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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

How to veganize any recipe

Ever thought you were missing the secret to turning your mother's famous mac and cheese recipe into a veganized success story? I know I've had my fair share of flops. But thanks to expert author team Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman, who have unveiled the mysteries of vegan food substitutions in their new book, we can all learn how to turn old recipes into delicious, veganized masterpieces.


Far more than just another cookbook, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions is crammed with tips, tricks, recipes and charts, presented in an exciting and approachable way. If you're a follower of Celine's blog, you'll know she has a fresh, fun style all her own, so you can bet this won't be a dry, monotonous read.

Not to say recipe experimenting isn't fun, but this book is sure to limit the miserable failures that can result even after hours of chopping, boiling, simmering and stirring. With over 200 recipes to choose from, the book is organized by chapters in which each main ingredient substitute is covered. You'll find step-by-step instructions for replacing everything from dairy, eggs, meat and animal by-products. Simply look up whatever non-vegan ingredient you want to sub out, and Celine and Joni will explain what sub options are available, how to use them, and provide several recipes as examples of their use. You'll also find a chapter of healthy substitutions for replacing things like gluten, soy, refined sugar and fat, so you can fine-tune recipes to suit your needs.

Straying from traditional entrees and baked goods, I was pleased to see there are far more than just the stereotypical recipes to choose from. More reflective of our tendency to adapt recipes with our own dietary needs and palates in mind, I immediately zoomed in on the irresistible-sounding pulp not fiction muffins in the dairy substitutes chapter. Using the book's recipe for basic peanut milk, these muffins are a perfect example of how to use what you have on hand as a binding agent. In this case, the homemade peanut milk is used as a dairy replacement and its leftover pulp for binding.


Next, I dove into the egg substitutes chapter in search of something I've never tried before. I decided the walnut cookies were a must-try because of their novel use of coconut paste to replace eggs. Rumour has it that the authors were cleaning their coffee grinder after working on another project  when they noticed the water turned the ground coconut into a rather interesting paste that could be used as an egg replacer to bind ingredients. Talk about genius!


Just to make sure I had some of the basics covered, I wanted to try my hand at making a meal from the meat substitutes chapter. In particular, the Mexican spiced ground beef sounded like something that would make an excellent filling for a burrito lunch. Though I rarely use TVP or wheat gluten in my day-to-day cooking, I can absolutely promise this will not be the last time, as this was probably one of the best meat substitutes I've tasted. Unnervingly meaty in both flavour and texture, with a perfect blend of Mexican spices, this is one recipe I wouldn't be afraid to serve to a steadfast meat eater. Surprisingly easy to make, this beats out the packaged stuff by a landslide.


Even before I had this book in my hands, I had been thinking about adding more gluten-free options to my repertoire, though it's an area in which I don't experiment enough. Thankfully there was an entire chapter dedicated to it, and the tempeh, corn and arugula salad sounded too tempting to pass up. Great as a side dish or on its own as a simple main, it was exactly what I had been hoping for: light but well-dressed with a simple tamari, red pepper and mirin mixture. The contrast between nutty tempeh, wilted arugula, and fresh corn made every bite engaging. Super simple to make, utilizing very few ingredients, this is now a staple in my daily menu.

Tempted by a more hearty rice dish, I selected the alluring red Thai coconut curry rice from the soy substitutes section. In just a little more time it takes to cook plain rice, came this luscious, richly flavoured and creamy result with a kick of Thai spice. This is the sort of dish you could make for company and elicit “wows” all around the table, whether your diners are vegan or not. As I was writing this review, my husband called from work to tell me the lunch he was eating (this dish) is his new favourite, which means I'll need to stock up on coconut milk and curry paste!


In my view, this food guide and cookbook definitely stands out from the rest. I was impressed that there are recipes for absolutely every substitute mentioned, from homemade yogourt and cheese, made-from-scratch meat substitutes, soy-free creations and healthy sugar-free recipes. Though I’ve only scratched the surface in trying out what The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions has to offer, I know that this won’t be the last of my trials. I'm looking forward to whipping up more unique creations like the savoury chutney muffins, nutty pepperjack, and pear chai rolls, and using this book as my new go-to guide when creating my own recipes. Thanks, Celine and Joni!
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Monday, December 20, 2010

Nanaimo bars

Isn't it crazy to think Christmas is this week? I'm not usually one to jump on the holiday excitement, and I seem to be growing more and more disinterested each year, as the holiday sales pop up and the malls become packed with frenzied consumers looking to spend past their limits on gifts their recipients probably don't need. I have such an aversion to Christmas mall music and sales that I tend to avoid retailers until well past January 1st.

I'd like to think I've reached a higher level of existence where I no longer feel the need to be part of the Christmas marketing scheme, but the truth is I still feel the pressure. I'm not saying I don't love giving gifts to those I love. Instead, I prefer to go the homemade route. This year, however, I chose to purchase gifts from a local not-for-profit group to go along with my homemade packages of chocolate-dipped ginger cookies.


Chocosol is a small but innovative initiative that links cocao farmers in southern Mexico with ecological and socially conscious producers in southern Ontario to make beautiful artisanal chocolate in its purest form—true whole food treats without the fillers. Chocosol is embarking on a friendlier trade route that goes beyond the fair-trade model, defining it as a horizontal trading relationship akin to community-supported agriculture. And, of course, everyone loves chocolate, right? I'm excited to tell my family members the story of how their chocolate gifts came to be.

One aspect of Christmas that keeps me sane is the excuse to bake with my favourite winter spices, break out the traditional recipes (veganized, of course) and try new desserts that are just too decadent for any other day. These Nanaimo bars definitely fall into the latter category. Once I took a bite of one of these babies, I realized that Christmas really isn't all that bad.


The Nanaimo bar, a popular no-bake dessert that originated in Nanaimo, BC, is typically made with butter, eggs and honey graham cracker crumbs. While the butter and eggs are quite easy to substitute, I chose to make my own cinnamon graham cookies to use for crumbs in the bottom layer and it worked out perfectly.

If you've made these bars before, you've probably experienced the difficulty in cutting them into squares without breaking the chocolate topping. I almost cried on  my first attempt, as I carefully punctured the chocolate with a sharp knife only to watch the chocolate continue to crack in misdirected ways through the beautiful bars that I carefully put together. On my second attempt, however, I discovered that placing a sharp serrated knife in a jar of hot water for several minutes helps lessen the impact. Using light, sawing motions with the knife on the horizontal also helps. Enjoy!


Nanaimo bars
Adapted from Sarah Kramer's recipe
Bottom layer:
1/2 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 cup whole cane sugar
5 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 cup almonds
1 tbsp ground flax + 2 tbsp warm water
1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (see recipe below)
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the vegan butter and sugar and cook over low heat until melted. Add the cocoa and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. In a food processor, process the almonds to a fine meal. Add the flax mixture, cookie crumbs and coconut flakes and pulse to combine.
3. Add the chocolate sauce to the dry ingredients in the food processor and process until thoroughly combined.
4. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch square pan. Set aside.

Middle layer:
1/2 cup vegan butter
2 tbsp nondairy milk (I use coconut)
1 tbsp arrowroot
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 cups vegan powdered sugar

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the vegan butter until light and fluffy.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk, arrowroot, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds. Add the mixture to the butter and beat until well combined.
3. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Spread the mixture evenly over top of the bottom layer using an offset spatula and place in the freezer until firm, about one hour.

Top layer:
4 oz. dark chocolate
2 tbsp vegan butter

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat and then stir in the vegan butter. Remove from heat.
2. Remove the pan from the freezer and then sit for about 10 minutes. Then spread the chocolate evenly over the top using an offset spatula. Work quickly or else the chocolate will start to harden. Place the pan in the freezer for at least an hour to set. See above for tips on cutting the squares without breaking the chocolate.

Cinnamon graham cookies
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unbleached AP flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp nondairy milk
1 1/2 tbsp sunflower or canola oil
1 1/2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp pure agave nectar

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk, oil, molasses and agave nectar.
3. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir to combine.
4. In between two pieces of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a cookie pan lined with parchment paper (no need to cut them into squares since you'll be processing them into crumbs after baking). Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
5. Put the cookies in a food processor and process into crumbs. This should make about 1 1/2 cups, enough for the Nanaimo bar bottom layer.

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Maple pecan granola

For many people who are beginning a vegan or raw—or even just healthier—lifestyle, the cravings for comfort foods can be a big challenge. The trick is to turn those unhealthy comfort foods into nutritious, energy-giving and cruelty-free options.

Homemade raw granola is a fantastic staple for a healthy diet. It's dense with protein, fibre, calcium and minerals, and I personally can't get enough of it. There are as many recipes for granola as there are nuts, fruits and seeds, so it's always fun experimenting with a variety of ingredients to find the perfect balance of flavour and crunch without compensating the nourishing value of raw foods. This particular recipe highlights the sweetness of maple syrup, along with warming winter spices and a nutty pecan and almond crunch.

If you’re reading this post, hopefully you’ve invested in a food processor and a good dehydrator. Granola, like recipes for flax seed and veggie crackers, is sticky and moist when you mix the ingredients, so you’ll need to dehydrate it until it becomes dry and crunchy. If you don't own a dehydrator, you can spread the granola on cookie sheets and bake it at your oven's lowest temperature setting until crispy. Enjoy!


Maple pecan granola
1 cup dates, soaked
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups pecans, soaked for 2 hours or more
1 cup almonds, soaked for 2 hours or more
1 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked for 2 hours or more
1 cup raw oat flakes
1/4 cup chopped dried pear or other fruit

1. In a food processor, process the dates, apple, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon and salt until smooth. You may need to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times. It's okay if a few small chunks of dates still remain. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
2. Add the pecans, almonds and pumpkin seeds to the food processor (no need to rinse out the bowl) and coarsly chop with a few quick pulses. You want this mixture to be chunky.
3. Add the nut mixture to the bowl with the date puree and mix to combine. Fold in the oat flakes and dried fruit.
4. Spread the granola on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 6 hours, or until the granola is crunchy. Break the granola into pieces and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Homemade chocolates

A beautiful box of homemade chocolates has become one of my favourite gifts to give during the holidays. You can buy pre-made chocolates from any store, of course, but they're usually made of high-fructose corn syrup, dehydrated milk powder and preservatives, and thus aren't vegan. If you really want to present something special, why not learn how to make them yourself?

Chocolate-making isn't just for professionals. If you can get your hands on chocolate candy molds, it's super easy, and you can have fun coming up with different fillings—there are endless flavour and texture variations. The molds are usually made of plastic or silicon and come in a variety of shapes and themes to suit any occasion. I bought mine at a local bulk food store, but you can also find them online.

The first step to making chocolate candy is learning how to temper chocolate. Tempering refers to a process of heating and cooling the chocolate to specific temperatures so the cocoa butter in the chocolate forms even crystals. Chocolate doesn't always need to be tempered when melted—for instance, tempering is unnecessary when chocolate will be combined with other ingredients for baking. However, if you're going to be dipping centers in chocolate, or making solid chocolate candies, you will want to temper your chocolate to produce a stable, beautiful, appetizing candy. Click here for a primer on tempering. It's really not that difficult once you get the hang of it.


The next step is the fun part: experimenting with different fillings. Don't worry, there is no need for candy thermometers or boiling hot sugar—just simple stir-together ingredients. I recently came up with a healthy gingerbread filling that is perfect for a winter treat. The fiery bite of fresh ginger is combined with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to deliver a classic gingerbread taste sensation within a chewy base of almonds, dates and coconut.

The filling recipe also makes use of a new sweetener I recently picked up. Coconut nectar is a naturally sweet and nutrient-rich sap that comes from the blossoms of a coconut tree. The sap is low glycemic and contains 17 amino acids, minerals, as well as vitamins B and C. The Coconut Secret brand I bought says it's grown without chemicals, pesticides or herbicides. This mild-tasting sweetener combined with dried dates give this filling all the sweetness it needs. No one will believe these decadent little goodies are vegan and full of goodness. Enjoy! 

Gingerbread chocolates
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chopped dates
2 tbsp coconut nectar or agave nectar
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 oz. good quality dark chocolate, for coating
Chocolate candy molds of choice

1. In a food processor, process the almonds and coconut to a coarse meal.
2. Add the flax, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and dates and process until thoroughly combined.
3. Finally, add the coconut nectar, coconut oil, ginger and vanilla and pulse just to combine.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
5.  Melt the chocolate in a double boiler using the tempering instructions here. When ready, cover the inside of the candy molds using a teaspoon or your finger (just thick enough so that you can't see through the inside of the molds). Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
6. Next, fill the chocolate molds with the gingerbread mixture, filling to the top of each mold. Then, using a teaspoon, cover the tops of the molds with more chocolate, making sure to even it out. Tap the mold lightly on your countertop to break any bubbles that may form in the chocolate. Refrigerate for an hour before attempting to remove them from the molds. Chocolate candies can be stored in a tightly covered container in the fridge for several weeks.
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Friday, December 3, 2010

Sticky toffee pudding

Last week, my colleague Matt was raving about a dessert that was served during one of his recent dinner meetings. I had never heard of sticky toffee pudding before—obviously it's some sort of pudding, right? Nope. It's actually a popular British dessert consisting of a sponge cake made with dates, and covered with a rich toffee-like sauce that is served warm.

It turns out Matt was describing it to me in detail for a reason. He knows I'm an avid baker, and he wanted me to replicate it for his next meeting. I never turn down an opportunity to bake, but I also didn't know if it was something that could be successfully veganized. Luckily, Sharon Valencik of the famed Sweet Utopia has already done it for me! I just happen to be browsing through the book—a new addition to my collection—and there it was. I am really enjoying Sweet Utopia and I'm lucky to have found this particular recipe.


It is such an interesting cake that I want to share it with you. Above is a photo of my mini test cake. Imagine a spoonful of this dense cake and warm, buttery sauce touching your lips...delish, yes? The only change I am going to make to this recipe next time is substituting Sucanat and molasses for the powdered sugar, to give the cake a darker colour and deeper taste. Enjoy!

Sticky toffee pudding
Recipe from Sweet Utopia, reprinted with permission
For the date mixture:
2 cups chopped dates
2 cups water

1. Combine the dates and water in a small saucepan and simmer until the dates soften, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.

For the cake:
3 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup vegan butter, at room temperature (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 cup soymilk
1 tsp white vinegar

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
2. In a separate large bowl, combine the sugar and vegan butter and beat with a wooden spoon until fluffy (I use an electric mixer). Beat in the soymilk and vinegar.
3. Stir in the flour mixture and date mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into an oiled 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is light brown and a toothpick inserted in to the centre comes out clean.

For the sticky sauce:
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup vegan butter
1 cup vanilla soy creamer (or plain soy creamer + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

1. Combine the sugar, vegan butter and half of the soy creamer in a medium saucepan and mix well. Bring to
a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Whisk in the remaining soy creamer. If you are using plain creamer, stir in the vanilla extract.

To serve:
Poke holes in the top of the cake using a fork and pour half of the sauce over the top, allowing it to soak into the cake. Cut the cake into 3-inch squares. Keep the remaining sauce hot and spoon it over the warm cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired. Store leftover sauce and cake tightly covered in the refrigerator.
 

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