It's a Gluten-Free Vegan Birthday!

If you follow Bankrupt Vegan on Twitter, then you might know my husband, Jason, who "tweets" for me on there. I put him in charge of that because, frankly, I have no idea what Twitter is for. But, he seems to have the scoop on it, so I just let him handle that aspect of Bankrupt Vegan. 

Anyway, last Friday night I threw an all-vegan, all gluten-free party in honor of Jason's 38th birthday. I am happy to report that all of the food was a big hit! Most of the guests were not vegan, but they liked everything so much they were asking for recipes ("winning!"), so I wanted to go ahead and post those on here for them, and for you!

This was the spread I offered:

• Three-Bean Taco Chili
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
• Sabra Hummus with Julienne Veggies
• Tortilla Chips
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Roasted Cashews
• Tamari Roasted Almonds
• Big ol' Jar of Pickles
• Li'l Jar of Olives
• Plate O' Green Grapes
• Duane's Fabulous Homemade Mojitos

And here are the recipes!

THREE-BEAN TACO CHILI
1 cup dry pinto beans
1 cup dry kidney beans
1 cup dry black turtle beans
8 cups water
1 piece of kombu (optional - keeps the gas at bay!) 
1 large yellow onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 16-ounce jar diced tomatoes, drained
1 package taco seasoning
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed and leaves chopped
2 tablespoons paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons liquid smoke (Colgin brand is gluten-free)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional) 

• Soak the beans in water overnight with your kombu. Discard water and kombu, and rinse the beans in a collander.
• Place beans and 8 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for an hour.
• Add onion and garlic. Stir and re-cover. Allow to simmer for 2 to 3 more hours, until beans are tender. 
• Add remaining ingredients and cook for another 1/2 hour to an hour, until all the flavors are bold and bright. 
• Serve it up and enjoy!

QUINOA TABBOULEH SALAD
*Got that recipe right HERE!

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE
(from "Chocolate Cupcakes" recipe in New Dawn Kitchen)
This recipe makes the best gluten-free chocolate cake you have ever eaten in your life, but it makes terrible cupcakes. I've made this cake twice for large crowds, and it was a big hit both times. I made the cupcakes once, and they sucked. Even the kids wouldn't eat them. They were crunchy around the edges, they stuck to the paper, and they were sunken down in the middle by about a half an inch. How can a cupcake recipe make such delicious cakes, and such god-awful cupcakes? I have no idea. But, trust me, this cake is absolutely fantastic!

2 cups garbanzo flour 
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan or Guar gum
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup applesauce, preferably unsweetened
3/4 cup (6 oz) soy yogurt, any flavor
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 cup hot water 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly grease and flour either two 9" round cake pans, or one 9x13" sheet cake pan. Or use baker's spray.
• Whisk together all dry ingredients.
• Add oil, sugar, applesauce, yogurt, and vanilla. Mix well.
• Pour boiling water over mixture and mix rapidly for 30 seconds. 
• Add milk and stir until smooth. 
• Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 30 minutes. Then rotate pans and bake another 20-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool completely before frosting.

VEGAN FLUFFY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
(from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)
Almost everything I have ever made from this cookbook has been beyond fabulous. I have recommended this cookbook to, literally, a hundred people or more. I absolutely adore this cute little book. But I'ma be honest wit you. The "Gluten Freedom Cupcakes" are... blech. They taste okay, but they are really dry and crumbly. God help you if you let a kid eat one on your nice rug. With the way it crumbles, a dozen little pieces will hit the floor and get smashed into the fibers by tiny feet. I am speaking from experience here. That little warning aside, everything else in this cookbook is amazing, and this frosting is straight from God's own Heaven. It is classic bakery-style buttercream, and it is so good you might feel a ray of holy sunlight shining down on your while you eat it. Seriously, if wars were fought with this buttercream instead of bullets, they would end in less than two minutes. The next time you have PMS, make this frosting. It will cure you.

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegan shortening 
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 plain soy milk or soy creamer

• Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. 
• Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.
• Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.

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