Vegan MoFo

I have three recipes for you today.

I made some chai candied pecans and we have been snacking on them all week. Then I made some chai pecan butter, and I swirled some of it into ice cream I made. A chai ice cream. See a trend happening?

No, not the chai. Not even the pecans.

How about the fact that I have made so much ice cream lately that I am running out of freezer safe containers. This batch went into one of my spring-form pans…

Each of these desserts can stand alone (yep, because you can eat the chai pecan butter with a spoon), but when you combine them like I have, you get one amazing dessert treat. This will definitely be one of my holiday dessert options.

Yeah. I said one. We have to have several choices, right?

It’s the holidays. Enjoy.

chai ice cream

dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan

2 (15 ounce) cans coconut milk (full fat)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup gluten and dairy free chai concentrate
2 tablespoons vanilla paste

In a medium bowl or blender, combine all ingredients, blend or whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared ice cream maker, follow manufacturers instructions (this batch took 23 minutes). Transfer one third ice cream into freezer safe container, pipe chai pecan butter into ribbons. Add another third ice cream, pipe more chai pecan butter throughout. Add remaining ice cream and chai pecan butter, smoothing in even layer. Cover and freeze a few hours to overnight.

Serve ice cream topped with chai candied pecans.

chai pecan butter (ribbons)

adapted from sweet chai pecan butter sauce

2 cups raw pecans
3 tablespoons gluten and dairy free chai concentrate
2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

In food processor, blend pecans until crumbly. Add chai concentrate, sweetener if using. Continue to blend until smooth, adding milk to reach desired consistency.

chai candied pecans

2 cups pecan halves, divided
3 tablespoons gluten and dairy free chai concentrate
water as needed 

In food processor or high speed blender, process 1/4 cup pecans with chai concentrate and water by the tablespoon as needed to thin. Toss remaining pecans in sauce and arrange in single layer on prepared (parchment, silpat) baking sheet. Bake at 300 for 7-10 minutes – watch carefully and checking after 7 minutes.

100 years of holiday traditions you just don’t mess with. Classic family recipes call for a classic ingredient. Diamond of California nuts. The only nut good enough for your mom’s mom’s recipes is the only one that should be in yours. Diamond of California. Premium quality nuts since 1912.

Compensation was provided by Diamond of California via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of spabettie and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Diamond of California

 

{ 28 comments }

Happy Halloween and happy Vegan Mofo final day! I think I might do months of treats and sweets more often – this sure was fun!

My last treat is perfect for Halloween, and these can be handed out to the parents walking around with their kids. Well, the adventurous parents…

Ever since I made my first filled candies, the raspberry jalapeno chocolates, I have wanted to make more – they are just too fun.

I found this skull ice cube mold recently, and knew I was going to fill it with chocolate, not water. I found some wasabi powder (three ingredients – horseradish, spirulina, turmeric) and blended it with maple syrup and a base of tahini, and finely chopped ginger. Oh so good.

Happy Halloween, indeed!

ginger wasabi filled chocolate skulls

dairy, egg, soy, and gluten free, vegan

makes 12 chocolate skulls

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup tahini paste
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon wasabi paste or powder (adjust to taste)
5-6 pieces crystallized ginger, minced fine

In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate until smooth. Spoon a small amount into each mold, and using a small paintbrush, coat the mold completely. Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes or until chocolate has set.

Meanwhile, stir together tahini, maple syrup, wasabi and ginger. Fill each mold with wasabi tahini filling, leaving room at the top to seal with more chocolate. Reheat remaining chocolate and fill each mold, covering the filling completely. Tap molds on counter to remove any bubbles, return to refrigerator to set.

Happy Halloween – are you doing anything fun?

 

{ 33 comments }

chocolate tahini shortbread bars

by Kristina Sloggett on October 31, 2012

in baking,Dessert,recipes,snacks,Vegan,Vegan MoFo

Happy Halloweeeeeeen!

 

Last Friday night we saw an amazing show – Bassnectar came to Portland for the second time in 2012. Loren loves us in Portland. I have seen Bassnectar a few times at Burning Man, but it has been far too long. This was by far the best show I have seen, and many who were there Friday say the same.

We went downtown early enough to get wristbands for floor access – the whole show was general admission to maximize the free flow flowy free feeling – I cannot recall exactly what he said but it was pretty cool. and we knew we wanted to be on the floor.

For a while we were in the very front row.

Then we moved more toward the front middle, because Jason said this was the best place to hear maximum bass. You could feel the bass.

There’s Loren – can you see him, right in the middle? If you have not heard Bassnectar, go listen to a bit of his music – it is awesome (and even if you have heard him – go listen!). Then if you like what you hear, if Bassnectar is coming to your area and there are still tickets, you should go!

I made these bars the morning of the show. I was up early, had the day off, and didn’t know what to do with myself, I was so excited. I put on some wub wub wub music and made a tahini version of the classic chocolate peanut butter layer bar. Late night snacks post show.

Perfect.

chocolate tahini shortbread bars

dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan

cookie base:

dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan

1/2 cup butter (Earth Balance soy free)
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour

Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time and combine until dough forms, do not over mix. Press into 9 x 9 baking dish, bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until set and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. 

tahini layer:

3/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup butter (Earth Balance soy free), room temperature
2 cups coconut powdered sugar*
1-2 tablespoons coconut milk (carton) 

*make your own powdered sugar from coconut sugar granules – blend in food processor or high speed blender until fine powder forms. store in airtight container.

Cream together tahini, butter and powdered sugar; add milk and stir until smooth. When cookie base is cool, spread tahini filling in an even layer. Place in refrigerator to set while preparing chocolate topping.

chocolate topping:

8-10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter (Earth Balance soy free) / coconut oil

In small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter or coconut oil to a smooth consistency. Remove bars from refrigerator, pour chocolate over top and spread to a smooth layer over tahini. Return to refrigerator to set.

Do you know Bassnectar?

What was the last great music show you went to?

 

{ 40 comments }

pumpkin spice french toast

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Jason and I snuck away for a few days of relaxation at the beach. I spent Saturday making my protein cookie haunted house and catching up on important magazine reading, while Jason brought his mobile music studio and is working on music. Yesterday we went into town and walked along the bay front – visiting [...]

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spooky cookie haunted house [protein cookie recipe]

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s’mores shots in chocolate glasses

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I cannot have a whole month of Treats and Sweets without including a few cocktails. Right? While I am not generally a sweet cocktail fan, every now and then I love to create a dessert drink. and I usually have fun making the edible shot glass it goes in. Some of these are perfect for [...]

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chocolate cheesecake mousse in peanut butter chocolate cookie cups

October 26, 2012

I’ve been holding out on you guys. I have made this mousse quite a few times, and have been wanting to share it with you. This is the original thought that was in my head, though – to make this mousse and serve it in edible (and awesome) cookie cups. I have made the cookie [...]

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[raw] brownie bottomed cheesecake

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Remember my Vegan Fusion Immersion class I attended this summer? Over the weekend, I got together with three alumni friends for a potluck. We spent the afternoon eating amazing vegan food – just like we did every day in class… It was so fun to see these friends again! We all enjoyed the fact that [...]

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double chocolate espresso doughnuts

October 24, 2012

We are getting in the Halloween spirit around here. I am making candy and bite size doughnuts (for a party, not for trick or treaters). Basil is wearing a different costume every day, and our pumpkins are on the porch: We like University of Oregon around here, so I painted a couple pumpkins with the [...]

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