beauty and bread

this blog has moved

2009-12-13T10:53:00.003-06:00

I just realized, perhaps I am losing my mind, I don't think I ever posted when I moved my blog. Well, I am sorry, dear friends, for my delay.

My blog is now at www.beautyandbread.com

I haven't made it look too pretty yet, but don't worry, I will someday, after I find time to update it!

xoxo
Kelly

quick snacks to keep me going

2009-07-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

raw guac & chips

raw corn & mango salsa

It's been a busy month and there hasn't been much time for making food. I think I've become a bit complacent; working at a vegan diner makes it easy to not make my own food. But, I feel so much better when I do make my own food, because it's just the way I want it. Lately I've just been making simple, easy meals, or quick snacks with little prep work. It gives me the satisfaction of preparing something, but without the time commitment of a full meal. I'm looking forward to having some more time in a few weeks (once I'm working a little less, and after I've moved) to make more food, but in the meantime, it's simple recipes like these that are keeping me happy.

Raw Tortilla-style Chips:

1/2 lb sweet potato, shredded
1 ear of corn, kernels removed
1 jalapeño, seeded
3 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Combine all of the ingredients in the food processor until it forms a mostly smooth paste. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Spread on a teflex sheet and dehydrate for several hours at 115 F until you can separate the chips from the teflex. Score the chips into triangles and flip onto mesh dehydator sheets. Continue dehydrating for about 24 hours, until crispy.

I made some other sweet potato chips by simple slicing and dehydrating cross sections of a sweet potato. You can add a bit of raw oil and salt to eat slice, but they're delicious as they are. Bryan also made some raw guacamole to go with our chips. Most guac recipes are already raw, just remember to use fresh onion and garlic (it will taste better, too) and to make sure you get all the seeds out of your jalapeños and to really chop them small. I like my quac super chunky, with lots of lime and cilantro, but you can do it however you want.

Raw Mango and Corn Salsa:
1 mango, diced
corn kernels from about 1/2 ear
several cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon finely diced onion
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
a big handful of cilantro, stems removed and chopped
a big pinch of ground cumin
salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients, including any juices left over from cutting mango. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Bryan couldn't even wait for me to take a picture

keeping cool with raw dessert

2009-06-15T17:12:00.005-05:00

raw fig tart with candied walnuts and lavender ice cream

Before the first wave of heat rolls through North Texas, I've already began to anticipate summer:

• Sunburn
• Mosquito Bites
• Shorts (ugh...I just want to wear leggings and a big shirt every day)
• No more summer vacation (as Bryan pointed out, summer vacation in school just sets you up for loads of disappointment later on in life)

But summer also means a lot of other things, things that make me happy, like:

• Figs (my favorite fruit)
• Farmer's Markets
• Figs!
• Cookouts in backyards
• Figs!!
• Tomatoes (finally more than two varieties)
• Figs!!!

Did I mention figs? They really are my favorite fruit. In my pre-vegan days I loved eating them with a rich yogurt and honey, but now I've found another way to enjoy them (other than just eating them plain). The combination of the creaminess from the cashew cream and the ice cream along with the sweet crunch of candied walnuts and little bursts of lavender compliment the figs so well that I'll never miss yogurt or honey again.

A few notes about this recipe:

I had a bit of trouble with the tart shells. It could have been because I just winged it with the ingredients I had available, or maybe I dehydrated the shells too long or at too high a temperature, but they came out quite a bit cracked. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Although this recipe only makes 2 tart shells, it makes more than enough ice ceam and candied walnuts for more than two servings. And although this recipe has quite a few components, it's mostly advance prep work, so serving it isn't too difficult.
I'm writing the recipe as I made it, but I think the amount of agave in the ice cream could be reduced by 1 or 2 tablespoons and it would still be sufficiently sweet.

Raw Fig Tart with Candied Walnuts and Lavender Ice Cream:
serves 2

Candied Walnuts:
1/2 cup soaked, strained raw walnuts
1 Tablespoon raw agave

Combine the agave and the walnuts and dehydrate on teflex sheets at 115F for 24 hours.

Lavender Brazil Nut Ice Cream:
2 cups raw brazil nuts
3 cups water
1/2 cup raw agave
1 Tablespoon fresh lavender flowers or 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy lecithin*

Combine brazil nuts and water and blend on high until smooth. Strain this mixture through a nutmilk bag, keeping the liquid for the ice cream base and saving the pulp for the tart shell. Combine the strained liquid with the rest of the ingredients and blend again. Process through an ice cream machine according to directions.

Brazil Nut Tart Shell:
Pulp strained from ice cream mixture
2 1/2 Tablespoons raw agave
1 Tablespoon raw mesquite meal
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
large pinch of salt

Combine all of ingredients and press into 2 4-inch tart shells. Dehydrate at 115 F for about 12 hours.

Cashew Cream:
Make a thick cream with cashews and water. Add a pinch of salt and a bit of lemon zest.

Figs:
2 black mission figs
1 Tablespoon agave
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cut figs into 8 slices each. Combine agave and lemon juice and lightly coat figs. Dehydrate figs for just 20-30 minutes, just to help warm them a bit.

Final Assembly:
Remove tart shells from dehydrator and spread a layer of cashew cream over the bottom. Arrange sliced figs neatly on top. Serve with lavender ice cream and top with candied walnuts.

*soy lecithin will help give your ice cream a better texure, but you can definitely omit it or substitute with guar gum, etc.

another day, another blog

2009-06-07T13:50:00.004-05:00

the new blog

As much as I enjoy using this space to write about clover & clutch, I've decided it's probably best to set up a separate place to do that. So, I've created a new blog for all my truffles, bonbons, and raw confections. Check it out to find out about everything happening in my chocolate world, and keep checking back here for more on non-chocolate food.

chocolate is raw (or at least it can be)

2009-06-05T14:00:00.000-05:00

raw caramel & sea salt truffles

raw cayenne & cinnamon truffles

raw sesame orange truffles

raw ginger bonbon

Finally, clover&clutch's online shop is back up, and now we're shipping with ice packs to protect the chocolates. But, it's even better than ever because now we've got a more complete line of raw chocolates!

That's right, raw chocolates. Each of these delicious confections is made using only raw ingredients such as raw cacao, raw agave, raw nuts and nut butters and fresh raw juices. Of course, the ingredients are never heated above 110 F to preserve all their nutritious benefits. And, oh, are they delicious! In fact, I think I prefer the raw ones to the regular ones. Check out the full line here.

when allergies attack

2009-05-18T23:17:00.003-05:00

my new/old tea set

The title sounds like the beginning of a commercial, but really this is is just a simple post celebrating the joy of tea, and good friends who help you out when you're feeling a bit under the weather. I'm trying to get in the habit of writing more, and here is a start. Thank you, Bryan, for making me better (and for pretty lemon curls).

lemon curls in hibiscus tea

spiral diner + clover&clutch = love

2009-05-13T16:52:00.001-05:00

earl grey & lemon truffle

I'm taking a break from selling my truffles online as I'm starting to sell them out of Spiral Diner in Fort Worth. Once I get into the groove of making truffles regularly for Spiral (and figure out the best way to ship delicate chocolates in the Texas heat), hopefully my online shop will be back. Until then, clover&clutch will be rotating truffles with a few flavors available each week. So stop by Spiral and enjoy a little chocolate after your Bryan's Tacos or a Sweet Luv Us Wrap.

revelations & caramelizations

2009-05-07T23:48:00.005-05:00

chocolate turtles

Caramelizations:
A couple weeks ago I asked my boyfriend what flavor truffles I could make his mom for Mother's Day. He thought about it for a minute and then asked if, instead, I could make chocolate turtles, which are one of his mom's favorite treats. "Absolutely," I said, feigning confidence. Later that day I searched for turtle recipes, but all I could find were ones that involved using store-bought caramel candies. I wanted a recipe that used a homemade caramel, since I'd be making my own and I was looking for guidance on getting the right consistency (recently I sampled a homemade vegan turtle with caramel so chewy that I thought I was about to pull out a tooth; I decided giving Bryan's mom a missing tooth might not be the best present).

The thing is, I've experimented some with making caramel and various confections using sugar, and the results have been varied. Maybe my candy thermometer is off, or maybe it's just a bit trickier than I realized. It just seems like such a fine line between something that is too hard or too chewy or not enough . . .

So for the next two weeks I periodically looked online, became bored after looking at a few unhelpful sites, and gave up. Finally, on about my fifth attempt, I found Do Life Right's recipe for vegan chocolate turtles and David Lebovitz's site, which were helpful, although they weren't exactly what I was looking for in terms of specific guidance for my specific purposes. So, what did I do? Well, I played around until I got something I liked. And I really liked it. And so did Bryan's mom.

Unfortunately, I still don't have enough information to give a really solid recipe, with lots of guidance and specific times or temperatures. But, I'll give what I have, at least, and hopefully someday I'll have the perfect, fool-proof formula for homemade vegan turtles. In the meantime, if you find anything helpful, send it my way.

Chocolate Turtles:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/4 cup vegan milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 75 pecans, or more if you prefer
good quality chocolate with high cocoa content
cocoa butter, if desired*

Lightly toast the pecans (Put on a lined baking sheet in the oven at 350 F for 5-10 minutes). Arrange pecans in clusters of 3 (or 4 or however-many-you-want) on nonstick sheets (I use something similar to silpat but if you don't have something like that, your best bet is probably wax paper. Parchment paper lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray may also work, although I haven't tried it. Once your pecans are ready, begin making the caramel. Have all your ingredients measured and ready to go.

In a large, heavy pot melt the sugar over medium/low heat. Once the sugar begins to melt, stir gently to keep it from burning.

[Here's where things got a bit fuzzy]

I took it off the heat whenever I felt like it should be about right (a little earlier, just incase. Most of my disasters have been from overheated sugar, so I wanted to be on the safe side). I added the butter and soymilk and vanilla extract and drizzled the resulting syrup over a couple clusters of pecans. It spread out a lot and, after waiting about 15 minutes (and then another 15 minutes), I realized it wasn't going to thicken up enough.

So, I put the pot back on the stove and brought the liquid to a simmer again for a few minutes. I removed it from the heat and dipped the bottom of the pan in cool water. I let the caramel sauce cool a bit in the pan to thicken up before spreading it ontop of the pecan clusters. The caramel, even when completely cooled, was still very gooey (but not too liquidy). Maybe that's "soft ball stage"? For me it was the perfect consistency to fill a chocolate turtle. The only trouble was figuring out how to coat it in chocolate. I finally succeeded by chilling the caramel pecans in the fridge until they were firm enough to be dipped in the tempered chocolate.

You don't have to temper your chocolate that you use for dipping, but it makes such a difference. Not only is the presentation much nicer, but your turtles will also have that lovely snap, and they'll keep longer.

*Using a little bit of additional cocoa butter when you are using temepered chocolate for dipping helps give the coating more of a luster and is a million, billion times better than using parafin or any of the other weird things some cheap chocolates use instead. Cocoa butter is natural, it tastes much better, and you can easily find fair trade cocoa butter online (look on amazon or at Chocolate Alchemy, which is where I buy mine pounds at a time).

Revelations:
Finally, I'm about to reveal that mystery food from my last post. There were some good guesses, but the photograph is actually of a clove of black garlic.

And now I'm afraid I'll have to finish this post some other time. More to come on black garlic!

Guessing Game

2009-05-01T15:07:00.002-05:00

Can you name it?

pasta with fava beans, greens, and slow-roasted fennel

2009-04-25T21:11:00.000-05:00

pasta with fava beans, greens, and slow-roasted fennel

I'm easily distracted and always excited by new projects, so it's no wonder that I can't keep focused with my posting. I know I'm supposed to be writing about a hundred other things I've made, but it seemed like it had been a while since I've posted about real food, so here is something to prove that I actually do make more than sweets (sometimes).

Although it requires some advance planning and a bit of time (time to roast the fennel, time to prepare the beans), this recipe is exactly the type of simple dish that comes together easily, appeals to all the senses, and makes me proud to claim my Italian heritage (only 25% but, still, I'll claim it!). If you haven't tried slow roasting fennel, then you, my friend, are missing out. The fennel can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge if you're trying to lighten your cooking load.

Pasta with Fava Beans, Greens and Slow Roasted Fennel:
1 cup dried fava beans
several large handfuls of assorted greens (I used kale and dandelion greens)
1 bulb of slow-roasted fennel (recipe below)
1 cup Lucia's Tomato Sauce (recipe coming soon), or any tomato sauce of your choice
a good wide pasta (I used a sprouted grain variety from Trader Joe's)
about 1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
several drizzles of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by preparing fava beans: soak them overnight and then blanch in boiling water for about a minute to remove the tough outer skins. Then boil for about 30 minutes or until tender. Strain and set aside.

peeled favas

Prepare pasta until cooked al dente.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in saute pan and add onions, cooking a minute until it begins to sweat. Sprinkle with salt and add garlic, cooking for another minute. Add greens and cook until wilted (I usually cover the pan with a lid to help). Add pasta sauce and toss with pasta, beans, and fennel.

Slow Roasted Fennel:
Set the oven to 200 F. Slice a bulb of fennel and arrange on the baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil. Place the fennel in the oven and roast for 2 hours. You can remove the fennel once it becomes soft and slightly more translucent, but I prefer my fennel browned a bit, as I think it has a more developed flavor. To brown it, you can just leave it in the oven for an extra 30 minutes or so, or turn up the temperature of the oven and watch carefully. Don't burn it!

slow-roasted fennel adds a beautiful aroma and texture

Ginger and Rose Hand-Dipped Truffles

2009-04-23T23:29:00.004-05:00

ginger & rose truffles

The recipe for my ginger and rose truffles is posted on the vegan etsy blog. Check it out here!

my basic soup

2009-04-19T14:00:00.001-05:00

basic kale and butternut squash soup

Most days I come home from work, tired and hungry, only to find "nothing" to eat. Even though I go shopping probably at least twice or three times as often as most Americans (and probably five times as often as most Americans my age), I always end up with random, mismatched ingredients that struggle to work together. Of course I deal with it: I'll spread a little marmite and tahini on some toasted bread from the freezer, I'll eat an entire bunch of bananas (and call it breakfast...or lunch...or dinner...), or I'll splash some soy sauce onto cold azuki beans and eat them straight from a jar. Oh, the joys of late-night noshing!

But, every once in a while, I get lucky and find that I already have on hand everything I need to make something delicious that feels like a proper meal, or at least a meal that was intentional.

That's what this recipe is--mostly basics that are easy to keep around, and the type of things that are probably already in your kitchen (or, at least they're usually in mine, so I'll make the assumption that you probably have most of them too). For example, olive oil, onions and garlic are kitchen staples, and since butternut squash can be left to sit on the counter forever without going bad, I usually try to have one on hand. And even though I try to soak and cook dried beans (since it's more economical), I usually have a couple cans of garbanzo and black beans in my pantry, just in case.

And that's about all there is to this recipe. Add a bit of saffron and lacinato kale and you've got a simple soup that is totally satisfying. (Lacinato kale is also called dinosaur kale--the name alone makes me want to eat it. I realize most people probably don't have this on hand all the time, but since it's my favorite green, I buy it at least twice a week and I consider it one of my basics. If you don't have lacinato kale, you can use another type of kale or another green such as chard or spinach.) This soup is really flexible, too. You can also a grain or pasta to this dish, or you can follow my example and soak up the broth with the delicious rye bread I happened to have made the day before.

Basic Kale and Butternut Squash Soup:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and chopped
1 pinch saffron threads
1 (15 oz) can of chickpeas
about 7 cups vegetable broth
additional salt to taste (if needed, depending on brand of broth)

In a large pot with a lid, heat the oil and add the onions, cooking and stirring for a minute. Once the onions begin to sweat, add a pinch of salt and the garlic, cooking for a couple more minutes. Add the butternut squash and saute for about 8 minutes. Pour in vegetable broth to come to about half way up the squash and seal the pot with a lid. Cook over medium/low heat for about 25 minutes or until squash is almost tender, checking periodically to make sure there is stilll liquid in the pan. Add the rest of the broth, the chickpeas, and the saffron. Finally, add the kale and cover with a lid, cooking until kale has wilted. Before serving, remove the saffron threads (if you can find them); they can be dried and used a second time in another recipe. Pour into bowls and serve with a grain or a hearty bread like my Orange Walnut Rye Bread.

While the texture of this bread wasn't perfect, the flavor was delicious. I'm going to try to keep the base and experiment with different baking times, temperatures and techniques.

Orange Walnut Rye Bread:
200 grams dark rye flour
80 grams whole wheat flour
3/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 tablespoon golden syrup (or sub agave)
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
1 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 teaspoons salt

Begin by proofing yeast in 1/4 cup of the water plus the golden syrup. Meanwhile, mix together dry ingredients. Once yeast has foamed and is ready, add with remaining warm water, oil and molasses to the dry mixture. Knead for 8 minutes. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours. Punch down dough and fold over itself. Shape dough into a loaf and all to rest for at least 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350 F. Bake about 40 minutes, or until bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

happy endings

new kid on the street

2009-03-28T19:10:00.001-05:00

fig and port dark chocolate truffle

Announcing the newest addition to the clover and clutch family: Fig & Port. These smooth chocolate truffles begin with a sweet fig center that is rolled in a port-infused chocolate ganache, and finally hand-dipped in dark chocolate and garnished with a sliver of dried fig. Fifteen of these delicious truffles come packaged in a clover & clutch truffle box, making the perfect gift for someone special, or a treat for yourself. Of course, they're available to purchase here.

crying over spilled macadamia milk

2009-03-02T20:35:00.008-06:00

raw granola with macadamia milk

Several weeks ago I made the decision to be "RAW" for the month of March. Before I go any further, I must confess that lasted only about 12 days before I caved (for millet porridge, of all things). Unfortunately, I found myself eating so many nuts and avocados, and my stomach just wasn't having it (besides, when you're craving quinoa and beans it's really hard not to justify eating it). But I have no regrets, and I learned a few things: aside from gaining a deepened level of respect for raw foodists, I also tried a few raw recipes that are so delicious that I will definitely continue to incorporate into my diet. I recommend Cafe Gratitude's cookbook. I've looked at several RAW (un)cookbooks, but out of all of them, Cafe Gratitude's seems to provide a good amount of practical recipes (read: don't require tons of equipment or take 5 days of prep work) and still taste falvorful. The Tom Kha soup, for example, was fantastic. But, of course, it doesn't take a recipe book to enjoy the naturally good flavors of a fresh grapefruit or a mango with chile. And you don't need a recipe to make a delicious salad or fresh nut milk. In fact, the nut milks I made were so much better tasting than purchased nut milks (that often still have unrecognizable ingredients) that I think I'm going to blending my own from now on. I like knowing exactly what I'm putting into my body, so milk made only from macadamia milk is as comforting to my mind as it is delicious and nourishing. So, while I'm not going to start eating RAW all the time, I think those 12 days refocused me on the great flavors of really fresh food and the importance of nutritious food, two things I hope to always remember.

Oh, yeah, and that picture...
During those 12 days I was lucky enough to have access to my friend's dehydrator, which, on a break from pumping out "buckwheaties" and sweet potato chips, managed to crisp up some soaked nuts, seeds and grains to make a delicious raw granola.

raw goodness

Unfortunately there's no recipe as I didn't follow one or measure anything. But if you want to make some raw granola, it's as simple as soaking whatever seeds, nuts and grains you choose (I used buckwheat, oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and walnuts) adding flavors to your liking (I used cinnamon and added chopped apples and dates and a bit of raw agave), mixing it all up, and dehydrating it 24 hours or so, until crispy. Break it into chunks and serve it with homemade raw milk and fresh fruit for a delcious and satisfying breakfast.

tears were shed, but we're okay

introducing...clover & clutch

2009-02-23T20:16:00.003-06:00

isn't she pretty?

The past couple of months have been pretty busy, and my lack of blog activity directly reflects my lack of kitchen activity. It's kind of sad that I was so excited about my nice, new kitchen, and I've barely spent time in it at all making "real food" (you know, not sweets...).

But, I have been at least a little productive. In the past couple months, I decided to "just go for it," if you will (and you will), and try to sell my food. The plan was to make all sorts of baked goods, but I started making truffles and I got really into it, so I just kept going. I had tons and tons of ideas for flavors, so I made as many as I could and I made my friends and family eat them. In the process (aside from eating way too many truffles), I learned a lot; I learned about how to ship truffles, what coatings work the best, the best techniques (at least for me) to make truffles, and I learned a lot about working with chocolate. Hundreds of truffles later, I'm proud to introduce you to clover & clutch. I've still got a bit to learn, and I'm still working on more flavors, but here is what I have so far.

pomegranate

coffee & walnut

coffee

cherry

cardamom & pistachio

caraway & cocoa

They're all available at my etsy, which is, of course, http://cloverandclutch.etsy.com

In the future (probably a couple of months from now) I may be doing more flavor testing of truffles and other sweets. If you're interested in getting some goods, maybe we could work something out (like you just pay for shipping and I'll pay the rest in exchange for your feedback), leave me a comment or email me and cloverandclutch@gmail.com

brown rice dolmades and yogurt-style sauce

2009-01-25T22:08:00.002-06:00

brown rice dolmasi

With one of my best friends in Bulgaria and another on his way to Armenia, I've been thinking a lot about Eastern Europe (and the trip I plan to take there next year). It's no surprise that my thoughts inevitably lead to food; trying new cuisines is, after all, one of my favorite things about traveling. So when one of my coworkers Jeremy was having a potluck birthday party last week, I immediately thought of making dolmades (or "sarmi" as my friend in Bulgaria calls them), a great finger-food that seems perfect for parties.

I started with Tyler Florence's recipe, but decided to use brown rice instead of white, and I also added a handful of currants. Unfortunately, using brown rice made the dish take a lot longer to prepare, so the dolmades weren't ready in time for the party. But it was probably for the best because there was already so much delicious food there. (Have I mentioned how great it is to work with and live near so many vegans? Well, it's awesome!) Besides, the dolmades tasted better the next day anyway, and I don't think the birthday boy minded waiting. I served them chilled with a yogurt-style sauce (based on Vegan Dad's Tzatziki) on the side, but if it's your birthday you can put it all in a bowl and eat it with a spoon like Jeremy. By the way, even though I don't use tofu often and I try to avoid eating a lot of soy, I would eat that sauce with a spoon, too.

Yogurt-Style Sauce:

1 (14 oz) package soft tofu

juice from 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 tabelspoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground pepper
pinch of paprika paprika

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and finely chopped

Combine the tofu with the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, like a thick yogurt. If necessary, add a bit more oil or water to get everything moving, but not so much that the mixture becomes too thin. Scrape down the sides and blend again, if necessary. When everything is well combined, taste for salt and stir in herbs and the cucumber.

Wellness in a Bowl

2008-12-29T23:03:00.001-06:00

cranberry beet soup with hearty rye bread

There's something about beets--their rustic, earthy appearance, the vibrant color and subtle sweetness they develop when cooked, and, most importantly, they have an array of health benefits, to boot. Not only are beets are a good source of iron, they also contain vitamin C, which, among other things, helps our bodies absorb iron.

And, of course, one of my favorite things about beets: their earthy sweetness goes deliciously well with the hearty taste of fresh rye bread.

hearty rye bread with pumpkin seeds

In fact, rye bread is what started it all. The other day, as my Hearty Rye Bread loaf was baking in the oven, and the kitchen smelled warm and sweet, I felt inspired to make an equally warm and wonderful soup, using the flavors of beets, orange and cranberry. Like beets, fresh cranberries are packed with nutrients (vitamin C, fiber, manganese, and vitamin K, to name a few), and they are (still, although barely) in season. The cranberries also add a little tartness that compliments the sweetness of the orange juice, creating a delicious soup with several layers of flavor.

In the photo at the top, I topped the soup with a bit of tarragon (which makes everything taste better, in my opinion). The next day when I was eating leftovers, I also added some golden raisins and sunflower seeds, and I think that added so much to the recipe. The raisins add a simple sweetness that compliments the tartness of the cranberries, and the texture of the nuts and seeds makes the soup much more interesting.

Cranberry Beet Soup:
3 whole beets, tops removed and cleaned thoroughly, roughly chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
2 handfuls fresh cranberries
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
salt to taste
sunflower seeds, golden raisins, and fresh tarragon for serving

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over the stove; add the onions and cook until they begin to sweat, then add the caraway seeds and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. Add the beets and cranberries and then the orange and pomegranate juices. Add enough water to barely cover everything and simmer until the beets are tender (depending on how large you chopped your beets, about 30 minutes). Wait until cooled and then blend in a blender until smooth. Sprinkle the tops with tarragon, sunflower seeds and golden raisins.

ICE: chocolate with a twist (vegan)

2008-12-24T10:00:00.002-06:00

vegan chocolate almond poblano cupcakes

This month's Iron Cupcake: Earth challenge was "chocolate with a twist," so I'm taking this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, as they say. I'm finally posting my chocolate poblano almond cupcake recipe (although a new, and I think improved version), and I'm trying my luck again at ICE.

Poblano peppers naturally have a rich, earthy, and somewhat sweet flavor that is really brought out when they are roasted; I've heard some describe the flavor with hints of cherry, licorice, and tobacco. To roast the peppers, you can use the flame of your gas oven (if you're lucky enough to have one), or, if you're like me, you can use the broiler inside your electric oven. Roast each side of the peppers for several minutes until they are charred. Cover them with a lid (or put them in a plastic bag and seal) for a couple of minutes immediately after roasting to allow for easy removal of the skin.

roasted poblano peppers (with skins)

After roasting the peppers, I tasted one and decided that they would go perfectly with the flavors of chocolate and almond. I based my recipe off the VCTOTW chocolate cupcakes recipe, which can be found here. However, I added two roasted (and peeled) poblano peppers to the soy milk in my blender before combining it with the other ingredients. The cupcakes were amazing, the poblano taste was a little subtle and perfect with the almond, and there was just a bit of heat. (Whenever it becomes this cold outside, I welcome a bit of heat in everything!) For the frosting, I used 1 roasted (peeled, this time seeded) poblano pepper along with the other ingredients. I used a different icing recipe than the last time I made these; I wanted something fudgier (is that a word?), something rich. The final result was delicious--so good, that I think I may make adding poblano peppers to my chocolate a regular thing. I hope you enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Almond Poblano Cupcakes:
makes 12 cupcakes
2 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled (reserve seeds)
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
3/4 cups evaporated cane juice (granulated vegan sugar)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan.

Combine the soy milk, vinegar, and poblano peppers (and seeds) in your blender; blend until smooth and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and blend until foamy.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches the wet ingredients to the dry and beat until no large lumps remain.

Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Vegan Chocolate Poblano Fudgy Frosting:
enough frosting for 12 cupcakes
1 roasted, peeled, seeded poblano pepper
1/2 cup evaporated cane juice (granulated vegan sugar)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup nondairy milk
3 tablespoon refined coconut oil (refined will not give a coconut flavor)
pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup of vegan powdered sugar*

In a blender, combine soymilk and poblano and blend until smooth. If you would like to make two colors of icing, as I did with the green and cocoa, work in two (half-sized) batches, first making the icing without the cocoa, then making the icing with only 1/8 cup cocoa.

Mix granulated sugar, cocoa, nondairy milk (with blended poblano), coconut oil, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove mixture from hear and allow to cool completely.

After mixture is cool, stir in almond extract. Beat in the powdered vegan sugar a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

* Vegan powdered sugar can be quite expensive, so I make my own. Grind one cup of evaporated cane juice in a coffee grinder and add 2 tablespoons tapioca flour (or arrowroot starch or cornstarch). Easy, and much more economical.

Voting will begin no later than Monday, December 29 at 8 p.m. at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER, and will be open through Friday, January 2 at 12 noon.

Iron Cupcake Earth is a monthly challenge where bakers all over the world compete, creating cupcakes using the same special ingredient. It wouldn't be possible without a lot of people who donate items for prizes and the sponsors for the event. So, special thanks to:

BETTY TURBO, who is offering this original piece of art http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5002976

LOTS OF SPRINKLES, who made these cupcake earrings http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281

CAKESPY, who will be doing a piece each month for the winner
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382

As an added bonus for December there is a limited edition cupcake pincushions by Moda Home, complements of SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.

Also, thank you to the corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com.

bake my craft and moving, or why i've been MIA

2008-12-20T20:59:00.017-06:00

December is, no doubt, a busy month for everyone. As the holidays approach, it seems like everyone is

a) stressed
b) getting ill
c) traveling
d) getting over being ill
e) all of the above

I am no exception.

On top of all that, I've been busy with finishing the semester (taking finals, writing papers), graduating, moving out of my apartment in Abilene, and moving into my sister's place in Ft. Worth. Oh yeah, and I decided to do another craft fair.

Bake My Craft:
What started my freshman year (5 years ago) as "Rock Paper Scissors" (a small group of people seated around tables in the "bean sprout" [the "chili's-style grill" at ACU], trying to sell their homemade goods and art), has grown (at least a little) to become an annual event on ACU's campus. Not that it's that big of a deal; I'm sure most people at ACU could care less. But, it was definitely fun and I've enjoyed watching it grow (and the quality of the art/crafts improve) over the years. This year was especially exciting with a live performance by Peter and the Wolf (thanks to dustin of silence productions for setting that up) and tons of Christmas baked-goods, which my mom helped me bake. (Thanks, mom!)

some flyers i made for this year's event

some of my favorite vendors

my table was still a mess when haruka took this photo

and, of course, christmas yummies

bake my craft: holiday sugar cookies

Holiday Sugar Cookies:

For the Holiday Sugar Cookies, I used this recipe from baking sheet, except I used soymilk + vinegar instead of buttermilk, earth balance instead of butter, and extra baking powder instead of the egg. As Nic warns in his directions, the dough is really soft and sticky, and mine had to be constantly kept in the freezer in order to be workable. Perhaps this was worsened by the substitution of earth balance for butter? Anyway, the extra work and time was worth it because the cookies were soft and delicious. I also used the icing recipe (although without food coloring) and then sprinkled the tops with turbinado.

Moving/Chaos/Peace:
Moving is always chaotic in my family. I tend to hold onto things, unable to part with them because of vague "memories" or fears that I'll need them...someday. This results in my having too much stuff. Moving, while it can be stressful, gives me the opportunity to look at things I have and think about how often I use them, and if I really need them. It's a good time to clear out some stuff and clean up my life.

But this move has been even better because I am moving in with my sister in Ft. Worth. I always thought I would move far away from Texas as soon as I finished school, but I am actually really excited about this move. Ft. Worth seems like a really nice place--already I feel a kind of neighborhood vibe, but there are still so many wonderful things that I've always associated with big cities. Plus, I'm excited about living with my sister, being able to paint my room whatever color I chose (a first for me!), and having a beautiful kitchen and a little room outside to make a garden.

I've only been in Ft. Worth a few days, and while I was excited about going new places and finding my way around, I spent a little time in the kitchen, too.

good morning muesli

Good Morning Museli:
I didn't really measure anything (I know I should start doing that more often...), but muesli is the type of food that you can just use whatever you want, or whatever you have, so recipes aren't really necessary. I combined rolled oats, raw almonds, raw sunflower seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, dried cherries, golden raisins, dehydrated coconut, and oat bran. I soaked everything overnight in soymilk, and then served it with pomegranate seeds. The perfect way to say Good Morning! And the perfect send-off meal for my drive to Houston.

BAKE MY DAY: a taste of asia

2008-11-25T23:15:00.012-06:00

I know I'm quite behind on posting, and this isn't really helping much. But, I have too many pictures on my computer, and, in an attempt to clean up my hard drive, I have to post and delete. So, although there are no recipes at the moment (and although I have yet to post many of the recipes from past posts), I'm going to post these pictures anyway. And maybe (if I somehow find a break between the craziness that will ensue for the next five days...20 relatives, a couple friends, a research paper due the following Tuesday...did I mention cooking Thanksgiving dinner?), maybe I will post them soon.

This week's BAKE MY DAY was inspired by the wonderful performance of so many of my friends at ACU's Culture Show. The international students worked so hard choreographing amazing dances and songs with outstanding costumes (hooray Haruka!). I wish I had some pictures of that! So, to celebrate their hard work (and their return to BMD now that Culture Show rehearsals are over), I decided to try to make some traditional(ish) Asian desserts.

yakgwa (korean)

manju stuffed with anko (japan)

almond cookies (china)

kaju katli (india)

mi gao (china)

bite-sized dorayaki (japan)

And, although they aren't traditional or authentic, I couldn't resist...

fortune cookies (fake china)

At least Shiwon approves...

iron cupcake earth: cranberry cupcake petits fours glacés

2008-11-22T20:01:00.009-06:00

cranberry cupcakes petits fours glacés

For my first round of Iron Cupcake, I felt inspired to try something a little different. It seemed like a good idea, but it turned out to be an Iron Cupcake failure. I think, however, with a different recipe and quite a bit more practice, it could be a really good thing.

I based my cupcake recipe off of Shmooed Food's Fluffy White Cupcakes.

I changed a bit of the ingredients and the amount, and I only came up with 18 cupcakes (instead of the original recipe's 22). Here is what I did:

Light Almond Cupcakes:
scant 1 cup vanilla almond milk
6 oz plain soy yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (evaporated cane juice)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line or spray a cupcake tin for 18 cupcakes.

Pour the lemon juice into the cup measuring cup and then fill the rest of the way with the almond milk. Mix together in a bowl with soy yogurt and set aside.

Mix together all the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.

Add oil, vanilla, and almond extracts to milk/yogurt mixture.

Add wet mixture to dry and stir with a fork. Stir just until everything is well combined, and then divide the batter between the prepared cupcake tins. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

I ate one (or two) before trying to turn them into petit fours, and they were delicious. They were really light and fluffy (maybe I've become too accustomed to whole grain baked goods), and although that isn't the best textured cake for a petit four, I decided to continue anyway.

I refrigerated the cooled cucpakes, sliced them in half horizontally, and filled them with my Port Cranberry Sauce.

Port Cranberry Sauce:
about 12 oz cranberries
1/2 cup ruby port
1/2 cup sugar sugar

Put everything in a saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and simmer for about 25 minutes, until it reaches your desired consistency. If necessary, add more port or cook for longer to adjust.

I also used the Port Cranberry Sauce to coat the sides of the cupcake.

Finally, I tried this poured fondant recipe to top the cupcakes.

That was the big mistake. I was trying to make things easier for myself by not having to grind massive amounts of my sugar into powered sugar (per all the other poured fondant recipes I'd seen). So, I got out my candy thermometer and got to it.

I should have never tried to blend the mixture. Perhaps I heated it too much (past the soft ball stage), because even though I have a really good blender, it wasn't working well. I added some of the leftover cranberry sauce, and still, the blender was having a difficult time. As you can see from the picture, it isn't a pretty sight.

Things I would change:
-make mini cupcakes instead (or, really, just make cake and cut it the real way)
-use a denser cake recipe
-blend my jam so there are no cranberry chunks
-use a different poured fondant recipe

Despite all these problems, I feel like I've learned a few things, and at least I'm not completely discouraged. Next month I'll start a little early, and hopefully have something that looks a little better.

finally that meme...

2008-11-18T22:01:00.002-06:00

Well, it's been several days since A Place for Us tagged me for a MEME. Finally, although I probably should have been focusing on other things at the moment, I've finished it.

And, I'm almost ready to post that poblano cupcake recipe (it gets a post all of its own because they were that good). When I get around to doing that, I'll tag someone else for the MEME.

1. Who did you spend at least two hours with today?
Everyone in my digital graphics class... it's so sad; I have no time for a real social life now!

2. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks?
Graduating! And then figuring out where to go and what to do with my life!

3. Who was the last person you called?
My mom; I was baking cookies and wanted to talk while I was rolling balls of Chinese almond cookies (this week's BAKE MY DAY...hint, hint)

4. What were you doing at 12am last night?
Working on a poster in the art lab

5. What did you fear was going to get you as a child?
Lots of things! Mostly a burglar under my bed. Or under the car when I was stepping in. (I'm still afraid of that, to be honest. At night when I'm alone I can't get into my car unless I first check underneath it [from a distance!] and inside it through the windows) Paranoid? Maybe...

6. When did you last see your mom?
A few weeks ago when I went home for the weekend. My health insurance it about to expire when I graduate, so I had to go to the doctor.

7. What are you wearing right now?
My bathrobe; I just got out of the shower.

8. Where is your favorite place to be?
This week it has been my apartment. Maybe because it's cold outside? Or maybe because I know I'm moving soon. But I just want to stay home and bake and read and sleep all day. Oh, if only...

9. Where is your least favorite place to be?
In my 8:00 TR class. I'm just so sick of school and I don't know why I ever decided to study English. I enjoy reading, but 4 years of writing the same paper about post-colonialism or marxist feminism is killing me! It's interesting, yes, but I'm ready to talk about something new. (Gosh, I feel like I'm being a little complainy in this MEME...I'm not a negative person!).

10. Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
London! I miss it everyday and I would do almost anything to be able to go back there. Stupid immigration and tier system nonsense!

11. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?
Maybe San Francisco or Portland (that would be nice!); in an apartment with a kitten and hopefully several very dear friends close by.

12. What was the last thing that really made you laugh?
I can't remember; I laugh all the time (too often, in fact; sometimes I feel like it's cheap because I laugh so much). Earlier I was talking with a friend who had to take a ridiculous survey to apply for a job and that was pretty funny.

13. What cities/towns/villages have you lived in?
born in San Antonio, TX on vacation
Houston, TX
Louisville, KY
Herndon, VA
Houston, TX
Abilene, TX
Oxford, UK
Abilene, TX
Portland, OR (only for a summer)
Abilene, TX
London, UK
Abilene, TX

14. Are you a social person?
I'm about 50/50 introvert/extrovert. I love hanging out with friends and sometimes I feel full of energy and I just want to have giant dance parties every night. But other times I just want to be alone or with only one other person, curled up with a book or the first season of Peep Show (or Wallace and Gromit, if I'm feeling it) and a good cup of tea.

15. What do you like about winter?
I agree with A Place For Us about the hot chocolate and soups, and especially about hibernation and rest! I love taking a break from school (even if I am working still). I love holiday smells and baking. I love shorter days and the way the colors look different outside (even if we don't have a very picturesque winter in Texas). I love bundling up in tons of layers, and I love that it finally isn't hot and that we don't have mosquitoes!

BAKE MY DAY: some like it hot

2008-11-14T10:21:00.007-06:00

spiced apple cake with chili de arbol caramel

cayenne persimmon tart

sugar-free chocolate chili truffles

chocolate chili truffles

anaheim lime coconut pie

poblano almond chocolate cupcakes

For this week's BAKE MY DAY* I decided to use chilis to heat things up a bit. I wanted to try to use a variety of peppers from the Capsicum genus to provide different flavors and different levels of heat.

*BAKE MY DAY is a weekly event I host where I choose an ingredient or a theme and try to make several baked goods, accordingly. It gives me a great excuse to try a lot of new things!

Spiced Apple Cake with Chili de Arbol Caramel Sauce:I started off with this Holiday Bundt Apple Cake from Dessert, Diet and Dogs. I was happy to find a recipe that was using whole grain flours and agave and brown rice syrup for most of the sweetness. Unfortunately, I didn't have barley flour, so I substituted with whole wheat flour. The only other difference was that I added 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to the apples. When I mixed up the batter, it seemed a bit dry, but I baked it anyway. Perhaps I messed up somewhere (but I really couldn't figure out how), or perhaps I just slightly overbaked the cake, but it seemed the slightest bit dry. I'm taking full responsibility for that, though, and, otherwise, it was such a lovely cake, that I still recommend it.

I only added 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne because I didn't want the cake to be too spicy (only some like it hot, and I wanted to make sure everyone could enjoy the desserts). So, I chose to put most of the spice in the caramel sauce.

For the caramel sauce, I used this recipe because I wanted to use up my maple syrup. It tasted good, but it wasn't quite like caramel. I've used another recipe in the past that looked much more like caramel, although now I can't remember what recipe that was. (Does anyone have a caramel sauce recipe that you absolutely love?) I did add 2 dried chili de arbols (stems removed, but I added the seeds), chopped into little pieces. The sauce was spicy and delicious, and poured over lightly toasted spiced walnuts, it really made the cake (and totally made up for any dryness).

Cayenne Persimmon Tart:
When I was thinking about foods that chilis would go well with, one of the first things that came to my mind was mangoes. I love a mango with a little kick. Unfortunately, the mangoes this time of year just aren't good enough to cut it, so I decided to try something with persimmons, which have a similar flavor and happen to be in season now. I found Delicious Coma's recipe for a persimmon tart and decided to give it a try.

I used cold shortening in place of the butter and added cayenne to the spices to be sprinkled on top of the persimmons. The crust turned out quite good; however, the persimmons were not so good. My persimmons weren't ripe enough (and if you've ever had an unripe persimmon, you know how bad they are). I thought they might take on a sweet flavor when baked (much like a quince), but they remained incredibly astringent. But, the tart looked lovely and it would have been great had my fruit been better (and that's the easiest thing to fix, so I'm alright with that).

Chocolate Chili Truffles & Sugar-free Truffles:
recipe here

Anaheim Lime Coconut Pie:
recipe coming soon

Poblano Almond Chocolate Cupcakes:
recipe coming soon

chocolate and chili: the good, the bad, and the ugly

2008-11-11T19:25:00.011-06:00

the good, the bad and the ugly

For BAKE MY DAY this week, I decided to work with chili peppers (any member of the Capsicum genus). I guess I liked the idea so much, that I decided to get started a little early, and it seems like the past few days have been all about chilis. And what better to pair it with than chocolate? So, here they are: The Good, The Bad (well, at least the "not great"), and The Ugly.

chocolate chili truffle

THE GOOD
Chocolate Chili Truffles:
After making my Chocolate Matcha Truffles several weeks ago for the first time, and realizing how simple and wonderful it is to make truffles, I decided to try again, this time using cayenne, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to flavor my truffles. The result was delicious! It takes a couple seconds for the spice of the cayenne to hit, but it provides a nice "after spice," as one of my friends called it. Just as you've realized the flavor of the chocolate, your brain is suddenly hit by the heat, providing quite a pleasant sensation. I used this basic recipe from RecipeZaar and added 1 teaspoon of cayenne, one teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. I also rolled them in cocoa powder mixed with a little bit of cinnamon, and then, using a drop of melted chocolate, stuck on thinly sliced pieces of (mild) dried chili peppers.

sugar-free truffles, ready to be delivered

THE BAD
Sugar-free chocolate chili truffles:
Well, they actually weren't too bad, but they aren't nearly as good as truffles with a little sugar. My friend is on a sugar-restricted diet and she also has an allergy to soy, so she's definitely been wanting something a little sweet in her life. I used the same basic recipe for my truffles, but instead of using my regular bittersweet chocolate chips, which contain sugar and soy lecithin, I melted a bar of 100% cacao. I was hoping that the natural sweetness of the cashews would at least kind of help to counter the bitterness, but unfortunately, the cocoa was still too strong. My friend said that she can use small amounts of stevia on occasion, so I added a couple of teaspoons. I'd never used stevia before, and perhaps I used a little too much (a little of it goes a long way), because it seemed to have a slightly off flavor, something I'd usually associate with artificial sweetners. I also lightly toasted some coconut shavings to bring out their natural sweetness and rolled the truffles in the coconut to (hopefully) add a little sweetness. The stevia flavor wasn't too noticeable, and the taste was less bitter, so it did help a bit.

The result: not great. But not terrible.

I do think this recipe is worth experimenting with, especially if you have soy allergies of if you would like to use more natural sugars. If you aren't on such a sugar-restricted diet, I think it could still be worthwhile to make these with agave nectar; that way you are using a sugar that won't spike your blood sugar as much, and you can control the sweetness of the truffles to your liking.

THE UGLY
Chocolate Chili:
After putting some chili in my chocolate, I decided it was time to put a little chocolate in my chili. I remembered this post from The Urban Vegan and threw in a couple handfuls into my chili recipe. It may not look very pretty, but it sure was a delicious way to end the past few chilly nights.

vegan ventures: banana cupcakes with peanut butter icing (soy free)

2008-11-09T09:56:00.009-06:00

banana cupcakes with peanut butter icing

It's November and even though MoFo is over, I'm finding more excuses to post. Currently, it's for Vegan Ventures, which is hosted by Tasty Palettes. In honor of November, which is the National Vegan Month for those living in the UK (and really, I'm there in my heart), Suganya is encouraging people to post vegan entries on their blog this month, and she's compiling a list of all the entries (I can't wait to see what else people come up with)! Here's to more vegan posting!

When I come home for the weekend, it always feels like the holidays. I wake up early and the first thing I do (after getting dressed, fixing a bowl of millet porridge, and brushing my teeth), is go to the grocery store with my mom. Around the holidays, grocery shopping is always a big event; in the past, we took the "divide and conquer" method: dividing the giant list between my mother, my sisters, and myself, each of us taking a cart and going separate directions throughout the store. But since we've moved farther out of town and our trips to the bigger grocery stores have become less frequent, we've started to spend more time in the store, walking slowly down each aisle, looking at all of the different produce and all the new products lining the shelf walls. Pomegranate and acai gumdrops? Don't mind if I do. Peppermint marshmallows? They look lovely. I'll be making a vegan version soon...

Our trips to the grocery store may have calmed down, but the kitchen is still full of an excited energy. I'm always thrilled about my purchases; I'm supposed to be making lunch, but I can't help myself from doing a little baking too. Angela is asking for something sweet, and she gives me a suggested ingredient list that would horrify any diabetic: chocolate, caramel, marshmallows, bananas, peanut butter...oh yes, and sugar. Lots of it, she said.

I didn't want to go dessert overload, so I decided to make something that would appease her sweet tooth, but not without some nutritional value. I decided on banana cupcakes with some healthier flours, using the sweetness of the bananas to really make the cake (that's a pun, dear). Not one to follow recipes well, I looked at these (1, 2, 3) recipes for inspiration, but then decided to throw caution to the wind and do my own thing. I topped them off with some deliciously rich peanut butter icing and a bit of shaved dark chocolate. The result: an Angela-approved dessert. Oh yes, and they're completely soy free.

If you aren't a sugar fiend like Angela, you may find that you prefer to reduce the sugar a bit. Especially since these cupcakes will be covered in the icing, they really don't need to be that sweet. They're also very banana-y, and even though I used half pastry flour, they're still a bit dense (not nearly as much as a banana bread, but perhaps more than a cupcake should be). They did however rise very nicely, as you can see from the picture, and for a banana-dessert, they're surprisingly light. The peanut butter icing adds a really nice touch to these cupcakes. I'm trying to not use as much vegan margarine, because it just makes more sense to products that are more natural and less processed. In this recipe, I used coconut oil, which becomes solid at room temperature, and tapioca flour to thicken it. As the icing sits, it will harden, so if you aren't using it right away, blend it again before using. If you are topping iced cupcakes with chocolate shavings or other toppings, top quickly after icing before the icing hardens.

oven-ready

Banana Cupcakes:
makes 12
4 ripe bananas
115 grams (1 cup) whole wheat flour
100 grams (1 cup) pastry flour
55 grams (1/2 cup) whole spelt flour
1/2 cup turbinado (raw sugar)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a cupcake tin with baking cups.

Mix together bananas, oil, sugar, and vinegar. Really cream these together well, as this step is one of the most important in creating air pockets that will help give your cake a light, airy texture. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.

Divide the batter between the 12 cups. The cups should be almost full, but not quite. The cupcakes hold their peaks well and will rise nicely, so don't worry if the cups seem a little more full than usual.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from tin and allow to cool on a wire rack. Top with peanut butter icing (below) and fresh shavings of a good dark chocolate.

rising action

Peanut Butter Icing:
makes enough for 12 liberally-iced cupcakes
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup organic peanut butter, unsalted and unsweetened
1/4 cup nondairy milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil, brought to liquid form
1/2 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Make sure coconut oil is at liquid form (place jar in a bowl of hot water) before beginning. With an electric mixer, blend everything together for a couple of minutes until completely smooth.

spiced orange banana bread (soy free)

2008-11-05T11:05:00.015-06:00

spiced orange banana bread with pistachios

When I was in Oxford several years ago, I used to bake banana bread at least once a week. The delicious smells of banana and cinnamon would float through the hall and down the stairs, summoning the boys on the floor below and the girls on my floor to gather in our third-floor kitchen. There we would talk and enjoy each other's company as we satisfied ourselves with warm slices of the sweet, moist bread on those chilly autumn afternoons.

Since one of those housemates is in town this week from NYC, she asked me to make some banana bread for her. I know she's up for trying new things, so I decided to play with this recipe and make this banana bread extra special for her. I used a combination of spelt and whole wheat flours for all their healthy goodness, and I mixed in a little bit of teff and blackstrap molasses to add a mild earthy flavor with a subtly nuttiness. I balanced those flavors with a zing of orange zest and warming spices, and then I sweetened the whole thing with agave nectar and brown rice syrup. I divided the batter between four mini-loaf pans and topped each one with a different flavor that I thought would compliment the other flavors nicely. The result was a delicious, moist bread, packed with nutrition and flavor.

toppings (clockwise from top left): ground pistachios,

shredded coconut, sliced almonds, chocolate chips

Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list; you probably have most of the spices in your pantry, and if not, you can substitute with extra cinnamon or add some allspice. The teff flour may be more difficult to find, and although you can substitute whole wheat, spelt, or some other flour in its place, it really is worth the extra effort to get your hands on some teff. I was able to find it at Whole Foods, or you can order online here. Teff gives a unique sweet fragrance and nutty flavor, and it is one of the most nutrient-dense grains, so give it a try!

an inside view

Spiced Orange Banana Bread:
makes 4 mini (5.5" x 3") loaves

105 g (1 cup) whole spelt flour
85 g (1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
40 g (1/4 cup) whole teff flour
3/4 cup agave
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil (gently warmed, if necessary, until in liquid form)
1/4 cup nondairy milk, if necessary
4 bananas*
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
crushed pistachios, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, sliced almonds to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 4 mini (5.5" x 3") or 2 regular (8" x 4") loaf pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix together wet ingredients (except for milk). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. The consistency should be like a smoothie. If it is too dry, add some of the nondairy milk until it is wet enough.

3. Pour batter into pans and sprinkle with desired toppings. I used crushed pistachios, chocolate chips, shredded coconut and sliced almonds. I think crystalized ginger would also be delicious.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. They may appear a little darker in color than typical banana bread because of the teff and molasses, so don't take them out too soon.

about to go into the oven

About the nutrition of this recipe:

Teff has a very high calcium content, and contains high levels of phosphorous, iron, copper, aluminum, barium, and thiamin. It is considered to have an excellent amino acid composition, with lysine levels higher than wheat or barley. Teff is high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.
Spelt Flour is made from the spelt grain, which is a good source of protein, fiber and vitamin B3. Although some of these nutrients are lost as the grain is processed into a flour, using whole spelt flour ensures that you are still retaining much more of those nutrients than if you were using a more refined flour.
Blackstrap Molasses is the most nutrient-dense (and also the least sweet) type of molasses. Just 2 teaspoons contains about 18% the RDA of manganese, 15% the RDA of iron, plus copper, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B6)
Virgin Coconut Oil has received a lot of press in the past decade. Make sure to select one that is free from trans fats. Coconut oil does contain saturated fat (in fact, it is mostly saturated fat), but studies have shown that plant-based saturated fats are an important part of our health and they may reduce the risk of certain cancers, strengthen the immune system, increase metabolism, and actually lower cholesterol. For more information, start here.
Agave is an all-natural sweetener that is low on the glycemic index, so it won't make your blood sugar spike as easily.
Brown Rice Syrup contains complex carbohydrates from brown rice and sprouted brown rice or barley, which also help inhibit dramatic shifts in blood sugar levels, and is much better than using refined sugar.

all wrapped up

Nutrition Information:
per mini loaf
calories: 704, fat: 15.5 g, carbs: 137 g, sugar: 85 g, fiber: 11 g, protein: 8 g, iron: 19%

per 1/4 of a mini loaf
calories: 176, fat: 4 g, carbs: 34 g, sugar: 21 g, fiber: 3 g, protein: 2 g, iron: 5%

Nutrition information is based on information provided by Bob's Red Mill Whole Spelt Flour, Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Teff Flour, Almond Dream Unriched Unsweetened Enriched Almond Milk, Plantation Unsulphered Blackstrap Molasses, Madhava Organic Amber Agave Nectar, Lundberg Sweet Dreams Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Spectrum Organic Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil.

hearty rye bread

2008-11-01T18:33:00.002-05:00

hearty rye bread with pumpkin seeds

Ooooh, rye bread. One of my favorites. This recipe uses dark rye flour, blackstrap molasses, and a bit of cocoa powder to make an especially hearty loaf. Paired with the pumpkin seeds, which become perfectly toasted while the bread is baking, the result is a rich and complex flavor that can best be described as . . . addictive.

I based my rye bread recipe off of this one, but I changed it a little bit, so I'm rewriting it with my changes and with instructions for making it without a bread machine.

Dark Rye Bread:
makes one loaf
1 1/4 cups warm water, divided
4 tablespoons agave, divided
2 1/4 dry active yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups rye flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon caraway seed
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds for topping

Proof yeast with about 1 teaspoon of agave in 1/4 cup of water. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients. After about 10 minutes, the yeast mixture should puff up. Add it to the flour mixture, and also add additional water, oil, and 3 tablespoons agave. Mix until well combined and then knead for about 8 minutes. Place in a well-oiled bowl and cover with a wet tea towel or cling wrap. Set in a warm place, away from drafts and allow to rise for about 1.5-2 hours, until dough size has doubled.

Punch down the dough and shape into a loaf. Place loaf onto a baking sheet; then, using a small, sharp knife, make a clean incision about 1/2" deep across the top of the loaf. Cover the loaf again and allow to rest 30 minutes - 1 hour; meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 F. Just before you put the bread into the oven, lightly brush the top of the loaf with the remaining tablespoon of agave. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and then place in the oven.

Bake for about 40 minutes. The color will be dark because of the molasses, rye and cocoa, but don't take the bread out too soon. Measure the internal temperature of the bread (it should be at about 190F) to make sure it has fully cooked. If after 40 minutes the bread isn't quite fully cooked, you can turn off the oven and leave it in for a couple minutes longer, allowing the residual heat to finish cooking the loaf.

And, my Pumpkin Buckwheat Silver Dollar Pancakes were featured on vegan.com! That was quite a surprise. View the post here.

vegan MoFo: nutrition series

2008-10-28T10:00:00.005-05:00

It seems like every time someone hears that I'm a vegan, they have some word of caution or recommendation. If they aren't telling me about how I really should at least eat fish or drink milk, they're worrying about my intake of iron, protein, calcium, or vitamin B. I do my best to refrain from pointing out how my diet is probably much healthier than their's (although sometimes I can't help myself); instead, I try to think of their concern as a genuine care for my health. And although it upsets me sometimes (especially because I try to be very aware of eating a nutritious, balanced diet), I have to admit, they have a point.

When I first became a vegetarian, I was pretty unhealthy. I ate a lot of cheese and a lot of fake meat products. Eventually, as I learned more about nutrition, I began to move away from processed foods and I began to gravitate toward "whole foods" like fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and legumes. As I became more aware of the health, environmental, and economical factors concerning all animal products (not just meat), I decided to become a vegan. I was eating salads and grains and beans and tons of fruit and vegetables. And for a while, I was incredibly healthy.

But then I discovered vegan baking.

Not that there isn't room for the occasional vegan baked good, and it's true that they may be healthier than non-vegan baked goods. But lately I've realized that I've been eating so many sweets, that I haven't had room for all the other fresh, healthy foods my body needs. Maybe for some people eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet comes naturally, but, for me, it still takes some planning.

BUT, I believe it is possible for people to get adequate nutrition through a plant-based diet. So I'm making it my goal to research the roles of iron, protein, calcium, and vitamin B in our bodies: how much of each we need, the best vegan sources, how those sources compare to non-vegan sources, other nutrients that aid in absorption, and any other relevant information. I realize a lot of work has already been done by professionals, but this is more of a personal project for me to put it into one place where I can easily understand it and refer back to it. I'm also including recipes along with nutritional information for each post, because I believe it is important to eat delicious, healthy foods.

vegan MoFo: pumpkin silver dollar pancakes

2008-10-26T13:21:00.007-05:00

pumpkin buckwheat silver dollar pancakes with blackstrap
molasses, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans

I know I'm getting ahead of myself (or perhaps behind myself) because I still haven't finished posting about BAKE MY DAY. But, since it was such a lovely Sunday afternoon, I really wanted to post about these delicious pancakes I made for brunch today. I used the leftover pumpkin from my pumpkin cinnamon rolls plus a mixture of buckwheat and spelt flours for a rich, nutty taste. I sweetened the batter with a little bit of blackstrap molasses and agave nectar, and added the warm spiciness of ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Topped with a light drizzle of blackstrap molasses, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans, this is a beautiful and delicious way to add iron to your diet.

Pumpkin Silver Dollar Pancakes:
makes about 12 3-inch pancakes

1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup whole spelt flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
pinch of ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup soymilk (may need more or less, depending on thickness of desired pancakes)
oil for greasing pan

Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients except for soymilk and stir to combine. Add soy milk a little at a time, stirring until desired consistency is reached. I ended up adding a little more because the thicker pancakes were not getting fully cooked inside. The baking powder will help the pancakes to puff up a bit when cooking, so don't be afraid to make the batter a little runny.

To cook, lightly grease a non-stick skillet. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of batter. Cover with a lid until quite a few bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake. Use a non-stick spatula/flipper that has also been lightly greased to flip the pancakes. (Work slowly first around all of the edges and then loosen the middle of the pancake. Finally, when it slides easily, flip the pancake and allow to cook until other side is lightly browned.)

To serve, lightly drizzle with blackstrap molasses and agave nectar and sprinkle with toasted pecans and dried cranberries.

Vegan MoFo: pumpkin pie, take two

2008-10-25T00:56:00.004-05:00

good ole pumpkin pie

A couple weeks since my last attempt at Pumpkin Pie, I knew I was ready to try again; but this time, I wanted to keep it simple. Although I enjoyed the flavors of the ginger and ceylon tea, I decided to cut back on the spices in this recipe to allow the pumpkin flavor to shine. I can see an advertisement for this pie reading:

"No gimmicks. Just pure pumpkiny goodness."

Or something like that...

Once again, I based my pie filling recipe off Bryanna's Pumpkin Pie Recipe, but I made a few changes. Instead of a non-dairy milk, I used cashew cream (recipe below) to make the pie thicker and creamier. I like making my own milk because I know there are not preservatives or additives, and I can control the consistency. I also added a little more tapioca flour than the recipe calls for. I'm not sure whether it was both of these or the combination, but my pie set up much better this time. For the crust, I made up a new recipe (very loosely based on the one I used before). This one uses light spelt flour, which still has nutritious qualities but a much lighter taste and feel (I would have like to have tried the crust without any all purpose flour, but I ran out of spelt). I also used vinegar and baking soda to help make the crust flakier. This crust turned out much better than any of my previous crusts, although I know it still probably could use some work (if you know of any great vegan crust recipes, especially ones that incorporate whole grains, please let me know!). Here are my recipes:

Part Spelt Crust:
makes one 9-inch single pie crust

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup light spelt flour
1/3 cup cold shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
3-4 tablespoons cold water

Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening, careful not to over mix. Add vinegar and slowly add water, about a tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together. Roll dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper until it is a circle about 14" in diameter. Using the parchment paper to gently lift the dough, place it inside a 9" pie pan. Trim overhanging edges to 1" and fold under, using fingers to create decorative edge.

Pumpkin Pie Filling:
makes one 9-inch pie

2 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin (I used a little more than one 14.5 oz. can, but you could probably get away with one can)

1 cup cashew cream (recipe below)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Pour the filling into the pastry and bake 60 minutes, covering the edges with foil if they begin to brown too quickly. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

The cashew cream recipe below is a great addition to so many recipes. It worked wonderfully in my chocolate matcha truffles, and also in my quince and chestnut bread pudding. Although you can probably get away with soymilk in the above recipe, I think the richness of the cashews is really important. If you want to make a lower fat version, try replacing the water with the non-dairy milk of your choice and adding about 1/4 cashews. The result will still be creamy and delicious.

cashew cream

Cashew Cream:

makes one cup

3/4 cup raw cashews

3/4 cup cold water

Blend ingredients in a blender on high until completely smooth and creamy.

the blended result

the creamy consistency

vegan MoFo: quince chestnut bread pudding with orange cranberry sauce

2008-10-24T11:11:00.000-05:00

quince and chestnut bread pudding with orange cranberry sauce

I've never made bread pudding before, but I was knew that this needed to be rich. I figured omitting eggs, butter and cream and subbing low-fat plant-based alternatives (although that would make it healthier), would drastically reduce the quality. So, I decided to use rich alternatives (although still plant-based and still healthy). I did use 2 T margarine to cook the quince, but I think that could be easily substituted with coconut oil or apple juice without effecting the result.

Quince and Chestnut Bread Pudding:
1 (9 oz) baguette, cut into 1" cubes (about 7 cups)
1 cup cashews*
1/3 cup hempseeds*
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons margarine
2 quinces, cut into 1/2" dice (about 3 1/2 - 4 cups)
7-8 fresh chestnuts, or 1/2 cup roasted, peeled and chopped

*I used this combination of nuts and seeds to give a creamy taste and consistency with only a slightly nutty flavor. Feel free to use other nuts or seeds as you feel suits your recipe.

To roast chestnuts, use a sharp knife to cut an X through the shell of the chestnut to allow steam to escape. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 425F for about 20 minutes. The shells will pull apart at the X and should be able to peel off easily. Remove all of the shells and chop the insides; set aside.

roasted chestnuts

Place cubed bread in 2 quart baking dish and set aside.

In medium/large saucepan, melt margarine over medium heat and stir in quince, sauteing for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cashews, hemp seeds and water and blend until completely smooth (this may take a couple of minutes). Add the next 6 ingredients (maple syrup through nutmeg) to blender and process. Pour contents of blender over quince and add sultanas. Cook for a couple of minutes and then pour over diced bread. Sprinkle with chestnuts and gently stir to combine. While the oven is preheating to 325 F, allow the bread to soak up some of the liquid for about 15 minutes. Bake for about 45 minutes until center is set and top is golden. Alternatively, bake individual-sized portions in lined muffin tins for about 30 minutes. Serve with Orange Cranberry Sauce (recipe below).

orange cranberry sauce

Cranberry Sauce:
12 oz fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon orange zest

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin popping. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes. The sauce will still be a little runny, but it will thicken more as it cools.

vegan MoFo: BMD "harvest moon"

2008-10-23T17:11:00.011-05:00

Although I missed the ACTUAL harvest moon, the name for this week's BMD sounded a lot better than "hunter's moon" and it also better depicts the idea of this week's theme (plus, I don't support hunting, of course...).

I really just wanted to make everything pumpkin, but, for the sake of variety and in case there are any non-pumpkin eaters out there (although that's really beyond my comprehension), I also tried to use other seasonably appropriate veg, such as carrots, parsnips, pears, cranberries, and quince. Paired with hearty nuts and warming spices, this is the most autumnal spread yet:

quince and chestnut bread pudding with orange cranberry sauce

harvest loaf

pumpkin pie with spelt crust

pumpkin cinnamon rolls

More info and recipes coming soon, PLUS: lael's lovely pear and parsnip galette!

vegan MoFo 10: BMD "flower flour power"

2008-10-20T22:58:00.004-05:00

A sampling of some of the flower-flavored food from the Oct. 16th BMD:
*recipes and more info coming soon*

olive oil and herbes de provence bread

rose-scented baklava

rose ginger cookies

chamomile scones with clotted cream and hibiscus syrup

and coming soon: lavender biscotti...

vegan MoFo: a simple snack packed with flavor

2008-10-19T15:45:00.007-05:00

harissa & pepitas

I love the combination of sweet and spicy, with a little bit of salt; it's perfect because it satisfies all of my cravings. This recipe combines the spiciness of harissa, the sweetness of agave, and the delicious flavor of pumpkin and sesame seeds to make the perfect snackable treat. It's perfectly delicious on its own, but if you can manage to stop yourself from munching, they are delicious mixed into homemade caramel popcorn with pistachios, a little extra harissa to taste, and bite-sized pieces of dried mango, papaya and pineapple.

spicy caramel popcorn with harissa pepitas, pistachios,
sesame seeds, and dried tropical fruit

Harissa is a traditional North African paste made with dried chilies, garlic, oil, salt, and various spices such as cumin, coriander, caraway and cinnamon. You can buy harissa paste already made, but it isn't difficult to make your own, and it's much less expensive (try this easy recipe, which is the one I used on my pepitas).

Harissa Pepitas:
3 tablespoons harissa paste
2 tablespoons agave nectar
a tiny bit (about 1 t) oil
2/3 cups pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
a couple pinches of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, mix harissa, oil, and agave into a paste. Add pumpkin seeds and coat well. Spread out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt. Toast for about 5 minutes and then stir. Continue toasting about 5-8 minutes more, or until the seeds are toasted and significantly less sticky.

vegan MoFo 08: BMD "i like coffee, i like tea"

2008-10-18T11:46:00.013-05:00

Now that I'm back in town, I'm about to unload an arsenal of backed-up posts (oh, it's so good to be at home with my computer!)
First, a post to display all of the desserts at the Oct. 9 "i like coffee, i like tea" BMD event:

chai cupcakes with buttercream frosting and cinnamon

oolong currant scones with darjeeling jam and clotted cream

ceylon pumpkin pie

chocolate matcha truffles

chocolate espresso biscotti

vegan MoFo 06: Oolong Currant Scones

2008-10-14T21:47:00.001-05:00

Oolong Currant Scones with Darjeeling Apple
Ginger Jam and Clotted Cream

As part of the "i like coffee, i like tea" BAKE MY DAY, I decided to make scones with oolong tea and currants. I based this recipe off of Vegan Yum Yum's Lemon Maple Scones, but I wanted it to be whole grain. I love the taste of wholemeal scones--they've got a heartier flavor, and they're healthier, too! I used a mix of light spelt flour, whole wheat flour, and oats that I ground into a coarse flour. The light spelt flour helps to keep it from becoming too heavy or too wheaty (they are SCONES, afterall) and the oats provide a little bit of nice texture with a mild flavor.

I'm reprinting Lolo's recipe here, with my changes.

Oolong Currant Scones
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup light spelt flour
2 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
the contents of 2 bags of oolong tea
1/3 cup margarine
3 T agave
1/2 cup soymilk
2 T lemon juice
1/3 cup dried currants

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Combine dry ingredients (flours, salt, bp, oolong) in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, blend the margarine into the dry ingredients until there are no chunks of margarine left and the mixture looks like damp sand.

Pour in the wet ingredients and mix with your hands to form a soft dough. Only mix until just combined, adding more flour if the mixture is too wet. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to a slab 1.5″ thick. Using a biscuit cutter or a glass with about a 2″ diameter, cut out your scones. Press the scraps of dough together, roll out again, and continue cutting scones until you’ve used up your dough.

Transfer scones to a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper, or a non-stick mat. Brush the tops with a mixture of agave and lemon juice.

Bake at 400º F for 12-15 minutes. If the scones aren’t lightly brown after 15 minutes, transfer to the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully, to brown the tops if desired. Remove to a cooling rack.

Split and serve with clotted cream and Apple Ginger Darjeeling Jam, or another jam of your choice.

vegan MoFo 05: lessons in risotto-style barley

2008-10-13T16:05:00.004-05:00

risotto alla barbabietola

Despite the heat hovering (still!) over these early-autumn evenings, for the past few weeks I have been craving risotti of all flavors. A novice at making this rich dish, I still have quite a bit to learn. In my pre-vegan days, I depended on butter and parmegiano reggiano to makeup for my lack of know-how, but my more-recent dairy abstinence hasn't put an end to my desires for something creamy and satisfying.

I've made risotto with arborio and carnaroli before, but since I'm trying to incorporate more healthier whole grains into my diet, I decided to use pearl barley instead. I've seen this idea implemented several times before, most notably by Heidi Swanson here.

My first risotto-style barley was a few days ago. I roasted a butternut squash (it weighed 2.24 lbs before removing the skin and seeds) and added it to the barley at the end. I also added sage, saffron, arugula and toasted pecans. The taste was delicious and the texture was pretty good for the first try.

Then I tried a new version with beets, apples, beet greens, toasted walnuts and a hint of cloves. The flavors were nice, but I think the texture was still lacking. Risotto made from barley will never be as creamy as its arborio or carnaroli counterparts because it has less starch. But, after comparing what I did differently between the two recipes, I think I've learned a few things that will help bring barley to its fullest potential. Everything basically comes back to helping the grain release the starch slowly. Here are some tips to help:

1. You want to help the steam escape as the steam cooks the grain too quickly. Use a wide-based, shallow pan and if you have a fan above your stove, turn it on. Don't cover the pan with a lid.
2. Start by cooking the onion and garlic and then adding in the grains to toast. You only need to toast the grains for a few minutes, just until they're hot and you can hear them making a kind of hissing sound. For me, this was about 2-3 minutes.
3. When you add your liquid, make sure that it is warm. Cold stock (or wine) shocks the grains and will prevent them from best releasing their starch.
4. Stirring frequently (especially after new additions of stock) helps the steam escape and makes for a creaming risotto.
5. Add liquid in small batches of about 1/2 cup, and only when the rest of the liquid has been absorbed.
6. You may not want to use broth for all of your liquid (you may want to use water or low-sodium broth for a portion of the necessary liquid). Since you will use more liquid than when you typically cook grains, the taste and sodium of the stock may be too overpowering.
7. Keep the grains cooking on a low-medium heat. Cooking too quickly will result in a poorly-textured risotto.
8. Right before serving, add a bit more of olive oil and stir really well to incorporate, giving it a glossy finish and enhancing the creaminess.
9. Allow the risotto to rest a minute before serving it on plates.

And, now for the recipe:

Risotto alla Barbabietola
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup of pearl barley
4 cups of vegetable stock (you may not need all of this)
3 beets and their greens (if you don't have beet greens, use several handfuls of spinach or arugula, instead)
1 small apple
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted

1. Set the oven to 425 F. Wrap the beets in foil or place in a pan and cover and set in the preheated oven. After about an hour, chop the apples into 3/4" chunks and put in the oven. When the beets and apples are tender, probably about 10-15 more minutes, remove them and allow to cool. Once the beets have cooled, remove peel and chop into 3/4" pieces.

2. Meanwhile, heat broth in a pan and keep at simmer. In a wide, shallow pan, saute onion and garlic until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add barely and toast for about 2 minutes.

3. Add wine and stir briskly until incorporated. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, adding more only as liquid is absorbed. Continue adding liquid, stirring after every addition, until barley is just tender. The barley should be al dente, not mushy and not crunchy.

4. Add the beet greens and allow to wilt. Add the beets and apples and stir. Finally, add the olive oil and briskly stir one last time. Serve on plates and top with pieces of toasted walnuts.

vegan MoFo 04: apple ginger darjeeling jam

2008-10-12T03:33:00.009-05:00

Apple Ginger Darjeeling Jam

I'm still blogging (and I still will be for a few more days) about "i like coffee, i like tea," the theme for this past Thursday's BAKE MY DAY. BMD is a weekly event I started this semester where I bake several vegan desserts and/or breads based on a theme, and invite lots of people over to help eat them. I wanted to try to incorporate the tea into the jam for the scones I was making, so I decided to use darjeeling tea which goes well with apples, ginger and cloves. I used granny smith apples to give a little tartness, but feel free to use a another variety if you prefer. Since I couldn't find a tea jam recipe, I improvised. I used the tea bags at two separate times; I'm not sure if that is necessary but the result was delicious with the perfect amount of darjeeling flavor. Feel free to experiment!

Apple Ginger Darjeeling Jam

2 lbs granny smith apples
8-10 bags darjeeling tea
2 inch piece fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 & 1/3 cups sugar (approximate; see below*)

1. Quarter apples and place into a 4 to 5 quart saucepan (leave the cores and skins on apples, as these parts contain a lot of pectin). Add water just enough to not quite cover the apple quarters on the very top and cover the pan with a lid.

2. Bring the water to a boil and add 6 of the tea bags and ginger root. After 5 minutes, remove tea bags and discard. Simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour until apples are very soft and have turned to mush.

3. Pour into a colander lined with three layers of cheesecoth. Hang over bowl for several hours or overnight, until no more juice drips from bag.

4. Measure juice. If you have two cups, use 1 & 1/3 cups sugar. Otherwise, adjust sugar amount accordingly.

5. Put juice into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the remaining tea bags and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and squeeze out liquid. Add cloves and sugar to the saucepan and continue to simmer until desired thickness is reached.**

NOTES:
*This recipe is based on 2/3 cup sugar to 1 cup prepared apple juice. If you get more than 2 cups juice from the apples, make more jelly based on this proportion.

**The mixture will thicken as it cools. One method to test thickness of jelly is to drop a little onto a very cold surface. If the jelly does not run, then it is thick enough).

vegan MoFo 03: ceylon pumpkin pie

2008-10-08T23:51:00.007-05:00

Ceylon Pumpkin Pie

I based my recipe for the filling on the one found here, and the crust here, making minor adjustments to each and adding the flavor of ceylon tea to go along with the BAKE MY DAY: "i like coffee, i like tea" event. The flavor of the tea complimented all of the spices really nicely. Although the spices were delicious, some of them seemed to overwhelm the pumpkin flavor a bit, so if you're after a really pumpkiny pie, you may want to cut back on the ginger and molasses.

Here is my recipe:

Pecan Pie Crust
makes one pie crust

220 g. all purpose flour
50 g. pecans, ground
1 bag of ceylon tea
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. shortening
1 T canola oil
3-4 T cold water

Mix flour, pecans, salt and tea. Cut in shortening and blend until dough forms small pebbles. Slowly add oil and then water and gently mix, just until dough holds together. Wrap dough and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll until dough is 2 inches bigger than the pie plate. Using parchment paper to lift dough, place the dough into the pie plate and press down around inside, using your fingers to form decorative edges at the top.

Pumpkin Pie Filling
makes one pie

one 14 oz. can pumpkin
1 c. soy creamer
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. agave
2 T. blackstrap molasses
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all of the ingredients in a blender. Pour the filling into the prepared (unbaked) pie pastry and bake 60 minutes, covering the edges with foil if they begin to brown too quickly. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

*It really does need to sit for a while in the fridge for it to set well. After slicing it, I topped it with a spoonful of vegan clotted cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

vegan MoFo 02: chocolate matcha truffles

2008-10-08T18:17:00.008-05:00

chocolate matcha truffles

I just found out about Vegan MoFo (Vegan Month of Food), an annual blogging event encouraging vegans to blog more often (preferably 20 times in the month of October) about vegan food. In an attempt to do my part, here is a recipe for some delicious chocolate matcha truffles I made. I based my recipe off of this one, but I changed it a little, so I'll rewrite here, with my additions.

I used matcha powder to flavor them appropriately for this week's BAKE MY DAY, for which the theme is: "i like coffee, i like tea." Since I am baking for people who aren't used to having matcha, I only used 2 teaspoons, although you may find you prefer the matcha flavor to be stronger. But I think 2 teaspoons is the perfect amount for a subtle flavor. Also, I added 1 T agave; it isn't a lot of sugar but it helps cut the bitterness of the matcha. And here's the recipe:

Chocolate Matcha Truffles
makes 30
3/4 cup raw cashews
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons matcha powder
1 T agave
1 lb bittersweet chocolate

1. Blend the cashews with the water, agave, and matcha for 1-2 minutes (yes, it is a long time, but you want the mixture to be VERY smooth and creamy). Make sure there are no clumps.

2. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler until very smooth. Keep stirring to help it melt evenly and to prevent it from burning.

3. Fold the cashew mixture into the chocolate and stir gently to prevent air bubbles from forming in the mixture.

4. Once the mixture is combined, allow it to rest in the fridge for 2 hours until set. Then, use a spoon to scoop out small balls and roll in your hands (it is a bit messy) and then roll through cocoa powder until coated. Top with a sprinkle of matcha powder. You can store these in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, but you should let them come to room temperature before eating, as that will allow for the best flavor.

lazy saturdays yield abundant rewards to those who keep their eyes on the ground

2008-10-04T12:55:00.008-05:00

Pink Lady Salad

Well, despite the title of this post, this Saturday actually hasn't been too lazy, but it has been relaxing. I woke up early this morning because I wanted to walk to the farmers' market and run a few other errands downtown before it became too hot outside. I was excited that I needed to go back for a jacket when I left the apartment at 7:30, but a few hours later, I shed my outer layer and found myself wishing for a real autumn as I kicked a few stones into an overgrown field. Despite the increasing warmth and the run-down, abandoned surroundings, my spirits remained high as I thought about the goods in my bags: onions, zucchini, tomatoes, and delicata squash from the market; a couple of books from the library; a growing pile of pecans (for eating) and leaves (for art class); my diana camera with a (finally!) completed roll of film. I was looking at the road as I walked for more art materials (and possibly to avoid telling another friendly man in a truck that I am fine walking and that I don't need a ride) when I saw a small cluster of dandelions growing from beneath a bush. They were over a foot tall, which is impressive because it seems that usually they are pulled or picked before they reach six inches. Not that the size of the dandelion really matters. What I was actually excited about was the bundle of tall greens beneath the flowers. Although the grocery stores in Abilene have gotten better about stocking their produce sections, the dark, delicate leaves of dandelions have yet to grace the shelves. I grabbed a handful of the greens, making note of the general area so that I could return for more later...

Dandelion Greens

Don't worry, mom, I washed the leaves well (although it was after taking the picture). Talk about fresh produce! If only that were the case more often. Generally, living in Abilene and trying to eat fresh/organic/locally is quite a challenge. I would really like to take part in the Eat Local Challenge, but I know that realistically, I would have to declare so many items as exceptions that I wonder what is the point? Maybe next October I'll be living in a place where that would be realistic. But for now, I'll end with this simple, somewhat-local salad recipe--the perfect way to enjoy something fresh and cool on a beautiful, lazy Saturday afternoon.

Pink Lady Salad
(for men, too!)

a few of handfuls of arugula, spinach, and dandelion greens
a large handful of broccoli sprouts
the seeds from half a pomegranate
about 2 T raw pumpkin seeds
three small tomatoes, halved
about 1/4 c carrot and sage almond butter (recipe to follow)
a few sprigs of fresh mint
a drizzle of balsalmic vinegar (I used a fig-infused variety but regular would be fine)
a pinch of salt

combine everything and toss before serving

Carrot and Sage Almond Butter

I based the recipe for my Carrot and Sage Almond Butter off Tofu for Two's Carrot Almond Spread with Sage. I decided, however, to make a few changes as I wanted a thicker paste and I wanted the sage to be a stronger flavor. Also, I didn't toast my almonds (per the original recipe), but I still slightly cooked the carrot. I would like to try an all-raw version of this soon, but here it is in the meantime.

Carrot and Sage Almond Butter
100 g almonds, soaked for three or four hours, then drained
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 big clove garlic, sliced
8 large sage leaves
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

I placed the carrot and garlic in a pan, barely covered with water and cooked for a few minutes until the carrot was just beginning to feel tender. I then placed all the ingredients in the blender, adding some of the water from cooking the carrots until the mixture blended well into a smooth paste. You may need to add additional water to get the desired consistency. I kept mine pretty thick because I prefer a hardy dip, but this would also be a delicious salad dressing if thinned.