This is certainly a must to reblog. It looks tasty and beautiful for spring. I would need to make a few alterations due to the change in country but seems easy enough to alter! It also has Tofutti as a main ingredient which is a favorite of mine! I would even consider topping with sliced fruit. Enjoy… Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.
Tag Archives: cream cheese
Ooey Gooey Vegan S’mores Cheesecake Trifle
I joined the Wellness Committee at my work a few months back. I thought it was important to have a truly opposite opinion to the mainstream ideas of health in such a group. One that focused not on conventional “healthy” recipes and ways of being “well” but one that is a little more alternative. I am obviously a vegan but I am also a bit of a hippie and very interested in how wellness is also about being mentally well and taking care of the earth to result in healthy food and a healthy planet. This holiday season we had a Christmas/Holiday/Seasonal get together/luncheon at work. The Wellness Group sponsored it and although it was healthi-er I think we have a long way to go. I must say that I did prepare a not so perfectly healthy trifle for the baking contest so I am as much at fault as anyone on the healthiness of this luncheon. To me this recipe is far from healthy but for the group, I think they will find it the healthiest option on the table with all things considered. Take a look and Happy Holidays! (PS I won the contest!)
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S’mores Cheesecake Trifle
Ingredients:
- 2 packages Vegan Marshmallows
- 2 containers Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
- 2 cans of Coconut Milk (refrigerated overnight or longer to separate)
- 1 cup powdered organic vegan sugar
- 1 squeeze bottle of Breyer’s Hot Fudge Sauce (vegan and sold at Walmart)
- 1 box of Fudge Brownie Mix (Betty Crocker is vegan)
- 2 cans of pureed pumpkin
- 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix (many vegan varieties are available)
- 1 package of graham crackers
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Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Get out (2) medium mixing bowls.
- Get 1 smaller pie pan and 1 regular sized cake pan.
- Get out your trifle container.
- Spray cake and pie pan with Coconut Oil spray or some Pam-type equivalent of canola oil.
- Open cans of coconut milk and slowly remove top layer of coconut milk fat and leave coconut water at the bottom. Try to remove as little wet material as possible. Place in one mixing bowl with cream cheese. Mix until combined well. Sift in powdered sugar with a sieve or squeeze sifter. I use a plastic $1.99 sieve I got at the Chinese grocery store and it works great. No need for anything fancy! Place bowl of cream in refrigerator.
- In second bowl prepare brownie mix with one can of pureed pumpkin. Combine the two until smooth. Place in Pie Pan.
- In the second bowl (do not wipe) add cake mix and 2nd can of pureed pumpkin. Combine well until smooth and place batter in cake pan.
Cooking:
- Place both batters into oven. The cake will take approximately 30 minutes and the brownies will take approximately 50-55 minutes.
- Take squeeze fudge and line the bottom of the trifle bowl. The cake will be going in the bottom and tends to be crumbly. This will give the appearance on the exterior glass of a neat chocolate line while also keeping the moisture of the cake in.
- Next, cut or tear marshmallows in half. This will allow for them to be stuck to the glass and cake when layering.
- When the cake comes out. Take the trifle bowl and press through to the bottom of the pan. This will create a circular indent. Most trifle bowls are smaller on the bottom than the top. That is why you place the cake and not brownie in the bottom. Cake will squish down and together so it will fit despite the slight size difference.
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- Flip the pan over on a wire rack to unlodge from pan and cool.
- Once cool, tear away edges from the circular imprint and press down into the trifle bowl.
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- The fudge will make up for any imperfections. Feel free to add more fudge in a circle on top to finish the layer. Then place a few dots on top of the cake to prepare for marshmallows.
- Press marshmallows up against the glass all around the bowl and then on top of the cake/fudge layer.
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- Take out a creme brulee style kitchen torch and brown the cake layers. Be careful lot to get too close the the glass. Not all glass is heat friendly.
- Fill in holes between marshmallows with some fudge. Then crumble graham crackers on top. I used 1 package from a box. Approximately 8 sheets (you can reserve some for top layer if you want or just use more!).
- Next place 1/3 of the cheesecake cream in the center of the crackers but try to avoid bringing the liquid too close to the edges.
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- Now add the brownie layer once it has been removed from the oven and cooled on a wire rack. You do not need to make a circular cut on this. Simply cut a triangular piece of brownie out of the “pie” and then it will allow for you to fold it into the trifle bowl by almost overlapping the edges where the cut was made. It also allows for you to have a snack 🙂
- Next add the rest of the cheesecake cream and decorate with marshmallows, fudge, and crumbled grahams. I like to line the edge again with marshmallows and place a dollop of fudge between for a nice finish on it 🙂
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- Refrigerate overnight to settle. Serve cold. Enjoy!
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Food is Love.
The Hippie Gypsy
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Check My Recipe Out on Tofutti.com also!
https://twitter.com/tofuttibrand/status/412642439371816960/photo/1
Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup
When I wasn’t vegan and I was applying to law school I worked at a law firm in Quincy, MA near a Panera Bread. My favorite lunch was always a bowl of their signature Broccoli Cheese Soup and a toasted Asiago bagel and an apple. The soup was so decadent and the sharp Asiago smothering the bagel made me just fall into a million pieces. I would’ve eaten this over a filet mignon or fancy lobster dinner (mostly because I never liked either but also because it was that good in my mind). So when I was beginning my ideas for this next week of blogging on soups, stews, and chowders I thought that I really must start off with Broccoli Cheese Soup. I have eaten the broccoli cheese soup in Chef Chloe’s cookbook and it is very good and very healthy but I wanted to make a truly decadent creamy creation that reminded me of that soup near the law firm. So with that I present my version.
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Creamy Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
6 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tbsp vegetable bouillon paste (I use Penzey’s)
1 1/3 cup Daiya Mozzarella Shreds
(1) White Onion
(2) Heads of Broccoli
(6) Small or Baby Carrots
1 qt of Soy Creamer
1/2 cup soy milk
1 cup of water
1/4 cup Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme Sour Cream
Salt
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Prepare the Base:
- Put (2) tablespoons of oil in a pan with salt and (1) onion chopped into rings.
- Sweat the onion on medium heat until very soft and light golden brown. They will naturally start to separate as they heat up, so continue stirring.
- Take 1/2 of the onions out and place in an extra large sauce pan. Add broccoli and 1 tbsp oil and place on medium heat,
- Toss oil, onions, and broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Leave on medium heat.
- Take remaining onions in the frying pan and add 3 tablespoons oil and flour. Stir until it forms a paste.
Cooking down the soup:
- Pour creamer into large sauce pot with broccoli and onion mixture.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Add all remaining ingredients and oil/onion paste except for carrots.
- Stir until broccoli is soft and well combined. The sauce should be thick now and form a film on top if not constantly stirred.
- Take an immersion blender and place in pot allowing the blender to chop and puree the broccoli. You can reserve a few small pieces if you want it a little chunkier.
- Then shred the carrots with a peeler or making matchsticks with a sharp knife and add a few minutes before serving. These should be cooked but slightly crisp.
- Serve hot and Enjoy!
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Serves (7). 1 cup servings. WW Points 11.
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XOXOX,
The Hippie Gypsy
Pistachio Vegan Creme Brulee
When I was a kid we would go to this little Tavern down the street from my house. It was called the North Pond House back then. It was next to North Pond and boasted karaoke and traditional english pub fare. I ate a lot of fish and chips there and regrettably sang a lot of karaoke as a child (which everyone clapped but I am sure it was funnier than it was actually entertaining). For dessert however they had this ice cream called Spumoni which was an Italian layered slice of heaven as far as I was concerned as a kid (I also think this was an 80s dessert because I never see it anymore). I loved the green layer of pistachio. Pistachio ice cream was a luxury that was not in my fridge at home often. We did popsicles at home. So I loved these visits where I could indulge in my pistachio layer of ice cream. It seemed so fancy back then. So when I was testing creme brulee recipes I remembered my fall visits to the pub with the smell of fireplaces and pumpkins and haystacks in front of the doors of the neighborhood near the pond which was cirlced in orange and red leaves. Pistachio creme brulee would be amazing. I said to myself this weekend “Let’s see if we can make it work”. And I did. Enjoy!
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Pistachio Creme Brulee
Ingredients:
- 1/2cup raw cashews
- 1/2cup pistachios
- 1 avocado (skin and seed removed)
- 1/4cup raw agave
- 1/3cup sugar
- 1 1/2teaspoon agar agar powder (this is vegan gelatin powder found in the asian section of the grocery store)
- 1teaspoon arrowroot powder/starch (don’t use cornstarch due to the high heat, arrowroot is better)
- 1 1/4cups Soy Creamer
- 1 heaping tablespoon of Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
- Pinch of Salt
- 1teaspoon allspice
- 1/4teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (I use Penzey’s) (or use almond extract)
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Preparation
Place all ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and mix until smooth. This batter will be quite thick. Consider stirring it with a spatula if needed.
If you do not have a high powered mixer soak cashews and pistachios for at least 4 hours or overnight so that the batter will not be grainy. Also, place half the nuts in at first and the second half after most ingredients have liquified.
Cook
Preheat oven to 375degrees.
Fill a casserole dish with water to go halfway the height of the jars you in tend on placing the brulee mixture in. I have used both mason jars and square ramekins before and both come out well. Then sprinkle each jar bottom with extra pistachios. It’s a fun surprise on the bottom. Also remove metal presses from the jars. They will be so redhot it is better to pop them off now.
Pour batter into each jar allowing a little space so that they do not spill over as the casserole dish will be heavy with all the water in it. You need to be careful not to allow water into the jars.
Cook for at least 30 minutes or until the batter is wiggly but not liquidy and slightly firm on top.
Chill
Take jars out of the water with tongs and place on a towel on a drying rack. Let cool 15 minutes and then transfer into the refrigerator for 2-4hours.
Brulee
After the creme is completely firm and chilled through and you are ready to serve. …Take sugar, sprinkle a good layer on each creme top, and brulee with a hand torch until the sugar bubbles, browns, and quickly hardens.
Serve Immediatly.
Serves 6. WW Points 6.
(PS Any of these can be simply custard without the brulee if you do not have a torch)
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XOXOX,
The Hippie Gypsy
Apple Cheesecake Vegan Creme Brulee
The fall weather has officially started here in Coastal Massachusetts. This weekend I started raking, trimming back trees, turned off the Central Air, and opened up all the windows in my house. The cool air made the sheer window coverings sweep the floors from the wind like a chiffon wedding dress. It was a beautiful weekend. I could smell chocolate chip cookies and ocean air from my deck and I even kicked it off with a trip to the Brimfield Antiques Fair which just screams “Welcome Fall”. Together my mother and I picked up a red rocking horse for my nephew Nolan, a few records for my new record player, a set of silverware that completed a set I had inherited which was just dumb luck!, a buddha painted in reds and blues and gold for my side garden to go just underneath the chimes, and a poster from the 1980’s when a friend of mine ran for office which I will make him sign because it was such a fun find! Who doesn’t love a gigantic yard sale? I would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t have a good time at these events. I then went over to my aunt’s to help her pack up her apartment to move to her dream destination. I am so proud of her. I know she appreciates a good dessert. So this weekend I worked on puddings.
Fall is the time for puddings both warm and cold. There are bread puddings (my mom’s favorite) and the more exciting french puddings like the creme brulee and then there are the puddings I would never eat like black pudding. My favorite has always been a vanilla bean creme brulee with a good crunchy crust and a thick custard filling but not to sweet to offset the brulee. My parents would bring us to brunch on Easter and Mother’s day and I would always run over to make sur ethe hotel had the little ramekins of this dessert. So I tried to replicate it now as a vegan with a few fall fun flavors. This is my first of a series of three I will post this week (all tested and approved by the omnivore husband). They are all easy to prepare (35minutes max) but the cooling process (2hrs min.) causes it to be something you have to make in advance. Since everyone in the office was talking about apple picking on Friday we shall start with apple! Enjoy!
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Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake Creme Brulee
Ingredients:
- 1/2cup raw cashews
- (2) Macintosh Apples Cored, Peeled, Diced
- 1/4cup maple syrup
- 1/3cup sugar
- 1tablespoon agar agar powder (this is vegan gelatin powder found in the asian section of the grocery store)
- 1tablespoon arrowroot powder/starch (don’t use cornstarch due to the high heat, arrowroot is better)
- 1 1/4cups Soy Creamer
- 2 heaping tablespoons of Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
- Pinch of Salt
- 1teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon-1tablespoon Apple Pie Spice (depends on your pallet, I use a little more)
- 1/2teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (I use Penzey’s)
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Preparation
Place all ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
If you do not have a high powered mixer soak cashews for at least 4 hours or overnight so that the batter will not be grainy.
Cook
Preheat oven to 375degrees.
Fill a casserole dish with water to go halfway the height of the ramekins or jars you in tend on placing the brulee mixture in. I have used both mason jars and square ramekins before and both come out well.
Pour batter into each ramekin allowing a little space so that they do not spill over as the casserole dish will be heavy with all the water in it. You need to be careful not to allow water into the ramekins.
Cook for at least 30 minutes or until the batter is wiggly but not liquidy and slightly firm on top.
Chill
Take ramekins out of the water with tongs and place on a towel on a drying rack. Let cool 15 minutes and then transfer into the refrigerator for 2-4hours.
Brulee
After the creme is completely firm and chilled through and you are ready to serve. …Take sugar, sprinkle a good layer on each creme top, and brulee with a hand torch until the sugar bubbles, browns, and quickly hardens.
Serve Immediatly.
Serves 6. WW Points 6.
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XOXOX,
The Hippie Gypsy
Fillo Primavera: Veggie and Cheese Filled Pastries
I love that there are so many types of pastry and dough on the market that are vegan. Mostly because Crisco and Shortening are vegan, not healthy, but vegan none the less. So when I was craving something like a Beef Wellington pastry I thought oooh I bet I could make those with fillo dough, pie dough, Pillsbury Croissant Dough, or even pizza dough! So for my first attempt I didn’t go straight to the Gardein Beef but instead to some veggies and Daiya cheese but please feel free to try these with any type of faux meat, vegetable, cheese, or even fruit! The Farmer’s Markets are brimming with good things lately so I encourage you to experiment with this. Make an eggplant parm fillo or even a butternut squash one with a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar try a dessert fillo with peaches and earth balance , sugar, ginger, and cardamom. Whatever you can imagine will fit perfectly in this dough!
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Fillo Primavera
- 1 box Organic Fillo Dough
- 1 head broccoli
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 block Daiya Havarti Cheese
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Dehydrated Onions
- Olive Oil
- Optional: 1 Container of Victoria Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce or Rao’s Marinara Sauce (Victoria Vegan Alfredo Sauces are available at www.veganessentials.com and Rao’s Sauces are available in most grocery stores including Whole Foods)
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Prepare!
- Chop all veggies into tiny pieces to accommodate the fillo packages that will go in the muffin pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray muffin pans lightly with olive oil.
- Cut fillo dough into squares twice as large as the muffin tin holes.
- Place at least 3 sheets of the fillo dough square into each muffin tin hole.
- Spray dough with olive oil, sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, and Spices.
- Place chopped veggies and crumbled cheese into each fillo muffin.
- Add 1-2 tsp of optional sauces at this time like Victoria Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo or Rao’s Marinara.
- Sprinkle tops with more salt, pepper, and spices.
- Bring excess dough to a point and twist. Spray with olive oil and a sprinkle of finishing salt.
Cook!
- Bake for at least 15minutes or until the dough on top starts to darken and the dough separates from the sides of the muffin tin. It may take longer depending on how dense your cups and what types of ingredients you filled it with.
- Note: Use more fill sheets for juicier fruits and veggies and less for more dense foods like chicken and broccoli.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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XOXOX,
The Hippie Gypsy
Easy BBQ Seitan on Pretzel Rolls
One of my fave things as a kid was getting to grill with my dad in the summer. I would swim in our pool all day and then stand next to my dad in my bathing suit and side pony tail as he would grill hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, brats, and steak tips. Fast forward 25 years and I am vegan. Last year I discovered the Tofurky Beer Brats which taste on point despite a slightly herb hued green in them and are grillable which is amazing because most things (my husband has learned) fall apart on the grill if they are stamped “vegan”. So what about things like ribs and steak tips and BBQ chicken? I have not figured out any grillable options yet but I have 2 very yummy bbq sauce smoky flavored options still that you can cook indoors. One is Morningstar Farms BBQ Riblets which remind me of those school lunch riblet sandwiches without the yucky fat hard chunks in them. This Seitan recipe below though is my smoky sweet version of a bbq chicken sandwich or even a pulled pork sandwich that you can make at home in your kitchen and dream of the summer heat filling your backyard. And it only takes a few minutes to prepare after the rolls are done!
Spring has sprung so let’s make those dreams a reality folks!
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Smoky, Sweet BBQ Seitan on Pretzel Rolls
Ingredients:
Vegan Pretzel Rolls ( I use this recipe by Guy Fieri: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/pretzel-rolls-recipe/index.html )
Organic Vegan BBQ Sauce
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
1 tbsp Agave Nectar or Honey (if you are a vegan that eats honey like me)
1 package West Soy Seitan Strips or Cubes (Strips work better in a sandwich but you can chop the cubes for a “shredded/pulled pork style”)
Olive Oil
Garlic (I use chopped frozen)
Kosher Salt
Pepper
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Place olive oil and 1 tsp of salt in a frying pan over medium heat. Olive oil should thinly cover the bottom of the pan and you can always add more by the teaspoon if you need it. When it bubbles, add seitan and pepper to taste. Then add garlic to taste. I use at least 1/2tbsp. Heat until there are some brown bits forming on the bottom. Then squeeze in a tbsp of agave and 1 tsp of liquid smoke. Toss until well combined. Add BBQ sauce until well covered. Toss lightly and place on warm rolls. Serve hot. Enjoy!
For a Whole Meal: Add the Farro Salad and finish it off with the Fourth of July Trifle we made last year and it will be perfect for a summer party!
Optional Add Ons: Add sliced tomatoes, lettuce, some pickled jalapeno, and melt on Daiya Havarti cheese.
XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy
Top 25 Must Have Vegan Grocery and Pantry Items
Inspired by a recent post I read on “The Kind Life” blog regarding Alicia’s top 20 ingredients (http://thekindlife.com/blog/post/alicia-silverstone-20-vegan-essential-kitchen-ingredients) I decided to place my top 25 grocery/pantry needs:
- Earth Balance Products: Buttery Sticks or Tub Butters/Margarines and their new cheese puffs!
- Organic Soy Milk or Almond: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Plain (I rarely use unsweetened)
- Cashews (Raw)
- Daiya: The havarti blocks are a god send but all of them are great.
- Galaxy Foods Vegan Parmesan (It is the best parm substitute, Parma brand doesn’t taste anything like actual cheese)
- Tofutti Products: I love their sour cream, sliced american cheese, and cream cheese. They are a great go to brand even for ice creams.
- American Flatbread Company: Vegan Harvest Pizza
- Tofurky: Their sliced deli Meats, crumbles like chorizo for tacos, and their grill friendly brats are amazing! You will forget they are fake. The deli meats have a weird odor in the package but on a sandwich it goes away. The chorizo will stain so handle carefully but it tastes just like taco meat.
- Miso Mayo: Dill flavor.
- Veganaise: It tastes like a cross between mayo and deviled eggs.
- Canola and Olive Oils
- 365 Brand Vegan Chocolate Chips: Just like Tollhouses but no milk!
- Flaxseeds: I buy them in a bulk bag and place them in the freezer.
- Nutritional Yeast: You will learn this helps cheesify anything.
- Canned Coconut Milk
- Whole Foods Vegan Sugar
- Beans: black, lentil, navy, garbanzo, and canneloni
- Canned Pumpkin or Squash
- Whole Wheat Pasta
- Farro, Quinoa, or Couscous
- Rao’s Tomato Basil Sauce
- Herbs/Spices: Kosher Salt, Basil, Thyme, Garlic, and Sage Fresh
- Potatoes: All kinds from sweet to purple to russet.
- Kale or Greens
- Canned and Fresh Tomatoes
I shop at my local grocery store for most items but the hard to find things like Daiya and Nutritional Yeast I go to two places: Whole Foods or VeganEssentials.com. Vegan Essentials delivers but requires you to cold ship perishables so check their shipping schedule (right now it is Tuesdays) and the extra cost for the cold packs!
Happy Shopping and Happier Munching!
Thanksgiving Vegan Recipe Testing!
So I spent the weekend doing two things:
1. Testing delcious recipes for Thanksgiving, and
2. Going to PumpkinFest in Keene, NH with my beautifully carved pumpkin that says “Vegan”. Because pumpkins are vegan and I am vegan and pumpkinfest should be too! (And yes I wore shorts in 40-50 degree weather, I am from New England)
So with that cool Autumn Air for inspiration and the smell of fried dough I can’t eat in the air (and a line a mile long that made me grateful I couldn’t) I will give you three of my recipe testing reviews. I made biscuits, butternut squash macaroni, and pumpkin chocolate chip bars. I would also like to note that I had to order some of the stuff online that I needed for these masterpieces (and more that I plan on making) from various sources which is partially why I have been offline. RESTOCKING! My favorite is always www.veganessentials.com because they have almost everything.
BISCUITS!
Let’s start with Mom’s Vegan Kitchen All Purpose Bisquits (http://store.veganessentials.com/vegan-all-purpose-biscuit-mix-by-moms-vegan-kitchen-p3330.aspx).
This is an investment of time. You will need to roll these out twice folding in between and cut that cold soy butter (earth balance) quickly and into small pieces keeping in mind the whole bag is not the serving size directed on the back of the bag for isntructions. They do it based on 2 cups and there are five in the bag.
Next issue, you need to make them as high as possible as they do not rise much. I would also advise adding extra plain soymilk. After they get cool they dry out a little.
Last issue, my husband said they were too salty once you add butter and applied marmalade instead to contract with sweetness. They were delcious but had to stay warm or they got dry and a little hard. I added homemade hash browns for him (diced russet potatoes, earth balance, bell peppers, onions, and salt/pepper) and he was happy.
What about you folks? Too salty? Better way to make them moist? How about a different brand? Should I try the Joy of Vegan Baking recipe next time?
NEXT….
Butternut Squash Macaroni
Recipe from Whole Foods: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2349?utm_source=email&utm_medium=Grocery&utm_term=Vegan&utm_content=Recipe&utm_campaign=2012_10_03_Recipes
I got this recipe in my inbox and the picture looked amazing so I was in! This makes your whole house smell like thanksgiving and is relatively simple to make. I call it a dump and go. You dump most of the ingredients into your cooking pots and pans and heat. There is chopping of the squash involved but I am sure there is a way to buy it pre-chopped. However, I happened to have a whole squash from a friend’s CSA that she got too many of. Score for me!
My suggestions: Use any nut you want. I used pecans because that is what I had in the house. Nest, don’t use panko breadcrumbs. Go for a hearty breadcrumb or even a stuffing on top. It needs the saltyness. Mine was way undersalted despite salting everything individually. I swear coconut milk eats up salt magically!
Overall: This came out delicious. If I weren’t vegan I would still eat it. You can make it into a casserole and add faux chicken and other veggies and top it with stuffing and make it the yummiest Thanksgiving side dish ever. I love this recipe with my whole heart!
TELL ME HOW YOU MAKE OUT WITH A DIFFERENT BREADCRUMB!
NEXT…..
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Recipe: www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com
First if you haven’t heard of Mavis and her goal to only spend $100 a month on groceries while growing the rest in her 1 acre yard in the great Northwest, well you need to! I look forward to her blog and its insights, hilarity, coupons, and guidance each night. She posts recipes for all types omnis to vegans. She has her own chickens, gardens, bartering neighbors, and nicknames for all. I love to read about how her life is and what it is like to be an urban farmer in essence while being green and thrifty. But I love it most when she shares her vegan recipes from her garden of goodies!
This week was pumpkin chocolate chip bars.
The good: They are sweet and yummy and you can portion them out in muffin tins.
The bad: My husband ate almost all the chocolate chips (365 vegan semi-sweet) so I had to sub 2/3 of them for pecans.
The ugly: I am on Weight Watchers and I can’t eat them all! However the hubby has eaten three (3) in less than 12 hours and we were sleeping for most of that.
Tricks? If you don’t ave pumpkin pie spice, use the canned pumpkin pie mix instead of pure pumpkin because it is literally the pure pumpkin with the spice. Time saver!
TOO SWEET? TOO PUMPKIN-Y? RECIPES CHANGES YOU SUGGEST?
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So… I will be back at the end of this week with some more recipes for your holiday needs. I keep promising to post my spinach artichoke recipe and I WILL! I finally found where I wrote it our for a friend so it will go up on here as well. I also made a fabulous everyday sundried tomato cream sauce last night and I may have to post that as well. It was super quick to make and I loved it. My husband however just broke the news to me last night that he prefers marinara so I won’t have an omnivore take on this one! He does love my apple caramel pies though so I will place that up with it.
Happy Herbivore Eating Everyone! Keep it hip and take it with you!
XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy
Thanksgiving Vegan Recipe Testing!
So I spent the weekend doing two things:
1. Testing delcious recipes for Thanksgiving, and
2. Going to PumpkinFest in Keene, NH with my beautifully carved pumpkin that says “Vegan”. Because pumpkins are vegan and I am vegan and pumpkinfest should be too! (And yes I wore shorts in 40-50 degree weather, I am from New England)
So with that cool Autumn Air for inspiration and the smell of fried dough I can’t eat in the air (and a line a mile long that made me grateful I couldn’t) I will give you three of my recipe testing reviews. I made biscuits, butternut squash macaroni, and pumpkin chocolate chip bars. I would also like to note that I had to order some of the stuff online that I needed for these masterpieces (and more that I plan on making) from various sources which is partially why I have been offline. RESTOCKING! My favorite is always www.veganessentials.com because they have almost everything.
BISCUITS!
Let’s start with Mom’s Vegan Kitchen All Purpose Bisquits (http://store.veganessentials.com/vegan-all-purpose-biscuit-mix-by-moms-vegan-kitchen-p3330.aspx).
This is an investment of time. You will need to roll these out twice folding in between and cut that cold soy butter (earth balance) quickly and into small pieces keeping in mind the whole bag is not the serving size directed on the back of the bag for isntructions. They do it based on 2 cups and there are five in the bag.
Next issue, you need to make them as high as possible as they do not rise much. I would also advise adding extra plain soymilk. After they get cool they dry out a little.
Last issue, my husband said they were too salty once you add butter and applied marmalade instead to contract with sweetness. They were delcious but had to stay warm or they got dry and a little hard. I added homemade hash browns for him (diced russet potatoes, earth balance, bell peppers, onions, and salt/pepper) and he was happy.
What about you folks? Too salty? Better way to make them moist? How about a different brand? Should I try the Joy of Vegan Baking recipe next time?
NEXT….
Butternut Squash Macaroni
Recipe from Whole Foods: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2349?utm_source=email&utm_medium=Grocery&utm_term=Vegan&utm_content=Recipe&utm_campaign=2012_10_03_Recipes
I got this recipe in my inbox and the picture looked amazing so I was in! This makes your whole house smell like thanksgiving and is relatively simple to make. I call it a dump and go. You dump most of the ingredients into your cooking pots and pans and heat. There is chopping of the squash involved but I am sure there is a way to buy it pre-chopped. However, I happened to have a whole squash from a friend’s CSA that she got too many of. Score for me!
My suggestions: Use any nut you want. I used pecans because that is what I had in the house. Nest, don’t use panko breadcrumbs. Go for a hearty breadcrumb or even a stuffing on top. It needs the saltyness. Mine was way undersalted despite salting everything individually. I swear coconut milk eats up salt magically!
Overall: This came out delicious. If I weren’t vegan I would still eat it. You can make it into a casserole and add faux chicken and other veggies and top it with stuffing and make it the yummiest Thanksgiving side dish ever. I love this recipe with my whole heart!
TELL ME HOW YOU MAKE OUT WITH A DIFFERENT BREADCRUMB!
NEXT…..
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Recipe: www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com
First if you haven’t heard of Mavis and her goal to only spend $100 a month on groceries while growing the rest in her 1 acre yard in the great Northwest, well you need to! I look forward to her blog and its insights, hilarity, coupons, and guidance each night. She posts recipes for all types omnis to vegans. She has her own chickens, gardens, bartering neighbors, and nicknames for all. I love to read about how her life is and what it is like to be an urban farmer in essence while being green and thrifty. But I love it most when she shares her vegan recipes from her garden of goodies!
This week was pumpkin chocolate chip bars.
The good: They are sweet and yummy and you can portion them out in muffin tins.
The bad: My husband ate almost all the chocolate chips (365 vegan semi-sweet) so I had to sub 2/3 of them for pecans.
The ugly: I am on Weight Watchers and I can’t eat them all! However the hubby has eaten three (3) in less than 12 hours and we were sleeping for most of that.
Tricks? If you don’t ave pumpkin pie spice, use the canned pumpkin pie mix instead of pure pumpkin because it is literally the pure pumpkin with the spice. Time saver!
TOO SWEET? TOO PUMPKIN-Y? RECIPES CHANGES YOU SUGGEST?
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So… I will be back at the end of this week with some more recipes for your holiday needs. I keep promising to post my spinach artichoke recipe and I WILL! I finally found where I wrote it our for a friend so it will go up on here as well. I also made a fabulous everyday sundried tomato cream sauce last night and I may have to post that as well. It was super quick to make and I loved it. My husband however just broke the news to me last night that he prefers marinara so I won’t have an omnivore take on this one! He does love my apple caramel pies though so I will place that up with it.
Happy Herbivore Eating Everyone! Keep it hip and take it with you!
XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy
The Hippie Gypsy 
