tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60230723389024110692024-02-08T02:22:52.108-08:00VeganspiredAbbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-17594506864610462372013-07-11T18:18:00.000-07:002013-07-11T18:18:05.626-07:00Banana Nutty Cookies (With Chocolate)So. It's time for something sweet.<br />
<br />
A new friend of mine is vegan AND gluten-free. Crazy! I can't imagine living like that, only because I LOVE the crap out of bread.<br />
<br />
So it was a challenge, to say the least, to make a vegan / gf treat for her.<br />
<br />
Lucky for me, Oh She Glows is an amazing website full of good recipes for allergy-riddled friends. ;)<br />
<br />
When I saw <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2012/12/05/crispy-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies-vegan-gluten-free/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, I was pretty intrigued.<br />
<br />
So here I am, making a bunch of cookies.<br />
<br />
Guess what? I DIDN'T BUY ANY FUCKING VEGAN BUTTER.<br />
<br />
I = DUMBASS.<br />
<br />
So instead of butter, I mashed up a banana and used that instead.<br />
<br />
I can't even really tell you why I did that, except that I vaguely remember substituting fruit puree for oil in previous recipes.<br />
<br />
The outcome was delectable. I win.<br />
<br />
Here's my altered recipe:<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp warm water<br />
1/2 a banana, mashed up like a motherfucker into a nice banana-butter<br />
1/4 cup natural unsalted peanut butter<br />
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup turbinado sugar<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp sea salt<br />
1 cup gluten free oats, ground into a flour<br />
3/4 cup hazelnuts, ground into a flour<br />
1/4 cup almonds, ground into a flour<br />
1/3 cup allergy-friendly chocolate chips<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together the flax egg and set aside for 5 minutes so it can thicken up.<br />
2. With an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, beat the banana and peanut butter until combined. Add both sugars and beat for 1 minute more. Beat in flax egg until combined.<br />
3. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, salt, oat flour, hazelnut flour, and almond flour) one by one. If your dough is dry (this could be the case if too much flour is used), you can add a splash of almond milk to thin it out. Fold in chocolate chips.<br />
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4. Shape 1-inch balls of dough (smaller than golf balls) and place on the baking sheet. If the chocolate chips aren't sticking to the dough, just press them in with your fingers. There's no need to flatten the balls as the cookies spread out a lot. Place balls 2 - 3 inches apart.<br />
5. Bake for about 11 - 13 minutes until lightly golden. The underside will also be a rich golden brown shade. The cookies will be very soft coming out of the oven, but they will harden as they cool. Allow to cool for 5 - 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle cookies with flaked sea salt to bring out the peanut butter flavor.<br />
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SHIT TASTES GOOD<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
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<b>Deliciousness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Not even a 'good for something vegan and gluten free' type delicious. Just straight up delicious. TASTES LIKE HEAVEN</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 3/5</b><br />
<i>Whatever, they're cookies.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Just grindin' shit and mixin' shit.</i><br />
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<br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-1580740751502093822013-05-16T14:20:00.004-07:002013-05-16T14:20:40.515-07:00Chocolate Vegan Sugarless Truffles<span id="goog_1015344808"></span><span id="goog_1015344809"></span><span id="goog_805271755"></span><span id="goog_805271756"></span><span id="goog_374260453"></span><span id="goog_374260454"></span>Delicous alternative to traditional chocolate desserts?<br />
<br />
Bring it.<br />
<br />
Here we have this nice lil' recipe from Cristina Colli. It's full of good things for you!<br />
<br />
[[Note: Link no longer works!]]<br />
<br />
I altered the ingredients a little bit. So here's what I used:<br />
<br />
43g prunes<br />
15g peanut butter<br />
15g tahini<br />
30g coconut oil<br />
20g cacao powder<br />
15g shredded unsweetened coconut<br />
18g flaxseed<br />
<br />
Here's what you do with all that shit!<br />
<br />
1. Place all the dry ingredients (coconut, cacao powder, flaxseeds) in a food processor and pulse to mix.<br />
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2. Add prunes and blend until it becomes a crumbly mixture.<br />
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3. Add tahini, oil, and peanut butter to mix. Blend until it's all goopy.<br />
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4. Roll the paste out in your hands into tiny little balls.<br />
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5. EAT THEM<br />
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6. DON'T LET YOUR DOG EAT THEM BECAUSE CHOCOLATE IS POISON TO DOGS<br />
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(Jackson is pictured here, sad and starving.)<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Best indulgent treat that makes you kinda feel healthy. Kinda.</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Prettiness: 2/5</b><br />
<i>Kinda looks like balls of poop. But if you cover it in flaked coconut, that might be cute. Or look like balls of bird poop.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 4/5</b><br />
<i>You just mix it all up. Kind of a mess, but hey! It's a fun mess.</i><br />
<br />
<br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-65857442183722408982013-05-07T16:40:00.004-07:002013-05-07T16:40:53.659-07:00Volunteer Trip to Europe!Good afternoon, blogging buddies.<br />
<br />
I haven't talked much about it on my blog, because I haven't been posting much in general on my blog...but I have an amazing trip coming up.<br />
<br />
My best friend Mahalia and I will be volunteering on organic farms in Europe for about 8 months.<br />
<br />
We will be leaving on September 4th and coming home in late April of next year. <br />
<br />
Both of us come from weird family situations that make going to college at this point in our lives financially irresponsible. However, we both really want to feel productive and do something with ourselves in the time that we have to wait until we can be independent on our FAFSA's.<br />
<br />
So we're using wwoof.org to travel to Europe and volunteer at a variety of farms, to help people out and to learn new skills. We will also be busking with our instruments along the way.<br />
<br />
Since I'd really love to be a nutritionist one way, I'm excited about the opportunity to work with food from the ground up (pun intended!) I feel like this is not only an amazing way to see the world and connect with new people, but also an amazing learning experience for me.<br />
<br />
Mahalia's considering pursuing music or working with animals, so this is obviously a fantastic way for her to learn if either of those paths would be suitable for her.<br />
<br />
We've made a little fundraising page.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gofundme.com/Seattle-WWOOFers" target="_blank">Our fundraising page! </a><br />
<br />
If you feel inspired to donate to our cause, please do! We want to work with and for the community! Hopefully we can also get a little boost from our own communities to get out there and achieve this goal.<br />
<br />
<br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-24178103371680367222013-03-15T12:05:00.002-07:002013-03-15T12:28:07.878-07:00Bon Matin MuffinsMuffins that scream good morning!<br />
<br />
Here they are! Screaming at you!<br />
<br />
BON MATIN GOOD MORNING GOEDEMORGEN GUTEN MORGEN<br />
<br />
Got this recipe from "Vegan With A Vengeance". Changed it up, just a teensy bit!<br />
<br />
1/2 cup raisins<br />
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1/4 cup millet flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
1/4 cup brown rice syrup<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
4/5 cup soy milk<br />
1/4 cup melted coconut oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 1/4 cups grated carrot<br />
1/4 cup hemp seed hearts<br />
1/4 cup cocoa nibs<br />
<br />
I decided to add the hemp seeds because they're full of good fats, vitamins and minerals. They also add a nice nutty flavor and a little bit of seedy texture.<br />
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As for the cocoa nibs, I personally tried them a few months ago when I went to the Theo chocolate factory here in Seattle. They gave us samples of tasty goodness throughout the tour, including these little cocoa nibs. The nibs are just cocoa beans that have been separated from their shell and roasted. They're full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They kind of taste like ground espresso beans; not sweet, but cocoa-y and crunchy. Adds a GREAT texture to baked goods!<br />
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put lil' papers in your muffin tin.<br />
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Soak the raisins in a bowl of hot water (so they get all nice and plump) and begin preparing the batter.<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.<br />
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Create a well in the center and add the milk, oil, brown rice syrup, and vanilla; mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.<br />
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Fold in grated carrots, drained raisins, cocoa nibs, and hemp seed hearts.<br />
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Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Let cool on a cooling rack.<br />
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EAT THEM THANGS<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Variety of textures, just the right amount of sweetness, a nice cakey crumble. It's great! Not life-changing, but delicious enough to be very happy afterwards. :)</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 3/5</b><br />
<i>Grating carrots takes a long time. Other than that, simple. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 4/5 </b><br />
<i>Look at all them colors and stuff.</i>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-41084591872238508772013-01-24T20:20:00.002-08:002013-01-24T20:20:26.382-08:00Rye Rye Rye Vegan Rye RyeWell whaddya know? This bitch loves rye whiskey.<br />
<br />
I have tried a variety of whiskeys. I have really tried to understand what the fuck is so great about whiskey.<br />
<br />
To me, whiskey just tasted like woodsy acid. I never understood the appeal of drinking something that tastes like you're biting into a tree and it's burning your mouth with liquid chemicals. Especially when you have the option to drink something as delicious as tequila, instead.<br />
<br />
Then the other day, a coworker had me try Knob Creek rye whiskey. DAYUM.<br />
<br />
It was carmely, spicy, and still had that woodsy-ness (but it wasn't nasty anymore because all the other flavors worked so well with it).<br />
<br />
RYE WHISKEY, HELLO. WELCOME TO MY HOUSE.<br />
<br />
So the other day I was in Portland. Portland is in Oregon. Oregon does not have outrageous liquor tax laws like my beloved Washington does.<br />
<br />
I went a little cray-cray and bought a bunch of liquor. Including some rye whiskey!<br />
<br />
And guess what! A manhattan is vegan! (As long as you check barnivore, to make sure your whiskey is vegan!)<br />
<br />
GO GET YOUR MANHATTAN ON, BITCHES<br />
<br />
The animals will thank you!<br />
<br />
2 1/2 oz rye whiskey<br />
3/4 oz sweet vermouth<br />
3 - 4 dashes angostura bitters<br />
1 maraschino cherry<br />
<br />
Combine whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice. Shake gently. Put cherry into a chilled cocktail glass, strain drink over the cherry.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xi-5M6UuhLg/UQIHblyH2HI/AAAAAAAAAwg/gP1LWsMDsI0/s1600/mahattanziepies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xi-5M6UuhLg/UQIHblyH2HI/AAAAAAAAAwg/gP1LWsMDsI0/s320/mahattanziepies.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
<br />
DRINK IT<br />
<br />
BITCH.<br />
<br />
SINCERELY,<br />
<br />
RYE WHISKEY FAN<br />
<br />
AND<br />
<br />
LOVER OF ALL THINGS WITH CHERRIES<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000613802463762&pid=UBM9780813190549&adurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdsbooksdvds.com%2Fproduct.jhtm%3Fsku%3DUBM9780813190549&usg=AFHzDLtCimroD9JNfIkPEcDUea-Hg9ZMNg&pubid=616156" rel="nofollow">Kentucky Moonshine by Maurer, David W. [Paperback] (Google Affiliate Ad)</a>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-78068495164157038652013-01-20T11:35:00.000-08:002013-01-20T11:35:03.312-08:00"The Master Cleanse"I would like to take advantage of the fact that this blog allows me to rant about things related to food.<br />
<br />
Anyone ever heard of "The Master Cleanse"?<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
I am going to talk about how much I DO NOT support people trying this ridiculous fast.<br />
<br />
You drink a concoction of lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and water. All day. For two weeks straight.<br />
<br />
You don't eat any food.<br />
<br />
If you're not shitting enough (because you know, you're not eating) you are allowed to drink an herbal laxative tea at night. You're also allowed to drink straight salt water.<br />
<br />
The supposed benefits? Detoxifying your body.<br />
<br />
The problem: While you're not taking in enough calories or vitamins or minerals or ANY nutrients, your body dips into stores of these nutrients robbing your body of energy and vitality.<br />
<br />
You also will likely lose weight, mostly water and muscle weight.<br />
<br />
Fasting robs your intestines of healthy bacteria, meaning your digestive and immune systems will get fucked up.<br />
<br />
And to top that all off: our livers already detoxify our body. That's what they're for.<br />
<br />
ALTERNATIVES:<br />
<br />
If you want to 'detoxify' your body, boost your liver health so it can do it's job more effectively.<br />
<br />
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Quit smoking. Avoid white sugar, and avoid sweetened foods in general. Avoid overly processed foods. Maintain a healthy weight, and if you're not at a healthy weight, get there.<br />
<br />
Basically don't give your liver a bunch of extra work to do.<br />
<br />
If you're REALLY concerned about your liver health, you can take a milk thistle supplement and make sure to eat plenty of sulfur-rich foods. <br />
<br />
Moral of the story:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Stop hurting yourself while trying to help yourself. <3</b><br />
<br />
Want more information? Check out a couple of these links:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cncahealth.com/health-info/general/top-ways-protect-liver-health.htm" target="_blank">CNCA Health</a><br />
<a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-lemonade-diet-master-cleanse-diet?page=2" target="_blank">WebMD</a><br />
<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/23/Should-You-Detox-to-Get-Rid-of-Chemicals.aspx" target="_blank">Dr. Mercola's Ideas on "The Master Cleanse"</a><b><br /></b>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-61291639203398976582013-01-16T10:47:00.002-08:002013-01-16T10:49:26.653-08:00Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free Delicious Tiny Strawberry PiesThis is the most absurdly allergy-friendly tasty treat there ever fucking was.<br />
<br />
I used <a href="http://food52.com/recipes/19559_perfect_vegan_pie_crust" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from Food 52 to make a vegan pie crust that was flaky and delicious for some random vegan tofu quiche I made a while ago. I decided to make it with gluten free flour instead of regular flour....and see if it was delicious or nasty.<br />
<br />
Turns out, it's not so bad. I just substiutted Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour and a little xantham gum for the normal flour. It tastes a little crumblier, but that's not bad for a pie crust anyways.<br />
<br />
I also substituted coconut sugar for the sugar. And it's only a tablespoon anyways for the whole batch, so that's practically nothing. <br />
<br />
I stuck it in the fridge and decided to save it for "later," if I decided to make quiche again or make some other random pie thing.<br />
<br />
"Later" turned into this morning, when I decided I wanted to bake it and throw frozen strawberries on top and have a teensy little strawberry shortcake for breakfast. <br />
<br />
Healthy? Not particularly. But it's better than a greasy breakfast wrap or a mocha or a pile of pancakes, so suck my balls.<br />
<br />
All I did was take the cold dough out of the fridge, let it warm up on the counter for a bit until it was roll-able, and spread it out in a tiny tart tin that I have. I put that in a 425 degree oven for 5 minutes, then threw the frozen strawberries on top and put it back in for ten more minutes.<br />
<br />
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<br />
^ Crust, all alone.<br />
<br />
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<br />
^ Crust, all covered in frozen berries.<br />
<br />
<br />
TASTY!<br />
<br />
AND VEGAN AND GLUTEN FREE AND ALMOST NO ADDED SUGAR!<br />
<br />
GOOD FUCKING MORNING<br />
<br />
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^ Cooked and toasty and warm and gooey and sweet! <br />
<br />
<br />
RATINGS:<br />
<br />
Deliciousness: 4/5<br />
It tastes good and simple and the crust is decent. It was a knock-your-socks-off crust with regular flour, and the gluten-free flour knocked it down to just four stars. Not bad for a crust, though!<br />
<br />
Ease of Preparation: 3/5<br />
Cutting in the coconut oil was annoying, but it's just time-consuming. Worth it.<br />
<br />
Prettiness: 5/5<br />
FANCY TART LOOK AT HOW FANCY YOU ARE Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-47341819150027020582013-01-02T10:54:00.002-08:002013-01-02T10:54:53.601-08:00Hello, Bandwagon. Ok, so I'm joining the fad.<br />
<br />
For two weeks, I'm cutting gluten out of my diet to see how my body responds.<br />
<br />
I honestly always thought that the gluten-free thing was stupid. I understand that for those with Celiac disease, it's obviously a health issue and being gluten-free is necessary to live a normal life. But for people who just want to jump on the bandwagon for weight-loss? I thought they were fucking morons.<br />
<br />
I was judgmentally researching the gluten-free thing the other day, and I realized...I actually have some similar problems to people who have gluten sensitivity.<br />
<br />
I KNOW I'm lactose intolerant. I've never been tested, but when I have dairy, my digestive system basically screams FUCK YOU and makes me sick for a good two hours. To avoid being sick, I avoid dairy. Simple, right?<br />
<br />
Well sometimes, my digestive system just gets all fucked up from something I've eaten, and I assume there must have been some dairy in it. Even if it's a home-cooked meal, and I've put all the ingredients in myself. I don't know why the hell I think that, it's asinine. If I didn't put dairy in it, there's no dairy.<br />
<br />
I also, by the end of the day, always have a cramped, bloated, uncomfortable stomach. Every single night. I thought this was normal. Again, I don't know why the hell I thought this was normal.<br />
<br />
I'll let you in on a secret: I used to be anorexic / bulimic, for about 5 years of my life. It was a shitty five years. Once I started recovering, I just assumed my stomach issues were because I'd fucked up my digestive system by starving it / overloading it periodically for years. <br />
<br />
So after doing a little research, I think I'm going to try the gluten-free thing for two weeks and see how I feel. Maybe I did just destroy my digestive system by being sick for years. But maybe I'm also sensitive to gluten. Who knows?<br />
<br />
GOODBYE BREAD<br />
<br />
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I HOPE YOU'RE THE CULPRIT BEHIND MY STOMACH PAIN<br />
<br />
For the next two weeks, I'll document my weird gluten-free recipes. I'll be 100% honest: I think gluten free baked goods taste like shit. But I'm gonna make some gluten-free scones. And hopefully they won't be nasty.Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-17557837040868598432012-12-14T10:16:00.001-08:002012-12-14T10:19:18.797-08:00Fancy Vegan White Chocolate! Last year for the holidays, I made tree ornaments for friends / family. It was fun, inexpensive, and personal. They were also small enough that they were easy to ship all over the place. :)<br />
<br />
This year, I wanted to make something again! I decided to get crazy and make vegan white chocolate. I found <a href="http://www.veganbaking.net/candies-and-truffles/673-white-chocolate" target="_blank">a recipe online</a> and decided to just go with it!<br />
<br />
The main ingredient in white chocolate is cocoa butter. How on earth do you find that stuff? Well, you can find it at some health stores, but I ordered mine online. If you go to amazon and search for it, you can probably find a good pound of it for 10 - 12 bucks.<br />
<br />
So you'll need these things:<br />
<br />
2.1 ounces of cocoa butter<br />
1 tsp soy milk powder<br />
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp powdered sugar<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
<br />
I got really fancy and used vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract! ;)<br />
<br />
So anyways, here are the instructions:<br />
<br />
1. To ensure your chocolate is as smooth as possible, run the soy milk
powder through a rotary coffee grinder. Sift the soy milk powder,
powdered sugar and salt into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.<br />
<br />
2. Add the cocoa butter to a small saucepan and melt over medium heat.
Alternatively, the cocoa butter can be melted in the microwave. Transfer
the mixture to a <a href="http://www.veganbaking.net/articles-and-guides/479-how-to-make-a-double-boiler" style="color: black;" target="_blank">double boiler</a>
and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the soy milk powder, powdered sugar
and salt mixture followed by the vanilla extract. Continue whisking
until smooth.<br />
<br />
3. Temper the chocolate. Bring the mixture up to 120F (49C) while whisking frequently. Remove the
bowl containing the mixture from the double boiler. Place the mixture
in the refrigerator periodically and whisk occasionally to allow the
mixture to reduce to 79F (26C). Now place the mixture back on the double
boiler and bring it up to 87F (31C). If you overshoot and the
temperature goes past 89F (32C), start the tempering process over.<br />
<br />
4. Pour the mixture into your preferred chocolate mold. You can order
chocolate bar molds online or get creative pour the chocolate ½ inch
high in paper cups. Lift your mold up about an inch or so and drop it
onto the counter top a couple times to release excess air bubbles. Allow
the chocolate to solidify at room temperature overnight if possible to
allow it to crystallize properly. If your kitchen is too hot for the fat
to solidify then place it in the refrigerator after about 30 minutes.
Remove the white chocolate from the mold and store it in an air tight
container for up to 6 months in a cool, dark place. Makes 3.5 ounces.<br />
<br />
So I did it!<br />
<br />
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I also think the addition of the vanilla bean added a nice flair....<br />
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<br />
<br />
RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 4/5 </b><br />
<i>It's tasty, for sure! It's really sweet, of course, because it's sugar and cocoa butter. But it's yummy. :)</i><br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 2/5</b><br />
<i>Easier than other candy projects I've tried. But you realllllllllllly need a digital thermometer, a lot of patience, and a good sense of humor for this project. You will make messes, you will probably burn things. It's all part of the fun.</i><br />
<b>Prettiness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Little gems of vanilla bean white chocolate! Cute. </i>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-36734204172877890762012-12-03T15:22:00.000-08:002012-12-03T15:36:20.005-08:00Even Better Than? The Best Pumpkin MuffinsI took <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2009/11/the-best-pumpkin-muffins/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from The PPK and adapted it.<br />
<br />
It's certainly hard to top THE BEST pumpkin muffin, but I'm ready for the challenge... <br />
<br />
I have been trying my hardest not to use white sugar lately. I have a legitimate problem with sugar, and I'm hoping making homemade treats with organic / all natural white sugar alternatives will help wean me off the seductive white powder. ;) So I mixed up some of the proportions / substituted agave and brown rice syrup for the original recipe's sugar.<br />
<br />
I've also been trying to put different flours into my baked goods to get some whole grains in there, and to add diversity to my diet. <br />
<br />
Here's my recipe! Mwahahaha!<br />
<br />
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour<br />
3/4 cup spelt flour<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 tbsp baking powder<br />
1/2 cup brown rice syrup<br />
3/4 cup agave nectar <br />
1 1/2 tbsp Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice (Best purchase I've made this holiday season...)<br />
1 cup pureed pumpkin (My fresh pumpkin puree I made a few weeks ago! Yay!)<br />
6 tbsp coconut milk (stuff from a can!)<br />
2 tbsp Frangelico's hazelnut liqueur<br />
2 tbsp molasses<br />
1/2 cup unroasted / unsalted sunflower seeds<br />
<br />
1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the brown rice syrup and agave together. The brown rice syrup is VERY thick and pasty, so the agave mixed into it will liquefy it a bit.<br />
2. Mix pumpkin, coconut milk, Frangelico's, and molasses into sweetener mixture. Set aside.<br />
3. In a large bowl, mix flours, baking powder, salt, and spices. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture. Mix well, then mix in the sunflower seeds.<br />
4.Grease the insides of a muffin pan. This is very important! I wish I'd done these without the paper cups, because they stuck like a mofo to those things.<br />
<br />
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<br />
5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 13-18 minutes.<br />
6. Eat. Eat them all now.<br />
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<br />
<br />
RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 6/5 </b><br />
<i>I actually think I'm going to dare to say that these muffins are even better than the original recipe. They are more moist and spicy. I think the Trader Joe's spice is the BOMB, though, so that could be why. As for the moistness, I'm gonna bet that that sticky-sticky brown rice syrup is the reason for such delightfulness. Yum.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Easy baking recipe. :)</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 4/5 </b><br />
<i>The sunflower seeds poking through the muffin tops add a nice touch, and the goldeny pumpkin color is always ever-so-festive. Fuck yeah.</i><br />
<br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-2040753465781606632012-12-02T21:23:00.000-08:002012-12-03T15:36:49.623-08:00Frangelicos Lollipops (Merry Holidays!)<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
I wanted to make some stuff that was vegan friendly and easy / relatively cheap to send out to friends for the holidays.</div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
I found <a href="http://leitesculinaria.com/78325/recipes-liquor-lollipops.html" target="_blank">this amazing recipe</a> from Leite's Culinaria for liquor lollipops.</div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
I decided that if the sugar I use is vegan-friendly, and the liquor I use is as well, then my vegan buddies will be thoroughly gifted for the holidays.</div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
Recipe!</div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
Ingredients:</div>
<div class="ingredients-list" style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="list-style: none;"><span class="ingredient-n">1/4</span> <span class="ingredient-unit">cup plus 1 teaspoon</span> <span class="ingredient-name">hard liquor</span>, such as bourbon, tequila, or rum</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="list-style: none;"><span class="ingredient-n">2</span> <span class="ingredient-unit">tablespoons</span> <span class="ingredient-name">cold water</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="list-style: none;"><span class="ingredient-n">3/4</span> <span class="ingredient-unit">cup</span> <span class="ingredient-name">sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="list-style: none;"><span class="ingredient-n">3</span> <span class="ingredient-unit">tablespoons</span> <span class="ingredient-name">corn syrup</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="list-style: none;"><span class="ingredient-n">1/8</span> <span class="ingredient-unit">teaspoon</span> <span class="ingredient-name">kosher salt</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="list-style: none;"><span class="ingredient-n">1/4</span> <span class="ingredient-unit">teaspoon</span> <span class="ingredient-name">food coloring of your choice</span> (optional)</li>
</ul>
When deciding on what liquor to use, I wanted to choose something holiday-y, but vegan friendly. So bailey's was out of the question. As was pumpkin creme liqueur.</div>
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But...according to barnivore.com, Frangelico's is definitely vegan friendly! Hooray! </div>
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And hazelnut liqueur is kinda holiday-y, right? I hope so.</div>
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So now, you got your instructions:</div>
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<br /></div>
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1. Mix together 1/4 cup of the liquor, and the water, sugar, corn syrup,
and salt in a 1- or 2-quart saucepan until all of the sugar is wet. If
sugar crystals cling to the sides of the pan, dissolve them away with a
wet pastry brush.</div>
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2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally and
gently with a heatproof spatula until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Then boil to 300°F (149°C) without stirring.<br />
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<b><i>I'd like to take a moment to interject and tell ya'll just how fucked up my lollipop making experience was.</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>A) My candy thermometer wouldn't go past 240. I got confused. Suddenly the syrup was BURNING. I threw that batch away.</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<b><i>B) Second round, I just fucking ignored my thermometer because that bitch is a liar. I did everything totally fine and stuff, but the lollipops weren't quite hard enough. I was so scared of burning them that they were just a litttttttttttle too soft.</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<b><i>C) I poured the remaining syrup I didn't use out into the sink. I tripped on myself (like the dumbass I am) and got it all over my hand. Much screaming, crying, and burning ensued. </i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>FUCK THIS LOLLIPOP-CREATING NONSENSE, IT IS EVIL AND DESTRUCTIVE.</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>And we continue....</i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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3. Remove from the heat, and, working quickly, mix in the remaining 1
teaspoon liquor and food coloring, if using. Still working with haste,
drop the syrup into either lollipop molds or onto a silicone mat.</div>
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<br />
Since I was using a silicone mat....</div>
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4. Quickly drop the syrup onto the silicone mat so that it forms 2-inch
disks and immediately after plopping the syrup on the sheets place a
lollipop stick in the center of each disk and twist it 180 degrees so
that it’s fully covered in syrup. Let cool completely.<br />
<br />
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RATINGS:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Deliciousness: 4/5</b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<i>Only 4 points because I didn't get them hard enough! Still lollipops, but they stick to your teeth if you suck on them for too long. Other than that, the Frangelico's gives it a lovely taste. :D</i></div>
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<b>Ease of Preparation: 1/5</b></div>
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<i>A nightmare from hell. Fuck this lollipop shit.</i></div>
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<b>Prettiness: 4/5</b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
<i>They're little lollipops! </i></div>
Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-78930837768524804112012-12-02T10:33:00.002-08:002012-12-03T15:37:56.713-08:00Hipster Beer BreadIt's been awhile.<br />
<br />
But the good news is that I keep cooking and baking stuff lately. And it keeps being fun.<br />
<br />
So I'm gonna start blogging about it, since I can! :) <br />
<br />
I have a recipe for beer bread that is adapted from a variety of other beer bread recipes. First of all, since not all beer is vegan, it's important to check barnivore.com to see if your bottle is animal-safe.<br />
<br />
I had a ton of leftover PBR (which is fortunately vegan-friendly) so that's what I stuck with.<br />
<br />
Plus, who doesn't want a slice of PBR hipster bread?!<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
2 2/3 cup flour (white flour is my personal choice for a good soft beer bread flavor, but I've also had success with spelt and whole wheat)<br />
2 tbsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
12 fl oz of beer<br />
3 tbsp brown rice syrup<br />
<br />
1. Mix all dry ingredients together.<br />
2. Pour bottle of beer into dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.<br />
3. Mix in brown rice syrup. This is a thick sweetener, so mix well! You don't want a clump of sweetness in your otherwise unsweet bread.<br />
4. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown and cracked on top.<br />
<br />
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<br />
FUCK YEAH, HIPSTER BEER BREAD<br />
<br />
<u>RATINGS:</u><br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Tastes like good ol' beer bread! Always improved with a slab of vegan butter. It would probably be fun to experiment with different beers, too....lighter beers have always worked well for me with beer bread so I bet a kolsch would be nice.</i><br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Few ingredients, mix it all together. Bake it. Like an easy-bake-oven, man.</i><br />
<b>Prettiness: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Looks all rustic and lovely with the cracked golden top!</i><br />
<br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-87239334958909796342012-09-20T16:07:00.003-07:002012-12-03T15:38:14.303-08:00Fuck it, you should just eat MY food.A'ight.<br />
<br />
I'm done posting recipes other people made, now ya'll are gonna eat MY shit.<br />
<br />
I make lots of random recipes throughout the week to take advantage of the hoards of dry food / frozen food I have.<br />
<br />
Why do I buy so much of that dry and frozen shit?<br />
<br />
Because it's CHEAP. <br />
<br />
Can of beans + seeds + frozen corn + tomato sauce + spices + rice = cheap and delightful dinner.<br />
<br />
Anyways, I'll start intermittently posting recipes I've made over the years.<br />
<br />
EAT IT<br />
<br />
First Abbie-themed recipe is.....<br />
<br />
<u><b>COCONUT CURRY QUINOA SALAD FILLED WITH GREAT SHIT</b></u><br />
<br />
<i>1 cup dry quinoa</i><br />
<i>2 cups water</i><br />
<i>1/2 tbsp olive oil</i><br />
<i>3 tbsp coconut milk (the thick stuff from a can, not the so delicious stuff)</i><br />
<i>1 tsp curry powder</i><br />
<i>1 tsp agave nectar</i><br />
<i>1/2 tsp salt</i><br />
<i>1 tsp chopped garlic</i><br />
<i>1/3 cup raw walnuts</i><br />
<i>1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds</i><br />
<i>1/4 cup raisins</i><br />
<br />
1. Rinse quinoa. Put olive oil into a deep-ish pan and place over medium heat. Toast the soaked quinoa in the oil for about a minute. Throw in 2 cups of water and let that shit simmer. When it comes to a boil, turn the heat on low and put the lid on it. Let it simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
2. Mix the agave, curry powder, salt, and garlic. Stir in the coconut milk. Set aside and let it sit in the fridge so all the flavors soak into each other and create magic.<br />
<br />
3. When the quinoa's done, let it cool. When it's cool, mix everything together. Pour your sauce on it and mix well.<br />
<br />
EAT IT<br />
<br />
BITCH<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
RATINGS<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>I made it. It's great.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Cook it, mix it, eat it.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>It's infused with my gorgeous qualities. </i>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-15805952461768719302012-08-18T09:53:00.001-07:002012-08-18T09:55:38.691-07:00Kombucha-cha-chaKombucha - it's trendy, it's full of probiotics, it's kind of stinky. What's all the fuss about?<br />
<br />
Well supposedly the recipe is 2000 years old and comes from China. And it's supposed to be considered a drink that makes you immortal. It's also raw, which is great, and full of probiotics that supposedly help your body maintain its natural good bacteria / bad bacteria balance.<br />
<br />
Some people also think it tastes fucking awesome (including me!) Some people also hate it. It's kinda like stinky cheese, I think - some people love it and some people hate it for its pungency. <br />
<br />
Basically what you need to make this stuff is:<br />
<br />
1. Brewed tea.<br />
2. Sugar or sweetener of some kind.<br />
3. SCOBY<br />
<br />
A SCOBY is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. This mushroom-looking thing is pretty gross to look at and kind of slimy, but it's what makes kombucha so magical! You can order a SCOBY online or get one from a friend or random other person.<br />
<br />
I decided to try craigslist. I got mine from a girl selling hers for 10 bucks, and it was totally worth it. Not only did I get someone's own extra SCOBY and prevent having to buy one from some mass-producer, she also showed me her own home-brewing system and gave me a few tips.<br />
<br />
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<br />
My SCOBY! Floating around in a plastic bag!! :)<br />
<br />
The reason why the SCOBY is circular is because it takes whatever shape it grows in. Therefore, since most beverage containers are circular, most SCOBYs will be circular. But hey, if you happen to find a beverage container that's heart shaped, I bet you would be the coolest kid on the block with heart-shaped SCOBYs.<br />
<br />
So here's whatcha do:<br />
<br />
1. Brew your tea.<br />
2. Let your tea get to room temperature.<br />
3. Put some sugar in your tea (1 cup of sugar per every 12 cups of tea).<br />
4. Put your tea in a kombucha container of your choice.<br />
5. Put your SCOBY in your tea.<br />
6. Cover with a washcloth or cheesecloth or what-have-you, and let sit for days.<br />
<br />
Mine fermented quite nicely after about 7 days of brewing. Yum!<br />
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<br />
Tips from my kombucha-lady:<br />
<br />
1. Bottle your tea rightttt before it hits its sweet spot. If it tastes almost perfect, bottle it and store it at room temperature in a cabinet for a couple of days. This will give it just a little more time to ferment.<br />
2. "Burp" your bottles occasionally, to prevent the carbonation from building up and your tea from exploding.<br />
3. If you're going to be out of the house for a few days, have someone stop by to burp your bottles to prevent explosions, or just put your bottles in the fridge (cold prevents further fermentation).<br />
4. If you'd like to put fruit juice in to enhance the flavor, mix it in when you bottle it. The fruit juice's sugar will create even more fermentation, so this will help your tea ferment even more.<br />
5. Use filtered water, because chemicals in unfiltered water could mess up your SCOBY's delicate balance of goodness!<br />
<br />
Black tea is best for brewing, but others can be used as well. I think my next batch will be green tea with a splash of pear juice.<br />
<br />
FUCK YEAH KOMBUCHA<br />
<br />
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(I use old kombucha bottles because they work the best since they're glass and have plastic lids :D)Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-58790103157843564942012-07-30T10:11:00.005-07:002012-07-30T10:26:59.676-07:00Cupcake Pies - Best of Both Pastry WorldsGood morning!<br />
<br />
Yes, it's 9am and I'm baking cupcake pies. Don't judge me.<br />
<br />
I am in love with that adorable Vegan Yum Yum blog, so I decided to make one of her sweet treats on my day off.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://veganyumyum.com/2008/09/ground-cherry-cupcake-pies/">Delicious and tasty cupcake pies!!!</a><br />
<br />
Those tiny pies are insanely yummy-looking. I don't like the idea of ground cherries (simply because they remind me of gooseberries which I don't like at all) so I decided to make black and blue cupcake pies!<br />
<br />
Blackberries and blueberries were on sale this week! YEAH!<br />
<br />
Dough Ingredients:<br />
<br />
1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour<br />
1/2 tsp Salt<br />
1 1/2 tsp Sugar<br />
1/2 Cup Cubed, Chilled Earth Balance Margarine<br />
2 Tbs – 1/4 Cup Ice Water<br />
<br />
Berry Ingredients:<br />
<br />
A bunch of your favorite berries (about 3/4 cup) <br />
<br />
To make the dough, according to Lauren, follow this recipe:<br />
<br />
1. Add flour, salt, sugar, and butter into a food processor.<br />
2. Pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand, with pea-sized lumps here and there.<br />
3. Slowly drizzle in water while running the machine until the dough forms a ball. If in doubt, add less water as opposed to more.<br />
4. Turn out the dough onto the counter and press to form a disc. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.<br />
<br />
I didn't have a food processor, or a pastry blender - I did things the 'rustic' (read: cheap bitch) way: two knives and a lot of slicing and turning the bowl around. Works just as well, but it takes a lot longer.<br />
<br />
Now to the fun part!<br />
<br />
1. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake papers. Spray lightly with oil. Place a
scant tablespoon of dough into the bottom of each cup. Using a small
glass dipped in water (one that has the same diameter of the bottom of
the cupcake cup), press the dough to form a bottom crust. <br />
<br />
2. Take small pieces of dough and build up the sides of the cup with dough, making sure the walls aren’t too thick.<br />
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<br />
3. Place the shells in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up.<br />
<br />
4. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Remove the shells from the fridge and fill
to the top, slightly overflowing, with ground cherries (or whatever
fruit you’re using).<br />
(Since I used blackberries and blueberries, I chopped my giant blackberries in half so they would be the same size as the blueberries!)<br />
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<br />
<b>After this, you'll want to mix 1/4 cup of sugar with 1/2 tsp of flour. </b><br />
<br />
5. Add 1/2 to 1 tsp of the sugar/flour mixture to each cup, depending on how sweet you want your pies.<br />
<br />
6. Cover the back of a cookie sheet with a sheet of plastic wrap. Add the
rest of the pie dough, and cover with a second sheet. Using a rolling
pin, roll out the dough to 1/4-1/8″ thick. Using a glass that has a
slightly larger diameter than the openings of the cupcake cups, stamp
out six pie crust tops. Place this in the freezer for a few minutes, or
into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.<br />
<br />
<b>*Note: I did not do this. I definitely just hand-flattened some piles of dough and just slapped them on top of the berries to form the top crust. I'm going to call all my lazy / cheap moves 'rustic' from now on. So this was the 'rustic' way of doing the top crust. ;)</b><br />
<br />
7. Once chilled, you should be able to easily peel out the tops and place
them over your pies. Pinch the edges down, slash a X in the top with a
sharp knife, and sprinkle with sugar. You can do other types of tops,
such as lattice work, if desired.<br />
<br />
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<br />
8. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for several
minutes before gently removing them from the cupcake tin to cook
completely.<br />
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<br />
RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Perfect, buttery crust! The berries were bursting with juice and the pies were just sweet enough but not too sweet. I just kind of wish I had added some spice, like ginger or lemon zest or something. Other than that, delightful!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Little baby pies!!!! SO CUTE!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 3/5</b><br />
<i>Lots of chopping, refrigerating, waiting for things to settle down, etc. Not too difficult to get right if you just put a little work into it, though. :) </i><br />
<br />
<br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-59619823716195563162012-06-22T20:29:00.000-07:002012-06-22T20:30:16.857-07:00Bagels.I have a confession.<br />
<br />
I am a bagel ADDICT.<br />
<br />
I've been visiting my friend Emily (<a href="http://themorosebee.etsy.com/">this is her nifty little shop</a>) and Boston is very Jewish and very bagel-y. I am in love. <br />
<br />
I ate four bagels one morning while visiting my friend Emily here in Boston. FOUR IN ONE DAY. What's wrong with me?!<br />
<br />
I just freaking love that almost crispy outside with the gooey inside. Smothered in hummus and arugula, bagels create the perfect meal for me. I fucking love the shit out of them.<br />
<br />
And there's this place in Seattle called Eltana - omfg they have the best bagels. They're WOODFIRED. What?!<br />
<br />
They're not vegan because they're all made with honey, though.<br />
<br />
So my goal: make a delicious, vegan-friendly bagel.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://leitesculinaria.com/29272/recipes-bagels.html">Leite's Culinaria always has the best recipes.</a><br />
<br />
And I want to copy the recipe she has for these bagels.<br />
<br />
But instead of barley malt syrup or rice syrup, I want to try one batch with maple syrup and one with molasses.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
Both of these sweeteners are thick, vegan-friendly sweeteners that are all natural.<br />
<br />
Plus, who the hell says no to a molasses bagel or a maple bagel? Certainly not me.<br />
<br />
I want pretty little bagels that look like this:<br />
<br />
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<br />
And I want them to have sesame seeds on them and hummus and arugula and joy.<br />
<br />
I will sprinkle these assholes in joy.<br />
<br />
It's happening.<br />
<br />
Sometime next week. <br />
<br />
GET READY. <br />
<br />
Ok now I'm off to go do cool things in Boston KTHXBAIAbbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-84424958264752879032012-06-12T20:59:00.001-07:002012-06-12T20:59:05.099-07:00VEGAN SHARK COOKIES AWWW SHEWT.So, A) I bought these shark cookie cutters.<br />
<br />
Because I have a mild obsession with sharks and have for the past like, five years. I have a shark shower curtain, a shark soap dispenser, a shark poster on my door, a shark bottle opener, a shark screensaver...the list goes on. I like sharks. <br />
<br />
and B) I found this absurd video on youtube:<br />
<br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HAoKpPqwTC0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
And here we have some shark cookies.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
2 cups flour<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup Earth Balance<br />
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G + 2 tbsp warm water<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
<br />
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<br />
1. Mix Earth Balance and sugar.<br />
<br />
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<br />
2. Add in egg replacer.<br />
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<br />
3. Add in flour.<br />
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<br />
<span id="goog_1574609301"></span><span id="goog_1574609302"></span>4. Look at your dog eat a football. Like, legitimately eat one side of it.<br />
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<br />
5. Add in baking powder and salt.<br />
<br />
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<br />
6. Add in vanilla (while looking at your ridiculous dog hiding under the table).<br />
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<br />
7. Lightly flour your rolling surface.<br />
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<br />
8. Roll out your dough. And simultaneously, don't judge me for using a wine bottle. I am cheap and these came free with my wine.<br />
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<br />
9. Yes, this just happened:<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW YEAH BITCHES WE'RE GONNA HAVE SHARK COOKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTT.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">And if you want to make vegan icing btw, you can mix coconut milk and powdered sugar and maybe some food coloring until you get the desired consistency.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Also, use sprinkles. Because obviously you need to.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Disclaimer:<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b> I DO know</b></u></span> that not all sugar is vegan but I don't give a shit because I think that's kind of crossing the line of vegan insanity. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
SO HERE WE HAVE THE MASTERPIECES</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
(Oh and also I wanted to make rainbow shooting stars FUCK YEAH)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
*Sigh.* This is my life. I don't know whether to be extremely proud of it or embarrassed, so the only logical thing I can think to do is post it all over the internet so everyone gets <b>fucking</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>JEALOUS.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is Sheldon the Shark. Look at him! HE'S GREAT</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
RATINGS:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Deliciousness: 2.5/5</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Not insanely tasty, not bad. Tastes like a hard sugar cookie with frosting on it. It's edible and mildly tasty.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Prettiness: 28thousand//5</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>LOOK AT THAT SHIT IT'S A SHARK COOKIE WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT</i>TTTT.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Ease of Preparation: 3/5</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Kind of a mess. Hey, it's sugar cookies! You roll those things OUT ON A FLOURED SURFACE. Shit's gonna get messaaayyyy.</i></div>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-12971748288457400562012-06-12T13:30:00.001-07:002012-06-12T13:30:23.227-07:00Having A Dog In SeattleSo, having a dog is changing the way I view a lot of things. I have to be responsible for another living thing, which is terrifying but also exciting. Is this how new parents feel??!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YHTfn7jun_s/T9emauF7H-I/AAAAAAAAAi8/e-6TrCJXh_8/s1600/jackson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YHTfn7jun_s/T9emauF7H-I/AAAAAAAAAi8/e-6TrCJXh_8/s320/jackson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Fist of all, I now have a list of things I need to set Jackson up for:<br />
1. Get him neutered.<br />
2. Get him registered with the city of Seattle.<br />
3. Update his microchip.<br />
4. Get him a vet. <br />
<br />
I also have to figure out what kinds of cool things I can do with him! I have been spending the last five years of adult living with just little ol' me, so it's going to be weird to adjust some of the things I do to include a dog. For instance, I take a lot of fucking walks. Like, a LOT. Seattle's a very walkable city, and I like to play outside in pretty parks and whatnot. So it works that I have him because he'll be a well-walked dog! And black labs need lots of walking, for sure.<br />
<br />
But I now have to figure out where all the off-leash dog parks are around here! That way Jackson can play freely. I found this list online:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.seattle.gov/parks/offleash.asp" target="_blank">Off Leash Dog Parks! Woo!</a><br />
<br />
And now I have to go exploring....I have been to the I-5 colonnade park, so I know where that one is (and it's kind of close!), but I want to explore the others!<br />
<br />
Plus, once I get him to be better on a leash, I can potentially take him on jogs with me.<br />
<br />
JOGGING JACKSON WILL BE THE CUTEST.<br />
<br />
I will also now be one of those people who sits <i>outside</i> of coffeeshops so Jackson can hang out with me while I study. :-]<br />
<br />
This is weird. But cool.<br />
<br />
Responsibilities, man! It's the BEST!Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-91930264407819204322012-06-08T11:42:00.000-07:002012-06-08T20:46:46.466-07:00Vegan Doggies?So, I'm adopting a dog.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
His name is Jackson and he's a black lab. He's about a year and a half old and I've known him since he was a teensy puppy. I'm adopting him from a friend.<br />
<br />
My question to all my readers is this:<br />
<br />
<b>Can a dog be vegan? </b><br />
<br />
FURTHER.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Should </u>a dog be vegan?</b><br />
<br />
I have done a little research on this subject. It looks like cats are definitely omnivorous, but for dogs...it's not so certain.<br />
<br />
Yes, based on articles like this: <a href="http://thebark.com/content/vegan-dogs">http://thebark.com/content/vegan-dogs</a> , it looks like dogs can survive as vegans. And this dog-owner says her puppy is in tip-top health.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to feed Jackson a vegan diet because this diet works for him and he's totally healthy from what I can see.<br />
<br />
But I'm curious to see what ya'll bitches have to say about this.<br />
<br />
Comments?<br />
<br />
GO. <br />
<br />
<br />
<3Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-8451848633832539412012-06-06T19:19:00.000-07:002012-06-08T11:02:13.964-07:00Tomato Sauce + Jalapeno PastaSo here I am. After MONTHS of absence.<br />
<br />
Excited?<br />
<br />
Good. Because it's about to be fucking summer. And I will have a lot of free time to cook shit, take pictures of it, and talk about it online. <br />
<br />
Also: I went to Pike Place Market the other day. And even though it's famous for all it's fish-throwing...<br />
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it's actually chock-full of vegan treats. Including this delicious cinnamon bun from a place called "Cinnamon Works."<br />
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And there are vegan-friendly lattes and mighty oh donuts at a cute coffee shop.<br />
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There are also a plethora of specialty / gourmet shops where you can buy oils and stuff. Which as a vegan, you know how important good-quality oils are in cooking.<br />
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And of course, FUCKING DELIGHTFUL PRODUCE AND FLOWERS!!!<br />
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But the best place to go as a vegan is this pasta stall in middle of the market with a variety of different vegan pastas for your enjoyment. All vegan ones (and even gluten-free ones!) are labeled!<br />
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So I bought some pasta on a whim the other day. It was green jalapeno fettuccine!! FUCKING DELICIOUS-SOUNDING.<br />
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So of course I needed a sauce to go over it. I ended up googling "vegan tomato sauce" just to see what came up. Up popped a blog called Vegan Vermonter. He has an 'epic tomato sauce' I simply had to try.<br />
<br />
Historical Question: Was the most epic vegan tomato sauce born in Vermont?<br />
<br />
Answer, based on current reseach: Perhaps.<br />
<br />
<b>Vegan Vermonter's Epic Tomato Sauce</b><br />
<br />
-2.5 lbs. canned tomatoes (I used a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes, and a 14-oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes this time, but the prep and texture are completely flexible)<br />
-1 medium yellow onion, diced<br />
-1 red bell pepper, diced<br />
-4-5 cloves garlic, minced<br />
-2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano (I really like thyme here actually, but the oregano was fresher)<br />
-2 tsp brown sugar<br />
-3/4 tsp salt (maybe a little more? only a taste will tell)<br />
-black pepper to taste<i></i><br />
<b>-half decent olive oil (</b>don’t break the bank, but remember that it is a key flavor component to the sauce)<br />
<br />
Now what I did was basically replace green pepper for the red pepper (I thought a pop of green would look good in the sauce, plus I like the flavor better).<br />
<br />
I also used only thyme instead of oregano since the dude said he liked that better.<br />
<br />
Here's how Mr. Vermont-Man says you do it:<br />
<br />
1. First, get a nice big saucepan going on medium-low heat. You want a
temperature that gets your onions entirely transparent before they begin
to color.<br />
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2. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan (like 3 or
4 tablespoons?), followed by the onion and bell pepper. Give everyone a
good stir and let them slowly begin to sweat. You won’t need to pay
much attention to this process, just a little stir now and then to
prevent whatever surface is touching the pan from cooking faster than
the rest of it.<br />
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3. Once your onion and pepper are all the way see through and a little bit
golden, you can add the garlic. Give it a nice stir and resume the slow
golden-ing process. : ) <br />
<br />
4. When all the aromatics have a nice gentle golden color (not browned),
you can add the tomatoes. Stir them for a while at first to ensure they
combine well with the ingredients in the pan, and then turn the heat
down to low so that they can simmer.<br />
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5. Stir the sauce around only as often as is necessary to prevent the
bottom from burning, and when the temperature in the pan has caught up
to your adjustment of the burner, add the sugar and salt.<br />
<br />
6. Continue to slowly allow moisture to escape, stirring when needed.
Eventually the sauce will reduce to a point that the water/oil balance
changes where the sauce contacts the pan. The bubbling that occurs for
most of the cooking process will slow considerably, and hissing will
also be audible. When you’ve reached this point, taste test and adjust
the salt and pepper. If you feel you can continue to drive water out
without changing the color of the tomatoes, then you should probably try
and do that, you don’t want the tomatoes to actually brown though. If
you’re going to push, taste often to make sure things aren’t getting out
of hand. If it does go a little funky you can usually rescue it with a
bit more sugar as long as you catch it soon enough. Don’t feel
obligated to take a risk though with your 3 hours of work, if <i>most</i>
of the excess liquid is gone, then you’re good to go as is, anything
more is a bonus. Stir in the fresh oregano, give it a few seconds to
come to temperature, and then remove the pan from the heat.<br />
<br />
7. Meanwhile (this is my addition), cook your pashta. :D<br />
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<br />
So the issue is....I didn't have forever and a half to make this bullshit. I only read the<br />
<br />
THREE FUCKING HOURS<br />
<br />
part after I had already started making it.<br />
<br />
Anyways. My point is, I did it all. But I certainly got hungry before the three hour mark. So it's not as well marinated / cooked as it should be.<br />
<br />
I liked it though! <br />
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RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 4/5</b><br />
<i>If it had more time to simmer / cook, I bet the sauce would be less chunky and salsa-like. It was a fantastic blend of flavors, though.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Red and green sauce with green noodles! Cute! :D</i><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 2/5</b><br />
<i>Three hours of cooking is not something I like to do when I'm hungry. But maybe it's worth it. I don't know.</i><br />
<br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-90726252824089219872011-12-24T21:41:00.000-08:002011-12-24T21:41:22.543-08:00Product Review: HealthForce SuperFoodsSo, I have an extreme update to this blog.<br />
<br />
I personally no longer follow a vegan diet.<br />
<br />
I still fully support vegan diets and I think they kick ass - in fact, I still run on a basically vegan diet but with spatterings of animal protein in there.<br />
<br />
This has been the main reason why I haven't been posting on this blog for a while. I felt really out of touch with my ideas on veganism and health, and needed to take some time to analyze how my body was working within the confines of a vegan diet.<br />
<br />
Overall, I'd say that my experience as a vegan has taught me the importance of whole grains, a wide variety of vegetables, and the importance of trying new things. <br />
<br />
I also have been seeing a nutritionist for the past few months. One of the things she's having me try is this Health Force super foods powder stuff:<br />
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I'll be taking a teaspoon of each jar mixed with water every day, for the next few weeks. It tastes like grassy water (which I honestly kind of like) and it's chock FULL of probiotics!<br />
<br />
It's a great alternative to a multivitamin since your body processes actually whole foods better than isolated nutrients...and these jars are basically full of ground up foods like spirulina, dulse, wheat grass, basil, goji berry, acai, and SO MANY MORE DELIGHTFUL INGREDIENTS.<br />
<br />
Ya'll should try it. :) It's entirely vegan!<br />
<br />
I don't know if it will make me feel better over the next few weeks, but we'll see!<br />
<br />
RATING: 4/5Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-89928480612994100312011-09-26T18:24:00.000-07:002011-09-26T18:32:13.717-07:00Israeli Couscous Is So Cute.I have a huge amount of Israeli couscous, because I really like the stuff and I forgot I already had a huge bag so I bought another huge bag when I went to the coop last week.<br />
<br />
GUESS WHAT THAT MEANS!<br />
<br />
SO. MUCH. ISRAELI. COUSCOUS. IN. MY. FUTURE.<br />
<br />
I actually make a lot of this stuff because it's really just a form of pasta. It's tiny little balls of pasta. Cute. :)<br />
<br />
<u>Veganomicon</u> had a recipe for it, so I decided to try it this past weekend.<br />
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<b>Israeli Couscous With Pistachios and Apricots</b> <i>Pg 117</i><br />
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Ingredients<br />
<br />
2 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 cups Israeli couscous<br />
2 1/2 cups water<br />
1 cinnamon stick<br />
1 tsp ground cumin<br />
1/4 tsp ground cardamom<br />
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
zest from 1 lime<br />
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint<br />
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, chopped to the size of raisins<br />
1/2 cup shelled pistachios<br />
Juice from 1/2 lime<br />
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Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Place the garlic and oil in the pan and saute for 1 minute.<br />
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Add the couscous, raise the heat to medium, and stir pretty constantly for 4 - 5 minutes; the couscous should start to toast. <br />
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(Note: Do you see the smiley face? If you do, I'll give you a cookie...or maybe even a gold star!)<br />
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Add the water, cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamom, pepper, salt, and lime zest.<br />
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Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat again to as low as possible and cover. (We know, lots of raising and lowering the heat but that's cooking for you.) In about 10 minutes, most of the water should have been absorbed. Add 2 tbsp of the mint, and the apricots, pistachios, and lime juice.<br />
<br />
Look at how pretty the pistachios and apricots are! I LOVE GREEN AND ORANGE TOGETHER. They are literally my favorite colors. <3<br />
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Stir, cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes. At this point, the water should be thoroughly absorbed.<br />
<br />
Remove the cinnamon stick, fluff the couscous with a fork, garnish with remaining mint, and serve.<br />
<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 3/5</b><br />
<i>It was really....sweet. It's a white pasta with fruit and nuts and sweet-ish spices. I don't know what I was expecting, I think if I make this again (only likely because I have SO much Israeli couscous / pistachios) I will add some cayenne pepper or something to give it a boost of spice.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 4/5</b><br />
<i>It took a surprisingly longish time to make, about 40 minutes. Not terribly long, still, but I expected it to take about 20.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>It's little cute balls of delightfullness with green pistachios and orange apricots! Favorite colors, so I'm probably biased....SO COOL-LOOKING.</i>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-82596252234410325572011-09-26T17:58:00.000-07:002011-09-26T18:40:30.057-07:00Sweet Jesus! Miso Dressing!I like salad dressings. They're like, the coolest things ever created.<br />
<br />
I also like making my own salad dressings because I can tweak the flavors how I like, and I can see exactly what goes into it, and I can put it in a cool glass bottle and be proud of my home-made dressing that's sitting in the fridge.<br />
<br />
In <u>Vegan Yum Yum</u>, I found a delicious-sounding way to use some of the miso that's been hanging out in my fridge for the past few weeks.<br />
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<br />
<b>Sweet Miso Salad Dressing</b> <i>Pg 271</i><br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
1 heaping tablespoon sweet white miso<br />
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard<br />
1 tbsp granulated sugar<br />
1 tsp balsamic vinegar<br />
2 pinches salt<br />
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste<br />
2 - 4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil (your choice)<br />
1 tbsp hot water<br />
<br />
Put the miso, mustard, sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Use the whisk to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly, creating an emulsion. the dressing should turn shiny and thick. Taste and reseason if necessary. Whisking hot water to thin, if needed. Let the dressing stand for a few minutes and whisk again before serving.<br />
<br />
GUESS WHAT, BITCHES!?<br />
<br />
IT'S DELICIOUS. THAT'S WHAT.<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 4/5 </b><br />
<i>This is a really simple, kinda sweet salad dressing. It's not obscenely exciting, but it does really complement the bitter taste of arugula quite well. It's also really reminiscent of a lot of salad dressings I used to eat in Japan...covering deliciously fresh cabbage...*drools*</i><br />
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<b>Ease of Preparation: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Absurdly easy. Whisking things together can't really get complicated.</i><br />
<span id="goog_629035238"></span><span id="goog_629035239"></span><br />
<b><span id="goog_629035238">Prettiness: 3/5</span></b><br />
<i><span id="goog_629035238">Nothing super fancy, but it is a nice creamy looking salad dressing (as opposed to just balsamic vinegar) and the color is kind of neutral so aesthetically speaking, it would go well with a variety of different salads. </span><span id="goog_629035239"></span></i>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-14738977875600424402011-09-20T12:29:00.000-07:002011-09-20T12:29:58.509-07:00Corn Salad is Good Stuff.I like salad-y type things.<br />
<br />
They're convenient as leftovers, they're good on bread or by themselves, they usually have a lot of fresh ingredients, and they're easy to get creative with.<br />
<br />
That said, they're also my favorite lazy food because they require no cooking - just chopping and mixing! Hell. Yes.<br />
<br />
I've never had 'corn salad' before, but it sounded pretty damn good...so I decided to try a recipe from "The Vegan Stoner" - a hella cute blog with all kinds of easy, delicious, cheap vegan recipes.<br />
<br />
<b>Corn Salad Sandwich </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/2011/04/corn-salad-sandwich.html#comments">http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/2011/04/corn-salad-sandwich.html#comments</a><br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
Tofu<br />
Whole Kernel Corn<br />
Handful of Fresh Spinach<br />
Two Spoonfuls of Vegenaise<br />
Handful of Nutritional Yeast<br />
A Few Shakes of Garlic Powder<br />
Two Slices of Bread<br />
<br />
Now, the blog doesn't specifiy on the amount of each thing....so here's the exact measurements that I used:<br />
<br />
1/2 lb of tofu<br />
1/2 can of corn<br />
1/4 cup Vegenaise<br />
2 tbsp nutritional yeast<br />
<br />
1. Drain tofu and canned corn.<br />
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2. Chop tofu and handful of spinach.<br />
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3. Toss tofu, corn, and spinach with 2 spoonfuls of veganaise. <br />
<br />
4. Mix in a handful of nutritional yeast and a few shakes of garlic powder.<br />
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5. Spoon onto 2 slices of bread. (Ahem....I did not use bread, so I just spooned this into a bowl.)<br />
<br />
<br />
6. Munch.<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Really delightful! A perfect salad for some toast, or by itself! The nutritional yeast really gives it that oomph, without being overwhelming. I added some ground pepper, which really brought it all together I think.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Easy as HAYELL. Just chop stuff and mix it. Favorite. :)</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Yellow and green and white and all kinds of textures....looks very summery. </i>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023072338902411069.post-39178532697003253772011-09-20T11:58:00.000-07:002011-09-20T12:03:41.631-07:00BananasBlueberriesBananasBlueberriesBanana bread, anyone?<br />
<br />
A friend of mine couldn't imagine baked goods could be made vegan...he thought the idea of baking without eggs / butter / milk would be pretty difficult.<br />
<br />
So I made him some banana bread!<br />
<br />
Really, banana bread is one of the easiest baking-things to make vegan. Bananas are such a good binder that they really can replace the eggs entirely. So I didn't even have to ponder about using Ener-G or flaxseed or whatever else to replace the eggies.<br />
<br />
I chose a recipe from "FatFree Vegan Kitchen" blog.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2009/06/blueberry-banana-bread.html">http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2009/06/blueberry-banana-bread.html</a><br />
<br />
<b>Blueberry Banana Bread</b><br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2dWXZZYYdQ/Tnjf8FAEsdI/AAAAAAAAAYU/GqicjFpObpk/s1600/ummmmmwhat+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2dWXZZYYdQ/Tnjf8FAEsdI/AAAAAAAAAYU/GqicjFpObpk/s320/ummmmmwhat+049.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><ul><li class="ingredient">3 large over-ripe bananas</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 tablespoons lemon juice</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/3 cup (80 ml) vanilla soymilk (or apple sauce)</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 cup (120 ml) agave nectar</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 cups (240 g) white whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat flour)</li>
<li class="ingredient">3/4 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li class="ingredient">3/4 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 cup (240 ml) blueberries </li>
</ul><br />
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or wipe a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil (I used a silicon loaf pan).<br />
<br />
Mix the soymilk with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and let stand until it curdles. (If using apple sauce, skip this step and add the lemon juice to the bananas.)<br />
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In a large bowl, mash the bananas.<br />
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Add the remaining lemon juice, soymilk, and agave nectar. Stir well to combine.<br />
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In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until the mixture is well-combined.<br />
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Fold in the blueberries.<br />
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Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
<br />
<b>Deliciousness: 4/5</b><br />
<i>It was tasty! I used overripe bananas, but I think next time I'll use EXTREMELY overripe bananas...for more banana-y flavor. I also think I'll use four total bananas - the bread was good but definitely could have been a little more moist. I mean, come on - it's banana bread. It's gotta be insanely moist!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ease of Preparation: 4/5</b><br />
<i>Really easy baking recipe. It takes 50 minutes to bake, though, so make sure you have some sort of project you can work on while you're watching the oven.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Prettiness: 5/5</b><br />
<i>Little blueberry gems inside a banana bread! Cute!</i>Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12074497699000288041noreply@blogger.com0