Thankful For Dessert

Honey Pecan Tart with Milk Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients
Shortbread Crust (makes 2 crusts)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 cups flour
Filling
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- pinch of salt teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups pecan half, toasted, roughly chopped

To make the crust combine the butter and sugar in a medium size bowl. Stir in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Press the mixture into a buttered 10 inch tart pan and refrigerate overnight or freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake the tart crust for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine the butter, brown sugar and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil; then add the salt and vanilla. Set aside and let cool for 20-30 minutes until thick. Should still be warm.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk the eggs. Pour in the cooled sugar mixture until combined. Gently stir in the pecans.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pour the filling into the prepared tart pan and place in the oven. Place a pie crust ring or foil over the tart crust edges. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tart is golden brown and cooked in the center. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Slice the tart with a sharp knife. Drizzle individual slices with warm Milk Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows) if desired.
Milk Chocolate Ganache

In a small saucepan combine chopped milk chocolate (about 1/2 cup) and cream (about 2 tablespoons). Stir over low heat until melted and combined. If the ganache is too thick add another tablespoon or so of cream. If the ganache is too thin add a bit more chocolate.

A Vegan Day

Try these recipes (free of all animal products) to satisfied both your belly and your conscience.

Breakfast- Healthy Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins
Lunch- White Bean and Kale Soup
Dinner- Basic Tostadas




Healthy Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins
I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty these muffins turned out, considering there is no sugar or oil. These are breakfast muffins, so they are not terribly sweet. They pair well with a cup of coffee in the morning, or serve as a healthy and satisfying treat in the afternoon or evening.


Makes 9

Ingredients

- 1/3 cup agave
- 1 1/2 medium bananas (about 3/4 cup), mashed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat spelt flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup soymilk
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 9 muffin tins with paper liners.
In a medium size bowl, combine the mashed banana with the agave and vanilla. Add the spelt flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon mix until just combined. Gently stir in the soymilk until just combined. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and almonds. Divide the batter amongst the lined muffin tins. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the muffins sit for 2 minutes in the tin, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. These muffins will keep in an airtight container for approximately 3 days.


White Bean and Kale Soup
This soup is very basic and very easy to make. Of course you can make your own vegetable stock or make the beans from scratch, but for a super quick and healthy soup I use canned beans and store bought stock. Just be careful to buy a veggie stock that is low in sodium and without preservatives.


Serves 8

Ingredients

- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium size leek, chopped
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 4 medium size stocks of celery, chopped
- 4 medium size carrots, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 5 cups water
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 large bunch kale (about 8 cups), rinsed well, chopped
- 2 ten ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed well in a colander

In a large stockpot heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the leeks and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped celery, carrot, and sweet potato and cook 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more. Add the vegetable stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the kale and cannellini beans and let simmer until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Taste for more salt and pepper. Serve warm.


Basic Tostadas
You can top your tostadas with all sorts of things, but I keep mine really basic, with a bit of brown rice, beans and raw veggies, and lots of fresh salsa and guacamole.


Serves 4

Ingredients

- 4 sprouted or wheat tortillas
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup brown rice, rinsed
- 1 can beans (refried or black), heated in a medium saucepan
- 8 cups romaine lettuce, shredded (about 1 head)
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Fresh Salsa
- 1/3 cup diced white onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
- 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, diced
- juice from 1 lime
- 3 medium size tomatoes, diced
- salt and pepper
Guacamole
- 2 ripe Hass avocados
- 1 -2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon of fresh salsa

To make the brown rice, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium size saucepan. Add the rinsed rice and sauté in the olive oil over medium/low heat for two minutes, while stirring. Add scant (just under) 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium/high heat. Stir once, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let simmer for 50 minutes, then removed the pan from the heat and let sit 10 minutes more. Do not remove the lid. Fluff with a fork.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil on both sides of each tortilla and place on a large sheet pan. Bake until crisp and golden, flipping half way through baking, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile to make the salsa combine the diced onion, jalapeño, cilantro and tomato with the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the guacamole, cut each avocado in half and remove the pits. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the avocado. Use a fork to mash the avocado with the lime juice, and a tablespoon or so of the fresh salsa. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble the tostada, place one crisp tortilla shell on a plate. Top with the warm rice and beans, lettuce, radish, cilantro, carrot, guacamole and salsa.

Stracciatella Cheesecake

To the untrained eye Stracciatella Gelato, a common flavor found in Italian Gelaterias, could be equated to Vanilla Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. However, after considerable evaluation, I have come to the conclusion that Stracciatella Gelato and Vanilla Chip Ice Cream are in fact very dissimilar from one another. Stracciatella Gelato is white in color as opposed to Vanilla Chip Ice Cream that has a custard base resulting in a custard color. Unlike ice cream, real Italian gelato is often made without eggs or egg yolks (the contributing custard factor) and has less fat and less air than American ice cream, which ultimately results in a creamier confection with an entirely different taste. Stracciatella’s sweet cream base is studded with fine dark chocolate chip shavings, giving every creamy bite a subtle crunch, which I find much more satisfying than the harsh whole chocolate chips found in Vanilla Chip’s icier, airier counterpart. Now, I don’t mean to bad talk Vanilla Chip Ice Cream, but rather want to set the stage for the inspiration to the flavor and texture of this cheesecake.
Like ice cream, cheesecake has a many different styles based on its own criteria of flavors and textures. I can’t say that I am one of cheesecake’s most devout fans, as I have had many below par cheesecakes which where either too dry, too sweet, too rich, not rich enough, flavorless, etc. On the contrary, this cheesecake, like Stracciatella Gelato, has a smooth and creamy base with a depth of flavor (in this case from the addition of ricotta cheese) and also a delicate crunch from the chocolate shavings. Though unlike Stracciatella Gelato, Stracciatella Cheesecake does require eggs, yet the inside of the cake looks just the same as the gelato - a white cream base studded with dark chocolate shavings. Therefore, I it is only fitting to call this cheesecake, Stracciatella Cheesecake and not Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Just as Stracciatella Gelato and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream are not interchangeable, Stracciatella Cheesecake and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake are not interchangeable, as they are entirely different entities.
I make my own crisp chocolate cookies for the crust (well worth the extra time as opposed to using store-bought cookies), and serve a tangy cherry sauce alongside the cheesecake, which isn’t obligatory, but compliments the cheesecake exceptionally well. The cheesecake needs to be baked one day ahead of time, and allowed time to set-up completely in the refrigerator. I bake this cake using a water bath, which is a very simple procedure. A water bath helps the cake cook evenly, ensuring a creamy confection.


Stracciatella Cheesecake

Serves 12

Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2 cubes
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon cream
Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, soft
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 8 ounces full fat ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 4 ounce bar good quality bittersweet chocolate

To make the cookie crust, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cocoa powder in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse everything together until just combined. Add the egg yolk and cream and pulse until well combined. Remove the dough from the food processor and combine into a flat disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick and cut with a cookie cutter or knife into approximately 2 inch rounds or squares. Bake the cookies on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, at 350 degrees F for 13-15 minutes, or until crisp. Remove the cookies from the sheet pan and let cool completely. Pulse cooled cookies in a food processor. This process can be done up to 2 days ahead of time.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Boil some water to prepare for the water bath. Use a sharp knife to shave the chocolate bar into small pieces. Set aside.
Wrap aluminum foil tightly around a 9 inch springform pan. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add ricotta cheese, vanilla, and salt, and blend together well. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand, and pour mixture on top of the crust. Set the cake pan into a large roasting pan, and pour hot water into the roasting pan so that it comes half way up the side of the cake pan. Carefully place both pans into the oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove both pans from the oven and carefully remove the cake from the water bath, remove the foil, and set aside on a wire wrack to cool completely. Refrigerate the cake overnight or for at least 8 hours.
When the cake is ready to be served run a sharp knife along side the edges of the pan and release and remove the sides of the springform pan. To slice the cake dip a large, sharp knife into hot water and wipe the knife dry with a clean towel before making each cut. Serve with the cherry sauce and enjoy. This cake will keep covered and refrigerated for up to five days.


Cherry Sauce

Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh or frozen bing cherries, pitted
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the burner and let cool 10 minutes. Use a hand held blender or place the sauce in a blender and puree for 30 seconds. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Heat slightly in a small saucepan before serving.