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Pecan Waffles
French Toast
Faux Buttermilk Pancakes
Raspberry Muffins
Cinnamon Muffins
Debra’s Granola
Breakfast Quinoa
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
I love antique waffle irons, and we all love waffles! Make sure the maple syrup is warmed, and the Earth Balance “butter” melted. The pecans add extra flavor and crunch.
| 1¾ | cups all-purpose flour |
| cup coarsely ground pecans | |
| 1 | tablespoon baking powder |
| ½ | teaspoon salt |
| 1½ | cups hemp or soy milk |
| 3 | tablespoons pure maple syrup |
| 3 | tablespoons Earth Balance “butter,” melted |
1. Oil the waffle iron lightly and preheat it. Preheat the oven to 225°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pecans, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the hemp or soy milk, maple syrup, and Earth Balance “butter.” Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend with a few swift strokes, mixing until just combined.
4. Ladle ½ to 1 cup of the batter (depending on the instructions with your waffle iron) onto the hot waffle iron. Cook until done, 3 to 5 minutes for most waffle irons.
5. Transfer the cooked waffles to a heatproof platter and keep warm in the oven while cooking the rest of the waffles.
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME: 15 TO 20 MINUTES
French toast is great comfort food and is a good way to use day-old bread. Remember to warm the maple syrup so that the Earth Balance “butter” melts.
| 1 | (12-ounce) package firm silken tofu, drained |
| 1½ | cups hemp or soy milk |
| 2 | tablespoons cornstarch |
| 1 | tablespoon canola oil |
| 1 | teaspoon cane sugar |
| 1½ | teaspoons pure vanilla extract |
| ¼ | teaspoon salt |
| 8 | slices day-old Italian bread |
| Canola oil, for frying |
1. Preheat the oven to 225°F.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine the tofu, hemp or soy milk, cornstarch, oil, sugar, vanilla, and salt, and blend until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into a shallow bowl and dip the bread in the batter, turning to coat both sides.
4. On a griddle or large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat.
5. Place the French toast on the hot griddle and cook until golden brown on both sides, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
6. Transfer the cooked French toast to a heatproof platter and keep warm in the oven while cooking the rest.
MAKES 6 MEDIUM PANCAKES
TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES
Who doesn’t love a pancake? Children love silver dollar pancakes because they are just their size, and adults love them because they are a healthy indulgence. They taste even better if you heat the maple syrup and melt the “butter.”
| 1 | cup all-purpose flour |
| 1 | cup plus 1 to 4 tablespoons hemp or soy milk |
| 1 | heaping tablespoon soy flour |
| 1½ | teaspoons baking powder |
| Pinch of sea salt |
OPTIONAL:
| ½ | to 1 cup blueberries |
| 2 | ripe bananas, mashed, and ¼ cup chopped walnuts |
| ½ | cup chopped apples and 1 teaspoon cinnamon |
1. Whisk flour, hemp or soy milk, soy flour, and salt together in a large bowl until no lumps remain. Gently fold in optional ingredients. Batter will be thick. If it is too thick to handle (humidity affects consistency), add more hemp or soy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
2. Cook on an oiled griddle or nonstick pan over medium-high heat until you start to see bubbles appearing. At this point, flip pancake and cook other side until golden brown.
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
Eat these colorful muffins when they are warm. They taste like a compote. You can freeze them if there are ever any left over.
| 1 | (6-ounce) container vanilla or plain nondairy yogurt |
| ½ | cup hemp milk |
| 3 | tablespoons canola oil |
| 1½ | cups all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour |
| ¼ | cup cane sugar |
| 2½ | teaspoons baking powder |
| ¼ | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | tablespoon apple cider vinegar |
| 1 | cup fresh raspberries or 9 ounces frozen |
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper or silicone cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, milk, and oil.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just blended.
6. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
7. Gently fold in the raspberries. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched.
9. Cool the muffins in the tin on a wire rack.
Raspberry Muffins, Cinnamon Muffins, Debra’s Granola, Pecan Waffles with hot maple syrup and melted Earth Balance “butter”. Who isn’t happy to eat this! The tiger in the background is made of wood and I found him at a swap meet. And the trophy, The Hurlingham Cup, my Dad won in 1936. For buffets I use all the trophies my family has won over the years. I think it’s important to use everything!
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
ACTIVE TIME: 35 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME:2 HOURS AND 35 MINUTES
The crunchy, yummy topping makes this muffin. The smell of cinnamon when they are baking warms the whole house.
CRUNCH TOPPING:
| ¾ | cup packed light brown sugar |
| 2/3 | cup organic whole wheat or all-purpose flour |
| 2 | tablespoons ground cinnamon |
| 6 | tablespoons Earth Balance “butter” |
| 1 | tablespoon apple cider vinegar |
FOR MUFFINS:
| ½ | cup canola oil |
| ½ | cup cane sugar |
| ¼ | cup applesauce |
| ¼ | cup hemp milk |
| ½ | cup dairy-free sour cream |
| 1 | teaspoon pure vanilla extract |
| 2 | cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour |
| 1 | teaspoon baking powder |
| ½ | teaspoon baking soda |
| 1 | teaspoon salt |
| Pinch of ground nutmeg |
CRUNCH TOPPING:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
3. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, crumble in the Earth Balance “butter” until the mixed ingredients resemble pea-size lumps. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until slightly golden.
4. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack for 2 hours.
5. Stir in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
6. Break the crumb mixture apart so the crumble is a little bigger than a pea. Set aside in a bowl.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly oil a muffin tin.
3. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugar, applesauce, hemp milk, dairy-free sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved and ingredients are combined.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
5. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients.
6. Add 1¼ cups of the crunch mixture. Stir gently to combine, but don’t overmix.
7. Transfer the batter to the muffin tin, filling the cups to almost full.
8. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the remaining crunch mixture onto each muffin.
9. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
SERVES 10–12
TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES
Debra Cindrich makes the best granola ever. I eat it anytime, anywhere—for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack. It’s not too sweet.
| 5 | cups oats |
| 1 | cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds |
| ¾ | cup raw sesame seeds |
| 1 | cup wheat germ |
| 2 | cups shredded coconut |
| 1½ | cups pecan halves, chopped |
| 1½ | cups chopped walnuts |
| ¾ | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | tablespoon cinnamon |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla |
| ¾ | cup maple syrup |
| 1 | cup canola oil |
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the oats, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, wheat germ, coconut, pecans, walnuts, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Once all are combined add the vanilla, maple syrup, and canola oil. Mix thoroughly and lay out on a cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, remove, and stir up the mixture, then return to oven for 10 minutes. If you keep granola in a tightly sealed container, it will stay fresh for 2 weeks.
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES
This porridge is a nice switch from oatmeal. It sticks to your ribs and is terrific comfort food, especially if you and your guests have had too much to drink the night before.
| 1 | cup red quinoa, rinsed |
| 1 | tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil |
| ¼ | cup slivered almonds |
| ½ | cup dried apricots, cut into ½-inch pieces |
| 2 | tablespoons pure maple syrup |
| ½ | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
1. In a small saucepan, cover the quinoa with water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Lightly fluff the quinoa with a fork and cover it again.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil (can be roasted instead, with no oil). Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the apricots and cinnamon and stir well until heated through.
3. Add the quinoa to the skillet and stir to incorporate the almonds and apricots. Stir in maple syrup.
Fall is harvesting time. We are busy making pesto with the last of the basil, steaming or sautéing eggplant and zucchini, and roasting tomatoes for the freezer to get us through the winter months. I love autumn vegetables—they are more substantial than spring and summer produce, just what we need as the days get shorter and the temperature cools.
Acorn squash • Broccoli • Broccoli rabe • Brussels sprouts • Buttercup squash • Butternut squash • Cauliflower • Celery • Chard • Collard greens • Daikon radish • Eggplant • Fennel • Jerusalem artichoke Kale • Mushrooms • Radicchio • Spinach • Sweet potatoes Turnips • Winter squash
Apples • Cranberries • Grapes • Oranges • Pears • Persimmons Pomegranates • Pumpkins • Quince • Tangerines