The Thanksgiving Plate (The Prequel To Christmas)

These are just the basic staples of a southern Thanksgiving, and what we have on Thanksgiving in this house is generally what we also have on Christmas. Delicious and extremely moist cornbread stuffing, "turkey", steamed greens, fresh greenbeans and soft and smooth sweet potato pie. Almost everything was completely homemade for this dish.

Sweet Potato Pie Crust:
1 and 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat
1 and 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup of Sugar
1 tsp of Sea Salt
1/2-3/4 cup of Cold Coconut Oil
A few tbl of Non-dairy Milk

Sweet Potato Pie Filling Recipe:
1-2 Large Sweet Potatoes (boiled, then skin removed)
1/4 package of Silken Tofu
1/2 cup of Sugar
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
Nutmeg to taste
Enough Non-Dairy Milk to mix it

Mix the dry ingredients together and flake in the coconut oil until it becomes moist for the crust. Dribble in a bit of the milk and then knead until it all comes together. Wrap in plastic and refridgerate for about 30 minutes. Roll it out and cut out your rounds, then thin it out a bit more. Pinch around the edges to make the crust and dock the bottom - or use leftover dough for the crust. Bake it for five minutes at 350 degrees then fill with the sweet potato pie filling and bake until the filling has firmed up.

Mix all of the ingredients together until smooth for the filling (some tiny lumps might be there) and set aside. Place into a pastry bag or spoon onto the crust.

Cornbread Stuffing Recipe:
[1 and 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat
1 cup of Cornmeal
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
2 tbl of Sweetener
1 cup of Non-Dairy Milk] - Mix together and bake at 350 degrees until browned well.
 
1/2 cup of Toasted Bread Cubes
1-2 cups of Cream of Mushroom Soup (I made my own)
Equal amounts of Cooked Celery, Green Bell Pepper, Onions (and a small amount of Garlic)
Salt, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano and Sage to taste
1-2 cups of Veggie Broth (you can use leftovers from the vegetables and water)

Mix all of the ingredients together and chop with a large spoon until it has all become a very moist amount of food. Pour into a non-stick pan or grease another large one and bake at 350 degrees until fully browned and cooked.

Vegan Turkey Legs Recipe:
1 Box of Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten
1/2 cup of Pureed Chickpeas and Water
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt and Smoked Paprika
Enough Water to Mix (Allow some of the VWG to stay in)

Mix until you get a slight bit of spring from your seitan and split into six equal pieces. Shape into whatever you wish, cover in two long pieces of aluminum foil, wrap it tightly and then boil/steam for about thirty minutes. Crisp it afterwards and season as you like throughout the whole process, serve with whatever you like and enjoy!

Finn and Jake Burger

Oh no! Finn and Jake have been kidnapped by a semi-lazy (at the moment) bento artist and can't shout for help! They've been made into delicious soy-cheese figures with nori eyes all atop a delicious veggie burger with all of the fixin's! Will you save Finn and Jake or will you be too tempted by this delicious burger?

Ingredient List:

1 Gardein Veggie Burger

2 slices of Vegan Flat-Bread Rounds

A handful of Lettuce

2 slices of a Brown Tomato

A Sprinkle of Onions

A smidge of Spicy Hummus

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving Bento

Happy Thanksgiving to all that celebrate it! I made this last Saturday as a small "snack" bento but it can be eaten at any time!

Ingredient List:

Nori

1 Vegan Turkey Leg (recipe coming soon)

1 Brown Rice Onigiri (with Carrot and Radish Tail, Mouth and Snood)

5 Rolls of Vegan Tamagoyaki

3 Pumpkin Shaped Beet Slices (Raw)

Slices of Radish

Carrots

Four Slices of Hachiya Persimmon (to be eaten with the Cucumber)

A bit of Cucumber Salad

A Border of Cilantro and Parsley

I hope that you enjoy!

Happy Birthday Tres Leches

(Tres Leches Cake Ingredients)

• 1/2 cup of Soy Milk/Rice Milk
• 1/2 cup of Almond Milk
• 1 and 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/3 cup Melted Coconut Oil
• 1 and 1/2 cups Cake Flour
• 3/4 cups of White Sugar (add less if it is a sugary frosting)
• 1 tsp of Baking Soda
• 1 tsp of Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp of Sea Salt
• A pinch of cinnamon (optional)

(Tres Leches Blend)

• 3/4 cup Coconut Milk
• 3/4 cup Almond Milk
• 3/4 cup Soy/rice milk

(Whipped Topping)

• Coconut Cream (refrigerated and whipped)

(Directions)

• Combine your dry ingredients together and wet ingredients (separately). Then slowly add the wet to the dry. Combine until everything has come together well and then place into a lightly greased pan.
• Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until well browned. Let it cool completely and cut off the top.
• Poke as many holes into the cake with them as you can. After that, mix your Tres Leches blend and slowly pour it over the cake (do this in batches and let the cake soak up each one).
• Let it sit in the fridge for about 24 hours and then cover in whipped and refrigerated (full-fat) coconut cream.
• Serve with your favorite fruits and stash the rest later.(it tastes amazing the next day).
• Enjoy!

I hope that you enjoy the cake as much as my family and I did!

How To Make Spring Rolls Tutorial (Thai-Style)

(Clockwise) Red cabbage, garlic, tofu, red pepper, lime, peanuts

Lightly toast your minced peanuts and toss in the other ingredients with oil, vegan fish sauce and/or tamari.

Soak your rice paper for 10 seconds on each side, then lay on a plate.
  

Fill one side and tightly roll your spring roll, folding in the sides as you go.

Lightly coat in corn starch or rice flour and pan-fry.



Serve with dipping sauce, garnish and dust with lime salt (optional).

Enjoy!

Island Scones

These taste like a pacific-banana bread that I positively adore, respite the lack of a dark color. But you do what you have to when you have a small stove that goes out quickly - and especially when you're craving sweets.

(Island Scones Ingredients)

• 1 Mashed Banana
• 1/2 of One Lime (juice and some peel)
• 1/4-1/2 cup of Sugar
• 5 tbl of (Dry or Fresh) Pineapple
• 1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup of Light Coconut Milk
• 1 Cup of Pulverised Oatmeal
• 1 Cup of Whole White Wheat
• 1/2 cup of Pulverised Coconut
• 1/2 tbl of Baking Powder
• A Pinch of Sea Salt

(Directions)

• Preheat at 350 degrees
• Mix your dry and wet ingredients separately.
• Add in the wet to the dry and shape into triangular shapes.
• You can cover the tops in sugar, and then bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until fully browned.
• Coat with a mixture of pineapple juice and powdered sugar.Serve warm.
• Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy your taste of island bliss!

German-Mexican Baked Sopapilla/Calzone

This is more New Mexican style than anything, but its absolutely delicious so it really doesn't matter. If its German, Mexican or Italian your only reply will be muffled sounds of pleasure from this meal. Filled with two types of beans, onions, jackfruit, jalapeno jam, taco seasoning, cilantro, sun-dried tomatoes and covered in a whole wheat-rye crust, this can't be beat. Serve it with your favorite sauce and watch your family ask for more.

(Sopapilla/Calzone Dough Ingredients)

• 1 and 1/2 cup White Whole Wheat
• 1 cup of Dark Rye Flour
• 1/2 tbl of Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder
• A pinch of Salt
• 3 tbl of Olive Oil
• Enough Water to Mix

(Jalapeno Jam Ingredients)

• 3 tbl of Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Large Jalapeno Pepper
• 1/4 cup of Sugar
• 1/2 cup of Water
• 1/2 tbl Cornstarch + Water
• Juice of 1/4 Lime
• A pinch of Salt

(Filling Ingredients- you can add something different if you want)

• Refried pinto beans
• Cooked Black beans
• Chopped onions
• Cilantro
• Taco-seasoned jackfruit
• Jalapeno Jam (recipe above)
• sun-dried tomatoes(flavored with cumin, garlic powder and chili powder)

(Directions)

• Preheat oven at 400 degrees


• Sopapilla/Calzone Dough: Mix your ingredients together and knead them for about 10 minute. Coat with a light spray of oil or non-stick spray and let it rest for about an hour.


• Jalapeno Jam:: Cook this once all of the fillings have been added so that it has no chance of crystallizing.
• Mince up your jalapeno (keep the seeds) and throw away the stem.
• Boil your sugar and water (no cornstarch water mixture) and then throw in the jalapeno.
• Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes with a lid on the pot and then add your lime juice and salt.
• Add the other pepper flakes a few moments later and then add your cornstarch mixture, after it simmers a bit more you can turn the heat off. Use warm so that it has no chance of crystallizing.


• Assembly: Spread your desired fillings on one half of the dough. Be sure to add extra jalapeno jam around the edges to help seal.
• Fold dough over the filling and pinch the edges. Spray calzone with more non-stick spray, cover in sea salt and cut three slits into the pastry.
• Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, then coat with more jam and turn the heat up to 450 degrees. Heat until glazed.
• Cut into serving pieces with salsa and enjoy.

German Chocolate Sweet Rolls

I made these the day of Halloween for a Hansel and Gretel themed dinner, but didn't get to post it until now. As everyone knows, the best part of a sweet roll (or cinnamon bun) is the middle - but now every bit is just as delicious! I coated it with a simple icing of cocoa powder, powdered sugar, salt and non-dairy milk and made sure that the inside had a similar covering. Sweet and oh so delicious - just like the kids would have wanted.

(Sweet Rolls Dough Ingredients)

• 1 and 1/2 tsp Rapid-Rise Yeast
• 1/2 tbl Sweetener
• 1 Cup of Warm Water
• 1/2 Cup of Sweetener
• 2 and 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
• A Pinch of Sea Salt

(Sweet Rolls Filling Ingredients)

• 1 Bar of Melted Dark Chocolate (or Cocoa Powder,Oil,Non-dairy Milk, and Sweetener)
• 1/4 cup of Unsweetened Coconut Shreds
• 5 tbl of Kinako Powder (optional)
• A handful of Walnuts

(Icing Ingredients)

• 1/2 Cup of Cocoa Powder
• Enough Non-Dairy Milk to Mix (dont make sauce runny)
• Powdered sugar
• A Pinch of Sea Salt

(Directions)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• For the sweet roll dough and filling: Mix the first three ingredients (only 1/4 of water) together. After about ten minutes you can mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
• Add flour as you need to and knead the dough for about ten minutes.
• Let it rest in a warm area and cover with a damp towel for one hour while you get the rest of the ingredients together.
• Roll it out thinly into the shape of a rectangle and then spread on your filling in order.
• Grab one end and roll it tightly, then slice thickly and evenly and place into a non-stick pan and place some icing around the edges. Let those rise in a warm area for about 30 more minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until thoroughly browned.


• For the Icing: Add enough of the non-dairy milk to the cocoa to make it spreadable and enough sugar to make it taste good. Add pinch of salt.
• Coat with more icing, add more nuts and/or cherries and serve warm.
• Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

This dish is good throughout the year but is especially good when the weather is cooling down. The notes of a sweet and crunchy crust on top paired with soft lentils, pops of peas and a delicious spicy garlic sauce is what one needs to warm up.

(Crust Topping Ingredients)

• 1 Steamed and Mashed Sweet Potato (skin on)
• 1/4 Cup of Real Maple Syrup
• A pinch of Sea Salt

(Lentil Shepherd's Pie Filling Ingredients)

• 1 Head of Minced and Salted Garlic
• 1/2 Small Onion (minced)
• 3/4 Cup Vegetable Broth
• 3-5 tbl Sriracha
• 2 cups Cooked (but not mushy) Green Lentils
• 2 Medium-Sized Carrots
• 1/2 cup Peas
• A Dash of Cajun Seasoning
• Salt to taste

(Directions)

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Saute your garlic and onions in a pot until they become slightly translucent, then add the sriracha.
• After it has cooked for a few seconds and lightly sticks to the pan. Add about 1/4 of a cup of the broth. Stir and add in your carrots.
• After about five minutes, add your lentils and more broth as needed.
• Once the carrots have slightly softened and add the peas to the pot.
oil up your ramekins. Spoon some of the filling in leaving about 1/4 inch of space on top. Stack your sweet potato mash on top.
• Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until lightly crisp and fully browned.
• Serve and Enjoy!