Christmas time!

 This is my first post from my brand new tablet! I am sooo spoiled and so grateful that my parents got me one for Christmas. I had been talking alot about buying my own to work on my blog. I guess my parents really love my blog! Which is great. Its so nice to have so much support. I think one of the best things I did this year was start this blog! So as 2014 comes to an end id like to thank each and every one of you for visiting this blog. It warms my heart to see more and more vegans and non vegans coming together to enjoy cruelty free meals! Keep sharing recipes, cooking at home and trying to be as d.i.y and animal free as you can:)

This is a couple snapshots from my christmas vacation. One including my macroni stuffed seitan!! Thts right. I went there. Ill be posting a recipe with steps soon but for now you can just drool over it.

 I got so many beautiful things for my kitchen im too busy in there to be posting on here. Thsts means more recipes will be coming very soon! Happy holidays everyone. See you in 2015!

 My peanut butter cups are amazing.

Thats my sister room mates new kitten, Alice. She is the cutest!!!

Also my chocolate banana waffles made for Christmas eve morning. 

See you soon.

VEGAN SHEPERD'S PIE

VEGAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Its been a pretty mild winter in Victoria BC but that doesn't mean that we can't make big hearty meals! Winter time is my favourite because hearty food is my favorite. I love mashed potatoes with paprika and roasted veg. Reminds me of a simpler time. This shepherd's pie is WAY better than your typical ground beef one. Share it with all your meat eating friends, they will not be disappointed! I've just really started using tvp a lot and I can say this is most definitely one of the best ways to do it. I love being able to flavour my own meat! I used mesquite bbq liquid smoke, pepper, olive oil, salt and a little dash of chili powder. Try doing it your own way and let me know the results! It saves you alot too. 1 cup tvp makes about 2 and a half cups faux meat and its muchhh cheaper than your typical store bought vegan meats. This was also my first time using the new SILK CASHEW MILK in one of my recipes and I am so pleased! The cashew milk made the mashed potatoes taste reallyyy good and it rocks for cooking. Ive been drinking in my coffee and tea as well and I think its my new favourite alternative milk! Let me know what your favorite alternative milk is:) 

ENJOY! Happy holidays!!!

Recipe

FILLING
1 can kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 can chick peas, drained, rinsed
1 can corn, drained, rinsed
4 stalks celery, washed, chopped
3 carrots, peeled, washed, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
half a white onion, chopped
1 can organic tomato paste (much less oily and less added salt!, way richer flavour)
1 cup tvp (soaked in water for ten minutes, click here for info!)
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
dash of curry powder
dash of paprika

POTATOES
6 large potatoes, peeled, cut and soaked for 5 minutes in cold water
4 tablespoons earth balance buttery spread
2 tablespoons silk cashew milk
dash of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large frying pan heat some olive oil up to fry your veggies. Starting with beans and ending with onion. Allow these to fry for 7-10 minutes on medium heat. Add your spices and stir them in well. Turn down to low-med heat and place a lid on top. Time to make your tvp. Place one cup of tvp in a large bowl and add 7/8 cup of boiling hot water. Stir together really well. Pretty much all the water should be absorbed pretty quickly, if its not add a little more tvp. Add your spices and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain any excess water. Time to make your potatoes. In a large pot add 6 cups of water, a dash of salt and some olive oil. Place a lid on top and turn up to high heat. Peel, cup and soak your potatoes for 5 minutes in cold water (this helps get the starch out of your potatoes). Once your pot is boiling, add your cut potatoes and boil for 8 minutes or until your potatoes are soft enough to poke with a fork. Once the potatoes are ready, drain out the hot water. Begin to mash your potatoes, add your butter and milk, stirring constantly. Once your potatoes are mashed and ready to go check on your frying veg. Make sure everything is a little soft before you get ready to make your pie. If its not, fry for 3 more minutes. In a large glass baking pan place your fried beans and veggies. Add your tomato paste and work it into the mixture. This helps build the base of your pie and really adds to the flavour. Once all the tomato paste is evenly distributed squeeze the mixture down in order to make room for your tvp and mash potatoes. Next add your tvp on top. Squishing again in order to fit all your potatoes. Add the mashed potatoes on top, squish it down and smooth it over with a butter knife. Sprinkle some paprika on top of your potatoes and place in the oven. Bakes for 30-35 minutes. The top should be crispy brown when its done :) 

VEGAN MAPLE PECAN SCONES W/ MAPLE ICING

Its December! I can't believe how fast November flew by. I barely had enough time to enjoy the fall and now its winter already! We had snow on Vancouver Island already. Of course since its extra chilly outside that calls for more baking inside! These are an awesome holiday recipe. They look great to serve at parties and they are perfect at any time of day. Super easy to make, cheap and quick! Plus it doesn't use a lot of ingredients up so you can make HUGE batches. You'll want to too because once someone eats one they are begging for more! Bake my maple pecan scones to warm you up on a chilly winter day!

Happy baking and happy holidays!

VEGAN MAPLE PECAN SCONES

with maple icing!

Scone Recipe

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup of toasted pecans, chopped fine

5 tablespoons of earth balance buttery spread

3/4 cup of bananas mashed = 2 ripe bananas

1/4 cup almond fresh coconut milk

2 tablespoons agave syrup 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup or flavour

Maple Icing Recipe

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon earth balance buttery spread, melted

1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup agave syrup

2 teaspoons maple syrup or flavour

dash of almond fresh coconut milk

Steps

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Begin by putting 3/4 cup of pecans chopped fine on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Toast them in the oven for 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them!

Next combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together well with a fork. Add 1/2 cup of your toasted pecans to the mix and stir together. Saving the rest to sprinkle on top afterwards. Once all ingredients are combined, create a well in the middle. Add your butter to the dry mix first using either a pastry cutter or a fork to combine it well. Once all of that is mixed in, mash your bananas in a measuring cup then add your milk. It should equal one cup now. If it doesn't, add more milk till it does!  Create the well again and add your banana/milk mixture to the middle. Beat all the ingredients in together for another 10 minutes. Once that's ready prepare a lightly floured surface to roll your dough out on. 

Roll your dough out until its about 8 inches long by 4 inches tall. It should be around a 1/2 inch thick. 

Begin to cut your scones out in triangles using a knife. Prepare a lightly oiled baking tray to place them on and bake for 15 minutes.

Now that the scones are baking its time to making your icing! The icing really adds to the scones so don't skip this step! It's well worth it and easy as pie. 

Begin by putting your powdered sugar in a medium size bowl and add your salt. Mix it with a fork to make sure all the clumps are broken up. Next melt your butter and add the rest of the wet ingredients while you're mixing it. It's important to mix it while you're combining it because it really helps the consistency! 

It should be looking like this after 5 minutes though :)

Once that's ready pop it in the fridge till your scones are done. 

BAM FINTO

Easy right?

Let your scones cool down for 15-20 minutes once they are done. The longer the better because the icing sticks to the surface better when its cooler. Spread lots of icing over the top of your scones and sprinkle your remaining 1/4 cup of toasted pecans over top of your scones. Enjoy:)

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER AND JAM MUFFINS

Okay so these technically aren't cupcakes but I figured it was fitting with what I have been posting lately. These are my own crazy creations that I made because my boyfriend wanted some. I had no idea where I would find a peanut butter and jam muffin recipe so I figured I'd wing it and it was SUCH a success. These babies were amazing and had everyone wanting more! Not only do they look really neat.

 They are good for you and a perfect snack at any time of day. Great attraction for lunches with friends because they look so neat. If you love peanut butter and jam like me you will loveeee these !!!

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER AND JAM MUFFINS

Recipe

makes 12

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup graham flour

1/2 cup sugar cane

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup earth balance regular buttery spread, melted

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup almond fresh coconut almond milk

12 tablespoons of jam

Steps

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Flour to baking soda. Create a well in the middle. Melt your butter and add the butter, peanut butter and milk to the mixture. Stirring while adding contents. Mix together well with a fork to make sure everything is incorporated well. Your mixture should look like this !

Its almost like a cookie dough but it bakes really nice and soft. It also helps hold the jam in the middle when you're filling it. Once your mixture is ready, oil a muffin pan or place 12 liners in muffin slots. Fill eat slot until about 2/3 of the way full. 

Now you're ready to jam!

Using either an icing tool, a butter knife or whatever kitchen tool you have for filling baked goods. I used a butter knife haha. I placed the knife in the middle of the muffin, being careful not to stab it all the way through, and spun it around in a circle a couple times to create a hole. Then I took a big scoop of jam on the knife and placed it back in the middle allowing the jam to drip off the knife into the middle. It worked great and was super easy! I bet it would be ten times easier putting jam into an icing tool but I don't have one. So kudos to you if you do! Haha. 

Once you have filled all your muffins, pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!!! These are by far the best muffins I've created so far.

Don't they look cool!

CUPCAKE CRAZY

I have been going cupcake crazy lately and baking up a storm. I always feel like baking more in the fall/winter season. It makes the house extra toasty and smell good. Here's some awesome pictures I forgot to post of the inside of my vegan vanilla chocolate chip cupcakes -thats a link to the recipe..

PLUS a little sneak peek at my next crazy baked good. I'm going to post 

Can you guess what those are!?

VEGAN RED VELVET CUPCAKES

I lovee beet root powder! Such an awesome ingredient to have in your pantry. Not only is it great for you(see benefits of beet powder)  it tastes amazing. It gives your baked goods this really authentic fruity taste without having to add big piece of fruit and its awesome for coloring things. I spent a long time trying to find red food coloring (NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE) but when I finally did and it was almost 10 dollars for a very small bottle I figured I better find something better. Thats when I went to the herb store and got some red beet root powder. It doesnt taste or smell like much on its own but once you add water it has a very rich red color. I haven't experimented with it too much yet but it works GREAT for red velvet things and coloring icing. Enjoy these delicious red velvet cupcakes :) Happy cruelty free living!!

VEGAN RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Recipe

Makes 12

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

3/4 cup wholesome sweetners turbinado sugar

pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

dash of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of fair trade organic cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup of earths own almond fresh coconut almond milk

1/4 cup of earth balance original buttery spread

Food coloring

2 teaspoons beet powder

1 1/2 tablespoons water

Mixed together well with a fork.

Steps

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Oil a cupcake tray with coconut oil or place cupcake liners in each spot. Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with a fork. Make sure there is no clumps. Create a well in the middle. Melt your earth balance and pour out 1 cup of your almond milk. Combine wet ingredients, adding the vanilla as well, in a medium sized bowl. Dump your wet mixture into your dry and begin to mix with a fork. Combine your beet powder and water. Add to the mixture. Continue stirring until all dry ingredients are absorbed and everything is well incorporated. Your mixture should be pretty runny and pourable. Once the oven is preheated you're ready to fill your cupcake tray. Fill each slot 2/3 full. Sprinkle with some of your favorite toppings or add icing and sprinkles afterwards!  Bake for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!!!

*cool before icing.

(I will be posting my icing recipe later)

VEGAN VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES

VEGAN VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES

w/ cinnamon glaze

I have been baking cupcakes like no tomorrow lately. I have another recipe after this that is crazy!! Anyways these are more on the simple side of things. I wanted to show an easy cupcake recipe since the last ones were a little time consuming. This recipe is really nice and moist. Great for storing, they taste even better the next day. The cinnamon glaze was just something I whipped up for fun because I wanted to use my sprinkles and it was a success! It soaked into the cupcakes a bit making them all gooey and soft. If you love baking like me, you'll love this easy vegan cupcake recipe. 

Recipe

Makes 12

1/2 cup organic brown sugar

1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup almond fresh vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup earth balance , melted

1/4 cup camino dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together well with fork to beat out all the clumps. 

Next combine your milk, vanilla and margarine in a small bowl. Stir together. Make a well in the middle of your dry mix and add the wet mixture. Mix ingredients together well until there's no lumps. It should look like this!

Add your chocolate chips and stir one more time. Oil a muffin pan with coconut oil and fill each hole until 2/3 full. Sprinkle some coconut on top if you want and pop them in the oven!

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Test with a tooth pick to make sure they are done. It'll come out clean if they are.

This gives you the perfect amount of time to make your cinnamon glaze!

CINNAMON GLAZE RECIPE

1/3 cup earth balance buttery spread, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon almond fresh vanilla almond milk

1 cup wholesome sweeteners powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Steps

Combine butter , vanilla and milk in a medium sized bowl and stir together well. Start to gradually add your powdered sugar, beating it into the liquid with a fork. 

Add your cinnamon and begin to stir. You'll see your icing start to form so just keep mixing it! The longer the better. It helps fluff up the icing. Once your icing is thick and a little fluffy pop it in the fridge and wait for your cupcakes to be done.

Remove your cupcake from the oven once they are done (15-20 minutes) Take them out of the pan to allow them to cool. Let cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle your glaze all over your cupcake and throw some sprinkles on top! These are so fun to make and they look amazing afterwards. Have fun getting cupcake creative. Happy cruelty free baking!

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

These were amazing. I love using fresh fruit vs extracts. It gives it some real flavour. I mean vanilla is fine, buying pure vanilla bean is insanely expensive but oranges are pretty cheap so go big and get organic. :) I've had a major sweet tooth lately and have been baking tons so be prepared to see most dessert post! I hope everyone is enjoying big hearty autumn meals like we are. Happy cruelty free cooking:)

Recipe

MAKES 12

1 1/2 cups white unbleached flour

2/3 cup of turbinado sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash of cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup of coconut oil

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1 organic navel orange (1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice)

Steps
Preheat oven to 350 F and oil a cupcake/muffin pan.
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients and stir them together with a fork well.
Create a well in the middle and begin to add wet ingredients. While stirring, start with the oil then milk and fresh squeezed orange juice last. I cut my orange in half and squeezed a 1/4 cup of juice out of it. Mix your vanilla in with that and add to mixture. Everything should be pretty well mixed by now. Make sure all the lumps are out! It should be a little runny so if its not, add some more almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Grate some of your orange skin over the top of the mix and stir one last time. Using a large spoon, scoop out enough cupcake mix to fill your cupcake pan about 2/3 of the way full.

Use the other half of your orange and shave off some skin (using a grater) for the top of the cupcakes. Then squeeze whatever remaining juice you can get out of it over your cupcakes. Pop in the oven! Bake for 15-20 mins.

These are so soft and fluffy. Squeezing the orange juice over top really boosts the

 flavour and also makes the tops look neat! I hope everyone enjoys :)

Happy baking!

VEGAN PUMPKIN COCONUT CREAM PIE

VEGAN PUMPKIN COCONUT CREAM PIE

This was the dessert I made for my boyfriend and I on thanksgiving. Nothing too crazy fancy but its simple and delicious. This recipe works great if you bake it, chill it and eat it the next day. It really helps all the filling form together and makes it realllyyy good. My crust was a little hard so im going to add more oil to the recipe because I think that would have helped a lot. I also used earth balance regular butter spread instead of the shortening sticks. That probably would have helped as well. Anyways here we go!!

Recipe

Filling
1 can organic pumpkin puree
1/4 can coconut cream
2 teaspoons cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons coconut shreds

Crust
1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup graham flour
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup earth balance shortening or buttery spread, melted
dash of almond milk


STEPS

In a large bowl add all your dry ingredients of your crust. Mix them together well with a fork to make sure its all unison. Build a well in the middle and begin to pour all wet ingredients in starting with your banana. Begin to mix it all together. Trying to incorporate all the dry parts so your dough forms. Keep stirring until a ball forms and then begin to mix with your hands. This helps the dough form together really well. Once all your dry ingredients are absorbed and your crust ball has formed you can get your pie pan ready with some oil and begin to roll out your dough. Roll it a little larger than your pie pan so you can make a crust around the edge. Place pie crust on top of the pan and begin to squeeze in dough by pressing with your fingers. Pop it into the fridge and its done until its ready to bake!!

In another large bowl add all the ingredients of your filling. Starting with pumpkin puree and coconut cream then following with all your dry ingredients. Mix it together really well with a fork and give it a little taste test to make sure its sweet enough for you. (I don't make my baked goods very sweet) Pop that in the fridge as well for 15 minutes and you're done!

Once both parts of your pie have been refrigerated for 15-30 mins you can take it out and preheat your oven to 350 F. Dump all your filling into your pie crust and begin to smooth it out with a spatula so it looks nice. I even added pecans all over the top of mine for some extra pizazz! Bake for 35-40 minutes.

VEGAN SEITAN PINTO BEAN ROAST WITH STUFFING

It was thanksgiving the other day in Victoria BC. Which gives me an awesome opportunity to challenge myself. My boyfriend and I usually buy a little field roast quarter loaves for the two of us but since they have ceased shipping to Canada (article will explain) I decided to finally attempt to make my own stuffed roast. WHAT A SUCCESS IT WAS. IM SPEAKING IN CAPS BECAUSE I'M REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF. Making a roast vegan stylez is hard and this one I can confidently say you could feed your meat eatin' friends and they would love it. The stuffing really stepped it up a notch and made it seem like a real roast. 

This recipe also makes enough to invite friends over and have a big meal. I already took 8 large pieces off of it and I still have a quarter of the roast in my fridge. 

The stuffing was too good. It honestly tasted exactly like the kind I used to have back in my meat eating days. 

I used silver hills kings bread for the bread crumbs. If you want to turn your bread into bread crumbs just simply cut up your pieces into small cubes.  Around 1/2 inch in size. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Prepare a casserole dish with some olive oil and toss in your bread. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over top. Spice with whatever you would like. I used garlic powder, pepper and salt. Stir them around well so the oil is spread evenly and bake for 7 minutes or until bread is crispy and brown. 

RECIPE

Vegan Stuffing

5-6 piece of bread cut into bread crumbs = 3 cups bread crumbs

4 stalks celery, chopped fine

1/4 white onion, chopped fine

3 cloves of garlic, minced

half a shallot, diced

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon chili spice

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 drops liquid smoke

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

4 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

STEPS

In a frying pan on medium heat saute your onion, garlic, shallot and celery until soft. Around 10 minutes. Add your bread crumbs, spices, liquid smoke, vegetable broth, garbanzo bean flour and nutritional yeast. Turn to low-med heat and mix everything together really well. Your breadcrumbs should absorb a lot of your vegetable broth but not all of it so if its too dry add some more vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. Until everything is moist, not soggy. Fry until all your liquids are absorbed. Around 7-10 minutes. Once your stuffing is ready remove from heat and allow it to cool before stuffing your roast!

*This recipe is great for stuffing the roast but if you want to bake some stuff on the side heres the steps, 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Separate your dry ingredients of your stuffing mix into two even batches. One in a frying pan and one in a oiled casserole dish. Cut your liquid ingredients in half for each mix. Add vegetable broth, liquid smoke, garbanzo bean flour and nutritional yeast to your casserole dish. Stir together well and place in your oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until all liquids are absorbed. 

RECIPE

VEGAN ROAST

1 can pinto beans, drained, blended

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

4 teaspoons poultry seasoning 

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

6 drops liquid smoke 

STEPS

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl combine all your dry ingredients and stir together well. Blend your pinto beans with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until smooth. *the bigger the beans are the harder it is to mix it into the gluten

Make a well in the middle of your gluten bowl and add your vegetable broth, soy sauce and liquid smoke.  Start to mix together well and pour your beans in, mixing while stirring. Knead with your hands for 5 minutes. This helps really blend your beans in with the mix. Once everything is mixed together well and your ball of goodness has formed prepare a place on the counter with a large piece of foil. (I used one that was 18' wide) Place your roast on the foil and begin to roll it out forming a rectangle. Roll it out well. If any pieces break its really easy to make it stick back together with your fingers by pinching it. It should be around a 1/4' to 1/2' thick. Any bigger and it won't roll well!  

Once your seitan is ready place a couple big spoonfuls of the stuffing on half of your roast. Make sure theres atleast an inch left on each side of the seitan. Flatten your stuffing down with the back of your spoon. Begin to roll from the side with the stuffing inward. Roll it slightly tight so you can make sure it sticks together but don't squish it. 

Once your roll is all together begin to pinch the open end with a fork. Pressing it into your roast. Make sure its completely blended together. Using your fingers to pinch any loose ends. 

Wrap your roast in foil and bake for 1 hour.