Brown Sugar Quick Bread - vegan

Happy Friday! I hope it's going well and that you have some fun plans for the weekend, especially if you're one of the lucky people who gets a three day weekend. Mr Official Taster does!

Mr Official Taster and I don't have any big plans, but I would like to go on an adventure to the beach. Specifically, the beach on the ocean. It's been a while, and when we lived in the San Diego area, we used to go all the time, which was great. So, to me, living in California means I get to go to the beach a lot. It's time.

I made this bread for the first time last week and ate it before I took pictures. That counts as a success. But when I made it again yesterday, I wanted to make it better. Specifically, I wanted it a bit lighter, but I also wanted it to have more depth of flavor. So I decreased the amount of flour slightly and then sifted the flour I did use. I increased the quantity of spices, and I also added ginger to the mix. Finally, I made sure to have my oven hot so that the batter didn't sit in the loaf pan waiting for the oven to finish heating. This bread it very easy to make, even if you don't have help. You don't need a mixer, and it only really uses one bowl. So, go, make your weekend more delicious!

Brown Sugar Quick Bread - vegan
This is delicious as written. However, if you'd like a spicier bread, there's room to increase the amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or ginger. I think cardamom might be a delicious addition, especially if you like the flavor of chai.

1 C nondairy milk
1 Tbsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar, but any kind will work)*
2 C flour**
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 C pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour a 5x9-inch loaf pan.

In a 2 C glass measuring cup, or something similar, pour milk to the 1 C line and then add vinegar. Set aside.

Sift flour into a medium bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to combine. Blend in brown sugar until most of the chunks are gone. Add applesauce and oil to the milk+vinegar mixture stir to combine.

At this point, make sure your oven is hot and your pan is prepared. Once you mix the wet and dry ingredients, chemical reactions occur that add air and help your bread rise. I think the sooner you get the batter from mixing bowl to pan and into the oven, the more of those air bubbles you capture in your bread, which results in a lighter loaf. I have no scientific proof to back me up, just intuition.

Add wet ingredients to your flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Stir in pecans or other nuts if you like. Pour into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Your loaf will be a pretty golden brown, and the edges will have started to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Invert pan to get your loaf out and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

*You're basically souring your milk to make a non-dairy version of buttermilk. It needs to happen in a glass bowl or measuring cup, and it needs to sit for about 10 minutes. This works with regular milk, too, or you could use 1 C buttermilk if you like.

**All purpose or white whole wheat works here. If you want to add in whole wheat, I wouldn't substitute the whole amount. Maybe 1/2-1 C?

Creamy Avocado Sauce with Pasta - vegan & gluten free

I hope you had a good Valentine's/Singles Appreciation Day. Have you hit up the candy sales? I have not yet, though I don't know how long my willpower in that department will last. Probably about as long as the conversation hearts Mr Official Taster brought home last night.

Speaking of last night, it unfolded about as I predicted. Mr OT came home with flowers (mini carnations and tulips because, in his words, "roses are for suckers." I'm on board since the ones in stores never smell good anyway) and the aforementioned candy, we cooked dinner together, watched some internet tv, cuddled with the dogs, read, etc. The usual. Oh, except I made a card for him. I think it's a pretty good one. (inspiration here).

It didn't take too long and would certainly work for lots of other occasions. You can substitute all sort of fun things for "Zombies" and "brains." How about: I love you more than dogs love peanut butter or I love you more than moms love chocolate or I love you more than a hipster loves plaid. See? The options are endless.

I just printed out a picture of a brain I liked (thanks, Google), cut it out with some fancy scrapbooking scissors and pasted it onto some dark blue cardstock. Then I created a Word doc and typed my message and picked a font. In this case, I only used half the paper by creating two columns in Word and just using one. I cut the red paper to 8.5x11 in and printed directly onto it. Then, I cut off the blank half to save for something else later. I glued the blue cardstock onto the red paper. Finally, I traced over the black ink with a white gel pen to make it stand out better. You could totally make something like this if you wanted! Adjust the words, size, colors, etc to suit. 

This wasn't dinner last night, but it was on Monday and it turned out pretty well. I made it again for lunch today - it's that quick+easy. It was a pain to photograph, though. I wish the pasta pictures showed the green better. I'm not sure why and it made me really grumpy, but it really does look green in person. This photo of just the sauce is pretty true-to-life. 

When I had leftovers for a snack on Tuesday, I didn't even heat it up. It worked well as a cold pasta salad, so there's another serving option for you. 

Creamy Avocado Pasta - vegan & gluten free
adapted from Oh She Glows
Update 2/23/12: I made this again last night and increased the garlic and added chili powder and fresh parsley. Even more delicious! 

8 oz regular or gluten free pasta*
1 ripe avocado, skinless and pitt-less
juice of 1/2 a lemon (2ish tsp), plus zest for garnish**
3, more or less, garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
1/4 C fresh basil (optional)***
fresh ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While that's happening, add avocado, lemon juice, garlic, salt, oil, and basil if using, to the bowl of a food processor. Process until everything is creamy and delicious looking. You may need to scrape the bowl down a time or two. If you don't have a food processor, you should be able to mash everything together with a masher or fork as long as you use a ripe avocado.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and then pour back into (empty) pot. Add avocado mixture and stir until pasta is evenly coated. Garnish with fresh ground black pepper, lemon zest, and/or some Romano cheese.

~~~

*I use about 8oz when I'm making a main course for two. Feel free to play with these numbers. However, I don't recommend using more than 1 avocado to serve 2. I thought it sounded like a good idea and was actually too avocado-y, which I didn't know was possible.

**The lemon juice is important because it keeps the avocado from turning brown, which would make leftovers super unappealing. It also adds a little lemony kick, which is always good.

***Oh She Glows used basil, and while it sounded fabulous, I didn't have any, so I can't offer guidance there. But I bet it would be yummy.

Apple Tart - vegan & gluten free

Valentine's Day always shouts raspberries, and I'm really curious why. Maybe, in combination with their color, it's because fresh raspberries in February are such a luxury, such an indulgence, that their cost proves the intensity of your love. (It makes me think of oranges at Christmas in the Little House series. Anyone else?)

To be fair, I am all for raspberries (and love). BUT, and there's always a but, I am not willing to pay, or have someone I love, pay $6 or $7 for a 6 oz clam shell. Nuh-huh, no way, not on my watch. 

For the locavores amongst us, unless they live in the tropics, raspberries are not even an option. So I'm starting a campaign: Apples for Valentine's. You can use red ones if it makes you feel more festive, but, really, apples are a much more reasonable choice today. 

This was my first tart, and I was pretty pleased with the result. Luckily, my cousin and his family thought so too. I always get nervous taking something untried to gatherings, but I hoped that since it looked good and smelled good, it would also taste good (it did).

I hope that you try this, and, more importantly, I hope that you have someone you can shower some affection on today. Because it really is good to give.

Apple Tart - vegan & gluten free

Graham Cracker Crust - vegan & gluten free
2 Tbsp sugar
6 oz broken graham crackers (1 of the the 3 packages inside a box)*
OR
6 oz gluten free broken gingersnaps**
4 Tbsp vegan butter, melted, plus more as necessary

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sugar and graham crackers/cookies. Pulse until the crackers are crumbs, and slowly add the butter, stirring or pulsing, until well blended. If the crumbs are not all moistened, add a bit more butter. Distribute the mix fairly evenly in the bottom of a 9-inch (ish. there seem to be a lot of sizes out there! this is a pretty flexible crust recipe) pie or tart pan. Press the mix down along the bottom and sides.

If the pie or tart recipe you are using (this one!) calls for prebaking, heat your oven to 350F. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes- just until it starts to brown. Cool on a rack before filling; the crust will harden as it cools.

*I use cinnamon graham crackers because they make the crust that much more awesome
**I have found these at Whole Foods and maybe one or two other local and/or hippie grocery stores. I could not find anything suitable at my neighborhood Safeway, but maybe you are lucky enough to do so. Depending on the sweetness of the cookie, you may be able to reduce the amount of sugar you mix in. I think some sort of almond cookie would also be delicious here

Apple Tart - vegan & gluten free
2-3 lbs tart apples*
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 Tbsp vegan butter, plus more if necessary

Prebake your crust (see above), and start on your apples while it's in the oven. When the crust is done, set it aside to cool, and turn the oven up to 375F.

Peel and core the apples, and then cut them into thin - like 1/8-inch thick - slices. Here is a great time to use that mandoline your mom got your for Christmas (just watch your fingers!). Toss them well with the lemon juice so they don't turn brown. Arrange the apples in concentric circles in the tart shell, with the circles overlapping. I found it was easier to start from the outside, but you may have better luck starting from the inside.** Sprinkle the top with sugar and cinnamon, and then dot with butter (more or less than the listed amount above will work just fine).

Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake about 40 minutes. Apples will be quite soft, but they will still look like apple slices. Cool on a rack for about 20 minutes. Serve alone, with ice cream, or some fresh berries.

*I used Granny Smith. McIntosh would also work. In addition, please note that while my uncooked photos look like I used a lot of apples, the baked tart looks almost naked. Silly me didn't think about the apples shrinking during baking. Pack in your apples!
**Perhaps it's a right v. left-handed thing? or clockwise or counter-clockwise? I'm not sure. I also think you may want to do a whole flat bottom layer of apples and then start your circles on top of that.

Avocado, Blood Orange & Spinach Salad - vegan & gluten free

If you are anything like most Americans, you ate yourself silly on Sunday. I sure did. It was in the name of family and football, so it doesn't count. right? I do feel slightly more ok about it because we didn't snack on chips and whatnot all afternoon. We just had really good deep dish pizza, salad, and dessert. I just ate some a lot of everything. 

So if you're feeling like you overindulged, this salad is the perfect antidote, and it's nice and seasonal. ish. I know avocados have been on sale in grocery stores, and winter = citrus fruit time. It's light and refreshing, and is good on it's own as a light lunch or as a side to something heartier, like chili. You may or may not have helpers when you prepare it, but I'm confident you'll have help eating it.

Avocado, Blood Orange & Spinach Salad - vegan & gluten free
These amounts are just what I used to make myself a lunch salad. Obviously, adjust as needed. To dress, I sprinkled some sea salt over the avocados and drizzled a little avocado oil over the salad. Because of the juicy oranges and the creamy avocados, I don't think it needs too much extra.

a couple handfuls of spinach, or other greens
1/2 an avocado, skin and pit removed, sliced
1/2 a blood orange or other citrus fruit, divided into segments*
sea salt and avocado oil to dress (optional)

Arrange spinach on a plate. Add avocado slices and orange pieces. Sprinkle salt on avocados and drizzle avocado oil over the whole thing. Enjoy!

*Any citrus fruit you'd like will work here - oranges, grapefruits, tangelos, etc. Also, for pictures, I got the blood orange segments out of their membranes because they are so much prettier that way. However, when I make it just to eat? The membranes stay on because I think it's a pain to take them off.

Guacamole - vegan & gluten free

Happy Friday! I am glad the weekend is tomorrow (or tonight if you're ambitious). I am looking forward to hanging out with Mr Official Taster, wrapping up the unpacking, and spending some time with my cousin and his lovely family on Sunday. I think there will be a tv on in the background with some good commercials every couple of minutes every time the big guys need a water break between important plays.

Guacamole has somehow become a traditional Super Bowl food, and I'm not really sure how that happened since I can't tell how avocados, a traditionally tropical food, and football, a sport traditionally idyllically played in either snowstorms or on glorious fall afternoons, are related. But, I won't argue too hard because once I moved to the West Coast, I fell hard for avocados, and chips are just a handy vessel for getting them into my mouth. Thus: manly games = guacamole = I have something to care about during said game. It's a win-win.

Guacamole - vegan & free of just about everything
Everyone has an opinion on guacamole, and this is just the way I like mine. Feel free to ignore completely and carry on with whatever you always do. Unless that means buying it in a tub. If you buy it in a tub, stop doing that and make this.

ripe avocados, skin and pit removed
salt or sea salt
garlic powder
chili powder

I tend to make this when I need an afternoon snack, so I only use 1 avocado (2 or more if I have company). Put said avocado in a small bowl, and mash with a fork or an avocado thinger. If you like some chunks in your guac like I do, you won't have to mash very long if your fruit is ripe. Lightly sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. Mix well and taste. Add more seasoning if you so desire.

Serve with chips or use as a sandwich spread. Some fresh lime probably wouldn't be amiss if you're feeling feisty.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili - vegan & gluten free

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - it isn't home until it smells like home. This is the seventh place Mr Official Taster and I have lived together. Seventh! Since 2009! superdupercrazytimes.

From that statistic, you might think I like moving. You would be wrong. I hate it. One of my antidotes to the Moving Affliction (it's a real thing) is to start cooking in the new kitchen as soon as I can. Establish my territory, if you will.

The first meal I made here was nothing special - pasta, sauce from a jar dressed up with some fresh bell pepper, and a salad. But this second meal was much more exciting. First of all, I was able to make this chili in the afternoon, so the whole apartment smelled delicious all day. Second, it tasted good. And, third, it's nice and healthy and warm and comfy and cozy. The healthy part makes up for my breakfast of chocolate cake and juice, right?

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili - vegan & gluten free
This is good as written. You could definitely up the spice level, if you're into that kind of thing, by increasing the chili powder and peppers, and/or you could add in a jalapeno or two. 


If you happen to be going to a party on Sunday afternoon for some sporting event, this would be a great vegetarian option to bring along. Obviously, with beer. 

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 bell peppers (any color), cored, seeded, and diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tsp chili powder
1-2 tsp sea salt
1-2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1-2 tsp dried basil
1/4 - 1/2 dried marjoram
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (14 oz) cans vegetable broth
approx 1/2 lb. frozen corn
2 (15 oz) cans black beans
juice of 1 lime

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes, until tender. While the onion cooks, peel and chop your sweet potatoes, peppers, and garlic. Stir in potatoes (uncooked! they will cook in the pot), peppers, and garlic, and cook another 5 or so minutes. Add all the herbs+spices. Stir now and then as you add them to coat the veggies. Add tomatoes, broth, corn, and beans. Bring to a boil and allow to bubble for 20ish minutes. Lower heat to a simmer and let it think about itself for another 30 minutes or so.

Ideally, you can make this in the afternoon, let it sit on the stove once it's cooked, and then reheat it for dinner. It'll taste better than if you eat it right away, and chili always tastes better on Day 2.

Right before you serve, remove your bay leaf and stir in lime juice. Garnish, if desired, with fresh cilantro, green onion, cheese, sour cream, or anything else that strikes your fancy. I really like fresh avocado on top.

Classic White Birthday Cake & Mocha Frosting - dairy free & vegan

 As you may know, my birthday was Friday. (hey. take the survey.) Friday itself wasn't super exciting (though I did have a lovely dinner out) since I spent the day looking at apartments. I visited six(!) as part of my vetting process. My reward was watching tv and opening presents (with help). Now that was good times. My big birthday present and surprise was a visit from two of my favorite people, coordinated by Mr Official Taster. E and W flew down from Seattle to spend the weekend with me! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he definitely deserves a round of applause for that one.  awesomesauce.

We had a great time. (and Birthday Champagne doesn't hurt) Predictably, food occupied a lot of our time and energy, but we four also went to check out the best of the apartments I looked at on Friday. Everyone ok'ed it, and Mr OT and I decided it was to be our new home. Phew. I am so glad the search is over and that we have a permanent place. 

The new kitchen is insanely tiny - definitely the smallest I've ever had - but that seems to be consistent in this area. Apparently apartment builders have learned that renters prefer their square footage in their bedrooms, living rooms, and even bathrooms. Or do they just assume that people don't really cook? I know that we're told that people cook less than they used to, and I'm sure that's true, but it would be pretty sad if some people never cooked. For my new kitchen, creative organization will be required.

Anyway, back to birthdays. This so-called furnished kitchen is less than actually really furnished, so I aimed for a simple recipe with as few ingredients, pans, and messy steps as possible. 1-2-3-4 Cake is an old classic, and the name comes from the ingredients: 1 cup milk, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs. The finished product, however, was decadent, and the one I made this weekend was not for the faint of heart. 3 layers of cake, raspberry jam, and mocha buttercream. It was a happy birthday indeed.

Classic 1-2-3-4 Cake - dairy free

makes 3 9-inch layers. I halved the recipe and made 3 6-inch layers. You can also make cupcakes (24?)
1 C (2 sticks) vegan butter, at room temperature
2 C sugar
4 eggs
3 C sifted self-rising flour*
1 C non-dairy milk of choice (I used almond)
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven 350°F. Grease your pans, place a round of parchment paper in the bottom of each, and grease the paper.

With an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy in a large bowl. Add sugar and continue to beat for another 5-7 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each one. Alternately add the flour and milk to the creamed mixture beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and mix in until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Level batter with a spatula or by dropping the pans onto the counter from a height of 2-3 inches a few times. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or tester inserted into the center comes out clean. If you're making cupcakes, start testing at 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

* Self-rising flour has both salt and baking powder in it, but you can make your own at home with the following formula: 1 cup self-rising flour = 1 cup all-purpose flour, minus 2 teaspoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Mocha Frosting - Vegan

I made one full batch for my 6-inch cake and had some left over, but I think if I had used frosting between the layers instead of raspberry jam, the amount would have been perfect.

1 stick vegan butter at room temperature
3 C confectioners sugar
1/3 C cocoa
1/4 C strongly brewed coffee or espresso at room temperature (ish. NOT an exact measurement)

Cream the butter and then add the sugar and cocoa a little bit at a time. Add the coffee slowly, until you've reached the desired consistency. It should take 10 minutes or so to combine everything and beat it enough to give it some volume.

Assemble the Layers!
Stack the layers in whatever order you'd like, and frost just like you would any other cake. I used raspberry jam between each layer, rather than frosting, and it was decadent and delicious. I highly recommend it! This and this are good tutorials if you need instructions or a refresher.

Black Tea-Blackberry Sorbet - vegan & gluten free

Last week, Mr Official Taster and I relaxed in Hawaii, along with some family. We had a lovely time, and, at least for me, one of the best parts of the trip was the literal escape it allowed. As I mentioned, Mr OT got a new job in the Bay Area, and as of Saturday evening, we're here.

Since approximately the week of Christmas, our life has been somewhat hectic, very detail-filled, and constantly in upheaval. Between January 1st and 5th, Mr OT left for SanFran, I got the house ready for movers, supervised the packing of all of our worldly possessions, sent off cars for transport, cleaned so we get our deposit back, took care of a hundred moving-related details, crashed at wonderful and generous friends' house, got the puppies to boarding and myself to the airport.

By the time I landed in Lihue, I was, to put it mildly, exhausted. My week there involved indulgent amounts of sleep, many books, much lounging, and lots of ocean viewing. There was minimal emailing, interneting, and texting. It was lovely and the perfect escape.

In the spirit of escape, I bring you a Black Tea-Blackberry Sorbet. If you were to make it in season, it would be warm outside, mosquitos might bother you at dusk, and, if you're lucky, you would see fireflies in the evening. However, if you need an escape from a dark and cold winter, I suggest using frozen berries and giving yourself a taste of the summer to come.

Black Tea-Blackberry Sorbet - vegan & gluten free
adapted from honey & jam
It occurs to me that this would be fun and unexpected for Valentine's Day - the color is great!

2 C water
2 black tea bags
1 C sugar
3 C fresh or frozen blackberries; if frozen, let thaw completely and drain
1 Tbsp vodka
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea bags and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, add sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool completely.

Puree blackberries in a food processor, then push through mesh sieve to remove seeds. Pour vodka and lemon juice through the sieve to help get the blackberry through. Add the tea, then pour back through sieve.

Process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Sugared Cranberries - vegan & gluten free

Happy Friday! I hope you are surviving the week in relative good cheer. My parents arrive for a week-long visit tonight, and Mr Official Taster's side arrives tomorrow. We'll be feeding eight people for the Christmas holiday (we're having these for breakfast). I think it'll be fun!

If you are one of the people still scrounging around for gift ideas, here are a few gift worthy sweets and welcome additions to any party:

Coconut Butter

Pumpkin Pie

Peanut Butter Dog Treats (for your furry friend)

Freezer Burritos (especially for new parents or any other caretaker)

Apple Cranberry Pie

Ginger Chocolate Chip Bars

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

You could also take a look over at Smitten Kitchen's mouthwatering collection.

These cranberries are perfect for holiday gatherings. Not only are they vegan and gluten free, but they are free of just about everything, including fat. They also have a nice, refreshing "pop"when you bite into them, and aren't as sweet as almost everything else this time of year. The other handy thing about them is how little attention you can pay to them (mine actually soaked almost two days) and they stay good for a bit.

I think this will be my last post for several days (or a week). Best wishes to you and yours!

Sugared Cranberries

adapted from MyRecipes

2 C granulated sugar *
2 C water
2 C fresh cranberries**
3/4 C superfine sugar***

Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low or medium heat. Stir mixture until sugar dissolves and water is steaming. Remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Add in cranberries. Here you can either pour mixture into a bowl or simply leave it in the pot. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl (don't shake off excess liquid, as it helps the sugar adhere), reserving sugar water, if desired (I didn't know what to do with mine, so if you have ideas, please share!). Place some superfine sugar in a small zip top plastic bag. Add the cranberries, maybe 10 at a time, and shake them to coat with sugar. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet (no need to grease or line sheet). Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

*I used superfine sugar here because, well, I had it,

**I used the what I had leftover from making these cookies, which was about 1/2 a bag. If you froze them, like I did, allow them to defrost before using them in this recipe.

***My there are a lot of stars for so short an ingredient list. Superfine sugar is available in the grocery store, and it usually hiding among the other sugars in what looks like a milk carton. I don't honestly know exactly how much I used, since I just dumped some in my plastic bag and added a little more when I was running out. But it wasn't very much

Sugar Cookies - vegan

I think this one might be learning the word "cookie" too. That does not bode well for having conversations the rest of the week. "What kind of, er, baked dough are you making now?" or "I need to take the thingies out of the oven, but then we should take them out for a promenade." (They know "walk," too. It's sometimes inconvenient) 

This is a great base recipe. You can dress it up like this or this or extra fancy like this, cover with frosting and sprinkles, or simply eat right out of the oven. I don't think Santa (or Mrs. Clause) is too picky about how they look, and, personally, I think they go pretty well with almond milk.

Sugar Cookies - vegan
adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking

1/2 C vegan butter

3/4 C sugar

1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg replacer (equal to 1 egg)

2 Tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 C flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg replacer, water, and vanilla and beat for at least another minute. Mix in the flour and baking powder. The dough will probably be somewhat crumbly, but will hold together if you press it together with your fingers. If necessary, add an additional 1-2 Tbsp water.

Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.

When you're ready to make the cookies, remove one dough package from the fridge, and while it warms slightly, line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. On a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch. Cut out as many cookies as possible and transfer them to the cookie sheet. Re-roll remaining dough, cut out cookies, and repeat until you've used it all. If the dough starts to get too sticky to work with, put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes or so.

Preheat oven to 350F. Refrigerate cookie sheets with cookies while your oven warms up. This will help them keep their shape. Bake them for 10-15 minutes, depending how crunchy you like them. Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to wire racks to finish cooling.

To Frost:
In a small bowl, stir together some confectioners sugar and non-dairy milk, water, or juice. Start with a very small amount of liquid and gradually increase until you reach your desired consistency. Use a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off to decorate as you please. If you just want to slather on as much frosting as possible, might as well just use a spoon.

Gingerbread Cookies - vegan

I haven't been feeling terribly Christmas-y this year. I'm not sure why. Part of it may be that I'm not working any sort of retail or restaurant job this year, which has often been the case. Part of it may be that in the Pacific Northwest it doesn't really snow. Part of it may be that Mr Official Taster's and my life is somewhat complicated and in upheaval at the moment (more on that later).

Whatever the case may be, today it finally began to dawn on me that Christmas is on Sunday. And that we will be hosting six additional people for the holiday. And that we haven't done much, with the exception of finding gifts, to prepare for those people. Menu? vague. Cleaning? er, not yet. Figuring out how we're going to fit all of them? inconclusive.

But gingerbread men always taste and smell like Christmas. I think they may be Mr Official Taster's favorite cookie - unless it's snickerdoodles - and he would eat them every week of the year. If only I would make them every week of the year.

Parents and sisters: I can't wait to see you! There may or may not be any of these guys left. Odds are pretty low. Maybe you can make this poor guy feel better. He gets excited every time the work "cookie" gets mentioned, which, this week, is kind of a lot.

Gingerbread Cookies - vegan
adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking

1/2 C vegan butter, room temperature
3/4 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer (equal to 1 egg)
2/3 C molasses
3 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg replacer and molasses and beat for another minute or so. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Beat until you have a smooth dough. You may need to add up to 4 tablespoons of water to get the right consistency.

Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.

When you're ready to make the cookies, remove one dough package from the fridge, and while it warms slightly, line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch. Cut out as many cookies as possible and transfer them to the cookie sheet. Re-roll remaining dough, cut out cookies, and repeat until you've used it all. If the dough starts to get too sticky to work with, put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes or so.

Preheat oven to 350F. Refrigerate cookie sheets with cookies while your oven warms up. This will help them keep their shape. Bake them for 10-15 minutes, depending how crunchy you like your gingerbread. Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to wire racks to finish cooling.

To Frost:
In a small bowl, stir together some confectioners sugar and non-dairy milk, water, or juice. Start with a very small amount of liquid and gradually increase until you reach your desired consistency. Use a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off to decorate as you please. If you just want to slather on as much frosting as possible, might as well just use a spoon.