It Tastes Just Like a "Butterfinger" Smoothie

I made this smoothie for the first time this morning and boy was I blown away! It's a Butterfinger! This smoothie tastes just like a Butterfinger!  All the ingredients blend together so smoothly.  I am truly amazed by the taste, and it's also good for you.  The chocolate flavor comes from using a chocolate nutritional powder plus you get added protein from the peanut butter. Potassium comes from the bananas and the hemp milk supplies you with omega 3&6 fatty acids along with calcium.  It's a win win!

Ingredients:

2 ripe organic bananas

Heaping 1/4 cup organic smooth peanut butter 

2 T Bee Free Honee

2 T Vega One Nutritional powder, chocolate flavor 

1 1/2 cups organic hemp milk

1 1/2 cups ice

Method:

In a Vitamix add all ingredients in order listed above.  Start at setting 1 and gradually proceed to level 10, then blend on high for 10 seconds.

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.

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Vegan Nacho Doritos

When I was younger my friends and I would have sleepovers almost every Friday.  The menu included pizza, onion dip, and Doritos. During these sleepovers I would consume large quantities of Doritos. Looking back now I cringe at the thought of eating the traditional Dorito now in my older years. This is because now I am vegan, I eat organic, non-gmo foods with no artificial anything,  I do not eat food that's tested on animals, and lastly I boycott MANY brands that are fighting the gmo labeling initiatives that are currently going on in Oregon and Colorado.

These "Doritos" are crunchy and full of flavor.  You may be wondering, but do they taste exactly like the real thing?  Well no, no they don't and that's because I can't duplicate the flavor of artificial ingredients.  

Trust me you'll love these!  Oh, and I had some last night with vegan organic non-gmo onion dip. AWESOME!

Recipe originally from forkandbeans.com

Ingredients:

6 organic tortilla shells

1 T organic extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup organic nutritional yeast

2 t organic paprika 

1 t organic chili powder 

1 t organic onion powder 

1 t sea salt

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 large baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper, set aside.

Place the seasonings in a food processor and blend to create a fine powder.

Stack 3 tortilla shells on top of each other and cut into pie shaped slices.  Repeat with remaining 3 shells.

Place into a large bowl and mix in oil.  Make sure each piece gets coated with oil on both sides.  Sprinkle in seasoning and gently mix with a spoon, making sure each side of each chip is covered with seasoning.

Bake 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.

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Vegan Pizza Bagels

On the rare occasion that we have left over bagels, I like to make pizza bagels.  Bagels that are a couple of days old work best.  The bagel will get nice and crispy in the oven compared to freshly made bagels.  I remember as a child my mom making pizza bagels if she was pressed for time and we had to have a quick lunch.

I admitt this recipe is simple and great for a quick meal, but most importantly you can have pizza within minutes!  Also, if making these for several people, everyone can customize their own pizza.  

One of my pizza bagels had extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, and red onion, and seasonings. The other sauce, non-dairy cheese and Beyond Meat crumbles.

Make some before you go trick-or-treating this Friday!

Ingredients:

Bagels 

Sauce 

Toppings

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper, set-aside.

Slice each bagel in half, slather with sauce, toppings, and seasonings.

Bake 20 minutes or until the edges of the bagels turn slightly brown.

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Vegan Butternut Squash Casserole

My sister grew a very successful crop of butternut squash this summer.  Lucky for me, she gave me a couple this week with a promise of more to come the following week.

Today, I made a squash casserole as a side dish for lunch.  I have to admit, it smelled like Thanksliving Day in my kitchen with the pretty orange color of the chopped squash, the warming smell of cinnamon, and the mesmerizing smell of onion and garlic.

Ingredients:

2 medium organic squash, skin removed, and chopped into 1" pieces.

4 T organic extra virgin olive oil

1 small organic onion, diced

1 cup organic applesauce

1 t organic cinnamon 

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t pepper

3 T organic maple syrup

Method:

Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cube squash and place in a large bowl.  Coat squash with 2 T extra virgin olive oil

and season with salt and pepper.

Spread squash onto the baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, heat 2 T extra virgin olive oil in a medium pot and add onions.  Cook onions until they are tender and slightly brown, stir in applesauce and cinnamon.  Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set-aside until squash is done.

When squash is finished, add to the onion and applesauce mixture.  Stir in the maple syrup and gently mash, chunks of squash should remain.

Transfer to a casserole dish with a lid and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Serve warm.

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Asian-Incan Fusion Smoothie

My daughter has been hit hard for nearly two weeks with a nasty cold. I am not sure if it is my paranoia or reality, but I feel like I'm about to come down with one too. So, today I experimented with a green drink rich in antioxidants.. Enter the Asian-Incan Fusion Smoothie, which combines organic Japanese matcha with Peruvian lucuma powder.

Asian-Incan Fusion Smoothie

1 organic banana

3/4 C organic fresh pineapple, sliced into 1"x 2" pieces

4 ounces organic hemp milk, made our own see yesterday's post

4 ounces filtered water

1 1/2 T organic matcha powder, culinary grade

1 T lucuma powder

1 1/2 T organic finely shredded coconut

1 leaf organic red kale, include the stem, tear into about 4 pieces

Method:

In a high speed blender or vitamix, add ingredients in the above order. Slowly mix from low to high speed spending 20-30 seconds on high. 

For an iced version of the drink, use frozen pineapple or replace the water with 1/2 cup of ice cubes.

This post was written by guest blogger Jeff.

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Hemp Milk

I am truly amazed that I can make seed and nut milks at home.  To me, it's a great joy to be able to walk past the display of vegan milks at the market knowing this is one more food item I can make for myself.

This recipe for hemp milk is even easier than making almond milk because you don't have to soak the seeds over night.

With the arrival of autumn, I have begun to make a couple of batches of milk a week.  My husband uses almond milk for smoothies every morning and I need milk for the soups that I make at least 2 times a week.

Hemp milk is full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, 10 essential amino acids, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and the list goes on and on!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic hemp seeds (I used the brand One DeGree)
2 cups filtered water

2 T organic agave nectar 

1/2 t organic pure vanilla extract 

Method:

Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender.  I used a Vitamix; starting on level one, I gradually went to level 10, then to high for 15 seconds.

I filtered my milk through a nut bag, you don't have to do this, but I didn't want any bits of hemp left in my milk.

Store in a glass container with a secure lid in your refrigerator.

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Vegan Caprese Salad

This salad is so simple that you wont't believe how wonderful it tastes. I recently went to an Italian Restaurant with some of my work colleagues and found this as one of the only menu items that could be veganized. It can be served as an appetizer, but I love it as the main course.

Caprese Salad

1 Large Organic Tomato - (the restaurant used a Beefsteak, at home I used a nice big homegrown heirloom).

Fresh Organic Basil Leaves

Organic Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Cut the tomato into thick slices; spread the slices out on a plate. Place some basil leaves on each tomato slice. Drizzle with olive oil; salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

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Vegan Oven Baked Fries

Fries are the perfect sidekick for most foods.  You can't have a veggie burger, veggie hot dog, fried tempeh, or sloppy joes without them!

Ingredients:

4 large organic potatoes

3 T organic extra virgin olive oil

2 T organic garlic powder

2 T organic onion powder

2 T organic dried parsley

2 T organic dried dill

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil; set-aside.

Wash potatoes, slice in half, then quarter each half.  Place in a large bowl, pour olive oil over potatoes.  Mix gently with a large spoon, sprinkle in herbs and mix again.

Place fries on a lined baking sheet, scrape the bowl of any remaining oil and herbs (over potatoes). The potatoes should not be touching each other. 

Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and stir fries around on the baking sheet so they bake evenly.  Return to oven for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

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Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake

We had a lovely Indian summer day today.  I worked in the garden most of the day racking leaves and putting the many garden ornaments away into the shed.  The garden looks slightly on the bare side now, but I had the time and the day was too lovely to spend indoors.  So, I took the opportunity to put the garden to bed before winter arrives.

All that fresh air made my hungry; well, it made my sweet tooth hungry.  I wanted chocolate and it's the season for pumpkin, so that's how I came up with this cake recipe. This cake is super moist and chocolatey, perfect for an autumn sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

2 sticks of non-dairy butter, softened 

1 cup organic pure cane sugar 

1/2 cup organic brown sugar

2 organic flax seed eggs

1 t organic pure chocolate extract

1 t baking soda 

1 t non-aluminum non-GMO baking powder

1/2 t sea salt 

1 t organic cinnamon 

2 1/2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1 can of organic pumpkin 

1 cup plus 6 ounces vegan chocolate chips

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a fluted cake pan, set-aside.

Melt 6 ounces of the vegan chocolate chips and set-aside to cool.

Beat together butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add flax seed eggs, extract, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Beat in the flour and pumpkin, stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter in half.  Add the cooled melted chocolate to one half, and combine thoroughly.

Spoon the pumpkin batter into the fluted pan, then spoon the chocolate batter on top.

Bake for 50-55 minutes.  

Cool before removing from pan.

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Vegan Bagel Chips

Earlier this week I made bagels, and I purposely set aside a couple of bagels so I could make bagels chips.

Bagels chips are great with soup, dip, and vegan cheese.

A great autumn snack for this weekend!

Ingredients:

2 bagels, sliced thinly 

2 T non-dairy butter, melted 

2 T organic poppy seeds

2 T organic sesame seeds

1 T sea salt 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

Slice bagels into thin slices, place in a large bowl.  Pour melted butter and seasonings over slices and gently mix with a spoon.

Spread slices onto the lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Cool before enjoying.

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Vegan Graham Crackers

My sister came over yesterday to do some fall baking with me.  One of the goodies we made were these graham crackers.

This recipe is simple and the crackers have just the right amount of crunch and flavor.  

I see s'mores in my very near future!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c organic whole-wheat pastry flour

1 1/4 c organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 c organic brown sugar

1 T organic ground flax seed

1 t non-aluminum non-GMO baking powder

1/2 t baking soda 

1/2 sea salt 

1/4 t ground organic cardamom

1 t organic cinnamon

1/2 cup solid organic coconut oil

1/4 c organic molasses

1 T organic agave syrup 

5 T organic almond milk

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.  

Mix in coconut oil, molasses, and agave. Add almond milk and continue mixing until a dough forms.

Divide the dough into two discs.

On a piece of parchment paper, roll out one of the discs to a 1/8" thick rectangle. Trim the edges clean; cut the dough using a rotary cutter into 12 2-inch-by-4 inch rectangles.  Do not seperate the cookies.  Now score each rectangle in half crosswise but do not cut all the way through the dough.  Use a fork to make 3 lines of indentations in each square.

Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled dough to baking sheet.

Bake until edges have darkened slightly, and dough is dry, about 25 minutes.

Use a knife to cut the graham crackers apart.

Recipe from lovecommacake.com

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Vegan Chocolate Truffles with Sprinkles

You can't help but to think about candy, sweets, and chocolate when it's October.  Every store right now has huge bags of candy taunting you!  It's easy to walk on by though, since hardly any of it is vegan.  Even most of the candy that makes the "safe" list for vegans to eat for Halloween, in my opinion is still not vegan.  Most have sugar, which is bone charred, many use food dyes that are tested on animals.  That's right, this seemingly innocent ingredient is tested on animals.  The following food dyes are to be avoided.

Blue #2

Green # 3

Red #2 #3 #40

Yellow #5 #6

So, let's skip the candy isle completely people, vegan or not, all those chemicals should not be in our candy!  Who wants to eat candy anyways that has to be tested on animals?  No food should be eaten if it has to be tested for safety, period!

Let's make our own candy, and let's begin with creamy chocolatey truffles.

Ingredients:

6 T organic raw cacao powder

2 t organic raw agave nectar

1 t pure organic vanilla extract

1/2 t sea salt 

1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted 

Vegan sprinkles (I used the brand Let's Do Sprinkelz)

Method:

In a medium sized bowl, add cacao powder, agave, extract, salt, and melted coconut oil.  Mix thoroughly.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Scoop out the firm chocolate and roll into small balls with your hands.  You can now roll the truffles in the sprinkles.

Enjoy!

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Vegan Cranberry Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies for Sweetest Day

My birthday usually lands on Sweetest Day or near it.  Growing up I had no idea what the meaning of Sweetest Day was.  All I knew is my mom gave us candy and that was enough, no further information needed.

Now, I know that Sweetest Day is celebrated in the Midwest and parts of Northeastern United States only. The holiday always lands on the third Saturday of October.  The idea of Sweetest Day came from 12 Cleveland Ohio confectioners committeemen. On October 8, 1922, they created the holiday Sweetest Day.  This day was said to have been created solely to increase sales of sweets.  The traditional offerings are like Valentines Day, heart-shaped boxes in pink and red.  Candy, flowers, and cards are also given to loved ones.

So, I made these cookies to give to my family and friends.  The cranberries represent love, the chocolate chips for the sweet, and the oatmeal to keep you warm.

This year Sweetest Day is on October 18th, so I'll be looking for something sweet with my birthday gift this year!

Ingredients:

2 sticks of non-dairy butter, softened

1/2 cup organic brown sugar 

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar 

1 organic flax seed egg

1 T organic pure vanilla extract

2 cups organic spelt flour

1 t baking soda

1 t non-aluminum non-GMO baking powder

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

1 cup organic cranberries 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend butter and sugars until creamy.  To that, add the flax seed egg and vanilla extract blend thoroughly.  Mix in spelt, baking soda, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips, and cranberries.

Spoon heaping tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the lined baking sheets.

Bake 15 minutes.  Let cool before enjoying with your family and friends.

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Summer Anytime Smoothie

Over the past weekend I was working on some smoothie recipes that are made up of ingredients that will be available here in the Midwest all winter long, when seasonal fresh fruit cannot be found. I was happy to have found this "keeper" on my first attempt. I decide to call it the Summer Anytime Smoothie because all the ingredients should be in your favorite organic grocery store anytime of the year and because the first sip will instantly taste like sweet, sweet summer. One might characterize this as a "beginner's" green drink, but I think that might be a bit of a disservice to this refreshing, tasty treat. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 organic banana

5 oz. organic frozen mango

4 oz. organic almond milk

4 oz. filtered water

1 1/2 T organic shredded coconut

1 T lucuma powder (Incan super food - available where supplements are sold)

1 leaf organic kale

In a high speed blender or Vitamix, in the order above, blend the ingredients slowly up to high speed for 20-30 seconds. Be sure to have your tamper ready in case the kale is apprehensive of being shredded. Makes two servings, or as I prefer, one mega smoothie.

This post was written by guest blogger (and self-proclaimed smoothie expert) Jeff.

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Vegan Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

With the arrival of autumn, evening has begun to come earlier and earlier everyday.  By 4:30, I  have my kitchen light on while I am making dinner.  

Today for dinner, I am making vegan wildrice and chicken soup in an extra large pot, I might add, because I want leftovers! The kitchen smells amazing from the soup and the house feels cozy. Another autumn evening is settling in and dinner is served. 

Ingredients:

2 T organic extra virgin olive oil 

2 medium organic carrots, diced 

2 organic celery ribs, diced

1 small organic onion, diced

3/4 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

6 cups organic no-chicken broth (Spectrum brand)

2 cups cooked organic wild rice 

1 cup non-dairy butter

1 T organic dried parsley 

1/2 t organic powdered mustard

1 1/2 cups Beyong Meat Chicken Strips, cubed

Sea salt and pepper to tasteMethod:

In a large stock pot, add oil and sautée carrots, celery, and onion until tender.

Add flour and stir to coat veggies.  Pour in broth, and mix well.  Add rice, butter, parsley, mustard, salt, and pepper.  Simmer for 20 minutes; add cubed chicken and continue simmering for 10 minutes.

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Vegan Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle is a fall candy to me. I'm not sure why I feel this way, but I only make it in the fall.  Maybe it's because I've heard not to make it when it's humid and cloudy.  The humid part I get, but cloudy?  Well, today is sunny and cool so everything should be okay.  I do hold my breath though when I make brittle.  Everything has to be at the right temperature at the right time.  As I write this post, my brittle is cooling on my marble slab. Fingers crossed it turns out!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic pure cane sugar

1 1/2 cups organic light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

2 T non-dairy butter

2 cups organic salted peanuts

1 t baking soda

1/2 t organic pure vanilla extract

2 t cold water

Method:

Lightly grease a marble slab.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup, and water until candy thermometer reaches 275 degrees.

Remove thermometer and lower flame to medium.  Add butter and stir until completely melted.  Add peanuts and stir constantly for 5 minutes.  Place thermometer back in and continue cooking until thermometer reaches 300 degrees.  Remove from heat Add baking soda, vanilla, and water.  Stir mixture for 1/2 minute until brittle rises.

Pour brittle onto the well-greased marble.  Spread with an oiled spatula.

Loosen bottom of brittle several times while cooling.

When cold, break into pieces while jumping up and down with joy!  You just successfully made peanut brittle!

Recipe adapted from the book titled Antoinette Pope School Candy Book.

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Extra Virgin Olive Oil infused with Chives and Chili Flakes

  My chive plants are still going strong, so instead of making chive salt with them as I usually do, I shook it up this morning and made infused oil.  Also, my kitchen smelled amazing while the oil and herbs were doing their magic on my stove.

This was my first time infusing oil, but it definitely won't be my last.  Infusing oils is a great way to use your herbs that you have growing in the garden before winter takes them.

I mixed fresh chives with dried chili flakes.  You can also infuse oils with nuts and seeds.

With the holidays approaching, I think gifting infused oils would be lovely!

Ingredients:

1 cup organic extra virgin olive oil

2 T organic fresh chives

2 T organic dried chili flakes

Method:

Wash and dry chives, snip them into small pieces.  

In a small pot, over a low flame, add oil, chives, and chili flakes. Boil for 5 minutes, remove from flame and let cool.

Strain oil through a sieve and pour oil into a glass container that has a secure lid.  Keep oil in the refrigerator when not using.  Let oil sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before using.

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Vegan Twinkies

Here is a blast from the past, Twinkies!  Wow, I remember eating twinkies for dessert in my school lunch and as a quick snack.  

Although these Twinkies look like the original, they couldn't be farther away from the original.  Let's see, where to start?  Well, first the original had over 30 ingredients, mine 8.  The original has a shelf life of many years, mine, a couple of days.  The best part is mine are vegan!

Ingredients for batter:

3/4 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 t non-aluminum non-GMO baking powder

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar

1/8 t sea salt 

1/4 cup water

3 T non-dairy butter

1 t organic pure vanilla extract

6 ounces organic vanilla vegan yogurt

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease the cream canoe pan with non-dairy butter; set aside.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and sea salt.  

Over a small flame, using a small pot, melt the non-dairy butter in the water.

Add melted butter to the dry ingredients along with the extract and yogurt.  Stir until a batter forms and the mixture is smooth.

Fill each canoe half way; bake for 15-20 minutes.  Insert a toothpick in the centers to see if they are baked through.  The toothpick should come out clean if they are done baking.

While Twinkies are baking, start making the filling.

Ingredients for filling:

1/4 cup non-dairy cream cheese

1/2 cup organic confectioners sugar

1 t organic pure vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Make sure the Twinkies are totally cooled before injecting frosting.

Fill injector with frosting and gently insert the tip into the bottom of the Twinkie; do not go through the Twinkie, stop half way through.  Inject twice, once on each end of the Twinkie.

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Vegan Cheese Caraway Batter Bread

Cooler weather calls for homemade bread.  Rarely do I purchase bread at my market, the times that I do it is for one of two reasons.  I am short on time, or feeling lazy.

The art of making bread has always fascinated me.  My big jump into baking started with bread making.  I believe bread makes a meal, you can't have a sandwich without it; soup and bread are buddies and pasta needs a nice crusty french bread. Of course, it's a must for french toast. Need I say more?

Bread doesn't have to be fancy or take a boat-load of ingredients.  A few simple ingredients can produce the most crunchy, chewy, hearty, and most wanted food item on your table.

The smell of baking bread on a cool autumn day is like giving a hug to everyone that enters your home.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/4 t yeast

1 t organic caraway seeds

2 T organic pure cane sugar 

2 t sea salt 

1 cup hot water

1 cup non-dairy cheddar cheese

2 T non-dairy butter, softened 

In the bowl of your stand mixer, using the flat beater, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, yeast, caraway, sugar, and salt.  With machine running, add water, cheese, and butter.

Beat for 2 minutes, the dough will be very lose, more of a batter consistency.  Add the remaining 1 cup of flour, beat until thoroughly combined.

Transfer batter to a greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Let rise for 45 minutes.

Lightly grease a 9"x5" loaf pan, pour batter into pan, cover and let rise for a second time for 45 minutes.

Bake bread in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the top of the bread is golden brown.

Let bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan.  Cool completely before slicing.

Recipe adapted from Bernard's Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads.

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Vegan Pumpkin Biscotti

This biscotti will be a hit this weekend when temps here dip into 40's.  

Have a big mug of vegan hot chocolate with pumpkin chocolate chip biscotti!  

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup organic spelt flour

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/4 cup organic pure cane sugar 

2 T non-aluminum non-GMO baking powder

1/4 t sea salt

1 cup organic pumpkin purée 

2 organic flax seed eggs

1 t organic pure vanilla extract 

1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips

Method:

Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.  Beat in and combine thoroughly the pumpkin, flax seed eggs, and extract.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet and shape into a 10"x4" log.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm.  Let cool, slice the biscotti into 1/2 inch slices.  Put the biscotti back into a 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Let cool before enjoying.

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Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

I haven't made cinnamon rolls in a while, so I gave them a twist by using pumpkin and chocolate.

These cinnamon rolls are the best I have ever made!  The pumpkin purée adds moistness and the dough is very easy to work with.  The pumpkin also adds the slightest color of orange! Very pretty.

The cream cheese frosting is rich and creamy - just perfect!

I highly suggest making these this weekend, they will warm your tummy on these cool autumn mornings.

Ingredients for dough:

2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 3/4 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup organic pumpkin purée 

1/2 cup organic almond milk

1/4 t organic pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1 T organic pure cane sugar

Ingredients for filling:

3 T organic brown sugar

3 T organic pure cane sugar

2 T organic unbleached all-purpose flour

2 t organic cinnamon

2 T non-dairy butter

1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips

Frosting:

4 ounces of non-dairy cream cheese

1/4 cup organic confectioners sugar

1 t organic pure vanilla extract 

Method for dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast and water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Using the flat beater attachment on medium speed, beat in flour, pumpkin, milk, pumpkin spice, salt, and sugar until a dough forms.  Dough should come clean from the bowl. If it doesn't, you can add 1 T of extra flour at a time.  Continue on medium speed and knead the dough for another 5 minutes.

Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise 1 hour.

Method for filling:

In a small bowl combine sugars, flour, and cinnamon.  Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.

Set aside until dough is ready.

Method for continuing with dough:

Line a 9x9" square baking pan with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

Once dough has risen, roll out on a lightly-floured surface into a 12x10" square.  Sprinkle with sugar mixture, then with chocolate chips. Starting at one end, tightly roll into a log.  Seal seam and edges.

Cut roll into 1" inch pieces.  Place sliced into the square baking pan.  Cover with kitchen towel and let rise again for 30 minutes.

Before 

After 

The second rising is very important, don't skip this step.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Method for frosting:

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, and extract until smooth.

Frost cooled rolls, and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com

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October Non-GMO Month

October is National Non-GMO Month!

We have the right to know what's in our food!

Currently there are nearly 50 countries that ban GMO foods, or label foods that contain genetically modified organisms.

The U.S. has yet to mandatory labeling of GMO foods.

Support manufacturers who have taken a stand against GMO's, and tell the manufacturers that haven't yet to start!

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Halloween Stockings

Why not have Halloween stockings? Christmas shouldn't have all the fun!  I wish I thought of this years ago!

My daughter stopped trick-or-treating some time ago because most of the candy that is handed out is not vegan.  Even though she is now a teenager, I would like to try to make up for lost candy.  This is were the Halloween stocking comes in.  I have made stockings for my daughter, husband, and our furry family member.  On Halloween Eve, I will fill each stocking with goodies, delicious vegan chocolates and other sorts of vegan candy, along with small trinkets.  Kipper, our basenji, will also receive treats and maybe a stuffed toy or two.

I am very excited to start this new tradition, as Halloween is my favorite holiday.

Now, I have to admit, I am not a great sewer by any means.  I do have cutting measurements for the fabric, but I also like to wing it. So, each stocking looks a little different.  I call it, giving each piece character!  The first stocking I made turned out the best in my opinion. All the fabric I used was from other projects. My stockings are rather simple, if you are more skilled at sewing more embellishments can be added.

Method:

I free handed the shape of the stocking for each one.  I am sure a

template can be found on-line if you like.

For this stocking I liked the wrong side of the fabric better, more halloweeny I thought.  

The measurements are: 

19 1/2 " long

5 1/2" wide

9" wide to the point of the foot were it curls up.

Stitch all edges together, then insert your hand into the stocking and gently pull the fabric and up and through to reveal the correct side of the fabric being used.

I then turned down the top of the stocking to make a cuff. 

 Next, cut a 3 x2 inch piece of matching fabric for the loop that you will hang the stocking by.  Sew into the back of the very top of the inside.

Now go hang your stockings and wait for the Great Pumpkin to come!

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