Have you been missing pancakes ever since you went vegan? Well not anymore! Vegans can also enjoy quick breakfast pancakes made with delicious vegan ingredients. Like all the other vegan recipes, these pancakes are dairy-free, egg-free and cholesterol free. In this article, I’ll share with you my favorite vegan pancakes recipes, and you can make them on the go.

Why Vegan Pancakes?

Pancakes are my favorite breakfast addition because they are so easy to make yet filling. I use delicious and nutritious ingredients like blueberries, oats, nuts, mushrooms, and many more. I also stay healthy by avoiding gluten and dairy products. Therefore, in place of ordinary wheat flour, I use alternative binding ingredients such as gluten-free flour (you can get this from your local vegan groceries), coconut flour, and cassava flour. The latter is super nutritious. Read more about the benefits of cassava flour.

Similarly, I replace dairy milk with vegan alternatives such as oat milk and almond milk. Feel free to experiment with other dairy-free milk alternatives too. Finally, vegan pancakes don’t have to look boring. Be creative with the garnishes. A simple garnish can transform an ordinary pancake into a 5-star serving and consequently, entice your pallet or impress your guests. Let’s have a look at my top three Vegan Pancakes Recipes.

My Favorite Vegan Pancakes Recipes

Vegan Blueberry Pancakes   

This pancake is very easy to make. I replace dairy milk with milk from oats whereas Flegg (a mixture of flax meal and water) substitutes eggs. The pancakes maintain their lightness and fluffiness even when you freeze and reheat them later.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of gluten-free wheat flour
• Three tablespoons of agave syrup
• Three tablespoons of baking powder
• One teaspoon of salt
• Three tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups oat milk (or any other dairy free milk of your choice)
• ½ cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen) plus some extra for topping
• 1 Flegg (a mixture of 1 tablespoon of flax meal with three tablespoons of hot water)
• Pure maple syrup and fresh mint for garnish

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together: baking powder, flour, and salt.

In another medium bowl, mix oat milk, Flegg, agave syrup, and olive oil and whisk well. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients mixture and stir to make a smooth batter.

For the fluffiest and lightest pancakes, try not to over mix this batter.

Add in the blueberries and stir until combined. Heat a nonstick pan over low to medium-high heat. Cook the pancakes for 4-5 minutes on each side.

The thicker the pancakes, the longer the time required to achieve the lovely golden brown crust.

Once done, drizzle some maple syrup; add a few blueberries and fresh mint to garnish. Enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Pancakes with Vegan Chocolate Sauce

These are light, fluffy pancakes with a rich, deep chocolate flavor. The vegan chocolate pancake is gluten-free and filled with the healthy benefits of pure chocolate.

Ingredients

For the Vegan Chocolate Sauce

• 1 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder

For the Vegan Chocolate Pancakes

• ¾ cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
• A pinch of salt
• One teaspoon baking powder
• Three tablespoons chia seeds soaked in 1 cup of water
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups vanilla almond milk
• 1 cup silk coconut milk
• ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
• Two teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup carob chips
• ¼ cup chopped cashews (for garnish)

I know I promised you sugar-free vegan pancakes. But you might be wondering why use coconut palm sugar? This is not your ordinary type of sugar. In fact, it is very popular in Thai cuisines. And as the name suggests, the sugar is derived from coconut sap. They boil the sap to dehydrate it, and the remaining solid substance is processed into sugar.

Instructions

For the vegan chocolate sauce

In a saucepan, mix the vanilla almond milk, coconut oil, and maple syrup over the stove, stirring until it simmers gently. Slowly whisk in the cocoa powder and let it simmer for three more minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

For the vegan chocolate pancake

Mix the coconut flour, salt, coconut sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder in a large bowl.

Separately whisk together the chia seed mixture, vanilla extra, applesauce, and silk coconut milk in a small bowl.

Add the wet mixture to the dry one as you continue whisking it. Stir in the carob chips. Cover the batter with a saran wrap and refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes.

Now heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Scoop ¼ cup of the mixture for each pancake. Cook the vegan pancakes on medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side before flipping them.

Once done, drizzle the chocolate sauce over the vegan pancakes and finish with a sprinkle of the cashews on top. Indulge!

Vegan Scallion Pancake Rolls

With pancake rolls, there are limitless options on the veggies you can use. Depending on your preference or seasonal availability, include the mixed vegetable options that you love. For these particular pancake rolls, we shall use scallions, mushrooms, carrots and bell pepper as fillings and garnish with raspberries and blueberries.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of cassava flour (you can use gluten-free wheat flour instead)
• 2 cups of water (substitute with dairy-free milk if you must)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• A pinch of salt
• Eight Scallions – finely chopped
• One large mushroom – finely chopped
• Two carrots– finely chopped
• One large bell pepper – finely chopped
• Some raspberries and blueberries
• Toothpicks to hold the berries in position

Instructions

Sauté the vegetables, or parboil them, or even steam them to make them tender. Add a little salt to taste. Let them cool.

Meanwhile, mix the flour with the water to form a thin pancake mix consistency (slightly denser than that of a crepe). A very thin mixture won’t hold the vegetables while cooking, while a thick one will be too cloggy.

Scope your pancakes mixture into a hot non-stick pan. Once the mixture sets, flip and quickly layer on a few of the cooked vegetables. Using a spatula, roll the pancake as you do with a Swiss roll. The pancake will be done by the time you finish spreading the vegetables and rolling them in. However, if your mixture was thick, give it a few more minutes to cook.

Garnish your vegan pancakes with either a raspberry or a blueberry, holding the fruit in the middle with a toothpick. Serve with a sauce of your choice.

In Conclusion

Whether you are in a hurry to go to work or just relaxing on a Sunday morning, these super easy vegan pancakes are a sure way to bring back the nostalgic taste of homemade pancakes. Not only are they ideal for breakfast, but also as an accompaniment to other main dishes. The pancakes are delicious and full of flavor. The non-vegans will love them too. Go on and try them today!

Vegan chicken! Yes, you read that right. As a vegan, I feel obliged to contribute to the ethical treatment of animals by providing more alternative suggestions to healthy eating the vegan way. And in this article, I want to share with you three mouth-watering vegan chicken recipes that have substituted meat products for meat imitations. I will use tofu and seitan for my chicken meat imitations.

Why Meat Imitations?

You may be wondering why we have to use imitations. Well, before I decided to become a vegan, I used to enjoy the great taste of grilled lamb chops and marinated chicken every other week. Sunday roast was my favorite. With time, I came to discover that there are so many products on the market today that can give me that same great taste and appearance of food without subjecting any animal to cruelty. Besides, chicken is the leading among animals that are consumed in large numbers worldwide. Therefore, using a chicken substitute can make a huge difference. Don’t you think so? So let’s get started!

The Vegan Chicken Recipes

Spicy Chicken Tofu Stir-Fry

This easy to make dish is high in protein and low in fat.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• Firm tofu diced (I have explained how to press tofu in detail below) – 200gm.
• The vegetables; feel free to use your favorite.
• One onion chopped.
• One large broccoli chopped.
• One large cauliflower chopped.
• Snow peas – 1 cup.
• One large carrot cubed.
• Three cloves of garlic – crushed.
• Freshly grated ginger – one teaspoon.
• Olive oil – Four tablespoons.
• Cornflour – Two teaspoons.
• White vinegar – Four tablespoons.
• Soy sauce (low salt).
• A pinch of black pepper.
• Red chili pepper flakes.
• Sesame seeds – two tablespoons.

How to Press Your Tofu

A firm moisture free tofu will maintain its original shape even after cooking. To remove excess moisture, sandwich your tofu between two dry paper towels. Place a large bowl on top of the tofu and put a weight, like a fruit or dry cereals inside the bowl. Leave it for half an hour. If your tofu is too moist, you may have to change the paper towels in between the process. Remove the tofu and cut it into half-inch cubes. Your tofu is now ready to be stir-fried.

Procedure

In a large wok under high heat, add the olive oil and swirl the wok to get an even coating. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, add the tofu, black pepper, and the cornflour and coat the tofu evenly.

When the oil is hot enough, add the tofu and toss the wok. This recipe will test your culinary skills. But if you can’t hack it, just use a wooden spoon and avoid pricking or mushing the tofu excessively. The trick is in the heat.

Fry for three minutes or until the tofu browns on both sides. Remove the tofu and set aside. In the same wok, stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and black pepper until they release their natural oils and aroma. Add the tofu back and mix for another minute. Remove and set aside.

Add a little more olive oil and pop the sesame seeds. It’s now time for the vegetables. Add the onions, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, and carrots. Stir for a minute. Add the soy sauce and chili flakes for the heat and stir.

When the vegetables are tender, add back the tofu mixture. Cook until heated through.

This dish is best served on a bowl of brown rice.

Homemade Seitan Chicken Curry

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• Precooked seitan diced – 2 cups
• 4 large tomatoes.
• I bulb of red onion.
• Olive oil – 3 teaspoons.
• Freshly squeezed coconut milk – 1 cup.
• Plain soy yogurt (optional) – 1/2 cup.
• The Spices For Marinating:
• Three cloves of garlic – crushed.
• Freshly grated ginger – one teaspoon.
• Turmeric powder – one teaspoon.
• Cumin powder – One teaspoon.
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice – 3 tablespoons.
• Garam masala – one teaspoon.
• Salt to taste.

Procedure

To Marinate: Mix all the marinating spices with lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the seitan pieces and stir. Cover the mixture with a kitchen cloth and leave it for 30 minutes. This step is the most important in this recipe, and it will determine the final flavor of the dish.

To prepare the curry: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Stir fry the garam masala, onions, garlic, and ginger for three minutes or until they become fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the marinated seitan pieces to the simmering curry.

Pour in the soy yogurt and coconut milk and a pinch of salt to taste. You may add more spices at this point if you prefer spicy curries. Leave it to simmer under low heat for ten more minutes. Serve hot with rice or flatbreads.

Deep Fried Vegan Chicken Nuggets

In these chicken nuggets, I use seitan. They have the same great taste and appearance as the real chicken nuggets.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• Seitan – 500 gms cubed.
• Mustard – 1/2 cup.
• One onion diced.
• Three cloves of garlic – crushed.
• Two cups of self-raising gluten-free flour.
• Black pepper – 1 teaspoon.
• 3/4 cup of water.
• Salt to taste.

Procedure

Mix the black pepper, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Add the onions, and garlic, and set aside.

In another bowl, mix the mustard with water. Add a scoop of the flour mixture to this bowl. Mix to form a thin paste.

Now coat the seitan pieces with this batter. And then dust with flour and do a second coating.

Deep fry the seitan chunks in hot oil until they turn golden brown on both sides.

Alternatively, you can bake them. However, to be honest, the deep fried version tastes way better.

Drain the nuggets using kitchen paper towels and serve.

These nuggets go well with French fries and onion rings.

In Conclusion

Being a vegan doesn’t mean we suddenly forget all the earthly pleasures. As much as we strive to eat healthily, indulge in a few vegan cheats here and there. You never know what you bump into. And these vegan chicken recipes will be a great start for you. The recipes are so tasty that even your non-vegan friends will enjoy. And most importantly, they are an ideal solution to chicken cravings. Feel free to alter the ingredients and vegan chicken substitutes to your liking.

Matcha cookies are easy to make and an excellent breakfast addition. But how well do you know your matcha powder? Matcha, originally from the Chinese heritage (Although associated with the Japanese more often), is a green colored powder ground from green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis plant). These leaves typically grow for 3 weeks while shaded before they are harvested and processed. Processing involves steaming and removing the veins and stems before drying and grinding. Compared to the other forms of tea, matcha powder is rich in caffeine and theanine. Since it is rich in antioxidants, it is an excellent antidote for illnesses like cancer and diabetes.

The Benefits of Matcha Powder

Acne Solution

Matcha powder has incredible benefits for your skin. It contains antioxidants that fight bacteria causing acne and therefore excellent for your beauty routine. If you suffer from regular acne outbreaks, make a face mask by adding a tablespoon of matcha powder with lemongrass oil and then apply on the face daily. This mixture will also help to eliminate any existing scars.

An Excellent Health Supplement

In addition to antioxidants, matcha is rich in beneficial micronutrients such as theanine, beta-carotene, vitamins B complex, A, E, and C, and chlorophyll.

Slows Down Several Types of Illnesses

From several scientific tests documented, we can conclude that matcha has a significant effect on illnesses such as diabetes.

Weight Loss

I look at this in two ways. First of all, taking a cup of tea before meals makes you fuller and you, therefore, end up eating less. Secondly, matcha contains a good amount of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which promotes the oxidation of fat in your body.

It Makes You More Alert

This is quite obvious with tea, isn’t it? But while most teas give you an overdose of caffeine, matcha gives your body l-theanine to enhance your cognitive performance.

Vegan Matcha Cookies Recipes

Let me now discuss a few ways you can enjoy a healthy dose of matcha powder in your breakfast using my all-time favorite matcha cookies.

Gluten-Free Matcha Cookies

Ingredients

• Homemade vegan butter – two sticks.
• Agave syrup – half cup.
• Vanilla extract – few drops.
• Gluten-free flour (buckwheat flour or quinoa flour) – two cups.
• Ground cashew nuts – half cup.
• Green matcha powder – one tablespoon.
• Powdered cardamom – 1 teaspoon.
• Herbal sea salt to taste.

Tip: To dust the cookies you will need a ½ tablespoon of green matcha powder mixed with a ½ tablespoon of powdered coconut sugar.

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line the baking tray with a baking sheet to make cleaning easier and to avoid sticking or burning at the bottom. Alternatively, you could spray it with olive oil.

Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Now add the syrup and vanilla extract to the mixture while you mix well.

Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, cashew nuts, cardamom, salt, and matcha) and fold them into the liquid mixture. When the dough starts to thicken, get your hands in there and form a workable dough but don’t over knead.

Wrap the dough with cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or chill overnight. I love baking cookies in the morning. The aroma is alluring.

When you’re ready to bake, shape the dough into balls of your preferred size and place them on the baking sheet. If you have an ice cream scope, use it for even shapes. Bake for 15 minutes until they start to brown at the top.

Remove and cool the cookies in a cooling rack. Once cooled, dust the matcha and coconut sugar mixture and serve.

Mint, Mixed Nuts, and Matcha Cookies

Ingredients

• Ground walnuts – 1 cup.
• Ground almonds – ½ cup.
• Green matcha powder – one tablespoon.
• Quinoa flour (or buckwheat flour if you like) – 1/3 cup.
• Cocoa powder – 1/3 cup.
• Mint extract (crash a few mint leaves using a mortar and pestle) – few drops (it can be overpowering).
• Dates – 1 handful.
• Soy milk – ½ cup.
• Herbal sea salt to taste.

Tip: To garnish the cookies, you can make a mixture of 1 ½ tablespoon of agave syrup, 1 tablespoon of matcha powder, and 2 drops of peppermint extract.

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredient using an electric mixer until consistent dough starts to form. Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes until the dough is firm.

Dust a smooth surface with a little flour and roll out the dough using a rolling pin. Cut the desired shapes with a cookie cutter and bake them on a lined baking tray for 10 minutes or until well done.

Garnish and serve.

Note:

Cookies keep well frozen. Freeze them immediately they cool down in an airtight container and keep enjoying for the next 6 months.

Matcha Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Gluten-free plain white flour – 1 ¼ cups.
• Baking powder – 1 ¼ tablespoon.
• A pinch of salt.
• Matcha powder – 3 tablespoons.
• Coconut sugar – ¾ cup.
• Almond milk – ½ cup.
• Extra virgin Olive oil – ¼ cup.

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl sieve the flour, matcha, baking powder, coconut sugar, and salt and mix them well. Create a well and pour in the wet ingredients (milk and olive oil). Using a wooden spoon, fold in taking care not to over mix.

Pour the mixture in cupcake molds and bake for 15-25 minutes.

A quick test when baking is to insert a toothpick. If it comes out clean, your queen cakes are done.

So What Makes Matcha Powder a More Superior Form of Green Tea?

If you’re familiar with Moringa and other versions of green teas, you might be wondering why matcha?

First and foremost, we ingest matcha in its whole form. With other teas, you have to filter the tea leaves and drink the diluted concoction.

Secondly, matcha does not undergo oxidation to mature its flavor, unlike the other teas. On the contrary, it is cured (via steaming) immediately it is harvested to prevent oxidation. And consequently, matcha has a lovely earthy flavor: Because most of the natural fragrances, nutritional compounds, and colors are preserved.

Finally (maybe I should have started with this one), the cultivation of Camellia sinensis plant (the source of Matcha), is in such a way that the plant has zero exposure to sunlight. Biologically, the lack of sunlight stimulates chlorophyll production. This makes matcha rich in the amino acid theanine, which has numerous health benefits.

In Conclusion

The above recipes should awaken your creativity. However, feel free to experiment with other versions of the ingredients. And in case the dough is too firm, add a tablespoon or two of water, you’ll be fine. And in the kitchen, other than baking matcha cookies use the powder to flavor your drinks. You can buy matcha online or at your local groceries.