Gluten Free Blueberry Banana Bread

I don't mean to sound obnoxious, but I don't understand why people perceive gluten free baking to be so difficult. I also don't understand why 95% of the gf baked goods I try are dry as a desert and crumble at the touch. I'm here to tell you that not only is gluten free baking not hard, you can have moist, tender desserts with no more effort given than any other pastry. A lot of the time I like to replace the flour in a recipe with a 3:1 ratio. Three parts gluten free all-purpose baking flour to one part almond meal/flour. Here I decided to just go all in and use a full amount of gf flour and it worked wonderfully.

One Year Ago Today Salt & Pepper Tofu with Green Garlic Sauce and Truffled Potatoes

Two Years Ago Today Moroccan Chili with Pumpkin Cornbread

Three Years Ago Today Crispy Corn Wontons with Carrot Mash


Slightly sweet, incredibly moist banana bread studded with fresh blueberries and topped with a sweet crunchy layer of pumpkin and sunflower seeds. No one will ever know it's gluten free!

Gluten Free Banana Bread
yields 3 mini loaves or 1 large loaf
6 tbl water
2 tbl ground flax seeds
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup coconut butter
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar
1/4 cup organic cane sugar, plus 2 tbl for dusting
2 cups gluten free all-purpose baking flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup fresh (not frozen) blueberries
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease 3 mini loaf pans or 1 large loaf pan.
Whisk together the water and ground flax and chill for 15 minutes.
Beat together the bananas, coconut butter, brown sugar and 1/4 cup cane sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk the flax mixture back together if it separated and add to the bananas.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla and salt and combine. Stir in the fresh blueberries by hand.
Pour into your greased pan and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cane sugar on top. Top with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Bake for 45-50 minutes for mini loaves or an hour plus for larger loaves until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost (90%) but not completely dry. This will prevent your bread from cooking too long and becoming dry.

Savory Corn Cakes with Rhubarb Avocado Salsa

My never ending quest to eat rhubarb in different ways (other than baked goods) came in the form of a simple salsa yesterday. After sweating some red onions and rhubarb, I gently tossed it with avocado and seasoned with sea salt. It was a mild and delicious combination that paired great with these corn cakes.
 

One Year Ago Today Spicy Pepper Baked Ravioli with Marinara & Basil

Two Years Ago Today White Bean & Kale Ragout with Crispy Chorizo and Baguette

Three Years Ago Today Walnut & Basil Pesto Rigatoni


Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, these corn cakes are filled with just that- corn! Topped with a cooked rhubarb avocado salsa and you've got yourself a new and unusual way to eat rhubarb.

Savory Corn Cakes
makes 8-10 medium sized cakes
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk
1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels, divided
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 cup minced green onions (green parts only)
3 tbl cilantro, roughly chopped
3 tbl canola oil, for frying

In a food processor, combine the mashed banana, 1/2 cup corn kernels, milk and olive oil and blend until smooth. Add the flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. By hand, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup corn, red bell pepper, green onions and cilantro.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Heat a large non stick pan with canola oil. Use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon and drop balls of dough into the pan. Use a spatula to flatten out each cake. Saute until golden brown on both sides, 10 minutes total. Transfer all of the corn cakes to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Rhubarb Salsa
1 tbl canola oil
2 large stalks rhubarb, 1/2" sliced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 ripe avocado, cubed
salt, to taste

Saute the rhubarb and red onion in oil until tender but not complete mush, about 7 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes then toss with the avocado and season with salt to taste.

Morel & New Potato Hash

This hash could really be served anytime of the day. I chose to spice it with the same seasonings one would taste when eating breakfast sausage or tempeh bacon so it has more of a breakfast feel to me.
If you've never tried sea beans, the time to get them is right now! Don't expect your grocery store to carry them, instead head to your local farmer's market and ask around for them. They are thin and crunchy and naturally salty which is why you will notice there is no additional salt in this recipe. Between the sea beans and the tamari, this dish is plenty salty.

One Year Ago Today Roasted Cauliflower with Chili, Lime & Cilantro

Two Years Ago Today Red Velvet Ice Cream

Three Years Ago Today Chocolate filled Peanut Butter Cookies


Since Morel's are hollow on the inside, they work perfectly for this hash. Cooked alongside the potatoes they soften then crisp up at the end pairing perfectly with tempeh and plenty of woody herbs.

Morel Hash
serves 3
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
12oz tempeh, medium dice
4 small yellow potatoes, unpeeled, medium dice
1 cup morels, halved lengthwise
2 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbl tamari
1 tbl agave or maple syrup
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup sea beans, roughly chopped

Saute the tempeh, potatoes and morels in a large skillet for 5-7 minutes until the potato start to get tender. Add the water and garlic and cook until the water has evaporated. Season with basil, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, tamari, agave and liquid smoke. Saute 5 minutes more until the potatoes are fully cooked through and most of the sauce from the tamari has been absorbed.
Toss with fresh sea beans and serve.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Crepes

Crepes can be intimidating but are actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. If you think you may need a few practice runs, double the recipe so you have more leeway to get those final perfect ones for filling and rolling. A good non-stick pan and some fresh berries are all you need to make sweet crepes an everyday occurrence in your kitchen. For savory crepes, simply remove the sugar in this recipe and proceed.

One Year Ago Today Tropical Bliss Smoothie

Two Years Ago Today Lavender Blueberry Muffins
 
Tender, gluten free crepes made with chickpea flour and almond milk filled with vegan cream cheese, strawberry preserves and topped with more fresh strawberries.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Crepes
makes 6-6" crepes
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup melted vegan butter
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tbl organic cane sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
canola oil
1 cup vegan cream cheese
1 cup strawberry preserves
8 oz sliced strawberries
organic powdered sugar, for dusting

Combine the milk, water, butter, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt in a blender and process until smooth.
Chill for 30 minutes.
Using a 6" non stick saute pan, heat 1 tsp of oil over medium-high. Rotate the pan so the oil coats the entire bottom.
Pour 3 tbl of crepe batter into the center of the pan and immediately swirl the pan to cover the bottom. Cook for about 30 seconds to one minute and gently flip. Cook for about 30 seconds more on the remaining side and flip out onto a plate.
Continue until all of the crepes are done.
Fill each crepe with 2 tbl of cream cheese, 2 tbl of preserves and fold up. Top with sliced strawberries and powdered sugar.

Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles with Coconut Whipped Cream & Blackberries

It's my husband's first Father's Day and I wanted to make him something for breakfast that he would really love. This means anything with loads of lemon in it. As someone who does not care for lemon as the primary flavor in my food, he always knows it must be love when something like this comes out of my kitchen. He is three weeks into being a father and he has already earned it.

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Two Years Ago Today Seitan & Hominy Stew

Whole wheat waffles, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside studded with poppy seeds and tons of fresh lemon zest. Serve with slightly sweet coconut whipped cream and fresh blackberries for a breakfast fit for any special occasion.

Lemon Poppy seed Waffles
yields 3
2 1/2 cups almond milk
zest from 2 lemons plus juice from 1 lemon (reserve some zest for garnish)
2 tbl melted coconut or canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup organic light brown sugar
2 tbl poppy seeds
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric, optional for color
1 1/2 cup blackberries

Combine the milk, zest, lemon juice, oil and extract in a bowl.
Add the flours, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt and turmeric. Whisk to combine. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat a waffle iron and grease.
Divide 1/3rd of the batter for each waffle and cook according to your waffle irons instructions.
Serve with whipped cream, blackberries and extra zest and poppy seeds.

Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can coconut cream (not coconut milk), chilled overnight
1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
1 tbl cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract

Open the can of coconut milk and spoon out all of the coconut cream. Discard the remaining water.
Whisk the powdered sugar, cornstarch and extract into the cream and chill for later use or serve.

Sugar Free Chocolate Granola

One Year Ago Today Chocolate Oat Breakfast Smoothie

Two Years Ago Today Short Rib Sandwich with Caramelized Red Onions, Mushrooms & Cheese Sauce

This granola takes seconds to prepare and is a truly healthy blend of oats, nuts and seeds sweetened with pureed dates, cocoa and cinnamon.

Sugar Free Chocolate Granola
yields 4 cups
20 pitted dates
3 tbl melted coconut oil
1/2 cup water
3 tbl cocoa powder

3 cup regular or gluten free old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup salted, roasted peanuts
3 tbl sesame seeds
2 tbl cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup chocolate covered raisins (optional and will not make it sugar free)

Preheat the oven to 300.
Combine the dates, oil, water and cocoa powder in a blender and blend into a thick, smooth paste.
Combine the oats, almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds,  cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Coat with the chocolate mixture.
Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring after each 15 minutes.
While still warm, toss in the chocolate raisins if using. Let cool and serve.

Wild Mushroom & Leek Tartlets

These irresistibly tiny tarts are packed with a punch. Each one starts with a smooth cream cheese layer on the bottom and ends with caramelized mushrooms, leeks and sauteed rainbow chard leaves floating on top. Make as an appetizer or eat these as a meal like my husband and I did. Use your favorite kind of mushroom for the filling. This time of year the "mushroom guy" starts showing up at the Farmer's markets and while pricey, those mushrooms are supreme. You don't need much for this recipe so splurge a little on those morels or lobster mushrooms. You won't regret it!

One Year Ago Today Shredded Chicken Pupusas with Rhubarb Plum Salsa

Two Years Ago Today Dandelion Salad with Hazelnuts, Green Beans and Orange Citronette

Wild Mushroom & Leek Tartlets
yields 15 mini tarts
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
6 oz wild mushrooms (morels, hen of the woods, oyster, lobster, chanterelle)
1 leek, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vegetable broth, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small head rainbow chard, stems removed, chopped into small pieces
salt, pepper & red pepper flakes to taste
1 tsp dried dill
1/4 cup herbed vegan cream cheese
1 box frozen mini phyllo tart shells, thawed


Saute the mushrooms and leeks in olive oil over medium heat until lightly caramelized, 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Once the broth has been absorbed, add the garlic and chard. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and dill. Cook until the chard has wilted down then continue to saute for 10 minutes more. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with the remaining 1/4 cup of broth and cook 3-4 minutes more until the broth has evaporated.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Fill each mini tart shell with 1 tsp of cream cheese and top with mushroom mix.
Enjoy!

Italian Scramble with Breakfast Potatoes

Tofu scramble is a perfect breakfast meal for any day of the week. Completely tailored to your liking, put in whatever you want! My go-to scramble usually includes black beans, salsa and avocado but today I decided to mix it up a little. A simple blend of dried herbs will really boost up the flavor quickly to transfer a simple scramble into a flavorful plate of food for pennies on the dollar.

One Year Ago Today Eggless Tofu Salad with Grilled Avocados and Baked BBQ Chips

Two Years Ago Today Breakfast Bruschetta with Avocado Poblano Scramble

Roasted red bell peppers, swiss chard, garlic and rosemary come together in this simple and easy breakfast scramble served with herbed baby potatoes.

Italian Scramble
serves 3
1 red bell pepper
2 tbl plus 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch red chard, leaves roughly chopped
1lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tbl dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbl vegan sour cream, optional

Drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil over the whole bell pepper. Place under the broiler or directly on top of a flame until the skin is soft and charred. Place the pepper in a paper or plastic ziplock bag and let the pepper sweat for 10 minutes. Remove most of the charred skin and roughly chop the pepper.
Sweat the onion and garlic in the remaining 2 tbl of olive oil until soft and fragrant, 7 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and chard and cook until the chard has wilted.
Crumble in the tofu and season with rosemary, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Saute the scramble for 15 minutes until the tofu is slightly browned. Taste and season to taste. Stir in the sour cream right before serving.

Breakfast Potatoes
serves 3
2 cups of halved baby potatoes
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl nutritional yeast
1 tbl dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the potatoes with olive oil and all of the spices. Roast in an even layer on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, turning once, until the potatoes are fork tender and crispy.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Clusters and a Blackberry Parfait!

It's national Peanut Butter & Jelly Day! A sensational holiday to celebrate if you ask me. I considered making a sandwich, maybe fried, maybe battered, maybe made of fresh toast but ultimately I wanted something less bready. I chose crunchy peanut butter and blackberry jam, my favorite combination but feel free to use creamy peanut butter and strawberry jam, or cherry and almond butter. I also highly recommend trying this Hazelnut & Apricot Pannini.


One Year Ago Today Grilled Broccoli Fettucini with Pecan-Sage Pesto

Two Years Ago Today Fresh Anise Stock


Rolled oats tossed with peanut butter, blackberry jam, roasted peanuts, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon make the perfect clusters for snacking or layering with yogurt and fresh fruit for parfaits in the morning.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Clusters
serves 4-5
1/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
3 tbl agave nectar
2 tbl (solid)coconut oil
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup roasted & salted peanuts, roughly chopped
3 tbl blackberry jam
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325.
Melt the peanut butter, agave and oil together until runny.
Combine the peanut butter with the oats, peanuts, jam, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix to coat thoroughly.
Spread in an even layer on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes so it doesn't burn.
Let cool and serve.

Blackberry Parfait
coconut, soy or almond yogurt
fresh blackberries combined with blackberry jam
pb&j oat clusters
roughly chopped roasted & salted peanuts

Layer and enjoy!

Hemp Heart Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

These gluten free, vegan, soy free pancakes will let you give in to your weekend brunch cravings without making you feel like you gave in to temptation.
"Hemp Hearts" are hulled hemp seeds and can be found sold as both. I buy mine in bulk at Whole Foods to save on cost. They are a perfect, incredibly beneficial addition to these but don't stop there. Add them to smoothies or sprinkle them on top of yogurt or salad.

One Year Ago Today Fennel Rubbed Sausage with Pomegranate Reduction and Sweet Potato-Carrot Mash

Two Years Ago Today 4 Juice recipes for Detoxing

Hemp Heart Pancakes
serves 3
1 3/4 cup hemp, oat or almond milk
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup hulled hemp hearts
1 banana, roughly chopped
2 tbl maple syrup
1 tbl melted coconut or canola oil, plus extra for cooking
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth.
Grease a hot griddle pan and pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

 Blueberry Compote
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
2 tbl maple syrup
2 tbl water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Combine the 1 cup of blueberries, maple syrup and water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until the berries have burst. Add the vanilla and salt. Remove from the heat and pour over pancakes. Garnish with the remaining fresh blueberries.

Pain Au Chocolat

Pain au Chocolat or chocolate bread is something everyone needs to eat on the regular. Whether it is a creamy chocolate spread slathered on a crusty baguette or chocolate chips stuffed in puff pastry, the combination is irresistible. As a vegan, these treats are just as easy to make with the help of frozen puff pastry. You definitely don't want to skip out on making these!


One Year Ago Today Crunchy Peanut Slaw
Two Years Ago Today Green Falafel & Celery Root Soup


Crisp puff pastry crossiants filled with decadent chocolate and sprinkled with flakey sea salt.

Pain Au Chocolat
makes 6 croissants
1 roll frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, divided
coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment or grease.
Unroll the puff pastry then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Cut 6 long triangles.
Set aside 2 tbl of chocolate chips for drizzling. Use the remaining to fill the croissants. Place a tablespoon or less of chocolate chips on the wide end of the triangle. Tightly roll the croissant from the wide end to the tip.
Place the croissants, seam side down on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown, rotating half way through.
Melt the remaining chocolate chips and drizzle over the top. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and serve warm.

Spinach & Basil Pesto Pinwheels

Sometimes you just want to make something with puff pastry for two reasons. It's fast and it always tastes delicious. The smell of fresh basil in the grocery store had me at hello and I knew exactly what to do with it.
 
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Two Years Ago Today Eggplant Pannini with Red Pepper Jam & Brussels Slaw with Harissa Mayo

A fragrant spinach, basil and almond pesto is made in less than five minutes and spread across a thin sheet of pastry, rolled, sliced and baked into crispy, buttery pinwheels perfect for a snack, light lunch or appetizers.

Spinach & Basil Pesto Pinwheels
makes 9+/- pinwheels
2 packed cups of fresh baby spinach leaves
1 packed cup of fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tbl all-purpose flour for dusting the counter
1 roll puff pastry, thawed

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment or grease.
Combine the spinach, basil, almonds, salt and pepper in a food processer and pulse into a rough chop. Add the mayonnaise and pulse a few more times to combine. Do not over mix, you want the mixture to still have some texture. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
On a floured counter, unroll the puff pastry then use a rolling pin to thin it out more into a rectangle.
Spread out the filling in an even layer all over the pastry. Starting with the side that is longer, gently roll up the pastry into a log. Use a serrated knife to cut 1" slices and place each slice on the baking sheet, 1 1/2" apart.
Use your hand to lightly flatten each piece and bake for 30 minutes, rotating the tray half way through.

Black Pepper & Herb Vegan Goat Cheese

Time and patience is all you need to make this impressive ball of vegan goat cheese for your next get together. The problem is you won't want to share so go ahead and make two separate balls, one for your guests and one for you.


Other Vegan Cheeses
vegan parmesan
vegan cheddar fondue
brazil nut parmesan

One of my favorite cheeses yet! Slightly firm on the outside and super creamy on the inside, this tangy vegan goat cheese tastes even better when coated with various herbs and peppercorns.

Vegan Goat Cheese
1 ball
1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews, soaked overnight
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbl water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbl whole peppercorns
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried rosemary

Drain and rinse the cashews. Combine with the oil, lemon juice, water and salt in a blender and blend for 5 minutes. Blend for precisely five minutes for a whiter color and firmer texture.
Scrape the cheese out into a large triple square of cheesecloth and join the ends together to make a ball. Set the cheese in a strainer that is sitting over a bowl and rest for 8 hours. Only a little bit of water will seep out but that is important to get rid of.
Preheat the oven to 200.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the cheese wrapped in cheesecloth on the pan. Bake for 40 minutes, turning the pan once after 20.
Remove the cheese, cool and chill overnight.
Gently remove the cheesecloth and coat the top with peppercorns, dill and rosemary that have been crushed up in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Almond Pancakes with Blood Orange Syrup and Pistachios

It's National Pancake Day. Who knew? I found this list that shows you all the food days each month of the year. There is practically one for every day of the year. Who knew Peach Melba day existed? Or a Roast Leg Of Lamb day. That seems completely unnecessary. Turns out my birthday is National Brisket Day. Boooooo! I hereby change it to National Chocolate Peanut Butter day.
Anyways back to the subject at hand. Had I known about this fake holiday, I probably wouldn't have made waffles for dinner last night and pancakes for dinner tonight. My husband isn't complaining that's for sure. These moist, fluffy pancakes are gluten free with the help of almond meal and some gluten free flour. Scented with blood orange zest, segments and orange maple syrup, these are a perfect meal to celebrate such a random "national" holiday in the middle of winter.

more fancy pancakes 
Gluten Free Brownie Pancakes
Buckwheat Pancakes with Candied Orange Cream & Blackberry Compote
Granola Pancakes with Cinnamon Butter & Bruleed Bananas
Pumpkin Pancakes with Hazelnut Syrup

Gluten free almond and blood orange pancakes topped with fresh fruit, blood orange syrup and crunchy toasted pistachios.

Almond Pancakes
yields 8 pancakes
1 cup almond milk
2 tbl melted coconut oil or canola, plus more for cooking
2 tbl maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour, baking blend (baking blends have leaveners already in them)
1/2 cup almond meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
zest and segments from 1 blood orange
3 tbl toasted pistachios, roughly chopped

Combine the milk, oil, maple syrup and vinegar and set aside.
Combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt and zest in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Grease a griddle or saute pan with a little oil and ladle 1/4 cups of batter for each pancake. Cook until golden brown and fluffy.
Serve with blood orange syrup, pistachios and orange segments.

Blood Orange Syrup
1/2 cup blood orange juice (from 2 blood oranges)
1/2 cup maple syrup
pinch of sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. The syrup will thicken a lot once it is completely cool or skip the cooling and serve warm.

Spelt Waffles with Star Fruit, Kiwi, Bananas & Coconut Whipped Cream

This very low fat, low sugar waffle recipe is about as basic as it gets! You can't find another vegan waffle recipe that is THIS EASY. You just can't! A combination of spelt, applesauce and oat milk makes these pretty dang healthy, which is good because this gives you need a reason to eat more coconut whipped cream.


One Year Ago Today Mushroom Sugo,  Butternut Squash Crostata with Balsamic & Arugula Pesto
Two Years Ago Today German Style Sliders

Spelt Waffles
makes 2 large waffles
1 cup spelt flour
2 tsp organic cane sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup oat or almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the milk and applesauce and stir to combine. There will be lumps! Make sure not to over mix. Pour in your heated waffle iron and serve.

Caramelized Tropical Fruit
1 tbl coconut or canola oil
1 banana, cut into 1/2" slices
1 kiwi, 1/4" slices
1 star fruit, 1/4" slices
1 1/2 tbl organic cane sugar
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Saute the banana, kiwi and star fruit in coconut oil for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and continue to saute until the fruit has caramelized, 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with sea salt and add the walnuts to combine.

 Coconut Whipped Cream
1-15oz can coconut milk (this will not work with light coconut milk), chilled overnight
2 tbl organic powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Once the coconut milk has chilled for at least 6 hours or overnight, gently remove the top without shaking the can. Scoop out the coconut fat that has come to the top, leaving the coconut water in the can.
Combine the fat with the sugar and vanilla and whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes until you get medium peaks.

Brussels Sprouts & Tempeh Hash with Brazil Nut Parmesan & Avocado

Hashes are a universally accepted dish for all meals, any time of the day. While usually made with potato, this hash uses thinly sliced brussels sprouts as the base. Use a food processor with a shredding attachment to process the brussels the fastest but a box grater will work too.


Two Years Ago Today White Bean Soup with Smokey Tofu & Rosemary Oil

Shredded brussels sprouts, caramelized onions, garlic and smoked maple tempeh served with creamy avocado and homemade parmesan made with brazil nuts and almonds.

Brussels Sprouts & Tempeh Hash
serves 3
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb brussels sprouts, shredded
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
8 oz smoked maple tempeh, medium dice
1-2 avocados, halved

Saute the onion and garlic in 2 tbl of olive oil until caramelized and tender, 7 minutes. Add the garlic and shredded brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the red pepper flakes. Cook 3-4 minutes until the sprouts have softened. Add the tempeh and the remaining 1 tbl of olive oil. Saute until the tempeh is golden brown.
Serve with avocado halves and sprinkle the top with plenty of brazil nut parmesan.

Brazil Nut Parmesan
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup brazil nuts
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 20-30 seconds until the mixture is finely ground.

Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Sweet dough is a great, all-purpose recipe to have on hand for many things. Often referred to as a 'master dough', this recipe is perfect for pull apart bread, cinnamon rolls, monkey bread, sticky buns, sweet rolls, nut rolls and even pretzels.  Here I roll it out thinly, stack it high and bake in a loaf pan until the bread is golden brown, buttery and ready to be pulled off in thin, sweet layers.

One Year Ago Today Chicken Fried Tempeh, Apple Raisin Gravy & Whipped Potatoes

Two Years Ago Today Maple Soy Baby Bellas with Spanish Style Cauliflower & Grilled Fennel

Tender, flaky, sweet layers of cinnamon sugar dough stacked and baked together into one easy pull apart loaf.


Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
yields 2 loaves
sweet dough
2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup melted vegan butter
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1 pack of active dry yeast (.50)
4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Combine the milk, butter, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl with a dough hook attachment. Stir to combine. Add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix the dough on medium-low speed until it is smooth and slightly sticky. This will take about 6 minutes in a mixer and 12-15 by hand. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Sit in a warm place and let rise until it has doubled (1 1/2 hours +/-). Prepare the cinnamon filling.
If you don't have a warm place, turn the oven on to 425 and place the bowl on top of the oven.
On a well floured counter top, roll out the dough into a thin, large rectangle about 12 inches tall and 20 inches wide. Use your hand or an offset spatula to spread the cinnamon filling equally all over the dough.
Use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough in half vertically and into 6 equal strips horizontally.
Stack the strips on top of each other so you have two strips, each 6 strips high. Cut each strip into 4 squares/
Line and grease 2 loaf pans and stack the cinnamon squares next to each other in the loaf pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake at 325 for 35-40 minutes until the top is a nice dark golden brown.

cinnamon filling
1 cup vegan butter, softened
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
3 tbl cinnamon

Whip the butter, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon until light and fluffy.

Sweetheart Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Cream Cheese Drizzle

These cute little heart pancakes are great for any day of the week but would be perfect for that special person on Valentine's Day morning. It's pretty easy to make any shape with pancake batter, but if you have a heart cookie cutter, use it for a perfect shape! Simply spray it with oil and set it on the hot saute pan. Pour your batter inside and once the pancake is ready to flip, pull the cookie cutter off and your pancake will be shaped and firm.

One Year Ago Today Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread
Two Years Ago Today Tiramisu

Cinnamon and brown sugar are swirled in these incredibly fluffy vegan sweetheart pancakes and served with a sweet cream cheese glaze. What's better than a cinnamon roll for breakfast? A cinnamon roll pancake, that's what!

Sweetheart Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
serves 3
3 tbl water
1 tbl ground flax
1 cup almond milk
1 tbl melted coconut or canola oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbl organic light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
canola spray
brown sugar drizzle

Combine the water and flax in a small blender and blend for 3 minutes until thick and frothy.
In a medium bowl, combine the flax, almond milk and oil. Stir to combine. Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine into a smooth batter.
Over medium heat, spray a large non-stick saute pan with canola spray and spoon pancake batter onto the pan into heart shapes or simple circles.
Use a squeeze bottle or spoon to drizzle the brown sugar mixture into the center and around the pancakes, making sure to not touch the border.
Once the pancakes have bubbled on the sides and are golden brown on the bottom, quickly flip the pancake and continue to cook for 2 minutes more.
Serve with more brown sugar drizzle and cream cheese glaze.

Brown Sugar Drizzle
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegan butter
2 tsp cinnmon

Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and stir to combine. Cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved but do not bring to a boil.
Transfer to a squeeze bottle or set aside until ready to use.

Cream Cheese Glaze
1 cup organic powdered sugar
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbl almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all of the ingredients and whisk into a smooth glaze. Add more almond milk if necessary to thin out the glaze to your desired consistency.

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Bell Pepper Compote and White Gravy

If you are tired of the same ol' biscuits and gravy, try these sweet potato biscuits!  This recipe makes 4 large enough to serve one per person and paired with thick white bean gravy and red pepper compote, you have a delicious winter meal for breakfast, brunch or dinner.

One Year Ago Today Glazed Pearl Onions, Sausage, Spinach & Yukons with Rosemary Oil

Two Years Ago Today Marinated Potato Steak, Lime Garbanzos, Spiced Zucchini and Tomato Compote

Sweet Potato Biscuits
4 medium biscuits
1 medium sweet potato
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 tbl organic light brown sugar
1 tbl baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tbl vegan butter, cold and cubed
1/3 cup oat or almond milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425.
Roast or boil the sweet potato until tender. Mash and set aside to cool. Reserve 1 cup of puree.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in bowl. Add the cooled potato puree and stir to combine. Add the butter and use forks to cut the pieces into small pea-sized pieces.
Combine the milk and vinegar then add to the flour mixture. Gently knead until the dough comes together but do not over mix.
Flour a counter top and roll out the dough one inch thick. Cut 4 biscuits, re-rolling when necessary until all of the dough is gone.
Place the biscuits in a 8" cake pan or casserole dish so they are all touching and packed tightly. This will allow the biscuits to rise up instead of out. Drizzle the tops with olive oil and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Red Bell Pepper Compote
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, small dice
2 red bell peppers, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbl fresh minced rosemary
salt and pepper

Saute the onion and bell peppers in olive oil until soft and caramelized, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the garlic is fragrant and toasted, 2 more minutes.

White Gravy
1-15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups oat or almond milk
1 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbl vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a pot and bring to a boil, whisking every couple minutes. Once boiling, continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes until the gravy is thick. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Gingerbread French Toast with Pomegranates, Pecans & Orange Cream

'Tis the season for all things gingerbread, right? Why not venture outside the world of cookies and quickbreads and delve into french toast simply spiced to taste just like the traditional taste you are craving. Serve this for breakfast, or even better, breakfast for dinner!

Seasonal spiced french toast with hints of molasses, ginger, cinnamon and allspice. Served with orange scented yogurt, toasted pecans and tart pomegranate seeds. The ultimate in holiday breakfasts!

One Year Ago Today Marcona Almond Bark with Blood Orange & Sea Salt

Two Years Ago Today Sloppy Sliders with Curry Green Bean Fries

Gingerbread French Toast
serves 2
1 1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup soft silken tofu
3 tbl organic light brown sugar
1 tbl cinnamon
1 tbl molasses
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 baguette, 1/2" diagonal slices
2 tbl coconut or canola oil
1/2 cup roughly chopped, toasted pecans
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
organic powdered sugar, to dust

In a blender, combine the milk, tofu, brown sugar, cinnamon, molasses, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, allspice and cloves. Blend until smooth. Soak bread in this mixture for 5-10 minutes.
Saute in oil until golden brown on both sides, 10 minutes total.
Garnish with orange cream, pecans, pomegranate seeds and powdered sugar.

Orange Cream
4 oz soy or coconut yogurt
1 tbl orange zest
2 tsp maple syrup

Combine all of the ingredients.