LAUREN TOYOTA • hot for food

BONUS RECIPES TO FEED YOUR FACE!

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 contents
more finger foods
Polenta Fries 5
Deep Fried Pickles 7
Veggie Spring Rolls 9

more veg sides

Spiced Roasted Carrots 12
Garlicky Broccolini 14

more hearty soups

Potato Leek Soup 16
Golden Kabocha Squash Soup 18
Minestrone Soup 20

more mains
The Ultimate Veggie Sandwich 22
Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl 24
Soba Noodles with Bok Choy & Edamame 26

more sweet things

Big Berry Muffins 28
Chocolate Pistachio Sugar Cookies 31
Pecan Butter Tarts 34
Banana Nut Crumble 37

more sauces
The Miso Tahini Cream Sauce 39
Vegan Fish Sauce 41

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 hey you!

Thanks for craving even more vegan comfort classics! I so appreciate all your support
and have loved seeing all the comfort food you've cooked up from my first cookbook
Vegan Comfort Classics. It’s seriously incredible, you kitchen wizards! This ebook is an
extension of that printed cookbook and includes 15 recipes that didn't make the cut,
but are still epic and delicious.

I have more recipe content on my YouTube channel and you can always dive deep into
the archives on www.hotforfoodblog.com too. I know you haven’t made everything yet!

Alrighty, hot for foodies… I can’t wait to see how you devour these creations! I love
sharing your work on my Instagram so be sure to post photos and feedback and don’t
forget to tag @hotforfood and #hotforfoodcookbook.

- xo Lauren

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 polenta fries
MAKES 4 small servings
PREP TIME 5 minutes, plus
6 hours refrigeration Pre-food blogger me thought polenta was just something you ordered
COOK TIME 30 minutes at Italian restaurants. It fronts like fine dining when really it’s one of
the cheapest ingredients around! Cornmeal wasn’t something I grew
up eating either (we were rice people) but I’ve developed a devout
prep ahead love of all things corn and presently I have a little crush on polenta
The Roasted Garlic Aioli fries. They’re so easy to make and are a nice break from regular fries.
(page 227, Vegan Comfort
Classics) Don’t worry… I have a very committed relationship to french fries, but
sometimes you just need to get out more and socialize. They’re pretty
ingredients rich and filling so this recipe makes a few small servings, but can be
easily doubled and spread out into 2 pans if you’re looking for more
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
of a meal. I serve these with the roasted garlic aioli in Vegan Comfort
1 1/2 cups unsweetened
nondairy milk Classics: 101 Recipes to Feed Your Face!

1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2 cups corn meal

1 teaspoon fresh thyme In a large saucepan bring vegetable stock, nondairy milk, and 1 teaspoon
of sea salt to a low boil. Then add corn meal, thyme, smoked paprika,
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper. Stir to combine until all the liquid is
1 1/4 teaspoons ground pepper
absorbed. Then remove from heat.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Line a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the
mixture out to the edges using a spatula, pressing it down into an even
compact layer. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake the polenta fries pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Remove the firm polenta by lifting the edges of the parchment and
placing the large piece onto a cutting board. Cut the rectangle in half
lengthwise and then across into 3/4-inch columns.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and layout the polenta fries
spaced 1/4-inch apart. Brush with vegetable oil on both sides and sprinkle
with a 1/4 teaspoon each of sea salt and ground pepper.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, flipping half way through bake time,

until golden brown and crispy, but they should still be slightly soft
in the middle.

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 deep fried pickles
MAKES 2 servings
PREP TIME 30 minutes
COOK TIME 30 minutes I have no idea who decided to deep fry a pickle one day and call it
food, but that person is a genius! There’s something about the tangy
juiciness of a dill pickle that’s hella good with a crispy fried batter and
prep ahead garlic dipping sauce. Ugh… so hot. This one has been requested a lot
The Roasted Garlic Aioli and I’m pretty sure I’ve honored your deepest desire. Get dippin’!
(page 227, Vegan Comfort
Classics)

pickles
Combine flax and water in a bowl and let thicken for 10 minutes.
8 large dill pickles

2 tablespooons ground flax

Cut pickles into quarter spears and place in a large bowl with thickened
6 tablespoons water flax mixture. Toss to coat pickles evenly. Also combine breading
1 ½ cups vegetable oil (for ingredients in a shallow dish.
deep frying)

Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet or wide heavy-bottomed pan to

breading 365°F - 375°F on a deep frying thermometer.
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Coat each pickle spear with breading and place on a sheet pan.
¼ cup corn meal

¼ cup all-purpose flour

Fry pickles in batches for about 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon cayenne Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or tongs and place on paper
1 teaspoon garlic towel to absorb excess oil.

1 teaspoon basil
These are best served immediately with The Roasted Garlic Aioli for
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
dipping or another dip of your choice.
½ teaspoon ground pepper

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 veggie spring rolls
MAKES 25 rolls
PREP TIME 90 minutes, plus
thawing pastry overnight Just an FYI to all the vegans, spring roll pastry is tight and totally vegan
COOK TIME 40 minutes friendly! You’ll find it in the frozen ethnic food section of pretty much
every grocery store and it’s going to change your deep fried life! Feel
free to make variations on the filling as you wish, but I tried to make
prep ahead these as authentic and classic as I could. With just a little practice
Vegan Fish Sauce (page 41) your spring roll’ing skills will be perfect and you’ll be deep diving into a
Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl (page 24) in no time.
ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over
medium-high heat. Once hot add garlic, ginger, and green onion and
2 tablespoons minced ginger
sauté for 1 minute.
3 green onions, finely
chopped (about 1/3 cup
chopped) Then add cabbage, carrot, shitake mushrooms and sauté stirring
4 cups finely chopped green occasionally for 5 minutes until the cabbage is wilted and all the veg
cabbage
is about half cooked through. Lower heat if necessary to prevent garlic
1 cup julienne carrot (about
1 carrot) from burning.

5 oz shitake mushrooms
(stemmed and sliced) Then add tamari, rice vinegar, white pepper, and sea salt and cook
2 tablespoons low-sodium another 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in crumbled tofu, thai basil, and
tamari or soy sauce cilantro.
2 tablespoons unseasoned
rice vinegar
To make spring rolls combine cornstarch with water to make a thin slurry.
1/4 teaspoon white pepper Ensure you’ve defrosted your spring roll pastry in the fridge overnight.
1/4 teaspoon sea salt Place the stack of pastry sheets on a plate covered with a damp tea
1 cup crumbled firm tofu towel and have a clean surface ready to roll the spring rolls on.

1 tablespoon finely chopped

thai basil It’s best to use 2 sheets per roll to prevent tearing. Place sheets in front
1 tablespoon finely chopped of you in a diamond formation. Add about 1 tablespoon of filling in the
cilantro lower third of the corner closest to you. Roll the bottom corner over the
1 tablespoon cornstarch filling gently tucking it underneath and make one full roll over. Then
2 tablespoons water fold each side over and into the center and continue rolling. Wet the top
50 spring roll pastry sheets corner with the cornstarch slurry and as you roll it over smooth it out with
(thawed overnight in the a finger so it sticks to the side of the spring roll, sealing it well.
fridge)

2 to 3 cups vegetable oil, for

deep-frying
CONTINUED

9 MORE FINGER FOODS

VEGGIE SPRING ROLLS continued

You can make all the spring rolls and place finished rolls on a baking
sheet or plate covered with a damp towel in one layer before deep-frying.

When you’re nearly done rolling all the spring rolls add the 2 to 3 cups
vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. There should be at
least 2 inches of oil to fully submerge the rolls while frying. Heat it to
350°F on a deep frying thermometer.

Fry spring rolls in batches of 3 to 4 rolls for 3 to 4 minutes until light

golden brown. Remove them with a slotted frying spoon and place onto
paper towel on a plate or baking sheet. Continue deep-frying in batches
ensuring your oil is at 350°F before adding the next spring rolls to the oil.

Serve immediately with the Vegan Fish Sauce or use The Spicy Peanut
Sauce (page 215, Vegan Comfort Classics) or The Sweet & Sour Sauce on
the blog.

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 spiced roasted carrots
MAKES 4 servings
PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME 30 minutes Carrots have so much sweetness just waiting to burst out of them, and
roasting them with just the right amount of savory spices gives them
amazing depth. I mean, do I really need to convince you to eat veggies
prep ahead when they’re topped with a creamy sauce and bacon bits?! If so, you’re
Almond Bacon (page 10, beyond even my reach.
Vegan Comfort Classics)

The Miso Tahini Cream Sauce

(page 39)

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

ingredients
2 pounds (18 to 20) slender Wash the dirt and debris from the carrots but there’s really no need to
or heirloom variety carrots peel them. Trim the greens off the tops leaving a 1/2-inch intact for a
2 tablespoons olive oil rustic look. Lay the carrots out onto a large baking sheet.
1 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger In a small bowl combine olive oil, garlic, ginger, garam masala, sea salt,
and ground pepper. Drizzle over the carrots and use your hands to toss
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
and coat well.
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until roasted, caramelized, and tender.

As an option you can top the roasted carrots with The Miso Tahini Cream
Sauce and Almond Bacon for an extra hearty side dish.

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 garlicky broccolini
MAKES 2 servings
PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME 8 to 10 minutes I love broccolini! It’s delicate, crisp, and super flavourful. For this
recipe I do a fast flash fry to get it cooked to perfection and then all it
really needs is simple seasoning. It’s totally complete as a side dish
prep ahead just like this but you can upgrade your broccolini by drizzling it with The
The Spicy Peanut Sauce Spicy Peanut Sauce. It really brings out its good side!
(page 215, Vegan Comfort
Classics)

ingredients
Heat olive oil in large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high.
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Arrange broccolini in the pan, laying the pieces opposite each other so
2 bunches of broccolini
(about 14 to 16 pieces) not all stems face the same way. This should help fit all the pieces in the
pan and ensure they’re touching the bottom. Cook for 6 minutes only
2 garlic cloves, minced
tossing once or twice to get some colour on the broccolini.
Sea salt and ground pepper
to taste

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

Once it’s bright green and nearly done, add garlic, sea salt, and pepper to
(optional) taste. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove from the pan and drizzle with The Spicy Peanut Sauce and top
with extra chili flakes, if desired.

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 potato leek soup
MAKES 4 to 6 servings
PREP TIME 20 minutes
COOK TIME 40 minutes Truth be told, the Hearty Soups chapter of the upcoming cookbook was
the collection of recipes I was dreading getting into. I thought it was
going to suck to put it bluntly. Because soups for me are just something
ingredients I throw together when I have nothing else to eat or I need to use up
2 leeks, white and pale green remnants in the fridge. But I must have aligned with a higher power
bulb only, finely chopped
(about 3 cups chopped) because it ended up being one of my favorite chapters to develop, test,
and devour! I often give all my food away to friends and family but the
2 pounds white potatoes,
peeled and diced (about 6 soups I kept all to myself. They fuelled the entire journey of creating the
cups diced) cookbook so I hope you feel the love in each and every bowl. This potato
3 tablespoons vegan butter leek soup is creamy but still has substance, as I don’t like blending my
1/2 teaspoon sea salt soups into pure sludge! Topping it with crispy smokey coconut fakin’
bacon and vegan sour cream really pulls all the flavors together too.
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Heat a large stockpot over medium heat and add butter and leeks. Sauté
1 bay leaf
for 3 minutes until softened. Then add sea salt, ground pepper, nutmeg,
2 vegan chicken-flavoured
bouillon cubes or 2 smoked paprika, bay leaf, and all the diced potato. Stir to coat for 1 minute.
teaspoons bouillon base
dissolved in 5 cups water, or
5 cups low-sodium vegetable Add stock and bring to a boil. Leave on a low boil for 15 to 20 minutes until
stock
potatoes are very tender and fall apart.
1 cup unsweetened
nondairy milk
Remove the bay leaf and using an immersion blender blend until the
1 tablespoon lemon juice
soup is mostly smooth, but I still like to have some chunks of vegetables
2 tablespoons fresh in my soup.
chopped dill

Slowly add nondairy milk while stirring. Bring back to a low simmer for
toppings 5 minutes.
¼ cup finely chopped chives

1 cup vegan sour cream Stir in lemon juice and dill. Serve immediately topping each serving with a
dollop of sour cream, and garnish with chives and coconut fakin’ bacon.
1 cup coconut fakin’ bacon

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 golden kabocha squash soup
MAKES 6 servings
PREP TIME 40 minutes
COOK TIME 40 minutes I have a serious obsession with kabocha squash. It makes me feel comforted
and warm. I love the color combo of rich orange and green and you can eat the
skin! I don’t know why I like that about it but I do. I guess I’m just connecting to
ingredients my heritage as this is a Japanese pumpkin (and sometimes called buttercup
squash). It’s usually the squash you’ll find being made into tempura at
1 (3-pound) kabocha squash
(about 8 cups cubed) Japanese restaurants which you can totally try out at home with the recipe on
hotforfoodblog.com but the tender chunks in this perfectly spiced golden soup
1 teaspoon fresh or dried
lemongrass are the definition of cozy.
1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 shallots, finely diced (about

1/3 cup)
To prepare the squash cut it in half and scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp.
3 tablespoons minced ginger Dice into 1-inch pieces.
3 garlic cloves, minced
If using fresh lemongrass, peel away the outer tough parts until you see a light
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
green, fresh smelling stalk. Then bruise it with the back of a knife or a rolling pin,
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek smashing it open. You can smash it a bit so it looks like a paste and then go in
and chop it very finely or use a pestle and mortar to make it into more of a paste.
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
If you have a lot of excess just freeze it in small portions to use when cooking.
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Drop a frozen bit of paste into sauces, soups and curries.
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Heat coconut oil in a large stockpot over medium. Once hot add shallot and
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
1 teaspoon sea salt

1 vegan chicken flavoured

Add garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes. Lower heat to prevent burning if
bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon necessary.
bouillon base dissolved in
4 cups hot water, or 4 cups
low-sodium vegetable stock Add lemongrass, ground spices, and salt and pepper. Stir for 1 minute and add a
bit of stock if things are sticking too much.
1 tablespoon miso paste

2 tablespoons freshly Stir in squash and cook for 2 minutes.

squeezed lime juice

1 can (13.5 oz/400 ml) full- Add miso paste and about ¼ cup stock to loosen it into a sauce and stir to coat
fat coconut milk the squash for about 2 minutes or until it dissolves.
3 cups packed baby spinach
Then add lime juice and remaining stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 14
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
minutes until squash is tender.

Using a potato masher start mashing up the squash in the pot. It should
still be somewhat chunky but it will release some more of the starch to help
thicken the soup.

Stir in coconut milk, spinach, and cilantro and bring back up to a low simmer.
Cook for another 5 to 8 minutes until spinach is tender but still bright green.
Serve immediately.
18 MORE HEARTY SOUPS
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 minestrone soup
MAKES 6 servings
PREP TIME 30 minutes
COOK TIME 35 minutes I used to eat canned minestrone soup whenever I was sick and even
when I wasn’t. Ok, it was also something I ate as an after school snack.
Yea, what a weirdo! You’d think a teenager would be sitting on the
ingredients couch eating a bag of potato chips. Not me! I was already vegetarian in
2 tablespoons olive oil highschool so this was the perfect thing to attack my hunger because
2 cups finely diced red onion it had vegetables, pasta, and beans. Gosh, I was such a sensible
(about 1 large onion) teenager! But it’s wholesome choices like that which led me here to
1 cup finely chopped celery you. So let’s be grateful. Anyway, I hope you love this easy homemade
(about 2 stalks) version of minestrone as much as I do!
1 cup finely chopped carrot
(about 1 large carrot)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups diced zucchini (about Heat a large stockpot over medium heat with olive oil. Once hot add
1 zucchini) onion and sauté for 2 minutes until sweating and slightly softer.
½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried basil Add carrots and celery and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add garlic and
sauté for 1 minute, lowering heat if necessary to prevent burning.
1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground pepper

Add zucchini, spices, and salt and pepper and sauté stirring occasionally
½ teaspoon sea salt for 3 minutes. Then add tomato paste and stir to coat vegetables for 1
1 tablespoon tomato paste minute.
2 vegan chicken flavored
bouillon cubes or 2 Add stock, canned tomatoes, kidney beans, navy beans, and pasta. Bring
teaspoons bouillon base
dissolved in 6 cups hot to a low boil and cook for 5 minutes.
water, or 6 cups low-sodium
vegetable stock

1 can (28 oz/796 ml) diced

Add green beans, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
tomato (no salt added)

1 1/2 cups cooked kidney Serve while pasta is al dente. If you have leftovers the pasta will absorb
beans, or 1 can (14 oz/398
ml) kidney beans more liquid and expand. It’s still fine, but when reheating just add a bit
more stock if you need more liquid. Alternatively you could always boil
1 1/2 cups cooked navy beans,
or 1 can (14 oz/398 ml) navy the pasta to al dente in a separate pot. Drain and add cooked pasta to
beans
the heated soup when serving.
1 cup ditalini, small shells, or
elbow macaroni

1/2 pound green beans, cut

into 1-inch pieces (about 2
cups)

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 the ultimate veggie sandwich
SERVINGS 4 sandwiches
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 40 minutes This came to me in a dream. I wanted to make a stunning and colorful
sandwich that was kinda sparkly…like the Toddlers In Tiara’s of
sandwiches. But not creepy. When I eat a salad I just end up eating
beet hummus a baguette on the side anyway so why not just throw everything on
1 small beet, peeled and the baguette to make a sub! Alas, my technicolour dream sandwich
quartered manifested. With a plethora of fresh crispy veggies and a tangy refreshing
1 teaspoon olive oil sandwich spread that’s so pink it sings you don’t need anything else!
2 cups cooked chickpeas

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice Preheat oven to 425°F

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt Drizzle the beet pieces with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake
for 35 to 40 minutes until tender.
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Add the roasted beet pieces to a food processor with the remaining
sandwich hummus ingredients and process until smooth.
2 French or Italian-style
baguettes Cut each baguette in half and each half lengthwise. Warm them slightly
2 cups packed arugula in the oven face up. I wouldn’t toast it too much or it will be hard to bite
1 carrot, ribboned into.

½ English cucumber, thinly

sliced or ribboned This sandwich is really delightful if you can slice everything very thin with
1 avocado, thinly sliced a mandolin. Carrots and cucumber can also be ribboned with a vegetable
peeler. It helps fit lots of veggies onto the sandwich and makes it easier
4 radishes, thinly sliced
to bite into.
Handful of fresh dill

Handful of basil leaves Spread a generous amount of beet hummus on the inside top and bottom
of the baguettes and arrange the arugula, carrots, cucumber, avocado,
radishes, dill, and basil on top in layers.

If you don’t make all the sandwiches at once you can store the beet
hummus in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

22 MORE MAINS
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 vietnamese vermicelli bowl
MAKES 4 servings
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 3 minutes When I am ravenously hungry I always crave Vietnamese food and my eyes
widen dreaming of a big bowl of noodles with fresh veggies and herbs.
Sometimes I get Pho with extra fried tofu and a vegan broth but other times
prep ahead it’s a vermicelli bowl that looks just like this! I had to make all my dreams
Vegan Fish Sauce (page 41) come true and create a homemade special. So eat it with or without the
Veggie Spring Rolls (page 9) spring rolls and you could also add a plant protein like fried tofu, marinated
mushrooms, or some browned up vegan chicken. There’s many ways to doll
this one up so manifest to your hearts content!
ingredients
11 oz / 325 g thin vermicelli
rice noodles

¼ teaspoon sea salt Cook noodles in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Do not
over cook. Drain and rinse under cool water. Toss noodles with sea salt if
1 teaspoon toasted
sesame oil they don’t already contain salt, and sesame oil. This will delicately flavor
1 English cucumber, the noodles but also prevent them from sticking.
finely sliced diagonally
and into strips
Assemble each bowl with a portion of noodles, sliced cucumber, carrot
2 carrots, ribboned or
julienned ribbons, green onion, cilantro, thai basil, and 2 lime wedges. Add
2 green onions, white chopped peanuts, if desired. Cut 2 spring rolls for each bowl and arrange
and green parts, finely on top and serve with a side of vegan fish sauce.
sliced diagonally

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 cup fresh thai basil

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

1 cup finely chopped peanuts

(optional)

2/3 cup Vegan Fish Sauce,

divided amongst
each serving

8 Veggie Spring Rolls

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25 MORE FINGER FOODS
 soba noodles with bok choy & edamame
MAKES 4 to 6 servings
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 15 minutes Whenever I make Asian inspired dishes, noodles are my go to. But soba
noodles are king because if you buy the good quality ones (the 100%
buckwheat kind) you’re eating pasta that’s high in protein and won’t
prep ahead mess with your tummy in any way cause they’re gluten-free! Soba noodle
The Miso Tahini Cream Sauce bowls are effortless and can be whipped together by even the most lazy
(page 39) novice cooks. Customize this with veggies of your choice because it’s the
noodles and dressing that really carry things in this dish. But sticking
to greens is complementary and bok choy is a wonderful vegetable that
ingredients tastes even better in miniature form. So source out those baby bok choy
14 oz/400 g buckwheat in your city and give it a try!
soba noodles

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

12 baby bok choy

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook soba noodles to al dente,
1 cup frozen shelled
edamame about 6 to 7 minutes or as directed. Drain and rinse under warm water.

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Meanwhile heat a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
vegetable oil and the baby bok choy. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes each side
1 cup packed cilantro leaves until you get some colour on the greens. Then add 1/8 teaspoon of salt and
4 green onions, chopped pepper and cover with a lid. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but still
diagonally
slightly crisp and bright green in colour. Remove the bok choy from the
The Miso Tahini Cream Sauce pan and set aside covered in a dish.
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Keep the pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and
the edamame. Spread out the edamame in an even layer in the pan. Cook
for 4 to 5 minutes tossing occasionally to develop colour on the beans.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt and ground pepper half way through cook
time.

Assemble soba noodles in each serving bowl. You can also toss them
in a bit of The Miso Tahini Cream Sauce to coat all the noodles before
plating. Arrange bok choy and edamame on top. Then add cilantro and
green onions to each serving, top with The Miso Tahini Cream Sauce and
a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

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27
 big berry muffins
MAKES 12 muffins
PREP TIME 20 minutes
COOK TIME 18 to 20 minutes I can safely say I’ve put in the 10,000 hours required to make me a muffin
master! Whenever I come across a vegan muffin at a bakery my eyes light
up and I must try every flavor. Some are hits and others are misses but it’s
batter always a fun adventure. The crumble topping on my creation here is what
1 tablespoon ground gives that sexy muffin top a nice crunchy bite! I like using whole wheat or
flax meal
spelt flour for a heartier texture, but you could also use all-purpose flour if
3 tablespoons water that’s what you have on hand. You can even replace the berries with other
1 cup nondairy milk seasonal fruits like peaches, cherries, or apples. If you’re using frozen
1 tablespoon apple cider
fruit just be sure to thaw it halfway and drain any excess liquid before
vinegar adding to the batter. Top of the muffin to you!
2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder Preheat oven to 375°F.

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt Combine the flax and water together in a small bowl and set aside for 10
minutes to thicken.
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the nondairy milk and apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl and
2 1/2 cups fresh mixed berries set aside for 10 minutes as well.
(raspberries, blueberries,
blackberries)
While those mixtures are setting combine the topping together in a bowl
topping with your hands pinching the butter with the sugar and oats until it’s
crumb-like.
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup rolled oats (not

quick cooking) In another large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon,
baking soda, and sea salt.
1 tablespoon vegan butter,
cold & cubed
Then add brown sugar, vanilla extract, and the thickened flax mixture to
the bowl with nondairy milk and apple cider vinegar and stir to combine
well. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Don’t over mix - small lumps are good! Then gently fold in 2 cups of the
mixed berries.

CONTINUED

28 MORE SWEET THINGS

BIG BERRY MUFFINS continued

Lightly grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with vegan butter, an
oil spray, or line with paper liners. Divide the batter amongst the cups
evenly.

Divide the topping amongst all 12 muffins, covering the entire top of the
batter.

Take the remaining 1/2 cup of mixed berries and gently press 1 to 2 more
berries per muffin on top of the topping. This way some berries will peak
through the top of the muffins.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the
centre of a muffin.

Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing

from the pan and cool them completely before storing. Store at room
temperature in a container that isn’t airtight. They may get soggy or
gummy if you suffocate them in the container. You can place a lid loosely
on top or store in the fridge and warm up slightly before serving.

29 MORE SWEET THINGS

30
 chocolate pistachio sugar cookies
SERVINGS 20 to 22 cookies
PREP TIME 20 minutes, plus
60 minutes to chill dough Pistachios are a delicious nut and often under used as anything
COOK TIME 14 minutes other than a snack. I thought they deserved a place amongst dessert.
Crushed into these soft sugar cookies and kissed with chocolate
they’re the perfect sophisticated cookie for parties and around the
cookie ingredients
holidays. I’m rooting for you to find shelled pistachios, otherwise get
2 cups all-purpose flour crackin’! I’ve seen them at Trader Joe’s and some random health food
1 teaspoon baking powder stores. It’s worth the work though and if you also can’t find unsalted
1/2 teaspoon sea salt pistachios just use salted ones and reduce the amount of salt you add
to the cookie batter by half.
1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
to room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
1/3 cup nondairy milk

1/2 cup shelled, unsalted In another bowl beat vegan butter with a hand mixture for 1 minute until
pistachios, finely chopped fluffy and smooth. Add in sugar and vanilla and beat until creamy. Then
continue beating while slowly adding the nondairy milk.
topping ingredients
1/4 cup chopped dark
Add half the dry ingredients and continue beating until mostly combined.
chocolate or chocolate Stop the mixer and scrape any excess from the sides of the bowl with
chips, melted
a spatula back into the center of the bowl. Then add the remaining dry
2 tablespoons shelled,
unsalted pistachios, ingredients and continue beating on low until about half mixed together.
finely chopped

1 tablespoon coarse sea Add in the pistachios with a spatula and continue mixing by hand.
salt (optional)

Place the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and wrap
tightly bringing the dough together into a ball. Gently flatten this into a thick
disc with your hands and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Cut the disc of dough in half and work with one portion at a time keeping
the remainder in the fridge until needed. Roll out the dough onto a lightly
floured surface to 3/8-inch thick and cut out 2 1/2-inch round cookies. I used a
cookie cutter that had a scalloped edge.

CONTINUED

31 MORE SWEET THINGS

CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO SUGAR COOKIES continued

Place cookies onto parchment lined baking sheets and refrigerate for at
least 10 minutes to chill the dough if it has become too soft. It’s better to
bake them right from the fridge then allowing the dough to get too soft.

Bake for 14 minutes or just until the edges start to brown. Don’t over bake!

Remove immediately from the baking sheet with a spatula out of the oven
onto a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled you can place cookies side by side by on the parchment lined
baking sheets to decorate. Take a small spoonful of melted chocolate
and drizzle this quickly back and forth across a row of cookies getting
lots of thin lines of chocolate across the surface. Do this to all the cookies
and then go in the opposite direction. Top with coarse sea salt and finely
chopped pistachios.

Before storing let the chocolate dry and harden at room temperature first.
Then store between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container at
room temperature. You can also freeze them but allow cookies to thaw at
room temperature completely before eating.

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33
 pecan butter tarts
SERVINGS 12 tarts
PREP TIME 40 minutes
COOK TIME 25 minutes Butter tarts are one of the richest desserts and I remember them being
on the dessert table at every family event. Someone always brought
their own homemade secret recipe. Only problem was finding a raisin
shortbread crust
amongst the sweet goo. It’s like accidently stepping in gum. Who the F
2 cups all-purpose flour put that there?! I’m sticking to pecans, butter, and sugar for these babies
2 tablespoons granulated and they’re just as decadent as you might remember. I decided to use
sugar
a thicker shortbread-like crust for these, but you could also use the pie
1/2 teaspoon sea salt crust which is in the upcoming cookbook if you prefer something thinner
4 tablespoons vegan and flakier. But you’re probably not going to want to wait for that…
shortening, cut into cubes
and chilled in freezer

1/2 cup vegan butter, cut into

cubes and chilled in freezer
To make the dough place the flour, sugar, and sea salt in a food processor.
4 to 5 tablespoons
ice cold water Add cubes of shortening and butter one to two at a time and pulse a few
times. Once it looks like a fine crumb add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice cold
filling water at a time (ensuring not to get any ice in the food processor). After 4
tablespoons if you can pinch the dough and if it holds, stop. If not, add the
1 cup pecans
last tablespoon of water. You can also make the crust by hand in a mixing
1/4 cup vegan butter bowl by cutting the cubed shortening and butter into the flour, sugar and
1/3 cup packed brown sugar sea salt with a pastry blender. Then add the water one tablespoon at a time
2 tablespoons cornstarch in the same fashion while folding the dough together with a spatula. Do not
2 tablespoons agave nectar over mix!

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Divide the dough in half. Portion each half onto a large piece of plastic wrap
or wax paper and bring it together by lifting the sides over the dough and
pressing it together in a ball. Then wrap and slightly flatten it into a thick
disc. Refrigerate each wrapped half for 15 minutes.

Just before rolling out the dough preheat the oven to 350°F. Then toast
pecans on a baking sheet for approximately 5 minutes in the oven until
golden brown and toasted and allow to cool.

CONTINUED

34 MORE SWEET THINGS

PECAN BUTTER TARTS continued

Lightly grease the cups of a muffin pan with vegan butter or shortening.

Flour your rolling surface and rolling pin and roll out one portion of dough
at a time to approximately 3/16 -inches thick. Use a 4-inch round cutter to
cut out as many circles as you can. Place each circle into muffin pan and
gently press it into the bottom and edges. Press excess dough together and
roll out again, and cut out more rounds. Repeat with the other half of the
dough and fill the rest of the pan.

Distribute pecans evenly amongst each tart shell and freeze the tray while
you make the filling.

Over medium-low heat, melt butter and add remaining filling ingredients.
Whisk constantly until it just starts to bubble and thicken then remove from
heat.

Pour about a 1/2 tablespoon of filling in each tart. They won’t be overly full but
the filling expands while baking. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the crust is
just turning golden brown.

Remove the pan onto a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes
before removing tarts. The tarts are easy to remove with a small spatula or
knife to nudge them out from the edge of the muffin cup.

Even once the tarts have cooled completely you can warm them up in the
microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute before serving to get the filling gooey
and warm again.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for

longer storage. Thaw frozen tarts in the fridge before eating.

35 MORE SWEET THINGS

36 MORE FINGER FOODS
 banana nut crumble
MAKES 4 servings
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 35 minutes Bananas aren’t typically a fruit used in crumble but I was inspired by a
dessert served here in Toronto at Rhum Corner. My friends and I go here
often to drink (many) dark and stormy’s! Anyway, they serve a banana
filling crumble with frozen whip cream and while I’ve never had it since it’s not
4 bananas, sliced (not vegan I can tell that it hits the spot. So here’s my version and that’s why
too ripe)
I’ve suggested using a frozen vegan coconut whip product cause then all
1 tablespoon lemon juice that work is done for you. But if you want a homemade whip I’d suggest
¼ teaspoon ground throwing it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours to get it a bit more solid. Then
cinnamon just wait, cause that first mouthful of hot and cold melting into ecstasy is
1/8 teaspoon ground going to fully turn you on. You’ll use an 8-inch x 8-inch baking dish or 4 (8
cardamom
to 10-ounce) ramekins for this one.
¼ cup packed brown sugar

topping
Toss sliced bananas with lemon juice. Add cinnamon, cardamom, and
1 cup rolled oats
brown sugar and toss to coat evenly. Set aside while you make crumble
¼ teaspoon ground topping.
cinnamon

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°F
½ cup pecans, roughly
chopped
To make the topping add rolled oats, spices, salt, pecans, sugar and cold
2 tablespoons cold vegan
butter, cubed (plus extra cubed butter to a bowl and pinch the mixture with your fingers until it sticks
for coating baking dish/ together and is well combined into small chunks.
ramekins)

¼ cup packed brown sugar

Lightly butter the baking dish or ramekins. Spread out bananas in the dish
2 cups So Delicious Dairy
Free CocoWhip (not thawed) or layer in ramekins and top evenly with crumble.

Bake for 35 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Serve immediately with a big dollop of the frozen CocoWhip topping or a

homemade coconut whip that’s been half frozen before serving on top of
the crumble!

37 MORE SWEET THINGS

38 MORE FINGER FOODS
 the miso tahini cream sauce
MAKES about 2 cups
PREP TIME 5 minutes
This is a go-to sauce for me because it’s simple, healthy, and makes a
boring weeknight salad or noodle bowl way more impressive. I drizzled it
ingredients on the Soba Noodle Bowl with Bok Choy & Edamame (page 26), as well as
1 cup water the Spiced Roasted Carrots (page 12) but it’ll be the perfect sauce for just
1/2 cup roasted tahini about anything. Try it on roasted cauliflower or baked potatoes too!

3 tablespoons miso paste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until very
1 tablespoon apple cider
vinegar smooth or stir together in a jar. If stirring the sauce together using warm
1/4 teaspoon sea salt water is recommended to smooth out the tahini.

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Use immediately or store in the fridge and consume within 7 days. If
pre-made you may need to add more warm water to smooth it out before
using in a recipe. It’s not recommended to freeze this sauce. Just make it
as you need!

39 MORE SAUCES
40 MORE FINGER FOODS
 vegan fish sauce
MAKES about 2/3 cup
PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME 20 minutes There’s literally nothing worse than the smell of fish sauce! But at the
same time I always get envious when I go out for Vietnamese with my
friends cause I can’t douse my entire bowl in the pungent stuff either.
ingredients It’s just totally necessary on a fresh vermicelli style bowl like this one
2 cups water so I figured out how to get the same effect but fish-free! Use it on the
5 dried shitake mushrooms Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl (page 24), for dipping Veggie Spring Rolls
(page 9) or for any other Asian inspired meal you prepare!
1 piece kombu

1 clove minced garlic

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Bring water, shitakes, and kombu to a simmer in a pot for 7 to 8 minutes
2 tablespoons finely
chopped nori until reduced by half and the water looks darker brown. Remove from the
2 tablespoons low-sodium heat. Strain the mushrooms and kombu from the liquid and reserve. You
tamari or soy sauce should have about 1 cup of broth.
¼ cup vegan-friendly
kimchi brine
In another pot heat sesame oil and garlic over medium-low heat for 1 to 2
3 teaspoons sugar minutes until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
1 teaspoon miso paste

1/4 teaspoon white pepper Add in nori, tamari, kimchi brine, sugar, miso paste, white pepper, and
reserved 1 cup broth and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool and
strain into a jar. Use immediately while still slightly warm or refrigerate for
later use. Consume within 1 week.

41 MORE SAUCES
Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes To Feed Your Face

(published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. and Penguin, an
imprint of Penguin Canada)

For more info check out www.hotforfoodblog.com/vegan-comfort-classics

Copyright 2017 Lauren Toyota

*reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited

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