Mamaw Mary's Oatmeal Cake Veganized

It is Father's Day, and today is a day to celebrate great dads.  My Daddy, as I've stated in an earlier post, is just amazing.  He is wonderful.  For Father's Day, I wanted to make him a great dessert, and decided on making him one that reminds him a lot of my Mamaw Mary.  She had this old Oatmeal Cake recipe that has survived around 60 years or so (Dad estimated this number).  He wanted me to make sure we could both eat it, so I veganized it.

It is an ooey gooey cake with a caramel-like sauce on top.  To make the cake ooey-er and gooey-er, you will need to poke holes in the top of the cake with a fork before pouring it over top.  This lets the sauce soak into the cake better and takes the cake to a whole new level of awesomeness.  As seen in this picture of the cake before the sauce:

And this picture of it afterwards:

This cake is not as healthy as some of my other recipes.  I wanted to keep it as close to my Mamaw's recipe as possible, and in order to do this, there are two sticks of butter (one in the cake and one in the sauce), a cup of sugar, and two cups of brown sugar (one in the cake and one in the sauce).  Not nearly as healthy, but it is a little healthier than the normal version just because it doesn't have the cholesterol from the eggs and no dairy for people like me who are allergic to it from the get go.  Veganism makes so much sense for me and to me.  I love it, even more than this cake.

Dad, Mom, and I all loved it.  It is super sweet and scrumptious.  I may be having it for breakfast tomorrow morning if Dad doesn't make it disappear before then.

Ingredients:


Cake:
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 stick of Earth Balance buttery spread, melted
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp. milled flax seed + 6 Tbsp. water)
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry four


Sauce:
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vegan buttermilk (1/2 c. soy milk + 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar)
1 stick Earth Balance buttery spread
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. 
3. Combine the oats, melted butter, and boiling water in a medium-sized bowl.  Set aside to soak for 20 minutes.
4. After the 20 minutes, in a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  Stir together and set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, white sugar, and flax eggs until well mixed. 
6. Add in the oat mixture.   Stir until well combined.
7. Slowly pour in the flour mixture into the wet mixture, about 1/2 a cup at a time.  Combine well.
8. Pour the cake mixture into the cake pan.  Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. About 35 minutes into the cake baking process, you'll want to start the sauce.  Begin by combining the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a glass measuring cup.  Set aside for about 5 minutes.
10. Melt the stick of butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat.
11. Add in the brown sugar and combine.
12. Add in the vegan buttermilk and maple syrup.
13. Bring mixture to a boil and let boil for 2-3 minutes (your cake should come out of the oven about this time.  Go ahead and poke holes in the top of the cake with a fork).
14. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
15. Stir in baking soda (WARNING! This will make it foam up and look like it may boil over and out of the pan).
16. Pour hot sauce over the hot cake.
17. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
18. Cut the cake, grab a plate, and chow down while still warm.


In my opinion, the cake is best while it is still warm.  Dad loves it once it has cooled off the best.  Either way, it's delicious.

Mamaw's Quick Rhubarb Jam (veganized)

One of my favorite things that Mamaw Eliza has ever made is Rhubarb Jam.  She makes a quick version of jam that doesn't use fruit pectin.  It uses Jello.  Yep, Jello is not vegan.  But, there is a vegan version of jello, and I decided to try it in making some Rhubarb Jam.

Yes, this is what it looked like on toast, and below is it in jars.

It turned out AMAZING!  I also replaced the sugar in the original recipe with agave nectar.  Have I mentioned how much I love agave nectar?  Well, this was perfect. 

The color of mine turned out a bit darker than Mamaw's does.  She uses strawberry or cherry flavored jello, both of which are excellent options.  I did use Raspberry with mine, and I loved it.  I am such a raspberry fanatic.  And if you are wondering what the orange-yellow spots are in the jam, that is pineapple.  And it makes it even sweeter and more amazing. 

As far as canning goes, you can can traditionally, or you can can them my way.  See the apple butter post for how I do it.
Ingredients:

5 c. finely diced rhubarb
2 1/4 c. agave nectar
2 boxes 3 oz. vegan jello
5 c. crushed pineapple (if using cans, 2 20 oz. cans) with juice

Directions:

1. Add rhubarb and agave nectar in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil and let boil together for 10 minutes.

2. Add jello to the mixture in the pot. Bring back to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes.

3. Add pineapple to the pot.  Bring back to a boil and let boil for (wait for it... ) 10 minutes!

4. Remove from stove and can your jam, or cool and serve immediately. Chow down!

I decided to try mine for the first time with some almond butter on Ezekiel 4:9 bread for the best PB&J that I have ever had.

Bagel Thin Buffalo Tofu Pizzas

I wanted to make a buffalo tofu pizza, but I didn't want to make some homemade pizza crust and wait.  I wanted to make something quick and good.  On the table I had a bag of Everything Bagel Thins.  These are perfect because they don't have a high calorie count and the top of one bagel with all the toppings would be more than enough for dinner.  At the same time, with all the working out I do, eating both the top and bottom wouldn't be so bad as well.  The outcome turned out better than I could imagine.

I also made another one with plain pizza toppings for my dad.  He loves thin crusts, and it was perfect for him.  I loved how the buffalo tofu turned out, and I did bake it before putting it on the bagels to make the pizza.  Simple and quick, these are just so good. 

When making buffalo sauce, I have a tendency to make it really hot.  It's a matter of preference and eye balling it for me.  To make the buffalo tofu, simply take 2 Tbsp. of melted Earth Balance buttery spread and add Frank's Red Hot sauce to it until it becomes orange.  Taste and make sure it has the right heat for you.  Then, add salt and pepper if desired.  I usually add some pepper but no salt.  The sauce already has enough for me.  Put the tofu (about 8 oz. cubed) in a pan lined with aluminium foil.  Pour the buffalo sauce over the tofu and toss.  Cover with more foil and pop into a 350 degrees preheated oven.  Check the tofu and stir ocassionally.  In 30 minutes, take the top piece of foil off and cook for another 15.  You should have some really great buffalo tofu.  It is great on a wrap, by itself, on a buffalo pizza, or on a mini buffalo bagel thin pizza.

Ingredients

Buffalo Tofu
2 Tbsp. diced onion
2 Tbsp. diced banana pepper
2 Tbsp. diced tomato
1/4 c. Daiya cheese shreds
1 Everything Bagel Thin

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.) On a small baking sheet, separate the bagel top from bottom.  Lay both part on the pan, crust side down.
3.) Put half of the ingredients on each bagel thin and top with the Daiya cheese.
4.) Put in the oven until the cheese is melted.  If you want the cheese to be a little crispy, turn the oven onto low broil and watch carefully.
5.) Remove from oven, transfer to plate, and chow down.

These are going to be a go-to staple for me when I have little to no time but want a lot of flavor. 

Tempeh and Vegg Tofu Quinoa Bowl

When I first heard about the Vegg, I was overly thrilled.  The thing I missed most when going vegan was egg yolk.  I loved it.  I would make and over-easy egg and eat it with taters, sandwiches, bread, everything.  But, it was and still is worth giving up.  And when I got my package of Vegg in the mail, I mulled over what I could make with it.  My dad's fried rice is something that almost everyone I know loves.  At the same time, I wanted to make it much healthier.  That package of Vegg allowed me to make Daddy's Fried Rice with a twist.

It was just like Daddy's rice, but with quinoa instead of rice, tempeh instead of bacon, and tofu made with Vegg instead of egg.  I also added some brocoli in for a little more nutrition.  I had put off eating tempeh until recently because I was a little scared of it.  Now, I wish that I would have tried it sooner.

Before I go further into the recipe itself, I want to go into the Vegg.  I had super high hopes when I first read about the Vegg.  When I got the packet in the mail, I was anxious.  I was super nervous and excited because it had the potential to bring something back to me.  I am so happy to say that this is PERFECT!  I absolutely adored it.  I couldn't imagine anything this good as a replacement.  Here is what the tofu and Vegg looked like before I brought it into the quinoa dish.

I could eat this morning noon and night.  I love it.  But, back to Daddy's rice.  I love quinoa because it does give an energy boost for me before I run and do my evening workout.  It is a great rice replacement.  The tempeh was Tofurky brand's Sesame Garlic.  It was amazing on it's own and in the quinoa bowl.  And Daddy's fried rice would not be complete without green onion.  Luckily, we have lots in the back yard in our little garden.  I could not be more happy with having it out there.

This is the corner of the garden with our lettuce, two tomato plants, and green onions. Fresh garden produce is better than any that you can buy in a store, without exception. 

Ingredients:

1 c. firm tofu, cubed
1 1/2 c. of the Vegg
1/2 Tbsp. Earth Balance buttery spread
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 package Tofurky's Sesame Garlic Tempeh, diced tiny
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 c. steamed brocoli
1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. low-sodium teriyaki
2 c. vegetable broth
3/4 c. quiona
1 tsp. sesame seed oil

Directions:

1. In an iron skillet, melt the Earth Balance over low heat.  Add in the rofu and the Vegg.  Keep an eye on this as you continue to stir and cook the other components. 
2. In a rice cooker, add the quinoa, low-sodium soy sauce, low-sodium teriyaki sauce, vegetable broth, and sesame seed oil.  Turn it on and let it cook.
3. In a second iron skillet, add the oil and let it get hot over medium-low heat.  Add in the tempeh.
4. Cook the Vegg tofu until the Vegg becomes thick and the tofu is done. 
5. Cook the tempeh until it is browned.
6. Once the quinoa is done, add in the tempeh, Vegg tofu, green onion, and brocoli.  Mix together.
7. Grab a bowl, and chow down.

There is several things going on at once here, but it is still really simple.  It is an awesome evening meal.

Banana Carob Puppy Pops

I have two beloved monsters: Zuki and Brom.

For those who don't know, Zuki is the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and Brom is the Golden Retriever mix.  I love them both so very much.  Every now and then, I like to make them something special, a homemade treat.  Sometimes I bake them up some cookies, and sometimes I make them something frozen.  Today, I made them Banana Carob Pops.

These are made simply using an ice tray and a blender.

These are quick easy treats for dogs, and ya know, people can totally eat them, too.  And yes, even these are vegan. 

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
1-2 Tbsp. Carob
1/4 c. natural peanut butter
1/3 c. natural apple sauce
1 c. water
Pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into an ice tray.
3. Place in the freezer until frozen solid.
4. Pop out and let your pups chow down.

You could always take the wet mix and add in oats and whole wheat flour to make a cookie for the dogs as well.  When I do this, I add in some unsweetened carob chips as well. 

Pineapple Teriyaki Portobello Caps

It is in fact grilling season.  We don't have a grill inside the house, but I have found that by adding a little liquid smoke to the marinade, you can make it taste like it was grilled over an open flame.  I really love eating a grilled portobello.  When made right, they are absolutely delicious.  So, I came up with an Asian inspired marinade with a tropical twist for my summer.  The result was a tastey meal.

Underneath the mushroom is a grilled onion, but the portobello cap took over.  Here's an action shot of my almost eaten one.

It is sooooo good!  I had to show you just to prove that there is an onion in there.  The bread is an Ezekiel 4:9 bun.  I found them at Whole Foods in Lexington.  You can use whatever bun you want, but this is a great choice. 

The portobello caps turn out best if you marinate them overnight.  They will come out looking like the following.

You can see the marinade seasonings on top.  These make a really great sandwich.  Whether you want a vegan option or are just looking for a meat alternative, these are fantastic.

Ingredients:

1/3 c. diced pineapple
1/4 c. diced vidalia onion (you want the sweet onion)
1 c. low sodium teriyaki
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1-2 tsp. liquid smoke
2 tsp. vegan worchestire sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame seed oil
1 Tbsp. Schezuan Seasoning ( I use the Spice Hunter blend)
2-4 portobello caps
2-4 slices of pineapple
2-4 slices of onion
2-4 buns

Directions:

1. In a blender, blend together all of the ingredients EXCEPT for the portobello caps. 
2. Add the marinade to a gallon-sized zip lock baggie.  Add portobello caps to marinade and let marinade overnight.
3. Add portobello caps, pineapple, and onions to a hot grill.  And cook until the portobello caps are tender.
4. Toast the buns on the grill until they begin to get a little brown on the bottom side.
5. Assemble the grilled portobello caps by placing the onion on the bottom, then the portobello, then a pineapple.
6. Set on a plate or napkin and chow down.

These came from the want of a grilled portobello and a grilled pineapple.  Because, honestly, those are the best two things ever on a grill.  They are spectacular!

Serve up with some sweet potato fries and have a homemade popsicle for dessert.  It's a tropical escape, almost. 

Kushaw Turnovers

I have to start out explaining that kushaw is a kind of squash.  It is big and has a goose-like neck.  And you don't think of putting it in something that is known to be sweet and biscuit-y.  Here is a kushaw:

It's chubby and adorable.  I love them.  When cooked by me or my Daddy, kushaw turns into a hybrid kinda beast.  It tastes kinda like an apple and a pumpkin got together and had a wild party with some apple pie spice, cinnamon, and a bit of sugar. 

TA-DAH!  Amazing and super yummy cooked kushaw that is not too sweet.  But it is just soooooo good!  The thing about kushaw is that it really is a matter of taste.  So, for the cooked kushaw, you will need kushaw, sugar, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and your own taste buds.  Let them be your guide through the making of kushaw.  You cook it over low heat until it all melds together.  This process takes a few hours, so be prepared.  The next step is to take the cooked kushaw and transform it again into pillowy goodness, also known as turnovers.

And here is a sneak peak inside those lovely little things.

These are DELICIOUS.  I'll be having them for breakfast for the next two mornings as well.  I froze some leftover kushaw, so the next time Jeremy is here or whenever I go there, I can make him some and take them to him. 

Before I begin recipe writing, the crust for these is a basic biscuit dough.  If you have one that you like, go for it. The one I'll be using is magnificent and super uber easy, as well as awesomely vegan. 

Vegan Biscuit Dough

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. self-rising flour
1 c. soy milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a measuring cup, mix together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar.  Set aside to let curdle to make vegan buttermilk (about 2 minutes).
2. In a large bowl, add self-rising flour.  In the middle of the flour, make a small well (a hole) to put your wet ingredients in.
3. Add oil into the well, then add soy milk.
4. Using a wooden spoon, begin incorporating the flour into the wet ingredients.  Continue to do so until a nice biscuit dough is formed (DO NOT OVERHANDLE! If you do, your biscuits will be tough and chewy).

Kushaw Turnovers

Ingredients:

One batch of vegan biscuit dough
One batch of cooked kushaw
2 Tbsp. melted Earth Balance butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. On a clean surface, spread a little bit of self-rising flour. 
3. Pinch off about an inch and a half round piece of biscuit dough.
4. Lay it in the flour, and using a rolling pin, roll out dough into an oval shape.
5. Dip about 1/8-1/4 c. of the kushaw into the middle of the rolled out biscuit.
6. Take a hold of the longer side and fold it in half around the kushaw. 
7. Press the ends together using your fingers.  Cut three slits in the top of the turnover.
8. Put onto a slightly greased cookie sheet.
9. Repeat until all dough is gone. 
10. Brush the melted Earth Balance on the tops of each one.
11. Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the tops are started to turn golden.
12. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. 
13. Grab one either cold or hot and chow down.

These make excellent desserts or are amazing for breakfast.  They are good both cold and hot.  I prefer them warm myself, but since I ate one cold for breakfast and all I did was make happy sounds and eat it until every last crumb was devoured, I can't say I don't like them cold.  Definitely worth the time to make these.