Roasted Walnuts Recipe (Vegan)

We like roasted, salted nuts for snacking on, like almonds and macadamias, however, I was unable to find roasted walnuts in any local store.  So I decided to make my own, using the technique I use for my Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe.  These walnuts are incredibly tasty - the perfect balance of savory and sweet - and they are great for snacking on.

Roasted Walnuts Recipe

2 cups of shelled walnuts (one 8 oz bag)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Add all of the ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and stir with a spoon until all of the walnuts are coated evenly.  Pour the nuts onto an ungreased, non-stick cookie sheet.  Put the nuts in the oven for 1 hour total roasting time, turning them every 15 minutes.  Use a spatula to turn them and lay them back out in a single layer before putting them back in the oven.  At the 1 hour mark, the nuts will be done.  Let them cool, store them in an airtight container in the pantry, and enjoy!

Chocolate Pudding Recipe (Vegan)

I've been craving chocolate pudding lately, but with corn being out of our diet, I can't buy packaged pudding mix or pudding cups in the store.  So I came up with my own recipe for chocolate pudding that is thickened with arrowroot powder.  Using unsweetened coconut milk as the base, this is a really delicious, creamy vegan treat.

Chocolate Pudding Recipe

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

2 heaping tbsp of arrowroot powder mixed with 1/4 cup coconut milk (for a slurry to thicken)

In a medium sauce pan over Medium High heat, add 2 cups of coconut milk, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt and bring it to a boil, stirring it constantly with a small whisk.  In a small bowl, add the arrowroot powder and the 1/4 cup of coconut milk and whisk it together until the powder is dissolved.  Pour the slurry in the sauce pan and whisk it with the rest of the ingredients.  Lower the heat to Low and whisk it until thickened, then turn the heat off and whisk it for a few more minutes to help it to cool down.  Pour the pudding into glass custard cups and let them cool for 20 minutes before covering them with plastic wrap and refrigerating.  Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before eating so the pudding can set. Makes 6 individual servings.

Chocolate Cookie Bars Recipe (Vegan)

We've been having some reactions lately and had to cut out cocoa butter, so I decided to come up with a chocolate cookie bar recipe.  Now Sam can still have that rich chocolate flavor, but without as much sugar as brownies have.  These cookie bars are very chocolate-y and moist and are a great addition to our dessert rotation.

Chocolate Cookie Bars Recipe

1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Spray an 8x8 square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Spread batter evenly into pan with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Refried Beans Recipe (Vegan)

I used to buy Safeway Vegetarian Refried Beans because they were just beans, oil, salt, and water.  Now they have all kinds of ingredients including chilies and onions in them, and I can't buy them anymore.  So I started making refried beans myself.  It's a very simple recipe, and a good arm workout at the same time.  You'll need a potato masher utensil (pictured below) and a cast iron pan to make them as described.  The end result is creamy with a bit of texture.  If you don't like the texture, just blend them with a hand-blender in the end.  You can also make them ahead of time, refrigerate them, and heat them up in a small pan at meal time (this is what I do).

Refried Beans Recipe

1 can pinto beans (15 oz.)
2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

In a cast iron pan over High heat, add the oil and a whole can of beans (including liquid).  Use the potato masher to mash the beans into a creamy paste while it boils.  It takes about 5 minutes of mashing for the beans to get to the right consistency.  You can serve them right away as they are, or pour them into a mixing bowl and use a hand-blender to blend them even creamier.  You can also refrigerate them until a later time, reheating them in a small pan on the stove.  Serves 4 as a side dish.

This is the potato masher utensil I use:

Orange Creamsicle Cake Recipe (Vegan)

This is one of my favorite desserts.  Sam wants this cake for her birthday this year - she says it's better than chocolate cake!  The orange juice and vanilla really work well together adding lots of "orange creamsicle" flavor to this super moist cake. The best part is, no frosting required, however, chocolate or vanilla frosting would be fabulous with this.

Orange Creamsicle Cake Recipe

2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pulp-free 100% orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Sugar in the Raw if  not using frosting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix together thoroughly, but don't over mix. Spray an 8x8 square or 11x7 rectangular baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and top it with a sprinkling of Sugar in the Raw (as much or little as you like) if you don't want to frost it. Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes. When the time is up, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake to make sure it's done. 

To make cupcakes instead, bake for 16 minutes.  Makes 18 cupcakes.

If using rice flour to make this cake use the following instead of the unbleached flour above:
1-1/4 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
2 tbsp binder (potato starch, tapioca flour, arrowroot powder, etc.)
Plus 1/4 cup more orange juice

Banana Muffin Recipe (Vegan)

Sam can eat bananas on a limited basis now, so I've started making my banana muffins again.  These muffins are egg-free, dairy-free, and are very moist and delicious.  They are great for breakfast, snack, or any time of day.

Banana Muffin Recipe

2 cups unbleached flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 extra ripe bananas
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

Sugar in the Raw

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.  Peel the bananas and put them in a separate bowl.  Use a fork and mash them until they become a puree, as smooth as you can get (some small chunks are OK).  Add the wet ingredients and mix throroughly. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and pour the batter in. Top with a sprinkling of Sugar in the Raw. Bake for 20 minutes.  Makes 12+ muffins. 

If you want to make Banana Bread instead of muffins, pour the batter into a loaf pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, sprinkle on some Sugar in the Raw, and bake it at 375 degrees for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool thoroughly before slicing. This bread and these muffins freeze well. 

Apple Muffin Recipe (Vegan)

Our little apple tree gave us quite the harvest of apples this year.  I peeled, cored, and sliced the apples and froze them into three-cup servings to make pies and muffins with.  You can use fresh or frozen apples or unsweetened applesauce in this recipe.  The muffins pictured above were made with my frozen apples.  These  muffins are so delicious and moist!  They are perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Apple Muffin Recipe

2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1-1/2 cups of apple puree or unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup water (if using applesauce, put in 1/2 cup water instead)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

Sugar in the Raw

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

If using frozen apples, you'll need about 3 cups of frozen, peeled, apple slices.  Let them thaw out in the fridge, then add them to a food processor or blender and "Liquify" them into puree.  If using fresh apples, it will take about 4 to 6 apples to get the 1-1/2 cups of puree.  Peel the slices, then run the apple slices over a grater and grate the apples.  Then add the grated apples to a food processor or blender and "Liquify" them.  In the end, you want 1-1/2 cups of apple puree. 

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spray your muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray and pour the batter in. Top with a sprinkling of Sugar in the Raw. Bake for 20 minutes. Makes 16 muffins. 

If you want to make Apple Bread instead of muffins, pour the batter into a loaf pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, sprinkle on some Sugar in the Raw, and bake it at 375 degrees for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Let cool thoroughly before slicing.  This bread and these muffins freeze well. 

Pineapple Sorbet Recipe (Vegan)

I was given a beautifully ripe pineapple the other day from my friend Laura.  When I asked her earlier how to tell if a pineapple is ripe, she said that it's ripe if the bottom of the pineapple is yellowish and if you can easily pull a couple of the spiky leaves out of the middle of the top.  I decided to make pineapple sorbet out of the pineapple she gave me.  I am so glad I did!  It's fantastic to say the least, and currently my favorite sorbet.  The light yellow color of the sorbet is beautiful, and it is so fresh tasting.  If you can get a pineapple on sale, it's a really affordable sorbet your family will love.

Pineapple Sorbet Recipe

1 ripe pineapple
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

Cut away the outer shell from the pineapple, and discard all of the woody parts. Cube the pineapple core into small squares and add them to a medium-sized pot. Add the water and sugar and heat to boiling over High heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and then pour it into a blender and "liquify" it.  Pour the pineapple puree through a mesh strainer to strain out any pulp and fibers.  Add the strained pineapple puree to an automatic ice cream maker to make the sorbet (I run the ice cream maker for 16 minutes).  Makes 1 pint (2 cups) of sorbet.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Vegan)

Fall always reminds me that I need to start baking with pumpkin again.  I created a fantastic pumpkin bread recipe a few years ago that is a favorite in our house, and somehow I neglected to publish it here until now.  This recipe doesn't use cinnamon, just allspice and nutmeg to spice it and bring out the great pumpkin flavor.  This bread is moist and delicious, and it is also egg-free, which means you can lick the batter from the spoon and mixing bowl (Sam's favorite thing to do).  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz. can)
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Sugar in the Raw

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.  Add the wet ingredients and mix throroughly.  Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour the batter in.  Top with a sprinkling of Sugar in the Raw.  Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Let cool thoroughly before slicing.  Makes 1 loaf.

If you want to make muffins instead, bake the muffins for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Makes 16 muffins. This bread and these muffins freeze well.

 

Oven-Roasted Beets Recipe (Vegan)

Richard loves beets. Pickled beets are probably his favorite. I prefer them roasted, so I came up with a recipe that has a little aged balsamic vinegar in it to give the beets a slightly pickled flavor. These beets are really good. They are perfectly roasted (not mushy and not too firm), and the balsamic sauce in the bottom of the pan is great poured over the beets and other items on your plate.

Oven-Roasted Beets Recipe

3 or 4 medium beets
Olive oil
Aged balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a cutting board, cut off both ends of each beet, then use the knife to peel the beets. Cut each beet in half, then cut the pieces into 3 or 4 more pieces of similar size. Lay them in a single layer in an 8x8 square baking pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Drizzle a little olive oil over the beets. Next, drizzle a little aged balsamic vinegar over the beets. Salt and pepper the beets to taste. Cover the baking pan with aluminium foil and put it in the oven for 30 minutes if the beets are fresh from the garden, or up to 1 hour if the beets are from the grocery store. Poke a beet with a fork when the time is up, and if the fork goes through the beet easily, they're done.  Serves 2-4 people as a vegetable side dish.

Spicy Cucumber Salad Recipe (Vegan)

Richard introduced me to making a simple chopped cucumber salad with seasoned rice vinegar many, many years ago. We love it as a side dish with pizza. A little while ago I decided to add more flavors and texture to it and spice it up a bit by adding carrots and cilantro to the salad and hoisin sauce and chili paste to the dressing. This is now our favorite cucumber salad. The dressing is amazing! It's tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy all in one. The cilantro adds great flavor and the carrots add a great crunch. This is a great party appetizer, and goes wonderfully with pizza.

Spicy Cucumber Salad Recipe

1 medium to large cucumber
1 medium to large carrot
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (about half a bunch)
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp Sambal Oelek Ground Fresh Chili Paste
1 tsp Hoisin Sauce

Peel, de-seed, and chop the cucumber into bite-sized cubes. Peel and julienne the carrot into 1 inch matchstick-size pieces. Rough chop the chilantro leaves. Put the cucumber, carrot and cilantro into a mixing bowl. In a 1 cup measuring cup, add the seasoned rice vinegar, the Sambal Oelek and hoisin sauce. Use a small whisk to mix it all together. Pour it over the salad and mix gently with a spoon until all of the cucumbers and carrots have been mixed with the dressing. You can cover it with plastic wrap, refrigerate it and serve it later, or you can serve it right away. Serves 2 to 3 people as a side dish.

Egg-free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (Vegan)

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I decided this year I would come up with a vegan pumpkin pie recipe (no dairy, no eggs) so Sam can enjoy it more than one time. I thought that adding flour to the pumpkin mixture in lieu of eggs would stick it together and give it the right texture. The hard part was figuring out exactly how much flour to use. I'm happy to say I have it just right in this recipe and the texture is spot-on. Also, the spice blend I came up with works perfectly with the pumpkin. This pie is super easy to make, and it smells heavenly while baking. I'm thrilled with how this pie turned out, and am looking foward to making it again for Thanksgiving.

Egg-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe

1 small can of 100% pure pumpkin (15 oz.)
1 cup of Hemp milk or vegan milk
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 recipe of Flaky Pie Crust (I use 1 cup of just unbleached flour for it, not both types of flour)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the sugar, flour, spices, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin and milk and stir it all together until well-combined.

Make the pie crust dough. Lay a large piece of wax paper on your work surface, put the ball of dough in the middle, and lay another large piece of wax paper over the top. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a thin circle larger than the pie pan. Spray the pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. Peel the top piece of wax paper off, and invert the crust, centered, into the pie pan and remove the other piece of wax paper. Press the dough into place in the pie pan. Fold the edges of the dough that is hanging over back under itself along the edges of the pie pan and press the dough to the sides of the pie pan to make a nice crust.

Pour the pumpkin pie filling in the middle of the pie crust and use a spoon or spatula to move the filling to the sides of the crust.

Bake the pie for 1 hour. Let the pie cool for 2 hours before serving. Store the pie in the refrigerator.

Creamy Avocado Rice Recipe (Vegan)

Sam's favorite kind of rice right now is a short grain white rice. I've been thinking of ways to make it more healthy and substantial as a side dish, and was inspired by a rice dish I saw on a cooking show where they used a blender to blend up a dressing that they mixed with the cooked rice. I thought blending an avocado would be a good way to give a creamy texture to the rice, and it worked out great. This rice is delicious and easy to make. Sprinkle your favorite cajun hot sauce on top for a spicy kick.

Creamy Avocado Rice Recipe

1 cup white short grain rice
2 cups water

1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Put 1 cup of white rice and 2 cups of water in a medium pot over High heat. When it comes to a boil, give the rice a stir, cover the pot, lower the heat to Low and let the rice simmer for 15 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the avocado dressing. Cut the avocado in half along the pit, open, and remove the pit. Use a knife to make slices in the avocado half, first in one direction, then in the other direction to make the cubes. Use a spoon to scoop out the cubes. Put the avocado cubes in a blender. Add the water, olive oil, salt and pepper to the blender and "Liquify" it.

When the rice is done, pour the cooked rice into a large mixing bowl and pour the avocado dressing over the rice. Use a spoon to gently mix it all together. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Roasted Green Beans Recipe (Vegan)

Roasted green beans are a perfect side dish to any meal. They are super fast and easy to make, and don't require you to stand over the stove while they cook. These roasted green beans only take 20 minutes in the oven and they come out perfectly roasted, just right every time.

Roasted Green Beans Recipe

Fresh green beans, as many as you would like
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x12 or 8x8 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Rinse and dry the green beans and cut off the ends. Lay the green beans in a single layer in the pan. Drizzle a little olive oil over the green beans and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 20 minutes.

Sunflower Butter Crispy Bars Recipe (Vegan)

Sam is sensitive to corn, so I can't make Rice Krispie Bars for her since the marshmallows are made from corn syrup. I've wondered how to get around this for a long time (years, actually) and recently I figured it out. I decided to try using agave sweetened Sunflower Seed Butter as the binder for the Rice Krispies. Sure enough, it worked! The bars set firm in the fridge, and when I cut them and take them out of the pan, they leave behind just a few crumbles. They are really good! And perfect for a child with a corn sensitivity or allergy.

Sunflower Butter Crispy Bars Recipe

1/3 cup Sunflower Seed Butter (MaraNatha brand - it's not sweetened)
1/4 cup light agave nectar
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

In a medium pot over Medium Low heat, add the sunflower seed butter and agave nectar and stir it constantly, mixing thoroughly, for about 2 minutes (don't let it burn or boil). Turn off the heat and add the Rice Krispies cereal, gently mixing it all together. Pour it into an 8x8 square baking pan and use a spatula to press the mixture evenly into the pan. Put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set before cutting and serving. Store bars in the refrigerator or freezer (they freeze well).

Sugar Cookie Recipe (Vegan)

Sam rarely gets cookies with brown sugar in them anymore due to her sensitivity to it, so I reworked my Basic Cookie Recipe to use just white sugar, and the cookies turned out great. I didn't realize at the time I created my Basic Cookie Recipe that it would be sugar cookie dough without the brown sugar. These are perfectly sweet, crispy, and chewy Sugar Cookies by themselves, or you can frost them or decorate them how you wish.

Sugar Cookie Recipe

1-1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Lightly flour your work surface, your hands, and your rolling pin. Roll out part of the dough at a time to 1/8" thick and use a 2" cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Use a spatula to move the cookies to the cookie sheet. Recipe will yield 25 cookies. Bake for 12 minutes.

If using rice flour to make these cookies use the following in place of the unbleached flour above:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp white rice flour
2 tbsp binder (potato starch, tapioca flour, arrowroot powder, etc.)

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes Recipe (Vegan)

We have potatoes (sweet, russet, yams, red, etc.) with our suppers once a week or so. We especially like roasted baby red potatoes. These potatoes are sweet and flavorful and are a great side dish for almost any meal.

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes Recipe

10 baby red potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes, do not peel. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the potatoes in half (cut the really big ones in quarters) and put them cut side up in a single layer in the pan. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 1 hour total roasting time. At the 50 minute mark, uncover the potatoes for the last 10 minutes. Serves 2 adults (and one small child) as a side dish.

Vanilla Brownies Recipe (Vegan)

We love these vanilla brownies! They are rich and moist and go great with a scoop of Blackberry Sorbet. I based this recipe off of my Carob Brownies Recipe (Vegan) when we wanted a dessert that didn't have chocolate or carob in it.

Vanilla Brownies Recipe

2-1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Batter will be thick. Spray a 9x12 pan with non-stick spray. Spread batter evenly into pan with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

If using rice flour to make these brownies use the following instead of the unbleached flour above:
1-1/2 cups + 2 tbsp brown rice flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
2 tbsp binder (potato starch, tapioca flour, arrowroot powder, etc.)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe (Vegan)

We love my Best Brussels Sprouts recipe. I wanted to come up with another way to make Brussels sprouts that would have the same flavor as that recipe, and be easier to do (i.e. no peeling of leaves, cooking over a stove). I thought roasting them would be good, in a way similar to my Roasted Cauliflower recipe. That is how this recipe came about, and it is very good!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe

15 small Brussels sprouts (fresh, not frozen)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the Brussels sprouts. Cut the stems off each sprout and remove any loose leaves. Cut the sprouts in half and put them in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the olive oil over three different areas of the sprouts. Sprinkle the salt evenly over everything. Gently mix until all of the oil and salt is equally distributed over the Brussels sprouts.

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and pour the Brussels sprouts onto the cookie sheet. Spread out the sprouts in a single layer, cut side down. Put it in the oven and set your timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the cookie sheet from the oven and use a spatula to turn all of the Brussels sprouts over. Put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes, for 30 minutes total roasting time. The Brussels sprouts will be browned and slightly crunchy when done. Serves 2 adults (and one small child) as a vegetable side dish.

Carob Sorbet Recipe (Vegan)

We eat sorbets instead of ice cream in our house, and I wanted to create a sorbet not made from fruit for a change. We love carob, so I came up with this recipe using carob powder and light agave nectar (carob and agave go *great* together). The sorbet is rich and sweet, just the way it should be. We really enjoy this dessert.

Carob Sorbet Recipe

2 cups water
1/2 cup light agave nectar
1/2 cup toasted carob powder (Bob's Red Mill brand)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

In a small saucepan over Med. High heat, whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined. When it starts to boil, remove it from the heat and let it sit out for a while to cool off. When it's cooled for the most part, move the saucepan to the fridge. Let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, and pour it into to an automatic ice cream maker to make the sorbet (I run the ice cream maker for 16 minutes). Makes 1 pint (2 cups) of sorbet.