Carrot-Pineapple Bundt Cake

My seasonal baking also included a carrot-pineapple bundt cake. Here is the recipe. This was really moist and people liked it quite a bit.

Applesauce Pie

I’ve made a lot of apple pies, but always from fresh apples. So when I was asked to make an apple pie using frozen apples which had been grown this summer, I instead opted for some homemade applesauce so I could make an applesauce pie. The site where I got this recipe from originally is now defunct, but this one is similar.

I reduced the butter by half, increased the applesauce slightly, and used three eggs because my host’s chickens lay eggs that are a bit smaller than commercial ones.

Ginger Tamarind Brussels Sprouts

I used this recipe, except I substituted agave syrup for the honey to make it vegan, and I poured the sauce directly on the sprouts while they were still cooking, so that it was fully absorbed.

This was not a bad way to prepare sprouts. I think it would be nice tossed with buckwheat noodles and a bit of fried tofu, as a main dish.

Chard/Mangold with Berbere Spice

This is a simple fusion dish where chard/mangold is mixed with Ethiopian berbere spice mix, garlic and onion, then fried. I really enjoyed lentils with berbere spice, so I thought I’d see how it goes with vegetables. I used oil rather than butter and instead of using two bunches of chard, I added the leaves to the stems near the end of the cooking.

Channa Gassi

This coconut onion sauce with chickpeas comes from coastal Karnataka in southern India.

I had already cooked my chickpeas the previous day, in anticipation of making another dish, so they didn’t develop the same full taste they would have had if I had cooked them with the sauce, as advised in the original recipe. However, I simply perked up the leftovers by adding two peeled tomatoes and cooking it until they were soft, which greatly improved it.

Goodwill Pie

I didn’t completely follow the recipe, because I mixed the greens (kale and chard/mangold) in with the leeks, and I didn’t take the pie out to brown on the outside (it was stuck to the pan). I also didn’t make the gravy. Overall it was okay, but not worth the effort.

Gingerbread Biscotti

I used this basic recipe, but modified it according to some advice in the comments. Specifically:

• I replaced the oil with butter
• I added 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• I first mixed the dry ingredients, then worked in the butter, then added the wet ingredients
• I added a bit of water as needed

It was appreciated by the people I made it for.

Green Beans and Snow Peas with Hazelnut and Orange

I couldn’t find French beans as instructed in the recipe, so I substituted flat green beans and cooked them a little longer. I also could only find hazelnuts which had already been roasted. This is surprisingly good, and the hazelnuts should not be left out. I used flax oil in place of hazelnut oil.

Spinach “Alfredo” Linguine

This recipe comes from One-Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson. It is made creamy with plant milk and mashed white beans. I thought this was rather bland. I added pine nuts to try to perk it up but it didn’t help.

Muscovado Roasted Plantains

I got this recipe from Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry. I used less sugar and more maple syrup.