Chunky Marinara & Eggplant Bruschetta

Chunky Marinara & Eggplant Bruschetta
Vegan; 30 minutes; Gluten Free; Serves 6

Running out of bread, I used breaded eggplant. The breaded eggplant comes out crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. This appetizer is super elegant and easy, this is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Eggplant Bruschetta:

2 small eggplant, sliced into 1" round slices and then cut into moon shapes
Egg Replacer the equivalent to 2 eggs
1/2 cup of gluten free Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup of gluten free Italian bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Combine Panko and Italian breadcrumbs. Dip eggplant slice into the egg replacer and into the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat and place on a cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 30 minutes.

Spoon marinara sauce onto the eggplant slices and garnish with vegan Parmesan cheese.

While the eggplant is baking:
Chunky Marinara:

6 ripe tomatoes (I use what I pick up at the Farmers Markets), peeled, seeded and chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup sweet onion, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2-3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 Tablespoons Pinot Noir wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent. Combine mushrooms, peppers and vegetable broth, stirring until mushrooms are brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine vinegar and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and allow to thicken.

2. Spoon mixture on crispy eggplant and serve warm. Enjoy!

Carrot Apple Oatmeal Flax Cookies

Carrot Apple Oatmeal Flax Cookies
Vegan; Makes 1 lb Dog cookies

For those who know me, I can't stand Made In China (See prior postings for reasons). Currently, most big dog food companies (and if you read the label) you'll find the Made In China printed on the package. These are perfect since the carrots can be found at the farmers markets and if the season is right, so can the apples. I use organic, let's face it... Why are you going to feed your family members something that you're not willing to eat yourself.

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
2 Tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped and cored apple
2 Tablespoons blackstrap molasses
2 Tablespoons canola oil
egg replacer equal to 1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, flax seeds and cinnamon. In a food processor, combine water, carrot, apple, molasses, oil, egg replacer, and vanilla. Puree until smooth. Add to dry ingredients and mix well.

3. In the bowl and using hands, knead until dough holds together. Transfer to a floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. With a fork poke holes in the dough (this keeps it from becoming a puffy soft cookie and keeps it crunchy). I use cookie cutters (puppy shapes), but you can use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter and cut into bite size squares. Place about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets.

4. Bake, in batches if necessary, for 20 minutes or until firm. Place cookies on cooling racks and lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes more (again, this helps make a crunchy cookie to help prevent tarter build-up). Transfer cookies to a rack and cool completely. Store in a air tight container for up to 30 days. If you live in a humid climate, store in the fridge.

Found and adapted: Better Food for Dogs

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Vegan; Makes 24 cupcakes

Bruce and I went to a potluck last night, and I brought these. Since it was a friends birthday, and I said I'd make the birthday cake. These little gems were such a hit, so I was told I needed to share the recipe. I adapted this recipe in San Antonio from 2 different recipes. Living in Colorado I got 2 dozen vs. the 3 dozen I got in SA. Also, in SA I could use baking powder and baking soda. Here I have to omit the baking powder and use the same amount of baking soda, without adding more.... So, one never knows until you make a mistake through trial and error....

To make the cake:

2 cups plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 cup coconut oil, liquidfied
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 oz. carrot baby food (I use carrot, apple and parsnips from a squeeze out tube)
1 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. vanilla extract
egg replacer equavilent to 3 eggs
3 cups coarsely grated carrots (can be shredded in food processor), from about 2 carrots
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 1/2 cups ground walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

2. To make Carrot Cake: Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice and cardamom. Beat oil, both sugars, baby food, ginger, and vanilla extract until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add egg replacer, beating after. Add flour mixture in two additions. Add carrots, pineapple, raisins and nuts; beat just until blended. Divide batter in cupcake liners and bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool on baking racks and cool completely.

See Recipe in Blog for Frosting and top with toasted coconut or walnuts....

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.

Some Tricks of the Trade....

Some Tricks of the Trade....

Alright, over the weekend I spent close to 36 hours in the kitchen. Getting ready for the holiday season, my family always gets baked goods. Turning the family favorites vegan, is not that difficult if you know what you're doing. So, I'm going to share these tips in hopes that it makes a holiday special and animal friendly....

Eggs: This is a fairly easy one. There are a lot of good egg replacers on the market. I like Bob's Red Mill. Most vegan recipes will call for Ener-G egg replacer. Sometimes, depending on what you're making, you can use bananas or applesauce.

Egg Whites: What I do is soak over high heat, 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup (if making a meringue go with 3/4 cup) of flax seeds over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. You'll get a thick egg white like texture and using a fine strainer, over a bowl you'll be able to dip/whip/or dunk the "egg white". When making a meringue, whisk on high until fluffy. Add some powdered sugar and/or maple syrup to sweeten.

Egg Yolk: There is a wonderful product call The Vegg. It can be used just like eggs in recipes, from baked goods to breakfast and dinner. A teaspoon with 1/4 cup water will act as the egg yolk. I used this in my cookies over the weekend, and it was perfect! I had no problems with binding and it smells just like a cracked egg. I will use this the next time I make latkes, since the potato starch didn't hold them together....

Pumpkin Burgers

Pumpkin Burgers
Vegan; Makes 6 patties

With all of the pumpkin I still have, I'm finding different recipes for it. I made these last, and they are really good! Since my pumpkin had already been pureed, these didn't take very long to make. I served these with an old favorite, chipotle mayo and Brussels sprouts on the side (recipe will follow).

1 15oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 onion, diced (add more if you like onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (if you like it a little hotter add 1 teaspoon)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Saute garlic, onion and red bell pepper, until soft. About 5 minutes.

2. In a food processor, add chickpeas, egg replacer, cumin, chili powder, and coriander. Pulse until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, breadcrumbs, chickpea mixture and pumpkin until mixture is stiff enough to from and hold patty shape. In a skillet (I used a little oil to coat the pan) over medium high heat, cook patties until golden brown. About 5 minutes on both side.

Cardamon Oatmeal Fig Cookie

Cardamon Oatmeal Fig Cookie
yields about 16 cookies

By replacing the cinnamon and raisins, and using figs and cardamon you find yourself with spicy and earthy flavors in your mouth! Finding this recipe was a blessing, since I had figs in the fridge that were going to turn at any moment. Bruce loved these and in fact, I offered one to my boss and he liked it! My boss is the "we have to eat meat" kind of guy, so there you go.....

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
2/3 cup gluten-free flour mix, such as Bob’s Red Mill (or all-purpose flour)
1 1/2 tsp egg replacer
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 T coconut oil, melted
2 T unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup fresh figs, stems trimmed and chopped into chunks (use at least one cup)


1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, egg replacer, baking soda, salt, cloves, cardamom and oats together until thoroughly combined.

2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the brown rice and maple syrups with the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together. Fold in the fig segments. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

3. Once the cookie dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheets, keeping in mind that these cookies will spread out (so don’t crowd them together).
Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cookies have firmed and are golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Found: Keepin' It Kind

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritters
Vegan; Serves 4; 30 min. plus baking

I comprised this recipe from 3 different ones, taking the best out of each and then making the recipe vegan. I could have used 1 more grated zucchini, but they still came out tasty! Bruce told me that he would love to have these again, so I may even surprise him with a repeat! ~_^

2 cups grated zucchini squash
4 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 egg replacer
2/3 cups tofu feta
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (depending on taste)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place zucchini inside a tea towel or flour sack towel and squeeze out excess moisture.
In a bowl, add the ingredients adding the zucchini last. The mixture with be sticky and thick. Continue to stir, it will thin down. You want it to look like a thick cake batter.

3. On a parchment lined baking sheet, divide batter into 6 mounds on the parchment using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Then flatten each mound with a spoon or your hand to form 4 inch rounds.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or, until the fritters are deep golden brown on the bottom. Then turn to broil and place on the second highest rack in your oven. Broil on high for a few minutes, you want to crisp them up but watch carefully so they won't burn (I skipped this step). Served with cashew cream or marinara sauce.

Recipe adapted from The Yellow House.

Mushroom "No-Meat" Balls

Mushroom "No-Meat" Balls
Vegan; Makes about 24

I made these to go with some mushroom pasta that Bruce and picked up while shopping at the Farmers Market. I made a simple tomato sauce and garlic bread with a tofu feta and artichoke heart topping.

3/4 cup cooked brown rice
1 lb. Portobello mushroom caps (should make 2 cups when finely chopped, about 3 caps)
4 tsp. olive oil
1/2 leek, diced
1 vegan egg (EnerG egg replacer works great)
1 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup almond/nutritional yeast mix (half nutritional yeast, half finely milled almonds)
1/4 cup parsley (fresh or dry works with this measurement)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper


1. I had Bruce help me out and get the rice started for me in the rice maker. This gave me time to get the mushrooms started and the tofu feta for the side dish. In food processor, pulse mushrooms in batches until finely chopped-almost paste like.

2. In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2-3 mins. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 3-5 mins. Add to bowl with rice; let cool.

3. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Add vegan egg, breadcrumbs, almond/nutritional yeast mix, parsley, and salt to cooled rice mixture and mix well. Form mixture into about 24 oval-shaped nuggets, each about 2 by 1.5 inches.

4. In clean large nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil over medium high heat; tilt to coat bottom. Add half the nuggets and cook until browned on one side, about 2 mins, and sprinkle black pepper over the nuggets. Turn nuggets over onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining nuggets. Bake until nuggets are browned and firm, 15-20 mins.

Found and Adapted from: Vegetarian Times

Oatmeal Banana Energy Bars

Oatmeal Banana Energy Bars
(Makes a 9 inch square pan)

2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup flax seeds (ground or crushed)
4 Tbs Rice Protein Powder
1 cup vanilla rice milk (Pacific)
6 Tbs egg replacer (like Ener-G or Flax Seed jel)
2 bananas- ripe and pureed (or sub fruit/pumpkin puree, equal to 1 cup)
1/2 cup applesauce- unsweetened
1/4 cup agave or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon (omit if adding chocolate)

Add-ins if desired
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or carob chips
1/2 cup nuts of choice, crushed
1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries are a good choice)
Replace 1/2 fruit puree with peanut, almond butter or cashew butter

1. Preheat oven to 350

1. Mix all ingredients together (well), and place in prepared 9 inch square pan. Bake for approx 40-45 minutes. Cool and slice into desired size bars. Store loosely covered in the refrigerator. For travel, we simply remove bars and wrap them in a cloth napkin secured with a safety pin, string or band.
**Note: Make fruit purees (pumpkin, zucchini, apple, banana, prune, fig, etc.) and store in the freezer in 1 cup portions, then the desired flavor can be pulled out and used in baking and cooking.

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.

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

Classic Vanilla Cake (Vegan Style)

Classic Vanilla Cake (Vegan Style)
45 minutes bake time

I made this for Bruce on Father's Day, and of course he loved it! In fact, I'm not sure if the boys even got to have any of it. To make it moist in the higher altitude I needed to put one cup of hemp milk instead of the 3/4 cup. Instead of frosting, I made a raspberry blueberry glaze (recipe to follow).

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)
1 1/2 tsp. egg replacer
1 cup hemp milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray one 9 inch round cake pan with oil and dust with flour. Set aside.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Cream sugar and margarine with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until fluffy. (Mine looked more like little course balls of fluff.)

3. Stir egg replacer into 1/2 cup of water (I always mix it in my measuring glass cup). Add to sugar mixture, and beat until combined. Combine hemp milk and vanilla in bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low, and alternate adding flour mixture and hemp milk mixture, ending with hemp milk mixture. (Do not over mix.)

4. Fill cake pan and bake 40-45 minutes, or until center comes out clean. Cool.
**Note- You can make this recipe as cupcakes bake for 16-19 minutes.

Found: Vegetarian Times March 2012