Easter Recipes | Jill's Cooking

Veganism is a type of Vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and other animal derived ingredients. Two of my family members are Vegan. One is actually allergic to dairy products and one through choice.

This has given me the opportunity to find recipe alternatives to suite their diets. Recently, I found that 1/4 cup of Club Soda can be a substitute for 1 egg in a recipe. Or, 1/4 cup fruit puree (such as applesauce, mashed banana or even avocado) per egg can be used.

I must admit I too was skeptical when I first found these dairy-free ingredient suggestions for a Vegan wedding cake and cupcakes. To my surprise, I could not tell and either could anyone else. The cake and cupcakes were moist and delicious. I even used them in my Easter Peep cupcakes (pictured above) since I wanted to make sure everyone in the family could have their cupcake and eat it too!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes (Vegan)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup club soda (this is replacing 2 egg whites)

1/2 cup non-dairy milk such Silk Soymilk as Open Nature Vanilla Almond Milk

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla paste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In another large bowl, add the oil and sugar. Whisk together until combined (it’ll be a grainy texture). Add in the club soda and mix well. Next, add the almond milk and vanilla and combine thoroughly. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the batter and mix.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet batter until there a no lumps and it is smooth.
Divide the batter among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.

Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients:

1/3 cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco

1/8 tsp salt

2 cups powdered sugar

2 to 3 TBSP soy or almond milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract (you can even add some of the vanilla bean seeds)

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and salt with an electric mixer.
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and almond milk. Whip on high until frosting is smooth and creamy.
If the frosting is too stiff, gradually add more milk sparingly 1 tsp at a time.
Once the frosting is the desired consistency, put it in a piping bag with decorative tip to frost the dairy-free cupcakes. Pipe onto the cupcakes in a circular motion. Decorate as you wish using sprinkles or spray coloring before the frosting hardens.

Note: You can also add food coloring into the frosting as desired.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Easter Sunday is right around the corner and if you’re looking for a quick, easy and delicious appetizer this Mini Spinach, Pancetta and Cheese Frittata recipe is it! You can make these ahead and serve them room-temperature or cook them right before your guests arrive. Either way, you will not go wrong.

I used my @PerfectResults Premium Non-Stick Bakeware 48 cavity mini-muffin pan and served these at a baby shower. Then, I garnished the platter with edible flowers and a sprig of rosemary to give a pop of color.

Mini Spinach, Pancetta and Cheese Frittatas

Ingredients:

1 5 to 6 ounces pancetta, such as Primo Taglio, Columbus or Boars Head

1/2 large onion, diced

1 TBSP olive oil

12 medium to large size eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded such as Kraft or Lucerne

2 to 3 cups spinach, fresh or frozen

Leaves from 2 to 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use cooking spray to grease your mini muffin pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use a whisk or mixer to beat eggs until light and frothy about 6 minutes. Add the cheese and stir to combine thoroughly. Set aside.
In a medium size sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add the pancetta and onions. Cook until the onions are translucent and the pancetta is lightly browned about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the spinach (if you use frozen spinach, make sure it is completely thawed and all the water is pressed out. I put the thawed spinach in a colander and squeeze it out using my hands until all of the moisture is gone. Then, add the spinach to the sauté pan and combine thoroughly. If you use fresh spinach, you’ll need to double the quantity since it will shrink down. Cook the fresh spinach in the sauté pan for 3 minutes until it wilts down). Remove the mixture from the heat and let cook for 5 minutes.
Add the cooled spinach mixture to the eggs. Then, add the fresh thyme, ground pepper and red pepper flakes stir until completely combined.
Use a spoon to ladle the mixture into the sprayed muffin tin about 3/4 full. Do not overfill. Top each with the parmesan cheese. I had enough batter for about 40 mini frittatas.
Cook for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges of the muffins are lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and let cool about 5 minutes. Use a sharp knife to glide around the outside of the muffins until you can gently remove them.
Serve immediately or place them on a serving platter and cover if you’re making them ahead. You can also put them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator if you are making them ahead. Serve within 6 to 8 hours.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill