veglicious!

Calling all fans of brunch

2009-08-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

Do yourself a favor and pick up Isa's new brunch book if you haven't already!

Delicious tomato rosemary scones. Collards and sausage that will pop your dome. And my personal favorite, soft and buttery coffee cake, just like the kind mom used to make, or buy. You know, the one in the blue and white box. I've made this recipe several times already and am still in love. Just in case you think you're going to get sick of it (you're not), Isa provides a bunch of variations for fruit, chocolate, and other flavors. The recipe is flexible enough, you can pretty much do whatever you want to it and it'll be amazing. That's how good it is. The other day, I added a layer of sweetened dairy-free cream cheese and fresh strawberries. It is strawberry season after all.

And the cinnamon rolls! Make the cinnamon rolls!

T-shirt contest

2009-08-19T00:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a big fan (understatement) of PETA, what with their racism, sizism, and sexism (Do I even need to provide a link for that one? I wouldn't even know where to begin...), but if there's one thing that I hate more than PETA, it's vivisection.

Head on over to PETA2 for a chance to win one of Danny's newest designs for Zu that addresses the absurd cruelty of subjecting lovely critters to all sorts of chemicals and crap for the sake of human safety, and by safety, I mean stupid aesthetic standards.

Contest entry form! You have until August 28th.

And congratulations to Danny and Shaudi! Extra points for creative use of a red velvet cupcake, though if it were me, I'd much rather just have the cupcake. I wish you both lots of happiness!

Boca king and marshmallow queen.

Cucumber melon coolers

2009-07-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Warm sun means my CSA box has been overloaded with cucumbers and melons. Here's a refreshing way to use up the best summer flavors in one tasty drink.

Cucumber melon coolers (4-6 servings)
1 medium cucumber, roughly chopped (about 2 c.)
1 small melon, roughly chopped (about 3 c. - I used a sharlyn melon)
3 c. water
1/4 - 1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar
1 handful of mint leaves
zest and juice of 1 lime

Combine everything in a blender and puree until smooth. If you're not using organic cucumbers, peel it first, since most conventional cukes are coated in wax. Start with 1/4 c. sugar and adjust the amount depending on how sweet your melon was and how sweet you want your juice to be. Pour through a sieve (optional, if you don't have a high-powered blender), then chill for at least 1 hour. Serve over ice.

Perfect for sipping by the pool, on a porch, or if you live somewhere awesome like the East Bay, at the beach!

In more East Bay rocks news, Souley Vegan's new storefront near Jack London Square is finally open for business. You can't beat their Southern Fried Tofu! They also have great BBQ tofu and all the fixings like mac & cheese, potato salad, collard greens, black eyed peas, yams, and lots more. The strawberry ginger juice is also delicious and super refreshing. Plus, the family that runs Souley are some of the friendliest folks around. Please support them!

Souley Vegan
301 Broadway (@ 3rd)
Oakland, CA 94607

Buckwheat pancakes for 1

2009-07-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

I spent most of my life not really understanding pancakes. Who would choose flat blobs of dough over french toast or waffles? I also grew up on decidedly unamerican, paper thin crepes, dressed with syrups my mom would make from orange juice or jams (more on that later). It wasn't until very recently, that I discovered what pancakes really meant: fluffy, warm vehicles for fat and sugar, a carb-lover's dream. They are pan-fried cakes afterall, and that doesn't sound too shabby.

While my partner does love pancakes, he often has more discipline than me and my cravings for breakfast at any hour of the day, and so I put together this recipe which cooks up 6 delicious mini-cakes for one. It's easy to remember and a few of the ingredients are ok to eyeball, which means it come together really quickly. I like minis because, well, mini things are always cuter, and they cook much faster, too.

Buckwheat pancakes (6 - 3" pancakes)
1/4 c. buckwheat flour
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
~ 1 tsp. sugar
pinch of salt
fresh grated nutmeg (one or two passes on the microplane)
1/2 c. dairy-free milk
~ 1 tsp. oil or melted margarine
splash of vanilla extract (or use vanilla milk above)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients to distribute everything evenly. In a measuring cup, measure out your milk first, then splash in the oil and vanilla and whisk together in the cup to combine.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk slowly, just until everything is moistened.

Now, an important step, not to be skipped: set the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to rest.

When you batter is almost done resting, lightly oil and heat up your favorite pancake skillet (I like cast iron). For perfectly portioned pancakes (and cookies and cupcakes...) I highly recommend investing in a disher or several of various sizes. I use a size 30 (1 1/4 oz.) for this recipe for 6 pancakes, which is also about 2 heaping tablespoons. The batter will be fairly thick, so the disher makes for easy scooping, but you can just use a large spoon.

Cook your pancakes over medium to medium-high heat for a couple minutes each side, until golden.

In addition to growing up in a pancake-free home, we also rarely had maple syrup. Not always wanting my breakfast goods to taste like the fruit choice of the day, I got in the habit of just sprinkling sugar over my buttered crepes or french toast. I think this application is ideal for these little pancakes, as it allows the nutty flavor of the buckwheat to stand on its own (with a little help from the warm nutmeg). The crunchy crystals are also a nice contrast to the soft, fluffy cakes.

Summer!

2009-07-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

Summer doesn't quite have the significance it did when I was in school and it meant something entirely different than just being able to still see the sun on the commute home from work. It's still my favorite season though, with clear skies, being able to wear tank tops at night, frosty limeade, BBQs, and this tomboy's recently discovered affinity for the summer dress.

Being in California, our hot days come early, and I was lucky enough to spend my May birthday with great friends in one of my favorite places, Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, in West Oakland.

In the shadows of the port cranes and the Bay Bridge, we feasted of tofu pups and Boca burgers, potato and green bean salad, chips, sodas, and a strawberry vanilla cake from Shaudi. All the makings of a great barbecue!

Special thanks to Lisa for bringing out some white chocolate chips from New York on her recent visit to the Bay Area. I was able to make some classic white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for the party. One of my all time favorite cookie combinations and it's been years since I've been able to eat them.

Soon after, I took off with my family for China for a couple weeks of sightseeing.

Things got off to a bad start, when the airline didn't pack a vegan meal for the 12 hour flight.

I managed to find a few vegetarian restaurants thanks to the Vegetarian China website. However, I spent most of the trip downing massive amounts of white rice, bok choy, and watermelon.

In Xi'an, we had some beautiful dumplings, though the fillings weren't impressive and the skins were tough.

In Yangshuo, I finally got what I had really wanted for most of the trip: tofu and vegetables, and happily stuffed myself. I never thought it would be so difficult to get tofu in restaurants in China.

Upon my return, I threw a bun party for some friends.

I used my recipe for caramelized lemongrass tofu and whipped up some tofu, carrot, jicama, and shiitake stuffed cha gio. This is the perfect menu for summer parties, as it doesn't heat up your kitchen with too much cooking, and the dish is refreshing and light. Setting up the food buffet style also means less work for the host. I placed bunches of mint and cilantro in glasses of water to keep them fresh, and let people help themselves to all of the fixings: noodles, lettuce, peanuts, cucumbers, and nuoc cham sauce. Few things say summer quite as well as mint and cucumbers.

We ended the meal with something uniquely summer: smores!

I can't say that I've ever actually roasted marshmallows over a real summertime campfire (a gas grill perhaps, or a garbage can fire pit, and this time I made do with our broiler), but these sticky, sweet treats still allude to those quintessential scout camp memories that few people actually have. Thanks to the fine folks over at Chicago Soydairy, I had a big bag full of air-puffed marshmallows to share. The fluffy 'mallows roast up just like you'll remember conventional ones doing: toasty and crisp on the outside and soft and gooey in the middle. I'm also hoarding some for a cold night when I can top off a hot cocoa. Order some for yourself today and do summer right.

If you seek tofu

2009-05-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

While walking down the street, proudly displaying my honest love for all things tofu, I remembered the recent absurdity in Denver regarding one vegan's failure to obtain a TOFU license plate. Especially given the syntax of Herbivore Clothing's adorable design, I wondered if my shirt would be misinterpreted by anyone. But, I realized that if anyone were that stupid, then they deserve to be offended.

You can pick up your own "i <3 tofu" shirt here and offend as many people as your tofu and FU lovin' heart desires.

Congratulations are in order for Josh "Herbivore" Hooten, who recently raised almost $13,000 for Farm Sanctuary while completing a 604 mile bicycle journey from Portland to Orland, CA, for their annual Hoe Down event that was held this past weekend. Ronnie would be proud! Check out his beautiful pictures from the ride: gallery.

A little closer to home, I'd like to introduce you to a little joint that you should really become familiar with, if you haven't already. Rico's is a little, retro diner, located on the corner of 15th and Franklin in downtown Oakland.

They have a separate vegetarian/vegan menu with several sandwich and fried potato options available. Their claim the fame is the vegan pulled pork sandwich, made from mushroom stems, in a tasty without being overly messy sauce and organic greens on a soft, wheat bun. They also have a banh mi, which I have yet to try, and a chicken and sweet pepper cheesesteak sandwich (sans cheese for vegan) that got good reviews from my pals. You can get regular fries, garlic fries, curly fries, or piping hot tater tots! Self-serve cups and access to an ice dispenser and water cooler get a thumbs up as well.

The downside to Rico's is that they're downtown business lunch crowd hours friendly, so they're only open until 3 p.m. You can also stop in on Saturdays. And be sure to (gently) harass them to carry vegan milkshakes!

If you're still hankering for some more t-shirts and are laughing in the recession's face, stop by Zu where Danny has a couple new vegan designs up.

Strawberry-quinoa bars

2009-03-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a firm believer in not feeling guilty about the foods we put into our body (global politics and food resources aside -- I'm talking about the 3:00 p.m. voice in your head that says, "I want a donut.") Women especially, but everyone our culture as a whole, are under considerable pressure to fit into tiny pants, and the resulting oceans of self-hatred that flood our communities makes me want to punch ad execs in the face. Screw that. Guilt is a waste of perfectly good time. If you want to eat cookies for breakfast, eat damn cookies for breakfast, and love your beautiful body just the way it is. Granted, you probably shouldn't eat cookies for breakfast everyday, and you should also fill up the rest of your menu with kale and chard and sweet potatoes and tempeh and other good things.

So, while you shouldn't hate yourself over what you put into your body, I do believe that you can really be happy about putting good things into your cookie hole. Strawberry-quinoa bars are my solution to wanting to eat cheesecake for breakfast everyday. Thanks to the genius of Joanne Stepaniak and her cashew and millet teascake (courtesy of Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan), now I can. I modified Joanne's recipe to combine the healthy fats in almonds with the complete protein of quinoa, while still giving you that satisfying, creamy tang. I used Millennium Restaurant's crust from their Chocolate Almond Midnight (only the best dessert ever), adding oats, again replacing cashews with almonds, and bumping the nutrition up even more with the omega-goodness of flax seeds. It won't fool you into thinking you're really eating a traditional, decadent cheesecake, but it's still remarkably delicious, and full of all sorts of nutritious things that will start your day off right.

There are quite a few steps that require a bit of multitasking, and a few more pieces of kitchen equipment than I'd like, but it's worth it in the end. You will need a high-speed blender with plunger or an immersion blender. (Or, try it in a regular blender or food processor and let me know how it turns out!) Don't fret if your filling doesn't get perfectly smooth; you won't notice once the bars are fully constructed.

Strawberry-quinoa bars, 9 servings

Crust
1 c. rolled oats
2 tbs. whole flax seeds
1/3 c. whole raw almonds
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbs. vegetable oil
2 tbs. maple syrup
1 tbs. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling
1/2 c. quinoa
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. whole raw almonds
1/3 c. maple syrup
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 c. almond milk
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 tsp. agar powder
2 tsp. water
2 1/2 c. frozen strawberries
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8x8 baking pan with foil (enough so it reaches up and over the sides, for easy removal). Combine the agar and 2 tsp. of water in a small bowl and set aside.

In a blender, combine 1/2 c. of the rolled oats and flax seeds. Blend until the oats and most of the flax are well ground. It should resemble whole wheat flour. Pour into a food processor with the 1/3 c. of almonds, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse until the almonds have broken down into a coarse meal.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oil, syrup, water, and vanilla. Use a silicone spatula to stir in the remaining 1/2 c. of oats and the almond mixture. Stir until evenly moistened, then press into your prepared pan. The crust should just begin to come up the sides (about 1/4"). Bake for 18-20 minutes, just until the edges start to brown, then remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack.

In a sieve, rinse your quinoa well under running water. (Crucial step!) Transfer the quinoa to a small lidded pot, along with the 1 1/2 c. of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is soft and the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, grind the almonds and maple syrup in a blender until it is as smooth as possible. Once the quinoa has finished cooking, add it to the blender, along with the milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. (I prefer to use alcohol-free extract, since this part will not be cooked.) Pause your blending and scrape the sides down frequently. If your crust has completely cooled, pour your filling into the crust and spread evenly. If it's not ready yet, scrape the filling into a bowl and set aside. Once it starts to cool and set, it's not very fun to try to remove it from the blender! You can leave everything on the counter at room temp until you've finished the final step.

In a small pot, combine the strawberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat just until some of the berries begin to soften (it's ok if some of the bigger ones are still a little frozen). Add the agar mixture and simmer for 5 more minutes. No agar granules should be visible. Use the back of a spoon to gently break down some of the bigger strawberries, if they haven't done it on their own already.

Let the strawberry mixture cool for 20-30 minutes, the pour it over your filled crust and spread evenly over the top of the bars. Let the bars cool completely before covering and refrigerating for at least 4-6 hours. Or leave them overnight and enjoy for breakfast the next day!

Cilantro ice cream

2009-03-15T18:01:00.001-07:00

I was recently reminded of the phenomena that is people who hate cilantro. They blame it on genetics, but really, that is the coward's way out. I feel pity for these people who don't understand the magic of this fresh green herb that brings sunshine to so many dishes from around the world.

Coupled with the recent, yet brief, sunny weather we've been having, this inspired me to break in the ice cream machine my sister had given me for Christmas, and I quickly blended up a batch of refreshing cilantro ice cream. Cashews and coconut milk create ultimate creaminess, while a touch of lime compliments the bright flavor of cilantro.

Cilantro ice cream, about 1 quart
2 c. raw cashews, soaked for 1-2 hours, then rinsed and drained
1 - 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (full fat)
1 c. water
3/4 - 1 c. unrefined cane sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 large bunch of cilantro (about 2 c.)
zest of 1 lime

Combine everything in a blender, then blend until smooth. Easy, right? You can adjust the level of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your ice cream. Remember, the frozen, final product won't taste as sweet as the blended mix.

Pour into a container, then cover and refrigerate until chilled (a couple hours at least, but overnight is great.)

Process according to the instructions on your ice cream maker, then enjoy!

Bike Ride for Animals

2009-03-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

All around awesome dude Josh Hooten, who along with his wife Michelle owns Portland's Herbivore Clothing Company, is hopping on his bike for a 600 mile trek down to Orland, California, for Farm Sanctuary's annual Hoe Down in May.

I'm hoping his ride creates minimum chafing, while still reaching maximum outreach for all of the good that Farm Sanctuary does to help animals who have been abused, neglected, rejected, and otherwise spat upon by our messed up food system. Josh has set an amibitious goal of raising $10,000 dollars for the farm. You can lend your support here: I want to give Josh money!

My birthday just happens to be during the Hoe Down, so in lieu of all of those gifts I know you were planning to get me, please give your money to Farm Sanctuary instead!

You can follow along with Josh's training and preparation on his blog.

The Great Banh Chung Experiment of 2009

2009-02-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

I could pretend to be a high-falutin' expert like some folks, but it's easier if I just direct you to universal blogging source Wikipedia for a crash course in banh chung. Now that that's over with, let's move on to my experience.

It's been several years since I've had one of these rice cakes since they are most certainly not vegan, and somehow I got it into my head one day at work that I would make my own. Over several days and two markets, I collected glutinous rice, hulled mung beans, canned green jackfruit, and frozen banana leaves. After several more days (or weeks, really...I don't often have 8 hour blocks of time to hover near the stove), I finally settled in to making my banh chung. You might have noticed in the link above that they are generally filled with pork, wrapped in neat squares, and bound with kitchen twine. None of that applies to mine.

I wish I had a real, fool-proof recipe to offer you, but unfortunately, as this was my first and extremely experimental attempt, I can only offer guidelines. This website and this one were extremely helpful, and I loosely based my own process off of their information.

I started by soaking the rice and mung beans overnight, and preparing my jackfruit marinade, which I can give a recipe for!

Jackfruit filling
1 c. coarsely chopped green jackfruit
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and pepper in a bowl and stir. Mix in the chopped jackfruit, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, I drained the rice and set it aside. I heated 2 tsp. of cooking oil in a skillet over medium high heat. I added the jackfruit and sauteed for 4-5 minutes until the fruit softened and began to caramelize. Using a fork, I mashed and broke up the fruit into a shredded consistency.

Next, I drained and rinsed the mung beans, then placed them in a steamer basket for about 10 minutes until tender. I mashed the beans with a fork and set them aside to cool. Meanwhile, I soaked the banana leaves in warm water to defrost, then gently (I can't stress this enough) unfolded them on my kitchen table that I had covered with a layer of towels. I pat them dry, then cut them into several strips. Four that were approximately 5 x 18" and 4 that were about 12 x 18". I was planning to make 2 cakes.

I referenced this video to attempt to make my cakes without a mold. I placed two of the larger leaf rectangles so that they overlapped by about 5" lengthwise. Then I placed one of the narrower strips perpendicular over the first two, and the final narrow leaf, perpendicular over that one. (See video @ 15 seconds)

I scooped some rice into the center of the leaves, followed by a handful of mung beans that I had flattened into a disk. Next came a few spoonfuls of jackfruit, then another mung bean disk. At this point, I realized that I had failed to acquire kitchen twine. Not wanting to bury the beautiful leaves under layers of foil, I raided my sewing kit for some thread that I hoped would withstand several hours in simmering water. I followed the video as closely as I could, but that guy has some serious skills. When my packets were wrapped and bound, they were sad, square pillows at best and barely reminiscent of the tight geometry of tradition.

I placed my two cakes into a large stock pot, covered them with water, and brought it to a boil. I then reduced the heat to a simmer and got ready for a long night. Now, for some reason, every recipe that Google provided me with insisted on cooking these suckers uncovered. Not wanting to tempt fate, I did just that and kept a second pot on low heat, so I could top off the water as needed. But this just seems ludicrous to me. Seven hours of cooking and I'm not allowed to use a lid to reduce evaporation? I can't possibly think of a reason why that would be neccessary when cooking something that needs to be constantly submerged under water. It's not like flavors are getting concentrated since new water is being added. If someone can convince me of a good reason why I shouldn't use a lid or even a slow cooker, please let me know.

I dilligently topped off my pot and rotated my cakes every hour or so. At about 1 a.m., I figured they had had enough and removed the cakes to a colander. I placed a folded tea towel on a large plate, stacked the cakes, and covered them with another towel. I placed another plate on top, a large can of tomatoes on top of that, and left them on the counter to drain while I got some sleep.

The next morning, I cut the string and carefully unfolded to leaves to what I hoped would not be disaster.

The long, steamy bath renders the already sticky rice into a homogenous, chewy cake, stained green with the smokey, tea-like aroma of banana leaves. You can enjoy it a room temperature, or lightly heated in a steamer or microwave. The nutty mung beans and salty jackfruit, while tasty, add only a hint for flavor to this subtle cake. So how do you fix this? By frying of course! This was my favorite preparation as a child, and I would eat it drowned in mysterious Maggi sauce.

Cut your cake into slices about 3/4" thick and heat a couple teaspoons of oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. (No one said this would be healthy.) Place a couple slices in the skillet and let them sizzle for several minutes until they begin to turn golden. Flip each slice, then using a large spoon, press the slices outwards toward each other. Continue flipping and pressing until you have one, crispy pancake, about 1/2" in thickness. It's easiest to press the side that was just browned, because the hardened rice will prevent your spoon from getting glued to the cake. Eat immediately with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and a dash of soy sauce.

Toasted coconut ribbons

2009-02-12T22:16:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love coconut, so it's no surprise that one of my favorite Lunar New Year treats are candied coconut ribbons called mut dua. Now, if you're actually familiar with this confection, you're probably looking at my blog and thinking, "Dude, you totally burned your mut dua." And you're be correct. I was too distracted watching a fascinating documentary that analyzed the stresses placed on women by our overbearing consumer culture and stifling heteronormativity (::cough::rockoflovebus::cough::) to stir my coconut as frequently as I should have.

These strips of coconut are usually pure, powdery white, or sometimes dyed pink and green. But they're also cloyingly sweet and lacking in any real flavor other than the in-your-face-and-piss-your-dentist-off scream of sugar. My accident was actually a great mistake that tuned up the coconut's creamy flavor, while the caramelization and hint of vanilla softened the blow of the sweetness. Handling mature coconuts is a bit of an endeavor, but it's totally worth it. Bland, store-bought mut dua no more!

Toasted coconut ribbons
1 mature coconut (the brown, hairy ones)
3/4 c. vanilla sugar

Preheat oven to 375F.

Using a hammer and large nail (or power drill, if you want to get fancy), poke holes in 2 of your coconut's 3 eyes and drain out the water. Strain the liquid to remove any hair or shell bits that might have fallen in, then set aside.

Bake your coconut on the center rack of you oven for about 20 minutes. The shell should be cracked in several places. Remove the coconut and set it on a solid counter top on folded dishtowel to help secure it in place. Get out some aggression and firmly beat your coconut with the hammer several times until the shell splits open. You'll notice that the coconut is covered with two layers of bark: a hard, hairy outer shell and a thin, snug inner skin. A combination of hammer-abuse and gentle prying with a paring knife will separate the hard shell from the meat. Use the knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the inner skin. Try to keep your coconut in as large of pieces as possible so you'll have bigger ribbons. (You might notice that I wasn't too successful at this final note myself, but this was my first attempt at opening a mature coconut, so deal with it!)

Once you have peeled off the inner skin, rinse your coconut chunks under running water to remove any hairs or skin bits that still remain. Pat the coconut dry, then using a sharp knife, slice your coconut into slices about 1/8" thick. Place the ribbons in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer the coconut for about 3-5 minutes to remove some of the oil. Drain the coconut in a colander and rinse out your pot.

Over medium heat, combine the vanilla sugar and 1/4 c. of the coconut water, and stir until dissolved. If you don't have vanilla sugar on hand, use regular sugar plus 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract. Add the coconut ribbons and stir to cover them all in syrup. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring frequently. The ribbons will turn translucent as they cook.

After about 30 minutes, the pot should be almost dry and the sugar will begin to crystallize. At this point, you can break tradition and stop stirring for a couple minutes. As the sugar at the bottom of the pot begins to caramelize, stir the mixture to get fresh coconut and sugar at the bottom. If the pot starts to get too dry add a tablespoon or two of coconut water to promote caramelization and prevent burning. Continue this process for another 20-25 minutes until your ribbons are nicely toasted and all the water has evaporated.

Spread the coconut ribbons on a baking sheet and allow them to cool completely. They will keep for a couple weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

ACAB bakesale

2009-02-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

On New Year's Day, BART cop Johannes Mehserle murdered Oscar Grant while Grant was face down on the platform of the Fruitvale station. His four year old daughter is now without a father.

Please support this benefit event at 924 Gilman on Sunday, February 8th, starting at 3:00 p.m. There are going to be some stellar bands, as well as a bakesale hosted by Allison, Kristen, Toni, and myself. All of our proceeds will go to Oscar's family.

Slacker Roundup: What have I been up to?

2009-02-05T19:56:00.000-08:00

I'm still here! The holiday season was busy, I've been sick, work has been stressful, my cat ate my homework.

Despite my dislike for shopping and even stronger dislike for Jesus, I appreciate the gatherings and food that go hand in hand with the winter holidays, and the opportunity to hang out with family and friends. Friends that do it up big.

The Spread

Danny harnessed his inner Martha for the centerpiece.

The entirely homemade array of goodies included chocolate chip-walnut cookies, Mexican wedding cakes, mini mocha bundt cakes, sherry cake, chips & salsa, chocolate-drizzled pretzels and popcorn, seitan-in-a-blanket, stuffed mushrooms, mo-f-ing samoas, spinach hummus, pita chips, chocolates, truffles, gingerfolk, sugar cookies, and pure black metal.

Mini-bundts (thanks to shane's folks for the kick ass pan!) also made an appearance at the annual white elephant at Shalon and RJ's, this time in chocolate-cream-filled form.

Coworkers received Mexican wedding cakes and cookie cutters.

Recipe from Joy of Baking, modded with Earth Balance, a full 1 c. of nuts, and only 2 tbs. of sugar in the dough.

Hiboux received some organic wheatgrass from the Temescal Farmer's Market.

The pièce de résistance, however, was the bûche de Noël that I made for my family.

Dressed with pecans, cranberries, and quickly dissolving snow.

I used caramel cake from Hannah, knowing that it would stand up to a rolling. The roll was filled with a cooked buttercream flavored with espresso powder and hazelnut extract, then sprinkled with toasted pecans. Finally, a decadent layer of Isa's ganache went over the top for that tooth-aching, bark-like finish. It probably weighed in at about 5 pounds and I ate the leftovers for breakfast for 2 days. Yum! (shane: You should call this a log blog.)

shane also celebrated a birthday recently, which called for a 4-layer vanilla latte cake, in honor of one of this favorite beverages.

4 layers of vanilla cake, brushed with fresh coffee, and filled with espresso-flavored cooked buttercream.

Vegan Power II!

2008-12-09T23:16:00.000-08:00

Another friend, gym-mate, and fellow vegan, Matt, will be fighting this weekend in San Francisco. Despite my jealousy from watching him eat platefuls of chips and guacamole, pizza, and a generous slice of Maggie Mudd ice cream cake less than a week before weigh-in, I wish him luck. Hurray for ass-kicking vegans!

Admittedly, I'm not the most disciplined eater. There's a half-box of candy cane Joe-Joe's in the kitchen calling my name. It's a little daunting when my coach just told me yesterday that he'd like to see me fight at a weight I haven't seen since high school. I like food and I like to eat! It's not too surprising that I managed to turn the freshman 15 into the sophomore 50. After several years and falling in love with the gym, I feel much healthier and happier than I used to. I still feel pretty good about cake, too, but I try to keep on track nowadays by starting each morning off with my go-to shake.

Breakfast of champions

The idea of green shakes always repulsed me until I tried one, but I've learned that they don't really taste like blended salad with the right combination of ingredients. I combine soy, almond, or rice milk with a couple tablespoons of hemp protein, 2-4 leaves of kale or collard greens, about 3/4 - 1 cup of frozen strawberries, 2 - 3 pitted Medjool dates, 1 teaspoon of flax seeds, and about a teaspoon of cocoa powder, and then hit it with the immersion blender. If I have it on hand, I'll throw in a handful of spinach, lettuce, or cilantro. Maybe some frozen pineapple, if I'm feeling really crazy.

To be honest, it doesn't sound too palatable when I see the ingredients listed out, but I promise that you can't really taste the greens (OK, you can taste cilantro...) They just add a fresh, bright flavor to what really just tastes like a chocolate-strawberry shake. It's a nice dose of protein and carbs, and full of vitaminy, fibery, Omega goodness, all wrapped up in tasty drink.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-02T23:28:00.000-08:00

shane and I have made it a tradition to visit Farm Sanctuary in Orland for their Celebration for the Turkeys event. He was out of state visiting family this year, so I went up with friends Shalon and RJ instead.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, and as always, it was so nice to see these lucky animals living out their days on a picturesque farm, a wonderfully drastic change from the nightmares they had come from. I love seeing people interact with enormous steers and talkative pigs for the first time, and I appreciate that staff and volunteers take care to allow the less gregarious animals watch from a distance. It was also great to see Josh, Michelle, and the lovely Ruby, proprietors of Herbivore in Portland. Josh gave an excellent talk about everyday advocacy, and how to be eloquent with stupid people, even when all you really want to do is punch them in the face.

For the actual holiday, shane and I went over to Shaudi and Danny's home for a feast, where we enjoyed cornbread-stuffed seitan, tamales, biscuits, cornbread, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts, and green beans.

Violet outdid herself with a kick ass pumpkin cheesecake. There was also apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies, and chocolate cookies.

My contribution for the night was stuffing and glazed sweet potatoes. As much as I like the traditional candied yams, they are never quite as candied as I would like. Most recipes call for boiling first, which doesn't let the potatoes live up to their full sugary potential, and they're usually so soft, they might as well be mashed.

Instead, I slowly roasted cubed sweet potatoes (nutritious skins on!), starting in a cold oven, to give the starches time to convert to sugar (thank you checkout stand America's Test Kitchen) until they were toasty brown. Meanwhile, I made a glaze from water, sugar, molasses, freshly grated ginger, cardamom, and a touch of cayenne pepper, that I boiled to a syrup. Once the potatoes were roasted, I sprinkled them with a bit of salt and tossed them in the caramel-like glaze. Finally, I topped them off with a bit of Shaudi's marshmallow cream and popped them in the broiler. Sweet, but not too sweet, crispy outsides with creamy centers, and just a little hint of spice.

Cheddar and nacho teese

2008-11-24T12:26:00.000-08:00

I was very excited to come home to a box of teese's new cheddar and nacho vegan cheeses. I thought I would take a day or two to decide how best to use them, but the moment shane saw that nacho log, it was decided that we would have nachos for dinner.

We went to the store to get some chips and salsa. I sauteed minced garlic in olive oil, then added a can of black beans, cumin, lime juice, 1/2 a chipotle pepper in adobo, and a pinch of salt. Cilantro and sliced green onions finished things off.

For the teese, I recommend whisking it in a small saucepan over medium heat until smooth and melty. This worked better than some quick nachos I made a few days later in the microwave, where the oil separated from the solids, much like I remember conventional cheese doing. Whisking and stove heat is the way to go!

shane went down to visit family in Arizona for a couple days, so I decided to wait until he returned to make a meal out of the cheddar. I did sample some in a grilled cheese sandwich in the meantime, which was delicious. I even tried a bit of teese straight off the log; it tasted exactly like those individually wrapped cheese slices of my youth. Not quite my thing, but if you like cold cheese, the resemblance is uncanny!

The afternoon of shane's return, I tried to think of the best way to use the cheddar teese. The great melting quality of teese made pizza seem like a good solution, but tomato sauce and cheddar didn't quite sit right. I saw the last of a bag of soy curls on the counter and it struck me. BBQ pizza!

My laziness turned into much more work than I had originally planned, following a bike ride to Trader Joe's for premade dough and BBQ sauce, where I discovered I had left my wallet at home. Not wanting to ride home and back again, I figured I should just make my own. I used the pizza dough recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance with whole wheat pastry flour, and made sauce from tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, sriracha, water, and liquid smoke. After soaking, I precooked the soy curls in canola oil, with a bit of soy sauce and pepper. Sliced red onions were added before the pizza went into the oven, and cilantro and green onions topped it off when it came out.

It was one of the best pizzas I've had in a long time!

If you want to pick up some teese of your own, check out locations on their website. Rainbow Grocery also carries teese, for those of you in the Bay Area.

Butterscotch pecan cookies

2008-11-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

I was never a big chocolate fan growing up; these were my go-to cookies instead of classic chocolate chips, but it's probably been almost ten years since I've made them. I had been on an ongoing search for accidentally vegan butterscotch chips for a long time when I learned there are a few locations on the east coast that sell these dairy-free morsels (Price Chopper and Food Lion). Some gracious folks were willing to mail some over. It's probably for the best that I don't have regular access to butterscotch chips. They're filled with partially hydrogenated fats, artificial flavorings, and all sorts of things I would generally avoid, but as a rare treat, I don't mind indulging in these soft, chewy cookies.

This recipe is just the basic Toll House cookie with a couple modifications: soy yogurt for eggs and doubled-up brown sugar for an extra molasses chew that matches well with the butterscotch chips. Buttery pecans finish things off with a smooth crunch.

Butterscotch pecan cookies
2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
3 tbs. plain soy yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. butterscotch chips
3/4 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

Cream the margarine and sugar together until slightly fluffy, then add the yogurt and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly stir in the flour mixture, then once combined, stir in the chips and nuts.

Drop rounded tablespoons onto your prepared cookie sheets and use a dampened finger to flatten slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just barely turning golden. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the sheet for about 2 minutes, then slide the entire parchment sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Birthday, Shaudi!

2008-10-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

Shaudi turns a whopping 25 today! Yay, Shaudi!

Burning calories.

Consuming calories.

Violet's adorable cupcakes

Chocolate chip cake with chocolate mousse and vanilla buttercream.

She'll kick your bazzaz!

Vegan power!

2008-10-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

My friends, gym-mates, and fellow vegans Shalon and Violet will represent Pacific Ring Sports on the undercard for an all-woman, Muay Thai competition on October 25 in Daly City.

I'm looking forward to watching them kick ass in their amateur debuts. Wish them luck! (And good luck to Diane, too!)

Sugar Beat Sweets

2008-10-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

Last week, I helped Melisser prepare for a busy weekend at San Francisco's World Veg Festival with Sugar Beat Sweets. She had spent the previous day in the kitchen with the talented Carmen, baking hundreds of cupcakes and mixing up giant bowls of frosting. I came in on Friday for 11 hours of more cupcake making and non-stop frosting-piping. As much as I love baking, it was a long day!

On Saturday, Sugar Beat Sweets set up a booth at Veg Fest next to the friendly folks at Save A Bunny and their adorable, and amazingly calm, Mr. Pinkerton.

Cinnamon buns, brownies, and candy corn went quickly and were gone by the early afternoon.

We had 8 flavors of cupcakes: Chocolate, Vanilla, PB&J, Orange Dreamsicle, Snickerdoodle, Peppermint Patty, Peanut Butter Cup, and Chocolate Snowball.

It was another long day, but lots of fun! It was great seeing young children get excited at the opportunity to indulge in treats that they probably have watch sadly as their peers devour the conventional versions at school and parties. The crowd loved Melisser's recipes, with several repeat customers coming back again and again, claiming they were the best cupcakes they had ever tasted.

The kind Antonio of Flacos traded cupcakes for his crew, for a delicious lunch of tamales, taquitos, and pozole. Our friend, personal chef Jesse Miner gave a presentation about cooking and preparing heirloom beans and shared the leftover garlicky bruschetta with us. There were also samples galore from the various food and services vendors throughout the hall.

If you missed out on cupcakes and are in the Bay Area, make sure to stop by any of these locations that carry Sugar Beat Sweets:

Rainbow Grocery - 1745 Folsom @ 14th Street
Other Avenues - 3930 Judah Street @ 44th Avenue
Real Food Co. - 2140 Polk @ Broadway
Ike's Place - 3506 16th St @ Sanchez
Underdog - 1634 Irving St @ 17th Avenue
Harvest Urban Market - 191 8th St @ Howard

Melisser also takes special orders through her website.

World Veg Festival Weekend - San Francisco

2008-10-03T23:43:00.000-07:00

October 4th and 5th brings the World Veg Festival to San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. There will be speakers, cooking demos, tasty food, and other good things.

Saturday & Sunday, October 4 & 5, 2008
$6 suggested donation
Free for Kids, Students, & Seniors
San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, entrance 9th Ave & Lincoln Way

Sugar Beat Sweets will have a booth with cupcakes and other goodies for sale. I'll be helping Melisser out on Saturday, so stop by to say hi!

Don't let these burnt cupcakes die in vain!

Picnic season

2008-08-26T10:29:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Living in the O for the tip, and for those of you in the East Bay who don't already know, Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in West Oakland is just about the coolest park ever.

It's about 1 1/2 miles from West Oakland BART (or 3 miles from downtown, or a nice 6 mile cruise from my place in the North). Since it's in the Port, access can be a little sketchy during the week with all the semis and such, but the roads are like a ghost town on the weekends and very flat, with the exception of a slight grade at the underpass, making biking a breeze.

Gorgeous views of San Francisco, the bridge, and the bay; grassy fields and a little, sandy beach in the shadow of the cranes; plus trails and an observation tower.

Arsenal v. Fulham: Pie and Mash Party

2008-08-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

Ever since he heard Becks mention it, shane has been fascinated with the idea of Pie, Mash, and Liquor. With the Premier League season now underway and his two favorite teams playing each other this past weekend, we decided it was due time for a pie mash party. I modified this recipe for minced beef pie, subbing seitan for beef; using extra mushrooms and carrots, plus some thyme, for additional flavor; and threw in a few new potatoes I had lying around.

We sauteed the onions and mushrooms first, to remove most of the water, then added the rest of the vegetables and seitan and let them cook for a few more minutes before tossing in the garlic and thyme until fragrant. Next came some tomato paste and mustard. Once mixed, I added a couple spoons of flour and stirred it in well and let the starch cook for a moment. Finally, I added some water to form a gravy. The whole mix was simmered for about 15 minutes until the potatoes were tender.

I made a basic pie crust recipe and rolled it out to line the individual pie tins. Each tin received a couple ladels of filling before getting a top crust put on.

They were baked at 350F for about 25 minutes until golden and served with mashed potatoes and parsley liquor.

Along with some root beers (thanks, Neel!), we had the perfect game meal. Arsenal had a sorry showing and lost to almost-relegated Fulham, 1-0.

To complete our fine meal, Pranjal brought a trifle of sponge cake, strawberry custard and jelly, strawberries, bananas, and whipped cream. It was like 5 delicious desserts rolled into one!

There's rumors of fry ups or fish and chips for next time. We need to put Neel's deep fryer to work!

Sorry!

2008-08-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger! I apologize for the lack of posts recently. I hope to have some new recipes up soon.

Meet Hiboux:

She's our new tortie from the East Bay SPCA They're currently having a deal on cat adoption fees, so please check them out if you're looking for a new, furry friend. She's been keeping us very busy!

Also, Melisser's bakery is up and running. Please contact Sugar Beat Sweets if you're in need of some tasty treats in the Bay Area for your special event.

And happy birthday to our comrades Sergio and Lizzi. We had the pleasure of enjoying some awesome vegan food at Sergio and Jo's lovely home this weekend, courtesy of Sergio's mom, and Josh and Emily and their vegan grill. I made a 4-layer, basil-lemongrass cake with tapioca filling and coconut frosting, but unfortunately didn't get any shots of it. I hope everyone enjoyed it!

Hot dogs are murder.

2008-08-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

So you don't own a turntable, or care for sneakers, but really want to stand in line for hours for some limited edition gear? Actually, there's no line-standing involved, just some button-pushing.

Buy a t-shirt from Zu Boutique and help my friend Danny support his life of leisure.

If you make a purchase, be sure to include a note demanding that Danny use this money to adopt a sweet dog in need of a loving home.

Royal icing decorations

2008-07-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

I recently donated some mini-cupcakes on behalf of Sugar Beat Sweets to East Bay Animal Advocates' 5th Anniversary celebration and fundraiser. The director requested "birthday" style cupcakes, with a nod to their 5 years of animal rights work in California. I thought royal icing decorations would be a great way to top off the cupcakes. This is a technique I learned originally while making lattice-work for a Victorian gingerbread house when I was in high school. It's great for numbers, letters, or any fancy, little flourish you want to add.

Royal icing decorations (enough to cover an 11 x 17 cookie sheet)
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. lemon juice
food coloring (optional)
2-3 tsp. soy milk

Sift the sugar and cornstarch together. Stir in the lemon juice and any food coloring you wish to use. Add the soy milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until the mixture becomes a smooth, but thick, paste.

Place a sheet of waxed paper over the back of a cookie sheet, or any firm surface that you can move your decorations on (cutting board, cardboard, etc.)

Make a parchment cone and fill with the royal icing. Only trim the tip of the triangle a little at a time. You can always make it bigger, but it would a big pain in the butt to have to make a new one!

Holding the bag at about a 45 degree angle to your work surface and using gentle pressure, "draw" whatever shape or design you would like to create, and repeat until you run out of icing. Try holding the tip of the bag about a 1/4 inch from the paper and letting gravity help the lines fall where they need to go. It's always best to make more than you need, for insurance against breakage, even though these do set up rock hard. You can also create templates, if you don't trust yourself at free-handing, and place a piece of paper with the image of your shape below the waxed paper to trace through.

Move your sheet of designs to a safe, dry place where they can set up. It will take 2-3 days for your icing to harden. Test the firmness of your decorations first with any ugly or practice shapes, so you don't ruin any of your pretty ones. Remove icing shapes by grasping the waxed paper between your thumb and forefinger, pulling down on the paper with your thumb, while pushing up against the back of the shape with your forefinger to pop the shape off.

Place in an airtight container until ready to use. The icing will keep indefinitely, as long as it isn't too humid. Don't dress you cake for more than 36 hours before serving, or they will soak up moisture from the frosting and become soft.

Watermelon tapioca

2008-07-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

We got the first watermelon of the season recently from my CSA. Aside from snacking on fresh bites, straight from the fridge, I wanted to incorporate it into a dessert I loved as a child. Typically done with honeydew, this chilled, melon tapioca soup is refreshing on Summer afternoons. The recipe is simple, but needs some planning ahead of time, because it requires a bit of waiting on the refrigerator.

Watermelon tapioca, 4 servings (about 1/2 c. each)
1/4 c. small tapioca pearls
1/2 c. water

3/4 c. water
1/3 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/4 c. soy milk

3/4 c. watermelon
1/2 c. coconut milk (full fat!)
sugar

Soak the tapioca pearls in 1/2 c. cold water for 20 minutes, drain.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring 3/4 c. water to a boil. Add the tapioca pearls and reduce heat. Simmer pearls until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Stir in soy milk. Pour into a lidded container (or use plastic wrap), and refrigerate until completely chilled. Overnight is great.

Puree the watermelon and coconut milk in a blender until smooth. Depending on how sweet your melon is, you may want to add a spoon or two of sugar. Strain through a mesh sieve to remove any fibrous gunk or seed bits. Refrigerate until cold.

Immediately before serving, whisk together the watermelon mixture and tapioca pearls until the tapioca is evenly distributed and any big chunks are broken up. Ladle into bowls or cups and enjoy!

Variation: This is also great thinned out with a tiny bit more coconut milk and served over crushed ice as a yummy beverage.

East Bay Animal Advocates' 5th Anniversary

2008-06-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend in Oakland, East Bay Animal Advocates celebrates their fifth year of animal protection work though consumer education, corporate outreach, direct aid, and legal research. EBAA's mission is to examine and analyze the impact of the California agricultural industry on animals, humans, and the environment.

Where: Micio Mambo
474 Santa Clara Ave.
Oakland, CA
94610
When: June 29, 3:30 pm
How Much: $25 donation minimum

From 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Micio Mambo will be open for your shopping pleasure. All attendees are welcome to ten percent off purchases (excluding any sale items, skincare & cosmetics).

At 5:30 p.m., join EBAA for a champagne toast to the animals.

Throughout the party, EBAA will host a silent auction featuring awesome items such as:

· Zuzu Luxe Cosmetic Gift Basket
· Frey Vineyards Vegan Winetasting and Lunch with Wine Teaser
· A 75-minute Swedish and/or Deep tissue massage
· Autographed Book: Why Animals Matter
· Autographed Book: Striking at the Roots
· Bizarro and Other Strange Manifestations of the Art of Dan Piraro
· Farm Animal Art
· Pangea Printed sweatshirt and tote bag
· Guitar Lessons: Three Sessions
· Candle Illumination Gift Basket
· Vegan Home-Cooked "Dirty South" Dinner for Six People

And what's a birthday without treats? This event will feature seasonal vegan appetizers, desserts donated by Sugar Beat Sweets, Lagunitas brews, straight edge mojitos, and much more!

Cupcakes and drug free mojitos sound like my kind of party! Unfortunately, I have obligations at the nine-to-five, and won't be able to attend, so please support them in my stead!

Visit their website to learn more about the work they do.

Eat my treats!

2008-06-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

I'm filling in for the lovely Melisser this week at The Usual Suspects Cafe, while she's up in Portland.

Stop by for lunch or dinner, Tuesday through Saturday, to have some chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and ganache, peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla-strawberry cake!

EDIT: June 3, 2008
Rumor has it there's only 4 cupcakes left after one day! Exciting! There's also a banana-chocolate swirl cake with icing, that I forgot to mention. I didn't have a chance to taste it, but Mark says it's fab!

The Usual Suspects Cafe

2008-05-25T13:41:00.000-07:00

Update: The original chefs at The Usual Suspects Cafe have resigned due to a hostile and threatening work environment. Please don't patronize this establishment!

~~Watch out, Herbivore, there's a new cafe in town, and they actually know how to cook!~~

450 Broadway St
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 434-4444

Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday
Lunch, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Dinner, 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Plus, an early morning coffee bar, hours TBD (8 a.m.-ish)

This North Beach restaurant has just re-opened with a new organic, vegan/vegetarian menu featuring the dishes of Chefs Mark and Ted, culinary school friends who both interned at the famed Millennium Restaurant.

The menu features comfort classics like pizza, pasta, panini, wraps, and salads, dressed up with the freshest, organic produce, macadamia and cashew cheeses, homemade seitan, and coming soon, Teese. The owner has insisted that dairy cheese options be included, but hopefully people won't even feel the need to order them due to the variety of vegan choices available. Let's convince him we don't need cheese! It's great to see a menu where everything is served vegan by default and the asterisks denote non-vegan dishes.

Pressed taquitos (Amazing!)

Shawarma (Giant!)

Tofu panini with spinach, cashew cheese, and pesto

Fettucine

BBQ Tempeh

Dishes were incredibly generous (we all went home with leftovers) and were served with the option of salad (Ranch, Thousand Island, Cherry Balsamic - all vegan, of course!!) or house potatoes. Get the potatoes! You have not lived until you've eaten organic potatoes!

Desserts are courtesy of Melisser and Sugar Beat Sweets. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures, but we shared slices of a wonderfully moist chocolate-peanut butter cake and strawberry rhubarb cobbler (made with help by yours truly!) Once things get going, she'll have a full assortment of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and specialty desserts available.

Please support these great folks!

Happy birthday, Shalon!

2008-05-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Our friend Shalon celebrated her 29th birthday with a party at an indoor "inflatable party zone" in Oakland that featured two rooms of bounce houses and obstacle courses. We took the place over with a large group of people probably far older and bigger than the structures were designed for. The staff of 17 year olds tried to play it cool as we promptly broke every rule in the orientation video.

Despite all of the bruises, scrapes, friction burns, and even Shalon's self-inflicted black eye, it was a ton of fun. It also made me feel incredibly out of shape; jumping and running around while trying to keep your balance and not get slammed in the face with over-sized boxing gloves and balls is a lot of work! All of the sweating was balanced out by a ridiculous amount of treats.

3-layer chocolate cake with peanut butter caramel and peanut butter buttercream, by Shaudi.

Strawberry cupcakes, by Shaudi.

Mini-funfetti and mocha cupcakes, featuring a super decadent chocolate frosting recipe that I'm working on. I think I overloaded the cocoa this time, so the texture was a little off, but it's getting closer!

Shaudi also made coffee cream filled cupcakes with ganache, and Molly and Krisi brought amazing chocolate chip cookies with oats and chewy snickerdoodles, that I enjoyed for breakfast the following day. I'm going to need to get those cookie recipes!

Donuts!

2008-05-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

On account of traveling in Japan and a nasty cold that I think I caught on our last day (if an avian flu epidemic breaks out in North America, you can blame me), I haven't worked out in a while.

So what do I have to greet me at my first day back to the boxing gym after 3 weeks?

Glorious Ronald's donuts!!! Just what I need to get back in shape.

It's been several months since I've enjoyed one of the soft, sweet, as magical as purple unicorns donuts. They got a little smooshed in my gym bag, but after 15 seconds in the microwave, they're good as new. Thank you, Shaudi, for sharing, and Tammy, for flying them back!

Vegan in Kyoto

2008-04-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Part two of my review of vegan finds on a trip to Japan. (Part 1: Tokyo)

After a speedy shinkansen trip from Tokyo, dampened only by my growling tummy and my inability to find fishless onigiri at the train station, we found ourselves in Kyoto. We hiked our luggage to the hotel, then set out to locate Nishiki Market.

Nishiki Market

The market stretches for several blocks along Nishikikoji-dori, near the popular covered shopping arcades of Teramachi and Shinkyogoku. It's no surprise that the majority of the vendors sell seafood, but there's also a variety of produce, pickles and preserves, sweets, crafts, and other items

There was a wide selection of yuba, tofu, and gluten.

I was also finally able to find vegan onigiri! I bought a red bean one, and they also had umeboshi and a sea vegetable options.

Sunshine Cafe

On our first evening, we ate at Sunshine Cafe, located in the Sanjo-dori covered arcade. (Covered arcades are amazing things to have when it rains.) We started the meal with lightly fried tempeh chips with a tangy, peppery ketchup. I had the tofu steak, which was a straightforward slab of tofu, pan fried, and served with greens and a thin brown sauce. It sounds boring, but it was actually very tasty, and was a nice, solid meal to have after not eating much all day.

Shane had the tofu burger, which he enjoyed immensely

Cafe La Siesta (website)

They could not have possibly made this place harder to find. We actually intended to eat there the previous night, but gave up and went to Sunshine instead. The restaurant is on Nishikiyamachi-dori, apparently, but street signs were no where to be seen. It's just east of the Kamo-Gawa and if you can find the A Bar, look for a small hallway that leads to the cafe.

Most of the food was great though. I had a gyoza set and shane had the tempura set. We also had pajeon (Korean onion pancake) that tasted ok, but was very heavy and oily. Shane especially enjoyed their generous servings of pickled burdock.

Biotei

Look out for the sign on this tiny, second-floor cafe, or you'll miss it. The internet and travel books seem to rave about this spot, but I can't say that I was too impressed. The food was good, but not spectacular. The staff is friendly though, and if you're into fried gluten like shane, you'll be happy.

Sauteed radishes that smelled like sauerkraut (yuck). I let shane enjoy them.

Greens with a sesame-tofu dressing. Yum!

More pan fried tofu with salad and a sesame-shoyu dressing.

shane's beloved panko gluten

Cafe Proverbs 15:17 (website)
“Better is a dish of vegetables where love is, Than a fattened ox and hatred with it.”

We hiked long and far through a gravel desert known as Kyoto Goen to get to this cafe near Kyoto University.

We started off with tasty spring rolls with a superpungent mustard.

I had the TLT, which was drowned in a finger-licking basil sauce. It was delicious. My only complaint is that they used white sandwich bread, which could have at least been toasted, as it fell apart too easily for the sauce-filled sandwich.

shane had a tempeh sandwich.

The desserts were too beautiful to pass up; the strawberry cake was calling my name. It was a bit disappointing though, with a coarse crumb and beany frosting.

The cheesecake was also beany and TINY. Seriously, this photo isn’t much smaller than life-size

Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji, Arashiyama

The absolute highlight of Kyoto, if not the whole trip, was the Shojin Ryori restaurant at Tenryu-ji, a temple in Arashiyama, about 30 minutes west of downtown Kyoto. I really wanted to experience a temple meal, but was shocked at some of the prices I found for the prix fixe meals at various locations. Some were upwards of of 8,000-10,000 yen (approx. 1/10o of the US dollar)! The 9-course Snow menu at 3,000 was a steal. Still, we expected this to be somewhat of a splurge for a meal that would be remembered more for the physical experience than tasty grub. We were blown away as they brought us dish after dish of delicious and beautifully prepared food.

In the upper right is goma tofu, a curd made from sesame seeds and starch. It was soft and delicious.

Various vegetables and jellies.

Miso soup

Deep-fried eggplant with miso and fruit plate

Happy, full bellies.

So, there you go. Proof that good vegan food is fairly easy to find in Japan. Don't forget to look for matcha soy milk! And thanks to shane for being so patient while I fumble to adjust white balances and apertures before he can dig in.

Airplane meals

2008-04-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

I can't say that we were expecting too much from the two meals we recieved on the 10 1/2 hour flight from SFO to Narita.

Dinner was overcooked vegetables with some odd, flavorless, yellow, congealed sauce. The lentils and couscous were pretty good though. Thankfully, they gave us a lemon wedge with the salad, which combined with the salt and pepper packets was edible, because the vinaigrette contained milk powder. Thanks, United! Read closer next time. Unfortunately, it looks like Melisser had the same problem on another recent flight. Hopefully, they'll start paying more attention to their vegan meals. The cookie was vegan, but as dry as a cake of sand. Shane enjoyed it though.

Breakfast was a potato, bell pepper, red onion, sundried tomato sautee. Both overcooked and undercooked, and flavorless without the addition of pepper, but somehow satisfying in a groggy, dehydrated, airplane stupor. Plus we got Nutrilicious donuts! They were a bit hard (they would have been brilliant with 15 seconds in a microwave), but c'mon, it's a donut! You almost can't go wrong with that. The fruit was also nice.

The return flight was more disappointing. The exact same meals, but for some reason they though a tiny container of orange juice was a suitable replacement for the donut I had been looking forward to. Boo!

Vegan in Tokyo

2008-04-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

People had told us that eating vegan would be difficult, the dreaded sakana dashi (fish stock) would be inescapable. We found it quite easy to find vegan food in Japan, however, especially with a strong Buddhist presence and being the home of macrobiotics. The discovery of an extremely helpful guide book was also a plus. (Their maps are pretty sparse, so be prepared with full maps to compare, if you hope to have any luck finding the restaurants. Also, they claim there is some magical vegan ice cream that exists at some Family Mart locations. We went into just about every Family Mart we passed and could never find any!)

On our first night, our friend Ryo took us to a restaurant near his home. Cucumber, natto, and kampyo rolls are always reliable. I loved that each table had its own hot water spout and powdered tea!

Deva Deva Cafe, Kichijoji (website)

The next day, we ate Deva Deva Cafe in Kichijoji. The teriyaki burger was pretty tasty. I was pleased with the Japanese idea of a serving size. I'm so used to the American, more is better, plates piled high until you burst aesthetic, so it was a bit odd at first, but the smaller portions were just perfect and satisfying. (To give an idea of scale, that plate was more of a salad-sized than a full dinner plate.) The paprika dusted chips were fabulous! Crisp and hot, with creamy centers.

For dessert we enjoyed a decent apple crumble and a wonderful, delicately sweet sesame pudding.

Base Cafe, Kichijoji

Ryo also took us to the quaint little Base Cafe, located up a rickety staircase near the Kichijoji station. We had great soy croquette lunch sets. I loved their industrial decor, minimalist flower arrangements, and mismatched tableware.

Nakamise-dori Market, Asakusa

At the crowded street market in Asakusa, we discovered agemanju, similar to sweet bao, covered in tempura batter, and deep fried. The friendly vendors assured us that they were tamago-free (egg). We also tried some mochi, covered in a sweet soy sauce glaze, and freshly grilled senbei crackers (so much better than the bagged stuff!)

Pure Cafe, Omotesando

Nestled in an Aveda spa and store in the posh Omotesando area is Pure Cafe, one of our favorite finds. I enjoyed the lunch set featuring a tofu-lettuce-tomato sandwich and your choice of soup, salad, and drink. I picked the carrot bisque, mixed greens, and orange juice.

Kinpira takana sandwich (pickled burdock and some other stuff)

The bread pudding was flavorful, but their tofu cream was rather beany.

The tiramisu was absolutely delicious! Not beany at all.

We returned again on our last night in Tokyo for a tasty, late night, a la carte meal. We were also able to purchase some ready made sandwiches to pack for the perfect airport meal.

Samosas

Spring rolls

Soup pasta (this totally hit the spot!)

Grain burger

Vegan Healing Cafe, Shibuya

Near the infamous Tokyu Hands department store in Shibuya is the small Vegan Healing Cafe, which featured a cute menu board complete with an anti-fur message. They also have a somewhat out of place copy of the Firestorm 7" on their back shelf, along with a bunch of vegan information and cookbooks.

I had the bean stew, which wasn't quite what I imagined, but was still tasty (reminded me of refried beans and rice). Shane had the fried gluten, which he loved.

For dessert, we had soy whip cake and a chocolate tart. The cake was ridiculously good. The frosting was light, smooth, and ever so sweet.

Saishokukenbi, Shinjuku

This was one of our top restaurants on this trip: an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring tempura, gyoza, various noodle dishes, shane's favorite "meat on a stick," soy croquettes, pickles, and much more. They even has a coffee agar gel dessert like my mom used to make! Some of the offerings contain milk or eggs, but each dish is labeled in kanji. It's handy to be able to recognize a few characters, even if you're unfamiliar with the language: egg, milk, soy milk (followed by the character for milk). The staff is also very helpful.

We went back the following night, after dinner service had begun to slow down. They were so kind, they prepared some fresh food and brought it directly to our table! It was a lot to eat, but to be polite we forced it all down.

Brown Rice Cafe, Jingumae (website)
Another stylish cafe near the ritzy shopping promenades, Brown Rice Cafe had a predominantly vegan menu, with a few eggy/milky desserts thrown in. I chose the inari lunch set: a pair of freshly fried inari (crispilicious!) filled with brown rice and topped with miso or ratatouille, salad, and delicious miso soup.

Shane had the veggie burger. He loved the crunchy bread, but the chips were undercooked.

We chose seasonal ice cream and a chocolate tart for dessert. They weren't too impressive. I couldn't figure out what the ice cream flavor was supposed to be and it had a strong soy aftertaste.

I highly recommend their take out shop next door. They have a large selection of vegan cookies and a couple vegan muffins. The almond cookies were great and the crispy, little ginger cookies were melt-in-your-mouth amazing. Neither survived the plane ride home.

der Akkord, Jingumae (website)

Near Brown Rice Cafe is der Akkord bakery, a wonderful little family-owned organic bakery. The friendly staff sucks you right in with samples the moment you walk in the door. We ended up buying a ridiculous amount of breads and pastries because we just couldn't decide.

The best item was probably their fruit and walnut bread. It's the perfect combination of sweet and tangy (from their natural sourdough leavening process), and crunchy, chewy, and soft. I could eat 3 loaves right now.

Also delicious were their anko-sagebrush buns.

Not pictured: mushroom curry bun, olive bread, pumpkin pie pocket, anko pie, apple pie pocket, coconut cake, and cocoa banana cake. I told you we went a little crazy!

Stay tuned for the Kyoto report!

See you next month!

2008-04-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Japan tomorrow morning, so there won't be any updates for a while. Hopefully, upon my return I'll have glorious images of delicious food, interesting sights, and monkeys!

(Photo credit: marxz)

You can chew on these numbers while I'm gone: The Real Crisis is Global Hunger. Monbiot makes some asinine comments, but the picture he illustrates is an important one.

Blueberry lemon muffins

2008-04-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

Simple recipe, tasty muffins.

Blueberry lemon muffins, makes 9
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. soy milk
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/3 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/3 c. canola oil
1 tbs. lemon zest, lightly packed
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. frozen blueberries

Topping
3 tbs. whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbs. unrefined cane sugar
1 tbs. Earth Balance, softened

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 9 cups of a muffin tin.

Use your fingers to crumb together the topping ingredients and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients minus the blueberries (soy milk through vanilla) until frothy. Add the dry mixture to the wet, and stir until combined. Fold in the blueberries until just distributed (3-4 turns).

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Divide the topping mixture over the 9 muffins and pat in slightly with fingertips. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden and they pass the toothpick test.

Teese

2008-03-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

I never really cared much for mozzarella. Even years before I went vegan, I ordered cheeseless pizza. Perhaps the shift in options since becoming vegan made me much more interested in finding the perfect pizza. Follow Your Heart has been a satisfactory -- sometimes mediocre, sometimes decent -- stand in for a number of years, but now there's a new non-dairy, soy-based, cheese-like product on the market from Chicago Soydairy.

Teese!

So far it's standing up to its claims of superior melt-ability, and it's pretty darn tasty to boot. More flavor than FYH, but not in an overly cheesy way. I've wasted several blocks of FYH over the years from premature molding, so I'll be very happy if it stands up to its shelf life claims as well.

I look forward to seeing it becoming more accessible in the near future! In the meantime, you can order Teese via the website above, and please refer local restaurants to Teese as well!

Ice cream cupcakes

2008-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Ice cream and cake were made for each other. Your favorite cupcake recipes and ice cream flavors can easily be combined for some super tasty treats.

These mini cookies & cream bites are the basic chocolate cupcake recipe from VCTOTW. Once cooled, simply use a small knife to dig out a hole in the top of your cupcake. Using ice cream that has been sitting on the counter for about 10 minutes to soften, spoon a little bit into each cupcake and use the back of the spoon to smooth out the surface. Freeze for about an hour until set. (Handy note: Use your cupcake pan as a convenient holder for the filled cupcakes.)

Melt some chocolate chips in a double boiler, then dip the tops of your frozen cupcakes into the chocolate, and return to the freezer to set up again. They can be enjoyed straight from the freezer or allowed to soften up at room temperature for a couple minutes.

Regular-sized ice cream cupcakes can be made the same way, or alternatively, mix only a half batch of your cake recipe, and fill each cupcake liner half the normal amount. Once cooled, simply spoon softened ice cream to fill the rest of the cupcake liner, and use a knife to smooth the surface. Freeze until set and dip in chocolate as above.

These lemongrass cupcakes are layered with Coconut Craze ice cream and topped with a swirl of caramel before getting their chocolate cap. Get creative! Combine unexpected cake and ice cream flavors. Throw in your favorite sundae sauces and decorate the chocolate with your favorite toppings, like nuts or sprinkles.

Asparagus with black bean sauce

2008-03-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

It's spring! Along with this killer sunshine, that also means asparagus, fresh from a local farm thanks to my CSA. This dish comes together very quickly, so don't be intimidated by those salty beans. Don't overcook your asparagus either!

Asparagus with black bean sauce, makes 2 servings
1 tbs. Chinese black beans
1/2 c. water

3 tbs. water
2 tbs. soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tsp. mirin (or other cooking rice wine)
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. canola oil
14-16 spears of asparagus, sliced on a bias (about 2 1/2 c.)
1 large clove of garlic, sliced
1 heaping tsp. fresh minced ginger

Chinese black beans are fermented soy beans that have been preserved in salt. They have a distinct, pungent flavor with a hint of bitter smokiness, and are incredibly salty. A quick soak in water, plus low sodium soy sauce and no additional salt, make this dish incredibly tasty while still being far less salty than anything you'd get in a restaurant.

You can find them packaged in vacuum-packed plastic bags at a Chinese grocer. Because of all of the salt, they will keep indefinitely in an airtight container in the fridge, so don't worry about trying to use it all up. A little goes a long way!

Soak the beans in a small bowl for 5-10 minutes with the 1/2 c. of water, then drain. Use the back of a spoon to crush the beans just slightly, then stir in the water, soy sauce, mirin, agave, cornstarch, and pepper. Set aside.

In a very hot pan or wok, stir fry the asparagus, garlic, and ginger in the canola oil. It should only take a couple minutes until they turn bright green and are just tender.

Pour the sauce mixture over the asparagus and stir. Turn off the heat and continue to stir for about 30 more seconds until the sauce thickens. (If you're blessed with a gas range, unlike me, you can leave the heat on for a little longer while the sauce thickens. With electric ranges, or even with heavy bottomed pans, there should be enough residual heat to finish the sauce without overcooking the asparagus.)

Enjoy immediately!

Cupcakes really are taking over the world

2008-03-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

These have been sprouting up all around in the town where I work.

Let's just pretend they're vegan.

Lindsay Wildlife Museum

2008-02-25T22:40:00.001-08:00

Last month shane and I vistited the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek.

The non-profit organization serves as a wildlife rehabilitation hospital and education center. Animals that are unable to be released back into the wild remain at the center (or are adopted into other permanent homes) and teach the community about the creatures who lived here before we moved our fat asses in and introduced them to things like automobiles and house cats. They treat over 6,000 patients a year, 98% of which are the result of "adverse contact with human activity."

This fellow greets you from an outdoor aviary.

The main hall.

Raptors hang out in the exhibition area during the day. We were told they are kept high up so they feel more comfortable since they are used to chilling in trees and such.

Below live other animals, like this cute fox who just wanted to sleep.

And this opossum, who had neurological problems and was stumbling around.

I'm not sure what happened to him, but I'm going to guess head trauma thanks to a car, but he seemed content digging around his egg carton looking for apple bits.

Some raptors.

Giant ass owl.

And lil' owl.

A crow.

And her lunch.

Injured vulture.

A mountain lion that some idiot was keeping as a pet.

She had a play area down below but mainly seemed interested in sleeping. She spends half of the year at another sanctuary, running around outdoors. And probably sleeping a lot.

Creepy ass taxidermy.

Cute taxidermy.

Edible local plants for, you know, after the revolution.

These make shane scream.

Dog-sitting

2008-02-25T21:52:00.001-08:00

This post isn't about a whole lot other than how cute my family's dog Oskar is.

Oskar has big ears.

And a big tongue.

He loves his rope.

Leave me alone already!

My parents were cute and labeled some meals they prepared for me:

White bean, eggplant, saffron casserole.

Bun rieu.

Soy creamy 'wiches!

Tamale night

2008-02-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

Shaudi invited some folks over for tamales the other night. We used the Everyday Chipotle-Vegetable Tamale recipe from Veganomicon. The tamales are stuffed with corn, beans, bell pepper, carrots, and deliciously smoky chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. We also roasted some poblanos to add in a few tamales with Follow Your Heart Monterrey Jack.

Charlie, Shaudi, and Nako hard at work.

The process is surprisingly easy and definitely worth the time.

Steaming away.

Shaudi made some mango salsa and guacamole, along with what started as Mexican chocolate cupcakes but became tasty coconut-almond-cinnamon-stuff I'm probably forgetting-chocolate cupcakes. I brought over the red hots, so shane wouldn't eat them all. It was an awesome meal, and the tamales reheated nicely for lunch the next day.

Not pictured was Charlie's spicy xocolatl, dilligently stirred 11 times counterclockwise, clockwise, then repeat!

Anniversary

2008-02-24T17:39:00.000-08:00

shane and I celebrated an anniversary recently and I surprised him with an Aphrodisiac dinner package at Millennium Restaurant and the Hotel California.

The room was small, but super cute. They seem to pride themselves on their leather upholstery, which seems odd, even for non-vegans, but there was only one small chair and ottoman in our room.

shane is a star!

There's no Photoshopping here. His eyes really do look that weird.

shane looking thoughtful in the hallway.

They sprinkled rose petals across the table.

The menu.

I'm usually a little wary of prix fixe menus, because I can be a little picky, but this dinner was amazing! The best part was the salad: grilled avocado over watercress with a wonderfully light vinaigrette.

Dessert was a fancy ding dong!

Our server seemed a little off put when we told her that it reminded us of a ding dong, but we definitely didn't mean it as a dis. The filling was the same white chocolate cream that tops the chocolate almond midnight torte and is possible the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. I don't even want to know how much cocoa butter goes into that.

Here I am annoying shane while he tries to nap.

The next morning, on our way home, we stopped by Nabolom Bakery, in the Elmwood district of Berkeley for a snickerdoodle and a sticky bun. The cookie didn't survive the trip home for a picture.

Red hot cupcakes & killer shirts

2008-02-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

I can't skate, but I can make a mean cupcake.

Many thanks to Natalie of Bake & Destroy for making this awesome shirt. You can find them at her Etsy shop, along with a bunch of other cute stuff.

Now on to cupcakes...

shane kept saying that he wanted cinnamon cupcakes and I got the idea to make spicy cupcakes reminiscent of those red hot candies, which would have been perfectly cute for Valentine's Day, but I'm a slacker. The recipe just makes a few simple modifications to VCTOTW's basic golden cupcakes, with cinnamon oil for kick, cocoa for depth, and of course red food coloring! You can find cinnamon oil at baking/candy making supply stores or online.

Red hot cupcakes
1 c. soy milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbs. cornstarch
1 tbs. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. canola oil
3/4 c. unrefined cane sugar
2 tsp. red food coloring
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon oil

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare your cupcake pan with liners. (This batch made 36 mini-cups and should make 12 regulars.)

Stir together the soy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle. Meanwhile, sift together the flour through salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, extract, and cinnamon oil, then whisk in the milk mixture until slightly frothy.

Carefully stir in the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fill your cupcake liners and bake for 12-15 (mini) or 18-20 (regular) minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test.

I frosting these with a basic vanilla cooked buttercream and sprinkled them with homemade red sugar.

I despise that almost all cake decorations contain confectioner's glaze, so thanks to Pamela for inspiring me to make my own decorating sugar. She had told me that she had success making her own with pre-made piping gels and sugar. I wondered if it would work with just regular food coloring and granulated sugar and it did! I used about 3 drops of color to a tablespoon of sugar and just worked it in with my fingers. Make sure to use a glove to save yourself from stains. The color might not be as rich, but it's much cheaper than the one fancy brand of sugar that I know of that doesn't use shellac in their sugar (plus they use bleached sugar, which I try to avoid). I've been told confectioner's glaze is so popular because it prevents bleeding, but so far my cupcakes are bleed-free.

Cabbage potato soup

2008-01-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

Purple soup! Simple, yet satisfying for cold, rainy nights. Hidden cannellini beans provide protein and some body to the broth. I suppose you could use green cabbage, but that wouldn't be as fun.

Cabbage potato soup
2 tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 c. diced potato
1/2 small head of cabbage, sliced (about 3 1/2 - 4 c.)
2 bay leaves
4 c. + 1/3 c. vegetable stock
1 c. cannellini beans
1/2 tsp. salt
1 ts. lemon juice
black pepper

In a 3 1/2 qt. (or larger) pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onions, and sweat for about 6-8 minutes until they become translucent. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the potatoes. Stirring occasionally, let the potatoes get some color for about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and bay leaves and stir until the cabbage begins to wilt. Add the 4 c. of vegetable stock and salt and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree the beans and 1/3 c. stock. Pour into the soup along with the lemon juice and let simmer for a couple more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cabbage lentil sesame slaw

2008-01-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not usually a huge cabbage fan, but a nice purple head from our CSA made me concoct up a couple tasty recipes. This salad tasted even better the next day for lunch.

Cabbage lentil sesame slaw
1/2 c. French green lentils
1 c. water
3.5 oz. fried tofu, sliced
1/2 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 1/2 - 4 c.)
3 small carrots, shredded (about 1 3/4 c.)
1 1/2 tbs. soy sauce
1 1/2 tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 tbs. agave nectar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro
2 tbs. sesame seeds

In a small sauce pan, bring the lentils and water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until lentils are tender. Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, oil, agave, and pepper in a large bowl.

Drain the lentils, then while still hot, pour into the dressing mixture. Add the tofu, cabbage, and carrots and toss until evenly coated. Add the cilantro and sesame seeds and toss some more. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before eating.

Cookies and Handbags

2008-01-21T11:24:00.000-08:00

For those of you in the Santa Barbara area, support these fine folks!

Now Available at:

I.V. Drip
905 Embarcadero del Norte
Isla Vista, CA 93117
(805) 968-4550

Isla Vista Food Co-op
6575 Seville Rd.
Isla Vista, CA 93117
(805) 963-1401

For those of you in the East Bay, check out this new boutique!

Lemon-blueberry bread pudding

2008-01-21T00:28:00.000-08:00

We got some Meyer lemons in last week's CSA box and I thought they'd be great in bread pudding. According to shane, bread puddings are supposed to be semi-soggy masses of unrecognizable mush, so I guess I like my bread puddings a bit on the drier side - still nice a creamy inside, but with some tooth left, and a crisp crust. If you prefer a moister version, I recommend increasing the milks by a 1/4 c. or more and baking the dish in a water bath.

Lemon-blueberry bread pudding
6 1/2 c. cubed bread (slightly stale is good and a crusty variety - I used a sourdough batard)
1 c. coconut milk
1 c. soymilk
1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar
3 tbs. garbanzo flour
1 tbs. cornstarch
1 tbs. lemon zest, lightly packed
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. blueberries (I used frozen)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the milks, sugar, flour, starch, zest, and extract. Whisk for a minute or two until all of the starches are completely incorporated. In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with the mixture and let sit for a couple minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Scoop the mixture into a 1.5 qt souffle dish, or similarly sized baking dish (ex. a 9" loaf pan). Sprinkle the top of the bread pudding with about 1 tsp. of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and an inserted knife comes out clean.

Best eaten immediately! (Which I did, about 4 servings worth.)

Tofu two ways

2008-01-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'll admit it: sometimes a big, greasy bowl of lo mein sounds really good. I don't however, love the heartattack on a plate that Occidentals like to turn everything into. Here are two super easy versions of take-out classics that rely on fresh ingredients for plenty of flavor. No disgustingly sweet sauces or fluorescent coloring here!

Lemon tofu with pea sprouts

Lemon Tofu
12 oz. super firm tofu
2 1/2 tbs. cornstarch
canola oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced (about 3/4 c.)
2 tsp. minced ginger
3/4 c. sliced bell pepper (any color will do)
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. agave nectar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. mirin
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp sriracha
salt, to taste
zest of 1 lemon (about 2 tsp.)

Chop the tofu into bite-sized pieces and toss in the cornstarch until evenly coated. Fry (in batches, if necessary) in a lightly oiled pan until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Heat about 1 tbs. of oil in a large pan, then add the onion, ginger, and bell pepper. Saute over medium heat until just soft, but not caramelized. Meanwhile, combine the water through sriracha in a small bowl and stir well.

Add the tofu back into the pan and stir for a couple minutes to reheat. Pour the sauce mixture in and gently stir until it begins to thicken. Add a pinch of salt, if needed. Turn off the heat, toss in the lemon zest, and serve immediately.

Sweet and sour tofu with brown rice

Sweet and sour tofu
12 oz. super firm tofu
2 1/2 tbs. cornstarch
canola oil
1/2 c. sliced yellow onion
1 clove garlic
1 c. chopped tomato
3/4 c. pineapple chunks
1/2 c. sliced bell pepper
3 tbs. water
2 tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 tbs. agave nectar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. sriracha
salt, to taste

Prepare the tofu as in the previous recipe.

Heat about 1 tbs. of oil in a large pan, then add the onion and garlic and sweat over medium-low heat until softened. Turn the heat to medium-high, then add the tomato, pineapple, and pepper. Saute for a few minutes until they begin to caramelize. Meanwhile, combine the water through sriracha in a small bowl and stir well.

Add the tofu back into the pan and stir for a couple minutes to reheat. Pour the sauce mixture in and gently stir until it begins to thicken. Add a pinch of salt, if needed, and serve immediately.

chef shane

2008-01-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

When I first met shane he had already been vegan for almost ten years, and to be honest, I'm not entirely sure how he managed to survive like that for so long. His diet seemed to consist mainly of seitan, tempeh, meat analogs, and baked goods. Only seitan, tempeh, meat analogs, and baked goods. Not too surprising from someone who begged for Bacos sandwiches as a child (Bacos + white bread, and nothing else).

Back in the early days of courting, he offered to make me dinner, which consisted of a large bowl filled with pan-fried tempeh coated in Bragg's and garlic. On the second occasion, I think I was given the exact same fare with maybe a Layonna's drumstick thrown into the mix. For several years he ate nothing but 2 plain, microwaved Tofurkey Beer Brats, and then later Field Roast sausages, for lunch every day at work. I even had trouble cooking my own food in his kitchen because he didn't keep much else other than garlic, Bragg's, and sriracha in stock. And for someone who didn't own salt, somehow his dishes managed to become extremely salty. He liked to argue that his diet was aligned with his proletarian values, and that only bougies needed to be appeased with variety.

I knew he liked vegetables, because he would eat them at restaurants, but because of his weight lifting regimen, he decided that he should budget most of his calories and money toward protein. At some point I managed to convince him that fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates are absolutely vital to a healthy diet, and in the beginning that consisted of 3-5 green beans, chopped into tiny pieces, and pan-fried with the tempeh or seitan. Eventually a small side of quinoa was added. Everything was still flavored with garlic, Bragg's, and sriracha.

Somewhere along the way, I think he actually started to enjoy cooking.

Note the sriracha and soy sauce (I despise Bragg's). Some things don't change, and almost everything is still pan-fried. However, now his dinners are often seasoned with ingredients as varied as vegetarian oyster sauce, bouillon, tumeric, lime juice, mirin, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, basil, and marinades/sauces. He even makes use of cornstarch slurries! Quinoa and lentils have become a staple. He'll also often include multiple types of vegetables in a dish and in more reasonable portion sizes:

(Though he still makes fun of "Mel and her House of Vegetables." We usually cook separate meals and mine are often vegetable-heavy.)

He also shows inventiveness and has created new dishes like his beloved chocolate seitan or yuba-wrapped sausages. He also makes his own big batch of seitan every week to eat for lunch and often brings hummus, mustard, or other items to dip it in.

Last night I had to work late and shane offered to make me dinner. I hesitated at first, but then agreed to let him do it. I came home to find him finishing up some sauteed pea sprouts to be served with tofu and lentils. And it was delicious! Not over-salted, not charred to death, and not super spicy from gallons of sriracha. The only garlic I smelled was on his breath because he just ate a raw clove to ward off a cold.

I'm proud of him!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T23:26:00.000-08:00

shane and I invited some friends over for a New Year's Day brunch, and while I completely underestimated the amount of work it would take, it was totally worth it! Unfortunately, with so many things going on, I completely forgot to get any pictures of the food. (Sorry, Suzy!) Melisser of The Urban Housewife managed to get one of her plate:

I spent most of Monday baking and prepping, and Tuesday morning running around cooking, cleaning, and making last minute grocery runs. I was worried there wouldn't be enough food, but I think it ended up being the perfect amount. While incredibly delicious, our get-togethers tend to be very decadent, sugar-coated, and frosting-filled (ex. the 50 latkes and cookies I ate at Sunday's White Elephant), and I wanted to create a meal that would be satisfying and not leave us feeling ridiculously stuffed in the end.

The Menu:
- Cherry coconut mini-muffins (based off the raspberry coconuts)
- Peanut butter coffee cake with chocolate chips
- Fruit salad made with 7 varieties of apples and pears, and dressed with lemon zest/juice, agave, fresh sage, pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, and a dash of nutmeg
- Lettuce Wraps made with tofu, eggplant, shiitake, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green beans, and corn
- Roasted new potatoes
- Roasted portobellos, brussel sprouts, and figs, with a fig-balsamic glaze
- shane's chocolate seitan (recipe coming soon!)
- Hot apple cider and cranberry-lime-mint juice

I also had a whole sheet of roasted Italian red onions, asparagus, zucchini, and carrots in the oven that didn't get finished in time and seemed like too much food, so I've been eating a pasta primavera concoction all week.

Somehow we managed to squeeze 25ish people into our apartment.

It was so great to see everyone and just eat and hang out. Thank you to everyone who came!

Community Supported Agriculture

2008-01-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

I’ve gotten about couple emails asking me about Community Supported Agriculture, so I thought I’d put the information here.

Here’s a good description of what CSA’s are and how they work: Wiki

Basically, CSA members pay a designated fee (weekly/monthly/yearly/etc.) to a local farm in exchange for a selection of that farm's crops. It benefits the farm because they lower their risk by using membership numbers to determine how much and when to plant/harvest/etc. In return, members receive fresh, organic, sustainably grown produce, often picked a day before. It's a great relationship that keeps small, independent farms alive and healthy, seasonal produce on my table. Most CSA’s will have members who host a pick-up location for their neighborhood, and some will even deliver to your door for an extra fee.

One of the downsides is that you don't usually get a say in what your box will contain. When searching for a farm, they will often provide a list of the crops they grow and a sample list of what a box might contain, which will help you select a good match. I like the challenge of receiving produce I would not otherwise notice at the market, and I'm also learning to enjoy new things. Sometimes I do get items I don't like, but I just give them to friends or coworkers. The box I receive is a little less than enough to feed 2 vegans for a week (we rarely eat out), which I think is a steal for about $20. That way I can also still supplement with items from the store or farmers market when I have a craving for a certain dish or ingredient.

Some people don't like the limitations of having someone else (or the season!) determine their refrigerator contents for them, and that was something I worried about at first, but I really love how much time it saves me. I no longer spend forever wandering aimlessly through markets trying to decide what is going to sound good 5 days from now. And in the end, I know it's healthier to mainly eat local, seasonal produce, for me and the environment. Plus it’s going to taste better than the out-of -season tomato from Chile or orange from South Africa, picked completely green and shipped thousands of miles. If you're someone who loves farmer's market visits or menu planning, it might not be the best option for you, though some farms offer box size or biweekly options.

My farm is Terra Firma Farm in Winters, California. I chose them for several reasons: cost, crop variety, pick-up locations, and that they only grow produce and nuts. Many farms also sell meat, wool, eggs, etc. and I was happy to find a farm that did not. I also liked the idea that I could actually point to Winters on a map, having lived nearby for 4 years while in college. These past two weeks have been their annual vacation time and I can't wait until deliveries begin again next week.

The Wiki entry above can lead you in the direction of a few sites that can help you locate a CSA farm in your area.

Cold season

2007-12-04T21:20:00.000-08:00

Being sick blows! No boxing, no gym, no Shutter. I did watch a ridiculous amount of Food Network though.

It's nice to finally be able to get paid days off, but I'm not looking forward to the work that will be waiting for me after missing just one day. I would take another day off, but that would give me too much anxiety. We have a tiny staff, so each of us has a lot of responsibilities. I already received two calls today from my boss because she had some questions.

I made some feel-better soup last night, inspired by my stuffy nose and a pile of vegetables that needed to be used up before the next CSA box. It contains 2 kinds of fingerling potatoes, sweet potato, kale, carrots, leeks, onions, garlic, cabbage, and alphabet pasta.

I also broke open a pomelo that had been sitting around for a while. It looks much better than it tasted, because it was kind of dry.

Today, out of boredom, I baked another batch of raspberry coconut muffins, this time with whole wheat pastry flour. (And yes, the first batch was already gone in less than 48 hours.) I think I prefer the cake-like taste of the all-purpose, but these are still pretty good, and probably a little bit better for me.

I've eaten nothing but soup and muffins all day. And some french fries I discovered in the freezer. That's healthy, right?

Raspberry coconut muffins

2007-12-01T17:54:00.000-08:00

Tart raspberries are a nice change from the classic blueberry, while a subtle dose of coconut adds a smoothness to the crumb and a crunch to the sweet topping. These aren't exactly healthy and belong in the "muffins as an excuse to eat cake for breakfast" category, but who cares!

Raspberry coconut muffins
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. soy milk
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/3 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/3 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1 c. raspberries

Topping
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbs. unrefined cane sugar
3 tbs. desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
1 tbs. canola oil

Preheat oven to 400F and lightly oil a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a small bowl, use a fork or your fingers to crumble together the topping ingredients and set aside.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the milks, sugar, oil, extract, and lemon juice. Add the dry mixture and stir until combined. Gently fold in the raspberries.

Spoon the batter into your prepared tin, and sprinkle each muffin with the topping, patting it down slightly.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin leek soup

2007-11-23T15:43:00.001-08:00

I had an opened can of pumpkin left from the cake and another of sweet potato (I had given up on roasting my own after the second failed cake) sitting in the refrigerator and decided it was meant for soup. Its creamy, yet very low fat, and the pumpkin is just barely naturally sweet, without relying on the traditional "sweet" spices it is usually cooked with. Feel free to sub fresh sweet potatoes if you don't have canned, or pre-roasted; just chop and add with the potatoes.

My dad said it tasted as good as Gary Danko, but I would argue that it's better, due to the fact it's not full of death.

Pumpkin leek soup, makes about 6 servings
1 1/2 tbs. olive oil
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 c.)
1 small Russet potato, chopped (about 1 c.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried sage
1 bay leaf
3 tbs. flour
4 1/2 c. vegetable broth
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
3/4 c. sweet potato puree
salt/pepper to taste
red pepper flakes (optional)

1 leek, chopped and rinsed
1 tbs. olive oil
pinch of salt

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, then add the garlic, onion, potatoes, salt, and herbs. Saute over med-high heat until the vegetables begin to caramelize. Add the flour and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Pour in the broth and boil for about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until creamy (ideally with an immersion blender). I left the skins on for added nutrition, but you can skin your potatoes first for a creamier soup.

Stir in pumpkin and sweet potato and simmer for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. I added about 1/4 tsp. of pepper flakes for a pinch of heat.

Saute the leeks in olive oil with a pinch of salt, until they just begin to caramelize.

Immediately before serving, sprinkle the leeks over each bowl.

Pumpkin cake

2007-11-23T15:33:00.000-08:00

This was a disastrous week of baking for me, after 3 failed attempts to veganize a sweet potato roll cake. I had originally wanted to make one for my friend Alison, but ended up adopting a turkey for her instead.

But I was given the task of bringing dessert to my parents hours for Thanksgiving and after the 11 pm failure the night before, I found a pumpkin cake recipe in the Millennium cookbook to use instead. I followed the cake recipe, subbing 5 spice for cinnamon and less ginger, made a vanilla cooked buttercream, and dressed the cake with some ground, toasted pecans.

It's denser than I would like, but I think that's the fault of my oven and its inability to stop reheating itself until it's at least 75 degrees over the set temperature.

November 21 CSA

2007-11-23T15:22:00.001-08:00

I'm sure the novelty will settle down at some point, but right now I'm still very excited about my weekly CSA box.

This week they were very generous with portions due to the holiday, and I was happy to see so many mandarins, because they were delicious! I'm also very excited to enjoy the last green beans of the season. We received: carrots, Asian pears, Satsuma mandarins, broccoli, leeks, sweet potatoes, green beans, cabbage, spinach, potatoes, and butternut squash.

The CSA newsletter said to discard the green portion of the leeks, which was indeed news to me. I had always just eaten them. They may be a little fibrous, depending on how they're prepared, but I think they taste good. Besides, a little extra fiber won't hurt!

Dinner that night was a satisfying spinach and 'fu scramble with lemon cream sauce and skillet fries with leeks.

Happy Belated Halloween!

2007-11-23T15:08:00.001-08:00

I know, I know. I'm a little behind, but I've been sitting on these pictures forever and just now have had time to put them up. Shaudi threw a birthday/Halloween party last month and her Martha Stewart tendencies went insane and she made an amazing selection of treats.

We got together the weekend before and made Melisser's candy corn. They tasted great, but I don't recommend doing this unless you love candy corn, or have tons of free time. It took the two of us about 4 hours to just cut and shape the candies. Our fingers were sore!

The recipe made over well over 100 pieces.

I got bored with shaping kernals, so I made a few pumpkins. And an ear of corn, since it was the first thing I could think of to make with the colors we had on hand.

There were so many sweets at the party it was wonderful, in a disgustingly indulgent sort of way. Vampire-bite cupcakes, orange chocolate cupcakes, snickers, candied apples, chocolate pretzels, sugar cookies, caramels, peanut butter cups, and probably a bunch of other stuff I'm forgetting.

We also each got sent home with a goody bag filled with leftovers.

Celebration for the Turkeys

2007-11-17T20:43:00.000-08:00

Last year Shane and I attended the annual Celebration for the Turkeys at Farm Sanctuary in Orland, CA. It was so much fun, we knew we had to make it a tradition. This year, I was happy our friends Danny and Shaudi could join us. We spent hours meeting friendly animals, feeding turkeys, and enjoying a Thanksgiving meal.

Many thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers and donors who make events like this and the entire organization possible.

CSA!

2007-11-14T21:50:00.000-08:00

I got my first CSA box today!

Carrots, Satsuma mandarins, salad mix, French Fingerling potatoes, baby bok choy, Granny Smith apples, garlic, Fuyu persimmons, purple broccoli, spinach, and Tokyo turnips.

My box comes from Terra Firma Farm, in Winters, CA. I did quite a bit of searching before I found a farm that I wanted to join. It seemed like everywhere I found also sold eggs, meat, sheepskin, and other things I wanted no part of. I was excited when the coordinator at Terra Firma assured me that their farm only had produce and nuts.

I roasted some of the potatoes, carrots, turnips, and garlic with rosemary, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. And threw in the turnip greens and some asparagus. Yum! The carrots were so sweet and the potatoes were nice and creamy. I've learned I'm not a big fan of turnips though, so it's a good thing Shane likes them. Turnip greens are good though!

Stuffing

2007-11-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

Holy crap, I love stuffing. That's all I really need to say about that.

Stuffing
2 tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 c.)
2 c. chopped celery
2 Granny Smith apples, diced (about 2 c.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 sourdough baguette, cubed (about 6 c.)*
1 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 - 2 1/4 c. vegetable broth

* I highly recommend a variety like to Semifreddi's three-seed sourdough. If you don't have something similar in your area, add 1/2 tsp. of fennel seeds to the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the garlic, onion, celery, apples, and salt. Saute over medium high heat until everything is lightly caramelized. Add the herbs and bread, and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes, until some of the bread gets a little toasty.

Add the vegetable broth (more or less, depending on how moist you prefer your stuffing) and stir until everything is moistened. Taste a bit, so you can adjust the saltiness, since broths will vary.

Scoop into a lightly greased 9 x 13" baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes. Eat piping hot!

Vietnamese curry

2007-11-03T22:53:00.001-07:00

Possibly one of the best meals I've made in a long time; nostalgic home cookin' at its best. I had to force myself to stop eating it (or at least, distracted myself with pecan cookies.) Curry powders will vary a lot; the kind I like to use contains organic coriander, tumeric, cumin, mustard, pepper, fenugreek, and cayenne.

Vietnamese curry, makes about 4 servings
10 oz. firm tofu
2 tbs. cornstarch
canola oil
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 2" segments and then in half lengthwise
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium sweet onion, roughly sliced
2 c. chopped potatoes (I used a combination of Russet and Golden Sweet, but any starchy variety will work.)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbs. yellow curry powder
1 - 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
13.5 oz. water
1 1/2 c. chopped carrots
salt/pepper
cilantro to garnish

Slice the tofu into bite-sized pieces and toss with cornstarch. Fry in a small amount of canola oil over medium-high heat until lightly golden. Drain on a paper towel and set aside. If you substitute another protein source (seitan would be nice), you can skip this prep, and just use it on its own. I just prefer the texture of lightly fried tofu.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large pan (one that has a lid). Saute the lemongrass, bay leaves, garlic, onion, potatoes, and salt over medium heat for about 7-8 minutes. You want to get a little color on the potatoes, but not caramelize the onions and garlic to death. Mix in the curry powder and cook for another minute or two.

Pour in the can of coconut milk, then fill the can with water to get the last of that coconutty goodness, and pour the water in as well. Add the carrots and place the lid on the pan. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Toss in the tofu and continue to simmer over medium heat for a few more minutes, to heat the tofu again. The potatoes will release a little starch into the sauce, but it really shouldn't be eaten too thick. If it starts to thicken up too much, you can add a little water or unsweetened soy milk.

At this point, salt and pepper to taste. I threw in some sriracha as well, to up the heat.

Garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro. You can serve with rice, but I much prefer a toasty, sweet baguette, one of the few perks of French Imperialism.

Pecan shortbread

2007-11-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

If you've seen my apartment, or just my arm, you might notice that I like bats. A couple weeks ago, I stopped in at Spun Sugar to pick up a few things, and ended up with a bat-shaped cookie cutter. I decided to put it, and the pecans left from the pumpkin cupcakes, to use.

Spooky! (And Canada, or weed, depending on whom you ask.)

Pecan shortbread
1 c. pecans
1 c. margarine, room temp
1/2 c. brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 tbs. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. powdered sugar
pinch of salt

Lightly toast the pecans over medium heat for a few minutes, until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Cream together the margarine, brown sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup. Sift together the dry ingredients, then mix them into the wet. In a food processor, pulse the pecans to a medium meal, then stir the pecans into the dough.

The dough will be very soft. Cover your bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325F.

Working with small portions of the dough at a time (leaving the rest in the fridge) on a generously floured surface, roll the dough to a little more than 1/4" thick, and cut with your cookie cutter of choice. Lay cookies on a parchment covered baking sheet. If you're working with a detailed cutter, place the entire sheet in the freezer for a couple minutes. This will help the cookies retain their shape.

Bake for about 15 minutes, just until they begin to get golden around the edges. Using a spatula, move the cookies to a rack to cool. They'll be pretty fragile, but will harden.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin pecan cupcakes with 5 spice frosting

2007-10-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make something festive for tonight's bake sale, and you can't go wrong with pumpkin in October! I used several recipes from VCTOTW as a loose guide to craft this recipe. The cake is smooth, soft, and tastes like fall. I know, there are a gazillion ingredients, but it really isn't complicated and totally worth it.

Pumpkin pecan cupcakes
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. unbleached flour
1/3 c. heaping cup of pecans
3 tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. soymilk + 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3/4 c. brown sugar, lightly packed
2/3 c. canned pumpkin
1/3 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger

In a pan over med-low heat, lightly toast the pecans for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside and let cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 12 cup tin with cupcake liners.

In a food processor, grind the pecans into a fine meal. You can add a couple spoons of your flour to keep things moving. Remember, you want meal, not pecan butter!

Sift together the pecans, flour, cornstarch, baking powder/soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Mix the soy milk and vinegar and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, vanilla, and ginger. Then stir in the soy milk mixture and gently whisk until everything is incorporated. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Pour into your prepared cupcake pan, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. Remove cupcakes to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

5 spice frosting
1/3 c. soy milk
1 tbs. cornstarch
1/3 c. shortening, room temp
1/3 c. Better than Cream Cheese
1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. 5 spice powder
1 tbs. powdered sugar

In a cold saucepan, whisk the cornstarch into the soy milk. Continue to whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens to almost a pudding. Pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

With an electric or stand mixer, beat the shortening and cream cheese together. Add the sugar, vanilla, and 5 spice, and blend for a couple minutes. Add the cooled milk mixture in two parts, letting it whip up fluffy in between, then add the powdered sugar. Continue to beat for a couple more minutes. The frosting should be smooth, with no sugar granules left. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Bonus VCTOTW golden cupcakes with vanilla cooked buttercream and shaved dark chocolate:

Show and bake sale!

2007-10-25T16:12:00.001-07:00

Come support these bands and buy my cupcakes!

Coconut cake

2007-10-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

While an excellent cook, my mom rarely baked. Occassionally, we'd get a treat and she'd decide to buy one of those Pepperidge Farms frozen layer cakes. My sister always wanted chocolate, but I loved the coconut. I wanted to recreate that simple flavor in a vegan cake.

Most coconut batter recipes that I've tried, turn out a delicious, yet dense crumb, and I prefer something lighter. I also had visions of making a 4-layer beauty, but underestimated the amount of batter that would require. If you're feeling up to it, double this recipe and make the cake of my dreams.

Coconut cake
2 1/2 c. unbleached pastry flour
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. canola oil
1/4 c. plain soy yogurt
1 1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1 c. + 1 tbs. sparkling water

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 2 - 9" cake pans with parchment, oil/flour, your non-stick method of choice, etc.

Sift together the flour through salt and set aside. With a whisk or electric mixer, blend together the coconut milk, oil, yogurt, sugar, and extract well. Stir in the water, then add the dry ingredients and gently mix until all of the batter is moistened. Pour into the two cake pans and bake for about 35 minutes, until it passes a toothpick test.

Remove pans from oven and set on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the pans and let cool on the rack completely.

Coconut frosting
1 c. coconut milk
2 tbs. cornstarch
1/2 c. shortening (non-hydrog), room temp
1/2 c. margarine, room temp
1 c. unrefined cane sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. natural coconut flavoring
~ 1/4 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. desiccated coconut (unsweetened)

In a cold sauce pan, whisk together the milk and cornstarch. Continue to whisk over medium heat, until the mixture becomes almost as thick as pudding. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In an electric mixer beat the shortening and margarine until fluffy, then cream with the sugar and extracts. Add the cooled milk mixture (which will now be as hard as jello) in quarters, letting it whisk up fluffy in between each addition. Continue to whisk for a few more minutes until the frosting is super fluffy. Add about 1/4 c. of powdered sugar to increase sweetness as desired (optional, though a little powdered sugar will help stiffen up the frosting nicely.)

Refrigerate until your cake is ready to frost.

Once your cake is cool, set one layer on a platter. You can tuck strips of parchment along the edges, to keep your plate clean. Frost the top of the layer, then place the second layer on top. Frost the entire cake, then sprinkle the top and pat the sides with the shredded coconut. Slide out the parchment strips, and you're set!

Vegan eats in the American Southwest

2007-10-03T22:19:00.000-07:00

Shane and I just returned from a road trip through Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada. Our main impetus was to visit his family in Gilbert (suburb of Phoenix) and Albuquerque (or what should actually be a suburb of ABQ since everything is so sprawling and it is nowhere near the city proper), and to hit up Las Vegas, an obvious choice for a couple of vegan, non-drinkers, non-gamblers.

We knew there were a few spots on Los Angeles that we wanted to (re)visit and I thought the rest of the trip would be a struggle to find decent vegan fare, but we discovered quite a few spots.

Our first night in LA, we met up with friends at Real Food Daily(West Hollywood location). I mainly wanted to go for the Coconut Cream Pie/Cake thing, which they didn't have that night. On previous trips, I had found the food somewhat boring, ranging from decent to bland, hit-or-miss-"I can make this at home" stuff. I guess it's the Herbivore of Southern California. I chose the Caesar Wrap this time, and I think I found the winning dish there.

It was very tasty: blackened tempeh and Caesar salad in a spinach wrap. I chose the house salad as a side (over Caesar, since I was getting that already, or potato). The house dressing was weak though. Shane had the Club and enjoyed it. Our friends had the TV dinner, live wrap, and meatball/pasta dishes and seemed content. It was way too dark in the restaurant for decent pictures.

The next morning, we tried to go to Green Leaves, and then Flore, but both were still closed and we wanted to get on the road somewhat early. Instead we went to M Cafe de Chaya, one of our favorites. The food is pretty pricey, but everything we've had there so far has been excellent. Shane had the Muffaletta with a side of lentils.

I had this healthy breakfast:

Green tea pistachio pound cake

Pecan roll

Everything was delicious. We also bought coffee cake to go, but I forgot to get a flick of that.

In Arizona, we found Green: New American Vegetarian in Tempe. From the website, we were expecting to find a somewhat bougie place, but it turned out to be super casual, hip spot in an unassuming strip mall. If it were in the Bay, there would have been a row of fixed gears parked out front.

We started off with crab puffs and spicy buffalo "wings."

The crab puffs ("a house favorite, mock crabmeat, vegan cream cheese and secret spices") were a little disappointing, since the won ton skins were generously stuffed and the center of the filling was still cold after a dip in the deep fryer. I really wanted to like the buffalo wings, which has a really nice texture, but were insanely salty. The cucumber ranch dressing was also really watery.

I had the Texas Moo-shroom po-boy.

Messy but tasty, although again, super salty. Yay for skinny fries, though the menu called them "thyme fries" and I didn't see or taste any thyme.

Shane had the Original G Spicy po-boy, which he thought was ok. "It's like fast food."

The highlight however, were the Tsoynamis: huge servings of vegan "tsoft tserve" stirred with a variety of toppings.

Mine was a coffee coco loco: vanilla soft serve with coffee/ground coffee beans, chocolate syrup, and vegan cocoa puffs. Shane had the vegan s'more, with ricemellow creme and graham crackers. You could also get plain soft serve in 8 or so flavors (fruits, chocolate, vanilla...). Overall it was a nice place: generous portions, good prices. It wasn't the healthiest meal, and way too eager with the salt shaker, but I suppose that fits the bill with their goal of comfort/fast food.

The next day, on our way out of Phoenix, we stopped at Mandala Tea Room in Scottsdale. I have to add that what I saw of Scottsdale looked like Disneyland, or a movie set. Maybe it was the ridiculously hot weather, or because it was a random Thursday morning, but the streets were empty and immaculate. One of the few people we did see was a young man scrubbing an Arabian horse fountain.

The Tea Room is connected to a spa and boutique that sells the type of merchandise that would attract people like the self-proclaimed "wellness educator" sitting a few tables away (white people obsessed with Eastern medicine and philosophy).

None of the entrees on the menu really jumped out at me, so I decided to have two appetizers: Tortilla Soup and a combination of Tempeh Lettuce Wraps and Live Teriyaki Wraps.

Now, I'm all for organic, seasonal produce, and the idea of letting produce shine on its own, but this was essentially hot tomato water with some beans and corn. If it weren't for the salt on the chips that I let soak into the liquid, it would have been difficult to down. The Tempeh Wraps were ok. Tempeh has a very distinct flavor and texture, that I'm not really a fan of unless it's baked or fried, but the dipping sauce was nice. The Live Wraps were excellent, even without any added dipping sauce, which was way too heavy on the shoyu. I wish I had gotten just the Live Wraps instead of the 50/50.

Shane had the Tempeh Fajitas.

He thought the salsa fresca was great, but that they should have been more generous with the tempeh, instead of loading the plate with beans and rice.

For dessert, we had a chocolate cake and a pina colada truffle.

The cake had a creamy tapioca filling, which was really nice. I'm not usually a fan of chocolate cake, but this one wasn't too sweet, which I enjoyed. The crumb was a bit dry, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it was from a cake that had been sliced the previous day. The truffle was ok; the pineapple filling was a bit too sweet for my taste.

In Albuquerque, we stopped at the Whole Foods on Wyoming Blvd. NE, to stock up on foods we could prepare on our own. We were excited to find vegan apple cake slices.

Super moist, with nice autumn spices, though a bit too sweet on the frosting. It was mainly refreshing to have something that wasn't Black China, which is great, but a little tired since it's everywhere up here. We ended up going back the next day to get another slice.

In Santa Fe, we ate at Body Cafe, another place attached to a boutique, spa, and yoga studio. (Where would vegans eat if it weren't for hippies?) This place isn't all vegan, but they do have quite a few options.

I had the Asian Curry Bowl.

It was basically an enormous pile of brown rice with some julienned vegetables, firm tofu, and seaweed, and reminded me of college co-op food, with a little fancier presentation. Heavy on the whole grains, greens, and muted tones; light on flavor; and could have been cooked for about 15 minutes less. Probably a nice balance to all of the cake and fried foods though.

Shane had the Tempeh Plate.

The yams were nice, as was the lemon-walnut sauce, but the tempeh and steamed vegetables were in a similar co-op tradition.

Dessert was again a highlight: raw berry "cheese"cake and chocolate torte.

Thankfully we got out of there before whoever had been setting up a PA system on the stage started performing whatever it was he was going to perform.

Vegas was frustrating at first. We spent the first evening walking all over the place, and returned to the hotel when almost everything was closed. We were forced to hike back out on the Strip and settled for overpriced burritos.

The next morning, however, brought the mecca of Ronald's.

Just look at the shiny case screaming my name! The staff assured us that everything except the cake and old fashioned style donuts were safe.

We were disciplined, unlike some people we know, a just had one each.

A plain glazed for me (heaven) and an apple burrito (tasted like a turnover) for Shane. More on Ronald's in a moment.

We found a small natural foods store called Rainbow's End. I swear I was looking at a website of theirs a little while ago, but I can't find it now. The store features mainly supplements and herbs, with a few food items, but we had come for the small cafe that is attached.

I chose the Greek Pizza, with soy cheese instead of conventional, which came with a salad.

Holy crap they were generous with the Follow Your Heart, which made the dish a bit greasy, but it satisfied my pizza craving 600 miles from home and my choice of a ridiculous number of vegan pizzerias.

Shane had Raw Tacos, which he likened to being conned into eating salad with his hands, but he did enjoy the nut-based cheesy filling.

For dinner we went to Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay, which was created by Hubert Keller, of Fleur de Lys in San Francisco fame (and Top Chef!), a man who seems to worship things like Kobe beef and foie gras, yet creates a menu with an item called the "Vegas Vegan."

It's essentially a pile of grilled vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, red peppers, tomatoes) "creatively" stacked between two portobello caps to resemble a burger. I think this can be filed under the "it said vegan, so we had to try it" category. It was ok, I suppose, minus the sogginess and the lack of flavor, except a dash of balsamic on the eggplant. And minus the loud music and being surrounding by flat screens displaying American Football. And my fries were cold. But it said vegan!

The next morning it was back to Ronald's to stock up on donuts to bring back for friends. I even packed plastic wrap, so we could wrap the bakery boxes to delay staleness.

You're looking at: glazed, chocolates, sugar twists, a giant apple fritter, giant nut-covered somethings, jelly-filled, custard-filled, some twist thing, maple bars, chocolate bars, and an apple burrito. We also got a dozen glazed holes, a custard-filled, and a maple bar to eat there.

We stopped at a Whole Foods to get some real food before we left town. It was enormous and I have never seen so much plastic surgery in my life.

I was excited to see this sign:

until I realized it was directly above tubs of hard-boiled eggs and bacon?!

They did have a great number of vegan options, including a chicken-analogue called Gardein. Shane got a piece of jalepeno-lime, and we both got salads. Pictured with the Gardein is something called a "Buddha Ball," which was a ball of tofu disguised with sesame seeds, tricking us into thinking it would be tasty. And they didn't have any vegan cake slices! Boo.

I also had a tempeh tamale, which was a little dry, but pretty flavorful.

Back in LA, we met up with some PPK folks for jackfruit tacos at Pure Luck. Shane was also intrigued by the fried pickles, which should really be called "a couple of pieces of fried pickles on a giant platter of fries." (Shane is requesting I write more details about Pure Luck...they will come when I'm less tired.)

We also went across the street to Scoops for gelato.

Coffee!!!! Without chunks of crap in it!!!

Our final morning, we made one last stop at M Cafe with our friend Ben.

Paninis:

Their focaccia is simply amazing.

We also had a banana-chocolate millefeuille, which has an amazing texture, but I could do without the bananas.

And strawberry shortcake:

Sourdough 5 spice bread pudding

2007-09-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I don't actually remember ever eating or making bread pudding in my pre-vegan days, so I have no idea how similar this is to conventional bread pudding. All I know is that it's delicious. I ate both servings last night. The top is sugary and crisp, while the insides are creamy, warm, and gooey.

Bread pudding, makes 2 generous servings
3 1/2 c. cubed sourdough bread (a crusty variety; stale is just fine)
2/3 c. coconut milk
2/3 c. soy milk
1/4 c. unrefined cane sugar + 1 tsp.
1 1/2 tbs. cornstarch
1 tbs. margarine, melted
1 tbs. orange juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. 5 spice
1/8 tsp. cardamom

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milks, 1/4 c. sugar, cornstarch, margarine, oj, zest, cocoa, and spices.

Toss in the bread cubes and stir/press until they have soaked up most of the liquid. Let them soak while the oven finishes heating.

Divide the bread into two 4" ramekins. You can pack it a little to make it fit, and drizzle in any extra liquid left in the bowl. Sprinkle the tops of each with 1/2 tsp. of sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes until the bread is lightly browned.

They taste best straight from the oven.

Vietnamese-style soup

2007-09-05T00:52:00.000-07:00

This was first inspired by my discovery of vegetarian fish sauce:

My life is almost complete.

It is actually a combination of 3 different soups: bun bo hue, bun rieu, and canh chua. I couldn't decide what to make, and I like all of the flavors, so I just combined them all into one delicious amalgamation.

Tasty, tasty soup
8 c. vegetable stock (or water and boullion)
2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 2" sections and smashed a little with the spine of your chef's knife
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, deseeded and cut in eighths
1 c. chopped pineapple
2 tbs. unrefined cane sugar
1 tbs. ngo om
1 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt
juice of 1 lime
sriracha to taste
2 tbs. fishless fish sauce (optional, if you can't find it)

Boil everything in a large pot for 35-40 minutes, salt to taste. It's that easy.

Towards the end, throw in some sliced tofu, or other protein, to heat it through and to flavor it before serving.

Serve over rice noodles and generously garnish with additional lime juice, cilantro, green onions, mint, shiso. Also fun, but I didn't have: shredded lettuce, banana flowers, sliced chilis, bean sprouts (if that's your thing...), or fried shallots. This would also be excellent over rice.

Five spice cookies

2007-08-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

These are my mother's ice box butter cookies meets the snickerdoodle, veganized, and with an extra punch. The punch comes from Chinese 5 spice powder, a combination of cinnamon, anise, fennel, ginger, and cloves. They're wonderfully crisp, buttery, and a tiny bit chewy in the center.

Five spice cookies
1/2 c. margarine
2/3 c. unrefined cane sugar
2 tbs. brown rice syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. 5 spice powder

Cream together the margarine and sugar with an electric or stand mixer. Add the brown rice syrup and vanilla, and mix for another minute or two.

Sift together the dry ingredients, then slowly mix them into the wet. Once the dough begins to stick together, use your hands to form the dough into a log, about 1 1/2" in diameter, and wrap in plastic. Place on a flat surface in the freezer for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine 2 tbs. unrefined cane sugar and 2 tsp. 5 spice powder in a small bowl.

Remove the log from the freezer and unwrap. Slice the log into thin pieces, a little less than 1/4" thick. Dip one side of each cookies into the sugar mixture and place naked-side down on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 9-10 minutes until they just begin to get golden around the edges. Let rest on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
If you prefer a crisper cookie, you can bake for an additional minute or so. If you would like a chewier cookie, underbake by a smidge.

Vietnamese-style chopped salad

2007-08-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to create this salad after driving home last weekend from the grocery store with a bag full of cilantro and mint to fix some summer rolls. It's an intoxicating mix that reminds me of many of my favorite dishes. My mom used to make us carrot flowers for our nuoc cham, so I threw those in for nostalgic effect.

Salad serves 2, generously
10 oz. extra firm tofu
canola oil

10-12 leaves of lettuce (I used red leaf.)
1 carrot
about 2" of cucumber
about 2" of daikon radish
25 fresh mint leaves
20 stems of cilantro
12 Thai basil leaves
2 green onions
1 small mango (just ripe, not too soft)
1/4 c. dry-roasted peanuts, crushed

Slice the tofu into bite-sized pieces and fry over med-high heat until crispy. Drain on a paper towel.

Chop the lettuce into a large bowl. Slice or shred the carrot, depending on your preference. If you want to make flowers: peel and rinse your carrot. Slice 5 thin V-shaped grooves along the length of the carrot, then slice the carrot thinly. Julliene the cucumber and radish, coarsely chop the herbs, and throw everything into the bowl. Chop the mango and set aside.

You can add or substitute other vegetables you have on hand, but the herbs are key.

Dressing
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbs.)
2 tbs. coconut milk
1 tbs. agave nectar
2 tsp. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. soy sauce
sriracha to taste

Mix all ingredients well. Pour over vegetables and toss until all the leaves are covered. Add the mango and tofu, and briefly toss again gently. Serve with peanuts sprinkled on top.

Bonus summer rolls:

Banana bread

2007-08-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

I had a bunch of overripe bananas lying around, so Shaudi gave me her banana bread recipe. I made a couple little changes in an attempt to convince myself I'm not just eating big slices of cake.

Banana bread
1/4 c. soymilk, plus 1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. Earth Balance
1/4 c. unsweetened apple sauce
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 c.)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. roasted, chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 c. chocolate chips (optional; throw in a few more nuts instead)

Topping
2 tbs. whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9" loaf pan.

Use a fork to blend together the topping ingredients in a small bowl. It should form a crumbly mix. Set aside. Stir the vinegar into the soymilk and set aside.

Cream together the margarine, sugar, and applesauce until thoroughly mixed. Add the bananas, vanilla, and soymilk and mix well again.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, soda, and salt. Gently stir into the wet mixture until everything is moistened. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips, and then scrape the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.

Bake for 55-60 minutes. Around the 35-40 minute mark, you might need to cover your bread with foil to slow down the browning of your topping. Test for doneness by inserting a knife or skewer into the middle of the loaf. It should come out clean.

Remove your pan from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Use a flexible spatula to lift the loaf from the pan and set it on a cooling rack to cool completely.

I’m now realizing that the topping to my peanut butter coffee cake would be amazing on this bread. Or even swirls of peanut butter directly in the batter. If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it tastes!

Pho

2007-08-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be pho. My mom throws stuff into a pot and it comes out amazing. My sister makes meticulous spice sachets and my mom thinks it tastes better than the best San Jose spots. Beef is lame; so this is my version.

Pho broth about 4 servings
2 - 3" sticks of cinnamon
10 cloves
8 black peppercorns
5 star anise stars
2 tbs. canola oil
1 large, sweet, yellow onion, quartered
10 sprigs of cilantro
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed, but whole
about a 3/4" chunk of ginger, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tbs. unrefined cane sugar
1 tbs. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
8 c. vegetable broth*

In a large stock pot, toast the cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and anise over high heat until your kitchen smells amazing (about 2 minutes). Add the oil, onion, garlic, cilantro, ginger, and bay leaf and saute until the onions and garlic begin to brown lightly. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 45 minutes. Be patient. Ninety minutes is even better, if you have it. You can make a "quick" version using a ground up mix of the spices (or even Chinese 5 spice powder), but it won't be as good. Once it's cooked for at least 45 minutes, salt to taste. Don't try salting it too early; the flavors need time to develop and you'll end up over-salting.

You can strain the broth, if you like, but I prefer to just fish around the spice bits to get the broth. The soft, sweet, soggy onion is one of the best parts of this soup. I can't believe people actually strain that part out. Craziness!

Don't even think about cooking your rice noodles before the broth is nearly finished. It's like pasta: the broth should wait for the noodles, never vice versa. You can heat up and flavor whatever protein you're using in the broth for a few minutes before serving. Or just eat noodles. They're the best part anyways.

Serve the broth piping hot over rice noodles and garnish with cilantro and green onion. Also have a plate of lime wedges and Thai basil handy so your guests can add additional flavor to the soup. Jalapenos and bean sprouts make nice additions, too.

Some people like to ruin the broth with hoisin and sriracha. You just spent forever slaving over this perfect, clear elixir; it's doesn't need any of that stuff. Trust me, don't do it. The broth also freezes very well, so if for some reason you can't finish 4 servings, just save it for another time.

*Something neutral tasting...not the tomato-ey kind like a lot of vegetarian broths tend to be. You may also substitute water and boullion. The Better than Beef brand boillion is a little strong, so if you choose to use this, add only a little in combination with another vegetable broth.

Peach melba cupcakes

2007-07-29T00:59:00.000-07:00

I've been dreaming about peach cupcakes since summer began. The raspberry sauce is optional, if you'd rather have a classic peaches 'n cream taste.

Peach cupcakes
1 1/4 c. unbleached AP flour
2 tbs. arrowroot powder
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. peach nectar
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. peach mash (instructions below)
2/3 c. unrefined cane sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.

Slice a ripe peach in half and lay cut side down in a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Let the peaches cool for a few minutes, then using a spoon scrape out the flesh. Use a fork to mash up the peach, then measure out 1/4 c. Don't waste the rest! The peach is still tasty, so snack away.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour the wet into the dry and stir until everything is moistened. If you used a whisk to mix the wet ingredients, don't worry about the peachy bits that get caught. Just scrape them into the batter and use a spoon to fold everything together.

Pour batter into a 12-cup tin lined with papers. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test.

Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

I used a vanilla cooked buttercream.

Raspberry sauce
1/4 c. brown rice syrup
1/4 c. mashed raspberries
1-2 tbs. unrefined cane sugar (depending on how sweet your berries are)

Bring to a boil over medium heat and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely.

Drizzle over frosted cupcakes and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Ginger lemon cream sandwiches

2007-07-24T00:15:00.001-07:00

These were so good; I wish I had about a dozen more to stuff in my face. They only survived about a day. The cookies are soft and chewy, a little cake-like, and surprisingly low fat. It's more like a whoopie pie than an Oreo-style sandwich. I suspect they'd be great stuffed with ice cream, too. The recipe is modified from Vegan with a Vengeance. It's actually the first recipe I've tried from VWAV after receiving it as a present a little while ago. Tasty, tasty!

Ginger lemon cookies
1 c. unbleached AP flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 heaping tbs. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/3. c unsweetened apple sauce (cinnamon is ok)
1/4 c. brown rice syrup
1/4 c. soy milk
1 tbs. canola oil
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1 heaping tbs. lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
1 /2 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour through salt in a large bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients together, then pour into the dry mix. Stir until everything is mixed well. It will be sticky and fairly wet.

Using two small spoons, scoop about a tablespoon of dough and scrape it between the two spoons, transferring it from one spoon to the other, a couple times to form a ball, then drop the dough on the parchment paper, leaving about 3" between each ball. You can also use your hands to form the cookies, but they are sticky. If you want to try this, I suggest wetting your hands between every few cookies.

Bake for 8-9 minutes. They will still be very soft and just barely getting darker. Let them rest on the parchment for a couple minutes, then using a spatula, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The filling is just a cooked buttercream, using 2 tsp. lemon zest and 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract.

The recipe will make about 28 - 3" cookies, or 14 sandwiches. Make sure to let them cool completely before filling.

Spinach and peanut dips

2007-07-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten about the wonders of spinach dip until my friend Krisi made some for a party a while ago. I wanted to try a tofu base instead of Sour Supreme to save some money. My go-to peanut sauce relies heavily on coconut milk and peanut butter. This was my attempt at something a little healthier, but still full of tastiness.

Creamy spinach dip
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c. onion, sliced
2 tbs. olive oil
1 -12.3 oz. box of aseptic tofu, extra firm
3 tbs. soy milk
1 tbs. mustard
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. salt
zest and juice of 1 med. lemon
1/2 tsp. sriracha (optional)
3 c. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 green onions, sliced
1 - 8 oz. can water chestnuts, chopped

Saute the onions, garlic, and olive oil over med-high heat until the onions become translucent and the garlic is golden. Set aside for a few minutes to cool slightly, while you measure out everything else.

The 3 c. of spinach is a rough measurement of frozen, bagged spinach that I had crumbled slightly so it would be a little more measurable. After thawing and squeezing out the water, it was about 1 packed cup. If you didn't plan ahead and defrost the spinach, just run it under warm water in a colander.

Place the tofu through sriracha in a food processor and add the cooked mixture. Make sure to scrape in all of that garlicky oil. Process until creamy, then add the spinach and process again until somewhat smooth. Adjust for salty/spicyness, then scrape into a bowl and stir in the green onions and chopped water chestnuts.

Chill until ready to serve.

Peanut dip
1 - 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained (cannellinis would work as well, maybe even garbanzos)
1/3 c. peanut butter
2 1/2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. sesame oil
1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 tbs. agave nectar
2 green onions
8-10 mint leaves
4-5 stems of cilantro
zest and juice of one lime

This one's easy. Process until smooth, then chill until ready to serve.

Strictly town biz

2007-07-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

Shane and I moved a couple months ago and finally got around to throwing a housewarming party like the real adults we are.

We even made invitations! Shane likes goats; I like bats.

I borrowed some ideas from the Martha Stewart volunteers at my work (along with some fancy plastic platters) and served up:

Flax and pepper/poppyseed crackers and strawberries.

Vegetable platter with broccoli, green/wax beans, carrots, peppers, and celery. With creamy spinach and peanut dips. I don't get people who eat raw broccoli or beans; these had a quick blanching.

Stuffed mushrooms with panko. Not coconut-chocolate donuts.

Mini cupcakes army! Funfetti and mocha hazelnut.

I also made limeade with tons of fresh mint.

It was great seeing everyone! Big yay to DP and Amber who surprised us by driving up from LA, and with whom we had a post-party, very unvegan Man vs. Wild viewing.

(That's Shane's Mom's art on the wall!)

Lauren even gave us a housewarming plant. It now lives on our fridge.

Morning buns

2007-07-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

When I was young, my favorite Saturday mornings were when my mom would make morning buns. Crisp, sugary, cinnamon buns, warm from the oven. We would make them from the grocery store dough tubes and roll them in cinnamon-sugar, but I wanted to make something a little fancier.

These use the same dough as the danishes. Once the dough has completed the final roll, fold, and chill, follow the directions below.

Filling
1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
zest of 1 small orange (optional)

Stir all of the filling ingredients together, then set aside. Roll the dough into a rectangle, about 18 x 12". Sprinkle the filling over the dough and use your hands to spread it evenly. Starting with a long side, roll the dough as you would a cinnamon bun, so you end up with about an 18" tube.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with melted margarine, then sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of granulated sugar into each cup and shake to coat the side and bottom.

Slice the dough into 12 pieces, about 1 1/2" thick. Place 1 roll into each cup (swirl side up), and brush the tops with more margarine. Cover with plastic, then set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F, then bake the rolls for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, and let cool for about 2-3 minutes. Measure about 1/4 c. of granulated sugar into a large bowl. One by one, remove the buns from the tin and roll in the sugar. Place on a rack to cool.

Shaudi hosted a brunch potluck today. I brought morning buns, cheesy danishes, and bacon-esque seitan.

There was so much good food! Banana-stuffed french toast, roasted potatoes, potato salad, watermelon, mini blueberry muffins, cherries, tofu scramble, and pumpkin waffles.

The perfect chocolate chip cookie

2007-07-07T12:43:00.002-07:00

Thanks to Garrick for sharing his recipe.

I used EB buttery sticks which are slightly different than the tub variety, so they were a tiny bit fluffier than his turned out. None of those cake-textured poseurs though. These were thin, soft, slightly chewy, and buttery. I had an inaccurate copy of the recipe that called for 1/3 c. applesauce, but they turned out just fine. And I added a couple handfuls of chopped walnuts (to Shane's disappointment).

Best chocolate chip cookies I've ever made, even compared to my pre-vegan days! They also got the thumbs up from our friends in Bad Reaction.

Bake sale

2007-07-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I never did an update about our first bake sale! It was a success. The faux-hos were a huge hit, along with the chick-o-stick cupcakes.

We did get chastized by an older gentleman who warned us about violating health codes. He was very concerned about the avian flu, so if you got sick (other than sugar overdose), sorry! He let us know that Gilman has types of bacteria that scientists aren't even aware of. I'd probably believe him on that one.

During Let Down (LETDOWNSTRAIGHTEDGE), I was standing on the arm of a sofa, when two young dudes ran in, supporting a third young fellow between them. They proceeded to dump their inebriated buddy on the couch and promptly left. Moments later he rolled over and began to puke all over the floor right next to our bake sale table. Talk about a violation health codes! Haha. The kind Gilman volunteers cleaned things up; I'm not sure what happened to that kid. It was a good show and I had lots of fun. A young woman even approached me and asked if I would fill an order for a vegan friend's birthday in the fall. I was flattered! She and her friend bought three cupcakes. I was going to give them some free ones at the end of the show, but didn't see them around.

I don't really like the idea of making money off of other kids, so I want to decide on a place to donate future bake sale profits. For now, they're being reinvested in baking equipment (a refurb onyx stand mixer will soon be mine!)

Thanks to Allison for introducing me to the wonders of Chick-o-sticks.

I still had a couple undipped ding dongs and hohos in the freezer since I ran out of chocolate, but I took care of that the next day. Then I went on a chocolate dipping spree.

(Half pints for a dollar!!!)

(Vegan butterfingers!!!)

Agave walnut tofu

2007-07-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

A favorite from my youth. I mainly liked it because it was like candy that I could eat for dinner. Crisp, sweet, tangy, creamy, crunchy, all rolled into one. It's traditionally made with mayonnaise (and shrimp and honey), and while I did have a jar of vegennaise handy, I figured I would try it from scratch for those of you who might not have vegan mayo around.

Yes, I photograph food on my rug.

Candied walnuts
1 c. walnuts
1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 5-6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Keep an eye on these! They can go from toasted to charred in no time at all.

Combine the sugar and walnuts in a saucepan over med-high heat, and stir. As soon as it begins to caramelize, sprinkle in the sesame seeds. Once everything is evenly coated, pour the walnuts back onto the sheet pan to cool. Make sure to spread them out, so you don't end up with a giant, rock hard cluster of walnuts.

Creamy agave sauce
1/4 c. aseptic extra firm silken tofu
2 tbs. soy milk
1 1/2 tbs. agave nectar
1 tbs. canola oil
1 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. mustard
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of salt, to taste

Blend until smooth, then set aside. An immersion blender is great for this if you have one.

Tofu
1 lb. extra firm tofu
1 1/2 tbs. soy sauce
1/3 c. cornstarch
canola oil

Slice the tofu into half inch cubes and marinate in the soy sauce (ideally overnight, but at least 30 minutes).

Scoop the tofu (leave behind any liquid!) into a large bowl and toss with the cornstarch until all cubes are lightly dusted.

Heat 1/4" of oil in a skillet over med-high heat and fry up the tofu cubes until golden. (Or deep fry if you want to get wild.) Drain the tofu on a paper towel or bag. It helps to do it in batches, then once your last batch is almost finished, add all of the tofu back in to heat it up again. Drain quickly, then while still hot, place it in a large bowl. Pour the sauce on top and fold the tofu until all of the cubes are coated.

Plate with walnuts and garnish with additional sesame seeds. Excellent with brown rice!

Cheesy danishes

2007-07-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

I modified this from a recipe I found here. (I'll give the site credit, but it will go unnamed here, because I think he's a tool.)

Danish dough
3/4 c. warm water
1/2 c. + 2 tbs. warm soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1/4 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 sticks Earth Balance margarine
~1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Remove the margarine from the refrigerator and set aside.

Combine the water, milk, and yeast in a large bowl and set aside. Sift together the flour, sugar, stach, salt, and nutmeg. By this time, your yeast mixture should look a little foamy. Add the vanilla, then add the dry mixture. Mix until everything is moistened, then gently knead until a smooth ball forms. Cover the bowl and set in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Tape a piece of parchment (about 12" square) to your work surface and lightly dust with flour. Slice each stick of margarine in half (lengthwise) and set on the parchment. Dust the top of the margarine with flour. Using a rolling pin, beat the butter until slightly softened and using the pin and your hands, form the butter into an 8" square. Lift the parchment off the counter and place in the refrigerator.

Remove the dough and set on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 16" square. Place your butter square in the center of the dough and fold the edges of the dough together, lightly pressing the seams to enclose the butter. Gently roll the dough into about a 24" x 8" rectangle. Fold it in thirds, lengthwise, so you have an 8" square again. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling 3 more times. You're making a bunch of buttery layers that will make your danishes nice and flakey.

After the dough has chilled it's final time, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/4" thick. It was easier for me to divide the dough in half and refrigerate the other half while I was working on the first.

Cut the dough into 4" squares. I got about 14 squares, plus a few scraps that I turned into impromptu raspberry jam danishes.

Filling
1 package Better than Cream Cheese (non-hydrog)
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix the filling ingredients together, then spoon about 1 tbs. in the center of each dough square. Spread the filling in a diagonal line, stopping about 1/2" from the corners. Fold the non-cheesed corners toward the center and press down lightly to seal. Brush with a wash of 1/4 c. soy milk and 2 tbs. sugar.

Let the danishes rise for about 30-40 minutes. They won't rise a lot, they'll just look a little more puffy. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and bake for 10 more. Cool danishes on a rack, then drizzle with icing made from 1/2 c. powdered sugar and about 1 tbs. of soy milk.

Citrus lettuce wraps

2007-07-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the birth of our great nation, I don't have to go to work today, which means time to cook! It's pretty hot out, so I thought lettuce wraps would make a nice, fresh lunch.

Lettuce wraps are super quick to make, once you have all of your ingredients ready. And you can pretty much add whatever you'd like. It's a great way to use up vegetables and proteins sitting in your refrigerator. The following recipe generously serves 2 as a meal, or more people if you're using it as an appetizer.

Crispy noodles
1 handful of rice noodles, broken up a bit
2 tbs. canola oil

You want the thin kind of rice noodles that look a little crinkly. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over high heat. Once the oil is hot, drop in a small portion of the noodles. They should immediately bubble up and expand, and become opaque. Immediately remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel (chopsticks help). Repeat until all the noodles are fried up.

The noodles are optional, or course. They don't really have much flavor but add a nice texture, and hey, they're fun! If you don't have noodles, leave the nuts out of the filling below and toast them instead to sprinkle on top of your wraps.

Filling
1 - 7oz package of tofu (I used fried, baked tofu in teriyaki or 5-spice would work well, too.)
1 - 8oz can water chestnuts, drained
1 ear of corn (about 1 c.)
3/4 c. green beans
1/3 c. sliced almonds (or slivered, or chopped cashews, or whatever)
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
zest of 1 small orange
2 tsp. chopped cilantro

2 tbs. hoisin sauce
2 1/2 tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tbs. mirin
1/2 tbs. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. sriracha (or more/less to taste)
2 tbs. water

1 lime, wedged

Chop the tofu, chestnuts, and beans to about 1/4" pieces. Small pieces make for nice eating and quick cooking. I like to undercook the vegetables so they stay nice and crisp. In a small bowl, mix the hoisin, soy, mirin, agave, and sriracha.

Transfer the leftover oil to a large skillet (or just do the whole process in a wok) and heat over med-high heat. If you're using a wok, just leave it on high and shorten the cooking times. Add the tofu, ginger, and zest, and fry for a couple minutes until the tofu starts to brown. Next add the green beans and water chestnuts, and stir for about 2 more minutes. (I found some really great sweet, white corn, that was delicious just straight off the cobb, so I added it after the sauce, to preserve the freshness. If you're using frozen or sub-par corn, you can add it earlier.)

Pour the sauce mixture over the filling and stir well. Add the 2 tbs. of water to the sauce prep bowl and stir to get all of those sticky bits of goodness, then pour over the filling as well. Let the filling cook for a few more minutes, just until the sugars begin to caramelize. Turn off the heat, then toss in the corn and cilantro.

Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with lime wedges.

To serve: Family-style works best, with a dish for the noodles and another for lettuce leaves. Rinse the leaves before you start cooking so they have time to drain. Pat them with a towel if they're still wet. I splurged on some butter lettuce today, since they make such perfect cups and have a nice flavor, but feel free to use iceberg or red/green leaf. Serve the filling with a big spoon so everyone can help themselves.

Bake sale treats

2007-06-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

Funfetti cupcakes! VCTOTW goldens, vanilla buttercream, and Wilton's bug-free jumbo rainbow nonpareils.

As I suspected, many of the 'fettis sank to the bottom. Next time I would sprinkle a few on top as well so they'd work their way down just a little as it baked.

Cherry almond black bottoms! Same black bottoms as before, this time with some chopped Bing cherries and almond extract.

And finally...

Faux-hos

Spongey chocolate cake
2 c. all-purpose flour, scant
1 tbs. vital wheat gluten
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
1 1/2 c. soy milk
2 tbs. cornstarch
margarine and cocoa for prepping the pan

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare an 11 x 17 jelly roll pan by lightly greasing the bottom, then pressing a large sheet of parchment into the pan. (The greasing will help it stick.) Then grease the top of the parchment and lightly dust with cocoa powder. You could also bake this in multiple smaller pans, just make sure the batter is poured to the same thickness, and you might have to adjust the cooking time.

Sift together the flour, gluten, cocoa, powder, soda, and salt, then set aside. Scant means you want to be short the 1 tbs. of flour you're replacing with gluten...dump your tablespoon of gluten into the 1 c. measure, then scoop your flour and level off.

Whisk together the sugar, oil, milk, and cornstarch until nice and frothy. Fold the wet mixture into the dry, then pour into your prepared pan. Use a rubber spatula to spread the batter out evenly; it should be about 1/2" thick.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. Do not overbake! It'll make your life hard if this cake becomes too dry.

Let the cake cool for a couple minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and let it completely cool.

For hohos, divide the cake in half lenghtwise, and in quarters crosswise, so you end up with 8 sections that are about 5 1/2" x 4 1/4".

Each rectangle will become 3 hohos. Using a long, serrated blade and this technique (minus the first scoring step...you won't be able to really see it on such a small piece), carefully slice the cake into 3 layers, about 1/4" each. If your cake is a little crunchy around the edges, you can trim that part off. It'll make slicing and rolling much easier and provide a nice snack.

Spread a thin layer of basic buttercream (VCTOTW works well for this) onto each slice, then roll them up, starting on a narrow end. Don't worry about tiny cracks or holes in the sponge, the icing and the chocolate will glue everything in place. If the cake is totally falling apart, um...sorry? You might have overbaked or maybe my recipe sucks. I don't know...this is the first time I've made it. If the thin slices are failing, try the ding dong method below. Set the rolls on a plate and once you're done, refrigerate (covered) for at least 2 hours.

You can also make ding dongs from this recipe. Just use a round cutter or the top of a glass to cut out 2 1/2-3" circles. Slice each circle into two layers, apply frosting, then sandwich back together.

Once your cakes have firmly set, melt 2 bags of chocolate chips and 3 tbs. shortening (careful if substituting another fat...it must be something that will set at room temp) over a double boiler. Dip your cakes in, making sure to coat all sides, then set on parchment to cool. You can tell my dipping technique needs a little practice. Try to be quick about it; the warm chocolate will start to disintegrate the cake if you aren't. Freezing the cake might help; haven't tried that yet though. It will take a couple hours for the chocolate to set, depending on the room temp, and the fridge can definitely speed up the process. You can tell the chocolate is set when it no longer looks shiny.

Enjoy with some soy milk or water. There are kind of sickeningly sweet, just like the originals!

Bake sale!

2007-06-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Come join Allison and I for a bake sale at 924 Gilman St. this Saturday! Vegan yummies & awesome bands!

Featuring: lemon cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes (with Chick-O-Sticks!!), black bottom cucpakes (with cherries!), funfetti cupcakes, and if I can pull it off:

Stay tuned for recipes, pictures, and hopefully hoho-success!

Mini carrot muffins

2007-06-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Recipe coming!

Enchiladas

2007-06-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

I cheat and prefer flour tortillas because I like how soggy they get in the sauce.The sauce recipe was just perfect for 6 generous enchiladas and a 9x13 baking dish. These were filled with soyrizo, refried beans, corn, Follow Your Heart (nacho flavored), and tons of cilantro. Tofu sour cream, green onions, and more cilatro topped everything off.

Enchilada sauce
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can tomato paste
3 c. water
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. sriracha (or other hot sauce)
1/4 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tb. lime juice
1 1/2 tb. agave nectar
2 tb. flour
2 tb. + 1 tsp. olive oil.
1/2ish tsp. salt (to taste!)

Saute the onion and garlic in the teaspoon of oil until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients, through agave nectar, and simmer for 3-5 minutes. In a small dish, stir the flour into the remaining olive oil, then pour into the sauce mixture. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender until smooth. (Or pour into a regular blender.) Salt to taste.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Pour about a cup of the sauce into the bottom of your baking dish. Prepare your enchiladas and place in the dish, then pour the rest of the sauce on top. Top with soy cheese and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn oven to broil (or move dish to broiler) and bake for another 3-5.

Bonus nachos, by Shane!

More crepes

2007-06-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

Because, why not? Plus Shaudi hipped me to some super cheap raspberries and strawberries and I need to use them up. Same crepe recipe as below, this time filled with vanilla pastry creme with some raspberries and strawberries folded in. The pastry cream is the same basic idea as the sauce below, just much thicker and sweet. It's made with Earth Balance, cornstarch, flour, soy milk, vanilla, and unrefined cane sugar.

Apple sage crepes

2007-06-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to making crepes again. I think Shane's infected me with his raw fruit allergies and I needed a recipe to use up some apples I had sitting around.

Crepes
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 c. + 2 tbs. soy milk
1 tsp. unrefined cane sugar
pinch of salt
2 tbs. soy flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbs. canola oil or melted EB

Mix everything together gently, then let rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Fry up in a non-stick skillet. This will make 5 to 6 - 6" crepes. They can be used as savory or dessert crepes.

I went for a filling of Field Roast apple sage sausages, diced Fuji apple, asparagus, and watercress. It's seasoned with sage, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.

The lemon herb sauce starts with a roux of 1 tbs. olive oil and 1 tbs. flour. Then I added about 1 1/2 c. soymilk, a couple tablespoons of lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sage, salt, and black pepper.

Sammiches!

2007-06-17T23:45:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese-style. Banh mi chay, to be exact. I was fiending for these, so I used store-bought mushroom pate since I didn't want to wait around for agar to set. Really simple, yet so tasty. Because I lack patience, I also shred my vegetables before pickling so they don't need to sit as long.

Materials:
sweet baguette (I like to warm it up in the oven for a little bit so it's nice and crisp.)
mushroom pate (Optional, I suppose, if you want to cheat.)
margarine and/or vegenaise (Garlic aioli-style is nice.)
lettuce
cilantro (Down with the haters! I treat cilantro like a vegetable.)
protein of choice (Deli slices, seitan, etc. This time I used baked tofu, similar to this but with lemon juice and ngo om.)
quick pickles (See below)
jalapenos (Optional, if they're not your thing. They're not mine.)

Quick pickles

1/2 c. each of shredded carrot, jicama or daikon, and cucumber
3/4 c. water
1/3 c. rice wine vinegar
1 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. unrefined cane sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sriracha (or more, or less...)
2 cloves garlic, whole, but smashed

Throw everything into a jar and shake to mix, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. This makes more than enough for a bunch of sandwiches, but it also tastes great in summer rolls, on top of bun, or just make that ton of sandwiches. It'll keep for a while in the fridge because of all the acid; maybe a week or two? Don't trust me on that one though. Use your judgement if it looks/smells a little funky.

Bao-fest

2007-06-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

I went a little crazy with the bao today. Three varieties: char siu (BBQ "pork"), nai wong (coconut custard), and a 1/2 batch of mini bo lo (pineapple buns). This is an all day event, as there's quite a bit of waiting around for the sponge starter. Sponges allow for extra yeast fermentation and give the dough a distinct flavor; think like a very, very mild sourdough. I brought a bunch over to my parents for Father's Day.

Of the char siu, semi-whole wheat variety.

Dough recipe
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water + 1/2 c.
4 1/2 c. unbleached AP flour (can also substitute 1/2 with whole wheat pastry flour)
1/4 c. unrefined cane sugar
2 tbs. Earth Balance
canola oil

Start your sponge by stirring the yeast into 1 c. of warm water. Then add 1 c. of the flour and mix. Cover and set aside for 45 minutes to an hour.

About a half hour into your sponge, melt the EB and sugar into the 1/2 c. of water in a small saucepan. Set aside and let cool.

Once your sponge is ready, add it to the remaining flour and add the liquid mixture as well. Begin mixing with a silicone spatula, then use your hands when it starts to hold together. Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes then form into a large, flattened ball. Lightly grease a large bowl and set your dough inside, then flip the dough over so it is lightly oiled on both side. Cover with plastic or a damp cloth until it doubles in size. This will take another hour or so. The dough is ready when it no longer springs back when you touch it. (Sometime during all this waiting, prepare your filling. Also, use this time to cut out 24 - 3x3" squares of parchment paper.)

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and form into a long log. Cut the dough into 24 pieces.

Char siu-style TVP (makes 24 buns)
1 c. textured vegetable protein
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 green onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. vegetarian "oyster" sauce (mushroom-based)
1 tbs. hoisin sauce
1 tbs. agave nectar
1 tbs. arrowroot powder
4 tbs. water
1/4. tsp. sriracha (optional)
1 tbs. canola oil

Soak the TVP in the warm water for about 15 minutes, or until softened (it'll depend on the size of your TVP.) Drain and set aside. Mix the sauce ingredients (soy sauce through sriracha) thoroughly and set aside.

Saute the green onions and garlic in the canola oil for a few seconds, then add the TVP. Stir over med-high heat for 1-2 minutes, then add the sauce mixture. Keep stirring and cook for 2-3 minutes more to caramelize a little. Pour into a dish and let cool.

Perfect circles are for squares.

Roll out one of the dough pieces into a 3 1/2 - 4" disc, or just use your hands. Try to make the center thicker than the edges, which will help your filling stay in the center of the finished bun. Scoop about 2 tsp. of filling into the center. Pinch together 3 sides to form a triangle.

Then pinch each of the 3 corners down into a pinwheel-like pattern, and twist the center of the bun to secure it. Set your beautiful bun on a square of parchment and place on a cookie sheet. When you're done filling all your buns, cover the cookie sheet(s) with a piece of plastic or a damp cloth and let rise for another hour. These will expand A LOT while steaming, so don't fret if they look a little small.

Dessert time!

Coconut custard filling (makes 24 buns)
1 package aseptic tofu (extra firm)
1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/4 c. coconut milk (don't be a wuss...use full fat)
1/4 c. soy milk
3 tbs. arrowroot powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut extract
pinch of salt
couple drops of yellow coloring (optional)

Blend the tofu, sugar, and coconut milk until smooth. Dissolve the arrowroot into the soy milk. Dump everything into a saucepan and simmer (and whisk!) over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until thick and it no longer tastes starchy. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until cold.

Roll out a piece of dough and fill, as above. This time, pull together opposite sides to form 4 corners, then pinch all 4 seams tightly. Tuck the corners together and place seam side down on a piece of parchment. Do the cookie sheet and rising thing described above.

To cook:

Bring whatever steamer set-up you have handy to a boil, then steam your bao for 10 minutes. I could fit 4-5 bao per batch. Remove the bao and set on a cooling rack just until it's cool enough to handle, then stuff it in your face.

Best enjoyed fresh, or steamed again for 5-7 minutes to heat. Or cheat and pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds with a (barely) damp paper towel on top. They freeze really well. Just defrost and steam/microwave to heat.

Bonus:

Minis!

Homestyle sweet and sour tofu

2007-06-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

I don't just eat baked goods, I swear!

None of that flourescent-colored, sugary stuff. So satisfying. Pineapples are key, despite Shane's hatred.

Modded slightly from my mom's recipe. There is no real recipe though. It's one of those things we just make by eyeballing amounts and throwing stuff in a pan. One of these days when I'm not in a hurry, I'll try to measure everything out.

I begin by tossing sliced tofu in cornstarch, water, flour, and garlic powder, then it gets pan-fried until crispy and set aside. Into the wok goes 1 small sliced onion, a touch of oil, and some grated ginger. Once they're softened, I add pineapple, red or yellow bell peppers, and chopped tomatoes. Everything is sauteed together for a while until they begin to caramelize.

Meanwhile, I prepare a slurry of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, agave, sriracha, cornstarch, and water (and pineapple juice if I used canned). Once the vegetables are cooked, the sauce is poured on and allowed to thicken and turn everything into a delicious, soupy mess. Then the tofu is added back in and warmed through.

Rice, like the pineapple, is also key. I actually wish I had added more pineapple than I did today. If I had a mango, I might have thrown that in as well.

Cupcake party!

2007-06-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

I invited a couple friends over to bake cupcakes and to stuff ourselves. I prepared some hummus with carrots and red pepper slices, so we'd have something to balance out all of the sugar. Fun times ensued.

Mini almond cupcakes. VCTOTW goldens made with almond extract, with almond-flavored cooked buttercream, and a perfect raspberry.

Black bottom cupcakes. VCTOTW chocolate cupcakes, with creamy filling.

Superior to Cream Cheese filling
8 oz. Better Than Cream Cheese (1 container, non-hydrogenated)
1/3 c. unrefined cane sugar
1 tbs. plain, unsweeted soy yogurt
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
6 oz. chocolate chips

Mix all of the ingredients together and scoop a heaping tablespoon onto each cupcake (12) before baking at 350F for about 20 minutes. Let these cool and set before messing with them too much. The soft filling makes them pretty delicate.

Ooey-gooey insides. (Lizzi should be a hand model.)

Tiramisu cups from VCTOTW, with coffee instead of Kahlua.

All together.

Panko-crusted eggplant cutlets

2007-06-06T21:50:00.000-07:00

A lovely specimen.

Shane hates eggplants. The skin is tough, the inside is mushy, and they don't taste like anything. I wanted to prove him wrong, and frying makes everything better, right? The parsley and the zest lend a little bite of fresh air to the crust that keeps it from being too overwhelmingly anti-diet tasting.

Panko-crusted eggplant
1 large globe eggplant
salt

1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
zest of one large lemon
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

1/2 c. soy milk
1 tbs. cornstarch

1 3/4 c. panko (try to find one that doesn't have hydrogenated oils. You can probably substitute regular bread crumbs if you don't have any panko.)
1/4 c. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

canola oil

(This is probably enough for 4-5 people. We ate it all, except a few pieces I saved for lunch, in addition to sliced tofu that I panko-ed after marinating it in a little soy sauce. I am very, very full.)

Slice the eggplant into 1/4" thick cutlets. Rub the slices with a couple tablespoons of salt, and set in a colander for about an hour. Rinse and dry well.

Prepare the flour, soy milk, and panko mixtures (as separated in the list above) in three dishes.

Lightly coat a slice with flour, dip into the soy milk, then cover in panko (pat it on). Set aside on a plate and repeat until all slices are coated.

Heat a skillet over med-high heat with about 1/4" of oil. Gently place a few slices into the pan at a time, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove with tongs and place on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels/brown paper bags/whatever you want to use to drain the oil. You'll have to keep adding oil after every couple batches. Don't be scared!

Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with your favorite marinara!

I also attempted a slightly healthier, oven-baked version. It took about 12-15 minutes per side in a 425F oven. Make sure to spray the pan and the tops with some oil, otherwise they will be all starchy. They were crunchier than the pan-fried, but didn't quite have that melt-in-your mouth goodness. Not bad at all though.

Update: Just had the eggplant and tofu reheated for lunch and it was delicious! I was worried about the texture, as it was soggy, but still worked well. It was more like tofu and eggplant parmesan.

Lazy Saturdays

2007-06-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

1) Wearing a smock can help protect your clothing. Extra points for ol' lady florals.

2) Lower food gently into a wok. Seriously.

3) Eat lots of food!

Spicy garlic-sesame Chinese long beans and tofu.

Boo

2007-06-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

Failed matcha lemongrass shortbread star-flower things. Lolo's recipe, with flavor modifications and 1/2 c. of cornstarch subbed for the equivalent of flour. I went a little too subtle on the flavoring and they taste like lightly sweetened flour. Maybe the bitterness in the tea neutralized some of the sweetness? The texture is to die for though!

Good basic recipe. Hopefully you'll have more luck than I did. Also, do yourself a favor and use a less intricate cookie cutter. (For sharp looking cookies, chill the dough before rolling, cut and arrange on cookie sheet, and pop the whole thing in the freezer for a minute or two. It'll help them from losing their shape.)

More cute than tasty.

Peanut butter coffee cake

2007-05-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

The peanut butter in the topping melts down into a crisp crust. Make sure to leave out the salt if you're using salted peanut butter. Modded from Veg Cooking.

The mug is actually empty.

Peanut Butter Coffee Cake
2 1/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg (or be lame and use pre-ground)
pinch of salt
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/4 c. soy milk
1/2 c. peanut butter, room temp (I used creamy, but go for chunky if you want a chunky cake)
1/3 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375F. Lighty grease a 9 x 13" baking dish.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, nutmeg, and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat with a mixer until everything is moistened and the peanut butter is evenly distributed. (A minute or two.) Pour into the prepared dish.

Topping
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
pinch of salt
1/4 c. peanut butter
3 tbs. EB

Mix the sugar, flour, and salt, then add the peanut butter and EB. Use your fingers to mix until crumbly, then sprinkle over the top of the batter.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test.