Friday, July 27, 2012

Peanut Butter Bread with Chocolate Chips


Yum yum! Since I found this recipe a few months ago, I have made this many many times. It has become quite the household favorite.  This is a really easy snack or dessert to make; you can have this ready to go by the time your oven comes to temp. Plus it’s relatively healthy too. This uses whole wheat flour and has no added oil! Yet it is wonderfully moist. The original recipe comes from Chocolate Covered Katie. If you are looking for healthy desserts that actually taste good, Katie is your lady! So take some time to check out her wonderful blog!

Normally you should let quick breads like this cool completely before cutting, but for a special treat, slice when still warm and slather with some Earth Balance. When still warm, the crust is still a bit crispy, and the inside is soft and warm. Heaven!

Peanut Butter Bread with Chocolate Chips
Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
¾ cup white sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp salt
1 ½ cups soy milk
2 tbsp soy yogurt (or applesauce)
½ cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
Large handful non-dairy chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients until well combined. In a smaller bowl, whisk together wet. Pour wet into dry and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn loaf out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Sloppy Jenns


This is my take on Sloppy Joes, made with tempeh. This is just fun food! Plus it’s super easy to make and well suited for hot summer days when you want to spend minimal time over that hot stove. Serve this up with a salad and you’ve got a nutritious and satisfying meal. I served this with the Southwest Slaw from Sexy Vegan Cookbook.

Sloppy Jenns
Makes 4-5 sandwiches

Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion, diced small
1 green bell pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, pressed
8 oz package tempeh, crumbled
15 oz can tomato sauce, minus ¼ cup
¼ cup barbeque sauce
2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
Few drops liquid smoke
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes.  Add crumbled tempeh and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring to a simmer. Heat  on medium-low heat for 20 minutes (or more), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.  Serve in bread or buns.


Monday, July 16, 2012

Music in the Meadow at Animal Place


We interrupt this shamefully long blogging break to bring you news of a wonderful upcoming event! The Animal Place Farm Sanctuary in Grass Valley, CA is having its second annual Music in the Meadow event! I was lucky enough to attend this last year and had an amazing time. It was lovely to spend the day having a picnic lunch and socializing with all the wonderful animals! It had been a long time since I had been so close to animals like pigs, cows, and goats (my personal favorite!) and I was kind of childishly excited about it. I can’t wait to go again this year!
The event will also feature vegan food and craft vendors selling their awesome wares, plus live music, a free vegan goodie bag, and lots of happy animals. So let me tempt you with pictures of some of these cuties while you consider signing up for this fundraiser that supports all the important work that the dedicated folks at Animal Place do for our animal friends.


Childish excitement
What:
Music in the Meadow
Where:
Animal Place
17314 McCourtney Rd
Grass Valley, Ca
When:
Saturday, September 22, 2012  11 am to 5 pm

P.S. Stay tuned for a new recipe post later this week!