FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Coconut Truffles

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Vegan Truffles

Being resourceful in the kitchen can {sometimes} get you into a bit of trouble.  Most folks that find themselves without chocolate during a massive chocolate craving just simply do without chocolate for the time being.  Me?  I whip random ingredients together until I’m either sort-of-satisfied or surprisingly super satisfied.

Vegan Truffles 2

After a week of gentle tweaks, I was super satisfied.  A progression of hemp seed chocolate bars to coconut/almond chocolate bars to just coconut bars led me straight to coconut truffles.   And now I have a bundle of sweet treats waiting for me in anticipation of any chocolate craving, big or small.

Key Lime & Vanilla Bean Custard Cups

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Key Lime & Vanilla Bean Custard

I’ve been playing around with this recipe for few days and what I’ve ended up with, what’s pictured in the photo above, is one of my favorite desserts of all time. Custard, key lime, vanilla bean, and {what wasn’t able to fit in the title block} salted, toasted coconut flakes – magnificent, I tell ya!

Coconut Milk Custard

I toyed with regular coconut milk {light consistency} and culinary coconut milk {cream consistency} and the culinary coconut milk made all the difference in the world.  If you aren’t able to get your hands on culinary coconut milk, then try your best to find canned coconut cream {I’m not sure about the boxed variety}.

Key Lime & Vanilla Bean

And key limes…  This Florida girl has such a special place in her heart for anything key lime.  They are so adorable and somehow embody parts of childhood for reasons unknown {could it be just a lifetime love of real key lime pie?}.  But if you’re unable to find key limes at your local grocer, a regular lime should suffice.  This recipe calls for zest and juice of two key limes that could simply be replaced with zest and juice of one regular lime.

Key Lime & Vanilla Bean Custard 2

After fully chilled, this custard is a perfect cross between traditional custard, key lime pie, and crème brûlée.  I’ve helped myself to a cup after every dinner since Saturday and… I just can’t foresee when I’ll stop re-stocking my fridge with custard – it is that good!

Vegan Ricotta

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Vegan Ricotta

I was within days of developing a food-crush on ricotta cheese when the doc not-so-subtly suggested that dairy should leave my diet {a post for another day}. Luckily there are plenty of folks out there in the same boat that have been creating dairy substitutes in my absence – like Nom Nom Paleo.

It’s amazing that macadamia nuts, lemon juice, water, and salt can be whipped into something so ricotta-like.  A review of the recipe {and the recipe itself} can be found on Serious Eats.  But I’ll have to disagree with this review a bit.  If you use a Blendtec or Vitamix and purée, add a teeny bit more water, purée again, and repeat until white and fluffy – this mixture tastes much like ricotta. Add a bit of basil and, well, you’ve got yourself a darn good substitute.  

Peach & Pecan Chia Seed Pudding

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Vegan Chia Seed Pudding

If I had to choose between ice cream and pudding, it would be pudding all day, every day.  And any kind of {homemade} pudding – chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, tapioca, rice.  I like it all, but rarely have it in the house.

Medjool Dates

Naturally, the discovery of chia seed pudding blew my mind.  How a fiber and protein packed seed could taste so similarly to tapioca was beyond me.  This treat quickly became my new favorite thing to pick up from Snap Kitchen as a mid-afternoon snack.

Chia Seed Pudding

The ingredient label was simple enough that I knew I could recreate at home. Sweetened with dates, seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon, and garnished with peaches and pecans – this chia seed pudding is wonderful for both breakfast and dessert alike.