Seriously Creamy Vegan Ice Cream

I made this in a very small amount to test it out.  I suggest doubling the recipe.  This recipe uses the ice cream mixer attachment to my Kitchen Aid, however, you can make it with a food processor, but simply freezing it, then breaking it up into the food processor and processing until smooth.

Ingredients:

1 Pint Silk brand non-dairy Creamer
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar
4 Tablespoons Tapioca Flour

Method:

Pour all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat until the mixture become very thick like pudding.

Place in the refrigerator until completely cooled.  When the mixture is cooled, it will be like a very thick pudding, similar in consistency to marshmallow cream.

Pour into an ice cream mixer and process until frozen.

This recipe was an experiment that worked out very well.  I made it just vanilla to test it.  Next I will try adding strawberries or chocolate.  I'm thinking lemon would be really good in this recipe.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

These cookies are vegan if you use a vegan version of white chocolate chips.  The chips we used do contain milk products, however.  You could also substitute peanut butter chips.  They are picture above with rice milk.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
3/4 Cup Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon Brown Rice Syrup
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
3/4 Cup Rapdura
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
3 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (or Unbleached Naturally White)
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 10 ounce bag White Chocolate Chips

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350.  Combine maple syrup, canola oil, vanilla and brown rice syrup in mixer bowl.  Set on low.  Blend until oil does not separate.

Add Rapdura and blend on low until smooth.

Add cocoa and blend.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the cookie dough and set on low.  Blend until smooth.

Add white chocolate chips and blend until all mixed.

Using a 1 ounce scoop, scoop the dough onto a greased cookie sheet.  A one ounce scoop makes about three dozen cookies; or you can use a 3/4 ounce scoop to yield about four dozen cookies.

Bake at 350 for 11 to 12 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

Enjoy.  They are pictured above with Rice Milk.

Blueberry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 quart Half & Half
1 half-pint Heavy Cream
1 Cup Agave Nectar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
8 egg yolks
1 Pint fresh Blueberries

Method:

Pour the Half & Half, Cream, and vanilla into a pan and heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot but not boiling.

Separate the eggs.  You can use an egg separator or just crack the egg in half and hold the yolk in one side of the eggshell while the white runs over into a bowl.  You can pour the yolk back and forth from one eggshell to the other to get more white out.  Then put your yolk into another bowl.

Whisk the yolks together until smooth.

Temper the yolks with the hot cream mixture by slowly pouring a ladleful of cream into the yolks and whisking quickly to prevent lumps.

Continue doing this until the yolks are warmed with cream.  Then pour the whole mixture back into the pan while whisking.

Continue to cook on medium heat while whisking until thickened.  Do not allow the mixture to boil or overcook so that in begins to separate like curdled milk.  Once thickened, stir in the blueberries and set aside.

Allow to cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for several hours until cold.

When cold, the mixture will be thickened like pudding.  Pour into a container and freeze overnight.  Cut the mixture up with a knife and pour it into a food processor.  Do half at a time.

Pulse until blended and creamy.

At this point, you can either serve the ice cream and eat it or you can refreeze it to eat later.  You can freeze and process the mixture two or three times to create a very creamy consistency.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These vegan cookies contain no dairy products or eggs, but are very chewy and delicious!


Ingredients:

3 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry flour (or unbleached naturally white flour)
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Rapdura
1 Cup Maple Syrup
3/4 Cup Canola Oil (or Coconut Oil)
1 Tablespoon Brown Rice Syrup
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 bag Grain Sweetened Chocolate Chips (10 ounces)
1 Cup Quick Oats

About the Ingredients:

Flour - Unbleached white flour is wheat flour but not whole wheat because it leave part of the grain out.  If you prefer whole grain, then use whole wheat pastry flour which is also very soft but has the whole grain.  The recipe works well with both.

Rapdura - This is dehydrated sugar cane - the whole cane.  It looks like dirt and has a molasses type taste.  Because it is unprocessed, it retains many nutrients, including calcium and iron.

Brown Rice Syrup - This syrup is super sticky but not very sweet.  It gives the cookies a chewy texture.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the maple syrup, oil, brown rice syrup and vanilla.  Set in the mixer on low until it is well blended - a few minutes.

Add the rapdura and continue blending on low.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to the wet mixture all at once.

Blend on low until completely combined.  Add chocolate chips and blend.  Then add the oats and blend.

Scoop the dough onto greased cookies sheets and bake at 350 for 11 to 13 minutes.  If you use a 3/4 ounce scoop, you'll make 4 dozen average size cookies.  A 1 ounce scoop with make 3 dozen large cookies.  Transfer to a rack to cool.  Enjoy!

Whole Grain Bread

This bread is made using a kitchen aid mixer and takes little time or effort.  It's easy enough to make everyday and is suitable for sandwiches or other daily use.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Rye Flour
4 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Instant or Rapid Rise Yeast
2 Tablespoons Vital Whole Wheat Gluten
2 Cups Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar

About the Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour - I'm using Bob's Red Mill stone ground hard red winter wheat flour.

Method:

Put all dry ingredients into the mixer bowl and set mixer on low with dough hook.

Mix water, olive oil, and agave nectar together and pour into the mixer bowl.

Let mix for about 5 minutes.  Turn off and let rest for 10 minutes.  Turn on setting 2 for about 3 minutes or until a doughball forms with no loose flour in the bowl.

Knead 3 or 4 times (no extra flour needed).

At this point you can also put the dough into the refrigerator and use later.  You can leave it refrigerated up to 48 hours before using.

Put into a greased bowl, turn over, and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.

Turn the dough out and knead a couple of times.  Roll into a large rectangle that is slightly longer than your bread pan.

Roll up and tuck the ends in.

Place into the bread pan and let rise.  I'm using a long loaf pan; if you're using the standard short pan, then divide the dough into two loaves.  You can rise quickly by placing it in the oven at the warm setting with a pan of water on the bottom rack.  The bread will rise in about 20 minutes this way or 25 minutes if it was previously refrigerated.

When bread is doubled in size, remove from the oven and set the oven at 375.  When preheated, bake the bread for 35 minutes.  For softer bread and crust, place a pan of water on the bottom rack while baking.

Rub the top with butter.  Let rest on a wire rack for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Slice and serve hot or store for later use.

Carrot Cookies

Ingredients:

2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup ( 1 1/2 Sticks) Butter
1 Cup Rapdura Sugar
1 Cup Cooked, Smashed Carrots
1 egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Icing Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Dry Milk
1/4 teaspoon Stevia
2 Tablespoons Butter (room temperature)
2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice

About the Ingredients:

Rapdura Sugar - This type of sugar is just dehydrated sugar cane. It uses the whole cane with no processing. It looks like dirt and has a molasses type flavor. This sugar retains many nutrients that are lost in processing, such as Iron and Vitamin C.

Pure Stevia - Much of the easily accessible stevia has fillers added. The best way to tell if you have pure stevia is to look and see if the comparisons rate is 1/4 teaspoon equals 1 cup of sugar. It should also say 100% pure stevia somewhere on the package. If you're using a stevia with fillers, then use the amount that the package says equals 2 cups of sugar.

Dry Milk - We are using Organic non-fat dry milk.

Cookie Ingredients (except Vanilla)

Method:

Peel the carrots.

About 5 medium-sized carrots.

Cut the carrots into small pieces.  About two cups of chopped raw carrots will equal one cup of cooked smashed carrots.

Boils the carrots until completely done.  When you can easily smash them with a fork, they are done.

Smash the carrots with a potato smasher until they are just pulp.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter and rapdura sugar.

Add the carrots, egg and vanilla.  Mix well.

Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt.  Add to the carrot mixture.

Mix well.

Coat two cookie sheets with butter.

Using a #30 black scoop (1 1/4 ounce) drop scoopfuls onto the cookie sheet.

Butter your fingers or dip them in flour and smash the balls slightly.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove to a rack to cool.

While cookies are cooling, make the Icing.

Icing Ingredients

Put all the Icing ingredients in a bowl and mix with a whisk or with a mixer until creamy smooth.  Put about a teaspoon of icing onto each cookie.  I just blob it on because they are going to be eaten soon anyway.  You could put the icing in a bag and cut the tip, then pipe it onto the cookies to look prettier.

Continue until all cookies are iced.  It should be exactly enough icing for two dozen cookies.

Makes about two dozen large cookies.  Enjoy!