Vegan| Gluten Free | Soy-free

Packed with powerful antioxidants, fibers, plant-based proteins, and most importantly, no added sugars, this smoothie is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth while still being completely healthy. This is my favorite breakfast smoothie for several reasons: 1. Chocolate (obvs), 2. Keeps me full for a really long time, and 3. (I think) Cherries are my favorite fruit.

I think I don’t acknowledge cherries as much on my blog because they’re really hard to find here; I mean, I haven’t seen them in bulk in over a year. I would honestly prefer buying them in bulk, pitting them, and then freeze them. For now, I’m sticking to buying them frozen.

Now I would have this smoothie every day, but I kind of don’t want to ruin its magic, so I only have it on the weekends. And by magic I mean it’s richness and heavenly creaminess. I find it to be a super filling, gives me tons of energy, and it keeps my chocolate craving in check. For me, it works amazingly well as a breakfast, but it can also work as a healthy snack, for a post-workout boost or good-night meal.

For this smoothie, I used frozen bananas as a base for natural sweetness and it also gives it the creamy texture. I also used frozen cherries, raw cacao powder, chia seeds and cacao nibs, that enriched the smoothie with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Notes:

• Want more nutrition? Try adding ¼ cup of oats.
• Want less chocolaty flavor? Just add 1 tbsp of cacao powder instead.
• Want more heavenly creaminess? Add 2 bananas instead of  1½.
• Don’t like the banana flavor? Switch for your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream!

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Choco-Cherry Vegan Shake

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 ½ frozen bananas
• ½ cup frozen cherries
• 1 cup of plant-based milk of choice (I use coconut milk)
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp cacao nibs
• Chocolate sauce: melt ½ tbsp of coconut oil + 1 tbsp cacao powder + 1 tsp maple syrup

Procedure

1. Blend all of the ingredients together until smooth.
2. Mix the chocolate sauce ingredients and add some to the bottom of your smoothie glass.
3. Pour the shake to the glass, and ENJOY!

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Vegan | Gluten-free | SOS-friendly | Soy-free | Raw

Need a quick chocolate fix? This chocolate mousse is a combination of healthy and delicious ingredients that come together quickly to create a rich and silky smooth pudding. If you’ve never tried chocolate avocado mousse before, this recipe will take you completely by surprise!

The thing about this recipe is that it’s so simple to make. All you need is: a couple of avocados, a splash of plant milk, sweetener of choice, raw cacao powder, chia, salt, and a bit of lemon juice. Throw everything a blender or food processor, and mix until creamy and smooth. Avocados will give you that rich smooth creamy texture, the chia powder will work as a thickening agent, and the rest of the ingredients will give you that deep chocolate goodness you want!

The best part? This recipe tastes like a dessert but made with all real ingredients from nature, making it good enough for breakfast, packed with all sorts of nutrients that make you feel good!   

As for the taste? Don’t worry, avocados don’t have much of a taste, to begin with, you’ll only get a faint hint of it, but this will also depend on how much cacao powder you put into it.

Get creative with this recipe:

• Add mint extract and some mint leaves to make this a Mint Chocolate Mousse.
• Freeze to make fudgesicles!
• Make this into a pie: prepare the crust and scoop the mousse mixture into it.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados
• ¼ cup cacao powder
• ¾ cup plant-based milk of choice
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• ¾ cup sweetener of choice, or to taste (I used date caramel)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Dash of Himalayan salt

Procedure:

1. Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh into a food processor or blender.
2. Add the plant-based milk, cacao powder, chia, sweetener of choice, salt and vanilla extract.
3. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with extra sweetener if needed.
4. Spoon the avocado chocolate mousse into glasses or ramekins.
5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
6. Serve plain or topped with cacao nibs, fresh berries, and/or whipped coconut cream.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Dairy-free | Soy-free | Gluten-free

It’s finally December! My classes are finally over and I’m one step closer to finish my Masters. As soon as my classes ended I made my way to Mexico City, so while you’re reading this, I’m working on the next Vegan Travel Guide! And also eating my weight in tacos…

However, December also means that it’s time to veganize all of my favorite traditional recipes and master them so that you & I don’t have to miss out where the heart of the party is. Puerto Rico’s Christmas cuisine is amazing! There are so many recipes ranging from appetizers to dessert. And today I’m bringing you the vegan recipe of one of our classics: Arroz con Dulce.

The literal translation of this is “sweet rice”, but in a not literal way, Arroz con Dulce is a sweet rice pudding. Traditionally made with a combination of evaporated milk and coconut milk, this recipe only has coconut milk! Also, Arroz con Dulce is one of those desserts that you have to make in big batches, if not, you’ll be left without it because your family & friends will devour every bit of it.

Although Arroz con Dulce is super easy to make, the process takes a bit of time. However, it’s absolutely delicious and it makes a good amount for you to share. It’s a very similar process to making Risotto, so patience is key.

Notes:

• Even though the ground flaxseed is optional, I believe this is what gives it the soft yet compact texture.
• If you don’t like raisins, try adding other dry berries instead. Ex. cranberries, goji berries…
• Always use organic sugar to make sure that it’s vegan.
• Lifehack: That tea is also good for fighting the flu, colds and sometimes bellyaches.
• I prefer to let the rice soak through the day for a good 6-12 hours and then cook it at night one day before serving; just because I believe that the longer that’s left on the fridge, the better the flavors mend together.
• Got leftovers? Even though this rarely happens, if you get leftovers, they’ll be good for about a week.

Recipe: Vegan Arroz con Dulce

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup short or medium grain rice
• 5 cups full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ cup sugar of choice, or to taste (I used brown sugar)
• 1 piece of ginger
• 10 cloves
• 5 cinnamon sticks
• Dash of salt
• ⅓ cup raisins, or to taste
• 2 tbsp non-dairy butter
• Ground cinnamon
• Optional: a dash of ground flaxseed

Procedure:

• Soak rice in water for about 6-12 hours, leave covered. This is best if you leave it overnight.
• In a boiling pot, add the 1 cup of water, crushed ginger, cloves & cinnamon. Boil to make tea for about 15 minutes. When ready strain to separate the tea, place aside. Save cinnamon sticks for later.
• Strain your soaked rice and place aside.
• To a rice cooking pot, add the tea, 4 cups of the coconut milk and dash of salt. Turn on the heat to high.
• When the tea-milk mixture is boiling, add the rice and lower the heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cover and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
• Uncover, add ½ cup of coconut milk, stir in the sugar and dash of ground flaxseed. Cook to low heat for another 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Then add the other ½ cup of coconut milk and the non-dairy butter. When completely combined, add the raisins & take away from the heat.
• Place in a heat-safe container, top with dashes of ground cinnamon and allow to cool completely before storing in the fridge, covered. Optional: If you saved the cinnamon sticks from the tea, you can add them to the container too.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Oh, the Holiday season, that time of the year where literally every single meal at the parties have meat, dairy and/or eggs. Food-focused events can be daunting for vegans and vegetarians, as most find themselves to be the only one. However, the holidays shouldn’t be about the dead bird (or in Puerto Rico the roasted pork) in the middle of the table, the egg-nog, or the dairy-filled casseroles. They are about family, tradition, getting together, and celebrating.

Since (until very recently) I was “the only one” at parties, I decided to put together a list of steps you can take for Surviving a Party as a Vegan. A simple one that can apply to any event, and even BBQs.

Always Be Prepared: A lot of people don’t really understand what veganism is about, and they’ll have questions. Someone is probably going to ask how long you have been vegan, why you became vegan, what it’s veganism, B12, how much does it cost, etc. Be ready and patient.

Bring your own food: Don’t expect your friends or family to have food for you; even if they’ve known you’ve been vegan for years. Sometimes preparing a party can be stressful for the host; they might forget or they can assume that you’ll bring your own food. I have two tips: 1. Call the host ahead and coordinate. Or 2. Prep your food in advance and pack it up in an easy to carry container. Also, make enough food to share, you can turn sharing into a learning experience for someone else.

Teaching Moments: Like I mentioned before, veganism to some people might be a foreign concept, they’ll have a lot of questions. Trying to figure out a way to address the fact that you’re vegan in a way that isn’t annoying or stressful to other people might cause anxiety. So usually, if I see that the person has a genuine interest, I’ll take my time and answer as best as I can; I’ll even send them links and share my food with them. Whatever you do, unsolicited vegan talk at the dinner table is a no-no, just enjoy time with your friends and family.

Be Open and Forthright: When someones see you not eating what everyone else is eating, they’ll probably ask why. I always like to answer with something along the line of “I choose not to”. Changing phrases like “I can’t” or “I don’t” for “I choose” can make a huge difference in how someone perceives your message.  

Be Appreciative: Be grateful and enthusiastic about the effort that people make to understand you and your lifestyle. Be happy, kind, and polite. As long as you have your food and the most important people with you, just have fun!

There you go, my tips for surviving a party as a vegan. And hey, if all else fails, well there’s always alcohol for that :).

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Finally, a real egg-free, bean-free & vegetable-free brownies. Not to hate on the healthy black bean or zucchini versions, but let’s be honest, they don’t make a real brownie. I’m really excited to share this recipe today because I’ve been working on this one for a couple of months now. After testing what feels like a lifetime of brownies, these came out a perfect texture. Non-vegan family, boyfriend & non-vegan coworkers approved!

If you’ve been a reader for a while, you may already know that I am obsessed with chocolate. Maybe that’s why every single dessert recipe here has chocolate. Veganizing a recipe can be super easy, but sometimes it can also be a real pain. Sure, you can easily substitute here and there, but sometimes ingredients don’t balance out correctly. For me, the perfect brownie is a cross between cake, fudge, and full-on chocolate.

JUST LOOK AT THAT FUDGE

LOOK AT IT

Now onto the process, I’ve noticed that the way that the brownie mix is combined is super important to reach the perfect texture. That’s why there’s absolutely no need for fancy equipment to make these brownies; all I used was a whisk, and hand mixed everything. These are made with just 10 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and can be baked in 30 minutes.

Store bought Cookies & Cream non-dairy ice cream

Notes:

• For the “eggs” in this recipe, I use flaxseeds. You can buy flax meal or you can ground flax seeds in a high-speed blender.
• For gluten-free recipe, use gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate based, not the unsweetened kind.
• I use coconut oil, but if you don’t like the flavor, you can easily substitute for any vegetable oil.
• I know you’ll want to eat the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven but please be strong. Letting the brownies cool down for at least 2 hours is crucial for delicious, set and finished brownies.

So, without further ado, here are my fudgy vegan brownies made the traditional way, no beans or hidden veggies. Whoo!

Recipe: Super Fudge Brownies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
• ½ cup cacao powder
• 3/4 cup organic brown sugar (or sugar of choice)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips, melted
• 2 flax eggs*
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Other Ingredients:

• 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (unmelted)
• Toppings of choice: non-dairy chocolate chunks, walnuts, coconut flakes, more non-dairy chocolate chips, etc.

*For the flax seed egg (1 egg)

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 3 tbsp water
• Mix together. Let sit for five minutes.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C. Prepare a greased or parchment lined, 8×8 square pan.
2. Prepare your flax eggs, and set aside for 5 minutes.  
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, cacao powder, brown sugar and salt, until combined. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, add the 2 flax eggs, coconut oil, water, vanilla extract and melted chocolate chips, mix until completely combined.
5. To the dry mixture, mix in the wet mixture. If you find that the mixture turned out a bit too thick, you can add ¼ cup of water extra.
6. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Then pour into prepared 8×8 pan.
7. Bake for 35 minutes. When finished, remove from oven and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours.
8. Make a brownie sundae & enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Going Vegan is a whole lot more than learning to make bolognese without meat & dairy-free ice cream. Most people eat and wear animal products and rely on a multitude of products that are tested on animals. I have to admit to being guilty of this. Living in Island has a lot of cons, one of them being having limited access to other vegan products that are not food; like beauty, skincare, and clothes. Even when I want to buy some of those products online, I can’t, all because “We currently don’t ship to Puerto Rico”, it gets tiresome and frustrating. But hey, I’ve always said “There’s no such thing as a perfect vegan!”, even though I strive to be.

So what other ways can we support veganism when we don’t have complete access? Education. Comparing to other social movements, we’re pretty limited and truly in uncharted territory. But we can educate ourselves as much as we can.

I’ve put up a list of my favorite resources for vegan education:

Books

• The Mindful Vegan by Lani Muelrath
• How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger
• Millennial Vegan: Tips for Navigating Relationships, Wellness, and Everyday Life as a Young Animal Advocate by Casey Taft

Magazines

• Chickpea
• Vegan Food & Living
• VegNews: Vegan. Think. Eat Thrive. 

Documentaries/ Movies

• What the Health 
• Okja 
• Food, Inc.
• Forks Over Knives

Blogs

• Hot for Food
• Cocinina
• Cashew Kitchen
• Bianca Zapatka

Youtube Channels

• Avant-Garde Vegan
• Tess Begg
• Liv B
• Supreme Banana
• The Happy Pear

Some of the blogs and youtube channels that I mention here, I’ve been following for years and have served as learning outlets. Take some time to check these out; learning new things every day sometimes turns out to be life-changing.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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There is no dessert more perfect for spring than cheesecake! Have you tried vegan cheesecake yet? I’ve been on a cashew recipe kick lately – I can’t seem to get enough of those! I just can’t get my head around the smooth and creamy filling, made from cashews, that results after a few minutes in the food processor.

The first time that I tried cashew cheesecake was for Thanksgiving, right after the electricity returned to my house. It turned out amazing, but it had Oreos in them, and I still wanted to make this recipe as healthy as possible.It’s kind of amazing, cashews, after being soaked in warm water for a couple of hours, transform into the most magically smooth and creamy paste. I’ll admit I was highly skeptical that cheesecake made with cashews, coconut milk, agave nectar and lemon juice could create anything that even compared to the real deal.

Vegan Cheesecake is completely delicious on its own, however, I love chocolate and I will add chocolate to everything that it can be added to. So, I present to you my completely vegan chocolate cheesecake bars, complete with a scrumptious oat & nut crust.

Tips:

• There are three ways to soften cashews: soaked in cold water overnight, soaked in warm water for 3-4 hours, or microwaving them in water for three minutes, for a quicker option.
• Use raw nuts and oats to keep the recipe gluten-free.
• I recommend you use a powerful food processor or blender for this recipe to achieve that super soft creamy texture.
• These bars can be eaten frozen for a more “ice cream” type of texture, or thawed for a softer texture.
• These are completely no-bake, it should last you in the freezer a good two weeks; but let’s be honest, the bars will be gone waaaay before that.

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup oats
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• Agave nectar, to taste

Filling:

• 1 ½ cups cashews, softened
• 1 cup coconut milk (use more, if needed for desired thickness)
• ¼  cup agave, or to taste
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• Juice of one lemon
• ½ cup non-dairy chocolate chips, melted
• Optional: cacao nibs

Toppings:

• Chocolate chips
• optional: cacao nibs

Procedure

1. Lightly grease 8×8 pan with coconut oil
2. In a food processor, blend all of the crust ingredients together. Press the mixture into prepared pan.
3. Blend softened cashews with coconut milk until completely smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend in the melted chocolate chips.
4. Pour on the crust, top with more chocolate chips and/or cacao nibs.
5. Place in freezer for about 6 hours; thaw for 10 mins before eating.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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