This month we have a real treat ... a recipe from Patty "Sassy" Knutson - the brilliance behind Vegan Coach. When I became vegan, I had so many questions ... about nutrition ... about recipes that were easy to make and tasted good ... about how to make a vegan diet work. So I searched ... and quite frankly the majority of sites that I found talked about animal cruelty and a vegan lifestyle. While the information was important, it was way too much for me. I just wanted to know what to cook, how to cook it and how to get the best nutrition possible. I wish I would have found Sassy back then ... it would have saved me a lot of time!
Sassy seems to understand what people, like me, are looking for. The Vegan Coach is a wonderful resource. The recipes are delicious, easy to make and don't require one to search the markets for strange ingredients. But the site is so much more than just recipes ... one will learn about vegan nutrition ... there's information about kitchen tools that will help get a meal on the table easily ... and the site includes something unique called Flavor Matches. Flavor Matches? Yes, Indeedy! Sassy has put together a list of foods that go well together. So, when you're planning a meal or are just tired of the "same old, same old" recipe, check for a flavor match and create something spectacular.
The most amazing thing, to me, is that Sassy is involved with her readers. If one has a question, she'll answer it. She interacts through emails and reader participation. One definitely gets the sense that Sassy is a friend.
Sassy has graciously offered to share a recipe with us. It looks so yummy ... I can't wait to try it. I hope that you and your family will enjoy it!
Blueberry Crepes
“Raw Fusion”
This is a fun recipe for a lovely brunch or dessert. It combines a cooked vegan crepe with a delicious raw vegan cashew sauce. Yummmmy.
Plan ahead! Cashews must soak for 2 hours, crepe batter for 1. Use a crepe pan or a good non-stick frying pan.
Crepes can be tricky. If you have never made them before, you might find it helpful to double the crepe recipe below so you have a few crepes you can “practice” on. Don’t give up – you’ll get the hang of it. :-)
CREPES
2 flax eggs
1 cup non-dairy milk
1/3 cup water
1 cup flour of choice
2 Tablespoons Sucanat (or other granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons non-dairy butter (I like Earth Balance)
VANILLA CREAM SAUCE
1 cup cashews, soaked in 2 cups water for 2 hours
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. water
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
OTHER YUMMY INGREDIENTS:
1 cup organic frozen blueberries (thawed) – or use fresh blueberries when in season
1/2 cup raw organic pecans, chopped
organic powdered sugar
METHOD:
- Soak cashews for 2 hours. After 1 hour, prepare crepe batter.
- In a blender or food processor, combine all crepe ingredients. Blend for 20 seconds. Do not over process. Allow crepe batter to sit for 1 hour.
- Heat oven on the lowest temperature. Then turn oven off (we just want to keep the food warm, not cook it in any way). Chop pecans and set aside. Warm blueberries in the oven while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- When both the cashews and crepe batter are ready, prepare the Vanilla Cream Sauce. Place in an oven-proof bowl and set in the oven to keep the blueberries company.
- Portion out 2-3 Tbsp. of the batter onto a hot non-stick lightly-oiled pan over medium high heat. Lift and rotate the pan so the batter evenly coats the bottom. Cook until almost dry on top and lightly browned on edges. Loosen the edges with a thin spatula and flip crepe over with your fingers, cooking for an additional 15 seconds. Adjust the heat as necessary. Place a rack on a cookie sheet and place it in the oven where the blueberries and cream sauce are having a party. As you complete each crepe, place on the rack in the oven to keep warm.
- When all the crepes are prepared, fill each crepe with 2 large Tbsp. Vanilla Cream Sauce and 1 Tbsp. blueberries. Roll up, sprinkle with pecans and dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve 2 crepes per plate.
Makes 8 crepes.
I'd like to thank Sassy for sharing this recipe with us ... and I encourage you to visit her at Vegan Coach.
If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please email it to me HERE. Find the entire list of all the recipes we've shared by clicking the tab at the top of the page or clicking HERE.