This is that something warm and cozy.

My last name ends in a vowel, and thus…I love pasta. And I love how easy it is to make a truly excellent bowl of pasta at home.

You really just need good ingredients, time, and the dedication to do it right. You don’t need any special equipment or techniques to still make something that tastes like it was made with them.

That was the exact vibe I got from this vegetarian “meat” sauce my dad made for me last year. We had lasagna for Thanksgiving or Christmas last year, and he made me my own personal lasagna with this sauce.

Of course, my “personal” lasagna was huge and fed me for a good week, but the leftover sauce was my favorite part.

It was so rich, perfectly chewy, and weirdly very meaty? Even though it was made with only vegetables? It was incredible.

My dad is a great cook, so I really shouldn’t have been surprised. But he really hit it out of the park with this one.

My mind was blown, so I asked him to write down the recipe, and I’m finally publishing the recipe for you all so that your minds are blown too.

The idea of a “Sunday Sauce” comes from the fact that it’s cooked low and slow on the stove over a few hours. So just know that going in; you won’t be eating this sauce in 20 minutes. Instead, it’s a great weekend (Sunday) meal! And it freezes beautifully, so make it once and have it for meals whenever.

To make the recipe, you’ll start where all cozy stuff starts: a soffritto––a mixture of carrot, onion, and celery.

Well…sorta.

I don’t do celery. Never have, never will. The smell, flavor, texture, and pure essence of the thing just totally freaks me out, so I’ll never ever buy it (and therefore never cook with it). So my soffritto is just onion and carrot.

That said, if you don’t think celery is evil, feel free to add some and cut down on the other two. I won’t judge (too much).

The “meatiness” in this sauce comes from mushrooms…but in a few ways! We’ll rehydrate some dried mushrooms, chop them up nice and fine, and add them (along with some of their soaking liquid!) to the sauce. It gives a wonderful umami kick to the final sauce that you just can’t get from fresh ‘shrooms. They also lend a delightful chewiness that isn’t unlike the chew you experience when eating a traditional bolognese.

That said, you’ll also need some fresh mushrooms, as they make up the bulk of the sauce. Baby bella and/or white buttons work great (I used both!).

Your usual cast of characters are the final ingredients needed to make this an actual sauce: whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (spring for the San Marzanos!), tomato sauce/passata, white wine, garlic, and time.

Cooking this sauce over the course of an hour or two really helps the flavors develop and the texture to become more meaty. You’ll also immersion blend the sauce a bit to make it a bit more bolognese-y versus chunks of vegetables in tomato sauce-y.

I love recipes like this because it’s very much a low-effort, high-reward sort of recipe. A few key ingredients + time really do result in a sauce that’s rich, has a nice bite, and is perfect with your pasta of choice and a big ol’ slice of crusty bread and/or focaccia.

Grab yourself a glass of something fun and dive on in.

Dad’s Vegetarian Sunday Sauce (Mushroom Bolognese)

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Look no further! This is an excellently meaty vegetarian/vegan pasta sauce! It cooks low and slow for a few hours, so it’s a great weekend recipe.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 120 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: ~5-6 cups
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Saute
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried mixed mushrooms (I used porcini and oyster), retain 1 cup of the soaking liquid
• 16–18 ounces baby bella and/or white button mushrooms, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup sweet onion, diced
• 3/4 cup carrot (I used baby!), diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (and a glass for you, if ya fancy)
• 28 ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 14 ounces (or more, if you want it extra saucy!) tomato sauce/passata
• To serve: 1 pound pasta (cooked), focaccia, vegan parmesan, fresh parsley, and another glass of wine

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Instructions

1. Quickly rinse your dried mushrooms, then place in a heat-safe bowl and pour 1 and 1/2 cups of boiling water on top. The mushrooms should be completely covered by the water. Let them rehydrate in the hot water for 10 – 15 minutes, then carefully remove and mince. Save 1 cup of soaking liquid. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.
2. In a dry pot over medium heat, cook the fresh mushrooms until the water evaporates and light searing starts. Carefully remove the mushrooms and set aside. 
3. Add olive oil and sauté the carrot, onion, and garlic with a pinch of kosher salt until soft, but not browning. 
4. Add the cooked, fresh mushroom to the pot and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Mix to combine.
5. Add the wine, mix, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any browned bits.
6. Add the minced rehydrated mushrooms and 1 cup of their soaking liquid. 
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the San Marzanos and their liquid, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. 
8. Cook uncovered until the tomatoes are broken down and the sauce is more sauce-y, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Cover and continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 1-2 hours. 
10. Add tomato sauce and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
11. Use an immersion blender to make the sauce as chunky / smooth as desired. 
12. Serve with your favorite cooked pasta and other toppings/sides like vegan parmesan and fresh parsley.

Notes

This recipe freezes well! When cooled to room temperature, transfer sauce into air-tight containers and place in the freezer. Then place it in the fridge overnight to thaw and heat before serving. Yum!

The post Dad’s Vegetarian Sunday Sauce (Mushroom Bolognese) appeared first on Fooduzzi.

And let me tell you why:

1. It is SO quick. It can be as quick as it takes to cook your pasta.
2. It requires minimal ingredients.
3. It can be packed with plant-based protein, which keeps ya full for longer.
4. It’s really so good and comforting. Who doesn’t love a creamy pasta dish?!

My love affair is going strong with this one, my friend. Excited for you to try it!

I use hummus in… everything. It’s a great, creamy, protein-packed, and convenient base to a lot of different things like:

• Toast
• Slaw
• Flatbreads
• Dressing
• Wraps

And… pasta sauce. I’ve used hummus as a pasta sauce a few times here on the blog, but this combination is my fave. Roasted red pepper hummus, some red pepper flakes, a bit of lemon zest if you’re feelin’ it, and your favorite assortment of veggies. Easy, delicious, and just extremely quick for when you’re in a pinch at dinnertime.

Now, when I make pasta for myself, I’m eating some sort of bean pasta (aka one made with chickpeas or lentils) 95% of the time.

While no bean pasta can hold a candle to traditional, bronze dye cut wheat pasta, I love using it because of the extra protein it can bring to the final dish. I used Banza’s Cavatappi in this recipe, but I also love the bean pasta from Aldi and Trader Joe’s. Lots of stores have options these days!

With the addition of hummus as our sauce, we’re really maximizing the amount of plant-based protein in this recipe!

You can choose your favorite vegetables to add to this dish –– I love the best sautéed mushrooms (of course), but zucchini is another fave of mine.

To speed this recipe up even more, you can use a frozen vegetable like broccoli, peas, or corn! Or a combination. The world is your (vegan) oyster. I always recommend throwing a little garlic in there too because what is pasta if not a vehicle for copious amounts of garlic?

Quick, simple, tasty, and filling –– what more could you want out of a weeknight-friendly meal?!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

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A creamy, easy, and weeknight-friendly pasta dish packed with plant-based protein! I truly make this every single week.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• sautéed mushrooms
• 8 ounces pasta (I use chickpea pasta)
• 10 ounces roasted red pepper hummus*
• up to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes**
• zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
• ~1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• salt + pepper
• Vegan Parmesan and fresh parsley, for topping

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Instructions

1. Start cooking your sautéed mushrooms in a large enough skillet to fit your pasta into once it is cooked. You’ll build the sauce and dish in this skillet!
2. A few minutes after starting your mushrooms, start cooking your pasta in a separate pot according to package instructions. Be sure to reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce.
3. When the mushrooms are cooked to your liking, add the hummus, red pepper flakes, and optional lemon zest to the skillet over low heat.
4. Slowly add your reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce, then toss your cooked pasta into the sauce. 
5. Carefully taste, and season with salt or pepper if needed –– I really like an extra crank of black pepper with creamy pasta sauces like this!
6. Top with vegan parmesan and parsley and enjoy!

Notes

* It should go without saying, but be sure to use a hummus you like the flavor of. For example, I don’t love the flavor of Sabra, so I don’t use it here. I actually really enjoy Aldi’s Park Street Deli Roasted Red Pepper Hummus in this dish!

** This amount makes this dish spicy. If you’re sensitive to heat or nervous about the amount, start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase if desired.

The post Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Today we’re going to:

1. Make your house smell amazing.
2. Decorate for the holidays on the cheap.
3. DIY a fun, kid-friendly holiday craft.
4. Set yourself up for delicious-smelling ornaments for years to come!

Have you ever made cinnamon ornaments before? We had them for our tree when I was younger, and I always looked forward to opening the bag they were kept in because they smelled so delicious.

And they smelled that way for 20ish years. Every year, without fail, the sweet, spicy cinnamon aroma would perfume our Christmas tree and make the holiday vibes that much more cozy and festive.

My mom and I decided to make new cinnamon ornaments last year, and we had a ton of fun making and decorating them. The decorated ornaments you see in this post are from last year, and yes… they smell just as cinnamony as they did when we made them almost a full 365 days ago.

We definitely learned a lot from our adventures in cinnamon ornament-making last year, so I decided to document them for you today!

The Ingredient Lineup

First of all, you’ll only need two ingredients to make your ornament dough: applesauce and cinnamon.

I’m always surprised at how much cinnamon you actually need to make these –– two full 2.37-ounce bottles of the stuff! Be sure to use generic, cheap cinnamon because A) You use a lot of it, and B) I think the texture is better and easier to work with.

We used the fancy Saigon cinnamon from Costco last year (my fave), and while it made the ornaments smell even better and spicier, I think it’s ground much more finely, and it was harder to get the right texture for the ornament dough.

I would also recommend using a plain, unsweetened applesauce. We used sweetened applesauce last year, and again, I think it caused the dough to be more difficult to work with.

The Ornament Dough

As for the dough texture, it should be able to be pressed into a ball, but it shouldn’t be overly sticky or wet. The general ratio is 3/4 cups of applesauce to 4.74 ounces of cinnamon. But I needed a bit more applesauce to make it easy to roll.

The dough pictured here is actually a bit on the dry side, so you’ll see some splintering in some of the ornaments. It doesn’t actually make the ornaments less sturdy (once they’re fully dry, they’re hard and sturdy!), it just doesn’t look as nice. That said, the backs of these ornaments are totally smooth, so I’ll end up having that side face out.

You’ll also want to roll your dough out on parchment paper so that it doesn’t stick to your surface. You can put a piece of parchment over the top to help you roll as well, but I found that doing that caused some unsightly creases in the dough that I really didn’t love.

Cutting & Baking

Once you have your dough rolled out 1/4-inch thick, it’s time to cut! Use your favorite holiday cookie cutters, biscuit cutters, or stamps, or carefully cut out shapes with a sharp knife. The larger your cutters, the less ornaments you’ll get from your batch. I used relatively large cutters this year, and I ended up getting 14 total ornaments after re-rolling the dough once.

Keep in mind that the more intricate your cutters, the easier it is for the shapes to break and tear as you’re cutting them out. I learned that the hard way last year.

If you find that your edges of your ornaments are a bit craggily after cutting, feel free to use your finger to try and smooth them out. You can also wait until they’re baked and cooled to carefully sand the rough edges with sandpaper.

Once cut, feel free to punch a hole through the ornaments with a straw, but be sure the hole isn’t too close to the edge, which could cause the hole to split. You can also skip this step and just hot glue a ribbon onto the back once they’re cool! We did a few like that last year, and it worked out perfectly!

They bake for a while –– 2ish hours at 200 degrees F –– and they need at least a full day to fully dry out uncovered at room temperature on a cooling rack. If you have curious kids or pets, be sure to keep them out of a hand’s or paw’s reach!

Decorating!

As for decorating, feel free to get as creative as you want! We used glitter glue, ribbons, charms, and bells last year, and I think they turned out so cute. You can also use something like a puffy or acrylic paint. Or just keep them plain!

I’ve been in such a DIY mood recently, and I couldn’t love these ornaments more. They make your tree (or in my case, garland) smell so holiday-y, and they couldn’t be more fun or easy to make.

If you decide to give them a try, I’d love to see how they turn out for you! Take a pic and tag me on Instagram at @fooduzzi!

2 Ingredient Cinnamon Tree Ornaments

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A super fun, easy, kid-friendly holiday craft! These ornaments will smell cinnamony for years to come, and they’re always so fun to decorate!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 2.5 hours
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 14 – 20 ornaments

Ingredients

• two 2.37-ounce containers of generic cinnamon
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, plus more as needed
• your favorite cookie cutters, biscuit cutters
• any kind of decorations like ribbon, hot glue, ornament hangers, puffy paint, glitter glue, etc.

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add your cinnamon and applesauce into a large bowl. Mix well with your hands until a dough forms that can be squished into a ball. If it’s too dry, add an additional tablespoon of applesauce at a time, mixing between each addition, until the right texture is achieved. When rolled, the dough should be flat without cracks but not sticky (to be fair, my dough in the photos was a little too dry. They still worked out, but the finish wasn’t as pretty).
3. Lay a piece of parchment paper onto your working surface and place your dough ball on top. Roll with a rolling pin until 1/4-inch thick.
4. Using your cutter of choice, punch out shapes, and transfer the ornaments to your prepared baking sheet. Feel free to re-roll the dough scraps as many times as you can! If your edges are a bit craggily, use your finger to carefully smooth them out or wait until they’re baked and dried to carefully sand the edges to make them more smooth.
5. Optionally punch a hole into each ornament where your hanger will go. Alternatively, don’t and just hot-glue a ribbon or hanger to the back once they’re baked and dried.
6. Bake for 2 hours, or until dried through.
7. Immediately and carefully transfer your baked ornaments to a cooling rack and cool for at least 24 hours, or until completely dry.
8. Decorate as desired, and hang on your tree, garland, or wreathes!
9. Store in an air-tight container with your other ornaments. I like to wrap each in a paper towel so that they don’t break!
10. It should go without saying but don’t eat these ornaments. They’re for decorating, not for eating.

Notes

Recipe from McCormick.

The post 2-Ingredient Cinnamon Tree Ornaments appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Personally? I’m thrilled. I’m so excited for cooler weather, boots, and all of the cinnamony things.

But if you’re looking for a way to soak up these final fleeting days of summer, allow me to introduce you to my absolute favorite summer sandwich.

Those hunks up there are one of the reasons why this sandwich is so good.

End-of-summer tomatoes just… hit different. They are so juicy and plump and tart and sweet and umami-y. Not to mention totally beautiful.

If you have a local farmers market where you can get some big heirloom tomatoes, I’d vote for that option. You want to find ones that seem heavy for their size to really make sure they’re nice, ripe, and juicy.

Slice them thin, and be sure to season them –– it’s amazing what a little salt and pepper can do to a slice of fresh tomato!

You’ll also need some kosher dill pickles, sliced super thin. I bought “sandwich style” pickles at the store, and they’re perfectly thin to add just a tangy, vinegary bite to our sandwich.

We’ll also need some cheese! In this case, I used Dairy-Free Garlic & Herbs Boursin Cheese. This spread is so good, and I prefer it 1000 times over to any store-bought vegan cheese slices. I get it at Trader Joe’s, but it looks like a few grocery stores around me carry it.

The vegan cheese slice texture just does not do it for me. But this spread? It’s awesome. It’s tangy and herby and a little garlicky, and just really great as a sandwich spread. It sort of reminds me of an herby cream cheese that you’d put on a bagel, and it’s very similar to their dairy-full counterpart as well!

Again, you’ll need a thin layer on one side of each of your slices of bread.

Speaking of, get yourself some good sourdough, sliced thin if you can. We’re all about those thin layers with this sandwich –– no need to unhinge your jaw to devour this bad boy!

Then we toast it in some oil or vegan butter, slice diagonally, and dive right on into those warm and juicy layers.

This is just like… my ideal end-of-summer meal. Effort level is minimal, prep time is basically non-existent, but the flavor?

Let’s just go with what my taste-tester called it: “stupidly, ridiculously good.”

My Favorite End-of-Summer Sandwich

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This is the end-of-summer sandwich of my dreams! An herby dairy-free cheese spread, ripe heirloom tomatoes, dill pickles, and toasty sourdough bread make up this warm and juicy beauty!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 minutes
• Total Time: 13 minutes
• Yield: 1 sandwich
• Category: Sandwich
• Method: Grill
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 thin slices sourdough bread
• Dairy Free Garlic & Herbs Boursin Cheese
• 1 heirloom tomato, sliced thin
• a few thin kosher dill pickle slices
• salt + pepper
• oil or vegan butter, for cooking

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Instructions

1. Spread a thin layer of your dairy-free Boursin on one side of both slices of bread (so each slice of bread has one side covered).
2. On one of the cheese-covered sides, add your tomato slices and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
3. Top with your pickle slices, and then top with your other slice of bread, cheese-side down. The cheese should be on the inside of the sandwich.
4. Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil or butter over medium heat.
5. Add your sandwich and cook on one side until browned, 2-4 minutes.
6. Carefully flip and cook the other size until browned.
7. Slice diagonally and enjoy!

The post My Favorite End-of-Summer Sandwich appeared first on Fooduzzi.

These are the best cookies I’ve ever made.

I honestly think that is the case. These cookies… I just can’t quit them!

I have many cookie recipes on this site. Cookies are my love language. Getting them, making them, eating them.

Can cookies be a hobby? If so, it’s my favorite hobby.

But even though I love cookies, I don’t always need a batch of 10 or 12 or more sitting around just for me. Sometimes I want cookies without needing to eat cookies for three weeks straight, you know?

That’s why I love this small-batch recipe. Not only are they crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, there’s only four of them. Perfect to have as a little treat throughout the week without making you feel like you need to eat four cookies a day so you can consume them before they go stale.

Not only are these some of the most delicious cookies I’ve ever had, they also only require one bowl! And minimal chilling! And they don’t require any hard-to-get ingredients!

Your Ingredient Lineup

You’ll need your regular cookie cast of characters: vegan butter, brown sugar, vanilla, plant milk, salt, flour, baking soda, chocolate chips. That’s it. You probably even have all of those ingredients in your house right this very second.

And if that’s the case, there are about 30 minutes that stand between you and four freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies.

I also highly recommend sticking with the weight measurements when you bake these cookies since it’s small-batch and there’s less room for error. A kitchen scale (like this!*) is about $10 and it makes baking so much more accurate. It also cuts down on the amount of dirty dishes by a lot since you don’t need to use a bunch of different measuring cups! Win-win.

My very favorite way to enjoy cookies is straight from the fridge. Yes, a gooey warm cookie is a heavenly experience, but for an everyday cookie experience, cold from the fridge is where it’s at. The edges stay crunchy and the middles are so chewy, almost cookie dough-like!

Regardless of how you like to enjoy your chocolate chip cookies, show yourself a lil self-love and bake some cookies for little ol’ you.

One Bowl Small-Batch Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

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3 from 2 reviews

Emergency small-batch vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe to the rescue! Crispy edges, gooey centers, and ready in 30 minutes.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 13 minutes
• Total Time: 23 minutes
• Yield: 4 cookies
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 42 grams (3 tablespoons) vegan butter, melted
• 50 grams (about 1/4 cup packed) brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk
• splash vanilla extract
• 56 grams (about 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• 90 grams (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) chocolate chips (+ more for topping if desired)
• optional: flaky salt for topping

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Instructions

1. Add your vegan butter to a heat-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave or over a double boiler.
2. Add your brown sugar, plant milk, and vanilla, and whisk well to combine.
3. Switching to a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, add your flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until nearly combined, then add your chocolate chips and mix.
4. Place the bowl in your fridge while you preheat your oven.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (I highly recommend an oven thermometer* here!).
6. When your oven is preheated, divide your dough into four equal sections. Roll your dough (it’ll be slightly sticky, so do the best you can) into balls and place on your prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 12-13 minutes.
8. When the cookies come out of the oven, feel free to press some extra chocolate chips and/or flaky salt into the tops for looks.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge (my fave!) or on the counter.

The post One Bowl Small-Batch Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Fooduzzi.

And I mean, it makes sense. All of the ingredients scream nostalgia and summer, and you can make it in the comfort of your very own kitchen in like… five minutes.

Plus they are completely and totally non-put-downable.

I love a s’more. Rich and creamy chocolate + cinnamony graham crackers + ooey, gooey marshmallows = one happy and delicious little treat.

So today we’re taking all of those elements and… rearranging them? And making it a kitchen-friendly, fire-less recipe instead.

You’ll need three bowls, two of which need to be microwave-safe. Once you have that, it’s really just four steps:

Step 1: Melt your chocolate & peanut butter

So peanut butter might not be traditional in your s’mores, but in my s’mores, it’s a necessity. I love the combo of peanut butter + graham crackers, and as we know, chocolate + peanut butter is a match made in flavor heaven.

Peanut butter also tames down the sweetness in this dessert. It adds a rich, salty, nuttiness that really does take this dessert away from “cloying” and into the “wow, I can’t stop eating this” territory.

If you don’t do peanut butter, try a different nut or seed butter like almond or sunflower. Just make sure that it’s salted.

You’ll also want to add a nice pinch of salt here too. Again, for balance!

Step 2: Break your graham crackers

I used thick cinnamon graham crackers in this bark. They are an impulse buy more often than I care to admit, and I love them dunked in almond milk or spread with peanut butter. I ended up using about 100 grams (or 8 total graham crackers).

That said: if you want your s’mores bark to be less chunky, add less graham crackers. If you want it more chunky, add more. You really can’t mess this recipe up. Trust yourself, you s’mores lovin’ fool you!

P.S. If you want to keep this recipe vegan, make sure your graham crackers don’t have things like honey or eggs in them.

Step 3: Melt your marshmallows

I melted my marshmallows for just 30 seconds in the microwave, and it worked perfectly. I simply mixed them with a silicone spatula when they were warm, and it formed an ooey, sticky mixture.

You’ll add your graham cracker pieces to the marshmallow, mix slightly to combine, then mix your warm and melted chocolate mixture.

Use a little bit of care here so you don’t crush your graham crackers, but you will need a bit of elbow grease because things are a bit sticky at this point! The marshmallows get nice and stringy and chewy and weird looking and delicious. Trust me.

Step 4: Freeze!

YEP. We’re freezing these s’mores bites. Why? Because this recipe is a texture playground when frozen.

After you take it from the freezer, the marshmallow is nice and chewy while the chocolate and graham crackers are firm and crispy. You can also let it sit for 5ish minutes at room temperature if you like things a little less firm. It’s really just so good, and I love keeping this bark in the freezer at all times so I can pull out a chunk or two whenever the craving strikes.

I think this would be a great recipe to make with some younger kiddos or late at night when you want a little sweet bite without making too big of a mess of your kitchen.

Regardless of how or when you make these, I think we can all agree with the fact that an easier avenue to s’mores bliss is never ever a bad thing.

Vegan S’mores Bark (No Campfire Needed!)

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A quick and easy summertime dessert! This vegan s’mores bark comes together in minutes and is a great solution for getting your s’mores fix without the campfire!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Mix
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 6 ounces (a little less than 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips*
• 2 tablespoons salted peanut butter
• nice pinch of salt
• 6 large or 8 medium (or ~100 grams) cinnamon graham crackers*
• 14 marshmallows*

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Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add your chocolate chips, peanut butter, and salt. Melt in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until warm and melted. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, break your graham crackers into bite-sized irregular pieces. Place in a bowl.
4. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt your marshmallows in 30-second increments in the microwave. Mine took just 30 seconds. Stir until thick and sticky.
5. Immediately toss your graham cracker pieces into the marshmallow mixture and mix. Add your melted chocolate, and mix until everything is well incorporated and coated in chocolate.
6. Pour the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet, spreading the mixture into one layer. It’s okay if the mixture is separated into chunks — you’re going to break it up with your hands later anyways!
7. Place the baking sheet in the freezer to set, 10-20 minutes.
8. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and break up the bark into bite-sized pieces (or cut it with a knife). Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge/freezer for later! If you store it in the freezer and it’s too hard, you can allow the bark to come back up to room temperature for 5ish minutes before consuming so the marshmallow is easier to chew.

Notes

*If you’re making this recipe vegan, ensure that the starred ingredients are vegan and don’t contain ingredients like milk, butter, and/or honey. Vegan marshmallows can be tricky to find, but the marshmallows from Trader Joe’s are vegan, as well as a brand called “Dandies” that can be found at places like Whole Foods.

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To be completely honest, this is the second time I’ve posted a “peanut butter egg” recipe. The first one was Y-E-A-R-S ago, and I used a few different ingredients (most notably: oat flour).

I also made my own chocolate? Why? I have no idea.

This recipe is much simpler, just as delicious, and customizable based on a few simple swaps!

Can we all agree that peanut butter eggs are far superior to their peanut butter cup cousin?

There’s something about the shape, the softness of the coating, the proportion of filling to coating, and the texture of the filling in peanut butter eggs that just… I have zero control when I’m near them.

I think the texture of the filling is the biggest thing. It’s very much a dough versus a creamy, oozy peanut butter. It’s stiff, a little grainy, and almost like a softer cookie dough.

I’ve found that I can pretty much nail that texture using:

1. Coconut oil
2. Maple syrup
3. Almond flour

When you add coconut oil and maple syrup to a nut butter (or other butter… more on that in a sec), the nut butter starts to firm up all on its own. It’s definitely the maple syrup. If you’ve ever tried to make your own nut butter and tried to sweeten it with a liquid sweetener, you’ll probably know that the nut butter tends to seize when that liquid sweetener is added.

Luckily that’s what we’re going for here! We want the mixture to seize so that a dough starts to form.

And then we’ll use a little bit of almond flour to really help us achieve that perfect doughy texture. I love using almond flour in cookies, truffles, and even parmesan cheese, so I always have it in my fridge. It itself is a bit grainy, so it helps us really nail that classic pb egg texture!

Two Other Ways to Level-Up Your Vegan Peanut Butter Eggs

I made two other iterations of the classic peanut butter egg that I think you’re going to love. Both are still very much vegan and delicious, they’re just fun spins to make your treat a little more special:

Cookie Butter

Use melted cookie butter and a nice pinch of salt in place of your peanut butter. You’ll need less almond flour to create a “dough” since the cookie butter is, well, made of cookies. It just doesn’t need as much stiffening power because of its other ingredients. I get my cookie butter at Trader Joe’s, but lots of mega marts have the Biscoff brand!

These “eggs” are so decadent. The cookie butter has a nice cinnamony flavor that pairs so beautifully with the maple syrup. Plus the texture is a bit firmer than the other versions, and the finished product almost reminds me of a peanut butter meltaway. Just too good.

Almond Butter, Cocoa, and Chocolate Chips

Allergic to peanut butter? No worries! Use almond butter. You can stop there or add some cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips for a fudgy, nutty take on the classic.

This one is all about that texture. I find almond butter isn’t typically quite as smooth as peanut butter to begin with, but then you add those mini chocolate chips? So fun!

I love these so much, I couldn’t get through writing this post without getting up and grabbing two to snack on (classic and cookie butter, if you’re wondering).

It’s hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to… I think I’d go with the classic peanut butter. Nothing better in my opinion than chocolate peanut butter doughy goodness!

Vegan Peanut Butter Eggs (Three Ways!)

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Three delicious takes on the classic peanut butter egg! All recipes are vegan, easy, and require only up to 6 ingredients! One of my favorite easy desserts.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 18 eggs (6 of each flavor)
• Category: Dessert
• Method: No-Bake
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• pinch salt, optional
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons packed almond flour*

COOKIE BUTTER:

• 1/2 cup cookie butter
• pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon packed almond flour*

ALMOND CHOCOLATE:

• 1/2 cup natural almond butter
• pinch salt, optional
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons packed almond flour*
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons vegan mini chocolate chips

CHOCOLATE COATING (enough to make a batch of all three flavors):

• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet (one that you can fit in your fridge!) with parchment paper.
2. Classic Peanut Butter: Melt your peanut butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl in the microwave (about 30 seconds). Add a pinch of salt if your peanut butter is unsalted.
3. Add your coconut oil and maple syrup and whisk to combine. The mixture will start to thicken.
4. Switching to a silicone spatula, add your almond flour and mix until combined. You’re looking for a moldable dough that isn’t too wet or dry. Think: cookie dough texture. If it’s too wet, add more almond flour. If it’s too dry, add a bit more melted peanut butter.
5. Form into 6 egg-like shapes, place them on your parchment paper, and allow them to set up in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Cookie Butter: Melt your cookie butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl in the microwave (about 30 seconds). Add a generous pinch of salt.
7. Add your coconut oil and maple syrup and whisk to combine. The mixture will start to thicken.
8. Switching to a silicone spatula, add your almond flour and mix until combined. You’re looking for a moldable dough that isn’t too wet or dry. Think: cookie dough texture. If it’s too wet, add more almond flour. If it’s too dry, add a bit more melted cookie butter.
9. Form into 6 egg-like shapes, place them on your parchment paper, and allow them to set up in the fridge for 30 minutes.
10. Almond Chocolate: Melt your almond butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl in the microwave (about 30 seconds). Add a pinch of salt if your almond butter is unsalted.
11. Add your coconut oil and maple syrup and whisk to combine. The mixture will start to thicken.
12. Switching to a silicone spatula, add your almond flour and cocoa powder and mix until combined. Add your mini chocolate chips** and mix to combine. You’re looking for a moldable dough that isn’t too wet or dry. Think: cookie dough texture. If it’s too wet, add more almond flour. If it’s too dry, add a bit more melted almond butter.
13. Form into 6 egg-like shapes, place them on your parchment paper, and allow them to set up in the fridge for 30 minutes.
14. Chocolate Coating: Melt your chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts. Mix until completely smooth.
15. Remove your eggs from the fridge and dip each, one-by-one in chocolate, coating all sides. I used my fingers, but feel free to use a fork to make this process a little less messy.
16. Tap any excess chocolate off of the eggs, and place them back on your parchment-lined baking sheet. Once all eggs are coating, return to the fridge so that the chocolate can set, about 15 minutes.
17. Clean up the edges with a small pairing knife if desired (I didn’t bother) and enjoy! Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Notes

*This is just a guideline, as all nut butters have slightly different textures. Adjust as needed. Remember: you’re looking for a moldable dough that isn’t too wet or dry, like cookie dough! Add more almond flour if it’s too wet, and if it’s too dry, add a bit more melted nut (or cookie) butter.

**Make sure your mixture isn’t hot or your chocolate chips will melt!

The post Vegan Peanut Butter Eggs (Three Ways!) appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Truly. Years. And only because I love to say it out loud.

Buffalo Falafel Waffle. Go ahead. Say it, and tell me you don’t smile while doing it.

I also just really love buffalo’d stuff. I recently bought two giant bottles of Frank’s Red Hot at Costco, and the dent I made in one in just a few weeks is… concerning.

But I really do love it. As can be seen here, here, here, and here.

I believe this is the first waffle recipe on the blog. And the fact that it’s for a savory waffle is a bit odd for me, since I tend to sway sweet when it comes to breakfast food.

But I think you could honestly have these waffles as a lunch. Or dinner! Pair it with a zippy salad with lots of veggies, and… yum. Just really a lot of yum.

You may notice that these waffles are rather small, and that’s because I used a mini waffle maker to make them! It was my first time using this machine, but I really liked it (and I really love that it takes up no space when I go to store it).

Plus, I was able to make 4-5 small Buffalo Falafel Waffles with it, each taking about 8 minutes to cook through. Perfect for two meals for lil ol’ me. Definitely a fan!

The waffle ingredients are pretty straightforward (and veganized from this recipe!), but the only kinda-weird thing that you’ll need to do is make a “flax egg” out of ground flax and hot sauce. Flax eggs are typically made with water, not hot sauce, but the hot sauce is pretty crucial in the recipe, so I figured it would make sense to swap it for the water!

I also opted to serve these with a big ol’ dollop of creamy buffalo sauce, avocado, and parsley, but get creative! Green onion, some sort of salsa, and / or crispy chickpeas would all be great on top too.

So go forth and spread the love of eating (and saying) Buffalo Falafel Waffles! Crisp, spicy, and oh-so fun.

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I’m going to go on record and say that biscotti are fussy lil cookies.

You need to make the dough, bake it in a log, wait for it to cool slightly, slice them into cookies, bake them on one side, flip, bake on the other side.

It’s a lot. A lot of steps.

But let me let you in on a little secret: they’re 100% worth the fuss.

While biscotti involve a lot of steps, they’re easy steps. And the end result is just… so satisfying.

I’m typically firmly in the “chewy” cookie camp, but I grew up with biscotti in my Italian household, so every time my teeth break off a chunk of a crisp, sweet biscotti, it makes me so very happy.

We’re getting extra Italian here since chocolate + hazelnut is a very classic Italian combination.

When I was in Italy, I remember Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spreads always being on menus or breakfast buffets to pair with toast, cornetti, fruit, or all of the above.

Truly such a superior flavor combo. So much so, you’re getting another chocolate + hazelnut recipe from me in the not-so-distant future!

Huzzah!

I modeled this recipe after my Lemon Biscotti recipe, but I used my favorite holiday cookie secret weapon in this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten Free Vegan Egg Replacer.

I use this stuff (which is a mixture of potato starch, tapioca flour, baking soda, and psyllium husk) constantly because it helps me effortlessly create vegan versions of my favorite recipes. A tablespoon of this mixture (plus two tablespoons of water) creates your “egg,” so it’s an egg-free, shelf-stable mix that you can keep in your pantry all season long for all of your baking needs (I do)!

We’re also using our other regular cast of characters:

• Flour
• Vanilla extract
• Olive oil
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt

Plus chocolate and hazelnuts, of course! I opted for the classic “dipping of the bottoms” for some of my biscotti, and I kept some plain for my dad who was around while I was making these. I don’t know why anyone would leave the chocolate out of anything, but he requested it and was a fan nonetheless!

That said, I believe that a little chocolate makes everything better, so I very much suggest not skipping that step when you make these.

And yes, I said “when.” Did you catch that? 😉

The post Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti appeared first on Fooduzzi.

I made you Vegan Lemon Blueberry Sugar Cookies. ← That might just be the greatest sentence that’s even been written.

So long, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” I’ve got you beat with this zippy summery treat!

There are many reasons to love this recipe, but let me give you three:

1. You don’t need to chill the dough.

I have a love/hate relationship with chilling cookie dough.

Yes, chilling cookie dough (like we do here or here) allows the flour to absorb all of the liquid ingredients, resulting in the chewiest of chewy texture.

That said, when I have a cookie craving, I need it satisfied STAT. So it’s pretty wonderful that you can get these cookies in the oven in just about 10 minutes. And then into your mouth about 15 minutes after that.

But don’t worry. Even though we’re not chilling this dough, these cookies are still super chewy and (vegan) buttery. Think: Those thick, extra chewy bakery-style sugar cookies!

2. It’s packed with summer flavors.

I dare you to name a better summer duo than blueberry and lemon. I dare ya!

I can’t come up with one. It’s a classic for a reason –– you get a sweet burst of blueberry alongside the bright and tart lemon, and it tastes just like summer vacation.

3. They’re rolled in sugar!

To sparkle like sand at the beach.

No, not really. Just for the extra hit of sweetness and an addictive crunch.

I love a baked good (or fried good, like donuts!) rolled in sugar. That contrast between soft, chewy interior and crunchy exterior is just… one of my favorite food experiences. Hands-down!

In terms of ingredients, they’re pretty standard in terms of vegan cookies.

You’ll cream together some vegan butter and cane sugar, then add in your vanilla and lemon zest (from one large lemon or two smaller ones — I always err on the side of a little too much lemon zest versus not enough!).

Then, dry ingredients: my go-to Organic All-Purpose Flour from Bob’s Red Mill, raising agents, and salt.

This flour from Bob’s Red Mill has a higher protein content than most all-purpose flours (in the 10-12% range!), so we’re ensuring an extra chewy texture in these cookies by using this flour!

Once everything is combined, you’ll carefully fold in some freeze-dried blueberries. Kind of an obscure ingredient! I like using them here because they don’t add any extra moisture, but they do add a ton of extra flavor. The dried process concentrates the blueberry flavor and it’s just… so good. Plus, they soften once added to the batter and baked.

Honestly though, I’m not really sure why you’re still reading.

I mean, thank you so much. It really does mean a lot.

But also… you could have these cookies in the oven in about ten minutes. Go forth and bake, my friend! You won’t regret it one bit.

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