I ate a tarte aux fraise for breakfast, and I regret absolutely nothing about it. It's cool; people do it all the time in France. It's right up there with soft cheese and revolution. I realise it probably isn't strawberry season where you are, but in Japan, they're at their best right now - for whatever reason (perhaps they're imported from Australia?) strawberries are a winter fruit here. They'll probably start to phase out around March... but it could be worse; I haven't seen a real life raspberry in the nineteen months I've lived here. Sometimes I forget raspberries are a thing. Japan doesn't even have raspberry jam, and although it tries to compensate with earl grey & honey dulce de leche, white peach and oolong tea jam, and vanilla bean & maple marron spread... actually, now I've remembered that spread, I can't hold a grudge. Anyway, I'm channeling Europe today. A non-fussy pâte sucrée - crumbly shortbread-like pastry - with a vegan vanilla crème pâtissière - oui, no eggs! - fresh strawberries - red as the blood of angry men - and a sticky-sweet balsamic glaze. Yeah: French patisserie can be vegan. Vive la différence.

For the recipe: Tarte aux Fraise with Balsamic Glaze

Source: oh-papillon.blogspot.jp

I don’t do normal particularly well – especially when it comes to recipes. I always have to go slightly left of centre, or right, whatever, but rarely straight down the middle. I make pies with beetroot or purple carrots, I make ice cream with avocados, I make sandwiches with fruit.

So when we chose ‘Nuts’ as the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop theme for July my mind started ticking away. Baklava did occur to me, as it had for our ‘Layers‘ theme in March, but the same thing that put me off of it then – namely the enormous amount of honey that gets poured over the top – put me off this month as well.

I love a good Orange & Almond cake, but that’s been done round these parts, and ever since I made the Vegan Chai Buttercream with hazelnuts I had been wanting to try my hand at a version of cashew cream. This amazing [if I do say so myself] ‘cheesecake’ was the result.

An expected touch of caramel from using dates instead of sugar to sweeten the cake. A crunchy crumbly crust with quinoa flour and cocoa powder. Coconut oil to hold it all together and a smidgen of chocolate to top it off. Not a hint of tofu in sight and as an added bonus I discovered a great blog while researching recipes – yum!

For the recipe: Vanilla and Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake

Source: 84thand3rd.com

When you've been an ice cream addict like me for 26 years, giving the stuff up is rough. I'd rather endure weaning all over again than try and shake my double scoop habit. Thankfully though, I've found something that satisfies my deepest, darkest most intense ice cream cravings – this Chocolate Brownie Batter Blizzard that doesn't contain one lick of dairy. Oh me oh my. oh.

The base is a spin off of my creamy chocolate breakfast shake, and the brownie should look familiar from earlier this week: my 5-minute espresso walnut brownies. Marry the two together and we have one insanely rich spoonable beverage on our hands.

Dare I say, worthy of the title “blizzard”? Yes, I do.

For the recipe: Chocolate Brownie Batter Blizzard

Source: minimalistbaker.com

We made vegan cream cheese and now we're going to do something awesome with it. Are you ready? It's one of my favorite dairy-free recipes to date! You're going to start by making a walnut-based crust. It's just four ingredients, none of which are dried fruit. As much as I love the no bake crusts that use dried fruit and nuts, I wanted to do something different with this and ended up finding walnut flour in the process! Then, you're going to make cranberry sauce. A bit of orange zest here, some boiling there, it's a cinch. Lastly, you're going to mix your awesome, homemade, vegan cream cheese with some vanilla, coconut nectar, and BAM. Layer it all up, stick it in the fridge and you're good to go. The most painful part of the whole process is limiting yourself to one two squares per day. Hey, it's Christmas, we could all do with learning to embrace our indulgences.

For the recipe: No Bake Vegan Cranberry Cheesecake Squares

Source: healthfulpursuit.com

Two waffle recipes over the course of one month might seem excessive - ok, it is excessive - but this recipe is not like the other. Because this recipe is for one waffle. Just one. And I wanted so badly to call this the single lady waffle then realized it might be offensive to Thom considering this is my go-to waffle recipe and I am not a single lady. I am, however, a single lady at breakfast time because I can't remember the last morning we ate first breakfast together. Which is a shame because I really enjoy first breakfast. A lot more than second breakfast, which is usually a mug of stale coffee and a few scoops of peanut butter drizzled over an apple or banana. Are you following along? So far: first breakfast > second breakfast and, if you're single, this recipe is for you. But if you're not single, this recipe might still be for you. Like, maybe you have a significant other who sleeps in two hours past breakfast time? Yep, this waffle's for you. And if he tries telling you that this recipe technically makes enough waffles for two breakfasts, just remind him who wakes up at 6AM to go to the gym. Who spends an hour running and competing over the only good set of 35 pound dumbbells with a bunch of meatheads. Remind him who walks all the way home in the cold (COMMITMENT) with a bottomless pit for a stomach, while he's still sleeping like a baby. So he wouldn't know the first thing about eating a proper breakfast because babies don't eat that much.

For the recipe: Buckwheat Waffles with Blueberry Maple Syrup

Source: ohladycakes.com

Winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, Chloe Coscarelli shares this decadent recipe from her latest cookbook Chloe’s Vegan Desserts.

Tiramisu pancakes are perfect to make for dessert or a decadent breakfast. They are the most impressive pancakes on the planet: fluffy golden pancakes with a hint of espresso and rum, dotted with melted chocolate chips, and topped with a dollop of cool coconut whipped cream.

For the recipe: Tiramisu Pancakes

Source: chatelaine.com

Holy cow. If you like chocolate, you'll love this. It's like a mega awesome super chocolate party in your mouth which this results in an excellent, ethereal sense of well being. Don't worry if it sounds too intense - I know you can handle it. You're stronger than you think. Like an ant lifting 100 times your body weight. I will change the subject now because I feel this getting weird.

For the recipe: Chewy Chocolate Quinoa Cookies

Source: includingcake.com

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

This cake is a tribute to the much-missed spring here in Sweden (it's late this year). I'm trying to keep my spirit high by digging into a raw cake that pretty much has it all in terms of consistency, flavor, surprise effect and favorite ingredients, plus it was fun to make!

The base of the cake is a raw version of a bundt cake, moist from coconut oil and made with hazelnut flour. Inside hides a lemon cheesecake filling with crunchy cacao nibs and on top, melted dark chocolate. All together the cake managed to lift my mood and frozen body to a much higher state while eagerly waiting for spring.

For the recipe: Welcome Spring Raw Cake from Karolina Eleonóra

Source: golubka.blogspot.ca

All I've eaten today is blended frozen fruit which ends up being like ice cream, or this recipe. I love my life. This cake is one delicious demon. It is creamy, sweet, fresh, tart and colourful all at once. Actually that has nothing to do with demons so never mind that. Plus it is super easy to make (surprise, surprise) and can be eaten the same day you make it. I'm probably going to eat 3/4 for my dinner tonight.

For the recipe: Raw Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes with Goji Berries

Source: thisrawsomeveganlife.com

Holy cow. If you like chocolate, you'll love this. It's like a mega awesome super chocolate party in your mouth which this results in an excellent, ethereal sense of well being. Don't worry if it sounds too intense - I know you can handle it. You're stronger than you think. Like an ant lifting 100 times your body weight. I will change the subject now because I feel this getting weird.

For the recipe: Raw Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes with Goji Berries

Source: thisrawsomeveganlife.com

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking tapioca
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 lb. fresh raspberries (about 5 cups)
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 2 cups low fat milk
• 1 cup sliced apples
• 1 tbsp skimmed milk powder
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 tsp low fat cream
• 2 tsp sugar substitute
• a pinch of cinnamon (dalchini) powder
• 3 to 4 drops of lemon juice

• a few apple slices

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 2 teaspoons amaretto liqueur

• 3 eggs (I used extra-large)
• 300g sugar
• 175ml canola oil
• 5ml vanilla essence
• 60ml hot water
• 240g cake flour
• 15ml baking powder
• 1 ml salt
• 5ml ground cinnamon
• 2.5ml nutmeg
• 200g finely grated beetroot
• 100g finely grated carrot (you could probably substitute this with more beetroot)
• 50g coarsely chopped pecan nuts or walnuts

• 60g butter
• 130g icing sugar
• 15ml lemon juice
• 30ml finely grated lemon zest

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

• 3 cups pitted cherries, roughly chopped (1 to 1 1/2 pounds whole cherries)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes; room temperature
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries plus 2 tablespoons flour

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl before each addition. Beat the batter until ingredients are thoroughly combined, but do not overbeat.

3. In a medium bowl, gently toss the blueberries with 2 tablespoons of flour, the carefully fold the blueberries in the batter.

4. Use a large scoop to divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.

5. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together, cream cheese and butter until well combined.

2. With the mixer of low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Pipe cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. If desired, garnish cupcakes with a fresh blueberry.