Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

This AMAZING recipe is a combination of cinnamon roll recipes from Forks Over Knives and VegNews Magazine.  It's a lot of trouble, but totally worth it for a special occasion.

Ingredients:
1 cup unflavored plant milk, warmed
1 pkg active dry yeast
4 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1⁄2 cup mashed potatoes (nothing but potatoes, cooked and mashed)
1⁄3 cup + 1 T. maple syrup, divided
2 T. ground flaxseed
1⁄2 t. + 1⁄3 t. salt, divided
4 T. room temperature vegan butter, divided
2 apples, peeled and petite-diced
10 T. granulated sugar, divided
3⁄4 t. + 3 T. ground cinnamon
1⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1⁄4 cup unflavored plant milk

Method:
1. In a large bowl combine 1 c. warm milk and yeast; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 c. flour, potatoes, 1/3 c maple syrup, flaxseed, and 1/2 t. salt. Measure 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, and stir in as much of this flour as you can. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining measured all-purpose flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1½ to 1¾ hours).

2. In a skillet, melt 1 T butter over medium heat. Add apple and 1 T. maple syrup. Saute until very soft, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. For the streusel topping, combine 6 T. granulated sugar, 5 T. all-purpose flour, 3/4 t. cinnamon, and 1/3 t. salt. Add 3 T. room-temp butter, and toss with 2 forks until mixture appears crumbly.

4. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover with a towel, and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 granulated sugar, and 3 T. cinnamon. Roll dough into a 13 x 20-inch rectangle. Brush 2 T. melted butter over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar mixture (It will seem like a lot.) and layer with cooked apples, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Sprinkle 1/3 of the streusel topping over the apples.

5. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. With long end toward you, roll dough toward unfilled border evenly into a log. With seam side down, use a sharp knife to cut log into 12 equal pieces. Place rolls, cut side up, into prepared pan in 4 rows of 3, leaving some space between rolls.

6. Brush top of dough with some plant-based milk and sprinkle with remaining streusel topping. Pat down gently to adhere to dough.

AT THIS POINT: If you are preparing the night before, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Remove from fridge the next morning and continue.

7. Place pan in a warm part of the kitchen covered with a towel for a 2nd rise, 45 minutes-1 hour or until rolls have expanded. Preheat oven to 375 while rolls rise.

8. When rolls have risen, bake for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow rolls to cool for 10 minutes before glazing. While rolls cool, whisk confectioner's sugar with 1/4 c. plant-based milk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over rolls and serve.

Apricot Oatmeal Muffins

I found this healthy recipe online at the Betty Crocker website while looking for something to do with the dried apricots I'd bought as a snack for Scott.  He didn't like them as much as the dried mangoes we had previously.  But after I chopped them up in muffins, everyone likes them!

 

 Ingredients:

3/4 c. AP flour

1/2 c. plus 1 T. old-fashioned oats, separated

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 egg (Vegans can use Ener-G's Egg Replacer product.)

1/2 c. packed brown sugar (I love brown sugar!)

1/3 c. plant-based milk

3 T. canola oil

1/2 t. almond extract

1/3 c. finely chopped dried apricots

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease only the bottoms of SIX regular-sized muffin cups OR line them with paper baking cups.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 c. oats, baking powder, and salt.  In a small bowl, beat the egg (or replacer).  Mix the brown sugar, plant-based milk, canola oil, and almond extract together with the egg (or replacer).  Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until the flour is just moistened.  Fold in the apricots.

Divide the muffin mixture evenly between the SIX muffin cups.  Sprinkle each with 1/2 t. oats.

Bake 23 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Remove from pan to cooling rack.  Serve warm.  Makes six healthy muffins.

Irish Chocolate Potato Cake

Here's a confection for your St. Patrick's Day celebration.  Scott made this yesterday with a caramel drizzle, and it's DEE-licious.  Since the cake contains dark chocolate, potatoes, and almonds, I like to think of it as sort of "healthy" for cake.  (Disregarding, of course, the 1/2 lb. of butter and 1 lb. of sugar!)

The cake recipe came from www.europeancuisines.com, and the icing came from a decade-old issue of Vegetarian Times.  We served it after a "St. Patrick's Eve" meal of vegetable and tofu pot pie (recipe here) and boiled cabbage for an Irish-feeling meal.

Ingredients:
1 c. cooked potato (see below for specific instructions on the potatoes)
1 1/2 T. AP flour
1 1/2 T. cocoa

2 1/2 c. AP flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 rounded t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 lb. butter or vegan margarine (I like to use Earth Balance vegan margarine.), at room temperature

2 1/3 c. (1 lb.) granulated sugar

4 eggs

9 rounded T. finely-grated chocolate

5 rounded T. ground almonds

2/3 c. plant-based milk

1 batch caramel icing (recipe below)

Method:
Be sure to prepare the potatoes in advance and allow them to cool COMPLETELY.  Do not add them to the batter if they are even slightly warm.  If you do, the result will be a heavy cake that may fail to rise or rise only partway.  To prepare the potatoes, peel and chunk 2 medium potatoes and boil until soft when pierced with a fork.  Drain them completely, and dry them briefly over low heat.  Remove from heat.  When completely cool, mash well with a potato masher or ricer.

Mix 1/2 T. flour with the cocoa in a small bowl.  Prepare a tube pan (like a Bundt pan) by spraying it well with non-stick spray.  Be sure to cover every crevice and fluting.  Now add the flour/cocoa mixture to the pan and shake it around until every surface is coated.  Failure to proper cover every crevice and surface may result in a cake that does not unmold properly, so take the time to do this part correctly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the 2.5 c. flour once by itself.  Sift it a second time with the cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and set the yolks aside.  In a small mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Set the whites aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir the grated chocolate and ground almonds into the butter mixture.  Add the potatoes and stir again.  Add the flour, alternating with the plant-based milk, beating gently after each addition.

When the flour and milk are fully incorporated, fold the whipped egg whites carefully into the cake batter.  Spoon the completed batter into the prepared cake pan.  Tap gently once on the counter to settle.

Bake for 1.5 - 2 hours.  With a wooden skewer, start testing for doneness at 1.5 hours and periodically after that until the skewer inserted through the tallest part of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes in the pan.  Invert on a baking rack and remove from pan to cool completely.  Drizzle with caramel icing (or the icing of your choice), and serve.

Caramel Drizzle Icing

Ingredients:
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. plant-based milk
2 T. vegan margarine
1/4 t. salt
1 t. almond extract
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Method:
Combine brown sugar, plant-based milk, margarine, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture is slightly thick, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat.  Stir in almond extract and gradually beat in powdered sugar.  Stir until smooth and creamy.  Let icing cool slightly, and pour over cake.  Icing sets as it cools.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Yesterday I set out to make some muffins for breakfast, and I thought I'd make the cranberry pumpkin muffins I previously posted (recipe here).  However, when I started getting out all the ingredients and getting everything ready, I just felt like it was too heavy, too autumn if you will.  I was feeling more spring.  My eyes noticed the poppy seeds in my spice cabinet, and the thought of lemon poppy seed muffins really fit the bill:  I had a fridge full of lemons, my muffin papers are the colors of easter eggs, and the flavor had a spring-like profile.  Done!

This recipe is based on the one in the quintessential cookbook Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker.  They were totally delicious.

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder (try to find aluminum-free baking powder)

1/2 t. salt

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1.5 T. poppy seeds

2 large eggs (vegans could use Ener-G Egg Replacer), lightly beaten

1 c. plant-based milk

1/3 c. brown sugar, packed

1/4 c. plus 3 T. canola oil

1 t. almond extract

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 T. grated lemon zest

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Either grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line the tins with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and poppy seeds.

In another medium bowl, mix the eggs (or Egg Replacer), plant-based milk, brown sugar, canola oil, almond extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.  Stir until JUST MIXED, keeping the stirring to a minimum.  Too much mixing will make the muffins heavy, so the batter will be (and should be) lumpy.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups.  Bake about 20 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Spring Rolls!

Ever since Scott made a layer cake at Christmas, he's been on a cooking kick. The sweet joy of success is eating your own creation! I have to give him credit for taking on the task of finding ingredients for and making such a foreign food, which we fell in love with at a local Vietnamese restaurant. With the aid of the classic cookbook Joy of Cooking, he recreated our beloved dish perfectly at home!

First make the peanut dipping sauce, which we mixed with store-bought chili garlic sauce. I could eat this with a spoon!

Ingredients:
2 t. canola oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 t. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 c. water
2 T. soy sauce (or tamari or shoyu)
2 T. fresh lime juice
2/3 c. chunky peanut butter
1 T. brown sugar, or to taste

Method:
Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until golden brown (about 1 minute). Add the water, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring, until thickened (about 4 minutes).
Serve warm or at room temperature. This sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

Now make the rolls:

Ingredients:
4 large red-leaf lettuce leaves, washed, large stems removed, leaves torn into large pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 c. bean sprouts, rinsed
1/2 c. cilantro leaves, minced
8 scallions, washed and chopped, white and green parts
2.5 oz. vermicelli noodles, broken in half (or use cellophane noodles or rice stick noodles)
3 T. canola oil
1 lb. firm Chinese-style tofu, water squeezed out, cut into 1/2-inch chunks  (I like to freeze my tofu for 24 hours, then thaw it.  It improves the texture.)
8 12-inch round sheets of rice paper (This stuff is edible, even though it does not appear to be when first taken from the package.)

Method:
First make sure all your vegetables are prepared and ready to go.  Put a large saucepan over high heat and bring 4 c. water to boil.  Cook the noodles until just firm to the bite.  Drain and rinse under cold water.

In the meantime, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet.  Add the tofu to the hot oil and brown on 2 sides of each chunk.  Remove from heat.

Lay a damp kitchen towel on the counter.  Have a large bowl of hot water (115 - 120 degrees F).  Dip 1 sheet of rice paper into the water, completely submerging it, and quickly remove it to lay flat on the damp towel.  Slightly lower then center and leaving about 1 inch on the right and left, put a horizontal line of lettuce, then noodles, then bean sprouts, then tofu, then cilantro, then scallions, then carrots (about 1/8 of each ingredient).  Fold the right and left sides in and overlapping the filling by about an inch so that the paper sticks to itself above and below the filling.  Bring up the bottom edge of the paper to cover the filling and stick to the rice paper at the top of the filling.  Now roll tightly into a neat cylinder.

If the rice paper starts to tear, overlap it with another sheet of paper (prepped in the hot water, as usual), using 2 sheets for one roll.

Cut each roll on the diagonal with a sharp knife and serve immediately as the rice paper will toughen with time.  Serve with peanut dipping sauce and, if you want, some chili garlic sauce.  Makes 8 delicious servings.

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Here's a great seasonal recipe I got from Country Living magazine's November 2012 issue. You can use mashed sweet potatoes OR pureed pumpkin, so it's a great way to use up leftovers if you have just a bit left after opening a can or making a recipe.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

non-stick baking spray OR vegan margarine for greasing the pan plus flour

1.5 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

1 stick vegan margarine (I prefer Earth Balance brand.), at room temperature

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 t. vanilla OR almond extract

1 c. leftover mashed sweet potatoes OR pureed or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 large eggs, at room temperature (vegans can try substituting Ener-G Egg Replacer)

1/2 c. chopped pecans

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt together. (Use a fork to fluff them together if you don't have a sifter.)

In a large bowl and using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter, sugars, and flavoring extract until light and fluffy. Blend in sweet potatoes or pumpkin puree, then eggs one at a time. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds. Blend until just combined.

Spoon batter into the greased and floured loaf pan. Sprinkle with pecans, and bake until the cake tests clean when a wooden skewer is inserted into the middle, 65 - 75 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Release cake from pan to cool completely.

Makes about 8 servings.

Soy and Ginger Tofu in an Asian-Inspired Meal

In a 2011 issue of Martha Stewart's Living magazine, there were recipes for an Asian-inspired meal including the herbed rice and steamed bok choy recipes I previously posted.  The magazine's entrée was soy-and-ginger pork chops, but I was able to substitute tofu very well in the recipe, making it even more Asian-inspired and, of course, vegetarian.  Here is a photo of the meal along with the entrée recipe as I made it:

Soy-and-Ginger-Marinated Tofu Steaks or Cubes

I made the recipe using tofu steaks, but I think cubes would have worked even better.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. plus 1 T. soy sauce (tamari or shoyu may also be used)

1/4 c. plus 1.5 t. canola oil

1/4 c. finely grated fresh ginger (peel it before grating)

1/4 c. plus 1.5 t. light brown sugar

2 scallions, finely chopped

3/4 t. freshly ground pepper

1 lb. extra-firm tofu (not the silken kind - NOTE:  Tofu's texture often is improved by freezing it, then thawing it.  To do this process, plan ahead.)

1 T. canola oil (plus more, if needed)

1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Method:

Whisk together the soy sauce, 1/4 c. plus 1.5 t. canola oil, ginger, brown sugar, chopped scallion, and freshly ground black pepper.

Squeeze any excess water from the tofu.  Cut the tofu into 4 steaks or into 1-inch cubes, as you wish.  Arrange the tofu in a nonreactive baking dish, reserving 3 T. of the marinade.  Pour the remainder over the tofu, and cover the dish with plastic wrap.  Marinate the tofu for 45 minutes, flipping the steaks or tossing the cubes halfway through that time.

Heat the remaining 1 T. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Remove the tofu from the marinade and sear the steaks or cubes for about 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium.  Flip the steaks or cubes and sear again until just cooked through (3 - 5 more minutes).  Transfer the tofu to a platter and allow it to rest 5 minutes.

In the meantime, add the reserved marinade to the skillet.  Simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 30 seconds.  Spoon this sauce over the tofu.  Garnish with thinly sliced scallion.  Serves 2 - 4 as an entrée.

I served the meal with iced green tea to complete the Asian theme.

Thanksgiving and Sweet Potato Casserole topping recipe

Happy Black Friday to you all! I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday as much as I did yesterday! Scott and I went to my parents' house and feasted! Mom started cooking on Wednesday, then she got up at 5:10 yesterday to get rolling again. Scott and I got there a little before 10am so I could help. Of course, my family is not vegetarian, but let me outline the feast that was available to me as the family vegetarian yesterday: smooth mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, buttery corn casserole, candied yams, speckled butter beans, roasted Brussels sprouts (from the recipe on this very blog), vegetarian cornbread dressing, homemade macaroni and cheese, and store-bought rolls. And that's just dinner. For dessert there was homemade yellow cake with homemade chocolate icing, 2 pecan pies, lemon icebox pie, banana pudding, and chocolate pie from my Granny's famous recipe. It was, truly, a feast, and I took full advantage of the gorgeous Southern food and the warm company of family.

Now, one pickle that vegetarians sometimes find themselves in at Thanksgiving is the issue of the sweet potato casserole. You'll find that the casserole is there calling to you, all nice and vegetarian, but someone sticks marshmallows on top! (For those of you who don't know, marshmallows contain gelatin, and gelatin is not vegetarian. I will spare you the details, but you can search the web for information if your curiosity is piqued.) Here's an alternative topping for a sweet potato casserole that is more seasonal and absolutely delicious! It's what my mom uses:

1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar (YUM!)
1 c. chopped pecans
1/3 c. melted vegan butter

Just mix the ingredients well and spread in clumps over your casserole. It bakes to a sweet, crunchy, nutty, awesome thing when you bake the casserole. Happy holidays!

Cranberry-Apple Crumble

I tried this recipe twice recently, and it's really good. It's not mine, so I'm just including the link. The first time I made it, I did it almost according to Martha's instructions. I substituted vegan Earth Balance margarine for the butter, and it worked fine. Also, I did not chop up my cranberries, and I liked it that way.



The 2nd time, I doubled the recipe, but I didn't double the recommended size of the dish. I squeezed it all into a pan that was smaller and, although it fit, it wasn't as good. The crumble topping really does need to spread out over that area. Also, don't cut down the amount of butter (or, in my case, margarine). I thought it called for a lot of butter/margarine when I made it the first time (only because the quantity seemed like a lot, not because it tasted like too much), so I cut some out the 2nd time, and it wasn't as good. Use the full amount!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/apple-cranberry-crumble

Follow this advice, and you'll have a delicious autumn dessert (or breakfast! Why not?!).

Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie

Happy Independence Day! This recipe comes from an acquaintance named Ginger, and I am not sure where she got it. I didn't change a thing about it, because it's so good already.

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. golden brown sugar
1/3 c. light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. unsalted vegan butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
1 pinch salt
3 large eggs, beaten (I have used medium eggs with perfectly fine results.)
3/4 c. sweetened, shredded coconut
3/4 c. chocolate chips
3/4 c. whole pecans
1 frozen pie crust

Place a large baking sheet on the oven rack (middle of the oven), and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With a fork, mix the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, almond extract, and salt in a 1.5-quart or larger bowl to blend. Mix in the beaten eggs. With a spoon, stir in the shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans. Pour the filling into the frozen pie crust. Place the pie on the baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set in the center (about 40 minutes). Transfer pie to rack, and cool before serving.

Black Forest Cookies

Hello all! I made a new cookie recipe yesterday that I thought I'd share. I even like to think of it as somewhat healthy, since it has nuts and dried berries in it. It's super easy to make. Just a warning that the batter does not look like normal cookie dough. It just looks like melted chocolate. I was afraid it would not cook up into a cookie, but it did! Here it is:

Black Forest Cookies (I got this online at, I think, the Ocean Spray cranberry website .)


1 11.5-oz. bag chocolate morsels (I used a 12 oz. bag Ghiradelli semi-sweet with good results.)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. vegan butter
2 eggs
1 t. almond extract
3/4 c. flour
1/4 t. baking powder (There is no salt called for in the recipe, which worried me. I thought that was needed to "activate" the baking powder. Worked fine with no salt.)
1 6-oz. package Craisins (dried, sweetened cranberries)
1 c. coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour 3/4 c. chocolate morsels into an uncovered large microwave-safe bowl. Set remaining morsels aside. Microwave morsels 2 - 3 minutes on high. Stir until chocolate is smooth.

Stir in brown sugar, butter/margarine, eggs, and almond. Add flour and baking powder, mixing thoroughly until combined. Stir in remaining morsels (You may want to let it cool a little. If it is still hot, it will melt these as well.), Craisins, and nuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes (depending on how firm you like your cookies) or until cookies are puffed and set to the touch. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.


Makes about 2.5 dozen cookies.


The calories are listed as 140 per cookie, but I made them bigger than 1 tablespoonful each, so I know mine were more! It actually also has a little protein, vitamin A, and calcium, per the recipe specs from online. I hope you enjoy it!

***Note: Use egg substitute to convert to a vegan recipe. :) I've used Egg Replacer in other recipes in the past. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!