Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

I was visiting an acting class and the teacher is vegan. Because of this, I wanted to make something she could eat. For my first attempt to making vegan sweets, I think it was pretty good. But, next time I need to be cautious of the sweetness of the cupcake and how much vanilla to add to the frosting. All around though, it was yum!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

(Recipe found here.)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup soy milk (If you don't have soy milk, use almond milk. They both have the fats you need for baking.)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond, chocolate, or more vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder (dutch-processed or regular)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a muffin pan.
2. Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside to curdle.
3. Add sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and other extract to the bowl.
4. Stir until foamy.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large clumps remain.
7. Pout into liners (filling 3/4 of the way).
8. Bake 18-20 minutes (until toothpick inserted comes out clean.)
9. Transfer to cooling rack.
10. Enjoy.

For Frosting:
**Note: This recipes makes enough for leftovers.

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup margarine/vegetable spread
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup soy milk

Directions
1. Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy.
2. Add sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes
3. Add vanilla and soy milk.
4. Beat for another 5-7 minutes or use pastry mixer (about 5-7 minutes.)
5. Spread on cupcakes and add sprinkles
5. Enjoy.

Pizza Breakfast Sandwich

After having a delicious meal with homemade tomato sauce, I wanted to use it for another meal... along with the leftover sautéed veggies. Why not make a pizza bagel.... for breakfast?!

Pizza Breakfast Sandwich

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1/4 cup sautéed vegetables
1/4-1/2 cup tomato sauce (mine is homemade)
1/4-1/2 cup grated muenster cheese
1 egg
1 bagel (sliced)

Directions
1. Put bagel into toaster to toast.
2. Add tomato sauce to both sides.
3. Fry an egg on the pan.
4. When it's ready, add on top of tomato sauce (split equally among bagels)
5. Add sautéed vegetables and top with cheese.
6. Microwave for 1-2 minutes (or until cheese is melted).
7. Enjoy!

Baked Mozzarella Sticks and Sautéed Vegetables

My friend made a DELICIOUS marinara sauce to go with this meal and thought of the idea! Yum yum. The only thing I would fix is probably making the mozzarella sticks better coated and using breadcrumbs instead. I think that texture may have been better. But, all around- yum!

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

11 cheese sticks (halved)

1 cup panko (or any other type of bread crumbs)

2 eggs

1 cup flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF

2. Put flour, eggs, and panko in three separate bowls.

3. Dip sticks one-by-one into flour, egg, then panko (in that order).

4. Organize on a greased baking sheet.

5. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes (flip after half way).

**Note: If cheese starts to melt a lot, take them out.

6. Enjoy.

Sauteed Vegetables

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 eggplant (cut into bite-size pieces)

1 medium zucchini (cut into bite-size pieces)

1/2 pepper (chopped)

1 small onion (chopped)

3-4 mushrooms (sliced)

1 medium squash (cut into bite-size pieces)

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 clove garlic (or a mix of garlic and garlic scapes)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Directions

1. Add olive oil and garlic to pan and sauté until fragrant.

2. Add vegetables and sauté until tender.

3. Add herbs.

4. Cover and simmer.

5. Enjoy.

Then... put them together!

Curry Pasta Salad

Another good taste at the beach with my potato salad! I've made this before and each time it's so tasty! It's a nice new twist to a pasta salad with a different flavor. It's also very easy.

Curry Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 box pasta (I used bow-tie and elbow)

6 oz container of plain yogurt

1/2 - 3/4 cup mayonaise

1-2 tsp curry powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

2 celery stalks (diced)

1-2 cups of grapes (halved)

1-2 cups raw cashews

Directions

1. Cook pasta and allow to cool.

2. Mix yogurt, mayonaise, curry powder, lemon juice, and salt in bowl.

3. Add grapes, cashews, and celery.

4. Add pasta and mix until covered

5. Refrigerate overnight.

6. Enjoy

Basic Potato Salad

Packing up to go to the beach, I had to bring the necessities. I brought this delicious potato salad along with a curry pasta salad. Both were very tasty but, obviously better once I let them sit in the fridge overnight. 

Basic Potato Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

10-11 baby red skins (in bite size pieces)

2 celery sticks (diced)

1/4 pepper (diced)

3-4 baby carrots (diced)

3-4 radishes (diced)

1/4 onion (diced)

1/2 cup mayonaise (I used lite.)

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Scrub all potatoes and chop into bite size pieces.

2. Add potatoes to water and bring to boil.

3. Turn down and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes (or until tender)

4. Add vegetables to skillet with olive oil and sauté until mildly tender (but still crunchy).

5. Drain potatoes and put into bowl with vinegar, salt, and pepper.

6. Put potatoes into the fridge to cool.

7. Mix mayo and mustard together in bowl.

8. Add potatoes and vegetables.

9. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight.

10. Enjoy.

Baked Salmon with Spaghetti, Onion, Broccoli, and Cauliflower

To be quite honest, I wasn't going to post  this on the blog so therefore I apologize for the bad photo. I tasted the salmon and realized how great it tasted and knew I had to post it. But, yeah... the photo isn't top notch. The salmon, however, was. It turned out so moist and so flavorful! The leftovers would be great in a sandwich, salad, or just on crackers. Nom nom.

Baked Salmon with Spaghetti, Onion, Broccoli, and Cauliflower

This recipe was used for the baked salmon.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 small cauliflower (separated)

1 small broccoli (separated)

1/4 onion (diced)

Spaghetti (cooked)

Parmesan to top

For Baked Salmon

1 filet of salmon (I used frozen)

2 medium garlic cloves (crushed)

1/2 - 1 tsp parsley

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF

2. Steam broccoli and cauliflower

3. Bring water to boil for pasta

4. Put pasta in and cook from 10-15 minutes

5. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

6. Place salmon on baking sheet skin side down.

7. Rub salmon with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

8. Add parsley and garlic. Rub evenly over salmon.

9. Bake 10-12 minutes until flaky.

10. Sauté onion and mix everything together.

10. Top with parmesan and enjoy!

Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

I had a huge zucchini that I had to use up (but didn't with this recipe) and two overly ripe bananas (that I did use up!). So, I figured why not combine them and make something delicious with them both? So, I did. Although these muffins turned out much more "bready" than I had expected. Next time I may add more honey or some other spices, such as nutmeg. I think it lacked something...But, they were still tasty and tasted even better with peanut butter or jelly.

Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

I got help from this recipe but tweaked it a bit

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas (mashed)

1 1/2 cups zucchini (grated)

1 egg

1-2 tbsp honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt (may need more)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF

2. Grate zucchini on box grater and then squeeze excess water out of it.

3. Mix grated zucchini with mashed bananas in one bowl.

4. In another bowl, beat together egg and honey.

5. Add zucchini/banana mixture and oil to egg/honey mixture until well blended.

6. Mix in baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

7. Add flour and cinnamon and mix until combined.

8. Fold in chocolate chips.

9. Spray muffin cups and divide batter evenly among to make 12 muffins.

10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

11. Enjoy.