So I needed a quick recipe for my office holiday lunch – and saw this in the December issue of Vegetarian Times. I changed it up a little (surprise, surprise) – mostly because I couldn’t bother with the chilling and slicing and glazing, so I made them as drop cookies, among other changes.
Triple Chocolate Mint Cookies
- 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 c. oat flour
- 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 T. black cocoa
- 1 t. baking powder
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 c. chocolate chips
- 4 T. earth balance ‘butter’ stick
- 4 T. applesauce
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/2 c. light brown sugar
- 1/3 c. vegetable oil
- 1/4 c. plain soymilk
- 1 t. peppermint extract
- 1/2 t. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets. Stir flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Cream margarine, sugar, and brown sugar with electric mixer 2 to 3 minutes, and add in applesauce. Beat in oil, soymilk, peppermint extract, vanilla extract until smooth. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet (I use a small ice cream scoop). Chill rest of dough in fridge while baking. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until tops are crackly. Cool on baking sheets. Makes up to 3 dozen, depending on size.
So instead of making cookies around the holidays, which I usually do in December, I only felt like making Cinnamon Rolls…I’m not posting the recipe, because while they were good, they weren’t great.
So I’m still on the hunt for a good cinnamon roll recipe that uses whole wheat pastry flour….
So I always make pumpkin cheesecake pie for Thanksgiving due to popular demand – but this is what I always crave – baked apple crisp! So I made it after T-day – loosely following this recipe by Beard & Bonnet. It was the ginger that drew me to the recipe & if you like crystallized ginger – it’s great in the topping. If you don’t like the bite of ginger, you can leave it out…
Apple Crisp with Uncrystallized Ginger
- 6 good sized apples, sliced (I leave skins on)
- 2 T. lemon juice, or 1/2 lemon
- 2 T. maple sugar (or regular evaporated cane sugar) – optional
- 1 t. cinnamon – optional
- 1/4 t. nutmeg – optional
Topping:
- 1 ½ c. rolled oats (can use 1 c. – I like extra oats)
- 2 T. oat flour
- ¾ -1 c. brown sugar
- 3-4 T. Earth Balance margarine
- ¼ t. salt
- 1 t. cinnamon
- ¼ t. nutmeg
- 1 ½ T. uncrystallized ginger, chopped (I use Trader’s Joe’s uncrystallized ginger, featured here)
- ¼ c. pecan or walnut pieces (optional, I actually forgot to add mine)
Grease 9×9 pan & preheat oven to 375° F. As you slice the apples, lightly squeeze ½ lemon over apples. Add maple sugar cinnamon & nutmeg and stir to mix, trying not to eat too many of the apples (or maybe that’s just me). Note: if you don’t think your apples are that juicy, you can stir in 2 T. applesauce, which will help. Pour apples into pan & distribute evenly. Make the topping by ideally mixing flour & brown sugar and cutting in margarine, then mix in remaining ingredients – or if you’re like me – put everything in the bowl and mix by hand (even though I don’t like mixing things by hand – it did work best here – I kept adding in margarine 1/2 T. at a time until I had the consistency (clumpy, not too crumbly) I wanted). Note: if you want to cut down on the margarine, sub in a tablespoon or two of applesauce. Distribute topping over apples, patting down lightly. Bake for 45 minutes – covered for about 1/2 the time, then uncovered for rest. Remove and let cool about 1/2 hour before serving.
I love serving mine warm with ice cream over it – the above pic was taken with whipped cream ’cause I was eating it for breakfast! Enjoy! Apple Crisp is a regular in my house, so I’d love to hear any other suggestions in making it unique.
We had some leftover potatoes after Thanksgiving & some leeks from the CSA, and this is a perfect recipe. And with an extra nutritional ingredient – white beans!
Creamy Potato Leek Soup
- 2 T. olive oil
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6 small to medium potatoes, chopped
- 1/2 t. rosemary, chopped finely
- Vegetable broth ~4 cups, enough to cover potatoes to cook
- 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 c. soymilk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
- 1 T. lemon juice
- Salt/pepper to taste
- Vegetarian bacon bits (optional)
- Chives (optional)
Saute leeks in olive oil until they start to turn translucent. Add garlic & saute another minute. Add potatoes, rosemary & broth to cover, bring to boil and cook until potatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes. When potatoes are done add beans, 1/2 the milk and blend with immersion blender until smooth. When smooth, stir in remainder of milk to desired thickness. Add lemon, salt & pepper to taste. Serve hot sprinkled with baco bits and/or chives, if desired.
This is a great recipe included in Miyoko Schinner’s Artisan Vegan Cheese cookbook. I’m posting the recipe below (with my changes – more nooch & added in salsa & might try a squeeze of lemon or lime next time) since a video of the original recipe is also available here.
Low-fat Chipotle Cheese Sauce (makes about 3 cups)
- 1 c. cooked, mashed, roasted butternut squash
- 3/4 c. plain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (I used soy)
- 3/4 c. water (I might try soymilk next time)
- 1/2 medium onion – in quarters
- 7 T. nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/4 c. raw cashews
- 3 T. tapioca flour
- 1/2 – 1 chipotle chile in adobe sauce
- 1/4 c. salsa
- 1 t. salt
Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Transfer to medium saucepan & cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until thick & gooey.
Hubby really loved this – he thought it was from a jar so I guess that’s an all-star endorsement. Thanks Miyoko for the great recipe!
So as the photo shows this recipe is taken from VCTOTW (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World), a brownie cupcake recipe made back into brownie. I wanted to try this because I had some cherry preserves, and the bourbon in the recipe intrigued me. If you try this use a medium size pan (I used a square one and the brownies were a little thick). The frosting makes these (brownies not frosted in picture), so don’t leave it out. Recipe is very good – a cakey brownie with interesting flavors. These didn’t last long around the house!
So whenever I’m feeling bad, a really bad cold in this case, I make this recipe. It’s from Veganomicon – the Chickpea Noodle Soup recipe, except I sub in soycurls for the chickpeas and use celery instead celery seed. Plus, this time I was short on noodles so added in some wild rice. I love this soup, it’s so comforting, plus usually by the time the soup is gone, so is my cold! Enjoy!
