Mac & Peas

 

This is inspired by a meal my mom used to make for my siblings and I as children- loved it!  I'll never forget picking out the beef crumbles to avoid biting into a bumpy cartilage piece!  Ew, I know...glad I don't have to worry about that anymore! ;) 

1/2 package of pasta

1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/2 can peas
1/2 package Smart Ground veggie protein crumble
Daiya Cheddar style wedge

1: Cook pasta according to instruction, strain, add back to pot and set aside
2: Add a bit of olive oil to pan and heat protein crumbles, stirring and turning for about 7 minutes.  I added a generous amount of salt and cracked pepper, but a sprinkle will do too

 3: Cube Daiya wedge

4: Add about 2/3 of Daiya cubes and Earth Balance to pot of pasta and stir on medium heat until completely melted

 

 5: Add 1/2 can of peas and cooked protein crumbles

 6: Serve immediately...so YUM!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

 

Warning: Please only make this if you have a very, very sweet tooth... sugar coma x 100! 

1 package Krusteaz Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

1 stick (1/2 cup) Earth Balance

Optional: Alternate jelly/jam

1: Preheat oven to 350
2: Mix crust ingredients and 1 cup melted butter until ingredients stick together

3: Spread 2/3 of the mixture evenly in a 9" x 9" pan and bake for 17 minutes

4: Spread jelly/jam on crust while it's still hot.  I used Grandma Jeanne's homemade raspberry freezer jam!  Yum!

5: Crumble remaining 1/3 of crust over the top and continue to bake for 15-17 additional minutes

6: Let cool completely before cutting into small squares

Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes

I'm pretty sure this qualifies as a version of a Greek skordalia, but as a side dish instead of a dip... the more garlic, the better!

6 large russet potatoes
4 green onions
1 tsp garlic
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1/4 cup soy milk

1: Peel, slice into wedges and boil potatoes until soft enough to break with a spoon, then strain
2: Pour into a large mixing bowl and mash to your liking
3: Slice green onions and add to potatoes along with Earth Balance, soy milk and garlic

*Season with salt and white pepper

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

 If you're feeling like a seasonal treat, I demand that you make this cookie!  So many variations!  The package instructions are just a base...add some white chocolate chips to make these cookies unforgettable!

1 package Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread
1 stick (or 1/2 cup) Earth Balance
1 tbsp ground flaxseed (w/3 tbsp water) *egg replacement
1 tsp vanilla extract

1: Preheat oven to 350
2: Mix egg replacement (1 tbsp flaxseed meal/3 tbsp water) and let sit until flaxseed is absorbed
3: Add pumpkin spice mix, soften Earth Balance and vanilla extract and mix well

4: Scoop dough onto cookie sheet using 1 tbsp measurements.  If you'd like a thinner wafer-like cookie, flatten them before putting them into the oven.

5: Bake for 8-10 minutes until bottom of cookie is slightly browned.  Mine needed the entire 10 minutes and baked perfectly

6: For convenience sake, I used Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Cream Cheese (other processed frostings have milk in them, so be careful to read the label!)  I like to add a tsp of almond extract and whip the frosting to give it a creamier texture

7: Set aside to cool completely before frosting. 

A perfect Autumn treat! :)

Vanilla Flax Pancakes

 

A bit of fluffy sunshine here... Make them on a lazy day because I'm fairly certain you will fall into a carb-coma after this!  You might as well cancel your day plans...

2 cups Bisquick mix
2 tbsp flaxseed meal (with 6 tbsp water)
1 cup Very Vanilla Soy Silk Milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
About 1 cup water
*Earth Balance for greasing pan

1: Mix 2 tbsp ground flaxseed meal and 6 tbsp water and set aside for a few minutes until water soaks into flax
2: Add 2 cups Bisquick, 1 cup soy milk and vanilla
3: Stir up to 1 cup water until mix is very smooth

 4: Put a small amount of Earth Balance in the pan and cook until it bubbles and is lightly browned on each side

 5: Top with Earth Balance and maple syrup

I made a large batch and froze the remaining pancakes in freezer bags.  Simply remove from freezer and microwave for 45 seconds - 1 minute whenever you fancy a flaxjack.  :)

Boxed Doughnuts

Definitely a work-in-progress thing, but this will do if you're aching for a good old fashioned cake doughnut.

1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix
3 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup water

1: Preheat oven to 350 F. 
2: Prepare egg replacement by mixing 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 9 tbsp water and set aside for a few minutes until it thickens.

 3: Mix all ingredients together in a mixer or by hand until smooth

 4: I started out mixing it in a bowl, but decided to try it in the Ninja blender with the cookie mixer accessory

 5: I baked them for about 18 minutes, but I must warn to let them cool completely before trying to remove them from the pan

 

This is a good way to make quick doughnuts, but I prefer to make them from scratch normally.  Nonetheless, my housemate ate them all.  :)

Another lesson I learned tonight: boxed cake mix does work in a mini donut griddle either:

This is after three attempts with different cook times...