Cinnamon Buns

Warm cinnamon buns are the best! I don't do a lot of baking, but every once in a while, I am inspired! This recipe was inspired by a post I saw on "The Food Stories," and thanks to that writer for sharing a terrific recipe. When you have a hankering for something sweet, give these a try.

Ingredients:

In an 8" or 9" inch metal pan (round* or square):

• 1/3 C vegan buttery spread (melted)
• brown sugar & cinnamon for sprinkling

In a mixing bowl:

• 2 C flour
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 1/2 t baking powder
• 2/3 C vanilla plant-based creamer
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1-2 T cinnamon

Glaze:

• 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 2 T vanilla plant-based creamer, or lemon juice, if you prefer tangy!

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder.
3. After the ingredients are mixed thoroughly, add creamer and blend just until all of the flour mixture is wet.
4. On a well-floured surface, roll into a 10" by 12" rectangle.
5. Sprinkle the dough with 1/2 cup of brown sugar and cinnamon.
6. Beginning with the 10" side, roll the dough into one long strip.
7. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1" rounds.
8. Melt vegan buttery spread and pour into metal pan.
9. Sprinkle melted vegan buttery spread with brown sugar and cinnamon.
10. Place rounds in metal pan, spacing as evenly as possible.
11. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
12. Half-way through baking time, remove from oven and baste tops of rolls with a little more melted vegan buttery spread and sprinkle with extra brown sugar and cinnamon.
13. After removing rolls from the oven, mix glaze and pour over the top of the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm, but not hot.
14. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Meatless Meatballs

It is fairly simple to turn pantry and freezer staples into a really good, hearty, plant-based pasta dish that will smell and taste like it took you all day to make. My friend, Cheryl, came over for a birthday dinner recently. I had made her this dish and the entire house smelled like an Italian restaurant kitchen. And the taste? Fantastic! I used the meatless meatballs from Trader Joe's - they are good, they are inexpensive.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 jars prepared pasta sauce (any brand you prefer - make sure it's vegan)
• 1 C vegetable stock or broth
• 1 bag meatless meatballs*
• 1 small green pepper
• 1 small onion
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t Italian seasoning
• 1 T agave nectar
• a couple of generous pinches of cumin
• red pepper flakes to taste
• splash of red wine
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven and cook meatless meatballs according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, dice green pepper, onion, and garlic.
3. Saute in extra virgin olive oil, adding salt and pepper to taste, over low heat until softened. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Put pasta sauce in a stock pot on low. Add broth or stock to the empty jar, close, shake, and pour into the pot.
5. Add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, agave nectar, red pepper flakes, cumin, and wine.
6. Mix well.
7. Add green pepper and onions to the pot when they are ready.
8. Serve sauce over pasta of your choice, topped with meatless meatballs, and enjoy!

Roasted Garlic and White Bean Hummus

Hummus is traditionally made with chickpeas, but you can make an excellent hummus with white beans as well. Roasting mellows out the garlic and gives it an almost sweet flavor, so don't be afraid of the garlic! Plus, it keeps the vampires away.

Ingredients:

• 1 can cooked white beans
• 1 bulb of garlic, roasted
• 1 T lemon juice
• 2 T tahini
• 1 t Italian seasoning
• 1/2 t cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• water as needed for consistency

Preparation:

1. Put all ingredients in the food processor.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add water to thin, if needed.
4. Top with a bit of olive oil, paprika, and Kalamata olives.
5. Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce

Grilled Veggie Skewers

This is a really simple, basic barbeque sauce. I don't see any need to buy bottled sauce when homemade is so easy to make - and it tastes fantastic. Use as a glaze or dip for veggie burgers, chickenless nuggets, or my favorite, veggie skewers!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C ketchup
• 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C agave nectar
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 T yellow mustard
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t chipotle powder
• 1/2 t garlic salt
• 1/2 t coarse ground black pepper
• habanero or red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Preparation:

1. Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Let the sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes.
3. Enjoy!

Spicy Adzuki Bean Burgers

Adzuki beans are small red beans that originated in China. They are a staple of the macrobiotic diet, and they are a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and B vitamins. Adzuki beans have been called the "weight loss bean," since they are low in calories and fat, yet high in nutrition.

Ingredients:

• 2 C cooked adzuki beans*
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow or white onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• egg replacer for one egg**
• 1/2 C panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 t vegan Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Saute onion, green bell pepper and garlic in extra virgin olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste, over low heat until softened.
2. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Meanwhile, mash beans in a large mixing bowl.
5. When onion/pepper/garlic mixture cools, add to beans.
6. Add remainder of ingredients and mix well with your hands. Divide into four large patties.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes on each side.
8. Top with favorite burger toppings and enjoy.

Notes:

*You can substitute any cooked beans (black, kidney, etc.) for the adzuki beans, if you have trouble finding them.
**I used EnerG egg replacer. You could also use 2 T potato starch, 1/4 cup canned pumpkin or squash, or 1 T ground flax seed mixed with a couple T of water.


Adzuki Bean Burgers

Hummus and Veggie Wrap

This is an incredibly quick, easy, and tasty lunch. I can't really call it a recipe...more like assembly instructions! Use whatever ingredients tickle your fancy. As with many of my recipes, it's very easy to customize! 

Ingredients:

• 1 sprouted grain tortilla
• hummus of choice
• spinach
• tomato
• sugar snap peas
• sprouts
• avocado
• green onions
• lemon tahini dressing*
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Warm the tortilla, and spread hummus in the center of it.
2. Add spinach, tomato, peas, sprouts, avocado, and green onions.
3. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap, and enjoy!

Notes:

*For the lemon tahini dressing, I don't really use a recipe. The ingredients are water, tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and garlic or garlic powder. I usually mix everything but the water together first, taste test it, adjust, and then add water to thin to desired consistency. Note that if you use raw garlic, use it sparingly - it's much stronger than powdered or granulated garlic!

Sweet & Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet potatoes are a nutritional all-star. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These wedges make a great side dish or a perfect mid-afternoon snack. Dip them in ketchup, or curried plant-based mayonnaise, or barbecue sauce...all good!

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• scant 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T cinnamon/sugar mix
• 1/4 t ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t cumin
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Scrub the sweet potatoes and slice into wedges of about the same thickness. (I like to cut the ends off, halve the potatoes, and then slice into wedges.) Leave the skin on, as it is the source of a lot of the nutrients in sweet potatoes.
3. Mix olive oil, 1 1/2 T of the cinnamon/sugar mix, cayenne pepper, cumin, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add sweet potato wedges and toss with hands to coat all wedges thoroughly with the mixture.
4. Pour sweet potato wedges on a lightly oiled or lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and turn all of the potatoes gently with a spatula. After turning, sprinkle them with the remaining 1/2 T of cinnamon/sugar mixture.
7. Bake for another 15 minutes, until wedges are tender and caramelized.
8. Enjoy!

Nutritional Yeast "Cheesy" Sauce

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is chock full of protein and vitamins, especially B-complex vitamins. The flavor is often described as nutty or cheesy...I think it's fantastic! I enjoy this sauce more than I ever enjoyed a cow's milk cheese sauce. And bonus: it's ready in less than 10 minutes!

Ingredients:

• 1 T vegan buttery spread
• 3/4 C unsweetened almond milk
• 1 T all purpose flour
• 1/3 C nutritional yeast
• 2 t Dijon mustard
• 1 T tahini
• 1 T white miso
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t onion powder
• 1/4 t cajun seasoning*
• 1/8 t turmeric

Preparation:

1. Melt the vegan buttery spread in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Whisk together the flour and almond milk until there aren't any clumps.
3. Add the almond milk mixture and the nutritional yeast to the pot.
4. Mix thoroughly.
5. Add the remainder of the ingredients and simmer until thickened, whisking often. It shouldn't take more than about five minutes.
6. Enjoy over pasta, with tortilla chips, or any way you'd use a traditional cheese sauce. (My favorites: with Garden of Eatin' Red Hot Blues spicy chips or with pasta.)

Notes:

*If you don't like spicy food, just omit the cajun seasoning.