Tag Archives: walnuts

Cinnamon Walnut Cake

. dessert, holidays . ,

This former Sour Cream Walnut Cake – Mom’s recipe –  was veganized into a yummy cinnamon cake, and taste-tested by friends and neighbors. Even the non-vegans loved it! Soon you’ll be filling your kitchen with the scent of cinnamon and patiently waiting until the cake is cool enough to eat!

1/4 cup vegan margarine
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup sugar
1 flax egg*
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt

Topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8” square pan with oil.

Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk margarine, applesauce and sugar until well-blended and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the egg substitute and whisk briefly. Add vegan sour cream and vanilla. Whisk until sour cream is blended in.

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and whisk gently until just combined.

Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle half topping mix over batter. Drop remaining batter by spoonsful, spread out gently, then sprinkle with the rest of topping mix.

Bake about 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

*In this recipe, you can make a flax egg to act as an egg substitute. A flax egg is made by placing 1 tbsp. ground flax seed or chia seed in a small bowl and adding 2 ½ to 3 Tbs. water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Flax seed is mildly flavored and adds the protein and similar structure and consistency of an egg to the cake batter.

Helen’s veggie burgers

. entrees, USA . , , , , ,

helens_veggie_burger
These yummy veggie burgers were created by a student in Sue’s vegetarian nutrition class. (Helen gets an A+ for this recipe.) They are super-healthy, high in protein and fiber. TVP stands for textured vegetable protein. Helen suggests using frozen TVP crumbles to make shaping the patties easier. We used Amy’s organic lentil soup in the recipe, but you can substitute tomato for a different flavor.

This recipe makes a lot of veggie burgers. After you have shaped all the burgers you need for your meal, you can put the rest into a meatloaf pan and bake it for 25 minutes. Freeze the loaf for another day, and then slice and serve the reheated loaf with pasta sauce and linguini on the side. Add a green salad and a glass of red wine, and voila! Easy weeknight meal.

1/2 medium onion, diced
1 portobello mushroom cap, gills removed, finely chopped
1-2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 10-ounce bag TVP
1 12-ounce package soft tofu
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and mashed
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning blend
1 15-ounce can lentil soup
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of black pepper and cayenne pepper

Sauté onion and mushrooms in oil until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside. Chop nuts in a grinder or blender, and then place in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Shape into patties. Cook in an oiled pan on medium heat until browned. Turn gently. Or cook on the grill for a couple minutes per side. Serve on a bun with lettuce, a slice of tomato, and vegan mayo, ketchup, or brown mustard.

auntie sue’s peach crisp

. dessert, USA . ,

This dessert is perfect for a fast weeknight meal.

2 15-oz. cans sliced peaches in juice, drained
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted

Place peaches in a 1-quart shallow baking dish. Combine flour, sugar, oats, walnuts, and cinnamon. Stir in melted vegan margarine until crumbly; sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite frozen soy or rice dessert, if desired.

linguine with walnuts & swiss chard

. entrees, Europe . , , ,

Although the combination of pasta, nuts, and greens may seem unlikely, the flavors are wonderful. Serve with a green salad and some rustic bread.

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 large bunch Swiss chard
3 Tbs. walnut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup shallots, diced fine
16 oz. linguine
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat. When the walnuts are fragrant, they’re done. Be careful—they can burn quickly.

2. While the pasta water heats, trim and rinse Swiss chard leaves. Slice leaves into ribbons.

2. Heat walnut oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and shallots and cook until shallots are tender (about 10 minutes). Add the chard and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

3. Cook linguine in boiling water; drain. Add chard mixture and walnuts to pasta; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

haroset

. dessert, Middle East . , , , ,

Haroset is a Passover tradition with many regional variations around the world. Rabbis originally created the sweet, fruity, and flavorful dish to counter the bitter herbs used in the Passover Seder. Haroset is a delightful addition to your Passover table.

3 sweet apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 to 3 Tbs. sweet red Passover wine (or more, if necessary)

Place chopped apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add chopped cherries, walnuts, zest, sugar, and cinnamon. Moisten with wine to make a thick paste. Adjust seasonings to your liking.

cranberry walnut oatmeal

. breakfast, USA . , , , ,

This delightful breakfast dish is baked in the oven, warming your kitchen on a chilly morning and scenting your home with a cinnamon fragrance. You’ll love it!

2 1/2 cups almond milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Coat a medium-size baking dish (8″ x 8″ or larger) with margarine or canola oil.

2. Mix first five ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in oats, cranberries, and walnuts. Pour into baking dish. Cover and bake for about 35 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the oats are tender.

Substitution suggestions: Instead of cranberries, try dried currants, golden raisins, or dried apricots. Try toasted almonds or pecans instead of walnuts.

sue’s vegan chocolate walnut cake

. dessert, USA . ,

When a reader asked for a vegan chocolate cake recipe, Sue took up the challenge in the test kitchens. The results are delicious.

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
3 Tbs. vegan cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine
5 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup cold water

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, stir first six ingredients with a wire whisk. Add remaining four ingredients. Mix until smooth (about 1 minute).

2. Grease a 9x9x2 pan with canola oil or cooking oil spray. Pour batter into pan and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool; dust with powdered sugar.

HIGH-ALTITUDE (over 5000 ft.) adjustments:
Add 1 Tbs. flour and reduce oil to 1/4 cup. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes.

best ever vegan oat nut date bars

. dessert, USA . , , , ,

Our friends at The Vegetarian Site claim that this is one of their favorite desserts of all time. Try it and see for yourself!

filling:
3/4 pound dates, chopped
1/2 cup unrefined sugar
1 cup water
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped

crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup vegan margarine (never hydrogenated)
1 cup unrefined sugar

1. In medium saucepan, combine dates, sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (approximately 8 minutes). Remove from heat and cool. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and walnuts.

2. In separate mixing bowl, sift flour, salt, and baking soda. Add oatmeal, applesauce, margarine, and sugar. Combine well. With wet hands, press half of the oatmeal mixture into a greased 13x9x2-inch or 11x11x2-inch pan. Spread with filling. Cover with remaining oatmeal mixture.

3. Bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool to room temperature and cut into squares. Refrigerate if desired. Enjoy!

More vegan recipes from the Vegetarian Site are available here.