How do I get myself into these things? Well, like this: I was dropping Waits off at school one morning, back in early December, and I casually asked his teacher, “Hey, I’m going to Costco this afternoon, is there anything you need?” Because they often need supplies for the classroom, like tissues and wet wipes and stuff. She thought for a second, and then all of a sudden, she got this . . . mischievous sparkle . . . in her eye.

Uh oh.

She smiled really big and she said, “Well actually, if you want to help … well here, let me show you.” And she took me over to her computer and opened up a Pinterest recipe for black bean and butternut empanadas. “You could make these vegan, right? Because we need someone to make food for the Holiday Party, and it would be great if you made vegan food because then Waits would be able to eat it too.”

And that was that. Before I knew what was happening, I was committing to making empanadas, which I had never in my life ever made before. And when I asked her how many, she looked at me, totally deadpan, and replied “Eh, like maybe a hundred?”

GULP.



And so it was that I found myself, literally the day after I turned in my final paper for my Master’s degree, holed up in my kitchen for 5 hours, making empanadas for my kid’s school’s Holiday Party. And honestly? I can’t think of a better way to spend my first day of freedom. Just puttering around in my kitchen, being a mom. I loved it!

And, everyone loved these empanadas.

Before I made them I scoured the internet, and I read a lot of vegan empanada dough recipes, as well as the feedback on those recipes. I couldn’t find one that seemed perfect or foolproof, so I sort of patched together my own, combining what seemed like the most successful elements from the most successful recipes. Here’s what I came up with, and yes — they were a huge success!



Ingredients
3 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum Vegetable Shortening which is organic, non-hydrogenated, from 100% Columbian palm oil – so no Orangutan issues), at room temperature
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cups water

Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the shortening, using two knives to cut it into the flour until small pebbles form. Then add the apple cider vinegar and water, and use your hands to knead until you get a smooth, firm dough.

Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least half an hour, ideally an hour or more.

While the dough is chilling, prepare your empanada filling and preheat the oven to 400º F.

Empanada fillings can be as diverse as your imagination allows! I’ve seen everything from spinach and pesto to pineapple and cinnamon. Savory, sweet, cheezy — it’s really up to you. In this case, the empanadas were for the Winter Holiday Party, so I went with a seasonally appropriate roasted butternut, black beans, caramelized onions, and fresh scallions mix. I didn’t measure anything so I don’t have an exact recipe, but that’s kind of the awesome thing about empanada filling. It’s very forgiving! Just mix up whatever sounds good (next time I’m trying vegan chorizo plus roasted green chilis) and as long as the dough works, it’s almost guaranteed to succeed.

Once you have your filling, remove the dough ball from the fridge. Pinch off a large piece (maybe a quarter of the ball) and roll it out thin on a lightly floured surface. Then, use a cup or a small bowl to cut out round disks from the dough.



Place one disk in your left (or “off” hand) palm, and spoon 1-3 tablespoons (depending on the size of the disk) into the center of the dough. Fold the disk in half to make a semi-circle pocket, using some water if necessary to seal the edge.



There are two ways to seal an empanada: the easier way, “crimped” with a fork, and the more traditional way, called “repulgue.” Repulgue is a technique of folding the dough over itself along the edge to make what looks like a two-strand braid. I figured I’d try it and even though it was my first time, I found it surprisingly quick and easy. There’s a tutorial here if you want some guidance.



Place the sealed empanadas on an unlined baking sheet. Poke each one with a fork to allow steam to escape, and brush the tops with water. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.



It took three batches of this dough to make exactly 104 mini empanadas, so this recipe yields roughly 26 small circles, or 12-15 regular-sized ones.

As I said, these were a huge crowd pleaser, and they’re something I’m definitely looking forward to making again. The dough would work well for calzones as well, which is next up on my list. Or sweet hand pies! Mmmm yes, the possibilities are endless.

And in case you were wondering, this is what 5 hours of empanada work looks like. 104 on the nose:




♥ ♥ ♥

It was awesome. It’s the way I want to live.

However.

Going back to grad school added a lot of extra work to my life (obviously), but it also added routine. And a sense of direction. In many ways it’s quieted the anxiety I’d felt for so many years. And because of that, it’s actually opened up a lot of space in my life.

Blueberries!




We picked for about an hour, and we ended up with 8 pounds of blueberries. For reals! These California berry bushes are not messing around – they were literally dripping with giant, plump, perfectly ripe berries.

I was so excited, I went straight home and got to work . . .

When Jeremy got home from work, we all had a picnic dinner outside. And then for dessert . . .




. . . a quick homemade blueberry compote over vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream. Holy moly.

This summer I’m planning to do a whole lot more gardening and preserving. So my question to you guys is – What do you want to see?

Which fruits and veggies do you want to see preserved?

What sorts of projects and preservation techniques are interesting you?

I’ll be starting a summer gardening series, just sharing what I’m up to around my own yard, hopefully beginning next week. I’m so excited to bring this component – which was really a formative part of this blog – back into these pages.

So please! Thoughts, ideas, suggestions. What do you want?

And my dears – have a great weekend!

♥ ♥ ♥

It’s been a loooong time since I’ve posted a dessert recipe, and I’ll admit, this one took me some tweaking before I got it perfect. Luckily, the strawberries keep coming every week in my CSA box, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to experiment.




Strawberry shortcake is a summer standard, and one of my favorite celebratory desserts. This particular recipe uses the denser, shortbread-style base (there’s a “biscuit” versus “fluffy cake” debate in the strawberry shortcake world, dontchya know) smothered in perfectly ripe, perfectly sun-kissed strawberries and topped with decadent raw coconut cream. I like my shortcake airy but firm, like a sweeter breakfast biscuit. And this gluten-free vegan version does not disappoint!


For the Shortcakes (loosely adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon ground chia seed (can substitute ground flax seed, but will change the flavor) + 3 tablespoons alt milk, made into an “egg” (see complete instructions here)

¾ cup brown rice flour
½ cup sweet sorghum flour
½ cup tapioca starch
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
¾ teaspoon salt

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil, not melted

1 teaspoon vanilla
a heaping ¼ cup sweetener (I used organic evaporated cane juice, you can try substituting another sweetener but if you use a liquid you’ll want to reduce the alt milk)
¾ cup alt milk




Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400º.

Make your chia egg and refrigerate. (How to make a vegan “egg” for baking)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Mix well to combine.




Add the solid coconut oil and use a fork to “cut” it in, until you have a crumbly mixture.

Add the chia egg, vanilla, sweetener, and alt milk, mixing thoroughly.

On a floured surface, use your fingertips to pat out the dough, pressing it gently until it’s about an inch thick. Use a biscuit press – or an old con cup – to form the dough into 9 or so rounds.

Allow to cool a bit before serving, but these are best when served the same day.




Now.

No traditional strawberry shortcake would be complete without cream, preferably of the “whipped” variety. And for my cream I used fresh young Thai coconuts.


Raw Whipped Coconut Cream

I simply cracked the young Thai coconuts, poured the coconut water into a large bowl, scooped out all the raw coconut meat, and dropped it into the blender. Then I added just enough of the coconut water to be able to get everything blending. This works best if you have a high-speed blender like a Vita Mix or Blendtec. I did 4 coconuts because I like making big batches, but you could do as few as 2.




After it’s blended to a thick cream, you can serve it as is (the coconut water sweetens it, but of course you can also add a liquid sweetener, like maple syrup, coconut nectar, or agave if you want), or you can do like I do and culture it overnight to make a raw coconut yoghurt. And just a helpful note from Captain Obvious, if you want to serve cultured cream with your fresh-baked biscuits, you’ll need to process the coconuts the day before.

To make cultured cream, simply open a capsule of probiotic powder as the coconut cream is blending, so that the probiotic gets well dispersed. Then pour the cream into a large bowl, cover with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag (or clean kitchen rag if that’s all you’ve got), and set it out overnight in a warm-but-not-hot dark place (kitchen cabinets are great).

What you’ll have the next day is essentially raw living coconut yoghurt, an amazingly nourishing, sweet and thick and tangy topping for your strawberry shortcake. It’s also great for breakfast, and backs a probiotic punch that’s great for your digestion and immune systems! Raw cultured young coconut cream is possibly one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Truth.

BUT, if all that seems like too much work (cracking coconuts? are you crazy??!), you can also make some simple whipped cream using store-bought canned coconut milk (directions here, scroll down to the bottom). Or, ya know, you can just use whatever store-bought vegan whipped cream you prefer.




And just a heads up for the nontraditional types, these shortcakes are also excellent topped with vegan strawberry ice cream + fresh strawberry slices. If I’m being honest, I may have actually liked this version best of all!

♥ ♥ ♥

It puts me in mind for celebrating, and what’s a celebration without treats? Brightly colored cupcakes, pastel icing on sugar cookies, and maybe even a frosted watermelon. And of course, all your Easter activities.

But, we’re all on the same page with chemical food dyes, right? As in, artificial coloring has been linked to everything from allergies to cancer to hyperactivity and behavior problems in children (for more information, see this comprehensive report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest). NOT something I want you to be putting into your – or your babies’ – mouths.

Which is why I’ve got you covered.



So here are my go-to techniques for all your DIY food coloring needs. Remember, produce not “products”! Okay?!


Yellow
Look no further than your spice rack for all your golden, citrine, and sunshine-y needs. Saffron flowers and turmeric powder have both got you covered, but be careful! These spices are extra strong. A little goes a long way, so start veeeerry small and test as you go. A great technique is to replace liquid in the recipe (either baking or frosting) with spice-infused water.

Orange
Don’t waste your time on oranges or tangerines – carrots are where it’s at. Juicing them is the most effective method, so if you don’t have a juicer just buy some fresh 100% carrot juice at the market. They’ll add a smidge of flavor but I doubt you’ll notice, ’cause carrot juice is sweet!

Red and Pink
Beets, baby. They offer vibrant color with almost no flavor change. Beets are so strong they’ll dye your hands just cutting them. They’re made for the job! Just juice them, or boil them in very little water to make a concentrated liquid.

For a lighter pink and a bit more flavor, you can use red berries, like raspberries or strawberries. These will impart their own taste – which is great! (Hello, orange teacake with pomegranate glaze. I think I love you.) To use berries, just mash them or blend them, then strain the liquid through mesh to remove the seeds.

Green
You know what I’m going to say right? Spinach, all the way. It’s super saturated and totally flavorless, making it the perfect addition to your St. Patrick’s Day cookies or your Earth Day cake. If you have a high-speed blender, you can whip whole spinach leaves right into your frosting. If you’re coloring cookies or cake, or you don’t have a high-speed blender, you’ll want to use juice. My instructions for juicing without a juicer may come in handy.

Another grassy-hued option is liquid chlorophyl, which aside from being a healthy supplement, will impart an awesome emerald tint to your food. You can grab it at any health food store.

Purple and Blue
This is the tricky twosome of natural food dye, but it CAN be done. Purple is pretty straightforward, and is achieved by boiling red cabbage until you get a dark, concentrated broth. Lots of pretty purple color without much change in flavor.

Blue is fun, and calls for some kitchen chemistry. Make your purple dye as noted above, but add a bit of baking soda at the end. Slowly stir it in, just a bit at a time, and watch as it reacts with compounds in the cabbage to turn the broth a beautiful blue. Like magic! (because, as I always say, baking soda is magic!)



I love experimenting with homemade food coloring, and I hope you’ll have as much fun as I do. Remember that the natural stuff isn’t as potent as the chemical garbage, so be prepared for a less saturated look. Play around with measurements, get creative, have at it!

And, happy celebrating!

♥

And eggs? What of them?

In vegan cookbooks everywhere, and all across the Internetz, you’ll find recipes referencing “flax eggs”. Sometimes they’re actually even written as components, for example “1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp water”. Which seems pretty self explanatory, right? You’d think!

But nope, if you want your flax to really approximate eggs – to really achieve that gelatinous, goopy goodness that works so very well as a binder (especially important in gluten-free recipes!) – then it helps to have a few tricks hidden in your pastry case. I’ve been baking exclusively vegan for a while now, and this is how I guarantee the perfect flax egg, every time:



1.
Begin with whole, raw flax seeds. Buying pre-ground flax is a dangerous game, as the oil is very unstable, and once released (via grinding) it will turn rancid pretty quickly. So buy your flax seeds whole and grind them yourself, to spec. It’s easy enough; you can use a coffee grinder, a hand-crank spice grinder, a mortar and pestle, or a high-speed blender. Process into a very fine powder.

Store whole flax seeds in the refrigerator or freezer.



2.
Make egg/s. One egg equals [1 tablespoon flax meal plus 3 tablespoons water], and you do not need to make each one individually. In a small bowl, add flax meal followed by water (not water followed by flax), stirring as you go. I use a miniature whisk because it’s adorable, but a fork works just as well.



3.
Refrigerate. This is key! Place the bowl of eggs in the refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes, but up to an hour is best. This will allow your egg to “set up”. Don’t skip this important step!

I always make my eggs at the start of a recipe. That way, I can get them in the fridge, and then work through the other steps while the eggs set.



4.
When the eggs come out of the fridge they’ll have formed a thick sticky goo, just the consistency of egg whites. There’s your binder! Add it to the recipe and proceed as instructed.


Note: Flax has a nutty, somewhat distinctive flavor. It’s pretty well masked in recipes such as whole wheat breads, spice loafs, and other “full-bodied” treats. But for something like white cake or sugar cookies, you may notice the flavor. If this bothers you, try using chia seeds instead! They work just the same and don’t add any flavor (though admittedly, they cost about four times as much).

Happy vegan baking!

However.

We are currently at the peak of apple season, and if you’d have told me 5 years ago that apples were to become my favorite fruit, I’d have called you a crazy person. Yet . . . here I am with this unquenchable adoration. I blame the Pacific Northwest, and the exquisite apples that grow here!

My favorite variety, hands down, is the Honeycrisp. And this year’s crop, which I’ve been snatching up each weekend at the Farmer’s Market, well . . . hoo-boy! These are so juicy, so crispy, so explosively flavorful it makes me want to cry. Seriously, it’s a profound emotional experience to eat something so pleasing!





It would truly take a special treat to honor these autumn treasures. And apple crisp, warm and brown sugary and nostalgic of childhood, seemed just the ticket. Of course, it would need a twist to really do these apples justice. Enter Miss Rosemary!


Sayward’s Honey Rosemary Apple Crisp

Ingredients:
3 medium Honeycrisp apples (can sub another tart/sweet variety, like Braeburn or Pink Lady)
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice
1 heaping teaspoon whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried and crushed rosemary leaves
pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant!)
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 heaping tablespoons coconut oil, plus more for the pan (can sub vegan butter)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Using your fingers, grease a small baking dish with coconut oil to. *Please note this recipe is on the small side and bakes best in a bread loaf pan. If you’re feeding more than 4 or if you want leftovers, you should double it.

Slice the apples ~1/4 inch thick. In a mixing bowl, combine the apples with the next six ingredients (through nutmeg). Toss thoroughly and then transfer this mixture to the baking dish.

In another bowl add the final five ingredients and mix until it forms a small crumble. Spoon this on top of the apple mixture.

Bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes, until the top is a bit browned. Serve warm with vegan ice cream (I used hemp of course).

Try not to cry, ha!

Big Ass Salad (BAS). I’ve been eating *lots* of these! This one featured [organic] crispy crunchy romaine, cucumbers, radishes, red onions, red bells, avocados, carrots, chia seeds, and hemp hearts – tossed in lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.

Raw Wraps! Stuffed with sunflower seed paté, cucumber, carrot, leeks, and avocados, served with a turmeric tahini dip.

Cinnamon Rolls. I made these for Damian’s first father’s day, and they were very much enjoyed by both him and my father-in-law. I didn’t actually have any, but I’ve made the recipe before and can attest that they are maybe the most delicious, and most naughtiest, breakfast food on the planet. =)

Strawberries! I growed these myself, ain’t they cute? I think this handful went straight into my blender (before I realized Waits reacts to them).

Wakame seaweed salad. This puppy packs something like 50% of my RDA for iron, and about 25% for calcium. I like it with sesame oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds, crispy cucumber, slivered onion, and a side of avocado slices. Mmm delicious!

Black bean and quinoa salad, with onion, tomato, avocado, black olives, and plenty of homegrown cilantro. This is a summer staple, and SO GOOD. Damian scoops it up on organic corn chips; I use it as filling for raw cabbage leaf ‘tacos’.

Remember when I showed you all the cherries that Damian harvested from our tree? Well, this is what I did with them!

For Damian I baked miniature cherry pies. How friggin’ cute is that??!

For myself I made raw chocolate cherry tartlets. Oh. My. God.

Plant Blood! For this veg*n vampire, muahaha. Cucumber-cilantro-celery-watermelon, plus the watermelon rinds (which are really good for you!) My first homemade green juice! Also, can you find my family hiding in this pic? ;-)

Damian bought me a raspberry bush for my first mother’s day. Isn’t that so sweet? This is the first teeny harvest. Harley was very interested . . .

My first batch of kimchi fermenting on the counter. Success! I’ll post a tutorial soon, this stuff is so amazing and crazy good for you!

Raw sushi! With chunky almond paté in place of rice, filled with cucumber, avocado, and red bell pepper. Served with kimchee (store bought).

‘Peanut Butter & Jelly’ green (pink?) smoothie. Such a treat!

This was an amazing farmer’s market stir fry, sublimely simple with sesame, tamari, garlic, and ginger. Featuring snap peas, sweet onions, tempeh, and shiitaki mushrooms. We eat this weekly these days – just had a variation tonight!

I honored the first peaches of the season in this raw tart. The peaches sit on a bed of vanilla cashew cream and are garnished with fresh berries and a generous dollop of raspberry cashew cream. Um, yeah. AMAZING

I’ve been so inspired around food lately, just loving this delicious, health-giving, high-raw fare. I’m coming up on my 2 year Veganniversary, and I’m really feeling so grateful and so delighted to be veg*n! To explore and enjoy such diverse plant-based cuisine, it’s so powerful! Such a positive force in a mindful life.

So what about you? What foods have you been enjoying lately?

You know, it’s really hard to attractively photograph homemade muffins. Without that perfect little muffin-top overhang, it’s just a sort of shapeless blob. My apologies for the pictures here. I’m a big ‘ol fan of muffins though, so I’ll work on it, I promise!

Now, you may think I’m crazy for baking in August, but I believe muffins are a perfect summer breakfast. Unlike oatmeal they’re great served room temp, but unlike fruit they’ll keep you going strong right up until lunch. Totally hearty, and – when they’re my recipes – very healthy.

I like to bake a tray on Sunday nights, for worry-free breakfasts to last all week. These are delicious all on their own, but you can also dress them up! They’re great with a smear of jam or peanut butter, or even a drizzle of agave. They’re also nice when heated up with a pat of ‘butter’, although that’s more ‘autumn’ and less healthy. I like my banana with walnuts, but feel free to leave those out, or play around with other dried fruits and nuts. You know what I say – have fun with it!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup bran (for this recipe oat is best)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flax seed

6 tablespoons water

2 medium bananas, mashed

1 tablespoon molasses

1/4 cup alternative milk

1/4 cup agave syrup

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4-1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400º F.

In a small bowl, cover the cup raisins with plenty of water. Set aside to soak (this will keep them from burning while cooking).

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and bran.

In another bowl, mash the bananas and then add the molasses, milk, agave syrup, and canola oil.

In a separate small bowl, place the 2 tablespoons of flax meal. In the bowl the raisins are soaking in, give a good stir. Then take 6 tablespoons of the raisin water and mix it in with the flax meal. Add this to the wet mixture and combine.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until it just comes together (don’t overmix!). Fold in the raisins and optional walnuts. Spoon batter into a large 6-cup or standard 12-cup muffin tin.

Bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes, or until tops are golden and a knife comes out clean.

You’ll want to store these out of the fridge, but in an airtight place, like under a pastry display or in a tupperware container. They’ll be good for 4-6 days, depending on location.

Enjoy!

I don’t even love almond that much, but I was out of vanilla extract at 11 o’clock at night, with sandwich cookies on the brain. Something had to be done.

And thus, I stumbled upon these babies in a fit of culinary creativity. Simple, exquisite, and still my favorite cookie almost a year after their inception.

My non-vegan neighbors just had a baby (yay!), and I whipped up a batch of these for the homecoming. A few days after dropping them off, I got this Facebook message from brand-new-Dad, “— has a baby asleep in her lap, otherwise she says about your cookies: nom nom nom, best cookies, nom nom nom . . . ”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Cookie Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup Earthbalance™ or margarine

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup alternative milk

handful vegan chocolate chips

Frosting Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup Earthbalance

2 teaspoon plain alternative milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, cream the Earthbalance™ and sugars. Combine with the almond and soy milk, mixing well.

Pour the wet into the dry and add the chocolate chips, stirring until it just comes together.  Spoon the dough onto a lined sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on how big you’re making them. Pull them out still a bit soft – they’ll harden up as they cool off.

Cool the cookies on a mesh rack. When they are completely cooled (at least an hour), match them up in pairs by size and shape. For each pair, frost the bottom of one and then smoosh the other on top. SMOOSH!

Enjoy!