Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup plant-based milk

1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar or lemon juice

2 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour

3/4 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar

3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar or coconut sugar

3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ginger

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

3/4 cup Light Olive Oil or any vegetable oil

3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 1/4 cups Grated Carrots

3/4 cup Sultanas

1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts or pecans

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup Vegan Butter softened

1/2 cup Vegan Margarine softened

3 cups Powdered Sugar

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2-3 tablespoons Soy Milk or coconut milk or almond milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper. Grease the pans with coconut oil on the sides and bottom, parchment paper included. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk apple cider vinegar and almond milk. Set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

Make a well in the center of the flour and add olive oil, vanilla extract, and almond milk mixture.

Combine, scraping down the sides to bring all the ingredients together, and it forms a smooth batter.

Stir in shredded carrots, sultana raisins, and chopped nuts until well distributed into the batter.

Divide the batter evenly in half to fill the two round pans. Quickly bang each pan on the kitchen countertop to remove any trapped air.

Bake both pans on the center rack of your oven for 30-35 minutes or until they are golden brown and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. You can also cook one in the center rack and one in the rack just under, halfway, switch pan to make sure they bake at the same speed.

Cool down on a rack completely before adding any frosting.

Meanwhile, prepare your vegan cream cheese frosting ingredients by taking out of the fridge the vegan butter and vegan margarine to soften.

How to frost vegan carrot cake

In a large mixing bowl, beat vegan butter and vegan margarine together until fluffy and light in color - about 30 seconds.

Add powdered sweetener, vanilla, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of soy milk. Beat again until evenly combined and fluffy. Add more milk for a lighter, thinner frosting.

Place one layer of cake on a large serving plate, add one batch of frosting in the center of the cake and use a spatula to evenly spread the frosting all around the cake. It's ok if it drips on the sides.

Top up with the second cake layer, add another batch of vegan frosting and repeat the same action, spreading frosting on sides as well until it entirely covers the top and sides of your cake.

Place the cake for 1 hour in the fridge to set the frosting and blend flavors.

Tips:

The tricky question when making a two-layer cake is should I bake both layers at the same time? I recommend you do, but place one cake pan in the center rack and one just under. Then, swap the cake places halfway through baking to make sure they bake evenly. Otherwise, if you can fit two pans on the center rack, expect the cake placed at the back of the rack to bake slightly faster.

You can add 1/2 cup of shredded coconut or crushed pineapple in your vegan carrot cake batter. To do so, stir in the add ons at the same time you add the grated carrots.

Note that crushed pineapple adds moisture to the cake. Therefore, it can take a little bit longer to bake.

Original Recipe

VEGAN LENTIL SOUP

Vegan Richa

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (58.75 ml) broth or water ,or use 1 tsp oil

1/2 (0.5 ) onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic ,finely chopped

1/2 inch (0.5 inch) ginger ,finely chopped

1 hot green chili , finely chopped (optional), use mild or bell pepper for less heat

1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) ground cumin or ground coriander or both

1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) turmeric

1/2 to 1 tsp garam masala or curry powder or ethiopian berbere, or just use more of cumin or coriander

1/2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary (optional)

1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) black pepper

15 oz diced tomatoes , or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup (96 g) sliced carrots , or other veggies

3/4 cup (144 g) lentils or a mix of brown/green lentils, green mung beans, black eyed peas (check for debris, wash and soak for 10 mins if needed)

2.5 cups (587.5 ml) veggie broth or water ,  3 cups for saucepan

3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) salt , less or more depending on if the veggie broth is salted

2 cups (2.82 oz) spinach or chopped quick cooking greens

cayenne and lemon/lime juice to taste

pepper flakes for garnish

Instructions:

Start the Instant pot pressure cooker on saute. Add broth and let it heat up. Add onion, garlic, ginger, chili and pinch of salt. Cook until translucent 2-3 mins). Deglaze with a tbsp broth if needed in between.

Add the spices and mix in. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 mins. Mash the larger pieces.

Add the lentils, carrots, water/broth and salt and mix really well to pick up any stuck bits.

Close the lid and Pressure Cook for 12 to 15 mins (depending on preference and lentils used).

Let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid, and mix in the greens. Add some cayenne and lime juice. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Mash some of the lentils with a spatula or blend a 1/2 cup of the soup and mix in for thicker soup. You can also add a 1/2 cup non dairy cream or coconut milk for creamy soup. 

Stovetop: Follow Step 1,2,3 in a saucepan over medium heat. You will need to cook a few mins longer at each step. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and continue to cook for 15 minutes or until the lentils are cooked to preference. Fold in the greens and cook for another 2 mins. Add lemon juice, adjust salt and pepper.  

Store the cooled leftover soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for upto 4 days and freeze for upto a month.  

Notes

Variation: Add other veggies like celery, potatoes, cauliflower, sweet potato, butternut. 

Add 1/4 cup red lentils with the brown lentils for a creamier soup.

Use spice blends of choice like curry powder, berbere, baharat(from Everyday kitchen book)

Omit the spices(turmeric, cumin, curry powder), and just add herbs such as thyme, oregano and rosemary. 

Tips:

This was delicious! I used red and green lentils, along with maybe 30 seconds from my immersion blender , and it was perfect.

Recipes To Try (Starch With Plants)

Blueberry Glaze

Balsamic Vinegar 1/4 Cup

Cornstarch 2 Tbsp

Blueberries 1 Cup

Maple Syrup Add to taste while cooking

Blend first 3 ingredients in a blender until smooth then cook in small saucepan oh high heat until boiling then reduce heat to low.

other recipes use 1 tsp vanilla? 

Lemon Juice added after cooled?

Pancakes

Maple Syrup 2 Tbsp

Salt ?

Plant Milk 12 Cup plant milk (little bit more)

Jumbo Oats 1 Cup

Ripe Banana 1

Cinnamon ?

Baking Powder 1 tsp

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Cook with non stick pan until golden brown.

Recipes To Try (Stasia)

Potato Burgers

2 small-medium boiled potatoes

water - for consistency

1 tsp everything but the bagel seasoning (or substitute with any other seasoning of your choice)

1 tsp granulated garlic

1/4 small onion, diced

1/4 nutritional yeast

1/3 cup of oat flour (other flours may be work fine)

Reheat boiled potatoes in microwave and mash with fork adding water to soften. Add seasonings and mix (squeeze wth hand) until slightly sticky but not sticky enough that it won't release in your hand. Foorm into burgers of desired size. Air fry at 350 degrees for up to 12 minutes (depending on size).

Hearty Lentil Stew (Shayda)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of green lentils, rinsed & picked over

1 cup of red lentils, rinsed

1 medium white onion, diced

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & grated (on cheddar side)

1 tsp dried turmeric

2 Tablespoons Bensons Table Tasty

1 tsp dried red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

8 cups of water

3 Tablespoons of tomato paste

PREPARATION:

1-In a 5qt. pot, dry sauté the onions with turmeric (on medium low, not high) until the onions are caramelized. Add water a little at a time to the pot should you need to. Keep the lid on so the onions can sweat but mix every now and then to keep an eye on it.

2-Once the onions have caramelized, add the green lentils, red lentils, grated Yukon Gold potatoes, red pepper flakes, and water.

3-Bring to a rapid boil, then turn down the heat to low.

4-Cook on low for about 45-60 mins .until all the water has been absorbed and its a thick consistency.

5-Towards the end add the tomato paste and stir until the the tomato paste has been well absorbed then cook for another 10-20 minutes.

Recipes to Try (Pick Up Limes)

One-pot Golden Red Lentil and Mushroom Curry Soup

Herb & Garlic Homemade Vegan Naan

Aloo Matar

Potato & Green Pea Curry

Grilled Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

Savoury Sun-Dried Tomato & Olive Muffins

Green Spinach Coconut Curry   (if using pre-cooked legumes, skip the first two steps and instead add them into the curry at the end.)

Za'atar Spice Mix

One-pot Tomato & Chickpea Stew

Za'atar & Mint Veggie Wraps

Oyster Mushroom Curry Salad Sandwich (first part, maybe add curry powder?)

Vegan parmesan cheese

½ cup (65 g) raw cashews

 2 Tbsp (19 g) nutritional yeast

¼ tsp garlic powder (optional)

⅛ tsp salt

Blend together to a fine, meal-like consistency.

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Spiced Beans

1 Tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil

3 cups (520 g) cooked black beans

2 tsp (8 g) chili powder

2 tsp (4 g) garlic powder

2 tsp (4 g) onion powder

2 tsp (4 g) paprika powder

2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat, add the oil, beans, and spices. Cook the for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the beans are covered in spices and cooked through. Remove from the heat and let the beans cool off completely.  

Serve with grain, vegetables and dressing. Pitta filling?

Spiced Apple

1 apple

1 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cut just over half of the apple into bite-sized cubes, and add them to a medium pan.

To the pan, add the water, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Cook over medium-high heat, and allow the apples to soften for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pot from the heat, and let the apple chunks cool off.

Vegan Caramel

½ cup Medjool Dates

½ cup regular almond milk

½ tsp. vanilla

Soak dates in milk then blend all together