Makes one loaf, or 10-12 muffins
I bake every now and then. When I do, I usually make these tasty, healthier vegan muffins. I bake them up, let them cool, and then toss them in a bag in the freezer where they keep pretty well. When I feel like having one I throw it in a smaller bag to defrost to eat later at work, or I just microwave it a few seconds. Yay muffins! Both recipes are from the Veganomicon. (posted by RR)
2 large or 3 small very ripe bananas
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or 12-cup muffin tin.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas really well. Add the sugar, applesauce, oil, and molasses, and whisk briskly to incorporate.
Sift in the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Use a wooden spoon to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. If you're using chocolate chips or nuts, fold them in here.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes (it took 50 for me). The top should be lightly browned and a knife inserted through the center should come out clean. For muffins, cook 18-22 minutes.
***ROBIN'S NOTES:
-I did not have applesauce on hand the other day, and used a pureed fresh apple instead, came out fine!
-Instead of sugar I used agave syrup, making them even healthier?
-You can use baking powder instead of baking soda, but never the other way around I have read
-I made this as a loaf one time and it wasn't near as gooey and yummy as it turns out as muffins!
-I add chopped walnuts, so good!
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Almond-Quinoa Muffins
Makes about 10-12 muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup plain non-dairy milk (I used plain, unsweetened soy)
1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (makes them dense, you can use all-purpose flour if you prefer)
1/4 cup almond meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 1/4 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots (or whatever dried fruit & nuts you want to use, or none!)
Preheat the oven to 350° F, and line or grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Whisk the "milk" and ground flax seeds in a small bowl. Let sit for at least 1 minute.
Sift the dry ingredients (except the quinoa, which isn’t really dry, but just in case) together into a big bowl.
To the milk mixture, add the oil, agave, and vanilla.
Pour the wet stuff into the dry stuff and mix with a wooden spoon just until it’s combined.
Add the quinoa and nuts or dried fruit and fold in gently to combine.
Spoon the batter in the muffin tin, and bake for 20 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
***ROBIN'S NOTES
-In my last batch, I decreased the regular flour by 1/4 cuo and added 1/4 cup extra almond meal. Why not?
-I also chopped up raw almonds and sprinkled them on top for more almondy-ness and crunchy-ness!
-I like to use the Inca red variety of quinoa
-the ingredients for these muffins are pricey to obtain at first, but once you throw down for that bag of almond meal or ground flax seeds just keep it in the freezer. I eat quinoa pretty regularly so I find these muffins are a good fit for me, as in they are low maintenance now that I have the ingredients on hand.
ENJOY!
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Green Minestrone Soup
(photo credit: Food Network)
This is a recipe I adapted from a Rachel Ray book, taking out a call for pancetta to make it more healthy (and more vegetarian, especially if you use veggie broth). I also adjusted the amounts of some of the veggies. This soup is great for dinner or lunch and it leaves you feeling full, but in a healthy way because you're consuming so many vegetables...which are also quite energizing! (posted by DB)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 can white beans, cannellini
1 can garbanzo beans, ceci
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups veggie broth
1 cup ditalini pasta or some other small pasta
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 ounces triple washed spinach, stems removed and coarsely chopped, or any other dark greens
fresh sliced Parmigiano-Reggiano
12 to 16 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded or 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Directions
Heat a soup pot over medium high heat with oil. Add onions, celery, garlic, zucchini and bay leaves to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, to your taste. Saute vegetables 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add white beans, garbanzo beans and veggie broth to the pot. Cover soup and bring to a boil. Add pasta and green beans to the soup and cook 8 minutes, or until pasta is just tender. Stir in spinach to wilt, 1 minute. Top soup with torn or shredded basil or chopped parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano slices.
Heat a soup pot over medium high heat with oil. Add onions, celery, garlic, zucchini and bay leaves to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, to your taste. Saute vegetables 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add white beans, garbanzo beans and veggie broth to the pot. Cover soup and bring to a boil. Add pasta and green beans to the soup and cook 8 minutes, or until pasta is just tender. Stir in spinach to wilt, 1 minute. Top soup with torn or shredded basil or chopped parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano slices.
