Vegan and Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Sunflower Icing (and natural food coloring)

Following quickly on the heels of my Bunny Pull Apart Cupcake Cake, I just had to share these gorgeous (and easy!) gluten free and vegan sunflower cupcakes. I think of these bright little cupcakes as little bombs of sunshine. They make me stupidly happy to see them when I open the fridge (which is where you'll want to store them).

I'm confident that if you show up at Easter dinner with these, the recipients will reward you with big smiles.

And don't let the icing daunt you! Though the buttercream sunflowers look complex, I only had to do one tester cupcake before I felt confident enough to work more quickly. In the end, I couldn't tell which was the tester.

Even if the petals don't seem perfect as you're piping them, never fear. Nature isn't always perfect and symmetrical either!

Vegan and Gluten Free Bunny Pull Apart Cake

I just have to share this latest baking adventure with you all!! This little experiment made me so happy, and I love opening my fridge right now, as there is a smiling bunny face looking up at me.

And I thought you all might like to know how you can turn these gluten free and vegan cupcakes into an easy pull apart cake just in time for Easter. Seriously, the cake is super easy, and I say this as someone who generally sucks at decorating. That's why I did this all as a trial the week before Easter. Turns out it's not hard at all!

Easy, Gluten Free and Vegan Chocolate Coconut Nests

 Looking for a super last minute, easy-to-make Easter treat? These Chocolate Coconut Nests require only 2 ingredients (3 if you count a filling, like mini eggs or jelly beans), no baking, and can be thrown together in almost no time at all.

Did I mention they're super tasty, and lots of fun for little kids? I made these to take to my 2 1/2 yr old niece for Easter, and I hope she likes them, because I've been nibbling on them myself the last couple of days!

They can also be made vegan if you use vegan chocolate chips like these and fill them with something like peanuts or vegan jelly beans instead of mini eggs.

Healthy, Savory, Vegan and Gluten Free Sweet Potato Bread

Every now and then I come up with a recipe that turns out amazing. More than amazing. Freaking addictively delicious. 

This healthy sweet potato sandwich bread is one of those times. 

This sweet potato bread is one of those rare things in vegan, gluten free baking - delicious, perfect texture, sturdy yet soft, not chewy or gummy or dry, great for sandwiches, toast, French toast, and just about anything else you could ask for. 

And did I mention it's actually healthy? 

Unlike a lot of other sweet potato breads that are... well... really sweet, this one can be enjoyed guilt-free. It's low in sugar, uses a small amount of olive oil in place of tons of butter, and the flour combo includes high-protein multi-grains. 

Here's how it goes...

Easiest Gluten-Free Vegan Burgers / Tofu Patties with BBQ Sauce +MeatlessMonday

Guys, these are seriously the easiest and tastiest burgers I've ever made, and I have a thing for tasty, healthy burgers. So much so that I have not one, but three gluten free vegan burger recipes on the blog. This will be the fourth!

They're so simple to make and ingredients are minimal. They're great for a quick, healthy meal, particularly if you pair them with my Baked Root Vegetable Fries.

And smoked paprika lends the burgers a smoky BBQ flavour that is super addictive.

Leftover French Fry Hash (gluten free with vegan option)

Okay, I confess that sometimes I feel a little silly asking a restaurant to package up my leftover French Fries. It's not like you're asking for leftover pizza or pasta or something expensive and not easily made at home. Especially considering that leftover fries tend to be kind of gross the next day, either soggy or too hard.

But not when you make them into a super frugal, flexible hash!! Which is, in my humble opinion, the best way to use up leftover French fries. My husband loves leftover fries for breakfast done this way, and I think you will, too : )

Surprisingly, a seemingly small amount of french fries can make a decent amount of hashbrowns, once you cut them up fine. Especially if you add other things in. The above hash served two of us, whereas the leftover fries I started with wouldn't even be one full serving in a restaurant.

Ever since I tried making potato hash out of leftover fries a few months back, it's become one of my favourite breakfast treats, and now I never turn down taking fries home. Of course, you can also have this leftover french fry hash any time of day...

Easy, Gourmet Gluten Free Microwave Macaroni & Cheese (Vegan Option)

Well, it's still hot here in Vancouver, and I very much dislike turning on my oven in this sort of weather.

Recently, I posted 15 Easy, Vegetarian and Gluten Free One-Pot Meals, almost all of which can be made on the stove top in under 30 minutes, and thereby cutting back on time spent slaving in a hot kitchen.

But when the thermometer outside hit 40C / 104F even that 20-30 minutes seemed too much. So I turned to Google and my microwave...

And ended up making this delicious, gourmet gluten free macaroni and cheese in a mug. It's waaay healthier than most packaged stuff, so easy, so delicious, easy clean up, and very flexible. There is a chance I may make pasta in the microwave forever more...

I'm sure somewhere in my neighbourhood there is an old Italian lady crying over her pot of putanesca at that statement, but it's true ;) 

Also, if you have kids that love pasta, but you don't want them turning on the stove just yet, or they can't be bothered to pull out pots and pans, this is a super easy recipe for them to make! 

Vegan, Gluten Free Easy Homemade Barbeque Sauce Recipe

You know I never used to be a huge fan of barbeque sauce. I didn't think it was really all that useful. However, my husband loves it, so I thought I'd try making some gluten free BBQ sauce (since buying it can be really expensive!)

It's a darn good thing I gave it a shot, because it turns out I can put this BBQ sauce on just about anything and my husband will eat it! Furthermore, I have discovered a newfound appreciation for this tangy stuff. It's so good you could eat it straight off the spoon.

And I have. I've been looking for excuses to dip a spoon into the jar, and this little photo shoot was the perfect opporunity ;)

Now that we're heading into BBQ season, it seemed like an appropriate time to post this easy recipe!

Easy, One-Pot Gluten Free and Vegan Chili-Lime Rice and Beans Dinner (+MeatlessMonday)

There is nothing complicated about this complete, healthy meal of rice, black beans, and veggies. It's one pot, about 25 minutes from start to finish, and much of that time is spent waiting for the meal to cook. So you can do dishes, set the table, dance around the kitchen to '80's rock, pet the cat, or colour in your Secret Garden Coloring Book , like I've been doing!

Like the One-Pot Asian Rice and Veggie Bowl  I posted a couple of weeks back, this easy one-pot meal is super flexible depending on what you have in the fridge, and is a great way to use up bits and pieces of veggies.
Wednesdays are busy days for me. I have a virtual meeting with my writing group which, due to our time differences, means that our meetings are smack in the middle of dinner time. Furthermore, I've taken on some volunteer work that, lately, has occurred on Thursdays, also right around dinner time.

Which means that I don't really have time to cook.

Hence the beginning of what I like to call One-Pot Wednesdays, where I make up a large pot of something that's fast and easy, doesn't require a lot to clean up, and can be served the next day. So stay tuned, because for the next couple of weeks I'll be posting quick and easy one-pot meals!

Easy, One-Pot Gluten Free Asian Rice and Vegetables (+MeatlessMonday)

This gluten free steamed rice and vegetable dinner is so easy I almost feel guilty posting it. And I almost feel guilty telling you that I make this like once a week for dinner, and have the leftovers for lunch the next day. It's a go-to on a night when we're in a hurry to go out somewhere.

It feels lazy. But it's totally not. It's a healthy meal in itself, and it's just so darned easy!!

It takes only 20 minutes from start to finish, requires only one pot for cooking (and a small bowl for sauce), and is super flexible. I use up odds and ends from the fridge so it's a little different every time. You can add various proteins as you like (peanuts, cashews, tofu, eggs, or leftover chicken bits for a meat version, etc.) and different veggies (carrots, peas, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.) depending on what you have kicking around.

So the following is my basic formula and the sauce I use.

Easy Homemade Kimchi (Vegetarian / Vegan Option)

For the longest time kimchi was one of those things I was too scared to try. It's contents were strange and the methods of creation dubious. Traditional Korean kimchi (for those who have yet to be indoctrinated into its delights), often made with cabbage, radishes, or cucumber fermented along with raw shrimp, octopus, or fish. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE raw sushi, but I don't feel in the least bit qualified to try fermenting seafood on my own.

As someone of European background with two German grandmothers and one Polish grandfather, fermented cabbage (i.e. sauerkraut) was not at all a foreign substance. I know they're loaded with probiotics and stuff that's good for gut health. But kimchi... well I hadn't even heard of it until a few years ago.

My dad, on the other hand, will eat almost anything. And a few weeks ago during a dinner at his place he served us kimchi as an appy. My husband, who is not keen on most other fermented foods, really liked it. So of course I had to try to make it myself! And you know what? It's super easy and doesn't require a lot of fancy stuff.

I've been eating it so much my husband told me the other day I'm starting to smell like kimchi... so maybe it's time to cut back a little ;)

Vegan, Gluten Free Slow Cooker French Toast Bites (+MeatlessMonday)

Whoa Nelly! Hold the phones, stop the music... whatever you need to do so that I have your full attention here! This vegan and gluten free French toast is so easy, and so flexible. You could pop this in the crock-pot on Sunday afternoon and eat French toast for breakfast on Monday. I used several slices of my Gluten Free Vegan Cinnamon Raisin Bread, and then jazzed it up with apples and coconut flakes and cashews. But you could use any vegan and gluten free bread you like and add other things like bananas, sweet potatoes, dates, cranberries, etc.

I ate this every morning for four days straight, and didn't tire of it, it's that good!  I also added some of the chunks into a chocolate chili I made, and it was fantastic (also, stay tuned for that recipe for Chocolate Chili ;p )

For those of you without crockpots - I have yet to try and make this as a French toast casserole in the oven, but I'm pretty sure you could bake it in a casserole dish for 45min - 1 hr instead if you don't have a slow cooker.

Cheap & Easy Vegan, Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread (+MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, eggs, dairy, nuts, soy, corn, xanthan gum
 

A couple of weeks ago I posted a recipe for a Vegan, Gluten Free Multi-grain, Multi-seed Brown Bread. It's a great bread, and super healthy. But I was so excited about having successfully converted one of my old favourite bread recipes to being vegan as well as GF that I though, why not push my luck and try for a simple cinnamon bread while I'm at it?

And it totally worked! And because I got most of my flours from the local Asian-run veggie store, it cost me about $1.50 for the gluten free flour. I'm guessing the whole loaf came in under $4, probably less if I actually did the math...

Anyway, the thing is it's a super flexible, sturdy, yet light sandwich bread that's FANTASTIC for vegan French toast (yeah, stay tuned, 'cuz that recipe is coming soon to a blog near you!!)

BEST Vegan, Gluten Free Multi-grain Multi-seed Brown / Pumpernickel Bread (+MeatlessMonday)

A year ago a posted a recipe for Gluten Free Multiseed Multigrain Sandwich Bread. It was one of the first gluten free bread recipes I'd ever made, and I'd added all kinds of seeds and nuts and mixed flours to make it delicious, and healthy.

Since then that recipe has received over 6,400 views! So thanks everyone, I hope you enjoyed it!

It's still one of my all-time favourite recipes. But it has one hitch - it calls for eggs and milk powder. I don't mind so much, but others do. And since I buy free-range eggs - which are more expensive - I like to preserve my eggs when I can!

So the other day I was out of eggs AND bread, and decided it was time to try and convert the recipe... and it worked!! And guess what? This version is xanthan gum free, too!!

Vegan, Gluten Free Farinata / Socca (Cheap and Easy Chickpea Flour Bread)

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, nuts

Chickpea flour can usually be found fairly cheaply in the South Asian / Indian section of many larger supermarkets. Chickpeas of course have lots of protein and fibre and are super healthy, and some of you already know I use them a lot in recipes like Marinated Chickpea Salad, Chickpea and Sweet Potato Burgers, and Chickpea and Sweet Potato Soup.

So it makes sense that I would also like chickpea flour, no? And I do. It has a nice, nutty flavour and it sticks together better than most other GF flours.

I like to buy big ol' bags of chickpea / garbanzo flour and make it into the fried flatbread that I described in my book Living with Oral Allergy Syndrome. But sometimes I also like to make it into this baked, Italian style flatbread known as Socca, or Farinata. It's very simple to make, and the result is very tasty and filling.

GF, Vegan Sweet Pea Spread and Dip + Avocado Allergies

Free of gluten, soy, dairy, nuts, eggs, soy

Ok, I realize this is going to sound crazy, but this pea and spinach spread is really, really good. And versatile.

As is, it's kind of like a low-fat, avocado-free guacamole (for those of you with avocado allergies, read on!). A cheaper version of guacamole. Substituting the cilantro with basil makes it like a mock pesto, a peasto if you will (yeah, go ahead and groan, I couldn't resist). A nut-free vegan pesto of sorts. A much, much cheaper version of pesto.


See? So versatile that it can be both guacamole AND pesto.

Accidental Vegan, Gluten Free Chocolate Beet Cake Balls (+MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, soy, nuts, dairy, eggs

I never set out to make these gluten free beet chocolate cake balls. They started out as an attempt as a Swiss jelly roll. Which, obviously, failed. Because I'm crazy and even though I've never made a Swiss roll cake, I decided my first attempt should be a GF, vegan, chocolate beet flavoured one that I completely pulled out of thin air. Because yeah... that's not insane or anything...

So the cake broke apart when I tried to roll it (even though it was warm, I think it needed more moisture). But it was still fairly tasty and I wanted to try and salvage the ingredients. I HATE throwing away gluten free ingredients, or any food for that matter.

So with some quick finagling, I mixed up some beet tinted frosting, mashed some in with the cake, rolled it up, smothered the balls in some more beet frosting and KA-POW!

Crazy vegan, gluten free chocolate beet cake balls. I dare you to try and say that ten times fast...

Versatile Marinated Chickpea Salad (gluten free with vegan options for #MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, nuts, soy, corn, egg, dairy free / vegan option

This simple, versatile chickpea salad comes together in about 2 minutes, and was a lifesaver the other week when we hosted three dinner parties in a row, plus a lunch.

I made a double batch and served it alongside a big bag of mixed greens and some other bowls of things as part of a salad bar. It works particularly well if you're feeding vegetarians or vegans, as it's protein-packed, filling, and flavourful. 

Vegan, Gluten Free Apple and Parsnip Cake + #MeatlessMonday

Free of gluten, dairy, nuts, soy, eggs

 

This was supposed to be a carrot cake. But as it turns out, I was out of carrots. We were at the end of our shopping budget and, regardless, I didn't feel like running out to the store just for carrots.

But we had parsnips. And parsnips can actually be kind of sweet when they're baked or cooked. So why the heck not make a parsnip cake?

And you know what? It was really, really good. Surprisingly good. Shockingly good. And I would totally make it again. In fact, my husband had a friend over when it finished baking (who is neither vegan or gluten intolerant) and he had two pieces. I think that says something, right?

Vegan, Gluten Free Tofu Meatballs with Crabapple Sauce - Cheaper than Meat! + Meatless Monday

Free of dairy, eggs, gluten, nuts, corn

Crabapple or Crab Apple? I'm never really sure. Either way, this crabapple sauce and these vegan, GF meatballs are surprisingly amaze-balls. (The only thing cheesy here is that sentence).

These vegan, gluten free tofu meatballs in Crab Apple Sauce were really born  out of desperation. Since we moved back home to BC, we've been entertaining people in our new apartment a couple of times a week. It's been great to finally invite family and friends to our place after 3 years of living elsewhere. 

But entertaining can be expensive. Tofu, on the other hand, is relatively cheap.

 
I was facing several challenges, vegetarians, food allergies, my unwillingness to make yet another trip to the grocery store... Necessity is the mother of invention, and man did this invention turn out surprisingly AWESOME! So awesome that I made it three times in two weeks for three different sets of dinner guests.