Iced Lemon Drop Cookies

Iced Lemon Drop Cookies

These are not like any ordinary lemon cookie.  They came out so perfectly and actually tasted like little cakes.  I kept them in the fridge and they were cool and refreshing.  They freeze well also.  Easy to make and delicious, even without the icing!!  Enjoy!

  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 t lemon juice
  • 1/3 c nondairy milk
  • 1/2 c vegan butter
  • 1 3/4 c flour
  • 3/4 c sugar
  • 1 T ground flax mixed with 2 T water
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/4 t salt
  • for the icing
  • 1 t lemon juice
  • 1 T nondairy milk
  • 3/4 c powdered sugar
  • shredded coconut – optional

Preheat to 350.  Stir 2 t lemon juice into milk and let sit 5 minutes.  Beat vegan butter. Add half the flour, sugar, flax with water, baking powder, baking soda, zest and milk mixture.  Beat until well combined.  Beat in remaining flour.  Drop teaspoon size balls onto lightly oiled baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Let cool.

For the icing – combine lemon juice, milk and sugar.  Spoon onto cooled cookies.  Sprinkle shredded coconut over top if desired.

Creamy Cucumber Noodles

Creamy Cucumber Noodles

I love pasta and the creamier the better!  However, I don’t love carbs.  So I decided to try to make a creamy, delicious pasta out of the cucumbers from my garden, and I can’t believe how wonderfully it came out!  It is so simple to make, just as satisfying as “real” pasta, and very nutritious!  You’ve really got to try this!

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/4 t sugar
  • 2 T white wine vinegar
  • 1 T earth balance spread
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1/4 t dried dill
  • 1/4 c cashew cream (see below)

Peel the cukes, slice them lengthwise, and remove the seeds with a spoon.  Then, using a vegetable peeler, peel them so that you create paper thin slices.  In a large bowl, combine the salt, sugar and vinegar.  Add the “noodles,”  toss gently and let marinate for 20 minutes.  In the meantime, melt the earth balance in a skillet and then add the shallot and cook on medium high for 5 minutes.  Drain the noodles and add to the pan. Decrease the heat to low and stir with a wooden spoon.  After a few minutes, add the dill and the cashew cream and cook another few minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Cashew cream – place 1/4 cup cashews in a blender and just cover with water.  Blend well and keep adding water 1 T at a time if needed to get the consistency of heavy cream.  If your blender is not the best quality, like a vitamix, you may want to soak the cashews overnight first.

Summer Fruit Infusion

Summer Fruit Infusion

What better way to enjoy ripe, delicious summer fruit?  I think I will be eating this every day this summer…

Summer Fruit Infusion

  • 3/4 c water
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1 T agave
  • 4 plums, halved
  • 4 nectarines, quartered
  • 1/2 t dried lavender buds
  • 1/2 t lemon zest
  • 1/2 t vanilla

Put water, sugar, agave, lavender, zest and vanilla in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar.  Strain to remove the lavender buds, putting the liquid back in the pan.  Lower heat to simmer and carefully add the nectarines.  Partially cover and let cook for 5 minutes.  Add the plums, partially cover, and cook 5 minutes more.  Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes to thicken.

While it is perfect just as is, why not pour over your favorite dairy-free ice cream?  I used kov caramel colada (got it at Whole Foods) and it was fantastic!!

Feel free to substitute any fruit you have on hand – it would be just as delicious with peaches, apricots, and even berries!

English Sticky Toffee Pudding with Chocolate Cream

English Sticky Toffee Pudding

I just got back from the UK and after all the wonderful vegan meals I ate there, it is an amazing meal at a place called Tibits that really stands out.  Tibits is a vegetarian buffet, but I’d guess about 80% of the items are vegan.  Everything was so delicious.  I wish so much we had Tibits here in the US!  Although all the food was great, it was the dessert that we all loved so much. I had never had English Sticky Toffee Pudding before, and boy was I missing out!  What an incredible dessert!  Of course, once I got home, I googled and tried to find the Tibits recipe online.  It seems that Tibits is coming out with a cookbook this October, but in the meantime, I had to try a different recipe.  Well, it was fantastic and very easy to make.  I could not find, however, a recipe for the chocolate cream that Tibits served with it, but I recreated it and the recipe is here.  I do plan to get back to the UK again soon, but am so happy to know that until then, I can enjoy sticky toffee pudding anytime!!!  YUM!!!

Click here for the sticky toffee pudding recipe from ieatreees, a great vegan blog.  The only change I made was that I added all of the sauce at once on top of the pudding.

Chocolate Cream

  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1  t vanilla
  • 1/2 c melted chocolate

Put the can of coconut milk in the fridge for about an hour.  Punch holes in the bottom of the can and drain out the liquid.  Open the can and put the remaining thick coconut milk into a chilled bowl.  Beat until peaks form.  Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until thick.  Fold in the melted chocolate.  Spoon over the pudding.  Enjoy!!

Creamy Crispy Chick’n

Creamy Crispy Chicken

Back in college, my friends and I used to make a Potato Chip Chicken dish that was delicious and easy to make.  However, aside from being carnivorous, it was loaded with fat from butter and lots of chips.  I decided to veganize it and of course, in doing so, made it so much healthier!  It came out perfectly – and really is both creamy and crispy at the same time.  It took hardly any time to get in the oven and was enjoyed by the whole family.  This recipe serves 8,  so you may want to cut it in half.  And a shout out to Gardein – I don’t know how you do it – but your products are amazing!!!!!

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix together mock sour cream, yeast, garlic powder and salt.

In another bowl, combine crumbs and chips.

Take Gardein chick’n right from the freezer and coat on both sides with the sour cream mix.  It may be a little messy, but it is easiest just to use your hands and hey – no salmonella to worry about!!  Then dip each piece in the crumb mixture and press down so nicely coated on each side.

Place in a 9×13” pan sprayed with cooking spray and then spray the top of each piece with cooking spray.

Bake for 40 minutes.