Tag Archives: dessert

Pumpkin Nut Crunch

November 20, 2022Dessert, Recipes, Thanksgivingdairy free, dessert, easy, pie, pumpkin, ThanksgivingAdmin

This dessert is a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving or other fall/winter celebrations. The simple topping is easier to make than pie crust. It can be made dairy-free if you use vegan butter and evaporated coconut milk.

This recipe could likely be doubled and baked in a 13×9 inch casserole dish. It may need a few extra minutes to bake. Jiggle the pan to make sure the pumpkin mixture is set and cook until light golden brown on top.

Pumpkin Nut Crunch

A simple alternative to pumpkin pie with a delightfully easy and crunchy topping.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy-free, holidays, pumpkin, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

coconut oil or butter for greasing pan

Pumpkin Mixture

15 ounce can pumpkin puree
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk (evaporated coconut milk for dairy-free)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping

1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/3 cup melted butter (vegan if necessary)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8×8 inch square baking dish or 8 inch round cake pan.
Beat together pumpkin, sugar, evaporated milk, egg, pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until combined. Pour into prepared baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
Sprinkle pecans evenly over flour mixture. Carefully pour melted butter evenly over the pecans.
Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F. Bake another 30-40 minutes or until pumpkin is set and topping is golden brown. Cool before serving.

Recipe Notes

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, combine 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
To make this recipe dairy-free, use evaporated coconut milk instead of evaporated milk and use vegan butter instead of regular butter.

Peach Ginger Crisp

September 29, 2020Dessert, Recipesdessert, easy, fruit, ginger, peaches, plant-based, Summer, vegan, vegetarianAdmin

Fruit crisps are one of the easiest desserts to throw together and they are somewhat flexible, too! This recipe uses simple ingredients and you can make substitutions if necessary: Use other nuts like pecans or almonds instead of walnuts, use other fruit omit the ginger, use regular butter instead of vegan butter, etc. It isn’t overly sweet, but it’s just right if you eat it with ice cream, or just prefer desserts that aren’t overpoweringly sweet.

This recipe can be used as a template for other fruit crisps. Omit the ginger and swap out the peaches for about 6 cups of:

-Plums (see photo towards the bottom)

-Strawberry & rhubarb

-Mixed berries

-Cranberry & apple (add a little cinnamon)

Peach Ginger Crisp

A peach crisp is delicious, but add ginger for a zing and lemon juice for brightness and it will be even better. This recipe is plant-based (vegan) as written. Using vegan butter results in a chunkier topping than coconut oil, but both taste great!

Course Dessert

Keyword dessert, easy, nuts, oats, peaches, summer

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

oil to grease the pan
6 peaches, sliced about 6 cups
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons lemon juice about 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegan butter or coconut oil (topping will likely be a bit flatter)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a baking dish such as a cast iron skillet or casserole dish with oil. I used a 11×7" pan.
Combine peaches with sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, and fresh ginger. Place into greased baking dish.
Combine remaining ingredients until it forms a dough and no loose flour remains, mixing with your hands if necessary to incorporate the butter. Add more butter if necessary. Crumble the topping over the peach mixture.
Bake for about 50 minutes or until the juices have bubbled up and the crisp is golden brown on top. If the top doesn't brown well, turn on the broiler and put it on the 2nd from the top rack for a few minutes until browned, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.
Let cool completely to allow fruit to set. Reheat and serve, topped with ice cream if you'd like. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Made with melted coconut oil – crust was flatter but still crisp and delicious!

Plum crisp – followed this recipe with 6 cups of sliced plums and omitted the fresh ginger and ground ginger. The crust was made with vegan butter, and you can see it’s a big thicker and chunkier than the crisp made with melted coconut oil above.

Chia Pudding

March 18, 2020Dessert, Recipes, Snacks2 ingredients, chia, creamy, dessert, easy, plant-based, seeds, side, vegetarianAdmin

By no means did I come up with the idea of chia pudding, but tons of recipes exist. This is a common ratio of 1 part chia seeds to 4 parts liquid. Top it with whatever you’d like – fruit, chia jam, nuts, nut butter, maple syrup or honey, etc.

Chia Pudding

A simple, 2 ingredient recipe that can be the base for a tasty snack or breakfast!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Keyword breakfast, chia, dessert, easy, seeds, snack

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 2

Ingredients

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup cashew milk or other milk
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

Combine cashew milk and chia seeds in a jar. Shake well to combine. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Shake jar again and if necessary, use a fork to break up clumps. Refrigerate for another 50 minutes or overnight.
Serve with whatever toppings you'd like: fruit, chia jam, nuts, nut butter, maple syrup or honey, etc.

Chai Tea Mix

December 12, 2018Beverages, Dessert, Recipesbreakfast, dairy free, dessert, easy, fall, gift, gluten free, holiday, homemade, low sugar, plant based, recipe, spices, tea, vegan, vegetarian, WinterAdmin

This chai tea mix makes a thoughtful homemade holiday gift. Just add the tea and spices to a jar and attach the simple brewing instructions! If available in a store near you, buy the spices in bulk to save some serious cash. For enhanced flavor, toast the spices in the oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes or until fragrant.

Chai Tea Mix

Each batch fills one small jar, about 4-8 ounces. Multiple this recipe to make as many jars as you'd like.

Course Drinks

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 12 cups prepared

Ingredients

1/2 cup loose black tea
1/4 cup candied ginger cut into small pieces if large
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons cardamom pods about 20-25
1 teaspoon red peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
8 star anise seeds optional
2 teaspoons fennel seeds optional
1 teaspoon black peppercorns optional
1 teaspoon coriander seeds optional

Instructions

If possible, lightly crush the spices – break the cinnamon stick into pieces, split the cardamom pods slightly, and lightly crush the other spices using a mortar and pestle.
Alternatively, you can break the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods carefully using kitchen shears, a garlic press, or a nutcracker.
In a small jar, combine tea, spices, and candied ginger. Close the jar and wrap.
Include these instructions:
Steep 1 tablespoon of tea mixture in 1 cup hot water for 5-10 minutes. Strain. Add ½ cup milk or milk alternative and optional sweetener to taste.

Black Forest Trifle

July 1, 2018Dessert, Recipescake, cherry, chocolate, comfort food, dairy free, dessert, egg free, nut free, plant based, recipe, soy, surprise, tofu, veganAdmin

This recipe is not quite as simple as typical recipes on Guess Who’s Cooking, but it can be adapted/simplified in a few ways:

Make the pudding as a simple stand-alone dessert
Make the pudding without the soy milk and use it as a simple stand-alone mousse, or use it as frosting for any cake
Make the chocolate cake and frosting (pudding without the soy milk) and make cupcakes, a sheet cake, or a round layered cake
Make just the cake and frost it with your favorite frosting

You may not believe that a dessert with this much tofu would be good, but it actually took first place in the Northern California Soy and Tofu Festival 2018 dessert competition.

Black Forest Trifle (Triple Tofu)

This trifle has three main layers, and believe it or not, every one of them is made with tofu! It is decadent, rich, tender, silky, moist, creamy, and not overly sweet. Juicy cherries provide a pop of flavor in every bite. This recipe also happens to be completely plant-based, as long as vegan dark chocolate (and sugar) is used. People will have no idea it’s vegan or made with tofu!

Course Dessert

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

32 ounces silken tofu drained
1 3/4 cup cake flour
12 ounces frozen cherries thawed, juice reserved
1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup canola oil plus 1 tablespoon for greasing pan
1/4 cup agave syrup divided
2 tablespoons vanilla extract divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ounce dark chocolate bar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 8x11” baking pan with 1 tablespoon canola oil and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.
In a food processor, puree 12 ounces tofu until very smooth. Add sugar, ¾ cup soy milk, ½ cup canola oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and puree until well combined.
Pour tofu mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

For the chocolate pudding

In a food processor, puree 12 ounces tofu until very smooth. Add ½ cup soy milk, 2 tablespoons agave syrup and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and puree until well combined.
Melt chocolate chips in a small bowl by microwaving for 30 seconds at a time, stirring, and repeating until melted (about 1 ½ minutes).
Pour melted chocolate into tofu mixture and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until needed for assembly.

For the vanilla cream

In a food processor, puree 8 ounces tofu until very smooth. Add 2 tablespoons agave, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until needed for assembly.

To assemble the trifle

Cut cake into 1-inch cubes. Cut thawed cherries in half and place reserved juice in a shallow bowl.
Dip one side of the cake into reserved cherry juice. Place 1 layer of cake cubes into serving dish, dipped side up. Spoon a light layer of cream on top of the cake. Add a sparse layer of cherries. Top with a fairly generous but not solid layer of pudding.
Repeat steps above. Use a vegetable peeler to shave dark chocolate on top as a garnish. Serve cold.

2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes

March 17, 2018Entree, Recipes2 ingredients, breakfast, comfort food, dairy free, dessert, easy, eggs, entree, fall, gluten free, low sugar, pancake, protein, recipe, snack, soy free, Spring, sweet potato, vegetables, vegetarian, WinterAdmin

2 Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes

2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes

Print recipe

Serves	2
Prep time	20 minutes
Allergy	Egg
Dietary	Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Meal type	Breakfast
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Hot

These pancakes take just two ingredients. They are not exactly the same texture as traditional pancakes, but still tasty considering they only require two ingredients!

Ingredients

1 cup sweet potato, cooked
4 large eggs
cooking oil such as canola, coconut or grapeseed

Directions

Step 1
Mash sweet potato with a fork. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl, then add to mashed sweet potato.
Step 2
Heat a nonstick skillet such as a cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add a little oil.
Step 3
Add sweet potato mixture to pan 1 tablespoon at a time. Flip pancakes once edges lighten in color and turn more opaque and small bubbles start to form on top, about 3 minutes. They are done when both sides are golden brown. Repeat until all mixture is used, adding more oil as needed.
Step 4
Serve with toppings of choice - maple syrup, nut butter, butter (or non-dairy butter) or fruit.

2 Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes

2-Ingredient Crispy Rice Bars

December 18, 2017Dessert, Recipesbar, chocolate, comfort food, dairy free, dessert, easy, fall, gift, gluten free, holiday, homemade, low sugar, party, plant based, recipe, soy free, Spring, vegan, WinterAdmin

2-Ingredient Crispy Rice Candy Bars | Healthier gift, vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free

These bars make a fun and healthi-er gift. They are very easy to make – all you have to do is melt chocolate and stir in cereal. They can be made vegan and/or gluten-free if you check the ingredients on the chocolate and cereal. If these need to be made gluten-free, be extra careful to check the cereal as some rice cereal is sweetened with malt syrup, which is made from barley, a gluten-containing grain.

2-Ingredient Crispy Rice Bars

Print recipe

Serves	12 - 14
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	5 minutes
Total time	10 minutes
Dietary	Gluten Free, Vegan
Meal type	Dessert
Misc	Child Friendly, Freezable

These 2-ingredient candy bars are very easy to make and can be made vegan and gluten-free. They make a great edible gift!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup crisped brown rice cereal

Directions

Step 1
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring constantly until melted. Alternatively, heat the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 seconds increments, stir, and repeat until melted.
Step 3
Gently stir in cereal and mix until all of the cereal is coated.
Step 4
Pour the cereal mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread into a square in an even layer. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Step 5
Place the parchment paper and bars on a cutting board. Cut the square in half and then cut into smaller bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

There are many options for ingredients that you may use, but if you’d like to know the exact brands used in these photos, see below.

2-Ingredient Crispy Rice Candy Bars | Healthier gift, vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free

I used Barbara’s Organic Brown Rice Crisps cereal, which was labelled vegan and gluten free (“Verified to contain less than 20 ppm gluten”) at the time I bought it. It contained 1g sugar per 1 cup serving and was sweetened with organic fruit juice concentrate (pear or apple).

For the chocolate, I used Pascha Organic Dark Chocolate Chips, 55% Cacao, Semi-Sweet. It was “allergen-friendly,” vegan, and gluten-free.

Grilled Peaches and Pineapple

June 17, 2017Appetizers, Recipes, Sidesbarbeque, dairy free, dessert, dinner, easy, fall, fruit, gluten free, grilled, low carbohydrate, low sugar, low-carb, party, peach, pineapple, plant based, recipe, side, soy free, Spring, Summer, vegan, vegetarianAdmin

Grilled Peaches and Pineapple Photo credit: Peter Ma

Grilling fruit caramelizes it for a crisp and sweet outside and a warm and tender inside. It also brings out the natural sweetness, so no added sugar is required! Try it as an appetizer, a side dish, or a dessert with your next barbecue.

Grilled Peaches and Pineapple

Print recipe

Serves	6
Prep time	10 minutes
Cook time	10 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Dietary	Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Dessert, Side Dish
Misc	Serve Hot
Occasion	Barbecue

Grilling fruit caramelizes it for a crisp and sweet outside and a warm and tender inside. It also brings out the natural sweetness, so no added sugar is required!

Ingredients

4 peaches
1 pineapple
2 tablespoons canola oil

Optional

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions

Step 1
Preheat grill. Meanwhile, cut peaches in half and remove the pit. Cut the peel off the pineapple and cut into spears.
Step 2
Toss peach halves and pineapple spears with canola oil. Optional: Toss pineapple with cinnamon.
Step 3
Grill peaches and pineapple on both sides, until there are golden brown grill marks. Serve warm.
Step 4
Optional: drizzle balsamic vinegar over the peaches.

Grilled Peaches and Pineapple — Photo credit: Peter Ma

Vegan Bananas Foster

April 23, 2017Dessert, Recipesbanana, comfort food, dairy free, dessert, easy, fall, gluten free, ice cream, low sugar, low-carb, plant based, recipe, Spring, Summer, vegan, vegetarianAdmin

Vegan Bananas Foster | Guess Who's Cooking | Healthier, vegan, plant-based, low sugar, dairy-free, gluten-free

This lower-sugar and vegan version of bananas foster maintains the most satisfying part of the dessert – warm bananas over a creamy and frozen dessert. To make it more authentic, you could use more oil and sugar to make more sauce. A mixture of sugar and molasses could be used in place of brown sugar. Banana liqueur would also be a nice touch – add when you add the rum.

Most recipes call for 1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar for the bananas, not to mention the sugar in the ice cream. This recipe has only 1 tablespoon of added sugar total, or 12.5-25% of the sugar of a typical recipe (again, not including the sugar in the ice cream).

If possible, use over-ripe bananas for the “ice cream” and under-ripe bananas to cook.

Vegan Bananas Foster

Print recipe

Serves	2
Dietary	Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Dessert

This recipe is a lower sugar and vegan version of a delicious dessert. Frozen bananas can be kept in your freezer to make this quick recipe anytime.

Ingredients

4 bananas
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum

Directions

Step 1
Slice 2 bananas and place in a single layer on a plate. Freeze overnight or until almost frozen solid.
Step 2
Slice remaining bananas in half lengthwise, then crosswise. Melt coconut oil and sugar in a small nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add bananas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bananas are caramelized and tender. Add rum and let simmer, or flambe by carefully lighting with a long-reach lighter or tilting towards a gas stove flame.
Step 3
In a small blender or food processor, blend slightly thawed (let them sit out for 5-10 minutes) frozen bananas until it is well blended and smooth, adding a little bit of milk/plant milk if needed.
Step 4
Divide frozen banana mixture into two bowls and top with warm banana mixture and serve immediately.

31 Healthy Game Day Recipes

January 27, 2016Appetizers, Dessert, Entree, Recipes, Sides, Snackscomfort food, dairy free, dessert, dinner, entree, healthy, lunch, party, plant based, potluck, recipe, side, snack, vegetables, WinterAdmin

25 Healthy and Fun Game Day Recipes | Guess Who's Cooking | Recipes are mostly minimally processed, plant-based, and low in added sugar and refined flours. Perfect for the Super Bowl!

This is an updated post from last year. There are a few new recipes that were too good not to include this year, so they are shown below with their photo next to the recipe name. It’s now 25 recipes + 6 bonus recipes to share during the big game. For those with special needs or tastes, many recipes are: