Peanut Butter Pie

So I did not have the greatest day at work today. Lunch was awesome, but that is where it ended. After lunch we had a staff meeting and after the staff meeting I got broadsided. Apparently someone wants me gone bad. How they found the time is beyond me, but apparently everything I did while covering for someone a few weeks ago was put under a microscope and analyzed. Then I was presented with the evidence of my poor performance.. Needless to say some retail therapy was in store followed by some sweets. I couldn't spend much since I may soon be unemployed. Too bad I didn't know this before I spent a ton of money yesterday. Anyhow pie. This was awesome. I made the crust in my food processor and the filling in the Blendtec. This recipe is adapted from the Chocolate Covered Katie website.

Crust:
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/16 tsp salt
scant 1/2 cup pitted dates
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend. Then transfer to a 7-in baking dish.or aluminum pan (as shown above). Using a piece of wax or parchment paper, smush into the pan.

For the filling:

1 cup peanut butter
3 medium bananas
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
3-4 tbsp sugar, or liquid sweetener

Place all ingredients in Blendtec. I used the sauces, dips, dressings, batter button. Pour on top of crust and freeze. Let thaw slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup

So yesterday I bought a Blendtec. The heavens opened the stars all aligned. It was magical. This morning I made a smoothie for breakfast and realized I didn't have anything for lunch, so I decided to make some soup. This was amazing. It was like vegan nacho cheese sauce with black beans and tortillas. Here is what you need.
Blendtec blender
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 large carrot, I used 1 small carrot
1" slice red bell pepper
1/4 avacado
2 Tbs onion
1 oz vegan cheese, I used Mozzerella Daiya shreds
1 tsp taco seasoning
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder
2 c. Warm water

Place in Blendtec in the order listed, place the lid on and push the soup button. 90 seconds later you have a creamy soup. I added one can of rinsed and drained black beans. Add tortilla chips before serving. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipes looked awesome and the cookies taste even better than they looked. Soft and chewy, these will become a new favorite in my house what is not to love about the classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate. Here is what you need:

1 c. peanut butter
2 Tbs. oil
1 c. sugar
1 tsp molasses or honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c. non-dairy milk
1 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl stir together the peanut butter, oil, sugar, molasses, vanilla , and non-dairy milk.

Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined and add the chocolate chips. Roll into balls and flatten on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes after removing from oven before moving to cooling rack. Makes 2-3 dozen. Enjoy!

Olive Bread

The bread is good with or without the olives so if for some crazy reason you don't like olives its ok to leave them out, not advised but still ok, the olives make it awesome! Here's what you need:

5 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbs yeast
1 Tbs salt
1/4 c. vital wheat gluten
3 1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. olive oil
1 c. black olives, diced

Place all ingredients in a kitchen aid and mix until combined with paddle attachment.

Place in a non airtight container and allow dough to rest 2 hours at room temperature until it rises and collapses, approximately 2 hours.

The dough can be used right away. Makes 3 loaves. If you don't want to make all 3 loaves refrigerate leftover dough for up to a week.

If using refrigerated dough let rise 2 hours on a cornmeal covered pizza peel before baking 30 minutes in a 450 degree oven. Place a baking sheet with water under the stone the bread is baking on in the oven for the first 20 minutes of baking. Remove pan for last 10 minutes of baking. Enjoy!

You can also make with 7 cups of whole wheat flour. Pictures is all wheat flour.

Potato, Leek and Mushroom Soup

I also made this soup for last weeks potluck. Here is what you need:

2 leeks sliced and washed
5 potatoes, peeled, diced and cooked
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 Not-Chik'n Bouillon Cubes
1 cup non-dairy milk

Sauté the leeks and mushrooms in the olive oil. Once tender stir in the rest of the ingredients and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
Check the next post for the bread pictured.

Turtle Brownies

I made these last week for the single adult potluck they were great! Nobody even guessed that they were flourless or that they were made from beans. Here is a link to the main recipe for the brownies since it isn't mine but Chocolate Covered Katie's. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/
Before baking I swirled in some chopped pecans and a batch of the caramel sauce from the caramel apple bars
http://wholesoulvegan.blogspot.com/2012/09/kelly-peloza-caramel-apple-bars.html?m=1
Bake 17 minutes in 350 degree oven. Enjoy!

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls

Growing up I loved it when my mother would make cabbage rolls. Rice, ground meat, onions and tomatoes stuffed inside steamed cabbage leaves swimming in tomato sauce. What's not to love? Oh right I don't eat meat anymore, no worries this version is just as good and not so time consuming best of all you don't have to wait for them to bake! Here's what you need:

1 small head of cabbage, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 onion diced
1 pkg tempeh, cubed
1 pkg mushrooms, diced

Cook all ingredients until cabbage is cooked and everything else heated through. Serve over cooked rice. Enjoy.

Just as a side note, cabbage rolls bake for 30 minutes, but you could have this meal on the table in under 30 minutes.

Kelly Peloza's Caramel Apple Bars

So I didn't have the canola oil that it called for and I used 1/2 more applesauce than it called for because I didn't want to use a cup of grapeseed oil. I used half whole wheat pastry flour and half unbleached all purpose flour for the base dough it was amazing! I could have eaten it as is. I cut back a little on the sugar too. Here is the altered recipe.

Base ingredients:

5 c. Flour * see above
1/2 c. Grapeseed oil
1/2c plus 4 Tbs Applesauce
3 Tbs Maple Syrup
1 tsp Honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c brown sugar

Stir together the oil, sugar, honey, Maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until combined. Press dough into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.

Apple layer:

3 medium apples, peeled and chopped
1 Tbs cornstarch
1/3 c. Brown sugar
3 Tbs almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the cornstarch and sugar dissolves. Cook until mixture thickens and apples are soft, then remove from heat and let cool. Pour over top of bass player and bake at 350° oven for 20 minutes.

Caramel Sauce ( make while bars are baking):

1/3 c. Almond Milk
1/4 c. Earth Balance
3/4 c. Brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs flour

In a medium saucepan, sir together the Almondmilk, Earth Balance, brown sugar, vanilla and flour. Cook over medium high heat until soft ball stage stirring frequently. Drizzle over bars. Enjoy!