Recipes for Delectable Vegan Muffins

Here is a cookbook to treasure and use frequently--150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes, by Camilla V. Saulsbury presents not only delicious and easy to make recipes but the author has done her research. The front of the cookbook contains information preparing muffins in general and helpful details about the  different  vegan ingredients.                             

 A few examples of scrumptious recipes: Jelly Doughnut Muffins, Morning Oatmeal  Muffins (a very nice way to have your oatmeal and a muffin, too), Tropical Fruit Muffins with Coconut Streusel, Fig Date Muffins, Pineapple Lime Muffins, and Raspberry Vanilla Muffins, to name just a few of many perfect recipes.

 Published by Robert Rose, Inc. $19.95.                                                           

Sample recipe:

Strawberry Yogurt Muffins (page 50)

Makes 12 muffins

At the height of summer, you can't have too many strawberries. Here, they are enveloped in golden muffins. The slightly tangy, not-too-sweet batter is a breeze to mix up.

•    Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

•    Blender

•    12-cup muffin pan, greased

2⁄3 cup   vegan granulated sugar or    150 mL

     evaporated cane juice, divided

1 cup     all-purpose flour  250 mL

1⁄2 cup   whole wheat pastry flour     125 mL

1 tsp     baking powder 5 mL

1⁄2 tsp   salt 2 mL

1⁄4 tsp   baking soda   1 mL

11⁄4 cups halved strawberries 300 mL

1⁄3 cup   vegetable oil 75 mL

1⁄3 cup   vanilla-flavored soy yogurt  75 mL

1 tsp     vanilla extract    5 mL

1.   Set aside 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

2.   In blender, process strawberries, oil, yogurt and vanilla until blended and smooth.

3.   Add the strawberry mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.

4.   Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved sugar.

5.   Bake in preheated oven for 19 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.

 

Tip: Although they are somewhat harder to find, almond milk yogurt or rice milk yogurt may be used in place of the soy yogurt.

Excerpted from 150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury © Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Strawberry Delights; Sweet and Savory

http://www.californiastrawberries.com/

Take a look at the above site to find out not only about strawberries from California, but a simply terrific cookbook that will have you whipping up strawberry concoctions and quite delightfully unexpected dishes. For instance:

Moroccan Spiced Strawberry Jam, Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Ginger Salsa,

Thai Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Strawberries, Strawberry Lassi, and of course, Classic Strawberry Shortcake

 

Ad tips on how to freeze whole strawberries. A very usable, helpful, and nice to look at cookbook.

 

Dreaming in Vegan

  There's so much more to Thanksgiving than turkey. If you have been thinking about dipping your fork just a little into the vegetarian and even vegan lifestyle, you can't do much better than starting with The Conscious Cook  by Tal Ronnen. (William Morrow, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) The cookbook promises to bring you "Delicious meatless recipes that will change the way you eat," and it does. Chef Tal Ronnen admits to being a former meat-lover--steak, pastrami, veal scaloppini, spicy sausage. He became a vegetarian and then a vegan and was determined to create delicious and satisfying meat-free dishes that were as mouth-watering as those he had as a meat eater. His success is your reward. Here are a few ideas from the cookbook--perfect for Thanksgiving and any other time you want to cook consciously: Aritichoke Ricotta Tortellini with Saffron Cream Sauce,

Beet and Orange Autumn Salad, Green Beans with Fresh Cranberries,  Split Pea Soup with Tempeh Bacon and Chipotle Cream, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Oven-Roasted Banana Rum Cheesecake

Chef Ronnen also makes use of some pre-packaged vegetarian entree options, such as Gardein's  chicken-style strips and beef-style strips. (Gardein offers a limited edition Savory Stuffed Turk'y that would make a delicious entree for Thanksgiving or other feast. http://www.gardein.com/  Please see our Gardein review earlier). This allows for the cook to be creative but save some time, without sacrificing nutrition,or taste.

We aren't preaching vegetarianism or vegan choices. These are personal decisions. But when you can choose an alternative, even just once in a while, that tastes as delicious or better than meat, why not give it try? It might feel better to eat food you would be comfortable preparing from its very beginning to the table.
http://www.talronnen.com/ 

More (Smart) Power to you

Cuisinart’s SmartPower Deluxe 600-Watt Blender is sleek, powerful and up to any food chopping, crushing or grating challenge that will help bring out the Master Chef in you.


With just five buttons you can blend ingredients for a Creamy Dill Salad dressing, puree the cinnamon, cream and pumpkin for Pumpkin Bread pudding, or mix eggs basil, peppers and carrots for Frittata Primavera. The ice crush setting enables you to prepare fabulous drinks like Fresh Fruit Smoothies, Frozen Rum Punch or Frozen Mudslide or Café au Lait “Shake.” Recipes for these and more tasty beverages and dishes are included in the manual. Using just five buttons and two speeds—low or high—you can blend, chop, crush, or liquefy until you run out of ideas or ingredients.

The sturdy stainless steel housing has all the features – and all the blending power – serious cooks need. The patented stainless steel blade, large borosilicate glass jar, and Pulse at High or Low speeds will help you conquer te kitchen like a pro.

Cuisinart—the Art of Cuisine

http://www.cuisinart.com/products/blenders/spb-600.html

Definitely Not Plain Vanilla

When mixing any ingredients you want to use the best so the result will be the best. Think of how often you use Pure Vanilla Extract. Now think of the purest, most fragrant and flavorful Vanilla. If you are thinking Nielsen- Massey Vanilla, you are on the right path.

Nielsen -Massey was founded in 1907 and quickly became Vanilla experts and trusted purveyors of the many forms of this at-once exotic and familiar aroma and taste. Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar. Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste, Rose Water, Orange Blossom Water, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract. Pure Almond Extract. Tahitian Gourmet Vanilla Beans. Pure Chocolate Extract. Pure Coffee Extract.

Think of the delights that can be conjured using these fragrant flavors! Just remember to add the flavors at the end of the cooking process or cream them with the butter to protect the delicate essence of the flavorings.

Worth a read is A Century of Flavor, Nielsen Massey Vanillas. This is a company history and cookbook you’ll want to have for the photos and text, as well as for the tantalizing recipes.

http://www.nielsenmassey.com/