Easy, healthy(er) decadence goes together in a flash and disappears just as quickly.
Humble peanut butter and chocolate have always played nicely together. In this pie that skews cheesecake-y, they look just as appealing together as they taste with next-to-no effort.
No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie
Yield: 8 servings
1 prepared vegan chocolate crumb pie crust (I purchased a gluten-free variety because that was all the grocery store offered) 1 cup vegan chocolate chips, heated for 1 to 2 minutes in microwave 6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter 14 ounces firm tofu, drained 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, heated for about 1 to 2 minutes in microwave and whisked until smooth 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Garnish: About 1/3 cup peanuts, whole or chopped (the pie is easier to slice if the peanuts are chopped, but I tend to like them whole) Optional topping: dollops of Cocowhip or other non-dairy whipped topping + a few more peanuts
Make ganache: while the 1 cup of chocolate chips are still warm from melting, whisk in the 6 tablespoons peanut butter until completely combined and set aside.
In large bowl of food processor, add tofu broken into about 4 chunks, and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add the 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips, peanut butter, and vanilla, and process until completely combined and very smooth and creamy. Spread evenly into prepared pie crust, spread chocolate-peanut butter ganache evenly over the top, sprinkle with peanuts around edges, and refrigerate fir about 45 minutes. Slice and serve with a dollop of Cocowhip and more peanuts if desired.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process cookies in food processor until crumbs form, drizzle in butter, and pulse a few more times until all crumbs are moist. **Press into bottom of two 5-inch springform pans or one 7-inch springform pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Cool completely. Make Chocolate Cheesecake, and spread in pan(s), smoothing top. Make Coffee Topping and spread evenly over top(s). Arrange pecans on surface, dollop center with non-dairy whipped topping, and serve with a drizzle of Banana Caramel, or refrigerate until serving time. Caramel may be heated if desired.
Chocolate Cheesecake: 14 ounces firm tofu, drained 9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled to room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Optional: up to 2 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk to achieve desired consistency (I like soy)
In bowl of food processor, process tofu until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add melted chocolate extracts and optional nondairy milk, and keep processing until completely combined and very smooth.
Coffee Topping: 1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso powder 1 tablespoon water or Amaretto 2-5 ounce cartons vanilla Greek yogurt (I like Silk brand) 1 cup non-dairy whipped topping (I like Cocowhip)
In small bowl, whisk together instant coffee or espresso powder and water or Amaretto until coffee is dissolved. Whisk in yogurt until completely combined and then gently fold in non-dairy whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Banana Caramel: 2 tablespoons vegan butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk (I like soy) 1 medium banana
Simmer butter, brown sugar, and non-dairy milk over medium heat, stirring continually for a couple of minutes. Puree mixture with banana in blender or Ninja-type smoothie maker until creamy and smooth.
Individual Peach Cobblers Yield: 4 servings (easily halves or doubles)
When you are craving cobbler, but want a streamlined approach and fewer servings, and would love it if the end result were cute single servings, this is for you.
And if you care, each serving is under 200 calories, if made with stevia, not counting accompaniments.
2 very ripe peaches, halved vertically, and pits removed 1/2 teaspoon stevia or granulated sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1:1 baking mix 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons granulated stevia (or sugar) 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup soymilk or other non-dairy milk 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Accompaniments (optional): non-dairy whipped topping, Greek yogurt (I like Silk brand vanilla), or non-dairy ice cream + pecan halves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 4 half-cup ramekins and place a peach half, cut side up, in each. Sprinkle with a pinch of stevia or sugar.
In small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, stevia, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in center, and pour in non-dairy milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Use a fork to completely combine.
Top each with a quarter of the batter. Try to just mound on top, rather than covering the sides and bottom of the ramekin. Bake 25-30 minutes or until set and cooked through. Serve warm, if desired, with non-dairy whipped topping, Greek yogurt (I like Silk brand vanilla), or non-dairy ice cream and a pecan half.
This is the perfect vegan dessert for when you love plump, juicy strawberries, but want something a little more that doesn’t change the strawberries’ taste or texture but enhances both with a creamy contrast. My Cardamom Creme Fraiche does the trick: it is silky, tangy-sweet, and subtly fragrant with the earthy citrus notes of cardamom. And it is simply beautiful.
Note: it is strawberry season here in Eastern Virginia, but blueberries would be a lovely substitute later in the summer.
2-5.3 ounce cartons Silk Greek vanilla yogurt 1 cup Cocowhip 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 4 large strawberries, halved and thinly sliced or diced Garnish; 2 whole strawberries
In a medium bowl, fold together all ingredients, except strawberries. Spoon one-fourth of mixture in the bottom of two glasses, top each with half the sliced berries. Top with the remaining one-fourth each of the mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered. Top each with a whole berry before serving.
This combo is like chocolate dipped strawberries meet caprese salad. Sound weird? I promise it’s not…or if it is, you won’t care!
Ultra-moist, this dessert is my take on the 3-ingredient so-called “dump cake” made with cake mix, pie filling, and eggs for which I substitute aquafaba.
I add lemon juice to the batter to balance the sweetness and balsamic vinegar for a savory undertone, along with vanilla and almond extracts for depth. Chocolate chips are so pretty and tasty dotting the top.
To my topping of 2-ingredient lazy gal’s plant-based creme fraiche, I add minced fresh basil. It is undeniably savory and a bit unexpected–if I were a dog, one ear would definitely go up–but, to me, it’s addictingly so.
I garnish each piece of cake with a sprinkling of chocolate chips and a sprig of basil for a serving of summer personified.
Aquafaba from 1-15 ounce can chickpeas (reserve chickpeas for another use) 1 box strawberry cake mix (13.25 to 15.25-ounces) 1 21-ounce can strawberry pie filling Juice from 1/2 medium lemon 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract Zest of 1 medium lemon 1/2 cup chocolate chips Basil Creme Fresh (recipe follows) Garnish: chocolate chips and basil sprigs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients, except chocolate chips, topping and garnish, until completely combined. Transfer to prepared pan and gently smooth top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is set, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with barely any moist crumbs clinging to it. *Cool, cover, and refrigerate for at least a couple hours before serving. Serve topped with a dollop of basil creme fraiche, a sprinkling of chocolate chips, and a sprig of fresh basil. *Note: This cake is a bit sticky once cooled, and refrigeration reduces the tacky factor.
Basil Creme Fraiche
1 cup vanilla Greek style plant-based yogurt (I like Silk brand) 1 cup fairly firm plant-based whipped topping (I like Cocowhip) 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Gently fold together in a medium bowl until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
This moist deliciousness is a slightly leveled up version of the popular 3-ingredient cake made with cake mix, pie filling, and flax eggs.
I substitute aquafaba for the flax eggs and add carrots, pineapple, and pecans.
Then I top it with lazy gals plant-based creme fraiche.
Carrot-Apple Dump Cake
1 box spice cake mix (be sure it is vegan; most are) 1 21-ounce can apple pie filling (lite if available) 1 cup grated carrots (I purchase pre-grated) 3/4 cup aquafaba drained from a can of chickpeas 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained (juice used for another purpose) 1/2 cup broken pecans, toasted or not
Creme Fraiche Topping: fold together equal parts plant-based Greek vanilka yogurt (I like Silk brand) and plant-based whip topping (I like Cocowhip) Garnish: pecan halves, toasted or not
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13″ pan. In large bowl, fold together cake mix, pie filling, carrots, pineapple, and broken pecans. Spread evenly into pan. Bake 35 minutes. Cool. Serve topped with Creme Fraiche and garnish with pecan halves.
Very biased POV: A proper carrot cake must have ALL the things: carrots, of course, but also golden raisins–only golden!–pineapple, nuts, coconut, and, for good measure and moisture, applesauce!
And only *cream cheese frosting will do. Plain is pretty darn good, but if you have never added some brown sugar, bourbon, and the zest of an orange, what are you waiting for?!
*Or try my alternative healthier version with all the same balanced flavors but none of the butter or powdered sugar.
Cake:
1/2 cup raisins, golden raisins preferred 1/2 cup crushed pineapple in juice + 1/2 cup additional juice 3 cups flour 2 1/4 cups sugar 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 1 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 3 1/2 cups grated carrot 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut Orange-Scented Brown Sugar-Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting and Filling (recipe follows) Decorations: finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not; pecan or walnut halves; unsweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans and set aside. In a small bowl, heat raisins with the 1/2 cup pineapple juice for 1 minute in microwave or simmer over medium heat in small saucepan for a minute.
In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt. Make a well in center and add oil, crushed pineapple, and applesauce. Stir to combine completely or use an electric mixer at low to medium speed. Stir in carrot, raisins with juice, nuts, and coconut.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Fill and frost and decorate as desired. I like to press unsweetened coconut into the sides and garnish the top with a circle of finely chopped nuts and a ring of nut halves.
Store in refrigerator but remove a couple hours before serving. This cake is very moist and best cut with a serrated knife.
Frosting and Filling:
8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened (I like Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese) 8 ounces vegan butter, softened 1 cup light or dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoons bourbon, if using Zest of 1/2 to 1 medium orange, if using Approximately 6 cups confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
In large bowl of electric mixer, cream together at medium speed vegan cream cheese and vegan butter. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, and optional bourbon and orange zest. Beat at medium speed until sugar dissolves and mixture is very creamy. Then, incorporate powdered sugar, beating at medium-high speed, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. (If mixture becomes too stiff, thin with very small amounts of non-dairy milk.)
To make filling, remove 1 cup frosting to medium bowl and fold in nuts and coconut. Spread filling between layers and frosting on top and sides.
Healthier Frosting and Filling:
8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened 4-5 ounce cartons Greek vanilla yogurt (I like Silk brand) 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 2 tablespoon bourbon Zest 1 medium orange 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
In bowl of electric mixer or food processor, cream together all ingredients except nuts and coconut until smooth and slightly fluffy. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for an hour or overnight. To make filling, remove 1/2 cup frosting to small bowl and fold in nuts and coconut. Spread filling between layers and frosting on top and sides.
These confections have a beautiful balance between subtlety and vibrancy, both in the cakes and the frosting.
The vegetable shortening added to the buttercream helps it remain stable for beautiful piping that holds its shape even if you have to travel with them for 30 minutes by car as I did.
I was asked to make 8 dozen minis for a celebration of life today, which happened to fall on the deceased’s birthday. His favorite cake was lemon with raspberry frosting, so I was honored to memorialize his birth.
His wife, my husband–who, incidentally, absolutely loved these–and another foodie friend thought they should be left undecorated. But you can add sprinkles, as I did for the photo above, whole raspberries, tiny lemon wedges, lemon zest, or a drizzle of raspberry puree.
Note: the frosting recipe contains enough sugar–which acts as a preservative for the plant-based butter–that you don’t need to refrigerate these unless they will not be eaten for more than 48 hours.
Lemon Cupcakes
1/2 cup oil 1 cup non-dairy milk (I use unsweetened soymilk) 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups flour 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt
Raspberry-Lemon Buttercream
1/2 cup vegan butter, very slightly softened 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 4 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons raspberry jam (with or without seeds)
Cupcake directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In large bowl, whisk together oil, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add half of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk just until combined, add remaining flour, and whisk fifty times.
Divide batter evenly among individual lined cupcake cups: about 3 tablespoons of batter for each regular cupcake and 1 tablespoon for each mini cupcake. Bake regular sized ones for 13 to 14 minutes and minis for 9-11 or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove cupcake tin to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. While cupcakes cool, prepare frosting.
Frosting directions:
With an electric mixer, whip margarine and shortening until fluffy. Add half the powdered sugar and whip until very fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl, as necessary. Beat in lemon juice and raspberry jam. Add remaining powdered sugar, and continue to whip until powdered sugar and jam is fully incorporated, the frosting turns a beautiful pale pink, and the consistency is very fluffy and stiff enough to hold its shape. Frost cupcakes, decorate if desired, and serve or store in an airtight container.
Asked to prepare dessert for an elegant Mediterranean dinner this fall–and nicely refusing when the host, a dear friend, asked me to bring a cake or pastry–I created this roasted pear dish. Everyone pretty much swooned, and the host agreed with me that other kinds of desserts would have been too much.
The warm tender pears, cool creamy yogurt, glossy drizzle, and crunchy pistachios are a combination made in Mediterranean paradise.
The pears roast a long time, perfect for stirring together the filling and drizzle, chopping the pistachios, and taking a nice autumn cat nap.
MediterraneanRoasted Pears with Cardamom Greek Yogurt and Turmeric-Honey Drizzle (vegan, plant-based, gf) Yield: 8 servings
4 ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out with a melon baller or small spoon (try to leave stems on 4 of them for appearance) 3/4 cup water or strong chai tea (I steep 2 vanilla chai tea bags in 3/4 cup water in microwave) 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Cardamom Greek Yogurt (recipe follows) Turmeric-Honey Drizzle (recipe follows) 1/4 cup chopped pistachios Optional garnish: 8 star anise
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour water or chai and olive oil into 10″ skillet or 9″ round baking dish. Arrange pears, cut side down, stem end facing toward center like spokes. Roast 30 minutes, turn pears cut side up, sprinkle with brown sugar, and cinnamon, and continue roasting until soft but holding their shape, about 30 more minutes, but teat starting at 15. (Test with the point of a sharp knife inserted into flesh; there tends to be one or two that take longer. I cover the whole dish with foil upon removal from oven to let them steam as the cool to further soften). Serve warm topped with yogurt, drizzle, and pistachios; garnish with star anise if desired.
Note: If made ahead, you can rewarm the pears, covered with foil, in a preheated 300-degree oven for about 15 minutes or so.
Cardamom Greek Yogurt (double if you want lots of filling) 5 ounces Greek vanilla yogurt (I use Silk brand Greek style) 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or to taste
Whisk all together and store, covered, in refrigerator.
Turmeric-Honey Drizzle
Note: If you prefer, you can substitute 5 tablespoons agave nectar plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract.
4 tablespoons agave nectar 1 tablespoon tamarind syrup (found in international markets) 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar reduction 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric or to taste
Whisk all together and store, covered, at room temperature.
