I don’t know about you, but for me, it is a summer of squash! I’ve eaten more zucchini and yellow squash the past two months than I had in two years. Contributing to my massive increase in squash consumption is the fact that I planted a plethora of zucchini in my garden, and my parents brought me some beautiful vegetables from a relative’s garden in West Virginia.

I’ve also been eyeing the “just so happens to be vegan” puff pastry from Pepperidge Farms. I put two and two together and decided to put a vegan spin on a classic cream cheese tart. Admittedly, I had no idea what I was doing with the puff pastry, and it was nothing short of a miracle that this recipe worked out. It was quick, it was easy, and if I could do it, you can, too!

There is something so comforting about a flaky crust smothered in faux cream cheese and  olive oil lightly drizzled over zucchini with herbs. Ahh. This really is a perfect recipe for your next summer get together. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Cheers & happy eating!

Jocelyn

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Zucchini Cream Cheese Tart

***Please feel free to share widely, just give me some credit or a link back

Prep Time: ~10 minutes; Cook Time: 35-45 minutes; Yield: 12 or 24 small bites (depending on how small you want them!)

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 green onion
• 1 package of vegan cream cheese (I used Kite Hill)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• dried oregano or basil, to taste
• extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F & thaw the puff pastry per package instructions.
2. Slice the zucchini into thin rounds (no need to salt/ weep).
3. Chop the green onion into small rounds.
4. Once the puff pastry is thaw, lay it on a parchment covered baking tray and spread a thin, even layer of vegan cream cheese (should be about a half package).
5. Add the zucchini rounds and green onion.
6. Drizzle a healthy amount of olive oil over the vegetables.
7. Add salt, pepper and any herbs, to taste.
8. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
9. Let cool for 10 minutes.
10. Cut into small squares and enjoy!

The post Recipe: Zucchini Cream Cheese Tart appeared first on Vegan Hostess.

Today my friends hosted an easter potluck complete with tasty treats and mimosas made with fresh squeezed orange juice. I hope you all had a relaxing day as well!

I quickly wanted to share my potluck treats with you. First, I made a simple pasta salad. This dish is delicious and really easy. If you are ever hard pressed on time, just whip up a pasta salad. If you can boil water and open cans, you can make this dish. 

I like to find novelty pasta shapes for holidays, and my quick trip to World Market did not let me down. Look how cute these shapes are!

I opted to add in olives, chick peas, and banana pepper rings. I seasoned the dish with the Italian salad dressing spice from Penzey’s Spices and finished it off with fat free wishbone italian dressing. I can’t help it. It’s my favorite pasta salad dressing even though I know it isn’t the most healthy or natural option.

Now onto the ‘star of the day.’ I’ve been browsing the Earth Balance recipes more and more lately. They all look so good! I opted to give the Vegan Pear Frangipane Tart a try. If you ever find yourself with more than a few pears lying around, don’t hesitate to make this dish! I went with the original recipe for the most part. However, rather than fresh ground slivered almonds, I used almond meal. I also ended up using three pears, not four.

The crust is a basic almond meal crust, which I think it a pretty good ‘standard’ crust to use. It actually does a fair job of holding up and doesn’t get too crumbly.

The frangipane is a mix of butter, almond meal, sugar, salt, spices, almond milk, and extracts. It looks really thick, but it honestly came out tasting okay. I think the next time I might use more milk and less almond meal. I peeled and sliced three pears and placed them in rounds on the frangipane. You want to be sure they are at least 50% covered in the batter.

And voila. After about 35 minutes it comes out of the oven looking like a masterpiece!   I simply can’t say enough good things about this tart. It is a little bit time intensive, but I really think it’s worth it. This is a sweet, fruity tart that is unique among desserts. Why make a standard pie, when with a little more effort you can make something like this!

Cheers!

Jocelyn

The post Easter Potluck Treats appeared first on Vegan Hostess.