Blogiversary + Veganniversary + Birthday Cake Smoothie

This healthy Birthday Cake Smoothie is a great drink to treat yourself to anytime. Full of good fats and protein packed, skip the dessert and go for this cake-mimicking smoothie instead!

Produce On Parade - Cake Batter Smoothie - This healthy Birthday Cake Smoothie is a great drink to treat yourself to anytime. Full of good fats and protein packed, skip the dessert and go for this cake-mimicking smoothie instead!

Well, April 25th was Todd and my two year blogiversary and veganniversary. Another one come and gone and too much excitement already happening (housebuilding and cookbook) to evenly properly celebrate, can you imagine?! It's only been two years since we simultaneously decided to go completely vegan, and start a blog as an outlet to our new adventure but it sure feels like we've lived this way our whole lives.

Who would have known the adopting a vegan lifestyle would reduce Todd to the lowest dose of Methotrexate for this rheumatoid arthritis! Just by cutting out dairy, eggs, and meat?! He felt so much better, there was no turning back and then the blog just grew from there. It wasn't filled with the potential struggles of being vegan like I thought it would be. Nope, rather Produce On Parade became a celebration of this new way of life and the amazing food that goes with it. Add as time went on were reviews of wonderful vegan products, news and information regarding veganism and wellness, and of course a new Dutch word every post too. 

A lot has changed from two years ago. I never thought I'd be smack in the middle of building a home (yesterday was our second kitchen design appointment and today was bathrooms!) and writing a cookbook (over halfway done!). It's been a pretty crazy ride but I wouldn't change it for anything. Adopting a vegan lifestyle and starting Produce On Parade have been two of the most life-changing and exciting things in our lives. I can't wait to see what the next two years have in store! And for fun, here is look back to our one year blogiversary/veganniversary in which a salted caramel chocolate tart made a grand appearance. 

Thanks so much for supporting Produce On Parade in all we do over here. I love hearing from each and every one of you! You all always have the kindest things to say, especially in a world that's sometimes not so friendly. I wish you were all my neighbors so we could celebrate each new day with delicious, cruelty-free food and give each other advice on which vegan deodorant to use (you think I'm joking but I'm really not). I have the best readers and friends around. Thank you. 

Produce On Parade - Cake Batter Smoothie - This healthy Birthday Cake Smoothie is a great drink to treat yourself to anytime. Full of good fats and protein packed, skip the dessert and go for this cake-mimicking smoothie instead!

And now onto some serious stuff. Protein! Protein powder that is. I don't really use the stuff a whole lot, but Todd does and he approves of the new line from Sunwarrior...Classic Plus! Check out it's awesome stats:

  • Organic & vegan (hooray!)

  • Raw & plant-based

  • Made with amaranth, quinoa, chia seeds, yellow peas, and brown rice

  • Gluten-free

  • Sweetened with stevia

  • 18 grams of protein per serving

  • Chocolate, Vanilla, and Natural

Totally full of good stuff right? I thought it would be the perfect addition to this Cake Batter Smoothie. Want to try it out yourself? Sunwarrior is hosting a giveaway! Click the link to enter to win a protein powder starter pack!

Produce On Parade - Cake Batter Smoothie - This healthy Birthday Cake Smoothie is a great drink to treat yourself to anytime. Full of good fats and protein packed, skip the dessert and go for this cake-mimicking smoothie instead!

Birthday Cake Smoothie


Birthday Cake Smoothie
By

This healthy Birthday Cake Smoothie is a great drink to treat yourself to anytime. Full of good fats and protein packed, skip the dessert and go for this cake-mimicking smoothie instead!

Ingredients
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1 scoop (25 g) Sunwarrior Classic Plus Vanilla Protein Powder
  • ½ medium frozen banana, sliced
  • 1 small avocado, pitted
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp butter extract
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  • dash of kosher salt
  • dash of birthday sprinkles, optional
Ingredients
  1. Place everything excluding the sprinkles in the blender and blend on high for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.
  2. Top with sprinkles and serve chilled.

  3. Prep time:
    Cook time:
    Total time:
    Yield: 1 smoothie

More Great Smoothie Recipes

Produce On Parade - Cake Batter Smoothie - This healthy Birthday Cake Smoothie is a great drink to treat yourself to anytime. Full of good fats and protein packed, skip the dessert and go for this cake-mimicking smoothie instead!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart - Birthday Fun

So...it's been a little while. Sorry 'bout that. I was on the East Coast for two weeks! My sister-in-law ran the Boston Marathon and Todd and I went down to surprise her! If you don't follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram you may have been wondering what I could be possibly doing that would warrant abandoning you for two weeks. While I may not have managed to whip out a full-blown blog post, I did do a lot of posting to social media. If you don't follow Produce On Parade on social media already, you definitely should! I think of myself as highly entertaining...maybe.

Anyways, we left on my birthday! Also, the 25th was Todd and my veganniversary and Produce On Parade's one year blogiversary! That's a lot to celebrate and I can't think of a more amazing way, gastronomically speaking, than with this Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart! I've missed you all so much and I'm so excited to be back.

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartHere's my gift to you, a creamy coconut caramel poured into a rich, chocolate crust all topped with a luxurious dark chocolate ganache and sprinkled with flake salt. A decadent dessert sure to impress anyone, vegan or not! 

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartSalted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Makes 1 9" Tart

  • Crust:
  • 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 10 Tbsp. vegan butter, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 heaping cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • Caramel:
  • 1 1/2 cups vegan sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
  • 5 Tbsp. water
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. coconut extract
  • 1/4 tsp. rum extract
  • 6 Tbsp. vegan butter, chopped
  • 1/2 cup canned full-fat coconut milk (give the can a good shake first)
  • Ganache:
  • 3/4 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
  • 8 oz. semi-sweet vegan baking chocolate, chopped
  • flake salt (to garnish)

Crust:

In a food processor, using the dough hook attachment, combine all the dough ingredients. Process, pulsing and scraping down the sides occasionally until well combined and collects on one side of the bowl. 

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartProduce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Press evenly into a 9" tart pan, ensuring to bring the dough all the way to the top edge of the pan. Poke with a fork several times and place in the refrigerator to cool for one hour. 

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Meanwhile, place all the caramel ingredients except for the butter and coconut milk in a small bowl. No need to combine. Set aside until ready to use. 

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

When the tart has 10 minutes left for chilling, preheat the oven to 350 F. Remove from fridge and place pie weights or a sheet of aluminum covered with a thick layer of dried beans on top of the crust to keep it from ballooning while baking. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, and chill until ready to use. 

Caramel: 

Now, in a heavy bottomed soup pot add the bowl of caramel ingredients and bring to heat over medium. Continuously stir until combined, then allow to cook until it's reached 350 F and do not stir. It should boil, without stirring, until it's reached a dark amber color.

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Remove from heat, and stir in the coconut milk and butter until smooth.

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Pour into the chilled tart crust and place in the fridge.

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Ganache: 

In a pyrex measuring cup or microwave safe bowl, heat the coconut milk for 1-2 minutes until very hot. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartPour the ganache over the caramel (careful it doesn't overflow!) and place on a level surface in the fridge to chill, at least 1-3 hours depending on if it was pre-chilled or not.

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Remove once chilled and finish with a sprinkling of flake salt. Slice and serve chilled. Store in the fridge as the tart will become oozy if let out of the fridge for too long, but will stay very firm if chilled.

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartProduce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Freeze any leftovers for extended consumption and just place in the fridge to thaw before consuming. 

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart One human birthday, one blog birthday and two veganniversaries?! Let the celebrating begin! 

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartOh...and Easter happened too!

Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartWe found a beer in our basket! Produce On Parade - Salted Caramel Chocolate TartSo here's to being back!

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German Word of The Day: Birthday --> Geburtstag (pronounced: geh-boort-stag)

Good Deed of The Day: Sign this petition to stop gas chamber deaths for dogs and cats in the United States.

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