Vegan Dessert Decadence

Vegans often get the short end of the stick when it comes to dessert. Most pitch in cookouts are full of baked goods, almost all of which contain eggs or dairy. Here is a dessert idea that everyone will like.

Ingredients

1 12-16 oz. bag frozen berries (either mix or single preferred variety)

1 package Graham crackers (watch out for eggs and dairy)

1-2 cups Shredded Coconut

1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut milk or soy milk

4-5  T of margarine (Earth Balance is vegan)

2 T of unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

Frozen berries and other fruits are a great place to start for desserts, especially those with a healthier twist. They are a great value if buying produce off season at all, and they aren't as sensitive with ripeness. By all means, though, if fresh fruits are available in your grocery store and budget, they'll work just fine. Graham crackers (which can be found without eggs or dairy - try Trader Joe's Cinnamon Grahams) work well to form a nice crust with Earth balance or any other margarine melted down and combined with the crumbs and even a little bit of unsweetened cocoa powder if it is available. Just crunch graham crackers and add cocoa, then stream in small amounts of melted margarine and combine until the mixture is wet enough to form a crust if pressed into the bottom of a dish. Thaw berries in the microwave or on the counter. There will be a lot of juice as they thaw so sometimes it is a good idea to keep the bag in a bowl of some kind to catch any that leaks. Berry juice stains are pretty stubborn. Put the crust in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes or so just to crisp the top and then fill with the berries. In a separate bowl take shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) and dampen it with a little bit of coconut milk or soy milk - even some of the margarine if coconut milk or soy milk would never have another use in your regular cooking. Use enough coconut, at least a cup, to top the entire top of the pie.  Then put the pie into the oven until the berries have bubbled and the coconut is toasted. Usually it takes about 10 minutes or so. Serve with a nice raspberry or chocolate sorbet. Who still wants to put their foot down for cake and ice cream? This makes a great birthday treat.

The Best Macaroons Ever

The weekend is a time for spending a little extra time in the kitchen. A great way to spend time with friends or a loved one, even children, is to bake some cookies. This recipe is for extremely moist coconut & lime macaroons dipped in dark chocolate, and wind up being a perfect combination between a cookie and a candy. Great as gifts, for holidays or just for a sweet treat, this recipe will find its way into your collection and stay there for years.

A major complaint among most macaroons is either that they are filled with dairy or dry and lifeless. These are completely dairy free, and can be made gluten free by using rice flour in place of wheat. They taste just as good.

Ingredients
4 egg whites (can't subsitute quick whites because they won't whip up)
6 tbsp all-purpose OR rice flour
pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar OR 1/4 cup agave nectar (for those looking for lower gycemic levels)
Zest and juice of 1 lime OR 1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 12 oz bag of unsweetened shredded coconut (look for a brand that looks moist)
8-10 oz Dark Chocolate chips (or one dark chocolate bar broken into chunks)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Start by beating the egg whites on high until they form soft peaks. This is done best by starting with room temperature eggs in a cold bowl. Slowly add in the sugar and continue whipping until the eggs form stiff peaks. Essentually this is meringue at this point.

> Peaks are determined by lifting the beater out of the eggs and whether the eggs cling to the beater and form rounded or sharp peaks.

Mix and sift all the remaining dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking powder)

Use a technique professional bakers call "folding." It is best done with a spatula. Here is a video for making mousse that uses the same folding technique. It is best to pour the ingredients in slowly for this recipe and continue gently folding. This ensures that the air incorperated into the eggs does not deflate, and makes for lighter, moister cookies.

Now slowly sprinkle in the coconut following the same technique. If the coconut is moist, it is important to separate the shreds so nothing is too bulky. Zest one lime and squeeze the juice into the mixture. Fold one last time.

Spoon out cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. They will not spread very much, but keep them about an inch apart. Place on the center rack in the oven for about 15 mintues or until the coconut on top is golden brown, but not burnt.

Let cool for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, melt the chocolate in double broiler. To make a double broiler, fill a sauce pan with about an inch of water and boil. Find a bowl that will fit inside the pan but not touch the water, and drop the heat to medium. Pour in chocolate chips and stir until melted.

For a final touch, dip the macaroons in the dark chocoalte, coating the bottom and then place back on a cooling rack. These are best kept in the refrigeator, if they last long enough to keep past a day.

Enjoy! And a have a great weekend. This post will resume on Monday, February 23 and continue every Monday thru Friday from there on out.