Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Vegan Cookies

Here’s a yummy cookie recipe from John

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan margarine, cold
- 3/4 cups tightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup table sugar
- 1 ripe, mashed banana (if the banana peel isn’t spotted black, cover the mashed banana with the juice of half a lemon for about 15 minutes before incorporating it into the mix)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla (be generous)
- 1 tablespoons water or soy/almond/rice drink
- 1 cups all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder stirred into the flour for guaranteed dispersion
- 1 1/4 cups rolled oats (quick oats work well)
- 1 1/4 cups vegan chocolate chips

Method
Beat together the margarine and sugars. Electric mixers are unnecessary. Add the well-mashed banana and mix well, then add the vanilla, then the water. The water will try to separate; keep mixing with a figure-eight motion and add the dry ingredients, in the order above, bit by bit (say, by half-cup increments).
The final batter should be almost too dry to hold the chocolate chips; if it isn’t, I’ve misrepresented the amount of flour or oats you need and you should add more or less, according to the problem. Dry batter is good, since any chips that fall off the batter can go directly into your mouth, and no one will miss them. If the batter is too wet, the cookies will flatten while baking and turn out hard and flat.
Bake them for 10 or 12 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook them longer if you prefer a hard cookie, but be aware that bananas only approximate the action of an egg in the mix, and you can get cookies as hard as the cookie sheet if you aren’t careful.

Enjoy!

Apple Bavarian Torte

This torte is almost too beautiful to eat! Impress your holiday guests with this delicious vegan dessert that is excellent when served alone or á la mode.

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. margarine, chilled
3 apples, peeled, cored, cut in half, and thinly sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup white sugar, chilled
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour, chilled
1 8-oz. package nondairy cream cheese (try Tofutti brand at Tofutti.com)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup sliced almonds

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Oil a 9-inch springform pan.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon margarine. Toss the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain off and reserve the liquid.
• Cream together 1/2 cup margarine, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and the flour. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the springform pan. Set aside.
• In a food processor, blend together the nondairy cream cheese, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Pour this mixture over the crust and spread the apples on top.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Drizzle with a couple spoonfuls of the reserved apple liquid, avoiding the edges of the pan, and continue baking for 25 minutes.
• Sprinkle almonds over the top of the torte. Continue baking until lightly browned. Cool before removing from the pan.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

This yummy recipe from VegCooking

Green Beans With Fresh Cranberries

Tart cranberries blended with crisp green beans are the perfect side dish for our Rosmary and Hazelnut-Encrusted Seitan.

1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut on the diagonal
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup cranberries
1 clove garlic, minced and pressed
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain the beans in a colander and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Blot the beans with a paper towel to remove the excess water.
• Put the beans into a dry skillet and heat over medium heat until the remaining moisture on the beans evaporates. Stir in the margarine, cranberries, garlic, parsley, tarragon, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat well.
• Cook until heated through.

Makes 4 servings

This yummy recipe is from VegCooking

Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into wedges
6 Tbsp. vegan margarine, melted (try Earth Balance brand)
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced rosemary
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Toss the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with the margarine, rosemary, salt, and pepper to coat. Spread onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with any remaining margarine from the bowl.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until tender, flipping halfway through.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This yummy recipe is from VegCooking

Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into wedges
6 Tbsp. vegan margarine, melted (try Earth Balance brand)
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced rosemary
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Toss the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with the margarine, rosemary, salt, and pepper to coat. Spread onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with any remaining margarine from the bowl.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until tender, flipping halfway through.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This yummy recipe is from VegCooking

Vegan Pumplin Muffins

These are moist and fluffy, with a hint of molasses and warm spicy flavor. This recipes is for 6 jumbo muffins, if you want to make little muffins change the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.

Equipment:
Jumbo muffin tin or mini muffin tin

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pureed pumpkin (fresh or from a can)
1 tablespoon soy yogurt
1/2 cup soymilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease muffin tins with vegetable shortening or spray on oil.

Sift together dry ingredients (flour through cloves). In a seperate bowl, wisk together wet ingredients (pumpkin through molasses). Pour wet into dry and combine. Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way. Bake for 27-30 minutes, till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

yummy recipe from Post Punk Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

* 2-3 ripe bananas
* 3/4 cup soy milk
* 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* bread, any kind is fine
* butter or margarine

PREPARATION:
Blend bananas, soy milk, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in blender or food processor and pour mixture into pie plate or wide dish. Gently dip bread slices into the mix, coating both sides. Fry in butter or margarine in medium-hot skillet until golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup if desired, and, as always, enjoy your wonderful vegan French toast!

Recipe courtesy of Jolinda Hackett from About.com

Vegetarian Pâté en Croûte

1 onion, minced
2 Tbsp. margarine
6 cups minced mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
1 pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (check for ingredients – not all are vegan)

• In a large pot, over medium heat, sauté the onion in the margarine for a few minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. The mixture should be somewhat dry.
• Add the parsley, rosemary, lemon juice, and bread crumbs and mix well, forming a sticky ball. Allow the mixture to cool slightly or store in the refrigerator overnight.
• Thaw the puff pasty sheets for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Place one sheet of dough on a floured board and roll it out into a large square. Spread half of the mushroom mixture over half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch space along the edges. Fold the other half of the dough over the half with the mushroom mixture, pressing the edges together with your fingers, then crimp with a fork to seal. Make three slits on top, then place the pasty on an ungreased cookie sheet and put it into the refrigerator while you prepare the other sheet of dough in the same manner, using the remaining mushroom mixture. Put this on the same or another cookie sheet and refrigerate for a few minutes.
• Put the tray(s) into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the dough is puffed and golden.
• Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Makes approximately 32 pieces

This looked really good, its from vegcooking.com

Vegetarian Pâté en Croûte

1 onion, minced
2 Tbsp. margarine
6 cups minced mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
1 pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (check for ingredients – not all are vegan)

• In a large pot, over medium heat, sauté the onion in the margarine for a few minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. The mixture should be somewhat dry.
• Add the parsley, rosemary, lemon juice, and bread crumbs and mix well, forming a sticky ball. Allow the mixture to cool slightly or store in the refrigerator overnight.
• Thaw the puff pasty sheets for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Place one sheet of dough on a floured board and roll it out into a large square. Spread half of the mushroom mixture over half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch space along the edges. Fold the other half of the dough over the half with the mushroom mixture, pressing the edges together with your fingers, then crimp with a fork to seal. Make three slits on top, then place the pasty on an ungreased cookie sheet and put it into the refrigerator while you prepare the other sheet of dough in the same manner, using the remaining mushroom mixture. Put this on the same or another cookie sheet and refrigerate for a few minutes.
• Put the tray(s) into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the dough is puffed and golden.
• Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Makes approximately 32 pieces

This looked really good, its from vegcooking.com

Vegan Pesto Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 1 cup pine nuts (other nuts, such as almonds or walnuts may be substituted)
* 5 cloves garlic
* 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Blend all ingredients in a food processor and pour over your favorite pasta, crackers or anything else your heart desires.

Recipe courtesy of Jolinda Hackett of About.com