Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I probably shouldn’t have made these today – Since it was only yesterday when I made vegan chocolate cupcakes …. And ate them… all. 

My diet starts … oh who am I kidding.

what’s a day without dessert? 

This recipe is so good!  It’s not even really my own I got it from here at the VeganHousewives.  I just decreased the sugar a bit, that’s all – it really is a fantastical recipe. 

I don’t usually share other peoples’ recipes, this is actually the first and only time I have, but I would be doing you an injustice if I didn’t share!

So Here We Go.  What You Need:

2 cups flour

1 tea baking powder

½ cup coconut oil

¾ c brown sugar

¼ cup almond milk

2 tea vanilla extract

3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (I could have been okay with ½ cup really…)

And I added ¼ cup walnuts, just because I had them - and I love walnuts.   

The Fun Part:

Mix wet ingredients

Add dry ingredients

Add chocolate chips, and walnuts if you wish.

Form into balls – however big or small you like

Cook 350 for 10-13 minutes, depending on how big your balls are (hehe)

Let cool and

Enjoyyyyy 

Almond Anise Biscotti

Almond Anise Biscotti

Since today is fathers day I decided to make my father a treat – homemade biscotti. 

My father LOVES biscotti – and I forgot just how much I loved them when I ate one today!  I think the last time I had one was when I lived at home with him. 

He doesn’t even drink coffee anymore- I think he quit before I was old enough to notice, but to this day when I am traveling and wake up to the smell of coffee it feels like home to me…

Anyway- he just eats them alone, which is the same way I enjoy them! 

My husband, however, took one tooth to it this morning and thought it was a joke.  That I am gifting stale bread to my father… silly boy. 

This evening though- he ate one… and then asked for two more!  Aaaha.  Told him they were good!  

So Here We Go.  What You Need:

2 lemons grated lemon rind (about 1-2 tbl)

2/3 cup slivered almonds (one small bag)

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg white – beaten.

The Fun Part:

Combine first 4 ingredients – beat. 

Add dry ingredients—flour and baking powder. 

Kind of kneed the dough with your hands – inside the bowl to minimize mess. 

Form into two oval-ish loafs – flattened – on a greased cookie sheet

Coat with beatened egg white

Cook at 350 for 25 minutes

Lower temp to 325 for 5 minutes

Slice

Place slices back into oven at 325 for 15 minutes. 

Let cool – coat with chocolate if you wish – or not…

Enjoy! 

Tofurky Wrap

Tofurky Wrap

Have you ever tried tofurky deli meat?  I had my qualms… but then I tried it. 

Maybe it was my low expectations for it, but I tasted it and literally said “wow! This is awesome!”

And it really is kids. 

Here is one of my favorite wraps I have made for years, and it was easy to make it vegan… salvation…!

What You Need:

1 spinach wrap

1 tbl veganaise

1 tea taco seasoning

3 slices tofurky (I like hickory smoked)

1 slice vegan cheese

Shredded lettuce (as you can tell from the photo, I love lettuce)

Pepper

The Fun Part:

Take yo wrap

Dab on the veganaise

Sprinkle on that taco seasoning like it’s your job

Slap that turkey on that mess

Add the cheese

Load on the shreaded lettuce (or not)

And sprinkle with pepper

Roll up and…

Enjoy!

Tunafish Sandwich

Tunafish Sandwich

I want a tunafish sandwich.

Yes that is all I am writing for this blog b/c ... really... need I say more?

So Here We Go.  What You Need: Makes 2 sammies

1 12 oz can tuna - drained

3 tbl veganaise (or mayo, or ranch dressing, but all I have is veganaise)

¼ tea celery seed

¼ tea pepper

Red Onion Slices

Mustard

Lettuce

4 pieces of bread

To assemble:

Mix drained tuna with veganaise (or mayo), celery seed, and pepper. 

On bread spread mustard

Plop on the tuna mixture

Layer red onion and lettuce

Repeat with second Sammie

I Enjoy mine with grapes J

Falafel Wrap

Fa Fa faaaaaaalafel (Falafel) Wrap

When I think about falafels I think about the Freddie Prince Jr. movie She’s All That! 

One of my favorite childhood movies, and since I’ve been in a child state of mind- watching all these one direction clips and all….

Anyway!  In the movie the girl works at a falafel place and she’s got a line “would you like to supersize those falafel balls?”  Don’t ask me why I remember that… I’ll tell you anyway…

Because I was massive obsessive over that movie!  I probably watched it every day for months… silly girl I was… But lets face it, Freddie Prince Jr. was a hottie mc hot pants!

ANYYYway, I have never had a falafel before …. Oh a month or so ago when I had a falafel wrap.  This recipe is a recreation of the most delicious thing I had tasted that day! 

So Here We Go.  What You Need:

For one wrap:

3 falafel balls – I make mine from a box, saves time! (one box makes like 12 balls)

2 tbl hummus

About ¼ cup diced cucumber

Slices of red bell pepper

Slices of red onion

Lettuce

Spinach wrap

The Fun Part

Spinich Wrap ready

Dab on hummus

Squash the falafel balls

Layer on the cucumber, pepper, onion, and lettuce.

Roll it up and…

Enjoy!   

Blueberry Muffins - Vegan

Blueberry something….



It’s blueberry season and it’s a party in my mouth! 

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I just love blueberries, what I love more about them is once a year I can get them really cheap- Really.  Like a little over a dollar for a pint.  I’ve even gotten them for 75 cents a pint before… SEVENTY FIVE CENTS!!! {just in case you didn’t read it right the first time ;-)}



So in spirit of this momentous occasion I have decided to make something.. but what?!  I seriously didn’t know, as I shoveled blueberries into my mouth on the car ride home. 



Don’t judge me. 



I have had a go-to blueberry muffin recipe for a years now- but it is loaded with oil and sugar, so I’ve been experimenting trying to make it a bit healthier… three batches later and I think I finally got it!



So Here We Go.  What You Need:



1 cup white flour
½ cup wheat flour
3 tea baking powder
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup apple sauce
1/3 cup almond milk (vanilla)
1 flax egg (1 tbl flax seed 3 tbl warm water – let sit for a couple of min. before mixing
                   into recipe)
3 tbl oil
1 cup blueberries



The Fun Part:

-Mix dry ingredients together​
-Add wet ingredients – mix until combined
-Add in blueberries – mix.
--The batter should be thick, but if it is super doper thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk.
-Place cupcake liners in pan
-Fill ¾ way full
-Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Enjoy! 

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes



You know that feeling when you eat something and you feel like singing?! 

Like - *tunage* This is Deeeliiiiciouuuusss yeaaah!

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That is the feeling I get when I eat ate these cupcakes. 



I’m not a huge fan of cupcakes… I don’t know what it is really. 

Maybe it’s the fact that I feel like a gorger when I eat them, because lets be honest, one is never enough. 

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6 cupcakes later and I decided I should get my workout on… then found out my DVD player is shot… it really was a shame. ;-)



It freed up some time for me to eat just one more… hehe 



So Here We Go.  What You Need:  Recipe makes 12 cupcakes – feeds one lady. 



1 cup flour
½ tea baking powder
¾ tea baking dosa
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate almond milk
¼ heaping cup pumpkin puree
2 tbl oil
½ tea vanilla extract
1 tbl apple cider vinegar



The Fun Part:



Mix Dry ingredients
Mix Wet ingredients
Incorporate
Line cupcake tins with liners and fill ¾ way full
Bake at 350 for 18 minutes



Frost with your favorite icing and Enjoy

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My icing:
3 tbl shortning
3 tbl vegan butter
3 cups powder sugar

Vegan French Toast

Vegan French Toast



Eggless french toast?  Thank you flax seed.  

My husband doesn’t love French toast, he says on days that he wakes up to the smell of French toast he feels like he did something wrong the day before and he’s being punished. 



… silly boy. 



This morning he actually said that they tasted great!  …

.

I will add that later he couldn’t remember saying that, he blamed it on the fact that he was half asleep.

Convienient. 



So let me tell you- These taste great!



So Here We Go.  What You Need:



½ cup almond milk
2 flax eggs (2 tbl flax meal 6 tbl warm water- mix, let sit 2 minutes)
½ tea cinnamon
½ tea nutmeg
4 pieces of toast



The Fun Part:



Mix flax eggs – let sit for 2 minutes
Then add milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg
Dip bread in mixture (both sides)
Place in hot pan with a bit of oil, butter, or pam.
Let cook for a few minutes each side until golden

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Top with your favorite goodies and



Enjoy!

Mandarin Orange Jello 'Salad'

Mandarin Orange Jello 'Salad'



I don’t know when people started referring to non-lettuce sides as salads… but I’m all for it!  Makes it feel a little less guilty. 



I’m not a huge fan of oranges but these little suckers make this dish so juicy and delicious! 

My Tante introduced me to this wonderful recipe and it would just be wrong to keep it to myself!



We ate it as a dessert, but it would certainly be a wonderful BBQ side dish- nice and refreshing!



So Here We Go.  What You Need:



1 3 oz box orange jello
1 3oz box cook and serve vanilla pudding
1 3oz box tapioca pudding
2 cups water
2 8oz cans mandarin oranges (drained)
1 8oz can diced pineapple (drained) (you can omit and use another can of oranges if you wish)
1 tub cool whip  



The Fun Part:



-In pot mix jello and both puddings with 2 cups of water.  Stir constantly until it boils.  –
- Continue to stir and let boil for one minute. 
- Pour into bowl and cool completely (I let mine cool in fridge)
- Add oranges, pineapple, and cool whip.
-Chill for a couple of hours until thickened and..



Enjoy! :)

Tofu Stuffed Shells

Tofu Stuffed Shells



You know what I love most about being {mostly} vegan?  I don’t need to worry about pulling meat out of the freezer and planning what I’m going to make for dinner while I’m eating my breakfast. 

As dinner time approached I scoured the cupboard for something to make… and my boxed tofu kept staring at me! 
​​            --yes I buy tofu in the box, it is much cheaper than buying in the refrigerated section, and       

            when I say much cheaper I mean I buy a box for $1.15.  Yes!



Anyway the first time I made tofu stuffed shells they were barf-worthy, so when I thought about reluctantly making them again tonight I hoped they were at least 10% better. 



And boy if they weren’t absolutely amazing!



So Here We Go.  What You Need:



½ box large pasta shells
1 onion diced
1 package frozen spinach – thawed
1 package firm tofu – crumbled
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbl Italian seasoning
Pepper to taste

Pasta sauce to serve



The Fun Part:



- In large pot boiling water cook pasta shells for 13 minutes, or until soft
- Meanwhile in hot pan cook onion until translucent
- Add spinach and tofu to pan and mix until warmed and tofu is crumbled
- Add nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and pepper
- Drain shells and rinse quickly – just so they don’t burn my fingers!
- Stuff shells
- Serve with your favorite pasta sauce and



Enjoy!



Two ways to eat it... With a knife, or without..

Veggie Lo Mein

Veggie Lo Mein



What can I say about veggie lo mein... After a long outings with the family sometimes we come home long after I should have had dinner already on the table. 



On days like these veggie lo mein is my go to meal!  It takes me 15 minutes from start to finish, and full of veggies so it's gotta be good for you! 

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So Here We Go.  What You Need:

I use whatever veggies I have on hand… tonight I had these certain veggies:

1 tbl vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper- sliced
1 zucchini- diced
1 onion –sliced
8 oz mushrooms –sliced
1 can baby corn cut in half
½ bag asian salad kit (it’s a mix of shreaded broccoli, carrots, and beansprouts- find it in produce              

                            section near bagged broccoli/cauliflower etc.)
1 packet asian dressing (comes with the asian salad mix- it's sesame ginger dressing)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 package lo mein noodles



The Fun Part:



- cut up veggies
- In a hot pan add a tbl of vegie oil and cook vegetables until soft.  (about 5-8 minutes)
- meanwhile boil a pot of water and cook lo mein noodles for 4-5 minutes
- drain noodles add to pan of vegetables
- add asian dressing and soy sauce



Serve and Enjoy!

Zucchini Side Dish

Zucchini Side Dish



I think I have an obsession with zucchini. 



And how can I not?  The stuff is so wonderful! Don't pretend like you don't love them too, otherwise you wouldn't have clicked on this recipe.  They’re so mild in flavor, they kind of taste like an apple to me.  Kind of.  Lol



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Pair ‘em up with corn and facon and how can someone not love it?



Don’t like facon? (fake bacon) use onions instead.  Or use onions anyway!  Sounds good to me…



So Here We Go.  What You Need:



1 tbl oil
4 slices facon (or bacon) - diced
2 (fairly large) zucchini -diced
1 can of corn



The Fun (and Easy) Part:



-In hot pan add oil, facon, zucchini, and corn.
-Cook until softened, but not too soft.  Around 5 minutes on medium heat

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Enjoy! :)