I've been camping out near UCSD's campus in beautiful La Jolla with my brother and his roommate, two graduate experimental music students. So imagine my surprise when I discovered that they were living on a diet of lentils, peanut butter, coffee and whiskey (ie: no surprise). After making an awesome pumpkin pie (see previous post) and chocolate chip zucchini bread, I had a leftover can of pumpkin, some flour and half a bag of chocolate chips at my disposal. These are what resulted.
Sugar and Spice (and everything nice) Pumpkin Muffins
(Musical accompaniment: Melt Banana, "Blank Page of the Blind"... er, I mean, Fleet Foxes "Helplessness blues" blasting on my headphones to drown out the screechy screechy.)
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup veggie oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 can pumpkin puree
1/2 bag vegan chocolate chips
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2/3 cups almond milk
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
pinch chili powder
splash vanilla extract.
Preheat oven to 350F
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add in pumpkin puree, oil, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and spices
Stir until well blended. If the mixture appears dry, add a splash more oil.
Add in chocolate chips and mix gently.
Fill muffin cups halfway (these babies will rise!)
Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Vegan Patriot Pumpkin PIe
This thanksgiving I'm thankful for the U.S. Constitution, particularly the 1st amendment and all those wonderful rowdy citizens who risked and still risk their lives in pursuit of a better America. Y'all make me so damn proud.
In honor of these patriots, and in honor of autumn, I finally got brave and decided to whip up a vegan pumpkin pie. We didn't grab vegan whipped cream, so I fashioned some out of combining coconut milk, powdered sugar, veggie shortening and vanilla extract. I also threw in a bunch of spices and made an all-over icing spread, but it came out a little runny, so I'm going to perfect that recipe before I post it on here.
Vegan Patriot Pumpkin Pie
(musical accompaniment: Graham Parsons, "Wild Horses")
1 9 inch unbaked pie crust (I bought mine)
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
1 cup coconut milk (you want the full fat stuff, preferably from a can)
8 tablespoons wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup veggie oil
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons ginger
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1/2 tea spoon salt
Preheat oven to 400 F
Combine all ingredients, mixing thoroughly (you can use an electric mixer)
Pour into pie crust
Bake for about 60 minutes
Remove pie from heat, allow to cool for about 1/2 an hour (pie will be slightly jiggly until it cools completely).
In honor of these patriots, and in honor of autumn, I finally got brave and decided to whip up a vegan pumpkin pie. We didn't grab vegan whipped cream, so I fashioned some out of combining coconut milk, powdered sugar, veggie shortening and vanilla extract. I also threw in a bunch of spices and made an all-over icing spread, but it came out a little runny, so I'm going to perfect that recipe before I post it on here.
Vegan Patriot Pumpkin Pie
(musical accompaniment: Graham Parsons, "Wild Horses")
1 9 inch unbaked pie crust (I bought mine)
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
1 cup coconut milk (you want the full fat stuff, preferably from a can)
8 tablespoons wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup veggie oil
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons ginger
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1/2 tea spoon salt
Preheat oven to 400 F
Combine all ingredients, mixing thoroughly (you can use an electric mixer)
Pour into pie crust
Bake for about 60 minutes
Remove pie from heat, allow to cool for about 1/2 an hour (pie will be slightly jiggly until it cools completely).
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Garbanzo and Yam Sweet Tagine
with Arugula and Carrots! :)
I first fell in love with tagine cooking when I was in (of course) Morocco. I was engaging in my travel-diet policy at the time-- also known as "whatever you feed me, I will eat, no questions asked." Needless to say, I did not eat very much vegetarian food there. Upon returning home to my normal veggie habits, I began to crave the stewy spicy tenderness of tagine cooked meals, particularly during the change of seasons from summer to autumn. While most of my tagine cooking adventures involve things like harissa (middle eastern style chili paste), tonight I decided to go the sweet route, and it turned out pleasantly fantastic. There is a hint of cayenne and crushed black pepper to give it a zing, but the spice is light enough to leave room for the sweetness of the carrots and yams to shine through.
I served this over buttery couscous (recipe also below)
Garbanzo and Yam Sweet Tagine
Musical Accompaniment: Souad Massi, "Honeysuckle"
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pat of earth balance
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium sized yam, peeled and cubed
2-3 large carrots, peeled and cubed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 can of garbanzos
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger (or fresh ginger! 1 inch piece of ginger, grated-- this depends on how much zing you want in your tagine!)
1 tablespoon agave nectar
a handful of arugula, coarsely chopped
a pinch of turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper (optional) and sea salt to taste.
Heat the oil in a tagine or heavy skillet over medium heat
Stir in ginger and cinnamon
Add earth balance and other spices (except salt and pepper, those come later) to taste
Once the spices become integrated and fragrant, add the yams and carrots, stirring to coat them in the liquid.
Allow yams and carrots to cook for 5 minutes, until yams become a golden brown color, and carrots begin to soften.
Pour in the agave nectar
Carefully pour in the vegetable stock and garbanzo beans.
Bring liquid to a boil, stirring carefully.
Reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 25-45 minutes.
Once the vegetables are tender and the sauce is almost syrupy in consistency, lower the heat significantly. Add the chopped arugula, salt and pepper. Allow the arugula to steam slightly by recovering the tagine for 5 minutes.
Serve over buttery couscous
Buttery couscous recipe
I had always cooked couscous like pasta, until a Moroccan roommate corrected me. He was right! This way is so much better!
1 cup couscous
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Earth Balance (in pieces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350F
Pour couscous in oven safe dish
Mix salt into warm water, then pour over the couscous
Allow couscous to absorb the water for 10 minutes.
Drizzle the olive oil over couscous, and stir to coat
Top with earth balance
Cook for 10 minutes, until couscous is just lightly toasted.
(tagine)
I first fell in love with tagine cooking when I was in (of course) Morocco. I was engaging in my travel-diet policy at the time-- also known as "whatever you feed me, I will eat, no questions asked." Needless to say, I did not eat very much vegetarian food there. Upon returning home to my normal veggie habits, I began to crave the stewy spicy tenderness of tagine cooked meals, particularly during the change of seasons from summer to autumn. While most of my tagine cooking adventures involve things like harissa (middle eastern style chili paste), tonight I decided to go the sweet route, and it turned out pleasantly fantastic. There is a hint of cayenne and crushed black pepper to give it a zing, but the spice is light enough to leave room for the sweetness of the carrots and yams to shine through.
I served this over buttery couscous (recipe also below)
(dinner!)
Garbanzo and Yam Sweet Tagine
Musical Accompaniment: Souad Massi, "Honeysuckle"
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pat of earth balance
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium sized yam, peeled and cubed
2-3 large carrots, peeled and cubed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 can of garbanzos
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger (or fresh ginger! 1 inch piece of ginger, grated-- this depends on how much zing you want in your tagine!)
1 tablespoon agave nectar
a handful of arugula, coarsely chopped
a pinch of turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper (optional) and sea salt to taste.
Heat the oil in a tagine or heavy skillet over medium heat
Stir in ginger and cinnamon
Add earth balance and other spices (except salt and pepper, those come later) to taste
Once the spices become integrated and fragrant, add the yams and carrots, stirring to coat them in the liquid.
Allow yams and carrots to cook for 5 minutes, until yams become a golden brown color, and carrots begin to soften.
Pour in the agave nectar
Carefully pour in the vegetable stock and garbanzo beans.
Bring liquid to a boil, stirring carefully.
Reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 25-45 minutes.
Once the vegetables are tender and the sauce is almost syrupy in consistency, lower the heat significantly. Add the chopped arugula, salt and pepper. Allow the arugula to steam slightly by recovering the tagine for 5 minutes.
Serve over buttery couscous
Buttery couscous recipe
I had always cooked couscous like pasta, until a Moroccan roommate corrected me. He was right! This way is so much better!
1 cup couscous
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Earth Balance (in pieces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350F
Pour couscous in oven safe dish
Mix salt into warm water, then pour over the couscous
Allow couscous to absorb the water for 10 minutes.
Drizzle the olive oil over couscous, and stir to coat
Top with earth balance
Cook for 10 minutes, until couscous is just lightly toasted.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Raspberry Lemon Muffins
These babies are gluten free, vegan and super tasty. Use fresh berries!
(Musical Accompaniment: Bob Dylan, Freewheelin')
2 1/4 cups Bobs Redmill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup veggie oil (melted earthbalace does the trick too)
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 lemon, zested
1 cup raspberries
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Oil a muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in the oil, agave nectar, almond milk, vanilla, and lemon extracts and lemon zest, and stir until there are no clumps remaining. Gently fold in raspberries.
Pour the batter in each prepared cup, almost filling it (but not quite! these muffins will rise!) Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are a light golden brown.
(Musical Accompaniment: Bob Dylan, Freewheelin')
2 1/4 cups Bobs Redmill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup veggie oil (melted earthbalace does the trick too)
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 lemon, zested
1 cup raspberries
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Oil a muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in the oil, agave nectar, almond milk, vanilla, and lemon extracts and lemon zest, and stir until there are no clumps remaining. Gently fold in raspberries.
Pour the batter in each prepared cup, almost filling it (but not quite! these muffins will rise!) Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are a light golden brown.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Baked Kale and mushrooms in Balsamic Glaze
My kale obsession continues.
This recipe was inspired by a lovely group of "dharma potluckers" I hung out with a few nights ago. I made them baked kale spiced with whatever I could find in my friends kitchen.They gobbled it up so quickly, that I couldn't help but wonder what other awesome variations on this standard recipe I could come up with.
Baked Kale and Mushrooms in Balsamic Glaze
Musical Accompaniment: Trampled By Turtles, Duluth (love them).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Mix together 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar, a splash of olive oil, garlic salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
Wash, dry and coarsely chop kale (I just pull it directly off the stem in little handfulls)
Toss in olive oil until evenly coated
Put in oven for 5 minutes
As the kale is baking, chop some baby bella mushrooms
Sautee them in a pan on medium heat with olive oil, garlic salt, balsamic vinegar and sugar for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked.
Combine kale and mushrooms by carefully picking the mushrooms out of the balsamic vinegar glaze and placing them on the baking dish. Try to avoid putting any liquid from the mushrooms onto the kale (it will take longer to get crispy). Keep the glaze for later
Put kale and mushrooms back in oven for another 8 minutes, or until the kale is bright green and crispy around the edges.
Drizzle the remaining amount of balsamic vinegar over the kale and mushrooms and serve.
This makes a light and crispy side dish, or serve over pasta for a yummy summer pasta entree.
This recipe was inspired by a lovely group of "dharma potluckers" I hung out with a few nights ago. I made them baked kale spiced with whatever I could find in my friends kitchen.They gobbled it up so quickly, that I couldn't help but wonder what other awesome variations on this standard recipe I could come up with.
Baked Kale and Mushrooms in Balsamic Glaze
Musical Accompaniment: Trampled By Turtles, Duluth (love them).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Mix together 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar, a splash of olive oil, garlic salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
Wash, dry and coarsely chop kale (I just pull it directly off the stem in little handfulls)
Toss in olive oil until evenly coated
Put in oven for 5 minutes
As the kale is baking, chop some baby bella mushrooms
Sautee them in a pan on medium heat with olive oil, garlic salt, balsamic vinegar and sugar for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked.
Combine kale and mushrooms by carefully picking the mushrooms out of the balsamic vinegar glaze and placing them on the baking dish. Try to avoid putting any liquid from the mushrooms onto the kale (it will take longer to get crispy). Keep the glaze for later
Put kale and mushrooms back in oven for another 8 minutes, or until the kale is bright green and crispy around the edges.
Drizzle the remaining amount of balsamic vinegar over the kale and mushrooms and serve.
Friday, May 13, 2011
OATMEAL CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Yayyy it's officially the end of the semester! Congrats to all my student friends graduating this semester! A secret: The real world is just like college except with bad suits and more coffee. It would suck, except for awesome delicious vegan cookies, like the ones I'm about to share with you.
You're welcome.
Vegan/GF Oatmeal* Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
Musical Accompaniment: Alexi Murdoch: "Slow Revolution"
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
2 cups bob's redmill gluten free oats
3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup agave nectar
3.5 tbs earth balance, melted (or any kind of vegan butter/margarine)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tazo chocolate disk (or vegan chocolate chips)
Preheat oven to 350
Spread vegan nonstick spread (i used earth balance) on cookie sheet
put 2 cups of walnuts in food processor and grind until very fine
Mix together the flour, half of the oats, baking soda, cinnamon and brown sugar
Add to food processor and grind for about half a minute
Mix together agave nectar, melted earth balance, applesauce and vanilla extract
Add to food processor and mix until sticky (about 30-45 seconds)
Pour contents into a large bowl. Fold in the other half of oats.
I didn't have chocolate chips handy, so I put 1 bar of tazo chocolate in the food processor and turned it into chocolate chunks. Or you could be a normal person and go buy some vegan chocolate chips. Or add rasins. The possibilities are endless!
Scoop into 1 teaspoon balls and add to cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden.
^^Allison inhaling the cookies :)
* Whether or not oatmeal is acceptable for people who avoid gluten is up for debate. Since I was making these cookies for a friend of mine whose partner is strictly gluten free, i wasn't taking any chances. So I bought Bob's Redmill Gluten Free Oats. yes, they make those. :)
You're welcome.
Vegan/GF Oatmeal* Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
Musical Accompaniment: Alexi Murdoch: "Slow Revolution"
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
2 cups bob's redmill gluten free oats
3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup agave nectar
3.5 tbs earth balance, melted (or any kind of vegan butter/margarine)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tazo chocolate disk (or vegan chocolate chips)
Preheat oven to 350
Spread vegan nonstick spread (i used earth balance) on cookie sheet
put 2 cups of walnuts in food processor and grind until very fine
Mix together the flour, half of the oats, baking soda, cinnamon and brown sugar
Add to food processor and grind for about half a minute
Mix together agave nectar, melted earth balance, applesauce and vanilla extract
Add to food processor and mix until sticky (about 30-45 seconds)
Pour contents into a large bowl. Fold in the other half of oats.
I didn't have chocolate chips handy, so I put 1 bar of tazo chocolate in the food processor and turned it into chocolate chunks. Or you could be a normal person and go buy some vegan chocolate chips. Or add rasins. The possibilities are endless!
Scoop into 1 teaspoon balls and add to cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden.
^^Allison inhaling the cookies :)
* Whether or not oatmeal is acceptable for people who avoid gluten is up for debate. Since I was making these cookies for a friend of mine whose partner is strictly gluten free, i wasn't taking any chances. So I bought Bob's Redmill Gluten Free Oats. yes, they make those. :)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Arugula and Black Bean Pasta
Arugula and Black Bean Pasta
Musical Accompaniment: Jeff Buckley, Grace
Ingredients:
1/2 lb of rotini (or any thick pasta)
2 tablespoons of earth balance
1 garlic clove, minced
2 handfuls of washed arugula
1/2 can black beans
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Juice from 1 lemon
Cook pasta as usual.
While pasta is draining, heat the garlic clove in the earth balance on medium heat.
Add black beans and stir until coated.
Add pasta to the garlic/earth balance/bean mixture and stir until well mixed
Put the two handfuls of arugula on top, cover for 1 minute (so the arugula steams, but is not wilted).
Remove from heat.
Add lemon juice and sprinkle with pepper and salt.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Vegan Ginger-Oatmeal muffins...
...With apples and almonds!
Ah yes, my quest for yummy vegan baked goods continues. I hope some of you are still with me, after my temporary break-up with facebook (it just had to happen.) But the breakup has given me SO much extra time to write and bake and (most importantly) spend time with my friends and family. So I don't miss it at all.
But I digress. Coming home to Pennsylvania always makes me crave what I lovingly call "country" foods. Salty oat cookies and apple pie have been on my radar for quite a while now, so I decided to take a stab at combining the two in a vegan-friendly fashion. My dad has been hasseling me for a while about how much weight I've lost since my transition to veganism (about 10 lbs... and those of you who know me know that I really didn't need to lose 10 lbs). I suspect this weight loss is due to the fact that I don't eat things with as much saturated fat as the average person... but my dad thinks its because i'm not getting enough protein. So I added some protein powder to this recipe so he'd be happy. I might add that you actually can't taste it at all, so hey, why not?
Vegan Ginger Oatmeal Muffins
musical accompaniment: Taylor Swift, "Mine" (she's from my hometown!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPBwXKgDTdE
Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal (quick oats are fine)
2 cups flour
2 cups orange juice or water
1 cup applesauce (see recipe below or from a jar is fine)
1 teaspoon of salt (more for salting the tops)
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 scoop spirutein vanilla protein powder (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees
Soak the oats in the orange juice for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, make the applesauce: peel and dice apples (I found that 2 average sized apples makes about 1 cup of applesauce.) eyeball a good amount of agave (or sugar if you don't have agave/don't care about calories). Heat over medium heat until just mushy, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer mixture to blender and add 1/2 cup of water. Blend until it has a nice apple-saucy consistency. I'll let you decide whether or not you want it to be chunky (I prefer it that way).
After 10 minutes of soak-time, add applesauce to the oats, mix until evenly spread throughout.
Add salt, baking soda and baking powder
Add spices and almonds
Add flour-- stir to mix in, but don't over stir (you want muffins not hockey pucks!)
Scoop mixture into muffin tins (about 3/4 of the way up... they'll rise)
Optional-- sprinkle salt on the tops of the muffins
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean
Most yummy when served warm!
Ah yes, my quest for yummy vegan baked goods continues. I hope some of you are still with me, after my temporary break-up with facebook (it just had to happen.) But the breakup has given me SO much extra time to write and bake and (most importantly) spend time with my friends and family. So I don't miss it at all.
But I digress. Coming home to Pennsylvania always makes me crave what I lovingly call "country" foods. Salty oat cookies and apple pie have been on my radar for quite a while now, so I decided to take a stab at combining the two in a vegan-friendly fashion. My dad has been hasseling me for a while about how much weight I've lost since my transition to veganism (about 10 lbs... and those of you who know me know that I really didn't need to lose 10 lbs). I suspect this weight loss is due to the fact that I don't eat things with as much saturated fat as the average person... but my dad thinks its because i'm not getting enough protein. So I added some protein powder to this recipe so he'd be happy. I might add that you actually can't taste it at all, so hey, why not?
musical accompaniment: Taylor Swift, "Mine" (she's from my hometown!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPBwXKgDTdE
Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal (quick oats are fine)
2 cups flour
2 cups orange juice or water
1 cup applesauce (see recipe below or from a jar is fine)
1 teaspoon of salt (more for salting the tops)
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 scoop spirutein vanilla protein powder (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees
Soak the oats in the orange juice for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, make the applesauce: peel and dice apples (I found that 2 average sized apples makes about 1 cup of applesauce.) eyeball a good amount of agave (or sugar if you don't have agave/don't care about calories). Heat over medium heat until just mushy, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer mixture to blender and add 1/2 cup of water. Blend until it has a nice apple-saucy consistency. I'll let you decide whether or not you want it to be chunky (I prefer it that way).
After 10 minutes of soak-time, add applesauce to the oats, mix until evenly spread throughout.
Add salt, baking soda and baking powder
Add spices and almonds
Add flour-- stir to mix in, but don't over stir (you want muffins not hockey pucks!)
Scoop mixture into muffin tins (about 3/4 of the way up... they'll rise)
Optional-- sprinkle salt on the tops of the muffins
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean
Most yummy when served warm!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Strawberry-Vanilla Biscuits
I first made these to be scones, but for whatever reason, they came out as biscuits. Not that I'm complaining. they're light and fluffy and have just the right amount of sweet.
Oh, did I mention that they're gluten free, vegan and sugar free too?
(Yeah, I thought you'd like that.)
I based this recipe off of the Raspberry Scone recipe in the BabyCakes cookbook (buy it if you don't have it! it's aaamaazzzinnngg). Since I couldn't find any affordable raspberries, I made these with strawberries... I bet they'd be good with just about any berry that is in season though! The smell of these baking woke my roommate (Allison) and her boyfriend, who promptly inhaled one.
Vegan/gf/sf Strawberry Vanilla Biscuits
Musical Accompaniment: Jai Uttal & Ben Leinbach "Loveland"
2 cups Bobs Redmill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup chopped strawberries (I forgot to pick mine up at the farmers market, so I just grabbed a bag of frozen strawberries and chopped them up-- be sure to check if there's added sweetener! I hate it when they do that)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup veggie oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup warm water
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cookie sheet (or line with parchment paper) These will be a little runny as they're baking , so make sure the sheet has raised edges so the inside of your oven doesn't become strawberry flavored.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add in the oil, agave and vanilla.
Stir together until a thick crumbly batter is formed
Pour in warm water and mix until the batter becomes sticky (do not overmix)
Gently fold in strawberries and slowly mix until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using an ice cream scooper or whatever you've got handy, scoop out small balls of the dough and place on cookie sheet, about 1/2 inch apart.
Cook for 10 minutes on the middle rack, then rotate sheet 180 degrees. Cook for another 10 minutes.
Optional: Remove from oven, and drizzle agave nectar or raw cane sugar if you've got some (or both!). Place back in oven for another 5 minutes.
The cooking times may vary. My biscuits had to be in the oven for about 25 minutes total in order to get that nice golden crust. Keep an eye on them!
Oh, did I mention that they're gluten free, vegan and sugar free too?
(Yeah, I thought you'd like that.)
I based this recipe off of the Raspberry Scone recipe in the BabyCakes cookbook (buy it if you don't have it! it's aaamaazzzinnngg). Since I couldn't find any affordable raspberries, I made these with strawberries... I bet they'd be good with just about any berry that is in season though! The smell of these baking woke my roommate (Allison) and her boyfriend, who promptly inhaled one.
Vegan/gf/sf Strawberry Vanilla Biscuits
Musical Accompaniment: Jai Uttal & Ben Leinbach "Loveland"
2 cups Bobs Redmill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup chopped strawberries (I forgot to pick mine up at the farmers market, so I just grabbed a bag of frozen strawberries and chopped them up-- be sure to check if there's added sweetener! I hate it when they do that)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup veggie oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup warm water
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cookie sheet (or line with parchment paper) These will be a little runny as they're baking , so make sure the sheet has raised edges so the inside of your oven doesn't become strawberry flavored.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add in the oil, agave and vanilla.
Stir together until a thick crumbly batter is formed
Pour in warm water and mix until the batter becomes sticky (do not overmix)
Gently fold in strawberries and slowly mix until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using an ice cream scooper or whatever you've got handy, scoop out small balls of the dough and place on cookie sheet, about 1/2 inch apart.
Cook for 10 minutes on the middle rack, then rotate sheet 180 degrees. Cook for another 10 minutes.
Optional: Remove from oven, and drizzle agave nectar or raw cane sugar if you've got some (or both!). Place back in oven for another 5 minutes.
The cooking times may vary. My biscuits had to be in the oven for about 25 minutes total in order to get that nice golden crust. Keep an eye on them!
Vegan Chedder and Chive Scones
Before I start, I know I misspelled cheddar. I did that on purpose, grammar snobs.
Now that I'm working a somewhat typical 9-5 at the Department of Justice (until next week, that is, when the government shuts down...jerks) I've been craving something small, savory and filling to take with me to work and eat with my coffee. For a while I was baking my own potato chips, but that wasn't doing it. I missed... CHEESE.
This happens sometimes. But it's important to recognize that if you're a vegan and you're missing cheese, what you're probably missing is salt (and that usually means you're dehydrated, btw). But I was really missing cheese, and nothing was helping satisfy the craving. As the days went on, I realized it wasn't just any cheese, it was the cheddar and chive scones from the cafe where I worked during college. Lucky for me, I was in charge of baking for a while, so after flipping through a couple scraps of recipes scrawled on paper, my memory was jolted and I began the task of veganizing the recipe. This will make about 30 small round scones, though it depends on the size of the scooper you use.
Warning: this dough is a mess. seriously. If it gets everywhere, you're doing it right.
Vegan Chedder and Chive Scones
Musical accompaniment: Rusted Root "Faith"
You will need:
A bunch of chives, chopped finely (aim for 1/2 a cup) Dried is ok, but fresh is better.
Your favorite vegan cheddar, grated (I use Daiya because it melts amazingly and is already grated)
A tub of vegan sour cream (I use Toffutti Better than Sour Cream... because it is)... should be about 1 cup
1 cup unflavored soy milk
3 cups of flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix togethr flour, baking powder, salt, sugar. Throw in chives and cheese.
Toss mixture with your hands just so it's all evenly distributed
Mix in sour cream and soy milk. stir lightly with a fork (do not over mix)
create a ball with the dough (as best as possible. it should be ridiculously sticky and getting everywhere at this point). Place dough ball on lightl floured surface.
Knead dough 8-10 times, just to ensure it's evenly sticky.
flatten dough out to be about an inch thick.
With an ice cream scooper, or whatever you've got handy, scoop out chunks of the dough and place on a non-greased cookie sheet, about 1/2 inches apart. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the tops become just slightly golden brown.
These are delicious right out of the oven. Since I made 30, I had toeat them all before my roommate woke up put them away in the freezer. They freeze and reheat like magic.
Now that I'm working a somewhat typical 9-5 at the Department of Justice (until next week, that is, when the government shuts down...jerks) I've been craving something small, savory and filling to take with me to work and eat with my coffee. For a while I was baking my own potato chips, but that wasn't doing it. I missed... CHEESE.
This happens sometimes. But it's important to recognize that if you're a vegan and you're missing cheese, what you're probably missing is salt (and that usually means you're dehydrated, btw). But I was really missing cheese, and nothing was helping satisfy the craving. As the days went on, I realized it wasn't just any cheese, it was the cheddar and chive scones from the cafe where I worked during college. Lucky for me, I was in charge of baking for a while, so after flipping through a couple scraps of recipes scrawled on paper, my memory was jolted and I began the task of veganizing the recipe. This will make about 30 small round scones, though it depends on the size of the scooper you use.
Warning: this dough is a mess. seriously. If it gets everywhere, you're doing it right.
Vegan Chedder and Chive Scones
Musical accompaniment: Rusted Root "Faith"
You will need:
A bunch of chives, chopped finely (aim for 1/2 a cup) Dried is ok, but fresh is better.
Your favorite vegan cheddar, grated (I use Daiya because it melts amazingly and is already grated)
A tub of vegan sour cream (I use Toffutti Better than Sour Cream... because it is)... should be about 1 cup
1 cup unflavored soy milk
3 cups of flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix togethr flour, baking powder, salt, sugar. Throw in chives and cheese.
Toss mixture with your hands just so it's all evenly distributed
Mix in sour cream and soy milk. stir lightly with a fork (do not over mix)
create a ball with the dough (as best as possible. it should be ridiculously sticky and getting everywhere at this point). Place dough ball on lightl floured surface.
Knead dough 8-10 times, just to ensure it's evenly sticky.
flatten dough out to be about an inch thick.
With an ice cream scooper, or whatever you've got handy, scoop out chunks of the dough and place on a non-greased cookie sheet, about 1/2 inches apart. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the tops become just slightly golden brown.
These are delicious right out of the oven. Since I made 30, I had to
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Vanilla Chai Cupcakes
I made these spicy babies for my vegan co-worker's birthday. Turns out, there are 2 other vegans in the office! Who knew that so many health-conscious people worked for the government! I swiped this recipe from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" and tweaked it for the spices I have in my cabinet:
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
4 chai tea bags
1/4 cup veggie oil
1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated veggie shortening
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine
1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F
Spray/line cupcake tins
Heat almondmilk until almost boiling, add tea bags, cover and turn off heat. Allow it to steep for about 15 minutes. Stir and squeeze to gently extract soymilk from bags and discard.
Mix together oil, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and tea mixture until smooth. fold in flower, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Small lumps are alright. Fill tins and bake for about 22 minutes, or until spongy and a toothpick comes out clean.
Mix together all ingredients for the buttercream frosting with an electric mixture until peaks form. Wait until cupcakes are cool before spreading it on top!
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
4 chai tea bags
1/4 cup veggie oil
1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated veggie shortening
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine
1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F
Spray/line cupcake tins
Heat almondmilk until almost boiling, add tea bags, cover and turn off heat. Allow it to steep for about 15 minutes. Stir and squeeze to gently extract soymilk from bags and discard.
Mix together oil, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and tea mixture until smooth. fold in flower, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Small lumps are alright. Fill tins and bake for about 22 minutes, or until spongy and a toothpick comes out clean.
Mix together all ingredients for the buttercream frosting with an electric mixture until peaks form. Wait until cupcakes are cool before spreading it on top!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Vegan Lemony-Coconutty Cupcakes
The recipe I used was based off of the Coconut Lime cupcakes recipe in "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" (if you do not own this book, close the computer and go buy it. Seriously. It's that good). I'm usually no good at baking because I'm terrible at following instructions exactly, and on top of that, had ZERO limes in the house. So, I tweaked the recipe for lemons and added a special touch of Jess-ness and thank god it turned out delicious. (Otherwise my parents would have been extra pissed about the mess I made in the kitchen...) I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Unlike most of my recipes, please note that the icing (while delicious) is completely NOT HEALTHY. But hey, nobody eats a cupcake to be healthy, amiright?
Vegan Lemony-Coconutty Cupcakes
Musical accompaniment: Hoba Hoba Spirit, Trabando (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8k5bKfGDhI)
Cake Ingredients:
1/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup coconut milk (about half a can of coconut milk)
1/4 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 medium sized lemons juiced
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Icing ingredients:
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated veggie shortening
1/2 cup non hydrogenated margarine
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
Handful coconut flakes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F
Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. If you don't have coconut oil, canola oil should do the trick.
Once the coconut oil is liquified, mix it in a medium sized bowl with the sugar, coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir thoroughly.
Next, add the flour, baking soda and baking poder. Mix until smooth
Finally add the coconut flakes. Stir to make sure everything is incorporated evenly.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cupcake looks golden and a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.
While cupcakes are baking, beat the shortening and margarine together until fluffy. add the sugar and continue to beat. Add vanilla, coconut extract and lemon juice. Beat for 5 minutes. Finally add Zest and coconut flakes and mix to distribute evenly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Important: DO NOT attempt to put icing on cupcakes until they are completely cool. If you jump the gun on this, the result will be nasty slimy looking icing that gets all over the place. I speak from experience...
Happy Springtime!! :)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Fusili in (no)-cream sauce
I'm just gonna say it. I miss fettuccine alfredo. Sometimes being a vegan has its downsides, particularly when being a vegan also conflicts with this Italian-American girl's comfort food. I discovered this recipe in a vegan cookbook my momma gave me for the holidays. While it tastes nothing like alfredo sauce (there's a recipe in the book specifically for alfredo, and this is not it), it totally satisfied my needs. I tweaked the recipe a bit to add more spice/flavor-- adding garlic and tomatoes. Serve it over gluten free pasta (the quinoa kind is so delicious and has a beautiful golden color.) Or regular pasta if you can eat it. :) I chose fusili and it holds the sauce nicely.
Fusili in No-Cream Sauce
(musical accompaniment: Aunt Martha "Omaha")
1 15 oz can of creamy beans-- I used cannelloni beans, but I imagine butter beans would also do the trick
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic (more if you like garlicky sauce), minced
Sage (I used dried sage, and added lots. I say, adjust to your taste)
handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped-- add to taste (honestly, I just threw these in to make it a pretty color).
1 tbs of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups of low sodium veggie stock
1 lb of fusili (quinoa or semolina)
cook onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until fragrant
add sage, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and beans, cook for about a minute so the flavors all mix.
pour ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Add veggie broth and blend (add more broth if it looks too thick)
Boil fusili as usual. While it's cooking, pour the sauce mixture in a saucepan and cook on low heat.
Combine. Enjoy.
I'd post a picture but I keep devouring it before I can get a good shot. :)
Fusili in No-Cream Sauce
(musical accompaniment: Aunt Martha "Omaha")
1 15 oz can of creamy beans-- I used cannelloni beans, but I imagine butter beans would also do the trick
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic (more if you like garlicky sauce), minced
Sage (I used dried sage, and added lots. I say, adjust to your taste)
handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped-- add to taste (honestly, I just threw these in to make it a pretty color).
1 tbs of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups of low sodium veggie stock
1 lb of fusili (quinoa or semolina)
cook onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until fragrant
add sage, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and beans, cook for about a minute so the flavors all mix.
pour ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Add veggie broth and blend (add more broth if it looks too thick)
Boil fusili as usual. While it's cooking, pour the sauce mixture in a saucepan and cook on low heat.
Combine. Enjoy.
I'd post a picture but I keep devouring it before I can get a good shot. :)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Rosie's Raw Kale Salad
My friend Rosie came down from New York this weekend. I was pleasantly delighted to find out that we share our strange dietary habits. After milling about in the farmers market, we picked up some kale and cauliflower.
Rosie made this salad for me today. She tells me that the salt, vinegar and spices breaks down the cell structure of the kale, making it taste as if it were cooked. I have to say I was skeptical at first-- just the idea of raw veggies, particularly raw kale, makes my tummy a little anxious. However, after the first bite, I was sold.
I give you Rosie's Raw Kale Salad:
Musical Accompaniment: Mumford and Sons, "Little Lion Man"
Finely chop kale
Squeeze half a lemon on the kale
Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar over the kale.
add salt, pepper, cumin and any spices to taste.
Gently stir and massage the kale.
Let sit for 10 minutes
Add cauliflower, seaweed and any other veggies, and stir.
Rosie made this salad for me today. She tells me that the salt, vinegar and spices breaks down the cell structure of the kale, making it taste as if it were cooked. I have to say I was skeptical at first-- just the idea of raw veggies, particularly raw kale, makes my tummy a little anxious. However, after the first bite, I was sold.
I give you Rosie's Raw Kale Salad:
Musical Accompaniment: Mumford and Sons, "Little Lion Man"
Finely chop kale
Squeeze half a lemon on the kale
Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar over the kale.
add salt, pepper, cumin and any spices to taste.
Gently stir and massage the kale.
Let sit for 10 minutes
Add cauliflower, seaweed and any other veggies, and stir.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Vegan Yassa
A very dear friend of mine is an amazing Senegalese cook. He was kind enough to alter his Yassa Poulet recipe for me so that it is vegan. Spicy and tangy, this recipe is perfect after a long day of work. And the best part? Because it's not made from meat, it doesn't need to marinate for 3 hours, or stew nearly as long! I made this version with a mixture of seitan and tempeh. Please note that seitan is very NOT gluten free, so if you're avoiding gluten, I'd stick with the tempeh (tempeh is fermented soy bean, and has a great consistency for stews).
Vegan Yassa:
Musical Accompaniment: Trampled by Turtles: Codiene
1 cup veggie broth
2 large lemons
3 tbs dijon mustard
1 large onion, chopped
1 package cubed seitan
1/2 package lemon-pepper marinated tempeh
2-3 habanero peppers, whole and/or habanero powder
black pepper to taste
salt
Heat the veggie broth, the juice from the lemons and the dijon mustard in a large deep pan until warm and mixed.
Add onion cook over medium heat, until translucent.
Chop the seitan and the tempeh into small bite-sized cubes and add to pan.
Stir until the liquid is distributed evenly over the seitan and tempeh.
Add habanero peppers or powder to taste.
Sprinkle generously with salt
Cover the pan and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Serve over rice :)
Vegan Yassa:
Musical Accompaniment: Trampled by Turtles: Codiene
1 cup veggie broth
2 large lemons
3 tbs dijon mustard
1 large onion, chopped
1 package cubed seitan
1/2 package lemon-pepper marinated tempeh
2-3 habanero peppers, whole and/or habanero powder
black pepper to taste
salt
Heat the veggie broth, the juice from the lemons and the dijon mustard in a large deep pan until warm and mixed.
Add onion cook over medium heat, until translucent.
Chop the seitan and the tempeh into small bite-sized cubes and add to pan.
Stir until the liquid is distributed evenly over the seitan and tempeh.
Add habanero peppers or powder to taste.
Sprinkle generously with salt
Cover the pan and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Serve over rice :)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Mochanut Cocoa
I've noticed that for some reason my energy level has hit a new low. Last semester I was often fueled by my (in)famous quadruple-shot americano, but this semester, straight up coffee like that isn't cutting it. I'm craving warmth, yumminess and energy all rolled into one. I wanted something akin to a mocha, but dairy free and low in sugar so I could enjoy it without consequence. So I decided today to experiment with a can of coconut milk that was hiding in the back of my cabinet. Coconut milk is officially my favorite heavy cream substitute...
Ladies and Gents, I give you my newest love: Coffee + coconut + Hot Chocolate. AKA Mochanut Hot Cocoa.
Mochanut Hot Cocoa:
2 cups of coffee
3 tablespoons Coconut Milk (usually in a can. it'll be solid, but once it heats up it will turn liquid)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (or to taste)
Agave nectar to taste (optional, of course. If you like your chocolate bitter and your coffee strong, I say go without it.)
Mix all ingredients on stovetop on medium heat.
Stir until all blended.
Pour into mug
Put on Ray Lamontagne's "One Lonesome Saddle"
Sip. Enjoy. Watch the snow fall.
Happy Thundersnow!
Ladies and Gents, I give you my newest love: Coffee + coconut + Hot Chocolate. AKA Mochanut Hot Cocoa.
Mochanut Hot Cocoa:
2 cups of coffee
3 tablespoons Coconut Milk (usually in a can. it'll be solid, but once it heats up it will turn liquid)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (or to taste)
Agave nectar to taste (optional, of course. If you like your chocolate bitter and your coffee strong, I say go without it.)
Mix all ingredients on stovetop on medium heat.
Stir until all blended.
Pour into mug
Put on Ray Lamontagne's "One Lonesome Saddle"
Sip. Enjoy. Watch the snow fall.
Happy Thundersnow!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Super Zucchini Bread
This was another one of my sneaky tricks. Allison and I were planning a little brunch on the morning of New Years Eve. She had 2 quiches, waffles and mimosas all planned out, when I realized there was nothng I could eat! I also have recently suspected that I may have a gluten intolerance too (gahhh I can't eat anything fun!)
So, is there something out there that's breakfast-y, meat, gluten and dairy free? And can it be passed off as "normal" food so as to not scare away the masses of hungry pre-gamers flocking to our house? Yes, there is. It's this gluten, dairy and veggie friendly zucchini bread recipe. I'd also like to point out that it's mostly sugar free. :)
2 cups rice flour
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup canola oil (or coconut oil, if you're fancy like that)
3/4 cups agave nectar
3/4 cup almond milk (or rice milk)
splash of OJ (optional, but makes the bread nice and goey)
Chocolate chips (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
pinch of ginger
pinch of cinnamon
splash of vanilla extract
(makes approx 24 muffins, depending on the size of your tins)
Heat oven to 370 degrees F
Mix all dry ingredients
fold in all wet ingredients
mix in spices, chocolate chips and OJ last.
I like to fill mine in little cups to make muffins. But you can make it as a bread loaf too. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops should be a medium brown and will have a nice little bounce when you push down on them.
I'd like to add that these went over so well that my batch of 24 disappeared within an hour of the party. I enjoyed announcing the healthiness of these muffins to everyone as they were munching away. people couldn't believe it! They were so good we even made a second batch just for Allison and me to split later on that evening. :)
So, is there something out there that's breakfast-y, meat, gluten and dairy free? And can it be passed off as "normal" food so as to not scare away the masses of hungry pre-gamers flocking to our house? Yes, there is. It's this gluten, dairy and veggie friendly zucchini bread recipe. I'd also like to point out that it's mostly sugar free. :)
2 cups rice flour
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup canola oil (or coconut oil, if you're fancy like that)
3/4 cups agave nectar
3/4 cup almond milk (or rice milk)
splash of OJ (optional, but makes the bread nice and goey)
Chocolate chips (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
pinch of ginger
pinch of cinnamon
splash of vanilla extract
(makes approx 24 muffins, depending on the size of your tins)
Heat oven to 370 degrees F
Mix all dry ingredients
fold in all wet ingredients
mix in spices, chocolate chips and OJ last.
I like to fill mine in little cups to make muffins. But you can make it as a bread loaf too. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops should be a medium brown and will have a nice little bounce when you push down on them.
I'd like to add that these went over so well that my batch of 24 disappeared within an hour of the party. I enjoyed announcing the healthiness of these muffins to everyone as they were munching away. people couldn't believe it! They were so good we even made a second batch just for Allison and me to split later on that evening. :)
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