Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was so happy to find A Fresh Dille the other day. I love the blogsphere. There's never an end to inspiration or the likely-hood that you might bump into like-minded people. I love that the blog's focus not only on food, but fashion amongst other topics. What a lovely combo! I had been dreaming of chocolate chip cookies, and it happened to be my lucky day because I found just the perfect recipe as I perused the archives. The original recipe comes from Dreena Burton's Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies, and is just what I had been looking for. I love that this recipe only makes 12 cookies. There's less likely-hood to go off the deep end in a family of 4 with only 12 cookies. I have been out of maple syrup for a few weeks, so I had the mind to substitute brown rice syrup instead. They turned out beautifully. I love the tad of molasses. It adds just the right touch. I will try this recipe in its original form once I get the maple syrup, but I was happy the way they turned out with brown rice syrup.

Edit: I re-made these cookies exactly according to the recipe with the maple syrup this time. I have to tell you, these really were perfect. I liked them the last time, but I loved them this time so much more. And they're so easy. No creaming butter. Just mix with a spoon. So much less time consuming than non-veg cookies. You have to try these!

No camera = No posts

I haven't fallen off the vegan wagon, I promise. This perfectionist did however lose the camera battery charger. I'm unfortunately one of those creative/disorganized people who generally loses something of importance weekly. I really don't like posting pictures I'm not proud of hence the lack of posts. Lame right? Tell that to my neurotic brain. I ordered a new charger, so hopefully I'll be back up and running ASAP. I had to snap a picture of these cupcakes though. While the toppings might not be totally vegan (or at least I don't think they were) they were so pretty, so I had to share even if I had to use my crap cell phone camera. The recipe was marble cupcakes with fluffy vegan buttercream frosting from VCTOTW (as Amber from Almost Vegan likes to abbreviate.) I hadn't made this frosting yet, and it was indeed fluffy. It was just the right consistency to pipe huge cloud like mountains atop these yummy little cakes. The marble cake was yum too! I'm kind of craving these again just thinking about them. Hmmm....

Vegan BBQ Pulled "Pork" Sandwiches - Say What!?

I had never heard of Jackfruit until this whole vegan adventure began. The little vegan restaurant I've been obsessing about uses it in a million different ways. They have "fish" tacos, chalupas, and recently added reuban and bbq sandwiches. I tried the reuban the last time, and whoa! The jackfruit looked freakily like meat. I have yet to try the bbq sandwich, but couldn't stop thinking about it, so I decided to make it at home. Since I had never heard of jackfruit, I had to figure out where in the world to buy it. Turns out you can buy it at the Asian grocery store (like you can find all other obscure and strange vegan ingredients.) Whole Foods sometimes has it fresh (I called to see), but they didn't have any. Jackfruit when it is unripe or green, can be used in savory dishes. Make sure if you buy it for something like this, it isn't the ripened version which is sweet. Jackfruit is reminicent of hearts of palm or artichokes if you've never had it, but it makes a nice medium for a sandwich. It's doesn't necessarily have the texture of meat, but man does it look like it. Freaakkky!

This is my attempt at making a bbq sauce. I have no idea why on earth I used this many ingredients! You could probably use all bottled sauce or omit half of these ingredients with the same results. They just all sounded good as I was grabbing stuff. I used what I call my "magic pot" (because everything goes in and comes back out incredibly delicious), or in other words, my little Le Creuset dutch oven. I prefer to use the oven rather than a crock pot on most occasions, but I'm guessing a crock pot would work nicely if you have a small one. Forgive the bad picture. I only had a cell phone available. Can someone on earth tell me where my camera battery charger went before I go bonkers?

Vegan Pulled "Pork" Sandwiches

½ Red Onion, Diced

2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced

1/2 Jalapeno,  finely chopped (seeds removed)

1/4 cup ketchup

1 T. tomato paste

1 t. Molasses

¼ C. Vegan BBQ Sauce

½ C. Tomato Sauce 

½ t. Garlic Powder

1 T. Tamari or Shoyu

1 T. Vegan Worcestershire 

1/2 t. Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 C. Veg Broth 

¼ t  Liquid Smoke 

¼ t. Ginger, grated on a microplane

1 - 20 can of Jackfruit in brine or water, drained and squeezed of extra water

Whole Wheat Buns

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all ingredients except broth to small dutch oven. Heat until boiling, and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add broth and stir to combine. Add jackfruit and stir. Cook in oven for 1 hour. Once removed, shred jackfruit with a fork. Serve with toasted buns. Enjoy!

PS. I got my first set of Fiesta dishes from my mom for my birthday. Aren't they cute? :)

The Mother Of All Vegan Wraps

Ok truly, this was the best wrap ever. The little local vegan restaurant I keep raving about here in KC has a portobello wrap that we adore. They use all the fabulous local veggies they can get their hands on. The chef is incredibly creative. And because I can't afford to go there every day of my life like I want, I went to the farmer's market. This week I bought a little bit of just about everything. I think that I was in a bit of a veggie rut, buying the same stuff over and over again. Not this week I say! This wrap had portobellos, summer squash, red peppers, eggplant, kale, mustard greens, swiss chard, pumpkin greens, red onion, and garlic to boot (and probably other stuff I'm not remembering.) All I added was salt and pepper. I decided to leave all this beautiful vegetation to taste just like it tastes without me messing with it too much. Sometimes vegetables in all their vegtable-y goodness are strikingly delicious all on their own. I thinned a little vegan sour cream with lemon juice, and zig-zagged a little on just for looks mostly. This is the natural "Airborne" (that icky vitamin mixture we drink to not get sick). Surely the vitamins in this wrap would kick any would-be sicky germ's butt. I feel so good after eating stuff like this. Yummmmmmmm :)

Happy Birthday Sweet Silas!

Today my baby turns five. I can't believe these years have passed so quickly. He's my little apprentice, always willing to help me pour this or that in the bowl, or sprinkle a dash of this or that here and there. What a precious little guy. His request for his birthday treat was for chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting. I wish I could have gotten a picture of what he looked like after gobbling up his cupcake. So precious. Happy Birthday little guy :)

Oh by the way, these are (you guessed it) from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. I've decided that no matter what kind of cupcake recipe you're using, 15 minutes is the perfect amount of time to bake the perfect cupcake. A few minutes over, and you've got dry cupcakes IMO. This cookbook usually recommends 18 minutes, but I think they're just right taken out a few minutes before. These definitely got 2 thumbs up from the birthday boy.

Nate's Two Cents: I'd like to brag about my son's unbearable cuteness, but I can only take half the credit for that.  I do know that he has great taste in desserts.  And he seems to prefer almond/soy milk over cow milk, so he's much more likely than his brother to go the vegan route...And on that note, by the way, this vegan diet is amazing.  I would never have imagined before that I could eat this much and not only not gain weight, but actually lose weight (about 17 lbs, for anyone who cares).  I mean honestly, I gorge on different combos of grains, fruits, and veggies until I don't think my stomach can hold another ounce...and somehow the next morning the scale shows no damage.  And thanks to Tara's culinary wizardry, I don't feel like I'm sacrificing taste to eat well.  Anyway the cupcakes: awesome.  Chocolatey, moist, perfect texture, and really beautiful.  Probably going to have a couple more before this night is over, come to think of it...

Roasted Cauliflower and Wilted Spinach Salad - Vegan Yum Yum

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I drop off my youngest kiddo for preschool. I only have one more year left with my little guy at home which is totally sad (I will most certainly cry like a baby when he goes to kindergarten), but I've been making use of the time. I should be working, but since I'm only a few weeks into the school year I'm trying to have a little fun before I get back to work. Today for lunch I made Vegan Yum Yum's Roasted Cauliflower and Wilted Spinach Salad. Yum! This is a pretty easy recipe, that had great payoff. All you do is drizzle cauliflower with olive oil, and roast for about 20 minutes, boil up some whole wheat pasta  (in the meantime), cut up a few sun dried tomatoes. Throw it all on top of a few big handfuls of spinach. Drizzle a tablespoon or two (for good measure) of balsamic vinegar (a bit of salt and pepper of course), and voila! The only problem with this meal was that after I had the bowl you see above, I went to pack away the leftovers and dropped it (PLOP) right on the floor, everywhere. BLAH! I found out that my dog likes cauliflower. Who'da thunk it?! Well, you won't hear Nate's 2 cents about this meal, but at least this is proof I actually made it. I'm drowning my sorrows in cupcakes (they are baking as I type.) I'll try this recipe again. Quite delish and super healthy :)

Pumpkin and Chocolate....Oh My!

It is the most glorious September day here in Kansas City. The humidity of summer has already passed, so I'm breaking out the flavors of fall. Yes, I'm making more cupcakes, and still not losing that last 10 pounds.  But, at least I'm still cuter 20 pounds lighter, and a girl needs a cupcake. I think cupcakes are on par with twirly dresses and scalloped awnings, and just absolutely necessary for true girlishness. Anyway, this is the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (I'm obsessed with it obviously. Seriously, buy it.) I didn't think I'd like pumpkin and chocolate, and almost omitted the chips. I trust this cookbook however, and wanted to try it as is. It was a nice combo. The icing tied the flavors together beautifully. I have to say the Cinnamon Icing is to die for. I think cinnamon rolls are most definitely in my future with this icing slathered all over them. Fun, fun! I love to cook with all my little cupcake loving heart :)

A Vegan Who Doesn't Love Tofu?

Since this whole vegan journey began, I have kept tubs of tofu in the fridge ready to be cooked or thrown into this or that. More often than not, I happen across it in the fridge and realize the expiration date is long past due. Dare I say, I don't love Tofu? Is that a sin in this new vegan world I'm living in? I like it kind of, but after two or three bites, I'm tofu-ed out. I mean this looks good right? There is nothing wrong with this recipe at all. It was a sweet and sour recipe I found. The tofu was coated dipped and coated in corn starch and sautéed, so it had a nice crisp. The sauce was yummy as well, but hmmm.....Tofu. Why don't I love it?

Mom Knows Best - Vegan Banana Bread

My mom is a fantastic cook, and seriously makes the best banana bread on earth! Every time I have made her recipe and shared it, people have gone on and on about how wonderful it is (and they are right!) This is banana bread at its best. It may be more classified as a cake because it's that good. This is my second try making this vegan style. The first time I used Ener-G, and found that I really didn't like it at all in this recipe. It got all grainy. I know this recipe well, and it just didn't taste the same at all with an egg replacer. Fortunately bananas work well as a binder on their own, and because this recipe already has a bunch of banana, adding 1 extra to make up for the eggs doesn't mess with the flavor. This recipe makes 2 loaf pans of bread. I have no idea why, but I don't have loaf pans. They were swallowed up by the loaf pan monster or something. Instead I use 2 - 8 inch cake pans which works beautifully, or this recipe could make 20-24 muffins. It can be easily halfed if you prefer. I like having an extra pan to share :)

Best Vegan Banana Bread...Ever

2 C. Sugar

1 C. Earth Balance Butter

7 Ripe Bananas

2 1/2 C. White Whole Wheat Flour

1 t. Salt

2 t. Soda

Optional

1 c. Chopped Pecans or Blueberries (My mom uses either of these or none at all.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash Bananas, and set aside. I usually just mix them on high in my stand mixer. Cream Sugar and butter until fluffy. Add banana and combine. In a separate bowl sift flour, salt and soda. Add to banana mixture. If using loaf pans, bake for 1 hour. For muffins bake about 20-25 minutes. I hope you love this as much as I do :)

Nate's Two Cents:  I think I'd be stretching the truth to call this a guilt-free pleasure, but it's a little less guilty without the cholesterol of its non-vegan predecessor (the original Arial Banana Bread).  And it's loaded with actual bananas, which means something to a society that buys things made to taste like fruit even when eating an actual fruit would be simpler. I'm looking at you, Jello.  I just remind myself every time I eat Tara's banana bread that it's loaded with potassium.  I have good joints already, but still, it can't hurt.  And it's delicious.

Vegan Cupcake Heaven

I love getting a new cookbook. I think they're the best kind of books, well, right behind historical fiction. Anyway, today I got my amazon shipment, and my long awaited copy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. After failing miserably on a few cake recipes, I wanted to have something reliable on the shelf for reference. Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero are my vegan mentors (even if they don't know it.) I decided to make the Basic Chocolate Cupcake recipe along with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting. My go-to chocolate cupcake recipe used to be Martha Stewart's one bowl chocolate cake, but no longer. These cupcakes are perfect, moist and super chocolaty. That may be due to the fact that I bought some rockin' Valhrona dutch process cocoa. French chocolate gets me all googly eyed and dreaming of Europe. Aren't cupcakes cute? They kind of have a little puppy quality. They always make me want to stop and saw, "Awwww....How cute!" Anyway, I can't wait to try more recipes. Yay!

How I Love Falafel

Are you starting to wonder if I am ever, ever going to lose that last 10 lbs? I promise, I'm not only eating fried food. But, falafel is kind of healthy (I like self delusion obviously.) Protein fried in healthy fat couldn't be that bad right? Anyway, we love falafel around here. It's one of Nate's favorites, so I can never go wrong if I call him in the afternoon cluing him in on what's for dinner. He likes it when he knows I'm not testing something totally weird and obscure on him. I'm a fan of the Joy of Cooking version. I've tried many different recipes, but this is my favorite (so far anyway.) I've found that I'm not crazy about falafel recipes that use canned beans.  They end up mushy. No bueno in my opinion.

Perfect Falafel

1 1/2 c. Dried Chickpeas (Rinsed and soaked overnight)
1/2 c. chopped onions
1/4 c packed fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. ground red pepper

2 T. Flour

Heat oil of your choice over medium high heat in heavy duty pan about 1/2 inch deep. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor, but not too long or they'll fall apart in the oil. Add mixture to bowl, and stir in flour. Form into little flying saucers. Let hang out for around 15 minutes, then fry for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.  For the sauce, mix 1/4 c. tahini, 1/4 c. water, 1-2 T. lemon juice and a pinch of salt. YUM!

Vegan Fried Okra and Succotash

I'm already beginning to mourn the end of summer. Today was the first day I felt a little foretelling of Autumn in the air. While the fall is very dear to me, I'll miss the juicy red tomatoes of summer and the farmer's markets. My father in law has a little plot in a community garden.  He brought over some fresh cherry tomatoes and okra. Sometimes my dinners are just like this. Nothing fancy, just a bunch of color all thrown on a plate, but nothing makes me happier. 

One recipe I'm completely obsessed with (might not be a strong enough word) is Alicia Silverstone's Summertime Succotash from her book The Kind Diet. I probably make it at least once a week in some form or another. I didn't grow up on Lima beans, but she has completely sold me on them. I've made this recipe with all fresh ingredients (including once fresh lima beans I scored from my favorite vendor), but sometimes I totally cheat if I don't have fresh on hand. I finally took back my copy of the book to the library and ordered it myself. It's worth it I think. Here's a total cheater version of the recipe, but trying it just as she wrote it is definitely worth a go if you have the book. I love it with all fresh ingredients, but saving time is a great bonus every once in a while.

Cheater Summertime Succotash

1 - 2 T. Earth Balance

1 Can of Organic Butter Beans (the original calls for frozen lima beans)

1 Can of Organic Sweet Corn 

1/2 Red Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

A cup or two of fresh Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in 2

1 T. Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh Parsley or Basil

Heat butter in large heavy duty pot. Sauté onions for around 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add butter beans and corn. Heat through, and then add tomatoes. You don't want your tomatoes to lose their firmness or juice, so (really) don't keep them in long at all. Then toss in balsamic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Seriously delicious. I love all the textures involved.

Both of my in-laws are from the south, and are A-mazing cooks. Seriously. My brother in law calls it the best restaurant in town. While they are definitely meat eaters, there are always a million delicious sides. My mother in law says my father in law gets all the credit for the main dish, but her sides are always to die for. Since they brought me over a bunch of okra, I HAD to fry it. Ok, maybe I didn't have to, but is there really any other better way to eat okra? Absolutely not I say! But maybe that's why this last ten pounds is so slow to come off. I veganized his proportions, and they turned out perfectly.

Vegan Fried Okra

2/3 C. All Purpose Flour

1/3 C. Organic Cornmeal

1 t. Kosher Salt

1 t. Paprika

1/2 t. Garlic Powder

Pound or 2 of Fresh Okra

1 C. Unsweetened Soy Milk

Canola Oil

Heat canola in heavy duty pan over medium high heat. Sift together dry ingredients. My father in law says that you have to bread each batch right before dropping them in the pan or it doesn't work the same. Drop a large handful of okra in soy milk. Remove and add to cornmeal mixture. Toss to coat. Drop in the pan, and fry until golden brown. Taste before adding any additional salt. Enjoy :)

In search of the perfect wrap

So if you've wondered where I've been, I've been on a quest to make the perfect wrap. There's a little vegan restaurant called FÜD here in Kansas City that we've been to a few times. There they have the most incredible wraps and other delectable fare. I'm not usually one to order a glorified sandwich, but man are they good at FÜD. I think I'm most fascinated with the sauces that adorn almost every dish. Each sauce is of course vegan, and spectacularly great. I wouldn't know how to replicate them if I tried. The owner is going to have some classes that I'm really excited about. Being there has totally inspired me to come up with my own wraps that are super delicious. I love wraps because they are the perfect throw together lunch or dinner. This particular wrap was sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic and generously sprinkled with curry powder. I mixed a few tablespoons of vegenaise, a few more sprinkles of curry, a little nutritional yeast and thinned it with a tad of water for the sauce. I think I may have to make this one again :)

Flippin' Awesome Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

The way to Nate's heart usually involves a route taken through a pastry shop. However, for some reason unbeknownst to me (even though I've tried a ba-jillion times), yeast breads and pastries don't usually work out for me. This winter whilst locked up during a ridiculous two-week-longer than usual winter break due to snow, I made loaves a' plenty.  None of them were good, and I'm not just saying that. I would love to be a baker's apprentice, because I obviously have no clue. When I found this recipe for Quick Mini Cinnabuns over at Vegan Pandamonium, I had to try them. There is no yeast involved here, which gave me kind of a chance at not royally messing them up. The recipe uses whole wheat flour which eases my mind at least somewhat to their nutritional value (hardy har :)  The recipe title is true; they are quick and wonderfully easy. The hubs and kiddos loved them which always makes me smile. After failing on a batch of brownies yesterday, my baking self esteem was battered.  Making these helped me ease the pain of being responsible for the dry, crappy brownies I took to yesterday's family dinner.  Hooray for baking success! 

Nate's Two Cents: Tara puts the "sin" in cinnabuns, no question about it.  I thought I had broken my bread addiction, I really did.  Two months of vegetables and beans and colorful fruits and crunchy granola had seduced me into forgetting my vulnerability.  I felt like Superman, laughing at the donut temptations that used to do me in.  But every man has his kryptonite.  And mine takes the form of warm, sweet, fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon buns.  So when Tara put these in front of me, my delusions of strength suddenly came crashing down...I couldn't say no...I tried to stop at one, I really did!  But the smell, that cursed devil smell of cinnamon and sugar.  I have nothing more to say.  I have been humbled.  I am defeated.  Must...have...another...

Morgan's Magic - Vegan Refried Beans

Since becoming a vegan, I've found the greatest food blogs. I've taken to cooking up some of the recipes I have on a growing list from other blog writers over the last week. Vegan cooks are the most creative of foodie folks because they have to substitute and re-create recipes out of unconventional ingredients. I love learning about new ways to cook. I figure since I already have to cook, it might as well be fun right? Morgan over at Little House of Veggies is a perfect example of that kind of creative cook who always make you think "Huh! What a great idea!"  My oven is currently broken, so when I saw Morgan's Amazing Refried Beans recipe (which is serendipitously made in a crock pot), I thought it would be a perfect time to try them. Who doesn't love coming home to a house filled with the aromas of a Mexican cantina? Morgan's recipes are always thoughtfully seasoned, so there is rarely an occasion where you would want to change anything. These beans were delicious, and SO easy! I used my stick blender to smash them up. By the way, tostadas are married people food. If you have a really cute boyfriend you're trying to impress, tostadas are out. Nate and I were laughing at each other and the huge mess we were making of ourselves, but we're stuck with one another, so who cares!  Rather than tostada shells, I packed up a couple of bean burritos instead for Nate's lunch, so he doesn't freak out his co-workers with tostada all over his face :)

Hurry Up Alfredo Sauce - Vegan Yum Yum

Something creamy sounded good today. Every once and a while I miss heavy whipping cream. I'm still longing to find a vegan crème brûlée recipe (since that was the dessert I'm asked to bring to gatherings most often), but we'll see if I can find one that remotely passes as the real thing. Yeah, yeah, real cream isn't exactly thigh friendly, but it sure tastes good. I always have a recipe I've found here or there that I'd like to try. I had seen the recipe for Hurry Up Alfredo on Vegan Yum Yum and wanted to try it, but even more so after Kylea over at Veganizing tested it out and loved it. This sauce is creamy for sure, and while it doesn't have the same flavor as a traditional alfredo, it is pretty darn good! It is probably just as fattening as regular alfredo, but certainly more heart healthy. It definitely satisfies your cream craving. One word of advice on this recipe; make sure to use low sodium shoyu or tamari as suggested. In the pot it tasted too salty to me, but once I poured it over the pasta and veggies, it was just about right. I missed the low-sodium part on the recipe and used regular. I would have added less soy to make up for the difference, had I been a more patient recipe follower.  Man, this sauce made me wish I had a Vita-Mix blender. Ah well! Someday :)

Vegan Chickpea Cutlets

Last winter my friend Kylea went veg for a full month to see if it would be an experiment that she could sustain for her family. She's one of those people who inspire you in many ways. I admire her for being more balanced than most, not just going out and buying organic veggies, but growing them in her own backyard, and for being one of the sweetest moms and wives I have met. It had never occurred to me to be a vegan before she did it. The concept seemed too difficult even though I had spent many years as a vegetarian. Once I started reading this summer about why a vegan diet is beneficial, I remembered her experiment. We began talking about recipes and what her successes were previously. It's so nice to have a friend to talk with about vegan recipes who doesn't think I'm a total weirdo. In the past few months, she has gone vegan again, but this time has taken her whole family along for the ride as well. She has started a new blog called Veganizing, where she has totally blown me away with the variety of items she has been cooking. Tonight I tried the recipe for Chickpea Cutlets. They were really yummy! While the texture is not exactly like chicken, the crispy outside gives you the same satisfaction. I multiplied the recipe by one and one half because one can of chickpeas equals about 1 1/2 cups rather than 1 cup that the recipe calls for. I still only used 1/4 cup of vital wheat gluten even though I one and a halved the recipe. I agree with Kylea that this ingredient is better used in smaller quantities. Oh, and by the way, wear an apron for goodness sake! This little suckers will pop you with hot oil if you're not careful. Check out Kylea's blog. I'm so impressed with all she's done in such a short time!

Vegan Fried Pickles - Bar Food Sans the Bar

I have totally and completely been obsessing about fried pickles. No, I'm not pregnant. It's my OCD, maniacal side. I haven't been officially diagnosed, but when I set my mind on something, I usually take it right off the deep end. Sometimes a girl just really, really needs something deep fried. Most fried pickle recipes I have found include eggs or buttermilk, so here's an improvisation. I prefer the slices to the spears, but pretty much all kinds of fried pickles are my friends. These don't need extra salting in case you want to head for the shaker. The sodium content in the pickles is plenty. I wish Nate hadn't left me alone with my vices today. Boredom and too much time on one's hands leads to mischief. Fortunately I only made a small batch. Am I the only one who adores fried pickles?

2 T. Brown Rice Syrup

2 T. Maple Syrup

1 T. Grainy Dijon

1 C. Corn Flakes

1/2 C. Flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour, but any would do)

1/2 t. Garlic Powder

1/2 t. Black Pepper

Small Pinch of Salt

2 T. Vegenaise

Jar of Dill Pickle Slices, large crinkle cut is best

Canola Oil or other Vegetable Oil

Pour about 2 inches of oil in a small heavy pot. Set over medium high heat.  On a paper towel, set a layer of pickles.  Pat dry. Combine syrups and Dijon in a bowl. Reserve 1 T. sauce. Combine 1 T. reserved syrup mixture with 2 T. Vegenaise. Set aside. This will be your dipping sauce. In a food processor, combine corn flakes, flour, garlic powder, pepper and pinch of salt. Pulse until well processed, but the corn flakes still have some body left. Place mixture into lidded tupperware container. Add 5-7 pickle slices to mixture. Cover and shake until well coated. Add to heated oil, and fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Set on paper towel to drain excess oil.

Nate's Two Cents:  For the record, I'm the one saying Tara's pregnant.  I just think there's something very ovarian about suddenly needing one specific fried food....and needing it NOW. But anyway, for what it's worth, I'm glad she had the craving.  The pickles were tremendous.  Perfect blend of sweet and salty, and somehow they didn't lose that "crunch" that sets good pickles apart.  I secretly wished she had made more.  There, I said it.  Tara, next time make more.

P.S. I'm really not pregnant. - Tara

Misir Watt

One great thing about being a budding vegan is all the new recipes I have been able to try as of late. I'm one of those cooks who never makes much of the same thing more than once.  I think it gives more creative value to to process of cooking and eating. I do have a few family favorites, but I really do love trying new things.  Recently I went to Blue Nile Cafe at the Kansas City River Market, a really great Ethiopian restaurant.  They have a great selection of vegan items on the menu, all of which are really flavorful and spicy. It got me really interested in learning more about about this particular cuisine. I love discovering new spice combinations. I found a really great local blog called Almost Vegan written by a fellow Kansas Citian (yes there are actually vegans in the Midwest) who had recently taken classes at Blue Nile. She shared the recipe for Misir Watt (Ethiopian Lentils) along with really great instructions, and how to images. This turned out really great. You do have to have berbere, a special spice that I purchased directly from the restaurant, but maybe you could find it at a specialty shop in your area. I also picked up some injera which is Ethiopian bread that I had neither the time nor the inclination to replicate at this time :)  There are a few other Ethiopian recipes I plan on trying, and will of course share them with you soon!

Vegan Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Frosting

One of my many hobb-sessions, as Nate likes to call them, through the years has included cake making.  When this particular hobby/obsession came into my life, you could find me at Michael's or pretty much anywhere that had cake decorator tools. Of course like most of my hobbies, they die a slow death, but at least I can pick them up when I need them. My kids absolutely love when I tell them I'm going to make a cake. They run into the kitchen and grab two chairs and perch on them waiting for instruction on what ingredient gets poured into the bowl next. With only 2 weeks of summer left, it's a great time to bake together.  I'm sad to see my little helpers go back to school.  I have standby cake recipes that are most definitely not vegan. Time to improvise!

I found the cake recipe on Post Punk Kitchen. If you haven't already visited the site, it's a fun place to find recipes. All the recipes I've tried so far have been fantastic. I used the Rich Chocolate Cake recipe. I love that the recipe uses whole wheat pastry flour and maple syrup rather than sugar. Do follow the time suggestion. I left mine in a few minutes longer because it didn't seem done at the alloted time, and while it was still very moist and delicious, I think a few minutes less would have made a more moist cake the next day. I wouldn't know because I didn't have any left because it got gobbled up at a family gathering in 3 seconds flat, so it's just a guess. The frosting is a Chocolate Buttercream.  I mourn the loss of swiss meringue buttercream, as of course there are no eggs left in my life, but I have to say this one was still really delicious.  Really, who doesn't love chocolate frosting? I transformed an old recipe with vegan ingredients.

Vegan Chocolate Buttercream

2 C. Earth Balance Butter, room temperature
12 oz. Vegan Semi Sweet Chocolate, melted and cooled
3 T. Plain Soy Milk
2 t. Vanilla
5 C. Powdered Sugar

Beat the butter in a stand mixer until fluffy for about 2 or 3 minutes. Slowly add melted chocolate with mixer on low. After chocolate and butter are well combined, add vanilla, milk and sugar. Beat at medium low until just combined. This makes enough to frost 2 8-9 inch cakes. I had leftover frosting which I plan to use on a few cupcakes, or to eat out of the fridge as necessary :)

Nate's Two Cents: I'm really out of my element commenting on cakes, but I'll say this much, I really, really enjoyed this one. To me, anything with "chocolate" in the title should taste like it. And this cake is the real deal. There's no way I'd have known it didn't have eggs or refined sugar.  In fact, the maple syrup worked so well it inspired me to start sweetening my coffee with it. So my advice would be to just not even bother telling your guests what the cake doesn't have in it, unless they accuse you of violating your vegan values. What they don't know won't hurt 'em.