Vegan Black Bean Soup

Posted by Michele at 3:15 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 22, 2012 as "Giving Up Giving Up"

Lenten Vegan Black Bean Soup
(modified from "Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker")

1 medium sweet onion (diced)
1 medium carrot (diced)
1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 cans (15.5oz) black beans (dont drain or rinse)
1 large can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes (dont drain or rinse)
4 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp chili powder blend
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
rice and chopped onions for serving (optional)

Toss all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Puree half of the soup before adding it back in. Serve over rice and add raw chopped onions, if you'd like.

4 servings. calories per serving (without the rice and raw onions/svg suggestion): 400 calories

Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze

Posted by Michele at 3:13 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 17, 2012 as "Sweets for Sophia"

While my sweet little one may have wanted cookies, I wanted to do a cake as well... So, I made a cake (chocolate and orange, of course) on Valentine's Day, which I then took to my in-laws on Wednesday to have with dinner as well, and Sophia got her cookies. Everything turned out so well, that I wanted to share the (vegan) recipes so that you could enjoy a bit of Sophia's sweetness in your life! :)

These recipes originated in the Veganomicon. The cookie recipe was initially modified by Polly, and further modified (as was the cake) by yours truly.

Chocolate-Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze (vegan)

Melt 7.5oz (Icelandic) chocolate (45%) with 1.75 cups of freshly brewed coffee.

In a mixing bowl, mix together:
1.5 cups sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4cup cornstarch
1 tbsp orange extract.
1/2 cup orange marmalade (unsweetened)

Once cooled, add in the chocolate and mix together.

In a bowl, mix together:
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1tsp baking soda
1.5tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until well mixed.

Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 325 for 50-55 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Let completely cool. When the cake is cool to the touch, mix together:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp orange juice

The glaze will be fairly thick. Add more sugar/juice to get the proper "glaze" consistency. Spoon over evenly.

16 slices, 220 calories each

Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies

Posted by Michele at 3:12 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on February 17, 2012 as "Sweets for Sophia"

While my sweet little one may have wanted cookies, I wanted to do a cake as well... So, I made a cake (chocolate and orange, of course) on Valentine's Day, which I then took to my in-laws on Wednesday to have with dinner as well, and Sophia got her cookies. Everything turned out so well, that I wanted to share the (vegan) recipes so that you could enjoy a bit of Sophia's sweetness in your life! :)

These recipes originated in the Veganomicon. The cookie recipe was initially modified by Polly, and further modified (as was the cake) by yours truly.


Chocolate Orange Cookies (vegan)
In a mixing bowl, combine:
1/4c canola oil
1/4c applesauce
1/2c orange marmalade (natural and unsweetened is best)
1.5tsp orange extract

While this is mixing, melt:
7.5oz dark chocolate
(I use a mixture of 3.25oz each Icelandic 56% and 70%)

Add in the melted chocolate to the wet ingredients. Turn mixer off while you combine (in another bowl):
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup hazelnut flour
3/4tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt

Add the dry to the wet, mixing on 3 (low-med) speed, a third at a time. Then add in:
1/2 cup dried crandberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips ( I used 1/4 mini chips and 1/4 reg chips)

The mixture will be wet and sticky. Make 24 balls. Roll them in:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
(there will be a little sugar left over- keep it)

Press the balls into discs. Place on a cookie sheet. These wont spread out much, so you can easily do 10-12 per sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sift some of your leftover powdered sugar over the still-hot cookies. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

This recipe makes 30 cookies (2.5 dozen), 150 calories each.

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Posted by Michele at 3:11 PM 0 comments

Originally published here on February 12, 2012 as "Oh My...Cookies"

Made these this afternoon... Oh My Deliciousness! I modified the recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies from The Vegan Table (page 159, for those interested).

Vegan (Crunchy) Almond Butter and (Cherry) Preserves Cookies

75g coconut butter (about 1/3 cup)
1/2c light brown sugar
1/2c crunchy almond butter
2tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2tbsp cherry preserves

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

Beat together coconut butter, brown sugar, almond butter, almond milk, and vanilla.

Mix flours and baking powder in a bowl. Slowly beat into the wet ingredients.

Make 20 balls with the dough. (I cook 2 rounds of 10 balls each). Using your thumb, make an indentation in the cookie balls as you are flattening them. Place them on the baking sheet and spoon in 1/4 tsp of cherry preserves into the thumb indentation.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375. Cool on the rack for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Cool for 5 minutes before eating.

20 cookies at 115 calories each

Gluten Free Gingersnaps

Posted by Michele at 3:10 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on October 27, 2011 as "Gluten Free Gingersnaps"

While I didnt initially love these (and think they need some work), Bobby and Maya disagree!! They are still chanting cookie! Slightly crumbly and delicately soft, they are lightly sweetened pieces of heaven with a cup of coffee or tea. And, weighing in at only 90 calories each, you can happily indulge (and allow the youngest taste testers in your kitchen do so as well!)

Gluten Free Gingersnaps

Mix in a bowl and set aside:
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp Ginger, ground
1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/8 tsp Cloves, ground
1 3/3 cup GF flour mixture (I make my own but you can find them commercially available)


In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your electric mixer), mix until fluffy:
54 grams (or 6 tablespoons) whipped butter
4oz apple sauce (snack cup size)
1/4c Brown Sugar

Add and mix well:
1 large egg
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
2 tbsp lemon juice.

Add your dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Make 20 balls of dough and press flat in a bowl of granulated sugar (5tbsp should do the trick).
Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 9 minutes.
Cool on baking sheet for 1 minute, then move to cooling area.

(20 cookies, 90 calories each)

Vegan Chocolate Bundt Cake

Posted by Michele at 3:08 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on October 17, 2011 as "What I'm Eating Today"

Today has found me sifting through old Yoga Journal magazines that a friend of mine brought me after they'd been discarded from the library. Good stuff... But what's even better than reading up on yogic philosophy? The Vegan Chocolate Bundt Cake found on page 37 of the December 2009 edition. The cake was adapted from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero (which I'm now going to have to buy) and, in addition to being fun to make with a lot of things I had lying around, it is FREAKING DELICIOUS! I cut it into small slices (24 per cake) and they come in at around 135 calories per piece. Yummy Yummy Yummy!!! This may very well be my new "standard" chocolate cake recipe!

Vegan Chocolate Bundt Cake (24 svgs=135c each)
1.75c freshly brewed coffee
2/3c Dutch cocoa
1.5c granulated sugar
1/3c oil (I used corn)
1/3c applesauce (I used a 4oz snack cup of unsweetened)
.25c cornstarch
2tsp vanilla extract & 1tsp almond extract (I used 1tbsp vanilla)
2c whole wheat or white A.P. flour (I used 1c each of WW and white)
1tsp baking soda
1.5tsp baking powder
.5tsp salt
2tsp confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 325 and grease a bundt pan.
Melt the chocolate into the hot coffee and whisk to combine well.
Whisk together the sugar, oil, applesauce, cornstarch, and vanilla (or vanilla/almond). When combined well, add the chocolate coffee and whisk well to combine.
(This is where my recipe will differ from the original). Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the wet ingredients and blend on medium low until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55min. (I cooked for 55min.)
Cool for 20min in the pan, then flip and sprinkle the powdered sugar over the top.
If you can wait to eat it, great. If not, slice a piece and eat that bad boy while it is still warm!!!

Gluten Free Dried Fruit Muffins

Posted by Michele at 3:39 PM 0 comments

Originally posted here on May 28, 2011 as "Oh MY Muffins..."

So, Peter decided on homemade muffins for breakfast. But... What to make! I decided I wanted to try something new... and something gluten free (May is gluten free awareness month). And these bad boys that I've crafted in my kitchen this morning? FREAKING DELICIOUS. LOVE THEM. Will be making these again... and again... and again.

Whether you like them with just the fruit or with tossing some chocolate in them, they are the best muffins- gluten free or otherwise- that I've ever made. I'm in heaven. Pass the muffin tray, please!

Gluten Free Dried Fruit Muffins
300g homemade whole grain gluten free flour mix (see below)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
100g Splenda brown sugar mixture (or 50g brown sugar and 50g Splenda)
50g melted salted butter
50g mashed banana
80g buckwheat (or other favorite) honey
250g buttermilk (or 250g whole milk plus 1tbsp lemon juice, mixed together and left to stand for 5 minutes)
2 eggs
50g unsweetened almond milk
20g dried blueberries
20g dried pomegranate seeds
20g dried cranberries
28g sliced almonds

homemade whole grain gluten free flour
-50g coconut flour
-50g hazelnut flour
-100g white, stoneground cornmeal
-150g teff flour
-150g white rice flour
Mix togther and use as a whole grain flour mixture


Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar together. In another bowl, add the butter, banana, eggs, honey and milks. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, then stir in the dried fruit. Fill muffin tins 3/4 way full (they dont rise a lot) and cook at 350 for 23-25 minutes.

(I make my first batch, then add the 48g of chocolate chunk pieces into the remaining batter and make those on round 2.)

Makes 19 muffins:
195c per muffin/ 230c per chocolate chunk muffin

(a shout out to the Gluten Free Girl, for her basic GF muffin assistance)