Vegan Desserts and Sweet Treats: Easy DIY Recipes

If you have started walking the path towards going vegan, you may have noticed that it can be a little bit overwhelming at first. It was not the case in the past, but nowadays there is so much data, so much marketed products and brands, which is absolutely great but it can be a lot! And you may have also noticed already as well that getting quality vegan sweet treats or desserts can be particularly an adventure. Let's dive into: Vegan Desserts and Sweet Treats: Easy DIY Recipes

In case you have already read our article Vegan Recipes For Beginners. An Easy and Complete Guide, you probably have some notions then about what going vegan implies. Veganism is not just about not eating meat -this is everybody's first step, and it's great! - but veganism is a way much more serious decision to commit yourself to the world around you and every living element in it. In this article, we''ll be sharing some tips for you to start walking towards veganism little by little.

We'll also recommend what food you can include and what food not to include in your vegan diet. And... as everybody loves a sweet treat from time to time -and that can be really an issue when you are vegan- we'll also share some easy vegan dessert recipes for you to try at home!

How to Going Vegan? Safe Tips for Beginners

What was the first thing that made you feel that it was right for you to go vegan, in the first place? In my case, it was a mixture of both a complete physical rejection of meat -whether beef, chicken or pork-, my body couldn't process no more of this and some subsequent digestive issues showed up. But it was not only that. It just didn't feel right either to keep animals in pain for human advantage. That's the way I saw it when I decided to start my path towards vegetarianism and veganism, eventually.

Veganism is lifestyle that promotes not using products -whether food, cosmetics or clothes- that are the result of exploitation, torture and cruelty of any kind of animals from cows to snakes or crocodiles. At the same time veganism is a very active and prepositive movement that -luckily- has gained more popularity over the last decade.

A vegan way of life will not only exclude certain type of food but it will always seek for a balanced and healthy plant-based diet. Luckily nowadays, there in the market a lot of cruelty-free alternatives that not only seek to protect animals but also to promote consciousness on the need to take care of our natural resources because they are beyond valuable!

We are going to focus on this article mostly on a vegan dietary plan. So what does it imply, in practical terms, to have a vegan diet? A vegan diet is an eating program that will not include any animal product: no meat, no fish, no chicken, no eggs, no dairy nor honey.

At first sight it might look to you extremely poor in nutrients but it is not if you learn to find the right nutrients for your body in plant-based alternatives. Remember you need proteins not meat, you need calcium not milk. The more informed you are, the safer and more nutritious your choices will be.

Benefits of a Vegan Diet

As having a vegan diet requires that you choose your food more carefully, a wide variety of new food items and plant-based alternatives will open to you. The more you explore, the more you find. That's what is so exciting about going vegan... it will definitely change your body functions as you are taking new habits but most importantly it will also mean a shake up in all your system of values (hopefully).

Considering you are casting meat and any animal-derived product out of your diet, you'll necessarily be relying on other types of food.

What should I include? Try to choose more raw vegetables and fruits and try to but less processed food. As we always say, do not start any new health habits without consulting with your healthcare provider first. Remember you are forging new habits so take this easy. As your body adjusts, you will find what is better for you.

You will also learn to read food labels more carefully. Try to include anything that contains the following nutrients:

• Vitamin D-B12
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Calcium
• Iodine
• Iron

In case you're seriously considering veganism, you might like our post on How to go Vegan With No Setbacks For Beginners.

Something really worth mentioning at this point is that more and more people concerned with the wellbeing of our Planet Earth are choosing to go vegan because it has a lesser impact on the environment. That's correct!

As you get rid of animal products, you'll be directly reducing your individual food carbon footprint by up to 73%. It's been widely proven that plants produce a greater lesser impact to the world's carbon footprint than animals. Eventually, you'll be contributing also to the drop in greenhouse gas emissions, and the recovery of land lost to agriculture, which is one of the main causes of massive extinction of different animal species globally.

Benefits of a Vegan Diet for your Health

Scientific research demonstrates that living on a vegan diet is greatly beneficial to your health:

• High blood pressure is 75% less probable among vegans.
• The body mass index (BMI) of a vegan person tends to be lower than the BMI of an omnivore. Their LDL -or bad cholesterol- levels are generally lower, too. All of this means a much reduced chance of getting heart diseases.
• Vegan diets are a good ally if your are trying to lose weight.
• Some studies even suggest that veganism might help to control blood sugar and thus, to reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Vegan food is more likely to reduce osteoarthritis symptoms like swelling or joint pain. Even certain types of cancer might be prevented by a vegan diet.

3 Classic Vegan Desserts: Easy Recipes!

If you are a person that really enjoys a sweet treat, you may find it interesting to know that vegans didn't have many "sweet alternatives" in the past. But with the greater spread of veganism culture and a subsequent greater variety of vegan food in the market, that is no longer a problem. Nowadays, it's not very hard to find vegan ice-creams, vegan cakes and even vegan gummies!

But if you are a person that likes cooking at home, we'll share with you now a couple of delicious, easy-to-prepare vegan recipes for classic desserts.

1. Vegan Chocolate-Glazed Donuts

Ingredients (for 6 servings)

(nonstick cooking spray)

• all-purpose flour(125 g)> 1 cup

• baking powder > 1 teaspoon

• salt (a pinch)

• no sugar applesauce: ½ cup

• almond milk (any plant-based milk works): ½ cup

• maple syrup: ¼ cup

• vanilla extract > 2 teaspoons

• apple cider vinegar > 1 teaspoon

  for the chocolate cover:

• powdered sugar > ½ cup

• cocoa powder (dairy-free)> ½ cup

• almond milk> ½ cup

• vegan sprinkle > optional

Preparation

1. Before you start, make sure you preheat the oven to around 375˚F (190˚C) and that you drop some nonstick spray to the donut pan.
2. Pick a bowl, and put the flour, the baking powder, a pinch of salt and combine the ingredients.
3. In a different larger bowl, put the applesauce, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Combine them and mix them till you get a creamy consistence.
4. Add the dry ingredients and gently put everything together.
5. Pour the preparation into the donut pans and bake fro around 15 minutes 8it can take 20, depending on your oven). Let them cool completely over a wire rack while you prepare the top!

Chocolate glaze: add the powdered sugar and the cocoa to a medium bowl and little by little pour the 2 tablespoons of milk until you get a smooth glaze.

Cover your donuts with the glaze, drop some vegan sprinkles (if you please) and that's it! Enjoy your vegan donuts!

2. Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients (for 10 servings)

Frosting:

• full-fat coconut milk > 2 cans
• dairy-free chocolate chunk > 3 cups
• melted coconut oil > ¼ cup

Cake:

• whole wheat flour > 3 cups
• cups dark cocoa powder > 1 ½
• sugar > 1 cup
• baking soda >1 tablespoon
• baking powder > 1 ½ teaspoons
• salt (a pinch)
• almond milk > 3 cups
• melted coconut oil > 1 cup
• applesauce > 1 ½ cups
• maple syrup > 1 ½ cups
• apple cider vinegar > 1 tablespoon
• vanilla extract> 1 tablespoon
• berry of your choice for decoration

Preparation:

Frosting:

1. Heat the coconut milk until hot (that's approximately 2 minutes in the microwave)
2. Place the dairy-free chocolate in bowl and pour the hot coconut milk over so that the chocolate gently melts. Combine the two of them after some minutes. Add later the coconut oil and powdered sugar and mix everything together until soft.

Put this in the fridge and leave it there overnight!

Cake:

1. Before you start, make sure you preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Oil the round cake pans and set them aside.
2. Put the whole wheat flour and the rest of dry ingredients (the dark cocoa powder, the sugar, the baking soda and baking powder and the pinch of salt) in a large bowl and mix! Set this aside.
3. Add the almond milk, coconut oil, applesauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a different bowl and mix.
4. Mix the dry and the wet mixtures until it's soft and well combined. Poor it over your cake pan and bake for around 35–45 minutes. Cool it down.
5. Take the frosting mixture form the refrigerator and mix it again softly.
6. Divide your baked cake into three different layers and cover one of them with the frosting evenly. Repeat this with the other two layers and place the layer one on top pf the other. Cover abundantly the sides of the cake as well.
7. Place some berries over the top for decoration and enjoy a slice of this delicious vegan chocolate cake with some green tea!

3. Vegan Strawberry Pops

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• clean strawberries> 2 cups
• sweet coconut milk> 1 cup
• lemon juice > ¼ cup
• agave nectar > 2 tablespoons
• vegan yogurt, granola and strawberry pieces for decoration > optional

Preparation:

1. Blend the strawberries, the lemon juice, the coconut milk, and agave nectar until smooth.
2. Pour this mixture into the ice pop molds.
3. Freeze for 2 or 3 hours. It needs to be solid.

For an even more delicious dessert, you can dip the strawberry pops into yogurt and then roll them in the granola and freeze them again for 30 minutes. Yummy!

So, going vegan might not look as a bad option at all! We encourage you to keep yourself informed and to go to your doctor or nutritionist before you introduce any changes in your diet. Going vegan is a win win for you, the animals and the planet! It's not necessary -however- that you make a decision right away to enjoy these delicious and easy recipes. I'm now craving for a delicious vegan strawberry pop! What about you?

You can find more options here: 6 Healthy Vegan Candies That You Can't Stop Trying