Vegan Snickerdoodles

I will be bringing these cookies to one last summer BBQ. I'm very excited to celebrate a dear friend's milestone birthday and to spend time with her adorable baby (and with some other cool people, I guess). Non-vegan food-centered social events like birthday parties do pose some challenges for vegans and others with specific diets. These times are much more challenging than the proverbial protein issue, especially since they aren't imaginary.

Mostly the challenge is fitting into the event socially. I would gladly go to my friend's birthday to laugh with friends and catch up without eating. I wouldn't complain one bit, but other people would be uncomfortable. There is a certain social expectation everyone must eat if anyone is. We all learned these manners from childhood, and overall they are a fair set of rules. When there are dietary restrictions involved things just get convoluted with politeness pressure. It's rude not to eat, and it's rude not to serve everyone; so hosts and guests alike stumble over each other worrying if the other one is happy.

I like to have an idea of the menu going in, which is easier the better I know the host of the party. Today's host is one of the most selfless people on the planet, so she has made sure there will be vegan options. I told her I would bring something to ease her workload and arranged to bring a dessert. This way I can participate in the oh, so socially important cake time. The conundrum then became bringing something sweet that would not compete with the birthday cake. Let's face it, vegan cupcakes eclipse anything else. So, I settled on the sugary, cinnamony snickerdoodles you see above. Also delicious, but less flashy.

This is another recipe from Martha Stewart's Cookies, with applesauce replacing the eggs.

Grandmother's Crazy Cake: One-Pan Vegan Chocolate Cake

I am so excited to give you one of my grandmother's recipes as is! Her "Crazy Cake" contains no animal products, and it only dirties one pan. It is also fluffy and delicious. What more could a baker want?

As July winds down and we have more of this year's summer BBQs behind us than ahead, I find myself reflecting on how nice it is to have summer get-togethers. The holidays are the time we more traditionally think about reuniting with loved ones, but those are so few and precious that we don't get to see everyone. The weather can be so unpredictable, and many times a holiday is about sheltering in place with one faction of our family.

Summer, on the other hand, is practically a word meaning "much more time to do things." Sure, we fill that time up pretty quickly, especially as adults; but there seem to be more possibilities shining in with the summer sun. The days are longer, the weather is more forgiving for travel, and the sunshine allows us to gather more people into backyards than we could ever fit into houses.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending one such backyard gathering of a community I have been part of for over a decade now. It was wonderful to see old friends and to even make new ones. Sure, vegans attending omnivore BBQs cannot always expect much for food (though the hosts at this event do always provide some delicious plant-based fare); but the food isn't really the point. Sometimes it's nice to fill up one's plate and giggle about what so-and-so's baby just did rather than discuss the food. It's also good to see people in person, even if Facebook tells us their every move. We see their faces and their expressions, hear their laughs and (ever more commonly in my life) hold their babies. I am very grateful for summer and for my friends who take the effort to bring friends together.

So, to friends, BBQs, veggie burgers and, of course, to cake!

A Vegan's Ultimate Veggie Burger

A recent New York Times article proposes to have made the "Ultimate Veggie Burger," one that satisfies a craving for "the hamburger experience (soft bun, chewy protein, lots of spicy condiments)" and mimics the texture of meat burgers. This article inspired me to cook up some burgers at home, but rather than try to veganize this dairy-filled recipe, I pondered a little on what I even want from a veggie burger. 

The author is certainly entitled to her view that the goal of a veggie burger's existence is to be meat-like, and I am always pleased to find omnivores who enjoy veg fare. However, I do find it interesting that my favorite veggie burgers flout the narrow expectation of an existence of mimicry.

Sure, most of today's veggie burgers come from a modern vegetarian movement to replace meat products; but I like to connect their history further back. I see them as descendants of ancient chickpea balls sent from above straight to the Promised Land. Falafel, yes,  gloriously spiced, crisp and soft falafel is the fore-parent of our bean burgers.

The dishes exist separately today, but falafel and my ultimate burger share a few characteristics, like a mashed bean texture and cleanly spiced flavor. I also like my veggie burgers to display their components proudly, giving them a varied texture. Onions, beans and seeds all remain somewhat recognizable, both visually and in flavor.

I'm sure preferences regarding the meat-like/ none-meat-like divide differ among all dietary circles -- vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, everyone coming from a different place. As a life-long veg*n, I have zero cravings for meat-like burgers. In fact, they sometimes scare me away with their fleshy appearances. That being said, I will always cross the divide rather than suffer through a bad none-meat-like burger, as I'm sure my meat-like-loving friends would do when confronted with an over-cooked "meaty" monstrosity.

Now, I am happy to share with you my adaptation of a wonderful burger from one of my favorite vegan cookbooks, The Oh She Glows Cookbook. 

Grandmother's Oatmeal Sugar Cookies, Veganized

I don't know if I have mentioned it on this blog, but the grandmother whose recipes I have been veganizing isn't one I ever met on this plane. She passed away a few years before I was born and much too soon. Stories of her have filled my life, though. She was like an excited little bird, according to my mother, flitting here and there with an energy that was impossible to contain within her tiny frame. We have bracelets of hers that, even as a child, I could not fit onto my wrists. She had an apron that said, "Never trust a skinny cook," the extra joke being that she was both skinny and not to be trusted. She was a beautiful mix of ethnicities, growing up in a time when being different was never allowed. I hope I have some of her wit and vigor and maybe a little of her artistic sensibilities. I will never know her in person, but I can see her handwriting on the little recipe cards my mother keeps in her recipe box, and I can follow her instructions from a time gone by.

Today, I present to you vegan oatmeal sugar cookies. When I started making these cookies, I wondered why I would bother veganizing something I'm sure can be found all over the internet. For reasons seen above, I did it anyway. The result was not just satisfaction for the soul. These cookies are lighter than the average oatmeal cookie. They have a nutty flavor, and they melt easily in one's mouth. This is not just another vegan oatmeal cookie recipe; it's my grandmother's and mine.

Nut-Free Vegan Nachos

I write today from the lovely state of Maine, where I am visiting my parents. We are a family who cooks together-- always have been, always will be. We love to try new recipes and new takes on old ones. It's where I get my taste for experimenting in the kitchen. I am very grateful for their complete support of my veganism even as they remain omnivorous. There is nothing they won't try making or eating, and the notion of vegan cheese, vegan scrambles or other vegan "replacements" does not bother them one bit.

Today, we decided to try our hands at vegan nachos. My mother has a tree nut allergy, so we steered clear of the nut-based cheese. Thankfully, I found this Cashew-less Vegan Queso, and I will tell you, it's delicious. Other than finding the cheese, I was really just on assembly duty-- my mother was the craftswoman. Almost everything was cooked by her before I arrived. I won't complain about that deal! So, from my mother's kitchen to yours,

Nut-Free Vegan Nachos

Tortilla chips
Cashew-less Vegan Queso from the Minimalist Baker
Pico de gallo from Cooks.com
Refried beans from Cooks.com (leave out the bacon but follow everything else)
Guacamole
Avocado, sliced
Black olives
Hot pepper, sliced

1. Assemble to your liking.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

My favorite candy has always been peanut butter cups. Always, as in, since the dawn of my candy-eating life. When I was a small child, my favorite television show was The Gummy Bears (that one I have grown out of). I loved both peanut butter cups and The Gummy Bears so much that I decided they must be connected, the logic being that all good must come from the same source. Thus, I jettisoned the name of Reese and christened peanut butter cups, Gummy Bear Candy.

My special name for the beauteous concoction of peanut butter and chocolate was, of course, made complicated by the fact there exists in this world a much less chocolatey and rather less melty sugar snack to which most people refer as gummy bears. One day, I was noticeably perturbed and my parents no less embarrassed when visitors from across the country presented me with what they thought was my favorite candy and what I thought was bear-shaped sealant.

To avoid confusion, I am not calling my recent convection anything to do with bears-- gummy, sticky, bouncy or otherwise. Reese, though, does not get his due either because he chooses to make his treats with animal products and who knows what other chemicals besides. Therefore, I present, Vegan Peanut Butter Cups, plain and simple.

Vegan Chocolate-Ginger Brownies

Say what you will about Martha Stewart. She did bad things, she did her time, and there is still something creepy about her empire. But her empire also produces really amazing recipes. When I went vegan, there were plenty of baking books I chucked; there was just no reason to keep generic non-vegan recipes when I could buy tried and true vegan ones that are just as good, if not better.

Martha's books are special, though. I knew I had to keep them. Besides containing creative recipes, I find her approach to baking both similar to my own and easy to veganize. I used to halve the amount of eggs in most cookie recipes, instead adding more sugar. I found Martha already did this. Now, with fewer eggs comes easier substitution. Her recipes also lean on the moist side, so apple sauce fits right into the makeup of her cookies.

Here, I have veganized her Chocolate-Ginger Brownies in honor of my friend, Ginger's birthday. They came out moist, flavorful and delicate. Be careful handling them-- if you can stave off eating them all before they are served.

And happy birthday, Ginger!

Jason's Soul Vegan Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream

My man, Jason, eats both peanut butter and bananas like it's his only chance at survival. He eats them separately, together, for breakfast, for snack, every day. I've seen him dash across the street to a separate store to buy a banana when they weren't available at the cafe at which we were eating. So, when I discovered a vegan ice cream could be made simply from combining bananas and peanut butter, I knew I had to try making it. Once I tasted this dish's simple beauty, I found it worthy to be named in Jason's honor.

The simplicity of the concept is as mind numbing as hanging out with frozen bananas. Just puree pieces of frozen banana, add other ingredients and eat. I suggest freezing your banana bits on a flat surface, apart, which I did not do. They will puree faster, and you won't need to take a large knife to the contents of your food processor.

Veggie Sandwich with Cannellini Dill Spread

I made this cannellini dill dip a few months ago, as a Mediterranean- style bridge to help my beau with his return to Boston from Italy. Served alongside pita chips, carrot sticks and marinated mushrooms, it was intended to be light so we might enjoy a hearty serving of pie afterward. The dip was so delicious and filling, though, our bellies only had room for tiny taste of dessert in the end. It was so good, in fact, that just the other day, my companion mentioned he was still thinking about it.

The idea of that dip planted once again in my mind, I thought of it immediately when I wanted a nice spread for a simple sandwich. The dill in the dip-turned-spread provides a nice complement to the raw veggies in the sandwich, giving everything a fresh, crisp, clean feel.

Grandmother's Gooey Lemon Bars, Veganized

These lemon bars are not anything I had growing up. They were in my grandmother's recipe box, and I decided to see what I could do about them. The whole box is a time capsule of what Americans were eating in the 1950's, and these bars are no exception. Simple and nutritionally void, these bars represent a lot of American food at the time. 

I imagine them being served as an afternoon snack during the summer, along with ice tea. My version isn't quite as elegant as I would like, but I suspect they are true to the original. I perhaps shouldn't have expected elegance from a dish that requires mixing with one's hands.

Easy Bruschetta on Frenchbread Crostini

At his annual studio recitals, my voice teacher likes everyone to bring some food to share along with their vocal talents. This year, the recital fell on the same weekend as a performance of Die Fledermaus in which I was singing. Along with having my normal church gig that morning, I simply did not have time slave in the kitchen that day. Luckily, so many dishes are better marinated. I assembled everything in a bowl the day before and only had to worry about bringing it all with me when I left in the morning. 

This recipe is the what-I-had-on-and-or-found-at-the-market version of this one at Vegan In the Freezer, with the additional instructions of the crostini.

Easy Taco Salad

 The other day, I very maturely texted my mother with, "It's too hot. I don't know what to eat." The summer heat can really make me unmotivated to do anything, let alone prepare food; and turning on appliances in my small apartment is not an option on those hot, humid days. My mother suggested salad, to which I countered that I could not subsist on just lettuce. Then, she reminded me about taco salad, something I used to eat often when I still lived at home. It is quick, healthy, adaptable and filling. It's basically dip with the addition of lettuce. We used to add thousand island dressing to the salad, but I find it perfectly seasoned with just the "taco" ingredients. Perhaps someday I will try it with one of these recipes.

Early Summer Tofu Scramble

As I mentioned earlier, I spent the past few days on Martha's Vineyard, enjoying time with some of my favorite friends. We were very lucky to have a house that fit thirteen humans and a dog. Vacationing with a large group could cause some difficulties, especially at breakfast time, when everyone is still there and hungry. My solution was to throw together a giant tofu scramble, a food with one of the highest easy to delicious ratios on the planet. I am so happy to have omnivorous friends with no qualms trying what is often reserved for the veg set. I am also happy to report that the breakfast was a hit with all parties.

After breakfast, we went exploring. We checked out Chappaquiddick Island, bike trails along forests and beaches, Mytoi Gardens and the sunset at the Aquinnah Cliffs. As you can see by the pictures below, beauty abounds on the Vineyard.

Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Muffins (Vegan)

The Summer Solstice is upon us. Come tomorrow, we in the Northeast can officially stop complaining about the non-existent New England Spring and embrace warm weather. This weekend, I also happen to be going on a very New England summer trip to Martha's Vineyard. Between the official change of season and my very summery weekend away, only the most summery of foods will do.

What is the summer of food to a Maine-raised vegan, you ask? The short answer: blueberries! At least for me, the ubiquity and simple sweetness of blueberries makes summer happen. We find them everywhere-- in breads, wine, books (!), jams and everything in between.

Yes, as I said just this week, I don't like raw, whole fruit; so I'm not one to snack on these treats like a bear. If they are baked though, oh goodness, blueberries win the prize. They also, to my taste, enjoy a complementary friend. This friend is lemon. Lemon and blueberry is the ultimate summer pairing. The combinations of lightness and sweetness, citrus and earthiness bring the joy with one bite of a hundred beach days and a thousand picnics straight to one's tastebuds.

Here, you find lemon paired with blueberry, along with the grit of cornmeal, in one of the most portable snacks or breakfasts in the culinary repertoire -- the muffin. Take these to the beach, to a picnic, to a hike in the woods; or, like me, take them for a weekend away with your friends.

Everyday Berry Protein-Rich Smoothie

I'm going to tell you something shocking. Brace yourself. Ready?

I don't really like whole fruits. There, I put it out there for the whole world to hear. I, a food lover and vegan, don't enjoy chomping on fruit. I love the idea of them-- so luscious and colorful, naturally sweet and packed with flavor; I just don't like chewing them. They are so very cold and my teeth don't like cold. They have skins and seeds and all sorts of different textures. My mouth just isn't a fan.

The way to fix fruits, for me, is to pulverize them. Juice them, jam them, and best of all, smooth them. I love smoothies. They are luscious and colorful, sweet and packed with flavor. Best of all, they don't require chewing. They are a tasty way for a picky texture-conscious eater like me to get all the health benefits of raw fruit.

My smoothies combine fruit with protein for a healthy and filling meal. The following recipe is the first vegan recipe I ever created, developed years before I switched to a fully vegan diet, in fact. Easy to make in large batches, it's been a staple in my diet ever since.

Che Farro Porcini Soup and Veggie Pesto Panini

When starting today's dinner, I fully intended to follow recipes I had on hand. I swear I did. It's a dreary day in Boston, rainy but not too cold. Soup and a sandwich sounded like a perfect match. So, I found a soup in one of my many cookbooks and a sandwich from one of my many Pinterest pins. I started making my shopping list and discovered I already had too many easy replacements for what I would otherwise buy. Here is where we find the happy crossroads between following and experimenting-- adaptations of circumstance.

I decided to use farro, a grain I found on sale once and still had in my cabinet, rather than the barley called for in the original soup recipe. This decision led me, of course, to hum the Gluck aria, "Che faro senza Eurydice." Hence the soup's new name.

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Here it is, my grandmother's fettuccine alfredo, vegan style. Earlier, I hit upon a nice fettuccine recipe, but this is the one I was seeking.

As I have cooked various vegan versions of common cheesy, creamy recipes, I have really come to question what is the essence of dairy. Recently, I discovered that blue cheese flavor is perfectly achievable. Now, I find that vegan alfredo sauce can be made at home without any magic tricks. It turns out, dairy as we know it clearly has nothing to do with a cow. It's all about the taste, texture and ultimately, how the food makes us feel.

This fettuccine alfredo not only feels and tastes the same as my grandmother's original, made with cream, eggs and dairy parmesan cheese; it is a healthier version. Using beans to make the cream cuts calories and adds all those bean-y nutrients. The beans themselves hide innocently within the sauce-- my mouth still doesn't really believe they're there!

So, around these parts, if it tastes like dairy, smells like dairy and feels like dairy, it must be... a darn good vegan recipe.

Vegan Fettuccine con Funghi

This recipe is not my grandmother's fettuccine. This one is more like a friend I met along the way-- the sort of friend I'd like to bring to a dinner party. I would like to bring this friend to a dinner party more than I would the one I was looking for, in fact. I will still find that original fettuccine, and we will reminisce together. This one, though; with this fettuccine, I will have new, flavorful conversations.

My first attempt at my grandmother's fettuccine was a flop, you see, but not a grand failure. The flavor of the coconut milk was too strong, and the dish was too oily. The base was nice, though, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Finally, as I was falling asleep, a voice came upon me and said, "Amanda, make the dish again and add mushrooms." The mushrooms not only took care of both issues, but added a sort of elegance of substance. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Vegan Cheddar Cheese Ball

Sometimes it is true that you don't know what you've got until it's gone, and sometimes you don't know what you had lost until you have it back again. My family likes to serve a certain cheese ball whenever there is half an excuse -- holidays,  parties, homecomings. Along with the cupcakes I made previously, the cheese ball was a staple in our Maine farmhouse. Unlike the cupcakes, however, I got kind of tired of it. It was the same cheese ball all the time. Then I went vegan and for a long time went without the creamy, nutty, tangy combination of flavors peculiar to this dish. Tasting my own veganized version, I was immediately transported to countless days with my family. I was also reminded that this ball is delicious.

Maybe I'll sneak this version into the next family holiday and maybe I'll even tell them it's vegan.

Vegan Surprise Cupcakes: Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling

As soon as I became vegan, I knew my grandmother's Surprise Cupcake recipe was one of which I simply had to make a vegan version. The light, sweet filling hides so neatly within the plain exterior of the chocolate cupcake. The flavors are simple, yet layered; and the combination has won over many a cream cheese hater.

The original cupcakes were served at countless special and not-so-special events throughout my lifetime: BBQs, birthday parties, Wednesdays, potlucks, camping trips. I often found myself saying, "You have to come to X because my mom is bringing her famous Surprise Cupcakes!" When advertising for my master's vocal recital, and using similar enticing statements, I did have to explain that the surprise was, in fact, something legal in all fifty states. Other than that caveat, I like to keep the surprise as secret as possible. There's a certain joy in watching a person discover something unexpected and then enjoying it.

It took a few attempts for me to create this recipe, and though I'm not quite convinced it's the one, the replica, it's a delicious near miss. The filling is a bit more creamy and delicate than the one I'm seeking, and there are a few more steps than I would like; but these are some darn good cupcakes.