Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I tweaked a recipe today to make these vegan.  And they turned out great!

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 1/3 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 flax "eggs" (2 T. flax meal + 6 T. water)
2 t. vanilla
4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
12 oz. vegan chocolate chips

Mix up flax "eggs" in bowl and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream shortening and sugars.  Add flax "eggs" and vanilla and mix.  Add 1 c. of flour, baking soda, and salt and mix.  Then add second cup of flour and mix.  Then mix third and fourth cups of flour.  Can add 1-2 Tbsp of water if needed if dough becomes too dry.  Finally, mix in chocolate chips.

Drop 1" balls of dough onto cookie sheets.  Bake 10-12 minutes, until cookies are just barely turning golden.  Cool on racks.  Enjoy!!

Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread

This dessert isn't vegan or gluten-free but it looked so good I couldn't pass it up!

APPLE PIE PULL-APART BREAD

1 tube Pillsbury Grands Flaky biscuits
1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced
Cinnamon sugar (1/3 c. sugar, 1 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. nutmeg)


Spray bottom and sides of bread pan with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350.   Toss apples in cinnamon sugar.

Slice each biscuit in half lengthwise so you have 16 rounds.  Coat each biscuits with cinnamon sugar.

Layer biscuits, alternating with apples slices, in bread pan staring and ending with a biscuit.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.




***The biscuits turned out kind of doughy and this recipe needs more apples.  Try doubling the amount of apples and doing more pans so biscuits aren't so squished together.***

Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

We had family dinner this week on Saturday because of some family that is in town visiting.  This week's recipes turned out SO GOOD!  Everyone loved it and was raving about it.  This will definitely be a repeated dinner!

VEGAN SLOW COOKER CHILI

1 (28 oz) diced tomatoes

1 (14 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) corn, drained and rinsed

2 c. vegetable broth

2 t. garlic powder

2 t. onion powder

2 t. cumin

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

2 t. chili powder

1 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
1 (12 oz) Lightlife Smart Ground Veggie Protein Cumbles

Combine all ingredients in 6 qt. slow cooker.  Cook 6-8 hours on low, or 4-6 hours on high.  

Serve with: tortilla chips, avacado, cheese and sour cream (dairy or vegan depending on your preferences)

It was so good that I forgot to take any pictures until it was almost too late and everyone was almost done eating!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

I saw this recipe posted on Facebook earlier this week.  I had to do some substitutions to make it vegan and I think it turned out pretty darn good!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

2 spaghetti squash - halved lengthwise, seeds removed
2 T. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic (or 2 t. chopped garlic from jar)
2 t. dried basil
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 15 oz pkg. extra firm tofu
4 t. corn starch
2 t. baking powder
1 c. dairy-free mozzarella cheese
3 T. dried parsley
1/2 t. salt
6 T. bread crumbs


Preheat oven to 400.

Coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Place squash, cut side down, in dish.  Bake 30-45 minutes, until fork-tender.  While squash is cooking, drain and press tofu between several sheets of paper towels.

With fork scrape squash strands into a large bowl.

Respray baking dish with cooking spray and set aside for later.  Warm oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and basil.  Cook until onion is soft.

Add tomatoes and cook until mixtures is dry.

While tomato and onion mixture is cooking, crumble tofu into a separate bowl and mix with cornstarch and baking powder.

To squash add tofu, cheese, parsley, salt, and onion/tomato mixture.

Pour into greased baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake 30 minutes.