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 

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.

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.

Summer Salad

A nice, yummy salad you can make when you've got lots of fresh veggies in the fridge.

summer salad; season to your liking

Summer Salad

Tomato

Cucumber (I used Lebanese)

Sunflower sprouts

Carrots - grated

Cilantro

Sesame seeds

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Dijon

Sea salt

Pepper

Date Sweet Potato Muffins (Vegan)

Frances made these muffins for our 9th anniversary party at the studio. They were so good we were all asking her for the recipe. I finally got around to making them yesterday. They are delicious and nutritious! It makes a big batch of 20 muffins... since I only have one muffin tray, I cut the recipe in half.

delicious & nutritious

Date Sweet Potato Muffins

Wet Ingredients:

4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sunflower oil

Add to the wet ingredients: 

3/4 cup unbleached cane sugar
1 cup chopped dates

Dry Ingredients: 

3 cups spelt flour (or regular flour)
1 3/4 cups oats
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups cooked sweet potatoes, cubed

Directions: 

1 Preheat oven to 375.
2 Combine the wet ingredients (mashed bananas and sunflower oil) in a bowl. Add the cane sugar and chopped dates. Set aside.
3 Combine the dry ingredients.
4 Bake at 375 for about 18 or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5 It's normal for these to appear crispy and golden on top. That does not mean they are overcooked. The crispy top is part of what makes them so delicious!

Recipe from www.food.com

Homemade Végépâté

In one of my past posts I wrote about Fontaine Sante's yummy végépâté. I also mentioned that I hadn't found a good végépâté recipe. A friend of ours sent us this one, so I tested it out. It's quiet different from the store bought one, but still super tasty and extra healthy since it's homemade. There's a lot of grating required; I used an old food processor that my Mom gave me that has a grater option, so it was quick and easy. Best part is it makes a lot! We go through the store bought one in a couple of days, this recipes makes about 4 times as much.

homemade Végépâté - one quarter of the recipe

Végépâté
½ cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
2/3 cup nutritional yeast
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sunflower oil (don’t use olive or other, as it will affect the flavour)
1 carrot, grated
1 potato, grated
1 stalk celery, grated
2 onions, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
4 tblsp tamari
2 tblsp lemon juice
pinch of thyme
pinch of basil
½ cup hot water

Grate all vegetables into a bowl, add other ingredients except the water, and stir well.

When all ingredients are well mixed, gradually add hot water, little by little, stirring well in between each addition.
Bake uncovered in oiled square 8x8” pan @350ºF for 45 minutes.
Allow to cool and refrigerate.