Baked Sweet Potato Latkes

Baked sweet potato latkes

These vegan baked sweet potato latkes look a bit like sea urchins, vibrantly colored with spiky extensions. But, they are gentle to the tongue and delicious. The key to making these vegan was using aquafaba instead of eggs. Aquafaba is simply the leftover juice from chickpeas and is a versatile binder in baking and cooking. The sweet potatoes don’t have as much starch as regular potatoes, so I added a bit of one along with some matzah meal. In comparison to these baked ones, I made a few that I fried in a skillet filled with canola oil. They didn’t hold their form as well and were soggy with oil. I also appreciate that the baked latkes were all ready at once, as opposed to when fried, there are slowly batches of them that are ready to eat (and someone always left in the kitchen cooking more!). Add a dollop of vegan sour cream or applesauce (try my chai tea spiced apple sauce), as a delicious topping to these latkes. Continue reading

Chanukah: Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

I know that cake is not an obvious Chanukah recipe, but I believe that anything with a generous use of olive oil is appropriate for the holiday. This vegan recipe that I found makes a fluffy, delicate cake. I significantly reduced the amount of sugar it called for, so it’s a mild, almost savory cake because of the lemon and olive oil. If you like strong olive oil flavor, I suggest using a strong olive oil in the batter and/or serving it with a drizzle of flavorful olive oil on top (though I know this is not for everyone). If you prefer a more muted olive oil flavor, add more sugar and use a mild flavored olive oil in the batter. Scroll below for more of my previous Chanukah recipes including awame, chai spiced apple sauce, and infused olive oils for dipping.

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