Acai and Blueberry Runners' Smoothie

 

This is a great smoothie to make before or after a nice run.  It's packed with energy and antioxidants to keep you going.  Acai is incredible for weight loss, but I like it for its superfruit capabilities.  The addition of the chocolate is optional, but I came up with it after reading a blog on Runners' magazine that emphasized how it can help keep your energy level high during a big run.  Chia and flax seeds are enormously beneficial for our bodies, and so this is one way I can very easily sneak them into my diet.  The recipe can certainly be doubled, but it makes just one serving.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup acai juice
1/4 cup soy or almond milk
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1/2 cube of bakers chocolate
pinch of chia seed
1 Tablespoon flax seeds
8 oz soy yogurt
few cubes of ice

Directions:
Place cubes of ice in blender, and chop up.  Add all ingredients on top of chopped ice and then blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Vegan Sliders with Mango and Guacamole Sauces

These are not only vegan, but they are gluten free as well, minus the yummy pretzel buns we obtained from Companion, a local bakery.  The basis of this meal was derived from Chef Chloe's recipe.  The guacamole and mango sauces are something I'd like to make again for nachos or tacos recipes.  The recipe makes approximately 12 sliders and I served them with some simple, fresh, hand-cut fries.

Slider Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 medium yellow onion
14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 carrot, shedded
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Mango Sauce Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
pinch of Kosher salt

Guacamole Ingredients
4 avocados
2 limes, juiced
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and finely ground pepper

Slider Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add onions and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes.

2. In large bowl, add black beans and mash a bit with a potato masher or hands.  Add shredded carrot, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, chili powder, cilantro, salt, and water.  Mash again or use your hands to combine all the ingredients.

3.  Add caramelized onions to the bowl.  Add additional water if necessary to incorporate all ingredients.

4. Use your hands to form mini burger patties.

5. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in non-stick skillet over medium to high heat.  Add burger patties and fry a few minutes on each side until browned and slightly crisp.  Add more olive oil as necessary to skillet.

Mango Sauce Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth.

Guacamole Directions:
1.Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop out avocado and place directly into medium bowl.  Mash the avocado flesh with a fork.  Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix everything together to incorporate.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving with the sliders.

Gluten Free Blueberry Scones

 

Ingredients (recipe makes about 8 scones):

dry

2 Cups Gluten free all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp butter or margarine, cut up into small, 1/4 inch squares
1 tsp cinnamon
wet
1 egg, beaten
1/2 Cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
1/2 Cup frozen blueberries

Directions
1. Mix all dry ingredients until incorporated.  Transfer to stand mixer and add butter.  Mix on low setting with paddle attachment until crumbs are the size of peas.
2. Add egg and soy milk and mix on low until combined.  Dough will not form into one ball, but should clump up somewhat.
3. Take bowl off stand mixer and fold in blueberries.
4. Transfer dough onto gluten free-floured surface.  Form dough ball and then pat down until about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (more or less depending on how you like your scones).
5. Cut the dough into about 8 wedges and transfer to lightly-greased baking sheet or scone pan.
6. Place in oven and cook for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Optional: Before putting scones in oven, beat one egg with a couple tablespoons of water and use pastry brush to coat tops of scones.  Sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.

Vegan Coconut Cupcakes

This yummy vegan recipe was taken from natural-foods chef Bethenny Frankel, but with a few variations by Kitchen Kelly.  The coconut extract is essential, so try and add it if you can!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond milk
3/4 cup raw sugar
3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup oat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup canola oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with 12 liners.
2.Combine all dry ingredients in one large bowl.  Mix wet ingredients together in another smaller bowl.  Pour smaller bowl contents into the dry ingredients and mix together just until combined.
3. Use 1/3 cup measuring cup to portion out mixture into cupcake pan.
4. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until tops of cupcakes are firm.

Cherry Chocolate Valentine Ice Cream

This recipe is clearly not vegan, but it is gluten free.  My next endeavor is to make soy or coconut ice cream, so stay tuned!

Ingredients

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, with juice
• 8 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Stir together cream, milk, sugar, and the juice from the jar of cherries in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Place the egg yolks into a large bowl, then whisk in hot cream, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until you have added 2 cups.
2. Whisk the hot yolks into the saucepan of hot cream, then cook on low, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F. It will have thickened enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Pour the mixture into a container, cover, and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours.
3. Chop the reserved maraschino cherries, then stir into the cold custard along with almond extract, and chopped chocolate. Pour into ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcakes with Amaretto Sauce

Vegan Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcake

This recipe is from Chef Chloe's blog.  She is an award-winning vegan chef and this particular recipe won her Cupcake Wars!  Although it seems rather long and involved, the cupcakes were really a breeze to make.  I have made some variations to her icing, as her ingredients listed on her website came up short. The cake recipe is actually a very good basic, vegan recipe that can be used for just about anything.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coconut milk (or any non-dairy milk)
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

*Soaking Liquid

• 1/3 cup amaretto liquor
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• *Raspberry Sauce
• 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• ½ cup agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of salt

*Frosting

• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons amaretto liquor
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening or margarine
• 3 cups organic confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

*Garnish (optional)

• 12 fresh raspberries
• ½ cup raw cacao nibs or ground bittersweet chocolate

Directions

    *Cupcakes

1. Preheat over to 350.
2. Sift or whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Combine the wet and dry mixtures and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Distribute batter into lined cupcake baking pan, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
   *Soaking Liquid
3. Combine amaretto and espresso powder and set aside.
   *Raspberry Sauce
4. In small saucepan, cook raspberries and agave on medium heat on raspberries wilt down. Let simmer on low for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes a pourable consistency. Remove pot from heat and mix in vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding more agave if necessary. Let cool in refrigerator.
   *Frosting
5. Combine espresso powder, amaretto, and vanilla in small bowl and mix or swirl bowl until espresso powder has dissolved (about 1 minute). Beat shortening in large bowl with an electric mixer for about 1 minute, then add confectioner's sugar. Add the espresso mixture to the frosting a little at a time as you beat it. If it is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired buttercream consistency is achieved, about 5 minutes.
   *Assembly
6. Using a spoon, cut out a small hole from the top of each cupcake (scoop out about 1 tablespoon of cake) and discard. In the hole of the cupcake, layer approximately 2 teaspoons of cacao, 1 teaspoon of soaking liquid, 1 tablespoon of raspberry sauce, and piped frosting on top. Garnish with a raspberry and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Agave Nectar Cakes with Blueberry Mousse Icing

These cakes were a delight to make and it seems as though the dough recipe is versatile enough that you can add/take away as you wish!  The cake and icing recipe came from Moskowitz & Romero's Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  Changes I made included use of whole wheat pastry flour and a bit more vanilla in place of the almond extract the recipe called for.  Here is the recipe for the mousse, which, by the way, must be kept incredible cold all the way until you pipe it and serve the cupcakes.

Blueberry Mousse Icing

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed to room temp
6 oz plain tofu
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 Tbs agave nectar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup blueberry juice from draining the above mentioned blueberries
1 teaspoon agar powder
1 Tbs arrowroot
Directions:
Strain juice away from blueberries and set aside.
Blend together berries, tofu, salt, agave and lemon juice in food processor for 1 minute.
In small bowl, mix together 1Tbs of the blueberry juice that was set aside with arrowroot and set aside.
In small saucepan, whisk together remaining juice and agar powder. Bring to boil, and simmer for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat.
Pour in arrowroot mixture slowly and stir constantly until mixture thickens, about 1 minute.
Use heat proof spatula and slowly pour contents of above into food processor. Blend until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.  Scrape mixture into container and refrigerate at least 3 hours. 

Whip mixture a bit and then place in pastry bag and pipe as desired.