This recipe for Pumpkin Dip is for those times when you crave Pumpkin Cheesecake or pie, but you just don’t want the mess or the time in the kitchen.

It is ready in minutes, and there are so many ways to enjoy it Try it with vegan graham crackers or cookies, apple slices, or on pumpkin pancakes. My favorite way to eat it is to stir a big dollop of it into my morning oatmeal with a few toasted pecans.

– Linda Nelson

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients:

1 can pumpkin puree (do not use pumpkin pie mix.)
1 container vegan cream cheese
sweetener of your choice in the quantity of your choice (I’ve used brown sugar, powdered sugar, and maple syrup at different times. Please remember that if you use, a liquid sweetener, your dip will be considerably thinner. Start with 1/4 cup, taste, and go from there. I don’t like this very sweet, but you may want it sweeter. Taste as you go to find what you like best.)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon (feel free to add more or less of the spices)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Stir it all together, or whir it in a food processor until it is smooth. Chill, or not, and get your pumpkin fix!

Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and a wedge of shortbread sometime soon?

This recipe is really quite easy and the variations are endless.

– Linda Nelson

Vegan Rosewater Shortbread

1 cup vegan butter (you can find our simplified version on our website)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rosewater (the original recipe called for 1
teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 1/2 teaspoons rosewater, but I thought that was too subtle)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a 10 inch shallow tart pan with a removable bottom. I use my own shortbread pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer or use a stand mixer. Beat the mixture for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides often. Stir in the extract and rosewater.
3. Sift the flour and cornstarch together. Add half of this to the beaten butter mixture. Initially, mix it in with a rubber spatula so the flour doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Use your mixer to beat it in until mostly combined, and then add the rest. Keep mixing until all of the flour mixture is incorporated and the dough is crumbly, soft, and moist.
4. Place the dough in the prepared pan and distribute evenly. I use my fingers to firmly press the dough down so that the dough holds together. Make sure to press the dough into the fluted edges of the tart pan, of using, and if you’re using a pan like mine, make sure to press hard so as to assure the pretty designs.
5. Use a fork to gently poke into the dough at even intervals, sinking tines in about halfway. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet in the center of the oven rack and bake 30 to 32 minutes until the shortbread is slightly puffed and the edges are starting to turn pale gold. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wooden cutting board. Sprinkle with sugar and let cool for 15 minutes.
6. Use a thin, sharp knife to slice the warm shortbread into twelve wedges. Place the entire pan on a wire rack and allow it to cool at least another 30 minutes before removing the wedges from the pan. Store completely cooled shortbread in an airtight container. If you have a pan like mine, the last steps of scoring with a fork, and cutting into wedges is unnecessary. The shortbread just pops out and the little rectangles can then be cut easily.

This shortbread is a great cookie for sending through the mail to friends and family.

Adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

We can’t get enough of fall around here. And what better way to celebrate the season than by combining two of its most essential staples: hot cocoa and pumpkin pie? This spicy scone has just a hint of chocolate, so if you’re a real chocoholic, you might consider adding some extra chocolate chips, or replacing the brown sugar dusting with some chocolate shavings.

– Rosemary Van Kleeck

Marbled Hot Cocoa & Pumpkin Spice Scones
[Makes 8 scones.]

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar for sprinkling
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons maple syrup granules (optional; can also use maple extract, adding at the same time as vanilla)
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup hot water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Lightly grease a scone pan or a baking sheet for drop scones. Measure out the soy milk in a large measuring cup and add the vinegar to it. Whisk and set aside to curdle. After the milk has curdled, add pumpkin and stir well.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, white sugar, spices, and maple granules. Add the coconut oil in small clumps, then use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut it into the flour until the dough texture becomes pebble-like. Create a well in the center and add the soy milk mixture, oil, and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until about half of the flour is incorporated. Mix again until all the ingredients are just moistened, taking care not to overmix. A couple of dry-looking spots are fine. Remove 1/3 of the batter and set aside.

Mix cocoa powder with hot water, stirring well until there are no clumps. Add to set-aside batter, stirring until fully mixed.

Add the hot cocoa batter back to the original batter. Swirl lightly with a knife to achieve marble pattern.

Distribute batter evenly in scone pan, or scoop ~1/4 cup portions onto a baking sheet for drop scones. Dust the tops of the scones lightly with brown sugar, then bake for 18-22 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and firm. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least ten minutes before removing from pan.

Lime is to me as chocolate is to most people, so I really feel excited to share this recipe with you! What is more tart, tangy, and refreshing than fresh lime?

– Linda Nelson

Vegan Lime Curd

Ingredients:

1 cup lime juice (please use fresh squeezed juice; it makes a huge difference!)
2 cups organic/vegan granulated sugar
zest of two or three limes
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup cornstarch mixed with 3/4 cup warm water (please mix very well so there are no lumps)

Directions:

Mix the lime juice and the sugar in a pot, and stir constantly as it comes to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat as soon
as boiling starts to medium, add the zest and butter, and stir as the butter melts.

Slowly stir in the cornstarch and water mixture, and stir until the mixture thickens. When it reaches the point where it thickly coats the spoon, you’re done.

I canned mine, but there is no need to do so. This will make 24 ounces so you may want to give some to a friend. Refrigerate your curd, and use up in a week or ten days.

I use lime curd inside cupcakes, on waffles, toast, pound cake, or ice cream. Sometimes I just eat it straight from a jar with a spoon! Death by lime, anyone?

Our cat Nandi wonders whether I’ve made this curd for him.

Though it is possible to buy vegan Worcestershire sauce, I much prefer to make my own. It is both less expensive and fresher, and it is easy to make, too.

I use this sauce as an ingredient in my BBQ sauce and in many other dishes where a spiky dash of flavor is wanted.

– Linda Nelson

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce, or use tamari to make this gluten free
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground yellow mustard seed or dry mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about twenty minutes, or until it has been reduced by about half. This need not be exact! Once it has reduced, strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, and pour it into a jar. Allow it to cool, and store in the refrigerator. It will last about three months.

Thanks to Martha Stewart for the inspiration!

Gluten free friends, this one is for you! We will also have plenty of gluten free choices at our BIG Bake Sale on October 4th at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro. We’re aiming to please!

I grew up outside of Buffalo, New York where orange chocolate is a very popular treat. I thought I’d recreate that taste in a scone. I’m pretty happy with the results.

– Linda Nelson

Orange Chocolate Chip Gluten-Free Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten free flour (or all purpose flour, if you aren’t worried about gluten)
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (leave it out, if you are using all purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons vegan butter or solid coconut oil (make sure your butter or coconut oil is cold and cut up into cubes)
1 cup coconut milk from a can
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup fair trade, vegan chocolate chips (I use Equal Exchange)
if you want an extra orangey taste and aroma, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425.

Whisk the flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, and sugar together in a bowl. With two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter or solid coconut oil into the flour mixture just as you would when making pie crust. Cut until you have pea sized crumbs. Stir in the coconut milk and the extract, if you are using it, and fold in the orange zest and chocolate chips soon after. There is no need to mix this too smoothly. Just stir until the flour mixture is incorporated.

Lightly oil a scone pan, or oil or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. If using a scone pan, drop equal amounts of the dough into the sections. If using a cookie sheet, pat the dough into a circle, and cut it into six or eight wedges using a pizza cutter or a knife. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are lightly browned.

Cool on a baking rack for about ten minutes, and add a glaze of 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and one to three teaspoons of orange juice. Drizzle all over the scone tops, and eat and share!

There’s just something about fresh scones. Once we got a basic scone recipe down, the possible variations became endless. Our newest creation, and possibly new favorite, is this fresh fig and chocolate chip scone. If you have leftover figs and some hungry rescued chickens, fresh figs are a favorite with our feathered friends as well!

– Rosemary Van Kleeck

Fig Chocolate Chip Scones
[Makes 8 scones.]

Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar (+ optional 2 tablespoons brown sugar for sprinkling)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh figs (we used black missions)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Lightly grease a scone pan or a baking sheet for drop scones. Measure out the milk in a large measuring cup and add the vinegar to it. Whisk and set aside to curdle.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, nutmeg, and chocolate chips. Add the coconut oil in small clumps, then use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut it into the flour until the dough texture becomes pebble-like. Create a well in the center and add the milk mixture, oil, and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until about half of the flour is incorporated. Mix again until all the ingredients are just moistened, taking care not to overmix. A couple of dry-looking spots are fine.

Carefully fold in chopped figs.

Distribute batter evenly in scone pan, or scoop ~1/4 cup portions onto a baking sheet for drop scones. Dust the tops of the scones lightly with brown sugar, then bake for 18-22 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and firm. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least ten minutes before removing from pan.

So many world cuisines use plants in such interesting and delicious ways. Ethiopian dishes are among my favorites.

This Ethiopian cabbage dish is comfort food at its best. Try it; it may become a favorite at your house, too.

– Linda Nelson

Ethiopian Cabbage

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
water as needed

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot, and soften the carrots and onions for about five minutes. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and turmeric along with the cabbage. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the carrots are softened. I have radically reduced the oil called for in the original recipe so you may need to add small amounts of water to keep the mixture from sticking or scorching. Keep an eye on it!

Add the potatoes, and cook covered for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are cooked through. Again, it may be necessary to add some water.

Adapted from all recipes.com

*Warning* This sandwich is extremely addicting. I have already eaten four of them in the last two days! … and the night is still young!

– Rosemary

Thai Fusion Sandwich

Ingredients (makes 2):

2 dried Thai chili peppers (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried orange peel or 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon agave nectar
4 oz tempeh, cut into thin slices
French baguette
2-4 tablespoons Vegenaise (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (to taste)
juice of 1/2 lime

Directions:

Tempeh: Add toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, orange peel, agave, and Thai chili peppers to a frying pan or cast iron skillet. Heat until warm. Add sliced tempeh, making sure to coat on both sides with oil mixture. Sautée on medium heat for several minutes (about 2-4) on each side until lightly browned.

Remove from heat while you prepare the rest of the sandwich.

Sandwich: Cut baguette into six-inch segments. Slice two in half lengthwise. Layer lettuce and cilantro on the bottom half of the baguette (if you love cilantro as much as I do, you can jettison the lettuce altogether). Mix Vegenaise with chipotle chili powder in small bowl and then spread desired amount on top half of baguette.

Layer tempeh on top of the lettuce and cilantro. (Leave the chili peppers in the pan!) Squeeze lime juice onto the tempeh and close the sandwich. Enjoy!