Category: Baked goods

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Muffins
Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Muffins

I had a different post all ready to go, then it started to feel like fall. I love fall; the crispness in the air, the change of leaves, the cooler temperatures, drinking hot coffee, and being able to bake without feeling like I’m going to melt. In the last few weeks ads for pumpkin spiced lattes have appeared everywhere! I have never had one, but I do like pumpkin and spices in my food:)

These muffins are full of vegetables and whole grains, yet are still delicious! They are moist, singing with warm spices, and bring thoughts of sitting outside watching the leaves fall and drinking tea. For me fall is a time to snuggle in, and get ready for new beginnings. I have started most of my jobs in the fall, started school, and moved several times in the fall. I even  married my amazing husband in the fall almost four years ago. I love thinking of that time, and remembering the excitement I felt as we prepared for the big day, and enjoying the peace after it was all over. The weather brings it all back for me and I love it! I hope you are finding peace within yourself as you prepare for the change of seasons. These muffins are the perfect snack to have while taking time to enjoy the present, or plan for the future.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

 Ingredients
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup spelt or wheat flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp group cloves
  • 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup shredded summer squash (yellow), or apple, or carrot, or hard squash, or whatever you have on hand.
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (I used canned)
  • 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 TBL mild tasting oil (sunflower, canola)
  • 1 TBL apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or oil.
  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flours, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and salt).
  3. Stir in the wet ingredients (squash, pumpkin, milk, syrup, oil, vinegar, until just combined.
  4. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  6. Let them cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before removing them to a cooling rack.
  7. Enjoy warm, cool, or freeze for a quick breakfast.

 

Coconut Whipped Cream

Coconut Whipped Cream
Coconut Whipped Cream

We just got back from a wonderful trip to San Diego and I’m already missing my friendsTcl there. We had such a wonderful time visiting old friends, eating awesome food,playing at the beach, and sneaking in a visit to my sister-in-law. My sister-in-law is an amazing photographer at Classic Kids Newport Beach and we were lucky enough to have her take some amazing pictures of Wolfie, our family, and even a few with our friend. I never knew how awesome it is to have pictures of you child until now. I was stunned when I saw how she caught my baby’s thoughts and feels as they flitted across her face, each captured as if she paused time for me to soak in every nuance of Wolfie’s expressions . It was a powerful experience.

Other than having pictures taken and being with friend, eating yummy food topped my list of favorite vacation memories. We stayed with friends who also love to eat and cook. It was so fun for me to be introduced to new foods, ideas, and techniques. My friend made one amazing dish after another the whole time we stayed there. Our first morning she whipped up a batch of this coconut whipped cream for our coffee. My coffee will never be the same. The cool, sweet, creaminess of the whipped cream with the hot, bitterness of the coffee. Heaven in a cup. She also made vegan chicken and waffles, a delicious Mexican feast with cashew cilantro crema, and tomatillo salsa, sweet potato biscuits served with garbanzo bean gravy, hot sauce glazed tempeh, tiramisu french toast which we topped with an amazing aquafaba/coconut whipped cream mousse thing. Aquafaba has blown my mind! It is whipped liquid from a can of beans that turns into a vegan meringue. Ohh, my! The whole experience was wonderful and I can’t wait to try out the things I learned!  Leave a comment to vote for the recipe you would like to see first. While you think on it, make this coconut whipped cream for your coffee or tea, sit back and dream of the food to come.

Coconut Whipped Cream

 Ingredients
  • 15 oz can full fat coconut milk (without an emulsifier as an ingredient. I find Thai Kitchen Organic, and Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream work wonderfully)
  • 1/2-1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp maple syrup, or other sweetener (optional)

Instructions

  1. Chill can of coconut milk overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. The next day, pour off the liquid still in the can and scoop the thick coconut cream into a chilled bowl.
  3. Whip the chilled coconut cream on high with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add the vanilla and sugar if using and continue to whip for another 30 seconds or so.
  5. Scoop generously into coffee, eat with a spoon, or use in your favorite recipe.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade vanilla extract
Homemade vanilla extract

I decided I needed to include a brief description of how to make homemade vanilla extract. I bake so much (and make so much ice cream) I have to make my own vanilla or I would go broke. It is also the best vanilla ever!

Vanilla beans can be expensive so I usually buy mine online at Firehouse Pantry, or in a pinch, Amazon. I buy 4 oz at a time which keeps me in business for a few months.

Vanilla Extract

Ingredients

  • 3 vanilla beans, split, scraped, and beans set aside for something else (see video below)
  • 1.75 ml middle shelf vodka, I use Smirnoff

Instructions

  1. Place the vanilla pods in the bottle of vodka, screw on the cap, and set aside for about 3 months.
  2. You will know when the vanilla is ready when the vodka has turned brown and you smell vanilla instead of vodka.
  3. I keep mine as is, just pouring off a little at a time to fill a small bottle for daily use, until I have used all the vanilla extract.

A Vegan Mother’s Day In Food

Vegan Blueberry Muffin
Vegan Blueberry Muffin

So you’re looking for food to serve the vegan mother in you life for Mother’s Day. Good job; you’re working hard to fulfill her desires and it will be appreciated. Just for you, I’ll tell you what I would love for a food-filled vegan Mother’s Day.

Vegan Hot Chocolate

1. Start with vegan hot chocolate. If she’s into it, and most mothers are, add a shot, or ten, of espresso to make this a mocha.

 

Vegan Breakfast Sandwich

2. For first breakfast choose something savory such as a tofu breakfast sandwich, or just a delightful jalapeno bagel. If your special vegan is also gluten free try this savory oatmeal. For extra credit you can make the bagel at home. Just for you I made a video in case you’re going for the big wow factor.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

3. Of course, she will need a late morning snack. I suggest something sweet again and bakery quality. Maybe a blueberry muffin or cinnamon bun with another cup of coffee. Preferably iced at this point.

Vegan Chili Salad

4. Just a salad for lunch please to balance the morning and get her ready for the delightful dinner you are going to prepare.

 

 

Vegan Smoky Bean Dip5. Now a little appetizer of happy comfort served up in this smoky bean dip.

 

Vegan Lentil Tacos with Homemade Refried Beans

6. For dinner I’m going between these lentil tacos, or a pasta with vegan alfredo sauce. Hmm, I guess I’ll leave it up to the cook.

 

Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake7. Dessert, the most important part of the day! You have a few options, but in my world they are all chocolate. My first choice would be this vegan French Silk Pie. You could also do a chocolate cake, or chocolate chip cookies.

8. Good luck and thank you. The person you are cooking for will love the fact that you took the time to figure out and make something special just for her. Happy Mother’s Day!

 

Ridiculously Rich Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake

Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake
Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake

This was my birthday cake. Yes, I made my own cake; I couldn’t trust anyone to make it just right, except for me. It was so worth it! This is also my first cake recipe that is really my own, instead of just changing the flavor of other’s recipes. I’m quite proud of how it turned out. Rich, dark, moist, and perfectly packed with chocolate.  For my birthday I also topped the cake with burnt bourbon caramel (cook the caramel until it is a little burnt), bourbon chocolate ganache(just switch the amaretto with bourbon), and bourbon coconut whipped cream (add 2 tsp bourbon). I was really trying to take this to the next level of rich, deep flavors. It worked. You could top it with anything and it would be amazing. Next time maybe some raspberry jam and coconut whipped cream. Ohh, the possibilities.

Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 TBL white or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee, red wine, or more water
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Oil 2 8″ round cake pans, put parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, oil and flour pan and parchment paper.
  3. Mix together the milk and vinegar, set aside to curdle.
  4. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in sugar and salt.
  5. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and add the milk mixture, coffee, oil and extracts mixing with an electric mixer briefly until there are no lumps.
  6. Evenly divide batter into prepared pans and bake 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  7. Let cake rest in the pan about 10 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on cooling rack before frosting.

 

Vegan Gluten-Free Almond Pulp Banana Muffins

vegan gluten-free almond pulp banana muffins
vegan gluten-free almond pulp banana muffins

I have to tell you something. The real reason I posted about making almond milk was so you could make these muffins. Since I posted that recipe on Saturday you must have soaked your almonds Saturday night and made almond milk yesterday. Today you are wondering what to do with the leftover almond pulp. Making these muffins is the best thing you can do with the pulp.

These almond banana muffins are flavorful, dense, moist, slightly sweet, crave worthy, and incredibly full of healthy stuff. They are also gluten-free, vegan, soy free, and have no added oil or sugar. What? and they taste good? They do. Especially when slathered with homemade almond or walnut butter. These are perfect for traveling and the last for several days maintaining their delicious texture. This recipe started from this recipe from the Minimalist Baker.

Vegan Gluten-Free Almond Pulp Banana Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 TBL chia seeds
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 medium very ripe bananas
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups almond pulp (leftover from almond milk) or almond meal & 1 TBL water
  • 1 cup oats, ground, or oat flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners
  2. In a large bowl, mix chia seeds and water.
  3. Next add bananas and mash.
  4. Add baking powder, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt stirring to combine.
  5. Add almond pulp and ground oats and stir once more.
  6. Divide batter evenly into muffin tins. If you want a smooth top smooth them before you bake, they don’t really spread out like regular muffins.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Remove and let rest in pan for 5 minutes. Then cool all the way on a cooling rack.
  9. Store in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

Vegan Cinnamon Roll Pancakes for Easter Brunch, or a Difficult Morning

Vegan Cinnamon Roll Pancake
Vegan Cinnamon Roll Pancake

These super easy, slightly fancy, a bit trendy, and delicious vegan pancakes are going to be perfect for your Easter brunch or any difficult morning. Either Easter, or a difficult morning you say? Well, yes. Easter because they are delightfully decadent and will be the perfect star for your Easter brunch without being difficult or fussy. For a difficult morning because they are delightfully decadent without being strenuous to make or fussy. Ohh, and they are delicious. If you know you are going to have a hard day, or had a hard night, say waking every hour or so with a three month old, these with a bit of perfect espresso or coffee will have you ready for anything.

If you have any leftover topping (I don’t know why you would, but just in case), you can stir it into your oatmeal the next day and feel almost healthy.

Vegan Cinnamon Roll Pancakes 

Ingredients

For the Pancakes

  • 1 very ripe banana
  • 3/4 -1 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the cinnamon roll topping

  • 2 TBL coconut oil
  • 2 TBL soy free Earth Balance buttery spread
  • 1/4 cup brown rice syrup
  • 2 TBL coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 TBL non-dairy milk
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

For the cinnamon roll topping

  1. Melt coconut oil and Earth Balance over medium-low heat in a small saucepan.
  2. Add the brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, and cinnamon stirring to combine.
  3. Cook until mixture boils, then cook 2 more minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in the milk and walnuts.
  5. Set aside until pancakes are cooked.
  6. Reheat if necessary before serving.

For the pancakes

  1. Mash banana in a medium bowl.
  2. Add 3/4 non-dairy milk and vinegar allowing to sit and curdle for a few minutes.
  3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla stirring together. If mixture needs more liquid add it to your desired consistency. Thicker batter makes thicker pancakes, thinner batter makes thinner pancakes.
  4. Heat a large skillet, I use my biggest cast iron pan, over medium heat.
  5. Once pan is hot add a small amount of oil to prevent pancakes from sticking.
  6. Pour batter into the pan making sure to leave enough room between the pancakes to flip them!
  7. Cook on first side until bubbles that form on pancakes burst and edges start to dry out.
  8. Flip and cook until golden brown on second side.
  9. Top cooked pancakes with cinnamon roll topping and serve pronto!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

I was staying with a friend a few weeks ago and we decided to make cookies. I was all like “no problem, I’ll just go on my blog and grab my recipe.” Much to my dismay I found that I have NEVER blogged my chocolate chip cookie recipe. I am truly sorry. You have been missing out on some amazing, and easy to make cookies because I was sure they were already here. I make these cookies a lot. Way more than I should. I love them right out of the oven, so much so that I have justified eating 3 or 4 every time I make them because they just don’t taste the same the rest of the batch. My husband loves them frozen. After I have eaten as many cookies as I can in one sitting (they must still be warm while consuming) I freeze the rest of the batch. This is a recipe only slightly adapted from “How It All Vegan” by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer. I love this recipe because there are no crazy substitutions to make them vegan, and they taste amazing!

 

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 TBL water
  • 2 /14 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups chocolate chips

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a medium bowl cream together coconut oil, Earth Balance, brown and white sugar, vanilla extract, and water mixing until smooth and creamy.
  3. Add flour, baking soda, and salt giving dry ingredients a stir before combining with the creamed mixture. Mix dry and creamed mixture just until combined.
  4. Add chocolate chips and stir to incorporate.
  5. Drop cookie dough by the spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets leaving 2″ between each cookie.
  6. Bake for 7-9 minutes until golden brown.
  7. Transfer from cookie sheet onto cooling rack immediately.
  8. Wait a few minutes before eating to prevent burning your mouth on hot chocolate chips.
  9. Enjoy responsibly.

Basic Bread (easier than you would think)

Homemade bread and strawberry jam
Homemade bread and strawberry jam

I love bread. I’m not ashamed to say it. I eat bread every day in some form. I know it is very trendy, and for many people very good for you, to limit your bread intake. For me I live off of carbs. My name is Adrianne, and I am a carbaholic. It’s cool though, I also eat lots of vegetables:) I started making bread regularly when I got my 6 quart Kitchenaid Stand Mixer. I wanted to use is all the time, but did not want to bake cake and cookies and all those other sweets that you need a mixer for, so I started making bread. I don’t make it regularly enough for it to replace the bread products I buy from the store, but I’m trying. I prefer my own bread, it is much cheaper and has a lot fewer ingredients, so in my mind it is healthier. Making bread really does not take that much effort if you have a good stand mixer. It does take time because it has to rise, so I make it on the weekends. Then I have a lovely afternoon snack with homemade strawberry jam and Earth Balance. I especially love to bake bread in the fall and winter because it warms the house and smells oh so good.

I have tried to break the steps down to be manageable, but please ask if they are unclear. I am by  no means a bread expert, I have only experimented a little so far. This bread is easy to make, soft and yeasty just as I think homemade bread should be. When I make the two loves I freeze one as soon as it is completely cool which keeps it tasting very fresh. Store the other in a paper bag or in a bread box if you have one.

This recipe was adapted from toxobread.wordpress.com. 

Basic Easy Homemade Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water, lukewarm
  • 1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups whole wheat bread flour flour
  • 2-4 cups unbleached white bread flour
  • 1-2 TBL olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl (I use the bowl of by Kitchenaid mixer as that is what I’m mix my bread in) combine the warm water and the sugar stirring until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir briefly.
  3. Set aside.
  4. In a small pan combine the rolled oats and one cup of water.
  5. Cook over medium heat until the oats have absorbed the water.
  6. Remove oats from heat and stir in salt, brown sugar and milk. (by adding the cold milk to the hot oats you are making everything warm which is the right temperature to keep the yeast alive.)
  7. Add oat mixture to the yeast/water mixture in your large bowl.
  8. Add the whole wheat flour and one cup of the white bread flour.
  9. If using a Kitchenaid now is the time to mix it on speed 2 with your dough hook. You can also stir by hand until all the flour is combined.
  10. Add remaining flour 1/2-1 cup at a time, waiting until four is combined before adding more.
  11. Continue to add flour until the dough has formed one ball in your mixer and when touched (with the mixer off) it no longer sticks to your fingers. Continue to mix/knead 2 minutes more.

    Dough as it has stopped being sticky
    Dough as it has stopped being sticky
  12. Remove the dough hook, or your soon from the dough. Pour olive oil over bread, turning the dough until all sides are coated.
  13. Cover the dough with a damp towel and set in a warm, draft-free area to rise until doubled 1-2 hours.
  14. After dough has risen punch the dough down to release air bubbles.
  15. Remove dough from bowl and divide into two equal portions.
  16. Shape dough into loaves and place in oiled bread pans.
  17. Cover loaves again with damp towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  18. Bake in preheated 350 F oven 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
  19. To test the bread turn in out of the pan and tap the bottom with your fingernail. It if sounds hollow it is done.
  20. Let cool as long as you can stand it before cutting into your freshly baked, delicious bread. (this is about 5 minutes for me)
    Dough after doubling in size
    Dough after doubling in size

    shaping a loaf
    shaping a loaf

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

So my blueberry bushes have been growing more blueberries than I thought four bushes could grow. Granted I have never seen a giant blueberry bush before, but still… In our last harvest they were looking a little peaked so I had to use them quickly. I added some to pancakes, made these delicious vegan blueberry muffins, and froze the rest for future deliciousness. You could really use any fruit in this recipe, I have used strawberries in the past and loved them. A very good impressive vegan muffin. You could never tell they are vegan.

Ingredients

Vegan Blueberry Muffin
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • ½ cup Sugar
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¾ Cup nondairy milk
  • 1/3 Cup Canola Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup Fresh or Frozen  blueberries
  • 1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease muffin tins.
  2. Mix together your dry ingredients (Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda.)
  3. Gently stir in milk, oil, and vanilla but be careful not to over-mix. A few lumps are okay!
  4. Fold in your thawed blueberries.
  5. Pour batter into muffin tins, ¾ of the way to the top.
  6. Slide your filled tins into the oven and cook for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  7. Fresh out of the oven they are still young and impressionable, so don’t try to remove them immediately or you will end up with smushed, dented muffins! Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes inside their cooking vessel. Enjoy with someone you love.