Ultimate Brownies (Passover Edition) March 24, 2013

These brownies are a spin on the recipe from my book.

So yummy, and you can have them on Passover!

Makes 9 servings.

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips or 2 ounces chocolate

1/3 cup vegan butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons nondairy milk

2 tablespoons applesauce

1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup matzo cake meal

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and oil a 9-inch square baking pan.

Melt the 1/3 cup chocolate chips and the vegan butter.

Stir in the sugar, milk, applesauce, and vanilla.

Stir in the flours, chocolate chips and nuts if using.

Spread evenly in pan.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve as soon as possible.

Store in a sealed container.

Coconut Lime Icing March 10, 2013

This icing is great on the Chocolate Gluten Free Cake!

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime peel

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted

2 tablespoons agave nectar

Beat the ingredients with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until thoroughly emulsified.

Easy Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake March 9, 2013

2 1/2 cups sweet sorghum flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifter (I prefer dark cocoa)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups nondairy milk

1/2 cup canola oil or melted unscented coconut oil

1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and oil and flour 2 8-inch round pans.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour evenly into pans and bake for about 26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Ultimate Gluten Free Vegan Brownies March 8, 2013

These brownies are adapted from my “Ultimate Brownies” in my book Sweet Utopia. These really need to be eaten right away!

1 cup sweet sorghum flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 ounces semisweet chocolate or 1/3 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup vegan butter

2 tablespoons nondairy milk

1 3/4 vanilla

1/2 cup nondairy chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and oil a 9 inch square baking pan.

You can also use mini, regular or jumbo muffin pans (silicone work very well and do not require oiling.

Sift the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl.

Melt the 2 ounces chocolate together with the sugar and vegan butter.

Stir the chocolate mixture, milk and vanilla into the flour mixture using a wooden spoon.

Fold in the 1/4 cup chocolate chips and nuts if using them.

Spoon and press the mixture into the pan evenly.

Bake for about 28 minutes, or 23 minutes for muffin pans–edges should look set but the middle should look gooey.

Chocolate Cookies (Gluten Free) March 6, 2013

Makes a dozen cookies.

2 ounce unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoon extra  virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons nondairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and oil a cookie sheet.

Melt the chocolate and oil together.

Add the agave, applesauce, milk and vanilla.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

Mix in the wet ingredients until combined.

You may need to knead the mixture with your hands.

Form into 2 inch balls, place on cookie sheet and press down.

Bake for about 11 minutes, until cookies are puffy and set but not firm.

Deep Chocolate Cheesecake February 28, 2013

This divine dessert is super rich and sweetened with just agave.

 

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 1/2 cups silken tofu

1 cup tofu cream cheese

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder

1 cup amber agave (you can use light also)

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor.

Pour into a pie crust and bake 50-55 minutes.

Pie should have cracks on the sides but still be jiggly.

Cool and then refrigerate 8 hours or overnight prior to serving.

Orange Muffins (gluten free, sugar free) February 27, 2013

These muffins are a cinch to make and have a nice delicate flavor.Makes 12 muffins

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

1 cup almond milk or other nondairy milk

2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil

Grated peel, juice and pulp of 1 tangerine

1/2 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon liquid vanilla NuNaturals stevia

2 tablespoons applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and oil a muffin pan.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and spoon evenly into muffin pan

Bake 12-14 minutes or until edges begin to slightly brown.

Chocolate Oat Cookies (gluten free, sugar free)

Makes 8 cookies.

1 cup rolled oats, ground in food processor

2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil

2 tablespoons Dark cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Arrowroot

3 droppers liquid vanilla NuNaturals stevia

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons almond or other nondairy milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients and form 1 1/2 inch balls.

Place on oiled cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes.

Almond Butter Cookies (Gluten free, sugar free)

These are so simple to make, and quick! Also really rich and satisfying, they make a great breakfast!

Makes 8 cookies.

1 cup rolled oats, ground in food processor

1 teaspoon arrowroot

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup almond butter

3 droppers vanilla NuNaturals liquid stevia

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup almond or other nondairy milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients.

Form 1 1/2 inch balls and bake 10 minutes

Fig Walnut Scones with Maple Glaze October 29, 2011

Figs are a precious, unique, sensual fruit and a historical part of several world religions and cultures. Driving along desert roads, I recall stopping at small stands to purchase in-season fresh figs in Israel as a child. Now I tend to use dried figs in my baking, out of necessity, but they are still divine. I confess that I didn’t think it was possible to make tasty scones using whole-wheat flour, but I proved myself wrong here. The health factor is turned up a notch in these stunning scones, and they make the brunch crowd oh-so-happy! I know my own crowd loves them, and they don’t last very long.

Yield: 10 scones

 

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegan butter substitute, slightly softened but not at room temperature
1/2 cup soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/3 walnuts

1/3 chopped dried figs

Maple Glaze

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 1-2 baking sheets.

Beat the vegan butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the soymilk, lemon juice, peel and extracts. Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Combine the two mixtures. Knead the dough until the dry mixture is incorporated. Fold in the walnuts and figs very gently.

Form the dough into a 1-2 inch tall round disk. Slice like a pizza into 10 slices and spread the slices out on the baking sheets. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until light brown.

Prepare the glaze. Stir the maple syrup and powdered sugar until the sugar is dissolved and there are no lumps.

Let the scones cool for about 10 minutes. Brush on the glaze and serve immediately.