This is pretty much the same as the Lemon-blah-blah-blah cupcakes... A few differences.
First, pre-heat your oven to 350. Then set up your cupcake tin with the foil cupcake liners. For some reason, the paper ones really, really, really stick. Don't waste your cupcakes on paper liners.
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream,
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Then sift these things together and put into the wet mixture.
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up and add some Instant Coffee. I like about 3 Tablespoons. You may not. I don't know. Just add until it tastes right. There are no dangerous raw ingredients, like eggs, so just taste it.
Fill your cupcake liners just about 2/3 of the way and bake your cupcakes 20 to 22 minutes and then, transfer 'em to a cooling rack to let cool.
For the frosting, I mix up like 1/4 cup of vegan shortening, a 1/4 cup of vegan cream cheese, and a bit of Earth Balance with a ton of powdered sugar---really all the powdered sugar I can fit into the yummy fats. Then add about a Tablespoon of Jack Daniels. Then add a bit more powdered sugar. Beat the heck out of it.
I cool the cupcakes and the frosting overnight in the fridge, but you may not be able to wait that long. You'll have to let the cupcakes cool a bit, otherwise your frosting will melt and you don't want that.
Yum.
Eat 'em up.
Next time I make them, I'm going to shave some tasty vegan carob and pretend that it's tabacco sprinkles.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Vegan Creamy Cheesy Ham & Peas Pasta
I made something like this years and years ago with prosciutto and actual cream... I can't remember what the recipe was called and my google-fu is failing me, so... Well... Yeah... There's that, then... (Nice intro, right?)
This morning, I was remembering how it tasted and thought I could probably make up a vegan version with the fake ham (http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-ham-slices) that I had left over from my Vegan McMuffins that I made earlier this week (Yum!).
So, I put some pasta on to cook and started prepping my ingredients. I used the same pot to cook up my sauce while my pasta drained in the sink.
I took some finely chopped green onions out of the freezer, then finely minced a clove of garlic and thinly sliced a few slices of that faux ham and sautéed those three things in a mess of Earth Balance butter.
When they were heated through and yummy (really, heat it through so that any sharpness from your garlic is gone), I added some soymilk (I buy those lunch soy milks to cook with, since I do not like drinking the plain kind.), the nutritional yeast, and two slices of fake cheddar cheese (also leftover from the Tasty Vegan McMuffins).
Truth be told, I had to keep adding soymilk to keep the sauce from really firming up... I used about a box and a half total, but started with just the one box.
Then, I tossed in a bag of frozen petite peas. I was going to just use half the bag, but those peas looked so darn tasty that I threw caution to the wind and put 'em all in.
When the peas were done, I put the pasta back in the pot and just stirred it all up.
I served that tastiness up with some ground pepper. White pepper would have been nice. As would have freshly ground pepper, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
I froze several servings in single serve Ziploc plastic bags to take to RockIt, because she just had a baby and needs food for her freezer!
Ingredients:
1 box of sulfite-free orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup fake butter
1/2 cup green onions, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small bag of frozen petite peas
4 slices fake ham, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 - 2 lunch sized boxes of plain soymilk
3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
2 slices of vegan cheddar/American cheese
pepper to taste (really, you're not going to need *any* salt here)
This morning, I was remembering how it tasted and thought I could probably make up a vegan version with the fake ham (http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-ham-slices) that I had left over from my Vegan McMuffins that I made earlier this week (Yum!).
So, I put some pasta on to cook and started prepping my ingredients. I used the same pot to cook up my sauce while my pasta drained in the sink.
I took some finely chopped green onions out of the freezer, then finely minced a clove of garlic and thinly sliced a few slices of that faux ham and sautéed those three things in a mess of Earth Balance butter.
When they were heated through and yummy (really, heat it through so that any sharpness from your garlic is gone), I added some soymilk (I buy those lunch soy milks to cook with, since I do not like drinking the plain kind.), the nutritional yeast, and two slices of fake cheddar cheese (also leftover from the Tasty Vegan McMuffins).
Truth be told, I had to keep adding soymilk to keep the sauce from really firming up... I used about a box and a half total, but started with just the one box.
Then, I tossed in a bag of frozen petite peas. I was going to just use half the bag, but those peas looked so darn tasty that I threw caution to the wind and put 'em all in.
When the peas were done, I put the pasta back in the pot and just stirred it all up.
I served that tastiness up with some ground pepper. White pepper would have been nice. As would have freshly ground pepper, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
I froze several servings in single serve Ziploc plastic bags to take to RockIt, because she just had a baby and needs food for her freezer!
Ingredients:
1 box of sulfite-free orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup fake butter
1/2 cup green onions, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small bag of frozen petite peas
4 slices fake ham, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 - 2 lunch sized boxes of plain soymilk
3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
2 slices of vegan cheddar/American cheese
pepper to taste (really, you're not going to need *any* salt here)
Friday, January 22, 2010
Spaghetti Made of Awesome and TVP
I love the food processor. So very much. And I don't think that I could attempt this sauce without it. Or, if I did, the carrots would show and then my Mom wouldn't eat it. Tee hee hee...
Throw an onion in the food processor. Chop it up. Put it in a big pot on the stove with some olive oil and brown the onion. This is a crucial step, as it will provide the sauce with a flavor of heartiness.
Throw a bag of baby carrots into the food processor. Grind them up fine. When your onion is browned, add the carrots.
Throw a big ol' bunch of basil and 4-6 cloves of garlic into the food processor. Chop this up finely, as well. Add to the pot on the stove.
Add some oregano and a few bay leaves. I like to buy my spices as I need them in bulk, because it's less expensive and the dried herbs are more potent when they haven't been sitting in my cupboard for ten zillion years.
Open up 3 big cans of tomato sauce and one can of tomato paste. Empty them into the pot.
Cut up several (3 large) zucchini and add them to the pot. I like to cut them in quarters lengthwise and then chop 'em into little bits. The food processor does not do this one well. Use your knife skills.
Add a lot of fresh spinach and cook until the zucchini and the spinach are done.
Pour in about a cup or so of TVP.
You can also add some nutritional yeast. This makes for a cheesy-tomato sauce, which I enjoy, but you may not. You might. Go for it.
I like this over shells or orichette or fusilli or something like that, instead of spaghetti noodles, but, hey, make your own choices…
Throw an onion in the food processor. Chop it up. Put it in a big pot on the stove with some olive oil and brown the onion. This is a crucial step, as it will provide the sauce with a flavor of heartiness.
Throw a bag of baby carrots into the food processor. Grind them up fine. When your onion is browned, add the carrots.
Throw a big ol' bunch of basil and 4-6 cloves of garlic into the food processor. Chop this up finely, as well. Add to the pot on the stove.
Add some oregano and a few bay leaves. I like to buy my spices as I need them in bulk, because it's less expensive and the dried herbs are more potent when they haven't been sitting in my cupboard for ten zillion years.
Open up 3 big cans of tomato sauce and one can of tomato paste. Empty them into the pot.
Cut up several (3 large) zucchini and add them to the pot. I like to cut them in quarters lengthwise and then chop 'em into little bits. The food processor does not do this one well. Use your knife skills.
Add a lot of fresh spinach and cook until the zucchini and the spinach are done.
Pour in about a cup or so of TVP.
You can also add some nutritional yeast. This makes for a cheesy-tomato sauce, which I enjoy, but you may not. You might. Go for it.
I like this over shells or orichette or fusilli or something like that, instead of spaghetti noodles, but, hey, make your own choices…
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Myer Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes
So tasty. So very tasty...
First, pre-heat your oven to 350. Then set up your cupcake tin with the foil cupcake liners. For some reason, the paper ones really, really, really stick. Don't waste your cupcakes on paper liners.
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream,
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
the zest from one myer lemon
the juice from one myer lemon
Then sift these things together and put into the wet mixture.
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up and add some poppyseeds. I like a lot of poppyseeds. You may not. I don't know. Just add until it looks right.
Fill your cupcake liners just about halfway. If you put too much batter in, then when it's time to glaze your cupcakes, you'll spill the glaze all over the counter... Wasting precious tasty glaze...
Bake your cupcakes 20 to 22 minutes and then, transfer 'em to a cooling rack to let cool.
While they are cooling, juice another Myer Lemon. Then add powdered sugar to the juice until it's all glaze-like.
Now, POKE your cupcakes with a stick!!! Okay, a toothpick. Poke 'em a lot. Not so much that they are reduced to crumbles, but enough that they get glaze through and through when you pour a little more than a teaspoon on top of each cupcake.
Yum.
Eat 'em up.
Oh! They are tasty when cold.
First, pre-heat your oven to 350. Then set up your cupcake tin with the foil cupcake liners. For some reason, the paper ones really, really, really stick. Don't waste your cupcakes on paper liners.
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream,
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
the zest from one myer lemon
the juice from one myer lemon
Then sift these things together and put into the wet mixture.
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up and add some poppyseeds. I like a lot of poppyseeds. You may not. I don't know. Just add until it looks right.
Fill your cupcake liners just about halfway. If you put too much batter in, then when it's time to glaze your cupcakes, you'll spill the glaze all over the counter... Wasting precious tasty glaze...
Bake your cupcakes 20 to 22 minutes and then, transfer 'em to a cooling rack to let cool.
While they are cooling, juice another Myer Lemon. Then add powdered sugar to the juice until it's all glaze-like.
Now, POKE your cupcakes with a stick!!! Okay, a toothpick. Poke 'em a lot. Not so much that they are reduced to crumbles, but enough that they get glaze through and through when you pour a little more than a teaspoon on top of each cupcake.
Yum.
Eat 'em up.
Oh! They are tasty when cold.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Vegan Carob Brownies Tonight!
Okay... So you try finding a Vegan Carob Brownie recipe that I can eat... Yeah... Not happening.
Vegan Chocolate Brownie? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Whole Grains? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Nuts? Vegan Carob with Applesauce? Yup. None of these work for me.
I found this recipe, but it, of course, called for chocolate. I've spent some time in the kitchen and think I know how to make substitutions that make Carob things better and I'm going to test that out tonight. Here's my proposed recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup carob powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Mix wet ingredients
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cold coffee
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, melted
1/2 cup mashed banana
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix up the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients together. If I have any vegan carob chips left over, I'll throw those into the mix, too.
Grease a 9x13 baking pan with Earth Balance and dust with Carob Powder.
Install Vegan Carob Brownie mix into baking pan and bake for 23 minutes.
Okay, I'm totally guessing on the time. I think somewhere between 20 and 35 minutes will do perfectly, but I have no idea. I'll have to wait and see... Just like you!)
----------
edits:
As I am wont to do, I even read my instructions wrong! Goodness... No worries, though. Secret Vegan Carob Brownies now have 1/2 the sugar!
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Also, my banana wasn't a 1/2 cups worth! So, I added some coconut milk solids to make 1/2 cup.
Additionally, I couldn't find the vegan shortening, but I did find an extra tub of Earth Balance hidden in the back of the fridge, so I used that and melting it seemed kind of ridiculous, at the time. I don't know why... Perhaps because I would have had to measure it in the copper measuring cup-thing and then put it in glass and then put it in the microwave and then push buttons... Or, I could just put it in with the liquids. I chose the second option! :-)
Moreover, I couldn't be bothered to find the 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, so the vanilla was nearly a full 2 teaspoons...
Gosh! Secret Vegan!!!! If you can't follow a recipe, do you really expect others to?
In the oven baking now! How exciting!!!
----------
update:
Yummy and cake-y. :-) Needs more sugar. More brown sugar. Coconut milk works. No banana next time. Also, needs chopped up Vegan Carob Chips mixed into the batter. Additionally, needs Carob Powder to be mixed with something hot and melted, before adding to mixture. Then, should be made of Awesome.
Vegan Chocolate Brownie? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Whole Grains? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Nuts? Vegan Carob with Applesauce? Yup. None of these work for me.
I found this recipe, but it, of course, called for chocolate. I've spent some time in the kitchen and think I know how to make substitutions that make Carob things better and I'm going to test that out tonight. Here's my proposed recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup carob powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Mix wet ingredients
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cold coffee
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, melted
1/2 cup mashed banana
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix up the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients together. If I have any vegan carob chips left over, I'll throw those into the mix, too.
Grease a 9x13 baking pan with Earth Balance and dust with Carob Powder.
Install Vegan Carob Brownie mix into baking pan and bake for 23 minutes.
Okay, I'm totally guessing on the time. I think somewhere between 20 and 35 minutes will do perfectly, but I have no idea. I'll have to wait and see... Just like you!)
----------
edits:
As I am wont to do, I even read my instructions wrong! Goodness... No worries, though. Secret Vegan Carob Brownies now have 1/2 the sugar!
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Also, my banana wasn't a 1/2 cups worth! So, I added some coconut milk solids to make 1/2 cup.
Additionally, I couldn't find the vegan shortening, but I did find an extra tub of Earth Balance hidden in the back of the fridge, so I used that and melting it seemed kind of ridiculous, at the time. I don't know why... Perhaps because I would have had to measure it in the copper measuring cup-thing and then put it in glass and then put it in the microwave and then push buttons... Or, I could just put it in with the liquids. I chose the second option! :-)
Moreover, I couldn't be bothered to find the 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, so the vanilla was nearly a full 2 teaspoons...
Gosh! Secret Vegan!!!! If you can't follow a recipe, do you really expect others to?
In the oven baking now! How exciting!!!
----------
update:
Yummy and cake-y. :-) Needs more sugar. More brown sugar. Coconut milk works. No banana next time. Also, needs chopped up Vegan Carob Chips mixed into the batter. Additionally, needs Carob Powder to be mixed with something hot and melted, before adding to mixture. Then, should be made of Awesome.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Best Popcorn In The World...
When it comes to popcorn, I am a master. I make stove top popcorn with oil. It is not low-fat. It tastes really, really good.
You will need:
Popcorn (the kind that comes in a bag or a bottle),
Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
A large pot with a handle
A nice fitting lid
A stove
A Paper Bag, preferable with Handles
A nice big Popcorn Bowl
Paper towels
Go ahead and set everything up on the counters, so that it is all within reach. This process goes really fast and you will not have time to open a cupboard.
You shouldn't measure anything with official measuring devices. That is crazy and you will never learn to just throw stuff into the pot and make popcorn in 3 minutes or less on the stove.
So, put the pot on the stove. Turn the stove on high. I always use the gas range. I do not know how an electric range works. If you have an electric range, you should know how it works and make the appropriate changes.
Immediately, pour the Canola Oil in the bottom of the pot. Coat the bottom of the pot.
Shake in the popcorn kernals. Enough that there is nearly a full SINGLE layer of popcorn kernals on the bottom of the pan, but not super-crowded together. Do not crowd your kernals... You don't like to be crowded, right? It's the same for your kernals.
Make sure by shaking things around that the oil is coating your popcorn. You may need to add a little bit of oil. Don't drown your kernals. You don't like to drown, right? It's the same for your kernals. ;-)
Cover with the lid and stand there and wait patiently for the kernals to pop open and miracolousy, without the aid of a microwave, become popcorn.
Shake up your popcorn. The goal of the shaking is to make the kernals go to the bottom of the pot and leave the first popped kernals at the top. You do not have to shake constantly, but you can, if it makes you feel more in control.
Listen.
Listen to your popcorn. It will tell you when it is done, by stopping to pop.
Immediately dump your entire pot of popcorn into a brown paper bag. Drizzle some olive oil on it---not too much---then shake the bag. Add some salt. Shake the bag. Add some freshly ground pepper----not a lot, it just makes the olive oil taste better.
Taste your popcorn. If it needs more oil/salt/pepper, add that. Then taste it again. Perfect? Good. Now, dump it into a big bowl or several bowls---whichever you prefer and eat it up. Yum. Serve with paper towels.
You will need:
Popcorn (the kind that comes in a bag or a bottle),
Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
A large pot with a handle
A nice fitting lid
A stove
A Paper Bag, preferable with Handles
A nice big Popcorn Bowl
Paper towels
Go ahead and set everything up on the counters, so that it is all within reach. This process goes really fast and you will not have time to open a cupboard.
You shouldn't measure anything with official measuring devices. That is crazy and you will never learn to just throw stuff into the pot and make popcorn in 3 minutes or less on the stove.
So, put the pot on the stove. Turn the stove on high. I always use the gas range. I do not know how an electric range works. If you have an electric range, you should know how it works and make the appropriate changes.
Immediately, pour the Canola Oil in the bottom of the pot. Coat the bottom of the pot.
Shake in the popcorn kernals. Enough that there is nearly a full SINGLE layer of popcorn kernals on the bottom of the pan, but not super-crowded together. Do not crowd your kernals... You don't like to be crowded, right? It's the same for your kernals.
Make sure by shaking things around that the oil is coating your popcorn. You may need to add a little bit of oil. Don't drown your kernals. You don't like to drown, right? It's the same for your kernals. ;-)
Cover with the lid and stand there and wait patiently for the kernals to pop open and miracolousy, without the aid of a microwave, become popcorn.
Shake up your popcorn. The goal of the shaking is to make the kernals go to the bottom of the pot and leave the first popped kernals at the top. You do not have to shake constantly, but you can, if it makes you feel more in control.
Listen.
Listen to your popcorn. It will tell you when it is done, by stopping to pop.
Immediately dump your entire pot of popcorn into a brown paper bag. Drizzle some olive oil on it---not too much---then shake the bag. Add some salt. Shake the bag. Add some freshly ground pepper----not a lot, it just makes the olive oil taste better.
Taste your popcorn. If it needs more oil/salt/pepper, add that. Then taste it again. Perfect? Good. Now, dump it into a big bowl or several bowls---whichever you prefer and eat it up. Yum. Serve with paper towels.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Vegan, Nut-free, Chocolate-Free "Nutella" aka NOTella(!)
What? Is this some kind of joke? No. No, it's not... It just sounds silly. Like egg-less egg salad or pleather.
I'm allergic to chocolate and, usually, about once a month, this is the most terrible thing that has ever happened to me! Today was especially bad, because:
But my google-fu was strong and I found an easy recipe!
The Goodbaker says
I'm allergic to chocolate and, usually, about once a month, this is the most terrible thing that has ever happened to me! Today was especially bad, because:
- it's my "moon time"
- I feel like a bloated bloaty bloat bag
- I had to go shopping
- for a bridesmaid dress
- I needed to bring my mom to help me
- who made me try on caftans and house tents and everything else she could find that would make me feel unattractive
- and who demanded See's candy as a reward
- I had to go into said See's candy, which has nothing in it that I could even pretend that I might be able to eat and
- someone mentioned Nutella, which not only has dairy, but also has nuts and chocolate, each of which would create an allergic reaction in me alone and
- had me obsessing for hours about how I could possibly eat it without hurting myself
But my google-fu was strong and I found an easy recipe!
The Goodbaker says
Ingredients:
- Smooth nut butter of choice *
- good-quality dark chocolate chipsPreparation:
1) In a double-boiler or microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 parts chocolate chips and 3 parts nut butter.
2) Heat gently and stir until smooth. That’s it!
However, I can't eat nuts or chocolate *and* I read the recipe wrong!
So, I mixed 2 parts Sunbutter with 3 parts Vegan Carob Chips, which is the absolute opposite of what the Goodbaker said to do, but that's what happens when you read a recipe once and feel like you've got it down pat, because it's only two ingredients and how could you mess that up???
I heated the combo up in the microwave for 20 seconds, stirred it a bit, but it was still a little chunky, so I heated it up for another 15 seconds and that allowed me to stir it until it was smooth and...
Voila! Vegan, Nut-free, Chocolate-Free "Nutella"! aka one of the most ridiculous things that I have ever made.
I toasted up a vegan sourdough english muffin and I spread that NOTella(!) over the toasty tops and it was tasty.
I'm not thinking it would fool someone who's had nuts or chocolate any time recently, but it worked for me. Plus, it was super-easy!
Yum!
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