Spring Roll Noodles

This is a great summer pasta salad. Eating fresh with the noodles and veggies still warm is awesome, but if you eat as leftovers, just eat cold straight out of the fridge.

Ingredients:
1-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
8 oz thin noodles, ex soba or vermicelli
16 oz fresh asparagus
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 cucumbers, diced
fresh basil
fresh cilantro
lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 avocado, sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. Trim ends of asparagus by cracking them off. Cut remaining parts in half.
2. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
3. Meanwhile, saute ginger, asparagus, and bell peppers. Once you reach desired tenderness, turn off heat.
4. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. 
5. Add cucumber and noodles to the sauteed vegetables. Stir in basil and cilantro.
6. Squirt with lime juice (either from fresh lime fruit or bottled), and pour soy sauce over the vegetables and noodles. Mix thoroughly.
7. Top with the sliced avocado and green onions.

Notes:

• Serves 4

Ebelskiver (Danish Filled Pancake)

We've been having Aebelskivers for a long, long time. On the theme of making things I loved prior to becoming vegan something I will eat now, I found a vegan Ebelskiver recipe. 

The top photo shows some of the fillings I used this time around: strawberry jam, peanut butter, blueberries, dark chocolate chips, and the pumpkin cream cheese filling from the recipe linked above. I topped with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and soy whip.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp ground flax seed 
3 Tbsp water
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups vanilla almond milk 
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp agave
4 Tbsp vegan butter, melted
1 Tbsp vanilla
cooking spray

Directions:
Making Batter

1. Prepare the flax egg by whisking the ground flax seed in the water and set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
2. Warm your Ebelskivar pan over medium or medium-low heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and lemon juice. Let sit for a few minutes. Whisk again, add the agave, butter, and vanilla, and combine.
5. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the flax egg, whisking to combine.

Making and Cooking the Ebelskivers

1. Spray the pan with cooking spray. If it turns brown, your pan is too hot. Lower the heat if need be.
2. Fill each well half-full with batter.
3. Add 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon of filling to the batter, then fill remaining well with batter. Be quick!
4. Cook until the sides are golden brown and the top is bubbling (like regular pancakes.) It takes a couple minutes.
5. Turn the ebeskivers over using special turning tools, two spoons, two chopsticks, or another device. Cook through. 
6. Remove from pan, cover with toppings, and serve!

Notes:

• Makes about 27 (just shy of 3 servings in my house).
• You need an Ebelskiver pan to make these. 

Chunky Cinnamon Bites with Cream Cheese Icing

I don't recall where I got the recipe I made in 2011, but it was easy and a keeper. I've been working towards making the stuff I love vegan. I've renamed this because, like the first time, it doesn't really hold together well, so you don't need to pull it apart. The bites pull apart, though. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
16 oz refrigerated biscuits 
1/2 cup Earth Balance, melted and divided

4 oz Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp almond milk

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350.
2. Separate biscuit dough into individual biscuits and cut each one into quarters.
3. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a gallon zipper bag. Shake dough quarters in the cinnamon sugar by batches, until coated.
4. Place half the biscuits in a greased 12-cup Bundt pan.
5. Drizzle with half the melted butter (1/4 cup).
6. Top with remaining biscuit quarters, and the remaining melted butter.
7. Top off the unbaked biscuit pile with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.
8. Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden.
9. While letting the cinnamon bites sit for 5 minutes in the bundt pan, make the icing.
10. Icing: Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended. For a more tangy icing, use closer to 1/2 cup powdered sugar. For a sweeter icing, use 3/4 cup or more powdered sugar. 
11. Add 1-2 Tbsp milk as necessary, beating until desired consistency is reached.
12. Invert the bundt pan with cinnamon bites onto a plate. 
13. Drizzle the icing over the warm loaf.

Notes:

• I used Immaculate biscuits, as seen in the photo. 

Vegan Finnish Oven Pancakes

As adults, we often have to change our diets from the foods of our childhood. But those will always be precious to us. When I went vegan, I thought I would not be eating Finnish Oven Pancakes again. I was thrilled to find a vegan pannukakku recipe. It isn't quite the same consistency, but it is close. And the sweetness and flavor is pretty close. I've modified some of it to be more similar to the Finnish Oven Pancakes my mom made and I grew up eating. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup silken tofu (soft)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups vanilla almond milk
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla 
cinnamon-sugar mix 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450^o degrees.
2. Spray a 9 x 13 baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Place tofu, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth.
4. Slowly add milk while the processor is running.
5. Add the flour all at once then pulse a few times to combine.
6. Add melted coconut oil and vanilla. Pulse once more.
7. Pour batter on the baking sheet, being sure it is evenly spread.
8. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.
9. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mix over the top.
10. Serve with maple syrup and your desired toppings.

Notes:

• Makes 4 slices (which is really 2 servings.)

White Bean Zucchini Burgers

Burger season calls for yummy burgers. So many vegetarian and vegan burgers are so easy to make! I love collecting bean burger recipes.

Ingredients:
1 shredded zucchini 
¾ cup prepared white beans 
1 shredded carrot 
2 tbsp flour 
1 tsp garlic powder 
1 tsp onion powder 
dash smoked paprika 
2 burger buns
Burger Toppings (your choice) (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Place shredded zucchini in a colander and gently press out excess liquid. (Leave in the sink to continue to drip.) 
3. In a mixing bowl, mash beans with a fork or potato masher until no whole beans are left. 
4. Add zucchini, carrots, flour, and spices. 
5. Mix together well. 
6. Divide mixture and make 2-4 balls. (Regular burger or sliders.) 
7. Shape into patties using your hands and place on the baking sheet. 
8. Bake 15-30 minutes, or until patties are brown and crisp, flipping halfway. 
9. Serve on a bun with toppings.

Notes:

• Per serving (without toppings): 314 calories, 3.2g fat, 57.9g carbs, 12.5g fiber, 7.0g sugars, 15.3g protein
• Serves 2