Vegan Chocolate Cake

Description:

Yummy, moist chocolate cake made without using milk or eggs. The recipe below makes one 9-inch cake or 8 cupcakes (bake only about 15 minutes for cupcakes). I doubled the recipe (for both the cake and the frosting) to make a two layer cake. 

Ingredients:
Cake 
* 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
* 3/4 cup sugar or other sweetener
* 1/2 tsp. Salt
* 1 tsp. Baking soda
* 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon vinegar
* 1 cup cold water 

Frosting
* 2 tablespoon softened margarine (Earth Balance)
* 1-1/3 cups powdered sugar
* 1/3 cup cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 2-4 tablespoons water 

Directions:
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a bowl and stir with a fork until mixed. Make a well in the center and add the vanilla, oil, vinegar, and water. Stir with a fork until well mixed. Pour into a 9x9-inch baking dish (or cupcake pan), and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely, then frost with Chocolate Cream Frosting 

Frosting
Cream the margarine in a small bowl then add the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and enough water to make a thick but spreadable frosting.

Tomato, kale, and goat cheese frittata with basil pistou

This is from a recipe that came with one of my sun basket meals. It was really delicious!!

For 2 servings

• 1 organic red onion
• 5 ounces organic baby kale or other leafy greens
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)
• ¼ pound organic grape or cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
• Sunbasket basil pistou (extra virgin olive oil - basil - Parmesan - garlic)

Instructions

2-serving instructions (4-serving modifications in red)

Wash produce before use

1

Prep and cook the onion

• Peel and thinly slice the onion. Set aside ¼ cup (½ cup) for the salad. 

In a medium (large) frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or oil (from your pantry) until hot but not smoking. Add all except ¼ cup (½ cup) onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and starting to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining frittata ingredients. 

2

Prep the remaining frittata ingredients; cook the frittata

• Set aside half the kale for the salad.
• Crack the eggs into a medium bowl; add 2 tablespoons (¼ cup) milk or cream (from your pantry) or water and as many chile flakes as you like. Season with salt and pepper. Using a fork or whisk, lightly beat until just blended.

To the pan with the onion, stir in the tomatoes and half the kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat until the kale is slightly wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Spread the vegetables evenly over the bottom of the pan. Pour the eggs on top and sprinkle with the goat cheese. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook without stirring until the eggs are set and the tomatoes have burst, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Slide the frittata onto a cutting board and cut into 4 equal wedges. While the frittata is cooking and cooling, prepare the pistou and salad. 

3

Finish the pistou; make the kale salad

In a small bowl, stir together the basil pistou and 2 tablespoons (¼ cup) oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer half the pistou to a large bowl; set aside the remaining pistou for garnish. 

To the large bowl, add the remaining kale and sliced onion and toss to combine; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve

Transfer the frittata wedges to individual plates and top with the kale salad. Garnish with the remaining pistou and serve.