Recipe: Blissful Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, and Cashew Curry

When we pulled a bag of soggy brussel sprouts out of the fridge this evening, we knew our dinner plans were doomed. We were supposed to have a roasted brussel and potato salad for dinner, but I don't do soggy brussel sprouts. I just won't. Luckily, we had lots of odds and ends of vegetables that needed to be used, and I whipped up a phenomenally great curry that took about 35 minutes start to finish. I put brown basmati rice in our rice cooker right before starting (we swear by this little gem), and was just taking the curry off the heat when the rice finished.

This curry tastes oh-so-creamy and decadent, but it's insanely healthy. Seriously. The curry itself is about 275 calories per serving (what!). Check out the nutrition facts at the bottom for more details.

Two notes on the following recipe:

1. After reading The Engine 2 Diet last week, Ian and I are currently following the eating rules for four weeks to see how we like them: no added oils to cooking, avoiding processed foods in general, but especially any with added oils/sugars, using whole forms of sweeteners and fats, such as avocados, nuts, molasses, and maple syrup,etc.
2. I estimate that 50% of this curry's awesomeness is a direct result of our homemade vegetable stock. Per Rip's advice in The Engine 2 Diet, we've been making our own stock out of discarded vegetable peels, stalks, bits, and ends. Ian made a lovely stock earlier this week primarily composed of eggplant, onion, and carrots. Personally, we think Rip is crazy for only simmering his stock for 20 minutes. A good stock needs at least an hour of love on the stove at a nice low simmer.

Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, and Cashew Curry

Serves 6

Serve this silky curry over brown basmati rice. As with most curries, you can swap out veggies for what you have on hand. Just adjust your cooking times to reflect the changes. You really don't need oil to saute the spices, but if you feel so inclined, knock yourself out. I promise you won't miss it though. 

To make this recipe truly efficient, measure your spices beforehand, and prep the garlic, ginger, and onion. Start your rice while the pan heats up. Then, while the onion cooks, chop the tomato, and chop the potato and sweet potatoes while the tomato cooks. Chop the cauliflower and puree the cashews while the potatoes soften.

Ingredients
2 tsp garam marsala (I used the Trader Joe's blend with success)
1 tsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, mashed
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp minced ginger
2-4 Tbsp water
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (peels on)
1 potato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (peels on)
3-4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, preferably homemade (see notes)
1/2 cup currants (or raisins)
1/2 head cauliflower, stalks in 1/2-inch pieces, florets in bite-sized pieces
1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
1 cup cashews
water or additional vegetable stock
salt to taste
chopped cilantro to serve (optional)

Instructions
Heat a wok (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat (nonstick isn't necessary but a plus). Once the wok is hot, add the garam marsala, cumin, garlic, mustard seeds, and ginger, stirring to avoid burning. After a couple of seconds, add water to saute, just as much as you need to keep the spices from sticking.

As soon as the spices are fragrant, add the onion, again adding a little water if needed to avoid sticking. Saute for a minute or two until you start seeing a little color on the onion. Add the tomato, continuing to stir frequently. After two or three minutes, add the sweet potato and potato. Stir and add broth to just cover the potatoes. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium, and add the currants. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking, allowing the potatoes to cook and the liquid to reduce. Allow the vegetables to cook for about fifteen minutes, until the potatoes are almost done.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the cashews: Using a blender or an immersion blender, puree 1 cup cashews with just enough water or stock to cover them until they are completely smooth, 1-2 minutes on high. If you are using a blender, you may need to add slightly more water to allow the mixture to move, which is completely fine.

Add the cauliflower stalks and florets and a little more broth, if needed, and stir everything together. Allow to cook for five minutes, then add the peas and pureed cashews cream. Stirring often, continue to cook until everything is warm through and the cauliflower is crisp-tender, another 5-10 minutes.

Salt to taste and serve over basmati rice with cilantro to garnish, if desired.

275 Calories, 11.5 grams of fat, and 7.5 grams of protein per serving. Good source of manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C (69%), and Iron (16%).  

Recipe: Red Lentil Breakfast Pudding

I know it sounds a little crazy - who eats red lentils for breakfast? I certainly haven't! I forget who suggested doing this last night, but what started out as a simple experiment turned into a delicious morning treat that everyone loved.

This recipe is so lovely that I can't wait to experiment some more with it. Next time I want to try cooking the lentils with grated carrots for more sweetness and an added nutritional punch, and maybe some cardamom if I can get my hands on some.

//Addendum 5/14/2013: We're working on cleaning up our eating, and so consuming no added oils. I made red lentil pudding this week without the coconut milk/cashews (used soy milk instead) and without the coconut oil, and it was just as tasty!//

Red Lentil Breakfast Pudding

Makes 4 generous servings

Soaking raw cashews in advance will help them blend up smoother and faster, but if you don't have time for this (or forgot!), they'll just need to blend a little bit longer. if you don't have cashews on hand, you can replace cashews with coconut milk in this recipe. See my note about soaking lentils below.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups red lentils (preferably soaked in advance), rinsed*
1/2 cup raw cashews (preferably soaked in advance), or 1 cup of coconut milk (omit or use soy/almond milk for a low-fat version)
3 Tablespoons ground flax seeds (optional)
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1-2 Tablespoons coconut flour (optional)
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon coconut oil or Earth Balance (omit for low-fat version)
salt to taste

 

Directions

Add red lentils, flax, raisins, and 3 cups of water to a large pot or dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the lentils begin simmer, add the coriander and a pinch of salt. Lower heat slightly to maintain a slow simmer, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until lentils break down and the pudding begins to thicken.

In the meantime, blend 1/2 cup of cashews and 1/2-3/4 cup water in a blender until they form a smooth cream (cashew cream). This may take several minutes depending on the strength of your blender and if you've soaked your cashews in advance.

Once smooth, add the cashew cream to the red lentils, which should be done cooking by this time and stir to incorporate. If your pudding seems on the thin side, add 1-2 Tablespoons of coconut flour and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Take the pudding off of the heat. Stir in maple syrup and coconut oil or earth balance. Let pudding rest for five minutes and serve, drizzling more maple syrup over the top if desired.

Regular Version: 450 Calories, 14 grams of fat, and 23 grams of protein per serving. Good source of calcium, vitamin C, and Iron (39%). 


*A note on this recipe: Ian and I are huge proponents of soaking grains, nuts, and legumes with a little bit of acid (we favor lemon juice or apple cider vinegar). Soaking makes for shorter cooking times, but more importantly it breaks down the phytic acid and lectins in foods that make it harder to both digest the foods and get all of the nutrients they have to offer. So what are the benefits of soaking? Easier to digest (less gas!) and greater vitamin and mineral absorption. It also improves the texture of legumes as they cook. As we used soaked lentils, the cooking times may vary if you use grains that haven't soaked. I haven't posted a soaking 101 yet, but this website has!

Recipe: Creamy Green Smoothie

I get headaches. Lots of headaches. Most of them are pretty low-grade, but I also get migraines on a regular basis. Someone suggested that I try trace minerals as a way to prevent headaches and shorten their length. I'm willing to try pretty much anything at this point, so I purchased a three-month supply (with only the happiest and best of thoughts).

I'm on the fourth day of adding trace minerals to my day... and no headache today (I've had a headache almost consistently from Thanksgiving). I'm optimistic. In full disclosure, I've also started (and had my dosage upped) a prescription to try to break the headaches, so it could be that as well, or the combination of the two. I'm also trying to be really intentional about drinking lots of water, though this hasn't seemed to make any difference in the past.

The trace minerals are a little disgusting-tasting. I tried adding them to water, but it made it taste like really strong well water. No bueno.

So I've been making daily smoothies to put by drops in. I thought tonight's was particularly yummy and tangy, and so I'm sharing. Granted, as I parsed out the calories in this bad boy, it would be a much better breakfast smoothie, but it seemed like a better nutritional choice than the coconut sorbet in the freezer, so we'll call it a win-win.


Creamy Green Smoothie
One large or two small servings. You can use a whole avocado if you want to, just be aware they are quite calorie-laden.

1/2 avocado
2 kiwis, peeled
1/4 cup chopped pineapple (frozen, preferably)
1/3 cup chopped mango (frozen, preferably)
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup unsweetened soy, almond, or coconut milk

Pop everything in your blender, adding water as needed until you've reached your desired consistency. If you don't have frozen fruit, you may want to add some ice as well.

Nutritional Information (for 1 serving):
380 Calories
18 grams of fat
8.4 grams of protein
Good source of dietary fiber and iron, and very high in Vitamin C

Recipe: Coconut Vegetable Curry

Occasionally the gods smile upon a home chef, and you have a wing-it moment that turns into something really special. I made this vegetable curry two and half years ago, and still remember it very well. In fact, I'll probably make it this week; we have a butternut squash and some potatoes and carrots that need to be eaten before we leave for Minnesota for Christmas for a couple of weeks.

Coconut Vegetable Curry

 Adapted from This, That, and the Other

You could probably put any vegetables you wanted in here, just adjust the cooking time as needed. Serve this curry over basamati rice, or in a bowl with Naan.

2 Tbsp coconut oil, divided
1 onion, sliced
4-5 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes (I used a variety of small potatoes, including reds and purples)
1-2 cups butternut squash or sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cauliflower head, chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes/slices
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1-2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp garlic paste (or 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed)
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger (or ginger paste)
2-3 Tbsp garam masala (to taste)
1 tsp coriander
1-2 tsp cumin (to taste)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper

Heat a large pot over medium heat (I would recommend using an enameled cast iron french oven, like a Le Creuset). Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil until melted. Add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown and is softened.

Add the rest of the coconut oil. Add the potatoes and cook for 3-5 minutes, then add the squash, cauliflower, and carrots. Cook the vegetables, stirring them occasionally, for about 10 minutes, letting them brown a little bit. Add the coconut milk, 1 cup broth, and all of the spices. Stir everything until the vegetables are well coated and the spices are evenly incorporated. Depending on the amount of vegetables and size of pot, add more broth until the vegetables are almost covered. Stir and cover, allowing the heat to increase until it reaches a nice simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. Depending on the amount of time, you can cook this until the potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes or so, or cook longer (recommended) so the flavors are better combined and the potatoes start to fall apart and thicken the sauce, anywhere from 30-60 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 5-6, about 400 calories per serving with 8 grams of protein. This recipe is high in Vitamins A and C, and is a decent source of iron.

Recipe: Winter Bean Soup

As I'm working through my old recipes, I'm surprised at how many of them are vegan, or easily made vegan. Here is an example of a good, winter soup that we really enjoyed when Felicity was only two months old, and still liked to sleep in her chair on the kitchen table while I cooked (such fond memories!). 

I will admit that I haven't found a good vegan bacon yet, and so that part of the directions may be a little strange. But, based on my memory of veggie bacon from years ago, I think it should all work and taste delicious.

Winter Bean Soup

Adapted from This, That, and the Other
Serves 6

If you don't have vegan bacon on hand or don't want to use it, cook the kale in some olive oil and add a few drops of liquid smoke with the vegetable stock. For the best use of time, de-stem and chop the kale while the onions reduce. Ian gave this a "Straight A" when he tasted it. Little did he know it only took about 40 minutes to make!

Ingredients
4-5 strips vegan 'bacon', chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried or fresh rosemary
bay leaf
6 cups vegetable stock
few drops liquid smoke (optional)
45 ounces canned cannelloni beans
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 bunch kale, steams removed and chopped coarsely (could use spinach here as well)
balsamic vinegar (optional)


Directions
Heat dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 'bacon', if using. Saute until the fat begins to render, then add the onion, adding more olive oil if needed. Saute until the bacon is browning and the onion starts to soften. Add garlic, stirring about 30 seconds until garlic becomes fragrant. Add the rosemary and 2 cups stock.

Stirring occasionally, allow the vegetable stock to cook down until it's very thick and almost gone, almost syrupy. Make sure to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pot.

Add the remaining vegetable stock, beans, basil, and chopped kale and reduce heat to medium. Add liquid smoke, if using. Stir occasionally and bring to a gentle simmer to warm everything through and cook the kale. Once the kale is cooked (10-15 minutes) the soup will be ready to eat, but you could reduce the heat and allow to cook longer to better infuse the flavors if you have more time.

Top with a few drops of balsamic vinegar, if desired.

Serves 6, approximately 350 calories per serving with 22 grams of protein

Recipe: Roasted Beet Sald with Lemon Basil Balsamic Dressing

Roasted Beet Salad with Lemon Basil Balsamic Dressing

Originally posted at This, That, and the Other

Serves 4 (with leftover dressing)

I would strongly recommend using a nice aged balsamic vinegar is possible, it makes a big difference. I prefer to serve this salad with warm beets, but the beets could certainly be roasted in advance and served at room temperature, or even cold.

Ingredients
3-4 beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb salad greens of your choice (I used a lovely spring mix from our farmers' market, mescalin greens would also be lovely), washed and dried
1/4 cup (generous handful) of basil leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Lemon Basil Balsamic Dressing (see below) 

Directions
Heat the oven to 425F. Toss the beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread beets in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (two if needed). Bake for 40-50 minutes, tossing beets halfway through. The beets should be tender, sizzling, and starting to brown.

Split the greens between four plates and top with basil leaves roasted beets, and almonds. Serve with dressing alongside.

Approximately 205 calories per serving (with dressing) 

Lemon Basil Balsamic Dressing

 Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2-3 Tbsp agave syrup, succanat, or brown sugar (or more to taste if you prefer a sweeter dressing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil (basil flavored, if possible)
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup water
2-3 Tbsp minced basil (optional, use if you don't have access to basil-scented olive oil)

Directions 
Mix the dressing ingredients together, adjusting the sweetener as needed to taste.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup

It's almost winter. I have Christmas music playing almost non-stop, and will do anything to stay cozy, which may or may not include playing 3-hour fireplace videos on my laptop, which is placed strategically in our non-functional fireplace in the living room.

Before baking cookies tonight, I made some seriously yummy soup for dinner. It was a really good end to a really good day.

It's creamy without any dairy products, and packs some serious flavor for only a few ingredients and a fairly short cooking time. I took my time making this soup and it took about 40 minutes from start to finish. I'd bet anything that a savvy cook (such as yourself, yes you, darling reader) could knock this out in 30 minutes flat.

Creamy Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup

6 Generous Portions

If you think about it ahead of time, get your cashews soaking for an easier and faster blending process. I would strongly recommend using an immersion blender for both the cashew cream and the soup - it will save time, not to mention space in your dish rack. I prefer a really nice, smooth soup, but you could blend for a shorter amount of time to leave a some chunks in it.

Ingredients

1/2 - 3/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup water

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp dried basil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-oz cans of whole tomatoes
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and peppers roughly chopped

Garnish options: fresh, chopped basil, balsamic vinegar, or basil-infused olive oil

Directions

First things first, add the cashews and water together to get your cashews nice and soft.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, and add onions with a generous pinch of salt. Saute onions until they start to turn golden, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute one more minute, then add 1/3 cup water and the dried basil. Stirring often, continue to cook the onions down until very soft, another 5 minutes or so.

Add the cans of tomatoes, sauce and all, and the chopped roasted peppers, reducing heat to medium. Stir occasionally, bringing the soup to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 10-15 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, blend the soaked cashews until completely smooth (1-2 minutes), then add to the soup. Remove the soup from heat, and blend.

Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh basil, or a dash of flavored balsamic vinegar or olive oil.

Serves 6.
Approximately 160 calories per serving, 5 grams protein, and high in Vitamins A, B6, C, Magnesium, Potassium, and Manganese.

Recipe: Potatoes and Eggplant (Aloo Baingan)

Ian and I made Potatoes and Eggplant (Aloo Baingan) from Color Me Vegan: Maximize Your Nutrient Intake and Optimize Your Health by Eating Antioxidant-Rich, Fiber-Packed, Color-Intense Meals That Taste Great by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, and it was insanely yummy. Rich, flavorful, easy to make, and really healthy, you can't go wrong with this meal.

We served ours with some quick chapati (Indian flat bread), which I won't say that I've mastered making, by any means (mine were ugly, I'll be honest), but they were yummy. You could also serve over brown basamati rice, which realistically would be a little healthier and not make your kitchen look like it was attacked by squirrels playing in flour (which is how our kitchen looked after we got done making our chapati).

Potatoes and Eggplant (Aloo Baingan)

Adapted from Color Me Vegan

Ingredients
1 medium Italian globe purple eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1-2 jalapeno peppers
2 large yellow potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
4 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)

Directions
In a steamer basket on the stove top, steam the eggplant cubes until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons coconut oil to a large saute pan and heat over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they are fragrant and start to pop, but make sure you stir them so they don't burn. Add jalapeno and continue to stir frequently, and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the potatoes, water, ginger, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and salt. Cover and cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, and add extra water if needed.

Throw in the eggplant and tomato and stir to mix thoroughly. Cook for 5-10 minutes longer so the flavors combine and everything heats thoroughly. Remove from heat, and garnish with cilantro or parsley if you choose.

4 Servings, about 190 calories per serving with 5 grams of protein.

Recipe: Herbed Pumpkin Soup with Carmelized Onions & Parsley Cashew Cream

New York City was plunged into Autumn this week. The trees have started changing colors, we've all broken out our fall jackets and scarves, and the heat was turned on in our apartment building (thank goodness! Felicity and I have been bundling in quilts in the mornings to stay warm!). To me, fall means pumpkin. Pumpkin scones, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin oatmeal, and pumpkin soup.

Rewind to last Friday afternoon, a lovely day in the mid 70s with sunshine: I was skyping with my mom, wondering what on earth to make for dinner. I wanted something really tasty and easy, and that wouldn't be considered too veganish for my dinner guest. My mom, bundled in a sweater and sipping tea in Minnesota, with weather in the mid-40s, suggested some pumpkin soup.

I had pumpkin in the fridge from muffins I'd made earlier that week. Pumpkin soup sounded easy and wonderful. Felicity and I put on our shoes, and walked to the store to purchase some onions, garlic, parsley, and a lovely loaf of jewish rye bread.

This pumpkin soup got a strong stamp of approval from my non-vegan dinner guest, who is really into good food and is herself an amazing cook. The baby loved it, and I loved it. It was so yummy that Felicity and I finished off our leftovers on Saturday for lunch. It was so yummy that I thought about it longingly for days afterwards, and then cooked it again for Ian last night. It's a good pumpkin soup.

Both times I served this soup with a simple green salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, and rye bread toasts. When I ate my leftovers for lunch today, I cubed my very stale rye bread and made croutons, which was absolutely amazing and ramped up the "yum" factor even more.

Herbed Pumpkin Soup with Caramelized Onions & Parsley Cashew Cream

You can really use almost any herbs in this soup that would go well with a Thanksgiving meal. I chose sage and some thyme the first time I made this soup, then tried sage and rosemary last night. I tend not to like cinnamon in my savory things, but if you're into that, this would be a good place to try it.

If you don't have an immersion blender, go ahead and use your blender to puree the soup. Don't worry about cleaning it out after you make the cashew cream - it will only enhance the soup. I would also suggest soaking the cashews in the water as you make the soup, it will help them blend more easily , and give a smoother textures to your cashew cream.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped

large pinch of salt
pinch of sugar/sucanat (optional)
1-2 teaspoons of wintery herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary, etc.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
handful of chopped parsley
2 cups fresh pumpkin, or 15 oz. canned pumpkin
4 cups vegetable broth (or vegetable Better than Bouillon and water)
splash of apple cider vinegar (optional)
Parsley Cashew Cream (see below)

Directions 

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat until glistening. Add onion and toss to coat in olive oil. Add salt and sugar (if using), add herbs, and stir again. Allow onions to caramelize, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning or sticking. Continue to cook onions about 20-30 minutes in this manner until they have a deep brown color and are very soft. You can skip this step and just brown them, but caramelizing the onions creates a lovely sweetness to this soup, and is a lovely pair with the pumpkin.

Create a small well in the onions, add a touch more olive oil, and add the garlic and half of the parsley. Saute until fragrant, then stir into onions. Stir in pumpkin and broth and stir until well incorporated. Let the soup cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors combine. If the soup is starting to simmer, reduce the heat a bit, you don't want it to cook at more than a very gentle boil.

When the soup is done cooking, remove it from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup thoroughly, so no chunks of parsley or onion remain. Add a splash or two of apple cider vinegar if desired, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the soup with some of the cashew cream drizzled on top, or stir all of it in the soup if you're more excited about a decadent taste than a decadent presentation - it will make the soup very creamy and add an extra two Yum Points.

Serves 6, 175 calories per serving. 6 grams protein per serving and high in Vitamin A.

Parsley Cashew Cream

I would suggest soaking the cashews the water for at least 30 minutes before making your cashew cream. If you do this, blend the cashews with their soaking water. If you are unable to do this, the cashews will still make a lovely cream, you may just have to blend them for an extra minute or two. 

Cashew cream can enhance many things and can be used in the place of dairy cream. This recipe can be made without the parsley (and even the salt), and will be equally delicious and a bit more versatile.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup water 
2-4 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions

Place the cashews and water into the blender. Blend using the high speed until it forms a cream. Slowly add the chopped parsley, and a pinch or two of salt. Continue to blend 2-3 minutes until the cashews and parsley have completely broken down and have created a smooth cream. If the cashew cream seems to thick to you, feel free to add a Tablespoon or two of water, perhaps even more.

50 calories for every 2 Tablespoons, with 4 grams of fat and 1.5 grams of protein.

The Cupcake Adventures [Part I]

If you know me at all, you know I'm am obnoxious baker. I'm the person that will spend all day in the kitchen, tell you I spent all day in the kitchen, linger as you take a bite of whatever I spent all day in the kitchen making, and wait for you to tell me that I am your baking goddess, and this is the best [insert whatever it is I've crammed in front of you and expected to you eat] you've ever had.

But wait, pause for a moment - vegan baking is a whole new monster. No longer can I refer to my well-loved copy of Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe Cookbook, or spend hours poring over recipe reviews on Epicurious.com to make sure I have the best possible [insert whatever it is I've crammed in front of you and expected to you eat]. I've been baking since the third grade, and I seriously feel like I'm starting from scratch.

Enter the CUPCAKES.

Felicity's first birthday is on December 1st. Being the obnoxious baker I am, I want to make cupcakes. I want to make the most amazing, delectable vegan cupcakes, like the ones from The Cupcake Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan (which can and should be held responsible for what is going on in my thighs). I want to make perfect cupcakes.

I started with Babycakes, the cookbook from the famed bakery in New York City (which I've yet to visit, because it involves one-too-many train transfers for my lazy self). Babycakes (the store) was apparently voted the #1 cupcake in NYC, despite the fact that they are vegan and gluten-free. Wow. Gotta try it, right?

I spent way too much at Whole Foods purchasing things I'd never even heard of, things like coconut flour, potato starch, and soy milk powder. My friend A., who was visiting for the weekend, and I got to work yesterday afternoon, doing the very tedious job of halving the recipe for two-dozen cupcakes in the actual cookbook. Good heavens - halving things like 1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder called upon our very serious math skills, my baking conversion magnet on the fridge, and a calculator. It was intense, but A. and I were up for the challenge. It was only today I found a halved recipe online (doh!)

   Overall Grade: 6.75 (out of 10)
   Cupcake Flavor: 8.5
   Crumb: 7 at room temperature (4 when chilled, as suggested by the authors for storage)
   Frosting Flavor: 7.5
   Frosting Texture: 4

Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from Babycakes
Makes 10-12 cupcakes

If I was to actually serve these at a party, which I might, I would make the frosting the day before to really let it set. I would make the cupcakes about 6 hours, before the party, let them cool completely, and frost the cupcakes 30-60 minutes before the guests arrive, so that the frosting didn't melt, but the cupcakes could avoid being chilled, which really does absolutely nothing for a cupcake. If you must serve these chilled, please let them sit out for an hour or so before serving, it really does make a big difference.

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 6 Tablespoons garbanzo-fava bean flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
6 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
Chocolate Frosting (see below)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a regular-sized muffin tin with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water until well blended, then incorporate into the dry mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour approximately 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it. Bake the cupcakes for 15 minutes, then rotate the tin and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the tin for twenty minutes, then move to a wire rack until cooled completely. Frost and enjoy!

Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Chocolate Frosting

Adapted from Babycakes

I know the 6 hour chilling thing sounds crazy, but you really do need to wait this long, the texture is much more consistent and smooth, and the flavor is much better.

To make vanilla frosting, eliminate the cocoa powder, increase the dry soy milk powder by an additional 2 Tablespoons, and increase the coconut oil by an additional 1/4 cup.

Ingredients

3/4 cups plain soy milk
1/4 cup dry soy milk powder
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut flour
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

In a blender, combine the soymilk, soy powder, cocoa powder, coconut flour, agave nectar, and vanilla until smooth, then blend for an additional two minutes. With the machine still running, slowly add the oil and lemon juice, alternating between the two until both are fully incorporated.

Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least six hours before using to frost the cupcakes.

Recipe: Creamy Eggplant Stew

It's been so long since Ian and I have cooked a meal together! It was much easier when Felicity would sit in her bouncer seat on the kitchen table and happily watch us work, but now that she's quite mobile and wants lots of input, we typically have to delegate - one person on dinner, one person on baby watch.

Tonight, we improvised and put her Pack 'n Play in a corner of the kitchen, and were careful to avoid the usual dangers, such as knife-throwing, and flinging of hot vegetables.

This was a really lovely soup; very thick, creamy, and had wonderful depth. We added leeks to this stew because we had one that needed to be used. I'm not sure that it added anything, but it certainly didn't detract from the stew. We also used dried chickpeas (they're cheaper!), cooking them while we did the food prep and started the vegetables.

In addition, this delicious soup is pretty low-cal at about 230 calories per serving, has lots of protein, and is high in iron, vitamin C, and dietary fiber. What's not to love?

Creamy Eggplant Stew
Adapted from The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions

Ingredients
 2 Tbsp. oil (separated)
1/2 onion, diced
1 leek, chopped and rinsed well (optional)
1 lb eggplant (about two small), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
3 garlic cloves, minced/crushed
6 oz. tomato paste
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (slightly more if desired)
1-2 Tbsp. garam masala (to taste)
2 1/2 cups water (supplement chickpea water if you cooked them yourself)
16 oz canned chickpeas or 1/2 dry chickpeas, fully cooked
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions 

1. Heat dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. oil. Add diced onion, and cook until softened. Add leek and eggplant and the rest of the oil. Toss well to coat vegetables and add salt. Cook, stirring often, to soften the egpplant (about eight minutes).
2. Add garlic, tomato paste, peanut butter, and garam masala. Stir to coat vegetables and cook for one minute until fragrant. Slowly add water (or cooking liquid) and stir to incorporate (veggie mixture will be thick), then add the chickpeas.
3. Bring stew to a simmer, than reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Take off of the heat and let soup rest for a few minutes.
5. Serve with chopped parsley.

Six Servings.
About 230 calories per bowl, 20 grams of protein