Vegan Bolognese Sauce

Hello, Our lovely readers!

Yesterday, I decided to make Spaghetti for dinner. While I was in the kitchen, I decided to take it a step further. We just had gone grocery shopping, so I had tons of fresh veggies to choose from. The sauce was so good that Jasmine (my 10 year old daughter) asked for a second helping of just the sauce!

This does require a lot of chopping, but it is so worth it! (luckily, I had my favorite little helper to assist) So put on some music, get yourself a nice beverage and get busy!

You will need:

1 eggplant
1 zucchini
mushrooms (I used portobellos and crimini)
1 onion
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
minced garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 large can tomato sauce
rosemary
oregano
basil
thyme
red pepper flakes
salt pepper
a teaspoon-ish amount of Earth Balance
a few drizzles olive oil
a few dashes of liquid smoke (I know it sounds crazy, but trust me)
red wine (optional)

Dice up all veggies into small pieces. set mushrooms, onion and garlic aside.

Place mushrooms in pan with some olive oil. add the liquid smoke. (this is going to add a bacon like flavor to the sauce, and the portobellos add a bit of meat like texture) Saute, and set aside.

Saute the onions and garlic. add the rest of the veggies and saute. Once everything is looking done, add the mushrooms in. Stir to combine.

De-glaze pan with red wine.  Not much, just about a 1/3 of a cup. (you can skip this step if you like)

add in the tomatoes, sauce and seasonings (to taste. I just wing it)

Stir to combine all ingredients. Cover and simmer for at-least 20 Minutes (really, the longer it simmers, the better it gets)

Serve with your favorite pasta. ( I used Trader Joe's brown rice pasta) This would also be great in your favorite lasagna recipe, any recipe that calls for a marinara sauce, or even over steamed veggies.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows (a gluten-free version) for a friends going away party. Let me tell ya, they were ugly, but I loved them!!


This awesome recipe is one of the many mouth watering ones found in Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes For Everyone's Favorite Treats.

Here is the recipe, but don't forget to check out Post Punk Kitchen's website and if you love cookies you will seriously want to own this book. And this is a really fun one to make with the kiddos.
~~~~~~
Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

makes 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate dough:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder

2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa or more dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter, crunchy or creamy style

2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons soy creamer or non-dairy milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, black cocoa if using, baking soda and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.

Make the filling. In another mixing bowl beat together peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy creamer and vanilla extract to form a moist but firm dough. If peanut butter dough is too dry (as different natural peanut butters have different moisture content), stir in remaining tablespoon of non-dairy milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bakings sheet with parchment paper.

Shape the cookies. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into 24 balls. Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a disc and place a peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll the chocolate ball into an smooth ball between your palms. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and repeat with remaining doughs. If desired gently flatten cookies a little, but this is not necessary.

Making the filling with my favorite helper.
We will pretend her hair doesn't always look so messy.

Place dough balls on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and let cookies for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to complete cooling. Store cookies in tightly covered container. If desired warm cookies in a microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.

 So for laughs I am going to show you my the picture in the book vs mine.

.

.

.

.

.

NAILED IT!!!!

(But seriously they were still really good. They taste like a Peanut Butter Cup cookie.)