Lebkuchen

Grundrezept:
250 g Mehl (zB. 200 g Roggenvollkorn, 50 g Weizen 1050)
100 g Vollrohrzucker, 110 ml Reissirup
10 g Kakaopulver
30 ml Rapsoel
1/2 Paeckchen Backpulver
3 g Lebkuchengewuerz
250 ml Sojamilch

zusaetzlich:
50 g Zitronat
20 g dunkle Schokolade, zerkleinert
20 g gehackte Paranuesse
(oder:  etwas geriebene Zitronenschale, 30 g getr. Ananas, eingeweicht, mit dem Einweichwasser, 40 g Mandeln)

Zuerst die Grundzutaten gut vermischen zu einem dickfluessigen Teig. Dann die optionalen Zutaten dazugeben. Auf ein mit Backpapier ausgelegtes Backblech geben.
Im 180 Grad Ofen 30 Minuten backen. Ich wollte schon ein Stueckchen probieren als ich mich daran erinnerte, ein Foto zu machen. Wie man am Schnittrand sieht.

Vegan Banana Pancakes

Veganizing pancakes had been a challenge to me. This has been the one area in which I haven't gotten good results using soyflour as an egg-substitute. I finally gave up on them. Then I went to Lithuania and had blynelai (the Lithuanian version of pancakes, and one of the few vegetarian choices on the menu), and got inspired.

This version basically just leaves out the eggs, and you won't miss them. The only difference is that these don't have as much protein, so you will need to get that from other sources.

This recipe is for German pancakes, they are different from the American kind, more like French crepes, but not as thin. Make sure to let them cook long enough so they are cooked through. You won't get food poisoning if they aren't - as they don't contain eggs - but it makes for a much better eating experience texture-wise if they are.

Ingredients per pancake:
40 g flour, I use 1050 wheat or spelt
dash of baking powder
dash of sea salt
one squeeze of the rice sirup container
about 80 ml soymilk or whichever plantmilk you have
1 banana
canola or other vegetable oil

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, add the liquids, blend with a whisker. Slice the banana into the dough. In a frying pan, heat canola oil. Pour dough into pan, even out the banana slices so they cover the whole pancake. Cook on one side, over medium heat, until the bottom has browned and there is no more liquid on the top. Turn over, cook other side. Enjoy.

Another Meal with Green Beans

I've lately discovered I love green beans. Was happy when I found bags of them at the health food store today. Decided to pair them with a new product I found in the fake meat section, a tofu-based ground meat substitute which is different from the ones I've had before, it's drier for one thing. It browns rather nicely. (It's made by provamel.) As a starch I opted for mashed potatoes.

Peel and dice 1 large potato per person.

Wash beans, cut off strings.

Add beans to boiling water, potatoes to cold salt water.

Dice a small onion, fry in olive oil, add fake grounds. Add salt and pepper, oregano, cilantro. Let brown, add diced clove of garlic, let brown some more.

Mash potatoes with vegetable shortening, soymilk, salt and pepper. Remind me to get a nutmeg grater so I can add nutmeg next time.

Top potatoes with fake grounds, beans on the side.
Great with pumpkin pie as dessert.

Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

I'll start with a disclaimer, I'm not a 100% Vegan these days, I've started eating some cheese and milk chocolate. Hence this is my first recipe that's not 100% vegan, even though it's easy enough to veganise by substituting vegan cheese for the dairy.

Ingredients for a Personal Pizza
Dough
100 g whole spelt flour
25 g cornmeal (polenta)
2 g dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
lukewarm water as needed

Toppings
2 teaspoons of vegan pesto
1 tomato
1/2 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 piece of broccoli
swiss cheese

Stir the ingredients together and work into a dough, knead for 5 - 10 minutes. Form into a ball, put into the bowl, a clean kitchentowel on top, and put aside to rise for 30 minutes. Give another knead and roll out onto baking paper. Let rise for another 20 - 30 minutes.

Now it's time to prep the toppings.
Slice the tomato and onion, dice the garlic, break the broccoli into small pieces. Slice the cheese.

When the dough is ready, turn the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Spread pesto onto dough, add vegetables, cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
I like the grittiness the cornmeal lends to the texture.

Pumpkin Galette

Well, I just went and did it. The best pumpkin pie I ever had. I didn't have a pie form so I made a galette instead. Which means you roll out the dough on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper, pour the filling onto it, leaving the edges free, and then fold up the sides.

Crust
I found the recipe for the crust here: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/piecrustrecipes/r/flakypiecrust.htm, cutting the amounts in half for a smaller pie. It really does make for a flaky and delicious crust.

70 g wholespelt flour, 70 g 1050 wheat
3/4 tablespoon raw sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
60 g alsan vegan margarine
1 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons cold water

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the margarine, mixing until crumbly. I use two knifes to do so.
In a small container, whisk together the oil and water, then add to the flour mixture, mixing just until a dough forms.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap, chill for 30 minutes.

While the dough is sitting in the fridge, get the filling ready.

Filling
180 grams of baked pumpkin
70 ml coconut milk, 50 ml cold water
36 g raw sugar, 40 ml ricesirup
1 tablespoon cornstarch or riceflour
1/2 teaspoon each of vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients into a blender and puree.

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius/350 Fahrenheit.
Roll out the dough, pour the filling onto it, bake for 60 minutes. Really good with a side of soyatoo non-dairy whipped cream.

Oatmeal Cookies

Here are some oatmeal cookies I've been baking a lot recently, they are really good. I'm using different variations for the optional ingredients. My last batch was with ginger, the one in the oven right now has almonds and chocolate streusel.

For one cookie sheet:
80 g vegetable shortening
100 g raw sugar (40 of which I substituted with rice sirup this time around)
1 tablespoon of soymeal + 2 tablespoons water = substitute for 1 egg
1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, baking soda, salt and vanilla
54 g flour
130 g rolled oats
optional: whatever floats your boat
very good: 40 g of walnuts, toasted in the oven for about 6 minutes - dependent on oven temperatures.
and/or 40 g raisins
candied ginger

Mix ingredients and shape into balls. Put them out on a cookie sheet, flatten and bake for 12 - 15 minutes in a preheated 175 degree Celsius/350 Fahrenheit oven. The longer the baking time, the crispier the cookies get.

adapted and veganised from:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/OatmealCookies.html

Polenta with dried Porcini mushrooms and Fennel

Soak dried porcini mushrooms at least 30 minutes in water.

Fry chopped garlic and ginger in olive oil. Add chopped fresh fennel. Stir in polenta meal, add mushrooms and soaking water. Stir well, add more water if needed. Add half a bouillon cube, salt, curry powder. Let cook for at least 10 minutes, stirring frequently.