Desserts

Wine Poached Fresh Figs

 

 

 

1 750 milliliter bottle of pinot noir wine (cheap is fine)

1 cup evaporated cane juice (or sugar)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 pounds fresh figs, stems trimmed and cut in half.

 

Mix everything except the figs in a 4 quart pot.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 40 minutes.

Strain to remove the cloves and cinnamon.  Return to the pot and add the figs.  Stir gently and heat the figs for 5-6 minutes.  With a slotted spoon remove the figs to a bowl and refrigerate.

Return the pinot noir syrup to the heat and reduce to about one cup.  Refrigerate until cold.

Mix the figs and syrup and serve alone or with a  non-dairy ice cream (I used SoDelcious Coconut Milk 'ice cream')

Makes nine 1/2 cup servings at 180 calories each (without the ice cream)
If my body would allow me to consume dairy, this would make a nice first course with a soft cheese, perhaps a brie, crusty bread and a glass of Duck Pond Pinot Noir.

 

 

Vegan Gingerbread

 

 

 

Traditional gingerbread recipes have ground ginger.  I happened to have fresh ginger root in the fridge so used that instead.  The result is mild ginger flavor.  ground ginger can really hit you over the head.  The fresh ginger is more subtle.

I substituted applesauce for the fat and Ener-G egg replacer for the egg.

 

1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer

2 tablespoons warm water

1/2 cup molasses (I used dark because I enjoy the richer flavor)

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger root

 

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Coat an 8 inch square baking pan with spray oil.  Dust with flour.  Set aside.

Mix egg replacer with warm water.  Then add molasses, applesauce, evaporated cane juice and sugar.  Mix well.

Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.  Stir just until mixed. 

Pour into prepared pan. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until done.

 

Makes 9 servings at 145 calories each.

 

 Vegan Chocolate Cake

 

1 ½ cups unbleached wheat flour

1 cup evaporated cane juice (or sugar)
3 tablespoons Dutch cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cold water (or cold coffee)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8” x 8” pan with spray oil.

Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Make three depressions in the dry mixture. Place the oil in one, the vinegar in one and the vanilla in one.  Pour the water over all and mix with a fork or wire whisk to moisten all ingredients (don’t over mix).  Pour into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes.
Makes 9 servings, 146 calories per serving. 

Rhubarb and Strawberries

Rhubarb dates back to 2700 BC in China, where it was cultivated for medicinal purposes.  It was introduced to Europe by an Italian botanist in 1608.   Ben Franklin brought rhubarb seeds to North American  in 1772, yet it did not catch on until the early 1800s, as a popular ingredient for pie.

My grandparents grew rhubarb on their farm in Michigan.  It was always ready for picking around the same time as the strawberries.  Grandma often combined the two in heavenly deserts.  My favorite, though, was a simple strawberry rhubarb sauce.  It is good alone, over ice cream or cake or on your oats in the morning.  It is good warm or cold. 

Rhubarb is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, manganese and magnesium.  The stalks are edible but the leafs are toxic
Strawberries are packed with vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. 
Typically, strawberry rhubarb sauce has a couple cups of each fruit some water and a cup of sugar.  I found some really sweet (and very ripe) Tillamook strawberries at our farmer's market yesterday.  I needed to use these in a hurry.  So I made a double batch, but increased the strawberries (rather than equal amounts) and I cut the sugar down to just 1/2 cup.

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

 

 

4 cups rhubarb, washed, leaves removed and cut into 1/2" slices

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar (I used evaporated cane juice)

5 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

Add the rhubarb, water and sugar to a 5 quart pot.  Bring to a boil, cover, turn down to simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft.

Stir in the strawberries, bring back to a boil.  Stir and cook another 3-5 minutes (I like the strawberries a little uncooked so they maintain their color)

Makes 6 cups or 12 1/2 cup serving.  Each 1/2 cup has 62 calories.

Non-fat Chocolate Walnut Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8 inch square baking pan.

Coat the pan with cooking spray, place the parchment in the pan and spray it also.  The parchment paper will make removal from the pan very easy.

Mix together and set aside:

1 1/2 cups flour, unbleached

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup evaporated cane juice (or sugar)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon egg replacer (we use Ener G)

Mix together:

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (soy, coconut, rice, etc)

1/2 cup cold coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a spoon until well mixed. 

Pour into prepared pan.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts over the batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Makes 9 servings. 189 calories per serving.

 

Pluot Cake

A pluot is a hybrid fruit that is 70% plum and 30% apricot.  Pluots have been around since about 1989.  They are sometimes called ‘plumcots’.  They are not genetically engineered.  Pluots are very sweet and are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A and fiber.  They are very juicy and sweet.  They can be eaten raw or cooked.  A 2 ½ inch pluot contains just 30 calories.  Choose plump, firm, red to pink fruit.  There are 25 different varieties of pluots available.  Store ripe pluots in the refrigerator.

This pretty cake is great for desert or breakfast.

 

 

Place a 9 inch, removable bottom tart pan on a baking sheet. Coat with spray oil and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1 ½ cups flour (we used unbleached all-purpose)

¾ cup sugar (I used evaporated cane juice)
2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon white vinegar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup non-dairy milk (We used So Delicious Coconut milk- the 50 calorie per cup variety)

2 fresh pluots cut into small wedges

2 teaspoons sugar (we used evaporated cane juice)

Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Add the wet ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Lay the pluots over top of the batter.

Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy warm or cold for breakfast or desert.

Serves 8.  Each serving has 218 calories.