Sweets | The Sweet Life

Raw Chocolate Orange Truffles

October 30, 2012 7 Comments

With Halloween Eve upon us, my mind is on the candy. Last week, in preparation for this sweet holiday, I shared a Halloween Candy Round-up with some truly amazing candy recipes from around the blogosphere and refurbished my Salted Caramel Corn post from many months ago. But yesterday I was motivated to make a healthy Halloween candy to be enjoyed without risking cavities and stomach aches. These raw truffles are so delicious AND healthy that I feel okay about sharing little bits with Eden as she experiences her first Halloween.

Raw Chocolate Orange Truffles
makes about 24

1 cup pitted dates
1 cup walnuts
up to 2 tbsp water, if necessary
3 tbsp raw cocoa powder (plus more for dusting)
1 tbsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp orange extract
pinch of salt

In a medium bowl soak dates and walnuts for at least 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a food processor. Blend until mostly smooth. Depending on the strength of your food processor/blender, you may need to add water at this point to blend fully. Add slowly and do not exceed 2 tbsp.

Add remaining ingredients and blend again until well combined. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator for 1 hour until truffle “dough” has hardened enough to mold.

Roll into rounded teaspoons. Toss in extra cocoa powder and return to refrigerator to harden for at least 1 hour.

Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Happy Halloween everyone! What are your sweet and scary plans?

Filed Under: gluten-free desserts, sweets Tagged With: candy, chocolate, dessert, gluten-free meals, holidays, raw, refined sugar-free, soy-free, sweets, truffles

Salted Caramel Corn

October 25, 2012 13 Comments

This is a revision to one of my first recipes I wrote for The Sweet Life, long before I knew how to make good food photography. So when I whipped up a batch of caramel corn this morning in preparation for a very special baby shower this weekend, I figured it would be a good time to take some pictures and update this old post.

Salted Caramel Corn
gluten-free

12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup kernels)

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

1/4-1/2 tsp good sea salt

*the second time around I subbed maple syrup for brown rice syrup and it worked great (if not better).

I only recently discovered how easy it is to make popcorn with just a stove and a pot. Upon this discovery my mind started racing with all the wonderful flavors I could make. Naturally salted caramel was the first on my list.

So if you’re like me and are unlearned in the ways of air popping popcorn, fear not! It’s incredible fast and easy. Place the kernels in a large pot over medium high heat with tight fitting lid. For 1/2 cup kernels, I used a 6 qt pot and it just fit. Keep the pot moving around the burner to avoid burning the kernel, hold down the lid, and wait for the kernels to pop. Remove from heat as the popping slows down, keeping the lid on for any remaining kernels to finish.

Pour the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside while making the caramel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F and lightly oil two baking sheets.
In a medium sized pot combine sugar, brown rice syrup, and margarine over medium heat.

Stir together and bring to a boil. Let boil for five minutes, stirring once.

Remove from heat and add baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Immediately pour over the popcorn slowly while mixing it in with a spatula. Once well combined spread out into single layer onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of good sea salt and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven and stir once more. Let sit for 10 minutes and enjoy!

When completely cool store in an airtight container. Popcorn will last for a week (if you have more self control than I do).

Filed Under: Eating in Season, Fall, gluten-free desserts, snacks, sweets Tagged With: gluten-free meals, holidays, popcorn, snacks

A Vegan Halloween Candy Round-Up

October 23, 2012 8 Comments

Halloween: the most magical time of the year. That’s what they say, right? Scary movies, dressing up in costume, haunted houses, corn mazes, caramel apples, Rocky Horror Picture Show, trick-or-treating…truly magical.

I have many good memories od Halloween as a young kid, dressing up in homemade costumes and trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. I loved coming back home, emptying the contents of my bag onto my bed and sorting my sweet treats, dividing the candy into piles of great, okay, and gross and then eating them in that order.

This is Eden’s first Halloween. This year I have little to worry about, but as the holiday approaches I find myself questioning how I will handle future Halloween’s with a vegan child. I want her to share in the same memories as I did as a young child but recognize the challenges of vegan trick-or-treating.

I have prepared myself for future years by scouring the web, looking through some of my favorite blogs, and compiling a Vegan Homemade Candy Round-up. And if you, like me, are looking for solutions for vegan trick-or-treating, check out this article I found at vegfamily.com.

Click on the title below for recipes.
All recipes and photos are created by these wonderful bloggers. below

Three Musketeers Bars

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Three Musketeers Bar by Namely Marley.

For complete lists of store bought vegan candy, check out VegNews’ Official Guide to Vegan Halloween and PETA’s Vegan Candy is Dandy

How do you celebrate Halloween with your children? If you’re vegan, do you have ways to veganize the holiday?

Filed Under: Eating in Season, Fall, gluten-free desserts, sweets, sweets Tagged With: candy, chocolate, gluten-free meals, halloween, holidays, round up

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Maple Caramel Sauce

October 16, 2012 6 Comments

The rainy season has begun in Portland, Oregon and while 8 months of rain is a bit drearisome, I always look forward to the first few weeks. The coziness of hunkering down in the house, a fire in the fireplace and the dog sitting at my slippered feet; the feeling is irreplaceable really.

The days are getting shorter and wetter and my evening are becoming filled with knitting children’s Christmas presents, drinking Spicy Chai Lattes, and, when I’m really lucky, eating Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
serves 2

2 cups homemade challah or French Bread

1/3 cup soymilk
1/3 cup soy creamer or coconut milk
3 tbsp chickpea flour + 3 tbsp water
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extra
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
pinch of salt

Maple Caramel Sauce

2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp soy creamer or coconut milk
1 tsp arrowroot powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a small (two person) baking dish or two 12 ounce mason jars or mugs.

Cut bread into 1/2 inch cubes. For best results the bread should be a slightly stale so that it won’t fall apart in the custard. If fresh bread is your only option, toast cubed bread in the oven for 10 minutes at 300 degrees F.

Whisk together the pudding ingredients (everything from the soymilk to a pinch of salt) in a small bowl until completely smooth. Fold in the cubed bread until it is fully hydrated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon remove the bread from the custard and place in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining custard over the bread so that it is fully submerged.

Bake for 20-45 minutes (times will vary greatly depending on size/shape of baking dish) until pudding has firmed up and the tops has turned golden brown. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.

To prepare the Maple Caramel Sauce whisk together maple syrup and arrowroot powder in a small sauce pan, over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil and allow it to boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Sauce should begin to thicken at this point. Remove from heat and add creamer. Stir to combine. Let cool slightly. It will continue to thicken while cooling.

Pour sauce over bread pudding just before serving. Enjoy!

How do you enjoy the rainy/cold season when it’s too wet to go out and play?

A couple days ago Jason and I started watching Friday Night Lights. I’m not yet entirely sold on the show, but I do see it becoming one of the many ways we make it through the rainy nights ahead of us.

There are still a few days left to enter into my giveaway! Follow this link to find out how you could win a year subscription to VegNews Magazine.

Filed Under: Eating in Season, Fall, sweets, sweets Tagged With: bread, bread pudding, challah, dessert, maple, pudding, pumpkin

Chewy Molasses Cookies

October 8, 2012 18 Comments

Chewy molasses cookies…need I say more?

Well if you really want to know, here’s the truth: I made a whole batch of these and Jason and I ate them all. In one sitting. Moderation and discipline disappeared once we bit into these chewy, sweet, and spicy pieces of pure joy. And the stomach ache was well worth it.

Oh, the risks I face as a food blogger.

So when you make these, beware. They are highly addictive. You may find yourself licking the remnants off the baking sheet, searching for your self-control.

Chewy Molasses Cookies
makes about a dozen
*this recipe was inspired by Martha Stewart’s Molasses Spice Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp molasses

1/4 cup sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, spices, and salt. In a separate bowl or stand up mixer beat vegan butter and and sugar until light and fluffy. Add oil and molasses and mix to combine. In several batches add the dry ingredients until a dough begins to form. Don’t overmix.

Place rolling sugar in a small bowl. Pinch off about 1 tbsp of dough and roll into a ball. Coat with sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on baking sheet about two inches apart and bake for 10-13 minutes until the edges begin to firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cookies to cool completely.

Enjoy!
(I dare you to save some for tomorrow)

Keep your eye on The Sweet Life this week because in honor of my 6-month blogoversary (that’s right, I’m turning 1/2 year old) I am having a very exciting giveaway.

Filed Under: sweets, sweets, Uncategorized Tagged With: autumn, cookies, desserts, molasses, sweets

From Acorn to Zucchini: A Squash Round-up

October 5, 2012 3 Comments



It’s been a squash filled week in our home as we enjoyed the vegetables of the season. To wrap up Squash Week I bring you a squash round-up: from Acorn to Zucchini and everything in between.