Easy Chocolate (or Carob) Pudding, 5 ingredients

What is it like? 

- Chocolaty

- Rich

- Silky Smooth

Recipe

This recipe can be doubled.

4 oz silk tofu
1/2 cup coconut cream
10 dreid medjool dates (mine were small, if yours are big you can use fewer)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp carob powder, or more to taste OR cocoa powder
1 tsp lecithin, optional

Directions:

1. Blend the ingredients for about 2 minutes, until smooth (it can take a couple minutes for the dates to completely break down).

2. Pour the pudding into three small bowls, cover, and place in the fridge.

3. I like to garnish the pudding with plain whipped coconut cream. Coconut flakes and a few carob or chocolate chips are also a great addition.

TIP
This dessert is best the next day. The medjool dates, even after being blended, need time to soak up the liquid before becoming a completely silky pudding.

Scrumptious Pumpkin Crepes

What are the flavors? 

- Pumpkin

- Melted chocolate

- Toasted Pecans

Recipe

Find the crepe batter recipe here. It can be made 1-2 days ahead.

4 servings, 10 minutes prep and cooking

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbsp honey OR agave for vegan
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans 

Chocolate sauce
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or preferred chocolate, melted
1 tbsp dairy free milk OR regular milk 

Directions: 
Over low heat, stir the first three ingredients until warmed and incorporated. Then remove from burner. 
Heat the chocolate with the milk for 30 second intervals in the microwave until melted. Be sure to stir between each interval. If the chocolate feels hot the touch, allow it to rest at room temperature for a few minutes to finish melting. 
Then, fill the warm crepes with 1/4 pumpkin filling and drizzle with chocolate sauce and garnish with pecans. 

Smokey Wild Rice Pilaf

What is it like? 

- Smokey 

- Intense, balanced flavor

- Hardy 

Recipe

1 cup wild rice
1/2 cup smoked bacon tips* OR vegan bacon
2 chicken thighs OR butternut squash for vegan
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green or red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup white wine, optional
2 cups water
1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp dried dill, 1 tbsp dried or fresh parsly
1/4 cup slivered almonds or 2 tbsp pine nuts, optional

Directions:

1. Rinse rice and place in a pan with 2 cup water over high heat. Once it boils, turn it down to low to simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook bacon. If you bacon is regular high fat variety, reduce the heat a little and allow to brown. Then remove and pour out the fat and cook the chicken over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side.
3. Meanwhile, slice the celery and pepper. Once the meat is browned (but not cooked through), set aside. Then, sauté the vegetables over medium heat for about 7 minutes. While the vegetables cook, measure the wine and slice the bacon into small pieces and the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
4. Turn the heat up for about 30 seconds and then add the wine (it will boil rapidly so be careful not to get burned by the steam).
5. Drain the wild rice.
6. Add the water, drained rice, and the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat up to high. Once it boils, turn it down to a simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes, or until it is tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with a sprinkling of fresh marjoram leaves (or oregano) and steamed chard or other steamed vegetable. Chard is best when cooked to the point when the leaves’ veins are still crisp.

*You can substitute your favorite regular bacon, especially one that is strongly flavored, like Black Forest variety. If you do not have this kind of bacon, try adding smoked sea salt or smoked paprika instead of regular paprika.

Triple Cream Brie..

What is it like? 

- Extra creamy

- Intensly cheesy

- Perfectly smooth

Recipe

1 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup oil
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms hydrated in 1/4 cup warm water (include water)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp dark miso
1 tbsp tapioca starch
3/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Soak the dried mushrooms in 1/4 cup warm water and allow them to hydrate for about 20 minutes.

Once the mushrooms are hydrated, combine all of the ingredients in the blender and blend for about 1 minute, until combined.

Transfer the mixture to a small sauce pan and heat gently over medium heat. Whisk to prevent sticking. When the mixture gets hot and a few bubbles rise from the bottom of the pan, be sure to stir it continuously as it thickens. Allow it to “simmer” for about 2 minutes while stirring.

Transfer the cheese to a heatproof container for storage and allow it to cool at room temperature for about a half hour before placing in the fridge.

Enjoy with your favorite bread or crackers.

TIP:
Some dishes, especially ones with a lot of spices or herbs, develop flavor as they rest. These recipes, such as many soups, stews and curries, are often better the next day. This cheese, however, is great once it is cooled and probably will not least that long. It is best if eaten within 3 days, but will keep for up to five days.

Greek Salad

Recipe

1 cucumber, chopped
2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped or whole
1/2 cup green onions, chopped (lightly placed in cup)
lemons juice, to taste
1-2 tbsp olive olive oil
salt, to taste
Optional garnish: Feta (baked tofu for dairy free)*

Directions:
Chop all of the vegetables and place in a bowl. Lastly, squeeze lemon juice over the top, add a drizzle of olive oil, and salt to taste.

* For the vegan feta, I crumbled up gluten free and dairy free baked tofu and tossed the crumbs in a tsp of coconut oil and a generous sprinkling of salt. It offers a great texture.