Cheesecake bars were a part of my childhood.  My mother made them just about every time she had company over, probably  because they were so good they were requested time and again. Obviously I had to veganize them.  I am so thrilled with the end result!  They are very easy to make and so scrumptious because the center is so perfectly sandwiched between two layers of delicious crust, just as I remember them!  It is amazing how almost any recipe can be veganized – even cheesecakes that typically call for at least 3 eggs.  Agar Agar is awesome!  It is a tasteless, vegetable gelatin derived from sea vegetation.  For those of you who are unaware – gelatin is absolutely horrid.  It is made of animal bones (along with animal skin, hooves, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage) all boiled together into a goo that’s added to all kinds of candy and baked goods.  Agar Agar has none of that nastiness!  It works perfectly in this recipe to hold the cheezecake together.  You can find it at health food stores or specialty markets like Whole Foods, as well as on online.  While these bars may not be the healthiest recipe on my blog, they are so delicious and every once in a while I like to indulge.  If you do too, then try these bars.  You won’t be disappointed.

OMG.  Don’t know what else to say!  These are so delicious they literally melt in your mouth (and your hands)!  They are vegan, gluten-free, and have no added butter or oil.  I wish I could bake them and eat them every single day.

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c agave nectar
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1 c peanut butter
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 T ground flax seed mixed with 3 T water (let sit for 5 minutes)
• 3/4 c vegan chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips.

Stir in chips.

Dough will be very thick and gooey.  Don’t worry if it is not all fully incorporated.  I actually like it when you can see streaks of yummy peanut butter in the cookies!

Form into a ball and wrap in wax paper to freeze for 15 minutes.

Form into 1” balls and place on baking sheets covered with parchment paper and very lightly oiled.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 18 cookies.

Mango Ginger Swirl
with Coconut Ice Cream

Yes vegans are healthier!  Yes we eat plant-based foods that are nutritious and we love quinoa, kale, beans and tofu!  However, there are still those times when I crave a dessert that is really decadent.  Something really incredible.  This is not to say that raw desserts and really healthy vegan desserts are not wonderful – they are (I absolutely adore raw brownies made with only dates, cocoa powder and walnuts!)  But sometimes I like to make something like this crazy good swirl and I promise, there are no animals harmed in the making of it!   It seems like a long recipe, but it is actually pretty quick to put together and the best thing is you can pop it in the oven while you are eating your dinner and voila, warm dessert is awaiting when you’re ready to indulge!

Mango Ginger Swirls

• 2 large, ripe mangoes
• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c agave nectar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 3/4 c water
• 1/4 c vegan butter
  
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 2 c + 2 T flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 3/4 c vegan shortening
  
• 2/3 c soy milk
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/4 t ground cloves
• 3/4 t ginger powder
• 1 t sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Peel and dice the mangoes.  In a small bowl, combine the mango with ground cloves and ginger powder and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cup of sugar, brown sugar, agave, water, vegan butter, and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil and keep boiling for five minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

boiling the caramel sauce

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Use fingers to blend in shortening until mixture is crumbly.  Add soy milk and vanilla and stir until just combined.

Dough should be crumbly before adding liquids.

Lightly flour your work surface and knead the dough 10 times.

Roll it out into a 12” x 12” square.

Sprinkle mango over the dough and sprinkle the 1 t sugar on top.

Roll up into a log, and don’t worry about the mango that will be squeezed out at the end.

Cut into 12 pieces and place in a 9” x 13” pan.

Pour enough of the caramel sauce into the pan to come up almost to the top of the swirls (you should have some left over).

Bake for 50 minutes.

Serve warm.

Great with coconut or vanilla bean non-dairy ice cream!

Serves 12

Vegan Hamentaschen

Purim is so much fun!  What’s not to love about a holiday that involves hamentaschen and lots of spirits?  I look forward to eating hamentaschen each year and actually I now even enjoy making them, although rolling out dough used to be something I avoided like the plague.  Any recipe that called for rolling dough – I was out of there.  It was just so messy and I was never very good at it, so it never seemed worth the trouble.  Fast forward to four years ago when I became vegan and finding vegan hamentaschen was no easy task.  It was either make them myself or go without, so of course I was once again rolling dough.  The amazing thing is that with this vegan recipe I developed, the dough comes out perfectly every time and rolling it is simple.  I love making vegan hamentaschen!

Blueberry Hamenstaschen

• 1 c vegan shortening 
• 1 c sugar
• 2 t vanilla
• 1/4 c orange juice
• 3 1/2 c flour
• 1  T baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 2 T ground flax seed mixed with 5 T water
• assorted pastry fillings
• chocolate chips

With a hand mixer, cream the shortening and the sugar.  Add the flax seed with water, vanilla and orange juice and mix well.  Add the salt, baking powder and half of the flour and mix on low.  When combined, add the remaining flour.  Once all incorporated, cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.  After 30 minutes, roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.  Use a glass that is about 3 1/2 inches wide to press out circles from the dough.  Place a tablespoon of pastry filling in the center of each circle.  Place a few chocolate chips on top if desired.  Fold into triangles and press the edges together firmly.  Place on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 12 – 14 minutes.   Let cool before removing from sheets.

Makes about 34

tip:  almond pastry filling with lots of chocolate chips is incredible!!

ENJOY!!