Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

 Ingredients:

2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
heaping 1/4 cup poppy seed
1-1/2 cup yogurt
2 egg replacer
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil or melted butter

Combine dry ingredients and add the liquid ingredients. Divide into lined muffin tin and set aside for 10 minutes. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, almond extract, and almond milk to make a glaze. 

When muffins are cooled, drizzle with the glaze. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Almond Biscotti

 Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup applesauce
1 cup sliced almonds
coarse sugar

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Stir together wet ingredients and fold in the dry ingredients and almonds.

Shape dough into a 9x3 inch log, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. When it is golden, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 325. Slice the baked log into 1 inch pieces and place on its side. Bake another 30 minutes, turning once halfway through. 

Snake Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups almond meal
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 cup butter
a pinch of salt
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg replacer

12 sheets phyllo dough
coconut oil or melted butter
1 tablespoon agave
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
vegan honey or powdered sugar


Combine all the filling ingredients and set aside.

Brush a phyllo sheet with oil and layer with two more sheets, brushing each with oil. Form a log with the almond paste along one end of the sheet and roll up. Repeat until there are 4 rolls.

Place the rolls on a greased round baking pan and form a tight coil. Brush with oil and agave. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until golden.

Sprinkle with almonds and honey or sugar, slice, and serve warm.

Chickpea and Mushroom Pilaf

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 red or yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pack of crimini mushrooms, diced
1 cup basmati rice (or any other grain)
vegetable stock
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
3 cups baby spinach
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt, to taste

1/3 cup almonds
1 cup parsley
1/4 teaspoon coriander
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
salt and black pepper
olive oil

coconut yogurt

Cook onion and garlic in the oil. Add the carrot and cook until crisp tender. Add the spices followed by the mushrooms. When mushrooms are soft, add the rice and stock. Cover and cook until rice is tender. Stir in the chickpeas. Remove from heat and fold in the spinach, and lemon juice. Season with salt as needed.

Combine pesto ingredients in a blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached, adding more oil as needed.

Serve the pilaf with the pesto and yogurt.

Nectarine Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

3 nectarines, cut into thin slices
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil or vegan butter
3/4 cup almond yogurt
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg replacer
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup flour (can substitute 1/2 cup almond flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Arrange the nectarines in an overlapping pattern on a parchment paper lined baking pan and set aside.

Combine sugar and oil or butter and stir in the applesauce, egg replacer, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Add the dry ingredients and fold in the apple cider vinegar. Spread evenly over the nectarines.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until golden. Allow to sit 10 minutes before flipping cake onto a serving platter.

Mocha Almond Pudding

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cup almonds
1-1/2 cups hot water
2 teaspoons espresso
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional)
1/4 cup agave
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt
1/2 tablespoon arrowroot powder

Soak the almonds overnight. Rinse and drain. Place in blender.

Add the espresso to the water and pour into the blender along with cocoa powder, agave, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan with the arrowroot powder and cook until thickened.

Divide between small dessert bowls and refrigerate.

Garnish with cacao nibs, chopped hazelnuts, and/or berries.

Swedish Almond Cake

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Cream sugar, zest, and butter together. Add the eggs one at a time, salt, vanilla, and almond extract.

Fold in flour and almond meal.

Pour batter into a greased baking pan and sprinkle with the sliced almonds and coarse sugar.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Fregolotta

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, softened
2/3 cup almonds, toasted
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon milk
confectioners sugar

Finely chop almonds in food processor. Combine butter, almonds, flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks, milk, and almond extract. Drizzle this mixture over almond mixture and toss with fingers to combine. Add more milk if needed to moisten dough. Dough should be crumbly but not dry.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle half the crumbs on the baking sheet and press to create a thin 8 inch round cookie. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over the top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let the pan rest in oven for an additional 10 minutes before removing. When cool, sift confectioners sugar on top.

To serve, place cookie atop a cup and break by rapping with back of a spoon.