Time for the sweetness. I have been very pleasantly surprised at how delish a vegan sweet-treat can be. I can barely tell the difference, which is good for me, because I'm a fan of the daily bit of gooey goodness. If you don't have the time to make something up yourself, there are vegan options at the grocery store - just be sure to check the label for sugar. Look for products that use natural sweeteners like brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or organic sugar (it's still sugar, but it's not refined so it still has some minerals). Newman's Own makes a really tasty oreo-type cookie, for example.
If you do have the time, and let's face it, who doesn't have the time to whip up some deliciousness, then give these a whirl! They were very simple to make, and a they make a big 9 x13 pan, so you'll have plenty to stuff your face with. The original recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I used half wheat flour for the sake of healthiness :)
This recipe is from the vegan goddess herself, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, and her book "Vegan With A Vengeance."
Raspberry layer:
2 c. frozen raspberries
3 T. cornstarch (or arrowroot or tapioca starch)
1/4 c. cold water
1/2 c. sugar (the organic part is implied. I use Sugar in the Raw.)
Blondie layer:
3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (6 oz.) container plain or vanilla soy yogurt
1/4 c. rice milk
1/2 c. plus 2 T canola oil
2 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1 c. chocolate chips (vegan of course, which I have easily found at the store. Enjoy Life! is the brand. Also, side note... I felt like this was too much chocolate. I ended up using about 1/2 cup.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan.
For the raspberry layer:
In a saucepan, combine all raspberry layer ingredients and stir until the starch is dissolved. Bring to a boil and then lower to a low boil, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened up. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the blondie layer:
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl (a big one), combine the soy yogurt, rice milk, oil, sugar, and vanilla. In batches, mix the dry into the wet until a dough forms. Set aside about 1 cup of the dough, and press the rest into your baking pan. Spread the raspberry filling over it, sprinkle half your chocolate chips over that, and spread out the rest of your dough. Finish with sprinkling your remaining chips.
Bake for 35 minutes, and let cool before serving.
Enjoy!
Let cool before serving, HA. Looks yummy.
haha yeah. THAT didn't happen.