October 20, 2020October 21, 2020 by betsy

Apple Pie Bundt Cake (vegan & plant-based)

I made this beautiful bundt for Bob’s dad’s socially-distanced outdoor 89th birthday gathering for 9 and 2 on FaceTime. The surprise ingredient of a can of apple pie filling insures extra moistness and fall flavors.

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 to 4 tablespoons non-dairy milk

1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
20 ounces apple pie filling (I leave the slices whole, but you could chop or mash)
Optional: Maple-Cinnamon “Cream Cheese” Glaze (recipe follows)

Garnish: 1/2 cup chopped pecans and, optionally, 8 apple chips or dried apple slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. Combine oil and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer. Beat at medium speed about a minute to dissolve sugar. Add remaining ingredients and beat a couple more minutes or just until completely combined, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Spoon batter evenly into pan and gently smooth top. Bake approximately 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, invert onto wire rack, and cool completely. Spoon Glaze around top and let cascade down inside and outside. Garnish with chopped or whole pecans and optional apple chips.

Maple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze
2 ounces firm tofu (I use regular for body)
1/4 cup vegan butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract or zest of 1 small lemon

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Approximately 4 cups powdered sugar

In bowl of large food processor, process all ingredients except powdered sugar for a few minutes or until completely smooth. Add half of powdered sugar and process until smooth. Repeat with remaining powdered sugar. Add additional powdered sugar if necessary to reach desired consistency.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #veganbundtcake #plantbasedbundtcake #veganapplebundtcake #plantbasedapplebundtcake

October 18, 2020 by betsy

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread (vegan & plant-based)

Who am I kidding? This luscious bread is really a cake!

Gifted to yet another helpful colleague, my latest creation with the apples leftover from lunches at my new school–which surely owns an orchard–is simply insane in the flavor and texture departments.

If you are thinking that oatmeal=dry and crumbly, think again…and try not to do a header into the batter!

3 apples, stemmed, cored, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup old fashioned oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 5 x 9″ loaf pan. In food processor, process apples until finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process just until well combined. Stir in oatmeal. Transfer into prepared pan. Bake 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted on center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #plantbasedapplebread #veganapplebread #plantbasedapplecake #veganapplecake

September 26, 2020September 26, 2020 by betsy

Spiced Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 16 bars

These plant-based bars are irresistible autumn coziness personified. The four layers go together quickly if you make three of the layers in the same food processor bowl without even wiping it out. The tofu-based cheesecake layer is a dead ringer for its dairy cousin and a luscious complement to the spiced apples and crumbly topping. For those watching calories, these bars are even delicious made with Truvia brown sugar substitute.

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 tablespoons vegan butter

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8 or 9-inch pan with a wide strip of parchment paper or foil to aid in removal. Pulse ingredients in food processor until mixture holds together in moist clumps. Press evenly into pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Cheesecake Filling:
8 ounces extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Juice of 1/2 large lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional:1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Process for a couple of minutes or so in food processor, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Pour filling over warm crust.

Apple Pie Filling:

1/2 cup water, divided
1 teaspoon apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 apples, halved, cored, and thinly sliced or chopped (I don’t peel them, but you can)
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Poor 1/4 cup water into large skillet followed by spice, salt, and apples. Cook over medium heat until apples start to become tender, stirring occasionally. Whisk cornstarch into remaining water to dissolve, pour over apples, gently stir, and continue cooking until thick and apple slices are softened. Arrange apple slices in 3 rows over cheesecake layer.

Topping:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons vegan butter
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Pulse together first four ingredients in food processor until mixture holds together in moist clumps. Stir in oats and pecans. Sprinkle over apples in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes. Cool, cover, and refrigerate before slicing with a serrated knife and serving.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #vegandessertbars #plantbaseddessertbars

July 24, 2020July 22, 2020 by betsy

3-Ingredient Banana-Tangerine Nice Cream

Yield: 2-4 servings

These hot, humid summer days in Southeastern Virginia call for cooling foods that hydrate. My Banana-Tangerine Nice Cream fits the flavorful bill to a “T.” Plus it is beautiful and healthful, a little sweet, and a little tart.

Once the fruit is frozen, it goes together in minutes, ready to eat immediately as soft serve or to scoop after a short stint in the freezer.

Feel free to experiment with different combinations of fruit–you need about 5 cups total–but remember that fruits like bananas and mangoes lend a lovely creaminess to the texture.

If chocolate is your jam, add a little cocoa powder, starting with about 2 tablespoons. You may need to add slightly more agave nectar.

To blend, I use my large heavy-duty Cuisinart food processor, but a Vitamix might work well. Whatever you use, it needs to be strong and sturdy to process the frozen fruit chunks, though you can let them thaw ever so slightly before processing or blending so that your machine doesn’t have to work so hard.

Banana-Tangerine Nice Cream

3 medium bananas, peeled, cut into 1-in pieces, and frozen, and ever so slightly thawed, if desired

3 tangerines, not peeled, pitted, quartered, and frozen, and ever so slightly thawed, if desired

3 tablespoons agave nectar

Place half of fruit and all of agave nectar in food processor and process, sturdying your machine on the counter if necessary, until somewhat broken down and blended. Add remaining fruit and keep processing, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until the mixture lightens in color and changes texture to a creamy, luscious buttercream-like consistency. This will take Just a few minutes. Serve immediately or cover and return to freezer for a scoopable consistency.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #veganicecream #plantbasedicecream #vegannicecream #plantbasednicecream

July 2, 2020July 3, 2020 by betsy

Apricot-Cream Cheese Bars with Oatmeal-Almond Crumble (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 8 large bars to 16 small squares

This recipe is a new iteration of a longstanding Thanksgiving favorite: Cranberry Crumble. I use the same crumble, only I add a smidgen of ground ginger and switched out pecans for sliced almonds. Then I substituted my Apricot-Cream Cheese Filling–with its hint of fresh lemon and almond extract–for the original cranberry filling. Now I have an easy, delectable, and very pretty–in a rustic sort of way–favorite bar for the cool months and the summer months.

Apricot-Cream Cheese Filling:

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

3 tablespoons lemon juice

8 ounces vegan cream cheese

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup plump dried apricots (about 12), chopped (I get about 6 to 8 pieces per apricot)

In a small bowl or cup, whisk together flaxseed meal and lemon juice. Set aside to thicken. In a medium or large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and almond extract, and continue beating until creamy. Beat in flaxseed meal and lemon mixture until fully and fully incorporated. Fold in dried apricots. Set aside while you make crust/topping.

Crust and Topping:

½ cup vegan butter, melted
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned or quick-cooking oats
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 inch square baking pan with non-stick spray, line with parchment paper or foil, pressing smooth, and spray again with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients, except almonds, with a fork. Spoon half of this mixture into prepared pan patting gently into place. Pour filling over and spread to cover all the way to the edges. Mix almonds with remaining pastry mixture and sprinkle evenly over filling. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool completely on a wire rack and cover and chill for several hours before lifting out of pan and slicing with a serrated knife.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #veganbars #plantbasedbars #veganapricot #plantbasedapricot

December 10, 2017 by betsy

Vegan Mini-Chutney & Cocowhip “Pies”
Ready in a (Ginger)Snap

These pretty little mini-pies make holiday pie “baking” a snap. A gingersnap.

I am so happy to share this cheater “recipe” with you, the brain child of my good friend, Mary Beth Watson. It is really just a 3-ingredient lickity-split process.

After one bite, no one will care how little time you spent laboring in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

Anna’s or your favorite brand crispy scalloped (preferably) vegan gingersnaps

Chutney (apple-pecan or, for Christmas, cranberry-orange-walnut “sauce” works nicely)

So Delicious brand Cocowhip or your favorite vegan whipped cream

To make each mini-pie, top one gingersnap with a spoonful of chutney followed by a dollop of Cocowhip. That’s it! Make as many or as few as you need just before serving time.

February 21, 2016February 21, 2016 by betsy

Day 8: Pear-Rum Cupcakes with Tea-Infused Buttercream Frosting–“Cooking ‘The Blooming Platter Cookbook’ Julie & Julia Style

(A sequential installment from Kim Hastings, my photographer friend and, along with her vet husband, owner of Independence Veterinary Hospital, who decided on her own to cook her way through The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes Julie & Julia Style for her omnivorous family as a strategy for more healthy eating.)

Today was a total girls’ day with my little grand daughter Henley. We spent the morning baking these awesome little cupcakes and then went shopping for clothes. After years of raising boys, this is a new experience for me and I love it.

I chose Pear-Rum Cupcakes with Tea-Infused Buttercream Frosting. So, as instructed, I prepared the tea bags and cream the evening before while I was making my own tea. Today I started the batter right when little one went down for a nap hoping she would stay down long enough for me to get them in the oven.

I started reading the recipe and really??? Again with the food processor?! I swear if a certain vegan chef and cookbook author was stranded on a deserted tropical island and could only take one kitchen gadget, it would be the food processor! So here we go again. I’m really thankful little Henley is sleeping so she doesn’t hear some of the words that always fly out of my mouth when I use my processor.

I have to admit I analyzed the recipe trying to find another way but I have to give in on this one. No other gadget that I own would be the same and I didn’t want to screw it up. Because we are not a vegan household, I confess I used white flour, white sugar, and whole milk. Aside from that I followed the recipe – winky face. I admit the part where you add baking soda to the vinegar was so fun I thought I was back in grade school building a volcano as a school project. I decided on mini cupcakes because I know myself too well. I never finish a whole cupcake although I will eat all the icing – so really a lot like a three year old.

Henley with Frosting Luckily for me they came out of the oven right before Henley woke up, so she got to help me with the frosting. She especially loved the decorating and the taste testing. That was her favorite part of the day. Shhh! Please don’t tell her mom and dad!!! So here’s the results… I thought the cake part was fresh tasting and not too sweet but I thought the frosting was too sweet so I added a little salt to it. Then I realized that together they are perfect.

My husband is not a big dessert eater but he loved the cake after he scraped off the frosting. My youngest son got so excited seeing cupcakes on the counter when he got home from school. He asked what kind they were and without thinking I said pear. I forgot pears are his least favorite fruit. So he loved the frosting and left the cake…much like how I eat cupcakes! I sent a dozen to work after lunch and my other son texted me “THEY ARE VEGAN!” the minute he saw them. Remember…vegan phobic family. I texted back ” No they aren’t. I used whole milk and white flour.” Still he insisted they tasted “vegan”. Whatever. It’s ok because little Henley was a huge fan and it was our special day.

~Kim Howard Hastings

Kim Hastings

[Betsy’s note: white flour is vegan–just not particularly nutritious–and white sugar is, though sometimes animal bone char is used to refine it.]

February 16, 2016February 17, 2016 by betsy

Day 4: Vegan Apple Peanut Butter Streusel Pie–Cooking “The Blooming Platter Cookbook” Julie & Julia Style

I decided to pick a dessert to celebrate Valentine’s Day so I chose the Apple Peanut Butter Streusel Pie. It was this and a clean garage for my man – strange how “gifts” evolve over 22 years of marriage!

I started reading through and it mentions the use of a food processor. Now it is a widely known fact in my home that I absolutely HATE my food processor. Just can’t stand it. My husband feels like I am totally irrational on this point. I admit my first excuse is lame. I tell him there are so many pieces to wash. He points out that we have a dishwasher. Ok true. Then I show him how I can’t seem to ever lock it in without a huge fight. He says…and I love this…”you’re doing it wrong”. So fine…you do it, I say. I cannot tell you the amazing sense of satisfaction I had watching him repeatedly try to lock it into place!! Ahhhhh!! Point made.

When I was very young, my mom taught me how to bake. Basic baking ingredients were affordable and it’s amazing what you can create with flour, sugar, powdered milk and imitation vanilla. If we found a great looking recipe with an ingredient we didn’t have, she would save up and get it for me. So I love to bake for the memories; and for this reason, I am really old school about it. So long story short, it’s a no on the food processor.

This recipe called for coconut oil. Ok that would be under the bathroom counter. I always thought it w Wedding Rings as for making great body scrubs. It never occurred to me to cook with it! I didn’t have enough so I went shopping. While I was standing in front of the overwhelming choices of coconut oils (refined, medium heat, virgin, unrefined) I was so tempted to text Betsy for advice. But seriously, did Julie have an option of texting the great Julia Child? Nope. I’m on my own here, so I chose the virgin, unrefined. It just sounded more vegan to me.

When it came time to make the tart dough, I was skeptical. Coconut oil instead of butter? Surprisingly it really did have the consistency required and it came together perfectly. I pressed it into a heart shaped pan but the sides kept slipping down so I gave up on that and just stuck it in the oven.

With the coconut oil out I just couldn’t resist giving my dry winter hands a spa treatment so I made a quick lemon sugar scrub in the palm of my hand. What could be better? Baking and a spa treatment!! Instant stress relief.

Everything else was a breeze and I was in my element. It was beautiful right out of the oven. I even sprinkled some red sugar over it for a more festive look.

Even though I was super careful to hide the coconut oil and the organic peanut butter, my men were circling it like a pack of wolves – going in, examining it, sniffing it and backing out again. What the hell guys! It’s just heart shaped!! Do they per chance suspect vegan?? Has my cover been blown so early in the game??

So here are the results. My husband kept shaking his head saying it needed more peanut butter (seriously I think he just meant it lacked Jif, his favorite), but he liked the crust saying it tasted like the apples. My son will eat anything and gave it a thumbs up on his way out the door. I, unlike my husband, tasted tons of peanut butter, but I must confess I really missed the butter in the crust and the topping. I do love the fact that the apples were sautéed before going into the oven. Overall thumbs up but sorry, I have to use butter next time. I sure will miss my hand scrub though.

~Kim Howard Hastings

Kim Hastings

December 6, 2015 by betsy

Festive Vegan Wine-Poached Pears with Wine Reduction, Coconut Cream, and Pomegranate Garnish

Wine Poached Pears with Coconut Cream Sauce

Since my husband passed away on July 30, I don’t eat or cook as much as I once did. But when I do, I try to make it extra-special as with this beautifully festive, deeply flavorful, but not-too-sweet dessert.

It is liable to be the prettiest guest with the best taste at your holiday table.

Wine Poached Pears

1 bottle (750 ml) vegan shiraz or other red wine (check out Barnivore for a nice list)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 medium orange, cut into 6 slices

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup sugar (I use demerera)

4 tablespoons maple syrup, divided

4 ripe pears, preferably with stems on for best eye-appeal

Coconut Cream (recipe follows)

Pomegranate seeds (life is too short–and, trust me, I know, to seed a pomegranate, so I buy the seeds in a carton; but here are simple directions for seeding your own)

Optional garnish: 4 star anise pods

Place all ingredients, except 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, in a large (4 quart) pot, partially covered, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Meanwhile, cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear so that it will sit upright. Using a mellon baller, core from the bottom to remove seeds and any membrane. Then carefully place each pear, on its side, into the simmering wine and simmer about 25 minutes, turning after 10 to 15 minutes, or until very tender but not breaking down. Adjust heat, if necessary, to maintain a perky simmer. Remove pears to a container or serving platter.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup to poaching liquid, orange slices and cinnamon stick and boil, uncovered, until reduced by about half. Liquid should be syrupy but pourable and will thicken as it cools.

For each serving, place an orange slice on each dessert plate, top with a pear, and spoon some of the red wine reduction over the top and around the base. Follow with the Cococnut Cream. Garnish with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and, if desired, a star anise pod.

Coconut Cream:

1 cup coconut cream (1/2 of 15.5 ounce can; note: if cream and liquid are separated, remove both, whisk or process together, and measure out 1 cup, refrigerating remainder for another use)

1 tablespoon sugar (I use demerera)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Seeds of 1 vanilla bean pod (or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Place all ingredients, except lemon zest, in small microwave safe bowl, whisk together, and heat for 2 to 3 minutes in 1-minute increments, whisking after each, until thickened to a sauce consistency. Whisk in lemon zest.

Vegan Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians: The Blooming Platter in Virginia Beach, VA

A Bounty of Vegan Recipes, Tips, Links and More

Category: Vegan Fruit Desserts