vedge

 

My best friend, Stephanie Hoban of Ripe Cuisine, just so happened to be in Philadelphia for work at the same time I was recently. We decided to go out to eat at Vedge for a delicious vegan meal! Stephanie is a vegan chef & registered dietician, and although I'm not vegan nor vegetarian, I love all things veggie! We were both seriously impressed with this dinner. I love when plant-based food is both creative & satisfying, and the food at Vedge is definitely both, all while making vegetables the star of the show. Here is just a sampling of what we enjoyed. I cannot wait to go back!

 

 

salt roasted gold beets, everything lavash, smoked tofu, crushed cucumbers

 

rutabaga fondue, today's soft pretzel, yesterday's pickles

 

 

 

wood roasted carrot, kimchee reuben, pumpernickel, sauerkraut puree

 

braciole, smoked & roasted eggplant, italian salsa verde, cured olive puree

 

 

 

hakurei turnips, turnip kimchee, refried farro

 

broccolini, smoked onion dashi, grilled shiitake

 

 

figgy cheesecake, fig jam & concord grape jam gel, madeira ice cream, "honey smacks"

 

miso caramel delite, kung pao pineapple, coconut-mac nut granola, kaffir lime sorbet

 

 

 

 

to finish, vegan millionaire bars

 

superfood balls

 

If you ever need something sweet, but don't want to indulge in a full-on dessert, these are a tasty, but healthy alternative. Whether it's an afternoon pick-me-up or an after dinner treat, there are great to have on hand and contain many superfoods like maca, chia seeds & cacao! Even better, they're super easy to make- just throw everything in the food processor, and that's it! Enjoy!

Superfood Balls:

  • 1/2 cup raw walnuts

  • 1/2 cup raw almonds

  • 1/4 cup chia seeds

  • 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (about 10)

  • 1/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut

  • 1/3 cup raw cacao powder

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 tsp maca powder

  • 2 tbsp water

  • 1/4 tsp salt

Pulse all ingredients together in food processor until well combined. Roll into balls. Coat in extra coconut or cacao, if desired. Makes about 2 dozen balls. These store well in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or in the regrigerator for 7-10 days.

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gingersnap chocolate cream pie with bourbon pecan crumble

 

I wanted to bake a festive dessert for our holiday dinner this year, but one that would also please most everyone at the table. Chocolate naturally came to mind, and this gingersnap chocolate cream pie with bourbon pecan crumble by Kale & Caramel was a true winner. Even better, it's all vegan, and most of my family couldn't even tell! The crust is made from gingersnaps and coconut oil, while the chocolate cream filling is thickened with chia seeds. And those candied bourbon pecans? Make extra because you'll want to put them on everything! A decadent pie that you can feel good about indulging in- what could be better?! Head on over to Lily's site for the recipe.

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healthier black bean brownies

 

My best friend Stephanie is a registered dietician and plant-based chef who runs a vegan food truck in Texas called Ripe Cuisine. You can find tons of delicious, yet good-for-you recipes on her site, many of which you'd never know are vegan! Her motto is "eat with a purpose", and it's comforting to know you can do just that, even when a craving for sweets hits! When I want a brownie, I want it to be rich and fudgy, and that's exactly what these are. Stephanie's recipe includes a secret ingredient- black beans- but don't let that deter you. I promise you'll enjoy these just as much as any butter and egg-filled brownie, but you can feel good about the fact that they're both vegan and gluten free!

Flourless Fudge Brownies:

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chunks

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil

  • 2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar

  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

  • 1/2 tsp sea salt


Preheat oven to 350 F. In a double broiler, melt chocolate and coconut oil together. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine black beans, cocoa powder, palm sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Pulse a few times to begin to breakdown beans, and with the motor running, pour in the melted chocolate-coconut oil mixture.

Continue to process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl, as needed. If adding in extra chocolate chips, nuts, etc., now is the time to stir them into the batter.

Using 1 tablespoon coconut oil, grease a 9 inch x 9 inch pan and pour in brownie batter. Bake for 45 minutes until brownies are set. Allow to cool for 30 minutes for brownies to firm up before cutting. Allow them plenty of time to cool and firm up before cutting. Enjoy!

*Makes 9 large brownies

**Optional additions- maca powder, extra chocolate chips, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, nut butter or dried fruit

***Recipe from Ripe Cuisine

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chocolate & toasted coconut cake with salted coconut caramel filling

I got the opportunity to spend an afternoon baking with the beautiful Athena of EyeSwoon, and we had such a blast together. She is a lovely spirit, and shares my love of sweets. We baked this tasty cake in my apartment for a feature on her site (definitely check it out- lots of food and design lust happening there!). This chocolate and toasted coconut cake with salted coconut caramel sauce turned out perfectly, and I will definitely make it again soon!

Chocolate & Toasted Coconut Cake with Salted Coconut Caramel Filling:

Cake:

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, at room temperature

  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

  • 1 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

  • 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted

  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 2 cups + 2 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour

  • 1 cup cane sugar

  • 1 cup cocoa powder

  • 1 tsp espresso powder

  • 2 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

Buttercream:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

  • 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes, for topping

Caramel:

  • 1 can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk

  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Make the caramel ahead of time. Combine the coconut milk, maple syrup, and coconut palm sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and cook, whisking frequently, about 20 minutes until mixture has thickened and is a dark amber color. Turn off heat and whisk in the vanilla, salt, and butter until smooth. Cool completely, and then store in an closed jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. This will make much more than you need for this recipe. Feel free to drizzle some over each individual slice, or over ice cream!        

For the cakes, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two 8 inch round pans with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper and dust with cocoa powder.

Add the vinegar and milk to your stand mixer bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Next, add in the applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Turn your mixer to low and slowly pour the dry ingredients in until everything is incorporated. Turn the mixer speed up to medium-high and let run until your batter is evenly smooth and no lumps remain.

Divide the dough between the two prepared pans and let bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Remove from oven and let cool.

While the oven is still heated, place coconut on a lined baking sheet and place in oven to toast. Bake for about 10 minutes or until most of the flakes have browned.

While everything is cooling, remove the coconut caramel sauce from the fridge to come to room temperature. Beat together all buttercream ingredients, and set aside.

To assemble, place the first layer of cake on a cake stand, removing any domed area to create a flat surface. Add a layer of coconut caramel on top, and sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Top with the second layer of cake, making sure the layers are even. Using an offset spatula, spread the buttercream all over the outside and top of the cake, smoothing out any rough patches. Immediately sprinkle the toasted coconut all over the sides of the cake so that it sticks to the buttercream. Serve and enjoy!

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*Can be made vegan by substituting vegan butter for the unsalted butter.

**Can also be made as 3 layers using 6 inch cake rounds. Increase baking time to 30-35 minutes.

***Adapted from Simple Vegan Chocolate Cake by Minimalist Baker, and Chocolate & Toasted Coconut Olive Oil Cake by Vegetarian ‘Ventures.

Photos by Chloe Crespi