Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

These are easy to make and delicious. The only problem is they are almost impossible to stop eating!

vegan chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
recipe from The Dainty Squid

based off this recipe

2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs (I used 1tbsp chia seeds & 3tbsps water)

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pumpkin puree

half a bag of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl beat the eggs and sugar until smooth. Next beat in the oil, vanilla and pumpkin. Slowly mix add in your flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Evenly pour the batter into the lined cake pan.

Bake for 33-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Transfer your giant cookie, still attached to the parchment paper, to a wire rack to cool. When cooled completely cut into squares.

Vegan Treats in NYC

While visiting NYC for the Jivamukti Tribe Gathering we discovered some amazing vegan treats. So many vegan restaurants and stores to choose from, here are just a few...

New Years brunch at Champs Family Bakery in Brooklyn

roasted vegetable salad at Angelica Kitchen

chai latte at Moby's restaurant Teany

new vegan boots from Moo Shoes

dun-well doughnuts in Brooklyn

Double Whammy Ginger Cookies

These are the best ginger cookies I've ever had. This year I doubled the recipe and gave them out as Christmas gifts to our staff. Everyone loved them!

perfect holiday cookie (but good anytime of the year)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 coconut oil or sunflower oil
1/3 cup minced fresh ginger root
sugar

Whisk together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix.
Roll dough into small balls, then roll in sugar to coat before placing on cookie sheet.
Bake 350° for 10 minutes.

Vegan Apple Crisp Muffins

With limited time, these were fast, easy, delicious apple muffins to make. It's like apple crisp in a portable/packable muffin size.

vegan apple crisp muffins from the Happy Herbivore

Vegan Apple Crisp Muffins:

Ingredients

• 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ cup raw sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• a dash of nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup apple, diced
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin tin or spray paper liners to prevent sticking and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices together until well combined. Add applesauce, sugars and maple, then stir until almost combined. add apples, stirring until just combined. Spoon into muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle additional oats and brown sugar over top if desired. Bake 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

check out the Happy Herbivore blog and the Happy Herbivore cookbook 

Thai Coconut Soup from Happy Planet

My sister-in-law left this package in our fridge. Perfect for when you have a last minute craving for soup: no cooking required! I'm not usually a big fan of pre-made soups, but this one was delicious, plus it's from a canadian company that focusses on organic, planet-friendly food.

check out Happy Planet drinks & soups

Happy Planet

We started with a farmful of organic carrots, a blender and the dream of the world as a happier place. Today Happy Planet makes smoothies, juices, soups and health shots - all fresh and all good.

Mission: We make food and juice that makes you smile. It has to do you good and taste great - that's Happy Planet.

Description: Two boys, Randal Ius and Gregor Robertson, started out in 1994 with a farm full of organic carrots, a blender, a somewhat ambitious dream to make the world a better place and hopefully make some money too.

The idea was to connect big city people back to the land, to farmers who produced great produce that went in foods which tasted good and did some good.

They called the company Happy Planet.

http://www.happyplanet.com/

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HappyPlanetFoodsInc

twitter: https://twitter.com/TeamHappyPlanet

Vegan Squash Soup

A nice bowl of soup is the best way to light your inner fire during the cold winter months. Squash is a versatile, easy to cook root vegetable. I used acorn for this recipe, but you could substitute with another variety (butternut, pepper, etc).

vegan squash soup

Vegan Squash Soup:
1 squash (acorn)
1 onion
4 gloves of garlic
1 tbsp ginger
1/4 tsp sage
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 apple (peeled and cut into chunks)
4 cups vegetable stock
2 handfuls of spinach

Preheat oven to 400. Wash squash, cut in half, remove seeds. Lather with olive oil. Place on baking sheet, cut side down. Bake for 50 minutes.

In a saucepan, fry onions for 5 minutes, add garlic, ginger, spices and apple. Fry for 2 minutes. Add cooked squash and vegetable stock. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add spinach. Simmer 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Dinner Parties & Vegan Lasagne

Dinner parties can be tough as a vegan, but I have been lucky enough to have friends take my food choices into consideration when cooking. People will go out of their way to make me a vegetarian option. If it has dairy/cheese in it, I usually eat it, as I am so grateful for the effort. 

I recently attended a dinner party at my friend Anick's house. Her and her husband and 3 kids live on a farm in Hudson. They have an organic apple orchard (Le Verger de Hudson) and grow much of their own food. Anick served a fish entree, in which she made an eggplant version for myself and another vegetarian friend, and a lasagne for the main course. She made a cheese version for our vegetarian friend, and a vegan version for me! I was blown away. Not only is she raising 3 kids, running her own business and cooking for 10 people, but she took the time and energy to make something special for me. When I asked her for the recipe she said she mostly improvised... amazing!

check out Le Verger de Hudson on fb and look for them at downtown markets

Anick's Vegan Lasagne

Anick's Vegan Lasagne:

I make a tomato sauce with (chopped onion, zucchini, red pepper, green pepper , eggplant, the veggies are all sautéed ) then add tomato sauce and chunk tomatoes, let sauce simmer a while, add fresh basil and dried oregano, salt and pepper.

The ''ricotta'' filling is firm tofu chopped in the blender with soy milk and basil, salt and pepper.

Layer lasagne noodles sauce and the tofu filling in the middle. You can make up to 4 layers. Keep some sauce to add to the top once the lasagne is cooked because the top layer tends to dry out during cooking.

Why Be Vegan?

I get this question often. There's lots of good reasons to be vegan. In honour of World Vegan Day (November 1st) here are my top 5:

image courtesy of Snooters Farm Animal Sanctuary

1 - It's more environmentally friendly. Saves trees, uses less water (More than half of all water used in the U.S. is used to raise and kill animals for the table), less fossil fuels (Producing just one hamburger uses enough fossil fuel to drive a small car 20 miles), creates less pollution (animal feces is a major contributor to global warming and acid rain, plus pollutes numerous rivers and water sheds annually), the worlds 17 major fisheries are at the point of collapse because of over fishing.

2 - It's the most compassionate way to live. Animals feel pain. Modern agriculture keeps cows, calves, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and other animals in small overcrowded sheds, stalls, cages, or crates, where they're often unable even to turn around. These intelligent, social animals are deprived of veterinary care, exercise, sunlight--even the feel of grass under their feet. What we eat means choosing between the horrors of factory farming and respect for another sentient being.

3 - It's healthier. Vegans have lower rates of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, large bowel disorders, cancers and gallstones. Not to mention the hormones and antibiotics used in raising animals

4 - It feeds more people. Seven kilograms of grain are required to produce 1 kilogram of beef; the conversion is 4-to-1 for pork and 2-to-1 for poultry. Each kilogram of meat represents several kilograms of grain that could be consumed directly by humans, not to mention the water and farmland required to grow the grain. To put this in uncomplicated terms, the beef in a Big Mac represents enough wheat to produce five loaves of bread.

5 - It tastes good.

The greatness of a nation & its moral progress can be judged by the way we treat animals

- Gandhi

Info from http://www.veganwolf.com/

Heart Warming Chili

Here's one of our favorite Chili recipes. Whenever we're feelng a little under the weather,

it's always a safe bet to get us back on our feet.

It's quick, tasty, and super easy to make. 

Serve with bread, pita, or any other side dish of your fancy.

heart warming chili

Heart Warming Chili

1 tbsp oil

3 garlic cloves

1 chopped white onion

1-2 bell pepper, diced (any colour)

1 tbsp  chili powder

1 tbsp  cumin

1 tbsp coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp sea salt

 red pepper flakes, to taste

1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can tomatoes

1 cup corn kernels

•Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the garlic and onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

•Add the bell pepper, spices

•Add the remaining ingredients. Cover, let simmer for 15 min.

•Add more water, if necessary, or cook longer to reach desired consistency. Enjoy!

Roasted Squash & Veggies

Perfect meal for a cool autumn evening. The warmth of the oven and the smell of the roasting veggies makes for a cozy home. I like to make this recipe when I've just been to the market, and have a fridge full of fresh veggies. Choose a colorful variety of squash, beets, peppers, etc.

roasted veggies with quinoa and spring roll

Roasted Squash & Veggies
1 beet - peeled and chopped (if you have time pre-boil the beets for 10 mins)
1 squash - peeled and chopped (if you don't have time to peel, than just cut into chunks and cut off peel as you eat)
1 pepper - chopped
1 leek - chopped
1 tomato - chopped
1-2 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp rosemary
pinch saffron
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 water

Preheat oven 350º. Mix ingredients together. Place in baking dish. Bake for 30 mins covered, mix and bake 30 mins uncovered.

Serve with a grain (quinoa, couscous, rice, etc) and side dish of your choice. Bon appétit!

Tasty Tacos

We enjoyed these tasty tacos made by Kaeleigh on Tuesday's Tacos Night, (but they could of course be served any day of the week).

delicious tasty tacos

Tasty Tacos Filling:
red and green peppers cut length wise
red onion cut length wise
garlic
olive oil
Sautee olive oil and garlic, then add red onion. Wait till red onion is browned. Then red and green pepper. Stir in 1 cup water. Cover and let simmer until water vanishes. Add in spices: taco seasoning or paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, chili Powder. Option to add mushrooms.

Salsa:
1 shallot
1/2 cup of capers
3/4 cup tomatoes
Dice onion and tomatoes. Add lime juice, capers, and tabasco to spice liking.

Guacamole:
purée avocado, mix in lime, a generous pinch of salt, add cilantro!

Additions: refried beans, tortilla shells.

Vegan Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Delicious muffins, perfect for apple season. They're quick and easy to make. 

vegan apple oatmeal muffins

Ingredients - 

Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup (or spelt/regular flour)
Rolled Oats 1 cup (Coarsely ground)
Cornstarch 1 Tbsp
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Brown Sugar 1/2 cup (minus 1 Tbsp)
Olive Oil 1/4 cup (I used Sunflower oil instead)
Apple Sauce 1/4 cup 
Soy Milk 3/4 cup
Apple 1 medium peeled, cored and chopped 
Almonds chopped for topping (optional)

Method Of Preparation -

In a mixing bowl, add the wheat flour, coarsely ground oats, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk well and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare the muffin pan either by greasing or using muffin liners.

Mix in the chopped apples into the flour mixture and coat the apples well.

Blend the liquid ingredients (brown sugar, apple sauce, soy milk and oil) and slowly add it to the flour mixture.

Don't over mix. Just mix until there are no lumps. Divide the batter into the muffin pan filling each of the cups upto 2/3 full. Sprinkle the chopped almonds on the top if using.

Bake for 25 min or until a tester comes out clear when inserted in the centre.

Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Recipe from Tamalapaku

Ginger Poached Peaches with Black Sesame Crumble

A girlfriend of mine made this dessert at a dinner party. 

I haven't tried making it myself, but it was so good I had to share.

served over vanilla sorbet

to make it vegan substitute the butter with sunflower oil

Sesame Noodles

I got this recipe from Jae Steele's book Ripe from around here. It's actually called Spring Sesame Noodles, but it can be altered to be made all year round. I usually cut down on the tahini and add a bunch of extra veggies.

you can replace the  fiddleheads with any veggie (broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc.)

Sesame Noodles with red pepper & yellow zucchini served with  Ginger Glazed Carrots and a spring roll

Roasted Veggies & Peanut Sauce

With a fridge full of fresh veggies, and a rainy Fall day, I was inspired to do some roasting. Peanut sauce adds the perfect touch. Serve it over any combination of veggies. 

Roasted Veggies & Peanut Sauce served with quinoa & roasted squash

Roasted Veggies
2 onions
Half a head of cauliflower
1 pepper
1 zucchini
2 cloves of garlic
5 mushrooms
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp tamari

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Chop veggies. Place in baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil & tamari.
Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, mix veggies and bake for 20 minutes.

Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup warm water
1tbsp tamari
1tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp red chili garlic sauce

Mix all ingredients. Pour over baked veggies.

Veggie Coconut Curry

A light coconut curry perfect for summertime with lots of fresh veggies. Originally a chicken curry recipe, my friend Janna modified it for her veggie friends, passed it along to us, and then I modified it again to come up with this one. Enjoy!

Veggie Coconut Curry

14oz unsweetened coconut milk
3tbsp green curry paste
1/2 package of tofu
1 eggplant
1 red pepper
1tbsp lime juice
2tsps brown sugar
3/4 cup fresh basil
1/2-1 tsp chili flakes or fresh chili pepper
Basmati or Jasmine rice

Heat coconut milk and whisk in curry paste till smooth. Add tofu (you can pre-fry them first if you like them a bit cruncy) & veggies, lime juice & brown sugar. Simmer till veggies are tender. Stir in basil and chilies. Serve over rice.

Sweet Potato Fries

I've always loved french fries. As a kid I was perfectly happy with the bread basket and a side order of fries... probably not the healthiest, but so yummy! Here's a nutritious and delicious take on french fries.

sweet potato fries

Sweet Potato Fries:
1 large sweet potato
1 onion
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
pepper

Peel sweet potato and cut into 'fries' or cubes (depending how you like them). Boil for 5 minutes.
Cut onion into large chunks (if you make them too small they'll burn).

Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over potatoes and onion. Mix well before distributing them evenly on a cookie sheet.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes, flip them, bake another 10 minutes.
Optional sauces: Ketchup, HP or Vegenaise.

Cucumber Tomato Salad

This is a light, fresh side salad perfect for a hot summer day. We served it as a side with corn on the cob and veggie dogs. Tastes best with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden or market.

Cucumber Tomato Salad:

1 cucumber

1 or 2 tomatoes

5 fresh basil leaves

5 chives

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp hemp seeds

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

sea salt

pepper

Chop cucumber, tomatoes, basil leaves, chives & garlic. Mix remaining ingredients, and pour over chopped veggies. Stir and season to your liking. Serve immediately or chilled.

Banana Pancakes

I made these for Levi's 1st birthday. He loved them! They're super easy to make, and they're delicious. I hope to continue to make them a Saturday morning tradition...

banana pancakes served with fresh fruit

Banana Pancakes recipe from Jae Steele's Get it Ripe cookbook

Vegan Mac 'N' Cheese

This is the best vegan Mac 'n' Cheese recipe I've ever tasted. It's super quick to make, and requires no fake cheese. Instead it uses nutritional yeast; an excellent sourse of protein, vitamen B12, and lots of other good stuff. Plus there's broccoli, which lightens a sometimes heavy meal.

Levi loved it... baby approved!

Vegan Mac N' Cheese recipe from Chef Chloe

Vegan Mac 'N' Cheese by Chef Chloe

1 pound elbow macaroni or piccolini

3 cups broccoli florets

¼ cup vegan margarine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)

3 cups soy, almond, or rice milk

½ cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon agave (sweetner found at most health food stores)

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Add broccoli for the last 5 minutes of boiling and let cook until broccoli is fork tender. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, make a roux or paste by whisking the margarine and flour over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add nondairy milk, yeast, tomato paste, salt, and garlic powder to the saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste and stir in lemon juice and agave. Toss the noodles and broccoli with the sauce and serve immediately.

Check out Chef Chloe's web site for more vegan recipes.