Black Bean Burgers

1 15 oz. can black beans
3/4 cup wheat gluten
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mild paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1/4 tsp dried garlic granules
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
few grinds black pepper
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup warm water

Drain and rinse the beans, add to a medium bowl, and mash well with a fork. In a spice grinder, combine the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mild and smoked paprikas, and oregano and grind together, then add to the beans along with the minced onion, dried garlic, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Mix together along with the ketchup and olive oil, and water, then add the wheat gluten. Mix with a fork until combined, then knead by hand for 2-3 minutes until the mixture comes together. Separate the mixture into four equal-sized balls, then flatten into patties. When ready to cook, add 1 tsp of vegetable oil per patty to a pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side.

Digestion Aid Tea

4 tbsp anise seed
2 tsp fennel seed
2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp cardamom seed

Grind the spices together and store. Serve by adding to green, white, or black tea: add 1/2 - 3/4 tsp spice mix to a tea strainer per cup.

Brined Almonds

3 cups water
2 tbsp salt
2 cups raw almonds

Bring the water to a boil and pour into a medium bowl. Stir in the salt and let the water come to room temperature, then add the almonds. Cover and let soak at room temperature for 6-8 hours. After soaking, the almonds can be baked or the bowl placed in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours until ready to use. The boiling water can also be added directly to the almonds, left at room temperature for 30 minutes, then placed in the refrigerator to soak.

When ready to bake, drain and rinse the almonds and spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (If desired, you can pinch off the almond skins before baking.) Place the almonds on the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt, than bake for 2 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through. Allow the almonds to cool completely before storing.

Spiced Almonds

Before brining, add the following to the water and salt:

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
4 whole cloves

When ready to bake, don't rinse the almonds when draining - they should be coated with a sticky mixture of the spices after being drained. Spread this mixture evenly across the almonds and remove the whole cloves before baking. Bake using the directions above.

Tomato and Herb Tempeh

2 8-oz. packages tempeh, diced

1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp low-sodium tamari

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp mild paprika

3/4 tsp dried onion

black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and vinegar until combined, then whisk in the olive oil and tamari. Pour the mixture into a large ziploc bag and add the herbs, paprika, onion, and black pepper, then add the tempeh. Seal the bag and mix until the marinade evenly covers the tempeh, then place the bag on a large plate and refrigerate overnight (or up to 48 hours).  

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking pan or casserole dish with foil. Spread the tempeh in an even layer and cover with additional foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the tempeh and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.  

Basic Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 tbsp cider or rice vinegar
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 dry egg replacer
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small cup or bowl, combine the non-dairy milk and vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes, until it curdles slightly. While the milk sits, combine the cane sugar, oil, vanilla, almond, and salt in a large bowl and beat or whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the remaining dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. Let cool, then frost:

Almond-Rum Buttercream

1/4 cup non-dairy margarine
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp light rum
1/2 tsp almond extract

Bring the margarine and shortening to room temperature and cream together. Begin to beat in a half-cup of the powdered sugar, then add the rum and almond extract. Continue to add the sugar in batches, adding small amounts of additional rum as needed to bring frosting to the desired consistency.