Ice cream sandwiches made easy

For Jack’s birthday weekend I cooked up a storm of good grub, including an experimental vegan version of pecan pie. My man is from Oklahoma where pecan pies are a food staple, like milk, butter and bread. He knows and loves his pecan pie. I should have known starting out that my vegan version would be a disaster.

Don’t get me wrong, it tasted good, but it didn’t taste like the “traditional” pecan pie that folks from the South know and love. Jack took one bite and lifted an eyebrow at me, “This is a lot of things, but it is NOT pecan pie.” And then a 5-minute lecture ensued about what “pecan pie” is supposed to taste like.

Sigh. Okay.

Birthday pie (actually, it was more of a tart) was a no-go. It just sat on the counter looking lonely and dissed. I felt so bad for it and berated myself for calling it “pecan pie”, a loaded term if ever there was one. Augh! I should have called it something else, like “loony pie” and it would have at least been enjoyed for the delish freakishness that it was.

Fine. On to Plan B.

Well, after all that cooking (and subsequent rejection) I was not about to spend a minute more on birthday dessert than I had to. I was feeling a little deflated.

I opened the freezer door and stared inside it for a full minute hoping a coconut cake would magically appear. Not for Jack, but for me!

It didn’t.

Instead, I pulled out these frozen muffin top things that I had recently bought thinking we might try them out for an easy semi-healthy weeknight dessert. And then I pulled out a pint of vegan ice cream. (If you haven’t had Coconut Bliss’s Dark Chocolate, it’s awesome!)

Easy ice cream sandwiches would save the day. Jack jumped on it. Yay.

While I toasted up the muffin tops, Jack took the pint of ice cream and started sawing at it with a bread knife.

What the …?? Oh, my gosh! What are you doing, you crazy dude?

Whoa. Uh …

… that’s kind of … snort … brilliant.

Instant ice cream sandwich. No mess, no fuss.

So easy. So satisfying.

And the birthday was saved.

Nutty chocolate bon bons

Every January people go insane with New Year’s resolutions to be healthier, wealthier and wiser.

Well, here’s my little contribution to the healthier and wiser bit: chocolate bon bons.

WHAT? Bon bons ain’t no health food!

Well, yes … and no. These nutty chocolatey, scrumptious bon bons are packed with antioxidants and good for you ingredients. There’s no dairy, no processed sugar, no unhealthy fats.

AND they’re crazy fast and easy to whip up. So enjoy these babies guilt-free and know that you’re being to kind to your body. Woo hoo! Happy New Year to all of us!

Back to school treat: Guilt-free chocolate pudding

This was my first week back at school and I really wasn’t ready to go back.

Given my reluctance to return to the books I decided to end my first week back with a little treat: chocolate pudding.

But not just any old choco pudding, we’re rockin’ out with HEALTHY choco puddin’. It’s non-dairy, super high in potassium and completely GUILT-FREE! Yes, that’s right! Guilt. Free. And it’s ridiculously easy to whip up. How much more of a treat can you get?

Guilt-Free Chocolate Pudding
Serves: 2 or 1 really greedy chocoholic

6 dates*, no seeds
2-4T agave nectar (to taste)
1/4 to 1/3 cup cacao powder (to taste)
1.5T vanilla extract
2 ripe avocados, meat only

extra: 1/2 banana

1. In a food processor mix dates, agave nectar and vanilla. Add avocados and cacao and mix until everything is creamy and smooth.

2. Extra: I threw in half a banana to give a little banana-y taste and sliced the other half to go on top of my pudding. Sprinkle with nuts and you’re done!

*Some people make this recipe without dates and instead use 1/2-3/4 cup of agave. I, however, don’t like using that much agave and prefer to get the sweetness from natural dates instead. Experiment and see which way you like best.

Enjoy!!

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Yesterday morning I woke up to find Jack in the kitchen measuring out ingredients. He had little bowls of sugar, flour, freshly ground nutmeg.

He was very chipper. It was annoying. As he arranged all his pretty little bowls of goodies he said, “Look, honey, I’m prepping everything you’re going to need to make blueberry crumb cake!”

Wha?

I couldn’t fathom what he was talking about.

Food: Tapioca with mung bean and coconut

Tapioca is a very popular and versatile ingredient for Vietnamese desserts. In my house it’s categorized as comfort food. I have the fondest memories of my grandmother making tapioca on cold winter nights. The addition of coconut milk gave off a deep, sweet aroma that filled the house. That comforting smell meant something delicious and creamy was coming. The texture is silky and smooth and tastes a little luxurious. And it’s just sweet enough to satisfy the inner child without sending me into a diabetic coma.

It’s a bonus that it’s also pretty darn easy to make.