Gingerbread scenes

We started a new holiday tradition in 2019: making gingerbread scenes with our friends :-)

Gingerbread recipe: the delicious recipe is from http://www.veganchristmas.co.uk/vegan-gingerbread-house-recipe.html. This recipe makes enough for 3 gingerbread stations, which made all of the gingerbread in the pictures below for 2019 (3 houses plus lots of other elements). RECOMMENDATION: only make 1/3 of the recipe if there are only 2 people eating the gingerbread afterward.

Icing recipe: add a little bit of cold water to lots of powdered sugar (at least 2 boxes) and stir. Add more water until you have the desired consistency (not too runny because this is the glue for the scene)

Tips

• Get lots more powdered sugar than you think you need (at least 2 boxes)
• Make the pieces thicker than the instructions - then they will stay chewy on the inside the next day rather than getting rock hard
• Place them on the baking sheet with sufficient distance - otherwise the large thick pieces will grow and fuse with other parts
• Right when the pieces come out of the oven you could still cut the dough to make adjustments
• Don't need baking paper for cutting or baking though - just put flour on the surface and pan and it won't stick (not too much flour though or it gets all over the gingerbread)
• For assembly, first put icing on the surface you want to stick the gingerbread pieces to, and then put the gingerbread on it. 
• Use gingerbread as the floor and then you don't have to scrape icing off of a non-edible surface when you are done eating it. Also, you can jam the standing pieces into the gingerbread floor to make them stand up, then put icing around the bottom for extra stability.

2020 (online party)

Claudia & Freddy: houses!

Elspeth: reindeer pulling a sleigh

Corina & Dieter: Dog sledding through the Grand Canyon

Dogs from top left to bottom right: Lou, Fred, Mellori, Siro, Canelo, Mimi, Atlas, Maja

2019

Baking the pieces in the oven for 16-20 min until they are brownish

Elspeth: A gingerbread scene with a 3D tree, benches, a fire, a path, a gingerbread person, a heart, and a chocolate Santa

Dustin & Susie: A gingerbread scene with a ladder to the roof, tables, benches, cups, and plates with food on them

Dieter & Corina: A gingerbread scene with an ice skating rink, cats and a crow on the roof, crows in the yard, mountains, a snow person, two trees, a flying duck, and a dog

Fajita seasoning

Modified from https://www.spendwithpennies.com/fajita-seasoning/

1T Chili powder
2t Cumin
2t Paprika
1t Sugar
0.5t Black pepper
0.5t Salt
0.25t Cayenne pepper

Great for adding to soy hack and putting in tacos, burritos, and on pizza

***If you add it to soy hack, add a stock cube to it before pouring water over the hack and adding the rest of the spices

Mulled apple juice and mulled wine

by Dieter

Mulled apple juice
1l apple juice
squeeze some lemon juice
1T cinnamon
1t cloves
sugar to taste

Combine all in a pan and warm it on the stove


Mulled wine
2l sweet red wine
1l orange juice
3 cinnamon sticks
handful of cloves

Combine all in a pan and warm it on the stove

Pumpkin pie

Modified by Corina from Louise Hagler's recipe

3/4 lb. firm tofu - or - 250 ml Oatley cream

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin puree - or - 2 cups fresh-cooked pumpkin  
0.75-1C sugar  
2T oil  
2T maple syrup 

3-4T cornstarch OR 2T tapioca flour (makes it thick)
1 1/2 t cinnamon  
1t salt  
1t ginger powder  
1/2 t nutmeg   

1t vanilla

Optional: 1/2t allspice

Mix in blender, pour into unbaked 9" pie crust, bake 1hr @ 175C/350F.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or vegan hazelnut-chocolate spread (Deutschland: Rewe Bio nuss-nougat creme)

Crust: a margarine-based recipe modified by Corina from https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-pie-crust/ 

2C / 220g flour

0.25t salt

Blend in blender

Add

0.5C / 120g vegan margarine

2T maple syrup 

3-4T ice water

Crust: an oil-based recipe by Brynna Clark Grogan (website is no longer available) modified by Corina

1/2C white flour

1/2C wholewheat pastry flour

3T oil

3T soymilk with 1/2t lemon juice added

1/2t salt

1/2t baking powder

1/2t sugar

• Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar
• Whisk soymilk with lemon and oil in a cup, pour into the flour mixture, mix gently with a fork until it holds together in a ball.  (If it's too dry, sprinkle with a TINY bit of water.) If you have time, place the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for an hour before rolling out
• Roll out and press into pan

Scharfer Erdnuss-Eintopf

Modifiziert nach: https://www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/628611163332620/Afrikanischer-Erdnusseintopf.html


1 kleiner Spitz- oder Weisskohl / 1 small white cabbage
2 Kartoffeln / 2 potatoes
2 Möhren / 2 carrots
1 kleine Dose Mais / 1 small can of corn
1 Paprika / 1 bell pepper
Frittierter Tofu / fried puffy tofu

Öl / oil
Senf / mustard
Kreuzkümmel / cumin
Chili-Pulver / chili powder
Paprika-Pulver / paprika powder
Salz / salt
Zucker / sugar
200ml Gemüsebrühe / 200 ml stock
1 Dose gehackte Tomaten / 1 can diced tomatoes
4 EL Erdnussbutter / 4 tb peanut butter
1/2 Limette / half of a lime

Alle Gemüse und den Tofu in kleine Stücke schneiden. Öl in einem grossen Wok erhitzen, die Kartoffeln und den Kohl hinzugeben und für ein paar Minuten anbraten. Senf und Kreuzkümmel überstreuen, und mit Umrühren kurz weiterbraten. Die Gemüsebrühe und Tomaten hinzufügen, und mit dem Chili-Pulver, dem Paprika-Pulver, etwas Salz und Zucker würzen. Für 5 Minuten köcheln lassen und dann die Erdnussbutter unterrühren und den Saft der halben Limette einträufeln. Anschliessend die restlichen Gemüse und den Tofu untermischen.

Cut all the veggies and the tofu into small pieces. Heat up oil in a large wok, add the cabbage and potatoes and fry for a few minutes. Stir in the mustard and cumin and continue to briefly fry. Pour in the stock and the tomatoes, and spice with the chili powder, the paprika powder, some salt and sugar. Let simmer at low heat for 5 minutes before stirring in the peanut butter and the juice of half the lime. Add the remaining veggies and the tofu and mix well.

Drumstick-Cake

By Dieter (inspired by a cupcake at Let them eat cake in Davis, California)

Teig / Dough

100g Mehl / flour
100g Zucker / sugar
Prise Salt / pinch of salt
1t Backpulver / baking powder
100ml Wasser / water
100ml Öl / oil
1t Agavesirup / agave syrup
2t Vanille / vanilla extract

Alle Zutaten in einer Backschüssel vermischen und bei 180C für 30 Minuten backen. Den Kuchen nach dem Backen abkühlen lassen. Anschliessend halbieren und mit dem folgenden füllen:

Mix all ingredients in a baking tray and bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Let the cake cool down after baking. Cut it in half and fill with the following

Füllung 1: Buttercreme / filling 1: buttercream

50g Sonnenblumenmargarine / sunflower margarine
50ml Oatly Hafer-Creme / oatly cream
75g Puderzucker / powdered sugar
25g Stärke / corn starch

Mit dem Mixer zu einer Buttercreme vermischen / Mix and beat to create a butter cream

Füllung 2: Nuss-Schoko-Creme / filling 2: vegan nutella

2T Haselnuss-Schokoladen-Creme / hazelnut-chocolate spread
50ml Oatly Hafer-Creme / oatly cream
25g Puderzucker / powdered sugar

Mit einer Gabel zu einer Nusscreme vermischen / Mix and combine to create a nutcreme
Für andere Geschmacksrichtung die Haselnuss-Schoko-Creme mit Erdnussbutter / Mandelmuss / etc. ersetzen. / For different flavours replace the hazelnut-chocolate-cream with peanut butter / almond butter etc.


Die beiden Füllungen zwischen die zwei Kuchenhälften streichen / Place the two fillings between the two halfs of the cake

Glasur / Topping

40g Schokolade / chocolate

Die Schokolade schmelzen und auf den Kuchen streichen / Let the chocolate melt and spread it across the cake.

Haselnuss-Schokoladen-Creme / Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

Based on https://www.yumsome.com/how-to-make-vegan-nutella/

400g hazelnuts / Haselnüsse

100g vegan chocolate / Schokolade (Favorit ist Frankonia Helle Vegan)

100ml chocolate oat-milk / Schokoladen-Hafermilch

3tbsp maple syrup / Ahornsirup

1tbsp vanilla / Vanille

Pinch salt / Salz

Die Haselnüsse im Ofen rösten, schälen, und dann im Blender zu Muss verarbeiten (dauert ein paar Minuten bis sich die Krümel plötzlich in ein Muss verwandeln). Die Schokolade schmelzen, und mit den übrigen Zutaten mit dem Muss weiter verblenden.

Roast the hazelnuts in the oven, peel them, and blend them until they become a creme (it takes a few minutes for the crumbles to suddenly turn into a creme). Melt the chocolate, add it and the remaining ingredients to the creme, and blend a bit more.

Macht 600g, Pro 100g: 537kcal, Fett 46g, Zucker 10g, Eiweiss 10g

(Vergleich: So vegan so fein, Pro 100g: 569kcal, Fett 38g, Zucker 47g, Eiweiss 5g)

Pickled Ginger

By Dieter


1 cup of fresh ginger
1 cup of rice vinegar
1/3 cup of sugar

Peel the ginger and slice it into small pieces (either using a knife or a grater). Put the vinegar and sugar into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the ginger slices, stir, and turn of the heat. Leave the pot on the hot stove, stirring occasionally. Once cooled down, the ginger is ready to be eaten and can be stored in a tight container in the fridge.


1 Tasse frischer Ingwer
1 Tasse Reisessig
1/3 Tasse Zucker

Schäl den Ingwer und schneide diesen in kleine Scheiben (entweder mit einem Messer oder einer Reibe). Giess den Reisessig in einen Topf, füge den Zucker hinzu, und bring dieses zum Kochen. Füge den Ingwer hinzu und verrühr diesen. Stell die Herdplatte aus aber lass den Topf auf dieser. Rühr manchmal bis alles etwas abgekühlt ist. Der Ingwer ist jetzt fertig zum Essen und kann in einem dichten Behälter im Kühlschrank verwahrt werden.

Blackberry pie / Brombeere pie

Von Corina

Teig / Crust
Haferflocken / Oats
Margarine
Agave oder Ahorn sirup / maple syrup

Mischung die margarine in die haferflocken mit ein Gabel und drück die teig gegen die pfanne. Nieselregen agave über. Einfügen füllung.

Mix the margarine into the oats with a fork and press into a crust in the pan. Insert filling.

ODER

In the US: pre-made graham cracker crust


Füllung
4C Brombeere / blackberries
1/4C Mehl / flour
1/4C Agave oder Ahorn sirup / maple syrup
1/4C Zucker / sugar

Mischung alles mit eine Löffel in eine Schüssel also viele Brombeere sind immer noch komplett/ganz. Einfügen in die Teig. Bei 200C backen.

Mix all with a spoon in a bowl so many of the blackberries stay intact. Pour into the crust. Bake at 200C.

Quesadillas & Tacos

Quesadillas by Dieter

Per Quesadilla:

1 tablespoon red kidney beans (ideally the type that is in a spicy sauce)
1/2 tablespoon vegan cream cheese
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
salt
chili flakes

• Mix these ingredients using a fork, smashing the beans, to create a smooth texture.
• Fill into a tortilla together with olives and vegan cheese. Place in sandwich maker to grill.

Für jeden Quesadilla:

1 Esslöffel rote Kidney Bohnen (idealerweise Chili Bohnen in Sosse)
1/2 Esslöfel veganer Schierkäse
1 Teelöfel Hefeflocken
Salz
Chili Flocken

• Vermische die Zutaten mit einer Gabel, dabei die Bohnen zerdrücken um eine gleichmässige Masse zu erstellen.
• Diese Masse wird in einen Torvilla-Fladen gefüllt, mit ein paar Oliven und veganem Käse, und dann in einem Sandwich-Maker gegrillt.

Try sweet potato quesadillas https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-burgers-wraps/black-bean-and-sweet-potato-quesadillas/

Tacos by Corina

Corn tortillas

Chili beans

Cheese

Jalapeños

Broad beans

• Place small corn tortillas in a baking pan and top with everything in the list above and bake for 25 min (or until the tortilla is almost crispy and the cheese is melted).
• Top with slaw and serve

Try sweet potato tacos https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-burgers-wraps/spiced-sweet-potato-tacos/

Brownies (four types)

von Dieter

We (and apparently others) love these brownies so much that we keep adapting the recipe so we can eat them as much as possible. Below are three variants - the original indulgent type, a healthier type with less sugar and a lot more protein (values at the bottom), and a mixture between these two. We played with these recipes in Europe, so the measurements are all in grams/millilitres - we now adapted this to cups for the first recipe but haven't tried it that often, so you if you are measuring ingredients by cups you might need to adjust the amounts slightly. The batter should be like a cream before baking, so more on the soft side. 

Wir (und anscheinend auch andere Personen) mögen diese Brownies so sehr, dass wir das Rezept mehrmals angepasst haben, um diese Brownies so oft wie möglich essen zu können. Hier sind drei Varianten - eine reiche Variante, eine gesündere Variante mit weniger Zucker und viel mehr Eiweiss, und eine mittlere Variante. 

Indulgent (more sugar)

100g Zucker / sugar  (1/2 cup)

100g Mehl / flour  (3/4 cup)

100ml Öl / oil   (1/2 cup)

100ml Wasser / water   (1/3 cup)

25g Cacao pulver / cocoa powder  (1/6 cup)

1 Teelöfel Salz / salt (1t)

1 Teelöfel Vanille (1t)

1 Esslöfel Backpulver / baking powder (1T)

1 Esslöffel Agave oder maple sirup (optional) (1T)

GLUTEN FREE

Use gluten free flour rather than flour with gluten in it (Rewe's gluten frei mischung). It tastes better (is less crumbly and more crispy) when it is not mixed with soy flour.

High protein (4.5g per piece!)

75gr Gluten / seitan mix

75gr Sojamehl / soya flour

75gr Zucker / sugar 

30gr Kakaopulver / cocoa powder

Backpulver  / baking powder

Salz / salt

Zimt / cinnamon

Vanille 

175ml Wasser / water

125ml Öl / oil

25ml Agavesirup / agave sirup

Kate's (mix of the above 2 recipes)

50gr Gluten / seitan mix (1/3 cup)

50gr Sojamehl / soya flour (1/3 cup)

50gr Weizenmehl / flour (1/3 cup)

150gr Zucker / sugar (3/4 cup)
50gr Kakaopulver / cocoa powder (1/4 cup)

1 Teelöffel (1tsp) Backpulver  / baking powder 

Salz / salt

Vanille 

150ml Wasser / water (3/4 cup)

150ml Öl / oil (3/4 cup)

Agavesirup / agave sirup

Sweet potato (less fat)

1 big boiled sweet potato / grosse gekochte Süsskartoffel

50g sugar / Zucker

50g vital wheat gluten / Gluten

50g soy flour / Sojamehl

40g cacao powder / Kakaopulver

1/2 t baking powder / Backpulver

1/2 t salt / Salz

1/4 t chili powder / Chilipulver

2 T vanilla extract / Vanilleextrakt

3 T sunflower oil / Sonnenblumenöl

6 T water / Wasser 

6 T agave syrup / Agavesirup

Instructions for all types

• Mix the dry ingredients directly in the baking pan
• Add the wet ingredients and mix with a mixer
• Bake at 370F for 30 minutes, the brownies are ready when a knife comes out clean and the top has started to caramelise

Anleitung

• Die festen Zutaten in einen Backschussel geben, leicht vermischen / Mix the dry ingredients in the baking pan.
• Die flüssige Zutaten hinzufügen und mit dem Mixer vermischen
• Backen bei 180C für 30min, sie sind fertig wenn ein Messer sauber herauskommt und die Oberfläche leicht karamellisiert ist

Nutrition comparison

Indulgent

• Total 425g – 1679kcal, 10g protein/Eiweiss- 15 pieces of 28.75g
• Per piece: 112kcal, 0.7g protein/Eiweiss, 6.7g fat/Fett, 6.7g sugar/Zucker

High protein

• Total 575g – 2100kcal, 90g Eiweiss - 20 pieces of 28.75g
• Per piece: 105kcal, 4.5g protein/Eiweiss, 6.25g fat/Fett, 4.8g sugar/Zucker

Sweet potato

• Total 425g – 1540kcal, 74g Eiweiss - 15 pieces of 28.75g
• Per piece: 103kcal, 5g protein/Eiweiss, 5.4g fat/Fett, 4.5g sugar/Zucker

Bananenbrot / Banana bread

von Dieter

75ml Kirschsaft / cherry juice
75ml Bananensaft / banana juice
2 Bananen
2 S / T Kokosnuss öl / coconut oil

• Zerdrucken und mischen mit ein Gabel / mash and mix with a fork

50g Zucker / sugar

50g Soja mehl / soy flour

50g Vital wheat gluten

50g Mehl 405 / regular flour

Salz

Vanille

Backpulver / baking powder

• Hinzufügen zu oben und mischen mit einem Mixer / add to the above and mix with a mixer
• Backen bei 180C für 25 min / bake at 356F for 25 min