Celebrating Life Over 50 in the Puget Sound Region and Beyond

Devilishly Healthy and Delicious Desserts Everyone Will Love

January 1, 2024 at 7:21 p.m.

Image courtesy of FoodTrients.com

...by Grace O

Eating vegetarian or vegan is a very personal choice and takes a fair amount of discipline. It means reading labels carefully and rethinking most recipes. But there is no reason vegetarian and vegan meals can’t be delicious and full of valuable FoodTrients. As an added bonus, vegan dishes are perfect for those who keep kosher because they contain no animal products.

Grace O, founder of FoodTrients.com, the resource dedicated to the foods and rejuvenating nutrients that help us fight the diseases of aging and promote longevity, has created holiday desserts that are all vegan and contain the nutrients needed to boost health and are unapologetic in terms of great flavor and indulgence.

With many people vowing to eat healthier n the new year, here are some vegan desserts that are unapologetic in flavor and indulgence.

Murderously Good Blood Orange Cake
Serves 6-8

If you’re craving something sweet and seasonal, try this vegan blood orange cake. It is moist, tender, and bursting with intense orange flavor. Great for any holiday celebration, this cake also delivers nutrition very similar to regular oranges, but blood oranges are rich in anthocyanin, a group of antioxidants found in red, blue, and purple fruits and veggies. A diet rich in these compounds may prevent inflammation and protect against type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Regularly eating anthocyanin-rich foods may also benefit your memory and overall brain health.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¾ cup almond or cashew ‘milk’
½ cup olive oil
½ cup cane sugar
⅓ cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice, strained
2 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. blood orange zest (about 2 oranges)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch springform pan and set aside.

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the nut ‘milk’, olive oil, blood orange juice, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, almond, and blood orange zest together, until the oil is emulsified.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients while whisking the two together. Mix well until no dry patches of flour remain but be careful not to overmix; some small lumps are ok. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 29-to-31 minutes for a 9” pan, longer for a smaller pan. The cake is done when the top is golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly.

Place the cake pan on a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan. Remove the cake and transfer to a serving platter, then dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve. Can be stored tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Deadly Delicious Salted Chocolate Vegan Tart
8-10 servings

What’s the dessert without an option for chocolate? This no-bake brownie base with a creamy salted chocolate filling, is rich, vegan, and gluten-free. The dates in this recipe contain antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that help support brain, digestive, and heart health and protect against disease. The nuts in the crust are nutrient dense providing good sources of protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Nuts and seeds regulate body weight as their fats are not fully absorbed and they regulate food intake. Nuts and seeds contain unsaturated fats and other nutrients that provide protective effects against heart disease and diabetes.

INGREDIENTS

Crust
1 cup pitted Medjool dates, about 10 large dates
½ cup raw walnuts
¾ cup raw pecans (or almonds)
4 Tbs. smooth almond butter
½ tsp. fine sea salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
5 Tbs. raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbs. raw cacao nibs optional

Filling
10.5 ounces or 1⅓ cups coconut cream*
4 ounces 60%-85% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
⅓ cup refined coconut oil (unrefined will taste of coconut)
⅔ cup (about 6 or 7) large Medjool dates (pitted)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
A large pinch of sea salt

Garnishes
A few sprinkles of flaky sea salt for topping
Fresh raspberries or other berries

INSTRUCTIONS
For the crust: Remove the pits from the dates unless already pitted. If the dates aren’t soft, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain well.

Add the dates, walnuts, pecans, almond butter, salt, cinnamon, and cacao powder to a food processor. Blend until you have a slightly sticky dough that comes together when you press it with your fingers. If using, fold the cacao nibs into the dough with a rubber spatula.

Press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place in the freezer to firm up for 20 minutes and clean out the food processor.

For the filling: While the crust is chilling, heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the coconut cream, chopped dark chocolate, and coconut oil. Whisk frequently until melted and smooth. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly.

Tear pitted Medjool dates into pieces. Add them to the food processor, along with the vanilla, sea salt, and the melted chocolate mixture. Blend until everything is combined and completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. The filling should be smooth, silky, and rich. Taste for seasonings, add more salt as needed.

Assemble the tart: Pour the chocolate filling into the chilled tart crust. Garnish with flaky sea salt. Chill the tart in the freezer for 2 hours or until set and firm. Garnish with fresh raspberries and allow to sit at room temperature for 10-to-15 minutes before serving.

*NOTE
You can buy canned coconut cream or canned full-fat coconut milk. Refrigerate two 13.5-ounce cans about 24 hours in advance so the cream separates from the liquid part, and it’s easier to scoop out. When at room temperature, many brands of coconut milk or cream mix together, so you can’t scoop out the cream.

To view all of Grace’s vegan holiday dessert recipes, click here https://foodtrients.com/aging-gracefully/devilishly-delish-vegan-desserts-are-here/

About FoodTrients: FoodTrients® is a philosophy and a resource dedicated to the foods and rejuvenating nutrients that help us fight the diseases of aging and promote longevity. All of the recipes combine modern scientific research and medicinal herbs and ingredients from cultures around the world. They’re loaded with flavor and superfoods, which promote wellness, increase energy and vitality, improve skin, and help people look and feel younger.

About Grace O: Over a span of 30 years, Grace O has built an impressive record of business achievement, community building, philanthropy, and community service in California. Guided by her spirit of entrepreneurship and building on a model of generosity learned from her family, Grace has spent a lifetime helping people heal through food and medicine. Grace launched FoodTrients.com in 2010 where she shares age-defying superfoods from around the world and creates delicious recipes with them. Grace is the author of three award-winning cookbooks—The Age GRACEfully Cookbook: The Power of FOODTRIENTS to Promote Health and Well-being for a Joyful and Sustainable Life, The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World, and the multi-award-winning Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World.

For more information visit www.FoodTrients.com.