It's been awhile, I know...


     It's been forever it seems since my last post (Halloween, anyone?!).  I have been finding it difficult to juggle photography with my work schedule since it now gets dark around 4:30 PM.  Not the best situation for light quality!  I haven't stopped cooking or baking, though.  I've already made many batches of Christmas cookies for various events.  It's great that I get to try recipes out beforehand.  There are many more I'm going to try before the month is out too!  This recipe that I'm sharing with you today is a riff on my staple snickerdoodle recipe.  

     I love snickerdoodles.  They're my favorite cookie.  I've said this many times.  So, you can imagine, i am quite particular with their taste.  I love a simple coating of cinnamon and sugar.  Nothing beats it.  Nothing, except, maybe chai snickerdoodles?  Chocolate snickerdoodles?  MULLED CIDER SNICKERDOODLES?!  

     Nevermind.  I'm not that particular.  As long as they taste wonderful.  And let me tell you: these "doods" taste wonderful.  That is now their official nickname.

     These cookies have only a couple, albeit important modifications.  Instead of the original recipe's addition of non-dairy milk to the dough, I added two tablespoons of mulled (spiced) apple cider.  You can buy spiced cider at the store now, which is a nice time saver.  If you don't want to purchase it, you can make it at home much like a cup of tea.  I put some whole mulling spices in a tea ball and steeped them in a mug of hot cider until the liquid cooled.  Since you only need two tablespoons (if that), you can drink the rest.  You deserve it.

     As for the coating of the cookies, I added the same spices that I used for the cider.  My blend included anise, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice.  A wonderful and aromatic combo that makes the whole kitchen smell like the holidays.

     That's really all you need to do to these to change them from their base form to totally festive AF.  The texture can change quickly if you add too much liquid to the dough, however.  Be careful to evaluate the dough for its moisture content before adding the second tablespoon of cider at the end.  You may not need it!  
​

     For my Halloween post, I wanted to make something chocolate and fun, but still pretty simple.  So often it is difficult to come across vegan chocolate candy to purchase.  I love all the chocolate bars...they were my favorites growing up.  I'm not a huge fan of fruit flavored candy with the exception of Skittles and Twizzlers.  Luckily, they're both vegan (though not healthy at all) so I still get to indulge in them once in a while.  Chocolate bars, at least conventional ones, are very much not vegan (with the exception of Peanut Chews, which are accidentally vegan).  
     I usually just end up buying a bar of Endangered Species dark chocolate as a treat sometimes.  I'll break off a square here and there if I want something sweet, bitter and caffeinated.  Sometimes, though, I like to have a little fun with my chocolate!  It brings me back to my bakery days...
     We used to make chocolates using various molds for holidays, cake garnishes, and special orders quite often.  I decided, since I don't own one, to buy a chocolate mold for myself.  This is my first investment: frog molds!  Because, duh, CHOCOLATE FROGS!

     I've already posted a recipe for rock cakes this year.  I decided to take my Harry Potter inspiration to this post with vegan chocolate frogs.  I couldn't get these frogs to move on their own, unfortunately (but not from lack of trying).  They are, however, delicious.  The best part about them is that they are whatever chocolate you would like them to be.  You can choose your own percentage of dark chocolate, make chocolate from scratch, buy vegan milk chocolate, or even vegan white chocolate!  I decided to use vegan chocolate chips for mine since they were readily available.  There are a ton of raw chocolate recipes out there, though.  Check them out and experiment!  The mold will always be there waiting for you.
     I made two flavors of frogs here.  The first one is stuffed with vanilla coconut butter.  I wanted to try my hand at making homemade coconut butter finally.  I saw a post from Chocolate Covered Katie forever ago about how to do this and I've wanted to ever since!  The Minimalist Baker also has a great tutorial.  But, in a nutshell, you're basically pulverizing dried coconut until it becomes a paste (nut butter-like) consistency.  It takes a lot of patience, but it's so worth it!  Coconut butter comes with a high price tag in stores otherwise.  This is a great economical option if you're going to use it for a recipe especially.  
     The other frogs are pumpkin spice flavored.  No, there's no actual pumpkin in them.  However, there are pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie spices.  They're deliciously festive for Halloween!  The pumpkin seeds are also a good nut-free alternative for those who are allergic.  There are instructions provided here for you, but feel free to take the idea and run with it!  Chocolates are easy to make and even easier to customize.  I recommend storing these in the freezer long term.  If you want one, take it out and let it come to room temp before enjoying!  If you will be consuming these quickly, keep them in the fridge.  
     Have a spooky day, everyone!  

🤡😈☠👻👹🌕

Ingredients
Yield: Makes about 12 frogs depending on the size mold you use
Free from: Nuts, Gluten, Soy*
*Use soy-free chocolate for this option
​

• 10 oz vegan chocolate of choice*
• coconut oil, for thinning (about 1 tsp)
• 1 Tb pumpkin seeds
• Spices: 1 pinch each of ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg
• coconut butter, 3 Tb
• splash of vanilla extract, opt.
• 1 Tb sugar, opt.

Ingredients
Yield: 1 pie, about 5 servings
Free from: Gluten*, Nuts
*Use appropriate ingredients 

• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into large dice
• 1 small onion, peeled and cut into medium dice
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice
• 4 baby bella mushrooms, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tb Tamari/soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/3 cup water or veggie stock
• 1 Tb flour of choice + 2 Tb water, whisked together into a slurry*
• 1 tsp ume vinegar
• coconut oil, optional

 

• 1 recipe for vegan biscuit dough, uncooked and chilled*

Instructions
Preheat oven 350 F.
​

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with some coconut oil, if using (or water/stock).  Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 6 minutes.
2. Add all the dried spices/herbs, salt and pepper to the onions and toss to coat for about 1 minute.  Use more oil if needed. 
3. When the onions become fragrant, add in the rest of your diced veggies (the first 5 ingredients) and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.  They don't need to be cooked through since you'll be baking them.
4. Pour the Tamari, water/stock, vinegar and flour slurry into the skillet and stir to coat the veggies thoroughly.  Cook over medium-low heat while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.  Once the mixture is thick and holds together easily, turn the heat off.
5. Transfer the pie filling into a casserole or baking dish and set it aside.  
6. Take your prepared (unbaked) biscuit dough out of the fridge and warm it slightly with your hands.  You may roll it out with a rolling pin, if desired, or just simply press it onto the pie filling creating an even layer on top to cover it completely.  See images below for example.  I pressed mine down with a fork. 
7. Garnish the pie with some coarse salt, if desired (I also sprinkled some nooch on there).
8. Pop the pie in the oven, uncovered and bake for about 40 minutes or until biscuit crust is golden brown and baked through.  The veggies should be tender and cooked through by this point.
9. Serve hot from the oven or let cool to room temperature.  Makes a wonderful holiday brunch or main course!

     This is my response to the "unconventional grains" prompt!  I love to bake with different grain flours often since most of my baking is gluten-free.  I've experimented with all types of grain flours and some grain-free as well.  I find that there is no "one" magical flour that can be substituted for wheat flour in a baking recipe.  Gluten-free flours must be combined in order to achieve an optimal texture, fat content and taste for different applications.  I find that my favorite "all purpose" gluten-free flour blend is good old Bob's Red Mill.
     I like to combine this all purpose blend with other grain flours for awesome texture.  This flour is also good as a 1 to 1 substitute for my purposes, I find.  I make roux with it, dust surfaces, and use it alone for simple baked goods like biscuits.  I've never found another flour blend that does it quite like this one for me.  I also really love the flavor, which some people might not be partial to because it contains chickpea flour.  Some people say it makes whatever you cook taste like falafel.  I'm not in this camp but it's all a matter of taste, I suppose.
     This recipe came to me one day when I was using leftover bananas to make banana bread.  The original version was made with quinoa flour instead of buckwheat.  Upon my second time using this recipe, I found that I actually like the buckwheat flour much more!  The banana bread is wonderfully moist, sticks together, is dense but rises nicely, and has a depth of flavor that transcends just "banana and sugar".  I also love the nutrition that the buckwheat flour brings to this recipe!  It's got a good amount of protein and fiber!  The only downside that I can possibly see with this recipe is its darker color.  You can't really see the banana in there unless you look closely.  I don't mind this too much.  It's dang tasty and that's all I really care about.  
     I took the liberty of sprinkling some granola and trail mix on top of my banana bread.  You can do this if you want some more texture and crunch as well.  Alternatively, whip up some streusel and sprinkle that on top!  How can that be bad?  
     Feel free to spread some of your favorite nut or seed butter on top of a slice of this for a hearty breakfast.  Since there's no added oils or fats in this bread, you can control the type and amount of fats you add to it for a well-rounded meal!  

​     Enjoy! 

🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌​🍌

Ingredients
Yield: 1 loaf (9x5 pan)
Free from: Gluten, Soy*, Oil*

• 1 cup GF all purpose flour (see above)
• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer powder
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar
• 3 medium sized bananas, mashed
• 3 Tb aquafaba + 1 Tb flaxseed meal, mixed together and set aside to gel
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk*
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Garnishes*, opt: GF granola (I used Purely Elizabeth), nuts/seeds, dried fruit

*Use appropriate ingredients for these options

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F.

1. In a large mixing bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients (first 10 ingredients).
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mashed banana, flaxseed and aquafaba gel, non-dairy milk and maple syrup using a spatula or wooden spoon.
3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, one half at a time.  Stir and fold the dry into the wet until completely combined and mostly smooth.  If there are some lumps, it's okay!  Mine was very chunky as my bananas weren't completely smooth.
5. Pour the completed batter into your lined loaf pan and smooth the top to be level.
6. Sprinkle any garnishes you would like on top of the batter evenly.
7. Pop your loaf into the oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until the middle is set.  
8. Let the banana bread cool completely before cutting.  After it's cooled completely in the fridge, the flavors really shine!

     While I love today's prompt for "deconstructed" dishes, I didn't want to get too "fancy" with it.  I'm all for fancy food, but not when I'm deconstructing something.  I like deconstructing dishes into their individual star ingredients and just preparing them differently.  I also love to eat food out of bowls, though.  I'm not a huge fan of plates because I feel as though I have to work to eat my food off of a plate.  
     When there are multiple elements to a dish, I find they are best enjoyed layered on top of one another.  The only time I like to eat off a plate is when I'm eating a sandwich type food that is already contained.  The hummus quinoa I made today would be TERRIBLE on a plate.  Especially since quinoa likes to go everywhere.  Whenever I make quinoa, I always find little grains on the counter no matter how careful I am while using it.  This bowl is my answer.  Keep that quinoa on the bottom and pile the stuff on top so it stays put!  It also creates a soft little bed for everything to nestle into!
     I made the chickpeas the main star of the dish, of course, but I roasted them whole rather than their usual role in hummus as the puree.  I love roasted chickpeas because they become nutty and almost "cheesy" if I can say that ("buttery" perhaps is a better description).  Although they're the main component, I must say my favorite part is the sauce I made...
     Tahini is used in hummus often to create a creamy texture and add flavor.  I used tahini here as a drizzling sauce mixed into whipped aquafaba.  The resulting sauce is an oil-free (but not fat free, of course) aioli-type sauce.  It holds up but isn't too thick.  The flavor is delicious and nutty with a hint of mellow sweetness from mirin.  Garlic is everywhere in there too, because garlic is one of the best parts of a good hummus.  To keep this dish truly oil-free, you can omit wherever it calls for olive oil.  It won't change your results too much at all.  

Ingredients
Yield: about 5 servings
Free from: Gluten, Soy, Nuts 

Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (save the liquid!)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tb olive oil, optional

Quinoa

• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water/vegetable stock
• salt, to taste
• drizzle of olive oil, optional for garnish

Tahini Sauce

• 1/4 cup aquafaba 
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 tsp mirin/maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• zest of 1 lemon

Garnish (optional): dry/fresh herbs, paprika, olive oil, raw cut veggie slices

     Today's post doesn't require much of an explanation.  I love wet walnuts.  I first encountered them at Dairy Queen (I worked there in high school).  A lot of our customers loved them and I never understood why since they looked a little unappetizing.  I tried the topping at one point and thought it tasted okay, but not fabulous.  
     Later in life, I learned that I loved nuts in ice cream A LOT.  One of my favorite flavors to this day is butter pecan.  I also love rocky road, moose tracks, etc.  The wet walnuts I made for this simple (yet boozy) sundae are infused with the tart bite of hard apple cider, sweet maple syrup, and apple pie spices.  There isn't anything more "fall" than the smell of apple pie on your ice cream.  
     The ice cream I made is a simple vanilla bean flavor (with bourbon, though).  Again, I've always loved simple ice cream flavors.  Vanilla is as basic as you can get with ice cream, but it's the base for EVERY FLAVOR.  Any and all flavors of ice cream need to have vanilla extract in them (if they're sweet, of course).  The vanilla gives the ice cream the essence that it needs to be rich and creamy and fragrant.  I loved the fresh vanilla bean taste in this recipe.  Using vanilla paste will give you a similar effect.  ' 
     The combination of the bourbon and cider is also very "fall".  There's a great cocktail that calls for bourbon and apple cider.  Not sure if it has a name, actually...  Either way, it's pretty delicious hot or iced.  
     The wet walnuts I made were chilled when I served them over the ice cream.  If you're not opposed to your ice cream melting a bit, heat the walnuts up slightly for a gooey treat!  I also included a link below to a recipe for raw apple pie filling, which would be a wonderful addition to this sundae.  There's already a delicious apple bite from the walnuts, but why not accentuate it?!  Enjoy and don't sundae and drive.  ;)

Ingredients
Yield: about 6 servings
Free from: Soy*, Gluten
*Use appropriate ingredients for this option

Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream

• 1 vanilla bean (1 Tb vanilla extract/paste otherwise)
• 2 Tb aquafaba
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk*
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 pinch stevia or 2 Tb sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup soaked raw cashews, drained
• 1/4 cup bourbon, opt.

Hard Cider Wet Walnuts

• 3/4 cup toasted walnuts
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup hard cider
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 dates, pitted
• pinch salt
• 1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice OR 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1;2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Toppings of choice (here's my raw apple pie filling)

     So, I don't always think about zombies taking over the world...

     But, when I do, I think about what I would eat (like, as a human still. otherwise, brains? faces?).  

     Anyway.

     As a vegan, you're pretty limited out in the wild.  Unless you're on a tropical island that has coconut and banana trees, you're stuck foraging in the woods for mushrooms and plants to eat.  And, unless you're very knowledgeable, picking out which wild mushrooms to eat is a risky task.  Then again, you could be zombie chow at any moment, so go ahead and eat that mushroom over there.  What's the worst thing that can happen, right?
     Other than toughing it in the wild, we vegans can subsist on found pantry foods while looting grocery stores and empty (hopefully) houses.  I like to imagine myself busting into someone's pantry who has since either passed, turned, or just wandered away from home in search of chocolate pudding.   Little did they know, they had everything they needed right there!  

     I took inspiration for today's prompt from The Walking Dead.  I'm a long time watcher of the show and I've read a bit of the comic, but not enough to call myself an expert by any means.  I like the concept, most of the characters, and the dramatic moments that make me cringe with fear.  Last season's premiere was absolutely brutal.
     Anyway.
     I've always had a dislike for Carl.  Don't ask me why.  The kid just annoys me.  I did, however, like the scene in the TV show where he's pigging out on chocolate pudding out of a can that looks like it's probably over 10 years old.  He's sitting on a roof with one shoe on while a zombie is trying to nom him from inside the house.  This entire scene made me laugh because it's the only instance that Carl seemed relatable to me.  I could see myself in his shoe at that moment.  Sometimes you have to get away from it all and have some "me" time.
     Also, as I thought about it, I realized chocolate pudding would be the ultimate survival food if made from shelf stable ingredients.  You could make it easily with a few ingredients that are fairly common, have a long shelf life, and only require minimal cooking (if you absolutely want it to be authentic).  This is also a great meal if you add protein powder like I did.  If you're gonna run from zombies, you better be well fueled.  
     Alternatively, you could mix all the ingredients together with the shelf stable milk and just drink it like a protein shake.  It's liquid pudding.  If there's anything that separates us from the zombies its our ability to enjoy things like liquid pudding, everyone.  
    On to the good stuff...☠​🍫

Ingredients
(If you can find them! Mwahahaha)
Yield: About 2 servings
Free from: Soy*, Gluten, Nuts*
*Use appropriate ingredients for these variations

• 1 scoop chocolate vegan protein powder (I used Sunwarrior)*
• 1/4 cup sugar (I used organic powdered sugar)
• 3 Tb tapioca/corn starch
• 1 Tb cocoa powder
• pinch salt
• 1 cup non-dairy milk*
• splash of vanilla extract, opt.

     Today's prompt is everything that I love about this time of year: SPICES!

     I love warm spices.  They always seem to find their way into my recipes in some form or another.  I use cinnamon in almost everything.  As I developed a taste for other spices, I discovered that I loved curries and stews with warm spices as well.  I think savory applications of spices are my favorite simply because they offer unique depths of flavor.  I love how the addition of spices to a simple chili or stew can create so much aromatic flavor.  
     One of my favorite foods in the fall and winter is sweet potato.  Sweet potato is always known for its ability to carry sweet spices in desserts.  I wanted to add spices to sweet potatoes this time in a more savory way.  The blend that I created is nothing extraordinary, but it creates a wonderful combination of smoke, earthiness, and sweetness.  The flavors are wonderful when mixed with the mellow sweetness of the potatoes.  I added some bitter beet greens and sweet onions into the mixture as well.  The simple blend of veggies is a wonderful meal on its own or can be served with a bread or grain of your choice.  
     I didn't create my own garam masala, but definitely do so if you're feeling up to the challenge.  One of these days, I'd like to create my own spice blends.  I've heard that fresh whole spices ground at home are the best.  In addition to these spices tasting great, they also offer some wonderful medicinal properties (especially that turmeric).  This mixture would also be a great breakfast to avoid any sugar crash during your day.  Also, it would make a fabulous side dish for Thanksgiving.  Just throwing that out there (it is next month, after all).  Enjoy and feel good about it!  

​🍁🍂🍃🌰🍠

Yield: About 4 Servings
Free from: Gluten*, Soy, Nuts, Grains

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 bunch fresh greens, washed and chopped loosely (I used beet greens)
• 1 small sweet onion, sliced
• About 3 Tb coconut oil, for cooking
• 1 Tb grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• salt and pepper, to taste

Serve with bread or grain of choice, optional

     I think as vegans, we can all relate to Lisa Simpson on one level or another.  Whether you're at work, with friends or family, or at a wedding (ugh), you can bet that you will be in the dietary minority (unless you're only around fellow vegans all the time, which, congrats).  I get strange looks all the time from people when I politely decline their food and start to drink green juice instead.  I've also gotten positive reactions from chefs willing to accommodate me to acquaintances asking insightful questions pertaining to the reasons why I went vegan, etc.  Navigating social landscapes is definitely something that can be challenging but also rewarding as someone who lives this unique lifestyle. 

     The most challenging dish to sell to people who aren't keen on vegan (or just "healthy" food in general) is plain old salad​.  Hence this... 

     Yep.  I feel her pain.  (#same)

     The funny thing about salad is, though, it can be just as easily mind-blowing as it can be boring and unappetizing.  This rule applies to every food, though, in my humble opinion.  Omnivores throw fried meat, potatoes and tons of cheese on their salads and say it makes them "tasty", so why can't vegans do their equivalent of the same?  
     I love salads.  They're great all year round.  I love that they can consist of cooked and raw vegetables alike.  I also like to mix pickled and fermented vegetables in mine to add flavor, texture and nutrition.  A great, quick and easy lunch is some salad greens, chopped seasonal vegetables and some make-ahead protein to throw on top.  When I'm feeling lazy, I'll throw beans on top that are barely seasoned.  However, for VeganMofo, I decided to do something a little more involved and special...

    

Yield: About 5 Servings
Free from: Nuts, Gluten

Ingredients

• 1 small head cabbage (I used Nappa)
• 1 medium head of leaf lettuce (I used red lettuce)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 large cucumber, seeds removed and cut into matchsticks
• sesame seeds for garnish, opt.

Tofu

• 1 block extra firm tofu, drained (I also pressed mine overnight to achieve a dry texture)
• 1 cup cornmeal (I used the blue kind since I had it on hand)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 coconut oil, melted (optional)

Bulldog Sauce

• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tsp ume vinegar (or sub apple cider)
• 2 Tb Tamari/soy sauce
• 1 Tb mirin/maple syrup
• 1 Tb molasses
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tb hot sauce/sriracha

Instructions
Preheat oven 400 F.

1. Cut your block of tofu into chunks.  I left mine rustic looking, but feel free to cut into cubes if this makes you anxious.  😛
2. Prepare the cornmeal crust by whisking the cornmeal, salt, pepper and garlic powder together in a bowl until totally incorporated.  
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.
4. Toss your tofu pieces in the cornmeal until they are thoroughly coated and then place them all on the cookie sheet with some room between them.
5. Once your tofu is all coated, drizzle the melted coconut oil over them, if using.
6. Bake in the oven for about 13 minutes on each side (flipping them helps to brown them more completely).  Remove them when they are golden and crispy to cool.
7. While the tofu is sizzling in the oven, chop your veggies!
8. I washed my cabbage and lettuce, drained them and then tore them into bite-sized pieces.  I don't like to cut delicate greens so this worked just fine.
9. In a large mixing bowl, combine the greens, carrot and cucumber matchsticks and sesame seeds, if using.
10. Now, mix up that sauce!  The Bulldog sauce comes together in a flash if you have a whisk handy.  Simply throw all the ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.  Taste for seasoning.  Mine definitely didn't need any, but feel free to add salt and pepper or more spices to your liking.  It should be slightly hot, sweet and tangy!  😋
11. For each portion, fill a bowl with the salad mixture, top with the tofu and drizzle on the bulldog sauce.  Like I said, I used my sauce as a dressing so add whatever other dressing you would like.  You can also coat the tofu in the sauce, but I tried that and found it to be too much for my liking.  I'm more of a sauce dipper than smotherer.   😉
    ​
    

     So today's prompt is asking how I get my protein.  I would imagine my question to this ever present question from non-vegans would be to show them a bit of a double whamey: a protein-packed breakfast. 
     It's very difficult to come by vegan breakfast foods that are prepared in this country.  It's ironic, too, because breakfast foods can so easily be made vegan.   The foods that are used to make a nutritious vegan breakfast are also pretty cost effective on the whole.  These two items that I'm featuring today are both very economical and keep for the entire week.  The protein oatmeal squares are also a much cheaper substitute for store bought energy or meal replacement bars.  I'm guilty of buying those to keep on hand in case I'm stuck on the go without food for a while (especially after I work out).  However, if you make these, they certainly can save you some money.  They're also more eco-friendly!
     These two recipes are very forgiving and are also great canvases for your own flavors.  I chose chocolate because I had a tub of chocolate Sun Warrior protein on hand.  Feel free to use your favorite flavor and brand of protein powder for these.  Alternatively, you can also use natural sources of protein like flax and hemp seeds or nuts ground into a flour,  
     The nice cream is great stored in the freezer but will most likely need to be warmed a bit before scooping since it hardens into a solid mass depending how cold your freezer is set.  You can either leave it thaw at room temperature or nuke it in the microwave if you aren't opposed.  I like to top mine with nuts and seeds for more added protein!  It makes a great option if you don't feel like whipping up a smoothie in the morning (or want to wake your housemates because you get up at 4:30 AM for work like I do).  
     Combine these two treats for a chocolate-filled yet also healthy and filling breakfast!  I'm definitely going to come up with another post with flavor variations on these.  The possibilities don't end!  

Yield: approximately 7 servings
Free from: gluten, nuts*, soy*
*Use appropriate ingredients for these options

Ingredients

• 3 ripe frozen bananas, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk* 
• 1/2 Tb cocoa powder
• 1 scoop vegan chocolate protein powder* (I used Sun Warrior) 
• 1 scoop powdered greens, opt. (I used Amazing Grass Chocolate)
• 2 Tb coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (for optimal consistency)

Instructions

Blend all those things above in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth!  Images below.  ✌️

Yield: 8 Squares (9x5 loaf pan)
Free from: Gluten
Adapted from: Chocolate Covered Katie's Wonderful Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free oats
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 scoop vegan chocolate protein powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup applesauce/mashed banana
• 3 Tb maple syrup
• 1/4 cup nut or seed butter (I used almond)
• 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chunks/chips, opt.

Instructions
Preheat oven 340 F.

1. Measure all dry ingredients (the first four) in a large mixing bowl and stir together until incorporated.  Set aside.
2. In another large mixing bowl, measure out the wet ingredients (the rest except for the chocolate chips).
3. Whisk the wet ingredients together until smooth.
4. Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry and stir until a thick "dough" forms.
5. Fold in the chocolate, if using.
6. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
7. Pour the completed "dough" into the loaf pan and spread out evenly.
8. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until set and firm.  
9. Let cool completely before cutting.  I recommend chilling in the fridge.
   
10. Enjoy whenever you need a boost! 💪