go cry in your pie

Vegan Mango Lassi Overnight Oatmeal Parfait

1/2 cup rolled oats 1 Tablespoon chia seeds (Nutvia Organic Chia Seeds are my favorite. I can sometimes find them at Costco too!) 3/4 cup soy, almond, or oatmilk (or your favorite non dairy milk)  1 cup chopped mango (fresh or thawed if frozen. Here’s a video on How to Cut a Fresh Mango)  1/2 cup plain unsweetened vegan yogurt [recipe here for homemade!] (or in a pinch you can blend up some silken tofu with a bit of non dairy milk and the juice of one lemon.)  a big pinch of ground cardamom Stevia to sweeten, if desired

Before bed - The mix the rolled oats, oat milk, chia seeds, and stevia (if desired) together in a jar (or other container.) Cover it and stick it in the fridge.

When you wake up the overnight oats will be nice and thick!

Blend 3/4 cup of the mango, cardamom and the vegan yogurt together until smooth.

Fauxstess Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3 Tablespoons black cocoa powder 1 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain rice milk – or – soymilk 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 cups pure maple syrup 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla

 For the fluffy white filling:

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated shortening 3/4 cup superfine (or caster) sugar 1/4 cup plain soymilk powder pinch salt 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the ganache:

1/3 cup soymilk 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

For the squiggle: 2 cups powdered (icing, confectioners) sugar 2 tablespoons soy milk powder 2 tablespoons water

Prepare the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350, line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners, spray the liners with canola cooking spray.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the wet ingredients plus the sugar and beat on medium with an electric mixer for a good 2 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2 batches, mixing as you go. Beat for about a minute more.

Use a wet ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full. Bake for about 28 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack.

 To make the filling:

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together margarine and shortening with an electric beater on medium speed until well combined. Add the sugar and soy milk powder and beat for a good 10 minutes until very fluffy. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, beat for another minute. You may want to do a little taste test and add a little more sugar if needed.

To make the ganache:

In a small sauce pan, scorch the milk (bring it to a boil) then lower the heat to a simmer and add the chocolate and syrup. Mix with a rubber spatula for about 30 seconds. Turn heat off, continue stirring until the chocolate is fully melted and the icing is smooth.

To make the squiggly:

Sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the soymilk powder. Add one tablespoon of the water and stir, then add the other tablespoon of water, a little bit at a time until you reach a consistency slightly more solid than toothpaste. The icing should not be drippy at all, if it is at a little more sugar.

Assemble the cupcakes:

You will need two cake decorators bags. One fitted with a small hole tip (the kind you use for writing) and one fitted with a large star or circle shaped tip.

Fill the large tip one with fluffy white icing, fill the writing one with royal icing.

Poke a hole in the center of each cupcake using your pinky. Cram the fluffy white icing in the hole and squeeze to get as much into the center as you can, slowly lifting the bag, until the icing fills to the top.

Wipe the excess icing off of the top of the cupcake with a napkin or (if your me) your finger

Dip the top of each cupcake into the chocolate ganache icing. Tilt the pan to add more depth to the icing for easier cupcake coating. Place all the cupcake on a cutting board, make some room in your fridge and put the cupcakes in there to set the ganache, about 10 minutes.

Use these 10 minutes to practice your squigglies for the tops. I use one my left hand to steady my writing hand by holding onto my right wrist. Practice a bit and see what works for you.

Chocolate Pudding

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

3/4 cup sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 cups Silk soy, almond or coconutmilk, any flavor except Light 3 Tbsp margarine (or butter) 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine the cocoa, sugar, salt and cornstarch in a saucepan and mix well.

Slowly add the Silk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat while whisking constantly.

Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, until pudding begins to thicken. 

Remove from the heat and whisk in the margarine (or butter) and vanilla.