vegan

Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins

/ Rachel Alexandra / 7 Comments

Good morning! Since everything is still closed due to the extreme cold, I figured it would be a perfect time to bake a batch of muffins. Although I’m only egg free, I decided to make this recipe totally vegan for those of you who are. The egg is replaced by flax seed and butter with coconut oil. To make the muffins a little healthier, I used whole wheat flour instead of white and reduced the sugar to only 1/4 cup since the orange juice and cranberries have enough sweetness of their own. The recipe is also super simple and will be ready to go in the oven in only a few minutes.

Ingredients

1 Tbs ground flax seed

3 Tbs hot water

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

3/4 cup orange juice

Zest of one orange

1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the flax seed and water to form an egg substitute and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a muffin tin or line it with muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the “egg”, juice, oil, and zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until everything is moistened, being careful not to over mix. Gently fold in the dried cranberries.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full with batter and bake for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean. Enjoy!

Artisan Bread

/ Rachel Alexandra / 6 Comments

Today I want to share a super simple bread recipe from It’s Always Autumn. There are only four ingredients and no kneading is required. All you need is flour, yeast, salt, and water! It’s crisp and chewy on the outside, but soft and delightful on the inside. Enjoy a slice or two alongside your favorite winter soup or by itself with butter and raw honey.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir until the dough comes together into a cohesive ball. It will still be sticky, but that’s okay.

Cover the bowl and set aside for 8-24 hours at room temperature. When you’re ready to bake it, turn the dough onto a well floured surface, form it into a ball, and let rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450° and place a baking dish with sides in the oven.

Remove the dish and grease with olive oil before placing the dough inside. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the cover and continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Enjoy!

Coffee Infused Cake with Mocha Frosting

/ Rachel Alexandra / 15 Comments

Hi everyone! Today’s recipe is the latest rendition of crazy cake (also known as depression cake). Crazy cake is super simple and has no eggs, milk, or butter, making it vegan. However, I made a traditional style buttercream frosting, but the whole cake is still egg-free and it’s also possible to use a vegan frosting if need be.

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What makes this crazy cake different than most, is the coffee infusion and mocha frosting! First, I made a coffee syrup with a recipe from The Spruce Eats . Then I mixed some into the cake batter, giving it a mild essence of coffee. But where the flavor is especially evident is in the frosting! It really takes the cake to the next level and is a pleasant surprise to anyone expecting just plain chocolate!

Mocha cake

Ingredients

Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup water

1/4 cup coffee syrup

Frosting

Powdered sugar

Unsweetened cocoa

Butter

Coffee syrup

Half and half

Directions

Start by making the simple coffee syrup. The recipe is very simple, only requiring coffee and sugar. The recipe is linked above.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease either an 8×8 baking dish or two round 6 inch cake pans. Any regular cooking spray will work as will this cake release recipe from The Barefoot Baker.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Then add the wet ingredients without mixing them separately first. Stir until a smooth batter is achieved.

Pour the batter in the cake pans, ensuring even distribution if using two pans. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool. When they are, a square cake can remain in the pan and be frosted. For a round, layer cake, I highly recommend removing them from the pans, wrapping, and freezing them before attempting to frost and decorate. (I will cover this in more depth in an upcoming cake frosting tutorial.)

While the cake is cooling, making the frosting. There aren’t amounts of each ingredient specified, because just like pie crust, I never use an actual recipe. To give an idea, a layer cake will need roughly four cups of sugar and anywhere from a stick to a stick and half of butter. Then add half and half and coffee syrup, mixing with electric beaters until it just comes together. With a round cake, having a thick frosting is key, but consistency is less crucial with a square cake. A good test is to dip a finger into the frosting. If nothing, sticks it is too dry and if it feels very wet and sticky, it needs more sugar. If the consistency is just right, a little should stick, but it should feel thick.

I apologize for the ambiguity in the frosting recipe. I’m a firm a believer that the best method is to guess and add a little of this and that until it’s right. If you ever have questions though, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below! Enjoy!

Egg Substitutes

/ Rachel Alexandra / 13 Comments

Whenever I tell someone I’m allergic to eggs, one of the first responses I tend to get is asking how I survive without this or that baked good. Well, the truth is I don’t because it’s extremely easy to bake without eggs. There are numerous options out there, but I’m going to share the three that I have used personally. So whether you’re allergic to eggs, vegan, or simply ran out, the following substitutions work just as well as any conventional chicken egg.

1. Ener-G Egg Replacer

Enger-G Egg Replacer is the substitute I grew up on. It’s a white powder that when mixed with water functions as an egg. It works in just about any baked good (although we did have trouble with brownies). The disadvantage is the cost. There are plenty of less expensive options that you may already have in you’re cupboard (I’ll explain those next). However, if you’d like to give Ener-G Egg Replacer a try, click the image below to buy it on Amazon!

2. Flax Seed and Water

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Ground flax seed and hot water make a much less expensive option and it’s even heart healthy! To make one egg, mix 1 Tbs. ground flax seed with 3 Tbs. hot water. Give it a whisk and let stand for about five minutes. In some recipes, you may be able to see it, but it won’t affect the flavor at all. I use flax seed in anything from pizza crust to zucchini bread!

3. Aquafaba

Aquafaba is my most recent egg replacer discovery and I absolutely love it! All it is is the liquid in a can of garbanzo beans, so chances are, you already have it in your pantry. It’s extremely easy to use as well–2 Tbs. equals one egg white and 3 Tbs. equals a whole egg. There is roughly 3/4 cup (12 Tbs.) aquafaba in one can of garbanzo beans. That will give you six egg whites or four whole eggs. I use it in any baked good, but also in royal icing. True royal icing contains raw egg whites which isn’t safe for anyone to eat. Most egg-free versions either contain meringue powder (which still has eggs in it) or corn syrup which is just simply unclean. However, aquafaba is totally safe and doesn’t add more sugar to royal icing.

I hope these substitutions are helpful and please comment below if you know of any others that I can add to the post!

 

This post contains affiliate links. A portion of the sales of products using the links provided will go to Roots. 

Avocado Salad with Feta and Chickpeas

/ Rachel Alexandra / 17 Comments

Hi everyone! Today I’m going to share my all time favorite salad. This avocado salad is my go-to lunch whether I’m at home or on the go. It’s so absolutely delicious, simple, and satisfying. The avocado is full of unsaturated fats and the lime juice gives it some pizzazz. The chickpeas and cheese provide a great vegetarian source of protein, too! Enjoy!

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 Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

1 avocado, diced

1/4 cup chickpeas

2 Tbs. crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbs. cilantro, chopped

1 Tbs. scallions, chopped

Juice of half a lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Combine avocado, chickpeas, and feta in a bowl.
  2. Toss with lime juice.
  3. Garnish with cilantro and scallions.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Enjoy!