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Monday, June 20, 2011

Hannah's unique treats

If you're connected to the vegan food scene, you'll know of the lovely Hannah Kaminsky. She published her first vegan cookbook during her teen years and has since created numerous e-books, developed a successful food blog and is sought after for her stunning food photography and food styling skills.


Hannah's second book is a mature hardcover called Vegan Desserts, and those looking for something new to wow a crowd are sure to appreciate the more unique bent to its collection. Hannah is well-known for her clever flavour combinations, and this book proves her endless creativity with recipes like carrot cake ice cream, blueberry-beet pates de fruit, watermelon bombe, grapefruit gems, and even a treat for your pet in the form of canine cookies. The book is also seasonally organized and includes a thorough index specifically for allergies.


While my favourite whole-grain and nut flours get little attention in this book, she does make use of a few gluten-free and white flour combinations while still holding true to traditional textures and tastes. Vegan alternatives like nondairy sour cream and cream cheese, silken tofu, soy yogurt, and Earth Balance buttery sticks are also common ingredients in the recipes. 

Admittedly, I didn't approach this book entirely in the correct order. Diving straight into the more dense and comforting desserts of the autumn section, the ingredients of the rum raisin brownies sounded uniquely appealing. Rum, cocoa, coffee powder and garbanzo bean flour result in dark, fudge-like squares with a scattering of chewy raisins and chocolate chips throughout.

In the summer section, Hannah describes her cherry-berry peanut butter cobbler as a sophisticated approach to the classic PB & J combo. Fresh cherries and blueberries form the base for a peanut-butter-enriched cobbler dough to rest on. Quite possibly an execution error on my part, the cobbler dough didn't rise much, but the flavour pairing easily won me over at first bite.


A spring favourite, the coco-nut macaroons are a twist on the traditional. Naturally gluten-free, the basic dough combines crunchy peanut butter and shredded coconut to form dense and chewy delights with chocolate dipped bottoms. They are the perfect sort of thing to liven up a cookie platter. At first read, the recipe seemed confusing until I checked her errata page for the correct instructions, so make sure you check there, too.

The highlight of Hannah's book, in my opinion, is the last chapter, called Components and Accompaniments. It is every vegan baker's answer to those hard-to-find ingredients—make them yourself! The chapter includes recipes like shortcut marzipan, dulce do coco, caramel syrup, nonpareils and graham cracker crumbs. Very softly set, the whipped cream recipe was a disappointment when it didn't turn out nearly as thick as the one shown in the accompanying photo. The resulting cool, creamy topping complements a bowl of fresh strawberries but not much else. With a bit of tweaking, I can definitely taste the makings of a winner here.

As if all this doesn't whet your appetite enough, let's not forget how Hannah has been teasing us with photos and promises that her most sought-after recipe would be included in this book—meringue. I've never been able to recreate the texture that is imparted from whipped egg white and sugar, and I was curious to see how she did it. I was hoping Hannah's recipe would come in the form of lemon meringue pie, but alas, she makes it into meringue kisses!

Overall, Vegan Desserts is an inspiring book for any dessert lover. Its stunning photos and author expertise are things you won't find anywhere else. Considering the overwhelming list of recipes included, I would hardly consider my review to be exhaustive, and so I strongly urge all vegan bakers out there to treat yourself to this book. Happy baking!
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Superfruit sweetness

After last month's setback, I was determined to put a little more thought into my next SOS Kitchen Challenge creation. Work deadlines and household chores can wait. This girl's got more important priorities.

When Kim and Ricki announced June's feature ingredient as one of my favourite superfoods, blueberries, I got super excited to incorporate it into a healthy yet decadent treat. Although I'd like to think every brightly coloured fruit and vegetable fits the category of a superfood—as do nuts, beans, seeds and aromatic herbs and spices—there are some that contain proven beneficial properties and are just fun to eat.

Enter my raw mulberry-coconut cupcakes with blueberry frosting. Yes, that's right: blueberries and mulberries.


I recently experienced my first bite of a sun-dried mulberry when creating cake pops with Lisa back in April, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. Chewy and soft with a fig-like crunch, sun-dried mulberries are nature's version of candy. A delightful alternative to raisins, it's difficult to not eat them straight from the bag.

Better still, mulberries are also considered a superfood. They're one of the few fruits to be considered a protein source; they're an excellent source of iron, calcium, vitamin C and fibre; and they also contain a high concentration of Resveratrol, an antioxidant compound that combats free radical damage.

So why not combine these two superfruits into one sweet, super-power cupcake? Coconut is the dominant flavour in these tiny treats but the mulberries provide a fruity sweetness like no other. The quick and easy blueberry frosting rivals any sugar-loaded frosting I've made before. Enjoy!

Raw, mini mulberry-coconut cupcakes
1 cup coconut flour (grind coconut flakes to a fine powder)
1 cup almond flour (grind raw almonds or dehydrated almond pulp to a fine powder)
1/2 cup ground, dried mulberries (grind dried mulberries using a spice grinder or blender)
1/3 cup date paste (blend 1 cup soaked dates with 1/4 cup water until smooth)
2 tbsp almond milk
pinch of salt
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp flax meal

1. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the coconut flour, almond flour and ground mulberries.
2. Add the date paste, almond milk and salt and mix until combined.
3. Finally, add the coconut oil and flax meal and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. It should look like thick cake batter.
4. Line a mini muffin tray with mini muffin or candy cups. Scoop a 1/2 tablespoon of the cupcake mixture and mold it into a ball or cupcake shape and gently press it into the muffin cup. Repeat with remaining mixture. Place the tray in the fridge or freezer while you make the frosting (recipe below).

Blueberry frosting
3/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup raw cashew butter
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1. Using a high-speed blender, blend the blueberries, cashew butter and agave nectar until well combined and smooth. Add the coconut oil and blend just to combine.
2. Scoop the mixture into a piping bag and attach a small tip. Decorate each cupcake and return the cupcakes to the fridge until ready to serve.


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Thursday, June 9, 2011

My summer happiness list

[Source]
My summer lifestyle has finally commenced. This year, I'm taking the time to do things I love and relax a little more. Looking ahead and making summer plans, I put together a list of the 10 things that are a must-do to make my summer a happy one.

1. Turn off the oven: It goes without saying that I adore baking, but when the summer heat is upon us I try to stick to raw dessert-making to satisfy my creative desires. This month, I look forward to making raw ice cream sandwiches.

2. Hit the road: With backpacks full of water bottles, homemade granola, strawberries and apples, I'm ready to dust off my bike and venture onto the many bike paths around the city and beyond—with frequent pit stops at yard sales and farmers markets, of course!

3. Relax at the cottage: My long weekends will involve a roadtrip to a faraway place where we leave our worries behind and listen to birds chirping and water lapping against the shore. It is an oasis for relaxation and family fun.

4. Eat gelato: And lots of it. One of my favourite ice-cream shops is located in the Beaches, and I have yet to visit since moving to a nearby neighbourhood. For the sake of supporting local businesses, I've vowed to visit regularly for cones of refreshing, homemade mango gelato.

5. Run: With summer's longer days, I can hit the sidewalk in my Nikes a little more freely at dusk and avoid the mid-day sun beating down on my back. My hubby and I love running along the nearby walking paths and exploring unknown territory. And it sure beats the treadmill at the gym!

6. Garden: My newly enclosed vegetable garden of cherry tomatoes, brocolli, eggplant, spinach, kale, lettuce, zucchini (and more!) is freshly planted and I’m excited to care for it and watch it grow.

7. Visit farmers markets: My true summer treat. There are over 30 markets in Toronto! I have yet to visit all of them, but I'm working on it.

8. Read: With work deadlines, meal planning and house cleaning on my weekly to-do list, reading for pleasure is not given enough priority. But with brighter days and longer evenings to relax outside (particularly at #3), I plan to get through a few of the neglected books near my bedside.

9. Plan day trips: Lazy afternoon patio lunches and dinners with friends and my hubby are a highlight of my summer. I hope to plan more of these in the coming months, including a picnic on the island and movie nights at Harbourfront.

10. Enjoy the local bounty: I'm grateful to live in a region that grows a large variety of local fruits and vegetables. I stick to my tried and true favourites too often. This summer, I hope to include more variety in my daily routine and recipe creations.

What are you doing this summer to make you happy?
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Friday, June 3, 2011

Raw recipe challenge revealed!

Lisa and I had so much fun with the Raw Cake Pop Challenge we hosted in April, we'd like to invite you to take part in a new challenge for June. This time, we're asking you to redesign the standard ice cream sandwich with a raw twist to help make our summer frozen treats more fun.


We're sure you've all tried a vegan ice cream sandwichthey're pretty widely available in health food stores and most mainstream grocery stores these days. But, since we've never seen a raw ice cream sandwich for sale, we're turning to you for some creative inspiration. For all your hard work, creating sensational summer sweets, we have some pretty spectacular prizes to offer.

We're not new to trying to reinvent this dessert classic. I've experimented in the past with blending avocados to make these frozen treats, and Lisa has churned out some "almost raw" ice cream made with beans and these little lovelies based on a spicy, chai pumpkin blend.


But we think you can come up with something even more outstanding. The options are only bound by the limits of your imagination. All we ask is that you use raw vegan ingredients.

As many of you know, there is no official definition of "raw food." In this case, we mean ingredients that have not been heated beyond 118 degrees. Nothing that comes in a can, no soy, no store-bought coconut milks, almond milk, oat milk or rice milk sold in tetra packs will be allowed. Instead, look for raw nuts, fresh or dried coconut, seeds and dried fruits that can be turned into milks or flours. You can use coconut sugar, stevia, raw agave, lucuma, dates, raisins or maple syrup (an allowable exception to the raw rule) to sweeten your frozen treats. Feel free to play with dried spices and have fun inventing new combinations.

How to enter:

1. Create your own version of an ice cream sandwich, using only raw vegan ingredients. Your ice cream sandwich should include an "ice cream" filling as well as a top and bottom layer to form a sandwich. The flavours are totally up to you so feel free to be creative! It's not necessary to own or use an ice cream maker to enter this challenge, and you're welcome to submit more than one recipe.

2. Blog about your ice cream sandwich creation, including the full recipe and photos, and then come back and let me know via the comment section below. Remember to leave a link back to your post, which Lisa and I will check out and judge. We will also grab one of your photos to include in the entries roundup post at the end of the challenge.

3. To be entered in the challenge you need to post your entry by Friday, July 1, 2011 at midnight. Lisa and I will look through all the entries and narrow them down, using the criteria below, to three finalists. We will recreate the three finalist recipes, host a tasting party with friends and select a winner.

Judging criteria:
  • Enticing flavour profile
  • Creativity of your ice cream sandwich and ingredients
  • Texture of your ice cream and sandwich layers
  • Overall presentation 

Prizes (updated):
    • Everyone who enters will receive a special discount coupon code to use at Navitas Naturals! 
    • The three finalists will be in a feature post on my blog and Lisa's (we will recreate the recipes and photograph them).
    • First Place winner will receive a Cacao Kapow Kit, which includes: a make-your-own chocolate superfoods kits, a 4-oz. bag of sweet cacao nibs, a cacao lip balm, and an 8-oz. bag of raw, organic cacao powder from Navitas Naturals.
    • Second Place winner will receive a copy of Sweetly Raw's brand new ice cream e-book that will be released this month.
    • Third Place winner will receive a special goodie bag of raw treats prepared by Lisa and me. Marlie, the winner of our last challenge, certainly enjoyed hers!

    We can't wait to see what you create. Have fun and good luck!
       

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