Blackberry Sorbet - Vegan, Gluten-Free

we grow an odd sort of blackberry in the bramble patch - no one's entirely sure what variety it is. The fruits are massive, nearly black and just barely sweet. This final quality makes them ideal for preparations with added sugar, such as jam or sorbet, in which the tart, rich flavor of the berries is concentrated without being overwhelmed by the sweetness.

Blackberry Sorbet
makes about three pints

1 C water
2 C sugar
pinch kosher salt
3.5 C strained blackberry puree (see note)
1 T lemon juice

in a small saucepan, combine water, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir til sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Stir into blackberry puree and add lemon juice. Chill this base at least 4 hours or overnight.

Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instrictions. (I use a kitchenaid ice cream churn attachment on my mixer; this sorbet takes about 7-12 minutes to freeze properly.)

Moving quickly, pack finished sorbet into one large freezer-safe container for storage or several smaller 1/2pt containers for sharing. Freeze 2 hours before serving. Keeps up to 3 months in freezer.



note: to prepare blackberry puree, whiz up 4 to 4.5 C blackberries (depending on size of fruits) in a blender until mostly smooth. Pass puree through mesh sieve into a large pitcher, to remove seeds and fruit centers; a spatula is helpful to speed up the straining process.

Mint Arnold Palmer with Agave

The perfect vehicle of refreshment. Mint to ease the nausea that accompanies the oppressive Pennsylvania humidity, lemon to brighten things up and agave to sweeten the deal.



Mint Arnold Palmer with Agave
makes one serving

2-3 T agave nectar, sweetness is your preference
about 5 mint leaves
.25 C lemon juice
.75 C fresh brewed mint tea, cooled
ice

Combine mint leaves and agave in a tall glass and muddle a bit to release mint oils. Add lemon juice and tea and stir. Drop in the ice and enjoy with something crunchy.

Fettuccine with Tomato-Basil Sauce - Cheatin Vegan

A Lori Guerin speciality from back in the day, this pasta dish is cheap, delicious and vegan, until you adulterate it with pecorino sprinkle cheese. The original recipe calls for dry herbs exclusively, but it's lovely when gussied up with some fresh basil as well.



Tomato-Basil Fettuccini
serves 6-8, depending on the appetite

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 16 oz package fettuccine, preferrably the vegetable-enriched variety
1 small onion or half a large onion
2 cloves of garlic
4 oz fresh mushrooms, about half a carton
dried oregano, marjoram and basil
fresh basil, if you're fancy
pecorino romano cheese, if you have no morals

Put on a pot of water for the pasta. Salt the water once it boils and cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, dice onion, mushroom and garlic. Heat a medium saute pan and add olive oil to coat the botttom of the pan. Add onion and saute several mintues until softened. Add mushrooms and a light sprinkling of salt; cook on high, stirring frequently, until most of the moisture has been cooked from the mushrooms.

Add garlic and dried herbs - this is a matter of taste, but one should go heavy on the basil and marjoram and a lighter on the oregano. Cook another 2-4 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and reduce heat to simmer the sauce until thickened. At this point, one may add a palmful of cheese to the sauce.

The sauce will be ready about the time the pasta is cooked al dente. Drain the pasta fully and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to combine. Chiffonade 4-8 leaves fresh basil and toss with pasta.

Serve with additional cheese or fresh basil.

Inclusive Chocolate Chip Cookies - vegan, gluten-free, soy-free

These cookies are free from everything but deliciousness- no soy, eggs, wheat or milk required! The cornstarch can also be eliminated without much trouble; try an equal amount of potato starch.



[photo will arrive shortly]



The Inclusive Chocolate Chip Cookie
makes about two and a half dozen medium cookies

8 ounces non-hydrogenated palm shortening
.25 C sugar
1.25 C lightly packed light brown sugar

3/8 C white rice flour
.25 C quinoa flour
.25 C sorghum flour
2 T bean flour (garbanzo or garbanzo-fava blend)
.25 C cornstarch
2 T tapioca starch
1 t xanthan gum
1 t kosher salt
1 t baking soda
.5 t ground cinnamon

7 T H2O
1.5 t vanilla extract
1 t apple-cider vinegar

10 ounces gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free chocolate chips (EnjoyLife Brand is excellent)

Combine all the flours, starches and powders in a medium bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Set aside.

Combine the sugar and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer and cream just until combined – there should remain a few small pieces of shortening within a generally homogenous mixture. Blend in the flour mixture. Add the water, vanilla and vinegar and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl before incorporating the chips.

Chill the dough at least one hour. About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F. Portion dough by #40 scoop onto baking sheets, preferable parchment-lined. Bake 12-14 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool 2 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Sticky Buns - vegan

In honor of those who are leaving the area before the start of our gorgeous, crunchy, chilly, squash-filled fall, I present the perfect autumn bruncheon fare. It may seem to be a terribly involved recipe, given the multiparagraph directions, but it's really quite simple once you get going.



Pumpkin Sticky Buns
makes one dozen buns

for the dough
.5 C WWW flour
2 t yeast
.5 C water, 110ºF

2 C AP flour
.75 C pumpkin puree*
2 T sugar
2 T non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
1 T canola oil
1 T flaxseed meal
1 t salt

1-2 C AP flour for addition and dusting

*in my case the Jarrahdale puree I made and froze last year

for the filling
2 T non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
.25 C brown sugar
.5 t ground cinnamon
.25 t ground cloves
pinch nutmeg
pinch ground allspice

for the pans
.25 C non-hydrogenated margarine
.5 C brown sugar
.5 t cinnamon
.25 pepitas, chopped


Combine .5 C water and the WWW flour with the yeast in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and let stand, covered, half an hour to 3 hours.

Fit bowl into mixer and attach dough hook. Add 2 C AP flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, margarine, oil, flax, and salt; mix on medium-low until combined and a soft, tacky dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until, about 10-15 minutes, adding more flour to the dough and surface as needed, up to 1 Cup, until the dough is springy and no longer sticky. Form dough into a round and turn to coat lightly in flour. Place the round on a clean plate or sheet pan and cover with a clean, damp tea towel or plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients except for the margarine in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

Also, prepare the pans. Cream together the margarine, brown sugar and cinnamon by hand or with an electric mixer. Divide the mixture into each of twelve cups in a standard muffin tin and spread to cover the bottom. Sprinkle pepitas evenly amongst cups.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press evenly with knuckles to disrupt and evenly distribute air pockets. Knead the dough briefly and form into a round once more. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and elt rest 5 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to form the dough into a rough rectangle of about 8”x13”, with the long side parallel to your body. Brush the melted margarine over the rectangle, leaving a .75” border on the long side farthest from you. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the margarine and pat down lightly. Roll the dough tightly away from you so that the edge without the margarine forms the outer seam of the roll; press this seam to seal.

Cut the roll into quarters and each quarter into thirds, forming a total of 12 pieces. Fit the buns into the prepared muffin tin and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Remove plastic wrap and bake rolls 30-50 minutes, until the internal temperature of the rolls reaches 180ºF and the tops of the rolls are golden brown*. Remove from oven and immediately invert pan onto wire rack or sheet pan. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Fudge Frosting - Vegan

ad-hoc recipe. this is my basic chocolate cake - light, not too sweet and chocolatey. The fudge frosting is a delicious mixture of right (tasty agave!) and wrong (corn syrup and shortening!) that is a dense counterpoint to the texture of the cake.




Chocolate Cupcakes
makes 1 dozen standard cupcakes

1 C + 2 T AP flour
1.5 t baking powder

.25 C canola oil
.5 C + 1/3 C sugar
.25 t salt

1 C boiling water
3/8 C cocoa powder (6 T)(use Hershey's Special Dark for a really dark, black chocolate)
.5 t instant coffee powder
1 t vanilla extract
.5 t vinegar


Preheat the oven to 350 and line one standard muffin tin.

Use a fork to whisk together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl, set aside.

Pour boiling water over cocoa powder in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add remaining wet ingredients and set aside to cool briefly.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the oil and sugar until lighter in color and texture, scraping the bowl once or twice. With the mixer running on low speed, incorporate the flour mixture; process until well combined, scraping the bowl once. Incorporate the chocolate mixture with the mixer on low, scraping the bowl as needed.

Portion into tin and bake 22-26 minutes. The cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 5 minutes before unmolding. Cool completely before frosting.


Fudge Frosting
makes enough to top 1 dozen cupcakes

.25 C non-hydrogenated shortening
.25 C non-hydrogenated margarine
.25 C corn syrup
.25 C agave nectar

.5 C cocoa powder

With an eelctric mixer, cream the shortening and margarine until well combined. Beat in corn syrup and agave until smooth. Sift in cocoa powder and beat on low until combined - the frosting will the thick and glossy.

Chill briefly, as needed, to firm up frosting before topping cupcakes. Pipe onto cakes or dollop and smooth with a hot offset metal spatula to create a lovely sheen.





note: if you've ever eaten a Berger cookie, this is more or less the fudge that tops those confectionary wonders.

Raspberry Swirl and Coconut-Chocolate Chip Muffins - Vegan

delicious modifications of this recipe.

Raspberry Swirl - Prepare the basic muffin recipe omitting mixed berries and portion into greased muffin cups. Dot the top of each muffin with 1 t of seeded or seedless raspberry preserves, swirl just a bit with a butterknife. Bake as directed.




Coconut-Chocolate Chip - Pepare basic muffin recipe, omitting mixed berries and using unsweetened coconut milk for the non-dairy milk measurement. Mix in 1 C dark chocolate chips and .5 C unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted. Bake as directed.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies - Vegan

modified from Vegan with a Vengeance.

Substantial, peanut-buttery and not overwhelming, these cookies are an excellent afternoon snack. The dough itself is easy to prepare by hand - no mixer necessary.




Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies
makes about 2 dozen

2C AP flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt

2 C sugar
.75 C smooth, all-natural peanut butter (Crazy Richards)
.5 C non-dairy milk
.5 C canola oil
2 t molasses
2 t vanilla

2 C old fashioned "rolled" oats


Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients until well mixed. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined before incorporating the oats.

By hand, form into walnut-sized lumps and round between your palms. Place on lined baking sheet and flatten to 1/4" thick. Bake 12-15 minutes, until edges just begin to brown.

Cool on wire rack completely before consuming or storing.

Oatmeal Cranberry Raisin Cookies - Vegan

This recipe is modified from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, veganized and tweaked just slightly. These cookies are soft and chewy at the center, slightly crispy at the edge and full of sweet jewel-like dried fruit.




Oatmeal Cranberry Raisin Cookies
makes 2 dozen

1 C whole wheat white flour
.5 C AP flour
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon

1 C sugar
2/3 C canola oil
1/3 C agave nectar
1 t molasses
1 t kosher salt

2 T flaxseed meal
3 T hot water

3 C rolled oats
.5 C raisins
.5 C dried cranberries


Preheat oven to 350F.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Stir together flaxseed meal and water and let stand 5 minutes.

Cream together oil, sugar, agave, molasses and salt, by hand or on a stand mixer. Incorporate flax mixture and stir in dry ingredients. Mix in oats and fruit.

Scoop generously with a tablespoon onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake 8-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Seat of the Pants Spiced Strawberry Jam - Vegan, Gluten Free

This jam can be prepared with myriad variations - drop the puree if you don't have it on hand, play with the spices, adjust the sweetness to your liking. Provided you keep the sugar content above four cups, the preserves ought to gel just fine thanks to the pectin provided by the apple.



Seat of the Pants Spiced Strawberry Jam
fills 5 halfpint jars or 10 quarterpints

5 C strawberries, hulled and halved (from about 1.5 pounds of fruit)
4-5 C sugar
1 C strawberry puree
3 T lemon juice
1/3 tart apple, with skin, cut into several large pieces
1 large piece lemon rind - roughly 3 x 1.5-inches, including yellow zest and some white pith
5 whole cloves
1 whole cinnamon stick, about 3 inches
.5 t vanilla extract

Use a paring knife to knick 4 small cuts in the lemon rind. Insert a clove into each hole. In a large pot, mash strawberries with sugar until only a few large chunks of fruit remain. Add lemon juice, apple and spices in a large pot and let stand one hour to macerate.

Place pot over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until sugar is fully dissolved. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and crushing berries with back of spoon.

Meanwhile, Set 8 clean half-pint canning jars in a water bath along with 8 rings and any canning equipment that has not yet been sterilised. Bring to a boil; keep at a boil 10 minutes before reducing heat to low until preserves are ready. Set dome lids in rack for dunking or have at the ready with tongs.

Attach a candy thermometer to the preserve pot, taking care that the probe be at middle-depth and neither touching the pot or sitting above the preserves. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 215ºF. It will take some time for the mixture to reduce sufficiently to reach this temperature. The preserves will foam as they cook - simply stir them down if they reach too high. Increase heat to medium-high if necessary.

Once the preserves have reached 215ºF, remove from heat and let stand in the pot 2 minutes. Skim off any foam that has accumulated and remove spices, rinds, etc. Add vanilla extract and stir preserves once to distribute fruit pieces.

Meanwhile, sterilise dome lids by dunking in water bath.

Portion preserves into hot sterilised jars, leaving .5-inch headspace. Place dome lid on lip of jar and screw on ring until finger-tight. Process in boiling water bath 5-6 minutes. Remove from bath and let cool, undisturbed for 24 hours.

Label and store up to 9 months in a cool, dark location.



Eat them on a gluten-free roll and you're set for breakfast.

Fried Avocado Ice Cream with Chipotle Chocolate Sauce - Vegan, Gluten-Free

Fried Avocado Ice Cream with Chipotle Chocolate Sauce
serves 6 or more




For the Ice Cream
3 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and scooped
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch kosher salt

For the Coating
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
2/3 cup cold water
1/2 cup white rice flour
3 Tbsp agave nectar
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Chocolate Sauce
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8-1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch kosher salt

Additional Ingredients and Unusual Equipment
Ice Cream Churn
Food Processor or Blender
Deep Fry Thermometer
Oil for Frying


Method:
Combine all ice cream ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth. Chill several hours before churning according to ice cream maker manufacturer instructions. Remove from churn into container and freeze ice cream until hard.

Scoop ice cream into 6 large balls using a disher or ice cream scoop; roll in crushed corn flakes and freeze 20 minutes. Combine water, rice flour, agave, baking soda and cinnamon in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Dip ice cream balls in batter and roll once more in corn flakes. Freeze at least 3 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, prepare chocolate sauce. Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl. Combine hot water and agave and whisk into dry ingredients until smooth. Strain and pour into sauce bottle or a small container.

Heat 3 inches of oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot to 400°F. While the oil is heating, line a plate or platter with brown paper or paper towels to catch oil after frying. Also, have plates or bowls for serving ice cream at the ready, drizzled with chocolate sauce as desired.

Remove ice cream balls from the freezer 2-3 at time and place directly in oil. Fry for 15-20 seconds, until coating is well browned and ice cream just begins to soften – do not overfry, the ice cream will melt. Use a slotted spoon to remove ice cream and rest briefly on paper-lined plate before moving to serving dishes.

Serve immediately, with additional chocolate sauce as desired.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread - Vegan, Refined-Sugar-Free

Soft, slightly sweet bread with a hint of cinnamon and a bit of raisiny goodness. Almost half whole wheat and sweetened with maple syrup and brown rice syrup, so not so terrible for you.



Cinnamon Raisin Boule
makes one 7-inch round loaf

1 C white whole wheat flour
.75 C water
1 t active dry yeast

1.5 C all-purpose flour
3 T canola oil
2 T maple syrup
2 T brown rice syrup
1 t ground cinnamon
.5 t kosher salt
1-3 T almond milk

.5 C raisins


Combine .5 C water and the WWW flour with the yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and let stand, covered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Fit bowl into mixer and attach dough hook. Add flour, oil, syrups, salt and cinnamon and mix on medium-low until combined, adding almond milk, one tablespoon at a time, as needed to create soft dough. Incorporate raisins. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a springy, slightly tacky dough forms, about 10-15 minutes, adding more flour to the dough and surface as needed. Form dough into a round and turn to coat lightly in flour. Place the round on a clean plate or sheet pan and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press evenly with knuckles to disrupt and evenly distribute air pockets. Knead briefly before folding the dough onto itself and rounding once more. Place on a lightly oils pie plate or sheet pan and cover round with plastic wrap or damp tea towel; let proof until almost doubled in bulk, about 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.

Remove cover from dough and bake 30-40 minutes, until the internal temeprature reaches 190F. Let cool at least 20 mintues before slicing. Store at room temperature up to two days or freeze up to a month.

Raspberry Lemonade

simple, sweet, tart, delicious.



Raspberry Lemonade
makes about 3 pints

1.5 C sugar
1.5 C water
1 C fresh or frozen raspberries
2 C lemon juice

additional water and/or ice

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepot and bring to a boil; keep over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool briefly before adding the raspberries. Crush the berries into the syrup with a fork or potato masher and let the mixture stand 2o minutes.

Strain berry syrup into a large pitcher. Add lemon juice and stir. If serving immediately, dilute with 3-4 C of ice. For later service, stir in an additional 1-2 C water and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Serve over ice with additional frozen berries for added flavor.

Scones - Vegan, Agave

your basic American scone - cakey, slightly moist and just a touch sweet. made with agave and whole wheat white flour for just a bit of nutrition with your tea. Use any mix-ins you have on hand - the dough is versatile and forgiving.



Scones
makes 8 large scones

1.5 C AP flour
.5 C www flour
.5 t baking salt
.5 t baking soda
2 t baking powder

2 oz non-hydrogenated shortening
1 oz non-hydrogenated vegan margarine

.75 C chopped dried or fresh fruit, chocolate or nuts, if desired

.75 C non-dairy milk measured over .25 t apple cider vinegar
2 T agave nectar


Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening and margarine until pieces are about the size of peas. Stir in mix-ins, if using.

Use a fork to whisk together the liquid ingredients. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet mix; stir until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very briefly, just to get the mass together.

Place dough on a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disc. Wrap tightly and chill at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Remove dough disc from the refrigerator and unwrap. Cut through the center into eight pieces. Place pieces on lined sheet pan and brush tops with additional soy milk - sprinkle with raw sugar if desired. Bake 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool briefly before consuming.


Raspberry-Basil Variation

add 1.5 t dried basil to the flour mixture, substitute 1 t balsamic vinegar for the apple cider vinegar in the wet mix, and mix in 2/3C frozen raspberries, broken into small pieces.

Ginger-Orange Variation

add to the dry mix:
1 t ground ginger
pinch white pepper

add to the wet mix:
.5 t vanilla or orange extract
zest of one orange
replace 1 oz of non-dairy milk with 1 oz of pulp-free orange juice



for a drier scone, simply use all All-Purpose flour, rather than incorporating whole wheat white flour - they won't be quite as moist or nutritious, but they'll certainly be tasty.

freezing
the dough disc can be double wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to one month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before baking.

Raspebrry-Blueberry Muffins - Vegan

altered only slightly from "Bakery-Style Berry Muffins" in Vegan Brunch

Oversized, sweet and full of berries, these fall somwhere between being hearty muffins and naked cupcakes. The use of whole wheat white flour makes them slightly more healthful without endangering their flavor.



Raspberry-Blueberry Muffins
makes 12 muffins

1.5 C AP flour
.5 C white whole wheat flour
.75 C sugar
1 T baking powder
.5 t kosher salt

.5 C soy yogurt
.5 C canola oil
.5 C + 2 T non-dairy milk
2 t vanilla extract

1.5 C mixed fresh or frozen berries - break up large berries

large-crystal raw sugar (optional)


Preheat oven to 350F and grease a twelev-cup standard muffin tin.

In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the wet mix. Stir together with a spatula until just combined. Fold in berries.

Portion batter into prepared pan and lightly sprinkle the top of each muffin with raw sugar, if desired.

Bake 25-30 minutes, until tops are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed.

Waffles, 'Nuff Said - Vegan

modified slightly from Vegan Brunch.

light, crunchy, satisfying, rich and everything a waffle ought to be.




Waffles, 'Nuff Said

2 C non-dairy milk
1 t apple cider vinegar
3 T canola oil

1.25 C AP flour
.5 C whole wheat white flour (or more AP flour)
.25 C cornmeal
2 T barley malt powder
1 T cornstarch
1 T baking powder
.5 t salt

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl; combine wet ingredients. Add wet mixture to dry and stir til smooth but not beyond. Set aside to rest while preheating waffle iron.

Cook according to waffle iron directions. Work on the higher end of the toastiness settings for optimal deliciousness, and remember to spray the iron with cooking spray between each waffle.

Serve immediately or let cool and toast as needed. Freeze for future enjoyment.


Blueberry Variation

set aside 1/8 C non-dairy milk and combine with 1 C dried wild blueberries. Microwave or heat on the stovetop briefly to plump the berries slightly. Incorporate the blueberries after the wet and dry have been combined.

Chocolate Sauce - Vegan

modified from an Alton Brown recipe, c/o FoodNetwork.com

Excellent sauce for hot chocolate, chocolate milk, sundae topping and general drizzling. Taste a bit of the sauce with milk while it's hot, before straining; it may taste acidic, depending on the variety of cocoa used. Adjust this by increasing the sugar by up to .25 C or adding up to two ounces of finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate.





Chocolate Sauce

.5 C water
.75 C sugar
.5 C unsweetened cocoa powder, plain or dutched
2 t agave syrup
1 t vanilla extract
1/8 t ground cinnamon
pinch salt


Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil while whisking or stirring with a spatula. Remove from heat, strain and cool to room temperature. Pour into a squeeze bottle or regular container for refrigerated storage.



Hot Chocolate

6-8 oz almond, soy, coconut or rice milk
2-5 T chocolate sauce

In a small microwave-safe container, nuke the milk for 2 minutes on high; if you have a $1.99 IKEA milk frother, use it to add some texturally delicious foam. Meanwhile, pour chocolate sauce into bottom of a heatproof mug. Pour hot milk over sauce and stir to combine.

Top with additional sauce, cinnamon or whipped rice cream.

Banana French Toast - Vegan

Only slightly tweaked recipe from Vegan Brunch

Creamy, banana-cinnamon goodness. enough said. Easily wheat-free with some good gluten-free bread. I recommend Virago's French rolls, sliced in half or thirds.



Banana-Cinnamon French Toast
1 loaf sourdough bread, sliced and a bit stale (or lightly toasted)

2 bananas, very ripe
1 C plain, unsweetened coconut milk
.5 C plain, unsweetened soymilk
2 T cornstarch
2 t vanilla extract
.5 t ground cinnamon


Combine everything but the bread in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. pour into a wide, low baking dish and place bread slices over the mixture in a single layer (you'll be doing this in several batches). Flip the slices and let soak 5-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat a lightly oiled nonstick skillet or large frying pan several minutes over medium heat.

Remove the bread slices from the batter, dragging them on the edge of the baking dish to remove some of the excess batter, and place on skillet/pan in a single layer. Cook til lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until browned, another 3-5 minutes. Remove to plates for eating or hold in a warm oven, covered in a tea towel, for up to half and hour.

Serve with vegan butter, cinnamon, confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar and whatnot.

"Rock Pudding" - Chocolate Bread Pudding - Vegan

Creamy, toothsome chocolate bread pudding. Stale the bread for optimal results, and serve with a dollop of whipped soy cream or vanilla coconut ice-cream.

Note for the bread - challah, french, italian, whatever you've got, just keep the texture simple - don't use sticks and stones bread.




Rock Pudding

6 C bread, at least 1 day stale, cut to 1" cubes*
3 C non-dairy milk, divided - coconut, almond or soy are best
3 T corn starch
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 C sugar
1 T vanilla extract
.5 t cinnamon
pinch kosher salt
pinch fine ground black ro white pepper

non-hydrogenated margarine for pan prep

*alternatively, toast fresh bread cubes lightly til dry



Lightly coat the interior of one 8- or 9-inch square pan or 10 individual 6-8-ounce oven-safe ramekins with margarine, set aside. Place bread cubes in a large bowl and leave aside. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat .75 C nondairy milk until just boiled and pour over chocolate. Stir briefly and then let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a fork until homogenous.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch with just enough non-dairy milk to create a slurry. Turn the heat to medium and whisk in the chocolate mixture, and remaining milk. Cook until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is somewhat thickened - bring to a boil but do not allow a sustained boil. whisk in the cinnamon and vanilla.


Remove from heat and cool briefly before pouring over the cubed bread. Stir lightly to coat all pieces and let stand 15 minutes for even absorption.

At this point, you may fold in chocolate chips, toasted nuts, coconut flakes, fruit or whatnot to your liking; 1-2 C of mix-ins would be appropriate.

Spread the bread mixture into the prepared pan and bake until any loose liquid is bubbling, and the top is puffy and lightly browned, about 30 mintues for a 8 x 8 pan, closer to 18 for individual ramekins. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Cake with Berry Filling - Vegan

An incredibly simple and delicious chocolate cake. Moist, light and soy-free if you say so.



Basic Chocolate Cake
makes one 8-inch round layer cake or 2 dozen standard cupcakes

2.25 C AP flour
.75 C cocoa powder (a blend of dutch and regular rocks)
1 T baking powder
.25 t ground cinnamon

.5 C canola oil
1 2/3 C sugar

.5 t apple cider vinegar
2 C non-dairy milk*, measured over the vinegar
1 T vanilla extract

*coconut milk works quite well, but a blend of soy and almond milks is fantastic

Preheat the oven to 350 and oil two 8-inch round pans or line pans for 2 dozen cupcakes.


Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, powder, cinnamon and pepper and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the oil and sugar until lighter in color and texture, scraping the bowl once or twice. With the mixer running on low speed, incorporate the flour mixture; process until well combined, scraping the bowl once. Add the milk mixture and vanilla and mix on low, scraping the bowl once, until well integrated.

Portion into pans and bake 30-40 minutes for rounds, 22-26 minutes for cupcakes. The cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pans 15 minutes, cupcake pans 5 minutes, before unmolding. Cool completely before frosting.



Chocolate Coating


5 oz semisweet chocolate, chips or finely chopped
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chips or finely chopped
6 fl oz non-dairy milk

1 t vanilla extract

Combine chocolates in a heatproof bowl.

Heat the milk to boiling in the microwave and pour over chocolate. Stir just to distribute the milk through the chocolate pieces and let stand, without stirring further, for 5 minutes. Starting in the center, stir the chocolate into the milk until the mixture begins to become cohesive. Increase stirring radius to homogenize the mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Let cool til slightly thickened but not set before using.

Assembling the cake

1 recipe basic chocolate cake, baked in 8-inch rounds, sliced to level as needed
(if you prepared as 2 rounds, split to make 4, prepared as 3 rounds, let them be)
.5-.75C raspberry-blackberry preserves (depending on number of layers)
1 recipe chocolate coating, cooled slightly

Place one layer of cake, cut side up, on serving platter. Spread .25C of preserves evenly over cake, stopping about .25-inch short of the edge all around. Place second layer on top of coated first. Repeat the application of preserves on this round once or twice more, depending on layer number, taking care to position the final layer cut side down. The final layer should not have preserves on top.

Pour the chocolate coating onto the center of the top layer, letting the chocolate distribute itself over the cake. Egg on as needed, but do not overwork the coating. Wipe excess coating from servign platter as desired.

If desired, let the leftover coating set further until it is pipable and use a paper cone to decorate the cake top.