Vegan Banana Bread

Hello Everyone!  I apologize for the hiatus – I am currently expecting (our 3rd!) and have only just gotten over my morning sickness.  During those queasy months, I could hardly bring myself to eat anything, let alone cook!  My family subsisted on convenience foods of all sorts, unfortunately.  But now I’m at that glorious stage where I am hungry, energetic, and craving healthy foods!

This morning as I was about to put bananas on the breakfast table, I noticed that they were way past their prime.  When that happens, I usually do one of two things.   If I’m pressed for time I will peel them and cut them into large chunks, and put them in the freezer for smoothies.  But on a nice rainy day like today, I decided to take the time to bake banana bread.

Here is a recipe that I have tweaked ever so slightly from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook to make it vegan, and a bit healthier.  I replaced the eggs, changed the flour from white to whole wheat pastry, and reduced the sugar.  It was quite sweet (might have been the super-ripe bananas at play) but I think next time I’ll try reducing it a little bit more.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg (or a few grates of whole nutmeg)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp salt (I used 1/4 tsp but it could have used a bit more)
• 1 Tbsp Ener-G egg replacer whisked with 4 Tbsp warm water
• 1 1/2 cup mashed bananas (I used 4 fairly large ones)
• 3/4 cup unrefined sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  In a medium bowl combine mashed bananas, prepared egg replacer, sugar, and oil.  Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and combine until just mixed.  Fold in chopped nuts.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.  Loosen bread from sides of pan with a knife and let sit in pan for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.  Store bread in refrigerator, wrapped in foil.  Enjoy!

Cous Cous with Peanut Sauce

This recipe is definitely a family favorite!  We love this one, both kids included.  It’s one of those nice meals that is quick, easy, and economical, and can be whipped up at a moment’s notice with ingredients that I always keep on hand.  This is an Indonesian-style peanut sauce, which is quite different from the sweet Thai peanut sauce that some people may be expecting.  As delicious as that sweet peanut sauce is, this savory, salty one is my absolute favorite!  I paired this with steamed broccoli tonight, as I often do – because I love to dip each piece of broccoli in the sauce as I am eating it.

Ingredients (Peanut Sauce):

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion (or half large onion), finely chopped
• 2-3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 3 cups vegetable broth (or hot water with bouillon)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt to taste (use about 1/2 tsp if using unsalted peanut butter, omit if using salted peanut butter)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain soy milk

Preparation (Peanut Sauce):

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until tender.  Stir in peanut butter and allow it to melt a little.  Add vegetable broth and whisk until smoothly incorporated.  Add spices and simmer on medium-low heat, covered, for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Mix in soy milk and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Ingredients (Cous Cous):

• 2 cups dry cous cous (I used whole wheat)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 cups boiling water

Preparation (Cous Cous):

Stir olive oil, bouillon powder, and paprika into dry cous cous until thoroughly mixed.  You can do this right in your serving bowl.  Stir in boiling water and cover for 5 minutes.  Remove lid and fluff with a fork.  Serve peanut sauce over hot cous cous.  Enjoy!

Kind of like Vegan Cheez-Its

Ready to Bake

I’ve been wanting to try out the goldfish crackers recipe from Vegan Lunch Box for so long, but never got around to it because I don’t have a little fishy cookie cutter.  Today I decided to take the plunge and just cut them into squares.  After I did that, I noticed that if I just put a hole in the center of each cracker, they would look a whole lot like Cheez-Its!  Woo hoo!  So I made the recipe and they turned out pretty well.  I’m sure I didn’t get the timing exactly right though, as my 3 year old pushed a button on my microwave timer and I didn’t realize that the timer wasn’t going until I started smelling the crackers and went to check!  So they were slightly over-baked, but oh well!

I’ll post the recipe here as I veered away from the Vegan Lunch Box recipe a little.  I substituted some whole wheat flour, omitted cayenne pepper and onion powder, and increased the nutritional yeast.  I enjoy nutritional yeast quite a bit and plan to increase it even more next time around!  Here’s the recipe I used today:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional, for color)
• 1/2 cup canola oil, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes or more
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• Olive oil cooking spray
• More salt for sprinkling

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together flours, nutritional yeast flakes, spices, and salt.  Drizzle in cold canola oil and mix in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Mix ice water with vinegar.  Drizzle in water and vinegar mixture and mix with your fingers.  Knead lightly until dough holds together.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll to about 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut into about 1-inch squares and transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets.  The squares will fill at least 2 large baking sheets.  Poke a hole into the center of each square with a toothpick, swirling it around just a bit to widen the hole.  Spray crackers with olive oil spray and sprinkle with additional salt as desired.

Bake for about 10 minutes, then slide parchment paper off baking sheets and let cool.  Enjoy!

The finished product!

Black Bean Hummus

Hummus is a favorite with just about everybody – and is incredibly easy and economical to make at home.  I have seen tiny store bought tubs of hummus on sale for $3 – $6 each, when I could quite easily make 3 times that much for far less money.  It took me awhile to create the perfect hummus recipe, with just the right proportions of everything and just the right spices – but alas, I found myself getting tired of that same recipe!  So I have thrown all recipes aside and begun to experiment.  Here is one that I really like – a simple black bean hummus using traditional seasonings.  Black beans are sweeter and softer than chickpeas, and I really love the creamy results of this recipe.  If you have a food processor and you haven’t made hummus yet, please give this recipe a try…and then experiment for yourself!  Swap out the beans, add some nuts, change the spices, and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled*
• 2 Tbsp sesame tahini
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 – 1 tsp salt**
• 2 – 4 Tbsp water***

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients, except for water, in food processor.  Process once, scrape down sides, and add a bit of the water.  Process again, scrape down sides, and add a bit more water if necessary to reach desired consistency.  Once all ingredients are incorporated, process for 2 minutes or more to achieve a very smooth texture.  (I often clean up the spatulas, measuring utensils, etc during this time)

Serve immediately, or store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

* Raw garlic can be a bit spicy, so you might want to err on the side of less to begin with, especially if you are serving this to small children.  I tend to enjoy spicy raw garlic so I put 2 large cloves in.

** Adjust the amount of salt depending on the type of beans used.  Canned beans usually contain salt, even when rinsed, so use the 1/2 tsp if you are using canned.  If you have cooked your own beans without salt, a larger amount will be needed

*** Keep in mind that hummus will firm up in the refrigerator when you are adding the water.  It may seem too thin at first but unless you are serving it immediately, it will become thicker as it stands.

Vegan Macaroni and “Cheese”

I think every vegan chef has their own special version of macaroni and cheese, especially those of us with little ones! This version is largely based off of the one in Vegan Vittles but I’ve tampered with it quite a bit! My kids like this every bit as much as they used to like the dairy version. Sometimes I make it with beans (as pictured) and sometimes I leave them out. I like to add them because it increases the protein, fiber, iron, and flavor!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat)*
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil (or other vegetable oil)
• 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (more or less depending on how yellow you want it!)
• 3 cups plain non-dairy milk**
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• dash black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 can kidney beans or other beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
• 1 tsp chili powder (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare macaroni noodles. Drain and rinse with cool water, and set aside.

While noodles are cooking, melt coconut oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add flour and turmeric and stir quickly until combined. Add non-dairy milk, all at once, and stir with a wire whisk until no lumps remain. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon until thickened and bubbly. Cook for 1 minute more and then remove from heat. Add nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth and creamy.

Add cooked macaroni noodles to the sauce and mix well. Add beans and chili powder, if desired. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch square pan and top with bread crumbs. Bake for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

* If you’re having trouble finding whole wheat macaroni noodles, try the bulk bin at Fred Meyer!

** I recommend Silk or Organic Valley brands plain soy milk, because they are not too sweet.  I have also made this with plain hemp milk with fantastic results!

Crunchy Granola

After much trial and error I have finally stumbled upon a way to make really crunchy granola! The below recipe is simply a suggestion – feel free to substitute whatever nuts and dried fruit you may have on hand if you like. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups thick-cut rolled oats (regular will work fine as well)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup whole flaxseed
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• dash cinnamon
• dried cranberries for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, coconut, flaxseed, wheat germ, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together maple syrup and oil and stir into oat mixture. Spread evenly in a lightly greased baking dish (I used a 9 x 13 casserole dish), and bake, uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring after 20 minutes.

Stir again and turn off the oven. Place baking dish of granola back into the cooling oven and leave for 6-8 hours or overnight.* Take cooled, dried granola out of the oven and place into an airtight container. Garnish with dried cranberries before serving. Enjoy with soy milk or sprinkle over soy yogurt for a delicious treat!

* This is the most crucial step in making a truly crunchy granola! I’ve omitted this step and instead allowed granola to cool on the countertop, and the granola always turned out slightly chewy instead of crunchy. I recommend making granola in the evening and leaving it in the cooled oven overnight, and then it will be ready to eat for breakfast in the morning! Don’t worry that the oven is still hot when you put the granola back in for cooling/drying…the warm dry temperature will continue to cook the granola slightly and help it to harden, but it won’t burn.

Creamy Hummus

Hummus is a delicious and nutritious dip/spread that has become a staple in our vegan diet! My kids love dipping everything from carrot sticks to tomatoes to chips in it. It is also a great sandwich filling. Store bought hummus, while tasty, is so overpriced, and the homemade version is a snap to prepare! Every vegan cook needs a good, standby hummus recipe. This is my basic recipe, but it can be spiced up in many ways! For example, I like to roast a red pepper or a bulb of garlic and add it to the hummus. Sometimes I’ll make a big batch of this basic hummus and then divide it up and make several variations! Have fun and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans*
• 1/3 cup roasted sesame tahini
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 – 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup water, as needed
• more olive oil for drizzling

Preparation:

Place all ingredients except water into a food processor, and process briefly. Add 1/4 cup water and process again, scraping down sides occasionally. You may need to add more water to reach your desired consistency. Process very thoroughly, at least 1-2 minutes, for a smooth and creamy hummus. Chill, if desired. Grind a bit more black pepper over the top, and drizzle some additional olive oil on the hummus to serve. Enjoy with pita bread, pita chips, corn chips, and/or fresh cut veggies!

* To cook chickpeas, simply soak 1 cup dry chickpeas for 6+ hours (or overnight), drain, and rinse. Place them in a pan covered with a liberal amount of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours. Yields 2 cups cooked. Canned chickpeas can also be used in this recipe, 1 14-oz can is about 2 cups.

Double Cornbread

If you like cornbread that’s a little bit sweet and very moist, this recipe is for you! I often serve this with a hearty soup, such as split pea soup, lentil soup, or vegan chili. If you prefer a smooth cornbread without corn kernels (or you don’t have any on hand), feel free to omit them – it will be delicious either way!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
• 1/4 cup natural sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain soymilk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer powder mixed with 2 Tbsp warm water *
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease or oil 8 x 8 inch baking pan, and set aside.

Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. In a seperate bowl, combine Ener-G egg replacer and warm water, then mix in oil and soymilk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stir until just mixed. Gently fold in frozen corn kernels, and pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 22 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

* Ener-G Egg Replacer powder is a thickening agent made from potato and other starches, and can be found in most health food stores. It can also be found at many mainstream supermarkets such as Fred Myer and QFC. It may seem expensive at $5.00 or more per box, but one box lasts a very long time, and is a handy addition to any vegan kitchen!

Vegan Pizza

Our digital camera has been on the blink so I haven’t been able to post a food picture in awhile. Now that it is repaired, I’ll start with what we ate for lunch today – vegan pizza! As vegans, we don’t order delivery pizza anymore, but we still can enjoy it with minimal effort. We have a bread machine which makes homemade pizza crust a snap – the purchase was worth it if only for pizza crust! I hesitate to post this as a recipe because pizza is such a versatile food – make the crust, add sauce, and then use whatever veggies you have on hand, and top with a vegan cheese substitute if desired. Here’s what I made today:

Bread Machine Pizza Dough Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 -3/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp natural granulated sugar
• 1 tsp yeast

Pizza Toppings:

• 1 cup pizza sauce, homemade or storebought *
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1/2 block Vegan Gourmet Mozarella-style cheese, shredded (optional) **

Preparation:

Add ingredients to bread machine in order given. Run machine on “pizza dough” or “dough only” setting until done. When dough is ready, preheat conventional oven to 475 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. This will make enough dough for a thick 12-inch crust or a medium-thin 15-inch crust. (15-inch crust is pictured – we like it on the thinner side.) Place rolled dough on a lightly oiled pizza stone or cookie sheet.

Use the back side of a soup spoon to spread pizza sauce on top of crust. Add vegetable toppings and shredded cheese, if using. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

* Pizza sauce is easy to make, and there’s a great recipe in Vegan With a Vengeance. But this time I “cheated” and used a can of Muir Glen organic pizza sauce. I only needed about half the can so I just froze the rest to use next time.

** Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella is the only brand of vegan cheese that I like – and I think it works great melted on a pizza. I do advise to go easier on the cheese than you might have with dairy cheese, as the vegan version has a bit of a stronger flavor. I don’t really taste the cheese on this pizza, but it adds visual appeal and a moistness to the pizza that is lacking when you omit the cheese.

Marinated Baked Tofu

If anyone is unsure about trying tofu, give this recipe a try!! Tofu is the perfect food for marinating as it readily soaks up flavors, and once baked takes on a lovely chewy texture. If you cut the tofu into thin slabs, it makes a nice sandwich filling; if you cut it into cubes, it’s great thrown into a stir-fry. But once I have smelled this baking for an hour, it’s all I can do not to gobble it all up immediately just as it is! For that reason, I always double or triple this recipe! Joanne Stepaniak deserves the credit for this delicious marinade, which can be found in her cookbook Vegan Vittles.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar (you can substitute regular white vinegar, I did!)
• 1 Tbsp fresh gingerroot, grated or minced (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil*
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu (use extra-firm if you can find it!)**

Preparation:

Drain the tofu, then pat dry with a kitchen towel. Set aside on top of another dry towel while you prepare the marinade. This will take some of the moisture out of the tofu, which will allow it to soak up more flavor!

Combine all other ingredients in a bowl. Cut the tofu into any shape you desire! You can cut it into cubes, slabs, or triangles. To make triangles, like those pictured above, simply cut the block of tofu in half or in thirds so that you have 2 or 3 equal slabs (depending on the thickness desired). Then cut each slab into quarters, and cut each quarter across diagonally to form triangles. Lay tofu in the bottom of a container and pour marinade over the top, being careful to cover every inch of tofu! Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you wish. Turn tofu over once or twice during this time so that all sides marinate equally!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain marinade off of tofu and save for another use – it makes a great sauce for a stir-fry! Place marinated tofu pieces in a single layer on a lightly oiled or sprayed baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, flipping tofu after 30 minutes! Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot or cold.

*Don’t skip the toasted sesame oil – it is really a key flavor in this marinade! You can find it at some supermarkets, Asian food stores, or health food stores. I got mine from Trader Joe’s.

**Make sure to use regular tofu, found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket and packed in water (as opposed to silken tofu, which is found in aseptic packaging on a supermarket shelf).