Piña Colada Bars (Vegan)

What can be better than to have a cup of herbal tea with a bite of your most favorite dessert! These Pina Colada Bars taste like summer. The secret ingredient of this delicious vegan dessert is.... tofu! You wouldn't believe how nicely it blends with lemon juice, vanilla, and coconut milk to create a creamy filling. The recipe makes 12 bars.

The original recipe was posted in the September 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times. The link to the original recipe is here.

Crust
2 cups vegan vanilla wafer cookies
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp almond milk (I used 3 tbsp of almond milk to get the right consistency)

Coconut Layer
1 12-oz package of extra firm tofu, drained
1 medium banana
1/2 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Topping
2 cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Pulse cookies into fine crumbs in food processor. Transfer to medium bowl and add oil and milk. Stir well. Spray 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press mixture into pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

2. Make sure you drain tofu. Cut tofu into 6 large pieces. Place one of them on two-layered piece of paper towel. Cover with another piece of paper towel and gently apply pressure with your hands allowing extra moisture to drain from tofu. Repeat with remaining pieces of tofu.

3. Blend tofu, banana, coconut milk, sugar, lemon juice, coconut oil, cornstarch, vanilla and salt in blender until smooth. Transfer to bowl and fold in shredded coconut. Pour mixture over crust in pan. Bake 55 minutes or until edges pull away from pan. Allow to cool.

4. In small pot, bring pineapple, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to boil. Constantly stir to prevent burning. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour pineapple mixture over coconut layer. Allow to cool. Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 3 hours. Slice into 12 bars. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake with Candied Ginger and Walnuts

This holiday season do me a favor and make this delicious Carrot Cake for your family. The combination of spices in this recipe is amazing: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. Ooh la la! They will love every piece of it.

I haven't used any animal product in making this cake. No eggs, or milk, or real cream cheese. This recipe is vegan. You will never notice the difference. I dare you to try it.

Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1 cup almond milk (vanilla or plain)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 cups carrots, finely crated (about 4 large)
• 1/2 cup candied ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Topping

• 1 8 oz pack vegan cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar (or more if you want your frosting thicker)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup candied ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine dry ingredients first: whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom.

2. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl: whisk together vegetable oil, sugar, almond milk, and lemon juice.

3. Stir flour mixture into oil mixture until batter is smooth and thick. Fold in carrots, candied ginger, and walnuts. Spray 10'' pan with cooking spray. Pour in batter and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool cake completely.

4. Prepare frosting by whisking together vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth adding more powdered sugar if desired. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Decorate with candied ginger and walnuts.

Bon Appetit!

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Russian Peach Pie (Peach Sharlottka)

Peaches are heavenly fruit. I'm so grateful that I live in Utah, which is pretty much the peach capital of the country! Try this simple Peach Pie recipe that has been passed down from one generation to another in my Russian family. It's called Peach Sharlottka. Peaches and cinnamon are meant for each other! This recipe makes two light 9" pies. You can also use one regular cake pan with a removable bottom. But if you're using one deep cake pan, you'll need to give it a litte bit more time to bake.

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 6 ripe medium peaches, sliced
• butter for greasing (or cooking spray) 

Preheat oven to 350F. With electric mixer beat eggs and sugar until mixture is foamy, about 4 minutes. Combine baking soda and vinegar in a separate bowl. Add foamy baking soda into egg/sugar mixture. Add cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Continue beating. Gradually stir in flour. Beat well. Fold in peaches. Grease two 9'' pie pans with butter. Divide batter between pans. Bake until toothpick comes out clean (about 45-60 minutes). Serve warm with almond vanilla ice cream.

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Vegan Death by Chocholate Cake

This is a classic Chocolate Cake made with plant-based ingredients only. No eggs or dairy. It is dangerously delicious! I dare you to try it.

Cake

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup soy or almond milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 mashed banana
• grated chocolate for decorating

Frosting

• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate (you can use semi-sweet chocolate, but prepare for a sugar shock! :)
• 1/2 cup vegan butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar (or more)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp soy or almond milk

Preheat oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl combine flour and cocoa powder. Mix everything well. Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix everything well with a fork. Gradually stir in soy or almond milk, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and mashed banana. Beat with mixer until smooth.

Spray 9'' cake pan with cooking spray. Transfer batter into cake pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

To prepare frosting, melt chocolate and vegan butter in small sauce pan. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and soy or almond milk. Beat everything well until frosting is smooth. (You might want to experiment with the quantity or powdered sugar and soy milk. Add more powdered sugar if you want your frosting very thick) Use immediately taking care to not let frosting set.

Decorate cake with thick layer of chocolate frosting. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Enjoy! Don't eat the whole thing :)
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Rustic Nectarine Blueberry Tart

I love August because it's the peach season in Utah, where I live. Peaches, and their cousins nectarines, have always been my favorite fruits. Try making this perfect Nectarine Blueberry Tart this summer. The dough is very easy to work with and doesn't require much effort. It's delicious! 

Crust

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 0.25 oz package active yeast
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Toppings

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 yellow nectarines, pitted and cut into wedges
• 2 cups blueberries

1. To make crust combine water, sugar, and yeast. Gently stir together. Let stand for 5 minutes. 

2. Whisk together eggs and butter in a different bowl. Whisk in the yeast mixture. 

3. Combine flour, salt, and grated lemon zest. Gradually stir flour mixture into yeast mixture until soft dough forms. Cover bowl with kitchen towel. Let stand for 1 hour until dough doubled in size. 

4. To make toppings, combine ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Mix everything well. 

5. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray. Punch down dough. Transfer dough to baking sheet. Press into large rectangle. Leave edges thicker than rest of crust. 

6. Spread ricotta mixture over dough. Arrange slices of nectarines on top of dough. Sprinkle with blueberries. Bake 30 minutes or until crust is golden-brown. Serve warm! 

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The original recipe is published in the September 2013 issue of the Vegetarian Times. vegetariantimes.com

Healthy Blueberry Oat Muffin Surprise!!

This is the easiest and healthiest recipe for plant-based muffins. I'm not using any eggs or dairy and they turn out absolutely delicious.

Batter

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp organic cane sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 banana, pureed
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup soy or almond milk
• 3/4 or 1 cup fresh blueberries

Sprinkles

• 1/3 cup walnuts chopped
• 1 tbsp brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a regular-sized muffin pan and line it with 12 muffin papers.

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Combine pureed banana with wet ingredients in small bowl. Mix dry and wet ingredients together until moist and smooth. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.

Combine walnuts and sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle mixture over muffins. Bake for about 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.
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Banana Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

Home-made ice cream for all of us who don't eat dairy or who are lucky to be lactose intolerant. This creamy deliciousness is based on soy or almond milk. You don't need to have an ice cream maker, just a blender will work.

6 frozen bananas in pieces
1/2 cup almond or soy milk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Put a third of bananas into blender. Add a portion of plant-based milk with 1 tsp vanilla. Blend it. It doesn't have to be very creamy. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat two more times with the remaining ingredients. Combine all of the banana mixture in blender again. Blend until extra creamy and smooth. Serve immediately with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and chocolate syrup. Yum!

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This recipe is from the book "Forks Over Knives", p. 181. The recipe's author is Mary McDougal. 

Russian Cookies "Rozochki" with Farmer's Cheese

These cookies symbolize the happiness of my childhood. My Russian mom would make them for special occasions and sometimes for no occasion at all- just to surprise us with our favorite dessert. "Rozhochki" means "little roses" in Russian.

Rozochki are soft and not too sweet. Russian desserts are traditionally significantly less sweet than American desserts. The main ingredient is farmer's cheese, although you can substitute farmer's cheese with cottage cheese. All you need to do is to squeeze all of the whey out of cottage cheese by using a cheese cloth. Rozochki will turn out the best if you use farmer's cheese though. Click here to check out how you can easily make home-made farmer's cheese yourself. You can also buy farmer's cheese in Eastern European stores in your area. My favorite American brand of farmer's cheese is Lifeway.

• 1 egg, separated
• 1/3 cup sugar for frosting plus 1/2 cup sugar for dough (if you like things sweeter, use 3/4 cup of sugar for the dough) 
• 1 1/2 cup farmer's cheese aka tvorog (or same amount of cottage cheese. Use a cheese cloth to drain all of the liquid out of cottage cheese)
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (plus more for working with dough)
• cooking spray
• powdered suger (optional) 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. To make frosting beat egg white with 1/3 cup sugar until mixture looks white, thick, and foamy. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl mix 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolk, and farmer's cheese. Add melted butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix everything well. Combine baking powder with flour. Gradually add flour to farmer's cheese mixture. Mix everything well and knead until all ingredients are worked in.You'll see little white specks of farmers cheese. It is normal. Your dough should look like this and will be a bit sticky.

3. Divide dough into two parts. Sprinkle working surface with flour. Roll first part of dough into a 1/4''-thick rectangle. (Mine looks more like an oval :)) Spread a few tablespoons of frosting over dough.

4. Beginning at the longer side of rectangle, carefully roll up dough. Cut into 1 1/2'' pieces.

5. Grease cookie sheet with cooking spray. Arrange each cookie on sheet. Use your fingers to make them look like cute little roses. Repeat step 3 through 5 with second half of dough.

6. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.

7. Let cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!
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Strawberry Chocolate Tart

Perfect recipe in time for the strawberry season. Indulge yourself with a chocolate strawberry tart. It will melt in your mouth and give you a boost of happiness!

Dough

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting tart
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (or vegan butter), plus more for greasing
• 2 tbsp water 
• 3 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips (plus more for sprinkling) (or vegan chocolate chips) 

Filling

• 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced (use more if you want your tart very full) 
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pulse flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly, about 10 times. Add water and pulse 5 more times. The dough at this point will come together. Use your hands to roll dough out into a disk, wrap in a plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 9-inch pan (an 11-inch pan will work also, but you'll have to spread your dough very thin.) with a removable bottom with some butter. Press dough into pan forming 1-inch edges. Place pan on 2 stacked baking sheets (this will ensure that the tart will bake evenly, according to the Vegetarian Times). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tart shell begins to pull away from sides of pan. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Use a brush to spread melting chips to create a layer of melted chocolate on the bottom of the shell.

3. To make filling combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Let stand for 30 minutes. You will use both the strawberries and juices to create the tart. Make sure that you don't have too much juice. The strawberries are not supposed to swim in the juice, but be coated in the juice. If you have too much juice, just get rid of it.

4. Arrange strawberries on tart pressing down gently. Pour juices over strawberries. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with a little bit of chocolate chips. Put tart pan back into oven. Bake for about 10 more minutes or until  filling bubbles around edges. Cool for 10 minutes before removing tart from pan. Dust with cocoa powder. Enjoy!

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Adapted from the Vegetarian Times, June 2013, p. 60

Cherry Clafoutis

This is a light French dessert made with thin batter, black cherries, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It is so easy to make and so good that you're going to wonder why the French have been hiding this awesome recipe for so long! Apparently, clafoutis became very popular in France in the 19th century. Although the original clafoutis is made with black cherries, you can substitute them with blueberries, peaches, blackberries, and other fruit. Use frozen or fresh fruit. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups cherries, pitted (you may use frozen fruit)
• 2/3 cup sugar plus 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk (you can use almond and soy milk too!) 
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup flour
• butter for greasing
• powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine cherries with 1 tbsp of sugar. Set aside. With an electric mixer beat 2/3 cup of sugar with the eggs for a few minutes until the mixture becomes foamy. Add milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. While mixing, gradually add flour. Beat until the batter is smooth. 

Grease the baking pan with butter. Arrange cherries on the bottom of the pie dish in one layer.  Pour the batter over them. Don't make your clafoutis too thick or too high. If your pie dishes are small, I would divide the cherries and batter into two parts and bake two pies instead of one. The dessert should be fairly thin, about 1 inch. 

Bake for 45-60 minutes. Serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar. Bon Appetit!

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Hummingbird Muffins

Southern classic cake turned into moist fruity muffins with pineapple, pecans, bananas, and honey. It is indescribably delicious! I think I just ate 5 of them... This recipe is adapted from May 2013 issue of the Runner's World Magazine.

Muffins:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or kefir
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 15-oz can of crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 mashed bananas

Crumble

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl beat sugar and honey with eggs. Whisk in buttermilk/kefir, applesauce, and vanilla. Very gradually mix in flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk everything well. Add pecans, pineapple, and bananas. Whisk until combined. 

Prepare 15-18 muffin tins. Fill each about 3/4 full. I like to fill them almost up to the top. 

Combine all crumble ingredients. Sprinkle each muffin with the crumble mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

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Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

Just looking at these pictures makes me drool. Raspberries and lemon... so delicious together. I made the frosting without any butter, so maybe you can call them semi-healthy. I used a seedless raspberry jam to give the color and flavor to the frosting. I made half of the batch with plain raspberry frosting. When making the other half, I mixed in crushed fresh raspberries into the frosting. It's even more fruity that way.

Batter

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 stick butter, softened (I used vegan butter. It works great too!)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup kefir or buttermilk
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 1/2 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

Frosting

• 8oz plain cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar (if you want a thicker frosting, you can experiment with more powdered sugar)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries (Optional. If you would like to add them to the frosting and make it more fruity and chunky, go for it)
• fresh raspberries for decoration

Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake cups with liners. 

In a mixing bowl combine softened butter and sugar. Use a spatula or a fork to mix them together until the mixture looks even. Add eggs, vanilla extract, kefir or buttermilk, lemon zest and juice. Whisk everything very well. Gradually add flour and baking powder. Whisk to combine until the batter is nice and smooth. 

Divide the batter among the cupcake cups. I usually fill them a little over two thirds full. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven) or until a toothpick comes out clean. I like mine to turn golden before I take them out. Cool the cupcakes before decorating with frosting. 

With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and raspberry jam until smooth and creamy. If you're using fresh raspberries, first decorate half of the cupcakes with the plain frosting. Then fold in fresh raspberries into the remaining half of the frosting. Decorate the remaining cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a fresh raspberry. Bon Appetit!

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Blueberry Pear Pie and Tartlets

In my office we  have a fun tradition to celebrate Pi Day on March 14 (3.14) by eating Pie! This year we had about 30 pies to sample. I've seen a lot of hyperactive people around the office. I attribute it to the sugar shock. We started sampling pies at 8:30 a.m. and the celebration continued throughout the day.

I made a blueberry pear pie with a lemony twist using a Russian recipe. It's flavorful and very fruity. I've also made individual tartelettes using the same method. They came out very cute!

Crust

• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• butter for greasing
  

Filling

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 egg yokes
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4-5 pears, peeled, seeded, cored, sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• powdered sugar

Let's make the dough for the crust first!

Combine softened butter, lemon zest, and sugar. Use a fork or a whisk to make the mixture even. Add egg and lemon juice and mix everything well. Add flour and baking powder. Mix everything well with your hands making a ball of soft dough. 

Grease a 9-inch pie pan with some softened butter. Press the dough into the pan creating 1- inch edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Now let's work on the filling.. 

In a small sauce pan combine sugar, flour, egg yokes, vanilla, lemon juice, and milk. Mix everything well. Heat the mixture on medium while constantly stirring. Bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute while continuing to stir. It's important to make sure you don't boil the mixture for more than a minute.

Baking... get ready for delicious smells!

Preheat your oven to 350F. Once your crust has been in the fridge for 30 minutes, take it out. Arrange pear slices in layers on the bottom of the pie crust. Put the pie in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, take the pie out. Arrange the blueberries over the pears. Pour the filling over the pears and blueberries. Bake at 350F for 25-30 more minutes.

Cool the pie before serving. Sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar over the pie. Enjoy!

*** Use the same method if you decide to prepare tartlets. I used the mini cupcake form and pressed the dough into the mini cupcake pan, and it worked great! Make sure you slice your pears into much smaller pieces if you decide to go this route.

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Peach Crisp

This recipe would be perfect with fresh mid-summer peaches, but since we're in the middle of the winter I made the crisp with frozen ones, and it still tasted great. This is a light recipe. It's not too rich or too sweet. I found the recipe in the book, "Vegan Cooking for Carnivores" by Roberto Martin.

Peach Filling

2 1/2 lbs peaches, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Crumb Topping

3/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 stick butter (or vegan butter), diced small

Preheat oven to 375F.

Peach Filling

Place the peaches in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle them with cornstarch. Pour the peaches into a saute pan, add agave nectar and vanilla, and saute them for about 7 minutes.

Topping

Place all of the ingredients for the crumb topping into a large ziplock bag. Smash and shake the bag, until the mixture becomes even and crumbly.

Peach Crisp

Grease a pan with a little bit of cooking spray. Place the peaches into the pan. Make sure you use the juice created in the process of sauteing the peaches too. Cover the peaches with the peach topping. Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve warm!
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Mango Sticky Rice

I found some great mangos today even though we're still a couple of months away from the mango season and had to make sweet sticky rice! This is a perfect snack or dessert. I used agave nectar to sweeten the rice, but, of course, brown sugar works great too.

Your usual rice is not going to work for this dish because it's too dry. I buy sweet rice at the Asian market and always have some on hand. One of your local grocery stores might carry sticky rice too.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet rice
• 1 3/4 cup water, divided
• 1 can coconut milk
• 5 tbsp agave nectar (can be substituted with 5 tbsp brown sugar) 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 mango, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

Make the Rice

Soak the rice in one cup of water for 30 minutes.

Don't drain the water, but add 3/4 cup more water, 1/4 can cocunut milk, 2 tbsp agave nectar, and 1/4 tsp of salt when ready to make the rice. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low until the rice is cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Make sure to keep the lid on to avoid evaporating of water. When the rice is done, remove from the heat, keep the lid on and let it sit for 5-10 minutes while you're making the sauce.

Make the Sauce

In a small sauce pan combine the remaining coconut milk (3/4 can) and agave nectar (3 tbsp). Warm it up on low. Stir well letting the agave nectar dissolve in the milk. Do not boil. Try for sweetness. If you like it a bit sweeter, add an extra spoonful of agave nectar. When the sauce is warm, it's ready to be served!

Place the rice in a small bowl, pour a few spoonfuls of sauce over the rice, place pieces of mango on top, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Sharlottka: Russian Apple Pie

This is a traditional Russian apple pie Sharlottka (based on my aunt Valentina's recipe) with a healthy twist.

You'll need:

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar (if you're going extra healthy, use just 1/2 cup of sugar!)
3 eggs
5 Red Delicious apples, cut in smaller pieces, with skin
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
vanilla

Here's how:

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat eggs and sugar until the mixture is nice and foamy, about 4 minutes. Combine baking soda and vinegar in a separate bowl. Let the chemical reaction begin! Add the foaming baking soda into the egg/sugar mixture, as well as cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Beat well. Add the apples and mix everything well. The secret of this pie is that it has more apples than batter... which means that you can eat two pieces of pie instead of one :) Bake for about an hour. Serve with whipped cream or just milk.

Sometimes I use whole-wheat flour when I bake. Although it is definitely healthier, remember that the the pies/cakes come out looking and tasting a little bit differently: they are darker in color and also not as fluffy. I like them very much anyway.

I might be a freak, but sometimes I have this pie for breakfast and I don't feel guilty for a second.
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Шарлотка... для следящих за фигурой :)

Девочки, всем предлагаю испечь шарлотку. Просто и вскусно. Рецепт основанный на идеях моей тети Вали. Моя мама также добавляет 1/2 стакана кефира. Тогда шарлотка получается более сытная.

Вам понадобиться:

1 ст. сахара (я этот раз положила только постакана, и все равно очень вкусно!)
1 ст. муки
3 яйца
1 ч. ложка соды, погашенной уксусом
5 красных яблок, порезанных, с кожурой
1 ч. ложка корицы
1/2 ложка соли
ваниль

Процесс:

Микером взбейте сахар и яйца, примерно 4 минуты. Довавьте погашенную соду, корицу, и ваниль. Постепенно введите муку и все хорошо взбейте. Добавьте порезанные яблоки и все хорошо перемешайте. Секрет этой шарлотки в том, что яблок в ней больше чем теста. Значит можно не один кусочек съесть, а два :) Выпекать на 180C около часа до образования золотистой корочки. Подавать со взбитыми сливками, либо просто с молоком.

Я также иногда использую муку из цельного зерна, которая, конечно, гораздо полезнее для здоровья. Не пугайтесь если ваш пирог получится не таким воздушным. Если вы используете муку из цельного зерна, тесто получается гораздо темнее.

Иногда я ем шарлотку на завтрак, и никакой вины по этому поводу не чувствую!

Roasted Cinnamon Pecans

My most favorite holiday smell is the smell of pecans roasted in the oven! It fills the room with cinnamon sweetness and warmth. I use them for my favorite salads and as very tasty snacks.

You'll need:

1 egg white
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300F. Combine egg white, sugar, water, salt, and cinnamon. Beat well until the mixture is fluffy. Add pecans and cover them completely with the sugar mixture. Spread pecans over a cookie sheet covered with tin foil and lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for about an hour or until the pecans become crunchy. Stir every 15 minutes.
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Запеченые в духовке орехи-пеканы с корицей

Девочки, знаете чем пахнет уют в доме? Корицей! Запах поджареных пеканов в духовке мой самый любимый запах праздников. Их можно использовать для салатов, а также просто как быструю вкусняшку на десерт. Иногда так сладенького чего-то хочется. Пеканы самое то!

1 яичный белок
1 стакан пеканов
полстакана сахара
1 ст. ложка воды
1/4 ч. ложки соли
1 1/2 ч. ложки корицы

Подогреть духовку до 150С. Смешать белок, сахар, воду, соль, и корицу. Все хорошо взбить. Добавить орехи и полностью покрыть их смесью. На противень, покрытый фальгой и смазанный растительным маслом, выложить орехи и испекать примерно около часа, перемешивая каждые 15 минут, до готовности. Готовый орех будет хрустящим! Сырой пекан не хрустит.

Whole wheat crepes: Russian blini with sweet and meaty fillings.

Russia is famous for its excellent crepes. Let  your imagination go wild when you decide what to fill your crepes with: raspberries and blueberries, roasted chicken, mushrooms, ground beef fried with onion, Russian cottage cheese with raisins, apples and honey, apricots, peaches, cabbage, salmon, and even with sausage! 

Batter:

• 2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp sugar 
• Vegetable oil for frying 
• butter for spreading over cooked crepes

Mix flour and eggs first, add milk, add the rest of the ingredients. Whisk very well! Your blini batter is ready! 

You can use cooking spray for frying, but olive or vegetable oil works better. 

Heat a little bit of vegetable oil in a good non-stick frying pan. Use a piece of paper towel to spread the oil over the whole pan. Pour approximately 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on the size of your pan) of batter into the pan, and then tilt the pan quickly spreading the batter over the pan evenly. The layer should be very thin. Cook for a couple of minutes on the first side. Then flip the crepe and cook it on the other side for a few more minutes. Once done, move the crepe unto a large dish. Grease it with a little bit of butter immediately. Unto the next one! Grease the pan with oil every time you make the next crepe. 

It is okay if your first crepe turns out ugly. The tricks are to have the pan very hot  before even starting to make them. Also, if you feel like the batter turned out a bit too thick, you can add a little bit more milk to it. If it is too runny and doesn't stick, add just a bit more flour. Making crepes is art! Don't be afraid to experiment. 

Fillings:

1/2 cup Raspberries

2/3 cup Blueberries

1 Banana, sliced

3 tbsp Sweetened condensed milk or whipped cream.... or both if you have a sweet tooth

1 chicken breast, cut in small pieces

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 can black beans

1/3 can of fire roasted tomatoes

Mushrooms, optional (1 small can or 5 fresh cremini mushrooms) 

Your favorite cheese, grated (Go crazy with the cheese! You can put too much cheese on your food) 

Butter

Sweet Crepes

Place crepe on a plate and top with the berries and banana. Sprinkle with a little bit of sweetened condensed milk or top with whipped cream. Enjoy! 

Meaty Crepes

Fry the chicken with the fire roasted tomatoes and mushrooms. When done, top crepe with the chicken, add black beans (heated in microwave), green onions, and lots of cheese. 

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Масленицу не обязательно ждать чтобы есть блины!

Тесто: 

• Мука 100 гр.
• Соль небольшая щепотка
• Сахар 1 ст.л.
• Яйцо 2 шт.
• Молоко 300 мл.
• Растительное масло 1 ст.л.

Смешайте муку и яйца, затем добавьте молоко и остальные ингредиенты. Помните что первый блин сегда выходит комом. Второй и третий будут красавчики. 

Чтобы начинить восемь сытных блинчиков вам понадобиться:

• Ягоды, стакан (голубика, клубника, малина. Зимой можно замороженные! Просто разморозьте перед употреблением и дайте жидкости сбежать)
• Банан
• Сгущенка (сколько душе угодно! Сгущенкой блины не испортишь :) 
• Масло сливочное
• Взбитые сливки
• Грудка курочки 250-300 грамм
• Зеленый лучок, 4 пера
• Грибочки, по вкусу (я использовала маленькую баночку консервированных, без соли, уксуса и приправ) 
• Черная фасоль (можно заменить на красную), 1/4 банки
• Консервированные кусочки помидор, 1/3 банки
• Сыр, 100 гр

Сладкая начинка:

Голубику, клубнику, банан, и малину выложить на блин, полить двумя ложками сгущенки. Съесть. Повторить. 

Мясная начинка: 

Грудку курочки порезать на мелкие кусочки, пожарить на сковородке вместе с шампиньюнами и помидорками на оливковом масле до золотистой корочки. Курочку выложить на смазанный маслом блин, добавить разогретую в микроволновке черную фасоль, и зеленый лук. Все посыпать сыром.