Contest Update and the recipe to my Cherry Almond Tuxedo Ice Cream Cake!

     
      Happy Friday everybody!  I wanted to thank all my wonderful fans who voted for me in the So Delicious contest!  While I didn't win I had a blast competing with all the other amazing entries and learning what I can really come up with when put to the challenge!  Since the contest is over I'm able to finally put the recipe on my blog along with the pics.  I have been wanting to share this with you guys for awhile now, so I'm very excited to finally do so.  I hope you enjoy this, trust me it is worth the time and effort to make and would make any Dad happy this Fathers Day.  :o)

So Delicious® Cherry Almond Tuxedo Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:

 Cocoa Cake
 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
 ¾ cup cocoa powder
 ½ tsp baking soda
 Pinch salt
 1 cup agave syrup
 2 Tbsp vegan mayo
 ¼ cup oil
 ½ cup So Delicious® Dairy Free Vanilla Almond Plus Almond Milk
 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

 Cherry Reduction Sauce
 20 oz frozen cherries
 2 Tbsp agave syrup
 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder

 Ice Cream
 2 pints So Delicious® Dairy Free Vanilla Almond Milk Ice Cream
 1 pint So Delicious® Dairy Free Cherry Amaretto Almond Milk Ice Cream

 Cookie Crust
 ½ cup melted vegan butter
 2 cups crushed vegan cookies stuffed with vanilla vegan cream cookies (vegan oreos)

 Chocolate Ganache
 1 container firm silken tofu
 ¼ cup So Delicious® Dairy Free Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer
 2 Tbsp almond extract
 ¼ cup cocoa powder
 12 oz vegan chocolate chips

Decoration
1–2 cups of chopped almonds
6–10 fresh cherries

Hard Chocolate Drizzle for Design
8 oz vegan chocolate chips
2 Tbsp non-hydrogenated vegan shortening

Notes
1. If you have two cheesecake pans, you may combine steps.
2. Make sure all the pans you use are the same size.

Directions
1. Bake the cake and prep the cherry reduction sauce. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a
round cake pan with vegan butter and flour. Combine dry cake ingredients in a large mixing
bowl, mix well. Combine all wet cake ingredients except for the vinegar in a separate bowl,
whisk well. Pour wet ingredient mixture into dry mixture bowl and whisk well. Stir in the vinegar
just until combined throughout and pour immediately into cake pan. Bake 30–35 minutes, and
refrigerate when done.

2. Take out ice cream to soften. (If using 2 cheesecake pans, take out all ice cream and you can
combine steps). In a medium saucepan add the frozen cherries and bring to a simmer. Stir and
turn off heat, allow to sit for 10 minutes. Blend the agave, arrowroot, and juice from the
cherries on high. Add cherries to blender and blend until slightly choppy but smooth. Simmer on
low for 20 minutes. Divide mixture evenly and refrigerate.

3. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of cheesecake pan and lock ring over
paper. Spread 1 pint So Delicious Dairy Free Vanilla Almond Milk Ice Cream evenly over bottom
of pan and freeze for 15–30 minutes or until firm enough.

4. Take cocoa cake out of the refrigerator and cut in half lengthwise so that you have two thin
round cake pieces. Spread half of the cherry mixture over the top of the ice cream, and top with
one of the thin cake slices. Spread 1 pint So Delicious Dairy Free Cherry Amaretto Almond Milk
Ice Cream over the cake and freeze for 1–2 hours or until firm.

5. If you are only using one cheesecake pan, transfer the first half of the ice cream cake (when
firm) to a parchment-lined flat surface in the freezer.

6. Make cookie crust in a large mixing bowl by combining crushed cookies and melted vegan
butter. Press mixture into bottom of cheesecake pan and spread 1 pint So Delicious Vanilla
Almond Milk Ice Cream evenly over crust. Freeze until firm 15–30 minutes.

7. Spread remaining cherry mixture (reserving a tablespoon or two to drizzle on plates, optional)
over ice cream and top with other cake half so that the vanilla ice cream layer is on the very
top. Press lightly to seal two halves together. Freeze 1–3 hours or until very firm.

8. Make ganache. Combine all ganache ingredients in food processor except for chocolate
chips. Melt chocolate chips and add to food processor, combine well. Transfer to a bowl and
refrigerate mixture if not using right away.

9. Remove ring from cheesecake pan and spread ganache all along sides of ice cream cake. Press
chopped almonds into ganache and freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour.

10. Make hard chocolate drizzle for design by melting chocolate chips and shortening. Fill a piping
bag with a small nozzle or fill a thick plastic freezer bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the
bag. Make diamond/tuxedo design over top of cake and return to freezer.

11. Fill remaining ganache in a piping bag with a large nozzle and pipe small circular swirls around
top of cake (see picture), top each with a cherry. If you do not have piping bags, roll cold
refrigerated ganache into small balls.

12. Freeze until ready to eat. To slice, run a large knife under hot water and wipe the blade in between slices.

So Much to Love Giveaway!

  

    Happy Memorial Day everyone!  I hope you're all out in the sun enjoying time with family and friends today.  Remember that recipe contest I mentioned a few posts back?  Well it's this week and I'd love for everyone to go vote for me.  My dessert recipe made it to the final cut, and starting today appears in the dessert section in So Delicious Dairy Free's So Much to Love Giveaway.  Click the link below to vote for my recipe, once a day, everyday this week.  In doing so, not only will you be helping me to win a grand prize but you will automatically be entered to win daily prizes, and if my recipe wins at the end of the week you'll be entered to win a great weekly prize!  Pretty exciting huh?!
  
    To top it all off you'll be able to view and print the ice cream cake recipe I entered, which is the perfect thing to bring to any summer bbq.  And who knows, if I win at the end of the week there might just be a giveaway exclusively for fans of the blog ;o)  So get voting, and as always thank you my wonderful fans for making this blog everything that it's become!

                                                       ***Click Here to Vote For Me!***

Greetings from Olympus...

   It will be one week tomorrow in which I have moved into my new place.  It is surprisingly beautiful for an apartment complex, though I have always thought of apartments as such.  So many people hidden away by thin walls, giving the opportunity to glance at strangers on sidewalks, balconies, and poolside.  Glance is an understatement, being as though I've received the rare stroke of luck to land the top floor balcony apartment in the tallest building on the property.  My usually crippling fear of heights has been slowly diminished by the view of a lovely strip mall, plenty of trees, the beautiful pool, and my personal favorite: strangers (particularly the one who looks like Cam Gigandet three balconies away... Do I sense you 'googling'?).    There is something oddly exhilarating about living amongst strangers, perhaps that's why I've always moved so often.  Everyone has a story, a past, some deep dark secret just lurking behind two thin sheets of drywall.  I'll admit, I'm pretty sure I now know the couple's (who's bedroom must align perfectly with mine) secret, and I'm fairly certain it's not that they are training for an impromptu "Hunger Games" that may arise... though they did sound ravenous. 
   I had the pleasure of meeting one of these strangers today in the hallway.  I was about to enter my apartment after dropping off a maintenance form, when a tall brunette was all but yanked up the stairs by one yappy little dog and another skittish medium mutt.  She must be the one down the hall I thought idly.  I smile warmly and extend a hand, introducing myself.  She smiles back politely, introducing herself and proceeds to make small talk.  From what I gathered she lives alone, most likely around my age, works at an animal hospital as per her engraved scrubs, is reserved, quiet and polite.  I make a mental note not to blast show tunes.  Her voice interrupts my inward ledger, "Have you seen the pool? You should join us sometime, we go up all the time."  I grimace, recalling on my walk back how I observed the bikini clad models and Adonis parked on the lounge chairs sunning themselves.  She notices and cocks her head.  "Are mere mortals allowed there too?" I mumble incoherently.  Luckily she laughs.  "Oh, don't mind them.  Everyone shows up on the weekends, you'll see." she simply states.  I smile relieved, though I inwardly doubt the leggy brunette has much to hide at the pool.  "It was nice meeting you" she muses.  "You too!" I squeak and head for the door as she disappears behind hers. 
   Besides a few stray containers and a random assortment of items on the floor, I am all but settled in.  I glance around at the reds, golds, and rich brown color scheme that surrounds my living room while the familiar hum of The Black Keys plays from my computer speakers.  This space that I have been able to procure is vehemently mine.  It does not belong to someone else, nor is it shared by roommates, family members or boys.  Somehow, someway, I have achieved this secret little spot in the Midwest and now fall under the realization I must find a way to keep it.  In addition, muster the courage to survive here and sleep through the night.  Fear currently envelopes me when the sun goes down as my natural instincts sing to me of murderers outside my door and snipers on my balcony.  I glance back at my double locked door, perhaps one more deadbolt would do...

   ***Thanks for letting me try something new!  I use to write stories/books, and have not done so in quite some time.  Being an English/Sec Ed major has recently sparked this desire back in me, and from time to time I may post these little musings on the blog.  Don't worry I will be posting recipes very soon and plenty of other fun now that I'm all moved in.  So glad to be back! :o) ***

Happy St. Patrick's Day - Vegan Irish Soda Bread!

"Darby O Gill and the Little People"

      Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone!  I'm about to commit the rest of my day to hosting my first traditional St. Patty's vegan dinner but first I wanted to share a family recipe.  Today was always pretty big in my house growing up, like bigger than Christmas.  My sister and I would wake up to the sound of sweet Celtic music (that we later replaced in our teens with Irish punk bands) and rush around the house, checking our leprechaun traps we set the night before and begin looking for signs of leprechaun magic.   There was; green milk, sometimes little foot prints or gold glitter, always chocolate gold coins hidden all over the living room (which were always surprising to us that we had Jewish leprechauns because they left us chocolate gold Hanukkah coins), and warm Irish soda bread that my Mom would have ready.  Then stuffed, we would go into town dressed up in green and buttons with Gaelic sayings on them, and see the parade.  Soon after, the whole house would be filled with little Irish family members (and no I don't mean children, Irish women are quite small...sometimes it's good to be half Portuguese), and the real fun would begin.  The smells from the kitchen would be intoxicating, and in the living room "Darby o' Gill" followed by "Legend of the Leprechauns" would play on the tv. After we stuffed ourselves with the most delicious food imaginable, my Grandfather and Uncles would chorus a few rounds of "Wild Rover" and the kids would all pretend that we knew how to step dance.  Before we knew it the magic would end and our Mother would whisper something semi sweet to my sister and I about being glad we weren't taken by the Faeries for changelings (if you really want to scare your children, I suggest you raise them with traditional faerie folklore... though there was more than a few times I pushed my sister into a faerie ring hoping she would be taken...Sorry Lissa).  St. Patrick's day wasn't just a day we wore green and ate a hunk of beef, it was an event that seemed to be passed down from generations to preserve our Irish heritage and the magic in our blood.

      So even if you're not Irish, everyone is on St. Patrick's Day.  And I guarantee that if you make my Mom's Irish Soda Bread, which is only altered slightly to be vegan, there will be faeries... and you may find your milk turned green.

Mom's Irish Soda Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups plain almond milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 stick earth balance butter 

Pre heat Oven to 350, prep either loaf pan or round cake pan with butter and flour.

   Mix all dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients except raisins. (Do not pre mix your vinegar and milk to let sit, just pour them in separately at same time)  When mixed, add in raisins.  Add mix to pan, and sprinkle a little flour on top.  Bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out dry.

Some exciting news and my take on Asian Lettuce Wraps

      Sometimes, life just gets in the way and you need to take a break.  Sorry I haven't been posting lately, but my life has been a bit upside down with a heavy workload at school, work, and random stuff going on in my world.  But I have been thinking of you guys and I did notice that our facebook fan page is almost to 100 followers!  That is amazing!  Thank you all for being such wonderful fans and sharing my site with friends and family, I can't put into words how much that means to me.
      Some of you might be wondering what has being going on in fitness world with me, no fear I will post an update soon and get my reviews finished.  Same goes for the four week plan, sorry if that messed anyone up.  I'll get back on track soon, I promise.  :o)
      Now for my exciting news!  I recently got an email from the amazing So Delicious company asking me to participate in a recipe contest they will be having in the coming weeks!  They make that really awesome coconut milk/creamer/ice cream and are debuting a new Almond milk line that I'm sure will blow our socks off.  I really adore this company for making exclusively vegan products, fortifying them, and of course turning a lot of my baking and cooking creations into gold.  I'm so excited to show off my (admittedly amateur) culinary skills for a chance to compete for some pretty awesome prizes.  I will let everyone know when it hits facebook, and I would love it if you would help my recipes get selected by voting for them.  More details to come, I just wanted to share my news.  And of course I will post the recipes on the blog once the competition is over.  Thanks again to everyone who reads and supports this blog, without you guys I never would have had this opportunity!

      Looking for something quick, easy, and uber satisfying for dinner tonight?  Then look no further, these lettuce wraps are similar to a favorite dish of mine at the Cheesecake Factory but a whole lot more inexpensive, healthy, and so quick to pull together.  I found all of my ingredients at Trader Joes, if anyone is wondering what brands I used.  I hope you guys enjoy them as much as my family did!

Asian Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 large bag frozen stir fry vegetables
2 blocks firm tofu - drained and pressed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large head of iceberg lettuce
3 Tbsp minced garlic
High heat oil such as sunflower
1 bundle of green onions - diced
Favorite marinade - I used Soyaki, a soy sauce and terriyaki blend with ginger and sesame seeds
Optional drizzle sauce:
1 cup vegan sour cream
4 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp cilantro
fresh pepper to taste

   ~ Prep your lettuce cups by slicing off the bottom stem and submerging in a large mixing bowl full of water.  This will gently rinse your leaves and allow you to carefully separate them.  Peel from the stem up and try not to tear.  Place wet leaves on paper towels to dry.  As you get to the middle there wont be much usable leaves left and that's ok because you will use the center for the filling later.  Chiffon (thin shred slices) the remaining center leaves so you have 1 cup.
   ~ Make the optional sauce by whisking the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro and pepper together in a bowl.  Set aside.

   ~ Heat a heavy skillet like cast iron over medium high heat.  Coat the bottom of the pan with the oil and add tofu.  Brown on all sides till slightly crisp, turning every 8 minutes or so with a thin spatula.  Try your best not to shred up the tofu, but it'll will be fine if it tears a little.  Transfer tofu to a plate covered with paper towels.
   ~ Add 2 tbsp more oil to the skillet along with the garlic, marinade (start with a 1/2 cup), and frozen veggies.  Saute over high heat until crisp and cooked throughout.  Add the tofu back to the skillet and saute for a few more minutes, adding more marinade as needed.

   ~ Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and toss with the green onions and 1 cup shredded lettuce.  Serve buffet style with sauce and lettuce cups.  Fill lettuce cups with mixture, top with some sauce and wrap into an adorable make shift lettuce burrito.  Yay!

Party Food ~ Taco Chili

      Better late than never right?  While I should have gotten these recipes up before the Superbowl (Go Giants!) I feel that they are too good not to share.  Here is the first of my favorite crowd pleasers; taco chili.  This chili is very filling, with a little kick, and surprisingly good for you.  Use this to make some loaded nachos or pour over brown rice for a filling meal.  Either way if you have a crock-pot this will be one of the easiest things you can throw together in a pinch.  Enjoy everyone!

Taco Chili

Ingredients

• 1 large can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 bag frozen corn
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can of water (from the one of the bean cans)
• 1/2 cup salsa 
• 1 chopped yellow onion
• 1 package ready made black lentils (optional, I get mine from Trader Joe's)

     ~Rinse the beans well before adding them to the crock-pot.  Combine all ingredients in crock-pot and cook accordingly.  For best results cook on low for 8-10 hours, however I have made this in a pinch on the high setting and it has come out just fine.

Week 3 ~ Indulge a little with my take on Pasta Carbonara

      If you are a big fan of Italian cuisine like I am you know that the marriage of fresh sauteed veggies, Italian herbs and seasonings, pasta, and cream sauce can be absolutely addicting.  However it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that all that butter, wine, white flour, greasy meat and heavy cream completely eclipses any good those veggies might be doing.  Actually, now that I think of it, I'm not really sure what the culinary and nutritional education might be for a rocket scientist...  

      Anyway, I was craving something really indulgent last night and luckily I spotted some artichoke hearts in the fridge which made me think of those creamy delicious Italian pasta dishes.  So I came up with my own take on a Pasta Carbonara.  Very vegan, very delicious, and a heck of a lot more healthy for you than what you would order out.  What's my secret ingredient?  The same thing I always turn to for a creamy dish or decadent dessert recipe; So Delicious Coconut Creamer.  Really anything this company makes is liquid gold, they even offer sugar free stuff.  Amazement.  I hope you guys enjoy this one, I'm going to see if there is anything leftovers.

Pasta Carbonara

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• One box of your favorite pasta (I used Orecchiette, just make sure its vegan)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1 can artichoke hearts drained and pulled apart
• 1 box Uptons Italian Seitan, crumbled
• 3 TBSP: basil, parsley
• fresh pepper
• 1/4 cup So Delicious Coconut Creamer Original
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• One container low sodium veg broth
• 4 Tbsp lemon juice (I kind of have a heavy hand with the lemon juice, start with 4 Tbsp but I'm pretty sure I used about 1/4 cup)
• EVOO

   ~Cook pasta according to directions

   ~In a small saute pan heat 1 tbsp EVOO and saute crumbled seitan and pine nuts over medium high heat until nicely browned.

   ~In a large saute pan pour enough broth in so that it covers the bottom of the pan.  Add the spinach and steam down over medium heat with a lid covering the pan.  Once spinach is wilted down enough set aside.  Add artichokes, herbs, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp EVOO to the pan and saute over medium high heat for 3 minutes.  

   ~In a measuring cup or small bowl add 2 cups (room temp or warm) broth and flour.  Whisk until well combined. Add this mixture to the large saute pan along with the seitan mixture from the small pan.  Add the coconut creamer and allow mixture to come to a bubble over medium high heat.  Test your sauce.  If it needs to be thinned out then add more broth.  Stir in spinach.  Combine with pasta and toss in a large bowl.  

   ~Some great things to put on top would be some vegan parm, fresh chopped herbs, or my favorite; green onions and fresh chopped tomatoes.  Enjoy!

Isn't it pretty with green onions and tomatoes!