Single-serve bread pudding with chocolate, walnuts and cranberries

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A simple, seasonal dessert that easily doubles.

Ingredients

1 slice, stale whole wheat bread
1T plant only margarine
2T sugar (1)
1T brown sugar (1)
A pinch of cinnamon
1/2t baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1T packed sweetened dried cranberries (1)
1T chopped walnuts, divided and a few pieces for garnish
20g bittersweet chocolate, divided (1)

Directions

Once the bread is stale, preheat the oven to 375F.
Spread the margarine evenly on the bread.
Tear the bread into even pieces and pack about half in the bottom of a ramekin.
Mix the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and baking powder.
Sprinkle the cranberries onto the first layer of bread.
Add half the sugar mixture.
Chop coarsely and add half the chocolate.
Sprinkle with 1/2T walnuts.
Add the remaining bread.
Add the rest of the sugar mixture.
Sprinkle with 1/2T walnuts.
Pour the soy milk evenly over the bread.
Push the bread down a little so that it’s well-soaked in the soy milk.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake covered on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
Remove the foil.
Bake 10-15 minutes until the bread is starting to brown. Ovens vary; use the colour as a guide.
Add the remaining chocolate in squares or chop if you like.
Bake 5 minutes, then remove from heat and add a couple of walnut pieces for garnish.
Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

  1. A growing number of cane sugars do not use animal bone charcoal during the manufacturing process. Organic, beet, or otherwise unrefined sugars are typically fine. Organic or fruit-sweetened cranberries and organic, free-trade chocolate are good choices.

Blue popcorn with white miso and nutritional yeast

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A simple, delightful and inexpensive snack.

Ingredients

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2-3T plant-only margarine (or to your taste)
1/2t white miso (or more if you like miso)
1/2t onion powder
1/4t garlic powder
3-4T nutritional yeast, divided
Sea salt and and other seasonings to taste

Directions

Pop the popcorn either by stove top method or using a popper.
For the stove top version, use a frying pan with a lid and around 2T canola or avocado oil depending on the size
of the pan.
Heat the oil on medium high.
Add 2-3 kernels when the pan is warm, cover and wait for them to pop.
Add the remaining kernels in a single layer, cover and pop.
Shake the pan once they start to pop in earnest, and remove from heat once the they start to slow down.
Pour the popcorn into a bowl when it has settled.
Melt the margarine and whisk with the remaining seasonings until well-combined.
If you prefer some soft kernels, some dry kernels, pour over top.
For a more even coating, pour the mixture down the sides of the popcorn bowl evenly.
Swirl the popcorn by hand against the sides ensuring as even of a coating as possible.
Add an tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast, sea salt and any other seasonings to taste, and enjoy.

Single-serve tofu, cabbage and date rice paper rolls with a red Thai chili, apple cider peanut sauce

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Sauteed in tamari and lime and served with a simple peanut sauce accented by tamari, apple cider vinegar and red Thai chili, the rolls make for a light and easy snack or lunch for one that can easily double. The dates give this dish a lovely sweetness. Add extra thinly sliced vegetables, basil, cilantro or mint to taste, and serve with either the simple sauce below or the sauce of your choice.

Ingredients

For the rolls
1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1t fresh garlic, minced
1 scallion, minced
125g tofu, shredded (about a quarter pound)
1 cup cabbage, shredded (I use coleslaw mix)
1T tamari
2t lime juice
3 dates, thinly sliced length-wise
2T nutritional yeast
1/4t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 liter water
3 sheets rice paper

For the sauce
2T crunchy unsweetened unsalted peanut butter
1T tamari (or to taste — replace any tamari you subtract with a little water).
1T apple cider vinegar
1/2t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
A pinch sea salt (or to taste)

Directions

In a frying pan, bring the cooking oil and sea salt to heat on high.
Add the scallion and garlic and stir fry for about 30 seconds.
Add the cabbage and tofu and stir fry for 3-5 minutes until the pan starts to brown.
Add the lime and tamari and continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and toss with the dates and nutritional yeast.
Season to taste.
Whisk the sauce ingredents until homogeneous and set aside.
In a frying pan, bring the water warm temperature, but not to a boil. Aim for just hotter than is comfortable to the touch.
Add a sheet of rice paper and nudge it down into the water (to help it soften evenly).
Wait until the rice paper is soft and complete transparent.
Remove from the water carefully with a slotted spoon.
Spread evenly on a clean surface, add 1/3 of the filling and roll like you would a burrito.
Add the roll to a separate, clean and dry surface.
Repeat with the two remaining rolls.
Plate and serve with the sauce of your choice.

It’s important to tuck and squeeze the filling a little as you roll to make for a well formed roll. If you have difficulty spreading the rice paper, put it back in the water for a few seconds so that it will relax. The rice paper dries quickly and will stick — so, wrap carefully and separately in plastic wrap to store.

Purple yam soup with ginger and garlic, fresh dill, bean sprouts and walnuts

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The purple yam gives this very simple soup a vibrant dark purple colour; the walnuts and bean sprouts, a rich texture.

1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T fresh garlic, minced
1t fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup fresh dill fronds and 2T minced
2 cups purple yam, peeled and diced (1/2″)
4 cups vegetable stock
2T nutritional yeast, divided
1T tapioca flour dissolved in 2T cold water
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a larger pan with a lid, bring the cooking oil to heat on medium high.
Add the sea salt, garlic, and 2T dill; saute for 2 minutes.
Add the yam and saute another 2 minutes.
Add the stock and deglaze the pan.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the yam is fork tender.
Remove from heat, add 1T nutritional yeast, and puree the soup.
Return the pan to a light simmer.
Add the tapioca solution slowly stirring continuously until it thickens.
Season to taste.
Ladle out the soup and garnish with bean sprouts, dill fronds, walnuts and nutritional yeast.

Single-serve salted peanut butter and bourbon pudding with bittersweet chocolate shell

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A rich, nuanced and hearty dessert that you get to set on fire.

Ingredients

1/2 water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
1t apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon whiskey, divided
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2T unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter
1T tapioca flour dissolved with 2T water
20g bittersweet chocolate (1)
Sea salt to taste

Instructions

In a sauce pan with a lid, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil with 1/4t sea salt.
Add the oats, cover and simmer on low until most of the water has been absorbed (about 20 minutes).
Puree the cooked oats with 1/2 cup plant milk, peanut butter, and apple cider vinegar and set aside.

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring 3T bourbon to a rolling boil and reduce to about 1T on medium.
Add the coconut sugar and reduce heat to low.
Swirl the sugar in the pan until it melts with the whiskey.
Add the remaining 1T bourbon and — very carefully — light the pan to burn off remaining alcohol.
Simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes to further caramelize the sugar.
Add the oat mixture to the pan and stir to combine.
Simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Slowly add the tapioca mixture to the pan and stir continuously until thickened.
Let stand 2 minutes to cool, and pour into a martini glass.
Sprinkle the top of the pudding with a pinch or two of coarse sea salt.
Shave the chocolate using a box grater, and sprinkle in a thin but continuous layer over the warm pudding.
Let stand to cool uncovered 15 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap and let chill at least 2 hours to setup before serving.
Freeze for 10 minutes before serving for a crisper chocolate shell.

  1. I use a nice fairly traded bar with organic beans and organic sugar.

Artichoke and millet mousse with capers and lemon

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A simple side dish that takes advantage of millet and artichoke chemistry to produce an airy, creamy texture. Pictured here with roasted tofu, sauteed kale and a light tomato sauce.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup millet
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
2T nutritional yeast
1T lemon juice
1T pickled capers
1t prepared brown mustard
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
2T olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and sea salt to a boil.
Add the millet, cover, reduce temperature to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
Remove from heat, and let the millet fluff for 5 minutes.
With a food processor or immersion blender, puree the cooked millet with the remaining ingredients except the olive oil until smooth.
Slowly dribble the olive oil into the mix while continuing to blend to emulsify.
Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes to cool and setup.
Season to taste and serve.

Peanut butter and chocolate millet mousse

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Millet provides a light, airy texture to this very simple, rich dessert, garnished here with a few blueberries.

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 cup millet
1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter
A pinch coarse sea salt (or to taste)

Directions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water to a boil.
Add the millet, cover, reduce to low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes to fluff.
Puree the cooked millet with 1/2 cup soy milk until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.
Refrigerate cover for 2 – 4 hours to setup (the millet will continue to become lighter while it does).
Spoon out and serve.

Single-serve blueberry lime sorbet with walnut banana frozen dessert

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Icy, tart blueberries and lime combine with smooth and creamy frozen bananas for a quick, simple, but elegant dessert.

Ingredients

2T agave nectar, divided
1 1/4 cup heaping frozen blueberries
1T lime juice
1 cup bananas, peeled and frozen
1T chopped walnuts

Directions

For the blueberries, combine 1T agave nectar, lime juice and blueberries.
Puree until smooth.
Freeze for at least 30 minutes to setup.
For the bananas, combine 1/2T agave nectar, bananas and walnuts.
Puree until the bananas are smooth.
Add additional agave to taste depending on the ripeness of the bananas.
Add the blueberries to a cup.
Spoon the bananas over top.
Serve immediately.

Sauerkraut, sesame white sauce

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Ready in seconds and highly flavourful, this mostly raw sauce provides a nice alternative to more involved stove-top sauces. Pictured here with a rice paper burrito, baby spinach and tomatoes.

Ingredients

2T unpasteurized sauerkraut
1T of the sauerkraut’s pickling vinegar
2-3T nutritional yeast
2T sesame seed butter pureed
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Puree all the ingredients, season to taste and serve.
Start with 2T nutritional yeast but add more to your taste.
Use cashew butter and reduce the vinegar for something a little milder.
Add garlic or 1/2t white miso for even more flavor.

Smoky, spicy tomato sauce with smoked paprika and red Thai chili

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A simple red sauce for those times when you want to add some bright colour and strong flavour to the plate without making it too heavy. Pictured here with seitan, stir fried spinach and mashed purple yam.

Ingredients

1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1t smoked paprika
1/2t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
1 cup passata (or tomato puree)
1/2t coconut sugar
1t tapioca flour dissolved in 1T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a frying pan, bring the oil and coarse sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the chili and the paprika and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the passata and coconut sugar.
Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5-7 minutes until reduced by about half.
Add the tapioca mixture slowly, stirring continuously until thickened.
Remove from heat, season to taste and serve.