Sunflower Zucchini Bread
Robin Robertson

​1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups grated zucchini, squeezed dry
1/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

​1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil a 9" loaf pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugar, zucchini, soy milk and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until well blended.  Quickly fold in the sunflower seeds, mixing well.

4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.  Bake until the center springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes.  During the last 10 minutes of baking time, cover the loaf loosely with foil to prevent the top from getting too dark.  Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
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Vegan Biscuits & White Pepper Gravy
"The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook" byIsa Chandra Moskowitz

Biscuits
2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup Unsweetened Vegan Milk
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Four
4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Cup unrefined Coconut Oil, room temperature

Gravy
1/2 Cup Cashews, soaked in water at least 2 hours and drained
2 Cups Vegetable Broth
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon White Pepper
Chopped Fresh Parsley, for garnish

​Make the biscuits.  Preheat oven to 425.

In a small bowl mix together the apple cider vinegar and milk, set aside.

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar into a large mixing bowl making a well in the center.  Cut the coconut oil into the dough with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Pour in the milk mixture and blend with a fork, being careful not to overmix. 

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a 1" thick disc.  Use a 2" round cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut out biscuits, adding them to a baking sheet.

Bake until puffy and golden brown, about 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Make the gravy.  Combine the cashews and broth in a blender.  Puree until completely smooth.  

Preheat a sauce pot on medium.  Add oil, then sprinkle in the flour, stirring until smooth and brown, about 5 minutes.  Add blended mixture, lowering heat.  Cook while stirring, about 3 minutes until thickened.  Add salt and pepper, cook for 2 more minutes.

Serve the biscuits with the gravy, garnishing with parsley.
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Soup & Sandwich night on the menu on Buzzfeed's $20 week of vegan meals!..  this was my splurge.  Bread.  I went with a local sourdough from Duke's Bread.  Roasted Carrot Soup with Carmelized Onion & Hummus Sandwich was the meal plan.  It looks like a recipe for college students as it was mentioned it was for making in between classes.  It was simple, needed more seasoning so I spiced it up.  Sandwich I went open faced style but was an interesting idea.

This is another great one of Martha's easy Everyday Food recipes.  Roasting the cherry tomatoes with some fresh breadcrumbs adds a nice touch after I get tired of eating them out of my garden right off the vine!

Cherry Tomato Crisp

Martha Stewart

2 slices white sandwich bread
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
coarse salt
ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, combine bread, Parmesan cheese, parsley leaves, olive oil, and garlic; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Pulse until bread is very coarsely chopped, 4 to 6 times.

2. In an 8-inch square baking dish, arrange cherry tomatoes in a single layer; sprinkle with crumb mixture. Bake until crust is browned and tomatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

I love paging through magazines and setting aside inspiring recipes for another day.  This one, for tomato-avocado toasts came from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food back in June 2005.  Reminds me of a summer day, I would love to be eating this outside on my patio.  But instead I'm stuck inside on this 20 degree day in Wisconsin!...  but I do have my Brewer's Organics box of veggies to keep me company, which included a pint of cherry tomatoes and an avocado!  And from my weekly Braise order, I do have a loaf of their hearth baked ciabatta in my house.

I love lavender!...  I grow it, I buy natural products that contain it and have taken classes about the flower.   I was thrilled to see my local co-op, Outpost, had a recipe in their magazine, Graze using it.  I gave it a shot for a party and it got rave reviews.  It's very tender, cake like.  I served it with a peach butter to kick it up a notch.

Lady Cotswald's Lavender Tea Bread 
from Outpost Co-op's Graze Magazine, Milwaukee, WI

Makes 1 large loaf

3/4 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons dried lavender flowers, finely chopped (or 3 Tablespoons fresh flowers, chopped)
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs

1.  Grease 9x5x3 inch loaf pan and preheat oven to 325 F.
2.  In a saucepan, heat milk with lavender almost to a boil, then steep until cool.
3.  Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
4.  In another bowl, cream butter and gradually add sugar, then eggs, one at a time, beating until light and fluffy.  Add flour mixture alternately with lavender milk, in three parts.  Mix until batter is just blended, do not overbeat.
5.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6.  Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
7.  When completely cool, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.  Slice into thin slices for serving.