christmas cookies: thumbprint cookies

these thumbprint cookies are of the festive variety and perfect for the christmas season.  the chopped nuts make them hardy and the jelly gives them a nice fruity touch, not to mention a dash of color. they are great with a tall glass of soy milk and make the perfect addition to any holiday party. Read More  Read More

mini asian pear pies with a hazelnut crust

although plums and pluots are at the end of their season, the asian pears are just starting to get good.  i grabbed some from the silver lake famers’ market to make this tiny and seasonally-spiced dessert. Read More  Read More

persimmon oat muffins

persimmons are so adorable.  they look like tiny little pumpkins, except they are tender and sweet. they have a unique–some would say unpalatable–taste if just eaten fresh, but they are irresistible when baked into treats or dried. they are most definitely in season right now so you can find them at the farmers’ market or even in some grocery stores. Read More  Read More

peanut butter banana bread

with most fruits and vegetables, it’s a sad time when they start to get too brown or soft to eat.  but when that happens to bananas it means i get to make banana bread! Read More  Read More

the perfect vegan chocolate chip cookie

i picked up a few useful tips as to making a good cookie from years of reading my mom’s betty crocker cookbooks. there are little tricks you learn to maintain ideal consistency, and getting the timing just right takes practice. but of course a great recipe is key. my favorite is the urban legend cookie, and it is superb! truly the ideal chocolate chip cookie. i think it’s because it uses part oat flour, which gives the cookie a chewy... Read More

pluot crumble

if you don’t know what a pluot is, you’re not alone. i had no idea either until my wonderful friend laura fed me a slice and told me she sold them at the silverlake farmers’ market. they are half plum, half apricot. sweet like a plum but you don’t have to wait until they get mushy to eat them. my saturday morning routine now usually consists of me picking up a few from her stand to snack on for a few days, but i got inspired... Read More

mixed berry pastry pockets

goji berries (gou qi zi) and mulberries (sang shen) are exotic berries that have recently become popular among health foodies. they are well-known chinese herbs that tonify your liver, kidney and blood, as well as contain essential nutritional components for your body. for example, goji berries are high in antioxidants, vitamin A, and the entire B-complex (super important to vegans because it’s often attained from animal products). mulberries... Read More