Tag: Vegan

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

On By SarahIn RecipesLeave a comment

Vegan_Chocolate-Chip_Cranberry_Cookies_FinalInstead of knitting or doing yoga to calm down, I usually head in the kitchen for a baking session. I find the baking process very meditative and ultra relaxing. While baking, any negative thoughts that I may have fade away and I become completely zen. Om!

As the holidays tend to be a stressful time period, I have a baking session practically every day. My baking session rewards me with a two-fold return (yup, I was an econ major). The sessions not only quiet the mind, but also result in the creation of delicious treats that make great gifts for anyone. Awesome!

I recently made these cookies with my sister for friends and family. They were an absolute hit. I can’t tell how many times I have been asked for the recipe. These aren’t ordinary vegan chocolate chip cookies. These beauties contain cranberries and hazelnut brittle, which skyrocket the cookies’ flavor to new heights. One word: yummy!

Instructions

Servings: approx. 20 cookies

Ingredients

  • 100 g vegan non-dairy margarine
  • 100 g brown sugar
  • 50 g white sugar
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 175 g spelt flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 150 g vegan dark chocolate chips
  • 50 g dried cranberries
  • 50 g hazelnut brittle (homemade or store-bought) or chopped unsalted peanuts

Instructions

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 180 ºC. 
  2. Place parchment paper on a baking tray.
  3. Mix butter and sugars in a large bowl until well-combined.
  4. Add banana and vanilla extract; and then mix again.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
  6. Add combo to the wet mixture and then mix all ingredients until well-combined.
  7. Fold in chocolate chips (100 g) and hazelnut brittle.
  8. Add teaspoon-sized cookie dough scoops to baking tray.
  9. Bake until golden-brown, i.e. approximately 10-12 minutes.
  10. Remove tray from oven and then let cookies cool-off on baking tray for roughly 5 minutes.
  11. Remove cookies from tray and let them cool-off completely (approximately 1 hour).

Dark Chocolate Glaze

  1. Melt chocolate chips (50 g) in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
  2. Stir until smooth.
  3. Remove from heat.
  4. Use immediately.

Grand Finale

  1. Place cookies on parchment paper.
  2. Drizzle each cookies with chocolate glaze – “Pollock-Style”
  3. Let glaze set.
  4. Enjoy!

Suggested Kitchen Soundtrack

Vegan Cashew Parmesan

On By SarahIn Recipes1 Comment

Vegan_Cashew_ParmesanWho says that vegans can’t eat parmesan? I haven’t had Italian parmesan in quite some time, but quite frankly I don’t miss it whatsoever. Compared to the traditional cheese topping, vegan cashew parmesan is much more flavorful and nutritious. Its nutty, cheesy flavor takes any pasta dish to new heights and will have your friends asking for seconds.

This “parmesan” can be whipped up in seconds and stored in an airtight container for up to a month.

Instructions

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until your preferred consistency has been reached.
  2. Use immediately or store in a sealed container for later use.

Serving Suggestion: As topping for whole-wheat pasta with basil walnut pesto.

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Delicious Vegan Basil Walnut Pesto

On By SarahIn Recipes3 Comments

Walnut_Basil_Pesto_IngredientsI love to jazz up pasta and sandwiches with fresh homemade pesto. This basil walnut pesto takes only a few minutes to make and tastes heavenly. Naturally, it doesn’t have any parmesan and thus it is dairy-free. This ultra tasty sauce provides such an explosion of flavor that it is destined to become a staple in your pantry.

Instructions

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2-2 cups fresh, loosely packed, washed stemmed basil
  • 1/2 cup raw walnuts
  • 1 or 2 medium cloves of garlic
  • 1/4-1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Mix basil, walnuts and garlic into a course meal using the pulse option on your food processor.
  2. Add 1/4 cup vegetable oil to the mixture and pulse the ingredients until your preferred consistency has been reached. Feel free to add more vegetable oil, if desired. I like my pesto to have a somewhat coarse texture. Whatever works!
  3. Season with sea salt for taste.
  4. Use immediately or store in fridge for later use.
  5. Smile for you have just made delectable vegan pesto! 🙂

Vegan_Walnut_Basil_Pesto

BTW: this basil walnut pesto goes superbly with whole-wheat pasta topped with vegan cashew “parmesan”.