I've been making this banana bread for many years, and it's from one of my favorite cookbooks, Vegetarian Planet. I've made a few changes over the years to replace the eggs, oil, and sugar. My variation is healthier and all plant-based.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup almond flour (or other white flour sub)

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground cardamom

• 3-4 ripe bananas

• 1/3 cup coconut oil

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp pure vanilla

• egg substitute (see flax recipe and double it for two eggs)

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or dark chocolate chips or bar (70% cacao or more)

STEPS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans.

2. Combine in a large bowl the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Mix well.

3. In a smaller bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer), mash the bananas with a fork. Add the oil, vanilla, and maple syrup, and beat for 1 minute. Add the flax mixture and beat 1 minute more.

4. Stir the banana mixture and flour mixture together until well combined. Stir in the walnuts or chocolate chips.

5. Pour the mixture into the greased loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes for 9-inch loaf, or 20 minutes for mini loaf pans. Check with a knife inserted into the center. If it comes out clean, remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes and then remove loaf from pan.

I first started making vegan ice cream after having it at Swanky Scoop in Woodinville. I highly recommend them. They offer several flavors of vegan ice cream. I had the chocolate one and it was delicious. When I looked at the minimal ingredients, I decided I had to try it at home. It was easy to make and the flavor and texture was really good.

INGREDIENTS

• 1  14oz can coconut milk 

• 3 tbsp cacao powder

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp any extra flavorings you like, such as peppermint or almond extract

STEPS

1. Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until completely smooth.
   Note: If you don’t have a blender, you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl until no clumps remain. 

2. Pour the blended mixture into an airtight container and place in the freezer.

3. Stir the ice cream when it begins to freeze after the first hour. Then stir again after another hour of freezing. This helps to incorporate air into the mixture, making it more creamy. 

4. Let it continue to freeze for 8-10 hours or overnight. 

It's strawberry season in the Pacific Northwest, and the bounty is good this year! I learned last year after a  not-so-stellar harvest in my strawberry patch that you have to cut the runner stems. When a strawberry plant sends out a runner and creates a new plant, you need to cut the stem in between them. This allows the original plant to produce berries instead of sending its energy to the new plant. I'm happy to report that this really worked, and I have tons more beautiful berries than last summer!

INGREDIENTS

I wanted to make a plant-based whipped cream to put on top of the berries for a dessert and found several versions online. From those, I landed on my own very simple 2-ingredient recipe after experimenting with three different versions. I avoid adding refined sugar whenever possible, but my preferred honey or pure maple syrup sweeteners are too liquidy. I used just a touch of powdered sugar to get a bit of sweetness in the cream. 

• 1/2 can full cream coconut milk

• 1/2-1 tsp powdered sugar

• fresh basic leaves for garnish (optional)

STEPS

1. Chill coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight.

2. Chill the mixing bowl and add the coconut milk and powdered sugar.

3. Mix well on high for 2 minutes or until it thickens.

4. If it's thick enough, serve immediately on top of strawberries (or other berries). If you want it thicker, chill in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and then serve.

Cranberries grow in marshy areas called bogs that are wet and have sandy, acidic soil. The bogs are flooded to protect the plants from freezing temperatures and to aid in harvesting. They prefer cold winters and cool summers and are grown in the US including Washington, Canada and Chile.

I make this easy cranberry sauce with fresh or frozen whole cranberries for the holidays. It's so festive and smells so good simmering on the stove with the cinnamon and orange. It is sweetened without refined sugars, so is a healthier version.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

• 2 Tbps Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or other orange liqueur (optional)

• 1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest 

• Juice of one orange

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• Dash of sea salt

STEPS

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, maple syrup and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped, about 5  minutes.

2. Turn the heat to low and stir in the orange juice, zest, cinnamon, allspice, Grand Marnier, and salt. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until it's combined and starts to thicken.

3. Keep in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday foods, so I was very pleased when this vegan recipe turned out so good! It is flavorful, moist, and spicy. It was especially good with a drizzle of Irish Cream on top and served with hot tea.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 6 tablespoons aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)

• 1/2 cup oat milk (or other unsweetened plant-based milk)

• 7 tablespoons avocado oil (or any neutral-flavored oil)

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses

• 1/3 cup strongly brewed coffee

STEPS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C. Arrange a rack in the bottom third or middle of the oven. Spray a 9×5-inch  loaf pan with oil.

2. Pour the aquafaba (juice from a can of chickpeas) into a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for 45-60 seconds until foamy.

3. Add the milk, avocado oil, vanilla, molasses, and coffee. Mix well.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. 

5. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix. It’s okay if there are some lumps.

6. Pour the cake batter into the loaf pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cake is relatively firm. Check with a toothpick to insure it's not gooey but still moist.

7. Remove from the oven and pan to cool. Slice and serve as is, or drizzle Irish Cream on top.

These are delicious as a vegan no-bake cookie or as an energy bite to take hiking.

Feel free to experiment with the flavors after you've gotten the hang of the recipe. 

For example, these would be good with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a kick, or a dash of nutmeg, or some shredded coconut.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup rolled oats 

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 3 tbsp smooth or crunchy organic peanut butter (no sugar added)

• 1 tbsp pure vanilla

• 7-8 Medjool dates, pitted

• 1 tsp pure maple syrup

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or bar (75% cacao or more)

STEPS

1. In a food processor, combine oats and cinnamon. Blend until oats turn into a flour-like consistency. Add in the medjool dates and maple syrup. Blend until a paste forms.

2. Add peanut butter and blend until well combined and doughy. Add vanilla and blend into a paste. Add chocolate and mix well.

3. Roll into 12 balls (about 1 tablespoon of mixture each). Eat right away (this is the best) or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

This recipe is a yummy way to use fresh raspberries when they're in season, but you can also make it with frozen berries.

INGREDIENTS

• 1  14oz can coconut milk 

• 1-2 cups raspberries

• 1-2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• (Optional for topping) Fresh raspberries, mint leaves, a chunk of dark chocolate, Amarena dark cherries, or a drizzle of Chambord liquor.

STEPS

1. Add coconut milk, vanilla, and sea salt to a blender, and blend for one minute.
   Note: I used my Magic Bullet blender for this recipe. If you don’t have a blender, you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl until no clumps remain. 

2. Add the raspberries to the mixture and blend for a few seconds for fresh berries or a little longer for frozen.

3. Pour the blended mixture into an airtight container and place in the freezer.

4. Stir the ice cream when it begins to freeze after the first hour. Then stir again after another hour of freezing. This helps to incorporate air into the mixture, making it more creamy. 

5. Let it continue to freeze for 8-10 hours or overnight.