Sweet Treats for Your Vegan Valentine

The new millennium has brought us many new and wondrous advances in civilization, not the least of which is a sugary explosion of luscious, vegan baked goods.

Vegan baking used to evoke memories of your hippie aunt's rock-hard bran muffins. Then in 2006 a cookbook called Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World took over the (vegan) world. With these simple yet magical new techniques, vegans discovered that they too could enjoy fluffy cakes, buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache, all without using eggs, butter or other animal products. Jean sales also rocketed, as vegans found themselves in need of larger pants. But we were happy and in love. With baking.

There is a plethora of fantastic cookbooks to guide you in whipping up a compassionate love offering for your sweetheart. Chloe's Vegan Desserts has simple, perfected recipes that don't require any special ingredients. Every type of dessert is covered, and helpful tips and personal anecdotes spice up the text. From pecan bars to salted caramel cupcakes, celebrity chef and animal lover Chloe Coscarelli's recipes are irresistible, the photos enticing and the format of the recipes easy to follow.

Vegan baking is by default more healthy because there is no cholesterol in plant foods. However, if your valentine is on an especially healthy kick, check out Dreena Burton's Let Them Eat Vegan!, which specializes in whole foods recipes like her Hello Vegan Bars, which also happen to be gluten-free, wheat-free and soy-free. Burton's cookbooks are written with families in mind, so the recipes are perfect for sneaking nutrients into your little valentines as well.