Welcome back Fall- Whole wheat pumpkin cranberry scones (of course healthy!!)

Longest title ever? Maybe but I think it covered everything :) These scones are really, really good. They are vegan and delicious. I adapted the recipe from Happy Herbivore. Have you been there? Amazing website with delicious recipes. Well I stumbled across this jewel earlier this week and knew I had to make it this weekend! I made them last night and it took me approximately 10 minutes. Super easy. I enjoyed one this morning after my run with my coffee-all the while pretending it wasn't like a sauna outside. Good morning. 

A couple of adaptions: I used agave syrup instead of maple (we didn't have any) and regular whole wheat flour instead of pastry flour. They were still delicious with both these changes! 

Whole wheat pumpkin scone 

adapted from here

1.5 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tbsp baking powder

pinch of salt

3.5 maple syrup

1/2 cup pumpkin (pureed, not pumpkin pie filling)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tbsp non-dairy milk (optional)

1/2 cup cranberries (if using dry just soak in hot water for 10-15 mins)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a cookie sheet.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice and whisk together to ensure even distribution of the ingredients.

Add wet ingredients: pumpkin, maple syrup, cranberries. Stir together to make dough. They make a dry dough (like biscuits but if you think it's too dry add milk one tablespoon at a time). You can make drop scones (like I did) or you can cut them like triangle by rolling the dough into one large ball and flattening slightly. Cut like you would a pizza into 'slices". 

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until firm. Enjoy!

Hope you like these. Hopefully soon I will get up my courage to make homemade falafel. I've been wanting to for a while but it always seems so daunting!! I did this same thing with lentils until one day I just made them and they are so easy! I saw a falafel mix at CM last night. Maybe I should start there. I'll keep you updated!! 

- Hillary

Carrot Cake

This may be the best carrot cake recipe. Ever. It's not vegan but it is a cake with veggies in it so of course it should make the blog. Things I love: it's healthy, it has minimal animal products (egg whites and egg substitute, cream cheese), it has carrots!! I stumbled upon this healthy recipe on Pinterest. I adapted to use fat free cream cheese for the icing and left out the marshmallow creme(tricky non-vegetarian item), and I added walnuts to the batter and topping. Kevin said it's the best carrot cake he's ever had so I'd chalk that up to a success! 

Healthy Carrot Cake
adapted from here


Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup egg substitute
- 2 egg whites
- 2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 12 oz fat free cream cheese
- 3 tbsp hot water
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with non-fat cooking spray (I used butter flavored Pam), line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper, and spray the paper with the nonstick spray.
Combine the flour, both kinds of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk the egg substitute and egg whites in a large bowl. Add the carrots, applesauce, oil, and raisins, and hot water stirring until blended. With a rubber spatula, add the flour mixture to the carrot mixture, and stir until blended. Spread the batter evenly in the cake pans. Bake until the cakes are nicely browned and the center of each one bounces back when lightly pressed with a fingertip, approx 30-32 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the paper, and cool completely on racks.
To make the frosting, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the remaining ingredients until smooth.
Place on layer of cake on a cake plate, and using 1/2 cup of frosting, frost evenly out to edges. Place other layer of cake on top, and spread remaining frosting on top and on sides. Slice into 16 servings.


**To make vegan you could probably use fake eggs and soy cream cheese!**