Brownie Bottom Peanut Butter Cheesecake - Vegan

I recently picked up Vegan Pie In The Sky.  This is the first recipe I've tried and wow was it worth it.  My fiance picked out the first recipe we would try, and the choice he made was amazing.

Brownie Bottom Crust

2 2/1 Tbsp semi sweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
4 Tbsp nonhydrogenated maragarine (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Generously spray the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with non stick cooking spray.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate for one minute.  Stir and return to the microwave for 30 second increments until completely melting, be careful not to burn the chocolate.  Add the margarine and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.
3. Stir in the sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract, then sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Mix until smooth.  Use the spatula to spread the batter in an even layer on to the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the top of the brownie looks puffed and crinkled, then move to a cooling rack.

Peanut Butter Filling

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 medium ripe banana
1 package (12-14 oz) silken tofu, drained
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp coconut oil
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract





1. Puree all ingredients in a blender until very smooth.  Pour the filling on top of the brownie crust.  Carefully lift the pan about a half inch and quickly bang a few times to release any air bubbles from the batter.
2. Bake the cheesecake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is lightly puffed and the edges are golden.  Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
3. Cover and place in the refrigerator.  Let it cool for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.  If you can wait, letting it cool overnight will be better.  Dip in a thin sharp knife in cold water to slice.
4. Garnish with dairy free whipped topping, chopped peanuts, shaved chocolate, or any other garnishes you would like.  I used chopped peanuts and a chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Sauce (optional)

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1-2 Tbsp almond milk

1. Place in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 60 seconds.  Stir.  Microwave for longer if the chocolate has not melted.  Let cool before drizzling or spreading over the cheesecake.

Beanball Sub - Vegan

I have never been fond of meatballs, but honestly have always wondered what the appeal of a meatball sub was.  This is why I was so happy to find this recipe, which uses kidney beans instead of ground meat.  Making this on a cold snowy spring day really helped me forget about the conditions outside.  My fiance described this as food he loves but made in a way that is healthy.  I found this recipe in Veganomicon.  Much of this recipe could be made in advance for weeknights.  If you will be in a rush I would suggest making the sauce and preparing the bean balls and storing them in the fridge in an air tight container until ready to use.

Make the sauce before preparing the beanballs as you will need some of the sauce to cook the beanballs.

Marinara Sauce

I made a caramelized onion version of the sauce.  You can also make a plain marinara sauce as well, if this is what you are doing, use only 2 tsp of olive oil and begin with sauteing the garlic over medium-low heat.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Sweat 1 cup of finely chopped onion for about 15 minutes (cook over low heat, covered, stirring every few minutes - make sure the onion does not brown).  Uncover and cook for about 10 minutes over higher heat, about medium-high until browned and caramelized.

Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, thyme, oregano and pepper and simmer over low heat.

Beanballs

1 19oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1/2 cup bread crumbs, I used panko
1/4 whole wheat flour or regular flour
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mash the kidney beans in a mixing bowl, using a fork or potato masher, they should still resemble kidney beans.  Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, bread crumbs, flour and spices, mix everything together until well combined.
Roll the mixture into beanballs, about the size of walnuts.  You should have about 15 beanballs.

Place the bean balls on a foiled lined rimed baking sheet.  Add about 1 cup of the sauce over the beanballs, ensuring all are covered.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Use hoagie buns to serve.  I added daiya cheddar cheese and spinach to my subs.
To assemble place the desired amount of beanballs on each sub, add additional sauce, dairy free cheese (if desired) and some spinach.

Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce

This is a wonderful twist to traditional cranberry sauce and takes no time at all to make.

This recipe can easily be cut in half if you do not need this much cranberry sauce.  This sauce can be served with chicken or turkey.

4 cups frozen or fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

3 Tbsp Grand Marnier

Place cranberries, sugar and water in a pot and simmer over medium low until the sauce begins to thicken.  Add the Grand Marnier.  Place sauce in sterilized jars or a regular jar if you plan to uswithin a few days

Asparagus Sauteed with Garlic

The other night, after having a bit more energy I served sauteed asparagus with quinoa salad and roast chicken and grand marnier cranberry sauce.

Wash and trim Asparagus

Add about 2 tbsp of grapeseed or canola oil to a pan over medium low heat.  Add asparagus and two minced garlic cloves.  Sautee for about 5 minutes and serve.  The asparagus will still have some crispness but will be fully cooked.  This takes but a few minutes to make and tastes fantastic.  Stir frequently to ensure the garlic does not burn, you may need to turn down the heat depending on your oven and pan.

Quinoa, Black Bean and Mango Salad - Vegan, Soy and Wheat Free

Even if you aren't a huge quinoa fan I believe you should give this salad a try.  It is filling with a very refreshing taste.  Also, it is very easy to make.  I believe quinoa is wheat free, but if you have a severe allergy you will want to ensure it has not been cross contaminated.

I found this recipe in Veganomicon, one of my new cookbooks.

I used a mix of white and red quinoa, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

1 mango, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley if you really can't stand cilantro
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
a few lettuce leaves for garnish

Rinse quinoa.  To cook the quinoa bring 1 cup of dried quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil.  Simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.  When the quinoa is cool you can prepare the rest of the salad.

Combine all ingredients with the cooled quinoa and stir to combine.  This can be served immediately if you wish, but I find it tastes better if you leave it in the fridge to let the flavours combine.  To serve place overtop a few lettuce leaves.

Perfect Roast Chicken

I am happy to be able to post again.  I was away for work and then recovering from minor surgery.  Things are going well, but very busy.  I hope to post a few more recipes over the coming days for you to enjoy.  I have also recently purchased two new cookbooks I will be trying out.

As I mentioned I was away for work.  When I am on the road I like to leave some food here for my fiance to enjoy while I am away.  This is a wonderful recipe for roast chicken, the skin will brown nicely, without getting two crispy.

The amount of time you will need to cook your chicken will vary based on it's weight.  As a general rule, a chicken will roast for 20 minutes per pound, with an additional 10-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

If the chicken contains giblets or kidneys remove these.
Rinse the chicken under cold running water and towel dry, I use paper towels.
You can season the chicken how ever you like.  Rub a bit of dairy free margarine, I used Becel Vegan on the outside of the chicken and then add the spices you plan to use, spreading over the entire chicken.  I used about 2 tbsp of thyme, summer savoury and poultry seasoning.  I also added 4 peeled garlic cloves to the chicken cavity for additional flavour.  You can also place the garlic cloves under the skin if you wish.

Roast the chicken at 450°F for 15 minutes.  Turn the oven to 375°F for the remaining of the cooking time. I used a 3lb chicken, it cooked for 1h30 minutes.  Always be sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has cooked thoroughly.

I like the save my carcass to make soup.  The flavour is wonderful and it will cost you very little to make a whole batch of chicken soup or stock.

Vegan Strawberry Jam Oatmeal Bars

The addition of strawberry jam and fresh strawberries help make these squares amazing.  I would recommend using homemade jam if you have some, but if not, store bought will be fine.  I will be sure to post my strawberry jam recipe in time for strawberry season.

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup large flake oats
1/2 cup dairy free butter, softened - I use Earth Balance
3/4 cup (generous) Strawberry Jam
1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Preheat oven to 350º.  Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray and set aside.





1. Place the butter in a medium bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, to soften
2. Add the brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and oats, stirring to combine.  
3. Mix the dairy free butter into the mixture, rub with your fingers to ensure it is well mixed.
4. Press about 2 cups of the mixture into the prepared pan and spread the jam over the top. 
5. Sprinkle the chopped strawberries over the jam.
6. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture, gently pressing the crumble into the top of the jam.


Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the bars are lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Allow the bars to cool before cutting into squares.