nom! nom! nom! blog

Meme

Kris — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So I've never done one of these before, but Bazu opened up her tag to include everyone, so I figured what the heck. :) 1) LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATRE? I saw Benjamin Button on New Years Eve. Wonderful, but make sure you bring tissues. Then again, I'm a serious crier. 2) WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? I am reading The Origins and History of the English Language for school right now and I'm staring longingly at a pile of books for personal enjoyment. But they are mostly books about linguistics or language, too. 3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME? I love board games! We actually have this coffee table that opens up in the middle, like a table with a leaf except that there is a container under the top and it's filled with games. I love games involving words the most, like Scattergories or Taboo. 4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE? I subscribe to Paste, Martha Stewart Living and Yoga Journal, but rarely read any of them now, they just pile up everywhere. :( 5) FAVOURITE SMELLS? Chocolate, coffee (but I hate to drink it!), bay rum, fresh spring air, citrus. 6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS? The sound of kitties snoring and acoustic guitar being played. 7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD? Being in the midst of something negative and not having any control over it. 8 ) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE? Noooooooo! This can't be happening yet! I just laid down! I'm going to throw that alarm across the room! 9) FAVOURITE FAST FOOD PLACE? Chipotle. I'll admit it, McDonald's doesn't own them anymore, so I feel less guilty. It's good food and easy to find when you travel! In a serious pinch though, when on the road, I am fine with Taco Bell. I will eat accidentally vegan gas station junk food before I will ever eat Subway on the road, though. I'm anti-cold sandwiches to begin with, couple that with bad bread stuffed with condiments and it's a sorry situation for all involved. I can get crabby about food when traveling. 10) FUTURE CHILD’S NAME? Not sure if that's going to happen, but just in case, I'm keeping it secret. 11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D... donate to all of my favorite organizations and charities, NPR, and I'd go to college forever. 12) DO YOU DRIVE FAST? Moderately, yes. 13) DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? I sleep with 3 animals who stuff themselves with cat food and take up all my leg room. Does that count? 14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY? If you're at home, cool. I really miss thunderstorms. Tornadoes, not so much. 15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? A Pontiac. It was such a good car to me. 16) FAVOURITE DRINK? I would have to say water and after that sparkling ciders and iced tea. 17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT - IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD… Read through my ever-growing pile of books that I never get to and play guitar. 18 ) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI? Yes, absolutely. 19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? Nothing, I have dye-free hair and I like it that way. 20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN? Erie (PA), North East (PA), Avon Park (FL), Seabring (FL), Saint Paul (MN), Colorado Springs (CO), New Hope, Maple Grove and Plymouth (Minneapolis suburbs, MN), Mesa (AZ), Phoenix (AZ), Portland (OR). 21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Don't get me started on sports. 22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Bazu is absolutely lovely and I hope to meet her one day. 23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED? Bins of CDs that we don't use because they are all on iTunes and empty guitar cases. We have our bed on those stilt things to make more room for our junk. 24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN? Possibly, but I would want to know what I know now. 25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL? Uh, blogging at 1 a.m. I think that's your answer. 26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP? How about tofu scramble with toast on the side? 27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX? In my bed. It's so comfy! Plus, I'm am lazy. 28 ) FAVOURITE PIE? Boston Cream. I know, it's not pie... but it's still my favorite. 29) FAVOURITE ICE CREAM FLAVOUR? I'm a simple gal. Soy Dream Vanilla. 30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST? I tag whoever would like to be tagged! Thanks for wasting your time to read thing about me that probably just confirmed how mundane I am!

A day in the life...*

Kris — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I'm sorry to do this. I know that vegans in Portland always talk about all of the food and restaurants that we have here, but I just have to. When I first started at my job there wasn't much of anything in the immediate area

a quick bite of cake

Kris — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Not for realzies, sadly, but a metaphorical bite of cake. Alas, I disappoint even myself. :P The Threadcakes competition is officially open! Woo-hoo! If you aren't familiar, check it out here. It's a fun opportunity to share your love of Threadless T-shirts often-cheeky designs in the most tasty medium possible- cake! How awesome would it be for a vegan cake to win?! [caption id="attachment_1022" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Last year\'s winner- presumably not vegan but visually impressive!"][/caption]

Auto Draft

Kris — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:11:09 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:18:49 +0000

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about

Kris — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:33:08 +0000

Hi, I'm Kris Holechek and I am a vegan baking fool currently residing in Portland, Oregon, vegan capital of the country, apparently. I live with my husband and our crazy cats. When I'm not baking, I'm practicing yoga, messing around on the computer, or studying one of my 70 hobbies. In addition to those activities, I am a music enthusiast, I play guitar and sing and I like to fine-tune my Martha Stewart instincts via crafty projects that I rarely finish. I also enjoy reading books about pretty much everything. I'm a sucker for non-fiction. I have been living cruelty-free for about 6 years, was vegetarian off-and-on for about a decade before that and solidly vegetarian for the year preceding becoming vegan. I became vegetarian due to my studies of the eight limbs of yoga. After learning more about animal agriculture, I made a cold-turkey overnight coversion to veganism almost exactly one year after becoming a true vegetarian. This is the book I read which led to that significant decision. I have been baking since the first moment I was allowed into the kitchen. My great-grandmother and my aunt were my foodie role models growing up and I learned countless lessons from them in the kitchen, both in relationship to the preparation of food and about food as communion. Our family life revolved around someone puttering around in the kitchen while everyone else sat around, chatting, laughing and sampling the cook's inventions. I believe in the importance of food to both family and culture, which is why creating mind-blowing vegan cuisine, specifically baking, has been so important to me. When we sit down with others and share food, a bond is formed. And if that food is lackluster, well, that's just downright sad. Amazing vegan food is not only possible, it's important so we can connect with each other as vegans and for our ability to bridge that gap between ourselves and non-vegans. Delicious food transforms skeptics from thinking, "Vegan cookies? Yuck, what's in those? You're weird." to "Heck, these are great! What else you got?" Spread the love.

recipes

Kris — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:35:36 +0000

I've broken down the recipes into the most common categories: Breakfasty Sweets/Desserts Savory/Meals Enjoy!

vegan baking?!

Kris — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:39:50 +0000

Vegan baking may seem impossible, especially if you are someone who has been subjected to some awful vegan baked goods. But it's not veganism making them bad. Think of how many conventional baked goods you have had that were lackluster or downright gross. Dry, crumbly cake, hard cookies, soggy pies, we've all eaten them. And let's be honest.. if it was your first time eating a vegan baked good don't you think you might have been expecting something to taste different, and so it did? It's not about what's in it (or what's not for that matter), it about technique and having a well-written recipe to work from. But back to vegan baking. No eggs? No butter? Ah, but there is so much to be sampled and tasted on the food spectrum that not only is vegan baking possible, it’s cholesterol-free, tastes delicious and can be as challenging or as simple as you want it to be. You don’t need to invest in obscure, hard-to-find ingredients, you can bake delectable creations with many ingredients you have on hard or are available at your local grocery store. But first, a vegan baking primer. Sugars- Sugar cane is refined using animal bone charcoal filters. While the bone isn’t actually processed into the sugar, it is a by-product that many vegans tend to avoid. This is not normally true for beet sugar and also can vary, so do some online investigating or contact the company to be sure. There are many alternative sugars out there, so keep an eye out and don’t be afraid to experiment. Sucanat, organic sugars, evaporated cane juice, turbinado, the list goes on and on. And then there are the liquid sweeteners such as agave and maple syrup. I tend to use organic cane or evaporated cane juice most frequently. I find my best deals on organic cane at Costco, believe it or not! Your local health-food store or co-op usually have great deals on sugar when you buy in bulk. Butter- Clearly not vegan. Oil is a great, less processed alternative that works with many recipes. If you do use oil, however, you will have to adjust your other liquids, so it can take some perfecting when veganizing a family favorite. There are several vegan margarines out there, including Earth Balance (which recently changed it's packaging so make sure you are getting the vegan one and not a butter blend), Willow's Run and Spectrum. You can use it stick for stick in replacing butter, and it bakes like a charm. I realize, however, that not everyone has access to stores that stock explicitly vegan margarine. Or even if you do, they can be pricey and, by-golly, you want to make cookies! There is hope! They aren't as healthy, but there are accidentally vegan margarines out there. I have experimented with several of them to see how well they bake and have yet to encounter a problem. One that I can find readily in the Pac NW is Nucoa. Accidentally vegan and great for baking. Do some label reading to see what's available in your neighborhood. Vegan shortening is also available, so no worries there either. Milk- How now, vegan cow? Well, there is always soy milk, which is becoming so commonplace that I have even seen it at gas stations! But don’t stop there, try almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, hazelnut milk. A different milk for each day of the week and they are all yummy and moo-free. For baking purposes, I tend to use soy when I want a higher fat content, for example with making a cake or a cream filling. I also use almond milk and oat milk regularly with great results. Eggs- Replacing eggs in baked goods seems like a daunting task when you first take the plunge into vegan baking, but it turns out that it’s simple, tasty and effective. Some egg replacers, or binders, work better than others, so if at first you don’t succeed… well, it’ll still taste good, so stuff your face! To replace 1 egg try: 1/4 cup mashed banana 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/4 cup pureed silken tofu 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, whipped up with 3 tbsp water (let it sit for a few minutes after mixing to thicken) 1/4 cup soy yogurt 1/4 cup sour milk- nut or grain milk of your choice with a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar to sour. (Be sure to add a little baking soda to the recipe if there isn't any already to ensure the desired chemical reaction.) Egg replacer, prepared according to box instructions Some work better for certain things than others. I find flaxseed works best for things that are chewy or in yeasted baked goods. Applesauce works best in cookies or quick breads, and you'll never be able to taste it. Yogurt, tofu and sour milk work wonders in cakes. I tend to avoid the boxed egg replacer. It's essentially a mix of different starches. It can dry out some baked goods. In some cases where all I need is a little starch, I will use a bit of corn or tapioca starch. As a rule of thumb, use more liquidy binders in more liquidy baked goods. For example, I would never use sour milk in cookie dough because the dough would not hold together. Sour milk is best used in items that are in a self-contained pan like quick breads or a cake. Some people might think it's weird to use some of these things in their baked goods. Applesauce? Flaxseed? But why aren't eggs weird? Because you are used to it. Because it's conventional. Because, frankly, it's habit. I have played with countless family recipes that on my first round of veganizing all I did was omit the eggs and I'll be darned- it didn't change a thing. Don't be afraid to try and play. Omnivores have one option: eggs. With all of these options, and countless more (pumpkin puree, shredded pears, zucchini, cooked oatmeal) there are boundless textures to be refined, taking each baked good to it's full potential as individual treats, without a blanket use of ingredients just 'cause it's always been done that way.

cookbook(s)

Kris — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:44:07 +0000

In May of 2007 I self published my book The Damn Tasty Guide to Vegan Baking. It was published on a shoe-string and was a true labor of love- I spent 2 years working on it. At the end of 2007, I took a break from the cookbook and blogging to focus on some other things. In the fall of 2008 I was approached by a publisher to publish a bigger, expanded and revised vegan baking cookbook in 2009. I accepted and began on a whirlwind baking journey. It felt great to be back at home in the kitchen. I revamped some of the recipes from Damn Tasty while developing at over 50 new recipes for the new book, which came out in fall of 2009. You can find it at Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe, Amazon or find it at most big box book sellers! In 2011, my third cookbook will be out- Have Your Cake And Vegan Too! Stay tuned for more news!

tasty tips

Kris — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 23:05:22 +0000

These are a few of my favorite things:

Air-insulated baking pans: They are the optimal cookie sheet. Parchment paper: No more cookies sticking to the pan, burnt edges or cookies that get hard 10 minutes after baking. A sifter: A good sifter gives you fluffy powdered sugar and unclumpy cocoa powder. Oven thermometer: Essential to ensure that your oven is baking at the right temperature. 10 degrees can make a big difference.

i dig a pony

Kris — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 02:47:44 +0000

I Can Has Cheezburger- This fall it came to my attention that I am the last cat lover on Earth to discover this charming website that has now become my daily therapy. I have come to appreciate really good lolcat grammar. Jill Bliss- Super cool goods from a super talented vegan. The Beatles- I don't need to say more, do I? etsy- the place to get fantastic gifts for the people you love, including yourself.

family-018

Kris — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:31:03 +0000

Cookie Foot

Kris — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:33:21 +0000

Ginger Spiced Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Snickerdoodles

i'm back in the saddle again

Kris — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:36:11 +0000

I'm not afraid to admit that I love Aerosmith. How can you not? Hello there! I hope that 2008 is ending on a high note for all of you. At the end of 2007, I decided to take a break from blogging to focus on some other things in my life that needed some focused attention, namely work and going back to school. All throughout the year, though, I lurked on everyone's blogs, keeping tabs on the latest and greatest vegan creations on the internet. As the year has continued, though, I have really missed blogging. Many moments presented themselves when I thought, "Oh! I want to blog about this!" So I decided that I will. Squirrel's Vegan Kitchen is still up as an archive, but this is my new site. We all get to times when we need to let go of things and move on, and it's that time for me and the squirrel. But don't think the squirrel love is gone. [caption id="attachment_39" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Mama Squirrel"][/caption] I also have some exciting news to share with you all, but that will come soon. You can figure it out yourself if you explore the new site a little bit, but I don't want to shamelessly self-promote tonight. I want to talk about food. Ginger Spiced Dark Chocolate Chunk cookies and Snickerdoodles, waiting for Santa. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday or if nothing else enjoying the time off work. :) See you again soon!

Kris Shoveling Snow

Kris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:25:31 +0000

Chocolate and Vanilla Cream Pear Tarte

Kris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:30:53 +0000

Linus Paw Prints

Kris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:34:33 +0000

Wow!

Kris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:53:56 +0000

I am truly overwhelmed with your gracious response to my reimurgence from my cybercave! Thank you so very much. :) Well, a year has passed. It's one of those situations where so much has happened that you can't think of anything, you know? Like when you see someone you went to high school with and once you get past discussing where you work and whether you are married or have kids it kind of taps out. I'm sure I'll remember odds and ends as time goes by. In the more recent past (read, the last two weeks) those of us in the Pacific Northwest have been battered by Artic Blast 2008. No, sadly, I did not make that title up. I personally would have named it Average But Debilitating Snowfall That Almost Ruined Christmas, but whatever. What it amounted to was real winter weather, Midwest style, in a region otherwise unprepared for it. We had snow, ice, freezing rain, the whole shabang. What we didn't have were enough plows, salt, or snow shovels. In our community of 30 homes, one person had a shovel. As a Minnesotan, I was pretty disappointed with myself. But I was pleased with my giant container of sea salt from, where else, Trader Joes. My second post in and already a Joes plug! I can't help it, I love them! I used the sea salt to salt the ice off of our porch and it worked perfectly. We didn't have a shovel, but we needed to get out of our house. Desperate times call for innovative answers. Being that Portland screeches to a halt when there is weather, I spent most of the last two weeks telecommuting. Telecommuting is beautiful on two fronts- 1.) I get so much more done because the only distraction I have is throwing a sparkily pompom ball for Ravi to fetch and 2.) because my work-from-home computer is a laptop, I can work and throw together some baked goods at the same time. Such as this Chocolate and Vanilla Cream Pear Galette. This has been one of my absolute favorites so far. [caption id="attachment_46" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Chocolate and Vanilla Cream Pear Galette"][/caption] Favorites for what you might ask? Well, if you're going to twist my arm I'll tell you. I was contacted by a publisher this fall about publishing the recipes from my old book for reals, but updated and expanded and with tons of new recipes (50+). How can a girl say no to that? We are still hammering out the title, but in the meantime I have been baking like there's no tomorrow and it's been a blast. The road to diabetes is no doubt paved with cookies, cakes, breads, pies, and all sorts of goodies. I'm trying to start some damage control, and I need to clean up our food habits to compensate for all of this. It's been difficult, as I'm also working and going to school when I'm not baking, so convenience has been key and Jim is still mastering how I like my instant oatmeal. Any superfast healthy food suggestions that are also cost-effective? Is there anything cuter than little kitty footprints in the snow? Linus is from Minnesota, too, and the snow was calling him, so on the first day of snow, we took him out for a little stroll. This isn't terribly eventful, but it's pretty darn cute- a video Jim put together of Linus exploring the freshly fallen snow while Bindhi plans her revenge from inside the house. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmzz7jGKGtg&hl=en&fs=1] I hope the last day of the year ends on an upswing, sending you into 2009 on a high note. This is going to be a tough year for everyone, I think, but cookies and community will see us through!

Chocolate Palette

Kris — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:31:39 +0000

Palette Square Open

Kris — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:34:50 +0000

New Year's Day Dinner

Kris — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:47:31 +0000

2009!

Kris — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:07:21 +0000

Happy New Year! When I was growing up I couldn't stand being a kid and I spent most of my adolescence wishing it away. I could not wait to grow up, because then life would really start. Time moved forward at a crawl's pace. I remember actually getting bored with summer vacation and looking forward to school so that I had something to do. Now a long weekend flies by faster than a single work day and my pen can't keep up with the year. If you could see how many checks I've written that I had to void and rewrite in the last year, you'd shake your head. Did you remember to eat your black-eyed peas on January 1st? Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's is a southern tradition stemming from the late 1800s. During the Civil War northern troops would raid fields of food in the south, but overlooked black-eyed peas, thinking that they were cattle feed and not suitable for eating. Those hardy beans were a staple for survival in the war-ravaged south. They symbolize good luck and wealth in the new year and are traditionally eaten with ham and greens. 2009 looks to be a rough year with the economy and all, so I figured a little luck wouldn't hurt. Besides, I love black-eyed peas because they are neutral enough to go in virtually any recipe, require no pre-soak and are just plain delicious! I made up some black-eyed pea and quinoa cakes that I lightly fried and served with a creamy roasted garlic sauce and carmelized onions. I simply cooked up some black-eyed peas, quinoa and some minced onion, mashed the peas, mixed them together with some dried basil and salt, formed them into patties and lightly pan fried them. For our greens, we bypassed the collards and went with some garlic roasted brussel sprouts. [caption id="attachment_59" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Black-eyed Pea and Quinoa Cakes with Roasted Garlic Sauce and Carmelized Onions"][/caption] P.S. If you have a rice cooker and have not yet made quinoa in it, you must! It is fluffy and absolutely perfect! Instead of the regular 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water ratio I use 1 cup quinoa to 1 2/3 cups water and it comes out perfect everytime! Always remember to rinse off your quinoa first. I am not one much for convention or following tradition, but there's a certain appeal to setting New Year's Resolutions. Have I ever actually kept one? Well, maybe, but I usually forget what they were come March. :) This year, however, I'm feeling determined, so here goes. 1.) Purge. I'm getting rid of my stuff. It's incredible as you go from occupying a room to an apartment to a house that you can find so many things to fill your space with! I'm paring down to only the things I really need and keeping sentimental mushiness to a minimum. So far I have 2 garbage bags full of clothes and 2 large rubbermaid totes full of stuff, and that's only from sorting through my dressers, my side of the closet and our Christmas decorations. Goodwill will know us well this year. 2.) Stop using the word "like". Yes, I am one of them. One of those people who says "And then I was like blah blah blah and then he was like blah blah blah". I also use it as a filler word when I am grapling for my next though. Any ideas on how to stop it? So far I've thought of wearing a rubber band on my wrist and snapping it whenever I say it, like when a smoker is trying to quit or putting X-amount of pennies in one pocket and everytime I say it, I put one penny into the other pocket to make myself aware. Any thoughts? 3.) Exercise. C'mon now, stop laughing. I know we all say it, but I'm serious here. My pants are getting tight from working on the cookbook and my metabolism is starting to slow down. I have four new workout DVDs coming from Amazon to mix it up. 4.) Become a chocolate connoisseur. That was actually one of my goals from last year, but this year I'm taking it quite seriously. I know, chocolate connoiseur may not make sense after exercise, but really good dark chocolate only requires a small square to satisfy a sweet tooth, so no guilt here. And yes, I know that eating chocolate isn't exactly something most people have to work towards, but I want to really know it. The process, the differences, the blends of beans. Semisweet, bittersweet, dark, I want to understand it beyond "This tastes good". I'm starting off with this wonderful Dark Chocolate Palette from Trader Joe's that Jim bought me for Christmas. It has 8 squares of dark chocolate of differing cocoa amounts from unique origins. So far we have sampled the first 5, with Peru and Tanzania being our top picks. Did you know that cacao trees can only grow within 20 degrees from the equator? The closer to the equator, the harder the cocoa butter and therefore the harder the chocolate. I am learning a lot about chocolate right now due to some new books I received this holiday as well. Once the manuscript is off to the publisher this spring I plan on personally trying my hand at creating some confections, which I will document, of course. Does anyone have any New Year's Resolutions they are also feeling passionate about?

The Meadow

Kris — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:41:43 +0000

quinoa and greens with chocolate almond milk

Kris — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:47:39 +0000

Back to life, back to reality...

Kris — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:53:29 +0000

After three weeks of quasi-working, it's hard to get back into the swing of things. First, we had the bad weather which had work canceled and/or I was working from home. Then we had Christmas week and New Year's week... what's this? 5 consecutive days of work? My brain is struggling to catch up. It's January 6th. Every muscle in my body is a wreck thanks to my Jillian Michaels exercise DVD, I can still taste my dessert chocolate, and I have been speaking a bit more slowly to try to avoid my "like"s. I think I'm in good shape, being that we're only 6 days in. We'll see where I am in 3 months. :) This weekend Jim and I took a field trip to a store in North Portland called The Meadow. The Meadow is a lovely store on many fronts. First off, it's located on a strip that includes one of my favorite quick-food restaurants, Laughing Planet. After eating my favorite meal there (vegan Caesar salad, hold the parm and a cup of chili with focaccia) we wandered into The Meadow. The Meadow is a gourmet store, specializing in fine chocolates, finishing salts, exotic olive oils, wine and fresh cut flowers. The smell as you enter is absolutely intoxicating. Yes, the idea can border a bit on pretentious-foodie, but it's what's on the inside that counts. And a wall of high quality chocolate is what's really important, no? Their selection of dark chocolate is impressive. Overwhelming to be exact. I stood there, with my mouth agape, while Jim gave up and sat in an overstuffed chair, while I tried to make a selection. I settled on one bar, given all that I have at home to work through. I selected the Belgian Dolfin Dark Chocolate with Earl Grey. It's very aromatic and melts nicely. Next time I will be investing in the sampler pack of some of their finishing salts. You've never tasted salt like this before. For my post-workout dinner tonight, I whipped together a quick but satisfying meal. I sauteed some purple kale in a little bit of olive oil with minced garlic. I threw in some chickpeas and quinoa and called it good. Topped it off with a sprinkle of Parma and a slice of garlic bread on the side, it was a great meal in under 5 minutes (the quinoa was pre-cooked). Yes, the bread is naturally that alarming shade of yellow from just some Earth Balance and a little crushed garlic. In the background you can see my favorite dinner-time drink, chocolate almond milk, displayed in a vintage Welch's jelly jar. Jim's mother found them in some box while purging things she'd saved from his childhood and brought them the last time she visited. I am pterodactyl and Jim is brontosaurus, no exceptions. :) Well, that's all I got for now. I have a textbook calling my name upstairs so I'm off to study!

aboutus11

Kris — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:55:54 +0000

purple kale, quinoa and choc almond milk

Kris — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:57:19 +0000

Squirrel Underpants!

Kris — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:05:45 +0000

Blueberries and Cream Sauce

Kris — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:27:11 +0000

A Berry Good Breakfast

Kris — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:06:30 +0000

Wow, I am the queen of cheezy post titles. I think that one took me over the edge. I wanted to take a moment to highlight one of the holiday gifts I received. I think you can appreciate it. My brother-in-law and his wife had a whole squirrel-themed box for me. It was filled with delicious organic walnuts, a squirrel nutcracker (naturally) and another choice item that has become a traffic-stopper at my cube at work. Yes folks, squirrel underpants! You can't quite tell by the picture, but it's a 2D squirrel cutout with real cloth squirrel-sized underpants. I love it! My backyard is like a squirrel nudist colony, so these would probably be appreciated by some of the other neighboorhood critters. This morning was Sunday breakfast day. Well, obvoiusly it is Sunday and we ate breakfast. But Sunday breakfast is an event for us because it's usually the only weekend day we are both home. Before I start in on homework or baking and Jim hibernates in the office to work on his latest multimedia project we have Sunday morning to talk, spin some vinyl and enjoy a good meal together. I love maple flavored things. Maple extract is my friend, I love maple butter on waffles with veggie sausage stuffed in the middle, I like maple syrup in things, but I do not like maple syrup on pancakes. I have never been a syrup girl. I usually just heat up some frozen fruit, blend it in my handichop and eat that instead, but this morning I wanted something different. At first I thought of making a lemon sauce, but thought it might be too pronounced and wanted something creamy instead. I love berries and cream, so a Blueberries & Cream Sauce over our blueberry pancakes was in order. It takes a lot to get a food reaction out of Jim and it almost always involves peanut butter. He enjoys his food, but doesn't revel in eating quite the same way I do. Imagine my surprise when he took a bite and with his eyes rolling in the back of his head said, "You have to put this in the book!" Well, okay! [caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Blueberry pancakes with Blueberries & Cream Sauce"][/caption] Along with our pancakes, we enjoyed the tempeh and white bean sausage patties from VWaV. I haven't made these things in over a year! I think I put them off because there are a couple of prep steps, like simmering the tempeh, that require more time than I like to put into breakfast. I made a double batch so we can whip them up during the week. The cream sauce was so simple and delicious, I want you all to give it a try sooner than later. My sauce was made with almond milk, so it's a little translucent but still very creamy. If you want it to look really opaque and thick I recommend using regular soy milk or soy creamer. Blueberries and Cream Sauce Makes 1 1/2 cups 1/2 cup sugar 1 tbsp. plus 1 teas cornstarch 1 cup milk of choice (the higher the fat content, the thicker it will be) 1/2 teas. good quality vanilla 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed and drained In a small saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Whisk in milk and cook over medium-high heat to a boil, while whisking. Lower to a simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Add vanilla and cook for one more minute. Remove from heat and pour sauce into a bowl. Let chill in fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes or until it is a bit more set, but still warm. Add blueberries and lightly mix to combine. Do not overmix blueberries or sauce will look blueish/grey. Serve warm or cold over pancakes or waffles. Resolution update: Worked out 3 times this week, but otherwise I did poorly. The "likes" just keep on comin' and I only ate chocolate once. Once! It's sad, really. I must persevere!

Blueberries & Cream Sauce

Kris — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:09:12 +0000

blueberries and cream sauce

Kris — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:17:21 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:40:04 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:43:57 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:59:12 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:00:13 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:01:05 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:07:44 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:12:58 +0000

a day in the life...*

Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:21:49 +0000

I'm sorry to do this. I know that vegans in Portland always talk about all of the food and restaurants that we have here and I'm sure it gets old, but I just have to. When I first started at my job there wasn't much of anything in the immediate area for a quick lunch or snack. Well, there is Old Wives Tales, but you couldn't pay me to eat there. A few months ago Los Gorditos, the lovely Mexican taqueria on 50th and Division in SE Portland, opened up an all-vegan taqueria about a 1/2 mile from my work! Horray! Today I went with the friend to enjoy the goodness of the truck. [caption id="attachment_87" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Los Gorditos es muy bueno"][/caption] This is the tostada, a toasted tortilla piled high with beans, rice, lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion and cilantro. [caption id="attachment_88" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Fajita Burrito"][/caption] The fajita burrito. The picture does not do this justice. Beans, rice, sauteed onions, green bell peppers, cilantro and soy curls. It looks like a lot of beige, I know, but it's una fiesta en la boca. Every individual ingredient at Gorditos tastes intoxicatingly good, from the rice to the soy curls (what do they do to them? they are so good!). Combined together, it's a force to be reckoned with! A co-worker and friend of mine often goes on walks during her lunch. A couple of weeks ago she came back from a walk and said, "You never told me about that vegan bakery down the street." "Uh, what vegan bakery?" "Black Sheep." My eyes about fell out of my head. Black Sheep is a local vegan bakery that wholesales their goods around town. About 1 1/2- 2 years ago they opened up a little retail shop in SE that has a sandwich of the day, bagels, coffee and baked goods. Well, unbeknowst to me about 6 months ago they renovated some space in their actual kitchen space and opened up a larger location with more food. About 2 blocks from my work. And I didn't know about it for 6 months. Needless to say, they now know me. I am in there more than I want to admit, especially with all of the baking I've been doing. I can't help it, they are my favorite local bakery and at this location they also have chocolates! They have biscuits and gravy, a build-you-own sandwich option, salads and soups, vegan vegan vegan! They do offer some omni options, as this location is in a business district, but I'd say it's 90% vegan. [caption id="attachment_90" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Black Sheep Cuppers"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_91" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Black Sheep Chocolates"][/caption] This friend that I had lunch with, Ximena, has her own tattoo shop in Portland. She's vegetarian and all of the supplies that she uses are vegan. This weekend they are doing a special at their shop. Free tattoos on Saturday- but it's showing your Oregon pride, of course. If you want to have Oregon become a part of your anatomy, head down to Skeleton Key Tattoo this Saturday, the 17th, from 11-8. First come, first serve! In addition to being a bad-ass ink-slinging artist, she cranks out some 1" buttons in her spare time. Behold, the nomnomnom cat trio in 1" form! Sorry the pic's not so great, it was hard to get them with the least amount of glare possible. I am going to give away 5 sets of these nomnomnom buttons to 5 random commenters! So leave your comments between now and Friday night and I will randomly select 5 names. US residents only, sorry folks. Happy noming! * A Day in the Life is one of the ultimate Beatles songs and is easily in my top 5 if I could only pick five. Just thinking of it makes my heart happy. *sigh*

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Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:41:09 +0000

And the winners are...

Kris — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:44:34 +0000

All of you! International folks included! I squeal each time I see my cute little kittehs in button form and I want you all to have them. If you commented, please email your address to me at nomblog at g mail dot com. Food soon, probably tomorrow. I'm certainly eating enough og it, it's just trying to remember to take pictures of it!

Carrot Cake

Kris — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:39:56 +0000

Triple Berry Pie

Kris — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:45:24 +0000

Papa Murphy's with Tofu Ricotta

Kris — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:55:13 +0000

DTV Black Forest Cuppers

Kris — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:03:32 +0000

Banana Split Cupcakes

Kris — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:08:24 +0000

i'm an american girl

Kris — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:17:51 +0000

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." -Mark Twain Mr. Samuel Clemens certainly nailed it on the head with that quote. Isn't this historic occasion quite the mixture of joy and relief? We have some hard times ahead of us, most certainly, but to have someone like Barack Obama taking the reigns after having a president in office for 8 years who was barely literate and trigger happy... what can I say? Okay, politics aside, we're here to discuss food. This weekend we went up to Seattle for my mother-in-law's birthday. I am still getting used to blogging again, so I don't have much to show for the trip. First, we ate at Araya's and I forgot the camera and then we ate at Cafe Flora and I brought the camera but forgot to use it. Oops. Picture's aside, you must, must, must eat breakfast at Cafe Flora if you are ever in Seattle. Their breakfast scrambles are heavenly. I did remember to take pictures of birthday treats. This is the carrot cake from Damn Tasty: [caption id="attachment_102" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Carrot Cake with Cream Cheeze Frosting"][/caption] This is the new Triple Berry Pie with a light glaze. Pic's not so good because the lighting was low in the dining room. Your tastebuds can daydream to fill in the blanks. [caption id="attachment_104" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Triple Berry Pie"][/caption] Now, back in the swing of things at home, we're back to our weekly quick meal plans. One of our favorite quick meals is a Papa Murphy's pizza with our own homemade tofu ricotta cheese. Papa Murphy's crust and red sauce is vegan. We get the deluxe vegetarian, cheeseless, because it has better toppings and sub the white sauce for red sauce. When we get home, I toss on the ricotta and pop it into the oven. My ricotta recipe is my own variation from the Real Food Daily Cookbook. It's very different, so at this point I suppose it's more like RFD was the inspiration for it. I go through phases of being so addicted to this ricotta I'm making it several times a week and it finds it's way onto anything and everything. It's so delicious and versatile and it only takes minutes to prepare. Stuffed shells, lasagna, creamy pasta sauce, you name it! It's very omni-friendly, too. My youngest brother, who only eats chicken and french fries, had no idea he wasn't eating "real lasagna". Tofu Ricotta 1 container water-packed firm tofu (not silken) 1/3 cup light colored miso (I use white) 2 tbsp. tahini 2 tbsp. olive oil 2-3 cloves garlic 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 2 teas. dried basil 1/2 teas. salt 1/4 cup water. Toss all ingredients into food processor and blend until smooth. Add more water for a thinner consistency. Blend in 1 cup of fresh basil for a super creamy pesto sauce that is out-of-this-world. Tomorrow we are having an inauguration potluck at work and I'm bringing some cupcakes. Something old and something new. First off, the cupcake version of the Black Forest Cake from DTV. [caption id="attachment_116" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Black Forest Cupcakes from DTV"][/caption] I was too lazy to make my cherry topping in the book, so I just used a can of cherry pie filling. Secondly, my new Banana Split Cupcakes for the new cookbook. I think these are best served slightly warmed with a little scoop of ice cream and some salted peanuts on top, but for sake of ease, I topped them with the Peanut Butter Frosting recipe from DTV. You may remember that this frosting recipe is paired with the Banana Cake recipe in DTV. Rest assured, while these two recipes have bananas in them, but are very different. [caption id="attachment_117" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The Banana Republic- Banana Split Cupcakes"][/caption] The cake batter for this recipe is the closest to a vegan white cake recipe that I have come. Punctuated with bits of pineapple, banana slices, chocolate, maraschino cherries and the salty burst of peanuts, this is one of my favorite new recipes. And don't you love my patriotic flair to celebrate tomorrow? I hope you all are able to sneak away to experience a bit of tomorrow's festivities. CNN.com is streaming everything live. Regardless of your politics, this is a very historic occasion!

Peas!

Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:02:49 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:12:25 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:19:34 +0000

split-pea

Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:20:55 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:23:21 +0000

Peas, please. (And peace would be nice, too.)

Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:29:39 +0000

When I was a kid, I loved canned peas. I know, it sounds really gross, but in my house we never ate anything fresh, not even frozen. It always came out of a can. When I was sick, my grandmother used to make me "pea soup", which consisted of a can of peas, some milk and a little margarine. As unappetizing as that may sound, whenever I get sick, the idea of it is very comforting to me. It appears that I am having a little pea renaissance right now. Last spring, Jim and I started eating a low carb, high protein vegan diet to help me lose some weight. Paired with exercise, it actually worked great. It wasn't over-the-top, we still ate carbs, but in the form of fibrous fruit and whole grains with lots of protein and veggies. Of course, the combination of zero willpower and working on the cookbook killed all of the results, but we have been talking about uping the protein again. I was eating a lot of almonds as a snack and I have a tendency to over-do things so I ate way too many and was not excited about eating almonds again. At Whole Foods the other day, I was delighted to find these: Roasted, salted peas! Have you ever heard of such a thing? Of all the nuts and seeds out there, I have never seen these before. And let me say, they are really affordable, delicious and have a good amount of protein in them. I have been trying to be better about batch cooking on the weekends, so I don't come home at night to Jim eating mugs of sugary accidentally-vegan cereals and then giving up and eating half a jar of salsa with chips before I go to to bed. Of course, Trader Joe's in my go-to place for, well, everything. I love buying jars of TJ's bruschetta or antipasta and throwing them together with some beans, noodles, and veggies. Here, I sauteed some onions and garlic, added the bruschetta, garbanzos and a bag of chopped up baby zucchini, and topped it with half a bag of cooked whole wheat and flax noodles and a little sprinkling of chopped kalamata olives. Return of the peas! I love split pea soup, so what better to make than a warm, creamy pot of soup on a cold winter's day! I normally use potatoes in my soups to make them creamier, but this time opted for 1/3 of a head of cauliflower. It worked perfectly, disintegrating into the soup before Jim could realize that he was, in fact, eating his least favorite vegetable. [caption id="attachment_114" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Split Pea Soup with Hippy Dippy Crackers"][/caption] It was perfect served with my Hippy Dippy Crackers for the new cookbook. Now Jim and I have no excuses for going out for lunch this week or eating complete garbage for dinner... at least not until we've had leftovers first! :) Hope you had a great weekend!

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Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:44:21 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:45:40 +0000

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Kris — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:16:53 +0000

signs of life...

Kris — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:18:48 +0000

Hello there! Just a quick note that I am still alive, just swamped. I promise to have some yummy pictures up this weekend, as well as some food reviews. I am juggling full-time work, full-time school and the book- yesh! It's all good, but I have midterms this week, so I've been running a little behind. I wanted to let you button winners know that I am sorry for taking so long, but I packaged them up tonight and they will be in the mail tomorrow a.m. And because I'm feeling a little dessert-y: [caption id="attachment_122" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Marbled Bundt Cake"][/caption] Marbled Bundt Cake, the ultimate cake to pair with coffee. Yum!

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Kris — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:44:59 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:57:53 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:59:55 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:03:19 +0000

something's gone ari-se

Kris — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:08:03 +0000

Whew! Taking a breath now. Midterms are over. I have 4 weeks until finals (I hate quarters, I'm a semester kind of gal). Ah, that's better. Two of the button packages were sent back to me because they were "too thick" and required more postage, so I will be resending those tomorrow. I can't imagine that the time it took to label it, the cost of the label itself and the work to get it back to me was less expensive than the .20 they are asking, but whatever. Who knows with the post office. Last week I stopped at Whole Foods and decided that I needed some chocolate. It's February and I'm at least sticking to one resolution! ;) I noticed these Whole Foods Dark Chocolate bars, one with mint and the other with coconut, and knew they would soon be consumed. Organic, responsibly harvested and delicious- just the way I like it. The mint one has little bits of crunchy mint candy in it and the coconut one had thin, shredded coconut in it. The texture of the coconut bar reminded me of a childhood favorite called Mallo Cups, minus the liquid marshmallow filling. They have this chocolate cup that has a similar coconuty texture. Both of these bars were delicious and had a different level of eatability than the other artisan chocolates we've been eating. Those are delcious, of course, but are to be eaten in smaller pieces and savored. These bars are high quality chocolate, but they are in the 54% range for cacao, so they are a little sweeter and more candy bar-like when you just want to nosh on some chocolate. I highly suggest them, both because they are delicious and a very good bargain for organic chocolate bars of this size. I will admit that there are some things I can be snobby about and chocolate is quickly rising to the top of that list. Jim is a big lover of coffee. Straight up, black coffee. His perspective is that if you have to put stuff in it, such as sugar or creamer, you don't really like coffee. He's a purist in that way. I used to think he was a little over the top about it, but then today a co-worker mentioned that she loves Hershey's Kisses, I couldn't help but think that anyone who enjoys something like that and considers it chocolate can't possibly like actual chocolate. I mean, it's waxy chocolate full of sugar and milk, there's barely any actual chocolate in there! This, my friends, is chocolate: So, what happens when you forget you have bread on its second rise in the kitchen? Monster bread. And I thought it was big while I was rising- look at this thing after baking! Yeah, it was a tall loaf. Jim kept calling it "double-decker" bread. Thankfully, rising too long doesn't affect the taste. This is "Goin' Up North" bread, my homage to Minnesota loaf. Spotted with fragrant, chewy grains of wild rice, this bread was perfect with some Earth Balance and soup. The only downside to double-decker bread is that the air pockets get bigger, so by the time we got to the middle of the loaf some of the pieces weren't holding together as well, but it was still worth chowing down!

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Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:31:51 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:32:27 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:35:50 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:46:15 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:49:23 +0000

Pain au Chocolat

Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:54:40 +0000

book tour of portland

Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:01:36 +0000

Nope, not that kind of book tour. Not yet, at least. I took some time off of work last week and early this week to work on the book. I have a hard time focusing in the house, as I am easily distracted when there are other things to fiddle with, so I figured getting out of the house would be a good idea. Last Friday I had an eye doctor's appointment and after having my pupils dilated I figured I wouldn't be very successful at typing, so I stopped to grab breakfast at Paradox Cafe. Paradox was the first place Jim and I ate when we came to Portland the first time. They have remodeled and expanded since then and so long as I brace myself for the stink of bleach on their water cups (?) I always have a great meal there. I always enter with good intentions, but order the exact same thing- French toast! Their French toast is made on thick slices of Texas toast which are chewy and substantial, just the way French Toast should be! Being the day before Valentine's Day, they were offering a special sweetheart's French toast, topped with a berry compote, bananas and walnuts. Being the fickle maple syrup consumer that I am, I opted for the special, along with a side of their delicious tofu and my favorite raspberry-apple juice. They marinate their tofu in some magical marinade and then grill it. It's very simple, but delicious. Once I was seeing more clearly, I wandered down the block and across the street to Opposable Thumb, a gallery and cafe, to get some tea and spend some time with my trusty (and crusty) kitchen notebook and the old laptop. They have a very nice space, open and modern and it was a great place to hipster watch and put in a few solid hours of work. For Valentine's Day Jim and I went to another spot on the same street. It's actually our favorite date spot, a bar called The Blue Monk. They have a jazz theme and lots of blue lighting. They also have a lounge downstairs with live music, but Jim and I tend to hang out upstairs. It's a comfortable spot with friendly staff and a couple of vegan meal options. Having a couple of vegan options in Portland doesn't impress most, but it's the quality of their vegan options. Jim and I come back again and again for their Coconut Curry Polenta, which is one of the most delicious meals I've ever eaten at a restaurant. This time Jim went with the polenta, I got the Saffron Risotto and we split. And I forgot to bring the camera! But if you live in Portland or visit it, I highly recommend swinging by there for some amazing food. They also clearly label the vegan items on their menu. They have some killer bruschetta as well. On Monday I had classes. I'm normally not able to hang out on campus during the day, so I miss out of the joys of student life, like listening to freshman boys reenact scenes from the Family Guy where they pretend they are pooping or loud-mouthed activists shouting about God and the end of times out on the park blocks. The upside was that I was able to try out some of the food at the student union. There is a fake Mexican food place in the food court area and after a brief perusal of my options, I decided to get a burrito. The burrito had black beans, sauteed portabella mushrooms, lettuce, pico and fresh guac. I purchased a fruit bowl on the side. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either and with Chipotle two blocks up the street, I will probably head over there when I want fake Mexican, but it's nice to know there are options. That evening yo tengo un examen de espanol. I'm only in 102, so forgive the lack of past tense, we're just not there yet. East met West with my pre-class soy-based coffee bubble tea. Yum. I love tapioca, so I can drink bubble tea daily. I always forget how full I feel after drinking it, it's like a snack and beverage all in one! Today was my last day off before heading back to reality. Jim needed to work on my car, so he took it with him to work, and I laid low and hung out around the house working on the book and some homework. With the opportunity to be at home all day, I continued to tweak my Pain au Chocolat recipe. C'est délicieux! Flaky, buttery and with just the right amount of chocolate, after many not-quite-right attempts I think I have it down. [caption id="attachment_142" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Pain au Chocolat"][/caption] Can you believe we are over half way through February? It's insanity! I hope you are all having a great month, even though it's quickly escaping us!

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Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:11:45 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:15:43 +0000

pasta and a squirrel stalker

Kris — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:02:56 +0000

I am the queen of buying vast quantities of vegetables and then completely forgetting about them until it's too late. Jim always gets on me about it, but I go into it with the best of intentions. I noticed tonight that I had some broccoli on it's way out, along side some snow pea pods that were probably heading the same direction. With the addition of some slices of carrot, a pasta primavera type dish seemed in the making. I sauteed some garlic and then whisked in some flour, soy milk and nutritional yeast to make a creamy sauce, which we had over the veggies, some chickpeas and whole wheat fettucini. So good and it gave me hope for spring. We were also greeted today by a squirrel friend who is a little too comfortable with humans and cats. She was upset when we ran out of squirrel treats in the backyard and let her presence be known by jumping up on the air conditioning unit and tapping on the window. She was completely unfazed by Bindhi, and in turn Bindhi wasn't too impressed with her. I don't mind the interaction, but I know that not everyone is charmed by squirrelly visitors and we have some cantankerous, old neighbors. Hope you all have a great weekend!

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Kris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:19:44 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:31:59 +0000

Mocha Stripes

Kris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:00:41 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:06:16 +0000

breakie and kitteh

Kris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:11:17 +0000

Breakfast is my favorite meal. Pancakes, yogurt, cereal hot or cold, fresh fruit, hot tea, toast with Earth Balance and jam, hash browns, the list goes on and on. But there are a couple of things that I particularly love, the kind of breakfast foods that I literally dream about. The main one is a treat I don't make very often because it's time consuming. When I do make them, I savor every minute. Crepes filled with vanilla soy yogurt and a warmed frozen fruit mixture from Trader Joe's with mango, blueberries and raspberries as the filling. A drizzle of warm chocolate syrup was the finishing touch. Oh, I love crepes and I don't know why we don't have them more often. Probably because the batter has to chill, where as I can toss pancakes right onto the griddle, but when I take the time they are so delicious. On the side, I made up our old favorite of a tofu scramble: carmelized onions, sweet corn and kalamata olives with some dried herbs. We haven't had tofu scramble at home in such a long time, so I really savored it. We've been so busy that the simple act of a leisurely Sunday brunch seemed like a celebratory occasion. You know you've been burning it at both ends for too long when having breakfast together seems like a holiday or something. :) After letting our big breakfast settle, I tweaked a batch of cookies for my new book- Mocha Stripes. Chewy coffee cookies with chocolate stripes on top. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I LOVE things that are coffee flavored. I just adore these cookies. [caption id="attachment_155" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Mocha Stripes"][/caption] Later, Linus helped us pay bills. We assigned him the duty of licking the envelopes. Just kidding, of course. :) He's so funny, he kept trying to get in Jim's lap while we were organizing our finances and so finally we decided that he could be a letter carrier. Linus wasn't really happy with the offer. Hope you all have a wonderful and delicious week!

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Kris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:44:49 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:06:49 +0000

goodness in a bowl

Kris — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:24:11 +0000

Some of the best things in life come in bowls. Ice cream, cereal, pudding, all good things indeed. But wholesome meals can come in bowls, too. Like pesto pasta: Sure, you don't have to eat pasta in a bowl... but I think it's tastes better this way. :) This pasta is whole wheat penne from, where else, Trader Joe's. It's coated with my tofu ricotta with 1 1/2 cups of basil blended in and just enough water to get it to the right consistency. With some toasted pine nuts on top for crunch, muy bueno. Pesto is besto! In Minnesota, wild rice rules the winter months. And if you've ever lived in Minnesota, you've probably heard of Byerly's famous Wild Rice Soup. Byerly's is the ritzy grocery store in in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Our wedding cake was actually from there, but that was in our pregan (pre-vegan) days, so if you happen upon Byerly's you won't find it abound with vegan treats. Quite the opposite, actually. Anyhow, their Wild Rice Soup is renowned and was a personal vice when we lived in Minnesota so using my trusty Byerly's cookbook, I made my own vegan adaptation to relive those glory days in a cruelty-free way. [caption id="attachment_161" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Wild Rice Soup"][/caption] Byerly's Veg-Adapted Wild Rice Soup 5 tbsp. margarine 1/2 small onion, minced 1/3 cup flour 6-7 cups veggie stock 2 cups cooked wild rice 1/2 teas. salt 1 cup soy creamer or other milk 2 medium carrots, finely shredded 2 tbsp white wine (optional) 1 cup vegan ham, cubed (optional) sliced almonds for garnish In a stockpot on medium low heat, melt margarine and sautee onions until translucent. Whisk in flour to make a paste and then whisk in 1 cup of the veggie stock to incorporate. Add the rest of the veggie stock and increase heat to medium-high, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Lower to medium low and add wild rice and salt. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Add creamer, carrots, and white wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add vegan ham, if using, and let soup simmer for 3 more minutes. Serve soup with almonds on top for a garnish. Makes about 6-8 servings, depending on size. After refrigerating, like other hearty soups, this soup can become very thick and stew-like, so you may need to add some water to thin it out. Or you can do what Jim did and spoon it onto a slice of bread and declare that you are eating an all inclusive soup-sandwich. :)

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Kris — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:19:45 +0000

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Kris — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:28:17 +0000

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Kris — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:38:39 +0000

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Kris — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:43:54 +0000

why doesn't healthy taste quite as good sweet and carby?

Kris — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:52:13 +0000

Mmmm... breakfast. Have I mentioned how much I love breakfast yet? ;) Thanks to the waffle cart in North Portland, Flavour Spot, I fell in love with maple butter and veggie sausage waffle sandwiches a few years ago. But I'm too lazy to make waffles, so we sling pancakes on the griddle and call it good. Behold the pancake sammich: The basic pancake recipe from VWAV with a healthy smear of maple butter and some Yves sausages stuffed in the middle. The back pancake is topped with more of the Mangolicious fruit from Trader Joe's (I love this stuff!), as I don't like maple syrup on my pancakes. Nomnomnom... Last Sunday was the last hurrah for ridiculously good Carby Carbersons, as we are full on our lowish carb (meaning only whole grains and small amounts of fruit) diet now. I made a huge batch of food for lunches for the week Sunday night: Millet sauteed with some mixed veggie bruschetta from Trader Joe's, sauteed zucchini and snow peas and some Morningstar chik'n strips. Man, those things are SO fake, but SO delicious. Last week I made some quinoa and didn't rise it well enough and couldn't bring myself to make quinoa again, so millet it was! This is only the second time I've made millet and I opted to use our rice cooker. It turned out great. P.S. don't tell people at your work that you are eating millet unless you want to endure lots of jokes involving bird seed. A post-workout meal. Lettuce unwraps with more Morningstar strips (what can I say, they were on sale), drizzled with fig vinegar with sauteed zucchini and some sliced beets. Light but satisfying with a giant glass of water after having Jillian Michaels beat us to a pulp. The Saturday before the workout started we went to birthday party for a friend of mine and I made two pies. One was the Peanut Butter Silk Pie (see the recipes section on this site) and the other a new adaptation of that same recipe: Grasshopper Cream. It turned out wonderfully, creamy with a perfect balance of chocolate and peppermint. If you like chocolate and peppermint, you will love this pie, I promise. 1 chocolate cookie pie crust (most prepared ones are vegan) 1 cup chocolate chips 1 & 1/2 boxes extra firm silken tofu (one aseptic, vacuum-sealed box) 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 3 tbsp corn starch 1/4 cup vegan milk 1/2 teas. peppermint extract + 1 teeny splash green food coloring (optional) Over a double boiler melt chocolate until smooth and creamy, whisking until smooth. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of chocolate into the bottom of the pie crust and let set in fridge until chocolate has hardened. Let rest of chocolate mixture cool to room temperature. In a food processor combine all other ingredients, starting with the tofu, except for the additional splash of peppermint and the food coloring. Blend for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Pour out about 1/4 cup of the mixture into a bowl. Add cooled, melted chocolate to the mixture and blend again until well mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. This would be the time to taste test to see if you want it more pepperminty. Add the additional splash of peppermint to the reserved 1/4 cup of filling along with the green food coloring if using. Remove pie crust from fridge and pour chocolate filling mixture into the crust. Spoon the reserved green filling on top, pouring it as stripes, and draw a knife though the stripes to make pretty, swirling patterns. Set in fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. Pie will have a thick and creamy, pudding-like filling but should hold up well and make stable pieces. P.S. No one will ever know it's tofu, I promise. :)

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Kris — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:23:25 +0000

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eat yer greens!

Kris — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:58:48 +0000

It feels good to detox a little. It feels great, actually. A little bit of background, to explain why we are doing the lower carb diet right now. Partly, it's to detox after months of having cookies, cakes, pies, etc in the house non-stop. Sure, it's been fun, but it's also made for many days where the idea of eating sweets sounded unappealing. And then you feel the sugar blahs, your pants start getting tighter, it all goes downhill from there. It's all about moderation. Aside from that, right after starting on the cookbook this fall, I had full blood work done and found out I am pre-diabetic. Yikes. Last year Jim and I really fell into a cooking slump, as my job became more demanding, I started school again, we were constantly on the go, so we fell to eating a lot of convenience foods, and I know that didn't help. Plus, I have some weight to lose and I have a good handful of people in my family with Type 2 diabetes and there is no way I'm going down that road. Had I been living a normal culinary life, it wouldn't have been hard to start adjusting accordingly but still enjoy some cookies here and a piece of cake here, but I was just starting on the book, so I decided to put diet woes on the back burner until all of the baking is done. And it's done, all but a few loose ends that I am rapidly wrapping up (the manuscript is due April 1!) and so it was time to start the cleanse! One resource that I think is amazing, but that I have never fully utilized is sparkpeople.com. Think of it as kind of like Weight Watchers online, but without the points. You track what you eat via their database of thousands of foods, foods submitted by others (I've been pleasantly surprised with some of the things I've found other people already input) as well as by entering foods you eat yourself. You track your water consumption, exercise and weight in. There are tons of resources with recipes and forums to meet others and it's free. Why haven't I continued using this even though it has fifty million pros and no cons? Because I'm lazy. But they just created an app for the iPod Touch, so I'm thinking it might be easier for me now. I always like the system and layout when I use it because it's really user friendly, so here's hoping on that. Having to actually see what I am consuming and own up to it later in this format always causes me to pause before shoveling something in my face. This weekend we geared up and made our way through the madness that is Costco where I got a 4 pound bag of asparagus for $3.99. The people there are crazy, but the deals can be worth it. I had been fantasizing about ways to eat the pesto ricotta that didn't involve noodles. Yes, tofu ricotta is what I fantasize about. Don't judge. Asparagus, broccoli and snow peas smothered in pesto ricotta with a slice of toasted bread (which Jim and I shared) to mop up the cheese with. SOOOO good and having a big, beautiful plate full of green never hurt anyone. Again, I made a giant pot o' food on Sunday for us to have for lunch this week. Whole wheat and flax penne from Trader Joe's, tossed with some sauteed red bell pepper, a can of roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, asparagus, and snap peas. We've been eating it topped with a dollop of the remaining ricotta... num. I apologize for the "over the pot" shot. Ravi is our shy kitty and other people rarely get to see. You wouldn't know that right now, because he's persistently yelling at me to play fetch with him and dropping his little pom-pom balls, sopping with spit, at my feet, but normally he's quiet and timid. But he felt left out from not being in any posts yet on this new blog. Sorry, Ravi! Here he is, stopping by to say 'hi' in his Ravi sort of way, unknowing and asleep. :)

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portobello vegan trattoria- a review

Kris — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:22:38 +0000

Yes, I know, Italian. Not low carb. But actually not too high carb. And besides, you have to let yourself indulge a little or else you go crazy being too strict. Portobello officially opened in Portland a couple of months ago and for a multitude of reasons Jim and I had not yet made it there, so we set a date with a friend to tantalize our taste buds last Saturday night. I knew that the chef, Aaron Adams, is amazing so I went with an empty stomach to fill. A few years ago Junior's Diner was doing the vegan dinner club nights that Aaron cooked for, so if you attended any of those, that should give you an idea of what is in store at Portobello. Portland has been in desperate need of a nice-but-not-too-nice restaurant, one where you could go on a real date, but not feel under dressed in your best jeans. Portobello definitely offers that with nice ambiance, excellent music (two songs by my favorite musician who nobody knows rotated through, which earned extra points for coolness) and of course the quality of the food was out of this world. Portobello is served with family-style eating in mind, but not crazy Buca de Beppo family style, more realistic family style. We're talking real Italian food, not just a bunch of variations on carbs with pasty tomato sauce slapped on top like most Americanized Italian food, real artful cuisine to savor. There are appetizers, veggie side dishes and main courses. There were three of us, so we opted to get a bunch of small main dishes and a side of garlicky broccolini. [caption id="attachment_179" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Garlicky Broccolini"][/caption] The broccolini was good, crisp and garlicky. I am a broccolini fiend, if I could afford to eat it daily, I would be the broccolini equivalent of Diann. My first pick was the Truffled Portobello Cannelloni. [caption id="attachment_180" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Truffled Portobello Cannelloni"][/caption] OMG. Two herbed crepes stuffed with roasted portobello and shallots with truffle essence. Each bite was un petit mort of the mouth (yes, I know that's French). The crepe was so delicious on its own that I could have eaten a plate of those, but paired with the fragrant, portobello filling, it was absolute heaven. This is the "Spaghetti and Meatball", in quotes because by traditional standards, it is neither. The noodles are zucchini in a tomato-basil sauce with a giant faux-meatball on top. I seem to have hit-or-miss luck with places and their veggie noodles, but this was an absolute hit and I have no idea what was in that meatball, but it was amazing! [caption id="attachment_183" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Herbed Potato Gnocchi with Pesto"][/caption] These herbed gnocchi took the meal over-the-top. Served with caramelized fennel, broccolini, tomatoes and basil-hazelnut pesto, they were the most tender, herbed little bites of perfection I have ever tasted. I have a soft spot for gnocchi, I'm not going to lie, but these were really phenomenal. [caption id="attachment_185" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Roast Pumpkin Cappellacci"][/caption] While my heart struggled back and forth between the Portobello Cannelloni and the Herbed Gnocchi, the silent star in it's own right was the simple looking Roast Pumpkin Cappellacci. The pregnantly stuffed pasta was topped with an incredible cashew cream sauce, fresh sage and hazelnuts and left us all battling over the last piece. It had such complex flavors and tasted like a high class comfort food. Of course, there is dessert. [caption id="attachment_186" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Apple Tart"][/caption] Apple Tart. Delicious, the crust was perfect and the apples had just the right texture. No complaints whatsoever, but it was a little overshadowed by it's counterparts. [caption id="attachment_187" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Chocolate Tart"][/caption] This little guy had my friend and I nearly sword fighting with our forks. The most flaky and buttery crust I have ever tasted in my life, filled with a rich chocolate, mixed with nuts, and topped with a sprinkling of coarse salt and a hint of freshly chopped rosemary. Unbelievably good, and I am one who is leery of herbs in sweets, but whoa. [caption id="attachment_188" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Tiramisu"][/caption] The winner of the night, though, was the tiramisu! Vegan freaking tiramisu! I have had vegan tiramisu in the past and it's been okay, but this was sublime. The marscapone cream was better than any marscapone I can ever remember tasting. I sat there trying to analyze it with my expert palette and it had me stumped. It was amazing. The texture, the flavor, all three of us where ooing and ahing while we devoured it. The other great thing about Portobello- the price. It's super reasonable (we ate all of that food, which had 3 people with good appetites stuffed to the gills for less than $41!), you are supporting an awesome chef and it's vegan Italian! What are you waiting for? I'm so excited that there are options on the menu so that Jim and I can go and eat an amazing meal that is fairly low carb and not completely break our diet... at least not until dessert. :) They share space with Cellar Door Coffee Roasters in SE. Portobello- 2001 SE 11th Ave, at 11th and Harrison, open Wednesday through Saturday, 5:30 to 10:30.

dinner and a workout

Kris — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:50:35 +0000

My beloved Trader Joe's has added some more vegan goodies to their store and I am here to share them with you. I swear to my cats that I am not paid by them, because that would be my dream job, rather I am a fanatical shopper who you have the fortune or misfortune of reading the blog of. :) First off- Chicken-less Stuffed Cutlets. Chikey-style cutlets, stuffed with black beans and corn in a flavorful red sauce with mild jalapenos. Unlike most TJ's finds, a little pricey for regular consumption, but again it's convenience food so there you go. Black Cherry Gel Cups. Imagine my surprise when my eyes honed in on that little "V" in the bottom left hand corner. Vegan jello cups! Bestill my heart! They have black cherry and peach mango. With Jim not being the biggest fan of mango, I went with black cherry. So, how do you make dinner and fit in a workout in 30 minutes? 1.) Rinse 1 cup quinoa thoroughly and toss in your rice cooker. Add 1 2/3 cups water. Set it and forget it. :) 2.) Do 1 level of the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred Work-out DVD (22 minutes), which I will now admit is a great workout, but I still think she's mean. :) 3.) Quinoa will be done, open lid and let set. 4.) Place water in a pot with a steamer tray and bring to a boil. Add pre-washed green beans and put a lid on it! 5.) Cut a little air vent in the Chicken-less Cutlets bag and microwave for 2 minutes. 6.) Plate it all up and nomnomnom. Also remember to drink plenty of water! The cutlet was pretty darn good. The sauce was plentiful and tasted great and the cutlet itself, while a little smaller than I'd imagined, was very tasty and packed full of beans and corn. We ate the quinoa in the most simple way possible, but in a way we'd never tried- with a little pat of Earth Balance melted on top and a sprinkling of salt. So good! Who'd of though that something that small would make something uber good, but it certainly did! One step dessert: Peel back foil from gel cup. Serve. The gello has a good texture and excellent flavor. It is thickened with carragennan and is all natural, of course. I can't wait to try the peach mango. I'll get it next time and what makes it better is that I won't have to share with Jim! Oh, and while you're hanging on the interwebs, check it: my brother in Minneapolis has started his own vegetarian food blog. He is a cook of the most virtuous variety, he actually cooks with what he has in his kitchen. If only I were that smart and economical. He's a newish cook who likes to break all the rules (or stray from the directions to his liking), and he's documenting his experiments in his Veggie Lab. Check out his blog and show him some love, he's new to this whole food blogging thing and is still finding this sea legs.

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Kris — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:18:57 +0000

excitement!

Kris — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:22:18 +0000

So, have you ever googled yourself? Seriously now, don't lie. We've all done it. It's kind of silly, but it's fun to see what comes up, if anything. Like there is a guy in the Midwest with Jim's name who owns a chain of funeral homes, so whenever you google him that's all you find. And sometimes something more surprising comes up, like when I googled myself today. My cookbook is available on pre-order at Amazon! I didn't even know that, so it was quite the surprise to me. Talk about excitement! I think everyone I work with knew the moment I discovered it. Not that I ever surf the net on work time. ;) It's tentative release is August, so I just didn't expect it available this soon. This whole experience has been surreal, it's been like a dream, so to see it out there in the cyber-flesh is like whoa! This isn't the final cover, but it's basically what it will look like. I think it's really fun and playful looking. [caption id="attachment_204" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes- by Kris Holechek"][/caption] Holy cow. Well, I'm coming out of my stupor and I have recipes to edit, so I'm off to make this dream a reality! Food pics soon!

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Kris — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:03:41 +0000

outside our vegan bubble

Kris — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:19:46 +0000

It's easy to insulate yourself in the wonderful world of veggies and forget that there are other brands, products and forms of life out there. I've come across two things related to veganism in mainstream culture that I thought you'd all be interested in. The first one came in a coupon book I received in the mail from Target. I don't expect more than I assume you should from a store like Target. I mean, I'm the first to admit that I love Target, I just bought a pair of incredibly cute all man-made material shoes there a few weeks ago, but they don't normally deliver the vegan news. And simultaneously I also don't expect much from L'Oreal. I mean, it's L'Oreal, so do I really need to say more? Imagine my surprise upon opening my mail and coming across a blurb in an advertisement for some new shampoo and conditioner that reads, "Made with natural botanicals, it's sulfate-free and 100% vegan." Wow! It's a part of their EverPure line, which is labeled as all vegan. I remember years ago hearing people poo-poo the impact of a veganism and down play the effect of voting with your dollars by not buying from major companies. We are a fraction of the vegetarian population, who is a fraction of the population at large. To them I say, "Ha! Check it!" Here a major cosmetics company trying to make vegan-friendly products and advertising them as such- I think companies are hearing us loud and clear. But do they understand? L'Oreal is still listed on PeTA's list on companies who still do animal testing. On their website, they state that they stopped doing animal testing on their finished products in 1989, but say nothing about the testing of individual ingredients. While I honestly appreciate that they are trying to create a more Earthy and animal-friendly product, they are still missing the mark. I believe there are plenty of evil companies out there, but I also believe that there are companies who just don't get it and they need us to help educate them on our demands as consumers. We need to give them some feedback to help them grow and become a cruelty-free company. Click here if you'd like to contact L'Oreal regarding this. Be sure to let them know that they are making strides in the right direction, but that they aren't really in the vegan category yet. Remember, well-phrased feedback is always more constructive. People who take the "jerk" approach aren't helping anyone. In real, constructive veg-related news, Yoga Journal has an excellent article in it's May issue. (Why am I already getting May issues of anything?) Years ago I had been a long-time YJ subscriber, but dropped it when it started focusing more on Americanized, consumer yoga and less about the eight limbs. Like anything, there is an ebb and flow and they seem to be flowing the right way now, so I happily resubscribed this year. I have been very happy with their inclusion of vegan recipes in the issues I have received, but this particular article was gold. This is the perfect article to pass along to the people in your life who say they care about the environment especially if they are budding yogis. In an article titled "Diet for a Green Planet" they address not only the affects of animal agriculture on the environment but also work on changing the perception of beans as an inadequate source of protein. It is accompanied by two simply veganizable recipes that look delicious. The article is written in a careful and thoughtful way and would be a good read for anyone in your life who is prone to feeling judged when they have their animal-product eating ways questioned. I don't see the article up on their site yet, but their magazine is widely available and they have tons of other interesting recipes and articles online. I am putting the finishing touches on the book manuscript and will be done with it in the next few days, so there will be more real food soon. Until then, here is a picture of another favorite recipe in the new book: French Toast Muffins! [caption id="attachment_208" align="aligncenter" width="452" caption="French Toast Muffins"][/caption] Not the greatest food photo in my life, but they are sure to become one of your favorites. I am hoping to get my flickr account all loaded up with cookbook pictures and put up here this week. More noms to come!

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Kris — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:34:51 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:48:08 +0000

playing catch up

Kris — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:55:19 +0000

Hello! I've been so busy that my camera has just been accumulating pictures for the past few weeks. Last week I officially finished the book manuscript (yay!!!!!!!) and got that sent off and last week was technically spring break, so I took some time off to just be wireless. No internet, email, nothing, just relaxing. Quite nice, I'd say. But now, we're here to talk about food, not my boring life. Boring life = good, no drama. Boring food = bad. This food, thankfully, isn't boring. What do you get when you are too lazy to put together a real meal? Soy nuggets with BBQ sauce, garlicky broccolini and rice cooker quinoa. I cannot profess my love for broccolini enough, it is simply my favorite vegetable and I could eat it every day. And someday, when I finally win the lottery, I will. I'm not a cold cereal eater and have been bored with my morning oatmeal and soy yogurt, so I decided to plan ahead and make some mini quiches. They worked out perfectly, reheated well and totally hit the spot. In a food processor, I tossed in two packages of extra firm silken tofu, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp cornstarch about 3-4 tbsp of almond milk, a little oregano and some salt. I mixed it until it was smooth then poured it into a bowl and added 3 tbsp of chopped, rehydrated sundried tomatoes and 6 stalks of asparagus, chopped (but I reserved the tops). I spread the mixture into 6 lightly greased muffin cups and topped each one with an asparagus tip. Baked at 400 for 1 hour and viola! Breakfast is served. I'm still trying to be good with food and working out... but it's not always easy. When you have a sweet tooth like mine, it's hard to fight those post-dinner cravings for dessert. My latest treat feels really indulgent, but actually isn't too bad. Nutritious even! I have been obsessed with Peanut Butter and Co's Dark Chocolate Dream Peanut Butter. It's peanut butter mixed with a little sugar, cocoa and cocoa butter for an intoxicating treat that will ruin regular peanut butter for you forever. I've been enjoying it on a lightly salted rice cake with a smear of Morello cherry spread on top... it's seriously heaven in your mouth. Oh, I added my flickr account to the sidebar. I added a handful of pictures of some of the new recipes, but I have a bunch more that I will be adding over the next few days, so keep an eye out for new noms!

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Kris — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:01:27 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:10:24 +0000

chocolate fail

Kris — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:55:49 +0000

So... of all of the New Year's resolutions that I made, which one am I failing at? Believe it or not, it's the chocolate one! I can't believe it, who would have thought that I would fail at that? It's chocolate! It's probably to my advantage that Jim and I maintaining a pretty good diet and trying to maintain our exercise routine. Inspired by one of our favorite restaurants, Proper Eats, we have renewed our passion for whole foods cooking. Quinoa and lentil pilaf with garlic vegetables. We were going for health and simplicity here and the quinoa and lentils were fine, but a little bland. I didn't really plan ahead much in terms of making it interesting. Thankfully, the fresh and garlicky veggies swooped in to save us from a taste bud coma. Drawing directly from Proper Eats menu, Jim decided that he was going to make dinner. Bestill my heart, I said Jim making dinner. As in real, honest-to-goodness food, not cereal. And he did a wonderful job, if I do say so myself. Noodles slathered in a lightly spicy peanut sauce and some lime ginger tofu, with broccoli. Jim took the task of tofu marination very seriously, pressing it for over an hour the night before (not unattended, but actively pressing it) and then whipping together a marinade consisting of lime juice, fresh grated ginger, a splash of toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce and marinading it overnight. It was delicious fuel after our workout. Linus, however, was not impressed. Look at the disgust on that cat's face! I swear, he is the most judgmental cat I've ever known. Thankfully, he's a cuddle bug, so it all evens out.

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Kris — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:38:16 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:15:27 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:47:01 +0000

i spoke too soon

Kris — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:04:15 +0000

Apparently my friend Joe heard that I had fallen off of the chocolate wagon and came to my rescue. I swear, Trader Joe's just keeps rolling out more vegan goodness. It's like a new, animal-free surprise every time I shop. The treat this week, dark chocolate mint "UFOs". They are basically hugely oversized chocolate chips. I am at a loss as to what to do with them, so for now I'll keep eating them by the palmful. I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the chocolate and of course I love all things chocolate and mint. Last week was a really stressful week for me at work and Jim continued taking the reign of dinner preparation. Keeping it healthy, our dinner on Friday was a millet pilaf with sauteed onions and garlic, pinto beans and sweet corn, served over kale. Even though it appears to be a big ol' pile of beige, it was remarkably tasty and will probably enter into regular rotation. The only change I'd make is to add more pintos. My tequila sunrise is on the horizon, much needed after a too-long week. On Sunday I REALLY wanted brunch, but really didn't want to cook. After whining for about 30 minutes and then imagining the 1 hour wait at Jam on Hawthorne (our favorite breakfast place) I caved and started making brunch. Jim is happy with toast and coffee, but I just can't live like that on Sunday, it's uncivilized. I made the apple peanut butter pancakes from Peanut Butter Planet with white whole wheat flour and subbing water with some agave for the apple juice called for. I appropriately served these up with some applesauce and what Jim deemed my "best tofu scramble ever" with dried basil, artichokes, kalamata olives, shallots, sundried tomatoes and fresh spinach. On the side, some kiwi. Now, am I alone here, because I always eat the skin on my kiwis. I never knew that other people didn't until I moved to Minnesota in middle school and kids started picking on me. Minnesotans not eating kiwi skin didn't strike me as odd because these were the same people who were wearing toe-socks and sandals to school in January. But I have since been looked at with disgust for eating something "furry" while living in other parts of the country. Half of the flavor is in the skin! Can I get a witness?

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Kris — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:39:03 +0000

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ham tube is dead to me

Kris — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:55:18 +0000

So, a couple of Easters ago, I glazed a ham tube from Food Fight. The company that made said ham tube went out of business and there is a new tube in town. I was so excited to glaze it up for Easter... and it was just sad, really. First off, I should have been weary, what with it being a giant rectangle instead of the traditional tube. It was stringy, soft and spongy and had a off taste naturally. Thankfully our impromptu mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, asparagus, dinner rolls and pickled beets saved the day and made up for the ham tube that wasn't. The holidays always make me nostalgic, even the ones we don't really celebrate. Easter always makes me thinking of growing up with my grandparents. In honor of my Pappy, I made some fruit gel cocktail with some strawberry gel mix I picked up at Food Fight recently. I've always wondered how foods would really taste if we didn't have an emotional connection to them. I love the way fruit cocktail grapes taste, with their skins so soft and etched. Would I really like them under other circumstances? A random dinner from earlier this week: Whole wheat pasta with a randomly assembled creamy carrot and ginger sauce with chickpeas and some garlic brussels. If you can get over the fact that the sauce looks a bit like it was, um, recycled it was actually quite good. I added some more pictures from the new book to my flickr account, so be sure to check out the nomminess! More food soon!

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Kris — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:36:46 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:09:11 +0000

Hello! I know I haven't been posting very much this month, but I promise that it's for good reason and you'll soon know why. My friend, Ximena, had a birthday on Saturday and I had an appointment at her shop on Sunday. She is the vegetarian tattoo artist and shop owner (vegan tattoos!) who also made the nom! buttons, and she is a serious cat lover. I used recipes from Damn Tasty! to make her a kitty birthday cake, fit for the feline-friendly. The chocolate cake recipe from the Black Forest Cake, covered with Peanut Butter Frosting and I did some detailing with melted chocolate. Everyone wins when you make a cake where you need to cut out elements of it- they get the cake and you get to eat the scraps. The result was this cute, playful cake that was a cinch to make. Yum! I presented it to her at my appointment to get some long-awaited tattoos. These have been several years in the making: my bees! On my left shoulder: And on my right: These pictures were taken less than 24 hours after, so I'm still a little pink and swollen. Don't them look great?! They turned out even better than I expected, Ximena just rocks. Why the bees? Well, there are a couple of reasons. One, I just like bees. I think they are beautiful and their complex language is so fascinating. An important thing about bees is their contribution to agriculture around the world. Bees are responsible for much of the pollination needed for our crops to grow, but the bees are dying. This is a real concern because it is affecting food crops worldwide and no one can figure out why the colonies are dying off. Everything from watermelon, broccoli, to my furry friend the kiwi, they all rely on bees to grow, so this decline has far-reaching effects. In the past few years this problem has been attracting more attention, but the mystery is still there. Bees are just as important as the water, sun and soil used to grow crops. So, with that in mind, I pay homage to these amazing little creatures, so essential to our world. Thanks to the bees, I was able to make this delicious salad: Mixed baby greens, spinach, cucumber, baby heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers and some sliced up carrots, the perfect spring time lunch salad! I hope spring is in the air for you all. I can see some bees buzzing around the blooming tree outside my window right now.

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Kris — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:14:37 +0000

wvbs-banner-white-bg

Kris — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:17:24 +0000

gasstation

Kris — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:25:06 +0000

vegan bake sale- pdx peeps represent!

Kris — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:28:18 +0000

Hey there! The great folks over at Compassion for Animals have come up with a brilliant idea: a worldwide vegan bake sale! The week of June 20-28, there will be vegan bake sales happening all over the world- how cool is that? I am going to host one in Portland, but I need your help! PDX peeps, where do you want your bake sale? My first instinct is Laurelhurst, but I also want it to be visible, what are your thoughts? Who wants to bring goodies? I'm thinking Saturday the 20th... Let's chat! I just might some of these bad boys... [caption id="attachment_252" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Gas Station Pie"][/caption] Gas Station Pie- flaky, buttery, handheld pies, filled with yummy fruit fillings and a light glaze on top. Hostess can bite it- these puppies rawk my socks.

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Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:15:58 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:18:00 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:19:58 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:22:02 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:28:25 +0000

yellow

Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:52:23 +0000

yelsub1

Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:53:17 +0000

yelsub2

Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:53:49 +0000

in the town, where i was born...

Kris — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:16:30 +0000

This weekend was our nephew's first birthday. S. is the first baby on either side of the family, his father's side or his mother's side, so needless to say, it's a big deal. I'm proud to say that our nephew is truly, the cutest baby in the world and I have the proof to back this claim. Exhibit A: Exhibit B, playing badminton with Uncle Jim: Clearly cuteness runs in the family! And he's insanely smart, no bias. :) He oinks when he sees a pig, pants when he sees a dog and makes a mock-crying noise when he sees pictures of other babies. It's pretty freaking cute. S.'s bedroom is decorated in a Yellow Submarine theme, from the imported hand-woven submarine rug to a Yellow Submarine clock and painted walls and furniture to match. Being The Beatles lover that I am, I knew I had to do something big for his first birthday. The real Yellow Submarine: S.'s birthday submarine: A chocolate cake with buttercream frosting, and some marzipan detailing. The rounds above the submarine represent The Sea of Holes, topped with marzipan faces of The Beatles plus a little baby face to represent S. It was a pretty big cake, being two 13x9 sheet cakes together, but only one layer, we were able to put a good dent in it over the weekend. S. won't remember this cake, but there are plenty more cakes to come. We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine...

yellow-sub

Kris — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:18:13 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:02:11 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:04:47 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:08:37 +0000

frenchtoastmuffins

Kris — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:16:12 +0000

not-mystery not-meat and a recipe

Kris — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:24:49 +0000

There is food being cooked! I haven't had much to post lately because, frankly, we've been eating terribly boring food. But I've been trying to mix it up a little bit, plus bring back some classics. Ooh, surprise, surprise, quinoa! I never could have guessed! Well, I never said it would be thrilling. :) I will admit to being a quinoa addict as of late and the 4 lb bag of organic quinoa I picked up at Costco last week for $8 is going to keep the love alive. I sauteed some chickpeas and mixed them with 1 1/2 smashed heads of roasted garlic. Some snap peas and sweet potato on the side and I called it a meal. This may not look like much, but wow have these sandwiches been hitting the spot! Tofurky slices with mustard, baby greens and pickles on Dave's Killer Bread... yum! We haven't been keeping bread in the house for the past few months because we normally only use it for toast and in the winter we default to oatmeal mode, but I just can't say no to a loaf of Dave's. Sometimes revisiting those nostalgic foods really satisfies and this is one of them. A week ago I went to work in a short sleeved shirt, with no jacket, and we took the duvet off our bed, foolishly thinking spring is here. Today it was 45 and raining, much like the past week. With my spring cheer hiding underneath the bed, I fell back into some fall comfort food. Real Food Daily tempeh meatloaf with mashed potatoes and some broccolini. I loved the ingredients in the meatloaf (tempeh, a little gluten, miso, fresh veggies) but I'm just not a meatloaf kind of gal, even in vegan form. Jim LOVES meatloaf and was deliriously happy to come home to this dinner. I haven't heard that much lip-smacking come out of the boy in awhile. I wasn't too big on the texture, it reminded me of stuffing, although the flavor was awesome. Next time I may add a little more gluten to make the texture firmer and a splash of liquid smoke. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback, from observers and tasters, on the French Toast Muffins from my upcoming cookbook. And I have to admit, they are one of my favorites, so I wanted to give a sneak peek and share the recipe with you. Not having handheld French toast is no way to live. [caption id="attachment_274" align="aligncenter" width="452" caption="French Toast Muffins- 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes"][/caption] French Toast Muffins Prep time before baking: 20 minutes 2 1/4 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar 2 teas. baking powder 1/8 teas. salt 1 teas. cinnamon 1 1/4 cups milk 1/3 cup oil 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. yogurt (equivalent to 1- 6 oz. container of soy yogurt) 1 1/2 teas. maple extract 1/2 teas. vanilla cinnamon and powered sugar to dust tops of muffins Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners, 6 jumbo or 12 regular sized muffin cups. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, oil, yogurt, maple extract and vanilla to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2 batches until just mixed. Fill each muffin tin to just just below full. Bake for 18-20 minutes for regular sized muffins or 25-30 for jumbo muffins until lightly golden and a tooth pick comes out clean. Remove muffins from oven and let cool completely before removing from tin. Sift powdered sugar and cinnamon on top of each muffin. Store leftover muffins covered at room temperature. Yields: 12 regular sized or 6 jumbo muffins *For extra maple goodness, combine 1 tbsp. of maple syrup with 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar and glaze the tops of the muffins with the maple topping before sifting on the cinnamon and powdered sugar. With some fresh, spring berries on the side and washed down with a big glass of almond milk- now that's what I call breakfast! Yum!

quick blurb...

Kris — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:29:02 +0000

I forgot to mention this in the last post, but this week on The Splendid Table, Bryant Terry will be on to talk about his cookbook Vegan Soul Kitchen and how to make real soul food. How cool is that? Check your local NPR listings for airtimes or look for the podcast after it airs. Okay, back to your regularly scheduled French Toast Muffins. :)

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Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:20:48 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:26:59 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:28:38 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:29:55 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:30:50 +0000

dear pie, you're the best. love, kris

Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:00:57 +0000

I always thought I was a pie-hater. Seriously. Despite my raging sweet tooth, I would have rather gone dessertless than have eaten pie. On the chance that I did have to eat, so as not to offend, I would eat the filling and maybe the top crust, if there was one. I just couldn't get into it. And then I needed to start working on pie recipes for the cookbook, as not everyone is a pie hater. So I perfected my crust, getting it buttery and flakey. Then I started concocting flavor combinations, ranging from the familiar CranApple to the more exotic Pear and Chocolate Cream Galette to the just plain fun Gas Station Pies. The next thing I knew I was dreaming pie, envisioning pie, craving pie. Whodathunkit? Back up to my childhood and my aunt, baking rhubarb pie. Perhaps there was some kind of fruit in there, too, I don't remember, but I remember running from that pie like the plague. Rhubarb is something everyone in my family baked with, it is a hearty crop that many of my family members grew. It is very bitter and tart raw, and it's very stringy like celery. Actually, rhubarb is a vegetable. Maybe that's why I was scared of it. Fast forward to this weekend at the farmer's market where I bought some brilliantly colored stalks of rhubarb, flying home to excitedly make a strawberry rhubarb pie, my first one ever. What happened to me, you ask? I think I finally had some sense knocked into me. I kid you not, this was the best pie that I have ever tasted. Jim and I ate through 3/4 of the pie in less than 18 hours! When you factor in that 8 of those were spent sleeping, there was a lot of pie consumption this weekend. The tartness of the rhubarb, now soft and the edge of the flavor mellowed, and the sweetness of the strawberries melded together in something altogether magical, filling a deliciously flaky crust. I can't even express how in love I am with this pie! If it hadn't tasted so good, I would have been depressed to eat the last piece after dinner this evening. Bottom crust, filled with crimson goodness. Top crust on and crimped, with a sad-looking strawberry shaped vent, ready to hit the oven! Beautifully browned... then it had to sit and cool completely. No one wants a runny pie! Oh yeah, baby... That's what I'm talking about... Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 50 for baking and additional cool time Best Basic Pie Crust (from 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes): 2 1/2 cups flour 1 tbsp. sugar 1/4 teas. salt 1 cup margarine, cold, cut into chunks 1/4 - 1/2 cup cold water In a large food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to blend. Add the margarine and pulse mixture until it becomes a course meal. Slowly add in water, 2 tbsp at a time, until a dough comes together. Divide dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Dough can be frozen up to 1 month. Alternatively, combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, blend in margarine until mixture becomes a a course meal. Add water 2 tbsp at a time and rapidly mix together until a dough comes together. Yields: 2 crusts for 1 pie or 2 bottom crusts Pie filling: 1 cup sugar 3 tbsp. corn starch 1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1/2 teas. vanilla extract 1 lb. rhubarb, washed and cut into 1/2- 3/4 inch chunks 1 lb. strawberries, washed and cut into quarters Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and vanilla bean scrapings. If using extract, reserve. Mix well until there are no clumps. Add rhubarb and strawberries and mix to coat. Let fruit mixture macerate for 10-15 minutes. If using extract, add at this time. While fruit is macerating, roll out crusts to fit a 9 inch pie tin. Fit in bottom crust and pour in fruit filling, scraping any residual sugar mixture into the crust. Cut out an air vent in the top crust, or make a few small slits and then cover filled crust with top crust. Pinch edges together and cut off any remaining crust. Brush top crust with a little water and sprinkle on a little sugar. Bake for 30 minutes with a pie shield or some tin foil overing the edges of the crust. Remove pie shield and bake for an additional 18-22 minutes. The filling should be bubbling if you can see it and the crust should be golden. You may need to place a cookie sheet or some tin foil below the tin to catch potential drips. Remove pie from oven and let cool completely before serving, at least 4 hours. If you cut it at this time, it may still be a little juicy, but with a couple of additional hours the filling will be completely set.

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Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:04:59 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:05:35 +0000

veggie_badge

Kris — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:53:09 +0000

it's a veggie thing...

Kris — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:00:14 +0000

Hello! I just wanted to let you all know about a new website that is debuting today: Veggie Thing! Hosted by Citysearch, Veggie Thing is a site reviewing vegan restaurants all over the country. I was lucky enough to be invited to be a "Dictator" (their word choice, not mine) and review restaurants for the site. It's going live today and I will be adding to it each month. What are some cool finds here in Portland that are off the beaten road? I want to make sure that no good eat gets overlooked. And... 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes (the official title of the new book) now has a facebook page, so be sure to add me on facebook for updates and food for thought... literally!

bostoncrempie

Kris — Mon, 11 May 2009 07:36:37 +0000

a new frontier...

Kris — Mon, 11 May 2009 07:39:18 +0000

I haven't been blogging or commenting much lately. It's not that I don't love you, really. Quite the contrary. Jim and I have been working on a new project to expand nom! nom! nom! into something more. Jim is very skilled with film and media and for a couple of years we have been tossing around the idea of making a cooking show. When we talked about it before, it never felt quite right, we just weren't ready. Now, we have all the tools and so we decided to go for it. Our goal is to put one episode out every other week. This, being our first episode, has us working out some kinks, but we're pretty darn proud. I think Jim did a great job with filming and editing this and we did a commendable job of eating the results. :) For our first episode, we chose to do my famous Boston Cream Pie recipe. This was in Damn Tasty and is in the new book as well. It is my most requested recipe, as well a recipe that many vegans want, given that "vegan Boston Cream Pie" is a search term that guides people to my blog on a daily basis. Okay, less talk, more rock! Here is it: [viddler id=76206574&w=437&h=370] Boston Cream Pie Prep time: 45 minutes, including time to make filling Cake: 2 cups flour, sifted 1 teas. baking powder 1 teas. baking soda 1/2 teas. salt 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. yogurt (equal to 1- 6 oz. container) 2 teas. vanilla 1 1/2 cups milk Cream Filling: 1/3 cup sugar 2 tbsp. plus 1 teas. cornstarch 1/8 teas. salt 1 1/2 cups milk 1 teas. margarine 1 teas. vanilla Ganache: 1/4 cup margarine 1/2 cup chocolate chips 3 tbsp. milk, room temperature Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake rounds and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl combine sugar and vegetable oil. Add soy yogurt and vanilla and mix until creamy. Mix in milk. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in batches and mix combined. Even divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on rack. While cakes are cooling, prepare cream filling. In a saucepan combine sugar, salt and cornstarch. Add milk and whisk together. Bring the mixture to a light boil over medium heat while whisking constantly. Lower to a simmer and whisk until thickened, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add margarine and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely, stirring every few minutes. Filling will continue to thicken as it cools. To make the ganache, in a small sauce pan, over medium-low heat, melt the margarine completely, stirring constantly. Add milk and whisk to combine. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring rapidly to melt. Let cool completely to room temperature, stirring from time to time to keep a crust from developing. Spread cream filling between cake layers. Top cake with ganache. Let cake set in fridge for at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge 10 minutes before serving to let ganache soften for easier cutting. Store leftover cake covered, in fridge. [caption id="attachment_306" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Boston Cream Pie from Damn Tasty and 100 Best"][/caption] Enjoy!

jam

Kris — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:49:22 +0000

real scone

Kris — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:30:54 +0000

IMG_0666

Kris — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:38:15 +0000

a tale of two jammies

Kris — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:47:58 +0000

It was the best of jams, it was the worst of jams... but more on that later. THANK YOU to everyone for your support, comments, emails, etc. regarding the show. We are very excited about it! Jim is upstairs editing episode two as we speak and we have many more tricks up our sleeves. Please excuse my first-show jitters, I promise to loosen up as we go along. :) This past weekend I continued with my strawberry rhubarb love affair and I made jam. I haven't made jam in a couple of years now and I was a bit too excited. Being the overly ambitious cook that I am, I set out to make a giant batch. Jam for all seasons! Jam for all reasons! Our pantry would overflow with jam! I would be handing out jars to people in the street, so encumbered with jam we would be. 4 lbs. of strawberries... check. 2 lbs. of rhubarb... check. Sugar... check. Lemons... check. Disaster... check. My first mistake was forgetting how awful the marmalade I made several years ago was from the one preserves book that I have. Does anyone have any good recommendations for books on preserves and canning? Having destroyed those taste buds and blocked that experience from memory, I reopened that book in hopes of making a delightful strawberry rhubarb jam. This recipe relied on the pectin in some lemon rind to help thicken it. After cooking it well over the time instructed, I panicked and sent Jim to the store to buy some commercial pectin. By the time he returned, the flavor of lemon had destroyed any trace of strawberry or rhubarb and the soupy mixture was overcooked beyond repair. I mourned the loss of my beloved down the garbage disposal. However, I refused to be beaten! The next day we went out and restocked our arsenal. I spent a good 4 hours scouring the internet, reading every recipe and forum discussion on strawberry rhubarb jam I could find. I read some pretty appalling things (making jam in the microwave?!) as well as some nauseating recipes (10 cups of sugar with 4 lbs. of strawberries? 10 cups?!) but slowly collected useful information. That evening, I entered the kitchen with a fresh state of mind and my iPod, determined yet serene. Come 1 a.m. I had eight jars full of thick, luscious jam. Sealed and cooling, I called it a night. The next morning I whipped up some lemon scones, using this recipe as a guideline. I pretty much stuck to it, but I soured my almond milk with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and I increased the lemon zest to the zest from a whole lemon. They were tangy without being too sour and were perfectly accented by the jam. We enjoyed them with a nice parfait of fresh strawberries, vanilla soy yogurt and a sprinkle of hemp seeds, my favorite breakfast treat. Now I need to reign it in. We're only on Wednesday and we've already polished off 1 2/3 jars! We won't make it to fall at this rate! Looks like I'll have to make more, darn... Okay, I promise this is the last talk of strawberries and rhubarb for awhile.

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Kris — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:20:37 +0000

jam on it...

Kris — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:21:05 +0000

Here is the recipe for the strawberry rhubarb jam I mentioned in the last post, should you be feeling ambitious this Sunday. It's a pretty quick recipe. I made two batches of it for my 8 half-pint yield last weekend. Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Yields 4 half-pint (8 oz) jars 1 1/2 lbs. strawberries, rinsed, hulled and chopped 1 lb. rhubarb, rinsed and chopped (add one more stalk if you want a bit more tang) 2 cups sugar 2 tbsp. plus one teas. lemon juice 2 tbsp. pectin Combine strawberries, rhubarb and sugar in a large bowl and let it macerate for one hour. Transfer mixture to a stock pot, add lemon juice and pectin and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Once boiling, mash with a potato masher until chunky. Lower heat slightly and stir frequently, cooking until slightly reduced and thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Check gel of jam by placing a teaspoon of jam on a plate and put in freezer for 1 minute. If jam is thick and develops a thin skin in the freezer, you are ready! Follow good canning practices for storing your jam. Let jam sit for 12 hours to set properly before using. Enjoy! More real food and less strawberries later today!

Eggplant thing

Kris — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:42:13 +0000

bindhi ricotta

Kris — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:58:32 +0000

vegsoup

Kris — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:07:49 +0000

dinner in a flash

Kris — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:23:40 +0000

Okay, so I promise no posts with strawberries for awhile. :) We are gathered here today to celebrate the quick meal. The effortless menu you can lean on after a long day at work. The dinner you can throw together in a flash, especially if you've planned and have some choice ingredients ready to go. With a little assistance from my friend, Trader Joe, of course. A jar of some eggplant caponata from TJ's, sauteed with some fresh zucchini and served with quinoa on the side. Light, summery and fresh, what more can you ask for? I did dishes while the quinoa cooked in the rice cooker, let it sit while sauteeing the zucchini, then added the caponata to the zucchini and let it simmer for a few minutes. Dinner was served, tangy and flavor. This was a "what do we have that requires minimal effort?" meal. I knew I wanted to make my tofu ricotta because we hadn't had it in awhile. I had to modify a little because I had no tahini and no basil, but it worked. After a little rummaging, some whole wheat pasta was unearthed, along with a jar of garlic tomato sauce. Bindhi initially gave it her seal of approval. When something smells good enough to please her feline sensibilities, she air-chews, making this odd little noise you might make if you were pretending to eat something crunchy. Here, she is in mid-chew. After being allowed to try a piece of pasta, though, she retracted the air-chew. Trader Joe's recently started carrying a new aseptic soup called "Garden Patch Veggie Soup". Essentially, it's V-8 in soup form. I'm not a big fan of things so tomato-based, but decided to give it a try. It's a consistently thick, pureed soup, so I jazzed it up with some onion, zucchini, green beans, and carrots. It was alright, but probably won't be made again, as we're just not big fans of tomato in that form. On the side you see my Green White Bean Spread, paired up with some crusty artisan bread. Ooh, baby. I could eat a vat of it with chewy, yeasty bread. Heavenly. Green White Bean Spread 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 head roasted garlic 1/4 teas. salt In a pan, sautee spinach in olive oil on medium heat. Cover and cook until spinach is wilted. Add cannellini beans, mixing to combine. Add unpeeled garlic cloves. Cook until heated through. Remove from heat and add salt. Process mixture in a food processor until processed through and creamy, adding water one tablespoon at a time if needed. Serve with crudites and bread. Yields: 1 1/2 cups. Further proof that I do indeed eat more than just baked good and, now, strawberries and rhubarb.

Lemon Drop Cookies

Kris — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:01:50 +0000

Vegan Bake Sale Update

Kris — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:03:48 +0000

Hello there! I planned on a food post, but I just have a quick update right now. The Portland vegan bake sale to benefit House of Dreams will be held on: Saturday, June 20th People's Coop Community Room 12:30- 4:30 We're planning on having lots of cookies and bars, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, gas station pies and loads of other treats so please stop on by! If you're interested in helping out, please email me at nomblog {at} g mail {dot} com Among the flour, sugar and assorted goodness, I'll be making my favorite summery cookie: Lemon Drops! [caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Lemon Drop Cookies from 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes"][/caption]

cinnamonpancakes

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 03:30:29 +0000

fruitycakes

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 03:33:34 +0000

memorialdinner

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:21:40 +0000

best. pancakes. ever!

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:25:28 +0000

That's quite the claim, I know. But I swear I can back it up. We are putting the finishing touches on episode 2. I hope to have it up by tomorrow night, so stay tuned for that. It will be actual documentation that I do create food that is not baked. No body doubles, I swear. :) So, I just have to say, I made the most delicious pancakes the other day I even surprised myself. Jim is a big time cinnamon lover, so I tend to use it in our pancakes, which are usually just plain jane pancakes which we dress up with toppings or sauces. His recent kick has been making cinnamon toast, a throwback to both of our childhoods. So I wondered, what if I made cinnamon toast pancakes? Would they just be cinnamon pancakes or something else? Behold... Oh, unassuming pancakes. Thou art but a pile of goodness, reserved for those with discerning taste and much love of beloved cinnamon, joined in matrimony with a light crunch. That's right. The cinnamon/sugar mixture slightly caramelized into a slightly crunchy thin coating, giving way to a fluffy, moist interior. A textural treat to tease the tastebuds. (Say that five times fast.) The delicate flavor of TJs new maple agave blend was the perfect addition. I didn't want cinnamon. I had to have fruit. Yes, I was sure I didn't want cinnamon. No, Jimmy, I won't want to steal your pancakes... like a foolish child who trades one quarter for three pennies, I had the flapjack slinger's remorse. Sure, my vanilla pancakes with yogurt and fresh fruit were good, but that didn't keep me from sneaking bites off Jim's plate. Lesson learned: never say no to Cinnamon Toast Yum Pancakes! Cinnamon Toast Yum Pancakes 1 1/2 cups flour 3 tbsp. sugar 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/8 teas. salt 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups milk of choice 1/4 cup water 1 tbsp. oil 1/2 teas. vanilla 1 1/2 teas. cinnamon 1 tbsp. + 1 teas. sugar In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl combine milk, water, oil and vanilla and mix to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until just mixed, it may be a little lumpy and that's fine. Add more milk if needed. In a little bowl combine the cinnamon and 1 tbsp. sugar. Heat up a griddle to medium heat. Sprinkle a small coating of the cinnamon mixture where you will put your batter, then ladle out the batter on top of it. Sprinkle the exposed side of the pancake with an equal amount. Flip pancake when edges look slightly firmed up and it bubbles a little in the middle. Overcooking can burn the sugar. Cook on other side until puffy bottom is lightly browned. Continue with the rest of the batter. Serve with margarine and syrup. Yields: 6 medium sized pancakes We had a nice mish-mash of food for our Memorial Day feast. The weather has been absolutely beautiful here in Portland and I was craving summery fare. And completely contrary to my normal leanings, I was craving hot dogs. If you know me, you know that hot dogs have never been something I normally consume, vegan or otherwise. Sometimes I'll have a Field Roast sausage, but I usually won't eat anything resembling a hot dog. A recent trip to Food Fight while on lunch had me contemplating the hot dog machine and I impulsively purchased one to chow down before heading back to work and the craving has been there ever since. Go figure. Tofurkey hot dog with lemon-garlic roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus and homemade baked beans. Wow, I didn't realize how much time it took to make baked beans, so next time I will start sooner and probably crock-pot it. We ate this meal on Sunday and it wasn't all ready to go until 9:45pm! We are late eaters, but that's even late for us. I hope you all had a good long weekend, if you were so lucky as to have one, and took a moment to remember those we've lost. Cooking show episode 2- next post!

cartola

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 05:23:11 +0000

latte

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 05:33:06 +0000

orangecartola

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 05:34:52 +0000

cartolaintertior

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 06:06:31 +0000

lemonalmondbread

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:36:02 +0000

pineapplecakes

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:43:31 +0000

apricottart

Kris — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:53:13 +0000

chocolateraisincookies

Kris — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:45:34 +0000

a review, best tasted by all senses

Kris — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:53:30 +0000

Hey there! Technical difficulties on the show, so we're hoping for Friday. Until then... enjoy. :) Oh, and I'm twittering now, if you should care about whatever mundane task I'm partaking in. @nomnomnomblog So, becoming a chocolate connoisseur was my New Year's resolution. I haven't been keeping on it very well at all, but a similar resolution may have taken hold. I have never been a coffee drinker. Coffee flavored, yes please. Coffee scented, absolutely. But I've just never been a drinker. But being the lover of pastry and dessert that I am, I felt the need to remedy this. For years I've watched Jim get such pleasure out of coffee with a breakfast pastry or coffee with a piece of chocolate cake, I wanted to join that club too! I mean, if you think about it, chocolate and coffee are like long lost siblings. They both grow in pods on trees in tropical climates and are roasted to perfection. They were meant to be enjoyed together. What disservice am I doing to myself by not experiencing this whole spectrum of flavor? So, I've been easing myself in and now with the warm weather all I crave are iced drinks. Enter: iced lattes and mochas. I have been latteing and mochaing myself all over town and, in my infinite chocolate wisdom, consider myself to have a discerning palette. There are plenty of good lattes and mochas around town, this is the PacNW afterall, but this weekend I had a coffee experience that topped the charts. Not only were the drinks liquid perfection, but it was in the most beautiful coffee house I have ever seen. Literally, I don't think I've ever been in an anything that is as breathtaking as Cartola, the new coffee shop in NE, on 7th and Knott. [caption id="attachment_339" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Cartola"][/caption] Classic and richly decorated, with a captivating attention to detail without being overwhelming, this coffee shop is unlike anywhere else I've been in town. The interior picture I took really doesn't do it justice, so if you're in Portland you'll have to see it for yourself to truly grasp it. I didn't have my good camera with me, sigh. When you enter, you literally pause for a moment to take it all in. From the welcoming color of the comfortable, firm window chairs to the beautiful upholstery of the long bench seating along the length of Cartola, you are transported away from your day-to-day hustle and bustle, grab-my-coffee-an-go lifestyle and rather you are invited, enticed I would say, to stay and savor the masterful drinks and absorb a bit of beauty. The wall paper, light fixtures, music, each element was carefully thought out and you can see that care in everything they do. This isn't a place to get caffeinated and get out, it's a shop that really wants to share a gourmet experience with you in every sensory way. It looks so simple, yet pleases me so... Extra bonus points with me: organic, fair trade vegan chocolate syrup (yay!), compostable cups and straws, house-made simple syrup as an alternative to sugar, tons of built in plug-ins so you don't have to fret about where to sit when you bring your laptop and refreshingly unique summer drinks. I drank a bunch of it before remember to capture an image. This is a mixture of iced black tea with fresh-squeezed-on-the-spot orange juice, a light summer drink that will leave you slouched in a chair, enjoying the excellent music du jour and feeling ohsohappy to live in Portland.

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Kris — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:11:24 +0000

pierogi 2

Kris — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:12:36 +0000

episode 2: pierogi!

Kris — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:17:11 +0000

Welcome to Episode 2 of the nom! nom! nom! blog cooking show! In this episode Jim and I pay homage to our homelands and make our favorite starch-filled treat- pierogi! Here's a little grammatical side note: the word pierogi is the plural, the singular is actually pierog. [viddler id=f355483d&w=437&h=370] Potato-filled pierogi is about as classic as it gets. Dried plum-filled pierogi may sound strange, but they are tangy, sweet and complex, a family favorite. For this recipe, one of the fillings fills the whole batch of dough, so if you want to make both you will need to double the dough recipe. If you make both, also be sure to keep tabs on which one is which, you don't want to sautee your sweet pierogi with onions! Pierogi Yields: 30 pierogi Dough: 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed 2 tbsp. water 2 cups flour 1/2 teas. salt 2 tbsp. oil 1 cup water In a small bowl, combine flax with 2 tbsp of water. Whisk and let sit to thicken. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour and add the oil, water and flax mixture. Mix until well combined, kneading on a clean surface until a nice dough comes together. Roll out dough to 1/16 inch thickness and cut into 3 inch circles using a biscuit cutter or the mouth of a tall drinking glass. You will need to reknead the scraps and roll them out to cut out all 30 pieces of dough. Fill with prepared filling, scooping 1-2 tablespoons of filling onto one side of the dough circles. Fold over dough and pinch to seal. Submerge sealed pierogi in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until they float, and remove. If freezing, place in a single layer on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze for several hours until frozen. Remove and put frozen pierogi in a freezer bag. Good for up to 6 months. If cooking after boiling, sautee pierogi in melted margarine (and onions, if savory pierogi) until lightly browned and crisp on the bottom. Flip over and let the tops cook lightly. Serve savory pierogi with sour cream and spring onions or chives. Sprinkle sweet pierogi with powdered sugar. Potato filling: (fills 30 pierogi) 2 large potatoes- Red or Yukons (not too starchy, but not too creamy) 1 tbsp. light miso (optional) 3-4 tbsp. margarine 1/4 cup roasted garlic or 3 cloves raw garlic, minced 2 tbsp. minced raw onion milk as needed Peel, chop and boil potatoes in water until soft when pierced with a fork. Drain water and add miso, margarine, garlic and onion. Mash ingredients together with a potato masher, adding milk as needed, until mixture is mixed through. Potatoes should be well blended, but not too creamy, they need to able to hold up in the dough. Let cool before using. Dried Plum Filling: (fills 30 pierogi) 2 cups dried plums (prunes)- can also use dried apricots 1 cup water 1/3 cup sugar 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 cinnamon stick Chop dried plums into small pieces. Combine in a saucepan with water, sugar and lemon juice until well combined. Add cinnamon stick and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until water is almost completely absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and transfer mixture to a small bowl. Let cool before using.

in process...

Kris — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:30:45 +0000

One of Jim's biggest complaints about the baking I do is rooted in my biggest thrill- variety. "Once you fine-tune something, I never taste it again because you're off to the next thing." But there is so much to do, flavors to try, textures to taste. I can't help myself! Sure, I love to revisit old friends, but I also love to try new things and experiment and I only have so much time to bake. Alas, I continue to experiment. Here are two recipes in process. They have some good things going, but I'm still working out some kinks. Lemon Almond Bread Problems: baking anything with slices of fruit on top creates uneven areas of moisture which makes it harder to test for doneness. Also, I can't decide if it tastes almondy enough. I may add extract, combined with almond meal. Things that work: the flavor combo and a nice texture. Semolina Maple Cakes with Caramelized Pineapple and Lime Cream Sauce Woo- that is a mouthful, literally and figuratively. Problems: my pineapple didn't caramelize! Perhaps the pineapple will be cooked separately. Also, I didn't like the texture of the cream. I used silken tofu, which I can be quite fickle with. I love it in some situations and hate it in others. Peanut Butter Chocolate Silk Pie, love it. Lime Cream Sauce, hate it. I'm thinking maybe a cashew base? What worked: the cake had an awesome texture, I could have eaten my way through a full size cake, moist, perfect amount of sweetness with a thin crunch on the top (bottom in this case) of the crust. Here is a recipe in process that isn't mine: Apricot Tart from Orangette. I stumbled across an image of a French bakery with an apricot tart in it's case a few days ago and was delighted by the inspiration because I had a container of apricots sitting in my fridge. "Yay, apricots!" I had exclaimed when I saw them at the store, greedily snatching them up and placing them in the safety of my cart. Days later, they were languishing in the back of my fridge, forgotten. This recipe was vegan in the blink of an eye. Apricots are really a special fruit, probably second only to nectarines in the stone fruit family, in my book. They have an intoxicating scent, filling your sinuses and clouding your mind, an aphrodisiac of sorts. This simple tart is a palette for sharing that essence without fancying it up unnecessarily. The only problem that I had was that my sugar in the filling never firmed up, staying liquid. I sopped up a bit of it and let some of it soak into the buttery crust, but I wanted that gel. I had to use a slightly smaller tart pan, so perhaps I had more apricots in a smaller space than she did. I will definitely revisit this recipe, though. Tangy, complicated and fresh. So does Jim have room to complain? Not so much. Especially because I still make him classics, like the Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies from Damn Tasty, minus the pecans, add raisins. Okay, fine, so I played with the recipe... but you cannot dampen the creative spirit!

hod

Kris — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:15:32 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:23:50 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:28:33 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:33:23 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:46:40 +0000

yikes...

Kris — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:48:51 +0000

So, I've had some stuff in my personal life sidetracking me from blogging, so excuse my absence. Things will be back to normal soon. In the meantime... reminder: The Portland contribution to the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale is in less than 2 week, on June 20th, at People's, so please come and eat some yummies for the kitties! With the warm weather we had in Portland recently (90 in June? Unheard of!) we have taken to eating pretty lightly, which has been refreshing. This was a quick dinner, trying to use up some produce, as I have a tendency to over-purchase vegetables... chickpeas sauteed in a little EB with some nooch, asparagus, garlic broccolini and our standard issue quinoa. Simple, satisfying and yummy. A bed of baby greens, topped with black beans that I cooked with some garlic and a little cumin, sweet corn, zucchini, avocado and some chips and salsa on the side. The chips are these new little corn chip "dippers" from Trader Joe's that are like Fritos but a million times better. Well, I was never a fan of Fritos, so I'm a bit biased. I wanted to make some Italian cookies with pine nuts in them and came across this recipe by Giada on the Food Network. I'm not one to normally have much faith in the Food Network, but the recipe was basically vegan, it involved chocolate (always a plus) and it seemed pretty authentically European, using little sugar, so my interest was piqued. Being skeptical of our American palettes accepting something that tastes less sweet, I added my new topping du jour: demerara sugar mixed with a pinch of fleur de sel. I've found that 1 tbsp. of sugar to 1/4 teas. of salt is a great mix for dipping cookies and it gives them a nice, slightly sweet crunch accompanied with the occasion tang of salt. The topping definitely helped. They were a little crumbly, more like a biscuit-type cookie, and the flavor was greatly aided by the chocolate chunks. I really like pine nuts, but they didn't really do it for me in this recipe. Can't win them all. While I worked on these cookies, Linus made himself comfortable on the blanket that he pushed off the back of the couch. Spoiled kitteh... More stuff to come, including some yummy reviews... it just might take me a week or so. Cheers!

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Kris — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:44:32 +0000

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Kris — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:54:48 +0000

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Kris — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:56:26 +0000

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Kris — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:57:42 +0000

bake sale bonanza!

Kris — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:01:19 +0000

Thanks to everyone for your patience while I get back to blogging regularly. I have a ton of things to share with you, but for now, news about the bake sale! To those of you who dropped things off earlier in the day- I have your platters/plates/etc, so please email me at nomblog [at} gmail {dot] com and we can arrange for a pick up! Oh, and if you made the Blueberry Green Tea Cupcakes, please email me! I think my will to bake will wither a bit if I don't get the recipe. :) The bake sale went wonderfully. We were able to raise much more money for House of Dreams than I had hoped for, which is fantastic! We had a lot of fun and the baked goods- oh, the baked goods! I could hardly restrain myself from buying one of everything. Here is a little picture tour... In the foreground, Goodie Bars, with a cookie base, chocolate chips, raisins, walnuts and coconut, and in the background Lemon Drop Cookies surrounding Almond Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. Mocha Stripe Cookies and Marble Bundt. Oh Joe's Brownies, Banana Split Cupcakes and Strawberry Muffins. Gas Station Pies with choice of apple-cinnamon or strawberry rhubarb filling. Gingersnap Cookies and Almond Rolls. Butterscotch Pecan Bars. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls...drool... Sprouted Cinnamon Rolls with Glaze. Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes. Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies in the background and wheat free Strawberry Muffins in the foreground. Peanut Butter Cookies and Apple Streusel Muffins. Missing from my pictures were my favorite treat of the day- the Blueberry Green Tea Cupcakes. Such a surprisingly perfect and unexpected combination and oh-so-good. I was too preoccupied eating them remember to take a picture. Thanks to everyone who came and baked and extra special thanks to baker/helper extraordinaire Amy!

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:14:11 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:14:51 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:22:33 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:24:21 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:24:59 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:27:16 +0000

an affair to remember

Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:32:14 +0000

I've been married for 6.5 years, but it's taken less than a week for me to fall in love with another. I know, I know, a fickle heart is nothing to boast about... but wait until you see us together. Meet Edgar. Our love has been a long time in the making. Lengthy visits online to the Vita-Mix website, drooling over recipes, babbling on to friends and family about how "it's not just a blender" while they pretend to care. Over the course of our marriage I have ruined 3 blenders and 2 food processors, and I knew it was time to step up. So on my monthly trip to Costco for organic quinoa and evaporated cane juice, when I came across a man demoing the Vita-Mix, I stopped dead in my tracks. I sampled some delicious juice made from red grapes, a slice of lime (with rind!) and ice cubes. I gazed at the Vita-Mix with love and longing. When the man confided in me that you don't need the dry blade container to grind flour, thus saving me about $150 from what I had originally planned to pay, coupled with the bargain price, plus not having to pay with shipping... I was sold. And so Edgar came to join us. So far we have made juice, soup, smoothies and ice cream. Everything has turned out beautifully and I am in complete awe of the ease of use with this machine, especially clean up! It seems like some too-good-to-be-true dimension, where I can deliciously eat the whole fruit or vegetable, whip up food in a matter of seconds (literally), and clean up just as quickly. For example, as part of our dinner tonight we had smoothies. A banana, some soy yogurt, soy milk, frozen mixed berries, frozen strawberries, baby spinach and green powder from Trader Joe's. With the help of the tamper, in under 1 minute it went from the above picture to this: Ah, heaven. So, for you green smoothie folks, did you ease yourself in to them or did you just take the plunge? I'm a little scared of drinking all of those greens, raw. The other part of our dinner tonight was my take on one of my favorite entrees at Blossoming Lotus. Kale, sauteed with olive oil and garlic, under some Soy Curls that I hydrated with veggie broth, coated in a mixture of nutritional yeast, dried basil and sea salt and then lightly pan fried. On the side, sauteed asparagus. I can never come close to the simple complexity that is Blossoming Lotus, but it tasted pretty darn good. More adventure with Edgar to come!

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:37:22 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:41:06 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:43:06 +0000

foodie fight!

Kris — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:05:09 +0000

I have been selected to participate in Battle #6 over at Foodie Fights: zucchini and garam masala! I'm terribly excited! To read more about the battle and Foodie Fights in general, check it out over here. Now to plan...

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Kris — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:22:19 +0000

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Kris — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:24:45 +0000

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Kris — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:28:47 +0000

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Kris — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:31:01 +0000

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Kris — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:31:55 +0000

daring bakers!

Kris — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:46:44 +0000

This is my first month participating in the Daring Bakers Challenge! I don't know why I haven't participated up until now, but I'm glad that I'm now in the loop. My first Daring Bakers Challenge and Foodie Fights all in one week! Wow. The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England. I had never heard of a Bakewell Tart before, so I was very intruiged. I have to admit, having never been terribly impressed with British food in the past, I was in the same boat as our friend Shelly. I just wasn't terribly excited about this one. Ah, silly me. Here is a real look at what my kitchen looks like when I bake. It's kind of sad, a crowded counter, overflowing onto the stove top, and my ever-present laptop providing entertainment. I've been on a Mad About You kick lately. Can you believe those fools at NBC have only released the first 3 seasons on DVD? What is wrong with them? A Bakewell Tart has a shortbread crust, a thin layer of jam and is then topped with a top layer that is almost a cross between a pudding and a cake. The top we used for the challenge was a frangipane, which consists of primarily butter, eggs and ground almond meal. Given that I've never had one before, I wasn't sure how to approach veganizing the eggs, as all different egg replacers have such different consistency. I read someone describe it as being reminiscent of pound cake, so I opted for silken tofu. My almond meal was not blanched, so there are dark specks of skin. I was going to use some of my homemade jam, but given that we are down to the last 2 jars and I was feeling some trepidation about this recipe, I opted for some tart cherry preserves from the store. Now, topped with the frangipane... it was looking a little sickly and I started to lose faith. Now, occasionally, I am wrong. This would fall into that category. The crust was fantastic, perfectly crisp and EB-buttery. The tart jam nicely contrasted with the soft, slightly creamy frangipane topping. I baked it a few minutes too long, as evidenced by how brown it was, but it was very forgiving. The house smelled so wonderful, it was hard to let it cool. The frangipane married the crust so beautifully, I hesitated to cut into it. Appetite trumps aesthetic, however. The crust was firm enough to eat it like a slice of pizza, which is great because I tend to eat at my desk and this was my breakfast for a couple of days this last week. I am so happy to have added this to my baking repertoire. It's amazing what you can learn when you pull your head out of your ass. I'm sorry for doubting you, England! I based both elements of this recipe off of the recipe given to us for the challenge. Here it is, with my alterations added in. I did pull out my scale to ensure accurate proportions, and I'm glad I did because the Imperial measurements below didn't match up. I did not, however, bother to write down what it did come out to, so weigh it if you can! Bakewell Tart

Sweet shortcrust pastry Prep time: 15-20 minutes Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum) (I made this in my food processor in about 2 minutes) 225g (8oz) all purpose flour 30g (1oz) sugar 2.5ml (½ tsp) salt 110g (4oz) Earth Balance 3 tablespoons soy yogurt 2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional) 15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside. Lightly beat the soy yogurt with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Frangipane Prep time: 10-15 minutes Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula 125g (4.5oz) Earth Balance, softened 125g (4.5oz) powdered sugar 9 tbsp. firm silken tofu, blended with 2 tbsp. soy milk. 2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract 125g (4.5oz) ground almonds 30g (1oz) all purpose flour Cream EB and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the tofu in three batches, beating well after each addition. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft and easily spreadable. To make the tart: Preheat oven to 400. Roll out the crust to fit a 9 inch tart pan. Press it in, and trim edges as needed. Place prepared crust in freezer for 15 minutes. While crust is chilling, prepare frangipane. After 15 minutes, remove crust from freezer and spread a layer of jam in the bottom of the crust to coat the bottom. Cover with frangipane and spread to coat. Bake for 30 minutes, sprinkling on sliced almonds 5 minutes before finished baking. Let cool completely before slicing. Be sure to stop by on Monday to see my Foodie Fights entry and to vote on who you think did best with their ingredients!

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Kris — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:24:11 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:47:17 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:01:21 +0000

foodie fights, battle zucchini and garam masala

Kris — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:02:42 +0000

When I found out last week that I was picked for Battle 6 over at Foodie Fights, I was very excited. For those of you who aren't familiar with Foodie Fights, it's basically an online version of Iron Chef. Bloggers who would like to participate submit an entry and every two weeks a new round of people are drawn. From their submissions, two ingredients are selected and then the contestants have less than a week to create one dish using those ingredients. Their entries are then voted on- one popular vote and then a vote by the 2 guest judges. Whoever has the most points wins and gets to guest judge in the next round. This is not a veg-community based thing, it's a broad food-community thing, so any and every food blogger can participate. When I saw the ingredients, however, I was at a loss. We eat zucchini every week, pretty much, and the thing that I like about it is that it has no personality of it's own. I can easily meld it to suit my needs. But garam masala? My only experience with that is Indian cooking. But, naturally, I wanted to think outside the box. Zucchini is some sort of curry dish was just too obvious. And I also had to think outside of my comfort zone. I had been secretly hoping for dessert-friendly ingredients, as that's my specialty. While I did find some Indian desserts that called for garam masala, I wasn't feeling it. I prayed to the foodie gods to bring forth some sort of inspiration... and then it came to me. I present you my entry into Battle 6, a bar food appetizer dressed up a bit: East-Meets-West Fried Zucchini Masala with Mango Chutney and Garlic Cilantro Aioli. Any sort of fried food needs something to be dipped in. I spied some beautiful mangos at the grocery store the other day and inspiration took hold to make a spicy, fragrant chutney. Then I thought of the common use of yogurt in Indian food to cool the heat, so a cilantro aioli seemed like a natural pairing. The beautiful chutney ingredients: I couldn't find a chutney recipe I particularly liked, so I pieced this one together from about 5 different recipes. It's very subtle and tangy, but an edge of heat. Mango Chutney 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1/2 teas. red pepper flakes 1 medium red onion, diced 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1 large ripe mango, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups) 1 tbsp. sugar 2 tbsp. mild vinegar (I used rice vinegar) In a pan over medium low heat, heat oil. Add red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds. Add onion and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add ginger and bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mango and mix well. In a small bowl, combine sugar and vinegar and then add to mango mixture. Cook covered, stirring often, until mango starts to soften, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer chutney to a bowl to cool. Then, I needed to make my aioli. Garlic Cilantro Aioli 3/4 cup vegan mayo 1 medium sized clove garlic, crushed 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until cilantro is chopped and well-combined. And then, of course, the star of our show. I decided to try using the garam masala in the batter for the zucchini. I wasn't sure if I was going to do zucchini coins or thin strips, until I spied these little guys at the farmer's market. You can't quite tell from the picture, but these zucchini were tiny, just a bit thicker than a finger. I cut them into fourths. If you can't find zucchini this little you should cut your zucchini into thin coins. Fried Zucchini Masala 1 1/2 cups zucchini ( cut into thin strips or coins) 1 cup flour 1 1/2 teas. garam masala 1/4 teas. salt 1 1/4 cups soy milk oil for frying Wash and cut zucchini to desired size. When it comes to frying a vegetable, it is better to err on the side of thinness. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, garam masala, and salt. Whisk together to combine. Whisk in milk, to a thickness similar to pancake batter. In a large pan, heat about 3/4 inch of oil on med-high heat. Oil is ready when a small piece of zucchini sizzles on contact. Dip zucchini in batter (you can mix them all in and just let them sit in the batter if you want. Carefully fry dipped zucchini in small batches (to avoid contact) until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Serve with aioli and chutney. The whole appetizer pulled together beautifully. The zucchini was crisp and lovely. The fragrant essence of the garam masala burst into your mouth upon biting into the zucchini, followed up with either the refreshing coolness of aioli or the spice of chutney. Jim enjoyed eating half of the zucchini plain, then dipping the other half in the aioli and rolling it in the chutney to coat. This is definitely a food that you can play with while eating, a taste of this, a taste of that. I'm quite pleased with the flavors tied together. The really harmonized while never overpowering one another. It was a perfect snack on a warm summer evening, adding a little exotic, Eastern spice to what could just have been a greasy American dish. I can't wait to see what the other contestants did with their ingredients. Be sure to check in at Foodie Fights tomorrow, Tuesday, to see all of the entries and to vote for your favorite! The winner will be announced on Wednesday.

foodie fights- vote for your favorite!

Kris — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:38:47 +0000

All of the submissions are up over at Foodie Fights for Battle 6. Please go take a look a look at them and vote for your favorite. I found it really interesting that no one chose to make anything with meat, so all of the entries are at least vegetarian. The winner will be posted on Thursday. You can also take a minute to sign up if you're interested in battling in a future challenge. Who won Battle Zucchini and Garam Masala?(survey)

pesto skillet

Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:14:51 +0000

flowers

Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:15:29 +0000

pesto

Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:16:23 +0000

pestopasta

Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:16:54 +0000

pestowithsmoothie

Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:20:18 +0000

raspbsalad

Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:21:03 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:21:39 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:22:12 +0000

fruits and little labor

Kris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:49:29 +0000

The Foodie Fights results are not up yet, but I will update when they come in. Jim and I are working on a bunch of stuff for the cooking show. We've got some exciting plans up our sleeves, so expect a new episode in a few days and some surprises this summer. Well, summer is truly here. It's supposed to hit 95 today and I've got produce coming out of my ears! Between the farmer's market, stores and friends, I can barely keep up with the bounties of summer. If you've managed to avoid eating well and getting in shape before summer rolled out, there is no time like the present. Plus, it couldn't be easier when the weather is great and fresh food is abundant. My lovely friend, Sandy, gave us some goodies from her garden, including these beautiful flowers. With some fresh lettuce from her garden and berries from the farmer's market, we made an awesome salad including walnuts, chickpeas, mandarin oranges and a raspberry vinagrette. Sandy also gave us some basil and arugula, which I turned into a yummy pesto. I cooked up some tricolored shell pasta and sauteed some veggies- asparagus, zucchini (leftover from the challenge), bell pepper, Walla Walla onion, garlic and chickpeas. Yummy... Tossed together with the pasta and pesto, this made a wonderful dinner after a long workout. Plus, leftovers never hurt. I also had some leftover raw crackers from Blossoming Lotus, which topped off our dishes perfectly. Paired with our new nightly ritual- a Vita-Mix smoothie. This one was kind of sickly colorwise, but tasted great. It included a whole apple (including the core), strawberries, kale, spinach, Very Green powder, raspberries and almond milk. Yum! I'm really loving having Edgar around. We've gotten into the habit of having smaller dinners and giant smoothies- perfect for warm summer nights. Or post-workout I throw in a big scoop of hemp protien powder and call it good. All hail the Vita-Mix! I'm on a new nut kick with pistachios. So underutilized are these delicious nuts! They cannot simply be confined to holiday nut bowls. They are so fragrant and beautiful. I am working on a bundt recipe some ground up pistacios in it. I tossed in some fresh raspberries for good measure. It was pretty darn good, but still needs some tweaking. Have a Happy 4th and I'll be back with episode three of the cooking show early next week!

foodie fights results...

Kris — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:24:57 +0000

Can't say I'm not disappointed, but it was still a lot of fun! I highly recommend signing up. Animal protein (in FF world, meat) can't be suggested as an ingredient, so it makes it easier for everyone to play!

100_4162

Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:54:31 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:59:19 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:00:42 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:03:27 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:05:29 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:08:33 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:20:28 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:31:09 +0000

cherry, cerise, cereza, nom!

Kris — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:35:10 +0000

First off, episode three is undergoing post-production behind me as we speak, so it will finally be up on Thursday I'm thinking. Sorry about the long time between episodes. We'll be shortening that up, you know how crazy summer can get! Last weekend, we got a great tip from our friend Amy about a farm in Hood River where u-pick cherries are $1 a pound. Bing, Lambert, Van and Rainier, all $1 a pound! Jim and I knew what we had to do, so Sunday morning we headed out, bright and early, geared up and ready for some pickin'. The trees were heavy and flush with ripe cherries. It was really a sight to behold. The full trees made quick work and soon our buckets began to fill. We focused on mostly Bing and Rainier, with some Lambert or Van (not sure which they were) filling in the cracks. In less than an hour we had picked 21 pounds of cherries. 21 pounds of anything can be hard to conceptualize, so here's a better view. You are probably asking yourself, "What on earth do two people need with 21 pounds of cherries? What are they going to do?" Well, we froze quite a bit, for feeding to the Vita-Mix. But the large majority went here: Jam on it! Earlier in the weekend I made another batch of Strawberry Rhubarb Jam while rhubarb is still lingering. With the canning bug in full force, I decided to make two large batches of cherry jam: Rainier and Vanilla Bing. Two words of advice if you plan to make a lot of cherry jam: cherry pitter. It's a miraculous invention, especially if you decide to pit 17 pounds in one day. Vanilla Bing Jam Makes 4 1/2 pints 4 lbs of chopped Bing cherries, weighed after pitting juice of 1 medium lemon 2 cups of sugar 1 box of pectin (1.75 oz) 2 large vanilla beans Place chopped cherries in a stockpot and combine with lemon juice. It's very easy to chop the cherries with a food processor. Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until cherries begin to break down and release a lot of juice. In a small bowl, combine sugar with pectin and add to cherries after initial cook time. Combine well, stirring often and bring to a low boil. Once mixture comes to a boil, slice open vanilla beans and scrape seeds into jam. Continue cooking until it begins to thicken, about 15-20 minutes. Test for gel by spooning a bit of jam on a plate and putting it in the freezer for 1 minute. After the minute, remove it from the freezer and push the edge with your finger. If it wrinkles up from the pressure of your finger, it is ready. If not, let it cook for 3 minute intervals, checking the gel after each interval. Spoon hot jam into sterilized canning jars and follow good canning practices for storing your jam. Let jam sit for at least 12 hours to set up. *Alternately, you can use pure vanilla extract, 1 teas. added after jam reaches gelling consistency. **For the Rainier variation, sub Rainiers for the Bings and omit the vanilla. After a long day of canning, I decided to make a treat. Banana ice cream, made in the Vita-Mix, with chocolate sauce and some fresh cherries. I made the ice cream using a couple of frozen bananas, a splash of almond milk, vanilla extract and a couple of ice cubes to keep it thick. It was so delicious. Next time I think I will add a little peanut butter. What good is all of this canning without sharing? It's time for a giveaway! One lucky commenter will be randomly drawn on Friday and will receive a jar of my Rainier Cherry Jam. Just leave a comment about jam. What flavors do you love? Homemade or store-bought? What kinds of jam have never tried, but want to? Have you ever made homemade jam? I don't expect that you answer all of these questions, they are just some suggestions. I can't wait to read your comments! And keep an eye out for episode 3! *Edited to announce our winner- Erin! I will email you, Erin and congrats!

IMG_0742

Kris — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:02:15 +0000

episode 3 and a request

Kris — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:08:11 +0000

Well, here she is: Episode 3 of the nom! nom! nom! cooking show. Enjoy this very classic and summery recipe. [viddler id=9d70cae1&w=437&h=370] Vichyssoise This soup's origins are debated, but it's creamy and addictive flavor is undeniably good. You can always use onions in place of the shallot. 1 tbsp. margarine 3 medium leeks, washed and finely chopped 1 shallot, minced 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped 1/2 teas. salt 4 cups veggie broth 1 cup soy milk or creamer (other non-dairy will work, but may separate) black pepper and spring onions to garnish In a stockpot, melt margarine over medium heat. Add leeks and shallot and sautee until translucent. Add potatoes and veggie broth and mix to combine. Simmer with lid on until potatoes are tender and break apart easily with a fork. Add soy milk and stir. You can puree this soup in several different ways. Reserving much of the liquid, you can puree it in your food processor and then whisk in the liquid. You can also use a blender or an immersion blender directly in the pot. Transfer blended soup into a heat resistant bowl, cover, and put in fridge to chill. Serve soup with fresh cracked pepper and spring onions to garnish. The wonderful, poetic and talented Mr. Peter Mulvey gave us permission to use his lovely song "Lila Blue" in this video. He's truly one of the best songwriter's I've ever heard and he puts on a hell of show (easy on the eyes, too). Check him out if you like what you heard. Listen to his acoustic version of "Shirt" off of his latest album to have your mind blown. Okay, and now for my request. I have two, actually. For this show, I want to have more interaction between us. So, first off, if you have a recipe, baking or cooking, that you would like to see veganized on the show, please send it to me at nomblog {at} gmail {dot} com. If you have a picture of it to include, that would be excellent. If it seems promising, I'll give it a go. My second request is questions. I'd like to incorporate a Q&A segment. Have a question about vegan baking? Cooking? Food chemistry or history? The meaning of life? I could bore you for hours on end about linguistics or music. ;) Let me know what's on your mind, email you questions to the above address and I will sort through them and select questions for upcoming shows. Don't forget about the jam giveaway! Be sure to comment by Friday at 2 pm PST to be entered!

greeniesmoothie

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:37:23 +0000

greeniesmoothie

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:39:30 +0000

greenie2

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:40:36 +0000

wheat berries

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:43:18 +0000

flour

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:45:31 +0000

vitamuffin

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:47:02 +0000

flourcloseup

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:47:53 +0000

plum butter

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:54:19 +0000

kielbasa

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:03:02 +0000

kalechips

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:07:25 +0000

random bits and bites

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:18:28 +0000

Well, another weekend gone, another week of summer lost. I swear, the days are just falling away and summer seems to have disappeared again. It was 59 when I woke up this morning and so cold in my office that I never took my zippered jacket off all day. Despite the cold temperatures, the produce continues to multiply! And with that produce comes experimentation. I've still be playing with smoothies in the Vita-Mix daily. Kale, spinach, a red plum, kiwi, banana, strawberries, green powder and oat milk. It was a little tangy from the kiwi and deliciously creamy. Next up in the Vita-Mix, I made some flour. From scratch! I did not use the dry blade container, as I was told by someone from Vita-Mix (off the record...) that you can make flour just fine with the regular blade. Hard spring red wheat berries. I couldn't really figure out what kind would be best for bread, as there are so many varieties, but I settled on these after noticing how common they are. About 45 seconds later! Friction lead to heat, which lead to an amazing aroma upon opening the container. It smelled like a fresh, warm loaf of bread! The texture was a little grainy, but not bad. Next time I'll let it process a bit longer for a finer grind. Not too shabby for under a minute, though! I blended my homemade wheat flour with some whole grain spelt and made these incredibly delicious and nutrition packed muffins. Jim has a ravaging sweet tooth and we are trying to reign in, so I'm working on some healthier baked goods for him to have with his morning coffee. These whole grain beauties were spiked with cinnamon and speckled with flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and a nice helping of chopped semisweet chocolate to make them taste more devilish than they really are. Have you noticed the internet buzz surrounding kale chips lately? Everywhere I turn lately, it's like kale chips here, kale chips there! Leave it to Americans to take something healthy and grease the nutrients out of it. Being from Minnesota, the land of everything fried on a stick, this appealed to my inner grease-eater. I took about half of a bunch of kale, rinsed, and then ripped off the leaves into fairly evenly sized chunks. Lightly coated with some olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, they were placed on a parchment covered baking sheet, in a single layer, and baked at 375 until crispy- about 12 minutes. We were a house divided. I liked them and Jim made childish faces and looked at me like I was insane. They were buttery and melted on my tongue. Greasy, salty goodness that I could pretend was healthy. It's kale, after all! While I did enjoy them, it felt like sacrilege and I will probably stick to the steamed or sauteed varieties going forward. This weekend I did some more canning. I've become a full-fledged addict! At work, my co-workers keep calling me "Smuckers". "Whoa there, Smuckers, settle down. You're a little too excited about jamming!" I can't help it, I have the itch and I have to scratch it. Speaking of canning, Erin, check your email so I can send you your Rainier jam! Last week I picked up a new book on preserves and canning- Well Preserved. I couldn't wait to try it, so this weekend I made Kiwi Jam (which was awesome and I failed to photograph before canning. I will take pictures when we open the first jar!) as well as Plum Butter. Pictured above, the Plum Butter was intriguing. I have had apple butter and pear butter before, but never plum. I was lucky to come across some plums that had a vibrantly colored flesh, rather than the beige-colored flesh you find in some plums. The resulting butter is intoxicating. I've never quite tasted anything like it. This book is full of recipes, from more traditional ones to some more off-the-wall combos (Banana Date Chutney? Yes, please!) and I highly recommend it. After a long day of canning, we had a simple meal, cooked up by Jim. Tofurky kielbasa sauteed with onions, garlic roasted brussels and a some fresh strawberries. We're trying to finish off our faux meat build up in the fridge to focus on more whole foods... but you've gotta make time for kielbasa.

another vegan on foodie fights!

Kris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:47:46 +0000

There is another vegan participating in Foodie Fights this round! How 'bout clicking on over and showing Vijita some love?

Bobs2

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:43:06 +0000

bobs3

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:56:58 +0000

bobs1

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:03:45 +0000

daves1

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:14:29 +0000

daves

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:16:53 +0000

daves good seed

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:19:08 +0000

Bob's loot

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:20:08 +0000

a baker's tour of portland

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:35:03 +0000

Portland is a great place for foodies, no doubt. Whether you're vegan, omni, microbrew aficionado or mixologist, Portland has you covered. That's all fine and good if you wish to be served, but what if you want to be the one behind the apron? One of the things that Portland has going for it, that appears to be underrated, is that it's a great place for bakers. In Milwaukie, a southern suburb of Portland, a large red barn houses the holy land for baker's and conscious eaters alike: Bob's Red Mill. This water wheel operates a large display grind stone inside. In a standard grocery store, even in many co-ops, you are lucky to find a little sections featuring Bob's grains. If you have ever looked for wheat gluten, alternative flours, or gluten-free mixes, chances are you've come across Bob's, no matter where you live. And with good reason. Bob's Red Mill has been leading the way- with wholesome stone ground grains, beans, and baking mixes- for several decades now. At the Red Mill, you can order up some food for breakfast or lunch. They have a separate vegetarian menu featuring a few vegan options. The staff there are very helpful in answering any menu questions you have, as well as welcoming substitutions. Rather than having a little section to select from, the store carries the whole line of BRM goods, seeing as it's only about 1/2 mile from it's actual processing facility. That means over 300 products made by BRM. It's easy to get lost for hours, reading over each little bag and oogling all of the exotic baking goods. Pretty much anything under the sun that you could need is housed within the big red barn. This picture shows only about 1/3 of the store. There is also a huge bulk section, some ready-to-eat food and baking/cooking supplies. You can buy grains in bags as small as 16 oz. or you can pull out the big guns and haul home a 25 lb. bag of grain for a very reasonable price. They also have a large filing cabinet stocked with free recipes for nearly all their products. If you are lucky, you may run into Bob himself. There is an upper level with some festive decor and a sitting area for those enjoying a meal. I have seen him up there a couple of times, sitting at a table doing paper work. He wears the Bob attire, the famous hat and vest ensemble. This last trip, he actually saddled up to an upright piano and played some music, as well as sang a tune! I would have taken a picture, but that would have involved leaning over some poor diner's table to get a shot, so I erred on the side of good manners and held back. Directly across the street is vegan bread headquarters: Dave's Killer Bread. This is the outlet for Dave's Killer Bread and it's sister company (actually brother company) Nature Bake. Everything that Dave makes is vegan and most of Nature Bake's products are as well. DKB is truly the most amazing bread I have ever tasted. When you toast a slice of it, it smells as if you are baking a fresh loaf at that very moment. Dave takes Bob's excellent ingredients and makes magic with them. Inside the outlet you'll find racks and freezers full of bread, buns, rolls and cookies for lower prices than the store. Depending on whether you get day old loaves or frozen loaves, you can save over half of what some local stores charge. The other advantage is that you can get some of Dave's low production goodies that are normally only available at the farmer's markets, such as the infamous Cinn-dawg or these yummy looking Good Seed hoagie rolls. I replenished our bread supply and came home with my loot from Bobs. Wheat and spelt berries for the Vita-Mix, spelt flour, millet flour, barley flour and some regular all-purpose flour. I also picked up tapicoa pearls to make some long-awaited pudding (I haven't had tapioca pudding in probably 6-7 years!) and semolina flour to make some homemade pasta. Before I got on this whole canning kick, my original summer project was to make homemade pasta noodles, so I picked up a very reasonably priced pasta maker as well. A packet of sourdough starter and some (not pictured) evaporated cane juice rounded out my purchases. Whether you call Portland home or are just passing through, it's worth the trip to the big red barn to fill up your pantry and your tummy with all sorts of wholesome goodness.

blueberry bunch

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:59:48 +0000

blueberry bucket

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:01:10 +0000

blue- marion berries

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:02:18 +0000

froggie

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:03:10 +0000

hornets

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:17:08 +0000

plum berry pan

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:20:05 +0000

plumberrycake2

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:21:16 +0000

plumcake

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:22:59 +0000

plum cakeslice

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:24:40 +0000

linus1

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:26:08 +0000

bindhi1

Kris — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:27:07 +0000

very berry american summer

Kris — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:27:39 +0000

It's hot. It's very hot. I'm not going to complain, though. Our weather has volleyed between 65 degree highs and 95 degrees highs, rather bipolar. And when it was cooler, I was very loudly unhappy about it not feeling like summer. Something out there must have heard me, because here we are. The heat has some benefits, though, one of which being ripe fruit. My canning kick has continued... and continued... and I'm onto my ninth variety of jam! I'm going to try to take a break until fall, when I'll start in on the butters (apple butter, pear butter and pumpkin butter). So far, one of the funnest parts of making jam has been gathering the fruit, meaning field trips to pick it. My friend Sandy and I recently went blueberry picking, which was quite fun and scenic. I picked about 13 lbs. for jam and freezing. Well, and eating too, of course. After filling our buckets with blueberries, we moved onto marionberries. We met a cute little friend along the way. He was about the size of a half-dollar. This little guy was living the good life at the large, bountiful farm we were picking at, hanging out in the shade on a very hot, bright day. Smart little dude... Later that weekend, while raspberry picking with Amy and our trusty sidekicks, Jim and Tim, we came across these hornets. I think they were sleeping in, which was fine by me. After making loads more jam as well as freezing bags of berries, I decided to do something I don't really do very often, which is bake with fruit. Sure, I toss handfuls of frozen berries into muffins, but rarely do I bake something where fruit is the centerpiece. I just love it so much on it's own, I don't normally see any reason to mess with it. This particular recipe called for plums and blueberries. I veganized it using vanilla soy yogurt for the eggs. I love upside down cakes because they are such a lovely surprise. For this cake, I used spelt flour, which is my new grain addiction. After it cooled, I flipped it over. Notice the classy texture from the bottom of my springform pan. Nice... The hard thing about upside down cakes is determining when they are done. I baked this cake for 10 minutes longer than the recipe said and it was still underdone in the middle. It certainly didn't keep us from eating it, though. With all this canning and baking, however, I'm not doing a very good job of keeping our house cool. Jim and I always have the option of prancing around in our skivvies. There are other people who are not so lucky. Here is Linus, trying to catch a breeze below the dining room window. Bindhi assumed the "dead bug" position under the ceiling fan. Hey, we do what we can, right?

summer days

Kris — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:47:46 +0000

mushkale

Kris — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:05:33 +0000

veggieburger

Kris — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:11:20 +0000

summer lovin'

Kris — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:33:26 +0000

As much as the heat can tire me, I love summer. The sunshine, birds hopping about, squirrels lazing on the top of our fence with their little, furry thighs slung over the wood as they snooze sprawled out in the midday heat. What's not to love? Sure you sweat, but that's healthy and good to help detox your body. While the squirrels lounge around on the fence, I like to lounge around too, but human-style. Popcorn sprinkled with Parma and some added sea salt, enjoyed with a Zevia stevia root beer and my summer passion, Harry Potter. Yes, I have somehow managed to live for over a decade without reading these books and have been pouring through them as my summer reading. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit how much I've been enjoying them... but I'm certainly not the only grown-up to pepper their conversations with what Jim is calling "Potter-speak". I have been cooking! Real food! I know the sadness that will come as summer begins to wane and fall and winter produce appears. Not that I don't like fall or winter, don't get me wrong, but the colors and flavors of summer are fleeting, so I'm trying to indulge as much as possible while it's here. Garlic sauteed cannellini beans with two kinds of kale (purple and dinosaur) and some chopped kalamata olives, topped with marinated and grilled portobella mushrooms. Oh boy, this was a heck of a meal. It was kind of thrown together with the "we need to use this stuff up" mindset and came together in some sort of foodie fantasy. Then again, I'm always a pushover because kale + garlic + mushrooms + kalamata = love. I recently joined the rest of veg world and tried Sunshine Burgers for the first time. Have I been a fool for holding out this long! They are truly delicious and the most wholesome veggie burger that I have seen. There are some great veggie burgers out there and this isn't about to fool any omnis, like Morningstar's Vegan Grillers may, but every ingredient is something you could find at the grocery store. No mystery isolate protein whichamados and defatted soy thingsmajigs. The lovely burger itself is pictured above in a summery romaine lettuce leaf bun rather than bread, with Vegenaise, mustard, pickle, sauteed mushrooms and sauteed Walla Walla onions. Some garlic roasted brussel sprouts, a pickle and blueberries accompanied the meal, with a cool cup of Del's lemonade (courtesy of a friend's recent trip to Rhode Island) which we whipped up in the Vita-Mix. I love how people like to complain that making whole food or food from scratch takes too long as their way of justifying convenience junk food. The above meal took me under 30 minutes to make. I preheated the oven while chopping the brussels and tossing them in olive oil and garlic. Tossed them in the oven and in one skillet sauteed onions while I sauteed mushrooms in another. You could sautee them together, but I think the juices from the mushrooms do something weird to the onions. Just my personal thing. Once the mushrooms were done, I set them aside and used the same pan to lightly fry the defrosted patties until warm and a little browned. Assembled, served and on the couch watching Seinfeld on DVD not 30 minutes later. Beat that Pizza Hut! Of course, the warm weather invites Edgar, the Vita-Mix, out to play quite often. Other than our first smoothie the night Edgar joined the family, this was the first non-green smoothie we've had. Just some regular old fruit and almond milk. I was expecting a big difference, but it was pleasantly surprising to see that we aren't missing much sweetness by adding the greens. Sure, the colors aren't always the best (army green glop, anyone?) but they taste good. This one contained some banana, bing cherries, marionberries, raspberries and almond milk. Now that's what I call dessert!

fruitsmoothie

Kris — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:38:10 +0000

jam wrinkle

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:14:27 +0000

jamboiling

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:19:32 +0000

jamcansincanner

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:20:05 +0000

jamfruitinpot

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:20:36 +0000

jamfunnel

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:22:37 +0000

jamremovejar

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:23:20 +0000

jamsimmer

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:24:20 +0000

jam tools

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:40:09 +0000

jam finished

Kris — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:41:36 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:28:51 +0000

cookbook update and cookies for noming

Kris — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:29:58 +0000

Hey there! Summer has us in a full-on whirlwind of hustle and bustle. I can't believe it's August! I remember agonizing over childhood and adolescence, just willing it to hurry up. Now I'm dragging my heels to make the wheels turn a little more slowly. Anyway, I wanted to give you a little update on the cookbook. If you pre-ordered from Amazon you may have received an email that there is a delay. Our hope (meaning the publisher and myself) was the to have the book out in the month of August, so August 1 was more of an arbitrary date. There are so many variables in publishing that can throw off when a book is actually ready that pinpointing an exact release date can be a bit dangerous. I have a fellow author whose book came out 3 months after expected! I'm happy to say that the book is finishing up at the printers right this very moment and will be (hopefully!) going to the distribution warehouse at the end of the week. So the book should be out and in the world this month! Very exciting. As a preventative measure, since it will take a little longer for me to get my own boxes of wholesale books, I am planning on holding an awesome book release party in September. The nitty-gritty is getting worked out as we speak, but let's just say it involves the cookbook, yummy samples and free vegan tattoos (for reals!). Details to come. For those who are interested, I am working on a detailed tutorial on how to make jam. I swear, no more jam after that. :) In the meantime, here is one of my favorite cookie recipes from the book. Oh, I can eat an obscene amount of these things and they are a perfect cookie any time of year. Light and citrusy for hot summer days and a bright spot in the dreariness of winter. Lemon Drop Cookies Prep time: 15 minutes When I first went to college, I basically lived off of powder sugar-coated lemon wafer cookies that were made by a major cookie manufacturer. Naturally, because I liked them, they stopped making them about a year after I got hooked and I spent nearly a decade feeling sorry for myself before realizing that I didn't care about their silly cookies- I could make my own! These little cookies are crisp and tart, with the powdered sugar taking the edge off and adding a sweet coolness to each bite. 1/2 cup margarine, softened 1/2 cup shortening, room temp 3/4 cup sugar juice from 1 lemon 2 teas. lemon zest 2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar for coating Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and shortening until smooth. Mix sugar to combine, then incorporate lemon juice and zest. Add flour in small batches until well incorporated. Spoon teaspoon sized balls of dough onto cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 8- 10 minutes until edges are set and are slightly browned. If baking both sheets at the same time, switch shelves halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool completely before coating each cookie in powdered sugar. To coat, us a fork to support each cookie and roll cookie on each side to coat in sugar. Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies *For best results, zest the lemon before juicing. You can use the small holes on a grater for a fine zest.

jam on parade!

Kris — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:54:57 +0000

Okay, this has been long in the making, but summer's been keeping me a little occupied. So, two things for this post: 1. Jam! I'm made a little photo tutorial on how to make jam. I swear, it's not hard. A little time consuming, yes. But once you have your elements prepared and ready to go, it's very straightforward. And after you've made jam once or twice you'll be cranking out jars like you're a machine. Now that I have my own pattern down, I can make a batch of jam, start to finish, in about 2 1/2 hours. Not too shabby. 2. I'm going to give this whole online community thing a whirl. I started a very interactive forum for nom! nom! nom!. It's pretty sweet, it has the traditional forum bits with threads, but you make a profile that's more in depth, kind of like Facebook. Plus, it's got a real-time chat room integrated in it! So, I hope to see you on there. :) Okay, so on to the jam. This jam is one of my favorites that's I've made (and I'm up to 9 different kinds, yikes!). It is a mixture of marionberries (a NW varietal similar to blackberries), blueberries and plum. You could easily substitute other berries to make up the difference. I have a hard time coming up with fun names for my recipes, so I am pretty pleased with myself with this one. Marion's Plum Mad About Blueberry Jam yields 6-7 half pint (8 oz) jars 3 cups plums, washed chopped and pitted 3 cups marionberries, washed 3 cups blueberries 4 cups sugar juice from 1 lemon 2 tbsp. pectin To start off the jam making process, I first prepare my jars. This means that I wash and sterilize them. You can do this in a number of ways. You can hand wash them and then simmer them in hot water, you can wash them and place them, mouths up, on a baking sheet in a 150 degree oven or you can wash them in a dishwasher and leave it on the hot air drying setting. It's really up to you. This serves multiple purposes. First off, you are cleaning the jars (obviously), but you are also keeping them warm and sanitary so your hot jam isn't shocking a cold glass jar. Canning jars are tempered, but keeping them warm is important. There is also a school of thought that if you are going to use a hot water bath to seal the jars and you will be boiling them for at least 10 minutes, the jars only need to be washed, but not sterilized. I know this is what many of our grandmothers did, but I'm a perpetual worry-wort, so I sterilize and hot water bathe them. Anyway, I usually wash them and simmer them in my hot water canning pot. This way, the water is nice and hot, so once the jars are prepared and filled with the jam, it doesn't take long to bring it to a boil to process them. Let's take inventory of the tools you need: This is a basic canning tool set. You need this in addition to a hot water bath pot. I picked up these tools and my pot for about $30 3 years ago. From left to right you have your funnel (to pour your jam into each jar without making a mess), your jar lifter (to lift the jars in and out of the hot water bath safely), your magnet (to lift the sterilized lids out of their pot), a jar vice thingy (not necessary, but helpful to hold onto a hot jar while screwing the ring on over the lid, and tongs (which serve many purposes). I usually configure my stove with a stockpot to make my jam, my hot water canner and a smaller saucepan to sterilize the lids and rings in. Now, as a basic guideline, you can fit about 7 jars in a canner at a time. That's 6 around the perimeter and 1 in the middle. If you're using smaller jars (such as 4 oz. cuties) resist the urge to crowd them in there. Your jars should not touch inside the canner, or you risk the glass of the jars expanding and contracting against each other and cracking. Now that I've scared you, don't worry. If you just put in 7 jars, you'll be fine. Another thing- make sure your jars don't have any chips or cracks in them. Canning is very earth-friendly in that you can reuse jars and the metal screw rings over and over, but look for flaws in the glass and rust on the rings before using. You must buy new lids (just the flat metal part) each time you can, as they are single use for a safe seal. Okay, so our jars are clean. Let's chop up some fruit. Here's our beautiful fruit, sitting in the bottom of a large stockpot. The fruit will boil and foam up a bit, so make sure you use a pot with some space. After adding the fruit, I add the sugar (reserving 1/2 cup) and the lemon juice, and cook over medium heat, stirring often. Once it comes to simmer I crush up the fruit, gently, with a potato masher. I like my jam chunky, so I don't crush it up too much, but this is your call. By crushing up the fruit we also release some of the natural pectin in it, which interacts with the acidity in the lemon juice, helping it gel. Around now I toss a saucer or small plate in the freezer to get it cold. I would also place the lids and rings in a my saucepan with just a few inches of water (enough to cover, plus an inch) and bring it to a simmer. Once the jam comes to a boil, I mix up my remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the pectin, so the pectin doesn't clump. This is added to the jam and mixed well to combine. Lower the heat to medium and let the jam bubble and burp for about 15-20 minutes, stirring continuously, until it begins to thicken. Once your lids and rings come to a simmer, I usually turn off the heat and put a lid on them. This keeps them warm and clean. The heat cleans the lids, but also softens the wax along the bottom ring of the lid, making for a strong seal. You don't want to boil the lids for a long time, just a nice simmer for a few minutes will do. Once the jam starts to thicken you can begin testing it. We are checking to see if the jam will gel properly. To do this, retrieve your cold saucer or plate from the freezer and ladle on a little jam, about 1-2 tbsp will do. Place it back in the freezer for about 2 minutes to cool. Keep stirring that jam! Once the test jam has cooled, take it out and push your finger against the edge of the jam. If it is ready, it should wrinkle up slightly. That means the jam will gel. If your finger goes right through it with no resistance or wrinkle, clean off the plate, toss it back in the freezer and keep cooking that jam. Test again in 5 minutes. If you are concerned that the jam is, yes, wrinkling, but not as thick as you want your finished product to be, don't fret. This is a basic gel test and your jam sets up much more as it cools in the jars over the course of a day or two. This is just a simple way to gauge if it's ready or not. Once the jam is set, you can start to fill your jars. If your jam has a lot of foam on the top of it, skim it off as best you can. I remove my simmering jars from the canner with the lifter and tilt them carefully to dump out the water. Quickly sanitize your funnel by dunking it in the hot water on the end that will touch the jars and ladle in your yummy jam, filling each jar to 1/4 inch below the edge. If there is too much space, the jar may not make a strong seal. If there is not enough room, the pressure from the seal may push out jam, causing it to ooze down the sides of the jar. About 1/4 inch space will do and if you don't seal or it oozes, it's not the end of the world. After filling each jar, use a plastic utensil and run it around the inside of the jar to release any air bubbles. Wipe the rim with a clean cloth to remove any jam residue and place on a lid and screw on a ring. This is when your magnet and the jar vice thing come in handy, but a pair of tongs and a towel or ovenmit work, too. Just remember to be careful, as your jam and jars are very hot. Do not over tighten the rings. Just screw them down until there is resistance, but don't tighten them, as the glass needs to be able to flex. I fill all of my jars on a cooling rack, with the legs folded in, over top of a dish towel to catch any water or jam splatter. Be careful of your placement of jars on the cooling rack, distributing the weight, so it doesn't tip. This has happened to me and while I caught them in time, it's startling and the jars are hot to the touch! With the lid on, bring the canner to a boil. There should be enough water to cover the jars by 1-2 inches. Once boiling, carefully add them to the canner with the jar lifter and cover. For this jam, I processed them by boiling for 10 minutes. Other recipes you find my differ. And this is where we get into the great jam debates. Some people process their jam in a water bath. Some people fill the sterilized jars, invert them for a few minutes and then just let them seal themselves, with no water bath. I have tried both. You will hear many people who have been canning for decades, and have never had a problem, insist that you don't need a water bath. I encourage you to do some research and do what you are comfortable with. You will find, in the world of canning, loads and loads of contridictory advice, which is probably why it can seem overwhelming. I have found that the water bath seals feel much stronger, but they still seal fine without the water bath. I am a very cautious person, so I proceed with the water bath. It's your call. After the 10 minutes, remove the jars and let them cool completely for at least 12 hours, I shoot for 24. The rings will probably have loosened and I usually wait until they are completely cooled before tightening. After you remove the jars, you should hear the satisfying "ping" of the jars sealing. This can take up to 12 hours, but with jam usually happens within a few hours. Any jars that do not seal should be stored in the fridge and consumed first. The others can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Whenever retrieving jam that you previously canned, always check to make sure it's still sealed before eating. If the seal released or if there is any sign of mold, discard the jar of jam. Foam from the jam can leave a bit of a texture on the top of a jar, but it should be easy to tell the difference. After your jam has cooled and set up, enjoy! Some kinds of jam can take a couple of days to a couple of weeks to really set up, so if it's not quite as thick as you'd hoped, there is still a chance. And if you have a jam that doesn't thicken, use it as a dessert sauce or over ice cream. There is plenty of room in your heart for warm berry sauce over fudgy brownies or on top of creamy vanilla soy ice cream!

artichoke1

Kris — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:40:34 +0000

artichoke3

Kris — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:42:21 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:44:55 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:49:59 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:53:26 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:58:32 +0000

sad füd

Kris — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:12:46 +0000

So, I heard the good news today that my book has shipped from the printers to the distribution warehouse, so it should be only about 2 more weeks. Yay! I'm very excited about this. Sometimes meals, no matter how promising, fall short of your expectations. The following post is a lesson in unexpected food fails. Exhibit A: Look at these beautiful baby artichokes. I didn't even know such a thing existed. I fell in love with the brilliant colors, and when the vendor told me how easy they were to make, I was sold. No steaming and choke-scraping, just peel back a couple of layers, trim the tops, saute and viola! So pretty! Here they are, sauteed with some garlic, olive oil and kalamata olives (to give them that familiar briney taste from jarred artichokes). In the background, some black bean patties from Macheesmo (they actually held together- horrah!), topped with mushrooms and some yellow cherry tomatoes and blueberries on the side. Each step in preparing the artichokes was a lesson in the art of nature. I eagerly bit into my first one and... Blech. Chewy, tough on the edges and flavorless. Oh well, can't win them all. Exhibit B: Here, I tried to replicate my favorite treat from Blossoming Lotus- maple smoked tempeh... yeah, not so much. But it was edible. I don't know what it is, I love tempeh at restaurants, but it always falls short at home. The requisite brussel sprouts and a quinoa pilaf, with chopped bell pepper, onion and chopped green beans filled out the meal. I added a can of chickpeas to the leftover pilaf and it made for some great lunch leftovers. But, meals that flop can all be remedied with a good ol' slice of cake. Exhibit C: I'm much better with a bag of icing to pipe, then writing with melted chocolate. Alas, my sad attempt at Ringo's drum kit. Yeah, once I realized how bad it was going I gave up. I was working from memory and would have been aided by looking at the cake. I also had a little melted chocolate explosion that kept me from filling in the letters. Oh well, the Yellow Submarine Cake was a good enough ode to The Beatles. Besides, we all know it's what it tastes like that really matters. My standby cake is the chocolate cake from my German Chocolate Cake recipe in the cookbook. I added some chocolate chips for extra chocolatey goodness. Between the two layers, I spread a thin layer of straight up peanut butter and then a portion of vanilla buttercream icing that I'd added some peanut butter to. I frosted it with the remaining vanilla buttercream and ruined it, I mean, wrote on it with melted chocolate. So nommy... I'm such a sucker for chocolate and peanut butter. This cake was for my brother's 15th birthday. He is visiting us and he's also a huge Beatles fan and a lover of chocolate and peanut butter. He's also appearing in the new Cohen brother's movie coming out this fall! How cool is that, his first movie and it's a Cohen brother's flick! Granted, he has no lines, but he filmed for several days and a scene that he was an extra in is in the trailer. Pretty sweet...

100 Best

Kris — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:09:53 +0000

book release par-tay!

Kris — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:17:01 +0000

If you pre-ordered through Amazon, you should have received a notice yesterday that the books will be shipping next week! Yay! If you didn't preorder and are interested in buying one, please request one at your local bookseller. If they see a demand, they might keep it in stock! If you're in the Portland area, though, you might just want to attend this little event: Woot woot! We'll have tons of samples and signing and free tattoos (for real)! When you buy a copy of the book at the event, you'll get a coupon for a FREE (food-related*) tattoo. Skeleton Key is a vegetarian-owned shop and offers vegan tattoos (it's where I got my bees). Any design you want! 2 x 2 inchers are free or 20% off a bigger piece. Offer is good on one tattoo to one person who purchases a book. If you've already purchased a copy of the book another doesn't hurt, they make great gifts. :) *sorry, I didn't make that clear when I first posted this!

pizzarolls1

Kris — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:09:32 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:10:50 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:15:32 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:18:14 +0000

eat this, totino's!

Kris — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:24:48 +0000

Remember those awful Pizza Rolls commercials? They may still have them now, I don't know, but I remember watching them when I was a teen. The young boy, bounding home from school with his friends in tow, pondering what they would have for an after school snack. After perusing the kitchen and turning up nothing they open the freezer to find the holy grail- Pizza Rolls! Three cheers and the mom is a hero for keeping her kitchen stocked with such a stellar snack. Yuck. While I sympathize with the plight of working mothers (and fathers), there is just no excuse for that junk, veganism or otherwise. Crap, crap, crap. The only thing natural about Pizza Rolls is the cardboard they are packaged in. But, there is something to be said about the allure of pizza-filled dumplings. While these don't whip us as fast as Pizza Rolls, you could easily make a big batch ahead of time, bake and reheat later in a toaster oven. These are a little different in that pizza sauce is not baked in them. They are stuffed with a filling and then you dip them in sauce. But dipping just makes them more fun to eat, in my opinion. Vegan Pizza Rolls 1/2 cup warm water 1/2 teas. sugar 1 package rapid-rise yeast (1/4 oz or 2 1/4 teas.) 1/4 cup margarine, melted 1 1/2 cups flour 1/4. teas. salt 1/2 cup vegan pepperoni, chopped 1 cup vegan mozzarella, shredded (I used Teese) 3 tbsp. dried oregano marinara or pizza sauce for dipping In a large bowl, combine water and sugar and stir. Add yeast and let sit until foamy, about 3 minutes. In another bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the margarine to the water mixture and then add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a clean, floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding flour as needed. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450. I recommend using a pizza stone if you have one. Prepare pepperoni, mozzarella and oregano. Roll out dough into a 18 x 24 inch square and cut into strips about 1 1/4 inch by 3 inches. On one side of each strip, place a pinch of each filling component. You need to be able to fold and seal them, so keep that in mind when filling them. Roll over the naked side of the strip to cover the filling and pinch to seal. You may need to brush with a little water to get the dough to seal. If they don't look beautiful now, don't worry. They will get nice and puffy when they bake. Brush or spray with a light coating of olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the oven, until lightly browned. You can also bake them for about 9 minutes in a toaster oven at 400 degrees. They will turn out fine, but the bottoms won't be as crispy. Serve warm with marinara sauce. They reheat beautifully in a toaster oven. Makes, approximately 30 rolls. Now that's what I call an after school snack!

db1

Kris — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:01:24 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:11:12 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:12:06 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:14:06 +0000

Daring Baker's Challenge = quasifail

Kris — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:56:50 +0000

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. This challenge was a fail for me, with no fault to the hosts. I was a bit hesitant about this challenge, because it was going to be difficult to veganize. The cake layer calls for 6 eggs and I haven't had much luck with vegan sponge cake. The toffee topping was another challenge altogether. I am the champion ruiner (an actual title in our home) of several things, and anything related to making stove top candy falls into that category. Here goes... I wanted to make a little cake, so rather than baking 6 individual layers, I made a large, thin sheet cake and cut out 6 5 inch circles. My spongecake came out very not spongeworthy (haha!). Rather, it was dense and rubbery. Silken tofu was not my friend this round. Oops. I made my own chocolate buttercream, as the one called for used eggs. The top wedges were supposed to be dipped in a beautiful amber colored toffee that would rapidly harden. I was all prepared with my oiled offset spatula and parchment... and it failed. Light colored, wouldn't harden. And this isn't the first time I've run into this. Here is my question: could it be organic sugar? Back before we were veg (which also coincides with before we cared about what we put in our bodies), I never had problems caramelizing regular crap sugar. What could it be? For what it's worth, here are the pictures. The whole minicake, topped with not-amber not-hardening sticky wedges. :( And inside shot of all of the layers. Well, it kind of looks like it's supposed to... kind of. Better luck next month!

nomheader2.jpg

Kris — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:23:50 +0000

http://nomnomnomblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/nomheader2.jpg

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Kris — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:29:12 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:36:09 +0000

new nom on the block...

Kris — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:40:08 +0000

Hey there! You may notice a new face on the banner above. Let me intoduce Josaphina Sophia Holechek or, as we call her, Josie. Yes, she is named after Josie and the Pussycats, but the comic that was interspersed in the Archie comics of the 1960s, not the cartoon or the silly movie and pop culture junk of recent years. I found Josie about a month ago behind my work, emaciated and lonely. You could feel her bones protruding through her skin and she was yelling her little head off. Thanks to a quick-acting friend, we were able to get her fed and in a cat carrier in a matter of minutes and then she was off to the vet and home with me. Now she's a healthy weight and settling into our house pretty well. The other cats are still adjusting, but thankfully Josie is very laid-back. If you're going to have four cats, she's the kind to have. She enjoys being close to us, such as in the same room or on the couch, but she's not needy and she likes to give moderate affection. Good qualities when you're dividing your attention four ways. This is what we affectionately refer to as "the happy look of death". Even when she's extremely happy her face doesn't really reflect it. But she's definitely making herself at home. I swear I will post about food soon. :) Oh, and my book is officially out now, for real. So yeah, go bake some stuff. :)

green toms1

Kris — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:38:54 +0000

greeentoms2half

Kris — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:41:43 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:44:27 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:49:10 +0000

pizza2

Kris — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:51:15 +0000

in the land of noms...

Kris — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:57:44 +0000

Green tomatoes have been taking vegan food blogs by storm. I have to admit, I'd never had them before either. When a friend recent gifted me with a bounty from her garden, I decided it was my turn to try my hand at them. Since cleaning up my food act in the past few years, my tolerance for anything fried has greatly lowered, so I decided to employ my infrequently used friend, the broiler. You know, I spent most of my life thinking that green tomatoes were some special kind of tomato, not realizing they are regular old tomatoes, but not red. Oops. Look at how pretty they are! I'm always a sucker for anything green. Man cannot live on green tomatoes alone, so I had some quinoa going in the rice cooker and sauteed some onion, garlic, basil, yellow squash, black beans and sweet corn. When the quinoa was done, I tossed them together. I drizzled the tomatoes with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil and then topped them with some bread crumbs mixed with fresh oregano, sea salt and a hint of nutritional yeast before popping them under the broiler. Lesson learned = less is more. If you go this route, broil on low, not high, unless you want to scare your cats half to death when the smoke alarm goes off. From the leftover ingredients in the pizza rolls, I didn't want to waste them, so a pizza was in order. This is my inner bachelor coming out, but I LOVE pizza. In a big way. I'll eat froo froo pizzas, but I really just like the classic pie, with my favorite vegan twist- tofu ricotta. Ready and waiting for the pizza stone, a visual testimonial to the fact that I can never get my Trader Joe's pizza dough to roll out very well. Oh well, an oval pizza still tastes the same. Thick tomato sauce, Teese, ricotta, Yves pepperoni, mushrooms and kalamata olives. So simple, nothing crazy to it, but it's my version of heaven. Beautifully browned and waiting to be paired with some carbonated beverage. It almost brings a tear to my eye. We don't eat pizza often because neither Jim nor I can be trusted to hold back from stuffing ourselves senseless and then we both end up sitting on the couch, bloated with a pizza hangover and feeling delirious with a strange sense of regret and delight. But it's just so good!

BakersEdgeBrowniePan

Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:43:58 +0000

book1

Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:49:31 +0000

book2

Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:50:04 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:52:01 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:53:34 +0000

chocsauce

Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:58:21 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:01:10 +0000

the land of chocolate...

Kris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:05:27 +0000

*Reminder- my book signing is this Saturday, Portland peeps! Come out and claim what is rightfully yours- a cupcake tattoo in an unmentionable place... or whatever. :) * It was Jim's birthday last week and I knew I needed to do something good. Something big. Something delicious. My birthday is this week. With our birthday's being so close together our gifts tend to arrive at the same time... and my willpower tends to get the best of me, with this year being no exception. I say this with no shame or concern. I will admit that I'm a grown woman who cannot stand the secret of an unknown package. I'm the same way as a gift giver- it's so hard for me to contain myself! Anyhow, I was going to be good this year and hold out, but I saw the return address on one box and I had to open it. I simply needed what was inside for Jim's birthday treat. It was pure selflessness, I swear. The holy grail of brownie pans. The Baker's Edge. This fine specimen of a pan had been on my Amazon wishlist for a couple of years. I manage to justify a lot of things to myself, but I only make brownies probably 3-4 times a year. Did I really need an exclusive brownie pan? No. Did I want it anyway? Yes. The channels in the pan allow for a consistently chewy edge through out the whole pan of brownies. It's pure genius! So now you must understand why I couldn't wait for this week. Jim needed to have birthday brownies. What kind of wife would I be to deny him of his favorite treat? In addition to the pan arriving, so did my cookbook! Several boxes, in fact. I got to use a fresh, new copy of the book in my cookbook holder to try my Ultimate Brownie recipe in the new pan. I didn't really take my own advice and read through the recipe well before starting... I kind of forgot that the recipe is for an 8 x 8 pan while the Baker's Edge is a 9 x 12. Oops. Thankfully, the channels are forgiving. I topped the brownies with a peanut butter stripe mixture. The mixture is as follows: 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. flour, 1 tbsp. soy milk. Combine and mix in a food processor until smooth and creamy. I used a pastry bag to pipe it on. I also sprinkled a light dusting of flaked salt on top, to give it a noticeable trace of saltiness, a trait in sweet treats that both Jim and I appreciate. The brownies were good... but I could do better. And thanks to the heavenly Celine, I knew just what to add. This chocolate peanut butter syrup by Celine is truly heaven in your mouth. If you are a chocolate and PB fanatic (like we are in my house) than this syrup is a MUST. The recipe is so simple and the results will have your licking everything your food processor/blender/pots and pans/spatula comes in contact with. Kind of obscene, really. But if you know Celine, well, that's her style. :) I filled one half-pint jar for a friend and then almost filled a pint jar for us... so it makes plenty. As the syrup cools (especially after refrigeration) it thickens into a nice saucy consistency. All hail Celine! If your husband/partner/brother/mother/whoever loves chocolate and PB, then their birthday would probably be best topped off with this as well: Happy Birthday, indeed!

books1

Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:09:27 +0000

books2

Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:10:18 +0000

book signing2

Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:10:55 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:11:31 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:12:07 +0000

book signing 4

Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:12:47 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:13:23 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:13:50 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:14:18 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:14:44 +0000

book signing!

Kris — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:03:28 +0000

We had such a great time at the book signing yesterday! I want to thank everyone who came by and for those of you who decide to cash in your free tattoo coupon, please send me a picture! I'd love to see your food body art! I'm contemplating location of my own food/tribute tattoo... to be announced. :) For those who couldn't be there, I will be offering a special deal on cookbooks in the next few days... as well as some giveaways! Yay books! Books and buttons, including the new "blog.com" button featuring Josie! I baked up tons of samples from the book. Spice Spiked Chocolate Chunk Cookies... yum! Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. Apple Butter Cookies with dried cranberries. Black Forest mini cupcakes. Peanut Butter Banana mini cupcakes... one of my all-time favorites! Mini Cinn-a-Drizzle Scones and Lemon Drop Cookies. A picture of the whole spread. And me, awkwardly signing books. Public events aren't really where I shine, but I did have a very fun time! Now it's time to finish off the leftovers... I'm really bad about over-baking. Better to have more than not enough!

book cover

Kris — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:14:40 +0000

nom buttons

Kris — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:15:11 +0000

waterbath

Kris — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:58:05 +0000

cheesepie1

Kris — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:05:50 +0000

cheesepie2

Kris — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:06:33 +0000

cheesepie3

Kris — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:08:49 +0000

cheesepie4

Kris — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:09:49 +0000

cheeze pah

Kris — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:19:01 +0000

*side note: I've been selected again to participate in Foodie Fights! The ingredients are excellent, so be sure to check back on Monday to see what I've made and to vote! When you make a cheesecake in a pie tin you cannot call it a cheesecake. It must be called a cheesepie. I'm not making up the rules here, people, I'm just saying what I learned on the almighty interwebs. I wasn't that excited to name a recipe in my cookbook a cheesepie. It's just doesn't sound that appetizing, to me, at least. But alas, I didn't want to incite the wrath of the foodie cyber gods. Whatever you call it, this is some good cheese%#*$. The directions for this pie (as well as a couple of others in my book) call for a water bath. A water bath is when you have your baking receptical (pie tin, springform, etc) in a larger pan with sides, filled half way with warm water. If you've ever had a cheesecake that was harder around the exterior and cracked in the middle, well, this remedies that. The water helps the pie cook more evenly, keeps it softer around the edges and keeps the middle from cracking. For anyone who hasn't done a water bath in the past this can sound foreign and off-putting. It's SO easy and SO worth it. Take a look at this crazy gadgetry: See, it's not scary at all. It can be a pain to get into the oven, depending on how tall the sides of your pan are, but otherwise it's a cinch. A word of advice, however- if you're using a springform pan, wrap the bottom and sides with a couple of pieces of tin foil. This keeps any water leaking disasters from happening to your goods. Here is the recipe for this beauty. It's not really hard, but it does have a handful of steps that require wait time between each step. And it has a long cool time. I would suggest making this pie the day before you need it so it has time to set up and you don't feel rushed. Strawberry Lemonade Cheesepie (from 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes) Prep time before baking: 45 minutes Skill level: 4 whisks ½ Basic Pie Crust recipe (recipe can be found here) 1- 8 oz. container vegan cream cheese ½ cup plus 2 tbsp. yogurt (equivalent to 1- 6 oz. container) 1 aseptic container firm silken tofu (Mori-Nu) 1 cup sugar 1 teas. vanilla 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 teas. lemon zest (*note, if you like a very strong lemony flavor, double the amount of juice and zest) Strawberry Topping: ¼ cup sugar 1 tbsp. cornstarch 1 1/4 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, chopped ¼ cup water Preheat oven to 350. Roll out pie crust and fit to a 9 inch pie dish. Trim edges and crimp. Use pie weights or dried beans on top of parchment to weigh down the crust and bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Combine cream cheese, yogurt, tofu and sugar in a food processor or blender until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Add vanilla, lemon juice and zest until incorporated. Pour mixture into pie crust. Place pie dish in a larger cookie sheet with high sides. Add enough warm water to the cookie come up to the middle of the outside of the pie dish. This is called a water bath and will keep your pie from cracking, as well as keep it creamy without it getting a skin. If water evaporates while baking, add more water as needed, but only hot water so you do not shock your bake ware and risk it cracking. Bake pie for 1 hour. Center may not look completely set, but will firm up while cooling. Remove from oven and remove from water bath to cool on cooling rack. While pie is baking, prepare strawberry topping. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add strawberries and water and mix to combine. Over medium-high heat bring to a boil, continuously stirring. Once it reaches boiling, lower to medium. Cook until strawberries get soft and mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let topping cool completely, occasionally stirring to keep a skin from forming. Spread cooled strawberry topping on to cooled cheesepie. Let set in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Store leftover pie covered, in fridge. Yields: 12 slices

foodie2

Kris — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:57:25 +0000

ffchallenge3

Kris — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:11:14 +0000

foodie fights, take two

Kris — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:39:08 +0000

Last week I was chosen to participate in Foodie Fights once again. Being that my first round was less than victorious, I approached this one with a real sense of determination. Thankfully, the food gods smiled upon me and I was given ingredients I felt completely comfortable with: semolina flour and pomegranates. Not that I normally cook with both, but I knew what I wanted to do. When you think of semolina flour (provided you have even heard of it before) you normally think of pasta. Semolina is finely processed durum wheat. It is also the main ingredient in cous cous. Given that I purchased a pasta machine earlier this summer with great expectations (and it's still in the box!), pasta would have been the natural way to go. But I had other things in mind... Some years ago, in my pre-veg days, I had cake at some restaurant I can't recall. Anyway, it was lovingly made-to-order and semolina flour was a main component of it. The crumb was delicate and light and the cake was phenomenal. Given that I still reflect fondly on that one small cake, it made a big impression on me. Pomegranates hold a special place in my heart because my father loved them. I remember standing at the counter in the kitchen with him as a little girl, peeling apart chunks of the fruit to unearth the seeds. I was always delighted, when I thought I'd excavated each and every one, to break off another piece of the inner flesh and find more. My father and I did not share an appreciation for food, so these memories of pomegranates are especially dear to me. With the tanginess of the seeds (and the distraction that the large seeds within them can be for consumers) I wanted to balance out the flavor and make the experience a little more pleasing to the palate. I present to you: Chocolate Semolina Cake with Pomegranate Vanilla Bean Sauce I made two 4 inch cakes, but this could easily be adapted to an 8 or 9 inch round. Cake: 1 cup semolina flour 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup baking cocoa 3/4 cup sugar 2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1/3 cup agave 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted 2/3 cup milk (I used the new multigrain milk from Trader Joe's) Sauce: 2 cups pomegranate seeds 2 tbsp. agave 2 tbsp. water 1/4 teas. cornstarch 1/8 teas. sugar 1 small vanilla bean or 1/4 teas. high quality extract Preheat oven to 350. Grease and/or line your baking pan(s). In a large bowl, sift together semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and baking cocoa. Add sugar, baking powder and salt and combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, melted chocolate and agave until well combined. Add milk and whisk. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet, mixing until well combined and there are no large clumps. Spread batter in pan and bake for 22-26 minutes (for small cakes). While cakes are baking, combine pomegranate seeds, agave and water in a small pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until the seeds become soft, about 7 minutes. Mash with a potato masher as best you can. Strain mixture into a bowl with a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the seeds with the back of a large spoon to extract as much juice as possible. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and sugar. Return pomegranate mixture to pot along with cornstarch mixture and vanilla. Whisk and cook on medium/high heat to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes than remove from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes. Serve cake warm with warm sauce on top and additional pomegranate seeds to garnish. The cake was moist with a delicate crumb. The chocolate flavor was a subtle combination of cocoa and chocolate, with a gentle sweetness added by the agave. The top of the cake had a light crust to it that added a pleasant mouth-feel. The pomegranate sauce was sweet and slightly tart initially and the the flavor mellowed on the tongue when the vanilla hit. The sauce had a nice enough consistency to absorb into the cake without making it too soft. Jim is a huge lover of cake and he is a self-proclaimed "anti-foodie", preferring his food to be basic, especially cake. But even he was a sucker for the chocolate and pomegranate combo. I think this cake would make a fantastic holiday cake, as pomegranates really hit their peak season. Be sure to check out Foodie Fights site tomorrow to see all the entries and to vote on your favorite!

foodie fights- voting is up!

Kris — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:42:04 +0000

Voting is up over at Foodie Fights! Please go check out the entries and vote for your favorite! Voting is open through tomorrow evening. Who won Battle Semolina Flour and Pomegranate?(polls)

vegjunior

Kris — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:28:47 +0000

the veginator

Kris — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:27:39 +0000

I'm sure most of you have been subjected to the disgusting commercials that Carl's Jr./Hardees puts out. When they aren't exploiting/abusing cows or using explicit sexual images to sell their food, they end them by slopping down the burger at the end of the commercial. A huge, cardiac arrest-inducing burger drops from the sky, with 3 different kinds of animals in 8 different forms oozing out of it and the announcer blathers on about what an amazing burger it is. Their bent is on being manly, even when they don't explicitly say it. The announcer's deep voice and the sensual way he describes their burgers is nauseating. I decided that we needed our own "manly: burger commercial. Well, not so manly because it's my voice, but whatever. It's probably their idea of a nightmare... and my idea of good food. [viddler id=5832ba7e&w=437&h=288] [caption id="attachment_645" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="the VEGINATOR"][/caption]

vav2

Kris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:37:58 +0000

vavonpan

Kris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:39:46 +0000

vouslavent

Kris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:42:14 +0000

veganmofo

Kris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:51:59 +0000

daring bakers and mofo prep!

Kris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:53:37 +0000

Hey there! First up, Daring Baker's September challenge: The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan. I love working with a laminated dough. Thin, puffy layers of buttery pastry- bring it on. Filled, topped, glazed, you name it, I'll eat it. I made a lot of puff/danish/croissant dough while working on the book and the one thing I learned about making this stuff vegan is that vegan margarine is salty. Be warned and read your labels for sodium content. Here's my dough after a couple of turns. When making any sort of laminated dough the key is to keep it cold. The way it works is that, when introduced to a hot oven, the cold margarine melts, the liquid evaporates and flaky layers emerge. Brushed with a little olive oil and ready to go into the oven. They looked like little, unfilled linzer cookies... We were given the option to pick sweet or savory for this and I opted for sweet. Our temps have dropped and autumn is in the air, so this recipe called for a simple classic- cinnamon apples. I made a simple mixture of peeled, chopped apple, water, sugar and cinnamon and let it simmer stovetop until the apples softened, released their pectin and started to slightly gel. I used Granny Smith so that it would retain a little tartness after cooking. Yum! I think this was Jim's favorite DB challenge so far. In other news, Vegan Mofo starts this week! For the uninitiated, Vegan Mofo is the vegan month of food, where vegan bloggers try to blog every day (5 days a week) for the entire month. The goal is to actively promote vegan food and to get everyone active on their blogs. After a very low key summer without much blogging (and a break from the cooking show), I figured this would be a great way to get back in the swing of things, so look forward to posts on all sorts of food related goodness... and some chances to win copies of my cookbook! Be sure to check out all of the Vegan Mofo participants on Kittee's blogroll. I'm excited to blog/blabber/bake for the whole month and to see what amazing creations come out of everyone's kitchen. Plus, isn't it fun saying "mofo"?

100_4634

Kris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:14:08 +0000

100_4631

Kris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:21:19 +0000

ode to my rice cooker

Kris — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:12:47 +0000

I love my rice cooker. It's one of my best friends in the kitchen, which is ironic because I used to think they were stupid. This is a very cheap rice cooker. Soon I will be upgrading to a very nice one, but we bought this one as a tester a little over a year ago to see if we would actually use it. See, I always thought they were for lazy people. I thought, "Hell, I'm a rice cooker." Pot + lid + rice + water + me =rice cooker. Ah, but I was foolish. Rice cookers, yes, can be for lazy people, but they are also for perfectionists. Being the Virgo that I am, I can readily appreciate the consistent perfection this little unit turns out with every batch. Fluffy, soft, never burnt on the bottom or soggy like my pots always were. And you don't have to play the guessing game, poking around with a fork, not trying to disturb the surface while wondering, "Is it done? A few more minutes?" And oddly enough, I have only made rice in it once. We usually make quinoa, sometimes millet and I've made wild rice a couple of times. I'm hope to experiment more with it this winter. But for now, my love affair with quinoa continues. My favorite way to make dinner is to get home, pop some quinoa into the cooker, do yoga and then when I get into the kitchen dinner is halfway done. Excellent... This bowl was inspired by the BBQ and Brussels bowl at Bye and Bye. I made BBQ chickpeas, garlic roasted brussel sprouts atop a layer of perfectly fluffy quinoa, topped with a sprinkle of Parma. This is the kind of food that makes me deliriously happy it's autumn. As a sidenote, suppose you're interested in buying my book (and I swear that I'm not trying to turn this blog into an infomercial for my book. the shameless self-promo is winding down, I promise) but you also need some vegan jerky, makeup or marshmallows... head on over to Cosmos Vegan Shoppe, which is a one-stop shop for all the vegan goodies you can cram in your mouth. Yum...

100_4615

Kris — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:25:10 +0000

100_4616

Kris — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:27:13 +0000

nut butter making you nuts?

Kris — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:08:42 +0000

Before we get into this post, you need to go watch this video from the Vita-Mix people. Click on "nut butter" under the little TV screen. Just the first few seconds or so, but you have to hear how this chef/actor pronounces the words "nut butters". I freaking love it, it just cracks me up. I can't come close to replicating it, but Jim and I certainly try to. I don't make nut butters in my Vita-Mix, or haven't yet at least, because I'm very happy with the nut butters we buy at Trader Joe's, so why mess with something good? When talking about natural nut butters, the biggest complaint I hear is that they are hard to mix and get stiff in the fridge. I've found a simple solution so you're not tempted to buy something icky like Jif. First off, when buying a nut butter, make sure it only has, at most, 3 ingredients. Nuts, salt (if salted) and possibly oil if it's a nut that doesn't have a lot of oil in it, but seeing oil listed should be rare. Before you use it, and then refrigerate it, the nut butter needs to get mixed very well because the oil and solid separate after the nut butter is manufactured. If it's not mixed, it will turn into a hard mess when refrigerated. Jim used to curse up a storm when mixing nut butters because the oil would slosh around, over the lip of the jar and onto his hands and the counter and often times when we'd get to the bottom of the jar there would be some hard, stiff butter that hadn't gotten oil incorporated into it. Enter this simple solution: When you get home from the store, flip the jar upside down on your counter for an hour or two. This gives the oil some time to fight it out with gravity and it will begin to seep into the nut butter mass and incorporate itself. When you later open it to mix it up, you'll be in for smooth stirring. Look at that, beautiful, creamy and smooth! Now no one has any excuse for eating chemical spreads aka "regular" nut butters. Nature knows better! *to be fair, the nut butter pictured is sunflower seed butter and it has another ingredient I didn't list above- sugar. This is because sunflower seeds are bitter, so a small bit of sweetener is added, but that is unusual.

muffin1

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:11:19 +0000

muffin2

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:12:00 +0000

MarthaStewart

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:37:58 +0000

vita1

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:46:32 +0000

vita2

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:50:15 +0000

vita3

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:51:21 +0000

vita4

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:52:16 +0000

vita5

Kris — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:53:21 +0000

smoker1

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:03:54 +0000

smoker2

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:08:29 +0000

backtoeden

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:18:15 +0000

eden1

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:20:30 +0000

eden2

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:21:38 +0000

100_4638

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:24:33 +0000

kitchen1

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:37:37 +0000

kitchen2

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:39:33 +0000

ktichen3

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:41:06 +0000

mixin' it up muffins

Kris — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:51:50 +0000

I love muffins. No, that is an understatement. I LURVE muffins! Muffins and cookies share a common characteristic that I hold dear, which is why they are both such popular items in our house. They are like a blank canvas, begging to be tinkered with. So tasty and so versatile, these treats have a flexibility in the kitchen that is irresistible. A little of this, a little of that. Ooh, I feel like this kind of spice today or this kind of nut/fruit/flavor/fill-in-the-blank. Muffins can make those flavor daydreams a reality. The other day I was getting ready to make muffins when I remembered a lone lemon in our fridge. "Oh, that would taste great with oats," I thought. When I went into the pantry to fetch the oats, I found some cranberries on top of the oats container. Cranberries and lemon, that's a winning flavor combo! For good measure, I decided to throw in some nuts, mostly because I can't stop myself from filling baked good with what Jim lovingly calls "debris". Lemon Oat Muffins with Cranberries and Walnuts 1 3/4 cups white wheat flour (all-purpose is fine, too) 3/4 cup traditional oats, coarsely ground 3/4 cup sugar 1 teas. baking powder 1 teas. baking soda 1/8 teas. salt 1/2 cup applesauce 1/3 cup oil 1 1/4 cups milk (soy, almond, rice, etc) juice and zest of 1 lemon 1/2 teas. vanilla 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup walnuts coarse sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 400. Line muffin tin with liners or grease each cup. In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce and oil. Add the milk, lemon juice and zest and the vanilla and mix well. Let sit for a few minutes. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon evenly into muffin cups until cups are just full. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar, if using. Bake regular-sized muffins for 18-22 minutes and jumbo for 25-28 or until a toothpick comes out clean.

why i love martha (and i'm not ashamed to admit it)

Kris — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:16:03 +0000

Women do not have to sacrifice personhood if they are mothers. They do not have to sacrifice motherhood in order to be persons. Liberation was meant to expand women's opportunities, not to limit them. ~Elaine Heffner

No, Martha is not vegan. Nor are her cookbooks or show terribly vegan-inclined (although searching "vegan" on her site will turn up quite a few articles and recipes). And I know it's all the rage to hate on her, but I don't care: I still love Martha. Say what you will about her time in prison, because we all make mistakes, and the rest of us are lucky enough to not deal with them publicly. No one is perfect, but one mistake (a mistake that didn't hurt anyone) shouldn't define a person's legacy. Now, I'm not a hardcore devotee, tracking and subscribing to her whole empire of awesomeness. But I do subscribe to her Living magazine, own a couple of her cookbooks, and I have purchased some of her cooking accessories at Macy's (my favorite spatulas ever!), but I don't watch her show or keep tabs on much.* But I admire her very much, and here are a couple of reasons why: 1. When many women were running from domesticity, Martha stood in the kitchen with her head held high. I know people who strongly feel that women who do anything "domestic" are turning their backs on liberation and woman's rights. Martha not only held close to those domestic activities, she made them hers. I consider myself a feminist with three different-sized cookie scoops. 2. Martha is a self-made woman. She's never been to culinary school. Or design school. She simply had a passion and talent and ran with it and it took off. Because of that, people have labeled her many things (demanding, a bitch, etc.). This is what happens when you shake up the good ol' boys club. Martha is one of the richest and most powerful business women in the US. You don't get that far and create such an enormous brand without being assertive and sticking to your guns. Last time I checked with the opposite sex, this was called good business sense, not bitchiness. 3. Martha makes everyone an artist. There are a good amount of people who think they have no creativity. There are also people who think that because they aren't Picasso or Bob Dylan that they aren't an artist. Martha has opened up the public eye to see everyday living as something creative. Whether your art is making a wholesome dinner, handmaking invites to a party or decorating your house, there is art to be celebrated everywhere. I'm not saying she invented this concept, but she certainly popularized it. Everyone needs to have an outlet. 4. I pray that when I'm 68 I'll be that cool. Sure, she has a staff who scouts out trends, but she also has the ability to decide that they should be focusing on quilting with gingham rather than pursuing hip new crafters or vegan cupcake decorations. Sorry gingham, you lose. 5. When your name becomes an adjective, you know you've arrived. "You're being so Martha!" Or "Oh I'm feeling very Martha today!" Like it or not, the woman has defined a certain sense of do-it-yourself chic. Anyone who knows me know that I'm far from being a terribly conventional or girly-girlish. Actually, people who know me also know that I tend to shy away from things that have mainstream popularity, so my outpouring of love is uncharacteristic (and no, no one is sponsoring this post.) But I love cooking and canning and I pretend that I love crafting (even though I'm too lazy and have no attention span for it). I love how popular these things have become again. It delighted me when I went to the store this summer and they were sold out of canning jars because it meant the people were making their own food. I love going to Crafty Wonderland and seeing the awesome creations that people are selling. And look at all of us and our food blogs! There are a good many things that have contributed to this surge, so to say it's all Martha is unrealistic, but you can't deny what a trailblazer she has been. Go Martha! What do you think of Martha? Leave a comment and 3 lucky winners will be randomly picked for a copy of my cookbook (with nom! buttons, of course). Winners will be drawn on Friday the 9th. I'll send them where ever on Earth you are, so get commenting! *full disclosure, I do follow her on Twitter. But I suck at maintaining Twitter and god knows she doesn't actually update it, so it doesn't count. :)

bachelor living with Edgar

Kris — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:26:40 +0000

Okay, so in the last post I mentioned that I'm not much of a girly-girl. And now here is more evidence to the contrary. Jim was out of town last weekend and it made me think of a scene from an episode Sex and the City (yes, I'm a huge SATC fan) where Carrie is talking about her fears of living with Aidan (who was the best boyfriend, IMO, but he deserved better than Carrie) and her love of single behavior. She talks about how she likes to eat grape jelly on saltines while standing in her kitchen reading fashion magazines and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it with him there. And I totally get it. I've been married for almost seven years and having the house to yourself is a rare thing. All of those single things, those self-indulgent things that we would be embarrassed to have someone else witness, have either come to the surface and been accepted at this point or have died a natural death. But on the rare occasion when you have the house to yourself, you have the option of living like a bachelor again. Dishes piled up in the sink and I don't care? Check. Unabashedly wearing mismatched sweats with bedhead because I'm not leaving the house today? Check. Eating food that doesn't really qualify as a meal for dinner? Check. In my preveg days a bachelor-style weekend would have probably meant lots of chicken Caesar wraps, fries and pizza. And it could have been vegan pizza this weekend, but I was too lazy to leave the house for the fixin's (hence the sweats and bedhead). My bachelor food is not very scandalous and is far more animal and body friendly, but does involve another man: Edgar, the Vita-Mix. In case you ever questioned it, yes, I am this lame. :) But I'm going to share with you one of my favorite new beverages since coming upon the Vita-Mix. It's truly the definition of "refreshing". You start with this: Grape-Lime Slush Spritzer Rough recipe for 1 serving: 1 cup rinsed grapes 1 very thin slice lime (with rind) 1/2 cup ice bubbly liquid of choice (spring water, seltzer or champagne for a sLUSHy!) Place everything (except bubbly) in the Vita-Mix. Process for about 20-30 seconds on variable speed 8 or high. You can either enjoy it as a slushy or add some of the bubbly to make it a thinner spritzer. Seriously delicious and guilt-free. And now for the shameful bachelor dinner I had with this lovely drink. That's it. Just a giant plate of garlic roasted brussel sprouts. Nothing more, nothing less. Paired with this drink and enjoyed in front of some Netflix Watch-it-Now. What can I say, I'm a boring old married gal at heart, I guess. :)

i love you, alberta

Kris — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:00:21 +0000

No, Alberta is not a person (although I work with someone by that name, so that could be weird). Alberta is a street in NE Portland and it's quickly becoming one of the tastiest streets in town. Homegrown Smoker is the vegan BBQ foodcart that opened a couple of months ago. They used to be 4 blocks down the street from their new location at 27th and Alberta. The new location seems better equipped for Portland weather and even has a heated eating tent. Excellent. There is food that is good and then there is food laced with addictive flavors and textures and plain old comforting goodness. This falls into the latter category. There are four different protein choices including chorizo, tofu steaks, tempeh ribs and soy curls. In this platter most people pick two small portions of two different proteins, but I went with all soy curls. If we all have a predestined fate in life, being smoked and slathered with BBQ sauce is the destiny of a soy curl. In this form it is truly at it's full potential. Oh momma, these things are amazing! On the side, maple BBQ beans and mac no cheese. The beans are good, reliably tasty beans. The mac no cheese isn't like gourmet mac 'n cheese, but there's just something good and noochy about it. Must. Eat. More. You'd think I haven't been food blogging for 4 years. I didn't turn the cornbread around so you could see the inside of it! Darn, now I'll have to go back. The sacrifices I make for this blog... Seriously, though, this is a gluten-free cornbread that has pretty flecks of flax in it. That's fun to say, flex of flax. Now, I haven't had much Southern cooking in my life and am very much naive to the art of cornbread, but this cornbread rocks. The texture, moisture, flavor, it's all there. I never even thought I cared much about cornbread, until I started craving theirs. Add the sweet mint tea on the side... serious food heaven. After you've stuffed yourself with smoked goodness, a mere four blocks away is Back to Eden, the new vegan bakery in town. A four block walk is exercise, right? That means it's time for dessert. Back to Eden is about as pretty a place as it gets. Decorated in 1930s farm house chic, the colors are warm and inviting, the decor is sharp with attention to detail and aside from the bakery items, they have all sorts of goodies to buy. Locally made jams, aprons, cards, a section of vegan cookbooks, and fun baking supplies, like fancy sprinkles fill the shelves. Plus they have, you know, the baked goods. They also have soft serve in TWO different flavors, which means... wait for it.... TWIST ice cream! [caption id="attachment_693" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="shown here with caramel sauce"][/caption] They carry Temptation soft serve, which you can get with a variety of topping/sauce combos or as a milkshake! And there are a variety of baked goods available each day, from breakfasty scones to decadent cakes and tarts. They have lots of gluten-free options, too. A strawberry filled chocolate cupcake. When I read the sign for it, I thought it said "strawberry fields cupcake" and I got all sorts of Beatles-excited... I was wrong, but I still needed the cupcake to calm me down. Even the frosting had a pronounced strawberry flavor that was amazing. A pumpkin whoopie pie. Soft, moist cookie outer and spiced creamy inner filling... Devilishly good. So devilish, in fact, that an evil kitteh couldn't keep her mouth off of the pumpkin cookie part. Who knew bad kittehs liked pumpkin? So this is my ode to Alberta Street, with new attractions motivating me to leave the SE bubble for things other than concerts.

kitchen confessions

Kris — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:34:01 +0000

We all have things in our lives that we do a little, well, half-baked. We are an ingenuitive species, so when things don't work for us we either create something that does or modify what already exists. And from that spirit, we also find new uses for old or broken things. I have purchased a lot of kitchen gadgetry. It's kind of sick when I think about it, so I won't. But of all of my chopper/slicer/dicer/flipper/stirrer toys, I have one thing that stands above them all. The Chef Helper is a little kitchen gadget I bought at the dollar store probably a year into our marriage. I remember where I got it at (Crystal, MN) and I don't even know what I was doing there, but for some reason I was compelled to buy this. It has metal wires like a whisk, but opens up like a pair of tongs. Now here is where the sad ingenuity from earlier in the post comes in. It's broken. It's been broken for much longer than it ever wasn't. And before it was broken, I hardly ever used it. Then the spring came loose, some little plastic piece busted off and it was left like this: And since it's been broken I use it constantly! I just grab one half and whisk away. I love how it functions like a whisk, but because of it being flat there is more control and I can use it to scrape the sides of the bowl, like I would with a spatula. I have looked at many stores to find something a little less, er, pathetic looking, but nothing that I've found measures up to my two $.50 whisk things. I love 'em. Do you have anything of this low a caliber in your kitchen that you just can't replace? Any odd, ingenuitive kitchen breakthroughs or uses for other random kitchen toys? I have a silicone trivet that I never use as a trivet, but I do use it open jars with. I've also made waffles in the quesadilla maker that we have no use for (quaffadillas!)... you never know until you try!

J&K4~1

Kris — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:18:13 +0000

UPCLOS~1

Kris — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:19:08 +0000

brb

Kris — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:22:40 +0000

I know I am behind on posting the winners of the cookbooks, but I will get those up ASAP. I had this HUGE project/event happen at work today that I was solely responsible for preparing/executing, so now that it is over, I can relax a little more and realign. But in honor of my 7th wedding anniversary (today!) to my beloved James... I loves you, my BFFFE! (best friend for freaking ever!) Wow, seven years ages you. We look so young! I can only imagine what it will be like to look at these pictures in 30 years. Everyone thought we were crazy. We'd only known each other for 6 months, no joke. I don' blame people for thinking we were nuts, but sometimes you have to trust your gut. And when you know, you know and now we have some street cred to our names... Yummy vegan anniversary dinner- here I come!

book winners!

Kris — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:18:51 +0000

Books! I have not forgotten, just terribly sidetracked this week. Food will return next week, but the winners of cookbooks are: Mo Vijita radioactivevegan Drop me a line at nomblog at gmail dotty com. Food, fun and kittehs to come!

interview!

Kris — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:00:31 +0000

I am getting interviewed tomorrow on The Recipe Box, which is an online blog radio show. Tune in at 12noon Pacific (3 Eastern) to hear me jabber on about vegan baking. You can even call in and ask questions! Woo-hoo! [caption id="attachment_116" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Black Forest Cupcakes from DTV"][/caption]

interview archive

Kris — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:18:59 +0000

Hey there! I had a fun interview with Barbara Howard from The Recipe Box on BlogTalkRadio. You can listen to it here. I'm on the latter end of the show, but listen to Chef Jill Houk, who offers some family friendly ideas for Halloween and some vegan friendly treats to make for your kids! Barbara has a fun and informative show and I feel really fortunate to have this opportunity to talk with her about vegan baking and our perceptions of veganism and food. And no, I haven't forgotten about food, lol. I know it's been a bit quiet around here lately (there goes vegan MoFo!) but I'll be back with some recipes and other goodies in the next few days.

blacksheepcookies

Kris — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:29:44 +0000

pumpkin's in the air...

Kris — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:40:02 +0000

If there is something I love about fall, it's baking. This sounds pretty obvious, no? But really, it is the OPTIMAL time to bake. The spices are so earthy and deep and it take very little to make your house smell better than any stupid scented candle ever could- and you get to eat the results! I did come across something surprising at my usual hangout, Black Sheep, the other day. They are going pumpkin crazy and are baking it into everything they can. Pumpkin coffee cake, pumpkin pie bars and these little beauties: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, from my book! How cool is that? I've now discovered that the only thing better than homemade cookies you love is homemade cookies you love that you didn't have to make! They just appear out of thin air! With the season of pumpkin baking upon us, every other recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice. You probably have everything you need to make this blend in your own pantry, plus you can tweak it to your liking! I'm not a huge clove lover, so this recipe is bit subdued in that area. Make a nice big batch of it so you can just dip in as needed. Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend 3 tbsp. ground cinnamon 1 tbsp. plus 2 teas. ground ginger 2 teas. ground nutmeg 1 teas. ground cloves Mix well in a clean bowl and combine well. Transfer to an airtight bottle or container.

pumpmuf1

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:22:28 +0000

pumpmuf2

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:23:18 +0000

pumpmuf3

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:23:50 +0000

stuff this in your (pumpkin) pie hole

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:30:35 +0000

Somewhat recently I was with a friend at Starbucks. Yes, boo Starbucks, whatever, I was there on business. I always like to take a look at their bakery case because they are well loved for their seasonal treats. I have a knock-off of one of their baked snacks they have around Christmas time in my book (a lemon and cranberry bar with lemon icing). What caught my eye this time was a pumpkin muffin with a cream cheese filling. It looked decadent and inviting, so I made note of it. Being that it's pumpkin time and I like to put pumpkin in, oh, everything I bake at this time of year, I decided that a vegan version of this muffin was necessary. Like, now. I have no idea what Starbucks' muffin tastes like, but I can guarantee that these muffins will draw out uncomfortably delighted yummy noises from those who eat them, so beware of the potential for embarrassment if consuming in public. This recipe combines the flavors of two holiday favorites- pumpkin pie and cheesecake. The muffin itself is a moist, pumpkin fest to be enjoyed all the way down to the cheesecake dollop in the middle. As the spices deepen with a little time, I recommend making them the night before eating. These would be perfect to serve the morning after Thanksgiving as you power up to take on Black Friday or whatever it is you do with your family. I desperately wanted to give them an actual name so here's what you get when I try too hard: Cheesecake For Your Pumpkin Pie Hole Muffins Muffin: 2 1/4 cups flour (I used 1 1/4 white whole wheat and 1 all-purp) 3/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 2 1/2 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1- 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) 1 cup milk 1/3 cup oil 1 tbsp. molasses 1/2 teas. vanilla Filling: 2/3 container soy cream cheese (8 oz container, I used Tofutti) 1/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp. plus 2 teas. cornstarch 1/2 teas. vanilla 1 teas. lemon juice Topping: 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 2 tbsp. coarse sugar Preheat oven to 400. Line a muffin tin with liners or grease lightly. Begin by making the filling. In a small bowl, using the back of a fork, mix the cream cheese until creamy. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the cream cheese. Add vanilla and lemon juice and mix to combine. Let filling rest in fridge until ready to use. In a medium sized bowl, combine muffin ingredients starting with flour through pumpkin pie spice. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, oil, vanilla and molasses until smooth. Add flour ingredients in batches until incorporated. Spoon muffin batter into muffin tins until just below the rim. Remove filling from fridge and scoop into a pastry bag with a fat tip. Pipe the filling into the middle of each muffin evenly, pushing tip down into the middle of the muffin and lifting it up as you pipe. Alternately, if you do not have a pastry bag, you can carefully spoon the filling into the middle of each muffin. Sprinkle tops of muffins with pumpkin seeds and coarse sugar. Bake for 19-21 minutes for regular sized muffins or 27-29 for jumbo muffins, until a toothpick comes out of the side of the muffin clean and cheesecake part is puffy and golden. Yields: 12 regular sized or 6 jumbo muffins

pumpkins1

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:07:29 +0000

pumpkin2

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:08:56 +0000

pumpkin3

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:09:50 +0000

pumpkin4

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:10:45 +0000

pumpkin5

Kris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:16:03 +0000

portland vegan 100

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:38:48 +0000

I got this fun list from Jess' blog and couldn't resist. If you've never been to Portland, you could rename this "100 Reasons to Jump on a Train, Plane or Automobile and Get My Butt to Portland!" Here's how it works: 1) Copy this list into your own blog, facebook or website, including these instructions. 2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten. 3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. 4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one. 5) Pass it on! The PDX Vegan Hundred: 100 Great Foods in Portland, OR 1. Fries with spicy tofu sauce at Dots 2. ~~$1 Corndog from Hungry Tiger Too~~ (I don't do corndogs) 3. Chick-o-Stick doughnut from Voodoo Doughnuts 4. Tiramisu from Portobello 5. Vegan Mulita from Gorditos or Gorditos II 6. Nanotear Ham and Cheeze sandwich from Tube 7. Milkshake from Sip 8. Gnocchi from Portobello 9. Caramel Nut Bar from Sweetpea Baking Co. 10. Soft serve from Blossoming Lotus 11. Local cherry tomatoes from a farmers market 12. Dong Po Tofu from Bay Leaf 13. Jerked chickun from Assase Ital 14. A Big Big Lunch Special from an Indian cart 15. Soy latte made with Stumptown espresso 16. A crappy tofu scramble 17. Cornmeal pizza from Dovi Vive. 18. Weeping Tiger sandwich from Bye & Bye 19. Bye & Bye or Floor Punch from Bye & Bye 20. A Bowl meal from a cart (too many to count!) 21. vegan nutella from freddy's hazelnuts 22. soy curls in bulk from food fight or proper eats 23. buffalo wings from Vita 24. the weekday vegan pancakes from Laurelthirst 25. Maple vegan sausage waffle from flavourspot 26. Drunken noodles with pepper steak from Thai Food Cafe 27. Macnocheeto from Homegrown Smoker 28. Veggie platter from an Ethiopian restaurant 29. Blackberries picked from a public place 30. Baba Ganouj from Ya Hala (THE BEST!) 31. Coconut Mashed Yams from Papa G’s 32. Butternut Squash Wontons from Hungry Tiger Too (these things are a little too good... greasy deliciousness) 33. Vegan slice from Bella Faccia 34. Apple pie from Whiffies 35. Chili dog from Zach’s Shack 36. ~~Vegan poutine from Potato Champion~~ (I know this place is popular, but the thought of twice fried potatoes dipped in gravy and faux cheeze sounds disgusting) 37. Missionary Chocolate Truffle 38. Apron Activists 4-Course Dinner 39. Hot Wok at New Seasons 40. Che Guevara Burrito from Laughing Planet 41. Bryan’s Bowl from Por Que No? 42. Pad Thai from Pad Thai Kitchen 43. Cupcake from a stand at Last Thursday 44. The Giant Pancake at Hungry Tiger Too 45. TLP from Red & Black Cafe 46. Cornmeal tempeh plate from Proper Eats (This is in my top 5 best Portland meals) 47. Tofu Po Boy at Palm State Gumbo 48. Maple Walnut Scone from Back to Eden 49. Vegan Mezza platter from a Lebanese restaurant 50. Crispy eggplant from Fujin 51. Lemongrass Tofu Sticks from Van Hanh 52. Tofu Salad Bun at Pho PDX 53. Cocktail made with local liquor 54. Biscuits and Gravy from Paradox 55. Smoky soy curls from Homegrown Smoker (SOOOO good!) 56. Field Roast sausage 57. ~~Secret Aardvark Hot Sauce~~ I don't do spicy 58. Toddbot's Triangles 59. Local microbrew 60. Hot Lips soda 61. Herb Crusted Tofu with Mushroom Marsala from The Farm Cafe 62. had a picnic in Laurelhurst Park 63. burrito from Shelley's Honkin Huge Burritos 64. Eggplant tibs from Bete Lukas 65. ~~Tator Tots before noon or after midnight~~ (I'm from the Midwest, where I grew up eating tots in a multitude of ways before it was "hip" and I find them disgusting.) 66. Lone Ranger from Chaos Cafe 67. Sunday brunch at Sweetpea! 68. Tofu at a BBQ place (for example Derby Mustard Sauce Tofu at Russel Street BBQ) 69. Mint Fava Falafel at Nightlight Lounge 70. An unexciting hummus plate at a bar. 71. ~~Vegan meatball sub from Aalto Lounge~~ (bite my tongue) 72. ~~Koi Fusion spicy tofu tacos~~ (nothing about Korean inspired Mexican food sounds good to me) 73. Veggie dog from the Vegi dog stand 74. Sesame chicken from a vegetarian chinese restaurant 75. ~~Bagel with Bacun Scallion cream cheese from Sweetpea.~~ No scallions for me, thanks 76. Vegan savoury crepe 77. Veggie kibbeh (this paired with the above baba ganoush- heaven in your mouth. go Ya Hala, they're the best!) 78. Club Vegan at Backspace 79. ice cream sundae from Back to Eden 80. Raw fudge from Blossoming Lotus (a serious weakness of mine) 81. ~~Tempeh reuben~~ (blech to sauerkraut) 82. Pause vegan burger 83. vegan ribs 84. something baked with local marionberries 85. Veggie bento box 86. Dave's Killer Bread 87. Higher Taste Burritos 88. ~~Thai food that the server swears is vegan, but you taste fish sauce.~~ I don't trust Thai restaurants 89. Elephant ear from the Saturday Market 90. Dovetail sticky bun 91. ~~Savoury pie from Nicholas restaurant~~ (I don't like the food at Nicholas) 92. Salad rolls from the Just Thai cart 93. Vegan torta from Gorditos II 94. Nutritional yeast on your popcorn at a movie theater 95. Vegan grilled cheese from The Grilled Cheese Grill 96. Pasilla burrito from El Nutri 97. Something from the vegetarian menu at Andina 98. Vegan Steak and Cheese from D.C. Vegetarian 99. Dragon Noodles at Red & Black Cafe blame the cilantro. 100. Falafel from Wolf & Bears (Their falafel sandwich is out of this world!) Wow, I feel pretty accomplished... in a fat kind of way. O_o That a lot of food and 95% of these things aren't items I eat regularly at all. I can only imagine how many vegan items I've eaten from around town... I bet they could finance a nice vacation!

pump up the jam

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:03:46 +0000

After my canning frenzy this summer I took a break, but now I'm back in the swing of it with a fall line up of fruit butters in tow. First up, pumpkin butter. Sadly, the USDA does not recommend home canning of pumpkin butter. This is because pumpkin is low in acidity and has unpredictable water content, neither of which was optimal when canning. I did can my butter, to sterilize and seal it, but am keeping it in the fridge. I started with four medium sugar pie pumpkins. Halved and seeded, I placed them cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment and baked them at 350 for a little over an hour. After roasting them in the oven the flesh shrank, making the skin easy to peel. So colorful and juicy looking! Once peeled, I chopped the flesh into chunks and put it in my pot. I chose to cook it down a little more before just pureeing it, because some spots were harder than others. In went 2 cups of dark brown sugar, 3 tbsp of molasses, the juice of one lemon, 2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice and one tbsp of cinnamon. Once all of the flesh was uniformly soft, I pureed the batch in my Vita-Mix then poured it back in the pot and adjusted sweetness/spices to taste. My goal was to get pumpkin pie filling flavor, but because the spices will really bloom as the butter sits, I didn't want to go overboard and end up with spreadable potpourri. Once the butter was ready, I laddled it into jars and processed it in the hot water bath for 10 minutes. This made 4 pints of pumpkin butter. It's so delicious- spiced, creamy and rich. I love the taste of fall.

pumppan

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:10:11 +0000

pumppan1

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:11:36 +0000

pumppan3

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:13:51 +0000

molly

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:43:12 +0000

molly1

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:44:20 +0000

molly2

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:46:01 +0000

pendant

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:05:00 +0000

apples

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:22:21 +0000

apples3

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:31:54 +0000

apples4

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:34:14 +0000

apples6

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:35:17 +0000

apples5

Kris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:39:05 +0000

pumpkin in my pancakes, told a tale on you

Kris — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:00:31 +0000

I'm kind of classic when it comes to eating fruit butters- slathered on a chunk of bread or warm toast is all I need to feel bliss. But that was a very large amount of pumpkin butter to make, regardless of how much I love Dave's Killer Bread. Enter my favorite meal of the day: breakfast. Pumpkin is fabulous with breakfast. A chilly morning, coffee percolating, aromatic spices drifting from the kitchen- perfection. Pumpkin Butter Pancakes 1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1/2 white whole wheat and 1/2 all-purpose) 1 tbsp. sugar 2 teas. baking powder 1/2 teas. baking soda 1/2 teas. cinnamon 1/4 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1/4 teas. salt 1 cup pumpkin butter 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups milk of choice 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp. oil 1/2 teas. vanilla In a large bowl combine flour through salt. In another bowl combine the pumpkin butter, milk, water, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk to combine. Add more liquid as needed. Let batter sit while heating your griddle. Ladle batter onto griddle using a measuring cup to ensure equally sized pancakes. Let pancakes cook until edges are set and middle begins to bubble then flip, about 3 minutes. Cook other side for about 1-2 minutes. This will depend on how big your cakes are (we like 'em big!). Yields 6 good sized pancakes. Serve with a smear of pumpkin butter and some syrup. We're completely in love the with agave/maple blend from Trader Joe's right now.

holiday gift ideas

Kris — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:34:44 +0000

If you've been a long time reader of this blog or my previous one, you know how crazy excited I get about the holidays. I LOVE everything about the holiday season, from Thanksgiving stuffing to New Year's black eyed peas. I like to plan ahead for holiday gift giving as well. The cusp of November isn't really planning that far ahead, but I wanted to share some unique ideas with you as that time of year is approaching. You could always can something yummy for your loved ones, make a fun cooking zine or bring tins of holiday cookies to share, of course, but in the spirit of consumerism, here are some very thoughtful gift ideas I've discovered recently that you might like, too. My lovely co-worker, Molly, does more than rock the Marketing Department. She is also an awesome green craftster who crochets functional and stylish items from plastic bags. The majority of her products are bag-related (shopping bag, market bag, purse, messenger bag) but she also makes rugs, bowls, coasters and a variety of other neat items that are not only cool, but kind to the Earth. All of her items are made from 100% recycled content, with her supplies coming from plastic shopping bags that would otherwise be thrown out. [caption id="attachment_767" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="Red Spec and Striped Tote"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_768" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="Tan Striped Market Bag"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_770" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="Spec and Stripe Plastic Rug"][/caption] I'm buying some of her market bags to put jars of jam in for the holidays- a fun, functional gift that is sure to be used and remembered. Because her items are handmade, planning ahead for the holidays is important! You can check out her etsy store here. I have another gift idea that might be a bit emotional, but is truly beautiful. The company Memory Pendants hand makes beautiful, personalized pendants to remember your loved ones by. 2 1/2 years ago my father passed away and this summer I decided I wanted to get some sort of memory pendant to put some of his ashes in. I looked at just about every store online I could find, but nothing really seemed to fit both my taste and my dad's memory. Then I came across the Huffman's site. They have a variety of pendant options, but the gist of it is that you send a very tiny amount of cremation remains and they hand build a pendant of your choosing around the remains. You can choose the colors, shape, etc, whether you want the remains visible or not and they made it a very sweet and caring process. I chose to have the remains visible in the very center and I selected blues (for my dad) and greens (for me). I absolutely love the pendant and wear it almost daily. The smooth glass front of it acts as a worry stone of sorts, as I find myself constantly rubbing my thumb across it. If you or someone close to you has lost someone dear, this is a really nice way to keep them close to you. Memory Pendants can include the remains of more than one person and also do pet remains, locks of hair and create several other products as well. Because they are hand made, this is definitely something to order ahead as well, as it's a little bit of a process (mailing things back and forth), but well worth it.

now bite your tongue and say "apple"

Kris — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:16:19 +0000

Remember doing that as a kid? The stupid things we did to try and get people to curse... so goofy. And it doesn't even sound right. I promise this post will be more productive than sad attempts at swearing and the effects better than that of biting your tongue. Ouch. Apple Pie Butter, baby! I wanted to make apple butter, but wanted it to be distinctly different than the pumpkin butter. When you start cooking down fruit and throwing around spices it's all too easy for it to start losing it's personality. The key to this recipe is one my dearest friends, vanilla. Vanilla really plays up the apples, adds a hint of creaminess and generally just kicks ass. This recipe yields a lot of butter, so be prepared to eat, make Apple Butter Cookies from 100 BVBR or, reluctantly, share your bounty. Apple Pie Butter 7 lbs apples, assorted varieties (I used Gala, Pinova, Honeycrisp and Granny Smith) 3 1/2 cups dark sugar juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp. pure vanilla extract 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon 2 teas. ground ginger Peel and chop up all of the apples. You could always peel them, cut them and then toss in the food processor to roughly chop. I like the hands on prep, so I peel them, cut them with my apple slicer and then chop the slices. Combine apples in a stock pot along with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon and mix well. Cook the apple mixture on medium heat until juices are boiling and apples become very soft and begin to break down, stirring often, about 25-30 minutes. Process apple mixture in a food mill, processor or blender in batches until it is creamy and smooth. Return to pot, lower heat a bit and add vanilla. You may wish to add more sugar (do so 1/4 cup at a time) or more spices, to taste. Be mindful that the spices will intensify after canning. Cook down until the mixture is thick and sticks well to a spatula or spoon. Can according to manufacturers directions in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars and let cool completely. Makes 4 1/2 pints (I ended up with 7 -1/2 pint jars and 1 pint jar) I really think that making fruit butter is even easier than making jam, it's truly so simple. If you are unsure about canning, you can always buy freezer canning jars and make freezer butters- they still make great gifts!

recipes for a cause

Kris — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:10:42 +0000

Hey there, blogland buddies. I have a special cause I want to plug here and I need your help. A good friend of mine is collecting recipes for a cookbook that a close friend of her family is putting together. This friend, Becky, has Stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to her liver and spine. She's fighting the good fight, but needs more treatments and support. They are looking for recipes to add to a cookbook that they are going to sell with all of the proceeds going to help out Becky. Please consider donating a recipe, which you can either post in the comments or email to me at nomblog @t gmail (dot) com by this Thursday the 5th. What a better gift than the healthy, restorative power of vegan eating! [caption id="attachment_788" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Becky with her daughter after Race for the Cure 2008"][/caption]

Becky

Kris — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:20:20 +0000

Becky

Kris — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:22:07 +0000

100_4938

Kris — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:36:48 +0000

100_4938

Kris — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:50:43 +0000

bindhibee

Kris — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:53:54 +0000

josie

Kris — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:54:49 +0000

dinner with my ladies

Kris — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:56:23 +0000

Cold weather inspires comfort food. Given that my poorly adapted Portland body has been heading to work in 40 degree weather, comforting meals have been calling me. Behold the classic soup and sammie combo: Tomato soup with a panini-pressed sandwich. The sandwich is on Dave's bread with one side smeared with a garlicky bean spread and the other with kalamata olive Tofutti cream cheese, with grilled eggplant and zucchini in the middle (from Trader Joe's). Here is my soup dilemma- I like really creamy tomato soup and haven't been able to make it really creamy and not resembling the flavor and consistency of tomato sauce. Recipes/ideas/help? My ladies like to assist in the dinnertime routine. Always proper, Bindhi coaches me on my table etiquette. Josie supervises in a DOT foreman kind of way- gazing out the window and ignoring me, but everything must pass her smell test.

100_4910

Kris — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:39:32 +0000

100_4913

Kris — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:42:56 +0000

100_4920

Kris — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:44:41 +0000

nutty, seedy goodness

Kris — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:45:15 +0000

I was recently turned onto these bars by a friend and I am forever grateful. I have been looking some sort of granola bar I could make at home that would be firm enough to hold up on it's own, but not hard and didn't require too much sweetener. These use a ton of of nuts and seeds, which we usually have an abundance of, so this recipe is a cinch to throw together. These bars, using agave, win on all accounts. They are nutty, chewy, and crunchy and make a great high protein snack that can easily subdue any candy/baked good craving you might be having. I've been making double batches of this recipe and Jim and I gobble them up throughout the week. Oat/nut/seed mixture after toasting. We aren't coconut fans, so I left it out and used some slivered almonds instead. I also add a little dusting of cinnamon. Pressed down into the pan after combining with PB/agave mixture. These are so good- make them now!

100_4968

Kris — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:09:13 +0000

100_4981

Kris — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:16:25 +0000

cherry delight

Kris — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:19:32 +0000

If you're from the US, you've probably never heard of clafoutis, but I can assure you that you'll be happy to be in the know. Cherry clafoutis is a traditional French dessert that is basically a baked custard/cake/crustless pie thing served warm and creamy with bursts of sweet cherry goodness. Not only is it an incredibly sophisticated and classy dessert, it comes together quickly and is light enough to be eaten after a big meal, making it a great ending to a large holiday meal. While traditionally made with some serious egg action, this vegan version is a fantastic alternative that eliminates the animal products while delivering heaven to the taste buds. If you are skeptical of baking tofu into desserts (as I once was), I can personally assure you that this tastes fantastic. Don't let your fears keep you from this fabulous treat! Cherry Clafoutis from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes Prep time before baking: 10 minutes Skill level: 2 whisks 1/2 package firm aseptic silken tofu 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1 cup milk (I've used soy, almond and Trader Joe's new grain milk, all with success) 1 teas. vanilla 1 1/2 cups cherries (can use pitted fresh cherries, thawed and drained frozen cherries or canned cherries which have been drained and rinsed from their syrup. You can opt to make it traditionally with unpitted cherries, but you can't hold me accountable for chipped teeth) Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie tin. In a food processor, process silken tofu and sugar until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, salt and half of the milk. Process until smooth. Add second half of the milk and the vanilla and process until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle cherries evenly across pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 425, then lower temperature to 350 and back for an additional 20-25 until edges are set and middle is still a little jiggly. Let cool on cooling rack at least 25 minutes before serving. Best served warm. Store leftover clafoutis covered in fridge. Yields: 1 cake, 12 slices

HOD_Bazaar2009

Kris — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:48:24 +0000

kittehs for a cause

Kris — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:54:21 +0000

Portland peeps- Love kittehs? Love shopping? Love belly dancing? This Saturday is the annual Pretty Kitty Bazaar to benefit House of Dreams. Buy some fun things for yourself, your family or your furry kids and participate in the silent auction. Lots of vegan peeps turned out to donate goods for the auction and raffle, so there are loads of great things to be won and purchased! I bet you never thought kitties could benefit from your love of exotic dancing, huh? Think again! The following Sunday, the 22nd, there will be a benefit cabaret show featuring belly dancing and other assorted gyrating goodness to benefit HOD. Admission is cheap so you can donate some extra bucks and enjoy a great show- come out and show your love!

FAQs

Kris — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:51:39 +0000

This page is for questions about nom! nom! nom! blog.com or my cookbooks. If you have questions you'd like me to answer, please leave them in the comments or email me at nomblog@gmail.com. Misc Questions What does 'nom' mean? I get this one a lot. 'Nom' is the sound you make when eating something yummy, such as a vegan cookie or piece of cake. The word 'nom' is popularly affiliated with icanhascheezburger.com. For more information on nom and lolspeak see here and here. It's illuminating. ;) Truly, Cheezburgers is one of the highlights of my day, everyday. Don't I know you from somewhere? Possibly. I used to blog at Squirrel's Vegan Kitchen, which I had for about three years. Oh, yeah. What's with your thing with squirrels, anyway? Well, I just like 'em. They are like a hamster/kitten hybrid, they are incredibly smart and funny and we have an awesome community of squirrels who live behind our home that we enjoy the company of. We even have a squirrel feeder on the patio and have trained our cats to shoo the blue jays away so they don't waste the squirrel's food, which they just carry off then drop. Yes, we are those kind of people. Cookbook Questions In the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe there is no milk listed in the ingredients, but it calls for it in the directions. What do I do? Oops, my bad. It's supposed to call for 2 teas. of milk of your choice. Sorry about that. On the Upside-Down Pecan Sticky Muffins, it looks like I'm missing half of the ingredients? What should I do? Turn the page. :) I hear there was some problem with the measurements for the You Are My Sunshine Bread? Unfortunately, a couple of the measurements were printed incorrectly. It should read 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 1/4 cups of milk. Where do your recipes come from? A large handful are from family recipes and favorites, just adapted and made vegan. The rest are from various places. Sometimes I think of two flavors or a flavor and texture that would be good together and look for the best baked palate to showcase them with. Other times I see a recipe or baked good in a magazine or blog and think "ooh, we need a vegan version of that!"

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Kris — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:29:14 +0000

novcookies2

Kris — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:47:12 +0000

cookies for two

Kris — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:50:51 +0000

[caption id="attachment_818" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Beware cookies! Your natural predator is on the hunt!"][/caption] Most nights Jim and I won't be past the first half of our dinner before he looks at me with a sly expression and asks, "What do we have for dessert?" Most often, I try not to have anything. I'm not trying to be cruel, but after creating two cookbooks that focused on baking and the resulting sweet tooths, I really try to curb the snacks and treats, only baking when it's for an event or meant to be shared. Dessert often amounts to a square of high quality chocolate or a mouthful of peanut butter and chocolate chips, where Jim will then patiently wait, with a full mouth, for the chips to melt before mashing it all on the roof of this mouth with satisfaction. Such a silly boy... But sometimes we want a real dessert, not some sugary stand-in. Being fully aware of how weak we both are, I know that making a whole batch of cookies is never a good idea. It always ends in the two of us sneaking cookies well after we should have stopped and a remorseful belly ache. Self control in the sweets arena has never been very successful in our house. Which brings us to this recipe, Cookies for Two. This makes 8 regular sized chocolate chip cookies, 4 for each person. I know 2 is a more appropriate serving size than 4, but hey, we're taking baby steps. If you can muster some restraint, eat 2 after dinner and save the other two for your lunch the next day. Cookies for Two 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp flour 1/4 teas. baking soda spinkle of salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup margarine, softened splash of vanilla splash of vegan milk of choice 3 tbsp. to 1/4 cup chocolate chips Cookie Coating (optional) 1 tbsp sugar 1/4 teas. fleur de sel Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl cream together the margarine and sugar. Add vanilla and milk. Add dry ingredients to wet in batches until well combined. Add chocolate chips. Roll tablespoon sized dough balls in the Cookie Coating (if using) and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies have risen, spread and the edges are set. Let cool completely (well, not too completely) before serving. Makes 8 cookies.

pumpkincheesecake

Kris — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:46:45 +0000

pumpcheesecakeslice

Kris — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:53:54 +0000

gobble, gobble

Kris — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:01 +0000

I love Thanksgiving food. Cranberries and stuffing? Yes, please. Some more sweet potatoes? Pile on some bread sticks or biscuits and gravy and call it a day. Who could miss turkey? Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes anyway. Except for dessert. Dessert is an equally important part of Thanksgiving. Naturally, one's mind wanders to pumpkin pie. I'm not a huge pumpkin pie fan myself, it's just never quite been my thing. But I do love me some pumpkin. If you don't already have your heart set on your T-Day menu, you may want to consider this decadent dessert. The Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake. Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake (from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes) Prep time: 35 minutes Difficulty level: 4 whisks (rated from 1-5 in terms of difficulty, but it's not so difficult as it is detailed) I love pumpkin. The only thing I love more than pumpkin is cheesecake. The combination: a Thanksgiving masterpiece. This is a moist, dense cheesecake, mixed with the spiced pumpkin swirls and intense cinnamon ribbons laced through it, you'll want to save room for this one. You don't have to bake this cake in a water bath, but you certainly can for slightly creamier results and without the top cracking (like the pictures, which were from a non-water bathed cake). Crust: 3/4 cup flour 1 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup margarine, softened 1 teas. molasses 1 tbsp. milk Filling: 2 8 oz. containers of soy cream cheese 1 aseptic container firm tofu- Mori Nu brand is what I use 1 cup of sugar, divided 3 tbsp. cornstarch 2 teas. vanilla 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) 2 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1 teas. milk 1 tbsp. cinnamon Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. First, make the crust. In a small bowl mix together the flour, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and sugar. Add the margarine, molasses and milk and combine until crumbly. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform and bake for 12 minutes. While crust is baking, combine cream cheese, tofu, 1/2 cup of the sugar, 2 tbsp of the cornstarch and vanilla in a food processor or blender. Blend well until all is incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour 1 1/2 cups of mixture into a bowl and set aside. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon of corn starch, pumpkin pie puree and pumpkin pie spice. Process until well blended. From reserved, vanilla cheesecake mixture reserve 3 tablespoons in a small bowl. Add milk and 1 tablespoon cinnamon to the reserved 3 tablespoons. Mix well to incorporate. In the springform pan, alternate 1/2 cups of the vanilla and pumpkin cheesecake mixtures on top of the crust. Drizzle the cinnamon mixture on top of the vanilla and pumpkin in thick stripes. Lightly wiggle the pan to help the contents settle. Draw a knife though the batter several times to marble the batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes, (in a water bath, if using) until center is still slightly jiggily but set. Let cool completely then let set in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Best if made the night before so the spices have time to meld. Store leftover cake covered, in fridge. Yields: 12 slices One thing that makes this cake priceless for holiday meal planning is that it actually tastes better if you make it the night before so the flavors can come together, so then it's one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving Day. And trust me, this cheesecake is something to be thankful for!

100_4986

Kris — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:35:30 +0000

your (not really) burning questions answered

Kris — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:36:17 +0000

So far I have only found one typo in the book- not too shabby. Unfortunately for you all, it's on a recipe that has been very popular this time of year, the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I have created a page for general FAQ's and anything related to the cookbook. Check it out and let me know if there are other questions you'd like answered or added, or if you find any other typos in the book. [caption id="attachment_827" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="a random picture of kiwi berries and bananas. why? i dunno"][/caption]

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:04:02 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:05:26 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:07:40 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:08:44 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:09:19 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:10:33 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:11:44 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:12:29 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:13:28 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:14:09 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:15:15 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:21:28 +0000

thanksgiving wrap-up

Kris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:26:17 +0000

There are plenty of good things to be thankful for this time of year- an awesome husband, good fur kids (even if we do mostly refer to them as "the jerks), a great new job, my health- but what I truly appreciate and am humbled by my husband's family. I know that the holidays can bring out the worst in families when it comes to being veg. Jokes about turkey and ham, constant harassment about what you eat, what you don't eat and open judgment are things that many people have to contend with on top of whatever other family baggage you may carry around. Oy. I am thankful that my husband's family was happy to eat a vegan Thanksgiving dinner and was fine letting me take charge and cook a large majority of it- as I was happy doing so and hauling it the 3 hours north to Seattle. Our centerpiece this year was a chickpea/white wine/ herb/ caramelized onion tart. Jim gets mad at me because I have this bad tendency of making things up as I go along, which was the case with this. I had an idea of what I wanted, but no recipe, and just kind of threw it all together and hoped for the best. I know it will catch up with me some day, but for now as long as the outcome is tasty, I will dismiss the potential fears and keep playing. My sister-in-law's awesome cranberries. If you think "Meh, a cranberry is a cranberry" you haven't had these babies. Cremini mushroom gravy. Roasted yam/onion/bell pepper dish courtesy of my S-i-L. Nom. Stuffing. Made from a mix because I'm lazy like that and honestly like it better that way. Jazzed up with onions and celery. Can't remember what brand... one of the organic ones. Browned "butter", sage and butternut squash quinoa. "Better-than Breadsticks" from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes. Mashed 'taters. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheezecake. My ganache cracked, which made me sad, but it was really good. "Cinn-ful Apple Cake" from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes, served with leftover cranberries for OMG goodness. "No pumpkin pie?" you ask? Hey, don't be such a skeptic! For as much as I love every other incarnation of pumpkin, we're not big pumpkin pie people in our family, so I decided to forgo it for other yummy delights. I assure you, despite this suspect expression, there were no complaints.

tart

Kris — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:09:34 +0000

by popular vote...

Kris — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:38:30 +0000

You asked and so you shall receive. Here is the rough recipe for the chickpea tart that I made for Thanksgiving. This was literally "a little of this, a little of that", so please know there is tons of room for interpretation. Savory Holiday Tart 1 recipe pie crust, minus sugar (I used white whole wheat flour to make it more savory) 1 medium onion or 2-3 shallots, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups cremini mushrooms, rinsed and sliced 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed white wine thyme (finely chopped) rosemary (finely chopped) 1/4 cup nutritional yeast soy sauce balsamic vinegar margarine 3-4 cups of pearl onions, skin peeled (You could also make regular caramelized onions to top, if you don't want to deal with the pearl onions) sprinkling of sugar Make pie crust per directions. Wrap and let chill in fridge. In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in some oil. Add mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are cooked down. Drain off any liquid. Add chickpeas and saute for about 10 minutes on medium stirring often and adding splashes of wine to deglaze the pan as needed. Add nutritional yeast and herbs to your liking (I used about 2 tbsp. of thyme and 2 teas. of rosemary. Add a nice splash of soy sauce, about 2 tbsp, and a small splash of balsamic vinegar, about 1 tbsp max. Mix to combine and spoon mixture into a food processor. Process while adding more wine as needed and scraping down the sides of the processor, to make a mixture like a thick pate. Set aside. In a pan, melt a about 1-2 tbsp. of margarine. Add peeled pearl onions. Sprinkle with a little sugar and cook on a medium heat, stirring often, until onions are translucent and they begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add wine as needed to deglaze. Remove pie crust from oven. Press crust into the bottom and sides of a 12- inch tart pan. You may not use all of the crust, depending on how thick you make it. Spread in chickpea mixture and smooth with a spatula. Top with onions. Bake at 400 covered with tin foil for about 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 or until top is set. Let tart sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. You can easily prep this recipe the night before and refrigerate it, drive 5 1/2 hours in holiday traffic and bake it upon arrival. I feel about 95% confident that you could also bake it the night before, cool and refrigerate and then reheat it in a 350 oven for about 15-20 minutes with tin foil on it.

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Kris — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:40:30 +0000

fudgems

Kris — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:47:05 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:04:35 +0000

oh fudgies!

Kris — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:38:52 +0000

{unrelated sidenote: I am getting very low on my own stock of The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes and I don't plan on reordering. If you want to purchase an autographed copy (along with nom! nom! nom! buttons!) in time for the holiday and before I run out, you might want to click here. Shameless promotion over.} I had a startling realization the other day. About brownies. See, brownie texture can be a touchy subject amongst brownie lovers. Some people like a thin, chewy brownie, some people like a thicker, cake-like brownie- you can see where a debate might arise. I have one recipe for each respective group in my book, in my bid to create world peace via baked goods. But I forgot one group. I don't know how it happened, but the fudgey brownie lovers were left out of my equation. Back to the drawing board! But, alas, a perfect dense, intensely fudgey brownie was made and how the impending peace can begin. If you or yours like fudgey brownies, you are going to love this recipe. I used to align myself with the chewy folks, but now I'm rethinking this whole thing. And they aren't too terribly unhealthy... Well, you will note that there is a lot of sugar in this recipe, but that is indicative of the chemistry of a brownie, which requires sugar at least equal to and normally greater than the amount of flour. This ratio is necessary for the proper texture, otherwise you just have a dense cake. They have a special ingredient contributing to their fudgeyness. No one will ever guess unless you tell them... :) Fudgie Wudgies 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (preferably Dutch pressed), sifted 6 tbsp. margarine, melted 1- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree) 2 teas. of vanilla 2 teas. instant coffee granules (optional, but definitely add that sumpin', sumpin') 3/4 cup flour 1/2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup pecans (yay, debris!) Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan or line with parchment. In a large bowl, mix together sugar and cocoa until cocoa is mixed in. Add melted margarine and mix until mixture begins to get clumpy then add pumpkin puree. Add vanilla and coffee and mix well to break up any clumps and to dissolve the coffee. I highly recommend using electric beaters, it will also help with the dry mixture. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry to wet and mix until combined and there are no clumps. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 35-38 minutes or until top of brownies looks set and a toothpick comes out with a fudgy coating, but not wet with batter. Let cool completely (or for as long as you can stand it) before serving.

interview on toronto veg association podcast!

Kris — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:24:57 +0000

Check out my interview on the Toronto Vegetarian Association podcast. The TVA has an awesome website, so be sure to check it out and subscribe to their podcast!

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:43:35 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:45:37 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:47:46 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:49:09 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:50:03 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:50:56 +0000

holiday wrap up

Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:54:17 +0000

Oy. I'm feeling the post-holiday impact. True, we still have New Year's to ring in, but the giant feasts, present wrapping and family wrangling are behind us. It always leaves me feeling simultaneously wistful and grateful. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I got completely spoiled in the kitchen by the wonderful Jim. I received a set of pots and pans that I've been wanting for some time now, but couldn't really justify splurging on. I had very specific things I wanted in a set (stainless, tri-ply, no non-stick, glass lids) so when I came across a set that met my desires, it seemed too good to be true... but I didn't really need them. They are a great deal though, very high quality but not too expensive. Not wanting to play with fate and have them go out of production, Jim got them for me, along with a stocking full of fun kitchen gadgets I can't wait to play with. Did you do any fun holiday baking? Like these delicious Cranberry Almond Squares from Baking Bites... (veganized with applesauce for the eggs). I also added a little almond extract to make them very almond flavored. Some Lemon Drop Cookies... The often imitated but never rivaled Chocolate Peanut Butter Shells (my favorite!) Some Spice Spiked Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Some Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies topped with some Chocolate UFOs from Trader Joe's. All were safely stowed away into festive tins for our co-workers to enjoy! What treats did you indulge in?

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:15:17 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:16:50 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:21:05 +0000

a review and vegan baking on the tv...

Kris — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:54:50 +0000

I'm in love. I adore Portland. I love it so much that even thought Seattle has superior Asian cuisine and Mighty O Donuts, I am still always happy to see the Portland skyline when we arrive back in town, home of my beloved Blossoming Lotus, Proper Eats, Black Sheep and many, many others. Enter Thrive, a newish (1 year old, maybe?) vegan restaurant in Seattle, conveniently located in our family's neighborhood. It's primarily a raw restaurant, with it's only cooked food being some grains included in some recipes. The decor is warm and inviting. You can purchase some of the ingredients in bulk while you're there. The service is incredible, so friendly and warm you'd think the workers were on something. And they are! They are on their incredible, crave-inducing food that almost created an embarrassing When Harry Met Sally scene, as I had to keep shushing Jim as he exclaimed and made yummy noises with concerning gusto. It's that simple kind of food, healthy and whole foods based, that explodes in your mouth upon contact. Lots of places can make food healthy, but to make a nutritious meal borderline (food)pornographic takes talent and they've got it at Thrive. The pictures aren't so hot, as I was more concerned with stuffing my face than photographing the food, but you'll get the drift. Boutenko's Best smoothie- not quite as green as it normally is (I've had it twice now) as they were out of kale, but SO delicious and refreshing. Made, of course, in a Vita-Mix. Vita-Mix represent! This is the Awaken Bowl, a base of Bhutanese red rice and quinoa with raw zucchini, carrots, scallions, veggies, marinated spinach, avocado and nori with a side of sesame-ginger sauce. This meal is so amazingly satisfying and complex, it blows my mind. Okay, I know this picture is terrible, but we got dessert to-go and it was taken under the dome light of a 24-year-old car. So all things considered, it's a great photo. ;) This dessert... there are no words. Jim likes really traditional desserts, a piece of cake or a cookie. He's not much a "fancy" dessert person. This is a slice of chocolate strawberry swirl mousse pie. All raw. MIND-BLOWING. I don't normally like to share desserts, but the slice was generous and very rich, so I was happy to split it with Jim, who was eagerly spoon-fed as he tried to keep it cool while consuming said mousse pie while driving and keep us on the road. This was literally one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. Period. So while Portland is where my heart is, Thrive has lodged itself firmly in there and I'm gladly making space. And in other news... I'm going to be on TV next week! A local morning show, AM Northwest on KATU news, will be featuring little ol' me on a morning segment next Tuesday on vegan baking as a New Year's resolution to a healthier and friendlier lifestyle. I will post the link to the show once it's up. Horray for vegan baking!

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Kris — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:41:05 +0000

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Kris — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:41:44 +0000

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Kris — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:42:23 +0000

puddin

Kris — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:57:26 +0000

happy new year!

Kris — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:17:08 +0000

Happy New Year! Did you celebrate the New Year in any special way? Dinner, family, friends? Jim and I were feeling a little under the weather (sadly a New Year's tradition with one of us, usually) so we laid low and watch reruns of Seinfeld on my laptop. So exciting. :) As cliched as it is, it's resolution time. Even when you aren't into resolutions it's hard not to feel inclined towards the idea of a fresh start. We all have things we'd like to try/do/improve upon and the beginning of a new year (and decade!) seems like a perfect time to reassess and take stock. So here goes: [caption id="attachment_881" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Beautiful tattoo work by Ximena Quiroz of Skeleton Key Tattoo in Portland"][/caption] 1. 2010 will be the year I truly dedicate to my yoga practice. Some of you may know that I have been a serious budding yogi for some years now, but developing a true home practice and branching into the study of yoga history and theory has been lopsided at best. It has come in fits and spurts and always ends up falling back into asana sandwiched in between the other random things I let get in the way. This year I'm committing to a true, robust practice, integrating yoga into my daily life. 2. Potty-mouth begone! It may come as a surprise, but I am the owner of a serious potty-mouth. I can even make Jim shake his head and he works at a car dealership. My goal is to tone down the cussin' to well-placed expletives that accentuate what I'm saying rather than make me look like I have a limited capacity to express myself. 3. I'm going to start working on another cookbook. A full-on, real meals and the whole she-bang cookbook, not just desserts. I do have a focus, but I'd rather not say anything right now. Things are still in the early stages and with this, yoga and my day job, I'm going to be busy and probably very absent from the blog-o-sphere. I will probably turn into one of those twice-a-month bloggers for some time. But I will definitely keep you guys up on the progress, as well as put a shout-out when I'm looking for some testing assistance. And now, for some food. When I was a kid, I ate a lot of Jell-o products. While it grosses me out to think of eating it now, I have very fond memories. My grandfather would make cherry Jell-o with cans of fruit cocktail suspended in them and boxes of Jell-o pudding and my great-grandma was the queen of fancy multi-layered Jell-o molds. Recently I was overtaken by a craving for pistachio pudding. I've recently become a pistachio eating fool, but this memory of eating a creamy, pistachio flavored food seemed confusing to me. Did my grandpa make pistachio pudding? Does pistachio pudding even exist? It sounded weird. Sure enough, a cruise down the pudding aisle revealed the pistachio pudding does exist and the quest for a homemade version began. A quick survey of the internet showed that not many folks have bothered to make such a thing at home. Most recipes were cringe-inducing dishes involving packages of pistachio pudding and buckets of Cool-Whip. Blorch. I was on my own. I almost cried when I tasted it, so creamy and delicious, it was like being punched in the face by nostalgia, but even better than I remembered. Pistachio Pudding 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, finely ground (I used a coffee grinder that we use exclusively for nuts and seeds and it worked great) 1/2 cup sugar 2 tbsp. corn starch 2 cups milk of choice (I used soy for the fat content) 1/4 teas. vanilla Grind up pistachios and best as possible. You could also try a blender, but I did mine in batches in a coffee grinder. In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Add the ground pistachios and mix. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook pudding on medium/high heat, whisking often, until it comes to a light bowl. Whisking constantly, let lightly boil for about 2 minutes. Lower heat and continue to whisk constantly for 5-8 more minutes, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. If you're having problems with the pistachios clumping up a bit, you can always blend a little with a handmixer. Remove from heat and add vanilla, mixing well. Transfer to heat resistant bowls. Let cool completely before eating. Makes four 1/2 cup servings.

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Kris — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:50:52 +0000

muffins on the boob tube

Kris — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:13:34 +0000

Hey there! I was featured on a morning show here in Portland, talking about vegan baking in the new year. You can check out the segment here. *sorry, it won't let me imbed the video. Yay, vegan baking! Oh, and here is the recipe. You Are My Sunshine Loaf (or Muffins!) This bread is so bright and sunny you can almost feel the sunshine on your face. If California could be made in the form of a bread, this would be it. With its lovely orange color and citrus notes, along with sweet bursts of raisins, this is a welcome breakfast bread on the grayest days. 1- 1/4 cups all-purpose ﬂour 1 cup white-wheat ﬂour (or all-purpose ﬂour) ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup shredded carrots 1 medium apple, peeled and shredded 1- 1/4 cups grain or nut milk ¼ cup oil zest of 1 medium orange juice of one medium orange ½ cup raisins ½ cup walnuts Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with margarine or oil. In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, white-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine shredded carrots, shredded apple and milk and mix until well-combined. Add oil, orange zest and orange juice. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just combined. Gently mix in raisins and walnuts. Spread batter in the loaf pan and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until bread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack until the pan is cool enough to touch, about 40 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the loaf to separate it from the pan, and turn bread out of the pan to finish cooling on a rack. If making muffins, bake in greased or lined muffin tins for 22-25 minutes. Follow cooling instructions for loaf. Store leftover bread (or muffins) covered at room temperature. Yield: 1 loaf, 10 slices or 12 regular sized muffins *this recipe is slightly amended from the version in "The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes". Please see this page for more information.

pistachiocake1

Kris — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:33:52 +0000

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Kris — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:42:36 +0000

cracked is a little whack...

Kris — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:47:48 +0000

Hello there! I hope January was fruitful for everyone. Can you believe it's February ALREADY?! 2010 is shaping up to fly by fast. Other than being busy, not much has changed over here... my pistachio kick is still holding strong. I just can't get enough of their complex aroma, flavor, color... nom. I have been eating a little too much pistachio pudding and looking for other ways to incorporate them. Funnily enough, I heard about the big PR campaign to revamp pistachios after the samonella scare last year... and they have some questionable people at the helm of that campaign. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggB6SsB4DgM&hl=en_US&fs=1&] Hmm... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKPCs6dSsYM&hl=en_US&fs=1&] So what is this supposed to say about pistachio eaters? We're dumb and low-brow? Thankfully for the pistachios they sell themselves, so these silly ads shouldn't slow them down. And some pistachio cake doesn't hurt any, either. I'm on this simple cake kick lately- no layers or elaborate toppings, just good old cake with a flavorful accent. This cake is dense, moist and rich and the aroma... ah! I know some people think that dark chocolate is reserved for pre-holiday baking, but to heck with them! While this would certainly make a delicious holiday cake, I'll eat some dark chocolate anytime! Pistachio Cake with Chocolate Sauce 1 cup ground pistachios 1 3/4 cups flour 1 cup sugar 2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1- 8 oz. container soy cream cheese, room temperature 1 1/3 cups milk of choice (I used almond) 1/4 cup canola oil 1 teas. vanilla 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate 3 tbsp. milk of choice 1 tbsp. margarine pistachios for garnish Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 8 or 9 inch cake pan by greasing and flouring and/or lining the bottom with parchment. In a small bowl combine ground pistachios, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and some of the milk using electric beaters. Incorporate the remaining milk in batches. Add oil and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients with the wet ingredients in batches until batter is just mixed. Spread into pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just some little crumbs clinging to it. To prepare the sauce, combine dark chocolate, milk and margarine in a double boiler and melt until smooth. Serve cake with warm chocolate sauce drizzled on and some pistachio garnish. [caption id="attachment_898" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="nom nom nom..."][/caption]

healthyyum

Kris — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:56:35 +0000

purge

Kris — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:30 +0000

cleaning house contest!

Kris — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:48:59 +0000

This year one of my goals is to have less "stuff". I'm trying to consume less chemical grossness (just because it's vegan, doesn't mean you should eat it...like Baco's) and to purge unnecessary junk from our house. We've really been trying to focus on nourishing our bodies. And with a little prep, it's too easy not to! I make a rice cooker of quinoa or some other grain each Sunday and we've been eating variations on this bowl, with some raw veggies, avocado, maybe some beans and a shoyu/toasted sesame oil sauce that makes for a seriously satisfying meal. By chopping/shredding enough veggies at once to last a couple of days, and having the grains ready, there is no chronic Virgo indecisiveness plaguing our meal times and leaving us eating beans, chips and salsa for the eleventy billionth time. Now, if you know Jim and I, we are professional hobbyists. Between the two of us, we have enough books, documentaries, instruments, technological stuff, craft supplies, tools and kitchen equipment to keep us busy for the rest of our lives! Add to that hectic schedules and, well, the clutter begins. We've also been purging stuff! This was round one of several to the thrift store. Even after moving cross-country twice with each other, we're still bad about holding onto things. While it can be hard, trying to emotionally detach yourself from your possessions is probably one of the healthiest things you can do. It can be hard to not beat yourself up when you see things you know you don't want, but at the time you *had* to have, but there's no point. Someone else will be delighted by it and you'll have that much more physical (and mental) clarity. Just keep that gnawing feeling in mind the next time you try talking yourself into something you don't need. :) (Like the ice cream maker I just bought on sale... wait, though, I need that, right?) What are you trying to remove from your house this year, literally or figuratively? Stopping negative thinking, mean self-talk or the pile of junk that accumulates on your night stand? I'm terrible about leaving my dirty clothes on the floor of the bathroom after I take a shower, we've all got bad habits to shed! Leave a comment about what you're trying to eliminate from your life this year and you'll be entered into a drawing for a copy of my cookbook, nom!nom!nom! buttons and some special secret goodies from Food Fight! Yes- more stuff! ;) Comment before Monday the 15th to be entered!

giveaway

Kris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:46:03 +0000

teese2

Kris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:11:36 +0000

teese1

Kris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:21:44 +0000

teese3

Kris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:22:15 +0000

and the winners are...

Kris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:40:39 +0000

Okay, I couldn't just do one giveaway. When I went to Food Fight the other day to pick up some extra goodies, doubles kept jumping into my basket. Boris and Allison R! Please drop me a line at nomblog {ala} gmail {dot} com and I will get your copies of The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes and these yummy goodies on their way to your door: The book, some nom! nom! nom! buttons, a bag of Dandies marshmallows from Chicago Soy Dairy, some candy bars and gummy goodies. Speaking of Chicago Soy Dairy, I was recently contacted about creating some recipes using Teese, their vegan cheese- so check out the first installment of my teesy-concoctions later this week!

teesy tater tot hotdish

Kris — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:05:47 +0000

Teese Challenge #1: In the Midwest there are casserole dishes, but there are not casseroles. There is hotdish. The essential kind of hotdish: tater tot. Now, I'll be honest with you- my mother never really cooked and I don't care for tater tots, so I never dined on the authentic dish before, but I know that it usually goes something like this: Sauteed onion + ground beef + can of condensed cream of whatever soup + tater tots on top = dinner. Blorch. But when given the opportunity to play with some Teese recently, I wanted to think outside the box. No pizza, cheesy dip would do, this needed to be creative. Enter Teesy Tator Tot Hotdish. Teesy Tator Tot Hotdish Olive oil 1 small onion, diced 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 1 teas. dried basil 1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons 1/2 cup frozen peas (you must have at least one frozen vegetable in it for it to be a real hotdish) 2 veggie sausages, cut into coins 1 tube creamy cheddar Teese 1/2 cup milk of choice (I used almond) Tater tots Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 or smaller casserole (I used a 5 x7, but 8 x 8 would work too, you could always increase your zucchini and mushrooms a little or add more tots!). In a pan, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and sautee until onions become translucent. Add basil and sautee for another minute. Transfer to a large bowl. In same pan, sautee mushrooms until tender. Drain juice and add to bowl with onions. Add zucchini, peas and veggie sausages to bowl. Add Teese and milk and mix with a whisk or spoon until Teese and milk have incorporated and coat veggie mixture (it might look a little lumpy, but that's fine). Pour into casserole dish and cover with frozen tots. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until tots are golden and cheesy mixture is bubbling. You may need to put a baking sheet with parchment under the casserole to catch drips. Allow hotdish to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Makes 3-4 servings. It was darn tasty, dontcha know!

dried chickpeas

Kris — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:11:12 +0000

chickpea1

Kris — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:13:44 +0000

chickpeareplant

Kris — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:15:40 +0000

chickpeaflower

Kris — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:21:02 +0000

chickpeapod

Kris — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:21:56 +0000

adventures in chickpealand...

Kris — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:29:09 +0000

Things will be winding down a bit soon, and I have lots of yumminess to post. Soon, I promise. Until then, we have a chickpea adventure that is slowly unfolding. Let me tell you a little story... Once upon a time, two dried chickpeas were bored. They sat around in a mason jar with all of the other dried chickpeas and nothing happened. Then, one day, a man brought the jar out onto the counter. Something exciting was going to happen! What they didn't realize was that this was no ordinary man, it was the Hummus Man! Then, they saw the pressure cooker. "Oh no!" they thought. "We have to do something or we'll become dinner!" So the two chickpeas schemed their way out of the colander and dropped down into the bottom of the dishwasher, which was slightly ajar. It was dark and a little damp. They didn't know what to do, so they decided to lay low for a couple of days. And then, they sprouted. The Hummus Man found them 3 days later, little white sprouts about 1 1/2 inches long, and decided to float them in some water and give them some sun. Within hours they were green. By the end of the week, the situation had gotten a bit out of hand. So the Hummus Man planted them. And it was good. The chickpea plants spent their days on a high window sill, observing the silly cats who ruled the Hummus Man's home, enjoying the process of photosynthesis and speculating the origins of the plants outside. But two weeks later, the chickpeas had outgrown their little pots, so the Hummus Man had to replant them. The Hummus Man was so kind to them, repotting them in pretty new terra cotta pots with three times as much room, giving them water and staring at them adoringly, so they decided to give him a present. Because no one had taken the time to explain the cycle of life to the chickpeas, they didn't know what it meant to become deflowered. Oops. "Oh my!" said the one chickpea plant to the other, "I'm with child!" "Me, too!" said the other plant! And so the story continues... Believe it or not, we've gone from dried bean to three-foot-tall plant in 4 weeks. :) Given that neither Jim nor I have ever kept anything which you plant alive before, this is going quite well. Here is some more info on chickpeas and how they grow. Stay tuned to the chickpea saga! It's like a foodie soap opera!

nomheader2010kitteh.jpg

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:44:36 +0000

http://nomnomnomblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/nomheader2010kitteh.jpg

nomheader2010kitteh1.jpg

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:53:20 +0000

http://nomnomnomblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/nomheader2010kitteh1.jpg

sweets/desserts

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:05:50 +0000

Inspired by my BFF Amy's love of summer fruit and inappropriate taste in music, along with the flavors of the famous Peach Melba, this cake is incredibly impressive for minimal effort. The peach cake is tender and delicious and becomes intoxicating when paired with the raspberry creme topping. Amy's "Huh What" Peach Cake Raspberry Creme: 1 12 oz. package firm aseptic tofu 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teas. vanilla Peach Cake: 3-4 ripe but firm peaches, pitted and sliced into 3/4-1 inch segments 2 tbsp. sugar 2 tbsp. cold margarine 1 1/2 cups flour 2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1/4 cup applesauce 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup oil 3/4 cup milk 1 teas. vanilla Preheat oven to 350. Grease well and flour an 8 inch cake round and line the bottom with parchment. If you do not use parchment, be sure to grease the bottom really well or use a springform pan to ensure the peaches will release. To make the Raspberry Creme: In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, raspberries, sugar and vanilla. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a separate container and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. In the bottom of the prepared baking pan, sprinkle the 2 tbsp of sugar and chop and scatter the 2 tbsp of margarine. Arrange the peach slices in a single solid circle, covering the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, cream together the applesauce and brown sugar. Add the oil, milk and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just incorporated. Spread the batter over the peach mixture, being careful not to disturb the peaches. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until cake is browned and a toothpick comes out cleanish (because of the peaches, it will not be completely clean). Remove cake from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before loosening edge and inverting onto serving platter. Let sit for a few moments as peaches release and carefully remove the cake pan. Serve cake warm with Raspberry Cream. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge. Abricot Tart 1/2 pie crust recipe 1 12.3 oz aseptic package silken firm tofu 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup almond meal 1 teas. vanilla 1 teas. almond extract 1/4 cup milk of choice 1 lb. apricots, washed, pitted and quartered 2 tbsp. apricot jam, optional Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan or pie tin. In a food processor or blender, combine tofu and sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the almond meal, extracts and milk. Blend until smooth and well incorporated. Press pie crust into the prepared pan and fill with almond mixture. Press apricot quarters into the almond cream mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the edges of the crust are browned and the top of the tart is golden and center is solid. Remove tart from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. While still warm, brush with preserves. Store covered in fridge. Fudgie Wudgies 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (preferably Dutch pressed), sifted 6 tbsp. margarine, melted 1- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree) 2 teas. of vanilla 2 teas. instant coffee granules (optional, but definitely add that sumpin', sumpin') 3/4 cup flour 1/2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup pecans (yay, debris!) Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan or line with parchment. In a large bowl, mix together sugar and cocoa until cocoa is mixed in. Add melted margarine and mix until mixture begins to get clumpy then add pumpkin puree. Add vanilla and coffee and mix well to break up any clumps and to dissolve the coffee. I highly recommend using electric beaters, it will also help with the dry mixture. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry to wet and mix until combined and there are no clumps. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 35-38 minutes or until top of brownies looks set and a toothpick comes out with a fudgy coating, but not wet with batter. Let cool completely (or for as long as you can stand it) before serving. Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake (from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes) Prep time: 35 minutes Difficulty level: 4 whisks (rated from 1-5 in terms of difficulty, but it's not so difficult as it is detailed) I love pumpkin. The only thing I love more than pumpkin is cheesecake. The combination: a Thanksgiving masterpiece. This is a moist, dense cheesecake, mixed with the spiced pumpkin swirls and intense cinnamon ribbons laced through it, you'll want to save room for this one. You don't have to bake this cake in a water bath, but you certainly can for slightly creamier results and without the top cracking (like the pictures, which were from a non-water bathed cake). Crust: 3/4 cup flour 1 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup margarine, softened 1 teas. molasses 1 tbsp. milk Filling: 2 8 oz. containers of soy cream cheese 1 aseptic container firm tofu- Mori Nu brand is what I use 1 cup of sugar, divided 3 tbsp. cornstarch 2 teas. vanilla 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) 2 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1 teas. milk 1 tbsp. cinnamon Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. First, make the crust. In a small bowl mix together the flour, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and sugar. Add the margarine, molasses and milk and combine until crumbly. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform and bake for 12 minutes. While crust is baking, combine cream cheese, tofu, 1/2 cup of the sugar, 2 tbsp of the cornstarch and vanilla in a food processor or blender. Blend well until all is incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour 1 1/2 cups of mixture into a bowl and set aside. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon of corn starch, pumpkin pie puree and pumpkin pie spice. Process until well blended. From reserved, vanilla cheesecake mixture reserve 3 tablespoons in a small bowl. Add milk and 1 tablespoon cinnamon to the reserved 3 tablespoons. Mix well to incorporate. In the springform pan, alternate 1/2 cups of the vanilla and pumpkin cheesecake mixtures on top of the crust. Drizzle the cinnamon mixture on top of the vanilla and pumpkin in thick stripes. Lightly wiggle the pan to help the contents settle. Draw a knife though the batter several times to marble the batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes, (in a water bath, if using) until center is still slightly jiggily but set. Let cool completely then let set in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Best if made the night before so the spices have time to meld. Store leftover cake covered, in fridge. Yields: 12 slices Cookies for Two 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp flour 1/4 teas. baking soda spinkle of salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup margarine, softened splash of vanilla splash of vegan milk of choice 3 tbsp. to 1/4 cup chocolate chips Cookie Coating (optional) 1 tbsp sugar 1/4 teas. fleur de sel Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl cream together the margarine and sugar. Add vanilla and milk. Add dry ingredients to wet in batches until well combined. Add chocolate chips. Roll tablespoon sized dough balls in the Cookie Coating (if using) and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies have risen, spread and the edges are set. Let cool completely (well, not too completely) before serving. Makes 8 cookies. Cherry Clafoutis from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes Prep time before baking: 10 minutes Skill level: 2 whisks 1/2 package firm aseptic silken tofu 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1 cup milk (I've used soy, almond and Trader Joe's new grain milk, all with success) 1 teas. vanilla 1 1/2 cups cherries (can use pitted fresh cherries, thawed and drained frozen cherries or canned cherries which have been drained and rinsed from their syrup. You can opt to make it traditionally with unpitted cherries, but you can't hold me accountable for chipped teeth) Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie tin. In a food processor, process silken tofu and sugar until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, salt and half of the milk. Process until smooth. Add second half of the milk and the vanilla and process until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle cherries evenly across pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 425, then lower temperature to 350 and back for an additional 20-25 until edges are set and middle is still a little jiggly. Let cool on cooling rack at least 25 minutes before serving. Best served warm. Store leftover clafoutis covered in fridge. Yields: 1 cake, 12 slices Chocolate Semolina Pomegranate Cake I made two 4 inch cakes, but this could easily be adapted to an 8 or 9 inch round. Cake: 1 cup semolina flour 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup baking cocoa 3/4 cup sugar 2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1/3 cup agave 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted 2/3 cup milk (I used the new multigrain milk from Trader Joe's) Sauce: 2 cups pomegranate seeds 2 tbsp. agave 2 tbsp. water 1/4 teas. cornstarch 1/8 teas. sugar 1 small vanilla bean or 1/4 teas. high quality extract Preheat oven to 350. Grease and/or line your baking pan(s). In a large bowl, sift together semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and baking cocoa. Add sugar, baking powder and salt and combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, melted chocolate and agave until well combined. Add milk and whisk. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet, mixing until well combined and there are no large clumps. Spread batter in pan and bake for 22-26 minutes (for small cakes). While cakes are baking, combine pomegranate seeds, agave and water in a small pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until the seeds become soft, about 7 minutes. Mash with a potato masher as best you can. Strain mixture into a bowl with a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the seeds with the back of a large spoon to extract as much juice as possible. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and sugar. Return pomegranate mixture to pot along with cornstarch mixture and vanilla. Whisk and cook on medium/high heat to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes than remove from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes. Serve cake warm with warm sauce on top and additional pomegranate seeds to garnish. Strawberry Lemonade Cheesepie (from 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes) Prep time before baking: 45 minutes Skill level: 4 whisks ½ Basic Pie Crust recipe (recipe can be found here) 1- 8 oz. container vegan cream cheese ½ cup plus 2 tbsp. yogurt (equivalent to 1- 6 oz. container) 1 aseptic container firm silken tofu (Mori-Nu) 1 cup sugar 1 teas. vanilla 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 teas. lemon zest (*note, if you like a very strong lemony flavor, double the amount of juice and zest) Strawberry Topping: ¼ cup sugar 1 tbsp. cornstarch 1 1/4 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, chopped ¼ cup water Preheat oven to 350. Roll out pie crust and fit to a 9 inch pie dish. Trim edges and crimp. Use pie weights or dried beans on top of parchment to weigh down the crust and bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Combine cream cheese, yogurt, tofu and sugar in a food processor or blender until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Add vanilla, lemon juice and zest until incorporated. Pour mixture into pie crust. Place pie dish in a larger cookie sheet with high sides. Add enough warm water to the cookie come up to the middle of the outside of the pie dish. This is called a water bath and will keep your pie from cracking, as well as keep it creamy without it getting a skin. If water evaporates while baking, add more water as needed, but only hot water so you do not shock your bake ware and risk it cracking. Bake pie for 1 hour. Center may not look completely set, but will firm up while cooling. Remove from oven and remove from water bath to cool on cooling rack. While pie is baking, prepare strawberry topping. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add strawberries and water and mix to combine. Over medium-high heat bring to a boil, continuously stirring. Once it reaches boiling, lower to medium. Cook until strawberries get soft and mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let topping cool completely, occasionally stirring to keep a skin from forming. Spread cooled strawberry topping on to cooled cheesepie. Let set in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Store leftover pie covered, in fridge. [caption id="attachment_306" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Boston Cream Pie from Damn Tasty and 100 Best"][/caption] Yields: 12 slices Boston Cream Pie Prep time: 45 minutes, including time to make filling Cake: 2 cups flour, sifted 1 teas. baking powder 1 teas. baking soda 1/2 teas. salt 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. yogurt (equal to 1- 6 oz. container) 2 teas. vanilla 1 1/2 cups milk Cream Filling: 1/3 cup sugar 2 tbsp. plus 1 teas. cornstarch 1/8 teas. salt 1 1/2 cups milk 1 teas. margarine 1 teas. vanilla Ganache: 1/4 cup margarine 1/2 cup chocolate chips 3 tbsp. milk, room temperature Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake rounds and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl combine sugar and vegetable oil. Add soy yogurt and vanilla and mix until creamy. Mix in milk. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in batches and mix combined. Even divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on rack. While cakes are cooling, prepare cream filling. In a saucepan combine sugar, salt and cornstarch. Add milk and whisk together. Bring the mixture to a light boil over medium heat while whisking constantly. Lower to a simmer and whisk until thickened, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add margarine and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely, stirring every few minutes. Filling will continue to thicken as it cools. To make the ganache, in a small sauce pan, over medium-low heat, melt the margarine completely, stirring constantly. Add milk and whisk to combine. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring rapidly to melt. Let cool completely to room temperature, stirring from time to time to keep a crust from developing. Spread cream filling between cake layers. Top cake with ganache. Let cake set in fridge for at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge 10 minutes before serving to let ganache soften for easier cutting. Store leftover cake covered, in fridge. Lemon Drop Cookies Prep time: 15 minutes When I first went to college, I basically lived off of powder sugar-coated lemon wafer cookies that were made by a major cookie manufacturer. Naturally, because I liked them, they stopped making them about a year after I got hooked and I spent nearly a decade feeling sorry for myself before realizing that I didn't care about their silly cookies- I could make my own! These little cookies are crisp and tart, with the powdered sugar taking the edge off and adding a sweet coolness to each bite. 1/2 cup margarine, softened 1/2 cup shortening, room temp 3/4 cup sugar juice from 1 lemon 2 teas. lemon zest 2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar for coating Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and shortening until smooth. Mix sugar to combine, then incorporate lemon juice and zest. Add flour in small batches until well incorporated. Spoon teaspoon sized balls of dough onto cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 8- 10 minutes until edges are set and are slightly browned. If baking both sheets at the same time, switch shelves halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool completely before coating each cookie in powdered sugar. To coat, us a fork to support each cookie and roll cookie on each side to coat in sugar. Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies *For best results, zest the lemon before juicing. You can use the small holes on a grater for a fine zest. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 50 for baking and additional cool time Best Basic Pie Crust (from 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes): 2 1/2 cups flour 1 tbsp. sugar 1/4 teas. salt 1 cup margarine, cold, cut into chunks 1/4 - 1/2 cup cold water In a large food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to blend. Add the margarine and pulse mixture until it becomes a course meal. Slowly add in water, 2 tbsp at a time, until a dough comes together. Divide dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Dough can be frozen up to 1 month. Alternatively, combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, blend in margarine until mixture becomes a a course meal. Add water 2 tbsp at a time and rapidly mix together until a dough comes together. Yields: 2 crusts for 1 pie or 2 bottom crusts Pie filling: 1 cup sugar 3 tbsp. corn starch 1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1/2 teas. vanilla extract 1 lb. rhubarb, washed and cut into 1/2- 3/4 inch chunks 1 lb. strawberries, washed and cut into quarters Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and vanilla bean scrapings. If using extract, reserve. Mix well until there are no clumps. Add rhubarb and strawberries and mix to coat. Let fruit mixture macerate for 10-15 minutes. If using extract, add at this time. While fruit is macerating, roll out crusts to fit a 9 inch pie tin. Fit in bottom crust and pour in fruit filling, scraping any residual sugar mixture into the crust. Cut out an air vent in the top crust, or make a few small slits and then cover filled crust with top crust. Pinch edges together and cut off any remaining crust. Brush top crust with a little water and sprinkle on a little sugar. Bake for 30 minutes with a pie shield or some tin foil overing the edges of the crust. Remove pie shield and bake for an additional 18-22 minutes. The filling should be bubbling if you can see it and the crust should be golden. You may need to place a cookie sheet or some tin foil below the tin to catch potential drips. Remove pie from oven and let cool completely before serving, at least 4 hours. If you cut it at this time, it may still be a little juicy, but with a couple of additional hours the filling will be completely set. Peanut Butter Chocolate Silk Pie 1 chocolate cookie pie crust (most prepared ones are vegan) 1/2 cup chocolate chips 12 oz (one aseptic, vacuum-sealed box) firm silken tofu 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 tbsp corn starch 1/2 cup vegan milk, divided and room temperature 1 teas. vanilla Over a double boiler melt chocolate until smooth and creamy. Add 1/4 cup of vegan milk (room temperature is important, as cold milk will make the chocolate seize!) and whisk until smooth. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of mixture into the bottom of the pie crust and let set in fridge until chocolate has hardened. Let rest of chocolate mixture cool to room temperature. In a food processor combine all other ingredients, starting with the tofu, except for the additional 2 tbsp of peanut butter. Blend for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Pour out about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a bowl. Add cooled, melted chocolate to the mixture and blend again until well mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove pie crust from fridge and spread remaining 2 tbsp of peanut butter over the chocolate bottom. Pour chocolate filling mixture into the crust. Spoon the reserved peanut butter filling on top, pouring it as stripes, and draw a knife though the stripes to make pretty, swirling patterns. Set in fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. Pie will have a thick and creamy, pudding-like filling but should hold up well and make stable pieces. Peppermint Pucks 1/3 cup corn syrup 3 tablespoons soy milk 2 teas. peppermint extract 4-5 cups sifted powdered sugar 3 cups chopped dark chocolate 2 tablespoons shortening In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the corn syrup and the soy milk. Add the extract and begin working in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, until thickened to a point where you can roll it into patties. Dough will be sticky. Dust a sheet of waxed paper with some powdered sugar and begin making 2 inch patties, coating them in powdered sugar before placing them on the sheet. Let them dry for one hour before flipping, let the other side dry for 1 hour. They will be soft, but should hold together with a little reshaping. In a double boiler melt down most of the chocolate, reserving the shortening and 1/2 cup of the chocolate. Once melted, add remaining chocolate and shortening, stirring well until all is melted and incorporated. Let cool. Laying them on a fork, quickly dip the patties one at a time in the chocolate mixture. You will have to be quick, as the chocolate will start to affect the patty. Place them on waxed paper. If you don't get them coated completely, you can always drizzle some chocolate on top of them with a spoon. Let them set at room temperature (takes awhile, up to 24 hours depending on humidity and room temp) or toss them in the fridge or freezer. We like ours cold. Makes 24 patties. Chocolate Peanut Butter Shells Dry: 1-1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup baking cocoa 1/2 teas. baking soda Wet: 1/2 cup margarine, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup soy milk 1 teas. vanilla Peanut Butter Filling: 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar 3/4 cup peanut butter- chunky is great! 1/3 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. In a large bowl beat together margarine, sugar, brown sugar. Add milk. Beat well. Gently mix in the flour mixture about 1/3 at a time until incorporated. For the filling, combine powdered sugar and peanut butter in a mixing bowl and beat until sugar is absorbed and peanut butter feels stiffer. Add chocolate chips. It should be a pretty solid mixture because you want to form it into little balls. If it’s still oily or thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Using a piece of dough just a bit smaller than the size of a golf ball, flatten the dough into a disc on a piece of parchment paper. Place a heaping teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture on the center of the dough. Carefully fold chocolate dough over the peanut butter ball and seal the edges. Roll dough into a ball. If the dough gets dry, add a splash of milk to moisten it. Place balls on baking sheet, seam down, about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 8 minutes, until the surface begins to slightly crack. Let cool for 1 minute on the sheet then transfer to cooling rack. Makes about 2 dozen. *The dough should be similar in texture and malleability to Play-doh.

breakfasty

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:05:57 +0000

Cinnamon Toast Yum Pancakes 1 1/2 cups flour 3 tbsp. sugar 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/8 teas. salt 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups milk of choice 1/4 cup water 1 tbsp. oil 1/2 teas. vanilla 1 1/2 teas. cinnamon 1 tbsp. + 1 teas. sugar In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl combine milk, water, oil and vanilla and mix to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until just mixed, it may be a little lumpy and that's fine. Add more milk if needed. In a little bowl combine the cinnamon and 1 tbsp. sugar. Heat up a griddle to medium heat. Sprinkle a small coating of the cinnamon mixture where you will put your batter, then ladle out the batter on top of it. Sprinkle the exposed side of the pancake with an equal amount. Flip pancake when edges look slightly firmed up and it bubbles a little in the middle. Overcooking can burn the sugar. Cook on other side until puffy bottom is lightly browned. Continue with the rest of the batter. Serve with margarine and syrup. Yields: 6 medium sized pancakes Pumpkin Butter Pancakes 1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1/2 white whole wheat and 1/2 all-purpose) 1 tbsp. sugar 2 teas. baking powder 1/2 teas. baking soda 1/2 teas. cinnamon 1/4 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1/4 teas. salt 1 cup pumpkin butter 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups milk of choice 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp. oil 1/2 teas. vanilla In a large bowl combine flour through salt. In another bowl combine the pumpkin butter, milk, water, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk to combine. Add more liquid as needed. Let batter sit while heating your griddle. Ladle batter onto griddle using a measuring cup to ensure equally sized pancakes. Let pancakes cook until edges are set and middle begins to bubble then flip, about 3 minutes. Cook other side for about 1-2 minutes. This will depend on how big your cakes are (we like 'em big!). Yields 6 good sized pancakes. Serve with a smear of pumpkin butter and some syrup. We're completely in love the with agave/maple blend from Trader Joe's right now. Cheesecake For Your Pumpkin Pie Hole Muffins Muffin: 2 1/4 cups flour (I used 1 1/4 white whole wheat and 1 all-purp) 3/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 2 1/2 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1- 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) 1 cup milk 1/3 cup oil 1 tbsp. molasses 1/2 teas. vanilla Filling: 2/3 container soy cream cheese (8 oz container, I used Tofutti) 1/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp. plus 2 teas. cornstarch 1/2 teas. vanilla 1 teas. lemon juice Topping: 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 2 tbsp. coarse sugar Preheat oven to 400. Line a muffin tin with liners or grease lightly. Begin by making the filling. In a small bowl, using the back of a fork, mix the cream cheese until creamy. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the cream cheese. Add vanilla and lemon juice and mix to combine. Let filling rest in fridge until ready to use. In a medium sized bowl, combine muffin ingredients starting with flour through pumpkin pie spice. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, oil, vanilla and molasses until smooth. Add flour ingredients in batches until incorporated. Spoon muffin batter into muffin tins until just below the rim. Remove filling from fridge and scoop into a pastry bag with a fat tip. Pipe the filling into the middle of each muffin evenly, pushing tip down into the middle of the muffin and lifting it up as you pipe. Alternately, if you do not have a pastry bag, you can carefully spoon the filling into the middle of each muffin. Sprinkle tops of muffins with pumpkin seeds and coarse sugar. Bake for 19-21 minutes for regular sized muffins or 27-29 for jumbo muffins, until a toothpick comes out of the side of the muffin clean and cheesecake part is puffy and golden. Yields: 12 regular sized or 6 jumbo muffins Lemon Oat Muffins with Cranberries and Walnuts 1 3/4 cups white wheat flour (all-purpose is fine, too) 3/4 cup traditional oats, coarsely ground 3/4 cup sugar 1 teas. baking powder 1 teas. baking soda 1/8 teas. salt 1/2 cup applesauce 1/3 cup oil 1 1/4 cups milk (soy, almond, rice, etc) juice and zest of 1 lemon 1/2 teas. vanilla 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup walnuts coarse sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 400. Line muffin tin with liners or grease each cup. In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce and oil. Add the milk, lemon juice and zest and the vanilla and mix well. Let sit for a few minutes. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon evenly into muffin cups until cups are just full. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar, if using. Bake regular-sized muffins for 18-22 minutes and jumbo for 25-28 or until a toothpick comes out clean. [caption id="attachment_274" align="aligncenter" width="452" caption="French Toast Muffins- 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes"][/caption] French Toast Muffins Prep time before baking: 20 minutes 2 1/4 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar 2 teas. baking powder 1/8 teas. salt 1 teas. cinnamon 1 1/4 cups milk 1/3 cup oil 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. yogurt (equivalent to 1- 6 oz. container of soy yogurt) 1 1/2 teas. maple extract 1/2 teas. vanilla cinnamon and powered sugar to dust tops of muffins Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease with margarine or oil, or line with paper liners, 6 jumbo or 12 regular sized muffin cups. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, oil, yogurt, maple extract and vanilla to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2 batches until just mixed. Fill each muffin tin to just just below full. Bake for 18-20 minutes for regular sized muffins or 25-30 for jumbo muffins until lightly golden and a tooth pick comes out clean. Remove muffins from oven and let cool completely before removing from tin. Sift powdered sugar and cinnamon on top of each muffin. Store leftover muffins covered at room temperature. Yields: 12 regular sized or 6 jumbo muffins *For extra maple goodness, combine 1 tbsp. of maple syrup with 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar and glaze the tops of the muffins with the maple topping before sifting on the cinnamon and powdered sugar. [caption id="attachment_80" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Blueberries & Cream Sauce"][/caption] Blueberries and Cream Sauce Makes 1 1/2 cups 1/2 cup sugar 1 tbsp. plus 1 teas cornstarch 1 cup milk of choice (the higher the fat content, the thicker it will be, the sauce pictured was made with almond milk, which is a thin milk) 1/2 teas. good quality vanilla 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed and drained In a small saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Whisk in milk and cook over medium-high heat to a boil, while whisking. Lower to a simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Add vanilla and cook for one more minute. Remove from heat and pour sauce into a bowl. Let chill in fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes or until it is a bit more set, but still warm. Add blueberries and lightly mix to combine. Do not overmix blueberries or sauce will look blueish/grey. Serve warm or cold over pancakes or waffles.

savory/meals

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:26:12 +0000

Curried Carrot Soup This soup is invigorating, satisfying and a delight to sniff. To smell, I mean. Lovely as it is, I would not recommend ingesting this soup through the nose. 2 tbsp. olive oil small onion, diced 1/2 teas. salt 1/2 inch ginger, minced 2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped 1 tbsp. curry powder 5 cups water 1/8-1/4 teas. cayenne, to taste (remember, the heat will increase as it sits and the flavor sets up, so it's best to start small and increase in tinny, little increments) 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (can use low fat, if desired) 1 teas. cinnamon raisins to garnish In a large stockpot, heat oil. Add onion and saute for about 2 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add salt ginger and continue sauteing until onions and ginger are soft and fragrant. Add curry powder and stir to coat onion/ginger mixture. Add carrots, water and cayenne. Bring mixture to a low boil than lower temperature and simmer mixture with a lid, stirring often, until carrots are tender and break apart easily with a fork, about 25 minutes. Using an immersion blender, or in batches in a standing blender, puree soup mixture. Return to stockpot, if using standing blender, and add coconut milk and cinnamon. Mix to combine and let coconut milk heat through. Serve soup with raisins for a delicious flavor contrast. Serves 5-6 Vichyssoise This soup's origins are debated, but it's creamy and addictive flavor is undeniably good. You can always use onions in place of the shallot. 1 tbsp. margarine 3 medium leeks, washed and finely chopped 1 shallot, minced 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped 1/2 teas. salt 4 cups veggie broth 1 cup soy milk or creamer (other non-dairy will work, but may separate) black pepper and spring onions to garnish In a stockpot, melt margarine over medium heat. Add leeks and shallot and sautee until translucent. Add potatoes and veggie broth and mix to combine. Simmer with lid on until potatoes are tender and break apart easily with a fork. Add soy milk and stir. You can puree this soup in several different ways. Reserving much of the liquid, you can puree it in your food processor and then whisk in the liquid. You can also use a blender or an immersion blender directly in the pot. Transfer blended soup into a heat resistant bowl, cover, and put in fridge to chill. Serve soup with fresh cracked pepper and spring onions to garnish. Pierogi Yields: 30 pierogi Dough: 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed 2 tbsp. water 2 cups flour 1/2 teas. salt 2 tbsp. oil 1 cup water In a small bowl, combine flax with 2 tbsp of water. Whisk and let sit to thicken. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour and add the oil, water and flax mixture. Mix until well combined, kneading on a clean surface until a nice dough comes together. Roll out dough to 1/16 inch thickness and cut into 3 inch circles using a biscuit cutter or the mouth of a tall drinking glass. You will need to reknead the scraps and roll them out to cut out all 30 pieces of dough. Fill with prepared filling, scooping 1-2 tablespoons of filling onto one side of the dough circles. Fold over dough and pinch to seal. Submerge sealed pierogi in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until they float, and remove. If freezing, place in a single layer on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze for several hours until frozen. Remove and put frozen pierogi in a freezer bag. Good for up to 6 months. If cooking after boiling, sautee pierogi in melted margarine (and onions, if savory pierogi) until lightly browned and crisp on the bottom. Flip over and let the tops cook lightly. Serve savory pierogi with sour cream and spring onions or chives. Sprinkle sweet pierogi with powdered sugar. Potato filling: (fills 30 pierogi) 2 large potatoes- Red or Yukons (not too starchy, but not too creamy) 1 tbsp. light miso (optional) 3-4 tbsp. margarine 1/4 cup roasted garlic or 3 cloves raw garlic, minced 2 tbsp. minced raw onion milk as needed Peel, chop and boil potatoes in water until soft when pierced with a fork. Drain water and add miso, margarine, garlic and onion. Mash ingredients together with a potato masher, adding milk as needed, until mixture is mixed through. Potatoes should be well blended, but not too creamy, they need to able to hold up in the dough. Let cool before using. Mango Chutney 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1/2 teas. red pepper flakes 1 medium red onion, diced 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1 large ripe mango, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups) 1 tbsp. sugar 2 tbsp. mild vinegar (I used rice vinegar) In a pan over medium low heat, heat oil. Add red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds. Add onion and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add ginger and bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mango and mix well. In a small bowl, combine sugar and vinegar and then add to mango mixture. Cook covered, stirring often, until mango starts to soften, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer chutney to a bowl to cool. Then, I needed to make my aioli. Garlic Cilantro Aioli 3/4 cup vegan mayo 1 medium sized clove garlic, crushed 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until cilantro is chopped and well-combined. And then, of course, the star of our show. I decided to try using the garam masala in the batter for the zucchini. I wasn't sure if I was going to do zucchini coins or thin strips, until I spied these little guys at the farmer's market. You can't quite tell from the picture, but these zucchini were tiny, just a bit thicker than a finger. I cut them into fourths. If you can't find zucchini this little you should cut your zucchini into thin coins. Fried Zucchini Masala 1 1/2 cups zucchini ( cut into thin strips or coins) 1 cup flour 1 1/2 teas. garam masala 1/4 teas. salt 1 1/4 cups soy milk oil for frying Wash and cut zucchini to desired size. When it comes to frying a vegetable, it is better to err on the side of thinness. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, garam masala, and salt. Whisk together to combine. Whisk in milk, to a thickness similar to pancake batter. In a large pan, heat about 3/4 inch of oil on med-high heat. Oil is ready when a small piece of zucchini sizzles on contact. Dip zucchini in batter (you can mix them all in and just let them sit in the batter if you want. Carefully fry dipped zucchini in small batches (to avoid contact) until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Serve with aioli and chutney. Savory Holiday Tart 1 recipe pie crust, minus sugar (I used white whole wheat flour to make it more savory) 1 medium onion or 2-3 shallots, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups cremini mushrooms, rinsed and sliced 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed white wine thyme (finely chopped) rosemary (finely chopped) 1/4 cup nutritional yeast soy sauce balsamic vinegar margarine 3-4 cups of pearl onions, skin peeled (You could also make regular caramelized onions to top, if you don't want to deal with the pearl onions) sprinkling of sugar Make pie crust per directions. Wrap and let chill in fridge. In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in some oil. Add mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are cooked down. Drain off any liquid. Add chickpeas and saute for about 10 minutes on medium stirring often and adding splashes of wine to deglaze the pan as needed. Add nutritional yeast and herbs to your liking (I used about 2 tbsp. of thyme and 2 teas. of rosemary. Add a nice splash of soy sauce, about 2 tbsp, and a small splash of balsamic vinegar, about 1 tbsp max. Mix to combine and spoon mixture into a food processor. Process while adding more wine as needed and scraping down the sides of the processor, to make a mixture like a thick pate. Set aside. In a pan, melt a about 1-2 tbsp. of margarine. Add peeled pearl onions. Sprinkle with a little sugar and cook on a medium heat, stirring often, until onions are translucent and they begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add wine as needed to deglaze. Remove pie crust from oven. Press crust into the bottom and sides of a 12- inch tart pan. You may not use all of the crust, depending on how thick you make it. Spread in chickpea mixture and smooth with a spatula. Top with onions. Bake at 400 covered with tin foil for about 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 or until top is set. Let tart sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. You can easily prep this recipe the night before and refrigerate it, drive 5 1/2 hours in holiday traffic and bake it upon arrival. I feel about 95% confident that you could also bake it the night before, cool and refrigerate and then reheat it in a 350 oven for about 15-20 minutes with tin foil on it. Vegan Pizza Rolls 1/2 cup warm water 1/2 teas. sugar 1 package rapid-rise yeast (1/4 oz or 2 1/4 teas.) 1/4 cup margarine, melted 1 1/2 cups flour 1/4. teas. salt 1/2 cup vegan pepperoni, chopped 1 cup vegan mozzarella, shredded (I used Teese) 3 tbsp. dried oregano marinara or pizza sauce for dipping In a large bowl, combine water and sugar and stir. Add yeast and let sit until foamy, about 3 minutes. In another bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the margarine to the water mixture and then add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a clean, floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding flour as needed. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450. I recommend using a pizza stone if you have one. Prepare pepperoni, mozzarella and oregano. Roll out dough into a 18 x 24 inch square and cut into strips about 1 1/4 inch by 3 inches. On one side of each strip, place a pinch of each filling component. You need to be able to fold and seal them, so keep that in mind when filling them. Roll over the naked side of the strip to cover the filling and pinch to seal. You may need to brush with a little water to get the dough to seal. If they don't look beautiful now, don't worry. They will get nice and puffy when they bake. Brush or spray with a light coating of olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the oven, until lightly browned. You can also bake them for about 9 minutes in a toaster oven at 400 degrees. They will turn out fine, but the bottoms won't be as crispy. Serve warm with marinara sauce. They reheat beautifully in a toaster oven. Makes, approximately 30 rolls. SEITAN CROCK POT ROAST This seitan is extra nice because it requires no kneading. It is wrapped in cheesecloth and tied up with kitchen twine. The seitan works against this confinement while it cooks, kneading itself for a tender but firm texture. Makes a large seitan roast, for a 5.5 quart crock pot. Easily feeds 4-6 people. 2 cups vital wheat gluten 1/4 cup flour 1/2 teas. ground pepper 1/2 teas. salt 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cups water 1 tbsp ground sage 1 tbsp dried oregano In a large bowl, combine first 4 dry ingredients. In a food processor, finely chop the onion, celery and garlic. Add to a small bowl with olive oil, water, sage, and oregano and whisk to combine. Add wet to dry mixture and combine well. Let sit for about 5 minutes to let the gluten plump up. If you like "meatier" seitan, you can knead it for about 3 minutes to make it chewier. Unroll a piece of cheesecloth twice as big as the roast. Lay the roast on one end and roll to cover twice. Secure with kitchen twine. Mix 4 cups of veggie stock with 1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce and 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil. Place roast in the bottom of the crock-pot and fill it in with chopped onion, garlic cloves, potatoes and carrots, if you choose. Pour veggie stock mixture over it. Add water as needed to make sure roast is covered with liquid. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until potatoes are soft, rotating the roast once, if you are around (no biggie if you're not).

canning/jams

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:02:57 +0000

Here is afull jam making tutorial and recipe for Marion's Plum Mad about Blueberry Jam Marion's Plum Mad About Blueberry Jam yields 6-7 half pint (8 oz) jars 3 cups plums, washed and pitted 3 cups marionberries, washed 3 cups blueberries, washed 4 cups sugar juice from 1 lemon 2 tbsp. pectin Roughly chop plums (with skins on) and marionberries. Combine fruit in a large stock pot. Add the sugar (reserving 1/2 cup) and the lemon juice, and cook over medium heat, stirring often. Once it comes to simmer crush up the fruit, gently, with a potato masher. I like my jam chunky, so I don't crush it up too much, but this is your call. By crushing up the fruit we also release some of the natural pectin in it, which interacts with the acidity in the lemon juice, helping it gel. Around now I toss a saucer or small plate in the freezer to get it cold. Once the jam comes to a boil, mix up my remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the pectin, so the pectin doesn't clump. This is added to the jam and mixed well to combine. Lower the heat to medium and let the jam bubble and burp for about 15-20 minutes, stirring continuously, until it begins to thicken. Using the cold saucer, check a spoonful of jam for the wrinkle test. Once the jam is set, you can start to fill your jars. If your jam has a lot of foam on the top of it, skim it off as best you can. Fill sterilized jars and process according to manufacturer's directions. Vanilla Bing Jam Makes 4 1/2 pints 4 lbs of chopped Bing cherries, weighed after pitting juice of 1 medium lemon 2 cups of sugar 1 box of pectin (1.75 oz) 2 large vanilla beans Place chopped cherries in a stockpot and combine with lemon juice. It's very easy to chop the cherries with a food processor. Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until cherries begin to break down and release a lot of juice. In a small bowl, combine sugar with pectin and add to cherries after initial cook time. Combine well, stirring often and bring to a low boil. Once mixture comes to a boil, slice open vanilla beans and scrape seeds into jam. Continue cooking until it begins to thicken, about 15-20 minutes. Test for gel by spooning a bit of jam on a plate and putting it in the freezer for 1 minute. After the minute, remove it from the freezer and push the edge with your finger. If it wrinkles up from the pressure of your finger, it is ready. If not, let it cook for 3 minute intervals, checking the gel after each interval. Spoon hot jam into sterilized canning jars and follow good canning practices for storing your jam. Let jam sit for at least 12 hours to set up. *Alternately, you can use pure vanilla extract, 1 teas. added after jam reaches gelling consistency. **For the Rainier variation, sub Rainiers for the Bings and omit the vanilla. Strawberry Rhubarb Jam It's a pretty quick recipe. I made two batches of it for my 8 half-pint yield. Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Yields 4 half-pint (8 oz) jars 1 1/2 lbs. strawberries, rinsed, hulled and chopped 1 lb. rhubarb, rinsed and chopped (add one more stalk if you want a bit more tang) 2 cups sugar 2 tbsp. plus one teas. lemon juice 2 tbsp. pectin Combine strawberries, rhubarb and sugar in a large bowl and let it macerate for one hour. Transfer mixture to a stock pot, add lemon juice and pectin and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Once boiling, mash with a potato masher until chunky. Lower heat slightly and stir frequently, cooking until slightly reduced and thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Check gel of jam by placing a teaspoon of jam on a plate and put in freezer for 1 minute. If jam is thick and develops a thin skin in the freezer, you are ready! Follow good canning practices for storing your jam. Let jam sit for 12 hours to set properly before using. Apple Butter Original post here. 7 lbs apples, assorted varieties (I used Gala, Pinova, Honeycrisp and Granny Smith) 3 1/2 cups dark sugar juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp. pure vanilla extract 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon 2 teas. ground ginger Peel and chop up all of the apples. You could always peel them, cut them and then toss in the food processor to roughly chop. I like the hands on prep, so I peel them, cut them with my apple slicer and then chop the slices. Combine apples in a stock pot along with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon and mix well. Cook the apple mixture on medium heat until juices are boiling and apples become very soft and begin to break down, stirring often, about 25-30 minutes. Process apple mixture in a food mill, processor or blender in batches until it is creamy and smooth. Return to pot, lower heat a bit and add vanilla. You may wish to add more sugar (do so 1/4 cup at a time) or more spices, to taste. Be mindful that the spices will intensify after canning. Cook down until the mixture is thick and sticks well to a spatula or spoon. Can according to manufacturers directions in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars and let cool completely. Makes 4 1/2 pints (I ended up with 7 -1/2 pint jars and 1 pint jar)

Sadly, the USDA does not recommend home canning of pumpkin butter. This is because pumpkin is low in acidity and has unpredictable water content, neither of which was optimal when canning. I did can my butter, to sterilize and seal it, but am keeping it in the fridge.

Pumpkin Butter Original post here. 4 medium sugar pie pumpkins 2 cups of dark brown sugar 3 tbsp of molasses juice of one lemon 2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice 1 tbsp of cinnamon Start with the sugar pie pumpkins. Halved and seeded, place them cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment and baked them at 350 for a little over an hour. After roasting them in the oven the flesh shrinks, making the skin easy to peel. Once peeled, chop the flesh into chunks and put it in a large stock pot. Add the sugar and spices and simmer to combine. I chose to cook mine down a little more before just pureeing it, because some spots were harder than others. Once all of the flesh was uniformly soft, I pureed the batch in my Vita-Mix then poured it back in the pot and adjusted sweetness/spices to taste. My goal was to get pumpkin pie filling flavor, but because the spices will really bloom as the butter sits, I didn't want to go overboard and end up with spreadable potpourri. Once the butter was ready, ladle it into jars and processed it in the hot water bath for 10 minutes. This made 4 pints of pumpkin butter.

what's new, pussycat?

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:07:21 +0000

beyond food, other things I have going on... (in case you're curious)

Web design

I will put up links as projects get finished, but I am building a couple of websites for friends and clients. I love technology and how it can bring us closer together.

Yoga-

Yoga is probably one of the most important things in my life. I practice asana 4-5 times a week and actively study the theory and history of yogic studies. Every day I work towards incorporating yoga more fully into my life style, cultivating a mindset of compassion and awareness. I have been practicing yoga for over a decade.

Summer Reading Stack-

I am terrible about buying tons of books and never getting around to reading them, but I do have my to-do pile all set for summer. The Ramayana. The Ramayana is to India what the story of Monkey is to China. This translation is supposed to be brilliant- I can't wait to read it! The Wisdom of Yoga. Stephen Cope is a fabulous yogi and writer. I started this book last fall and didn't have time to dive in, but loved everything I was learning from it. Anna Karenina: a classic I would like to get under my belt. There will be more, I know, but this is a solid start.

peewee_tape

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:47:30 +0000

face lift!

Kris — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:57:16 +0000

Hey there! I thought it was about time to give the ol' nom! a face lift. I hope you like the new look. I have also updated the recipe sections (mostly, there might still be some missing and just floating around in the archives. I've divvied all of the recipes into categories for easier browsing. Man, time flies when you're playing in Photoshop! The funny thing is that it doesn't even look that different, lol. :)

curriedcarrotsoup

Kris — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:00:03 +0000

soup in juneuary

Kris — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:17:05 +0000

A few weeks ago, we Portlanders were prematurely visited by summer. It was warm and sunny and glorious. Now our days are dark, we are experiencing biblical rain and we have lapsed back into muddy winter weather. I have tasted the fruits of summer and I am not a happy camper. Alas, given that I have no choice in the matter, I guess I'll just have to adapt. And continue eating soup. Curried Carrot Soup This soup is invigorating, satisfying and a delight to sniff. To smell, I mean. Lovely as it is, I would not recommend ingesting this soup through the nose. 2 tbsp. olive oil small onion, diced 1/2 teas. salt 1/2 inch ginger, minced 2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped 1 tbsp. curry powder 5 cups water 1/8-1/4 teas. cayenne, to taste (remember, the heat will increase as it sits and the flavor sets up, so it's best to start small and increase in tinny, little increments) 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (can use low fat, if desired) 1 teas. cinnamon raisins to garnish In a large stockpot, heat oil. Add onion and saute for about 2 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add salt ginger and continue sauteing until onions and ginger are soft and fragrant. Add curry powder and stir to coat onion/ginger mixture. Add carrots, water and cayenne. Bring mixture to a low boil than lower temperature and simmer mixture with a lid, stirring often, until carrots are tender and break apart easily with a fork, about 25 minutes. Using an immersion blender, or in batches in a standing blender, puree soup mixture. Return to stockpot, if using standing blender, and add coconut milk and cinnamon. Mix to combine and let coconut milk heat through. Serve soup with raisins for a delicious flavor contrast. Serves 5-6.

curriedcarrotsoup

Kris — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:18:04 +0000

cuppers

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:26:35 +0000

strawberrycream1

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:28:16 +0000

strawcream2

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:28:41 +0000

chocolatebuttercream1

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:29:51 +0000

pbcupcake

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:32:02 +0000

pbcupcake

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:33:51 +0000

pb2

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:34:34 +0000

cupcake win(s)!

Kris — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:43:21 +0000

What happens when you are a procrastinator of epic proportions (I have two "important" things I am supposed to be working on but don't feel particularly invested in) and you are childless and asked to make cupcakes for a 3-year-old's birthday party? You go a little crazy. Strawberry cream-filled vanilla cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting. I didn't get quite as much strawberry cream filling inside of them as I thought I did. Note to self- muscle the pastry bag more next time! Basic chocolate cupcakes with a vanilla buttercream icing, and a decorative chocolate drizzle and cherry. I think I blew the mind of a 6-year-old who said that she liked vanilla better than chocolate when I informed her there was vanilla in chocolate cake she was eating, but she just couldn't see it. She was quite occupied working that over for awhile. And now the serious winners of the party: For those who love peanut butter and chocolate- brace yourselves. I saw the inspiration for these some time ago on this blog, but was awaiting the ideal opportunity to tweak them and unleash them on the world. I'm officially calling them The Home Run. A chocolate cupcake, filled with a peanut butter custard, topped with a layer of ganache, a peanut butter cookie and topped with a hand-rolled peanut butter chocolate truffle. Oh yeah, baby. I will post a whole recipe for them soon. Needless to say they are a bit involved, but totally worth it. I got rave reviews from folks who were self-proclaimed PB and chocolate haters (although I firmly believe such a group of people doesn't exist). If you just want wait to give them a try, I used the chocolate cake recipe from my Darkest Forest Cake recipe and the PB Cookies recipe from my cookbook for those components. I know the whole cupcake craze is starting to wane a bit (what do you think will take their place?) but I don't think we'll ever quite recover from how fun they are! Cupcakes aren't just cake... they are a way of life!

sticker_namaste_mini

Kris — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:17:01 +0000

off the beaten path

Kris — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:55:53 +0000

So, 95% of this blog normally revolves around food. Okay, 80% food. 15% cats. 5% miscellany. That 5% is going to expand a bit. I am participating in 21.5.800, which is 21 days during which folks all over the internet will be practicing yoga 5 times a week and writing 800 words per day. About anything under the sun. Why am I doing this? For the discipline and accountability. Because I'm a sucker for projects. And because it sounds fun! 800 words a day will be a challenge, if for no other reason than setting the time aside to make it happen. So, I have no idea what will be striking my fancy over the next 21 days, but I'm pretty sure that the food will only be part of the 800 words. You might be learning some new things about me, if you are so inclined. Perhaps this will open up a new dialogue and I'll continue with some non-food posts after this project. I have been contemplating creating a non-food blog for awhile now, but have been uncertain if I would be able to sustain it. New and fun stuff in nom! nom! nom! land! And if you come just for the food, no worries. There will still be tons of it, just bear with me and my deviations. So, my yoga for the day was 50 minutes of vinyasa, practicing my own talk-through, as I am teaching my first yoga class this Thursday through our Wellness program at work. Eep! I'm feeling pretty good, though. We shall see. I recently added a "namaste" sticker to my car. Unlike most stickers, I did not apply it to my bumper or my back window. It is on the inside of my windshield, at the top of it near the visor, facing me. For those of you whose only exposure to the phrase "namaste" has been through the show LOST, let me provide a little back story for you. Namaste is a common greeting, going back to ancient Sanskrit, which roughly means "the divine in me recognizes and respects the divine in you." Oh no. She's getting a metaphysical on us. I just came for the cupcakes! It's okay. :) I'm not here to wax poetic on the universe and yogic philosophy or my own, ever-changing, views on religion and spirituality. Let's take namaste back to it's most basic form: respect. Total disclosure here- I do not like to drive. Blah. But, I don't work close-in in Portland. I have to cross the dreaded river into Washington to get to work each day, so it's a necessary evil. Due to my level of displeasure with this particular activity and surrounding circumstances, I can be a not-so-nice person when driving. Like, make-your-mother-blush, (well, maybe not my mother), who-is-this-foul-mouthed-freak unpleasant. Let's face it, none of us want to be in traffic. And we all have moments when we are less-than-perfect drivers. We get distracted, change the radio station, space out, or rubberneck (don't judge, we've all been guilty at one point or another!). Sure, there are some people who are bad drivers or are careless, certainly, but as a whole we all have the same goal. Put in a day's work to provide for ourselves, our family, and get on to our time, our sacred off-work time to do the things that we cherish and anticipate, even if it's as simple as going home to veg in front of the telly with the family, to go the gym, the bookstore, meeting friends for drinks, whatever. Yet, when someone is doddling along and I can't pass them, or they change lanes in front of me without signaling, I can have a hard time keeping my blood from boiling. I want to get home, see my husband, kiss my kitties and start dinner, dangit! My new mindset for driving is to remember the following:

1. I don't know who this person is. I don't know what they are going through, what their day was like or what they are going home to. Maybe they had a great day and are just being flaky. But maybe they have recently been given some bad news, lost a loved one or are experiencing some health problems. Maybe they are in a rush because they have a sick child at home. Maybe they are distracted because they are worrying about a loved one. A little compassion goes a long way. 2. While I may dislike driving, having been the victim of several car accidents, I am grateful for my ability to drive, my car, and my overall health. Those are things that can be taken for granted and are not givens for everyone.

So now when I drive and I'm ticked off, rather than mumbling a long sting of curse words that ultimately only impact me, I have my reminder to center myself looking me straight in the face and I try to send some good vibes, mojo, love, blessings, whatever, to that person and instead I whisper, "Namaste."

cake3

Kris — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 05:57:49 +0000

cake4

Kris — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 05:59:25 +0000

cake

Kris — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:01:11 +0000

baz9

Kris — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:03:07 +0000

baz11

Kris — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:04:08 +0000

baz12

Kris — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:05:09 +0000

pulling from april's archives...

Kris — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:07:40 +0000

Okay, so I'm not going to get 800 words in tonight. After work I had my weekly study group with a friend and then I just ran through my sequences for my yoga class tomorrow night and I need to get a good night's sleep before an early morning meeting. Whew! The weeks just roll on by... it's crazy how fast time goes. So rather than bore you with blathering, here are some pictures of our nephew's birthday cake from this year. You may remember that last year I went with a Beatles theme. This year was all about Thomas the Tank Engine. First, we start with a naked 1/2 sheet cake, carefully cut into the number 2. This is always Jim's favorite part. "When will there be scraps to eat?" Naked cakes are indecent. Put some frosting on! I utilized some of the scraps (sorry Jim!) to build Mt. Rainier. Woot, woot! Percy exits the tunnel, on his way to stop #2. My cream cheeze frosting started to get a little droopy after a day and half of hanging out, but that didn't make it any less tasty... "Wait a minute... this is all the cake I get?" "I think you people are holding out on me..."

100_5395

Kris — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 04:44:50 +0000

stepping into my own...

Kris — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:01:29 +0000

Today I taught my first yoga class. It was simultaneously awesome and terrifying. We have a Wellness Program at my work that, like many, was well intentioned but has had minimal participation. I have been managing some other parts of it that run relatively well, head the committee and lead meetings, but it just hasn't had the level of excitement and involvement in it that it deserved. Being that I love nutrition and approaching the body holistically, I was a natural fit to become its cheerleader. So when I got an overwhelming response that people were interested in yoga, I jumped on it. At first I hoped that no one would sign up. Then, I could say that I tried, I put it out there, it failed and it wasn't my fault. Of course, that was my cowardice talking and when I let it (too often), the cowardice wins. So as people began to RSVP for the class, I started to progressively freak out. But then I was accountable to people, so there was no turning back, just preparation. I have been practicing yoga for a long time now. So long it seems kind of far off and hazy. My first exposure to yoga was in "seventeen" magazine when I was in middle school. I was young and physically resilient. I easily popped up into full wheel based on that article, dug it, and was hooked. But, like many things that are good for us, I would practice of and on again for years to come until I graduated from high school and spent a bit of time in college. Then it really started to mesh, leading me to practice more often and taking us down the path to becoming vegetarian (and a year later, vegan). And when I met my teacher here in Portland, it all came together and now it's been nearly 4 years of practicing with her and my own home practice= bliss. Over the past few years the idea of attending a teacher training has come up a couple of times, but it just didn't seem... possible. I LOVE my practice and yoga and learning more about it and it's many limbs, traditions and philosophies, but I just felt so humbled by my studentship. It seemed out of reach. The more I study and learn though, the more I realize that being aware that I am still a student would actually be a benefit as a teacher. We are all students of everything in life. We'll never be the perfect know-it-alls of anything, and that's the brilliance of the whole thing. There is always more to be learned, deepened and built upon. For my first class, I selected a theme. My theme was expectations. We all have expectations of what things will be a like. A date. A family event. A conversation. A big project at work. Teaching your first yoga class. And if you get so caught up in your expectations, you lose sight of what actually happens. Rather, you compare what did or didn't happen or was said or what you thought you could do and you waste your time comparing the reality to the ideal. We sacrifice too much to what we thought should be, rather an appreciating what is. How can you let go of your expectations to participate more fully in your life? How can you worry less about what you anticipate you can or can't do and appreciate what you are capable of, become comfortable with where you are and enjoying that sweet spot? I prepared for my class, developed a series of sequences and practiced them at home a couple of times. I wrote out the sequences to keep mat side so I wouldn't have to stress out my poor brain trying to desperately recall what I'd planned next. I brought my favorite yoga pants and geared up for action. No face-plants, ambulance calls or CPR performances were needed. We practiced and played and laughed. My sequences fell short, time-wise, and I had to think on my feet (literally) and come up with another sequence, which I did with relative ease. And at the end I was thanked by 7 happy faces and I was able to float home, having been able to actually practice what I preached and stay present in the moment. Yoga FTW!

noah

Kris — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:34:59 +0000

quickie

Kris — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 04:59:13 +0000

Okay, so writing 800 words per day is clearly not working for me right now. You win some, you lose some. Alas, I do have an excuse and it doesn't involve procrastination. On Sunday I am taking a huge professional certification exam for work that has pretty much been ruling my life for the past 4 months. So I'm in crunch mode. But, there are some serious noms right around the corner! Wish me luck! In the meantime here is an irrelevant but tasty photo of the mind-blowing falafel from Wolf & Bear's food cart in Portland. SO AMAZING!

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Kris — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:07:03 +0000

Troll_Wooden_Crate

Kris — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:49:45 +0000

health care reform- in your life

Kris — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:44:02 +0000

I don't normally talk much about my day job, but I was at a seminar this morning that I thought was so well-timed and dovetails so nicely with the blog and things we talk about here from time to time, I can't resist. I work in Human Resources (and I'm a newly minted PHR, as of Sunday, for anyone who knows what that means!) and so Health Care Reform is a major item on the forefront of everyone's minds. At this seminar we talked about the small amount of details that have been clarified by the government and what to expect in the next few years as this plan rolls out. And... here comes the soap box. :) I don't want to get into politics on here, although I'm sure few of my views would come as a surprise, but what I will say is that the fact that we are in dire need of health care reform should not be any sort of radical idea at this point. I'm not saying I'm in love with the proposed plan. But it's a start. What we actually see in 2014 could look completely different that what we're hearing about, but this needs to be a priority. And it needs to start with you. How is it that the US spends so much on health care, yet we get the least for our money? Do you know someone who goes to the doctor every time they have a cough, rather than waiting it out and eating saltines and ginger ale? How about people who manuever elective surgeries by fabricating webs of lies or at least exaggerating symptoms to get their way? And the drugs- we turn to the pill bottle before we both to examine our lifestyles and eating habits. Not that you can really trust that many doctors to know about nutrition, as nutrition courses are a minimal, if at all measurable, part of most physician's training courses in this country. I'm not trying to say that the country is full of abusers, but at the same time, these sorts of things make premiums go up, make doctors stuff more patients into less time and make people dependent on drugs that are more likely to kill them than the problem they are seeking respite from will! One of my favorite restaurants in Portland, Proper Eats, has a motto: "You look like sh*t and you feel like sh*t because you eat sh*t. Eat Proper." And it's true. It's the old addage- garbage in, garbage out. As our lives become more filled with chemicals and processed foods and we become more sedentary, so many of our ailments are of our own causing. Many things we think of as common place things, like heart disease or Type II diabetes, used to be considered diseases of affluence- meaning that only the rich could afford to eat such crap. :) Now processed food is king (just look at the configuration of a grocery store, with the perishable, fresh foods forming a thin perimeter around the endless aisles of pre-packaged "food"). And we turn to pills we see on TV ads (with the most ridiculously common symptoms and terrifying side effects) to "cure" us. We need more accountability. Things happen, and of course people need medical care and some things can't be managed or avoided by diet and exercise alone. I'm not trying to downplay serious medical conditions, because of course they happen and can't always be helped. But I know a good handful of people who would love to tell you their stories about battling (and winning) against disease through diet and exercise. We have a greater influence on our own health and well-being that we give ourselves credit for- or hold ourselves accountable for. What can you do to take better care of yourself? How can you be proactive and preventative rather than falling victim to something that maybe didn't have to happen? We're not invincible, but we're far more powerful than we realize. This doesn't mean no more cookies or indulgences- it means smart choices and balance. And I think we could all use a little more of that. So this is my challenge to you- what are you doing to bring Health Care Reform into your life? Here's what I'm doing: Couch 2 5k- a running program for non-runners. It gets you up and moving, builds stamina, increases heart and lung capacity and is good, solid exercise. There are tons of free podcasts on iTunes that provide music and cues to help you on your runs. My regular yoga practice- good for my physical and mental health. Continually cleaning up my diet. Eating more whole foods (which, contrary to popular belief, is not more expensive than junk food). More on this soon. What will you do?

100_5532

Kris — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 06:48:46 +0000

scramble it up!

Kris — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:06:29 +0000

I go through food phases. Don't we all? My main food phases all revolve around tofu. Ha! I bet you thought I'd say chocolate. Nope, good ol' white and pasty tofu. I swear, I just can't get enough. Primarily, I tend to fall in and out of love with tofu ricotta. Well, never completely out of love, but we'll eat so much, so often that I have to ricotta detox for awhile. I remember the first time I had it, the lovely Michelle from Herbivore had me sample some straight from her fridge and I inwardly panicked. "OMG! Cold, uncooked tofu! I can't do this, I can't do this!" I thought was a tofu lover at that point, but baked, stir-fried or sauteed! Of course I wasn't going to blow my cool in front of some of the hippest vegans around, so I dipped a baby carrot in and braced myself. This stuff is awesome! So, time went on, recipes were adapted and I now have an official tofu ricotta habit. My new tofu habit: Okay, so there is nothing new about tofu scramble. But this particular incarnation, with sundried tomatoes, carrots, spinach and nutritional yeast, has been singing my name. I can't get enough! And we're polishing off the last bit of jam from last year (And I still haven't canned anything yet this year- eek!), which is the perfect partner on the side. Breakfast, brunch or brinner- it's on! Well, that's all she wrote. Bye! Oh. So... You're still reading. You know I have something to say and so you're going to wait it out and make me sweat until I break down, huh? Okay, I give up. I am officially up to my elbows in development for my next cookbook! YAYAYAYAYAY! I am terribly excited. The topic is still hush-hush at the moment, but I was hoping that I might be able to turn to you, my beloved readers, to see if anyone is interested in doing some recipe testing. I am looking for about 20 testers. If you would like to learn more, please EMAIL ME at nomblog {at} gmail {dot} com. All testers will be honored with their name in the acknowledgments, a free copy of the book, some other exclusive goodies that are in the works and my undying affection. Well, you all have the last part, but only testers get the tangibles! ;) I'm hoping to get everyone signed up and on the private testing site by the end of the week, so drop me a line, eh?

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Kris — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:37:45 +0000

a visit to my library

Kris — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:43:29 +0000

I have a lot of cookbooks. A LOT. I have managed to purge some over the past year, but I still own far more than I ever use. And honestly, I don't usually use cookbooks very often. I love to read them, page through them, and fantasize over them, but I am too fickle to actually follow a recipe. Thankfully, Jim is learning how to cook and that means these beautiful tomes are actually having their spines cracked open and the contents transported from the page and into my belly. One dish in particular is becoming a staple because it speaks to all of my senses in tandem: nom nom and nom. This is the Greek Rice with Lemon Tofu from Dreena's Vive Le Vegan! I'm not usually much of a rice person, but as Jim was doing the cooking I bit my tongue when he told me what he was whipping up. No need to discourage the man! Oh. My. Goodness. Dreena's always good and reliable for a satisfying meal, but the afternoon I came home and smelled this feast wafting through the front door, I felt like the luckiest person on the block. Maybe I'll bust out my books more often...

apricot1

Kris — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:11:51 +0000

apricot2

Kris — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:12:16 +0000

i scratch your back, you scratch mine...

Kris — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:23:44 +0000

So, I have a favor to ask. But like any good negotiator, I'll anty up my goods first before asking for reciprocation. :) If you're like me, you love some apricots. For realz, they are tart and fragrant and inherently sexy. I don't know what is about them, but they are just plain intoxicating. While I usually reserve fruit for eating rather than baking (I know, I know, I'm weird), apricots really achieve their full potential by being cooked. This tart is fast, elegant and delicious. Abricot Tart 1/2 pie crust recipe 1 12.3 oz aseptic package silken firm tofu 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup almond meal 1 teas. vanilla 1 teas. almond extract 1/4 cup milk of choice 1 lb. apricots, washed, pitted and quartered 2 tbsp. apricot jam, optional Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan or pie tin. In a food processor or blender, combine tofu and sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the almond meal, extracts and milk. Blend until smooth and well incorporated. Press pie crust into the prepared pan and fill with almond mixture. Press apricot quarters into the almond cream mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the edges of the crust are browned and the top of the tart is golden and center is solid. Remove tart from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. While still warm, brush with preserves. Store covered in fridge. Wait now- hold on! How I need you to scratch my back! Some of you may know that I work in credit unions. While the focus of my job is human resources, I am deeply embedded in the credit union movement (which would make a great post for another day, about why you need to dump your bank). Anyhow, I've applied to be a wildcard speaker for a symposium this fall and the winner will be decided by public vote. Voting is on now, through the 30th, so if you could take a peek at the site, watch my video and if you find me worthy, vote, that would be awesome. Tell your friends! ;) Thanks!

almond mocha

Kris — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:28:50 +0000

meyerlemonbundt

Kris — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:29:21 +0000

gf chocolate cake

Kris — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:30:08 +0000

a-nom-cement

Kris — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:34:58 +0000

So, I just wanted to give everyone a virtual taste of my next cookbook project: ALL VEGAN CAKES! Oh yeah, baby! Layered cakes, sheet cakes, coffee cakes, pound cakes, gluten-free... the list goes on and on. I should have more information regarding the release date soon (early 2011) and the title, but for now I'm up to my arms in flour and buttercream. Any special requests? Cakes you'd love to see? Must-haves that will result in a revolt if they aren't included? Let me know! Oh and if you haven't yet and would like to give me some love, please pop over to the CU Watercooler site and vote for me- voting ends on Friday! Thanks!

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Kris — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:15:25 +0000

chocolate nut milk showdown

Kris — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:03:02 +0000

Chocolate almond milk has always been staple in our house. It's just SO good! When stocking up last week, I noticed something new- chocolate hazelnut milk! Pacific has also started carrying their own hemp milk, so we decided to have a nut milk showdown. The judges were: myself, Jim and my little brother Alec. The votes:

Kris: Almond milk- still the reigning champ at #1. Hazelnut milk- a very close second. More cocoay than chocolatey, but with a nice hint of hazelnuts. Reminded me of Nutella. Hemp milk- okay in a pinch, but Living Harvest's hemp milk is much better.

Jim: Almond milk- again, still #1 Hazelnut milk- very creamy, the cocoay-ness was also noted. Hemp milk- while being chocolatey, had other flavors present that distracted from "the experience".

Alec: Hazelnut milk- dissenting from the majority, Alec felt that the presence of the hazelnut flavor took this chocolate milk up a notch. The mouth feel was better than the almond milk. Almond milk- it was sweet and chocolatey, but "full of almondness"- I don't know what that means. :) Hemp milk- Meh. Not as good as Living Harvest.

So, it appears that almond milk is still the champion, but hazelnut will become a frequent visitor. Drank in our Welch's jelly jars, of course. What's your favorite chocolate milk?

huh what

Kris — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:28:46 +0000

from the teaches of peaches...

Kris — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:30:11 +0000

Summer fruit is at its peak and I am here to give you a reason to fire up your oven and make your house toasty- because this cake is amazing. This is the first recipe I'm sharing from my upcoming cake book. Inspired by my BFF Amy's love of summer fruit and inappropriate taste in music, along with the flavors of the famous Peach Melba, this cake is incredibly impressive for minimal effort. The peach cake is tender and delicious and becomes intoxicating when paired with the raspberry creme topping. Amy's "Huh What" Peach Cake Raspberry Creme: 1 12 oz. package firm aseptic tofu 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teas. vanilla Peach Cake: 3-4 ripe but firm peaches, pitted and sliced into 3/4-1 inch segments 2 tbsp. sugar 2 tbsp. cold margarine 1 1/2 cups flour 2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1/4 cup applesauce 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup oil 3/4 cup milk 1 teas. vanilla Preheat oven to 350. Grease well and flour an 8 inch cake round and line the bottom with parchment. If you do not use parchment, be sure to grease the bottom really well or use a springform pan to ensure the peaches will release. To make the Raspberry Creme: In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, raspberries, sugar and vanilla. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a separate container and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. In the bottom of the prepared baking pan, sprinkle the 2 tbsp of sugar and chop and scatter the 2 tbsp of margarine. Arrange the peach slices in a single solid circle, covering the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, cream together the applesauce and brown sugar. Add the oil, milk and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just incorporated. Spread the batter over the peach mixture, being careful not to disturb the peaches. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until cake is browned and a toothpick comes out cleanish (because of the peaches, it will not be completely clean). Remove cake from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before loosening edge and inverting onto serving platter. Let sit for a few moments as peaches release and carefully remove the cake pan. Serve cake warm with Raspberry Cream. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge. Ranger Peach

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Kris — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:09:19 +0000

i'm melting...

Kris — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:35:34 +0000

It's very hot in Portland. Meaning in the 90s. Most folks here don't have air conditioning, so it can get pretty miserable. We are fortunate enough to live in a house that sits north-south on the lot with few side windows, meaning that we get virtually no direct sunlight in the lower level of our home, keeping it relatively cool; this is the only time of year this factoid is beneficial. But, I'm not complaining. The PacNW has been getting ripped off from having a full summer, with lots of weather in the 70's, so I'm soaking it up. The clouds and drizzle will rejoin us soon enough, so in the meantime I'm enjoying the ice cream maker I purchased on clearance last fall. I adapted this recipe from a local food publication called Edible Portland. This was my first try at using MimicCream, as I've just used soy milk in the past for ice cream. I would probably try it with soy creamer next time as the texture of the MimicCream is nice, but there is a definitely a discernible trace of nut flavor, even with all of the plum flavor. Not a bad thing, per se, but I'd like to try it without. That said, we're still really enjoying this cool, tasty treat plus I was able to use a variety of local plums. An ice cream maker is a totally unnecessary and indulgent toy and takes up a lot of space, but when you want to make something random like this, it's sure nice to have one!

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Kris — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:36:42 +0000

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Kris — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:44:08 +0000

waffley cakes

Kris — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:30:41 +0000

We are a pancake house- primarily because we're lazy. Waffle irons are hard to clean and I always seem to end up either tearing them or burning them. Yet, the allure of the waffle still remains. Those little indentations to catch syrup and a crisp edge... yum. Imagine my extreme happiness upon seeing this pan, on sale no less: I have a pretty strict no-nonstick rule in our house, but for as often as we'll use this I had to break my own rule. This cute pan turned out adorable little pancakes with a crispy edge and, with the help of some canola non-stick spray, each pancake was easy to pop out of pan. These particular pancakes were the Banana Pecan pancakes (sans pecans) from VWaV. Served alongside our staple sun-dried tomato tofu scramble, it made for a simply fabulous breakfast with no torn waffles or frustrated crying to speak of. Sun Dried Tomato Scramble 1 package water-packed firm tofu oil 1 medium yellow union, diced 1 tbsp. dried oregano 1 tbsp. dried basil 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (pureed in processor, if possible) 1 large carrot, sliced into thin discs 3 cups fresh baby spinach, rinsed 1/4 cup sweet corn 1/4 cup kalmata olives, chopped Drain and press tofu. In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil on medium heat and sautee onion for 5-8 minutes, until translucent. Add the oregano and basil and combine, adding a bit more oil if the mixture begins to stick. Crumble tofu on top and mix well. Add the sun dried tomatoes and carrot and mix to combine. Top with spinach and cover with a lid to wilt. Lower heat to low-medium and let cook for about 5 minutes. Stir to incorporate the wilted spinach and add the corn and olives. Continue to cook on low until heated through. Serves 3.

input needed!

Kris — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:13:38 +0000

I'm having a dilemma and I need your input. Cheesecakes- cake or not. I'm not sure if I should include cheesecakes in my book on cakes and wanted your feedback. Here is the support for and against: For: By having cheesecakes, we have cheesecake! Yay! And they are often gluten free, or easily adapted to be so, which makes the world a better place. Against: They're not really cake and are taking away the valuable book real estate afforded to more traditional cake recipes. What do you think? [polldaddy poll=3663458]

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Kris — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:19:33 +0000

it's greeeeeeeen

Kris — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:41:57 +0000

{Thanks for your participation in my poll below! I think it stands that I'll be playing around with cheesecake!} While I love to talk about food and about all of the delicious vegan feasts we enjoy, I can get tired of the questions. You know the kind, where the inquirer doesn't actually care what the answer is, they just have to ask in that pointed way, to try and make a spectacle of you. "What are you eating?" Most people are decent when it comes to the workplace lunch room, but I do work with a couple of these people. The people who stop their conversation when I pull out my lunch to start inspecting what I've brought. The people who would never be willing to try the bites I offer up, but can't help playing 20 questions to figure out what's in it and how I made it, all while turning up their noses. The people who complain that I never bring in any cake and then won't even try it when it's sitting on the lunchroom table. Whew. Apparently I needed to vent. Anyway, those questions get old. However, there are some things I eat that I love to rub back in these people's faces. The greeen smoothie is alive and well in our home. I often have one for breakfast and pour them into a Mason jar so I can take it to work and enjoy it at my desk, in lieu of morning coffee. But in the world of Hot Pocket breakfast sandwiches and frozen bagel sticks piped full of cream cheese (can they produce more disgusting things?), this Hulk-inspired drink never fails to turn heads. And you know what, while I tire of having my quinoa/salad/hummus wrap/tofu lunch selections dissected, I never tire of sucking down a delicious green smoothie and detailing all of the ingredients. I think it's because to many people it's the most revolting thing I consume at work yet it's probably the most dessert-like (next to the cake they won't touch). It's amazing how badly we judge books by their covers. When did green become such a bad thing? Green Meanies Smoothie 3 full kale leaves, with stems, washed* 1 inch square patch of wheat grass, washed* 1-2 handfuls of spinach, washed 1 frozen banana 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup frozen strawberries 1 tbsp. coconut oil Place ingredients in order listed into the container of a high power blender (tear the kale a bit). Process on high for 1 minute, scraping down the inside of the container if necessary. Serves 2. *If you don't have a high powered blender (Vita-Mix or BlendTec), I recommend removing the kale stems and omitting the wheat grass.

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Kris — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 03:09:50 +0000

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Kris — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 03:13:27 +0000

peanut... flour?

Kris — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 03:26:36 +0000

One of the many reasons that I love Trader Joe's is because aside from the everyday staples (like flour and soy milk), you discover these random treasures. They vary by region (I still miss the vegan grape juice sweetened cinnamon rolls they sell in Phoenix) and you never know how long you have before they mysteriously disappear, just as quickly as they came. A recent trip uncovered a new friend, lurking in the shadows. Who knows how much time we'll have together? Vacuum-sealed like a little bundle of love, peanut flour! While almond and hazelnut meal are essentially just finely chopped nuts, peanuts are too oily and would just make peanut butter so the peanut flour is partially defatted to make it light and powdery. So what do I do? I make cookies, of course! And after all these years of baking, I'm happy to post my first (and definitely not last) gluten-free recipe! I'm not usually big on posting recipes that have exotic ingredients which aren't widely available... to make up for it, I'm going to do a giveaway! Sorry folks, but US residents only. Leave a comment and I will draw a random winner on Friday and will send them a bag of peanut flour! Gluten-free* PB Cookies 1/2 cup brown rice flour 1/4 cup sorghum or amaranth flour 1/4 cup peanut flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tbsp. tapioca starch 1 teas. guar or xanthan gum 1/2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. baking soda sprinkle salt 1/4 cup agave 3 tbsp. vegetable oil 2 tbsp. peanut butter 2 tbsp. milk of choice 1/2 teas. vanilla 1/4 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients, through the salt. Mix well to break up any clumps. In a larger bowl, whisk together the agave, oil, peanut butter, milk and vanilla. Incorporate the dry into the wet until just mixed than add the chocolate chips. Scoop out in even sized scoops onto cookie sheet and flatten each cookie slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes until they are slightly golden and the edges are set. Makes 1 dozen cookies *If you don't want to make them gluten free, omit the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca flour and gum and replace with 3/4 cup all-purpose flour.

the winner is...

Kris — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 02:24:10 +0000

Kate! (spatula girl) Shoot me an email at nomblog {de} gmail {dot} com. I have a bunch of great noms and more giveaways coming up soon! Stay tuned!

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Kris — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:23:34 +0000

prasad1

Kris — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:39:45 +0000

prasad2

Kris — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:41:27 +0000

cleanin' up my act... for now

Kris — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:54:35 +0000

*The winners are: Abby, Tracy, Hope, Aimee and Amanda! I discovered I had 5 coupons, all good for 1 free Nasoya item so yay for you guys! Email me your addresses and I'll pop them in the mail!* There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. That good thing right now is cake. Oy. With cooler weather on its way and the desire eat heartier foods pulling at me, I'm also feeling the need to take a step back and freshen up my palette. My recipe for recalibration = fruits and veggies, and lots of 'em! Breakfasts have consisted of monster green smoothies which easily stick to my ribs and tide me over until lunch with a little scoop of hemp seeds. Lunch varies between salads, soups, stews and veggie chili. Dinner, we've been keeping light with yummies such as this: Mexican spiced beans with sauteed bell pepper and onion and a healthy blob of guac in a crisp leaf of lettuce. Oh, guacamole-topped-anything, how I love thee. When we don't feel like cooking, one of my favorite places to eat (besides Blossoming Lotus, for whom my heart burns bright), Jim and I journey across the river to Prasad, which shares the Yoga in the Pearl space which BL once held. "Prasad" is a Sanskrit word meaning "holy food" and this place pretty much nails it on the head. They have that whole natural-meets-gourmet thing well worked out and some of our favorite dishes to turn to are of the raw pasta variety. If you've never had raw pasta before, behold: Above is my favorite, the Love Pasta. Zucchini noodles, adorned with hemp pesto, some greens, tomatoes, carrots and a cashew cream sauce that is mouthwateringly fabulous. They even cap it off with a darling carrot heart. Aw... Above is the Sea Ceasar Pasta, zucchini noodles coated in a seaweed spiked Ceasar dressing, with some cucumbers, raw kale and carrots tie it all together. Creamy and delicious, Prasad knows their raw pastas. Sorry that the pictures don't do more justice to the food, as they were from my phone. I HAVE to get one of those spiral cutters for zucchini, it's just amazing the kind of noodles it makes! I am experiencing some serious raw food envy, between the amazing food that I get here and my raw foodie co-worker, who is always telling me about her latest adventures with her dehydrator. Ah, vegan eating... And people think we're deprived... :) What kinds of things do you like to eat when you're trying to clean up your act? Or if you're just a raw/whole foods lover (as I suspect most of you are), what are your favorite treats or meals? The fine folks at Nasoya have gifted me with some coupons for 1 free item and they have some yummy products to tickle your tastebuds. On Friday I'll randomly pick 3 lucky people to get these coupons (US only again, sorry), so leave a note with your healthy eating suggestions!

dandies1

Kris — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:14:10 +0000

splove

Kris — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:34:24 +0000

dandies2

Kris — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:39:59 +0000

curriedcarrotsoup1

Kris — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 06:03:10 +0000

family-258

Kris — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 06:06:24 +0000

pumpmuf3

Kris — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 06:10:27 +0000

fall baking fun

Kris — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 17:48:07 +0000

*Kelly! You won the marshmallows! Send me an email with your address and I'll pop them in the mail!* While I love the lingering days of summer, as soon as the leaves begin to change my mind turns towards fall (my favorite season) and then it turns to baking, which is always enhanced by those first days of cool, crispy autumn air and crunchy leaves beneath your feet. A few weeks ago the lovely folks at Chicago Soy Dairy gifted me with a couple of bags of Dandies, their vegan marshmallows, with the request that I make something creative with them. I have enjoyed playing with their Teese in the past and I am always up for a challenge, but those Dandies have just been staring at me for a couple of weeks now. Should I make something rocky road? No, too boring. Should I make something s'mores? No, I can't compete with Amy's awesomeness. Then I remembered my great Thanksgiving love. Like most any good Midwestern girl, one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes was the sweet potato (or yam, whatever) casserole, filled with juicy, sweet yams and pineapple and a marshmallow and maraschino cherry topping. Jim absolutely loathes anything sweet that is eaten at mealtime, so when I mentioned this to him he visibly shuttered. How to please us both? Why, turn it into a dessert, of course! The Chicago Soy Dairy folks were kind enough to send me 2 bags of Dandies- leave a comment and 1 lucky person (drawn next Monday) will win the other bag! Sweetie P Cupcakes These soft and fluffy cupcakes are the perfect testament to fall- moist sweet potatoes with a creamy marshmallow center, a hint of nutmeg and the lightly crunchy/gooey mallow topping. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup brown or other dark granulated sugar 1 teas. baking powder 1/2 teas. baking soda 1/2 teas. cinnamon 1/4 teas. nutmeg 1/4 teas salt 1 cup pureed sweet potato (or yam) 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (liquid drained) 1/3 cup oil 3/4 cup milk of choice 1/2 bag Dandies Marshmallows Maraschino cherries Preheat oven to 350. Line a cupcake pan with liners. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, spices and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the sweet potato, pineapple and oil. Mix until well combined. Add the milk and whisk together thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches until just mixed. Fill each cupcake liner 1/3 way with batter and place 1-2 Dandies in the middle. Top with additional batter to seal the Dandies in the middle. Liners should be filled to just under the top of each liner. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick (poked at an angle to avoid the mallows) comes out clean. Remove cupcake pan from oven. Carefully top each cupcake with 4-5 Dandies. Place cupcakes under your broiler on low for 15-45 seconds, or until puffy and very lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool on rack. Top each cupcake with a dried off maraschino cherry. Makes 12 cupcakes

a taste for fall...

Kris — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:59:22 +0000

As the cooler weather sets in, I start to crave comfort foods. While not necessarily looking for overly hearty fare, chilly nights and layer-weather beckons for something that sticks to your ribs. Let's take a stroll down memory lane for some recipes that fit the bill. Some Curried Carrot Soup is simple to make, but is thick and flavorful for rainy nights or when you have the sniffles. Some Pesto Ricotta will add flavor and protein to any pasta or pizza and make for happy tummies. Inspired by Starbucks' annual fall muffin, my Stuff This In Your Pumpkin Pie Hole Muffin will please vegans and non-vegans alike and is the perfect breakfast on a chilly autumn morning. What are your favorite autumn eats?

veganmofo

Kris — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:49:57 +0000

vida-banner-blog

Kris — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:52:10 +0000

near and far...

Kris — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:01:05 +0000

I'm sorry if that horrid Celine Dion song gets stuck in your head, that wasn't my intent at all. What I am here to talk about are two exciting things to put on your calendar, one right around the bend and another to start saving your pennies for: Vegan MoFo and the Vida Vegan Blogger Conference! Vegan MoFo, in case for some reason you have missed the foodie pr0n fun the past few years, is the Vegan Month of Food, when bloggers commit to blogging every day for a whole month. It's a great way to sharpen your writing chops and connect with your fellow bloggers! The past two years were in October, but this year it is in Novemeber. Click here to sign up if you want to participate and be included in the RSS feed! The Vida Vegan Blogger Conference is likely to be new to many of you, because next year will be the first year of it! Come out to vegan mecca to attend presentations, panel discussions and workshops held by some of the vegan bloggers you've come to love and who have come to love you (like yours truly!) Visit vendor booths, enjoy the company of your fellow vegans and eat your way through Portland until you are so bloated with vegan goodness you can hardly stand it. The conference will be centrally located in downtown Portland on a local college campus, with tons of easy access to mass transit and delicious food- and registration opens this weekend! Check out the confirmed speakers so far! What do you think? Will you be participating in Vegan MoFo? Leave a comment, I don't want to miss your posts! What do you think about a vegan blogger conference?

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Kris — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:09:33 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:17:16 +0000

a gryffindork bakes...

Kris — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:13:51 +0000

Today is October 19th. For those of you who are "in the know", November 19th marks the opening night in the US for part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. One month to go! So excited! To mark the occasion, I will be posting some HP inspired treats from the book series. I may end up creating some of the goods eaten by our fearless trio in the books, but many of the ideas I have are spin-offs from the saga. Like this one, the name of which was created by my HP-lovin' littlest brother, Alec. I apologize for the unprecedented geekiness herein. No, actually, I don't apologize. Gryffindor, FTW! The Sorcerer's Scone These spiced gingerbread scones, speckled with blood-red Sorcerer's Stone like cranberries, are the perfect treat to boost your energy before a night time prowl around Hogwarts in your invisibility cloak. Or, you know, a nice pick-me-up with a cup of tea while you read HP and the Sorcerer's Stone for the 8th time in your sweats. The colors almost mirror the gold and scarlet colors of the Gryffindor house. Coincidence? 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 teas. powdered ginger 1 teas. cinnamon 1 teas. baking powder 1/2 teas. baking soda 1/4 teas. salt 1/4 cup cold margarine 1/3 cup + 1 teas. milk of choice 1 tbsp. + 1 teas. molasses 1/2 teas. vanilla 1/4 teas. mild vinegar 1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries or 1/3 cup dried cranberries coarse sugar Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl or the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the margarine in chunks and blend in until the mixture resembles a coarse sand. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, molasses and vinegar and whisk to blend. Add the vinegar and let sit for a minute before adding to the dry mixture. Mix the dough with a firm spatula or get your (clean) hands dirty and mix a uniform dough begins to come together. Gently mix in the cranberries. Shape dough into a 9- 10 inch disc on the prepared cookie sheet. Top with a sprinkle of the coarse sugar. Score the scones into 8 wedges but do not separate. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes before separating with a knife. Anyone else HP-geeking? :)

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Kris — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 06:35:10 +0000

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Kris — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 06:41:08 +0000

bubbysquash

Kris — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 06:57:30 +0000

cold weather = hearty food

Kris — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 07:01:51 +0000

HP friends, sorry to say there is nothing Harry Potter related in this post. Many more to come, though! My life, as of late, has consisted of work and baking. LOTS of baking. Not to complain, but woman cannot live on cake alone. (You think I lie. For realz, though, if anyone could it would be me and I can't.) Thankfully, Jim has started doing some cooking, which is great, but we mostly eat random stuff like really sad bowls of black beans and rice with salsa on top or pasta with red sauce. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you've got to mix it up. Last weekend, inspired by Bianca's recent post, I bought a spaghetti squash. Now, here's what you have to understand. This is an annual thing, the purchase of the spaghetti squash. It goes a little like this: Day 1: Purchase squash. "Yay, I'm so excited to make something with this!" Day 4: Move squash from counter to sub-counter. "This dumb thing is in the way all the time!" Day 7: Make excuses to husband about squash. "Yes, I'm going to do something with it! Geez..." Day 14: Remember squash. "Oh, you. You're still here, huh?" Day 21: Become even more indignant to husband. "I am planning to make you a special meal with it. Give me some time!" Day 28: Smell squash. "Hmm... maybe I should have put you in the pantry or fridge..." You get the idea. I don't know what my problem is, there are just some things that I have no point of reference for and so I literally get freaked out when I think about cooking them. Squash is definitely one of them, as I never had any squash (save pumpkin pie, which doesn't count) until moving to the Pacific Northwest 4 years ago, so I'm still getting my bearings. So, after reading Bianca's post I thought, "This is the year, dangit!" I bought the squash, came home, set it on the counter... and knew my cycle had begun again. [caption id="attachment_1149" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="\"Not one of these again? Will you ever learn, woman?\""][/caption] I knew I could break the cycle! So I decided to cook it right then and there. But what to have with it? Something hearty and filling was in order, so I decided to make a veggie meatloaf, especially after reading somewhere online about how well they hold up in the Baker's Edge pan. I look for any excuse to use that silly pan. Then, I decided to throw my spaghetti squash's friend, butternut, into the mix. Veggie meatloaf with roasted butternut squash sauce, steamed kale and, behold, herbed spaghetti squash!!! I pulled this veggie meatloaf recipe out of thin air and was so happy with it. We eagerly ate through it so quickly that I plan on making it again soon, I wanted to share it. Veggie Meatloaf 1 medium sized onion, shredded or chopped 2 medium carrots, shredded 1 cup raw sunflower seeds 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 teas. dried basil 1 teas. dried oregano 2 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari 1 tbsp. red win vinegar 1 1/2 cup cooked lentils (I used French, any variety would do) 1 1/2 cup cooked grain (I used buckwheat, brown rice would be good, too) Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a loaf pan or Baker's Edge pan. In the bowl of a food processor, add the onions, carrots, sunflower seeds and olive oil. Process for 30 sec-1 minute, until it resembles a chunky paste. Add the herbs, soy sauce and vinegar and combine. Add lentils and grain to the processor and process until ingredients just come together, scraping down the bowl as needed. If there are still some discernible lentils, that's fine, but overall it should be thick and paste-like. Hmm... paste-like doesn't sound very appetizing. Moving on, spread the loaf into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes (closer to 40 for the loaf pan), depending on type of pan. The top of the loaf should brown and get a little crusty on the edges There should still be a little mush-factor if you gently push down on the top of the loaf, as it will continue to firm up as it cools. Makes 6-7 servings, depending on how much you feel like sharing. I know I can't be alone- what foods are purchased with good intentions and then lurk in your fridge only to die a slow, lonely death?

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Kris — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:28:59 +0000

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Kris — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 05:07:12 +0000

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Kris — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 05:38:16 +0000

dark magic... and chocolate

Kris — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:10:59 +0000

Okay, HP fans! Here is another Harry Potter themed treat that Potterheads and Potterhaters alike will love to eat. Before I get going, I wanted to draw some attention to this awesome vegan Harry Potter blog: Dumbledore's Vegan Army. Fun stuff! So, first, I wanted to work with that Trader Joe's peanut flour again, in a more conventional setting. Since posting those gluten-free cookies, I have been getting a lot of blog traffic from people who are looking for things to use it in. I'm guessing that for most of those people, vegan, gluten-free cookies aren't exactly what they're looking for. :) Second... I wanted to make Horcrux Cakes, another brilliant title suggested by Alec, my littlest brother. For those of you who don't know what a horcrux is, it's a regular object that has a fragment of a witch or wizard's soul in it, in effect giving them immortality, so long as the object exists. The more horcruxes you have, the better chance you have of existing for all eternity. But being that Voldemort is the last person we'd want living forever, I had to ask myself, what or who would I want to live forever? Chocolate. Duh. Hence, my banana/peanut butter/chocolate Horcrux Cakes. Fluffy, moist little cakes encasing a creamy chocolate, black magic soul. Tom Riddle approved. Horcrux Cakes 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup peanut flour (can use all-purpose flour) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teas. baking powder 1/2 teas baking soda 1/8 teas. salt 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. mashed banana 3 tbsp. peanut butter 1/4 cup oil 2/3 cup milk of choice 1/4 cup chopped chocolate Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease ad flour a standard muffin tin. In a small bowl, combine the flour(s), sugar, baking powder and soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the banana, peanut butter and oil. Whisk the wet ingredients until well mixed then add the milk and whisk to combine. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 3 tbsp of banana and the chopped chocolate and combine. Set aside. Add the dry ingredients to the banana/pb mixture in two batches, until just combined. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the batter into the bottom of each cup and put a small scoop of the banana/chocolate mixture in the center of each cup. Top each cup with the remaining batter, being mindful to seal in the center. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden (toothpick test won't work, obviously). Let cakes cool on rack for 15 minutes before loosening and removing from the tins. Top cooled cakes with peanut butter icing or melted chocolate (or both!). To make PB icing, combine 1 tbsp. peanut butter, 1 teas. milk and 1/2 cup powdered sugar and blend until smooth. Scoop into the corner of a sandwich bag, twist and snip of a tinny bit of the corner to pipe onto cakes. Do the same with melted chocolate, if you want. Makes 12 Horcrux Cakes

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Kris — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:59:40 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:59:46 +0000

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Kris — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:28:42 +0000

muffin

Kris — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:15:00 +0000

it's the great pumpkin... harry potter!

Kris — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:23:28 +0000

I have discovered a new-to-me baking blog, and I'm having a bit of a love affair with it. Joy the Baker is charming and funny, very creative and dabbles in vegan baking from time to time. As a whole, I rarely use other people's recipes for baking, but while cruising on her site last weekend, I decided to make her vegan pumpkin bread. And can you believe, I didn't put walnuts in! Me, avoiding quick bread debris! It wasn't for lack of trying, alas I was out of walnuts. Plus, I decided to make muffins and add a streusel topping with pumpkin seeds, which trumps walnuts any day. The only other modifications I made was lowering the sugar a bit (to 2 cups sweetener, total) and lowered the oil to 2/3 cup, substituting hemp milk for the other 1/3. The muffins I normally make are lower fat and sugar than these, and they tend to taste like it, too. ;) Not that it's a bad thing, I love my muffins, but these were decadent, borderline-cupcake muffins and quite lovely in their own right. Josie acted as my muffin packaging supervisor. Jumbo muffins, FTW! This time of year, my love of pumpkin runs wild. I want to bake everything with it, just seeing its brilliant orange color when I open the can (yes, I'm too lazy to make my own pumpkin puree) makes me giddy. With all of my pumpkin baking lately, I had a lone bit sitting in the fridge, waiting to be used... but in what? I hadn't planned to make Pumpkin Pasties as part of my Harry Potter food adventure, as it's already been done, but alas, I read The Sorcerer's Stone on Sunday and was inspired by Harry's first trip to Hogwarts. In addition, I received a frog chocolate mold for Christmas last year, so last night I hopped aboard the Hogwarts Express and got to it! But wait, what's a pasty? While not entirely uncommon in the States, this treat is definitely not a household name. Before wardrobe malfunctions, microwaves and Jim Gaffigan, there were pasties, the British/UK ancestor to the Hot Pocket. I say that in jest, of course, because pasties are delicious and Hot Pockets are not only not vegan, but can also cause some unpleasant side effects. Pasties can be sweet or savory and are basically handheld meals or dessert, encased in a flaky pastry crust. They are usually a half circle, but I made mine smaller and circular because I thought it would look cute. For Jim's sake, I added a bit of glaze, as well. *Note the chocolate frog in the background! Filled with peanut butter, of course! 1/2 recipe pie crust 3 tbsp. dark sugar 1/2 teas. cornstarch 1/2 teas. cinnamon 1/4 teas. pumpkin pie spice 3/4 cup pumpkin 1/2 recipe pie crust Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the spices and mix then add the pumpkin and combine until well incorporated. Roll out the pie crust and cut into 12 rounds, using a biscuit cutter or the mouth of a drinking glass. Scoop the pumpkin filling into the center of 6 of the rounds (I used a cookie scoop and it worked perfectly). Then top with the top crust and seal edges, using water if needed. Cut a tiny hole to vent and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until edges are golden. Let pasties cool and eat plain or if you or a loved one has a glaze addiction, whip up a little with some maple extract, if you have it, and top each pasty.

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Kris — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 06:24:41 +0000

yee-haw: it's vegan mofo 2010!

Kris — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 06:28:27 +0000

Good morning! [caption id="attachment_1172" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Linus is so excited that it\'s Vegan MoFo. Seriously, this is his happy face, in his happy place."][/caption] I imagine all your feed readers* are looking pretty full right about now. The bestest month of the year is upon us, Vegan MoFo! Horray! I am in it to win it, I tell you. I am very excited to see what everyone else will be blogging about, gathering ideas for the upcoming holiday feasts and to jump-start my own blogging frequency once again. Here's what you can expect to see this month: -Giveaways! Each week I will be doing giveaways. Here's the thing- they won't be announced. Every Friday I will pick a random post from the week and one random commenter from that post will win a prize! Books, goodies from Food Fight, my mind is aflutter with possibilities, so be sure to comment! -Recipes! Real food recipes, baking recipes and more feature from my Harry Potter series will all surface this month! -Nutrition! I am working on a whole series of information about nutrition that will not only be informative, but really interesting, too. Promise. -Videos! More video segments and some different, fun snippets to liven things up. Of all the awesome MoFo goodness out there, what are you most looking forward? What blogs are your must-reads during this yummiest of months? *sidenote- if you subscribe to this blog through a feed, you may need to update. Click here if this pertains to you.

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Kris — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 05:55:54 +0000

hagrid's (not horrible) rock cakes

Kris — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:28:13 +0000

The following is a lesson that Harry Potter might have learned at Hogwarts. If they studied baking. And had baking related sex ed. When a scone and a cookie love each other, sometimes they decide to have the seckts. In doing so, they create offspring: the rock cake. Rock cakes are not common treats in the US, but are an old school tea time snack in the UK. They are made similarly to a scone, with a tinge more sweetness, and dropped into smaller rounds, making little, misshapen "rocks", perfect for nibbling on during afternoon tea, after a typically terrible Potions lesson with Snape whilst commiserating with Hagrid. Unlike Hagrid's truly rock-like cakes, these moist little treats are easy and delicious. Chock full of yummy add-ins, these chocolaty rocks are worth donning your Invisibility Cape and dodging Filch (or in my house, the minions of Mrs. Norris) to sneak as a late night snack. Hagrid's (Not Horrible) Rock Cakes 1 1/2 cups flour 2 tbsp. baking cocoa, sifted 1 1/2 teas. baking powder 1/4 teas. salt 1/3 cup cold margarine 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp. of milk of choice 1/8 teas. vinegar 1/4 teas. vanilla 1/3 cup chocolate chips 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup dried fruit (cherries, cranberries) Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Combine well. Add the cold margarine, in chunks, and blend in until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl combine the milk, vinegar and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Gently add in the chocolate chips, nuts and dried fruit. Scoop dough into tablespoon sized balls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cakes have risen and are set on the outside. Let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes before transferring from baking sheet. Makes 18 rock cakes

IMG_4253

Kris — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 05:21:21 +0000

pumpkin overload? never!

Kris — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:09:17 +0000

First off, I want to plug a super cool new feature that WordPress is offering: FoodPress! It's an easy way to sift and sort through the tons of food blogs hosted by WordPress and to see some cool features that might not otherwise cross your screen. Like you need another distraction. I would love to know the fiscal impact of lost worker productivity due to Vegan MoFo. :) Is it possible to eat too much pumpkin goodness this time of year? Never! One of the most popular recipes from 100 Best is, of course, one of the recipes with a typo in it. D'oh! Here it is, in all its corrected glory, for your autumn nomming pleasure. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Always a favorite during the colder months, these cookies are very light and airy. The pumpkin adds a unique hue and a boost of beta carotene to each bite. That’s enough nutrition to convince me to have seconds! 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon. baking powder 1 teaspoon. baking soda 1 teaspoon. cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon. salt 1 cup margarine, softened 1/2 cup regular sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, packed 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) 2 teas. milk of choice 1 teaspoon. vanilla 1/2 cup chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt ingredients. In a large bowl, beat cream sugar, brown sugars and margarine until creamed. Add pumpkin, milk and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet in two batches and mix until just mixed, then stir in chocolate chips. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on a baking sheet 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to-12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, switch their shelves halfway through. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then remove from cookie sheet and cool on transfer cookies to cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in a container with a loose fitting lid, as they are very moist, at room temperature. Yields: 3 dozen cookies

garlic tube

Kris — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:41:38 +0000

garliczoom

Kris — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:51:22 +0000

garlic rehab

Kris — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:28:01 +0000

I have a dirty little secret. One of those things that foodie people mock loudly and then all their groupies join in, laughing, while some of us awkwardly chuckle as our eyes dart around, nervously, to see if we've been found. For years, I primarily used jarred garlic. And you know what? I still have a jar in my fridge. Sure, fresh garlic is cheap and tastes better. But getting those pesky skins off each clove was making me nuts! Then my fingers would stink for days, no matter how many times I ran cold water over my fingers while rubbing them over the back of a spoon or using lemon juice. Real garlic only got pulled out for company and jarred was good enough for us. And then, last year, this little friend arrived in my stocking: Sure, I'd seen these at the store before, but always thought, "Seriously? What a gimmick!" I mean, come on, a rubber tube? What good would that going to do? I thought it was sweet that Jim tried to get me a new gadget, even thought it wasn't going to work. Right? Oh boy, little rubber tube + fresh garlic = WIN! All it takes is a couple of seconds of rocking and rolling on the counter and the skins just shed off. Perfecto! But now, to mince. Again, I don't want stinky hands. Enter: The GarlicZoom. It looks stupid, but works really, really well. Between the tube and the Zoom, I have freshly minced garlic in under 1 minute, no joke. Now, you may have noticed that I said that I still have a jar of garlic. Sometimes I'm out of fresh or I'm really just that lazy. But I have to give it to these little, vampire-repellent tools of the trade. They rock. *I just want to note that I was not paid or asked by either company to promote these products. I just has a luv.

burger

Kris — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 21:22:14 +0000

cupcake

Kris — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 21:32:27 +0000

tart

Kris — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 21:34:01 +0000

restaurant füd and the giveaway!

Kris — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:05:35 +0000

Wow, so the first week of Vegan MoFo is rolling to a close. So far, so good! There has been lots of amazing food to look at and I'm discovering so many new-to-me blogs! That's what it's all about, right? So, restaurant posts seem like a bit of a cop-out. Which they are. But, if you want someone's opinion on a restaurant, it's really nice to read blog reviews, right? Please excuse the poor quality of the pictures, as my camera on my phone is less-than-spectacular. First stop is Dick's Kitchen, in SE Portland. This is a newer restaurant that has cropped up in the space next to Laughing Planet, a space that is owned and operated by Laughing Planet, but has cycled through four different eating establishments in the past 4 years. It's got a mod-retro diner feel and specializes in burgers. I'm usually pretty "meh" about that sort of thing, but a friend mentioned that they serve vegan milkshakes. Veggie burgers, fries AND vegan milkshakes? Okay, I had to go. [caption id="attachment_1192" align="aligncenter" width="468" caption="the aforementioned crappy cell phone pic."][/caption] I had a tempeh burger with BBQ sauce, some fries and a chocolate milkshake, which was made with Coconut Bliss, an extra special treat. I wasn't entirely won over, but I will go back and try something else on their menu. My particular meal was good, but not overwhelmingly so, although I love the fact that they make everything from scratch. Any by everything, I mean everything. Ketchup, pickles, BBQ sauce, etc. Very cool. Although this makes me come back to a point that I've often wondered: is it possible to get a vegan milkshake that's actually thick? Like straining-to-suck-through-the-straw thick? They are always so runny and smoothie-like. Sip does a pretty good job, but when I see vegan milkshakes on the menu, I am often let down. Moving on to other noms: Back to Eden. If you're a Portlander, BtE is now a Portland staple, fa ormer wholesale bakery turned NE Portland bakeshop/cafe. We stopped in for a bite on Halloween night and ended up with these beauties. A gluten-free chocolate cupcake with orange cream frosting. One of the things I love about their buttercream (a thing I am notoriously picky about) is that it's just right. Not crunchy with an overkill of sugary sweetness, but not bland, leaving an oil slick in your mouth (I'm talking to you, Saint Cupcake). Smooth and sweet, the way buttercream should be. A butterscotch pudding tart. Don't you love the little chocolate spider's web? This was phenomenal and had Jim and I fork sparring for the last bite. Yum. And now, for the Vegan MoFo week 1 giveaway winner! Each week I'm picking a random post and giving away a random prize to a random commentor. This week I happened to pick the post that has the prize in it: the garlic post! The winner is, none other than our lovely, preggers Leigh! Leigh, you pick whether you want the rubber peeler or the Zoom and it's yours, baby mama. Have a great weekend and I'll see you here next week for more MoFo!

an oldie, but a goodie

Kris — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:19:30 +0000

My weekend kicked my butt, so here is a fun little throwback for your Monday MoFo... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMpHF2a-IJY&fs=1&hl=en_US]

baking

Kris — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:20:39 +0000

tips for healthy baking (that still tastes good)

Kris — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:56:50 +0000

So... I didn't MoFo yesterday. Oops. Today, I want to discuss baking and health. I get enormously frustrated when people say to me, "Oh, you're a vegan baker? Your stuff must be really healthy." Uh, no, actually. It's not. And then I have to try to explain to them that while it's not full of animal ingredients and white sugar and bleached flour, it's still full of fat and sugar and white flour. Plenty of vegans make things super healthy but, for better or worse, I'm not one of them, at least not when it comes to my books. My objective is to make things taste as "normal" as possible. I don't want an omni to be able to tell the difference and I don't want a vegan or someone with food allergies to feel like they are eating anything less than. That said, sometimes it pays to clean up your act a little bit. I tend to bake ~~way too much~~ quite a bit and because I don't like not baking, I have to mix it up in order to keep us healthy. It's no secret that the recipes in my cookbooks are sometimes foods. But because I have a particular taste pallate, I don't want my baking to taste too healthy. Where's the fun in that? Here are some of my tips to help you make your baked goods healthier without sacrificing flavor.

1. If a recipe calls for sugar, use a little! Even if I'm cutting the sugar content siginifcantly or are substituting a liquid, I always add a little bit of regular sugar (I use evaporated cane juice) to a recipe. Granulated sugar breaks down differently than liquid and greatly contributes to the mouthfeel of a baked good, which is the most important consideration when healthifying any recipe. Keeping a bit of sugar in there helps retain that mouthfeel, ensuring your muffins won't be mealy like a biscuit. 2. Always use a little bit of fat. Substitute applesauce or whatever to your heart's content, but always use at least 1-2 tablespoons of fat. Fat-free baked goods have a rubbery texture. Fat is also important to help you feel satiated, so you don't end up eating 3 muffins instead of just 1. Oops. 3. Blend your flours. Even when baking healthier, I always do a blend of whole wheat and white flour. This goes back to mouthfeel. Whole wheat flour is grittier and more dense. It also absorbs more liquid, so you may need to add an additional tablespoon or two of liquid when substituting flours. I usually do a mixture of white flour, whole wheat and some ground oats when I'm baking for my health. This creases the fiber and protein of the baked good without it tasting like I'm eating something that came from a 1960s co-op bakery. 3. A little sprinkle (of sugar) goes a long way. I tend to cut back significantly on the sugar content in my baked goods but often, although the texture is okay, they just don't taste that sweet on their own. I love to add a sprinkle of coarse sugar to the top of whatever I'm baking (typically muffins or cookies). This sugar doesn't dissolve into the baked good and is then immediately available to your tongue when eating, ensure your get that desired sweetness without ingesting a mass of sugar. 4. Mix it up. It's amazing how far a sprinkle of chocolate chips, some berries, lemon zest or a teaspoon of ginger can take a recipe. Extracts are great, too, to help create a pronounced flavor without adding calorie-heavy ingredients. 5. Don't forgo the topping. Find a lesser-evil if something you're making is usually really decadent. If you feel deprived you will go to the other end of the spectrum and then binge on super unhealthy things. Trust me, I've been there. If a recipe calls for fatty frosting, add a light glaze. Create a fruit compote to top it off. Just because you're making things healthier doesn't mean you have to be without.

What things to do you do to help make a recipe healthier?

buffy-214

Kris — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 03:11:27 +0000

IMG_4671

Kris — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:31:32 +0000

gabbing with the star

Kris — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:58:31 +0000

So, one of my blogger BBFs and I decided to swap blog space and interview each other. She devised some questions for me to answer, I devised some questions for her, we picked yummy recipes from each other's blogs. (You can read my interview here.) Without further ado, let me introduce someone you already know (but certainly want to learn more about) the lovely Celine Steen, author of 500 Vegan Recipes, Vegan Substitutes and Hearty Vegan Meals. [caption id="attachment_1206" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="for realz, celine uses that stake to mash potatoes."][/caption] 1. At home, what do you use for baking/cooking: US or metric measurements? I prefer using US for liquid, metric for solids. I channel my inner Meat Loaf and would do anything for love, which to me translates into keeping the amount of dirty dishes to a minimum, something that weighing stuff instead of measuring it helps accomplish. 2. What flavor combination have you reluctantly tried that has pleasantly surprised you? I actually can't think of anything that I reluctantly tried, because if it doesn't appeal - I just won't try it. Boring and unadventurous maybe, but hey. There are so many flavors out there that I feel it'd be a waste of a perfect meal to just force something unappealing in. By golly. 3. If you were rich and could have all your meals delivered, where would you get your food from? My mom's kitchen! 4. How long have you been vegan? What recipes where the big ones you absolutely had to convert immediately? I went vegan about 6 years ago. I think in the beginning I just went for safe vegweb recipes and the ones found in books, probably How it all Vegan. Then I grew some hair on my chest and became more daring, making stuff from scratch and going from there. Oh now I remember: lasagna was the big thing for me, because my mom's lasagna was the best, and it also was the first meal Chaz made for me when I came to visit him in the States. The vegan version makes my heart pitter-patter just as much as the other ones did, by the way. (No offense to Chaz or mom.) 5. What has been your worst baking/cooking disaster? Did you eat it anyway? There's one of those going on at least once a week over here, because while failure may not be an option, it will laugh in your face and happen to you whether you like it or not. But I almost always refuse to toss stuff out, unless it's beyond vile. Lessee: I think one time, in my early baking days, I tried to mix some tofutti cheese slices into muffins, which resulted in some gooey, swamp creature worthy type of horror. Fun times! Trash time, in this case. What was I thinking? 6. Surprise! The coolest vegan restaurant in the world is, rightfully, madly in love with you. They decide to create a namesake meal in your honor. What would that meal be? Will the restaurant wine me and dine me first, to see if we are a perfect match? Flowers would be a nice touch, too. Even though I clearly have to have desserts or the day didn't happen, I can't help but lean toward the one weakness I've had all my life: perfect French fries. Crispy outside, tender inside, salty, not too greasy. Oh yeah, that's the stuff. 7. Nomnomnom… you have been a recipe writing machine. What do you do to balance all of creative craziness so you don’t have a “The Shining” moment? I drink red rum. And I also have to work out, work out, work out. Not only does it make room for more food, but it also helps me clear my head from any unnecessary junk. 8. If you could do a cookie swap with any famous vegan, who would it be? What kind of cookies would you make them? Miss Mo! She's made of 100% kickassitude, and she also happens to have the same first name as my mom. If I had any cookie icing skills, I'd go for something Whedonesque on a tasty sugar cookie. Maybe a portrait of Riley Finn, or something. 9. When you are spending a long day in the kitchen, what do you listen to/watch to keep yourself pumped? I'm really into 12 Rounds, Nine Inch Nails and PJ Harvey right now. Angsty music makes for perfectly kneaded bread dough, for real. As far as the watching bit goes, I just finished the 7th season of Buffy for the [insert crazy number here]th time and am ready to dive right back in. Send help. 10. Are your kitties taste-testers? What is the most unusual thing one of you cats has sampled? Dear god no. NO! If they taste-test, I inevitably pay for it later. Enough said. 11. Quick! I’m coming over in 1 hour and you’re going to make me lunch. Using just what you have on hand, what’s on the menu? Cobb salad and crab cakes. And banana bread. And a quesadilla for later, if you're good. 12. Okay, it’s me (Kris), so something about Trader Joe’s has to come up. What’s your favorite goodie from TJs? One of them cute cashiers will do just fine. Or if we really are talking about food, it's tough to choose one: but I really like their "colon blaster" muffins, as Chaz calls them. You know, the ones that are fiber rich and packed with raspberries, blueberries, or mango? 13. When you come to present at Vida Vegan next year, where do you absolutely have to eat while in Portland? As far as food goes, I know that anywhere will be perfect because there hasn't been a single disappointing restaurant visit when I was there the first time, but the one thing that has been on my mind ever since I left is of the liquid courage persuasion: a Bye & Bye* is first on my to-do list. August can't be here soon enough. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ *coincidentally (or maybe not), The Bye & Bye is where I met Celine IRL for the first time. While I was tempted to fill a stockpot with Chocolate PB Syrup and drink it with a straw, I decided to exercise some self restraint. I can never get enough chocolate or pumpkin, so I recently whipped up Celine's Pumpkin Chocolate Brownie Cake. It's a super nom-tastic cake you can feel good about eating because Celine is a tasty-treat ninja like that. Pumpkin Chocolate Brownie Cake Non-stick cooking spray 1/4 cup (60 ml) plain soymilk 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup (60 g) whole-wheat pastry flour 1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose flour or 1/2 cup (60 g) whole-wheat pastry flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar or 1/3 cup (64 g) Sucanat 1/3 cup (73 g) packed light brown sugar or 1/3 cup (64 g) Sucanat 2 tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 cup (122 g) pumpkin purée 1/4 cup (61 g) unsweetened applesauce 3 tablespoons (45 ml) canola oil 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/3 cup (58 g) nondairy semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Lightly coat an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking pan with spray. Combine vinegar and soymilk in a medium bowl: it will curdle and become like buttermilk. In a large bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugars, cocoa, spices, and salt. Whisk pumpkin purée, applesauce, oil, and vanilla into the buttermilk mixture, until combined. Fold wet ingredients into dry, being careful not to over mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Place batter into prepared pan. Bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan, on a wire rack. Remove from pan after at least 30 minutes. Enjoy at room temperature or cold. Yield: 6 to 8 servings

waffle

Kris — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:16:11 +0000

gorditos

Kris — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:19:50 +0000

wolf and bear

Kris — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:25:56 +0000

lucielle

Kris — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:49:32 +0000

food cart friday- and a giveaway!

Kris — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:52:19 +0000

Portland is known as the land of food carts. You literally can't pass an unused parking lot or street corner without tripping over one. You think it would get old- I think it's heaven. For most people from other parts of the country, the idea of eating out of an old airstream, a renovated Roach Coach or a bus sounds unappealing. That is, until you eat food made by amazing chefs with good sense- the overhead is low, they are still held to the same health code standards as standard restaurants and they are much easier to start up, and from there decide if they really want to have a restaurant. The food carts in Portland are so amazing, I literally would be content if I never stepped foot in a regular restaurant again (with the exception of my beloved BL, of course). The food carts I'm featuring here aren't neccesarily new to the Portland scene, quite the contrary in most cases, but they are some of my favorites and I had pictures of their food on my phone. So there. :) Best "Dutch burrito"- Flavour Spot Flavour Spot not only wins for having an awesome vegan waffle sandwich (a crisp waffle stuffed with vegan sausage and schmeared with maple cream), they get extra points for spelling "flavour" with a "u". They have three locations in Portland, with their Old Town location having night time hours. Excellent. Best tofu from a truck- Los Gorditos Los Gorditos, the famed Portland Mexican food truck (and now a brick and mortar restaurant as well), with an exhaustive vegan menu, has the best Mexican food I've ever had. My favorite item is the Tofu Bowl, which is actually a large plate (go figure), full of seasoned tofu chunks, creamy refried beans, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, soy sour cream and avocado. It's served with piping hot corn tortillas to use to scoop up the magic mix. They also do things with soy curls that make your eyes roll in the back of your head with pleasure. Most mouth-gasm inducing meal- Wolf & Bear's If you think you like falafel, you don't know anything until you've had Wolf & Bear's. This cart is run by two folks of Israeli descent. I've never been to the Middle East, but I have heard from many a credible source that this falafel is the best they've ever had in the US. Everything about it is mind-blowing- from the flavorful falafel patty (which is flat rather than in round balls, making it much easier to eat and allowing for falafel-maximizing bites), the fresh pita, the hummus, the tahini, the caramelized onions and grilled pepper and eggplant to the little mix of olives and Israeli pickles (cured in salt brine, not vinegar) on the side. When eating at Wolf & Bear's, Jim and I can't even speak, we are so intoxicated with our food. Sadly, the cart owners close down for the soggy winter months, alas, there will be no falafel until next spring. Bummer, but worth the wait. Best health-infused meal from a cheekily-named cart- Lucille's Balls Lucille's is a newer cart in Portland, in the Good Food Here pod (a pod is a congregation of carts, like an outdoor food court but much more delicious). While the vegan options are limited, they are awesome. This is food cart food you can feel good about eating. The idea is this: pick your balls, pick your sauce, with your base and chow down. I like the sweet potato/spinach balls with coconut curry sauce over polenta. SO GOOD. It's also served up with a little side salad, which has a tasty viniagrette with a little kick to it. Also in the Good Food Here pod is Kitchen Dances, which is run by Piper, formerly of Proper Eats. They also have great food (including raw options!), but alas I have no pictures. What are other people's favorite food carts? I realize I didn't add Whiffies or Potato Champion, which are good and enormously popular, but I'm just not much of a fried food person. ************************************ And now, for this week's MoFo winner- the post I picked from was my post on healthy baking and winner was lucky commentor #5, Lizzie! Lizzie, in honor of my fun interview with the fabulous Celine, you win a copy of 500 Vegan Recipes! Have a great weekend, everyone!

100_6482

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 03:18:10 +0000

tomay-to, tomah-to...

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 03:22:56 +0000

Okay, I'm kind of sucking at MoFo. I think November is not as good a month for it, it's too busy. Plus, I have some news to share soon (no, I'm not pregnant) that has been tying up my time, but that will come. I love me some tomato soup. It's my go-to food when I'm feeling sick and there are lots of recipes for tomato soup out there, but a lot of them end up tasting like spaghetti sauce or salsa. Blech. Elephant's Deli, in Portland, is a beloved deli and catering place that is famous for their unique tomato soup. They are not famous for their vegan options. Needless to say, the soup is not vegan, but it's so loved that they are nice enough to share the recipe on their site. Based on its cult status, I couldn't resist whipping up a veganized batch of it... and it is seriously good. And the mystery ingredient that makes it so intriguing really does give it that je ne sais quoi. I'm not going to repost their recipe since I already linked to it and didn't get permissions to do so. All I substituted was plain soy milk for the cream and vegan margarine for the butter, obviously. The soy milk worked well, but I bet soy creamer would be even better. You'd expect it to curdle, especially with orange juice (fresh is a must, it's so good!), but somehow it works. What's your most nostalgic comfort food during the dreary winter months?

have your cake

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:39:24 +0000

IMG_3809

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:43:06 +0000

IMG_2482

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:44:54 +0000

dad is great1

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:45:58 +0000

snickerdoodle1

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:47:43 +0000

banana stripe2

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:49:02 +0000

intense2

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:57:25 +0000

a lil' sneakums...

Kris — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:43:37 +0000

Nothing really big to post today... just some sneak peek pictures from my cake baking exploits! [caption id="attachment_1236" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Intensely Chocolate Bundt"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1230" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Pressed Plum Cake"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1231" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Dad Is Great Chocolate Cake"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1232" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Snickerdoodle Cake"][/caption] One more, for the road. [caption id="attachment_1233" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Banana Fudge Stripe"][/caption] Yum!

100_6488

Kris — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:53:36 +0000

100_6505

Kris — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:01:50 +0000

rainy day cheer

Kris — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:41:59 +0000

I am a big fan of daylight savings so when we go off of it for the winter, it's hard not to get a little sad. Here in the PacNW, it's literally pitch black by 5 p.m. We're in our rainy season, which means that even when it's not raining we are in for primarily overcast days for several months to come. This isn't a major complaint, so much as I'm setting the scene. My dark commute home from work yesterday was accompanied by a torrential downpour. As I barreled alongside the other commuters, whose only goal was to get home in one piece, I began to daydream of a little bite of sunshine. Something bright and cheery to offset all of the heavy, pumpkin-laden treats we've been enjoying as of late. When I got home, I started pulling out ingredients only to discover that I had a scant amount of flour lingering in the bottom of the canister. I was in no mood to venture back out into the madness. Time to improvise! Light and bright and requiring little flour... My mind wandered and landed on the deliciously simple clafoutis. In 100 Best, I have a clafoutis recipe that I love to whip up on a whim, as I always have silken tofu in my fridge and cherries in my freezer. Jim normally hates custardy things, but even he enjoys a slice. I decided to go with some little, single serving clafoutis with some frozen mixed berries. If you haven't had clafoutis before, you're in for a real treat. These little morsels hold up well (great for noshing with one hand and typing with the other!), but remain tender and custard-like. If you're afraid of baking with tofu, get over it already! You're missing out! Also, you can make this with brown rice flour instead of the all-purpose and you've got clafoutis, gluten-free. Une Bouchée de Clafoutis* 1 (12.3 oz.) container of firm silken tofu 1/2 cup organic sugar 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 3/4 cup milk of choice 1 1/2 teas. baking powder 1 teas. vanilla sprinkle salt 1 cup berries, thawed and drained powdered sugar to dust Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin. In the bowl of a food processor combine the tofu and sugar and blend until mixed. Add the flour, milk, baking powder, vanilla and salt and mix until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill each cup 2/3 of the way with batter. Sprinkle berries on top of each cup; do not mix. Bake for 20 minutes, until clafoutis are puffy and lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely before loosening with a butter knife and serving. Clafoutis is delicious warm, but will fall apart if you try to take them out too soon, so feel free to reheat in the microwave or toaster oven. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Store leftovers covered, in the fridge. Makes 12 servings. *(Josiane, I'm relying on you to tell me if I butchered the title, I haven't studied French in over 12 years!)

photo

Kris — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:07:04 +0000

product-large_EW105_mesh

Kris — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:35:13 +0000

beige plate of yum

Kris — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:44:18 +0000

This picture is terrible, but it sure hit the spot. It was my lunch today, courtesty of Whole Foods deli. Some sweet potato cakes (made with sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, onions, cranberries and herbs), veggie stuffing and cranberry sauce. Seriously, salty stuffing and cranberry sauce are the only things I need to be happy at Thanksgiving. Keep the pumpkin pie and pass me the casserole dish. kthxbai For my random drawing of the week, I picked the sneak peek post of cake pictures and the lucky commentor was #10- Jodye! Jodye, I'm going to send you an awesome set of mesh, reusable produce bags for you to fill with deliciousness! And, as an aside, I'll put the "news" I was alluding to earlier in the week here. This affects nothing in regards to my blog, except perhaps a serious lack of decent posts for a couple of weeks, but Jim and I are leaving Portland. We're not going far, we're moving down to Eugene. When a job opportunity knocks, sometimes you gotta go with it. I'll miss PDX, but it's only a 2 hour ride away. Besides, this puts us in the land of YUMM!

retro_housewife_2

Kris — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:22:18 +0000

crockpot

Kris — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:22:59 +0000

rice

Kris — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:24:09 +0000

pressure

Kris — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:25:19 +0000

fagor

Kris — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:27:07 +0000

yummbowl

Kris — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:05:37 +0000

less space, more stuff!

Kris — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:36:07 +0000

I like to think that I have a very well-equipped kitchen. From utensils and gadgets to pans and hardware, I have a lot of really solid tools for my trade. Some might say I have too many kitchen toys... The things is, as you all know, finding places to put all this stuff. Storage! That is the one thing you can never have too much of.* Thankfully, technology is my friend and helps me find more ways to save time and space in the kitchen! Okay, but seriously. I used to own this: [caption id="attachment_1258" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="a 4-quart crock pot, without that nasty stock photo meat in it"][/caption] and this: [caption id="attachment_1259" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="an 8-cup rice cooker"][/caption] and this: [caption id="attachment_1260" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="a 6-quart stove top pressure cooker"][/caption] Whew! Large and in charge, all three of these items took up a ton of space. A few months ago, Jim and I were looking at getting a newer, nicer rice cooker and stumbled across this beast: [caption id="attachment_1261" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Fagor 3-in-1 6 quart multi-cooker"][/caption] I immediate busted out my phone and did what I always do when I'm considering an unknown purchase- look at reviews on Amazon. It was looking pretty promising and the price was totally right, so we decided to take the plunge and get it. It has since taken the place of all three of the above, which I was liberating by releasing into the wild (of other people's kitchens). After several months of using it, here is my assessment: Pros: -Replaces 3 large kitchen appliances. -Pressure cooking done on the counter top now, rather than taking up the stove! -Rice/quinoa is cooked under pressure and cooks in just 6 minutes once the unit reaches pressure (so total time is about 10 minutes). I only need to run it for 2 cycles for wild rice! Nice. -Rice texture is fluffy and great plus no more browning on the bottom of the pot when left on "warm". -Much quieter when pressure cooking than the stove top model. -Beans are tender. -Slow cooks perfectly. Cons: -Because there is only one way to release the pressure (valve), can't employ the "quick release" method we were used to on the stove top. It's not really a con, but has taken some getting used to in our bean preparation times based on our old habits. We haven't ruined a batch yet, though, and we're getting a better feel for it each time. -The only option for slow cooking is the low setting, no high setting. This works fine for us because I never use the high setting, but could be a drawback for someone else. So, you can see the pros outweigh the cons significantly. I've been incredibly happy with this purchase and keep recommending it to people, so I figured I should blog about it! The cost of a really good rice cooker alone is usually close to double the cost of the this unit. And, for the record, I am writing this review on my own accord. Cool companies never offer me swag. Alas, I buy my own gadgets. :) What kitchen appliance or tool do you most love? *This is a totally unrelated side note but whatever, I love tangents. I know there are a lot of grammarians and English majors who read this blog. As I was proofreading this entry, I noticed the above sentence, which I ended with a preposition. "Eeek!" I could collectively hear you saying. "You should never end a sentence with a preposition!" Little known fact, I used to be a Linguistics major in college, so here's a story about the history of English and that silly rule. Centuries ago, when more and more books and pamphlets were being put to print, grammarians were concerned about the degradation of the English language (when aren't they concerned?). They decided it was time to put more rules and parameters around English. Latin was revered as the true, "educated" language to which we should aspire to emulate. It was natural to them that they decided in order to speak proper English, they would apply rules of Latin to it. In Latin, there is a rule which says you cannot end a sentence with a preposition because you literally cannot. Your sentence would not make sense because within the structure of Latin because it would not be reflecting back onto a noun, it would just hang there and be nonsense. Now, being that we aren't speaking Latin and that you can understand most English sentences with the preposition falling at the end of the sentence, it's not actually necessary. Sure, sometimes a restructure of a sentence makes it sound better, but sometimes it sounds worse. As I always say, do what feels right to your ear. And if you're interested in reading more about this misguided rule, click here or here.

winner, winner, chickpea dinner!

Kris — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:57:49 +0000

When there are lots of things going on in your life at the same time, the first thing to usually go is a good meal plan. Quick fixes and faux meat tend to fill the gaps and I always can always feel it. It makes me sluggish and just feel icky, frankly. We're mid-move and I'm trying hard to not let that happen this time and it's going much better than expected, thanks to my lovely rice/pressure cooker and some help from a bottle- Original Yumm! Sauce from Cafe Yumm! Yumm Sauce is an indescribable, tangy, cheezy sauce that makes everything delicious. Jess even made her own version of it (with links to other adaptations!), so you can try it, too! [caption id="attachment_1265" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="yay! crappy cell phone pic!"][/caption] Quinoa in the cooker, chickpeas from a can, some chopped up zucchini and carrots sticks on top and a drizzle of sauce on top- perfect, delicious and nutritious. Spot on when you need good food, fast and ready in about 15 minutes, with leftovers. What satisfying eats do you enjoy when you're short on time?

100_6511

Kris — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 18:01:45 +0000

black friday fuel

Kris — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 18:13:27 +0000

Or lay-on-the-couch-and-watch-TV-all-day fuel. Or Tofurky-coma-hangover-need-energy-to-tolerate-family-I-only-see-this-time-of-year fuel. Whatevs. It works in any scenario. While you worry about the food for today, let me worry about the food for tomorrow. Use some of the leftover elements of Thanksgiving that will be lurking in your fridge, destined to mold (ah, we all have such good intentions, don't we?), and turn them into a hearty, delicious post-Thanksgiving breakfast. Creamy yet chewy steel cut oats join forces with that last little scrap of pumpkin puree, some spices and maple syrup to make an ultimate breakfast. And with leftover cranberries on top? Ooh yeah, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout. T-Day Oats Serves 2 2 cups water 1/2 cup steel cut oats 1/4- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree (depending on taste) 2 tbsp. maple syrup 1/8 teas. pumpkin pie spice 1/8 teas cinnamon cranberry sauce (optional) In a pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the oats and lower the temperature to a simmer. Let cook until oats absorb most of the water, about 15 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup and spices and mix well. Let cook until oatmeal is bubbly and cooked to desired consistency. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and some cranberry sauce, if using.

100_6530

Kris — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:15:39 +0000

bindhi

Kris — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:37:05 +0000

bindhi

Kris — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:38:25 +0000

how do you cocoa?

Kris — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:45:15 +0000

Well, slowly but surely we're getting settled into our new space (hence my absence from the end of MoFo. FAIL). My new kitchen is HUGE, with tons of counter space and natural light, two things I have been sorely lacking for years, so I'm very excited to start churning out holiday goodies in this lovely new space. Of course, my best kitchen helper is right by my side, per the usual. All I can think of is holiday baking, it makes my heart swoon. What is better than the smell of fresh baked goods, wafting from a warm oven and the eager anticipation of what is to come? I say to heck with the presents and other traditions of Giftmas, gimme the cookies/brownies/pie/cake! Which brings me to an important issue, near and dear to my heart. Cocoa. There are two main types of cocoa powder for baking: regular and Dutch-processed. In the picture above, the lighter cocoa on top is standard baking cocoa, while the darker, redder powder on the bottom is Dutch-processed. When I mention Dutch-processed to folks, I am often met with a blank stare, so I thought a little cocoa lesson might be in order. Dutch-processed cocoa is cocoa that has been alkalized to reduce the acidity of the cocoa. In doing this, the natural slight bitterness (apparent standard in baking cocoa) is reduced, making for a richer chocolate flavor. I personally LOVE Dutch-processed cocoa and use it almost exclusively in my baking because of that flavor. Before discovering Dutch-pressed cocoa, I always used to add melted chocolate to almost every recipe that called for solely cocoa and no other kind of chocolate, because I felt continually let down by the lack of chocolate flavor. With the Dutch-pressed cocoa, my chocolate hound taste buds are far more satisfied (although a generous sprinkle of chocolate chips never hurt anyone). There is a depth of flavor that's priceless in the finished product. Technically using Dutch-processed cocoa, being more acid neutral, could require more chemical leavener to compensate (another pinch of baking powder), but I haven't really noticed any difference swapping between them and leaving the recipe as is. Dutch-processed cocoa can be harder to find in some areas, but it's worth looking for. Like anything, the price can fluctuate dramatically (I've seen packages range from $3-$20) so check around for the best deal. *Post amended to state the obvious- please buy fair trade when you can! Yes, it costs more, but you are helping to pay living wages for people who are working for legitimate farms where they are not slaves, but actual employees. The chocolate, coffee and diamond (and tea and bananas and more!) industries are very dark and dirty businesses to be in. Vote with your dollars! Chocolate chip pistachio cookies and pumpkin cinnamon rolls are in my near future. What holiday baking treats do you see in your baking crystal ball?

mission: delicious

Kris — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:20:41 +0000

*Update* Tiffany, you're the winner! Thanks, everyone, for all of your delicious holiday treat ideas! This is your mission, should you choose to accept it. What are your favorite holiday treats? Christmas, Hanukkah, it's-cold-outside, whatever you do or don't celebrate, what do you anticipate eating that is special to this time of year? Of course, your baked treats are of greatest interest to yours truly, but soups, stews, etc. are always welcome. Nostalgic treats, annual traditions, I want to hear 'em all! Share your yums in the comments and on Sunday eve I will pick one random winner who will get a $25 Cosmos Vegan Shoppe gift certificate! Treat yourself to a present this time of year and peruse their awesome store to drool over their fabulous vegan goods. Even if you don't win, you should totally still buy yourself a present from Cosmos. For realz. You're worth it.

100_6546

Kris — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 03:51:28 +0000

kittehs and cookies!

Kris — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:05:51 +0000

Animals are supposed to be able to recognize things that are harmful to them and withdraw from the edge of danger. When we see fire, we retreat. When we come across an unknown berry in the woods, we don't eat it. Bindhi is apparently not that bright. She is terribly attracted to two big kitteh no-nos- chocolate and coffee. Sigh. At least she looks cute when she's sniffing cookies or when she wraps her paws around my arm and pulls with all her might to smell my mug. Recently Leigh paid me a very high compliment, calling my Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie recipe from 100 Best the "perfect chocolate chip cookie". Aw... That inspired me to whip some up with chocolate chips and pistachios. So good! I love that Trader Joe's sells preshelled pistachios, it makes life so much easier. (For those who have an interest in the chemistry of baking, notice how the shape of our cookies is different around the edges. I softened my margarine in the microwave and overdid it a but, it ended up slightly liquidy. The cookies where still soft and chewy, but you can see how it affected the shape. Interesting...) I was going to post a recipe this week for vegan fruitcake (that actually tastes good!) but thought I'd do a little pole and see which recipe you'd like more. What do you think? [polldaddy poll=4219267]

100_6551

Kris — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:20:48 +0000

100_6590

Kris — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:24:15 +0000

cookie, cookie, cookies!

Kris — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:37:59 +0000

Alright, as promised here is the Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie recipe, along with another cookie recipe that seems like it will pair perfectly with a cup of tea and some time with loved ones. Fatty sugar alert: these recipes are super not healthy. You have been warned. Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teas. baking soda 1/4 teas. salt 1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, softened 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar 1/2 cup organic brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup sugar 1 teas. vanilla 1 teas. cornstarch 1/4 cup milk of choice 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped pecans chips Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, sift together dry flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream together sugar, brown sugars and softened margarine. Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk and add to sugar mixtures along with vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in batches, then stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Using a cookie dropper or tablespoon, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8–-10 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet pan for 5 minutes, then remove to cool on transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature. Yields: 2 1/2 dozen cookies Spice and Ice Molasses Cookies These cookies are chewy and deeply flavored. If you like a strong ginger bite, add some chopped crystallized ginger for some extra kick. 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teas. baking soda 1 teas. ground cinnamon 1 1/4 teas. ground ginger 1/8 teas. ground cloves 1/4 teas. salt 3/4 cup margarine, melted 1 cup organic granulated or brown sugar 1/4 cup plus 1 teas. blackstrap molasses 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. In a large bowl, cream together the melted margarine and the 1 cup of sugar. Add the molasses to the wet mixture and mix well. In batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet until a nice dough comes together. Let chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 and line baking sheets with parchment, if using. Roll tablespoon sized balls of dough in the remaining sugar to coat well. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until cookies have cracked and spread. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in a loosely covered container at room temperature. Yields: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

fruitcake1

Kris — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:41:58 +0000

100_6624

Kris — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:46:11 +0000

100_6642

Kris — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:52:07 +0000

vegan fruitcake delight!

Kris — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:38:34 +0000

I couldn't resist posting this fruitcake recipe. We never had fruitcake in my family when I was growing up, so I don't have bad memories of it, but you can't exist this time of year and not be familiar with the jokes that go along with fruitcake. This fruitcake, however, is dense, moist and delicious and doesn't take weeks to cure in the back of you pantry (yuck!). It's quick and easy and can easily be adapted to meet your fruit cakey preferences (some darker sugar or alcohol, a spike of molasses, etc). Ah, fruitcake. The butt of many a holiday joke. But no one will give you a hard time about this light cake, studded with dried fruit and nuts. They’ll be too busy stuffing their faces with it. This version is a bit less, um, brilliant than the traditional neon-candied cherries version, but you can feel free to substitute the dried fruit with those familiar favorites if you’d like. The added bonus is that these cakes don’t need to cure, so you don’t have to start working on them in October to enjoy their Yuletide cheer! 1 cup flour 2 tbsp. sugar 1/2 teas. baking powder 1/8 teas. salt 1/3 cup agave 1/2 cup orange juice OR 1/4 cup orange juice and 1/4 cup alcohol (rum or bandy) if going for the boozy taste 2 tbsp. apple sauce 2 tbsp. oil 1 teas. vanilla 1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice 1/2 cup chopped sweet dried fruit of choice (dates, figs, raisins, etc.) 1/2 cup chopped tart dried fruit of choice (apricots, candied orange peel, tart cherries, etc.) 1/3 cup alcohol (same as used in batter) or 1/3 cup apple cider Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease and flour 1 loaf pan or 4 mini loaf pans. In a small bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium sized bowl, combine the agave, orange juice, 1/4 cup alcohol (if using), applesauce, oil and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Add the dry to the wet in batches, until well combined. Add the nuts and dried fruit and mix until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan(s). For mini cakes, bake for 24-28 minutes and for a full loaf for 45-50 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and set on rack. While warm, poke cake randomly with toothpick to create pin holes. Slowly and evenly pour the remaining alcohol or apple cider over the cakes, a little at at time to allow it time to absorb. Let cakes cool in pan for 20 minutes before inverting and let finish cooling on the rack. Store cakes wrapped up or in a sealed container in fridge.

a cake of a different feather...

Kris — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:44:11 +0000

Look at this beautiful cake. So pretty. So elegant. What a perfect dinner. Now, before you think I'm on a path straight to Type 2 diabetes, let me assure you that we have not digressed to eating cake for dinner (as tempting as it may often be). Several weeks ago, I was intrigued and humored by Mo's "Meat" Cake. I'd wanted to run what that idea for Thanksgiving dinner, but with moving and what not, it wasn't going to happen. Until last weekend. They say there is a first time for everything and I think that using my offset spatula and frosting tips on garlic mashed potatoes definitely fall into that category. I used my lentil and grain meatloaf recipe and made a double batch, which I baked in two 8 inch cake rounds. The center is filled with sweet potatoes, topped and frosted with garlic mashed potatoes and some cranberries and served with mushroom gravy. Strange but delicious, just the way I like it. :)

100_6666

Kris — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 05:57:03 +0000

100_6669

Kris — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:06:53 +0000

100_6673

Kris — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:07:42 +0000

100_6685

Kris — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:09:29 +0000

100_6693

Kris — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:10:46 +0000

100_6698

Kris — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:13:49 +0000

a holiday baking explosion

Kris — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:30:02 +0000

Happy Holidays! I have been doing a lot of baking, which I promptly package up and send to work with Jim, lest I sit around eating it all day while hunting for a job. Seriously, dozens of cookies, muffins and bread... it could get bad. But, I love to bake, so bake I shall. How could I not, with my rusty, trusty tome? In lieu of the holidays, rather than just making a batch of cookies, tossing them into Tupperware and calling it good, I got a little overly excited last week and sort of overdid it. Things will be quiet on these fronts through the holidays, so in the meantime, let your eyes feast upon this bit of food pr0n. [caption id="attachment_1307" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Snickerdoodles"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1308" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Mocha Stripes"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1310" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Snickerdoodles and Mochas were joined by Lemon Drops and Fudgie Wudgie bites"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1309" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Orange Chocolate Chip Mini-Muffins (one recipe makes 3 dozen minis!)"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1311" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Each department also got a small loaf of my Holiday Bread, infused with orange zest and speckled with dried cranberries- yum!"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1312" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="The whole lot, ready for eating"][/caption] Here are the recipes for the Lemon Drop Cookies (my favorites!) and the Fudgie Wudgie Brownies. Have a happy and safe holiday, whether you celebrate or whether you eat Chinese food in your pajamas (or whether celebrating includes eating Chinese food in your pajamas)!

100_6582

Kris — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:00:51 +0000

simple pleasures

Kris — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:58:16 +0000

Things that make me happy: The Pear Cinnamon Cider from Trader Joe's is off-the-hook amazing. I'm afraid it will disappear right after the holidays, as many of the goodies they have this time of year do, so I've stockpiled several containers of it. SO FREAKING GOOD. What makes it better? Drinking it with a nice lil' Blueberry Gas Station Pie. Nom. Blueberry Gas Station Pie 1/2 recipe Basic Pie Crust 1/4 cup organic granulated sugar 2 tbsp. cornstarch 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries 2 tbsp. water 1 teas. vanilla Prepare pie crust per directions and let chill in fridge for at least 45 minutes before using. To prepare the blueberry filling, in a small sauce pan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Mix until combined and no clumps exist in the cornstarch. Add the blueberries and water and cook over a medium heat, stirring often, until mixture becomes bubbly and berries begin to release their juices, about 10 minutes. Once bubbling, add the vanilla and lower heat to medium-low and continue stirring until mixture begins to thicken and can coat the back of a spoon well. Transfer blueberry mixture to a separate bowl and let cool, stirring occasionally. Preheat oven to 350. Remove crust from fridge and divide into 6 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a round disc, approximately 5-6 inches in diameter. Evenly divide the filling between the dough discs, scooping it onto one side of the dough. Fold dough over and pinch to seal (you may need to moisten the edges of the dough slightly to ensure a good seal). Using the tip of a knife, make a small air vent on the top of each pie. Carefully transfer the pies to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake pies for 18-23 minutes, or until they look lightly golden and slightly browned on the edges. Remove from oven and let cool before brushing on a light glaze, made from a mixture of powdered sugar and a splash of your milk of choice, combined to your desired thickness. Makes: 6 pies

100_6735

Kris — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:24:20 +0000

100_6748

Kris — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:27:39 +0000

hello, 2011!

Kris — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:37:05 +0000

Wow, I'm finally getting to my first post of the new year. I can't believe it's 2011! Every year I eager anticipate the holidays, to a bit of an extreme. I just love everything about the holiday time! The lights, the music, the food, family, wrapping presents... it's just the best. Unfortunately, once the new year rolls around we're just left with winter. Dreary, boring winter. Blah. To counter the dark and the drizzle, here's a healthy, hearty quick bread that is delicious and sure to perk up a wintery afternoon. I've gotten really terrible with quinoa. Whenever I make it, there always seems to be some that's left loitering around in my fridge with nothing to do. This quick bread uses some cooked quinoa to add protein and substance to this lightly-sweetened bread. Cherry Almond Quinoa Bread 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour 1/2 cup organic sugar 1 1/2 teas. baking powder 1/2 teas. baking soda 1/4 teas. salt 1 1/2 cups cooked, cooled quinoa 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. milk of choice 1/3 cup mild oil 1/2 teas. almond extract (optional) 1/4 teas. vanilla extract (increase if not using almond) 1/2 cup chopped almonds 1/2 cup dried cherries 1/4 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease and flour a standard sized loaf pan. In a small bowl combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the quinoa, milk, oil and extracts. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches until just mixed. Gently mix in the chopped almonds, cherries and chocolate chips. Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (no batter, but okay if crumbs stick to the toothpick). Let bread cool in pan, on a cooling rack, for 30 minutes before serving. Yields: 10-12 slices

wheat1

Kris — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:03:58 +0000

WHEAT2

Kris — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:05:38 +0000

WHEAT3

Kris — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:07:46 +0000

wheat4

Kris — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:08:44 +0000

wheat5

Kris — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:10:12 +0000

wheat5

Kris — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:12:57 +0000

adventures in sprouted wheat- part 1

Kris — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:16:55 +0000

Jim has this thing that he says when I have an idea that he thinks is a bit over-the-top, but he's trying to be neutral. "Krissy, that's hardcore." Sometimes it sounds like encouragement, sometimes it sounds like he thinks I've lost it. So when I started telling him that I wanted to try baking with sprouted wheat and that I was going to make the sprouted wheat flour myself, I could tell that he thought I was crazy. "Krissy," he said, with his head cocked to the side like he couldn't figure out who I was, "that's hardcore." So what if I'm a little ~~crazy~~ overly ambitious? It keeps things interesting? I can't really grow and harvest my own wheat from the ground up, but I figure this gets me a little closer to the source. Sure, I could order sprouted wheat flour online, but where's the fun in that? I started with some soft white wheat berries from Bob's Red Mill. I soaked them over night then put them in my sprouter to give them the time to do their thing. It took about 2.5 days. This is not a project to embark on when seeking instant gratification. Once it was sprouted then I had to dry the berries again before grinding them. That was a cinch thanks to one of my great new Christmas presents this year, my Excalibur 3900 dehydrator. A couple of hours in there and we went from moist sprouts to: Grind-ready in my handy-dandy friend Edgar the Vita-Mix. Bam! 30-45 seconds later my flour was fragrant, ground and ready to go. Now the question is, what should I use my first batch on? I've got about 2 cups worth of flour. What do you think? [polldaddy poll=4404941]

sprouted flour

Kris — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:14:27 +0000

100_6864

Kris — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:21:29 +0000

sprouted cookies = win!

Kris — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:47:22 +0000

Okay, so technically quick bread was the winner of my sprouted wheat poll, but after considering it I thought I'd take cookies for a spin with this first batch. I really wanted something that would bake for a shorter amount of time to really showcase the flavor of the flour. The fresh flour has a sweet grassy fragrance that I was worried would bake out of it. Plus, I now have an excuse to sprout more flour and give it a go with bread. :) Giddy-Up Janes These cookies can easily be made with white whole wheat or an all-purpose flour rather than the sprouted wheat. They are a sweet oatmeal cookie with a kiss of peanut butter. Plus chocolate, they are nomtastic! 1 1/4 cup sprouted wheat flour (or white whole wheat or all-purpose) 1/2 teas. baking soda 1/4 teas. cinnamon 1/4 teas. salt 1/2 cup margarine, room temperature 1 cup organic granulated sugar 1/4 cup natural peanut butter 1/2 teas. vanilla 1 cup quick cooking oats 1/2 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl cream together the margarine and sugar. Add the peanut butter and vanilla mix well. Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture and mix until incorporated. Add the oatmeal in two batches, adding the chocolate chips with the second batch. The dough might be loose, but should be moist. For dough into tablespoon sized balls and place on 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies puff up a bit and look golden. Let cool on cooling rack for 5 minutes before moving from baking sheet to finish cooling on rack. Yields: 2 dozen cookies

100_6824

Kris — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:24:54 +0000

100_6837

Kris — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:32:06 +0000

have your cake1

Kris — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:43:41 +0000

2 ingredient smoothie and book update

Kris — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:48:59 +0000

When I was a kid, I hated anything bitter. Grapefruit was the breakfast antithesis of all that is good in my chubby little world- sugar coated crunchies and custard filled donuts. Now as an adult my palette has changed quite a bit and bitter foods, like tahini and grapefruit, have come to hold a special place in my heart. This simple, two ingredient smoothie has become a breakfast mainstay and I have to say, it's truly awesome, even if reveling in the flavor of grapefruit makes me feel like like I'm getting on in years. Meh. Grapefruit's good for the health, no? The late, great Jack LaLanne would certainly approve. Kris' Awesome Anti-Aging, OMG-I-AM-Aging 2 Ingredient Breakfast Smoothie 1 red grapefruit 1/2 a ripe banana, frozen Segment the grapefruit, being mindful not to put your eye out. Place grapefruit and any additional juice from fruit rinds into a blender. Add the banana, chopped into chunks. Process until smooth. Add sweetener if desired, but know it will debit points from your geriatric street cred. ;) And now, in other news... The final touches have been made on the manuscript and it is off to the printers! My upcoming book Have Your Cake and Vegan Too is available for presale on Amazon! It features 50 vegan cake recipes, including some yummy gluten-free options and FULL COLOR PHOTOS! As fun as it is to presale books you're anticipating, don't forget that super cool vegan owned stores like Cosmos Vegan Shoppe will be carrying the book once it's released. Our target release date is April 1st, no joke. I have been working on a lot of really cool new things for nom! nom! nom! blog. The site is undergoing a complete redesign that will make it much more dynamic. In addition, the content and the ways I share said content will be changing. nom! nom! nom! will be growing from a blog to a very full and robust site. It's still a couple of weeks out until the new site is up, but know that a change is comin'- and it's going to be rad!

dad is great1

Kris — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 03:02:17 +0000

this one goes out to the ones I love

Kris — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 03:28:04 +0000

I am adrift in a sea of templates, CSS and code. Alas, I am making progress on my awesome new improvements to nom! nom! nom! and shall be debuting them soon. In the meantime, here is a recipe from my upcoming book Have Your Cake and Vegan Too. Out of all 50 recipes, this is definitely in my personal top 5, perhaps even my top 2. It would make a fabulous cake for Valentine's Day. Your only requirement is that you have to watch the YouTube video below, as it is classic comedy gold, plus the namesake of this mouth-watering treat. If you end up making the cake, you have an obligation to sing the song at least once. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRmN4KnfPxQ&w=480&h=390] Dad is Great Chocolate Cake If you're still freaking out about tofu in dessert do yourself and everyone else a favor and get over it! This loaf cake is delicious and decadent and so very simple. My insanely picky little brother (who lives off of chicken fingers and french fries, no joke) loved it and so I made sure to tease him about the fact that he ate tofu after polishing off his piece. Hehehehe... he never knew. Cake: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup baking cocoa, sifted 1 teas. baking powder 1/2 teas. baking soda 1/4 teas salt 1 cup milk of choice 1/3 cup oil 1 1/2 teas. vanilla 1/4 teas. mild vinegar 3 tbsp. crushed chocolate cookies, crushed nuts or shaved chocolate to garnish Chocolate Cream: 1 12 oz. aseptic container of firm silken tofu, room temperature 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips 2 tbsp. brown rice syrup or agave 1/4 teas vanilla Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease and dust (with cocoa powder) a 9×5 loaf pan. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Let sit for a minute. Add the dry to wet in batches, beating until just smooth. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before loosening and transferring to the cooling rack. While cake is baking, prepare the chocolate cream. In a double boiler over low heat, melt the chocolate until smooth, stirring often. If you don’t have a double boiler, put about 1-2 inches of water in a pot and place a heat-safe bowl over it, making sure the bottom of the bowl is suspended over the water. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, crumble the tofu. Blend for about 30 seconds, until fairly smooth. Add the melted chocolate, brown rice syrup and vanilla and blend until well incorporated, scraping down the bowl or canister as needed. Transfer the cream to a container and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour. To assemble: Carefully cut the completely cooled cake into thirds using a cake leveler or knife. Spread 1/3 of the chocolate cream on top of the bottom layer and place the middle layer on top. Spread another 1/3 of the cream on that layer then place the top layer on. Spread the final 1/3 on top of the cake. Garnish with crumbled cookies or chocolate shavings. Store cake in an sealed container in the fridge.