Almond and Cashew Cherry Yogurt (Vegan!)

When I first went vegan I thought yogurt was going to be the hardest thing to give up. I had grown to love plain greek yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast, so the thought of giving it up made me sad. While it was hard to stop eating it the first week, I soon found different things to eat for breakfast that made up for it.

The longer I've been vegan the more I've begun experimenting with harder recipes. A while back I finally started researching homemade yogurt. I would occasionally buy non-dairy yogurt at the grocery store, but it's so expensive that I wanted to learn how to make my own. And I did! You can check out the recipe here!

While my homemade yogurt became a staple in my house, I still wanted to find a yogurt substitute that didn't take hours of incubating to make. Not long after, I came across Deliciously Ella's Cashew and Almond yogurt and it sounded delicious to me...and unfortunately expensive. I decided to make a few substitutes and try it out and, voila! This delicious, fruity yogurt was the result! It takes a fraction of the time to make, is thicker, and has more consistent results.

Yum!

Almond and Cashew Cherry Yogurt

(Make about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup dates
• 1/2 cup frozen cherries (or any frozen fruit)
• 1 1/2 cups water, divided
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or other thickener)

Directions:

1. Soak the almonds, cashews and dates in a bowl for about 4 hours.
2. Drain the nuts and dates and place them, along with the frozen berries and 1 cup of water, into a blender. Blend until smooth.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup water and teaspoon of cornstarch until dissolved. Pour it into the blender and blend with the other ingredients until combined.
4. Pour the contents of the blender into a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Let the mixture heat slowly while whisking often until the "yogurt" thickens. You can know when it's ready when your whisk leaves marks in the yogurt.
5. Pour the yogurt into a jug and place in the refrigerator to cool.
6. Serve with fruit and granola for a delicious breakfast!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Pumpkin Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

I know the name of this recipe is a mouthful, but I couldn't choose which key ingredient to leave out. The pumpkin makes this pudding so moist and the subtle spice of cinnamon and the chewiness of the raisins are in every mouthful. This bread pudding is healthy enough for breakfast (at least in the VanderMolen household) and was perfect for brunch on Brett's Birthday. We absolutely looooved my Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls so I thought this would be a fun twist on similar ingredients.

I've mentioned a few times that Brett and I are moving to NYC soon, so I've slowly been trying to clean out our freezer. I don't even know who put all that food in our freezer, but it needs to be eaten. One large item in there was a loaf of Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread. We love that stuff, but go through it slowly, so I still had a good chunk frozen. 

I saw a recipe for a pumpkin bread pudding that included cinnamon and raisins and I thought it would be perfect to use our cinnamon raisin bread for a similar dish. I've never made bread pudding before, but it's really simple. If you've ever baked anything, you can make bread pudding. It's mainly just dry and wet ingredients mixed together and baked to perfection. Simple and delicious.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 6 cups (about 10 slices) Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread (or other brand)
• 1 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Cinnamon Pecans:

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
• 2-3 shakes of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray 6 ramekins with cooking spray and set aside. 
2. Rip up the bread into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl
3. Place all the ingredients from almond milk to nutmeg in a blender and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread slices and stir well to combine. Let it sit for about ten minutes to allow the bread to soak up the liquid.
5. Give the bread mixture one last mix and then evenly divide it among the 6 ramekins. 
6. Bake the bread pudding for 40 minutes until the top of the bread is starting to get firm.
7. About 5 minutes before the bread pudding is done prepare the cinnamon pecans by stirring the pecans, sweetener and cinnamon together in a bowl. Spread evenly across a lightly sprayed baking dish and place in the oven for 5 minutes to toast. 
8. To serve, sprinkle the cinnamon pecans evenly on top of the individual bread puddings and dig in!

Notes: This is perfectly sweet for me, but if you want it sweeter for a dessert you can increase the agave nectar in the pumpkin mixture to 1/2 cup.

Adapted from Fat Free Vegan.

Rip up the slices of bread into bite size pieces and place them in a large bowl.

Blend up all the wet ingredients, from almond milk to nutmeg, until smooth.

Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread, stir to combine, and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Divide among the 6 ramekins.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes and then top with the cinnamon pecans.

Dig in!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

How-To: Growing Oat Bran Bowl. You'll be full for hours!

I'm usually an oatmeal girl for breakfast, but this past week I discovered a trick that turns 1/3 cup of oat bran into a massive bowl of deliciousness. I'm currently at my parents house in Virginia and they live close to a Trader Joe's. I must really like Trader Joe's because I somehow ended up going the first three days in a row we were here.

The second day I was there, I was buying my groceries and in true, friendly Trader Joe's fashion, the cashier struck up a conversation with me and asked me if I had ever eaten oat bran. She then went on to tell me that if I added double the liquid that is recommended on the packaging, my oat bran will keep growing and growing and will become an amazing, stick-to-your-bones bowl of oats. Of course I had to try it first thing when I got home. Sure enough 1/3 cup of this stuff makes a huge bowl! So if you're looking for a breakfast that will keep you full for hours, try this out!

I figured I'd share the recipe with you considering it's what I ate this Wednesday morning.

For breakfast this morning I made my oat bran with chia seeds, mixed in some cinnamon and topped it with almond butter. Delicious!

Growing Oat Bran Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup oat bran
• 2 cups water (or liquid of choice)
• Optional add-ins: chia seeds, whipped banana, flax seed, etc.
• Optional toppings: Cinnamon, nut butter, granola, etc.

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized sauce pan over medium-high heat, stir together the 1/3 cup oat bran and 2 cups water.
2. Let the oat bran cook while stirring often until the mixture starts to thicken. When you first start cooking the oat bran you probably won't be able to see it because of the large amount of water, but as it thickens the oat bran will begin bubbling to the top.
3. Reduce the heat to medium once the oat bran starts to thicken and add in your mix-ins if using. 
4. Continue to stir frequently until all the water is absorbed and you have a large pot of oat bran.
5. Pour into a bowl, stir in some cinnamon and top with your favorite toppings!

Step-by step pictures:

Start with 1/3 cup of oat bran.

Combine 1/3 cup oat bran with 2 cups liquid in a medium-sized sauce pan.

Heat the oat bran over medium-high heat while stirring occasionally.

Once the oat bran begins to thicken, add in your mix-ins and reduce the heat to medium.

Keep stirring until the water is all absorbed.

Pour your oat bran into a bowl and top with your favorite toppings!

What breakfast keeps you full the longest?

Check out Jenn's Blog Peas and Crayons for other recipe ideas!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans...A New Family Tradition!

These cinnamon rolls are finger lickin' good. I made them for Brett and my one year anniversary last weekend and we were both in heaven as we ate them. It's not everyday that Brett gives me a high five after something I've created myself! Don't let the name fool you either. They may sound complicated, but they really aren't hard to make. I hope you try them and if you do, I'd love to hear how they turn out!

To be honest, experimenting with cooking and baking when I first went vegan wasn't easy. I didn't have enough basic knowledge of the science behind cooking and baking in general, so trying to create my own recipes without using any meat, eggs or milk wasn't easy! There were definitely nights of cooking that left me discouraged and wanting to give up on my new dairy and meat free life. 

I'm so glad I stuck with it and kept researching and practicing, because it's starting to pay off. I don't botch as many meals as I used to and lately the recipes I've created myself have turned out pretty good. "Pretty good" being the key phrase. I still have a lot of learning to do, but I must say that these cinnamon rolls turned out better than pretty good. They are now officially going to show up at special VanderMolen events, holidays and celebrations. 

Well, enough talking. Let's get to the recipe!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans

(Makes 8 rolls)

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons earth balance
• 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (scoop and sweep)
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• 1 tablespoon earth balance
• 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the Candied Pecans:

• 1/4 heaping cup pecans, chopped
• 1 teaspoon earth balance
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the Sugar Glaze:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2-4 teaspoons almond milk

Instructions:

1. To form the dough, start by combining the 1/4 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of butter in a heat-safe bowl and microwave it for about 40 seconds until the butter is completely melted. Set aside to cool a little.
2. While the milk/butter mixture is cooling, combine 2 tablespoons of milk with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and mix. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir. Set it aside until the mixture is foamy (about 10-15 minutes).
3. After the yeast mixture has gotten foamy, stir in the milk/butter mixture, followed by the applesauce, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Then add in the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients and stir until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Use your hands to knead everything together into a moist dough.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding up to 1/4 of the remaining all-purpose flour as needed. Only add in as much as is needed to keep the dough from sticking to the kneading surface anymore.
6. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large, greased bowl. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until doubled in size. (I turned my oven on to 200 degrees for a couple minutes and then turned it off. I covered my bowl with aluminum foil and placed it in the turned-off oven.
7. As the dough rises make your cinnamon and brown sugar filling by stirring together the 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon with the 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Set aside.
8. Prepare a 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside
9. After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it. Lightly flour a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Have the long edge be parallel to you.
10. After you've rolled out the dough, rub 1 tablespoon of earth balance across the surface and then sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture all over the earth balance spread.
11. Roll up the dough starting at the long end nearest you until you get a log. Seal the long edges together by pinching the dough. 
12. Use a serrated knife to cut the log into 8 sections. Place the rolls into your prepared baking dish.
13. At this point you can over the pan with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until ready to bake. If you do this, let the dough sit out for about 1/2 hour until the dough is at room temperature and the rolls have risen some.
14. If you are baking your rolls right away, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and as your oven heats, allow your rolls to rise a little by placing them in a warm place.
15. Bake the rolls uncovered for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 
16. Prepare the sugar glaze and candied pecans as they bake.
17. For the sugar glaze, start by mixing 1/4 cups of powdered sugar with 2 teaspoons of almond milk. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
18. For the candied pecans, heat the teaspoon of butter in a small skillet. Once it melts add in the sugar and nuts and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes. You don't want them to burn! Pour the nuts out onto a plate with parchment paper and allow the carmel coating the harden.
19. Remove the rolls from the oven after they have finished baking and drizzle the sugar glaze on top. Sprinkle with candied nuts.
20. Serve warm!

Notes: You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for a few days. Reheat the rolls for about 20 seconds in the microwave.

Adapted from The Bright-Eyed Baker.

Let your dough rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours in a warm place.

Roll the dough into a rectangle on a floured surface.

Cover with earth balance and sprinkle with the cinnamon and brown sugar filling.

Roll it up into a log and seal.

Cut the dough into 8 sections and place in a greased baking dish.

Let the rolls sit for a few minutes while you pre-heat your oven.

Prepare the sugar glaze and the candied pecans while the rolls are baking to perfection.

Remove the rolls from the oven and drizzle with the sugar glaze.

Top with the candied pecans and dig in!

I promise they won't last long.

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Experimenting with Breakfast Foods!

I'm one of those weird people that absolutely loves mornings. Sometimes I'll go to bed super early, just so I can wake up before the sun and the rest of humanity. If I could, I would wake up at 5 or 5:30 every morning. Mornings are when I'm most productive and my mind is most alert. I can crank out a ton of work before Brett even wakes up. 

Another major reason I love mornings is because I love breakfast. I could easily eat breakfast food three times a day. Lately I've been cooking and baking up a storm and so sometimes, due to the overflow of breakfast-like foods in our house, I just have to eat breakfast for lunch...or dinner. It's rough. Like these Lemon Poppy Seed and Yogurt Pancakes. Brett and I were working from home the other day and around lunchtime I began craving something lemon and poppy seed flavored. So...

...these pancakes made with Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt were created. Brett and I loved them!

One of the main reasons I've been cooking and baking a ton is because I've decided that, when I have time, I want to get to the point where I can make most of our staple foods at home from scratch. Brett and I are planning to move overseas next year and I feel like I should get the basics down pat now so that if we don't have access to certain foods overseas I can just make them myself! Mainly, non-dairy foods like yogurt and almond milk have been on the top of my list to learn how to make. Other things are Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, wheat thin crackers, tortillas and granola. 

Homemade Almond Milk

It's been so fun to learn more about the science behind the foods I love to eat and experiment making them myself...especially when those foods are breakfast foods!

So today I'm going to share with you "What-I-Made-And-Ate-For-Breakfast" and also some of the staple foods that I hope I can still make for Brett and me when we live overseas.

One of those staple foods just happens to be yogurt! I never knew making yogurt was possible a couple of weeks ago. I just thought it fell from the sky into our groceries stores. But seriously, I love yogurt, but non-dairy yogurt is so expensive and probably not as accessible overseas so I've been determined to learn to make it myself. And guess what? It's not hard!

I can make this whole quart of almond milk yogurt using a crockpot and it cost about two bucks! I'm going to keep experimenting with it until I can get a thicker consistency, but I still love it and have been eating it everyday and even using it to bake with.

Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt with grapes, banana, strawberries and homemade granola!

Homemade granola sweetened with applesauce, agave nectar and cinnamon.

Still working on perfecting this!

Overnight oats with 1/2 cup Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt, 1 mashed, overripe banana, 

1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons chia seeds and a splash of almond milk

I even used used my homemade yogurt in these fiberlicious Pumpkin Bran Muffins! Brett and I loved these and have been eating them daily for the past week.

 For our one year anniversary I made these amazing Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans (Recipe coming soon!). I usually don't call recipes I create myself amazing, but these really were to die for. Brett gave me a high five after the first bite. Success! It's definitely going to be a new family tradition to make these on special occasions.

And of course coffee. I've been trying to find the perfect ratio for making iced coffee concentrate and I just came across this recipe yesterday. Pour 1 cup of coffee grounds into a pitcher and then pour in 4 cups of water. Stir and let it sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, pour the mixture through a coffee filter into a clean container (I filtered mine right into our coffee pot!) Now you have the perfect iced coffee concentrate! Mix 1 parts concentrate with equal parts water and there you have it!

This is the coffee grounds and water mixture before I strained it.

Don't worry, it doesn't turn out gritty like that!

Well there you have it: my experiments and breakfast foods from the past week! 

What foods do you try to make at home from scratch?

Do you have a recipe for making homemade yogurt?

Also check out Jenn's blog to see what other people are creating!

Eat Consciously,

Faith