20 November 2006

Amazing Snacks!

Featured above is a spread of soy ice cream, local granny smith apples and homemade creamy caramel sauce from Vive le Vegan. I made this once before with turbinado sugar and decided to have a go at it again, but with darker, muscovado sugar. Oh, yum. This had strong accents of molasses from the dark sugar. At first, I wanted to sweeten it with agave but decided to let it do it's thing, and I'm glad I did. This was wonderful, having apples, ice cream and caramel all in one. Plus, plenty of caramel sauce for apple dipping. I also topped it with Soyatoo whip, not pictured.

This was a nice, dark, creamy caramel sauce. And easy, hence the name.
I didn't know what to do with myself one day, it was late afternoon, I had only consumed a small amount of food that day and needed something substantial- fast. Good fats, protein, veggies and carbs (and more)... I pulled out two processed items (aka, pre-made, not homemade leftovers), crackers which are light, yet super crunchy and heavy duty at the same time. They are made with everything from quinoa to flax and sesame with a nice japanese-style-cracker-crunch. I also had some pita bread leftover from falafel delivery (yes! vegetarian delivery!) a few nights ago. I whipped up some creamy hummus from one of my favorite books, Vive le Vegan, peeled and chopped a few carrots and took raw cashews out of the freezer. I think it may have been between 5 and 10 minutes, this snack was complete. I ate so much hummus, I'd call it lunch.
It's been a while... I love ice cream pie. I love just taking pre-made whole wheat non-bake pie crust, and filling it with a food-processor-mixed blend of ice cream, nut butter (in this case cashew), sunspire chocolate chips, pecans, maple syrup, tons and tons of blueberries and a lot of love (and probably other things I'm forgetting and anything you want). I topped it with Ahlaska chocolate syrup and the Easy Caramel Sauce from Vive le Vegan. Oh, yum.

I usually eat most of this pie myself. This time was no exception. I could probably have 2. Notice how blue it is from all the blueberries... my favorite.

Warning, if you thought all of the above looked awesome (or not), check this stuff out...
...This creamy cashew dip is courtesy of Dreena Burton. I can't get over how quick, easy and awesome this dip is. I could go on and on about all I'd dip in it, but I just ate it with some local organic granny smith apples. This dip has 4 or 5 ingredients and is going to be featured in her upcoming third cookbook. I however, have a subscription to VegNews and within 24 hours of reading the recipe, this fabulous, creamy, healthy, addicting yet filling dip was created. The main ingredients consist of vanilla soy yogurt and cashew butter. Yep- killer. Go make it now. Go get the magazine. Seriously people, this is some intense, wonderful stuff she creates!

21 comments:

Candi said...

Oooh! I love your vegan ice cream party! Your caramel sauce looks really great.

I love your hummus lunch!!

The ice cream pie though...wow! I've never made one, but I love how many goodies went into yours! The blueberries looks so good!

I'm going to check my VegNews for that cashew recipe! How did I miss that!

bazu said...

I just love this post- the caramel sauce looks wonderful, the hummus snack looks great (vegetarian delivery?! that's so cool! what do they deliver other than falafel?) but Daiku and I are really drooling over that pie. Oh my oh my it looks so good right now. Great snacks!

Eat Peace Please said...

Candi, I don't know how you missed it. It's on page 71. Tell me what you think, I love it.

Savanna, I answered to you via email. I'm glad you like the chocolate syrup.

Bazu, thanks for your comments. The resaurant is a mediterranean type restaurant but not all vegetarian. They don't have cow meat but they have chicken, fish and turkey (same difference). You can check the menu on the website www.pitajungle.com and click on the TEMPE location. I like to get the falafel sandwich or platter and not on the menu is jalepeno/cilantro hummus. They can sub tofu for any meat on anything, it's nice.

Anonymous said...

Who says you need an oven for pie! Psh- that looks amazing

Teddy
PS for some reason i'm having trouble commenting.

Judy said...

Everything you made looks so good. I'm not much for fruity ice cream, but I would make an exception for your pie. And that caramel sauce - yeow!

jess (of Get Sconed!) said...

I just wanted to say, that since I pulled my raw cashews out of the freezer last night as well, we must be twins! haha

Seriously, I'm just being goofy, and you make me want to make hummus.

Carrie™ said...

I also have a subcription to VegNews and I saw this recipe and also want to try it. I'm not a big fan of cashews, but put into things, yummy!
Sometimes the best meal is just snacks and I like the one you put together with the hummus, crackers, etc. And pie! Leslie, you're rockin' the kitchen!

Anonymous said...

Hi :)I always read your blog, but I don't have on myself...yet!

I just wanted to tell you that I made your tofu noodle soup today as I've been feeling fluish lately, and it was fantastic!

My new standby recipe, thanks so much!

xoxo

Sarah

Hannah said...

I RELLY want that carmel sauce recipe!!! I Love carmel!
I Also need to try your ice cream pie...it looks amazing! yay!
Amber

Julie said...

We should have an Ice Cream Pie Social at my apartment asap...you bring the Ice Cream Pie :] LOL

Anonymous said...

you are the vegan queen of ice cream Lol all looks super sweet and good!

Kris said...

Leslie! How did I miss this post?!

Oh my, that ice cream pie is something... I don't know if I could handle that, it's so good! I'll have to get some pointers from you for making an ice cream pie. I like your snack spread, too. Jim and I do appetizers for dinner often and have hummus and pita and goodies like that for a quick dinner.

That cashew dip looks heavenly, I need to get my act together and make some!

Anonymous said...

Your ice cream pies are amazing. I am always in awe over how many random ingredients you combine together and come up with such deliciousness! I can't believe you're the only one eating it. I hope that's because you just don't share!! I would totally eat the first picture for any meal (not just a snack). Soy ice cream, apples and caramel sauce? Who needs anything more??

aTxVegn said...

Hey, Leslie! Well, first of all, your post made me realize my VegNews did not make it to me this month! So I'll have to take care of that.

All of your creations are creamy and dreamy! Hummus on Mary's Gone Crackers must be the best.

I will definitely check out your older posts since I didn't arrive until August. I am all about colorful food and everything you make looks amazing. I'm glad you're here!

Catherine Weber said...

Leslie, it's been TOO LONG since I've made the blogrounds. All I can say is . . . yumyumyumyumyumyumyumyumyum . . . yum!

JENNA said...

I love how "blue" the icecream pie is from all the blueberries in it. I wish I was having that for dessert tomorrow.

JENNA

Amey said...

oh yeah!
What a great post! Hummus! Blue Ice Cream Pie! CARAMEL SAUCE!? what a yummy posting... making my taste buds water. I don't usually have cashew butter on hand, but that dip recipe does look good. I love VegNews magazine, don't you? I'm always so excited to find it in my mailbox!
:) Amey

laura k said...

Leslie, I didn't comment on this post the first time I read it because when I saw the caramel sauce, I immediately pulled out the recipe and ran to the store for some arrowroot! Unfortunately I still haven't made it, but I have all the ingredients ready and I'm going to try it as soon as the last of our pumpkin pie is gone. Your ice cream pie looks wonderful--what a creative idea!

Isil Simsek said...

Leslie,
I'm so hungry now, all of your pics look amazing.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say that I love your blog!

I also had a suggestion. Your blog loads very slow; I think it is because of all the pictures and also the fact that you have so many posts kept on your main page before they are archieved. So my suggestion (which is just that) is to maybe change your settings so that your page has a smaller number of posts.

Otherwise, I love reading your blog! I also love the recipes you share... thanks. Keep up the good work :)

KleoPatra said...

i'm in love with all the food in this post. Everything looks dynamite times 100!