Friday Five: Pumpkin Spice Til Death
As of post time, we are less than 48 hours away from the first day of October, aka Halloween Month. That means we’re celebrating all things pumpkin spice and ignoring all the haters who have made it their life’s mission to suck the fun out of everything. While most of the country lines up for their first Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season, we vegans must look elsewhere to get our fix.
Lucky for us, there is no shortage of that magical squash n’ spice mix in all forms imaginable. So here are five-ish forms of pumpkin spice that I am currently unapologetically celebrating!
1. Pumpkin Spice Protein
If you follow me on Instagram, you knew I was going to go here. Last year I demo’d how I use Conscious Muscle Supplements Pumpkin Spice vegan protein powder (21g protein per serving) to make a supercharged latte. You could also use it in your favorite Protein Mug Cake recipe. Naked Nutrition also has a Pumpkin Spice Protein powder (20g protein per serving) with a super clean ingredient label. Or, if you’re looking for a ready-made protein snack try Aloha’s Pumpkin Spice Protein Bar (14g protein, 15% off with my affiliate link.) I mean, if you’re like me you’re going to power through protein shakes and bars all month anyway, they might as well be on-brand for spooky season.
2. Kiss My Pumpkin Spice
I buy so many Crazy Rumors lip balms that they probably have me on a list of weirdos. But they make the absolute best flavors, and their formula is super moisturizing without being sticky or waxy at all. All of their products are vegan and cruelty free, and their prices and shipping charges are the best in the biz. There’s an entire category of fall flavors, and obviously Pumpkin Spice Lip Balm is the star of the show. Use my affiliate link and go to town!
3. Light a Candle for Pumpkin Spice
There’s no shortage of pumpkin spice candles on the market, but please allow me to make a case for a candle company that is hyper-local to me. We’re talking “I can stick my head out my front door and basically see their store” local. Edgewater Candles is a small businesses that produces super dreamy soy candles right here in my neighborhood. Not only are they some of the longest lasting, and best-smelling candles I’ve ever owned, but they’re also constantly partnering with nonprofits throughout the city to fundraise for some truly important causes. In fact, $6 from each Pumpkin Pie Candle goes to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to buy some candles, this is it!
4. Pumpkin Head (and Butt)
Lush’s Halloween drop never lets me down, from alien bubble bars to ghost bath bombs they do spooky-soapy season right. Obviously that includes all things pumpkin and pumpkin spice. I LOL’d at their black, triangle-shaped Pumpkin Eye Mask that literally makes you look like a Jack-O-Lantern when you use it. And, because it’s Lush, it’s made with actual pumpkin puree, which softens and moisturizes skin. Grab one of their Pumpkin Sheet Masks too, if you want to go for full pumpkin head eleganza. And, for your butt, aka the pumpkin in your pants, soak those buns in a cinnamon-spiked Punkin Pumpkin Bath Bomb.
5. Pour One Out for the PSL
Even though I can’t drink Starbucks PSLs, both because the flavor syrup contains dairy, and also because Starbucks’ coffee is an abomination, I respect what they did to elevate this grandma flavor to what’s it’s become. Something people loved, and then hated, and then loved ironically, which eventually reverted back into genuine love. There are so many pumpkin spice-flavored vegan coffee creamers and canned pumpkin spice lattes out there I have nothing to add about any of them. Instead, I will direct your attention to the Queen of Vegan Halloween, Kathy Hester, with this link to her Halloween recipe section, which is filled with pumpkin spice-inspired drink recipes and lots more.
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I could earn a hilariously small amount of money.
Plant-Based Delicious: Mediterranean Cauliflower Casserole Recipe
If you follow me on social media, you might be aware that in 2022 I started working with a certified plant-based nutritionist and fitness coach, Belinda Lagasi. My entire approach in the kitchen has changed under her guidance, and I’ve increased the amount of real vegetables and plant-based proteins I’m eating by more than I can really even account for. Every single meal has at least 2-3 “big handfuls” of vegetables included, according to her guidelines. Most of my meals are oil-free, high protein, moderate in carbs, and low in fat. Of course I am still the force behind Bake and Destroy, so I never deny myself a sweet treat or some comfort food when I want it. But I’ve learned to love vegetables in their purest form in a way I wish I had much earlier in my vegan journey.
So, that brings us to Plant-Based Delicious, a new cookbook from Ashley Madden. This book revists comfort food favorites like pasta, casseroles, and chocolate chip cookies but with a focus on wholesome ingredients, and all of the recipes are gluten-free as well as oil-free. When you’re trying to eat your veggies, I mean really eat them, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut of salads and stir fries. So I love all of the creative recipes in this book that both feature vegetables – like this Mediterranean Cauliflower Casserole – and, sneak them in where you don’t expect them, as in the case of Double Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies.
I’m really excited about the Mediterranean flavors in this casserole – olives, tahini, oregano and parsley. For my own macros, I would probably replace the chickpeas with seitan (which isn’t gluten-free) but that’s what’s great about a smart recipe – it should inspire you to make it your own.
Absolutely check out this book if you’re looking for better-for-you plant-based recipes, and follow Ashley on Instagram at @riseshinecook for more inspiration.
Mediterranean Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
For the Casserole:
- 4 cups (400 g) bite-sized cauliflower florets
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper seeded, stemmed and cut into 1˝ [2.5-cm] pieces
- 1 cup (100 g ) pitted black or green olives, sliced if desired
- 1 ½ cups (255 g ) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (30 g ) baby spinach
- 1 cup (180 g ) uncooked millet or white quinoa
For the Sauce:
- ⅓ cup (80 g ) stirred tahini
- ⅓ cup (80 ml ) fresh lemon juice
- 3 large cloves garlic crushed and peeled
- 1 tbsp (15 ml ) red wine vinegar
- tsp(2 g ) dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ¾ cup (175 ml ) water
- 1 tbsp (8 g) arrowroot starch
- ¼ tsp sea salt or to taste
- Pinch of black pepper
Optional garnishes:
- 1 small bunch fresh mint
- 2 tbsp (16 g ) sesame seeds
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
- Start with the casserole: Put the cauliflower, onion, bell pepper, olives and chickpeas in a 9 x 13–inch (23 x 33–cm) casserole dish.
- Make the tahini sauce: In a blender, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, oregano, parsley, water, arrowroot, salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over the vegetables in the casserole. Stir to coat all the veggies, then cover tightly with tinfoil.
- Roast in the oven for 60 minutes, stirring once around the 40-minute mark. It’s done when the cauliflower is fork-tender and the sauce is bubbling.
- When about 20 minutes are left on the casserole, cook the millet according to the package directions. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and cover until needed.
- When the casserole is ready, remove it from the oven and stir in the spinach. Cover again for a few minutes to let the greens wilt. Taste and reseason with salt, if needed.
- Spoon the millet into bowls and top with the casserole. Garnish with mint and sesame seeds and serve with a lemon wedge.
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Vegan Finds at the 2023 Sweets & Snacks Expo
After four long days working with the Upton’s Naturals team at the National Restaurant Association Show what better way to relax and unwind than walking across the street and attending another trade show? OK I would not recommend that exact use of time, but in reality the moment my friend Nicole from The Very Vegan Sweet Shop and I walked into the Sweets & Snacks Expo, we were happy.
Colorful cutouts of pretzels, hard candies, cookies, and other sweets dangled from the ceiling, gigantic ads for new Tik Tac flavors and sour gummies towered over us, and everywhere you looked: there was candy. I’ve exhibited at this show with a few brands, and I covered vegan finds in 2017 and 2018, but I took a few years off so I was excited to see what everyone was up to this year.
The Trends
Before I cover the things I thought were most exciting, let’s talk trends. In non-vegan news, beef jerky is still going strong. It’s hard to believe that in 2023 anyone is saying, “You know what the world needs? More beef jerky.” But in addition to all of the legacy brands, we saw a handful of startups all with their own take on beef jerky. Sadly, we only saw two or three plant-based jerkies, including BeLeaf, and a few mushroom jerkies.
In vegan news, we saw so many gummies! It seemed like tons of vegan gummies were coming in from Europe, and even conventional brands had a vegan gummy on the table. We also saw a few marshmallows including Dandies, of course, but also a few brands from the U.K. and Belgium. Another big trend in savory plant-based snacks was protein chips. We saw at least three brands, and probably missed a few others. They were all the same puffed rice chip format, with pea protein mixed into the chip as well as the powdery flavoring. Everyone seemed to have a nacho or cheese flavor, and weirdly, two had a birthday cake flavor. Finally, low-sugar, low-carb, and plant-based + keto was a big trend this year. In past years, those are all things that I would have majorly rolled my eyes about, but I’ve been on quite a fitness journey since 2020 and actually really appreciated all of the new options from familiar brands as well as new ones.
My Five Faves
- Ritter Sport Vegan – Old vegans such as myself probably remember hunting down “accidentally” vegan varieties of this German chocolate brand over the years. Now they have five “on purpose” vegan varieties including Roasted Peanut, Crunchy Whole Hazelnuts, Salted Caramel, Smooth Chocolate and Crunchy Almonds. The bars are exactly what you expect from Ritter Sport (delicious) and they didn’t try to make them “healthy” by adding quinoa or something. They’re straight forward, great chocolate that vegans and non-vegans can all enjoy.
- Bon Bon Swedish Candy Co. Swedish Fish – This brand is new to me, but apparently has been in business since 2018 and only some of the Swedish Fish flavors we saw were new. But I thought they had the perfect texture and really fun flavors like peach, elderflower, wild strawberry (sour or sweet) and sour blackberry. Plus the packaging was so pretty it really felt like a fancy experience eating these.
- Ocho Plant-Based Caramels – If you gravitate toward natural candies, you’ve absolutely had Ocho before. They have several plant-based options, and these chocolate-covered caramels made with Miyoko’s Creamery butter are brand new. The brand was nice enough to send me a preview of the Classic flavor, which my son promptly made disappear. So I’m excited to see if he loves the Coffee, Chocolate, and Cinnamon ones as much. (Spoiler: he will.)
- Lakanto Coffee Cups – Monk fruit and other sugar alternatives aren’t for everyone, and that’s OK. But I do opt for monk fruit when I’m training, and Lakanto makes lots of products I use every day. I didn’t realize they made so many chocolate truffles and other treats, though, and when the brand rep at this show told me the Coffee Cups have the caffeine equivalent to one cup of coffee I was sold.
- Smart Sweets Caramels – These too were new-to-me, chewy coconut cream-based caramels with only 1g of sugar per serving. People who don’t fare well with sugar alternatives might also like that there are no sugar alcohols added.
Thanks to the Sweets & Snacks Expo for inviting me back – looking forward to next year!
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I will earn a laughably small amount of money.
Podcast: Keep On Cooking – Vegan Brunch
I recently had the honor of co-hosting an episode of Dustin Harder (The Vegan Roadie)’s wonderful vegan cookbook podcast Keep On Cooking! The show started out as an interview series with vegan cookbook authors, deep-diving into their work. Sixty three episodes in, though, Dustin has expanded the subject manner and is now speaking with people about their personal favorite vegan cookbooks. Mine, of course, is Isa Chandra Moskowitz’ Vegan Brunch (pub. 2009) so I was thrilled to spend about an hour diving in and talking about why it stands the test of time.
My dogs are being really annoying for about 19 minutes at the beginning, so if that bothers you skip ahead and you’ll just miss some opening chit chat about Midwestern accents and cuisine. Tony was golfing the morning we recorded so they were obsessed with me. You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Or, watch below!
Vegan Protein Yogurt Mug Cake
If you saw my previous Protein Mug Cake recipe and were hoping for a flourless version, or just a different take you’ve come to the right place. This quick snack is full of fresh flavors thanks to the lemon and blueberry, and can be made with oat or almond flour, whatever your preference. If you don’t like protein powder, or don’t have any on hand, just use more of the flour of your choice in its place. Feel free to swap in different berries, yogurt flavors, and protein flavors to switch things up.
Vegan Blueberry Protein Yogurt Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs Kite Hill Greek Yogurt plain or vanilla, unsweetened
- 3 Tbs oat flour or almond flour
- 3 Tbs vegan vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 – 1 Tbs maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice, to taste
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 heaping tsp baking powder (about 1/3 tsp)
- 1/4 cup nondairy milk
- 1/4 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
- In a small bowl or coffee mug, combine the yogurt, flour, protein powder, sweetener and baking powder.
- Stir in milk.
- Stir in blueberries.
- If you used a bowl, transfer the mix to a coffee mug. Microwave on high for 1 minute and check on it. If there are wet spots larger than a dime, keep microwaving in 20 second intervals for up to 2 1/2 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Vegan Lasagna Dip
A few years back I made a 7-layer taco dip-inspired version of Lasagna Dip meant to be served cold, but given the record low temperatures in Chicago the last few days I figured a hot version would be a welcome addition. This one’s made with Upton’s Naturals seitan (if you get the Italian Seitan you can skip the added garlic and Italian seasoning), Kite Hill Almond Milk Ricotta Alternative, Violife Mozzarella Shreds and Follow Your Heart Parmesan – it’s a real who’s who of vegan products! I also made air fryer pasta chips (sub vegan parm in this recipe) but this would also be great on some toasted slices of crusty bread.
Vegan Lasagna Dip
Equipment
- 1 12" cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 package Upton's Naturals Ground Seitan or Italian Seitan (see note)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 container Kite Hill Almond Milk Ricotta Alternative
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds
- 1/4 cup grated vegan Parmesan cheese
- fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Over medium heat, cook up the seitan in the cast iron skillet. After 2-3 minutes, add the Italian seasoning and garlic. (See note if using Italian Seitan.) Cook for about 5 minutes total.
- Add the marinara and stir. Bring to a simmer, then turn off heat.
- Top with dollops of vegan ricotta, and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Add shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the dip is bubbling hot.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot.
Notes
Vegan Protein Mug Cake
I fell in love with an expensive protein mug cake brand that chased me around the internet with ads until I relented. The mixes were $5 a pop, produced a lot more packaging garbage than I was comfortable with, and had really embarrassing fat-shaming names like “Un-chunky Chip” and “Un-pudgy Fudge”. So I decided to figure out how to batch my own protein mug cakes…and I did.
Protein powders vary in sweetness, so you might need to figure out your own sweetener situation. I personally like maple flavored monk fruit syrup paired with chocolate or pumpkin protein powder. Use any flour you like – whole wheat, almond, oat, etc.
I do recommend throwing in the optional chocolate chips because this cake can be a little dry – so those melty bits improve the texture.
Even if you’re baking in a microwave, precise measurements are important. I really recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out 48g of the mix to make your cake, but if you don’t have one it’s basically a heaping 1/3 cup. Somewhere between 1/3-1/2 cup of dry mix.
The nutrition facts will vary depending on the flour type, protein powder, sweetener… basically everything. But for a general idea, I made this with a standard protein powder, almond milk, monk fruit syrup, all purpose flour and chocolate chips and it’s 228 calories, 4g fat, 32g carbs, 1g sugar, 24g protein and 619mg sodium.
Watch me make this on Instagram!
Vegan Protein Mug Cake: Batch Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 Tbs flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup minus 1 Tbs protein powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.
- To make a small cake, measure 48g dry mix into a 12oz mug and mix with: 4 Tbs unsweetened non-dairy milk, 1-2 tsp liquid sweetener of choice.
- Optional: Stir in handful of chocolate chips
- Microwave for one minute, 30 seconds. If it still looks liquidy, microwave 10 more seconds.
- Top it off with peanut butter, vegan whipped cream, or ice cream. Enjoy while still warm.
Notes
The Bake and Destroy Cancer Zine
UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who made this fundraising project such a success! We raised around $4,500 for Grind for Life this time around, bringing the grand total we’ve donated over the years to $26,000. A very small amount of physical copies of the first zine are available from Sourpuss Clothing, and digital copies are also available. I am currently working on the second zine in theis fundraising series, Vegan Power Meals, and will post more about it as soon as I can!
In November 2009, our friend Mat Arluck passed away after a long battle with cancer. At a memorial concert held by his friends and family a few months later, I learned that an organization called Grind for Life had helped fund his move from Chicago back to his parents’ home in Seattle where he spent his last days. Grind for Life provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families when traveling long distances to doctors and hospitals.
From that year on, I’ve dedicated my birthday to Mat’s memory, and the memory of all of the loved ones we’ve lost to cancer. I ask my friends and family to donate to Grind for Life rather than buying me gifts. Together we’ve raised more than more than $21,500 for the cause.
Last year I sat my birthday fundraiser out, having just lost my mother-in-law Jo Anne to lung cancer. A few months later, my friend Linley’s son Bryson opted to stop treatment for his rare type of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. Bryson’s illness inspired its own fundraiser, and Grind for Life stepped in to offer comfort and support to him as well. Sadly, in March 2022 Bryson passed on.
The Zine
This year I have more reason than ever to fundraise for Grind for Life. In memory of Mat, Jo Anne, Bryson, my grandfather, and so many others. But this time I want to do something different. I’m putting together a zine to benefit Grind for Life.
The Bake and Destroy Cancer Zine will contain vegan recipes shared by my favorite chefs, cookbook authors, musicians and athletes, as well as art, interviews, and other goofy content. Each zine will be sent out with a variety of swag donated by some of my favorite companies.
The Contributors
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed recipes, interviews, lists, artwork, and swag:
Kate Parnell (Garfield From Memory)
Bric-A-Brac Records
Betty Turbo
More to come, thanks!
Vegan Spinach Dip Cups
Communal chip n’ dip bowls? In this economy? No thank you! Eliminate any and all risk of the double dip with this recipe for Vegan Spinach Dip Cups. I use store-bought puff pastry (often accidentally vegan – just check the label), Kite Hill Cream Cheese and Sour Cream Alternative, Violife Vegan Parmesan, and frozen spinach so the whole thing comes together really quickly. Feel free to add in your family’s favorite spinach dip faves – my husband has requested water chestnuts in the next batch!
Vegan Spinach Dip Cups
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) container Kite Hill Cream Cheese Alternative or your favorite vegan cream cheese
- 1/4 cup Kite Hill Sour Cream Alternative or your favorite vegan sour cream
- 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan grated, plus more to sprinkle
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 5 oz frozen spinach thaw, and squeeze as much water out as you can
- 1 pinch onion powder
- 1 package frozen or refrigerated vegan puff pastry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place cream cheese, sour cream, 1/4 cup grated cheese, spinach, garlic, and onion powder in a bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine.
- Spray a 12-cup muffin tin, or 24-cup mini muffin tin with non-stick spray.
- Use a pizza cutter to slice puff pastry into 12-24 squares depending on muffin tin size you're using.
- Press pastry squares into each muffin cup.
- Evenly distribute cream cheese filling into each cup. They don't need to be full as the pastry will puff up when it bakes.
- Top each filled cup with a bit more grated cheese.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is hot.
- These can be served warm or room temperature, but let them cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pan and serving them.
BOSH! on a Budget: Lemon Drizzle Traycake Recipe
By now if you haven’t seen the ever-viral BOSH! plant-based cooking videos I don’t even know what to tell you. Congratulations on living under a rock? The U.K. duo known for their simple approach to fun vegan cookery is back with BOSH! on a Budget, their new cookbook containing 100 recipes focused on batch cooking and other money-saving methods using affordable ingredients. The book launches on June 7th, but I got my hands on a review copy and there are so many great ideas for quick and easy weeknight meals, I can’t wait to start using it. But of course I skipped to dessert first, so here’s a summery cake recipe!
Vegan Lemon Traycake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 lemons
- 2¼ cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 7 Tbs Oatly oat milk
- ½ cup vegetable or sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup cup water scant
Lemon Curd
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup oat milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp turmeric
Icing
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Make the Sponge
- Zest the 2 lemons and cut them in half. Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, and zest into a bowl and whisk to mix.
- Squeeze the juice of ½ a lemon into a small bowl. Add the oat milk, mix well, and set aside • Pour the oil into the dry mixture. Add the water and the lemon milk. Whisk well, then tip into the dish and spread it out evenly. Transfer to the hot oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked through. Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Make the Lemon Curd
- Tip the cornstarch into the small pan. Add a splash of the oat milk and whisk to combine, then add the rest of the oat milk, whisking to make sure there are no lumps. Squeeze in the juice of one of the lemons, catching the seeds in your other hand. Add the sugar and turmeric. Set the pan over medium heat and whisk until thick, about 5 minutes. Tip into a bowl and set aside to cool.
Make the Icing
- Measure the powdered sugar and water into a bowl. Squeeze in the juice of the last lemon, half a drop or two at a time.
- Mix until smooth and the consistency of heavy cream.
Ice the Cake
- If you're using a pastry bag, spoon the curd into it. Pop the cooled cake back into the oven dish. Pour over the icing and use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it over the cake.
- Working quickly so that the icing doesn't set, rotate the dish 90 degrees. Use a spoon or the pastry bag to draw lines of lemon curd about ¾-1¼ inches apart. Use the long end of a spoon or a skewer to drag the curd left and right to create a marble effect. Allow the icing to set completely (about 1 hour ). Slice and serve.
Excerpted from BOSH! on a Budget, by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby. Reprinted with permission of HarperCollins, 2022. Photo credit: Lizzie Mayson
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase I will earn a laughably small amount of money, which I will spend on vintage clown art.
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