Fajita Bean Dip

Absolutely delicious dip for veggies or spread for burritos!

1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 c. cashews
1/3 c. sundried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 Tb. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2/3 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt

Process or blend until creamy.

CREDIT GOES TO: Tandi

Whole Wheat Rolls

I never thought I'd find a home-made roll where I liked the taste and texture. I was wrong. These rolls are so soft. They are perfect - and don't have any oil or animal products OR high fructose corn syrup OR hydrogenated oils. Amazing! They are perfect veggie sandwich rolls too or they fit in just right with a savory Sunday meal comprised of mashed potatoes and gravy.

2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup Sunsweet Lighter Bake (you can find this at WinCo - it an oil/butter substitute - if using butter, use 1 cup)
2-3 egg replacer substitute - I like flax meal - use 3 heaping TBSP flax meal, 6 TBSP water and allow to sit for 5 minutes
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 cups whole wheat flour

In a bowl, pour boiling water over honey. Mix and allow to cool. Soften yeast in 1/3 cup water, then add to bowl along with Sunsweet Lighter Bake and the egg replacer mixture. Add baking powder, sea salt, and one cup of flour, and beat with a spoon. Stir in remaining flour and let rise for two hours.

Shape into rolls and put in greased pans. Allow to rise until light. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400*F. This makes 3-4 pans of rolls depending on the size. We like larger rolls for sandwiches, so it makes 2 pans for us.

Chicago Chocolate Cinnamon Cake

I served this cake tonight in cup cake form and was asked if they had coconut in them. They are delicious and very moist. Thanks Megan!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup Turbinado raw sugar/organic evaporated cane juice
1/2 cup Earth Balance
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup plant milk with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar - to make a buttermilk substitute
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon real vanilla
Equivalent replacer for 2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour and sugar. Bring Earth Balance, cocoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Pour over flour mixture and mix well. Add buttermilk substitute, soda, cinnamon, vanilla, egg replacer, and salt. Mix well. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350.

CREDIT GOES TO: Megan

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

This is very similar to Paridise Bakery's Fire Roasted Tomato Soup - without the dairy. It is delicious! Today I canned 10 bottles to store away for cold winter days....can't wait!

Ingredients:

l-2 large onions, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 - 28 to 32 oz cans tomatoes

1 - 32 oz bottle fire roasted tomatoes

2 - 8 oz cans tomato sauce

2 - 6 oz cans tomato paste

2 cups water

8 - 10 vegetable bouillon cubes (for more flavor)

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cups unsweetened soy milk (more if you like a thinner soup)

1/8 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

In a large soup kettle saute onion in water until almost translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute a few minutes more. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste - along with water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in blender until desired consistency.

Ginger Veggie Stir-Fry

A definite favorite at my house...

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons, grated, fresh ginger root, divided
1/4 cup sesame oil, divided
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 cup snow peas
3 mushrooms sliced thin
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup julienned carrots
2 tablespoons tamari sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon salt (or less)

Method:
1. In a large bowl, blend cornstarch, garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, and 2 tablespoons sesame oil until cornstarch is dissolved. Mix broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, and carrots tossing to lightly coat.
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook vegetables in oil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Stir in tamari sauce and water. Mix in red pepper, onion, salt and remaining 1 tablespoon ginger. Cook until vegetables are tender but still crisp.
3. Serve over white or brown rice. Use Bragg's Aminos to flavor.

Blueberry Jam

Fantastic! I love the rich taste of this jam - with a tinge of lemon. Yummy. My son grinned and exclaimed, "Delicious!" Delicious - it truly is.

Ingredients
4 C Blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 1/4 C White grape juice (frozen) concentrate
4 TB Cornstarch or tapioca powder
1 tsp Lemon juice (next time I'm going to add the zest of one lemon)

1. In a saucepan, combine juice concentrate, lemon juice and thickener. Stir until dissolved.
2. Bring to boil and simmer until mixture is clear.
3. Pour in blueberries and remove from heat.
4. Refrigerate.

Yield: 5 cups

Vegan Breakfast Sausages/Maple Sausages

These are super easy to make and taste way better that Tofurky Sausages. The texture is so similar to sausage it is scary.! I went crazy with the spicing: fennel, rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley (and no red pepper flakes). Feel free to throw in whatever you want. I made 6 sausages instead of 4.

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cold vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use Tamari Sauce)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or very finely minced
- 1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Several dashes fresh black pepper

METHOD
1. Before mixing your ingredients, get your steaming apparatus ready, bring water to a full boil. The rest of the recipe comes together very quickly. - I use my rice cooker as my steamer.
2. Have ready 6 sheets of tin foil. In a large bowl, mash the pinto beans until no whole ones are left. Throw all the other ingredients together in the order listed and mix with a fork. Divide dough into 6 even parts. Place one part of dough into tin foil and mold into about a 5 inch log. Wrap dough in tin foil, like a tootsie roll. Don’t worry too much about shaping it, it will snap into shape while it’s steaming because this recipe is awesome.
3. Place wrapped sausages in steamer and steam for 40 minutes. (Steam for 20 minutes for 25 small sausages.)
4. OPTIONAL: Place sausages in a frying pan with 2 tbsp of water and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Bring to bubbling and simmer until syrup thickens. Serve.

- To make maple sausage increase maple syrup by replacing 1/4 of the water with maple syrup. Also, add 1/2 tsp maple extract. Makes six large sausages or 25 small.

CREDIT GOES TO: http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/03/breakfast-sausages.html