Brazen Vegan

Refreshing Kale and White Bean Soup with Lemon

2011-10-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

I whipped up this soup quickly this afternoon and I'm quite pleased with the flavor. The lemon and herbes de provence are quite refreshing.

Ingredients (serves 6 or so):
Olive oil
6 cups water
3 veggie bullion cubes
1 medium onion
2 carrots
1 stalk celery
1 small zucchini
1 bunch kale
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans (white beans)
1 lemon
herbes de provence
1 small ripe avocado for garnish

Instructions:

1. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery and saute in about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot. Once these ingredients are softened, add 6 cups of water and the vegetable bullion (or just use six cups vegetable stock). Turn the heat down and let the stock simmer.

2. Strip the kale leaves from the stalks and discard the stalks. Rinse the kale well in a colander and rip the leaves into bite sized pieces. Add to the soup.

3. Rinse the beans and add to the soup.

4. Cut the zucchini into bit sized pieces (I typically cut them in half, then half again, and then chop them). Add to the soup.

5. Add herbes de provence to taste. I used about 3 teaspoons or so.

6. Zest a lemon into the soup and then squeeze half a lemons worth of juice in as well.

7. Simmer on medium heat until the kale is soft and the zucchini is cooked.

8. Serve with a few slices of avocado and a squirt of lemon.

Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple "Buttercream" Frosting and Toasted Walnuts

2011-10-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm going to a Halloween party tonight and wanted to bring something festive for autumn. These are very pumpkin-y, which I love, and they were quick since I used bisquick as the base for the cupcakes. Hopefully everyone will enjoy them as much as I have!

Ingredients:

Cake (makes about 24 cupcakes):
3 cups original Bisquick
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup soymilk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
egg replacer for two eggs

Frosting:
1 package (16 ounces) vegan confectioners sugar (such as Hain Organic Powdered Sugar)
3-4 tablespoons vegan margarine
1/4 cup maple syrup

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
brown sugar
cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 24 medium muffin cups or line with foil or paper baking cups.

2. Beat all cake ingredients together with an electric mixer or stand mixer on low speed until combined, then on medium speed for about four minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Fill muffin cups about halfway.

3. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (it may take a bit longer, but start checking for done-ness at around the 15 minute mark. Cooking time varies by oven and altitude). They are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean/when the cake is starting to pull away from the edges of the pan/when you can press the top of the cakes lightly with your finger and they feel springy. Immediately remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

4. To make the frosting, put the confectioners sugar in your mixing bowl and add the margarine (which should be room temperature or slightly softened). Begin beating the sugar and margarine together on low speed at first so the sugar doesn't make a huge mess. Once its crumbly, increase the beater speed. Gradually add the maple syrup until you reach a fairly stiff and creamy consistency. You may need to adjust the measurements--making frosting isn't always an exact science, and you need to adjust it to meet your own taste and consistency requirements. Add more confectioners sugar if it's too thin. Add more margarine (or shortening) if you want it fluffier. Add more syrup if it's too thick. If the frosting isn't "maple-y" enough, you can add maple flavoring too. I don't like an overpowering maple flavor, so the syrup alone worked for me.

5. Frost the cupcakes, generously. Sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon on top.

6. Preheat the oven to about 450 degrees. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake about 5 minutes, then turn, sprinkle on more cinnamon and sugar and bake another 5 minutes, until toasted. Keep a close watch on these, they burn very easily. Like everything else, cooking time varies by oven and altitude. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

7. Once the walnuts have cooled, sprinkle a few pieces (5-7 or so) on top of the cupcake for garnish. Enjoy!

Battered Seitan Nuggets

2011-06-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure exactly why, but I was seriously craving some battered, fried food today. I happened to have a package of seitan in the fridge, so I whipped up a quick batter and ended up with the most spectacular, sinful-tasting seitan nuggets known to man.

Ingredients:
Seitan (homemade or packaged) cut into 1-2" chunks
2/3 cup Bisquick
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Egg replacer for 2 eggs
1/4-1/2 cup soymilk
Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Heat up your deep fryer (or, alternately, fill a small saucepan with a few inches of vegetable oil and heat it until it reaches between 350 and 375 degrees F).

2. In a shallow bowl, mix together the Bisquick, spices, egg replacer, and soymilk. The batter should be the consistency of cake or pancake batter (not too thick but not runny either).

3. Dredge the seitan chunks through the batter to cover them, and drop in the oil. Allow to cook until golden brown.

4. Drain on a paper towel or brown paper bag, and blot if necessary.

5. Savor the awesomeness.

Tempeh Cutlets Provençal

2009-03-28T14:39:00.001-07:00

Oh man, this is a great recipe from the January 2009 Vegetarian Times magazine. Really rich flavors and not hard to make at all, plus it was quite a colorful dish. I made it with a side of orzo and broccoli, but it would be good with rice too. The only change I'm making to the recipe is that I'm doubling the ingredients for the sauce--while there was enough to cover both pieces of tempeh satisfactorily, I found myself wishing I had more sauce to put on the pasta I served it with, and plan to make it with twice as much sauce next time. If you're not making it with a side of rice or pasta, the original amount of sauce should be fine (and in that case, halve all ingredients aside from the tempeh)

Ingredients:
1 8-oz. pkg tempeh, cut widthwise into two cutlets
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons herbes de provence
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 cup smooth tomato sauce
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2-1 cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions:
1. Place tempeh slices in large baking dish. Bring wine, herbes de provence, oil, garlic, and pepper to boil in a small saucepan. Pour over tempeh, cover, and refrigerate four hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove tempeh from marinade, and place on baking sheet, reserving the marinade. Spray top of cutlets with cooking spray and bake 15 minutes until golden on edge. The flip, spray the other side, and cook for 15 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, strain reserved marinade into small saucepan. Bring to boil and add bell pepper. Simmer 5-7 minutes until pepper is softened and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add tomato sauce, capers, sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes until thick, then stir in basil.

4. Place tempeh on plates and divide sauce between servings (and, in this case with the sauce amount double what was called for in the original recipe, onto some rice or pasta).

Super delicious and pretty fancy!

Decadant Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-12-09T08:04:00.000-08:00

Whoa, I made these a few weeks ago for a party and they are the most decadent, soft, chewy cookies I think I've ever made. I found the recipe in a Martha Stewart magazine, and just substituted as necessary to make it vegan. The addition of a nice ripe banana makes all the difference in the world. I don't bake cookies that often, but I plan to make these for every holiday party I'm attending this year.

Ingredients:
1 cup regular flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) vegan margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
egg substitute for 1 egg
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large, mashed ripe banana
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 package of vegan chocolate chips (or 1 chopped up vegan chocolate bar)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the flours, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the margarine and sugars together until they're fluffy, then add the egg replacer and vanilla and keep beating. Then add in the banana and mix everything together well. It might take a little while to get the banana to fully blend with everything. Add in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Fold in the rest of the ingredients.

Once the cookie dough is all mixed up, drop 1.5" spoonfuls of the dough onto a cookie sheet (I lined mine with tinfoil because I like to avoid doing dishes when possible; you could also use parchment paper). Space them about 2 inches apart so you don't end up with one big cookie. Bake for about 12-13 minutes, until golden brown, and rotate halfway through. They will be a bit soft when you take them out, so let them cool a bit on the cookie sheets before scooping them off onto wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers for up to 2 days, or freeze them if you can't eat all 3 dozen in a day or so (they keep well in the freezer...even though I made these for a party, I made sure to save myself a few [ok more than a few] and kept them in the freezer to enjoy through the week. they are good frozen or thawed out). These are sooo good.

Quick and Easy Tofu Veggie Pot Pie

2008-11-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

Today was cooold out, and the wintery temperatures got me in the mood for a nice pot pie. Any excuse to turn the oven on and get some more heat up in this apartment! Anyway, I just sort of made this up with the ingredients I had on hand, but it came out well and didn't take very long. Its not a traditional pastry pot pie, but man is it delightful!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon corn starch
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons soy sour cream
1/2 block tofu, cut into small (1/2") cubes
1 cup carrots, cut into relatively thin medallions
1 cup broccoli, in bite sized pieces (frozen is fine)
Any other vegetables your heart desires (peas, corn, and potatoes would have been lovely if I had had them on hand; as long as the total quantity of vegetables isn't more than 2-3 cups. don't want to overflow the casserole dish.)
2 cups bisquick
1/2 cup soy milk
egg replacer for 2 eggs.

Instructions:

Combine 3/4 cup soy milk with the corn starch, soy sauce, nutritional yeast and sour cream in a casserole dish. Whisk until well combined. Add in tofu and vegetables, and mix. In a separate bowl, mix the bisquick, 1/2 cup soymilk, and egg replacer until it forms a dough. Cover the vegetable/tofu mix evenly with the dough. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, uncovered, until the top of the dough is a light golden brown. Enjoy hot!

Jamaican Lentil Stew

2008-10-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

So I've been on the hunt for a nice, healthy autumn-y soup...something rich and creamy and perhaps with some pumpkin. I was poking around on recipezaar.com and found this awesome recipe for Jamaican Lentil Stew, which has creamy coconut milk, pumpkin, and lentils. I just finished making a batch of it up and I'm totally blown away--the broth is silky and thick and the ingredients meld wonderfully. I made a few substitutions just based on what I had around, which I put in parentheses.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 inch piece gingerroot, grated

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons ground coriander (I didn't have coriander [I know I should!] so I used tangine spices, which included cinnamon, cumin and some other spices I'm forgetting)

1-2 teaspoon ground cumin (adjust according to taste)

1 (13 ounce) can coconut milk (I used lite coconut milk because I am trying to watch my figure, which is to say, I didn't want to feel like I couldn't eat cookies because the coconut milk in my soup was fattening)

4 cups vegetable stock

4 ounces split red lentils, washed and drained (I actually used 8 ounces, or a full cup, because this didnt seem like nearly enough lentils. I also had to use green lentils because thats all the Kroger has)

1 small sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1/2-1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (optional)

black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Make a thick paste by mashing the ginger and garlic together with a pestle and mortar or a small bowl and the heel of a wooden spoon (I actually just used the garlic press to press the garlic and the ginger since I have neither mortar nor pestle to my name and it worked fine). Saute the onions in the vegetable oil until theyre transparent, then add the garlic ginger paste and saute for another 2 minutes or so; lower heat and stir constantly to avoid burning the paste. Add the spices and saute for a minute more. Stir in the coconut milk, stock, lentils, sweet potato and pumpkin puree. Simmer over medium-low heat for 40-50 minutes or until sweet potato is soft and almost melting into the stew, stirring occasionally. Before serving, stir in the red curry paste if you are using it or adjust seasoning with black pepper. I'm totally sold on this soup, and I'm looking forward to eating it this week for my lunches.

Veganomicon's Chickpea Cutlets

2008-09-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Now that I've settled in a little bit in my new home down south, I've had to start cooking more for myself. When I lived in NY, I cooked often enough--I made dinner at least 4-5 nights a week, but since I was tired from commuting and work, it was more likely than not to be a lazy girl dinner--taco night or veggie burgers with a plethora of vegetables as a side so that I could feel like I was being somewhat healthy. Since that would get boring 7 nights a week, which is how often I'll be cooking now that I'm a phd student, I am now cooking from my cookbooks more often. This recipe for chickpea cutlets from the newly published Veganomicon is spectacular. It was easy, came out well and tasted pretty awesome. Delightful! And now I'll have dinner for tonight, tomorrow and monday even :0) so I can still kind of have lazy girl dinner until Taco Tuesday comes.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (I used panko bread crumbs because they were the only vegan breadcrumbs I could find)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely grated
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sage
oil for frying

Instructions:
Mash the chickpeas and olive oil until there are no whole chickpeas left. Add remaining ingredients and knead for about 3 minutes until gluten is stringy. Heat frying oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Divide the chickpea dough into 4 even sections. Knead each section in your hand then shape into a patty or cutlet, about 4" x 6" or so. Fry for about 6-7 minutes per side until golden brown, then drain/pat excess oil off. They say you can also bake these at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes which might be a bit healthier...I think when I reheat these tomorrow night I'll probably do it by baking them so they come out just as crispy as they were when I fried them. So good! I love this cookbook!

More recipes to come soon, I promise!

2008-08-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

I swear I have not abandoned my blog :0)

I am in the process of moving, and the craziness of the past few months (getting into grad school, finding a new apartment, quitting a job I loved, and starting to pack) has kept me from doing much cooking or experimenting with new recipes. Once I am moved into my new apartment at the end of the month I'm going to start posting more regularly.

In the meantime, I highly recommend the cookbook Veganomicon. My office purchased a copy for me as a going away gift and it is amazing. I made apple spice cupcakes with caramel penuche frosting this morning and my sister made me the incredible chocolate mousse pie with a peanut butter/caramel topping sprinkled with candied pecans. True to form, I went straight for the dessert recipes, but the entrees and sides look great as well. It should definitely inspire me once I have time for cooking and baking again!

Strawberry Shortcake

2008-05-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

My market had a sale on strawberries today and I just could not resist--they looked so perfect and sweet and summery! I briefly considered making a strawberry rhubarb pie, but then remembered I had some of that soyatoo soy whip and decided on strawberry shortcake instead. This is one the easiest desserts ever given the Bisquick and pretty much embodies summer BBQs and outdoor eating for me.

Ingredients:
1 pound strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup soymilk
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons melted vegan margarine
soyatoo soy whip

Instructions:
Mix the sliced strawberries with about 1/4 cup of sugar. You can use more or less sugar depending on your personal preference; I don't like my strawberries too sweet so I actually used a little less. Set these aside so they get nice and juicy. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Mix the Bisquick, soymilk, sugar and margarine into a dough. Divide the dough into six parts and then drop onto a cookie sheet or into a baking pan. Bake until golden brown on top (about 10 minutes or so). Allow to cool slightly, then split each shortcake and fill and top each generously with strawberries. Squirt on some of that delightful soy whip and serve! Seriously, so good.

Cornmeal-encrusted Tempeh Cutlets

2008-05-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I realized I had a package of tempeh sitting in my fridge, so I decided to make some fried tempeh cutlets. I wasn't in the mood for my regular flour/spices coating, and I didn't have any panko or breadcrumbs, so I used cornmeal instead. I make these cutlets when I'm feeling kind of lazy and uninspired because they're quick, easy, and remind me a bit of some of the meals my mother used to make us when we were little. This was a nice, protein-packed main course for dinner (I ate two pieces with a side of wilted greens and some fruit)--with leftovers for me for tonight. These cutlets would also be good on a sandwich/grinder with some vegannaise, lettuce and tomato.

Ingredients:
1 package tempeh, any flavor
1 cup cornmeal
Garlic powder, to taste
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Any other favorite seasonings, to taste
Favorite marinade or 1 cup vinaigrette, 2 tablespoons tamari, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon bbq sauce
4 tablespoons Canola oil (or other frying oil)

Instructions:

Cut the tempeh in half to form two squares. Cut each of these squares in half lengthwise so that they are still squares, but now half as thick. Mix together the marinade in one bowl and set aside. In another bowl mix the cornmeal with your choice of spices. If you have time you can marinate the tempeh for up to a half an hour in your desired marinade. If you are pressed for time just dip each piece of tempeh in the marinade to coat on all sides. Heat the canola oil in a frying pan (you'll know it is ready for frying if a small glob of cornmeal starts to sizzle when you drop it in). Dredge the marinated or dipped tempeh in the cornmeal mixture. Once all four pieces are coated in the cornmeal mixture on all sides, place in the frying pan and fry until golden brown (1-2 minutes). Flip and fry the other side. Remove the tempeh cutlets from the oil and drain/blot with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve immediately with your favorite condiment or a bit of the leftover marinade.

Shirataki Spinach Mushroom Alfredo

2008-05-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

Whoo, it has been a long while since I've posted. Work has been insane lately, and between that and figuring out my move to Virginia in a few months, I've not been cooking or baking as much as I usually do. Well, that and now that I'm leaving New York I feel a tremendous urge to visit my favorite restaurants, despite my usually frugal self. (p.s. Buddha Bodai on Mott Street is a new favorite!) However, today being Sunday, I had plenty of time to make up a nice homemade dinner. I've decided that Shirataki noodles are basically the most amazing thing ever--they're noodles and hence they taste really good, yet they're not made with the usual noodle materials and therefore are super low in calories. Like a serving has 20 calories low. Insanity. So anyway, I made this up, proportions of ingredients can be shifted as desired, since when I cook I just sort of guesstimate and dump stuff together. Cooking isn't the exact science that baking is after all.

Ingredients:
1 package shirataki, spaghetti style
1 onion
Olive oil
1 bunch fresh spinach
1 container sliced baby portabella mushrooms (buying pre-sliced mushrooms is the height of laziness, I know)
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup plain soymilk
A generous spoonful or so of basil pesto
If desired: a few fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup shredded Follow Your Heart vegan mozzarella, tofurky sausage, salt and pepper as needed

Instructions:
First, clean the spinach and cut some of the ends off. Bring the veggie stock to a boil and then place the spinach in to wilt a bit. Remove from heat. In another pan, heat olive oil (maybe 1 tablespoon? I tend not to measure so much when cooking). Dice the onion and saute it in the oil. After the onions are nice and a bit softened, add the mushrooms and cook down. Once these have melded nicely add in the spinach, the tofurky sausage, a small amount of the veggie stock, and the soymilk. Allow to cook down. Once its all hot, stir in the pesto, basil leaves, and vegan cheeze and mix well. If the sauce isn't thick enough for your taste you can add a bit of flour or cornstarch. Once the cheeze has melted and everything is well mixed, open the packet of shirataki. Drain it well, then add it to the pot (did I mention you also don't need to actually cook the shirataki so much as just heat it up? amazing). Stir well to mix the noodles, which admittedly stick together a little, and cook for a few more minutes. Serve hot. So good!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2008-04-13T20:07:00.001-07:00

One of my friends invited the whole gang over on Saturday night, so I decided to throw together a quick coffee cake to enjoy with coffee/tea and conversation. I love how easy this recipe is and how totally decadent it comes out. It is easiest to use an 8" square or round pan, but you can also make this in a bundt pan or make coffee cake cupcakes. This recipe is super moist because of the soy sour cream and comes out so beautifully.

Ingredients:

Cake
1.5 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons softened vegan margarine
Egg replacer for 1 egg (1.5 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer and tablespoons warm water)
3/4 cup Tofutti sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Struesel topping
1/2 cup cup Bisquick
6 tablespoons sugar (I like to use a mix of dark and light brown)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3-4 tablespoons firm margarine

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the pan. Mix cake ingredients well and then spread in the pan or spoon into muffin tins. Mix the dry streusel ingredients, then cut in the margarine until crumbly. Spoon this mixture on top of the cake batter. Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean, then allow to cool. I sometimes like to drizzle the cake with frosting (either store bought if I'm feeling lazy or confectioners sugar + margarine + a bit of soy milk + vanilla + lemon flavoring mixed in the kitchenaid until a drizzle-able consistency). This is amazing served warm or room temperature. I actually had the small piece that was leftover for breakfast this morning haha!

Tag I'm it...

2008-04-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Veggie to tell you 5 things you might not know about me, so here goes:

1. I play 6 instruments: oboe, english horn, guitar, bass guitar, drums, and saxophone. I've recorded well over a hundred songs in the past 8 years and have released 11 eps and 3 lps/cds on indie labels.

2. I'm trying to learn to speak and read Polish.

3. I was just accepted to a PhD program in History and I cannot wait to move out of NY. The only thing that is going to make me sad about this is that I will no longer live near my darling gentleman, and I know that is going to rip my heart out. Hopefully we'll get to visit each other often.

4. I think about food basically all the time and I love to eat. Thank heavens I like to exercise too or my figure would not be so girlish.

5. I'm obsessed with mid-century modern furniture and have had dreams about finding that once-in-a-lifetime score at the flea market.

I'm tagging these 5 fellow bloggers:

GenPink
Vegan Crunk
Vegan Lunchbox
Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Eat'n Veg'n

Tofutti Cheesecake

2008-04-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

Oh man do I love this recipe. I usually double it so its nice and thick, but depending on the size pan you use this may not be necessary (with a regular pie pan, this recipe is plenty, but I sometimes use a deep cake pan to get a really thick slice going). For anyone who misses cheesecake, this is the closest thing I can possibly imagine to it that you can make vegan at home. so good!

Ingredients:
16 oz. vegan tofutti plain cream cheese
½ cup sugar
½ lemon’s worth of juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
24 vegan oreos -OR- about 12 vegan graham crackers
½ stick vegan margarine

Instructions:
Mix the tofutti, sugar, lemon, vanilla and salt until well blended. Crush the cookies or graham crackers, and mix with ½ stick of melted margarine. Press this cookie mixture into the bottom of a deep pie, cake, or sprinform pan (8" round) to make an even crust. Pour the tofutti mixture on top. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes, then chill in refrigerator until solid (When you take it out of the oven it will not be set, but do not fear and do not overcook. Once it has sat in the fridge for a while it will set very nicely and you will be enjoying some creamy guilt- and cruelty-free cheesecakey goodness). I highly recommend adding some nice fresh fruit. A raspberry sauce sounds good right now (1/4 cup boiling water or so + 1/4 sugar or so + container of raspberries on high heat until they become syrupy=deliciousness!), but any fresh fruit would be nice. or chocolate. or brownies! i do like the vegan brownie cheesecake at red bamboo (well, technically from vegantreats.com i think). I'm rambling now. and getting hungry. oh dear...I'll probably dream about this dessert now.

Strawberry Nut Salad

2008-03-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

They had huge packages of strawberries at Stop and Shop this week and it got me excited for the warmer weather. I love a nice crisp salad in the spring, and the strawberries in this are totally unexpected.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 cups packed torn fresh spinach leaves
2 cups halved strawberries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups packed torn Boston lettuce
1/3 cup dressing of choice (something balsamic-based is a nice counterpoint to the strawberries, but I imagine even those Nasoya "ranch" style dressings would be good too.)

Instructions:
Toss almonds with sugar in a medium nonstick skillet on medium heat
for 6-8 minutes (until sugar becomes syrupy and evenly coats the almonds).
Remove from heat and spread into a single layer on greased baking sheet or sheet of wax paper. When cooled, break into small pieces. Toss spinach, lettuce, and strawberries in large bowl. Drizzle with dressing, toss lightly, then sprinkle almonds on top.

Slow Cooker Lentil Stew

2008-03-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am so in love with my slow cooker. Its sort of magical in a way...I fill it with an assortment of ingredients and a liquid in the morning and then go about my day. When dinnertime comes I open the lid and BAM. Piping hot meal, ready for me to eat. I don't even have to stir the thing! So today I decided to make some lentil stew with foods I had lying around the house.

Ingredients:
1 bag of lentils
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes
3-4 cups vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
Garam masala (to taste, I think I used around 2 teaspoons maybe?)
Cumin (again, to taste)
Salt
Cinnamon (I added probably 1/2 teaspoon)

Instructions:
Add ingredients to slow cooker. I put the lentils on the bottom, followed by the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Pour vegetable stock over this until its covered. Turn slow cooker on low, leave for 6-8 hours or until lentils are soft and stew-like, and you're done.

Sweet Potato Pudding

2008-03-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

Man oh man is sweet potato pudding good. And easy! Oh, and packed with Vitamin A (and probably a few calories thanks to the brown sugar, but life is short)!

Ingredients:
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
3/4 pound dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 cup raisins
1-2 cups water or coconut water
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup dark rum (optional)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl, mix well, and pour into lightly greased 11 x 7 baking pan. Cover lightly with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes until browned.

Veganbury Cream Eggs

2008-03-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

So I probably should not have been so lazy and posted these in time for Easter, but I figure there is never a bad time to eat this delightful and vegan version of a confectionery classic!

Ingredients:
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4 drops yellow food coloring
2 drops red food coloring
1 12oz bag chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening

Instructions:
Combine the corn syrup, butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl, and beat well with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, a little bit at a time, until creamy, then remove about 1/3 of the sugar mixture and place in a small bowl. Mix food coloring into this smaller portion of mixture. Chill the two mixtures for at least 2 hours until firm, then remove from the fridge and roll the orange filling into small, marble size balls. Wrap a small amount of the white filling around the orange balls and form into the shape of eggs. Place the formed filling on a lightly greased cookie sheet an chill for 4 hours. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening, melt and mix well. Dip each filling ball into the melted chocolate mixture and return to baking sheet. Chill again for 2 hours.

Ooh you tasty little things...: I'll daydream about Tropical climates, you make some caramel apple pie cupcakes, and the robots? They'll learn to use

2008-02-17T04:50:00.000-08:00

Ooh you tasty little things...: I'll daydream about Tropical climates, you make some caramel apple pie cupcakes, and the robots? They'll learn to use forks. Goodness these look amazing...I'm definitely going veganize this recipe!

Chocolate Chip Scones

2008-02-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

Yum! I do love a good scone now and again, and today seems like a nice day for baking. And scones are so easy to make! I like mine with chocolate chips, but they're just as good plain, with berries or with nuts, so you can throw in whatever suits your fancy (or whatever you happen to have on hand).

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup shortening/crisco
1/2 cup soy milk
1.5 teaspoons egg replacer + 2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Stir together the dry ingredients. Cut the shortening in finely, then stir in the soy milk and egg replacer. When well mixed, add in the chocolate chips and mix. Roll dough out about 1/4" thick and cut into triangle shapes. Place them on a baking sheet, leaving some room between each scone, and brush the top of each with a little soy milk, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 450 degrees F for about 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. So delightful!

Stuffed Cabbage

2008-02-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

I've been vegan for nearly twelve years now, and I never feel like I'm missing out on anything because I can veganize basically any recipe. My grandmother on the Slovakian and Polish side of the family used to make fantastic stuffed cabbage for holidays. I have been in the mood for stuffed cabbage all day today, so I'm posting my altered version of her basic recipe to remind myself to buy cabbage next time I'm at the market so that I can make this!

Ingredients:

2 packages of veggie ground meat subsitute (I prefer the Lightlife Smart Ground)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (I like to cook it in a little vegetable stock for added flavor)
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cans tomato sauce
27 ounces sauerkraut, drained (optional)
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 medium head cabbage
2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the Smart Ground, onion, cooked rice, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, and 1/2 can of tomato sauce. Core the cabbage and and boil in a pot of water until partly cooked (don't overcook!), then separate the leaves and trim off the stems. Set aside between 24 and 32 whole leaves. Use the remaining leaves to line the bottom of a large baking pan, roasting pan, or casserole dish. Stuff a small handful of the Smart ground mixture in the center of a cabbage leaf. Fold top part of leaf over mixture, then fold in the sides and roll until mixture is completely encased. Lay rolls on top of the extra cabbage leaves in pan. If you are so inclined, spoon some sauerkraut over rolls, then sprinkle with sugar. Mix chopped tomatoes and sauce with water and pour over rolls. Add additional water as necessary to reach top of cabbage rolls. Bake for about an hour or so until cooked through and hot.

Cieszą się! (enjoy!)

Basil Fried Rice

2008-02-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Last night I went out to Red Bamboo in Brooklyn with one of my pals from work. I ordered the sesame "chicken," but after splitting the buffalo wings (and in anticipation of the peanut butter bombe) I only ate about half of my entree. With so much fake chicken and nice brown rice, I figured I could take my leftovers home and make a basil fried rice with the frozen veggies I had in my freezer already (since the leftover "chicken" is just marinated seitan this could easily be made from scratch as well). While I follow recipes closely when I bake, I tend to make up the meals I cook on the fly, so the measurements are loose and can be expanded as necessary. This made enough to feed two people.

Ingredients:
1/2-1 cup cooked rice
fresh basil
1 cup marinated seitan chunks
8-10 steamed or frozen broccoli florets
1/2 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup diced carrots
Medium onion
Soy sauce
Vegetable bullion
Sesame Oil
Vegetable Oil

Instructions:
First, I boiled a small amount of water and added my veggie bullion cube to make a veggie stock. Since my broccoli and peas were frozen I added a small amount of the stock to a microwave safe container and nuked the veggies until they were no longer frozen. I cooked my carrots in the remaining stock until tender. While the veggies were defrosting and cooking, I coarsely chopped the onion and sauteed it in a mix of the vegetable oil and the sesame oil. When the onions were tender I threw in several handfuls of chopped basil (mine was actually frozen from my summer garden; I always grow far, far more than I can use). I let the onions and basil sautee a bit then added the rice and stirred vigorously so it didn't stick to my pan too much. I then added the seitan and veggies, plus about 1/3-1/2 cup of the vegetable stock that I cooked the carrots in and a few dashes of soy sauce. I stirred until the liquied cooked off and was rewarded with a very delightful dinner and enough leftover for lunch tomorrow (leftovers from leftovers! three meals for the cost of one!).

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

2008-02-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

My wonderful and accommodating mother whipped up some of these for me for my birthday a few years ago, and they were so amazing that I tucked the recipe away for a later date. I think I might make a few batches of these in a couple weeks to give out to my vegan pals for valentine's day. The chocolate and peanut butter combination is basically my favorite thing ever and I used to love reese's pb cups...plus the recipe is pretty easy.

Ingredients:
One package vegan chocolate chips -or- 12 oz. of a fancy vegan chocolate bar
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
24 paper gem size candy liners -or- (for big pb cups) muffin/cupcake liners
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon vegan margarine, melted

Instructions:
Melt chocolate chips or candy bar and vegetable shortening over hot, though not boiling water (this is the double-boiler method, see here for more detailed instructions. You can also just melt the chocolate/shortening in the microwave, but you may need to microwave it a few times during the course of assembling the cups if you go this route). Stir until everything is melted, smooth, and well-combined.

Coat the inside of the candy or muffin liners with chocolate (for the candy liners use one teaspoon of chocolate mixture to do this, for the muffin liners, just be judicious--is should coat the bottom and edges but not just be glopped in there--leave room for the peanut butter). A rubber spatula will help you gently push the chocolate up the sides of the liners. Chill the filled liners in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until they're hardened. If you're using muffin liners, it might be a good idea to put them in a muffin tin so they don't lose their shape.

Combine the peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, and margarine in a bowl and stir well until blended. Using slightly rounded measured tablespoonfuls or a melon baller, shape the peanut butter filling into balls. Place one pb ball in each chocolate cup and press lightly with your fingers to flatten, then spoon the melted chocolate mixture on top (about one tablespoonful for the candy liners) and smooth over. Place these in the refrigerator again to harden (about 45 minutes).

It's best to keep these refrigerated until you're ready to eat or gift them. Hopefully I won't eat them all before I can package them up nicely for valentine's day.

Donuts this morning!

2008-01-27T10:15:00.001-08:00

I made delightful donuts this morning using the cruller/raised donut recipe I posted a while back, but instead of glazing them or shaking them with powdered sugar/cinnamon and sugar, I decided to be really decadent and go the frosting/sprinkles route. This was a grand choice. I can never get over how good these are! Plus I only used half of the dough for donuts and used the other half just as a sweet dough and made a loaf of bread. Two baked goods for the effort of one!

Cheezy Rice and Broccoli Casserole

2008-01-08T19:34:00.000-08:00

An awesome gal I met gave me this recipe a couple years ago. I love casseroles because you basically just dump a bunch of ingredients in the casserole pan and then an hour or so later the oven has magically made it into dinner.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
2 tablespoons vinegar (umeboshi, white, apple cider, or red as a last resort)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon turmeric or saffron

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a 4-quart casserole dish and mix until combined. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes.

This recipe is a great side dish or main course. I'll sometimes even sneak some out of the fridge in the morning and eat it cold--its that good!

French Breakfast Puffs

2008-01-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I meant to be good about posting through the holidays, but the month of December was a wash. No matter, these French Breakfast Puffs should make up for it. I wish I could have a warm plate of these every morning before leaving for work...they're a sweet way to start the day! These are even easier than a traditional recipe thanks to the Bisquick.

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
Egg replacer for 1 egg (1.5 teaspoons egg replacer + 2 tablespoons water)

1/2 cup melted margarine
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 24 mini muffin cups. Mix the Bisquick, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons margarine, soy milk and egg replacer, and beat vigorously. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full then bake for 10 minutes. Immediately roll them in the melted margarine and then the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Serve warm for maximum delight. They're nice with a bit of vanilla Tofutti at dessert time too!

Tiger Balls

2007-11-29T18:22:00.000-08:00

One of the gals who I used to cook with for Food Not Bombs gave me this recipe. These are quite possibly the most decadent dessert I can imagine, and they're super easy. If I weren't trying to keep my figure, I'd eat the entire batch by myself.

Ingredients:

2 cups vegan cookie crumbs or crushed up graham crackers
3/4 cup peanut butter
3.5 cups confectioners sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) of vegan margarine
1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions:

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. In a large mixing bowl, combine crumbs/graham crackers, peanut butter, sugar and margarine. Mix well. Roll the mixture into 1" balls, place on the cookie sheet, and chill in the fridge. Melt the chocolate chips in a plastic bag in the microwave; When the chocolates cools a little, cut a small slit in the edge of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the balls. Chill for another 30 minutes, then sit on your couch and glory in the surely sinful delight of Tiger Balls.

Maple-Glazed Tempeh with Pineapple

2007-11-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

I love tempeh, maple syrup, and pineapple individually, and figured, why not combine them into one delightful dish?

Ingredients:
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 package of tempeh
1.5 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks or 1 can of canned pineapple
1 jalepeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 cups cooked rice

Instructions:
Slice the tempeh in half, and then slice each half again lengthwise (to produce 4 thin, square pieces that are half the thickness of the unsliced tempeh, not four thick rectangular chunks). Steam for several minutes and then remove from the heat.

In a saucepan, whisk together the maple syrup and mustard on medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Place the tempeh into a baking pan lined with tinfoil. Arrange the pineapple chunks and jalapenos on and around the tempeh, and then pour the syrup mixture on top, covering each piece. Bake in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

Sara's Super Scalloped Potatoes

2007-11-24T13:45:00.001-08:00

Imagine my delighted surprise when I went home for Thanksgiving to find that my sister had come up with a vegan recipe for scalloped potatoes! I don't think I've had them in years, and this recipe was really delicious.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
6 tablespoons flour
6 medium potatoes, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup soy sour cream
optional: 1/2 cup shredded soy cheese (follow your heart brand...so good!)

Instructions:
Grease a heavy baking pan with Crisco. Stir the salt and pepper into the flour and whisk together with the melted margarine, soy sour cream and soy milk. Layer the potatoes and onions into the pan, then pour the mixture over them. Bake at 350 degrees F for 90 to 120 minutes. If you are adding the shredded soy cheese, sprinkle this on the top during the last 15 minutes of baking so it doesn't burn. So good!

Chana Masala

2007-11-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love Indian food, and while I am lucky to have a great Indian restaurant right down the road from me, its fun to prepare a dish on my own sometimes.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1.5 cups crushed tomatoes
2 cans of chick peas (drained and rinsed)
1/2 jalapeño pepper (seeded and diced)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (if you like it...I dont and usually leave it off, but that's me)

Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large pan on high. Fry the cumin seeds for about 30 seconds until they start popping in the pan. Add the onions and cook until they begin to caramelize, then add the garlic and cook for about another minute.

Add all of the other ingredients save for the cilantro and cook on medium-low to low heat for about 10 minutes. If you like cilantro, stir this in last. Delightful!

Vegan Raised Donuts and Crullers

2007-11-19T19:23:00.000-08:00

This is a slightly different take on vegan donuts (I have a bit of a sweet tooth, eh?). This dough is raised, so these are a bit more like the crullers or glazed donuts you might get at a pastry shop nowadays.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lukewarm soy milk
1/4 cup cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 packages of yeast (plus 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon sugar)
Egg replacer for 1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 to 3.5 cups flour

Instructions:
Stir together the soy milk, sugar, and salt.

Prepare the yeast, adding the packet to lukewarm water (100 to 110 degrees F) with some sugar to get the yeast all bubbled up and excited. Once you're sure the yeast is alive and well, stir it into the above mixture until all the yeast is dissolved.

Add in the egg replacer and vegetable shortening.

Add in the flour slowly, a half cup or so at a time so your mixer doesnt kick a ton of flour up into the air and make a mess.

After the flour is all mixed in, remove the dough from your mixer and knead it. Place it into a greased bowl in a warm spot and cover with a warm, damp (clean) kitchen towel. Allow it to rise until it has doubled in size (about an hour to an hour and a half). Punch the dough down and turn completely over in the bowl. Let rise again until almost double (30 to 45 minutes this time), then remove from the bowl and roll out to about 1/3" thick.

You can now either cut the donuts with a donut cutter as in the recipe below or you can make crullers.

To make crullers, roll the dough into tubes, twist, and then shape into donut shapes. With a pair of scissors, make snips ever 1/2 inch or so to get a spiky shape going.

After you've shaped your donuts, allow them to rise on your counter or a board until theyre light and have a slight crust on the dough (about 30 minutes).

While they're rising, fill deep sauce pot with several inches of canola or other vegetable oil (enough for a doughnut to drop to the bottom then rise to the top) or get your deep fryer going. Once the oil has reached 370 to 380 degrees, drop a few donuts in at a time and fry until both sides are golden brown (you will have to flip them with a slotted spoon to get both sides). Monitor the oil temperature carefully.

Once the donuts are fried, lay them out on a paper bag to drain. You can either shake these in a bag with some granulated sugar or you can prepare and easy glaze by boiling a cup of water with a cup of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla until somewhat thickened. Coat each donut in this glaze. Best thing ever.

Classic Vegan Doughnuts

2007-11-19T19:05:00.000-08:00

When I was a wee one, there was a great classic diner in my town that hadn't changed even a bit since the 1940s. They made the most amazing donuts ever...warm, with cinnamon and sugar or dipped in chocolate--the sort of donuts that you just can't find anymore. This is a recipe from that era, adapted for an ethical lifestyle.

Ingredients:
Egg replacer for 2 eggs (I use Ener-G egg replacer)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
3.5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
OR 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions:

Beat the egg replacer, sugar, and shortening.

Combine the 1/2 tablespoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice with the 3/4 cup soy milk to approximate sour milk and stir this into the above mixture.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon, then add this to the mixture slowly. You can use vanilla in lieu of the nutmeg and cinnamon if you prefer.

Chill the dough for two hours (its worth the wait, seriously). After two hours, begin heating a deep sauce pot filled with several inches of canola or other vegetable oil (enough for a doughnut to drop to the bottom then rise to the top) or better yet, fire up your deep fryer if you're lucky enough to have one. While the oil is heating, roll out your doughnut dough and cut with a donut cutter (if you don't have one a biscuit cutter will do...just cut the middle hole out with a knife).

Once the oil has reached 370 to 380 degrees, drop a few donuts in at a time and fry until both sides are brown (you will have to flip them with a slotted spoon to get both sides). Monitor the oil temperature carefully--if it gets too hot the donuts will burn on the outside and be uncooked on the inside. no fun.

When the donuts are a nice golden brown, remove them from the oil and place on a brown paper bag to drain off any excess oil.

Extra credit:
The coat the donuts with cinnamon and sugar, mix a generous amount of sugar with cinnamon and dump into a smallish paper bag. place a donut into the bag and shake well to cover them all over with the mixture. This can also be done with powdered sugar.

To make chocolate covered donuts, melt some vegan chocolate chips or a vegan candy bar in your microwave and dip one side of each donut in the chocolate. allow to dry.

These donuts are naturally most exciting when served warm, but theyre delightful at any time.

Great Broccoli Rabe and Orzo side

2007-11-18T17:02:00.001-08:00

I absolutely adore broccoli rabe (or rapini), though if not prepared well it can be somewhat bitter. I whip up this easy side dish at least a few times a month because I enjoy it so much. This recipe makes enough for two people, though I could happily eat the entire thing myself.

Ingredients:
One bunch broccoli rabe
1 vegetable bullion cube
several cloves of garlic, chopped
olive oil (1-2 tablespoons)
1/3 cup orzo
salt to taste

First, wilt the broccoli rabe in about 1/4 cup of water with some salt to taste. Cook until tender. While the broccoli rabe is wilting, bring a cup of water to boil, then add the bullion cube and stir. After the cube has dissolved add the 1/3 cup of orzo and cook as recommended.

In a large fry pan, sautee the garlic in the olive oil on medium heat. Add the broccoli rabe and the orzo (with the vegetable stock) and cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated. If desired, salt a little more to taste.

This is a great side; Broccoli rabe is so good for you--1/5 of a bunch has 50% of your vitamin C, 20% of your vitamin A, 15% of your calcium, and 6% of your iron for the day! Only 1/5 of the bunch! It also has some protein and fiber, almost no carbs, and is extremely low in calories. All in all a great food.

Vegan Pecan Pie

2007-11-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

After much experimentation, I have finally found success in making vegan pecan pie for the holidays.

Pie Crust:
You can either use a store bought pie crust (there are some out there that are vegan) or make your own from scratch.

Mix together:
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt

Cut in:
2/3 cup vegetable shortening

Sprinkle with:
4 tablespoons ice cold water

Gather the dough into a ball, cut in half, then roll out into a circle 1" larger than your pie pan. Lay pastry into pie pan, gently patting it into place (do not stretch it out though). Trim any excess, and then crimp the edges gently with your finger tips or a fork. There is probably enough dough in this dough recipe for two pies, so you can just freeze it for later.

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted vegan margarine
1 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons agar powder
2/3 cup boiling water
1 cup pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

First, combine the first four ingredients in your mixing bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl or measuring cup, add the boiled water to the agar powder and whisk vigorously until it thickens a bit. Add this mixture to the other ingredients and mix thoroughly with a rotary beater.

After the above ingredients are mixed, add in the cup of pecans and stir until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Pour the mixture into your pie crust. Cover the pie with tinfoil to prevent the crust from burning and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake until the crust is lightly browned (about 5 more minutes).

Remove the pie from the oven. It will still be soupy at this point, but do not fear! Place the pie in your refrigerator and allow it to chill for about 2 hours or so. The agar powder will work its gelatinous magic and your pie will set up beautifully. Voila!