TREAT yourself to these 3 vegan sweets

Dark Chocolate Coconut Truffles

These coconutty vegan truffles will satisfy your chocolate cravings and require next to no effort to make. All you need to make these bad boys is 255grams of finely chopped 70% dark vegan chocolate, 7 tablespoons of light or full-fat coconut milk (shake well before use), and some unsweetened shredded coconut to coat.

1. Heat the coconut milk in the microwave or on the stove until just starting to simmer.

2. In a separate bowl, pour the coconut milk over your chopped dark chocolate, cover with a plate, lid or towel and let sit for 5 minutes. Gently stir until all the chocolate is melted.

3. Put the mixture in the fridge to set – approximately 2-3 hours.

4. Once the mix is almost solid, prepare a small dish of shredded coconut for rolling.

5. Use a tablespoon-sized scoop to make balls, quickly roll balls by hand and coat them in the coconut. Place them on a dish lined with baking paper.

6. Eat straight-away or refrigerate in an airtight container to eat later.

Nut Butter Cups

These nut butter cups make a great healthy alternative to Reese’s peanut butter cups – no artificial flavors or preservatives. To make them you’ll need 200 grams of 70% dark vegan chocolate, ¾ cup of your preferred natural nut butter, and 4 tablespoons of room temperature coconut oil. You’ll also need some paper or silicone cupcake liners, or cutely shaped molds. (Makes about 10 nut butter cups.)

1. Heat the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a double boiler (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the hot water), stir slowly until all the chocolate is melted. For an extra special touch, you can try adding a big pinch of sea salt (or 2!), or some pure vanilla extract to your chocolate mixture.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the peanut butter and remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Set aside.

3. On a flat dish (that will fit in the freezer), spread out your liners, ready for filling. Scoop a spoonful of the chocolate mixture into the liners making sure to coat the bottom completely. Pop in the freezer to set slightly (no more than 5 minutes).

4. Remove from the freezer, add a scoop of nut butter to the liners and then add another scoop of the chocolate mixture on top to cover the nut butter.

5. Refrigerate et voila!

Vegan Nice Cream

A staple of many a vegan household, this banana “ice cream” is ridiculously easy to make, healthy, and refreshing on a hot day. All you need are 2-3 ripe frozen chopped bananas, other frozen fruit or your favorite flavorings like cacao nibs or peanut butter, and your favorite plant-based milk like almond or coconut milk (optional). If you have a food processor or powerful blender you won’t need to add any additional liquid.

To make plain banana nice cream, blend the frozen chopped bananas with or without plant-based milk until you achieve a soft-serve-like texture. If you want to go the less conventional route, add your extra frozen fruit (like berries or mangos), syrups, or flavors, to the mixer and mix away. You can also stir through cacao nibs or chunks of cookies as desired. You then have 2 options – eat straight away, or transfer to a container and freeze for another 30 minutes until firm.