Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake with Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

Cookbook * Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
Recipe * Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake with Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

I need to find some neighbors with a healthy cupcake appetite. Not, mind you, because these cupcakes are bad, but rather because they are so damn good I'm destined to eat the whole batch. This is the universal problem with baking sweets, right? Back to the cupcakes. These are awesome, no words do them justice. Fluffy and tasty with creamy icing that holds up for piping. They put a smile on my face, my husband's face, and my dog's face...well, she didin't get to have any, but its the thought that counts, I mean she was Wonder Woman for a day so she can't complain. Annatto seed extract gives the icing a nice orange Halloween color, even though it doesn't ring true in the photo. "Vegan cupcake world domination?" I think so!

Kudos to the PPK gang for catapulting "vegan cupcake" into the foodie lexicon and for creating a cookbook with a user guide. Cookbook developers note - Every cookbook should have a practical user guide.I can't tell you how much I appreciate the front material on dos and don'ts and even a section to help you trouble shoot problem cupcakes - you know the ones :) On their recommendation, I purchased an oven thermometer for my average cookbook tester oven and even invested in a cheap, shiny, aluminum cupcake pan the better to bake with my dear. The only thing holding me back is patience and restraint..."I will not eat the icing before I ice the cupcakes, I will not eat the cupcakes before they are iced, I will not ice the cupcakes until they are cool....repeat...I will not.."

Chocolate Biscotti

Cookbook * The Artful Vegan: The Millennium Restaurant
Recipe * Chocolate Biscotti
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

Would you think less or more of me if I told you I ate the entire batch of biscotti by myself? These are perhaps the best biscotti I've ever made vegan or not - maybe its the cocoa nibs, maybe its the chocolate chunks or the walnuts, or maybe its the Jack Daniels Whiskey that makes them so addictive. The dough is much gooeyer than normal biscotti dough and requires a great deal of patience to form into a log before baking, but its totally worth it!

Cornmeal-Crusted Tempeh

Cookbook * The Candle Cafe Cookbook
Recipe * Cornmeal-Crusted Tempeh
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

A standard on our dinner table, these little nuggets are first marinated in a maple syrup and shoyu sauce then battered and fried. They make a great introduction to tempeh and pot luck friends rave about them. We like to double the marinade - if you do this make sure to keep the cut of the tempeh thick enough so the extra marinade isn't overpowering. Serve as part of an Asian themed meal or with good old American sides, this will hit the spot! Oh, and if you are ever in NYC do stop by Candle Cafe - their seitan skewers should be on my top 5 things to try before you die! Although the recipe is featured in their cookbook, its just not the same.

Mango Coconut Bread Pudding

Cookbook * Vegan Planet
Recipe * Mango Coconut Bread Pudding
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

Its mango season - finally. Mango season in Hawaii is marked by neighbors sharing Mango chutney (its a secret recipe of course), self-serve mango stands in front yards, and the smell of overripe mangos fallen onto sidewalks. Hawaii mango season was the inspiration to try this recipe and I've made it at least a dozen times since. Its really tasty comfort food and a hit with everyone - regardless of food afilliation. Celebrate your own mango season with this perfectly simple and yummy pudding.

Pecan Pie

Cookbook * Millennium Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine
Recipe * Pecan Pie (filling only)
Yumm or Yuck? * Yuck

This was my first attempt at a vegan pecan pie, which made its failure that much more of a bummer. The filling was dry, crumbly, and a bit too salty and not nearly sweet enough. Think a pecan praline of sorts in a pie shell. I used a frozen pie shell, so I can't comment on the cookbook's pie crust recipe. I might try Real Food Daily's recipe next. Or, maybe I'll just tinker around with my Mema's pecan pie recipe - according to Southern tradition, pecan pie isn't pecan pie without Karo syrup anyway.

Bean Salsa In Radicchio Leaves

Cookbook * Incredibly Delicious: The Vegan Paradigm Cookbook
Recipe * Bean Salsa In Radicchio Leaves
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

One of the best things about following a plant based diet has been discovering my love for bean salads. I used to only have them as a side dish at a picnic or potluck a few times a year, but now I'd happily have one every week - and there are so many different bean salads one could probably make a different one each week! I like this one because it adds a tomato sauce and vinegar twist and it uses pintos where most bean salads rely on black beans. This one is called a salsa, but I eat it like a salad. It would be great served as an appetizer with radicchio leaves, but the market didn't have any on hand, so I tried cabbage leaves. Although it looks nice in the pic, the cabbage leaves really don't work well - I'll be sure to use radicchio next time.

Athena Barley with Kalamata Olives and Tomatoes

Cookbook * The Real Food Daily Cookbook
Recipe * Athena Barley with Kalamata Olives and Tomatoes
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

Barley ain't just for beer making. This is one of those "healthy tasting" dishes that actually tastes good. I feel healthier just having a few bites! Its a produce delight - fresh tomatoes, scallions, dill, onion, parsley, lemon juice. And the barley is great source of fiber. Bonus points for barley - its a grain with a long and interesting history!

Long Life Soup

Cookbook * The Candle Cafe Cookbook
Recipe * Long Life Soup
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

Thanks to a wonderful week huffing it in the BEAUTIFUL Olympic Mountains, I have a bit of a cold and there is nothing better than this soup to cure what ails you! Its got shiitake, garlic, ginger, and as much or little cayenne as you need. I love this soup not only because it makes me feel better, but because its quick to make and versatile enough that I usually can make it without having to go out to the market for anything. In the first pic, I substituted hijiki for arame and added carrots and purple potatoes. And in the second pic, I added soba, bok choy, carrots, and tofu. Enjoy it with a slice of "buttered" bread. A star replacement for the outdated chicken noodle soup of my childhood!

Hijiki to Aburage

Cookbook * Shojin Cooking
Recipe * Hijiki to Aburage
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

This is another wonderful shojin (Buddhist Vegetarian) recipe from Japan. I really needed something healthy after demolishing the key lime cheesecake! You can find aburage in Asian specialty stores or online. Hijiki triples when cooked, so I cut this recipe in half. To improve flavor, saute the Hijiki in sesame oil before adding the broth.This is a very common dish in Japanese cooking and you could probably find a great recipe somewhere on the web!

A note on Hijiki: If I was to have a fav seaweed, Hijiki would be a strong contender. I first fell in love with it while living in Hawaii. We were regulars at hole-in-the-wall macrobiotic cafe called Well Bento in Honolulu. The original owner has sense moved back to NYC, but the amazing hijiki side remains and yes, your bento comes with macaroni - it is Hawaii after all! I've used hijiki in all sorts of ways - even in a potato salad. Be brave and try it, you might just love it.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Cookbook * Vegan Planet
Recipe * Key Lime Cheesecake
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

This is as good if not better than restaurant cheesecake. It is a SUGAR RUSH - so beware. I would make this just for the ginger snap crust alone, but the lime filling tastes amazing. You can use regular limes, even though they don't live up to the recipe's namesake. Eat it by the slice or "just" the spoonful - it only lasts 24 hours in our house!


PLUS top 5 things everyone should try before they die CHALLENGE
We took madeinalaska's challenge to identify 5 foods everyone should try before they die. These are 5 we really love!

1. My Mom's Veganized Cornbread Dressing

2. Mighty O Donouts

3. Super Tings

4. My Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

5. Vegan Planet's Udon Shiitake Recipe

Tortilla Soup

Cookbook * The Real Food Daily Cookbook
Recipe * Tortilla Soup
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

We love this spicy soup. Chopped toritalls make this fresh tomato base soup so creamy. If you've been looking for an opportunity to use your hand-held immersion blender (no, I don't have one either), this recipe is up your alley. Otherwise, just blend in batches. Crispy tortilla strips garnish and add a crunchy texture. So good on a fall night - I can't believe its fall - its not right?

Spicy Ginger Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

Cookbook * The Artful Vegan: The Millennium Restaurant
Recipe * Spicy Ginger Cookies
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

We usually make these cookies during the holidays, but paired with peach ice cream (Celestial Seasonings), they make a wonderful summertime treat. And what better way to bid farewell to summer than an ice cream sandwich? Follow the directions exactly and these will turn out perfect everytime. Bonus points for making the whole house smell like Christmas time.

Mac and "Cheese"

Cookbook * Vegan Planet
Recipe * Mac and "Cheese"
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

One warning - be sure you use regular soymilk, not vanilla flavored. If you follow this simple advice, you will reep bountiful Mac n'Cheese rewards. If not, this dish ends up tasting like a desert pudding. I made the mistake once and never again. Oh, and watch the broil time - the suggested 10 minutes would have made a blacktop out of this great comfort food dish!

Breakfast Tofu Scramble

Cookbook * Vegan Vittles
Recipe * Breakfast Tofu Scramble
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

I'm not a big fan of tofu scrambles, but this one has changed my mind! I like it better than scrambled eggs. Although I don't know that it tastes like scrambled eggs, it does taste divine. We added jalapeno and mushrooms to the mix. The recipe feeds only 1 really hungry camper - so adjust according to your appetite. We doubled the recipe for the two of us and had just a little bit left over - we were hungry though! I'll have to devise a plan to get my husband to make this every Sunday morning for me.

Spiced Banana Pancakes

Cookbook * Vegan Planet
Recipe * Spiced Banana Pancakes
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

I wish they were a little bit spicier to support their namesake, but they are delicious all the same. Drenched in maple syrup and topped with carmelized banana and kiwi, these brought back childhood memories of pancake goodness!

Baking Powder Biscuits

Cookbook * Cookin' Southern: Vegetarian Style
Recipe * Baking Powder Biscuits
Yumm or Yuck? * Yuck

It had to happen sooner or later - a yuck review. This designation is reserved only for those hopeless recipes you wouldn't wish on anyone. Hopefully this will save you the trouble of making the bad recipes just as the yumm reviews guide you toward the winners. These are not fluffy biscuits, but hard hockey pucks. My dog practically choked on a bite. They could be marginally improved if I rolled the dough out thicker. If you douse them with Earth Balance "butter" and jelly they are edible, but otherwise a very poor representation of our cherished biscuit!

Gyros

Cookbook * Vegan Vittles
Recipe * Gyros
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

These are nearly identical to gyros served up at Macy's in Flagstaff, AZ. If you are ever in Flagstaff, you won't want to miss this little jewel of a veg cafe. I haven't found a soy latte to match Macy's yet - even in Seattle. Back to the gyros. My kitchen smells like I live in a Greek restaurant after cooking this seitan spin on a traditional lamb specialty. Paired with tasty cucumber dressing, this quick meal hits the spot!

Fried "Chicken" Tofu and Gravy

Cookbook * Cookin' Southern: Vegetarian Style
Recipe * Fried "Chicken" Tofu and Gravy
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm and So So

Everyone needs a staple mock chicken recipe. I wasn't thrilled with this recipe the day I made it, but during the night it miraculously transformed into what is easily the best "cold chicken fried tofu" I've ever had. I remember eating cold chicken sandwiches using leftover fried chicken as a kid. This tastes almost exactly the same! Take your next-day leftovers and make a sandwich with veganaise, tomato, and lettuce. Make sure you really dredge the tofu with nutritional yeast and cook on a medium high heat or lower to avoid burning.

The gravy is another story. The taste is okay, but too many lumps foiled my plans for a perfect Southern dinner.

Udon-Shiitake Stir-Fry with Sake and Ginger

Cookbook * Vegan Planet
Recipe * Udon-Shiitake Stir-Fry with Sake and Ginger
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm

The title says it all. This is a old standby saved for those times when I can find really fresh shiitake in the market. Of course, if I took the time to figure out how to use my "grow your own shiitakes" tree, I would eat this everyday. You can make this as a stir fry, but its MUCH more flavorful if you double the udon "sauce." And the sauce is awesome! I always add diced tofu to round out what is already a nutritious meal. Pass the sake - preferably not the cheap stuff I have in the pic.

Prissy's Easy Peach Cobbler

Cookbook * Cookin' Southern: Vegetarian Style
Recipe * Prissy's Easy Peach Cobbler
Yumm or Yuck? * Yumm
I'm often wary of recipes that are exceedingly easy or exceedingly complicated - they just never seem to turn out. This recipe is an exception. It is very easy and tastes just like what you would expect a peach cobbler to taste like. It sets up nicely after cooling to make for easy slicing/serving. Nothing extraordinary here, but if you are lookin' for a good old-fashioned cobbler - this is it.
Thanks to my husband's midnight freezer raid, the only thing missing is the soy vanilla ice cream.