Banana Bread

Dry Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

2 large very ripe bananas, mashed with fork

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup sugar, maple syrup or agave syrup

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed meal

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup plant milk

In a large bowl, stir together first four (dry) ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir together remaining (wet) ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into the large bowl and gently mix with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter into a parchment-lined loaf pan. Bake at 350F degrees for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center of bread comes out clean. Allow to cool before icing or slicing.

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Optional Frosting - blend together

3/4 cup dates

3/4 cup walnuts

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

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Optional Icing - stir together

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 Tablespoons water or plant milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

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Optional Chocolate Sauce

1 cup water

1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar, maple syrup or agave

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons vanilla

In a saucepan cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. 

Vegan Cake-like Brownies

Dry ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup plant milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir-in or topping ingredients:

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. In a smaller bowl, stir the wet ingredients together. Combine the dry and wet mixtures together. Fold the chocolate chips and nuts into the batter (or sprinkle them on top). Spread the batter into a 9"x 9" baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350F degrees for about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Allow to cool, cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator up to five days or freeze.

Substitutes for zucchini - shredded carrots, cooked pumpkin, sweet potatoes or black beans.

Related recipes:

For a fudgy brownie recipe without flour or sugar click here.

For black bean sweet potato bars click here.

 

Cheezy Potatoes

The sauce for Cheezy Potatoes is similar to Vegan Mac and Cheese. First make the sauce, then arrange uncooked potatoes and optional vegetables in a casserole dish. Cover potatoes with sauce and bake.

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Cheeze Sauce

16 oz peeled potatoes (about 2 large) cut into 1" pieces
8 oz carrots (about 2 small) cut into 1" slices
1/4 cup diced onion (optional)
3 cups water - for cooking potatoes and carrots, save the cooking water to add to the blender

2  to 4 Tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted or 1/4 cup cashews or oats

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon tahini (optional)
1 Tablespoon miso paste (optional)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Boil potatoes, carrots and onion in water in a saucepan on top of the stove for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. While the potatoes, carrots and onions are cooking, place the other sauce ingredients in a blender. Add the cooked potatoes, carrots and onion to the blender along with the cooking liquid. Cover the blender loosely (since the liquid is hot). Blend until sauce is smooth.

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Potatoes: One 30 oz. package of frozen shredded potatoes or 6 to 8 small to medium Russet potatoes sliced thinly or shredded with a food processor. Note: To prevent freshly cut potatoes from turning grey, cover the cut potato pieces with cold water in a bowl until ready to use. Drain. (Frozen hash browns stay white and don't need to be soaked. If they are stuck together in a large clump, thaw them slightly.)

Optional Vegetables: About 3 cups small broccoli florets. Other options include 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, 1 cup chopped bell pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the shredded or sliced potatoes in a large casserole dish, add vegetables (if desired), pour on the cheese sauce.  If using shredded potatoes, gently stir the cheese sauce, potatoes and vegetables together. If using sliced potatoes, layer the sauce and potatoes. Bake, covered for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

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Rice Variation

Eazy Cheezy Rice and Broccoli: In a large casserole dish mix together about 4 cups of cooked rice, 3 cups of steamed broccoli florets and one batch of Cheeze Sauce. Ready to serve, does not need to be baked.

Nice Cream | 3 Flavors

Basic Nice Cream Recipe

6 very ripe frozen bananas (peeled and broken into pieces before freezing)

2 - 4 Tablespoons non-dairy milk

Combine bananas and milk in a food processor or blender. Add flavoring. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl a few times until it's all smooth. Pour into a freezer container. Freeze several hours or overnight if firmer ice cream is desired.

Chocolate Mint

3 - 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder    

1 teaspoon mint extract

               

Cinnamon

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut

2 - 4 Tablespoons shredded coconut

1 teaspoon coconut extract

Lentil-Bean Chili

This is the chili that I make most often these days. The lentils really add to the texture. First pressure cook the lentils, spices and most of the vegetables, then stir in the other beans and corn. A great dish to prepare hours ahead of time and then reheat just before serving. Freezes well.

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped mushrooms

4 cups water

1 cup dry lentils

1 chopped bell pepper

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 cup frozen corn

In a pressure cooker, saute' onions and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons water for about 6 minutes. Add 2 more tablespoons water, the garlic, celery, carrots, spices and cook one more minute. Stir in remaining water, the lentils, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook under pressure 22 minutes. Stir in black and kidney beans and corn.

Optional: add a cup of diced zucchini, butternut squash, or beets along with the lentils.

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Instructions for cooking in a regular pot on top of the stove: Saute' onions and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons water for about 6 minutes. Add 2 more tablespoons water, the garlic, celery, carrots, spices and cook one more minute. Stir in remaining water, the lentils, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Reduce heat to simmer about 40 minutes or until lentils are very tender. Stir in black beans, kidney beans and corn, and cook about 10 minutes longer.

Note: After cooking the chili (or any other big batches of food), I like to pour it into a large shallow casserole dish to cool as quickly as possible before refrigerating. A fan sitting on the counter, pointing at the dish will help it cool. Stir occasionally.

Chocolate Cake

Easy chocolate cake without milk, eggs, butter or oil. Beets help to make it dark and moist. Not to worry, the cake won't taste like beets!

 

 

Prepare the baking pans by lining the bottoms of two 9 inch round pans with parchment paper. Set the pan on a sheet parchment paper and trace around the bottom of the pan with a pencil. Cut out two paper circles with scissors. Place a paper circle in the bottom of each pan. The sides of the pans don't have to be lined with paper and no oil is needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 cup cooked, drained beets
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.

Wet ingredients: Put water and ground flax seeds into a blender. Let sit 10 minutes. Add beets, sugar, applesauce and vanilla. Blend.

Pour blended wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Test the center of the cake with a toothpick. No wet batter should remain on the toothpick. Cool. To remove cake from pan, gently loosen the edges of the cake with a knife. After removing each cake layer from the pan, peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake. Place the cake on a plate.

 Frosting

1 pound firm tofu
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend the frosting ingredients. Frost between the layers and on top.  Store in the refrigerator. 

Leftovers can be sliced and frozen.

Cowboy Caviar

Very quick and easy to prepare! Use as a cold main dish, side dish or dip for tortilla chips.

Salad

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 large stalk celery, chopped

3 Tablespoons minced red onion

Dressing

1/2 cup mild salsa

1 Tablespoon lime or lemon juice

1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder

In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients. In a small bowl or cup, mix the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

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Optional: chopped avocado, chopped tomato, chopped bell pepper, chopped jalapeno, minced fresh parsley or cilantro

Substitute cooked black-eyed peas (aka cowpeas) for the red kidney beans.