I was playing in the kitchen and deciding to take some of my favorite flavors and just whirl them together to make a vegan pudding. Let’s see, dark chocolate, cinnamon, peanut butter, coconut.  Hmmm…

And it came out great!

Prep time is about 5 minutes, and there are only 5 ingredients.  And it’s vegan, full of protein, has antioxidant rich dark chocolate and dark cocoa, and is low in sugar.  So eat your pudding and forget the guilt!

Dark chocolate & peanut butter vegan pudding

1 package mori-nu firm tofu

2 heaping tsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 TBL peanut butter

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

2 tsp coconut

Simply whirl tofu, cocoa, cinnamon and peanut butter in a blender until smooth.  Melt chocolate chips in a microwave (or double boiler) and add.  Process until smooth.

Divide among 4 parfait glasses or small dishes, and top with a little coconut.  

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Serves 4

This is my new favorite middle of the day, gotta have something chocolatey, pick-me-up smoothie.

Of course it’s healthy, and it’s filling, and it’s cool and creamy.  What more can I say? Try it and see!

Chocolate Cherry Smoothie (serves 1)

8 oz unsweetened chocolate almond milk

1 scoop amazing grass cocoa drink powder

1 scoop natural unsweetened chocolate protein powder

1 Tbl flax seed meal

1/2 frozen banana

1/4 cup frozen cherries and/or blueberries (more if you like it thicker)

Just toss the almond milk, green drink powder, protein powder and 1/2 frozen banana into a blender and blend unitl smoot.  Add cherries and/or blueberries until you get it as thick as you like it.

If I’m really hungry I make it really thick and top with a few fresh berries. a few raisins and some chia seeds like so:

NOTE: If you can’t find the green drink powder or unsweetened chocolate protein powder you can order it online at iherb.com.

They have great prices too!

I feel like I have been writing about desserts a lot lately, which is strange because I am usually more of a savory person. Interesting….

OK, so I went to this little LA food festival called Artisinal LA over the weekend, and I tasted this AMAZING chocolate.  The company is called Masala Chocolates and they specialize in vegetarian and vegan friendly chocolates.  They don’t use any preservatives or stabilizers and many of the ingredients that they use are organic.  Blah blah blah blah blah, the moral of the story is that this chocolate is out of this world!

I tried a moroccan mint chocolate which was divine. It was made with fresh mint leaves and it tasted unlike any other chocolate mint creation that I’ve ever had. I also had a lavender chocolate, which was also unexpectedly delicious!

I WANTED TO TRY EVERYTHING, but I didn’t want the owner, Laila, to think I was a pig, or a chocolate thief.  Next time I need to buy a gift for a chocolate lover I am going to order them a gift box from Masala Chocolates!

Soooooo, craving the peanut butter parfait that I experienced at Native Foods, I came up with this recipe that is really delicious and healthy (for a dessert that is).

Try it, you’ll like (maybe love) it!

And it’s easy…..

Peanut Butter Parfait

2 packs Mori-Nu firm tofu

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 box of Annies chocolate graham bunnies

1/2 cup of coconut

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Grind up graham bunnies (sounds hostile) in blender and set aside.

Put both boxes of tofu, sugar and peanut butter in the blender and blend until smooth. Place a spoonful of graham crumbs in a parfait glass, sprinkle with coconut, and top with peanut butter mixture.  Top that with a sprinkling of crumbs, coconut and a few chocolate chips.  Refridgerate for 3-4 hours and serve.

Soooooo yummy!

Serves 6.

Last night I needed to whip up a quick dessert to take to a holiday party…and I wanted to make it gluten free so I could indulge.  Sooooo, I searched may pantry and found a pack of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate cake mix and decided to make some cupcakes.

Since you can never get too much chocolate I whipped up a batch of dairy free dark chocolate frosting.  

The cupcakes were a big hit, if I do say so myself!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting

1 package Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix

1 box of powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup vanilla soy milk

4 squares bakers chocolate (unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare cake mix according to directions.  Line 18 cupcake tins with cupcake liners and fill to 2/3.  Bake for 15 minutes and cool.

Diary Free Dark Chocolate Frosting

Put powdered sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder and soy milk in a blender and blend until smooth.  Melt chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler and add to the blender. Blend and taste!  If you want more chocolate just add some in.  If you want the frosting to be thinner add a little more soy milk.

Tp pipe the frosting for a more professional presentation (per the photo) just place frosting in a large plastic bag and cut one corner of the bag.  Then swirl to frost and voila!!!

So, my roommate’s sister came into town over the weekend.  Now, you might be thinking… what do I care… and why are you telling me this story?  Would you please let me finish before passing judgment, because… SHE IS A CHOCOLATIER!!!  Yes, that is right, a master of chocolate.  

I was excitedly anticipating her arrival, as I had so many questions to ask her chocolaty mind.  After a minimal amount of begging she was convinced to go on a chocolate journey that she had not yet been on, the vegan chocolate truffle journey.   A journey she assumed would be rocky and not so delicious, but turned out be smooth, creamy and, dare I say, decadent.

Vegan Chocolate Mint Truffles

1 lb dark chocolate block

½ c plain soy creamer

1 tbsp soy butter

3 tbsp peppermint schnapps

2 tsp finely chopped mint

5 tbsp orange zest

Latex gloves (not for eating, silly)

parchment paper

First take the bar of chocolate and shave it into tiny slivers, you will use half now, and half for the outer coating.

In a pot heat the soy creamer until it just about boils.  Then add it to a large mixing bowl with half of the chocolate.  Once the creamer is mixed in add the butter.  Then add the schnapps, fresh mint, and half of the orange zest.  Mix it all together.  If you plan on making the truffles tomorrow, leave the mixture on the counter to cool.  If you want the truffles NOW, put the bowl in the fridge until it hardens up (about an hour).  Once the chocolate hardens up, roll the mixture into small balls, about the size of a thumbnail.  Then let those balls sit out until they reach room temperature.

Make a water bath for the chocolate, which means, fill a pot with a few cups of water, and place a glass bowl over the water for the chocolate to sit in.  This aids in insuring that you won’t burn your chocolate.  Put 2/3 of the remaining chocolate in the bowl and melt it (ideally 108 degrees) but if you are like me and don’t have a candy thermometer… just guess.  Once the chocolate is melted take it off of the heat and add the last 1/3 of the chocolate.  Once that chocolate is cooled (there is a lot of waiting in truffle making) it is time to make the truffles!

Put on a pair of latex gloves and put a little bit of chocolate one glove.  Pick up a truffle and put it in the chocolate glove, then put a little chocolate on the top of the truffle. Roll the truffle in your hands until all of the chocolate is coated. Continue this process with all of the truffles.  Then sprinkle them with the remaining orange zest and let them cool.  When they firm up, they are ready to be devoured!

If you don’t temper the chocolate quite right it might bloom once it dries, which means it might get a little streaky on the outside, but don’t worry, they will still taste awesome!

Makes about 18

Graham Cracker Chocolate Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about half a box of crackers)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbl coconut or canola oil
2 packs mori-nu firm tofu
2 egg whites
1 tbl arrowroot
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cream cheese (tofu or dairy)
1/3 cup organic sugar 
2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grind graham crackers until you have 1 1/2 cups of crumbs (you can buy some whole grain, organic graham crackers as I did for this recipe).  Add cinnamon and oil and press into pie dish.  Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.

Put tofu, egg whites, arrowroot, baking powder, salt, cream cheese and sugar into a blender or food processor and blend until creamy.  Divide chocolate chips into 1/3 cup and 1/3 cup.  Take 1/3 cup and melt in microwave or double boiler.  Note-if you melt chips in microwave do not overheat-just heat until some are melted and some still hold their shape and stir.  Then add melted chocolate to tofu mixture and blend.  Add cocoa and vanilla and blend again.  Then add the remaining 1/3 cup of chocolate chips and blend just until they break up a little.  Pour into pie dish.

Bake for about 45 minutes-the cheesecake should be firm around the edges and just set in the middle.  Cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until set, at least 3-4 hours.

Please note that this is not a very sweet cheesecake, which I prefer.  If you like really sweet desserts use 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup sugar instead of 1/3 cup.

Serves 6

So, you have perfected your chocolate cookie batter… here is a fun twist on the crinkle cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

You’ll need…

¾ c organic peanut butter

1/3 c powdered sugar

¼ tsp vanilla extract

chocolate cookie batter (from crinkle cookies)

 In a bowl combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Just like the dough, let the peanut butter mixture chill in the fridge.  Roll the peanut butter into little balls, using about 1/3 of a teaspoon of the mixture. 

Take the chocolate dough and form balls, about 1 tablespoon.  Flatten the dough ball and wrap the dough around the peanut butter.

Bake these cookies at 325 degrees for 14 minutes, just the same way that the crinkle cookies were baked.

 Enjoy these cookies!

For a super extravagant treat, eat these cookies with Chocolate Peanut Butter So Delicious Soy Ice Cream.

Looking for more?

Other fun options… omit the peanut butter filling and make spicy cookies by mixing in 1/3 cups of choclate chips, chopped candied ginger, cinnamon and red pepper flakes.

 The possibilities are endless!!!

The most amazing thing about chocolate cookies is that once you have experimented with a basic recipe enough, you can do just about anything with your perfect dough! From creating spicy cookies, to peanut butter cookies, or even cookies with pretzels and chocolate, you can go kookie with your cookies if you want to!

Here’s a great recipe for a basic vegan chocolate cookie dough.  It has nice chocolate flavor, is not too sweet and is not too fatty.  Happy baking!!!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

1/2 c sugar

1/3 c canola oil

2 tbsp molasses

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tbsp flax seeds

1/2 c chocolate chips 

1 1/4 c + 2 tbsp gluten free flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt 

1 c powdered sugar

1/3 c sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or on top of a double boiler. In a bowl combine sugar, oil, molasses, vanilla, almond milk, flax and the melted chocolate.  Then add the flour (sifted), cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  Once the dough is thick and all of the ingredients have been incorporated, let the dough settle in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Roll the dough into small balls, each one about a teaspoon.  Roll each cookie in the sugar and then in the powdered sugar.

Bake the cookies on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper for about 14 minutes!

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

This cookie recipe was adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie jar.