the-vegan-crockpot:

Thick Vegan Chocolate Shake

Ingredients:

1 Cup 8th Continent Chocolate Soymilk

1 – 2 Cups Vanilla Soy Ice Cream (depending on your preference for thickness)

1 – 2 Cups ice cubes

1/2 frozen banana (optional)

1 – 2 Tablespoons Cocoa

Vegan Whipped Topping (optional)

Directions:

In a blender add the soymilk, vegan ice cream, and 1 cup of ice cubes. My blender has an “ice crusher” speed so I used that to get the mixture nice and frothy. Then blend on high for a bit until the mixture is smooth. Add the frozen banana (if you’re going that route), the cocoa, and the remaining ice cubes. Follow the same process above by beginning with the “ice crusher” speed, followed by about 30 seconds on high. Pour into a glass and top with some vegan whipped topping. Enjoy!

the-vegan-crockpot:

Vegan Mexican Un-Fried Ice Cream

I have had my eye on the Food Should Taste Good chips at the grocery store for some time now, but today I finally brought a bag home. Chocolate Tortilla Chips were the lucky ones, but with my first taste, I knew that I, and soon you, would be the true “lucky ones.”

See, these chips taste like an Oreo and a tortilla chip made a beautiful, sophisticated, non-genetically modified, gluten-free baby. After munching on my first one, I knew what I had to do—Mexican Un-Fried Ice Cream. It had to be done without frying, without the trans fats, dairy or intense labor. It had to be possible. And oh, it was.

So joyously, I report, you don’t have to wait long, or work hard to have this dessert asap. Just three ingredients and about 15 minutes time will have you enjoying the tastiest vegan combo this side of the border. Go ahead and dance. I did.

Tools:

Food Processor (optional)

Small ice cream scoop, small spoon or melon baller

Ingredients:

3 cups of Food Should Taste Good’s Chocolate Tortilla Chips

Store-bought (I used Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss) vegan coconut-based vanilla ice cream or homemade Raw, Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

2-3 organic strawberries

Directions:

Place 3 cups of chips in the food processor and pulse until broken into tiny pieces—this yields a little over 1 cup of pieces. No food processor? Use a knife to chop, or place chips in a bag and crush with your hands.

Chop strawberries into very small pieces.

Put chip pieces in a bowl and lay out your ice cream and melon baller. Create a half scoop of ice cream and drop it round side down into the bowl of chips.

Place a few strawberry pieces on top of your ice cream and top with another half scoop of ice cream. Use your fingers to close any gaps.

Top ice cream ball with chips and roll gently with hands and keep topping with chips until fully coated.

Place in freezer for 5-10 minutes to re-harden. Enjoy! 

the-vegan-crockpot:

Vegan Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo Bars, named for the British Columbia town where they first appeared, have become a ubiquitous Canadian sweet snack. They are so popular that there isn’t a single grocery store here that doesn’t carry a mass-produced version of them. Homemade is always better, of course, and with this super easy no-bake recipe, you’ll be whipping these up in no time – and making a lot of new friends in the process. All these require for sweet perfection is a little chilling time and, before you know it, you’ll be enjoying a diabolically sweet treat – and I mean diabolical. If you have a sweet tooth, these are your dream come true.

Nanaimo Bars are a three layer, bar-style dessert. Your sweet masterpiece starts with a chocolaty, nutty, graham crumb base, followed by a vanilla custard-like butter-cream layer, and topped by a gloriously rich and smooth layer of chocolate glaze. Warning: Nanaimo Bars are dangerous to have around. Resistance is futile.

Ingredients:

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 Tbsp flax meal

3 Tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups crushed (vegan) graham crackers, or crumbs

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Middle Layer:

1/4 cup Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)

2 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)

2 Tbsp vanilla custard powder (I used Bird’s brand – or substitute (vegan) instant vanilla pudding powder)

3 Tbsp non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened soy milk)

Top Layer:

4 oz. good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

1 Tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)

Directions for bottom layer:

Very lightly grease a 9-inch square cake or casserole pan and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper. The grease helps the paper to stay in place while spreading the batter out and you can use the paper to lift everything out of the pan afterwards. This makes cutting the bars much easier and you won’t scratch up your pan.

In a small bowl, beat the flax meal and water together until frothy and set aside.

In a sauce pan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup Earth Balance, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add the flax mixture and stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Add graham cracker crumbs, coconut and chopped nuts, stirring to combine.

Transfer mixture to prepared pan and use a silicone spatula to press the mixture into it firmly and evenly.

To make middle layer:

In a large bowl, beat together 1/4 cup Earth Balance, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla custard powder (or vanilla pudding powder, if using) and non-dairy milk until creamy.

Spread custard mixture over graham cracker base in pan. Refrigerate until firm (at least one hour).

To make top layer:

Melt semi-sweet chocolate and 1 Tbsp Earth Balance. Pour over chilled bars and spread evenly over top.

Return to refrigerator to chill until firm (at least 30 minutes) – but be sure to check the setting of the chocolate layer after only 5-10 minutes of cooling: as soon as the chocolate has firmed enough to hold a score mark, use a clean, sharp knife to score the entire top into the amount of squares you desire (to make 9, 12, or 16 squares, for example). Clean your knife after each score mark, and be sure to cut right through the chocolate layer. Doing this will ensure neat, easy cutting of the final squares and will prevent your hardened chocolate layer from shattering or cracking when it has cooled completely.

When cooling is complete, gently run a knife along the sides of the pan to release the squares and use the parchment paper to careful release them from the pan. Following your score lines, use a clean, sharp knife to press straight down and complete cutting the squares.

Makes 9-16 bars, depending on how you divide them.

theblondeleprechaun:

Even better, he started the conversation.

veganpizzafuckyeah:

my mini vegan loves pizza :)
 http://veganbexx.tumblr.com/

[Adorable! Is the kissy face meant for the camera or the pizza? Let’s say both! -ed.]