Vegan Cornbread, no added fat

Vegan Cornbread for the plant-based diet

Nearly fat free cornbread recipe without dairy, eggs and oil.  Re-posting in anticipation of Thanksgiving cornbread stuffing.
9x9 square pan, 400 degrees f for 35 minutes
Combine dry ingredients and set aside:
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (do not substitute plain whole wheat flour or it will turn out flat and dense)
3 tablespoons date sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp chives
1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp thyme

Combine wet ingredients:
3/4 cup rice or almond milk
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon Egg substitute mixed with 
3 Tbsp water (whip until frothy)
1/4 cup pumpkin, pureed

Add wet ingredients to dry all at once and stir just until combined and pour into pan.  Dust the top with more paprika.
Bake 30 minutes.  This is ideal for making corn bread stuffing.

Pomander Balls or Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies for the Holidays

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies, enlightened a bit

When I was a child one of the Christmas cookies my Mom would make each year was something she called, "Pomander Balls", a no-bake cookie made from crushed Nilla Wafers and melted chocolate chips together with sugar and orange extract.  The recipe has since been a favorite of most of our extended family and especially of my husband and daughter.

This is my version of Pomander Balls, which I respectfully re-name "Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies" since they aren't exactly the same.

In a food processor combine all the ingredients:

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1/4 cup agave syrup

2 tbsp orange juice

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

1/4 tsp orange extract

1 cup ground walnuts
2 tbsp ground flaxseed meal

1 box cookies such as Nilla Wafers
1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips, melted

Blend everything together and shape into balls about the size of a walnut or about 3/4" diameter.  Roll in crumbs such as cookie crumbs or nuts.

Store for up to 4 weeks in airtight container in refrigerator.  If they seem dry, occasionally sprinkle with more Grand Marnier as they mature.

Good luck having any at Christmas unless you hide them.

Note:  The goal is to have a crumb mixture that holds together when squeezed so you may have to bump up the moisture by adding more of any or all of the wet ingredients.  Today I had to add a lot more moisture because the air is so dry. Makes about 32 cookies.  (Hard to tell since someone kept snitching as I was making.)

Jewell's Rum Christmas Fruitcake

Christmas Fruitcake made without eggs and butter!

Jewell's Rum Christmas Fruitcake
First, place all fruit into large bowl and cover with alcohol such as rum or bourban, or use one cup of rum and toss every so often.  Let soak for several hours or overnight. Keep in mind you can use whatever dried fruits and nuts you prefer.  This is what I am using this year: 2 cups dried bing cherries 5 oz. sweetened dried cranberries 6 oz. sliced dried apples 6 oz. dried papaya, cut into 1/2" chunks 3/4 cup dried dates coarsely chopped 3/4 cup dried pineapple cut into 1/2" chunks 1 cup pecans coarsely chopped 1 cup macadamia nuts coarsely chopped 1 cup raw cashews coarsely chopped 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 1 cup rum or bourban Fruit and nuts soaking in rum For batter:
3/4 cup	granulated sugar	CREAM
3/4cup	brown sugar	TOGETHER
1/2 cup	vegan butter
1/4 cup	flaxseed meal
8	eggs substitute  (VeganEgg works well)
1 cup	applesauce
1/2 cup	plain soy yogurt or vegan s. cream	WET
1/2 cup	pineapple juice or orange juice	INGREDIENTS
1 tsp 2 tsp 1 tsp	almond extract vanilla extract balsamic vinegar
4 cups	cake flour
2 cups	unbleached flour (not bread flour)
2 tsp	baking powder
2 tsp	baking soda
1 1/4 tsp	salt	DRY
2 tsp	cinnamon	INGREDIENTS
3/4 tsp	cloves
2 tsp	mace
1 tsp	nutmeg
Makes 6 or 7 small to medium loaves, bake 1 hour at 325° or convection 300°.
Line 7 medium size loaf pans with heavy brown paper or parchment, grease and flour.  Set aside. Alternate method:  use spray oil and flour on non-stick pans.
In large measuring cup, combine applesauce, pineapple juice, almond extract, yogurt and any rum that can be drained off fruit. Set aside.
In large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Set aside.
In larger mixing bowl beat vegan butter until soft and add sugars, continue beating for 1 minute.  Add egg substitute (dry powder and water mixed according to package directions) and continue beating for 30 seconds. Add small amounts of wet and dry ingredients alternating until all flour mixture and applesauce mixture has been combined with butter/sugar mixture.
Fold all fruit and nuts into batter.  Spoon gently into prepared loaf pans. Bake at 325° for 1 hours. Loaves should be golden brown and have pulled away from sides of pans. Keep cooled cakes wrapped in cheesecloth or cotton flour sack towel soaked in your favorite rum or brandy for a few weeks before Christmas. Once you have a good base recipe for the cake part, you can use whatever dried fruit and nuts you prefer. Just don't use candied fruit—I think that is what gives fruitcake such a bad reputation.

7 medium size fruitcakes cooling on wire rack

At the last minute before baking we decided to top them off with maraschino cherries

Soak towel in rum and store in airtight container or gallon ziplock bag until Christmas/New Years.

Test piece, guess who sacrificed himself as general taster?

Vegan Cornbread, Wild Rice and (not) Sausage Stuffing Recipe, or Plant-based with no added fat

On Thanksgiving, I can forego everything but the stuffing.  We began eating a plant based diet just a few weeks before Thanksgiving the year we started this and what a holiday to not be able to sit down and eat the traditional meal.  So it was essential for me to find a way to have a stuffing that tasted as close as possible to my recipe of cornbread stuffing with wild rice and sausage, the recipe for stuffing that became our standard after working on it for years.

The new plant based version is very similar, a combination of the stuffing I grew up with, cornbread stuffing, and the stuffing my husband likes--wild rice and sausage.  This version leaves out the diced boiled eggs, diced gizzard, heart and turkey broth and meat from the neck that I used to boil and include.

You know what?  I actually like this version better.

Cornbread Stuffing

Recipe:
1 batch cornbread from a plant-based, no added fat recipe prepared and cooled (can be made a day ahead, I always do it the night before--it's a tradition)
2 cups long grain and wild rice mix such as Rice a Roni Nature's Way prepared without oil but do use the seasoning packet
2 cups vegan sausage substitute like textured soy, as low fat as possible (or see recipe below)
4 stalks celery, diced
1 cup soy curls, rehydrated with 3/4 cup hot not-chicken bouillon and diced into 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup walnuts (toasted) and chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic finely diced
1 can sliced water chestnuts drained and chopped very coarsely
2 tsp. dried rubbed sage or poultry seasoning
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cups broth (mushroom, vegetable or not-chicken bouillon stock)

Cut cornbread into 1/2" cubes and set aside.
Sauté celery and garlic in nonstick skillet,
add broth and cook until garlic is tender.
Toss all ingredients in large bowl.  You may need to add more broth to make sure stuffing is moist but not saturated, then transfer to baking dish, 9x13 or similar.  Cover with foil or casserole lid and bake at 325 degrees farenheit for 60 minutes.

Sausage recipe:
1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein, unflavored) 
1 cup vegetable broth, hot
1/4 tsp dry powdered ginger
1/8 tsp anise, crushed fine
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp rosemary, crushed
Stir all seasonings and broth into TVP and let sit for 10 minutes.
(Stir in 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten if pressing into patties such as for breakfast.)

Stuffing is even better the second day!  Serving suggestion: sprinkle dried cranberries over the top of  each serving.
This is ideal stuffed into large mushroom caps and baked until mushrooms are tender in a covered casserole with a little vegetable broth.

Chocolate Pinole Pizzelles with Crushed Peppermint Candycanes, PBNAF

Holiday Cookies for the plant-based foodie!  No added fat, no eggs, little sugar!

(Re-post)

Just because I am on a plant-based, no added fat diet doesn't mean I don't want to have pretty holiday cookies at Christmas.  I have been craving dark chocolate and peppermint so this is a recipe without much sugar and no fats or eggs so I can have my cookies and not feel too guilty.
If you like the pinole pizzelle recipe, you will probably like these.  Think "toasted corn" with a hint of mint and chocolate.  If you want them more chocolate and less corn, replace the masa harina flour with oat flour and add more Hershey's Dark Cocoa Powder.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pinole corn flour, 
2 tablespoons oat flour, 
3 tablespoons Hershey's Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup almond milk, plus enough additional to make into a smooth batter2 tablespoons date sugar
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract (or vanilla extract)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt

Combine all ingredients and drop a tablespoon of the batter onto each hot pizzelle press iron, close and bake until steaming stops, about 45 seconds.  You may have to apply a very light spray oil to the press before each batch.  Remove from press, place on wire rack to cool and decorate with melted 72% dark chocolate and crushed candy canes.



Hint:  Melt chocolate in a ziplock sandwich bag placed in a bowl of hot water.  After chocolate has melted, dry off the outside of the bag and snip the corner to add chocolate piping to the cookies.
Smile at yourself for being so darn clever.

October Sweet Rolls

Hot out of the oven!

I have been craving cinnamon rolls for a couple of weeks now and wanted to find way to create a version that didn't have butter or vegan margarine but still tasted great.  I had the idea to use ground nuts as the fat in the gooey insides along with ground dates and talked to my daughter, the pastry chef about it this morning.  She recommended I use pumpkin puree as a spread over the dough.  I combined our two ideas into a new invention which I like to call, October Sweet Rolls.

This isn't a low fat recipe, just lower than my old standard cinnamon roll recipe which called for lots of butter, loads of sugar and even heavy cream poured over the top.  Geez, those don't even sound good now.

Ingredients for the dough:

1 cup near boiling water
1 cup cold rice milk
     —Combine, make sure it isn't too hot and then add:
2 teaspoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon raw sugar
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 cup better for bread flour
2 cups whole wheat plus enough additional to make into a not too sticky dough
Mix until smooth dough forms, let rise until double in warm location.

Filling:
Wet:
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, organic "Ceylon" type to get the health benefits
     —
1/2 teaspoon vanilla to be added after cooking
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese to be added after cooking.

Dry:
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup figs
dates, about 8 pitted
2 teaspoons flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, organic "Ceylon"
1/4 cup brown sugar

Place walnuts, figs and dates into a food processor and grind to a fine crumb, then toss with remaining dry ingredients. Set aside. (Note: I used a Ninja for this but had to divide this into 4 parts to complete the task.)

Place first four wet ingredients into a 2 or 3 quart saucepan, stir over medium heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce the moisture.  Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Place vanilla and cream cheese in small blender (like a Ninja) along with half the pumpkin puree mixture. Pulse to combine. Then stir in remaining pumpkin mixture. Let cool to just warm.

Roll out dough to form a large rectangle, about 16"x24".  Spread pumpkin puree mixture to cover dough.  Sprinkle dry nut crumbly mixture over pumpkin. Roll tightly to form 24" loaf. Slice into 1 1/2" rolls using dental floss to cut.

October Sweet Rolls, ready for the rise before placing into the oven.
A new take on cinnamon rolls.

Place rolls into prepared glass casserole pans so that they have room to expand. (Prepare by coating with coconut oil and a light dusting of brown sugar on the bottom of each pan.)
After they rise to double, bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip for the Plant-based Diet Superbowl Party

Superbowl Party!
Spinach Artichoke Dip

(Inspired by "Yummy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip" at Food.com and "Healthy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip" at http://www.dailygarnish.com/recipes?recipe_id=6000030

• 1 box frozen spinach, or a 10 ounce bag, thawed and excess water squeezed out
• 1 14 oz jar artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
• 4 cloves garlic, roasted
• 1/4 cup vegan fat-free mayonnaise (Walden Farms)
• 1/4 cup non-dairy cream cheese
• 1/4 cup non-dairy sour cream
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/4 cup almond milk, low-fat unsweetened
• 1/4 cup non-dairy cheddar shreds
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or just a pinch
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1/4 cup bread crumbs for topping, whole grain low fat variety
mixed with 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

Combine ingredients in food processor, place into shallow baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated through and golden brown.

This keeps well in refrigerator up to 2 days.  Tastes great served cold on crackers too!

Cake without eggs, oil or butter

(Re-post)
We are going to have hummus and raw veggies, and BBQ Soy Curls in a spinach wrap with coleslaw, baked beans, pasta salad, spinach salad with dried cranberries and for dessert—red, white and blue cake (if you aren't allergic to watermelon that would be a superior healthy dessert option).

Cake made from a mix without eggs and oil.

Red, white and blue cake (a dessert for the holiday--not something you should eat a lot of)
Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh blueberries
1 lb fresh raspberries
1 package white cake mix, dry
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup water
1/8 cup egg replacer powder
1/3 cup rice milk, or your favorite non-dairy milk
Steps:

1. Coat a 9"x13" pyrex baking dish lightly with crisco olive oil spray.
2. Pour all but 1/2 cup of the fresh blueberries into the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Combine all the other ingredients except for the raspberries, using a mixer set on medium speed.  Scrape sides of bowl halfway through mixing.
4. Pour batter over blueberries and bake at 350 degrees f until toothpick comes out clean, about 32 minutes.  
5. Let cool on wire rack.
6. Make a white frosting using 3 Tbsp. Tofutti sour cream, 1 Tbsp. rice milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar and a pinch of salt.  Adjust sugar and/or milk until you have a nice consistency.  (Goal: to look like traditional frosting but without all the fat of butter or shortening.)
7. Frost the cake, using a thin layer, just enough to act as "glue" to keep the berries from rolling around.  Place the raspberries in stripes and the blueberries in the corner—just like our beloved American Flag.
8. Take a bow as you serve it at the family 4th of July barbeque.

Pistachio Beets

Beets cooked the only way I like them!

Recipe for

Pistachio Beets, Plant based no added fat

Or “Beet recipe for people who hate beets”

3 large beets or enough to make about 2 cups shredded or julienned

3 tablespoons fresh minced garlic

¼ cup finely chopped pistachio nuts, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
Dash black ground pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt
Vegan blue cheese salad dressing as optional serving topping
(We like Walden Farms)

Raw Beets, peeled and julienned

Prepare baking pan by spraying lightly with oil.

Wash, peel and prepare raw beets by shredding or cut into fine matchsticks (julienne).

Toss in bowl with other ingredients and place into prepared baking dish such as a glass loaf pan.  Top with reserved pistachio nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes or until beets are tender and nuts have browned.

Note:  This may seem like a lot of garlic and a lot of nuts, but it is what makes the balance of flavors in this dish taste so great.  I really don’t normally like the flavor of beets but this dish actually has me begging for more.

Plant Based Pumpkin Pie

Here is a pumpkin pie recipe without dairy or eggs for a special occasion.  "Special occasion" because I used non-dairy eggnog instead of non-dairy milk as the primary custard ingredient and it contains more fat than would be ideal for regular use.  But this turned out pretty good, I know because my husband closed his eyes and hummed with each bite.  So this is "blog worthy" and just in time for the holidays!

Pumpkin Pie made with Soy Delicious Egg Nog

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.  Serves 8.

Ingredients:

15 ounces canned pumpkin

12 ounces Soy Delicious Egg Nog made from coconut milk

3/4 cup date sugar

2 tablespoons egg replacer powder

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon agar powder  (this stuff is the best for making custards firm)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 9" graham cracker pie shell, low fat type or homemade

Combine all ingredients except pie shell in Vita-mix blender or equal and process until smooth.  Pour into shell and bake for one hour at 350 degrees.

Cool on wire rack, refrigerate leftovers.

Brown Rice Crispy Treats without butter!

Vegan Junk Food

Since it is the holidays and I am no saint, I have been wanting to try to make rice crispy treats without butter to see if it will work.  I know this isn't the healthiest snack but sometimes my cravings get the best of me no matter how much kale, beans and oatmeal I eat the rest of the time.  At least this version won't set me completely back to eating food made with items that had a mother or a face.  Listening to new holiday music such as "Winter Moon" by Mindy Gledhill helps them go down easier.

Brown Rice Crispy Treats, plant-based no added fat

Ingredients:

1 10 oz jar of Suzanne's Ricemallow Cream (or vegan marshmallows, melted)

equal part brown rice crisps cereal 

1/2 cup dried fruit, such as cranberries

1 tablespoon extra dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup dried date pieces

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal for topping

Spray a 7x9 pan with oil, remove all but a thin sheen.

Pour the melted marshmallows into a large bowl along with the other ingredients.  Stir to combine and then press into prepared pan.  Top with flaxseed meal and tell yourself it's nuts.

Refrigerate for an hour before cutting into small squares.

Makes about 15 servings.  Happy Holidays!

Meatballs, plant-based no added fat vegan

Vegan Meatballs
Appetizer or to serve with spaghetti,  maybe these should be called "vegiballs" since they don't actually contain any animal products.

Ingredients:
2 cups TVP granules (Textured vegetable protein. Bob's Red Mill brand is what I use and is easily available at my local grocer in the baking isle.)
1 3/4 cups hot vegetable or mushroom broth
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp. Italian seasoning mix
1 tsp. Bragg herb blend
1 package Firm silken tofu (Mori-Nu Brand or your favorite)
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten (skip if you are a gluten-free person)
1 tbsp egg replacer powder
1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon bouillon paste, vegetarian beef flavor
1 tablespoon fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Bragg All natural liquid aminos
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup of dry breadcrumbs (in a pinch toast two slices of whole grain, nonfat bread and process with a food processor
Step 1: Brown mushrooms and celery in a nonstick skillet over medium heat without any added fat.
Step 2: Soak TVP granules in broth for 5 minutes while you gather other ingredients.
Step 3: Place all other ingredients except celery, mushrooms, TVP and bread crumbs into food processor and pulse until combined.
Step 4: Stir together bread crumbs, TVP mixture, mushrooms, celery and ingredients from food processor until just combined.
Step 5: Roll into 1" balls or use small cookie dough scooper to form about 50 meatballs and roll in mixture of one part flaxseed meal/one part nutritional yeast flakes.
Place on nonstick cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees f for 35 minutes and then turn down oven to 225 degrees and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Serve with whole grain spaghetti and tomato sauce.  Or as an appetizer at your holiday party.
I dare you to try eating one of these rolly guys without rolling your eyes....yum.

Vegan Gingerbread, PBNAF

Vegan Gingerbread, nearly fat-free

Gingerbread

Revised from Betty Crocker version to be fat-free and plant-based.

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2 13 cups oat flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup molasses (Note: strong molasses makes this cake really dark and manly....I usually use a mild molasses when I want to taste the ginger.)

3/4 cup hot water

1/2 cup applesauce

1 egg substitute

1 tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 teaspoon candied ginger chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Lightly grease and flour 9x9" square pan.  Beat all ingredients in mixer on medium speed until combined.  Pour into pan and bake about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle a little "Not Cream Cheese Icing" over top after cake has cooled to room temperature. Not Cream Cheese Icing Recipe, optional as it adds fat and sugar 1 cup powdered sugar 2 Tablespoons Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese 1 Teaspoon almond or other non-dairy milk 1/4 Teaspoon vanilla Mix together cream cheese, milk and vanilla until smooth.  Add enough powdered sugar to create a thick but pourable consistency.  Place in plastic sandwich bag, snip the corner and squeeze out the icing in a fantastic artsy design.  You can do it!

Pinole Pizzelle Cookie Recipe by Jim, plant based with no added fat

Genius Cafe Pinole Pizzelles, PBNAF

This is a nice little vegan corn flour cookie.  Pinole is a corn flour mixture made from dehydrated or roasted corn, sugar and cinnamon.  You can make your own or order it on-line.  You can find a pinole recipe at the end of this page.
Pizzelles are an italian waffle type cookie usually made with white flour, eggs, oil and other ingredients.  Very pretty!  You need a pizzelle iron to make them, which is a lot like a miniature waffle iron.



Pinole Pizzelle Cookie Recipe without eggs or oil
makes 8 cookies, about 4" across


Ingredients:
1/2 cup pinole corn flour
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt

Combine all ingredients and drop a tablespoon of the batter onto each side of the hot pizzelle press, close and bake until steaming stops, about 45 seconds.  Remove from press, place on wire rack to cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional, of course).
These can be cooled flat, or shaped into tubes or cones, or even little ice cream bowls!

 Note:  sometimes these need a little extra crisping up by placing them on a warm griddle for a few minutes before serving.

VillaWare Pizzelle Cookie Iron, usually available online or at nice kitchen shops.

Pinole Recipe:


2 cups masa harina flour (I use Quaker Masa Harina De Maiz)
4 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Place the largest non-stick skillet that you have on high heat and put pinole ingredients into it, stirring constantly until the flour has become a nice tan color (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before placing in storage vessel.

This is the flour talked about in the book, "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall.  I found that it is available in small quantities from Amazon, but much more convenient to just make it myself.