Pumpkin Bread and Other Holiday Yumminess

I made some really delicious pumpkin bread today, and I thought I'd post the recipe plus list some links to other vegan recipes I've posted for the holidays in years past...

Pumpkin Spice Bread
Super easy to make and no added fat! If you're like me, your waistline will thank you for that this time of year!

16 oz. pumpkin puree
3/4 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
egg replacer equal to two eggs
3 cups flour (I used white whole wheat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 large tart apples, shredded or very finely diced (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat two loaf pans with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, applesauce, sugar, maple syrup, and egg replacer. Stir the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pour into loaf pans and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a butter knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Need more ideas for vegan holiday treats? Look no further...

Thelma's Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
No-Cook Mint Meltaways
Vegan Fudge (so good.)
Ginger Lime Cookies
Gene's Holiday Cookies
Lefse (I'm sad to say I haven't found the time to make any this year.)
Fat Free Vegan's Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
Cinnamon Rolls (a McFarland family Christmas morning tradition)

Holiday Sweets - Fudge Variation

Last December I posted my foolproof vegan fudge recipe. This year I tried a different fudge recipe, was disappointed by said fudge recipe, and ended up making my original recipe today to make up for it. I felt like doing something a little different, so I whipped up a simple creamy peanut butter topping. If you'd like to try it, just prepare the basic fudge as directed in the link above, set it aside (no need to chill it quite yet), and melt 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons soymilk on the stove (stirring constantly) until completely combined. Then pour the peanut butter mixture over the fudge, smooth it out, and chill. I'll try to get a photo in the morning to post.

Also on my holiday sweets plates this year... mint meltaways, ginger lime cookies, and Gene's holiday cookies. What are you baking this year?

Countdown to Thanksgiving - 8 Days Left!

This is the first of an eight-day series leading up to Thanksgiving; I'll be posting interesting facts and anecdotes daily about turkeys and turkey rescue, as well as the occasional Thanksgiving menu suggestion. I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the world of our beautiful turkey friends. :-)


Today's turkey factoids (and the photo above) are courtesy of Farm Sanctuary.

Do turkeys make good companions?
Anyone who has spent time with turkeys will tell you that they are very friendly, social, and sensitive animals with desires and needs all their own - just like more common family companions, such as cats and dogs.

Is it true that turkeys are dumb?
There is a tendency for people who eat turkeys, or other animals, to perceive "food animals" as unworthy or undeserving of respect and compassion. One way for people to rationalize their choice to eat animals is to dismiss these beings as dumb. There is even a rumor that turkeys are so dumb that they will look up in the rain and drown. This claim is ridiculous and false. Farm Sanctuary has cared for turkeys for more than 20 years, and when it rains, the turkeys go inside their barn. No one who works at Farm Sanctuary has ever seen a turkey drown in the rain.

And finally, today's Thanksgiving recipe suggestion is Fat Free Vegan's Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake. I've made this incredible pie twice and it is truly divine - a perfect blend of creamy cheesecakey goodness and rich pumpkin. Yum!