Easter Fruit Tart and Recipe Round-Up

round up

It’s almost Easter, have you figured out your holiday plans yet?

Easter, traditionally, is one seriously omnivorous celebration. From dyeing to hunting eggs, to baskets full of chocolates and candies, to tables centered around a ham, it covers quite a few creatures in the animal kingdom. Stressing about what to eat? How to celebrate with children? Don’t worry, I’ve searched the web high and low and offer you my findings:

First for the menu, determined to explore and feature different blogs than those I highlighted in my  St. Patty’s Round-up, I am excited to report I found so many amazing recipes while learning about a few new blogs. You definitely want to take a look for yourself:

And for my contribution to this Cyber Potluck I bring you my fresh fruit tart with vanilla pastry cream, the dessert I brought for last year’s Easter meal. It was well received.

tart

This year I’m bringing Orange Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls, and cannot wait to share the recipe with you!

But, as I said, there is more to address as vegan parents. What about all the celebration around eggs? This year is Eden’s first year to join her cousins on an Egg hunt which happens on my parent’s farm, Fern Creek Farm. And while I appreciate her cousins are finding eggs from happy chicken, I needed an alternative for Eden. Therefore I picked up a bunch of plastic eggs and filled them with healthy, but slightly indulgent treats.

eggs

In each eggs she will find dehydrated raspberries, dried cherries, Amy’s Bunny Grahams, or dark chocolate covered raisins (although I think I’ve eaten a few of those).

I also had a lot of fun putting together her first Easter basket.

basketStuffed inside that green frog is a bunny that I crocheted for her before she was born, a coloring book, bubbles, and a few homemade eggs shakers.  I also bought The Velveteen Rabbit, a book she’s a bit too young for but I think I’ll start a tradition of reading her the book every year.

So this in my vegan Easter.

What about yours? Do you have any veg traditions? If so, please share!

 

You might also like:

Raising a Vegan

Raising a Vegan

A St. Patty's Day Round-up

A St. Patty’s Day Round-up

A Vegan Halloween: Round-Up

A Vegan Halloween: Round-Up

A Merry Christmas Round-up

A Merry Christmas Round-up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Shamrock Shake & a St. Patty’s Round-up

shake

St. Patty’s Day is coming up and I hope you are ready to bust out the vegan corn beef and potato hash. If you’re going to a potluck or eating dinner alone this round-up has a recipe for you, helping you veganize one serious meat-loving holiday.

I contribute this super easy shamrock shake, a seasonal favorite that you don’t have to give up just because you’re vegan.

Shamrock Shake

serves 2

1 1/2 cup non-dairy vanilla ice cream (I used Coconut Bliss)
3/4 – 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used Pacific Soy)
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
a few drops of green food coloring

In a blender mix together all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Done.

shake2

Planning a party? Check out more St Patrick’s Day recipes from some of my favorite veg bloggers.
(click on the pictures to take you to each recipes)

 

You might also like:

Tofu Reuben Sandwich

Tofu Reuben Sandwich

Tempeh Bacon and Apple Stuffed Sweet Potato

Tempeh Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potato

Coconut Lime Cream Pie

Coconut Lime Cream Pie

Raw Mint Oreo Cookies

Raw Mint Oreo Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Round-up

Thanksgiving week is upon us!

This holiday season is very exciting for me. In previous years, holidays have always been a time of long, busy hours at work and grouchy, stressed out people looking for pie. But for the first time in my adult life, I get to enjoy this time with my family and I will be savoring the moments.

I love Thanksgiving as a time of reflection, and this year has certainly been worth reflecting upon. Just 23 days into 2012, my daughter Eden Mae was born and every day I am learning, growing, and finding new reasons to be thankful for her. In April I created The Sweet Life and have been blown away by its reception. For years I have tried to find away to harmonize my love for food and passion for veganism and The Sweet Life has allowed me to do just that.  And lastly this year has been about family. I am fortunate enough to live within an hours drive of my entire family: parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, and nieces and I am very thankful for all the time I get to spend with them as our family continues to grow.

I will be taking the rest of this week off to fully indulge in this holiday, but before I go I leave you with a Thanksgiving Day Round-up. Also I will check the blog periodically to answer questions for anyone trying my recipes this week, so don’t hesitate to ask.

Click on the picture for the recipe.

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Maple Caramel Sauce

Vegan Meatloaf Cupcakes with Butternut Squash Puree

Mashed Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Sage

Almost Raw Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

Vegan Bacon and Apple Stuffed Sweet Potato

Raw Pecan Pie Tartlets

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Tempeh Bacon

Grain-free Walnut Mushroom Stuffing

Gluten free Mushroom Gravy

I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving enjoying good food, family, and friends. Come back next week because I’m opening with these:

Sugar-free Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge

spoiler alert: they are totally addictive.

A Vegan Halloween Candy Round-Up

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

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?

 

 

From Acorn to Zucchini: A Squash Round-up

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.    

Six No-bake Fancy Desserts

I don’t know about where you are, but here in the Northwest it’s supposed to get up to 100 degrees today. I’m already preparing myself for a day in the cool, dark basement.  But with Jason’s birthday tomorrow I need to brave the kitchen and make him something sweet. Here’s the good news: I found 6 fancy desserts to make without turning on the oven. So Jason still gets something delicious and decadent and I don’t have to sweat over it (literally).

Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Fruit Sushi

Raw Coconut Almond Truffles

Coconut Lime Cream Pie

Chocolate Peppermint Mousse

Tropical Ice Cream Sundae

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