Simple Vegan Recipes!

Today I cleaned out my fridge to make room for some of the stuff I bought yesterday and commenced my prepping of food for the week. I cut up my celery and carrots and thought that some hummus sounded reallllllly good, but I didn't want to go to the store. I had all the ingredients on hand so I whipped some up and was so surprised at how easy and delicious it was (super surprised even though everyone already told me this). So here's my yummy recipe!

Homemade Hummus
1 16 oz. can garbanzo beans
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 green onion* (see below)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper

Put all the ingredients except the oil and the onions in a food processor. Turn it on and slowly add the oil. Fold in the green onions, and that's it! Really. That's all. Then you can eat it!! Nomnomnom

*I grow my own green onions and it's super simple. I have a black thumb and I can do it. Next time you use one in a recipe, chop it up, but leave about 2 inches up from the roots. Then drop it in a shallow cup of water with the cut side up. Refill the water every couple days, and you'll have your own home grown green onions!

You didn't think I was done yet did you?! I read the other day how you can make coconut butter with a can of coconut milk so of course I had to try it. All you do it put a can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge over night. The next day, open it up and on top you'll have a thick, creamy, coconutty butter. On the bottom you'll get coconut water that you can use in smoothies or sauces (another recipe coming soon). Well, now I had to figure out what to do with this delicious creation. I thought I'd do a red, white and blue cake for Fourth of July. How freaking festive am I?! Here it is!!

Red, White and Blue cake

1 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

2/3 cup agave nectar

1 tsp apple cider vinegar (trust me you can't taste it)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup frozen blueberries (you can certainly use fresh if you have them)

For the filling:

2 cups chopped, frozen berries (again, you can use fresh)

1 tsp sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

Just let these sit together for about 10 minutes. 

For the frosting:

1 can's worth of coconut butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Just blend these together.

Preheat your oven to 350. Oil and flour 2 8 inch round cake pans. Whisk the milk and vinegar in a large mixing bowl and let sit. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the milk and whisk. Slowly add the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the blueberries and divide the batter equally between the two pans. Bake for 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool COMPLETELY. Then put one cake on a plate, top with the berry filling, top with the other cake, then frost it with the coconut frosting. 

I used 9 inch pans and my cakes came out a little too flat so the layers aren't as defined, but if you use 8 inch pans it should look prettier. I don't claim to be a baker, so I'm just glad this was edible, but I dare to say, this is the best recipe I've posted yet. Yep. It's true. This is freaking good. It was so good that when I brought a slice to baby bro, he said, "What's in this? Crack?" I'll take that as a compliment. Go make it. Right now. :)