Thursday Recipes

Here are today's six vegetarian recipes, including Super Moist Vegan Carrot Cake. Enjoy!

LOW-FAT GRANOLA

From the May 1998 issue of Vegetarian Times. This vegan recipe makes 6 cups. It starts out, “There are no hard-and-fast rules for mixing ingredients, except for the fact that it’s better to add dried fruits after the granola is baked so they don’t turn to rocks.”

To view this online, click here.

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups dried fruit, such as raisins, chopped apricots, or dried cranberries

1/2 cup honey, golden syrup or maple syrup

Vegetable oil cooking spray

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened wheat or corn flakes

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

Place oats in a colander and sprinkle with enough cold water to dampen them. Transfer to medium mixing bowl. Add cereal flakes, wheat germ, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In small bowl, combine juice, honey and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir until evenly coated.

Spread granola mixture in prepared pans. Bake until golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes, turning every 10 minutes so that it browns evenly. Stir in fruit and bake 5 minutes more. Let cool and store in airtight container until ready to use.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 225; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: g; Carbohydrates: 46 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 124 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Vegan

SUPER MOIST VEGAN CARROT CAKE

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian guide. She writes, “With several five-star reviews, you can rest assured that this homemade vegan carrot cake is absolutely foolproof. The recipe is simple and easy to follow. And, since it's egg-free and dairy-free, it's also low in fat and cholesterol-free. Frost this homemade vegan carrot cake with a vegan cream cheese frosting. You might also want to try this recipe for an orange flavored vegan cream cheese frosting.” (Both of these follow the cake recipe.) Jolinda adds, “If this vegan carrot cake doesn't sound like the recipe you're looking for, try checking out my dozens of other vegan cake recipes.”

View this online here. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 55 minute; Yield: 1 9-inch square cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup cinnamon applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened

1 tsp salt1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup soy milk

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.

Combine applesauce, vanilla, vegan margarine, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, flour and soy milk until well mixed. Add carrots and walnuts.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool. Frost with a vegan cream cheese frosting. You might also want to try this recipe for an orange flavored vegan cream cheese frosting.

VEGAN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Also from Jolinda Hacket, who writes, “Vegan cream cheese frosting, using non-dairy cream cheese and vegan margarine. This is the perfect vegan cream cheese frosting for topping off a vegan carrot cake, a vegan pumpkin cake, or even a pineapple cake. One tester called this vegan frosting "fluffy and delectably smooth". And indeed it is.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 container Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

1/2 cup soy margarine

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preparation

Combine the cream cheese and margarine. Slowly add the powdered sugar, then vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until soft and fluffy and well combined.

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING WITH VEGAN CREAM CHESSE

Finally, this frosting, again from Jolinda Hacket. Can this lady come up with good-tasting recipes? I think so! She writes, “An orange cream cheese frosting recipe adds the perfect touch to a light lemon or vanilla cake. This vegan frosting recipe uses vegan cream cheese and fresh orange juice and zest.”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened

1 8 ounce container vegan cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

juice and zest from one orange

4 cups powdered sugar

dash orange food coloring (optional)

Preparation

Mix together vegan margarine and cream cheese. Add vanilla, orange juice and orange zest and stir to combine.

Add powdered sugar until desired consistency is obtained and add a dash of food coloring, if desired.

RIGATONI WITH BRAISED VEGETABLES

This vegan recipe is from page 60 of the October 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Start heating the pasta water when you add the tomatoes to this stew, and the rigatoni noodles will be perfectly al dente just when the vegetables are ready to serve.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 medium-sized yellow squash, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 lb.)

1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved (about 2 cups)

2 medium-sized bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow), cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice

1 large onion, sliced (about 1 ½ cups)

1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)

2 Tbs. capers

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

8 oz. whole wheat rigatoni pasta

1/2 cup torn fresh basil

Heat oil in skillet over high heat. Add squash, green beans, bell peppers and onion. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are brown.

Stir in tomatoes, garlic and capers. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 15 minutes.

Stir in beans and salt to taste. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes over medium-low heat.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions. Drain, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Stir pasta and basil into sauce. Thin sauce with a little pasta water if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Per serving: 443 cal; 15 g protein; 9 g total fat (1 g sat. fat); 80 g carb; 0 mg chol; 969 mg sodium; 15 g fiber; 4 g sugars

ANISE-ALMOND BISCOTTI

Also from page 61 of the October 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Ground almonds, often sold as almond flour, give these twice-baked cookies a light, crumbly crunch. If you grind your own almonds with a mini-chopper, the flavor will be more intense.” This vegan recipe makes about 32 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

1 Tbs. whole anise seeds

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup almond flour or 1 cup whole almonds, ground to a powder

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Toast anise seeds in skillet over medium heat 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to coffee grinder or mini-blender, and crush to powder.

Combine pastry flour with almond flour or ground almonds in bowl. Whisk together oil, syrup, vanilla and salt in separated bowl. Stir oil mixture into flour mixture. Cover, and let rest 20 minutes.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spread sesame seeds on work surface. Shape dough into 2 8-inch logs, packing dough tightly together so it doesn’t crumble. Roll logs in sesame seeds, and place on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes, or until browned and firm. Set baking sheet on wire rack, and cool 5 minutes.

Cut each log into 1/3-inch-thick diagonal slices with serrated knife. Place flat side down on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Store up to 2 weeks in airtight container.

Per cookie: 110 cal; 2 g protein; 7 g total fat (1 g sat. fat); 10 g carb; 0 mg chol; 37 mg sodium; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugars