Elegant no-bake desserts to serve at weddings or anniversaries

 

Weddings and anniversaries call for desserts that are as memorable as the occasion itself. If you’re looking for elegant, no-bake options that are easy to prepare and sure to impress, you’re in the right place. From sophisticated chocolate tortes to playful frozen dessert sandwiches, these recipes offer a refined finish to any celebration—without ever turning on the oven. Whether you’re hosting a grand event or an intimate gathering, these ideas will help you create a dessert table that delights every guest. And for those seeking plant-based options, it’s never been easier to change for vegan frozen desserts that everyone can enjoy.

1. No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Torte

A chocolate torte is a timeless choice for special occasions, and this no-bake version brings elegance with minimal effort. The rich chocolate ganache sits atop a biscuit base, offering a beautiful slice for each guest.

Ingredients:

• Vegan biscuits or cookies for the base

• Plant-based spread

• Dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped

• Plant-based cream (such as soya or coconut)

• Vanilla or orange extract (optional)

• Fresh berries or compote for serving

Instructions:

1. Crush the biscuits and mix with melted plant-based spread. Press into a springform pan to form the base.

2. Heat the plant-based cream and pour over the chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth, then add extract if using.

3. Pour the ganache over the base and refrigerate until set.

4. Decorate with fresh berries or a berry compote for a sophisticated finish.

This dessert is easy to slice and serve, making it ideal for large gatherings1.

2. Vegan Frozen Dessert Sandwiches

Frozen dessert sandwiches are playful, customizable, and perfect for warm-weather celebrations. They can be made ahead, stacked on a platter, and served as a cool finale to your event.

Ideas for assembly:

• Use soft vegan cookies (oatmeal, chocolate, almond) as the base.

• Layer with your favourite vegan frozen dessert; think coconut, vanilla, or mint flavour.

• For a tropical twist, try coconut frozen dessert between oatmeal cookies.

• For a fruity version, choose vanilla vegan frozen dessert with pieces of strawberry or mango, sandwiched between almond cookies.

Finishing touches:

• Roll the edges in chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or freeze-dried fruit for extra colour and texture.

• Drizzle lightly with chocolate syrup or sprinkle with crushed mint candies for a fresh look.

Arrange the sandwiches on a chilled platter for a visually stunning and refreshing dessert.

3. Mini Vegan Cheesecake Cups

Mini cheesecake cups are perfect for individual servings and can be beautifully displayed at any celebration.

Ingredients:

• Vegan cookie crumbs

• Plant-based spread

• Plant-based cream cheese alternative

• Lemon juice

• Maple syrup or agave

• Vanilla extract

• Fresh fruit for topping

Instructions:

1. Combine cookie crumbs with melted spread and press into the bottoms of small jars or glasses.

2. Whip plant-based cream cheese alternative with lemon juice, sweetener, and vanilla until smooth.

3. Spoon the mixture over the base and chill until set.

4. Top with fresh fruit or a fruit compote before serving.

These mini desserts are easy to serve and look elegant on any dessert table.

4. Vegan Frozen Dessert Parfaits

Parfaits are a classic, elegant choice for weddings and anniversaries, and they’re simple to assemble in advance.

Layering ideas:

• Alternate scoops of vegan frozen dessert with layers of fruit compote or fresh berries.

• Add a layer of granola or crushed vegan cookies for crunch.

• Top with a few edible flowers or a sprinkle of citrus zest for a refined touch.

Serve parfaits in clear glasses to showcase the beautiful layers and vibrant colours.

5. Chocolate and Mint Vegan Frozen Dessert Cups

For a refreshing finish, chocolate and mint are a timeless pairing. Simply layer chocolate cookies with mint-flavoured vegan frozen dessert in small cups, then top with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a sprig of fresh mint.

Why Change for Vegan Frozen Desserts at Your Event?

Choosing vegan frozen desserts for your celebration is a thoughtful way to offer inclusive options that suit a variety of preferences. These desserts are just as elegant and delicious as traditional choices, with the added benefit of being plant-based and dairy-free. With so many creative possibilities, it’s easy to delight every guest and ensure your dessert table is both beautiful and memorable.

Ginger Candied Spoon Fruit

Ginger Candied Spoon Fruit is a spicy and sweet combination of Asian pears and apples macerated in sugar and two forms of ginger. A spoonful on waffles or stirred into oatmeal is a delicious way to start the day, or top ice cream for a zingy dessert!

I love ginger, and I'm not alone. In fact, a good 2/3 of my holiday baking this year features the spice, and when I go out for sushi with my mom we fight over the slices of pickled gari that come on the plate. I'm also a huge sucker for Asian pears, and in the winter when they are in their prime I hit up the Asian grocery by my work and stock up - sometimes too much! This recipe proved to be the answer to that problem and my lust for ginger everything - especially with the digestive issues that also seem to pop up in this time of excess and sedentary living!

These macerated apples and pears get cooked in a super gingery syrup that infuses every bit of the fruit, making them almost bits of candy in the jar. While making it is a process, it is 3/4 hands-off and the reward is so worth it! I'm telling you, I made 2 jars to "test it out" on Saturday and one is already gone, lost to ice cream desserts and oatmeal breakfasts. I don't know how true it is about ginger keeping colds at bay, but I can tell you it's tasty medicine if that's the case!

Caramelized Spiced Apples

Caramelized Apples are a warming treat any time of day and combine the rich flavours of butter, cinnamon and raw sugar. The trick is to bloom the cinnamon in salted butter before adding the sugar and fruit - way more developed notes in the spice and the apple chunks get fully coated.

While there may be snow on the ground and sub-zero temperatures outside, it is still officially Fall, and that means that for now our local orchards are still selling the last of this years crop at decent prices. I was actually inspired to make these after making apple squares with my Home Ec classes - the kids were stealing the spiced apples out of the bowl (not that I blame them) and were asking if we could make "just the apples". I haven't had sauteed apples in a dog's age, so they immediately found themselves on my to-do list!

Of course, I brought my somewhat more updated knowledge of cooking to the proverbial table when making them this time, as opposed to my child years where "baked apples" and the like were done in the microwave without butter at all. This time, I played on what I learned about blooming spices in curry and cooked the cinnamon in the butter first, allowing it to infuse before getting the caramel and finally apples going. Secondly, I took my time with the cooking, allowing the apples to cook through but keep their shape and the syrup to reduce to a caramel sauce consistency. The possibilities for these were endless - mom snagged a scoop to put on her oatmeal this morning while I packed some into turnovers and an apple crumble too. They keep for a decent time in the fridge but I wouldn't recommend freezing them unless your aim is applesauce - which given the ingredients going on wouldn't be a bad thing at all!

Chai Asian Pears

Asian Pears in Chai Syrup. Perfect for parfaits, porridge or spooning over ice cream for a spicy, warming treat.

I'm going to let you in on a secret - I hate Chai tea. I know, in the day of suave millennials enjoying spicy black tea in various forms, I just can't stand it! However, I am in the minority, and with a gaggle of coworkers who regularly drink Chai in the winter months I knew I had to make something for their Christmas baskets that they would appreciate.

Last year when I made these the first time, I had come into a glut of almost-overripe Asian pears thanks to a super-sale at the local Asian market. I had made carrot cake with some of them (using shredded pear in place of the pineapple) but was interested in seeing if they could be preserved too. I came across a recipe that looked promising by Jo Ebisujima and figured I'd give it a shot, swapping out the water for a strong mug of Chai. It worked, sort of - the flavour was good (the pears did something to mellow the Chai-ness) but the pears don't break down like "normal" pears and thus didn't create a jammy consistency. However, the syrup and infused, tender fruit was too good to pass up, so a quick re-branding later and I had four jars of a perfect fruit topping. My coworkers told me that it was fantastic on everything from ice cream to oatmeal, and one of them even ate it with a spoon straight up!

If you're looking for a unique preserve to add to your pantry, give these syrupy Asian pears a try. Versatile and darn delicious, it's hard to go wrong!

Apple Crisp for One

Apple Crisp for One is buttery, sweet and full of apple-y goodness, all while being gluten free!

 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to everyone! While today I am deliberately doing no cooking (the kitchen has been usurped in favour of turkey / stuffing / potatoes, etc), I did have a chance to whip up a few little Thanksgiving-y desserts. The first round of baking featured mini-versions of my "famous" apple butter pumpkin pie - one for yesterday's feast with Dad, the other for my boyfriend's mom. Now, I'm really not a fan of pumpkin pie at all (yeah yeah, I know), my mom's apple pie has always been the perfect ending to fall dinners. She doesn't add sugar, uses a simple, shortening-based crust, and packs each pie with as many apples as she can fit. 

That said, while tonight will feature mom's signature pie, not everyone is a fan of the dessert. The boyfriend (A) is one person who doesn't enjoy pie crust, and loves his fillings sticky-sweet. So, instead of leaving him dessert-less this holiday, yesterday I whipped up an apple crisp perfect for one, fitting neatly into a little stoneware ramekin. While the methodology of crisp-making remained the same, I added a few little flairs of my own. First, since A is lactose intolerant, I used a fantastic lactose free butter I found - it tasted like European style cultured butter but wasn't labeled as such. The second thing I did was to change up the filling a bit. Instead of your standard sugar-flour combination, I used honey, cornstarch, a pinch of nutmeg and a dash of vanilla. Finally, I bumped up the protein in the "crisp" portion by swapping out the all-purpose flour for red lentil flour that I had ground in my Mockmill - it adds no taste, but adds a lovely colour and extra nutrition.

At any rate, this apple crisp is a satisfying, early-fall comfort food that not only is perfect for Thanksgiving dessert but even a decadent breakfast! What is your favourite fall dessert? Comment below!

Asian Pear and Cranberry Crisp

Asian Pear and Cranberry Crisp is so easy thanks to a topping of pre-made granola. Its a comforting dessert or (mostly) healthy breakfast!  

When Spring rolled around on the calendar this year, I was more than ready to start breaking out the fresh, bright flavours of the season and re-energize my cooking. However, Mother Nature made other plans and gave my sister and I the birthday gifts of ice storms and blinding cold. The awful weather outside, coupled with the end of my university term complete with papers galore and exam week, meant only one thing could possibly be on rotation: comfort food.

When I think of comfort food, I automatically revert back to the autumns of my childhood where, after an afternoon of apple picking, mom (and sometimes us kids) would bake scads of pies, squares and crisps which were eagerly devoured once they feel just below burn-your-mouth temperature. To this day, the combination of warm, juicy fruit and toasty grains makes me feel like curling up in a big cozy quilt with a book or a good Disney classic movie.

This crisp was beyond easy to make from the fruit I had on hand, and was the perfect blend of sweet, tart, nutty and grainy. I love the sweet, crisp, juicy bite of Asian pears (especially the brown "Korean" pears) and always stock up when they look their best at the store. However, some weeks my eyes are bigger than my stomach, and they sit in the fridge becoming just a little too ripe for me to enjoy out of hand (I'm picky!). However, they have lots of life left, and rather than turn them into sauce or leather (two of my other favourite "use ups") I peeled and chopped up the stragglers, tossed them with fresh cranberries, a bit of sugar and some spice before finally topping the works with a bag of pre-made granola. Granola - whether homemade or store-bought, is by far my favourite "cheat" ingredient for crisps - you don't need added butter or sugar, most already have a good mix of grains and other crunchy "bits" for texture, and it's sturdy enough that it won't sog out or burn up in the baking process. Now, I will never knock my mom's crumb mixture for her apple squares - that stuff is legend - but for a weeknight dessert? This hits the spot.

Chocolate Scotch Eggs

These Scotch eggs are gluten free, nut free and super chocolatey! Who says Easter is over? No Creme Eggs? The brownies are divine on their own!

Ever since one of my co-workers made "real" Scotch eggs for a lesson on the layers of the earth (practical geology!), I've been fascinated with the sweet version. The combination of Creme Eggs and brownies has always been more palatable to me than the traditional deep fried hard boiled egg / sausage concoction - I am not a fan of eggs in general, and hard boiled eggs and I have never gotten along well. Creme Eggs, though, were my kryptonite every Easter as a kid - I would find exactly 3 "regular size" eggs hidden amongst all the other "standard" milk chocolate eggs and knew I had to make them last. This was an issue because back then, Creme Eggs really were only around until Easter, when they disappeared for another 11 months. It was definitely a bittersweet experience, especially since Easter usually coincided with either my sister's, my dad's or my birthday, meaning that we got less candy from the Easter bunny because "he knew we'd get lots of chocolate from home".

Eventually, not only was the Creme Egg "season" extended beyond a month, but Cadbury started coming out with miniature versions of their super-sweet classic. The great thing with the mini eggs was that you didn't get a massive sugar rush after having one or two, but they still killed that craving. Even better was their texture when frozen - the fondant melted slowly and completely rather than getting caught in the back of your throat, and it took longer to eat them so they lasted longer. When I found a bag of the British version (sorry, they're better) in with the "last chance before Easter" bin at the store, I snapped them up with the sole purpose of turning them into Scotch eggs. 

Some of the recipes I had found online called for full-size Creme Eggs to be covered in the brownie "cake pop" dough, but that just seemed extremely excessive - I, a bona-fide Creme Egg (and brownie) lover, would never be able to finish one, so I was not about to expect others to! The mini eggs, once covered in the brownies and graham crumbs, fit perfectly in an egg carton and were a perfect dessert size. As I was making them for a gluten free friend of mine, I was thrilled to find that the UK Mini Creme Eggs are GF (sorry, domestic CE, you need to step up your game). I whipped up a batch of basic, cocoa-based GF brownies and got to work. They looked fairly close to "real" Scotch eggs (smelled a lot better though) and the brownies that didn't become coating were enjoyed by two of my other pals. Even though Easter was over, and it was my birthday party, I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate!

Do you bake or cook for others on your birthday?

Nanaimo Bar Frozen Yoghurt

This dessert is a vanilla base (with custard powder) peppered with graham cracker crumbs, coconut and chocolate sprinkles. You'll never guess the secret ingredient!

Since I bombarded you with heat on Tuesday, why not enjoy a cooling, refreshing dessert to tame the fire?

I actually made this flavour of frozen treat for my grade 7s and 8s on request. While Nanaimo bars might be one of the most quintessentially Canadian desserts out there, there were two students who had never had one - and the class decided that we had to remedy that situation! Since the younger set was able to enjoy their Confetti Cake Frozen Yoghurt in class and neither time nor equipment was really on our side to make the real deal (or a nut-free version, anyway), I decided that the best, and "Summeriest", thing to do would be to make a frozen yoghurt packed with all the flavours you'd find in a bar.

For those of you unfamiliar with the delicious dessert, Nanaimo bars are basically a three-layered dessert. On the bottom, you'll find a mixture of graham crackers, sugar, cocoa, coconut, (usually) walnuts or almonds and butter that bakes into a firm, textured and sweet crust. That's where the oven requirement ends, though. The second layer is a sweet vanilla custard (traditionally made with the very British Bird's Custard Powder), which chills while a bittersweet chocolate ganache is made and eventually poured into a glorious sheet of deliciousness on top. Then you have to wait again for everything to set up - ideally overnight. See why it would be a little bit of an issue in my 45-minute class period?

However, sticking the basic elements into a frozen yoghurt couldn't have been easier. I used the same tofu-yoghurt-cream base as the Confetti Cake frozen yoghurt, adding extra custard powder, corn syrup and sugar to make up for the lack of cake mix. As it churned, in went the "crust" ingredients - graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut and (in place of ganache) bittersweet chocolate sprinkles that I had found in a little European deli by my house. The mixture passed the "taste test" by my mom (a bona fide Nanaimo bar lover) and I packed it up for school.

I have never - and I mean never - seen anything in Home Ec disappear that fast. After seconds, thirds and fourths (!), some kids took home the scant leftovers to much acclaim by their parents. It's a good thing we did this at the end of the school year, since I have a feeling I might have been asked to make it a few more times by both young and old!

Confetti Cake Frozen Yoghurt

A hybrid ice cream and frozen yoghurt, made for my junior Home Economics class. How can you say no to cake batter and sprinkles?

Well, now that we're in the middle of July - and arguably one of the most humid, rainiest, non-beach-worthy ones I can remember - it's finally warm enough to want to enjoy an ice cream cone (or cup). Now, if you ask me, if there isn't chocolate in some form, it's not worth it - my all time favourite is a chocolate yoghurt filled with chunks of brownie and a fudge ribbon - but when I was writing this recipe for my Home Economics class I knew it was best to stick to vanilla-based treats.

However, what kid (or adult, for that matter) doesn't like licking cake batter off the spatula now and then? That was my inspiration for this Fro-Yo / ice cream hybrid. To get the "cake" flavour I used plain ol' French vanilla cake mix, and for a confetti cake feel I tossed in a bunch of sprinkles. The creamy richness came from three sources - full fat yoghurt, a dash of heavy cream, and the secret weapon - silken tofu. The tofu acts as a bulker, as well as lending an unending creaminess and hit of protein too. Basically, think of it as similar to the eggs in a traditional ice cream, especially when it's combined with the custard powder.

Since I was making this for kids, I didn't add a shot of vodka, which would have kept things slightly softer for scooping after freezing. I did add a touch of corn syrup, which helped (you could use honey too), but I recommend letting it sit out about 10 minutes or so before trying to get a clean scoop out of it.

What's your favourite flavour?

Nocciolata e Fiordifrutta Bread Pudding @RigoniAsiagoUSA & @NocciolataUSA

No bread should go wasted - this bread pudding is filled with the rich flavours of chocolate hazelnut spread and orange marmalade, heightened with the use of a blended-nut mylk and a sprinkle of chocolate chips! 

As much as we love our bread here, there are occasions when simply no more of it will fit our freezers, fridges and bread bins. During the Winter, we really only have this issue around Thanksgiving and Christmas, when dinner rolls, stale half-loaves from stuffing, Challah and brioche abound. However, once the weather warms up and the BBQ emerges from it's cover our house is filled with hamburger and sausage buns, stale slices drying out for breadcrumbs, and soft slabs waiting for al fresco sandwich lunches.

Whenever we host a BBQ - which seems to be at least three times a month - Mom goes and buys one of the biggest bags of Kaisers and panini buns I've seen. Of course, we only tend to have three or so guests at a time, which means we then need to find places to stash the 5 or 6 mini-loaf sized buns. Sometimes we can make them fit in our (poorly designed, IMHO) upright freezer, but when we can't, they sit neglected on the counter, slowly curing into rock hard "torpedoes". Since I can't stand to waste food when it can be avoided, I grate a lot of the hard bread into breadcrumbs or toast up croutons. Occasionally though, I need to make something sweet and comforting - and bread pudding fits the bill.

Now I have to admit I was definitely selfish in making this bread pudding recipe - a while back the kind folks at Rigoni di Asiago sent me a few jars of their spreads to try out, and since bread is a perfectly neutral base I figured it would be a perfect foil to allow the flavours to shine. The first jar I cracked was a lovely Seville orange marmalade - I'm not an orange "stuff" lover in general (I prefer the fruit au natural) but this was very fresh tasting and not "gummy" like some marmalades can be. The sub-label for Rigoni di Asiago's fruit spreads, called Fiordifrutta, is sweetened only with apple juice (no white sugar) and set with natural fruit pectin. With no added flavours, aromas or colours, the company processes the spreads at room temperature to preserve the naturally occurring tastes and fragrances of the freshly-picked fruit.

The other jar I knew would be a family favourite. Nocciolata is a chocolate hazelnut spread just like the ubiquitous Nutella, but with no chemicals, no artificial flavors, no GMOs and absolutely zero palm oil. Instead, it contains

cane sugar*, hazelnut paste*, sunflower oil*, skim milk powder*, cocoa powder*, cocoa butter*, sunflower lecithin, vanilla extract* (* = organically farmed)

The flavour, according to the Nutella aficionado in the house, is slightly less sweet and nuttier than the "other" guys, and the chocolate is an accenting flavour rather than the dominant one. In other words, this is a HAZELNUT spread with chocolate, not the other way around. This will likely appeal more to the adults in the room, especially if the children have sweet teeth, but it is still delicious in its own right.

Together, the two spreads along with eggs, a multi-nut "mylk" and flaxseed made a perfectly silky custard that soaked into the stale buns and infused each bite with flavour. A sprinkle of chocolate chips on top crowned the achievement and begged to be cut into. By the end of the day not a speck was left, and even the "dessert phobes" at work were sold.

Basic Bread Pudding (and Variations) #SundaySupper

Do you celebrate Pancake Day at home? Also called Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, this Tuesday is traditionally all about eating rich, non-Lenten foods before Ash Wednesday kicks off Lent. Here, it's an excuse to have breakfast for dinner and dessert for brunch - take a look at the Sunday Supper site for more ideas on how to celebrate too. 

While pancakes, French toast and beignets are ridiculously delicious and 100% worthy of a Mardi Gras menu, when cooking for a crowd they usually result in the cook getting less-than-perfect eating at the end (nobody likes cold doughnuts!). My solution is simple, just as decadent and even more foolproof: bread pudding! By piling assorted bread objects into a dish and soaking them with a sweet egg and milk custard, the quintessential comfort (and flavour base) of French toast is embodied in it's casserole form. What makes bread pudding even better to me is it's openness to adaptation - change up the breads, add cocoa or peanut butter, stir in nuts, fruit, cheese or chocolate... anything goes! I've even made savoury bread pudding with pepperjack cheese, spinach and sundried tomatoes.

For example, this Double Coconut and Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding variation on the classic recipe was designed by three of my Grade 8 students in an "Iron Chef" style competition in Home Ec. It's made with leftover choux puffs, custard powder and EXTRA vanilla!

The recipe I'm giving you today is the bare bones of the equation - from here, add away, and use up all that gras this Mardi!    

Appetizers

• Andouille and Crawfish Pimento Cheese Fries by Soulfully Made
• Hot Louisiana Shrimp Dip by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Mardi Gras Muffaletta Dip by For the Love of Food
• Piquant Shrimp Balls by Food Lust People Love
• Trinidadian doubles by Caroline’s Cooking

 

Main Dishes

• Andouille and Chicken Gumbo by Delaware Girl Eats
• Bananas Foster French Toast by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Bananas Foster Baked Oatmeal by Cooking With Carlee
• Blackened Shrimp Pasta by Seduction in the Kitchen
• Cajun Courtbouillon by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Cajun Pasta Carnivale by Palatable Pastime
• Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo by The Freshman Cook
• Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta by Wholistic Woman
• Creole Beef and Rice Bowls by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Easy Shrimp and Grits Recipe by Life Tastes Good
• Gluten Free Gumbo by Cricket’s Confections
• Gumbo Z’herbes by Monica’s Table
• Hawaiian Jambalaya by Shockingly Delicious
• Overnight Muffuletta Sandwich by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Slow Cooker Jambalaya by The Crumby Cupcake
• Spicy Jambalaya Flatbread by My Life Cookbook
• Tenderloin Grillades with Cheesy Grits by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Vegetarian Muffaletta Sandwich by Hardly A Goddess

 

Sides

• Creole Potato Salad by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Easy Buttermilk Cornbread by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Muffaletta Wedge Salad by Shaken Together
• New Orleans Brandy Milk Punch by Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Not So Dirty Rice by Simple and Savory
• Red Beans and Rice by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

 

Desserts

• Bananas Foster by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Basic Bread Pudding by What Smells So Good?
• Bourbon Vanilla Cherries Jubilee by Pies and Plots
• Mardi Gras Cheese Ball by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Easy Mini King Cake Bites by Family Around The Table
• New Orleans Mardi Gras Beignets by Big Bear’s Wife
• Pecan Praline Cookies by Sunday Supper Movement
• Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake by Curious Cuisiniere
• White Chocolate-Raspberry Bread Pudding by Gourmet Everyday

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday!

We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

 

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement?

It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Blissful Cherry Recipes with @cheribundi

This Summer, the temperatures have risen to record high numbers. Even though the season is winding down (I hate saying that!), it's still plenty warm, and we all need to keep well hydrated regardless of the weather! These delicious and nutritious Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice recipes definitely make hydration a breeze - and a flavour-packed one at that. Cheribundi’s refreshing taste, and fun red color is a perfect way to drink in concentrated antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients while making almost everything you add it to Instagram-beautiful.

More then 150 pro and college sports teams use Cheribundi for its health benefits too, and tart cherry juice certainly has its fair share of them. These include anti-inflammation and pain relief - something that my family (including avid gardeners, gym buffs and arthritis sufferers) definitely need on a daily basis. Below are a few of Cheribundi's favourite recipes to try out for yourself!

Cheri Pop
Who doesn’t love an ice cold Popsicle on a blazing summer afternoon. This snack is great for a day of hanging out in the pool, or after long day at the park. So simple, so delicious, two ingredient Popsicle.
32oz Cheribundi tart cherry juice (or any of your favorite Cheribundi variations)
1 popsicle mold

1. Take delicious Cheribundi juice and pour the 32oz bottle into your popsicle mold. (If the mold doesn’t come with it’s own handles, add 1 popsicle stick into the mold.) 
2. Put the mold in the freezer until solid. 
3. Remove the popsicles from the mold, and you have yourself a super simple frozen treat to keep you cool this summer.

Chillin' Cheri Snowcone
Break out that electric ice shaver you haven't used since your last kid turned 5, and turn down summer's heat wave with frosty fresh-pressed tart cherry juice snow cones.
Electric ice shaver
8 oz Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice
Ice

1. Shave ice into a cone cup, and then pour delicious Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice over the top.

• You can also pour Cheribundi into ice cube trays and shave the frozen tart red juice right into the cones for a simple, delicious, healthy treat that's ready in mere seconds!

Mom’s Cheri Treat
Even moms need a break from the heat this summer. This icy cold treat with a little kick is the perfect solution.
4 oz dry limeade mix
1 Tbsp. lime juice
4 cups cold water
2 cups of Cheribundi tart cherry juice
1 cup tequila
3/4 cup triple sec

1. Mix all ingredients into a large pitcher, and stir to combine. 
2. Pour into plastic cups with lids and cap. 
3. Freeze for up to 5 hours. Remove when ready to drink!

Thanks again to the folks at Cheribundi. Not only did they share an amazing, delicious and healthy treat  with me, but their customer service staff are beyond wonderful! They went above and beyond to make sure I received my package (even when UPS didn't want to play ball) and followed up to make sure everything was A-OK! I'm looking forward to seeing their products in my local stores in the GTA.

Kheer #SundaySupper

Is there anything more comforting than a big bowl of rice pudding? While the bulk of my experiences with the grainy dessert growing up were the result of opening and dumping a can into a couple bowls, dad and I were suckers for the stuff (nobody else, by the way, even remotely likes it here). Today, if you were to ask me to name what I crave in times of stress, you'd hear me wax poetic about the thick, creamy pudding warmed up in the microwave and shoveled down as fast as I could. Heck, even cold, a spoonful from the fridge could cure wonders.

I wanted to bring the great memories of sharing rice pudding to my Home Ec class this past year, and since we were working on a "food around the world" theme, I turned to the only other country with a rice pudding that I knew of - India. Kheer, as it's called, is not always 100% rice based though - recipes vary from using wheat, tapioca, or vermicelli noodles as the starch and anything from cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, nuts and sesame seeds to flavour it. The version I made for class was culled from one of my old college professors and was what was served at her son's first birthday - leftover cooked rice elevated by re-cooking it in thickened milk, coconut milk, saffron and sweet spices before being garnished with softened raisins and dates. It sounded absolutely incredible - even to someone allergic to coconut such as me!

Making this exotic comfort food is even easier than making rice (to me, anyways... I'm stovetop-rice challenged). The kids - from 6 to 8 years old - all had at least one heaping spoonful, and some even took extras home after polishing off thirds! What made it home with me was eagerly purloined by my dad to rave reviews (probably a good thing, otherwise I'd be making ice cream with the thick, custardy mixture and trying to figure out what to do with it then!). If you and your family can tolerate dairy and coconut, I really wouldn't worry about the leftovers sticking around too long though!

You know what else uses a lot of coconut? Piña Coladas! National Piña Colada Day is today, and those in the know are toasting the combination of coconut, pineapple and rum with their own libations. To our credit, the #SundaySupper gang is sharing over 40 coconut recipes today, with both sweet and savory dishes, breakfasts and drinks, almost anything you could think of! Check out our offerings below and don't forget to leave a comment telling me your favourite coconut dish!

Great Starts

• Coconut Granola Bowla by Family Foodie
• Gluten Free Coconut French Toast by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Make Ahead Healthy Piña Colada Breakfast Parfait by Easy Cooking with Molly
• Piña Colada Granola (grain free) by My Life Cookbook
• Piña Colada Nut Bread by Where Latin Meets Lagniappe
• Piña Colada Overnight Oats by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Piña Colada Pancakes by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Dive in with Sides and Appetizers

• Easy Piña Colada Salad by April Golightly
• Piña Colada Coleslaw by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Coco-Nutty Main Dishes

• Chickpea Potato Curry by Sunday Supper Movement
• Piña Colada Chicken and Rice by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Piña Colada Chicken Skewers by The Crumby Cupcake
• Pineapple Barbecue Chops with Colada Slaw by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken Curry by Caroline’s Cooking

“Col-lots-a” Desserts

• Coconut Pound Cake by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Cookies and Coconut Cream Popsicles by Books n’ Cooks
• Creamy Dairy-Free Vegan Coconut Ice Cream by Positively Stacey
• Easy Piña Colada Fudge by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Easy Piña Colada Poke Cake by Crazed Mom
• Homemade Samoas by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Island Breeze Piña Colada Panna Cotta by The Weekend Gourmet
• Kheer by What Smells So Good?
• Mini Roasted Blueberry and Coconut Cream Trifles by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Piña Colada Bars by Dessert Geek
• Piña Colada Cream Pie by Cookin’ Mimi
• Piña Colada Cupcakes by The Redhead Baker
• Piña Colada Energy Balls by Wholistic Woman
• Piña Colada Flan by Asian In America
• Piña Colada Ice Cream by Palatable Pastime
• Piña Colada Rice Pudding by Hardly A Goddess
• Piña Colada Trifle by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Piña Colada Upside Down Cake by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Pineapple Coconut Pudding by Magnolia Days
• Samoa Smacky Delicious Mix by Cooking With Carlee
• Toasted Coconut Sour Cherry Sundae by Pies and Plots
• Tropical Fruit Cups by The Freshman Cook

Sweet to Sip Beverages

• Boozy Coconut & Caramel Milkshakes by Momma’s Meals
• Coconut Banana Rum Smoothie by Desserts Required
• Coquito by Monica’s Table
• Lime Coconut Lassi by Food Lust People Love
• Piña Colada Freeze by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Piña Colada Smoothie by A Mind Full Mom
• Spiced Piña Colada by Family Around the Table

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Mulled Wine Apple Crisps

Its funny - as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, I've been finding myself craving warmer, spicier and more "comfort food" type dishes rather than the lighter, "brighter" fare so associated with Summer. I've always enjoyed a good, crisp salad as the basis of my lunch, but come dinner, I want the slow-cooked beans, rices, curries and soups. Dessert is no different - I've reverted to enjoying a bowl of chocolatey porridge and a warm cashew-milk mocha more than something like sorbet or my homemade tofu ice cream.

I've been missing my mom's apple desserts lately too - her Harvest Apple Squares have long since fallen off the menu (mostly due to their high sugar content, which my diabetic stepdad can't cope with), and since the family in general doesn't groove on casseroles of bottomless crisps, only the occasional pie makes it out of the freezer for our enjoyment. I used to think crisps were rather "blah" myself - preferring the hearty, buttery oat crust on the squares - but once scaling the dish into individual portions I've changed my tune. When baked in single-serving jars, not only does the combination of fruit and crumble look gorgeous, but you get more crispy bits overall - instant win! The only thing I had to tweak from my mom's "chop and drop" method of crisp making was pre-cooking the fruit slightly - and what better step could I use to really infuse some flavour?

Before I even got to the cooking step, I was faced with a small dilemma. I had bought 7 apples in preparation for making these jars of awesome, but somehow they got mixed in with "communal eating" apples in the fridge. By the time baking day arrived, my stash was down to 4 - not critical mass, but I needed something to bulk up the batch. Luckily, I had one of the most "apple" like vegetables I could think of sitting in the crisper - chayote squash. They are perfectky crisp, slightly sweet and hold their shape similarly to apples, and I knew that once they cooked together with the spices and an oaty topping nobody would be the wiser. Thinking of overall flavouring, I was mostly inspired by a small bottle of mulled apple cider left over from a weekend brunch, plus a bottle of Doppio Passo Botter Primitivo Salento IGT that I had received as a gift a while back and had never opened (I don't drink). Why not make a mulled wine and simmer the fruit in that? It would not only add a gorgeous flavour, but tint everything as well. I decided to give it a shot!

The wine, spices and a touch of sweetener smelled like all sorts of comfort and joy as it heated, which only intensified as the fruit began to cook. I wanted this filling to really be the star of the crisp after that, so instead of the usual butter/flour/oat topping, I opted for a neutral oil, two forms of oats, nutty kinako and just a touch of Truvia Brown Sugar Blend instead. Nobody noticed the difference, but everyone commented on the complexity of the filling underneath, which makes me think about trying the method again but turning the works into applesauce!

Shared with Gluten Free Fridays

Belgian Chocolate Bread Pudding

Well, it's been a while since I've talked about bread pudding (you know, a whole month), so I figured I'd share the latest (and hopefully for our waistlines, the last for a while) variation on the theme that my Home Ec class and I created. In the spirit of the "Europe" unit I was covering in our "eating around the world" series, I drew on Belgium again, not only utilizing their invention of bread pudding as a whole but their love for (and definite ability to make) chocolate.

With the exception of maybe two or three of the kids in class, chocolate is the great equalizer between the ages, backgrounds and outside interests of the 33 youngsters - and being relatively young, their palates are still sensitive enough to develop appreciation for the nuances in different brands, percentages and forms of one of my favourite foods. In fact, a few of them truly impressed me by rejecting "milk chocolate candy" (i.e. your typical convenience store bars) in favour of higher-cacao bittersweet couverture callets and even squares of 72% Ghirardelli. 
 

Muffin version - not nearly as gooey and rich

Bread pudding is definitely a great recipe to make with kids in general - first off, they get to tear the proverbial snot out of stale bread, something that even as an adult I enjoy doing (bonus if it's Challah, since the plaits make for perfect handholds). They get to whisk eggs (again, another magical activity I enjoy as an adult), squish in the bread and watch as the whole mixture turns from liquid | solid to one relatively firm, moist mass. The worst part for everyone involved (kids or adults!) is the waiting. First the 15 minutes before the pan goes into the oven, then another 40 while it slowly bakes to delicious, almost brownie-like perfection and a final 10 before being able to dig in. Yes, it's seen as a form of torture by some of the sweet teeth among us - but oh, the reward! Especially when you get a bite with a nugget of semi-molten chocolate. The only thing that would make it better is a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!  

Ooey, gooey and perfect hot or cold!

As if I needed further proof this was a keeper, many of the kids (even ones who gave me the "oogie look" while we made the recipe) continued to talk about making and eating "those chocolate brownies" for weeks after the class. Hey, if brownies sells them, I'm in!