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

I love sweet potato pie but don’t like the fuss and calories of a traditional crust.  So I’ve come up with this crustless version, which also included another favorite ingredient…coconut.

The graham crackers and coconut on the bottom of the pie give a texture and flavor contrast that makes you forget about the crust!

This pie is healthy, easy to prepare, and yummy…but it’s not the prettiest pie.  So don’t expect ohs and ahs until you and your guests take a bite!

Coconut and Sweet Potato Pie

4 graham crackers

½ cup coconut

1 ½ cups vanilla soymilk

1 whole egg and 1 egg white

1 Tbl cornstarch

1 can sweet potato puree

1/3 cup flour (I used spelt)

1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Spray a pie pan with oil and preheat oven to 350.

Grind the graham crackers in a blender and sprinkle evenly on the bottom of the pie pan, and then sprinkle with coconut.

Put everything else in the blender and process until smooth.  Pour into pie pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until set and golden.

Cool and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.

I topped mine with a thin layer of whipped cream (non-dairy) and toasted coconut and fresh berries, but it’s also good with sliced bananas and toasted almonds.

Serves 8!

Peaches are in season and fantastic right now!  

I bought a big box of peaches at Trader Joe’s and let them ripen for a couple of days, then used four of them for this easy, healthy dessert.  

The fruit is juicy and just sweet enough, and the topping tastes just like an oatmeal cookie!

This recipe serves is made in an 8’ x 8” square pan and serves 4, but if you’d like to serve a larger group just double the recipe and bake in a 13” x 8” rectangular pan to serve 8.

Fresh Peach Crisp

For the fruit:

4 peaches, peeled and roughly chopped

1 cup berries (I used blackberries)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

For the topping:

1/2 cup rolled oats

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 Tbl vegan butter

Preheat oven to 350 and spray your baking pan.

Put peaches and berries into the pan, sprinkle with vanilla, sugar and cinnamon.

Place oats, 2 tsp sugar, cinnamon and almonds in a blender or mini chop.  Process for 30 seconds and pour into small bowl.  Add butter and mix with your fingers until butter is incorporated.  Sprinkle topping onto fruit, and bake fo 40 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes, then serve warm.  Top with a little vegan or dairy whipped cream.

Yum!

Serves 4

Sorry, followers, for the cryptic headline that I posted a few days ago, and NO recipe! I do not know what happened to my tumblr post, but it disappeared!  

Here is the recipe, and I hope you like it…  

An easy Vegan Chai Pie inspired by Tanya Petrovna, chef extraordinaire of Native Foods.

Vegan Chai Pie

3 graham crackers

1 15 oz can pumpkin 

1 package Mori-Nu firm tofu

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 Tbl vegetable oil

3 Tbl flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp grated ginger

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a pie pan with oil (I like to use coconut oil). Grind the graham crackers in a blender and sprinkle to cover the bottom of the pie pan.

Blend everything from the pumpkin to the ginger in your blender until smooth.  Pour into your pie pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until set.  Cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  I actually prefer to eat it the next day!

Serve with berries and some vegan or dairy whipped cream (as pictured), or topped with candied ginger and sliced banana.

Serves 8

1 tsp vanilla

OK, so I love a parfait.  Enough to have parfait glasses.  But you can make this recipe using small bowls, although you will miss the chance to see the pretty layers.  But I digress!

An easy, fairly low sugar, no cook, vegan pudding.  What can be better for a light summer dessert?

Vegan Mocha Pudding Parfait

1 1/2 graham crackers

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 block firm tofu 

1 shot of espresso, or 1 Tbl instant coffee dissolved in 1 Tbl hot water

3 Tbl coconut or brown sugar

2 Tbl cocoa powder

3 Tbl chocolate chips

Blend graham crackers and cinnamon until finely ground and set aside.

Add tofu, espresso, sugar and coca powder to blender and blend until smooth.

Microwave (or use a double boiler) chocolate chips for 1 minute and add to blender. Blend again until smooth.

Take 3 or 4 parfait glasses or small bowls and sprinkle the bottom with cracker crumbs, then add a layer of pudding, a layer of crumbs, and layer of pudding and top with crumbs.

Refrigerate for at least four hours!

Serves 3-4

A chocolate torte is a delectable concoction made with butter, eggs, sugar and chocolate. You’ve got the picture if you’re thinking rich, sinful, and there goes my healthy eating!

Now, an occasional indulgence is great, but sometimes you want a dessert in the fridge that you can eat for several nights.  This torte fits the bill!

As with all flour-less chocolate tortes this dessert does not have any gluten.  It has 2 egg whites, but vegans can sub flax and water or egg replacer for this.  It’s delicious with a little whipped cream and a mound of fresh strawberries!

No Guilt Chocolate Torte

1 box firm tofu (I like Mori-Nu)

1/3 container vegan cream cheese (or low fat cream cheese)

1/4 cup agave

3 Tbl cocoa powder

2 egg whites

1 Tbl vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips (if you are calorie counting reduce to 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 375.

Put tofu and cream cheese in blender and blend until smooth, then add agave, cocoa powder, egg whites and vanilla.  Process until smooth, then add chocolate chips and blend until roughly chopped.

Pour into a greased pie pan (I like using coconut oil spray for baking) and bake for 23 minutes.  Cool and then refrigerate for 3 hours.

Serves 6-8