Recipes? Recipes!

[Emily]

In the interest of sharing my recent foray into the dreaded baking (as I have to this point in my life been a coward), I thought we could make a little fun recipe thread, and share the things we've found with each other. I'll leave this post as a sort of table of contents that can link to each post with the title of its recipe or recipes.

Post 1: (Emily)

• White Pasta Sauce
• Vegan 'Sausage' Patties
• Berry-Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Post 2: (El)

• Vanillekipferl-...ish (Shortbread Cookies

Post 3: (Cat)

• Lemony Vegetable Fritters
• Mushroom Soup with Mustard and White Wine
• Tea Bread

[Emily]

All of my recipes will be plant-based, which I don't bother to label because it's just how I eat, and the ingredients kind of give it away. That being said, I did keep the label in place for the breakfast patties, because they're meant to imitate sausage. Anyway, enjoy!

White Pasta Sauce

Ingredients
    • 2 cups dairy-free milk (480 ml)
    • 4 tsp cornstarch
    • 1 cup water/vegetable broth (240 ml)
    • 2 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 2 tsp dry oregano
    • 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
    • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
    1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain (saving ½ cup of the cooking water) and set aside.
    2. Put milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
    3. Mix the cornstarch with water/vegetable broth in a bowl, then add it to the warm milk in the pan with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
    4. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until it starts to thicken and turn into a smooth, creamy sauce.
    5. Sauté vegetables (broccoli, mushroom, onion) in skillet.
    6. Add the pasta to the veggies, stir to combine, then pour the sauce over everything and mix thoroughly.
    7. Add two or three tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, as the pasta will absorb moisture.

Vegan 'Sausage' Patties

Ingredients
    • 1 cup dried brown lentils
    • 3 cups broth or water
    • 1 cup rolled oats
    • 1 cup ground flaxseed
    • 4 tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 tbsp tamari sauce
    • 2 tsp fennel seed
    • 2 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp ground sage
    • 1 tsp thyme
    • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • ½ tsp salt

Instructions
    • Rinse and sort lentils. Add to medium pot with broth and bring to a boil; cook on medium high until liquid is absorbed and lentils are cooked through.
    • Preheat oven to 400°.
    • Transfer cooked lentils to a medium mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until combined well. The mixture should be moist, add water until moist if it's not already.
    • Using your hands, divide mixture into balls, then shape into patties. Transfer patties to a baking sheet.
    • Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Berry-Banana Bread

Ingredients
    • 1 ¼ cup oats
    • 1 ¼ cup flour
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • salt
    • 2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
    • ¼ cup dairy-free milk
    • ¼ cup oil
    • 1 cup blueberries (optional raspberries as well)
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan lightly.
    • In a medium bowl, add dry ingredients, stir to combine.
    • Mash the bananas by hand in a small bowl.
    • Add the mashed bananas, oil, plant milk and vanilla to dry ingredients. Don't overmix.
    • Fold in the berries.
    • Pour batter into loaf pan.
    • Bake for 50–55 minutes, rotating once halfway through. Top will turn golden and toothpick placed in the center will come out clean.
    • Once done, let cool for 15 minutes in the pan.
    • Store covered on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients
    • 3/4 cup shortening
    • 1 egg replacement
    • 1 cup yellow sugar
    • 1/4 cup white sugar (or less)
    • 1/4 cup milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 3 cups oats
    • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
    •  Mix egg replacement, sugar, and shortening in a bowl.
    •  Add milk and vanilla, mix again.
    •  Add salt, flour, and baking soda, mix again.
    •  Add oats and chocolate chips, mix again.
    •  Spread in an 8x12 pan, bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F (175ish C)

[El]

Vanillekipferl-...ish
(Shortbread Cookies)

The main appeal of this recipe for me is that it's a very basic dough to put together that uses cupboard-staple ingredients - other than the ground almonds - and is a quick bake on-top of that. However, the shaping stage is time-consuming so bear that in mind. (Traditional Vanillekipferl - which is the original version of this recipe - also uses 'vanilla sugar', but I don't have access to that here. Feel free to use it if you do though! It's included inside the dough and also at the end as part of the dusting.)

------

(Makes about 32~ cookies. Takes about 90 minutes: 60 of that is spent in the fridge, 12-15 to actually bake, while the rest of the time is spent on shaping.)

Ingredients:

• 125g Plain Flour
• 115g Unsalted Butter (left at room temperature to soften, or melted in the microwave and left to cool)
• 60g Ground Almonds
• 1/2tsp Salt
• 1tsp Vanilla Extract
• 45g Icing Sugar (you'll need about 30-50g~ extra for later), AKA Powdered/Confectioner's Sugar

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180c (350f~), and line a big tray - potentially two, as I do - with greased baking paper.
• Mix ALL the dough ingredients together in a big bowl (excluding the aforementioned extra icing sugar). First you'll want to 'crumb' it, making sure to work the butter into all the dry ingredients. Then eventually work towards kneading it into a dough that merges together into one big, smooth mass. (NOTE: be careful not to knead it for too long, unless you want a 'harder bite'. Generally the longer you work shortbread dough the harder and less crumbly it'll be.)
• Once you've formed a ball of dough, roll it out into a uniform 'log' that's about 30cm~ long. Wrap in clingfilm/plasticwrap and allow to sit in the fridge to cool and harden for at least an 1hr. This makes it easier to work with while retaining shape.
• Cut the dough in half, allowing the second half to remain in the fridge and keep cool. With your first half, cut it into sections, slicing down the log at uniform intervals about 1cm wide. (You'll end up with about 15-16~ pieces)
• One slice at a time, work the pieces gently between your hands for a second or two, making them a bit more malleable with your body-heat, then roll between your palms into little 'crayons'. They should be about the length of an index finger, but not as thick. Then carefully shape them into crescent moons. (I do this by nudging them around my fingertip. If the dough cracks when you curve it, it means it needs warming a little more so just rework and reattempt.) Make sure the ends don't touch each other, and also that they're not too much thinner than the main bulk of the biscuit or they'll burn.
• Arrange on your baking trays, and bake for 12-14mins until golden. (Keep an eye on them as they can burn QUICKLY. Sometimes you might only need 10mins.)
• Upon taking out the baking tray(s) leave them for a minute and then generously sift over half of your extra icing sugar. (It'll mostly disappear into the hot cookies as it melts.)
• Leave the cookies to cool completely, then sift icing sugar a second time, using up the last of it.

(In an airtight container they should last up to several weeks.)

[LuckyBlackCat]

Lemony Vegetable Fritters

A simple and tasty way to use up vegetables that need eating! I used carrots, spring onions and peas, but you can use most anything for this. Makes 8.

Ingredients:

• 3 carrots, grated and squeezed
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• 50g peas, thawed
• 60g cornflour or plain flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil

Instructions:

• Mix the vegetables together with the flour, baking powder, egg, seasonings, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
• Warm up the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dollop in heaped tablespoons of the batter, and flatten them out with the spoon.
• Fry for 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy.
• Serve fritters immediately to retain their crunch, either plain or with yoghurt dip.

Mushroom Soup with Mustard and White Wine

Mushrooms are always a good filling winter staple, and a dollop of mustard really brings out the flavour. A quick and easy soup for those short on time, that serves 3.

Ingredients:

• 300g mushrooms, chopped
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 125ml white wine
• 1-2 vegetable stock cubes
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp sage
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions:

• In a large saucepan, pour a generous amount of water over the diced potatoes and stock cubes, and bring to boil.
• While the potatoes simmer, warm up the oil in a frying pan, and fry the onion on a low heat for 10 minutes or until soft. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the garlic and herbs, and fry until fragrant.
• Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes. One done, stir in the cornflour.
• Pour the mix into the saucepan, along with the wine, and add the mustard. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, and puree with a hand blender until smooth. Best served with crusty bread.

Tea Bread

A classic British recipe, and yes it does actually include tea. Delicious toasted with butter, as well as a cup of tea on the side of course.

Ingredients:

• 275g self-raising flour
• 50g caster sugar (brown works best)
• 180g raisin and citrus peel mix
• 7g yeast
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 150ml black tea

Instructions:

• Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the oil and tea, and stir thoroughly until a thick, sticky dough forms.
• Sprinkle flour onto a work surface, and knead the dough on it for 10 minutes, or until it becomes soft and stretchy.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled loaf tin, cover, and leave to rise for 50 minutes. Towards the end of the prep time, pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
• Bake for 40 minutes. Leave to cool, slice and enjoy!