Dairy free cheese cake brownies

I love cheese cake brownies - and these are so simple to make. This recipe uses dairy free cream cheese and dairy free yogurt, it can be adapted to a dairy household by swapping in regular cream cheese and yogurt.

• One brownie recipe made pre usual, I used Live G Free Mix
• 8 ounce tub of dairy free cream cheese, I used Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
• 1 5.3 ounce dairy free yogurt, I used Silk Vanilla
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg or flax egg substitute*
• 1/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven per brownie instructions.
2. In a stand mixer beat cream cheese until smooth add yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and egg. Beat until smooth and well combined.
3. In a large bowl mix brownie batter according to package directions.
4. Pour into a greased or parchment lined baking pan. I used an 8x8.
5. Pour or spoon cream cheese mixture on top of brownies. Swirl brownie mix with cheese cake topping. The cheese cake mixture may be runny in comparison to the brownie mixture, which was the case with my batch, just swirl using a butter knife - as the brownie bakes the brownie sections will rise up and make a swirl pattern.  int he picture above the brownies went in with only cheese cake showing.
6. Bake according to brownie recipe for pan size. test doneness with a toothpick - insert into center of brownie, if it comes out clean it's done, if it is goopy, add additional time until the brownies section poke test comes out clean.
7. Cool to room temperature, then loosely cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate at least 3 hours before digging in.

Notes:
* A flax egg will work well in this, so long as the flax seed meal is well gelled.

• Whisk together in a small bowl and let set for 5 minutes to thicken.
• 1 tablespoon flax seed meal
• 3 tablespoons water

Strawberry Daiquiri Truffles

My home town has an annual Strawberry Festival, I try to make it to this event, sometimes it doesn't work out. This year is one of those years, so instead of strawberry shortcake and strawberry daiquiri, made these little bite sized truffles that combine my two favorite treats.  These whip up quickly and the most time consuming part is shaping the dough into balls.  Recipe makes 26-30 1.25 inch balls. You could mix this by hand, but I recommend using a mixer - let it do all the tough work.

• 5 tablespoons of butter substitute ( I used Earth Balance)
• 1/4 cup Svedka Strawberry Colada Vodka 
• 1 15 ounce package of yellow cake mix ( I used Aldi's Live G Free mix)
• 3 drops red food coloring (optional)
• 1 tablespoon whipped cream vodka (I used Pinnacle)

1. In a mixer cream butter substitute, it will cling to side of mixing bowl - that is ok.
2. Add strawberry vodka and cake mix to mixer, beat to combine. Add red food coloring.  This is the crumbly phase, it tastes amazing but will not hold together well, on to next step.
3. Add one tablespoon whipped cream vodka, just one.  This is the small amount of extra liquid that will make is a dough - if your dough is not looking crumbly you might not need this.
4. I used a medium cookie scoop that make 1.25 inch balls - larger than they need to be, one inch is a better size, but oh well. Shape balls on to a plate or wax covered cookie sheet - once the balls are formed, place in freezer to help set the shape, 10 - 20 minutes.  
5. Once set, place in an air tight container.  These can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months or 2 weeks in refrigerator.  My preference is the freezer. 

I bought both of these, the hand mixer first and after making meringue and hating holding the mixer upgraded to stand mixer. Happiness.

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

These are a real treat, rich dark chocolate surrounds creamy peanut butter with a slight chia crunch.

Buckeye Dough:

1 1/3 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1/4 cup chia seeds

Chocolate coating

• 1 4.4. Ounce dark chocolate bar

1. In a food processor add all buckeye ingredients. Pulse until a dough forms. Old fashioned oat may be used, just use the cutting blade instead of mixing blade. If mixture is crumbly add more maple syrup, one tablespoon at a time.
2. Using a scoop or tablespoon, form one inch balls, set on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Once all dough has been formed into balls, place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to set.
3. Remove peanut butter balls from refrigerator.
4. In a glass ramekin, place candy bar, broken into pieces. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to see if it is melted. 
5. Insert a wooden tooth pick into the top of a  peanut butter ball and gently swirl in chocolate. Leave top of peanut butter ball with out coating. Place on wax covered cookie sheet.
6. Once all are coated decide whether to use excess chocolate to cover tooth pick holes or after chocolate has set in refrigerator, smooth holes with finger or a tooth pick. My photo above has both, a drizzle to cover and a smoothing. 
7. Keep refrigerated. Makes almost two dozen. 

Dark Chocolate Bacon Haystacks

These are ever so wonderful little candies, the bacon adds such a smoky savory flavor.

• 1 cup dark chocolate, I used a 4.4 ounce dark chocolate bar
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut 
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup bacon cooked and crumbled*
• 1/3 teaspoon sea salt

1. Place chocolate in a microwave safe Pyrex type glass bowl. The heavy glass bowl will hold heat, which will keep the melted the chocolate warm. Microwave the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 interval to see how the chocolate is melting, once it is mostly all melted I let the warm bowl finish the job, total of 3 - 4 microwaving rounds usually works for me.  
2. Add to the warmed chocolate the almonds and coconut flake. Stir to combine.
3. On a wax paper lined cookie sheet, drop spoonfuls of mixture. makes about 12 candies. sprinkle sea salt on top of mounds. 
4. Allow to set as is or place cookie sheet in refrigerator to set. 
5. Store in airtight container.

*The more bacon, the more smokey flavor. If you haven't tried out the bacon chocolate combination, try the quarter cup on the first batch, it will be more subtle but still wonderful. If you have eaten a bacon camdy bar wanting more bacon goodness, go for the half cup. 

I think vegan coconut flake bacon would do well in this recipe. Go ahead, Google it. It is depending on the recipe large unsweetened coconut flakes marinated in a concoction something like; liquid smoke, worchesshire sauce, and brown sugar. Then baked on parchment paper to get crunchy and amazing.

Nutritional Yeast Parmesan

My house was built on Parmesan cheese, I would eat it in slices right from the block - it would top pizzas. Now, it is one cheese I dearly miss, I miss bleu cheese just slightly more. This substitute is nice on salads, popcorn, or wherever you miss Parmesan cheese. I have made using sunflower seeds as well, used almost any nut or seed combo, a bit of milled flax seed would hide well in this.

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup mixed nuts - I used macadamia, cashew, almonds, and walnuts
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor, and process until nuts are no longer in big chunks, about 1 minute in food processor. If processed for too long the oil from the nuts will start to make a paste.
2. Store in an airtight container.  I use a canning jar with an old Parmesan shaker lid, see photo. Mayonnaise lids also work on these and jelly jars. In photo below I doubled recipe to fill a quart sized jar. 
3. If using a blender and the muxtute feels warm, let it cool before tightening the lid. Warm cheese is more likely to clump. 

This recipe was adapted from Minimalist Baker

Coconut & Almond Haystacks

These are ever so wonderful little candies.

• 1 cup dark chocolate, I used a 4.4 ounce dark chocolate bar
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut 
• 1/3 teaspoon sea salt

1. Place chocolate in a microwave safe Pyrex type glass bowl. The heavy glass bowl will hold heat, which will keep the melted the chocolate warm. Microwave the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 interval to see how the chocolate is melting, once it is mostly all melted I let the warm bowl finish the job, total of 3 - 4 microwaving rounds usually works for me.    
2. Add to the warmed chocolate the almonds and coconut flake. Stir to combine.
3. On a wax paper lined cookie sheet, drop spoonfuls of mixture. makes about 12 candies. sprinkle sea salt on top of mounds. 
4. Allow to set as is or place cookie sheet in refrigerator to set. 
5. Store in airtight container.

Roasted Salmon with Pesto

This is by far one of my favorite recipes.  super easy and delicious, especially since the whole hands on time plus baking (not including however long it takes for the oven to warm up) is about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

• 16 ounces salmon fillets
• 1/2 cup pesto (jarred or fresh) Recipe for spinach pesto here
• 3 green peppers or a mixture of peppers, sliced
• 4 slices cubed or torn bread hunks
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste 

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Toss sliced peppers and bread in olive oil and lightly salt and pepper. Spread peppers and bread on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Nestle salmon in the veggies and bread on the baking sheet. Lightly season salmon with salt and pepper.
4. Roast for 10 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and top with a good drizzle of pesto sauce.