White Bean Chocolate Cake (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free)

This recipe was originally for a white bean vanilla cake, but I like to add chocolate to everything! Truth be told, my friend was looking for a sugar-free, gluten-free cake to make "Dirt Cake" for a party.

*Dirt Cake: chocolate cake, gummy worms, and oreo cookies crumbled up and served in little pots. 

We tried this and loved it! It has a nice, smooth texture and isn't overly sweet, but you can definitely taste the coconut oil. If you don't like coconut try a different oil or fat substitute.

Ingredients
3 cups white beans (Great Northern), cooked and drained

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 (heaping) cup honey
6 eggs

6 Tbs of cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using canned beans)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract  (we used a real vanilla bean, scraping inside out of the bean)

Instructions
Grease 9×13 pan with butter or coconut oil.

Pulse drained white beans in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Add remaining ingredients, and blend til thoroughly combined and smooth.

Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 – 35 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire rack, at least an hour. You can turn the cake out onto a plate and frost it or sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top. Or crumble it up for Dirt Cake!

Original Recipe:

http://themarathonmom.com/white-bean-vanilla-cake.htm

Molten-Chocolate Crackled Cookies (GF, DF)

A friend sent me this recipe asking if we could try to make these gluten-free, dairy-free cookies. I'm not sure if I've ever said no to cookies, but she definitely had me when the first ingredient was chocolate! 

They turned out even better than expected: little balls of molten-chocolate goodness! I've made them a couple of times since the initial trial, and I have to restrain myself from eating them all. Best of luck!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), separated

3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, divided (plus 1/2 cup for cookie coating)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot if you avoid corn)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray it will cooking spray. 

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium heat. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream.

On low speed, add dry ingredients (1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt) into the meringue mixture.

Mix lukewarm chocolate mixture and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. (These cookies don't rise or grow like a typical cookie, so you can crowd the pan.)

Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10-15 minutes. Try to let the cookies cool a few minutes before devouring them. They are still yummy even after they cool, but the center will lose it's molten-chocolate quality. 

Source: http://www.picklee.com/2012/02/07/deep-dark-chocolate-cookies-butter-flourless/

Chocolate Mousse (soy-free) with Cashew Cream

This recipe was recommended by a friend a while ago. It sat in my recipe book untasted and untested, until today when my chocolate craving inspired me to give it go. Not only does it taste rich and delicious, and it has a perfectly smooth and creamy consistency, but it looks so pretty and shiny. (And it's ridiculously easy to make.) This is definitely a must try!

Ingredients
2 ripe avocados (don't be scared; it's delicious - I promise!)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup coco powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
[NOTE: Since I like the flavor of coffee with my chocolate, I added a little cold coffee to this recipe.]

Directions
Place all of the ingredients in the food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The recipe called for a Cashew Cream topping, which I imagine would help cut the richness of the chocolate. I've used this cashew cream in place of whipped cream in other recipes, and it's really yummy, as long at you aren't thinking "whipped cream" while you're eating it.

Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup water (you may need to add more)
3 Tbs agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions
Soak cashews in water for 5 hours. Drain cashews. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until cold. Serve a spoonful (or two) on top of the chocolate mousse.

Torta de Zanahoria (Carrot Cake)

While our Tia Ida was visiting from Venezuela, she made this delicious torta (cake). We loved it so much that we insisted the she make it again and again. Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 cups of grated carrots (she will use sometimes up to 5 cups)
1/2 cup of oil (give or take)
5 eggs (she would use 3 whole eggs and 2 whites)
3 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
2 1/2 T baking powder
cinnamon and vanilla to taste
nuts (almonds) optional

Directions
Grease and flour the baking pans. 

In a blender, add the grated carrots, oil, eggs and vanilla. Blend until carrots are pasty.
In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.
Stir the flour and carrots mixtures together.

Bake at 350' for 1 hour. 

Buen provecho!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes or Bundt Cake

We topped theses cupcakes with fresh strawberries and they were delicious!

Ingredients
1-3/4 cup freshly brewed coffee
2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbp powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly grease 8- or 10-inch bundt pan.

Heat coffee in sauce pan over medium heat until simmering. Turn down heat and whisk in cocoa powder until dissolved. Remove pan from heat and let return to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, and cornstarch until fully dissolved. Add extracts and chocolate mixture and stir well.

In small bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the sugar and oil and beat until the batter is relatively smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan or cupcake liners. Bake cake for 45-55 minutes; cupcakes for 15-20 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Then invert the pan onto a serving plate and cool completely. Once cool, sift the powdered sugar over the top and enjoy!


Source: Adapted from Yoga Journal.

Almond Polenta Cake (gluten-free)

I made this recipe to take to yoga tonight to celebrate my birthday. My students loved it!

Ingredients
3/4 cup non-dairy butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp grated lime zest
1-1/4 cup gluten-free baking mix (such as Arrowhead Mills or Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 cup stone-ground polenta
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup almond milk with 1 Tbs of vinegar added

Icing/Glaze
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
lime juice (about 1 lime)
zest of 1 lime

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium-size bowl, beat the dairy-free butter and sugar until smooth.
Continue beating and add eggs, extract and zest.
In a small bowl, mix the gluten-free baking mix, polenta, salt and baking powder.
Mix butter mixture, dry ingredients, and almond milk together.

Pour into a greased 6-cup tube cake pan or cupcake liners (approx. 24 cupcakes). Note: these do not rise much, so you can fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.

Bake cake for approximately 40-50 minutes; cupcakes for approximately 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely before icing.

Mix powdered sugar and lime juice until desired consistency. Add some of the lime zest to the icing for color. Drizzle icing across top of cake or cupcakes. Then mound the remaining lime zest in the center of each cupcake.


Source: I adapted the recipe from YogaJournal to be dairy-free and gluten-free. 

Mango-Lime Soup

So this isn't exactly a dessert, but it's so good that I couldn't help but post it. You certainly could eat this cold soup as a dessert, or use it as a sauce for a dessert!

Ingredients
4 ripe mangoes
2 limes - juice and zest
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water
fresh fruit, such as raspberries for garnish
fresh mint for garnish

Directions
Drain and rinse the raw cashews. Then blend the cashews with a little water in a blender, until it's the smooth consistency of heavy cream.

Peel and pit the mangoes. (Save the pits for nibbling later over the sink!)

Add the mangoes, lime juice, and 3/4 of the zest to the blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. Serve topped with zest, fresh fruit, and mint leaves. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cafe Pasqual's Cookbook: Spirited Recipes from Santa Fe. (Thanks, Jen, for the awesome cookbook!) If you ever get a chance to eat at this restaurant, it's delicious, but be warned that almost every recipe in the cookbook contains dairy. With all of that butter, no wonder it tastes so good!