Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies

So chewy! So chocolatey! So free of rubbish you shouldn't be eating! All this and vegan, too!

These are really fantastic cookies. I can't wait to make them again with different flavours of spreadable fruit (cherry, apricot, orange marmalade with Grand Marnier or Cointreau... whatever!)
I may even add some chocolate chips or chopped nuts next time but, really, they wouldn't need them.

I didn't take a photo since my camera just landed in Texas but these cookies look remarkably like these ones: Double-Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 cup unrefined sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. pure almond extract (or amaretto)
1/4-1/2 tsp. Chambord (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the raspberry preserves, sugar, canola oil, vanilla, almond extract or amaretto, and Chambord.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three batches, mixing well with each addition. You may need to use your hands to kneed the dough with the last addition.

3. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and then flatten them with your hands into discs. Place them on a prepared cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. They don't spread so don't worry about placing them far apart on the sheet.

4. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the sheet and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool them completely.

Reference:
Chewy Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies from Veganomicon.
The only change I really made was to add Chambord and a little amaretto when I ran out of almond extract (!) :)
I can't wait to try different flavours of these cookies!

Be Grateful for Ice Cream ;)

I am one of the world's biggest Cherry Garcia fans so I've been really wanting to try to make it at home (hubby got me the Ben and Jerry's ice cream recipe book for my birthday last year).

The ice cream is really yummy but I don't think it tastes anything like Cherry Garcia! lol :)
I do have some ideas about that so I'll have to try it again soon. First, I used dried cherries since fresh ones aren't available and when I think of canned cherries, I think of that gooey (not in a good way) cherry pie filling. Yikes! I will try it again with fresh once those are in season. Also, one of my friends suggested using some cherry brandy either in the ice cream base or just poured on top. Will have to try that one, too. :)
This version is more Coldstone than Cherry Garcia. It's a great sweet base with cherries and chocolate chunks mixed in!

Makes 1 Grateful Quart (yes, I ripped that off from the Ben & Jerry's book..)

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks (I just chopped chunks off a bar of chocolate)
1/4 cup cherries, chopped (I used dried but will use fresh next time)

Method:
1. Whisk the eggs and sugar in the bowl of the KA mixer using the wire whisk attachment. Turn the mixer to speed 2 and let it run for about 30 seconds or until the eggs and sugar are slightly thickened.

2. Keep the mixer running at speed 2 while you add in the heavy cream and milk. Let it run until it's all well-mixed.

3. Pour the egg-sugar-milk-cream mixture into a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom. Cook over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge of the mixture and you can see steam rising from the liquid. Do not let it boil! Transfer this mixture into a glass bowl then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

4. Once the base has thoroughly chilled, attach the frozen ice cream attachment bowl to the KA mixer (make sure it has had at least 15 hours in the freezer). Turn the mixer to speed 1 (STIR). While the dasher is spinning, carefully pour the ice cream base into the ice cream freezer bowl (it's best to use a measuring jug for this part). Let the mixture stir for 15-20 minutes. Add in the chocolate chunks and cherries during the last 2 minutes of stir time.

5. Transfer the ice cream to freezer-safe containers and allow to freeze to desired consistency.

Have a grateful day ;)

References:
Based on the Cherry Garcia recipe from Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield with Nancy J. Stevens.
I used the French Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from the little book that came with my KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment but just to figure out the cooking times (I'm really sketchy about raw egg [why do you think I love vegan baking so much?!] and the B&J book didn't cook their base).

Lickety Split

It has been muffin madness in my kitchen lately with three new muffin recipes this last week! All successful despite some weird yield amounts (which may have a lot to do with all the additions I made to each one). These ones are probably my favourite of all of them!

These started out as a banana-split muffin recipe so I wanted to keep the ice-cream parlour theme going as I made a couple changes. To do that, I added in some extra nuts and flaked coconut. Next time I may try some crushed pineapple and I'd also like to add some wheat germ (nothing to do with the ice-cream theme!)
I can't wait to enjoy these for breakfast during the week.

This made 12 standard-size muffins (even though I halved the original 12-muffin recipe!)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 very ripe bananas, smushed up
1/4 cup firm tofu, smushed up (egg substitute)
1/4 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (butter substitute)
1/2 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp. aluminium-free baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3/8 cup non-dairy, semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/8 cup dried Bing cherries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with unbleached cupcake papers or lightly grease with vegetable oil or non-dairy butter.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, mashed tofu, turbinado sugar, olive oil, and vanilla.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the banana mixture into the well. Stir to combine but be careful not to over-mix. Gently stir in the chocolate chips, nuts, cherries, and coconut.

4. Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack (but make sure you try one while they're still slightly warm!)


Reference:
This recipe is based on the Banana-Split Muffins recipe from the November/December 2008 issue of VegNews magazine.

My changes/additions:
*I used half-and-half on the flours - 1/2 cup whole-wheat and 1/2 cup all-purpose (original called for all whole-wheat flour).
*I added the pecans, coconut, and cinnamon.
*I changed the method around a bit.

Tip:
Really make sure you smash that tofu up! My taste-test muffin had little white chunks in it :) Hmmm... I wonder what that could be? Obviously, it won't change the taste at all but you'll want to try to avoid that, especially if you're serving these to others.

Fruit and Nut Muffins

These have all sorts of things going on - it's like every bite has a new flavour to taste! These muffins are based on a recipe for muffins using just two types of dried fruits so I added in another fruit and some chocolate chips for a little extra oomph!

Despite being really tasty, these also have tons of nutritional benefits. While dried fruit often gets a bad rap for being so full of sugar, it is natural sugar and none of that high-fructose corn crap or over-processed refined sugar. Plus, dried fruits are a decent source of non-heme iron which is important for vegetarians and omnivores alike.
The nuts add healthy fats; the dark chocolate has antioxidants; and the lack of dairy makes these suitable for people who cannot tolerate lactose.
All that makes these a yummy, portable, and healthy breakfast treat!


Makes somewhere between 12 and 24 muffins
(Again with the funny amounts! I halved a recipe that said it would yield 12 and still got 12! Thank goodness I like them... and muffins freeze well!) The amounts below reflect those from the original recipe, they are not reflective of my halved amounts.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
1/4 cup crushed pineapple, include the juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (I like the dark amber variety)
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup dried Bing cherries, cut up into quarters (if using whole cherries)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup non-dairy semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with unbleached cupcake papers or grease with a little non-dairy butter or canola oil spray.

1. Combine the almond milk, pineapple (don't forget the juice), olive oil, maple syrup, and agave nectar in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Make a well in the dry mixture and then pour in the milk and pineapple mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful to not over-mix. Gently stir in the fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips.

3. Spoon the muffin mix into the prepared muffin pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Reference:
This is based on the Fruitcake Muffins recipe from the November/December 2008 issue of VegNews magazine.
My changes included adding in the cranberries and chocolate chips; using half maple syrup and half agave nectar (instead of just maple syrup); and using all-purpose flour in place of a mixture of oat flour and whole-wheat (next time I might try it with half whole-wheat, half AP).
I'd like to try adding in some rolled oats in place of some of the flour.

Lattice crust = success!

So it took two tries but my lattice crust turned out quite lovely for a first, um ok second, attempt! :)


Story first and then the procedure..
Thinking everything was ready, I rolled out top crust #1 for my pie. I got the lattice pieces cut and on the pie and ran through to show the hubby. Well, I get back to the kitchen, turn around to stick the thing in the oven and see a mixing bowl with, guess what? A little flour, some cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and all-spice. Yes, blondie here had forgotten to mix the apples with the seasoning. Wow... I get distracted far too easily!

So, had to rip off my almost-perfect lattice topping and make a whole new batch of pie dough and then re-cut the whole thing. Ugh... it's really funny now but I was so pissed when I first discovered this! lol
Oh well - trial run, right? :) I actually think the second one turned out just a teeny bit better so I really can't complain.

I used my normal apple pie recipe. Here are the directions for making the fancy schmancy crust.
Arm yourself with the following:
*Plenty of flour
*A clean clear acrylic ruler
*A pastry cutter/ravioli cutter
*A clean countertop or cutting board (well-floured)
*A rolling pin (well-floured!)

Method:
1. After the pastry has chilled in the fridge for 20 or so minutes, give the cutting board and rolling pin a good dust with some flour. Roll out the pie dough as you would for a regular pie crust.

2. Place the ruler on top of the crust (I started in the center and worked out to the sides) and then run the pastry cutter along the ruler in one motion.

3. Move the ruler over about half an inch and repeat the pastry cutter motion. You will end up with a thin strip of pastry with fancy crinkle-cut edges.

4. Repeat until you have 10-12 pastry strips.

5. Carefully pick up the pastry strips and place them one at a time on top of the pie filling. Again, start in the center by making a cross shape with two strips. Work out towards the sides of the pie alternating under and over with the strips (now I'm wishing I'd taken step-by-step photos... if I make an apple pie at Christmas I'll do that for you!)
i.e.: You'll have the cross at first. Let's say the vertical piece is lying on top of the horizontal piece that made the cross. For the next piece (a vertical piece), you will want to make it go under the horizontal piece of crust (so, don't press down any pieces until you are completely happy with the results/everything is in place). The piece after that will need to go over the horizontal piece. And so on and so on... I hope this makes sense it's rather hard to explain!
Once all the pieces are in place, press the edges into the bottom pie crust which should reach the top of the pie plate. Brush with a little milk and bake.

Oh, and don't forget to mix the apples with the seasonings before tossing them in the bottom crust ;)

Pineapple-Cashew Quinoa Stir-Fry

Yum! This is wonderful!
I really recommend cooking the quinoa in the pineapple juice, but you can use leftover quinoa if you have any sitting around. I'd really like to try adding other veggies to this next time - mushrooms, broccoli, julienned carrots, maybe some zucchini or eggplant...

This is a great source of vegetarian protein. Quinoa is also a decent source of iron which makes it even more fabulous!


Serves 2

Ingredients:
For the Quinoa:
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup cold water
1/8 tsp. soy sauce

For the Stir-Fry:
2 ounces raw, unsalted cashews; chopped up
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Small piece of ginger (about 1/4-inch), peeled and minced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup frozen peas or cooked edamame
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced into thin shreds
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint
5 ounces pineapple, chopped up into bite-size pieces (I actually cheated and used crushed pineapple)
1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. low-sodium vegetable broth

Method:
1. Prepare the quinoa first. Combine the quinoa, pineapple juice, water, and 1/8 tsp. soy sauce in a saucepan. Cover and place over high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir and then lower the heat to low. Cover and cook 10-14 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears translucent. Uncover, fluff, and let cool. Chill the quinoa for at least an hour in the fridge.

2. Use a large nonstick skillet or wok. Have all ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start! Place the chopped cashews in the dry pan and heat over low, stirring constantly until lightly toasted, 4-5 minutes.

3. Remove the cashews from the pan and set them aside. Raise the heat to medium and add the oil, onions, and garlic. When the garlic sizzles, add the ginger and stir-fry around 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and peas. Stir-fry another 3-4 minutes, until the bell pepper is softened and the peas are bright green. Add the basil and mint, and stir another minute before adding the pineapple and quinoa.

4. In a measuring cup, mix together the soy sauce and vegetable broth. Pour over the quinoa and then stir to incorporate completely. Add in the cashews and continue to stir-fry 10-14 minutes or until the quinoa is very hot (use two spoons or a spoon and a spatula to help you scoop it up and stir).

Reference:
Based on the Pineapple-Cashew Quinoa Stir-Fry recipe from Veganomicon.

Raspberry Smoothie

I wish I'd realised I had this smoothie book while I was on antibiotics a couple weeks ago! I was really hoping for some more adventurous ways to eat yogurt... these would have been great! Oh well... :)

I had to have some dental work done today (just a bit of a follow-up to a root canal I had last week - hence the antibiotics) so I figured that was as good an excuse as any to reward myself with a smoothie! Well, I got home around 11 and was starving but still numb. This was a nice way to tide me over until I could eat something a bit more substantial.

Makes 2 small smoothies

Ingredients:
1 cup low-fat or fat-free vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 cup frozen raspberries
3/4 cup frozen strawberries

Method:
Place all the ingredients in the blender and pulse until smooth/most of the chunks have been broken up. Serve immediately.

Reference:
Based on the Raspberry Cream recipe from the book Smoothies and Ice Treats by Lindsay Barnes and Any Shawgo.

Strawberry-Orange Smoothie

In my quest to use up stuff from the kitchen, I have rediscovered the joy of smoothies! :)
Part of this was cleaning up my cookbook shelf and finding a smoothie book I forgot we had!

This one was fantastic!

Makes 1 1/2 high-ball sized smoothies
(no idea how else to measure that! I'd say it was enough for 2)

Ingredients:
1 cup non-fat or low-fat vanilla yogurt (you could use soy vanilla yogurt to make this vegan)
1 ripe banana
1 cup frozen strawberries
4 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate

Method:
Stick all that in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses. Enjoy.

I'm dying to try this with some frozen raspberries or blueberries in place of the strawberries. Or, how good does a triple berry smoothie sound? Yum! :)
Ooh, and how about adding something fun like a splash of rum, vodka, gin, or tequila? ;) Hey, I'm on summer break, I can play! ;)

Reference:
"Super Healthy Shake" from the book Smoothies and Ice Treats by Lindsay Barnes and Amy Shawgo.

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

Mmmm... nothing says summer like fresh blueberries! These muffins are vegan (and soy-free), low-fat, and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids due to the addition of ground flax seeds. They are also full of blueberries which makes them a great source of antioxidant vitamins! They totally feel like cheating, though ;)

I really don't think the flax seeds affect the taste at all (they do make the muffins look darker) but if you choose to leave them out, use 2 cups of flour instead of only 1 2/3 cups. Flax seeds can be found at health/natural food stores (I get the Bob's Red Mill ones - they can often be found in bulk bins, too). If you have a decent regular grocery store in your area, you may be able to find them there, too.

My changes from the original recipe are in purple. One additional change I will make in the future will be to use fresh lemon juice in place of the lemon extract.

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup ground flax seeds (I buy the whole flax seeds and grind them in the coffee grinder. They won't provide the nutritional benefits if they are un-ground).
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Zest of 2 organic lemons (my Microplane is my best friend!)
3/4 cup agave nectar (or 1 cup granulated sugar)
1 cup non-dairy milk (rice, soy, almond)
1/3 cup canola oil or applesauce (this serves as the "egg")
1 tsp. pure lemon extract
1 tbsp. white distilled vinegar
1 1/2 cups fresh organic blueberries

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pan.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, flax seeds, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest.

3. In a large bowl, combine the agave nectar, "milk", oil or applesauce, lemon extract, and vinegar. Mix well. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture until just blended (you may have to work out a few lumps). Gently fold in the blueberries.

4. Fill muffin tins about two-thirds full. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Feel free to lick the spoon - there's no egg so you won't get sick (and the batter is super-yummy!)

5. Let sit for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Remove the muffins from the tin and cool completely.















Reference:
This recipe was found in the book The Joy of Vegan Baking which was a gift from Nestie Widdel22 so thanks to her. :)
In my opinion, the joy of vegan baking is being able to lick the spoon/bowl/etc... ;) Plus it's so darn yummy - you'd never guess these were egg- and dairy-free!

Fresh Berries with Almond Cream

Yum... what a wonderful low-fat dessert! You will not believe how creamy the sauce is even though I used fat-free milk. :)

Plan at least 5 hours ahead for this!

2 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1 cup fat-free milk
1/8 cup sugar
3/4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. amaretto
1/8 cup fresh organic raspberries
1/8 cup fresh organic blueberries
1/4 cup fresh organic strawberries

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Roast the almonds on a baking sheet for 15 minutes until they become light brown. Allow them to cool and then pulse them in a food processor or coffee grinder until they are finely ground.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the ground almonds, 3/4 cup milk, and sugar. Stirring every minute or two, bring this mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the almonds steep for 1 hour.

3. Strain the mixture over a glass bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on the almonds to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids left in the sieve.

4. Bring the almond-milk mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup milk. Gradually stir the cornstarch-milk mixture into the simmering liquid. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Add 1/2 tbsp. amaretto and stir.

5. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to keep a skin from forming. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

**The custard can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.**

6. Marinate the berries in the remaining amaretto for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, beat the custard with a wire whisk. Pour the custard over the berries.

Reference:
From The Occasional Vegetarian (Original recipe title was "Mixed Berries with Almond Cream). The only change I made was to use strawberries in place of blackberries. You can make this with whatever berries you have on hand.

Blueberry Breakfast Bars

These yummy bars are very nutritious! They are filled with wonderful blueberry antioxidants and provide a nice dose of protein. Blueberries are also a source of fiber and are low in calories. Despite the use of 3 eggs, I cut these up quite small so they are still relatively low in fat (only 1-2g sat. fat per bar; around 7g total fat).

The combination of dried and fresh blueberries makes these doubly delicious and the crust is amazing!
The photo does not do them justice... lol

Serves 16/Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:
~Crust~
18 graham crackers (according to the original recipe, whole wheat ones are the best. Honey, I couldn't find whole wheat crackers, ones are also yummy!)
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar (see note below)
1/8 tsp. salt

~Filling~
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. aluminium-free baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon peel (I always use organic citrus when I need the peel)
3/4 cup dried organic blueberries (a 1/4 lb. package was perfect!)
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh organic blueberries
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (see note below)

Method:
*Before you begin, soak the dried berries in a little lemon juice (additional to that listed in the ingredients) for 30 minutes. Drain the liquid before adding to the recipe.

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Process the graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground (you will need about 1 1/3 cups crumbs). Add all the remaining crust ingredients and pulse just until combined. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and bake 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and 1/8 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Beat the eggs, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and lemon peel in a large bowl at medium speed for 1 minute or until frothy and the sugar is dissolved. At low speed, beat the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until blended. Stir in the dried blueberries and lemon juice. Pour the filling over the cooled crust; sprinkle with fresh blueberries and walnuts.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the top is light brown and the edges start to brown. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cut into 16 bars; cool completely in the pan (about 1 hour).

Notes: *Brown sugar rave - Just a quick product rave! I've been using "Wholesome Sweeteners" sugars for a while now and just got their brown sugar after running out of some national brand (I'll protect the not-so-innocent by letting the company remain un-named). Wow! I've never had such molasses-rich brown sugar. Yum...
It's organic and certified fair-trade (yeay!) Plus, it is processed without any animal products/by-products so it's suitable for vegetarians/vegans.

*Toasting walnuts - To toast walnuts, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until pale brown and fragrant. Cool.

*Changes I'd like to try :) - The original recipe listed several other options for these bars.
~Soak the dried berries in orange juice for 30 minutes; drain.
~Substitute chopped pecans or slivered almonds for the walnuts.
~Replace the fresh blueberries with raspberries.

*Organics - I realise some people scoff at organics and think they aren't worth the expense. I happen to not feel this way! I can't always find organic everything but I do always try to buy certain things organic. This includes berries, anything I'll be eating/using the peel from, etc. Not only are they healthier, they taste better, and have a lower environmental impact than traditionally-grown products.
Just to add to the rave, organics are also more likely to come from sustainable farms as well as being more likely to be produced fairly. *Jumping down off soapbox* ;)

Reference:
This is the Double Blueberry-Lemon Breakfast Bars recipe from the June/July 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine.

Rhubarb-Lentil Soup

I grew up loving rhubarb - we actually used to grow it. :) I still look forward to spring when I know I'll be able to find it!
All this time eating it, though, and I've never tried it in a savoury dish. Wow, what have I been missing?! It was great in this soup but I think next time, I'd add a little more rhubarb - I think it got a little lost in everything else going on!

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup dried lentils
Cooking spray or olive oil
2 cups finely chopped carrot
1 3/4 cups finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (my addition)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp. fennel seeds (my addition)
2 cups chopped rhubarb (I'd use more like 3, 3 1/2 next time)
4 cups fat-free vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Method:
1. Let the lentils soak in the boiling water for 10 minutes or so.

2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the cooking spray or extra-virgin olive oil. Add carrot, celery, onion, parsley, and garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes. Add the rhubarb and saute about 3 more minutes.

3. Drain the lentils and add them to the pan. Stir in the broth, fennel, and salt; bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

4. Remove the soup from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Place 3 cups of the mixture in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pan and stir in the pepper and dill.

Reference:
From the May 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine.
I can't just leave Cooking Light recipes as they are (too bland) so here are my changes:
*Added garlic
*Added fennel
*Used vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth
*Skipped the creme fraiche (to make this version vegan/couldn't be bothered with creme fraiche even though I would have just used sour cream - lol)
*Threw the dill in with the soup
*I also added a little extra-virgin olive oil in with the cooking spray

Fabulous Peanut-Pineapple Extravagaza!

This is a vegan West African-inspired dish that Nestie branny shared. Oh my gosh, it's super tasty (just isn't all that photogenic so no picture!)
I served mine with couscous but you could use chick peas, rices, millet, quinoa, whatever you have!

African Pineapple Peanut Stew

2 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used red onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tbsp. olive oil or other vegetable oil
2 cups spinach, kale, or Swiss chard
1 cup undrained canned crushed pineapple
1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy would work!)
1/2 tbsp. hot sauce
1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped green onions
Additional fresh cilantro to garnish
Optional: you can also sprinkle some chopped peanuts on top if desired

Method:
1. In a covered saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes until softened and slightly browned, stirring frequently.

2. While the onions saute, wash the kale/chard/spinach. Remove and discard the large stems and any blemished leaves. Stack the leaves and slice crosswise into 1-inch thick slices.

3. Add the pineapple and its juice to the onions and bring to a simmer. Stir in the kale/chard/spinach, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Mix in the peanut butter, hot sauce, and 1/8 cup cilantro. Simmer 5 more minutes.

Reference:
branny on the Nest posted this. I'm afraid I forgot where she said she got the recipe from. :) I will have to ask and update this!

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Bread

I managed to find a really good deal on some local strawberries last week but, since I'm the only one in the house who will eat them (!), I needed a quick way to use them up. Strawberry bread it was! :) This was a recipe posted by one of the girls on the Nest - she doesn't have a blog so I'm *publishing* it for her.

My changes:
*The original recipe would have made 2 loaves (9x5x3-inch). I halved it so that's what is reflected here.
*I omitted 1/4 cup chopped nuts (didn't have any on-hand) and used 1/2 chocolate chips instead.
*Rather than halve the amount of vanilla extract, I just left it at 1/2 tsp.
*I also kept the full amount of strawberries instead of halving that.

I'd love to try this with a mix of strawberries and raspberries next time!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. aluminium-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk (I used fat-free)
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1. Lightly grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternatively with the milk, beating until combined after each addition. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the strawberries and chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan.

4. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.


Reference:
Thank-you, msT2B on the Nest! This is based on her recipe for Strawberry Bread.

Applesauce

I made this since I wanted a natural (high fructose corn syrup-free) applesauce to mix in to some vegan chocolate cupcakes I'm making for my nephew's first birthday this weekend! :) Our little man is one... hard to believe! This was a collaboration of some recipes and suggestions from some of the ladies on the Nest.

This made about 4 cups (it also makes a yummy dessert!)

Ingredients:
4 apples - any kind you like - peeled, cored, and diced
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Method:
1. Combine apples, water, cinnamon, and allspice in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes (until apples are soft and the liquid has been absorbed).

2. Allow the apples to cool and then smush them with a fork or potato masher. You could also transfer them to a food processor or blender to get a really smooth consistency.

References:
Thank you to Beebe929, ses1199, and CJNeeley from the Nest. :) I also used this applesauce recipe from a Nestie blog (oops - didn't write down your Nest name...). I left out the sugar based on suggestions from other Nesties and my desire to not use refined sugar in this (it will be eaten by vegans, after all!) :)

Couple Yummy Salads

I could eat salad every day and be happy as a clam! So yummy and there are so many things you can do with it - gotta love versatility! I discovered a new (new to me, anyway) dressing over the weekend so these both use that.

For the goddess (or god!) in all of us...

Goddess Salad Version 1
Spinach (superfood!)
Lettuce
Grape or cherry tomatoes (superfood!)
Avocado, diced (superfood!)
Carrots
Cucumber, diced
Dried cranberries (pretty sure these are a superfood!)
Walnuts (superfood!)
Trader Joe's Goddess Dressing

Goddess Salad Version 2 (a slightly fattier [but higher in protein!] version of the above salad
Spinach (superfood!)
Lettuce
Grape or cherry tomatoes (superfood!)
Carrots
Cucumber, diced
Red onion, chopped (superfood!)
Crumbled goat cheese
Dried cranberries (superfood, I think!)
Walnuts (superfood!)
Hard-boiled egg, diced (or just leave it off to the side and eat it whole) - superfood!
Fresh mint, chopped
Cilantro, chopped (actually, I just pulled the leaves off a couple stems!)
Trader Joe's Goddess Dressing

Banana Nut Muffins (Vegan!)

I love banana bread and will sometimes deliberately buy ripe bananas just so I have an "excuse" to make it (like I need an excuse!) This weekend, I decided to try out a new spin on the banana bread recipe I've been using for years to make these muffins. They are so full of banana flavour - really wonderful! :) They have wheat germ so they are a great source of vitamin E and folic acid.

Makes 12 large muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. aluminium-free baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (superfood!)
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (superfood!)
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup mashed banana (about 2-3 medium bananas) - I like to think bananas are a superfood!
1 additional banana, mashed (egg substitute) - superfood! (eggs are a superfood, too, if you choose to make this non-vegan)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup applesauce (you could also use 1/4 cup cooking oil if applesauce is unavailable)
1 tbsp. raw turbinado sugar (optional)

Method:
1. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper or foil cupcake cases. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, wheat germ, and walnuts. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine the bananas (including the "egg" banana), brown sugar, granulated sugar, and applesauce. Add this banana mixture all at once into the well in the dry mixture. Stir until just moistened - the batter will be lumpy.
**Do not overmix as this will create tunnels and pointy tops on your finished muffins.**

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin (an ice-cream scoop is your friend here!) Sprinkle the unbaked muffins with a little turbinado sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Reference:
The basic banana bread recipe (and cooking times) are from The Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1996 edition). I got the inspiration to add the wheat germ and turbinado sugar from Cooking Light's Orange-Cranberry Wheat Germ Muffin recipe which I love so much! The nutmeg and brown sugar additions were just last-minute changes I decided to try out - thank goodness they worked! I know messing with baking recipes can be a bit risky!

Eight-Treasure Fried Rice

I found this recipe as part of a feature on Chinese New Year meals. Totally forgot about it during Chinese New Year but oh well ;) Better late than never, right?!
The original recipe called for shrimp and sausage to be two of the eight treasures... I made mine vegetarian by subbing some marinated tofu and broccoli for those items. The eight treasures here are represented by: eggs, tofu, mushrooms, peas, broccoli, pineapple, cashews, and cilantro.
For next time, I'd make it more colorful by adding some red (a lucky colour in the Chinese culture) with some red bell pepper or even some cherry or grape tomatoes which I'd add after cooking. You could also easily make this vegan by omitting the egg and using agave nectar in place of the honey. Since tofu is a great egg substitute, you won't miss it! Just be sure to replace it with an ingredient to keep the eight treasure theme going!

This made quite a lot! Probably enough for 2 main-dish servings or 4 side-dish servings. The amounts are a bit weird since I divided the original recipe by 3...

Ingredients:
White or brown rice, cooked and cooled (I used 1/4 cup rice and 1/2 cup water to cook it)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1/12 cup chopped onion (probably works out to be 2-3 tbsp.)
3 white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup cashews (I chopped mine up a little)
1/6 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/6 cup sweet-and-sour sauce
Small amount of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 block extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar
1 tbsp. orange juice (you could also use pineapple juice or half orange/half pineapple if desired)
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
A quick shake of red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. vinegar

Method:
1. Marinate tofu. Squeeze tofu between paper towels to remove the excess moisture. Cut into small cubes. Mix together the honey, orange juice, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and vinegar in a zip-lock bag. Add the tofu and toss to coat. Let it marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes - it doesn't need long. Work on the rest of the recipe while the tofu marinates.

2. Heat 1/2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until hot. Add the egg and scramble until set. Remove the eggs from the skillet and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook the onion 15 seconds or until shiny and fragrant. Add the tofu (discard the marinade); stir-fry until cooked through. Add the mushrooms, broccoli, and peas; cook one minute.

4. Add the rice and toss to combine. Add the egg, pineapple, cashews, green onions, and sweet-and-sour sauce. Cook 2-3 minutes until the rice is tender and all ingredients are heated through. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Reference:
This is based on an eight-treasure fried rice recipe I found in the February/March 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine. The tofu marinade is based on the Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (1996 edition).

Yin-Yang Tofu Stir-Fry

I did take an actual photo of this but since my desktop computer is still not working (DH is thinking it's the motherboard which is going to be expensive since it's an older computer and will also need new memory, something else, and something else... no, I am not the computer nerd in this family! lol)... maybe I'll just get my iMac instead ;) In addition to that, my USB cable for my digital camera also went on the fritz and my work laptop that my printer is hooked up to will not do any of the fancy printer features like scan or allow me to stick my camera card in the front of the printer and then get my pictures from there... yes, high drama! lol ;) The cute dragon-y yin-yang will have to do for now!

So, I decided to call this yin-yang tofu since it's really called sweet and sour tofu and I figured "oh, opposites and balance! I'll call it yin-yang!" Yes, I'm a nerd... :) Well, I'm a Libra and I do tai chi so all that balance, Zen, yin-yang stuff can't be helped..! I like my cheesy blog post title!

If you would like to make a more carnivorous version of this meal, I'm sure it would be great with some thinly cut chicken breast strips or shrimp!

One quick change I would make next time: I'd let the tofu marinate in a simple marinade made with the pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, and hot sauce. It was a bit blah... :) I may also add some additional veggies such as carrots and mushrooms next time.

Enough blabbering... here's the recipe! This was enough for 2 servings.

Ingredients:
1 block of water-packed extra-firm tofu (you will need the extra-firm, the wimpier stuff will not hold up as a stir-fry).
1 tsp. canola oil
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 bell pepper cut into strips (I always cheat and use the pre-cut, tri-coloured frozen stuff from Trader Joe's! hee hee)
3/4 cup pineapple juice, divided (I just got a can of pineapple "rings" and used the juice from that since I couldn't find pineapple juice at the store and was feeling too lazy to really hunt for it)
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
2 pineapple "rings", sliced into little triangles
1 cup broccoli
1 cup snow peas
1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar for vegan version
1 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
Hot cooked long-grain rice
A little fresh cilantro as a garnish

Method:
1. Cut the tofu into small bite-sized squares. Arrange the pieces in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Cover the tofu with additional paper towels and place a cutting board on top. Let it stand for about 15 minutes to drain. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the tofu to a plate. Add the ginger, broccoli, and bell pepper to the pan; saute 2 minutes or until crisp tender.

3. Combine 2 tsp. pineapple juice and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside. Add remaining pineapple juice to the pan. Stir in the remaining salt, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and hot sauce. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir well. Bring this mixture to a boil and then allow it to cook for 1 minute.

4. Return the tofu to the pan, stirring gently to coat. Stir in the onions, peas, pineapple. Spoon the mixture on top of hot cooked rice and then sprinkle with some chopped cilantro.

Reference:
I doctored up the Sweet and Sour Tofu recipe from the June 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine. I would link to it but I can't find it on their website...
My additions: pineapple pieces, honey, broccoli, snow peas. I also used regular old hot sauce in place of the chili garlic sauce that was called for (might add a clove of garlic next time...)

Mulligatawny Soup

I love the name of this soup - always makes me think of Irish pubs! lol :) Totally not an "Irish pub" sort of taste, though! I have been wanting to make this for a long time and have had the recipe tagged, I just haven't gotten around to it!
Well, this past Saturday I was driving home from the grocery store with all sorts of exciting ingredients to make lots of yummies over the weekend... unfortunately, as I was driving I noticed I was going from sweating to shivering and that my throat was getting scratchy. Great, here comes that nasty cold that everyone has had that I was sure I had managed to avoid. :( Good thing I was planning on soup for Saturday night's dinner! By about 4pm, I was just feeling so crummy and the last thing I wanted to do was stand in the kitchen chopping veggies. But, being the bit of a masochist that I am, I did it anyway! Boy, was it worth it! As yucky and stuffed up as I was feeling at that point, the soup still smelled so wonderful while it cooked and the spiciness really helped soothe my throat. Yum! Hooray for soup! :)
Here's the recipe:
This made enough for 2-3 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped apple (I used Red Delicious and left the peel on)
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 can (14.5 oz) diced peeled tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/6 cup long grain rice
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup raisins
1/2 tbsp. snipped fresh parsley
1/2-1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Method:
1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine the broth, apples, carrot, undrained tomatoes, celery, uncooked rice, onion, raisins, parsley, curry powder, lemon juice, pepper, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.

2. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the rice and carrots are tender. Enjoy :)

Notes:
The original recipe called for chicken broth in place of vegetable broth and to add 3/4 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey after simmering for 20-30 minutes. I wanted to make mine vegetarian so, obviously, I omitted the chicken!

Reference:
The original recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (1996 edition).