Vegan in Paradise

Cilantro & Lime Rice

2011-08-14T17:43:00.000-04:00

Cilantro and Lime Rice by Closet Cooking
(makes 4+ side dish servings)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 cup long grained rice (I like to use brown)
2 cups water
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1 lime (juice and zest)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the rice and toast in the oil for a few minutes.
5. Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until tender, about 20 minutes for white rice or 40-50 minutes for brown.
6. Remove from the heat and mix in the cilantro, lime juice and zest.

Dreamy Lemon Blueberry Muffins

2010-11-21T14:10:00.002-05:00

DREAMY LEMON-BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Ingredients:

2 cups cake/pastry flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup canola oil
juice of one lemon
zest of one lemon
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
organic cane sugar (coarse) for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 and prepare muffin tin with liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix together almond milk, water, oil, juice, and zest. Pour into flour mixture and stir but do not over-mix. Fold in blueberries. Fill the muffin tins half way, sprinkle with cane sugar and bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

A cold day in October

2010-10-03T17:59:00.002-04:00

GeoTagged, [N44.32714, E76.16871]

Ahhhh, cold enough today to keep the oven running for a couple of hours. On the docket today:

Granola sweetened with agave nectar featuring organic Sultanas, organic shredded coconut, sunflower and chia seeds and organic walnut chunks. Made enough to feed a hippie army.

Currently underway: coconut milk rice pudding with beautiful brown long grains and dough for home made English muffins is rising. Wish me luck!

RED & GREEN POTATO SALAD

2010-09-20T14:35:00.002-04:00

Ingredients:

· 1 .5 lbs new baby potatoes, washed

· ½ sweet onion, diced

· 2 stalks celery, diced

· 4 scallions, diced

· meat of 1 avocado,

· 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

· juice of 1 small lime

· 1 clove garlic, minced

· ¾ tsp sea salt, ground fine

· black pepper to taste

1-2 cups washed salad greens (I like arugula or baby romaine)

Directions

Boil potatoes softly. They should be easily pierced with a fork, but not fall apart. Allow to cool and then cut into halves.

In a small bowl, mash together avocado (leave a few chunks), olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add potatoes, celery and scallions and toss together.

Serve chilled over salad greens.

Enjoy!

Fall in my Soup

2010-09-12T16:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, call me crazy. When the temperature drops below 20C, I am in my glory! Time for Autumn harvest and it's finally cool enough to cook! It's a drizzly, windy day and we are in the mood for some hot, creamy soup.

This golden, yummy soup is inspired by a Moosewood Restaurant staple. Golden winter squash, sweet apple and the warmth of cinnamon are brought together in one yummy bowl! Add some crusty bread and (voila! ), you have a very satisfying fall meal.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil or broth for sauteeing
2 organic yellow onions, chopped
1/2 dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
4 organic carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks organic celery, chopped
3 cups organic vegetable stock, homemade or prepared
2 cups winter squash puree, I used roasted butternut squash
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup orange juice
1 cup apple juice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a stock pot, saute onions in oil (or broth) for a few minutes. Add herbs and spices a to onions and until the onions become translucent. Add carrots, celery and broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, until the veggies become tender. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Puree the cooked vegetables, stock, juices and squash together in batches. Reheat gently and serve. It is wonderful topped with a balsamic vinegar reduction or some vegan sour cream. Recipe yields 8 generous servings.

Yummy Tofu Marinade

2010-08-02T16:44:00.003-04:00

I am a terrible blogger! I've given up most food of late in favor of a soya latte misto at the Socialist Pig in Gananoque. After meeting (at the Pig, totally unexpectedly!) one who thus far has only been a facebook vegan friend, I am once again reaching for real food! Thanks, Christina!

Marinade:

1/2 C Bragg's liquid aminos

1/4 C extra virgin sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T maple syrup

1 T tomato paste

2 T peanut butter

2 t dry mustard powder

Mix all ingredients together and pour over pressed tofu. Marinate 1-2 hours, or longer if you have the time. You can bake, broil, grill or saute it, but I prefer it "raw" on a big salad. You can also toss it with cooked noodles a veggie using the leftover marinade as a sauce. . . YUM! I'm hungry and can't wait for it to marinate!

Chunky Avacado Salsa, a.k.a. Tonight's Dinner, Round #1

2010-06-21T21:13:00.005-04:00

A spin on Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's No-Queso Quesadillas, I stuffed mine with storebought (gasp!!!) spinach and artichoke hummus and panfried with a little safflower oil. Add to that a little homemade chunky avacado salsa and we have a winner! This entire meal took less that 15 minutes from cutting board to plate!

CHUNKY AVACADO SALSA

Ingredients:

1 large avacado, chilled and chunked

1 large tomato, chopped coarsely

1/4 C chili sauce (mine was mild and sweet from the farmer's market)

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve. If I had planned this meal, I would have added a little lime juice and zest, also maybe a little coarse sea salt. Make it. Eat it. Weep.

Sugar Free Banana Blueberry Muffins

2010-06-21T20:41:00.004-04:00

Yummy! I saw a great recipe on fatfreevegan.com for a bread of this persuasion, and thought I'd try it out as muffins!

Ingredients:

3 large over-ripe bananas 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup unsweetened soymilk 1/2 cup (120 ml) agave nectar 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pint blueberries

Coconut oil (for preparing pan)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Wipe the top of muffin pan with coconut oil and line with paper liners.

Mix the soymilk with the apple cider vinegar and let stand until it curdles.

In a food processor, puree the bananas and add the soymilk mixture and agave nectar. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until the mixture is well-combined. Fold in the blueberries.

Fill the muffin cups to 4/5 and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Servings: 12

Quinoa pancakes with blueberries

2010-03-14T12:31:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:

Egg replacer for 1 egg
1 cup soya milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup quinoa flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup wild blueberries

Directions:
Prepare egg replacer in a mixing bowl. Add vinegar to soya milk, allow to curdle, then add to egg replacer. Stir well, adding vanilla extract. Sift together dry ingredients and mix into liquid ingredients, eliminating all visible lumps. Stir in blueberries.

Heat a pan to medium and prepare wit margarine or safflower oil. Drop batter in pan 1/3 cup at a time. Cook until bubbly on top, turn and cook 30-45 seconds more. Enjoy!

The "Grate" Pizza Experiment Begins

2010-03-09T06:38:00.001-05:00

I miss pizza! My husband especially misses pizza. This has been our major vice and ultimate temptation since going veg: cheese pizza from Moroni's restaurant, extra well-done.

Knowing how unhealthy cheese is for the body, the cows and the planet, I've embarked on a mission; to create a master list if amazing veg-friendly pizza recipes.

2 nights ago we had a tasty one and I didn't take a picture. I used a prepared thin crust, YoSo onion and garlic creamy spread, tomato bruschetta and thin asparagus spears. It was so tasty!

I am expecting a shipment from VivaGranola.com with Teese and Daiya cheeses, the two most touted vegan pizza cheeses. Recipes and reviews to follow!

Bread Pudding

2010-02-15T11:52:00.003-05:00

Stuck with half of a three pound loaf of homemade cinnamon bread, I decided to try to recreate a decadent treat we sampled in the gorgeous city of New Orleans. You can give this pudding a more authentic taste by dousing it with bourbon and flambé-ing it, but I prefer a morning-friendly version.

Ingredients:

4-5 cups stale bread, cubed
3 cups non-dairy milk
1 cup sucanat or 2/3 cup sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 tsp earth balance or non-dairy butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place bread in a 9" square baking dish. In a blender (I use a VitaMix), blend milk, sugar, cinnamon and dates. Pour over bread and stir to cover. Top with almonds and drop butter on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy hot!

Québécois tourtière, vegan style!

2010-02-08T21:31:00.003-05:00

What a warm and filling treat on a February night! The flakey pastry and rich spice-infused filling really tasted like my first trip to Quebec city!

Ingredients:

Enough pastry for 2 pies (top and bottom crusts) or 1 deep-dish pie - - - I used the flakey pie crust recipe from the Joy of Vegan Baking sans the sucre.

4 medium sized yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
One small red onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cremini or white mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 can white kidney beans
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup beer or stout
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground savory
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 pkg Yves veggie ground round
Salt to taste

Directions:

Prepare the pastry according to selected recipe and chill for at least 1/2 hour.
Cover potatoes with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside.
Heat a small stock-pot over medium heat. Add 1tbsp water and add onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes and add carrots and celery. Cook 5 minutes more and add mushrooms, beans, stock, beer and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until most of the cooking liquid has reduced. Remove bay leaf and remove from heat.
After slightly mashing potatoes (leaving lots of chunks), stir the potatoes and ground round into vegetable mixture. Set aside to cool.
Roll out pastry into 4 discs, or two if making a deep-dish pie. Press bottom crust into pan, spoon in filling, cover with remaining pastry. Repeat for second pie. Puncture crust with a fork in a few places to vent the pie. Brush crust with a little soymilk and bake in a 375 F oven for 50 minutes of until the pastry is golden brown. Remove and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan Fare Fundraiser for WaterCan

2010-02-08T17:38:00.003-05:00

Hello all;

This is a message to my friends on Facebook;

If any of the recipes that you see on my wall look at all appealing to you and you'd like to sample some Vegan in Paradise grub, join me at my house at 7pm on Saturday, Feb 27. I can only accommodate 15-20 people, so call 613-453-3143 asap to confirm your place. Great food, good drinks, some pretty nice people and all for a great cause!

Minimum donation is $25. Please check out www.watercan.com .

If you cannot attend, please consider sponsoring me in my Walk for Water with team Rapunzel at www.iwalkforwater.ca (Melissa Phillips from Rapunzel). Thanks, all!!!

Golden Cornbread

2010-01-25T18:01:00.003-05:00

This cornbread is a great companion to soups and stews, but would be equally yummy with jam for breakfast!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 C coarse golden corn meal

3/4 whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

4 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp organic cane sugar, fine

1 tbsp ground flax seed

1/4 C warm water

1 C soy milk

1/8 C grapeseed oil, or other light-tasting oil

Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare an 8x8 baking dish. Sift dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. In a cup measure, combine liquid ingredients. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture, combining slowly with a wooden spoon until just mixed. Pour and spread into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Smokey Vegan Chili with Black Beans and Beer

2010-01-25T17:47:00.002-05:00

Tonight's dinner!

Ingredients:

Water for cooking

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 organic carrots, peeled and chopped (I like chunks)
4 stalks celery, chopped

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 lb white mushrooms, chopped

1 bottle beer, I used Canadian

1 1/2 tsp Herbamare or sea salt

2 tsp smoked paprika, sweet or hot

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes

1 small package Yves veggie ground round original

In a stock pot, cover the bottom with water and heat to medium-high. Add onions, carrots, celery and apples. Saute for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, saute for 5 minutes more. Add more water if necessary while the vegetables are cooking. Add salt, paprika and herbs and stir. Cook one minute then add beer and increase heat to high. Stirring often, allow beer to come to a boil and to slowly reduce. When you can no longer smell alcohol, stir in black beans, tomatoes and ground round and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to low, and cook until the flavor is to your liking. I left mine for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. I really like the blended taste and soft texture.

I served this chili with a green salad and homemade corn bread. Enjoy!

Sunday Brunch Apple "Jacks"

2010-01-17T12:10:00.003-05:00

Good Morning! Well, it's better after eating a small stack of apple drenched flapjacks! These pancakes were great and the toppings were even better.

Ingredients:

(for the pancakes)

1 can coconut milk

1 large ripe banana

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 C all-purpose flour

2/3 C quick-cooking oats

3tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1tsp ground cinnamon(for the toppings)

apple sauce - (I made mine with apples, water to cover and a dash of cinnamon)

vanilla soy yogurt

toasted pecans

In a food processor or blender, blend the banana, vanilla and coconut milk until smooth. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add to wet mixture. I mixed mine pretty well. Fry the pancakes on a prepared griddle (I used canola oil) on medium-high heat, flipping only when the top is very bubbly. Stack the pancakes, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

PS> with homemade chunky applesauce, you won't even need syrup!

Tasty Tofu Marinade

2010-01-14T08:07:00.002-05:00

If you are looking to find something to top your salad or put in your wrap that is chewy, tasty and full of veggie rotein, this is a great recipe for you. It's super easy to make and will keep in the fridge fir almost a full week!

Ingredients:

1/2 C apple cider vinegar
2 T hoisin sauce ( found in Asian foods section )
1 T Bragg's all-purpose seasoning or tamari
3/4 C vegetable stock

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or in a bowl with a whisk.
Toss tofu cubes (squeeze excess water from touf before cutting) in marinade, cover and let stand for at least an hour before eating. Store in the fridge.

Best Cream of Mushroom Soup

2010-01-11T10:20:00.004-05:00

This soup is so rich and satisfying, it's a meal in itself.

Ingredients:
2T non-dairy butter (I use Earth Balance)
2T extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot , finely chopped
3 stalks celery , finely chopped
2 large oyster mushrooms , finely chopped
1 lb white mushrooms, coarsely chopped or quartered if small
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2C dry white wine

Ground black pepper

4-6 C vegetable stock
1 C raw walnuts
Hot water
Salt to taste

In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat oil and non-dairy butter together over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes more. Lower heat and add mushrooms, parsley and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and cook until you can no longer smell alcohol, stirring often. Add stock and stir. Reduce heat to low and cover.

In a blender, cover walnuts with hot water and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add about 2C soup from pot to blender and mix thoroughly.

Stir walnut mixture into soup and heat through. Add salt to taste. Serve with crusty bread and a great salad! Enjoy.

This soup is great reheated as well.

Tofu Sour Cream

2010-01-05T20:03:00.002-05:00

Many recipes for this kitchen staple are similar, yet I can tell you that my variation is delicious. It is equally nice atop a steaming bowl of borsch as it is folded into a coffee cake.

Ingredients:
1 pkg silken tofu
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp agave nectar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Soy Seasoning

Add all ingredients to blender and process until smooth and creamy.
Makes about 1 cup.

Roasted Red Pepper No-Egg Omelette

2010-01-03T13:20:00.003-05:00

Inspired by the good folks at Fresh in Toronto, I decided to whip up a no-egg omelette this morning. Four, actually! This recipe is just for the outer portion of the omelette that is used to wrap all of your gorgeous goodies - I filled mine with white-wine sauteed mushrooms and onions, agave-sweetened mustard and vegan cheese.

Ingredients:

2T water or veggie stock - plus extra for sauteeing

1/2 sweet onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 block extra firm tofu drained and chopped

1 whole roasted red pepper, seeded and chopped

1T nutritional yeast flakes (I use Purely Bulk from Loblaws)

1/4C - 1/2C gluten flour (available at Bulk Barn)

1t Herbamare or sea salt

2T all-purpose flour

Oil of choice for frying

In a skillet over medium heat, heat 2T water or stock. Add onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Cool and transfer to bowl of food processor. Add roasted red pepper and tofu; process until almost smooth. Add nutritional yeast, herbamare (or sea salt) and 1/4C gluten flour. Process until mixture becomes a slightly firm dough and is pulling away from the bowl. If your mixture is to soft/wet, you may need to add more gluten flour. When dough has reached desired consistency, shape into 4 discs. On a floured bread board (or clean counter top), roll out each disc to 1/4" thick. Heat a griddle or frying pan to medium and warm oil. Cook omelettes 1.5 - 2 minutes on each side. The will become fluffy and light and can be kept warm in the oven (250F) until you are ready to fill. You may also refrigerate them and re-heat in a pan or in the oven when you are ready to use them. Enjoy!

Overnight Crusty Bread

2010-01-02T10:30:00.003-05:00

It was a cold and snowy first day of 2010 here in Gananoque. I was in the mood for some fresh crusty bread, but the inspiration didn't strike until 11:30pm. I resigned myself to a morning loaf and decided to try rising the dough overnight.

Ingredients:

1T active dry yeast

1t cane sugar

2 1/4 C warm water

6 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1t salt

2T gluten flour

2T pure maple syrup

2T olive oil

In a 4C measuring cup, gently stir yeast and sugar into the warm water and allow to stand for 10 minutes. If you don't see a yeasty foam develop within 5 minutes, you probably need to purchase new yeast before trying to bake bread. In the bowl of your stand mixer (I have never kneaded bread by hand and don't see the point), sift flours and salt together and make a well in the center. Using your dough hook, mix liquid ingredients (yeast mixture, syrup and olive oil) into the flour mixture. Knead for 5 minutes (10 minutes by hand if you enjoy self-torture!). Add a drop of water or a dash of flour to get a gorgeous, soft dough. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to stand in a warm, draft-free spot for at least 2.5 hours (mine stood for 6). Punch down dough, re-cover and allow to stand for another 2 hours. At this point, punch down dough and cut in half and form into two round balls. Let the balls rest, covered for about 10 minutes. Shape into loaves and place into prepared pans - I used Pampered Chef's Classic Batter Bowls. Bake for 10 minutes in a 425F oven then reduce heat to 325F and bake for another 45 minutes or until the loaves turn a lovely golden brown. Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack and cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!

Fruity Fresh Breakfast Muffins

2009-11-15T17:23:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

2C all-purpose flour

1T baking powder

1t ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3/4C sucanat

2/3C soy milk

1 large banana

1/4C sunflower oil

1t orange zest

1C frozen blueberries

1C peeled and diced apple

Preheat oven to 375F. Line 12 muffin tins or prepare with oil. In mixing bowl, blend all dry ingredients. In a blender, puree banana with soy milk and oil. add to the mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Mix in zest, blueberries and apples. Spoon evenly into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before enjoying.

Blue "Sheese" Pinwheel Biscuits

2009-11-15T13:42:00.002-05:00

Oh, yum. When I was a little girl, my favorite dish was my mom's chicken pot pie. It wasn't so much the stew as it was the biscuit topping that made me crave this comfort food. She always topped her chicken stew with biscuit pinwheels stuffed with melty extra-old cheddar cheese.

Now that I am vegan, those who know me well will tell you that the dairy product I miss the most is the gorgeous flavour of blue cheese. After finding blue "sheese" at Tara Natural Foods in Kingston, I decided to re-create these little gems using my new discovery.

The result is flaky, soft-textured and mildly blue-cheesy biscuits to be enjoyed with your favorite vegan soup or casserole - we're having minestrone.

Ingredients:

2C all-purpose flour

3t baking powder

3/4t sea salt

1T nutritional yeast flakes

1/3C earth balance margarine, cold

3/4C soy milk, plus a little extra for brushing

1/2 container Blue Sheese (or other vegan cheese), divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F. In a food processor (large bowl), add dry ingredients. Pulse a few times. Add margarine and pulse until crumbly. Add 1/2 the cheese and pulse again. With processor on low, slowly add soymilk. Process until dough forms a ball.

Turn dough onto rolling surface and roll out to 1/2" thick. Sprinkle with leftover chees and roll up. slice into 1/2 - 3/4" rounds. Place on baking stone and brush with a little soymilk. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Biscuits should be golden. Makes 12-15 biscuits.

Veggies by George Weekly Challenge #6, Yellow Beets!

2009-08-26T07:06:00.003-04:00

Yellow Beet Salad with Maple Mango Vinaigrette

We enjoyed this salad so much that there was none left for pictures! If I get some more yellow beets, I'll make it again.

Salad Ingredients:

5 small yellow beets. peeled and grated

3 small carrots, peeled and grated

handful of small fresh basil leaves (or chopped fresh basil, if leaves are large)

- combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

1C mango puree or nectar

1/4C apple cider vinegar

1/8C grapeseed or other light tasting oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

- combine all ingredients in blender and pour desired amount over beet salad. The rest of the dressing will keep for about a week in the fridge. Toss well, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavours to mingle. Serve over fresh greens with a slice of crusty bread. Enjoy!

Veggies By George Weekly Challenge #5

2009-08-02T20:34:00.005-04:00

Say hello to Jack at Veggies By George!
Okay - I got my basket, but I'm not sure what I was supposed to use, so I've created recipes this week using greens and radishes.

Radically Roasted Radishes - pics to follow

I am generally not a raving fan of radishes, but after trying a dish featuring what appeared to be poached radishes at the Athlone Inn here in Gananoque, I thought I'd try roasting them. The result was a starchy, slightly peppery and sweet (almost caramelized) treat that my hubby mistook for potatoes!

Ingredients:

4 extra large radishes, washed and sliced into eighths

1/8 C grapeseed oil

1tsp umeboshi (or apple cider) vinegar

1/2 tsp each ground sea salt AND pepper

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, pressed

Preheat oven to 400 F. Arrange radish wedges in a baking dish (I used a pie plate). Mix remaining ingredients together, pour over radishes and toss to coat. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until radishes are slightly golden and have lost their crunch. Enjoy!

Coconut Braised Greens

1 bunch swiss chard, washed and chopped with stems and leaves separated

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped with stems and leaves separated

1 bunch bok choy, washed and chopped with stems and leaves separated

1 tbsp oil of choice, I used peanut

1 onion, chopped

1 C coconut milk

Juice of 1 small lime

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add chopped stems and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped leaves and boil 3 minutes more. Strain and set aside. In same pot, heat oil over medium flame and add onion. Saute until translucent. Add greens to pot with coconut oil and lime juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Super Fruity Un-Cheese Cake with Lime Shortbread Crust

2009-07-24T11:56:00.005-04:00

This is a three part recipe, so buckle up and come along for the ride.

Lime Shortbread Cookies:

1 C non-hydrogenated vegan margarine

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1/3 C natural sugar

1 to 1 1/2 C unbleached flour

Cream first three ingredients together and slowly add flour until mixture resembles workable cookie dough. Spoon out by rounded teaspoons on a prepared baking stone (or use parchment) and press lightly with a fork. Bake in a 350 oven for 30-35 minutes, or until cookies are very subtly golden on top. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

For crust:

When cookies are fully cooled, crush about 1 3/4 C of cookies and mix with one quarter to one third of a cup of margarine in a food processor. Press into a prepared springform pan and set aside.

Un-Cheese Filling (to make while cookies are cooling):

1 package of silken tofu (soft) well-drained

4tbsp natural sugar or dry sweetener of choice

1tsp natural coconut extract

2tbsp corn starch

2tbsp flour

Cream first three ingredients together until smooth. Slowly sift in flour and cornstarch. Top cookie crust with this mixture and bake in a 350 oven for about 35 minutes.

Fruit Salad topping

I used

1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped

1/2 pint blueberries washed

1/2 pint washed cherries, pitted and halved

1 nectarine, peeled and chopped

juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp simple syrup

mix all ingredients and chill.

You can leave this fruit as an optional topping, or place the fruit right on the cake and top with an agar-agar glaze such as this:

1 C pulp free fruit juice

2-3 tbsp agar flakes

Soak the flakes in the juice for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. When agar is completely dissolves, spoon mixture over arranged fruit and chill until gel is set. Serve chilled.

Veggies By George Weekly Challenge #4 - Lettuce!

2009-07-24T11:55:00.001-04:00

Weekly Challenge #4;

Okay, I confess, I'm on vacation. Kim brought me a lovely head of lettuce as this week's challenge and I was too blissed out to be creative. I whipped up a simple salad of lettuce, finely sliced apple and roasted beet wedges topped with a home-made balsamic vinaigrette and it was beautiful. The lettuce was so light, crisp and refreshing that it cooled us off after a long muggy day. The salad was slightly pink after tossing (sorry, no pretty pics) but the flavour was great!

Ironwood Gardens Red Fife Wheat Bread

2009-07-13T13:59:00.005-04:00

Oh, yum. This is far and away my most successful bread making experience. I used Red Fife wheat flour from Ironwood Gardens in Gananoque. The bran in this flour gives the bread a very rustic look and texture. Try it, you'll love it! Find Chris and Mary at the Gananoque Farmer's Market at the Town Park on Saturdays (8am - 1pm).

Ingredients:

2C warm water

2 tbsp active dry yeast

1/2C unrefined sugar (can replace maple syrup, plain white sugar or sucanat)

1/4C extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp ground sea salt

3C red fife wheat flour and 3C unbleached, all-purpose flour, sifted together

Dissolve yeast in warm water. The water should feel hot to touch, but not so hot that it kills the yeast. Do not exceed 110 degrees F. With your stand mixer and using a dough hook on low, add sugar, oil and salt. Add flour to liquid 1 cup at a time, stirring between each addition.

When dough begins to form a ball, turn it onto a floured surface. If dough is manageable before you have used all the flour, turn it out and knead in flour bit by bit until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead, turn and fold for 5 - 8 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning until all sides are coated. Cover and let rise until dough doubles in size - about 1 hour. At this point, preheat oven to 350 F, prepare 2 bread pans with non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance) and set aside. Punch down the dough and shape into 2 loaves. Place in pans, cover and let rise another 30 minutes. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. To check a loaf, tap on the bottom crust. If it sounds hollow and hard, it is done. If not, return to oven for a few more minutes. Cool loaves completely on a wire rack before slicing, and store in plastic bags.

Veggies by George Challenge #3, Part 2

2009-07-13T13:30:00.004-04:00

On the green in two! A creamy pasta dish with a bold splash of green never fails to please at my house, so here goes. . . a second kale dish that I actually enjoy!

Fusili & Kale in Creamy Garlic Scape Sauce

Ingredients:

350g fusili pasta

EVOO and sea salt for boiling

1 large bunch of kale, leaves and stems separated

1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 vegetable stock

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 bulb roasted garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 C EVOO

1 small white onion, coarsely chopped

1 C garlic scape, bulb and tough ends removed, coarsely chopped

Put large pot of water on to boil. Chop kale stems and add to boiling water with the pasta, along with a dash of EVOO and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 minutes and then add chopped kale leaves. Cook until pasta reaches desired consistency and kale stems are tender.

In a blender or food processor, combine the beans, stock, balsamic, garlic, salt & pepper. Process until smooth. In a skillet, heat 1/4 C olive oil and saute onion and scape until onions are translucent. Add onion mixture to bean mixture and process until smooth and creamy. Toss into pasta and add sea salt to taste. Serve immediately with a garnish of fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinegar for seasoning.

Veggies by George Challenge #3, Part 1

2009-07-13T11:06:00.004-04:00

KALE. While I love it's colour and flavour, I am not crazy about the texture of kale. My personal mission this week was to find ways for me to enjoy kale and all of it's positive health benefits.

Kale is naturally rich in calcium, leutein, iron, and sulphur. It is a fiber-rich food with high levels of vitamins A, C and K. For all of these reasons, kale is a great natural detoxifier and blood purifier.

Recipe #1

Green Tropical Cocktail

Ingredients:

Large handful of kale, washed

Small handful of parsley, washed

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 C pineapple juice

2 pineapple rings

4 ice cubes.

Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth and drink immediately. Makes about 2 8oz servings.

Mel's Chocolate-y Contribution!

2009-06-21T22:01:00.004-04:00

Thank you, Melanie, for the beautiful birthday cake. I give it 31 stars!

Chocolate Raspberry Mocha Cake with Chocolate Raspberry Glaze

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp vinegar dissolved in 1/4 cup water

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso

3/4 cup raspberry preserve

Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa in a large mixing bowl.Slowly incorporate oil and vanilla, and then vinegar in water, coffee and raspberry preserves. When batter is well mixed, it will be smooth and creamy.Pour into greased and battered cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until doneAllow to cool before frosting.

Chocolate Raspberry Glaze

In a double boiler or small, heavy saucepan over a medium flame, melt 1/3 cup raspberry jam with 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and mix thoroughly. In another small saucepan mix 1/4 cup jam with 1 tablespoon water and warm over a low flame until the spread liquefies. Brush the water-fruit mixture over the top of cooled cake. Spread the chocolate mixture on top of that. Allow the glaze to cool before cutting the cake.

Veggies By George Weekly Challenge #2

2009-06-18T09:08:00.004-04:00

Kim George of "Veggies By George" hand delivered this week's challenge - to create a dish using Chinese Cabbage, Spring Onions and Thumbelina Carrots from their market garden.

Here's what I came up with:

Thai Inspired Chinese Cabbage Salad

ingredients

1 head Chinese cabbage

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

1 small carrot, peeled and grated

2 small fresh hot peppers, your choice

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 large garlic clove

1 small bunch green onions

2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (tamari or soy sauce will do)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon maple syrup, agave nectar or corn syrup

¼ cup toasted chopped peanuts (optional)

preparation

Remove and discard outer leaves from cabbage. Quarter cabbage and core. Cut quarters crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Wash cabbage well in a large bowl of cold water and spin dry. In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl toss together cabbage and salt until salt is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Transfer cabbage to a colander set over a bowl. Drain cabbage for 1 hour. Rinse cabbage well and squeeze in small handfuls until as dry as possible. While cabbage is draining, seed and mince hot peppers. Separately zest and juice lime, mince garlic and spring onions.

In a large bowl toss together cabbage, carrot, peppers, spring onion, garlic and lime zest. Mix together Bragg’s, lime juice and syrup and toss into salad. Top with toasted peanuts (if desired). Salad may be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Serve salad at cool room temperature.

Stinky Soup and Beer Bread

2009-06-08T13:17:00.003-04:00

Yum! Garlic, onions, leeks. . . stinky AND tasty! I made a batch of Beer Bread using a mix from the Invisible Chef.

Sooo good. Warm and crunchy, it was a real complement to the soup.

Stinky Soup Ingredients:

2 cups cooked white kidney beans
1 bulb garlic, roasted
EVOO

1 cooking onion, thinly sliced
1 large leek, thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried parsley

salt & black pepper to taste

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups miso broth

Directions:

To roast the garlic bulb, peel away excess skin and slice off the top of the bulb so that the tips of the cloves are cut off. Drizzle some olive oil over the top of the bulb and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Roast in a preheated 400F oven for 25-30 minutes. The cloves should be browned and soft and you can squeeze the roasted garlic out from the peel easily.

In a large saucepot, heat about 1 tbsp EVOO. Add onions and saute until they have become very soft. Add the leeks, scallions and roasted garlic (I let mine cool and put it through a garlic press) and saute for 5 minutes. Add seaonings and saute another minute. Add wine and cook until you can no longer smell any alcohol. Add the miso broth and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. Puree half the soup in a blender, or with an immersion blender. Add to leftover soup. Add additional broth or water if the soup becomes too thick. Reheat slightly and serve, preferably with a slice of warm bread.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Caramelized Onions

2009-06-06T23:27:00.009-04:00

In response to a challenge made by my friends at Veggies By George, I created a side dish using their beautiful ultra-bright Swiss Chard. What a gorgeous crop! My camera does not do these "greens" justice. The pink, tangerine and lemon-yellow pigments are just fantastic and really jazz up a plate.

This is a really simple recipe, but was a hit at dinner tonight.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp safflower oil - 2 organic cooking onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp brown sugar dissolved in 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt - plus extra for seasoning, dash

pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch Rainbow Swiss Chard, stems separated and chopped to 1/2"

In a small saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. add onions and cook until translucent, stirring often. Turn heat to medium-low and add cider/sugar mixture. Cook until golden and sweet, stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Rinse Chard and separate stems for leaves. Chop stems into 1/2" pieces and set aside. Chop leaves into larger-than-bite-sized pieces and set aside. \

In a large saute pan or electric skillet, add remaining oil and heat pan to medium. Add garlic and heat until fragrant (about 45 seconds). Add chard stalkd and cook until almost tender, stirring frequently. Add caramelized onions ad stir together. Add chard leaves, toss and cook until leaves have wilted, but the colours reamin vibrant. Remove from heat and serve. This dish tasted great hot, warm & cold.

Thanks for the Veggies, Kim! Hope you like the recipe!

Mixed Vegetable and Bean Casserole

2009-06-04T08:42:00.005-04:00

Casseroles are so easy and filling, and can be made with just about anything you have on hand.

Here's what I used today:

1 tbsp safflower oil

1 organic onion, chopped

1 large clove organic garlic, minced

3 stalks organic celery, sliced fine

3 organic carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 C water

1 tsp miso

1 C mixed chopped and frozen veggies

1-4 C tomato sauce ( I used Italian)

1 can mixed beans, rinsed and drained

1 lb boiled and peeled potatoes

1 tbsp Earth Balance Margarine

1/8 C Nutritional Yeast

Drizzle of Silk coffee creamer for texture

Bread Crumbs, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Saute onions, garlic, celery and garlic in oil. After 5 minutes, add water and miso (mix in advance). Add frozen veggies, beans and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Strain off most of the liquid and transfer to a casserole dish. In a mixing bowl, combine potatoes and margarine and mash until smooth, adding nutritional yeast 1 tbsp at a time. Add Silk as required to achieve a creamy texture. Spread mashed potatoes over bean mixture and top with bread crumbs, if desired. Bake for 1 hour, or until potatoes are golden in colour.

Herbed Biscuits

2009-05-28T11:14:00.003-04:00

So yummy to serve with soup or stew! My husband has a cold and I thought some old-fashioned comfort food would help him feel looked-after.

Ingredients:

2 C all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 stick (1/4 C) Earth Balance shortening

3/4 C soy milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat over to 450 F. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into large mixing bowl. Stir in seasonings. With your stand mixer (if you don't have one, get one!) on low, mix in shortening (cut into small pieces) slowly, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour vinegar into milk and ass to flour mixture, still on low. mix until a dough-ball forms and it is pulling away from sides of bowl. Turn out onto floured surface and roll out to 1/2" thickness. Cut into desired shapes and bake on lightly oiled pans for 12 - 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes roughly 12 biscuits.

Apple and Celery Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

2009-05-27T12:38:00.006-04:00

This is a lovely and lightly refreshing salad. The lemon in the dressing works well to keep the apples from browning, so I make sure to whisk the dressing before chopping the apples so I have it at the ready.

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried organic basil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp dried organic parsley
2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 C peeled and chopped apples, about 1/4" pieces

2 C thinly (as thin as your patience) sliced celery

Preparation:Whisk or blend together all ingredients except for celery and apple. Set aside. Peel and chop apples and toss in salad bowl with the dressing. Slice celery and add to bowl. Toss well and serve. I served mine with a cucumber and kiwi garnish which was pretty - tasty, too.

A Berry Good Pancake

2009-05-20T10:33:00.004-04:00

Hemp seeds, berries and vanilla. A little maple syrup for the canuck in ya. These pancakes are outrageously good!

Ingredients:

1 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt, fine

1 1/2 tsp ground flax seed

1 1/2 C "milk" of your choice

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 C mixed berries, frozen

2 tbsp hulled hemp seeds

Directions:

Sift dry ingredients together. Stir in milk and vanilla. Heat a non-stick griddle to medium. Pour about 1/4 C for each pancake and top exposed side with some berries and flax seeds. Flip when the center of the pancake begins to bubble. Cook until desired done-ness is reached. Top with pure maple syrup or agave nectar and enjoy!

My Favorite Breakfast Porridge

2009-05-13T09:36:00.006-04:00

This is even yummier than Captain Crunch, and you don't have to sacrifice the roof of your mouth to enjoy it.

Ingredients:

1 C long-grain brown rice, organic

2 C filtered water

1 tsp Earth Balance Margarine (optional)

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp all-natural vanilla extract

1/8 C maple syrup

2 red delicious apples, peeled and diced

1/8 tsp allspice

Optional toppings:

Toasted nuts, of any variety

Chopped dates

berries

cinnamon sugar

raisins, currants, cranberries

you get the idea!

Directions:

In a heavy-lidded pot, combine the rice (it's a good idea to rinse it first), water and margarine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Enjoy hot, cold, or any temperature in between!

Mother's Day Part Deux

2009-05-11T06:09:00.002-04:00

After Dinner, my wonderful mother-in-law was gracious enough to share with us one of her beautiful poems about Gananoque - and I finally figured out how to post an AVI!

Mother's Day Dinner 2009

2009-05-10T22:31:00.003-04:00

Tonight we had a gorgeous dinner of French Ragout (recipe courtesy of Moosewood Cooks for a Crowd) and salad with fresh Belgian crusty bread. We finished with the super easy and delicious Chocolate Almond Peanut Butter Pie from the Fresh at Home cookbook. The only pic I have is of half-eaten pie, the meal was so good. I'll do better next time!

"What's in the pantry?" Last-Minute Curry

2009-05-04T15:05:00.004-04:00

Cindy, this one's for you! I had to make something delicious in a pinch last night, so with just a few ingredients, I whipped up a very, very simple coconut curry. My mom had some leftover Jamaican rice which served as a perfect complement - we also had a beautiful arugula and red cabbage salad with a side of roasted scallion (try it, you'll love it!).

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil (or whatever you've got)

3 organic carrots, peeled and sliced

5 stalks organic celery, washed and diced

1 can chickpeas (or whatever prepared beans you have on hand) rinsed & drained

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp curry powder (store-bought - it's a sin!)

1oz Bragg's Liqui

d aminos or just plain old soya sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can coconut milk

In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add cel

ery, stir and saute another 5 minutes. Add chickpeas and seasonings, stir and saute another 5 minutes. Add Bragg's and cocout milk, stir and simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is fairly reduced. The curry shouldn't be too runny. Voila! The easiest bean dish ever!

Mandarin Mango Crumble Cake

2009-05-03T18:08:00.006-04:00

This cake was sooo good and very easy to prepare. We had leftover roasted rhubarb (I'll try to get the recipe from my mom!) which we reheated - it was more like a chunky coulis - and served on the side. The non-vegans enjoyed in with vanilla Breyers - no soy ice cream to be found in Gananoque!

My best advice when it comes to baking is to invest in an oven thermometer. My oven, though new, digital, and pretty fancy, is a few degrees cool. I bought a clip in temperature gauge at HomeSense for about $5. My baking results have been so much more consistent. A must if you are baking bread.

Ingredients:

2 C All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 C fine cane sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon (or cardamom -

yum!)

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 C Earth Balance Shortening

zest of 3 mandarins, juice reserved

3/4 C "milk" (I used the mandarin juice and added Silk coffee creamer to equal 3/4C)

1 tsp rum extract (vanilla, orange, or maple would work as well)

2 tbsp ground flax seed and 4tbsp water mixed (2 flax "eggs")

1 1/2 C mango, finely chopped

1 tbsp coarse cane sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175C). Lightly oil a springform pan( I used coconut oil) and set aside. In a bowl, combine mango and mandarin zest. Set aside to allow flavors to mingle. In your mixing bowl, sift flo

ur, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the shortening and combine with your pastry attachment until mixture is well mixed and resembles a coarse meal. Set aside 1 C for later. Add "milk", "eggs" and mangoes to the remaining mixture and stir gently until just mixed. Spoon evenly into springform pan and spread the reserved mixture over top of cake. Sprinkle top of cake with the coarse sugar and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Indian Vegetable Soup

2009-03-23T08:49:00.004-04:00

This soup is so tasty! Hearty and healthy and only 5 points per cup for Weight Watchers followers!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil

2 medium onion(s), diced

6 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced

1 cup(s) celery, finely diced

1 cup(s) carrot(s), peeled and finely diced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp homemade chili sauce (bottled is fine)
1 cup beluga lentils (parboiled)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1 large can of diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups green beans, sliced to about 3/4 inch
pinch sea salt

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in pot over medium heat.
2. Stir in onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Cook for 1 minute to coat vegetables in oil.
3. Stir in cinnamon, coriander and curry. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Add lentils, tomato paste and flour. Stir for a few minutes to cook the flour.
5. Add diced tomatoes, then vegetable broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
6. Cook for 15 minutes; when lentils are soft and nearly cooked, add the green beans. Cook for another 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Add salt to taste.
7. Remove from heat and serve.

Why am I vegan?

2009-02-16T11:19:00.005-05:00

Veganism is Compassion in Action

Melissa Phillips,16th February, 2009

It is difficult to answer the “but, why vegan?” question when speaking to someone who is of the opinion that animals have be put on earth to be used, abused and consumed by humans. To be fair, “abused” does not seem to be a word that enters the consciousness of carnivores when making the connection from farm to table.

In my former life, I believed that as long as I understood where my meat was coming from and ate with a measure of awareness and gratitude for the life of each piece of meat, that it was okay to eat it. After not eating the flesh (or by-products) of animals for more than a year, my point of view has significantly changed. I am not sure whether this is purely a cultural shift for me, or if it is more basic than that. Does our physiology change so much that meat becomes unpalatable? Has my awareness been coloured by so much veggie propaganda, or am I on the right path?

Certainly, when any drastic lifestyle change is made, everything around us changes as well. What we watch, read, eat and think are intimately connected by our changing perspective. Doubtless we surround ourselves with media that supports our changing point of view, but I like to think that I have approached my veganism with a measure of balance. I do not wish to be convinced that my choice is the correct one; I want to know that it is right for my body and my conscience.

I am no longer able to justify to myself the sacrifice of an animal to provide me (personally) with food, clothing or upholstery. In my mind, there is not much difference between a perch, pigeon, pig or pug. My mother’s 25lb Thanksgiving turkey could have been any skinned or plucked animal, and I could not help but take a second look at my 21lb friend, my canine buddy Keifer.

I am a reformed smoker who never wanted to be preachy about it with friends who still practice the habit, and I feel the same way about my choice to quit animal products. I do not have it in me to decide what is right for anybody else, but I will share my point of view if it comes up.

There are many reasons people become vegetarian or vegan; these motivations are diverse and all equally relevant in terms of our human responsibility, and our position as stewards of the earth and all its creatures.

In casual conversations, I’ve discerned that most people make the shift to a vegetarian diet for health reasons. A plant-based diet greatly reduces the risk of suffering from any lifestyle-related disease such as heart disease, cancer, type II diabetes and hypertension. Of course, there are still genetic, stress, environmental and other factors at play when it comes to health, but diet is (to me) the easiest factor to control.

Personally, I have not experienced any negative side-effects as a result of my food choices. Just the opposite, as a matter of fact. After a lifetime of tummy-troubles, I now digest my food easily and quickly. My salt and sugar cravings have been greatly reduced. My energy is a lot more steady and I don’t crash in the afternoons. My most recent physical exam did not uncover any nutritional deficiencies, and my doctor is not concerned. I general, I feel better all the time.

Another topic that often comes up between vegetarians and carnivores alike is the destruction of our environment. Industrial agriculture puts a huge strain on the atmosphere and eco-systems. Factory farms contribute significantly to the degradation of forests and plains, the pollution of groundwater and generate tonnes of cO2 through animal waste. Cow belching alone is responsible for a huge amount of methane emissions. Imagine that!

Generally speaking, people who decide to go whole-hog vegan all the way (no animal products or by-products whatsoever) are moved greatly by the plight of farmed animal the world over. In mainstream media, an episode of Oprah highlighted the living conditions of factory farmed hogs and chickens. This episode aired just before people were to vote on California's Proposition 2. This proposition, which passed with 63% of the vote, prohibits any confinement of chickens, veal calves and gestating sows that does not allow them to stand, lie down and fully extend their limbs. Before seeing this on Oprah, I’m sure a large portion of her audience was not aware of the way their food was being treated. I truly believe that if you’re going to eat it, you should be able to stomach all of the not-so-tasty facts as well. Bravo, Oprah.

The popularity of books such as Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press © 2007) have made veganism more fashionable. What motivates women more than weight-loss, beauty and humour? Though you are less likely to have weight issues as a vegan, it is still possible to create many gourmet treats and foodie delights. There are many amazing books, blogs, websites and magazines dedicated to making veganism easy as well as delicious.

Although I am very happy with my choice and love my vegan food, you will never hear me say that this is an easy lifestyle. I will say that it does get much easier over time. Socially speaking, dinner with friends can be challenging. Those of us living in small towns do not have easy access to vegan-friendly restaurants or take-out. I always eat something before going out so I never feel deprived if there isn’t much on the menu for me.

Shopping can be difficult as well. Cruelty-free products (especially shoes and belts) can be hard to source. The internet is the greatest shopping tool to be an informed consumer. Over time, all these challenges become smaller, and hopefully, with more people making the shift to a vegetarian lifestyle, cruelty-free products will become more mainstream.

Becoming vegan has been a huge growing experience. Every day I learn something new about myself and I’m very excited about new possibilities. I love creating new recipes and feeding my friends and family. I love feeling good about what I am doing. I am enjoying the process. For now, I am very happy with my choices and I no longer struggle with my conscience. I am still working on bringing forward my better, more compassionate self, but for now, just doing what I can is enough.

Nana's Wacky (chocolate) Cake

2009-02-14T20:00:00.005-05:00

Hello again-

I adapted an old favorite of my Nana's (see right - she's so pretty!!) for a Valentine treat. This is the easiest cake going. Pictures will be posted soon.

Into an ungreased 9x9 cake pan, combine:

1 1/2 C flour

3/4 C sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp cocoa powder

Dig three holes into the dry mixture and add:

1st hole - 5 tbsp melted Earth Balance or other vegan margarine

2nd hole - 1 tbsp vanilla extract

3rd hole - 1 tbsp white vinegar

Pour one cup lukewarm water over ingredients (I used lukewarm coffee for a mocha flavour)

and mix well. Bake in 375 F oven for 25-30 minutes. Any glaze will do, but I just sprinkled some icing sugar for garnish and served with fresh fruit. Very tasty and extra easy. Enjoy!

Dinner with a Fun Gi!

2009-02-02T09:11:00.004-05:00

I didn't take any pretty pictures of this meal (I think my pics are getting a little better) but I wish I had. It was an attractive mouthful. Pasta, veggies, pesto; what's no to like?

STEP 1:

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced fine

200g cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/2 oz red wine

small bunch parsley, chopped fine

Heat oil in a saute pan. Saute onions until they become transparent. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until they are slightly browned. Add red wine and cook down until the alcohol aroma has disappeared. Remove from heat. When slightly cooled, toss with parsley.

STEP 2:

pinch salt

I head broccoli, stems chopped small, separated from florets

1 box penne

Heat water as directed on the pasta package. Salt the water add broccoli stems, cooking for three minutes. Add florets and pasta, and cook as per package directions, or until desired pasta tenderness is reached. Strain, but do not rinse.

STEP 3:

Pesto of your choice ( I used sundried-tomato, homemade), diluted with a little extra olive oil. I used about 1/3 cup total.

In a large serving bowl, place some of your pesto mixture - about a third of whatever you will be using. Add strained pasta mixture to the bowl. Top with mushroom mixture and remaining pesto. Toss and serve. Oops, I forgot to add, I topped mine with some sliced of pan-fried tofu and "almesan".

Leftovers:

Eggless Oatmeal Cookies

2009-02-02T08:36:00.004-05:00

Mmmm. . . hot off the cookie press. These cookies combine the chewiness of oatmeal, the crunch of bran and the romance of vanilla! All without the labour of our feathered (albeit fowl) friends.

Ingredients:

1 C vegan shortening - I loves me some Earth Balance!

1C brown sugar

2 tsp high-quality vanilla extract

1tsp baking soda dissolved in

1/4C boiling water

1 1/2 C oatmeal

1/2 C bran of your choice, I used wheat

1 1/2 C whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat in soda mixture. Add oatmeal & bran, making sure to mix thoroughly. Add flour and salt, mixing completely.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls (I use a small Pampered Chef ice-cream scoop) onto an ungreased baking stone and press with a fork dipped in water. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops have turned golden. Makes 27 generous cookies.

My New Favorite Cookbook

2009-01-11T20:14:00.002-05:00

I am in love. I mean, truly, madly, deeply. Who reads a cookbook from cover to cover? With "La Dolce Vegan" by Sarah Kramer - - - I do!

What a great book. Chock full of easy, tasty recipes, this book is a hoot. Perfect for new vegans - I wish I had this book a long time ago.

Are you still reading this? I thought you'd be at chapters.ca buying the book already. . . .

Wheat Free Griddle Cakes with Mango "Syrup"

2009-01-11T19:56:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I'm beginning to realize that food photography is not blossoming into a great talent for me. I'll blame the camera.

Today's recipe was borne of desperation - NO FLOUR! Thank goddess for vita-mix! I ground some corn meal and some oats into what to me resembled workable flour. So. . .voila!

Wheat-Free Griddle Cakes

Ingredients:

2C "Milk" - I used coconut

1/4C flax seeds

3/4C oat flour

1C corn flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vegan baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp coconut oil

Approx 1/4C unsweetened coconut flake

Additional coconut oil for frying

Add everything except coconut flake and extra coconut oil to blender. With my VitaMix, I blended on high for 2 minutes. Heat griddle to medium. Add 1tsp coconut oil and heat. Drop 1/4C batter at a time onto griddle and sprinkle on some coconut to exposed "raw" side. Cook until bubbles are forming close to center of cake. Flip!!! It doesn't need to cook for long on the other side, just until browned. Repeat process, adding coconut oil as needed.

Mango "Syrup"

1C diced mango, I used frozen

1C orange juice

1/4 C agave syrup

1 tsp arrowroot flour OR cornstarch

Cook together mango and orange juice on medium while you are preparing griddle cakes, or bring it just to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove and reserve about 1/4 to 1/2 of the mango chunks. Add the rest of the mixture to your blender along with agave syrup and starch of choice. Blend until smooth and reunite it with the reserved mango chunks - they're lonely! There you have it - tasty mango "syrup."

Vegan Leek and Mushroom Tart

2008-12-23T19:37:00.003-05:00

Mmmm, so good. Adapted and vegan-ized from a Food & Drink recipe, I've created my own brunch masterpiece.

Ingredients;

1 can coconut milk

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tbsp nutritional yeast flake

2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tbsp water, chilled (flax egg)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp Earth Balance margarine

250g sliced cremini mushrooms

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1 large leek, chopped into 1 inch lengths and triple washed

2 tbsp white wine

1 tsp dried thyme

Partially baked tart shell, 9" round (recipe to follow)

1 Preheat oven to 350 F

2 Place coconut milk and garlic cloves in saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then turn heat to low and simmer gently for 25 minutes or until it has reduced to 1 cup and been infused with garlic aroma. Set aside to cool. Remove garlic cloves, mash with a fork and return to coconut milk. When cool, add flax "egg" and beat until uniform. Season with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.

3 Heat 1 tbsp margarine in a saute pan and cook sliced mushrooms for one minute, or until slightly browned. Add chopped garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and scrape into bowl.

4 Heat remaining margarine in saute pan. Saute leeks for one minute, or until they are softened slightly. Add wine and thyme to the fan and cook, stirring, for one minute more until leeks are limp and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

5 Arrange mushrooms and leeks in tart shell and pour coconut milk mixture over top, allowing veggies to peep through.

6 Bake for 30 minutes or until set and slightly golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan Turkey-Style Lunchmeat

2008-11-30T12:21:00.003-05:00

After tasting Tofurkey shaved deli "meat", I wanted to create an inexpensive loaf I could make at home. Inspired by other seitan lunchmeat recipes, my first attempt:

Ingredients:

- 1 cup cooked navy beans

- 2 cups water

- 1/4 cup oil

- 2 tsp salt

- 5 tsp fines herb mix (parsley, chives, savory, tarragon and chervil)

- 5 cloves roasted garlic

- 1 tsp pepper

- 1 tsp soy sauce

- 2 3/4 cup vital wheat gluten

Get water steaming in your steamer.

1. Blend all ingredients except the wheat gluten in a blender (I use a VitaMix); process until smooth. Pour into mixing bowl. Add gluten and mix on low with a dough hook until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and is very porous.

2. Shape dough into a log and wrap in heavy duty foil like a tootsie roll. Steam for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees in the last 15 mins of steaming. Remove seitan from steamer and bake for 45-60 mins. Seitan should swell and press against the foil.

4. Cool and slice as needed for sandwiches. This seitan holds up very well and can be shaved very thin. Store in the fridge.

Thanks VeganDad for great cooking instructions. . .

Spinach-Mushroom Quiche with Leftover Stuffing Crust

2008-11-17T10:51:00.005-05:00

Yum, yum, yum. This quiche is satisfying even for those who can't fathom an eggless quiche. I used the rest of my Apple-Pecan Stuffing as a crust, and it's fab!

Ingredients:

3C leftover stuffing

1 tbsp plus 2 tbsp EVOO

1 large onion

10oz sliced cremini mushrooms

2 cups shredded baby spinach

1 block firm tofu

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp kosher sea salt

With this recipe, I used my food processor at every step. If you don't have one, get one! It makes vegan life so much easier!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a round spring form pan with one tbsp of olive oil. If you don't have one, you'll need a very deep-dish pie plate. Process stuffing until it is fairly fine and easy to press into pan. using your fingers, press until the bottom is pretty firm. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for five minutes. Meanwhile, process mushrooms in processor until they are just chopped. Add to pan and increase to medium-high heat. Cook about 10 minutes until the veggies start to caramelize. Add spinach, toss and remove from heat. Cut tofu into chunks and add to you clean processor (sorry for all the tidying!). Add lemon juice, last tbsp of olive oil, and salt. Process until smooth; you may need to scrape down sides occasionally to keep it moving. Add veggie mixture to processor and process until creamy. Spread tofu/veggie mixture over stuffing crust, smoothing with spatula. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes or paprika for a little extra flavour and bake for 40-50 minutes. Cool slightly and serve!

Apple-Pecan Savory Stuffing

2008-11-17T10:40:00.004-05:00

Oh, so good! Sweet, salty and savory with just the right amount of crunch.

Ingredients:

1 loaf Savory Stuffing Bread, cubed (check out my last post for recipe)

4 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 Cup chopped pecans

2 large apples, peeled and chopped

2 tsp kosher sea salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp magarine

1/2 Cup plus 2 tbsp boiling water

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Toast bread cubes under a low broiler, tossing every ten minutes. Took about 30 minutes in total for me. In a large stock pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add pecans and saute another 3 minutes. Add apple and saute another 3 minutes. Add margarine and 2 tbsp boiling water, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Saute 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add toasted bread cubes, stirring well. Cover stock pot and allow to stand for about 5-10 minutes. Slowly add water and vinegar mixture while stirring until desired consistency is reached. If you lid the stuffing, it will steam slightly and become softer. It's wonderful!

Breadmaker Stuffing Bread

2008-11-16T20:34:00.005-05:00

I'm going to try one of VeganDad's vegan roasts, so I thought I'd create a stuffing bread to make my job easier. This loaf turned out light, airy and aromatic - just as I was hoping. It was made using my *antique* Sanyo Bread Factory, so if your machine is different, I cannot be held responsible for the results. Sure smells good! Hopefully the roast will be the next post.

Add ingredients to machine in this order:

3 3/4 C all purpose, never bleached flour

2 tsp dry active yeast

1 1/2 tsp raw cane sugar

1/2 tbsp kosher sea salt

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried savory

1 tsp rubbed sage

1/8 C non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)

3/4 C lukewarm water

1/2 C soymilk

Set your machine to BAKE and walk away! Your bread will be ready in just over 3 hours! I am using this loaf for stuffing, but it would be a great addition to any savory sandwich.

Red White & Blue Vegan Cheesecake

2008-11-05T09:01:00.003-05:00

What a yummy dessert! Although we call this a cheesecake, it is much lighter than its New York style counterpart. The consistency of the filling is more ricotta like - very light and tasty!

Ingredients:

10 oz vegan chocolate cookies (or vanilla, graham)

1/4 Cup non-hydrogenated shortening (I used Earth Balance)

2lb extra-firm tofu

1/2 Cup plus 2 tbsp unbleached granulated sugar

1/2 Cup simple syrup (home-made)

vanilla from 3 beans

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

Zest of 2 limes

1/3 Cup tofu sour cream (I made mine)

12 oz fresh berries (I used halved strawberries, raspberries and blueberries)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a food processor, process cookies for 1 minute to crush to fine crumbs. Reserve about 1/8 of crumbs for topping. Add shortening and process for an additional minute. Using olive oil, lightly oil a 9" springform pan, and transfer crumb mixture to pan. Using your hands, firmly press crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and set aside.

Wipe out food processor with a clean, lint-free towel. Cut the tofu blocks in half, pressing out as much of the liquid as possible. Break blocks into smaller chunks and add to food processor. Add 1/2 C sugar, syrup, vanilla, lime juice and zest; process mixture for 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of the container, and process an additional 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Pour filling over crust and smooth with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together tofu sour cream and remaining sugar and set aside. After cheesecake has baked for 30 minutes, remove it form the oven. Spread sour cream mixture over top of the cheesecake, leaving a 1" border around the edges and bake for an additional 7 minutes. Do not allow top to brown.

Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Place strawberries on top in a spiral pattern, starting from the center. Sprinkle raspberries and blueberries over the visible cheesecake top. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Chill.

When ready to serve, scrape edges of the springform pan to loosen cake. Open pan over a serving dish. Enjoy!

Barack Obamania

2008-11-05T08:56:00.003-05:00

Change has come to the world! We celebrated last night with a truly blue Can-Am crowd. This is not a vegan flag, but I did bake a vegan red, white & blue cheesecake which will be my next post. Lots of bubbly toasted and smiles all around! Thanks so much to the US for giving hope to the rest of the world, especially those of us above the 49th parallel.

Cheers to the future!

Vegan Apple Oat Muffins

2008-10-19T20:01:00.000-04:00

Makes 12 medium muffins

1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups quick oats or oat bran
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large apples, finely chopped
1 12-ounce can apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, mix the flours, oats, spices, salt, and baking soda.

Add the chopped apple along with the apple juice concentrate and raisins. Stir just enough to mix.

Spoon batter into nonstick or lightly oil-sprayed muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes, or until tops bounce back when pressed lightly.

Recipe from Food for Life, by Neal Barnard, M.D.

Vegan Green Curry

2008-10-15T10:46:00.003-04:00

This is sooo tasty and easy to make.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large spanish onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans coconut milk

3 tbsp green curry paste

2 large carrots, peeled and diced small

8 mini potatoes quartered

3 celery stalks, diced small

1 red pepper, diced small

1 package sliced cremini mushrooms

1/2 block extra firm tofu, diced small

Directions:

Saute onions & garlic in vegetable over medium heat until translucent. Add coconut milk and curry paste. Stir well and bring to simmer. Add potatoes and carrots, simmer for 5 minutes. Add celery and peppers, simmer for five minutes. Add mushrooms and tofu and cook until add veggies have reached desired done-ness. Serve hot over rice or noodles. Enjoy!

GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

2008-10-05T18:19:00.003-04:00

The buzz in my circle seems to be all about preserving this fall. It's very exciting - a new trip for me. While in Toronto recently, I picked up a free copy of Edible Toronto magazine at the Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar. A quick aside about this restaurant - although not a lot of vegan choices were available on the menu, the produce was amazing, fresh and local. The servers know the wine, the food and deliver it all with a smile. Yet I digress. . . There is a recipe in the fall 2008 issue of Edible Toronto for Green Tomato Chutney that looks fab, so I thought I'd share!

Ingredients:

4lbs green tomatoes

2lbs cooking apples, peeled and chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups raisins, or less if desired

3 cups granulated sugar

2tbsp fresh minced gingerroot

2 tbsp mustard seed

1tbsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp chili powder

6 allspice berries, crushed

4 cups white vinegar

In a large saucepan or stockpot, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 3 hours, or until desired consistency. Adjust salt, if necessary. Place hot chutney into hot, sterilized jars. Seal immediately.

Grateful Greens

2008-09-01T15:18:00.005-04:00

Overrun by a profusion of greenery thanks to my gardener friends Mary & Kim, I whipped up a simple dish to make room in the fridge. Sweet & spicy, these greens make a great splash of colour on any plate!
Equipment:
large lidded stockpot, strainer, bowl, whisk

Ingredients:
3lbs fresh greens (I used bok choy, beet greens & swiss chard)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce (or use tabasco & brown sugar)
salt & pepper to taste
Procedure:
Triple wash greens (removing any nasty bits) and coarsely chop. Cover with water in stockpot. Simmer for 20 minutes. While greens are cooking, whisk remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Strain greens and return to pot. Toss with dressing and serve.

Best Vegan Sushi!!!

2008-08-29T16:53:00.005-04:00

Yam & Maitake Rolls - vegan sushi
Inspired by Yamroom Rolls
theppk.com

Sweet yams and salty-sweet mushrooms make this roll a delight at any gathering.

Equipment:
Bamboo sushi rolling mat
Sharp serrated knife
Rice cooker or pot for rice
Large bowl to cool rice
Small saute pan

Ingredients
For the rice
1 cup sushi rice made with 1 1/4 cup H20, prepared according to package directions
About 2 Tablespoons Rice vinegar (do not use regular or any other kind!)
1 teaspoon sugar

4 sheets nori*

For the filling
1 small peeled Japanese or Korean yam (or sweet potato), chopped & boiled till tender
4-5 fresh maitake mushrooms, sliced into strips and sauteed until tender with a dash of shoyu and hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Directions
For the rice

Prepare rice according to package instructions. It should be something like 1 1/4 cup H20 to 1 cup rice. Cook till rice is tender but firm, even a little dry.

Empty hot rice into a large glass bowl. Sprinkle with about rice vinegar and 1 sugar. Fold rice gently with a large spoon or rice paddle. Rice should be moist and have a mild vinegar flavor. Cover with plastic wrap. When rice is slightly warmer than room temperature it's ready to work with.

For the filling
Mash steamed yam with sesame oil. Layer with mushrooms & roll away!

Beef Recall Widens As Listeria Outbreak Kills 1, Sickens 16 In Canada | AHN | August 21, 2008

2008-08-21T08:36:00.001-04:00

Beef Recall Widens As Listeria Outbreak Kills 1, Sickens 16 In Canada | AHN | August 21, 2008

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Maple Leaf Recall

2008-08-21T08:27:00.001-04:00

Beef Recall Widens As Listeria Outbreak Kills 1, Sickens 16 In Canada
Talk about an affirmation. All I have to do is read one headline like this to remind me that rice and beans don't often carry deadly bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes. What a sad story! Our carnivorous brothers & sisters were just buying a little convenience and didn't bargain for this as a freebie. My sympathy to those affected.

What means "Vee-Gun"???

2008-08-21T08:16:00.002-04:00

I think Vegan action (www.vegan.org) sums it up quite succinctly:

what is a VEGAN? A vegan (pronounced VEE-gun) is someone who, for various reasons, chooses to avoid using or consuming animal products. While vegetarians choose not to use flesh foods, vegans also avoid dairy and eggs, as well as fur, leather, wool, down, and cosmetics or chemical products tested on animals.

why VEGAN? Veganism, the natural extension of vegetarianism, is an integral component of a cruelty-free lifestyle. Living vegan provides numerous benefits to animals' lives, to the environment, and to our own health–through a healthy diet and lifestyle.

While I'm sure I still consume a tad of butter when dining out (trying), and although I'm busy wearing out my leather shoes, the vegan way of shopping, cooking, eating and living feels great! The food tastes great and our weekly garbage is diminishing. In all, a great experience thus far!

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-08-21T07:53:00.001-04:00

I modified my favorite cookie recipe to fit my vegan way of life and behold; a revolution!!! These little gems are so tasty they make Grandma’s pale in comparison. (Sorry Nana!)

Ingredients:
1 C soy flour
1 C millet flour
¼ C corn flour
1t baking soda
1t sea salt
1 C non-dairy shortening*
¾ C Sucanat
¾ C coarse natural sugar
Vanilla from 1 bean
Egg replacer for 2 eggs**
2 C vegan chocolate chips***

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit

2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

3. Beat shortening, sugars and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add prepared egg replacer (follow directions on package) one at a time; gradually beat in flour mixture.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking stone/sheet.

7. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden-brown.

8. Cool and try to share!

*I use Spectrum’s Tender Bake

** In Canada, CeliMix Brand is great

*** Tropical Choice Chocolate Chips are 100% vegan-friendly