Dessert? Yes, please – at least once a day in my opinion. But sweet treats don’t need to be over-the-top indulgences. Tony and I are happy with some chocolate (for health, right?), a little bit of sweet seasonal fruit, and some naturally rich coconut cream. I’m in the “coconut is healthy” camp mainly because I like it. It’s like chocolate – I’ll just assume the studies are correct, rather than digging deeper. It keeps my healthy psyche satiated. All this to say, I hope you love this two part recipe for strawberries with dairy-free cocoa whip and chocolate crisps as much as I do!
Seasonal Fruit with Dairy-Free Cocoa Whip and Chocolate Crisps
The seasons are like prolonged food vacations. They’re a time I look forward to enjoying “new” fruits and vegetables or ones that I haven’t seen in months. But unlike travel, produce is cheapest during peak season. I’m always excited to see the sales emerge for nectarines and plums in summer, apples and squash in fall, cruciferous veggies in winter, and brilliantly red cherries and strawberries in spring.
It’s a win-win-win really. Eating seasonally lets you …
- Enjoy delicious produce when it tastes best
- Find good prices since the crops are more abundant
- Reap the benefits of more nutrients. When in season, fewer pesticides are needed, and the produce is produced domestically (or even locally!). Since it doesn’t have to travel as far, it makes it to your plate more quickly and allows less time for the valuable goodies like antioxidants to fade away
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to see such incredible strawberries until May, but California is already rewarding us with a pretty sweet crop. We’ve been enjoying their deliciousness straight up, but I also can’t resist topping them with some homemade dairy-free cocoa whip. They are amazing with a simple dollop, but why not up the ante with chocolate?
The dairy-free whipped “cream” recipe below is spiked with a mellow dose of cocoa powder. If you want a deeper flavor, try my Dairy-Free Chocolate Whipped Cream Recipe. Either way, you do not want to skip the chocolate crisps! They are so simple, but taste amazing. In fact, I couldn’t resist sneaking pieces of the leftovers.
Special Diet Notes: Cocoa Whip and Chocolate Crisps
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
- ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or sustainable palm shortening
- ¾ cup crispy whole-grain dairy-free cereal (gluten-free, if needed)
- 1 cup coconut cream (see Coconut Cream Note below)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons cocoa powder, or more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- Melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil or shortening.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the melted chocolate with the cereal until the cereal is completely coated. Spread the mixture out on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the coconut cream, powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla in a mixing bowl (I freeze the mixing bowl and beaters for 15 minutes). Whip for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the whip is creamy and fluffy. If it is a little soft, freeze it for 10 to 15 minutes and then whip again.
- Remove the chocolate crisp from the freezer and break it up.
- Divide the strawberries between four bowls, top with the cocoa whip, and sprinkle with chocolate crisps.
More Sweet & Creamy Vegan Strawberry Treats
Strawberry “Cheesecake” Parfaits
Strawberry Basil Creamsicles
Strawberry Fool
