Sunday Biscuits

This recipe was adapted from a basic one in the book The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. This book played a big role in my transition to veganism. I highly recommend it. Over several attempts, I perfected this biscuit to be light, fluffy and delicious. It's my favorite thing to make for a lazy Sunday breakfast but then you have leftovers for a quick weekday breakfast as well. Serve warmed with a bit of earth balance butter and a drizzle of agave.

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (pastry flour is key in making it light and delicate)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup earth balance margarine, softened
1/4 cup safflower or sunflower oil
1/2 cup soy or rice milk

Mix oil and butter in small bowl, set aside. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl with whisk to get it nice and airy. Add oil mixture and combine with fork and then gently with fingers until a crumbly consistency is achieved. Then little by little add the soy/rice milk until dough comes together. Kneed in bowl to create a ball (15-20 times max, you don't want to make it too stiff) Cover in bowl with clean towel and set in warm place for 5 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax before you roll and cut out your biscuits. One reason these are so light. Turn out onto clean, floured surface and pat down until 1/2 thick or so. Use the rim of a glass or cookie cutter that is about 1 1/2" across to cut out your biscuits, gathering up the dough and repeating until you've used almost all the dough. You should get about 12 biscuits. Place on a cookie sheet about 1/2 to 1" apart and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and store in a Tupperware or plastic bag.

Variation: "Cream Cheese" Biscuits
This version is just as easy but has a slightly sweeter and more decedent flavor. Substitute oil for 1/4 cup Tofutti 'cream cheese' and cream together with earth balance with a fork before adding it to dry ingredients. Proceed as directed above.