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5 In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Whisk together well to completely combine.

6 Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until combined. Then stir in the chocolate chips.

7 Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 9 equal squares.

Per serving: Calories 349 (From Fat 105); Fat 12g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 217mg; Carbohydrate 63g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Protein 5g.

Tasting the Vegan Fruit

Fruit-based desserts can be delicate and light or sophisticated and full of complex flavors. Something as simple as a bowl of fresh berries with a scoop of vegan ice cream can end a fantastic summer meal. Winter fruits lend their heavily spiced sweetness to long baking techniques, which make them fortifying, cozy desserts that are appropriate for the darker months. This seasonality should be relished when choosing fruit desserts. Try using peaches at the height of their ripeness from the farmer’s market for a cobbler, or pick something fresh from your garden to add to a fruit pudding.

Lime in the Coconut Ice

Beat the heat with this fruit ice! It won’t be green unless you add food coloring (and because some food dyes are derived from insects, I say skip ’em!). Despite its lack of color, however, it’s amazingly refreshing and deliciously limey — perfect for an ending to a summer meal or as a palate cleanser between courses of a fancier, sit-down meal.

Preparation time: 8 minutes

Chilling time: 2 hours

Freezing time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

1 1/2 cups agave or brown rice syrup

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

4 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 Slowly heat the agave and lime juice in a medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk often to combine.

2 In a large mixing bowl, combine the agave-lime mixture with the remaining ingredients and stir well.

3 Cover and allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

4 Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions for a sorbet recipe, approximately 20 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 653 (From Fat 295); Fat 33g (Saturated 29g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 202mg; Carbohydrate 92g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Protein 4g.

Fruit Kanten

What the heck is Kanten, you may ask? Well, it’s actually a pudding made from agar. What the heck is agar? Well, agar is a sea vegetable and Mother Nature’s gift to vegans. This natural plant food is a vegan’s answer to gelatin. These clear flakes are used as a gelling agent in culture media (remember your experiments in biology and chemistry class?) and delicious desserts. Find more info about vegan gelatin alternatives in Chapter 10.

Try seasonal combinations of juice and fruit to use your farmer’s market or backyard bounty. Apple juice and chunks of pear, pear juice with cherries, or peach juice with melon balls are winning combinations. This type of dessert will look a little cloudy, not clear like old-school Jell-O, but it will be delicious!

Preparation/cooking time: 15 minutes

Chilling time: 1 1/2 hours

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

4 cups fruit juice (apple, grape, cherry, or a combination of any 2)

5 tablespoons agar flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup diced fruit (apples, grapes, blueberries, cherries, or a combination)

1 Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, uncovered.

2 Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the agar flakes have dissolved.

3 Pour the mixture into individual bowls, wine glasses, or a shallow serving dish and refrigerate until gelled, about 1 1/2 hours. Spoon out or slice to serve.

Tip: Agar is also a great natural laxative, so if you’re feeling “stuck,” make some Kanten. Cherry or apple Kanten gives you a double whammy!

Per serving: Calories 149 (From Fat 5); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g);