Vegan Baking!

 Just because you are vegan doesn't mean you can not have your fix of vegan delights!!!! ;)  Here are a few of my recipes for baking.  These recipes I will be taking off blog soon to be retired into my first cookbook so get while the gettings  good!!!  ;)  And I promise all these are good.  And stay tuned for more such as vegan sugar free fudge, vegan caramel apples, as well as pumpkin pie tarts.... 

Vegan Cranberry Muffins!!

2 cups white flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 cup mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp lemon extract

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup dehydrated or rehydrated cranberries. To rehydrate just take dried cranberries from bulk section and put ½ cup cranberries into a bowl and cover with BOILING water of boiling sugar free fruit juice to give them more sweetness. Let the cranberries sit in boiling water with a plate covering them for 10-30 minutes. I have found that about 10 minutes works just fine. Drain and those plump little babies are good to go!!

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix together the mashed banana, maple syrup, vegetable oil, vanilla, lemon extract and water, whisking together until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add the cranberries, stirring gently just until distributed evenly.
Spoon batter parchment paper lined muffin pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the muffins have risen and are firm and slightly golden browned.
Makes 8 to 10

Cocoa Hazelnut Scones

So playing on Pinterest the other day I stumbled upon a Nutella scone recipe that looked yummy, because Nutella is technically not vegan I decided to make my own version and this is what I came up with… My husband is a crazy fan of these… He said we should cut them in half and put vanilla soy ice cream and strawberries in the middle for ice cream sandwiches…. Because momma is trying to finally lose some of this baby weight it didn’t happen, but hey I guy can dream right…

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder, sifted to remove any lumps
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. cold vegan butter cold and cubed

egg replacer for 1 ½ eggs!!!
1 tsp hazelnut extract, really not necessary if not available!!!

½ cup coconut milk

3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, lightly toasted

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
Add butter. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are pea-sized and the mixture is coarse.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg re placer and coconut milk. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until dough just comes together. Gently and briefly knead dough with your hands until it's well mixed. Taste mixture at this point, if it is not sweet enough add a tad more sugar. Also if the mixture is sticking to your hands a great deal add maybe a tbs or 2 of flour… You want to be able to work it with your hands more like a bread dough then say a runnier cake mix. Add hazelnuts and chocolate chips and knead gently, just to incorporate. On a flat surface or parchment paper covered in sugar… Using your hands, shape dough into a disk, about 1 3/4" high.

Cut the dough into 6-8 wedges and place them on prepared baking sheet. Bake scones for 18-25 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. When they have a few cracks and a toothpick comes out clean they are ready! Transfer scones to wire rack to cool completely.
For extra sass sprinkle the scones with some powdered sugar….

Recipe of the week. Gift Giving Zucchini Bread

If you are like me and sort of over shot the zucchini planting this year you may be living with a ton of zucchini!! This is how I use mine up. I like to make several loaves of this bread for neighbors, play groups, hostess baskets, you name the occasion and during this time of the year Mel is bringing zucchini bread ;) Super simple recipe!! Enjoy!

• 6 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-2.5 cups grated zucchini (~3 medium sized ones)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup pecan, walnuts, hazelnuts whatever you like
• 1 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Grease 2 loaf pans, preheat the oven to 350F. Mix together flax seeds with warm water, then add sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla and beat well. Add grated zucchini, and stir until combined. In a separate bowl, sift together remaining dry ingredients. Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Now is the time to stick your finger in and taste.... If it needs more sweetener add to your taste!!! Fold in cranberries and nuts at the end. Pour batter into pans and bake for 50-55 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean and let them cool on cooling racks!!!!

Gift Giving Granola Bars!!

This is a great bar to take to a play date or to a girl friends house who is having you over for brunch or coffee.. Or whip them up for your family... Whatever the case these are amazing.. You can substitute raisins for cranberries, sunflower seeds for almonds whatever you want.. This is a basic recipe that you can doctor up according to what you have in your pantry and your own taste buds...


1 1/2 cups toasted hazelnuts
1/3 cup raisins
3 tbs flax seed Whole!
 4 cups oats
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tea baking soda
1 tea cinnamon
1 tea nutmeg
pinch of kosher coarse salt
1 cup brown rice syrup
4 tbs rice milk
1/3 cup and 3.5 tbs safflower oil
4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped and pitted dates dried!
1/2 cup good grade B maple syrup

For lemon glaze!!

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teas finely grated lemon zest...

In a mixing bowl mix all ingredients using whisk.. You want it to be thin enough to drizzle over the bars....

preheat oven to 350
For bars:
mix all dry and add wet spread on a large parchment lined cookie sheet and bake you want the bar to be a nice bite so make sure to spread evenly. Bake 15 minutes, you want the bars to be firm but not hard and a slight golden hue. When cool cut into rectangles and drizzle lemon glaze over top! Let the glaze harden before serving so that the bar is not super messy to eat!!Makes 3 dozen



Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies

So when I was in high school, there was a bakery near the school that my friends and I used to regular to get mochas and cookies similar to these..  They were just as dense and delicious... Here is my take!!

1 cup organic vegan cane sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour or 3 1/2 cups gluten free
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 cup nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans I use peanuts
1 1/2 cups cranberries, optional


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a baking sheet. Beat vegan sugar, pumpkin, oil and vanilla.


2. Sift together dry ingredients. Stir into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Fold cranberries and nuts. Taste and see if its sweet enough for you and add if you want a tad more sugar!! I like it not too sweet but to each their own folks!!!!


3. Drop by spoonfuls on prepared baking sheet, and bake for 12-15 minutes.


Serves: 5-6 dozen freeze great!



Vegan oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies


1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup soy milk
1/2 tea baking powder
1 tea canola oil
1/2 tea baking soda
1 tea good vanilla extract
1/2 tea salt
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 350 add all dry ingredients, I use a sift but the world won't end if you don't... Combine all, and add all wet ingredients such as soy milk, oil, applesauce and vanilla ... I fold in the pecans and cranberries at the end but if you want to make this snappy just get her done... Make sure everything is incorporated and drop rounded teaspoons full onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes unless in confection oven 8 minutes or till set... I go by how they smell, but make sure to kick it in the kitchen and not just let them go or they get funky quick!! You want them to be chewy for pete's sake!!!! Cool on cookie sheet before transfer to wire rack...

Makes 24 little tea cookies and they are yummy yummy!!!








Cinnamon Oat Muffins

quick oats, 1 cup
vanilla or reg soy milk, 1 cup
applesauce unsweetened 1/2 cup
banana 1/4 cup mashed
whole wheat flour 1 cup
baking soda 1/2 tsp.
salt 1/2tsp.
cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp
sugar 1tsp.
pecans 1/3 cup choppedbrown sugar 1/2 cup
baking powder 1tsp.


Preheat oven to 400
sift all dry ingredients, mix well and incorporate each wet and mix after each ingredient is added.... As in applesauce, mix... Banana mix, soy milk mix and fold pecans in at the end, after filling cupcake tins I like to sprinkle a pinch of oats on top and then bake for about 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.....

makes about 12 mini or 6 regular size cupcakes....

Apricot Thumbprint Bites!!

 

 

So these little fellas are the best. I took a few of my favorite recipes and combined them made them vegan and here we go. Super yummy for eating in the morning with a cup of tea, or to give to the kiddos for a snack. Don't feel bad, you are getting whole grains and lots of other great things... Indulge and enjoy!!!!

2 cups spelt four
2 cups brown rice flower
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 tea salt, course kosher is the best
1 tea ground cinnamon
2 table spoons flax seeds
1 cup safflower oil
1 cup grade b maple syrup
2 table spoons brown rice syrup
Apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 350
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, minus the preserves.. Form into balls about tablespoon in size. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. At this point I like to press my thumb down in each making a little preserve pool... Add about a teaspoon of preserves in the prints... Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.. Let cool on rack entirely before serving... Makes about 3 dozen of these glorious little nibbles!!!

Grandma's Snowballs vegan style but just as delectable for the record ;)
1 cup Vegan butter
2 tbs agave nectar
1 tbs orange juice or lemon they both work well
11/2 cup powdered sugar you need about 1 cup for dusting cookies in
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tea kosher course salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans

With whisk or hand held mixer cream butter and agave together... In another bowl whisk all dry ingredients together, flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, salt, pecans...... Add slowly and incorporate the dry with wet, so that you get a stickier dough add orange juice at this point... You want it to all be combined and make a nice somewhat sticky dough not gross stick just a yummy flakey sticky.... On parchment paper shape dough into a disc and put in plastic wrap or baggie..... Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, at least 1 and up to 3.... Whatever you have the time for my daughter is usually to excited to make the balls to wait 3 hours.... ;)

Preheat oven 350
Take 2 teas full of dough and make a ball.... Using a little water if you need to help shape... But better if you don't have to I have found... Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes... Take a look at them if they are golden brown they are ready. I usually go to about 17.. Not brown, just a golden hue.... Take out and place on rack and let cool completely... In a bowl add 1 cup of powdered sugar and get to coating... You want it to be coated nicely so that cookie is white but not toothache white...;0)

Makes about 2-3 dozen based on size....


















Gift Giving Granola
This stuff will knock your socks off, over some yogurt or just to snack on.... This recipe makes enough for you and a few friends... Love giving this as a little gift to my pals!!

3 cups toasted quick cooking oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup walnuts, if allergic use cashews so good ;)
1/2 cup chopped coconut, I like the raw unsweetened stuff
1 cup cranberries or raisins or both what evs!!
1/2 cup brown sugar, or substitute maple sugar if sugar aint yo thing....
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tea vanilla
1 tea lemon extract or fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350


Mix all ingredients in a large bowl dry first followed by wet... Mix well so that everything is evenly incorporated and slightly moist.. Spread even layers on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes and take out and stir... Then stick it in for another 5 minutes... Use your nose, you can smell when it is ready.... You want to be crunchy but not tooo hard or tooo brown... Granola can burn quick so just keep your eye on it for good measures... Let granola cool on sheet after you take it out of the oven.. When room temp break up into smaller pieces and store in air tight container... Can pretty much guarantee you will eat it all before it goes bad, but throw out when stale....

Makes a whole bunch, this is perfect for a tea party or Christmas party favor....




 Vegan Pumpkin Pie

• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 cup rice milk
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 Tbs. dark molasses or to taste
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice

For Vegan puff pastry

2 Cups all-purpose flour

20 Tbsp vegan margarine, cut into small chunks

6 Tbsp ice water

1.) Put the flour and about 4 Tbsp of the margarine into a food processor; pulse 15ish times to incorporate. Add the rest of the chunks of butter, then pulse again, but only 3-5 times.

2.) Add the water. Pulse for 10-20 seconds, until it starts to form a ball of dough.

3.)Squash it into a square, then wrap this tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until firm. 1 hour, but the longer the dough was in the fridge, the firmer it get, so if you can leave it for a couple hours, even better. Or you can freeze if you need it for another day!!!

Should make enough for 2 / 9' pies!!!

For Pumpkin Pie filling!!!!

In large bowl, mix all remaining ingredients until smooth and blended. Pour into prepared crust and smooth top. Bake 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake until filling is set, about 50 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool, then refrigerate overnight. Top with your choice of dessert topping if desired.

	Vegan Rustic Apple Round
	In honor of Thanksgiving I decided to make and share my simple recipe for a My take on apple pie!!!! For Vegan puff pastry 2 Cups all-purpose flour 20 Tbsp vegan margarine, cut into small chunks 6 Tbsp ice water 1.) Put the flour and about 4 Tbsp of the margarine into a food processor; pulse 15ish times to incorporate. Add the rest of the chunks of butter, then pulse again, but only 3-5 times. 2.) Add the water. Pulse for 10-20 seconds, until it starts to form a ball of dough. 3.)Squash it into a square, then wrap this tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until firm. 1 hour, but the longer the dough was in the fridge, the firmer it get, so if you can leave it for a couple hours, even better. Or you can freeze if you need it for another day!!! Should make enough for 2 / 9' pies!!! For the apple round Preheat oven 450 I use 3 large fugi or gala apples just sliced peels on, but if that is not your thing peel em by all means ;) 2 tablespoons of cinnamon 4 tablespoons of vegan sugar and a pinch of nutmeg!!! 3 tbs Vegan margarine In a saute pan I heat on medium the butter, and then add the apples... I sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon and the sugar and continue to stir till they are nice and tender, it takes about 2 minutes or so... You don't want them mussy just a tad tender.... Using puff pastry I roll out a 12 by 12 inch rectangle. I like to use sugar instead of flour while rolling out my pastry so it makes the crust nice and sweet.. I then spoon the apples in a circle shape in the middle and work the edges in, overlapping to make it the cute rustic shape..... Bake for 15-20 minutes, but keep your eye on it, you want the pastry to rise and get golden brown.... I like it to be a tad browner.... Serves 4 for dessert, super yummy with some yummy soy vanilla ice cream!!

 Peanut butter Vegan Dog treats!!!!

So about 3 years ago we rescued our dog Sue, she is the sweetest prettiest golden retriever in town... Well to me because I am her mom ;)..... My daughter Bryten and I have been making her treats for her for awhile now, taking from several dog treat recipes until I have found the one she loves the most... Here is what I have come up with for a vegan yummy doggy treat!!!!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tbs natural molasses
1/2 cup natural no sugar or salt added peanut butter
1 1/4 cup hot water (boiling is better)

Preheat oven to 350
combine all ingredients in a bowl adding water last... make a ball with dough and knead on a flat floured surface until the dough is nice and firm.... Not to firm, just not goowwwey.... Roll out the dough with a rolling pin about 1/4 inch thickness and cut with desired shape cookie cutters... I use about 3'1'inch shapes like fire hydrants and dog house shapes... But I also like to get sassy during the holidays!!!! Bake cookies for about 40 minutes, they should be darker brown but not burned brown... They should be hard to touch... This recipe makes about 3 dz depending on the size cookie cutter you use...