Vegan Gluten Free Orange and Cranberry Muffins

{Vegan!} GF Orange and Cranberry Breakfast Muffins

*Prep time: 20-25 mins  *Cook Time:  18 minutes 

GF andVegan?

I'll admit, they don't sound all of that amazing. 

Open your mind, give them a try- be surprised. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup mixture of dried cranberries and cherries

2 cups all purpose GF flour

(I used Bob's Red Mill brand. Most groceries have it, even my local Wal-Mart) 

1 Tbsp brown sugar

3/4 tsp xantham gum

(also Bob's Red Mill from Wal-Mart) 

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup almond or soy milk

juice from 1 orange

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1tsp vanilla extract

1tsp almond extract

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400. Line muffin pan with liners or grease muffin pan well. 

Step 2: Simmer cranberries/cherries in water 3 mins, set aside still in water.

Step 3: Mix dry ingredients together {including orange zest}

Step 4: In a separate bowl mix all of the wet ingredients. 

Step 5: Mix wet ingredients with dry. Drain berries then fold into batter. 

Step 6: Fill muffins 2/3 full.

Step 7: Bake 15 mins

These are perfect for breakfast. They are hearty , 

delicious and not overly sweet. 

Enjoy! 

Agave and Date Scented Moroccan {Vegan!} Beef

Agave and Date Scented Moroccan {Vegan!} Beef
*Prep time: 15 mins  *Cook Time:  45 minutes *Servings: 4

Once you have the ingredients for this dish you can whip it up pretty quick. Most of the cook time is down time. 

Ingredients

1 bag Gardein Beefless Tips

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

1 Red Onion

4 Teaspoons Minced {the jarred kind} Garlic 

1 lb Carrots, cut into chunks

9 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes

4 oz Dried Dates

4 oz Dried Prunes, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar

2 Cups Vegetable Broth

1 Cinnamon Stick

2 Teaspoons Cumin Powder

2 Teaspoons Coriander Powder

1 Teaspoon Ginger

1 Teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom

Step 1: Flash boil the carrots for 3  minutes

Step 2: Chop the onion and throw it in a skillet with 1 tsp olive oil. Let it cook over medium heat for 7-10. You want the onion to be a little charred with a lot of color. Your stove may be better or worse than mine, so keep an eye on it. Throw the minced garlic in and let that brown for a minute, stirring so that it doesnt burn. 

Step 3: Throw the carrots, onion and garlic into a large pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients *EXCEPT the beefless tips. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn the heat down to a simmer and set your timer for 30 minutes. 

Step 4: Once the timer goes off its time to make the Quinoa. First: turn the heat down on the scented beef to low. Microwave the beefless tips for 60 seconds then add to the pot. Leave this on low heat while the quinoa cooks. 

Ginger Masala Quinoa

Ingredients

1 tsp Olive Oil

2 tsp Ginger Paste (or 2 tsp fresh grated ginger)

Pinch Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 Cup Quinoa

2 Cups Water

Step 5: Now to the Quinoa: Cook the ginger paste over low/medium heat with the Olive oil in a small pan for 3-5 mins. Toss in the red pepper flakes and Garam Masala. Cook for another minute. Add the water and quinoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Set your timer for 15 minutes. 

Step 6: Fluff the quinoa. Your ready! Serve the Moraccan {vegan!} beef over the Ginger Masala Quinoa. 

This dish smells like sweet perfume and tastes exactly like what you wished sweet perfume tasted like. 

Vegan Blueberry and Violet Chocolate Cake Bites

Blueberry and Violet Chocolate Cake Bites
*Prep time: 15 mins  *Cook Time: 10 minutes *Servings: 24 bites

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp blueberry preserves

1 cup sugar 

1/3 cup canola oil 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

2 tsp creme de violette

**creme de violette is a voilet liquor you can find at your local total wine in the cordials section. 

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened coco powder

Ghirardelli coco powder is worth the extra few bucks. I promise. 

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350. Lightly grease your cookie sheet. 

Step 2: In a large bowl mix the blueberry preserves, sugar, canola oil, vanilla, almond and creme de violette. 

Step 3: In a separate bowl sift together the remaining ingredients. 

Step 4: Add the wet to the dry in 2 batches. 

Step 5: Using a tablespoon, plop the batter down onto the baking sheet leaving 1" between each cake bite.  

Step 6: Bake for 10 minutes. While you wait lick any remaining batter from the bowl, and all spoons involved in this process. Let cookies cook for 5 minutes. 

Chocolate, blueberry and creme de violette:

 Pure vegan decadence. 

Redwall Oatcakes

The animals in the Redwall books ate what sounded like 

wild woodland food for the goddesses. 

So, I'm turning them into actual recipes. 

For the record: this one is amazing. 

*Prep time: 20-25 minutes *Cook Time: 25-30 minutes  * Yields: 16-18 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups quick oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp brown sugar

1 cup fresh squeezed clementine juice

2 pink lady apples {shredded}

1/3 cup white raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

3 tbsp agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup hot water

1 black tea bag * I use earl gray

1/4 tsp cardamom

nutmeg for garnish

Step 1:  Pre-heat oven to 350. Combine hot water, 2 tsp brown sugar & tea bag. Steep for 3 minutes and remove the tea bag, wringing it out into the bowl.  

Step 2: Add the raisins and cranberries to the mixture, set aside. 

Step 3: Juice your clementines. Add the pulp from the top of your juicer in with the rest of the juice. 

Step 4: pour the juice/pulp into a pot. Add the agave nectar, mix, and then bring it all to a boil.

Simmer for 8 minutes and then take off heat. 

Step 5: Core your apples and shred in a food processor. Then, in a large bowl mix the brown sugar, oats and shredded apples. Really mix it, use your hands if you feel inspired. 

Step 6: Pour the clementine juice mixture in with the other ingredients and mix well with a spoon. 

Step 7: Drain the raisins and cranberries. Add them to the mix and stir in. 

Step 8: Grease & lightly flour a baking tray. Use a biscuit cutter or large cookie cutter, fill it in with the mix and spread evenly to about 2cm thick. Then slowly lift the cutter and make another, and so on. You can place these very close to each other as they don't change in size at all. 

Step 9: Top each one off with a pinch of nutmeg. Bake for 25-30 min.

 Let cool and then enjoy breakfast in Redwall mouse style.

Pad Thai Salad

*Prep time: 20 minutes  *Servings: 4

The base for this recipe comes from my go to cook book, Appetite For Reduction. 

absolutely worth every penny of the $10. 

Ingredients

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

4 cups bean sprouts

2 carrots sliced thinly

1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

1/2 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped

*1 recipe Peanut Lime Dressing (below)

unsalted peanuts for garnish

1 lime wedge

Peanut Lime Dressing

*I doubled the portions here because the first time I made it I had just enough for the 2 salads, so this will be enough for 4 and some for later. Its delicious. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

2 shallot onions

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup water

4 tbs agave nectar

4 tbs soy sauce

1-2 tsp Sriracha garlic chili sauce 

*start with 1 and see how that does you, its pretty hot stuff. 

You can get this in the 'Asian' section of most well stocked grocers. 

Step 1: Throw all of your salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss.  

Step 2: Chop the shallot onions into 4 pieces each. 

Step 3: Put all of the dressing ingredients into your blender and blend very well. 

Step 4: Serve the salad, pour on some dressing and then top with peanuts and a lime wedge. Viola! 

*The peanut and shallot tends to separate from the dressing, but that is a OK. It will not affect the tastiness, just mix occasionally while you eat*

This is one of my favorite salad recipes. 

Fast + Delicious = A beautiful thing. 

The Only Fruit Smoothie Recipe You Will Ever Need

*Prep time: 5 minutes  *Servings: 2

Ingredients

2 cups frozen fruit (any kind)

2 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk

2-4 tablespoons agave nectar

*or

1 tablespoon truvia

1 tsp vanilla extract 

2 scoops vegan sorbet (Talenti is my go-to)

*To make your smoothie out of this world good, add a 1.5 tsp of Orange Blossom Water. You can get it at any Indian market. 

Step 1: Blend well and enjoy. 

I mean it: this makes the PERFECT fruit smoothie.

 And now, I'm going to make myself one. 

180 Calories (using agave), 0.9 mg Cholesterol, 193.5 mg Sodium, 2.5 g Protein 

Traveling? Starving yet? Here's How to Find Vegan and Vegetarian Food Almost Anywhere

I love to travel. I also love to eat. Being Vegan, this can sometimes present a problem... 

So, if your traveling and you want to eat some food that is real, vegan, and delicious pop over to www.HappyCow.net

A good friend of mine shared this link with me and it totally changed my eating+traveling experience. 

I mean, come on: look how happy this cow is