Eclair Cake

 Every year on his birthday, my brother has eclair cake. It's very delicious! This year as his birthday approached I was thinking about this cake and realized I could make an "everything-free" version. It worked out so well, and was completely delicious! It didn't taste EXACTLY like the real eclair cake, but similar enough that it was a very satisfying substitution! It has a lot of parts, so can be somewhat time-consuming. But you could make each individual part ahead to save time. 

Eclair Cake

1-2 batches graham crackers (if you make double, you'll have extra graham crackers, which is never a bad thing)

Vanilla pudding (again, you'll have extra)

Coconut Whipped Cream (see below) made from 1 can chilled coconut milk (turn upside down in the fridge)

Chocolate Frosting from the linked recipe

1. Make the graham crackers as directed in the recipe. Let cool completely. 

2. Make the vanilla pudding, but DO NOT wait for it to firm up in the fridge. Spread it out in a thin layer in a pan and let it cool off a bit in the fridge while you make the coconut whipped cream.

3. To make the coconut whipped cream, open the chilled can of coconut milk and scoop out just the hardened cream. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. You can add some sweetener as well, if you want. 

4. Take out the partially chilled pudding and fold in the whipped cream. Taste and add some maple syrup as needed. You'll want it pretty sweet. 

5. Place a single layer of graham crackers on the bottom of an 8x8 cake pan. Pour a generous layer of vanilla pudding over the graham crackers, making sure they all get covered. Layer more graham crackers and vanilla pudding until you have 2-3 layers of graham crackers and 2 layers of pudding. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge while you prepare the chocolate frosting (this could wait several hours).

6. Prepare the chocolate frosting as directed (with the greater amount of almond milk), but don't chill in the fridge afterwards. Instead, pour most or all of the warm frosting over top of the layered cake in an even layer, taking care not to pull up any pudding with it as you spread it around. 

7. Cover again with plastic wrap and let chill completely in the fridge, at least 4-6 hours or overnight (the chocolate topping probably won't need that long in the fridge, in case you didn't leave enough time for it. But the pudding ought to set up for a few hours at least). 

8. Slice and serve, keeping leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding

Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding

Salted Plains

 

Chocolate Pudding

1 can (1.5 C) full fat coconut milk

1/2 C unsweetened almond milk

4 T unsweetened cocoa powder

3 T arrowroot starch

4 T maple syrup

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

Vanilla Pudding 

1 can (1.5 C) full fat coconut milk

1/2 C unsweetened almond milk

3 T arrowroot starch

4 T maple syrup

pinch salt

1 T vanilla 

(optional 2-3 drops yellow food coloring)

 

1. In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk and almond milk. Warm over medium heat, whisking in cocoa powder (for chocolate pudding) and arrowroot starch until fully combined and dissolved. 

 

2. Add maple syrup and salt, stirring regularly as it thickens and comes to a low boil. It may not boil before it seems thick enough. If it does boil, let it cook another minute while stirring, then take off the heat. Stir in vanilla, and transfer to a glass bowl.

 

3. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before putting a piece of plastic onto the surface of the pudding and over the bowl. Let chill until completely set (minimum 1-2 hours). Keep in fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Enjoy over crepes, layer in a pudding cup, added to eclair cake, or plain!

Graham Crackers

 These really do have the taste and texture of the real thing! Very delicious. Tasty to eat alone, made into a graham cracker crust, or as a part of extravagant things like eclair cake! 

Graham Crackers

Minimalist Baker

 

2 T coconut sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 C maple syrup

1 T molasses (or honey)

2.5 T melted coconut oil

1 1/4 C oat flour (blend up rolled oats)

1/4 C arrowroot starch (cornstarch would probably work)

1.5 tsp ground flax seed

1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix coconut sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, maple syrup, molasses or honey, and melted coconut oil until smooth. 

3. Add oat flour, arrowroot, and ground flax until flour is thoroughly mixed in. Dough should not feel too sticky or too dry, but should hold its form when pressed together. It will look too dry at first but keep mixing. If too sticky, add more oat flour. 

4. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to a rectangle about 10x12 inches (should be about 1/16-inch thick). If you're having trouble with the dough rolling out, stick in the fridge for 10-20 min and try again. 

5. Use pizza cutter or knife to cut the rectangle into 2x3 inch rectangles and carefully transfer to the prepared baking sheet (leaving about 1 inch between for slight expansion). Again if you're having trouble here, put the rectangle in the fridge to chill for 5-10 minutes and then try to transfer again. 

6. Keep rolling out and cutting the dough as needed until you've used it up or eaten it up. Prick each graham cracker with a fork twice (forgot to do this and it was fine, so...) Bake 10-14 minutes or until slightly firm and a little darker in color. Watch carefully to avoid burning at the end. 

7. Let cool for 5-10 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Makes about 15 crackers. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, fridge for 7-10 days, or 1-2 months in the freezer.

Apple Coffee Cake

 Apple Coffee Cake

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

 

APPLE CAKE

3/4 C unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C coconut oil, melted (or vegan butter)

1/4 C maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C coconut sugar

2.5 C almond flour

1.5 C whole wheat flour or gluten free flour blend

1.5 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1.5 C chopped apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (or smaller) cubes

CRUMB TOPPING (optional, but delicious!)

1/2 C coconut sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 C coconut oil, melted (or vegan butter)

1/2-3/4 C almond flour or gluten free flour blend

1. Preheat oven to 375, prepare an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper going up past the sides so you can lift the cake out later. Or just spray it and plan to leave the cake in the pan. Also you can make it in a 9 inch cake pan or two 6-inch cake pans. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. You'll want to be quick about adding ingredients after the coconut oil so it doesn't solidify in the colder liquid. Add coconut sugar, almond flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Texture will be very thick, more like cookie dough. Careful not to overmix if you're using whole wheat flour. Stir in the cubed apples until well distributed. 

3. Scrape into prepared dish and spread evenly. It won't be very smooth on top, but that's ok especially if you add the crumble topping later. 

4. Bake for 40 minutes, and prepare the crumble topping. 

5. To the same or a different mixing bowl, add coconut sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined. Add oil and mix. Then begin adding the almond flour 1/4 C at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flour until mixture looks a little dry and it comes together easily when pinched. 

6. At 40 minutes, remove cake and add the crumble topping over top of the cake. It'll be piled pretty high! Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes until crumble topping is dry and starting to toast slightly. 

7. Remove and let cool at least 10 minutes before pulling out of the baking dish in the parchment paper (leave it alone if you aren't pulling the whole thing out at once). Let it cool almost completely before slicing. This cake is VERY tender and somewhat crumbly, but ohhh so delicious! Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Hot Chocolate

This is the perfect thing to whip up in a hurry on a cold winter day. My boys love it, too! I quadrupled the original recipe in this post, so you can adjust as you need. It makes excellent leftover chocolate milk, too. :) 

Hot Chocolate

Detoxinista

4 Cups unsweetened Almond Milk

1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

4-5 T maple syrup

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

 

1. Combine ingredients in a sauce pan and whisk/stir. Cook over medium heat until hot.

Zucchini Brownies

 The website I got this recipe from declares that these are the "best zucchini brownies you'll ever eat". I have to admit that's true...and they might even be the best brownies you'll ever eat! They are so moist and fudgy, and the topping adds the faintest bit of crunch along with the walnuts that makes these ever-so memorable. If your garden has been abundant with zucchini like ours, you will want to put it all towards endless batches of these brownies. 

Zucchini Brownies

Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

1 cup finely grated zucchini that’s been squeezed of excess moisture (measured before squeezing)

1 large egg or 1 flax egg (1 T ground flax + 2.5 T water)
1/2 cup tahini
¼ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla 

½ cup cocoa powder
2 T coconut flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 T melted and cooled coconut oil
⅓ cup chocolate chips or unsweetened baking chocolate
½ cup chopped walnuts

For the topping:

2 T melted coconut oil

1 T maple syrup

2 T cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 T tahini or nut butter

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, add shredded zucchini (squeeze the water out of it and dry it it as much as you can), egg, tahini, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Stir until smooth, then stir in cocoa powder until well combined. 

3. Add coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and coconut oil. Stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanish. A few crumbs is fine.

5. Allow to cool completely. Once it's cool, combine the topping ingredients until smooth and drizzle or pour over the brownies. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Snickerdoodles

Very similar in texture to Dreena Burton's chocolate chip cookie recipe, this one has just the right amount of chew and thickness to feel like you're really eating a REAL cookie. It would for sure hold up being dipped in milk. James is a big fan of these cookies, and hopefully you, too, will soon see why. :)

I really did make them as small as she suggests, and it's a nice size (which is saying a lot coming from me, because I usually think bigger is better). I've made these twice, once using whole wheat flour instead of spelt in an even exchange, and another using a mix of almond and oat flour. Either way works!

Snickerdoodles

From Plant Powered Kitchen

3/4 cup + 1 T spelt flour (or whole wheat, or almond)
1/4 cup + 2 T oat flour
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp rounded baking soda
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
3 T organic neutral-tasting oil (I used melted coconut oil)

For coating:
2 tsp coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well (sifting as needed). 

3. In a small bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add wet to dry, stir until just combined. 

4. Put the mixture in the fridge for about 5 minutes, while you prepare the coating in a small bowl.

5. Gently roll small spoonfuls of batter (about 1/2 Tablespoon each) into balls. Once they are all formed, roll each ball in the coating and place on the lined pan. DO NOT FLATTEN THEM. 

6. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and let cool for just one minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Don't overbake or let them sit on the hot pan for long because they'll dry out. .

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have long been on the search for a chocolate chip cookie that is sugar free and vegan and all that, but actually tastes like a chocolate chip cookie. I've moved through a couple of recipes, but haven't made them often because they contain expensive or unusual ingredients, and even then didn't quite have the chocolate chip cookie experience.

The hardest thing is obviously the chocolate chips. Having recently purchased a significant amount of chocolate chips to try, I am enjoying all of the chocolate chip recipes. This recipe is simple, delicious, vegan, whole foods, refined sugar free, nut free, and has totally normal ingredients.

The cookie thickness depends on whether you make a ball of dough and put it on the sheet as is, or make the ball and then smash it flat a little. If you smash it, the cookie will be somewhat of the thin, crispy experience. Up to you! See pictures below.

Smashed flat ish

Left in a ball

 Chocolate Chip Cookies

Plant Powered Kitchen

1 C whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 cup coconut sugar
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄3 cup maple syrup
1⁄4 tsp blackstrap molasses (optional, or use more maple syrup)
1 – 1 1⁄2 tsp vanilla
1⁄4 cup melted coconut oil
1⁄3 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 

2. In a bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the sugar and salt, and stir until well combined. 

3. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup with the molasses and vanilla, then stir in the oil until well combined. If you refrigerate your maple syrup you'll want to add the wet ingredients to the dry fairly quickly so the coconut oil doesn't harden. 

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry, along with the chocolate chips, and stir through until just well combined (do not overmix). Place large spoonfuls of the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten a little (if you want a thinner, crispier cookie--see above). Bake for 11 minutes, until just golden (if you bake for much longer, they will dry out). Let cool on the sheet for no more than 1 minute (again, to prevent drying), then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 8-10 large cookies.

Chocolate Orange Banana Muffins

Chocolate Orange Banana Muffins

Plant-Powered Families

Makes 11-12 Muffins

1.5 C whole wheat or spelt flour

1/2 C almond flour (or oat flour if nut-free, won't be quite as moist)

1/4 C cocoa powder

1.5-2 tsp orange zest (from 1 large or 2 small oranges)

1/4 rounded tsp salt

1.5 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 C pureed overripe banana (from about 2 large bananas)

1/2 C freshly squeeze orange juice (from 1 large or 2 small oranges)

1/2 C maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla

optional: 1/4 C chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 11-12 cups of a muffin pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease.

2. In a large bowl, mix flours, cocoa powder, orange zest, and salt, then sift in baking powder and baking soda.

3. In a medium bowl, combine pureed banana, orange juice, maple syrup, and vanilla. 

4. Add wet mixture to the dry, then add chocolate chips if using and stir until just combined (don't overmix). Spoon batter into the tin and bake for 17-19 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Apple-Spice Hemp Muffins

We found these muffins to be beautifully moist, deliciously spiced, and popular for one and all. Hemp seeds are, I believe, the highest protein seed and also high in Omega 3's. Did you know that hemp seeds are considered a complete protein, and have similar amounts of protein to beef and lamb?? So feed these to whoever says you don't get enough protein on a vegan diet. 

Apple-Spice Hemp Muffins

Plant-Powered Families

Makes 12 Large Muffins

1.5 C whole wheat or spelt flour

1 C oat flour

2/3-3/4 C hemp seeds (don't try to substitute this)

1.5-2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cardamom (or nutmeg, but the cardamom is really nice...)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 C applesauce

3/4 C plain or vanilla almond milk, unsweetened

1/2 C maple syrup

1.5 tsp vanilla

1/3 C raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with liners, or lightly grease. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the flours, hemp seeds, cinnamon, sea salt, and cardamom, and sift in the baking powder and baking soda. Stir until well combined.

3. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and raisins, and mix together. 

Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined (do not overmix). 

4. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners (they will be quite full). Bake for 21-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Carrot Walnut Loaf

This delicious loaf is a hit with vegans and non vegans, gluten free and glutenous, sugar free and sugarful alike. It even passed the choir potluck test with flying colors. :) 

Carrot Walnut Bread

Minimalist Baker

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 55 min

Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min

1.5 Tbsp ground flax + a scant 4 Tbsp water (1.5 flax eggs)

1/3 C very ripe banana, mashed

1/4 C olive oil

1/4 C + 1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/2 C applesauce

1/3 C coconut sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 C unsweetened plain almond milk

1 1/8 C finely grated carrot

2/3 C rolled oats

1/2 C almond meal

1 C + 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour blend

1/3 C walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare flax eggs by mixing the ground flax and water in a large bowl. Set aside and lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan or line with parchment.

2. Add banana, olive oil, and maple syrup to the flax eggs. Whisk to combine.

3. Add applesauce, coconut sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.

4. Add almond milk and stir. And grated carrot and stir.

5. Add oats, almond meal, and flour. Whisk until just combined. Don't overdo it, especially if you're using gluten flour.

6. Spread the batter into the loaf pan and top with the walnuts. 

7. Bake for 50-65 minutes, or until deep golden brown and a toothpick comes out completely clean. When pressed on top it should not feel too spongy. Gluten free flours take longer than gluten flours to bake. 

8. Remove from the oven and rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Gently transfer the loaf to a cooling rack or plate to cool completely before slicing. It's very tender so hold your horses. Once cooled, store in a covered container or plastic bag at room temperature to keep fresh, or freeze. 

Fudgy Brownies

For the last couple of weeks we've been eating out of the "Plant-Powered Families" cookbook by Dreena Burton. I highly recommend this cookbook, especially if you're looking to start eating more whole-foods plant-based in your family. There are some great recommendations in the front and back on how to get started and what sorts of staples to have on hand. I definitely don't have all of those staples on hand, but my dream kitchen would. :) Anyway, we've enjoyed just about everything we've had out of there so far! This recipe was no exception. Deeeeeeeeelish! 

The frosting is definitely not required, unlike many other sugar-free cake-type things that are inedible without their frosting. Without the frosting, these are very fudgy brownies in appearance, texture, and taste. With their frosting, they're amazing brownies with amazing frosting. Still fudgy. I made my own coconut butter for the frosting (easy to do! blend up coconut!) and didn't have much coconut so I couldn't get it as creamy as it would've been otherwise. Hence the lumps. 

Warning: with the frosting, you can definitely taste coconut. Just in case you don't like that.

You will not believe what these have in them. And what they don't have! For one thing there is zero flour of any kind (yay gluten free people! Yay nut-free people!). I don't recommend tasting the batter until you've put in all of the ingredients. Before you add the dry ingredients, it tastes rather savory...I was skeptical, but all good things come to those who wait!!

Fudgy Brownies

"Crazy Brownies" by Plant-Powered Families

1/2 C kidney beans

1/2 C pitted dates

1/3 C peeled, cooked, and cooled diced yellow potato

2 T tahini or nut butter

2 T coconut butter (or more tahini or more nut butter)

1/4 C pure maple syrup

3 T unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C + 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 C coconut sugar

2 T arrowroot powder (cornstarch may also work here?)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 T chocolate chips (I didn't put in)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line or spray an 8x8 pan. 

2. Using a small or mini food processor, puree beans, dates, potato, tahini, and coconut butter until smooth. Add the maple syrup and milk and puree some more. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugar, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet ingredients plus the vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir well until combined (overmixing is not an issue since there is no flour). Stir in chocolate chips, if using.

4. Transfer mixture to the brownie pan and spread evenly. Bake for 22-24 min. They'll firm up even more while they're cooling and are fudgier with less baking, so don't overdo it. 

5. Remove from the oven and cool completely before adding any frosting or removing any from the pan. Did I eat a whole row of these before they were cool? Why yes, yes I did. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for optimal results. 

Chocolate Frosting (optional-only need about half this recipe for these brownies. But you will eat it all with a spoon)

Plant-Powered Families

1/2 C coconut butter

6 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 tsp salt

6-7 T milk (for easier spreading, go with 7)

6 T maple syrup

1. In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients over very low heat. Whisk through until coconut butter is melted and all the ingredients are smooth. 

2. Pour into a glass container and cool completely in the fridge before using. You will need to reheat a bit or add almond milk to get to spreading consistency--if reheating, pour/spread over the brownies and then refrigerate the whole thing until solidified.
3. If you have any extra (ha), roll into truffles, spread between graham crackers, or dish out with a spoon!

Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are truly WFPB, light and cakelike (read: not dense like whole wheat things often are), and 100% delicious! They're very easy, too, if you just need a quick snack or treat. 

So far I've only made these with frozen berries, but fresh work just as well (maybe even better, who knows?) I've also tried subbing the berries with zucchini and adding some pumpkin pie spice. You can use any other kind of berry you prefer. The sky is the limit!

Blueberry Muffins

Forks Over Knives

⅔ C unsweetened almond milk
1 T ground flaxseeds
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 C whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
½ C unsweetened applesauce
½ C honey or maple syrup
1½ tsp vanilla
1 C berries

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or spray.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, beat the almond milk, flaxseed, and vinegar. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk mixture. Add the applesauce, honey, and vanilla to the well and stir together. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the dry ingredients are moistened (do not overmix). Fold in the berries.
4. Fill each muffin cup three-quarters full and bake for 22 to 26 minutes, or until a knife inserted through the center of a muffin comes out clean (if using frozen berries you may need to bake on the longer side, but check after 22 min regardless).
5. Let the muffins cool completely in the pan, about 20 minutes, then remove them from the pan and devour.

Zucchini Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

This, my friends, is a perfect breakfast muffin.

And so is this :)

Kristen shared this recipe and muffin with me when she was passing through, and the first thing I wanted to do was make more. These are delicious and healthy! I made quite a few adaptations from the original recipe, some a la Kristen, which I've included below. I'm sure further adaptations would be successful.

Without further ado (because who likes scrolling through pages of ramblings before you get to the good stuff? I know you just want the recipe!), I give you, Zucchini Carrot Oatmeal Muffins.

Zucchini Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Adapted from YellowBlissRoad and Kristen Blair

1/2 C rolled oats
2 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)

1 C finely grated zucchini
1 C finely grated carrot
4 eggs (use only 7 eggs if doubling)

1/2 scant cup honey

1/2 C applesauce

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1/2 scant cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup golden or regular raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with paper liners, or spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

3. Grate zucchini and carrots and let rest. Melt your coconut oil and set it aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and add honey, applesauce, and mashed banana. 

5. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the carrots and zucchini. Add carrots and zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. 

6. NOW add the melted coconut oil. I do this last and very quickly so it doesn't give it as much of a chance to harden when it hits the cold ingredients. 

7. Immediately add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined and no dry parts remain.
8. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean, and tops spring back when lightly touched.
9. Let cool in the muffin pans for a spell before transferring to a cooling rack if you didn't use muffin liners.
10. Store in a tightly sealed container for 4-5 days. Or freeze them for later!

Best Chocolate Cake

When Kendall tried this cake, he declared that it tasted like "regular" chocolate cake to him. Texture, taste, and all, this recipe really takes the cake ;) For a recipe with no oil, eggs, dairy, butter, refined sugar, and 100% whole wheat flour, I think that's saying quite a lot. Besides that, it's mostly made out of a special secret ingredient that Kendall hates...... read on!

I wanted a different dessert for my birthday this year--something new and something delicious. And something you could really stick a candle in! As you can see, it succeeded on all counts. 

 I will finally reveal that this cake is made out of sweet potatoes! Makes for a lovely moist texture and it holds up really well. Therefore, blending both the cake and the frosting for this recipe is a really important step. I made something with sweet potato puree the other week and didn't have it fully mashed because I used a hand mixer. Did I have chunks of sweet potato in the finished product? Yes. Can Kendall detect those sorts of hidden ingredients? Yes. 

 This recipe originally has chocolate chips in the batter, so if you eat that kind of thing I think it would be quite delicious! It was also originally made with spelt flour, so you could use that for a gluten-free option. The recipe called for 1/2 C maple syrup if I doubled it for the double layer, but something inside me rebelled against using that much and I think I ended up only doing 1/4 C still. Up to you! But this cake is SO GOOD. We mourned its loss so much once we polished it off, that I made another chocolate cake the very next day. It is also gone.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Plant Powered Kitchen

1 1/2 C peeled, cooked, and cooled orange sweet potato
1 C plus 2 T water, divided
1/4-1/2 C maple syrup
2 T balsamic vinegar
4 tsp vanilla
2 C whole wheat flour
2/3 C coconut sugar
1 scant tsp salt
1/2 C cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
2 scant teaspoons baking soda

1 recipe chocolate frosting, see below

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9” round (or square!) cake pans (or one 9x13 pan) and/or fit the bottom of the pan with a small piece of parchment paper. No parchment paper is needed if using a 9x13.

2. In a blender (or using a handheld blender and a deep cup or vessel), puree the sweet potato, 1 cup of the water, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and vanilla until completely smooth. 

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, coconut sugar, and sea salt, then sift in the cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. 

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry (be sure to scrape out all the blended ingredients with a spatula, and use the remaining 2 tablespoons of water to rinse the blender jar and get out any remaining puree). Mix until just well incorporated. 

5. Transfer to the prepared pan, bake for 21–23 minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack for about ten minutes before removing from pans and letting cool completely. If using a 9x13, don't remove from the pan. Once cooled, frost in between the cake layers and on the tops and sides with the frosting recipe below. Store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Frosting

Makes about 2 1/4 cups.

2/3–3/4 C coconut sugar or other unrefined sugar

1 loosely packed cup peeled, cooked, and cooled sweet potato (yellow or orange)
1/2 C cocoa powder
1/2 scant cup almond or cashew butter
1/4 rounded tsp salt
2–5 T almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Blend coconut sugar with some cornstarch or arrowroot powder until powdery (I had a hard time reaching this phase, so just do your best. The more you succeed, the less grainy the frosting will be).

2. Place the sweet potato, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, nut butter, salt, 1–2 tablespoons of the milk (resist the urge to put in all 5 right now), and vanilla in a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth. 

3. Add milk as necessary, to reach desired consistency. If you used orange sweet potato, you will probably not need as much milk as you would using yellow. 

4. Puree until smooth, scraping down the blender/processor bowl as needed. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Wheat Thins

In my newlywed condition, I've been getting all homemakerish all the sudden and delighting in doing so many things that help us save money, or are better, or that are just homemakerish. For instance, I have stopped buying bread and have just been making all our bread, I froze a whole bunch of strawberries and peaches that were in season (somehow that just made me feel so domestic), I made a bunch of pesto to freeze with our homegrown basil (if that doesn't feel domestic I don't know what does), I made tons of strawberry jam with my sister-in-law, I'm looking into making my own garlic powder, and am planning on making a huge batch of fresh salsa with our homegrown oregano (and possibly our tomatoes when they grow...?). I LOVE it!! These are the sorts of things I've always wanted to do all day. And who doesn't want to save money?

 My latest thing is homemade crackers. Kendall and I go through a goodly amount of crackers and chips in a week, if I buy them. By that I mean that once while we were dating we got some chips and hummus at the store, and in 15 minutes we ate the entire bag and entire container. While sitting in the parking lot. And actually, that didn't just happen once--but happens very frequently. 

So you get the idea. This sort of behavior necessitates either intervention, acquiring a second job to serve our cracker habits, or....

Homemade crackers!

My first attempt was not a favorite with either of us. It was supposed to be a knock-off on cheeze-its, but when you happen to love cheeze-its they can be a pretty disappointing substitute. 

Not Cheeze-its. 

I tried this wheat thin-like cracker today, though, and was pleased both with how long it took and how hard it was (not long. Not hard.), but also how delicious and crunchy and salty they are! You might want to double the recipe if you find you really like it...or triple it...or...

I pulled them out of the oven to remove some of the thinner ones that brown faster than the others. I recommend this if you don't want burned crackers and fire alarms! I taste-tested one and thought, "Hmm. They're ok, I guess." And 20 seconds later most of the plate was gone. 

Whole Wheat Sugar-Free Crackers

From kitchenstewardship.com

1 1/4 C whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. paprika

4 T Earth Balance, or other vegan butter (I'm sure coconut oil works too)

1/4 C water

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 T honey

salt for topping

1. Combine flour, salt, and paprika in a mixing bowl. Cut in the earth balance until crumbs are no bigger than a pea. 

2. Combine water, vanilla, and honey in a measuring cup or mixing bowl and add to dry ingredients. Combine until a dough forms (it's rather shaggy and doesn't really come together). 

3. Preheat oven to 400. 

4. Roll dough out onto parchment paper or directly onto a greased cookie sheet. I did the latter because I didn't have any parchment paper, but it was sure harder to roll out. Roll as thin as you possibly can, and cut into 1-inch pieces with a pizza cutter or knife. Transfer crackers still on the parchment paper to a cookie sheet. Or painstakingly move one cut-out cracker at a time from where you rolled it to the baking sheet, like I did with the Cheeze-its. Not fun. 

5. Top with lots of salt and bake for 5-10 min until crisp and brown. Watch them very carefully because they can burn fast. I put them in for 5 min, then 2 min, then maybe 2 more, then 1 min at a time until I felt they were sufficiently ready. They do crisp up a bit on the pan after baking!!!

Pumpkin Pie (GF, SF, V, OF, Nut-free)

This Thanksgiving, I was bound and determined to create a dessert that I could eat, and all of Trent's family could eat. Which, if you know the group of us, that is quite the feat. But I think it was a success, and I am very pleased indeed! 

 Look at my helpers! They loved helping me blend things, and pour all the spices in and such. I think the biggest success for this recipe is that the kids all liked it!

Can you tell? ;)

I think I baked the crust a little long, especially since it's twice baked. Just watch it, or cover it with foil, or something.

 That, my friends, is a pumpkin pie that actually tastes like pumpkin pie. The texture, too, is just the same. Give it a try!

Pumpkin Pie (gluten free, sugar free, vegan, oil free, nut free)

Adapted from Oh She Glows

Crust:
1.5 C rolled oats
1 C unsweetened coconut
4-5 medjool dates
3 T chia seeds or ground flax
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C honey
1 tbsp applesauce

1. Blend all ingredients until dates are processed and the mixture is sticky enough to form a ball when pressed.

2. Press down and outward to form the crust (press firmly!) in a greased (or lined) pie pan, and prick with a fork.

3. Bake for 10-12 mins at 350. Cool for 10 mins before scooping in filling and baking. Watch out for burning! You will bake this crust more later, so if anything, undercook it. 

Filling:

2 1/4 C canned pumpkin
7-10 medjool dates
1/4 C full-fat coconut cream (or coconut milk)
1/4 C pure maple syrup
3 T cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves

1. Blend all ingredients until fully combined and the mixture is very creamy. Pour into the prepared crust.

2. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350, watching for burning. Let cool for an hour and then chill for at least 3 hours before serving. 

3. Slice and serve with coconut whipped cream, if desired! 

Chocolate Cake

Sometimes, you just want to sink your teeth into some cake. You know what I mean. And if it's chocolate, that makes life 100% better. Thanks to Stephie I discovered the joy of this chocolate cake that is entirely WFPB. Guys. It's AMAZING. The texture is just like cake and it's so moist! It is quite cakey, all things considered, and not super sweet. But it is deeeelish!

I was particularly excited about this recipe because I made my own date sugar! Because let's be real. Who wants to pay for that kind of thing? I admit that it was a bit more pain than it might've been worth--I could've just coughed up the cost of buying date sugar. But it was an adventure! Look at that beauty:

 With the chocolate and date sugar, the cake looks almost black. But it's so tasty!

 I think I would've had more success blending the dates alone first, to be sure it was a paste before adding the other ingredients. My blenders have been really struggling with dates lately. Yes, I said blenders. All three of them.

Chocolate Cake (Vegan, sugar-free, oil-free)

Inspired by Minimalist Baker

2 C almond milk (I made my own! A TOTAL breeze)
2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
2/3 C mashed banana, or other pureed fruit
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 C + 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups date sugar (or a bit less)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 8-inch round cake pans or one large rectangular pan with parchment paper or tin foil. I halved the recipe and made an 8x8 cake that turned out beautifully.
2. Mix the almond milk and vinegar in a large mixing bowl, and let set for a few minutes to activate. Add the pureed fruit, vanilla extract, and applesauce and beat until foamy.
3. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a sifter and slowly sift over the wet ingredients while mixing with a hand-held or standing mixer. If you don’t have a sifter, simply mix dry ingredients in another bowl and add to the wet mixture while beating. Beat until no large lumps remain. It should be creamy and pourable.
4. Divide batter evenly between your 2 cake pans or rectangular pan.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

Inspired by Gluten-Free Vegan Girl

2 C dates, pitted
1/3 C almond milk (or water/other dairy-free milk)
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
a pinch of salt

1. Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender/food processor and puree until completely smooth. If necessary, gradually add more tablespoons of almond milk until it reaches desired consistency. 2. Spread the frosting on top of any cake/cupcake. If you want to do a layered cake, you may need to double this recipe. I halved it for my halved cake recipe above, and barely had enough to cover the top.

Apple Pie

I find that I can't actually get over this pie. Mostly the pie crust. I was making it while talking to Julia, and we both just kept picking at it. I had a lot of trouble rolling it out, and so of course we just had to keep eating it. We almost just rolled it into balls and made cookies instead of adding the apples--and honestly, it wouldn't have been a bad idea. :)

I have had a hard time trusting the recipes from BabyCakes (think sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan bakery in New York) because things always turn out WAY more liquidy than they say. In fact, we're talking unworkable liquidy. So when I had added all the crust ingredients besides the water and it was already the consistency of fresh-ground almond butter, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

 This is what you call an epic failure. 

 But if you have lemons, you make lemonade. Except when you don't have lemons. But that's beside the point. I abandoned the directions and left out the water, leaving the fridge to work its magic. When I took the dough out of the fridge, I put it on the counter and found that it was now the consistency of a brick. I tried to warm it up in my hands by kneading it and then rolling it. It was way too dry so I finally did add some water. It rolled out quite nicely but obviously would not go into a pan. So I just patted it down in there the best I could, and made a little patchwork over the top of the apples. It was supposed to be that way the whole time, right?? Also I didn't do the whole dusting the crust with agave, because it already tastes like cookie dough. Doesn't need any more sweetening...believe me.

Apple Pie

BabyCakes

Roasted apples:

2 pounds apples (I used 5 gala apples, but the recipe suggests granny smith and pink lady) peeled, cored, and diced into 1-inch pieces

1 T cinnamon

1/2 C agave

1/4 C fresh lemon juice

Crust:

3 C spelt flour

1 T plus 1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

7 T coconut oil, plus a bit more for brushing

1/2 C plus 2 T agave

2 tsp vanilla

3 T cold water (maybe)

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon, agave, and lemon juice until apples are completely coated. Spread the mixture over the baking sheet. 

3. Bake apples for 35 min, rotating the sheet 180 degrees after 20 min. The apples will be soft. Let the apples stand for 30 min, or until completely cooled. Leave the oven on.

4. Meanwhile in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 7 T oil and agave and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until they are completely combined. See the above note about this next step...maybe you'll have more faith than I do. Slowly add the cold water to the mixture and continue mixing until a slightly moist dough is formed.

5. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and sprinkle it with spelt flour. Dump the dough onto the plastic wrap and shape it into a 3-inch-thick disk. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 20 min before using. 

6. Cover your work surface with parchment paper and sprinkle it heavily with spelt flour (I didn't do the parchment paper and I think that would've helped a lot). Dredge the dough through the flour until it is completely covered. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Brush off the excess flour. Lift the crust and fit it into a lightly greased pie pan, allowing the excess dough to hang over the rim. 

7. Fill the pie shell with the roasted apples and spread evenly. Fold the excess dough back over the apples, folding and pleating to create a rustic-looking pie (we're all about the rustic, guys). Brush the dough lightly with oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pie and brush crust with agave (I don't really recommend this) and return to bake for 11 minutes longer, until browned. 

8. Let the pie stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Store the pie, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days. The crust softens significantly by the next day! I had leftover crust even after we ate like half of it while making it. Not a problem. Simply devour it.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

My dear, dear friends. These cupcakes quite literally changed my life, because I now see what is possible with sugar-free baking. There really is life after sugar, and it's a dang good life. I have discovered, particularly this week, that if you go long enough without sugar it doesn't take much to excited the ole tastebuds. I knew there was something wrong with the fact that I was contemplating bringing a particularly heaven-sent coleslaw as a dessert offering at my next social function. But if these desserts are this good--think how many people's lives could change?

It was my first experience with the Babycakes cookbook (New York sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan bakery), and it was a success. I adapted the recipe slightly because I can eat whole wheat and didn't have all the fancy flours. The recipe I included below is my adapted version. 

I was amazed at the consistency of the cupcakes--not that dry at all! 

However this frosting helps moisten it. As you can see, my frosting totally didn't set up...ever. I think it was because I used cornstarch and not coconut flour, and I think that would usually mean that it should be cooked to thicken. It's a nice sauce, though!

 
Later, I added some whole wheat flour in desperation, and now it looks like nasty oatmeal and tastes of whole what. BUT I think it's still quite nice! The frosting is not good by itself, so that's good because you won't eat it by the spoonful. :) But it really adds a lot to the cake.

This could be the beginning of an era! I'm excited.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Adapted from Babycakes

1/2 C rice milk

2 T apple cider vinegar

3 1/4 C whole wheat flour

1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1 T plus 1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2/3 C coconut oil, melted

1 1/4 C agave nectar

2 T vanilla

Red food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Pour the rice milk and apple cider vinegar into a small bowl, but do not stir; set aside to develop into "buttermilk" (I like to call this step "souring the rice milk." :) )

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (if you're gluten free you can use spelt flour--that's in the original recipe), cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

4. Add the oil, agave nectar, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. The batter will be thick.

5. Using a plastic spatula, add the "buttermilk" and mix just until combined. Slowly add red food coloring until the batter is the desired color. Do not exceed 6 T, as this will make the batter too wet.

6. Pour 1/3 C batter into each paper liner, almost filling it. Bake cupcakes for 24 minutes, rotating the tins 180 degrees after 14 minutes. They are done when they bounce back slightly to the touch, or a toothpick comes out clean. 

7. Let stand in tins for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a frosting knife, gently spread 1 T vanilla frosting (see below) over each cupcake. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Vanilla Frosting

1 1/2 C rice milk
3/4 C powdered milk
1 T cornstarch
1/4 C agave nectar
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 C coconut oil, melted
2 T lemon juice
flour as needed, unless you want a sauce!

1. In a blender, combine the rice milk, milk powder (original recip: soy milk and soy milk powder), cornstarch (original recipe calls for coconut flour), agave, and vanilla. Blend the ingredients for 2 minutes.
2. With the machine running, slowly add the oil and lemon juice, alternating between the two until both are fully incorporated.
3. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 6 hours or up to 1 month. It doesn't really set up in the fridge...so if it's a total liquid you probably need to add some flour. Improvise.