Caramelized Onion Bruschetta

If you want a bruschetta recipe tailor-made for 2 people, instead of feeding a crowd, look no further. Look for a demi-baguette (about 6 inches long, or 4 ounces in weight) at your local grocery store or bakery, and top with this quick onion topping.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons vegan butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon vegan sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1(6-inch) French bread baguette
• 2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan sprinkles (such as Galaxy Foods)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and sugar, and cook for 14 minutes, stirring frequently - the onion should be golden brown by the end.

2. Remove from heat and stir in the basil.

Note: If you don't have good fresh basil on hand, substitute 1 teaspoon dried.

3. Cut the baguette in half horizontally, and place the bread halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet.  Broil for 2 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and spread 1 tablespoon onion mixture over each bread half.  Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon Parmesan sprinkles and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.  Return to the broiler for 1 minute.

This bruschetta is perfect alongside a bowl of soup or an entree salad for a light dinner:

Or serve with pasta for a heartier meal:

Nutrition Info:
2 servings (1 baguette half), Calories 236

Tasting Notes:
The onion is sweet and perfect, but unfortunately, it was the Parmesan that dominated in the topping. I recommend decreasing to only 1 teaspoon per baguette half, as well as doubling the onion and basil mixture. The bread becomes quite crisp and toasted under the broiler, so my preference was to serve the bruschetta with a bowl of soup and dunk right into the warm broth.

Rating:
3.5

Apricot-Almond Muffins

A surprise filling of apricot jam awaits inside each of these tasty little muffins. The trick is to make sure the batter completely covers the jam in the middle, so your muffins set properly. Look for jam sweetened with fruit juice, instead of (potentially bone-char filtered) sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup packed vegan brown sugar
• 2 Ener-G eggs
• 1 cup vegan buttermilk*
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons vegan sugar
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

1. In a bowl, combine the apricot preserves and almond extract; set aside.

2. Lightly spoon both flours into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flours in a bowl with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the mixture and set aside.

3. In a second bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and Ener-G eggs.  Add the buttermilk, canola oil, orange rind, and vanilla extract, stirring well.  Add the brown sugar mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

4. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each of 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.  Divide the apricot mixture evenly in the center of each muffin cup.

Note: Don't spread the jam to the edges, or it will seep out during baking instead of staying inside the batter. It should just be a dollop like so:

5. Top with the remaining batter.  Sprinkle the muffins evenly with 2 teaspoons sugar and the sliced almonds.

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes - the muffins should spring back if touched lightly in the center.  Run a knife around the outer edge of the muffin cups and remove from the pans; transfer to a wire rack.

*To prepare the buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a measuring cup and fill with plain non-dairy milk to equal 1 cup.  Let stand for 5 minutes to clabber (sour) the mixture before adding to the recipe.

Nutrition Info:
12 servings (1 muffin), Calories 209

Tasting Notes:
Tasty, but I definitely wanted even more jam in the center (what little there is mostly bakes into the surrounding batter). I think the trick would be figuring out how to have even more jam without it leaking out during cooking. Alternatively, you might try piping jam into the muffins after they bake, more like a cream-filled cupcake. The toasted almonds and sugar on top were quite nice. These muffins are definitely best served warm.

Rating: 
3.5

Update:
For fun, I decided to try these muffins with a different jam. Trying to think of a flavor I rarely cook with, I settled on the organic Concord grape jelly from Cascadian Farm.

I worried a tad since this jelly was much runnier in consistency than the apricot preserves in my original, and didn't stay in the center of the muffin cups. However, it didn't prove to be a problem during baking, as you can see from the final product:

The bold flavor of the grape jelly was much stronger than the apricot, so I ended up liking this version better.

I also used the opportunity to gently press the almonds into the tops of the muffins before baking this time. This makes a big difference when it comes to helping the almonds set in place, as otherwise they fall off when removing the muffins from the muffin pans.

Chocolate Bread

Honestly, a bread machine is not a necessary appliance in your kitchen. Once you get the hang of it, kneading dough and letting it rise requires little effort, involves mostly hands-free time, and produces beautiful loaves of bread. But let's face it: sometimes everyone feels a little lazy, and those lazy days are when I like my bread machine. Put all the ingredients in the basket, press start, and about 3 hours later, a baked loaf comes out. It's not the best bread in the world, but it certainly is easy.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees)
• 1/3 cup vegan sugar
• 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 2 teaspoons bread-machine yeast*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces coarsely chopped dark chocolate**
• 1 Ener-G egg yolk

1, Prep all your ingredients so they're lined up and ready to go: lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife; heat the water; chop the chocolate, and make the Ener-G egg yolk (1 and 1/2 teaspoons powder whisked into only 1 tablespoon warm water).

2. Place the ingredients in the bread machine basket in the order specified by the manufacturer's instructions. Generally, this will follow the pattern of liquids, then dry ingredients, and the yeast last (the yeast should not touch the liquid). I placed everything in the basket in this order: water, Ener-G yolk, flour, sugar, cocoa, butter, salt, chocolate, yeast.

3. Select the cycle and settings for a 1 and 3/4 pound loaf on your machine, and then kick back for a lazy weekend afternoon while the machine does all the work.

Here's an update on the bread after kneading, at the stage where you remove the kneading paddle from the basket:

And here's the machine that gets all the credit:

This bread seems tailor-made for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (I particularly liked it with strawberry jam).
 

Or toast a slice for a quick breakfast, and spread with jam. 

*Make sure you use a yeast that is specifically formulated for bread machines, since not all active dry yeast is. Red Star brand works great, and says right on the package that it is "ideal for bread machines."

**Opt for a bittersweet dark chocolate with a high percentage of cacao, otherwise you'll wind up with something more like a cake than a bread. I used the 88% dark from the Endangered Species Chocolate Company.  Bonus points for that cute face on the wrapper:

Nutrition Info:
14 servings (1 slice), Calories 183

Tasting Notes:
Well bread machine, I am impressed. You turned out a loaf with a nice crust (like sliced sandwich bread you buy at the store), and the most beautiful, moist crumb interior. The bread tastes of chocolate without being cloyingly sweet, thanks to the use of a bittersweet dark variety.  In fact, although almost a touch bitter alone, this bread is basically tailor-made for the most perfect pb&j sandwiches you'll ever make.

Rating:
3.5

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

I discovered vegan buttermilk as the secret to super-fluffy pancakes about 2 years ago. The blueberries in this version give you a nice dose of fresh fruit and antioxidants.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vegan sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 cups vegan buttermilk*
• 1/2 cup plain non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 Ener-G egg
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups blueberries

1. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

2. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, canola oil, and Ener-G egg.  Add to the flour mixture and stir until smooth.

3. Heat a griddle coated with cooking spray, and add 1/4 cup pancake batter per pancake.  Top each pancake with 2 heaping tablespoons blueberries.

4. Cook until the tops are covered in bubbles and the edges look done (about 4 minutes), then flip over and cook for about 2 minutes on the other side.  Repeat with the remaining batter and blueberries to make 12 (5-inch) pancakes total, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the griddle.

Here's a nice view of the underside, once you've finished cooking:

 And here's a blueberry-filled bite: 

*To prepare the buttermilk, place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup, and fill with non-dairy milk to equal 1 and 1/2 cups.  Let stand for about 5 minutes to clabber (sour) the mixture before proceeding with the recipe.  Don't skip this step; the acidity from the lemon juice reacts with the baking soda to make the pancakes as light and fluffy as they are. 

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (2 pancakes), Calories 261

Tasting Notes: 
This was a nice, standard blueberry pancake recipe, producing fluffy pancakes, although the taste of the flour was a bit noticeable. Not, ultimately, as good as my Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes, but I enjoyed that the blueberries provided natural sweetness. For that reason, I served them plain, but would probably rate this recipe even higher if I had used maple syrup or powdered sugar on top.

Rating:
3

Update:
A couple recommendations for this recipe based on trial and error. I tried making the pancakes in a skillet, but it a) took way longer than the griddle since I could only work in batches of 2 at a time and b) seemed to result in pancakes that were less fluffy and rather sad looking:

So stick with a griddle.

I also tried a batch with frozen blueberries, since it's the middle of winter after all, and fresh blueberries are decidedly out of season.

Unfortunately I don't recommend it. If you cook the pancakes while the blueberries are still frozen, you'll have to cook considerably longer on each side, but if you try to thaw them first, you'll wind up with blue-stained pancakes. So stick with fresh no matter the time of year.

Still, you can't go wrong with pancakes once you've got maple syrup drizzled over them:

Oven-Puffed Pancake with Fresh Raspberries

Oven pancakes are a fun alternative to those cooked on the griddle. This version won't rise as much as a traditional recipe made with eggs, but the edges develop a beautiful crispness and airiness that you just can't get from a griddle.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup soy milk
• 2 tablespoons vegan sugar
• 2 Ener-G eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 teaspoon vegan powdered sugar

1. Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the soy milk, sugar, Ener-G eggs, and baking powder, whisking until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a medium (9-inch) skillet coated with cooking spray, and wrap the handle of the pan with foil.

Note: if you don't have an oven-proof skillet, a 9-inch pie plate would also work.

2. Bake at 425 degrees for 18 minutes - the pancake should be golden.  Top immediately with the raspberries and sprinkle with the powdered sugar. The pancake will be best served immediately.

I served as part of a lovely brunch with fresh melon and crisp Lightlife bacon slices.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 wedge), Calories 146 

Tasting Notes:
As mentioned in the intro, I was disappointed that this pancake didn't exactly puff up, but there was nothing at all disappointing about the taste. A light-in-texture, lightly-sweet pancake, with an almost crackly crisp edge. A bit closer to a crepe, in fact, than a pancake.  The raspberries and powdered sugar on top were a nice touch visually, but I would serve the berries on the side next time since they made the center of the pancake soggy. You will definitely want to serve this immediately, before the edges lose that crispness.

Rating:
3.5

Rosemary-Scented Flatbread with Black Grapes

Black grapes are darker in color compared to their red-skinned cousins thanks to higher levels of flavonoids (antioxidants), making them perhaps the healthiest grape to snack on. They also contain more of those resveratrols you may have heard about, the compound found in grapes and red wine that may have longevity-promoting effects.  All the more reason to make this flatbread, redolent with fresh rosemary.  If you can't find black grapes though, red - or even blue-skinned ones - will work well, as long as they are firm and fresh.

Ingredients:

• 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon vegan sugar
• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 and 1/4 cups warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees)
• 1/2 cup white cornmeal*
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup quartered seedless black grapes, divided
• Rosemary sprigs (optional for garnish)

1. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife, to ensure the most accurate measurement.  Set aside.

2. Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water in a large bowl; do make sure to check the temperature of the water with a thermometer. Yeast won't activate below 100 degrees, but may die at higher temps than 110, so accuracy is key. Stir in 1 cup of the flour, and cover loosely with plastic wrap; let stand for 30 minutes, until nice and bubbly.

3. Add an additional 2 cups flour, the cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, the chopped rosemary, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, stirring to form a dough. 

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. You'll want to add the remaining 1/4 cup flour as needed, about 1 teaspoon at a time, to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands; I found this to be a sticky dough, requiring the full 1/4 cup.

5. Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning so the top is coated as well.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour, some place warm and free from drafts (such as a closed, unheated oven).

6. Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of the grapes over the dough; knead gently just 4 or 5 times to incorporate the grapes.  They won't disperse all the way, which is fine, since they'll distribute better when you shape the dough in a moment.  Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

7. Press the dough into a 15x10-inch rectangle and place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. 

Note: It's actually easiest if you shape the dough on the baking sheet itself, so you don't have to worry about transferring over. 

8. Brush the top of the dough evenly with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

9. Make indents in the top of the dough (your fingertips or the handle of a wooden spoon both work well). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup grapes, and press the grapes gently into the dough.  Sprinkle with the final 1/4 teaspoon salt.

10. Bake at 475 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden.  Rosemary sprigs make a lovely garnish.

As we head into the first, cool fall evenings, this flatbread would be a lovely part of an appetizer course. Serve with oil for dipping, baby vegetables or other antipasto tidbits, and an Italian white wine (I like Gavi and Orvieto, for a change from the more standard Pinot Grigio):

I also had fun playing around with some faux fall gourd decorations:

*White cornmeal is available from companies like Bob's Red Mill.  It adds a wonderful, rustic flavor to the bread, without altering the color, so do seek it out.

Nutrition Info:
12 servings (1 piece), Calories 164 

Tasting Notes:
This bread is amazing. I might go out on a limb and say the best bread I've ever eaten. Crisp on the outside, fluffy and warm on the inside, and a perfect dusting of crunchy salt on top. The grapes bake down so they are almost like raisins, making this reminiscent of raisin bread. But raisin bread is to a vacation photo as this bread is to the vacation itself - that is to say, so wonderfully fresh. If you dip it into garlicky Sage, Bay, and Garlic Dipping Oil - for a contrast between the roasted garlic and sweet grapes - this soars into being rated, like, a "10," which doesn't even exist on my scale.

Rating:
5

Apple-Oat Muffins

These dense, hearty muffins are a perfect component to a weekend breakfast spread - try pairing with sliced fruit and my Raspberry-Orange Sunrises.  Or just grab one on the go if it's a busy weekday.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups peeled and shredded McIntosh apple
• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2/3 cup packed vegan brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup plain non-dairy milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plain non-dairy yogurt
• 1 Ener-G egg
• Cooking spray

1. Place the shredded apple on paper towels and squeeze until barely moist; set aside.

Note: a large-holed grater works just fine for shredding apple - no need to pull out your food processor.

2. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.

3. In a second bowl, whisk together the milk, canola oil, vanilla extract, yogurt, and Ener-G egg.  Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist.  Stir in the apple.

4. Divide the batter evenly among 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. 

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when touched in the center.  Transfer immediately to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Info:
12 servings (1 muffin), Calories 190 

Tasting Notes:

The shredded apple kept the interior of these muffins wonderfully moist, giving them unexpected taste and texture compared to standard oat muffins.  Mildly sweet, with a nice hint of cinnamon.  I would add a tiny bit of streusel topping or turbinado sugar on top for just a bit of crunch, but otherwise these were quite yummy.

Rating:
3.5