Vegan No Gluten Low-fat Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 C Agave Nectar
1/4 C Coconut Oil
2 C organic plain pumpkin puree
2 C gluten free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Xanthum Gum
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg
1/3 cup rice milk
1/3 cup hot water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
Oil a 12-cup muffin tin
In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
Add wet ingredients.
Stir until batter is smooth.
Scoop batter into muffin tins.  I use an ice cream scoop to make this easier.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Let stand in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Facts * Calculated on Sparkpeople  Makes 12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		201.9
Total Fat		10.0 g
	Saturated Fat	5.6 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.4 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		451.3 mg
Potassium		87.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate		35.4 g
	Dietary Fiber	4.7 g
	Sugars	17.1 g
Protein		2.5 g

Favorite Vegan and Vegetarian Cookbooks

When I first started down the almost vegan path a year ago, I checked a lot of cookbooks out from the library to get ideas and try something new.  Here are some of my favorites that I decided to purchase. I've listed them in the order that shows the cookbooks I use the most.

Veganomicon - The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Vegan Fire & Spice 200 Sultry and Savory Global Recipes

The (Almost) No Fat Cook Book Everyday Vegetarian Recipes

New vegetarian cuisine - 250 low-fat recipes for superior heath

Low-fat Vegetarian Cooking

babycakes - Vegan, Gluten-Free and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York's Most Talked - About Bakery.

lick it! Creamy, dreamy vegan ice creams your mouth will love

Vegetarian/Vegan Products that I like

I'm living in a place that has no Whole Foods, no Trader Joes, and limited vegan products through really small health food stores or the grocery.  As a result, I have to order a lot of products online.  I use Amazon for a lot of my canned goods.  However, they don't carry everything.  Here is my growing list of some interesting online sources and products that I order.

Better Than Bouillon - This is a great source for vegan bouillon.  I have used both their vegan chicken and beef in soups and stews.

Field Roast - These folks make a really tasty seitan line of products.  I've used their apple sausage, and celebration roast with great success.

Gardein Protein - I can actually find this product in my grocery store.  It seems to be a combination of soy and seitan.  I use their chicken in a vegan chicken soup and their beef tips in Chinese dishes and beef stews.

Ultimate Vegan Queso - When an award-winning Texas chef goes vegan, everything good happens...except for the cheesy Tex-Mex cravings that wouldn't go away. 

NutsOnline - These folks carry just about any nut or dried fruit that you can think of as well as a variety of other products that can be used in power drinks and smoothies.

Pennsey's Spice - I've been ordering from these folks for years and have found their spices and herbs a step up from what you can find in the grocery store.  A favorite mix of mine is their pasta herb sprinkle.  It is great in any Italian dish.

The Vegan Store - I've had really great luck with these folks in ordering just about any vegan product.

Quinoa Pasta with Vegan Smoked Apple Sausage

Sausage Quinoa Pasta

Serves 4, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Total cooking time 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 box Ancient Quinoa Harvest Pasta

1 package Vegan Field Roast Smoked Apple Sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups yellow squash, diced

1 cup zucchini, diced

12 button mushrooms, sliced

1 red pepper, diced

1 large ripe tomato, diced

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 T olive oil

Directions:

1. Prepare quinoa pasta per package instructions and drain in colendar.

2. In an electric non-stick wok or large non-stick pan, sauté oil,  onion and garlic on until onion is translucent.

3.  Add oregano and basil.

4.  Add vegetables and sauté until tender.

5.  Add sausage and sauté until everything is heated through.

6. Arrange 1/4 pasta on a plate.
7. Spoon 1/4 of sausage mixture on top of the pasta.
8. Sprinkle a little vegan parmesan cheese on top.

9.  Repeat for three more plates.

Nutrition Facts*

1 Serving
Calories    533.4
Total Fat    16.2 g
Saturated Fat    1.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat    0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat    3.4 g
Cholesterol    0.0 mg
Sodium    614.6 mg
Potassium    554.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate    25.2 g
Dietary Fiber    22.1 g
Sugars    8.5 g
Protein    33.0 g
* Nutrition information derived from sparkpeople.com recipe tool.

Favorite Online Recipes

Here is a growing list of favorite vegetarian and vegan recipes that I've found on the internet and that everyone in my family enjoys.  I'm putting the links here for a quick reminder to me.  If you also find them useful, that is great.

Favorite Vegan Hamburger Recipes

• Curried Eggplant, Lentil, and Quinoa Burgers
• Red Bean Chipotle Burgers

Favorite Lentil Dishes

• Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew 

  Notes: This recipe calls for Garam Masala.  I couldn't find this in my grocery, but made my own from Allrecipes.com

• Mexican Red Lentil Stew with Lime and Cilantro (Vegan)

• Lentil Joes or Snobby Joes

 Favorite Breakfast Dishes

• Better Blueberry Pancakes 

  Notes: I substituted buttermilk for soymilk or greek yogurt. 

• Golden Spice Pancakes

• Vegan Blueberry Coffee Cake 

  Notes: I cut the sugar requirements in half and substituted agave nectar for the dough. I haven't figured out how to cut the sugar for the topping.  Any ideas would be appreciated. 
  

Favorite Gardein Recipes

If you haven't tried this product it is worth a look.  You can find it in your freezer section.  It seems to be a cross between soy and seitan.

• Vegan Pot Pie

• Beefless Stew

Favorite Quinoa Recipes

• Quinoa Vegetable Paella