 The title is a direct quote from my daughter. She specifically requested this cake for her birthday this year, and I was so happy to oblige as it is seriously one of the best cakes I have ever eaten. It is moist, fluffy, and oh so chocolaty. The best part? It is made of only 100% real, non-processed, and whole-grain foods. The frosting has a base of sweet potatoes and the cake's main ingredient is whole-wheat flour...there are no empty calories here and one slice will definitely fill up that belly, basically guilt-free! The recipe fills two cake pans and you can either add the chocolate frosting between the layers or make the vanilla cashew cream frosting for the filling to make it even fancier. The recipe calls for boiling water to be added at the end which essentially helps "bloom" the chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. Don't be surprised at this point as the batter will be very, very watery. Just add it to your greased and parchment-lined cake pans and it will bake perfectly. I recommend making the frostings ahead of time so they have time to thicken up before spreading. While there are a few parts to put together for this cake, I guarantee this cake will convince even the biggest skeptic, that you don't have to miss out by eating plant-based, whole-foods. Chocolate Cake Recipe
vegan, plant-based, refined sugar-free Ingredients: Frosting
Vanilla Cashew Cream Frosting
Cake
Instructions: Chocolate Frosting
Vanilla Cashew Cream Frosting
Cake
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 Eating healthy does not have to mean slaving over a stove for hours on end. Don't get me wrong, I do sometimes love to spend a lot of time cooking and trying out new things. But sometimes, I just don't have the energy. I am sure many of you feel the same way, and just don't have the stamina to put too much effort into cooking. That's why I wanted to share this recipe for a quick, easy, and delicious salad that pairs wonderfully with oven-baked salmon for a quick, no-fuss, but quite fancy meal. The hardest step is peeling the cucumber...but guess what? You can leave the skin on! And if you are feeling very fatigued, do the salad preparation at the kitchen table to save energy. I get it, sometimes there just isn't enough energy for everything, but try to save up some to at least cut up your veggies. Cucumber Salad
vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, refined sugar-free Ingredients:
Instructions:
 We were lucky enough to be able to visit one of the many apple orchards in the area this fall, which means we had a lot of apples in our kitchen. As I was pondering what to do with the overwhelming amount of apples, my daughter yells out "Let's make apple crumble!". It was a genius idea! Since we already know the basics for a crumble recipe from my Blueberry Lemon Crumble recipe, I figured this should be a snap. Basically, I just switched out the blueberries for apples (but instead of 16 oz I used 32 oz of fruit) and added a bit more fruit juice with an additional lemon and orange and added some fall spices. It turned out so good that I am bringing it to Thanksgiving with the family this year. Maybe you will, too. Apple Crumble Recipe vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, refined sugar-free Ingredients: Apple Filling:
Base and Crumble Topping
Instructions: Apple Filling:
Base and Crumble Topping:
  Since the holidays are approaching, I wanted to make sure to share one of my favorite recipes that can make this time of the year extra special. The nuts give this loaf a nice and toasty flavor while the zucchini adds moisture and additional vitamins. It is perfect for special occasions but can also be made anytime you are in the mood for something comforting and cozy. It pretty straightforward to assemble (just process the nuts and spices and mix in the rest) and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge prior to baking (stop at step 4 below). If you are looking for a delicious main dish to make this holiday season you should try this one out. It will definitely be a nice addition to the dinner table. Zucchini and Nut loaf Recipe vegan, plant-based, refined sugar-free Ingredients:
Instructions:
 Anyone who has been following this blog, knows that just because you are trying to eat healthily, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice on choice. This creamy and refreshing cucumber dip is just another example of how you can use fresh and healthy ingredients to make something mouth-watering and surprising. This vegan cucumber dip has a taste that is very similar to tzatziki and would be perfect with homemade pita (recipe to come), hummus, and veggies. It also pairs well with homemade tortilla chips and can be whipped up super fast. Seriously, the hardest part to this recipe is chopping the cucumber! If you are looking for something different to try, I hope that you give this recipe a whirl! Cucumber Dip
vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, refined sugar-free Ingredients:
Instructions:
 If you enjoy spinach artichoke dip, then I can only recommend that you give this recipe a try. It has all the creaminess of a traditional spinach artichoke recipe, without the guilt. There are two options to preparing this dish; once you combine the pasta with the sauce you can either already enjoy, or you can pour it into a baking dish and add the topping to make a delicious pasta bake. The topping is the recommendation for a gluten-free topping, but you can of course always process two slices of bread with nutritional yeast to have a more traditional bread-crumb topping. As another alternative you can follow steps 2-4 to prepare a vegan spinach artichoke dip. Once you combine the cheeze sauce with the spinach and artichoke and it thickens you will place it in an oven safe dish and bake 20 min. Serve with homemade corn tortilla chips. Anyway you choose, I know you won't be disappointed. Vegan Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheeze
vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, refined sugar-free Ingredients:
Instructions:
 I am constantly amazed at the versatility of nuts. Take this recipe for example. Raw nuts serve as the base for a deliciously smooth and creamy, vegan mayonnaise. Like most of the recipes I share, this one is also ridiculously simple. Just add all the ingredients to a blender and that's it! Sometimes it can be difficult to get all of the nuts completely blended, and if you have time, it can be good to first process the nuts to a flour like consistency, and then the ingredients will come together even better in the blender. Another option is to add a little more water to the recipe to make sure the blender is able to reach all sections of the mixture. I love this mayo together with homemade fries (as pictured) but it can be used for anything you would typically use mayo for, e.g. pasta salad, sandwich spread, coleslaw, or potato salad. Nut Mayonnaise Recipe
vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, refined sugar-free Ingredients:
Instructions:
 It is summer and it is hot. Of course my normal go-to drink is water, but sometimes you need a little change and some flavor to help cool you down. Lemonade is a great summer drink, but it is usually made with refined white sugar which makes it not the healthiest of drinks. For this recipe I used honey as the sweetener and it came out great. If you want to make it vegan you can try substituting maple syrup...I haven't tried it, but I am sure it will work just fine. This drink was just the thing I needed for these hot summer days. I love the tang of the ginger and the crispness of the lemon, paired together it is really refreshing! You can also leave out the ginger for a simple lemonade. Ginger Lemonade Recipe
refined sugar-free, gluten-free, plant-based Ingredients:
Instructions:
 My favorite recipes are the ones that entail roasting followed by processing. To me these are the easiest and most convenient. I like to use the oven baking time to clean up and prepare for the next step, and it always feels like cooking is a breeze. So, I knew I had to share this recipe because it is my favorite kind, pop all the veggies in the oven then whiz it together in the food processor and, voila, it's done! And of course I love this recipe because it is chock full of yummy vegetable goodness, and super delicious. It goes really well with homemade cauliflower crackers, homemade corn tortillas, or even as stir-in to cooked quinoa or pasta. Roasted Vegetable Dip Recipe
vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, refined sugar-free Ingredients:
Instructions:
 Here is another great way to prepare a creamy sauce out of cauliflower that will leave everyone guessing how you made such a cheesy and creamy sauce without cheese or cream! I prepared this with mushrooms, but you could use pretty much any vegetable you prefer. Zucchini, peppers, or carrots would be great substitutes. There are also three topping options you can choose from depending on how you are feeling. You can either make a cheeze sauce, which is what is pictured, or add sauteed onions or make some bread crumbs for a crispy topping. Or you could even go crazy and try all three together! Cauliflower Cream Pasta Bake Recipe
vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, refined sugar-free Bake ingredients:
3 Topping options: Cheeze sauce:
Onions:
Bread crumbs:
Instructions:
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AuthorAmanda Windhof, PhD is an MS lifestyle advocate who wants to ensure a healthy diet is accessible to everyone. Archives
December 2020
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