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Vegan Graham Crackers (gluten-free)

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overhead image of vegan graham crackers on a table

These vegan graham crackers are also gluten and refined sugar-free! This easy recipe bakes up deliciously soft cookies and crumbly cookies. Enjoy these vegan graham crackers with a thick slather of peanut butter, some toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate, or simply on their own as a healthy snack or dessert!

vegan graham crackers witha glass of almond milk and rolled oats

I’d like to start off by thanking the person that first invented s’mores. Graham crackers are great, but let’s be honest they’d be nothing without the s’more. S’mores put graham crackers on the map. And it wasn’t until I had leftover boxes of this crispy cookie lying around from s’more-making that I realized how perfect they truly are. They’re soft, light, crumbly, and not to sweet. Graham crackers deserve a moment of their own and I am here to give them that. Think about this for a second – why don’t we place this sweet cracker in the same lineup as say a chocolate chip cookie? They are more than worthy of standing alone in my opinion. Not convinced yet? OK OK just make this vegan graham cracker recipe yourself and you’ll understand.

What You Need To Make Vegan Graham Crackers

Oat Flour – I love baking up my gluten-free treats with oat flour! Not only is it inexpensive, but it’s super easy to acquire. I highly advise against purchasing pre-made oat flour, it’s simply not necessary. Instead, purchase a big bag of oats then grind them in a food processor or blender to make your own cheap and easy oat flour. Oat flour gives these vegan graham crackers their irresistibly soft texture. It also make them healthier and more nutritious!

Maple Syrup – Just a touch of maple syrup gives these gluten-free cookies a bit of caramel color and flavor. You’ll notice that I keep the amount of sweetener in this recipe low because these vegan graham crackers really don’t need much! Maple syrup is a delicious natural sweetener and much healthier than any refined sugar.

Vegan Butter – I use and love the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks in my vegan/dairy-free baked goods. Though any vegan butter will work here, just be sure to melt it completely before adding it to this recipe. You could also sub the vegan butter for melted coconut oil or regular butter if you’d like!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Add Dairy: Feel free to use regular milk and butter in place of the almond milk and vegan butter in this recipe.

Make it Nut-Free: Use soy, hemp, or coconut milk instead of almond milk to make this vegan recipe nut-free.

Add Gluten: I haven’t tested this myself, but you can try using 2 cups of all purpose flour instead of oat flour. If you give this a try, start with just the 2 cups then add a bit more flour until a dough forms. And of course, let me know how it goes!

Vegan Graham Crackers (gluten-free)
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Vegan Graham Crackers (gluten-free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

16

cookies
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Chilling time

1

hour

These vegan graham crackers are also gluten and refined sugar-free! This easy recipe bakes up deliciously soft cookies and crumbly cookies. Enjoy these vegan graham crackers with a thick slather of peanut butter, some toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate, or simply on their own!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups oat flour, see Notes

  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar, see Notes

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil, melted

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup almond milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Mix together the oat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Add in the melted vegan butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until a dough forms.
  • Cover and transfer dough to the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Remove dough from fridge and roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thick.
  • Cut dough into 2-inch squares, transfer to a baking sheet, poke the top of each graham cracker with a fork, then bake for 10-12 mintues.
  • Remove from oven, then let cool slightly on a baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Oat Flour: Make oat flour by grinding rolled oats in a blender or food processor until a fine flour forms and no large oat pieces remain.
  • Coconut Sugar: Feel free to use cane sugar or white sugar in place of the coconut sugar in this recipe!

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Desserts

Vegan No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream (refined sugar-free)

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three cones of vegan chocolate ice cream lying on a table

No ice cream machine necessary for this easy three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream! This non-dairy frozen dessert is perfectly chocolatey and sweet. With minimal time and effort, you’ll have an irresistible vegan summertime (or anytime!) treat.

three cones of vegan chocolate ice cream lying on a table

The Story Behind This Recipe

What most people don’t know about me is that my first job ever was actually at an ice cream shop. I worked there almost all through high school (before my dairy-free days) and ate ice cream literally every. single. day. Ohhhh what I wouldn’t do to have my high school metabolism again! So as you can imagine, once I went dairy-free in college I deeply, and I mean DEEPLY, missed ice cream. Back then, vegan/dairy-free ice cream wasn’t much of a thing. My options were typically limited to sorbet, which is already made without dairy. And while sorbet definitely helped cool me down and curb my sweet tooth, I longed for a big ole’ cone of classic chocolate ice cream.

These days, vegan ice cream isn’t nearly as hard to find, but what is hard to find is one that checks off all my boxes. I don’t want any funky ingredients such as fake sweeteners, gums, etc. Those cause just as much of a digestive nightmare for me as eating regular ole’ ice cream does. And most importantly, I don’t want to have to sell a kidney to afford it! The better the ingredient list, the more expensive it almost always is. Therefore, I came up with this vegan chocolate ice cream to both suit my needs and save me some money (because it’s either my bi-weekly manicure or $10 pints of ice cream, and I’d choose the former any day!).

The no-churn part of this recipe simply derived from the fact that I don’t own an ice cream maker. I’m looking into purchasing one now, but until I find one that doesn’t take up half of my freezer I will continue to make this no-ice-cream-machine-necessary recipe!

What You Need to Make Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

Full Fat Coconut Milk – None of that low-fat or lite coconut milk here! We need all that luscious healthy fat to achieve a thick and smooth texture. You could even use two cans of coconut cream if you’d like, only adding to the creaminess of this vegan chocolate ice cream.

Coconut Sugar – Coconut sugar keeps this three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream completely refined sugar-free. This natural sweetener is more nutritious than regular sugar and contains 25% less sucrose than white sugar. Though if you don’t have coconut sugar, you can easily swap this out for cane sugar or white sugar if you’d like!

Cocoa Powder – This ingredient seems pretty self-explanatory. However, I will say that if you’d like you can substitute cacao powder for the cocoa powder in this recipe. Cacao has more nutrients and antioxidants than cocoa powder and would make this three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream that much healthier.

Vegan No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream (refined sugar-free)
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Vegan No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream (refined sugar-free)

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Freezing time

8

hours

No ice cream machine necessary for this easy three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream! This non-dairy frozen dessert is perfectly chocolatey and sweet. With minimal time and effort, you’ll have an irresistible vegan summertime (or anytime!) treat.

Ingredients

  • 2 (14 ounce) cans full fat coconut milk or coconut cream, see Notes

  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar

  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Transfer to a parchment-lined container and freeze for 8 hours or until firm.
  • Remove ice cream from freezer 10-15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Coconut Milk: I used Let’s Do Organic heavy coconut cream for this recipe, but any full-fat coconut milk or cream will work!

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30 Minutes or Less

Sous Vide Asparagus

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fresh lemon being squeezed over sous vide asparagus

This sous vide asparagus is incredibly tender and delicious! This method yields perfectly cooked asparagus with minimal effort every time.

fresh lemon being squeezed over sous vide asparagus

If you own a sous vide throw ya hands in the aiiiiiir! I’m still pretty new on the sous-vide-scene, having only owned mine for a few months now. Though I gotta say, I already can’t stop using it! The sous vide is the new crockpot in my opinion. It gives you the magical ability to throw something in there, then return to a perfect meal or side dish without worry every time. This sous vide asparagus is no exception to that. Except, thanks to asparagus’ quick-cooking abilities, you’ll only need to leave it to cook for about 10 minutes. Once done, you’ll have the tastiest, most tender fool-proof asparagus of all time!

What You Need To Make Sous Vide Asparagus

Asparagus – This easy vegetable pairs well with most meals, making it a year-round favorite. Though when cooking asparagus, there is always one thing to cook in mind – it cooks quickly. Despite setting the sous vide to a pretty low temperature, you will still only need to set the time to 10 minutes. Your cook time may vary slightly, depending on the thickness or thinness of your asparagus. Though my recommendation is to start slowly, give your asparagus a quick check, then continue to cook if needed. I used pretty medium-sized asparagus and found that just 10 minutes left my asparagus tender with a slightly crunchy bite – yum!

Butter – The butter is used for flavor in this recipe, and just a tablespoon gives delicate asparagus that delicious savory taste. I used vegan butter since we like to keep things dairy-free around here, though any kind of butter will do! You can even leave the butter out altogether if you’d like.

Lemon Juice and Zest – A touch of lemon right before serving brings some freshness back into the sous vide asparagus. Lemon juice and zest is totally optional in this recipe, but highly recommended!

Why Sous Vide?

  • The sous vide does an incredible job at keeping the temperature consistent, giving you amazing results every time.
  • Cooks slower in seasoning, giving the flavors time to permeate and develop throughout the food.
  • The sous vide does all the work for you – just set it, then walk away and return to a perfectly cooked meal or side dish!
Sous Vide Asparagus
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Sous Vide Asparagus

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

This sous vide asparagus is incredibly tender and delicious! This method yields perfectly cooked asparagus with minimal effort every time.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus

  • 1 tablespoon butter (I used dairy-free)

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • Fresh lemon juice and zest, optional

Directions

  • Toss all ingredients to a zip-top bag, toss asparagus in bag to coat in spices then remove air from bag.sous vide asparagus process photo 1
  • Drop in sous vide bath set to 180° Fahrenheit (or 82° Celsius) for 10 minutes. If the bag floats to the top, add a few metal utensils to help weigh it down.sous vide asparagus process photo 1
  • Remove bag from bath, then remove asparagus from bag and finish off with fresh lemon juice and zest.sous vide asparagus process photo 3

Notes

  • If you’re not vegan or dairy-free, finish this asparagus off with some shredded parmesan cheese for even more flavor!

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Breakfast

Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes (Grain-Free)

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mini vegan berry shortcakes arranged on a cake stand

These mini vegan berry shortcakes are as cute as they are delicious! A few simple ingredients come together to create a soft shortcake base, which is then topped off with homemade coconut whipped cream. A sprinkling of fresh berries is the finishing touch to this easy and adorable dessert!

close-up image of mini vegan berry shortcakes

These Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes Are…

  • Soft
  • Crumbly
  • Perfectly Sweet
  • Grain-Free
  • Fresh
  • Summery
  • & a total crowd-pleaser!

What You Need To Make Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes

Almond Flour – This gluten and grain-free flour is a staple in my kitchen. Almond flour has a very mild taste and gives these shortcakes their irresistibly soft and crumbly texture! While almond flour used to be difficult to locate, you can easily find it either online or in most grocery stores these days.

Coconut Flour – This particular ingredient is vital to the construction of these mini vegan berry shortcakes. Coconut flour holds together these tiny treats, in the absence of eggs. It is very important that you do not skip or replace this it with any other type of flour (unless noted in the flour substitutions section below).

Coconut Cream – If you’re looking to make the vegan coconut whipped cream yourself, you’re going to need a can of coconut cream! I highly recommend the tiny cans of Native Forest Coconut Cream which can be found at Whole Foods. However, if you can’t find that particular brand then pick up any can of coconut cream and use just the solid coconut cream at the top of the can in this recipe. This step will ensure your cream whips up beautifully light and fluffy!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Nut-Free: I have not tested this myself, but I can imagine that equal parts oat flour would work in place of the almond flour in this recipe. If you give this a try, let me know how it turns out! 🙂

Flour Substitutions: I get asked a lot if all purpose flour can be subbed in my gluten-free recipes and for this one in particular, you can try using 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour in place of the almond and coconut flour. Though keep in mind that I have also not tested this myself and therefore cannot attest to its success! If you opt for all purpose flour in these mini vegan berry shortcakes, start with just one cup and the remaining half cup (or maybe even more flour) until a dough forms.

Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes (Grain-Free)
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Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes (Grain-Free)

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

24

mini shortcakes
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

45

minutes

These mini vegan berry shortcakes are as cute as they are delicious! A few simple ingredients come together to create a soft shortcake base, which is then topped off with homemade coconut whipped cream. A sprinkling of fresh berries is the finishing touch to this easy and adorable dessert!

Ingredients

  • For the vegan shortcakes:

  • 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups almond flour

  • 1/4 cup coconut flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • For the coconut whipped cream:

  • 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut cream

  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • For topping:

  • fresh berries

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and lightly grease a mini muffin pan.
  • Beat together the dairy-free butter and maple syrup, then add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, and baking soda.
  • Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined, then cover and let chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  • Scoop two tablespoons of dough into each mini muffin mold and press down then up the sides to form a cup shape.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, then let cookies cool in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • While cookies cool, remove the top later of solid coconut cream from the can and discard any liquid. Beat coconut cream along with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
  • Top each mini shortcake with whipped cream and fresh berries – enjoy!

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Store these mini vegan berry shortcakes in an airtight container in either the fridge or freezer!

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30 Minutes or Less

Pistachio Milk

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Pistachio Milk Recipe

Learn how to make homemade pistachio milk in just a few easy steps. This new-on-the-scene dairy-free milk is totally creamy and delicious! Add a splash to your morning coffee for a tasty, naturally sweet addition.

pistachio milk being poured into a glass of iced coffee

I don’t know about you, but I’m seeing pistachio milk everywhere these days! However, the store-bought version of this naturally vegan beverage often times comes with a hefty price tag. When I realized what was in pistachio milk (literally just pistachios and water), I knew I could and had to come up with a method for us to make it at home! Oh, and the great thing about this homemade pistachio milk recipe? It costs a fraction of the store-bought price.

Pistachio Milk Recipe Ingredients

Pistachios – Not just any pistachios, but raw and unsalted pistachios with the shells removed. You could very well get lucky and find this exact type of bagged pistachio at your grocery store. Though if you can’t find raw and unsalted pistachios with the shells removed, simply purchase raw and unsalted pistachios, then remove the shells yourself.

Water – I used filtered water, but any water you’d like will do! Bottled water, tap water, rain water… seriously whatever water you want.

Pinch of Salt – You might be thinking, why buy unsalted pistachios if we plan on adding salt anyway?? Well, that’s because we want just a tiny bit of salt. Salted pistachios would contribute WAY too much salt to this pistachio milk recipe. However, just a pinch of salt will bring out the natural sweetness of the pistachios and contribute more depth of flavor to this vegan beverage.

What Are The Benefits to Pistachio Milk?

To put this bluntly, pistachios are super healthy. Compared to their cousin, the almond, pistachios offer more Vitamin A and C than almonds. Vitamin A is amazing for a vast variety of things, but specifically important for your vision, immune system, and reproductive health. Then vitamin C, like vitamin A, has a ton of health benefits, though most notably it promotes collagen in the skin (bye bye wrinkles!) and helps to regulate blood pressure. Pistachios are also extremely high in antioxidants. So much so that they pretty much have every other nut beat in this category. Aside from these specific antioxidants increasing eye health, they may also help prevent cancer and heart disease. So there you have it. Pistachios are crazy good for you and more than worthy of finding a way into your everyday diet! So, pistachio milk is the perfect way to do this.

Optional (& Tasty) Pistachio Milk Recipe Add-Ins

  • 2-3 Dates
  • 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
  • Sprinkle of Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pistachio Milk
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Pistachio Milk

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1 1/2

quarts
Soak time

6

minutes
Assemply time

5

minutes

Learn how to make homemade pistachio milk in just a few easy steps. This new-on-the-scene dairy-free milk is totally creamy and delicious! Add a splash to your morning coffee for a tasty, naturally sweet addition.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw unsalted pistachios, shells removed

  • 5 cups water

  • 1 pinch of salt

Directions

  • Soak the pistachios in cold water for at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours.
  • Drain and rinse the pistachios, then add to a blender with 5 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
  • Pour pistachio milk through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer, then discard the pulp.
  • Store pistachio milk in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Feel free to replace the pistachios with whatever raw and unsalted nut you’d like!

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