Virtual Vegan Potluck | Sift, Stir & Savour

Yes! It’s the Virtual Vegan Potluck again!

I love this potluck because I always discover fantastic blogs that I did not know existed and recipes that only dreams are made of. Last potluck I created this recipe for the dessert category. This time around I thought I’d try out another category, so breads it was! Oh, and I can’t forget to mention that this potluck there is an optional special ingredient of…

BEETS

When I think of beets I think of chilly weather and comforting foods. And what’s more comforting than freshly baked cornbread! This was actually the first cornbread I’ve ever made, let alone developed. My first attempt had a serious molasses taste, specifically on the first day. By day two it had mellowed out significantly. If you like molasses, feel free to use up to 1/4 cup and decrease the maple syrup by 2 tbsp. If you hate molasses, feel free to cut it out and use 1/2 cup of maple syrup or agave nectar.

This cornbread is not overly sweet and not overly savoury. It’s basically the perfect snack bread. My favourite way to enjoy it was with a dollop of almond butter on top:

Garden Harvest Cornbread

A super moist and veggie-filled cornbread that can be enjoyed as a snack or along with your favourite soup.

Serves 12-16

Ingredients:

2 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 6 tbsp water and set aside for 5 minutes
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
2 tbsp molasses
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 cup fine grind cornmeal
1/2 cup millet flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shredded beets
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup shredded carrot

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl mix together the first 5 ingredients and mix until well combined.
In a large bowl mix together cornmeal, millet flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum and baking powder.
Add the contents of the medium bowl to the large bowl and mix until just combined.
Fold in the shredded veggies and pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before cutting.

To see the rest of the potluck, follow the button below. To see the recipe before mine, click HERE!

xoxo Erin

UPDATED! This recipe has been shared at Healthy Vegan Fridays.

As the air begins to feel a bit like summer my craving for traditional summer foods have followed suit. There aren’t many things that are better than a cold scoop of non-dairy ice cream on a hot summers day, unless of course that ice cream is served banana split style. A sweet banana topped with strawberry, vanilla and chocolate ice cream, all drizzled with chocolate and pineapple sauce and sprinkled with crunchy nuts. Heaven, sweet, sweet summer heaven. But it’s not summer yet and in the absence of the blistering heat I find myself wanting the banana split flavour without the brain-freeze inducing ice cream.

And I’ve accomplished exactly that. Mouth watering banana bread, spotted with chunks of strawberries, dark and white chocolate and waluts, and smothered in a pineapple glaze before being sprinkled with shredded coconut.

Banana Split Dessert Loaf

All of the flavours of summer baked into your loaf pan. For an extra special treat, serve this loaf with a scoop of your favourite ice cream.

Serves 12

Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients-

1 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
6 tbsp unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/4 cup coconut sugar (any granulated sugar will work)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Dry Ingredients-

1 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 cup white sorghum flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Stir-in Ingredients-

1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chunks
1/4 cup dairy-free white chocolate chunks
1/2 cup diced strawberries, tossed in 2 tsp arrowroot starch

Glaze Ingredients-

1/2 cup diced pineapple
2 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp arrowroot starch
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line loaf pan with parchment paper (lightly greasing the edges not covered by the paper).
Mix together all of the wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Fold in the stir-in ingredients and add batter to the loaf pan.
Bake loaf for 45 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let loaf cool before removing from pan.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by blending diced pineapple with water in a blender until smooth (a few small pineapple chunks is fine too).
Add the pineapple mixture to a small sauce pan and whisk in starch. Heat over medium heat, while whisking frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken (approximately 3-4 minutes).
Remove from heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes before brushing the cooled loaf with it. Then sprinkle the loaf with the shredded coconut.
Slice the loaf and bask in the flavours of summer!

I am very excited that this recipe is a part of the Virtual Vegan Potluck (a GLOBAL potluck party)! Follow the links below to navigate through the potluck and see all of the delicious recipes other bloggers from around the world have created!