Grilled Banana Pancakes

Grilled Banana Pancakes

Many years ago, when I lived in the Tropics, I used to eat a street food that was Bananas wrapped in something akin to Phyllo dough and deep fried - then sprinkled with sugar. It was heavenly! Cooking bananas carmelizes their sugars and really magnifies their natural sweetness.

These pancakes evoke some of the flavours of those delightful bites.

Grilled Banana Pancakes
Slice a ripe Banana
Prepare Cinnamon Sugar (4 parts sugar, 1 part cinnamon)

Banana Pancakes on the Griddle

Prepare Vegan Pancake Mix Batter
Heat Griddle.
Once griddle is HOT (a drop of water should sizzle on the griddle when dropped), pour on silver-dollar sized pancakes.
Top the pancakes with Banana Slices, then Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar.
As the tops become all bubbly and begin to dry around the edges, flip the pancakes over.
Leave them long enough to let the Bananas cook, and the Cinnamon Sugar carmelize (a little longer than you might otherwise leave pancakes without fruit cooking in)

Serve & enjoy!


I eat these plain, but they may be served with buttery spread & syrup, or even with Nondairy Ice Cream, if you like.

This is being shared on Healthy Vegan Fridays and Clever Chicks and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Anti Procrastination Tuesday and What's Cooking Wednesday and Simple Living Wednesdays and Frugal Fit Family and Frugal Days Sustainable Ways  and The Thrifty Home Penny Pinching Party and Weekend Wonders and For the Kids Friday

From Make Your Own Just Add Water Vegan Whole Grain Pancake Mix

Basic Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

     







Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

      Strawberry Pancakes

     







Blueberry Pancakes

     

Strawberry Celebration Cupcakes and Seven Vegan Cookies!

Strawberry Celebration Cupcakes

These delectable cupcakes are perfect for celebrations - whether it is Easter or Pascha, a Birthday, a Name Day, or some other special event. They're not "health food," but because they aren't made with animal products or artificial colors or flavours, they're less unhealthy than many alternatives. And, they're Lenten.

My daughter's Name Day usually lands during Lent, so we wanted a special but vegan dessert for her. And, of course, it had to be pink. And Strawberry : )

These cupcakes are very easy, as you make them from your own homemade mix, and the cake is made all in one bowl. And since Strawberries are seasonal in Springtime, this is a perfect Springtime treat.

And, once you have the mix made, it's ready to go so you can make 7 different Vegan Cookies with no hassle (Scroll down for more details on that).

Strawberry Celebration Cupcakes
Prepare 1/2 cup finely minced Fresh Strawberries (I hull them and pulse them in the food processor)
Stir together
2 1/2 cups Stuffed Veggies' Vegan Cookie Mix *
1 Tablespoon Tapioca Starch (Arrowroot Powder is also good, Cornstarch acceptable substitute)
Then add all of the following, and stir till all the lumps are gone
1 cup Water
1/3 Cup Light Flavoured Oil (I use Sunflower)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract (that's not a typo)
1/2 cup minced strawberries, above
Fill 12 muffin cups (paper liners are nice, but unnecessary). I use about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake.
Bake at 350degrees Fahrenheit, for 35 to 40 minutes, till light golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool Completely before Frosting

Strawberry Celebration Frosting
Using a hand mixer, blend
1/4 cup Vegan Margarine such as Earth Balance (or your other favorite fat that is solid at room temp.)
1/4 cup pureed Fresh Strawberries (I do this in the food processor)
Gradually mix in, 1/2 cup at a time, until frosting-like
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
(If you find you've added too much sugar, a little more Strawberry Puree or nondairy milk may be used to thin it back down)

Frost Cupcakes when they're cool.

If you use a slice of strawberry to garnish (as I did) serve them immediately, or the strawberry will begin to weep juices on top of the cupcake (ask me how I know!). You could of course use other garnishes such as Jordan Almonds or Jellybeans, etc.

I got a pastry bag with tips from the dollar store to make the fancy swirl design.

* This mix also makes all of the following - which also might add to your celebration:
From Vegan Cookie Mix
       Vegan Brownie Snowball Cookies

       Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

       Vegan Gingerbread Crunch Cookies

       Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

       Vegan Russian Teacakes ( Vegan Mexican Wedding Cakes )

       Vegan Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies

       Vegan Thumbprint Cookies

This is being shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Food from a Pantry and Anti Procrastination Tuesdays and Kids in the Kitchen and Made by You Monday and What's Cooking Wednesday and Penny Pinching Party and Simple Living Wednesday and Clever Chicks and Frugal Crafty Home and Weekend Wonders and For Kids Friday

Scrambled Tofu Pantry Mix & Vegan Breakfast Burritos

Vegan Breakfast Burrito

I have a sweet tooth, and I'm American. So, when I wake up in the morning, I think of something sweet. But, I know many people who would much rather have a savory breakfast. This post is for them! (I eat this dish for dinner : )

When I first began experimenting with Vegetarianism, I used to buy a boxed mix of Tofu Scramble Seasoning. I tasted delicious, but it pretty well doubled the price of the tofu I was eating. Then, one day I encountered a recipe in a Seventh Day Adventist Cookbook that allowed me to make my own seasoning mix. That was years ago - so I'm not certain which cookbook it was, but I think it was called "Something Better."

This is my adaptation of that recipe. I don't use it a lot, so I make a small batch and store it in a reused spice bottle. If I used it every day, I'd double or quadruple it!


Scrambled Tofu from your Own Pantry Seasoning Mix

Scrambled Tofu Pantry Mix
Shake & Store in Pantry
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast (not to be confused with Baking Yeast or Brewer's Yeast)
3/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 teaspoon Celery Seed
1/2 teaspoon Salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Pinch Pepper

Scrambled Tofu
Saute in Skillet
Your Choice Chopped Vegetables (whichever ones you prefer in an Omlete, such as Onions, Tomatoes, Black Olives, Bell Peppers & Mushrooms)*
Then Add
1 Block (about 1 pound) Firm Tofu (not silken), drained & crumbled
Scrambled Tofu Pantry Mix added till color is right (I use about 5 teaspoons)
Stir till warmed through, and serve as you would serve Scrambled Eggs.

*Vegetables are entirely optional - as they are when you make scrambled eggs. I like to chop extra veggies when topping Pizza one night, and use the same veggies in Scrambled Tofu the following night.

Vegan Breakfast Burritos
Fill Warm Tortilla with
Scrambled Tofu
Salsa
Roll & Eat!

Tip for Dining with Omnivores: For Omnivores, you can make a Breakfast Burrito filled with Scrambled Eggs, Melted Shredded Cheddar (stirred into the Eggs) and Salsa wrapped in a Tortilla. The same sauteed veggies may be used in the Vegan and Egg versions.

This is being shared on Healthy Vegan Fridays