Earth Balance & Palm Oil

Dear Jacqueline,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at Earth Balance. We always appreciate hearing from consumers who care enough to reach out to us with their comments or questions.

As palm oil is one of the critical elements to our proprietary blend of oils, we’re dedicated to being proactive in growing awareness around the issue.

While Earth Balance is only a small palm oil user (we use less than 0.05% of all palm oil), we’re taking a big stand against unsustainable palm oil. Here’s how…

First, we are firmly committed to sustainable sourcing, and we believe in the power of informed consumers to change the world for the better. We are educating our suppliers about ways to safeguard the rainforest through sustainable palm oil sourcing, and we’re educating our customers about how they can have a direct positive impact by exclusively purchasing responsibly sourced palm oil products.

Thirty percent of our palm oil comes from sustainable palm oil plantations in Brazil. Our Brazil-sourced palm oil is 100% organic and is used in all of our organic products (and because orangutans are not native to South America, the Brazilian palm industry does not adversely impact their wellbeing). The remaining 70% of our palm oil comes from responsible sources in peninsular Malaysia, which are all members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the leading global organization developing and implementing global standards for sustainable palm oil production. We insist on continuing assurances from our suppliers that all palm fruit oil purchased for Earth Balance complies with the RSPO policies, and we are committed to terminating any suppliers that violate these policies.

In addition, we purchase GreenPalm Certificates, which work a lot like carbon credits. The money used to purchase these certificates helps improve the infrastructure and practices behind sustainable palm oil. Moreover, we are supporting the action-oriented, on-the ground conservation work of Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) in Indonesian Borneo. OFI is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, led by world-renown primatologist and conservationist Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas. OFI is committed to rescuing and rehabilitating orangutans that are adversely affected by the palm oil industry, and has been working for more than 40 years to conserve rainforest habitat and educate people throughout the world about the orangutans’ plight. Earth Balance is especially proud to be a financial supporter of OFI’s ongoing initiative to return 330 wild-born, ex-captive rehabilitated orangutans back to the wild, into biologically-rich, protected forest, where they rightfully belong.

For more information, please see our White Paper: Addressing the Social & Environmental Challenges with Palm Fruit Oil, posted on our website.

We recognize this effort takes time, and we are committed to working with the industry and with organizations to develop long-term sustainable solutions. You can visit our website www.EarthBalanceNatural.com/responsibility/palm-oil/ for more information.


Sincerely,

Your Friends at Earth Balance

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...

Stuffed Artichokes

Stuffed Artichokes
Vegan; 1 hour 30 minutes

Finding artichokes on sale at the grocery store the other day, I picked some up. I love this, since it's one bowl and one pan it makes cleaning SO easy! Prep time is a little longer, since you do have to snip the pointed tips off each artichoke leaf.

4 artichokes
1/2 cup of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (use gluten free)
1 Tablespoon melted earth balance
4 Tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
1 clove of garlic minced
2 teaspoons basil, parsley, crushed rosemary

1. Rinse artichokes. Cut about 1.5 inches from top (point). Cut off stem and reserve. Artichokes should sit flat by removing stem. With kitchen shears, clip the end from each leaf to remove thorn. Rinse. With point down on a hard surface (counter top) press down to spread leaves. Place artichokes in bowl of lemon water to keep from turning brown.

2. In a medium bowl combine ingredients, mixing till well combined.

3. Press about 1/2 cup of stuffing into each artichoke. Tightly pack stuffed artichokes together in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Add enough water to reach half way up artichokes. Steam for 45 minutes. During the steaming process, sprinkle artichokes with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. As artichokes cooks, baste often and don’t let liquid evaporate. As liquid steams away, add more water. This liquid turns into a delicious sauce. Artichokes are done when you can pull a leaf off easily.

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.

Black Cherry Phyllo Tarts

Black Cherry Phyllo Tarts
Vegan; Makes 12 tarts

So, this is the rest of the dessert recipe that I served last night. These little tart are super impressive. Just remember to spray your muffin pan before you put the phyllo sheets in them, or (like me) you'll have a difficult time removing them and may have a few tasty causalities... ~_^

Here I used organic black cherries from a jar (Red Hills Fruit Company). Phyllo dough will dry out quickly, so having a damp surface will help delay that. Also, it is really a delicate medium; so please don't get discouraged. I've ripped and destroyed more sheets, but they're still good to use. I'll post some tips on using the ripped pieces...

5 sheets of of Phyllo dough
1/4 cup of ground almonds
1/4 cup of Turbinado sugar
4 Tablespoons of Earth Balance (melted)
1 cup black cherries, (drained if from a jar, reserve 1/4 cup of syrup)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sugar

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine Turbinado sugar and ground almonds, set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, mix reserved syrup, almond extract and sugar. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. On a damp surface (I use a large cutting board), lay out your sheets of phyllo dough and cut into 12 squares (as even as possible). Brush melted earth balance on a square of phyllo and sprinkle with ground almond and turbinado sugar mixture. Repeat with all 5 squares, then gently press square phyllo dough into a lightly sprayed muffin pan. Add cherries (I was able to get 3 large cherries into each tart). And repeat steps with remaining phyllo dough pieces, util the pan is full and the cherries are gone. Sprinkle the tops of the tarts with extra ground almond, sugar mixture.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Or until the edges of the phyllo dough turns golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Spoon Coconut Vanilla Custard into each tart and serve.

Mixed Dal with Tomato Tarka

Mixed Dal with Tomato Tarka
Vegan; 1 hour and 30 minutes

So, humor me here. Bruce loved this and amazingly enough, so did Max. Grant, I had to mention that "if you're full, then you don't get dessert.". That worked! Since it has been crazy in the house, with football, hockey and Bruce traveling. I wanted a nice dinner where we sat at the table like a family.... Well worth the wait, I may have cut a step out still resulting in a tasty meal!

1/2 cup yellow split peas
1/2 cup green split peas
3 Tbs. melted Earth Balance (I used about 2 Tbs.)
2 Tbs. fresh grated ginger (finding my ginger expired, I used powdered), divided
1 tsp. turmeric
4 cups baby spinach
1 tsp. salt (I omitted)
2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1/4 onion, chopped
1 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large tomato, diced
cilantro leaves for garnish, optional

1. Rinse and drain the split peas; place in a large bowl and soak for 30 in hot water. Cover and set aside.

2. In a large sauce pan (I used my large cast iron skillet) combine drained pea mixture 1 Tbs. of Earth Balance, 1 Tbs. of ginger, tumeric and 6 cups of water; and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about an hour, or until the peas are very soft. Wisk with a fork to break up the peas, this didn't take very long. Add spinach, salt (if using), cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.

3. While the peas are cooking, heat the remaining Earth Balance in a small skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds; cook for about 30 seconds or until brown (darker). Add onion, garam masala, and cayenne pepper and 3 to 5 minutes, or until onions are soft and begin to brown. Stir in garlic and remaining ginger; cook for one minute. Add tomato, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.

4. Stir tomato mixture into split pea mixture. Season with pepper, if desired and garnish with cilantro if using.

I served this with some garlic naan. Enjoy!

Adapted from Vegetarian Times November 2012

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.

Puff Pastry

Puff Pastry
Vegan

This was actually not as bad or as hard as I thought it was going to be. This did take up the bulk of dinner making, but everything was ready at about the same time.... This recipe comes from Holy Cow! Vegan. I ran out of all-purpose flour, so I used 1 1/3 cup all-purpose and the rest was whole wheat flour and the original recipe calls for 2 sticks of Earth Balance (I also ran out of).

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks Earth Balance + 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Water as needed

1. Place the two cold sticks of butter, straight out of the fridge, on a chopping board or the kitchen platform. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour over it and, using a rolling pin or something heavy, beat the butter until it flattens out quite a bit but is still quite solid.

2. Pat the edges of the butter to form a square. Place in a container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. In a bowl, place the 2 cups of flour, salt and, using enough water, knead into a smooth and pliable dough.

4. Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes, then roll it out into a square large enough so you can wrap the square of butter in it.

5. Once you have wrapped the butter, making sure it is well-sealed, then roll out the dough into a rectangle about 7 inches wide and 10 inches long. Do this preferably on a metal baking sheet so you have a cool surface and also so you can easily transfer the dough to the fridge. The rolling might take a little work because the dough can be resistant, but be patient.

6. Now lift the edges of the rectangle along the long side and fold over one another so you have three layers. Place the sheet with the puff pastry in the fridge and let it stand for at least 15 minutes. Then remove and roll out again and fold again to make three more layers. Repeat four more times.

Basic Tofu Scramble

Basic Tofu Scramble

Well the below are the measurements that I use for this (typical) Sunday morning. I jazz it up with tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, asparagus and spinach. Pretty much whatever I have on hand. Bruce has come to love this as either a sandwich on rosemary sourdough or on an everything bagel. I serve this with a tempeh bacon, and the combinations are pretty endless.

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 block organic tofu, drained and pressed
2 tbsp oil or earth balance
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)

Preparation:

1. Slice the tofu into approximately one inch cubes. Then, using either your hands or a fork, crumble it slightly.

2. Sautee onion, pepper and crumbled tofu in oil for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium and allow to cook 5-7 more minutes, stirring frequently and adding more oil if needed.

3. Wrap in a warmed flour tortilla with a bit of salsa for a breakfast burrito or top with soy or non-dairy cheese. Serves two.

Per serving provides approximately: Cal.: 365; Cal. fr. Fat: 220; Tot. Fat: 24.5g; Tot. Carb.: 18.9g; Chol.: 0mg; Sod.: 484mg; Dietary Fiber: 4.8g; Prot.: 24.2g; Vit. A 19%; Vit. C: 100%; Calcium: 39%; Iron: 33%

Found: About.com

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.

Strawberry Mousse Cupcakes

Strawberry Mousse Cupcakes
Vegan; Makes 16

Speaking of birthdays, I made these a few years ago for mine. So, these were my "Stuck in the Middle with You" cupcakes to with my Quentin Tarantino themed party. These turned out really good, my non-veg friends were very impressed! I warn you, there are a lot of steps-so worth it!

For the Cupcakes:

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups vanilla soy milk
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. organic sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2. Mix the vinegar and soy milk together and set aside.

3. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

4. In another bowl, stir together the soy milk mixture, the canola oil, and the vanilla extract and add to the dry ingredients, mixing well.

5. Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

6. Let cool in the cupcake pan for 5 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.


For the Strawberry Filling: (This part can be cut in half, I had WAY too much left over)

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup organic apple juice
1/4 cup organic unbleached granulated sugar
4 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup water

1. Place the strawberries and apple juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the strawberries soften.

2. While stirring, slowly add the sugar. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add to the saucepan. Heat until thickened, being careful not to boil.

3. Remove from the heat. While still warm, blend briefly with a hand blender, creating the consistency of a very thick purée. If you do not have a hand blender, use a traditional blender instead.

4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until jelly-like.

For the Strawberry Mousse:

1 cup vegan margarine
1/4 cup nonfat soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4-5 Tbsp. prepared strawberry filling
5-6 cups organic powdered sugar
1 drop red food coloring (optional)

1. Beat the margarine until creamy. Add the soy milk, vanilla, and strawberry filling and mix well. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the food coloring, if desired. Beat for 5 to 10 minutes.

To Assemble:

1. Cut a cone-shaped piece out of the top of each cupcake. Fill with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the strawberry filling. Replace the cupcake top and frost with the strawberry mousse.

Found: PETA

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!

Zucchini Vegan Parmesan Crisps

Zucchini Vegan Parmesan Crisps
Vegan; Serves 4

When I made these last week, I tossed them in a sun dried tomato pasta. To compliment both, I added artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes and as the sauce I made an olive oil, garlic and earth balance lemon sauce. Bruce loved it with the rosemary sourdough bread toasted with earth balance with some garlic powder.....

1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
1/4 cup vegan shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.

2. Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.

3. In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, vegan Parmesan, salt and pepper.

4. Place rounds in Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.

5. Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.

Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)

Adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe in The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life

No Orinary Hash-browns

No Ordinary Hash-browns
Vegan; Serves 2

Hash-browns tend to be a very southern dish. I'd never even heard of it till I had been living in San Antonio, TX for a while. Instead of potatoes, jicama takes the place. This dish has the same texture with a tiny bit of an extra crunch and less calories.....

Ingredients

2 cups of jicama, peeled and grated
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. oil or earth balance
1/4 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon vegan Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the jicama, nutritional yeast, vegan Parmesan cheese, and pepper and cook until brown. Add as a side to mixed fruit and soy vanilla yogurt or some tofu scramble....

Looks Not So Simple-Very Simple Cherry Pie

Looks Not So Simple-Very Simple Cherry Pie
Vegan

When I made this for Bruce, he instantly fell in love with it. So much, that he didn't even share with his boys. Since my oven had been on ALL day, earlier I made 9 dozen dog biscuits for a fund raiser, my crust edges ended up being darker then I would have liked.... I used a small star cookie cutter for the design.

Two rolled out basic pie dough (see recipe)
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups (1 1/2 pound) drained jarred or canned pitted sour cherries, plus 1/3 cup cherry liquid
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon cold earth balance

1. Fold 1 dough round in half and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Unfold and ease the dough into the pan without stretching, patting it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Using kitchen scissors or a knife, trim the edge of the dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Refrigerate the dough lined pan and reserved dough round till ready to use.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Place the cherries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar mixture, tossing to cover evenly. Add the vanilla and mix well. Pour the cherry mixture into the prepared pie crust and dot with earth balance.

3. Lay the second pie dough on a lightly floured work surface and cut a pattern using a small cookie cutter. Or, cut into strips to make a lattice pattern using a sharp paring knife. If using a cookie cutter, save the shapes for decorating the top. Fold the dough in half and carefully position over half of the filled pie. Unfold the dough, and fold the edge of the top dough under the edge of the bottom dough. Crimp the edges with a fork. Apply cutouts to the top of the dough, applying a dab of water to the bottom of each cutout to help them stick. Refrigerate pie until the dough is firm (about 30 minutes). Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

4. Bake pie for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the crust is golden and the filling is thick and bubbling. About 40-50 minutes longer. Let cool completely to set the filling. Warm pie again before serving.

Adapted from Willams Sonoma Fruit Desserts

Basic Pie Crust~Vegan Style

Basic Pie Crust
Vegan

I'm old school, so I always make my pie crust from scratch. However, to make this recipe even more simple you can buy prepared pie crust-just make sure to read the ingredient list.

Here is the basic pie crust recipe-double it for both layers.
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold earth balance, cut into cubes
3 Tablespoons cold water (being in a higher altitude, I keep having to add more liquid)

1. Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using two knives, cut the earth balance into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with earth balance pieces are no larger than small peas. Add the water a little at a time and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.

2. Transfer the dough to work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. Lightly flour the work surface, then flatten the disk with six to eight gentle taps of the rolling pin. Lift the dough and give a quarter turn. Lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll out the dough into a round disk about 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.

**Note: Pie crust can be frozen for up to two months. To freeze, place dough on a 12-inch cardboard circle and wrap it well with plastic wrap.

Adapted from William Somona Fruit Desserts

Blueberry-Banana Muffins with Crumb Topping

Blueberry-Banana Muffins with Crumb Topping

These are by far my mom's favorite muffin recipe! When I worked at the CPA's office in SA, I would bring these in on those deadline days, and they would be devoured (by non vegans)! Super easy to make and they go quick, this is one of those perfect recipes for super ripe bananas....

3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour, divided
3/4 cup fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp. nondairy margarine

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with the oil and sugar and mix well.

3. In a small bowl, sift together the salt, the baking soda, and 2 cups of the flour.

4. Add the dry mixture to the banana mixture and stir by hand until the two are thoroughly combined. Fold in the blueberries.

5. Pour the batter into a lined muffin pan.

6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, the brown sugar, and the nondairy margarine. Stir until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, then sprinkle the crumbs onto the muffins.

7. Bake the muffins for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Makes 10–12 muffins

Found: PETA.org

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Vegan; makes about 16

For all of those hikers out there, these are the perfect snack to take with you. For all of you busy parents, these are a perfect quick snack to take while running errands. Try different jams to fit your kids or your tastes.... Happy snacking and 4th of July!

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (you can find gluten free on the market)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup earth balance, softened
egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, divided
1 cup strawberry jam
1/2 cup mixed nuts (I used a mix of chopped pecans, walnuts and almonds-optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9" square baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

3. Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg replacer, vanilla extract and almond extract until smooth. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix until combined. Stir in 1 3/4 cups oats and nuts. Spread 2/3 of batter to prepared baking dish. Spread strawberry jam over the batter using the back of a spoon. Add remaining 1/4 cup oats to batter, then crumble over the strawberry jam.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cool. Cut into bars.

Per bar: 232 cal.; 3 grams prot. (more if you add nuts); 7 grams total fat (more if you add nuts-but good fats) 4 grams sat. fat; 41 grams carbs.; 23 mg chol.; 85 mg sod.; 1 gram fiber; 26 grams sugars.

Adapted from Vegetarian Times July/August 2008

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Serves 6; Gluten Free; Vegan

To make this tastier, instead of the vegetable broth, use no-chicken bouillon. The first time I made this it had little flavor....

Sweet Potato Topping

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced (1/4 lb)
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 Tbs. earth balance
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Filling:

1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 leek, white part thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 turnips,diced (1 cup)
1 carrot, diced (1 cup)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped (2 tsp.)
1/4 cup white wine or water
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
3 Tbs. vegan Parmesan cheese (optional)

1.) To make the Sweet Potato Topping: Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potato, cover and boil 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, and return to pot. Mash with milk, margarine, cinnamon, and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.

2.) To make filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and leek, and saute 5 to 6 minutes, or until leek is soft. Add turnips, carrots, thyme, and rosemary; cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until carrots begin to soften.

3.) Add wine, and cook 30 seconds to deglaze the pan. Stir in beans and broth. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes, or until carrots and turnips are soft. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

4.) Remove thyme sprigs from Filling, and discard. Pour Filling into 2-or3-qt. casserole dish. Spread Sweet Potato Topping over Filling. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if using.

5.) Place casserole dish on baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until filling bubbles and cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

6.) Frozen Cooking Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover casserole, and place on baking sheet. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, or until filling bubbles and top is golden. Remove foil during last 10 minutes of baking. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Per 1 cup serving: 129 cal.; 4 grams prot.; 3 grams total fat (1 gram sat. fat); 20 grams carbs.; 1 mg chol.; 176 mg sod.; 5 grams fiber; 5 grams sugar
Vegetarian Times: January 2010