Dessert on Radical Optimist

Vegan Flax Fritters

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup oat flour or whole wheat flour (or a mix of both)
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plant-based milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit (examples):
- 2 apples (cored), sliced into 0.5 to 1 cm slices (fairly thin)
- 2 bananas sliced into rounds about 0.5 cm thick
- Raspberries, blueberries, frozen strawberries
- Also great with chocolate chips ;-)

Preparation

In a bowl, mix the ground flaxseeds, flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and cinnamon.
Add the plant-based milk, vinegar, and vanilla until you get a thick batter.
If the batter is too thick, add a little water: it should coat the fruit while staying sticky enough (much thicker than crêpe batter, and a bit stickier than pancake batter).
Heat a pan to 4-5 (medium-high).
Dip the fruit into the batter and coat each piece well (top and bottom).
Remove excess batter with a fork.
Place the coated fruit in the pan.
Cook for 1 minute per side (until nicely golden).
Flip.

Note: in a medium pan, you can cook 4-5 apple pieces at a time and 10-15 banana pieces.

Pudding Chomeur Arthur

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:36:23 -0400

Ingredients

1 can of coconut milk, separated:
- sauce: 1 cup (250 ml)
- cake: 2/3 cup (140 ml)

Sauce

1 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut milk

Cake

1.5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup plant-based milk (almond recommended)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius
Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients
- Bring to a boil
- Pour into a square baking pan (approximately 20 cm / 20 cm)
Cake:
- In a bowl:
  - Mix the flour and baking powder
- In another large bowl:
  - Whisk the vegetable oil, sugar, coconut milk until you get a smooth and creamy mixture
  - Add the vinegar
  - Add the vanilla
  - Alternately fold in:
    - Flour / baking powder mixture
    - Plant-based milk
Before baking:
- In the pan with the syrup, spread the batter with a spatula.
Baking: approximately 40 minutes
- Check that the center of the pudding is cooked with a sharp knife
- Stop baking when the center is fully cooked

Matcha Energy Balls

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 23:28:41 -0400

Matcha Energy Balls

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup cashews
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup plant-based milk

PREPARATION

Blend in a food processor

Mix the ingredients: cashews, salt, rolled oats, matcha
Blend until you get a fairly fine powder
Add the maple syrup, chocolate and plant-based milk
Blend until you get a fairly smooth dough
Scrape the sides and make sure all ingredients are well mixed
Add the salt, rolled oats, and matcha. Mix.

Modeling clay time: make energy balls!

Using an ice cream scoop (ideal amount), make small mounds that will become your energy balls. If possible on a non-stick surface (e.g., silicone)
With your hands, shape each mound into an energy ball

Storage

Keeps for up to 10 days in the refrigerator

Variations

Multiple: add dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, etc.) to the mix
Replace the matcha with vanilla extract
Dark chocolate instead of white chocolate

Sylvie's Chocolate Cake

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:16:46 -0400

Ingredients:

200 g chocolate
3 tablespoons milk
4 eggs
125 g salted butter
3 tablespoons flour

Instructions:

Separate the egg whites from the yolks
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form
Melt the chocolate in the milk
Add one at a time:
- The sugar
- The 4 egg yolks
- The butter
- The flour
Fold the stiff egg whites into the mixture
Bake in a medium oven (180°C / 350°F) for 20-25 minutes (check doneness at the center of the cake with a knife)
Glaze:
- 100 g chocolate
- 50 g butter
- 1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

Melt the chocolate in the water
Add the butter as soon as it’s melted
Stir until the chocolate is smooth
Pour over the cake and spread evenly

Classic Pie Crust

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:59:17 -0400

Ingredients

250g flour
10cl vegetable oil (whichever you prefer)
2 pinches of salt
10cl water
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave syrup), only if you want a slightly sweet crust
1/2 lemon zest for flavoring (optional) — you can also use bitter almond extract, vanilla, etc.

Preparation

In a bowl, mix the flour with the vegetable oil. Add the water, salt and maple syrup (along with the flavoring of your choice) and mix. Start with a fork then go at it with your hands. Don’t hesitate to recalibrate by adding a bit of flour or water depending on the texture of the dough!

Super Simple Chocolate Mousse

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:10:10 -0400

Ingredients:

250 g of water or milk (cow’s milk, almond milk…)
250 g of dark chocolate

Instructions:

In a saucepan, pour 250 g of water or milk and 250 g of dark chocolate.
Bring to a boil for 1 minute while stirring with a whisk.
Blend, then pour into small or large jars.
Let cool for one hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least four hours.
Remove the creams from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.

Christophe Michalak’s tips: You can sprinkle the creams with fleur de sel and a drizzle of olive oil before serving. Wrapped in plastic wrap, these creams can be kept for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Francine's Spice Bread

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:09:36 -0400

Ingredients

200 g / 1 cup butter or soft margarine
125 g / 1/2 cup white sugar
125 g / 1/2 cup golden brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
300 g / 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
15 g / 3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
5 g / 1 tsp each of ground nutmeg, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cumin, anise, coriander
225 ml / 1 cup water

Instructions:

Cream the butter or margarine with the sugars.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time.
Sift together the dry ingredients and gradually add them to the creamy mixture, alternating with the water.
Beat the egg whites until stiff.
Gently fold them into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a well-greased 22.5 cm square pan (or use silicone)
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, on the center rack.
Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack.

Chantal's Almond Croquants

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:03:58 -0400

Ingredients

300 g almonds
500 g whole wheat flour
350 g sugar
4 eggs for whole wheat flour (3 for white flour)
flavoring (orange blossom water, vanilla, or orange zest)
Add water as needed

Directions

Toast the almonds.
Mix the flour and sugar, eggs, and flavoring.
Add water as needed to get a cohesive but dense dough.
Add the almonds and shape into small logs.
This preparation freezes very well (to bake later)
Roll them out and bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes.
Place 1 bowl of water in the oven.
Stop baking when golden and cut into thin slices as soon as they come out of the oven.
Wait for them to cool and enjoy! They are excellent warm and delicious when nice and crunchy.

Note for a vegan version: replace the eggs with 1/4 cup of applesauce or see other options

Celine's Vegan Banana Bread

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:56:22 -0400

Ingredients

1/4 cup or 60 g applesauce
2 chia eggs (2 tbsp chia + 6 tbsp water - let the mixture rest for 5 minutes)
3/4 cup or 190 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 large bananas roughly mashed with a fork
1 cup flour and 1 cup whole oats (or flour/almond meal or almond pulp) or 300 g
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
125 ml soy milk
75g chocolate chips / 1.5 handfuls (optional)
75g nuts / 3 handfuls (optional)

Directions

Mix the applesauce, sugar, chia eggs and vanilla.
In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Incorporate the dry mixture into the first preparation.
Add the bananas then the milk and chocolate chips if desired.
Pour the mixture into a silicone loaf pan or one lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 50 to 60 min in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F)

Note: this is an excellent way to use overripe bananas => don’t throw them away, it’s even better that way. The trick is to put them in the freezer as soon as they reach that consistency, then you just need to thaw them once you’re ready to bake!

Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:54:10 -0400

Ingredients:

250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
2 tbsp (20 g) white or black chia seeds (no need to grind them)
2 tbsp maple syrup (or sugar)

Preparation:

The night before, in a large 500 ml (2 cups) Mason jar or a sealable airtight container:

Mix the coconut milk, chia seeds, and maple syrup.
Stir well
Close the jar and place in the refrigerator overnight
- If possible: stir by shaking the jar after 1 hour so the pudding is nice and smooth

The next morning:

Arthur's Vegan Waffles

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:43:14 -0400

Ingredients

For three batches (full brunch for 5 people)

Egg substitute:
- 90 ml chia seeds
- 410 ml warm water (total = 500 ml)
- Mix and let rest
600 g flour
100 g sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
200g applesauce
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
750ml soy milk (or almond, etc.)
Let rest for 15 minutes (optional)
Meanwhile, heat up the waffle iron
Makes about 20 large waffles

For one batch

200 g flour
70 g applesauce
50 g sugar
250ml soy milk
Binder:
- 3 x (1 teaspoon chia seeds and 3 tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Prepare the chia and water mixture in a ramekin
- Wait 5-10 minutes until the chia and water mixture looks like a strange, sticky substance
Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar
Add the applesauce
Mix everything together
Add the vanilla extract
Add the chia mixture
Mix everything
Incorporate the soy milk
If possible, let rest for 10 minutes

Cooking

Cook the waffles in a waffle iron

Variations

Add to the batter:
- Chocolate chips
- Berries (raspberry, blueberry)
Replace vanilla with orange blossom water
Skip the vanilla altogether

Notes

Keeps very well in the freezer or refrigerator
- Toast in the oven or toaster (like a bagel) straight from the freezer

Chantal's Rice Pudding

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:36:45 -0400

Ingredients:

350g short-grain rice (Arborio in North America)
1 vanilla bean (or two teaspoons vanilla extract)
1 liter plant-based milk
150g sugar (to taste / or 75g sugar + 2 tablespoons stevia extract)

Instructions:

Rinse the rice in water using a fine-mesh strainer
Cook the rice in boiling water (2 L) for 10 minutes
Drain the rice, rinse with hot water for a less “sticky” rice pudding
Bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla, as soon as it boils add the rice
Lower the heat (2.5/10 for electric) and let cook for about fifteen minutes or until the rice reaches the desired consistency ** Stir regularly with a wooden spoon to check that it’s not burning at the bottom of the pot (every 5 minutes)
At the end of cooking, add the sugar/stevia: mix well
Let it cool down: it’s delicious as is!
Also excellent cold

Variations:

Three teaspoons of orange blossom water instead of vanilla…
Two teaspoons of cinnamon instead of vanilla
Replace part of the milk with coconut milk

Notes:

One batch for 2-3 hungry people
Double the batch for 4-6 hungry people
If too dry, add a little milk after cooking
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator (keeps for a long time, though that almost never happens!)

InstantPot Rice Pudding

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:17:39 -0400

Ingredients:

2.75 cups of liquid - half/half water and plant-based milk
1 cup arborio rice
0.5 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or vanilla

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in the rice cooker after rinsing the rice
Mix well
Cook for 19 minutes on high pressure (Instant Pot or equivalent)

Variations:

Three teaspoons of orange blossom water instead of vanilla…
Two teaspoons of cinnamon instead of vanilla
Replace part of the milk with coconut milk

Notes:

One batch serves 2-3 hungry people
Double the batch for 4-6 hungry people
If too dry, add a little milk after cooking
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator (keeps for a long time, though that almost never happens!)