Ranch Dressing Plus so Much More

I found this recipe in the book 350 Best Vegan Recipes By Deb Roussou. And I did not change anything in it. Can you believe it!!!!  It is awesome!!!!  In fact it is waaaaaaaay to good to be healthy. But it is!!!!! Yummy yummy!! Remember my posting of the double portabella mushroom on greens  last week or so. I made that for lunch today and spread some of this between the portabellas. Who needs cheese!! I also browned green onions when I was "frying" up the portabellas and put them in between the portabellas after browned.  Get out that steak knife and enjoy!!!
Who wants a hamburger when you can eat like this!!!

This would also be fabulous on baked potatoes, sauce for veggies, or a dip for raw vegetables.
Plus it is quick and easy to make. I made it between 2 zillion other activities.

Ingredients:
In a food processor put in the following:

1. 8 oz. firm or extra firm Mori-Nu Tofu, drained
2. 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3. 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar I used garlic vinegar
4. 1 Tablespoon oil -optional
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
6. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
7. Pinch of sugar

Blend till creamy, scraping down the sides.

1. Add 1 cup vegan mayonnaise of choice-blend.
2. Add 3-5 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives.-chopped green onions would be great also.
3. Black pepper to taste
4. Also called for salt, but I did not use.
5. Refrigerate overnight to marinate the flavors.
6. This will be good in frig up to 5 days or so.

Enjoy, it is so very good!

Verna's Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

I took several recipes and took out of each recipe what I liked. A friend said these where really good, like a 9-10 and very moist. Yeah!!!!  I got a winner!!!
I obviously do not have any thing on top of the cupcakes.. Again I will probably serve with ice cream flavor of choice. same recipe as on last posting.

Ingredients:

• I mixed wet ingredients in  two bowls.
• 1 cup vanilla soy milk or almond milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Mix together above and set aside.
In another container Mix the rest of the wet ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup -go easy
• Slight 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/3 cup sugar free, applesauce-I used mine that I canned
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla-just a whisker over-Please no imitation
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix together above:

In another large bowl mix the dry ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white unbleached flour
• 1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour-Plus about 1/8 cup pastry flour more-Pastry flour will keep the cupcakes lighter.
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder- I used Rapunzel Organic Cocoa Powder-Festival has this in the Natural Food Aisle.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda-just a whisker over
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder-alumnium free please.
• 1/4 teaspoon salt-I did use.
• Mix the dry ingredients well.

Directions:

1. Mix the milk of choice with the apple cider vinegar.Set aside.
2. Mix all the rest of the wet ingredients together in another container.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together.
4. Mix the milk mixture with the rest of the wet ingredients. Stir well.
5. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Mix with a mix master, do not over mix.
6. Put in a cupcake lined muffin tin.
7. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

You will find this batter is a bit on the runny side.

1. I had leftover batter and put in a small  sprayed container to bake.

Frost or serve with ice cream.

Enjoy!!

This is the cupcake recipe that I will be making for the birthday party. Everyone will get ice cream flavor of choice with a lite birthday candle on it.

.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake with Ice Cream

I am making a vegan dinner for 30 people  in a couple of weeks. My granddaughter , who loves to cook  vegan, brought me these cupcakes last evening, The meal I am cooking for is a birthday party.  I made the quick and easy banana ice cream to go with it. I did not want all the extra calories in the frosting, that is why I opted for the ice cream. In this case I added several strawberries with this ice cream. It would be great with the chocolate ice cream also. and have a few shavings of chocolate on the top. We all like chocolate don't we??

This is my granddaughters recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/3 cup carob powder
• 2 tablespoons cherry brandy
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 Tablespoon Araggs Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 3/4 cup flour. I would use 1/2 WW pastry flour.
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, no imitation please-optional

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix liquids in another bowl.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredits in. Do not over mix.
4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for about 18 ninutes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Oh yes the ice cream. I put frozen banana chips in my food processor with enough almond milk to make consistency of soft serve ice cream. Add vanilla, choc powder or water ever flavor you would like.  or whatever fruit you would like with the bananas. The bananas take the place of the cream and the eggs so you do want this as your base. If you don't use the bananas it will not be as creamy.

Enjoy!!

Potato Salad with Portabella Sandwich without the Bun

I had a friend in for Memorial Day and these are two of the things I served. Oh and it was so very good and so very easy to make.

I made the potato salad using:

• Small red potatoes, boiled and peeled.
• Vegan Mayanaise
• lots of chopped celery, radishes, green onions, and chives
• For seasoning I used  a couple squirts of creamy horseradish sauce,  1 Tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard to taste.
• Oh yes and lots of black pepper.
• Make to your taste.
• Refrigerate overnight to marinate the flavors. This was really good.

For the Portabella Sandwich:

1. I roasted some cherry tomatoes at 425 degrees on parchment paper until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
2. I used 6 portabellas, put in hot coconut oil about 1 Tablesopoon.
3. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste.
4. I sprinkled about 5-6 tablespoons of Olive Cellars, Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar over the top of the mushrooms.
5. . Cover the pan and cook until golden brown about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Flip the mushrooms and do the same on the other side in a covered pan.
6. In 3 of the mushrooms  put cheese of choice in the cavities. Top with the other mushrooms and continue cooking  in a covered pan until cheese is melted.
7. As you can see on the picture I served 1 1/2 mushroom sandwiches on greens.
8. I put baby spinach and roasted tomatoes on top of the cheese, and put the  portabella top back on.
9. Without the bun it saves lots of calories..

Serve with a steak knife as mushrooms are hard to cut otherwise.

These are so very good. I could eat them every meal.

Enjoy!!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Grapes and Walnuts

My friend Jean gave me the cookbook, Meatless from the kitchen of Martha Stewert. I tried this recipe last evening, (page351) and it was really very good. I lLOVE roasted fruit and vegetables. this is such an easy recipe with hardly any ingredients. Give it a try.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs brussel sprouts halved-about 8 cups
• 1 1/2 red seedless grapes, about 4 cups
• 2 Tablespooms EVOO
• 1/4cup fresh thyme leaves
• salt and pepper to taste-I used no salt
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar-I used Olive Cellers, Cranberry, Pear Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped

 

Directions:

         Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

1. Toss brussel sprouts, grapes, oil and thyme in a plastic grocery bag to mix well.
2. Put on 2 parchment laden baking sheets, single layer.
3. Roast until tender and brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and pepper.
5. Add walnuts and serve immedietly.

 

Enjoy.

 

I also added some green grapes I had on hand and a handfull of grape tomatoes.