Vegan Chocolate Mousse

So I've been on a bit of a vegan food kick lately. Not that I am vegan but mostly I just like making healthier substitutions when I can. Since I love to eat a lot of rich and fatty foods, I figure I can try to shave off a few calories here and there, or at least give my comfort food a little more of a nutritional value, by making the vegan version instead.

I have never made chocolate mousse before so I can't exactly tell you how this version compares to a non-vegan version. But either way, this dessert turned out to be smooth and creamy! I even caught my dad sneaking a few extra spoon fulls from the leftovers after sharing some with my parents--which is really saying something considering the man almost never eats tofu.

Vegan chocolate mousse is surprisingly easy to make and, when garnished with a few fresh berries, it makes a fantastic cool dessert for those rare but wonderful warm and fragrant spring nights. I personally enjoy it with a cheesy romance novel and a glass of wine on the side, but that's just me.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
1 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
12 oz silken tofu (soft or firm)
1/2 cup nondairy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
fresh berries for serving (optional)

Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. Give the chips a stir, and heat for another minute. They should be melted at this point. (You can also melt the chips by using a double broiler if you'd prefer.)

Place the tofu in a blender or food processor. Add the melted chocolate, nondairy milk, and vanilla. Process until completely smooth, pausing the blender or processor to scrape down the sides and under the blade, if necessary.

Chill the mixture in serving bowls--or in a graham cracker crust to make a chocolate mousse pie--for at least 1 hour before serving. Add fresh berries just before serving, if desired.

Vegan Ginger Carrot Bran Muffins

"Honey? Why does everyone keep calling me muffin top?"
The husband avoids eye contact with his wife who stands before him in a midriff shirt, her stomach and hips pooching out over her tight pants.
"Uh...well," he stutters, " it's because the muffin top is the sweetest part of the muffin--everyone's  favorite part. So really all those people are just saying you are so sweet."
The wife smiles proudly. "Oh! Well that's nice."
The husband sighs with relief.

That was actually from a KitKat commercial that aired years ago, but to this day it still makes me laugh. Oddly enough, despite my love for anything that is sweet to eat, I am actually rather picky when it comes to muffins (actual muffins, not blurby people that are wearing clothes that don't fit!). Blueberry muffins are okay but a bit over-rated in my opinion. Chocolate muffins are, let's face it, basically chocolate cake and way to sweet for the early morning hours. Lemon poppy seed muffins are a good mix of sweet and zesty so I'd have one if offered. But my favorite muffin hands-down is the bran muffin. I know, I know. Having a love for bran muffins and knitting marks me worthy of living in a retirement community. But there is a subtle sweetness and rich flavor that, in my opinion, only bran muffins can offer. As a powerhouse of fiber, it is a great way to start the day.

The other reason why I love bran muffins is because there is a large variety of twists you can do to enhance your muffin. For example: blueberry bran muffins, carrot bran muffins, or raspberry bran muffins. But today, I am posting a recipe for a delicious vegan option for all my vegan friends out there, or for anyone who wants a healthier option for their breakfast muffin--although, if you're already choosing to eat a bran muffin, kudos to you for already making a healthy choice!--Today's recipe is the twist I put on a basic vegan bran muffin recipe, giving birth to the amazingly delicious Vegan Ginger Carrot Bran Muffin.

Push aside the negative stigma that says bran muffins are only for the elderly and give this recipe a try. I think you'll be surprised just how delicious bran can be.

Vegan Ginger Carrot Bran Muffins

Ingredients:
6 teaspoons Egg replacer
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cup wheat bran
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup nondairy milk
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease your muffin tins.

In a food processor or using an electric hand mixer, whip the egg replacer and water together, until it's thick and creamy.

In a large bowl, combine the bran, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the egg replacer mixture, milk, and oil until smooth. Stir in the grated carrots and chopped candied ginger. Add to the combined dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Do not overmix.

Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Make until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.