Plant Based Pumpkin Bread

This too was found in my drafts folder from 9/24.

This is a plant-based adaptation of Thelma Bair's pumpkin bread, a crowd pleasing recipe I've been making for over 20 years. For the record, as Thelma was about 80 when I first met her, and her recipe has definitely stood the test of time.   

2.5-3 cups dates (this is the sugar substitute)

3.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 cups pumpkin puree (I cook pumpkin in the fall then blend it and freeze in 2 cup portions for later baking)

1 c. Soy yogurt, applesauce or mashed avocados (this is an oil substitute)

3/4 c. Aquafaba (egg substitute, equivalent of 4 eggs)

1 T. Cinnamon

1 t. Ground cloves

1 t. Ground nutmeg (I buy mine whole in tea shops so I can grate it myself for freshness)

1.5 t. Sea salt (non-iodized salt helps things to rise better)

1 T. Baking soda

1 t. Vanilla (optional)

3/4 c. Toasted pecans, chopped

3/4 c. Raisins (optional)

3/4 - 1 c. Vegan chocolate chips (I use enjoy life brand)

1/3 c. Water, if needed

1. Place dates in high speed blender and cover with boiling water and allow to soften for 10 min or more. Drain water, then blend into a paste. You will want/need approximately 2 cups of pureed dates. 

2. Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (except raisins, nuts and chocolate chips)

3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, including pureed dates. Mix until incorporated. 

4. Add raisins, nuts and chocolate chips.

5. Pour into 2 large bread pans. Bake at 350* F. for 60-70 min.

This bread is great for potlucks and freezes well. 

Pumpkin Spice Cookies-Plant-Based

 I found this recipe in my drafts folder, (from 9/26/24) - I think I was waiting for a photo. We inhaled these. 

Fall is (was) in the air and I was craving these cookies this morning. I felt certain I had made them previously with very few ingredients, but couldn't find any recipes which matched what was in my mind. 

As I trolled the internet looking for pumpkin spice plant based cookies, everything I found used white or brown sugar and butters or oils-all of which we opt to avoid.

Here's my adaptation of several recipes I found-but tweaked with more plant based ingredients.

1/2 c. Mashed Avocado-approximately one small avocado (soy yogurt, banana or applesauce could be used here too, however banana may not have a neutral taste) 

1.5 c. Dates

3/4 c. Pumpkin (I cook pumpkins in the fall, then freeze them bags in 2 cup portoins)

1.5 c. Whole wheat pastry flour

1 t. Vanilla

1.4 t. Sea salt

1/4 t. Baking powder

1/4 t. Baking soda

1 t. Cinnamon

1 t. Pumpkin pie spice 

2 T. aquafaba (as needed) (chick pea juice- I save this from cans, or when I cook chick peas and freeze in baggies for baking)

3/4 c. Vegan chocolate chips or coarsely chopped bar

1. Place dates in high speed blender, cover with boiling water and let soak for 10+ min. Drain water, then blend until it becomes a mostly smooth paste. 

2. Cream Avocado in mixing bowl. Add pumpkin and date paste and mix well. Add aquafaba and mix well.

3. Add dry ingredients, then chocolate chips. Mix well, add more aquafaba if needed to create a cookie dough consistency.

4. Place  in 2 inch balls on cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat

4. Bake at 350* F for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 10 more minutes. 

Plant Based Pumpkin Pecan & Cranberry Strata (breakfast casserole) with Caramel Syrup

We recently served this to a breakfast crowd of young adults. While they aren't necessarily fans of plant based/vegan cooking, some of them said it was the best thing they had ever had for breakfast. A perfect fall, winter or holiday breakfast featuring pumpkin, spices, cranberries for a tart contrast and crunchy toasted pecans, topped with a delicious caramel syrup. 

Because this recipe needs to be refrigerated overnight (to allow the bread to soak up the liquids), it is a perfect prep and bake - simply pop it into the oven, and enjoy seeing your home wake to the delicious aromas of cinnamon, pumpkin and caramel. We especially love this for holidays as all of the clean up can be taken care of the night before. 

Let's just acknowledge that this isn't a great photo - it was devoured before a photo was taken, so here's what your leftovers may look like! :) 

 

Blend 

1 large can (29 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Aquafaba drained from 2 cans chickpeas (approximately 1/2-3/4 cup)

8 oz soft tofu 

1 T. freshly grated or finely chopped ginger, or 1 t. ginger powder

1/2 t. salt

1 T. Cinnamon

1/2 t. freshly ground nutmeg

1.5 t. vanilla

1/2 t. cardamom

5 cups soy or plant based milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

Cut or chop into 1 inch cubes and place in large mixing bowl

2 loaves sourdough bread

4 costco artisan rolls

Pour over bread cubes and toss to coat

3/4 cup coconut cream (melted), or coconut oil

Add and mix in

2 cups toasted pecans, roughly chopped

1.5 cup frozen cranberries

Pumpkin mixture

Place in parchment lined baking dish or 11x15x2 pan 

Cover with foil. 

Refrigerate overnight, or for 4-6 hours.

Bake at 350* for 30 min. 

Remove foil, bake for an additional 15-20 min. 

Caramel Sauce

Combine in small pan and bring to boil

1.5 cups maple syrup 

1 cup coconut milk

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook until reduced into a thick syrup (20-30 min). 

Add 

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt 

Dash of cinnamon and ground cardamon

Serve with baked strata. 

Smoky Vegan Chick'n & Jalapeno Enchiladas

Yesterday while wandering the aisles of my grocery store thinking about things I haven't eaten for a while and have missed, I remembered our chicken jalapeño enchiladas that I was (slightly) famous for when I was a young newlywed. 

They never disappointed and were super easy-chicken, jalapeños, sour cream, cheese, tortillas, and cream of chicken soup.

I looked all over the internet and simply couldn't find anything similar to my old recipe, so here's my re-creation.

 While this plant based recipe takes much more time, it's definitely worth the work.

There are some make ahead items for this recipe. While I don't usually buy vegan dairy products due to the oils, I'm sure you could use them to speed this up.

First off, you will need some plant based yogurt or sour cream. I make this by the quart and it is usually on hand in the fridge. Super easy to make if you have an instant type of electric pressure cooker-note it takes 8 hours. Here's my recipe for 2 ingredient plant based sour cream/yogurt.

Next, if desired, you can make mozzarella. This recipe turns out great-and is super quick and easy to make. I made it first so that it could set while I was prepping everything else.

You'll need soy curls and you will also want to prep them-simply pour hot water over them, add soy sauce, sage, thyme, Trader Joe's Vegan Chicken bouillon seasoning, and if desired black pepper or ground grains of paradise. 

You will also need a high speed/powered blender to make cashew cream. 

Ingredients

Soy curls

3 cups soy curls

1.5 T soy sauce

2 t. thyme

1/2 t. sage

1 T. Trader Joe's Vegan Chicken bouillon

Mozzarella cheese

Coconut cream or oil, sauerkraut, nutritional yeast, silken tofu, tapioca flour/starch, agar agar or kappa carrageenan salt, garlic powder

Enchiladas

8-10 tortillas

1 diced onion

2 jalapeños diced and stemmed and deveined (to taste depending on how much spice you prefer)

1 c. coarsely chopped mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1.5 T. soy sauce

1/4 c. Coconut cream

1/4 c. Whole grain wheat flour or flour of your choice

Cream sauce

1 cup raw cashews

2.5 cups water

1 small can diced green chiles

Salt, cumin, smoked paprika to taste

1. Make mozzarella cheese and set aside to set: https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/the-best-vegan-mozzarella/

2. Place 3 cups of soy curls into a bowl or container and cover with hot water. Add soy sauce, and spices and allow to re-hydrate and marinate. Set aside until later. 

2. Add soy sauce to large saucepan or frying pan. Add onions, and sautee for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic, and mushrooms and sautee until tender. 

3. Over medium heat, add coconut cream or milk to sautéed vegetables. Once melted and coated, add flour. Stir to coat and mix in to create a roux 

4. Add milk to flour/vegetable mixture and stir until a gravy begins to form. Continue to add milk and stir until the mixture resembles a thick sauce. (Note-in the traditional recipe this would be canned soup-so make sure it is about that thickness-undiluted). 

5. Add sour cream/yogurt, and freshly chopped jalapeños. Mix in. 

6. Drain and then squeeze all of the liquid from the soy curls. Add soy curls, and thoroughly mix. 

7. Spoon mixture into tortillas. Corn tortillas can be wrapped in a dishcloth and microwaved for 2 minutes to make them pliable. 

8. Fill tortillas with chicken filling, and place seam down in baking dish (9x13), lined with parchment paper. 

9. Blend cashews in water and pour into saucepan. Add green chiles, salt, cumin, and smoked paprika to taste. Stir gently until sauce begins to boil and thicken, creating a gravy. Pour over enchiladas. 

10. Grate mozarella cheese and sprinkle it over the enchiladas and bake at 375* for approximately 30 minutes. 

Whole Wheat and Oat Flour, Orange & Berry Breakfast Muffins

 It has been a REALLY long time since I posted a new recipe, but I've found myself coming back to this recipe several times, and wanted to share it. 

When I lived in Guatemala, there was a restaurant called, "A Su Gusto" which is roughly translated as, "As you like it."  I think that these muffins embody the spirit of "as you like it." 

As such, feel free to use whatever fruit you have on hand. I often use frozen berries, but sometimes use chocolate chips, or fresh fruit that I have in the house. Similarly, use the nuts and/or juices for flavor that you prefer. 

I love the flexibility of this recipe - for me it is truly a mix of "as you like it" smashed together with "whichever ingredients are on hand." I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. 

Combine the following ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups oat flour

1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 

1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans (or nuts of your choice)

1 T. +1 t. baking powder

1 T. chia seeds

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground cardamon

1 T. orange zest (or citrus zest of your choice)

In another bowl combine the following wet ingredients:

2 c. plain yogurt - use this link for my simple soymilk yogurt recipe

3/4 c. mixed berries - your choice

2/3 c. non dairy milk (I use WestSoy plain because it has two ingredients - soybeans and water)

1 c. pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp orange juice (or juice of your choice) 

1 t. vanilla

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently combine until mixed. 

Bake at 350* in muffin tins lined with cupcake liners or parchment paper squares for 20-25 minutes. 

If desired, sprinkle with demarara sugar just as the muffins come out of the oven. 

Yield 24 muffins

Plant based pho

Oh my - it has been a REALLY long time since I last posted. Long enough for me to graduate with my masters degree, for summer to pass by (almost) and to start a new business, get licensed with the state and (almost) begin to feel like I'm starting to settle in. 

A couple of weeks ago during a family reunion, we decided to take a detour so that we could see some family in Salt Lake City. It was a quick drop in visit, but before arriving we had to find something to eat. Luckily we found an awesome restaurant and fell in love with their vegan pho. It was SO good and I can't wait to go back. 

In the meantime, here's the version we came up with. Pho, is a delicious broth (traditionally beef flavored) which is served over rice noodles and served with an incredible array of fresh herbs which make this an amazing meal. 

In a frying pan, toast the following whole spices for 3-5 minutes while stirring/tossing:

4 anise stars

4 cinnamon sticks

4 whole cloves

Add spices to a stock pot filled with 4 quarts (16 cups) of water

Bring to a boil 

Add the following to the boiling spices:

1 large or 2 medium onions (quartered)

4 minced garlic cloves

1 quartered and seeded jalapeno

A peeled, 4x2" knob of fresh ginger root, quartered

1 packet of pho spices (I found these at my local asian store)

Bring all ingredients to a boil. Remove jalapeno and then turn heat to medium and allow to simmer for approximately 30 minutes. 

Salt to taste and add 1-2 T. soy sauce

If making in advance, place this broth in a container, cover, and refrigerate overnight. 

Strain broth and bring to a boil. 

Thinly slice 4-6 shiitake mushrooms. Saute in 1 T. coconut cream until tender. 

Add sauteed mushrooms to pho broth. 

For additional and deeper flavor, add a few strips of dried seaweed or wakame to broth. Remove and discard after 5 minutes. 

Vegetables, herbs and noodles: 

4 - 6 cups of Napa Cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 bunch green onions - chopped including the green stalks

2-3 cups bean sprouts

3 bunches Thai basil

3 bunches Sweet basil

1 bunch mint leaves - chopped 

1 package rice noodles

Thai chili peppers

To assemble:

Heat 2 quarts of water until boiling. Pour over (covering) rice noodles and let sit for 3-5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, add chopped cabbage to boiling pho broth and cook for 3-5 minutes. 

Place noodles in the bottom of serving bowls.

Cover noodles with broth

Garnish with cilantro, mint, basil, thai basil, thai pepper, green onions, sprouts, key limes and salt to taste. 

Vegan/Plant Based French Toast (No eggs or lactose)

I think we hit pay dirt this morning. While we've been eating a plant based lifestyle now for almost 2.5 years, there are just some comfort foods you miss. I went to bed last night wondering if aquafaba could be used to replace the eggs in french toast. And...it totally can. 

Loved waking up to these this morning. 

Sour dough or other no oil, no sugar, unrefined unbleached whole wheat flour bread
1/2-3/4 cups aquafaba (juice from a can of chick peas/garbanzo beans)
1/4-1/2 cup of Westsoy Plain, unsweetened soy milk
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 t. cinnamon (to taste)
dash of salt (optional)
ground nutmeg and cardamom (optional - to taste)
coconut cream (from the top of a can of coconut milk) (so it doesn't stick to the griddle/pan)

Place aquafaba into a high powered blender such as a Vitamix and blend for a couple of minutes. It will froth, but it won't create peaks.
Pour into a shallow dish (such as a pie pan) and whisk in soy milk, vanilla and preferred spices.

Place slices of bread into this mixture and allow to soak up some of the liquid. Flip and repeat.

Cook on hot griddle - lightly greased with coconut cream to prevent sticking.
Flip halfway through cooking, and serve with 100% maple syrup.