Raspberry Limeade Cupcakes

Raspberry Limeade Cupcakes~
Yield: 2 dozen

I made these for a girls night, and they were a hit :) These little gems, scream summer! If you like food coloring, than add a few drops of green to the cupcake batter. I'm not a fan of the artificial coloring, since I had read somewhere that the food dye is tested on animals.

Cupcake Batter
1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened hemp milk (really any non-dairy milk will work)
1/2 cup lime juice
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons lime zest chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine non-dairy milk and lime juice in a medium bowl. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to thicken. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Add coconut oil, vanilla extract, and lime zest to the lime juice non-dairy milk mixture, whisking to combine.

3. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture, stirring gently till no longer lumpy and the batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly into lined cupcake pan.

4. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Repeat the process till all of the batter is gone.

5. Allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Raspberry Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup raspberries, pureed
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 Tablespoons vegan margarine
hemp milk to thin

1. Add pureed raspberries, vegetable shortening, vegan margarine and powdered sugar in a bowl. Blend until smooth, adding non-dairy milk to desired consistency.

2. Frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Money Saving Biscuits

Money Saving Biscuits
Vegan; Soy Free; 25 minutes

In my quest to omit Earth Balance (see prior postings) from as many of my recipes, here is a biscuit recipe that I made last night. Since I used coconut yogurt, these come out super light. Here I used Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening. They have it printed right on the package "... Even better are the dozen of small family farmers in Colombia who cultivate and press our palm oil in an environmentally sustainable manner...." Not that I believe everything right off the package. But going to their website and clicking the link to their parent company; they have their corporate 2012 standards for transparency.

2 cups organic all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea-salt
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
1 Tablespoon coconut yogurt
1 cup unsweetened hemp milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add vegetable shortening and coconut yogurt. Taking either 2 butter knives or a pastry blender and cut shortening and yogurt into the flour. Slowly add milk and continue to combine till all the liquid is gone and a soft dough forms.

3. Drop dough, 1 1/2 inches apart, evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and cool. Serve with jam for breakfast!

Crispy Kale Pasta Bake

Crispy Kale Pasta Bake
Vegan; Soy Free; Serves 4

This is adapted from Fig and Cherry. The first time I made this it came out really bland for my taste. Here I added poblano peppers and vegan Parmesan cheese. I omitted the cornflour and vegetable spread to make it lighter. Hope you all enjoy! My mom and I did.... Happy Eating!

1 1/2 cups shell pasta (or other small-shaped pasta)
1 bunch kale (or other leafy vegetable such as spinach or silverbeet)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups unsweetened hemp milk or non-dairy milk
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 small to medium poblano peppers, diced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1-2 teaspoons of chipotle cayenne vegan Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or as per packet instructions until almost al dente. You want it a little underdone because it will be heated again in the oven later on. Drain well and then place into a 1 1/2 quart ovenproof baking dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Destem the leaves of the kale. In a large skillet over medium heat kale, peppers, onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes or until just wilted (adding a Tablespoon of water at a time if needed). Transfer half the kale mixture to a mini food processor and add 1/3 cup hemp milk, mustard, pepper and chipotle cayenne vegan Parmesan cheese. Blitz for 30 seconds until finely chopped and smooth. Pour over the pasta in the baking dish and gently fold in the rest of the wilted kale mixture from the skillet. Slowly pour in the remaining hemp milk.

3. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crunchy. Serve immediately.

No Oil Spicy Coconut Curry

No Oil Spicy Coconut Curry
Vegan; Gluten Free; 30 minutes

I made this last night for my mom (since I'm staying with her) and she loved it. I served this with brown rice, but use what you have... I plan on making this again and adding some mustard greens, so if you have that or spinach wilt it in...

1 block of extra firm sprouted tofu, rinsed and cut into 1" slices
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of onion, minced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1 cup of cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups mustard greens or spinach, coarsely chopped
2 large tablespoons of plain coconut yogurt
1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 tablespoon of red curry paste (check the label to make sure it's vegan)
1-1 1/2 cups unsweetened hemp milk
1 teaspoon ginger powder or fresh
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons cumin
garnish with lime and fresh cilantro

1. In a large pan saute in the vegetable broth garlic, and onion over medium heat till the onion is translucent. Add the tofu and gently toss until coated with the broth. Cook until the tofu has become golden, about 8-10 minutes. Combine the ginger, curry powder, and cumin; sprinkle over the tofu.

2. Add the squash and zucchini, cook for about 5 minutes and add the mushrooms. If using spinach or mustard greens; add it now with 2 tablespoons of water to wilt in. Stir in the coconut yogurt, hemp milk, curry paste, and simmer till the sauce becomes slightly thick. I added some crushed Thai peppers to give an extra kick, fresh cilantro and lime...

Oven Roasted Mashed Potatoes

Oven Roasted Mashed Potatoes
Vegan; Gluten Free

Here I give you the ingredients and use the amounts that suit your tastes. Remember though, when these get baked the taste will become subtle and bake off....

1 pound of a combination of red and golden potatoes, cubed (I leave the skin on since it seems to keep them more together)
low sodium vegetable broth
hemp milk
earth balance
garlic
freshly chopped chives
crushed dried rosemary
crushed red pepper

1. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and using a potato masher mix with ingredients until desired texture and taste.

3. Scoop the mashed potatoes into the lined muffin pan and scrape fork across the top. Drizzle with olive oil or earth balance, the potatoes will dry out-so don't skip this step. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and crispy, serve warm...

Poblano White Chili

Poblano White Chili
Vegan; Gluten Free

This is a thinner chili, then the usual stick to your ribs chili. Instead of the goat cheese that the original recipe (adapted from Vegetarian Times) called for, to keep the tangy flavor that this needs, I used cashew cream. Hope you all like this. Serve over rice and blue corn organic chips!

3 cups cooked white beans, black beans, or kidney beans (I used a combination)
1 recipe Rajas (see recipe in blog)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 Tbs. lime juice, divided
3/4 cup hemp milk
2/4 cashew cream (see recipe in blog)
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
white pepper to taste

1. Bring beans, Rajas, broth, oregano, and cumin to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 2 minutes more.

2. Warm milk in separate saucepan. Add cashew cream, 1 Tbs. lime juice, season with white pepper and stir until smooth. Serve chili garnished with cashew cream sauce, pumpkin seeds, and cilantro.

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

Buffalo Chickpea Dip
Vegan; Gluten Free

Make at least a few hours ahead to allow all the flavors time to meld together; cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and bake off just before serving.

1 15-oz can kidney, drained and rinsed
1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
3/4 cup Saso Roasted Red Pepper Chipotle Sauce
1/2 cup hemp milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Ground black pepper
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh, finely-chopped parsley
1 teaspoon fresh chopped chives
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup Daiya pepper jack-style or cheddar cheese, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Add the beans and cashews to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to break them up a bit. Add the hot sauce, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper. Process until the mixture is entirely smooth (this will take several minutes), stopping to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Adjust salt to taste.

3. Scrape the bean mixture into a bowl and stir in the parsley and chives to evenly distribute. Stir in the chickpeas and 3/4 cup of the Daiya. Transfer the dip to a 9×9-inch square baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Daiya on top. (Note: Dip can be made up to this point a day or two ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to heat and serve.) Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until warmed through. Serve with tortilla chips or veggies for dipping.

Found and slightly adapted from Gluten Free in the City

Saffron-Vanilla Snickerdoodles

Saffron-Vanilla Snickerdoodles

These are more spicy and earthy than sweet, as far a a cookie goes. I made these to with the Christmas arrangement of sweets that I sent out to family and friends for presents. I loved the exotic flavors that come together in this cookie, and even Grant liked this one. A few extra steps in this recipe, but SO worth it.

about 30 threads of saffron (to yield 1/8 teaspoon ground saffron)
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons hemp milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup earth balance, at room temperature
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup packed organic light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
egg replacer equvilant to 1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Crush the saffron threads with a mortar and pestle until powdery or grind them in a clean spice grinder; alternatively, you can finely mince the saffron. The finer the powder, the more intense the saffron color and flavor in the cookies.

2. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the pulp into a small saucepan. Add the vanilla pod, milk, and saffron and cook over very low heat, just until bubbles begin to form at the edges, between 180°F and 190°F (82°C and 88°C). Alternatively, combine the vanilla pulp, pod, milk, and saffron in a small microwavable bowl, and microwave just until the milk is hot, 20 to 30 seconds. Cover and let steep for about 10 minutes; the milk should have a sunny yellow color.

3. Sift the flour and baking soda into a medium bowl.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk, squeezing off any liquid or pulp clinging to it back into the milk. In a medium bowl, combine the milk mixture, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk vigorously until well blended. With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg mixture very slowly, in a steady stream, and mix until well-incorporated and very smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium speed for 30 more seconds.Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until uniform in texture. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough out into an airtight container or onto a piece of plastic wrap. Cover the container, or, if using plastic wrap, shape the dough into a rough disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 5 days.

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Roll 1/4-cup (60 ml) portions of the dough into balls, and place them on the baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for about 16 minutes, until golden but not too dark, rotating the pan midway through the baking time. Ideally, the baked cookies will be tall and slightly under-cooked in the center, and will buckle shortly after coming out of the oven. If the cookies don't buckle, don't worry; they'll still be delicious. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes before removing. These cookies are best when eaten warm, shortly after they come out of the oven. However, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Alternatively, the dough can stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as needed and saving the rest of the dough to bake another day.

Makes 9 large cookies.

Pasta with Ricotta and Brussels Sprouts

Pasta with Ricotta and Brussels Sprouts
Vegan; 30 minutes

Bruce loved the balance between the earthy taste of the Brussels sprouts and the pasta. I loved the way this dish came together, putting leftovers and ingredients that needed to be used, while not tasting like that. The boys liked the pasta, but weren't fans of the Brussels sprouts.

1 pound pasta of your choice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 cup vegan parmesan
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup mix of rosemary, basil, and oregano
1 cup macadamia ricotta (recipe to follow)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground salt and pepper
1/2 cup of hemp milk

1. Marinade the Brussels Sprouts with garlic, salt and black pepper for 10 minutes.

2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook over high heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes and add the pine nuts until toasted.

3. Over medium heat, add the vegan parmesan, macadamia ricotta and rosemary mix. Toss to thoroughly combine, adding hemp milk. Season with crushed red pepper, and serve with additional parmesan.

Vegan "Caramel" Fruit Dip

Vegan Caramel Fruit Dip

For those who will entertaining over this up-coming holiday season, this is perfect to set out with cut up fruit. This is also perfect for those with little ones, watch out though, there is a lot of sugar. The boys LOVED this one!

1 cup dates
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup hemp milk

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Pulse until smooth and chill until ready to be served.

Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

As these were baking, both Choxie and Fortune were in the kitchen watching the oven. Somehow they knew these were being made just for them. Grant actually tried one, and liked it. He asked what smelled good. He shared his cookie with Choxie and Fortune, but did take the last bite. So there you go..... Not only Puppy Friendly, but kid friendly too!

Egg replacer equivalent to 2 eggs
1 cup fresh pureed pumpkin
2 tablespoons hemp milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 1/2 cups gluten free flour (you can use all-purpose)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In large bowl, whisk together egg replacer and pumpkin to smooth. Stir in hemp milk, vanilla, sea salt, and cinnamon. Add flour gradually, combining with spatula or hands to form a soft, dry dough. Briefly kneed and roll out into about 1 inch balls.

3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the 1 inch balls on the cookie sheet and press down. (Like a peanut butter cookie.) Poke holes with a fork and bake (in batches if needed) for 20 minutes until golden.

Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce

Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce
Vegan; Serves 4

In honor of fall and it being cold outside, this is one of those perfect comfort foods! I paired this with a white wine and added crushed red pepper....

2 1/2 cups hemp milk
2 cups butternut squash puree (I made mine the same night, so oven roasted for 30-45 minutes)
1 cup shredded style cheddar Daiya cheese
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Soy Free Spread

1. Set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add oil and Earth Balance, add onion, saute until soft and opaque, about 1-2 minutes. Add hemp milk, butternut squash, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.

2. Whisk vigorously or use a hand held immersion blender to blend until smooth, cook for 4-5 minutes. Then add maple syrup and Daiya cheese, stir until smooth. Take off the heat.

3. Add to pasta and enjoy! (A spinach or a garlic parsley pasta would be wonderful with this). I served it with some crusty garlic bread.....

Buffalo Tofu Bites

Buffalo Tofu Bites
Vegan; 1 hour

With an hour being the time, I promise-this is the type of recipe that is not as hands on. Step number 3 is what may take the most hands on, however I promise this is worth it! Grant and Max liked it, and this is perfect for any tale gate parties that are coming up!!

1 cup of hemp milk
2 tbsp corn starch
1 15 ounce block of firm tofu (organic), pressed to remove excess water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Earth Balance butter, melted
1/4 cup Saso Roasted Red Pepper Chipotle Sauce
1/2 tbsp of garlic powder
a dash of black pepper

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium sized bowl mix the hemp milk with the corn starch and set aside.

3. In another medium sized bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt. Next, cut the tofu in triangles; to do this first slice the tofu in half so that there are now 2 slabs of tofu, then cut each slab into thirds on the short side, then cut in half on the long side. Now you should have 12 small squares of tofu, slice each one of those on an angle to get triangles. See images below.

4. Now place the tofu triangles into the milk mixture and coat them, then dredge them into the flour mixture and get each side covered completely. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for an hour.

5. In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, hot sauce, garlic powder and black pepper. Dip each piece of tofu in the mixture and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 30-35 minutes turning halfway through. If you want them crispier just bake them a little longer. I served these with a vegan ranch dressing.

Ranch Dressing

Ranch Dressing
Vegan; Makes about 1 cup

There are some things with going Vegan that I miss, and this is one of them. I made this to go with the tofu buffalo bites and bacony stuffed dates. Even Grant and Max liked it...

1/4 cup hemp milk
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon parsley (fresh or dry)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Chill until ready to use.

Double Carob Cherry Muffins

Double Carob Cherry Muffins
Vegan; 1 hour 30 min; 12 (or more)

Depending on how big your muffin pan is, you may get more then 12. I got about 20, but this just means more to share.... I ended up having to add more hemp milk at the end, to get the right consistency, since I live in a higher altitude.Feel free to use semisweet chocolate instead of the carob. Since I have a food allergy, I used the carob with great results!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 sugar
1/3 cup carob powder
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of cinnamon
1 cup soy yogurt
1/2 cup hemp milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil`
egg replacer the equivalent of 2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups fresh dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
1 cup miniature carob chips

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 12 jumbo (3 1/2-inch) muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

2. Stir together the flour, sugar, carob powder, baking powder, pinch of cinnamon and salt in a separate large bowl, and make a well in the center; set aside. Whisk together the soy yogurt, hemp milk, vegetable oil, egg replacer, and almond extract in a bowl until evenly blended. Pour the soy yogurt mixture into the well, then stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the cherries and carob chips. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling half full.

3. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Creamed Spinach Sauce Over Sliced Mushroom Burgers

Creamed Spinach Sauce Over Sliced Mushroom Burgers
Vegan; 45 minutes; Serves 4

I made these last night and served them with blue baked potatoes. Bruce was SO thrilled with these, I think since there were so many different flavors in this dish....

Creamed Spinach
Makes 2 cups
1/2 teaspoon earth balance
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1 clove of garlic minced
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hemp milk
1/2 cup low-sodium not-chick'n broth
kosher salt and black pepper
pinch cayenne
pinch nutmeg
garlic and red pepper to taste
4 cups chopped fresh spinach

1. In a large pan, over medium high heat, heat broth, hemp milk, spinach, garlic and onion. When the spinach starts to wilt (about 5-8 minutes), whisk in flour and spices. When the sauce starts to thicken, lower the heat to simmer until all the spinach has wilted.

To Make the Sliced Mushroom Burgers
Vegan; Serves 4

8-10 button mushrooms (depending on size); cleaned and sliced
olive oil to coat
balsamic vinegar to coat
dry white wine to coat
1 clove of garlic, minced

1. In a shallow glass dish, marinade mushrooms in oil, vinegar and white wine for 15-20 minutes.

2. Over medium-high heat, in a small pan, pour the mushroom mixture and heat until the mushrooms turn brown. Then lower heat to a simmer for about 5-7 minutes, and serve on toasted buns with the cream spinach mixture.

Vegan Chick-fil-A Sandwiches

Vegan Chick-fil-A Sandwiches
Vegan; Serves 4

This is for the people out there that are trying to have a smaller carbon footprint, needing something that is kid friendly (that are transitioning to a kinder lifestyle) or are boycotting for support of gay rights! I've found this posted on several sites including The Kind Life and PETA....

4 vegan chicken cutlets (try Gardein Chick'n Scallopini)
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened soy or hemp milk
1/4 cup pickle juice
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
3 cups peanut, canola, or vegetable oil, for frying
Olive oil cooking spray
4 buns
16 dill pickle chips

1. Defrost or thaw the chicken cutlets if frozen.

2. Combine the soy milk and the pickle juice in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

3. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, dry mustard, and powdered sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.

4. Warm the peanut oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Dip a "chicken" cutlet into the wet mixture, coating evenly on all sides. Toss into the flour mixture and coat generously. Repeat with the remaining cutlets and set aside.

5. Place one cutlet in the frying pan using a pair of tongs. Flip occasionally to ensure even cooking. Allow to cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the outside is crisp and golden brown. Allow to drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.

6. Lightly spray the buns with the cooking spray and place in a frying pan over low heat until slightly toasted.

7. Place 4 pickle chips on the bottom half of each bun, then top with the fried "chicken." Serve immediately.

I'm So Blue Mashed Potatoes

I'm So Blue Mashed Potatoes
Vegan; Serves 4

While shopping at the farmers market on Saturday, I was able to find more of my favorite blue potatoes. Since it's Grants birthday, and needing a kid friendly side to go with the portabella mushroom steaks, I made these. Several years ago, I made these for a holiday dinner-the color is a beautiful blueish purple.... Loosely use the measurements below, every taste is different.

1 pound blue potatoes, scrubbed and semi skinned-cut into large-medium chunks
(I like to leave some of the skin on, so they don't fall apart-more rustic)
1-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1-1 1/2 cups hemp milk
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons rosemary
sea salt and black pepper to taste (I used 2 pinches of sea salt)

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain.

2. In a large bowl, combine vegetable broth, hemp milk (a little at a time, about 1/2 a cup) with the potatoes. (I used my hand mixer, since my potato masher is in storage.) Using a hand mixer, on the lowest speed mix until liquid is gone. Add earth balance, rosemary and garlic. (Here is where you taste it to see if you need to add more, to get the flavor and texture you want.)

Serve warm and enjoy!

Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno Poppers
vegan, makes 10 poppers

I made these last month for a pot luck, and everyone LOVED them... I made about 40 of them to make sure there were plenty for people to enjoy. If you make as many as I did, please wear gloves, my fingers were burning for days after. ~_^

5 large jalapeno peppers, de-seeded and halved

cheese mixture:
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup Daiya cheddar cheese shreds

Flour Mixture:
2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
dash of chipotle powder
pinch of salt and pepper

Panko Bread Crumbs

small flat bowl of hemp milk (about 1/4 cup)

1+ cups olive oil

Directions:

1. Prep your jalapenos by halving them and carefully removing the seeds. Set aside.

2. Get your "breading" station set up. You will have a bowl for each of these: cheese mixture (fold the shreds into the cream cheese), flour mixture, panko crumbs, soy milk.

3. Start prepping your jalapenos. Here is the method: stuff with cheese, roll in milk, roll in flour, back in milk, roll in panko crumbs, set aside. Pressing the panko crumbs into the wet cheese layer really helps. Continue this process until all the jalapenos are stuffed and breaded.

4. Pour your oil into a large pot over med-high heat. Test the oil for heat-readiness by dropping one panko crumb into the oil - if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough. If you can get by with cooking all your poppers with 1 cup of oil, great. But if you want a more saturated "fry" you may need to add more.

5. Pan-fry each jalapeno popper for about 90 seconds on each side. Flip with care.

6. Transfer poppers to a paper towels to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Found: kblog.lunchbox.com

Banana Bread

Banana Bread
Vegan

The secret to getting this moist and perfect, is using really ripe bananas. Bruce and his youngest love this. In fact his youngest detests bananas and he will eat 3/4 of the loaf by himself. My family gets their own loaf for each family member. My brother doesn't share and my sister in law never gets a slice. My friends love this, the same Jason won't share with Angela. Enjoy this recipe, it's a keeper......

Ingredients:

2-3 bananas sliced
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons of flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons organic canola oil
egg replacer equivalent to 2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) non-dairy milk-I use Hemp
1/3 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour loaf pan, set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl beat bananas with a hand mixer. Add egg replacer and liquid ingredients and mix. Combine dry ingredients to the wet, folding in walnuts if using and pour into greased pan. Bake for 1 hour.