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2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup agave syrup or honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or favorite trail mix

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread the oats and coconut on a baking sheet.
Place in the oven and toast for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until
lightly browned.
Meanwhile, combine the peanut butter, agave syrup or honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved, stirring continuously so as to prevent scorching.
Add the toasted oats and coconut to the peanut butter mixture along with the chocolate chips or trail mix and stir to combine. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Working with dampened hands, shape into half-inch balls and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Yield: 3 dozen

Note: This is super sweet! Might want to cut back slightly on the sugar.

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1/2 cup Earth Balance vegan buttery stick, or another non-dairy substitute
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons Ener G egg replacer
4 tablespoons water
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup nondairy sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Grease a 9 X 13 inch pan or a Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.
In an electric mixer or food processor, cream vegan buttery stick and sugar until thoroughly mixed.
Whisk until dissolved completely, the Ener G egg replacer and water.
Then add to the sugar mixture.
Beat until light and fluffy.
Add the bananas, vanilla and sour cream. Mix on medium speed.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Add to the banana mixture.
Pour into prepared pan. Smooth batter evenly.
Bake for 40 minutes or until top lightly golden. Do not over-bake.

Note: Can be frosted with a Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, if desired.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

If using all purpose flour, for every cup of flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour.

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1 tube of vegan ground meat
1/2 can of black beans, rinsed and drained (15 ounce size)
1/2 cup of frozen corn
1/4 cup – 1/2 cup salsa
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix the vegan ground meat through the salsa together thoroughly in a bowl. Mold into patties, as big or as small as you would like. Warm a skillet on medium heat with the olive oil to coat the pan. Add the patties. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, flipping midway through.
These are approximate measurements. You could always add more or less.

Serves 2 – 4

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1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3 ounce package), thawed according to package instructions
5 1/2 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
Flour, for work surface

Preheat oven to 400°F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle.
Trim uneven edges. Place the pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife,
lightly score the dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using
a fork, pierce the dough inside the markings at half-inch intervals.
Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pastry shell from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese.
Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the
tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and
tips of asparagus.
Brush with the oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake until the spears are tender, 20-25 minutes.

Notes:
Can use Daiya Vegan Cheese
Scoring the dough – use a sharp knife to ensure that the
edges rise evenly; pricking the center of the pastry with a
fork keeps it from puffing up too high as it bakes.

Serves 4

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1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup water, divided
2 teaspoons ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecans or walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Fit with parchment paper an 11 inch x 7 inch brownie pan.
In a medium-size bowl, stir together the sugar, applesauce, and
2 tablespoons water.
In a food processor or a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed
with 1/2 cup water.
Add the flaxseed mixture and the vanilla to the applesauce mixture.
Stir to combine.
In a large bowl sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
Add the chocolate chips and nuts, if using, and stir.
Add the applesauce mixture to the flour mixture.
Stir just to combine.
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 33 minutes.
Brownies should be moist.

Yield: 12-15 brownies

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1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
12 small flour tortillas
1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine the oil, chili powder and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Brush each tortilla with the oil mixture and stack one on top of another to lightly oil the backside. Cut into wedges, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheets, fitted with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until crisp and golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Serves 8

Note: Serve warm from the oven alongside your favorite salsa or dip.

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1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 red onion, peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, peeled; each cut in half
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste or (1 Roma tomato, diced), optional

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large baking sheet with sides, fitted with parchment paper, add all of the ingredients, except the tomato paste or tomato. Roast 35-45 minutes, until vegetables are lightly browned and soft, stirring once during cooking. Cool slightly. Place vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add tomato paste, if using, and pulse 3-4 times, or more, to blend. Taste for salt and pepper.

Note: If using a Roma tomato, add after mixture has been processed.

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1 package whole wheat lavash
4 avocados, ripe; peeled and mashed
hummus;  or 1/4 – 1/2 lb. carton, prepared
Tabouli; favorite recipe or 1/4 – 1/2 lb. carton, prepared
Sunflower seeds
Shredded lettuce

Spread lavash with mashed avocados, sparingly. Spread hummus on top of avocados. Spread tabouli over hummus. Sprinkle with shredded lettuce. Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top of lettuce. Roll lavash up tightly and cut into appetizer size pieces. Hold together with toothpicks.

Serves 12

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2 tablespoons vegetable oil (coconut oil or canola oil)
2 tablespoons water or almond milk
Few drops of vanilla extract
dash of salt
pinch of instant coffee powder (optional)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons all purpose flour

In a 12 ounce coffee mug, whisk well – oil, water, vanilla extract, salt and coffee (optional).
Add sugar and cocoa powder, whisk thoroughly. Add flour and whisk well.
Microwave for 60-75 seconds: 60 seconds for molten bottom; 75 seconds for uniformly done.
Enjoy with a spoon and maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Use caution – brownie will be hot!

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This is a great frosting to use when filling and frosting cakes and cupcakes. Make sure the baked goods have cooled before frosting or the frosting will melt and will not adhere to the baked goods properly. Once frosted, cover to prevent the frosting from becoming hard.

1/2 cup nondairy butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons nondairy milk, or more as needed
Food coloring, optional

With an electric hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, milk, and
food coloring (if using).
Once all the ingredients are well combined, beat on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk, if it is too dry.
Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying until ready to use.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Rewhip before using.

Yield: enough for one 8 or 9 inch cake