Recipes | Vegan Recipes from Cassie Howard

Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Scones with Chopped Pecans

October 31, 2014 1 Comment

Scones, anyone? What about pumpkin scones? With a delicious glaze and crushed pecans?

Yes?

You’re not sick of pumpkin yet, are ya? Pumpkin is still flying around my kitchen ALL THA TIMEEEEE these days and I am digging into it left and right.

And these scones. They are not only stuffed with pumpkin and pecans and delicious fall spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, but they are also gluten-free.

What the what? Gluten-free? YES, FRIENDS. Even those on a gluten-free diet can enjoy these scones for breakfast. And that makes me happy. Everyone needs to be able to stick a warm, fresh-from-the-oven, scone into their faces at some point in their lives.

And that point is right now. Do ya dig?

I added crushed pecans to the top and inside of the scones, but you can definitely, totally, absolutely leave those out if you’re allergic or just don’t like them. Or swap for a different nut.

Whatever, friends. Do as you please. Just make sure you do something nice for yourself and indulge in a pumpkin scone! Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Scones

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Scones
1 cup raw pecans, chopped
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup almond flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

Instructions

Scones

Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup pecans, the flours, baking powder, coconut sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix together until combined.
Add the butter and with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your hands, mix together until the mixture resembles sand. (If you’re using your hands, work quickly so that the butter doesn’t get too warm – it needs to be very cold).
Add in the pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk and vanilla, and mix well until everything is combined. Form the dough into a large circle and cut into 8 slices.
Put the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Glaze

Whisk together the icing sugar, cinnamon and non-dairy milk. Spread generously over the cooled scones and top with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans.

3 Ingredient Vegan Gnocchi

October 29, 2014 15 Comments

The first time I ever tried gnocchi was 2 years ago. I was browsing Pinterest (’cause duh, what else would I be doing with my time?) and came across this mysterious dish called “gnocchi”. Pasta made out of potatoes and flours.

Pu-lease. I am too sophisticated for that.

But I checked out the recipe anyway. I’m inquisitive like that. It looked easy (ha!) and the photos were mouth-watering so I thought I’d give it a try for dinner the next night when my best friend was coming over. Best friends forgive you when you mess up new recipes.

But wouldn’t you know it – my friend, who is Italian (!!!), actually helped me make the gnocchi that night because her grandmother had taught her. We had her granny on speed-dial during the whole process, and every time we got stuck on something (this recipe was supposed to be EASY, you guys!), we’d give her a ring, she’d sigh at our lack of gnocchi knowledge, and proceed to tell us what to do next.

After 3 hours (OMG 3 HOURS MAKING “EASY” GNOCCHI), we were done. Starving, exhausted, but so proud of ourselves! It was one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten.

And then I had to go and become vegan. And so I can’t make Italian granny’s recipe anymore because “the eggs are important”. I think she’d lose her mind if I asked her “would flax eggs work”. And I can’t have a little old Italian lady hating me, so let’s avoid asking her that, mmkay?

But then recently I really, really wanted gnocchi. It came out of nowhere. You know when you’re in the store and you see the most beautiful dragonfruit ever and even though you’ve never had dragonfruit before, you just want to dig right in, right there in the middle of the grocery store.

THAT. That right there.

Imagine that feeling times infinity and that’s how I felt about gnocchi last week. For two days straight, it was all I could think about. Could I use flax eggs? (Shut up, brain!) Could I just eliminate the eggs altogether? What was I going to do? How could I make vegan gnocchi that actually tasted good (and didn’t take 3 hours to make – ’cause no, thanks – not gonna happen again)?

Eventually, I got so desperate that I just started throwing ingredients into a bowl. Flour all over my shirt, in my hair, and mashed potatoes stuck to every surface in my kitchen. But did I care? Nuh-uh. I was making gnocchi!

With a bit of trial and error, I managed to make the most delicious, perfect little gnocchi friends I’ve ever tasted. I even pat myself on the back, I was so proud. And then I ate my way through that pile of gnocchi in no time flat. OMGOSHHHHHH I MISS YOU, GNOCCHI!

Not only is this gnocchi easy to make, it also uses just 3 ingredients. What?! Yes. 3. As in 1, 2, 3. Why do Italian grandmother’s have to make gnocchi so complicated? The quicker I can get gnocchi in my face the better, and this 2-ingredient recipe is my new go-to when I’m craving pasta pillows for dinner.

Homemade Vegan Gnocchi

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 35 mins

Total time: 2 hours 40 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

6 medium Russet potatoes
3 cups kamut flour (or all-purpose)
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. Poke your potatoes with a fork and place on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a knife can be inserted into the middle of the potato easily.
Slice the potatoes down the middle lengthwise and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
With a clean kitchen towel, grab hold of one of the potatoes and scoop the flesh out. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
Pass your potato flesh through a potato ricer and place it all on a clean surface in your kitchen (the counter, the table, etc.).
Gently spread out the potatoes on your surface and start sprinkling the flour on top, about a cup at a time. Cut the flour into the potatoes with a large spatula. Once the flour is absorbed, add another cup of flour, repeat and add 1/2 cup of flour and cut it in, as well. If you need the final 1/2 cup flour, add it, and cut it in. If you don’t need it, just leave it out. You should be able to form the dough into a large disk.
Dust with flour and then wrap your disk in plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
Cut a chunk of the dough off of the disk and roll it until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the roll into 1-inch pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add 1 tsp salt, then add a bunch of the gnocchi (do this in batches – don’t over-crowd them or they won’t cook properly). They should sink to the bottom and then float to the top when they are done (about 2-3 minutes).
Serve with marinara, [url href=”http://www.veganinsanity.com/recipes/vegan-parmesan-cheese/” target=”_blank”]vegan parmesan cheese[/url] and fresh basil or parsley.

Chocolate & Coconut Pumpkin Bars (Raw, No Bake)

October 24, 2014 5 Comments

With a can of pumpkin in my hand, I was on a mission to make something tasty. I didn’t feel like cookies or cake or pie or fudge (WHAT?!), so I hopped on Pinterest and scoured the site for pumpkin treats I could make right here, right now.

Then I got distracted by quotes. And cute kitten pictures. And the next thing I knew, an hour had gone by and I hadn’t looked at a single pumpkin recipe. Focus, Cassie! Focus.

Okay. I will focus. Search “vegan pumpkin dessert”. Find lots of cookies, cakes, pies and fudge. NONONONOTHANKYOU. After searching for almost another hour (OMG WHAT IS HAPPENING, PINTEREST?!), I finally stumbled upon a recipe that looked yumz!

These no bake chocolate coco pumpkin bars. Okay FINE, these will do. As if I was settling or something. Man, I am grouchy when I’m on Pinterest too long.

Whipped up a batch, ate them all in 2 days. Didn’t share with my fam. They went bonkers. Made more, with slight changes to the recipe. They ate them, and I was the best mom/wife ever again. Awesome. I always knew I was the best. Score!

These guilt-free treats are so good. And they’re pretty! And you all know how much I loves me some pretty food. It makes my soul happy.

So today I encourage you to make some pretty food. It’s the weekend! Celebrate with some chocolate & coconut pumpkin bars. Preferably in front of the TV with a super scary movie playing. Halloween is coming and it’s time to scare yourself. And eat tasty fall treats. YES PLEASE.

Chocolate & Coconut Pumpkin Bars (Raw, No Bake)

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 45 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

10 dates, pitted
1 cup almonds
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 small banana
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbsp agave
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

Add dates, almonds cocoa powder and 1 tsp of cinnamon to your food processor. Process until it all comes together into a ball.
Transfer the mixture to a 9×5 baking dish and flatten it out in the pan. Set aside.
In small bowl, combine the shredded coconut and coconut oil. Mix well until thick (you may need to add more coconut oil or shredded coconut to get it to a spreadable consistency). Spread this mixture on the chocolate almond mixture in the pan.
Add the banana, pumpkin puree, agave and 1 tsp cinnamon into your food processor and process until smooth. Pour over top of the coconut mixture and smooth it out so that it covers the entire dish.
If desired, sprinkle some coconut on top.
Freeze for 60 minutes or until set. Cut into squares and serve. Store in the freezer. Remove for a few minutes to thaw before eating.

Notes

Adapted from [url href=”http://www.runningtothekitchen.com/2012/11/no-bake-chocolate-coco-pumpkin-bars/” target=”_blank”]Running to the Kitchen[/url].

link

Chocolate Beetroot Dougnuts

October 22, 2014 3 Comments

Extra, extra! Read all about it!

I put beets in my doughnuts and I’m loving every last bite of these chocolate morsels!

I used to be one of those people who hated beets. In fact, just the sight of them alone would give me the heebie jeebies. My mom used to always buy the pickled beets in a jar, and those, I would eat, but fresh beets? No way! Those things are weird!

Well, flash forward to 2014 and fresh beets have now become a staple in my diet. They’re great for more than just eating, though! I also love (read: am obsessed with) them in my smoothies and juices. And they’re good for you!

Beets:

Lower your blood pressure
Boost your stamina
Fight inflamation
Are an aphrodisiac (no really!)
Are high in many vitamins and minerals
Help your mental health

Oh, beets. You are magic and I love you long time. Let’s be friends forever.

So! These doughnuts!

They’re pretty, right? That’s just another thing beets can do – make pretty food and drinks.

These doughnuts have a chocolate frosting on top (cause’ duh – chocolate), and I also added some beet juice & icing sugar on top to finish them off. And then I proceeded to eat 3 doughnuts before I could even snap a picture. Oops.

I bet you can’t eat just 1 either! Go ahead, try it. I dare you.

Chocolate Beetroot Dougnuts

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 8 mins

Total time: 18 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Doughnuts
3/4 cups + 1 tbsp kamut or all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 cup almond milk
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup grated beet
Doughnut Topping
Chocolate: 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, melted
Beet Glaze: 3 tbsp beet juice + 1/3 cup icing sugar, whisked together

Instructions

Doughnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a doughnut pan with no-stick spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, mix together the flaxseed, almond milk, coconut sugar, vinegar, olive oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in the grated beets.
Spoon the mixture into your doughnut pan and bake for about 8 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Doughnut Topping

Spread the melted chocolate on the cooled doughnuts, then drizzle with the beet juice + icing sugar mixture.
Enjoy!

Mini Cauliflower Crust Pizzas with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

October 21, 2014 2 Comments

The other day I was thinking out loud and my brain forced me to blurt out “cauliflower crust pizza I need you in my liiiiiife”. And clearly if I’m thinking about a particular food, I need to make it, or my brain will not be happy. And so I obliged. I made cauliflower crust pizza. And it was just as amazing as I thought it would be.

The reason I went with mini pizzas is because every time I try to make a full-size pizza, the crust always falls apart and I cry and curse and hit things.

So I went with mini pizzas this time. Thankfully, there was no foul language shooting out of my mouth when these babies were done. My husband was thankful.

I topped my pizzas with marinara, lentils, green peppers and a healthy dose of vegan parmesan cheese. The result? An easy to eat, healthy, gluten-free vegan pizza and makes my tummy happy. Success!

Mini Cauliflower Crust Pizzas with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Recipe Type: Pizza

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

Marinara Sauce
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 chopped cucumber
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 cup water
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
Cauliflower Crust
1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
6 tbsp water
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano

Instructions

Marinara Sauce

Soak your sun-dried tomatoes for at least 2 hours, then drain.
Add all marinara ingredients to a food processor or blender and process/blend until combined.

Cauliflower Crust

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Set aside.
Place the cauliflower into a food processor (you may need to do this in batches, depending on how large your food processor is) and pulse until you get a rice-like texture.
Add the cauliflower rice into a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain the cauliflower rice and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, the the cauliflower rice and transfer to a large, clean dishtowel. Wrap it up and squeeze out as much of the remaining liquid as you can. The more, the better.
Mix together 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds with 6 tablespoons water and set aside to thicken.
Add the cauliflower to a large bowl, then add in the chia seeds, almond meal, salt, garlic, basil, oregano and flax egg. Mix well, then divide the mixture into about 12 balls. Form those balls into small pizzas and place on the baking sheet. Press together well so that the crust stays together when baking.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the top is dry and golden brown. Flip, and bake another 5-10 minutes.
Then, add your toppings and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until everything is nice and warm.

Coconut Hemp Granola

October 16, 2014 6 Comments

Big clusters of oats, seeds and nuts? Check. Shredded coconut for extra yumminess? Check. Ability to suffocate my yogurt? Check, check, check.

Apparently, this granola is a big ol’ winner ’round these parts.

It’s not just good on yogurt, either. It’s also yummy as a cereal replacement with a bit of almond milk. Yum. Or you can just shovel it into your mouth with your hands. No bowl required. I don’t judge.

Feel free to add dried fruit in there, too. I just didn’t feel like any this day. So I left ‘er naked. Yep. I went there. Talking about nudity on the blog. This granola makes me do naughty things.

I limited the amount of sweetener in this granola, since most store-bought varieties make me want to gag with how sweet they are. If you add dried fruit, you may even be able to cut down the sweetener a bit more. Hooray for less sugar!

I also added coconut because I opened my pantry and it was staring at me. No really. That’s the only reason. Luckily, it worked out well for me and actually tastes amazing with the walnut, oat and hemp seeds. It’s a good thing I didn’t ruin a whole batch of granola just because I saw some coconut sitting on a shelf and though “why not?”. That would be embarrassing.

In our house, a bath of granola lasts about 2 weeks. With this one, it was gone in less than 1. Okay, so most of that was me just eating it directly from the pan, warm from the oven. But still. That’s improvement!

Coconut Hemp Granola

Recipe Type: Snack

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 5 cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup agave or maple syrup (I used agave)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup hemp seed
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Instructions

Heat oven to 350F and spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Set aside.
Combine coconut oil, agave, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a small pot over medium heat, until everything is warmed through and the coconut oil has melted.
In a large bowl, combine oats and nuts. Add the coconut oil mixture and mix everything well.
Spread the mixture on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in the hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds, then bake for another 12-15 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown.
Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before using or storing. You can store this granola at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks.

Lentil Soup with Cumin & Coriander

October 14, 2014 8 Comments

When I was a kid, my favourite soup was chicken noodle. Preferably from a can. And preferably without any chicken and mostly noodles.

I would often eat canned soup for lunch on the weekends. It was easy enough for me to make myself once I knew how to use a can opener and the microwave (that’s right, I didn’t even cook it in a pot on the stove).

Chicken noodle soup was my thang. For years. Even as an adult, it was one of my favourite things to eat when I was too lazy to come up with something a bit more creative.

Now, though, I’m obviously done with chicken noodle, but I still love the comfort of soup. My current favourite is vegetable, but this lentil soup is a close second.

It’s easy to throw together, it’s crazy good for you, and it tastes amazing. Way better than chicken noodle soup ever did.

Side note: Photographing soup is HARD. Photographing brown soup is even harder. Perhaps the green parsley on top will help? What if I stick some green in the background?

Be jealous of my food photography skillzzzz. Or not.

When it’s cold and gray outside (like today at my house!), soup is the perfect remedy. Try this lentil soup and let me know if you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Lentil Soup with Cumin & Coriander

Recipe Type: Entree, Lunch

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow onion, minced
4 medium carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups green or brown lentils, uncooked (I used brown)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
8 cups vegetable broth
1 large bay leaf
2 whole sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add in the onion, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook until tender and browned.
Add the lentils, cumin, coriander, broth, bay leaf and fresh thyme. Give it all a good mix, then add lid and simmer over low heat until the lentils are tender, 30-40 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and thyme, and add in the chopped spinach and tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until spinach has wilted.
season with salt and pepper, and serve, with some fresh parsley on top for colour (if desired).

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

October 9, 2014 4 Comments

Brrrr, it’s cold outside! Why did I choose to live somewhere that’s cold for 9 months out of the year?

Despite the cold outside, I am warming up inside with this bowl of butternut squash soup. Mmmm. Super easy to make, super healthy, and super duper warm-you-up-inside. It’s like a hug. A soup hug. Go ahead and give it a squeeze.

There. Don’t you feel better?

This soup is smooth and velvety. Bright and bold. Flavourful and healthy.

Amazing and amazing. No, but seriously. It’s GOOD. As long as you have a large pot and an immersion blender, you are just an hour away from a warm, comforting bowl of butternut squash soup.

The oven-roasted chickpeas are important!

Plain soup is boring. It’s like serving chili without tortilla chips or bread. Just wrong! Chickpeas will add a nice little somethin’-somethin’ to your soup – so don’t skip them!

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

Recipe Type: Soup

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds (you can throw them out or save them for roasting later). Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, and place the squash cut-side down on a large baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the middle of the squash with minimal resistance.
While the squash is cooking, line another large baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Add the chopped carrots and onion, chickpeas, and the smashed garlic. Separate the chickpeas from everything else, since they will not be going in the soup. I put them on the left side of my baking sheet and everything else was on the right. Drizzle with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.
Once everything is cooked, add it all (except the chickpeas!) to a large pot over low-medium heat. Add broth and milk, and use an immersion blender to blend until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
Add spices, stir, and simmer 5-10 minutes. Serve warm, topped with roasted chickpeas.