food – Page 3

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

The weather is getting colder which means it’s time to curl up by the fire. Nothing is better on a chilly night than some sweet cinnamon buns! Fall is my favorite season! The crisp cool air, the festive decorations, and let’s not forget all of the delicious treats! Here is another one to add to your fall menu, Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls. You’re gonna love them!

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
2 c. Flour
1/4 c. Sugar
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes (roasted)
1/2 c. Milk
1/4 c. Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Yeast
1/2 c. Water

1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tbl. Melted Coconut Oil

Icing:
1 c. Confectioners Sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
water

First things first, let’s proof the yeast by placing two teaspoons of yeast, and one teaspoon into a half cup of warm water. Allow the yeast to sit for five to ten minutes. If the yeast bubbles up, you are good to go!

In a large bowl, mash two cooked sweet potatoes. Add milk, sugar, coconut oil, yeast (and water) and thoroughly mix. Next, stir in the flour, and salt. Place the bowl in a warm place and allow it to rest for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a round nine inch pan with parchment paper.

Once the dough has risen, pour it out on to a floured surface. Knead the dough for about five minutes, adding flour so the dough doesn’t stick to the surface.

Roll the dough into a long rectangle and brush it will melted coconut oil. Sprinkle Brown sugar and Cinnamon on top, and roll the dough up into a log. Slice the log into eight pieces. Place the slices into a pan and bake for thirty five minutes, or until the top begins to brown.

In a small bowl mix together the dry ingredients for the icing. Add the vanilla, and slowly add water into the mixture (only add enough water to the mixture, so it forms a thick icing). Allow the buns to cool and top with icing.

Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese

Thanksgiving is only two days away and I am so excited! Food, food, and more food! Who doesn’t love an evening of stuffing your face with delicious dishes?! My fat pants are on standby, and all the ingredients have been purchased. Only one last thing to do before the festivities begin, share this amazing vegan mac and cheese recipe. Gather the family around because no one is going to want to miss this one! Happy Thanksgiving!

Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:
1 c. Raw Cashews
3 c. Water
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp. Mustard
1/4 c. Olive Oil.
3/4 c. Vegetable Stock
1 Clove Garlic
1/2 c. Plain Bread Crumbs
2 tb. Vegan Butter
Pepper for seasoning

2 c. Cooked Elbow Macaroni

Before beginning the recipe, soak the cashews in 3 cups of water for 2 hours. Once the time is up drain and rise the cashews.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, grind together the cashews, pepper, salt, nutritional yeast, garlic clove, and mustard. Add the olive oil to the cashew mixture and blend thoroughly. Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, if the mixture is too thick add a little more.

Set aside the cashew mixture and begin to boil the macaroni. Once the noodles are cooked, remove from the heat, and drain them. In a baking dish, mix together the macaroni and cashew sauce.

Mix together 1/2 a cup of plain bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons of vegan butter. Crumble the bread crumbs on top of the macaroni and bake for 20 minutes.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

The holidays are upon us and it time to go buck wild with the pumpkin! Only fifteen days left till thanksgiving and it’s time to get those dessert recipes ready. Who doesn’t like cheesecake?!Especially when the whole family can eat it. Dietary restrictions? No worries! Dairy free, Egg free, Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake to the rescue and no one will know the difference!

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:
10 Ginger Cookies
3 Tb. Coconut Oil

Cheesecake:
1/2 c. Pumpkin Puree
8 oz. GoVeggie Cream Cheese
1/4 tsp. Ginger Powder
1/4 tsp. Cloves
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 tb. Confectioner’s Sugar
2 tb. Flour
2 tb. Butter Alternative (I used Earth Balance)

Makes a 6 in. cheesecake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Begin by crushing ten ginger cookies in a small ziplock bag. You can use a rolling pin, mallet, your hands, whatever strikes your fancy. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut oil and crumbs.

Line a 6 in. spring pan with parchment paper and oil it with coconut oil. Place the crust crumbs in the spring pan and push down until the bottom is completely covered. Bake the crust for ten minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool.

In a small frying pan, melt two tablespoons of “butter”. Slowly whisk in two tablespoons of flour, continuously stir until the mixture thickens off. Take the pan off the heat and set aside.

Create the cheesecake filling by placing the “cream cheese” , pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla, and spices in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and whip the ingredients on high until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Scoop the cheesecake mixture into the spring pan and evenly spread it around. Bake the cheesecake for twenty minutes. Once the twenty minutes is up turn off the oven, open the oven door slightly and allow the cheesecake cool in the oven for another twenty minutes.

Then, remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Place it in the refrigerator for at least four house and get ready to enjoy!

Chive Biscuits

Everybody has time for biscuits, especially when they are this good! If you have never tried nutritional yeast it’s definitely time. Nutritional yeast has a salty, cheesy taste that goes great on popcorn, veggies, and of course, Chive biscuits! At your next picnic, party, or feast, make sure to whip up some of this bad boys!

Chive Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tbl. Chopped Chives
1 tbl. Nutritonal Yeast
3 tsp. Olive Oil (plus a little extra for the top)
2/3 c. Milk (I used Almond milk)

Makes 6-8 biscuits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients and the chives. Next, add the olive oil and milk.
Once the dough has formed, drop little mounds of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake the biscuits for 10 minutes, and then remove the biscuits from the oven. Brush the tops of the biscuits with olive oil and place them bake in the oven for another 15 minutes.

Once the biscuits are finished, remove from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Macaroons

All aboard the pumpkin express, first stop Halloween!!! Yes, I love Halloween, but who doesn’t?! It’s a magical time of year when the weather starts to get cool, Pumpkin Spice Lattes finally make an appearance, and people start indulging in all the dessert world has to offer. These Pumpkin Macaroons are ripe and ready for the eating! It’s the classiest pumpkin dessert you’ll eat all year!

Pumpkin Macaroons

Ingredients:

Cookie:
2/3 c. Almond Flour
2 Large Egg Whites
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 c. Granulated Sugar
1 c. Confectioners Sugar
Orange Food Coloring

Filling:
1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Pint Heavy Cream
2 tb. Confectioners Sugar
1/2 c. Pumpkin Puree

Decoration:
Chocolate (Chopped)
Green Decorating Frosting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the egg whites and granulated sugar together by hand. In a stand mixer, with a wire whisk attachment, beat on medium for two minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and beat for another two minutes. Increase the speed one more time to high speed and beat for two minutes, or until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Next, add orange food coloring and vanilla extract, and mix just until it’s completely incorporated.

Remove the bowl from the mixer, and place the confectioner’s sugar and almond flour in the middle. Using a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients. Continue to fold in the ingredients until it’s completely mixed.

Fill a piping bag, fitted with a round piping tip, with batter. On a parchment paper or a silicon baking mat lined baking sheet, pipe 1 inch round cookies. Bake for 6 minutes, turn the baking sheet around and bake for another 6 minutes.

While the cookies cool, prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl place the heavy cream, and whip until the cream creates soft peaks. Mix in the pumpkin pie spice, sugar, and pumpkin puree.

Once the cookies are cooled, pipe the filling on one side and sandwich it with another cookie. Pop the cookies in the fridge for a half hour.

Last step, pipe green frosting onto the top of the cookie and place a chopped piece of chocolate on top.

*The cookie recipe is from a 2014 Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

Chocolate Coconut Brownies

Since becoming dairy-free there has been one dessert I have missed dearly: brownies. Is there anything better than that sweet fudgy taste melting in your mouth? The answer is no! Nothing beats a warm brownie, but this recipe comes pretty close. You won’t even miss the chocolate! In fact, no one will even know the difference.

Chocolate- Coconut Brownies

Ingredients:

1 c. Flour
1/2 c. Coco Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 c. Coconut Cream
1 c. Carob Chips
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 c. Sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a double boiler melt 1/2 a cup of carob chips, and 1/2 a cup of coconut cream. Using a wooden spoon, continuously stir until the cream and chips are completely melted.

Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, whisk them together and set aside.

Using a hand mixer, blend together the coconut cream mixture, eggs, and sugar. Slowly add the flour mixture. Once all the ingredients have been incorporated into the batter, fold in the 1/2 cup of carob chips.

Line a square pan with parchment paper and pour in the batter. Bake for 30 minutes. The edges will become brown, but the middle might still be gooey. Allow the brownies to completely cool before cutting.

Almond Butter Granola

Bob Ross always said, “to make your mistakes into birds.” Well I say, ” make your mistakes into granola.” Sometimes when a mistake occurs it’s one of the best things that ever happened, and almond butter granola is no exception. Hot or cold, in milk or yogurt. This is going to be your go-to granola.

2 c. Oats
1/4 c. Coconut oil
1/3 c. Honey
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
Assorted nuts
1/2 c. Almond butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the coconut oil and honey in a small bowl.
In a separate bowl, place all the oats, salt, and chopped up nuts. Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and mix.
On a baking sheet, spread the granola mixture. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn the granola over and bake for another 12 minutes.
Once the granola is evenly baked, remove from the oven. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and place in a mixing bowl. Add a half of cup of almond butter to the granola and thoroughly coat the mixture.
Place the granola bake on the baking sheet and refrigerate until it’s cool.

Morning Fig Muffins

Breakfast can be such a bore, so try spicing up tomorrow’s breakfast with some Fall flavors! Two words for you, Fig Muffins. Once those cool fall mornings start to roll in, there is nothing you’ll want more. Grab your coffee because it’s time for breakfast!

Ingredients:

2 c. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Honey
1/4 c. Coconut Oil
2 Eggs
9 oz. Figs
1/2 c. Water
1/4 c. Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Clove
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, blend together 9 oz. of figs and 1/2 cup of water. Once the mixture becomes smooth, add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, mix and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey and coconut oil, until it becomes light in color. Next, add the eggs, vanilla, and figs. Make sure to mix thoroughly until there are no lumps.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and salt). Pour the fig mixture into the flour and stir. Once the batter comes together, spoon the batter into muffin liners and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

*Half the batter I made plain and for the other half, I spooned about a 1/2 teaspoon of cream cheese in the middle of the muffins right before they baked.

Sweet Potato Crepes

Fall is in the air, everywhere I look around! The weather is starting to get cooler, and all the pumpkin recipes are being pulled out of storage. But wait-there’s a new kid in town…Sweet Potato Crepes! Just when you thought fall couldn’t get any better.

Sweet Potato Crepes

Ingredients:
1 Sweet Potato
1 c. Almond Milk
3 Eggs
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
2 tb. Flour
2 tb. Coconut Oil (melted)
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake a sweet potato for about an hour, or until it is completely soft.

Once the sweet potato has completely cooled, place in a large mixing bowl and add almond milk, eggs, and coconut oil. Thoroughly mix the ingredients together until the mixture is completely smooth.

Whisk in brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Once all the ingredients have been added, and the batter is smooth, place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

In a medium skillet heat up some coconut oil. When the pan is hot, pour a ladle full of batter onto the pan. Once the edges of the crepes begin to brown, it’s time to turn the crepe over. Allow the other side of the crepe to cook and then remove it from the heat.

Top the crepes with fruit, sugar, or syrup. If you’re feeling really sassy, try Nutella, you won’t regret it.

Date Bites

Snack time! What’s better than some yummy snacks you don’t have to feel bad about? The majority of mainstream snacks on the market today are filled with chemicals and artificial ingredients. Rest assure, these delicious bites are only five ingredients and so easy to make. Kids and adults alike will love these babies!

Date Bites

Ingredients:

1 c. Dates
1/4 c. Almonds
1 tb. Cocoa Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
Coconut Flour

Makes 11 bites.

Begin by chopping the almonds in a food processor. When the almonds are finished, remove them and set them aside. Next, place 1 cup of dates in the food processor. Once the dates are completely chopped, add the almonds, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix everything together until it forms a ball.

Prepare a small, shallow dish with coconut flour. Tear off evenly-sized bits from the mixture and form into a balls. Roll each ball in the coconut flour and dust off any extra flour.

If you’re feeling really crazy, try rolling the date bites in shredded coconut or ground nuts. If you really want to go for it, roll in some confectioner’s sugar. Variety is the spice of life, so live it up!