Date-Sweetened Apple Bake

This is another one of my go-to recipes. Whenever I'm getting tired of oatmeal or tofu scramble for breakfast, this is always a good replacement. It's mildly sweet, a perfect way to start the day (of course, if you want to eat straight up apple pie filling first thing in the morning, you can add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup). This also works as a dessert, if you'd like. However you eat it, I'm sure the hint of autumn will be a nice pick-me-up during this never-ending winter.

Date-Sweetened Apple Bake

• 1 apple, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
• 2 tablespoons raisins, optional
• 3 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup water
• dash of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of cloves, allspice, and nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon apple cider, apple juice, or water

1) Preheat oven to 375°. Spray with cooking spray or lightly oil a small oven-safe dish (mine is 380ml or 2/3 cup). 

2) In a small sauce pan, combine dates and water, and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until dates are soft and beginning to break apart.

3) In a food processor, blend together the dates and cooking water until smooth. Add salt and spices and completely combine. 

4) Combine apple pieces, nuts, and raisins in a small bowl. Add date mixture and mix until the apples are completely covered. Evenly pour cider over apples.

5) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until apples are soft. 

Thanksgiving!

Well I'm very happy to say I had a lovely Thanksgiving! I think this was one of the first Thanksgivings I can remember that we didn't spend with friends or family. I do love my extended family, but it was so much more relaxing to spend the day with just my parents and brother, who is visiting from college. It was especially nice to not have several genuinely-worried aunts fussing over me and inquiring about my protein intake. Of course, the whole protein thing happens to almost any vegan anytime their lifestyle is mentioned, no matter who they're with.

I witnessed lots of people on Tumblr and Facebook arguing about veganism today, mostly about turkeys. Basically the main idea of the arguments was that people who eat meat are doing their part to keep the world from this horrible turkey overpopulation. I guess they don't realize that, other than the very few people who only eat animals they hunted themselves, the animals they eat were raised to be killed. If people didn't eat turkeys and there was not such a high demand for turkeys, they would not raise so many turkeys in the first place and thus there would not be an overpopulation of turkeys. But it was also nice seeing so many sweet people standing up for the innocent animals.  

Not so fun fact: Each year over 45 million turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving alone in the U.S. That's about 34 times the human population in the state of Maine. For added perspective, about 11 million people were killed in the Holocaust. That's a lot of turkeys on a yearly basis (especially considering that  that 45 million is just one day out of the whole year).

Anyway, I need to take a break from talking about the mass murder of turkeys that everyone so proudly supports. I really am much more of the type of vegan who tries to inspire people to try this lifestyle through good food and cute pictures; however, days like Thanksgiving make me so overwhelmingly mad that I just have to rant about how horribly cruel meat is.

For supper, my family ate a fantastic (almost entirely vegan!) meal. I never got around to making a trip to Whole Foods to buy more vital wheat gluten, so we had to use a pre-made Tofurky, but that was fine with me because it was superb. I used this recipe for the cranberry sauce, since it doesn't use refined sugar; I might use less juice next time, as it was rather liquidy (incredibly good dish though). My dad made what may just be the world's best mashed potatoes, using the perfect amount of soy milk, Earth Balance, and French fried onions. My mom made a green bean dish that's a family recipe; we considered veganizing it but it called for too much cheese to really spend too much time working on a replacement, so instead we made a separate serving for me without cheese. I also made maple-glazed carrots, using a couple different recipes as guides. And lastly, for dessert I made the Sweet Potato Brazil Nut Crunch Pie from Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, only I used pecans instead of Brazil nuts since my parents hate Brazil nuts; it was topped with a dollop of vegan Rad Whip from the same cookbook (the first time I made it a couple months ago it didn't turn out well at all, but this time it worked perfectly..!). Basically everything was perfect and I honestly don't even want to look at food again for days. 

I need to get some sleep now, so goodnight everyone, and happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a wonderful holiday! :-)

Homemade Tofurky with Gravy Recipe

I remember when I was really little and my mom would cook Tofurky every Thanksgiving. We hated it, but ate it dutifully, simply because at the time it was the only mainstream substitute for turkey. A couple years later we tried this brand that I can't remember the name of, but it looked like corn on the cob and was so chewy that it was basically impossible to eat (it didn't taste any better either). So we eventually stopped with the faux turkeys altogether. Last year though, we tried Tofurky again, and they must have changed their recipe or something, because it was fabulous. 

However, as I'm trying to cut processed foods out of my diet, I haven't been eating as many soy meats. I have begun to learn to make my own though, using vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is basically the protein found in flour and can be used just to add protein to breads or to make entire meat substitutes (such as this incredible pepperoni). It's sort of inconvenient though, because my local supermarket doesn't carry it (they used to but not anymore..?), and I have to buy it at Whole Foods Market. Obviously it's not gluten-free-friendly at all, although this product supposedly works as a GF substitute.

For this "turkey", I used this Seitan Roast recipe from The Post Punk Kitchen. I changed a few things: 3oz baby portabella mushrooms instead of 6oz shiitake (it was all I had) and 1 onion + 1 stalk celery instead of the leeks; I also added about 2/3 cup cooked wild rice into the stuffing. And for the roast I used dark kidney beans instead of pinto beans and carraway seeds instead of fennel. I baked it for about 1 hour and 20 minutes (do as Isa suggests and poke the roast with tongs before removing it from the oven to see if it's cooked enough).

I was nervous serving this at dinner, because I honestly had no idea whether it would be good or not. It far exceeded my expectations! My dad (an omnivore) was very impressed and kept commenting on how it was very realistic and had "skin" and everything (honestly I think that's a gross thought but if that's the sort of thing that impresses omnivores...then okay).  I'm really glad this worked out, and I will definitely be making another next week for Thanksgiving!

I sometimes put a chair or stool in the middle of the kitchen so my cats can watch as I cook, but not so closely that they shed their fur in the food or hurt themselves! It's still probably not sanitary at all, but they're so freaking cute that it's either I do that or I hold them while cooking.No matter how fantastic the roast recipe was, it didn't include a recipe for gravy. I found out later that she has a delicious-looking chickpea gravy recipe in the book Vegan With A Vengeance. I'll try it next time! However, for this gravy, I made up my own, and, other than the color being more yellow than I like, it was really pretty good. Do keep in mind that I have been a vegetarian my whole life though and have never eaten actual non-veg gravy.Basic Vegan Gravy

• 1 1/2 cups vegan chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegan margarine
• 1 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• dash of black pepper

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until gravy is thick.

Seitan "Turkey" Roast and Stuffing Recipe

Waldorf Salad Recipe (I used regular spring mix salad instead of kale)

Pumpkin Muffins (Refined Sugar-Free)

 
So this morning - a Saturday - I woke up early without meaning to, and randomly had too much energy to fall back asleep. And this is weird because 1) I don't wake up early on Saturdays and 2) I don't have energy when I wake up early on Saturdays. But I thought I'd make the most of my time, so I baked these muffins, then cleaned the kitchen and some of the house, and painted a picture, and basically just had a productive morning. The muffins are really good. I'll admit it's pretty much the pumpkin muffin recipe in Vegan With A Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, just with a bit of tweaking to make it with unrefined sugars. The turbinado sugar is optional, so feel free to omit it and the molasses if you don't eat sugarcane products at all. I think if you wanted to add some chocolate chips or carob chips to the batter, it definitely wouldn't hurt.

Pumpkin Muffins (Refined Sugar-Free)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 5/6 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (okay, weird measurement, I know...just do your best)
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned)
• 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil or other mild-tasting oil
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar, optional

1) Preheat oven to 375° and lightly oil a twelve-muffin tin.

2) In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.

3) In a medium bowl, mix together the agave, pumpkin, non-dairy milk, oil, and molasses.

4) Add pumpkin mixture to flour and mix until completely combined and batter is smooth.

5) Pour batter into muffin tins (fill each tin about 3/4 full). If using turbinado sugar, sprinkle about 1/2 to 1 tsp on each muffin.

6) Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. 

Serves 12

VeganMoFo Day Fifteen: Butternut Squash Mac & Cheeze

Today I spent three hours in driver's ed, then immediately two hours afterwards driving, so again I didn't really have any free time. However, I did get to make this for lunch, and it took surprisingly little time to make. It was very good, probably one of the best vegan mac & cheeze recipes I've made (and I've made a lot!). It almost tasted a little too bland though, so I'd add a bit more of the flavorings than called for (nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt & pepper, etc.). Still, overall, this sauce was great. I also cooked some spinach with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic, because that always is good with macaroni.

RECIPE HERE

VeganMoFo Day Nine: Curried Autumn Vegetables

Finally, I was able to cook again today! I made this for lunch and it was pretty fantastic if I do say so myself. My mom added extra broth to hers and made a soup, and it actually turned out really well. 

Curried Autumn Vegetables

• 1/2 butternut squash, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup broth, plus more as needed
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 14.5 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp curry powder
• dash cayenne pepper, optional
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup fresh spinach, stems removed

1) Heat broth over medium heat until boiling in a non-stick pan. Add potatoes and squash and cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft, adding more broth as needed.

2) Add garbanzo beans, pepper, carrots, garlic, and onion and cook for several minutes, until carrots are soft, again adding more broth as needed.

3) Stir in ginger, curry, cayenne, coconut, tomato sauce, and spinach and cook until tomato sauce begins gently bubbling.

4) Serve as is or over rice, quinoa, or other grain, or spread on a buckwheat pancake (I'd post a recipe for those if I had one, but I use a pre-made mix)

Serves 4

VeganMoFo Day Six: Refined Sugar-free Apple Crisp

Today was such a nice day. It finally stopped raining and the weather was beautiful. I went for a drive through what is probably one of the prettiest areas in the state of Maine, at least in autumn. The leaves are all in their full colors, and it's just so gorgeous. I'm so thankful I live in New England.

Usually, I would have made at least 7,000 apple desserts by this time in fall, but for some reason I haven't this year. I guess since I've been trying to avoid refined sugars, the thought of baking just doesn't sound that appealing to me. But I'd been craving apple crisp for a while, which seemed unfortunate because I didn't think it'd be possible to use liquid sweeteners for something crisp. However, this turned out fabulously. I really would recommend using brown rice syrup, as maple syrup and agave would probably be too liquidy (you could try reducing the amount, but don't expect it to be perfect...); I'm probably very biased though, because brown rice syrup is basically the love of my life.

NOTE: I made this again later using an equal amount of maple syrup instead of the brown rice syrup, and it worked perfectly! Brown rice syrup is still my favorite, but if you don't have any on hand, that's not a problem at all.

(Refined Sugar-Free) Apple Crisp

• 5 apples, either chopped into 1-inch chunks or sliced (most recipes say sliced, but I like chopped better)
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other mild-tasting oil..or maybe melted coconut oil if you want that flavor)
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• 1/4 cup apple cider or water

1) Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly oil a 10x10" casserole dish.

2) In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, coconut flakes, pecans, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add vanilla, oil, and brown rice syrup and stir until completely combined (if it still won't stick together, add more syrup, one tablespoon at a time).

3) Place apples in dish. Using your hands, crumble the oat-syrup topping over the apples. Pour apple cider evenly over dish.

4) Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the juice is bubbling and the topping is crispy. Let cool before serving. Always good with a scoop of vanilla vegan ice cream or some vegan whipped cream!

Autumn Apple Pie

The weather outside is getting chilly, the leaves are starting to change colors, and finally the apples are ready to be picked. As soon as apple season hits New England every September, we start picking apples at least once a week, sometimes more, depending on how many apple-based desserts and breakfasts and snacks we can stand. Of course, the first thing I make with apples is always pie because there's no better way to start autumn. 

Perfect Vegan Pie Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons organic sugar
• 8 tablespoons vegan margarine, refrigerated
• 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, refrigerated
• 4-6 tablespoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1) Mix together the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  

2) Add margarine to flour mixture, cutting it into small pieces.  Stir until flour appears crumbly. Add the shortening, also cutting it into the flour. 

3) In a small glass, mix together 4 tablespoons of the cold water with the apple cider vinegar. 

4) Stir flour as you slowly pour water and vinegar mixture into the bowl. 

5) Knead the dough several times, adding more water if needed to hold it together. 

6) Divide dough into two pieces, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Apple Pie

• one recipe pie crust
• 6 apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup organic sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1) Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a baking sheet on the bottom of oven or the lowest rack to catch drips. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate.

2) On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the balls of pie crust into a 13-inch circle. Place crust in the prepared pie plate. Set aside.

3) Cut apples into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice to keep from browning.  

4) In a small bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add to apples and toss well until evenly coated.

5) Roll out remaining piece of pie crust into a 12-inch circle.  Stir apples and place in prepared pie shell. Carefully cover with the crust. Trim edges to leave a slight overhang, press in and crimp rim. Cut three slits in the top of the pie.

(I was out of shortening and had to use only margarine, so I apologize for the lack of a picture-perfect crust!)

6) Bake pie in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F, and bake for another 45-50 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and crust is browned. Place pie on a wire rack and let cool before serving. Tastes bests served warm and with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream!

view more photos here

Seasonal Veggies with Garbanzo Beans and Couscous

Today I went to the farmer's market in Freeport for the first time. Despite the fact that it rained for a while, it was still a very enjoyable experience. I am so upset with myself because, even though I remembered to bring my camera, I somehow forget its battery at home, so I couldn't take any photos. All of the veggies were beautiful though, in so many different colors. The market itself had a really good variety - a perfect mixture of food and non-food products. I also bought some Lucy's Granola* to snack on, which was crunchy and delicious. When I got home, I made this for dinner, using the veggies I had just bought. It's very flavorful, which is almost surprising, considering it's such a quick and easy meal to make. It's also very good with some locally made bread served on the side!

Seasonal Veggies with Garbanzo Beans and Couscous

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 large tomato, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 14.5 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• approximately four servings of couscous (or rice, quinoa, etc. for a gluten-free version)

1) Prepare couscous or other grain according to package directions. Set aside.

2) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. 

3) Once the oil is warm, place potatoes in pan and cook until tender (which will take a while!), adding more oil if needed.  

4) Transfer cooked potatoes to a bowl and set aside.

5) Heat remaining tablespoon oil in the pan over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and basil, and cook until the onion is soft and slightly transparent.

6) Add tomato, pepper, and beans to pan, and cook until all ingredients are soft.

7) Stir in potatoes and sprinkle with as much salt and pepper as you want.

8) Serve over the finished couscous.

Serves 4

view more photos here

 *contains honey