Chocolate Raspberry Crostata

Crostata, the Italian name for the oh so versatile dessert, the pie. Although usually made with butter, eggs, and citrus zest, this tried and tested recipe proves that no animal ingredients are needed in the making of a delicious crostata. Adding cocoa powder to the crostata dough isn’t usually done, but it works, and hey, who doesn’t love chocolate?

This recipe makes enough dough for a 30cm crostata plus extra to decorate.

I like to use raspberry jam in this recipe because its tanginess fits so well with the sweetness of the chocolate dough, but really any jam will do.

Before rolling out the dough for the crostata, use cookie cutters to cut out your decorations. That way, you won’t be left with extra dough at the end.

Ingredients:

• 300 gr flour type 00 (or all purpose flour)
• 70 gr unsweetened powdered cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 gr raw cane sugar
• 200 gr margarine, softened
  
• 1 tbsp non-dairy milk (if needed)
• 300 gr raspberry jam

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C and lightly grease and flour a 30cm in diameter baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, and sugar).
3. Work in the softened margarine by hand until a soft dough is formed. Be careful not to overwork it. If the dough is too dry, add up to a tablespoon of non-dairy milk and continue working the dough.
4. Roll out a small part of your dough and, using cookie cutters of your choice, cut out decorations for the top of the crostata and set aside.
5. Gather remaining dough into a ball and using a rolling pin, roll out into a circle about 5cm in diameter larger than the dish that you are using.
6. Fold the crostata in four, or lay it over your rolling pin, and set it carefully into your baking dish. Unfold the dough and fold down the sides, pinching the dough as you go, to create a crust as in the picture above. You want to had a high border, between 1 and 2cm high, so that the jam doesn’t ooze out of the crostata when it’s baking.
7. Add the jam to the baking dish and spread evenly. Finally, add your decorations to the jam and place in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
8. Once baked, let the crostata cool completely before slicing.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Spinach - enough for you and your family (and then some)

A quick and easy recipe. You can even prepare it all in one pot!

Potato skins are the most important part of the potato! That’s why I’ve decided to leave them on in this recipe. If you absolutely cannot stand having potato skins in your mashed potatoes, then I guess it’s ok if you peel them first.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg potatoes - thoroughly washed & cut into large chunks
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic - peeled
• 150 gr spinach - frozen or fresh
• 100 gr margarine
• 2 tbsp chives - dried or fresh & chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp non-dairy milk
• salt & pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Add the potatoes and garlic to a large pot and fill with water so that the ingredients are fully emerged. Cover and bring water to a boil, then turn down the heat and keep covered. Boil the potatoes and garlic for 30 minutes (or until potato chunks are soft and break when poked with a fork), then drain.
2. If you’re using frozen spinach, add to the boiling water with the potatoes and garlic during the last 5 minutes, then drain with the rest of the ingredients after the 30 minutes are up. If you’re using fresh spinach, skip this step.
3. Return the drained potatoes, garlic (and spinach if you used frozen) and add the rest of the ingredients as well. Using an electric handheld mixer, mix the ingredients until you get a puree.

I woke up craving mashed potatoes. Hence the massive amount present in this recipe. I hope you like it!

Banana-Raspberry Smoothie with Granola - 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 200 gr raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 250 gr sliced bananas (sliced & placed in freezer for at least 2 hours) + extra for garnish (optional)
• 250 ml non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp sweetener (agave syrup/maple syrup/rice malt etc.)
• 200 gr granola

Directions:

1. Place raspberries, bananas, non-dairy milk, and sweetener in blender and blend until smooth.
2. Divide smoothie among 4 serving cups and top with granola and sliced bananas.
3. Enjoy while fresh!

Gnocchi - serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 kg potatoes - peeled, cut into big chunks
• water & salt (for boiling)

• 1 tbsp vegan margarine
• 100 gr flour (plus more for rolling out the gnocchi)
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Fill a pot about 3/4 of the way with water, add a spoonful of rock salt and bring to a boil.
2. Add the peeled potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft in the center.
3. Drain the potatoes and let cool in a large bowl or on a large wooden cutting board.
4. In the meantime, prepare another pot of salted water and bring to a boil.
5. Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a potato press to smash the potatoes into a workable dough.
6. Add the margarine and work into the potato dough. Next, add the flour and form a ball of dough. Don’t overwork it!
7. Now, break of a handful of dough, roll into a long log shape, and cut off 1/2 inch pieces using a knife. Set aside on a floured surface.
8. Once the water is boiling, dump a handful of gnocchi at a time into the boiling water. It will only take them a minute or two to cook. Once they float to the top, it’s time to remove them. Use a skimmer to transfer the cooked gnocchi into a large bowl*.
9. Serve immediately.

*Before preparing the gnocchi, it’s a good idea to know what kind of sauce you want to serve it with and have it prepared beforehand. This way you can transfer the cooked gnocchi to the sauce right away and they won’t stick to each other. We sautéed two tablespoons of margarine and a few sage leaves to use as our sauce. Then we set it aside in a large bowl, ready to coat the gnocchi once they were cooked.

Tangy Tahini Dressing - makes 100 ml

Ingredients:

30 ml water

30 ml lemon juice

20 ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp tahini

1 tsp chives (fresh or dried)

1/4 tsp chili powder

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a cup or small bowl and mix with a fork or whisk. Drizzle over salad or toss with salad. Easy, isn’t it?

Quinoa Burgers - makes 6 large burgers (6cm - diameter, 1 1/2 cm height)

Ingredients:

• 150 gr red kidney beans
• 150 gr cooked quinoa
• 60 gr garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
• 40 ml vegetable oil
• 20 ml water
• salt & pepper to taste
• oil for frying*

Directions:

1. If using dried kidney beans, soak overnight, then cook as according to the directions on the package. If using canned kidney beans, you’re ready to go.
2. Add the red kidney beans to a food processor and blend until a thick paste forms. It doesn’t have to be smooth.
3. Add the kidney bean paste and quinoa to a bowl and mix. Then add the garbanzo bean flour, oil, water, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine.
4. Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts. Form into a ball and flatten with your palm.
5. Bake the burgers in a preheated oven at 225°C for 20 minutes.

Creamy Broccoli Dip - makes 350 ml

Ingredients:

• 1 head of broccoli (about 250 gr)
• 1  medium potato (about 150 gr)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 50 ml of soy cream

Directions:

1. Peel the potato and cut it in quarters. Cut off the stem and chop the broccoli and then peel the clove of garlic.
2. Rinses the broccoli and add with all the other ingredients to a pot of boiling salted water for about 15/20 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes are tender.
3. Drain and let cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Put all the ingredients together with the soy cream in a food processor and blend until you get a dense cream.

Taste great on bread, crackers, and on almost everything else.

Banana Nut Muffins - makes 6

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas (about 200 gr without the peel)
• 100 gr raw cane sugar
• 60 ml melted margarine
• 150 gr all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 50 gr copped walnuts

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (about 350°F) and line a muffin pan with 6 liners.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the two bananas with a fork.
3. Add the margarine and sugar and mix well.
4. Add the baking soda and flour and mix to combine.
5. Fold in the chopped walnuts and fill each liner to the top.
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C.
7. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and place on cooling rack to cool for at least 5 minutes.

Raw Strawberry, Chocolate, & Almond Mini-Cheesecakes - makes 8

To make these mini cheesecakes, you’ll need a silicone mold (preferably with 8 cavities), a food processor or blender, and a fridge.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 150 gr almond flour
• 50 ml coconut oil

• 200 gr fresh strawberries - washed and sliced
• 150 gr raw, unsalted cashews - soaked overnight
• 50 ml agave syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 100 ml coconut oil

• 90 gr avocado - peeled, pitted, & sliced
• 60 ml agave syrup
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 30 ml coconut oil

• sliced almonds

Gluten Free Pancakes - makes 3 big, fluffy pancakes

Ingredients:

• 50 gr garbanzo bean flour
• 25 gr rice flour
• 25 gr soy flour
• 20 gr potato starch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 100 ml rice milk
• 50 ml agave syrup
• 10 ml vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
2. Add the wet ingredients and mix well with a whisk or fork.
3. In a cast iron skillet or wide non-stick pan, add a drop of vegetable oil to keep the pancakes from sticking and put on medium heat.
4. Divide the batter into thirds and pour each third onto the skillet making sure you leave enough room for the pancakes to spread out.
5. Cook the pancakes about 1 and 1/2 minutes on each side.

* You can add a handful of berries, chopped fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips to the batter if you want. I topped these with some blueberry yogurt, agave syrup and sliced bananas, but really, anything goes.