In case the demands of creating and handing out immense batches of peanut brittle are beginning to cause more stress than joy, fear not, there are alternatives to ensure your loved ones have a sweet holiday nonetheless. Although there truly are tons of unique, artisanal vegan candies to choose from, each easily ordered online and delivered to your door, there is one in particular that I’d like to suggest. One company, which has such outstanding customer service that when emailed, always responds within a day, and has always delivered my orders just two days after I place them, at the latest. One company, which I fear may secretly own my soul, and has the most addictively delicious product that I ordered 5 pounds of it to “bake with,” and have instead taken the opportunity to eat an embarrassing amount so far. You may have seen this coming a million miles away by now, but this company is Sweet and Sara.

Their everyday offerings are worthy of a special occasion, or just a simple indulgence. Recently having added Strawberry and Cinnamon Pecan marshmallows to their classic lineup of Vanilla and Toasted Coconut, these are mallows that would please the most discerning palate. A fresh but subtle strawberry flavor accompanies the pale pink mallow of its namesake, amazingly not the least bit artificial tasting, as such a candy could easily become. The cinnamon pecan option may be my new favor though- Topped off with large pieces of fresh, toasty pecans coated in sugar and spice, with just the perfect hit of salt, that textural contrast really perks up the whole piece and allows the flavors to pop. Redolent with warm cinnamon flavor throughout, these are always the first to go when I order a combo pack.

But don’t forget about those infamous s’mores! Available in both Vanilla and Peanut Butter, each towering treat is perched upon a thick, crumbly graham cookie and smothered with a thin shell of intense dark chocolate. Though both flavors present a pure white marshmallow inside, the peanut butter is not shy when it comes to announcing its flavor. So sweet, rich, and delicious, I would highly recommend cutting each s’more in half before you even take a bite, lest you be tempted to eat the whole hulking dessert in one sitting.

In case that mere covering of chocolate wasn’t enough for you, then I have just the thing to satisfy your inner chocoholic- The Rocky Road Bark. Thick slabs of mallows and almonds encased in a heavy armor of robust, slightly bitter chocolate, this isn’t for your fair weather chocolate friends. Impeccably fresh, the toasted almonds still manage to let their presence be known through that blanket of cacao, and lend a much needed crunch to this creamy, melting concoction.

Even better, for those of you missing Christmas-shaped peeps and in need of a bit more holiday spirit than the average square can provide, Sweet and Sara is now offering snowman, angel, and reindeer mallows for a limited time. Every bit as incredible as their sweet Halloween ghosts, these adorable confections would make a perfect stocking stuffer for the sweet-toothed vegan in your life… Or a little gift you could give to yourself, too. These large mallows just have so much Christmas cheer, I dare you to look at them and not smile. As you can see, my reindeer was so excited to celebrate the holiday season, he couldn’t wait until I finished the photo shoot before he took a dip in my hot cocoa!

If all that doesn’t convince you to order some mallows, right this very minute, may I remind you that Sweet and Sara is now offering a 15% discount for the holiday season if you order directly through them? Consider those last tricky gifts taken care of.

Like many vegetarians and vegans, tofu and I have a very close relationship, one that’s been going strong for as long as I can remember. Even when I subsisted on a diet of ramen and hot dogs as a child, I would eat big platefuls of Sichuan tofu at Chinese restaurants with gusto, unaware that my choice was actually relatively healthy. A stir-fry staple and base for countless desserts, there is always at least one brick of soybean curd around the house, if not closer to ten or eleven.

Thanks to increasing mainstream acceptance  of tofu as an actual edible food substance, there’s a plethora of recipes using it now, and it would seem as every possible avenue has been explored, tofu baked, fried, and sauteed; stuffed, encrusted, and marinated; pureed, mashed, and otherwise annihilated into particles so tiny that not even the most discerning toddler’s palate could pick them out. But there is still one sticking point that prevents all approaches to this beany delight from being successful- All that water stored up in each brick tends to come out at all the wrong times, preventing that perfect sear on the sides, or blocking a marinade from the center of even the smallest cubes. One could easily press tofu between paper towels and two plates, as my family has for generations (or at least, that’s how my mom always taught me,) but for those who love gadgets and added convenience, I have found just the thing: The TofuXpress.

Before anyone gets up in arms over what a miserable uni-tasker this compact tool is, just you look here- It’s great for more than just tofu. Think pressed salads, drained frozen spinach, and anything else that needs a bit of weight to set up properly. Of course, designed primarily for the purpose of squishing the water out of tofu, this is what it absolutely excels at. After just an hour in the press, my brick of extra-firm tofu was nearly half the size as when it came out of the package. Giving it another hour just to see the effects, it reduced even further to about a third of its original height.

Side by side comparison of an unpressed block of tofu (left) and one that’s been in the TofuXpress for 2+ hours (right.)

Now that’s much flatter than I could ever dream of getting one of these things with just two plates. Compacted, the texture is unlike any other tofu readily available, dense, chewy, and nearly creamy in the center. Perfect for imitating feta, it just needs a quick marinade- which can neatly be poured right into the TofuXpress and then sealed with the included lid- and you have a truly unique salad topper. This is one fun kitchen accessory that I know will get endless use around here. And pssst, it may be the perfect holiday gift to get for the vegan cook that has everything, in case you were at a loss for ideas.

So, do tell, what pressed tofu dish are you dreaming of?

[Written for Go Dairy Free]

Ever since brewing up my very first cup of mud so many years ago as a wee preteen, using my little pink Hello Kitty coffee maker and all, I’ve been a strictly black coffee kind of gal. No sugar, no cream, thank you very much. Simply a means of getting a quick caffeine pick me up, it’s always been a no-frills affair. However, you’ll rarely be able to poke around in my fridge without finding at least one pint of creamer chilling out. An incredibly useful ingredient, it often finds its way into baked goods and desserts of all varieties, adding richness and sweetness like no other vegan alternative. Up until recently though, that creamer was always soy-based, as there were simply no other options out there.

You’ve probably already guessed it, but this looks like another job for coconut! Matching the standard trio of flavored soy creamers, Turtle Mountain has now leveled the field with another reason for soy-avoiding vegans to be delighted.

Trying for get a basic understanding of the product to begin with, I naturally chose the Original (plain) variety to sample first. Surprisingly less sweet than expected, and very neutral in flavor, it would make for a completely inoffensive addition to coffee indeed. Agreeable enough to pair well with any flavored coffee, it would also happily blend into the background of any baked good, just as you might hope for from standard dairy cream. In fact, I’m willing to bet that dairy-drinkers would welcome this creamer in their cup of joe, too. Despite its subtlety, there’s not a hint of coconut flavor- A truly impressive feat in my book.

Stepping it up a notch with the French Vanilla, it’s immediately apparent that this one is sweeter. In fact, it was sweet enough that when sampled with coffee, it would be overkill to add in any sugar along with it. Perfectly suited for making fancy lattes if one so desired, its light, floral vanilla essence adds volumes of flavor. Easily my top pick of the group, this one convinced me that there may be merit in coffees lightened with creamer yet.

Now fighting a mean coffee buzz, it seemed time to put away the brew and pull out the ice cream machine instead. By far my favorite use for creamer, it was only a matter of minutes before the Hazelnut coconut creamer was whipped into an ice cream base with a touch of vanilla bean paste, and then was churning away. Anxious to have a taste right away, I served it straight out of the machine like soft serve, and oh, what a treat it was. Ultra smooth and creamy, it was unbelievable that such a simple concoction could be so good. Though it has the vague aroma of almond extract, it is easily distinguishable on the tongue, with more complex nuances than almond. Happily, it’s not the least bit bitter, as some hazelnut-infused foods can be.

Score yet another one for the mighty coconut! I for one can’t even imagine what it may turn up in next.

[Written for Go Dairy Free]