Gluten Free Ding Dongs for Valentines Day!

Valentine's Day means making sweet treats for people you love. These heart shaped vegan snack cakes are just what you need to win over that special someone. Gluten, soy and nut free to boot they are suitable for practically every diet out there! Nothing says love like homemade ding dongs.
While looking at this recipe you will notice only 1 teaspoon of a non-traditional ingredient, xantham gum. While the amount is small, the priority is large. Xantham gum is often seen in gluten free breads and baking along with Guar Gum. Both are used as binders and are added to ensure that your baked goods don't crumble and fall apart at the slightest touch. Adding any more than necessary can quickly result in a really gummy, almost stringy texture. Thankfully my experiment with this recipe worked great the first time and I used exactly the amount I needed to keep this cake together without compromising the texture.


more valentine's day treats
Pink Lemonade Pound Cake
Apricot & Salt Chocolate Tart
Curry Truffles
Red Velvet Cake

Moist chocolate snack cakes filled with fluffy coconut whipped cream and coated in a smooth chocolate shell.

Gluten Free Ding Dongs
8-10 ding dongs or 1-12" cake
1 3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup melted coconut or canola oil
2 tbl apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
2 cups gluten free all-purpose baking flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xantham gum
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Line and grease a 12" rectangular baking dish.
Combine the milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla in a bowl. Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, xantham gum, baking powder and salt. Whisk into a smooth batter and pour into the baking dish.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once cool, stamp out hearts or circles with a cookie cutter. Pipe the middle with coconut cream then pour the chocolate glaze over the tops.

Whipped Cream
1-15oz can coconut milk, lid removed and chilled overnight or at least 6 hours
3 tbl organic powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Scoop out the fat layer that has formed on top and combine in a bowl with the sugar and vanilla. Leave the coconut water in the can and discard.
Whip the cream for 3-5 minutes until fluffy with medium peaks.

Chocolate Glaze
10 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbl coconut oil

Combine the chips and oil and melted slowly over a water bath or 30 seconds at a time in the microwave. Once melted, pour over the snack cakes and sit at room temperature to set or chill.

Walnut & Black Bean Chili with Avocado Salsa

This vegan chili is not only soy but also gluten free. Humble walnuts serve as a hearty ground beef substitute and really give this dish its distinct flavor. Corn tortillas dissolve in the hot broth and act as a thickener, allowing this soup to bubble away and taste more flavorful with every passing minute. If you have never tried walnuts as a meat substitute, I recommend this as your first test recipe, you won't be disappointed!

Black beans and walnuts serve as a base for this chipotle and ancho spiced chili, spritzed with lime and garnished with a quick and easy avocado salsa.

Walnut & Black Bean Chili
serves 4
1/2 cup walnuts
1-15oz can diced tomatoes
3-6" corn tortilla, torn into chunks
1 cup refried beans
2 garlic cloves
1 chipotle pepper plus 1 tbl adobo sauce
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, small dice (reserve 2 tbl for avocado salsa)
1 tbl chili powder
1 tbl cumin
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-15oz black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 limes, divided
2 radishes, thinly sliced

Grind up the walnuts in a food processor into coarse crumbs. Set aside. Add the tomatoes, tortillas, refried beans, garlic, chipotle and adobo into the processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Sweat the onions in olive oil in a medium pot until soft and translucent. Add the walnuts and saute until toasted, 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, ancho and salt. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add tomato mix along with the beans, broth and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until thick, stirring often.
Add the juice of one lemon and taste to season with salt if necessary.
Divide into portions and garnish with lime wedges, radish slices and avocado salsa.

Avocado Salsa
2 avocados
3 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
2 tbl minced red onion
salt

Combine the avocado, cilantro and red onion and mash into a coarse salsa. Taste and season with salt.

Mini Lasagna with Hearts of Palm & Artichoke-Sage Cream Sauce

These handheld lasagnas are as cute as can be, take a third of the time to make than traditional lasagna and cut down on all that heavy pasta.
Make these with kids or for parties for a cute and original finger food.

One Year Ago Today   Lemon & Almond Crunch Ice Cream Cake

Individual hearts of palm and artichoke lasagnas tossed with creamy cashew-based artichoke sauce with fresh sage.

Artichoke-Sage Cream Sauce
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tbl nutritional yeast
2 tbl water
3 whole artichoke hearts (from a 15 oz can, use the rest for the lasagna filling)
6 sage leaves
salt and white pepper, to taste

Blend all of the ingredients together until creamy and smooth.

Mini Lasagna with Hearts of Palm
makes 8
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1-15 oz can hearts of palm, drained, minced
1-15 oz can whole artichoke hearts (minus 3 for the cream sauce), minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and white pepper, to taste
16 square wonton wrappers

Preheat the oven to 350.
Saute the hearts of palm and artichoke hearts in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and has toasted.
Add 3 tablespoons of the cream sauce, mix to combine and set aside.
Grease a muffin tin and line 8 with 2 wonton wrappers each. Fill with lasagna filling and top with the remaining cream sauce.
Bake for 20 minutes and serve.