Blueberry Peach Cobbler

So delicious - even better the next day!

2 cups pitted and sliced fresh peaches
2 cups blueberries

Fruit sauce:
3 medjool dates, pitted, chopped, and soaked for at least 30 mins.
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup date soak water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup oat flour*

Topping:
1 1/3 cups oat flour *
1/2 large, ripe banana, sliced
3 dates, pitted, chopped, and soaked for at least 30 mins.
1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/4  tsp cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Fruit: Place peaches and blueberries into a large bowl. Set aside.

Fruit sauce:

Blend 3 dates, lemon juice, date water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup oat flour in a blender until smooth. Pour into the bowl of fruit and toss. Pour the fruit mixture into an ungreased 9 x 9" baking dish and spread out evenly.

Topping:

Blend banana, 3 dates, and non-dairy milk together until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and add oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Mix with a fork until the texture is somewhere between dough and batter (fairly thick). Spread the topping over the fruit filling evenly, or drop by spoonfuls, leaving gaps of fruit between. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until topping is lightly browned. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

*To make oat flour, grind rolled oats in food processor.

*****

Adapted from Straight UP Food

Buffalo Tofu with Ranch Dressing

Another favorite.  Absolutely delicious!

16 oz organic extra-firm tofu, cut in large cubes
1 tsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine oil, salt, smoked paprika, and hot sauce.  Add tofu and gently toss to coat with the mixture. Place each tofu cube in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 15 minutes on each side.

Serve immediately with celery sticks and ranch dressing.

Ranch Dressing

1 Tbsp unsweetened organic coconut milk
1/4 cup Vegenaise
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Chill until ready to use.

*****

Adapted from Chow Vegan

Roasted Red Cabbage

Aside from sometimes shredding a little bit of red cabbage in my salad or the occasional coleslaw, I've really never been much of a cabbage fan. It wasn't that I disliked it; I just never thought to cook it.

After trying this recipe, I have a new love for roasted cabbage. I was surprised at just how delicious this was!

Click here for printable recipe


Roasted Red Cabbage

1 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced and then chopped
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat a large stoneware baking sheet with a thin layer of coconut oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Add cabbage and mix well so that cabbage is evenly coated.

Spread evenly over the stoneware pan.

Roast for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until cabbage is tender and just starting to get a little bit crunchy.

Enjoy!


Recipe from Heather's Dish

Worcestershire Sauce

We have both wheat and fish allergies in our house, and I wanted to find a Worcestershire sauce that we could all eat. I finally found this recipe that fits the bill!



Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 c apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp wheat-free tamari
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp molasses
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp black pepper


Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Mix well.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Cool; pour into bottle and store in refrigerator.

Shake well before using.

Garlicky Green Beans

So simple...so delicious!


Garlicky Green Beans

1 lb green beans
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp expeller-pressed coconut oil
Sea salt to taste

Heat coconut oil, green beans, and garlic over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet. Sauté, stirring often to prevent garlic from burning, just until the green beans start to turn brown in spots. Season to taste with sea salt.




Adapted from Modern Alternative Mama

Red Lentil Coconut Soup

This is a blend of lots of good anti-inflammatory ingredients. Even better, it tastes delicious...my current favorite soup so far!

Red Lentil Coconut Soup

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 med onion, chopped
2 med carrots, chopped
1¾ c red lentils, sorted & rinsed
4 c vegetable stock
1 1/2 c coconut milk
4 cloves garlic. pressed
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp lime juice
1½ Tbsp white or yellow miso paste


In large soup pot, heat oil over medium low heat. Add onion and carrot and sauté until onions are soft, about 2 minutes.

Add lentils, stock, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, cumin, curry, and cinnamon to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat once lentils are completely soft.

Pour the soup in the Vitamix and blend until smooth. Add sea salt, lime juice, and miso, and blend on low to mix. Add additional vegetable stock or water if too thick. Adjust seasonings.




Adapted from The Holistic Chef

Roasted Garlicky Brussels Sprouts

I love vegetables, but Brussels sprouts have never been a particular favorite. That changed the day I tried these. So delicious!



Roasted Garlicky Brussels Sprouts

1 lb Brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons expeller-pressed coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Move oven rack to the upper part of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a 9x13" baking dish, toss all ingredients together and then spread out evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes; stir. Bake for another 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir well, scraping up the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.


*****

Adapted from The Cooking Photographer

Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Every year, on Thanksgiving, my mother would insist that I try one bite of sweet potatoes. Every year, I would take the obligatory bite, and then reiterate that I couldn't stand sweet potatoes!

Well, that finally changed. I realized that I don't like those sickeningly sweet, gooey sweet potato casseroles. I do, however, love these sweet potatoes!

Click here for printable recipe

Baked Sweet Potato Slices

1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced in 1/2" thick slices
Coconut oil
Sea salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a stoneware baking sheet (I use the Pampered Chef Large Bar Pan) with coconut oil. Place sweet potato slices on baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake for 10 minutes more.

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more. Turn, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

The sweet potato slices will be slightly crisp on the outside, and smooth and creamy on the inside.

I've made these with both expeller-pressed coconut oil (for no coconut taste) and cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil (for a slight coconut taste). I think that both ways are equally delicious!

I made this with an assortment of regular sweet potatoes, white sweet potatoes, and purple sweet potatoes. I liked comparing the different flavors and colors.

Adapted from the edible perspective


*****

Whipped Coconut Cream

1 (250 ml) container chilled coconut cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

Whip coconut cream in mixer (I used a Kitchen Aid with the wire whip) on high speed until thickened.

Add vanilla extract and beat again on high until thick peaks form.

Serve with organic strawberries.

Absolutely delicious!

Adapted from Wilderness Family Naturals

Favorite Salad Dressing

4 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp organic balsamic vinegar
2 tsp organic agave syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt

Mix together all ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Nick’s Zucchini & Carrot Raw Slaw

1 med zucchini, shredded on mandolin
1 carrot, shredded on mandolin
½ lge red pepper, shredded on mandolin
½ cup organic olive oil
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp coconut vinegar
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked
1 handful sundried tomatoes, soaked (save liquid)
1 handful fresh cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt and pepper to taste


Blend olive oil, tamari, vinegar, sunflower seeds, sundried tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, paprika, garlic clove, sea salt, and pepper in Vitamix or other high-powered blender. Blend well, adding sundried tomato liquid and additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency.

Place zucchini, carrot, and red pepper in a bowl. Add dressing, a little at a time, stirring until vegetables are well coated. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.

Split Pea Dal

1 cup split peas
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup onion, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic cloves, peeled & minced
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp curry
1 Tbsp expeller-pressed coconut oil


Sort and wash split peas. Place in a pot with water or stock, onion, and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for one hour.

Add salt, and stir until the peas are pureed.

In a small skillet, heat the oil; remove from heat; add curry and stir until it foams. Stir into the split pea puree and mix well. Add more sea salt, if necessary.

Lentil Salad

2 cups cooked lentils
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
3 Tbsp organic extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp coconut vinegar
1 Tbsp raw honey (or agave syrup)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
Lettuce


Mix olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and sea salt in a small jar. Shake until well mixed.

Mix lentils, onion, and mustard vinaigrette; allow to marinate for at least one hour.

Add scallions and parsley; mix gently.

Serve on lettuce leaves.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse

2 large ripe avocados
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup raw honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 drops Raspberry Flavor Extract



Peel and pit avocados. Spoon out the meat and add to food processor, processing to break it down a bit.

Add cacao, honey, vanilla, and raspberry extract; blend for 2 minutes.

Pour into small mason jars.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

White Chocolate Chips

2 Tbsp melted cacao butter

1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract

Stevia or powdered sugar to taste

Very tiny pinch salt

Optional but recommended: 1/2 tsp dry soy or rice milk powder

Stir together all ingredients. Pour into candy molds or a plastic container, and freeze until it hardens.

Vegan Swedish Meatballs

Vegan Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 package Gimme Lean Ground Beef Style
1 package Gimme Lean Sausage Style
2 large onions (diced small)
4 medium portabello mushrooms (diced very small)
1.5 cups dried gluten-free bread crumbs
3/4 cup rice or soy milk
2 cups soy creamer (ie. Silk)
4 tblspn olive oil
3-4 tblspn corn starch or flour
1.75 cups homemade No-chicken broth*
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp sea salt

* No-chicken broth
4 tblspn nutritional yeast
1.75 cups filtered water
1 tblspn sea salt

Directions

1. In one bowl soak the bread crumbs with the rice milk and mix to soften.

2. Add half of the chopped onions, both types of Gimme Lean, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon.

3. Form into small 1 or 1.5 inch balls by rolling between your palms.

4. Brown the meatballs on all sides in a skillet with the olive oil.

5. Return meatballs to a large casserole dish or skillet (depends on whether you choose to bake or boil the sauce.)

6. In a separate sauce pan heat olive oil and fry the other half of the onions to soften them.

7. Add mushrooms and saute for two minutes.

8. Add soy cream and corn starch to thicken. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

9. Add No-Chicken Broth, a pinch of nutmeg, salt & pepper. Allow to thicken again.

10. Add to meatballs and simmer or bake for 15-20 minutes on low to medium-low heat.

11. Ladle over noodles and serve.

Grilled Cheese/Tomato Soup/Mac & Cheese

Cheese:

14 oz coconut milk (not reduced fat)
1 tsp coconut vinegar
1 Tbsp tapioca starch
2 tsp agar powder (I used agar flakes, ground in spice grinder)
1 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Soup:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
A few dashes of liquid smoke
1 cup crushed roma tomatoes (Eden brand)
2 cups vegetable broth

4 pieces of gluten-free sandwich bread
Expeller pressed coconut oil


Cheese:
Combine coconut milk, coconut vinegar, tapioca, agar, and sea salt in a small saucepan. Whisk briskly continuously until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in nutritional yeast, and transfer it to a small pyrex dish. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Soup:
Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned, about seven minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, add garlic, spices, and liquid smoke. Allow to saute for about 3 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Add tomatoes and broth. Return heat to medium until the soup comes to a very small boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer for about 15 minutes.

Transfer to Vitamix; blend until smooth.

To make the sandwiches, place coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.  After it melts, quickly place both slices of bread in the pan, coating well with oil.  Spread one of the slices of bread with a thin layer of the cheese, cover with other slice.  Allow the bread to nicely brown on one side before flipping it over with a spatula, about 4 minutes.

Serve immediately with the warmed soup.

Note: 1 Tbsp agar flakes = 1 tsp agar powder

Used leftover cheese to make mac & cheese.  Cook brown rice pasta according to package directions.  Drain and add cheese to pasta, along with nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and smoked sea salt to taste.  Heat and enjoy.

*****

Adapted from Olives for Dinner

Fried Tofu French Toast Sandwich

Very good, although I think I'd like it better without the sweetness of the maple syrup.  I used Daiya Cheddar, and I'd like to try it with cheese sauce, too.

2 slices of vegan french toast (see recipe below)
4 slices fried tofu (see recipe below)
Melted vegan cheddar or Vegan Cheese Sauce
Baby spinach

Place 2 slices of fried tofu on top of one piece of the french toast. Top with either vegan cheese or cheese sauce.  Add a layer of spinach leaves, followed by another layer of fried tofu slices, cheese, baby spinach and your second piece of vegan french toast. If you need the cheese to melt, place it in the microwave or toaster oven for a few seconds to warm it up. Enjoy!


Vegan French Toast

1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 slices of gluten-free vegan bread
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Combine coconut milk, maple syrup, and corn starch in a plate and stir until well combined. Lay one piece of the bread in the milky mixture and let it set for a few seconds to absorb some of the liquid. Turn the slice over to make sure both sides are saturated. In the meantime warm the coconut oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Place the slice of bread in the skillet. While that’s cooking, place the second piece of bread in the remaining coconut milk mixture, turning to allow both sides to become saturated.

Once it’s ready, go ahead and add it to the skillet as well.

Once once side is browned, flip the french toast slices over to cook both sides evenly. Once you’ve got the toast browned, place them in a toaster oven and toast on low to firm up the toast. No one likes flimsy french toast!

 Fried Tofu

4 – 6 slices of tofu (thinly sliced)
1/2 – 1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon Black Salt (otherwise known as Kala Namak)*
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste


Lay the slices of tofu on a plate and sprinkle half of the seasonings on top. Let that sit for a minute while you melt the coconut oil in a small skillet (or just use the same skillet you used for the French Toast above) over medium heat. Once the oil is melted and spread around the pan, place the tofu (seasoning side down) in the skillet.

While the bottom side is cooking, sprinkle the top side with remaining seasonings. I also add a little sprinkle from my sea salt grinder and another sprinkle from the pepper grinder.

Let the tofu cook over medium heat for a few minutes allowing it to become well-browned. Once that occurs, flip the tofu and let the other side cook.

Spinach and Corn Mashed Potatoes

3 lbs red potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 c Earth Balance, soy-free
1 c nondairy milk, unsweetened
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp coconut oil
3 c whole kernel corn
20-oz fresh baby spinach, stems removed
3 tsp garlic, minced

Fill a large pot with water, add 1/2 tsp sea salt, and bring to a boil.
Add potatoes and boil until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain well and return potatoes to the pot.

Add Earth Balance and milk, and mash potatoes until light and fluffy.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Add coconut oil and corn, and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes.
Stir in spinach and garlic and sauté just until spinach is wilted.
Fold mixture into mashed potatoes.

Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole

by Susan Voisin on November 22, 2006
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I just had to write a quick post about this recipe because D. and I just had some for lunch and oh my gosh, it is good! Truly, we were scraping the casserole dish clean.
This is adapted and plagiarized from Alanna’s World’s Best Green Bean Casserole, and I have to say, the name fits. I made up a full recipe to bring to Thanksgiving at the in-laws’ tomorrow, but I set aside this small dish to bake today just for us (and to photograph just for you). Though I can’t say that either my husband or I were fans of green bean casserole in general, we’re now fans of this one.
I’ve veganized the recipe and taken out some of the butter/margarine, but there’s still Earth Balance margarine in the topping and some fat in the soy creamer. And oh, those fried onions! (Which I accidentally used a whole can of, instead of the half can the recipe called for.) What can I say? You could try it completely fat-free, but for a special occasion, this isn’t too huge an amount of fat. And the taste is amazing. No one will know it’s vegan!
And, in case this is my last post before the holidays, happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate it. Thanks to Alanna for the recipe, and thanks to all of you readers for your support this year. Your comments and input make blogging fun!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

(printer-friendly version)

Ingredients

Beans
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon table salt (Alanna says it’s essential)
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
Sauce
10 ounces mushrooms (I used a combination of regular button mushrooms and shiitake)
3 cloves garlic, minced
generous pinch cayenne pepper (had to add it for the New Orleanians)
Salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup vegetable broth (I used Imagine’s No-Chicken)
1 tablespoon dry sherry (Alanna’s brilliant addition)
3/4 cup soy creamer (or try full-fat unsweetened soymilk)
Topping
1 1/2 slices gluten-free bread
1 tablespoon Earth Balance margarine (the best tasting margarine in the world and no trans-fat)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 3-ounce can of French fried onions

Instructions

1. Beans: Bring the water to boil in a large pot. While it’s heating, cut up the beans. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Drain beans in a colander, and then spray for a minute with cold water to stop the cooking. Let them drain in the colander, shaking every now and then to get off all the water.
2. Sauce: Trim and discard the mushroom stems and chop the mushrooms into pieces. Spray a non-stick pan with canola oil and heat it. Add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices. Whisk the flour into the vegetable broth and add to the mushrooms along with the sherry. Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add the soy creamer and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.
3. Topping: Put the bread, margarine, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Pour into a bowl and add the onions. Stir to combine.
4. To assemble: Put the green beans into an oiled casserole dish and top with the onion mixture. Bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes. If you are not serving this right away, refrigerate the topping separately; bring to room temperature before sprinkling the topping on the casserole and baking for about 20 minutes or until hot throughout.
5. 
   

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Serves about 6-8

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Very good.  Used 1 1/2 cups rolled oats and 1 cup ground.  Try adding sliced or diced apples next time (and possibly raisins and/or shredded coconut.)

1 cup pitted and diced medjool dates
3/4 cup water
1 ½ cups rolled oats, ground into flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 15-oz. can cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a 9x9" baking pan with parchment paper.

Place diced dates into a small bowl with the 3/4 cup of water and soak for at least 15 minutes.

Place oat flour and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.

In Vitamix, blend soaked dates, date soak water, vanilla, and coconut milk until smooth (1-2 minutes). Pour into the bowl of flour/spices, and also add the pumpkin.  Mix with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Scrape batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Light browning and some cracks on the top are good indications that it’s done. Let cool at least 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Storing in the refrigerator overnight will firm up these squares, then you can pack them in a lunch or as a snack.

****

Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups organic low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp rice flour
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp chili powder
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Enchiladas:
3/4 c black beans, cooked
3/4 c frozen corn, thawed
3 oz fresh baby spinach
3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 c shredded Daiya cheddar cheese
4 GF tortillas

Sauce: In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomato paste, flour, 1 tsp cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. Cook 1 minute, whisking. Whisk in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer; cook until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; set aside.

Enchiladas: In a skillet, saute spinach in olive oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until slightly wilted.

In a large bowl, combine beans, 1/2 cup Daiya cheese, spinach, corn, green onions, 1 tsp cumin, and cilantro.

Preheat oven to 375. 

Lightly oil a 9x13" baking dish, and pour a small amount of the sauce to coat the bottom.

Generously fill tortillas with mixture, roll up tightly with ends tucked in, and place seam side down in dish.

Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas, coating evenly. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Daiya cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes, and garnish with cilantro and/or green onions.

http://www.thegardengrazer.com/

Vegan Cheese

14 oz coconut milk (not reduced fat)
1 tsp coconut vinegar
1 Tbsp tapioca starch
2 tsp agar powder (I used agar flakes, ground in spice grinder)*
1 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast 



Combine coconut milk, coconut vinegar, tapioca, agar, and sea salt in a small saucepan. Whisk briskly continuously until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in nutritional yeast, and transfer it to a small Pyrex dish. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

*If using agar flakes instead of powder, 1 Tbsp  flakes = 1 tsp powder

Chocolate Brownie in a Mug

I get a lot of good recipes on Pinterest, most of which are very healthy.  Tonight, I printed one for a chickpea and kale dish.  Nick was going to make it, but he got a little bit distracted.  He was preheating the oven, when Jay yelled that the oven was on fire!  The element was actually arcing, sending this crazy bright light throughout the oven.  Nick immediately turned it off, but the arcing continued, so he ran downstairs and turned off the breaker.

Now ovenless, we opted for Plan B, which was chips, salsa, guacamole, and other Mexican fixings.

Later, I got a pretty serious chocolate craving.  I was thinking about these decadent chocolate coconut bars I'd spotted on Pinterest, but remembered that the oven was history.  I then recalled the following recipe, which I'd pinned for a chocolate emergency such as this.  I know that we have some so-called different foods in our house, but we actually had all of the ingredients on hand.  I'm not crazy about microwaved foods, but this served its purpose.  It was quick, quite tasty, fit my allergy/dietary restrictions, was relatively healthy as junk food goes, and it cured my chocolate craving!


Chocolate Brownie in a Mug

Serves 1

5 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
15 drops liquid chocolate stevia
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp sweet rice flour
1 1/2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1/8 tsp gluten-free, aluminum-free baking powder
Pinch sea salt
Enjoy Life Chocolate Chunks




In a microwave-safe bowl, warm coconut milk and coconut oil, just until the oil melts.

Add vanilla, stevia, coconut sugar, sweet rice flour, cacao powder, coconut flour, baking powder, and sea salt.

Whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into a mug; top with chocolate chunks.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes and 15 seconds.

Cool for a few minutes.




Allergy/Special Diet Info:
Casein-Free ~ Citrus-Free ~ Corn-Free ~ Dairy-Free ~ Egg-Free ~ Fish-Free ~ Gluten-Free ~ Nightshade-Free ~ Peanut-Free ~ Potato-Free ~ Shellfish-Free ~ Soy-Free ~ Tree Nut-Free ~ Wheat-Free ~ Sesame-Free ~ Yeast-free ~ GFCF ~ Vegetarian ~ Vegan

Adapted from Lexie's Kitchen