Persimmon Loaf

I received a couple bags of persimmons from my boss and also from my sweet neighbor. My neighbor's kids picked them at a friend's farm- so cute!

So I had to let them get uber-ripe and I started to get impatient! But the first batch finally ripened up and I made this beautiful persimmon bread. I got the recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen and it was so easy, moist, delicious, and a crowd pleaser. I got several, "You can't even tell it's vegan" comments. I was like,  "yeah, because vegan food is awesome!" ;)

I slathered each piece with Earth Balance, but it was good plain too.

The next batch of persimmons is ready and I'm going to make persimmon soup! Should be interesting!

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes Rock!

Chipotle Mashed Sweet potatoes are a staple of my Thanksgiving feast! I have been making them since 2002, the year I got married and the first year I cooked my very own Thanksgiving dinner all on my own. (for 45 people, no less!!) I have since veganized and adapted the recipe. It was originally from the magazine Cooking Light. This recipe serves about eight people. There really are no hard and fast measurement rules here… you can use more or less of pretty much everything depending on how creamy, sweet, spicy, etc. you like your food.


Here is my version of this savory/sweet/spicy dish:

• 1 40 oz can cut sweet potatoes in light syrup, drained and rinsed (Bruce’s makes organic canned potatoes)
• 1/2 cup (or less) plain non-dairy creamer (like Silk Original)
• 3 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Spread
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 (7 ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1/2 cup (or less) packed brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place potatoes in a large saucepan over medium heat. While they heat up, mash them a little with a wooden spoon.

Add creamer, EB and lime juice and mash to desired consistency (at this point I use a hand mixer. An immersion blender would probably work awesome here, unfortunately, I don’t have one.) Cook until heated thru, stirring nearly constantly.

Remove 2 chiles from can and chop (I try to get most of the seeds out at this point, too); reserve remaining chiles and adobo sauce for another use. Stir chopped chiles, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon into potato mixture.

PS- I had the leftovers heated up with a chopped Field Roast Apple ‘Sausage’ for breakfast and it was truly divine!

PPS- I made these last Friday for a pre-Thanksgiving potluck and they were a huge hit- even though there were no other vegans/vegetarians in attendance. I forgot to take a picture! I’m making them again for actual Thanksgiving, but wanted to get the recipe posted before then… sorry!

PPPS- Please feel free to use fresh sweet potatoes. I have done it both ways and honestly cannot taste the difference. The canned potatoes are just so easy and quick to work with! If you choose to use fresh ones, just peel, chop and boil till tender, then drain and proceed from there.