Peachy Overnight Oats (vegan and gluten-free)

Recipe from Caitlin Shoemaker of From My Bowl
Tested (and adapted a bit) in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 3 servings

When it’s just too hot to cook and the peaches are especially lovely and perfectly ripe, make this easy and luscious breakfast to cool you off.

2 ripe peaches, pitted and chopped into bite-sized pieces, divided
2 cups non-dairy milk (I used soy milk.) 
1 Tablespoon grade A maple syrup, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon 
Pinch of flakey sea salt
1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free, if necessary
½ cup quick cooking oats
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
¼ cup non-dairy yogurt (I used Cocojune coconut yogurt.)

Instructions
Prep: Quarter one peach and finely dice the other. Add the quartered peach to a high-speed blender along with the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Blend on high for 45-60 seconds, until the peaches are finely blended into the milk.
Mix: Add the oats, chia seeds, and yogurt to a large bowl. Pour the peach milk into the bowl, then stir until everything is combined. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, to allow the oats and chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid. 
Store: transfer the oats to 2-3 jars or other containers.  Add the diced peaches on top of each jar of oats.  Cover and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. 
In the morning, remove the top from the jar and stir in the peaches. Add more milk to the mix if you like it more loose. 
These will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Lime and Mint Overnight Oats

Recipe from Julia Maiten

Adapted and tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 2 servings

What a refreshing, summery breakfast this makes!  One of my absolute favorite overnight oats recipes comes from Julia Maiten.  It’s Orange Spiced Overnight Oats.  I make it all the time.  This is basically the same recipe, but instead of oranges and the spices, this one uses fresh lime juice and zest plus the addition of fresh mint. You can top this one off with your favorite fruits and berries.  I had some ripe plums ready to go plus some grapes.  This was a delicious breakfast.

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

½ cup quick cooking oats

2 Tablespoons chia seeds

Zest from 1 lime

Juice from 1 lime

1½ cups soy milk

½ cup thick soy yogurt (I used Cocojune Coconut Yogurt, but I also like Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt.)

pinch of salt 

2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup 

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.  Chill in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, scoop out a portion and add the toppings.

Optional Toppings: fresh mint, blueberries, flakey salt

Other Toppings: tahini, grapes and fresh mint

Silken Tofu Bagels (Vegan)

Recipe by https://mrsslimonplants.com/ 
Makes 4 bagels
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

I first learned how to make bagels from Julia Child’s Baking with Julia cookbook and tv series.  They were absolutely fantastic!  However, they were a joy and a pain to make.  If you like baking, you understand the joy part.  The pain was that it took quite a while to make them and there was always a mess to clean up. I was scrolling and this recipe popped up.  I watched the video and saw how easy they were to make.  I had the ingredients and gave it a go.  It took me 45 minutes from start to finish.  They came out nicely.  While they don’t have the complex flavors of Julia’s bagels, they are good enough for me to make when I’m hankering for a quick homemade sandwich bread.

For the dough: (I would highly recommend using a kitchen scale for measuring the flour and tofu.)
300g all-purpose flour (~2 cups / 10.6 oz)
290g soft silken tofu (~1 ¼ cups / 10.2 oz)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon water (only if needed)

For boiling:
4 cups water
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons barley malt syrup or brown rice syrup (The original recipe calls for corn syrup.)

For topping:
2 Tablespoons soy milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (or topping of choice)

Directions
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, mash the silken tofu until smooth. Add it to the dry ingredients and gently knead with your hands until a dough forms. If the dough feels dry, add about 1 tablespoon of water to help bring it together.
Let the dough rest for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Lightly flour a clean surface and knead the dough briefly until smooth. Divide into 4
equal portions and shape each into a ball. Use your finger to create a hole in the center and gently stretch into a bagel shape.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add baking soda and syrup. Boil each bagel for about
30 seconds per side, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray.
Mix soy milk with maple syrup and brush over each bagel (this helps create a golden finish).
Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning or other favorite topping. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the bagels cool completely before slicing.

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Vegan)

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from PlantYou 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

These baked oats are sooooo delicious.  Make a batch tonight so that you’ll have a great breakfast to look forward to all week.  I serve mine topped with Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt and whatever fruit/berries are in season.  

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

¾ cup oat flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ cups grated carrot

2 cups unsweetened cashew milk or other plant milk (I use soy milk.)

½ cup unsweetened vegan yogurt 

⅓ cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup crushed walnuts or pecans plus more for topping, if desired

Cashew Cream Cheese Icing (Optional) I just topped mine with plain yogurt each morning.

1 cup cashews unsalted

1 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt

½  lemon, zested and juiced

¼  cup maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F and grease or line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper.

Add all of the dry ingredients apart from the walnuts to the baking dish, including the oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Mix. Then add the wet ingredients, including the carrot, yogurt, maple syrup, plant milk and vanilla. Stir until fully combined.

Top with crushed walnuts if desired, and place in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes until cooked through.

While the baked oatmeal cooks, you can make the optional cashew cream cheese icing by adding all listed ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Combine until smooth, and ice the top of the oatmeal once cooled. Store the oatmeal in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

If you don't have oat flour, you make your own in a food processor or coffee grinder. Simply grind some oats until you get a fine flour.

For a nut-free version, you can use sunflower or pumpkin seeds. As for the frosting, you can blend up some plain tofu instead of the cashews.

It's possible to make a similar baked oatmeal dish using zucchini. Bear in mind, zucchini has a higher water content, so you will need to squeeze the moisture out before adding zucchini into the pan. 

Nutrition

Calories: 353.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.1g | Protein: 9.7g | Fat: 13.4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.3g | Sodium: 190.8mg | Potassium: 392.2mg | Fiber: 5.3g | Sugar: 19.3g | Vitamin A: 4014.7IU | Vitamin C: 14.3mg | Calcium: 243.9mg | Iron: 2.8mg

Basic Delicious Tofu Scramble

Recipe from Alice’s Kitchen
Makes about 3 servings (335 g  or 11 oz. each) 

There are loads of scrambled tofu recipes out there, but when I want to make a simple, quick, and tasty version on food prep day, this is the one I go with. It’s quite nutritious and filling.  Serve it just like you might with scrambled eggs.  I like mine on toast or a tortilla spread with hummus, greens and topped with a fresh tomato.  

1 Tablespoon olive oil or vegan butter
16 oz. super firm tofu, patted dry and crumbled 
1 teaspoon onion powder 
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
Kosher salt, to taste 
Freshly ground pepper, to taste 
½ cup unsweetened soy milk or more (other unsweetened plant based milk will do too)
2-3 cups or a large handful of baby kale or baby spinach (optional)

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium high.  Add the olive oil.  Add the crumbled tofu.  Sprinkle with the onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Stir to coat the tofu with the spices.  Allow the tofu to sit a minute so that it begins to get a tiny touch browned.  Stir it around to cook for a few minutes more.  Add the milk, stir and allow to cook for a few more minutes until the milk is absorbed.  Add the greens and stir just until they wilt and turn bright green.  Serve.

*Tofu scramble is a good dish to make on food prep day.  Just make a batch or two and store in an airtight container in the fridge.  Then, just scoop out what you need and zap it in the microwave to reheat.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 3 servings) 139 calories; 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat); 6 g carbohydrates; 15 g protein; 25 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1 g sugars; 2 g fiber; 7 mg vitamin C; 234 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 135 mg potassium; 87% DV vitamin A; 23% DV vitamin K; 19% DV vitamin B12

Creamy Chickpea Italian Dressing (vegan; gluten free; dairy free; oil free)

Here we have a SCRUMPTIOUS green salad
 drizzled with Creamy Chickpea Italian Dressing.
In the bowl:  baby lettuce;
sprouts; cucumbers (marinated with rice vinegar, kosher salt & pepper);
steamed broccoli; steamed green beans; fresh mint;
and Lemon Pepper Tofu (with chickpeas). 

Recipe from Forks Over Knives
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes about 1¼ cups

Who knew you could use beans to make a creamy dressing?  This dressing is quite yummy on a simple green salad.  It will bump up the protein and fiber of any salad.  Having no oil is a bonus!  Make a double batch on prep day to drizzle on your favorite salads through the week.

½ cup cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup unsweetened plant based milk (I used soy milk.)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Chill in the fridge.  Drizzle over any green salad.

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal (Vegan, gluten-free, nut free option)

Recipe from fitgreenmind (Instagram) 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 6 generous servings

This scrumptious breakfast can be made in a jiffy using only the baking dish, so easy clean-up. Using spotty bananas will make the baked oatmeal especially sweet.  Serve this with a dollop of vegan yogurt and some fresh seasonal fruit for a lovely, tasty breakfast.

2 large ripe bananas, mash (The spottier the bananas, the sweeter the final result.)
1 1/3 cup (330ml) plant milk (I used unsweetened soy milk to bump up the protein.)
1/4 cup (60g) nut or seed butter (I used almond butter.)
4 Tablespoon maple syrup (You can also use agave syrup.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (200g) old fashioned oatmeal (To make this gluten free, use gluten free oats.)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ -1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Optional: ½ banana, sliced for decoration

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Use a baking dish.  (I used a 1½ quart 8” X 10” Corningware baking dish.) With a fork, mash the two large very ripe bananas right in the dish.  Stir in the nut/seed butter, the maple syrup, and the vanilla until well combined.  Slowly add the plant milk.  Stir until well combined.  
Add the oats, baking powder and the chocolate chips and stir well until everything is well incorporated. Decorate with some banana slices, if using.
Bake at 200C/400F for 30-35min and let it cool a few minutes before serving or storing.  Store in the refrigerator or the freezer.  

Orange Spiced Overnight Oats

Recipe from Julia Maiten
Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 generous servings

I’m loving Julia Maiten’s recipes.  This one is especially nice with fragrant hints of orange, fennel and cardamom.  The recipe makes a large batch* that can be stored in the fridge and portioned out in the morning and topped with all sorts of fruits, berries and/or nuts and seeds. Julia is in her early 20’s and a runner.  Her recipe states that this makes 2 portions*, but since I’m well past my 20’s and I prefer walking, this makes breakfast for me for several days. 

1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 pods of cardamom
1 cup (110g) rolled oats
½ cup (55g) quick-cooking oats
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of Kosher or sea salt
Zest from 1 orange
Juice from 1 orange 
1½ cups (375ml) soy milk
14 oz. (400g) plant based yogurt (I used Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt.)
Maple syrup, to taste

Topping Ideas: fresh or dried apricots, fresh or frozen blueberries, toasted macadamias or walnuts, flakey sea salt, extra plant-based milk, fresh chopped apple, maple syrup, sliced banana

Directions: Add the fennel seeds and shelled cardamom seeds into a small dry skillet and toast until fragrant. 
Grind using a mortar & pestle or spice grinder.
Into a large bowl, add the spices along with the remaining ingredients and mix well. 
Allow to chill for at least 1 hour.  
When ready to serve, portion out into bowls and add toppings as desired.

Lemon Poppy Seed Baked Oatmeal (Vegan)

Recipe from Vegan Richa 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

If you enjoy lemon and poppy seed muffins, you will like this Lemon Poppy Seed Baked Oatmeal breakfast.  The recipe is perfect for food prep day at your house. Once cooled, the servings can be placed in a container and refrigerated or kept frozen. I popped mine in the microwave, served it with some Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt and frozen blueberries that I heated up a bit.  To save time later, buy a bag of lemons on sale and then zest and juice them all at once.  Put the zest and lemon juice (separately) in an ice cube tray and freeze.  Once frozen, pop them out and place them in airtight containers in the freezer. Thaw when ready to use in recipes like this or when you wish to make salad dressings, sauces or soups.  

1 cup non-dairy milk such as almond, oat, soy or light coconut (I used unsweetened soy milk.)

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1½ cups old fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons chia seeds

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

1 Tablespoon shredded coconut

¼ cup applesauce or mashed banana

3 Tablespoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon vanilla extract 

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a medium bowl, measure in the milk and the lemon juice.  Stir a bit and then set aside to “curdle” like buttermilk.  

In a large bowl, add the oats, baking powder, salt, chia seeds, poppy seeds and coconut and mix well.  

Add the applesauce, the maple syrup and vanilla to the milk/lemon juice mixture. Stir well and then add that to the dry ingredients.  

Allow the batter to set for about 10 minutes so that the oats absorb the liquid.  

Pour the batter into a 8” X 8”, 9” X 9”, 7” X 11” or similar baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking oil or lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350F (180C) for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden on the edges. Let it cool on a rack for 10 minutes.   

Slice and serve with maple syrup or whipped coconut cream or yogurt and fruits or berries. You can also top with some nuts or seeds of choice.  

Nutrition: (1 of 6 servings) 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 71mg |Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 138mg |Iron: 2mg

Note: If you wish, the author said that you can double the ingredients. If you suspect the mixture has too much liquid, add a few tablespoons more rolled oats. Bake in a 9 by 13-inch pan for 40 to 45 mins.

Savory, Southern-Style Vegan Cornbread

Recipe from My Quiet Kitchen  
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 10 servings

This southern-style vegan cornbread is buttery and salty and celebrates the texture and flavor of stone ground cornmeal. Delicious served with beans and greens, soup, chili, or simply with a pat of vegan butter. 

Ingredients 
2½ cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal (medium grind)
1 cup gluten-free or regular all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1¾-2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 cups unsweetened, unflavored soy milk
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
5 Tablespoons vegan butter, divided
3 Tablespoons maple syrup or agave
3 Tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral oil (I used canola.)
1 cup thawed frozen corn (roasted is especially nice) or fresh corn kernels (optional)

Instructions
Place a 12-inch cast iron pan in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
Make "vegan buttermilk" by combining the milk and vinegar in a medium-size bowl. Set aside. Place 4 tablespoons of the butter in a mug or small bowl. Microwave for about 15 seconds or until just melted.
Add the melted butter, maple syrup, and oil to the buttermilk, and whisk to combine. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and whisk or stir just until there is no visible dry flour. The batter will look a bit lumpy. 
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the extra tablespoon of butter. Again, carefully (remember to put on your oven mitt before grabbing the handle) tilt the pan to swirl the butter around so it coats the bottom. Immediately pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes. Use a toothpick or knife inserted in the center to test for crumbs/doneness.
Let the cornbread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing.
Store cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutrition (1 of 10 servings) Calories: 250kcal; Carbohydrates: 33g; Protein: 4.5g; Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 2.5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 555mg; Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 3g

Crispy Herbed Tofu

Recipe from Catherine Perez of Plant-Based RD 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

These crispy herbed tofu cutlets offer all the savory flavor with a satisfying crunch.  This is a protein packed main perfect for any holiday occasion.  Serve with Vegan Gravy, if you wish.

Olive oil or avocado oil spray for baking

1 (16 oz.) package of super firm tofu, pressed

2 Tablespoons tamari

Juice and zest of ½ lemon

1/3 cup arrowroot powder, cornstarch or all-purpose flour

½ cup soy milk or almond milk, unsweetened

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or dried thyme

6 fresh sage leaves

2-inch sprig of fresh rosemary

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Preheat the oven to 425F. Prepare a quarter sheet pan by brushing with 1-2 Tablespoons of oil to coat the bottom of the pan then set aside.  (I used parchment paper.)

Cut your tofu block into 4 slabs lengthwise. Place the slabs in an airtight container with the tamari and lemon juice. Seal the container and gently shake to coat and set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Set up three shallow bowls. To one bowl add the cornstarch. To the second bowl add the milk and vinegar. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes, add a pinch of salt then whisk together.

Place the thyme, sage, and rosemary on a cutting board then finely mince with a knife. Add the minced herbs to the last bowl along with the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, garlic powder, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Using one hand for wet ingredients and the other for dry ingredients, coat the slab of marinated tofu in cornstarch. Dip the coated tofu into the milk mixture then transfer to the bowl of seasoned breadcrumbs making sure the tofu is completely coated.

Transfer the breaded tofu to the baking tray and spray the tops of the tofu slabs with a little oil. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until golden.

Notes

Do a few tasks ahead of the week to save time. Marinate the tofu and prep the breadcrumb mixture in separate resealable bags a day or two prior to making this dish. This will eliminate some prep time and steps the day you plant to make this.

Save time and use super firm tofu. Super firm tofu is different than extra firm tofu in that it is already pressed. You can often times find vacuum packed, pre-pressed tofu like this in the same section they sell regular watery tubs of tofu.

Feel free to shallow fry. I personally like to bake it, but if you’d like to shallow fry the recipe for a really amazing crunchy texture follow the following instructions. Add enough avocado oil to a high-sided sauté pan so that it comes up 3/4 of an inch up the side of the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat and when hot add the breaded tofu. Cook the tofu for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden in color. Then transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings) 233 calories; 25 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 0 g cholesterol; 5 g vitamin C; 19 g protein; 8 g fat; 1 g sugars; 435 mg sodium; 303 mg calcium

Chocolate Brownie Shake (vegan/plant-based)

Recipe from Getting Healthy with Stasia YouTube Channel
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 2 servings

Part of The Daily Dozen is three servings of beans a day. So, if you’re looking to add more beans to your diet because they have protein, fiber, and antioxidants, here’s a fun and delicious way to include them. I promise, you won’t taste the beans.  They, along with the bananas, will add the creaminess that we all love in a traditional shake.  

½ cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
2 small frozen ripe bananas (The spottier the bananas, the sweeter they are.)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple syrup or 1 pitted date (Optional)
1½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (I use dark cocoa powder.)
1 cup unsweetened plant based milk (I used unsweetened soy milk.)
Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until completely smooth.
Serve cold. 

NOTES: I didn't use any other sweetener other than really ripe bananas.  We thought the shake was just right.  Taste the shake first and then add maple syrup or a date if it’s not sweet to your taste. You can add 1 teaspoon maple syrup or 1 pitted date to make it sweeter.  If the bananas you use are really ripe, you may not need to add any other sweetener.  

Nutrition Facts (1 of 2 servings)
Calories 198
Total Fat 2.4g (Saturated Fat 0.5g)
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 34mg
Total Carbohydrate 40.7g
Dietary Fiber 8.9g
Total Sugars 15g  
Protein 8.1g
Vitamin D 0mcg
Calcium 37mg
Iron 2mg
Potassium 656mg

Vegan Baked Oatmeal Cups (2 Flavors!) Soy Free Nut-Free Gluten Free

Recipe from https://www.youtube.com/c/theconscientiouseater
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Full of whole grains and sweetened naturally with fruit, these two different flavors of Vegan Baked Oatmeal Cups are a healthy and fun way to start your morning! These delicious muffins are freezer friendly too.

Chunky Monkey Cups: (Makes 12) (264 calories; 9.6 g fat; 1 mg cholesterol; 12.4 g fiber; 4 g sugars; 8 g protein)

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1 cup mashed banana
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped***
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips 

Cinnamon Roll Cups: (Makes 12) (314 calories; 7.6 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 16.5 fiber; 18.9 sugars; 7.6 g protein) 

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1 cup unsweetened applesauce 
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 
1/4 cup almond butter***
2 Tablespoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1. Preheat your oven to 350F/180C and grease a standard size muffin pan with cooking spray. Set it aside. (I used muffin cup liners and gave them a quick spray with oil.)

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond milk, fruit puree, ground flaxseed, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until combined. 

3. Next, stir in the old-fashioned rolled oats. For the chunky monkey cups you’ll also fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. 

4. If you’re making the cinnamon roll baked oatmeal cups, prepare the cinnamon swirl in a separate bowl by stirring together the almond butter, coconut sugar and cinnamon until smooth. 

5. Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups. 
******For the cinnamon roll oatmeal cups, fill each muffin cup half way up with the batter before adding a teaspoon of the cinnamon swirl “paste.” Use damp fingers to spread the paste out into an even layer before topping each cup with the remaining oatmeal batter.******

6. Bake the oatmeal cups for about 25 minutes or until set. Allow the cups to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

***To make these cups nut free, omit the walnuts from the chunky monkey cups and use sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter in the cinnamon roll cups! 

Buckwheat & Oats Pancakes (Vegan)

Here you see a double batch, 
I freeze them separated by parchment squares. 
Then, come breakfast time, I pop a couple in the toaster.

Recipe from East Meets Kitchen
Husband-Tested in Alice´s Kitchen
Makes about 8 (4-inch) pancakes

I’ve been on the lookout for a more healthful pancake that tastes great too and this one fits the bill. When I do food prep, I make batches of the dry ingredients and store the dry mix in the fridge.  Then, on another prep day, I add the wet ingredients and make an entire batch of pancakes.  I store the pancakes in the fridge (or the freezer) separating them with parchment paper.  Then, when hunger strikes, I reheat them in the microwave or the toaster.  Because of the dates, the pancakes are already sweet and so there’s no need to drown the pancakes in syrup.  When served up with adzuki beans and fresh fruit (bananas, berries, apples, pears are good choices) they make a very filling breakfast.

½ cup buckwheat groats, ground (You can also use buckwheat flour.)
½ cup oatmeal, ground (You can also use oat flour.)
2 Tablespoons flaxseeds, ground into a meal
2 teaspoons baking powder 
6 soft pitted dates
1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)
1 cup soymilk 
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a high speed blender, blend the groats and oatmeal into a flour. Add the flax meal, the baking powder and the dates.  Blend until the dates are completely ground into the dry mixture.  Set aside.
Add 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup milk to make “buttermilk.” Set aside for 10 minutes to allow it to curdle.  Add the vanilla extract to the “buttermilk.”
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Add the black sesame seeds, if using.  Stir well.  Allow the batter to sit about 10 minutes to thicken before cooking.  Heat a skillet/griddle.  Spray it with a bit of oil.  Add about 1/3 cup batter to the pan.  When the bottom of the pancake browns to your liking, flip the pancake to cook the other side.
Serve with maple syrup, adzuki beans and fresh seasonal fruit or even nut/seed butter, if desired. 

Nutritional Information: (2 pancakes) 195 calories; 4.5 g total fat; 0.7 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 38 mg sodium; 33.6 g carbohydrates; 5.2 g fiber; 11 g sugars; 6.6 g protein; 163 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 573 mg potassium

Chocolate Cherry Cake (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Makes One 9” Cake

Recipe from From My Bowl 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Oh!!  This cake!!!  It was beautiful and so delicious that everyone had a second piece!!  It looks quite fancy, but it was very easy to make.  You can make it a layer cake by doubling the ingredients.  

My friend, Juliet, the birthday girl,
getting ready to make a wish.

Ingredients:

1¼ cup (133 g) quick-cooking oats, blended into a fine flour*
⅓ cup (27 g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 flax “eggs” (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 Tablespoons water)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk*
½ cup (130g) unsalted almond butter
½ cup (75g) coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
(I added 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to the dry ingredients as suggested by one of the reviewers.)
For the Cherry Jam:
2 cups of pitted cherries (fresh or frozen) (I used frozen.)
2 Tablespoon maple syrup or coconut sugar
⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 Tablespoon filtered water
For Serving:
1 cup coconut whipped cream* (I whipped 1 cup of Silk Dairy Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative and then added ¼ cup powdered sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla.) 
Chopped and/or shaved chocolate (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease or spray a 9” cake pan with a neutral cooking oil.
Prepare the Wet Ingredients: Mix the ground flax together with filtered water to create a flax “egg” in a small bowl. Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in the base of a medium bowl – the vinegar will curdle the milk to create a “buttermilk”. Let both mixtures sit for at least 5 minutes, then add the thickened flax egg to the larger bowl with the almond butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts. Whisk until well-combined.
Mix the Dry Ingredients together in a separate, larger bowl. Form a well in the center of the mixture, pour in the wet ingredients, and use a spatula to mix everything together until no clumps remain. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and bake on the middle rack for 20-22 minutes. (If you are baking multiple cakes, bake for 23-25 minutes).
Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before loosening the edges with a butter knife and flipping onto a baking rack to let cool completely.
Make the Cherry Compote: in the meantime, add all of the ingredients of the cherry compote to a large, nonstick pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the cherries cook down for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set the compote aside and let cool completely.
Assemble the Cake: top the cake with a layer of coconut cream, then spoon the cherry compote (and extra liquid) on top. Garnish with chopped and shaved chocolate, if desired. Serve immediately – leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes: The recipe listed above makes one cake. If you would like to create a layered cake, double all of the ingredients (compote and cream included)
Nut Allergies: replace the almond butter with tahini or sunflower butter
Coconut Whipped Cream: If you don’t want to make it yourself you can replace it with store-bought coconut whipped topping or a vanilla frosting of your choice! You can also use a super-thick coconut yogurt for a completely sugar-free option.
Other Substitutions: Almond butter can be replaced with another nut or seed butter and coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar or another granulated sweetener. I do not recommend replacing the soy milk* as other plant milks do not create a good “buttermilk” due to lower protein content. This recipe has not been tested with any other flours.

High Protein Vegan Pancakes

Recipe from Pick Up Limes

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 16 pancakes (4 servings)

Unlike my husband, who loves to eat the exact same breakfast every single day, I like to change it up a bit.  I subscribe to Pick Up Limes YouTube channel and so when this recipe was featured, I decided to try it out to ramp up my breakfast.  Using silken tofu and soy milk help to make these pancakes high in protein.  These were not "light and fluffy" pancakes that you may be used to.  These were more deliciously bread-like and very filling.  To top them, I drizzled some of my Homemade Cashew Yogurt plus a bit of maple syrup over the stack.  I also sprinkled on some Homemade Coconut-Buckwheat Granola and made sure I added frozen blueberries, pumpkin seeds and 1/2 banana, sliced.  I was full until noon!  

Pancakes:

10.5 oz. (300 g) silken soft tofu

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk or pea milk (I used oat milk.)

2 Tablespoons maple syrup or agave syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar or lime juice

3 1/2 cups spelt flour or whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil for the skillet/pan (I used coconut oil spray.)

Optional Toppings:

1 cup plant based yogurt (I used Homemade Cashew Yogurt.)

1 cup fresh berries (I used frozen blueberries.)

1/2 banana, sliced

1/3 cup mixed roasted nuts (I used Homemade Coconut-Buckwheat Granola.)

2 Tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds or hemp seeds

Maple Syrup

To a blender, add the tofu, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice.  Blend until completely smooth.

To a large bowl, add the spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Mix until well combined.

Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients from the blender into it.  Mix until just combined.  If the mixture seems too thick, add a splash of milk to thin it out a touch.

Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat.  Use the vegetable oil to lightly grease the pan as needed.  (I used just a bit of coconut oil spray.) 

Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour/scoop the batter into the pan and cook the pancake for 2 minutes on each side.  Continue until all of the batter is used.

Serve with whatever optional toppings you wish.

If you wish to save some pancakes for another day, cool them completely and store (separately from the toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  The pancakes can be reheated on the stove, in the microwave, the oven or in the toaster.  

Nutritional Information: (4 pancakes)

649 calories; 21 g fat; 5 g saturated fat; 0 g trans fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 94 carbohydrates; 13 g fiber; 21 g sugars; 6 g added sugars; 28 g protein; 613 mg sodium; 8 mg iron; 1002 mg potassium; 465 mg calcium; 208 mg magnesium; 5 mg zinc; 0 mg copper; 4 mg manganese; 705 mg phosphorus; 18 ug selenium; 58 ug RAE vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin B6; 1 ug vitamin B12; 18 mg vitamin C; 2 ug vitamin D; 2 mg vitamin E; 12 ug vitamin K; 60 ug folate; 0 mg thiamin; 0 mg riboflavin; 9 mg niacin; 44 mg choline

Peanut (or Almond) Coated Tofu (vegan)

Recipe from Avant Garde Vegan

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 3-4 servings

This is actually one component of a recipe from Avant Garde Vegan, but it was so darn good that I thought I should make a record of it to use for lots of other dishes. The original recipe did not include any marinating time at all.  It just called for coating the tofu with the sauce and crumbs and baking the tofu right away, but when I prepared this it was in the morning and so I let the sauce covered tofu hang out in the fridge until dinner time, coated it with the nut crumbs and then baked it. And it was delish.  By the way, the husband asked after tasting it, “Is this chicken?”  Ha!  I didn’t think it tasted so much like chicken, but it certainly had a “meaty” quality to it.  Make up a batch and serve it in your favorite Buddha bowl.  I think it would make a mean sandwich when the local tomatoes are ripe.

1 block extra firm tofu

1 Tablespoon peanut butter or almond butter

2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ cup toasted* peanuts or almonds

Tamari or soy sauce, for serving

Drain the tofu and then cut it into 4 slabs.  Place them on one end of a clean towel and fold the other end of the towel over the tofu to cover.  Place a baking sheet on top of the towel-covered tofu and place a heavy pot or book on top of that.  Set aside to dry while you make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the peanut (or almond) butter, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper flakes and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside.  Remove the tofu from the towel and cut the tofu slabs in half so that you now have 8 pieces.  Place the pieces into a shallow dish and pour the sauce over the tofu.  Flip the tofu pieces over to coat all the sides.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Meanwhile, roast the peanuts (or almonds) and process in a blender or food processor until you have fine crumbs.  (Do not over process or you will end up with peanut (or almond) butter!) Place the nut crumbs in a shallow dish. 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Carefully place each piece of sauce-covered tofu into the crumbs and flip to coat all the sides.  Put the crumb-coated tofu pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet.  (The original recipe suggested placing the tofu in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat on the stove top for 2 minutes on each side to lightly color them before baking, but I didn’t follow the directions and they turned out just fine.) Bake for 15 to 25 minutes or so until toasty brown, flipping halfway through the cooking time.  Drizzle with a little tamari before serving.

*To toast the peanuts or almonds: Preheat the oven to 325F.  Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Notes:  You can make this dish even easier on a weeknight if you make a double batch of the peanut/almond crumbs.  Store them in the fridge and then all that needs to be done is prep the tofu and bake.

Slow Cooker Multigrain Cereal

Adapted from The Healthy Slow Cooker

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Making a warm multigrain cereal in a slow cooker is very convenient to prepare breakfast, especially for a busy workweek. Measure the ingredients and place them in the slow cooker before bedtime and when you awake, you’ll have a warm, healthful belly-filling breakfast to get your day off to a great start. Brown rice, wheat berries and millet can be found in the bulk section at Lost River Market & Deli.

You will need a large slow cooker to make this recipe. It needs to be big enough to put a 4-cup glass-measuring cup or glass loaf pan inside.  

In a 4-cup glass-measuring cup, stir together 2 cups of water, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of whole grains (I use ¼ cup millet, 1/8 cup brown basmati rice and 1/8 cup of whole wheat berries) and a pinch of salt.  You can also add a shredded apple, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and ¼ teaspoon of real vanilla.    *You can use ½ cup steel cut oats in place of the grains.

Place the cup inside a large slow cooker.

Pour enough water BETWEEN the glass measuring cup and the inside lining of the slow cooker (see photo) to come to about halfway up the outside of the measuring cup. 

(When I make this, it takes about 4 cups of water for it to come halfway up.)  Doing this will keep the cereal from scorching and will make cleanup a lot easier.

Put the lid on the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to LOW. Go to bed and get a good night's sleep. When I did this, it was 10 p.m. and I woke up at 7 a.m. (From others who have made this, overnight is pretty flexible because the water bath slows everything down. I'd say "overnight" is not less than 6 hours and not more than 9 hours.)  When you wake up refreshed and ready to go, the multigrain cereal will be perfectly cooked. The glass cup will be quite warm, so be sure to use oven mitts to lift it out of the slow cooker.  Put some of your perfectly cooked oats in a bowl and add your favorite embellishments.

Try adding a bit of almond butter, a touch of local honey or real maple syrup, a banana, some pecans, almonds or walnuts and a few dried cranberries or raisins.

My husband adds pumpkin seeds, walnuts, lots of cinnamon, prunes, dried apricots, ground flax seed, plain Greek yogurt, skim milk and to top it all off, he adds berries.

Sprinkling your morning cereal with just 1 Tablespoon of wheat germ will significantly boost your nutrient intake. It contains fiber and vitamin E, along with a wide range of minerals.  It also contains healthy omega-3 fats.

If you have cooked multigrain cereal left over, you can put it in an airtight container and chill it in the fridge, and then you can just zap them in the microwave the next day.