Elvis Muffins aka Peanut Butter Banana Muffins with Flax (Vegan)

I'm always facing this conundrum where I either have no bananas, or like... twenty. I'm sure it comes as no surprise, but like all happy bakers - when I have too many bananas, I make banana bread. Or in this case, banana muffins. This recipe differs slighting from the delicious Banana Muffin Recipe that Carrie posted back in February. This recipe is vegan, omits extra fat, and features flax seed for added omegas.

Perhaps, in a sad an unfulfilled world, one doesn't need two banana muffin recipes. But here on Veggie Horizons, I feel that one can never have too many banana muffin recipes! You decide.

Elvis Muffins (aka Peanut Butter Banana Muffins with Flax)
These muffins are surprisingly moist given the lack of added fats and pack a kid-friendly peanut butter punch. Also, they remind me of Elvis.



Elvis Muffins. Hubba Hubba.

Ingredients
1 tbsp ground flax seed meal
2-3 tbsp of warm water
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 medium mashed bananas
1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Combine the ground flax seed meal and the warm water in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine flour, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl and mix well.
4. Fold in the banana, peanut butter, almond milk and vanilla.
5. Mix until ingredients are just combined (careful not to over mix!)
6. Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, about 3/4 filling each cup.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top or an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Farmers Market Potato Salad (Vegan)

Hi Veggie Horizons! Did you miss me? I missed you! My new job (as Communications Director for Scenic Pittsburgh) has consumed my life. I also have no camera, so you all are stuck with iPhone pictures until I get a new one. But, instead of listing my myriad of excuses, why don't we dive right in? How about a nice summer recipe?

Farmers Market Potato Salad

This five ingredient recipe is tremendously simple and a perfect way to use those delicious farmer's market tomatoes. This tasty salad is a staple in my home. I much prefer to the traditional mayonnaise laden potato salads. Added benefit? It holds up well at room temperature so you don't have to worry about poisoning everyone at the block party.

Ingredients

1/2 lb small potatoes (like Trader Joe's teeny tiny potatoes), boiled until soft

1 large yellow tomato, cut into eighths

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup kalamata olives

1-2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 tsp fresh (or dried) oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients a large bowl. Serve at room temperature.
 

S'mores Cookies Recipe - Enjoy Summer in March!

Even though I live in the sunny Golden state, it still rains. And, because I live less than a mile from the beach (no, no, I'm not bragging, I swear!), it gets very cold and damp sometimes. Yesterday was one of those chilly, rainy Saturdays that demand copious amounts of tea and the baking of some new and exciting treat.

S'mores Cookies

While at the grocery store, I got a hankering for s'mores. As a former camp counselor, s'mores are a favorite summer treat. The stick fingers, the crumbling graham crackers, the oh-so-satisfying Hershey bars. To die for.

But, since it was cold and chilly and clearly not campfire season, I had to resort to a different method of fulfilling my craving. I searched the net and found this amazing recipe for s'mores cookies on The Girl Who Ate Everything, which is fast becoming a favorite food blog. Amazing recipes and even better photos!

Let me tell you. These. Cookies. Are. Amazing. Definitely not on the healthy list, but, after my boss and one of my coworkers and I worked for 12 hours on Friday, these were necessary. I will definitely be bringing them to work tomorrow!


Tip: Try them frozen. Absolutely devine.

So, straight from the mouth of The Girl Who Ate Everything:

S'mores Cookies
Source: Ice Cream Before Dinner

11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. I used one 11x17 pan and one 9x13 pan but you can really use any sized pans you want.

Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching). I used 16 graham cracker squares on one pan and 10 squares on another. You may have to add or remove graham crackers according to how much dough you have. If you want your cookies thicker you will use more dough and less graham crackers.


In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.


Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight. (Note from Carrie - I chilled for an hour and it worked perfectly).

Place tablespoons of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart. I averaged about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per graham cracker square as seen in the picture above. Press down slightly with fingertips.


Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.

Bake for 5 – 7 more minutes or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp knife.

Fresh from the oven, pre cooling and cutting.

Not-So-Red-Velvet Cupcakes with Old-Fashioned Velvet Icing

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Hi there Veggie Horizons readers! Things have been cra-a-a-zy in the Burgh. Yours truly has had every little moment of her free time absorbed by a myriad of exciting (non-food) related writing projects. Most notably, I've started an organization called Write On Pittsburgh, and have been taking on freelance work like wildfire!

But that doesn't mean that I haven't missed you, and it doesn't mean I haven't been cooking. I've actually been saving this recipe since Valentine's day (embarrassing, I know). However, these cupcakes are so good that there's no reason not to make them this weekend!

Not-So-Red Velvet Cupcakes with Velveteen Icing

These are likely to be the moistest, most delicately flavored red velvet cupcakes you'll ever eat. The heaping helping of vanilla and 'just-right' amount of cocoa is inspiring. On top of the taste (pun intended) the icing is creamy, and doesn't harden when chilled like buttercream. The lack of artificial food coloring means that they're not particularly red, but I doubt anyone will stop stuffing their faces long enough to care. Once again, the recipe is adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 tbs cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tbs red food coloring or 1 3/4 tbs cherry juice + 1/4 tbs cornstarch (I used my very own homemade food coloring, recipe to come)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp chocolate extract 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a cupcake tin.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the almond milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle.

3. In another bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 

4. Add the oil, food coloring and extracts to the curdled soy milk and whisk well to combine. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet and fold to combine, mixing just until large lumps disappear. 

5. Pour into liners and bake 18-20 minutes. 

6. Top with the Velveteen Icing (recipe follows)

Old-Fashioned Velvet Icing

I love this icing so much that I am thinking about abandoning buttercream entirely. It's so smooth, silky, and utterly delicious. It's for spreading, not piping, but don't let that stop you!

Ingredients

2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable margarine

2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup superfine or castor sugar

Directions
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the flour and almond milk. Stir constantly until mixture starts to thicken and has a pudding like consistency, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool two minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and press plastic wrap onto the top of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Allow mixture to cool completely before next step. (I usually put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.)

2. Cream together the shortening, margarine, vanilla, and sugar, then beat in cold custard. Beat with electric mixer 5-7 minutes. (This part is important, the longer you beat it the thicker and stiffer the frosting will become. I suggest beating for the full 7 minutes.) Frosting should become lighter in color and have a very creamy texture, similar to very thick whipped cream. Frost on cooled cupcakes.

The Perfect Breakfast - Banana Muffin Recipe

I love muffins. They are delicious, easy to make, and complement my morning tea perfectly. My favorite bakery makes an amazing egg nog muffin that, despite it being February, is still offered. But, I wanted to create a lower calorie and less expensive muffin treat. So...banana muffins it is!

This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. The muffins make a great mid-morning snack at work or dessert at the end of the day (pair it with hot chocolate. I promise, you'll love it!)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Pasta in Bell Pepper Wine Sauce with Feta and Roasted Cashews: Birthday Dinner on the Fly

Well readers, yesterday was a very special day a casa mia.... it was J's 30th birthday! And even though he is way too cool to make a big deal out of it, I couldn't let the day pass without a little something special.

Or so I had planned.... Unfortunately, as a result of an epic and exciting grocery shopping trip with my friend Joy (Joy Eilene, Word Machine) on Saturday, my fridge is full of gourmet cheese, chocolate.... and no vegetables.

What!? How is a girl supposed to prepare a birthday dinner with no vegetables? It was a problematic circumstance indeed, but a little resourcefulness paid off in the form of the following pasta entree. The combination of Mediterranean flavors and varied textures makes this dish just special enough for a celebration.

PS. J's birthday party is on Friday and our official Valentine's day celebration is on Saturday, so I'm saving the dessert and the super-fancy food for the weekend. Did someone say Red Velvet Layer Cake?

Pasta in Bell Pepper Wine Sauce with Feta and Roasted Cashews

This dish has a high veggie to pasta ratio, which makes it both satisfying and healthy. Serve it alongside a crisp salad, and savory soup.

Yield: 4 Servings

The lovely color comes from the delicious Orange Bell Peppers!

Ingredients
8 ounces pasta (spaghetti or fettuccine)
4 quarts salted water, boiling

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large clove garlic, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup white wine (choose a sweet over a dry here)
2 yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped
1/4 cup roasted cashews (recipe follows)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled


Directions
1. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta, but reserve a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

1. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and allow to cook until it begins to brown.

2. Add the tomato paste (be careful, it will sizzle upon contact) and allow to cook with the garlic for 2-3 minutes. This step is one of the secrets to this recipe - the oil will turn bright red and the tomato paste will begin to caramelize in the most delicious manner.

3. De glaze the pan with the white wine. Turn the heat down to low, and allow to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the chopped bell peppers and cover the pan. Cook until the peppers are just soft, but not mushy, another 8-10 minutes.

5. Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta to the sauce pan. Toss to coat.

6. Plate the pasta onto four serving dishes, and top with roasted cashews and feta cheese.

Reader Update - Kind Confections: A Beach Side Vegan Bakery

Posted by Nichole Leigh


Hi Veggie Horizons Readers! I'd like to take a moment to pay homage to one of the first loyal readers Veggie Horizons ever attracted, Sara of Outer Banks, South Carolina. 

You may recall that Sara had great success vending vegan treats for a school bake sale (including the Ultimate Whole Wheat Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie). Well, in the intervening months, Sara has since launched herself into a full-scale foodie business venture. She has opened a vegan bakery in OBX, called Kind Confections: Sweets for your Soul. Her treats look spectacular, and I promise that as soon as she starts shipping them, this author will be one of her first customers.

Here is what Sara had to say about her incredible new bakery!

" Kind Confections: Sweets For Your Soul bakery was born from a bake sale.  I had such a great response from my Vegan baked goods I was inspired to make a bigger effort.  One of the recipes I used that day was Nichole’s “Ultimate Whole Wheat Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie” recipe!  You were a part in my inspiration, I must thank you!  Kind Confections is a 100% Vegan bakery.  We never use animal products in anything we bake.  All of our ingredients are cruelty free, with a huge focus on Organic, All-Natural & Non-GMO.  Under that umbrella we also offer Gluten Free and Allergy Free versions of our baked goods.  Our mission is to be Kind to our bodies, our planet and its inhabitants, all the while making delicious Sweets For Your Soul!  As of now we deliver exclusively to the Outer Banks of North Carolina only, but in the future we hope to ship our desserts.  Scope our website/LookBook to learn more at www.KindConfectionsOBX.com and “LIKE” us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kind-Confections/312953742057806 If you have any questions or just want to say “Hi!” please email me at Sara@KindConfectionsOBX.com" 

Thanks Sara! We're honored to have you as a reader!