Homemade Fudgsicles (vegan)

Recipe from The Bigley Basics (Facebook reels)
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 8-10 (depending on how big the molds are)

These homemade fudgsicle are rich, fudgy, and irresistibly chocolatey. They’re also dairy-free, refined sugar–free, and made with simple, wholesome ingredients. They make a great dessert on a very hot day.  And as you can see, the hubster loved them!  

Ingredients:
1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
1 cup raw cashews or ½ cup cashew butter (peanuts or almonds would also work)
½ cup pure maple syrup 
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Instructions:
1. Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. (If you don’t have a high-speed blender, use cashew butter instead of cashews.)
2. Divide the mixture evenly between 8–10 silicone popsicle molds.
3. Freeze for 6–8 hours, or until fully solid.
4. Once frozen, remove the popsicles from the molds by gently pushing them up from the bottom of the molds.
5. Dig in and enjoy! Store any leftovers in the freezer.

Healthy Rice Crispy Squares (gluten-free and dairy-free)

Recipe from https://nutritioninthekitch.com/healthy-cocoa-rice-crispy-squares/
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 9 to 12 squares depending on how big you wish your squares to be.

These delicious rice crispy treats is given a delicious chocolate twist with cocoa powder and natural sweetener. We like eating one with a cup of hot tea.  

Ingredients
4 cups brown rice crisps cereal (Nature's Path is great, but you can use
any brand)
¼ cup natural almond butter
1/3 cup raw honey
¼ cup Earth Balance vegan butter 
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch of salt (optional)

Instructions
1. In a pan over low heat melt the vegan butter, almond butter, and honey
and stir until well combined.
2. In a large bowl add the rice crisps cereal, coconut, and cocoa powder.
3. Pour the melted almond butter mixture over the cereal mixture and stir
until well combined.
4. Press the mixture into a 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper (the
smaller the pan the thicker the squares).
5. Top with another piece of parchment paper and press the mixture firmly
into the pan. Very firmly.
6. Place the pan in the freezer for 1 hour and move to the fridge and leave
overnight.
7. In the morning cut into squares (9 or 12 squares depending on the size you wish) and enjoy!
8. Store the remaining bars in the fridge.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 squares) 108 calories; 2 g protein; 16 g carbohydrates; 5 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 25 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 8 g sugars; 2 g fiber; 23 mg calcium

Chocolate Chickpea Cookies

Servings:18 cookies
Recipe from Lori Rasmussen of My Quiet Kitchen 

Chickpea Cookies are a deliciously fudgy and healthy cookie made with creamy almond butter, cocoa powder, and of course chickpeas. This quick and easy vegan dessert is a great way to use up extra chickpeas and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time! Vegan and made without gluten, oil, or refined sugar. Ramp up the fun and add some of the extras noted at the end of the recipe.

Ingredients 
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1⅔ cup cooked chickpeas)
⅓ cup smooth almond butter, unsalted - or other nut/seed butter
¼ cup cacao or cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut sugar - or other granulated sweetener
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup oat flour or Gluten Free Flour 1:1 blend (I used a blend of oat and buckwheat flours.)
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
⅓ cup dairy-free mini dark chocolate chips 

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line one large or two small baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
After rinsing the chickpeas, thoroughly pat dry with a tea towel. Transfer to a large food processor. Add the almond butter, and process to combine.
Add the cacao, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Process until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and process again. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Using a small cookie scoop (1½ Tablespoon) or measuring spoon, scoop up the cookie dough and place on prepared pan(s). Leave in a ball shape. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven, and use the underside of a fork to create a crisscross pattern on top, gently flattening the cookies into shape. Bake for another 3 to 5 minutes or until golden on the bottoms.
The cookies will be very soft straight from the oven. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Variations 
¼ cup nuts - for added crunch, fold in chopped pecans, walnuts, or peanuts when adding the chocolate chips.
¼ cup coconut - add shredded coconut to the batter and press a pinch into the tops of the cookies.
Nutritional Information: (1 cookie) 94 calories; 12 g carbohydrates; 2.5 g protein; 4 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 72 mg sodium; 2 g fiber; 7 g sugars

Copycat Clif Kid Z Chocolate Brownie Bars (vegan)

Makes 10 to 12 small bars
Recipe from Fly Peach Pie 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Delicious bars that I think tastes better than Clif Kid Zbars brownie flavor! These are easy to make in the food processor with a short time in the oven. They'll make a great addition to lunchboxes.

The bars:
2 cups old fashion rolled oats, divided
½ cup dried figs or pitted dates (I used dates.)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (Cacao powder can be used instead.)
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 Tablespoon maple syrup (Honey was listed in the original recipe, but then these wouldn’t be vegan.)
¼ cup sugar (I used coconut sugar.**)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon coconut oil (melted)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips.)
½ cup water

For chocolate drizzle on top:
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips.)
½ teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a food processor add 1 cup old fashion oats, dried figs or dates, cocoa powder, molasses, honey, sugar, salt, vanilla, melted coconut oil, baking soda, chocolate chips and water.
Blend on high, stopping and stirring and pulsing until the mixture is smooth.
Add the final 1 cup of old fashion oats and blend until smooth or to have slightly more
textured bars briefly stir the mixture so the oats retain some texture.
Empty batter onto a parchment paper lined or greased cookie sheet. (I found it was easiest to spray an offset spatula with a bit of oil before spreading the batter.)
Spread into a large rectangle about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. (Note the batter will not fill the entire cookie sheet.)
Bake for 10-13 minutes or until tops are no longer sticky.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing. The pieces can be slightly molded
too so you can round out the edges of the bars if desired.
Allow the bars to cool completely before the next step.
In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips (and coconut oil, if using) and melt in microwave for 30 seconds, stir and an additional 30 seconds if needed to melt the chocolate chips.
Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate in a zig zag pattern over each bar. (You can also place in a zip lock bag, snip the end off and make a zigzag pattern.) 
Place the bars in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the bars and the chocolate drizzle to set. 
Store the bars separated by parchment paper in the fridge or freezer.

**While both sugar and coconut sugar are sweeteners, the key difference is that coconut sugar is derived from the sap of coconut palm trees, making it slightly less processed and containing trace amounts of minerals like potassium, iron, and zinc, whereas regular sugar (table sugar) is highly refined and lacks these nutrients; however, both have similar calorie counts and should be consumed in moderation. 
 

Chocolate Brownie Shake (vegan/plant-based)

Recipe from Getting Healthy with Stasia YouTube Channel
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 2 servings

Part of The Daily Dozen is three servings of beans a day. So, if you’re looking to add more beans to your diet because they have protein, fiber, and antioxidants, here’s a fun and delicious way to include them. I promise, you won’t taste the beans.  They, along with the bananas, will add the creaminess that we all love in a traditional shake.  

½ cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
2 small frozen ripe bananas (The spottier the bananas, the sweeter they are.)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple syrup or 1 pitted date (Optional)
1½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (I use dark cocoa powder.)
1 cup unsweetened plant based milk (I used unsweetened soy milk.)
Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until completely smooth.
Serve cold. 

NOTES: I didn't use any other sweetener other than really ripe bananas.  We thought the shake was just right.  Taste the shake first and then add maple syrup or a date if it’s not sweet to your taste. You can add 1 teaspoon maple syrup or 1 pitted date to make it sweeter.  If the bananas you use are really ripe, you may not need to add any other sweetener.  

Nutrition Facts (1 of 2 servings)
Calories 198
Total Fat 2.4g (Saturated Fat 0.5g)
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 34mg
Total Carbohydrate 40.7g
Dietary Fiber 8.9g
Total Sugars 15g  
Protein 8.1g
Vitamin D 0mcg
Calcium 37mg
Iron 2mg
Potassium 656mg

Chickpea Energy Bites (vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free)

 

Recipe from Nutrition by Michaela 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes about 25 bites

These little treats are very simple to make and they taste quite good.  They’re fancy looking enough to serve at a party or to give as a little gift.  You will need a food processor to prepare these.  It also helps to have an ice cream scoop for forming uniform balls, but it’s not necessary.

1 cup fresh dates, pitted

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ - ¾ cup shredded coconut

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 pinches sea salt

3 Tablespoons (or more) brewed coffee

200 grams melted dark chocolate (I added 1 teaspoon coconut oil to the chocolate and used a double boiler for melting.)

Sea flakes, for decorating (optional)

Shredded coconut, for decorating (optional)

Soak the pitted dates in boiling hot water for at least 10 minutes. This will soften them up and make them easy to process.

Add the chickpeas, rolled oats, shredded coconut, raw cacao powder, brewed coffee, sea salt and cinnamon (optional) to a food processor.

Drain the water from the dates and rinse them a little bit in cold water.

Add the dates to the food processor.

Process all the ingredients into a dough. Scrape the sides of the processor bowl with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dough.  If the dough doesn’t come together in a ball, add more coffee a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a plate or cutting board. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto the parchment lined platter. With damp hands, roll into balls and place them back onto the parchment paper. Let sit in the fridge for 15 minutes or more.

Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate, preferably over a water bath (microwave is also fine). Dip the bites into the melted chocolate and place them back on the parchment paper. 

Optional: Sprinkle sea salt or shredded coconut on top before the chocolate hardens.

Place the bites back into the fridge until the chocolate hardens fully before serving.

Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or for longer in the freezer (just make sure to take them out of the freezer to thaw to room temperature about 30 minutes or so before eating.)

Chocolate Cherry Cake (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Makes One 9” Cake

Recipe from From My Bowl 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Oh!!  This cake!!!  It was beautiful and so delicious that everyone had a second piece!!  It looks quite fancy, but it was very easy to make.  You can make it a layer cake by doubling the ingredients.  

My friend, Juliet, the birthday girl,
getting ready to make a wish.

Ingredients:

1¼ cup (133 g) quick-cooking oats, blended into a fine flour*
⅓ cup (27 g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 flax “eggs” (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 Tablespoons water)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk*
½ cup (130g) unsalted almond butter
½ cup (75g) coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
(I added 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to the dry ingredients as suggested by one of the reviewers.)
For the Cherry Jam:
2 cups of pitted cherries (fresh or frozen) (I used frozen.)
2 Tablespoon maple syrup or coconut sugar
⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 Tablespoon filtered water
For Serving:
1 cup coconut whipped cream* (I whipped 1 cup of Silk Dairy Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative and then added ¼ cup powdered sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla.) 
Chopped and/or shaved chocolate (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease or spray a 9” cake pan with a neutral cooking oil.
Prepare the Wet Ingredients: Mix the ground flax together with filtered water to create a flax “egg” in a small bowl. Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in the base of a medium bowl – the vinegar will curdle the milk to create a “buttermilk”. Let both mixtures sit for at least 5 minutes, then add the thickened flax egg to the larger bowl with the almond butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts. Whisk until well-combined.
Mix the Dry Ingredients together in a separate, larger bowl. Form a well in the center of the mixture, pour in the wet ingredients, and use a spatula to mix everything together until no clumps remain. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and bake on the middle rack for 20-22 minutes. (If you are baking multiple cakes, bake for 23-25 minutes).
Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before loosening the edges with a butter knife and flipping onto a baking rack to let cool completely.
Make the Cherry Compote: in the meantime, add all of the ingredients of the cherry compote to a large, nonstick pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the cherries cook down for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set the compote aside and let cool completely.
Assemble the Cake: top the cake with a layer of coconut cream, then spoon the cherry compote (and extra liquid) on top. Garnish with chopped and shaved chocolate, if desired. Serve immediately – leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes: The recipe listed above makes one cake. If you would like to create a layered cake, double all of the ingredients (compote and cream included)
Nut Allergies: replace the almond butter with tahini or sunflower butter
Coconut Whipped Cream: If you don’t want to make it yourself you can replace it with store-bought coconut whipped topping or a vanilla frosting of your choice! You can also use a super-thick coconut yogurt for a completely sugar-free option.
Other Substitutions: Almond butter can be replaced with another nut or seed butter and coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar or another granulated sweetener. I do not recommend replacing the soy milk* as other plant milks do not create a good “buttermilk” due to lower protein content. This recipe has not been tested with any other flours.

Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats

Recipe from Whole Food Momma

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 1 serving

This yummy breakfast is right up my alley.  Using a really ripe banana (lots of black spots on the peel) sweetens the oats.  Do yourself a favor and make a quadruple batch so that your breakfast will be set for four days!  

1/2 banana, mashed

1/2 cup old-fashions rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon flax meal or chia seeds (I used flax meal.)

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 cup plant milk (I used unsweetened almond milk.)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup frozen cherries

Add the mashed banana, the oats, cinnamon, flax meal, cocoa powder, plant milk and water to a 2 cup mason jar.  Put the lid on the jar and give the jar a really good shake.  Remove the lid and add frozen cherries.  Place the lid back on the jar and give it another shake.  Store in the fridge over night.  Enjoy cold in the morning (like I do) or put the contents in a microwave safe container and warm it up.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 313 calories; 8.2 g fat (1.2 sat. fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 101 mg sodium; 57.1 g carbohydrates; 11.6 g fiber; 14.7 sugars; 9.8 g protein; 1 mcg vitamin D; 215 mg calcium; 4 mg iron; 692 mg potassium

Brownie Batter Chocolate Baked Oatmeal (Vegan)

Recipe from Conscientious Eater

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 6 servings

I proudly admit that I will accept any excuse to eat chocolate, especially for breakfast, my favorite meal of the day.  I thought this baked oatmeal was exceptionally good and satisfied my “need” for chocolate.  After reading the reviews, I decided to follow their advice and make this the night before.  Apparently, allowing it to sit awhile before eating, makes it even tastier.  It’s also more convenient.  All I had to do while the coffee percolated was to cut up some seasonal fruit.  I did make a drizzle of PB2 (powdered peanut butter) using just water to guild the lily.  Aaaah! Perfect breakfast in my book.

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed

3 Tablespoons water

3 cups old-fashioned oats (I used gluten-free oats.)

1/3 cup cacao powder or cocoa powder (I used special dark chocolate powder.)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt 

1 cup mashed banana, from 2-3 bananas (The spottier, the better for sweetness.)

1/4 cup nut butter (I used almond butter, but peanut butter would be good.  You could most likely substitute a seed butter.)

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups non-dairy milk

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.  (You could grease the pan instead if you don’t have parchment paper.)

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon flax meal and 3 Tablespoons water.  Allow it to sit on the counter for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats and while you prepare the rest of the batter.  The flax meal and water combo will thicken a bit and become the “egg.” 

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, the cocoa powder, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.  In another bowl, mix together the nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, mashed banana, milk and the flax “egg.”  Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry mixture and blend well.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.  Cool on a baking rack.

Optional: If you want a little drizzle on top, mix together 1 Tablespoon PB2 powdered peanut butter and a bit of water until you have a pouring consistency.  Drizzle over the top of the baked oatmeal.  You can also drizzle other nut or seed butters or even maple syrup instead.  

Notes: Store the baked oatmeal in the fridge.  I’ve had success freezing other baked oatmeal recipes, so I’m sure this can be frozen as well.  I’ve found that mashing bananas on a plate with a fork is a lot easier than doing so in a bowl.  It’s about leverage :-)

Nutritional Information: (1 of 6 servings) 358 calories; 11 grams fat; 0 g trans fat; 6 g unsaturated fat; 42 mg cholesterol; 338 mg sodium; 54 g carbohydrates; 7 g fiber; 17 g sugars; 12 g protein

A Darn Good Chocolate Cookie (Vegan)

Recipe from Hip and Healthy (Recipe extracted from Vegan One-Pot Wonders)

The original recipe is called "World's Healthiest Chocolate Cookie."

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 15 cookies

Well, these are now going to be my go-to cookie recipe. They are super easy to make and will satisfy any chocolate craving.  We decided that the texture was similar to the center of a warm chocolate chip cookie.  YUM!  When making these, I used my kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients, but if you don't have a kitchen scale or don't wish to bother with one, the measurements are included in the recipe below.  I made these with almond butter, but I believe any nut or seed butter would work.  Make these today and enjoy them with a spot of tea or pack them up, like I did to include in a picnic lunch.

160 grams (5 1/2 ounces/generous 1/2 cup) maple syrup

200 grams (7 ounces/generous 3/4 cup) smooth and runny peanut butter or almond butter

90 grams (3 1/4 ounces/scant 1 cup) ground almonds

90 grams (3 1/4 ounces/scant 1 cup) quick-cooking oats

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

30 grams (1 ounce/1/4 cup) cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa powder.)

40 grams (1 1/2 ounces/1/4 cup) hemp seeds

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F and line a cookie sheet with baking paper or silicone baking mat.

Combine the maple syrup and the nut butter (heated gently, if necessary, to loosen) in a bowl.  Mix well. 

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.

Use a cookie scoop (or roll the mixture into 15 balls) to scoop out about 15 cookies onto the cookie sheet.  Flatten them just a bit.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.  Place on a cooling rack to cool before serving.  

The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the fridge.  (I imagine you can also freeze them and they will be perfectly fine.)

 

Heart “Beet” Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Healthyish via Bon Appetit

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 (8-inch) round or square cake

This cake is mmmm-good and perfect with a cup of hot tea. 

Cake

4 medium beets*, scrubbed

2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil, plus more for the pan

½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for the pan

1½ cups almond flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used bittersweet chocolate chips.)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1¼ cups packed brown sugar (I used Sucanat.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Glaze

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used bittersweet chocolate chips.)

1 Tablespoon virgin coconut oil

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt

Gold Luster Dust (For serving; optional)

Cake: Cook the beets in a pot of boiling unsalted water until tender, 30-40 minutes depending on size.  Drain and rinse the beets under cold water until they are cool enough to handle.  Cut off the stem ends and peel.  Cut into large pieces and add them to a blender along with 2 Tablespoons of water.  Blend until a smooth puree forms.  It should be the consistency of applesauce.  Measure out 1 cup of puree for the cake.  Reserve the remaining puree for another use. (*I used 3 large beets, one golden, and ended up with 3 cups of puree.  I froze the extra beet puree in 1-cup containers for future cakes.  The puree can also be added to smoothies.) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line the bottom of an 8” round (or square) cake pan with parchment paper.  Grease with oil and then dust with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.  Whisk the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and remaining ½ cup cocoa powder in a medium bowl; set aside.  Heat the chocolate and remaining 2 Tablespoons oil in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until melted.  Remove the bowl from the heat.  Stir in the vinegar, vanilla, and reserved 1 cup beet puree until smooth. Set aside.  Beat the eggs, brown sugar, and salt in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until more than tripled in volume and mixture holds a ribbon for several seconds when the beater is lifted above the batter. This will take 5-7 minutes.  Thoroughly beating the eggs is key to creating an aerated, light crumb and is a critical step when using gluten-free ingredients. Pour the chocolate-beet mixture into the egg mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined.  Turn the mixer off and gently tip in the reserved dry ingredients.  Beat on the lowest speed, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined. Transfer the batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed, 45-50 minutes.  Let the cake cool 10 minutes in the pan.  Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan, then invert the cake onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before spreading with the glaze.

Glaze: Heat the chocolate, oil, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until the chocolate is melted.  Let cool, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and cool enough to touch, about 10-15 minutes.  Place rack with the cake over a piece of waxed paper or on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the center of the cake to cover the top.  Spread the glaze a bit so that it runs over the sides of the cake in dribbles.  Sprinkle with luster dust (if using).  Let sit at room temperature until the glaze is set, 2-3 hours.  Cover and store the cake at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Snickerdoodle Tahini Date Smoothie (Vegan)

Recipe from AmbitiousKitchen

Makes 1 generous serving

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This smoothie is a very nice change to the usual fruit and banana smoothies that are the usual.  We loved the tahini flavor in this smoothie.  I also loved that one of the ingredients is frozen cauliflower. The cauliflower not only adds some nutrition to the mix, but also helps to thicken the smoothie. You might think that’s a bit strange in a smoothie, but the cauliflower is undetectable. 

Smoothie Ingredients:

3 large pitted Medjool dates (¼ cup packed pitted Medjool dates)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk OR light coconut milk, plus more to thin the smoothie, if needed

¾ cup frozen cauliflower

1 Tablespoon tahini (You could substitute any nut butter you’d like, but tahini is quite nice.)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional Smoothie Add-Ins:

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1 scoop of your favorite protein powder

1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal

¼ cup gluten free rolled oats

Soak the pitted dates in 1 cup of hot water for at least 5 minutes to soften them up.  While the dates are soaking, measure out the remaining ingredients.  Drain the pitted dates. Add them to a high speed blender along with the remaining ingredients. Add in and of the optional ingredients, if desired. Blend until smooth.  Add more almond (or coconut) milk to thin the smoothie, if needed. 

Sweet Potato Brownies (Vegan)

Recipe from SammyandSarahCook YouTube Channel

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 16 brownies

If you are wanting a little hit of chocolate and just a smidgeon of sweetness, these brownies will satisfy.  You will see only wholesome ingredients in this treat and so guilt can be kept at bay ;-) While waiting for the brownies to bake, you might enjoy watching more of the videos of little Sammy and Sarah (and now Abby), three darling children who show us how easy it is to make vegan meals and treats.

Cooking spray

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato

¼ cup peanut butter or almond butter

¼ cup agave syrup or maple syrup

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup oat flour

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare an 8” X 8” baking pan by lining it with parchment paper with a little overhang for easy removal of the brownies.  Spray the parchment paper with the cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potato, the nut butter, the syrup, and vanilla extract.

In medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.  The dough/batter will be very thick and somewhat dry.

Press the dough into the parchment lined baking pan.

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.  Remove the brownies from the pan by carefully lifting them out with the parchment paper overhang.  Place on a cooling rack.  Cool to room temperature before cutting them into 16 squares.  Serve.

Wake-Up Cocoa Quick Bread

Recipe from SmallKitchenCara via Food52

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes one 9”X5” loaf

The recipe author describes this quick bread as a loaf cake inspired by pain d’epice, but made with cocoa and espresso powder rather than spices and honey.  I prepared this for my family for the holidays as a breakfast treat.  I was delighted that both my grandchildren absolutely loved it.  Each morning, Sandrita and I had it toasted and spread with Chocolate Nut Butter Hummus and Luis had it un-toasted and unadorned.  (I also ate a sliced apple with it while the children ate bananas.) This bread, once completely cooled, freezes beautifully.  It’s definitely a keeper and will now become a holiday breakfast tradition.

Cooking oil spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole-wheat flour or whole wheat flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

4 Tablespoons good quality cocoa powder (I use dark cocoa powder.)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 large egg

1 ½ cups milk

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Spray a 9”X5” loaf pan with cooking oil and set aside. (I used a parchment paper loaf liner and sprayed it with cooking spray.  You could probably butter the pan and sprinkle in some unsweetened cocoa powder, tapping out the excess to prepare the pan.)

Mix together the flours, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, combine the butter with the sugar and espresso powder.

Add the egg, beating to distribute evenly, then pour in the milk.

Using as few strokes as possible, stir in the dry ingredients.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is dry and is slightly cracked.  (I also checked using a toothpick in the center of the loaf.)

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. 

Remove the loaf from the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.