Vegan Turtles

The only recipes I’ve posted for 2019 so far are all sweet things, which totally goes against the whole new-year-new-you trend, but it just feels so right for this space right now. It reflects the heart of my kitchen because let’s face it, even though I cook 2-3 savory meals every day and cooking is growing on me more and more, my soul still belongs to baking. My first true love. It’s also true to the current theme of my kitchen, speed.

These turtles come together in under 10 minutes (maybe 20 with the freezing time) and they’re as delicious as they are adorable. If you’re having friends over and need a little something sweet , I got you. If you just like a little something-something after dinner every night (or breakfast and lunch), I got you.

Vegan Turtles

• 6 ounces dark chocolate, I like 85% cocoa or darker

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• one batch of vegan caramel

• 50 pecan halves, raw (about 1 cup)

Place the chocolate and coconut oil In a medium bowl and microwave in short increments, 15-30 seconds or so, until they have both melted. Be careful as to not burn the chocolate.

On a sheet of parchment paper place 5 pecans together as to create a star formation (see pictures). Place about 1 tablespoon of vegan caramel in the middle of each of the stars. Next, use the melted chocolate to cover the caramel. Leave the little turtle feet and heads poking out to maintain the cute “turtle” vibe. No matter what happens though, they’ll taste good.

Place in the freezer for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. Remove from the parchment paper and place in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Drizzled No Bake Vanilla Macaroons

Josiah and I made an impromptu trip to Austin right before the new year. It was as full of tacos as I expected and my heart was so happy!

Less happy was my heart when we returned home on New Year’s Eve, just in time to host our friends, only to realize our oven was unusable. I had to nix a few of the items I had planned on and make a few adjustments which was less than ideal but turned out far better than I could have expected. One of the adjustments that I made was turning this baked macaroon recipe into a no-bake recipe that turned out to be even more delicious than the original! Just a tiny way that life is reminding me to lean into the curveballs it throws, because sometimes those curveballs might just lead us towards something even better.

This macaroon recipe takes like 5 minutes and just so happens to be gluten-free AND vegan. They pack a hearty dose of healthy fats and they’re sweet, but not too sweet which means it’s totally cool if you have one at lunch AND dinner.

Chocolate Dipped No Bake Vanilla Macaroons

Makes 24

• 1 cup raw almonds, ground into a fine meal

• 1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ cup pure maple syrup

• ¼ cup coconut butter

• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (I use this brand)

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the almond meal, shredded coconut, salt, maple syrup, melted coconut butter, and vanilla extract until throughly combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.

Scoop the dough out a tablespoon at a time and then roll into balls. Place the rolled balls onto the parchment paper.

In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together over low-medium heat, stirring frequently until smooth.

Drizzle the melted chocolate over the macaroons. Freeze the balls for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.

Remove from the parchment paper and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Vegan Caramel

I’m trying to get back into a rhythm of posting in this space. The past six months have forced me to put a lot of things on hold. All by choice, but some more reluctantly than others. This blog was definitely one of the things I didn’t want to put on hold, but found very difficult to keep up (both in energy and in content) with all of the changes and uncertainty around us. Now that we’re settled into our Omaha home I think you can expect to hear from me on a more regular basis. For better or worse.

Enough fluff, I know what you really came for is the recipe and I pinky promise this is one you’re going to want to have in your life. How do I know that? Because I’m going to be posting a few more recipes in the coming two months that utilize this exact vegan caramel recipe and if you’re going to make those things you’re going to need this. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to wait for those recipes to release to enjoy this caramel. While you wait you can pour this caramel on almost anything and turn it into a magical bowl/plate/cup of deliciousness. And if you’re really impatient and not wanting to stretch your creative brain at all, just stick a spoon in it and eat it straight up. I fully support any and all variations on consumption. Enjoy.

Vegan Caramel

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup almond butter

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat the maple syrup, almond butter, and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the ingredients have liquified and fully combined, stir in the vanilla. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator, using as needed.

Grain-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Slowness has been on my mind lately. Probably because my life for the last three months has represented anything BUT slowness. Ever since we moved out of our old apartment and into a state of unknown (see here) there has been far less thriving and way more surviving than I would care to admit. I'm a busy body by nature. I can't sit still, but amidst the shuffle of the last few months I've lost so much of myself and my purpose and I need to get back to my normal. 

As a challenge to myself I want to make a little shift. I want to slow down. I want to embrace slow mornings where I have the chance to cook breakfast in my PJs and sip coffee as long as I want. I want to forgo rushing from errand to errand or getting anxiety over the impending to-do list. Instead I want to slow down and take more breaths. Wish me luck. 

Between breaths you can find me making these paleo banana chocolate chip muffins. They're hella easy and damn good. And I know we're all about that. 

Grain-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins 

Makes 15

• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly 
• 4 mashed bananas 
• 2/3 cup maple syrup 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoons vanilla 
• 2 cups almond flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 3/4 cup Enjoy life mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, or another non-dairy chocolate chip 
• a pinch of salt
• 1 banana, cut into slices to top the muffins 

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with muffin tins. In a large bowl beat together the coconut oil, mashed bananas, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. In another bowl mix together the almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet until they are fully combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake tins and then top each with a banana slice. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Take out of the oven and allow to cool.