While Valentine’s Day is not my favourite holiday, it is one of my favourite holidays to bake!
It is a reason to make cutesy desserts, whip out the lace, sprinkles, and frills, and indulge in comforting and romantic homemade meals that would make anyone swoon.
It is also one of the only times of the year when I don’t feel like a 7 year old girl for loving the colour pink.
[Nadia’s Heart-shaped Oatmeal Pancakes]
Some of you might remember back in 2009, I hosted a Valentine’s Day contest. It was a lot of fun and many of you submitted some awesome Valentine’s Day recipes!
Here are some of the wonderful dishes that were submitted…
Lindsey’s Valentine’s Day Ravioli dessert took the US prize:
Hayley won the Canadian prize with her Raspberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast:
I loved the presentation of Karen’s I Love You Brownie:
and Diana’s Mmm-Mmm Cupcakes were show stoppers:
[For the recipes above (and others), see this post.]
This year, I’d love if you could share with me your favourite vegan recipes that would be great for Valentine’s Day. Or perhaps, you have a non-vegan recipe that you’d like me to try to tackle and revamp making it free of animal products.
Whatever the case, type out or copy and paste your full recipe below in the comment section. Eric will be selecting a couple for me to try out (or maybe he can make one too?).
You can submit as many as you like and it can be a dessert, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack recipe. The sky is the limit so get creative!
Those recipes that Eric selects for me to feature on the blog, will win a $25 Gift Certificate to Glo Bakery just as a small token of my appreciation (US and Canadian residents only).
Deadline to submit your recipe in the comments below is Feb 7th. I will also be featuring some of my own Valentine’s Day recipes on the blog, from now until V-Day, so stay tuned for the recipes!
XOXO.
As much as I love Valentine’s Day desserts, I thought it would to fun to go for something breakfast inspired. I think this year I might make this (or a modified, un-vegan version) for my boyfriend as a breakfast-in-bed treat.
Almond French Toast
(with strawberries, maple syrup, and whipped cream)
For the whipped cream (to prepare ahead)
You will need:
– 1 14 oz. can of coconut milk
– 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
1. 24 hours in advance, refrigerate the can of coconut milk. Do not disturb it.
2. 45 minutes before preparation, place your mixer and beaters in the fridge (so that they will be chilled when you work with them).
3. Working slowly and carefully, open the coconut milk and spoon the thick coconut cream into your mixer.
4. Beat the coconut cream for 30-45 seconds, or until light and fluffy.
5. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar.
6. Refrigerate if not immediately using. It will hold well in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
For the french toast:
You will need:
– 2/3 cup almonds
– 1 small, very ripe banana
– 1/2 cup almond milk
– 1 tsp vanilla
– Nice bread (sourdough or french recommended)
– Earth Balance (or other vegan butter or oil)
– Powdered sugar (for dusting)
– Halved strawberries
– Maple syrup
Directions:
1. If almonds are already finely chopped, place them in a bowl. If they are not, chop them into as small of pieces as possible and place them into a bowl.
2. Mash the banana as well as possible (to achieve an egg-like texture).
3. Mix the almond milk and vanilla into the mashed banana.
4. Slice bread into thick pieces. Dip each piece first into the banana mixture (until well-soaked) and then into the almond pieces.
5. Cook the pieces in a skillet coated with Earth Balance.
6. Lightly dust the cooked pieces with powdered sugar and drizzle them with maple syrup. Top with strawberries and a dollop of vegan whipped cream.
I’m hungry already!
Fabulous idea!! I would love to see how you could vegan-ize and valentine-ize my favorite Mexican Black Bean Fudgy Brownies. I love the spice in them, but they could use some RED! :)
http://www.sprint2thetable.com/2011/01/spice-up-your-dessert/
Mexican Black Bean Fudgy Brownies
3/4 C Cocoa powder
1/2 C Salted butter
1/2 C Applesauce (unsweetened)
15 oz Canned black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 C Walnuts (chopped)
1 T Instant coffee
2 tsp Vanilla
1 1/4 tsp Roasted ground cinnamon
1 tsp Ancho chili powder
3/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
Shake of kosher salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 C Light agave nectar
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Prepare an 11 x 7 in pyrex dish by lining with parchment paper or lightly oiling with Baker’s Joy/Pam/butter/etc.
Melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in applesauce and cocoa powder until combined. Place the beans, 1/2 C of walnuts, vanilla extract, and 3-4 spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture into a food processor. Blend until smooth (~ 1 min). It will be very thick. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together remaining 1/2 C walnuts, the rest of the melted chocolate mixture, instant coffee, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs with a mixer until light and creamy (~ 1-2 min). Add agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.
Add bean mixture to butter mixture, manually stirring until blended well. Then add the egg mixture (reserving 1/4 C to drizzle over top if desired), and hand mix until just combined. Pour the batter into prepared pan.
Bake for ~45 mins, until the brownies are set. Cool completely in the pan before cutting. You may need to refrigerate first – these are extremely soft.
Ooh fun contest!
I love the idea of this contest! :) I love those raviolli ones — I never would have thought of that!! :)
Does the recipe have to be our own creation? Because I have a recipe that I used to make (before I was vegan) from Martha Stewart. It’s a delicious raspberry swirl cheesecake.
Here is the link: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/raspberry-swirl-cheesecake
I’m guessing it won’t get picked because Eric is doing the picking and it doesn’t include chocolate. LOL. But just look at that picture (in the link). It’s a gorgeous creation, and fun to make (the swirling). I’ll see what else I can think of. I LOVE this idea, by the way. Valentine’s Day is such a nice way to breakup the winter blues!
I can’t wait to see what you choose!!
P.S. It’s pretty garnished with fresh raspberries and mint leaves as well! I imagine it would make an amazing photo shoot (hint, hint). ;)
Nope it doesnt have to be your own creation :)
raspberry stuffed french toast? DESERT RAVIOLI? Wow. I think I’ll start exercising now to offset the potential calorie influx on valentine’s day!
I’m not vegan but those recipes look delicious! I just may have to try some! :)
I haven’t attempted any vegan baking recipes as of yet…but it’s on my to do list=) I am very ready for Valentine’s Day however and just bought jumbo I <3 U cookie cutters!
Valentine’s Day Granola
Ingredients
2/3 cups agave nectar or honey
1/4 cup water
4 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups bran flakes
1 jar (12 ounces) toasted wheat germ
2/3 cup flaked
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. dried cherries
1/3 c. dairy-free white chocolate chips
1/3 c. dairy free dark chocolate chips
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring agave and water to a boil. Cook and stir until agave has dissolved into water. Remove from the heat; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, coconut, pecans, flour and salt.
Stir oil and vanilla into agave mixture; pour over oat mixture and toss to coat.
Transfer to two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans and press down well with fingers. Bake at 250° for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until dry and lightly browned, stirring every 15 minutes. Break granola into clumps and allow to cool completely. Mix in dried fruit and chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container.
This makes about 10 1/2 c.
that’s supposed to be 2/3 c. flaked COCONUT :)
Valentine’s Day Chocolates
Ingredients:
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chopped dates
2 tbsp coconut nectar or agave nectar
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 oz. good quality dark chocolate, for coating
Chocolate candy molds of choice (heart-shaped preferred)
1. In a food processor, process the almonds and coconut to a coarse meal.
2. Add the flax, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and dates and process until thoroughly combined.
3. Finally, add the coconut nectar, coconut oil, ginger and vanilla and pulse just to combine.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (tempering instructions here). When ready, cover the inside of the candy molds using a teaspoon or your finger (just thick enough so that you can’t see through the inside of the molds). Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
6. Next, fill the chocolate molds with the gingerbread mixture, filling to the top of each mold. Then, using a teaspoon, cover the tops of the molds with more chocolate, making sure to even it out. Tap the mold lightly on your countertop to break any bubbles that may form in the chocolate. Refrigerate for an hour before attempting to remove them from the molds. Chocolate candies can be stored in a tightly covered container in the fridge for several weeks.
I think these tarts would make a fantastic Valentine’s Day dessert! I made a veganized version of panna cotta as a filling for chocolate-almond tart crusts, and topped them off with a beautiful swirl of strawberry cream. This recipe makes enough for 4 individual tarts.
Mint-infused Cream Tarts with Strawberry Swirl
For the crust:
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp sunflower or canola oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1. Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, salt and cocoa, and pulse several times. Pour into a medium mixing bowl.
2. Whisk the oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a small bowl until well blended. Pour into the dry mixture and mix until combined. A piece squeezed between your fingers should hold together well.
3. Press dough into the bottom and sides of well-oiled individual tart pans and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
4. Bake at 350 on the center rack of the oven for 10 minutes, or until the crust looks dry. Cool on a wire rack.
For the cream filling:
1 cup nondairy milk
2 tbsp evaporated cane juice (or other natural sweetener)
4 or 5 fresh peppermint leaves
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp agar flakes
2 tsp arrowroot + 1 tbsp water
1/4 cup unsweetened soy yogourt
1/2 cup frozen strawberries, blended until smooth
1. Put non-dairy milk, sugar, peppermint leaves and salt into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the agar flakes on top, swirl the pan slightly but no not stir, and let sit for at least 10 minutes.
2. Bring the mixture to a light simmer on low heat, with saucepan lid slightly ajar to let out steam. Watch carefully because it can easily boil over or burn. Let simmer on very low heat for about 15 minutes until agar is completely dissolved (occasionally examine a large spoonful for any specks of agar).
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot and water and add to the agar mixture. Whisk constantly on low heat until it thickens.
4. Remove from heat and remove the peppermint leaves. Add the soy yogourt and whisk until smooth.
5. Spoon cream into cooled tart crusts. Drop 1/4 tsp of strawberry puree on top of cream in random areas and use a toothpick to swirl it together. Refrigerate until set, about an hour.
Fudgy Double Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies-Makes 4 dozen cookies
1.5 c. sugar
2/3 c. oil
4 T. maple syrup
3 t. vanilla extract
2/3 c. almond milk
2 T flax seeds(ground)
1 c. melted semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 c. regular cocoa powder
1/4 c. dark chocolate cocoa powder
1.5 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2.5 c. chocolate chunks(or chips)*
2 c. dried cherries
Preheat oven to 325F. Mix together sugar, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, milk, flax and melted chocolate. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and mix. Add in chocolate chunks and cherries. Chill for 20-30 minutes(trust me, this dough is beyond sticky!). Roll into balls or roll out into cute valentines day shapes. Bake for approximately 14 minutes(on your silpat if you have one). Prepare to swoon.
*this is approximate…i just throw in as much chocolate as the dough will hold without falling apart…i’m a proponent of the more is more and therefore better school of thought when it comes to chocolate
I think Cranberry Orange Nut Bread would be a beautiful Valentine’s day treat. The bread is studded with bright, tart cranberries and has a delicious flavor. This recipe needs to be veganized, think you can do it Angela?
I got the recipe from All Recipes.
Cranberry Nut Bread II
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, beat the egg, orange juice and orange zest. Blend into the dry mixture. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts. Transfer to the loaf pan.
Bake in the preheated oven 65 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted at center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove to wire rack and cool completely before serving.
I love to make truffle tarts for valentines. My recipe is not a vegan recipe so maybe you could veganize it :)
For the tart shell:
1 & 1/2 cups fine chocolate wafer crumbs (I use oreo cookies)
6 tablespoons melted butter
Use a fork to mix together the crumbs and the butter. Spray a muffin tin and line with parchment paper cut as wide as the diameter of the cup but ling enough to overhand so you can remove the truffles. Use a small glass to press crumbs in the bottom and around the sides of the muffin cups.
For the truffle mixture:
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces of good quality dark or bittersweet chocolate
1 t pure vanilla
Bring the cream to a simmer over low heat. Pour teh cram over the chocolate ina bowl and elt stand for about 10 minutes to melt the chocolate. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth. Let this cool for about an hour. Beat the chocolate mixture until it gets thick. Place into a pastry bag and fill the tarts wtih the truffle mixture. Place in the refiregeratio until set. Garnish with strawberries or raspberries.
I have just recently ventured into the world of vegan desserts so I am not familiar with what you would use in place of the heavy cream. I know you can make this into a great vegan treat! I also have to tell you that this recipe is taken from Tyler Florence, I must give credit to the proper resource!!
Ha, I forgot to give you the name of the recipe….Truffle Tarts of course!!!
Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Vegan – Gluten free
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup extra virgin, non refined coconut oil
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips – I used Enjoy Life chocolate chips
* 2 flax eggs [2 tbsp freshly ground flax + 5 tbsp water]
* 8 medjool dates
* 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 2 cup almond flour
* ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* ½ teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Boil 2 cups of water in a medium sized saucepan. Place coconut oil and chocolate chips in a small pot and place in the boiling water bath. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and allow chocolate to melt [make shift double boiler. If you have one, use it instead]. Once melted, set aside.
2. Combine flax eggs, dates, and vanilla in a blender and process until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.
4. Pour melted chocolate and blended wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon until incorporated.
5. Cover and place dough in the fridge for 1 hour
6. Preheat oven to 350F
7. Roll chilled dough into 1 inch balls. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, keeping 1/2 inch between each cookie.
8. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. [I baked them for exactly 10 minutes and they were perfect!]
9. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 30 cookies [plus 2 testers]
Here’s an image of them! http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/chocolate-truffle-cookies-3.jpg
I have so many! But I have to start with one of my current favorite dishes, though it’s a bit: Quinoa salad with apples and almonds. I think it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, because it can work as a main dish but can fit in perfectly with the sweetness of the day. I served it for my anniversary dinner with my boyfriend (along with strips of maple tempeh — so delicious — and with raspberries and dark chocolate squares for dessert), and I shaped the quinoa servings into hearts, which would also work for V-Day. I know most people think Valentine’s Day and they think chocolate (and by most people I mean me), but you have to have SOMETHING to offset all that richness!
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa, washed well
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrot
2 tsp minced garlic (more or less to taste)
2 cups vegetable broth (you can make your own, but I use Pacific Natural Foods’ organic broth and it works perfectly)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I usually use more, the Vietnamese kind if I have it)
1 1/2 cups diced Granny Smith apple (yield from one large apple)
1 oz. almonds
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries (could also be delicious with dried cherries)
black pepper, to taste
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Add broth, quinoa, salt and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and let sit for 20 minutes or until liquid is gone. Remove from heat; stir to fluff.
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and toast almonds. Chop toasted almonds. I like to leave slightly larger chunks of almond so you can see them in the final salad.
Heat remaining oil in a nonstick pan. Add apple and vanilla and saute until apple starts to brown but before it gets mushy. Add apple, almonds, cranberries and pepper to quinoa and mix thoroughly. Serve hot or cold, as a main dish or a side with a protein source.
*though it’s a bit unconventional
guys just looove cookies!
here is my recipe for Tempting Hearts :
Makes 60 pieces
Ingredients:
Cookie Dough-
250g unsalted butter
160g icing sugar (sifted)
1g salt
20g egg salt
2g vanilla essence
3 hard boiled egg yolk (grated)
350g cake flour (sifted)
some granulated sugar (for topping)
Melted Chocolate (to dip cookies)
some melted dark chocolate
some melted white chocolate
Method:
1. Finely grate hard boiled egg yolk with grater.
2. Cream butter with icing sugar and salt. Add egg yolk, vanilla essence and grated hard boiled egg yolk. Whisk until light and fluffy.
3. Lastly make a dough with sifted flour.
4. Wrap dough in cling film. Refrigerate.
5. Take out dough. Roll out to 6 mm thick. Then gently press flute pattern on dough by using fluted rolling pin.
6. Stamp out hearts with heart shaped cookie cutter. Lay hearts on baking paper or sil-pat.
7. Sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Bake at 180 degrees or until golden. Take out and cool.
8. Half dip cookies in either melted dark or white chocolate. Quickly place on plastic film.
9. Before melted chocolate dries, quickly pipe a small round chocolate dot against a chocolate dipped cookie of a different colour.
10. Quickly draw heart shape pattern or other pattern s with a skewer. let cool.
i’m not sure how i can send you the pictures of them so.. :/
Chocolate Raspberry Quinoa Cake
Gluten free – Vegan
I’ve never in my life baked with quinoa but I wanted to send you something different, so I had at ‘er. The cake turned out fabulous, it was so moist and dense!
Ingredients
Icing:
* 1 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
* 1/2 cup agave
* 5 tsp arrowroot powder
* 1 tbsp water
* 1 cup melted coconut oil
* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup raspberries [if frozen, make sure to defrost]
Cake:
* 2/3 cup red quinoa
* 1 2/3 cup water
* 1/2 cup Almond Breeze Almond Milk
* 4 flax eggs – 4 tbsp freshly ground flax mixed with 8 tbsp water
* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
* 1 1/2 cup sucanat sugar
* 1 cup cacao powder or cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp Himalayan rock salt
Garnish:
* 2 cups frozen raspberries, defrosted and mashed with a fork
Directions
1. In a medium size saucepan, combine coconut milk and agave. Cook on medium heat, whisking every-so-often until it comes to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix arrowroot powder and water. Add to saucepan.
3. Continue to whisk icing until it thickens [about 1 minute]. Remove from heat and slowly add in coconut oil, whisking to combine.
4. Place vanilla, icing mixture and raspberries in blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Place icing in a glass container, leave on counter until cool, then place in fridge. Allow to cool in the fridge for 90-120 minutes. Consistency should be that of icing!
6. Now, to make the cake!
7. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from heat [keep covered!] and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Once complete, fluff with fork and set aside.
9. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F.
10. Lightly grease two 9 inch round pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper [believe me, it’s worth the effort. Just DO it!]. Set aside.
11. Combine milk, flax eggs, and vanilla in blender. Blend until smooth.
12. Add 2 1/4 cup of the cooked quinoa, and the coconut oil. Blend until smooth [may be challenging to do, just blend it as best you can]
13. In a large bowl, whisk together sucanat, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the contents of the blender to the bowl and mix well with a hand mixer.
14. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake on the middle rack of your oven for 40-50 minutes [my cake was perfectly cooked at 48 minutes]. You can test to determine if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the middle.
15. Allow cakes to cool for a couple of hours before removing from the pans and topping with icing.
16. Serve with raspberry sauce drizzled over top.
Here’s a picture of the final product [ended up having it for breakfast this morning haha] http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/chocolate-quinoa-cake-submission.jpg
I would love a vegan version of these raspberry white chocolate cream cheese sweet rolls:
http://sweet-rolls-that-rock.blogspot.com/2010/07/white-chocolate-raspberry-cream-cheese.html
Lemon Bars w/ powdered sugar & raspberries
1 & 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 T corn starch
Zest one lemon
juice two lemons
1/2 c sliken tofu
Graham Cracker crust
heat the milk and sugar on the stove. Once it is heated mix a couple tablespoons of milk with the corn starch in a small bowl. When the milk mixture begins to boil add the cornstarch and whisk constantly until thickened. remove from heat and set aside
place tofu in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the zest and lemon juice to the tofu and mix well. Pour this into the milk mixture. Pour the filling into the crust and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes. Place in fridge and chill for at least 3 hours. garnish with powdered sugar and raspberries.