Plant based Thanksgiving Stuffing

 Looking for a simple plant based alternative to holiday stuffing? This one is our go to, which pleases every time!

1 cup diced onion

1 cup sliced and chopped mushrooms

5 medium garlic cloves 

1 cup chopped celery

1/2-1 cup vegetable broth

3 cups plant based bread, broken or coarsely chopped (preferrably day old/dried out) - I usually use a mixture of sourdough and multi-grain or whole wheat breads with nuts and seeds

1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped

2 T. fresh sage, chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c. nutritional yeast (optional to taste)

2 T. soy sauce (optional)

1/2 cup coconut cream (refrigerate a can of coconut milk - the cream will solidify at the top when cold)

Sautee onions, celery, garlic and mushrooms until tender and translucent in soy sauce over medium heat in large frying pan or sauce pan (water or broth may be used instead of soy sauce if desired). Add additional water or broth to keep contents from sticking and burning, but some carmelization creates a great flavor. 

Add coconut cream and allow it to melt. Add spices and herbs, and cook for 1 min. The sage and thyme are essential to give it the poultry like flavor. 

Stir in bread chunks, coating with coconut cream and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. 

Add just enough vegetable broth to moisten as desired. Add nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to taste. 

Note* Some bits should be moist, while others slightly chewy or crunchy. 

Apple chunks or nuts may also be added at this time if desired. 

Stuffed Peppers - Plant Based

 On Halloween, somone told me they were making stuffed peppers - carved like pumpkins - adorable! I'd honestly never made or had stuffed pumpkins before, but was super intrigued by the idea and decided to experiment with them. Oh my goodness - we LOVED them! And two weeks later needed to make them again. Not your regular beef and cheese stuffing, but this is an elevated, plant based version and it stores great, and makes fantastic left-overs. 

1 cup diced onion

1 cup sliced and chopped mushrooms

4-5 garlic cloves (depending on size)

2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)

1/2-1 cup vegetable broth

2 cups plant based bread, broken or coarsely chopped (preferrably day old/dried out)

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

2 T. fresh sage, chopped

1.5 t. crushed thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c. nutritional yeast (optional to taste)

2 c. cooked quinoa (I prefer Tri-colored if available) or other grain

1-2 T. soy sauce

1/3 c. coconut cream

1.5 cups cashew milk

6-8 large bell peppers, cored

In a large saucepan saute onions, mushrooms, celergy and garlic in soy sauce. Add water as needed to prevent from burning. Saute until onions are translucent and tender. 

Add herbs and vegetable broth and cook for an additional 5-10 min over medium heat, stirring occasionally. 

Add coconut cream, once melted, add bread and toss to coat, adding vegetable broth to moisten (if needed). Cook stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes allowing bread to soak up flavors and spices. 

Add cashew milk and quinoa and mix. Add nutritional yeast to taste. 

Spoon stuffing into peppers. 

Heat oven to 375*.

Line baking dish or pan with foil or parchment paper. 

Cover bottom with 1 inch of water. 

Place peppers (standing up if possible) into baking dish/pan. Cover with foil. 

Bake for 40-45 min. 

Plant Based Pumpkin Pie

 With Thanksgiving around the corner, I've been experimenting with different recipes - seeking a great plant based pumpkin pie alternative. Following is my favorite -using cashew milk, aquafaba and coconut sugar as plant based alternatives.  

 

 

2 cups pureed pumpkin

1 cup coconut sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 Tablespoon fresh finely grated ginger

1/2 t. grated nutmeg

1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/8 t. ground cloves

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup aquafaba (chickpea bean juice)

13.5 oz cashew milk (blend 1 cup cashews with 2.5 cups water in high powered blender, then measure out 13.5 oz)

Combine all ingredients except milk and aquafaba in a saucepan. Heat over medium while stirring until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture boils. Boil while stirring for 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat. 

Place cashew milk and aquafaba in bowl, mix. Gently pour into pumpkin mixture, whisking to incorporate. When smooth, pour mixture into prepared pie crust. 

Bake at 425* for 10 minutes, then 350* for 45 min.  Cover crust edges as needed with foil to prevent burning. 

Remove from oven and cool before serving. 

Whole Wheat, plant based Pie Crust

2-3 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup coconut cream

Salt (pinch)

1/2 t. baking powder

Mix flour, salt and baking powder then pour onto parchment paper. 

Add coconut cream and cut in with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse pebbles

Gently gather flour mixture into a mound, then cover with parchment paper and smooth out using a rolling pin. 

Turn parchment paper into opposite direction and once again gather mixture into the middle and smooth out again. Add a few teaspoons of water (one at a time as needed). 

Continue to gather, and turn approx 5-7 times until the mixture becomes a homogeneous thin crust. Be gentle and limit over-mixing. It will be crumbly. 

Use parchment paper to transfer crust into pie pan and fill in where needed. 

Apricot Fruit Leather - Sugar free

For the first time ever, our apricot tree has produced an abundance of fruit. Beautiful peach and golden globes of summery sweetness!  

We were thrilled to discover that we could make them sugar free, and have loved how quick they were to prepare. They have been such a great use for our over abundance of fruit and we love them as a quick healthy snack. 

Following is a sugar free recipe for Apricot fruit leather. 

6 cups fresh (pitted) apricots (washed)

1 T. lemon juice (to retain color)

8-10 medium dates (I use deglet noor from Costco), optional for added sweetness

1/2 cup water +/-

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add additional water if needed.

Pour approximately 2 cups onto parchment lined baking sheets and smooth with rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Repeat with additional baking sheets. 

Set outside in sun and allow to dry. Once dry, peel from parchment paper and flip over to dry on other side. Reserve parchment paper for later use.

If desired, hang from clothesline for additional drying. 

When dry, place leather on parchment paper, and roll. Cut into desired lengths and store. 

Beehive Honey & Lemon Poppyseed Hot Pudding Cakes-Plant Based

As a descendant of Utah Pioneers, I love to make these adorable little beehive cakes to honor my heritage, especially on July 24th, Utah's state holiday. I use cast iron molds which create an awesome light outer crust (our favorite part), and depending on how long you bake them, they come our more cakelike (longer bake), or hot pudding like (shorter bake).  

Following is a plant based version of this previous recipe. 

Ingredients:

2 cups aquafaba (chick pea/garbanzo bean juice)

2.5 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 T. poppyseeds

1/2 cup plant based milk

1.5 Tablespoons chia seeds

2 cups honey 

1 medium sized, ripe avocado

1 medium sized ripe banana

2/3 cup plain soy yogurt

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Zest of 1-2 oranges or lemons for added flavor (optional)

Syrup:

1/2 cup raw honey

1/4 cup coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon almond extract 

Preparations:

Whip aquafaba to medium soft peaks and set aside.

Mix wheat and oat flours, baking powder, salt, and poppyseeds together and set aside. 

Add chia seeds to milk, stir, and set aside

~ ~

In a mixing bowl, cream honey, avocado and banana together. 

Gently mix in aquafaba, yogurt, and vanilla. 

Add flour mixture. 

Mix in milk and chia seed mixture, along with orange/lemon zest (if desired)

Pour into prepared pans (lightly coated with coconut oil or coconut cream, then coated with whole wheat flour or lined with parchment paper or large muffin liners).

Bake at 350* for 60-70 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert and place on a baking sheet.  

Microwave raw honey and coconut cream for 3-4 minutes until combined and boiling - reaching a syrup like stage. Add almond extract. Spoon or evenly pour syrup over each individual cake, allowing excess syrup to pool around edges. Allow to cool.