quartered smallish tomatoes, 1 medium onion (sliced), 1/2 medium sized zucchini (sliced), and 1/2 green bell pepper (sliced). Cook all veggies (except tomatoes) with a bit of oil over medium-medium high heat until veggies soften and during the last bit of cooking add your tomatoes. These were delicious and I will make them again.

I also decided to make some chocolate banana bread since I have two very ripe bananas sitting on the table that neither Chris or I will eat. Our bunnies would love them though, they love really ripe bananas. That is my male Netherland Dwarf, Stitch, above. Isn't he a cutie? This recipe is from Good Food, Good Wine and A Bad Girl's Isabelle Boucher. You should check out her blog, nicely written and lots of beautiful photos and delicious recipes. This recipe is pretty much foolproof, want to make it with less fat or maybe you only have 1/2 stick butter? Use applesauce in place of the remaining butter that you are missing. Making this but you are a vegan? Use margarine instead of the butter and for the eggs use applesauce (1/2 cup). She calls for high quality cocoa, but if you only have regular cocoa it still tastes awesome. I actually use the store brand. Here is the recipe, but don't miss out on her Chai Banana Bread, which is also very delicious. I would be making that but I am saving the rest of the Chai tea bags I have for Dee's (my MIL) birthday cake. I will post that recipe again next month.

                            Banana Bread Batter.....

                         Cooked Banana Bread.........

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Totally veganizable. I happened not to have any sweetened condensed milk due to the snow so I used this recipe which you can substitute out the powered milk for powdered soy milk. I used this recipe for the frozen yogurt, however I used 1/2 cup skim milk and 1/2 cup coconut milk (instead of the 1 cup skim milk), the texture is like premium commercial frozen yogurt and so sweet strawberry flavor coming through in every bite.

Deep Vegan Cake/Moosewood Chocolate Cake

Chocolate and Peanut Butter combine in this cake to make a match made in heaven. I have been making this cake since I became a vegetarian. Also called "wacky cake" as it has no eggs, butter or milk, this cake was believed to be made up due to rationing during WWII. It can be served without icing and it is almost as delicious. Make sure to use the cake pan(s) lined with parchment, this makes the cake moister and easier to remove from the pan(s). This makes a very rich, chocolate-y cake, perfect for a get together and especially birthday parties. Double the recipe for a double layer cake that will rock your world ;) Make sure you whip the peanut butter chocolate frosting with a hand beater to make it smooth, fluffy and spreadable.

Deep Vegan Cake/Moosewood Chocolate Cake

SERVES 8

Chocolate Cake

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil ( I always use 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup oil here)
• 1 cup cold water or chilled brewed coffee
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. cider vinegar

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1/4 cup peanut butter 
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 
• 3 to 4 Tbs. water (or soy milk)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Generously oil 8-inch square or round baking pan. Dust with sifted cocoa, or line bottom of baking pan with parchment paper.
2. To make Chocolate Cake: Sift flour, cocoa, soda, salt and sugar. In another bowl, combine oil, water or coffee and vanilla. Pour liquid into dry, and mix until smooth.
3. Add vinegar and stir briefly; baking soda will begin to react with vinegar, leaving pale swirls in batter. Without wasting time, pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve cake from pan, or, when cool, transfer to plate.
5. To make Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frosting: In heavy saucepan, melt chocolate over medium heat. Beat together peanut butter, water and vanilla until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, and add melted chocolate, mixing until blended. Spread frosting on cooled cake.

Chocolate Banana Bread

I love this banana bread, it is the best banana bread ever and it is so forgiving. The first time I made it, I forgot the vanilla and the eggs. This time I made it, I purposely left out the eggs, and used soy milk instead of the sour cream, as I didn't have any on hand. I even used 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup butter the first time I made this, and this time I used 1/2 cup Smart Balance Light. I used regular cocoa (store brand even) as that is what I had but as she says I know it would be even better with dutch cocoa. There is a slight banana flavor and Chris says that this tastes more like chocolate cake than anything.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Vegan)

Decided to make up a batch of cookies, just because. I was craving some chocolate chip cookies but decided to make some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, it called for less fat (the chocolate chip recipe that I use calls for 1 cup butter/margarine and this recipe uses 1/2 cup) and somehow eating an oatmeal cookie seems healthier LOL ;) I made my cookies with this recipe, however I used vegetable shortening instead of the margarine/butter and in place of the egg 1 tbsp. ground flax seed mixed with 3 tbsp. water. These are so delicious, soft, cinnamon-y and chocolate-y. I love making cookies because they are so easy to make and were perfect on a wintry night. Chris and I loved these and it made about 18 cookies total, it says it makes 2 dozen but I tend to make larger cookies. The website has a lot of the "in a jar" recipes that would be perfect for gift giving and they are easily veganized. I used walnuts, what I happened to have on hand. I love pecans but I just used the last of them up in the whole wheat pancakes Chris and I had for breakfast. Feel free to use your favorite nuts in this recipe if you make it, and I always use vegetable shortening in cookies because it tends to have the best baked result, again use butter or margarine if that is what you prefer.

Olivia's "To Die For" Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Olivia's "To Die For" Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup Smart Balance Light (or regular Earth Balance will work fine too)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 heaping Tbsp. flax meal
1 heaping Tbsp. Ener-G egg replacer powder
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups vegan chocolate chips (Guittard is my favorite)

1.) Preheat oven to 375 F.

2.) In a small bowl, mix soy milk VERY WELL (until creamy) with Ener-G egg replacer and flax meal using an electric mixer or hand (immersion) blender. Set aside.

3.) In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Set Aside.

4.) In a large bowl, cream together coconut oil, Smart Balance and sugars. Add soy/flax mixture and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.

5.) Gradually add flour mixture to liquids. Stir in chocolate chips.

6.) Drop by well rounded teaspoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 - 10 min. until lightly golden. (Can also be made into bar cookies in 9 X 12 pan)

I found this from an old post on www.veggieboards.com from Tofu and Sprouts, her daughter made these up for her with ingredients they had on hand! They are some of the best vegan cookies I have ever tasted, not oily at all and soft, they don't stick to the pan and the dough is the right consistency, they are perfect and I am thinking about trying these made into PB cookies also. I made mine with 1/2 tbsp. milled flax seed, I made mine with 1 cup chocolate chips and baked at 350 degrees F but those are the only things I did different. Olivia, you rock! The family all loved these, BTW.

Chai Cake

This is my very favorite cake recipe and it comes from Chef Deborah Wolfe who has a recipe board at www.vegweb.com

Chai Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup natural sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup soy milk
8 chai tea bags (or Bengal Spice)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup oil
Ener-G Egg Substitute for 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease an 8" cake pan.
In a saucepan, put soy milk gently on low heat.
Add tea bags, and simmer 15 minutes, pressing tea bags gently to extract flavor.

Wring out tea bags into soy milk. Top up with more soy milk back to 3/4 cup. Put
this flavored soy milk in fridge to cool.
In large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Combine remaining ingredients, including flavored soymilk, and add to flour
mixture.
Beat for 2 minutes. If too stiff, add a bit more soy milk.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out
dry.
Makes one 8" cake.

Here is the glaze that I use with the cake.

Chai Cake Glaze

2 tbsp/30 mL butter or margarine
1 ½ cups/375 mL powdered sugar
1 tsp/5 mL Vanilla
¼ tsp/1.2 mL Cinnamon
Reserved 2 tbsp/30mL prepared Chai Latte from cake recipe

Melt butter in 1-quart/liter saucepan over medium heat. Stir in remaining ingredients until smooth. Drizzle glaze on cake.

Nutella Rum-Rums

Yo, ho, ho a pirate's life for me. Why is the rum always gone? Oh that's why, they are in these cookies and I drank it LOL. Oh my gosh these are one of the best cookies ever. I based these cookies off of this recipe

1/3 cup Nutella
1/4 cup oil (mild olive oil or vegetable oil)
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp. ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I actually forgot to put this in mine)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup nuts of choice, I used walnuts
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak the cranberries in the rum while you are making the rest of the recipe.Place Nutella, oil, milk, brown and white sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Mix well. In a small bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt and allspice. Add in small additions to the wet mixture. Add cranberries and rum, white chocolate chips and nuts of choice. You may need to add a bit more soy milk if mixture is crumbly. Spray your hands with cooking spray and form into balls. Leave plenty of room for these, they spread. Cook about 6-8 minutes or until set and crispy. Remove from pan and let cool.

Maple Nut Cookies (Vegan)

When I saw a recipe for Maple Nut Cookies on cat tea corner's website I had to try it! I cut it in half and ended up with 8 cookies. These are pretty good, kinda like a pecan sandy or other shortbread type cookie. I made mine with walnuts, but I think that they would be best with pecans to make them more like pecan sandies, and I used Grade A maple syrup because that is what I had but I will look for some grade B before making these again for more maple taste. Sorry no pics but I will be making them again for a Christmas gift package so I will have pics up by then!

Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these cookies today, and if you haven't tried them yet you need to !!!! So rich and chocolately, and almost brownie like, I will make these cookies again and again! They are so easy to make too, so decadent. I halfed the recipe and it made 11 cookies for me and I used regular cocoa as I didn't have dutched cocoa on hand. Rock on Isa!!!

Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies


Ingredients:
3/4 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon whole flax seeds
1/2 cup soymilk

2 cups all purp flour
3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grind the flax seeds on high in a blender until they become a powder. Add soymilk and blend for another 30 seconds or so. Set aside.

In a large bowl sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a seperate large bowl cream together oil and sugar. Add the flax seed/soy milk mixture and mix well. Add the vanilla.

Fold in the dry ingredients in batches. When it starts to get too stiff to mix with a spatula, use your hands until a nice stiff dough forms. Add the chocolate chips and mix with your hands again.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and flatten into a disc that's about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then set them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Variations:
For chocolate chocolate chip cherry cookies, replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with almond extract, and replace 1/2 the chocolate chips with dried cherries.

For chocolate nut cookies, replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with a nut extract (almond, walnut, what have you) and replace the chocolate chips with 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (hazelnuts, almonds or walnuts all are good).