Caramel-Apple-Spice-Cupcakes

Recently Rylan felt like baking something special. After browsing through cookbooks, he chose a recipe for Caramel-Apple-Spice-Cupcakes. They tasted exceptional! The cupcakes were tender and burst with the flavor of caramelized apple chunks. A penuche frosting had a light, caramel flavor as well, making these cupcakes extra special! Exceptional!!!

The recipe can be found here: Veganomicon, The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero - page 252

Blueberry Smoothie

It's blueberry season! The next-door blueberry farmer offers U-Pick and We-Pick blueberries available this year. Their 250 acres of blueberries are guarded by a falcon air force, literally! Six trained falconers take falcons to the blueberry fields to scare away the little birds that are interested in the deep purple fruit. It's interesting to watch them at work (the goal is to make sure they are fed well enough before going to the fields that they won't kill the little birds, only scare them away). With an abundance of blueberries, smoothies are a must! Creamy and sweet, they are enjoyed by all.

Blueberry Smoothies

1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana
2 cups soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 scoop (about 1 Tbsp.) soy powder
1/2 tsp. stevia powder (to sweeten; may use sweetener of choice)

Blend until creamy and smooth. For added creaminess, add 2 scoops of Soy Good frozen dessert.

Millet BBQ Loaf

Recently Tari shared a slice of BBQ Loaf with me. It was utterly delicious! Essentially, the loaf portion is the carrier for the tasty topping. Her recipe was not gluten-free, but I thought that it would be easy enough to adapt if I thought about it for awhile. It's now been successfully adapted and devoured by the family! Tari's recipe is below, and my converted to gluten-free version follows. This is a delightful focal point for any meal!

Tari's BBQ Loaf

1 can vegeburger (Loma Linda)
6 slices whole wheat bread (or crackers), crumbed
1/2 cup oil
1 onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic,chopped
1 package tofu, blended (replaces 4 eggs)
1/2 cup cashews, blended with 1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
salt to taste

Prepare ingredients and mix together in a bowl. Once mixed, transfer to a prepared, shallow casserole dish. Top with BBQ sauce (recipe follows). Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes.

BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (commercial, gluten-free if necessary)
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (or Agave Nectar, Sucanat, maple syrup)

Mix together well and spread evenly on top of unbaked loaf (above).

The gluten-free adaptation is fairly simple and straightforward. Here's what I did:

Gluten-Free BBQ Loaf

1 cup cooked millet
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1 cup Soy Curls, re-hydrated
1/2 cup oil
1 onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 package tofu, blended (replaces 4 eggs)
1/2 cup cashews, blended with 1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
salt to taste

Proceed with instructions as shown above. Enjoy!

Tasty Potato Salad

Tasty Potato Salad

8 - 10 potatoes, cooked, peeled, and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 can black olives, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 orange or red pepper, diced
2 - 3 dill pickles, chopped
1 cup extra-firm tofu, cubed
salt, to taste
sweet basil, dried, to taste
1 cup Veganaise (or as desired)

Mix all ingredients together. Adjust seasonings to your taste. Serve in a squash blossom and enjoy!

Cornish Pasty

There are many recipes for Cornish pasties. Traditionally, they were made by housewives who's husbands worked in the mines of Cornwall. After tea (supper) each night they would take the left-overs, mix them together, and then bake them in pie crust for little pocket pies. In a way, they were the precursor to the sandwich. The savory filling contained ingredients like meat, potatoes, carrots, and gravy. Coming up with a quick and easy gluten-free and vegan version was challenging because gluten-free crusts are not simple to prepare. I finally decided to use a biscuit recipe, rolling it as thin as possible, and then using it for the crust that contains the savory ingredients. Instead of folding the circle of dough in half, I decided to sandwich the savory filling between and lower and top crust. The dough is soft and tender, and my experiments in folding a single circle resulted in the dough breaking apart. For the filling, I used cooked and seasoned lentils, and cooked vegetables --- potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Baked at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, the results were delicious! For the savory filling, any combination of legumes, vegetables, and grains will work. Use your favorite gluten-free biscuit mix or make from scratch for the crust.

Biscuit Dough

This dough is quite soft, and so are the biscuits. Delicious.

2/3 cup shortening
1 cup potato starch
1 1/2 cup cornstarch
1 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 F. In medium bowl, blend all ingredients. Mix until just blended and all ingredients are moist. Dough will be quite soft and a bit sticky. Roll or pat out dough on a lightly "floured" (with cornstarch) surface. Roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits with a 2 1/2 inch cutters. An inverted glass will also do the job. Place biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet (or use them to form pasties).

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Makes 12 - 14 large biscuits.

Aunt Mabel's Potato Pancakes

Sometimes it takes some thought to come up with interesting and new ideas for family meals. My husband loves potatoes and could eat them three times a day! Although I like them too, I will admit to getting bored with them sometimes. Recently I remembered a recipe that my Aunt Mabel has always been famous for ~ Potato Pancakes! They are delicious served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We prepared them as 'cabin fare' and served ours with catsup and a dairy-free ranch dressing, but Aunt Mabel always served hers with creamy cucumber dressing (also very tasty). Here's an adapted recipe of her famous pancakes.

Aunt Mabel's Potato Pancakes

8 medium potatoes, raw and grated

1 1/2 medium onions

1 package silken tofu, firm*see note below

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

oil

Heat oil in a large skillet to fry the pancakes.

Shred raw, peeled potatoes using a carrot grater. Put in a large bowl. Mince the onions. Add to the potatoes. Next add the tofu, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.

Use a large spoon and spatula to add the potato mixture to the oil. Brown on one side, flip over, brown the other side. Repeat if necessary (so the potatoes are cooked through) then remove to a plate covered with paper towels to drain. Serve with your favorite dressing or maple syrup.

*Instead of tofu (or with the tofu), use a flour for binder such as soy flour, fava bean flour, a gluten-free flour blend, or all-purpose flour. It works nicely. For a non-vegan version, add eggs and omit tofu.

Dried-Cherry Scones

Dried-Cherry Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soymilk plus 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice, blended
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup dried cherries
1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Form a hole in the center and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together soymilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a fork until dry ingredients are just blended. Fold in cherries. Form into 8 - 10 scones and place on a prepared baking sheet.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes.

Variations: 1 cup whole-wheat flour can be substituted for half the all-purpose flour.

Zucchini with Pesto

Zucchini with Pesto

4 medium-sized zucchini or yellow summer squash, julienned
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup pesto*

Combine the zucchini and salt. Place in a colander and toss to mix. Set aside to drain for about 30 minutes. Then, place zucchini onto a clean kitchen towel and wring dry. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add zucchini and saute until it's tender-crisp. Add pesto and toss to mix well. Serve.

Makes 4 servings.

*Homemade pesto can successfully be made without cheese.

Good Friend Tofu Cheesecake with Strawberries

Good Friend Tofu Cheesecake with Strawberries

4 c. mashed tofu
1/4 c. pineapple juice
2 T vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract or 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2/3 c. honey or maple syrup
2/3 tsp. coriander or cinnamon
1/2 c. oil

Rinse tofu, then drain, mash and measure. Place tofu in bowl and add remaining ingredients. Stir together until well blended. Place half of filling in a blender an blend on high until velvety smooth, stopping blender 2-3 times to stir contents. Pour over crust. Repeat procedure with other half. Spread filling browned and middle is firm.

Remove from oven. Cool. Cover with 4 cups strawberry topping.

Strawberry Topping

4 c. whole unsweetened frozen strawberries
1/16 tsp. salt
3/4 c. apple juice concentrate
3 Tbs. cornstarch

Place berries in bowl and thaw overnight at room temperature. Drain and save juice. Pour into blender and add remaining ingredients. Briefly blend on high. Pour into blender and add remaining ingredients. Again, briefly blend on high. Pour into sauce pan and bring to boil, stirring constantly until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Add berries and gently fold together with rubber spatula. Chill.

Yield: 3 c.

Note: To use this sauce as a filling for other things, add 1 Tbs. more cornstarch.

Variation: Use 1/2 c. apple juice concentrate and 1/4 c. grape juice concentrate in place of 3/4 c. apple juice concentrate. Or may substitute blueberries for strawberries.

Grapple Butter Delish

Grapple Butter Delish

1 cup grape juice
3/4 cup dried apples
1/3 cup raisins or 7 dates
1/4 tsp. lemon rind, grated (optional)
1/4 tsp. orange rind, grated (optional)

Soak all ingredients together for one hour or overnight. Blend until smooth. Serve chilled over bread or waffles.

Yield: 2 cups

Cauliflower Pakoras

Cauliflower Pakoras

1 medium cauliflower
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 cups garbanzo flour
1 teaspoon salt
good pinch garlic powder
1 t garam masala powder

Divide cauliflower into flowerets. Combine flour and spices and mix with water to a thick pancake mixture. Dip cauliflower pieces in batter. Deep fry until golden.

Mexican Soup

Mexican Soup

2 cups cooked pinto beans
4 cups canned tomatoes (blended slightly)
2 cups whole kernel corn
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 package (1 1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning
1 small can green chilies (optional)

In a large saucepan, mix everything all together and cook over medium
high heat until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

*For variety, toss in a handful of corn chips, taco chips, or bits of
tortilla's! Yum! Another option is to add rice to the soup. Garnish
liberally with cilantro!

Rhubarb & Strawberry Crisp

Rhubarb & Strawberry Crisp

Crust and Crumble Topping ~

1 1/2 cups rolled oats, certified gluten-free if necessary
3/4 cup flour of choice
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix together with a fork. Spread 1/2 of the mixture over the bottom of a
prepared casserole dish. Press down.

Filling ~

4 cups diced rhubarb, fresh or frozen
2 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen
2/3 cup liquid sweetener (maple syrup or brown rice syrup)
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cardamon
2 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. flour of choice

Toss together in a bowl. Spread over the crust. Top with the remaining crumble
topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. You may want to cover with foil
for the last 20 - 30 minutes.

Serve hot or with cashew cream.

California Citrus Salsa

California Citrus Salsa

1 ruby red grapefruit
2 navel oranges
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
salt to taste
1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil leaves

Divide the grapefruit and oranges in sections over a bowl to catch the juices. Dice into chunks. Fold in the remaining salsa ingredients. Stir and enjoy!

Cabin Packet Potatoes

Cabin Packet Potatoes

1 sheet heavy-duty aluminum foil
1 onion, sliced thinly
4 potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1" slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon mineral salt
1/2 teaspoon dill weed

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix ingredients together well and then place in aluminum foil. Make a packet and seal edges. Bake about 30 minutes, until fork tender when tested.

Zippy Fruit Salad

Zippy Fruit Salad

1 apple, with skin, diced
1 cup cantaloupe, balled
1/2 an English cucumber, with skin, diced
2 bell peppers, green, yellow, orange, or red, chopped
1 orange, sectioned and sliced
Zest and juice of a lime
Fresh basil, cut into ribbons
Cinnamon to taste
Salt to taste

Cut the apple, cantaloupe, cucumber and peppers into a small neat dice. Zest the orange, then slice off the skin, cut the flesh into a small neat dice. Stir the orange zest, orange flesh and remaining ingredients into the fruit mixture.

Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with a sprinkle of additional cinnamon and a piece of fresh basil.

*Cucumbers and peppers are botanically fruits. Yummy!

Golden Cashew Gravy

Golden Cashew Gravy

1/4 c. cashews (well rinsed, raw cashews are dirty)
3 T. cornstarch
1 t. onion granules
1/4 t. garlic granules
1/2 t. salt
3 c. water
1 T. nutritional yeast, optional
1 or 2 T. chicken seasoning or to taste

Whiz in blender. Start with all the ingredients except for part of the water so that the nuts can get creamy. Then add the rest of the water and continue to blend. Place in saucepan. Cook over low hit stirring constantly with a wire whisk until gravy thickens.

Use over patties, potatoes, anywhere that you like gravy!! Super delicious!

Mexican Black Bean Salad

Mexican Black Bean Salad

1 can 15 ounces black beans, drained
1 can Mexican style corn
2 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, chopped, use white and green
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt to taste

In mixing bowl combine beans, corn, tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Add red pepper, oil, lime juice and cumin. Blend with the cayenne and salt, to taste. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, or overnight.

Yields about 6 cups.

Red Lentil Chowder

Red Lentil Chowder

1 cup red lentils, rinsed
3 1/2 cups chicken-style broth
1 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 medium or 2 small red potatoes, peeled and diced
2 zucchini, diced
dash red pepper flakes
dash cumin
1 tsp. dried chives
salt to taste

Place all in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, simmer on very low for 25- 30 minutes. Serve as is or puree. Enjoy a bowl of hearty soup. Garnish as desired (grated carrot, chopped chives, etc.).

Sandwich Spreads

My contribution for lunch with friends today were three sandwich toppings. Fresh garden lettuce, herbed butter, and olive-walnut spread were prepared at home and taken on a tray to my friend's and neighbor's home. Here are the instructions for the spreads:

Herbed Butter

1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine

1/8 cup chopped fresh chives

1/8 cup chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage

Mix together and place in servig bowl. Garnish as desired.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Olive-Walnut Spread

1 can olives, chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tsp. tamari sauce

1/3 cup Veganaise, more if desired

Mix together and place in serving bowl. Garnish as desired.