This is a simple and easy recipe that brings a wow factor to the table. It really makes the whole pancake presentation one that feels so special. This is a great dish to invite family and friends over. No one will be thinking about the fact that these are vegan, gluten-free, and pretty healthy… they will just be filling their eyes and tummies with these oh so delicious cakes. Oh and of course getting their hearts filled with love

Ingredients:

Buckwheat Pancakes:

• 2 cups buckwheat flour
• 2-1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
• 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Blueberry Compote:

• 2 cups frozen organic wild blueberries
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• dash of sea salt

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients until well combined. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Add to the dry ingredients, whisking until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, add the blueberries, syrup, lemon juice, and salt, stir gently to combine. Heat over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the blueberries are hot and just start to burst. Set aside.

To make the pancakes, heat a couple tsps of oil (I use canola or grapeseed) in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of batter per pancake, I use a large ice cream scoop to keep them consistent. Cook them for 3-5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown, flip and let cook another 3-5 minutes until cooked the whole way through. Transfer to a platter. Repeat until all the batter is used. Top with blueberry compote and serve while warm. This makes 8-10 pancakes.

I had planned for weeks what my first gluten treat was going to be… Stuffing (hey it was the holidays)! I bought a frozen loaf of organic whole grain bread, thawed it, and cut it gingerly into cubes… Salivating the whole time. It got mixed oh so thoughtfully with sauteed onions and celery, etc, and baked lovingly until the top was just crunchy and the interior moist. I savored every single bite. Then weirdly, not more than an hour later my ears started to clog up and be painful. What?!?! Then the dizziness with a foggy head (although it’s debatable whether that is normal for me), then a long headache followed by laying in bed the entire night with immense stomach pain. Sharp stomach pain. Then me and the toilet did our dance. It was so bad, that I haven’t had a bite of gluten since (at least not knowingly). I did subsequently rule out the yeast as it did occur to me that it could have been an offender. So as a vegan who needs to eat both gluten and corn free (and for a long while soy free), it has been interesting trying to find recipes that are satisfying and tasty. This recipe is a life saver and is also low in sugar, we’ll get into that another time. Truly one of the first recipes that made my want to cry tears of joy for eating something that felt normal and slightly indulgent. Sometimes we all just want to feel normal. Seems like a simple thing, but for way too many, not that easy a thing to feel at all.

These are divine with a hot mug of tea, and perfect for a snowy day. This recipe is adapted from Oh She Glows Toffee Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie Bars. The changes I made were to drastically reduce the sugar and to make maple the superstar. You can find the original recipe here: Toffee Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie Bars. I really appreciate that there are so many wonderful sites out there that provide hope and healthy options for all. Sending you all a hug and hoping that life has been kind to you and yours.

Ingredients:

• flax egg mixture (1 TBS + 1 tsp ground flax mixed with 4 TBS water)
• 1/4 cup + 2 TBS coconut oil, softened
• 1/4 cup + 1 TBS coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 TBS maple extract, try to find a natural one
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour in the food processor
• 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 TBS mini chocolate chips, divided

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper allowing paper to come up the sides for easy removal later. Spray the paper with non-stick spray after it is in place.

Make the flax egg by mixing the ground flax with water, stirring well, and set aside. Place the coconut oil jar (with lid on tightly) in a bowl with hot water for a couple minutes to help soften the oil. You want it softened but not melted. In a large bowl add the softened coconut oil and the coconut sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream the oil and sugar together until there are no lumps of oil left. Next, add the flax egg and maple extract, beat with the mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 – 2 minutes. Add baking soda and salt, and beat again to combine.

Add the oat flour, oats, and almond flour to the bowl. Use a spoon or spatula to thoroughly mix the dry ingredients into the wet, take your time with this. The batter will be very thick. If needed, you can add a teaspoon of water if it seems too dry. Stir in the 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, making sure they get distributed evenly. Scoop the mixture into the pan. Wet your hands with water and press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, making sure to get into the corners. Wet your hands as needed to keep mixture from sticking. Smooth out the top as best you can and try to make sure the layer is even. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on the top and gently press into batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Remove from pan using the parchment paper and slice into approx 15 bars. Store these in the fridge or freezer if you need them to last more than a few days. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Macerated Strawberries:

• 1 quart of fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1/2 tsp agave nectar, more or less depending on the sweetness of the strawberries
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp good balsamic vinegar, optional
• a couple pinches of salt

Vanilla Shortcake:

• 1-1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
• 2 TBS warm water
• 1-1/2 cup of organic white flour
• 2-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup vanilla almond milk, unsweetened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup refined coconut oil, melted… you could use unrefined, but it will add a coconut flavor

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. While oven is preheating, mix strawberries, agave, vinegar (if using), and salt together in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Grease a 9″ square or round cake pan. In a small bowl, whisk the egg replacer and water together. Set Aside. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. In another small bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Add the wet into the dry, add the egg replacer mixture. Stir until well combined. Pour and spoon mixture into the pan. Spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 14-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan. To serve, put a slice of shortbread on a plate or bowl and add the macerated strawberries. If you like, top that with coconut whipped cream or your favorite vanilla vegan ice cream. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Smoky Mustard & Tahini Sauce:

• 1/8 cup spicy brown mustard
• 1 TBS tahini
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/8 cup water
• salt & pepper to taste

Brussels Sprouts:

• 1 lb or more Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 TBS canola oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (depending on what saltiness you like)
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Preheat a grill with a cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Next, make the mustard sauce. Pull all ingredients except the water into a bowl and whisk rapidly until combined. Slowly add water while whisking until the mixture becomes a thick creamy sauce. Add more water if needed to help thin it out a bit.

In a large bowl toss the Brussels sprouts with the canola oil, salt & pepper. Once grill and pan are heated, add sprout mixture and cook stirring and tossing frequently for 3 – 5 minutes or until the sprouts just start to get browned on the edges. Be careful not to overcook, you still want them to have some texture. Pile them neatly onto a serving platter and drizzle with mustard sauce and more fresh cracked black pepper. Makes 4 generous sides.

This week’s recipe is about simplicity. Time is precious. Now go hug your spouse, your partner, your kids, your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, your dogs, your cat, your iguana… you get the idea. Tell them you love them right now. Great, now back to the recipe. This is one of those recipes that you don’t even have to get out of your jammies to make. We all have those days. This is about minimal time investment with a huge, delicious return. That sounds good right? Yep it sure is. So make this in the morning, after you have slept in, had your cup of coffee, and are functioning well enough to use a knife. Put it in your crockpot or slow cooker and just hours later you will have some amazing comfort food. This can be served with just about anything. I like mine with a baked potato or alongside rice with a kale salad. Let’s see…you could stuff it into a pita, roll it into a wrap, or eat it straight up…Did I mention it’s versatile? It also makes great leftovers. Over the long cooking hours the tempeh absorbs the bbq sauce, releasing it as you bite into the perfect juicy and meaty texture. It’s easy, simple, comforting, delicious and most of all pretty healthy. My favorite combination Peace and good health to you and yours.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of tempeh, 8 oz each, I used plain soy tempeh
• 16-18 ounces of barbecue sauce, pick something healthy and tasty, mine was agave sweetened
• 1 large sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 cup of water

Directions:

Turn your crockpot on high. Cut the tempeh into 3/4″ cubes. I cut it lengthwise into 3 longs strips and then cut those strips into 9 equal pieces. Place tempeh and sliced onion into the crockpot. Add barbecue sauce and water. Stir gently with a wooden or silicone spoon. Place lid on crockpot and let cook for 5-7 hours on high. You can stir occasionally, but it’s not really needed. Serves 4-5.

Ingredients:

• 7 large honeycrisp apples, peeled and cored
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 3/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, I used grade A amber
• 1 TBS + 1 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 cups blackberries, I used frozen
• 2-1/2 cups white flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 stick of Earth Balance vegan butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 + 1/8 cup maple syrup, I used grade A amber

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While the oven is preheating, slice the apples in half horizontally, then in 1/3″ thick slices vertically and put into a large bowl. Toss with lemon zest and juice. Add the 1/4 cup maple syrup, corn starch, and salt, stirring gently to combine. Next add the blackberries, if using frozen, do not let them thaw before you add them. Again, stirring gently to combine. Pour the mixture into a glass casserole dish. I used a 10.5″w x 1.5″d round quiche dish. Redistribute blackberries by hand if needed so they are evenly distributed. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to push the mixture down to minimize air pockets.

Next, it’s time to make the crumble. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Add the cubed Earth Balance. Using your fingers, squeeze the flour mixture and the Earth Balance together over and over until everything is well incorporated. Clean your hands then pour the remaining maple syrup onto the flour mixture. Use a spoon to stir and fold in the maple syrup. You should start to get large crumbs. You want to stir until most of the flour mixture is moist and there is not much dry loose flour left. Use your hands to crumble the mixture on top of the apples and blackberries. I like my crumbles on the large side. They will get crisp in the oven and they are wonderful. Fill the top of the apple mixture with all of the crumble mixture. Do not press down, you want the crumbs to be free-form and loose. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-55 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving. This gets better the longer it sits. I cover it loosely with aluminum foil and let it sit out on the counter. If you cover it with plastic wrap the crumble will eventually soften. This is best served warm with either vegan whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 TBS canola or olive oil
• 2 lbs of frozen mixed soup vegetables, includes corn, carrots, peas, green beans, etc
• 32 oz vegetable stock or broth
• 2 cups of water
• 6 oz can of tomato paste
• 2 TBS Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
• 1 TBS red wine or Balsamic vinegar
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/2 tsp salt, more or less depending on your stock
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet with deep sides, saute the onions, celery, and potatoes in the oil over medium-high heat stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add the frozen vegetables and put a lid over the skillet, continue cooking another 6-8 minutes until the frozen vegetables are warm. Transfer to a slow cooker and turn on high.

Bring the pan back to the stove and add the stock, water, tomato paste, Braggs, vinegar, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and salt, cooking over medium-high heat. Whisk gently to incorporate the tomato paste. Continue cooking until the mixture is bubbling, about 5-7 minutes. Then add to the vegetables in the slow cooker. Using a silicon or wooden spoon stir in a generous amount of black pepper, I usually add between 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Add the lid and let cook for about 6 hours over high heat, stirring occasionally. Serves 6-8. Please note that you can really use whatever vegetables you have on hand. In the past I have used squash, peppers, cabbage, lima beans, etc. so feel free to improvise.

Ingredients:

Beer-Braised Onions & Garlic:

• 1 – 1/2 large sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 TBS canola oil
• 1 – 1/2 cups of beer, I used a pale ale, add more if needed
• salt & pepper

Horseradish Cream:

• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream
• 1/4 cup Vegenaise
• 1/4 cup horseradish
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

Maple Glazed Seitan:

• 3 TBS Braggs Liquid Aminos
• 1 TBS Balsamic vinegar
• 2 TBS olive oil, divided
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
• 12 oz of seitan, rinsed and patted dry

Remaining Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 sub or torpedo rolls, 6″ long, or 2 to 3 long sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 large bunch of swiss chard, tough stems removed, sliced into 1″ thick ribbons
• salt & pepper

Directions:

First start with the beer-braised onions and garlic. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and some salt & pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden and soft. Add the beer and continue to cook until all of the beer has reduced down and there is not much liquid left in the pan. About 7-10 minutes. Add more beer if you like. Once reduced, remove from heat.

While the onions and garlic are cooking, squeeze the horseradish into your hands to get as much of the moisture out as you can. The combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking gently to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Bring a large pot with an inch of salted water to a boil. Now start on the glaze, in a small bowl add all the ingredients except the seitan and 1 TBS olive oil. Whisk thoroughly until the maple syrup has dissolved. Preheat over med-high a large non-stick skillet with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the dried seitan and cook, stirring often until the seitan starts to turn golden, about 5-7 minutes. Then pour the glaze over top and cook, again stirring often, until the seitan starts to get crispy and all the glaze is absorbed, another 5-7 minutes. While the seitan is cooking, blanch the swiss chard for 4-5 minutes and remove from the boiling water. If you want to keep the bright colors, you can rinse with cook water to stop the cooking process.

Once everything is done, you can assemble the sandwiches. Smear the horseradish spread over top half of the cut rolls. Top the bottom half with a layer of seitan, then add a layer of swiss chard, and finally the beer-braised onions and garlic. Sprinkle on a little salt & pepper. Cut them carefully in half and enjoy! Makes 4-6 small subs or 2-3 longer ones.

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1/2 cup nondairy plain, unsweetened coconut milk, I used SoDelicious (don’t use canned coconut milk)
• 2 TBS cornstarch
• 2 TBS Earth Balance Vegan butter, melted
• 1 TBS nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
• 2 tsp agave syrup, light
• 1 tsp tahini paste
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 6 cups kale, leaves removed from stems, stems discarded
• 1 – 10 oz jar of artichokes in water (about 9 chokes), drained
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup Daiya vegan mozzarella shreds
• Water for Boiling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large deep skillet, bring a couple inches of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, chop the kale leaves into 1/2” strips. Once the water is boiling, drop the kale into the water and cover. Boil for 5 minutes then empty into a colander to drain.

Next, combine all the ingredients from milk to black pepper into a food processor. Process for about one minute to combine. Then, while processor is running, slowly drizzle olive oil in. Let run for about 10 more seconds after the last drop of the oil is in, set aside.

Chop the artichokes by cutting them in half lengthwise, then cutting those pieces across into thirds. Squeeze as much water out of them as you can by hand and place into a large bowl. Next squeeze the blanched kale in your hands to get the water out, do this in batches and place into the bowl with the chokes. Add the minced garlic and mozzarella shreds, stir gently to mix. Now pour the sauce over everything and mix thoroughly to combine. Pour everything into a small casserole dish, mine was about 4”w x 8”d x 2”h. If it’s filled pretty close to the top, as mine was, place the dish onto a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil to catch any drippings. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes until the top is just starting to brown and the middle and edges are bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes, serve with toasted bread or pitas, or tortilla chips. Serves 6-8 as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1/4 cup of rolled oats
• 3/4 cup of rolled oats, ground fine in a food processor
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/8 cup agave syrup, I used light
• 1/8 cup canola oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper, then spray the paper with non-stick spray. In a large bowl whisk together the rolled oats, ground oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium bowl whisk the banana, agave, oil, and vanilla together. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Using a spoon, stir until everything is well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Place a heaping tablespoon of batter for each cookie onto the parchment lined pan, leaving at leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Press the down on them slightly until they are no more than 1/2″ thick. Put 8-10 cookies on each sheet. Bake cookies for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through to make sure they back evenly. They should be just slightly golden around the edges. Let rest on pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Makes 16 – 20 cookies.