recipe

Scottish Oatcakes

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When Alan and I were in Scotland, we tried the vegan haggis, had a great gourmet vegan dinner in Edinburgh, and otherwise ate our weight in Scottish oatcakes that we found in a tiny corner store. We couldn’t believe our luck when we read the ingredients and found they were vegan!

I was determined to find them when we returned, but all the commercial brands in this country have animal ingredients or palm oil. So I determined to make my own.

Here is the recipe I came up with. Start them at least eight hours before you want to eat them because they do have to sit to soften.

– Linda Nelson

Scottish Oatcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups steel cut oats (I put them in my food processor to grind them down before beginning the recipe. Some texture is nice, but the cakes won’t hold together if you don’t take this step.)
1/2 cup spelt flour, whole wheat flour, or oat flour (just whir old fashioned oats in your processor or blender to make the flour)
1/4 cup vegan buttermilk (just add 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to soy milk, and allow to sit for a few minutes)
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup melted vegan butter (or use coconut oil)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Mix the oats and flour with the vegan buttermilk and hot water in a medium bowl. Cover, and leave on the counter overnight or enough time to have the ingredients soften.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 325. Mix the melted vegan butter, salt, and baking soda into the softened oat/flour mixture. Use your hands to mix into a dough that holds together. If it is too dry, add a tablespoon of buttermilk or soy milk.

Flour the counter, and flatten the dough before rolling it out to 1/4 inch thick. Use a mason jar or a biscuit cutter to cut out circles. Place 1/2 inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.

Bake for 20 or 25 minutes until golden.

These are equally good served with a cup of tea and a spread of jam for breakfast or with mango chutney and a cold beer for an evening snack.

They are a pretty versatile and healthy snack providing plenty of fiber.

Black Bean Hummus

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Though there are those who would have you think that vegans only eat sticks, stones, and hummus, that is no reason not to enjoy this spicy and delicious food!

– Linda Nelson

Black Bean Hummus

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can black beans
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt (or leave it out)
1/4 cayenne pepper
reserved liquid from beans
2 cloves garlic or to taste (I happen to live with a garlic fiend so I double the garlic. We will have no need to fear vampires!)

Directions:

Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor, or chop by hand. Add all ingredients to the food processor or a blender except the reserved liquid. Process or blend until smooth. We like it with more texture, but choose what suits you. Add up to 3 tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid until you get the right consistency.

Scrape into a bowl and garnish with smoked paprika and Greek olives.

Lavender Mint Tea Cookies

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Now that we have profiled both lavender and mint for gardening, I wanted to offer the recipe for these tender little cookies.

– Linda Nelson

Lavender Mint Tea Cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegan butter (check out the easy recipe on our website)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons mint leaves, finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons culinary grade lavender (you can dry your own or purchase it)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl or a stand mixer cream together the vegan butter and oil. Add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup portions so it doesn’t fly, and beat the mixture until smooth and airy.

Add lime juice, vanilla, chopped mint, and lavender, and mix until all is incorporated.

Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix until smooth. Drop by the tablespoon onto a parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheet, and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.

Transfer to a rack to cool. Enjoy!

Adapted from Cheers to Vegan Sweets by Kelly Peloza.

Chicken Little Bread Rolls

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I just veganized an old Betty Crocker recipe to make these little bird breads. This is a great first yeast bread recipe for kids or for those of us who have been afraid of yeast for too long. It is easy and fun to come up with our own little creations!

– Linda Nelson

Chicken Little Rolls
(or bread or rolls shaped into your favorite animal)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 (2 1/4 teaspoons) package quick acting active dry yeast
1/3 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 egg equivalent of egg replacer
raisins or seeds for eyes and beaks

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 400 degrees F. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.

2. Place the soy milk and vegan butter in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water. Heat on medium until the butter is melted. It should feel very warm to a finger tip. Stir this liquid into the dry ingredients along with the egg replacer. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is easy to handle.

3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, and knead until it is smooth and elastic. This takes about five minutes. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for ten minutes.

4. Lightly oil a cookie sheet, or use a silpat. Shape into one large animal or decide to make smaller rolls as I did. Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rise for 20 minutes. I usually make turtles, but I thought I’d pay my respects to the TCA chickens this time.

5. Stick nuts, seeds, or raisins into your animals for eyes or noses. Bake until golden brown. This will be about 20 to 25 minutes for one big bread, and 10 to 15 for smaller rolls.

(Ha ha, Alan just told me my chicks look more like baby seals, and I think he is right. I was in a hurry, and who doesn’t love baby seals!)

Crunchy Creamy Coffee Cheesecake

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If you’re looking for an easily transportable dessert for upcoming July 4th celebrations or summer potlucks, this recipe may be for you. Spooned into 4 ounce canning jars, this creamy, crunchy dessert is ready to go with a twist of the lid. It has the added advantage of being fast and no bake so no one needs to suffer from the heat of the oven.

If you don’t like coffee flavored cream, feel free to change this up. Use your imagination to come up with your favorites. I did get inspiration from Vegan Desserts in Jars by Kris Holechek Peters but I changed things around to suit myself. Just use your imagination! I once made this cream using my favorite rosewater extract. It was fragrant and wonderful!

– Linda Nelson

Crunchy Creamy Coffee Cheesecake

Ingredients:
3 cups crumbled salted pretzels
1 (12.3 oz.) package silken tofu – it must be silken, folks!
1 (8 oz.) container vegan cream cheese – Trader Joe’s makes a palm oil free brand.
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar – depending on just how sweet your tooth is
1 teaspoon coffee extract
1 tablespoon Kahlua or to taste

Ganache recipe
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 tablespoon refined coconut oil or vegan butter
2 tablespoons non dairy milk or Kahlua

Coarsely crush the pretzels, and distribute them into the bottom of six 4oz. canning jars.

Make the ganache by putting all ingredients into the microwave or a double boiler. If using the microwave, heat in small increments (25 seconds) until the chips are melted. Stir to make it smooth. If using a double boiler remember to leave a gap between the simmering water and the pan container the ingredients to allow the steam to melt the chocolate.

Spoon the ganache over the pretzels, and place the jars in the refrigerator. As the ganache cools it will form a seal to keep the cream from seeping into the pretzels. We want them to keep their crunch!

Place all ingredients for the cheesecake cream in a food processor or blender, and process or blend until smooth. Spoon the cream over the firm ganache, seal the jars with the lids, and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy. I topped mine with some vegan dark chocolate covered coffee beans.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

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I realize this is hard for some people to believe, but I don’t like chocolate–though I often make chocolate desserts to make my friends and family happy. I’m a designated driver of sorts.

For the chocolate lovers in your life, I give you this quick and easy recipe. Of course, it is vegan, so the dough is perfectly safe to eat while being kind to chickens and cows.

– Linda Nelson

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients for the cookie dough:

1/2 cup vegan butter, at room temp. (see our website for an easy recipe)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed, light brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy creamer or soy milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips for dipping, melted

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the vegan butter and sugars until light. Mix in the creamer or milk and the vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt until all is mixed in. Add the chocolate chips. Cover and chill the dough until it is easily to shape.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, and place them on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. While the balls are in the freezer, melt 1 1/2 cups of vegan chocolate chips (I use Equal Exchange brand). I melt the chips in a double boiler though you can do it in small increments of time in the microwave. Dip the balls of dough in the melted chocolate, place them back on the cookie sheet, allow them to set, and eat or refrigerate in an airtight container.

You can also just choose to eat the cookie dough without dipping, if you just can’t wait.

Edamame and Corn Salad with Sesame

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Edamame and Corn Salad with Sesame

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen or and shelled edamame
2 cups frozen (I used frozen roasted corn)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I toasted them in my wok stirring and watching very carefully since they go from toasted to burned very quickly)
salt to taste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

Directions:
Mix the last three ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil frozen edamame for three minutes, add the frozen corn, and boil for two more minutes. Drain in a colander, and run under cold water. Place the edamame/corn mixture in a medium bowl, and pour the dressing over and mix it in. Add the sesame seeds, and mix again. Chill for 15 minutes or so, if you can wait. We couldn’t so we just dug in!

Adapted from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

– Linda Nelson

Rosewater Lemonade

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Summer is on its way, and nothing quenches a summertime thirst like a nice cold glass of lemonade. I like to add some interest to my homemade beverage by adding rosewater. Of course, you can just go buy a can of concentrate and add some rosewater to it, but everything tastes better when you make it yourself! This is ready in minutes.

– Linda Nelson

Rosewater Lemonade

Ingredients:
6 cups chilled water
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup sugar or 1 tablespoon stevia, or to taste
1 tablespoon rosewater or to taste (I always add more, but start with 1 T until you know what you like)

Directions:

I added about 1/4 cup brewed hibiscus tea to get the nice, rosy color. Stir everything in the chilled water, add ice, if you like, and cool down with a big glass.

An adopted kitty to sit with while you drink your lemonade is optional, but we highly recommend one or six!

Lemony Pound Cake

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For all those friends who have been asking for a vegan pound cake recipe, here you go! No, it doesn’t call for a pound of vegan butter, but it is delicious and easy, and who doesn’t like that!

– Linda Nelson

Lemony Pound Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
the zest of two lemons
the juice of two lemons
3/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegan butter, softened
4 ounces vegan cream cheese, room temp.
1 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil and flour a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.

Zest the lemons, and then juice them. Add the lemon zest, juice, soy milk and vanilla together in a small bowl. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes to curdle.

In a larger bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In your largest bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. You can do this by hand or with a hand mixer. Add the sugar, and mix to incorporate. Add the milk/lemon mixture to the butter/sugar mixture until well combined.

Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Repeat with the other half. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack in the pan before serving.

I like to serve this with homemade lemon lavender curd, but fresh blueberries or strawberries would be nice, too.

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

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I grew up with that ubiquitous green shaker can of parmesan cheese at my family’s table. Now that Alan and I are vegan, and seek always to lessen all harm, we’ve kicked the can and replaced it with my own homemade Italian sprinkles.

Nothing could be easier to make, and we put it on everything from popcorn to pasta. Stayed turned for my twice baked potato recipe featuring this nutritious and delicious topping.

– Linda Nelson

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup cashews (you may use roasted and salted though I use raw)
1 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup panko (it can be tricky to find a palm oil free panko though it can be done. All vegans read labels; right?)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt to taste

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor, and process until the nuts have been ground down. The degree of fineness of the grind is up to you.

Store in air tight containers. Sprinkle it on a salad tonight!