Chocolate Fudge Snack Cake

A slice of this cake makes the perfect snack with a cup of tea or coffee!

Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour; set aside.

Lightly spoon 1 cup all-purpose flour into a measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine the flour in a bowl with 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. salt; set aside.

Place 5 tablespoons vegan butter (such as Earth Balance) in a bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth (note: I used my stand mixer, which made this cake even easier!) Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and beat well. Add 1 and 1/4 cups raw sugar, a quarter-cup at a time, beating between each addition. Continue to beat at medium-high speed for 3 minutes, then add the equivalent of 2 eggs using egg replacer (such as Ener-G), one at a time, beating after each addition.

Make 2/3 cup vegan 'buttermilk' by pouring 2 teaspoons lemon juice into a measuring cup, then filling with plain soy milk (such as Silk) to equal 2/3 cup. Let stand 5 minutes to clabber (sour) the mixture.

With the mixer (or beater) on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and the 'buttermilk', starting and ending with the flour mixture; beat just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - the original recipe said 32 minutes, but I gave mine 35.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. After this, the original recipe said to remove the cake from the pan, and cool completely on the wire rack. I was afraid removal would make the cake fall apart, however, so I let it cool entirely in the pan.

Divide into 9 squares. Each serving is 260 calories. You could also dust the top with 1/2 tsp. powdered sugar, if you like, as a pretty garnish.

Cost:
vegan butter $3.29

Bean, 'Bacon', and 'Blue Cheese' Dip

I couldn't wait to try this combination, since I love both vegan Smart Bacon (from LightLife) and vegan soy blue cheese (from Sunergia)!

The dip is super-easy to prepare. In a blender, combine 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1/4 tsp. dried thyme (use 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, if you prefer), 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1 drained (15-ounce) can of navy beans, and 1 chopped garlic clove; process until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup crumbled vegan blue cheese and 3 vegan bacon slices (previously cooked and crumbled).

2 tablespoons of dip are 80 calories. This is delicious with pita wedges - warm up the pitas for a few minutes in the oven first, and it's even tastier! You could also try the dip smeared over toasted baguette slices.

Cost:
parsley $1.69
canned navy beans $2.19
soy blue cheese $4.49

Caramelized Onions

A slow cooker does all the work for you here, so I almost hesitate to call it cooking, but the end result is delicious.

Peel 4 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia (about 3 pounds total). Place the onions in a slow cooker with 1/2 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance). Cover, set to LOW and cook for 24 hours - yes 24! You could cook them less, but the full 24 hours ensures maximum flavor - although I confess to taking mine out at the 23 hour mark.

Remove the onions with a slotted spoon. They are delicious as an earthy side dish in their own right (alongside stuffed baked potatoes or a hearty bowl of soup, for example), but they are also be great cut up as a pizza topping, chopped and tossed with pasta and herbs, or used in a risotto.

1 onion is 180 calories.



Note: don't throw out the melted 'butter'! Transfer it from the slow cooker to a bowl; cover and chill. Skim the layer of fat from the surface, then use in an variety of ways - drizzled over steamed veggies or as a dipping sauce for bread!

Cost:
Vidalia onions $3.55

Asparagus with Black Pepper, 'Bacon', and 'Goat Cheese' Sauce

To replace the bacon in the original recipe, it's an easy vegan substitute - the Smart Bacon from LightLife. For the goat cheese, however, I was torn between using vegan feta (which I use for crumbly-type goat cheeses) or vegan cream cheese (which works well for creamy goat cheeses), since the original recipe didn't specify. I decided to go with the vegan feta, but you could try it both ways, and see which one you think fits this sauce better!

First, bring 1 gallon (16 cups) of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add 2 pounds trimmed asparagus spears and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels and chill.

Note: don't fret about the large quantity of salt; using so much helps the asparagus stay a nice bright green, but most of it will be rinsed down the drain after cooking.

Just before serving, combine 3/4 cup vegan feta (such as Sunergia) or vegan cream cheese (such as Tofutti) with 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (I like the canola mayo from Spectrum Foods), 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and 2 cooked and crumbled vegan bacon slices. Add 1/4 cup plain soy milk (such as Silk), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Arrange the chilled asparagus on a platter and drizzle with the sauce. Divide into 8 equal servings of 70 calories each.

Cost:
asparagus $6.55
vegan feta $3.69
vegan bacon $3.39
plain soy milk $2.99

Cilantro-Pumpkinseed Sauce

The original recipe suggested serving this easy sauce over chicken - I had mine over the vegan cluck-phrey patties from Food for Life - delicious!

In a blender, combine 3/4 cup cilantro leaves (I gave mine a light chop, but you don't need to), 1/4 cup chopped onion, 2 tablespoons unsalted pumpkinseeds (toast them first, if you like), 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped and seeded jalapeno pepper, 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 peeled garlic cloves (which I also chopped without needing to!), 2 mint sprigs, and 7 ounces of salsa verde; process until well blended.

Note: you can use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkinseeds, although then you'll have to change the recipe title! Salsa verde is sold alongside regular salsa in the supermarket; it's green because it is made with tomatillos instead of tomatoes. It will most likely be vegan, whatever brand you choose, but I recommend a quick skim of the ingredients nonetheless - I saw one brand that used chicken stock!

You'll have 1 and 1/4 cups of sauce - 1 tablespoon is 30 calories.


Cost:
onion $0.36
jalapeno $0.29
mint $1.99
salsa verde $4.69

Orzo with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and 'Goat Cheese'

In place of the goat cheese in the title, crumbled vegan feta (such as Sunergia) works well here. But I was so distracted while cooking that I actually forgot to stir it in! Luckily, I remembered before serving, so sprinkled it on top.

To start, however, cook 16 ounces of orzo according to package directions (I used Whole Foods' house brand). Drain, and toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil; set aside.

Cut 2 medium-sized zucchini into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice them. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add the zucchini and cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 minced garlic clove and continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano (use 1/4 tsp. dried oregano if you prefer), 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/ 4 tsp. black pepper, 1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with garlic and oregano, and 1 (7-ounce) jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained and diced in advance. Cook for 5 minutes.

Note: you'll probably find that the canned diced tomatoes come with garlic, oregano and basil - I assumed that this was what the original recipe had in mind.

Here's where you stir in the 'cheese' - 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese in place of Parmesan (I used the rice vegan mozzarella from Galaxy Foods) and 1/2 cup crumbled vegan feta in place of goat cheese... and here's where I forgot the 'goat cheese'! Doh.

You'll have 6 servings of 1 and 1/3 cups and 430 calories each. If you want this to be a make-ahead dish, assemble it all the way, and then transfer to a 2 and 1/2 quart casserole dish; refrigerate up to a day ahead of time. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes just before serving.

Cost:
orzo $1.99
zucchini $1.87
fresh oregano $2.49
canned diced tomatoes with garlic and oregano $1.19
roasted red bell peppers $2.79
rice vegan mozzarella $
vegan feta $3.69

Spinach, White Bean, and 'Bacon' Salad with Maple-Mustard Dressing

When most people think of vegans, they think of salads. For that reason, on the rare occasion that I venture out to a restaurant, salad is generally all that they have to offer me. My boyfriend and I could only laugh recently, while ordering takeout, that a puny pile of lettuce is what a restaurant deemed suitable for a "salad."

What a shame! Because as you may have noticed on this blog, in nearly two years of recipes, I have only made 24 salads. And when I do, they are not a pitiful clump of lettuce leaves, as in the photo below, but are full of interesting dressings, beans, various vegetables, and vegan protein. Let this be a lesson to restaurants who still can't seem to figure out how to feed a vegan.



To make this hearty vegan salad, combine 1/4 cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute; set aside.

Drain and rinse one (15-ounce) can of Great Northern beans, and place in a microwave safe bowl; microwave for 1 minute and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper, 5 cooked and crumbled vegan bacon slices (such as LightLife) and 2 (7-ounce) packages of fresh baby spinach. Pour the maple syrup dressing and the beans over the salad, and toss to combine.

You'll have 8 side salads of 1 and 3/4 cups and 130 calories each. Or, simply divide the salad in two for 2 entree portions. The salad is best served immediately so the spinach doesn't become soggy.

Note: to make the vegan bacon crisp and easy to crumble, cook for a few minutes longer than package directions - about 6 minutes total, turning halfway through.

Cost:
canned Great Northern beans $1.33
red bell pepper $0.98
vegan bacon $3.39
fresh spinach $5.00