Apple Coffee Cake

This recipe was inspired by the recipe for Fruit Coffee Cake in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  I used Splenda in place of sugar and it turned out fine.  The pictures aren't great, but I promise the cake is delicious!  Not too sweet and a perfect snack.

Apple Bran Muffins

These healthy muffins make a great, energizing breakfast when you're on the go!

Ingredients:

1 c. soymilk
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 c. bran cereal (It can be any kind you want - I used a combination of All Bran and Raisin Bran)
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. flaxseed meal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1 T cornstarch

1/2 apple sauce
1/8 c. brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 T oil

1/2 c. raisins
1 small apple, diced (peeling optional)
1/4 c. vegan chocolate chips

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-cup muffin tray.


Combine the soymilk, lemon juice, and vinegar in a medium mixing bowl and set aside for a few minutes to curdle.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Next, add the apple sauce, brown sugar, vanilla, and oil to the soymilk mixture.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Fold in the raisins, apple, and chocolate chips.  Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray, filling each cup to the top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is a healthy but filling recipe for acorn squash stuffed with a mixture of lentils and mushrooms in a citrus-maple dressing.  It tastes just like fall! Mine came out a little dry, so you may want to try different strategies for pre-cooking the squash, like placing them in a casserole dish with a little bit of water.

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Vegan Recipe Sites

Since I don't own very many vegan cookbooks, I find a lot of recipes online.  Here are a few of my favorite sources for vegan recipes:

Oh She Glows
Angela Liddon's extensive blog is full of creative, healthy vegan recipes, complete with beautiful photos.

Post Punk Kitchen
Created by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, the co-author of Veganomicon and several other vegan cookbooks, this is a really well-organized website with vegan recipes for every meal and occasion.

PETA
So maybe they are a little crazy... but PETA offers a great search engine for vegan and vegetarian recipes.  Plus, they have a helpful "Vegan Baking Cheat Sheet" that tells you how to substitute for eggs and dairy in non-vegan baking recipes.

Spiced Apple Raisin Bread

Quick breads are one of my favorite things to bake, because you can experiment so much with the flavors and add anything you want.  For this recipe, I used apples, raisins, and spices for a hearty, moist and lightly sweet bread.  Feel free to add nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruits, or whatever you like.

Red Pepper and Mushroom Lasagna with Spinach Ricotta

Most of what I know about cooking comes from my mom, who is an amazing Italian cook.  So naturally, the first recipe I want to share with you is for a vegan version of our family's lasagna.  For the sauce, I used my mom's recipe for sweet and tangy marinara.  For the "ricotta," I combined and modified the recipes for Cashew Ricotta and Tofu Ricotta from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  (I definitely recommend this book; it's extensive and creative, and I have yet to find a recipe I didn't love!):

http://www.theppk.com/books/veganomicon-the-ultimate-vegan-cookbook/

So, this dish takes a little bit of work, but it's satisfying, a complete meal, and perfect for making ahead.  Hope you like it!