A Powerful Source of (vegan) Creativity
I love quiet mornings spent in my kitchen waiting for the world to wake up, listening to the chatter of the birds and squirrels alongside my quiet chops on the cutting board. There’s beauty in these quiet moments…
One very important aspect of motivation is the willingness to stop and to look at things that no one else has bothered to look at. This simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity. ~ Edward de Bono
Cranberry Orange Maple Pecan Muffins
I love me a good muffin. Who doesn’t, really? Let’s talk about these muffins here:
Cranberries and pecans are lovingly surrounded by a light orange maple cake. Flecked throughout the muffin are hints of the coarse ground salt I had used. And like wine, these bad boys get better with age and are fantastic the next morning with coffee. To make them, I used a mashup of recipes from Vegan Brunch and the Cranberry-Orange Bread from VegWeb.com- both of which are stellar recipes so you’ll note I didn’t change it too much. So- if you’ve got 30 minutes, you’ve got muffins.
Cranberry Orange Maple Pecan Muffins
You’ll need:
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup vegan granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt (I used coarse salt)
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup cranberries (I used fresh) roughly chopped
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
To Prepare:
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Line muffin tin with cups or lightly grease & flour.
- In large bowl mix: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In glass measuring cup add: orange juice, oil, extracts, and maple syrup- mix until combined.
- In center of bowl, make a well. Pour in wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix!
- Gently fold in cranberries and nuts.
- Fill cups about three-quarters full and you’ll get 12 muffins. Fill them to the top for giant muffins, you’ll get 10.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. When the toothpick comes out clean, they’re done.
And remember: everybody loves muffins.
Fifteen Minute Tempeh Tuna
Ah, tempeh- the “other” soy product. If you ask me (and you did, right?), tempeh is one of those things that people seem to love or hate with equal ferociousness with little room for indecision. Personally speaking, I love the bold, strong flavor- that is, as long as it’s prepared properly. The trick, I’ve learned, is what you do with the tempeh before you actually start using it in your favorite tempeh recipe. Before slicing, dicing, frying, or crumbling the tempeh- boil it first. Boiling for 10-minutes will help to reduce the bitterness that can be associated with tempeh. Trust me when I tell you that it works, I never make tempeh without boiling it first- the difference is like night and day.
Among a host of other things, tempeh can be used to make an excellent mock tuna salad in about fifteen minutes. Which is perfect for days when you don’t feel like cooking, need a quick and filling sandwich, or just miss the sea-taste of tuna. Here is a simple recipe for mock tuna to get you started. Feel free to add other spices at your discretion- minced garlic, fresh oregano, and/or hot sauce make great additions for example.
Fifteen Minute Tempeh Tuna
You’ll need:
- One 8 ounce package of tempeh
- 1 small red or white onion diced small
- 1-2 celery stalks, diced small
- 1/2 cup relish, juice drained
- 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise)
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp dulse flakes (I use these)
- salt, pepper to taste
To Prepare:
- Boil tempeh (whole cake) for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Combine: vegan mayonnaise, mustard, dulse flakes, salt, and pepper together and mix well.
- Add: relish, onion, and celery. Mix well.
- Using hands: Crumble tempeh into small pieces.
- Add tempeh to dressing and combine well.
- Slap onto a pita, bun, or bread. Top with alfalfa sprouts and jalapenos or other toppings (if you wish).
- Enjoy!
Want to know more about tempeh? Check out: