Anyone looking for an American themed dessert for Memorial Day will love this Patriot Cake. I simplified the process with a boxed cake and prepared frosting, but if you’re feeling ambitious, bake from scratch.

To make a Patriot Cake, you’ll need:

• White cake mix or homemade cake ingredients
• 17 strawberries, halved
• 1/2 pint blueberries, approximate
• white frosting, store bought or homemade

Prepare cake according to recipe in a 9X13 Pyrex pan. Let cool fully for at least 45 minutes, then spread with a thick layer of frosting. Arrange whole blueberries and halved strawberries in the shape of an American flag.

So easy, huh? No need to divide batter into separate pans or fiddle with assembling wobbly layers. Just 1 pan and some toppings—my kind of cake! It’s even better with vanilla ice cream on the side.

In addition to Memorial Day, this would also be perfect for 4th of July, served as part of a BBQ feast.

Confession: I’m notoriously bad at making recipes that contain yeast. I’ve had many flops where bread/rolls are concerned, but this one is so easy and tasty, I call them Yummy Rolls. I think using the dough enhancer makes all the difference. Because the rising time is so short, these can be made for an everyday meal, instead of a special occasion.

To make Yummy Rolls, you will need:

• 3 cups warm water
• 1 cup oil
• 3/4 cup honey
• 4 Tbs dry yeast
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbs salt
• 10 cups flour (any combination of white and/or whole-wheat)
• 3 Tbs dough enhancer (optional but worth it)

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the remainder.
Knead about 5 minutes and shape into rolls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Let rise for 10-20 minutes. Bake for approximately 10 minutes at 425° degrees.

For those who like to experiment, I’ve also made these incorporating canned pumpkin into the batter. Delicious either way.

Do you have a favorite roll recipe? I’d love to try it!

Creamy, vegan, chocolate—three words that make my heart flutter! This recipe came my way courtesy of ALOHA (don’t you love it when companies include sample recipes with orders?). In the past, I’ve made something similar with avocado, but never with dates. I’m not crazy about dates plain, but pureed into a drink, they’re actually good. The only change I made was to add honey; I found it needed an extra kick.

To make Vegan Chocolate Mousse, you will need:

• 1/4 Cup coconut butter
• 1/4 Cup almond or cashew milk
• 2 Pitted dates
• 1 Serving ALOHA Chocolate Protein
• 1 Packet ALOHA Daily Good Chocolate  
• 1/2 Tsp honey
• 1 Tsp vanilla extract

Soak the dates in hot water for a minute until soft. Adding liquids first, combine all  ingredients in a blender until smooth.

I find the mix of sweet + protein to be extra rich and satisfying—perfect for a much-needed afternoon pick-me-up snack!

Bland, soggy, gross—that’s how I’ve always described matzo pizza in the past. Every version I tried never came out right, probably because I made the mistake of using a matzo meal crust in place of regular flour. If it wasn’t for some very picky kids, I would’ve abandoned it altogether (since they kept persisting, I felt obliged!). After spending an hour searching tons of recipes and reading reviews, I found something worth making, courtesy of Skinny Taste.

Their recipe for Skinny Passover Matzo Pizza was delicious! Oh, and did I mention simple? Use the cracker as a base, add the toppings of your choice, bake, and serve. 

Matzo pizzas make a good appetizer or can be incorporated into a meal. Mind you, it’s not filling, so lots of sides—I served green salad and orange slices—will be needed.