Vegan

These taste fancy but are very easy to make. Perfect for a weekend brunch! I like making them in early summer during plum season. They are delicate and pretty.

Orange and cranberries are a perfect pairing. Transport yourself to a New England bed and breakfast with these sweet and tart little gems.

These muffins are scrumptious and chock-full of beta-carotene, phytonutrients, protein, and fiber, with no refined sugar. What better way to start your day than with a Morning Glory Muffin?

Gingerbread muffins are perfect for a decadent holiday breakfast or a healthy snack all year round. These muffins get extremely hot during baking, so it’s best to let some of the steam escape before eating them. They’re moist, like banana bread or cake, and are best once they’ve cooled and set a bit. (You don’t have to wait, but they do reach peak yumminess after resting for 30 minutes.)

These hearty muffins are tasty and energy packed. I find they’re a particular favorite with the toddler set.

The key to the very best gluten-free baked goods is Authentic Foods superfine brown rice flour; it is the Cadillac, or cashmere, of brown rice flours and is worth its weight in gold. It is not grainy like other rice flours, and bakes the most fantastic cookies, cakes, pie crusts, and so on. If you can’t find it at your local natural foods market or Whole Foods, order it online. Both Ener-G and Bob’s Red Mill brown rice flours will also work in these recipes, but they won’t turn out quite as well. I do not recommend Arrowhead Mills brown rice flour, which I find too gritty. The brands of potato starch and tapioca flour or starch are not important; I find them all interchangeable. (Please see Resources, page 177, for more information.)

Making a frosting without butter and powdered sugar is a bit of a feat; this vegan “buttercream” is worth the extra effort. If the texture is too soft, chill the frosting in the refrigerator for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to firm up.

Here’s a delicious alternative to regular whipped cream made with dairy. I discovered this topping, which some refer to as “vegan whipped cream,” when Sally Parrot Ashbrook left a comment on my website suggesting it. I’ve been hooked ever since! Be sure to use full-fat Thai Kitchen coconut milk for this recipe; the other brands I tested did not work. For an extra kick, top with unsweetened coconut flakes.

Eureka! A frosting with just two ingredients. Spread this rich, sweet, creamy frosting over Chocolate Cupcakes (page 22), Strawberry Cupcakes (page 24), or, for an extra sweet treat, White Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes (page 40).

Pair this super-creamy, yet dairy-free frosting with Lime Cupcakes (page 55), Piña Colada Cupcakes (page 51), or Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (page 23).

These simple, traditional Indian flatbreads are wonderful served with any of the curried soup and stew recipes in these pages.

Moist and slightly crumbly, these scones team especially well with soups made of root vegetables—potatoes, parsnips, and the like.

These are especially good with soups containing beets, cabbage, or strong greens.

If you’d like an accompaniment to summer fruit soups but don’t want to turn on the oven, these slightly sweet scones are just the thing to make.

These delectable little pancakes are appreciated by adults and children alike, and are the perfect accompaniment to Asian-style soups.

Tiny bits of fresh vegetables give these muffins a fascinating flavor and texture. These are particularly good with pureed soups, as well as those that focus on one primary ingredient such as carrots or squash

Tender and just slightly sweet, these are good teamed with spicy or chunky soups and stews.