Zizi's Adventures - Real Food, Real Stories

Vegan Walnut Sandwich Cookies With Dark Chocolate Fudge

by

Cute bite sized walnut + whole spelt flour cookies or cookie sandwiches with a touch of cinnamon and vanilla, sticked together with creamy rich dark chocolate fudge. And they are vegan. How does it sound? I think we can call this a healthy indulgence.

Reward yourself with these cookies while nurturing your body with omega-3 fatty acids from walnut, antioxidants from the dark chocolate. A small piece of good quality dark chocolate everyday keeps your heart and cardiovascular system running well, not to mention that it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure and it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant.

I think these are all enough reasons to go into your kitchen and start making these cookie sandwiches. You will thank for me!

Because we all need chocolate, cookies and love…

Vegan Walnut Sandwich Cookies With Dark Chocolate Fudge
(Recipe inspiration: Healthy Happy Life)

Ingredients (makes about 36 cookies)

For the cookies
– 1 cup whole spelt flour
– 3/4 cup ground walnut
– 2 teaspoons cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
– 1/3 cup cane sugar
– 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
– 1/4 cup almond/rice/oat/soy milk
– 1/3 cup liquid coconut oil
– 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

For the chocolate fudge
– 3/4 cup dark chocolate (70% cocoa content)
– 2 tablespoons almond/rice/oat/soy milk
– 1/4 cup coconut oil
– pinch of salt

Method

In a bowl add all dry ingredients: whole spelt flour, ground walnut, cinnamon, salt, baking powder. In another bowl mix together coconuti oil with cane sugar, apple cider vinegar, almond milk and almond extract. Add dry ingredients into the wet and mix until combined. Wrap the dough into clingfilm and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take two teaspoons of the dough, form a ball and place on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the ball slightly, then repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile make the chocolate fudge filling – in a small pan melt the ingredients over low heat. Stir until smooth. Place the melted filling into a bowl in the fridge. Cool until it has a state like chilled peanut or almond butter.

Assembly: spread the fudge filling on a cooled cookie. Place another cookie on top. Continue until all the cookies are prepared.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

by

I think we all agree that chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate comfort food with a glass of milk, a cup of tea or coffee. Chocolate chip cookies always help, don’t they? There are plenty of classic recipes on the Internet but only a few of them are vegan.

I found this recipe on Emily’s blog and decided to give it a go. This recipe taste just like any of the classic ones, you won’t even know they’re vegan. These cookies are so easy to make, crunchy outside and chewy inside because of the buttery coconut oil and one banana. When you have guests come over, bake for them (without saying it’s a vegan recipe). I bet they will love it too! Share the vegan chocolate chip cookie love!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients (makes 25)

– 1 cup (120 g) whole wheat spelt flour
– 1 cup (135 g) white spelt flour
– 1/2 cup (110 g) raw cane sugar
– 1/2 cup buttery coconut oil (not solid and not liquid)
– 80 g bittersweet chocolate chips
– 1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed with a fork
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 2 tablespoons almond/rice/oat or soy milk
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

Method

In a bowl add all dry ingredients: whole spelt and white spelt flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl cream together coconuti oil with cane sugar. Once the mixture is fluffy and light, add mashed banana, vanilla, almond milk and with a wooden spoon beat until combined. Add dry ingredients into the wet, fold in the chocolate chips and mix until combined.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a cookie or ice-cream scoop, portion out small balls of dough, then flatten the balls slightly with your hands. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Best Of 2012

by

I’m sharing my favourite top 12 recipes from 2012. Some of them were very popular – according to statistics – but I loved these 12 the most. I really enjoyed looking back at all of these vegetarian or vegan meals I cooked or baked over the past year.All in all I shared more sweet recipes than savory. Of course it doesn’t mean we only eat sweets, I just somehow like taking photos of these delicious yuminess!

I’m excited for the new year and all it will bring! I hope you’ll still be here reading my short stories, commenting and enjoying my recipes. You inspire me to make this blog better and better day by day. See you in 2013!

Let’s see the favourites of 2012…

January

This month I really loved cocoa, chocolate and walnut cookies! I bet you did too! Also shakshuka was a new way for me to poach eggs in herby tomato sauce. Yum!

February

In February we challenged ourselves. We were planning to do a 29 day sugar-free (no cakes, no chocolates, no sweet fruits only apple, lemon, orange and mandarin sometimes) vegan challenge but we ended it on the 25th day. 25 days were enough. We enjoyed it, we had ups and downs but we couldn’t bear not to eat anything sweet anymore.

As a result of the challenge this month only brought savory recipes. One of my favourites is this spring roll with citrus soy sauce but I also loved the udon noodles with creamy tahini sauce, roasted kale and tofu.

March

This month it’s unequivocal that the best recipe was the raw chocolate ganache cake. This has been one of the most popular recipes on the blog.

April

In April I shared the first recipe from the cookbook, Veg Every Day. I could cook and bake all the recipes from the book because all of them are vegetarian or vegan. With over 200 recipes and vibrant photography, River Cottage Veg Every Day is a timely eulogy to the glorious green stuff. This kale and mushroom lasagne was a big hit.

May

The biggest challenge in May was making strawberry leather or you can call it the healthy version of gummy candy. This leather thing is exciting not only for children, for adults too. It’s very easy to make (and a few hours) but don’t miss it.

June

Another sweet favourite in June: vegan chocolate popsicles with roasted almonds. They are creamy, thick chocolate-y vegan popsicles to enjoy! Yum! I also loved making and eating this raw zucchini spagetthi with creamy tahini sauce.

July

I love nut roasts and vegetarian/vegan patties. I made these yum quinoa patties for a picnic.

August

From the end of the summer my favourite recipe is this milk pie I baked with my recently deceased grandmother. This is actually a thick pancake baked in the oven. It is not too sweet but moist and soft.

September

Imagine little sweet indigo-coloured berries and little sweetish yellow corn kernels in soft, moist muffins with a bit of crispness from the cornmeal. You got it? These vegan corn blueberry muffins are just like I described.

October

I love cooking pancakes. I used carrot to make this soft, vegan and sugar-free pancakes. You can use  honey, agave, rice or maple syrup to pour over the pancakes. A real autumn Sunday indulgence…

November

I added pumpkin purée to this oatmeal that’s why its colour looks bright yellow. With a bit of maple syrup and spices it is one of the best comfort food breakfast during winter time. It is a small bowl of harmony in terms of its colour and taste.

December

This month was one of the busiest with 11 recipes I shared. It’s difficult to choose one of them so I let you make this decision. 🙂

Homemade Chocolate Liqueur

by

Is it possible to make homemade chocolate liqueur? Really? And it only takes 15 minutes! Chocolate liqueur can be consumed straight, as an after dinner drink rather than as aperitif. It can be used in mixed drinks and in desserts, especially in dessert sauces, cakes and truffles.

I love making edible gifts for Christmas and for birthdays. I put myself into the effort so the gift has my heart and my love. I gave homemade edible gifts for Christmas or any special occasions in the last two-three years for my loved ones. The success was always guaranteed. This liqueur is perfect for anyone for any occasion.

Chocolate Liqueur

Ingredients (makes 500 ml ~ 2 cups)

– 100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa content)
– 150 g powder sugar
– 200 ml cream
– 250 ml rum
– 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
– 1 bottle

Method

In a pan mix together cream, powder sugar and cocoa powder. Start heating over low heat. Slowly add the dark chocolate. Stirring continuosly melt the chocolate. Remove pan from the heat and let it cool until lukewarm. Mix rum with this melted chocolate sauce, stirring until smooth.

With the help of a strainer pour the liqueur into the bottle and store it in a cold place. If it gets a bit too thick, dilute it with a splash of rum.

Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread aka The Legend of Homemade Nutella

by

Homemade edible Christmas gifts are so popular and fashionable nowadays. Cookies, biscuits, jams, chutneys, granolas, savory treats make special presents for any occasion, especially at Christmas. A homemade edible gift has so much love in it. Download cute food labels, wrap the presents nicely and the success will be guaranteed.

This homemade Nutella is not only mouthwatering on the photo but it is very addictive. Make sure to do a double batch because you will want your own Christmas gift too. 🙂 Look for good quality milk- and bittersweet chocolate for this recipe to avoid unnecesarry additives and sugar. For more sophisticated friends  and relatives make this Nutella from 350 g milk and 150 g bittersweet (70% cocoa content) chocolate. Vegans should use chocolate made with rice milk.

There is a similar recipe on my friend, Emiko’s blog (she also shot a video too).

Homemade Nutella

Ingredients (makes 500 ml, about 2 cups)

– 250 g hazelnut
– 400 g milk chocolate
– 100 g bittersweet chocolate
– 3 tablespoons hazelnut or coconut oil
– 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
– 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C (338F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the hazelnuts on it and toast them for about 8-10 minutes until the nuts have darkened and the skins have blistered. Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove as much of the skin as possible. Let cool completely.

In a food processor grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste (about 10-12 minutes). Add hazelnut oil, cocoa powder and salt. Continue to process the mixture until it is very smooth.

Add a little boiling water to a saucepan and heat until simmering. Break the chocolates into small pieces and add to a heatproof bowl. Suspend the bowl over the simmering water, but do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water. Heat the chocolate, stirring regularly, until melted, then remove from the heat.

Add the melted chocolate to the hazelnut mixture and continue to blend until smooth. Transfer to a jar and let it cool (the texture will be a bit runny, but it will thicken as it cools).

Enjoy!