Oh Gourmet!

all afternoon lentil soup to warm your soul

2010-04-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love lentils. I also love soup, hence the happy perfect pairing you'll find below. The warm, earthy sweetness of this soup is thanks to roasted cast members sweet peppers and garlic.

Does involve a time commitment, but what better way to spend a lazy Sabbath afternoon? Everything is closed anyway.

Ingredients
1 cup dry split lentils
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 small onion
small head of garlic (6-8 cloves)
3-4 medium sweet peppers (I used two yellow and one orange, because it's what I had)
sesame oil
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Roast your garlic.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Cut the top off the head so that each clove is exposed. Drizzle with olive oil, and then wrap into a little aluminium foil packet.
Put in the oven on whatever rack for 40 minutes. The garlic is roasted when the cloves are squishy and soft and sweet smelling.
2. Boil your vegetable broth.
Add lentils, keep boiling for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and let sit covered for about 1/2 an hour.
3. In the meantime waiting for your lentils to soften up and for the garlic to roast, mince your onion, and get your peppers ready for roasting.
4. Cut your peppers in half, removing the seed packet, stem and white inner membranes.
Whip out a baking sheet, cover in aluminium foil and flatten the peppers on the sheet - skin side up.
Brush the peppers' skin with some oil.
5. At this point, your garlic should be done.
Crank your oven up to broil, and place the baking sheet as close as possible to the broiler without actually touching it.
Let the peppers blacken, takes between 8-10 minutes.
6. While the peppers are roasting, in a large stock pot, add about two tablespoons of sesame oil.
*note* I use sesame oil because I think it's the most delicious thing ever and contributes just a hint of flavour that is really flattering to the lentils. But you can use olive oil instead.
Once oil is hot, toss in the onion. Let the onion saute until they're translucent.
7. Add the lentils and vegetable stock to the soup pot. Squish out as many garlic cloves (whole) as you'd like into the stock. The leftover roasted garlic is delicious in pasta sauces, paired with sun-dried tomatoes, on sandwiches and even just good squished on fresh pita or naan bread. It can store in the fridge for up to a week.
8. When your peppers are roasted, remove them from the oven and quickly toss the slices into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. The peppers will keep cooking and by trapping the heat in, it'll be easier to pull the charred bits off. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
9. Once the soup starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
10. Peel the charred skin off your peppers, leaving you with the skinless slippery roasted peppers. Cut into smaller pieces, or don't, and put it in the simmering soup.
11. Let the soup simmer for 20-40 minutes. I left mine for 40 minutes, but I'm sure 20 would be plenty to make sure the flavours all blend and mix.
12. Salt and pepper to taste.
13. Using a hand blender once soup is removed from heat, puree the soup.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Strawberry Fruit Bread

2009-05-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy! Actually!

This is based from the fruit bread recipe in the influential and amazing Tassajara Bread Book.

Start with your basic dough recipe.
1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water (lukewarm is important)
2 tbsp raw or brown sugar
1 tbsp yeast

2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix the water with the sugar. Sprinkle over your yeast and by the time you listen to one song by the band 'Yes' and take a quick bathroom break, you will be ready to mix in the first 2 cups of flour.

1 pinch salt
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

First add in your salt and then pour the olive oil and fold into the dough without breaking it. Next knead in the remaining flour for a good five minutes until the dough seems 'cleaner' and elastic. You may need to add more flour if dough remains sticky during kneading.

Let that beauty rise in a nice warm spot -cover with a lightly damp dish cloth/don't smother it - and return in about an hour. Punch down the dough entirely, and let set again for about another hour - skip if you don't have the time but this makes the final product lighter.

Now with a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a fair-sized rectangle.. without wearing the dough too thin. Picture the rectangle as three columns (columns the LONG WAY) (it may help to draw or imprint lightly two lines in the dough).

Fresh fruit of your choice!
Some brown sugar, raw sugar, or even maple syrup to sprinkle over the fruit!
Some spices of your choice (cinnamon, etc)

Slice up some fresh fruit, a mix, or in my case I chose strawberry. Lay the fruit slices down the middle column of the rectangle. The two side columns will be cut into diagonal flaps, about eight diagnol rectangular flaps on each side depending on how much you rolled out the dough. The purpose is to fold in each left and right flap over each other to cover the fruit and turn it back into a loaf. This is somewhat like covering a pie.

Let your beautiful creation rise for another 30 minutes. In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to about 330 F and brush your loaf with oil and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour depending how crisp you would like the bread. Enjoy!

Add some spinach and sweet poh-tat-ers!

2009-05-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy, stir-fry and make it your own!

Remember this guy: http://ohgourmet.blogspot.com/2008/10/simple-tofu-stirfry-with-noodles.html

That old chestnut! Why not play with it, like any stir-fry, and add some extras?

In this case, I really only kept the tofu.. but the choice is yours. Fry up some veggies, but include some spinach. You don't need to pre-cook the spinach because the moisture will do that for you but cover the pan for a few minutes to help soften the spinach. Throwing in some sesame seeds with the tofu and sauce in step 1 is also a big hit. Push your veggies aside add a dab of oil and cook some sliced sweet potatoes with garlic and some basil. Serve with rice and you have an easy add-on or alternative to a usual stir-fry!

Mess Up The Mix
1 or 1/2 cup spinach, chopped
1/2 block of tofu, diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced - or a bit of garlic powder
1 pinch sesame seeds
1 pinch basil
black bean sauce (your choice - or other)

serve with rice.

2009-03-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I know this is very last minute, but anyone to catch this should note that Sabrina will be independently rocking at the cupcake camp today between 2-5pm @ Jack Purcell. All of her cupcakes won't be vegan-friendly (-or so I'm told), but you should still find her and say hello. Also, there will definitely be some vegan cupcaketeers present. Try and stop by if you can!

http://cupcakecamp.ca/join-us-mar-29-2009/

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009 | 2-5pm
Location: Jack Purcell Community Centre | 320 Jack Purcell Lane (Off Elgin)
Admission: $5.00 ($2.00 for Bakers)

Why should I attend?

* Sample cupcakes and marvel at the creative and tasty designs
* Network with fellow bakers
* Get recipe ideas and suggestions (from both Bakers and Tasters!)
* Get advice on how to take your cupcake hobby to that next level from others who have made the successful leap to a small baking business
* If you’re a bride-to-be or just planning a special event, find that talented someone to provide your festivities with that sweet special something
* All proceeds go to Ottawa’s Woman Alive/Femme Active Program

Recipe updates soon (. . . sorry for the wait!)

2009-03-02T11:34:00.001-08:00

Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets
Full Article - Click Here
Excerpt:
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. ... Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.

cited from:
ACTION FOR ANIMALS
PO Box 45843
Seattle, WA 98145
http://www.afa-online.org
http://www.myspace.com/actionforanimals
http://actionforanimals.buzznet.com
http://www.VeganStarterPack.com

2008-11-28T17:12:00.000-08:00

What are the best food sources for iron?
Vegetables	Iron (in milligrams)
Beans (1/2 cup)	2.0
Chick peas (1/2 cup)	2.0
Artichokes (1/2 cup), raw	2.0
Beet greens (1 cup)	2.7
Potato (with skin, 1)	2.5
Potato (without skin, 1)	0.6
Pumpkin (4 oz)	1.7
Sauerkraut (4 oz)	1.7
Peas (4 oz)	1.0
Spirulina (1 tsp.)	5.0
Lentils (4 oz)	3.0
Barley (4 oz)	2.0
Jerusalem artichokes (4 oz)	2.5
Sweet potatoes (4 oz)	1.7
Tomato paste (4 oz)	3.9
Tomato puree (4 oz)	1.1
Tomato sauce (4 oz)	0.8
Grains and Cereals	Iron (in milligrams)
Pasta (4 oz)	1.0 - 2.0
Bagel (1 oz)	1.8
Bread (white, one slice)	0.6
Bread (whole wheat, one slice)	1.0
Cream of Wheat (4 oz)	5.0
Breakfast cereals (iron-fortified, 1 oz)	4.0 - 8.0
Grains for baking (amaranth and Quinoa)	8.0 - 9.0
Fruits and Juices	Iron (in milligrams)
Apricots, dried (10 halves)	1.6
Figs (5)	2.0
Peaches, dried (6 halves)	3.1
Prune juice (8 oz)	3.0
Raisins (4 oz)	1.5
Other	Iron (in milligrams)
Nuts (1 ounce almonds, peanuts)	1.0
Tofu, firm (3 ounces)	2.0-7.0
Brewer's yeast (1tbsp.)	1.4
Infant formula (iron-fortified, 8 ounces)	3.0
Blackstrap molasses (1 tbsp.)	3.5
Chili con carne with beans (1 cup)	4.0
Sunflower seeds (1 ounce)	1.9
Pumpkin seeds (1 ounce)	4.0

HOW MUCH IRON YOU NEED EACH DAY

Children, 1-10 years	10 mg
Teen males	12 mg
Adults males	10 mg
Teen and adult females	18 mg
Pregnant women	30 mg
* Average RDA for iron..

Call Me Cauliflowah Soup

2008-10-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Rating: If you can chop, and watch, this soup is yours.

Dang y'all, it's been a while. Apologies for my lengthy hiatus, but I'm back in style with something AMAZING. I made this for orphan Thanksgiving a few weeks back, and it was a crowd pleaser. I'm glad I doubled the recipe. This one's inspired by a recipe found in the LCBO's Food and Drink magazine, that has been modified to be vegan and even more warm, spiced and cozy. Perfect for an autumn day watching the leaves fall.

Call Me Cauliflowah Soup (Serves 2-6, depending on how many people go back for seconds)

Ingredients
1 medium head of cauliflower, cored and divyed into florets.
1/2 sweet onion (approximately 1 cup), chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp ginger, freshly chopped
1 tbsp hot curry paste (adjust according to tastes)
1 L (or 4 cups) vegetable broth
1 tsp lemon juice

1. Prehead the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Putting the cauliflower florets into a large bowl, add 2 tbsp of oil and salt. Using your hands, toss lightly until all the cauliflower is coated. Place on baking sheet, and put it in the oven to roast. Roasting the cauliflower enhances the flavour. It'll take about 30-40 minutes to roast. Occasionally, shake your baking sheet. The cauliflower will be done when it's brown. If some bits are burnt, that's okay! It just means the sugars in the cauliflower have caramelized for extra deliciousness.
4. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil to the bottom of a big soup pot, heat to medium. When it bubbles, add onion and saute for a minute. Stir frequently to prevent the onions from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
5. Add ginger, garlic and curry paste. Saute for a minute.
6. Add roasted cauliflower and coat with spices. Pour in the broth, and bring the soup to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to a simmer and add lemon juice, cover and let it get all roasty warm and spicy for 10-15 minutes, depending on how big your cauliflower florets were. When the florets are tender, remove from heat.
8. Last step, using an immersion blender or a food processor, pulverize your soup until it's a smooth consistency. I garnished mine with some fresh baby spinach leaves. Enjoy!

Fresh and Home-made "Chicken"-Caesar Sammiches!

2008-10-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

Rating: Intermediate and not-so-quick.. but worth it!

This sandwich is time-consuming if you consider it is all made from scratch. I'd advise making the bread ahead of time, or making a double batch of the bread to save it for later, and use the fresh portion for the sandwich. The baguette-style bread is best made a bit soft, and served fresh. I'd recommend doing the bread much earlier in the day, and then preparing the seitan and dressing just before serving it to friends! It's not something you whip up in a hurry, but you can make the sandwich, wrap it up, and eat it for lunch the next day and it will still be delicious! This sandwich is worth it's time! Trust me! Best served fresh!

Chicken-Caesar Sammich! (2 medium loaves - about six servings)
the bread 1
1 packet of yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups warmed water
4 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp salt

the chicken 2
1 cup instant wheat gluten flour
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp poultry spices
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 cup water
just less than 1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cups vegetable stock

the caesar 3
1 cup vegenaise, nayonaise, or other vegan mayo*
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp soy creamer/soy milk
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

additionally
slice up a few cucumbers to put in the sandwich, and sprinkle on some vegan parmesan cheese!

1.
1. Add sugar and warmed water to a large mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle yeast over the bowl and let stand for 5 minutes until foamed.
3. Stir in half of the flour.
4. Stir in remaining flour with salt until dough becomes firm. Add more flour in small portions if dough is still sticky until firm.
5. Knead dough until smooth and stretchy, but do not over-knead.
6. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, then turn over dough so it's surface area oiled and will not dry and crack in rising.
7. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
9. Cut your dough in half, and form into two loaves that will have a best fit for a standard baking sheet.
10. Place your loaves on a parchment paper over the baking sheet and punch down on the loaves. They should be about a couple inches wide.
11. Let them rise, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
12. Make several diagonal slashes with a knife on the top of your loaves, and then lightly brush them with cool water.
13. Bake on middle rack for 15-20 minutes (or longer if you like yours crispy), and then transfer to wire rack to cool.

2.
1. Add gluten flour to small bowl.
2. Mix remaining dry ingredients with flour.
3. Add wet ingredients (minus stock) and stir until single mass. Add more water if necessary.
4. Add gluten mass to saucepan with vegetable stock. There should be enough stock to cover your gluten blob! Otherwise, add more water to the saucepan! Remember to use a saucepan large enough for the gluten to double.
5. Simmer for 45 mins to 1 hour.
6. Remove from heat and strain stock.
7. Cut in strips and lightly heat on frying pan with a small amount of oil. (I recommend sesame.)
8. Salt to taste. Set aside for sammich!

3.
1. Add all ingredients to small bowl and mix well!
2. I recommend doubling this part of the recipe and saving it for salads and quick-fix sandwiches.

Assemble your sammich! I tend to cut each loaf into thirds and then put them together as sandwiches. Add some cucumber slices, and sprinkle some vegan parmesan for a damn fine sandwich! Enjoy!

"The Best" Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-10-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

The standard: chocolate chip cookies. Dunk them in your almond milk, or serve them on a platter to friends. No matter how you spin it everyone is happy with choc chip cookies! They are the standard best cookie. This recipe may not be the best you've tried, but maybe it is? They come out soft and chewy, just the way I love them! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies! (about 3 batches)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 whole banana, peeled and mashed
2 Tbsp applesauce
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder*
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz dairy-free chocolate chips

*If you prefer your cookies a bit less fluffy omitt the baking powder but leave the baking soda.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Beat both sugars with margarine in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla extract, mashed banana, and applesauce. Blend together.
4. Add flour, baking powder and soda, and mix well. If the mixture is too moist, then add a bit more flour. If the mixture is too dry, add small amounts of water or additional Tbsps of applesauce until desired consistency.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Detach balls of cookie dough from the mix at desired sizes and place on parchment paper over baking sheet.
7. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until a golden brown color.

Simple Tofu Stirfry with Noodles

2008-10-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

Rating: Quick, easy, and painless!

This is a favorite of mine. It's a very quick to prepare meal, and very flavourful. It's usual a guest favorite too!

Black Bean Stirfry (about 3 servings)
2 cups vermicilli noodles, boiled then chopped
1 cup firm tofu, chopped *and pre-fried
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
6 white mushrooms, chopped or sliced
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp coriander

black bean sauce
*I suggest lightly pre-frying your tofu for about 3 minutes in blackbean sauce before adding to the stirfry.

1. Boil noodles with water in saucepan, drain and cool, chop and set aside.
2. Heat oil in pan or wok for 30 seconds, then add onion, mushrooms, and garlic.
3. Simmer on medium-low until soft and onions begin to lose opaqueness. About 3-5 minutes.
4. Stir in carrot, brocolli, green onion, ginger, and any other fresh veggies you have chosen.
5. Change heat to medium. Add a good amount of sauce into the pan and stir well. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
6. Stir in tofu, noodles, and coriander. Cover the pan, and lower heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
7. uncover pan, and optionally feel free to cook for a few extra minutes to lose some of the extra moisture.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Ginger Cookies!

2008-10-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy!

I, admittedly, found the original of this recipe on the net a long time ago and have not had to make thorough changes to it. The balance of spices is very crucial, but you will have to be careful with the flour and the molasses. I find more often than not, my mixture used to be too dry and required additional moisture. Using a lighter molasses will also definitely make your cookies a nice lighter tasting snack. I have made them with darker molasses and they still turn out nice, but have a more noticable malt taste. Also, make sure you are NOT generous with the whole-wheat flour amount as you want to attempt to have the cookies a bit light and soft. These are not hard cookies to make! You will need a rolling pin, and some kind of cookie cutter. I cheat and use the bottom of a shot-glass to make quick and easy small circular cookies. I have tried to make small changes since I have found this recipe to make them softer, and yummier! Enjoy!

Ginger Cookies
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup fancy molasses (preferrably light)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup and 4 Tbsp water

1. Prepapare dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl.
2. In a small saucepan lightly warm molasses, oil, and water together until mixture seems to homogenize.
3. Pour saucepan ingredients into mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.
4. Mix together until stiff dough forms. If at this stage the mixture is far too dry add small amounts of water. The dough should still remain firm but workable.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, but not too thin. Have about 1/4" thickness otherwise your cookies will not be thick enough to rise and be soft.
7. Cut out your cookies and re-roll dough scraps until you have used as much as possible. Be careful to not overwork your dough. Overworking any dough can harmfully thicken your treats.
8. Place your cookie cuts on a baking tray lined with parchment.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes or under a nice goldened brown.

When you take out the cookies they will appear 'too-soft' but after leaving them to cool for a few minutes they will harden up to a very enjoyable softness! If you like your cookies a bit less soft then feel free to leave them in the oven for a few extra minutes. The pictures that follow were not using a light molasses. Your light molasses cookies will be a slightly different colour. Enjoy!

Quick-Fix Chunky Seitan, Potatoes, and Swiss Chard

2008-10-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

This isn't much of a strict recipe, becuase you have pretty much free-reign on making your seitan a bit beefier, your potatoes smoother or less, and your swiss chard less french-canadian. The key to juicing up your seitan is the pre-mixing rather than texturizing it after you have boiled your gluten. The potatoes I always love smoothing out with margarine and soy-milk and adding just a couple spices. The Swiss Chard is a nice addition and I tend to dress them as I grew up doing to most of my vegetables: vinegar, margarine, and salt. Use your own tastebuds though, people! This is mostly just a quick-fix idea!

Chunky Seitan and Mashed Potatoes
1.
1/2 cup instant wheat-gluten flour
1/8 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp sage
1 tsp allspice or choose-your-own-adventure
2 cups vegetable or vegan-beef-stock

1 can mushroom gravy

*The seitan may not stay together and be as thick as it is sometimes. I tried to make it a bit softer and it tends to stay together in chunks.
IF you want a thicker and rougher seitan, remove some of the oil and put water in and possibly a slight bit more gluten flour. Also letting the seitan boil for less time may also keep your 'meat' a bit thicker if desired. I tends to like mine a bit more soft.

2.
8-10 larger red potatoes (or about 5 large baking potatoes.. since they are plenty larger!)
1/3 cup soy margarine
1/4 soy milk
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp dill

3.
1 bunch swiss chard boiled and lightly dressed

1.
1. (Also, begin step 1 of List 2) Prepare wet ingredients and spices together in small bowl.
2. Add mix to gluten-flour and stir until thick mixture (should be single mass) forms.
3. Add gluten-'ball' to saucepan with 2 cups of stock. Bring to a boil then immediately cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Remove gluten-'ball' and strain. Optionally, press out liquid as you would with tofu to dry with a cloth.
5. Cut into strips as desired.
6. At this stage, I like to begin heating the mushroom gravy on a gentle heat in a seperate saucepan, but add the seitan-strips to the gravy so you can heat them together adding the flavour of the mushroom gravy into your seitan.

2.
1. Peel and then begin boiling your potatoes in large saucepan as this takes quite a while.
2. Occassionaly test potatoes with a fork. When they are soft enough to mash with a fork strain/remove and begin mashing in a large bowl.
3. Add the margarine and cream into your potatoes until smooth and then mix in the soy-milk until your potatoes are smooth and fluffy.
4. Add garlic and dill and mix.

3.
1. Boil swiss chard and lightly season in seperate bowl as a side.

Serve your gravy and seitan-strips over your potatoes and enjoy your swiss chard as a side. Makes for a nice warm quick-fix meal!

Everyone and Their Mum's Fav Choc Chip Banana Bread

2008-10-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy and delicious!

I love this recipe. This combination is an experimented version that I made one day with my school chum Alex. This original recipe comes from a family recipe that required eggs. The use of the eggs allows a bit of experimentation for replacing it with combinations of applesauce, banana, or even egg replacer. For this version we're going to cut into it with a bit more banana to have a thicker loaf. Use your discretion and even play around with the applesauce/banana content on your own to make your own version!

We found the best way to enjoy the loaf was with my new favourite non-alcoholic treat! Hall's Apple Farm from just outside of Ottawa creates beautiful ciders, including beautiful sparkling ciders! We enjoyed our loaf with a lovely mulled cider. They participate during the in-season farmer's markets and have an all-season store at their location in Brockville. http://www.hallsapplemarket.com/

Choc Chip Banana Bread with Coconut

1/2 cup soy/vegan margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dry sweetener
2 cups mashed banana
3 Tbsp apple sauce
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
6 oz dairy-free choc bits/chips
*1/3 cup coconut flakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the margarine, extract, and sugar until fluffy and light.
3. Beat in 1 cup of banana and the applesauce.
4. Sift together the dry ingrediants (not chocolate)
5. Blend in (portions at a time) dry ingredients with the mixture alternating and adding in portions of the last cup of mashed banana.
6. If at this point the end batter does not seem thick enough add small amounts of flour to compensate, similarly if it seems too thick add a bit of water, or slightly more applesauce.
7. Stir in chocolate and optional coconut. Add to greased and floured loaf pan (or non-stick).
8. Bake at 350 degrees on middle rack for approximately 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Share with people you love!

"Chicken" Fried Rice

2008-04-25T17:20:00.000-07:00

Rating: Intermediate.

This is one of my friend Brandon's favourite meals that I make. I tend to make this for company, so the size is rather large. Feel free to cut down the ingredients for small serving numbers. This meal does keep well for several days and is still great re-heated and re-served.

'Chicken' Fried Rice (serves 6-8 large portions)

1.
2 cups white rice*
5 Tbsp oil
2 large onions, chopped
5 cups bok choy, chopped
2 cups sugar snap or snow peas, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups chopped green onion
4 cups mushroom, finely chopped
1/2 cup basil
1 1/2 cups of 'chicken' seitan, roughly chopped**

*You may want to avoid using extra sticky rice, or washing the starches from white rice if you usually do this in your prep. You may even enjoy this with a parboiled rice. There is nothing wrong with using a sticky rice, but you will want to cook it well in the later stages, because the fresh stickiness will clump and not leave you with the easy mix you should be aiming for.

**You may prepare this yourself with instant wheat gluten flour (found in health food and bulk shops) or purchasing ready made 'chicken' strips found in regular supermarkets and health food shops. If you prepare it yourself you may want to spice and cook it as large strips and then chop it into smaller pieces for the dish. If you try to 'roughly chop' the seitan before it has been cooked it will be very sticky and give you quite a hard time.

2.
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp white vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp sugar

1. Cook rice in rice cooker or saucepan and set aside.
2. Prepare sauce (using ingredients from #2) in medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. (Using ingredients from #1) Add 3 Tbsp of the vegetable oil, onion, and mushroom to a wok, large pan, or skillet and heat until soft for a couple minutes.
4. Add bok choy, peas, pepper, and green onions.
5. Cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes until they are beginning to crisp.
6. Mix in about half of the sauce with the vegetable and cover with a lid. Let cook for about 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavours.
7. Remove the vegetable-sauce mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
8. Add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil to your new empty pan and cook on high, adding the rice and pushing down evenly around the pan to ensure all of the rice is further cooked. The rice may be slightly discoloured but this does not mean it is burnt. I usually add the 'chicken' in with the rice at this stage.
9. After about five minutes stir in vegetables with the remaining sauce and basil.
10. Cook for another several minutes to lose some of the extra moisture.

There is a lot of sauce, so mix it well and don't be afraid to let it cook (without being covered) for extra time to lose some of that moisture. Much of the moisture will be absorbed by the rice, but I find the recipe does really well after re-heating because of the additional moisture being absorbed or evaporated.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Nanaimo Bars

2008-04-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy to intermediate!

There are a few ways of doing this classic treat. You can substitute other types of crumbs in the bottom layer, or even use oats (as my good friends Melinda and Spencer did for me once as they made me a batch). Other alternatives, like oats, may leave your mixture a bit dry; however, you can experiment using another few Tbsps of soy margarine or another Tbsp of apple sauce to create a better consistency.

You can also add more chocolate to the final/top layer to create a thicker bar. The chocolate, as is, leaves you with a fairly thin and crisp top layer. You could double the chocolate in this layer, but I would recommend adding more margarine or even a small portion (try 1-2 Tbsp) of warmed soy milk to ensure you won't just end up with a heavy and thick layer of really hard chocolate - that's not what you want, trust me!

This is a great dessert. Don't be afraid to experiment with this.

Nanaimo Bars
1.
1/2 cup unsalted soy margarine
1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp apple sauce
1 1/2 cups prepared bread crumbs*
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
5 Tbsp cocoa powder

*This step is optional. Prepare the bread crumbs by mixing them with a sweetener. Original Nanaimo Bars use graham crumbs, but honey is not a vegan ingredient. To get that added sweet-crumb taste: mix about 1/4 cup (or to taste) of corn syrup or brown rice syrup with the crumbs. You may need to do a bit of hand mixing.

You can use home made bread crumbs, or use any similar consistency 'crumbs' that you can find. You can also find them in some varieties in health or bulk stores. Just check the ingredients as some 'plain' crumbs may contain egg and dairy.

2.
1/2 cup unsalted soy margarine
2 1/2 Tbsp soy creamer/milk
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar

3.
1/2 cup chocolate*
2 Tbsp unsalted soy margarine

*Read the introduction to this recipe for comments on this step.

1. (Using ingredients from #1) Melt margarine, applesauce, and sugar together in a double boiler. 2. Add crumbs and cocoa to the pan, mixing thoroughly to absorb all of the cocoa powder.
3. Take pan off the of the heat and stir in the coconut and nuts. If you want the coconut to be more melted in with the mixture then do this step with the saucepan still over the element.
4. Press the mixture firmly into an ungreased 8x8 sized pan.
5. (Using ingredients from #2) In a medium sized bowl, cream together the margarine, corn starch, soy creamer/milk, and icing sugar. Add the vanilla and mix well.
6. Pour 'custard' layer into the pan over the first layer and spread until even. At this stage you may want to consider refrigerating the two layers for a short amount of time to help prevent the chocolate layer from bleeding into your 'custard' layer. This will also make it easier to spread the chocolate; however, this is still optional and not completely necessary.
7. (Using ingredients from #3) Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a regular pan over low heat, mixing in the margarine (and optional soy milk if you desire). Take pan off of the heat. Let the mixture cool down slightly (tepid and still liquid enough to pour), and pour over the second layer.

Refrigerate to chill and then enjoy!

Hearty Vegetable Soup with Noodles

2008-04-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy.

You're right! I love soups! This is one of my favourites that I have made and experimented with. It is hearty soup and great for when you want a bit more substance in a soup or when you feel a bit under the weather. This soup is wonderful served fresh or saved - for the flavours to absorb a bit longer.

This soup can be done two ways. You can keep to the instructions, as I have most vegetables finely chopped or you can put the soup in a food processor for a few seconds before the final stage of adding the noodles.

Hearty Vegetable Soup with Noodles (serves six or more)

2 Tbsp oil
1 large onion, well chopped
5 large mushrooms, finely chopped
2 medium or large carrots, sliced then roughly chopped
2 large radishes, sliced then roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, well sliced
1 green onion BUNCH, sliced
1/4-1/2 red onion, sliced separated and roughly chopped
3/4-1 LB red potatoes, diced
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 ginger root, minced
4 Tbsp coriander or to taste*
salt and pepper to taste

1-2 cups of vermicelli noodles, cooked then chopped

*I end up adding extra coriander, but it will be hard to assess the potency of your spices until the soup has set. You may want to refrain from adding too much until after it has simmered to cook and set.

1. Prep vegetables and set aside.
2. Prep the vegetable stock in an appropriate saucepan (for 4 1/2 cups) and set aside.
3. Add the onions and mushroom to oil and cook in large saucepan on medium-low, about 4 minutes until softened.
4. Add the vegetable stock to the large saucepan with the onions and mushrooms.
5. Add all the vegetables including potatoes, bring to a boil OR if you want the potatoes to be extra soft and won't be processing the soup then you may simmer the potatoes for a while before adding this second batch of vegetables.
6. After mixture is boiling, add ginger and spices, quickly cover and reduce to a simmer. You may let it simmer anywhere from 15-25 minutes, but keep in mind you may not want some of the vegetables to become too soft. You may also want to simmer for another 10 minutes with the noodles, so use your discretion. Check the soup around 15 minutes, especially the potato softness, and be prepared to let it simmer longer if necessary. Add more spices to taste if necessary.
7. Process in food processor if desired, then pour back into saucepan.
8. Add the noodles, and simmer for another 10+ minutes if desired.

Now serve fresh or let the soup settle for a couple hours and reheat later! This soup makes good leftovers for a few days if desired! Delicious.

"IT Crowd" Peanut Butter Cocoa Oat Cookies

2008-04-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy.

These cookies are chewy with subtle chocolate peanut butter flavour. Jon and I whipped them up on Thursday afternoon while streaming the IT Crowd from my laptop on the kitchen table, and they were perfect served warm with funny television.

"IT Crowd" Peanut Butter Cocoa Oat Cookies (yields around 48 2-inch cookies)

Ingredients
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate soy milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup cocoa powder

1. Prehead the oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
2. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter and sugars until fluffy.
3. Add applesauce, vanilla and soymilk. Stir until well blended.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. When well mixed, combine with wet ingredients.
5. Add cocoa powder and oats. Stir!
6. Drop spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered in parchement paper.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes: Jon and I found that 13 minutes was perfect.

Red Pepper Soup

2008-04-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy! Fun!

This is another easy but great soup. I find it fun, because it's not very often that you get to peel the skin off of your peppers! You can use a food processor or blender to process the soup in the final stages, but I definitely recommend using a food processor if you have one. You will also want to process the soup in batches to avoid making a big mess if it spells over! The pesto is delicious, again, if you feel like adding a vegan parmesan ingredient. You can skip the pesto and it still makes a great soup. If you like your soup a little less thick, you may want to add slightly more vegetable stock.

1. Red Pepper Soup

2 medium red peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
400g or about 1 3/4 cups of canned tomato with juice
3 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper

2. Pesto (optional)
1 1/2 cups coriander leaves, chopped
1 1/2 cups parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cashews, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Rinse red peppers, cut in half, and clean out insides.
2. Set oven to Broil (500 f).
3. Place down (with outside skin facing UP) on foil on a baking sheet. Spray top of pepper halves with oil. Place in oven until the skins blister and turn black - five to ten minutes. Pay careful attention. This will allow you to peel off the outer layer of the skin.
4. Remove pepper halves, and place in an airtight container or bag and leave for five minutes or until cool. Remove the skins (you can peel them off at this point), and coarsely chop.
5. Heat oil and sauté onion and garlic over gentle heat in a large saucepan for about 3 minutes.
6. Add pepper, tomatoes (with juice) and vegetable stock.
7. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
8. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
9. Blend soup, in food processor or blender, in batches until smooth or almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. If you choose to make the pesto, add all of the pesto ingredients to a food processor except for the oil. Process and add oil gradually until you have slightly more of a thick sauce rather than a paste.

Serve soup into bowls and garnish with pesto.

Pasta Salad

2008-04-04T14:21:00.001-07:00

Rating: Easy! Simple! Quick!

This is a fairly simple recipe that does not involve too many main ingredients. The pasta can be anything short and thick such as rotini, penne, shells, or anything you'd like. You may enjoy experimenting with a whole wheat or gluten-free pasta aswell. I'd recommend grabbing some vegan parmesan cheese if you can from a local health food store. It's relatively inexpensive and adds a nice extra element (and blends with the crumbled tofu) to this salad, but if you want to pass it over consider it an optional ingredient!

Pasta Salad (about 3-4 generous servings)
1/2 lb pasta
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoonslemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large tomato, diced
1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 block firm tofu, crumbled
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese, grated (OPTIONAL)

1. Prepare a large saucepan with some salted water and bring to a boil, before added in the pasta. After pasta is well cooked, drain and rinse with cold water (and drain again). Set aside to slightly dry in a colander.

2. Whisk together wet ingredients with salt and pepper in small bowl and set side.

3. Combine vegetables, tofu, pasta, and optional vegan parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Add the dressing and then toss to mix well.

Mixed Olive Loaf

2008-03-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

Rating: Easy to intermediate!

This is a fairly straightforward recipe that I have adapted from an old non-vegan olive loaf. This is a loaf-form olive bread, and not a traditional flatbread style or baguette style olive bread. This loaf is best served fresh, and may be used toasted with spreads for a bit of extra flavour. I really enjoy this recipe.

Mixed Olive Loaf
1.
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups pitted and chopped mixed olives.
1/3 cup tapénade
6 tablespoons of unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup soy creamer/or milk
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1/2 tablespoon sea salt

2.
Tapénade
1/2 lb pitted mix olives
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 garlic clove minced
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons basil
1 tablespon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly oil the inside of a loaf pan, or line the pan with baking parchment.
2. Prepare the tapénade. Rinse the olives (part2) if they are fresh. Place all ingredients from part 2 into a food processor until mixture becomes a thick paste. Set aside.
3. Add the flour and baking powder to a large bowl and mix.
4. Stir in mixed olives(part1 - you should have used the 1/2 lb for the tapénade by now) and tapénade with the flour mixture.
5. In a separate bowl whisk together the apple sauce, oil, soy creamer/milk, brown rice syrup, and sea salt. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. This will produce a nice batter similar to a good banana bread loaf. You may want to turn over the batter a few times to ensure that all of the flour is mixed in.
6. Bake for 75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Deep Trouble Chocolate Truffles

2008-03-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

Rating: Easy, but messy!

Do you like chocolate? Clearly, Jon and I do. This recipe is incredibly simple and makes very very rich chocolate truffles. Most recently, I made them for a friend's skull-themed party, but you can make them for any occasion, and people are always impressed that you've made homemade chocolates. There are obviously tons of variations, so this is the basic recipe for you to experiment with. The secret to making good candy is to use really good, really dark chocolate - but if you use like, 90% cocoa, you may want to add some sugar to the recipe.

Deep Trouble Chocolate Truffles (makes between 24-36, but it really depends on how big you make your truffles)

300 grams of dark chocolate
2 tbsp soy margarine
1/4 cup of soy creamer
cocoa powder, powdered sugar, nuts and other garnishes

1. Place a piece of parchement paper on a cookie sheet, or in a shallow pan or dish. Set aside.
2. Chop the chocolate into the smallest pieces you can so that it'll melt faster.
3. Create a double-boiler by placing a bowl in a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with about 2 inches of water and put it on the stove.
4. Toss all the ingredients into the bowl and turn the heat up. When the water boils, it'll melt the chocolate but will keep it from burning. Stir often, to make sure everything is blended together as the chocolate melts.
5. When everything is well blended, remove from heat and pour melted chocolate on top of the parchement paper, creating a sheet of chocolate. This is chocolate ganache (which makes an excellent frosting or garnish).
6. Put the pan or cookie sheet into the refrigerator and let the ganache set for an hour.
7. Trying to keep your hands and the chocolate as cold as possible, take the pan out of the fridge, and score the chocolate into pieces that you can easily mold into truffle shapes.
8. Here's the messy bit - remove all jewelery on your hands before beginning, and wash your hands frequently. Taking the scored sections of chocolate, mould each section into a truffle. If you find that it gets too melty, put that melted piece aside or back in the fridge. It'll be able to solidify for reworking.
9. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder, or powdered sugar, or nuts to garnish (or all of the above!)

(You will notice that the chocolates in the pictures have chocolate ganache faces... this is done by using the ganache when it's in it's more melty state as icing.)

Cheater Cupboard Curry

2008-03-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

Rating: Absolute beginner easy.

I am fulfilling Jon's promise of shorter prep time on food! A lot of people are sometimes intimidated at the prospect of cooking foods with a regional twist, but curry is seriously the easiest thing to make ever. This recipe calls for almost no skill in the kitchen - all you need is to be able to chop, squish, spoon, stir and wait about 20 minutes. I call it cheater cupboard curry because all the ingredients except the tofu can be found in the pantry, and because I use curry paste.

Cheater Cupboard Curry (serves 4-6)

1 red onion
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 14 oz. can of lentils
1 lb of tofu (I used firm, you could use extra firm)
1-3 tbsp of curry paste (or you can make your own using cumin, garam masala, curry powder, pepper and salt and a little water)

1. Chop the red onion into slightly smaller than bite size pieces.
2. Mince the garlic.
3. Squish the tofu juice out of the tofu until it's dry-ish. Cube the tofu into bite size pieces.
4. Add the vegetable oil to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Put onion and garlic into frying pan and cook until the onion is getting translucent (about a minute or two).
5. Add the tofu, and turn the heat down a little. Fry the tofu until it's brown on all sides. Remove from heat and take the tofu out. If you don't take the tofu out, it'll get really gross and soggy.
6. Return the pan to heat, this time adding the diced tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Stir in curry paste.
7. Add lentils, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Return tofu to the curry, cover. Let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve with rice. Mmm, delicious.

Buttered Croissants!

2008-02-24T00:28:00.000-08:00

Rating: Intermediate, and overnight prep!

I promise that the next few recipes from me will have shorter prep times, so you can enjoy them much sooner. I also promise that this recipe is worth the wait, as with most baking the wait time to rise is not wait time spent that is without its worth! Pick up a Saul Alinsky book, and let the time fly; or don't in case the book becomes your priority! He's a far more captivating writer than me, I assure you. Back on point: this is a butter pastry to begin with, but commonly what we see in restaurants and grocery stores is a further buttered version: a buttered croissant. I'll announce the last step, and if you would prefer a less buttery, a less oily, but a dryer and more crisp croissant then you can omit the last stage; otherwise, check your refrigerator to first make sure you have enough soy margarine! You will end up using about 2 whole cups! Also, while you're out buying extra soy margarine (ha!), pick up some dairy-free chocolate to melt for a few chocolate-filled croissants and perhaps some animal-free jelly to make a few of them jelly-filled!

Croissant (makes 24-30)

3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups soy margarine
4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons cane sugar
2 packages of yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups soy milk, hot but not boiling
1/2 cup soy creamer, warmed*

3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup soy margarine

*You may replace the soy creamer with additional soy milk, but try and improvise and thicken the 1/2 cup of extra soy milk with oil, 1/2 tablespoon of soy margarine, or even some arrowroot. The goal is to give it a thicker milk consistency.

1. Have soy margarine ready and put aside until room temperature.

2. Prepare a large foil rectangle to use as a work surface. Add the soy margarine to a small bowl, then slowly blend in the 3 tablespoons of flour. Drop the combination down on the foil in a mass - don't spread it. Using a spatula or another utensil, shape the soy margarine-flour mixture into a 6" brick. Fold over the sides of the foil to wrap the brick until it is fully enclosed. Refrigerate for 3 hours. While you wait, prepare the dough.

3. Add yeast to warm water and set aside for a few minutes, then slowly add the warmed soy milk and soy creamer and mix. In a large mixing bowl, blend 2 cups of flour with the salt and sugar. Add the yeast-milk mixture to the mixing bowl, and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined to a batter-like consistency. Now slowly stir in additional flour 1/4 cup at a time, then kneed for about 5 minutes until soft and no longer sticky.

4. Slightly oil the mixing bowl around the dough, and plastic wrap the top. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Set aside the brick of soy margarine (this may still be quite soft, that's ohkay) and the dough until they are about room temperature. If the soy margarine becomes too oily and begins to melt rather than soften, put it back in the refrigerator for a small amount of time to regain consistency.

6. Press the dough out into a 10" square on a flowered counter top or work surface using your hands (try your best not to overwork the dough or it will become too stiff). Unwrap the brick of soy margarine and place diagonally on the 10" square of dough. Bring each point of dough into the centre, so the edges overlap about 1". Using a rolling pin, roll out the neatly wrapped dough package into an approximately 8"x18" rectangle. You will have some soy margarine seep out, but don't worry; however, if it is too runny and you are losing a lot you may want to refrigerate the dough for a few minutes before you keep rolling. This is a critical step, as you are now creating the style of the dough.

7. After rolling out your rectangle, fold the length into thirds - as you would a letter. Turn the folded dough vertically, then roll again into a rectangle. Fold both ends to the middle, then close over to stack four layers - as you would a book. Soak an old tea towel or cloth in cold water and ring dry. Wrap the dough package in the towel, and then refrigerate for 2 hours.

8. Place the dough, once again, on a floured work surface and unwrap the package. Refold the dough into thirds - as you did letter style. Soak your cloth again in cold water, and ring out. Wrap around the dough, once again, but place in a sealed plastic bag to retain moisture. Do not substitute with tupperware unless you have an extremely large container, as the dough will rise and open the seal. Refrigerate the bag of dough for 6 hours or overnight.

9. Place the dough on a floured work surface and roll out into a 10" x 38" rectangle. Try not to sell yourself short on the size, because it will create a thickness of 1/4" that you want to aim for to achieve a better texture and size. I recommend using a pizza cutter to cut the dough.

10. Cut the rectangle horizontally down the middle to leave you with two 5" wide rectangles. Now, vertically, divide the dough into 1/7s (for each of the two 5" rectangles) squares. I will attach a rough diagram - see below. Now cut every small square in half diagonally to create triangles. If you cut it this way, you will have 28 triangles in total. You can rework the math and sizing of your tiles before you cut the triangles if you want smaller or larger croissants; however, keep in mind that these small triangles will double in size after rolled and before being baked.

11. Separate the triangles and place on baking sheets topped with parchment. Place the sheets in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill. If you want to have a filling of chocolate, jelly, etc., then have that ready now. Roll (not roll out, but roll in by hand) the dough into a croissant shape. Start by rolling from the bottom to the point. If you are using a filling place the filling near the bottom, don't overfill as it will seep out and crust your pastry.

12. Leave your croissants on the baking sheet(s) to rise for 2 hours, they should nearly double.

13. Pour oil into a small bowl, and lightly brush the croissants.

13. Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Bake for 22 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

*14. Melt 1/2 cup soy margarine in small bowl and thoroughly brush all croissants with the margarine, then leave to dry. You can omit this step, but I highly recommend doing this for taste and texture.

The skin will be a bit harder as it's still drying from the butter. Store the croissants in airtight tupperware and as the skin absorbs they will become a lot softer and flakier! :)

Triple Chocolate and Nut Cake

2008-02-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

Rating: Intermediate to difficult and lengthy prep times! (Deliciousity level is high!)

I will start off by telling you that it's necessary to make this the day before consuming. Each layer needs to be frozen or chilled sufficiently before stacking, and this creates most of the time needed to produce this richly decadent chocolate cake; a non-crust foundation of chocolate brownie layer, a spread of nut (I used cashew) cream, a delicious layer of chocolate mousse, and a thin layer of chilled chocolate sauce. This is one of many OG(2) (as I'd like to say: Oh Gourmet! Original Gangsta') recipes we will be presenting for you; either in boldly original format or assumed over multiple variations of old and uninspired or non-vegan creations turned delicious, inspired, and our own.

Triple Chocolate and Nut Cake (with a hint of banana)

1.
Chocolate-Brownie Layer
1/8 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted non-dairy margarine
1/2 cup mashed banana
2 tablespoons cane sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup chopped almonds or walnuts

2.
Cashew Cream
2 teaspoons agar flakes
1 tablespoon water
2 cups mashed banana*
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 cup soy creamer or soy milk
1/4 cup cashew paste**

*These ingredients need to be sifted through a wire sieve. It takes effort to strain banana because of the fibres, so I am recommending attempting applesauce or egg replacers for this step - at your discretion as it will give a subtle change in taste. You would be substituting in approximately 12-15 tablespoons of applesauce.

**Rinse whole cashews under water, and process in a food processor a long with a few tablespoons of water.

3.
Chocolate Mousse
3 tablespoons cane sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups mashed banana
1/2 cup bitter or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3/4 cup soy creamer or soy milk

4.
Chocolate Icing
1 teaspoon agar flakes
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon water
1 cup cane sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup soy creamer or soy milk
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Starting with the chocolate brownie layer, melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Add the margarine and mix until smooth. Mix in the banana and sugars. Stir in the flour, and then the nuts. Spread the batter in a lightly oiled 6-inch (otherwise, 8-inch will work) springform pan.

Bake until the cake is springy to touch, approximately 15 minutes. Cool completely on wire / cooling rack.

2. Begin this step by preparing the cashew paste in a food processor -this should only take a minute or two, and then set aside.

Add agar flakes to water in small bowl and set aside. Whisk mashed banana and sugar in a separate bowl. Add the soy creamer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine the banana-sugar mixture, the agar, and the soy creamer together in the heated saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the mixture thickens. Whisk in the cashew paste.

Pour and strain mixture through a wire sieve into a bowl. This will require either small pressure to the wires, or occassionally rinsing of the wires if you have chosen bananas because of the fibres that will clump. I have not done this step with applesauce, but I would imagine this would be easier with applesauce or egg replacer -let me know if you try this.

Refrigerate until mixture partially sets to a somewhat thicker consistency, then pour into the cake pan over the brownie layer and smooth the top over. Freeze until the cream layer is firm. Approximately 2 hours.

3. Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Thoroughly beat the mashed banana mixture with a whisk or fork, and then pour the sugar-water syrup into the banana and mix thoroughly until temperature cools.

Have melted chocolate prepared. Whisk the soy creamer or milk until frothy and light. Mix 1/3 of that creamer into the warm melted chocolate, then using a spatula fold in the banana mixture, then the rest of the creamer. Pour into the cake pan over the cashew layer and spread evenly. Cover and freeze for approximately 4 hours until firm.

4. Add agar flakes to water in small bowl and set aside. Combine the sugar, cocoa, creamer, and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the agar, stirring well to dissolve the flakes. Pour into a bowl and let cool significantly.

Remove walls of springform pan -carving around the circumference if necessary, and place cake on a sheet of parchment. Make sure the chocolate icing is near room temperature, if it is too hot it will bleed into the mousse layer of your cake. Evenly pour chocolate icing mixture over the cake, letting it run down the sides to coat the outer layers. Smooth if necessary.

Garnish with whole almond slices or other nuts of your choice. Sprinkled cocoa powder may also enhance the presentation of your final layer.

Freeze cake for up to 2 days to set icing. I recommend freezing the cake overnight, then thawing for 5 hours in the refrigerator before serving (otherwise your mousse will hold too much frozen water and have an unwelcome icy taste).

This is a small 6-8" springform pan cake. It will be finished quickly, but if you need to refreeze it remember to thaw and chill in a refrigerator for hours again just before consumption. If you are feeling daring, try doubling some of the ingredient quantities for layers to hold a thicker and higher level cake -this will hold as long as you remember to freeze with sufficient time. Don't cheat!

To maximize enjoyment: serve with non-dairy icecream! Enjoy!

Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting

2008-02-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

Rating: Easy as pie!

These moist cupcakes will satisfy your sweet tooth, and the recipe makes more than enough to share. Cupcakes are a perennial favourite, and this recipe is foolproof and I figured it would make a good first post. These cupcakes can last up to a week refrigerated, but they'll rarely go that long uneaten. I frosted this batch with a makeshift piping bag without a tip, but if you've got the proper tools, it'll probably look even better. Garnishing with chocolate shavings or chocolate covered espresso beans will give your cupcakes the edge it needs to convince people that you're a baking king or queen.

Mocha Cupcakes (makes 24)
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

1/2 cup chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp white vinegar

1 cup boiling water
1 tbsp ground espresso

Chocolate covered espresso beans to garnish!

Espresso Frosting
1 cup Fleischmann's unsalted margarine, soft
3 cups icing sugar
2 oz (1/4 cup) cooled espresso

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. line your muffin tins. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add milks, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Using a hand mixer, beat on high for approximately 1-2 minutes. Stir espresso in boiling water until dissolved. Add the espresso/water to last ingredients, and stir with a wooden spoon until blended. Fill cupcake liners approximately 2/3-3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke them.

To assemble frosting:
Cream together margarine and espresso with a hand mixer on high. Add 2 cups of icing sugar, and blend again. Add remaining sugar, blend on high speed until light and fluffy. You may find it easier to put it in the fridge or the freezer to harden a little before you use it. Make sure that the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting. Refrigerate until time to serve!

Indian Mushroom Soup - Heat Up Your Winter!

2008-02-02T21:26:00.000-08:00

Rating: Easy, and not very time consuming!

I'll start off with a soup, because it's a nice way to start any day or any multi-course meal. This is a well spiced soup, but it's fairly mild. Personally, I don't handle extremely hot spices very well! So, don't be worried about that if it's a concern. This is a well spiced soup, but not too hot. It's extremely flavorful and is a definite delight at varying degrees of thickness.

Indian Mushroom Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 full-size carrot (or 4-6 babies), finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons coriander

2 bay leaves
3 cups flat field mushrooms, coarsely chopped with stalks removed
*4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt or soygurt

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, spices and bay leaves. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare a medium saucepan with the vegetable stock. Add the mushrooms to the other vegetables and continue cooking, while stirring occasionally, on low heat for about another 8 minutes. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. *If you desire, you may add less stock to have a slightly thicker end product - I would only suggest 1/2 cup less. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the mushrooms are nicely cooked. Remove the saucepan from heat and let cool. Remove and discard the bay leaves from the mix.

The mixture will still have a decent amount of heat to it. For this reason I don't recommend using a blender. If you don't have a food processor let the mixture cool as much as possible and separate it into batches to blend. The heat and pressure will cause a large mess! Use a food processor if available, but you may still want to process in a couple batches depending on the size of your processor. Process soup until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan and stir in the chopped cilantro. Pour your soup into bowls with a ladle and serve with a dollop of soygurt and garnish with a cilantro leaf if available. If your soup is not very thick, or you have too heavy a dollop of your soygurt it will sink (like mine, ha!) and won't make a great visual garnish. It will still give you a few spoonfuls of added creamy deliciousness! If you are keen on the soygurt garnish, add less stock as noted. Enjoy!

Introduction

2008-02-02T01:58:00.000-08:00

Oh Gourmet! is a vegan food blog operated by Jonathan and Sabrina. We are creating this to share with and support the vegetarian community, and for non-vegetarians alike to see how delicious and simple it can be to make a dish cruelty-free. We are aiming to create more charming, interesting, and gourmet dishes that would not typically be made in home kitchens home at leisure. We have also entertained the thought of turning our project into a small catering business. Any recipe requests for the blog, catering inquiries, or any general questions can be emailed to me at: jon@ohgourmet.net

Mission Statement
The mission of Oh Gourmet! is to fulfill and entice the palate of vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike to enjoy compassionate dining.