Amazing Vegan Cookies (Double Chocolate)

Since going dairy/soy/egg free we have tried a lot of vegan baked goods.  Nothing has turned out nearly as good as these cookies.  These are A-MAZ-ING.  Recipe is here and here are my adjustments:

VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (CANOLA)
• 1-1/4 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup nondairy milk, like soy or almond RICE MILK
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup nondairy chocolate chips or chunks. TRADER JOES (they are manufactured on equipment that processes dairy but that is ok for me)

Instructions for Making Vegan Chocolate Cookies

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the ground flax seeds with the non-dairy milk, and whisk them together well. Set this aside for a few moments to thicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir them together with a whisk until well-blended and there are no lumps of cocoa powder remaining.

Combine the sugar and the vegetable oil in a large bowl, and whisk them together until the sugar is nice and moist. Now add the flax seed mixture, and the vanilla extract, and mix them into sugar until it thickens into a smooth, shiny batter.

Add all the dry ingredients at once and stir carefully, mixing until everything is incorporated and you have just a few spots of flour remaining. Finally, add the chocolate chips or chunks and mix them into the cookie dough along with the last of the flour. The dough will be stiff.

Use a cookie scoop to form 1-inch balls of dough and use your palm to gently flatten them slightly into discs, then place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 9-10 minutes, until they're puffed and have lost the raw shine in the middle. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

These double chocolate cookies have a soft, rich brownie-like texture, with little pockets of melted chocolate throughout. They're so decadent, no one will believe they're vegan

Chick Pea Curry

This was really really good.  Not often that something I just threw together works so well.

Chickpeas, pressure cooked (not soaked, 40min)
onion, chopped
garlic, chopped (~ 2-3 cloves)
1 inch ginger grated
water
coconut milk (~3/4cup)
curry powder
cumin
salt
tomato
frozen peas

Pressure cook chick peas,
meanwhile, sautee onion, garlic & ginger.  Add all the other ingredients until tomato (including chick peas)- enough water to cover.
Simmer low for 2 hours.
add peas moments before serving, let cook long enough to heat up.

Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup

This soup ROCKED!  A winner.  Thank you, Pat!
Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup (Cooking Light – Best Recipes Nov 2012)

Hands on time: 28 minutes. Total time 28 minutes.

2 tsp canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
3½ cups vegetable broth, divided
1 cup dried small red lentils
1 tsp ground cumin (you may want to adjust to taste)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 cup water
¾ cup canned pumpkin
1 T. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. fresh plain low fat yogurt (optional)
¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seed kernels, toasted
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

(Pat said: I shredded a carrot and added it to the soup on the second day + a little more ginger)

Heat a large Dutch oven over med-hi heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 4
minutes.

Stir in 3 cups of broth, lentils and the next 4 ingredients (though red pepper); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat,
and simmer 10 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Use blender until mixture is smooth. Return pot to medium heat (Pat uses a hand blender but I much preferred the consistency I could get with the vitamix)

Add remaining ½ c broth, 1 cup water and pumpkin to pot; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in
ginger and lemon juice.

Ladle into bowls; top each with dollop of yogurt, 1 T. pumpkin seed kerenels and 1 T. cilantro.

Makes 4 (1 ½ cup) servings.

Mujadara

This recipe was awesome!  All 5 of us loved it (and that is saying quite a bit that picky Ezra even liked it)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/lebanese-lentils-rice-and-caramelized-onions-mujadara-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils (not lentils du Puy), sorted for debris and rinsed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
• 3 medium red onions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 cup basmati rice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, optional
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Greek yogurt, for serving, optional

Directions

Throw the lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, as the lentils cook, grab a large skillet. Pop it over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow the oil to warm for a minute, then drop in the cumin seeds and cracked peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan once in a while until the cumin seeds darken a touch, about 1 minute.
Add the onions, sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. You'll know they're done both by their deep chestnut color and by the slight crispiness developing on some of the onions.
Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, cayenne and then add the cinnamon stick; saute about 1 minute.
Add the rice and cook, stirring often (but gently so you don't break the rice!) until some rice grains start to brown. Quickly, add the cooked lentils, 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. The water should be completely evaporated and rice should be tender. (If there's still too much water in the bottom, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)
Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts, if using, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, about 5 minutes.
Taste the rice for seasoning. Serve with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts, if using, and a little squeeze of lemon juice. I also like to serve this with some dollops of Greek yogurt.

Homemade Vegan Indian Cuisine

Chana Masala and Aloo Gobi.  Will be back with more info

Chana Masala (very good) http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/ChanaMasala.htm

• 1 can chickpeas in water (also called garbanzo beans) or 1 1/2 cups precooked + 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• juice from one lemon (approx 2 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 large bunch of spinach or two handfuls, rinsed

Preparation:

In a large skillet or frying pan, sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add chickpeas straight from the can, including all the water. Add spices and lemon juice, cover, and simmer about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water if needed, until chickpeas are cooked and soft.
Reduce heat, add spinach and cover. Allow spinach to wilt for 2-4 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy your chana masala!


Aloo Gobi http://veganrd.blogspot.com/2012/03/authentic-aloo-gobi.html

• 1 medium head cauliflower, leaves removed and cut into bite-sized florets
• 3 medium potatoes (red skinned really nice), peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed (about 1 cup chopped leaves, packed)
• 1 Tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 14.5-oz can organic diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 cup or so of water
• 2 tsp garam masala

Cut up the cauliflower and potatoes. You can do this in advance, keeping the cauliflower covered and the potatoes in cold water. It might be wise to de-leaf, wash, and chop the cilantro well in advance too, since this is really a time suck. (Doing fresh herbs in advance helps me greatly with time management!)

Heat canola oil and cumin seeds in a very large saucepan.

When the seeds start to sizzle, add the onion and saute for about 7-8 minutes over medium heat. You want to cook the onions to transluscent, not brown them.

Add cilantro, turmeric, and salt. Stir until well-combined.

Add tomatoes, juice and all, and the garlic and ginger. Stir well until heated through.

Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus water. Toss gently so that the veggies are coated with the sauce.

Cover pan and simmer for about 20 minutes. Test veggies to be sure they're tender.

Add the garam masala, stir again, and serve. I find that this tastes best if you let it sit in the pan (off the heat) for about 15 minutes, served warm rather than hot.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad-- YUMMY!

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro
4. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-and-black-beans/detail.aspx

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

This is the best vegan chocolate frosting I've ever made.  I adapted a regular frosting recipe:

1/4 c. butter either vegan butter or some combo of palm oil/coconut oil
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. RICE milk
1/2 c. VEGAN chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring butter, milk and sugar to a boil, add chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat until cool. Will frost a 9 x 13 cake.

Quinoa Salad

My 'go-to' Quinoa recipe:

Quinoa (prepared as instructed, I usually use veggie broth)
Almond slices
Raisins (plumped in microwave by heating in water for a few minutes)
Mushrooms (sliced and sauteed in oil)
Balsamic vinegar
Garlic salt
Sliced Avocado

The exact amounts change with each time I make it so I don't have measurements.  This is best if given a little time to sit and cool

My favorite Black Bean Corn Salad

From wholefoods.com...

Sweet Corn and Black Bean Salad

|

Serves 6

Simple to prepare, colorful and flavorful, this salad combines fresh sweet corn, tender black beans, crisp red peppers and zesty cilantro in a simple rice vinegar dressing.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups no-salt-added cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Method

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add corn and cook for 1 minute, then drain well, rinse in cold water and drain again. (If using frozen corn, skip this step.) Meanwhile, rinse onions in cold water to remove some of their sharp, acidic flavor; drain well and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Add beans, corn, onion and bell pepper and toss until just incorporated. Cover and chill for about 2 hours. Add cilantro and toss again before serving.

Banana Oat Bars

Here they are, Sharon.  Banana Oat Bars... I change how I make them every time but here are the basics:

2 mashed bananas
2 cups quick oats (I have used slightly ground up old fashioned but quick work better)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (omitted the last time, I didn't have it)
1/2 cup dried fruit (dates, raisins, chopped apricots, cranberries, or whatever is on hand)
1/4 cup nuts & seeds (the original recipe calls for walnuts but I don't do walnuts so my mix has some of the following: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, almond slices)
1/4 cup applesauce
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:
honey (maybe a Tbsp or slightly more?)
Cinnamon (maybe a 1/2 tsp?)
Nutmeg (1/4 tsp?)
Vanilla (splash)
Almond Butter (1/4 cup?)
Cocoa Powder


Mix all, put in 8x8 pan.  350 oven for 30 minutes (it will turn brown on edges).  Let cool in pan.  Cut and eat.

If you're wondering about the exact ones I made today, Sharon and Ted, I omitted the coconut and Cocoa Powder and used quick oats.

Rajma (Red Kidney Beans)

yummy!
http://vegweb.com/recipes/rajma-red-kidney-beans

2 cup Red kidney beans
3 qt Water
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 tablespoon Salt

1/4 cup Oil
garlic
1 cup Onion, Chopped
1 piece ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
3 Chopped tomatoes
Coriander leaves for garnish

Red lentil & letter soup

This made up soup was actually pretty good so I'm going to write it down:

3 yellow squash
1 onion
4 baby bok choy (chopped save leaves to put in later)
3 roma tomatoes
8 cups veggie broth (homemade)
1 t cumin
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t corriander
1/2 t paprika
1/2 cup mini pasta letters
1/2 cup red lentils
2 cups? red kidney beans

sautee veggies, add tomatoes, broth and spices.  Bring to a boil, add pasta, add lentils.  Turn to simmer.  Add kidney beans and keep on simmer or low until served.

Swiss Chard with a little extra grit

I made this dish tonight to use the swiss chard I bought at the market.  It was a lovely dish that required a lot of work (more than anticipated) but it was totally ruined in the end.  Apparently one can not treat swiss chard like lettuce.  A salad spinner did not get all the dirt off of it and it was incredibly gritty.  Unfortunately, I didn't notice until the whole thing was together.  Bummer.  But Ezra (16mo) ate it up and Mark and I suffered through the grit and I might make it again sometime.

French lentil and Swiss Chard Risotto
http://www.marthastewart.com/355364/french-lentil-and-swiss-chard-risotto?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/produce-guide-fall&center=276955&gallery=274967&slide=259421

My modifications:

• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leaves
• 1/3 cup French green lentils, picked over
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 2 large leeks (about 3/4 pound), white and light-green parts only 2 green onions
  
• 4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, homemade veggie stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine red wine
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese omitted
  
• 1/3 cup finely shredded radicchio, for garnish omitted
  

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add lentils, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain lentils, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, wash Swiss chard, and remove the leaves from the stalks. Slice the leaves into very thin 2-inch strips, and cut the smaller stems into 1/4-inch dice. Discard the larger stems. Cook Swiss chard in a wok or a large skillet over high heat, tossing constantly, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Set aside in a colander.
3. Cut leeks in half lengthwise, and slice into very thin semicircles. Place in a large bowl of cold water, and let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift out of the water, and drain in a colander. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep at a bare simmer.
5. Heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat; add leeks, onions, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add rice and thyme leaves, and continue stirring until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
6. Raise the heat to medium high, add salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup of the simmering stock, and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, allowing each addition to be nearly absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy but still a little firm in the center, about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in lentils, Swiss chard, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide the risotto among six plates, and garnish with the shredded radicchio. Serve immediately.

soup to try

Coconut Kale Curry
http://peasandthankyou.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6000507

5.11.11

5.11.11
Originally uploaded by LMN and Friends

http://healthycrush.com/veggies-with-spicy-peanut-ginger-sauce/

YUM

Sloppy Lentils

This was an awesome recipe - so much better than the last sloppy lentil recipe I tried: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/05/f-n-sloppy-lentils.html

I changed it up a bit and I doubled the recipe for two families. Here is my revised version for the single recipe with my revisions in red:
3 cups water
1 cup lentils, rinsed
salt to taste
1 cup chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
15 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2-1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (omitted)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard powder (I used prepared mustard b/c I didn't have the powder)
1 tablespoon chili powder
3-5 tablespoons rapadura, molasses, or honey (I used honey)
1 Tbsp white vinegar
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns, split
Combine water and lentils in a saucepan; season to taste with salt if desired. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook onions with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, ketchup, mustard powder, chili powder, molasses/sweetener, vinegar, salt and pepper; blend roughly with an immersion blender simmer 5 to 10 minutes until thickened (I added it to the lentils first and then simmered)
Drain lentils and reserve cooking liquid. Stir lentils into sauce mixture, adding cooking liquid or water as needed to obtain the desired “sloppy joe” consistency. Serve on buns.
I served this with the rolls that are a few posts down.

Sheri's Awesome Soup & Stew

Jamaican Spinach Soup

3 tbsp olive oil 1 1/4 tsp allspice
1 cooking onion, chopped 1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 stalks celery, chopped 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups chopped zucchini
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger 6 cups Roasted Vegetable Stock
1 tbsp raw unrefined sugar Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tsp sea salt 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (packed tightly)
1 1/4 tsp turmeric 1/2 red pepper, minced

l. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, celery, garlic, ginger and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes or until onion is softened.
3. Stir in salt, turmeric, allspice and nutmeg. Cook for a couple of minutes.
4. Add potatoes, zucchini and Roasted Vegetable Stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer
10 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
5. Remove from heat. Add cayenne pepper and spinach.
6. Using a hand blender, blend until smooth. (If you are using a blender, let the soup cool before
blending, then reheat.)
7. Garnish with minced red pepper and serve.

* I omit the red pepper and cayenne. I do not wait for soup to cool before blending, I blend it while it's hot. After blending the soup I add one can of coconut milk and cooked potato chunks to make it a little more hearty (and E loves potatoes).

Chickpea stew
1 Can of Chickpeas
1-14 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 inch of fresh ginger grated
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Garam Masala

Add veggies to taste (optional)
Saute onions, garlic and ginger for about 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients except Garam masala to the pot and cook on simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving, mix in Garam Masala
When I double the recipe I only use 1 tsp of salt.

Chocolate Recipes worth keeping

"Better-For-You Brownies"
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. pitted chopped dates
1 tsp. instant coffee granules (I use decaf)
1/2 c. boiling water
1/3 c. walnuts
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T ground flax with 1/3 cup water egg substitute
1 C plus 1 Tbs. sugar
2 T vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

-preheat to 350, coat 9 inch sware baking pan with cooking spray
-combine cocoa, dates, coffee. add boiling water and stir until cocoa has dissolved, let stand for 10 minutes or until completely cool
-meanwhile, spread walnuts in shallow baking pan and bake until lightly roasted and fragrant (4-6min). Set aside to cool. Keep oven on.
-In a food processor, combine flour, vaking powder, salt and toasted walnuts; process until walnuts are ground. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
-With a rubber spatula, scrape cooled cocoa mixture into food processor. Add egg substitute, 1 c sugar, oil an dvanilla and process until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of work bowl. Add to reserved flour mixture and stire just until dry ingredients are moistened
-pour batter into prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T sugar. Bake until brownies are firm around edges and just set in center, 25-30 minutes.
-Transfer pan to wire rack and cool completely. To serve, coat sharp knife with cooking spray and cut into 16 squares.

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
3 C. four
2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. oil
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. water

-mix dry ingredients
-add water, oil, vinegar & vanilla. Mix well
-put into greased/floured cake pans (2 9"rounds) or muffin cups or any shape you'd prefer. Cake pans take 35 minutes in 350 oven, muffins less. Check by inserting toothpick.

Vegan Chocolate Frosting
1 C. sugar
6 T corn starch
4 T cocoa
1/2 t salt
2 T oil
1 C. water
1/2 t vanilla

-mix sugar, cornstarch, salt and cocoa in medium sauce pan. Whisk in water. Heat over medium utnil it gets thick and starts to boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes (not too long or it will set like taffy) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla & oil. Cool and spread on cooled cake (OR, freeze and use later)