tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13924863461734404902024-03-05T17:46:20.945-05:00Kitchen StitchingA feminist killjoy who cooks, crafts, and waxes poetically most of the time.Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-87235297260505563392022-01-27T00:35:00.001-05:002022-01-27T00:40:16.741-05:00A life update from the middle of the 'Rona apocalypse!<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUkFYclxJm9lYFmU7cyvR_4VNIU8ltqwIP9YosFjxF9HvAQn8fxocQqB-sa3-Kb9RWM5iaKMpwbGBRuU8j9zqVr8YaS31umho9rOIhmPkyygWLVHIFCOn-89g9gPF05JSpCOfvtkF95gxg47bgUu-lg-gotLIlyBMBnBy2ADFh4mYt0FBI-NcMzpcohQ=s2448" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="My fur baby, Abby." border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUkFYclxJm9lYFmU7cyvR_4VNIU8ltqwIP9YosFjxF9HvAQn8fxocQqB-sa3-Kb9RWM5iaKMpwbGBRuU8j9zqVr8YaS31umho9rOIhmPkyygWLVHIFCOn-89g9gPF05JSpCOfvtkF95gxg47bgUu-lg-gotLIlyBMBnBy2ADFh4mYt0FBI-NcMzpcohQ=w320-h320" title="My fur baby, Abby." width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My baby, Abby.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Guys.</p><p>I swear to everything good in this world that you're not imagining things. I'm actually posting an update. It will be short, sweet and probably nothing too interesting (especially if you're used to delicious recipes!), but I just didn't feel right essentially ghosting this blog forever. And COVID has been going on for almost 2 years and probably will continue on for a couple more at this rate, and an update never hurt anyone!</p><p>I'm not really planning to keep updating the blog, partly because it doesn't fit in with the things I have going on right now. I'm in a very different place in my life now. For one thing, I'm no longer vegan for a number of reasons, and I hardly create any new recipes anymore as a result. So that would make for a pretty boring vegan recipe blog, wouldn't you agree?!</p><p>What I'm currently doing with my life is being a small business owner. (It's called <a href="http://tubbytabby.com" target="_blank">Tubby Tabby Soaps</a>, if you're curious.) And OMG guys. When you have your own handmade business, folks <i>show up</i> for you! I've been pretty blessed over the past 3 years to do things I love and make beautiful products that people actually want to buy. Folks have been very supportive, and I honestly don't even know what to do with myself most of the time (other than pinch myself, mostly!). So naturally, that takes up most of my time these days, and while I do kind of miss my mid-20s, when I would create vegan recipes in my kitchen between grading my students' papers, I'm in a really different place now. </p><p></p><p>I'm a cat mom now. I'm a wife now. I'm the owner of 2 small businesses and a really passionate educator and feminist killjoy. These things take up a ton of my time, and I'm not trying to say that I'm sorry for it—this is what I need to be doing. But what I am is <i>grateful</i>. I'm grateful that you've stopped by this tiny site and checked out a recipe here and there. I'm grateful that you're reading this post! And I really hope that this little corner of the web made your day just a little bit better. And if not, I hope the rest of your day is great anyway. :)</p><p>Sending all the love and hugs, and thank you for being a part of this little piece of my life!</p>Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-87314195384481190582015-12-07T17:22:00.001-05:002022-01-27T00:38:31.828-05:00Simple vegan cream of broccoli soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgphgIGyaVaeSYdIBu-x4rXnc2x5IwPSPUkVQPnXU5Z4sFipqEH766yX9AgE3qSy0bat0nxaLBb5o-ENLfEVSbAgsx2wrKH7cj6mEX_8n9Glc_rBCFXjze9kKIx4qncJ2T_U-fT1OjkVKj7MVUMNMVtY9InyVpo8eTX_1sAFbc-rhBpAMjP884LZPijHg=s5140" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3427" data-original-width="5140" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgphgIGyaVaeSYdIBu-x4rXnc2x5IwPSPUkVQPnXU5Z4sFipqEH766yX9AgE3qSy0bat0nxaLBb5o-ENLfEVSbAgsx2wrKH7cj6mEX_8n9Glc_rBCFXjze9kKIx4qncJ2T_U-fT1OjkVKj7MVUMNMVtY9InyVpo8eTX_1sAFbc-rhBpAMjP884LZPijHg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />I was on a mission today. I was determined to make a cream of broccoli soup with only things I had on hand. It turned out to be easy and totally worthwhile. This soup is awesome.<br />
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First, the issue I was having was how to make it a cream of anything soup without cream. I haven't made many "creamy" soups since I went vegan. After all, soy milk tastes dreadful. (Yes, I said it.) Coconut milk lends a very distinctive flavour, so the broccoli would not be the star for very long. Almond milk is a little too sweet and too nutty for my liking. And other non-dairy milks are not really my cup of tea--and I certainly don't have any on hand.<br />
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So the answer came to me in a brainwave: potatoes. Potatoes are starchy, and when broken down, kind of creamy. They were going to be my cream.<br />
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After a bit of thought, I decided that I wanted some garlic, some onion and that was about it, veggie/seasoning-wise. So I threw a bunch of frozen broccoli in a pot, added the potatoes, onions and garlic, and tossed in some broth. A half-hour and a trip through the blender later, I had the most delicious cream of broccoli soup I had ever made. Even if you count before I tried the vegan kind.<br />
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So here it is, a little micro-post to give you some soupy goodness for this chilly day!<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<u>Simple Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup</u><br />
<i>Makes 6-8 servings</i><br />
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4 cups frozen broccoli florets<br />
1 lb (2 medium) potatoes, peeled and diced<br />
1/2 onion, chopped roughly<br />
3 cloves garlic, peeled<br />
2 litres salted veggie broth (or water with 3-4 bouillon cubes)<br />
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Put everything in a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft. Allow the soup to cool for about 15 minutes so it's not steaming hot. Put it through a blender or use an immersion blender to puree it. Reheat to serve. Reheats very nicely!</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-66352921264091338452015-06-02T07:22:00.002-04:002024-03-04T09:28:47.018-05:00Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UEskLQjyXKmoRw6kcI_hq8trd6F2YocPxigSh-ghhBCYV5kM5K-DtEVMUq0sVnPiiKqHRZfli2kr0bU_JiDVO1x_5ZbZSeaP6FeSIMh6bLUfTVyJnwwMwy58Kd0a6NE4r40QqIWqar-b/s1600/DSC07629.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UEskLQjyXKmoRw6kcI_hq8trd6F2YocPxigSh-ghhBCYV5kM5K-DtEVMUq0sVnPiiKqHRZfli2kr0bU_JiDVO1x_5ZbZSeaP6FeSIMh6bLUfTVyJnwwMwy58Kd0a6NE4r40QqIWqar-b/s320/DSC07629.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Well, here I am with another recipe for you all! This idea came out of a really hot day recently that was making me scratch my head when it came to cooking: what on Earth am I going to cook in this heat? I found myself wishing I had had the foresight to make something nice and cold on one of the 18-degree days we'd just had. I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a nice, refreshing, chilled soup waiting for me in the fridge?"<br />
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Enter the carrot-ginger. Here we were again, sitting at a pleasant 16 degrees, and so I made it. And when Thursday and Friday get here, when it's supposed to feel like almost 30 degrees with the humidity factored in, I'll be very glad I made this soup yesterday!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6l_6cY5_gePAkE6GsoeXkQ2PAu7ooFvYnCJs9prC5XI4P3t5L7PtMpevsgdcVWep8lpy_qJJxXLjfpKtO8gBra0piYoxhp2pdYjjnf1HEYcHOjs3YO7IMOXGvgLCVJN6nvmAzi2LWpC_/s1600/DSC07634.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6l_6cY5_gePAkE6GsoeXkQ2PAu7ooFvYnCJs9prC5XI4P3t5L7PtMpevsgdcVWep8lpy_qJJxXLjfpKtO8gBra0piYoxhp2pdYjjnf1HEYcHOjs3YO7IMOXGvgLCVJN6nvmAzi2LWpC_/s640/DSC07634.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used orange carrots, so the colour is super dramatic. You could use any kind, though.</td></tr>
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This soup is easy, delicious, slightly sweet, gluten-free, vegan and free of grains, nuts and soy. In other words, you'll have a hard time saying no to it...<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jh97Bi8H24jnznD3CqVtcYWDyGN7p9_YpN5AhY87tYfdunPZF51zNGSHLrsDa2BbDx3rhWgYg2fqRg6Xprky6FJJkS7GZN_YVLxEXhIrCOhuTh0SSaAPrDVOxEcCABPt2CPY_0NCNwk9/s1600/DSC07632.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jh97Bi8H24jnznD3CqVtcYWDyGN7p9_YpN5AhY87tYfdunPZF51zNGSHLrsDa2BbDx3rhWgYg2fqRg6Xprky6FJJkS7GZN_YVLxEXhIrCOhuTh0SSaAPrDVOxEcCABPt2CPY_0NCNwk9/s320/DSC07632.JPG" width="320" /></a><u>Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup</u>
<i>Makes 6 servings</i>
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<br />
6 cups <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/homemade-vegetable-stock.html" target="_blank">unsalted veggie broth</a><br />
1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped<br />
1 Tablespoon minced ginger<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1-2 teaspoons liquid sweetener (optional)<br />
<br />
Place all ingredients in a two-quart pot. Cover and bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until carrots are cooked through. Cool slightly, then place soup in a blender and purée. Chill until very cold, mix well (it may separate a bit), and then serve.</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-39624750295789994142014-11-04T15:22:00.002-05:002024-03-04T09:29:09.884-05:00Lia's guide to simple, delicious sandwiches for veggies<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlio_xpA-IfVlOLquPzDBg5Yt7TDrGuWKlP_GtDMvcZdJa12-ISbPJYsWN2mdpot_eGYg_ea5Bg-Sygi-7MISLolW_NiwQkDnts88EbjqHcjtgZS4QEcrZY_ORw99t0B-AAGHDcZmQmzMM/s1600/DSC07535.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlio_xpA-IfVlOLquPzDBg5Yt7TDrGuWKlP_GtDMvcZdJa12-ISbPJYsWN2mdpot_eGYg_ea5Bg-Sygi-7MISLolW_NiwQkDnts88EbjqHcjtgZS4QEcrZY_ORw99t0B-AAGHDcZmQmzMM/s1600/DSC07535.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This sandwich is really simple, but it's still delicious! Apple, vegan cream cheese & peanut butter!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There was about a 3-year period where I hardly ate a sandwich. That period started about when I went vegetarian, and ended about 6 months ago.<br />
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Why, you ask? Because trying to make conventional sandwiches vegan without making serious adjustments leads to really awful sandwiches. Trust me, it's not pretty.<br />
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Sandwiches are just two pieces of bread with delicious fillings in the middle. That brings good news and bad news for vegans.<br />
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The good news is that bread is <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/6-vegan-foods-youre-already-eating.html">almost always vegan</a>, or at least very easy to find in vegan varieties. <br />
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The bad news is that those delicious fillings we're used to seeing in sandwiches are hardly ever vegan.<br />
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So here are a few general tips and a couple of creations to inspire your own delicious, veggie sandwich-making!<br />
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<h3>
Condiments</h3>
Non-vegans tend to put a blob of mayonnaise on their sandwich and be done with it. And to be fair, mayo is pretty delicious. But vegans have to get a little more resourceful, which is a good opportunity to find a new favourite condiment.<br />
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There are three things I think about when choosing my condiment:<br />
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<h4>
1. Flavour profile</h4>
If your main ingredient in your sandwich is banana, you probably don't want to put mustard with it, because it'll probably clash terribly (though to be fair, I've never tried it, so I could be wrong). On the other hand, how delicious would a banana-based sandwich be with coconut butter as your spread?<br />
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2. Strength of taste</h4>
You have to decide at some point: is my condiment going to be the star of the sandwich? If it's not, you have to consider how strong-tasting it is. The flavour strength will tell you if you can slather it on and have a nice, juicy sandwich, or if you have to put a tiny amount and risk a dry filling. Usually, unless it really is the star, the condiment shouldn't have such a strong taste that you can't put a generous helping on your sandwich to avoid the dryness.<br />
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<h4>
3. Thickness</h4>
You know when you put mustard on your bread and it just soaks right in? That's not going to help your filling avoid being dry. Having a nice, thick condiment goes a long way. It means you can put a thick layer that adds a nice, smooth texture to your sandwich and makes sure each bite is delicious. There is also the problem of sogginess. Balsamic vinegar is delicious, but you're not going to pour it on your sandwich unless you're aiming for a savoury version of bread pudding.<br />
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My favourite condiments for sandwiches are these:<br />
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- <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/01/hummus.html">Hummus</a>, because it's thick and still has a mild enough garlic flavour to complement roasted veggies and such.<br />
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- Flavoured vegan cream cheese, because it won't soak into the bread and it adds a subtle flavour complexity. <br />
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- Any kind of nut or seed butter (including <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/coconut-butter.html">coconut butter</a>), because nuts and seeds pair beautifully with everything from roasted veggies to strawberries and bananas.<br />
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Sometimes there's a need to choose only one condiment, if it's going to clash with other flavours. But other times, two condiments are twice as good as one!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHe-P-UdKF3sMVXgRtRibtsMbnkPAXQzwlV6KmoHVaIWwDNuJtbkD_lmqkyByI7VIQ4USf5Ogcy6jqnIUtSDQGL9_GozsxKHA9q-1iWDUAY-DRoFMUYPmzqLEico8726GPAv_67g1BR2T/s1600/DSC07530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHe-P-UdKF3sMVXgRtRibtsMbnkPAXQzwlV6KmoHVaIWwDNuJtbkD_lmqkyByI7VIQ4USf5Ogcy6jqnIUtSDQGL9_GozsxKHA9q-1iWDUAY-DRoFMUYPmzqLEico8726GPAv_67g1BR2T/s1600/DSC07530.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apples go well with peanut butter <i>and</i> cream cheese. Why use only one?</td></tr>
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<h3>
Texture</h3>
Ever bite into a soggy sandwich? What about the one where you take one chomp and the whole filling comes right out of the bread because it's too hard to chew? Texture goes a long way.<br />
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There are three textures I try to get in a sandwich:<br />
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<h4>
1. Crunchy</h4>
Crunchiness makes your sandwich taste fresh. This doesn't take too much effort. The most sure-fire way to achieve this is to put a big old leaf of lettuce on your sandwich. Gets you your roughage and crunch all in one. Done!<br />
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2. Substantial</h4>
This is the texture that makes you feel like you're eating something that will keep you full for a while. This one can be any number of things. I've used tofu, roasted squash or root vegetables, any kind of bean or pea mixture, etc. It can even be a spread if it's a hearty one. This should be the (dare I say it?) "meaty" part of your sandwich. <br />
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<h4>
3. Smooth</h4>
Sandwiches simply taste better when there's a smooth and slightly creamy texture. This can be achieved by condiments oftentimes, but sometimes mashing a banana or putting a slice of vegan cheese on your sandwich can fulfill this as well. And when I'm not feeling the creaminess but still want the smooth texture, often I choose hummus as my sandwich base.<i></i><br />
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<h3>
Flavour </h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzqFPKN00McS17pJwQAu95ZWg5bD-Bvp9i6AD3RTqQ4YPMOvsbyGaAoruwLC_r30i0Xt69S_zyBNAJ40yIS1oxblw_hO_I-vGnf04EDu3iPI87-QnxOH9knstf1pndHf53QFI_dSFxouM/s1600/DSC06968.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzqFPKN00McS17pJwQAu95ZWg5bD-Bvp9i6AD3RTqQ4YPMOvsbyGaAoruwLC_r30i0Xt69S_zyBNAJ40yIS1oxblw_hO_I-vGnf04EDu3iPI87-QnxOH9knstf1pndHf53QFI_dSFxouM/s1600/DSC06968.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herbed vegan cream cheese, lettuce and cucumber.</td></tr>
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If you put a lot of bland things together on a sandwich, it will still be bland. If you put a lot of things with distinctive flavours on your sandwich, your sandwich will be at war. So basically: pick your star. Your star doesn't even have to be anything complicated. The sandwich pictured above was just herbed vegan cream cheese, lettuce and cucumber, but since cucumber was the most distinctive flavour, it was the star. I wasn't about to go and put mustard on to drown out the natural deliciousness of the cucumbers. That would be criminal. <br />
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<h3>
Bread</h3>
Bread is a big deal in sandwich-making. You don't want thick-sliced bread that's got a crunchy crust, or else you won't be able to bite into your sandwich. If you're like me, you also won't want that light, bland Wonderbread-style bread that doesn't really add anything to the sandwich. (I tend to save that for an old-fashioned and kind of boring classic, like PB & J.) But it's up to you and what works best for your taste buds. Just know this: good bread is the kind of thing you remember about your sandwich, so it can make a huge difference.<br />
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My favourite kinds of bread for sandwiches are things like focaccia and ciabatta, when I can afford it. Otherwise, I just buy that thick-sliced bread from the grocery that sounds like it's made by italians but in a Wonderbread-type bag. It's cheap, but still better than that thin-sliced nonsense.<br />
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There you have it, folks! My guide to vegan sandwich-making. Post your favourite sandwich combinations in the comments, yeah? Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-79004061072236419562014-06-26T10:00:00.001-04:002024-03-04T09:29:28.134-05:00Coconut butterThere seems to be some confusion about what coconut butter is, and it's my pleasure to clear that up. Coconut butter is not coconut oil. It is not a combination of oils that makes vegan butter for use on your toast or in baking croissants.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fhbtH62AiiXivsYQb7CUl8ZdMx06FoyA48dzUWFciB0PFwGZ_nDkth8uhJmEYXaJJbSLt8XIayEQiM8OtuugTJpP4nBQNUogTSG6h2olKHdhsHVNo9JYM9DPkUf4fr7SsMDyZJKlEFD4/s1600/coconut_butter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fhbtH62AiiXivsYQb7CUl8ZdMx06FoyA48dzUWFciB0PFwGZ_nDkth8uhJmEYXaJJbSLt8XIayEQiM8OtuugTJpP4nBQNUogTSG6h2olKHdhsHVNo9JYM9DPkUf4fr7SsMDyZJKlEFD4/s1600/coconut_butter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each of these blocks is about 1/2 cup coconut butter.</td></tr>
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It's a nut butter. You got it: just like peanut butter, almond butter or pumpkin seed butter, it is just puréed coconut that makes a spreadable butter.<br />
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And you might ask why you would bother doing that with coconut, and it's a fair question. There are a few applications that I've found coconut butter really useful in. For one, coconut butter is terribly yummy just spread on your toast or used as a dip for fruit, so it does have some commonalities with other nut butters in that way. But perhaps even more interestingly, it has a lot of the properties of coconut oil, in that it gets really nice and solid when it's chilled. So when you use coconut butter as a base for something like a mock white chocolate, it turns out really creamy, smooth and brittle, much like chocolate is. So my most recent success with it was to make mint-chocolate chip mock white chocolate candies with coconut butter, and do I really need to tell you they were delicious?<br />
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So making coconut butter is actually really easy. But you do <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-5-tools-in-my-kitchen-i-cant-live.html">need a food processor</a> for best results. So if you have one, don't be daunted; the process is actually laughably easy.<br />
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So here's what you need:<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/the-5-tools-in-my-kitchen-i-cant-live.html">A food processor</a> fitted with the chopping blade<br />
- Unsweetened coconut<br />
- A rubber spatula (I use a silicone one <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/the-5-tools-in-my-kitchen-i-cant-live.html">like these spatulas</a>)<br />
- Something to store/portion the butter (I use <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/the-5-tools-in-my-kitchen-i-cant-live.html">a giant ice cube tray</a>)<br />
- A bit of flat fridge/freezer space<br />
<br />
And here's how you do it:<br />
<br />
1. Dump your coconut into the food processor and put the lid on.<br />
2. Turn the food processor on and let run for about 5 minutes.<br />
3. Scrape the bowl sides & bottom thoroughly (careful not to slice your spatula!).<br />
4. Put the lid back on and run for 5 minutes more or until very smooth.<br />
5. Pour your coconut butter into a container or molds.<br />
6. Refrigerate or freeze until firm. If using molds, remove and wrap in plastic.<br />
7. Store in the fridge for a month or in the freezer up to 6 months.<br />
<br />
This method can be used for any number of nuts, but coconut butter will mold better than most nut butters. When I make peanut butter or what have you, I usually just dump it into a mason jar and keep it in the fridge.<br />
<br />
Enjoy! If you have any questions, post them below!</div>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-7888893361889499832014-06-25T10:53:00.001-04:002014-11-04T15:23:23.277-05:00The 5 tools in my kitchen that I'm most grateful for<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41qxf3eXfkL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41qxf3eXfkL.jpg" height="351" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This beauty has saved my ass more times than I can count.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Over the years, people have told me a bunch of times that they like my cooking, and I have usually answered that it's largely because I have good tools and high standards. The high standards you're on your own with, but I am going to go over some things in my kitchen that are tremendously helpful to have.<br />
<br />
Some of these things are so old that I have no idea where I got them. When I can find them, I'll include links for easy purchase, in case you want to get anything. Full disclosure: purchases specifically through the Amazon links send a portion of the purchase back to me, so it helps me keep this blog up. So thanks in advance if that's the way you decide to go.<br />
<br />
And now for the fun part: here are the goods!<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h3>
The food processor</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4pgeB4BqK0PYZrgtnmqmySuStxio7_Q5OIwCGwcRjtofY0DhkecWPtMYvISii4cYBCLM8tAccHbu8XfOQcPckuMbQNgx7KRCaKoyHZ-dt33y2M0e2D7Zmrr-Xqa6mL93e2rPUlMYEAQ6/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4pgeB4BqK0PYZrgtnmqmySuStxio7_Q5OIwCGwcRjtofY0DhkecWPtMYvISii4cYBCLM8tAccHbu8XfOQcPckuMbQNgx7KRCaKoyHZ-dt33y2M0e2D7Zmrr-Xqa6mL93e2rPUlMYEAQ6/s1600/06.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You may have met my food processor when I posted my <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/nut-wellington.html">Nut Wellington</a> recipe on the blog.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I actually got this as a gift, and thank goodness I did. Case in point: there are three main secrets to <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/01/hummus.html">making excellent hummus</a>:<br />
<br />
1. Taste, taste, taste<br />
2. Leave it nice and thick<br />
3. Use a food processor<br />
<br />
You just can't get it to purée as nicely without one, period. And with <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/10-ingredients-vegans-should-always.html">the amount of hummus I eat</a>, I really do use the heck out of this poor thing. It's also amazing for making nut butters (I've been known to throw a quart of coconut into this baby, walk away for 20 minutes, and come back to decadent, smooth coconut butter).<br />
<br />
Mine (which has never given me grief and I highly recommend) is <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B003K2G18U/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B003K2G18U&linkCode=as2&tag=kitchstitc-20" target="_blank">the Cuisinart 12-cup</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=kitchstitc-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B003K2G18U" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I can vouch that it's worth every penny, but it is higher-end, so there may be more affordable options that are not as sturdy/built to last. (Use this baby for 30 seconds and you realize that it's built to last.) The only one I can personally vouch for is this one.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The ice cube tray</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9bcgo4JenYvemYjYMBr6iXVd1TmFqMkcDHQOHrYX3YhJfsQkr7TAmG4NrYetvjGGkoIoNan5YR6JX8ifmytqCVziANT1bc29y4RG_7_vReEbm7PJ5uVU9OblK4tp9t4rbXn0BXlsetXA/s1600/coconut_butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9bcgo4JenYvemYjYMBr6iXVd1TmFqMkcDHQOHrYX3YhJfsQkr7TAmG4NrYetvjGGkoIoNan5YR6JX8ifmytqCVziANT1bc29y4RG_7_vReEbm7PJ5uVU9OblK4tp9t4rbXn0BXlsetXA/s1600/coconut_butter.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is coconut butter that I molded with the giant ice cube tray into perfect portions!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You're probably scratching your head right now, and I can see why. An ice cube tray? Really?<br />
<br />
I sometimes forget what I did before I bought my <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00395FHRO/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00395FHRO&linkCode=as2&tag=kitchstitc-20" target="_blank">giant ice cube tray from Tovolo</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=kitchstitc-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00395FHRO" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
(also available in <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00395FHUQ/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00395FHUQ&linkCode=as2&tag=kitchstitc-20" target="_blank">pink</a>). I'm not kidding you; I use this for more things than I ever imagined I would. It makes about 1/2-cup portions. This is an essential for vegans. It's the perfect size for a stick of <a href="http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/fats/vegan-butters/vegan-butter" target="_blank">homemade vegan butter</a>. It's the perfect size to freeze two <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/09/egg-replacements-in-nut-shell.html" target="">flax gel eggs</a> for pulling out of the freezer when I need them (which is awesome, because that stuff is a pain in the backside to portion out and I make it in huge quantities at a time). It's the perfect size to portion out nut butters before chilling them to get them hardened. It's hilarious how much I depend on this thing. (If you want to hear me swear, just wait for the moment that it's already in the freezer with something in it, and I need it <i>now</i> for something else...)<br />
<br />
Retail value: about $12.00. Actual value: priceless.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The spatula</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_cvwA1_TYR1AP_9Nl9l76Fyl3O2oGP7___4_lLv80tCvghwTHOX7ZqpWEWowQwJoPJmynUK7VDBepuZN6hBzy3vYp0YyfTSr0pqqhETyadz9AImhFfm0LrYQ85zuYK4Pt6yXX_ZgkF-T/s1600/DSC05247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_cvwA1_TYR1AP_9Nl9l76Fyl3O2oGP7___4_lLv80tCvghwTHOX7ZqpWEWowQwJoPJmynUK7VDBepuZN6hBzy3vYp0YyfTSr0pqqhETyadz9AImhFfm0LrYQ85zuYK4Pt6yXX_ZgkF-T/s1600/DSC05247.JPG" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My silicone friend hard at work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A good rubber (actually usually silicone) spatula is something that's always hard to find in my kitchen, because it's always dirty. Like, actually always. The day that I reach into the drawer and it's actually there, it goes down in history. It's because a good rubber spatula is perfect for a ton of things: mixing, getting the last bit of batter out of a bowl, coercing chocolate into melting in a double boiler (or the microwave, for that matter), scraping down your food processor or blender, and the list goes on. (Just be careful when using them with blades--my food processor recently added a little extra character to my spatula, if you know what I mean.) There is no other utensil in my kitchen that I use as much, period.<br />
<br />
There are two camps: detachable blade versus non-detachable. Each has its pros and cons, of course. I opt for the detachable blade for cleanliness reasons, because whether you can detach the blade or not, food will get between the handle and blade. You might as well be able to remove the blade and clean thoroughly. But the downside is that you want to make sure that it doesn't come off in your dough all the time, so try to find one that's both detachable and attaches back on really firmly, if you're going to go that route.<br />
<br />
I got my current spatula years ago from my mother, and I have no idea where she got it, but I've also recently gotten <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000M8YMEU/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B000M8YMEU&linkCode=as2&tag=kitchstitc-20" target="_blank">the Wilton set</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=kitchstitc-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B000M8YMEU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, which is pretty affordable and works super well, if you're on the market for a spatula.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The wooden spoon</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHBte_dfdvbu6YVSWxCVG8e2TQ4pfYWpGkL-jW6k_p_L6AJwYtbnz-GCef2mPEzY4-ZIgsAAbefupDEqIoJ9eSS1xiT2fNGiC67I1djYPcw1nX4FfjYHfGyiVDbTi1qB5_XYYglUqZ0iY/s1600/ready_peel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHBte_dfdvbu6YVSWxCVG8e2TQ4pfYWpGkL-jW6k_p_L6AJwYtbnz-GCef2mPEzY4-ZIgsAAbefupDEqIoJ9eSS1xiT2fNGiC67I1djYPcw1nX4FfjYHfGyiVDbTi1qB5_XYYglUqZ0iY/s1600/ready_peel.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite wooden spoon often appears in posts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You need a good wooden spoon in your kitchen, period. By "good" I mean a few things.<br />
<br />
First, you want one that's good and sturdy, because wooden spoons are supposed to be the things you call on when flimsy little metal serving spoons aren't cutting it. They should have a nice, wide, flat spoon blade so that they move around a lot of stuff at once. And they should be comfy--don't buy one of those unfinished, splintery ones, or you'll be picking wood slivers out of your skin for the rest of your days.<br />
<br />
Mine is nothing super expensive. I seem to remember that I bought it at a bargain store or something, probably at least 5 years ago now. But it fits the bill, and I've been so grateful for it that you've seen it make a million and a half appearances on this blog. Old Faithful, that's what I ought to call it.<br />
<br />
I'm not 100% sure, but <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00436FPZ2/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00436FPZ2&linkCode=as2&tag=kitchstitc-20" target="_blank">this bamboo spoon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=kitchstitc-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00436FPZ2" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> looks like a perfect replica of mine, and so it might be a good place to start if you're stuck.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The pan</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pkgVT6Jh6Zq2QljUmSsSo1cSxbRfU0NBa1KjL8wXKiAoloSkC4XUJRqbh6YGQiMtrd6yJi1YZJrGJsjlUQy7rkvUwjZWCkBwCOgZ_yA5Gej7hmuVspQaocORNwD3P_sIS2phFDZaowAW/s1600/DSC05987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pkgVT6Jh6Zq2QljUmSsSo1cSxbRfU0NBa1KjL8wXKiAoloSkC4XUJRqbh6YGQiMtrd6yJi1YZJrGJsjlUQy7rkvUwjZWCkBwCOgZ_yA5Gej7hmuVspQaocORNwD3P_sIS2phFDZaowAW/s1600/DSC05987.JPG" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the beauty that has gotten me through countless recipes in the past few years.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hilariously, the best skillet I have was actually something that came into my possession accidentally. The power of a good pan is tremendous. There are very few things that I'll shell out as much for as a good skillet, because it's one of those things that can be a disaster. It can be a pan that everything sticks to and it's impossible to clean. It can be a pan that over or under-heats and cooks your food really unevenly. It can be a pan that is way too small to fit a decent amount of food in, so you're cooking your meal in one-portion-sized units for a dinner party of 8.<br />
<br />
My favourite pan takes care of all of these things. The bottom is a high-quality stainless that doesn't really stick to anything, so I don't have to worry about whether or not it's true that Teflon can poison you (because who the hell knows at this point?). It also cleans like a dream, for the exact same reason. It also distributes the heat really evenly, so I end up with <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/01/the-pancake-they-wont-know-is-vegan.html">pancakes that look like this</a>, for example. It also has a diameter of 12" and is about 3" deep, meaning I can cook a good 6-8 servings of stir-fry in it at once and save myself a big headache.<br />
<br />
My own pan is probably not made anymore (it's about a decade old), but <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00008CM6B/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00008CM6B&linkCode=as2&tag=kitchstitc-20" target="_blank">Cuisinart makes a big, awesome, stainless skillet</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=kitchstitc-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00008CM6B" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> that I've heard really good things about. Check it out if you're on the market for a good skillet.<br />
<br />
<br />
And there you have it, folks. What are the things that are essential for <i>you</i>? What products would you wholeheartedly recommend for avid cooks? Let us know in the comments!Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-54861760325241851042014-06-20T10:00:00.000-04:002014-06-24T22:38:31.465-04:00Easy-cheesy stuffed mushrooms with garlic scapes (vegan)<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKTatJ2y1-510RnOg_YhbQaVSPA5HY-HRLogKDkg3vGA1e44H4W2ChHwaGSKQ3v9MWYbXgzwtvwsT546tCTKi5CJ2fNeHpgBIDbMO18QJvMOSscYJV1HR1WdgdkDedPp85Bd9qmCSJh7x/s1600/DSC07059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKTatJ2y1-510RnOg_YhbQaVSPA5HY-HRLogKDkg3vGA1e44H4W2ChHwaGSKQ3v9MWYbXgzwtvwsT546tCTKi5CJ2fNeHpgBIDbMO18QJvMOSscYJV1HR1WdgdkDedPp85Bd9qmCSJh7x/s1600/DSC07059.JPG" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
I can't remember a time that I ever said "no" to mushrooms. That's how much I love them. (Unless they're raw, because that's just wrong.)<br />
<br />
I've recently been on a dehydrating kick when it comes to mushrooms. For my vegan friends out there: dehydrating mushrooms amplifies their flavour. So it gives things that "meaty" flavour when you use dehydrated mushrooms, and that's a heck of a lot lower in MSG than Marmite (which--don't get me wrong--is still <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.com/2012/12/vegan-gravy.html">delicious as hell in gravy</a> and full of <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.com/2013/09/b-12-and-iron-damning-duo.html">vitamin B-12</a>).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>So the other day, when I went to the grocery and saw that they had these beauties on the produce clearance rack (which, by the way, is usually made up of moldy cucumbers or way overripe bananas), I knew I had to buy them. I assumed that I'd get them home, and I'd turn one over just to find out that there was something funky happening on the bottoms. Not the case. I still don't know why they were so painfully cheap, but hey--I'm not complaining. More mushroom for me to love.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpmbSwe_0RGHGQXne7yVJNUNQG0Dk9QcBPgzUQPCS0Cu9cWGARv4-AGFIpF9zCMRPZn2ITnEFWoCVWSdMbIBd7yZf6KfHW0-heSqHopcD6oTH1bmafajZlqTixsKD_Ol4ZGpIyL6jnhvW/s1600/DSC07001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpmbSwe_0RGHGQXne7yVJNUNQG0Dk9QcBPgzUQPCS0Cu9cWGARv4-AGFIpF9zCMRPZn2ITnEFWoCVWSdMbIBd7yZf6KfHW0-heSqHopcD6oTH1bmafajZlqTixsKD_Ol4ZGpIyL6jnhvW/s1600/DSC07001.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These babies were purchased three days prior and still looked this awesome! I still haven't figured out why they were on the clearance rack.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Big mushrooms like this need a special use. Dehydrating them was somehow just not right, because they had those beautiful, luscious caps that were just meant for stuffing. And so I had to come up with something easy to stuff them with, based on what was sitting in my fridge at the time. Easy task? Not so much. But wow. Just wow. These were delicious in a way I can't even describe.<br />
<br />
And it was simple. Five ingredients required, including the mushrooms. One of the ingredients is an optional drizzle of olive oil (which I'll eat my hat if you don't already have some in your kitchen). Then you add a little onion and garlic and hold it together with a little vegan cheese and that's it. For real.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKdb58dR8gpZUh6amxira2oM7l7z5weow1KVdBcsFH72W7iOetGv0q9wRiVxzhBM1bMZgrUFNHf_hyi9ub9N0Th7Z8QI2xj2YZr87EZVzuMPv0YA681RGntBWkVBGwMP6a4JTSKu5pzbI/s1600/DSC07003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKdb58dR8gpZUh6amxira2oM7l7z5weow1KVdBcsFH72W7iOetGv0q9wRiVxzhBM1bMZgrUFNHf_hyi9ub9N0Th7Z8QI2xj2YZr87EZVzuMPv0YA681RGntBWkVBGwMP6a4JTSKu5pzbI/s1600/DSC07003.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aside from the (optional) olive oil, this is all that's in this recipe!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now, I used green onions and garlic scapes for my filling. If you use full-strength onion and garlic, it will be a stronger flavour, but it will probably still be super delicious. If you're not sure what garlic scapes are, they're the most delicious thing ever. They're kind of like a green from the garlic plant that has the flower attached, and they snip it off early in the season so that the garlic grows better (less energy going into the making of flower and seeds means more energy put into growing that little bulb!). And not surprisingly, it tastes like a milder version of garlic. Check out the scapes at your farmers' market next time you get a chance, yeah? It's about the right time for them (I got mine on Sunday).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Knp9wsyjUZEZBoHBMOFhfkekM6ke-d7s8sNQs7yzL6ozA3vcTniwTDUWXUNoirgXiUR8h-gmzyUPR4toWjv2WNglvlikR7a2Bcf0sTR_KDAABvLl9xvZ6k5yTIH4K5X_ataM2uWfxjq7/s1600/DSC07005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Knp9wsyjUZEZBoHBMOFhfkekM6ke-d7s8sNQs7yzL6ozA3vcTniwTDUWXUNoirgXiUR8h-gmzyUPR4toWjv2WNglvlikR7a2Bcf0sTR_KDAABvLl9xvZ6k5yTIH4K5X_ataM2uWfxjq7/s1600/DSC07005.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are garlic scapes. They're beautiful green coils with long, pointed flower ends.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So you basically chop everything up, and mix it with the cheese. Difficult, eh?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7KoxYKs6LsQrmSzZiQBDpaE1iJLBe7TF3hSyB5YPbXtQ6hmbJF5IkebynrnrS9Kha0_skNNm_Nd1fs-Ha7KgfEz-BAWXex4zPtsCe8o42mtCwCM9Z7hRoFy8uKW2EsZZPGNm1jTgzt9I/s1600/DSC07016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7KoxYKs6LsQrmSzZiQBDpaE1iJLBe7TF3hSyB5YPbXtQ6hmbJF5IkebynrnrS9Kha0_skNNm_Nd1fs-Ha7KgfEz-BAWXex4zPtsCe8o42mtCwCM9Z7hRoFy8uKW2EsZZPGNm1jTgzt9I/s1600/DSC07016.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All we've got in here is the chopped green onion, garlic scapes and a bit of vegan cheese so it'll stick together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Take the stems out of your mushroom caps. To do this, just gently reach a finger into the space between the stem and the edge of the cap, and loosen around the whole stem. When you pull it out, you'll have the give a pretty decent tug, but if you find you're breaking the caps, just be sure to loosen the stem a bit more by prying gently with your finger.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyBK3Qr-8Y97OIMWyWtKuZfx2_AeWjc8xu1_4dKLZUBLKVoaQdAzNpCjWXD7ONQKJc3OldNSqleWMhAJheW5WngDD3I5CFaGs4iqffAN78x-lnzuxKfooqggoNMvCuNQrOVzxhxpte3Ej/s1600/DSC07010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyBK3Qr-8Y97OIMWyWtKuZfx2_AeWjc8xu1_4dKLZUBLKVoaQdAzNpCjWXD7ONQKJc3OldNSqleWMhAJheW5WngDD3I5CFaGs4iqffAN78x-lnzuxKfooqggoNMvCuNQrOVzxhxpte3Ej/s1600/DSC07010.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The progression of your mushrooms, before-and-after style.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And then you stuff the filling into the mushrooms. Put them in a roasting pan. For 6 large mushroom caps, I found that a 7"x11" baking pan worked really well. I also put foil under the mushrooms to cut down on the mess and the chance of sticking.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneFUE0LvICK-PhKFEGYSdUonJOnaTUcrLRNG5SYClDwi1UQA4EEcZGlXH3KoXqTlaTyYZuh7cq_X0R5LH-0kL30s8QR0lBPMkWID7DqCfTyfkxFxAZG_i_Tm3NHCGRi0mx1uCTLZk9ub0/s1600/DSC07033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneFUE0LvICK-PhKFEGYSdUonJOnaTUcrLRNG5SYClDwi1UQA4EEcZGlXH3KoXqTlaTyYZuh7cq_X0R5LH-0kL30s8QR0lBPMkWID7DqCfTyfkxFxAZG_i_Tm3NHCGRi0mx1uCTLZk9ub0/s1600/DSC07033.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had the perfect amount of filling to fill 6 large mushroom caps. Fill them until the filling is even with the top of the mushroom. If you over-fill them, I'm not sure what will happen. I suspect they'll overflow with juices, but you can always take a spoon and take one for the team, if necessary...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I then decided to drizzle them with olive oil. This is optional, but I do love <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/03/roasted-roots.html">Zatoun's olive oil</a> on pretty much anything savoury. (And I actually hate olives. What does that tell you about how good their olive oil is?)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEc9uX05D5BDvAOdu-q6Y2WN8wwFlC8ZOt6lTZC4QY0NHgfW9iVZNz47jh63O0WwIKGzTnA8sSX_e__nb8r5iniBHtORFKlSIaF3dHekWT8zUFmekRnSbTwX_rckuUbDV4xv6zWg3MIEc9/s1600/DSC07028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEc9uX05D5BDvAOdu-q6Y2WN8wwFlC8ZOt6lTZC4QY0NHgfW9iVZNz47jh63O0WwIKGzTnA8sSX_e__nb8r5iniBHtORFKlSIaF3dHekWT8zUFmekRnSbTwX_rckuUbDV4xv6zWg3MIEc9/s1600/DSC07028.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've drizzled a little olive oil over them, because I'm having a love affair with my olive oil.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When your mushrooms are ready to be baked, stick them in a 350°F oven for about 25-30 minutes. This will definitely depend on your mushroom size and shape, so check them often. You'll know they're done when the cavity where the filling is begins to have the brown mushroom juices in it, and it's about to overflow with that awesomeness.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6pV_-RIMaCGBZ5uV-Jn8v-ZxAlVKP_FFW2fC_fAJ4hIszJ6NGWCLBx1uqDE-3t0FYQA3H8WG4JuYZW0HcmCnryI7LvqFcI3uIbY_jIbbw4Ph-vrv16Rs1wyvqhnnsGmg0nEPV0EACzAf/s1600/DSC07059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6pV_-RIMaCGBZ5uV-Jn8v-ZxAlVKP_FFW2fC_fAJ4hIszJ6NGWCLBx1uqDE-3t0FYQA3H8WG4JuYZW0HcmCnryI7LvqFcI3uIbY_jIbbw4Ph-vrv16Rs1wyvqhnnsGmg0nEPV0EACzAf/s1600/DSC07059.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beauty of mushrooms is that you know they're done when they're all juicy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Then the fun part: devour them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zx540t2Oxsln9fiU1Ii87rhkk5dGc95HlYTWb7_9NvbmwEl8Dk4DYznOUI-F_YA90djW_fUa-qdEpNB_reBigSk62IT_bX9a2T_v786V9o36-Wtkj8W7xKhSU5lBRClkWp5SkmpOaBBN/s1600/DSC07064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zx540t2Oxsln9fiU1Ii87rhkk5dGc95HlYTWb7_9NvbmwEl8Dk4DYznOUI-F_YA90djW_fUa-qdEpNB_reBigSk62IT_bX9a2T_v786V9o36-Wtkj8W7xKhSU5lBRClkWp5SkmpOaBBN/s1600/DSC07064.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, trust me. They're as delicious as they look.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You'll have mushroom stems left, which are less nice to eat straight-up because they're quite fibrous, but which are good for dehydrating and adding to stocks and stuff... I'll make sure it's in <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/you-wanted-cookbook-and-youre-hopefully.html">the cookbook</a>. Never fear!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FpYL7OUyioB-L7XfB7PDDVojhAEPzoWtshhkzg9VRM7QgbEK2axR-9fX9UHgkLCxL6rsNc8oxS4TlWskiSb-4WppXNpbgSNom4QHPQbL9Zi3Lr4QnscqgcyK_um3f9MyXIR0JkIzSrqX/s1600/DSC07024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FpYL7OUyioB-L7XfB7PDDVojhAEPzoWtshhkzg9VRM7QgbEK2axR-9fX9UHgkLCxL6rsNc8oxS4TlWskiSb-4WppXNpbgSNom4QHPQbL9Zi3Lr4QnscqgcyK_um3f9MyXIR0JkIzSrqX/s1600/DSC07024.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These babies are going in my dehydrator so I can make mushroom powder for my soups!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmopiSIE3x5_OWT-pSheB99y7VbgJBGsyy3l5FAPBb4hsFevl7CMHLjckCMWMGAKAJ98e_KygzkO2GVPTNYIfQUaJxJZS7vFtUkZIDfCvPTugSc6JWacznNQkI27uBjN9s6VS7I9z6_eWw/s1600/DSC07052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmopiSIE3x5_OWT-pSheB99y7VbgJBGsyy3l5FAPBb4hsFevl7CMHLjckCMWMGAKAJ98e_KygzkO2GVPTNYIfQUaJxJZS7vFtUkZIDfCvPTugSc6JWacznNQkI27uBjN9s6VS7I9z6_eWw/s1600/DSC07052.JPG" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<u>Easy-cheesy stuffed mushrooms with garlic scapes (vegan)</u><br />
<i>Makes 6 large mushrooms</i><br />
<br />
6 large stuffing mushrooms (portobello would probably work)<br />
3 spring (green) onions<br />
3 garlic scapes<br />
1/4 cup Daiya vegan cheese shreds<br />
Olive oil for drizzling (optional)<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 350°F.<br />
<br />
Make sure your mushrooms are clean and wash and pat them dry if they aren't. Remove the stems and set aside for another use.<br />
<br />
Chop up your onions and garlic scapes and mix with the cheese. Stuff the caps till the filling is flush with the top of the mushroom cap. Place your mushrooms, filling side up (obviously) in a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the brown mushroom juices start to fill the cavity of the cap. Serve hot.</blockquote>
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Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-48301846507956257132014-06-17T16:38:00.002-04:002024-03-04T09:29:44.943-05:00Simple vanilla cake (vegan)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YUqs7L8xpu-OmfylPMKdxmehmzHSaBBg_2RYYb0zUFsyk2ZYqIk50SOFEEfNqDApgiOSpn-HCnlZzTZlIa1iN6iRptO27_cwAuR6xsCg4RypeUqA45iQWAqn7g02IDd0P85CiNS_iMgo/s1600/DSC06990.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YUqs7L8xpu-OmfylPMKdxmehmzHSaBBg_2RYYb0zUFsyk2ZYqIk50SOFEEfNqDApgiOSpn-HCnlZzTZlIa1iN6iRptO27_cwAuR6xsCg4RypeUqA45iQWAqn7g02IDd0P85CiNS_iMgo/s1600/DSC06990.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
Where there's chocolate, there's vanilla shortly behind. At least in my world.</div>
<br />
So when I made a post about <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/vegan-chocolate-cupcakes-with.html">chocolate cupcakes</a> (still some of the best I've ever eaten), I immediately set out to remaster the recipe for a vanilla cake. Especially since <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/sprinkles-this-might-be-problem-and.html">I promised you</a> delicious cake to use sprinkles on. (These ones I kept fairly simple with just a few candy ball bearings. The muffin wrappers were too pretty to distract from with bright colours or wild shapes, if you ask me!) These are pretty scrumptious, although I still think I like the chocolate better. (My roommate agrees.) It's tough to beat chocolate, but sometimes you just need a vanilla cake, plain and simple. Like when you're layering it with lemon curd or something. (Mmmm...maybe that should be my next project!)<br />
<br />
In any case, the cake is very similar to the chocolate version, only without the...uh...chocolate. It's a really thin batter, which is how it gets that light, moist crumb, so don't freak out too much if your batter looks more like pancakes than like cake. It's 100% par for this course.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQc4-30h5H_HAZx-w0b4WQPl2V5GmmfRZqfS-OJRK2BTqJNHHwENw4VjETKmY5z-AQerGWe1EhM8Mvr9qP5lRilYU6qjzyg1cd8lG8U1KqfVkr4ZHvsRy51tIWiiaubAxdyHbnxch6Z-b/s1600/DSC06970.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQc4-30h5H_HAZx-w0b4WQPl2V5GmmfRZqfS-OJRK2BTqJNHHwENw4VjETKmY5z-AQerGWe1EhM8Mvr9qP5lRilYU6qjzyg1cd8lG8U1KqfVkr4ZHvsRy51tIWiiaubAxdyHbnxch6Z-b/s1600/DSC06970.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This batter looks more like pancakes than cake, by a long shot. But don't let that freak you out; it'll yield...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvdmeOPPQhQGjwctReghcfSLuCtfiJRhtZflDIh_PVaPWqK5oW8d2ws5G0MqX651UZ3EgBgKynhiXq0U6l0QDpeOzmS82pvOlN2e4eShZV3fSPDPYuTVCUaPxsLN0A2vMwFRbTE4kDI96/s1600/DSC06975.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvdmeOPPQhQGjwctReghcfSLuCtfiJRhtZflDIh_PVaPWqK5oW8d2ws5G0MqX651UZ3EgBgKynhiXq0U6l0QDpeOzmS82pvOlN2e4eShZV3fSPDPYuTVCUaPxsLN0A2vMwFRbTE4kDI96/s1600/DSC06975.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...delicious cupcakes, ready to be frosted!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here's the recipe!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqyXCRCugDfbdm9CshoQ7Ej8rOVm0yS4KfKe8dS7u4IWtRomngDDnnZTmVIHvkcE8DZMI11loeCsvD5UolBLUnxdsMlFN3-UQNN9bWDpk7JPh_nAs5DKqtV2rSRzYY7nnqJZ3z6bSNzuH/s1600/DSC06995.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqyXCRCugDfbdm9CshoQ7Ej8rOVm0yS4KfKe8dS7u4IWtRomngDDnnZTmVIHvkcE8DZMI11loeCsvD5UolBLUnxdsMlFN3-UQNN9bWDpk7JPh_nAs5DKqtV2rSRzYY7nnqJZ3z6bSNzuH/s1600/DSC06995.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<u>Simple vanilla cake (vegan)</u><br />
<i>Makes 2 9-inch round cakes or 24 cupcakes</i><br />
<br />
2 cups turbinado sugar<br />
3-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 cups tap water<br />
1 cup canola oil<br />
2 Tablespoons vinegar<br />
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans, or line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.<br />
<br />
Mix sugar, flour, baking soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla to the dry ingredients and beat by hand until smooth. You will have quite a thin batter--this is totally normal!<br />
<br />
Turn the batter into the prepared pans (muffin cups will be about 3/4 full). Bake for 15-20 minutes for cupcakes or 30-35 minutes for cakes, until the tops spring back when lightly touched with a finger. If you touch one before it's done, don't worry; it will usually return to shape (or close). You'll also probably cover it up when you ice it.<br />
<br />
Cool the (cup)cakes completely before frosting with <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/vegan-chocolate-cupcakes-with.html">vegan buttercream</a> and decorating with your favourite sprinkles, if desired. (If you use sugar sprinkles--which are essentially just coloured sugar--try making your own out of Fair Trade sugar! Confetti-style sprinkles are also cute, but need to be purchased. I made a whole post on <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/sprinkles-this-might-be-problem-and.html">the cutest that Amazon has to offer</a>, if you need to buy some.)<br />
<br />
Store your frosted cupcakes in the fridge if you expect they'll last longer than 24 hours.</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-25611989459225411632014-06-15T13:38:00.000-04:002014-06-25T11:20:17.924-04:00Sprinkles (this might be a problem) and some of the cuter ones out there<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57PS6bcyzscFtcUs2fOZWEnrxTJz4zxGl9VOjZHLX4W_ByAyi0O2FHRkoagW8zm3SnH1XJN3yqQL-P5fiA6q8mQgwz8qoNc7_lX1KKgUM8NuQhiDY-qEXmgrRj-I9HzC9UfULwhyft1hN/s1600/dino_sprinkles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57PS6bcyzscFtcUs2fOZWEnrxTJz4zxGl9VOjZHLX4W_ByAyi0O2FHRkoagW8zm3SnH1XJN3yqQL-P5fiA6q8mQgwz8qoNc7_lX1KKgUM8NuQhiDY-qEXmgrRj-I9HzC9UfULwhyft1hN/s1600/dino_sprinkles.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
A little while ago, I opened up a bag of baking stuff and found all my cake-decorating supplies. In that bag was a ton of sprinkles of all shapes, sizes and styles. I had everything from silver and gold balls to white snowflakes to chocolate jimmies (the little wormy-style ones). And so I made <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/vegan-chocolate-cupcakes-with.html">vegan cupcakes</a> (which were amazing, by the way), and I used a few of my rainbow jimmies, and my sprinkle needs were satisfied for a little while.<br />
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But here's the thing: sometimes I do things that are just plain bad calls. Like today, when I was on Amazon and decided to search for sprinkles, as though I really need any more. But there are some really, really cute pickings, and my inner child decided that I have to share them with you. So here goes: my picks for the cutest/most awesome sprinkles that Amazon has to offer.<br />
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<h3>
<i>Dress My Cupcake</i>'s animal shapes</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBXLX9D-GwDf6O-rKuMLooF7IYwbHbmDYLmBTRBo2KvPSe7jzHYRxl17l0SBs4gJshYFQG8IcVUU6KT8duAjRx7P5pt-OYCFVkDyLjlx4_j6SGhzmCj1W7j9aJ42k335QlxW87pLb4ocb/s1600/pigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBXLX9D-GwDf6O-rKuMLooF7IYwbHbmDYLmBTRBo2KvPSe7jzHYRxl17l0SBs4gJshYFQG8IcVUU6KT8duAjRx7P5pt-OYCFVkDyLjlx4_j6SGhzmCj1W7j9aJ42k335QlxW87pLb4ocb/s1600/pigs.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>They have little pink pigs, guys. They have <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00AV4YV8C/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00AV4YV8C&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">little. pink. pigs.</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00AV4YV8C" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> That was enough to single-handedly land them on this list.</div>
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But then you look a little further, and they also have <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00AV4YV9Q/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00AV4YV9Q&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">black, brown and white cows</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00AV4YV9Q" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, as well as <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00AV4YV7S/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00AV4YV7S&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">rainbow fish</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00AV4YV7S" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00AV4YVAA/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00AV4YVAA&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">multi-colour dinosaurs</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00AV4YVAA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. For real.</div>
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I think I love these people. (They'll make another appearance further down, never fear.)</div>
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<h3>
<i>Wilton</i>'s flavoured candy sprinkles</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gOKR3KJ8xDduLT02hieBtS6p4pZ74TYqhigxOHbF9MmsZE5DXSyypxkyrKGl_0tZdjNKMkVQOEWN_XkPSWYdx2kW8KDdtYdBJp9ScSW74wUYQi46nih8qzZ0lBdkZdjGxBexKXq_VmHx/s1600/cookies_cream_sprinkles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gOKR3KJ8xDduLT02hieBtS6p4pZ74TYqhigxOHbF9MmsZE5DXSyypxkyrKGl_0tZdjNKMkVQOEWN_XkPSWYdx2kW8KDdtYdBJp9ScSW74wUYQi46nih8qzZ0lBdkZdjGxBexKXq_VmHx/s1600/cookies_cream_sprinkles.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
OK, so sprinkles are for making things <i>look</i> yummy, right? Wrong. Now they make things <i>taste </i>yummy, too. Wilton is a big brand, and so I usually wouldn't leap behind them in support, but they had me at "cookies and cream" if I'm being totally honest.</div>
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Two kinds you can get on Amazon (there may be more elsewhere) are <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001PKUXRE/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B001PKUXRE&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">Cookies and Cream Brownie Crunch</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B001PKUXRE" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001PKUXRY/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B001PKUXRY&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">Turtle Brownie Crunch</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B001PKUXRY" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, which is caramel-flavoured, I hear. They suggest putting them on brownies, but seriously? If they taste like caramel or cookies and cream, I would put them on everything from cookies to my morning cereal and not even feel weird about it. No lie.</div>
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<h3>
<i>India Tree</i> jimmies</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbeLbuGPqiks7f-NTehrlze4Ky-JApL3jPxNLtFtf6L8xG9lQrlWx2XbHzpSv-HYLNMg4TR9GtV3NXXUPMfgQhmKYTX8WqTWbbRnTX2kU4eMeHr3k3ks-6D1mVCqV9axa1Ym0b2IQnMxW/s1600/indiatree.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbeLbuGPqiks7f-NTehrlze4Ky-JApL3jPxNLtFtf6L8xG9lQrlWx2XbHzpSv-HYLNMg4TR9GtV3NXXUPMfgQhmKYTX8WqTWbbRnTX2kU4eMeHr3k3ks-6D1mVCqV9axa1Ym0b2IQnMxW/s1600/indiatree.gif" height="200" width="200" /></a>India Tree makes these jimmies called <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B007BQNXBE/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B007BQNXBE&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">Carnival Mix</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B007BQNXBE" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. These little babies are free of artificial colours, meaning that they're tinted with things like turmeric (which, by the way, has a lot of widely-documented uses as a medicinal plant). So not only are they going to make baked goods look better, they're going to stay away from a bunch of chemicals, and maybe even get some disease-fighting compounds into your tummy. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me (pun intended).</div>
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<h3>
Loveable shapes by <i>Planet Bake International</i></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh106N3GHW3Skmyxijb5ii6_H3pOJpr1oxgQs9WcdkZUGdqAV2kuM4OnNB-_WlTcaBR8-t_fhpaTjCuAGDoKfImTxwDEqy3FTQCWblaNy4mjN0DqUepyZAArz-PECY1hcQ8Z6RLNds-gVKg/s1600/dolphin_sprinkles_blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh106N3GHW3Skmyxijb5ii6_H3pOJpr1oxgQs9WcdkZUGdqAV2kuM4OnNB-_WlTcaBR8-t_fhpaTjCuAGDoKfImTxwDEqy3FTQCWblaNy4mjN0DqUepyZAArz-PECY1hcQ8Z6RLNds-gVKg/s1600/dolphin_sprinkles_blue.jpg" height="199" width="200" /></a>These guys won my heart instantly. To be fair, when I stumbled across them, it was through their <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00I1VESNA/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00I1VESNA&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">smiley face sprinkles</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00I1VESNA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, which are impossible to not smile at. But they also make <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00IMGQVUC/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00IMGQVUC&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">dinosaur sprinkles</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00IMGQVUC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (debateably cuter than <i>Dress My Cupcake</i>'s) and <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00IMGQTP4/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00IMGQTP4&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">dolphin sprinkles</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00IMGQTP4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (debateably the cutest sprinkles I've ever seen) and throw in the cursory <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00I1VEU9C/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00I1VEU9C&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">banana-shaped sprinkles</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00I1VEU9C" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for those hardcore fruit-lovers. This is clearly a company with a sense of humour.<br />
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<h3>
Edible glitter</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNuxEdkWC9ht68yGwis89ZzBDC_PBR-H26XnjIs0sQ5asldF6Ge1QtGiUj2ICN1gX9Vbyu77YVRWKgAO1bq-Kt3E6iOuoJmCtPliCfmL210737FpZVhcCUhtNmBWNbBzdK1OzGLESVSLp/s1600/pixie+dust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNuxEdkWC9ht68yGwis89ZzBDC_PBR-H26XnjIs0sQ5asldF6Ge1QtGiUj2ICN1gX9Vbyu77YVRWKgAO1bq-Kt3E6iOuoJmCtPliCfmL210737FpZVhcCUhtNmBWNbBzdK1OzGLESVSLp/s1600/pixie+dust.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I don't know why this wasn't really on my radar, but wow. Just wow. Wilton makes <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B005IR9MJ0/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B005IR9MJ0&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">glitter gold hearts</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B005IR9MJ0" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> if you want to stick with a more mainstream option, but CK products makes <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B003EMSNX2/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B003EMSNX2&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">super cute gold stars</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B003EMSNX2" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and you can also just get <i>Dress My Cupcake</i>'s <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00BF91XTW/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00BF91XTW&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">glitter that looks like pixie dust</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00BF91XTW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. The possibilities are endless!<br />
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Am I about to become the proud owner of even more sprinkles that I really don't need? Probably. Is this a problem? Probably. I'm working on it. But in the mean time, at least you'll benefit, because it'll mean more awesome recipes and photos. Just saying.<br />
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Thanks for tuning in, kids!</div>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-8274847214043933332014-06-13T10:00:00.001-04:002024-03-04T09:30:26.097-05:00Vegan mushroom-asparagus pot pie<div class="tr_bq">
So I made a pie on Monday. And it only used half the batch of pastry, which meant that come Wednesday, there was a decision in front of me: to make a Nut Wellington (which is heavenly in its own right) or to come up with an exciting new way to use up pastry.</div>
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Luckily for you, I took the path of most resistance. In large part, it was just that I got a pound of asparagus in my produce basket and it was way too beautiful to just sit in my fridge until it started looking sad.<br />
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This is very likely to make it into the cookbook, as a heads-up. It's a good excuse to use up pastry or biscuit dough, and who's never wondered, "What will I do with this leftover deliciousness?"<br />
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I'm just going to leave some pictures here, along with the recipe, and see what you make of them...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEjRYmSfGmUoLmaYLS2kF-ZLP0VbjiUhrgWHmLxFJJY9Vx9Bapw-YP5nrU3Cpcp6YLjhmtWE_t9ryF8dFGeLT7CBsq-YhYmCxMzlt4Y9IWJE_hS8G61pn74bsARDe_axEA4-G79DNJYYW/s1600/DSC06895.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEjRYmSfGmUoLmaYLS2kF-ZLP0VbjiUhrgWHmLxFJJY9Vx9Bapw-YP5nrU3Cpcp6YLjhmtWE_t9ryF8dFGeLT7CBsq-YhYmCxMzlt4Y9IWJE_hS8G61pn74bsARDe_axEA4-G79DNJYYW/s1600/DSC06895.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best starting point is amazing, fresh ingredients.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Hmo7Rwx8FcZR5FGi31-4-HCkO_C3NRZaMGA7XBHBgT4IAXCjdRJYdbz3gRV_9RK-9S7Z3jhLIuPo9KBlMFLNBexgNdgvdcHprn6ZuHtQYlWweY9RC1pTc-UntDCxurHm9IG24q7Nryji/s1600/DSC06901.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Hmo7Rwx8FcZR5FGi31-4-HCkO_C3NRZaMGA7XBHBgT4IAXCjdRJYdbz3gRV_9RK-9S7Z3jhLIuPo9KBlMFLNBexgNdgvdcHprn6ZuHtQYlWweY9RC1pTc-UntDCxurHm9IG24q7Nryji/s1600/DSC06901.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now do you see why this recipe happened?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOAUdC2HDDwJoH0JRCRXzdOfIcTqHTVMiW5Ii1-9kvfC7C_0LwRhaNk0X9xmWzdxwunhcGwWkFvOzsCxef4ahDBWrNJae-mO4cPo_gFULQjXYzPn80iOdhIwPAPHzwh36QuuhIFxjuUcm/s1600/DSC06907.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOAUdC2HDDwJoH0JRCRXzdOfIcTqHTVMiW5Ii1-9kvfC7C_0LwRhaNk0X9xmWzdxwunhcGwWkFvOzsCxef4ahDBWrNJae-mO4cPo_gFULQjXYzPn80iOdhIwPAPHzwh36QuuhIFxjuUcm/s1600/DSC06907.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushrooms are one of the main stars of this pie. They give it a really earthy--almost meaty--flavour.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL3uvud7rHMk_OcVErYkXaCj2wIqgeHzYI-oxS245f1ry4Uv-SXSihJ0y2Im46wiwhW2smrBRMAHFtx-yp-D7PVD0wSZy1Tn3iPJ2wKmDkO50sHf1zTZIODTbch8Z9TMdXDpvMEnYFvx2/s1600/DSC06915.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL3uvud7rHMk_OcVErYkXaCj2wIqgeHzYI-oxS245f1ry4Uv-SXSihJ0y2Im46wiwhW2smrBRMAHFtx-yp-D7PVD0wSZy1Tn3iPJ2wKmDkO50sHf1zTZIODTbch8Z9TMdXDpvMEnYFvx2/s1600/DSC06915.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This really large dish makes 6 very generous or 8 average-sized portions, so it's great for entertaining.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjk4itvm3Eq8uJz6oUtBXU29wpBeK_EGnlIAV6lNOFUA4aWUB08IfGy7-Ax8viaJ_-cJS_2twfFg4rHi9cy6lC3pe5rdMzlc6VnZiQigidmQJsANiCJ9c-r6Ws9ABQEIgkGfY0mc4JcnA/s1600/DSC06919.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjk4itvm3Eq8uJz6oUtBXU29wpBeK_EGnlIAV6lNOFUA4aWUB08IfGy7-Ax8viaJ_-cJS_2twfFg4rHi9cy6lC3pe5rdMzlc6VnZiQigidmQJsANiCJ9c-r6Ws9ABQEIgkGfY0mc4JcnA/s1600/DSC06919.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the pastry inside the lip of the dish means it's not as likely to boil over!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVAVbw8ugz9yr0H8zhloixHipIXncLIJQT5oSGR5gvYNkNrbDuXvOtJ574wcE50VINN_HeS9nZdhQ7kgqo4M41Sw4UgYLIdpltOatW6KQKbHQH8I0FKzJOK1qtI9_wQDpghxLJL3ynueD/s1600/DSC06928.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVAVbw8ugz9yr0H8zhloixHipIXncLIJQT5oSGR5gvYNkNrbDuXvOtJ574wcE50VINN_HeS9nZdhQ7kgqo4M41Sw4UgYLIdpltOatW6KQKbHQH8I0FKzJOK1qtI9_wQDpghxLJL3ynueD/s1600/DSC06928.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that gorgeous, golden-brown crust!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLa2ok9G768ACgjBwwPpmVfs1Ntb_e03nyW32pS_rbNvxA27c6Xf6-s3EaZO_5BNvv8duI10iHCsEvQWi063PpTtEqVebCcFUjE-4gyFFhgScgbfPV4g6iItlPwwPKAUm8Xu-jijXxo5Z/s1600/DSC06938.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLa2ok9G768ACgjBwwPpmVfs1Ntb_e03nyW32pS_rbNvxA27c6Xf6-s3EaZO_5BNvv8duI10iHCsEvQWi063PpTtEqVebCcFUjE-4gyFFhgScgbfPV4g6iItlPwwPKAUm8Xu-jijXxo5Z/s1600/DSC06938.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's as good as it looks. Trust me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6wqK_PAHm7GFhPev1xnljXnok4lYT1m849i4tf6Budjn-Hfp81Fct3ABIY1LlDeFzxRnvFSR-HDAVgLiu6XmsPM-wU6LU906_VfviPPWU2oBVfkBTdQtg7HPGveH0qMA5Apyv4LjeDGR/s1600/DSC06936.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6wqK_PAHm7GFhPev1xnljXnok4lYT1m849i4tf6Budjn-Hfp81Fct3ABIY1LlDeFzxRnvFSR-HDAVgLiu6XmsPM-wU6LU906_VfviPPWU2oBVfkBTdQtg7HPGveH0qMA5Apyv4LjeDGR/s1600/DSC06936.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<u>Vegan mushroom-asparagus pot pie</u> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Makes 6-8 servings</i><br />
<br />
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance margarine<br />
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped<br />
5 large green onions, coarsely chopped<br />
1 lb asparagus, chopped coarsely<br />
1 lb mushrooms, sliced<br />
1 lb potatoes, diced<br />
4 teaspoons dried thyme leaves<br />
4 teaspoons dried sage leaves<br />
1/2 teaspoon celery seed<br />
1-1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />
3 cups unsalted veggie stock (if salted, add less salt)<br />
1/2 teaspoon Marmite (optional)<br />
1/3 cup flour<br />
2 cups frozen peas & carrots<br />
1 cup frozen beans<br />
<br />
1 batch vegan pastry (you'll only use half) *<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 400°F.<br />
<br />
In a large pot, melt the Earth Balance and add the garlic, onions and asparagus. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the asparagus is a very bright green colour.<br />
<br />
Add the mushrooms and diced potatoes (I leave the skins on, but you can peel them first if you want to). Keep cooking and stirring until the mushrooms are starting to "weep" (release water). Add the thyme, sage, celery seed, salt and pepper and mix in.<br />
<br />
If using Marmite, dissolve in the vegetable broth as best you can. (It will dissolve further in the pot.) Put the flour in a small bowl and add about 1/2 cup of the broth, whisking until you get a smooth mixture. Add the remaining broth to the pot with the vegetables, then stir in the flour mixture. Bring the pot to a boil and cook for a few minutes until the broth has thickened to a gravy.<br />
<br />
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the frozen vegetables. Pour the mixture into a 3-quart casserole dish (<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B009CVV4SU/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B009CVV4SU&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20">I used this one</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=stitchinghippie-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B009CVV4SU" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />) and set aside while you roll your pastry.<br />
<br />
On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to just a little larger than the opening of the casserole. Place the pastry over the top (if you are worried it will break, try folding the pastry in half or quarters and then unfold on the top of the pan). Fold the excess in on itself until you have a little roll of pastry all around the top of the dish that sort of makes a ridge on the edge. Be sure the vegetable mixture is completely covered. Press the pastry into the side of the pan a little, so that it stays where it is. Cut a large slit in the middle of the pie so that steam can escape.<br />
<br />
Bake the pie for approximately 30 minutes, or until the pastry is browned and there is gravy bubbling up through the slit in the center. Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* This pie would also be excellent with a biscuit top, particularly if you'd like to cut down on the oil content of the recipe. It is already very low in oil aside from the crust.</span></blockquote>
<br />Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-38466604353044578562014-06-12T10:00:00.001-04:002024-03-04T09:30:38.623-05:00Vegan chocolate cupcakes with buttercream<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVypPkmPEcMyX4SH42Y57wp5TI-mPBPHKjCpRnmSaVtOLyDsVGNvo0BLAzDjRIUXOjPfnm_VO4ZALuzIalhdB5IpCHCHQ5nxWGyPVrRXr47CVWDoZ0VA2EyD2GZTu14pYkTrutLmwvsfI/s1600/DSC06858.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVypPkmPEcMyX4SH42Y57wp5TI-mPBPHKjCpRnmSaVtOLyDsVGNvo0BLAzDjRIUXOjPfnm_VO4ZALuzIalhdB5IpCHCHQ5nxWGyPVrRXr47CVWDoZ0VA2EyD2GZTu14pYkTrutLmwvsfI/s1600/DSC06858.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These just may be the best cupcakes I've <br />
ever had, vegan or otherwise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Can you tell I've gotten my camera up and running again? Two recipes in as many days makes for happy readers, right?</div>
<br />
These little beauties were inspired by me coming across a massive stash of sprinkles and cake decorating stuff. What better way to use up sprinkles and piping bags than with vegan cupcakes? (Don't worry; it was rhetorical. I know full well that there's no better way.)<br />
<br />
Enter the noble chocolate cupcake. And buttercream. We mustn't forget the buttercream. Vanilla buttercream so that we get the best of both worlds--bold chocolate and silky-smooth vanilla. Oh, yes.<br />
<br />
When you bite into these cupcakes, you'll understand why I can't get over how beautiful they are. They're the most amazing deep, reddish-brown. They're super fluffy with an impressive crumb. And did I mention they're delicious?<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The buttercream is light, airy, full of vanilla flavour, and doesn't taste a damn bit vegan. Also, one of the best parts is just how easy it is to make, assuming you've got access to an electric mixer (steal your mother's if you have to--it's 200% worth it). Also, I can't overstate how much of a difference it makes to invest in an extra-large star-shaped piping tip. It makes your icing look like something out of a magazine. For real.<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2rACBarVqUOsXUPAr5K0M-6zQtb7e8zsXikzoIQIxayq6lsEtw8n0h0jbInzhDzJ7APHh6Nx_g7y_b8Kzz6oAfqAuD7s-LvfbjJDTVNDNYiT22PrHJFt7b3L7q7XDivSrcZW3dpzpi2k/s1600/DSC06888.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2rACBarVqUOsXUPAr5K0M-6zQtb7e8zsXikzoIQIxayq6lsEtw8n0h0jbInzhDzJ7APHh6Nx_g7y_b8Kzz6oAfqAuD7s-LvfbjJDTVNDNYiT22PrHJFt7b3L7q7XDivSrcZW3dpzpi2k/s1600/DSC06888.JPG" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glorious cross-section shot, showing the gorgeous colour of the cake and the airy lightness of the buttercream.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
If you're into ethical consumerism, this recipe is so easy to make Fair Trade, like I did. Just grab some <a href="http://www.lasiembra.com/camino/store/en/cuisine-camino-baking-products/golden-cane-sugar-turbinado-1-kg.html" target="_blank">turbinado</a> and <a href="http://www.lasiembra.com/camino/store/en/cuisine-camino-baking-products/natural-cocoa-powder.html" target="_blank">cocoa</a> from Camino, <a href="http://well.ca/products/frontier-natural-products-vanilla_86033.html?gclid=CjkKEQjw_N-cBRD2k73X3OjJ8eMBEiQAbdPicwhOuz91w1fYzhhfYSzsshFlU-_YiKlkZTW_pOLXdxjw_wcB" target="_blank">vanilla</a> from Frontier and <a href="http://wholesomesweeteners.com/Products/productdetail/tabid/170/PId/10/Organic-Powdered-Sugar.aspx" target="_blank">powdered sugar</a> from Wholesome Sweeteners and you're set. (FYI: I get no commission from recommending these products; I just really love them.)<br />
<br />
Let the love affair begin!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguxiow1php_ouBROjJ_dJl1okrZEkxBrIPePnaUyFbRwGzvmEq_FFKrzBqBevu25hHyQ8LBDDqV1PbgE7WdZHLnA5tialQYRQvh5ZpL1dNwO3m-U1VTGB9EReZaY85IMzZtEGiVZKbZ17/s1600/DSC06876.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguxiow1php_ouBROjJ_dJl1okrZEkxBrIPePnaUyFbRwGzvmEq_FFKrzBqBevu25hHyQ8LBDDqV1PbgE7WdZHLnA5tialQYRQvh5ZpL1dNwO3m-U1VTGB9EReZaY85IMzZtEGiVZKbZ17/s1600/DSC06876.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Group of Heaven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote>
<u>Midnight chocolate cupcakes with buttercream</u> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Makes 24 cupcakes</i><br />
<br />
<i>For the cupcakes:</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
2 cups turbinado sugar<br />
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 cup cocoa powder<br />
2 cups tap water<br />
1 cup canola oil<br />
2 tablespoons vinegar<br />
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350°F.<br />
<br />
Mix sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa together in a large mixing bowl. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla to the dry ingredients and beat by hand until smooth. You will have quite a thin batter--this is totally normal!<br />
<br />
Line 24 muffin pans with paper liners and fill with batter. The cups will be about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched with a finger. If you touch one before it's done, don't worry; it will usually return to shape (or close). You'll also probably cover it up when you ice it.<br />
<br />
Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting with vegan buttercream (below) and decorating with your favourite sprinkles! (If you use sugar sprinkles--which are essentially just coloured sugar--try making your own out of Fair Trade sugar! Confetti-style sprinkles are also cute, but need to be purchased. I made a whole post on <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/sprinkles-this-might-be-problem-and.html">the cutest that Amazon has to offer</a>, if you need to buy some.)<br />
<br />
<i>For the vegan buttercream:</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
1/2 cup vegetable shortening<br />
1/2 cup Earth Balance (original)<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
3 cups powdered sugar<br />
<br />
Using an electric mixer and the small mixing bowl, cream the shortening and butter until light. Add the vanilla and beat one minute more, scraping down the sides twice. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed to incorporate. Scrape the bowl down, turn the mixer speed up to medium and beat until it's super light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Pipe buttercream onto the top of the cupcakes using a pastry bag and a very large star tip (I used <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00H2ZHERS/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00H2ZHERS&linkCode=as2&tag=stitchinghippie-20" target="_blank">Wilton 1M</a>) for super snazzy-looking results. In a pinch, you can also just spread the frosting with a broad knife or spatula. Best if used right away, and store your frosted cakes in the fridge if you expect they'll last longer than 24 hours.</blockquote>
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Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-87698012203283533602014-06-11T09:22:00.001-04:002024-03-04T09:26:00.997-05:00Vegan Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmCVufKIRzSBSfWTWqcVQnqkoTg5FVJXG2WkzEe1c4FMuH3rvjMT2mt5rmQisqd7H34QQ8NAR75OBG7yqF4rfSf9I6mlsCWSgggi32ugEzUIanOzz2c6nZN6A0TQZSvSpOli3oi6TGFAP/s1600/DSC06832.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmCVufKIRzSBSfWTWqcVQnqkoTg5FVJXG2WkzEe1c4FMuH3rvjMT2mt5rmQisqd7H34QQ8NAR75OBG7yqF4rfSf9I6mlsCWSgggi32ugEzUIanOzz2c6nZN6A0TQZSvSpOli3oi6TGFAP/s1600/DSC06832.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Every couple of weeks, I get a local, organic produce basket. (It's from <a href="http://www.gdfd2u.ca/" target="_blank">gdfd2u</a>, in case you were wondering and/or needed an amazing company to go through yourself.) </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
I got rhubarb in my last produce basket. You know what that means: strawberries are in order!</div>
<br />
There is a definite shortage of vegan pie recipes out there, if you ask me. Considering how easy it is to make your pie vegan, I'm surprised that more people aren't doing it. But never fear: I've got you.<br />
<br />
I based this recipe heavily on Joanne's <a href="http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2012/05/recipe-deep-dish-strawberry-rhubarb-pie-with-crumb-topping.html" target="_blank">Deep Dish Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping</a>. In fact, for the sake of accuracy, I should say that I pretty much just used this recipe and subbed where needed to make it vegan. (With the exception of baking it a little different--my pastry doesn't hold up to pre-baking with nothing in it, as hers may.) Does it taste as buttery as her pie? Probably not. But it's still pretty damn good.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Things I'd do differently? I wouldn't fill the pie plate so full of filling (mine overflowed, as you can see in the photo below). And more sugar, actually. My strawberries were not very sweet, and so they didn't do much to help the rhubarb. If you have sweet strawberries, you're probably set. My pie is still definitely edible, but it just has a bit more tang than I'm used to in a strawberry-rhubarb pie.<br />
<br />
Also, it only used a little under half of my pastry. I think I smell a <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/nut-wellington.html">Wellington</a> in my near future...<br />
<br />
And so without further ado, here's the recipe!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVjBcvCtQmOuwzj274ipGNDQlerluTS0AxA61iF6Ipja_PfpbYIUmXunxNhWboc60feu4EGmkGQSoEi7Htwa3TS1jSRwx72DFZvB6wLz_Aven10e75hf76Kwmks4ZYC_XMbk-i8Z532Rk/s1600/DSC06825.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVjBcvCtQmOuwzj274ipGNDQlerluTS0AxA61iF6Ipja_PfpbYIUmXunxNhWboc60feu4EGmkGQSoEi7Htwa3TS1jSRwx72DFZvB6wLz_Aven10e75hf76Kwmks4ZYC_XMbk-i8Z532Rk/s1600/DSC06825.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This pie is a little tart, but really yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote>
<u>Vegan Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping</u> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<u></u><i>Makes 1 large pie</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
4 cups halved strawberries<br />
3 cups 1/2-inch pieces of rhubarb *<br />
1 cup sugar (+ 1/4 cup if too tart)<br />
1/4 cup cornstarch<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg </blockquote>
<blockquote>
2/3 cups rolled oats<br />
1/2 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
6 Tablespoons Earth Balance </blockquote>
<blockquote>
1 batch of <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/nut-wellington.html" target="_blank">vegan pastry</a>, chilled & ready to use (you'll only use half)</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Preheat oven to 400°F (if using a metal pie plate) or 375°F (if using a glass pie plate, as I did). In a large pot, mix together strawberries, rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Let stand for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the juices are released and the fruit is well-coated in a sugary sauce.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
While you're waiting for the filling to get saucy, prepare your crumb topping. Mix together your rolled oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the Earth Balance until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
When the filling has released all the juices, put the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often. When it comes to a boil, simmer for 3 minutes or so, until the filling thickens quite a bit. Remove from heat. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Using 1/2 of the pastry, roll out a bottom crust for your pie on a generously-floured board. When the pastry is nice and thin, and large enough to cover the pie plate with room to spare, gently fold the circle of pastry in half or in quarters to transfer easily to your pie plate. Once there, unfold and adjust as needed to cover all of the edges, and make sure to let any air pockets escape. Don't trim the edges just yet. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Pour the filling into the pie shell till it comes up even with the top of the plate. Don't overfill, or it will overflow during baking and make a big mess in your oven, as it did to mine! Once the filling is in, take a sharp knife and trim the pastry around the edge of the pie plate. You should be able to see a 1/4 to 1/2 inch pastry ring surrounding your filling. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the filling, being sure to get right to the edge of the pie and covering the exposed pastry at the sides as best you can. You should have enough topping to make sure there is no fruit peeking out anywhere. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Bake the pie for approximately 30 minutes, or until the topping is nice and brown and the filling is just starting to bubble up under the crumb topping. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pie plate as necessary. Please note that glass pie plates get extremely hot and cool down slowly, so please be very careful not to burn yourself! </blockquote>
<blockquote>
This pie can be served warm or chilled right out of the fridge. It would be excellent with a dollop of coconut whipped cream or vegan ice cream! Will cut into 6-8 slices. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* Be careful to get all the greens off the rhubarb. They're toxic to humans and will make you ill if you get some in your pie!</span></blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-73594408142500117672014-06-04T10:00:00.000-04:002014-06-24T22:42:14.613-04:00Cookbook preview: cooked rice, three ways!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRx2QDouEnC7SlzK7x0K7rQvvAYtW8G7RAdPulfOdXoznqYPgrytHVVA3ZdRKm5BVXiVdjpgZYccsg7haBybYmSofG2vaa-b1pkhYdB9pyaQe4D8vODEtm-wpPB8HKWMclzdHKpdslTZL/s1600/graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRx2QDouEnC7SlzK7x0K7rQvvAYtW8G7RAdPulfOdXoznqYPgrytHVVA3ZdRKm5BVXiVdjpgZYccsg7haBybYmSofG2vaa-b1pkhYdB9pyaQe4D8vODEtm-wpPB8HKWMclzdHKpdslTZL/s1600/graphic.jpg" height="640" width="592" /></a></div>
<br />
[If you have no idea what cookbook I'm talking about, <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/you-wanted-cookbook-and-youre-hopefully.html">check out this post</a>.]<br />
<br />
Cooked rice has been the bane of my existence more times than I can count.<br />
<br />
Once you're done the curry you made it with, you have rice left over, so you make more curry, but then you run out of rice before the curry is done. So you make more rice, and then you have new rice left over once the curry is gone. It's like the three-legged stool: the food waste edition.<br />
<br />
I've decided to throw the towel in on eating leftover rice as a side dish, or rather, an under dish (as a bed for a stir-fry or stew). So I've developed three recipes to use up cooked rice in new and delicious ways that don't count on me cooking another main course to go with it.<br />
<br />
Check out the photos and recipe ideas after the jump!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><h3>
The dessert: rice pudding</h3>
<br />
There's no time that isn't the right time for rice pudding. It's creamy, and full of cinnamon and raisins (if you want), and just as good warm out of the pot as it is stone-cold out of the fridge.<br />
<br />
With a little almond milk and cinnamon, this day-old rice gets a whole new life, and it's a serious upgrade. And considering it takes about 10 minutes to make, there really isn't much excuse not to.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoqYld8bbqostjazy9zVWGj5dicAi__aAeSuGQ8z1fmcELzzGVHItZgFrJXC1loWilWQKMuGgaqJzF0wZqXhavDp-Tbpp3ycUAxXOMi2DNMBfWAekVHJBmGn2zbz5BC5NcRQjUngl-lg2/s1600/DSC06803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoqYld8bbqostjazy9zVWGj5dicAi__aAeSuGQ8z1fmcELzzGVHItZgFrJXC1loWilWQKMuGgaqJzF0wZqXhavDp-Tbpp3ycUAxXOMi2DNMBfWAekVHJBmGn2zbz5BC5NcRQjUngl-lg2/s1600/DSC06803.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you haven't used Arayuma's cinnamon, you are seriously missing out. For real, there's nothing else like it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7cEqZbn22sSQx7TqtmL7F475wQW17rUfsuFIdL1REVt7KpbZhXlKmtlFUFhUi9M1LtXQNgBJP_SxH83TE7WuMUObwnOXq9UNNAnokIguzlmd3rmg9rdTBa9HySxS-E2SdYVUo7X9WUSk/s1600/DSC06816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7cEqZbn22sSQx7TqtmL7F475wQW17rUfsuFIdL1REVt7KpbZhXlKmtlFUFhUi9M1LtXQNgBJP_SxH83TE7WuMUObwnOXq9UNNAnokIguzlmd3rmg9rdTBa9HySxS-E2SdYVUo7X9WUSk/s1600/DSC06816.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creamy almond milk with flecks of cinnamon and juicy raisins? You almost don't care if there's rice in it at all...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlny0GPttPfvw6I58fLOmH0CxGMENkqD-IQ2zFBVQ7Tx4lE93yRmroVyh3N_cTSJKtKeq-RBJykiU4mkmEj308lbKqBloQtdW8xioNhIJES2BZBomrJiagnsrXvmeUGSjcP_AUI5nb708/s1600/DSC06817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlny0GPttPfvw6I58fLOmH0CxGMENkqD-IQ2zFBVQ7Tx4lE93yRmroVyh3N_cTSJKtKeq-RBJykiU4mkmEj308lbKqBloQtdW8xioNhIJES2BZBomrJiagnsrXvmeUGSjcP_AUI5nb708/s1600/DSC06817.JPG" height="640" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final product looks almost as good as it tastes! And no more wasted rice? Double score!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
The salad: rice salad with dried fruit</h3>
In case you didn't know, pretty much any grain or pasta salad can have rice subbed for the grain or pasta. It's sometimes not as flavourful (white rice doesn't taste as strongly as, say, wheat berries), but if the dressing and toppings are good, you're in business!<br />
<br />
For this particular salad, I used two of my favourite products of all time: olive oil and za'atar from Zatoun, an amazing co-operative in Palestine that produces the most exquisite olive oil I've ever tasted (and I don't even like olives). Also, it's Fair Trade, which is a big deal in Palestine, FYI.<br />
<br />
Dried fruit makes it sweet, the spices make it savoury, and the rice and oil make it creamy. Gorgeous balance makes this salad awesome! And did I mention it takes 5 minutes to make?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNn_eHQxQypfcN0Xwx6LGYdtg5-dl1XHRvsuXQT-WlgZYRd-lbEg56ca9INM2NjahqFg0z-sSvRX4by_QNhL5UrVfePToubqrVqnD2iBMQvtYwFZ07WofV-G-wDV9UMAlq-pFK7Z6zzMdk/s1600/DSC06767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNn_eHQxQypfcN0Xwx6LGYdtg5-dl1XHRvsuXQT-WlgZYRd-lbEg56ca9INM2NjahqFg0z-sSvRX4by_QNhL5UrVfePToubqrVqnD2iBMQvtYwFZ07WofV-G-wDV9UMAlq-pFK7Z6zzMdk/s1600/DSC06767.JPG" height="640" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://zatoun.com/">Zatoun</a> plus dried fruit make this rice into a tasty salad!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG42cBdb4YtpFVMBuNoFPyxIwmRO1YNhii7HEtBdKLTh0GTOyr2x-AlrASMvI_4_yJ8dz3oToZH25Bd1Pv7rqcXuOFETFdchAuBnOVNnxYSZUrPAdFPVUus0W4sof5a8E-_HweenxJ-hwj/s1600/DSC06774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG42cBdb4YtpFVMBuNoFPyxIwmRO1YNhii7HEtBdKLTh0GTOyr2x-AlrASMvI_4_yJ8dz3oToZH25Bd1Pv7rqcXuOFETFdchAuBnOVNnxYSZUrPAdFPVUus0W4sof5a8E-_HweenxJ-hwj/s1600/DSC06774.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sweetness of the dried cranberries is just amazing in this salad! Dried apricots would also be heavenly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
The side dish: mock fried rice</h3>
If you're a fried rice purist, this may not be for you, even though it's still pretty damn tasty. But if you're someone who likes quick and easy things that use up stuff you already had, this is right up your alley. In exchange for about 10 minutes, you've got an awesome, toasty, salty side dish where you once had bland, white rice that you didn't know what to do with. Sounds like a good trade-off to me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClMzJEmnlFeI7k77SnvDhZqvRap-wabn9wr_A_L0TN1OLu39im8m4608RMhvWUq1g_ubtToz1KB9-gRogo2wHvursbFW0IfloRZWahKdIUcK2n7KTQcVsOVGnhMesmazRhwKVuyO_xngU/s1600/DSC06798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClMzJEmnlFeI7k77SnvDhZqvRap-wabn9wr_A_L0TN1OLu39im8m4608RMhvWUq1g_ubtToz1KB9-gRogo2wHvursbFW0IfloRZWahKdIUcK2n7KTQcVsOVGnhMesmazRhwKVuyO_xngU/s1600/DSC06798.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veggies, a little sesame oil, and some seasonings add flavour to this rice, but the real key is the toasty flavour you get from browning the rice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Leftover rice? What leftover rice?Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-41307835015983815112014-06-03T14:30:00.000-04:002014-06-24T22:38:31.462-04:00You wanted a cookbook, and you're (hopefully) going to get one<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTVy9cyo8RBi2oT7ykQIU2jA3A15dGLPJneZIfH2g74j9wzLN5NPBOEGcIgSw-MGuZfTV-PXLSWUHPMI4oJvmBz3he0zGXtILGpsbrRtQg_ccS0dSV5xQrm8PTRCqB-80PgZ6S_PAnXnp/s1600/finished_closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTVy9cyo8RBi2oT7ykQIU2jA3A15dGLPJneZIfH2g74j9wzLN5NPBOEGcIgSw-MGuZfTV-PXLSWUHPMI4oJvmBz3he0zGXtILGpsbrRtQg_ccS0dSV5xQrm8PTRCqB-80PgZ6S_PAnXnp/s1600/finished_closeup.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked Sweet Potato Samosas: almost the only way I like sweet potato!</td></tr>
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<i>UPDATE: There is a preview of the cookbook feel/format in my <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2014/06/cookbook-preview-cooked-rice-three-ways.html">"Cookbook preview: cooked rice, three ways"</a> post.</i><br />
<br />
One of the most common questions I'm asked is when my cookbook will be released.<br />
<br />
And I'm working on it. For real.<br />
<br />
The thing is: it takes a ton of time, energy and money. The first two, thankfully, I'm not terribly short of. But I'm not exactly rolling in money. So I'm in the process of developing something I can't afford, but that I really want to develop, and that I have reason to believe could be beneficial to people other than me.<br />
<br />
So today's post is simple: to announce that I'm working on it and to get a sense of who would be interested in supporting the project if I committed to seeing it through completion. There may be a Kickstarter campaign in my future, but if I can't even get the backing of people who are already reading my blog, I question how successful it will be. So I'm going to outline what the book will look like, and all I need is an answer to this question:<br />
<h2>
Would you buy this cookbook if it existed?</h2>
So here's what it's all about.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
The cookbook has two main purposes:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>To connect cooks (new and old) with delicious, homemade recipes that are consistent with a number of specific dietary needs (gluten-free, raw, nut-free, etc.)</li>
<li>To provide cooks with ideas that will allow them to use up items they aren't sure what to do with, and by doing so, reduce food waste and increase (even a little) the overall sustainability of our food system</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h3>
Working with special diets</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDY5GdLNeEJJTkvHiNIjqurGXzCzhoC5BA4Om5pFak6d4dfUcOks9ZTezjOtOY45mlCPvQoCPwOOxleb82btohMQBmjKpT567T-oRCdQm9mJZL-LYZBzY8MmC3i4BfOgSfOq4tggjjUl1l/s1600/peanut_butter_cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDY5GdLNeEJJTkvHiNIjqurGXzCzhoC5BA4Om5pFak6d4dfUcOks9ZTezjOtOY45mlCPvQoCPwOOxleb82btohMQBmjKpT567T-oRCdQm9mJZL-LYZBzY8MmC3i4BfOgSfOq4tggjjUl1l/s1600/peanut_butter_cups.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These PB cups are vegan, gluten-free and made without sugar.</td></tr>
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At one point, I had to cook gluten-free and without sugar for my diabetic mother. Add that I'm vegan and that she hates all legumes and it's just a mess if you don't know what you're doing. You want a challenge? There you have it.<br />
<br />
But because I have the experience of cooking for people with a ton of different dietary needs (everything from Halal to corn allergies), I've become really good at it, and <b>I have an understanding of food and how it works</b> that I probably wouldn't otherwise. In other words, my experience qualifies me to write a book that specializes <b>in diets that are more restricted than...well, just being able to eat whatever you want</b>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Food waste</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVSNh9QXwQj06F5rmEd66Q29JklSurELJKIznOKutDRysAI-mibPGcZi2E5Celh3V_n37ylEA7BkAGVIjIAjVYf-heUowqaenlFLUmfc5GI8JLCpTsT5Sfyb3Tk1mPntuACOEPtKUO9-m/s1600/graham_crackers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVSNh9QXwQj06F5rmEd66Q29JklSurELJKIznOKutDRysAI-mibPGcZi2E5Celh3V_n37ylEA7BkAGVIjIAjVYf-heUowqaenlFLUmfc5GI8JLCpTsT5Sfyb3Tk1mPntuACOEPtKUO9-m/s1600/graham_crackers.jpg" height="246" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These graham crackers are vegan and also use up the almond pulp you <br />
have left when you make your own almond milk at home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've actually, literally cried as I threw food in the compost. And I've actually, literally squealed as I watched other people throw out their onion skins. There is so much that we do with our food, but there's also so much that we don't. <b>It's estimated that between 30 and 50% of all of the food grown in the world never makes it into someone's tummy</b>, and I'm not including the inedible parts (like the peach pit). Part of it is because consumer culture says that every tomato has to be perfectly round, so the ones with nubs are never put on the truck in the first place. But part of it is also buying that thing that looked interesting in the grocery, but then <b>not knowing what to do with it</b> and letting it spawn a whole new species of fungus in your produce drawer.<br />
<br />
My vision is to <b>index the cookbook by ingredient</b>, and to <b>include less-common ingredients</b>. In the past, I've been stuck when I had 10 litres of pumpkin purée and I thought I'd be sick if I had to eat one more pumpkin muffin. It would have been really useful to have a cookbook that I could flip to the back of, search for pumpkin purée, and see that I can also make soup, pasties and plum sauce out of it.<br />
<br />
The book will, obviously, also be indexed by recipe so that those looking for, say, a brownie recipe can find it. But it will also be indexed by ingredient, to give cooks ideas, <b>as well as by special diet</b>, so that gluten-free people aren't wading through an ocean of wheat to find one good recipe.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Concluding remarks</h3>
I hear I'm a good cook, and I maintain that it's not just that I know a lot about food, but also because I have very high standards. And since I'm good at what I do, and passionate about it, I'm not about to put together a book that isn't top-notch, and that doesn't yield amazing results for the people who use it. So if quality is a concern, I know my word is just my word, but you do have my word that quality is one of my top priorities.<br />
<br />
I'd love to be able to share this project with you. If you have comments, questions or words of support, please leave them in the comments below so that I can gauge if this is going to become a reality.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading!Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-79860491165323876922014-04-21T10:00:00.000-04:002020-01-20T16:47:56.321-05:00Ethical consumerism<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9FjObFrqrb8c_lhPRA44ED-c5w2guDw3dxqiPuX7xg6Ueg0NvNOAFLyUnM8dg81c_iWGWAnWFarYDwGikFUyTP2ppaTvzb5UdpZmWQ7CRaBWobOg2m49PhIhKzBtsrBuEa7a-PZ4fxQV/s1600/DSC06313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9FjObFrqrb8c_lhPRA44ED-c5w2guDw3dxqiPuX7xg6Ueg0NvNOAFLyUnM8dg81c_iWGWAnWFarYDwGikFUyTP2ppaTvzb5UdpZmWQ7CRaBWobOg2m49PhIhKzBtsrBuEa7a-PZ4fxQV/s1600/DSC06313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This garlic is local and organic, but often I grow my own.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yesterday, a friend of mine approached me and asked me if I ever blogged about ethical consumerism. In a move that both flattered and humbled me, she told me that she trusted my ethics as a consumer. It's a huge responsibility, but at the same time, it's comforting to know that the things I believe in are also coming through in my actions and politics.<br />
<br />
Because she wanted some tips on how she might up the ethical ante on her consumerism, and because there wasn't much info out there that she could find in the local context, she came to me. She asked me where I get my clothing from, which is a question I actually get on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
Now, I should preface this with two points:<br />
<br />
One, my answer is usually hypothetical in nature. While I do my best to shop ethically, ethical clothing hasn't entered the plus-size market yet, so the best first-hand recommendations for ethical clothing (that is, based on personal experience) are things like accessories that aren't so size-dependent.<br />
<br />
Two, ethical consumerism is a privilege. It's a privilege that most of the people I personally know have access to, mind you. But it is something that people who live in poverty can't afford, and I'm fully aware of that. So before we start extending the tips below to be a blanket statement of how everyone should act, please know that I <i>do not</i> condone these practices for everyone. I condone them in the case of people who are financially stable and who want to and can make choices that are making the world slightly less bad.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I'm going to try to take a broad approach for this, as keeping a few general principles in mind can very flexibly make sure that my ethics are held up in practically any situation.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Step one: understand your role in the system</h3>
<br />
Do some general research about consumer impact. A good place to start is to look at things like carbon footprints, and see how much of your own personal emissions come from things like waste, food production and clothing manufacturing. I won't provide a specific link, because there are tons out there, but Google carbon calculators for one way to get started.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fzUOAKfpVbKnBCz1Fi3ycf4QBDypTmPXPCEAraf8IggbE3oBZw1Hs-UDKE2JTCez_vcQSmwxa1zF4lQqD8GgZ9tU78NtUDX0Xn2TdiipYCOXixvEdYkjQvpKa_UiG46owwW1mIF2c7Wn/s1600/zatoun_oliveoil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fzUOAKfpVbKnBCz1Fi3ycf4QBDypTmPXPCEAraf8IggbE3oBZw1Hs-UDKE2JTCez_vcQSmwxa1zF4lQqD8GgZ9tU78NtUDX0Xn2TdiipYCOXixvEdYkjQvpKa_UiG46owwW1mIF2c7Wn/s1600/zatoun_oliveoil.jpg" width="256" /></a>You can also get a ton of information about the human cost of production by doing a quick search of "_______ [product] ethics" and seeing what information is already out there. In general, finding out the country of origin goes a long way. If you find out that something is made in China, and the company website doesn't give very specific and legit-sounding information about production practices, then chances are that there is some messed up shit happening there. Anything that's produced in Asia, Africa or Central/South America usually has a nasty story unless the company specifies otherwise. These continents have largely come to bear the brunt of Western consumerism.<br />
<br />
And finally, get interested in politics. Have an understanding of how your government impacts trade, the economy and general human rights. BDS is a good example of people pushing to use consumer power to make a statement about a highly political human rights issue. Our own government is deeply embedded in the Israel-Palestine issue, but you wouldn't know that until you did some research.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Step two: understand what you do and don't need</h3>
<br />
Both sides of this are really important.<br />
<br />
<b>There are things you need.</b> I, for instance, need clothing that is bigger than what you can buy at Suzy Shier. I also need personal care products that don't make me break out in rashes. I also, as someone with a vagina who's so busy she's usually running around all day, need a tidy, convenient way to manage my period. So never, ever underestimate the power of figuring out what you actually need. If you do, then you won't actually be making an ethical choice, because you won't be able to use the item you just bought!<br />
<br />
<b>There are things you don't need.</b> This was one of the trickiest parts for me to wrap my head around. We are trained to look at ethical consumerism as just buying "good" products instead of but as often as we buy "bad" products, thus becoming consumers that make no negative impact. But the thing is, we've had this fast consumerism mentality beaten into our brains since birth, and simply consuming as much as we are isn't sustainable. We've been taught that we need to change our wardrobe every season with the new fashions, and that we need to have disposable everything. Challenge that. Re-think it. Ask yourself if you're saving time, money and resources by buying 3 flimsy shirts that rip in 6 months, rather than one beautifully-crafted shirt that you'll be tempted to hand down to your children. You'll probably spend the same amount of money, but the enjoyment you get out of it could be greater, and you're certainly doing the environment a favour.<br />
<br />
You will find that, based on your needs, you can make a massive impact by just switching out a few strategic things. Here are the top 5 things that made the most massive impact for me:<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsjqXnWuUxDnkXWoU9c824iVcIjZdxp11FUxdc1iApZcABneoOikKdo6rItXEdrWBW4wuhm6Bn1xeVjAvUDnULQUY8T6GDQxnMndvn4vJFsDd7MzB0P01fFWWU7sBjovwMkaQvl6hBfn7/s1600/Snapshot+2+(21-03-2014+11-47+AM).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsjqXnWuUxDnkXWoU9c824iVcIjZdxp11FUxdc1iApZcABneoOikKdo6rItXEdrWBW4wuhm6Bn1xeVjAvUDnULQUY8T6GDQxnMndvn4vJFsDd7MzB0P01fFWWU7sBjovwMkaQvl6hBfn7/s1600/Snapshot+2+(21-03-2014+11-47+AM).png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my Fairphone. No, you really don't understand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>1. Reducing</b><br />
It's the first "R" (and the most important). The issue with fast consumerism is that it's made it necessary for us to produce stuff for as cheaply as possible, which means we end up outsourcing work to the developing world, where people can be as mistreated as "necessary" and we don't even ave to know and feel guilty about it. I buy less stuff because I <i>need</i> less stuff than the mainstream would have me believe, and this is more important, even, than any other choice that I make. I spend the same amount of money as I used to, only now I buy higher-quality stuff less often and really value the things I have, rather than feeling like I should replace them all the time. (My last cellphone, for instance, finally broke after 6 years, and so I finally replaced it with a <a href="http://www.fairphone.com/" target="_blank">Fairphone</a>, which costs roughly what an iPhone costs, but you can't use your tab on it.) Also, being informed makes you value what goes into something. When you know how much work goes into growing produce, you think twice before letting it go to waste.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDhr8OGHzn-98Pe8zkqE1fMX5N36V2be8kywMkturNTrVaDRYkZpXAi1An2pp-l7-nnl4llQwm3v_zuJnNcpRdKf9NAU3ttyQ9FPHDf-_5w0BveVXDEH-D9QA5aP2uyfTf3XCXaKcsP5i/s1600/DSC05987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDhr8OGHzn-98Pe8zkqE1fMX5N36V2be8kywMkturNTrVaDRYkZpXAi1An2pp-l7-nnl4llQwm3v_zuJnNcpRdKf9NAU3ttyQ9FPHDf-_5w0BveVXDEH-D9QA5aP2uyfTf3XCXaKcsP5i/s1600/DSC05987.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Earth Balance: a vegan staple.</td></tr>
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<b>2. Veganism</b><br />
One of the <a href="http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/News/2006/1000448/index.html" target="_blank">top contributors</a> to carbon emissions in the world is meat and animal product production. And just to be clear: there is very little social and environmental difference between meat production and dairy/egg production. When I went vegan, it made a huge impact on my environmental footprint. Also, massive increase in the net happy in the world, because less suffering animals, and less trauma to the farm workers that experience this suffering first-hand (and often have to administer it). It's also made my body feel better, as a side note, so it's a win-win-win situation.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZyUo-q1XGOtWGmC9mNVeKWjjdK-tm_rnGK1R-sqmM9MAnamZMuP-qZfU-BimPultRXtnJJVcmxe3uWxESZsLb_tLIYG-YrdcMEjgNr-Tkl4UV_2anHnckFyUmj-tzbGgZlAQncazNCr0/s1600/DSC05542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZyUo-q1XGOtWGmC9mNVeKWjjdK-tm_rnGK1R-sqmM9MAnamZMuP-qZfU-BimPultRXtnJJVcmxe3uWxESZsLb_tLIYG-YrdcMEjgNr-Tkl4UV_2anHnckFyUmj-tzbGgZlAQncazNCr0/s1600/DSC05542.JPG" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camino is Fair Trade & organic.</td></tr>
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<b>3. Local/organic/Fair Trade</b><br />
Organic food makes a bigger difference than local, in many cases (both socially and environmentally), but when I can get local <i>and</i> organic all at once, it's a win-win. Fair Trade products also have to meet certain environmental standards and make sure that the workers are treated respectfully, so I <a href="https://rosettefairtrade.com/" target="_blank">buy fair trade</a> at every chance I get. I now get a produce basket from <a href="http://goodfood2u.ca/" target="_blank">gdfd2u</a>, which is local, organic, and uses <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2011/07/why-fair-trade-is-important.html" target="_blank">fairtrade certified</a> products for items like bananas (that we can't grow here).<br />
<br />
<b>4. The cup</b><br />
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<a href="http://divacup.com/assets/M1-M2-boxes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://divacup.com/assets/M1-M2-boxes.png" height="182" width="200"></a></div>
If you have a vagina, there's an extra, massive contribution to your personally-generated waste: menstrual pads and tampons. They say that the average person with a vagina uses about 10,000 of them in their lifetime, which is a ridiculous amount of stuff we're sending to the landfill. I now use <a href="http://divacup.com/" target="_blank">a menstrual cup</a>, which is reusable, and lasts a year (which they recommend just in case) or more (which is the case for me), vastly reducing the amount of new materials that go into managing my period. (Most of us use around 200 to 250 disposable units a year.) Also, I would never go back, because it's tidier, more comfortable and lower-maintenance than any pad or tampon ever was, at least for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNeO3exGniIDT9fqXrrL1T7eo69OAZ00BNS0M12t2ByqmDXvUzYv82lkAMF8LvsPf7_wDiUmRBoxk3LHbhIhiNJs3IOrsiLb5rb_GDbwiqPr3aKJZYNGfntYSn_0YKWqyWr9RXFmxglkR/s1600/DSC05157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNeO3exGniIDT9fqXrrL1T7eo69OAZ00BNS0M12t2ByqmDXvUzYv82lkAMF8LvsPf7_wDiUmRBoxk3LHbhIhiNJs3IOrsiLb5rb_GDbwiqPr3aKJZYNGfntYSn_0YKWqyWr9RXFmxglkR/s1600/DSC05157.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My own two feet help me travel more now.</td></tr>
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<b>5. Transportation</b><br />
I don't have a car, but I was relying almost 100% on public transit. It's better than driving a car, but why not be part of driving the demand for safe bike lanes and such? I've refocused my politics somewhat, so that I'm able to support the push for safer cycling locally, and I've also made a point of biking and walking more where possible. Skype has been super useful, allowing me to avoid leaving home for work, so that when I get out of the house, it's on my own two feet for an afternoon stroll. And if I were a driver, this impact could have been even more massive.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Step three: focus on sustainability</h3>
<br />
I mean this in two separate ways. I mean that yes, you should look at the sustainability of your consumer impact, and try to use steps 1 and 2 to keep your negative impact to a minimum. Our current consumer model is totally unsustainable, and we're going to continue to wreak havoc (socially and environmentally) on this world if we don't cut it out.<br />
<br />
The other way I mean to focus on sustainability is to make sure that the way that you're making your choices is actually sustainable. If you really don't feel comfortable wearing those 100% vegan, organic, bamboo t-shirts, then eventually you're going to get fed up and stop buying them altogether. So try to make sure that you're loving what you do, that you can <i>afford</i> what you do in the long term, and make sure that all of this is consistent with your actual needs and values.<br />
<br />
Make it a habit. I said this <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/10-vegan-cooking-tips-for-beginners.html" target="_blank">when I talked about going vegan</a>, and I'll say it again: if you find favourite brands, it will become a routine and be way easier for you. Because I've informed myself about labour practices, where most products tend to be produced, and what politics need to be behind my major purchasing considerations, I've been able to come up with a few things that save me a ton of time and energy. I learned, for instance, that chocolate is a human rights nightmare (that mostly West Africa gets to deal with), and that fairtrade standards are pretty thorough, so anytime I buy chocolate, it's as easy as looking for the fairtrade symbol on the label. I've learned that clothing manufacturing is one of the nastiest processes in the world, so I need to do everything I can to buy as little new clothing as possible, and that means trying to shop at thrift stores where I can. Because I informed myself, I was able to figure out what will work, and now it's automatic. The less brainpower required, the better.<br />
<br />
<i>I hope this guide helped someone. Leave me feedback in the comments!</i>Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-45720990858474819772014-04-19T10:00:00.003-04:002022-01-27T03:01:11.903-05:00Poetry: Held<b><br />Trigger warning: references to sexual assault</b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The first time you met me,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>I was a cipher,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>A blank canvas for you to</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Paint a story onto.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>I wanted you to.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The first time you held me,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The world stood still</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>And all that mattered</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Was the fan of your bangs </i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Tickling my neck.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The first time you kissed me, </i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>You tasted like hummus.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>I recall that I wondered,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>As the moon shone on the river,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>If first kisses were always so toothy.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The first time you held my hand,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>I had to earn it,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Had to look both ways,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Had to stand just close enough</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>To weave your fingers through mine.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The first time you told them,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>My eyes married the ground,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>My tongue remained tied,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Just as you asked them to,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>And I earned a night of peace.</i></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The first time you raped me,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>It sounded much less like no</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>And more like a schoolgirl </i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Who was liked for her jump rope.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>I’d learned to earn things.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The first time I hated you</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Was the day that I told you</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>I didn’t like skipping with you.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>I know you heard me say </i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>That my feet were tired.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>The last time I saw you,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>You were tall and proud,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Face a new shade of dress-up,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Hand a new shade of held,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>And I wept for her.</i></div>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-27869472938903305972014-04-05T17:51:00.001-04:002014-06-24T22:45:14.030-04:00More delicious than your average iron supplement<div class="tr_bq">
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Quickie post, just to remind y'all that I love you, even though I've been wicked busy.</div>
<br />
I'm always looking for ways to use up kale, because I get it in my produce basket every time and quite frankly, I don't much like the stuff. But it's full of iron and all sorts of other awesome nutrients. The thing with iron is that <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/09/b-12-and-iron-damning-duo.html" target="_blank">you need vitamin C to absorb more of it</a>. This was a perfect excuse for a smoothie. You just put in some fruit that's loaded with vitamin C and you also absorb your iron like a dream. Kiwis fit the bill, and when mixed with strawberries, makes the best-tasting iron supplement I've ever had.<br />
<br />
Mission accomplished.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<u>Strawberry-Kiwi Smoothie</u></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Makes 1 large serving</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
1 large kale leaf, stem removed<br />
2/3 cup water<br />
3 frozen strawberries, sliced*<br />
1 frozen kiwi, sliced*<br />
In a heavy-duty blender, blend the kale with the water until you have a smooth-ish green liquid and only see very small flecks of green from the kale. Add the frozen fruit and blend until smooth, stopping the machine and stirring with a spoon every so often, if necessary. Pour it into a glass and enjoy! I eat mine with a spoon like soft serve.<br />
<br />
* I just freeze my own fruit. I know roughly how many slices are in one strawberry (4) and one kiwi (5), and that way I can eyeball it.</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-3169122028565440842014-01-21T09:58:00.003-05:002024-03-04T09:31:46.451-05:00The pancake they won't know is vegan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIq-nRaqwnql266Qyksf3-qo_kFcTdEklXm6IvB9Xvi0hbeLkdojNHcPl1SX6BRGhhpB73bM_wPmKvWWJIq6I00RK-ZuBh-e2iyMD-Vpiw7TblhaQ8N2sWlnw_foDgnUfQkuHwL_IDV_D/s1600/DSC06550.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIq-nRaqwnql266Qyksf3-qo_kFcTdEklXm6IvB9Xvi0hbeLkdojNHcPl1SX6BRGhhpB73bM_wPmKvWWJIq6I00RK-ZuBh-e2iyMD-Vpiw7TblhaQ8N2sWlnw_foDgnUfQkuHwL_IDV_D/s1600/DSC06550.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I know, I know. I've been terrible at blogging lately, and when I do blog, I don't give you yummy recipes to make because I'm too busy analyzing my colleagues 17 ways to Sunday.<br />
<br />
I'm working on it.<br />
<br />
Today I'm giving you an epic recipe for vegan pancakes that will pass the test of non-vegans-thinking-they-have-animal-stuff-in-them. It doesn't get much better than pancakes, but it doesn't get <i>any</i> better than vegan pancakes that taste like they're full of the best things in life.<br />
<br />
They're super easy. They're super yummy. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<u>Vegan pancakes</u><br />
<i>Makes 8 (4") pancakes</i><br />
<br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1 Tablespoon sugar<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil<br />
1 cup almond milk<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the oil and almond milk and whisk until more or less smooth (a few lumps is fine).<br />
<br />
Using a piece of waxed paper or your fingers, generously oil a skillet or frying pan with vegetable oil so that the pancakes won't stick. Heat the pan over medium or medium-high heat until it sizzles when you put a drop of water into the pan.<br />
<br />
Scoop the batter out by large spoonfuls (about 3 Tablespoons per pancake) and let cook until lots of bubbles are forming on the top and the bottom is browning when you lift a corner. Flip and cook until the second side is browned. Repeat until you've used all of the batter.<br />
<br />
Serve hot with vegan butter and maple syrup.</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-81487743332867119562013-12-21T19:38:00.001-05:002020-01-20T17:50:33.654-05:00The vegan holiday feast guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was a teenager, somehow the torch was passed to me. From age 18 until I was in my late twenties, I had the pleasure--the privilege, even--of feeding my entire family for Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter every year. My family wasn't huge, but when you had 20 people coming for Christmas, and Thanksgiving, and Easter, every year for 10 years, you did learn pretty quickly how to save time, make things easier and feed people delicious food.<br />
<br />
I've gotten a lot of requests for this kind of guide. New vegans and young cooks who are entertaining for the holidays for the first time are always asking me for ideas of what they can make to impress their omnivorous guests. So here I'm including some tips from personal experience and a full menu (complete with recipes) to help a vegan out.<br />
<br />
And if you're having a freak-out that's not covered here, you'll find my contact page <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/p/contact-me.html" target="_blank">right here</a>. It's OK. I'm here for you. <br />
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<h2>
<a name='more'></a>The big disclaimer</h2>
You're never going to make vegan food taste like non-vegan food. The reality is that vegan food is amazing, but it's usually way more amazing when you're not trying to emulate something that an omnivore knows the taste of inside-out and when they're not constantly going to be contrasting your meal with something non-vegan that they know and love. A lot of these foods are emulating non-vegan foods that people know and love. They're delicious, but you may encounter some comparisons from your guests.<br />
<br />
When I designed this menu and drafted these tips, I was keeping in mind that there are certain food groups we want to get into bellies, certain flavours that are often considered more festive than others, and certain space constraints that have to be considered unless you're cooking in an industrial kitchen. I'm also considering time constraints, and outlining ways that you can do stuff ahead to avoid making your head want to explode the day of the big event.<br />
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<h2>
General tips</h2>
<b>When you can keep it simple, keep it simple.</b> These recipes aren't especially difficult, but some of them are more time-consuming than others. If something here doesn't sound spectacular to you and you have a recipe you know and love that will substitute well, do it. It may save you time, energy and money to just be able to use something familiar. And if you <i>are</i> choosing from the options provided, I <i>strongly recommend</i> sticking to only <b>one option</b> per category. If you try to do too much, you'll just add to the stress of the day.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>When you can make it ahead, make it ahead.</b> I'll be including ways to do that in the meal plan, so that you have an idea out the gate of what can save you a bunch of time. But you know better than I do what your schedule is, what items are going to work for you and which aren't, and what resources you've got to work with. In other words, you're the expert.<br />
<br />
<b>When you can make less, make less.</b> The instinct when we're having guests over is to make a ton of food in case we run out. But the thing is, we <i>always</i> have a ton of leftovers when we do that, and if you're already cooking for a big crowd, being realistic (or even under-estimating) will save you time. My advice? Estimate how much you need to feed everyone, then make only 75% of it (or one full recipe of each thing, whichever is the larger quantity). Then stock up on the store-bought options (either your own classics or the ones I suggest below) to save you a ton of time. No matter what you do, some of your guests are going to fill up on nibbles before you get to dinner anyway, so you might as well use that to your advantage.<br />
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<h2>
The menu</h2>
<h3>
Appetizers & snacks</h3>
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These items are easy to stick on the coffee table as people are arriving, as you're unwrapping presents and as you're having your pre-dinner catch-up chatting. All of this stuff is either totally possible to make ahead or store-bought, saving you so much time on the actual day.<br />
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<i>Dip/spread of your choice</i><br />
A classic one is hummus (<a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/01/hummus.html" target="_blank">here's a recipe if you want to make it</a>) with crusty bread and veggies (save yourself a bunch of time and use baby carrots). Store-buy this as a time-saver, or make the dip yourself a day or two before.<br />
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<i>Sweets</i><br />
Cookies are helpful, in that they're relatively easy to do homemade and they're always crowd-pleasers. Make either (or both) of these cookie recipes and they'll never know they're vegan (and gluten-free without much hassle).<i> </i>As an added perk, these can be made a week ahead, if need be--assuming you have the willpower to let them last that long.<i><br /></i><br />
<a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2012/12/05/crispy-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies-vegan-gluten-free/" target="_blank">Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies</a> (vegan & gluten-free, courtesy of <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/" target="_blank">Oh She Glows</a>)<br />
<a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/12/ginger-cookies.html" target="_blank">Ginger Cookies</a> (easy to make gluten-free)<br />
Also, Oreos are vegan, and they come in festive colours. Just saying. <br />
<br />
If you don't fancy putting cookies out, there are tons of kinds of vegan-friendly candy that you can buy and put out (depending on how choosy you are about your sugar, even Jolly Ranchers are considered vegan by many--just watch out for any jelly candy, because it probably contains gelatine). I don't know why, but sweets go like hot cakes during the holidays, so I always keep some cookies and hard candies on hand.<br />
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<i>Chips/snacks</i><br />
I'd buy a few bags of good, vegan potato chips or pretzels (you can often get vegan pretzels at health food stores) and save a bunch of time here. But if you have the time, <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/kale-chips.html" target="_blank">kale chips</a> are also a delicious option and will keep fresh if stored in an airtight container for a couple of days if you make them ahead. <br />
<br />
Also, unless there are nut allergies, plain old <a href="https://rosettefairtrade.com/product/fair-trade-peanuts-salted-150g/" target="_blank">roasted nuts</a> are often a hit.<br />
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<h3>
The main event</h3>
This part of the menu is pretty rich, full of good flavour. Since this is meant to be a holiday feast that emulates traditional holiday foods, I went all out and left the leaner meals for when I'm not trying to impress anyone. If you have other options here--or have a bunch of family members who are terrified of fat--this might be a good section to forgo some of my suggestions and substitute some of your own favourite recipes.<br />
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<u><i>The protein/"meat" substitution</i></u><br />
For me, hands-down, the best crowd-pleasing vegan option here has always been the <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/nut-wellington.html" target="_blank">Nut Wellington</a>. *<br />
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If you have people who can't eat nuts or gluten, or you want to go for a slightly leaner option, you can try the <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/08/vegan-shepherds-pie-two-ways-one-gluten.html" target="_blank">Shepherd's Pie</a>. The only thing with that is that you'll probably want to modify your sides (below) due to the potato topping, and it may not look as fancy when your meal is an all-in-one. It depends on what you're going for. This could definitely be a better option, depending on your needs.<br />
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Also,<b> <a href="http://disgruntledhippie.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vegan-gravy.html" target="_blank">make your guests gravy</a></b>, please. You'll probably never hear the end of it if you don't. (At least that's my experience.) <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* Now, it's not the simplest thing ever to
make, and if you can find store-bought vegan pastry, do it to save you
some time. It's going to be really rich, but it's also going to be super
delicious and impressive. Also, if you have big tourtière fans on the
guestlist, you can try making the wellington into a savoury nutty pie.
Just use a pie plate, put pastry on the bottom and stack the filling
nice and high, then cover with a top crust. (You'll need about 3-4 cups
of the nut filling to fill a 9" pie, which is about as much as you'd get
out of 1.5 recipes of the Nut Wellington. For the crust, one recipe of
the pastry would do it. In other words, you get a little less pastry and
a little more filling per portion if you do it in a pie plate.)</span><br />
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<u><i>The starch sides</i></u><br />
These are just guidelines. I usually would pick one of these as my starch side:<br />
<br />
Garlic mashed potato**<br />
<a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/03/roasted-roots.html" target="_blank">Roasted sweet potato</a> (keep in mind oven limits--are you already doing Wellington in the oven?)<br />
Kernel corn<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">** This is way easier than it sounds. When you're boiling your potatoes, throw 1-2 cloves of garlic per pound of potatoes into the water and cook them with the potatoes. Mash them right into the potatoes once you drain the water off, and just add vegan butter and non-dairy milk when mashing, instead of cow's milk and butter. Season to taste with salt & pepper.</span><br />
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This side is almost impossible to make ahead, so that's a consideration. Corn is also usually lumped in with carbohydrates because of its high starch content, and if you're not feeling ambitious enough to actually cook something here, <b>I fully condone just buying a big bag of frozen corn</b>, boiling it the night of and putting a big pad of vegan butter on the table for them. You may have bigger fish to fry than roasting or mashing potatoes...<br />
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<i><u>The veggie sides</u></i><br />
These are your vegetables that aren't so starchy. Here are the ones I usually choose between and that go especially well with the <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/nut-wellington.html" target="_blank">Nut Wellington</a> option:<br />
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<a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/11/green-beans-with-spring-onions.html" target="_blank">Green beans with spring onions</a><br />
Steamed broccoli (just serve with salt & vegan butter option)<br />
Boiled baby carrots (just serve with salt & vegan butter option)<br />
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<br />
<h3>
Dessert</h3>
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You've just had a really rich dinner, most likely, so I've kept the dessert a little lighter on the oil. (If you don't want to go light on the oil, there is the <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/mince-pie.html#more" target="_blank">Mince Pie</a> option, which is a heavier dessert that relies on the same pastry as the <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/nut-wellington.html" target="_blank">Nut Wellington</a>. It's ideal to let the mince blend its flavours for longer than a few days, but it's still quite nice if made more or less on the spot. You can also find other fruit pie recipes that are really easy to make the filling vegan, and then just use the pastry given for the Mince Pie recipe.) <br />
<br />
Here are my recommendations for slightly lighter finishes:<br />
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<a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/12/winter-stollen.html" target="_blank">Winter Stollen</a> (make the day before) <br />
<a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/08/gluten-free-upside-down-cake.html" target="_blank">Cranberry-apple upside-down cake</a> (also make the day before) ****<br />
<a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2012/12/soft-gingerbread-vegan-edition.html" target="_blank">Soft Gingerbread</a> (make the day before) <br />
Mandarin oranges/clementines (no, seriously: it's festive and also not a huge task for you if you don't have time to make something)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">**** Just use fresh or frozen cranberries and
peeled, cored, quartered apples for the fruit on the bottom. Sprinkle some cinnamon over the fruit for some extra pizzazz. If you
don't fancy making this gluten-free, just use regular all-purpose flour.</span><br />
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<h2>
Departing notes</h2>
Holidays are just plain stressful when you're cooking, yeah? Don't be super shocked if something goes wrong and you have to adapt, and I encourage you to try to still enjoy time with your guests. It's totally normal for things not to go perfectly (what does "perfectly" even mean, really?), and shit happens to the best of us. You're not alone.<br />
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I hope that things do work out well for your event, and if you have any questions, don't be shy to <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/p/contact-me.html" target="_blank">contact me</a>. If we can save a family disaster, then of course we'll save the family disaster. Like, obviously.<br />
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Happy holidays!Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-75550608053991910622013-12-21T17:56:00.002-05:002024-03-04T09:32:35.583-05:00Ginger CookiesAnother micro-post just in time for the holidays to tell you guys how to make the best vegan ginger cookies ever. These are also really easy to make gluten-free (I use <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/08/gluten-free-flour.html" target="_blank">my gluten-free flour mix</a> in these all the time), in case you've got the token celiac in the family or group of friends.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbWXIWo9JX95IjT6fAKhFBY-zGbdJPMwLfWoUSn4YX5ZmjhQuaBgsLRvSmbOPKBuP2eh93J4tWYRYXb9rip5ZvftlUuVovNo5uQ9wS9hvPxl43IR3xM4PXKDehvX6DWlEeYjDC-W2lsoS/s1600/photo.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbWXIWo9JX95IjT6fAKhFBY-zGbdJPMwLfWoUSn4YX5ZmjhQuaBgsLRvSmbOPKBuP2eh93J4tWYRYXb9rip5ZvftlUuVovNo5uQ9wS9hvPxl43IR3xM4PXKDehvX6DWlEeYjDC-W2lsoS/s1600/photo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These work well with Camino's muscovado.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u>Ginger Cookies</u><br />
<i>Makes 3 dozen cookies</i><br />
<br />
2-1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt <br />
1 teaspoon ground ginger<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
1 cup whole brown sugar<br />
3/4 cup vegetable oil<br />
2 Tablespoons blackstrap molasses (if you have fancy molasses, double the quantity)<br />
1 <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/09/egg-replacements-in-nut-shell.html" target="_blank">flax egg</a><br />
Cane sugar (turbinado) for rolling<br />
<br />
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. In a mixing bowl, beat together brown sugar and oil with molasses and egg until starting to hold together. Blend in the flour mixture.<br />
<br />
If the dough is very soft, refrigerate for an hour. <br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put a little sugar in a bowl for rolling the cookies.<br />
<br />
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar, placing 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until they have spread some and feel slightly firm in the center. Do not overbake, as they can burn on the bottom fairly easily. They will set more upon cooling. Let cool 1 minute on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to allow the cookies to cool fully. Will store well in an airtight container for a week or more.<br />
<br />
Makes 3 dozen cookies.</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-47999887511281188152013-12-21T16:57:00.001-05:002024-03-04T09:33:05.196-05:00Winter Stollen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've done it. I've veganized Stollen.<br />
<br />
If you aren't excited, you haven't had Stollen before (or you're not vegan). Or you're <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/03/raisin-cake.html" target="_blank">one of those people who hates raisins</a>. If that's the case, I'm sorry, but I can't be friends with you. It would just never work out between us.<br />
<br />
Stollen is a dense, sweet bread with fruit and nuts and it's a Christmas tradition in Germany. (If you're interested, Germans would pronounce it "Shtollen" and so do I. You know, to justify the one year of German I took in unversity...)<br />
<br />
So what was the problem, you ask? Well, Stollen is loaded with butter, and that's largely what makes it taste so good. So I've taken out the butter and replaced it with Earth Balance (which isn't buttery, exactly, but does the trick) and added some almond milk for that extra creaminess and nuttiness. I've also switched to roasted (rather than raw) almonds to bring out the richer flavour and added a dark rum (rather than brandy) and nutmeg so that you kind of just forget that this bread is supposed to be buttery because it's loaded with equally amazing flavour...<br />
<br />
Full disclosure: this recipe takes a long time to make. (There's a reason things like banana bread are called <i>quick</i>breads.) That being said, it's not <i>hard</i> to make. If you've ever made yeast bread, you know what I mean. You'll spend about 3 hours just waiting for the stuff to do its thing. But that doesn't mean that you need fancy skills to make this. It's actually about as hard as mixing up a batch of cookies, skill-wise.<br />
<br />
Oh yeah, and if you're trying to watch how many rich things you're eating this holiday season, maybe don't tempt yourself with this bread. I'm not going to lie: it's addictive. One year I made two loaves with my brother's girlfriend on Christmas Eve night and between the two of us, only one of the loaves made it till morning. And I'm not even sorry.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>So you're basically going to start with a simple bread dough with a little spice, rum, fruit and nuts. Step 1 is to get your dough together and make sure that the last bits of flour are mixed in before doing your first rise. To do that, you'll dump your dough onto a floured table so you can play with it. No, for real. The most important part of making bread is getting your hands up in there.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This dough needs some mixing yet, but it's going to be a really nice bread before you know it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="goog_2111402491"></span><span id="goog_2111402492"></span><br />
If you're new to kneading, don't get stressed out; it's easy. You just basically pull up one corner of the dough and fold it over, giving it a good push with the ball of your hand. You're basically trying to fold it on itself a bunch of times as though you're making a wonky dough accordion. The folding makes lots of little air pockets where it will get that gorgeous light texture we love in bread.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsuJbwwX6fwG9zYiBp8odwFL8qjHhWoUgkSuDbDeoJf6C1uohFV2cwjb-ZTuiT_4swvKx-0yAYc_ycEhLqqzSwZDkaFMlgCg1jUzIFgpGI7QjDiNYm0UO4jGN55f21W_86c_kiE_xZxWl/s1600/DSC06346.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsuJbwwX6fwG9zYiBp8odwFL8qjHhWoUgkSuDbDeoJf6C1uohFV2cwjb-ZTuiT_4swvKx-0yAYc_ycEhLqqzSwZDkaFMlgCg1jUzIFgpGI7QjDiNYm0UO4jGN55f21W_86c_kiE_xZxWl/s640/DSC06346.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The heel of your hand is key in kneading. Don't be too afraid to overwork the bread; you're actually <i>trying</i> to be rough on it and work it lots so lots of air bubbles get stuck in the dough and make it really light and chewy (the texture we're used to yeast breads having). I needed to knead the dough for about 5 minutes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You'll know the dough has been kneaded long enough when it's smooth (except obviously the chunks of fruit and nuts) and quits sticking to everything in sight.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9me0d6s1y3Da8qH0hX7o2xit4fSj5MqalmmV6jQs5-cU6sMUfYXJi5wIUlzQ_g734tiF_QNW7LpxRSr9PeZRuIF6iWcUt1fFeMwXBJsxZaJ2xMZEs8b8fUmYLaj9ZCy8nnASAVploI7QT/s1600/DSC06347.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9me0d6s1y3Da8qH0hX7o2xit4fSj5MqalmmV6jQs5-cU6sMUfYXJi5wIUlzQ_g734tiF_QNW7LpxRSr9PeZRuIF6iWcUt1fFeMwXBJsxZaJ2xMZEs8b8fUmYLaj9ZCy8nnASAVploI7QT/s640/DSC06347.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This dough is ready for a little alone time. The only flecks and specks are from the chunks of fruit and nuts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once you're done with the kneading, you basically grease a bowl, dump the dough in, turn it over (so the bottom that was greasy from the bowl is now on top) and put it in a non-drafty place to rise for a while.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq1Eo29treWzfNRk8zq6Cgmm5j4t9TBNtr2XOuDvGRyx3EQEKXTLyfKR5e1D20IxLlxJSEWULblv7F1Xkgx6mwzcmwNm-c3Pgiwwh87Bno_Wk3vmv8vg_V3hLaCkMi6GmCJq1FuLQLwXv/s1600/DSC06354.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq1Eo29treWzfNRk8zq6Cgmm5j4t9TBNtr2XOuDvGRyx3EQEKXTLyfKR5e1D20IxLlxJSEWULblv7F1Xkgx6mwzcmwNm-c3Pgiwwh87Bno_Wk3vmv8vg_V3hLaCkMi6GmCJq1FuLQLwXv/s640/DSC06354.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I stick my dough in a covered bowl in my oven (heat off) with the light turned on. The light actually emits a little heat in there, and because the bowl's in an enclosed space, you don't have to worry too much about drafts. It's a perfect little incubator for the yeast to have a little supper (that is, create the carbon dioxide that makes the bread rise).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once your dough has finished rising the first time, you'll need to punch down your dough. It's actually quite fun. (Get your aggression out. Seriously, you're not going to hurt it.) Then it's time for shaping. First you cut the dough in half, and you'll work with one half at a time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzDgwEzRznEa3sx8OEeNZowmQ3tn8qE6nicKevZA2GSKSU7uJnN9Ydh6h_k82hwj5IPxiMkPr-x9_fagIukDCni8KY5xctIshw0ybAp1_n1PyDBfJFJctwEOzrla1F9Ra3hDVNScZ8ojM/s1600/DSC06357.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzDgwEzRznEa3sx8OEeNZowmQ3tn8qE6nicKevZA2GSKSU7uJnN9Ydh6h_k82hwj5IPxiMkPr-x9_fagIukDCni8KY5xctIshw0ybAp1_n1PyDBfJFJctwEOzrla1F9Ra3hDVNScZ8ojM/s640/DSC06357.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Then you want to pat the dough into an oval. This oval is actually smaller than the recipe suggests, because I was making half-size loaves for gifts, but the method is exactly the same.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx0vRvsBlSRWN-hyns_0e8MWnjNyAI0SR-zlKXxZy_c2UL1NqjjcQKb6sSttkzw7QYI3E-WJKF_12n4C-djoFhKPddkS-Q1-xaQAs_09Lns5yvlUshIMsAA5myK90sDaoV2HRvS8B-UcU/s1600/DSC06362.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx0vRvsBlSRWN-hyns_0e8MWnjNyAI0SR-zlKXxZy_c2UL1NqjjcQKb6sSttkzw7QYI3E-WJKF_12n4C-djoFhKPddkS-Q1-xaQAs_09Lns5yvlUshIMsAA5myK90sDaoV2HRvS8B-UcU/s640/DSC06362.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your goal is to make an oval that's not too thick, so that it can easily be folded over. This oval is already brushed with butter and is a little smaller because I was making mini-loaves for gifts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You'll brush some melted butter (vegan, obviously) on the top of the oval, and then you'll fold it in half lengthwise. You'll basically end up with a long, thin half-moon.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1JZXcEZEQIrK_09T_F8qyE0KZKxbJkCpvGgbcEayhlo4jPxzVQWhMmCslHkvzgWoYJ6sNG7FsM64sjLVgk6dcAHCaUhPw4NOlluP8qXlg6DZiYafBOTffMdghJ_pwtFeZYkwcU0CU4LQ/s1600/DSC06363.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1JZXcEZEQIrK_09T_F8qyE0KZKxbJkCpvGgbcEayhlo4jPxzVQWhMmCslHkvzgWoYJ6sNG7FsM64sjLVgk6dcAHCaUhPw4NOlluP8qXlg6DZiYafBOTffMdghJ_pwtFeZYkwcU0CU4LQ/s640/DSC06363.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Stollen has been folded over, edges pressed together, and is ready to be put on the baking sheet for its second rise. This shape is largely what makes Stollen so distinctive.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Stick your loaf onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and then repeat with the other half. I didn't have a single baking sheet free that was big enough for both loaves, so I used two small ones. You then put them back wherever you had them to rise (in my case, the oven) and let them rise for another hour.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjyk_pPlDPHx-s4nSIvMEfDgkf80M2v4gj_y0HG9MwRpbdEMBcrAk3vrgewUjLSSpj3g7rPnarzVnkiLOhV3RHqWOeapA1iN78wzdK1p8LNf0uasGiqh_w3whJK6H_SXlXJlk0dy-10Cg/s1600/DSC06368.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjyk_pPlDPHx-s4nSIvMEfDgkf80M2v4gj_y0HG9MwRpbdEMBcrAk3vrgewUjLSSpj3g7rPnarzVnkiLOhV3RHqWOeapA1iN78wzdK1p8LNf0uasGiqh_w3whJK6H_SXlXJlk0dy-10Cg/s640/DSC06368.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll cover these with a dish towel and let them rise for another hour before I bake them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When it's time to bake the Stollens, you'll want to brush them with another little bit of butter on their tops so they brown nicely.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLmAI67bNG4tu8eBXHvBH4KwZwHKs2lEcSv9LCfWbks_XAFa0aDP5EeiBivqLZmtEsKojmtNw05u3CjG9uKsucFg_EsIjGJeubCuuhIFXJE13lNnjD-hevVERO4b6-cRUly5TvygGJxFMu/s1600/DSC06369.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLmAI67bNG4tu8eBXHvBH4KwZwHKs2lEcSv9LCfWbks_XAFa0aDP5EeiBivqLZmtEsKojmtNw05u3CjG9uKsucFg_EsIjGJeubCuuhIFXJE13lNnjD-hevVERO4b6-cRUly5TvygGJxFMu/s640/DSC06369.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These (mini) loaves are risen, brushed with butter and ready to be baked.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Bake them at 375°F for about 25 minutes or until they're a really nice golden brown colour.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwK9_MRPLq9IOHap1bC9yzUBN_hKYKE28pkmVyEUdFwT2Ism6la7iNgot9XXsNdO-NNBpt7b8iTLZCJ2HXe9NKNfFvazDxztQ3dEdKp2jsc10I7avNr-WN6gk6mKME5OY9G4XYJQIm67-6/s1600/DSC06387.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwK9_MRPLq9IOHap1bC9yzUBN_hKYKE28pkmVyEUdFwT2Ism6la7iNgot9XXsNdO-NNBpt7b8iTLZCJ2HXe9NKNfFvazDxztQ3dEdKp2jsc10I7avNr-WN6gk6mKME5OY9G4XYJQIm67-6/s640/DSC06387.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This bread bakes pretty quickly, so watch it to make sure that you don't over-bake it. You'll know when it's done, because it'll be a really pretty golden brown colour and the crust will look kind of dull (not shiny anymore).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You'll sprinkle some icing sugar on them while they're still hot, and then let them cool totally before you wrap them for storage. This is an important step, because if you wrap up your Stollen while still a little warm, your Stollen is going to get mouldy. (And who wants their Stollen to go mouldy after they spent a day making them?)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-1pwI7zkdWqYBRav8_lwZjAi-_CnoFxjsr6aVOVNoGi6MHzKDr4Qw8yKfdQmzgzHAUhasC4cu91CAmq2JOdVvPmQkuw5rr1SS1bCzTl6maUX8t1-yAuwEeFjnl_j4BSyRXPSRB2kFRM0/s1600/DSC06389.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-1pwI7zkdWqYBRav8_lwZjAi-_CnoFxjsr6aVOVNoGi6MHzKDr4Qw8yKfdQmzgzHAUhasC4cu91CAmq2JOdVvPmQkuw5rr1SS1bCzTl6maUX8t1-yAuwEeFjnl_j4BSyRXPSRB2kFRM0/s640/DSC06389.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In my experience, the easiest way to sugar these loaves is with a little, fine strainer and a scoop of icing sugar. A little shaking of the strainer over the loaves sifts the sugar onto them nicely.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
They're now ready to enjoy! Slice and eat them as you would any other sweet bread (some people like to spread more butter on sliced Stollen).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbZaVtcJrKuOrZiBAjPBdHqjDpRmQCdeY1hb6oLN8No2GkRdwo6UwkeSBF-2I9TE4W4gckIOuXya2-3fAGTHRv2Sikzt6uIuwk6j2fjQW7vdJRSEQcQY_eD9Y_wjva_FPW2H-Yc6tcfKS/s1600/DSC06392.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbZaVtcJrKuOrZiBAjPBdHqjDpRmQCdeY1hb6oLN8No2GkRdwo6UwkeSBF-2I9TE4W4gckIOuXya2-3fAGTHRv2Sikzt6uIuwk6j2fjQW7vdJRSEQcQY_eD9Y_wjva_FPW2H-Yc6tcfKS/s640/DSC06392.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These little guys are for gifts, but full-sized loaves are quite large. Expect them to be about the same size as a sandwich loaf you'd get at the bakery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You're welcome.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc0S33jD_cEHEH6FMXHPvW0uPugBbqLMsWBQ25aZiR9b_iCsA_j2gTuGiAjUCamL4F8RRfzCZGlkmyDLKOu4JkYHVl1a9gra5OINZI05GfHCKzxqZcWFGhvRu2TD1qYaxeC7A-0VHVzqJ/s1600/DSC06391.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc0S33jD_cEHEH6FMXHPvW0uPugBbqLMsWBQ25aZiR9b_iCsA_j2gTuGiAjUCamL4F8RRfzCZGlkmyDLKOu4JkYHVl1a9gra5OINZI05GfHCKzxqZcWFGhvRu2TD1qYaxeC7A-0VHVzqJ/s320/DSC06391.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<u>Winter Stollen</u><br />
<i>Makes 2 large loaves</i><br />
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<blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
¾ cup candied
mixed peel</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup darkraisins</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
¼ cup dark
rum</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup goldencane sugar (turbinado)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ teaspoon
salt</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
¼ teaspoon
ground nutmeg</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 cups
unbleached all-purpose flour</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup almond
milk</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup vegan
butter</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 package
(about 2 teaspoons) dry active yeast</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
¼ cup warm
water (about 110°F)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
3 <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/09/egg-replacements-in-nut-shell.html" target="_blank">flax eggs</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup
chopped roasted almonds</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2½ cups
unbleached all-purpose flour</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 Tablespoons
vegan butter for brushing</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Confectioner’s
(icing) sugar for dusting</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a pint
mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, mix together candied fruit, raisins and
rum. Set aside to soak for at least one hour.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Warm the
almond milk in the microwave for about 45 to 60 seconds, until pretty hot but
not at boiling temperature. Let cool down to lukewarm, which should feel
pleasantly warm to the touch, not scalding. Also melt ½ cup of the vegan butter
in the microwave for about 30 seconds and allow to cool to lukewarm. In the
mean time, in a medium bowl, mix together cane sugar, salt, nutmeg and 2 cups
of flour.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Separately,
in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. (The water should be about the same temperature as the almond milk--that is, pleasantly warm to the touch but not scalding hot. This is important because yeast is alive and you can't burn the little guys, and how would you like it if someone tried to give you an ice-cold bath?) <br />
<br />
Add the lukewarm almond
milk and vegan butter, as well as the flax eggs, stirring well. Strain the
soaked fruit over the bowl, adding the remaining rum to the yeast mixture and
reserving the fruit for later. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Add almonds
and reserved fruit, mixing well. Stir in remaining flour until it gets too hard
to stir, then sprinkle a little extra flour on the table or counter and turn
the dough out onto the surface for a little kneading. Knead by pulling up one
side of dough and folding it over on itself, turning and repeating until the
dough starts sticking together and picking up the excess flour. If it’s
sticking, add a little extra flour. When the dough feels smooth (aside from the
fruit and nut lumps) and isn’t sticking so much to the table, it’s ready. This
should take about 5 minutes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Rinse out
your mixing bowl quickly (it doesn’t need to be perfect) and pat it dry. Using
a vegetable oil spray or a piece of waxed paper with vegan margarine, grease
the bowl lightly. Place the dough in the bowl, then turn it over so the greased
side is facing up. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set in a slightly-warm
spot where it will be free from drafts. (What works best for me is putting it
in my oven with the heat off, but the light on, so that the light gives off a
gentle amount of warmth.) Let<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the dough
rise for an hour and a half.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Line a large
baking sheet with parchment paper.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When the
dough has risen to almost double in volume, punch it down. (There’s a tutorial <a href="http://youtu.be/SQc7aVtCTUE" target="_blank">here</a> if you’re not sure
how to do that.) Melt your remaining vegan butter for brushing. Divide the
dough into halves. Using one half, press it into an oval shape that measures
about 10 inches long by 7 inches wide. Brush the whole top with vegan butter
and fold the dough in half lengthwise, so that you have a long half-moon shape,
and press the edges together so it doesn’t unfold. Place this loaf onto the
parchment-lined pan (leaving room for another loaf) and repeat with the second
half.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cover the
loaves on the baking sheet with the tea towel again, and let rise once more in
the same warm, draft-free place as before, allowing to rise again until almost double
in volume (about 1 hour). They will expand quite a bit more while baking.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Preheat the
oven to 375°F. Brush loaves with more vegan butter (which can be re-melted if
it gets solid again). Bake until a nice golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the loaves with a little powdered sugar while still hot. Let cool down
completely before wrapping and storing. (They keep best if wrapped in foil and
then put in a plastic bag, but can also be stored for short periods in a
regular bread bag.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Makes 2
loaves.</div>
</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-82901476033154890222013-12-08T16:24:00.004-05:002014-06-24T22:42:14.620-04:00Sinfully simple tossed salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsp1mvuOdsmL1yzJyip8_XeMSTGV3sYiZSnDukNZUHAZKcWTQeYxtST5Vfoh19DX2rAbYMhSBvX3lp9ajZW68fzhADaH44j5oAuUApSkIrTSjey7FnGwvwxpzbiHDv87yWTuXBm63_hPym/s1600/DSC06313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsp1mvuOdsmL1yzJyip8_XeMSTGV3sYiZSnDukNZUHAZKcWTQeYxtST5Vfoh19DX2rAbYMhSBvX3lp9ajZW68fzhADaH44j5oAuUApSkIrTSjey7FnGwvwxpzbiHDv87yWTuXBm63_hPym/s1600/DSC06313.JPG" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
All right, so I'm a day late and it's a Salad Sunday this week. Sue me. <br />
<br />
It's worth the wait anyway. This salad is legendary, and I owe it to a friend, who first wooed me with a variation of this salad over Christmas 2011. The impressive part is that it's only dressing and lettuce, and yet it's anything but bland. This makes an excellent side for pasta dishes, and a lot of people have told me it tastes like a vegan Caesar salad (and to be fair, my <a href="http://kitchen-stitching.blogspot.ca/2013/04/vegan-caesar-salad.html" target="_blank">vegan Caesar</a> was based off of it). It's tangy and garlicky and a really good way to get roughage into otherwise reluctant tummies. In fact, I'm pretty sure you could tear up some kale leaves and toss them with the lettuce and nobody would be any the wiser...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskKIjqlsld3wWgnCBDHSyEKVS5cQOOl73DlX6NS39_6SCAuxwaBWzCUF9RgnvPpNdky5HLLZtoeDf6ZJxSpris-C_ONtxAUmikBMzNw2mxhhdoYUQaRFxSWDHzRqWf2pGhP1clfRWm-U1/s1600/DSC06322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskKIjqlsld3wWgnCBDHSyEKVS5cQOOl73DlX6NS39_6SCAuxwaBWzCUF9RgnvPpNdky5HLLZtoeDf6ZJxSpris-C_ONtxAUmikBMzNw2mxhhdoYUQaRFxSWDHzRqWf2pGhP1clfRWm-U1/s1600/DSC06322.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This dressing is so simple, and yet so good that I always go back for a second helping of this salad.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And so without further ado, here's one of the best (and easiest-to-make) green salads I've ever had.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMWmJduiyWOMCyW4YTUN6hYxSS8bubIqAKt3wXP09RejtmBSDSQzTN4xq15y_MNjzvdxSulUZlVkKRcgogcd6fR1yJP5lRIKINUrXHTK4KNEWmxooD1i_OMNeytUou_yLrAgiVmccCMNw/s1600/DSC06323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMWmJduiyWOMCyW4YTUN6hYxSS8bubIqAKt3wXP09RejtmBSDSQzTN4xq15y_MNjzvdxSulUZlVkKRcgogcd6fR1yJP5lRIKINUrXHTK4KNEWmxooD1i_OMNeytUou_yLrAgiVmccCMNw/s1600/DSC06323.JPG" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<u>Sinfully simple tossed salad</u><br />
<i>Serves 6</i> <br />
<br />
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
3 T white vinegar<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced<br />
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard<br />
1 head green leaf lettuce<br />
<br />
Whisk together all ingredients but lettuce. Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss well, then serve.</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-27565089246036919362013-11-23T08:30:00.001-05:002024-03-04T09:33:25.943-05:00Tangy Red Cabbage SlawWhen you unload your produce basket and this is what you see, you instantly know exactly where this is going...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3vmeq0bJrCOJz-TY6H_BYbb5qxotu1tfPdMkY1l-WsIrYgz1rC5CYuyQzpODxF2OtNUOwJW2bQGmL2ycYGv03PZItZCvV-4Sz_r1ID8W3ZwsYuPW6zMQ0uHWDII0mnNN6zj2-8TUOqeg/s1600/DSC06276.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3vmeq0bJrCOJz-TY6H_BYbb5qxotu1tfPdMkY1l-WsIrYgz1rC5CYuyQzpODxF2OtNUOwJW2bQGmL2ycYGv03PZItZCvV-4Sz_r1ID8W3ZwsYuPW6zMQ0uHWDII0mnNN6zj2-8TUOqeg/s640/DSC06276.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I don't actually fancy coleslaw very much, if I'm being honest. My mother used to make it when I was growing up and I'd usually decline it. Unless it had that vinegar dressing. Then it was OK. But cabbage smothered in mayonnaise? Thank goodness I can use the vegan excuse.<br />
<br />
This salad is super simple, super good for you, and a super good way for me to use up the cabbage that the farm sent me in my basket. If I had gotten a full head of cabbage, I would have been hard-pressed to find a use for all of it. But thank goodness they sent me two for good measure! I suppose I actually do mean that. It brought me to approach this week's Salad Saturday with a little more imagination than usual...<br />
<br />
So here's how you do it.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Start off by coring and shredding your cabbage. (If you're new to coring cabbage, <a href="http://youtu.be/I4hWV3jCcZQ" target="_blank">check this out.</a>) To shred it, you basically just slice it really thinly with a sharp knife. It'll sort of crumble into those shreds like the lettuce restaurants put on your sandwich. You know what I mean. Now do that with all your cabbage.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YDCgZSjU5TsQB67TXlYIYmFaF7pBW6tzSvIQ2LyZXvnMUz4K7lbKZZK8xDa4AH2ErtEC1AnI08txyFuXqNVvDQnqYwe63mZo5zYGWK6I2EMwz8nU9Essr9MrkSXbRtUi-3LKIRP7G7Ug/s1600/DSC06279.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YDCgZSjU5TsQB67TXlYIYmFaF7pBW6tzSvIQ2LyZXvnMUz4K7lbKZZK8xDa4AH2ErtEC1AnI08txyFuXqNVvDQnqYwe63mZo5zYGWK6I2EMwz8nU9Essr9MrkSXbRtUi-3LKIRP7G7Ug/s640/DSC06279.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shred all your cabbage like this. If you have a food processor, I suppose you could use that, but it'll be super small. I like a bit more crunch in my coleslaw.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next, you'll want to shred some carrots. Carrots make coleslaw coleslaw, rather than <i>shredded cabbage à la vinaigrette</i>. You'll take a cheese grater and shred them so they're quite small. I don't bother to peel my carrots, because the peel is good for you and you won't even taste it when you're done.<br />
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<br />
<br />
So your carrots will look like this. (Oh, all right, so I cheated. You knew I would; I don't have time for this crap.)<br />
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<br />
<br />
Now mix the veg together. This is the main base of your salad. Now you just have the dressing to worry about!<br />
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<br />
<br />
The clout of flavour comes from a few different elements. The tang is definitely the apple cider vinegar, but I also added celery seed, dried mustard and dill weed for a more complex flavour. There's nothing worse than a coleslaw that only tastes like vinegar. The apple cider vinegar also brings a hint of fruitiness, which (if you don't know) goes really well with cabbage. (If you ever have way too much cabbage, just slow-braise it in apple juice if you don't believe me...)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgajIhG2dJzD8jJXx0HiLQfNihc3sMuStMFIqbKDY3JL8bcSU6RGui3Yz0UNuu9XT9U6N9yEOpyQ73R7hWPaaPTzjPDwiNV8uYyoEH175ReaoOLiStfpjDzz51N5CakWU-HUtsN4Lm1nl/s1600/DSC06299.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgajIhG2dJzD8jJXx0HiLQfNihc3sMuStMFIqbKDY3JL8bcSU6RGui3Yz0UNuu9XT9U6N9yEOpyQ73R7hWPaaPTzjPDwiNV8uYyoEH175ReaoOLiStfpjDzz51N5CakWU-HUtsN4Lm1nl/s640/DSC06299.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you're not quite sure where to find these ingredients, check out Bulk Barn. I got all of mine from there, most likely.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I used the most beautiful olive oil I've ever tasted and the only one I buy anymore: <a href="http://www.zatoun.com/" target="_blank">Zatoun</a>, a Fair Trade olive oil from Palestine whose flavour is just as amazing as its story.<br />
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<br />
There's a hint of sweetness and molasses from the brown sugar. If you can, get a whole brown sugar so that it has a nice, rich, dark flavour. I used <a href="http://www.lasiembra.com/camino/en/cuisine-camino/whole-brown-sugar-muscovado" target="_blank">Camino's Muscovado</a>, which is just such a sugar.<br />
<br />
It was about time I moved away from the lettuce. You're welcome. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<u>Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw</u><br />
<i>Makes 4 generous servings</i><br />
<br />
1/4 red cabbage<br />
2 large or 3 medium carrots<br />
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon celery seed<br />
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon dry dill weed<br />
<br />
Core and shred the cabbage and place in a large bowl. Grate the carrots and mix into the cabbage. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over the cabbage and carrots, mixing well. Let the coleslaw rest in the fridge for a few hours, so that the flavours will blend. Serve as a side or on your favourite sandwich. Enjoy!</blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-39949362877871337722013-11-16T08:30:00.001-05:002024-03-04T09:46:29.799-05:00Fruity Green Salad with Pea Shoots and Balsamic Vinaigrette<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhXsZcVZtzf1Mi5Cozu3OfZ7oP9DxNxxwm5syX4YnAEwj2EEwxZVXI9wGExQ-65fTMT9VkcZU0-ve6l4MhL8Wzt09ihJCvGLWzCxtkJUtPklZO-tlgQRZ9fz00ShnGRmpMjXN8Lrkasnb/s1600/DSC06235.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhXsZcVZtzf1Mi5Cozu3OfZ7oP9DxNxxwm5syX4YnAEwj2EEwxZVXI9wGExQ-65fTMT9VkcZU0-ve6l4MhL8Wzt09ihJCvGLWzCxtkJUtPklZO-tlgQRZ9fz00ShnGRmpMjXN8Lrkasnb/s320/DSC06235.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These gorgeous little greens are pea shoots!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's right: pea shoots. These little babies are super good for you. Not sure what they are? Take a wild guess. That's it--they're the young leaves and stems of the common pea plant. And they're so packed with vitamins and protein that they even compete with the feistiest of sprouts.<br />
<br />
What do they taste like? Well, they kind of taste like peas. (I know. Shocking, right?)<br />
<br />
I used to hate pea shoots, because I never knew what to do with them. But since I'm trying to get more salad in me this winter than last, I should be just fine.<br />
<br />
Now let's get this show on the road.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<u>Fruity Green Salad with Pea Shoots and Balsamic Vinaigrette</u><br />
<i>Amounts can be adjusted as needed</i><br />
<br />
Mixed salad greens<br />
Pea shoots<br />
Apple<br />
Red pepper<br />
Raisins <br />
Balsamic Vinaigrette<br />
<br />
If the greens are in large pieces, break into bite-sized pieces and place on serving plate(s). Sprinkle a handful of pea shoots over the bed of greens. Core and seed the pepper, slicing into 1/4" strips. Quarter the apple, core it, and cut it into 1/4" thick wedges. Place your peppers and apples on the salad, and then sprinkle a handful of raisins over top. Serve with balsamic vinaigrette (below).<br />
<br />
<u>Balsamic Vinaigrette</u><br />
<i>Makes about 3/4 cup (6 servings)</i><br />
<br />
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar<br />
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey (optional)* <br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
<br />
This part is simple: place all ingredients into a mason jar and shake like hell! I use about 2 Tablespoons of dressing on a meal-sized salad.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* I like a little sweetness to cut the vinegar in vinaigrettes, but if you like the strong tartness, this can be omitted.</span></blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1392486346173440490.post-69036474199804116102013-11-11T19:30:00.001-05:002024-03-04T09:46:42.267-05:00Black carrot and leek soupTime for a micro-post: just a recipe that I threw together today, thoroughly enjoyed, and wanted to share. I used black carrots (they're actually kind of dark purple in colour) out of my produce basket, but you can use any colour of carrot. Just...your soup won't be as purple-looking!<br />
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You could probably use a bunch of green onions if you don't have leeks. But obviously leeks make everything better.<br />
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And it doesn't get much easier than this. <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<u>Black carrot and leek soup</u><br />
<i>Makes 6 servings</i> <br />
<br />
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 large leek<br />
2 medium black (or any) carrots, chopped into small pieces*<br />
1 teaspoon Marmite<br />
6 cups boiling water<br />
2 medium potatoes, diced*<br />
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried sage<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />
<br />
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and carrots and sauté until they are starting to brown and smell a little toasty. Dissolve the Marmite in the boiling water. Pour into the pot, then add potatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil and simmer gently with the lid on for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Serve hot.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* For added nutrition, leave the skins on. You won't even taste the carrot peels in the finished product and the potatoes are cut small enough that the skins are super manageable. If you're going to eat your potato and carrot skins, though, it is best to use organic ones--otherwise the skins may have absorbed a lot of pesticides and such from the ground.</span></blockquote>
Liahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121453430517464721noreply@blogger.com0