Whenever we travel, we take Tasty Bites’s Jodphur Lentils along just in case there is no vegan food available. We think they are really tasty for a packaged food, but they are expensive, and single serve, so I set out to replicate them. I’m very pleased with what I came up with.

– Linda Nelson

Jodphur Dhal

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow split peas sorted and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion diced
1 teaspoon cumin
2 whole cloves

Directions:

Add the split peas, vegetable broth, turmeric, salt, and cayenne to a stock pot, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to allow the peas to simmer, and loosely cover the pot. Cook for up to 40 minutes or until the peas are soft and mushy. How much the peas should cook depends on what you like.

While the peas are cooking, melt the vegan butter in a skillet, and add the onion, garlic, cumin, and cloves. Cover and cook until the onions are soft checking the heat often so as not to burn them. It took me about 10 minutes.

When the peas are soft, add the onion mixture. Serve over rice or serve as a soup. I couldn’t wait for lunch today so I had them for breakfast! Yum!

My thanks to my wonderful friend and fellow board TCA board member Linda James for the gift of the beautiful bowl! It matches the dhal perfectly.

There are thousands of vegan banana bread recipes out there, but I think this one is going to be a fast favorite of ours. Feel free to replace the bourbon with rum, apple juice, or non-dairy milk, if you prefer.

– Linda Nelson

Bourbon Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegan butter (check out the recipe at our website)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray or oil an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.

Cream the vegan butter and sugar together. Add the mashed bananas, bourbon, and lime juice, and blend until all is smooth.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and mix into the banana mixture. Add nuts/

Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Check at 45 minutes. If the top is getting too browned, place a tent of foil over the pan for the last bit of baking. The bread is done when a knife comes out clean.

Adapted from Cheers to Vegan Sweets by Kelly Peloza.

(To all those who have been waiting for this recipe, thanks for your patience. A certain baby pig is slowing me down!)

It is always fun to create something new in the kitchen! I’ve been hearing so much about cranberry walnut pie that I decided I had to try one myself, and I’m very glad I did.

Most of the recipes I looked at on line had so much sugar they made my teeth ache just to read through the ingredient list. I’ve reduced the sugar by half, and it really allows a tart burst of flavor from the cranberries.

– Linda Nelson

Cranberry Walnut Pie

Ingredients:

homemade double pie crust or a vegan commercial brand
1 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped (I used my food processor to chop)
1 cup walnuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
zest of one orange
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup melted vegan butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Line a pie plate with the bottom crust. Mix the chopped cranberries, walnuts, orange zest, brown sugar, flour and melted butter in a medium bowl.

Scoop the filling into the pie crust, and top with a lattice crust or a well vented top crust. Crimp or flute the top and bottom crusts together.

Cover the edges with foil or with a silicon pie crust edge cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil or edge cover, and bake until the top and edges are golden.

Are you looking for a quick and easy item to bring to tomorrow’s gathering?

This No Egg Nog is sure to be appreciated for Thanksgiving dinner or for any time during the holiday season, and it takes minutes to make.

No Egg Nog

Ingredients:
5 cups vanilla non dairy milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup amaretto
1/3 cup whiskey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or the scrapings from one vanilla bean

Whir until frothy in a blender, and decorate with nutmeg.

By request, I’m posting this Caramelized Onion Tart Recipe. This is very decadent, and delicious, and would add to any holiday gathering.

It can be served warm or at room temperature so it is the perfect dish to bring to an event.

– Linda Nelson

Caramelized Onion Tart

For the crust:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening ( I make my own with the vegan
baking .net recipe)
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Whisk the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening. Make sure to chill it before you begin! Add 3 tablespoons of the ice water pressing the shortening against the bottom of the bowl. Add additional tablespoons of water one at a time until the dough forms together. Roll into a bowl, flatten, and put in the fridge until the tart ingredients are ready.

For the topping;
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 to 4 cloves minced garlic
2 large sweet onions or 3 medium sliced into thin, half moons
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

To make the topping: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and pepper flakes over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic! Add the onions and cook and stir, cook and stir until they are brown and sweet to the taste. It will take you about twenty minutes. If they cook too fast, they will burn. Add the salt as they dry out since this will release more moisture. When they are done, set them aside.

To make the filling:
8 ounces non-dairy cream cheese at room temp.
6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons fresh, finely chopped basil or 2 teaspoons dried.

Stir the ingredients together until creamy and smooth.

Roll out the pie crust and place it in your pan. Spread the filling over the crust, and spread the onions over that. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes.

I served mine with homemade mango chutney. This is very rich!

adapted from Pies and Tarts with Heart.

If you’re looking for an easy recipe idea to whip up when those extra relatives are in town, this may do it. It would be equally good served for brunch or as dessert, and I think it would be rather irresistible with a dollop of vegan cashew cream or coconut cream on top.

– Linda Nelson

Noggy Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

6 cups cubed French bread (I used a whole wheat baguette.)
2 1/4 cups non-dairy nog (You can use a commercial brand or make your own at home. I’ll post my homemade recipe soon.)
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons rum extract
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon, and more for sprinkling on the top
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Grease an 8 inch baking dish, and preheat the oven to 350.

Whisk the corn starch with the maple syrup and rum extract until smooth in a big bowl, and then add the non dairy nog.

Add the bread cubes to the mixture above, and wait until the cubes are softened and the liquid is absorbed.

Fold in the almonds and raisins along with the nutmeg and cinnamon. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until it is golden and firm.

Feel free to substitute other nuts or dried fruits for the almonds and raisins.

Your kitchen will smell heavenly so you might not want to make this once you’d like your guests to leave!