The Turtle

Smoky Tempeh Strips

Thu, 30 Apr 2015 11:03:31 -0400

Hello everyone. I am finished with school for two months. I finished 8 days ago; and I start again in 67 days–not that I’m counting. The reason that I am so excited is that I am going to UC Berkeley to take some summer courses in American literature. Berkeley. Incomprehensible noises of excitement. Also, I am now halfway done my undergrad. Only two more years to go, and then six of grad school, provided that I don’t change my trajectory. Though I do like school, sometimes the stress really gets to me, and I find the endless cycle of assignments to be Sisyphean. By the time April–the cruelest month–rolls around, I need a break.

To break bread.

If someone were to force me to eat only one food for the remainder of my existence, and–for whatever reason–let me pick what it would be, I would pick bread. Multigrain topped with oats. Dense dark pumpernickel. Blueberry bagels. Rye with caraway seeds. Breakfast loaves spotted with sweet and tangy dried fruits. However, sometimes bread is more than bread; sometimes bread is the delicious vessel for scrumptious and flavourful fillings–the outer layers of a sandwich. I crafted the following recipe with the intention of placing it between two succulent slices of ambrosial bread, using it in a sandwich–you don’t have to; you can use it however you please.

Smoky Tempeh Stripes

Ingredients:

One block tempeh
1/3 cup tamari
1 tsp sesame oil
splash of liquid smoke

Directions:

Slice tempeh into thin strips–but not so thin that they are breaking apart
Whisk together tamari, oil, and liquid smoke
Marinate the tempeh strips in the tamari-mix overnight
Preheat oven to 400F
Place tempeh slices in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet
Bake until the stips start to crisp up and darken, flipping half-way through–approx. 10 minutes on each side

If someone were to force you to pick a sole form of sustenance, what would it be? Bread–what’s your favourite type; what do you like to sandwich between it?

Guac-à-moi-le

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 09:35:24 -0500

I spent my childhood summers at camp. At my camp they had an ‘Avocado Club.’ This was a club dedicated to avocados and avocado lovers. I never went to this club–I didn’t begin to like avocados until last year. If I were given the opportunity today to join an avocado club, well, you bet I would. Unfortunately, avocados seem to be getting the quinoa treatment in the press. And, well, the only blood fruits that I like are oranges. So, then, why am I sharing a recipe for guacamole today? The answer is simple: avocados aren’t the problem. Avocados are healthy and delicious; and many of them are products of California or Florida. The problem is much more complex and I do not believe that it can be fought by simply boycotting the fruit. Perhaps, if it strikes you as worthwhile, take a look at the supply chain of whatever avocados–or any good, for that matter–you plan on buying before you buy it; take a look at both the means and consequences of production.

So this recipe is dedicated to my friend Erinn, with whom I went to camp, and who loves avocados–but not bacon avocados. Erinn recently bought a book of guac recipes, of which I scanned–er, snapshotted with my phone–every page. That book inspired this recipe.

Guac-à-moi-le

Ingredients

1 large avocado
1 TBSP lime juice
pinch sea salt
Ideas for add-ins: ½ small roma tomato or kumato; ¼ cup corn; ¼ cup black beans; ½ small red or sweet onion; ¼ cup pineapple chunks; diced jalapeno or other hot pepper, to taste; splash hot sauce, to taste

Directions

Slice open avocado, remove pit, scoop out flesh from skin.
Add avocado flesh, lime juice, salt, and optional add-ins to bowl and mash together until consistency of chunky mashed potatoes.
Serve with tacos, chips, burritos, toast, whatever suits your fancy.

Cranberry Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

Sat, 14 Feb 2015 02:11:46 -0500

Hello everybody, it’s reading week. I haven’t posted in a over a year. It’s reading week. So there are a number of factors that can explain my absence: first, I was out of the country for a bit, living in the land of relatives-without-wifi; second, I have been, and continue to be, busy busy busy with school; third, personal stuff came up, and continued coming up, as it is wont to do.

Because I was absent for so long, I feel the need to outline the direction in which the blog is headed, at least for the next little bit.

I will discuss the aforementioned travelling
Recipes, recipes, recipes: I have one for cake, soup, and guac, AND more to come
Restaurant reviews: I have some of those.
Personal reflections–shit just got deep.
Cookbook reviews and recipe suggestions from within these cookbooks
I’m toying with the idea of creating a new instagram feed dedicated solely to the blog–one that would not contain pictures of my personal life

Now, I think that this post requires a recipe, a recipe that is both an apology and a thank you. The former for being away for so long; the latter for sticking with me despite my absence. You’re all pretty awesome. :) <3

This recipe is heavily modified from the recipe for coffee cake in Vegan Brunch. The original recipe gives you a denser cake with streusel-esque topping; this cake is quite light and I have done away with the topping.

This cake is perfect for breakfast–breakfast is my favourite meal.

Here we have it:

Cranberry Cinnamon Applesauce Cake

Ingredients

¾ cup nondairy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
½ cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/14 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚F; spray 8x8" square pan with canola oil cooking spray
In small bowl or measuring cup, mix together apple cider vinegar and nondairy milk–set aside to curdle
In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon
In another large bowl, mix together curdled milk, sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract
Add dry to wet and mix together until no clumps remain–do not overmix
Fold in dried cranberries
Pour batter into pan and smooth with spatula
Bake for 35 minutes or until the edges of the cake come away from the pan
Let cool and then consume or freeze–it does wonderfully in the freezer

Orange Ginger Sauce

Wed, 04 Jun 2014 13:45:26 -0400

Every so often I got to a store that sells not quite perfect food items. There is nothing particularly wrong with these items, they are just not perfect enough to meet the manufacturers’ standards of excellence, and are thus sold at a discounted price. A few trips ago I bought an orange ginger sauce which was the perfect combination of sweet and tangy orange and poignant ginger. It was delicious and I finished the bottle in very little time. I wanted more of the sauce, but it hasn’t been at the store since. Alas, the manufacturer must have stopped creating imperfect batches. The price for which the sauce normally retails is trop cher, so I set out to recreate it at home. Its perfect for serving with tofu, veggies, seitan, tempeh, and more; indeed, I have yet to find something with which it is not delicious.

Orange Ginger Sauce Recipe (can be made gluten free)

Ingredients*:

1 cup orange juice
1 ½ tsp ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce*
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch

Directions: Whisk ingredients together in small pot and simmer for ~5 until thickened. Store in a resealable container in the fridge.

*To make gluten free: use tamari instead of soy sauce and make sure the individual ingredients are certified gluten free

What’s your favourite sauce?

Ezra's Pound Review

Thu, 22 May 2014 08:50:31 -0400

Thanks Z3d for the great instagram! You can see the blurry mess that is my arm, the long brown hair that simultaneously plagues and graces my head, my white rabbit necklace–which I purchased in NYC!–and my darling camera. Oh, and the exquisite coffee and food.

I go for the bird’s-eye view.

Ezra’s Pound is a great coffee shop on Dupont, just east of Spadina. They sell coffee, espresso, and coffee and espresso based beverages. They also sell gluten-free and vegan baked goods from Bunner’s, which is one of the best bakeries in the GTA, as well as goods from other GTA bakeries. Best of all, they sell their coffee in bags of whole beans–which I have bought and, even at home, their roasts are delicious! Most importantly to me, their coffees are fair trade and organic!

I’m sorry for overloading this post with instagrams; here are some real photos:

From their website:

Ezra’s Pound
238 Dupont St
Toronto, Ontario
416-929-4400

Monday to Friday 7:30am to 6:00pm
Saturday 8:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday 9:30am to 6:00pm

http://ezraspound.com/

Hibiscus Restaurant Review

Tue, 20 May 2014 11:16:15 -0400

On May 6th, I, along with my good friend, Z3d, went to Hibiscus for brunch. Brunch is my favourite meal–probably because pancakes are my favourite food. Hibiscus is a vegetarian café that specializes in crêpes of both the sweet and the savoury variety. They also make non-dairy ice cream in house, as well as delicious soup. Also, everything is gluten-free, though not everything is vegan.

I find it hard to resist a good homemade–er, housemade–soup, and I have always found salads to be the bombdiggity, so naturally I went with the “soup & salad” for $10.50.

The soup came out too hot to eat, so I began with the salad. Now, salad is a term which I assume is being used loosely to describe this menu item, as I would imagine ‘big bowl of goodness’ or other non-misnomers would not fit in on their menu. The salad had lentils, and though I usually abhor lentils, these were quite delicious. According to the menu the salad is composed of: “quinoa, sweet potato, broccoli, beans, tofu, kale, carrot, beet, kelp, okara; served with raw cracker.” It was very good, and I would order it again in a heartbeat.

Once I had finished the salad, the coup was cool enough to enjoy. Ginger squash purée was the soup that day, and it was spectacular. I loved the ginger in it, and, just like the salad, would certainly order it again.

Z3d went with a cheesy savoury crêpe for $10.70. She said it was very good. We both agreed that we would definately be coming back.

Hibiscus is located in Kensington market at 238 Augusta Avenue / Toronto, ON / M5T 2L7. They are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30am to 6pm. Their menu is available on their website: http://hibiscuscafe.ca/

Following our brunch, Z3d and I decided to walk around a bit.

This sign was outside another restaurant. We found the spelling to be a little humorous, though we COMPLETELY understand that English is not everyone’s first language and that the availability of education is largely based on class and privilege, thus the valuation of spelling, grammar, etc. is somewhat elitist. (I still love grammar, I’m sorry.)

COFFEE! TEA!

#amen

We also went to my favourite coffee shop Ezra’s Pound which is near Dupont and Spadina, but more on that later.

If you’re in the GTA, or are venturing here anytime soon, try Hibiscus, you won’t regret it–though I don’t believe in regrets, tangent, sorry.

Have you ever been to Hibiscus? What’s your favourite veg restaurant, in the GTA, or otherwise?

Lemonade 4-1

Tue, 06 May 2014 19:47:22 -0400

For the lucky residents of Toronto, today was–and still is–a beautiful spring day. Today is the type of day that features flowers, sunshine, and singing birds. Today was also wonderful because I got to spend it with a good friend of mine whom I have not seen in a very long time. I will post more about today later this week, as I spent the day on a blog-worthy jaunt.

Here’s a snapshot of me; it’s taken by my friend Z3d. This picture is a little preview of the post(s) to come.

Aside from my little adventure, I read two lovely short stories today. I have been reading a LOT lately, as I finally have the free time. I would like the reader to note that I do, normally, read a great deal; however, during the school year I am typically reading what is assigned in my classes. Now I am reading for myself. I finished Little Failure, Gary Shteyngart’s memoire, the other day, as well as Kafka’s the Judgment, and an excellent story in Harper’s by Antonya Nelson called The There There. Next in the queue is some DFW–David Foster Wallace, for the uninitiated–and then The Golden Gate by Seth. Spring is a time to read, relax, and enjoy existence.

And to celebrate such a beautiful spring day, here’s a recipe for a single serving of lemonade. Sip. Enjoy.

Nature's First Green

Sun, 04 May 2014 16:44:57 -0400

Now that the cruelest month is over, the darling buds of may are beginning to emerge from their winter hibernation. Spring is a time to celebrate fertility–as represented by rabbits–and rebirth–eggs. My spring celebration is not so much a celebration of springtime naissance, rather it’s a celebration of the, albeit temporary, carefree bohemian disposition that seems to wash over my being whenever the school year and all its stress and work is behind me.

(Image captioned: “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of (almost) may #spring#toronto”)

Nonetheless, spring is the time of breeding lilacs, darling buds, nature’s first green, and whatever other literary allusions to spring suit one’s fancy. This post is dedicated to the literal production of such figurative flowers; this post is a step-by-step guide to growing your own sprouts.

SPROUTING 101

Materials:

Mason jar with topless lid (or an elastic band, if need be)
Cheesecloth, cut into 5" x 5" square
¼ cup seeds, whatever seeds one desires to sprout–I only have experience with mung beans and alfalfa seeds
Water

Directions:

Thoroughly clean the mason jar
Add seeds to jar, and pour in water, enough to cover the seeds plus an inch or two up the jar
Place cheesecloth on the jar’s spout and screw the lid over it, securing it in place (or wrap elastic band tightly around the cheesecloth securing it to the neck)–see image
Allow to soak overnight
The next day pour out the water through the cheesecloth which will act like a built-in strainer. Pour in more water through the cheesecloth, swirl it around the jar rinsing the seeds and then pour it out through the cheesecloth, leaving a few drops to keep the seeds damp.
Everyday, until the seeds have sprouted to the desired size, rinse the seeds by pouring water in through the cheesecloth, swirling it, and pouring it back out through the cheesecloth leaving the seeds/sprouts damp
When sprouts are the desired size, EAT.

Almost Spring Salad

Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:54:00 -0400

Spring was almost here; we sprung forward only to be hit in the face with blowing snow.

The way I see it, selon moi, if I keep eating salads and spring-y foods, then maybe the cold and snow will melt away.

So here you have it, my Almost Spring Salad

Almost Spring Salad Recipe (gluten free; serves 1)

Ingredients:

2 cups washed baby kale
¼ cup sprouts
1 small handful chopped baby carrots
¼ cup chopped apple (I used ambrosia)
1 tbsp dried goji berries
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp granola (to make gluten free, use gluten free granola)
dressing of choice, to taste (I used raspberry merlot–use gluten free if necessary)

Instructions:

Make a bed of kale
Centre the sprouts on top of the kale
Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients, save the dressing, in a circle around the sprouts
Drizzle dressing on top

Vying for Spring Salad

Sun, 09 Mar 2014 15:23:00 -0400

So, Whole Foods tweeted thus:

Eat more greens (…and then share a pic of them on @Instagram and tag #WFMspring)! RECIPES: http://t.co/j27nTM5voA

— Whole Foods Market (@WholeFoods)
March 7, 2014

And I thus obliged:

Now, I hope you’ll forgive me for (a) my absence and (b) my lack of small talk, as I have been, and still am, drowning in papers. Take a quick starter salad recipe as a reminder that I am still here, and look forward to MANY new posts starting in May.

Vying for Spring Salad (serves 1 as either a starter or a snack)

Ingredients:

2 cups baby kale
¼ cup sprouts
1-2 baby carrots, grated or sliced thinly with a peeler
1 tablespoon cooked whole kamut, or other large whole grain
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
2 tablespoons, or to taste, raspberry merlot salad dressing

Directions:

Put kale in bowl
Put sprouts on top in the centre
Lay the carrot around the sprouts, forming a circle
Sprink the kamut and cranberries on the carrots
Add dressing

RSS

Sat, 25 Jan 2014 09:00:00 -0500

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**EDIT: The above feed is not currently working, I am trying my best to fix this. In the meantime a feed can be found at http://healthyhappyhippie.com/rss.

**EDIT 2: Please subscribe using this url: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthyHappyHippie

Sweet Potato Home Fries

Sun, 08 Dec 2013 12:14:00 -0500

Sometimes things sneak up on you. One such thing is exam season. Another is the winter break. Et, tout a coup, you have only a few measly weeks to buy everyone a thoughtful gift and plan a solstice party. So, here’s an easy recipe that’s quick to execute. Hopefully these tasty taters will help get you through the December doom.

Sweet Potato Home Fries Recipe (Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

1 Package Frozen Diced Sweet Potatoes*
1 Small Onion (I used a red onion), chopped
¼ - ½ tsp Pumpkin Pie Seasoning
Sea Salt to taste
Cooking Spray

Directions:

Spray medium pan with cooking spray and add the onions
Brown the onions over medium-high heat
Add package of sweet potatoes to pan and turn down heat to medium-low until they thaw
Once potatoes are thawed, return pan to medium high heat, add seasoning and salt to taste, and cook potatoes until browned

*I used this brand of potatoes

Graham Muffins

Wed, 04 Dec 2013 12:00:07 -0500

http://ayearofmennonitecooking.blogspot.ca/2010/02/love-of-learning-warm-graham-muffins.html

Veganized by me:

Graham Muffins makes 12

Ingredients:

1 cup graham flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground chia seeds (or flax seeds) + 1 tbsp water
¾ cup nondairy milk
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425℉, grease or line muffin tins (or use non-stick)
Mix together the ground chia seeds and water, set aside until gelled
Sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt
In another bowl, mix together the nondairy milk, brown sugar, applesauce, and gelled chia mixture
Add wet to dry and mix until combined
Fold in any desired mix-ins (such as chocolate chips, raisins, etc.)
Spoon or pour batter into muffin tins, and bake for ~20 minutes

Fall Recipe Roundup

Tue, 17 Sep 2013 09:37:14 -0400

So, my first week of university has officially come to a close. It’s 9 o'clock Monday morning, and I have nowhere to be until noon. I should be running right now, but, alas, the treadmill in my residence is broken, so I’ll run tonight at home. Home is a strange word for me right now, as I am not quite sure to where it refers. Is home my residence? Or, is home the house in which my parents live, and to where I will return in late May? In truth, Larry, my cat, lives with my parents, and home is where the cat is. Or heart, they’re synonymous really.

Home is also associated with warm baked goods, and the smell of freshly baked bread; whereas residence is associated with compromise and the smell of your suitemates’ bacon. I miss the smell of home, especially in the fall when I bake with pumpkin and cinnamon and the whole house smells like a festive treat.

Here are some recipes to smell up your house and get you ready for fall, or at least mask the smell of your suitemates cooking.

Caffè Americano - a must for any student

Apple Cinnamon Muffins & Apple Cinnamon Oats 4-1

Cinnamon Bread for the breadmaker

Maple Walnut Oat Muffins - as featured by JL

Happy fall everyone! Bon automne tout le monde!

Share your photos of autumn, and all your lovely fall recipes.

** Correction: In a previous blog post I stated that the university which I attend has 50,000 people. I was wrong, according to Toronto Life Magazine, the downtown campus (there are three campuses) alone has 71,000. I apologize for this error, as it was simply a case of not bothering to do the research.

Tofu Brownies

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 08:48:42 -0400

What is happening right now? Could it be I have some free time? Impossible! I know I have been neglectful of the blog lately, which is especially bad since it is MoFO, but I have been very busy. Yesterday I went to my first university lecture. I was in a lecture hall with 1200 other people. Seeing as the university has roughly 50,000 students, I figure 1200 isn’t so crowded.

I also want to thank JL of JL Goes Vegan for featuring my Maple Walnut Oat muffins in her MoFO week one roundup.

Here’s a recipe that is sure to take my mind off of classes and books, and the aneurysm caused by the bookstore receipt.

Tofu Brownies Recipe prep time: 10 min, total time: 70 min

Ingredients:

1 package (530 grams) silken tofu
1 cup spelt flour
½ cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped almonds, or walnuts, or pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350℉
Grease 9" x 9" baking dish
Add all ingredients, save last 3, to a blender, and blend until consistent
Mix in baking powder
Fold in chocolate and nuts
Pour into baking dish, and smooth to an even height (the batter will be quite thick, and won’t smooth out in the oven)
Bake for an hour, let cool before slicing and serving

Apple Cinnamon Oats 4-1

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:26:00 -0400

(Part of the Breakfast 4-1 series)

It’s MoFo day two, and I have had a really long day. I moved today, into residence at the university which I attend. I just returned from a frosh event, and even though it’s only 9pm, I am ready to go to bed. I’ll have more free time tomorrow morning for a more elaborate post, but for now this must suffice.

Apple Cinnamon Oats 4-1

Ingredients:

½ cup oats
1 cup water
1 apple, diced
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mix everything together in pot, and cook on stove until water is absorbed.
Serve with optional mix-ins: brown sugar, maple syrup, walnuts, etc.

Chocolate in the Rye; or, Holden Caulfield Muffins

Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:53:54 -0400

Today is September 1, which means it is the first day of Vegan Mofo! I don’t have a theme, or even a plan, but I will be participating! September, however, is not the best month in terms of having free time. As some of you know, I am starting university next week, and am moving to residence on Labour Day. After I move in I have frosh week, followed by one of my best friend’s birthday, and, finally, my first week of classes. I don’t even know if I’ll have time to make it to the annual Vegetarian Food Festival. Fortunately, my residence is suite-style, which means I have a private bedroom (which locks), and I share a living area, kitchen, and two bathrooms with five other women (two of whom are vegan, which makes sharing the kitchen a little easier).

University is all about starting a new chapter in one’s life, and falling off the cliff of childhood innocence into the abyss of adulthood, and no one is there to catch you. Well, there’s always muffins.

The rye flour in these muffins is a nod to the quintessential American byronic hero: Holden Caulfield, the catcher in the rye. The semi-sweet chocolate walks a line between absolutes, and captures the bittersweet nature of maturation and transition.

Chocolate in the Rye; or, Holden Caulfield Muffins (makes 6)

Ingredients:

1 cup rye flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
½ cup unsweetened plain non dairy milk (I recommend almond)
2 tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp chia seeds + 2 tbsp water
½ semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400℉
Mix together chia seeds and water, set aside to gel
Grease muffin tin, or spray with cooking spray
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt
In a separate bowl combine the non dairy milk, agave, and chia seed mixture
Add wet to dry and mix
Fold in chocolate chips
Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake for ~17 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean
Allow muffins to cool in tin for a few minutes before moving to cooling rack

Here’s a link to a post I wrote on my personal blog in defence of my major.

Blackberry Crisp

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 19:29:22 -0400

This past weekend, I was supposed to visit my grandfather. However, on Saturday I ended up getting new glasses. Just as I was supposed to visit my grandfather this weekend, I was supposed to get my classes on Friday. I ended up getting them on Saturday, because the first lenscrafters to which I went did not have the frames I liked in black, so I went to a different one the next day.

Here’s me with my new glasses (right).

The metamorphic magic which turns frames with lenses into spectacular spectacles takes roughly two hours. Seeing as I had some time to kill, I bought a new pair of jeans (at 40% off), and then went out for lunch. I went to Pizzaiolo with my mother. Upon walking in, I was disappointed that my favourite pizza option, the Whole Wheat Diana, was unavailable as a slice; however, upon overhearing my dissatisfaction, the (presumed) manager made a fresh pizza to be offered as slices! After the pizza I went across the street and got an iced coffee before heading to a small organic grocer. The produce was phenomenally priced, so, naturally, I bought quite a bit. I got organic sweet potatoes, fresh Ontario peaches and macintosh apples, zucchinis, and a big basket of blackberries. Indeed, I currently have more overripe berries than I can handle. I made muffins; my mother had them with her waffles; I made a crisp.

Blackberry Crisp Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup blackberries
1 tbsp all purpose flour
¼ cup rolled oats
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 margarine
pinch cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400℉
Combine blackberries and 1 tbsp flour in a bowl
In another bowl combine remaining ingredients
Pour blackberry mixture into bottom of oven proof dish (or make individual portions in small ramekins) (I made mine, pictured, in pre-baked tart shells)
Bake until top is browned and filling bubbles, ~15 minutes

Maple Walnut Oat Muffins

Tue, 06 Aug 2013 13:19:00 -0400

One must excuse the lack of recent posts, as I have been quite busy lately. Essentially, this past week was jam packed with important deadlines and dates for university, and then this Thursday I leave for NYC! Because I have been so busy, I have not had a chance to develop any new recipes, so it’s a good thing that I have some old recipes waiting to be shared.

Maple Walnut Oat Muffins (makes 12)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ¼ cup nondairy milk
¾ cup maple syrup
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
½ brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp maple extract (optional)
1 ½ rolled, quick cooking, or instant oats (not steel-cut)
1 cup walnut pieces (or pecan)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400℉
Add all liquid ingredients to a large bowl and mix, then stir in flaxseed and oats
Add the remaining ingredients (except the walnuts) to another large bowl and mix
Add wet to dry and mix to combine
Fold in walnuts
Pour batter into non-stick, greased, or lined muffin tray, and baked for ~17 minutes

** Please note that, due to the amount of maple syrup in the recipe, the batter and muffins will be sticky.

Though I’ve been busy, I have had the time to have fun with some fellow bloggers’ recipes. Recently I’ve been loving this recipe for log seitan, and have been enjoying it sliced up in sandwiches. Last week I made banana pancakes everyday, as documented [below] on instagram.

The pancakes are made using this recipe, and adding banana slices while frying. Both recipes yield very delicious results. I also intend to try this recipe for banana pancakes sometime soon.

Chocolate Mousse

Thu, 25 Jul 2013 14:00:12 -0400

When I was a small child, my favourite restaurant was an asian buffet called Gourmets of China. Chinese food has always been, and continues to be, my favourite cuisine. The restaurant was giant, and, with mirrored and windowed walls, the space itself seemed as infinite as the helpings. There was a fountain, a bamboo hut, and paper placemats with pictures of fancy cocktails. Looking back, the food was mediocre at best, but to a small child the subtle nuances of flavour pale in comparison to the grandiosity of the sensual overload it provided. My parents would tease me regarding the ‘hollow leg’ I seemed to have obtained, as I stuffed myself with bowls upon bowls of wonton soup, chow mein, vegetables, and, eventually, dessert. Dessert was the best part! It would usually start with another bowl of wonton soup, followed by cake, ice cream (or, the marvelous orange sherbet), almond cookies, and finally… chocolate mousse. The dessert itself was as mediocre as the main (or, should I say 'mein’) course; it was the experience of sharing my decadent indulgence with my mother. To borrow from that horrendous age old adage: food truly does last 'a moment on the lips’; however, the memories of time spent with family and friends will endure.

This recipe is simple and delicious! My mother loves it, and so do my aunt, uncle, and little cousins. The trick is to wait until your subject–er… family member, friend, etc.–has fallen in love with the dessert (or breakfast, lunch, snack… I’m not judging) before revealing the not-so-secret ingredient: tofu.

Chocolate Mousse Recipe (vegan and gluten free)

Ingredients:

1 package (503 grams) silken tofu
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp dutch process cocoa powder
¼ cup agave nectar

Directions

Melt the chocolate chips
Pour all the ingredients (including the melted chocolate chips) into the blender, and blend until smooth and consistent
Pour into container or pre-baked pie crust or tart shells
Refrigerate overnight, or allow to bake at 400℉ for ~13 minutes then refrigerate overnight
Optional: garnish with berries or mint leaves