Noshtopia

Homemade Gluten-free, Vegan Hot Fudge Sundae With 2-Ingredient Ice Cream

Who said that gluten-free, vegan had to be boring? Doesn't this hot fudge sundae make you want to lick the screen? Okay, well, how about I just tell you how I made it and you can eat one for yourself.

This hot fudge sundae is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and GMO-free.

To make the ice cream for 2 servings all you need is:

• One large banana
• 3 tbsp of So Delicious Orignal flavor Creamer

Slice the banana into small pieces and put into a plastic container and freeze over night.

Put the frozen banana slices and creamer into a food processor and blend until the banana has the consistency of a soft serve ice cream. You can make a raw version of this ice cream and just use frozen banana. I added the creamer because the creamer gives this ice cream a texture more like regular ice cream.

Put the soft ice cream back into the plastic container and freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight freezing is best. Enjoy!

Here is the recipe to make gluten-free vegan whipped cream. One of the ingredients for the whipped cream requires overnight refrigeration to make the recipe.

To make the fudge sauce:

• 3 tbsp cocoa powder (I used Trader Joe's cocoa powder)
• 4 tbsp vegan cane sugar (I used Whole Foods 365 brand. Use organic cane sugar for a non-vegan sauce.)*
• 2 tbsp dairy-free milk (I used rice milk. You can also use almond, cashew, or coconut milk.)

In a microwave safe bowl, pour in the cocoa powder first, then the sugar, and stir in the milk. The powder and sugar won't really blend with the milk but that's okay.

Put the bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir the sauce thoroughly until you get a smooth sauce. Let the sauce sit for a couple minutes before using.

For toppings in my hot fudge sundae, I added walnuts and crispy Quinoa I found in the bulk foods section of one of my local Whole Foods.

What fun toppings do you like to add to your sundae?

 

*Vegan cane sugar is different from regular cane sugar because bone char is not used in the processing.

Homemade Gluten-free, Vegan Whipped Cream

One of the things I miss most about dairy is whipped cream especially on pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, and hot fudge sundaes.

I've tried many kinds of dairy-free and vegan recipes for whipped cream, and hadn't found one yet that knocked my socks off. This whipped cream was so good that, I'm not going to lie, I licked the bowl clean. 

I did...

...after I made and devoured this homemade vegan hot fudge sundae. Here's the easy recipe if you want to make this sundae. 

 

The key to getting a thick whipped cream was using Arrowroot powder. I have tummy issues with Xantham and Guar Gum which are typically used for thickeners. I avoid cornstarch as much as possible because it could be made with GMO corn.

I heard about Arrowroot powder from Dr. Weil at a True Food Kitchen demo. Arrowroot powder has a neutral flavor so you won't taste it at all, and it adds a little shine to the cream which is aesthetically nice. 

This whipped cream is dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. How cool is that!

Ingredients (makes about 1 cup of whipped cream):

• 4 tbsp of thickenened chilled coconut milk*
• 2 tbsp Vegan powdered sugar (Use regular powdered sugar, for a dairy-free cream.)
• 1 tsp Arrowroot powder

*Put one can of coconut milk in the refrigerator at least 10 hours so the milk can thicken. I used Whole Foods 365 brand Coconut Milk. Make sure you use regular coconut milk and not light coconut milk. The light milk may be lower in calories but the fat in the regular coconut milk makes thick cream.

When you open the can of coconut milk the top layer will be chilled solid. Get your 4 tbsp from this thick cream and put into a mixing bowl.

Add the powdered sugar and arrowroot powder in the mixing bowl with the coconut cream. Whip the cream a couple minutes until nice and thick.

Put the bowl of whipped cream in the freezer for 10-12 minutes so the cream can thicken even more. Your cream is ready to use.

Keep any extra cream in the refrigerator. This cream can be frozen and fridge thawed for later use.

 

 

Sweet Treat: No-bake Vegan Chocolate Crispy Quinoa, Pistachio, and Walnut Bark

For fun food Friday, let's talk candy. One of my favorite candies when I was a kid was Nestle Crunch. There was something about those little puffs of crunchy rice in the chocolate that brightened my tummy. Sadly, they don't make a vegan Nestle Crunch. 

 

However, my frown has now turned into a smile because I found organic crispy Quinoa in the bulk foods section at Whole Foods Walnut Creek. Oh yes, crispy Quinoa! Whole Foods had crispy rice too, but crispy Quinoa has more protein, and talk about fun.

For chocolate, Enjoy Life's Semi-sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks are the best! Remember those incredible vegan chocolate chip walnut cookies I made?

To healthify my bark, I added walnuts and pistachios for protein, antioxidants and omega-3's. Not only is this bark vegan, it is also gluten-free and soy-free. See candy can have health benefits!

This bark is so easy to make and no baking is involved! If you want to make bark for a party or as a gift, it is better to temper the chocolate so it stays solid and looks polished. My version is quick and dirty, but the chocolate can start melting a bit once it's no longer cold.

Ingredients (makes a 8" x 8" bark square):

• 1 bag Enjoy Life's Semi-sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks
• 3 tbsp Crispy Quinoa
• 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Pour chocolate chunks into a microwave safe bowl.

Melt chocolate chunks for 30 seconds and mix chocolate with a big spoon. Melt for another 30 seconds and mix chocolate. Repeat this process until the chocolate is all melted and smooth. Melting and mixing the chocolate in 30 second increments helps prevent the chocolate from over-cooking.

Pour in the crispy Quinoa and walnuts and mix until well blended.

Pour chocolate mix onto the baking sheet and form an 8" x 8" square. You can make a a smaller or bigger square depending on how thick you want your bark. 

Sprinkle on top of your bark the chopped pistachios and any extra crispy Quinoa left. Gently run your spoon over the bark to slightly bury the pistachio pieces into the chocolate.

Put baking sheet in the fridge, and chill for an hour. Break bark into smaller pieces and enjoy!

Store any extra bark in the fridge.

 

Snack Idea: DuChilly Hazelnuts and Crystallized Ginger

I love the bulk foods sections in Whole Foods Market because there are all kinds of fascinating foods that I've never heard of in those bins, and every store has similar yet different items. As the seasons change, the items in the bulk foods bins can change as well.

This weekend, at Whole Foods Walnut Creek, I found DuChilly Hazelnuts which are grown in Washington state. Have you heard of them before? I haven't. If you want to learn more, the LA Times did an article just about this nut.

I loved these hazelnuts right away. They look like almonds. DuChillies are larger and sweeter without the bitter skin of a traditional hazelnut, and meaty much like an almond which to me makes them perfect for snacking.

Besides snacks, the DuChilly hazlenut is great in salads, chopped up for yogurt or cottage cheese, and as a topping for sauteed green beans in lieu of almonds. In fact, I'd loved to try and make a Nutella-like creation with these meaty hazelnuts.

 

On the sweet side, what goes really well with meaty nuts is crystallized ginger aka candied ginger. Why eat ginger? Here's 10 health benefits of ginger. In my book, if you are going to eat candy why not eat a sweet that has health benefits, am I right?

Whole Foods has crystallized ginger in the bulk foods section of many of their stores which is awesome because you really don't need to get much of this candied ginger to satisfy the sweet tooth. For me, 1-2 small cube is usually enough. If you feel homemakey, David Lebovitz has a good recipe to make candied ginger.

I love mixing this ginger in with trail mix because you get sweet with that ginger burn. I love it!

Awesome Homemade Crunchy Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

 

Cookies and rice milk. Yummy-looking huh?! I like crunchy cookies, and most vegan cookie recipes I've tried usually turn out soft and gooey which is fine if you are a squishy cookie lover. I like me some crispy.

The quest is over. I found this vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe over at Oh She Glows, and made a batch and ma cookies came out crunchalicous. Oh how I was a happy camper! The secret is olive oil and the freezer.

 

I added walnuts to my recipe because I love nutty cookies, and I can joke with myself that my cookies are packed with protein thus making them "healthier." Ok yes, I jest. These cookies are 20% food.

For the chocolate chips, I have fallen in love with these Semi-sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks made by Enjoy Life. These chips are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and kosher. They are also some of the best vegan chips I've tried. You can melt them and also make some wonderful chocolate bark.

The Mega Chunks are rather large so I chopped them up a little. The designer in me liked the idea of having odd shaped, chopped chips in my cookies. I also used soy-free Earth Balance so that the entire cookie recipe was also soy-free.

I remembered why I rarely bake cookies anymore. I can't eat just one cookie when they come fresh out of the oven. These vegan cookies were phenomenal! 

Note: All photos were taken with an iPhone 4. I was really impressed how good the shots came out.

Instant Chocolate Gratification: Best Vegan Gluten-free Brownies Ever!

Is your mouth watering gazing at these delectable brownies? Even more delicious, these chocolatey treats are made from a pre-made mix which means all you have to do is mix, pour, and bake, and boom, instant brownie satisfaction.

And yes, these brownies are vegan AND gluten-free plus nut-free, and they are seriously some of the best brownies I have ever eaten. Vegan brownies with regular wheat flour are pretty easy to make and can be made so no one can tell that there is no egg or dairy in the brownie. But to make a brownie vegan AND gluten-free is a hard thing to do, and most I have tried have been underwhelming to say it nicely.

Say hello to Bliss Brownie Mix made by the Inspired Cookie. This mix is sold in-store mainly in Northern California, but not to fret, you can order the mix online at the Inspired Cookie website.

I met Creator and Founder Sarah Gill of Inspired Cookie  last February at the Women 2.0 Conference and she is the sweetest person. I swear her special ingredient is love because she too has food allergies so she gets it, and that is why her stuff is so good, in my humble opinion. Her cookies are equally amazing but for now I'll focus on the decadence of the brownies which make for an incredible 20% food.

I added walnuts to my brownies because I love nuts and it adds some protein to the dessert. Couple these brownies warm out of the oven with some So Delcious Vanilla Bean ice cream and those of you with food allergies or intolerances to dairy, egg, nuts, or gluten will no longer feel like you have to live without a wonderful brownie experience like everyone else.

Go make some brownies now :)

The Best Organic Vegan Chocolate Pudding Ever!

 

One of the things about being dairy-free and egg-free is that the creaminess texture is scarce. Mind you, many more food manufacturers are getting very creative and better at creating a creamy experience for those of us who avoid dairy and eggs.

When I took my first bite of this new Zen Soy brand Organic Vegan Chocolate Almond Pudding, I nearly expolded from the excitement. I shaved some dark chocolate as a topping. This pudding is amazing, and you know I rarely get this excited about anything.

In fact, if we did a blindfold taste test with dairy-made chocolate puddings, I would put money down that it would be hard for the participants to tell the difference. This vegan pudding is that good with taste and texture.

And even more exciting, besides being organic and vegan, this chocolate pudding is also soy-free, gluten-free, kosher, and 110 calories per individual container. I like the portion control so that you can enjoy a sweet treat with minimal caloric dent. The sugar is a bit high at 17g but for a dessert, a 20% food, that's alright.

You also get the cute panda on the packaging. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the cuteness. This Vegan Zen Soy Organic Almong Chocolate Pudding gets three snaps in z-formation!

Superfood Dessert: Homemade Vegan Acai Berry FroYo Topped With Kiwi, Cranberries, and Walnuts

Who knew a supererfood could look this luscious. At my local Whole Foods, Sambazon was promoting their organic Acai Berry smoothie packs, and OMG! I was blown away. The demonstrator made a simple blend of their Original Rio Blend Acai Berry + Guarana puree blended with banana and strawberries.

The consistency of the blend was just like frozen yogurt, and that's wonderful for people like me who are dairy allergic. This Acai Berry FroYo recipe is vegan, soy-free,and gluten-free, and uses only sweeteners from the Acai Smoothie pack and the other fruit. 

Washing your food processor will take more time than to make this FroYo. This dessert is so incredibly simple and fast to make. Best yet, since the smoothie packs come in single servings, you have built-in portion control. 

One serving of this FroYo recipe (Acai Berry, banana + strawberries minus toppings) is about 170 calories, so besides dessert, this FroYo could be a nice snack.

 

For topping, I added kiwi, cranberries, and walnuts. Visually, I love how the green of the kiwi pops against the beautiful purple of the Acai Berry.

Ingredients (one serving):

• 1 packet Sambazon Acai Smoothie Pack
• 1/2 banana
• 2 frozen strawberries

Put all three ingredients in a small blender or 3-cup food processor and blend until smooth. All done! If you want the FroYo to be a bit more solid, put your mix in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

Put FroYo in bowl, add toppings, and nosh away.

 

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Yogurt Bling: Mango Yogurt Topped With Hunza Raisin and Goji Granola

I'm starting to become like Michael Weston on Burn Notice in that you will always find containers of yogurt in my fridge. Perhaps I'm now mentally associating yogurt with being a sexy hero who catches the bad guys and makes things right even in the face of his/her own human imperfections.

hmmmm....yogurt is do-gooding power food! Sounds even tastier when put like that.

However, unlike Michael, I have a hard time just eating yogurt plain. I gotta put some bling (toppings) on it like Chocolate Yogurt With Chocolate Chips And Cashews or Pina Colada Yogurt With Fresh Raspberries And Walnuts. I kinda like the term yogurt bling versus yogurt toppings...sounds sexy and more fun.

This week, on my So Delicious Passionate Mango yogurt...because unenthusiastic yogurt just won't do...the yogurt bling of choice was Hunza Goji Granola or Himalayan Harvest. Sounds intriguing doesn't it?

I found this mix in the bulk foods section at @WholeFoodsPV. It's a combo I had never seen before but immediately wanted to try it because I'm always trying something new, and I thought what a cool blog post it would make. See can't take the blogger out of me!

The Hunza Goji Granola mix basically contains oats, sunflower seeds, Hunza raisins, Hunza Goji, coconut, almonds, and apricot. Here's a little bit more info about Hunza raisins and Goji. I read, "...grown 6,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level using ancient organic farming methods," and of course became instantly enthralled. I am simple that way :)

I'm now intrigued by these Hunza raisins and Goji, so let's see what interesting concoctions I can come up with. Definitely try the mix if you can find it. I loved it!

Oh-My-Nog! Tiramisu Eggnog Trifle

Last night, I attended a holiday tasting event hosted by @Fresh_and_Easy markets that was held in this gorgeous penthouse apartment in downtown Phoenix which had this deck with a view that overlooked much of the cityscape.

The weather was like a warm Spring day when the rest of the country is starting to get snow and rain. The soothing evening reminded me of why I have been so happy since moving here to Phoenix.

One of the showcase desserts was this Tiramisu Eggnog Trifle and I tweeted it calling it a mouthgasm because yeah wow! and even just looking at it makes me all tingly. Now of course, this recipe is not for those with dairy, egg, or gluten issues, but everyone else, go to town and enjoy. I did take a bite because I just couldn't help myself.

Many people asked for the recipe and so here it is care of Fresh & Easy and Chef Cindy showing off her masterpiece here!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups eggnog
• 2, 8oz containers room temperature mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 up instant espresso powder
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 Spiced Rum Bundt cake sliced about 1/2" thick. If you can find Spiced Rum Cake, use another cake that may be available at the store. I'm thinking Pumpkin cake would be good too.
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips finely ground in processor

Let's get cooking:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggnog and mascarpone cheese, one container at a time.

• With an electric mixer, fixed with a wire attachement, beat whipping cream until you have soft peaks.

• Add vanilla and mix for a few more seconds. Fold in mascarpone mixture.

• In a small saucepan, simmer 1 cup water, add sugar and espresso powder. Remove from heat and stir until dissolved.

• Place a layer of rum cake on the bottom of a trifle dish. Using a pastry brush, soak the rum cake with espresso mixture.

• Spoon a layer of eggnog mixture over rum cake until fully coated.

• Sprinkle even coat of chocolate chips. Repeat layers, finishing with eggnog mixture and chocolate chips.

• Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Enjoy!