VEGAN PUMPKIN GINGERSNAPS

I made pumpkin gingersnaps for our annual Thanksgiving weekend reunion.  Everyone LOVED them!  I reduced the sugar, changed a few things and veganized this recipe:

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-gingersnap-cookies/

If you would like to try my vegan version here it is! 

Vegan Pumpkin Gingersnaps

Ingredients:

1 flax egg
2 1/2 c flour
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt  
1/2 c organic coconut oil (or Earth Balance)
3/4 c coconut sugar
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1/4 c molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp fresh finely grated ginger

Directions:
1.  Preheat your oven to 350 F. 
2.  Make a flax egg.  Put 1 heapingTbsp ground flax and 3 Tbsp warm water in a small bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes.  Whisk it before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.  
3.  In a medium sized bowl, measure your flour (I used 1 1/2 c organic whole red fife plus 1 c organic white but you could experiment), pumpkin pie spice (buy or make your own-see another post) and sea salt.  Stir everything together and set aside.  
4.  In a blender, add your sugar and coconut oil and blend until smooth.  Add the pumpkin, molasses, whisked flax egg, fresh grated ginger and vanilla and blend until everything is incorporated.  
5.  Pour the wet ingredients into a large bowl and gently mix until just combined.  
6.  Refrigerate for 1 or more hours.  
7.  Roll small balls and put onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.  (Roll in extra sugar if you want!)














8.  Bake for 12-13 minutes or until they start to look dry on top and brown on the edges.

CARDAMON PLUM CAKE

I came up with this cake late last night when I was trying to figure out what to do with all the plums we have left to eat.  We've already frozen about 30 lbs and made plum sauce and plum conserve.  It was gone just shortly after noon today so I know without asking that it passed the blog test.  SOME people were even arguing about the size of pieces that others were cutting for themselves!  

INGREDIENTS:
15 large prune plums
2c flour (I used 1c organic white and 1c organic whole grain red fife)
1tsp each baking soda and ground cardamon (~5 cardamon pods)
1c raw unsweetened almond milk (or any other milk)
1tsp balsamic vinegar
1c organic cane sugar
1/2c earth balance
1 1/2 tsp ground flax seed
2 Tbsp warm water
3/4 tsp pure almond extract

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Grease a 8 x 11 pan and set your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2.  Wash, half and pit the plums.
3.  Put sifted flour, baking soda and cardamon in a small bowl and set aside.  
4.  Put the milk and vinegar and another small bowl and set that aside.  
5.  In a medium sized bowl beat the earth balance and sugar until light and fluffy!  
6.  Add the ground flax, water and almond extract and beat for another minute or so. 
7.  Add the milk and vinegar mixture and mix together.  Don't worry about how it looks...
8.  Gently fold in the flour mixture and then spread evenly into the pan.  Dot the top of the cake with your plums leaving the skin side up.  

9.  Bake for 50-55 minutes.  When a toothpick comes out clean it is ready!  ENJOY! 

P.S.  I'm making this AGAIN tonight but I'm going to fold in 3/4 c of chopped walnuts.  

VEGAN VANILLA CAKE ICING (and variations)

Ingredients:
1/2 c Earth Balance 
1/2 c organic virgin coconut oil
2-3 cups powdered coconut, date or organic cane sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-3 tsp nut or coconut milk

~Optional ingredients~
1/4 c mashed berries and 1/4-1/2 cup fresh berries OR
3 T sifted cocoa powder OR
1/4 c shredded organic coconut OR
1/4 c organic vegan chocolate grated

Directions: 
1.  In a medium-sized bowl, add the Earth balance and coconut oil.  Using an electric blender, beat until smooth and creamy.  
2.  Powder the sugar in a high speed blender. 
3.  Add the vanilla and 1 c of sugar to the Earth balance/coconut oil mixture.  Beat well.  Add another cup of sugar and beat again.  Add more sugar to taste. 
4.  If needed, add nut or coconut milk 1 tsp at a time until desired consistency is reached. 

~Variations~
BERRY ICING:  Blend in 1/4 c fresh or thawed and drained berries that have been mashed well.  After icing, decorate with the reserved berries.  

COCOA ICING: Add sifted cocoa and blend well.

Coconut Icing: After icing your cake, sprinkle with coconut. 

Chocolate Vanilla Icing:  After icing your cake with the vanilla icing, sprinkle with grated dark/vegan chocolate.  

VEGAN CARROT PINEAPPLE MUFFINS

Lately I've been trying to make cookies and muffins sweetened with healthy sweeteners such as dried fruit, coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave syrup and molasses.  Unlike processed sugars these products feed our bodies nutrients.  

I made a dozen of these muffins last night and they were gone by the morning!  They passed the blog test!  

Ingredients:  
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 medium sized bananas
2 T molasses
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c + 1 T water or nut milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 c pitted dates
1 c fresh pineapple, cut finely
1 c carrot, coarsely grated 
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  
Sift together the first four ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Set aside.  Put the bananas, molasses, maple syrup, water (or nut milk), dates and vinegar in your blender and blend until smooth.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently.  Add the pineapple, carrot and coconut and fold in.  Put the batter in 12 greased muffin tins and bake for about 25 minutes.