New Year Yumminess...

I know I should be putting nice, healthy recipes on this blog, especially for my first post of the new year. But looking back through some of the recipes I've picked up over the years, I figured I'd go with two yummy desserts from Vegetarian Times. Both the truffles and the cake are listed as vegan; hopefully, that'll fit onto your healthy list. And dark chocolate is supposed to be healthy, isn't it? Either way, enjoy!

Decadent Dairy-Free Chocolate Truffles

from the May 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times

Serves 10 (makes about 30 truffles)

Truffles are usually made with heavy cream, but you'll never miss the dairy in these luscious vegan chocolates.

6 oz. high-quality dark chocolate (60% cocoa), finely chopped

1/4 cup walnut, almond or canola oil

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Place chocolate, oil and 1/3 cup water in microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high in microwave 1 minute. Stir; heat 1 minute more, or until chocolate has melted. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 6 hours, or overnight.

Place cocoa and nuts on separate plates. Shape truffle mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls into small, 3/4-inch balls. Roll in cocoa or chopped nuts. Chill until ready to serve.

Nutritional information, per truffle:

Calories: 66, Protein: 1 g, Total Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 3 g. Vegan.

Fabulous Vegan Fudge Cake with Bittersweet Icing

from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 66)

Serves 8

“I’ve tried vegan cake recipes in the past, but didn’t like the sour taste of the vinegar that is usually used to activate the leavening,” says single mom and café manager Shelly Platten. “I tinkered with some recipes that didn’t use vinegar to come up with a fudgy, satisfying cake.”

1 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill organic unbleached white flour

1 2/3 cups Florida Crystals organic cane sugar, divided

1 1/3 cups Chatfield’s cocoa powder, divided

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup Silk vanilla soymilk, divided

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together 2/3 cup soymilk, 1/3 cup oil, and 1/2 cup water in separate bowl. Stir soymilk mixture into flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold onto plate.

Warm remaining 2/3 cup cocoa, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup oil in saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining 1/3 cup soymilk, and cook 1 minute, or until smooth. Spread icing over warm cake, and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

Nutritional Information, per slice:

Calories: 525, protein: 5 g, total fat: 25 g, saturated fat: 2g, carbohydrates: 67 g, cholesterol: 0 mg, sodium 315 mg, fiber: 7 g, sugar: 43 g. Vegan