Lovely Lavander Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I am obsessed with lavander lately.  It has been finding its way into many of my dessert recipes, because I simply cannot resist the lovely purple flowers.  Can you blame me?  They have the most beautiful aroma which is soothing as well as calming.  Ever since I was a little girl when my Mom would make lavander soap from essential oil, or have dishes of lavander to scent a room, I have thought of the scent as comforting.  It wasn't until recently that I discovered how delicious it was when added to sweets, and I wish I would have discovered that earlier!  I should just plant a big pot of it on my patio for the fresh version to have an unlimited supply.  Until then I guess I am stuck with buying large amounts of the dried! 

I feel like the scent of lavander goes well with most fruits, and so last weekend when I was trying to decide which ice cream to make to accompany some fruit desserts I would be making I decided on lavander.  I know vanilla goes with everything as well, and I love it, but I was looking to be a bit more creative.  So lavander it was, but I didn't leave the vanilla out all together.  I decided to make a lavander AND vanilla bean ice cream.  I thought their delicate flavors would be perfect in a creamy coconut milk base, and I was right!  I infused some of the milk with a bit of the lavander, and let it steep overnight as well as adding some more lavander at the end to make it extra aromatic.  The vanilla and lavander together was a heavenly combination, and a perfect compliment to the strawberry rhubarb cake I had made, as well as delicious on its own.  It had a calming affect as I let the silky smooth ice cream slowly melt on my tongue...pure delciousness!  Here is the recipe if you would wish to try some for yourself! 

Lovely Lavander Vanilla Bean Ice Cream 

Makes about 4 cups of ice cream

3 Tbsp dried Lavander flowers, divided

1 cup lite coconut milk

2 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled

3/4 cup agave nectar

seeds of one vanilla bean

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
a few drops purple food coloring (plant based), optional

To make ice cream, combine lite milk, and 2 Tbsp lavander in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and chill in the fridge until very cold. When chilled, combine with all ingredients except remaining Tbsp lavander in a blender, and process until well blended. Mix in the last Tbsp lavander, and pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Pour into a freezable container with a lid and place in the freezer for at least a few hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffeecake

You and I go together like strawberries and rhubarb...it sounds so much more delicious than peas and carrots, at least to me!  No, I am not talking about romantic relationships where the couples go well together, I am talking about true friends...our gal pals that we have so much in common with and always "get" us, even if we haven't yet said what we are thinking.  I have been thinking a lot lately how I am very happy to have friends such as these in my life, they make it so much sweeter...just like strawberries and rhubarb do. 

I decided to pair strawberries and rhubarb in a delicious coffeecake yesterday, perfect for serving with coffee or tea while in the company of good friends!  I have to confess I haven't tasted the deliciousness of coffeecake in years!  The last one I had was when my Mom made a pumpkin apple coffeecake back when I was in highschool...it has been too long!  So I decided that it was about time to create my own.

Not the yeasted type though.  The type that could also be considered a crumb cake, topped with a thick layer of heavenly crunchy oaty streusel!  I wanted the batter to be studded with pockets of flavorful strawberries and rhubarb throughout, not simply in one layer in the middle as many traditional cakes have.  The cake took a long time to bake as it was a tall cake with lots of fruit, but it was well worth the wait.  Although rather cruel to smell the heavenly aroma of it and not yet be able to taste it. 

When I finally was able to enjoy it, I was in a whole other world...it was one of those moments where I just closed my eyes and savored it.  The cake was moist and sweet with bursts of strawberry and rhubarb and the light scent of cinnamon.  The topping put it into it's own level of deliciousness...crunchy in contrast to the sweet cake!  Texture is very important to me in a good dessert.  Although it was good on its own, I enjoyed it warm with some lavander vanilla ice cream I had also made this weekend.  And since I had made 2 cakes there was enough to share with some special people as well!  Here is the recipe if you would like to try some for yourself!

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffeecakes

Makes 2 6 inch cakes

2 6 inch round cake pans

Topping:

6 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour

3 Tbsp maple or brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 Tbsp cold Earth Balance vegan butter

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats

Cake:

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup maple sugar or granulated sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups diced organic rhubarb
2 cups quartered organic strawberries

 To make streusel, combine flour, sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Cut in Earth balance with a pastry blender until you have large pea sized clumps.  Add oats and scrunch with hands until larger chunks of streusel are formed.  Set aside in the fridge.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Spray two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla extract, together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in lemon juice vinegar and stir quickly (pale swirls will be in the batter, which is the baking soda reacting with the lemon juice, which allows the cake to rise since there are no eggs). Stir in rhubarb and strawberries, and pour cake batter into each pan, dividing evenly between the two, Scatter streusel over each and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 25 minutes (after about the first 20, cover the tops of the cakes with foil if they are getting too brown). Cool cake for about 15 minutes in pan then place a plate on top, hold firmly and flip over to unmold, then carefully flip to right side up onto another plate.  Repeat with other cake. Let cool slightly before serving. 

*if desired, you cake bake the cake in 1 9 inch round pan, and give it additional time to bake, about 15-20 min.

Miso Almond Brownies

I love miso so much I will put it in almost anything, savory or sweet.  Especially white miso, it has the most wonderful salty sweet flavor that makes it perfect for use in desserts!  I not have seen recipes for peanut butter cookies with it, and cobbler crusts, which I have yet to try.  I made a miso maple ice cream a while back and it was remenicent of salted caramel, so delicious!  I figured if it was awesome with vanilla based things, why not chocolate as well! 

Most people including myself think of vanilla as a blank pallate to pair flavors with, and chocolate often gets overlooked.  Brownies are a wonderful canvas to cover with interesting flavors...so I thought the salty sweet miso would be perfect in them.  Afterall, fleur de sel brownies are delicious because of the salty sweet combo. 

I wanted to add another element as well, and I decided that crunchy, nutty almonds would be perfect!  I used my vegan brownie base, baked it in a tart pan, because I love the look of brownie wedges, and topped it off with a fudgy miso laced frosting.  They were scrumptious!  Chocolaty goodness with crunchy almonds and a slightly salty flavor from the miso. 

You never would have guessed it was in there, but they just had that something extra special and mysterious.  I am loving miso more and more every different way I try it, especially like this!  I will have to do more chocolate miso experimentation in the future.  Here is the recipe for the brownies if you would like to experience them for yourself! 

Miso Almond Brownies
Makes 12 wedges

Brownies:

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp fleur de sel

1/2 cup coconut oil

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp white miso
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp pureed silken tofu
1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup sliced, toasted almonds

Frosting:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave nectar

1 tsp coconut oil

3 Tbsp white miso

2 tsp pure vanilla extract
a large pinch of sea salt

1 cup sliced toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Spray a 9 inch tart pan with non-stick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, sea salt and set aside. In a large bowl, place chcocolate and oil. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between to melt the chocolate, until the chocolate and oil are smooth and well combined. Whisk in agave nectar, along with miso, vanilla, and tofu, and whisk to blend until well incorporated. Whisk in vinegar until well blended and there are pale swirls throughout the batter. Stir in 1 cup toasted almonds, and pour into the prepared pan and place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until set, starting to pull away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out fairly clean. Do not overbake! Remove from oven, and tap pan on the counter to deflate (creating a fudgier brownie).  Let cool in pan on a rack. When cool, whisk together the frosting ingredients until smooth, and spread over the brownies.  Top with sliced almonds, and cut into 12 wedges. 

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

There is no such thing as failure...unless you decide to give up.  This is how I feel about many things in my life, and baking experiments are no exception.  So this weekend when I decided to make an upside down cake, I had the idea that it would turn out perfectly the first time, and be simple to make, but I was a bit off on my assumption.  I had never made an upside down cake before, not even the classic pineapple, and I wanted to try it!  So I thought, what better than a strawberry rhubarb upside down cake!  I am all for baking with seasonal fruit! 

I would use my vegan white cake base, and use berries and rhubarb in a caramelized topping.  It sounded like a great idea...but then after I had assembled the cake, and I thought it was done baking, since my normal cakes take the amount of time I had given it, and a tester seemed to come out clean, I unmolded it and what was on the plate was not attractive.  A pile of berries and rhubarb in a soupy cake batter with about a half inch of baked cake on the bottom.  I ate some anyways...it tasted delicious, but not something that I would want two serve to anyone let alone post on a blog. 

But I hadn't failed, I had only made an attempt, so I got to work with the second round.  This time however I had to settle for simply rhubarb because I had used up the berries I had.  I baked the cake longer the second time, and prayed as I went to flip it...success!  I had a beautiful cake, and it was delicious at that!  It was wonderful even without the strawberries. 

The rhubarb on top had caramelized into something wonderfully tart yet sweet, and was perfect atop the moist sweet vanilla cake.  I paired it with a lavander laced sweetened sour cream and it was perfect!  I was happy that I hadn't simply given up after my first attempt at the cake, and was rewarded with something delicious as a result! 

So if at first you don't succeed, don't look at it as a failure, but a learning experience.  Here is the recipe for the successful cake if you would wish to try some of the deliciousness for yourself!

Vegan Rhubarb Upside Down Cakes
Makes 2 6 inch cakes

2 6 inch cake pans

Cake:

1/2 cup maple sugar

3 Tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter

1 Tbsp agave nectar

2 cups rhubarb, sliced

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup maple sugar or granulated sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Lavander Cream (optional):
1/2 cup Vegan sour cream

2 Tbsp agave nectar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp lavander flowers

 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Spray two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Place half Earth balance into the bottom of each pan, and swirl to coat the bottom.  Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup maple sugar.  Toss rhubarb with 1 Tbsp agave nectar, and spread out into the bottom of the pans, dividing evenly between the two, and set aside.  Whisk flour, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla extract, together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in lemon juice vinegar and stir quickly (pale swirls will be in the batter, which is the baking soda reacting with the lemon juice, which allows the cake to rise since there are no eggs). Pour cake batter over rhubarb in each pan, dividing evenly between the two, and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake for about 5 minutes in pan then place a plate on top, hold firmly and flip over to unmold.  Repeat with other cake. Let cool slightly before serving.  Whisk together sour cream, agave nectar, vanilla, and lavander.  Serve cake with lavander scented cream if desired.

*If you wish this recipe could be made in 1 9 inch pan, just increase the baking time at least another 10-15 minutes.  Or, cut in half for one small cake.

Brownies + Blondies = Brondies

My friend good friend Laura told me that if I made a combination of my blondies and brownies her head would explode...so I decided to take her advice and try it!  Why not, afterall, brownies and blondies are delicious so why not combine the two? 

It is funny because Laura and I are kind of like the brondies.  I am the brownie, she is the blondie...in highschool, she used to have the most beautiful blond hair which I was always envious of, and I have always been a brunette. 

2003 Highschool

We are now both brunettes however, but I still remember her as a blond. I am happy to have her as a friend, and the time we spend together is always too short.  I love the fact that we can be silly and joke about stuff, as well as have serious talks, that is what makes us good friends!   

2011

I always enjoy sharing my baked goods with her and hearing her opinion of them...so last week on Facebook when I asked which I should make and she said a combination, something clicked in my head.  I am always looking for new ideas! 

I thought her idea of combining blondies and brownies was brilliant!  I decided to call them Brondies, since they contain the best of both bars.  So to make them, I simply combined my brownie batter with my blondie batter, swirled them and voila... brondies! I decided to bake them in cupcake tins so no cutting involved...plus you get the best of both worlds, the outside brownie pieces as well as the inside. They combined all of the goodness of both, sort of like a marble cake but way better. 

The vanilla in the blondies was a nice break from the intense chocolaty filling of the brownies, and the cruch of the walnuts, and extra chocolate from the chips I added created a nice textural contrast...heavenly on all levels!  Thanks Laura for the idea!  That's what friends are for :)!  Here is the recipe if you would like to make some for yourself! 

Brondies

Makes 16

Blondie batter:

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar

1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup organic coconut milk

2 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp sea salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup toasted walnuts

Brownie Batter (halve):

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup coconut oil

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp pureed silken tofu

1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 350, and spray a 16 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.  In a large bowl, to mix the blondie batter, combine agave nectar, coconut oil, vanilla, and coconut milk and whisk until smooth.  In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and  salt, and then mix into the wet ingredients until smooth.  Mix in chocolate chips and walnuts until well combined, and set  aside.

To mix brownie batter, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, sea salt and set aside. In a large bowl, place chcocolate and oil. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between to melt the chocolate, until the chocolate and oil are smooth and well combined. Whisk in agave nectar, along with vanilla, and tofu, and whisk to blend until well incorporated. Whisk in vinegar until well blended and there are pale swirls throughout the batter. Spoon brownie batter into muffin cups (filling half full), then blondie batter, filling the other half.  Swirl with a knife.  Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until set, starting to pull away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out fairly clean. Do not overbake! Let cool in pan, then invert to remove. 

Little Orange Scented Rhubarb Galettes

All last week when I went out on my runs, I was eyeing this patch of unattended rhubarb in the woods by my house. I knew nobody else would care if I cut some, because the woman who planted it has since moved, and she told me I was always welcome to pick some, as I do not have a garden of my own.  I was watching it to see when it would be perfect to harvest, and finally last Friday it was large enough to cut a good amount, enough to make at least a couple of delicious baked goods! 

Let me tell you, this rhubarb has been long and anxiously awaited!  My Grandma used to have a saying "Do you think the rain will hurt the rhubarb?"  It never made sense to me, and was rather silly, but you know this year, we have had a lot of rain, and the rhubarb was rather slow growing...so maybe Grandma Lyons was onto something?  Or maybe it was just the extremely chilly spring.  Very odd to be harvesting the first rhubarb the second week of May, when normally it is sometime at the beginning of April! 

 

So when I arrived home with my rhubarb the brainstorming of delicious treats to be made began, and I first made Strawberry rhubarb shortcakes, but then decided to make some lovely rhubarb galettes featuring simply the rhubarb.  I wanted mini galettes because I love little things, and in all honesty I halved the recipe I share with you below, because I live in a small household. 

I thought the rhubarb would be lovely with a hint of orange, and it was!  It gave it a light almost floral flavor that rhubarb doesn't normally contain when combined with simply lemon.  They came together quick, and were delicious warm with some home made vegan coconut vanilla bean ice cream!  If you have access to rhubarb, and are looking for a delicious way to welcome it being in season again, here is the recipe for these lovely galettes! 

Little Orange Scented Rhubarb Galettes

makes 4 small galettes

Crust:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp maple sugar
7 Tbsp chilled Earth Balance butter, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp organic orange zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4-5 Tbsp ice water

Filling:
1 lb organic rhubarb, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp organic orange zest
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup maple sugar
pinch of sea salt

2 Tbsp Melted Earth Balance
Turbinado sugar

To make crust, combine flour, sea salt, maple sugar and butter in a bowl, and use a pastry blender to cut into the mixture until it resembles pea sized chunks (you can also use your hands).  Add orange zest, and vanilla and water and mix into the dough.  Knead a few times until it comes together (you may need to add an additional Tbsp more water).  Shape into 4 disks, cover with plastic and refrigerate until cold, but not hard.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each portion of dough to a 7-inch round, about 1/8-inch thick.

Place rhubarb, orange juice, zest, vanilla, flour, maple sugar and sea salt in a large bowl and toss to combine. Arrange rhubarb mixture on top of dough on each round, leaving a  1 1/2-inch border all the way around. Fold border over the fruit mixture, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds. Brush edges of dough melted Earth Balance, sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling, 40-45 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool the galette. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The Sparkly Strawberry Martini

When I was five, I told my Mom I wanted to change my name to Amy "Sparkle".  I was in love with all things sparkly, as of course many five year olds are, so I am surprised I didn't go as far as naming my cat sparkle!  I have a video of me at a dance recital with all of my fellow dancers at preschool, but I was the only one not dancing.  Why?  I was picking up sequins off of the floor because they were sparkly!  Although I am not obsessed with sparkle anymore, I do still appriciate the beauty of sparkly things.  When I am in a good mood, I say I am feeling "sparkly", it is my word for happy, and I think it fits me. 

So last weekend when I made a drink, and it tasted so amazing that I was feeling quite sparkly while sipping it, I decided that it deserved to have the word sparkly in the title.  But not only did it taste delicious, it was sparkly beautiful!  It was ruby red, due to the strawberry puree added to it, and the rim was garnished with sparkling sugar and lovely lavander flowers.  It was a martini, as I used vodka as a base, allowing the flavors of the berries, lavander, lemon, and vanilla I also added to it to shine through.  It reminded me of spring, and it was incredibly refreshing with so many light flavors.  If you would like to feel sparkly, or maybe you are feeling sparkly, and would like a drink, here is the recipe!

The Sparkly Strawberry 
(Strawberry martini with citrus, vanilla and lavander)

Makes 1

4-6 large ice cubes

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 oz Prairie Organic Vodka
1/4 cup pureed strawberries
1 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp lavander agave syrup*

In a martini shaker add the ice, vanilla, vodka, orange juice, lemon juice, and lavander syrup and place top on shaker. Shake until well blended. Pour through a strainer into a chilled martini glass, and serve!

*Lavander Agave Syrup:
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup boiling filtered water
2 tsp dried lavander flowers

Combine all ingredients in a clean jar and allow to sit for a few days to let the lavander infuse. 

Vanilla Scented Double Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcakes

When I was a kid, to me strawberry shortcake meant one of those spongy nasty little storebought angelfood cakes topped with storebought frozen sweetened strawberry sauce and coolwhip.  I will not go near any of those ingredients now, as I did not enjoy them then.  I have to admit, I have never actually tried making home made strawberry shortcake, but it is something I have always wanted to do.  I have seen the images of lovely strawberry shortcakes in Better Homes and Gardens issues with home made cakes, dalloped with lovely fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberry sauce, and been inspired to want to create my own!  I decided this was the weekend I would finally attempt it!  However, rhubarb was to be added to the equation. 

I had finally gotten my hands on fresh rhubarb that I harvested myself, so I thought, what better than a strawberry rhubarb shortcake?!?!  My Grandma used to make the best strawberry rhubarb sauce when I was little from the rhubarb in her garden, and I would eat the stuff by the jarfull!  So I thought I would make my fruit for the shortcakes similar to her delicious sauce, but of course in my own style...which meant agave nectar instead of the large amount of sugar that she used to add.  I decided to make it vanilla scented as well, because I wanted plenty of vanilla in the form of vanilla seeds in my creamy filling!  I decided to veganize my strawberry shortcake and go with a fluffy vegan cream cheese mixture instead of the usual whipping cream, because I can't resist cream cheese in a dessert! 

Lastly, the shortcakes were to be anything but conventional.  I decided to use my best vegan scone recipe (so I don't know if technically these can be called shortcakes), and make them with strawberries and rhubarb, creating a "double" strawberry rhubarb shortcake!  I loved the idea of adding as much strawberries and rhubarb as possible!  They were delicious!  Packed full of strawberry and rhubarb goodness, and the perfect balance of sweetness!  Move over strawberry rhubarb pie, this might become a new favorite!  Here is the recipe if you would like to try some for yourself! 

Vanilla Scented Double Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcakes

Makes 4

Shortcakes:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup maple sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
4 Tbsp cold Earth balance vegan butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup cold full fat orgainc canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
1 1/2 pure vanilla extract
1 cup organic strawberries, cut into quarters or sixths if large
1 cup thinly sliced organic rhubarb
coconut milk for topping
turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. fold in berries and rhubarb until evenly distributed. place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 4 trianges. Place shortcakes on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if they are spreading, then place back in the oven). Cool on a wire rack.

Fruit:
2 cups strawberries
2 cups rhubarb
1/4-1/2 cup agave nectar
pinch of sea salt
vanilla bean pod (seeds removed and saved for filling)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

To make fruit, combine strawberries, rhubarb, agave nectar (adding more or less depending on how sweet the berries are), sea salt, and vanilla bean pod (reserving the seeds for the cream filling), and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook until fruit is tender and almost jammy, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, and pour into a bowl, and refridgerate until chilled.

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 oz tofutti vegan cream cheese
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
3 Tbsp agave nectar
seeds of one vanilla bean
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

To make filling, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. 

To assemble shortcakes, spoon a bit of the fruit onto each of four plates.  Slice the shortcakes in half horizontally and place bottom half on each plate.  Spoon more fruit onto the bottom half of each of the shortcakes, then a good dallop of the creamy filling onto each.  Place the tops of the cakes over the creamy filling on each, and top with more fruit if desired (or if there is extra).  Serve!

Vegan Almond French Toast

Sometimes I just get a craving for french toast, especially on days like today that are a bit dreary, chilly, and cloudy.  In a way, it is a form of comfort food!  I remember my Mom making a cinnamon spiced french toast as a kid, and always loving it!  In fact, I don't know of anyone who doesn't like french toast, it is so simple to make, and so incredibly good!  When my Mom would make it though, it wasn't usually for breakfast or brunch, it was for dinner.  So I have adopted the thought that it is perfectly acceptable to be served at the end of the day, especially when I need some comfort food.  I wanted to make some tonight, I decided while I was daydreaming at work today about what delicious thing I could have for dinner tonight.  But I opened my fridge and soon realized I didn't have any eggs.  Not to worry, vegan it was!  So I created my own veganized version of french toast using an almond butter batter.  I decided to go with the almond flavor even more and add a bit of almond extract in the batter, coat the toast with sliced almonds, and make an almond syrup to serve them with!  It was delicious!  They smelled wonderful, like sweet almonds and cinnamon, and the crunch of the toasty almonds provided a nice texture.  It was fast to make, comforting, and the perfect dish for a cool day.   Here is the recipe if you would like to make some!

Vegan Almond French Toast

Serves 2

Toast:

4 slices cinnamon bread, toasted

3/4 cup almond milk

3 Tbsp almond butter

1 Tbsp agave nectar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract

2 Tbsp whole wheat flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

a pinch of sea salt

 1 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Coconut oil

 Almond Syrup:

1/2 cup agave nectar

2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt

powdered sugar (optional)

2 oranges, cut into supremes

In a large bowl, to make the batter, whisk together almond milk, almond butter, agave nectar, vanilla extract,  almond extract, flour, cornstarch, and sea salt. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and place a plate on the rack.  Place toasted almonds in a shallow dish. Dip toast slices in batter, let drain, and coat with almonds on both sides.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add about a Tbsp or two of coconut oil.  Cook Toast slices one or two at a time in pan for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned, and remove to the plate in the oven to crisp up.  Repeat with other slices.  Keep toast warm in the oven.  To make syrup, whisk together agave nectar, almond extract, vanilla extract, and sea salt (you will have extra for use in the future).  To serve place french toast on a plate, dust with powdered sugar if desired, top with orange slices (or other fruit you have on hand), and drizzle with almond syrup. 

Mother's Day Lavander Almond Cake

I couldn't ask for a better Mom...she is beautiful, kind, supportive, fun, and a best friend to me!  We have always been close, since I was a child, and for that I am very thankful!  I always enjoy the time we spend together, and luckilly we enjoy many of the same things!  She has taught me important life lessons, and I have to say that of everyone in my life she has made the biggest impact, and shaped the person I have become! 

 I wanted to make her a special cake this year for Mother's day.  One of her favorite cakes that I make is a banana almond cake.  But I have made this one about 3 times for her Birthday in the past, so I wanted something a bit different and more intricate for this occasion. 

I wanted to keep the almond part of the cake, because the marzipan layer and the toasted almonds on sweet cream cheese frosting are her favorite part!  I can see why, because she loves almond flavored things like I love vanilla flavored things.  She always put a little almond extract in many of her baked goods, even when they simply called for vanilla.  So for this occasion, I decided on a lavander almond cake with marzipan and lavander blueberry filling. 

A lovely cake for a lovely woman!  Lavander is one of her favorite scents, she is always using lavander essential oils, and when I smell lavander I am reminded of her.  The blueberry layer was added, because I thought the cake needed a tart, jammy contrast to the sweet cake and almond filling.  The cake itself smelled heavenly as it was baking, lavander and almond whafting through the kitchen...the scent itself even reminding me of my Mom and her favorite scents. 

When it was all assembled and ready to dig into we couldn't wait!   For good reason, it smelled amazing.  But we had to stop for a second and admire its beauty as well, the pale lavander frosting was lovely!  The cake tasted even better than it looked!  The cake layers were sweet and light, with the delicate scents of lavander and almond.  The slightly tart lavander scented blueberry jam a nice contrast to the gooey sweet cream cheese frosting, and sweet nutty marzipan layers.  The crunchy almonds were wonderful, adding a toasty crunchyness on the smooth frosting.  As a whole it was heavenly, and dare I say it... the best cake I have ever made!  Mom loved it as well, admitting that it was far better than the banana almond cake.  The recipe is included below if you would like a taste of this deliciousness.  Happy Mother's Day Mom, I love you! 

Vegan Lavander Almond Cake with Marzipan and Blueberry Filling 

Makes 1 6 inch 4 layer cake

2 6 inch cake pans

Cake:

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

3 Tbsp dried lavander flowers

1 cup maple sugar or granulated sugar

1/2 cup almond oil

1 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Filling:

8 oz almond paste or marzipan

6 Tbsp lavander scented blueberry jam* (recipe follows) or other blueberry jam

Frosting:

3 8 oz pkgs tofutti cream cheese

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
plant based purple food coloring (if desired)

1 cup toasted sliced almonds (about)
Additional dried lavander flowers

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and lavander in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk sugar, oil, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in lemon juice vinegar and stir quickly (pale swirls will be in the batter, which is the baking soda reacting with the lemon juice, which allows the cake to rise since there are no eggs). Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cake out onto platter; peel off parchment paper. Let cool completely, then place in the fridge to chill until very cold to make slicing easier (since cakes with no eggs crumble easier). When chilled, slice cakes horizontally in half so that you have 4 layers.

To make frosting, whip cream cheese until smooth, then add agave, maple sugar, vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in a few drops of food coloring until frosting is the desired color of purple.
Divide marzipan into 3 pieces, and roll each into a circle the diameter of the cake (6 inches). 

To assemble cake, place one layer on a plate, and top with about 2 Tbsp blueberry jam. Spread out over cake layer but not all the way to the edge, because you don't want it to ooze. Top with one marzipan circle, then spread about 2 Tbsp cream cheese frosting over marzipan.  Top with another cake layer and repeat, then the next 2 layers ending with a top layer of cake. To frost cake, spread frosting over top and sides, smothing out as you go. Set remaining frosting aside, and use toasted almonds to coat the sides of the cake.  Use the remaining frosting to pipe decoratively onto the top of the cake using a pastry bag or plastic ziplock with a hole in the corner. I piped the frosting around the top edges of the cake, but feel free to be creative! Sprinkle the top of the cake with some dried lavander, refridgerate for a few hours and serve!

*if you would like a 4 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans.

*Lavander Scented blueberry Agave JamMakes 2 cups

2 bags frozen blueberries 10 oz each

1 1/2 Tbsp dried lavander flowers
3/4 cups agave nectar
Juice of one large lemon
a pinch of sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine berries, lavander, agave nectar, and lemon juice in a pot and add salt.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Add vanilla, and pour jam into an air tight container. Jam will store in your refrigerator for several months.