Raw Vegan Brownies

As you may have heard me mention, we are trying to some extent to get away from eating quite as much meat and processed foods in general.  We won't talk about the giant pre-packaged cinnamon roll I had this morning...I guess the key word here is trying.  

So this endeavor has me looking for replacements for some of my favorite naughty treats that aren't quite as naughty...hence these raw brownies.

Do they taste like fresh from the oven, decadent, dripping with chocolate brownies?  Well, of course not.  But seriously they're not bad.  If you're someone like me who thinks they have to have their chocolate sweet fix everyday, they are a pretty good alternative.  

Here's the recipe I found at 28 Cooks

1/2 c dried dates

1/2 c dried cherries

1/4 c carob powder (or cocoa powder)

1 c walnuts

3 tbsp agave nectar (or honey)

Process all in food processor until ingredients are well mixed and chopped. Press into a small square baking pan and freeze for 1 hour. Slice brownies into 12 pieces. Store in fridge

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting (Plant-Based)

It was a long, hot summer.  And it's hard to find things to do to keep myself entertained. One can only go to the library so many times, and I love surfing the web as much as the next person but my posterior eventually gets numb.  One of the things I did to entertain myself was watching a few documentaries, and one of my favorites was "Forks Over Knives".  It's a pretty compelling story of how our Western diet has led to the demise of our health (I know, that's not exactly a new revelation) and how we should eschew all things processed and animal based and solely eat a plant-based diet.  (I love the word eschew, I'm so glad I finally got to use it).  

I liked the documentary so much I ended up buying the companion cookbook, and found the recipe for these cupcakes in it.  I'll have to admit it's not quite as easy as opening up a box of cake mix, but it feels really good knowing you're having a treat that's not completely filled with fats, sugar, and preservatives

The family even agreed they were pretty good, and had no idea I was sneaking dried dates into their dessert.  Except for when I told them, I'm terrible at keeping secrets.

Here's the recipe for you should you feel led to try them...

Double Chocolate Cupcakes:

2 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup plant based milk (I used almond milk)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup dry sweetener (prob not the best choice but I used splenda)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 and line 12 cup muffin tin.

Melt the chocolate in small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk and vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes until curdled. Stir in the dry sweetener, applesauce, vanilla, and melted chocolate.

In a seperate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the mixture to the wet ingredients, one half at a time, and beat until no large lumps remain.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. 

Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

1 cup boiling water

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups pitted dried dates

1 tbsp brown rice syrup*

pinch salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Put boiling water and cocoa powder in a blender or food processor. Blend on high about 30 seconds. 

Add the dates, brown rice syrup, and salt to the blender. Blend until smooth. Add the vanilla and blend until combined.

Transfer mixture to an airtight container and chill completely, at least 3 hours until it becomes firm and spreadable. 

I found the brown rice syrup at Sprouts Farmers' Market, but didn't really want to pay 5+ bucks for just one tablespoon for this recipe. I had bought some of that new sweetener called Nectresse and just used some of that. Or you could just use splenda.

So, I'm a long way from eating only things produced from the ground, in fact I doubt I'll ever be totally there.  But adding more veggies and eating less meat feels like a step in the right direction.  

Root Beer Fudge

This was supposed to be Root Beer Float Fudge, but the root beer flavoring I used didn't give me the color contrast I needed, so I lost the "float" effect.  No matter, it was still scrumptious!  

And that's saying a lot coming from me, as I am pretty skeptical of desserts that aren't chocolate.  I took these to work and everyone there seemed to like them.  One girl said they were "ridiculous".  I think that's good.

Here's the recipe for you that I found at The Traveling Spoon. Easy as pie.  Well, way easier than pie actually.

3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
3 cups white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream
3 teaspoons root beer extract

Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over low heat, stir sugar, butter, salt and cream until melted and well combined. Bring to a boil and stir continuously for 4 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and quickly stir in white chocolate chips and marshmallow creme. Stir until well combined and smooth. Mixture may be thick so don't be afraid to stir hard for a couple of minutes!

Working quickly before the mixture hardens, pour half into the prepared baking dish and spread with a knife or spatula. Stir root beer extract into remaining fudge mixture until well combined. Pour over white fudge and swirl the two layers using a knife. Refrigerate at least four hours. Cut into small squares and enjoy cold or room temperature.

Pomegranate Granita

In the past I had been jealous, even quite envious when I would see that other bloggers had received a sample of this cute little bottle of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. 

 But finally, I got my turn.  It's some seriously good stuff to drink straight from the (incredibly cute) bottle.  But I wanted to make something out of it.  So I decided on granita, from Dave Lieberman's recipe found at Food Network.  

It's the easiest thing ever, just a bit tart, and very refreshing.  I halved the recipe and it made plenty.  

Ingredients

• 7 cups pure pomegranate juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon superfine sugar, or more to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the 2 juices and season with sugar, to taste. Pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Carefully place in freezer and freeze until solid, about 4 hours. Use a fork to scrape into large crystals and spoon granita into chilled glasses. Serve immediately.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

It's the much lauded Cranberry Bliss Bar made famous by Starbucks, as I understand.  I've aspired to make them quite some time now, thinking their sophistication would launch me into the upper echelon of people who eat mature desserts.  

So, am I there?  Is this what it's like?  Feels...kinda the same as before.  While they were pretty yummy, I'm more of an un-sophisticated chocolate- covered, messy, gooey dessert person.  I guess what I'm saying is they're good, but I didn't feel the bliss.

If you think it's something that might bring you bliss, here's the recipe:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave or until melted; stir in brown sugar. Pour the butter and sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).
3. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Let the frosting set then cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Raspberry Icebox Cake

It's time for me to confess to anyone reading this that I have an addiction.  I'm addicted to downloading free books for my Kindle.  I just can't stop.  I have more books on there than I will ever read in my lifetime...not even sure if any of them are worth reading.  But one of the books I downloaded is called "30 Delicious Refrigerator Cake Recipes".  I like when a title just says what it means :)

Anyway, this book is comprised of desserts that are put together quickly then set in the refrigerator to meld together and do delicious things.  Some of them have a cookie base, or graham crackers.  Some of them require you to bake a cake or buy some type of cake and use it to soak up other good things.  I was drawn to this one because it has raspberries and marshmallows, both things that my son enjoys.

sorry for such cruddy pics, took them at 9pm

Basically it's a graham cracker crust on bottom, topped with raspberries combined with jello, and a whipped cream/marshmallow topping.  I had a little trouble with the proportions.  When they say "24 graham crackers" I think they mean the squares, not the rectangles, as I had way too much cracker crumbs.  And I think in the jello part I would have used a little more water to bulk up the amount of filling it makes up.  But otherwise it was quite delicious, and not as labor intensive as it sounds.  My daughter how usually doesn't care for any berries even liked it.  

Here's the recipe:

24 graham crackers, crushed

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 pkg raspberry gelatin (6 oz)

1 cup boiling water

15 oz frozen raspberries

20 large marshmallows

1/3 cup milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Mix butter, brown sugar, and graham cracker crumbs.  Reserve 1/4 cup for the topping.  Use the remainder to create a crust by pressing it into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

2. Bake at 350 for 10 mins then set aside to cool.

3.  Dissolve raspberry gelatin in boiling water.  Add the frozen raspberries and stir until melted.  Chill until partially set, then spread the mixture over the crust.

4.  Place the milk and marshmallow into a pan.  Slowly heat until marshmallows melt.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.  When cool fold into the whipped cream and spread on top of raspberry mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining crumbs.

5.  Chill for 3-4 hours before serving.

Speaking of berries, I was recently the winner of a whole pantload of Driscoll berry coupons from Emily at Sugar Plum!  Can't wait to load up on all kinds of berries to make more yummy things :)

  

Apple Fritters

After getting the little darlings off to school this morning, I decided to embark upon some fritter making activities. Seemed like a fine way to spend a Thursday morning. 

I had a hard time regulating between burning them and not getting them done in the middle.  But otherwise, they are pretty darned easy, and quite delicious.  

Here's the recipe from No Fear Entertaining if you feel like giving it a try...

Fritter:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chopped apple

Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions: Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon. Stir in milk and egg until just combined. Fold in apple. Pour oil into skillet so that it is approximately 1 1/2 deep. Heat oil on high. (on my stove, high was too high, just above medium worked best for me.) Oil is ready when dough floats to top. Carefully add dough to oil in heaping teaspoons. Cook until brown, about 2 minutes, then flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes, until both sides are browned. Transfer briefly to paper towels to absorb excess oil, then transfer to cooling rack. Make glaze by stirring milk and powdered sugar together in a small bowl. Drizzle over apple fritters. Wait approximately 3 minutes for glaze to harden, then flip fritters and drizzle glaze over the other side. Best served warm.

apple-y good inside shot 

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

I love Kahlua, and I love desserts made with Kahlua.  When I saw this post at one of my favorite blogs, Lick The Bowl Good, several months back, I knew I wanted this cake to be mine.  It turned out moist and delicious! We almost ate the whole thing in one day.

This might be nice to serve for Thanksgiving, if you've got somebody who doesn't care for pumpkin.  Me, I'll be working.  (Time and a half, baby!)

Here's Monica's recipe:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 small box instant chocolate pudding
• 2 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil
• 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee or water
• 1/2 cup Kahlua
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, place cake mix, pudding mix and instant espresso powder and mix together with a whisk.

In a large measuring cup, mix the remaining wet ingredients together and blend til well mixed.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well combined with an electric hand mixer or a large whisk. Mix until well combined and lump free.

Pour cake mix into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, top with glaze (recipe below).

Kahlua Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1 Tbsp. Kahlua
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients til smooth and pourable. If too thick and a few drops of water. If too thin, add more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached.

Pour or spoon glaze over the entire cake. Garnish with mini chocolate chips if desired.  (I didn't have any so I used pecans).   Allow glaze to set before slicing into cake.