desserts – The Vegan Love Project

Ellen’s Golden Milk

This is delicious as an energy boost, or a soothing night time night cap to calm nerves prior to going to bed. Lately I have been making this as a pick me up during the cold afternoons or taking it as a dessert a little bit after dinner time. Turmeric has so many amazing medicinal attributes, including anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

1 heaping T Coconut Manna

2c boiling water

1/2″ piece fresh ginger

1/2t cinnamon

pinch pink salt

pinch black pepper

pinch nutmeg *optional

pinch cayenne *optional

1-3t agave or maple syrup

1 1/2t turmeric

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Heat up 2 cups water in a kettle or on the stove. Pick your mug! I don’t put the turmeric in my blender as it discolors the container – a glass container should be okay!) See below.

In a high powered blender, add all the other ingredients- ginger, manna, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, sweetener, cinnamon etc. I measure the water by the mug I chose! Big mug, more water! I pour the boiling water into the mug, then into the blender then process everything for a minute or two. While that is blending, I add the turmeric into the empty mug. When its’ finished blending, pour the hot milk into the mug, Sprinkle with more cinnamon. SO TASTY!

Perfect Vegan Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie 2016

ppp-2016

Perfect Vegan Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie 2016

15oz pumpkin puree ( 1 1/3c or one can)

1/4c coconut sugar

1/4c maple sugar

1/2c coconut milk/cream (can)

1T coconut manna

1T coconut oil

1T Kudzu root or arrowroot (blended with 2T water)

2t cinnamon

1/4t nutmeg

1/4t allspice

1”piece of fresh ginger

1t vanilla

½” piece of fresh turmeric

1/4t pink salt

Add the kudzu root into a small dish and mix with the water a spoon until most of the root is dissolved. Add this into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

In the blender, add the all of the ingredients including the kudzu slurry. Blend until completely smooth and creamy- taste it and adjust the flavors (more vanilla, more sweet, more ginger, more spice etc.).

Pour the filling into your prepared, uncooked, piecrust and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until it smells and looks done. The crust should be golden brown and the filling will still be just a bit soft and have beautiful cracking on the top. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before transferring to the refrigerator to set. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.

Perfect Vegan Gluten Free Crust 2016

Perfect Gluten Free Crust 2016

SO easy…..No one could tell that this was Gluten free….No one. YUMMO.

I’m thinking you could omit the maple sugar and have a pretty badass pie crust for savory items such as vegan pot pies and tofu quiches…..

perfect-vegan-gluten-free-pie-crust-2016

3T cold vegan butter

3T cold coconut oil

1-1/4c Bobs Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour, or your favorite GF mix.

1/4t pink salt

3T maple sugar

4-6T ice cold water

Sift the GF flour, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the cold butter and oil in 1T scoops and cut the oil into the flour using two knives or a pastry cutter. The end result should look like a sandy crumb or meal. There should not be any large chunks of oil; you want smallish bead sized bits of fat encased in the flour.

Add ice water 1T at a time using a wooden spoon or clean hands to mix it in, grabbing the flour as you go. Only add as much water as you need to help it come together to form a ball.

Once a ball of dough is formed, transfer into a 9” pie plate and work it gently with your working the crust up along the sides. Try to get the pie up as uniformly as possible all around. You can leave a straight no fuss edge or I like to make a curve design by pressing my right knuckle in between the pie dough and my left pointer finger knuckle and thumb.

Chill for a minimum 30 minutes, up to 2 days.

If you are making the dough and not forming it right away, let it warm back up a little before using but not quite to room temp. You don’t want it too warm or it the oil in the dough will get too soft to handle.

With a fork, perforate the entire bottom and up the sides of the raw crust. It is now ready to with bake or fill with your filling to be baked.

Once in the pan, For a pre-baked crust, put this into a 350 degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

If you are making a pie such as the Perfect Vegan Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie 2016 where the recipe calls to bake the crust and the filling together, pour the filling into pie crust and bake for 35-45 minutes.

Gluten Free Apple Pie with Cinnamon Crumble Topping

I can’t believe this crust, I can’t believe this pie, and I can’t believe I made it….It’s SO FRICKEN DELICIOUS.

Served topped with Coconut Bliss Vanilla Ice Cream.…to die for….

Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

Crust:

1T cold vegan butter

4T cold coconut oil

1-1/4c Bobs Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour, or your favorite GF mix.

1/4t pink salt

1/4c coconut sugar

4-6T ice cold water

Add ice water 1T at a time using a wooden spoon to mix it in, grabbing the flour as you go. Only add as much water as you need to help it come together to form a ball.

With the soft dough, gently work it to form a ½ inch thick disc. Lay the disc into your pie dish or tartlet pans and gently use your hands to form it into the pan, working the crust up along the sides. Gently coax it from the center out working to get it the dough evenly spaced and as uniformly thick as possible all around on the bottom and sides- feel for thickness as you spin the pan. Work the dough up the sides of the pie dish. You can leave a straight no fuss edge or I like to make a curve design by pressing my knuckle in between the pie dough and my finger knuckle.

Place the crust into the fridge for 15-20 minutes to allow it to firm up.

Filling:

4 Pounds Firm Apples (8-9), peeled, cored, sliced

2/3c maple syrup

1 lemon, juiced

1 drop DoTerra Lemon Essential Oil– or food grade essential oil

3T virgin coconut oil

2-3T Bobs Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour

1T cinnamon

1/4t pink salt- more if desired

Mix all of the ingredients together; the apple slices, lemon juice, essential oil, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt and set aside.

*Do not put filling into the fridge just before spooning into the crust, as the oil will set up.

Crumb Topping:

2/3c Bobs Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour

2/3c coconut sugar

3T coconut oil- solid or chilled

1T cinnamon

1/4t pink salt

In small bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add the chilled coconut oil and cut in using a fork or two knives, mix until you have a course, crumb.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure the oven is hot prior to adding the pie!!!

Take the prepared crust out from the refrigerator.

Using a slotted spoon, layer in the apples, heaping them in the center. Sprinkle all of the Crumble Topping over the whole pie. Using a solid spoon, ladle in all of the juices from the apples over the top.

Reduce the heat to 375 degrees

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the topping is golden browned and apple filling is bubbling.

Wait at least 30-40 minutes prior to serving. AMAZING with Coconut or vegan Vanilla ice cream.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies 2015

YUM.

I processed my chocolate chips so that they were in smaller pieces- totally not necessary. I also made these in a larger size cookie than I usually do, I mean seriously, let’s just get real….makes it easier than having to get up go back and back and back for another cookie…am I right?

Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies 2015

makes 12 large cookies or 24 small

1c all purpose GF flour

3/4 rolled oats- to be buzzed

3/4 rolled oats
3/4c raisins
1/2c chocolate chips
1/2t baking powder

1/2t baking soda

1/2t cinnamon

1/4t nutmeg
1/2t salt
—-
1/2c +2T maple syrup
1/4c +2T coconut oil, melted, cooled

1t vanilla

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Preheat oven to 350º

Process the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.

In a separate, larger bowl, place all of the dry ingredients; rolled oats, buzzed oats, raisins, and the chocolate chips. In the same bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary but it insures there won’t be clumps of flour or worse, chunks of salt, in the batter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and with a spatula mix until everything is well incorporated.

Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop out a generous heaping tablespoon of batter onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Scoop or spoon out onto baking sheet with space in between. Gently flatten out each cookie with the bottom of a dry measure or glass.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the pan (s) and continue to bake for another 6 minutes or until crisped around the edges. Let cool for at 2-3 minutes on the pan and then remove them to a cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

They are delicious both cold and room temperature,

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Cookies 2015

Officially my new favorite cookie…I know I just said that the last time with the the Gluten Free Double Fudge Walnut Brownie Cookies but seriously, there is nothing like peanut butter and chocolate together….NO ONE WOULD NO NOTHIN about this cookie other than it KICKS TOTAL ASS. It makes a lot of these badass muthers so feel free to 1/2 the recipe so as not to eat THE ENTIRE batch on your own…Also think of the possibility of ice cream sandwiches….SERIOUSLY???????

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Cookies 2015
makes 22-24 cookies

1/3c all purpose GF flour – I use Bob’s All Purpose GF Flour

1/2c rolled oats- to be buzzed
1/2c +2T cocoa powder
1/2c sucanat, maple or date sugar
3/4c vegan chocolate chips
1/2t baking powder
1/2t salt
—-
1/2c +2T maple syrup
1/4c +2T coconut oil, melted, cooled
1c crunchy peanut butter

1t vanilla
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Preheat oven to 350º

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Process the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.

In a separate, larger bowl, place all of the dry ingredients; sucanat, and the chocolate chips. In the same bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary but it insures there won’t be clumps of flour or worse, chunks of salt, in the batter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and with a spatula mix until everything is well incorporated.

Using a 1 ounce ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop out a generous heaping tablespoon of batter onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Scoop or spoon out onto baking sheet with space in between. Gently flatten out each cookie with the bottom of a dry measure or glass. Using a fork, create the traditional crosshatch on top of each cookie.

Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the pan (s) and continue to bake for another 5 minutes or until crisped around the edges. Let cool for at 2-3 minutes on the pan and then remove them to a cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They are delicious both cold and room temperature,

Gluten Free Double Fudge Walnut Brownies

These are sort of to die for…… I don’t think anyone would know that these are vegan OR gluten free…they are nothing but deliciousness…ORGANIC VEGAN GLUTEN FREE WHOLE GRAIN BROWNIES…COME ON!

Gluten Free Double Fudge Walnut Brownies 2015

makes 6 large squares

1/3c GF All Purpose flour, I use Bob’s RedMill

1/3c rolled oats- to be buzzed
1/2c +1T cocoa powder
3/4c sucanat, maple or date sugar
1/4c chocolate chips
1/2c walnuts, chopped and divided
1/4t baking powder
1/4t salt
—-
1/4c maple syrup
1/4c coconut oil, melted
1/4c cooked sweet potato puree*
1t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º

Process the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, the sweet potato puree*, the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.
In a separate, larger bowl, place all of the dry ingredients; sucanat, chocolate chips, and 1/2 of the nuts (if you are using them). In the same bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary but it insures there won’t be clumps of flour or worse, chunks of salt, in the batter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and with a spatula mix until everything is well incorporated.
Pour into a greased baking pan; sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the pan and continue to bake for another 3-5 minutes or until done in the center. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before attempting to cut.

*To make sweet potato puree:
Begin by boiling, steaming or roasting one medium size sweet potato, peeled and cut into pieces. When the sweet potatoes are soft, tender and cooked, place them into the food processor, reserving and using any cooking liquid if the blade is unable to move through the puree smoothly. The end result is a beautiful, smooth, orange puree. Of course you could skip this process entirely and buy organic, canned sweet potatoes.

With a dry measuring cup measure the 1/2c of the puree.

Variation
1) Use a teaspoon of peppermint extract in addition to vanilla for a refreshing change. They are delicious!

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Walnut Brownie Cookies

These are insane in the membrane…I am not even kidding, you would never know that they are vegan, let alone gluten-free…I think I could get rich on this cookie….maybe not, but I know if you make them you and yours will be very very happy.

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Walnut Brownie Cookies
makes 18-20 small cookies

3/4c All Purpose Gluten Free lour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

3/4c cocoa powder

3/4c oats- to be buzzed into flour
1/2c sucanat
3/4c chocolate chips
3/4c walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2t baking powder
1/2t salt
—-
1/2c maple syrup
¼c +2T coconut oil (melted)
1t vanilla

1t chocolate extract or another yummy flavored extract *optional
preheat oven to 350º

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and ready your pans.

Process the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, the maple syrup, oil, and vanilla, extract if using and set aside.

In a separate, larger bowl, place all of the dry ingredients, sucanat, chocolate chips, oats flour, and the nuts, and in the same bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. (Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary but it insures there won’t be clumps of flour or worse, chunks of salt, in the batter.)

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and with a spatula mix until everything is well incorporated.
With your desired size ice cream or cookie scoop, scoop out the cookies evenly spaced on the baking sheet. I gently flatten the cookies with the bottom of a cup measure. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the pan and continue to bake for another 2-3 minutes. Let cool for at least 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet and then remove them to a cooling rack. Store in a container only after completely cooled. I keep mine in the fridge- if they last that long!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crack Cups

I can not get enough peanut butter lately so like any good vegan athlete, I have incorporated into my desserts! These are simple, and incredibly amazing.

Peanut Butter Crack Cups

Makes 5 super large cups, about 30 mini

Chocolate Shell Coating:

1c vegan chocolate chips

2T coconut oil

Pinch pink salt

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Peanut Butter Filling:

3/4c Organic natural, crunchy peanut butter

1/3c maple sugar- whizzed and powdered in the Vitamix

Pinch pink salt

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1/3c brown rice krispy cereal

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30 mini or 5-6 maxi cup cake liners

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Over a double boiler, heat up water and place the chocolate chips and the coconut oil above. If you don’t have a double boiler, a pot of boiling water covered with a heat resistant bowl works perfectly. Melt the chocolate slowly over medium high heat. While the chocolate is melting, prepare your filling.

In a medium bowl, add in the peanut butter. If you haven’t done so already- put your maple or coconut sugar in the Vitamix and run the motor until the contents look powdery. Add this powder to the peanut butter, add the salt and mix well, until all of the sugar is well incorporated. Taste and if more salt is needed, add it.

On a plate, arrange your mini or maxi cupcake liners. For the maxi, spoon 1T of melted chocolate. For the minis’ about 1heaping t. Gently tap the chocolate to cover the bottom of the liner and work up the sides.

***only with the Maxis….Place this in the fridge or freezer to set, about 10-15 minutes***

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After they are set, remove them from the fridge and spoon in the peanut butter filling (1T for maxi, 1t for minis’) Again, gently tap the filling to fill the liner.

***only with the Maxis….Place this in the fridge or freezer to set, about 10-15 minutes***

Repeat spooning the chocolate over the PB filling, same 1T or 1t, maxi, minis’.

Sprinkle in about 1T of rice cereal over the top of the cup, gently encouraging them to become a part of the chocolate topping, you can use a spoon if necessary but you want them to set up “in” the coating.

Let set for an hour at least, 2 is better.

THESE ARE INCREDIBLE.

Perfect Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

This pie is DELICIOUS. I mean, seriously good. Serve it up with some Coconut Whipped Topping or a side of vegan vanilla ice cream…..I love love love this pie. Happy Holidays!!!!

Perfect Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

The Filling:

1 1/3c pumpkin puree (1 15-ounce can or cooked pumpkin puree)

1/4c maple syrup

1/4c maple sugar

1/2c unsweetened cashew cream (1/4c cashews/ 1c water blended)

1T coconut oil

2t pumpkin spice (or choose a mix of allspice, clove, ginger, cinnamon & nutmeg)

2T Kudzu root (blended in the cashew milk)

2”piece of fresh ginger

1/2″ piece of fresh turmeric

1T fresh lemon juice (omit if fresh is not available)

1/4t pink salt

1t vanilla

—

The Crust:

3T cold vegan butter

3T cold coconut oil

1-1/4c Bobs Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour, or your favorite GF mix.

1/4t pink salt

3T maple sugar

4-6T ice cold water

Prepare the Pie Crust:

You can make both the filling and the crust ahead of time- the crust you can make a day or two in advance and keep in the fridge. If you are preparing in one day, make the crust, chill it and then prepare the filling. Your dough should be ready to roll out after about 30 minutes in the fridge.

Add ice water 1T at a time using a wooden spoon to mix it in, grabbing the flour as you go. Only add as much water as you need to help it come together to form a ball.

Once a loose ball of dough is formed, transfer onto a piece of plastic wrap and work gently with your hands to form a ½” thick round. Wrap firmly and chill for a minimum 20 minutes, you can prepare and store for up to 2 days. Let it warm back up a little before using but not quite to room temp. You don’t want it too warm or it can get too soft to handle.

I uniformly press the hell out of it into the pie plate and then let it set for 10 minutes prior to filling.

Prepare the filling:

In a blender or vitamix, make the cashew cream (1c water/ 1/4c cashews) and pour 1/2c of the cream into a small glass.

Add the kudzu root and mix with a spoon until most of the root is dissolved. Add this into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

In the same blender, add the all of the ingredients including the kudzu cashew cream slurry. Blend until completely smooth and creamy- taste it and adjust the flavors (more vanilla, more sweet, more ginger, more spice etc.). Set aside and roll out your dough.

To roll out the crust, unwrap the disc and place it between two sizable layers of wax paper (plastic wrap will work OK, but is a little more difficult to work with). Use a rolling pin to gently roll it into the shape of your pie pan. It will crack, don’t worry, you will mostly be pressing this into the pie plate with your hands- you just want to get the dough as thin as possible before hand. Any holes or cracks you can patch with no problem.

To transfer the crust, remove the top layer of wax paper and gently lay the pie dish face down on top of the crust and use the support of the wax paper to quickly but carefully flip it as center as possible over the pie pan.

Once in the pan, gently use your hands to form it into the pan, working the crust up along the sides. Try to get the pie up as uniformly as possible all around. You can leave a straight no fuss edge or I like to make a curve design by pressing my right knuckle in between the pie dough and my left pointer finger knuckle and thumb.

Pour the filling into piecrust and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until it smells and looks done. The crust should be golden brown and the filling will still be just a bit soft and have beautiful cracking on the top. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before transferring to the refrigerator to set. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.