one of the best things ever invented

This dairy free chocolate concoction is amazing. it tastes like the best things about pots de creme and chocolate mousse, so smooth, so creamy, so light. Made with silken tofu rather than eggs and cream, the result is surprisingly delicious. I don't know quite what to call it. Pudding seems inadequate to convey its specialness. Chocolate Dream seems closer. Anyway, this is super easy to make, just melt-blend-pour-chill. My kids can't get enough of this. also time friendly and easy on the cook. honestly, i can't say enough good things about it. Great basic recipe that is easy to love. 

Chocolate Tofu Dream 

6-8 servings

1 Bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (2 cups) 

I prefer Guittard Akoma extra semisweet fair trade 

1/2 cup chopped Callebaut or Vahlrona semisweet chocolate

1 cup Organic Soy Milk, unsweetened

1 lb Organic Silken Tofu

1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

a dash of Vanilla Extract

Place chocolate and soy milk in large glass microwavable dish. Heat for 2 minutes on High. 

Allow to rest for 10 minutes. After time is up, stir gently with a whisk. Chocolate should be melted. Continue to mix gently until mixture is smooth. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract. Stir once more. Add contents to blender, add 1 lb silken tofu. Secure blender top. Blend for a total of about 3 minutes until smooth and well mixed. Pour into ramekins or small cups. Smooth any drips with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Chill for 8 hours. 

Yum. Dairy free and completely delicious. I am really starting to get the hang of this dairy free living. Quite versatile, this recipe could be used as frosting for a cake, or you can mold in small springform pans and serve in all sorts of interesting presentations with chocolate shavings, raspberries, pistachios, etc. could also place in a chocolate cookie pie crust, chill, then and serve as chocolate pie. 

Adapted from recipes I've seen in two of my favorite cookbooks, Candle 79 Cookbook (from the famed nyc vegan restaurant) and Clean Food by Terry Walters, one recipe uses half the chocolate and twice the tofu and another uses a whole lot more maple syrup, so the recipe easily adapts to suit you. 

freezing fruit for future smoothies

i do this when the fruit is getting a little ripe, and might otherwise go off. great not to waste the food and perfect for smoothies (better than the packaged stuff). i freeze the fruit for 24 hours on a tray lined with parchment. then transfer to a container that can be sealed for longer storage in the freezer. this week i am making banana blueberry spinach apricot passion fruit smoothies. the apricot and passion fruit are in juice form, purchased at the grocery, so convenient. yum. a little spinach is nice in there and has a light, fresh sweet mineral-y flavor that i find energizing and balances nicely with the sweetness of the fruit. also seems virtuous, though i am not smug about it, i really do like the balance of tastes better. suits me. a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange can be nice as well.

happy new year!

first meal of 2013. keeping it light, fresh and clean. fruit salad with tangelos, apples, pomegranate, and blueberries, a little squeeze of lime juice. for some reason lime juice is amazing on fruit salad. i don't know why, just is. perfect balance of tart and sweet maybe? in any case, happy to begin anew. thank you kind readers for visiting this blog and for all your sweet comments. xo, g