Femininity meets power-play in Costello Tagliapietra’s Fall/Winter ’13 collection at New York Fashion Week.

Stitched from the see-sawing juxtapositions of life, thoughtfully constructed dresses, like the ones that glided down the runway of the Costello Tagliapietra Fall/Winter 2013 show this week, have a story to tell. And if these dresses, jumpsuits and alpaca cloaks could talk, there would be conversations to be had.

From boardroom banter to cocktail chatter, they whisper of femininity, power and mysticism. Over weekend cappuccinos, they share their secrets in finding a graceful balance between femininity and masculinity, between power and sweetness. And, because they are the carefully crafted garments of Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra, the design duo behind the line, they murmur one word again and again: sensuality.

When I first met the endearing business- and life- partners following their Spring/Summer 2013 showcase, the same, singular word, came up repeatedly.  At first, it seemed surprising to hear two burly men speak so softly about a woman’s emotions and desires—about sensuality. So this time I asked how it is that they simply ‘get’ women.  “It’s easy, really,” says Tagliapietra.  “Most of our friends are women, and we grew up with sisters.  We just surround ourselves by women. Strong women.”

With its Fall/Winter collection, Costello Tagliapietra calls forth the ‘working woman’s wardrobe’.  “It’s powerful, and it’s feminine,” says Costello. “Our woman is not afraid to embrace her femininity.” It’s this yin and the yang—the pairing of a slinky polyester dress color blocked using AirDye technology, contrasted with an alpaca caplette, sourced from Tagliapietra’s mother, the owner of an alpaca farm in New Jersey—that makes this collection so wearable. “We love that the alpaca comes from a women-run operation; we love that the animals aren’t harmed; and we love the whole farm-to-table mentality,” Tagliapietra proudly adds. Opposites really do attract—from runway-to-real world, in a magnetizing way.

Backstage: Designers Robert Tagliapietra (left) and Jeffrey Costello (right).

More looks we love:

Photos: Jennifer Barckley

The post NYFW: Striking the Balance with Costello Tagliapietra appeared first on EcoSalon.

The easiest and most enjoyable Fika food you may ever try.

Take a trip to Sweden, and seas of Chokladbollar (chocolate balls) will likely surround you. They fill the glass cases of bakeries, ine the shelves of shops, speckle department store cafes as a welcome Fika break from shoe shopping and even sit in grocery store aisles. It’s next to sinful and downright outlandish to visit this regal land without gobbling up a chocolate ball (or two, or six). But, like most fare in Sweden, chocolate balls fall far from being vegan.

But, make them yourself at home (in 30 minutes or less!), and you’ll discover it’s the easiest vegan dessert you’ve ever made—and gluten-free to boot. All it takes is a simple butter switch. As I whipped these up in Stockholm last week (not kidding), I played around with different proportions of ingredients until it tasted just right—mixing coconut butter with a Swedish vegan butter that the grocery store clerk warned was not made for baking. Yet it worked all the same. So much so that a Swedish friend declared them among the best he’d ever had.

And, while chocolate balls can be made in an endless variety of ways—kid friendly with just chocolate; adult friendly with liqueur or rich espresso—I love the blend of unsweetened cocoa powder, mixed with a couple squares of dark (70%) chocolate and a shot or two of espresso. Plus, espresso (in smaller doses, as in these chocolate balls), has been reported to help protect against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, and liver cirrhosis, and dark chocolate boasts a host of phyto antixoidants for heart health and overall happiness.

So whip up some chocolate balls for a feel good Fika that makes every day a celebration.

The Original – Swedish Chocolate Balls
from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 tablespoon strong coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2, 1 oz squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes

The Vegan & Gluten-Free Version – Swedish Chocolate Balls
Makes 24-48 balls, depending upon the size

Ingredients

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup coconut butter and ½ cup vegan butter (may need to add about ½ cup more, as I did, to ensure a sticky dough)
• 1 tablespoon espresso
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2, 1 oz squares dark or unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes (or more as needed)

Directions

1. Mix the oats, sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Add the “butter” and use your hands to mix the ingredients together until a thick dough is formed.

2. In a separate, stove top pan, mix together the espresso, vanilla and dark chocolate. Mix together over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Pour over the chocolate dough mixture and combine until thoroughly blended.

3. Place the coconut flakes in a bowl or on a plate. Roll small pieces of dough between your hands to make small balls (or make any size that you wish). Roll the balls in the coconut flakes and eat immediately. For a firmer texture, refrigerate for 2 hours, and enjoy!

Note: This recipe is just the beginning. Create other varieties by adding in a tablespoon (or two) of arrak extract, a Swedish liqueur. Or, roll the chocolate balls in toasted almonds, sugar or another topping of your choice.

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post Vegan This: Make Your Own Swedish Chocolate Balls appeared first on EcoSalon.

 

Visions of sugar plum fairies waif through the air with these simple, seasonal and nutritional treats.

Scones, experience says, can be either bland as a dog biscuit or so chock full of sugar and butter that they consume a whole day’s food fulfillment. With this fresh take on the Scottish staple, seasonal, local and wholesome lead the way.

Full of vitamin C—just one plum (in season from the summer to early Autumn) contains 10 percent of the typical daily, recommended value—and vitamin A, these low sugar treats provide the perfect jam-and-scone-in-one blend. Part plummy, part citrusy, part caramely, the sugar plums bring a sweet surprise to tea-time or Sunday brunch.

Make these gluten-free as I have, and you’ll get the dietary diversity of millet, brown rice and sorghum flours—full of fiber, protein, iron and other critical minerals. Add walnuts, and you’re in store for an extra dose of fiber, protein, vitamin Bc (which helps your body convert protein into energy) and omega-3 fatty acids for a healthy body and complexion.

Beauty from a baked good? You just may be in luck.

The Original –  Sugar Plum Scones

From Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, diced
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped prunes
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• about 1 tablespoon water

The Vegan & Gluten-Free Version – Sugar Plum Scones

Inspired by the above recipe and The Best of Vegan Cooking

Makes 6-8 scones

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten free flour
• (3/4 cup sorghum flour, minus 2 tablespoons)
• (1/2 cup brown rice flour)
• (1/4 cup millet flour)
• (1/2 cup tapioca flour)
• (2 tablespoons almond flour)
• (1 tablespoon xanthan gum)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup + ¼ cup (for glazing) agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1/3 cup oil (canola, sunflower or safflower are ideal)
• ½ cup walnuts (optional)

Caramelized Sugar Plums

• 4 fresh plums (a local, fresh variety of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon orange rind
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. To prepare the Sugar Plum mixture, thinly slice the fresh plums, removing the seed. Gently heat the coconut oil in a skillet, until dispersed across the cooking surface. Add the slide plums, the fruit rinds and juices, the sugar and vanilla extract. Mix together over medium heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the plums are soft but still intact. Remove from the stove top and cool.
3. Place the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) in a bowl and mix.  Add the oil, ½ cup agave nectar, cold water and vanilla and mix for about 1 minute.
4. Gently fold in the sugar plums and walnuts, if using.
5. Form the scones by hand. Begin by dividing the dough into 8 parts. Then make each section into a ball.  You can form a ball into either a circle, a square or a triangular shape, using your hands. Place on the lined cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining agave nectar, then return to the oven for 4 minutes, until lightly browned.
6. Cool before serving & enjoy!

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post Vegan This: Sugar Plum Scones to Better Your Complexion appeared first on EcoSalon.

Beauty and brilliance meet in Allison Parris’ Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

When you meet Allison Parris and her Spring/Summer 2013 collection, you can’t help but smile. Words like charming, pretty, party and fun fill the air. Parris, in her eighth year of showing her own, eponymous line, seems at ease with it all. In her words, the collection is simply “light and happy.” But, below the fancy frill lies more than just the cheerful and feminine. It is femininity at its best—powerful, free and evocative.

“Right now, when you have so many strong, ambitious, stylish and successful women to look up to, that’s who girls should admire,” Parris tells EcoSalon. “Not Brittany Spears and Lindsay Lohan,” she adds. That’s why nearly each dress in the collection is inspired by (and named after) one of her closest friends who fit the bill of brilliant and beautiful.

With this upcoming season, Parris has stayed true to her roots, keeping her raw silk organza and recycled PET tutu-style dresses, while introducing other glitzy, body-hugging styles like the Arden dress (above) and the Greta (below), both lined with recycled PET from the U.S. The finished garments are also made in the U.S.—close to Parris’ home in the New York Garment District. “I need a little contrast in my life,” says Parris about her new sequin numbers.

Designer, Allison Parris, models her new look, The Arden dress.

Other pieces are fresh takes on the full-bodied skirt style. The Julia (below), made from embroidered cotton, effortlessly takes the woman who wears her from day to evening—a place Parris calls “our sweet spot.” And if anyone knows about hitting the sweet spot head on, it’s Parris.

More looks we love:

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post NYFW: Celebrating Beauty and Brilliance with Allison Parris appeared first on EcoSalon.

Through subtle color and feminine silhouettes, Costello Tagliapietra evokes an air of sultry love.

Color is emotion. It evokes the dramatic and the subtle, from clarity, to confidence, to anger and love. As the forthcoming Costello Tagliapietra Spring/Summer 2013 season swooned down the runway this week, sensuality collided with intensity—passion—just the feeling Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra, the design duo behind the line, were channeling.

Dusty pinks, shades of coral, frosted blues and olive greens painted the palette—a softer take on their oft-vibrant splashes—spoke to the “sultry softness and sweetness,” they dreamed of, Tagliapietra tells EcoSalon.  “We were really taken by pre-Raphaelite paintings.  The brushstrokes of quartz roses…,” says Tagliapietra.  “And, then the bright shoots of colors at the end of the stroke,” adds Costello.

Costello Tagliapietra are known for their use of AirDye technology, a form of digital printing that uses no additional water during the actual dying process, and allows for simultaneous double-sided printing of a textile.  It’s one of the secrets, the pair agree, behind their multi-dimensional color palettes and the eye-play that happens when a women’s walk reveals the interior side of the fabric—often printed in a different design from the exterior.

“With this collection, we really played with the different colors to see how they would interact on the fabric and what emotions they would evoke,” Costello tells us. “We want to evoke the feeling of having fun, feeling alive and being in love,” the pair share, almost simultaneously.

Body skimming silhouettes peak just beyond the ordinary through gathering, ruching and draping. “Caressing,” says Tagliapietra, “the women who wears it.”  Many of the pieces are made from synthetics—primarily polyester—“the best textile when Air Dying textiles,” says Tagliapietra.  “But,” adds Costello, “it doesn’t look and feel synthetic.”

In their sixth runway season as a design team, marked by their winning the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award in 2005, and their eighteenth year together as a couple, it’s no wonder Costello Tagliapietra is feeling the love.

Backstage: Designers Jeffrey Costello (left) and Robert Tagliapietra (right).

More looks we love:

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post NYFW: Falling in Love, Costello Tagliapietra Style appeared first on EcoSalon.

With Spring/Summer 2013, Samantha Pleet merges old with new to encapsulate the modern women.

In our rapid-paced, progressive world, there’s beauty to be had in traversing backwards in time and place. With Samantha Pleet’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection all made in New York City, the designer took us there with her “Sands of Time” presentation.

For Pleet, inspiration came from Babylon and Mesopotamia, an era she fell in love with while pouring over books.

“Instead of fashion books, I read about history,” Pleet tells us.

It’s this passion for exploration of other eras that you can see in Pleet’s personal favorite, the Ishtar silk and viscose dress (below), fashioned with a print extracted from Biblical mythology.  Other pieces like the Scout dress (below), from washed silk, are true to Pleet’s Brooklyn-aesthetic while still telling a bygone story.

Designer Samantha Pleet (left) models her favorite piece, the Ishta dress.

While the clothing is strong on its own, Pleet’s debut into the world of shoes adds an aesthetic street charm to her already hip “it girl” vibe. In partnership with Wolverine, a Michigan based, American boot company, Pleet created a colorful collection of vintage-inspired ankle boots and sandals (below).

One of Pleet’s greatest gifts comes through ever more clearly in this upcoming season—merging the old with the new, the vintage with the modern, for a look that’s at once relevant while remaining timeless. She gives her wearer a taste of something really raw and reminiscent of the beginning—the “roots of civilization,” as Pleet calls it.

While simple in silhouette and fabrics—employing handwashed silks and entirely handwoven khadi cotton (from Prakriti Aur Purush)—there’s nothing overly nostalgic about it. In fact, when we dig deeper to discover what really brought this collection to life, she laughs and declares, “Indiana Jones.” One part explorer, one part heroine, it just may be that Pleet really has captured the essence of the modern women.

More looks we love:

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post NYFW: Samantha Pleet Takes on an Urban Indiana Jones appeared first on EcoSalon.

Local craft and cacti meet in Laura Siegel’s NYFW Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

After months voyaging through Peru, Bolivia and India, Canadian designer Laura Siegel uncovered the indigenous crafts of remote villages and local artisans. She also discovered cacti—the succulents that caught her eye and inspired an entire Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

“It was amazing to me how something so bright and colorful as the cacti flowers could grow in such dry, muted deserts,” Siegel tells EcoSalon. From South America to Asia she explored life in the desert and the beauty that exists within it—like the re-purposed black tea waste in Kerala, India used to dye pieces within her collection, or the hand block printing renowned in this region. Farther north, in Delhi, she partnered with a leather smith to stitch her bags into finished pieces. In Peru, she partnered with a group of natural dyers called Eco Tintes, who softly colored the organic cotton and tencel fibers used to crochet pants (below) and knit shirts and sweaters.

From cacti to indigenous crafts, in her third season, Siegel shows range as a designer—fashioning jewelry, designing handbags and creating a complete collection omitting only shoes from her repertoire—a “future dream,” she tells us. With the free flowing nature of Siegel’s compilation, we’d be happy to tromp barefoot through the desert and all. And that’s how she wants you to feel when you wear her designs. “Happy,” she says. “Just happy.”

Designer Laura Siegel modeling her epynomous collection.

More looks we love:

Shoes by Love is Mighty

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post NYFW: Running Through The Desert With Laura Siegel appeared first on EcoSalon.

Designer David Peck shows the many colors of his Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

Fashion, David Peck makes clear, is more than just the clothes we wear. With his eponymous CROP by David Peck Spring/Summer 2013 collection, Peck shows that fashion is both transformative and character defining. (Translation: You are what you wear.)

Underpinning Peck’s “Once Upon a Dream” collection is a stream of narratives, both deeply personal to the designer and profoundly universal. The artistic fish motif, for instance, that swims across silk organza dresses, organic cotton sateen shifts and linen chiffon shirts, is transported from the characters of “Wynken, Blynken and Nod,” a popular poem by American writer Eugene Field.

The designer’s starting point for the seasons’ fish motif began as a stylized cardboard cutout.

His floral origami prints, radiating across pieces like the silk chiffon Arable Top and Laurie Trouser (below), traveled from Peck’s yesteryear love for the Child Craft Encyclopedias—the place from where he began his artistic pursuits.

Other garments speak from journeys later in life. His geographical dresses, skirts and shirts, imprinted with a historical Parisian map from 1850, hail from Peck’s love for his home of six years, where he studied fashion design at École Parsons  Paris. As Peck and I tour the garment and its subtle French centerpiece, we catch sight of the Louvre and the Seine en route to his former apartment.

Beyond the artistic magnificence of Peck’s designs—down to the careful back cutouts and the meticulous placement of seams—is the diversity of all he creates in a single season. Wearable for women across ages, passions and pursuits, he gives his wearer the ingredients to make the piece her own. Classic twists like the racer top Attonia Dress (below), the Havisham Gown from locally sourced viscose jersey (below) or the striped and plaid Elinore dress, made from entirely hand-woven cotton from India, bring playful sophistication to the forefront—day to night and year to year.

For Peck, though, the greatest fashion statement of all is the one he wears proudly: Made in the USA. Each collection is designed and stitched in his namesake production facility in Houston, Texas. There, he works to create his own collection stateside and produces for four other brands who also see the value in local. Through collaboration with the Greater Houston Partnership, Peck hopes this will only continue to grow, as companies take advantage of domestic skills, the large port that Houston offers and the efficiency that local manufacturing can create.

To further support local communities throughout the United States, 10 percent of profits from the complete Spring/Summer 2013 collection will go directly toward caring for homeless youth through the charge of Covenant House. Through such initiatives Peck upholds his founding vision to promote “Creative Opportunities,” abbreviated as CROP.

Dreams, Peck shows, really do come true.

Some more looks we love:

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post NYFW: CROP by David Peck Takes on Literature and Place appeared first on EcoSalon.

Make this classic Black & White cake, and you’ll get rave reviews from vegans and non-vegans alike.

When bridal showers, birthdays and celebrations of all sorts roll around, there’s nothing that says “Let’s Celebrate (in style)” like Black & White cake. And, this regal dessert, as I discovered quite by accident, has many forms and flavors. The first version I created was white(ish) inside and black outside, compliments of a simple (accidental) ingredient omission—cocoa powder. So naturally, I had to try again. My second go at it, everything went smoothly (cocoa powder included) until, while putting the finishing touches on the frosting, the whole cake tumbled to the ground just minutes before it was due for serving at a party.

With crumbles left behind on the cake stand, I was able to resurrect some pieces, however, this time I lost the cake’s outer, gleaming white hue, as the (vegan) cream cheese frosting melded into the moist chocolate cake.With this mishap, I stumbled upon the creamiest, sweetest, moistest and unbelievably gluten free- and vegan– delight to date. While it tastes sinfully rich and creamy, each bite comes with a dose of vitamins A & E, magnesium, zinc, potassium and even fiber thanks to a secret (moistening) addition—pumpkin puree. So, if your sweet tooth craves chocolate and cake, you really can’t go wrong with this one. Forget an ingredient or send the cake flying in the air and you too might find a new spin on this classic cake.

The Original – Black & White Cake
from Clinton Street Baking Company

Ingredients

• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 yolk
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chunks (52–62% cacao)

The Vegan Version – Black & White (or just Black) Cake
Generously serves 8

Ingredients

• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) vegan butter, softened (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Egg substitute equivalent to 2 large eggs, plus 1 yolk (I mixed 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 7 tablespoons warm water)
• 1½ cups gluten free flour blend:
• (1/2 cup brown rice flour_
• (1/4 cup white rice flour)
• (1/4 cup sorghum flour)
• (1/4 cup potato starch flour)
• (1/4 cup minus 2 tablespoons tapioca flour)
• (2 tablespoons almond flour)
• (3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup buttermilk (easily make your own by mixing ½ cup dairy free milk, like homemade cashew nut milk, with ½ tablespoon white distilled vinegar; let sit for 10 minutes)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting
• 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) vegan butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners sugar (sifted)
• ½ cup dairy free milk (Mine was thin enough that I omitted the milk all together)

Glaze
• ½ cup heavy cream (I used homemade cashew nut milk)
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup (I used homemade cane juice by melting a few tablespoons of sugar in a pan on the stove top)
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• ½ cup semisweet, vegan chocolate chunks (52–62% cacao)

Directions

Make the Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease (with vegan butter) and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the vegan butter and sugars. Add the egg substitute mixture, and combine. Whisk the gluten free flour blend and remaining dry ingredients together, in a separate bowl.
3. Whisk the pumpkin puree together with the buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl. Alternate mixing dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture into the egg mixture. Start with dry and end with wet.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool and unmold.

Make the Frosting
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the vegan cream cheese and butter together until soft. Add the sifted confectioners sugar, blending in 1 cup at a time. Add the dairy free milk slowly, as needed, and mix until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Make the Glaze
Heat the “cream,” corn syrup (or cane juice), and vegan butter in a saucepan until boiling. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate until it is completely melted, mixing gently with a rubber spatula until the glaze is smooth.

Assemble the Cake
Place 1 of the 2 cakes on a cake plate. Ice the top with 3 to 4 tablespoons frosting, and place the other cake on top. Then use a cake spatula to mask the top and sides until the cake is evenly frosted. Set it in the fridge for 10 minutes. Then, remove the cake from the fridge and pour the chocolate glaze over the center of the cake until the top is covered and the glaze runs over the sides, still showing some frosting. Let the glaze set and serve.

Whatever happens, enjoy!

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post Vegan This: Decadent Black & White Cake appeared first on EcoSalon.

Time stands still as the best blend of flavors melt in your mouth.

Two summers ago, I had a dream: Salted. Caramel. Ice Cream. Just hearing those words together, I could taste the cascade of sweetness, saltiness, coolness and warmth, all at once, melting in my mouth. And so, the quest began to experience what I imagined would be the sweetest delight on earth.

And then, it happened. Salted Caramel Ice Cream hit the charts. Nearly every micro-creamery was whipping up the flavor. To make it all worse for a tantalized vegan, some began to add crispy bacon to the affair. And yet, my search for a vegan version remained futile. With that, I vowed to concoct my own variety (and acquire an ice cream maker to get the consistency just right).

So, here we are, nearly 730 days later. I’ve whipped up batch after batch and tasted spoonful after spoonful to create the richest, smoothest, creamiest and yes, even healthiest, recipe for all to enjoy. The base of this melting concoction is handmade cashew nut milk. While rich in fats, an ice cream staple, cholesterol-free cashews are full of monounsaturated fats, the “good kind” of fats. They are also full of copper, magnesium, zinc and even Vitamin E—critical to stabilizing a healthy blood pressure and preventing against heart conditions, all while supporting a balanced nervous system and with it, a good mood. It’s no wonder you’ll feel so joyful with every little spoonful.

The Original – Salted Caramel Ice Cream
From Brown Eyed Baker, adapted from David Lebovitz’s original

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (divided)
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 egg yolks
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

The Vegan Version – Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Makes approximately 2 pints

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cashew nut milk (divided):
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut milk (optional—can substitute with an additional cup of cashew milk)
• ½ teaspoon gaur gum
• 1 cup granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salted vegan butter (I used Earth Balance soy-free butter)
• ½ teaspoon (or more—to taste) fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pecans or other nuts (optional topping)

Directions

1. To make the cashew nut milk, first soak the 1 cup of cashews in tepid water for at least 3 hours or overnight. Then, in a large blender, mix the following for at least three minutes, until thoroughly blended: cashews, water, agave nectar, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Once the cashews are thoroughly blended, use a nut milk bag or very fine cheesecloth over a large bowl or Mason jar to strain the milk. You should be left with a creamy mixture (just like milk) in your bowl or jar.

2. Pour 2 cups of the nut milk back into the blender and add the coconut milk, if using, along with the guar gum and vanilla. Blend together and let stand.

3. In a quart size pot, melt the sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until liquefied. Once the sugar begins to turn to a copper-red color, add in one tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. Then, slowly add in the ½ cup cashew nut milk and stir together until fully mixed and boiling. Remove the mixture from the heat. Let cool slightly, and pour ½ cup of your caramel mixture into the cashew nut mix in the blender. Blend together until fully combined.

4. Pour the custard mixture into your ice cream maker and use according to the manufacturer’s directions.

5. Meanwhile, add at least ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt to your remaining ½ cup caramel mixture. Once the ice cream custard has been mixed together in the ice cream maker for at least 15 minutes, add in the remaining caramel by simply pouring it into the custard base.

6. Freeze your ice cream until it’s reached the desired consistency, and enjoy!

* Note, top this sweet summer delight with your choice of nuts, caramel, chocolate sauce, cherries or any other vegan toppings you can dream of. I made a candied pecan topping by chopping a few tablespoons of pecans and toasting them on the stove top (in a shallow cast iron pan), with 1 teaspoon melted vegan butter, 1 teaspoon of light brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon and sea salt, until lightly brown and crunchy.

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post Vegan This: Salted Caramel Ice Cream (That took 730 Days to Perfect) appeared first on EcoSalon.