Author: PatagoniaLlami

This vegan mayo is made using the liquid from a can of chickpeas and is the perfect topping for your plant-based burger. Most Dijon mustard is made with white wine, making it not entirely vegan, which is why I chose Maille® for this recipe.

A gluten-free and vegan hamantaschen that melts in your mouth, filled with a rich and zesty prune filling. A vegan take on the traditional purim cookies!

When we first arrived in Israel, the mélange of Jewish holidays was truly shocking. They seemed to come at you one month after the next, with little opportunity to catch your breath, reflect on the holiday’s true meaning, or even finish the troves of special food prepared for each occasion. Having been raised as staunch Soviet children, which meant little exposure to Jewish religion, spirituality, or culture, my sister and I often found ourselves staggering and wide-eyed as our peers sang their way through the traditional songs, talked about special holiday treats, or asked us where we were going for the holiday (answer: nowhere. A family that dressed from bags left beside the trash and from generous relatives’ hand-me-downs could not afford to go anywhere, ever). But the question that really swept us off our feet and left us panicked and staggering for breath was, “What’s your costume for Purim?”

The thing was, we didn’t have a costume. At that point, we didn’t even know what Purim was (there was no Halloween equivalent in the serious and grey Soviet Union), but the reverent tones in which kids spoke about it suggested that it was a REALLY BIG DEAL. The kind of deal that involved four days off school and a ginormous, day-long festival that everyone prepared for for months. I also realized that your choice of costume really mattered: even in Grade 1, some students adamantly refused to reveal their chosen outfit, declaring it a state secret. Costume competitions were announced, and a frantic air of preparation seemed to descend upon every family with school-aged children. Luckily, that also meant that I had enough notice to inform my mother of this holiday, and tell her I had to have something really nice for it.

A big sewing machine stood in a corner of my parents’ bedroom, huddled between my sister’s crib and the closet. This machine would open more rarely now that my mother was busy with the life of an immigrant, but it was also the source of some of our nicest clothes: my mother’s cotton and linen suits, a-line and mini skirts, and simple, summery outfits for my sister and me. My mother was not the most adventurous or advanced seamstress, but what she lacked in skill, she more than made up for in tenacity. When that sewing machine opened, my mother would sit there for days, hunkered down on an uncomfortable stool in the unflattering light of an ancient industrial desk lamp, humming to herself, putting us through rigorous fittings and demonstrations. I loved the sewing machine, but hated it at the same time.

Naturally, when my mother got notice of the imminent celebration of Purim, she carved out some time to spend with the sewing machine. Buying a costume was out of the question, due both to our limited funds and to the fact that this would have constituted an admission of failure for my mother. So instead, she spent many days, stealing hours between work shifts at her two jobs, day and night, hunkered over that sewing machine. She eventually produced a beautiful, shimmering, white lace dress with long, flowing sleeves and a band of golden sequins around the waist. The dress fit me like a dream, and it made me feel like the luckiest, prettiest and richest girl in the world.

That year, I went to my Purim celebration as a princess. Informed of the holiday’s other requirement, the custom of exchanging mishloach manot, or sweets, between children, my parents had gathered a small, but dignified plate of pistachio cranberry cookies, wafers and caramel candy, and sent me on my way. I felt great, and though I didn’t win any awards, I was amazed to come home with a bounty of sweets and the holiday’s main attraction: a small cellophane package of chocolate rugelach, poppy seed or date hamantaschen, or “Ozney Haman” (Haman’s Ears) as they are called in Hebrew. I felt true, pure bliss. I didn’t even care that it rained on the way back home. That night, a rare evening off for the whole family, I put on my princess costume, my parents wore their finest suits, my sister was wrapped in some frilly outfit, and we went out to take photographs in our beautiful clothes. The city was bustling, lights shone everywhere, and I couldn’t imagine a better feeling.

When Purim rolled around next year, my mother has declared that she didn’t have the time to make another outfit. So she told me I could wear the same dress, add a pointy hat and a wand, and be transformed into a kind sorceress. I was a bit skeptical, but the gown was so beautiful that I couldn’t help but be tempted. I dutifully wore the costume again, grabbed my prepared plate of treats, and went for another school celebration. It rained once more, and my parents didn’t have any time off, but armed with the requisite bag of chocolate or prune or pistachio hamantaschen, I still felt like I really liked Purim. I have no idea what the other students thought of my recycled costume.

The next year came, and my mother suggested I wear that dress again. This time, I adamantly refused. Tears and fights ensued, the house became a war zone, and eventually, my mother backed down. She assembled a gypsy costume for me, made up my face and gave me beautiful, big hair, and sent me on my way, armed with another plate of wafers and cheap candy. And my sister dutifully wore the princess dress.

It took me years to realize that the candy plates my parents assembled were often haphazardly thrown together the night before, or even the very same morning, as my panicked mother and grandmother rummaged around the drawers of our house, looking for anything sweet that wasn’t yet moldy or expired, and could therefore be slipped to some unsuspecting child without too much embarrassment. We never had hamantaschen to give out. It was years before we even had any brand name treats. And my homemade outfits soon started to feel cheap and dowdy. I wanted a “real”, store-bought costume, recognizable candy, and a big plate of prune hamantaschen.

It took me many more years to realize how precious those homemade outfits and scrounged-up treats actually were. How high was the cost of my mother’s sleepless nights over that sewing machine. How guilty she must have felt, sending me to school with pitiful plates of candy, imagining the embarrassment of the recipient’s parents, and knowing they just couldn’t afford anything better. So while I won’t sew my own Halloween or Purim costumes now, I still refuse to buy them in store. And I bake my own plate of prune vegan hamantaschen, delighting at the childhood flavours, and knowing that if I could to give them to anyone, it would be to my mother.

Star Ingredient for Your Vegan Hamantaschen: Prunes

The star of the filling is the prunes—opt for plump, moist prunes, as they provide the ideal balance of sweetness and smoothness. Look for prunes that are deep purple, moist, and free from any wrinkling or dryness. 

Making Vegan Hamantaschen Recipe

Prepare the Dough

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour and sea salt. In a separate bowl, mix the oil (or egg), honey, vanilla extract, and orange zest. If using vegan shortening, cut it into the wet mixture using two knives until it forms small pea-sized pieces. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir with a wooden spoon.

Be careful not to overwork the dough—it should be slightly sticky but cohesive. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling for the vegan hamantaschen recipe.

Make the Prune Filling

In a saucepan, combine the pitted prunes, water, brandy (or juice), orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes to allow most of the liquid to evaporate. Stir in the brown sugar and mash the mixture with a potato masher or use an immersion blender to create a smooth, thick puree. Set aside to cool.

Shape the Hamantaschen Pasty

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the baking sheet. Gently press each ball into a flat circle, making sure it’s not too thick—aim for about ⅛ inch thick. Spoon about a teaspoon of prune filling into the center of each dough circle. Carefully fold the dough into a triangle shape, pinching the corners tightly to seal.

Bake

Bake the hamantaschen in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t overbake, as the almond flour can brown quickly.

Cool

Allow the vegan hamantaschen cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set properly so they don’t fall apart when handled.

Storage

Store your prune vegan hamantaschen in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep them fresh longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Just be sure to let them cool completely before freezing, and layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw at room temperature for a few hours.

Recipe

My Nocciolato Hazelnut Cream Pie with just 5 ingredients, 3 easy steps, is vegan, gluten free, and will simply wow you.

I was an ice cream kid. And it’s no secret that now that summer is in the air, memories of my favorite ice cream flavors keep coming back to my attention.

Already last week, I showed you the first result of these lingering memories.

My Stracciatella Cream Pie already resulted from it and it is a no-bake vegan recreation of the ice cream I used to devour many years ago.

Let us keep going along similar lines today.

When I longed for a more chocolate rich flavor, my most loved choice was Nocciolato. Have you ever heard about it?

If not, no worries, just read on about my Nocciolato Hazelnut Cream Pie and you are going to figure it out!

Traditionally, Nocciolato is a combination of nougat and hazelnut ice cream covered with hazelnut. Hello ice cream dream, but also hello sugar monster.

Of course, because it contains nougat, Nocciolato isn’t vegan. Plus, the ice cream is made from cream, sugar and possibly many other undefined preservatives.

As always, I have to help myself and recreate these flavors in a way, vegans can enjoy it. And I just want share with you, how I did it.

With just 5 ingredients and 3 easy steps you can make this Nocciolato Hazelnut Cream Pie as the newest addition to my vegan Dessert & Cake recipes.

Friends, I hope you all love this Nocciolato Hazelnut Cream Pie.

It’s not only a modern adaptation from my childhood memories to now. It’s also easy, no bake, drool worthy, mesmerizing, chocolaty, dreamlike, and so delicious.

Shall I start telling you how to do this? That’s what I’m here for! Let’s make this dream together, now.

Start by preparing the crust. We need a blender or food processor for this game. Simply put hazelnuts and dates together and blend until you have a dough-like texture. It doesn’t have to stay completely together – it will once you press it into a crust.

Now I used a 7 inch springform for this step. Prepare the form with parchment paper or just use a bit oil if you want. Put the hazelnut-date mixture into the springform and press it firmly onto the bottom.

Next we go back to the blender again and make the filling. Combine hazelnuts, silken tofu, and vegan chocolate spread. Blend all until smooth.

Now mix this in a bowl with shaved vegan nougat until you reached a smooth and creamy texture. Put the filling on top of the dough, garnish with more vegan nougat, ready. Time to chill!

This Noccilato Hazelnut Cream Pie is a stunner of a dessert and I can’t stress enough how easy it is to make.

It is totally suitable for date night. Just think about you have your sweetheart over for a date night dinner. Maybe the first time and imagine what will happen when you serve this dream. Or get it served for you! Friends, this is definitely a winner!

Of course it’s just as impressive and delicious if you make this just for your friends, family, or just for yourself. Because you deserve only the best and it’s here, make it.

Impress with my Nocciolato Hazelnut Cream Pie

Just a shoutout to the ingredients list. I bought my vegan chocolate spread and vegan nougat at the organic store, so I can be sure it’s 100 % vegan.

Please also make sure it’s organic and it’s declared as vegan. Some products do not give precise information about it and may not vegan by containing milk, butter and other ingredients.

I also used peeled hazelnuts. Peeled purely for aesthetic aspects. But the hazelnuts are not only here as eye-candy. Promoting heart health and boosting the brain are only two of the many big selling points of these little power plants.

For more information, check out this article “Hazelnuts: 7 Benefits of These Heart-Healthy, Brain-Boosting Nuts“.

Friends, time for a drum roll for my Nocciolato Hazelnut Cream Pie.

Impress your sweetheart, significant other, friends, family, or just yourself. Give me tag on Facebook or Instagram as always. Snap a picture so I can see all your excitement and lovely creations.

Cheers, Florian!

These No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars, are so rich and decadent, and downright addicting! And…you’ll have them on your table in just 25 minutes. No baking required.

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE:

• These bars are no-bake and easy-to-make. No oven needed. All you need is a food processor and a fridge. =)
• They’re a great healthy dessert option, since they are vegan (dairy-free), gluten-free, packed with healthy nuts, and sweetened by dates.
• Peanut butter and chocolate– need we say more?!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

INGREDIENTS NOTES:

• Sliced almonds– we recommend sliced (or slivered) almonds, as they break up easier in the food processor.
• Rice crisp cereal– if you’re gluten-free, please note that some cereals (like Rice Krispies) may contain ingredients like malt syrup, which is derived from barley so NOT gluten free. But fortunately, there are a lot of other gluten-free options (we use the Trader Joe’s brand).
• Vegan chocolate chips– We love the Enjoy Life brand. It doesn’t matter if they are mini or regular-sized chocolate chips, as you’ll be melting them for this recipe.

STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS:

Line an 8×8 Square baking dish.

First, line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.

Add ingredients to the food processor.

In a food processor, add the almonds, peanuts, and rice cereal. Process for 30 seconds or so, until broken into small pieces.

Then add the dates, maple syrup, peanut butter, coconut oil and sea salt. Blend until all ingredients are combined thoroughly.

*You may need to stop blending to scrape the side of the bowl or separate the mixture and blend again, depending on your food processor.

Transfer mixture to the pan.

Remove blade and transfer mixture into the 8-inch pan and press down firmly (using your hands and/or a spatula) in an even layer. Place in the fridge.

Melt the chocolate chips.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips, either using a double boiler or a microwave (see detailed instructions on how to melt the chocolate in the Notes section below).

Add the melted chocolate to the pan.

Remove the 8×8 pan from the fridge and transfer the melted chocolate to the pan and spread out in an even layer. Chill in the fridge until completely firm, at least 2 hours (or longer).

Cut into bars (Important tip!):

When ready to cut the bars, it’s best to let sit for about 10 minutes before cutting. To avoid any cracks in the chocolate and even cutting, run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe off the blade to remove water, and slowly and carefully run the blade back and forth multiple times until it breaks through the chocolate layer.

These bars will stay good in the fridge for 5-6 days. You can also freeze them and they’ll last even longer. Just set out for 10-15 minutes to defrost before eating.

Freezing Instructions:

You can freeze these vegan peanut butter chocolate bars in the 8×8 pan, OR cut individually into squares (layered between parchment paper sheets) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

EXPERT TIPS & FAQ’S:

• No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter S’mores Cookies
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
• Chocolate Nut Butter Protein Balls
• Superfood Acai Bars

If you try these Vegan No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your photo with #veggie__chick on Instagram. We just love to see our recipes being made in YOUR kitchen!

Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2015, but was republished in May of 2021 with updated photos and info.

It’s hard to believe this recipe for Zucchini, Potato and Tomato Casserole was first posted way back in July of 2014 and yet it remains one of the most popular and shared recipes I have to date!  Now updated and reformatted for Yummly!, I’d thought I’d share it with you again.

This Zucchini, Potato and Tomato Casserole is such an easy dish with an elegant presentation!  Don’t be intimidated by the arranged nature, it took me less than 10 minutes to do this entire thing.  I started from the center in a spiral motion and just circled the edge with the remaining zucchini and potato slices.

Caramelized onions line the bottom, while slices of zucchini, potato and tomato are arranged on top, overlapping slightly.  We drizzled it with melted vegan margarine.  This recipe was inspired and veganized from this recipe in Southern Living.

NOTE:  Keep in mind this is a crust-free casserole, so it’s low in calories but also is more of a spoonable dish rather than say, a tart you could slice.  I’ve never tried it with a crust, but a few readers have asked.  I am inclined to believe the moisture content of the veggies might compromise its integrity.  If you try it, let me know!

The casserole is baked for 30 minutes at 375 after which time I uncovered it and sprinkled with vegan parmesan cheese.  I baked it another 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and tender.  Let cool for 10 minutes prior to serving.

The perfect side dish to any meal.  Actually if you are watching your calorie intake, it’s also a great entree as well! At about 228 calories per serving, I love to enjoy it this way.

Before you go, why not check out some of our recent videos and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! 🙂