Hearty Oatmeal Bread

I usually make the and recipe for wheat bread to use for toast and sandwiches but this time I decided to try a new bread recipe. It turned out very yummy - a hint of sweetness, nice outer crust with a tasty soft center. We had it as toast this morning and it was delish.

Oat Bread (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)
4 1/4 cups flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups water
1 package instant dry yeast
2 T canola oil
1 T vegan butter


Combine 2 cups of flour with yeast. Set aside. Heat oil, butter, sugar, and water. Cook on low until sugar dissolves. Add to flour/yeast mixture. Use dough hook on a mixer to begin mixing flour mixture. Gradually add oats and 2 more cups of flour. If mixture is too sticky, add additional 1/4 cup of flour. Mix for about 5 min. Cover and let rise 1 hour. Divided dough in half and place in 2 greased 9in loaf pans. Cover and let rise additional 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 30-40 min or until golden brown.

Vegan Javenese Chick-Un

Javenese Chicken was a delicious meal my mom made when I was growing up. It began as a very easy meal - basically cooked chicken tossed in a creamy sauce made of cream of celery soup and cream of chicken soup and a few added ingredients. This concoction was served over a bed of rice and topped with pineapple, coconut, nuts, raisins, tomatoes, cheese, and crunchy chow mein noodles. The recipe evolved over the years to a slightly healthier version of homemade cream soups (instead of canned) and the chow mein noodles were nixed due to their hydrogenated oils. Here we are, many years later and in need for a vegan revision of the recipe. Thankfully the outcome was pure success - the vegan counterpart was incredible! Quite a simple dish and abounding with flavor.

Vegan Javanese Chick-Un
1 package Gardein Scallopini, cut into small cubes
1 T canola oil
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
1 1/4 cups faux chicken broth
2 t cracked black pepper
2 t curry powder
Rice

Heat oil in pan and add Gardein. Cook until browned. Set aside. Heat butter in a saucepan. When melted, whisk in flour. Slowly whisk mixture while adding the soy milk. Keep stirring, making sure no lumps form. Add broth and continue to whisk until thick and bubbly. Add pepper and curry powder. Spoon sauce over hot rice, top with a spoonful of Gardein. Top with following toppings.

Toppings:
Cut pineapple
Raisins
Chopped nuts
Fresh diced tomatoes
Crispy wontons
Shredded coconut

Terriyaki Tofu and Hearty Oatmeal Bowls

I made a delicious Terriyaki Tofu the other night. It was super easy and very flavorful served over a bed of sticky rice. I simply drained, pressed and sliced one block of extra firm tofu into about 16 pieces (I made them fairly small so they would bake nicely and create that chewy texture faster). I baked the tofu slices on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray for about 20 min, flipping once - at 400 degrees. When the tofu was browned, I removed it from the oven and tossed it with terriyaki sauce. Perfect consistency and delicious flavor! I used this homemade terriyaki sauce recipe from the Whole Foods website (revised a tad).

Terriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 T cornstarch mixed with 1 T water
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan except cornstarch/water mixture. Heat until bubbly. Combine cornstarch and water until past forms. Slowly add to saucepan and stir constantly until thickened.

The boys and I have been fighting colds recently and for breakfast the other day, I was having a hard time thinking of anything yummy to make that would feel good on scratchy throats. I also wanted to make something with as little added sugar as possible since we were under the weather. I decided to make oatmeal without the brown sugar. Instead, I topped our bowls with a bit of vegan butter, a splash of almond milk, a handful of raisins a a couple of Earths Best Graham Cracker sticks. Though the graham sticks have some sugar in them, the amount is minimal with how many I put in each bowl and the sugar in the raisins is natural sugar rather than refined table sugar. The boys loved the oatmeal. This was a treat my mom and grandma used to make when we were kids - on special occasions. Worked perfectly!

Thai Lettuce Wraps

With a couple adaptations, this recipe was a winner! The picture was taken very quickly and consequently didn't turn out so great. Hopefully the general idea is presented!

Thai Lettuce Wraps (adapted from Vegetarian Times)
Sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 t brown sugar
Blend ingredients and set aside.

Filling
2 cups pressed, drained, crumbled tofu (I actually use Central Soy Hot and Zesty and I had also frozen it so it crumbled beautifully)
2 cups peeled carrots cut into matchsticks
1 T oil
2 T minced fresh ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1 t minced dried onions
1 t soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
2 t sugar
1 t chili sauce (such as sriracha)
1/4 t brown sugar

Heat oil in skillet. Add tofu, ginger, garlic and carrots. Cook until tofu starts to brown and carrots are crisp tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook until liquid has mostly evaporated - about 5 minutes. Serve filling in large lettuce leaves, drizzled with above sauce.

Choclate Zucchini Muffins

I am enjoying some new recipes from the Happy Herbivore. All of her recipes are made without added fat - actually a few recipes call for things like chocolate chips but are optional. These muffins were amazingly moist and delicious despite the lack added oils. Amazing!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (adapted from Happy Herbivore)
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup almond milk
1 t vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Mix flour through cinnamon. In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients except choc chips. Add wet ingredients to dry and use mixer to blend well. Add chocolate chips. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 18 min.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread, Vegan Cake Doughnuts, Tuscan White Bean Pizza and Mexican Pizza

I cut the sugar, left out the raisins, and omitted the topping from this cinnamon bread recipe but it was still delicious! The original recipe was full of sugar, had raisins which my hubby and one son don't like and was topped with additional sugary topping so I decided to modify it to be a bit better, though I am sure the original recipe is quite tasty! Very soft and moist bread. Yum!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread (adapted from Urban Vegan
3 cups flour
1 T instant yeast
1 T soy flour
1 1/2 t cinnamon
scant 1/3 cup unpacked brown sugar
1 t salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup warm water
In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Place in oiled bowl, cover with damp towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While dough rises, combine 1/4 cup unpacked brown sugar and 1 t cinnamon. Set aside. When dough is risen, form it into an 8x12 in shape. Sprinkle sugar cinnamon mixture over the dough. Roll up jellyroll style beginning at the short edge, tucking ends under and pinching slightly. Place in oiled 9in loaf pan. Cover with damp cloth again and let rise an hour. Preheat oven to 350. Bake risen loaf for 35-45 min or until lightly browned.

I have to admit, I really love doughnuts. Unfortunately, they are so unhealthy that I rarely indulge in their yumminess. I do enjoy making them sometimes and actually feel a tad better when I eat them because there are Jo hidden ingredients and at least I don't totally submerge them in oil! These were super yummy cake doughnuts.

Vegan Cake Doughnuts (modified from Better Homes and Gardens)
3 1/4 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
2/3 cup soy milk
1/4 cup earth balance, melted
substitute for 2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
In a large bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, 1/4 t salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk and butter, and egg substitute. Use elecgtric mixer to beat dry ingredients combined with wet ingredients until well combined. Add remaining flour and mix well. Cover bowl and chill 2 hours. Turn dough onto floured surface and cut out doughnuts with a 2 1/2 in doughnut cutter. Heat a Dutch oven with enough oil to cover bottom of pan (about 1/2 inch)and fry doughnuts for 1 min on each side or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Toss in powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar or top with glaze.

I decided to try a couple of new pizza recipes this week and they turned out to be yummy results! I started.with a recipe from Vegan on the Cheap but of course modified as usual. I also came up with a completely new recipe for the Mexican one. My kids really loved them and never mentioned the fact that they were cheeseless pizzas! I was actually really surprised at how much they loved them!

Tuscan White Bean Pizza (adapted from Vegan on the Cheap)
1 recipe pizza dough (any recipe will work and I don't have time to type mine out:-))
3 garlic cloves minced
3 t oil
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 yellow zucchini or green zucchini
3/4 cup pizza or pasta sauce

Place dough on a pizza pan and press to desired thickness. Heat oil and add minced garlic. Cook until golden. In bowl, combine garlic oil, beans, salt, pepper, and broth. Mash beans until smooth. Spread pizza sauce over pizza crust. Spread bean mixture over pizza sauce. Top with fresh basil and sliced zucchini. Cook at 425 for 15-20 min or until crust is browned.

Vegan Mexican Pizza
1 recipe pizza dough
1 1/2 cups refried beans
1/2 cup taco sauce
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups guacamole
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Place dough on pizza pan and press to desired thickness. Spread beans over crust. Spread taco sauce over beans. Top with cilantro and green onions. Bake at 425 for abougt 15-20 min or until crust is browned. Top slices with guacamole and tortilla chips.