Ladycakes

*****

2011-09-03T12:23:00.004-06:00

Psst, click the photo!

The end

2011-07-21T07:56:00.001-06:00

I've always told myself that when the moment came that I felt like blogging was becoming a burden, I wasn't going to do it anymore. I've been thinking about it for weeks, and was hoping it was a feeling that would pass, but it didn't. As of late, blogging has felt like a chore. Like coming home to a sink piled with dirty dishes. Worse than scrubbing the toilet, even.

I don't get nearly as much joy out of blogging as I did when I first started. Which is why I am leaving, indefinitely. To be honest, I'm excited for this new adventure that doesn't involve typing out some intricate recipe that most people don't have the ingredients for, anyway. And if you ever feel like looking at photos of the things I bake (because duh, I'm still going to be baking), you can visit me on flickr or tumblr. Thank you all for frequenting my little part of the blogosphere - your sweet comments and e-mails never failed to make my day.

Raw Wednesday

2011-07-20T07:52:00.000-06:00

After, ohh, going through at least ten pounds of cashews, I finally perfected my cashew cream cheese frosting recipe. You can toss it with fresh fruit, freeze it and eat it as ice cream, or you can do like I did and pair it with raw carrot cake. For being comprised of mostly nuts, it's surprisingly light and has a very mild cashew flavor.

Ingredients: cashews, agave nectar, lemon juice and vanilla pods

Lately

2011-07-19T07:53:00.001-06:00

I really wish I had a recipe to share with you today. Truth be told, I have at least 15 posts saved to my desktop, I'm just too lazy to edit them. But I have a perfectly good reason for being lazy, as Thom and I have had a live-in child for the last couple of days. And let me tell you something you don't already know: little humans are terribly exhausting. Especially when it's a little human who thinks she's a princess.

To keep up with the demands of a 3 year old princess, I've been starting my mornings with hearty bowls of porridge and strongly brewed coffee. And although I don't have time to squeeze in a shower until she goes down for a nap (don't even get me started on working out), these last few days of doughnut making and pizza baking have been some of the most enjoyable days of my summer vacation.

The doughnut recipes will come as soon as I find the time to test the last four (of seven!) versions. One of them is a keeper - it's light, airy and the perfect texture - but I'm not stopping until I get the dense, cakey doughnut after which I've been lusting. The pizza dough recipe can be found here. I layered it with garlic-infused sauce, zucchini, broccoli, red cabbage, onions, soy cheese, sliced tomatoes and then sprinkled the pie with crushed red pepper and basil.

Baking bits | getting it for less

2011-07-18T07:39:00.001-06:00

How many of you go all gooey eyed for Fishs Eddy cake stands? I know I sure do. But I have a little secret for you: you can order them straight from the manufacturer, Mosser Glass, for almost half the price. After receiving one from Fishs myself, and learning that the cake stands were actually made by a small company in Ohio, I called Mosser to see what they could do for me. That $75 jadeite cake stand? I got it for $38. The $47 citron cake stand? I got it for $24. And now you have a perfectly good excuse to go splurge on cake stands.

{image via Fishs Eddy}

Breakfast tartlets

2011-07-15T08:16:00.001-06:00

I feel like it's important for us to know each other. Or, for you to at least know me since you're the one who willingly reads my blog. And for all you know I could be some freak who's really into collecting toenail clippings. What was that? You collect toenail clippings? Oh. Very well then.

Aside from not being a toenail collector, there are a few other things you should know about me. Three, semi-weird, random things that might make you stop reading my blog. Or make you want to come over for tea and cookies. Except I don't drink tea with cookies, so we'll probably have coffee. Unless, of course, you want tea, then - by all means - I will make you a cup of tea. So, those three things:

I have five brothers. I share the middle. Of course my father still calls me princess.
I'm terrified of the ocean. I can't even look at it on Google maps without feeling nauseous. Oddly enough, my thalassophobia didn't surface until after I took an Oceanography class. Learning about the ocean proved to be a rather traumatic experience.
I was once an aspiring bodybuilder. I still prefer lifting over any other type of exercise. And yes, I had washboard abs. Keywords: aspiring, had

For some reason, the fact that I used to be a meathead confuses people the most. They look at me like Really? You? Reeaaally? Yes, really. WHY IS THAT SO HARD TO BELIEVE? Then they usually ask to see photos, which I find to be rather odd. It's funny because, when I was at that point in my life - which was prior to meeting my knight in shining armor - men were freaked out by my muscles. In my opinion, they should have been more freaked out by the fact that my five brothers wouldn't have hesitated to do bodily harm had they wronged me. But instead they'd see my biceps and assume I was going to whip out a big, ol' penis. Ha, silly boys. Over protective brothers are way scarier than chicks with penises.

Now, how about a fruity tartlet recipe to ~~rid your mind of the image of me as a bodybuilder~~ lighten the mood? I'm going to warn you, this isn't your average chock-full-of-butter-and-sugar tart recipe - it's dense, wholesome and loaded with all sorts of things that are good for your body. The ingredient list is long, but don't let that intimidate you. So, about this tart. Shall we?

Cherry-peach breakfast tartlets
makes four 4" tartlets

4 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

1/2 c. dried cherries

1/2 tsp molasses

1 tbsp almond extract

4 tsp lemon juice, divided

1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 medjool dates, finely chopped
2 tbsp flax seeds
1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. almond meal
1 c. whole wheat flour

1 tbsp cane sugar
1/4 tsp molasses
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
2 tbsp vegan butter, cold
1/4 c. rolled oats

The night before you plan on making the tart, toss the peaches with the molasses, almond extract and 1 tsp of the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, toss the cherries with the remaining 3 teaspoons of lemon juice and cover with water. Refrigerate both, in an air tight container, for at least 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Spray four 4" tartlet pans with oil; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the applesauce, coconut oil, agave nectar, vanilla extract and salt. Stir in the dates, flax seeds, shredded coconut and almond meal. Add the flour and mix until combined. If the dough is too dry and/or crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk to the dough until it becomes workable. Divide the dough into four equal parts and press it into the prepared pans. Bake at 375˚F for 10 minutes.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, molasses and vanilla extract. Add the nutmeg, salt and flour, and continue to stir until combined. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles with a few large clumps, then cut in the oats.

Once the crusts have finished baking, divide the peaches and cherries between the prepared tartlet pans. Next, divide the crumble between the prepared pans and bake at 375˚ for 8-10 minutes, just until the crumble begins to brown. Allow the tartlets to cool, then wrap with plastic and store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

Notes: the fruit filling options are endless with this tart. How about blueberries broiled with lemon zest and vanilla extract? Or apples broiled with slivered almonds and cinnamon? And if you don't have dates, or flax seeds, or one of the other ingredients that goes into the crust - just substitute something else, like chopped raisins (for the dates) or slivered almonds (for the flax seeds).

Raw Wednesday

2011-07-13T09:12:00.001-06:00

These doughnuts are the perfect combination of cakey and moist. And covered in sugar, they melt in your mouth. Since a new food processor arrived at my door yesterday (thanks, dad!) I was able to whip up these bad boys in less than one minute - a nice change of pace from my Vitamix. Which I love, don't get me wrong, but it works like a blender, not a food processor. And yes, the sugar is raw. I was able to turn raw sugar into raw powdered sugar using my Vitamix.

Ingredients - cashews, groat oats, medjool dates, flax seeds, coconut oil and agave nectar (plus sugars for coating)

How to make vegan buttermilk

2011-07-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

To make buttermilk, you need two things: vinegar and non-dairy milk. That's it! Two ingredients and you've got yourself some homemade, vegan buttermilk. Perfect for fluffy pancakes, vanilla birthday cake or crumbly breakfast biscuits.

Making the buttermilk is easy, but learning how to use it properly is not. If you're substituting buttermilk in a recipe that calls for plain milk, you must use additional baking soda to prevent disrupting the leavening process. When substituting buttermilk, it is recommended to:

Add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of buttermilk; reduce the baking powder by 2 teaspoons.
If the recipe contains less than 2 teaspoons of baking powder, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of buttermilk; reduce the baking powder by 1 teaspoon.

Oh, and since the leavening reaction takes place immideately, do not over mix the batter. And be sure to bake it as soon as possible! Because letting the batter sit on your counter, while the oven preheats, would be recipe homicide. And you don't want that.

Vegan buttermilk

1 tbsp unpasteurized cider vinegar
1 c. minus 1 tbsp almond mik

Place the cider vinegar in a spouted measuring cup. Add almond milk equal to one cup (hence the 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon). Let the mixture sit for at least 20 minutes. Most people say 10, but I've found the longer you let it sit, the more "curdled" it becomes.

Notes: I do not recommend using rice milk. In fact, do not use rice milk; it's too thin and doesn't react properly with the acid. Use non-dairy milk with the highest protein content you can find. If you don't have vinegar on hand, use lemon juice instead.

Baking bits | lately

2011-07-11T07:00:00.004-06:00

If you hadn't noticed by my lack of posting last week, I've been in my own little world lately. A little world that doesn't involve me being glued to the internet. Instead of blog lurking and updating, I've been baking. A lot. And here's a sneak peek of what you can expect to see within the next couple of weeks.

Psst, click the photos for more information via flickr.

Beet cake in a jar

2011-07-08T21:33:00.001-06:00

How beautiful is this video?

{via tiger in a jar}

Raw Wednesday

2011-07-06T11:50:00.000-06:00

One thing most people don't know, or choose to ignore, is that vanilla extract is not raw. So, I decided to make a raw version using vanilla pods and water, which I blended in my Vitamix to a perfectly grainy consistency. I haven't used it yet, but I'm going to whip up a batch of my carob chip cookies when my new food processor arrives later this week. Here's to hoping it tastes as good as it smells!

Happy day, America

2011-07-04T12:06:00.000-06:00

Burgers, fries and Thursdays with Thom

2011-06-30T08:36:00.001-06:00

I might be a vegan, but I love a good (veggie) burger. Mostly, I love the toppings - forget about the burger. You could remove the burger and I probably wouldn't even notice. Except I would, because my mouth wouldn't have to open nearly as wide. So I keep the burger because it usually means I wind up with a mustard stained face, and that's how you're supposed to end up when you finish a burger. Or have I been doing it wrong my whole life?

Contrary to popular belief, homemade burgers and fries are ridiculously easy to make. If you're not lazy. Not to mention, they're way healthier than those value meals you get at your favorite fast food restaurant. If you're one of those people who needs to eat a real burger ~~because eating fake meat makes you feel like a sissy~~, make sure it's grass fed and hormone free. Happy cows equal better meat. Ever been to Ireland? The cows get to graze upon miles of land, eat all the grass they want and, according to my meat eater, produce some of the greatest meat in the world.

Take it away, Thom!

If you haven't noticed yet, I enjoy comfort foods; unhealthy, fried deliciousness. While Ashlae is wandering around in the park, looking for spare twigs and random berries, I'm at home scarfing down chips and queso, while simultaneously knocking back beers and playing vidya games. Even though I enjoy these creature comforts, I try to eat as healthy as I can ~~because Ashlae makes me~~ without sacrificing flavor. And so for the fourth of July, we decided to share our burger and hand cut fry recipe: real American food without the real American waistline.

Random note on why they're called pommes frites in France: Pomme frites actually translates directly to fried apples. Pomme frites is derived from pomme de terre frites, meaning fried "apple of the land." To the French, potatoes are just as abundant and equally as filling as apples. And the reason we, Americans, call them french fries, is not because the French invented them (even though they did), but because Thomas Jefferson (my favorite president) had a chef who was French. And he created the first documented recipe for french fries.

I'd be lying if I said Thom didn't rattle on for 5 minutes about the history of french fries. I literally had to tell him to stop. Because really, how much does one person need to know about freaking french fries? He shudders with embarrassment when I say this, but he is, hands down, the most intelligent person I've ever met. And I guarantee if you spend more than 30 minutes with him, you'll walk away a smarter person than you were before. I've learned more from him in three years than I've learned throughout my entire college career. True (and sad) story.

Perfect veggie burgers

1 vegan burger, cooked
1 whole wheat bun
1/2 avocado
Pinch of garlic powder
4-5 spinach leaves, finely chopped

4 slices roma tomato

1 tbsp onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp cabbage, finely chopped
1 tbsp carrot, finely chopped
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Mustard, to taste
Barbecue sauce, to taste

Place the bun, face open, on a plate and situate the burger on the bottom half of the bun. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the avocado with the spinach and garlic powder; spread evenly over the top half of the bun. Place the tomato slices over each quadrant of the burger (c'mon, surely you took high school Algebra) then layer the mustard and barbecue sauce. Next, toss together the onion, cabbage, carrot and nutritional yeast; firmly press it into the mustard and barbecue sauce. Sandwich the two sides together and Voià! you've got yourself a healthy and delicious, meat-free burger.

Notes: I use all natural Boca burgers, the ones that don't contain GMOs (unlike the other, less expensive Boca burgers). I also use Amy's barbecue sauce because it doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup. There's no point in making yourself a healthy burger if you're going to smother it with sugar flavored sauce.

Thom's hand cut fries

1 pound russet potatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
2-3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for coating pan
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp creole seasoning
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Generously coat a large baking sheet with olive oil; set aside. In a large bowl, toss the sliced potatoes with olive oil until they're evenly coated. Add the paprika and toss again. Place the potatoes in the prepared pan, cover with foil and let "soften" for at least an hour. Bake at 400˚F for 20 minutes, then remove from oven, toss and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Toward the end, if you want your fries to be extra crisp, turn your broiler onto high and toss them every 2-3 minutes until you achieve desired crunchiness.

Remove from oven and transfer directly to a bowl lined with a paper towel. While the fries are still oily, add the creole seasoning, salt and pepper. Makes two servings.

Notes: your sliced potatoes don't have to be the exact same size, just keep them at or below 1/4" thick. Do not bypass the softening stage - this makes it so your potatoes cook faster in the oven. Also, I use Tony Cachere's creole seasoning.

Raw Wednesday

2011-06-29T11:43:00.000-06:00

I've never been too fond of lemon bars, but there's something about these that keeps me coming back for more. Perfect on those hot summer days when you're craving something sweet, but don't want the heaviness of a slice of pie. One 2" square packs 16 grams of protein, making it the perfect post-workout snack for those of us who eat plant based diets.

Scones

2011-06-28T07:52:00.001-06:00

Question #1: Remember that one time Thom ~~took me~~ surprised me with a two week trip to Paris, when I thought we were spending Thanksgiving in Montreal? Question #2: Are you prepared to have your mind blown? If so, you should probably take a seat.

Seriously. Sit down.

Thom's favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. It has nothing to do with the Indians and Pilgrims or being thankful, but more to do with the food. In fact, everything to do with the food. To make up for being in Paris over Thanksgiving, and missing my family's smorgasbord back in the States, I agreed to spend the holiday at an American bar, called WOS, so that we could watch football and eat turkey (this was prior to my veganism) like real Americans.

We walked in, the place was ridiculously crowded (probably with Americans who came for the football, beer and deepfried turkey, like us) and we sat down at the only open table, crammed into the back corner of the bar. A few minutes later, another group of people walked in and joined us. Yes, as in we shared a table. Something you don't see in America because most Americans are socially awkward and, for some reason, think that their one body is entitled to a table that seats four. If you're one of those table hogs, I will morph into a personal space invader just to make you feel uncomfortable. Because sometimes I'm a bitch. But mostly I'm nice. But sometimes I'm a bitch.

Noticing they had American accents, we started chatting and, at some point in the conversation, we got the sudden urge to ask them where they were from. Typical American thing to do. They said some state that I can't remember, and in return asked us where we were from. Thom replied Ohio, which resulted in me smacking him across the shoulder and exclaiming, Why do you always tell people that? When we're out of the country we're from Denver; when we're in Denver we're from Ohio. Sometimes. People out here like to make fun of us for being from Ohio. I can't say I blame them.

The couple sitting across from us looked at us with crazy eyes and shouted, Get the f-ck out! We live in Denver now, too! The rest of the conversation went something like this:

Us (thinking they lived in the suburbs): Seriously? How crazy! Where in Denver?
Them: South Capitol Hill, near Cherry Creek.
Us: SHUT UP. WE LIVE IN CAPITOL HILL. 13TH AND PEARL.
Them: NO WAY.

Guys, these people, who we met in Paris, lived no more than 10 blocks from our house. 10 blocks and we had to fly halfway around the world to meet them. We forgot their names, as we left the bar intoxicated, but I ran into the guy at the market last week and we both just looked at eachother, pointed and shouted PARIS!

Everyone in the aisle stopped, looked at us, then returned to their shopping, but I'm fairly certain they proceeded to eavesdrop on our conversation. Which I didn't mind because we were in the snooty part of town where people have a tendency to look at me like I either a) come from a pack of wild dogs, or b) am homeless and spend my days eating out of dumpsters. Because I don't grocery shop in a Juicy sweatsuit and ten pounds of makeup. In fact, I even thought I heard the woman, in her Juicy sweatsuit and ten pounds of makeup, gasp when I said that we're temporarily moving to Paris at the end of next year.

Surprise, dad! Sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I promise if I ever decide to have a child (and by have I mean adopt), I'll tell you before I post it on my blog. Hopefully I'm still your favorite.

Currant {mini} scones

adapted from Martha Stewart

1 c. unbleached flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

3-4 tbsp cane sugar
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 c. vegan butter

3/4 c. non-dairy milk

1/4 c. currant juice

1 c. dried currants

1 tbsp vegan butter, melted
Vanilla sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles with a few large clumps. Create a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the milk, juice and dried currants. Scoop the dry dough from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over the wet mixture. Repeat this just until the mixture is combined. Do not over mix, your scones will be flat. If the dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.

Line a flat surface with parchment paper; sprinkle with flour and coat your hands, generously, with flour. Pat the dough into 5x8 rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Transfer the dough, along with the parchment paper, to a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper; set aside. Remove the dough from the freezer and baking sheet (leave it on the parchment paper, though). Starting on the short side, cut the dough directly across the middle. You will now have two 8 inch pieces, about 2 1/2 inches high. Using a dough scraper or pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles (like this: /\/\/\/\) and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, making sure to leave at least one inch between each scone to ensure they don't bake together.

Lightly brush each scone with melted butter and coat with a generous amount of vanilla sugar. Seriously, don't be shy. The more sugar, the better. Bake at 375˚F for 20-22 minutes, or until golden.

Notes: the original recipe called for 1 tablespoon of sugar. ONE TABLESPOON. Can you say bland scones? Of course you can. Add as much sugar as you want, up to 1/2 cup. Also, if you prefer to use fresh currants, knock yourself out. I didn't particularly care for the dried currants, so next time I make these I'll be using fresh. If you don't want to bake all of your dough at once, you can store it in the freezer, in an air tight container, for up to three weeks.

Baking bits | a comfy workspace

2011-06-27T07:00:00.001-06:00

To me, this kitchen screams Bake in me! Get me dirty! Wouldn't it be the perfect baking workspace? Stainless steel countertops, loads of natural light and an island just big enough to house all of my baking equipment. Yep, I think this one is tied for first with my other dream kitchen.

{via inspace}

Peanut butter cups

2011-06-24T11:14:00.000-06:00

I love (loooove) chocolate. Good chocolate. But mostly, I love chocolate and peanut butter. Together. Which is why, sometime in the near future, I'm making a dessert that involves peanut butter cups. I'm not going to be able to eat the entire dessert on my own, which means someone is probably going to have to take it off of my hands. You see, the mister isn't too fond of chocolate. In fact, it makes him sick. Literally. Vomiting. WHO IS HE? A (semi) chocolate hater and a coffee hater, that's who.

In all honesty, I didn't intend on making my own peanut butter cups. Because I'm lazy and I'd rather buy them from the grocery. But since Denver's been all dried up (FOR THREE WEEKS) of Justin's dark chocolate peanut butter cups, I really didn't have a choice.

And if you're not into vegan peanut butter cups, how about some peanut butter cubes? Chock full of dairy and sugar ground with animal bones. Mmm, tasty.

Peanut butter cups

1/4 c. peanut butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp soy milk
1 tbsp powdered cane sugar
1 tbsp peanut meal

2 tbsp non-hydrogenated shortening
2 c. vegan chocolate chips

Line a mini muffin pan with 12 paper liners; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter, vanilla extract and soy milk. Add sugar and peanut meal; mix until combined and set mixture aside.

Place the shortening in a spouted measuring pitcher and microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until melted. Add the chocolate chips and microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until melted. Stir the chocolate every 30 seconds to ensure the chocolate doesn't burn.

Pour about 2 teaspoons of chocolate into each liner. Using your hands, roll about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the peanut butter mixture into a small ball. Flatten with your palms until it's about the diameter of a quarter. Place it on top of the chocolate and gently press down. Fill the liners to the brim with the remaining chocolate. To smooth the tops and release any trapped air bubbles, gently tap the pan on a flat surface 10-15 times. Refrigerate until hardened.

Raw Wednesday

2011-06-22T11:54:00.000-06:00

Psych! My brother left this morning, so I'm busy cleaning up the aftermath from his 10 day stay. No time to properly photograph the raw lemon bars I made a few days ago, so I'll post them next week. If I don't eat them all before I get around to it. For now, enjoy a few of the photos we took on our trip to the mountains.

Blackberry crumble for two

2011-06-21T07:55:00.001-06:00

Ok, maybe for two and a half. But blackberry crumble for two sounds way better.

I recently invested in what I like to call a personal baking dish - at least that's what I told the boy to convince him that we needed it, so I can bake you yummy, little things whenever your ~~heart~~ belly desires! But really it's so that I can whip up small things on the fly, without feeling the pressure to eat an entire pineapple upside down cake before it goes bad. Around here, things rarely go bad, but that's only because I spend my days shoving desserts down people's throats for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But not my throat, because I prefer chocolate. Askinosie chocolate. The more expensive the better! Never forget the golden rule of chocolate.

And no, you cannot come over to my house for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Nice try.

Blackberry crumble

1/2 c. wheat flour
1/4 c. almond meal
1 tbsp wheat germ
2 tsp cane sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 c. vegan butter, cold

1 pint blackberries
2 Medijool dates, pitted
1-2 tbsp cane sugar
2 tsp arrowroot powder

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, wheat germ, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Lightly press 2/3 of the dough mixture into the bottom of a 6x6 baking dish and set aside.

In a food processor (I use a Vitamix 5200), blend together the blackberries, dates, sugar and aarowroot powder until smooth. Pour over crust layer then sprinkle with remaining dough crumbs. Bake at 350˚F for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Baking bits | a galley kitchen

2011-06-20T08:30:00.001-06:00

I'm not usually fond of one-walled galley kitchens; they're cramped, narrow and typically lack a decent amount of storage space. But this one? I could totally make myself right at home in this kitchen. Not to mention, I secretly love kitchens with just enough room for one person.

{via dwell}

Banana oat bars from SS&GF

2011-06-17T09:01:00.000-06:00

A few months ago, I was asked to review Amy Green's new cookbook, Simply Sugar & Gluten Free. So far, I've made four or five of her recipes and have ran into a few that I can no longer live without (exhibit A is posted below). Despite the fact that I am not gluten free, and would never choose to eat gluten free unless my doctor discovered I had celiac disease, SS&GF contains a number of damn good, simple vegan recipes. Making it a winner in my book.

These banana oat bars are, by far, my favorite. No oil, no added sugar and completely guilt free. So guilt free that I, admittedly, at the entire pan of bars in less than 24 hours. Then made another pan. But I decided to pace myself the second time around because eating banana oat bars for every meal, although delicious, is not necessarily healthy. Unless paired with a spinach smoothie. Am I right or am I right?

Banana oat bars
adapted from Amy Green

2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. almond meal

1/2 c. Medjool dates, pitted
1 large ripe banana
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Lightly oil an 8x8 metal baking pan; set aside. In a food processor, grind the oats and walnuts until the mixture resembles coarse flour. Add the cinnamon, baking soda, salt and applesauce; pulse until sticky dough forms. With wet hands, evenly press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared baking pan and set aside.

In a small, heat-proof bowl, cover the dates with water and microwave for 45 seconds. Strain the dates and reserve 1 tablespoon of the soaking water. In a food processor, combine the dates, reserved soaking water, banana, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice; process until smooth. Evenly spread the banana paste across the dough.

Combine the remaining dough mixture with 1/2 c. almond meal; sprinkle over the banana paste and lightly press in. Bake at 375˚F for 16-18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack then cover and store in refrigerator.

Raw Wednesday

2011-06-15T06:00:00.002-06:00

Truffles! But not my recipe, they're actually from a cookbook I'm reviewing.

Blueberry cheesecake tart

2011-06-14T10:51:00.005-06:00

I cleaned my oven for the first time last night. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS. Want to know my little secret of how I got out of doing one of the most tedious tasks (to a frequent oven user) of all time? It's called moving every year. Which means someone else got paid to clean my mess. Or, paid to press the button that automatically cleaned my mess.

I was a little skeptical about the automatic oven cleaning process. Apparently you lock the oven door (you know, in case it pops open during the cleaning process), hit the 'clean' button, then leave for four hours and hope your house doesn't burn down. When you return, if your house is still standing, your oven will, with the wipe of a rag, be clean. What they don't tell you is your house will also be 120˚F, encompassed by a cloud of smoke, and probably smell like burnt baked beans. Even if you've never made baked beans. Don't ask me how I know this.

Needless to say, I was opposed to automatically cleaning my oven. So, I opted for an all natural remedy instead. I covered the grime with a thin layer of water, topped it with a cup (or two) of baking soda, squirted a little Dr. Bronner's castile soap over the solution and then waited for a few hours before scraping it clean. It was more work than simply pressing that little button, but my oven is spotless and my house doesn't smell like burnt-anything.

Blueberry cheesecake tart

1 c. wheat flour
1/4 c. rolled oats, ground
3/4 c. almond meal
2 tbsp cane sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. vegan butter, cold

1 1/4 c. vegan cream cheese
3/4 c. vegan sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp root liqueur
1/4-1/2 c. powdered cane sugar
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
Pinch of salt
1 pint of blueberries

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, ground oats, almond meal, cane sugar and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-sized clumps. Press the dough into two 8" tart pans, making sure to press it up along the sides. Bake the crusts at 350˚F for 15-17 minutes, or until light golden brown.

While the crusts are baking, use an electric mixer to cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and root liqueur. Sift in the powdered sugar, arrowroot powder and salt; continue mixing, on high speed, until the mixture is smooth. Divide the mixture evenly between the tart crusts and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and spread a pint of blueberries over each tart then bake for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes: if you don't have root liqueur, substitute vanilla extract. I didn't intend on using sour cream, but I ran out of cream cheese and didn't feel like going to the store. If you want to replace the sour cream with cream cheese, feel free. Also, the amount of sugar you use depends on how sweet you want the tart to taste. I used one-fourth a cup then topped each tart with about two tablespoons of vanilla cane sugar.

Baking bits | vegan cookbooks

2011-06-13T07:14:00.000-06:00

If you're interested in baking sans eggs and butter, but haven't yet mastered the science of vegan baking, I highly recommend purchasing any of the cookbooks listed below. They were great starters for me and will, surely, give you a better idea of how to veganize recipes in the kitchen.

Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie-Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Viva Vegan! by Terry Hope Romero
The Joy of Vegan Baking Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Psst, can you tell I love (almost) every book by Isa Changra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero? They're vegan goddesses.

Rustic galette

2011-06-09T08:06:00.000-06:00

You know what I love about galettes (besides the fact that they're French)? The fact that they're extremely versatile (like crêpes, which I'll share with you soon). I could have easily turned this galette into a savory appetizer or a full-fledged meal, but it's (almost) summer, and in the summer I like my galettes filled with fruit. And alcohol. Together.

Everyone who knows me is reading this and thinking Really? Because I can't even get you to drink a glass of wine! Ok, G is the only one reading this and thinking that, because she's the only person who ever tries to get me to drink wine. Or anything with an alochol content. For those of you who don't know, G is the one who has that adorable little baby who belongs in magazines. If you think you have, or know, a cuter child, please e-mail me so I can convince you otherwise.

Back to this galette. It's good. I mean, really, really good. I took a small bite of it, with every intention of giving the rest to Thom, then wound up eating two pieces. For breakfast. It's light and flavorful, juicy and refreshing, and it just might feel like a little summertime fruit orgy is happening in your mouth. Whatever that is.

Rustic raspberry-apricot galette

adapted from Martha Stewart

1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. almond meal
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon zest, optional
1/2 c. vegan butter, room temperature
2-4 tbsp ice water

12 fresh apricots, pitted and sliced
2 c. fresh raspberries
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp Grand Marnier
1/4 c. cane sugar
2 tbsp tapioca starch
Pinch of salt

To make the dough, you could add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend just until the dough holds together, but we're going to pretend you don't have a food processor and do it a different way. My way.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, sugar, salt and lemon zest (if using). Cut in butter until the mixture resembles course meal. Add the water then blend dough with your hands until it's combined. Pat the dough into a smooth ball then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Remove dough from fridge and set aside. In a large bowl, toss the raspberries and apricots with the the lemon juice and Grand Marnier. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, tapioca starch and salt; pour over fruit mixture and toss.

Line a flat surface with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Roll out dough into a 14" circle. Arrange fruit mixture on top of dough, leaving a 3" border all the way around. Fold border over the fruit mixture, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds.

If desired, brush the edges with melted butter then sprinkle with vanilla sugar and almond meal. Bake at 375˚F for 30-35 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool then store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

Notes: the original recipe calls for blackberries instead of raspberries; feel free to use blackberries if you'd like. The original recipe also calls for one tablespoon of lemon juice, but I subbed two teaspoons of Grand Marnier because I've come to find it goes excellent with raspberries. If you don't have Grand Marnier, substitute two teaspoons of lemon juice to total one tablespoon. And yes, if you don't have tapioca starch you can use corn starch.