Belated New Year's Resolutions

I do realize that I am 13 days late in making resolutions for 2013, but better late than never...right?

Right. I'm going to go with that.

The truth is, I'm great at vegan cooking. Like, really, really good at it and only getting better. Why be modest when the food you crave the most is your own? So my resolution this year is to capture my experiments and recipes more consistently on this blog, both for posterity and to share with the few readers that happen to mosey across it every-once-in-a-while.

Peace + Harmony

Randi

Simple Vegan Pancakes

Pancakes are our go-to weekend breakfast. If the girls had it their way, we'd have them Saturday and Sunday mornings, preferable with chocolate chips. Here's my basic recipe which produces about a dozen fluffy "buttermilk" pancakes.

2 c. all purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt

2 c. non-dairy milk (I find soy works best, but any will do)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/2 c. vegetable or coconut oil

Wisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a blender (yes, I like using a blender for pancake batter) add the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar and give the mixture a minute to curdle. When its curdled, add the vanilla and oil and blend until well combined. Add the dry ingredients about 1/3 at a time and pulse the blender until everything is well mixed...but not over-mixed. Of course, you could also just do this in a bowl :)

If you batter is too thick, thin it with a little bit more non-dairy milk.

Cook as usual on a non-stick skillet.

Gingerbread Donuts

Donuts are the new cupcakes. Truth.

I made these delightful vegan donuts for Christmas morning as the pre-game to the elaborate Christmas brunch we had planned. I made two dozen of these (mini) donuts and at the end of all the present-opening festivities there was nary 1 1/2 donuts left.

Here's how:

2 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. fine raw sugar
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of allspice & nutmeg (if you have them)



1 c. unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. blackstrap molasses
1/4 c. vegetable or coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. Mix non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl or pitcher and let it curdle (should happen within seconds). Add molasses, oil and vanilla extract and stir until the molasses is completely mixed in.

Add wet to dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Use a pastry bag (or a ziploc bag with the corner cut out) to pipe into your greased donut pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Glaze while still a little bit warm. Here's how...

Simple Spiced Glaze

2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
dash nutmeg
~ 1/4 c. non-dairy creamer (a splash at a time)

Mix powdered sugar and spices well. A splash at a time, add the non-dairy creamer until you have a thick, smooth glaze. Dip donuts into glaze while still warm and let cool (preferably on a wire rack, which I don't have).

For easy transport and storage, I use empty cardboard shirtboxes for donuts. Just line them with wax paper to prevent a soggy box.

Vegan Pumpkin Donuts!

A few weeks ago I decided that I needed a donut pan...needed. So far, I was totally right. This thing has rocked my world.

So far I've experimented with powdered sugar, apple, glazed and...pumpkin!

2 c. whole wheat white flour
3/4 c. raw sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder

1 1/4 c. non-dairy milk
3/4 c. pumpkin puree (preferable homemade :))
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1/4 c. vegetable oil

 Simple as mixing dry ingredients well, mixing wet ingredients well, mixing wet and dry ingredients well and piping (I just use a ziploc bag with the corner cut out) into your donut pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

You can toss these in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, or glaze with this yummy glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp cinnamon
splash of almond or other non-dairy milk

mix into a thick paste and pipe onto the cooled donuts. 

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Me: "Love, do you want something for dessert?" Husband: SIDEYE
Me: "Oh, I mean...what you do want for dessert?"

Since marrying me, the Dude has gone from being "not really a sweets person" to never turning down dessert. And since he ate all his brussel sprouts at dinner tonight, I thought I'd throw together something special - something homey, but not too indulgent: oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  I wasn't feeling very inspired by the recipes I found online, so I decided to wing it. I think it worked...

Dry Ingredients
2 cups old fashioned oats (I supposed you can used rolled, but I like the heartiness of the old fashioned)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raw sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of Cinnamon

Pulsate the oat in a blender or food processor for just a few seconds until - you still want about 1/2 to be whole oats. Add to a large bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix and set aside.

Wet Ingredients
1/4 cup warm water + 2 tsp ground chia seeds + 1 tsp ground flax seed*
3/4 cup almond (or other non-dairy) milk
1 tbls apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup coconut oil (vegetable oil should work too)

Beat water, chia and flax seed well until gelatinous. Add the remainder of the wet ingredients, beating with a fork after each addition. Add wet to dry and mix, adding about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of vegan chocolate chips (or raisins...or both!).

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 12 minutes for (medium-sized cookie).

*This makes your vegan egg. You could also do all chia or all flax...I like both for fun.

Vegan Red Potato & Broccoli Soup

Hurricane Sandy is rolling in - nonstop rain for the last twenty-four hours and wind that's started to blow something nasty. All four of us have been rained in all day together and goodness knows, my girls (and guy) can eat. So, spending most of the day in the kitchen is really as much a necessity as it is an diversion. We've done homemade vegan (powdered & green tea) for breakfast, black beans, rices, and collard greens (recipe coming shortly) for lunch and on tonight's menu is a red potato and broccoli soup. A creamy soup just sounded cozy and appropriate for the weather and I had 1/3 of a 10lb Costco bag of potatoes I needed to use. So, here's the recipe...enjoy!

4lbs of red potatoes (washed and quartered)
1 small onion or 1/2 of a large onion (diced)
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 head of broccoli (cut into medium-small pieces)
4 tsp or 1 cube vegan bullion
1 cup cashew-almond creme*
Salt & pepper to taste
Water 

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, saute onion in about 3 tbls of olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute or less (don't burn the garlic!). Add potatoes and water to cover them by about 2 inches. Add bullion, stir and bring to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to low boil until the potatoes are tender and some of the water has evaporated/been absorbed. Once the potatoes are tender remove about 1/2 of them into a blender with the cashew-almond cream, blend for just a few seconds until "smooth-ish" and return to the pot. You can break the remaining potatoes up against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon or spatula. Add the broccoli and cook until tender. Taste (careful, it'll be really, really hot) for seasoning and salt & pepper accordingly.


I think I'm going to sprinkle on some Daiya chedder cheese, which I would highly recommend :)


* My cashew-almond creme is so simple and such a staple for making rich-tasting vegan foods. To make it, I soak equal parts raw, unsalted almonds+cashews and hot water. I do this in the blender and after about 30 mins (or longer if you have the time), I blend on the high setting for a full minute or until I have a light cream. I also do just cashew creme and it's just as good.

Homemade Fig Jam

I can't say that I'd ever really eaten a fresh fig before last week, but while in Georgia with my husband's family I was able to pick the yummiest, sweetest figs right off the tree. We ended up coming home with 4ish pounds of them that I had to something with. So began my jam-making/canning experiment that may very well have me hooked.

The fig jam was really, really easy. For my 4ish pounds of figs (cut in half), I added 2 1/2 cups vegan sugar, 1/4 cup of lemon juice and the zest of one lemon. Into a large pot these ingredients went and simmered for about 1 1/2 hours, while I stirred frequently. I didn't need any additional water, but you may depending on how soft your fruit is.

Now, the canning part of this experiment had my all psyched out. The process of canning just seemed so technical and intimidating that I never ventured near it....um, who wants to be responsible for giving some unsuspecting relative botulism poisoning? But alas, what what I to do with a ish-load of fig jam? Canning was a must.

Step 1: Canning supplies.

$40 poorer I had all I need to start the process. New jars with lids, canning tongs and a fancy funnel (that by the way, I haven't used yet as the jam was too thick).

Step 2: Sanitization

After washing the jars and lids in hot soapy water, boiled them in a large pot for 15 minutes or so, keeping them in the hot water until I was ready to use them.

Step 3: Filling the Jars

With the assistance of my very helpful hubby, I removed the jars from the hot water bath and filled them with the jam - leaving about 3/4 inch of space at the top of the jar and being careful to keep the rim of the jar clean (or wiping it off well).

Step 4: Boiling

After screwing the lids on (not too tight), the jars went back into the boiling water bath to seal. I left them in there for about 20 minutes (directions said 10-15, but I was nervous...you know, about the botulism).  Jars are sealed when the lid doesn't "pop" when pressed on.

So that's that...Canning: Accomplished.

I have some lovely cucumbers in the garden that will be ready in about a week. Pickles, anyone?