WINTER WHEAT BERRY SALAD WITH ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES AND FRESH FIGS

Ingredients

3 Cups wheat berries, Farro or Pearl Barley

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 small butternut squash, halved, seeded, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

5 garlic cloves

1/4-1/2 Cup cup olive oil, plus more as needed

1/4-1/2 Cup balsamic vinegar, more as needed

pink salt and pepper, to taste

1 Cup fresh figs, chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces

1 Cup toasted pecans, rough chop

1/2 Cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3/4 Cups dried cranberries

3 green onions, light and dark green portions, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large pot over high heat, combine the wheat berries/farro/barley (whatever you find or sub brown rice and quinoa to make gluten freE) with water according to the package instructions. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until tender. Drain, fluff with a fork and place in a large bowl.

2. meanwhile, preheat the over to 450F (220C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I ended up needing two baking sheets.

3. Prepare the ingredients as stated above, try to cut them into very similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Place the parsnips, carrots, squash, red onion and garlic on the prepared sheet. Toss with 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup vinegar and season with salt and pepper. If you need to add more oil and vinegar so it is evenly coated, then go ahead. Roast, stirring once, until the vegetables are slightly caramelized and tender to a fork, about 25 minutes.

Once complete, peel the roasted garlic, chop into small pieces and add back to the baking sheet.

1. Add the roasted vegetables to the bowl with the wheat berries. Add in the parsley, figs, cranberries and green onions. stir to combine.

Add more oil and vinegar if the mixture needs more moisture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately, or keep covered in the fridge until ready. This gets better the longer it has time to sit and the flavors mend making it a perfect dish to make ahead of time!

VEGAN VANILLA MASALA CHAI TEA CAKE

Ingredients

For the Chai Cake

• 2 cups, minus 2 tbsp, plus 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk *** see instructions

• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 chai tea bags, I used Tazo decaf

• 3 Cups flour, I used half whole wheat, half all purpose white flour

• 1 Teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

• 2 1/2 Teaspoons ground ginger

• 1 Teaspoon cardamom

• 1 Teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/8 Teaspoon allspice

• 1/8 Teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/8 Teaspoon black pepper

• 1 Teaspoon pink salt

• 1 1/2 Cup sugar, processed until fine. I used a coffee/spice grinder

• 1/4 Cup organic canola oil

• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract or paste

• 1/2 Teaspoon almond extract

For the Frosting

• 4 Ounces vegan cream cheese, like tofutti or Trader Joe's brand

• 1/4 Cup vegan butter, softened, like Earth Balance, sitcks are preferred

• 2-3 Cups powdered sugar

• 1 Teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 Teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the cake: start by pre-heating the oven to 350f. Then pull out a large bowl and a small sauce pan. Put 2 cups of vanilla almond milk in the bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons and put it in the sauce pan. Then add the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk in the sauce pan.

2. Add the apple cider vinegar to the large bowl, Gently stir a few times and let sit for 5 minutes to activate.

3. meanwhile, put the small sauce pan over low heat and add the 2 tea bags. Heat up milk but make sure it doesn't come to a boil, you are looking for steam to come off the milk. Once it reaches that point, turn off the heat, cover and let steep for up to 20 minutes.

4. In another medium mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients and shift to combine well. If you do not have a shifter, use a whisk or fork to remove the clumps.

5. Add the oil, and the extracts into the bowl with the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine. Then add in the flour mixture in 1/2 cup intervals, mixing as you go. You want this to be as smooth as possible.

6. Once it is combined, remove the sauce pan from the stove and pour the contents into the mixing bowl. Then cut (or rip) the tea bags open and pour the contents right into the batter. trust me- do this, so goood!

7. Then transfer your batter into your cake pan. I used 5 small cake pans from wilton (link above in body of post to where you can purchase the same ones I used). I put 3/4 cup batter in each cake pan and it worked out almost perfectly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

If you are using two 9 inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, divide the batter up evenly and cook for 30-35 minutes.

1. For the frosting

After the cream cheese and butter has had some time to soften combine them in a bowl and cream them together with a hand mixer or fork. Add in the spices, mix again and then a 1/2 cup at a time add in the powdered sugar until it reaches a thick consistency and the fork or whisk leaves trails when mixing.

Put this in the fridge until cakes are ready.

1. To Assemble:

There are several formulas out there to assemble the perfect layer cake but this is the method that has worked well for me.

Once the cakes are done baking, remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, remove cakes from the pans and transfer to a wire a rack to cool further. After about another 10 miuntes, move the cakes to the freezer and let freeze for 1 hour or so.

Then cut off the rounded portion from the top of the cake (this is like the muffin top of a muffin). You want to have your cakes be completely flat on top so when you layer the cakes it does not make a peak at the top.

Its important for your layers to all be the same height so if necessary use a ruler to measure each one and determine how much needs to be cut off of each. You can of course eye ball this as well. Use a serrated knife to remove the cake tops. Take your time during this step.

Once they are all flat, start layering!

Add about 1/4-1/2 cup of frosting in between each layer of cake, and frost all the sides and top.

I decorated mine with brown sugar and cinnamon!

EASY VEGAN PUMPKIN CHILI

Ingredients

• 1 - 3lbs pie pumpkin (you can used canned if you like as well)

• 2 medium turnips, about 3/4 lbs*

• 1/2 Cup butter, vegan like Earth Balance

• 1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 Cup corn meal, finely ground

• 2 red bell peppers, chopped and seeded

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste

• 4 Cups veggie broth

• 2 - 10oz cans diced tomatoes with green chilis (I found at Whole Foods)

• 2 - 15oz cans of beans, I used Kidney, drained

• 2 Cups corn, I used organic frozen from TJ's

• 1 Tablespoon chili powder, or more if you like it hot, hot, hot!

• 1 Teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 Teaspoon cumin

• 2-3 Teaspoons vegan Worchestershire sauce, like Annies

• pink salt and pepper, to taste

TOPPINGS

• green onions, chopped

• shredded cheaddar cheese, I used Follow Your Heart

• Plain yogurt (instead of sour cream) I used So Delicious Almond Yogurt

Instructions

1. Pre heat over to 450f. Cup the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and roast cut side down for 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven, let cool and peel/cut off the skin. Cut into cubes. Set aisde.

2. While the pumpkin is roasting, prep your other ingredients as stated above. Peel the turnips and cut into 1 inch cubes.

*I found the turnips at my local farmers market, if you can not find them use potatoes or carrots instead or omit entirely.

1. In a large soup pot or dutch over, heat the butter and oil over medium. Whisk in the cornmeal until it is smooth then add in the pumpkin, turnip, bell peppers, onion, garlic and tomato paste. Stir frequently for 10 minutes.

2. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, beans and corn. Stir in the spices and worchtershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for atleast an hour. The longer it simmers the better it tastes, so maybe turn on some PPL and leave it be for the afternoon? Up to you.

3. Right before serving add the salt and pepper, maybe a dash of balsamic vinegar if you are feeling fancy, dress with the toppings of your choice, and ENJOY!