Making Cookies Vegan

As a vegetarian-pseudo-vegan, I am very used to replacing animal products in cooking.  However, they say baking is a science and it can be a bit trickier to substitute for animal products when making baked goods.

I've been reading a lot about egg replacements lately because of my battle against cholesterol. (Yes, even vegetarians can have high cholesterol!)

Here are the two I decided to try:

1. Flax seeds mixed with hot water (1 tbsp fine ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp hot water= 1 egg)

2. Soy yogurt (1/4 cup = 1 egg)

I chose these because I have flax on hand since I mix it into my oatmeal in the morning and after making agave corn muffins the other day, I am intrigued by soy yogurt and its capabilities. 

I visit Withsprinklesontop.net on a daily basis.  It is run by a friend of a friend and is full of fantastic recipes and pictures.  Truly, it is an inspiration!  The recipe I chose for my egg replacement experiment came from this blog.

Vegan Orange Cornmeal Crisps

Adapted from: FamilyFun Magazine via With Sprinkles on Top

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fine cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegan butter replacement, softened
1 cup sugar
1 replacement for 1 large egg (I actually split the batch and made 1/2 with flax and 1//2 with soy yogurt.)

1 to 2 teaspoons orange zest
1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Glaze ingredients: (I doubled)

2 cups powdered sugar
Zest and juice of two medium oranges
Pinch of salt

Directions for flax seed replacement:

Grind flax seeds (even if it is meal) in a coffee grinder or blender until very fine.  For 1 whole egg: mix 1 tbsp ground flax in a small bowl with 3 tbsp hot water.  Stir and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.  When ready, the mix should have the consistency of egg whites.

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal, baking powder, and salt; then set mixture aside.
2. Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and egg substitute until creamy (about 2 minutes). Reduce the speed to low; add the flour mixture, zest, and orange extract and beat until the mixture pulls away from the sides and forms a dough (about 1 minute).

OR Use a pastry cutter/blender in place of an electric mixer.  This is what I did since I am currently lacking a mixer (shocking!).
3. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a 12-inch-long, 1-1/2-inch-wide log. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour in the refrigerator or 20 minutes in the freezer.
4. Heat the oven to 375F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup cornmeal on a small, flat tray; roll each log in the cornmeal to coat. Cut the logs into 1/2-inch thick slices and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges — about 10-12 minutes. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
5. To make the glaze, stir together the powdered sugar, zest, 1/4 cup orange juice, and salt. If needed, add more juice, a teaspoon at a time, until the glaze has a flowing consistency.

6. Place cookies on a wire rack over wax paper to allow excess glaze to fall onto paper.  Spoon a few teaspoons of the glaze onto each cookie.  Use the back of a spoon to slightly spread glaze while it is still wet.

Results:
Both of the egg substitutes (flax and soy yogurt) worked exceptionally well.  The results were so similar that I actually mixed some of them up and couldn't tell them apart.  They even taste the same somehow.  I think the flax works really well with course ground corn meal because they have similar textures.  In the future I'll probably stick with the flax substitute because I always have flax meal on hand and I don't know what to do with the rest of the soy yogurt I bought... I s'pose I could eat it but I'm not brave enough...

Anyway, these cookies have a delightfully fresh orange flavor and a nice crunch.  They almost made me forget it is February. Or maybe that's the cold medicine?

I believe the one on the left is flax seed and the one on the right is soy yogurt.  Can you see a difference?  I can't.

Eggless Tofu Salad and Kale Crisps

Even though I've been a vegetarian for a long time, I have always been skeptical of meat and dairy replacements and managed to avoid them until I met my vegetarian soul mate.  Wow- has my world changed!

It helps that the market for these items has improved greatly over the last several years. 

Now, I find myself craving things I never thought possible.  Lately, it's been eggless tofu salad from The Willy St. Co-op.  However, Brent and I always find ourselves critiquing it and wishing we were eating it at home where we could spice it up and add more mustard (and take out the celery).  Plus, premade it is very expensive, so as long as we use the rest of the vegan mayonnaise we will save money in the long run.  

So, today I made my own:

It is so delicious! 

Eggless Tofu Salad

Makes enough for 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

½ 7 oz package of firm tofu

3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

3 tbsp prepared mustard (we used a combination of yellow and spicy)

1 medium sized pickle, chopped

¼ cup chopped green pepper

1/3 cup chopped onion

¼ cup carrots, chopped or shredded

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp dried dill

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp lemon juice

Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1.   Remove excess moisture from tofu one of the following ways:

a.   Press tofu in a tofu press (a must have gadget for vegetarians)

b.   Put tofu block on a plate.  Place another plate on top and stack cookbooks/ heavy objects on top to squeeze out water.

c.   Cube tofu and then place in clean paper towels to gently wring water out. 

2.   Grate ¾ of tofu with the large holes on a cheese grater.  Mash remaining ¼ tofu with a spoon.  This attempts to replicate the 2 different textures of eggs in egg salad- the whites and the yolks.

3.   Mix vegan mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and spices in one bowl.

4.   In a different bowl, mix the tofu, pickle, onion, green pepper, and carrots.

5.   Combine wet ingredients with the vegetable and tofu mix. 

6.   Cover and refrigerate for at least ½ hour to let the flavors combine.  Before serving, adjust seasonings to taste.

This is tasty enough to eat on its own, but it's even better on a sandwich.

  Notes:

- We have found that the best recipes for using tofu or fake meat crumbles are the ones that call for lots of other flavorings, i.e. egg salad or sloppy joes.

-Serving suggestion: We like to eat this on a soft baguette with lettuce and more mustard.  Our favorite in the Madison area is from Batch Bakehouse on Williamson St, also available at both Willy St. Co-op locations. 

On Wednesday, we had eggless tofu salad for dinner with kale crisps on the side.  Kale crisps are super good for you (kale is rich in nutrients) but also will satisfy your salt cravings!  In fact, they are so amazing that I find myself drooling at the sight of a hearty bunch of kale.  Weird.

Give them a try- you won't regret it!

Kale Crisps

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh kale (I prefer curly for this recipe)

Salt

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Onion Powder

¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.   Prepare kale by completely rinsing and drying on paper towels.  Tear large pieces of kale, removing it from the stems.  (I start with large pieces because they are easier to flip on the pan and can always be broken up smaller later.)

3.   With your fingers, coat each piece of kale with olive oil and set on a baking sheet. 

4.   Sprinkle spices and salt over the kale and gently toss to coat evenly.

5.   Bake for about 4 minutes, or until kale begins to crisp on one side.  Flip or toss kale on the pan and return it to the oven for another 3-5 minutes, until kale pieces are crispy and just beginning to brown.  Some pieces may finish before others; simply remove crisps that are finished and return the rest to the oven.

6.   Eat right away or store in an airtight container.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

Last week was rough.  One of my wonderful coworkers passed away suddenly and I was being anxious about grad school/scholarships/life in general.  Baking is by far my biggest stress reliever, especially since I still can't run right now.  So, naturally it is where I turn when I'm feeling blue.  I think the science of baking, exacting the steps, measuring everything, is so methodical that it is soothing to me... if I can manage to quiet my mind enough to pay attention and not burn myself, lose count of cups, spill sprinkles all over the floor (which Brent may still be finding three weeks later) etc...
It is kind of like yoga in that you have to practice mindfulness and focus in the present.

Here is what I made when I was stressed this weekend when my plans got sidelined by freezing rain and icy roads.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins
adapted from Madhuram's Eggless Cooking

Yields 9 regular sized muffins.

These aren't the prettiest muffins ever- all the more reason to eat them!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used stone ground)
1/2 cup all purpose white flour
2/3 cup quick oats
1/3 cup cocoa powder (I used natural [v. dutch] because it's what I have and I think it worked fine)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup natural white sugar (a vegan thing)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used Smart Balance because it's a staple in my life)
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond)
1/8 tsp (a pinch) of salt)
1/2 tsp chocolate extract
1/4 tsp espresso powder (these last two ingredients are things I have on hand that I have been adding to any chocolate recipes I have made recently; both enhance the chocolate flavor.  The extract is from the Willy St Co-op and the powder is from Woodman's)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Melt peanut butter into milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.  When smooth and combined, remove from heat and let cool most of the way, stirring to avoid a film. Add chocolate extract and combine.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, sifting in flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder to avoid lumps.
4. Add peanut butter and milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.  The batter will be thick.
5. Spoon into a muffin tray lined with 9 liners.  Fill to the top of liners.  Smooth out the tops.  Fill the remaining 3 cups (if you are using a 12- muffin cup pan) 1/3 the way with a water to prevent uneven baking. 
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tops are firm and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.  Cool before eating.

Notes:
-These muffins are very dense.  I enjoy them and Brent has been taking them to work for breakfast this week.  I have to remind myself that if these were "perfected" they'd be cupcakes and that it is sometimes best to leave well enough alone.  They are sweet without being overly so.
-If you don't enjoy the oats, I'd suggest grinding them up first.

Thanks for visiting!

Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

I've been looking for more savory recipes so we don't eat too many sweets. (I don't actually believe it's possible but I've been told.)  Here is what I tried this week:

Vegan Roasted Spiced Chickpeas
Adapted from: Whole Living Magazine Feb 2011

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
2- 15 oz cans of chickpeas
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used 1 tbsp canola and 1 tbsp olive)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.  Dry them on paper towels.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Skip this step if you don't really care about your pan.
4. Toss the chickpeas with the oil, lemon juice and spices until evenly coated. 
5. Spread out on prepared sheet in an even layer.
6. Roast, shaking pan occasionally, until the chickpeas are golden and very crunchy, or about 40 minutes.  Let cool completely.
7. Store in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

Notes:
-These will not actually last 2 weeks because you will eat them all right away.  Then, there won't be very many left to photograph for your blog later.
-1 cup = about 412 calories.
-Try whatever spices you have on hand.  The chickpeas are a relatively blank canvas. 

Saturday at the Capitol

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

Brent and I, along with some friends, decided to check out the 5th day of rallying for workers' rights at the Capitol.  We even made our own signs!  It was very special to see so many people (60,000) getting together to have a voice in the democratic process... Now if only Governor Walker would start listening...

The day also marked an important moment in my personal life- For the first time since my last fateful run in May, I was able to walk the path of that run!  This is a big deal for me, especially with the complications that followed my 2nd surgery and led to a 3rd.  We actually walked from our apartment to the Capitol and back (5 miles)!  Today my legs feel great.  That is something to feel truly blessed about!
Now some photos:

This guy's toga was made out of candy.
He attracted a lot of signatures for his petition.

These were people in the rotunda. 

As you can see, there was drumming and a megaphone.  It was loud, but you actually can't hear it through the marble walls in the offices :(

 

Some of the signs were very creative and
there were tons of children joining in the cheers.

Another view inside of the Capitol.

We all have a stake in this!

Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies

It's a heart!

My sweetie loves mint and chocolate together, so I made him these cookies for Valentine's Day.  I should say he LET me make them as I had already made 2 other sweets this weekend.  Regardless, he's happy to eat them!  The cookie recipe is from WithSprinklesonTop.net- one of my favorite sites that my friend Crystal at work turned me on to.  Her pictures are something to strive for, that's for sure.
Thanks to Karen for the Andes Mint Pieces.


Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from:
Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies (Source: Two Peas & Their Pod)
Found on Withsprinklesontop.net

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp chocolate extract (I have this on hand so I threw it in...yum!  Find it at the Willy St. Co-op)
1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1 bag of Andes Mint Pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa, and set aside.
3. Beat the butter on medium-high until light and add sugars, creaming well.
4. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth.
5. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternately with the milk in one batch, mixing well.
6. Stir in the Andes pieces.
7. Chill dough for at least 15 minutes. (You can make the dough a few hours or 2 days before baking and it will be fine. Just wrap it up and keep in the fridge.)
8. Scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet, press down on them slightly, and bake for 14-15 minutes.
9. Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet, they will set as they cool.  Cookies will stay fresh for two days in an air-tight container.

Notes:
- I used a teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop dough, then rolled into balls and flattened slightly in my palm before placing on cookie sheet.
- Cookies were very gooey when they came out of the oven, so let them cool completely on the sheet.  They set up nicely.

Valentines Day! Part Deux (Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies)

Happy Valentine's Day!


A couple of weeks ago, Val passed on to me a vintage Mirro Cookie Press.  Even though press cookies are traditionally made for the holidays, I didn't want to wait another 10 months.  Plus, I could use some practice before next Christmas!

Vintage cookie press- still in (what's left of) the original box!

Speaking of Christmas, Karen sent us some delicious spritz cookies this year and I decided to use her recipe.

Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies from Fine Cooking Holiday Baking Winter 2004

See Karen's post here.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature

3 oz cream cheese softened at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 lg egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

11.25 oz (2 1/2 cups) flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
3. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat again until blended. Add flour and mix on low until well blended.
4. Follow directions of cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake until just golden around the edges...10 - 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring.
Store at room temperature or freeze in an airtight container, separating the cookie layers with wax paper.

Notes:
- Since my mixer died (twice) a couple of weeks ago, I have been making everything without it.  Hopefully this will result in some nice arm muscles AND it is definitely doable.  A pastry blender/ cutter works wonders when a whisk won't do the trick.  I have wanted a Kitchen Aid stand mixer forever, but since I'm getting by without one I'll probably keep putting it off.
- If you are a new cookie press user like me, I suggest starting with a few test batches to get the hang of things.  Press a couple of cookies onto the sheet and bake them off just to see how they turn out... make sure to eat your mistakes so nobody knows.  At least that is my rule.  Hehe.
-I recommend a light colored and/or insulated cookie sheet.

The plate above actually results in heart shaped cookies with lovely scalloped edges.  The booklet that came with the press is full of little ditties like "Party time is Pastry time."

Valentine's Day!

Last year for Valentine's Day, I made delicious red velvet cupcakes filled with raspberry jam and topped off with traditional cream cheese frosting.  But this year, when I revisited the recipe I had forgotten about all the dairy and eggs.  The recipe I used to follow called for milk, eggs, butter, and sour cream.  This year I took a leap of faith and made vegan red velvet cupcakes and was SHOCKED at how good they were.  The vegan  'cream cheese' frosting could actually have fooled me had I not been the one who made it, and the cupcakes turned out tastier than the old ones.  Sometimes you just have to be brave and you can discover a (slightly) healthier, better for you and the world treat!

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Adapted from Vegan Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen.

Ingredients:
1 c (237 ml) almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 c (156 g) flour
1 c (198 g) sugar
2 Tbls cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c (78 ml) canola oil
2 Tbls red food coloring (liquid)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp chocolate extract (I found this ingredient at the Willy St. Co-op)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the almond milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle (this is to imitate buttermilk. It is an important step because the vinegar gives the baking soda something with which it can react!)
3. In another bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4. Add the oil, food coloring and extracts to the curdled almond milk and whisk well to combine.
5. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet and fold to combine, mixing just until large lumps disappear.
6. Pour into liners and bake 18-20 minutes until edges are firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.


Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1/4 c (58 g) Earth Balance vegan spread, softened
1/4 c (58 g) vegan cream cheese, softened (I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese Non-Hydrogenated Spread)
2 c (312 g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4-1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice to taste

Directions:
1. Cream together the margarine and cream cheese just until combined.
2. Sift in the powdered sugar in half-cup batches, whipping thoroughly combined after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and whip until fluffy.

To fill cupcakes:
1. When cupcakes are completely cooled, spoon seedless jam (I use raspberry) into a piping bag, fitted with a long, narrow tip (see photo below).
2. Insert tip into cupcake, gently wiggling it around to make a hole to fill.  Fill hole with jam.  I make 3 holes in each cupcake.

Sorry for the blurry picture!  Here is the tip I use.

To frost:
1. Spoon frosting into a piping bag.  Twist open end shut and hold between fingers while bag rests in your palm.
2. Trim off the end of bag where bag is about 1/2 inch across.
3. Squeeze bag from the end resting in your palm, spiraling around in a circle starting from the outside working toward the center.

Notes:
- I use disposable piping bags from Michael's craft store.  Trust me- it is worth it.
- Please please try before you judge these- they are so moist and tender!  I really think the chocolate extract, which you may have to search for, adds a great depth to these.

The next two posts will also be recipes I made for Valentine's Day- including what I made for my sweetie :)

Bread Soup

 Hello!
Today's recipe is on the verge of becoming a new staple in our lives.  It is easy to make, hearty, and unique.  Best of all, it is another dish where you can play around with the ingredients (change the bread, cheese, veggies, or herbs) to make it better suit your taste buds!

Bread Soup

This is a very rustic dish, shown here with the herbs that flavor it.

Source: Inspired by Jamie Oliver :)
This recipe makes 3-4 portions.

Special equipment:
Stove to oven safe dish.  We use a deep 10in All-Clad pan.

Ingredients:
1 qt mushroom stock
6-9 slices of round sourdough bread; all but 2-3 toasted (stale is best; I like multigrain sourdough from Trader Joe's; number depends on pan/dish you use)
1 clove garlic
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 cup shredded Gruyere
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups fresh mix of whatever cabbage and kale is available
1 large baking potato, peeled and chopped.
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs of sage, leaves removed
butter or vegan spread
olive oil + a splash of vegetable oil to prevent burning
salt
pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Steam potato chunks until just fork tender.
3. In dish that will go in oven, saute rosemary, onions, and mushrooms in oil for about 6 minutes or until beginning to brown.
4. Clean cabbage, removing outer leaves and rinsing in cold water.  Chop and tear greens into bite size pieces.
5. In a medium size pot, bring stock to a boil.  Add greens (may need to do in batches).  Blanch in stock a couple of minutes, until bright and tender.  Remove from stock, returning stock to the pot and set aside greens.
6. Remove onions, mushrooms, and rosemary from pan (I put this all into the bowls we will be eating out of as not to dirty more dishes).
7. Layer bottom of pan with toasted bread slices to cover. 
8. Spread out 1/2 of the mushroom, onion, and rosemary mix onto the bread slices in the pan.  Do the same with 1/2 the cabbage mix.
9. Sprinkle 1/3 of both cheeses over the cabbage mix.  Top with another layer of toasted bread.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 with remaining ingredients.  Top with a layer of untoasted bread.
11. Sprinkle last remaining 1/3 of cheese mix over top of bread slices.
12. Pour as much of the used mushroom stock into pan as possible, allowing a little room near the top for bubbling.
13. Bake uncovered in oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.  Top with a drizzle of olive oil before serving.  If desired, fry sage leaves in butter or oil until crispy and garnish dish.

Enjoy!

Notes:
- Leftovers of this dish are great, especially with extra broth poured over.
- Play around and try different vegetables.  The first time I made it I used green cabbage and curly kale.  The second time neither were available to I used Chinese cabbage and leeks.

The Super Bowl (Featuring Sundried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms and Spicy Vegan Corn Muffins)

Sunday was a great day!  The Packers won the Super Bowl!! Whoo hoo!

As usual, I used it as an opportunity to try out some new recipes.  I also brought along some of the cookies I was busy making last week. 

What a wonderful spread!

 Spicy Vegan Corn Muffins

Adapted from: Agave Nectar Corn Muffins by http://devioussoybeans.com

Also check out her new vegan dessert blog at http://dessertdessert.wordpress.com

The following recipe makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 small cartons of plain soy yogurt (each carton = 6 oz)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 frozen corn kernels 

1 Tbsp cayenne pepper (or more as desired)

1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line with paper muffin liners.

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix the soy yogurt, agave nectar and canola until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir until thoroughly combined. Add the corn kernels and mix.  The batter should be very thick — too thick to pour.

5. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way. Use a small spoon or wet fingers to smooth out the tops of the muffins.

6. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

 Notes:

-Adjust the spices to your taste.

-Plain soy yogurt can be hard to find.  I found it at The Willy St Co-op.

-Don't be scared, these muffins are delicious, declared so by vegans and non-vegans alike!

Sundried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

Adapted from: Vegetarian Times

Makes about 22 mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 lb large mushrooms (roughly 22 mushrooms)

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ of 7 oz. package of firm tofu, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cup)

8-12 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp dried breadcrumbs

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 375 F. 

2.      Line a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan with foil.

3.      Clean mushrooms with slightly damp paper towel and remove stems, chop, and set aside.

4.      Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushroom stems, tofu, tomatoes, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Cook 5 minutes, or until tender. 

5.      Stir in parsley, garlic cloves, breadcrumbs, and 1 Tbsp water.  Remove from heat and cool.

6.      Stuff each mushroom cap with filling.  Douse with more olive oil.  Bake 20 minutes, or until browned and crisp on top.

 Notes:

-These mushrooms really reflect my biggest hurdle towards becoming vegan: They would be much better smothered in cheese.  When critiquing them, I had to keep reminding myself that I was missing the point if I really wanted to add cheese.  

-Despite that, these were still on the bland side.  If I make them again I will definitely add more spices and much more garlic.  They were good and people ate them, but I like my food a bit more exciting.

-On the flip side, these mushrooms are much healthier, if not quite as yummy, than traditional stuffed mushrooms.

-You can make these ahead of time.  Just make the filling, leaving out the parsley until you are ready to bake them.  Store the filling in a container until you are ready to use, then add parsley, stuff, and bake!

Mushrooms before the oven.

It was so nice to see Green Bay win and to have a communal reason to celebrate!

Now on to Valentine's Day!

Heavenly & Healthy Coconut Macaroons

We are members at the Willy St. Co-op.  Last time our membership fees were due, we decided to switch to a household membership, or as we like to call it, a Hippie Marriage.  As members, we receive a monthly newspaper containing everything from news bites to recipes.  Each month, I first flip to the questions and comments page because it is HILARIOUS.  For anyone that has seen  the show Portlandia on IFC, this page is a perfect portrait of the kinds of things the show pokes fun at.  Granted, a lot of the suggestions are good, but many are ridiculous (i.e. "The corners on the movie drop box are too sharp" or "Parking lot is too car friendly").
Like Portlandia, it is always good for those of us that are eco-conscious to be able to laugh at ourselves.
Anyway, the second thing I do when the reader arrives is flip to the recipes.  I love these recipes because they showcase local, seasonal ingredients specific to our area.

Here is a gem of a recipe from our Willy St. Co-op reader:

Heavenly Macaroons
Source: Adapted from The Willy St Co-op Reader

Ingredients:
2 1⁄2 cup shredded coconut
1⁄2 cup pastry flour (whole wheat, spelt or alternative) - I used stone ground whole wheat
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
1⁄2 cup brown rice syrup
1⁄4 cup maple syrup ( or honey)
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4-1/3 cup water
1/2 cup chocolate chips for melting

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly.
3. Mix flour, sea salt, and coconut in a bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together.
5. Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Add extra water if the batter seems dry.
6.  With wet hands, form batter into 3/4 inch balls.  You may have to squeeze some liquid out as you roll the batter in your hand.  Keep wetting hands to keep batter from sticking.  Place balls on prepared sheet.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden on top.  Remove from oven and cool completely.
8. Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips in a double boiler or very carefully in a saucepan.  When melted, remove from heat and add other 1/4 cup.  Stir until melted.
9. Dip cooled macaroons into the chocolate as desired.  (I just coated the bottoms.) Place on wax paper to cool.  If desired, sprinkle wax paper with sea salt prior to placing macaroons down.

These macaroons are very delicious.  They have a crunchy outside, a moist inside and are just sweet enough.  I'm not sure if that's what a macaroon should be like- but these are healthier and amazing the way they are!

Notes:
- No big notes for this recipe.  I modified the original recipe on my second attempt.  The first batch was good, but had a little too much almond extract.  The modified version is the one I posted because the second batch was even better!

Go eat something tasty!

Calico Skillet

Happy Friday!
My big sis texted me this recipe a few days ago.  She found it in a church cookbook belonging to my Grandma Alley.  This was my favorite dish that my mom used to make when we were kids, and wouldn't you know, it is vegetarian!  I was anxious to see if I'd remember the taste.  For this reason, I decided to stick closely to the recipe.  Normally, I change a recipe to my taste and what I have on hand.  (I did lighten it up a bit by cutting the cheese by 1/2 a cup and used an all natural tomato soup.)
My poor sweetie is not a fan of squash, zucchini included, so next time I may try different veggies.  He was courageous and ate a huge bowl regardless.
I had warned him I desperately wanted to make this recipe as is.  Boy, did it take me back to some good memories!

This recipe moves fast so it is best to have everything ready to go in ahead of time.

Ooey Gooey Goodness!

A hearty,  perfectly Dairyland Vegetarian meal.

Calico Skillet
Recipe Courtesy of Grandma Alley

Ingredients:
2 cups sliced zucchini and/or yellow squash
3 cups cooked macaroni noodles (about 6 oz uncooked)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil + 1/2 tsp butter or vegetable oil (so olive oil doesn't burn)
1 small can of tomato soup concentrate
1-14 to 16 oz can of cooked tomatoes or diced tomatoes
2 cups shredded Wisconsin cheddar cheese (or less)

Directions:
1. Saute the squash, onions, and basil in oil until onions are beginning to brown and squash is tender.
2. Add salt, soup concentrate, and tomatoes.  Add the spices and mustard. Heat through.
3. Add the cheese.  Turn off the heat and immediately cover until the cheese melts.
4. Serve over cooked pasta.

Notes:
-The recipe above will work best in a deep 12 inch pan or larger.
-It is important to only heat, not cook, when adding ingredients to prevent overcooking.
-I always taste zucchini raw before I add it to anything because I have had one too many bitter bites of it in  the past.
-It is hard to take pictures secretly in the kitchen.   Brent was in the living room the whole time yelling, "Are you taking pictures of your food?"!!  Ugh.  I haven't told him about this side project yet.

Vegan Jam Thumbprint Cookies!

Here is another recipe I made since today was a snow day!


Vegan Jam Thumbprint Cookies from Vegetarian Times.
Jam courtesy of Karen, a friend of the family who gifted us many jars of the jewel-toned goodness for Christmas.

Peach and Blueberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Recipe Tips: I used stone ground whole wheat flour because I like the nutty flavor and texture it adds.  I used 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 all purpose white flour.
I would also recommend blind baking the cookies for 5 minutes before adding the jam to prevent it from staining the rim of the cookie.
Yum!
Now off to dig out our cars since the plow FINALLY came!

A Snow Day (Featuring Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti)

Greetings!
Last night we got pummeled by the blizzard that stretched across the country.  We figured we wouldn't have to go to work today and sure enough- we got the official word this morning.  I called the weather hotline for my work at 8:50 AM and by 9 I was in the kitchen making pancakes and then finishing a project from last night: Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti.

 

Our cars lined up and prepared for the storm.

Cars post storm.  They don't look bad because all of the wind caused so much drifting!

Anyway, in anticipation of the snow day, I started making the Chocolate Ginger Biscotti last night since it has to bake, cool, bake, cool, and be glazed.  Here's the recipe and a picture of the final product:

Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti
Adapted from The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook
Yields about 50 small cookies

Ingredients:
2/3 C Superfine Sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 all-purpose whole wheat flour (I used stone ground)
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder (or carob)
2 Tbsp glace ginger, finely chopped (I used Reed's Ginger Candy Chews from Woodman's because it is much MUCH cheaper than glace ginger in the spice aisle.)
1/3 C pecans, roughly chopped
1/3 C almonds, roughly chopped

Icing:
1 C Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Special equipment:
Parchment paper
Disposable piping bag

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Using electric beaters, beat the sugar and eggs together for 3 minutes, or until thick, pale and increased in volume (or until your hand mixer dies again like mine did).  Sift in the flour and carob powder and stir with a wooden spoon until almost combined.  Add the ginger and nuts, and use a clean hand to mix until well combined.  The batter was very sticky.
3. Divide the mixture in half and shape into two 6 inch long logs.  Place on the prepared tray and flatten to 3/4 inch thickness.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until firm.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
4. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.  Cut the logs into slices about 1/3 inch thick.  Spread out in a single layer on a tray or two and bake for 10 minutes.  Flip each cookie and then bake another 10 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
5. Melt half the chocolate chips in a double boiler (or over very low heat stirring constantly). Remove from heat and add other half of chips.  Stir until melted.
6. Spoon melted chocolate into a piping bag.  Snip off the end.  Drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti.  I put parchment paper underneath for an easy clean up.

Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti.  My pictures clearly need a lot of work.  I would have perfected this but moments later I dropped all of the remaining pecans on the floor.

 That's all for now!
Next time: Vegan Jam Thumbprint cookies!