Vegan Diner (3 page)

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Cook a big pot of brown rice, quinoa, or other grain, so that you have leftovers on hand to use for veggie burgers. The same goes for cooking beans, too. Both cooked grains and beans can be frozen as well.

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When my kitchen is chilly in the winter, it can make bread baking a very slow proposition. The dough rises best in a warmer environment. So when it's chilly indoors, I let my dough rise on top of the stove while it's preheating. Sometimes it just needs a little warmth to get it going. I've even been known to let my dough rise near the fireplace. Whatever it takes!

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Have fun!

 

Breakfast

 

Cherry-Almond-Poppyseed Muffins

Blueberry Nutmeg Muffins

Mocha Muffins

Apple Spice Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Orange Rolls

Banana Biscuits

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Carrot Pineapple Loaf Cake

Blueberry Loaf Cake with Lemon Glaze

Mocha Java Cake

Diner Granola

Diner Donuts

Crispy Banana-Cinnamon Waffles

Orange Cornbread Waffles

Malted Waffles

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Spelt Chai Pancakes

Whole Grain Pancake Mix

My Big Fat Greek Scramble

Smoky Potato Scramble

Breakfast Potatoes with Peppers and Onions

Biscuits and Creamy Sage Gravy

Breakfast Benedicts Florentine

Herbed Breakfast Sausage Patties

This muffin recipe is adapted from a non-vegan
cousin that we used to sell at Babycakes, our wholesale bakery in Los Angeles. Along with blueberry, it was a year-round favorite. Who knew back then that muffins could be so scrumptious and easily made without eggs and butter?

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal, preferably golden

1 tablespoon baking powder

⅛
teaspoon fine sea salt

¾
cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided

1 cup soymilk, divided

⅓
cup canola oil

¼
cup unsweetened apple-sauce

2 teaspoons pure almond extract

⅔
cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners or grease well with vegetable shortening or nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, poppyseeds, flax meal, baking powder, and salt, mixing well.

In a large bowl, whisk together
¾
cup sugar, half of the soymilk, canola oil, applesauce, and almond extract, whisking until smooth. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, alternating with the remaining soymilk, whisking just until combined. Stir in the dried cherries.

Scoop the batter evenly amongst the 12 cups of the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle remaining tablespoon of sugar over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until muffins are just barely golden around the edges and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and remove to a rack to cool completely.

Variation:
You can substitute dried cranberries for the cherries.

Poppyseeds can
go rancid quickly, and are best stored in an airtight container in the freezer.

Blueberry muffins were one of the first things I started
baking in elementary school. They were easy to make, bursting with the goodness of ripe blueberries, and topped with nutmeg and sugar. This recipe is adapted from my special bakery recipe, which I used to bake by the hundreds.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal, preferably golden

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg, divided

⅛
teaspoon fine sea salt

¾
cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided

cups soymilk, divided

⅓
cup canola oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (not thawed)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners or grease the pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, flax meal, baking powder, 1
½
teaspoons grated nutmeg, and salt, mixing well.

In a large bowl, whisk together
¾
cup sugar, half of the soymilk, canola oil, and vanilla, until smooth. Alternately add the flour mixture and remaining soymilk, a little at a time, whisking just until mixed. Stir in the blueberries.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and
½
teaspoon grated nutmeg.

Scoop the batter into prepared pan, dividing the batter evenly among the 12 cups, filling them
¾
of the way full. Sprinkle the sugar and nutmeg mixture over top of the muffins.

Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and remove to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Variation:
For apricot blueberry muffins, add about
⅓
cup chopped dried apricots to the batter along with the blueberries.

 

Nothing will jumpstart your morning like these Mocha Muffins.
Rich with the flavor of espresso and cinnamon, you'll find yourself making them again and again.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS