Jen's Yummy Muffins

Vegan Carrot-Zucchini-Apple Pecan Raisin Oat Bran Muffins

Dry ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat bran (I use Red Mill Oat Bran cereal)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Wet ingredients:

1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 large zucchini, finely grated

Add-ins:

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (can skip toasting if in a hurry)
1 cup raisins
2 apples (Fuji, pink lady, honeycrisp), peeled and chopped

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine. Mix in pecans and raisins.  Spray muffin tins with canola oil, drop 1/3 cup batter into each one. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen.

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

I combined a vegan cupcake recipe with my favorite nonvegan pumpkin recipe.

Dry:
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wet:
3 TBs molasses
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 TB vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately with whisk.  Combine by folding together until smooth. Bake at 350 for 15- 20 min. Add chic chips if desired.

Veggie Bake Casserole with Cashew Cauliflower sauce (Vegan)

I modified this from a vegetarian times recipe.  It was so good, I'm planning to use the sauce as a vegan scalloped potatoes dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Keeper!

1 head cauliflower (steamed 15 minutes until tender)

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups veggie broth

1/2 - 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked in water for several hours

1 TB fresh chopped thyme

2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional) 

salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions in olive oil until translucent, add garlic and sauté 1- 2 minutes more.  Combine all above ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy.  Adjust salt and pepper.

Now layer with veggies, sauce and fresh herbs into a casserole dish.

Veggies I used:

4 zucchinis, sliced thin lengthwise

3 smallish potatoes, sliced thin

1 large sweet potatoes, sliced thin

1 bag baby green beans, ends removed, chopped into thirds approx. 

(The original recipe called for fresh butternut squash.  I also considered mushrooms.  I think you could use a variety of veggies.)

Herbs:

1 bunch scallions, chopped with white and green parts

3 TBS finely chopped chives

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

So layer as follows: zucchini, sauce, herbs, potatoes, sauce, herbs, green beans, sauce, herbs, sweet potatos, sauce.  

Bake at 350 for 1 hour, covered with tinfoil.  

Remove tinfoil, top with 1 package sliced almonds and sprinkles of dried minced onion. Continue baking 10 min.

Let cool 15 min before serving. 

Pumpkin spaghetti sauce (vegan)

I have succumb to the pumpkin craze!

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp olive oil

Saute until fragrant.

1 can pumpkin puree

1 jar TJ's roasted red peppers, chopped

1/2 cup soymilk

3 TBS TJ's pumpkin butter

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine or food processed

salt and pepper to taste

Simmer to combine flavors.  Serve over spaghetti.

Gingered rice and fruit salad (Vegan)

This is from an old photocopy in my mom's cookbook, sorry don't know the original source!

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

3 stalks celery, diced
6 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, diced
1 cup cashews, roughly chopped

Sauce:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp curry powder
1 TBSP fresh grated ginger

Whisk together and pour over salad, mix throughly.  If you want to keep it in fridge for a few days keep the cashews separate and add them as you eat the salad so they don't get soft.

          

Samosa Mash (Vegan)

This one I made up to try to get it to taste like the inside of a samosa.  Apologies to anyone who actually knows how to make samosas.

2 lbs of organic red potatoes, with eyes cut out but skins on, cut into large cubes
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes

Boil these together until soft (10 min)

1 onion, diced
1 TBSP canola oil

Saute until soft.

1 garlic clove, minced

Add to onion when cooked and cook for 1 min more.

1 package soft tofu or soy ground crumbles (optional)
1 package pre-cooked lentils (Trader Joe's) or lentils that you've pre-cooked yourself

Add these to pan. Now season with the following (measurements are very very approximate)
3 TBSP garam masala
1 TBSP ground ginger
1TBSP ground coriander
1/4 tsp red chili pepper
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp whole coriander seeds (this is optional, I like the pop of these whole seeds, some people don't)

1/2 package frozen spinach.  Add this to the potatoes when they are soft, just to defrost.  Drain potatoes and and spinach and mash into lentil-tofu mixture.

Serve with mint chutney or major grey's mango chutney (both available at Dan's Market) and your choice of fresh veggies.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

I have finally perfected this.

1 cup oat bran (hot) cereal (Hodgson mill), uncooked, just straight from the package
1 can chickpeas, drained well
2 tsp vanilla
4 TB (60g) almond butter
1/4 cup applesauce or coconut cream
1/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup

Process in food processor.
Then pour mixture to a mixing bowl and add the following:

1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/4 cup whole oats, whirled in the cusinart to flour
1/2 package mini vegan choc chips
2 TB raw turbinado sugar
1/4 cup whole oats

Divide into 32 scoops, can put in mini muffin tin.  Freeze.  Thaw 1 or 2 at a time and microwave for a special treat.  2 points per scoop.  Can serve with soy or coconut ice cream.