The Bojon Gourmet • seasonal recipes from a recovering pastry chef

“PBJ” Tahini Chia Pudding Cups

These easy tahini chia pudding cups get a PBJ vibe from earthy tahini & bright fruit compote. A vegan, gluten-free, paleo-friendly, refined sugar-free recipe.

Here’s an easy, no-cook recipe to make with the low-sugar strawberry rhubarb chia jam that I recently shared. I’m a longtime fan of vegan chia seed pudding and all kinds of chia-rich breakfasts. This version has been on the menu lately.

This easy vegan chia pudding gets a peanut butter & jelly vibe from salty tahini chia pudding made extra-creamy with the help of coconut milk. Layer this luscious pudding into glasses with plant yogurt, tangy jam, and crumbled granola bars on top. It makes a nourishing nosh anytime of day.

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Small-Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam with Maple & Chia

This sweet-tart low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam is set with chia seed instead of loads of sugar or pectin, for a light, fresh taste that you’ll love! Serve this refined sugar-free jam on toast, in PBJs, over pancakes, stirred into yogurt, or in chia pudding.

I can never get enough of strawberries and rhubarb together. Whether it’s in the form of crisp, crumble, pie, cobbler, or galettes, the sweet-tart combo ends up greater than the sum of its parts. The uniquely floral taste of tangy rhubarb melds perfectly with ripe red berries, turning a luscious shade of crimson.

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Vegan Caprese Salad with Peaches & Arugula

This savory-sweet take on vegan caprese salad combines creamy heirloom tomatoes, juicy peaches, and peppery arugula with vegan mozzarella for an effortless starter or light main dish.

Here’s a quick and easy way to enjoy summer’s bounty. You hardly need a recipe for this vegan caprese salad. The measurements are loosey goosey, so feel free to riff based on what you have on hand.

Growing up, caprese salad was a staple at our dinner table. The flavors of tangy tomatoes, creamy mozz, and fresh basil, all drizzled with olive oil and balsamic were a requisite part of summer. I’ve shared some other takes on this traditional Italian dish over the years, including cucumber melon caprese, strawberry caprese, and caprese gazpacho. I know I’m not the only one who’s pazza per caprese!

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Chocolate-Flecked Banana Bread {grain-free, vegan, naturally sweetened, paleo-friendly}

This vegan paleo banana bread gets its tender crumb from almond flour and cassava flour, sweetness from maple syrup and coconut sugar, and moist texture from nut butter, all studded with bittersweet chocolate flecks. Super moist, gooey, decadent-tasting, yet deceptively healthy. Thanks to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post!

I’ve made a lot of banana desserts in my time, but for some reason, this is the first banana bread recipe I’ve ever shared on TBG! It helps that it’s the best banana bread I’ve ever had, and I’ve had many. It’s super moist and tender, full of butterscotchy banana notes, and studded with loads of dark chocolate. It just happens to be free of grains, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar which makes it friendly to many diets. Most importantly for me, the elimination diet I’ve been on for months! I’ve made it 8 times in the last few weeks. They’re short little loaves, but still – Jay and I can’t stop.

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Gluten-Free Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Rich, tender, and lacy, these easy gluten-free lemon ricotta pancakes make a tasty breakfast or brunch. Top them with seasonal fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup for a stunning breakfast or brunch.

I’ve been on a bit of a pancake kick lately. Last week, I revisited this favorite lemon ricotta pancake recipe that I first published on TBG back in 2012. At the time, I’d been smitten with the fluffy ricotta pancakes at Plow, a lovely breakfast spot in my San Francisco neighborhood. I’ve been friendly with the owners, Joel and Maxine, since working at a coffee shop on the same block when I first moved to SF. So one day after a luscious pancake brunch, I plucked up the courage to ask them for the recipe. I gave them my email, and I waited.

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Thick & Chewy Vegan Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies {gluten-free, grain-free, & naturally sweetened}

With crisp edges and chewy, gooey middles, these vegan & paleo chocolate chip cookies (aka pegan cookies) are easy to whip up with just a bowl and spoon. You can have them stirred and baked in under an hour, no chilling time required. You won’t believe they’re plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free, grain-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free because they taste just as rich and delicious as the classic.

As I mentioned two posts ago, I’m doing a nutritional protocol with Alison from Food By Mars. This involves cutting out grains, dairy, legumes, and eggs for a few months while I hopefully get my gut and immune system back on track. But I’ve never let a little thing like a restrictive elimination diet stop my from baking, and I’m certainly not now. I’ve got so many delicious recipes to share with you, I can’t wait!

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