Mini Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

What You Need

2 cups of whole wheat flour

3/4 cups white granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup plain soy milk or almond milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups (4 lg) very ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 canola or extra light olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2-1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

What You Do

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a 5x9 loaf pan and set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soy milk and cider vinegar. Let stand for 2 minutes.

4. Add the mashed banana, canola oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract, whisking until well combined.

5. Add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips if using and pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

6. Bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.

7. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.

Gluten-Free Vegan Raspberry Lemonade Cake

I was asked by a co-worker to make a cake for his wife's birthday and the following recipe is my "test" version. I have to be honest (as you're about to read), I didn't make it from scratch due to a time crunch but it still turned out pretty well. Please note that if you plan to make this, it is a slightly heavier cake.

Lemon Cake

What You Need:

2 boxes of Cherrybrook Kitchen gluten-free yellow cake mix http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com/products/gf_yellowcake.php

2 boxes of Jello sugar free, fat free lemon pudding (only use one box for a lighter cake)

Pure lemon extract or lemon juice for additional flavor (your preference) 

What You Do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix cake mix according to directions on box, adding lemon pudding and lemon extract/juice until desired flavor is reached.

Raspberry Frosting

What You Need:

Confectioners (powdered) sugar

Butter-flavor Crisco vegetable shortening

Fresh Raspberries

Soy milk

Raspberry Extract for additional flavoring (optional)

What You Do:

There are no specific measurements. I just start with a little bit of each ingredient and mix until I reach my desired texture and flavor (you want the frosting to be a little stiff).

Snickerdoodle Cookies

What You Need

Cookie Dough
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick (4 oz) vegan margarine or butter-flavor Crisco, softened
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup vanilla soymilk or creamer
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbs ground cinnamon


What You Do

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray

~ Whisk together flour, cornstarch and baking powder in a medium bowl.

~ In a mixer, beat margarine until soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy.

~ Beat in soy milk/creamer and vanilla extract  for 30 seconds or until smooth.

~ Add dry mixture and beat another 30 seconds or until smooth.

~ Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in the topping mixture.

~ Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies look slightly dry on top. Cool on wire rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

What You Need

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4-6 tablespoons applesauce or other puree
1/4-1/3 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup egg substitute    
1 teaspoon vanilla extract    
chocolate chips, as desired

What You Do

~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips, Mix well.  

~ In a separate bowl, mix together all wet ingredients (puree, pumpkin, egg substitute, and vanilla extract). Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir until completely blended. 

~ Then, fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin tins or cups. Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes (until they appear done and feel firm). For best results, enjoy while they are still warm and the chips are still melty!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

What You Need

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup fat-free milk*

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg lightly beaten, or 2 egg whites*

What You Do

~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cases. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, oil and egg(s), blending well. Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients until the dry ingredients are just moist. Fill muffin cases evenly and bake for 22-25 minutes.

* These ingredients can be substituted with soy milk and applesauce (or other egg replacer) to make a vegan muffin

Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Muffins

What You Need

Pumpkin Muffin Batter

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

15 oz can pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate Muffin Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

What You Do

~ Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

~ Place the pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of your mixer and mix on medium until smooth, then turn your mixer to low and mix in the flour until just combined.  Then place the mixture into a large bowl.

~ Clean the mixer bowl and then place the sugar, eggs, baking poweder, vanilla, milk and butter into the bowl.  Mix on medium/low until smooth.  Then turn the mixer to low and mix in the flour and cocoa powder.

Pumpkin Muffins

What You Need

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces)

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup golden raisins (optional)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

What You Do

~ Preheat oven to 400°

~ Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in raisins; make a well in center of mixture. Combine brown sugar, canned pumpkin, buttermilk, canola oil, molasses, vanilla extract, and eggs, stirring well with a whisk. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.

~ Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Ice Cream

What You Need

2 cups Silk creamer

2 cups Silk soy milk

¾ -1 cup sugar

1 pkg of lemon-flavored instant pudding mix

What You Do

~ Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and prepare as directed.

~ Ice cream will be slightly soft. Serve immediately. For a firmer ice cream, transfer to a plastic container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.

Banana Ice Cream

What You Need

2 cups Silk creamer

2 cups Silk soy milk

¾ -1 cup sugar

2 bananas, sliced (or 3 if you want a strong flavor)

What You Do

~ Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and prepare as directed.

~ Ice cream will be slightly soft. Serve immediately. For a firmer ice cream, transfer to a plastic container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.

Mocha Almond Ice Cream

What You Need

2 cups Silk creamer

2 cups Silk soy milk (or almond milk)

¾ -1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1-2 tablespoons coffee extract or ½ cup cold coffee or ½ cup instant coffee grounds

½ cup slivered almonds

What You Do

~ Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and prepare as directed.

~ Ice cream will be slightly soft. Serve immediately. For a firmer ice cream, transfer to a plastic container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.

Very Vanilla Ice Cream

Yesterday, my husband and I hosted the annual Keck (my maternal grandmother's family) reunion. Despite the heat and lack of members in attendance, fun was had by all. We spent a little time reading over the minutes from past reunions (all the way back to 1933) and learned that our ancestors used to make (yes make) ice cream at the gathering each year. This brings me to today's topic.

Last night, after all of our family had returned home, my husband decided he wanted to make some ice cream the "old-fashioned" way. Now I remember making ice cream with my grandparents as a kid and it seemed like it took forever for it to be finished. So of course I wasn't really excited at first because when it comes to ice cream, I'm not a very patient person. However, I still accompanied my husband to the store to buy an ice cream freezer and all the supplies he needed. To get to the point, we ended up having some really delicious vegan ice cream and I wanted to share the basic recipe with you.

What You Need

2 cups vanilla flavor Silk creamer
2 cups Silk soy milk (for even more vanilla flavor, use vanilla silk)

¾ -1 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract/flavoring

What You Do

~ Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and prepare as directed.

~ Ice cream will be slightly soft. Serve immediately. For a firmer ice cream, transfer to a plastic container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.

Mixed Berry Ice Cream

What You Need

2 cups Silk creamer

2 cups Silk soy milk

¾ -1 cup sugar

1 cup mixed berries (use at least 3 different berries)

 What You Do

~ Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and prepare as directed.

~ Ice cream will be slightly soft. Serve immediately. For a firmer ice cream, transfer to a plastic container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.

Coffee Ice Cream

What You Need

2 cups Silk creamer

2 cups Silk soy milk

¾ -1 cup sugar

1-2 tablespoons coffee extract or ½ cup cold coffee or ½ cup instant coffee grounds

What You Do

~ Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and prepare as directed.

~ Ice cream will be slightly soft. Serve immediately. For a firmer ice cream, transfer to a plastic container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.

Chocolate Ice Cream

What You Need

2 cups Silk creamer

2 cups Silk soy milk (chocolate flavor is best)

¾-1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

What You Do

~ Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and prepare as directed.

~ Ice cream will be slightly soft. Serve immediately. For a firmer ice cream, transfer to a plastic container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.

Mixed Berry Pudding Pie

What You Need


1 cup mixed berries (your choice but I used strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)
1 cup soy milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 pie crust

What You Do


~ Bake pie crust according to directions. Set aside to cool while making the filling.


~ In a food processor (I used a blender), mix together the fruit, milk and vanilla until smooth and set aside.


~ In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt.
Whisk in a 1/4 cup of the berry/milk mixture to make a paste.


~ Stir in the remaining berry/milk mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When I say stir constantly, I mean don't leave the pan for even 30 seconds because the mixture will burn very quickly.


~ Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute or until the pudding starts to thicken. 


~ Pour into cooled pie crust, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Lemon Cornmeal Cookies

I made these cookies yesterday for our annual Memorial weekend party and they were a big hit. I got the recipe from "The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur" by Kelly Peloza. They're really simple to make and taste delicious!

What You Need

1 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal                                                         
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest (my zester and I were having a battle yesterday and I opted to replace the zest with lemon juice)
2 tablespoons soy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 1/3 cup of sugar, to coat

What You Do

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees

~ In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder.

~ Make a well in the middle and add the oil, sugar, zest, soy milk and vanilla. Mix until well-combined.
The dough will be crumbly but will hold together when formed.

~ Form 2-inch disk and flop both sides in sugar.

~ Place on a pachment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.