Breakfast, Desserts, FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY, RECIPES

CHOCOLATE CHIP BLONDIES

*Makes 9 squares

BLONDIES

INGREDIENTS

1 large ripe banana

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tbsp coconut sugar

2 tsp pur vanilla extract

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

8 tbsp of oat milk

1 ¾ cup oat flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¾ cup vegan chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 ° and line a 8×8-Inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Mash the banana with a fork and add to a bowl. Then add peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar and oat milk and mix together.

Add oat flour, baking powder, baking soda and stir until just combined.

Fold in half of the chocolate chips, then transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Spread the remaining chocolate chips over the top and bake the blondies for 20-25 minutes.

Yummmmmmmm

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Breakfast, Desserts, RECIPES

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

*Makes 6 cookies

Perfect for breakfast or as a snack, these cookies are tender and just sweet enough 🙂

Ingredients
* 1 cup of all purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp of baking powder
* Pinch of salt
* 1/3 cup of melted butter
* 1/3 cup of brown sugar
* 1 tbsp of ground flax mixed with 4 tbsp of water (Mix and let rest for 5 minutes)
* 1 tsp of vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup of chocolate chunks (Can be chocolate of your choice)

Insructions
* Pre-heat oven at 350 °F
* In a bowl, mix flour, cinnamon baking powder and salt.
* In a separate bowl, whisk the butter with the brown sugar, then add the flax mixture and the vanilla extract. Mix until ingredients are well combined.
* Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and then add the chocolate chunks.
* Use an ice cream scooper and form 6 dough balls unto a silicone lined tray.
* Sligthly flatten each cookie with a flat spatula.
* Bake for 12 minutes.

Voila ! you have yourself home made cookies in no time

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Rice Krispies Squares

*Makes 9 squares

10 oz (283 grams) of mydandies vegan (also kosher) mini marshmallows

4 cups of nature’s path organic crispy rice

1/4 cup of vegan butter

1 tsp of vanilla

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat on the stove. Once melted, add in the marshmallows and vanilla.

2. Stir the marshmallows until they begin to melt and combine. Take the pot off the stove and add in the crispy rice. Use a wooden spoon and mix until everything is well combined.

3. Line a 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper (My trick is to put the pan on top of the paper, trace the bottom and cut, voila !) Add in the mix. Using a spatula, evenly spread the mixture. Let it sit for an hour or so on the counter (until it firms up) or place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then cut into 9 squares

Yum !

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Breakfast, Desserts, RECIPES

Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Makes 16 cookies

1/2 cup of plant based butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp soya milk 
1 1/2 cup pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup vegan white chocolate chips
1/3 cup of macadamia nuts

Heat the oven at 350

In a standing mixer, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.  mix in the vanilla and soya milk.  sift in the flour and soda and stir until well mixed. Add in the chocolate chips and the nuts and hand mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. Use a 1 1/2 scooper or a tablespoon and drop onto a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet, no need to flatten them, they’ll spread as they bake. Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.  Remove and let cool for 15 minutes.

Enjoy with your favorite tea or coffee

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Baked Cinnamon & Sugar Coated Donuts

* Makes 12

Ingredients

1 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of soya milk
1 tablespoon of unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon vegan butter (Melted)
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Neutral oil spray to coat the donut pan

Coating

1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegan butter (Melted)

Directions for the donuts

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a donut pan with the oil spray.
  2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour the soya milk, applesauce, melted vegan butter and vanilla into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix well with a large wooden spoon to combine.
  3. Spoon the batter into the donut pan with a small ladle , filling about 1/2 of the way full. Be careful not to overfill, as the donuts will rise and you might lose your donut hole.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool for three minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack, let cool completely.

For the coating

  1. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and melt the vegan butter in a separate bowl. 

2. Dip the donuts into the melted butter just one side. Then dunk the donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat completely. Once you have coated all 12 if you have any mix left, repeat the coating process minus the butter.

Leftover donuts will keep for two days, covered and at room temperature.

Enjoy ! with a Chai tea or a Cappuccino

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Breakfast, RECIPES

Almond Butter Overnight Oats

Servings: 4

Ingredients


1 cup of almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened almond butter
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste
2 cup of oats



Instructions


1. In a blender combine the milk, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla. Blend until smooth.2. In a bowl mix the milk mixture to the oats.
3. Divide between verrines, ramekins or other. I added berries, almond slivers and white chocolate pearls as toppings ! 4. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy cold the next morning 🙂 !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Lemon-Almond Meal Bites

*Gluten Free

Makes 8 portions

For the Bites

  • 2 cups almond meal
  • dash salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tbsp agave 

For the glaze:

  • 1/2 cup powdered (Icing) sugar
  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Sprinkled with fine rock sugar (Optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven at 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together almond meal, salt, baking soda, corn starch, and lemon zest. Add almond milk and agave. Mix until combined.
  3. Roll dough into a large ball and press (I used a cutting board lol) down into a 1 1/2″ thick disk. Cut into 8 equal pieces. Do not separate them. Bake for 11 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
  4. To make the glaze, place powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add vanilla extract. Slowly add in lemon juice mixing constantly, make sure to only add a small amount of juice at a time.until you have reached your desired consistency. Use a pastry brush to brush glaze over cooled bites, give them one coat, let dry, recoat, let dry and so on until you have no more glaze left. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Enjoy !

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

5 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Mousse

You can make this mousse in 5 minutes, literaly ! just pull out your blender and voila you have yourself a treat in no time.

Ingredients (serves 2)

  • 2 large ripe avocados
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup of almond milk
  • 3 tsp of agave
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Toppings of your choice 🙂

I used chocolate pearls, roasted hazelnuts & a macadamia nut, sprinkled with cocoa powder

Directions:

Purée in a blender or food processor the avocado until smooth.

Mix in together the cocoa powder and milk until well combined.

Add the agave and vanilla extract and blend well one last time.

Transfer the mousse to individual bowls or glasses and store in the fridge until ready to eat.

Delicious and healthy !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Cookie Sandwiches

Imperfect but oh so delicious !

*Makes 18 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

COOKIES

  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup of grapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond essence
  • 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup of almond meal

FILLING

  • 150 g vegan dark (70 % cacao) chocolate
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp of coconut milk (Can)
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup

METHOD

COOKIES

  1. In a bowl, whisk up maple syrup, oil, vanilla and almond essence until well combined.
  2. Fold flour into the wet ingredients together with salt.
  3. Finally fold in almond meal until fully combined. The dough should be thick and sticky.
  4. Refrigerate the dough for 60 minutes.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 355° F and shape the dough into 36 even portions (I used a 1 1/4 scoop), place each ball on a baking tray leaving some room around each cookie.
  6. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass or a spatula.
  7. Bake for about 15 mins. Remove the biscuits from the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool down completely.
  8. Place some of the ganache on half of the cookies and top with the other half of the cookies.

FILLING

  1. Place roughly chopped up chocolate in a large glass or metal bowl together with coconut milk.
  2. Place the bowl over a pot of water (make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl) and bring the water to a simmer.
  3. Let simmer without stirring, until all the chocolate has melted.
  4. Take the bowl off the heat and whisk the coconut milk / chocolate mixture until combined. Mix in maple syrup.
  5. When the mixture cools down, cover the bowl with cling film and leave it in the fridge for a few hours until it has hardened. You are now ready to sandwich your cookies !

Enjoy !

Cristina for PEAS & PEACE

Desserts, RECIPES

Red Velvet Cupcakes


Recipe makes 12 cupcakes 

Cupcakes:

1 + 3/4 cup all purpose flour 

1 tbsp cocoa powder 

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp baking soda 

2 tbsp red beet powder 

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of sugar

1 1/2 cups unsweetened oat milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup coconut oil (Melted)

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Vanilla buttercream: 

200g dairy free butter 

3 cups icing sugar 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1 tbsp cold coconut milk

Topping:

Sprinkle with colors of your choice for a little shimmer 🙂


Preheat the oven to 338F/170C.

Prepare 12 muffin pan with paper liners and set aside. 


In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, red beet powder & salt. Add in sugar, oat milk, vanilla, coconut oil, vinegar, mix until well combined. Divide batter evenly in a 12 muffin pan. Bake for 20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream 
Whip butter in the stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, on high speed for 2 minutes. Stop mixer and add the icing sugar. Mix on low speed until incorporated , scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and then add vanilla and coconut cream, mix on high speed for 3 minutes, until smooth. 
Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.

You will truly enjoy these cupcakes !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Oatmeal Cookies

*Makes 4 large cookies

INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup oat flour
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

  • 3 tbs melted coconut oil
  • 2 tbs coconut sugar
  • 2 tbs pure maple syrup
  • 1 flax egg  (1 tbs flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, whisk together and let set for 15 minutes)
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

*Powdered sugar to sprinkle (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchement paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients
  4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir and fold until well mixed.
  5. Use a 2 inch ice cream scooper and drop cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet—spaced evenly apart. Using a fork, flatten cookies about halfway. Cookies will spread during baking.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes. Place baking sheet on a cooling rack, allowing the cookies to firm up and sprinkle with icing sugar if you wish .
  7. Allow to cool for 1 hour if you will be storing them.

Enjoy with a cappuccino or a chai latte !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Coffee Pecan Cake

INGREDIENTS

PECAN CAKE


Dry ingredients

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely ground pecans
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¾ cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans to decorate

Wet ingredients

  • ¾ cup + 1 tbsp of almond milk
  • ¼ cup espresso
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil

COFFEE FROSTING

  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ cup espresso
  • 1½ cups raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 20 min

INSTRUCTIONS

CAKE

  1. Set the oven at 355° F. Grease a loaf pan with neutral spray oil.
  2. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the remaining dry ingredients: ground pecans, baking soda, baking powder and icing sugar. Mix everything well.
  3. Add all the wet ingredients and fold them gently into the dry ingredients until texture is smooth.
  4. Fill the pan with the batter and place in the preheated oven for approximately 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
  5. Let the cake cool down completely before removing it from the pan, you can now ice it and top it with chopped pecans.

COFFEE FROSTING

Put maple syrup, vanilla extract and espresso at the bottom of a blender. Add approximately one quarter of the drained cashews and blend until super smooth then add another quarter of cashews, blend and so on.

Enjoy !!!

Cristina for Peas and Peace 🙂

Desserts, RECIPES

Roasted Almond Chocolates

5 ingredients only and you have yourself a little treat in no time, either for yourself or as a gift !

  • makes 15 chocolates

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted cocoa butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla
2/3 cup cocoa powder
45 Roasted almonds, you can also use salted roasted almonds if you wish

1. Melt the cocoa butter in a pan. Remove and add maple syrup & vanilla. 
2. Using a whisk, add cocoa powder and mix until smooth.


Place 2 whole almonds into each of a silicone chocolate mold bottom, then cover with chocolate. Top with an almond or 2….. 🙂


Place in the freezer to firm up for about 15 mins

Remove from mold and place in mini muffin cups of your choice.

Enjoy !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Breakfast, RECIPES

4 Ingredient Waffle recipe !

  • Makes 8 waffles
  •  2 & 1/4 Cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder
  • 1/4 Cup Vegan Butter 
  • 1 & 2/3 Cups of Unsweetened Almond Milk

Combine the flour and baking powder. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.  Add in the water and whisk. Pour into a hot waffle iron. Should you want to add chocolate powder or chocolate chips or vanilla is also fun, just to change it up

I then also have fun in topping them with fruit, dust icing sugar, powder chocolate in this case, and let’s not forget maple syrup ! Yum !

If any leftover, simply pop them in the toaster !

Enjoy !

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

SOFT PUMPKIN COOKIES

These cookies are so soft, like biting into a cloud

*Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened vegan butter
  • 1 1/4 cups pumpkin purée
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the pumpkin spice icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soya milk
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Neutral spray oil for cookie scoop

  1. To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  2. Add the sugar and vegan butter to a large bowl and use a mixer to cream the sugar and butter together. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract and mix in. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and mix well to combine.
  3. Lightly spray a cookie scoop with neutral oil, scoop the cookie battre and drop it onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to fill your tray, evenly spacing the cookies. Bake for 15 minutes until the cookies are golden. Let the cookies cool completely before icing.
  4. Sprinkle top with coarse sugar if you wish.

  1. To make the icing: add the powdered sugar, soya milk, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle over the cookies. Let the cookies rest to set the icing. Store the cookies at room temperature for up to a week or freeze in an air-tight container.