I really thought that by the time this fall holiday season ended, I would be all pumpkin'd out, but I'm still on a pumpkin kick!
I made another batch of my Pumpkin Pecan Milk and decided I would see how it would turn out as a Sweet Pumpkin Chia Pudding and oh my, this recipe is heaven in a cup. It is so light, yet it's decadent and creamy. My parents thought I was serving them some vegan junk food, and they devoured it!
The very first question is, of course, why did you initially go vegan? 
It's finally time to roll out these healthy holiday desserts! I was trying to keep this recipe under wraps until mine and Yvonne's Sweet Eclectic Thanksgiving Collaboration was complete, and it was so hard to keep this to myself.
We created two dessert recipes for you all to try this year, each with a unique flare of its own. What we came up with was this Sweet Potato Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tart and a Raw Pumpkin Spiced Mamey Cheesecake. Both recipes are gluten-free, soy-free, and of course, 100% vegan.
The perfect Thanksgiving recipe for your menu this year, using a special, unlikely ingredient! Click here for our FULL Vegan Gluten-free Sweet Eclectic Thanksgiving menu.
Mamey sapote always reminds me of pumpkin and sweet potato, and pairs well with the spices often used with those ingredients. When I was brainstorming a dessert recipe to create for Thanksgiving this year, I wanted to share with you all a unique recipe. I remembered that I had mamey sapote in my freezer, and voila, this recipe was born.
(If you don't have mamey, you can try subbing in pumpkin or baked sweet potato).
It's finally time to roll out these healthy holiday desserts! I was trying to keep this recipe under wraps until mine and Yvonne's Sweet Eclectic Thanksgiving Collaboration was complete, and it was so hard to keep this to myself.
We created two dessert recipes for you all to try this year, each with a unique flare of its own. What we came up with was this Raw Pumpkin Spiced Mamey Cheesecake and a Sweet Potato Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tart. Both recipes are gluten-free, soy-free, healthy, and of course, 100% vegan.
Candied sweet potatoes with lots of butter and marshmallows used to be THE DISH at my family Thanksgiving dinners every year, or at least for me it was. I don't know what it was that drew me to it. After going vegan, and becoming more conscious of my diet, this dish was no longer a part of my Thanksgiving menu. I could have swapped the butter with some earth balance and used vegan marshmallows instead, but I wanted a recipe more agreeable with my whole-foods, plant-based diet.
When Yvonne and I discussed the concept of this recipe for our 2014 Vegan Gluten-free Sweet Eclectic Thanksgiving Menu, I had nothing but a smile on my face. I was soooo excited to see what the chef in her would whip up and I am pleased to say this recipe was everything I wanted, and more. Plus, it is refined sugar-free with a fat-free option!
Introduce yourself to all of us!Name: Yvonne Ardestani
Origin: San Diego and Santa Cruz, California
Current City: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Vegan, Gluten-free Chef. Founder of My Eclectic Kitchen Recipe App (available on iTunes and Google Play), eBook, and blog.
Interesting Facts:
1- Prior to attending culinary school, I was an accountant and sold real estate.
2- I am the youngest of six daughters.
3- I have an autoimmune disease. I was first hyperthyroid, and now I am hypothyroid.
4- I was once a size 13 and went down to a size 2 within 1.5 years, with the help of a cleaner diet and a lot of exercise.
5- I’m often asked what ingredient I miss most since going vegan. I have to say honey. It used to be so good in my granola and granola bars. Luckily, I discovered great alternatives for honey.
It is important for me to maintain a balanced life. This includes daily meditation and prayer to thank God for my many blessings—my overall health, a wonderful marriage, my family and friends, and, of course, for the abundance of delicious, natural food that I am privileged to enjoy each day. As I live an active and healthy lifestyle, I work out at least 4 times a week and enjoy a plant-based, whole foods vegan diet. Taking yoga a few times a week and journaling daily help me achieve a sense of self-awareness. Maintaining healthy and peaceful relationships is a priority so spending time with my supportive and loving husband, family, and friends is a must. In my spare time, I enjoy watching the LA Clippers at the Staples Center, writing music with my husband, learning about nutrition, and keeping up with current events.