Vegan Doggy Biscuits

Vegan gluten free dog biscuits

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’ve got love on my mind. Puppy love.

As much as I bake, I often neglect to bake treats especially for my furry friend (even though he always gets some of my human treats).  But our dog friends deserve their very own batch of cookies just as much as anyone else.  I created these for my pal, Giotto, who has a particular love for peanut butter and carrots.  He was pacing in front of the oven the entire time they were baking… and I have to admit, they smelled pretty darn good to all of us humans in the house too.

Whoever ends up eating them, I think tails will most certainly be wagging.

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Chocolate Filled Vanilla Cupcakes

gluten free vegan cupcake

While not super fancy, these cupcakes are sure to please the kids and adults in your life.

The recipe provides an excellent, almost “no fail” type of cake, while the frosting is over-the-top chocolatey.  I think it’s the best chocolate frosting I have made so far, and it goes really well with this simple white cake.  Honestly, the cake itself is just a tiny vehicle for all of that awesome frosting.

Instead of experimenting with my own GF flour mixture on these, I decided to use up the last of my GF Namaste Perfect Flour Blend.  I just subbed the same amount where regular “all purpose” flour would go.  This was my favorite generic cake recipe before going gluten free.  Happily, it turned out really well using the Namaste flour mix.

Also, feel free to just skip the whole cake part and get right to the frosting.  The cake is pretty darn good- but the frosting is where it’s at!

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Posted in Gluten-Free, baked goods, chocolate, cupcakes, frostings and icings, sweets | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Meyer Lemon Pudding

meyer lemon pudding

If you are craving sweet, sour and a little bit salty all at once, this pudding will deliver.  It is pretty fast and easy to make… but it does seem to take forever to set up in the fridge.  It is worth the wait though.  The taste kind of reminds me of an Orange Julius… which makes me want to make one of those really badly.

If you cannot get your hands on any Meyer lemons (I couldn’t  find any until I moved closer to a Whole Foods) try combining  the juice of one lemon and one orange along with the orange’s zest.  I’m guessing that would taste pretty awesome too.

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Almondy Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF)

gluten free chocolate chip cookies

Okay folks… they may not look like regular chocolate chip cookies… but you gotta trust me on these.  They are seriously addicting  little bites of awesomeness.

Since I first started eating gluten free, I have been trying to create a replica of my all time favorite vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Well, I finally have come very very close!  But, I wanted to pause for a moment, and celebrate this little gem that I found along the way.

The cookies themselves are a little unorthodox, as they are made with buckwheat flour and almond flour… but the taste is quite remarkable.  I have made these four times in the last week… which proves how much my son and husband enjoyed them.  They loved them.

Not bad for my first attempt at using buckwheat flour– which by the way, is my new BFF. <3

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Forbidden Rice Salad

forbidden rice salad

Forbidden rice is so wonderfully amazing.  With its chewy texture and deep purple hue, it is as striking as it is tasty.

If you have not yet experienced the taste/texture/greatness of Forbidden rice, it’s worth tracking down.  It is, without a doubt, the best rice I have ever enjoyed… and it’s practically black.  Very cool.

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Posted in Gluten-Free, Rice dishes, Side dishes, salads | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Gluten Free Focaccia

gluten free vegan focaccia

Last week I received a special recipe request —-from a very seasoned foodie.  I was asked if I could conjure up a GF focaccia recipe, because her mother (a celiac) missed the taste of the flavorful flat bread.  Isn’t that sweet??

So I searched through my old recipes, artisan bread books, gluten free baking books, and of course the internet, to Frankenstein together a recipe that will hopefully please dear Mom.

I must say, that I am happy to have gotten this request, otherwise I may have never known (so soon) the glory of baking gluten free bread.  It was pretty easy.  And no kneading!!  One thing I will certainly do the next time I make this is add some dimples. [ I know, how could I have forgotten to dimple  my focaccia?? ] I guess I was so immersed in slicing little tiny tomatoes, that I totally neglected the dimples.  It certainly didn’t effect the taste any though.  This stuff was really good.

This focaccia can be topped with pretty much anything … brush a little olive oil on before adding toppings to achieve a darker golden top.

If you do not eat gluten and, like me, think the GF breads in the frozen section of your grocery store are really really bad, try this… it makes an excellent sandwich bread too.

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Green Curry Butternut Squash Bisque

Butternut Squash Bisque

Can the world use another Curried Butternut Squash Soup recipe?

I think so.

I made this yesterday for lunch and found it so surprisingly easy and yummy that I wanted to share it.  I have honestly never made any kind of squash soup before this, but I have seen numerous beautiful photos from some of my favorite vegan bloggers and cookbook authors.  So, I just had to try my hand at making my own… without peeking at anyone else’s recipe. :)

I couldn’t believe how stupid easy this stuff is to make.  I will  definitely be making this over and over again.  It seems like it would be pretty good with some canned coconut milk subbed for some of the almond milk… maybe I’ll try that next time.  It is pleasantly mild and sweet… but filling all on its own.  After the photo I ended up gulping this stuff down like a milkshake.

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Posted in Gluten-Free, Side dishes, appetizers/hors d'oeuvre, soups | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Sweet Potato Tart with Maple Icing

sweet potato tart

I adore sweet potatoes.  I could go for them any time of day.  Today, I had this sweet potato tart for breakfast.  It was pretty awesome, and went well with my pumpkin flavored coffee that I have been trying to use up.  Although it is easy to make, it would be a royal pain if you did not have a food processor handy.

Spice as desired with this one, the batter is great on it’s own.  For some reason I default into using three particular spices when I bake things that are orange.  Whatever you decide, it is good both ways: super flavorful without lots of sugar…. (from a bag).

Okay, the glaze is pure sugar… but I couldn’t resist.

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Posted in baked goods, frostings and icings, sweets, tarts | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Cookies

chocolate peanut butter truffle cookies

These are super rich and chocolatey, exist somewhere in between a cookie and a truffle, and are loaded with peanut butter.  Yes, they taste as awesome as they sound.  If you are feeling a little lazy (or are  just out of chocolate chips) the cookies are fantastic if you skip the dipping step.

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Posted in Gluten-Free, baked goods, chocolate, cookies, sweets | Tagged , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Lentil, Kale and Potato Soup

kale, potato, lentil soup

Since the weather outside is so frightful, (and freezing!) soup is on my mind.  This lentil soup is nice and light, yet very satisfying.  It is also chock full of warm fuzzy feeling.  I created it to emulate a soup I always order at one of my favorite restaurants.  Fragranced with lemon and cilantro, and pleasantly mild, even my lentil hating husband loves this stuff.

Here’s to soup, and keeping warm!

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Posted in Gluten-Free, appetizers/hors d'oeuvre, dinner, soups, vegetables | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Shiraz Ganache Covered Brownies

vegan gluten free brownies

I did something wonderful this weekend… I made brownies, and they tasted amazing.  You see, this is a very rare occurrence in my house, so it was cause for a tiny celebration: hence the red wine ganache.

I have a great trusty ol’ brownie recipe… which I never use.  I am always looking for something better, and wishing I had just left “well enough” alone.  Usually when I attempt to make a new brownie recipe, I set off confident, armed with my flaxseed or my EnerG… ready to take on the brownie world.  But, almost always, something starts to go wrong 2 minutes after I mix the batter… and then it tumbles quickly downhill from there.

Have you ever experienced the horror that is the bubbling brownie of death, just a mere 10 minutes into the baking time????   I have… and it really burns up my oven mitts.

So, yesterday, as I was savoring one of my favorite foods: the Medjool date… I thought to myself  “Now, this is what brownie batter should be like: moist, chewy, sticky and sweet all at once.”

I began mentally combining ingredients, having the utmost confidence that those dates would act as a binder, a sweetener and a base all by their little selves.  Out of sheer excitement for my upcoming brownie success, I opened bottle of Shiraz and went to town.  A few chocolate chips later, a batch of decadent and rich brownies was born.  I was quite pleased with the results… especially with the thick and awesome chocolatey topping.  So super good.

Needless to say, this recipe’s a keeper.  Full of dates, and free of gluten, oils, and added refined sugar (well, except in the chocolate chips)… this brownie will blow your mind.

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Posted in Gluten-Free, baked goods, brownies, desserts, frostings and icings, sweets | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Vegan Hoppin’ John

vegan hoppin' john
Since it is New Year’s Eve, I find it necessary to offer up a nice black-eyed pea recipe.  Black eyed peas are traditionally eaten in the United States on New Year’s Day to bring prosperity for the upcoming new year.   This recipe is similar to a traditional Hoppin’ John recipe but, it has a few extra goodies.  I left out the tomatoes on this one, and of course, there are no animal ingredients.

This is a simple, filling, one dish meal that can be whipped up relatively fast, provided you have many different pots and pans handy. I like to start cooking all the other stuff while the rice and beans are cooking.  This saves lots of time, but creates a quite bit of stove top clutter.  The ingredients can be subbed out based on what you have on hand.  Feel free to use brown rice or quinoa instead of basmati, add or subtract whichever veggies you’d like, and season to taste.  Just don’t leave out those black eyed peas!

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Posted in Gluten-Free, Rice dishes, dinner | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Vegan Pralines

vegan praline

Here in the United States, there seems to be some debate over the magnificent praline’s basic ingredients and texture.  Not having a clue what a praline from the southern United States tastes like,  I can’t fairly cast my vote for the best praline.  Nor can I advise you on how to pronounce it… (praw-leen or pray-leen?)  But I will provide one yummy version, and let you settle on the rest.  I think these are fantastic… whether they are authentic or not.

These pralines will take you over the top with sweetness.  So, prepare for a toothache if you over-indulge.  They are creamy and dissolve upon bite, with a touch of sugary grainy texture to finish them off.

When I was a kid, I had a bad habit of eating brown sugar straight from the bag.  These remind me of that, but with a nice touch of pecan mixed in.  Simply irresistible.

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Posted in Gluten-Free, candy, desserts, sweets | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Anise Cookies

glazed anise cookies

Ever since I first tasted a springerle, (which honestly was less than ten years ago) I fell in loooove with anise flavored cookies.  There is something about the whole “flavor explosion” thing that happens –from just a touch of anise oil– that really drives me over the edge.

With these, I tried out a flour mix by Namaste Foods: Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend… and had great success making them turn out as if I had used all purpose flour.  This made me quite happy.

If you adore anise flavor, and are looking for a quick fragrant bite of awesomeness… then these are the cookies for you.  Try them without the glaze for a more sophisticated “dipping” cookie.

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Posted in Gluten-Free, baked goods, cookies, desserts, frostings and icings, sweets | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Black Walnut Apricot Cookies (Raw)

raw apricot balls

Yum… don’t you just love cookies that don’t need “cooked”?  Like most raw cookies, these little  gems are ridiculously easy to make and good for you…  holiday bonus!  They are not overly sweet, like many of the awesome raw cookies that contain dates.  They are actually a little bit tart.  But, they are oh so scrumptious.  Definitely a nice change of pace for the ol’ holiday cookie tray.

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Vegan Peppermint Hot Cocoa

Vegan Peppermint Hot Cocoa

Hot cocoa is the perfect drink for me when I’m feeling cold… and just plain wintery.  The hint of peppermint certainly will light up your spirits and add a touch of holiday cheer to any day.  This stuff is simple and fast to prepare, and very warming for these chilly winter nights.  Add a touch of your favorite liquor for a great drink to unwind to… or some whipped soy cream for an extra special treat for the kiddies.

Happy Holidays!

Vegan Peppermint Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

  • 1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar, depending on your sweet tooth
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 candy cane, crushed into pretty small pieces
  • 2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, or your favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients in small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir gently until all candy cane particles are dissolved, and it is the perfect temperature for you to enjoy.

Pour evenly into two mugs.

Top with whipped- soy cream or drop in a whole candy cane.

Sip.

Posted in Gluten-Free, desserts, drinks | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Vegan Caramels Laced with Cardamom

vegan caramels

Yay for caramels! I love love love caramels, but this is pretty much the only time of year I ever really make them.  They are so ridiculously easy, though, that I think I should start making these all year long.

And so should you!  These are ooey and gooey and have the perfect hint of cardamom… guaranteed to please.

With any candy-making, it helps to have a candy-thermometer… but  for caramels, one really comes in handy. There is about a 20 minute (don’t quote me on that, because I have never actually timed it) cooking time where you don’t stir. During that time you just wait for the candy to reach the proper temperature or the proper “firm-ball” stage.  So, making the caramels is easy.  But, there is a lot of standing at the stove… and waiting.

If it has been a while since you have had a good caramel, or the vegan versions are just too inconvenient to purchase… just make your own!  It is totally worth it.   I honestly prefer these caramels to any of the store bought, non-vegan versions I remember as a kid.  These are actually a veganized version of the caramels I made pre-vegan days…. and guess what?  They taste exactly the same.

They are the perfect silky, but sticky, texture.  And they have a nice, shall I say, “Earth Balance-y” flavor. These things are absolutely divine….

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Cranberry Cupcakes with Clementine Frosting (Gluten-Free)

gluten free cranberry cupcake

Cupcakes are an essential part of one’s diet… so, it is entirely necessary for me to figure out a few good  gluten-free versions.   This cupcake is a good start, its tangy and sweet, with a generous amount of spice (because I still can’t get into the way “wheat-less” batter tastes).   I used a flour mix that seemed to be quite prevalent on the internet, except I replaced some of the brown rice flour with quinoa flour.  I would have replaced more, but I spilled all those little buggers right down my sink before grinding.

These cupcakes can be made just as nicely with regular flour too.  I was pretty pleased with the results… but the basic flour mix needs some tweaking.  Looks like I will continue grinding my entire pantry into various flours as I search for the perfect replacement.

It is a super good thing that frosting is gluten-free!

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Posted in Gluten-Free, baked goods, cakes, cupcakes, desserts, sweets | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Medjool Date Bonbons

Date Bon-Bons

Okay, I have officially called off the cookie posts for now… they’ll be back… I just need a moment or two to figure out the chemistry of baking all over again.

But here’s a good treat to take your mind (and my mind) off of cookies for a while: chocolate covered dates!  These are made with Medjool dates… which I find absolutely irresistible… but any date could probably be used.   This is so simple, you may have already tried this-  but if you haven’t yet -now is the time.  I think this may be my new preferred way to enjoy chocolate.  Actually, dates are my favorite thing next to chocolate and avocados… so, yeah, I LOVE these things.  Try stuffing some other things in there too while you’re at it… almonds, more chocolate, whatever you want… the dates make a cozy little nook for all your bite sized goodies.

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Double Post: Seiten is Evil?! / Moon Cookies

gluten free mexican wedding cookies

Seiten is Evil?!

This is a slightly different type of post- and I apologize in advance for the lack of redundancy.  But, there will be a few changes with Manifest Vegan.  Nothing huge, but I thought I should let everyone know.  My intention for the site will still be the same: to show people that their old favorite foods will not be compromised when switching to a vegan diet… and to share a few good recipes with fellow vegans.

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Posted in Gluten-Free, baked goods, cookies, desserts, sweets | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments