Category Archives: spring

Lemon Bars

Posted on July 1, 2021 | Leave a comment

Woohoo!! Summertime is BACK…. & so is Your Vegan Neighbor!!! Whaaaaat?! That’s right!! HELLO, old friends & new friends!!! Ahhhhh…. it’s so good to be back!!

I sincerely apologize for my LOOOOONG hiatus!!!! All I can really say is, John Lennon was RIGHT! – “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans!” A lot has happened in my life these last few years since I posted last, but I won’t bore you with excuses in regards to Your Vegan Neighbor’s disappearance! I am still vegan, alive & kickin’! So…. Let’s not waste ANY more time – am I right?!!

These hot, sunshine filled days really make me crave cold, refreshing sweets… which brings me to these delicious summertime treats – LEMON BARS!!

These awesome little bars seem to be a favorite of many. This simple recipe is slightly adapted from one of my most beloved cookbooks, ‘The Joy of Vegan Baking,’ by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. I highly recommend this book!

That’s a Little Plate of Heaven Right There! Yum!

For the Crust…

  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature (I prefer using Earth Balance sticks)
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Filling…

  • a little more than 1/2 block of extra-firm silken tofu, which is roughly 3/4 cup (I use Mori-Nu’s shelf-stable boxes)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (please use fresh lemons for this! It will take 2-3)
  • 2 Tbsp unbleached flour
  • 1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
  • Sifted confectioners sugar, optional (this is to sift on top of the bars after they have cooled!)

Preheat your oven to 350*F. Grease & lightly flour an 8×8″ square baking pan, or simply line the pan with parchment paper (this is my preferred method, as you can lift the baked squares right out of the pan for cutting when they are done).

To make the crust, cream the butter & the sugar with an electric hand mixer until whipped and fluffy. Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together. Press into the bottom of your prepped pan and bake for around 20 minutes, until the edges start to brown lightly. Set on a wire rack to cool while you make your filling.

The Crust After Baking… Mmmmm….

To make the filling, in your food processor, blend the tofu until nice and creamy (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar & blend again until smooth. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, flour & cornstarch and BLEND!! Pour the filling over the cooled shortbread crust… and get ready to witness the magic of baking!

Not the most exciting picture (my apologies), but… here’s the filling poured on top of the crust.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until filling is set (I actually ended up cooking mine for 40 minutes & I think they turned out pretty perfect!) Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Chill in the fridge until ready to serve. If you used parchment, you should be able to lift it right out onto a cutting board before dividing into 9 even squares (or 16, depending on your preferences!). *Be sure to press your knife down hard to break through that delicious shortbread! Dust with confectioners sugar before serving for a lovely presentation.

Prepare yourself! These are addictive!

Makes 9 big squares, or 16 smaller bites – the level of gluttony you’d like to serve up is up to you! 😉

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Posted in baking, cakes & cookies, desserts, spring, summer, Vegan, vegetarian

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Nori Sesame Dressing

Posted on April 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

Wow… Spring already? Boy is time flying… and there has been a lot going on at your vegan neighbor’s house lately, which has been making things seem to move along even faster. Most recently, I started working at an awesome little shop downtown. (In fact, it was my first job in town when I moved here 13 years ago!)  It’s great to be back again (despite being away from my kiddos) because I really loved working there and being downtown. I reluctantly let this job go when I got hired to work as the bread baker full-time at the Green Scene Baking Company (a vegan bakery/restaurant), which is no longer in business… not because the food wasn’t great, but because the owner decided to move to California and become a nutritionist! I’m sure all of Athens misses the Green Scene – I know I do!

Anyway, I apologize for not posting for so long – I promise it’s not a sign of things to come!! I just needed some time adjusting to my new schedule and some other changes. And now that I’m a working mom (*all mom’s are “working moms” but what I mean here is outside the home), I will be able to relate more easily to those of you in that position, and I’ll try to post more recipes that will help make dinner simpler for everyone! That said, I am more than ready to start sharing some of my favorite spring & summer recipes with you!

Nori Sesame Dressing

This salad dressing may be familiar to those of you who have actually eaten at The Green Scene. It was one of the most popular salad dressings and was served on a mixed greens salad. (picture coming soon!)

Mix in food processor until clumpy:

  • 3 sheets Nori (look for this in the Asian section of your grocery store)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup toasted sesame seeds

Then add:

  • 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
  • 3/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup water (I usually add > 1/2 cup, but you may choose to add the other 1/4 cup if you desire a thinner dressing)
  • 3/4 cup sesame oil (drizzle in slowly, last!)

BLEND ~ BLEND ~ BLEND

Apply to greens (with salad toppings of choice) and DEVOUR!

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Posted in Condiments, gluten free, salads, sauces, spring, summer, Vegan

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Apple Rosemary Scones

Posted on February 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

Since we have a seriously enormous rosemary bush growing in our front yard, I am always wondering what I can make that includes this delicious aromatic herb. Our rosemary bush is so large, in fact,  that it is now blooming in age with beautiful purple flowers. We use rosemary regularly in pastas, sauces & in general cooking… sometimes we even place a bunch of stalks of rosemary in a jar of water to freshen up the room, but… in a scone?  I admit I was a bit hesitant to try this combination (which you can guess means made my kids extremely hesitant to try it!), but, how will you know if something is for you or not unless you give it a try, right?!  Once again, an important lesson I try to teach my kids daily comes out through baking! (One more reason to love the kitchen!)

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Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh rosemary?!

Warning: The wonderful aroma of these scones will fill up your house and make your tummy growl! These scones are perfect for spring or fall. They are light & crispy on the outside, & soft on the inside. I think they are best served warm. Add butter if you like.  If your kids are anything like mine, they love to help in the kitchen  – so send them out to help pick the rosemary… or perhaps even the apples, if you are so lucky!!

Tip: If you make big scones, you can heat them up the next day in your toaster oven, carefully cut the scone in half horizontally and add a soysage patty to make a mini biscuit-sandwich! Can you say “Wow?!” Oh sorry!… I didn’t realize your mouth was full! Mmmmmmmmmm………….. Delicious!

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Apple Rosemary Scones

  • 1  1/4 cups non-dairy milk
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cups unbleached flour
  • 2 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed gently
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum)
  • 2 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1  1/2 cups diced sweet red apples (about 3 small apples)
  • 1/8 cup finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 Tbsp dried & crushed)
  • a little sugar for sprinkling (raw sugar or brown sugar)

1) Preheat oven to 375. Mix the milk and vinegar in a large measuring cup. Set aside.

2) Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening in clumps, mixing in well with a pastry cutter, a fork or your hands. Break it up until it is in little pea like crumbles. Add the rosemary and apples.

3) Mix the oil and vanilla into the milk/vinegar mixture. Create a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour the liquid into the center. Mix until it is all just moistened, flipping and folding the batter this way and that, trying not to overmix.  A few dry-looking spots are okay.

4) Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop & drop the scones onto a parchment covered baking sheet.  You should get 12-16 scones, depending on the size you scoop them. Sprinkle the tops with some sugar, then bake 18-22 minutes until the tops & sides are lightly browned. Transfer to cooling rack to cool and enjoy warm! Devour!

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Apples + Rosemary = Heaven (who knew?!)

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Posted in baking, breads, breakfast, child's play, fall, herbs, muffins, spring, Vegan

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Vegan Strawberry Shortcake #2 (the yellow sponge cake version)

Posted on February 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

I don’t know if its pre-spring fever or what, but I have definitely been pretty busy the last few days… chasing the kids around the house & yard, playing with play-dough, water-painting, going on walks, trying out the new sports equipment that they got for their birthdays, etc. (We had a superhero themed birthday party this year, which I will post about later!) And on top of all the normal “busy mom” activities, I just completed a commissioned portrait. You may not remember I mentioned I was an artist… my art kinda got put on hold after I had kids. One of my resolutions this year was to start doing art again, so needless to say, I was thrilled when a great opportunity to draw a portrait came my way.  Hopefully it is the first of many to come!

Time is just flying and I can’t believe my little girl will be starting kindergarten in the fall. I guess now is the time to really make sure we “live in the moment” and enjoy the last few months of sleeping late and doing what we want all day!! Which leads me to…

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Saturday-morning Strawberry Shortcakes! I definitely have fond memories of eating strawberry shortcakes when I was a kid. (And, no, this isn’t deja vu… I posted a scrumptious strawberry shortcake biscuit recipe a while back).  Anyway, when I was a kid, we usually ate the round spongy yellow cakes with the concave center for filling with strawberries and whipped cream.  My family must have loved them because I never ate strawberry shortcakes on a biscuit until I was an adult! (If you haven’t tried my shortcake biscuits, click the link above and take a look! They are deeeeelicious!)

My husband also grew up on the yellow sponge-cake shortcakes… So, with a carton of organic strawberries calling to me in the fridge and a can of soy whip in the door, I knew it was time to try to make some vegan strawberry shortcake “sponge-cake”… and I knew the kids wouldn’t complain!

Honestly, I usually try not to make things that require a lot of sugar, but on occasion, I will allow my kids to indulge on this kind of special breakfast/dessert.  I also look at it this way: #1) I know exactly what’s in it #2) The ingredients are as simple & as natural as I can buy them… unbleached flour, raw sugar, etc.) #3) it’s not a fried donut or some kind of fast food, and #4) it contains real fruit, which we always buy organic.

Fresh strawberries are probably only one of the fruits found at your local Farmers Market. Our market starts up in March… and I can barely wait! I love supporting the local community and farmers! You can also make this with blueberries and it is just as good!

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This is close enough to “the real thing” for me! YUM!

Vegan Strawberry Shortcake (yellow “sponge” cake version)
(makes 9 squares)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 egg replacer “egg” (I used Ener-G-Egg Replacer where 1  1/2 tsp egg replacer powder + 2 Tbsp water = 1 egg)
  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup soy milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
  • 1 1/4 cup unbleached flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • strawberry “sauce”  (optional)

1) Mix all ingredients together.

2) Pour into a greased 8 x 8″ pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out cleanly. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

3) Cut into 9 squares. When assembling the shortcakes, cut each square in half  horizontally. Layer your shortcake as desired, alternating the cake, strawberries, whipped cream, and strawberry “sauce” if desired. Devour!

I especially find that if I mention the possibility of a special weekend breakfast in trade for good behavior during the week, the kids try a little harder to be good (though I admit, when I do this, I have to remind them by saying “shortcakes” a few times a day when they start to misbehave!) And it also doesnt help that I’m a bit of a pushover for sweets! 🙂

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Posted in baking, breakfast, cakes & cookies, desserts, spring, Vegan

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