About a year ago, my boyfriend, Jared, stopped eating eggs. I do most of the cooking in our house and for the most part, this was fine. He switched from eggs to oats in the morning and most of the other menu items were left unchanged. The one gaping hole was in the dessert category. The occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies coupled with an SVU Netflix binge had been our longstanding guilty pleasure. Over the past few months, I've been struggling with creating egg free baked goods that actually taste like the real deal. The struggle has been real. Pretty much everything tasted like health food and if I'm going to have dessert, I want it to taste like dessert. No compromises.

That said, with Valentine's Day fast approaching, I wanted to share two egg free desserts that hit the spot! I wouldn't call either of these items "healthy" as they do have a bit of sugar in them, but we all need to live a little from time to time. Always remember moderation when having sweets (and in life). That way you can be present and enjoy guilt free.

On to the sweets!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars (Recipe from Smitten Kitchen here)
These things were so freaking good and very beginner friendly. The hardest part was melting the butter in a double boiler. (Learn how to make a double boiler here.) Rhubarb is out of season and the grocery didn't have strawberries, so I made mine with raspberries and blueberries. Nom.

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cookies (Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod here)
Most of the time when I make vegan desserts the texture is really off for me. The treats are too grainy. These cookies, however, pass the texture test. Be sure to let them cool for a little bit when they come out of the oven. Otherwise they might fall apart and crumble.

Please enjoy these sweets responsibly in the company of friends and loved ones.

Winter is in full effect and the temperatures are expected to drop into the teens this Valentine's Day weekend. Burr. All the more reason to whip up a big pot of warming soup for your impending hibernation. I'm not a fan of cold weather, so between November and March I always have some form of soup in my fridge for those extra chilly (or extra lazy) days. Soup is relatively quick and easy to make, so those with cooking phobia need not fret.

For many years I bought boxed vegetable stock, but recently I began making my own. This process was surprisingly easy and cheap. Either will suit for the recipes below, but I highly recommend trying out some homemade stock. The flavor is better and I truly believe something special happens when you have full control over the ingredients going into your food. That said, if you do buy a pre-made stock be sure to check the ingredient list and sodium content. My rule of thumb when it comes to packaged food is that if I can't pronounce (or identify) the ingredients I won't eat it. If you're unsure of what something is take two seconds and look it up on your phone. (Or scan the barcode on GoodGuide.) Final note on stock, if you're a meat eater you can always use chicken stock in place of veg stock.

And now for the soups!

Vegan Creamy Potato and Leek Soup (Recipe from Care 2 here)
I'm a big fan of leeks as well as potatoes with rosemary. Don't be turned off by the fact that this soup is vegan. This soup will warm you up to the core and gently fill your belly. I usually top off the soup with freshly grated parmesan, asiago or whichever hard cheese is in my fridge.

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup (Recipe from Cooking Channel here)
This is my go-to cold weather need to warm up from the inside out soup. Cinnamon has a natural warming effect on the body plus the cayenne gives the soup a spicy flavor kick. Chickpeas give the soup a hearty texture and the spinach is refreshing. The main word that comes to mind when describing this soup is yum.

Fall Vegetable Quinoa Soup (Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod here)
For those of you who aren't a fan of puréed soups, try this vegetable soup out! Root vegetables are hearty and in season pretty much all year round. If you're not eating grains, just leave the quinoa out. If you are, be sure to soak the quinoa overnight with a neutralizing agent ( a spoonful of vinegar does the trick) to help your body digest all the nutrients from this protein packed grain.

Please enjoy these soups responsibly in the company of friends and loved ones.