Vegan Sweet Potato Rolls...Heaven on Earth!

Recently, I was invited to a pot lock mostly vegan dinner party.  I am mostly vegetarian (beside for the occasional guilty pleasure of ice cream and cheese in my salads, yum!), so I decided to make vegetarian chili with a side of sweet potato rolls, which I have made before but never Vegan. I could have easily made it non vegan but I figured this was the perfect opportunity to try making vegan bread. Let me just say that they came out amazing. I served it warm right out of the oven and the aroma alone made my mouth water before I even had one bite. You should be warned that this recipe is a sure crowd pleaser, the bread was gone with not a crumb to spare (I think I will double the recipe next time, so I can leave an extra loaf in the freezer for future use). I replaced the eggs in the recipe with a powdered egg replacer called Ener-G Egg Replacer which is 100% egg-free. I also used 365 Organic 100%  whole wheat flour pastry flour which I found in Whole Foods. I find that this flour is the ideal choice for delicate baked goods such as breads, pies and cakes. It is nutritious, light, very soft, organically grown and produced by a family-owned farm and I highly recommend it. You can serve these rolls with any soup or stew it is very versatile. 

The sweet potato is in season and is a very warming addition to any meal. In a bread or on its own sweet potatoes and other root vegetable such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas and beets can and should be consumed in mass quantities over the winter.

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 5 tablespoons Brown sugar or Agave 
• 2 small roasted sweet potatoes that has cooled (about 1/2 cup mashed)
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tsp dry Egg Replacer plus 4 tbsp water
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1. Dissolve yeast, warm water, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar or agave in a mixing bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining sugar, sweet potato, margarine, salt, and well stirred egg replacer. Stir to mix well. Stir in 3 cups of flour. Turn out on a lightly floured surface. Knead 2 to 3 minutes, adding just enough of remaining flour to prevent sticking. Do not knead too heavily; when smooth, shape into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let raise about 1 hour or longer.
3. Punch down, and allow dough to rest for 2 minutes. Divide into 16 to 20 balls, and place on a greased cookie sheet or in a 9x13 inch pan. Allow to rise until doubled.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 12 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Below are pictures of the  egg replacer and flour I used in this recipe. You can find it in Whole Foods or natural food store: