I love making old-fashion recipes and modernizing them with a dairy-free twist. Several years ago, I found this Seattle-based Cook Book called Table Talk that was written back in the 1950's.
There are several amazing recipes that are also super easy to veganize. 
I have this old-fashion style of dress that is designed from a company that was based in New York. Although the dress is from the 1970's, it has an older design like a 1930's low-waisted dress.
With all this sense of being old-fashion, I decided to make the "Old Fashion Nut Cake," recipe, and instead of eggs I used banana. 
Bananas and applesauce are two fruit-based egg replacements. It add the moisture, texture and flavor to any vegan baked good. So for this recipe, I chose to work with bananas as the egg base.
In addition, many recipes call for a TON of sugar. I naturally reduce the sugar because of health reasons, but also when using fruit as an egg substitute, it becomes naturally sweeter. In modern times, we eat too much sugar so I prefer making baked goods naturally sweet first, and then adding additional sugar. It is my hope that people learn how to eat and bake healthier and dairy free! 
"I was partly old fashion and partly modern."
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This vintage dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Where there is cake, there is hope. And there is always cake.
- Dean Koontz
Old Fashion Nut Cake - Made Vegan
Makes 1 9-inch cake
Total TIme approx. 45 min
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegan butter at room temperature
3/4 cup nondairy milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup nuts (used walnuts)
1/4 tsp vanilla
4 ripe bananas, mashed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the milk, vanilla and mashed banana and mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift and mix together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Fold until it forms a dough. Add in the nuts and mix until well combined.
Pour the dough into a greased 9-inch baking pan and bake for around 40 minutes or until fragrant and a knife comes out clean from the poke test. Let the cake cool before cutting.
Let's connect!!
Makes 1 9-inch cake
Total TIme approx. 45 min
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegan butter at room temperature
3/4 cup nondairy milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup nuts (used walnuts)
1/4 tsp vanilla
4 ripe bananas, mashed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the milk, vanilla and mashed banana and mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift and mix together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Fold until it forms a dough. Add in the nuts and mix until well combined.
Pour the dough into a greased 9-inch baking pan and bake for around 40 minutes or until fragrant and a knife comes out clean from the poke test. Let the cake cool before cutting.
Let's connect!!
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Last week, I posted a blog on How to Make Ground Cherry Compote. In today's blog, you'll discover how to use the ground cherry compote in a tasty baked crostata recipe.
Crostatas are wonderful pastries that are made either sweet or savory. Depending on one's liking, compote or jam makes a great base for a sweeter pastry. Top it with fresh fruit and was-lah, it's almost like an open-face danish.
I try to keep all of my crostata crust recipes similar, as when practice makes perfect, this helps get in the flow to concoct a variety of filling ingredients so you don't have to waste time figuring out how to make the crust. Enjoy!
I try to keep all of my crostata crust recipes similar, as when practice makes perfect, this helps get in the flow to concoct a variety of filling ingredients so you don't have to waste time figuring out how to make the crust. Enjoy!
"I love to make pies - pot pies, quiches, savory tarts, fruit pies. I use an old-fashioned pastry blender with wires and a wooden handle. I never use a recipe."
- Ruth Reichl
Ground Cherry + Plum Crostata
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
5 tbsp vegan butter
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 tbsp cold water
1/2 cup ground cherry compote (1 recipe listed here)
1 plum, sliced (used half)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you have to make the compote, begin following the recipe linked above. While cooking start on the dough.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the vegan butter and with a fork or pastry cutter, press and cut the butter into the dough until it looks crumbly. Gradually, add the water one tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough forms. Use your hands to roll the dough into a ball. Set aside in the refrigerator for a moment.
Let's Connect! Check out my other crostata recipes listed below!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
5 tbsp vegan butter
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 tbsp cold water
1/2 cup ground cherry compote (1 recipe listed here)
1 plum, sliced (used half)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you have to make the compote, begin following the recipe linked above. While cooking start on the dough.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the vegan butter and with a fork or pastry cutter, press and cut the butter into the dough until it looks crumbly. Gradually, add the water one tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough forms. Use your hands to roll the dough into a ball. Set aside in the refrigerator for a moment.
Let's Connect! Check out my other crostata recipes listed below!
Gluten Free & Vegan Cardamom-Spiced Pear Crostata
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How to Make Ground Cherry Compote
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Vegan Apricot Plum Crostata
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It feels like an early fall here in Seattle. Although the weather is nice and dry, the leaves around town have changed with certain trees a lot earlier than expected. For me, August is harvest season and the time of saying goodbye to summer once Labor Day comes around.
Summer is also a sign of ending during the harvest of certain end-of-summer fruits and flowers. From sunflowers to ground cherries, it's a sign that times are a changing.
“A fallen leaf is nothing more than a summer’s wave goodbye.” – Unknown
Ground cherries are this mysterious fruit that has a husk like a tomatillo and is a cross between a tomato and strawberry or grape flavor. They are native to the United States and are often referred to as cape gooseberries.
Making a sweet compote makes this an ideal topping for crostatas, fillings for pastries or just as a topping like jam. These little berries make perfect little decorations or food gifts as one can tie the ends to a glass.
If you want this recipe sweeter, add more sugar during the cooking process. I do not make my recipes overly sweet.
Stay tuned next week for my ground cherry complete + plum crostata recipe!
If you want this recipe sweeter, add more sugar during the cooking process. I do not make my recipes overly sweet.
Stay tuned next week for my ground cherry complete + plum crostata recipe!
How to Make Ground Cherry Compote
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes approximately 1/2 cup
Ingredients
1 pint of ground cherries, husked (equivalent to 1 heaping scant cup)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp sugar
Directions:
In a saucepan, heat up the lemon juice, cherries and sugar over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, or the cherries pop, reduce to a simmer and continuously mix. Add the maple syrup and vanilla once simmering. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Let the compote cool and then store in a jar.
Let's Connect! Here are my other similarly recipes posted below!
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes approximately 1/2 cup
Ingredients
1 pint of ground cherries, husked (equivalent to 1 heaping scant cup)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp sugar
Directions:
In a saucepan, heat up the lemon juice, cherries and sugar over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, or the cherries pop, reduce to a simmer and continuously mix. Add the maple syrup and vanilla once simmering. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Let the compote cool and then store in a jar.
Let's Connect! Here are my other similarly recipes posted below!
Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes with Pear Apple Cranberry Compote
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Vegan Strawberry Hand Pie (No Added Refined Sugar)
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Vegan Summer Berry Crostata Topped with Fresh Rose Sugar
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Another recipe came from the inspiration of the fusion of nature, fashion and food. Although summer hasn't officially ended, and this is being posted a wee-bit late, stone fruit is still available in stores.
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I found this peach-colored 1960/70's dress that was basically "pretty in peach." As I made so many peach recipes, I decided to mix it up and try a different stone fruit, the apricot. I took this concept off the ginger peach pie recipe I made while catering a vegan food yoga retreat.
It's an easy way to puree the fruit with corn starch and bake it so it solidifies into a sliceable cake or bar.
It's an easy way to puree the fruit with corn starch and bake it so it solidifies into a sliceable cake or bar.
"Orange strengthens your emotional body, encouraging a general feeling of joy, well-being, and cheerfulness. Orange vibration foods are: oranges, tangerines, apricots, mangoes, peaches and carrots."
-Tae Yun Kim
I made this recipe and took the photos last year and found this dress matched perfectly to a patch of peach-colored roses in the Woodland Park Rose Garden. Whatever scale of orange the color is on, it still has the same energy and vibration.
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"To bring the best human qualities to anything like perfection, to fill them with the sweet juices of courtesy and charity, prosperity, or, at all events, a moderate amount of it, is required,--just as sunshine is needed for the ripening of peaches and apricots."
-Alexander Smith
I recommend making these in a rectangle pan and slice into bars as if the parchment paper isn't perfect, you can use a knife to cut off any uneven edges. There are also baking strips or small strips of paper that one can use in replace of parchment paper to help a more even circular design.
This vintage dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Vegan Apricot "Bars"
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 18-20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup cookie (vanilla, almond or graham crackers)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
8 apricots, remove the stone pit
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1.5 tbsp maple syrup
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, blend the cookies until in a flour like consistency. Next, add the coconut milk and pulse or puree until well combined.
Place parchment paper in either muffin tins or a small 7x7 or 8x8 square pan. Pour and press the crust ingredients into the parchment until well-packed.
Next, in a blender, mix together the remaining ingredients (ingredients 3-7) until smooth and well blended. Pour the apricot mixture on top of the crust ingredients. Use a spatula to smooth out the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes. This baking time is for the muffins. If using the square pan, monitor them as the edges and almost all of the center should be solid with a slight looser texture.
Allow the bars to cool completely for several hours before cutting. Speed up the process by placing the bars in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other similar recipes posted below!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 18-20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup cookie (vanilla, almond or graham crackers)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
8 apricots, remove the stone pit
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1.5 tbsp maple syrup
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, blend the cookies until in a flour like consistency. Next, add the coconut milk and pulse or puree until well combined.
Place parchment paper in either muffin tins or a small 7x7 or 8x8 square pan. Pour and press the crust ingredients into the parchment until well-packed.
Next, in a blender, mix together the remaining ingredients (ingredients 3-7) until smooth and well blended. Pour the apricot mixture on top of the crust ingredients. Use a spatula to smooth out the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes. This baking time is for the muffins. If using the square pan, monitor them as the edges and almost all of the center should be solid with a slight looser texture.
Allow the bars to cool completely for several hours before cutting. Speed up the process by placing the bars in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other similar recipes posted below!
Vegan + GF Peach Pie w/ Gingersnap Crust
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Vegan Strawberry Pink Lemonade Bars
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Hawaiian Haupia - A Vegan Coconut Pudding
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Besides friends and family, I think there is nothing that I love more than flowers. As the summer ends, I wanted to celebrate the beauty of the flowers as I was enchanted by the local wildflowers that bloom seasonally in town. There is something so precious about wildflowers, especially wildflower season in the mountains.
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I found this 1980's flower dress that is so vibrant and beautiful it reminded me of the wildflowers. It inspired me to do a bit of foraging. In nature and in fashion, it was a celebration of wildflowers of all colors, pink, purple, yellow and white.
Inspired by the flowers, I wanted to do something unique and beautiful with edible flowers. It seemed only natural to do a charcuterie board filled with cashew cheese and locally grown figs. For a moment, it's like feasting within the garden of eden.
Inspired by the flowers, I wanted to do something unique and beautiful with edible flowers. It seemed only natural to do a charcuterie board filled with cashew cheese and locally grown figs. For a moment, it's like feasting within the garden of eden.
There are many lessons in the world of wildflowers. Some of us have a wild child spirit and bloom where we are planted, and other lessons are inspired by beauty. I've never once heard someone say anything negative about flowers. They are delicate and their beauty is inspirational even for some of the most world-renowned artists, like Monet.
"I must have flowers, always and always."
Claude Monet
"I must have flowers, always and always."
Claude Monet
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"Like wildflowers; you must allow yourself to grow in all the places people thought you never would."
-E.V.
Flowers are not only nature's beauty designed from our Creator, but it is an art piece of nature. The color. The shapes. The patterns. Flowers are symbolic in so many ways and even represent many underlining symbols in fine art, especially within religious art. When a flower is white it represents purity, or when its red in some ancient Christian paintings, it represents the sacrifice or blood of Christ.
Regardless, flowers make people happy and it brings light and love into one's home.
Regardless, flowers make people happy and it brings light and love into one's home.
"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the mind."
Luther Burbank
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"One of the most attractive things about flowers is their beautiful reserve."
Henry David Thoreau
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Edible flowers are perfect toppings for dips and salads. You can find them at local farmer's markets in the summer, or packaged in various grocery stores in the refrigerated spice aisle.
I follow my former blog post, "nut cheese" template to create various nut cheeses. For this, I omitted the garlic clove because I wanted to combine the nut cheese with sweeter foods. However, feel free to add in the garlic. You can also 'manipulate' the recipe by making an almond or macadamia nut cheese.
Edible flowers have a bit of spiciness to them and so I did not want an overly "spicy" cheese between the garlic and the flowers.
With this quantity of the recipe, I made two wheels of cheese. You can make one large wheel, or reduce the recipe to make a wheel the size of what you see on the board.
I follow my former blog post, "nut cheese" template to create various nut cheeses. For this, I omitted the garlic clove because I wanted to combine the nut cheese with sweeter foods. However, feel free to add in the garlic. You can also 'manipulate' the recipe by making an almond or macadamia nut cheese.
Edible flowers have a bit of spiciness to them and so I did not want an overly "spicy" cheese between the garlic and the flowers.
With this quantity of the recipe, I made two wheels of cheese. You can make one large wheel, or reduce the recipe to make a wheel the size of what you see on the board.
Making a charcuterie board is an adventure in itself. You can add any sides that you would like that is sweet and savory. Vegetables like carrots or tomatoes compliment the cheese that is like a spread or dip. Raisins or jam also go well with the cheese on top of dark rye bread or crackers.
The sweeter side include some dates, chocolate and figs, which is basically nature's candy. You can choose anything you'd like! Enjoy the last bit of summer!
The sweeter side include some dates, chocolate and figs, which is basically nature's candy. You can choose anything you'd like! Enjoy the last bit of summer!
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This vintage dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Edible Flower Cashew Cheese + Charcuterie Board
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Wait Time: Several Hours
Ingredients:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 2-4 hours
1/4 cup lemon juice
2.5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp nutritional yeast
optional 1-2 garlic cloves
2-3 tbsp water
Directions:
Put all of the ingredients into a food processor with the exceptions of the water. Blend and puree as much as possible, and add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Scrape the sides down of the food processor with a spatula and continue this process until you get the texture that you like. Less powerful blenders may require 2-3 tbsp water.
Once complete, pour the nut cheese onto a sheet of parchment paper into two sections. Use the spatula and/or your hand or a bread knife to help form a wheel and smooth out the top. When ready, insert the flowers by pressing the stems into the cheese. Alternatively, you can cut the stems and insert the flowers, or remove the petals and arrange them into patterns on the cheese.
Once done, place in an airtight container without smashing the wheel with the lid or parchment paper and chilling the fridge for several hours.
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other edible flower + how to make nut cheese recipes below!
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Wait Time: Several Hours
Ingredients:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 2-4 hours
1/4 cup lemon juice
2.5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp nutritional yeast
optional 1-2 garlic cloves
2-3 tbsp water
Directions:
Put all of the ingredients into a food processor with the exceptions of the water. Blend and puree as much as possible, and add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Scrape the sides down of the food processor with a spatula and continue this process until you get the texture that you like. Less powerful blenders may require 2-3 tbsp water.
Once complete, pour the nut cheese onto a sheet of parchment paper into two sections. Use the spatula and/or your hand or a bread knife to help form a wheel and smooth out the top. When ready, insert the flowers by pressing the stems into the cheese. Alternatively, you can cut the stems and insert the flowers, or remove the petals and arrange them into patterns on the cheese.
Once done, place in an airtight container without smashing the wheel with the lid or parchment paper and chilling the fridge for several hours.
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other edible flower + how to make nut cheese recipes below!
How to Make a Nut Cheese Spread
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Vegan Vanilla Lavender Mini Cupcakes
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Vegan Chamomile Cupcakes
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It's almost harvest season. The sun is almost in Virgo, the season of harvest and late summer produce. This season explodes with plenty of yellow and purple flowers and fruit. The sun is a deep golden color at sunset during harvest season. The colors inspired me to create a recipe that combines purple and yellow without losing its authentic color during the cooking process.
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I found this 1980's dress while on a trip home last year to Cleveland. The deep purple perfectly matched the color of figs and complimented the purple butterfly bushes that sit outside of my apartment.
The nearby library's lawn is even littered with a field of purple and yellow flowers. And to this I decided to try pancakes a different way. Pancakes are amazing but it does the time to cook an entire batch of batter.
Good things do take time, but I decided to save some time by trying to bake pancake batter, and top them with the local inspiration of yellow and purple.
The nearby library's lawn is even littered with a field of purple and yellow flowers. And to this I decided to try pancakes a different way. Pancakes are amazing but it does the time to cook an entire batch of batter.
Good things do take time, but I decided to save some time by trying to bake pancake batter, and top them with the local inspiration of yellow and purple.
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"Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."
Epictetus
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The combination of these two fruits are spiritual in nature. Many question what was the forbidden fruit? Was it a fig? Was it a golden apple? Whatever anyone thinks, these two are complimentary in health and in its historical sacredness.
The golden apple appears in many fairytales and folklores with the hero retrieving the golden apple.
Figs also bear spiritual and mystical symbolism as it bears the shape of an egg, or symbolic to the life force that is held within the male genitalia. Some say its a symbol for fertility where others believe figs are a sign of enlightenment.
The golden apple appears in many fairytales and folklores with the hero retrieving the golden apple.
Figs also bear spiritual and mystical symbolism as it bears the shape of an egg, or symbolic to the life force that is held within the male genitalia. Some say its a symbol for fertility where others believe figs are a sign of enlightenment.
The color purple is also a sign of higher consciousness as it is the color of the crown chakra. Yellow is the color of our navel center, which is our power center and the place of our life force energy.
One thing to note about cooking with opal apples, is that it is the one non-gmo apple that doesn't brown immediately upon cutting. Besides the color, I chose to bake with opal apples because it keeps its flavor, shape, form and color. Enjoy!
One thing to note about cooking with opal apples, is that it is the one non-gmo apple that doesn't brown immediately upon cutting. Besides the color, I chose to bake with opal apples because it keeps its flavor, shape, form and color. Enjoy!
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This vintage dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Vegan Baked Pancake with Figs + Opal Apple
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20-30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup of pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/3 cup nondairy milk
1.5 tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup applesauce
6 figs, halved
1 small opal apple, sliced
1-2 tbsp maple syrup
Cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (the first three on the list). In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients and the sugar together (ingredients 4-7). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well combined.
Grease an 8 or 9 inch round pan, and pour the batter inside the pan evenly ( I used a 9 inch pan).
In a skillet, heat up 1-2 tbsp of maple syrup and sprinkle as much cinnamon as you'd like (around 1/8 tsp). Next, cook the apples for 1-3 minutes in the maple syrup to soften the slices. Keep the heat over medium-low.
Once finished, layer the figs and apple slices on top of the pancake batter. Slightly press it in so it stays. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan it will determine the baking time. Usually baked goods are done once it becomes fragrant and a fork or knife comes out clean from poking the middle of the pancake. The edges will be a light golden brown.
Serve warm with maple syrup!
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other figs or apple recipes below!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20-30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup of pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/3 cup nondairy milk
1.5 tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup applesauce
6 figs, halved
1 small opal apple, sliced
1-2 tbsp maple syrup
Cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (the first three on the list). In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients and the sugar together (ingredients 4-7). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well combined.
Grease an 8 or 9 inch round pan, and pour the batter inside the pan evenly ( I used a 9 inch pan).
In a skillet, heat up 1-2 tbsp of maple syrup and sprinkle as much cinnamon as you'd like (around 1/8 tsp). Next, cook the apples for 1-3 minutes in the maple syrup to soften the slices. Keep the heat over medium-low.
Once finished, layer the figs and apple slices on top of the pancake batter. Slightly press it in so it stays. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan it will determine the baking time. Usually baked goods are done once it becomes fragrant and a fork or knife comes out clean from poking the middle of the pancake. The edges will be a light golden brown.
Serve warm with maple syrup!
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other figs or apple recipes below!
Vegan Sour Cream + Apple Bundt Bread Cake
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Roasted Figs w/ Agave, Sage + Walnut
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Vegan Caramel Apple Smoothie
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For many states around the nation, August is the hottest month of the year. It's the season of last minute parties and summer potlucks before the back-to-school season begin. In Hawaiian culture, a popular dessert at luaus and potlucks is a coconut pudding.
This recipe is not like traditional pudding that is smooth and thick, but rather solid squares similar to Jell-O. Now, you can add less cornstarch to make this a more pudding texture rather than a solid treat. But the traditional pudding in Hawaii is often served in squares.
This recipe is not like traditional pudding that is smooth and thick, but rather solid squares similar to Jell-O. Now, you can add less cornstarch to make this a more pudding texture rather than a solid treat. But the traditional pudding in Hawaii is often served in squares.
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I found this beautiful 1960's Hawaiian retro dress that inspired me to recreate a Hawaiian recipe. Naturally, the Haupia is vegan without altering or changing the original recipe. The retro-style dress bursts in colors and with a floral design that it also reminded me of my favorite flowers, the dahlia.
Between the colors and the shapes, it inspires vibrancy and I hoped to make something "cooling" during this peak heat of the season. To me, dahlias are the sun, a big ball bursting with life and beauty. My inner Bohemian spirit feels alive when surrounded by color and flowers, and with the Hawaiian "aloha" spirit.
And in this time, the world can use more beauty and more of the Hawaiian spirit and wisdom in their life.
And in this time, the world can use more beauty and more of the Hawaiian spirit and wisdom in their life.
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Mohala i ka wai ka maka o ka pua – (Unfolded by the water are the faces of the flowers.)
Ku’ia kahele aka na’au ha’aha’a – (A Humble Person Walks Carefully So As Not To Hurt Others.)
From me to you, I wish you the best this summer and hope you can find a little bit of the Hawaiian spirit in you and in your home this summer. Stay cool!
Cooking Notes: To make sure this recipe doesn't clump, be sure to mix the corn starch in completely. Some people also dissolve the cornstarch in water and then add it to the simmering coconut milk. I wanted a softer texture so I used 3 tbsp of cornstarch. You can also use up to 5 tbsp to ensure a very stiff jello-O consistency.
Cooking Notes: To make sure this recipe doesn't clump, be sure to mix the corn starch in completely. Some people also dissolve the cornstarch in water and then add it to the simmering coconut milk. I wanted a softer texture so I used 3 tbsp of cornstarch. You can also use up to 5 tbsp to ensure a very stiff jello-O consistency.
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This vintage dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Hawaiian Haupia - A Vegan Coconut Pudding
Total Time: 15 minutes
Makes 9 small squares
Ingredients:
1 can of coconut milk (do not use light)
3 tbsp cornstarch
3-4 tbsp cane sugar
pinch of salt
Directions:
Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of coconut milk until the corn starch is dissolved. In a pot, heat up the coconut milk and dissolves the salt + sugar into the coconut milk. Once dissolved, pour in the cornstarch mixture and continue to mix and simmer for about 10 minutes. Do not boil. The mixture will thicken over time.
From here you can pour into small dishes or ramekins or line a small pan (I used a 7x7 inch) like a bread pan or an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and pour the mixture in. Let it sit and settle in the fridge for several hours before cutting and serving. When cooled, remove the parchment paper from the pan and then cut into small squares.
This will leave a little bit of softness/texture, so if you want it more like a jell-O consistency use up to 4 tbsp of cornstarch. For a sweeter dessert, use the four tbsp of sugar.
Let's Connect! Here are some other coconut-based recipes listed below!
Total Time: 15 minutes
Makes 9 small squares
Ingredients:
1 can of coconut milk (do not use light)
3 tbsp cornstarch
3-4 tbsp cane sugar
pinch of salt
Directions:
Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of coconut milk until the corn starch is dissolved. In a pot, heat up the coconut milk and dissolves the salt + sugar into the coconut milk. Once dissolved, pour in the cornstarch mixture and continue to mix and simmer for about 10 minutes. Do not boil. The mixture will thicken over time.
From here you can pour into small dishes or ramekins or line a small pan (I used a 7x7 inch) like a bread pan or an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and pour the mixture in. Let it sit and settle in the fridge for several hours before cutting and serving. When cooled, remove the parchment paper from the pan and then cut into small squares.
This will leave a little bit of softness/texture, so if you want it more like a jell-O consistency use up to 4 tbsp of cornstarch. For a sweeter dessert, use the four tbsp of sugar.
Let's Connect! Here are some other coconut-based recipes listed below!
Vegan Chocolate Brownie Bites Topped w/ Raspberry Coconut Whip
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Vegan Lemon Cake Topped with Coconut Cream Frosting
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Vegan Coconut Flan with Date Caramel
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Sunflower season is here and it is one of the most beautiful times of the year. It signifies harvest season is on its way, and expresses the beauty of nature and the lessons learned from it.
Sunflowers are amazing not only for its beauty, but because of some of its unknown astonishing facts. Many people don't realize that the center of the sunflower contains tiny little flowers, some of which contain two thousand little blooms. And each sunflower contains between one to two thousand seeds per plant.
Sunflowers are amazing not only for its beauty, but because of some of its unknown astonishing facts. Many people don't realize that the center of the sunflower contains tiny little flowers, some of which contain two thousand little blooms. And each sunflower contains between one to two thousand seeds per plant.
The patterns on the sunflower have deeper spiritual symbolism as it connects to the laws of the spiral and the Fibonacci sequence. Sunflowers always face the sun as it blooms in a process called, "heliotopism."
Nature has its own healing capabilities and in fact, sunflowers absorb toxins. In fact, millions were planted in Japan after the tsunami to soak up toxic waste from the destruction.
It's no wonder that after finding this handmade vintage sunflower apron, I've decided to create a sunflower recipe that is also homemade.
Nature has its own healing capabilities and in fact, sunflowers absorb toxins. In fact, millions were planted in Japan after the tsunami to soak up toxic waste from the destruction.
It's no wonder that after finding this handmade vintage sunflower apron, I've decided to create a sunflower recipe that is also homemade.
“Sunflowers end up facing the sun, but they go through a lot of dirt to find their way there.”
― J.R. Rim
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I also found vintage sunflower recipe cards that is the perfect addition to any vintage kitchen or chef's kit. Sunflowers are strong, healthy, hearty and beautiful.
Life isn't easy right now. It is a battle between the light and the dark. And we can all learn from the sunflower on how to be strong but keep looking forward toward the sun. Beauty is inspirational and I choose to follow beauty and nature's creations.
Life isn't easy right now. It is a battle between the light and the dark. And we can all learn from the sunflower on how to be strong but keep looking forward toward the sun. Beauty is inspirational and I choose to follow beauty and nature's creations.
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“If I were a flower… I would be a sunflower. To always follow the sun, turn my back to darkness, stand proud, tall and straight even with my head full of seeds.”
– Pam Stewart
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This vintage apron + recipe cards and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Vegan Sunflower Seed Bread Loaf
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf of bread
**See Cooking Note**
Ingredients:
Dry:
2 cups of pastry flour
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup flax meal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (set 2 tbsp aside for the topping)
Wet::
1 2/3 cup nondairy milk
1/4 cup agave nectar syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together, except for 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds which will be used as the topping.
Melt the vegan butter on the stove top using a pot or in the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the wet ingredients together.
**Cooking Note: This is a drier bread as I used the sweetness of jam on top as a breakfast bread. To make it moister and / or sweeter increase the applesauce and/or the agave nectar to 1/2 cup each.**
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into the dry. Gently fold until a dough is formed. Grease a bread pan (used 8x4 inch) and carefully pour the dough into the pan. Spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds on top of the loaf.
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Check the bread by inserting a fork or knife, if the utensil comes out clean then the bread is finished baking.
Cool entirely before cutting.
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other bread recipes below!
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf of bread
**See Cooking Note**
Ingredients:
Dry:
2 cups of pastry flour
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup flax meal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (set 2 tbsp aside for the topping)
Wet::
1 2/3 cup nondairy milk
1/4 cup agave nectar syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together, except for 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds which will be used as the topping.
Melt the vegan butter on the stove top using a pot or in the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the wet ingredients together.
**Cooking Note: This is a drier bread as I used the sweetness of jam on top as a breakfast bread. To make it moister and / or sweeter increase the applesauce and/or the agave nectar to 1/2 cup each.**
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into the dry. Gently fold until a dough is formed. Grease a bread pan (used 8x4 inch) and carefully pour the dough into the pan. Spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds on top of the loaf.
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Check the bread by inserting a fork or knife, if the utensil comes out clean then the bread is finished baking.
Cool entirely before cutting.
Let's Connect! Enjoy my other bread recipes below!
No Sugar Vegan "Salted Date Caramel" Banana Bread
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Vegan & Gluten Free Apple Cherry (Blossom) Almond Bread
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Vegan Blueberry Breakfast Cake
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With my love and passion for all things old, I wanted to modernize and vintage cherry cheesecake. I maybe in with the old and out with the new, but not entirely living in the past or in the future. Life is about balance, and cheesecake is a quintessential American summertime dessert.
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I found this vintage 1970's cherry and plum dress designed by Lord + Taylor, which is the oldest department store in America. Founded in 1826, this is the perfect inspiration to make something that is old, but in a way.
Cherries are one of the most beloved stone fruits and has historic roots with the famous Washington cherry tree myth. In the 1970's, cherry cheesecake became one of the most popular desserts with families and at parties.
Cherries are one of the most beloved stone fruits and has historic roots with the famous Washington cherry tree myth. In the 1970's, cherry cheesecake became one of the most popular desserts with families and at parties.
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"Life is just a bowl of cherries, don't take it serious, its mysterious. Life is just a bowl of cherries, so live and laugh and laugh at love, love a laugh, laugh and love."
Bob Fosse
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With this recipe, I gave options for people to choose a baked or no bake version.
The no-bake version is less labor intensive. The baked version follows a vintage 1970's traditional recipe; however in order to bind the cake nori tofu is used as a replacement for eggs or condensed. Vegan cream cheese has a rather different flavor that some love or hate. Tofu itself is a different flavor and coupled together, sugar and the topping can help eliminate the intense tofu flavor.
I don't add much sugar to my desserts so feel free to add more to make it a sweeter cake.
The no-bake version is less labor intensive. The baked version follows a vintage 1970's traditional recipe; however in order to bind the cake nori tofu is used as a replacement for eggs or condensed. Vegan cream cheese has a rather different flavor that some love or hate. Tofu itself is a different flavor and coupled together, sugar and the topping can help eliminate the intense tofu flavor.
I don't add much sugar to my desserts so feel free to add more to make it a sweeter cake.
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However, the no-bake version is faster and a more modernized "cheesecake" thanks to the chilled coconut milk that makes the coconut cream.
Although for health reasons we should eat, "apples before applesauce and applesauce before apple pie," cherries are amazing for our health, and the slight healthy component of a fresh cherry topping allows this dessert to be on the healthier side of the sweet life.
Making the cherry topping is a bit labor intensive in order to pit the cherries, but tastes way better than any canned version. From me to you, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!
Although for health reasons we should eat, "apples before applesauce and applesauce before apple pie," cherries are amazing for our health, and the slight healthy component of a fresh cherry topping allows this dessert to be on the healthier side of the sweet life.
Making the cherry topping is a bit labor intensive in order to pit the cherries, but tastes way better than any canned version. From me to you, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!
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"Studies on cherries, raspberries and strawberries suggest that most of their nutrition is retained when they're frozen, so it's a good idea to keep some in the freezer."
Michael Greger
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This vintage 1970's cherry dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Homemade Retro 1970's Style Cherry Cheesecake Gone Vegan
Time: 1 Hour
Traditional Baked Ingredients:
1 premade graham cracker crust
Filling:
2 8 oz tubs vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 block of nori extra firm tofu
1/3 cup sugar ** SEE NOTE BELOW
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1 tbsp vanilla
Cherry Topping:
2.5 cups fresh cherries
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
BAKED VERSION
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or with egg beaters, combine and blend/whip together all of the filling ingredients.
**NOTE: Tofu + vegan cream cheese has an acquired taste. I do not make my desserts overly sweet, so if you want to eliminate the tofu flavor, add more sugar, up to 2/3 cup total.**
One pureed, pour into graham crack crust and bake for 35-45 minutes. When done, the pie will need to cool completely before adding the cherry topping.
Cherry Topping:
Remove the stems. Pit the cherries by using a hard straw or a chopstick. (This is for those who do not have a cherry pitter). Hold the cherry between two fingers and take the straw or chopstick on the top of the cherry and press down on top of the pit so it comes out the bottom. This takes time and can followthis link for the visual.
Over medium heat, combine all of the ingredients into a saucepan, continuously stirring so the cornstarch is absorbed into the liquid. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat once done, and let it cool for a bit before topping.
Once the cheesecake and the topping cools, pour the topping on top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to ensure the pie is cool before cutting.
NO BAKE Ingredients:
1 premade graham cracker crust
Filling:
1 8oz tub of vegan cream cheese
1 can of coconut milk, chilled overnight for the cream
1 cup powder sugar
Cherry Topping:
Same as Above
Directions:
Begin making the filling. Place the cream cheese in a bowl. Carefully remove the coconut cream from the can. Do not shake the can, and place the solid coconut cream into the bowl. With an egg beater or a whisk (or mixer) cream both ingredients together and gradually add the powder sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
Once finished, pour the filling ingredients into the crust. Place in the freezer to let it cool for several hours.
Make the cherry topping and follow the same directions as above. Once the pie and the topping are cool, pour the cherries on top of the filling. I recommend letting this sit in the fridge for several hours to overnight to ensure that the pie binds.
Let's Connect! Enjoy some of my other sweet treat recipes below!
Time: 1 Hour
Traditional Baked Ingredients:
1 premade graham cracker crust
Filling:
2 8 oz tubs vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 block of nori extra firm tofu
1/3 cup sugar ** SEE NOTE BELOW
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1 tbsp vanilla
Cherry Topping:
2.5 cups fresh cherries
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
BAKED VERSION
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or with egg beaters, combine and blend/whip together all of the filling ingredients.
**NOTE: Tofu + vegan cream cheese has an acquired taste. I do not make my desserts overly sweet, so if you want to eliminate the tofu flavor, add more sugar, up to 2/3 cup total.**
One pureed, pour into graham crack crust and bake for 35-45 minutes. When done, the pie will need to cool completely before adding the cherry topping.
Cherry Topping:
Remove the stems. Pit the cherries by using a hard straw or a chopstick. (This is for those who do not have a cherry pitter). Hold the cherry between two fingers and take the straw or chopstick on the top of the cherry and press down on top of the pit so it comes out the bottom. This takes time and can followthis link for the visual.
Over medium heat, combine all of the ingredients into a saucepan, continuously stirring so the cornstarch is absorbed into the liquid. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat once done, and let it cool for a bit before topping.
Once the cheesecake and the topping cools, pour the topping on top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to ensure the pie is cool before cutting.
NO BAKE Ingredients:
1 premade graham cracker crust
Filling:
1 8oz tub of vegan cream cheese
1 can of coconut milk, chilled overnight for the cream
1 cup powder sugar
Cherry Topping:
Same as Above
Directions:
Begin making the filling. Place the cream cheese in a bowl. Carefully remove the coconut cream from the can. Do not shake the can, and place the solid coconut cream into the bowl. With an egg beater or a whisk (or mixer) cream both ingredients together and gradually add the powder sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
Once finished, pour the filling ingredients into the crust. Place in the freezer to let it cool for several hours.
Make the cherry topping and follow the same directions as above. Once the pie and the topping are cool, pour the cherries on top of the filling. I recommend letting this sit in the fridge for several hours to overnight to ensure that the pie binds.
Let's Connect! Enjoy some of my other sweet treat recipes below!
Vegan Strawberry Pink Lemonade Bars
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1960's Strawberry Pretzel Salad Made Vegan
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5 Ingredient Retro Strawberry Blueberry Pie Turned Vegan
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Somethings in life just go together. Tomatoes and "cheese" are the perfect combination and had to think about how to modernize an heirloom tomato recipe.
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The word heirloom is an interesting word. It's defined as a, "a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations."
Hierloom tomatoes are unique in that they are not mass produced, or at least at one point not mass produced like a traditional tomato.
The 1980's remake dress of a 1940's style and design is very similar to my thoughts around heirlooms. Classic, yet unique and modern.
Hierloom tomatoes are unique in that they are not mass produced, or at least at one point not mass produced like a traditional tomato.
The 1980's remake dress of a 1940's style and design is very similar to my thoughts around heirlooms. Classic, yet unique and modern.
Hierloom tomatoes are special and prized for its flavor and funky shapes and styles. In the world of antiquities, heirlooms are prized possessions that get handed down from generation to generation.
"Antique things have an appreciation and worth. Something can be old, but it can be timeless; therefore, it becomes an antique. If this antique is preserved and deemed precious, it could be passed down as a family heirloom." - Cee Lo Green
"Antique things have an appreciation and worth. Something can be old, but it can be timeless; therefore, it becomes an antique. If this antique is preserved and deemed precious, it could be passed down as a family heirloom." - Cee Lo Green
To me this this dress represented something from the past. A beautiful style and design that was once special but no longer in the modern world. It inspired something that comes from the heart.
And knowing some tomatoes are in the same shape as a heart, and it's nutrients help prevent heart disease, I wanted to make something rustic and charming just like this dress. The dress inspires a mix of classic city meets the country farm girl. A rustic crostata with a modern twist was the choice.
And knowing some tomatoes are in the same shape as a heart, and it's nutrients help prevent heart disease, I wanted to make something rustic and charming just like this dress. The dress inspires a mix of classic city meets the country farm girl. A rustic crostata with a modern twist was the choice.
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"There ain't nothing in life better than true love and a homegrown tomato."
-Old Saying
Cornmeal crusts add a bit of sweetness, and now combined with the sweetness of the tomatoes as well as the savory cashew cheese, the results are a fusion of both flavors. The recipe takes time and is a bit more labor intensive, but well worth the effort! Enjoy!
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This vintage dress and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.
Vegan Herb, Heirloom Tomato + Cashew Cheese Crostata
Prep + Cook Time - 1 Hour
Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup corn meal
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Italian herbs
5 tbsp vegan butter
5 tbsp ice cold water
1 tbsp olive oil, used at the end for brushing
Filling + Topping
1 cup of cashew cheese from this cashew nut cheese recipe
2 small heirloom tomatoes, sliced
4-5 sprigs of thyme for the topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and slice the tomatoes. Let the tomato slices dry on a paper towel and set aside.
Begin making the crust. Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl. With a fork or pastry cutter, cut the vegan butter into the pie crust. It should look like small balls like peas are being formed. Once combined, gradually add one tablespoon of cold water at a time, fold the ingredients and continue folding until a dough forms. Once in a ball place it in the bowl, covered, inside the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
Next make the cashew cheese by following the recipe above. The cashews will need to be soaked for several hours or for at least 30 minutes in a bowl of hot water.
Next, roll the dough out into a large circular shape on a floured surface. Smear the cashew cheese inside, leaving at least a 1 inch space free near the edges. Layer the sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese.
Take the end of the crust, fold and press it inward onto the crostata. Continue on around the edges to fold and press the ends onto the pastry. Using a pastry brush, spread the one tablespoon of olive oil on the crust and on top of the tomatoes. Once done, top with thyme.
Bake for around 35-45 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The crostata is done when the crust is golden brown and fragrant.
Let's Connect! Enjoy some other tomato-based and cashew recipes below!
Prep + Cook Time - 1 Hour
Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup corn meal
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Italian herbs
5 tbsp vegan butter
5 tbsp ice cold water
1 tbsp olive oil, used at the end for brushing
Filling + Topping
1 cup of cashew cheese from this cashew nut cheese recipe
2 small heirloom tomatoes, sliced
4-5 sprigs of thyme for the topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and slice the tomatoes. Let the tomato slices dry on a paper towel and set aside.
Begin making the crust. Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl. With a fork or pastry cutter, cut the vegan butter into the pie crust. It should look like small balls like peas are being formed. Once combined, gradually add one tablespoon of cold water at a time, fold the ingredients and continue folding until a dough forms. Once in a ball place it in the bowl, covered, inside the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
Next make the cashew cheese by following the recipe above. The cashews will need to be soaked for several hours or for at least 30 minutes in a bowl of hot water.
Next, roll the dough out into a large circular shape on a floured surface. Smear the cashew cheese inside, leaving at least a 1 inch space free near the edges. Layer the sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese.
Take the end of the crust, fold and press it inward onto the crostata. Continue on around the edges to fold and press the ends onto the pastry. Using a pastry brush, spread the one tablespoon of olive oil on the crust and on top of the tomatoes. Once done, top with thyme.
Bake for around 35-45 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The crostata is done when the crust is golden brown and fragrant.
Let's Connect! Enjoy some other tomato-based and cashew recipes below!
Vegan Chickpea, Tomato + Kale Stew
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How to Make Nut Cheese
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Mediterranean Pasta
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Author
Elizabeth Rae Kovar M.A. is Author of her memoir, Finding Om and is a Fitness Trainer, Yogi, Reiki Master, Presenter and Lover of Life. To view her portfolio please visit www.elizabethkovar.com
Follow her travels at: lemontreetravel.com
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