Raw Nocello Cream Pie with Cinnamon Chocolate Glaze and Candied Maple Walnuts

Raw desserts are rocking my world! Wow! I never knew anything could be so delicious without refined carbs and unhealthy oils. And so easy to make as well! I can’t stop making them. This one came out so delicious I couldn’t wait to share it. It does have a small amount of alcohol in it that is obviously not cooked out, so please keep that in mind. Nocello, walnut liquor, is so incredible it may be my very favorite after dinner drink. It was my inspiration for this dessert and that is why I added the pear, because walnut and pear pair perfectly (see what I did there?), and the candied walnuts for garnish. I guess I don’t need to tell you that I enjoyed a slice of this yumminess with a glass of warm Nocello. Perfection.

crust:

1 c walnuts
10 soaked, pitted dates
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c soaked cashews
2 T maple syrup

Process all together in food processor and then press into the bottom of a lightly greased 8” springform pan.

filling:

1 ripe pear, peeled
1 1/2 c soaked cashews
4 T coconut oil
1/4 c nocello (or kahlua or frangelico)
1/4 c maple syrup
1 t vanilla

Place all filling ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Pour over crust and freeze for 30 minutes.

glaze:

1/2 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 c coconut oil, melted
1/8 t salt
1/4 c maple syrup
1/2 t vanilla

Whisk together all glaze ingredients.

After 30 minutes, pour glaze over hardened filling.

Freeze 60-90 minutes more.

candied walnuts:

1 c walnuts
3 T maple syrup
pinch salt

Place nuts, syrup and salt in a dry pan and cook over medium high until sticky, about 3-5 minutes.

Let pie defrost for about 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers in freezer.

Chunky Monkey Mini Muffins

When I used to work in Manhattan, each morning I would get off the train at Grand Central Station and stop at Zaros to get coffee and the most delicious muffin ever before heading up the escalator to the Pan Am building (now the Met Life building). Every day I would think about which kind of muffin I was going to get as the train was pulling into the station. I loved blueberry, apple spice, chocolate chip, and banana. Each one was practically the size of a baseball and I loved eating them so much until I read that there was over 1,000 calories per muffin. That was over 20 years ago, and I have not had one since, To this day, however, one of my favorite breakfast foods is a muffin. I love them for breakfast and as a snack, and they are so delicious they even serve as dessert! I also love to make them and keep them in the freezer for my kids to pop in the microwave for a fast and nutritious breakfast on those school days when there is no time to make anything else (just about every day). I wanted to make a muffin that was not only healthy, but also tasted great. I think I have accomplished that here. Honestly, even if the Zaros muffins magically became vegan, I would choose my muffin instead!

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 T ground flax mixed with 5 T water. Combine and let sit 5 minutes.
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 t vanilla
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips plus optional 1/4 cup extra
2 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl, combine first five ingredients.

In a large bowl, combine the flaxseed and water mix, agave, oil and vanilla. Add walnuts, banana and chocolate chips.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just incorporated.

Lightly grease muffin tins. Recipe makes 42 mini muffins or 12 muffins.

Spoon batter to fill tins 2/3. If you really love chocolate, you can sprinkle a couple of extra chips on top of each muffin.

Bake 10 minutes for minis and 18 minutes for regular sized muffins.

Raw Pineapple Mint Pie

I am just loving raw desserts! They are so incredibly easy to make and so much more enjoyable to eat, knowing not only that they are cruelty-free but also that there is nothing unhealthy in them. They are literally guilt-free in more ways than one!! This pie came out so refreshing and the chocolate crust is the perfect complement to the tang of the pineapple and the mint. The whole thing took less than ten minutes to make, and then just an hour or so in the freezer. I do still love to bake, especially in the wintertime, but for now, it is raw all the way!!

For the crust:

1 cup pecans
1 cup walnuts
8 medjool dates, pitted and soaked in water for 20 minutes, unless soft already
1/8 t salt
2 T cocoa powder

For the filling:

3 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight (unless you have a high speed blender)
1 1/4 cup chopped pineapple
2 T coconut oil
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 T agave nectar
1-2 T fresh mint (taste and see how much you like)
1-2 T water to get it to a consistency where it can be poured.

Process crust ingredients in a food processor until they come together in a big clump.

Press into the bottom and up the sides of a lightly greased pie pan.

Place all filling ingredients in a blender or processor

and blend/process until smooth.

Pour into pan and smooth top.

Freeze for at least an hour.

Store in fridge.

Raw Banana Split Brownie

So as you can see, this banana split does not have ice cream, chocolate sauce, or whipped cream, and it is entirely raw. What you cannot see, however, is how delicious it is and how much it tastes just like a decadent banana split. It is creamy and flavorful and healthy and I could eat it every night! No need for any other type of dessert – this one does it all!

Brownie layer

10 dates (I prefer medjool), pitted and halved
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 T maple syrup

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until forms a big clump.

Remove from processor and press evenly into the bottom of pan that is lightly greased with a tiny bit of coconut oil or covered with parchment paper. I used an 8x6x2″ pan, but you can use a regular 8×8″ pan (the layers just won’t be as thick).

Middle layer

3/4 cup cashews (soaked overnight in water unless you have a vitamix or other powerful blender)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
2 T maple syrup
1/4 cup water

Blend until smooth.

Pour over brownie layer. Smooth out.

Place in freezer while making last layer.

Top layer

1 cup cashews (soaked overnight in water unless you have a vitamix or other powerful blender)
2 T maple syrup
2 bananas
1/4 cup water

Blend until smooth. Remove pan from freezer and gently pour on top.

Freeze at least 90 minutes.

Remove from freezer and let sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares (it definitely tastes best when it is not frozen). Can be kept in freezer or in fridge if you prefer it very soft and don’t want to have to wait each time for it to defrost a bit.

Just because it is perfect as is, doesn’t mean you can’t add vegan whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Necessary? Not at all. But a bit more indulgent? Why not?

Popcorn Tofu with Mint “Honey” Mustard Sauce

Who needs popcorn shrimp or popcorn chicken? This popcorn tofu is so delicious it instantly became a new family favorite! It’s hard to understand why anyone would need to eat any other kind, especially since this is not only amazingly yummy, but also cruelty-free! It just shows how vegans can eat better, healthier versions of just about everything non-vegans eat!

1 14 oz package extra firm tofu, drained
3 T safflower oil
4 T ener-G egg replacer
1/2 cup + 4 T water
2 t vegan stock powder, such as vegebase
2 T soy sauce
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 t dried thyme
2 t onion powder
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t dried oregano
2 T agave
2 T dijon mustard
1 t chopped fresh mint

A baby watermelon works perfectly to press tofu!

Cut tofu in half widthwise and then into 12 cubes, so you have 24 cubes total.

Combine the egg replacer, water, vegebase and soy sauce in a bowl.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, yeast, thyme, onion powder, salt, pepper, and oregano in another bowl.

Dip the tofu cubes one at a time into the “egg” mixture and then into the flour mixture, and repeat so each piece is dipped into both twice.

Heat 2 T of the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and when hot, add the tofu. Cook about 4 minutes per side, until golden. You may need to add the remaining T of oil when you flip the tofu.

Drain on paper towel and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.