Are you a human being? If the answer is yes, then you will love these vegan Parmesan truffle tater tots. There is something about the smell of truffle oil that makes my mouth water. It makes me want to bathe in a huge bath full of truffle oil and smell it constantly for like a month straight. There is a restaurant my husband and I like to go to, and they have Parmesan truffle fries which I can smell while they are bring delivered. I as always knew that one day I would make a vegan version, but then I thought, what if I take it a step further. Tater tots….
Archives for February 2017
Vegan Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars
Carrot cake is amazing. I feel like we can all agree. Yes? Yes. Now that that is out of the way, let us talk about the best carrot cake type dessert I have ever tasted. These vegan carrot cake cheesecake bars. They are wonderful, and make me so happy! My daughter is a vegetarian, not vegan, so she eats eggs and dairy, and is free to taste many samples when we go to the store. She is a big fan of Costco on Sundays when they have a million samples. They had carrot cake the other day, and she ate two samples. I had to put a fake mustache on to get back in line(jk). Which got me thinking about how amazing carrot cake is….
Vegan Broccoli Rabe Pesto Ravioli
I really fancy a good ravioli, perfect pasta, perfect filling, perfect sauce accompaniment. So, I was thinking about making unique fillings for ravioli, housed inside the most delicious fresh pasta, that go with each season. What season is coming guys? Spring! Broccoli rabe is in season in the spring time! So the peppery greens coupled with other light spring flavors, like lemon and pine nuts, seemed like a great idea! This vegan broccoli rabe ravioli is amazing!…
Vegan Pancake and Sausage Muffins
I still ate meat when McDonald’s came out with their McGriddle breakfast sandwiches. I was in my early teens, and my dad was busy, so he would often swing by and get us breakfast. It was then I discovered the glory of pancakes and sausage living in sweet harmony. I have never forgotten the McGriddle, however, I will never eat another one for obvious reasons. So, I wanted to create something super simple, healthy(ish), and really, really delicious with a similar flavor….
Vegan Black Bean Satay with Peanut Sauce
Have you ever had satay? It is super fun, and from what I remember, super delicious. There was a little Asian restaurant that my dad used to take us to when I was a kid. They had chicken satay with peanut sauce, and they would bring you a little burner with a tiny grill to cook it yourself. I loved it! I thought it was so much fun. I saw a beef satay on a menu the other day, and thought what a great idea it would be to use black beans to mimic beef would be. My husband and I were discussing how to make this happen, and we figured on there was only like a 20% chance it would work. Well, I worked out completely and amazingly! It is so friggin’ delicious….
Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Potato Chip Cookies
I think we are all well aware that sometimes you need something to indulge in, to comfort you, to give you a “food hug”. I think I coined that term. I’m not 100% on that though. These beautiful peanut butter cookies filled with chocolate chunks and potato chips will give you the biggest hug you have ever had! Vegan AND gluten free, these cookies are a one bowl, 15 minute recipe. They are perfect in every way. Sweet and salty, my favorite! …
Vegan Fig and Chorizo Pizza
Okay guys, hear me out. Does this combination sound a little odd to you? I promise it is not. The sweetness of the figs, and the spicy saltiness of the chorizo actually makes more sense than anything ever has in my life! I am non stop throwing recipe ideas at my husband, however, this time he was a little bit hesitant. The second he walked through the door, I shoved a piece of this Fig and Chorizo Pizza in his face, and he definitely ate crow, not literally, of course. He told me I was right, which I absolutely love hearing….
Vegan Cajun Tofu with Creamy Grits and Greens
I am madly in love with New Orleans, and it is actually not a long drive from where I live! My husband and I took our daughter to New Orleans a few months ago, and we had an amazing time. I had some amazing food, but couldn’t find a lot of Cajun food that was vegan. I was pretty jealous of all the spicy goodness my husband had. So here we are. Cajun spiced tofu and creamy grits with some super garlicky kale! This whole recipe is so quick and easy! The perfect weeknight meal!…
Vegan Baked Samoa Donut Holes
It is Girl Scout Cookie Season again! It always inspires me! I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid, for like a month. I think I just really wanted in on that Girl Scout cookie action. When cookie season was over, I got really bored and wanted to quit. I guess that was a good indication of how my life would turn out. I should just wear a sign that says, “I am only here for the food”. Truth! So, this year, I have decided to make a adorable snack based on the Samoa cookies. These donut holes are baked, not fried, then one side is dipped in dark chocolate, the other in caramel and topped with toasted coconut and more dark chocolate. They are to die for.
I used my basic vegan vanilla cake donut recipe, then used a mini muffin pan to bake little donut holes. You can certainly just use a donut pan if you want, I just love how these little holes pop right in your mouth. Then I melted dark chocolate to dip one side, and made a super quick, super easy, vegan caramel for the other side, topped with coconut and then drizzled with more melted dark chocolate! Perfection!
My parents used to buy Girl Scout cookies when I was a kid, and the Samoas were always my favorite! I would try to hide one box away for myself! The chocolate, caramel and coconut combo is amazing. I add a bit more salt to my caramel as well to give it an extra depth! These come together with one bowl and bake in 10 minutes. While they are baking, you can quickly put together the remaining elements, and bam! The best f’ing donut holes ever!
Making all the toppings is a bit of work, but I promise it is worth it. They are also each so easy, the only reason I say it is a bit of work it is because there are 3 different elements to put on top. One is microwaved, so no skill required there, one is toasted, so also no skill either, and the caramel is just heated on the stove, you just have to keep your eye on it. No biggie! Have fun! Enjoy! And yay! for the Girl Scouts, and their damn delicious cookies!
- 2 1/4 C. All purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
- 1 tsp. Baking soda
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 C. Sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Flax meal+6 Tbsp. Water
- 1 C. Almond milk
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 3 Tbsp. Coconut oil,melted
- 1 C. Coconut cream
- 1 C. Coconut sugar, or white sugar
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 tsp. Vanilla
- 1 C. Coconut, shredded or flakes, toasted
- 8 oz. Dark chocolate, melted
- Toast the coconut, either in a toaster oven set on toast, for about 5-10 minutes until it gets golden brown, or in an oven set to 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes until they brown, Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Mix together the flax and water to make 2 flax eggs. Let thicken for a minute.
- Add flax eggs, almond milk, vanilla and melted coconut oil to the dry ingredients.
- Stir everything until fully combined.
- Using a prepared mini muffin pan, fill about 1/2 way.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
- While the donut holes bake, make the caramel, add all the ingredients to a sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat. It will thicken as it cools.
- Once the donut holes are done, let cool. As they cool, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.
- Once the donuts are cool, dip one side in chocolate, let firm up a bit, dip the other side in caramel, and top with toasted coconut. Drizzle more chocolate on top if you want.
- Let firm up,enjoy!
- I put the donut holes into the freezer once I dipped them in chocolate to help the chocolate harden faster and make it easier to dip in the caramel.
- I then put them in the fridge when they were complete to firm everything up so I could eat them quickly!
Vegan Hot Toddy Bundt Cake
Guys, I was sick for like 3 or 4 months straight, seriously. I got bronchitis in October, and was sick pretty much until January. My kid was sick most of that time, oh lordy…it was a disaster up in here. I got a bit better in December, and thought I was fine. I went to New York City in December while I was feeling better, only to get really really sick again while I was in New York. My brother and I had brunch at Tipsy Parson, and I decided since I was starting to not feel great, I would partake of one of their winter drinks, because I knew it would help. So, I had their Hot Toddy! It was so delicious, I have had many Hot Toddies in my day, but this one was amazing. I actually felt better the remainder of that day! We went all over the place, I had energy, I had pizzazz! Then the next day, I crashed and had to go to the doctor, but that one Hot Toddy let me have one epic day!
So, I was talking to a lot of my friends the other day at a friend get together, and we talked about how we had all been sick for a long time. It seems like everyone I know has been sick this winter. I mentioned that Hot Toddies really helped me. One of my friends said she had done the same thing, and that a Hot Toddy saved her life.
So, here we are my friends(irl friends and internet friends alike), I made you all this vegan Hot Toddy cake! It is a tea infused spice cake with a whiskey, agave and lemon glaze and a whiskey icing! It is totally amazing! It may not have the same impact at drinking a Hot Toddy while you are sick, but I promise you won’t regret the decision to consume this perfect cake!
It is really easy to make, and really easy to eat! This is the perfect thing to bake before winter is over, and since we just got another cold blast in the East, you have plenty of time to chow down on some Hot Toddy cake this weekend!I hope you enjoy!
- 1 C. Almond milk
- 2 Black tea bags
- 1 C. Vegan butter, I use Earth Balance
- 1 1/4 C. Brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Flax meal
- 6 Tbsp. Water
- 2 tsp. Vanilla
- 2 C. All purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Cloves
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
- 6 Tbsp. Whiskey
- 2 Tbsp. Agave
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
- 1 C. Powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. Whiskey
- 1 Tbsp. Almond milk
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat the almond milk in the microwave for about 1 minute so it is nice and hot.
- Add the tea bags to the milk and let steep for about 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the vegan butter and brown sugar until nice and fluffy.
- In a small bowl combine the flax and water to make flax eggs. Set aside and let thicken for a minute.
- Add the flax eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture, and beat together again, until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl sift together all the dry ingredients, the flour, spices and baking soda and powder.
- Once the tea has steeped in the milk for about 10 minutes, remove the tea bags.
- Start adding the dry ingredients and the tea milk to the wet ingredients. Alternating until everything has been incorporated.
- Add the batter to a bundt pan prepared with non stick spray and flour.
- Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
- Test to see if it the cake is done with a toothpick.
- While the cake cools, make the syrup, add all the syrup ingredients to a sauce pan, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Once the cake is cool, flip out onto a serving plate, poke a bunch of small holes in the top with a tooth pick, and pour the syrup over. Let absorb for a few minutes.
- Then whisk together the icing ingredients and drizzle over the top.
- Serve!