Reindeer Munch

This is a cute little treat that I make around the holidays and give to friends and family in decorative bags! It's very very yummy and pretty easy. The hardest part of this particular recipe is getting the chocolate even over all of the cereal, but I have a trick... put the mix in a ziplock bag and shake shake shake! This sweet snack mix is also good for parties!

Ingredients:

• Box of Crispix cereal or similar (about nine cups in a box)

• Package of dark chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

In a double boiler melt down chocolate then add peanut butter (I use chunky but smooth is fine too) and mix well.

chocolate and peanut butter coming together

Start adding the cereal about two cups at a time and mix well, after all the cereal is incorporated then take mix and put in large gallon ziplock bag and shake then add the powdered sugar and shake some more, if it seems clumpy open the bag and break apart and close and shake again!

before ziplock

in ziplock

You get the point there will be a lot of shaking, shake until it looks evenly coated with chocolate and sugar! Let cool and enjoy!

Super yum!

Vegan Zucchini Chocolate Bread

This is a variation on my Mothers zucchini bread recipe. I find the chocolate chips really give it a new attitude! I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips and love them! If I add things to breads such as nuts or chocolate chips I like to place a row of them on the top so potential eaters know what they are getting into! This recipe is enough to make two loafs so prepare two loaf pans by greasing the bottoms and sides so you can remove the bread after it cools!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 2 cups shredded un-peeled zucchini

• 4 1/2 tsp "Energ" egg replacer dissolved in

• 6 tbsp water

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

dry ingredients about to be mixed

Directions:

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Then add the egg replacer and oil, mix well, next add the zucchini and mix again. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts if you want them. Pour half into each greased pan,

ready for the oven

and bake at 350 for about an hour, check after 40 minutes, if the bread is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean you are done let cool and enjoy!

my bread just loafing around... and cooling!

Vegan Beer Burgers

I hear meat eating friends talking about beer burgers and I think I bet I can maybe a vegan version, well I did and they were tasty! Not to mention easy! The only problem I had was to get the correct amount of beer so the Gimme Lean had the correct texture, but I have it figured out now!

Ingredients:

Made for two burgers

• 1 cup Gimme Lean

• 1 medium onion diced

• 1/2 cup beer

• 2 tbsp bread crumbs

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• dash of salt

• for garnish thinly sliced tomato and some lettuce

• a bun of your choosing, I am using the Whole Foods 365 whole wheat sesame buns

For the topping I am using my Super Secret Vegan Sauce from my blog posting on March 25, 2009: Vegan Rubin Sandwich

Directions:

Prepare the Super Secret Vegan Sauce and refrigerate

Next mix the Gimme Lean, onion, salt, pepper and garlic together I found using my hands works well, all be it they will get very sticky so have a towel handy.

Thanks Gimme Lean for making Vegan burger making easy!

Now add the beer and mix again then after that is mixed well add the bread crumbs, the picture below is before the beer has been mixed in.

the beer just poured in

If the burger feels to loose add more bread crumbs, it should be a little loose but not fall apart in your hands. Preheat a skillet over medium with about one tablespoon of oil so the burgers do not stick. Over medium heat they will have to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side,

when flipped they should have a even brown color as seen on the burger on the right in the pic below, the other i flipped to soon to illustrate the difference.

almost yum time!

Prep your bun with sauce, lettuce, tomato and vegan cheese if desired, I love onion rings with a burger, so I was baking those as I was preparing the burgers! Build and enjoy!

Successful Vegan Beer Burgers for the YUM!

Pasta with Spinach and Veggie Meatballs

This recipe is a great quick meal if you happen to have left overs they warm up well! The veggie meatballs are my recipe previously in my blog, I always make a double batch and freeze some. This is also a good recipe for kids that don't always want to eat green things because the spinach cooks down they don't even know it is in there! You can chop the spinach to be "hidden" even more for picky eaters.

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic minced (more or less depending on your love of garlic)

• 1 medium onion chopped fine

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I use canned from our garden but store bought is fine too)

• 8 oz tomato paste

• 1 bunch of spinach washed and dried

• about 8 veggie meatballs

• box of pasta of your choice

Directions:

Start the pasta water and bring to a boil as you are doing the sauce, when it boils add the pasta, keep an eye on it when you are doing the sauce! Heat a large sauce pan over medium with the olive oil, then add the garlic and onion, cook until onions become transparent, about 4 to 5 minutes, make sure you stir this you don't want the garlic to burn. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well, add the salt, pepper, and sugar (we add the sugar to add to the sweetness of the tomatoes, its a trick I use in pasta sauce too). Add the tomato paste and stir well. When the sauce is thickened with the paste add the spinach.

spinach added

The spinach will have to be cooked down for about 5 minutes, it should look something like the picture below.

spinach cooked down!

Make sure you are keeping an eye on the pasta, it should be about done, feel free to drain it and let it sit for a few minutes in the strainer.

Add your veggie meatballs! And cover if they are frozen like mine are they will have to re-warm for about five minutes covered.

Veggie meatballs added

Add the pasta and stir, feel free to serve with soy cheese or vegan parmesan and garlic bread!

Dinner time YUM!!!!!!!!!!