CINNAMON ROLLS

Serves 24

Ingredients
1 cup Almond Milk
1 cup flour (separated)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 eggs equivalent Egg Replacer
1 1/8 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup Earth Balance
3 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 tsp almond milk (separated)

1. In a mixer bowl, wisk 1 cup of flour and the dry yeast in the warm almond milk. Let it sit for 10 minutes. 
2. Add sugar, salt, and Egg Replacer. Mix well.
3. Place the dough hook to the stand mixer and add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing in between. Mix well until incorporated.
4. Grease a large bowl with a spray oil and cover for 1 hour. The dough will double in size.
5. While the dough is rising, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
6. Grease two baking dish with spray oil and set aside.
7. Cut the dough in half and roll out each dough separately on a clean lightly floured surface. Thickness should be 1/4 of an inch. (Mine were probably thinner) It doesn't have to be perfect.
8. Using a pastry brush, brush Earth Balance evenly on the dough, then evenly coat the dough with the sugar/cinnamon mix, dispersing evenly on the two rolled out dough.
9. Start to roll the dough from the long end.
10. Cut the dough in 1 inch slices. Each rolled out dough should make 12 cinnamon rolls.
11. Place in greased baking dish. 12 on each baking dish.
12. Cover with a clear plastic wrap and let them double in size for 20 minutes.
13. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
14. Bake for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
15. To make the icing - mix together the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and the 2 tsp of almond milk. Place in a small zip lock bag and seal. Evenly drizzle the icing to all the cinnamon buns. ENJOY!
    
    * Another option is to lightly sift 1/4 cup of granulated sugar to the 24 rolls.

One day I was browsing through my instagram feed and came across home baked cinnamon rolls. Obsession became an understatement so I had to make my own vegan version. It wasn't bad for my first run around. The experience was fun. I'm not a huge fan of drowning things with icing, so I made it minimal. Let's just say that all 24 rolls were gone by day 3. I gave  rolls to my parents and brother, but still... it was gone fast!

Vegan Mongolian Beef

VEGAN MONGOLIAN BEEF

Serves 8

Ingredients
Oil (vegetable or olive)
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium is best) or Coconut Aminos
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 bag VeriSoy Vegan Beef Slice
1/3 cup potato or cornstarch
1 large onion sliced thinly

1. Soak the VeriSoy Vegan Beef Slice in hot water for 20 minutes. These slices will double in size. (The directions says to soak it for 40+ minutes, but with hot water, the time is less)
2. While the slices are soaking, prep the other ingredients as well as slicing the onions.
3. In medium heat, add some oil in a wok or a pot and then saute the onions until they're half cooked. Remove and set aside.
4. Squeeze the water out from the VeriSoy Vegan Beef Slice and place in another container. Sprinkle the starch and mix to coat evenly. 
5. Heat oil in a wok and fry the slices on both sides. (I fried these in 3 batches) Set aside.
6. In the same wok, add oil and saute the garlic and ginger till golden. Add the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar. Whisk then bring to a boil. The sauce will thicken. 
7. Add the sauce to the beef slices and mix evenly.
8. Add the onions and mix.
9. Serve over rice.

Local Asian markets are treasure troves of vegan, vegetarian, and paleo diet finds. The market we go to sell the VeriSoy Vegan Beef Slice and the VeriSoy Vegan Soy Slice (Chicken) for a fraction of the cost (about $5 or less) compared to what is listed in the links from Amazon. Before going vegan, I was a strict disciple of the Paleo diet and the Whole 30 lifestyle. To this day, I still practice some of its principles and use cassava flour, almond meal, potato starch, coconut milk, and sweet potato starch in my cooking repertoire - depending on my mood. Also, I'm Asian and I can't live without white rice.

I digress, the dish above was delicious. Every Saturday after church, we have our traditional family lunch and I brought this dish. My meat eating dad and my brother said this was excellent and questioned how it was made. That to me, is a win.