Recipe Sharing

I know I promised this to DaisyChubb but here it is for everyone: maple apple pie! http://integra.tumblr.com/post/36329423475/maple-apple-pie-1-premade-pie-crust-1-1-3

Here is the recipe for ‘Chocolate Midnight’ from the Millennium Cookbook. It is vegan, and it is amazing! I’m also including my alterations to make it gluten free:

Cashew Crust
1/3 C unsalted raw cashews
3 T Sucanat
3 T canola oil (I used melted coconut oil)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C unbleached all-purpose flour (I used almond flour)
1/8 tsp sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil an 8 inch round springform pan. Grind the cashews in the food processor to a fine meal. Add the sucanat, oil, and vanilla. Process again until well combined. In a small bowl mix the flour and salt together, then add the cashew mixture and work them together. Press into the bottom of the pan (do not go up the sides) and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until lightly brown and dry. Cool completely.

Chocolate Mousse
2 C nondairy chocolate chips
24.6 oz (2 boxes) extra firm silken tofu
3/4 C sucanat
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Combine all other ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add the melted chocolate & process until fully blended. Preheat the over to 350, lightly oil the sides of the pan above the pre-baked crust, pour the mousse in the pan and bake for 35 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the inside of the pan (I always skip this part). Let the cake cool to touch, and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Once I made the mistake of trying to cool it quicker by putting it in the freezer. MAJOR FAIL! It was a disaster, so don’t do it!

Enjoy!

This is more of a cooking tip than a recipe, but the next time you blanch veggies, try using genmaicha instead of water! Imparts a really nice nutty/buttery quality, plus the veggies absorb some of the nutrients. You could probably also use lapsang too for a smokey taste.

I’ve made this Creme Anglaise recipe a few times with vanilla beans that I had requested for my birthday. :D Everyone always loves it! And it’s easy to blend in matcha powder for a green tea version! And with Red Leaf’s awesome flavored matchas, your creme anglaise can taste like anything imaginable! And it’s so easy!

http://www.joyofbaking.com/CremeAnglaise.html

Creme Anglaise:

2 cups (480 ml) light cream or half and half (12 – 18% butterfat)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated white sugar
5 large egg yolks

Have a fine medium-sized strainer and bowl ready near the stove.

In a stainless steel bowl stir together, using a wooden spoon, the sugar and yolks until well blended. (Do not let this mixture sit too long or a film will develop on the yolks.)

In a small saucepan heat the cream and vanilla bean (if using) just to the boiling point. Remove from heat and whisk a few tablespoons of the cream into the yolk mixture. Then, gradually add the remaining cream, whisking constantly.

Pour this mixture into a medium sized saucepan and, over medium heat, gently heat the mixture to just below the boiling point (170 – 175 degrees F) (77 – 80 degrees C). You will notice that steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. Do not boil or the eggs will curdle. Check to see if it is the right consistency by holding a wooden spoon sideways that is covered with the custard and run your finger along the back of the spoon. If the streak remains without the cream running down through the streak, it is ready.

Immediately remove from the heat and pour through the strainer, scraping up any thickened cream that settles on the bottom of the pan. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sauce. Stir until seeds separate. For maximum flavor, return the pod to the sauce until serving time. (If you are using pure vanilla extract, instead of the vanilla bean, add it to the cream now.)

The creme anglaise can be refrigerated covered with plastic wrap for a couple of days.

Note: If sauce was overheated and curdling occurs, pour instantly into a blender and process until smooth before straining. If necessary, add a little heavy cream to the mixture before blending.

Makes about 2 cups (480 ml). Preparation time 20 minutes.

Here’s a very simple one. This last time I used hot thai orzo to change it up a bit. You could also use a flavored balsamic for something different.

Spinach & Orzo Salad

4 ounce package uncooked orzo pasta
5 ounces package baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
1/4 pound crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes till al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in spinach, feta, pine nuts, basil, white pepper and salt. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate and serve cold. Do not toss together too far ahead; the spinach gets a bit wilty.

I would love for you guys to check out my food blog :) http://www.adustingofsugar.com/

Let me know if you have ideas for what I should make next!

I’ve been getting more involved with cooking lately. Can’t wait to try all these ideas! Will post some of my own soon :)

TeaEqualsBliss was looking for a Vegan Paella recipe, so I dug through my (rediculous number of vegan) cookbooks, & actually came up with more than one. T=B, this one’s for you! It’s fairly involved, & not necessarily authentic, but it was delish & everyone here loved it!
From the Voluptuous Vegan, by Myra Kornfield

Preheat oven 375
toss together the following:
1.5 C cooked chickpeas (1 15oz can, drained & rinsed)
1/2 a cauliflower, in small florets, roughly 2 cups
2 T EVOO
3/4 tsp salt.
Spread it all out on a parchment covered baking sheet &roast 30 – 40 mins, until chickpeas are browned and caulifl is tender. These are so good, I had to start doubling the recipe, cuz we’d all sit around eating them!
Also:
cut 8oz of tempeh into 1/4" cubes, steam for 10 mins. combine with
2 T EVOO
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 T shoyu
1 tsp paprika

Spread this out on parchment & roast it too, 30 minutes until the tempeh is crisp. Stir half way through. Hopefully you can fit both roasting pans in the oven!
Meanwhile:
Warm 2 T EVOO in a med. Skillet. Add 1 onion (cut in half and thinly sliced, 1 cup or so). Saute until soft, then put it in a blender with:
2 medium tomatoes, stems removed (1/2 lb, I think I subbed canned tomatoes on occasion). Blend until smooth.
Rinse 1 cup brown basmati rice, drain well, then stir it around in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it’s toasted and dry. Add the tomato onion puree, 2.5 C of water, a pinch of saffron, & 1/2 tsp salt. Stir, come to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until most of the liquid is gone. cover, reduce heat to low, and cook another 5 minutes.
And while that’s cooking:
Warm 2 T EVOO in a large pot or skillet. Add:
1 small carrot, cut into small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
1/2 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 tsp salt
fresh black pepper
Stir often for 5 mins, or until tender. Then add:
1 small zucchini, small dice
3/4 c fresh or frozen peas
Cook 5 more minutes. Add:
The tempeh, chickpeas, and cauliflower and:
1/2 C sliced black olives (preferably kalamata)
1 T capers
Stir it around until it’s all warm, then add the rice and stir some more! Sample, adding salt & pepper to taste.

She also includes a roasted tomato sauce to serve with it:
Preheat 375
3 lbs tomatoes cut in half
2 onions, halved & thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, stemmed, halved, and seeded (I subbed a pinch of chipotle powder)
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 c EVOO
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 sprigs of thyme
*divide everything between 2 9 X 11 baking dishes: onions jalapenos and garlic on the bottom, tomatoes on top, cut sides up. drizzle with evoo, sprinkle salt, pepper, and lay thyme on tomatoes.
Roast uncovered 40 – 50 minutes. Discard time, squeeze out garlic, put everything in the blender in liquidate. (I like to point a chopstick at the vitamix, wave it, and say “liquidate” with an english accent as I push the button. It makes me feel like I’ve attended at least a semester at Hogwarts).

She also gives a tofu-roasted garlic aioli (mayo). I think we skipped this step, but here it is:
1 small head of garlic, unpeeled
1 clove of garlic, peeled
2 T plus 1 tsp EVOO
salt
1/2 lb silken tofu
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat 375
peel outer layers of garlic, but not enough to break it up. Cut away the top 5th of the head. Lay on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tsp of EVOO, sprinkle salt, wrap it up and roast 30 – 40 minutes.
When it’s done, put everything in the food processor, squeeze the garlic out of its skins into the processor too. Process until creamy.

Finally, Sauteed cherry tomatoes:

1 T EVOO
1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed, washed, and dried
Heat the oil, add cherry tomatoes, saute 2 or 3 mins until shriveling.

Serving suggestions:
ladle some sauce in a bowl or plate. Put the paella on top of it, garnish with the aioli & tomatoes.
To be quite honest, I think the first time we did the whole shebang, but after that we just made the paella & left of the sauce, aioli, and tomatoes. There were also several times that we just made the garbanzos and caulifl.

@ T=B Here’s another one for you & the other Vegans (Nik, I miss you!)

Moroccan Saffron Quinoa Tabbouleh from The Balanced Plate, by Renee Loux
(this stuff is awesome, but I can’t eat Quinoa, it kills my guts, so I substitute cauliflower).

Toss 2 cups already cooked or sprouted quinoa with:
3 T EVOO
1 T flax oil (opt)
3 T lemon juice
4 large dates, pitted & chopped
1 – 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 C finely chopped green onions
2 T chopped fresh chives (if you have them)
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
1 1/2 tsp saffron threads
1/2 tsp chipotle powder (or cayenne)
1 1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
1 C chopped mint (opt. I grow mint, but I don’t think I ever added it)
salt to taste

Peel a lemon, getting all the white pith off. Cut away the membranes, so you just have the wedges of flesh. Gently slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Gently fold the lemon pieces & 2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes into the Tabbouleh. Let it stand for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour for the flavors to meld.

I need to make a batch of this (using cauliflower). It’s so SO good!

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