NO-BAKE VEGAN COOKIE BALLS

 

WHY HELLO AGAIN! More chocolate you say? YES, more chocolate and sweets. I have been taken over by a SERIOUS chocolate craving lately. You know what's amazing though? These little babies are so easy, delicious and of course V E G A N too. Yummy on the tummy is always important! A very easy and quick, healthy way to curb your sweet appetite.

 

I recently made these for a Women's dinner and they were a pretty big hit. One of the ladies daughters (who is 3 and very active!) gave me a brilliant idea. She wanted a cookie, but her mama didn't want crumbs going all over the floor where she travelled (makes sense!)- so she compacted them into little balls. GENIUS, thanks Gillian and Olivia!

Most of this recipe is mine- although I give credit to my mother, as I used her basic idea of her original no-bake recipe, so thanks mom!! They are so good you will want to eat them all before they hit the cookie sheet.....I guarantee it!

THESE ARE

CHEWY

YUMMY

CHOCOLATE-Y

PEANUT-BUTTERY

and SO EASY TO MAKE!

 

NO-BAKE VEGAN COOKIE BALLS

1/4 C. + 1/8 C. Organic, NON-GMO Coconut Oil (I use unrefined)
1/4 C.  Organic DARK (Grade B) Maple Syrup (I don't like my cookies too sweet- you can always add more if you like! NOTE: Agave Syrup works great too!)
1/2 C. Organic, NON-GMO Coconut Milk (or any other plant based milk
1/4 C. Carob Powder or Cocoa

8 TBS. Organic, NON-GMO Peanut Butter (or other nut butter)
3 C. Organic Gluten Free Oats (Regular Rolled work better)
1 Tsp. Organic Vanilla
1-2 TBS. Organic, NON-GMO Coconut Flakes, finely chopped

Mix first set of ingredients- coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut milk & cocoa in a small saucepot. Let this come to a boil, and let boil for at LEAST 30 sec but no more than 1 minute. Take off heat, add in peanut butter and vanilla, quickly swirl to combine. Dump in oats and stir to evenly mix. Use a cookie baller/ice-cream scoop or your hands to shape these little balls, then set on parchment lined cookie sheet. Simply add finely chopped coconut flakes on the top of each cookie. Let rest at least 30 minutes, and they set up quicker in the fridge. Then ENJOY!!!

Please let me know how these turn out! Please hastag me on Instagram (link on right of page). Have a lovely day- now go enjoy some chocolate!! 

Peace, Love, Joy

Courtney

Photos: Courtney Hayes

 

VEGAN CHOCOLATE QUINOA CAKE!

HOORAY for CHOCOLATE CAKE!! Who's with me? Or does anyone stand a chance against me....especially while eating this cake? Probably not.......because it is THAT amazing.

This cake is

GOOEY
CHEWY
CHOCOLATE-Y
FUDGE-Y
MOIST
TENDER
& Straight-up D E L I C I O U S!!!

I have been eating mainly vegan for awhile now (coming up on a year), and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I currently am enrolled in a NON-VEGAN culinary school, and it actually makes me want to be MORE VEGAN. Pretty awesome, eh?

 This cake uses flax "eggs" instead of actual eggs, and is FLOUR-LESS!!! WHAT? Amazing, I know......

 The only question I have for you is.......WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? You know you want to make this cake!

So, just cave in....after all, think of all the joy it will bring!


VEGAN CHOCOLATE QUINOA CAKE

2 cups cooked Organic Quinoa, loosely packed
1/3 cup NON-GMO PLANT based milk (I used Almond)
4 Flax "eggs" (1/4 C. Flaxseed Meal + 3/4 C. Warm Water, let sit 5-10 min)
1 teaspoon Organic Vanilla
3/4 cup Organic, NON-GMO Grapeseed Oil
1 1/2 cups Organic, NON-GMO Cane Sugar
1 cup unsweetened Organic, Fair-Trade Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two round cake pans (or a 9x13 pan), or 3 small (like I did) and then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment. (Do not skip the parchment if you want to be able to flip the cake out of the pan!)

Combine the milk, flax "eggs" and vanilla in the blender/food processor and pulse to combine. Add both the quinoa & oil, and puree until completely smooth. Stop the machine as needed to scrape the sides and make sure everything is well mixed. This will be a thick and creamy consistency once pureed. SIFT together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, make a "well" in your bowl, and add the contents from the blender. Stir until well combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans (or 3 like me :)) and bake on a center oven rack for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (may need more time if you have a DEEPER dish, less for a more SHALLOW). Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire cooling rack. Peel off the parchment and let the cakes cool completely before frosting/icing/decorating. TA DA!!!!

Please let me know how yours turned out, if you've questions, comments & the like!

Love, Peace, & Joy,

Courtney

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CAKE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! 2015 is in full swing! Before we talk more

 in depth about how 2014 was and the expectancies of 2015- lets talk about C A K E!! And not just any cake....V E G A N PEANUT BUTTER C A K E! WHHHAAATTT?! Yep, that's right.

There are several reasons why this cake is SUPER amazing. It uses Flax Eggs rather than animal eggs, plant milk & plant oils/fats instead of dairy. On top of that you have the superb addition of peanut butter and it's heaven in every bite. Don't believe me? Try the cake yourself and let me know in the comments below!

This cake is so delicious, moist & bursting with so much flavor, it does not need a frosting. However, it was for New Years Day- celebrate big or go home, AM I RIGHT?!.......

 

The frosting I made was a fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter delight. Seriously, it takes just like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (which I no longer eat, but still crave intensely). You could imagine how happy I was with the results....... :)

How about coming over, kicking off your shoes, enjoying some coffee or tea along with a slice of this heavenly creation while we mull over 2014 and look ahead to 2015? (recipe below)

ENJOY!!! Wishing you all the best in the New Year! God bless!

Courtney

Photo Credit: Courtney Hayes

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CAKE 

1/2 C. NON-GMO, SOY-FREE Butter at room temperature (1 stick)

3/4 C. Vegan, Organic, NON-GMO Peanut Butter (you can sub crunchy if you'd like, I used all natural, smooth, no salt added)

2 C. Organic, Fair-Trade DARK Brown Sugar (loosely packed)

1 Tsp. Organic Vanilla

3 FLAX EGGS (For each egg, it's 1 TBSP Flaxmeal + 3 TBSP Warm Water)

2 C. Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 TBSP Baking Powder (aluminium free)

1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt

1 C. Organic, NON-GMO Plant Based Milk (I used Almond, but you can sub any)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First make the flax eggs and set aside, as they need about 5 minutes to set properly. 

Next, mix the butter, PB and Sugar together. 

Then,  slowly add milk, vanilla and flax eggs. Combine and stir well, but don't overbeat. Batter should be runny and smooth at this point.

In a seperate bowl add all the dry ingredients, mix them together- then slowly add them to the batter mixture. Sift you feel the need too- if your flour is clumpy. Mix well.

You can now decide if you want to bake these as a layer cake, 2 layer cake, or 18 cupcakes. Baking time will vary- for a layer cake (9x13 size), it's about 40-45 min. For 2 layer cakes, about 35 min (check after the 30 min mark every 5 min until done), and the cupcakes about 20-25 min. Let cool on wire rack for at least 30 min.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

1 Stick (1/2 c.) NON-GMO Vegan Butter

1 Tsp. Organic Vanilla

A couple TBS of Vegan Peanut Butter (you decide how peanut-y you want it to be!)

Coconut Milk (NOT FROM THE CAN- FROM THE CARTON) to add in to make the frosting thinner) if you need.

1/2 C. Fair-Trade, Organic Cocoa

Roughly 1 1/2 C. Organic, Fair-Trade Powdered Sugar (ADD as you go, as depending on the temps of the butters, you may need less or more)

Mix the butters together, add in the vanilla. Mix well. Add in the cocoa and a bit of coconut milk (about 1/2 tsp), then slowly add in the powdered sugar. Note: If your frosting mix is really thick- just add more coconut milk to thin it to your desired texture. ENJOY!!!

 

Vegan Pumpkin Walnut & Dark Chocolate Rolls!

Hello! I have been completely pumpkin obsessed as of late. I don't even think I can blame it on autumn either, I just LOVE pumpkin. Plus, it's so good for you- Why resist it? It's full of Vitamin A, a form of alpha-carotene, full of immune-boosting power & promotes healthy vision. Yes, please!

 

I decided to make a vegan pumpkin roll- like a cinnamon roll or knot. I added in organic walnuts & dark chocolate chips (carob chips). I loved using maple syrup as a sweetener in the pumpkin dough....we just bought this delicious stuff from our trip to Vermont.  YUM!! These are perfect for dinner, breakfast, lunch & brunch....aww shucks, they'd be a great snack too!

 

I tell you- these are DELICIOUS!!

~ Chewy

~ Pumpkin-y 

~ Rich chocolatey goodness

~ Slightly nutty

~ Not overly sweet- a perfect balance!

Vegan Pumpkin Walnut & Dark Chocolate Rolls

ROLL RECIPE

3 1/4 C. Organic Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 TBS. Sea Salt
4 TBS. Vegan Butter or Spectrum Organic (non-hydrogenated) Shortening
1 C. Very, very warm water
1 TBS. Yeast (or 1 pckg)
1/4 C. Organic Pumpkin Puree (fresh or canned)
3 TBS. Maple Syrup (or other sugar subs)

Add yeast in warm water. Let sit 5 min.
Combine all dry ingredients, set aside.
Combine butter, pumpkin and maple syrup- stir well.
After yeast has set for 5 min, combine with wet ingredients (pumpkin).
Slowly add in dry ingredients, and knead by hand for about 5 min.
Set in a bowl in a warm area, and cover with a clean cloth.
Let rise for at least 40 min.

After dough has risen, take out of bowl and sprinkle flour on surface and gently roll out till dough is about 1/4" thick. Remaining instructions continue below.

FILLING

1 Tsp (or less) of Organic Coconut Oil
2 TBS. Organic DARK Brown Sugar (NOT LIGHT!)
1/2 Tsp. Organic Cinnamon
1/2 C. Organic Walnuts
1/2. C. Organic Dark Chocolate Chip (dairy-free or carob chips)

Start with the coconut oil, and lightly brush on dough that's been rolled out. You don't need a lot...this oil covers well. Spread the dark brown sugar with your hands out on 1/2 the size of the dough (as you will be folding the dough in 1/2). Sprinkle the cinnamon, nuts & chocolate on the dough. Fold the dough that has nothing on it over, and press the ends closed. Slice 12 long strips and tie each strip in a knot. Do not worry if some of the filling falls out, you can always sprinkle left overs on the top. Add in greased or parchment paper lined muffin tins.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

ENJOY!! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Pics by Me

Peace, Love, Joy

Courtney

Chic Coats- Wrap Yourself Up for Winter!

Hello! Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Can you believe it's fall already? It has been around for a couple weeks now....but it's actually starting to show through the beautiful fall foliage. I'm really hoping that Tyler and I will get to go on a fall foliage trip. It's very sad to me that we have not yet taken a road trip and we've lived here for 2 falls......I'm sure we will do it next year if it won't fit in the schedule this year.

When fall comes around I start thinking about coffee, cozy sweaters, everything pumpkin and apple and warm coats. Among the chicest coat styles are the blanket and wrap styles. Here are 4 coats I would LOVE to own-- beautiful colors, textures and heavy wool fabric. YUM! I can imagine myself being blanketed in this coat heaven. What do you think?

Top Left Rocha's Green Coat

Top Right MaxMara Fur Trim Coat

Bottom Left Hacene Cream Belted Coat

Bottom Right Altuzarra Blue Coat

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace, Love, Joy

Courtney

CHOCOLATE-Y GOODNESS CAKE WITH GANACHE!

Happy Monday folks....and happy August! Can you believe it? August already?! I've had chocolate cake on the mind for awhile now....and I had to make a chocolate cake recipe of my own making. To be honest, I was worried about complete and utter diaster when creating this. I have made many of my own recipes- but never attempted my own cake recipe.

So.....I stepped out in faith and it was a huge success. I loved it and so did my husband (and he is VERY picky about chocolate cake!). I am more than happy to share the recipe with you all....

NOTE: Next time I'd like to make this truly vegan and add no eggs. If you do sub something else for eggs- let me know how it goes! Flaxseed meal is a great substitute.


CHOCOLATE-Y GOODNESS CAKE

1 cup Organic brown sugar
1/2 cup Organic Cane Sugar
4 TBLS Organic Coconut Oil (I used unrefined- but you can use either)
2oz Organic Dark Chocolate (you can sub vegan chocolate)
2 Organic Eggs
1/2 cup Fair Trade Coffee
1/2  cup Organic Coconut Milk
1 Tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
2 cups Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
3/4 cup Fair Trade Cocoa Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Sea Salt

CHOCOLATE-COCONUT GANACHE

4oz Organic Dark Chocolate (I used 60%)
1 tsp Organic Coconut Oil
 
Grab a large bowl and combine the sugars and the eggs. Next, take the dark chocolate and coconut oil and warm in the microwave for about 45 seconds and stir the chocolate until it's melted and smooth. Add in the batter along with the vanilla extract and combine.

In a separate bowl, combine and mix all dry ingredients- flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, & salt. Alternate dry ingredients with wet ingredients in bowl until batter is smooth. Pour in greased (with coconut oil) 9x13 pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 min. Check with a toothpick in the center to make sure it comes out clean. Allow to cool on wire rack for @ least 30 minutes before adding on ganache.

For Chocolate ganache- simply melt the chocolate and oil in microwave for 1-2 min and continually stir and pour it over cake. Sprinkle with cocoa and serve!! YUMNESS guaranteed!

Peace, Love, Joy

Courtney 

Coveted Wants: Fringe & Plaids

With August on top of us, I feel like fall is soon going to be at my doormat! And you know what that means.....fall clothing! I love to see the fall clothing hitting stores in August- it makes me happy and ready for something new and exciting. With these things on my mind, I have been coveting fringe & plaid lately- and I can't wait to mix the two in the fall when it's cooler and perfect weather for layering. I have included some inspirational and much coveted pieces I adore. What do you think? Are you also excited for fall?

Starting from top left working down to bottom right:

Derek Lam Plaid Skirt

Rag & Bone Crop Top

Stuart Weitzman Oxfords

M Missoni Plaid Dress

MCQ by Alexander McQueen Silk Plaid Dress

Love Moschino Dress

Alice+Olivia Plaid Skirt

Saint Laurent Plaid Slip-On

Carven Plaid Jacket

Proenza Fringe Bag

Tim Ryan Fringed Dress

Sophia Webster Fringe Lace-Ups

Nicole Miller Beaded Fringe Top

J Crew Fringe Necklace

Denim Fringe Sleeve top 

Marni Metallic Fringe Sandal 

MSGM Fringe Jacket 

Raquel Allegra Fringe Dress 

Peace, Love, Joy

Courtney