V PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES

Makes 18-24 Small Pies (36-48 pieces)
1/2 Cup Non Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening
2 Cups Sugar
2 tsp Molasses
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Puree
4 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbs Ener-G Egg Replacer
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375º. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cream shortening and sugar together, using a stand mixer if available. You can also do it by hand. Add molasses and vanilla and beat well. Add pumpkin puree and whip until incorporated (don’t worry if the fat doesn’t mix in completely).
In a separate bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Add this dry mix to the wet until all incorporated. It will make a stiff batter. I find it easiest to use and ice cream scoop that has a release lever to drop the dough onto your cookie sheet. The scoop I used holds 2 Tbs. Wet your fingers and gently flatten the dough balls. This will prevent your pies from tipping over by creating a semi-flat surface for them to rest on.

Bake for 10-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, and the tops spring back when pressed in the center. Remove cookies from the cookie sheet as soon as they come out of the oven to prevent over-baking. Cover them with a towel or plastic wrap to keep moisture/steam in, as this will prevent a hard crust from forming. Prepare the filling while your cookies are cooling.

Cream Cheese Filling
1/2 Container Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tbs Earth Balance
Whip ingredients together and spread between two cookies!

V PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH LEMON FROSTING

2 ½ C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
½ t salt
½ C Earth Balance shortening or spread
1 C canned pumpkin
1 ½ t egg replacer (mixed in 2 T warm H2O)
1 t vanilla

Cream Earth Balance and sugar together. Add pumpkin, vanilla and egg replacer.
Mix dry ingredients together and stir into pumpkin mixture. Blend well.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment covered cookie sheets. Smooth top of cookies.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 15-20 mins. Cool and frost.

OPTIONAL: Add 1 C raisins, 1 C chopped nuts or 1 C rolled oats to batter, if desired.


LEMON FROSTING

2 C sifted confectionary sugar.
2 t lemon flavoring
1 T melted Earth Balance spread
2 drops yellow coloring (opt)
2-3 T rice milk

Add Earth Balance, flavoring and coloring to sugar using low speed on mixer.
Add rice milk slowly until sugar is smooth, but not too thin. Beat well.
Frost cookies.

V BANANA MUFFINS

3 Ripe bananas, mashed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 c oil (to cut fat, use 1/4c oil and 1/4 c apple sauce)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 c chopped dates
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c wheat germ
2 table spoon flax seed meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
*You can also add 1/2 c raisins or vegan chocolate chips for a bit of added sweetness. . . I also like to sprinkle these with Turbino.

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In small bowl mash bananas, then add lemon, oil (or oil and apple sauce combo) sugar, and dates.
3. In large bowl, stir together flour, wheat germ, flax seed meal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Add banana mixture to flour mixture.
5. Mix together until "just mixed".
6. Stir in raisins or chips. . . or both! :)
7. Spoon into lightly oiled pan.
8. Sprinkle with turbino.
9. Bake 30-35 minutes

** This recipe can also be made into a bread by using a loaf pan and baking for about 40-50 minutes.

QUINOA SALAD: BLACK BEAN & SWEET POTATO

1/2 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium sweet potato, peeled & diced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon diced red chili flakes
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 tablespoon cilantro
lime juice

1. Rinse Quinoa in small sieve.
2. Heat oil over med-high heat in medium skillet.
3. Add sweet potato, scallion, chili, and saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add quinoa. Toast 2 minutes.
5. Add water and salt.
6. Boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cover.
7. Simmer until quinoa is cooked and potatoes are tender. (10-12 minutes)
8. If liquid remains, raise heat and cook for 2 minutes
9. Stir in black beans, lime and cilantro.

***Can be eaten cold or warm.

V OATMEAL COOKIES

2/3 Cup canola oil
1 Cup brown sugar
½ Cup sugar (plus a little extra for rolling cookies into before baking)
½ Cup applesauce
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ Cup flour
1 Teaspoon b. soda
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
½ Teaspoon salt
3 Cup Oats (old fashion)
1 Cup raisins-opt.

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Beat together oil and sugars until creamy.
3. Add vanilla and applesauce and beat well.
4. Add flour baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
5. Stir in oats and raisins. Mix.
6. Roll into 1” balls and then roll ball in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet and then remove to wire rack.
9. Makes about 3 dozen.

V LOVE SANDWICHES

AKA Spritz Cookies with frosting center

1 cup flour (plus 1-2 tablespoons if needed to firm up)
3/8 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup veg. shortening
1/8 cup vegan yogurt(pref. vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

** To make cookies chocolate.
Add to melted dark chocolate blocks to the dough.

1. Heat oven to 375 Degrees.
2. Shift dry ingredients together.
3. Combine shortening & dry mixture until it begins to crumble.
4. Add yogurt and vanilla.
5. Mix well.
6. Cram into cookie press/gun.
7. Spritz cookie dough on ungreased cookie sheet.
   
8. Bake 10 - 12 minutes.
9. Cool on cookie rack.
10. Once dry make frosting for center of cookie.
    

V Sugar Cookies

*** Please note prepared dough calls for an hour or two of refrigeration time before rolling.

1/2 cup vegan butter

3/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoon egg replacer
4 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rice milk

1. Heat oven to 350 Degrees.
2. Cream butter, egg replacer, sugar, water, and vanilla.
3. Add flour, salt, baking powder.
4. Mix well until ingredients begin to form dough.
5. Add enough rice milk to moisten the dough (more butter might help too. you will have to play with it until a dough is formed.)
6. Refrigerate for 1- 2 hours.
7. Once it's ready, roll dough to desired thickness, approx. 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to form shapes. You could also just make these into round cookies.
8. Place cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 350 Degrees for 8 minutes or until slightly brown.
9. Cool on racks.
10. Decorate with icing and candies.