Better than Coleslaw ( Non-Creamy, no Oil Coleslaw )

Freshly made slaw with Roasted, Salted Peanuts on top.

Eating seasonally is a popular idea now. It's cheaper, and there are theories that it's healthier, too. Cabbage is one of the best winter vegetables - both cheap and super-healthy! But, the normal American way to eat it is to drown it in a mayonnaise based sauce. Not only does this detract from the health benefits, but, as far as I am concerned, it ruins the flavour, too!

This is MY favorite winter (or summer) cabbage salad.

I got the inspiration for this salad from a Vegweb recipe, but changed it quite a bit.

I make the dressing in a big batch and keep it in the fridge. This recipe will dress 3 to 4 salads.

Slaw Dressing. Notice how the oil substitute allows the
Celery seed to suspend in the dressing.

Slaw Dressing:
1/2 cup oil substitute (see recipe below)
1/2 cup vinegar (white or apple cider work well)
1 Tablespoon sugar (your favorite kind)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Shake in a jar.

Salad:
1 quart shredded cabbage (about 1/2 a large head) - OR bagged coleslaw veggies
1/4 to 1/3 cup dressing (above)
Toss & add optional ingredients on top:
Optional ingredients:
Minced Scallions
Shredded Carrot
Shredded Purple Cabbage
Roasted Salted Peanuts
Toasted Slivered Almonds
Dried Cranberries
ETC.

Oil Substitute: *
 Combine & stir
1/2 cup water

Oil substitute, just after boiling.

1 teaspoon Tapioca Starch
Heat on stove top, stirring constantly, till mixture boils (it will thicken when it boils)

OR heat in microwave 30 seconds, stir, heat 30 more seconds, stir (repeat if needed to bring to boil, but usually 1 minute does it)

*This is a slurry of Tapioca Starch and Water. It gives an Oil-Like mouth feel. It is good for use in cold salads and sauces. Not recommended for replacing oil when sauteing (although it does give an nice texture to heated sauces, too!). Also, it does not temper flavours the way oil does, so it will not soften the acidity of oil in a vinaigrette.

Red Lentil Soup - Moroccan or Sephardic Styles

Red Lentil Soup - Sephardic or Moroccan

A nice hot, orange bowl of Red Lentil Soup is a lovely dinner for a Winter Evening. Even better, it can be whipped up in the time it takes to make a processed meal-in-a-box from the grocery.

I got the idea for this soup several years ago from a great Sephardic Jewish Cookbook called Olive Trees and Honey - then I adapted the recipe to make it my own.

Here's the recipe:

This is a close-up of the tiny "red lentil"  - as you can see, it's really
orange. If you buy these in an Indian Grocery - which I recommend -
they're called "Split Masoor Dal."

Sephardic Red Lentil Soup
Sort & Rinse till water runs clear
3 cups of Red Lentils
8 cups Water
Bring to a boil, and simmer till done - about 30 minutes (stir periodically, and add boiling water if needed)
(If cooking your Red Lentils in a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker, cook them 3 hours on HIGH)
Add
4 cups Yachni Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Coriander
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
Puree soup with immersion blender, and add:
2 to 4 Tablespoons Lemon juice
Garlic Salt to taste



Moroccan Red Lentil Soup
Sort & Rinse till water runs clear
3 cups of Red Lentils
8 cups Water
Bring to a boil, and simmer till done - about 30 minutes (stir periodically)
(If cooking your Red Lentils in a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker, cook for 3 Hours on High)
Add
4 cups Yachni Sauce
2 teaspoons paprika (smoked paprika also delicious in this recipe - your choice : )
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Puree
(Lemon Juice & Garlic Salt may also be added to taste here, if desired)

Serve either soup with Crusty Bread & Salad. If desired, soup may be garnished with chopped tomatoes. Other nice toppings: Croutons, Wheat Berries, Popcorn : ), or rice.

Make-ahead tip: Both these soups freeze excellently (do not add rice or garnishes before freezing). You can make a double batch of the lentils & yachni, puree, then season half as Sephardic and half as Moroccan before freezing to make two meals at once.

Tips for dining with Omnivores: Either of these soups would be nice with some shredded chicken on top to garnish. A simple sandwich could be served on the side. A cheese & Cracker plate would also go well.

Wheat berry Breakfast Bowl

Wheat berry Breakfast Bowl with Apples, Dates & Raisins.

In the Greek Orthodox Church, we have a Tradition of Memorial Services. After a loved one passes away, we don't offer only a Funeral Service, but also we continue to offer prayers in the days (at 40 days, for example), months (at Six Months, for example), and years that follow (at One Year, Five Years, etc). In a large Church, there are such short services at the end of Sunday Liturgy almost every week. After the Service, it is customary for the bereaved family to share a food called Kolyva with other Church Members. Each village in the Old Country - in fact each neighborhood - has its own recipe, but they all start out with Wheat berries or Shelled Wheat (my Internet research tells me that they're two names for the same thing).

The dish reminds us of the hope of the Resurrection in the Bible Verse "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." John 12:24, KJV.

When visitors come to Church and try this dish, they nearly always say the same thing, "This would make a GREAT breakfast food!" I agree! I don't serve it  in the same recipe that we do at Church, but I like it the following way.

This is what you do:

Wheat berries in the Slow Cooker

Prepare wheat berries - this can be done anytime, but since it takes 2 hours, you probably don't want to do it right before breakfast. Shelled Wheat is best prepared in the Slow Cooker. This makes the soaking step, and frequent stirring unnecessary. For each cup of wheat berries, put 2 cups of water into the Slow Cooker or Crock Pot. Cover and turn on high. Two hours later, test for doneness and drain. Voila! Cooked Wheat berries! (If you actually DO make Kolyva, you might also find this method easier than the traditional stove top method : ) Store the berries in the refrigerator to use as needed (I understand they also freeze well). This method makes a firm, plump, al-dente wheat berry. If you want a softer, well-done berry, of course you can cook longer with a little more water.

Wheat berry Breakfast Bowl

Put desired amount of cooked wheat berries in your bowl (If you're allergic to wheat, or have Celiac Sprue, Brown Rice makes a nice substitute). Wheat berries may be eaten cold or at room temperature, or if you desire, you can warm them in the microwave.
Top with your favorite seasonal fresh fruit and/or dried fruit.
Nuts, sugar or other sweetener, cinnamon, etc can also be added according to your preferences, but I usually don't. Unlike Oatmeal, Wheat berries have enough flavour and texture of their own, that sugar is not absolutely necessary.

That's it!

Since Wheat berries are a whole grain, they have more staying quality than many refined breakfast foods.

Wheat is getting a lot of bad press right now, but in the Christian Tradition, wheat holds a special place - with it we make our Prosphora (the bread for Holy Communion), our Artoklasia (a sweet bread for special services), and our Kolyva. So I see it as pretty special!

This is being shared at Simple Living Wednesday and Healthy Vegan Friday

Vegan Sausage Patties

Plate of Vegan Sausage Patties, ready to serve.

These are great little patties if you like something savory for breakfast, or to go in a sandwich for lunch. They're great for the lunchbox, too! We particularly like them folded into homemade Naan with Lettuce, Tomato & Dijon Mustard.

I'm not a big fan of "fake meat." I like these patties because they have a nice flavour and texture that doesn't really remind me of meat, but is still tasty enough to please Omnivores.

I started out with this recipe and adapted it to my tastes and cooking style - you know, that style that doesn't like to blend a long list of spices when I'm already hungry ; )

Vegan Sausages as they start to cook.

Vegan Sausage Patties
Mash with a potato masher, a jar, the bottom of a bowl, or your fist:
1 (15oz) can Blackeye Peas (or equivalent home-cooked)
Mix in, kneading a little
1 (4oz) can mushrooms, finely diced with a knife
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten powder (from the baking aisle)
OR 1/3 cup instant potato flakes*
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons Sausage Seasoning Mix

Form into patties and cook in non-stick skillet till golden brown on each side. Oil for cooking is optional. I find that without oil, these patties are easy to turn and don't stick IF you wait till each side is done before turning. If I try to turn too early, they stick.

*The original recipe was gluten-free and used Potato starch. I substituted Gluten Powder because it gives a chewier texture and provides some nice vegetable source protein. For a gluten-free recipe, instant potato flakes work as a nice substitution because they are cheaper and easier to find than potato starch. The potato flake method holds together better - the gluten method is chewier and higher protein - your choice.

Small batch Sausage Seasoning Mix
2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Crushed Fennel
1 Tablespoon Basil
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Tablespoon Rosemary
1 Tablespoon Sage
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

or

 

Large Batch Sausage Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup onion powder
1/4 cup crushed fennel
1/4 cup basil
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup rosemary
1/4 cup sage
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 Tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Tip for dining with Omnivores: although many Omnivores enjoy these patties, if yours does not, you can easily serve a purchased "real" sausage patty alongside these.

 

One nice, golden Vegan Sausage Patty.


 

Moujendra ( Mejadra ) in the Slow Cooker - or not!

Mounjendra is comfort food in our house. It was the first multi-ingredient dish I ever served my daughter when she was first eating solid foods - and it was what she wanted for her birthday dinner this year. (Her other declared favorite is Pizza : )

I really like making it in the slow cooker, since it requires no stirring or watching and the lentils don't become mushy from stirring.

Moujendra

Rinse & Sort & Place in Slow Cooker (or pot)

Onions should be toasty brown before adding to lentils.
If you like, you can make lots of these onions & freeze them for
adding to various dishes as needed.

1 # lentils (2 1/2  cups)

8 cups water
1  ¼ cups long grain brown rice (short grain rice is not good here - will make gluey dish. White rice may be used, but must be added about 1/2 way thru cooking time to avoid over cooking)
2 chopped, browned onions

Cover & cook on high till done – about 1 ½ hours if boiling water is used to start,

 or 2 ½ to 3 hours if starting with cold water.

If cooking in a pot on the stove top, simmer, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes.

This dish is done when lentils & rice are tender. If there seems to be a little too much liquid when lentils are tender, it will be absorbed if you let it stand for a bit after turning off the heat.

 

Salt generously (I use nearly a Tablespoon of salt) & Serve

 

We like to serve this dish with a large dish of chopped, raw veggies to serve over the top. Each bite of lentils is combined with a bite of veggies.

Tip for dining with Omnivores: This is a very filling, hearty dish all by itself. But, if you desire, you can serve a tray of summer sausage and cheese alongside for Omnivores.

 

 

A typical dish of veggies for topping Moujendra or Pilafs.

 

 

Kale & Tomatoes with Tahini Sauce

This is a yummy, if a little offbeat, vegan entree. The idea for it started a while back when I told my sister that I was having trouble liking Kale. She sent me a recipe that needed a little tweaking and eventually inspired this recipe which made Kale lovable for me!

To Braise Kale, put it in a large pan on medium high heat. Add
a few dashes of soy sauce, and about 1/4 cup of water. Cook Covered,
Stirring often, till greens have reduced in size and color has brightened.
If you like your greens well done (which helps digestion) add more water and
cook till greens loose their bright color.

Kale & Tomatoes with Tahini Sauce

Prepare your choice of Grain or Pasta (I like either Brown Rice or Spaghetti for this dish)

Braise 1 pound Chopped Washed Kale in water, with a few dashes of Soy Sauce (I use Glory Foods Pre-washed & chopped Kale - just dump it into the pan) Refrigerate or freeze excess cooked greens for additional meals.

Chop Fresh Tomatoes

Prepare Tahini Dip/Sauce (from Monday's post)




Assemble:

Braised Kale, ready to eat : )

Layer of Rice or pasta, Layer of Kale, Layer of Tomatoes, Drizzle with Sauce

Edited to add: Last night I was talking with some friends who were planning to make this recipe: )They mentioned that I had neglected to list quantities of Tahini Sauce (oops!). This is a recipe that I make to taste - so the ideal method is to just fill bowls with the various ingredients & let diners top their own spaghetti. I usually have leftover Kale when I make a whole pound of it - so I freeze the leftovers in small batches to use the next time I need it. Likewise, if I have any leftover tomatoes, they can be added to the next day's salad. Leftover Tahini Sauce can be set out with pita triangles to use as a dip at a subsequent meal. And, of course, any leftover spaghetti can be frozen if it's not eaten at lunch the next day. As a ballpark figure, I would plan 1/2 pound of Spaghetti, 1/4 pound of Kale, 1 large Tomato & 1/4 cup Tahini Sauce per plate. But, it all depends on appetite and preferences.

OH! And, if you don't care to Braise Kale on the stovetop, you can always pop it in a large microwave safe bowl with a  couple of tablespoons of water, slide a microwave-safe plate on top, and microwave it till done (roughly 3-5 minutes), then drain any remaining water & proceed.

Setup for Microwave-Steaming of Vegetables.

Enjoy!

Tip for dining with Omnivores: Omnivores might enjoy Spaghetti with Cheese (Parmesan & yogurt, or Alfredo Sauce) with Grilled Chicken.

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Low Fat Vegan Banana Bars

These little bars are very kid-friendly and make a perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack for kids and adults alike.

They're simple to make and frugal - a great replacement for those overpriced boxes of bars from the "healthy" aisle at the supermarket.

This is a forgiving recipe that you can make without actually measuring if you like. The measurements below are what I used this time and it worked well. But, I usually don't measure at all to make this one.

Banana Bars
Stir together:
5 overripe bananas, mashed
3 1/2 cups Quick Oats (If all you have is old fashioned oats, pulse them in the food processor to make them "quick" - if you're Gluten Free, be sure to buy GF oats)
1/2 cup raisins*
Press with wet hands in small cookie sheet lined with nonstick foil, or in oiled pan (9x12 or so)
Bake 400 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes, till it pulls from sides of pan and edges are golden-brown.

*Optional: Any type of dried fruit or nuts may be used, in accordance with your preferences. if you buy chocolate chip granola bars for the kids at the grocery, don't hesitate to throw chocolate chips in here!

Cut with pizza wheel or knife.

Mash Banana with Fork, and stir vigorously.

Stir in oats and raisins or other add-ins.

Press in to prepared pan with wet hands.

May be served plain for breakfast, snacks or picnics. Good spread with peanut butter, or topped with apple slices. These freeze well, and are pretty tasty straight from the freezer. Also good toasted in the toaster-oven to reheat.

This is being shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Healthy School Lunch Ideas/A Life in Balance

Orange Beet Salad

This is a nice, colorful salad for a festive meal, or simply for everyday, depending on your mood.

Since this blog has an emphasis on easy, quick & frugal vegan cooking, I'm giving the recipe with canned beets and oranges. But, if you prefer roasting your own beets and peeling & sectioning your own oranges - go for it! : )

Orange Beet Salad
Arrange in Bowl
Bed of Greens (a tender blend like Mixed Baby Greens is ideal)
1 (15oz) can Sliced Beets, drained
1 (11oz) can Mandarin Oranges, drained
A couple of handfuls broken Walnuts

Top Salad with Dressing:
Shake in jar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
A pinch or two of Paprika
Salt & Pepper to taste

Family Favorite Lentil Soup

Despite my lack of photographic skills, this soup is full of beautiful colors
Orange Carrots, Red tomatoes, Green Spinach - lovely to look at.

I created this Lentil Soup recipe more than 20 years ago. It has been a long standing family favorite with children and adults alike. Some of the kids who grew up eating it are now making it for their own kids.

It's simple to make, ultra-cheap, and packs in a huge amount of nutrition. And, kids in the family who dislike many of the ingredients love the soup! Go Figure!




My Lentil Soup
Doubles well, but needs very large pot

There are about 20 kinds of Lentils! This recipe uses the standard
Grocery Store lentil - sometimes called "Green Lentils" despite
the Brown color.

1 (12oz) bag mirepoix mix OR 1/2 c diced onion, 1/2 c sliced celery, 1/2 cup sliced carrots

1 spoon garlic (about 3 cloves)
Add
2 1/2 cups sorted and  rinsed lentils (1 1# bag)

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 package (10 to 12oz) frozen chopped spinach
Water to cover, plus some (to equal 4 quarts total soup)

1 tsp dry mustard*

1 tsp dry ginger (or fresh)*
1/2 T salt
Boil 45 minutes, till lentils are tender
OR, cook in slow cooker on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Freezes very well. This is a great recipe to double and freeze half for later.

Serving Ideas:
Serve in a Bowl with Crusty Bread and a Salad on the side. A few olives provide a nice contrast.
Serve Greek Style: Puree soup with an immersion blender, and serve with red wine vinegar
Dollar-Stretcher: Serve over Spaghetti or other pasta- offer toppings like chopped onions, tomatoes, olives, etc. This is a great variation for the second batch.
For Omnivores: May be served with shredded cheddar.

*In place of mustard & ginger, a seasoning like Mrs. Dash may be used

Vegan Banana Walnut Muffins from Your Own Mix

For a Saturday Morning Treat, try making your own Banana Walnut Muffins.

If you made the mix for Mini Pumpkin Muffins, you're ready to go.

Here's all you need to do:

Banana Muffins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Oil muffin tin (if desired, sprinkle each cup with cinnamon sugar)
Combine all in one bowl
1 ripe banana, mashed with fork
2 Cups Vegan Muffin Mix
1 Cup water
Chopped Walnuts (a nice handful)
Stir, and fill muffin tins to 3/4 full (if desired, sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar)
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, till golden brown, and they spring back to the touch
This recipe made 9 muffins in my muffin tin - using about 1/3 cup batter per muffin.

Enjoy!

The "perfect" baking banana is like this one- spotty brown, but not
mush when you pick them up. Very mushy ones tend to have a bitter edge.
 

 

Variation: If you prefer not to eat nuts, you may omit them, or use another add-in such as raisins or chopped dates.

Greek Giant Beans ( Gigantes )

This delicious dish is made from the same Yachni sauce that several of the other dishes have been made from, but the difference in texture & consistency, along with the addition of spices, makes it taste quite different from the other dishes using this sauce. And, with the prepared Yachni sauce, it is embarrassingly easy to make : )


The traditional preparation of this dish is an all day process (starting the night before). It is traditionally done like this: Dry beans are soaked overnight, and the next day they are simmered for hours till done. While the beans are simmering, the sauce is made from scratch. As the beans finish, the sauce, beans, vegetables & spices are combined and put in a covered baking dish in the oven, to cook for about three hours. During the cooking time, the dish is occasionally stirred and checked for moisture content and monitored till it is perfectly done.

This prepared dish can be purchased at the olive bar at our local grocery store for $7.99/pound. Prepared at home, you'll get A LOT of pounds for $7.99!

Greek Giant Beans ( Gigantes )
Combine in Crock Pot or Slow Cooker

5 15oz cans Butter Beans, Drained
1 12oz bag frozen Mirepoix mix, rinsed under warm water to thaw *
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 to 4 cups Yachni Sauce (till it looks like the picture below)

Cook on high for 3 to 6 hours or low for 6 to 10 hours (this is a VERY forgiving recipe, as far as time goes!)
If it is too dry when you take it out, drizzle a little boiling water over the beans to add enough moisture - it soaks right in!

This is not a particularly good candidate for stove top cooking, as the low moisture content and long cooking time make it high maintenance.
But, it can be baked in a covered casserole for 1 1/2 hours or so, checking periodically for moisture content.

This one (like many of the others) freezes well, so is a great make-ahead or bulk cooking dish.

*If you prefer, use about 3/4 cup sliced carrots & 3/4 cup sliced celery.

 

Greek Bean Soup ( Fasolia Yachni )

Last night, we had a children's party to go to at Church, and we were all going to be getting in late. I didn't want to have to start cooking when we got home, and I also didn't have much time to prepare something before we left.

So, I put this in the Slow Cooker before we left, and when we came home four hours later - it was delicious!






Greek Bean Soup in the Slow Cooker (Fasolia Yachni)

1 12oz bag frozen mirepoix mix, thawed in a sieve under warm, running water*
4 cups "Yachni" sauce
3 15oz cans Great Northern Beans, WITH their liquid
Water (1 or 2 cups - to the right thick-soup consistency)

Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low 8 hours. (This could also be made on the stove top - cooking for 45 minutes to an hour)

That's it!

Serve with a nice, crusty bread and salad.

* If you prefer, you can use 1/2 cup sliced carrots, 1/2 cup sliced celery & 1/2 cup chopped onion

Tip for dining with omnivores: This is a hearty vegan dish - a meal in itself. But, many omnivores really want some non-vegan food on the table, no matter how hearty the meal. If  that is the case in your house, a nice addition to this meal would be a plate of cheese, crackers, and summer sausage slices.

Check out: Vat O' Yachni - so you won't have to make the sauce EVERY time you want to make a delicious Greek Dish!

This was shared at:
Soup Swap

Greek Green Beans ( Fasolakia Yachni )

 

Yesterday's lunch was one of the many traditional Greek vegan meals. Greek Orthodox Christians often eat a vegan diet during "fasting" times- such as Lent, Advent, and Wednesdays and Fridays, so the Greek culture offers many delicious vegan meals.

 

Many Greek vegetarian meals are made with a traditional tomato sauce, (formally called Orientale Sauce) and the dishes have the word "Yachni" as part of their name. Preparing them the traditional way involves making the sauce from scratch, then adding it to the other ingredients, and simmering or cooking.

 

In the interest of simplifying these dishes, I make a BIG batch of sauce (which I like to improperly call "Yachni") and then I'm ready to easily prepare a wide variety of Greek Dishes.

 

First, here's the little batch, so you can try it. Also, if you're cooking for one or for a small family, this may be as much as you want to make at once:

 

Basic Yachni Sauce

 

Saute:

1 1/2 Tablespoons  to 4 Tablespoons olive oil (Traditionally, Greek cooking uses a lot of Olive Oil. For a more authentic dish, you can add even MORE Olive oil than this. For a less authentic, but still tasty and healthy dish, Oil may be reduced or omitted.)

 

1 ½ cup chopped onions (1/2 of a 12oz bag of frozen chopped onions works well!)

 

1 tsp garlic

 

 

 Then add and simmer for about 15 minutes:

3 (15 oz cans chopped tomato

1 or 2 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons Parsley

Salt & Pepper

2 T tomato paste

 

After simmering, the sauce is ready to use.

Fasolakia Yachni,
One batch "Yachni" sauce (you should have 5 to 6 cups)

2 bags frozen Green Beans  (for a total of 2# Green Beans) Rinsed in sieve under warm water to thaw

 

Cook in Slow Cooker or Crock pot on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.

 

Alternately, on stove top: Simmer in a pot for 2 hours, until Green Beans are VERY tender

*These are not traditionally Crisp-Tender sort of dishes, but if you prefer your veggies Crisp-Tender, it's your choice.

 

 

To Serve: This dish is great served with Greek Olives (such as Kalamata or Oil Cured), Crusty Bread, Raw Onions,  and Salad. Having a nice dip on the table, such as a hummus will also add variety, and protein to the meal.

 

Tip for dining with Omnivores:

This is a great Vegan Main dish, but it is also a great side dish to serve with any meat-and-potatoes meal!

 

Coming Soon:

Vat O' Yachni!

Other delicious Yachni -type dishes, based on this sauce . . . .



 

 

 

Vegan Pumpkin Mini-Muffins

This morning we woke up to the first snow of the year. Perfect morning for Pumpkin Muffins with a nice hot cup of Coffee!

Many years ago, I got interested in making my own mixes. But, most available mix recipes are Omnivore, and that doesn't help me with a vegan diet. Over the years, I developed a few mixes of my own, that fit my way of eating.  This mix is 100% whole grain, and no-oil-added!

This muffin mix makes enough for about 8 dozen mini muffins (so you can bake muffins eight different times!). If you like, you can make 1/2 the recipe if you're a single vegan, or cooking for a small family.

Versatile Vegan Mini Muffin Mix

Mix together

8 cups whole wheat pastry flour *

2 cups turbinado sugar or other sugar of your choice
4 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons Salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 Tablespoons arrowroot powder (Cornstarch may be used as an emergency substitute)

After all the ingredients are in your chosen container (see below) close securely and shake well to evenly distribute contents.

Store in pantry in cooler house temperatures, or if mix will be used in a month or less. For longer storage, or in very warm weather, store in fridge or freezer.

* The King Arthur website says Whole Wheat Pastry Flour & Graham Flour are the same thing. It's a lower-protein whole wheat flour, that produces a lighter, more tender product than traditional whole wheat flour.

I have made mixes in two types of containers:

The first is a Gallon Zipper-Type Freezer bag. Filling it is so much easier if you put it inside a #10 can, or a small bucket, and fold the edge over, like so:

The second method I have used (my current favorite) is to use a large plastic canister from the dollar store. I list the ingredients for the mix on tape on the outside (you could use pretty labels if you prefer)

And, I put the name of the mix, along with mixing and baking instructions on the lid. That way, I can leave the cookbook (or website) alone next time I cook!

To make muffins:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Combine and stir until just mixed:
1 cup Vegan Muffin mix
1/4 cup pumpkin puree (from a can or homemade)
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 Tablespoon oil may be added, but it is strictly optional - I usually leave it out.
Then add:
Water as needed for thick, but pourable consistency (about 3/4 cup)
and a handful of one or more of these:
chopped dates
nuts
raisins
chocolate chips

Drop by Tablespoons into oiled or sprayed Mini muffin pans

(makes 1 dozen per batch)
bake 400 Degrees, 15 to 20 minutes

If you prefer, you may make 6 regular-sized muffins from this batter, or you can double the recipe for a dozen large muffins. If making larger muffins, bake for 25 to 35 minutes.

(Since this is vegan, my little one could enjoy licking the mixing bowl, without me having to worry about salmonella poisoning!)

*I like to sprinkle Cinnamon sugar inside the muffin cups before filling them, and also on top of the muffin batter. It adds eye and taste appeal!

Enjoy!

More Muffin varieties to come . . . .

I calculated the nutrition in this mix on https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Nutrition Facts

Assuming that the recipe yields 10 cups (8 cups white whole wheat flour plus 2 cups white sugar is most of the bulk)

Then each cup (which makes about a dozen mini-muffins) should have:

Amount Per Serving

• Calories 488.5
• Total Fat 1.6 g
• Saturated Fat 0.0 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
• Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
• Cholesterol 0.0 mg
• Sodium 1,050.2 mg
• Potassium 3.4 mg
• Total Carbohydrate 102.4 g
• Dietary Fiber 9.9 g
• Sugars 39.9 g
• Protein 12.8 g

This is being shared on
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