vegan milk + cookies

a classic snack, dairy-free

I'm not much of a baker; in fact, I can't remember the last time I baked a cake. I usually go for sweet treats that involve chilling, blending, and otherwise not turning on the oven. But I love cookies, especially chewy, oatmeal cookies with lots of cinnamon and raisins... a portable dose of oatmeal that's ready for spontaneous snacking!  My craving for these goodies was recently awakened, when my mom bought a jumbo cookie at lunch and allowed forced me to finish it.

It was awesome.  And even more awesome was the realization that the ingredient list seemed to correspond very closely to this recipe, which Crystal discovered and shared with me a few weeks ago. I tweaked it a little to achieve the spices and texture of the Alternative Baking masterpiece. This included substituting pumpkin pie spice for their cinnamon, because I love the flavor of nutmeg with raisins. I used instant oats and finely-chopped walnuts to create a smoother texture. The sugars were creamed with the sugars for several minutes in a stand mixer to create lots of little air pockets, which expand when the baking soda and powder are activated by the oven's heat. And I tried to observe the cardinal rule of baking: don't overmix the dry ingredients!

Then, it was on to the next challenge: don't overbake!  I've found this to be the trickiest part of vegan baking, and it's hard for me to resist sliding the sheetpan back into the oven when the cookies look pale and a little too moist.  Go ahead and take them out:  they will continue baking on the pan for a minute, and will firm up on the cooling rack. You don't have to worry about undercooking these egg-less goodies!

I poured a  glass of chilled hazelnut milk alongside these warm cookies.  It was my first time making nut milk, and its freshness is a distinct improvement over nut milk in aseptic packaging.  Plus, hazelnut milk is not as easy to find in shops, and making it at home saves a trip to Whole Foods!

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
makes 2 dozen large cookies

• 1 cup Earth Balance, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 "eggs" (I used 3 teaspoons of Ener-G egg replacer whisked in 4 tablespoons of water)
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups instant oats
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg replacer eggs and beat until well blended.
4. In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add dry ingredients to margarine mixture until well blended.
6. Stir in oats, raisins, and nuts (if using).
7. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drop the dough by 1/4 cupfuls and lightly flatten with fingers.
8. Bake for 13 minutes and remove baking sheets from the oven. Let cookies remain on baking sheet for 2 minutes.
9. Transfer to cooling racks to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.

Hazelnut Milk
makes 6 cups

• 3/4 cup raw hazelnuts
• 6 cups drinking water
• maple syrup, up to 1/4 cup

1. Add hazelnuts to bowl of water. Cover and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
2. Remove bowl from refrigerator and pour soaked nuts and liquid into Vita-Mix or similar, powerful blender. Blend according to manufacturer's instructions, up to two minutes.
3. Pour nut milk through a fine sieve or two layers of cheesecloth, into a clean bowl.
4. Add maple syrup by the tablespoon to achieve desired sweetness.
5. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

vegan bircher müesli

oatmeal for warm weather

During the gray months, I like to start the day with a bowl of thick, steamy, steel-cut oats.  You'll have to wait until fall for a post on steel-cut oats, though, because they're out of season in my house (gotta give them a chance to breed and raise their young). It's time to move on to breakfast options that are best enjoyed chilled, and a bowl of cold, cooked oatmeal seems depressingly Dickensian. We're going to tuck into something cheerful and healthy, an inspired dish from the Swiss Alps.

This is a Bircher (say "beer-cher") -style müesli, consisting of rolled grains, dried fruit, and chopped nuts. Its name honors the Swiss physician who promoted a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains, though the traditional version also includes dairy.  The amount of salt, fat, and sugar in müesli is highly variable. It can be prepared simply, exhibiting the sweetness of the dried fruit and the richness of the nuts; or, it can be a dessert-as-breakfast dish, garnished with compote and creamy accoutrements. I prefer the moderate approach, and developed this tasty, filling, sensible version.

Müesli can be purchased in the cereal aisle of many grocery stores, but it's wicked simple to throw together your own, personal blend.  I like to use a multigrain rolled cereal for the base: rye, barley and wheat add richness and complexity to the customary oats.  If you have issues with gluten, just stick with gluten-free, rolled oats.

Toasting the grain enhances its flavor and provides a crisp texture.  It gives you the option of serving crunchy müesli with milk, perhaps adding it to commercial cereal or granola to cut down on their fat and sugar.  Soaked overnight, its texture becomes moist and tender, a soothing breakfast food that is ready when you rise.

The flavor of your müesli is largely determined by the nuts and dried fruit that you add.  My favorite combination includes a variety of rolled grains, dried apples and apricots, hazelnuts and almonds, producing a mildly sweet, toasty flavor.  For more sweetness, go with raisins and chopped dates, or even dried pineapple and shredded coconut. Hazelnuts can be substituted with your favorite nut or seed.  However, I strongly urge you not to tinker with the sliced almonds-- their flaky texture is perfect in this dish.

I like to store the grain and topping components separately, mixing them by the bowl to ensure fair distribution of the goodies. For me, soaking is not optional; müesli might be the only dish for which "soggy" is a flattering descriptor.  This dish led me to finally try soy yogurt, which I didn't even consider in my former life as a dairy addict. I used Silk Live! vanilla yogurt, and was surprised by its smooth texture and clean flavor.  One tub provides a week's worth of dollops, and it's become an essential topping for my müesli. A bit of grated apple provides additional sweetness and acidity, and a sprinkling of chia seeds ups the nutritional quotient of this light, nourishing breakfast.

Vegan Müesli
makes a batch for 6 servings

Notes: Rolled oats may be substituted for multigrain cereal. Try to find dried fruit that does not contain added sugar or preservatives, such as sulfur dioxide or potassium sorbate.

To make a batch of muesli:

• 2 cups rolled multigrain cereal (such as Country Choice Organic Multigrain cereal)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apples
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spread rolled cereal evenly in a sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cereal smells toasty.
3. While cereal is toasting, combine nuts and dried fruit and store in an airtight container.
4. Remove pan from oven and allow cereal to cool on the pan.
5. Once cooled, store cereal in an airtight container.

To prepare one serving of müesli:

• 1/3 cup toasted cereal
• 1 heaping tablespoon nut and dried fruit mixture
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/4 cup grated, unpeeled apple
• 1 tablespoon vanilla soy yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon chia seeds

1. Combine cereal, nut and fruit mixture, non-dairy milk, and apple in a cereal bowl. Stir, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove bowl from refrigerator and stir müesli. Top with yogurt and chia seeds and serve.

vegan whole grain waffles

with millet, oats, and coconut

There is a fantastic cookbook that you really must pick up: The Splendid Grain, by Rebecca Wood.  The author explores sweet and savory applications of grains from around the world, many of which can be purchased in bulk from a well-stocked, natural foods store.  Organized by continent of their provenance, grains from amaranth to tef are introduced and described in sumptuous detail. Though the recipes are not necessarily vegan, many of them can be nudged into animal-free territory with a few simple modifications.

The recipe at the top of my "must-try" stack was Overnight Buckwheat and Millet Waffles.  I love waffles, always claiming at least two when my mom made a batch on a laid-back weekend morning.  Unlike Mom's, though, this recipe includes no flour.  Instead, the duo of whole grains is soaked overnight and then blended with the other ingredients into a smooth batter.  It sounded delicious enough to make me disregard the memory of the last buckwheat dish I'd made (a steamed kasha salad that tasted like dust).  Alas, there were no buckwheat groats to be found at my local Whole Foods.  What a convenient excuse to use oats instead!


In addition to the oat substitution, I replaced the milk and egg of the original recipe with vegan baking ingredients.  Any non-dairy milk should work, and I used Blue Diamond Almond Breeze in the chilled Original variety.  This was my first time to try the product, which was tasty on its own, in addition to performing well in the waffle batter.    In place of the prescribed single egg, I opted for Ener-G Egg Replacer.  While it doesn't bring any additional nutrition or flavor to the party, I've found that Ener-G works really well in loose batters like this one.  I may try using ground flaxseed in the future, but there seems to be a trick to using it: changing the proportion of flax to water will give it more leavening or binding properties.  Ener-G is a safe choice for this application, and it delivers predictably egg-like results!

Since shredded coconut is among the ingredients, I used unrefined coconut oil in place of the butter. The spice trio of orange zest, cinnamon, and coriander were a refreshing match to the mildly-sweet coconut. There is no sugar in the recipe, which is appropriate, since the only thing to do with a waffle is to drown drizzle it with maple syrup (and perhaps a dab of Earth Balance). For a special occasion like Mother's Day (May 9, 2010) or Husband's Day (every day), serving with orange-infused maple syrup would add a special touch.

You should make these waffles. They will motivate you to dig out the waffle iron more often. Or, in my case, to buy a waffle iron, since Mom's probably going to want hers back to make a batch of her own. Enjoy!

Overnight Millet, Oat, and Coconut Waffles
adapted from The Splendid Grain by Rebecca Wood
makes 4 waffles

• 1 cup millet, lightly toasted and crushed
• 1 cup steel cut oats, lightly toasted
• 2 1/4 cups almond milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons virgin unrefined coconut oil, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add millet, oats, and almond milk.  Stir to combine and refrigerate for three to eight hours.
2. >When ready to make waffles, preheat the waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
3. Remove soaked grains from refrigerator and pour with all liquid into a blender.
4. Prepare Ener-G mixture in a small bowl by vigorously whisking powder in 2 T water until dissolved.
5. Add Ener-G mixture and all remaining ingredients to blender.  Blend until grain is combined into a loose batter.
6. Pour batter onto waffle iron and bake according to manufacturers instructions.
7. Serve hot.

Notes: Your choice of non-dairy milk may be substituted for almond milk. If not using Ener-G Egg Replacer, use substitute of your choice to equal one egg. This batter may take longer to cook than flour-based batter; waffles are ready when surface is light golden brown in color.  Suggested additions: one tablespoon of poppy seeds sprinkled in waffle iron before pouring in batter; up to 1/4 cup of chopped pecans added to batter.

vegan lentil and wild rice salad

cool and composed

Recently at work, I shared a salad of greens, grain, legumes, and crunchy bits, dressed with a light, citrus mustard dressing. I was thrilled when many of my co-workers requested the recipe! The salad features a healthy dose of protein: nine grams per cup of lentils, seven grams per cup of wild rice, plus a couple of grams in the other goodies. Mâche, a tender, mild salad green, has a protein content similar to baby spinach (a little less than one gram per cup).

While I think that wild rice is the perfect grain for this salad, the other components can easily be switched up based on the legumes, greens, nuts and seeds in your pantry and fridge. My last rendition included field peas, shredded kale, and chopped segments of fresh tangelo. The simple, bright dressing will flatter any combination you can dream up!

In a composed salad, like the one pictured above, the elements are plated separately instead of being tossed together. In addition to being an elegant presentation, this technique is advantageous: the hardy ingredients can be dressed in advance, while the delicate greens and crunchy seeds can remain pristine, retaining their distinctive textures. While composed salads lend a classy touch to special meals, it's more practical to prepare a tossed salad when serving a group. I prefer the latter, casual approach; the results are just as delicious!

All of the ingredients in this recipe can be purchased at Trader Joe's; in fact, you can find fully-cooked wild rice and lentils there! If you go the fully-cooked route, this salad becomes a fantastic option for an at-work lunch and other impromptu occasions.

Lentil and Wild Rice Salad
makes four generous servings

• 1 cup cooked, cooled wild rice
• 1 cup cooked, cooled green lentils
• 1 cup broccoli slaw
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 2 handfuls loose mâche or baby spinach
• pinch of salt, generous grind of pepper
• Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning or other neutral seasoning blend

Citrus Mustard Dressing

• Juice of one large orange
• Juice of two lemons (about 1/2 cup juice total)
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. First, prepare the dressing in a small mixing bowl. Combine citrus juices and mustard and whisk together. Gradually add olive oil in a slow drizzle, whisking constantly to form an emulsion.
2. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the wild rice and lentils, breaking up any large clumps. Add 1/2 cup of Citrus Mustard Dressing and salt, pepper, and seasoning. Toss to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, toss broccoli slaw with remaining dressing. Place 1/4 cup of broccoli slaw on each of four plates.
4. Top each portion of broccoli slaw with 1/2 cup of lentil and wild rice mixture.
5. Add bunches of mâche around the edge of the plates. Sprinkle each plate generously with raisins and sunflower seeds and serve.

Variation: Tossed Lentil and Wild Rice Salad: Follow steps 1 and 2 as written. Add broccoli slaw to the mixture and toss to combine. This mixture may be chilled for several hours before serving. Immediately before serving, add raisins, sunflower seeds, and remaining dressing. Add mâche, toss gently, and serve.