The 30-Minute Vegan - Mark Reinfeld [88]
2-3 Meyer lemons, zested (2-3 tablespoons zest), or to taste
½ cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a food processor, blend the buckwheat groats for about 40 seconds, or until they are a fine powder with some whole kernels left. Add the dates and continue to process for another 30 seconds. Add the agave nectar through the top of the machine and process for 20 seconds more. When a piece of the dough is able to be shaped into a tight ball, it is ready. Otherwise, continue to add more agave nectar 1 teaspoon at a time until that stickiness is achieved.
3. Press down the mixture with your hands into the lined baking tray and set aside. Keep some water nearby to dip your fingers in to prevent the dough from sticking.
4. For the topping, process all of the ingredients together in the food processor until a thick creamy pudding consistency is reached. Pour over the crust and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or until the topping has set.
5. Use the parchment paper to pull the whole thing out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Cut in half in one direction and in quarters in the other direction, to make eight bars. Yum!
Variations
• Lime, lemon-lime, orange, and grapefruit are the obvious variations here.
• Other flavor extracts, such as banana, vanilla, or almond, work well.
• Edible floral waters (also called hydrosols) add a taste that is lovely and uplifting. Try 1 tablespoon of rosewater, orange blossom water, or lavender water. Check the labels, though, some hydrosols are not fit for consumption. Due to the concentrated amounts of plants used to make them, you definitely want to make sure they don’t use pesticides.
• Add ½ cup or more of chopped macadamia nuts, cranberries, or dried blueberries.
STRAWBERRY SHORT SHAKE
This knockout of a milk shake was invented to wean a dear friend of ours off her addiction to a devilish little cupcake we sell at our bakery. She used to order them so much we renamed them after her son. Determined to steer her in a healthier direction, this shake was born. Not only does it taste like strawberry shortcake, but it’s healthier, faster, and easier to make. If you have access to fresh strawberries, we highly recommend freezing some for just such an occasion. The banana doesn’t need to be frozen but it helps with the shake consistency. Adjust the sweetness to your liking.
MAKES TWO 12-OUNCE SERVINGS
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen strawberries
¼ cup cashews or macadamia nuts
1 large frozen banana
1 cup coconut, soy, rice, or almond milk (see page 42)
¼-½ cup agave nectar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
1. Blend everything together on high speed until smooth and creamy. This may take a little while (40 to 60 seconds or more).
2. Depending on the strength of your blender, you may need to add a little more coconut milk to get the ingredients to blend.
Variations
• Go all the way and substitute 1 cup of nondairy vanilla ice cream for the banana. You may want to adjust the sweetness, so add the agave last and only as much as you like.
• Substitute your favorite berry for the strawberries. Blueberries, raspberries, black berries, and mixed berries are regularly available in the frozen section.
Quicker and Easier
There are some incredible nondairy ice creams on the market. Check out Coconut Bliss, Soy Delicious, and Rice Dream. These come in countless flavors that are sure to please. Create vegan banana splits and sundaes by adding peanut or almond butter, plus chocolate or carob chips, and topping with Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce (see page 61) or the Cherry-Vanilla Spritzer (see page 39).
Tips and Tricks
Some blenders come with tampers that you use to move the contents of the blender around while the blender is on. This helps enormously when you are making something thick, such as shakes, smoothies, thicker sauces, or frostings. If your blender doesn’t have one and you are comfortable with using a spoon or