Incredibly Delicious Date Bark

I make this very quick, easy, heath(ier) "candy" for myself all the time. It takes about ten minutes to throw together and only has four ingredients. I just pop it in the fridge to firm up, and voila, a delicious, decadent treat for any time I feel like eating a candy bar. The dates really do taste like caramel; the crunch of the nuts with the chocolate is a combo I crave all the time. 

For this recipe I tried out three different nut butters along with three different chopped nuts. Honestly, I like all of them very much....but the peanut butter with crushed peanuts is probably my favorite. The pistachio butter is really decadent. Try out any combination you can think of - it'll be great. And to make it nut free, use sunbutter with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds on top. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 12 Medjool dates, pits removed and sliced in half lengthwise
• Nut butter of your choice: peanut butter, almond butter, pistachio butter, cashew butter, sunbutter (for nut free)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips,  I use Enjoy Life chocolate chips because they are vegan
• Any nuts or seeds for the topping, crushed peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc

Directions:

Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Place the sliced and spread open dates (cut side down) and touching on the parchment. Place another piece of parchment paper on top. Use a rolling pin to press and flatten the dates. When you peel back the top piece of parchment they should be uniformly flat and slightly sticking together. 

Next spread an even layer of nut butter on top of the flattened dates. In the photo below I experimented by using three different nut butters (peanut, almond and pistachio). 

Place 3/4 cup of chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. Place the dish back into the microwave and heat for another 30 seconds. At this point my chips were all melted and ready to pour. If your chips still need a bit more time try another 15 seconds and stir. Repeat until fully melted. Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the nut butter layer and smooth. Now it's time to add the chopped nuts of your choice. Sprinkle evenly on top. Place the date bark in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set and has hardened. 

I cut my bark into 9 pieces, but cut yours as small or large as you like. I keep my bark in the fridge or freezer. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! It is one of my most favorite desserts! 

The Very Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is the vegan version of the Yogurt Banana Bread I blogged over 15 years ago. It just so happens to be the very first recipe I ever blogged! I have many many recipes for banana bread on this site, but 9 times out of 10 I make my OG version because it truly is our favorite. So, I took this amazing recipe, and like I do with so many other recipes I "veganized" it. I have brought it to parties, potlucks, served it for breakfast, dessert, shared it with friends and family who would NEVER choose to eat something vegan....and everyone loves it, nobody can tell the difference. In fact, every time I tell non-vegans, "this banana bread is vegan", they are blown away because they had no clue. So give it a try if you want to venture into something new or if you already know how delicious vegan baked goods can be, here ya go, you're welcome. 

One thing I would like to say is be choosy about the vegan products that you purchase. There are so many plant yogurts out there and most of them don't taste good. I don't want to shame any brands, but I have had some really terrible vegan yogurts. If you can, use CocoJune. In my opinion, this is THE best plant based yogurt. It is thick, creamy and delicious. Also, please use Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter with Avocado Oil in sticks when vegan baking. These two brands are the best for baking. There are other plant butters I like better for my toast or cooking, however, today we are baking. 

I hope you enjoy this banana bread as much as I do! It is one of my most favorite recipes I have ever created! 

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas

4 or 6oz carton of vegan yogurt (I like CocoJune Vanilla Camomile) 

5 Tbl. of plant butter, melted (I like Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter with Avocado Oil)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 flax eggs = 2 Tbl ground flax + 5 Tbl room temp. water

3/4 c. whole wheat OR all purpose flour

3/4 c. spelt flour*

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life vegan mini chocolate chips)

1 Tbl brown sugar, for topping, optional 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a 9X5 loaf pan, set aside

Make flax eggs by combining 2 Tbl of ground flax with 5 Tbl room temperature water. Set aside to thicken for five minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl mash two ripe bananas with a potato masher. I do not use a hand mixer when making my banana bread because I like the bananas to be slightly chunky, rather than silky smooth. Add vegan yogurt and melted plant butter and stir with a big wooden spoon. Add the white and brown sugars, stir. Add the flax eggs, stir. 

Next add the whole wheat flour and spelt flour* (see notes below if you do not have spelt flour). Add the salt through ground ginger and stir. Now fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into the greased loaf pan and smooth out the top so it's even. I always like to add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to the top of my sweet, quick breads. It gives the bread a sweet little crunch on top. You do not have to do this, but it just takes the bread up another notch. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar, if using, over the top of the banana bread. 

Now it's time to bake. In my oven I have found that 54 minutes makes the perfect loaf of sweet quick bread. It doesn't matter the recipe, if it's sweet and quick, 54 is the magic number for my oven! Every oven is different so I would suggest baking for 52 to 56 minutes. You know your bread is ready when you insert a toothpick in and it comes out clean. If there are pieces sticking to the toothpick, it needs to cook for a bit longer. 

After I take the bread out of the oven I let it sit on the counter for a full hour. It will continue to bake a bit as it cools. Once cool, flip on to a clean cutting board, cut into slices and ENJOY!! This bread is great for breakfast, brunch, snacks and dessert! 

*Note on spelt flour. I love the rich, nutty flavor of spelt flour. It can be found at health food stores such as Whole Foods. If you do not have spelt, then just add an extra 3/4 cup of the other flour you are using - all purpose or whole wheat. This bread will still turn out great! 

Curried Chickpea Salad

I really love this chickpea salad. It comes together quickly and tastes delicious. I make it often for a quick, healthy lunch that's full of fiber. Try it as a sandwich or wrap for dinner served alongside chips or fries, and a smoothie or a side salad. Enjoy! 

15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 Tbl vegan mayo (I like Follow Your Heart) OR regular mayo

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp curry powder (add another tsp if you really like that strong curry flavor)

2 Tbl hot sauce (I like Hank's)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/3 cup chopped pickled onion (picture below)

2 dates, pitted and chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions: 

Pour chickpeas into a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher to mash them gently - maybe about half mashed, half whole. In a smaller bowl combine mayo through Dijon. Mix well then add to the mashed chickpeas. Stir to combine. Add the chopped pickled onions and chopped dates. 

Serve this on sliced bread as a sandwich, in a tortilla as a wrap, scooped on top of a salad, or eat it straight from the bowl.

Enjoy! 

    

The Most Amazing Sushi Bowl

 

This meal is absolutely, 100% pure deliciousness. I think it's my most favorite recipe I have created this whole year. I have made it three times in three weeks and no one is tired of it yet. There are a couple of elements that took it over the edge, for me. The first is the sliced ginger - please do not leave this out - it elevates the whole dish (I'm a huge ginger fan). The other things that made this meal so good are the homemade dressings. The miso vinaigrette mixed with the rice is amazing, but the aioli sauce is just - *chef's kiss* ! 

I know there are a lot of dressings and marinades - but just make them all at the same time and it comes together quickly. The rest of the ingredients are easy - you are just slicing and cutting.....and to simplify things even further, I used rice in a microwave pouch. 

The following makes enough for two large servings.

Ingredients:

2 - 8oz microwave pouches of basmati or jasmine rice, white or brown (or make your own from scratch, use left over or frozen rice).

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

1 cup of sliced cucumbers (I like the organic mini cucumbers that have no seeds)

1 cup of frozen shelled edamame, thawed

1 block of extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed

3 cups of thinly sliced purple cabbage

1 perfectly ripe avocado, peeled and sliced 

Sushi ginger (I used The Ginger People Organic Sushi Ginger), do NOT omit this - this brought the whole recipe to another level! 

1 - 2 Tbl black or white sesame seeds, for garnish

2 sheets of nori, optional (omit if you don't like nori, I do not care for it)

chopped dry roasted peanuts, optional 

Aioli Sauce

3 Tbl vegan mayo (I like Follow Your Heart) or regular mayo 

1 Tbl hot sauce (I like Hank's)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp coconut aminos (OR tamari OR soy sauce)

1 Tbl honey (OR agave OR pure maple syrup) 

Miso Vinaigrette 

1 Tbl coconut aminos (OR tamari OR soy sauce)

1 Tbl pure maple syrup (OR agave OR honey)

2 Tbl rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbl avocado oil (OR olive oil)

1 Tbl white miso paste

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Tofu Marinade

2 Tbl coconut aminos (OR tamari OR soy sauce)

1 Tbl rice vinegar

1 Tbl white miso paste

1 Tbl maple syrup

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbl avocado oil (OR olive oil)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

To make the sauces/marinades:

To simplify this process, I make all the sauces at one time. I line up three containers and then measure and add maple syrup to the first, then second, then third dish. I then do the same with the sesame oil, rice vinegar....you get the idea. The sauces are all very similar, so if you make them assembly line-style, you can do it more quickly. For the tofu marinade and miso vinaigrette you will need to use a fork to incorporate the miso into the other ingredients. 

To make the tofu:

Press the tofu for around 15 minutes to remove excess liquid. Cut into bite sized cubes. Pour the marinade over the cut tofu and gently toss. Let tofu marinade for at least an hour. I make mine in the morning and let it marinade all day in the refrigerator until I roast it for dinner. 

Preheat over to 400F

Evenly spread the marinated tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

Roast marinated tofu for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to flip the tofu over. Roast for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. 

To assemble:

Pour miso vinaigrette over all the cooked rice. Stir to combine. 

Evenly divide the dressed rice to each serving bowl. Top with cut veggies, roasted tofu, sliced avocado and thawed edamame. Evenly drizzle the aoili sauce over the top of each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped peanuts (if using). If you are using the nori sheets, you can either serve them whole on the side or crumble them over the top. 

Enjoy this delicious meal!