Oh, do we have a treat for you today! (What can we say? It’s in our name after all 😉)
At Trupo Treats we’re in it for the people, planet, and animals. As the only vegan milk chocolate bar that partners with nonprofit farmed animal sanctuaries and is on the Food Empowerment Project recommended list, our crispy, creamy, and crunchy chocolates are a snackable sweet like no other.
Having recently skyrocketed past our $100,000 crowdfunding goal for our four new vegan mylk chocolate bars, we know you agree! 😉
Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge
Now, we’re raising the bar-- or, at least unwrapping it.
Since we launched in July 2020 our classic Trupo Treats vegan milk chocolate bars have been finding their way into delicious dishes and desserts dreamed up by compassionate and creative vegans like you!
From s’mores to smoothie bowls and everything in between, your chocolatey confections are blowing our minds, stealing our hearts, and winning our taste buds. 😍
In our new Baking With Trupo Treats series, we’re spotlighting your original recipes that make use of our vegan milk chocolate!
To kick off our new series, we have two recipes from dynamic vegan food blogger Healthy Vegan Junkie. On today’s menu? Chocolate doughnuts and mint chocolate truffles!
Healthy Vegan Junkie (Jill Zimmerman)
Meet Healthy Vegan Junkie
North Carolina-based Jill Zimmerman bakes up all kinds of delectable desserts on her Instagram food blog, Healthy Vegan Junkie. “I have been a vegan for 15 years and it’s the best decision I ever made,” says Jill. “It has put my Crohn’s disease in remission and I am off my meds.”
Health and wellness are a key part of what fuels Jill’s veganism. As a vegan athlete, Jill knows what the power of nutrition is. Especially plant-based nutrition.
Jill created Healthy Vegan Junkie in July of 2020. Jill says that the inspiration to create the vegan food Instagram came from within.
“I have always been interested in baking and cooking. . . I wanted to showcase to the general public, whether vegan or non-vegan the healthy recipes and dishes. I create, using all-natural ingredients.”
Healthy Vegan Junkie's Mediterranean Sweet Potato and Chickpeas
Jill's love for animals is another aspect of her veganism, and what drew her to Trupo Treats in the first place.
“Choosing the vegan lifestyle was because I care very much for animals and their welfare, and that’s what you promote,” says Jill, “My favorite thing about [Trupo Treats] is that you give 10% of profits to new animal sanctuaries and on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and [that on] Friday’s you donate 25%.”
Jill’s personal favorite farmed animal sanctuary? Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge. As luck would have it, we partnered with the Pittsboro, North Carolina-based sanctuary in January 2021!
Jill also loves that we take our commitment to creating cruelty-free confections to another level.
Healthy Vegan Junkie's Vegan Chocolate Doughnuts with Raspberry Frosting
“Your products are free from palm oil. That’s amazing because many companies still include that ingredient in their recipes even if they’re vegan!”
So what inspired Jill to include Trupo Treats in her Healthy Vegan Junkie doughnut and mint chocolate truffle recipes? It all started with experimenting with her signature “eclectic” recipes. Jill loves that we’re “the first company to make a copycat of the Nestle crunch bar with a vegan recipe” and enjoys the taste and texture of our vegan milk chocolate.
After falling for the crunchiness and sweetness of our chocolate bars, Jill decided to add Trupo Treats into many of her dessert recipes. “I found that [the] bars held up great, and the taste and texture were very satisfying.”
“That was the inspiration for using your bars in my recipes and I’m so glad I did!”
Healthy Vegan Junkie's Vegan Chocolate Doughnuts with Trupo Treats frosting
Grab your mixing bowl and your favorite doughnut pan because it’s time to bake some Trupo Treats chocolate glazed doughnuts!
Vegan Chocolate Doughnuts Recipe
Jill is quick to sum up this recipe, “Nothing can beat a freshly baked doughnut. Nothing! With the chocolate crunch candy on the inside and warm chocolate glaze on top, you’ll want to make these immediately.”
Ingredients
1 cup Gluten-free (or regular) self-raising flour
½ cup Plant-based milk
4 tablespoons Maple syrup
4 tablespoons Coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons Cacao powder
Pinch of salt
2 bars Trupo Treats
For Decorating
Vegan sprinkles or jimmies
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Grease your doughnut molds with coconut oil and set them aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour, pinch of salt, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of the melted coconut oil, plant-based milk and mix well into a smooth batter. Chop up 1 chocolate bar and fold the pieces into the batter.
- Add the batter into each mold making sure to smooth over the top
- Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs
- Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate glaze. In a microwave-safe bowl add 2 tbsp melted coconut oil, the second full bar of chocolate, and melt. Once melted, stir in 2 or 3 tablespoons cacao powder to desired consistency.
- Remove doughnuts from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Once doughnuts are cooled dunk them into the chocolate glaze and place them on a cooling rack. You can top them with sprinkles or leave it as is.
- Let them set for 10-15 minutes and then enjoy!
Healthy Vegan Junkie's Mint Chocolate Trupo Treats Truffles
And now it’s Trupo Treats truffle time!
Vegan Mint Chocolate Truffles Recipe
Jill says, “These truffles are smooth and velvety. They’re truly the perfect texture and are ideal for the chocolate lover in your life! With a fudgy mint chocolate center, they’re rolled in a decadent chocolate coating that melts in your mouth.”
Ingredients
The truffles:
2 cups raw cashews (soaked)
8 - 10 Medjool dates
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup cacao powder
2 teaspoons mint extract
A pinch of sea salt
The chocolate coating:
1 and 1/2 bars of Trupo Treats (melted)
1 tablespoon Sunflower seed butter
Crushed *Oreos, for rolling the truffles
Directions
- Soak raw cashews overnight with a pinch of salt (or soak in hot water for 2 hours). Drain and rinse.
- In a food processor, pulse together raw cashews, dates (pits removed), until gooey and smooth.
- Add coconut flour, cacao powder, sea salt, and mint extract. Blend until you have a thick dough.
- Chill in the fridge for an hour or freezer for 20 minutes (this makes it easier for rolling)
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt about 1 cup dark chocolate bar with a tbsp of sunflower seed butter
- Scoop dough into desired-sized truffle balls. Dip in melted chocolate until fully covered, sprinkle with crushed Oreos.
- Let them set in the fridge for a few minutes and then pop a couple in your mouth! Enjoy!
(*Note: If you don't have Oreos you can use any chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookie in this recipe. We love the vegan Back To Nature Classic Creme Cookies)
You can keep up with all of Jill’s sweet and savory creations on her Instagram Healthy Vegan Junkie.
We’ll be back next month with a Trupo Treats-topped green smoothie bowl recipe from food blogger Cacao For Coconuts!
Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge
Until next time, stay sweet and be kind! 😋💖 🍫