Vegan Zucchini Banana Bread

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Happy Monday friends! I’m feeling good about getting this week kicked off right. We had a great production meeting yesterday and today we are getting back to our daily exercise and healthy smoothie routine. I love Earth Burger and Thai Hot, but we have to balance eating out with cooking healthy meals at home. That said, I can’t wait till the next time we visit either of those restaurants, it’s all about supporting local businesses (and amazing vegan food).

Anyway! I have been baking at home lately and my new favorite quick bread recipe is this Zucchini Banana Bread. I got burnt out on my old Banana Bread Muffin recipe (which is still my Mom’s favorite), so I’ve been looking for a new banana bread recipe to try. When I saw Isa over on PPK share this recipe with zucchini, I just had to try it.

Vegan Zucchini Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf, Recipe adapted from Post Punk Kitchen

· 1 large ripe banana
· 3/4 cups organic sugar
· 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
· 1/4 cup canola oil
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 1 cup grated zucchini
· 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
· 1 teaspoon cinnamon
· 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
· 3/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Lightly grease an 8×4 or 9×5 metal bread pan with canola oil. In a large mixing bowl, use a strong fork to mash the banana. Mix in the sugar, applesauce, canola oil, and vanilla. Then add the grated zucchini, no need to press out the excess moisture from the zucchini. Add in 1 cup of the flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a large spoon to combine. Lastly, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup flour and the walnuts. Pour the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and check the bread by sticking a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. If it needs more time, turn heat down to 300° F and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving, enjoy!

I love zucchini in baked goods, my favorite homemade cookie recipe is my Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies, which I just might be baking today for a surprise event. I’m terrible at keeping secrets, so let’s just change the subject! My blog has received lots of attention the last few days since my Vegan White Pizza was published on Finding Vegan. Thanks to all of you who have visited in the last few days, it’s nice to meet you all!

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Vegan News

· Join the San Antonio Vegetarian Society for an outdoor feast at Earth Burger tomorrow, June 24 at 7pm. If you’d like to attend, RSVP on Meetup.

· Have you heard about Soylent? It’s FDA approved product designed to replace food. It’s a very futuristic way to think about nutrition. Luckily the powder is vegan, but you have to create your own “plant-based oil blend in order to ensure the correct nutritional profile”.

· Check out this Houston based Community-Based Photography Project called No One’s Dog. They are asking the Houston community to share images of homeless dogs with the hope that increased visibility will lead to positive change in the lives of residents and animals alike. Selected images will be exhibited at DiverseWorks from July 26 – August 9, 2014.

xo angie

White Vegan Pizza with Sundried Tomatoes and Rosemary

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I can’t believe the Spurs lost by two points in last night’s game! I mean, Happy Monday. We’ve been following the Spurs all season long and are so excited to be in the NBA Finals. We watched the first game at my sister Sarah’s house last Thursday. She made us delicious vegan-friendly party snacks such as Buffalo Sandwiches and Smart Dogs in a Blanket. She inspired me to make awesome game night food. You definitely want something that’s easy to modify, share, and everyone loves. There is only one answer: pizza.

White Vegan Pizza
2-4 servings, Recipe Adapted from Sweet Beat and Green Bean

Pizza Crust
· 1 1/2 tsp active yeast
· 2 tbsp sugar
· 1 cup warm water
· 1 tsp salt
· 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
· 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 cup flour for dusting
· 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Garlic Coconut Sauce
· 6 cloves garlic
· 1/2 cup coconut milk
· 1/4 tsp salt

Toppings
· 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in olive oil
· 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Combine the yeast and sugar in a small bowl, pour in the warm water, and stir. Allow the mixture to proof for 10 minutes. You’re looking for a bubbly foam to start forming on the surface. Mix in salt and 2 tbsp olive oil. Slowly add in flour and rosemary until it combines into a loose dough. If the dough is too sticky to form in your hands, add more flour 1/4 cup at a time.

Lightly flour a clean surface and turn the dough out onto it, kneading for about a minute. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large, clean bowl. Transfer the dough into the bowl and roll it around so it’s evenly coated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Rinse the sundried tomatoes, drain, and set aside. Sauté garlic cloves in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until browned. Blend the garlic with the coconut milk and salt in a food processor.

Lightly flour a large baking pan and the top of the dough. Transfer the dough from the bowl onto the pan, adding flour to your hands and the dough if needed. Gently press the dough into a large oval with slightly thicker edges.

Pour the garlic coconut cream evenly across the crust. Add the sundried tomatoes and rosemary. Bake at 475°F degrees for 10 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned. Allow the pizza to cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!

This pizza will go perfectly with tomorrow night’s game. Go Spurs Go!

xo angie

p.s. Apparently, last Friday was National Donut Day. Celebrate late with my Chocolate Covered Vegan Donuts!

 

Umami Edamame Burgers with Homemade Buns

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Umami Edamame Veggie Burger

Happy Memorial Day! It was pouring rain when I started writing this post. I can imagine there are a lot of outdoor celebrations being pushed indoors or canceled all together. Since it rained all morning the hubby and I didn’t go for our 3 mile run or to the grocery story to pick up burger buns. That meant I had to bake some buns myself, for the first time! It took a little while, but it was worth it for warm, homemade burger buns.

Vegan Burger Buns
Makes 4 large or 6 medium buns, Recipe adapted from Holy Cow!

· 2 tsp organic pure cane sugar
· 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
· 1/2 + 1 cup warm water
· 3 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 tsp salt
· 1/2 tsp baking soda
· 3 tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
· 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional

Combine the sugar, yeast, and 1/2 cup warm water in a stand mixer bowl. Allow the mixture to proof for 10 minutes. You’re looking for a bubbly foam to start forming on the surface. Once the yeast has proofed, add the flour, salt, and baking soda into the bowl. Knead on low-speed for about 5 minutes, slowly pouring in the remaining 1 cup of warm water until the dough is smooth but slightly sticky. Add the oil and continue kneading on low-speed for an additional minute until the oil has been absorbed by the dough. If the dough is too sticky to form in your hands, add more flour 1/4 cup at a time.

Add 1 tsp oil to a large, clean bowl. Transfer the dough into the bowl and roll it around so it’s evenly coated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Punch down the dough. Take the dough out of its bowl and separate it into four equal parts and form the parts into smooth bun shapes. Place the buns on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet, at least a couple of inches apart. If desired, brush the buns with a canola oil and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Place the buns in the oven and bake 25 minutes. Once the buns are golden brown, remove them from the oven and place them on a rack. Allow the buns to cool before slicing them in half.

Umami Edamame Veggie Burger

While my dough was rising I began working on my Umami Edamame burgers, say that five times fast. My sister Sarah gave me some umami seasoning the last time we visited her family. It has a magical aroma, that is difficult to describe. According to Wikipedia “It can be described as a pleasant ‘brothy’ or ‘meaty’ taste with a long-lasting, mouth-watering and coating sensation over the tongue.” That sounds like something that needs to go into a veggie burger, now.

Umami Edamame Burger Patties
Makes 4 large or 6 medium patties, Recipe adapted from A Beautiful Mess

1 flaxseed egg (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp warm water)
3 cups cooked edamame
1 cup white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup brown rice
1 tsp umami seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Umami Edamame Veggie Burger mixture

Prepare the flax egg in a small bowl by combining the flaxseed meal and warm water. Place the flax egg, covered, in the fridge to set for 10-15 minutes. I use frozen edamame, which takes 5 minutes to cook in the microwave. In a food processor, blend together 2 cups edamame, onion, garlic, cilantro, 1/4 cup brown rice, flax egg, umami, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until a thick paste forms. Roughly chop the remaining 1 cup edamame and add it to a medium bowl with the paste and remaining 1/4 cup rice. Mix together until just combined. Using clean hands, form 4 large or 6 medium-sized patties. Cook them right away, or wrap them in plastic and freeze them for another day.

These Umami Edamame Veggie Burger patties are ready for cooking!

To cook, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Lightly dredge the patty in flour and place them in the pan. Cook for a few minutes on both sides until brown and crispy.

Umami Edamame Veggie Burger

I served our burgers with lettuce, slices of avocado, and vegenaise. They were so big, we didn’t need to serve anything on the side. My burger got a little messy, but they were even more delicious deconstructed and eaten with my fingers. The rain has finally stopped, so we can maybe go for a jog later this afternoon. I hope you have a restful Memorial Day. Let’s all take a moment to thank all the men and women who have sacrificed for our country. I hope that those lost will never be far from our minds. See you all next week!

xo angie

Garden Snapshots

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My yellow jasmine is blooming!

Lovely petunia

My garden bunny loves basil too!

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day yesterday. We celebrated on Saturday with my Mom by hosting dinner at our place. We made stuffed shells and sopapillas. Yesterday we celebrated with my mother-in-law at Mark’s parent’s house. Our mother’s are the most amazing, supportive, adorable women we know. I’m so grateful to have them in our lives.

The hubby and I are finishing up a short documentary film project this week. We’ve also started a new fitness regimen, which includes daily fruit and vegetable smoothies and cardio workouts. We’ve been enjoying long walks or jogs on the nearby Greenways. It’s an excuse to get outside and enjoy the overcast weather before the summer heat hits San Antonio. I’ve also been working in the backyard, planting flowers and basil. I have a bit of a black thumb, so wish me luck keeping these guys alive! I hope you have a wonderful week!

xo angie

Cinco de Mayo: Vegan Sopapillas

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Homemade Vegan Sopapillas

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I hope you have had a restful weekend and are excited to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride with me. Today’s post is dedicated to my Dad, who is currently flying to the Dominican Republic to visit his wife. Since he’ll be gone for a month, we got the family together last night for a farewell party. I love it when all the kiddos (my niece Lillian and nephews Dylan and Lleyton) are all together, but it was sad to see my Dad say goodbye to Lillian when we left. He is the best grandpa ever. It also makes me sad that I’m not his little baby anymore. I’m the youngest daughter and was a total Daddy’s Girl when I was little. I know you’d love these Sopapillas Dad, I’ll make you some when you return home!

Vegan Sopapillas
Makes 24-30 depending on size, Adapted from A Beautiful Mess

· 
2 tbsp organic pure cane sugar
· 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
· 1 1/2 cups warm water
· 
4 cups all purpose flour
· 1 tsp salt
· 
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
· 1 tbsp vegan butter, melted (I use Smart Balance)
· 4 cups canola oil for frying
· organic powdered sugar and ground cinnamon for serving
· 
honey flavored agave for serving

In a small bowl mix the yeast and sugar together, add the warm water, mix and set aside to proof for 5-10 minutes. You’re looking for a bubbly foam to start forming on the surface. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, and cinnamon. Pour the proofed yeast and melted butter into the flour mixture and stir until a loose dough ball forms. If the mixture is too dry, add 1 tbsp of water at a time until the dough is just combined. Empty the bowl onto well-floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes. The dough should become smooth and elastic. Add 1 tbsp canola oil to a large, clean bowl. Place in the dough and roll it around so it’s evenly coated. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Heart-Shaped Vegan Sopapillas

After the dough rises, punch it down. Take the dough from the bowl and roll it out on a lightly floured surface till it’s 1/4 inch thick. Cut into triangles, squares or any shape you desire. I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter for mine, because they looked so cute.

These sopapillas are ready for frying

Pour canola oil into a large pot and heat to 375°F. There should be just enough oil so the sopapilla shapes can float. Test the oil with a small piece of dough, it should immediately bubble up. Using a slotted spoon, carefully place the sopapillas into the oil. I fried 6 pieces at a time for about 2 minutes per side. They should puff up and turn golden brown. Spoon the sopapillas out of the oil and place them on a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil. When you’ve fried all the dough, move the sopapillas to a serving dish. Give them a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, powdered sugar, and drizzle with agave. My sopapillas came out perfectly! They are similar to funnel cakes, but just the right size. I recommend eating them fresh!

Vegan Sopapillas are a wonderful addition to any fiesta!

My family had never celebrated Cinco de Mayo until last year’s party at our place. The holiday snuck up on us this year, but I’m glad I finally got around to making these homemade sopapillas. Last week the hubby and I released a new film promoting our camera, the Walley POS-86. We’ve received so much positive feedback through social media about the film and in just a few days it’s become one of our most watched videos. Between responding to comments and tweets, editing a new short documentary film, and spending time with family, we’ve been really busy. There is so much to look forward to in the coming week, including Mother’s Day next Sunday. I recommend cooking or baking one of my delicious Vegan Recipes and sharing it with your Mom. Believe me, she deserves it.

If you’re looking for more Cinco de Mayo recipes I recommend:
Vegan Queso Dip from Minimalist Baker
Mango and Cilantro Guacamole from A Cozy Kitchen
Spicy Watermelon Margarita from San Antonio Current Blog
Meatless Monday Cinco de Mayo Inspiration on Pinterest

Have a wonderful week!

xo angie