What a hectic few days! I've gone all out for my final group project of undergrad and somehow found a way to combine education and bake sales in a sustainable eating initiative I've aptly named "Educake". We have a website and a logo we've "fake copyrighted" (trademark fees be steep, yo!), so I guess you can say things are getting pretty legit. Well, maybe with exception to the fact that we weren't able to get permission to legally host a bake sale on campus in time... But we've been walking around campus doing sketchy one-on-one interactions like a bunch of environmentally-conscious drug peddlers. Check out our website for more information.

Anyway, I thought I'd knock two birds with one stone by learning how to make vegan brownies and macaroons this week. I also had some ingredients leftover to make a raw vegan chocolate pudding... It's safe to say the kitchen has smelled like a chocolatier for the past twenty four hours.

I've never made brownies before, and was very confused by the idea of vegan butter and flax eggs (ground up flax seeds + water instead of regular chicken eggs). But this wonderful little treat turned out very decadent and delicious! I wish I had footage of the Caribbean Students Association's reaction when they found out it was vegan.

I didn't really get a chance to try the mocha macaroons but a student that tried it said, "You made this? Girl, you should win a Nobel prize!" so I'm thinking it was pretty good.

The avocado chocolate pudding (single serving) was not an Educake feature unfortunately, but it was perfect! Taste-wise anyway. I couldn't get the dates to blend completely. Trust me, I tried for twenty minutes before the blender started smoking and I figured it was probably time to stop. Texture aside, it tasted wonderful!

I've attached every recipe below. Enjoy!

2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax seeds, ground in a blender + 6 tbsp water)

1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter

3/4 cup cane sugar (or regular granulated sugar)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup dutch-pressed, organic cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Crushed walnuts or chocolate chips (optional add-ins)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the mixture solidifies enough to scoop out.

Scoop using a melon baller or measuring spoons into round balls, and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to allow the macaroons to cool.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double-boiler and dip the macaroons (or if they keep falling apart, place a dollop of chocolate on the bottom of the macaroons) and place on a plate lined with wax paper. Use any excess chocolate to drizzle on top of the macaroons.

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Avocado Chocolate Pudding (From The Rawtarian; makes 1 serving)

1 medium avocado

1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup

2 1/2 tbsp dutch-pressed organic cocoa powder

1/2 cup dates

1/3 cup water

1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions
Blend ingredients on high to a pudding-like consistency (or in my case, until your blender starts smoking). You may need to add more water as the dates are hard to blend.