Nadine's No Bake Chocolate Cookies

Long ago before she became a vegan Nadine made these cookies. I got the recipe from her and morphed it in to a vegan one my using non dairy milks. I like to make them when I want a simple chocolate cookie. They are super easy to make and aren't super crumby cookie so they are great for on the go.

2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 1/4 cup minute oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup grated coconut

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in a 1 1/2 qt sauce pan. Add milk and bring to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and sample (see note below). Mix remaining ingredients. Drop spoonfuls on to lined cookie sheets and let set until firm and enjoy. Store in an air tight container.

Notes:
Only once has it ever happened to me but I have cooked it and then it turned in to a brick in the fridge There was no way to cut it and I had to throw it away and lost all of the ingredients. Remove a small sample of heated mixture and place on to a small piece of parchment paper. Place sample in the fridge to see if it remains soft after 10 minutes of longer. If hardened do not use the heated mixture, you will get hard cookies. If still soft continue making cookies.

Cooking with Nadine: Vegan Chik'n Pot Pie

  
Seeing as this is a meal most desired in the winter months, I am a little late to the game to discovering....Vegan Chik'n Pot Pie!

As I'm writing this, it's cooking in the oven and my mouth is absolutely watering! I tried a similar recipe before, but it was too soupy, the dough was too yeasty, and there was no flavor!
   But these ones, these one's I cannot stop taking a bite of the creamy, thick stew-y, flavorful filling! Plus, since I have extra filling, and since I usually have left overs: I totally make the left-overs into a Vegan Chik'n and Dumplings!

Best part? It's ready in an hour!


Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package Quorn chik'n cutlets (or 4 Vegan chik'n cutlets of your choice), diced
1/3 cup non-chicken seasoning
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 package frozen vegetables (I prefer a mix of corn, carrots and peas)
1 package of 2 pre-made Vegan Crusts (or vegan crust of your choice)

Instructions:
Pre-heat your oven to 400°F

1) In a large pot, drizzle oil in pot and add diced onions. Turn stove onto medium-high heat and saute onions. Add garlic and diced Quorn Chik'n.
2) Add non-chicken seasoning and mix, then add flour and mix together with mixture in pot. When no flour sticks to the pot, add vegetable broth and whisk until combined. Add in bay leaves and other seasonings.
3) Let simmer for 10 minutes. Add in frozen vegetables and let simmer for 10 more minutes.
4) While mixture is simmering, prepare crusts in a 9-inch pie dish or in individual pie tins.
5) Once mixture is ready, scoop a cup of the mixture into the prepared pie dish. Place in oven for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy!

Vegan Cooking with Nadine: General Tso Cauliflower

Sesame Tofu & General Tso Cauliflower

Well, I have a bit of a confession: I'm not a good fryer. I've worked in a deli and was never placed to actually fry the food... for a reason. But good news for those of you who are like me: this is pretty simple to make!

I first tried the cauliflower recipe a while back, and although it was my first attempt at frying food at home, it wasn't a failure at all! Which means it can't be too hard, right? It was good, but needed to be spiced up, so I added some the second time around.

A TIP for those who are just starting to fry or are not yet comfortable at frying food: don't add water to a pan of oil! THIS MEANS FIRE. If anyone has any tips for frying food (again, I am new to this), please comment below and leave how-to tips!

REMINDER: NEVER ADD WATER TO HOT OIL!!!

General Tso Cauliflower

For the sauce:

1 Tbs Canola oil
2 tsp ginger, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
5 dried red chili peppers (add more or less depending on how much spice you like)
1/2 Tbs Shaoxing wine (this is what gives it the flavor, try and buy the real thing)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 soy sauce
3 Tbs sugar
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbs cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally, optional

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, hold the cornstarch mixture until ready to heat in saucepan. Don't combine before, otherwise the cauliflower will not get a good, thick coating. Directions continue below, after cauliflower has been fried.

For the Cauliflower:

1 head cauliflower
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 cup rice flour (It about $2.50/lb at the store)
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
3 cups of oil for frying (I prefer avocado, it gives me more flavor and has a higher burning temperature)

Pull apart the cauliflower into bite-size florets. In a large bowl, mix cornstarch, baking soda, salt, sesame oil, pepper, broth, and 3/4 cup of rice flour until a batter is formed. Toss the cauliflower in the batter until the cauliflower is coated. Toss the remaining rice flour in, until there's no longer batter on the edge of the bowl. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and toss again.

In a cast iron skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry the cauliflower, a few pieces at a time, until golden brown throughout, no more than 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, lined with paper towels to absorb the remaining oil left on cauliflower.

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce over medium-heat for 3 minutes. Turn the heat on low, letting the mixture simmer for a minute, or until the mixture resembles a thick sauce, like gravy.

In a separate bowl, combine the sauce and the cauliflower. Gently toss the cauliflower in the sauce until coated. Serve over rice and with other Chinese cuisine inspired sides.

Vegan Baking with Nadine: Peaches and Cream Macaroons

Makes about 20

My recent discovery has been Aquafaba! Where do you find it in the grocery store though? Surprise! It's in your can of garbanzo beans (or chick peas) for about a dollar! Just drain the liquid into a separate bowl instead of washing it down the sink and save the beans/peas for another use!

With this relatively cheap and healthy alternative, imagine how many delicious recipes you can make? This opens up so many more options for vegan-friendly sweet treats! And if you've already succeeded in making macaroons, this should be a breeze! If you're newer or this is your first time, it's tedious, but so worth the treat in the end!

I highly recommend reading the instructions first!

If you omit the filling portion of the recipe, this is a basic recipe for vegan macaroons. Feel free to explore recipes and share in the comments!

Peaches and Cream Macaroons

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can of chickpea water (aquafaba)
1/2 Cup sugar
1 1/4 Cup almond flour
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1/2 Cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
peach colored food gel

For the filling:
1 Tbsp vegan friendly cream cheese, room temperature
2 Cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp dairy free milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp favorite peach jam

Macarons:

1. Start by boiling the aquafaba in a small pan over medium heat, reduce until 1/3 cup is remaining, this takes 5-7 minutes. Transfer to mixing bowl and set aside until room temperature, about 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the dry ingredients. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together until no clumps remain, discard any pieces too large to pass through.
3. Once the aquafaba is at room temperature, attach a balloon whisk and whisk on medium speed until fluffy (should not take more than 5 minutes). Add the sugar and whisk on high until the meringue is extremely stiff and glossy (5-10 minutes). Preform a simple ribbon test, it should take the ribbon 5 or more seconds to disappear in the mixture.
4. Add vanilla and color gel, whisk until combined.
5. Fold in half of the dry ingredients to the meringue mixture, using a spatula, go slowly. Continue folding until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the second half and repeat. Preform a simple ribbon test, the batter should take 3-5 seconds to disappear into the mixture. If your mixture takes less than 3 seconds to disappear, you've over mixed and have to restart.
6. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag, snip off the end, and pipe one-inch circles on backing trays lined with parchment paper.
7. Once the trays are lined, pick the tray up to elbow height, and drop on the counter. This process is important because it gets the extra air bubbles out of the mixture. Repeat twice more.
8. Leave the macaroons to dry out at room temperature for one hour.
9. Firstly, place your first tray in the oven and then set the temperature to 210F. Bake for 30 minutes. Do not take the macaroons out of the oven yet!! Turn the oven off and leave the macroons in the oven for 15 minutes. Then open the oven door and leave the macroons in the oven for 15 more minutes. Take the tray out and let cool fully on counter. Repeat the process with remaining tray(s).
10. Pair like-sized macaroons together, placing one upside down to easily pipe frosting

Filling:

1. Cream together the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar.
2. Add almond milk until mixture is a thick, smooth cream.
3. Place into a piping bag.
4. Pipe around the edge of the macaroons, creating an empty center.
5. Dab a small amount of jam in the center.
6. Gently sandwich the top shell with the base shell. Repeat until all macaroons are filled.

Recipe: Barbeque Pulled Jackfruit

It's crazy how with plants you can recreate so many different textures and flavors. This was so similar to pulled pork that I was shocked when I tried it. I will definitely be making it again in the future. The jack fruit doesn't have the same color as cooked meats do so be careful when adding barbecue sauce. It adds flavor quicker than it does color to the pale fruit. Adjust the sauce to your taste, it doesn't take a lot to get a good flavor though. 
You can pair it with so many different things, when making this we didn't want to get anything special so tortillas were used; perfect for other dished since I don't eat a lot of bread in my household. 
Some recipes you find will use fresh jack fruit. After looking over multiple recipes we found that it was easier to use canned jack fruit and not worth it to use fresh. This has to do with the ripeness of the fruit and the preparation can be labor intensive. 

2 20 oz cans of young green jack fruit in water

2 cloves minced garlic

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 top cumin 

2 try paprika powder

1 top chili powder

1 pinch red pepper flakes

2 top brown sugar

1/2+ cup Barbecue sauce

Black pepper, to taste

Drain and rinse jack fruit. Remove the core from the prices but do not shred.Stir in spices and brown sugar until evenly coated.

In a pan heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent. add garlic and cook until fragrant. add the jack fruit and cook for 3 minutes. Add barbecue sauce and vegetable broth and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. shred the jack fruit and add more barbecue sauce if desired. 

Serve in a bunch or in vessels of choice, top and enjoy.

Chickpeas and Spinach

I saw this online and decided to make it and it turned out great. It's a simple and inexpensive meal to make while being filling and nutritiously dense.

Olive oil
1 can chickpeas, drained
3 tsp paprika (see note)
2 cups spinach

In a heated pan saute chickpeas in olive oil, sprinkle with paprika. Add spinach, cover with a lid to wilt the spinach. Mix together and add more paprika as desired. Enjoy.

Note:
There are many kinds of paprika and they can range to being spicy to just colorful. Keep this in mind for when you make this dish and keep in mind your preferences.

Double layer Pumpkin Cheesecake: Vegan Baking with Nadine

     The time for thinking about holiday "vegan friendly" alternatives has arrived!  Introducing a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie and cheesecake; it's vegan pumpkin cheesecake! Also good for showing off to friends, this recipe has been to many potlucks, made in bite-size snacks for a party, and now... featured on a blog.
     Being a fan of the pumpkin flavor, I added a splash of Torani's Pumpkin Pie syrup to the recipe (it tastes better than it sounds). This recipe will definitely be on my plate this Thanksgiving!

Serves: 12
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Fridge time: 3 hours
Total time: 4 hours and 10 minutes
 
Ingredients:
Cheesecake layer:
8 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
12 ounces extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 cup agave nectar (or sugar)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pumpkin Pie layer:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons rum (optional)
A splash of Torani's Pumpkin Pie syrup (optional)
3 tablespoons brown sugar or natural sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Crust:

1 pre-made 8-inch graham cracker crust
Alternative: A crust recipe of your choice.

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare your crust (if necessary).
3. Place the "Cheesecake layer" ingredients in a food processor and puree
until completely smooth. It should be silky smooth—not chalky or lumpy.
4. Remove a heaping cup of this mixture from the processor and spread it flat on top of the
the crust.
5. Combine the ingredients in the "Pumpkin layer" to the food processor with the remaining cheesecake ingredients and process until well blended. With remaining cheesecake ingredients, combine "Pumpkin layer" in the food processor until smooth.
6. Smooth it carefully over the cheesecake layer, heaping it slightly in the middle (so the center won't go flat on you).
7. Bake until the center is almost set, about 50-60 minutes. Insert a toothpick, if the cake on the toothpick comes out runny or cold, give it more time, until the center is firm.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When at room temperature, place cheesecake in the refrigerator until chilled, about 3 hours.

Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

A.L.T. Sandwich: Vegan Cooking with Nadine

Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato Sandwich

       What Is better than a quick, simple vegan meal? The answer is nothing... except possibly midnight chocolate snacks, but that's besides the point....
      After spending all day at school (where they don't yet provide true vegan alternatives) I wait to eat dinner at home. But after spending 12 hours on campus, the last thing I want to do is spend a long time making myself food. Typically wanting to cheat on being vegan just to eat a quick meal, I've found the perfect solution! (Be aware, I usually have to have two of these... they're that good!)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

8 slices of your preferred bread (I like Sourdough best)

1 ripe avocado, cut into thin slices

1-2 ripe tomatoes, cut into thin slices

1/4 head of romaine lettuce, washed and dried

4 tablespoons Vegenaise (I use about a tablespoon per sandwich)

Vegan bacon of your choice (optional)

Cracked pepper (optional)

Instructions:

1. Toast the bread of your choice in either your toaster or in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes.
2. In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Once your bread is toasted, spread desired amount of Vegenaise on both slices of bread.
4. Layer the avocado (bacon if desired) on one slice of bread and the lettuce and tomato on the other slice.
5. Crack the pepper over both slices.
6. Close the sandwich, cut in half (if desired) and enjoy!

Manicotti: Vegan Cooking with Nadine

Vegan Manicotti

       My sister, who has no interest in any vegan choices, actually requests for me to make this when she comes over to my house. This easy to follow beginners recipe is simple, clean eating. I usually pair it with a garlic bread and some fresh fruit, along with a chocolate dessert.

       The recipe calls for tofu, and if you don't like tofu, you're in luck! The tofu is mashed up to make a cottage cheese and then mixed with spaghetti sauce, so you don't even process it as tofu!

      I gave myself a bit more than hour (maybe 90 minutes) to prepare this dish my first time, but after that, I got the hang of what would make this dish quicker: get water boiling before you start cutting your vegetables. This saved me about 15 minutes because the first time I made this recipe, I didn't read the instructions all the way through (oops!) and I ended up having to wait for the water to boil, then for the noodles to partially cook, and lastly waiting for the noodles to cool down enough that I could handle them. 

In short, learn from my mistakes and boil water first!

Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1/2 package of manicotti noodles (24 shells)

2 20oz jars of spaghetti sauce

1 recipe Vegan Cottage Cheese (see recipe below)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1-2 Tablespoons oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped

1 onion chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 pound spinach, chopped or whole

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Chicken Style Seasoning (found commonly in bulk seasonings).

Vegan Cottage Cheese:

1 pound extra firm Tofu

1/2 cup Vegenaise

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

• Mash tofu and mix in other ingredients.

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta (to fill the pasta, it's easier if the noodles aren't fully cooked, and just a few minutes under cooked).
3. Sauté the last 8 ingredients above in the oil until onions and spinach are tender.
4. Add tofu cottage cheese and parsley to the saucepan and mix well.
5. Pour 1/2 a jar of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish 
6. With a large spoon, fill pasta with the mixture from the saucepan. Place the shells in the tomato sauce.
7. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Make sure the shells are covered with the sauce, otherwise when they're done cooking, the exposed parts will turn hard.
8. Cover with foil and place in preheated oven for 40 minutes.