crispy chocolate trail mix squares
makes 9 squares
Cocoa adds a chocolaty nuance to these tasty squares made with a variety of fruits, nuts, and seeds—the result of wanting a healthier alternative to those nostalgic cereal squares we grew up with.
¼ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
1½ cups crispy rice cereal
½ cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup dried shredded coconut
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ripe banana, cut into chunks
⅓ cup agave nectar or maple syrup
¼ cup almond butter
1 tablespoon vegan butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and set aside.
Pulse the almonds and sunflower seeds in a food processor until finely ground and transfer to a bowl. Add the cereal, chocolate chips, cranberries, coconut, cocoa, and flour. Mix well and transfer to a bowl.
In the food processor, combine the banana, agave, almond butter, vegan butter, vanilla, lemon juice, and baking powder, and process until smooth and well blended. Add the banana mixture to the fruits, nuts, and seeds mixture and stir to mix well.
Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until firm and nicely browned, 25 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting into squares.
chocolate cheesecake squares
makes 9 squares
The decadently delicious flavor of chocolate cheesecake takes a casual turn when baked in a pan and cut into squares. Garnish with your choice of fresh berries, toasted nuts, or chocolate curls, or do as Lea Jacobson did when she tested this recipe: top the squares with broken pretzel pieces and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
1½ cups vegan chocolate cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ cup vegan butter, melted
2 (8-ounce) containers vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chopped nuts, fresh berries, or chocolate curls, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside. In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, brown sugar, and vegan butter and mix to moisten the crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake until lightly toasted, 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sugar, chocolate, and vanilla and process until smooth. Spread the mixture onto the crust. Bake until firm, 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. To serve, cut into squares and garnish with the chopped nuts, berries, or chocolate curls.
cranberry–almond oat bars
makes 15 to 16 bars
These no-bake bars are made with wholesome pantry ingredients including granola, quick oats, almonds, and dried cranberries. They can be assembled in a flash and make a great after-school snack for the kids (or an anytime treat for you).
2½ cups quick oats
½ cup granola
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup sliced or slivered almonds
Pinch of salt
1¼ cups almond butter
⅔ cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, granola, cranberries, almonds, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the almond butter, agave, and vegan butter, and stir until smooth and well blended. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, then add to the dry mixture in the bowl. Mix until well combined.
Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Refrigerate until chilled, then cut into bars, approximately 1 by 3 inches.
shortcut baklava
serves 6
Puff pastry instead of phyllo dough is the key to this nontraditional baklava for a quick-fix way to enjoy the flavors of baklava without all the fuss. Either walnuts or pistachios are found in traditional baklava, so use whichever you prefer. Some classic versions don’t include spices, but I like the addition of cinnamon and a touch of ginger.
1½ cups coarsely ground walnuts or pistachios
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 sheet frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
Confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts, granulated sugar, agave, vegan butter, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla and mix well to combine. Set aside.
Unroll the puff pastry onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the pastry to a thin rectangle, about 10 by 12 inches, then cut in half lengthwise. Arrange one piece of the pastry on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the nut mixture evenly over the pastry. Top with the remaining pastry and pinch the edges together to seal the filling inside. You should have a filled pastry rectangle about 5 by 12 inches. Prick the top of the pastry with a fork and sprinkle the top of the pastry with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
Bake until golden, about 18 minutes, then use a metal spatula to gently slide the baklava onto a cooling rack to cool. When ready to serve, transfer to a cutting board and cut into slices. Serve warm.
pear turnovers
serves 4
I prefer the flavor of Bosc pears, but you can use Anjou or Bartlett, if you prefer. One 7 to 8-ounce pear is enough for four turnovers. If your pears are on the small side, you may need two. The recipe is easily doubled, or you could make smaller turnovers by cutting the pastry into smaller squares.
1 large ripe pear (or 2 medium), cored and finely chopped
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts (see here) (optional)
¼ cup golden raisins (optional)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 sheet frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, combine the pear, walnuts, if using, raisins, if using, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and cloves. Mix well to combine. Set aside.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and cut into four equal pieces.
Spoon the filling mixture evenly onto each dough piece, then fold one end of the dough over the filling to meet the opposite end of the dough. Use your fingers to seal and pinch the edges to enclose the filling.
Pierce the top of the pastry with a fork and arrange the turnovers on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. When ready to serve, dust the tops lightly with confectioners’ sugar.
banana split en croûte
serves 4
All the flavors of a banana split are baked into this flaky dessert. If you have vegan marshmallows, you can use them instead of the cream cheese mixture. For a delicious presentation, nestle each pastry next to a scoop of vegan ice cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup, nuts, and sliced strawberries.
2 ripe bananas
½ cup vegan cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 sheet frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
¼ cup strawberry jam
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
⅓ cup crushed unsalted peanuts
4 scoops vegan vanilla ice cream
Cut the ends off the bananas so they measure 4 to 5 inches in length, reserving the ends, then cut the bananas in half lengthwise and set aside.
In a food processor, combine the reserved banana ends with the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and process until smooth. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and divide into four equal pieces. Spread 1 tablespoon of the jam across each of the dough pieces. Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly onto each piece of dough, then top each with a banana half, arranged across the longest width of the pastry. Sprinkle the bananas with chocolate chips and peanuts. Roll up the dough to enclose the filling, tucking in and pinching the ends so the filling remains inside. Pierce the top of the pastry with a fork and arrange the pastry logs on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. To serve, cut each pastry in half diagonally and arrange on a dessert plate. Serve warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
stovetop fruit crisp
serves 4 to 6
This recipe is ideal for when you’re short on time but in the mood for fresh-baked pie. It’s so quick and easy—and you don’t even need to turn on the oven. Best of all, it can be made with your choice of fresh or frozen fruit, so it can be enjoyed year-round. (In a pinch, you can even substitute canned pie filling in place of the fruit mixture.)
4 cups fresh or thawed and drained frozen sliced peaches
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen berries
⅓ to ½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1¼ cups granola
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
In a 9-inch skillet, combine the peaches, berries, granulated sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit, lemon juice, and cornstarch, stirring to coat the peaches. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the granola, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and oil. Stir to combine, then spread the mixture evenly over the peaches. Cover and cook over medium heat until the peaches are tender and bubbly and the topping is cooked, 15 to 18 minutes. Uncover, remove from the heat, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
fresh-fruit cake
serves 6 to 8
This no-bake cake, made with a watermelon base decorated with berries and sliced fruit, is a fun way to serve fresh fruit in the summer. It makes a pretty presentation, and it’s easy to assemble.
1 small round seedless watermelon
1 cup fresh blueberries or blackberries
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 kiwifruit, thinly sliced into rounds
1 star fruit, sliced (optional)
Place the watermelon on its side on a flat work surface and use a large knife to cut a slice off the stem end of the watermelon so that it sits flat on a work surface. Cut another slice off the opposite end of the watermelon so that you now have a flat bottom and top on the watermelon with the rind removed. Place a bowl with about the same diameter on top of the watermelon and use the edge of the bowl as a guide for your knife to cut away the rind from around the sides of the watermelon. You should be left with a pretty pink watermelon cake.
Transfer the watermelon cake to a large plate and decorate aesthetically on the top and around the bottom with the blueberries, strawberries, kiwifruit, and star fruit, if using. Cut into wedges to serve.
maple–pecan baked pears
serves 4
Use your favorite variety of pears to make this delicious and wholesome dessert. The chopped pecans and dates add wonderful flavor notes to the pears. Serve warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
4 ripe pears, halved lengthwise and cored
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a 10-inch square baking dish. Arrange the pear halves in the prepared baking dish, cut side up. Brush the cut surface of the pears with the lemon juice and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the pecans, dates, syrup, cinnamon, and ginger, stirring to mix well. Spoon the mixture into the pear halves, dividing evenly. Cover and bake until the pears are tender, about 20 minutes. To serve, scoop two pear halves each into 4 shallow dessert bowls. Serve warm.
tiramisu parfaits
serves 4
Tiramisu is one of my husband’s favorite desserts, but I usually make it only for company because traditional tiramisu can be time consuming. That’s why I came up with this no-fuss variation: all the luscious creamy coffee and chocolate flavor of tiramisu in a fraction of the time. If you don’t have parfait glasses, martini or wine glasses are a good choice, but any dessert bowls will suffice.
½ cup hot black coffee
⅓ cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) container vegan cream cheese
⅓ cup cashew butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 to 12 vegan shortbread cookies
¼ cup Kahlúa or other coffee liqueur
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Combine the coffee and sugar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.
In a blender or food processor, combine the cream cheese, cashew butter, vanilla, and the reserved coffee mixture. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Break a cookie into the bottom of each of the 4 parfait glasses or other dessert glasses. Drizzle each with 1 teaspoon of Kahlúa and top with a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat with the layering of the cookies, Kahlúa, and cream cheese mixture, until the glasses are full, ending with a layer of the cream cheese mixture, dusted with cocoa powder. Serve at once or refrigerate and serve chilled.
note: This dessert tastes best (and firms up a bit) if allowed to chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, but it is also perfectly yummy if eaten right away.
apple pie parfaits
serves 4
Try these apple parfaits for the flavor of apple pie without all the work. Not only is this an easy and quick dessert, it’s also very pretty when served in clear dessert glasses. If you don’t have actual parfait glasses, wineglasses work well.
1 tablespoon vegan butter
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup light brown sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts (see here)
¼ cup granola
1 cup silken tofu
⅓ cup almond butter
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat the vegan butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the apples are softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate to cool while you continue with the recipe.
In a separate bowl, combine the walnuts and granola and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, combine the tofu, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and the remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Spoon a small amount of the walnut mixture into the bottom of 4 parfait glasses or other dessert glasses. Top with a spoonful of the apple mixture, followed by a spoonful of the tofu mixture. Repeat with the layering until the glasses are full, ending with a sprinkling of the walnut mixture. Serve at once or refrigerate and serve chilled.
note: Some apple varieties release a lot of juice when cooked, so be sure to drain off any excess liquid before spooning the cooked apples into the glasses.