vegan gyros.

I love vegan gyros. LOVE.

The Chicago diner has the best one to date. Doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to make them at home though!

Vegan eats world has a recipe, and I couldnt wait to try it. I made a batch of the seitan from the book and followed her recipe and it was a huge let down. It wasnt very flavorful. I had half the recipe of seitan left, and I was determined to find something to do with it. I did some research on the internet for other vegan gyro recipes and kind of made up a marinade and gave it a go.

The result?
Delicious.

I love serving these with sweet potato fries, complete with ketchup!

Here’s what I did.
First, make a basic seitan recipe. Slice it thin and set it to the side.

Mix together
1/4 cup vegetable broth
the juice of 1/2 a lemon
a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
Salt
pepper
2 tspns or so of dried oregano

pour over seitan and bake in oven at 400 Degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve on warm pita with cucumber, tomato, avocado and some tazkiki!

taziki:1/2 cup plain unsweetened soy yogurt
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced (depending on how garlicky you like things)
1 T dill
salt
pepper
squirt of lemon juice

cinnamon crunch coffee cake.

I have been looking for a reason to make this coffee cake from vegan brunch, since I bought the book a few years ago. I specifically stayed away from it beause I knew if I was left with this in my house, I would EAT IT ALL. I definitely have a soft spot for cinnamon crunch cakes. I was headed to a clothing exchnage with a pot luck brunch so I knew this would be the perfect thing to bring. It made just enough, and was a hit! There are all kinds of variations in the book, and I’m definitely looking forward to trying them all.

The recipe is:
Topping:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tspn ground cinnamon
1/4 tspn ground nutmeg
1/4 cup canola oil

Cake:
3/4 cup almond or soy milk
1 tspn apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tspn vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tspns baking powder1/2 tspn salt

Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 8 inch round springform pan (or a 8×8 baking pan). Combine the milk and the apple cider vinegar and allow to curdle. Begin preparing the topping while this is happening.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar and spices. Drizzle the oil by the tablespoonful or so; use your fingers to mix it up really good, until it all turns into a crumb like mixture. Now its time to make the cake.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the milk mixture, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until smooth. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture on top, patting it down just a bit.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out clean.

banana chocolate chip mini donuts

I had some really over ripe bananas so I made some baked donuts! Baked donuts are definitely not the same as fried ones, but I’m scared to do all that deep frying in my kitchen ,so these will have to do for now…

• 1 cup Mashed Ripe Banana (Roughly 2 small bananas)
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup soy or coconut yogurt
• 1/4 cup earth balance, melted
• Egg replacer for two eggs
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (I used cocoa nibs)

1.	Preheat the oven to 325F
2.	Using your electric mixer with the whisk attachment, add the mashed banana, sugar and soy yogurt. Mix until incorporated.
3.	Add melted earth balance, egg replacer and vanilla extra and mix.
4.	Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the batter and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix!
5.	Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.
6.	Scoop the batter into a zip lock bag and seal shut. Using scissors, snip the bottom corner of one side of the ziplock bag to create your homemade piping bag.
7.	Grease your doughnut baking pan and pipe 3/4 full the batter into each doughnut mold.
8.	Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool before eating.

grasshopper pie.

I’ve said it before, but something about the holidays (especially easter!) makes me want to make pie. Last year I made a delicious chocolate pie; and this year its this frozen grasshopper pie (found here). This pie is crazy good. and its made with avocados and marshmallows. Yep. Avocado and marshmallows. Dont knock it. Try it and you’ll see how crazy good it is.

Chocolate Crust:
15 trader joejoes or other chocolate sandwich cookie
4 Tablespoons Earth balance, Melted

Mint Filling:

1 Cup Pureed Avocado (From About 2 Small, Ripe Avocados)
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4 cup soymilk
1 10-Ounce Package Dandies Marshmallows
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Begin by combining the cookie crumbs and melted margarine in a large bowl, and stir well until there are no dry spots. Transfer this mixture to a 9-inch round pie tin, and use your fingers to press it evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Place the crust in your freezer until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can start preparing the filling. Puree your avocado using a blender or food processor, along with the lemon juice and soymilk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically ensure you have no lumps of avocado. Set aside.

Place all of the marshmallows in a medium sauce pan, and set it over moderate heat. Stir continuously until the marshmallows have completely melted, and quickly transfer the marshmallow goo into your food processor or blender. Pulse to combine, and add in the salt, mint, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides once or twice between pulses, until the mixture is homogeneous. Pour into your frozen crust, and return the whole thing to the freezer. Let freeze for at least 4 hours, until set and sliceable. If desired, top with chocolate shavings, curls, or ganache. (recipe to follow)

Ganache
1/4 cup soymilk
4 oz choc chips
2 T maple syrup

In a small saucepan, heat up soymilk until its a rolling boil; remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and syrup. Top pie with it, and put back in the freezer to cool.

* I made my pie, and put in the freezer for about 2 hours, then made the ganache, topped the pie with it and put it back in the freezer for another 2 -3 hours before serving.

spinach soup with garlic crutons.

Here is a simple soup to make, courtesy of Joy the Baker. Don’t skip out on the crutons. they totally made the soup!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium union, coarsely hopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peeled and diced red potatoes
4 cups veg stock
6 heaping cups fresh spinach leaves
juice of half a lemon

For the Croutons:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons earth balance
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoons dried thyme
salt to taste
4-6 heaping cups stale bread cubes

To prepare the soup, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, thyme, and salt and saute for 2 minutes.  Add potatoes and saute for 3 minutes more.

Pour in stock and bring to a low simmer.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potato chunks are cooked through.  Reduce heat to low and add spinach leaves.  Stir and cook spinach down in the hot broth for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and puree soup with an immersion blender.

Once pureed, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.  Stir.

To prepare the croutons, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place bread crumbs on the parchment and set aside.  Heat oil and butter in a medium saute pan until earth balance is melted.  Add sliced garlic and cook for 3 minutes.  Remove garlic from the pan and discard.  Remove fat from the heat.  Add thyme. Stir to combine.  Drizzle melted butter mixture over the bread cubes.  Sprinkle generously with salt and toss with your hands.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cubes are golden brown and crisp.

apple cinnamon almond oatmeal shake.

Just taking note of a great breakfast shake!

Put in the vitamix (or powerful blender)
6 raw almonds
1 apple
1 frozen banana1 cup almond milk
3 T oatmeal
dash of cinnamon

carrot muffins

i was pretty skeptical when making these muffins because they called for ALOT Of carrots, were low in sugar and had alot of healthier type ingredients (spelt flour?!).  They are probably one of THE BEST muffins i have ever made. I will be making these again and also try experimenting with adding some other things (maybe zuchinni in the summer?!).

8 oz. carrots (chopped and peeled)
1 egg replacer
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole spelt flour (or oat or whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin.

Place carrots in food processor and pulse a few times until they are grated. Add in the egg replacer, sugar, applesauce, vanilla and coconut oil and blend until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift & mix together together all dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt).

Pour wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold together. Don’t over mix.

Scoop batter into the greased muffin tin – approx 1/3 cup batter per muffin.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, use a toothpick to check for doneness. Don’t over bake.

yam peanut soup.

A few weeks ago, a very kind co-worker who has a vegan daughter made this soup and thought to share some with me. She brought me a lunch size portion to work, and it was so delicious. I made it the following day bcause I couldn’t get enough of it – and I made it again this weekend.  It may not be the prettiest soup – but its really healthy, packed with protein, and my little guy will eat it right up. I love the unexpected ingredient: peanut butter!  I know what you are thinking: peanut butter?! In soup?!!! You don’t add alot, so its not overpowering – the combination of sweet potatoes and peanut butter works so well! Enjoy. Hopefully it wont be soup season for too much longer….

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 Yellow onion, diced
• 2 Cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Ginger, minced
• 2 pounds Yams (about two large), chopped into 1 inch chunks (or a little larger)
• 1/2 cup Dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
• 2 teaspoons Cumin, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric, ground
• dashes Cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea salt (or to taste)
• 4-5 cups Vegetable stock + extra as needed
• 1/4 cup Creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups Curly kale, chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup Green onion, tops only, chopped
• 1/4 cup Roasted and salted peanuts, chopped

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot set on medium heat. Add the onion and begin sauteeing till onion is getting translucent (about 3 minutes). Add the garlic and ginger, and continue to sautee for another 3 minutes, till garlic is fragrant. Add the yams, the red lentils, the tomatoes, the cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and give it all a quick stir to combine.
2. Add 4 cups vegetable stock and bring mixture to a boil. If there isn’t enough broth to cover everything but at least 1 inch, add another cup of stock. When soup boils, reduce to a simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until sweet potatoes and lentils are very tender. If you need more broth as the mixture cooks, add it.
3. Add peanut butter and stir well. Using an immersion blender, blend soup till about half of it is pureed and the other half still has texture. The soup should appear creamy, but chunks of sweet potato should be visible.
4. Stir in the kale and let it wilt. Season to taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve, topped with a tablespoon each of green onion and crushed peanuts

raw brownie truffles.

I’m intrigued by raw deserts, but they seem like they can be kind of expensive, considering all the ingredients and time that goes into them. I have been pinning a few here and there lately that have peeked my interest and might start giving them a try….These were a simple treat to make, made with ingredients I had on hand. ( I seem to have alot of almonds on hand currently so I used those!) They are fairly healthy for you too, considering they have no refined sugar! They should satisfy a craving for something sweet and chocolatey. And you can roll them in all kinds of goodness – and make a whole variety of truffles.

Place 1 cup almonds in a food processor ( i used my vitamix) (you can also use any kind of nuts or combination of nuts here) and get them chopped up (not too fine). Add 1 cup pitted dates and mix until it starts to stick to the blade.  Add 4 T shredded coconut and 5 T cocoa powder and mix. Then add 2 T agave and mix until combined.  Roll into walnut size balls and then roll them into your topping. I rolled mine in cocoa powder and cinnamon.

chocolate chip oatmeal pecan cookies.

I made these cookies to welcome my friend back to the office, and to kick off our busy catalog season at work. They were delicious and a hit among the co workers. Those Joy the baker recipes never seem to let me down. I veganized this one, and I cut the recipe in half.

1/2 cup earth balance
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
egg replacer for one egg
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4  cups uncooked oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Beat the sugar and earth balance in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.  Beat until creamy, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add egg replacer and the vanilla extract and beat until blended.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.  Add to the butter and egg mixture slowly beating on low speed until just incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans last.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 13 minutes or until they’ve reached your desired doneness.