Cookbook Review & Giveaway: Sweet & Easy Vegan

I've been a fan of Robin Asbell's recipes for many years. Her Whole Grains Cookbook is filled with unique and delicious recipes using all sorts of healthy grains. She is probably best known for her vegan and vegetarian cookbooks Big Vegan and New Vegetarian. 

So when Robin approached me about participating in her virtual potluck to promote latest cookbook Sweet & Easy Vegan, I happily agreed! Sweet & Easy Vegan is all about decadent dairy free desserts made with whole grains and natural sweeteners. I do not follow a vegan diet but show me a healthy dessert and I'm all over it! As I paged through the book I found so many recipes I want to make. Like the Pumpkin Date Bread Pudding. Or the Pear and Maple Upside Down Cake. Not to mention all the gooey cupcakes and mouthwatering pies and tarts! Bring it on!!

PB&J Crisp

For the "potluck" I decided to make the PB & J Crisp - a take on the traditional fruit crisp but with kid-friendly twist. I figured it would be a hit with my boys and I was right!

I started with some juicy organic grapes:

Then I made a jelly based sauce (I substituted organic blueberry jelly for the grape jelly in the recipe):

Next I mixed together a bit of crumbly peanut butter topping:

Finally it was time to bake and serve!

Because we are not vegan we served the crisp with some vanilla ice cream but if you do want to keep it vegan, I highly recommend So Delicious Almond Milk Frozen Desserts. They are delicious and dairy free!!

The Recipe

PB & J Crisp

by Robin Asbell from Sweet & Easy Vegan

Everybody loves a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, especially kids. This crisp is a fun and easy take on the familiar lunchbox combo, and it will probably get you more smiles than the sandwich. Now that organic grapes are available most of the year, you can make this crisp in the midwinter for a fresh fruit pick-me-up.

4 cups/600 g red seedless grapes, halved

1/2 cup/120 ml fruit-sweetened grape jelly

2 tsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

Topping

2 cups/200 g rolled oats

1/2 cup/65 g whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup/55 g roasted, unsalted peanuts, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup/100 g granular palm sugar, palm sugar paste (see Tip, page 000), or Sucanat

1/4 cup/60 ml coconut oil

1/4 cup/65 g crunchy peanut butter

1/4 cup/60 ml nondairy milk

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6.

Put the grapes in an ungreased 12-by-8-in/30.5-by-20-cm glass or ceramic baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the jelly, arrowroot starch, and orange juice and stir vigorously until thoroughly blended. Stir the mixture into the grapes.

To make the topping: In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, peanuts, and salt and stir until well mixed. In a medium bowl or a food processor, combine the sugar, oil, and peanut butter and mash or process until thoroughly combined. Stir in the nondairy milk. Pour into the oat mixture and stir until well combined. Crumble the mixture over the grapes, distributing it evenly.

Bake for 35 minutes, until the juices are bubbling and the topping is golden and crisp.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm. Stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, the crisp will keep for about 1 week. Serves 6.

Win a copy of Sweet & Easy Vegan

Enter to win your very own copy of Sweet & Easy Vegan by leaving a comment on my blog answering the following: Do you follow a vegan diet or eat vegan occasionally? Do you have a favorite vegan dessert?

(The giveaway will run through midnight Central time on Monday, October 29th. You must have a U.S. shipping address to win. Winner will be chosen via random number generator.)

Good Luck and be sure to check out the other stops on the Sweet & Easy Vegan virtual potluck for more free recipes and chances to win the book!

 

 

(Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book Sweet & Easy Vegan in exchange for my honest opinion. There are affiliate links in this post. Any purchase you make helps keep this blog in business - thank you! Recipe printed with permission from Chronicle Books.)

Comments

[Mary Horowitz]

We aren't vegan, but follow a vegan diet from time to time. At least 1-2 nights a week, we'll have a vegan meal. We are dairy-free--which means that meatless meals tend to be vegan at our house already :)

[Ginger]

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[Amanda KP]

I sometimes eat vegan, although it is becoming a bigger thought for me throughout the week. My favorite vegan dessert is coconut milk ice cream. I made some this summer with roasted rhubarb and it was delicious! Would love to win this book!

[Summer]

My husband and I follow a vegan diet (3 years and counting!) and our five year old is vegetarian. I've found that vegan desserts taste better because you can taste the actual ingredients instead of just sugar!

[Beth]

I'm a vegetarian recently turned vegan, and I love baking so it would be great to win a copy of Robin's new dessert cookbook! My favorite dessert is the vegan Cowvin cookie from Sticky Fingers bakery -- an oatmeal sandwich cookie with vanilla frosting. So good!! :)

[gail]

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[Serena Powell]

I am a vegetarian but I try to eat a vegan diet as much as possible. I absolutely love vegan chocolate chip cookies.

[Kelly Garbato]

My husband and I have been vegan since the mid-aughts.

Favorite dessert? Tofutti Drumsticks. SO GOOD!

[Jenna Z]

I'm vegetarian and I eat vegan maybe 80% of the time. I LOVE cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip are my favorite!

[Winter]

I follow a vegan diet, and have been for years. I'm starting to get into cooking and baking a lot - and am trying to find recipes that my herbivore boyfriend will love, to bring him over to play on our vegan team! (: haha
My favorite desert in general is brownies, but I found a recipe for Sweet Wine Sesame cookies and they are amazing. Insanely amazing.

[Christine]

I eat vegan occassionally!

[Lori Popkewitz Alper]

I fluctuate-sometimes vegan sometimes not! My family doesn't follow a vegan diet, but are subjected to it sometimes because of me. My favorite vegan desert-I think you just made it. The PB&J crisp looks amazing.

[Audrey]

Yes, I'm vegan!

[amandasue]

I'm vegetarian! But like making vegan stuff :)

[Alex]

I went vegan for a few months because I was having problems with my gall bladder. I still now make recipes with apple sauce and pumpkin. They just taste better. I don't have a vegan dessert cookbook and would love one.

[sharonus]

I've been vegetarian for many years. I dislike milk and am not a big fan of cheese, so I eat vegan a lot! I can't remember any specific vegan desserts I've made, but I've "pinned" a ton of them! :)

[Cee]

I go back and forth between vegan and vegetarian. When it comes to baking, however, I'm vegan :) My favorite dessert is probably a waffle with coconut milk ice cream on top!

[Giselle Loder]

I am trying to live a vegetarian lifestyle and hopefully eventually vegan. I find it difficult because my husband and kids aren't really ready and they don't like most of the veg dinners I cook. So I'm always on the lookout for yummy healthy vegetarian food.

[Dana]

my sister is-i will eat some vegan dishes and i'd like to try more

[moonsword]

Yep, I'm a vegan. My favorite dessert is blueberry pie with So Delicious Vanilla on top. Superyumful!

[Courtney]

I am a vegetarian and usually stick to a vegan diet. My favorite vegan dessert is apple clafouti from Vegan on the Cheap!

[Kimberly B.]

I'm not vegan, but I try to eat vegan several times a month. I don't have a favorite vegan dessert, but would love to find one that is tasty.

[Tara]

We sometimes follow a vegan diet. We are trying. We are currently vegetarian...making the transition soon. I don't have a favorite vegan dessert, but I would love to learn some!!!

[Good Girl Gone Green]

I want this book! Yes, I eat a vegan diet. My favorite recipe is vegan mac and cheese, where you use cashews! Yum Yum Yum!

[janie]

I follow a vegan diet and am raw 90% of the time. Favorite desert is a raw kiwi bar.