Vegan Coconut Raspberry Zinger Cakes

The next recipe in the vegan picnic series.

Cake

¼ cup soft vegan margarine

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup soy or almond milk

1 teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer

1 1/3 cup white flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

• Lightly oil and flour two mini muffin pans. Preheat oven to 375.
• Cream the margarine in a bowl. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to cream.
• Remove two tablespoon of soymilk and mix the Ener-G Egg Replacer. Once the soymilk and Ener-G Egg Replacer is mixed add to the margarine, sugar and vanilla mixture and cream.
• Shift the flour or combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture alternately with the remaining soy milk. This can be done in three parts.
• Take for 15 minutes or until light brown.
• Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Filling

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ cup soft soy margarine

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon orange extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon soymilk

• Cream the margarine.
• Add the powdered sugar and continue to cream.
• Add the almond, orange, vanilla extract.
• Finally add the soymilk.
• You may need more depending upon the weather. You want the icing to be able to hold itself up.

Assembling the cakes

1 1/3 cup raspberry jam, with seeds

1 1/3 cup fine unsweetened coconut

• Put the coconut on a plate. Set aside.
• Put the filling in an icing bag with a star tip.
• Pipe a small amount of filling into the tops of the cupcakes. Push the tip into the top of the cake and slowly push a small amount of the filling inside. Stop once the cake cannot take anymore.
• Heat the jam in heavy pan over medium heat. When warm and melted remove from heat.
  
• Now you are ready to assemble the cakes. Using a fork dip the whole cake in the warm jam. Remove and dip in the coconut. Cover all sides of the cake in coconut.
  
• Put aside and replete with the remaining cakes.

The cakes ready to go to Mount Saint Helen

Lima Bean Humus

Lima beans were my favorite vegetable as a child. I remember my dad making lima beans. I remember running down the stairs yelling “Dad, don't you eat all of my lima beans”. In honor of four-year old lima bean loving me, I give this recipe for humus I made.

3 ½ cups cooked lima beans (if using dried beans, soak the beans overnight and boil on low heat until soft)

¼ cup virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 cloves garlic, lightly chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground chili

Juice of one lemon

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Veggies (I used cherry tomatoes, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, brociflower) and crackers to serve

• Put all ingredients in a food processor and run until a smooth dip is formed.
  
• Chill and serve with vegetables and crackers.
• Finished the humus with a little virgin olive oil, chili, black pepper, and rosemary.
  

Spinach Hand Pies

I call these hand pies because you can enjoy them hiking around a volcano or at other locations.

This recipe is not hard. You make some dough, cook some spinach with onions, almonds, raisins and potatoes. Then combine in the form of hand pies and bake.

Dough

2 cups white flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoons Salt

¼ cup olive oil

I cup warm water

• Mix the white, whole wheat flour and salt together.
• Add the olive oil and mix to form sand like mixture.
• Add the water to form soft dough.
• Knead for 5 minutes.
• Set aside for 30 minutes in an oiled bowl covered with a towel.

Filling

¼ cup raisins

2 small potatoes

2 bunches spinach

3 tablespoons olive oil

I large red onion

¼ cup almonds

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

• Chop the raisins and put in ½ cup of warm water. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes.
• Peel and chop the potatoes. Boil in water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Wash the spinach well in several changes of water. Dry the spinach in a salad spinner. Chop the spinach leaves and stems together. Put the chopped spinach aside.
• Chop the onion finely. Add the olive oil to a flying pan on medium/high heat. Add the onion to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft.
  
• Chop the almonds. Add the almonds and fry for a minute. Add the raisins and spinach. Cook until spinach is cooked down, about 5 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper and cooked potatoes and cook for a new more minutes.
• Set the filling aside.

Making and baking the pies

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Oil a baking pan with olive oil.
• Divide the dough in to 18 parts and form balls from the dough. Set aside.
• Divide the filling into 18 parts and set aside.

• Roll the dough into a circle, about 6 inches around.

• Place the filling on half of the circle. Fold the other haft over the dough to make a half moon. Pinch the edges closed.

• Place the circle on an oiled baking sheet. Bush a little olive oil over the tops.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Place into preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until brown on tops.
• Remove from pan and put onto a cooling rack. When completely cool pack. Can also been eaten warm out of oven or cold.

Mount Saint Helens was Beautiful and People Like my Food

As I mentioned in my first posting we (my honey, college friends and I) went to Mount Saint Helens yesterday. The day started out cloudy and got progressively clearer. By the end of the day we were able to get a brief glimpse of the lava dome. We went for a nice eight mile hike that gave us a spectacular view of Sprit Lake and Mount Saint Helens.

The food also did its part in making it a magical Vegan Holiday.

We had:

• Spinach Hand Pies
• Lima Bean Humus with Raisin Almond Flat Bread and Vegetables
• Green Grapes
• Vegan Raspberry Zingers

I will post the recipes later. Enjoy this photo of the food for now.

Labor Day Hike and Picnic

It’s Labor Day this weekend. We are going for a hike at Mount Saint Helens in Washington State with friends. I am working on vegan menu that packs well and is fun to eat.

I made a lot of Strawberry, Raspberry and Apricot Jam earlier this summer. I want to do a snack cake with jam and coconut. I am thinking of a vegan version of a Raspberry Zingers meets Lamingtons meets vegans.

I am also working on a vegetable hand pie.