The Friendly Vegan

1/29

As you might have seen in my Instagram posts, I'm a lover of pancakes; and almost every Saturday, I make eggless, dairy-free pancakes from scratch or whatever happens to be in my kitchen during that time. I like fluffy pancakes with different flavors and fruit toppings. My favorite pancake happens to be berry pancakes with more berry toppings and warm maple syrup. Here's a lemon pancake topped with kiwi, coconut chia seed yogurt, and drizzled with a hot strawberry maple sauce. 

Perfect pancakes means having the right temperature on your griddle or pan and waiting for those little bubbles. My husband always reminds me to check the temperature and to be patient with pancakes. To make this pancake, 

What You'll Need:
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp organic, vegan sugar
pinch of salt

1 tsp flax seeds 

1/2 + 2 tbsp cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water + 3 tbsp 
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix ground flax seeds with 3 tbsp water. Soak for a couple of minutes until it thickens. Set aside.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl. Whisk to mix. In a separate container or bowl, mix coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and flax seed mixture. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Mix to combine, but do not over do. There will be lumps and it's ok. 

Cook pancakes on a hot griddle or hot non-stick or oiled pan until both sides are golden brown. I use coconut oil to oil the pan. 

To make strawberry maple sauce, in a pan add organic frozen or fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup organic maple syrup. Bring to a boil for about 2 minutes. Drizzle over pancakes and top with your favorite fruit.

1/31

Valentine's is almost here, and I can't help thinking about strawberries. Yes, they've been popping everywhere from grocery stores to the CSA box I just received from Tanaka Farms.  Yes, their peak is in the summer months, but the one's I've tasted were quite sweet and delicious, perfect for munching or making this lovely dessert. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I'd share this recipe with you. I made this dessert last year using silken tofu and sparkling wine. It was quite heavenly.  I've tweaked it this time and didn't use silken tofu since it scares a lot of people when they hear "tofu".  I used some almond milk and frozen bananas instead. 

What you'll need:  (for two)

3 large bananas peeled and frozen overnight
6 strawberries 
1/4 cup almond milk

Sauce:
1/2 cup your favorite sparkling wine or champagne 
5 strawberries 

In a blender, blend frozen bananas, strawberries, and almond milk until smooth and silky, similar to an ice cream consistency.
Freeze and set aside as you cook the sauce. 

In a small pot, bring to a reduction 5 strawberries and 1/2 cup sparkling wine or champagne. Stirring constantly to avoid burning the syrup. About 5 minutes. 

Cool reduction and top it on frozen treat. Enjoy with someone you love.