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!

What to do with Squash Leaves and Stems: 9 Gluten Free Ways to Use Squash Leaves (Tenerumi)

This post was originally published on August 18, 2013, but it's such a popular post this time of year I'm bumping it up so that those of you looking for ways to use up your squash leaves can find some suggestions.

Don't forget to check the comments section, as tons of people have been kind enough to share their wonderful recipes from around the world!!

Ever wondered if can you eat squash leaves? 

I noticed these big buckets of fuzzy, curly, decorative squash greens for the first time a while back at the farmers market. We eat a ton of greens, but I’ve never grown squash so it just never occurred to me to question if squash leaves are edible.

I asked the older Hmong lady selling them what to do with the squash leaves. She told me to peel the fuzzy skin off and boil them. This was rather vague, so as soon as I got my bunch home I scoured forums and blogs and found squash leaf recipes ranging from Hmong to Thai to Nigerian to Italian.

I’ve shared 9 different ways I found to make use of squash leaves and stems, as well as some tips for prepping and using them. So if you have pumpkins, zucchini or other squash spreading in your back yard, or you see a bunch of them at your farmers market, go buck wild with these ideas!

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!

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.

Easy Gluten Free Rolled Fruit Dumpling Biscuit Thingies +Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, eggs, nuts, soy, with dairy free / vegan option

I've made this recipe three times in the last couple of weeks, and yesterday was the first time I was able to photograph them before they all got eaten. And that's only because I made them early in the day just so I would have time to photograph them before anyone came over and ate them all!

I don't know what to call these things, really, since the original recipe that I used as the model called them fruit dumplings. But really, they're more like a baked fruit biscuit roll-up type thingy. They're also not as sickly-sweet as a lot of other dumplings.

Whatever you want to call them, these gluten free baked fruit biscuit roll-up dumpling fruit log thingies are so very quick and easy (easy enough that I've made them 3 times to take dinner parties). They're also pretty healthy, since I cut back on the butter and sugar and used sorghum flour. And of course, they're loaded with fruit, so they make a fabulous healthy dessert.

They're so good, I took them to a dinner party where I was the only GF person. I had someone ask me if I was sure they were gluten free because they said the texture was too good to be gluten free.

Vegan, Gluten Free Herb Dumpling Soup (#MeatlessMonday)

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

Cheap and easy, these savory herb dumplings are gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and free of all other common allergens.

This root vegetable soup with easy gluten free dumplings is so simple and quick I've made it twice this week now, with variations on the herbs. They were husband approved both times. And the best thing is that it's filling, so it makes for a very simple, healthy meal in itself.

Also, if you happen to be partaking in Lent, no matter what your restrictions these dumplings and soup should be safe since they're free of meat, eggs, dairy, butter, etc.

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 Pudding Pie

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, nuts, soy-free option

So remember how last week I screwed up a beet chocolate cake and ended up with a bunch of tasty crumbs, and used half of them to make these Vegan, Gluten Free Chocolate Beet Balls? 

Well here's what I did with the other half. I turned the chocolate cake crumbs into a Chocolate Cake Pie Crust, and slapped some chocolate tofu pudding on top. So if you're ever wondering what to do with extra chocolate cake bits, why not try out this pie crust?

And btw- my husband actually really, really likes the tofu pudding I used for the pie (and he's not vegan).  But if you don't like tofu or need a soy-free option, you can always use the super easy microwave Chocolate Pudding recipe I used to make Mini Chocolate Pudding Pies.

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. 

Easy Gluten Free and Vegan Borscht with Sauerkraut (#MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, dairy, soy, & eggs

A while back I shared a post with 25 Ways to Use Beets. There was a borscht recipe in there, of course, but it wasn't mine. This is the very simple, easy recipe I use to make borscht.

And believe it or not, my husband, who doesn't like beets OR sauerkraut, actually likes this borscht recipe. This vegan borscht takes only a few minutes to chop and grate the ingredients, and about 20 minutes on the stove, and is just about the simplest soup I've ever made. And it makes enough to serve 2 people throughout the week.

Which is absolutely perfect as we head into the chilly winter months and crave warm, comforting soup for lunch and dinner. Borscht is a cheap, easy, naturally gluten free and healthy soup that can be served with a big chunk of my Gluten Free Multiseed Multigrain Bread for a complete and satisfying meal!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with a dairy free / vegan option for #Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, eggs, nuts, soy, corn, with dairy free / vegan options

The season of pumpkin is upon us. I had half a large can of pumpkin puree leftover from making my Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie for Canadian Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago. So I modified my old recipe for Gluten Free Herb Rolls to use up leftover pumpkin puree, and added some cinnamon spice mix. (I have also made a similar version in the past using sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin, so you could use sweet potato instead if you like)

These rolls are simple, tasty, pretty healthy, and versatile. I've had them for breakfast, served them with dinner to guests, and drizzled them with a bit of icing sugar mixed with milk as cinnamon rolls for dessert. 

They also freeze well, so make up a batch and sock them away for later! 

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.

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Breakfast Bowl (GF, Vegan)

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

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to get a good, hot, gluten free breakfast that doesn't take forever. I mean pancakes are great and all, but they're not exactly quick.

And the other morning I woke up and it was chilly and raining and I had a cold. Which is funny, because right now it feels something like 30C! It's totally summer weather!

So being sick and it being cold and rainy, I was craving something warm and comforting. I wanted a hot, easy, gluten free breakfast. I'm allergic to oats so oatmeal wasn't an option. I did, however, have a large bag of quinoa in the cupboard. The rest is quinoa breakfast bowl history...

Easy Vegan, Gluten Free Red Lentil Burgers (Meatless Monday)

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

When we were packing up our apartment to move last month I was trying to  avoid grocery shopping, and to use up any leftover scraps of food kicking around in the cupboards. One of our last days there I pulled out a jar with a handful of red lentils, and another with quinoa. Luckily, I had some spices and a few tablespoons of GF flour and a couple of slices of onion. And so, this simple vegan burger patty was born. 

And it was so good I've already made it again. And they're husband approved. He ate them for dinner the other night, then lunch again the next day.  They also freeze well (info below), for quick meals.

These gluten free and vegan patties are very simple, low ingredient, and fairly cheap. They're also crazy healthy and packed with protein. You can serve them as burgers, or as patties with veggies on the side, or over lettuce with salad dressing. Their golden colour is rather fetching on a bed of greens...

Best Vegan and Gluten Free Pizza Crust & Olive Tapenade (a quick & easy Meatless Monday dinner)

Free of gluten, soy, nuts, dairy, eggs

I almost feel guilty about how easy this pizza crust is to make. When I first started the blog I posted a recipe for an awesome pizza crust. I still love that crust. However, this one is just about as good and takes half the time (and half the bowls, meaning less dishes to clean!)

So if I'm going to feel guilty, I might as well enjoy it. Therefore, I smother the crust in easy homemade olive tapenade and some steamed veggies - both of which I can do while the crust is rising and baking.

The best part? I get two pizza crusts out of this recipe and I can freeze one for an even simpler dinner another night :)

Gluten Free Barbeque Flavored Popcorn (organic, with vegan option) + Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, soy, and nuts with a dairy-free / vegan option

 

Considering that I already have two popcorn recipes on the blog, you might have gotten the impression that I really like popcorn. And I do. I really, really like popcorn. And I love that it's getting easier and easier to find organic popcorn so I don't always have to search so hard to get my popcorn fix! 

Popcorn is a filling, low calorie with a little kick of protein. So I think it's a great snack for Meatless Monday - or any day for that matter.

So I've recently discovered how awesome smoked paprika is. It makes things taste like barbeque and bacon, but without the bacon. After a failed attempt at Mexican Chocolate Chili Popcorn last week, I figured why not try barbeque popcorn? I did, and let me tell you, it's awesome. Like barbeque chips, without the deep fry and white potato. 

Vegan, Gluten Free Matcha Mug Cake (#Meatless Monday) & a Review of Kiss Me Organic's Matcha Green Tea Powder

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

Ok, can I brag for a minute? I mean I really do try to be humble. I even share my failures with you - like my epic no-oats granola bar fail or the sugar-free lemon meringue pie that looked so wonderful but tasted so yucky.

But I have to say that I'm quite pleased with my latest experiment.

This vegan, gluten free mug cake is light, has a distinct green tea flavour, is quite healthy, and takes about 5 minutes to make.

Vegan, Gluten Free Applesauce Sweet & Sour Lentils #MeatlessMonday

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

Who doesn't love sweet and sour sauce? But unfortunately, it's usually made with a whole lot of sugar and ketchup.

But not this one. No ketchup here. The sweetness comes mostly from unsweetened applesauce, and just a tiny little bit of organic sugar. However, you could also use stevia or maple syrup instead (or, for a non-vegan dish, honey).

This dish is also almost obscenely cheap, healthy, tasty, and easy to make. And I love that it's naturally gluten free, doesn't require any expensive specialty items, and makes a great freezer meal. 

Vegan, Gluten-Free Sprouted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Burger Patties / Falafel for Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts, with corn-free option

A while back I accidentally sprouted a big batch of chickpeas. I had soaked a big bunch of garbanzo beans / chickpeas overnight with the intention of cooking them and freezing them. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans o'mice and men. Those peas sat on my counter for a couple of days. 

Some of them ended up in my GF, Vegan Sprouted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry Soup, and some of them (along with some surplice sweet potatoes) ended up as an allergy-free vegan falafel / salad / burger patties. It was a happy meeting that I intend to repeat over and over.