Vegan Dessert Recipe: Frozen Banana Whips

Banana Whips My Heart in Two!
by Wiccan Chicken

I recently discovered this recipe hanging out with my vegan friend who also has celiac disease, a condition which does not allow her to ingest wheat gluten. This cuts out a LOT of food choices, but somehow, she managed to amaze me with her cooking, especially a simple , healthy, low-fat dessert called "Banana Whips".

Step 1: When your bananas start to turn a little brown, peel them cut them and cut them into chunks (make sure you get rid of the bitter little "threads" that sometimes stick to the banana).

Step 2: Place banana chunks in a plastic bag/in plastic wrap and freeze them overnight.

Step 3: Place a handful of bananas in a food processor and process for about 3 minutes until they are the texture of thick yogurt. Serve immediately.

That's it - ONE ingredient. And I'm telling you, it tastes like frozen yogurt! The natural gums in bananas allow you to whip them into this tasty treat! Sometimes I like to add a tiny splash of gluten-free rice milk just to get the processor gears "Wet" in order to have an easier time blending.

Who needs ice cream when you can have a serving of fruit that tastes just like it? Fit, friendly, vegan, and gluten-free!

If you want to get fancy, you can also any combination of these variations (just make sure the mixture if mostly bananas or else it will fall apart):

-Add one large frozen strawberry to each 1/2 cup banana serving.
-Add one large chunk of frozen mango for each 1/2 cup banana serving, garnish with a lime to make it fancy!
-Add 2 Frozen Blackberries (the fruit, not the mobile device) in with each 1/2 cup banana serving. Even a small amount will turn your mixture into a nice purple color!
-Add 1/3 cup of finely chopped nuts (you can do it before or after freezing, or just use them as topping)
-Add 1/3 cup of toasted shredded coconut (you can do it before or after freezing, or just use them as topping)
-If you aren't afraid of calories, you can add some dairy-free chocolate shavings on top!

Mmmmm, delish, makes my beak water!

Recipe: Vegan "Chicken" Masala Curry

I’ve noticed that people really like my cooking as long as I don’t tell them that it’s made with “tofu.” Here’s what I don’t get – what’s more disgusting – a substance derived from soybeans, or eating the grilled portion of a dead animal’s flesh? Well, anyway, I have heard that this recipe tastes “just like the real thing,” which is a little disturbing, because that means it tastes just like me. Why does EVERYTHING have to taste “just like” me?

So, without further adieu, here is the

Wiccan Chicken's Masala Curry

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pack of “Chicken Free Chicken”, 2" cubed*
1 onion, diced
1 tsp. garlic, crushed
1 tsp. ginger, crushed
1-2 TBS. Chicken Masala Spice**
1/2 cup tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp cilantro, chopped
1 TBS. olive oil
1-cup water

PREPARATION
Sauté onions, garlic and ginger in oil until lightly browned. Add Masala spice and sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cook 10 minutes. Add Chicken Free Chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add water as necessary. Serve over rice (I prefer brown but white is good, too).

* You can usually find “Chicken Free Chicken” at the health food store. I have also used chicken-textured tofu from the refrigerated tofu section of our local Asian market.)

** Chicken masala spice is available at your local Indian grocery store/in the “Ethnic Foods” isle at the grocery store. This is also sometimes known as garam masala. These are the ingredients if you want to make it yourself:

4 oz. coriander seeds
1 oz. cumin seeds
1 oz. black pepper
½ oz. black cumin seeds (shahjeera)
½ oz. dry ginger
¼ oz. black cardamoms and cloves
¼ oz. cinnamon
¼ oz. bay leaves

1. Dry roast all the ingredients (except dry ginger) very lightly.
2. Cool and dry grind to a powder along with the dry ginger (I use a pepper grinder.)
3. Store in an air tight bottle.

Vegan Sloppy Joe Recipe

Sloppy Janes

Much better than the Sloppy Joe's that the lunchlady tries to slap on your tray!

1/2 pound tempeh
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 cups vegan tomato sauce
1 or 2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
buns (I like the 100% whole wheat kind)

Steam the tempeh for 20 minutes and cut into 1/4 inch cubes

Simmer the onion, green pepper and garlic in 1/4 cup water until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the tempeh, sauce, chili powder, and salt and simmer until heated through.

Warm up the buns in a toaster oven, just for a minute or two. Scoop & serve with a side of baby carrots for a yummy lunch!

Recipe courtesy of GoToHealth.com

Really Easy Vegan "Chicken" Salad Recipe

Penny passed along this recipe - I find it a little disturbing because it's supposed to taste just like ME (why does everything taste "just like" me?), but it's actually pretty good.

Vegetarian "Chicken" Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp relish
• 1/4 tsp dill
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (use vegan mayonnaise for a vegan version)
• approx 6 oz mock chicken or 10-12 mock chicken deli slices

PREPARATION:

Using a food processor or a grater, finely dice the carrot and celery.

Slice mock chicken into approximately 1 cm square pieces.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until well mixed.

Serve over lettuce or on bread for a vegetarian "chicken" salad sandwich.

I like to heat up some vegan whole-wheat bread in the toaster oven and then scoop this on, mmm, mmm!

You might also want to try adding a few jalepeno peppers on top if you like things a little spicy! ;> ;> :>

Recipe courtesy of About.com

Recipe: Vegan Spicy Sweet Potato-Bean Burrito

Hello, my fellow vegans! Want something a little spicy for dinner tonight? Try some of these burritos - they just make my BEAK water!

Spicy Sweet Potato-Bean Burrito

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 teaspoon olive, canola oil
1 large onion,finely chopped
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups cooked beans (kidney or garbanzo)
2 cups water or bean-cooking liquid
2 to 3 tablespoon chili powder
2 to 4 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 to 3 tablespoon soy sauce
8 10 soft whole-wheat tortillas
4 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
3 green onions, finely chopped
thinly sliced avocado
salsa to garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until transparent. Add garlic and stir. Add beans, water, chili powder, mustard cumin.

2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until beans are very very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in soy sauce.

3. Mash beans in the pot with a potato masher or large slotted spoon. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat to cook away any excess liquid, about 25 minutes. Taste and add more seasoning if desired.

4. Preheat oven to 375. spread about 2/3 cups bean mixture down the middle of a tortilla and top with 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato. Sprinkle with 1/8 green onions. Roll up burrito, folding edges in from two sides to cover filling.

5. Repeat with remaining tortillas, bean mixture, sweet potato and onions. Place burritos seam side down on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until burritos are crisp.

6. Sprinkle burritos with avocado, salsa as desired.

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Recipe courtsey of Wiccan Chicken & VegWeb.com