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.

Meal Planning & Bulk Cooking - Horizontal or Vertical?

I love to read cookbooks and cooking blogs. Right now, I'm especially enjoying those writers that focus on Bulk Cooking, Frugal Menus, Freezer Cooking, and Meal Planning.

But, all of the writers I've read focus on what I think of as "Horizontal Meal Planning." They read the calendar across for the next two weeks, or the next month, and prepare a meal for every night.

When I speak to friends, though, that is often not what they want or need. A lot of my friends enjoy cooking. They don't really need or want to be free from cooking every night. But, what they do need is a prepared meal for Church night, Tae Kwon Do night, Soccer night, Meeting night, or Overtime night - so that they aren't stressed on these busy nights and also don't break their budget by eating restaurant food out of desperation.

What I would suggest as an alternative is Vertical meal planning & preparation. If Wednesday nights you have a Committee meeting, Church, or Ballet class - prepare a month worth of Wednesday meals. The nice thing about this method is that you can cook meals that are similar - and therefore much more efficient to prepare. You can choose a Greek, Italian, Mexican or Asian Theme - and prepare a freezer full of meals that all use a similar preparation method.

For instance, using the recipes posted here, you could do the prep work for 4 meals by preparing a Vat O'Yachni, and from it - Greek Style Okra, Green Beans, Bean Soup and Gemista filling in about an hour working time - TOTAL! Each of these recipes requires only the sauce and usually two or three other ingredients. You have the choice of three methods: 1) simmering and freezing, 2) packaging sauce only (best for very small freezers) or 3) packaging sauce with other ingredients for simmering on serving day. Whichever method you use, you've got a meal for your busy nights in the freezer - while having freedom and spontaneity on more relaxed nights.

Soon, there will be enough recipes here to add a second column of easy-to-prepare freezer meals - in case (like most people) you have more than one busy night a week.


I also hope to feature some traditional horizontal menus soon : )

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Menu Plan Monday

Greek Okra & Tomato Stew ( Bamies Yachni )

Tonight, we enjoyed the fruits of Saturday's bulk-cooking labors. I pulled an entree out of the freezer & heated it, made a salad, and baked a loaf of foccacia to serve with tahini dip. Since I had made the entree on Saturday, I had free time this evening to make 8 pounds of bread dough, bake a loaf of bread, fix a salad, and relax with a cup of coffee while surfing the net. All in the time I would normally have spent preparing the entree.

This is what we had:

Bamies Yachni
Combine
6 cups Yachni sauce (1 batch)
3 12oz bags frozen okra - not thawed (You can use either whole or sliced okra - I prefer a combination)
1 scant teaspoon sugar
Cook in slow cooker on high 3 hours
Or, simmer in covered dutch oven/stock pot, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Frozen Okra for the recipe

Going into slow cooker - notice the brighter color before cooking

Finished Cooking, and ready for the freezer - notice the change in color when done

Tip for serving Omnivores: This is another dish that can make a main dish for a vegan, or a side dish for a meat and potatoes meal.

Vat O' Yachni ( Basic Recipe for Greek Batch Cooking )

The last two posts were for dishes with the word "Yachni" in their name. There are lots more dishes that use this sauce as a central component. Once the sauce is made, the dishes become almost instant -  easier than most supermarket meal kits, or meals-in-a-box - but both tastier and healthier.

If you have a big freezer, you can prepare several of these dishes all at once quite easily by making the sauce, and then using the sauce to combine with other ingredients to make several meals in a very short amount of time. Then you can plan to have, say, every Wednesday night become "Greek food night."

If you have a small freezer (the one above the fridge, like I have), then you can prepare the sauce all at once, and each week (if you make several meals at once), or even on the spur of the moment when  you want a Greek-style meal, combine it with just a few other ingredients, and be ready to go - like a meal kit in your freezer!

Most of the meals from this sauce may be made either in the Slow Cooker or on the stove top, according to your preference.

This sauce only requires brief simmering, as it will simmer more when it is cooked with other ingredients for the assembly of the meals.

Here's the plan - you make the sauce the same way as the "Yachni" sauce that was in the Fasolakia Yachni recipe (Greek Green Beans), but just quadruple the recipe. You will need at least an 8 quart pot. If you don't have one that big, then just use the Double Recipe, given further below.

Vat O' Yachni

Saute:

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil (or up to 1 cup, depending on your taste)*

2 12oz bags frozen chopped onions (or 6 cups fresh chopped onion)
2 Tablespoons Garlic






Then add:
2 #10 cans chopped tomatoes with juice (or 14 regular cans - 15oz each)
4 Bay Leaves
1/3 cup dry Parsley
6 Tablespoons (one small can) Tomato Paste
2 teaspoons Salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Bring to a simmer, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Ready for use immediately, or may be frozen in 4 batches (5 or 6 cups per batch) for future use.


Double Batch Yachni
(for smaller freezers or smaller families)

Saute:

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or up to 1/2 cup, depending on your taste)*

1 12oz bag frozen chopped onions (or 3 cups fresh chopped onion)
1 Tablespoon Garlic
Then add:

1 #10 can chopped tomatoes with juice (or 7 -  15oz cans)

2 Bay Leaves
3 Tablespoons dry Parsley
3T Tomato Paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Bring to a simmer, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Ready for use immediately, or may be frozen in batches (5 or 6 cups per batch) for future use.


*To be authentic, these dishes traditionally have a LOT of oil. If you like less or none, it will still taste good (I've made it with none) but it will lack some authenticity.

This Sauce Makes these Recipes:
 Bulgur Pilaf ( Pourgouri )
Greek Bean Soup ( Fasolia Yachni )
Greek Chickpea Stew ( Revythia )
Greek Giant Beans ( Gigantes )
Greek Green Beans ( Fasolakia Yachni )
Greek Okra & Tomato Stew ( Bamies Yachni )
Greek Peas & Artichokes Yachni
Greek Stuffed Veggies ( Gemista )
Indian Chickpeas in Ginger Sauce over Rice
Indian Spiced Blackeye Peas over Rice
Red Lentil Soup - Moroccan or Sephardic Styles
Stuffed Eggplant
Tofu Creole

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

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