Vegan Diner (5 page)

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

⅓
cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

⅛
teaspoon fine sea salt

½
cup almond milk or soymilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

⅓
cup canola oil

1 banana, cut into quarters lengthwise and diced

1
½
teaspoons granulated sugar

¼
teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the milk, vanilla, canola oil, and banana to the flour mixture and stir just until the mixture comes together, and is thick and sticky. Scoop nine rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.

In a small cup, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the biscuits.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a cooling rack.

These biscuits are
best served the same day that they are made. If you find yourself with a few left over the next day, I highly recommend warming them in a toaster oven (not the microwave), and serving with a little vegan margarine, if desired.

Banana breads have been a staple in my family for years,
from my mom's special recipe as a child to baking them by the hundreds at our bakery. It took me a while to come up with a vegan version: tender, loaded with banana flavor, and studded with chocolate chips. This bread is even better than the original.

MAKES ONE 9 × 5-INCH LOAF

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal, preferably golden

2 teaspoons baking powder

½
teaspoon baking soda

¼
teaspoon fine sea salt

⅔
cup packed light brown sugar

½
cup canola oil

1 cup puréed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½
cup almond milk or soymilk

½
cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 5-inch metal loaf pan really well with shortening.

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

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, canola oil, puréed banana, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture and almond milk, whisking just until mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until the bread is puffed in center and firm to the touch, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and remove to a rack to cool completely.

Don't forget to
measure the banana in a liquid measuring cup after puréeing. This way you'll get a more accurate measurement and your bread will come out beautifully. This bread freezes well.

A taste of the tropics, with a lovely light texture
and lots of shredded carrots and pineapple thrown in for good measure. Try serving this cake with a smear of non-dairy cream cheese.

MAKES ONE 9 × 5-INCH LOAF

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal (preferably golden flax)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Scant
¼
teaspoon fine sea salt

½
cup canola oil

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

½
cup canned, crushed pineapple, juice drained and reserved

½
cup pineapple juice

½
cup unsweetened applesauce

1 lightly packed cup shredded, peeled carrots (about 1 jumbo carrot)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 × 5-inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper and grease well with vegetable shortening. This cake can have a tendency to stick if not greased and lined well.

In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, flax meal, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, mixing well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the canola oil, brown sugar, pineapple, pineapple juice, and applesauce. Add the flour mixture, stirring just until mixed. Stir in the shredded carrots.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until top springs back when touched, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and remove to a rack to cool to room temperature.

This cake can be
embellished even further by adding
½
cup raisins, flaked or shredded coconut, or chopped walnuts to the batter.

 

Sometimes the simplest cakes are the best.
To me, nothing tops a big slice of blueberry loaf cake, especially this one which is garnished with a delectable lemon glaze. You can also omit the blueberries for a fantastic lemon loaf cake. I promise you that no one would guess that this cake is vegan!

MAKES ONE 9 × 5-INCH LOAF

Cake

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons soy flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

⅛
teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup soymilk, divided

⅓
cup canola oil

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Finely grated lemon zest from 1
½
lemons

¾
teaspoon pure lemon oil or 1
¼
teaspoons pure lemon extract

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)

Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1
½
to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or as needed

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 × 5-inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper and grease really well with vegetable shortening.

For the cake:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, soy flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, half of the soymilk, canola oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon oil until smooth. Add the flour mixture and the remaining soymilk and lemon zest, whisking just until mixed. Stir in the blueberries.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until top of cake is puffed with a crack down the center, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and remove to a rack to cool to room temperature.

For the glaze:
While the cake is cooling, in a medium bowl combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. With a whisk or an electric mixer, beat the glaze until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add another teaspoon or two of lemon juice as needed. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cake to serve.