Part-Time Vegan, Day 2
Makes at least 24 3×3″ Crackers
2 1/2 Cups Graham Flour or Stoneground Flour or Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Earth Balance Margarine
1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Agave Nectar (or a little more sugar mixed with water)
3/4 Cup Water
Mix the all the dry ingredients together. Cream together Earth Balance and sugar. Add vanilla and agave and beat with a whisk until smooth. Add a little of the flour and a little of the water to the earth balance/sugar mixture and combine. Continue adding in flour and water, a little at a time, until all flour and water is added. Work the dough with your hands until everything is evenly combined.
Divide dough in half and cover. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 325º F. Roll out the dough into a rectangle that measures approximately 11″x15″. Trim edges. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into squares or rectangles (I cut mine into 3′x3′ squares). Prick the squares with a fork.
Bake for 30-40 minutes at 325 F or until the crackers are turning golden brown around the edges. You can sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top of the crackers during the last 10 minutes of baking if you like.
Asparagus Tart with White Bean Pesto
Vegan Yum Yum
Serves 6-8
1 15 oz Can Navy Beans
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 Heaping Cup Raw Cashews
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbs Amore Pesto Paste
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbs Soy or Rice Milk, or water **I did not include this, my mixture was already smooth enough**
1 lb Fresh Asparagus
1 Puff Pastry Sheet (Pepperidge Farm is surprisingly vegan!)
Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil
Remove 1 puff pastry sheet from the freezer and let it defrost on the counter for 40 minutes on top of parchment paper. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400º F and make the filling.
Drain and rinse the beans, and add them to the work bowl of a food processor. Add of the remaining ingredients except the soymilk (salt through lemon juice). Pulse the food processor, stopping ever few pulses to scrape down the sides and pulse again. You want to break up the beans and the cashews. Once it’s as smooth as you can get it, dribble in the soymilk while the machine is running, as this should help further smooth the mixture.
After 40 minutes of defrosting, carefully unwrap the puff pastry on top of your parchment paper:
Roll the puff pastry out slightly into a rectangle. Then add the white bean pesto mixture, leaving a 1 to 1 1/2 inch border on all sides:
Trim your asparagus so that it fits the tart width-wise. Press the spears into the white bean pesto, alternating their direction so that there are tips and bases next to each other; this one everyone is guaranteed every part of the asparagus after cutting:
Brush the spears with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper:
Using the parchment paper, slide the tart onto a baking sheet (don’t remove the tart from the paper). Bake at 400ºF for 25-30 minutes until the tart is puffed and golden brown and the spears are tender. Serve while just warm.
You can reheat this tart in the oven for a few minutes if you have leftovers, but it’s also good at room temperature. Fresh basil is a nice garnish.
Part-Time Vegan, Day 1
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1 cup almond milk (or your fave non-dairy milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup peeled grated carrot, about 6 ounce (try to get the smallest pieces you can so they cook fast)
In a small mixing bowl, using a fork, beat the flax seeds together with the milk for about a minute. Add the vinegar, water, maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. Fold in grated carrot. Let batter rest for at least 5 minutes.
Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray or oil. Add batter in scant 1/4 cup scoops. I use an ice cream scooper for this and it works magically. Cook three at a time for about 4 minutes (or until the tops look mostly cooked), then flip and cook until lightly browned, 2 more minutes.
Keep on a plate covered with tin foil until ready to eat. Serve with pure maple syrup.
Hurry Up Alfredo
Vegan Yum Yum
Makes anywhere from 2-8 servings, depending on how much sauce you like!
1 Cup Soymilk (I used plain almond milk)
1/3 Cup Raw, Unsalted Cashews
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast (you should be able to find this in the organic/natural section)
3 Tbs Low-Sodium Tamari or Soy Sauce
2 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine
1 Tbs Tahini
1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp Paprika (smoked is awesome)
1 Pinch Nutmeg
2-4 Cloves of Garlic, optional
Black pepper, to taste
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Just blend extra-long, or perhaps strain if if you want it perfectly smooth.
If you’re making this sauce for pasta, drain the pasta and return it to the hot empty pan. Pour the sauce over, place on medium heat, and stir until heated through. Serve with lots of fresh cracked black pepper. I love it with steamed broccoli added in!
Farfalle con Broccoli
- ⅓ lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 salted anchovy filets or anchovy paste (omit if necessary and add a little extra salt to compensate)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- fresh cracked black pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and broccoli florets and boil until al dente (it should still have a little bite to it). Meanwhile, fry the garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Turn off the heat and add red pepper flakes to the garlic oil.
- Crush the anchovies with a little oil to make a paste (or use a bit of anchovy paste per your taste). When the garlic oil stops sizzling, add the anchovies and mix with a wooden spoon. Mix in the cream and return it to the heat. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.
- Cook together until the sauce thickens. Add the parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper. If the sauce gets too thick and sticky, add some pasta water.
It’s about to get meatless up in here.
- I want to know if it will make me feel any different, health-wise. Will I feel better? Will I feel tired? Will I feel hungry? I wanna know.
- I want to know if I can come up with enough things to eat without getting bored. I know there are a lot of vegan recipes out there these days- tons. But personally, I don’t want to overeat soy products (I’ll be sharing my thoughts on this with you soon), and many vegan recipes are full of soy, soy and more soy. So can I find enough meals I like that fulfill the vegan requirements without ODing on soy? We shall see.
- I just want to see if I can stick with it. Just for funsies.
- I want to know if I can sustain enough protein, especially without a lot of soy. Protein is of major (MAJOR) importance to pregnant and nursing women. I’m currently nursing, so I can’t continue a diet that is low in protein while I’m responsible for my baby’s nutrition as well.
- I like meat, dairy and eggs. And honey! Per the Bible, I believe meat and animal products are meant to be eaten and enjoyed by humans. That being said, I definitely don’t agree with or support what’s going on in the meat industry in this country. But I do think you can find responsible places to buy your products with a little effort.
- I like meat in moderation. I think meat is delish, but I don’t think we need to eat it three meals a day. That’s overkill in our house. We buy meat from responsible vendors (grass-fed, organic, you know the deal) and go easy on it. We can get a little crazy with the milk, eggs and cheese, but we do our best to buy local/organic there as well.
- I have a husband and a family. What can I say, the boys like their protein! Maintaining a vegan lifestyle and being responsible for feeding a husband and child simply won’t work for me. I don’t think it’s responsible for their sustained nutrition.
Perfect Brunch Menus
- I feel like I could host a brunch every day with all the ideas still in my head.
- I’m up to my eyeballs in Omega-3s from all the eggs I’ve been downing.
- Brunch is really just an excuse to eat dessert for breakfast, let’s be real.
Banana Muffins
Mixed berries and yogurt (premade parfaits or in big, family-style bowls)
Assorted fruit juices
Mini Frittatas
Strawberry Coffee Cake (via Joy the Baker)
Meyer Lemon Sticky Rolls (via Tracey’s Culinary Adventures)
Cinnamon Sugar Baked Doughnuts
Homemade Strawberry Milk (via The Kitchn)
Quick and Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
Easy Cinnamon Buns (via Hungry Rabbit)
Cinnamon Sugar Baked Doughnuts
Back in January, when I started this whole great adventure, I promised you doughnuts during Brunch Month. It took me all month, but I can finally deliver!
Here’s my deal with doughnuts. I usually don’t eat them. I don’t work in an office these days, and I don’t make a habit of driving through Krispy Kreme (only once in my life while I was pregnant, don’t tell!). They just aren’t my usual breakfast fare. But I still think they’re a fantastic treat.
Here’s my other deal. Why are they always fried? Come on, America. Let’s get it together.
I decided to search for a good looking baked doughnut recipe that didn’t require a doughnut pan (like lots of baked doughnut recipes out there do).
I think this one is just perfect.
And also- how good are doughnut holes? I think they’re my favorite (higher cinnamon sugar to doughnut ratio). I ate about a million.
Try not to overbake these little yummies. You don’t want the insides to be dry, okay?
And try to make them to order if you can. I had a group of my girlfriends over to taste test for me (thanks, girls!), and I made sure to plan ahead so they were ready to pop in the oven upon their arrival. You just need about two hours ahead of time for the rising (so if brunch is at 10, start them at 8).
I think you’ll find that these are just as tasty as those Krispy Kremes (in their own way).
Did I mention there’s white whole wheat flour in these babies?
You have my permission to call them healthy. Go get your brunch on!
- 1⅓ cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees (divided)
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 5 cups flour (I used 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups white whole wheat flour)
- A pinch or two of nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- Place ⅓ cup of the warm milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the yeast and set aside for five minutes or so. Be sure your milk isn’t too hot or it will kill the yeast. Stir the butter and sugar into the remaining cup of warm milk and add it to the yeast mixture. With a fork, stir in the eggs, flour, nutmeg, and salt – just until the flour is incorporated. With the dough hook attachment of your mixer beat the dough for a few minutes at medium speed. This is where you are going to need to make adjustments – if your dough is overly sticky, add flour a few tablespoons at a time. Too dry? Add more milk a bit at a time. You want the dough to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and eventually become supple and smooth. Turn it out onto a floured counter-top, knead a few times (the dough should be barely sticky), and shape into a ball.
- Transfer the dough to a buttered (or oiled) bowl, cover, put in a warm place (I turn on the oven at this point and set the bowl on top), and let rise for an hour or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and roll it out ½-inch thick on your floured countertop. Most people (like myself) don’t have a doughnut cutter, instead I use a 2-3 inch cookie cutter to stamp out circles. Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet and stamp out the smaller inner circles using a smaller cutter. If you cut the inner holes out any earlier, they become distorted when you attempt to move them. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for another 45 minutes.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven until the bottoms are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes – start checking around 8. While the doughnuts are baking, place the butter in a medium bowl. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Remove the doughnuts from the oven and let cool for just a minute or two. Dip each one in the melted butter and a quick toss in the sugar bowl. Eat immediately if not sooner.
Maple Syrup Scones
- ¼ cup real, good quality maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons milk or cream (I used half milk and half cream)
- 2¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour (sub all-purpose or half white/half wheat if you can’t find it)
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1½ tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine grain salt
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- large-grain sugar (for example: turbinado) for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, rack in the top ⅓. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the maple syrup and milk in a small cup, and set aside. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Using a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture, pulsing until it resembles little pebbles in a beach of sandy flour (about 20 quick pulses). You can also cut the butter into the flour using a knife and fork, or smushing it through your thumb and fingertips. Now add the maple syrup milk. Pulse (or mix) until the dough just comes together – don’t over mix. If the batter is too dry add more cream a bit at a time -you want it to hold together w/o being crumbly.
- Turn out onto a floured surface, kneed once or twice, just enough to bring the dough together. Now arrange the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Trim the edges and slice the dough into nine equal-sized squares. Arrange the scones next to one another on the prepared baking sheet – ¼-inch distance between each of them. Brush generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with the large-grain sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden along the bottom and tops.
Ham and Egg Crepe Squares
- For the crepes: ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups milk
- 4 eggs
- 3 tablespoons butter, plus more for cooking
- For the filling: 9 thin slices ham
- 9 eggs
- chopped parsley
- Combine flours, sugar, salt, milk, four eggs and the melted butter in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Heat a 10-12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with butter. Add ⅓ cup batter and swirl to completely cover skillet. Cook until underside of crepe is very lightly starting to brown, about 2 minutes.
- Loosen edge of crepe with spatula and then either using large spatula or your fingers, lift it up and flip it over. Cook another minutes and then slide out of skillet onto a plate. Repeat until all crepes are done. You should have about 8-9 when you are done.
- Preheat oven to 350. Place crepes on a rimmed baking sheet (you can fit 3-4 per sheet). Place am slice in center of crepe and carefully crack egg onto ham. Fold edges of crepe toward center, using the egg white as a kind of glue. Season with salt and pepper and bake until egg white is set, about 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve at once.
Sweet & Savory French Toast BLT
- 8 slices thick cut bacon
- ¼ cup brown sugar or maple syrup (you might not use it all)
- 4 slices thick cut crusty bread (have an extra slice or two on hand if you want to soak up the extra)
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup cream
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- salt, pepper and fresh nutmeg to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons butter
- 4 large lettuce leaves (or however much lettuce you’re into)
- 8 tomato slices
- Preheat the oven to 375. Place bacon on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook until golden, about 15 minutes, rotating half-way through.
- Meanwhile, in a large, shallow baking dish, whisk eggs, cream and parsley. Add salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Lay bread in a single layer in the egg mixture and soak 3-5 minutes, flipping the slices to fully coat.
- Heat a large skillet over medium and add butter. When butter begins to sizzle, add bread and cook until golden and crisp at the edges, about 3 minutes per side.
- To serve, layer lettuce, tomato and bacon on each slice of toast and sprinkle with extra parsley.
Spinach Cheddar Strata with Crispy Breakfast Ham
Tasty and good for you! Don’t get me started on the health benefits of eggs, we’ll be here all day.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 10 oz fresh spinach
- 3 cups day-old bread cubes (1 inch)
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup milk (preferably whole)
- 4 oz grated sharp (or extra sharp!) white cheddar
- whole nutmeg, for fresh grating
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add spinach and stir constantly until wilted. Press into a colander to remove as much liquid from the spinach as possible. Divide bread and spinach in four 8 oz ramekins or an 8 inch square baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and half of the cheese. Season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste (a little nutmeg goes a long way- just a few passes over the grater will be fine). Divide egg mixture evenly among the dishes and top with the remaining cheese. Place dishes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until set in the middle and golden on top, 20-25 minutes.
- 8 slices of deli ham
- On a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet, broil slices of deli ham until golden in parts, 3-5 minutes, rotating sheet frequently.
