Vegan Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

Tonight, instead of creating some new concoction for dinner, I decided to try out a new recipe for dessert~ Vegan Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes! Doesn't that just sound, I don't know, sexy? (Well, maybe minus the Vegan part, right?) This recipe caught my eye on a link from a blog I like to follow called the Fatfree Vegan Kitchen, and after seeing the picture, and then the healthy ingredients, I just had to try it. I actually had every ingredient in the recipe, with the exception of spelt flour (no wheat allergies in my house, thankfully!), which I substituted for regular bread flour. As they were baking, my house smelled like chocolate heaven, and they were so beautiful when I pulled them out of the oven:

By looking at them, you'd never know there was fresh pureed spinach and zucchini instead of a ton of oil and butter as a moistener! The part that sold me, however, was the picture with the gooey chocolate center (and the chance to use my new ramekins I got for Christmas).

When I cut open the first cake, I was a little disappointed. I don't think I put in NEARLY enough chocolate to have the nice lava-y center like the picture accompanying the recipe. Mine have a little dark chocolate spot, but that was it. It was almost as if most of the filling was absorbed into the rest of the cake.

Oh well! Sean and Ashton sure gobbled theirs down without a clue to the healthfulness of the cake they were eating, although the bit of frosting I spread on top helped. I don't know if I'll fool Kevin when he gets back from class tonight, but I definitely enjoyed mine, even if it wasn't a drippy chocolaty mess. (Side note: Ashton still managed to make a chocolaty mess- it was all over his face, and even in his ear when he was done!)

Mexican Pumpkin Soup

So I had this sugar pumpkin that I bought around Halloween that needed to be either eaten within the next week, or tossed. (You know me, I love anything pumpkin!) So I checked out a Vegan cooking blog I subscribe to, and today a recipe on what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers (namely pumpkin) was posted. I chose this one from the list because the picture had the best looking soup. And also because I must have 3 pounds of leftover potatoes. It is a very hearty (read: filling) and healthy soup, not to mention savory and tasty! Here is a picture of my lunch bowl before it was quickly emptied.

If you're looking for something to make with your unused portions of pumpkin (fresh or canned) since most recipes only call for half of a can, there are lots of good ideas on FatFree Vegan Kitchen. Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE fall foods?