Vegan MoFo: Orange-pineapple juice

Today's Cooking the Rainbow color: orange/yellow

I'm feeling tropical today (in denial about moving north perhaps?) so I bring you some liquid sunshine.  No cucumber in this juice, just orange and pineapple with a little apple thrown in to sweeten things up.

Vegan MoFo: Pina colada cupcakes

Today's Cooking the Rainbow color: orange/yellow

If you like pina coladas... Sorry, I can't think about these cupcakes without singing the Jimmy Buffet song.  Last week I mentioned I made several of the desserts for my wedding reception.  Look for a post with all the recipes and how I timed everything so it wasn't completely overwhelming next month, but in the meantime here's a little teaser.

I used the recipe from Love Like a Vegan with a few changes:
For the cupcakes, I used only vanilla extract.  When I made my test batch back in June, I felt like the coconut extract overpowered the pineapple.  Also, I increased the amounts by 1/3 to make a full dozen:
1-1/3 c. flour
1-1/3 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. salt
2/3 c. crushed pineapple
2/3 c. canned coconut milk, shaken to combine
1/3 c. canola oil
2/3 c. + 2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. sugar
1-1/3 tsp. vanilla extract
For the reception, I made these as mini cupcakes - I aimed for all the treats to be 2-3 bites so people could try multiple things.  As minis, this recipe makes about 3-1/2 dozen, and I baked them for 22 minutes.  They bake up kind of dense; not quite muffin-dense but close.  I think I may try this recipe with some baking soda and vinegar to see if I can get it to fluff up.

And the adjusted frosting recipe:
1/3 c. non-dairy butter or margarine (if you're avoiding palm oil, Blue Bonnet Light is an affordable option - as far as I know it's only the Light)
1/3 c. shortening
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
2/3 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 tsp. coconut extract
about 1-1/2 Tbsp. coconut milk
After everything was mixed in, I let my mixer beat the frosting for 5-7 minutes to make it light and fluffy (and awesome!).  Then I used an icing bag and this tip to frost the cooled cupcakes.  Just squeeze a dollop onto the cupcake and lift up, releasing the bag as you go.

I'll leave you with a photo of the dessert spread of my reception.  I ended up with 5 cupcake flavors, 8 other desserts, and one 6" cake for Mr Pescador and I to cut, plus a fruit platter.

Vegan MoFo: Sweet potato & chard dal

Today's Cooking the Rainbow color: orange/yellow

This time of year we're usually still waiting for the heat of summer to break and give us a hint of fall, so I find myself turning to the slow cooker to prepare meals.  This dal made the house smell so good I forgot to take a photo until I was about halfway done eating.

Dal (adapted from The Vegan Slow Cooker)
3/4 c. red lentils, washed and picked through
2 c. water
1 cube bouillon
1 medium yam, peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4-1/2 c. onion, diced (depending on how onion-y you like things)
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. turmeric
a pinch of chili powder
3-4 large leaves of chard, chiffonaded

Add the lentils, water, bouillon and yam to the slow cooker.  Add the olive oil, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder to a pan and heat on medium-low.  Add the onions to the pan and saute until soft and translucent.  Add to the slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve over rice and with some naan.  Or as Mr Pescador calls it, "nom."

Nutrition Benefits
yam: vitamin C, potassium and manganese
lentils: protein, iron, phosphorus, copper, folate and manganese