No Peanuts About It Cups

Tonight I am experimenting for the holidays.  I made some home-made Nonpeanut butter cups.  I like the name "No Nuts About It Cups"! They are currently in the fridge cooling.  Here's how I made them:

Ingredients:

5+ Tbsp Very Vanilla Soy Milk

4 Tbsp Margarine (Earth's Balance Buttery Sticks or Blue Bonnet Light or Lactose Free both work well in all the baking I've done.  I prefer Earth's Balance, but being on a strict budget we can't always afford it.  Blue Bonnet is 1/4 the price around here.)

1 1/2 bags of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips/Morsels

1/3-1/2 jar of Biscoff Spread

Directions:

1.  Prepare a muffin tin by spraying with nonstick spray.
2. Melt 2 tbsp of margarine over low-medium heat. 
3. Once melted, add in one bag of chocolate morsels. 
4. Slowly cook while stirring.  Do not turn up the heat. Stir constantly until almost all melted. 
5. Add in a soy milk one tablespoon at a time (Or your favorite milk alternative) while stirring until it's very smooth, but still a little thick. You don't want too much milk. 
6. Spoon the chocolate chip mixture into the bottom of the greased cookie tins.  Just enough to cover the bottom. Smooth out with bottom of spoon.
7. Place cookie tin in fridge or freezer.
8. Put saucepan back on burner.  Add in remaining margarine and chocolate chips.  Once chips begin to melt, add in soy milk one tablespoon at a time until it's the desired consistency. 
9. Leave that on low for a minute while you get the muffin tin out of the fridge/freezer.
10. Add in a heaping tablespoon of Biscoff Spread to each tin on top of chocolate. Push down gently with bottom of spoon. (Don't want to mess with it too much.)
11. Top with remaining chocolate chip mixture covering all the Biscoff. 
12. Place in fridge until set.

My verdict: Rich dark chocolate flavor. Too bitter. Next time I think I'll add cut back the chocolate to one bag, use more milk (Probably chocolate soy) and add in some sort of sweetener (Corn syrup?). Stay tuned for take two...  

Cinnamon Rolls

Here is my favorite home-made Cinnamon Roll Recipe:

DOUGH:
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp vegan margarine (Prefer Earth Balance)
3/4 cup nondairy milk

CINNAMON SUGAR MIX:
2 tbsp melted margarine
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

ICING:
1 tsp margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
nondairy milk as needed

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 450. Lightly grease baking sheet. Mix the dry ingredients for the dough. Then add in margarine and milk. Do not overmix.

2. Flour table. Put the dough on it. Flour the dough so it's not sticky. Kneed it a bit. Roll out into a rectangle about 1/4 inche thick.  Coat with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

3. Roll from the long end, forming a tight roll.  When I get close to the other side, I fold it over instead of keep rolling so the cinnamon sugar mix does not all fall out.  Cut rolls about one inch thick or however big or small you want them.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

4. While rolls are baking, make the icing by mixing the icing ingredients together. It comes out more pretty and white with more almond/soy milk and less margarine. I usually play around with the icing, beginning with their recommendations and adding more sugar or more milk as needed. Spread onto rolls while they are still hot.

Strawberry Cake

I made this last year for DH's birthday.

http://adashofsass.com/2009/03/01/homemade-strawberry-cake/
Homemade Strawberry Cake
Adapted from Paula Deen’s Hummingbird Cake
Nonstick vegetable spray
All-purpose flour, for pans
3 cups self-rising flour (To make self rising flour: mix 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 4 1/2 tsp baking powder)
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil (Could also use Magerine or applesauce)
1 1/2 cup pureed strawberries, strained*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 Egg Replacer Eggs
 red food coloring**
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.
- Prepare the cake batter; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pureed strawberries, vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.
- Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
- Frost with your favorite frosting recipe.
*  You can use fresh or frozen strawberries.  If you use frozen, let them defrost on a cookie sheet.  Then place in a food processor and pulse until pureed.

Vegan Corn Muffins

Vegan Corn Muffins: Again I admit this is not my own recipe, but I forgot where I found it...

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 Tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
• 2 T water
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 Cup flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup soy, almond or coconut milk (Coconut milk cooks up lightest, almond makes it more thick).
• 1/4 cup oil, magerine or applesauce (I prefer this with magerine.  Applesauce makes this recipe fat free).

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, wisk egg replacer and water together.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. 
3. Add nondairy milk and corn oil to the mixture and wisk well.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry.  Stir just enough to mix.  
5. Fill greased muffin tins 1/2 to 2/3 full.  
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.

Vegan Cupcakes and Frosting

Okay 1st my disclaimer: These are not my own original recipes.  Sometimes I have messed with the ones I've found elsewhere.  I have collected a binder full of them from many different sources and figured I'd share some that have been a hit.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES:
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup Soy, Almond or Coconut milk (I've found that Chocolate milk of either type makes these taste the best.  Coconut seems to cook up lighter.  Almond milk makes it more thick and chewy.)
• 1 Tsp Cider Vinegar
• 3/4 Cup Sugar (Sugar in the Raw works great, but so would regular sugar)
• 1/3 Cup oil or magerine (I prefer melted magerine)
• 1 Tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 Tsp any other extract (I used more Vanilla)
• 1 Cup flour
• 1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder (This is one place I have found paying a little bit extra for the Hershey's brand really does make it taste so much better.)
• 3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Wisk together non-dairy milk and vinegar in large bowl.  Set aside for a few minutes so it curdles.  Add sugar, oil, vanilla and other extract to soy mixture.  Beat until foamy.  (Mine did not necessarily get "Foamy" but I just beat until well mixed.)
3. In another bowl sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to wet ingredients. Beat until no lumps. 
4. Pour into liners filling 3/4 full.  Bake 18-20 minutes.

VANILLA CUPCAKES:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 Cup Soy or Almond Milk
• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
• 2 1/4 Flour
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 Tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil or magerine (Again as mentioned above the different milks cook up differently)
• 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line 16 cupcake tins
3. In small bowl combine non-dairy milk and lemon juice.  Mixture will curdle. 
4. In large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Set aside.
5. In another bowl wisk non-dairy milk mixture, oil/magerine, and vanilla.  Add wet to dry.
6. Portion into lined tins.  Bake 15-20 minutes. 

VANILLA FROSTING:
I made this all pretty for Christmas by adding in some red and green food coloring in different batches.  For some reason this never comes out right as the recipe says.  It makes it more icing when the kids prefer frosting.  I add in more sugar until I find the consistency right.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons magerine
• 2 Tablespoons Almond Milk
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients.  Add more sugar until you reach the desired consistency.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.

Vegan Brownies

I found this recipe and then changed it up a bit.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups flour
• 2 Cups white sugar or Sugar-in-the-Raw
• 3/4 cups Hershey's Cocoa Powder (This really is so much better than the store brands I used a couple times)
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Cup Almond or Soy Milk (Chocolate comes out the best!)
• 1 Cup Applesauce (Or you can use the same amount of Magerine if you don't care about the fat content)
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 bag of Vegan Carob or Chocolate Chips (Don't have to use the whole bag.  You can use as many as you like)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In large bown stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. 
3. Pour in non-dairy milk, applesauce or magerine and vanilla.  Mix until well blended.  Spread evenly in a 9x13'' baking pan.  
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until top is no longer shiny.  
5. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Pumpkin Pie

This one has been a hit with everyone... even non-vegans!  I make it every Thanksgiving.

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=13464.0
Non-Tofu Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    Healthy oil crust:
    3/4 cup white flour
    1/4 cup whole wheat flour
    2 tablespoons ground flax seed, optional
    2 tablespoons wheat germ, optional
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/3 cup oil
    2-4 tablespoons nondairy milk (I use soymilk)

    Pumpkin filling:
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    1 cup plain nondairy milk (I use soymilk)
    1/4 cup flour
    1/4 cup oil
    1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
    3/4 cup beet sugar (I use raw sugar or brown sugar now that I'm not Vegan anymore)
    1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I just use cinnamon and nutmeg)
    1 teaspoon molasses (I never use this)
    1/4 teaspoon salt   

Directions:

1. For crust, mix together white flour, whole wheat flour, flax seed, wheat germ, and salt.  Mix in oil until completely blended.  Add nondairy mik until mixture holds together; add up to another 2 tablespoons milk.

2. Preheat oven 450 degrees F.  Roll out and place in a pie pan; trim off edges and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. For filling, add lemon juice and non-dairy milk to a measuring cup, and allow to curdle.  In a bowl, mix flour and oil thoroughly.

3. Combine and mix together milk mixture, flour mixture, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, molasses, and salt. Pour filling into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 350 degrees, and bake 40-50 minutes.  Cool and serve.

Serves: 8, Preparation time: 2 hours
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