livetolove

Spicy Chipotle Corn Bisque

2011-07-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

This a simple yet highly flavorful soup.

The chipotle peppers make it smoky

and spicy. The turmeric, cumin and

capsaicin from the peppers

complement each other nicely and

promote healthy circulation and

digestion.

Ingredients

2 Tbl Olive Oil

1 Purple onion, diced

3 Cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Salt

2 Chipotle peppers, from a can, rinsed and chopped

3 C Frozen Corn

4 Small potatoes, peeled and chopped

Water

Sliced scallions and cilantro for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium/high heat. Add the onion, cumin and turmeric and saute for a few minutes. Add the garlic and peppers, stir and add the corn, potatoes and salt. Saute for about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently and then add enough water just to cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until ingredients are soft. Once the ingredients are cooked thoroughly, puree in a blender until you reach the desired consistency. Top with scallions and cilantro.

Variations

For a less spicy soup, omit the peppers, increase the amount of cumin and add some mild chili powder

For more of an herbal essence, omit the peppers and cumin. While everything is sauteing, stir in some sage and thyme. Top with freshly ground pepper.

In the Green

2011-07-17T15:02:00.001-07:00

Crème de Menthe * Chocolate Liqueur * Rum * Almond Milk

Shake over ice

Grilled portabellas, marinated in a creamy chipotle sauce, served on quinoa buns

2011-06-10T12:41:00.000-07:00

When cooking with friends, I often enjoy sharing a bottle of wine or craft brew during the preparation process. Unfortunately it sometimes renders me forgetful and I find myself the next day wishing I had remembered to take photos to share with blog readers. Today is one of those days. I am certain though, that I will be making this delicious meal several times this summer. Let grilling season begin!

Quinoa Buns (these can be made in advance)

Ingredients

2 C cooked quinoa

1 C cooked oatmeal

2 tsp yeast

¾ C warm water

1/3 C maple syrup

2 Tbl vegetable oil

3 Tbl soy milk powder

2 to 3 C unbleached all purpose flour

¼ C vital wheat gluten (optional)

1 C whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

Combine yeast and water with a little bit of the maple syrup. Let it stand for about 10 minutes, until bubbly. Add rest of maple syrup, soy milk powder, oil and salt and stir until combined. Mix in about a cup of the white flour. Add the vital wheat gluten, whole wheat flour, oats and quinoa. Add more white flour as necessary and begin kneading. Knead for about 8 minutes, until elastic. Oil a large bowl, form dough into a ball and place in bowl, turning to coat all surfaces with oil. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours. Once the dough has doubled, press down to remove air bubbles and divide into about 15 balls.

Forming the buns (use extra flour as necessary)

Roll each ball out long and thin (like a rope), about a foot long. Tie a simple loose knot and tuck ends through the reverse side.* Place the rolls on an oiled cookie sheet and again let them rise in a warm place until doubled. (To try to keep them from drying out, I place two plastic bags over the cookie sheets. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the buns for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheet.

Adapted from http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/healthyeating/r/quinoabread.htm

*This site has a step by step of something similar, though they roll the dough out and cut into strips rather than rolling it out into ropes like I did: http://www.eclecticepicurean.com/Isabella%20Cooks/July21-slumber%20party/BBQ%20Buns/BBQ%20Buns.htm (scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the final steps)

Chipotle Portabellas

1 small or medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic crushed

1/3 C vegetable or olive oil

2 Tbl balsamic vinegar

4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

4 portabella mushrooms, rinsed and stems removed.

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor (except portabellas) until smooth. Coat both sides of each portabella in the marinade and let sit for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat the grill (medium to high). Grill the portabellas until tender, about 15 minutes, turning every five minutes.

Place on buns. I recommend topping with grilled onion, ketchup, mustard, lettuce tomato and avocado. Enjoy!

Oat Bread: Leftover multi-grain cereal

2011-01-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

This is another great way to use up leftover hot cereals (multi-grain, cream of wheat, oatmeal etc.). Not only is this bread healthy and high in fiber due to to the oats, but its fluffy, yet somewhat chewy and has a nice color. To say the least is has an amazing texture and is delicious... and I feel like preparing more oatmeal just so I can make more!

Ingredients

2 to 2.5 C cooked multi-grain cereal (or oatmeal)

1 to 1.25 C water

2 Tbl molasses

2 tsp salt

1 Tbl yeast

About 5 c flour

1/4 c vital wheat gluten

In large bowl combine oats, water, molasses, salt, yeast and 1 C of flour. Lest rest until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Stir in vital wheat gluten and flour as necessary so that it becomes doughy but not too sticky. Knead about 10 minutes adding flour as necessary. Form into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap (I like to use the shower caps they give you at hotels) and let rise in warm place until doubled, about one to two hours. Once doubled, press down and divide in half. Place formed loaves in loaf pans that have been greased and floured. Score the bread widthwise. I think a razor blade works well for this Cover and let rise until well above the pan rim. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake about 30 minutes or until the center is about 200 degrees F.

**It is a good idea to let the crust set for a while before cutting, as difficult as this may be. Enjoy!

Healthy Almond Banana Muffins made with Leftover Oatmeal

2011-01-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

We had a huge 'vat' of leftover multi-grain cereal, sititng in the fridge, longing to be used for something...so I made muffins.

Ingredients

For muffins

1 Tbl ground flax, wisped with 3 Tbl water (I also added about 1 tsp of ener-G egg replacer for a little extra lift) but if you don't have this on hand it shouldn't be a problem

1 cup cooked cereal (oatmeal, cream of wheat, multigrain etc.)

1/2 milk (start with 1/2, may need to increase depending on the aqueous nature of your cereal)

1 very ripe banana, mashed

1/2 tsp almond extract

1.5 c flour (I used unbleached white)

1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbl sugar or other sweetener

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 c sliced almonds

For topping
1 Tbl flour, 1/4 c brown sugar, dash of salt, 1-2 Tbl water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine wet ingredients (first five listed) in medium sized bowl and dry ingredients (the four following) in a small bowl. Add dry to wet, combine well and stir in almonds. Grease or oil the muffin pan (I used paper cups in the picture but the muffins stick to the paper so I think analternative method would work better). Fill each muffin slot 2/3 full. Combine the topping ingredients (until crumbly) and sprinkle evenly on muffin tops. Bake for 30 minutes.

These muffins are very versatile I used almond extract, almonds, and a banana but I'm sure it would work fine if you wanted to use another fruit, essence or nut or omit them entirely.

If you're feeling adventurous, might I suggest apple pecan with vanilla bean.

"Chips and Cheese" with Daiya

2011-01-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

A sampling from my Daiya adventures. This was the first time I got to taste Daiya vegan cheese and I have to say I am quite impressed. There are so many vegan cheeses available now but I don't really desire cheese too frequently. However I was craving grilled cheese, which turned out amazingly with Daiya and was eaten too quickly to take a picture. Here's to the makers Daiya and my 100th blog post!

Back Bean Soup with Roasted Red Peppers

2010-12-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe that I created months ago. Its really delicious and though roasting the red peppers takes time, they make a nice contribution (and preparation otherwise is pretty low maintenance). No photos at the moment though they really wouldn't do justice anyway.

Ingredients
1.5 c veg stock
4.5 c water
1.5 c onion, diced
1/4 c celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 c carrots, diced

3-4 cups black beans
1 red pepper, roasted and chopped (see below)
1/2 tsp ground cumin, toasted (see below)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1.5 tbl tamari (soy sauce)
1/2 tsp oregano
black pepper

To roast red pepper:
Pre-heat oven to 500, remove stem and seeds and cutoven to 500 degrees F, remove seeds, stem and cut into two or four pieces and press down on baking sheet, skin side up(covering the baking sheet with aluminum foil first eases clean up)
Bake until skins blacken, about 10 minutes, let cool and remove skins

To toast cumin:
Heat skillet over medium heat, add cumin and roast until fragrant, about 8 minutes, frequently toss cumin around in skillet

Now, onto the soup
Heat oil in pot and add celery, onion and garlic and carrot: saute about 7 minutes
Add broth, water: simmer about 15 minutes until carrots are soft.
Add remaining ingredients and cook until thickened, about 15 more minutes.

Top with tortilla chips, cilantro, avocado and vegan sourcream: (1/3 c veganaise, 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbl minced onion and 1/2 tsp dill), amounts for sourcream ingredients are approximate, feel free to experiment

Hey remember when...

2010-10-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

I used to blog.... Sometimes a break can be a good thing, allowing one to collect their thoughts selves, etc. and realize passions that, once dwindling, have a new flame.

It is fall in Portland, and all I really want to do is take and post pictures of the colorful leaves and morning sky . However, my starter (begun Sept. 2010) has been longing for attention. Several forgotten feedings left it smelling incredibly sour, convincing me to use it for its true purpose: to make sourdough bread.

This is the first time I've tried to make sourdough and I do have to say, it went pretty well. I'd even go so far as to say that it rekindled my bread-baking spirit. However, the journey to the perfect is certainly going to take multiple trials.

Sourdough Bread Recipe

About 4 c flour
1.5 TBL sweetener (I used some agave and some crystallized white sugar)
1.5 tsp salt
2.25 tsp yeast
1 cup milk (I used almond)
2 TBL margarine
1.5 c sourdough starter

Measure yeast into large bowl
Heat milk on stove, slightly warmer than lukewarm (so it will activate but not kill the yeast)
Pour about half the milk over the yeast and stir in about half of the sweetener
Place the remaining margarine in the saucepan with the milk and allow to melt slightly

After yeast had time to get active (5-10 minutes with milk), add starter
Then stir in milk-margarine mixture, salt and remaining sweetener
Add in flour until dough is easy to handle but still slightly moist (you may need slightly more or slightly less)

Knead dough for 8-10 minutes
Place in an oiled boil and let rise, covered, for 1 hour until double in size
Once doubled push down and let rest 15 minutes
Shape dough into two desirable loaves and place on greased baking pan
Score deeply (I like to use a razor blade) and let rise covered until double in size (about 1 hour)
Meanwhile arrange oven racks so that they are set on the two lowest placement options and place a shallow metal pan on the bottom rack, pre-heat oven to 425 degrees farenheit

Once doubled, brush loaves before
To guarantee a crispy crust, pour about a cup of water into the metal pan, already in the oven
Then place bread on the other rack
Bake for 20-25 minutes and let cool on wire rack

Place oven racks on

I'll be experimenting the next few times to determine the best egg-like wash for topping the dough before it goes into the over. This time I brushed the loaves with almond milk and I think it left the loaves a little darker than I'd like. I think I want to try the remaining water after cooking garbanzo beans.

Apple Pie

2009-12-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Without questions, this was the centerpiece of our thanksgiving meal, at least for me, a true lover of apple pie. The crust was the classic shortening-ice water- flour trio and the filling, a simple combination of apples, sugar, cinnamon and flour. In tribute to all those turkeys, who spent their lives, overdosed on growth hormones and cramped in quarters so small, they cant even turn around...all so Americans can celebrate the turkey-consumption tradition on Thanksgiving.

Other items on the menu included:

Seitan roulade, similiar to last year, stuffed with sautéed 'shrooms

Mushroom Gravy

Stuffing

Carmelized onion mashed potatoes

Pumpkin Bread

A plethora of salads from various grains and greens

Bombes Away

2009-08-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

This was my first experience with a bombe cake. I have a vague recollection of making a baked Alaska when I was younger but never realized the simplicity behind such an intricate looking dessert.

Making the bombe:
Although this work of art is quite simple, it does take some time to create,
Start by making the brownies as they'll need to cool before you lining the bowl
I used the following recipe and was quite satisfied.
Vegan Brownies (from All Recipes)
---
2 cups white flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 cut vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Come dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients
Pour into 8x11 in pan (greased) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

In addition to the brownies, you'll need about 8 cups (depending on the size of your bowl) of your favorite vegan ice cream. Two kinds with contrasting colors will look the coolest. I recommend anything from Turtle Mountain; Purely Decadent.

Once the brownies have cooled, line a small metal bowl with plastic. Cut a brownie square big enough to cover the bottom of the bowl and then transfer the square to the bowl, taking care not to break the brownie square. Press the brownie lightly against the bowl. Use about 1/2 of the brownies to cover the rest of the interior of the bowl and then put the bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes or until the brownie wall is slightly frozen.
Using about half the ice cream, cover the brownie walls, making sure not to go over the edges. Return the bowl to the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Then using the remaining brownies, line the ice cream wall with brownie. The take the other ice cream and use it to fill the center.
Cover the bowl with a plate and return to the freezer for a few hours, until frozen solid.
When ready, invert the bowl on a cutting board and gently tug at the plastic to remove the bombe from the bowl.
Enjoy!

Equatorian Cuisine at Chino Latino

2009-08-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

Epicurean hot spot Chino Latino in Uptown Minneapolis offers a number of vegan options. Our waiter was both knowledgeable and helpful, happy to point out the vegan options.

Chino Latino's dishes are both creative and generous in size and worth the price.

Blue Hawaiian * Chips & Guacamole * Leafy Greens with Plum Vinaigrette and Fried Wantons Maki Rolls of Shitake, Carrot and Cucumber, dressed with Avocado and Soy Glaze

Tour de Crêpes

2009-07-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

This cute crêpe shop on Alberta has been serving vegan crêêpes for quite a while now. Their menu has a number of vegan options, both sweet and savory. I reccomend stopping by on a sunny afternoon so you can people watch and enjoy the atmosphere. Afternoons on Last Thursday are great because you can watch as artists begin to set up for the evening festivities.

Savory: Spinach with roasted garlic and sundried tomato pesto

Sweet: Strawberries with crème fraîîche

Styx à la Française

2009-05-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a great way to use up old buns or bagels and is relatively easy and quick. Adapted from vegweb.com:

Batter: (makes enough for about six slices of bread)

1/2 c soymilk

1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbl peanut oil

1 tbl flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbl cornstarch

cinnamon- a dash or more

3 tsp sugar

Heat griddle to about 350 degrees F

Combine all ingredients and whisk thoroughly

Slice bread and dip/ soak in batter

Cook on griddle 2-4 minutes on each side

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and dip in maple syrup

Puerto Rican Goodness in Seattle

2009-03-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

La Isla Seattle made a good first impression of Puerto Rican food. Their menu had a number of interesting vegan options. I was unsure about what was vegan and asked the waitress who was happy to guide me through the vegan options.

I decided the Ensalada de Jason and the Sopas de Lentejas. The salad was served with healthy looking greens and mango with garlic vinaigrette, which was probably the best vinaigrette I've ever tasted. My soup complemented the salad nicely, a medley of red lentil in a thick broth with vegetables, served on a bed of rice.

Chili, Cornbread and Roasted Veggies

2009-03-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

I've made this chili and cornbread a number of times now and have been meaning to share it with blog readers for quite some time. It is usually devoured before I have a chance to take pictures.

The Chili:

Olive Oil

1 medium onion (chopped finely)

3 large carrots (peeled and chopped)

Spice measurements are approximate- throw in what feels right and taste the chili throughout:

2tsp cumin

1 tblc chili powder

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper- to taste

cayenne- a few dashes...or more

1/4 lb mushrooms, I prefer button (stemmed and quartered)

4 c. squash (steamed-until partially cooked, peeled and cubed)

Zucchini (finely chopped)

Tempeh (about 14 oz.)

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or equivalent raw)

Beans about 2 cups cooked or 1 can (I like to use black or kidney)

Brown Sugar

To prep the tempeh:

In a saute pan, bring about an inch of water to a boil. Slice the tempeh so it keeps its length but its thickness is reduced by 1/2. Saute slices on each side for 10 minutes. Let cool, cube and set aside.

Chili:

Heat oil over medium heat.

Add onions and saute until translucent.

Add spices and saute for about 1 minute more.

Add carrots and saute for about 5 minutes.

Add tempeh, zucchini, squash and mushrooms and saute about 5 minutes more before adding all other ingredients.

Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.

Sometimes I like to add a little brown rice that has already been cooked a few minutes before serving.

The chili is really good topped with slices of avocado and chopped cilantro.

Cornbread:

1 c. cornmeal

1 c. flour (white, wheat or a mixture of both)

1/3 c sugar (more or less, depending on preferred sweetness)

1 tbl baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbl ground flax (or enerG egg replacer)

3 tbl water

1 c. nondairy milk (or water)

1/3 c. apple sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a medium baking pan, about 9 by 9 inches.

In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl combine flax and water. Then stir in other wet ingredients. Combine thoroughly with dry ingredients and poor into oiled pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

(The applesauce in this recipe allows for the omission of oil) The result is fluffy and most. I like using the flax because it gives the cornbread a hint of nuttiness.

Java Bean

2009-03-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

If you are in Seattle, you should go to Java Bean right now. Really. A quirky, overpriced coffee shop with really good espresso and thick soy foam. And mole lattes:

Ballard: 5819 24th Avenue NW

Seattle, Wa

Ps-The employees have some pretty spectacular dreads.

Nothing but love from the Blossoming Lotus

2009-03-24T17:50:00.000-07:00

I had dinner at the Blossoming Lotus recently to celebrate the birthday of a loved one. The food pics I took were limited as I've already written about the vast majority of what we ordered. Yes, exploring new vegan dishes is always exciting but you have to honor your favorites at least once in a while.

We brought our own cake but ordered soft serve to complement it.

White cake and coconut frosting adapted from Pillsbury Cook Book

Vanilla softserve with cone pieces*

*They were all out of cones. I think I prefer it this way.

Let them eat cake

2009-03-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

MMM. I do not think the description 'cake' or even 'ice cream cake' does justice to this concoction. Rather its like a flow of molten chocolate cooled by delicate mint ice cream on a bed of chocolate cookies. I guess maybe you can get a sense of all that through 'ice cream pie'. Needless to say, it was delicious, really unhealthy and hard to stop eating.

To make this ↑:

Ingredients (use vegan versions)

About 16 Oreos

1/4 cup margarine, melted

3-5 cups mint ice cream (I like Turtle Mountain Foods So Delicious Mint Marble Fudge)

Chocolate Fudge

Remove ice cream from freezer before starting

Smash oreos until finely crushed: putting them in a bag and using a rolling pin works well

Combine smashed oreos with margarine and mix thoroughly

Put margarine and oreo mixture into 9 inch pie plate and press against bottom and sides to make a crust

Cover the crust with ice cream until it meets the top edges of the pie plate (the ice cream can be compacted)

You can either pour on fudge now or heat it and do it right before serving

Store pie in freezer until ready to serve

Mucho Margarita Cupcakes

2009-02-14T16:18:00.000-08:00

*modified from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

1/4 cup lime juice
1 cup soymilk
1/4 cup canola oil
2.5 tablespoons tequila
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups white flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately

Add wet to dry and mix thoroughly

Fill each cupcake paper 2/3 full

Bake for about 20 minutes

Frosting

I used store bought frosting for these (I know, shame, shame, shame) but I don't exactly have the equipment here to whip up a fluffy batch of frosting. None the less, I made the frosting my own, adding a little lime juice and about 1 tbl tequila to 1 cup of frosting

Frost cupcakes when cooled and roll in sugar

Baking with tequila and lime is a lot of fun. It adds new kick to baked goods that I had not previously experienced. This is a great recipe to make if you're looking for something unique and festive.

This recipes produces cupcakes that are fluffly and delicate with a hint of tequila and lime.

Acapulco is my (other) happy place

2009-02-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

Linda Vista, Acapulco

2009-02-13T14:20:00.000-08:00

Mexican Coffee fired with Cinnamon and Brandy

Vita #3

2009-02-13T13:56:00.001-08:00

Vegan Soup du jour: Creamy Garlic Tomato with Vita's Homemade Herb and Onion Bread (without which a trip to Vita would not be complete)

When people ask me about my favorite vegan-friendly restaurant in Portland, it's difficult to choose just one. Portland has so much to offer and where you choose to eat on any given night really comes down to what you're in the mood to eat. If I had to choose just one restaurant though, I think I'd go with Vita Cafe. Their Alberta Street location and huge cakes surely have an influence on my decision but I also love the atmosphere of the restaurant and diversity of food options, which have influences from all over the world. When you go to Vita, it doesn't really matter what you're in the mood for because they have pretty much everything. And of course, if you can't decide you can just eat a freakin huge piece of their amazing cake (of which I should eat more often so I can enlighten any blog readers who have not yet had the opportunity to endulge in a piece of Vita's cake).

Papa G's Organic Vegan Deli on Division

2009-02-13T13:31:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember, Papa G's has had a stand at the annual VegFest in Portland offering free tofu samples from their original recipes. I usually return to the stand for seconds and thirds and so on. I finally made it to their restaurant for the first time about two weeks ago. They moved from Hawthorne and now have a quaint spot on Division.

Everything they serve is vegan (with a multitude of gluten free options) and they pride themselves as the most organic restaurant in Portland. The dining experience is casual with good to-go options. They have a soup and salad bar and orderable entrees at the counter. It's a good option if you're looking to get something quick without sacrificing health and heartiness.

Garlic mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy

and rosemary roasted vegetables

Chili

Salad bar and sides

Dahl Soup

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2009-01-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

Did you know poppy seeds symbolize death and sleepiness or that the world's great lemon distributor of lemons is India.

Poppies and lemons are somewhat of an odd conglomeration but whoever came up with their joining was absolute genius.

We had a lot of friends from various walks of life join us over the holiday. These lemon poppy seed muffins from The Joy of Vegan Baking were greatly appreciated by friends and family as awoke from their slumbers and wandered into the kitchen. They paired nicely with a large cup of Stumptown coffee and agave.

Welcoming the new year with Enchiladas

2009-01-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

These Enchiladas were stuffed with sauteed portabella mushrooms and garlic. You can use store bought tortillas or make your own. The original recipe can be found here. The olives were omitted and the enchiladas were topped with FYH cheddar before going into the oven.

Portland is my Happy Place

2009-01-05T00:20:00.001-08:00

Gingerbread Carrot Cake

2009-01-04T23:26:00.001-08:00

I don't recall making a bundt cake before and I will not forget this bundt cake experience as it was somewhat disastrous along the way. I have long journey ahead of me in bundt cake making before flirting with the perfection of bundt cake baking.

The cake was indeed quite tasty, and not disastrous in this sense. (Mom said it was the best cake she' ever eaten, though she has probably made the same statement about a number of other cakes I have baked)

When I took the cake out of the oven, I did not know whether to let it sit or invert it and let it fall out onto a rack.

Well I inverted it, bad decision, and the whole inside of the cake fell out while the top layer remained in the pan.

Needless to say, the cake was smaller than expected and missing its cover and bundt shaping. Either I need to prep the pan better, or be more patient with inversion. I shall explore this further in future bundt attempts.

The cover, still in the pan, became somewhat of a finger food appetizer. The insides, still intact and circular were given a new cover: peppermint pieces over sprinkled over buttercream frosting (earthbalance, powdered sugar, soymilk and vanilla)

Dad's Birthday Dinner

2008-12-24T01:22:00.000-08:00

On the menu:

White Bean Soup with herbed potato foccacia

Cinnamon coffee cake with homeade vanilla icecream

Vegan Pizza, Increased creativity

2008-12-24T01:12:00.001-08:00

I've been inspired by the vegan slices of pizza I've been eating lately at the pizzerias local to Portland. At $2.75 a slice, I'm ready to make my own.

The sauce was simple but truly made the pizza, a gernerous combination of sauteed garlic, tomato sauce and herbs. The dough was topped with sauce, nutritional yeast, more herbs, pepper, spinach, steamed squash slices, mushrooms and peppers.

Pumpkin Scones

2008-12-24T01:06:00.001-08:00

These are amazing, I made them three times in one week (the only can of pumpkin we had was huge and I didn't want it to go to waste). My family gobbled up each batch within 12 hours of baking.

The original recipe can be found here. Tthey can easily be made more healthy by using half whole wheat flour and replacing some of the oil with more pumpkin.

Tempeh Sushi

2008-12-24T00:58:00.000-08:00

This sushi has the vegetarian basics with a little extra soy protein. Tempeh is a nice touch to sushi. The preparation method of the tempeh was quite simple. I steamed it a little water and soy sauce for about 10 minutes and then sliced it into strips before baking it on a metal rack in a 400 degree oven until crispy. You could infuse the tempeh and make it much more flavorful. My use of tempeh in the sushi was somewhat spontaneous.

Other stuffings include steamed carrots, avocado, cucumber and brown rice.

COOKIES

2008-12-18T22:15:00.000-08:00

I have been home from college for less than two days now and my seemingly endless energy for cooking and baking has yet to seize. I find baking for loved ones so rejuvenating. In the last 40 hours or so, I've cooked/ baked 3 kinds of cookies, fudge, sushi, garlice stir fry, lentil soup and vegan mac 'n cheese. (I don't think I will be missing the dining hall or cramped kitchens any time soon.)
*Pictures feature sugar cookies, chocolate chip adapted from Pillsbury Family Cookbook, Mint Chippers adapted from Sunset Magazine

Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-12-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the authors of What the Hell does a Vegan eat anyway?, I decided to make seitan roulade as the main dish for thanksgiving dinner.
I used the seitan recipe from the PPK and filled it with a mushroom mousse and sauteed kale and shitakes. After baking it was slathered with gravy.

It turned out fine in the end and everyone thought it was amazing but making it was quite an adventure.
In my ideal world, advice hotlines for cooking turkeys on Thanksgiving would be unheard of and and hotlines for making seitan roulades would replace them.
However, the whole world has not yet gone vegetarian and so I had to solve my seitan roulade woes by myself.
Seitan is pretty simple to make. It gets harder, though, when the goal is to rolls it into long sheets for a roulade. (It likes to bubble in the most unfavorable places).

Other dishes from Thanksgiving dinner: Stuffing, Wild Rice Salad, Twice Baked Potatoes with Dill and Earth Balance, Apple Cake, Pumpkin Pie with Vegan Ice Cream and Chocolate Pudding Cups

The Dawn's First Breath

2008-10-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Dawn's First Breath is musical duo composed of Tyler Price and Corrina Snow. The two of them are currently on a bike tour from Northern California and are making their way back down the west coast, sharing their talent on the way. They're playing at music venues along the coast and if you're lucky you might also come upon them sharing musical goodness on the streets.
They were kind enough to stop by Red and Black Open Mic early this week and share their amazingness..

Their music is surprising, very unique like nothing you've ever really heard before and once you hear it you'll desire more. There are a lot of varying influences in their music, including hiphop, reggae, folk and other worldly genres but they encourage listerners to create their own description.

Check them out- Let your soul Dance

Hotcakes: Chocolate Chip Banana

2008-09-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

A variation of the Pancake recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking. I swear by these pancakes because they are delicious and fluffly. I added vanilla and raw sugar to contribute to the fluffing. The bananas were mashed and tossed in with a plethora of large chocolate pieces.
(The batter is good too, if you're a pancake batter person like me...)

RED AND BLACK CAFE

2008-09-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

On SE 12th and Oak, these are my sort of people...

Worker owned and operated, they have an anarchist star on the wall.

They have a nutritional yeast in a shaker, three kinds of no-animals-hurt-in-the-making milk and they reallize that chai is really better without honey.

And the workers are totally chill.

Go send books to prisoners and eat some wholesome vegan food!

Chocolate Chip Scones

2008-09-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

College does not allow much time for baking but I have made it a goal to bake once a week for SDS (Students for a Democratic Society).

I especially like the semi sweet chocolate chips from Trader Joe's because they are HUGE and make well with scone dough. I used the basic scone recipe from Vegan with Vengeance.

Habibi II

2008-09-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

Visiting Habibi for a second time last week, I was tempted to order something from the selection of items that I tasted last time but for the sake of blogging decided to try something new.

My fondness of their falafel came to mind while ording so I decided to try their Falafel Sandwich and was extremely satisfied. It was similar to the Zattar Pizza Sanwhich but with heavenly pieces of falafel and it only cost $5.00!

Bambuza Vietnamese Bistro

2008-09-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

Bambuza is located on the southwest waterfront and is somewhat new to Portland, a sister to Bambuza Seattle. Strategifally located located near the new OHSU/Apartment complexes, they won't have any trouble making good business. Neighbors, however may or may not be their best customers, as I can see people coming from afar to eat at the bistro. The atmosphere is inviting and the food is amazing (they have an assortment of vegan and vegetarian options).

We ordered two different types of vegetarian salad rolls:
gỏi cuốn dừa (coconut summer rolls) which were filled with sauteed tofu, basil, bean sprouts, rice noodles, and carrots double wrapped in lettuce and rice paper and gỏi cuốn chay (vegetarian salad rolls) which were filled with sauteed jicama, tofu, basil, coconut meat, carrot, and peanut, also double wrapped

phở chay (vegetarian pho and condiments): a large steaming bowl filled with soft fried tofu, fresh vegetables including broccoli, carrots and bok choy, rice noodles and mushrooms in a delicate but flavorful vegetarian stock

đậu hủ ướp sã – lemongrass tofu skewers

đậu que xào đậu hủ (green bean tofu) a wok specialty: crispy tofu sauteed with green beans in garlic black bean sauce

Vodka Champagne Sunrises

2008-09-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

A spur of the moment evening drink that turned out to be quite delectable
Shot of vodka for each glass (to start out)
Peach nectar (If you it on hand, I recommend using home jarred peaches and nectar)
Tropical Fruit juice
Champagne

Chocolat

2008-09-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Turning 21 in Oregon is a big deal. You can go out and actually participate in Portland's nightlife. You can play pool in the bar section of the restaurant and find somewhere to eat after 10 PM.

So when you turn twenty and not twenty one, you wonder what to do with yourself. If you have class and cross country and then class again however, there isn't much time to wonder. But even after getting out of class around 9:40 PM, I still kind of felt that nagging wonder...okay, its my double decade for a couple more hours; what should I do with myself.

Coincidentally I soon came upon a huge chocolate torte covered with voluptuous fruit and eating too much of it was an excellent way to end my birthday.

Somewhat wary of vegan baking, my friends bought me this cake from WholeFoods.

You realize the important people when they buy you chocolate cake for your birthday.

Habibi Restaurant

2008-09-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

I ate at the Lebanese restaurant Habibi last week. The food was so amazing that I later found myself researching the country of Lebanon and looking for and affordable plane ticket to Lebanon.
The owner of the restaurant is quite facetious and extremely kind. After ordering three dishes to share between my friend and me, he stopped me, insisting that I order nothing more, as he did not want us to waste our money (due to the potential inability of eating such a large amount of food).
Habibi's menu is extremely vegan-friendly with everything labeled and a plethora of choices.

Mezza Platter: Falafel, humus, tabouli, tahini, garbonzo beans & majadra
Everything on the platter was amazing and had so much flavor. I highly recommend the falafel.

Zattar Pizza Sandwich: Thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, sumac & olive oil, with tomato, lettuce & tahini.
The myriad of flavors in the dish are so wonderful.

Lentil Soup: Green lentils and potatoes simmered with onion, garlic, rice, spices & a dash of olive oil (This is on of the best lentil soups I've ever eaten and it is under $5 for a good sized bowl)
Habibi is located near Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland: 1012 SW Morrison

Peninsula Park

2008-08-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

This post has nothing to do with food or even veganism but still concerns simple pleasures.

Yesterday I explored the Peninsula Park in North Portland. I'm falling in love with north and northeast Portland and have been wanting to visit Peninsula Park all summer.

Huge pines shade the park and wading pool. There are paved paths as well as many grassy areas for a good book or nap in the sun, basketball courts, an outdoor pool and large baseball field. I enjoyed the people watching (there's a lot of diversity) and the exquisite rose garden. The rose garden is maze-like and surrounds an energetic fountain.
To get to Peninsula Park, take Martin Luther King Junior Blvd north to Rosa Parks Way. Take a left and the park will be on your left. (Its just down the street from the max line and Interstate Ave.)

Luxury Camping

2008-08-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Although I prefer hike-in, minimalistic camping, luxury camping is fun every once in while. On my most recent camping trip, there wasn't any hiking-in involved so we could bring whatever we wanted without too much physical strain. Needless to say, we ate...and drank...quite luxuriously.

Dinner Night One

Fresh greens topped with warm polenta

Dressed with a sauce of Italian stewed tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms, garlic and onion

Topped with large pieces of avocado and a side of onion bread

Dinner Night Two

Grilled Tortillas filled with rice, beans, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes

Melon and Champagne on the side

Monte, the Costa Rican Pineapple Man

Takeout: Tacos Locos

2008-08-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Though veg*an options do not cover the menu, the few that are available are delicious, huge and cheap!

Vegetarian Taco Salad
Layers of lettuce, beans, rice and tomato served with guacamole and salsa

Vegetarian Burrito
Flour tortilla stuffed with rice, pinto beans, tomatoes, steamed onions, buell pepers and huge mushrooms

1610 Allen Creek Rd. Grants Pass, Oregon 97527

Un Gateau Rouge

2008-08-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

This cake is CRAZY. It is magenta because it has BEETS!

Recipe Converted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Best "Two-Egg" Cake

1/3 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Ener-G Egg Replacer equivalent to 2 eggs (or you can use 2 tbl ground flax and 1/4 cup water)

2 1/4 cups flour (I used a combination of whole wheat pastry flour and white bread flour)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup vegan milk

2 or 3 beets, cooked, peeled and pureed

Prepare egg and set aside

Cream sugar and shortening

Add "eggs" and other wet ingredients including beet puree

Sift in dry ingredients and stir until combined

Pour into greased pan (I used two 9in circulars) and bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes

When cake has cooled, frost with a fluffy vanilla frosting (powdered sugar, vanilla and vegan milk)

Thanh Thao

2008-08-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

It was approximately 9:30PM when we arrived at late night hot spot Dots Cafe, hoping to score quick cheap food before the Portland's underage scene shut down for the evening.
The sign at Dots states that they do not serve minors after 10:00 PM but they really should change the sign as they stop serving minors quite a bit earlier.
After realizing that we were not 21, the host refused to seat us and would not even allow us to sit outside.

Desperate, we departed hoping to find something to eat at Fred Meyer but ended up at Thanh Thao, a Vietnamese/Thai restaurant on Hawthorne. Even though we arrived at 10, the we were seated. They encouraged us to hurry but brought us Jasmine tea while we looked at the menu and seated another guy 5 minutes later.
The food was good like Thai food should be and was not lacking quality or flavor that one might expect when dining at close.

Sauteed tofu with vegetables in a yellow curry sauce

Vegetables and tofu sauteed in a brown garlic sauce

Thanh Thao 4005 SE Hawthorne

S'mores

2008-07-30T09:37:00.001-07:00

Sweet and Sara vegan marshmallows are handcrafted and much higher quality than the average marshmallow. They roast well and pair nicely with dark chocolate and grahams.

Totally Sconed, Dude

2008-07-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

Blueberry Scones from Vegan with a Vengeance

I made a few variations to the recipe using margarine for oil and adding a little chai tea as the liquid. They turned out really great and I think I prefer drop scones to triangular ones. They're made with fresh blueberries from the yard. This years crop is amazing. Nothing beats fresh blueberries.

Vita Cafe

2008-07-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

Located in Northeast Portland, Vita Cafe is becoming one of my favorite vegan friendly restaurants. The atmosphere is great, the food is delicious and the staff is quite friendly. Upon my most recent, I ate outside where picnic shaded by sun umbrellas tables offer outside dining to a plethora of customers. Conversations of nearby diners ranged from how fucked foie gras really is to a deep discussion about Obama's potential.
Vita's menu has quite a bit to offer for everyone including huge vegan cakes (which I have not yet tried but hope to soon).

The H.O.G. :homemade Herb and Onion bread topped with almond Gravy

Buffalo things: fried tofu covered in a spicy sauce with vegan ranch and veggies

Thai coconut soup and salad

Italian Pasta: Tuscan kale, veggie sausage, garlic, chili flakes and crushed tomatoes, sautéed in lemon and olive oil topped with toasted bread crumbs.

If one so desires, they can play boule outside while waiting for their food.

Tabouleh

2008-07-22T16:02:00.001-07:00

Tabouleh makes a light yet filling lunch, perfect for the somewhat unusual but very nice weather we've been having this summer in Oregon.

Sundried Tomato polenta with shitake mushrooms

2008-07-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

The flavor of the shiitake mushrooms really shines through in this recipe as does the final topping of avocado. The ingredients of this dish pair incredibly well, yet it is a simple dish that one can prepare in less than 30 minutes.

Mushroom stir fry: 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and sliced • 1/2 cup roughly diced green onion • Freshly chopped basil • Olive oil • 1/2 cup to 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped • 3 cloves garlic minced

Heat oil in fry pan • Add garlic and onion • Cook until soft, about 5 minutes stirring frequently • Add basil and mushrooms • Cook over low heat until mushrooms have released juices • Remove from heat and add sun dried tomatoes

To make the polenta: Add 1 1/2 cups coarsely ground cornmeal to 4 1/5 cups salted boiling water • Cook over low heat until all water has been absorbed • Combine with mushroom tomato mixture • Serve over a bed of fresh greens and top with avocado and a little sea salt•

Gingersnap scones with Maple Espresso Glaze

2008-07-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

Gingersnaps
(makes about nine cookies- enough for the recipe plus a few to snack on while the scones are baking)
3 tbl shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp flax meal combined with 1 tbl water
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit •Combine dry ingredients and set aside • Cream shortening, sugar and flax water• Add dry ingredients and stir to make a dough • Roll dough into balls and sprinkle with sugar • Cook 5-6 minutes •

Scones
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup gingersnap crumbs
1/4 cup cane or beet sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup soymilk (do not substitute rice milk)
1 1/5 tsp lemon juice
Ener-G Egg equivalent to one egg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit • Combine soymilk with lemon juice and set aside • Combine dry ingredients in food processor • Cut in margarine and process until crumbly mixture has formed • Add soymilk/lemon juice mixture and Enger-G Egg and process until dough forms •
Place dough on floured surface and knead 4 times • On parchment paper, form dough into 10 in circle • Cut dough into 10 wedges, not cutting all the way through • Bake 15 minutes or until golden •

Icing
1-2 tbl brewed coffee
Powdered sugar
1-2 tbl maple syrup
Combine wet ingredients • Whisk in a few tablespoons of powdered sugar at time until desired consistency is reached • Drizzle over cooled scones •

Blossoming Lotus

2008-07-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Salud Salad with a side of Cornbread (the best cornbread on the face of the planet)

925 NW Davis, Portland OR 97209

http://www.blpdx.com/

Carrot Cake: A culinary prodigy

2008-07-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

I've been making this carrot cake for years, usually saving it for special events like birthdays because it is such a delicacy, (though one may consider each living day as a special event).

Ingredients like freshly shredded carrots, crush pineapple and coconut make it incredibly most and flavorful.

The Recipe

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup light brown cane sugar

3/4 cup cane sugar

3 egg equivalent in Ener-G egg substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup vegetable oil (may substitute part or fully with applesauce)

2 cups finely grated carrots (food processor works well)

1 can (about 14 oz) crushed pineapple

1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit • Grease three 9in circular pans or 9x13in rectangular pan • Combine first six ingredients and set aside • In large bowl, prepare Ener-G Egg Substitute with whisk • Stir in sugar, vanilla and oil/applesauce • Add carrots pineapple and coconut • Stir in dry ingredients just until blended •Pour into pan(s) and cook for about 30-45 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean • Allow to cool before frosting• A margarine/vanilla/powdered sugar/soymilk frosting works well

Cinnamon rolls with a maple walnut filling

2008-07-13T23:27:00.001-07:00

Onion loaf from starter

2008-07-13T23:19:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Lavender Tarte

2008-07-13T00:58:00.000-07:00

This tarte flirts with a few different recipes from Christina Pirello's Cooking the whole food way. It has little fat, and processed sugars (I used maple syrup and agave nectar as sweeteners) and is quite delicious. The lavender in the blueberry sauce is delicate but noticable to say the least and pairs nicely with the blueberries.

Broccoli gnocchi with mushroom marinara and fresh basil

2008-07-13T00:20:00.000-07:00

Broccoli Gnocchi
Ingredients
2-3 cups of broccoli florets
1 large baking potato pealed and quartered
Flour
Salt
_____
Bring just enough water to cover the potato quarters to a boil. Add potato pieces and boil until soft.
Meanwhile, place broccoli in a skillet with a few tablespoons of water and cook until very tender. Add water as necessary.
Combine potato, broccoli (and water) in a blender. Blend, adding enough flour to make a dough that is easy to work with. Meanwhile bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil.

For further written instructions on making gnocchi, click here.

Tortilla Tutorial

2008-07-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

I love piling fresh and spicy ingredients on a plate of homemade tortillas.
A tortilla press, as pictured below is not absolutely necessary (some Mayan women shape hundreds of tortillas daily with their hands) but a tortilla press is a neat yet simply gadget and pretty authentic.

I use corn flour but a person can really use any flour they want. Usually with wheat flour oil is used in the dough but all I add to the corn is flour and salt. There are guidelines on the bag but it is pretty easy to tell when the texture is right by working the dough with your hands.

After the dough has been prepared, break the dough into pieces of equal size, considerably small so that the dough is less likely to explode over the edges when pressed.

Cover the press in a sheet of plastic, I use old plastic bags, press the balls one at a time and place on a heated skillet.

The tortillas cook for about 60 seconds on both sides. They are pretty hard to burn unless you have your skillet crazy hot. Eventually they will harden and become chips.

Sssshhhhhheash...

2008-07-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

First time I've made them: incredibly easy
The goods: fresh pineapple, red onion, Walla Walla sweet onion, red and green pepper, zucchini and yellow squash, mushrooms and tomatoes

The goods were chopped and marinated in a marinade consisting of garlic, lots of garlic, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, rosemary, salt, pepper, broth and soy sauce

(for about an hour)

and then BAM: we grilled them and they were amazing!

Leave it to the Greeks

2008-07-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Most people consider Pizza to be a culinary specially of Italy but the concept behind Pizza really originated in Greece where they used flat bread combined with oil and a myriad of spices and covered with dates.

Although I do not cover my pizza with dates, like the Greeks, I do not use cheese either. (Cheese was first used on pizza in the late 1800's when Queen Margherita, queen of Italy wanted a pizza representing the Italian flag:covered with mozzarella, basil and tomatoes. Cheese is cheese is cheese and is not the deal breaker for an amazing pizza. A great pizza a has rich but not overpowering sauce of tomatoes or pesto or both, topped off with a number of different items and sprinkled with fresh herbs. (I have not yet perfect my pizza making skills but it is hard to get sick of practicing because the practice usually ends in a delicious pizza)

Eating well in the Wilderness

2008-07-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

It is somewhat difficult to find camping ground so lightly traveled that one can find enough food (berries, herbs, roots and other gifts of the earth) on site to satisfy the appetite. Surely it is not absolutely necessary to eat while camping, as our bodies can go days without food, but it does make the trip more comfortable and enjoyable.
And it is a good excuse to be creative with food, even in the wilderness, making sure the food is good and nourishing while being easy to carry in and prepare.

Oatmeal with banana chips or dried blueberries

Whole wheat pasta with a garlic-onion marinara sauce and fresh tomatoes

We also feasted on ciabatta filled with mustard, avocado, tomatoes, pepper, and baked tofu as well as cliff bars, and G.O.R.P. (though non-traditional as it contained candied dates, cashews and almonds in addition to the raisins and peanuts).

Starter Adventures Continued...

2008-07-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Summer seems to have finally arrived resulting in extremely rapid starter growth and the warm weather has resulted in rapid starter growth. Thus I've had the obligation, or pleasure rather, to make make bread like crazy. My most recent creations include two loaves of multi grain and a pan of foccacia.

Multigrain

My starter was huge before I made this loaf so I used a ridiculously large amount of it in the recipe and less flour than the recipe called for. I really used it more as a general guide than an actual recipe. I tried the same recipe a little over a year ago and it turned out less than great, leaving me even more determined to create a good loaf of multigrain.

The Grains and Dough

The kneading process

The Final Product

Focaccia

Focaccia is one of my favorite types of bread to make because it is so versatile. I find that one can make it a bit faster than other yeast breads and it pairs so nicely with spaghetti!

I used fresh herbs from my garden: chives, rosemary and basil.

I didn't really use a recipe for this loaf either: just combined some salt, water, flour and oil with the herbs and starter.

Final product: It is important to remember to make holes or cuts so hot air can escape...I seem to forget this detail quite frequently when making focaccia.

Sourdough Starter Trials

2008-06-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

I recently learned the trade of bread making using sourdough starter, also known as le levain (in French), poolish, starter, or even the mother.
It is a method that does not use powdered or cake yest. Instead one breeds their own yeast via fermentation.
To start the process place raisins and water in an airtight jar. The amount of time it requires to begin the fermentation process really depends on the temperature of the environment of the jar. I believe it generally takes 2-5 days. I suggest that the jar is shaken and the cap unscrewed and then retightened every day. One can tell when it is ready by the smell and the appearance of the raisins. The raisins should appear slightly degraded and the jar should give of a sweet fermented odor.
Once the raisins are ready, they and their juice are combined with flour and water. This is the starter. There exist many methods for caring for a starter and right now I follow one of the easier methods, the way I learned in France. I simply feed the starter every or every other day depending on the fermentation action. The starter is fed by simply adding more flour and water. After a few days, it should be well established and be ready to use.
To make the bread, I use about half the starter and combine it with flour water and salt. This is the basic recipe that I made while I was in France. I have, however, become slightly more adventurous and attempted a cinnamon raisin loaf by also adding cinnamon, raisins and maple syrup.
I intend to branch even more as my starter adventures progress and would like to also experiment with different starter methods. (There are some that use fruit juices and some that have very distinct directions each day i.e. the amount of each ingredient added, when to refrigerate the starter and when to through part of it out.)
In the future I'll try to make a tutorial as my descriptions lack detail and measurements. This is because the method I learned in France had little detail as well and all measurements were approximate.
Le Levain:
Trial One:
(I forgot to add salt so the bread tasted like cardboard. I also split the dough between two pans so the loaves lacked height even though they did rise to about twice their size)

Trial Two: Cinnamon Raisin
I was pleasantly surprised by how well this loaf turned out. I was a little worried because I'm still getting used to feeding the starter on a daily basis. Not halving the loaf made a big difference regarding the success of the loaf as did remembering to add salt, in addition to the other ingredients that generally make up a cinnamon raisin loaf.
The flavor was quite lovely with a sweetness that was right on target. I used soymilk instead of water for this loaf to add a little richness.
Some families and bakeries keep the same starter for decades, confident that they've perfected the yeast strain and caring for the starter daily as if it were a pet or small child.

I was recently reading the packaging bag for a loaf of La Brea Bakery Bread. They state that their sour cultures, which are vital in many of their recipes contain flour, water and organic grapes.

If you're interested in bread baking or just want to improve your skills, I highly recommend checking out the following resources:

Book: Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery: Recipes for the Connoisseur

Site: The Fresh Loaf "A community for amateur artisan bakers and bread enthusiasts. [The] site contains featured recipes, lessons, book reviews, a community forum and recipe exchange, and baker blogs.

Rhubarb: The alternative

2008-06-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

As one can see, our rhubarb plant has become quite unkept over the past year. Its grown quite well over the past year but it seems to me that the only thing its good for is strawberry-rhubarb pie and personally I'd rather just eat the strawberries.
Today, however, I learned that the tubular structure of rhubarb can be quite handy when one desires a straw for their ice water. Its much less tolling on the environment than a processed straw and seems so much more natural.

Sushi Soiree

2008-06-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

Sushi is one of those things that you never really get sick of, even if you use the same ingredients over and over and over again. I'm quite a fan of the traditional avocado, carrot and cucumber combo with a little tamari and powdered wasabi.
During this particular sushi extravaganza, not a cucumber was to be found and so we had to get a little creative. We added a number of new items and I do have to say if may now be difficult to go back to the old tradition.
We tested arugula, steamed sweet peas still in the pod, steamed shitake and portabello mushroom slices and sliced bok choy, all of which added an exciting touch to the sushi and were warmly welcomed by our taste buds.
Although brown rice is not traditionally used for sushi, I believe it is a healthier version and works quite well. I do not rinse or soak it before cooking and once its finished, I add a little sugar and rice vinegar.

Summer Warmth and Weaving

2008-06-15T22:28:00.000-07:00

I have a few days left of freedom before I start working for the summer and hope to make the most of them.
Inclusive of the mentioned endeavor, I made a scarf for a dear friend who has been asking for one for quite some time.
The technique involved a scarf net and weaving. I used a bulky polyester-acrylic blend of yarn.

2008-06-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

I was visiting Portland last week and was lucky enough to pass by The Whole Bowl (in the Pearl) at a hungry hour. The Whole Bowl is a food cart that serves healthy bowls of Mexican goodness. For $5 one can get a 12oz bowl filled with brown rice, avocado, salsa, black and red beans, olives and cilantro. The bowl is topped off with their special Tali Sauce, which is vegan and refereed to, by many Portlanders, as Crack sauce. There are a few other non-vegan options that can be easily left off and the cart is 100% vegetarian!

Versunkener Apfelkuchen

2008-06-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

This German Apple cake is really quite delicious and uses a springform pan. Desserts made from springform pans always seem to look so elegant.

The recipe is from The Joy of Vegan Baking and can easily be made fat free is one so desires

Vegetable Cobbler

2008-06-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to make something like this for quite sometime. I made strawberry peach cobbler yesterday but forgot to take pictures and thought I would try a savory cobbler version for dinner tonight. The recipe can be found here http://www.evitamins.com/healthnotes.asp?ContentID=2782002.

I think it needs a little work spicewise, maybe a little thyme.

I made a few substitutions and it seemed to turn out fine.

Whole what flour --> Spelt Flour

Red Potato--> Baking potato

Kuzu root starch--> Arrowroot powder

Kombu-->Eliminated

I indulged when it came to mushrooms and used shitake. (The clerk at the supermarket did not know her mushrooms and charged me for criminis!)

Overall the preparation for this recipe is a little time consuming but the overall preparation is quite simple!

Tarte aux fraises

2008-06-06T14:56:00.001-07:00

A belated Saint Patricks

2008-03-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

Did you know Saint Patrick wasn't even Irish....

I'm working on perfecting this mint soft serve recipe to my liking. It began as mint chocolate chip I find chunks of chocolate in my ice cream somewhat unsatisfying. They just don't melt well in your mouth.

I'm trying to find some real mint extract or figure out how to make it as I think it will make this recipe even better.

The Recipe:

3- 1/4 Cups Milk or a combination of Milk and Creamer (not from a cow)

2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 -1.5 Teaspoons Mint Extract

Green Food Coloring (optional)

In medium saucepan over high heat combine sugar and 3 cups milk

In a bowl combine arrowroot powder and remaining 1/4 cup milk

Once the milk sugar mixture has come to a boil, remove from heat immediately and stir it arrowroot-milk mixture

Let cool

Once the mixture has cool to at lead room temperature (colder works better) stir in vanilla, mint and green food coloring if desired. (I find that there is a psychological component regarding the greenness of my mint ice cream)

Place in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions

Nachos

2008-03-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

After being vegan for a little over four years, I now find cheese quite revolting. Seldom am I able to walk by the cheese section at Whole Foods without covering my nose and when someone sits next to me with their bowl of spaghetti slathered in smellycruelstolenfromacalf parmesan cheese, it is enough to make me loose my appetite.

I am, however, a fan of Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternatives. (You have to be careful with some of the vegan cheese alternatives out there as some can be pretty nasty). I do not eat vegan cheese often so perfectly melted cheese atop some corn chips was quite a treat.

Rum Truffles

2008-03-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

The creation of these truffles is quite unique in the sense that involve the use of cake crumbs.
These truffles were kind of like a fudgy cake cake ball. I say without any hesitation that these were appropriate for the gods.

Recipe: Rum Truffles

(Ingredients are approximate and adjusting them to your own liking is best...)

8 oz Chocolate

1/4 Cup Milk (not from a cow)

2 Tablespoons Margarine

1-1/2 Cups Cake Crumbs

1 Tablespoon Dark Rum (or more or less)

Keep in mind that the cake is a major component of the truffles and so a good cake will most likely make good truffles. I recommend using a recipe from Sarah Kramer's La Dolce Vegan- any that I've tried have turned out well.

The 8 oz of chocolate is also a pretty important part. If you're going to use high quality dark rum, do the rum some justice and pair it with some good chocolate. I highly recommend using Tropical Source.

To make the truffles:

Place chocolate in heatproof bowl

Combine non-cow milk and margarine in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring often

When it comes to a boil, remove from heat and pour over chocolate

Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth

Stir in rum and then cake crumbs

Add cake crumbs until you can easily form balls from the truffle mixture

To top off the truffles you could always roll them in more chocolate

Other options include (but are not limited to)

Colored sugars

Powdered Sugar

Cocoa Powder

The truffles keep best in the refrigerator on wax paper

(This is only necessary if you can control the urge to eat them all)

Taco Sandwich

2008-03-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

Lately all I've felt like eating is Mexican food and grapefruits. A strange combination I know. I love going out for Mexican food but sometimes it's nice to make it yourself because everything can be just the way you like it.

Last weekend, in the midst of a strange mood, I made my first ever taco sandwich. It's probably one of the simplest delicacies in my world.

You start with two tostadas (I prefer home made) and layer beans, roasted vegetables letuce, rice, tomatoes, avocodo, cilantro and lots of salsa.

You can either it it like a sandwich or take your fork and make a violent dive into the center. I prefer the later.

I'm excited for summer and the fresh salsa ingredients it will bring. I think I'll just live on salsa all summer long. Peach Salsa.

Red

2008-03-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

My brother received a camera for his birthday. Needless to say, he has explored its capabilities far more than I have with my camera. (I usually discover things by accident). Apparently my camera has many of the same features as his so he showed me a thing or two.

Vita Cafe

2008-03-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

A Wednesday afternoon adventure, upon which, I had every intention of eating vegan crepes as a "cultural experience", ended up at Vita Cafe in northeast PDX on Alberta. Vita offers a plethora of vegan and vegetarian options. I enjoyed the soup of the day: white bean vegetable with house special onion-herb bread, which I have to say was quite a treat. The soup complemented the emotions of the day nicely as I sat by the lage storefront window, eating not soup and looking out onto Alberta as the rain fell peacefully from the sky.

Vita has huge vegan and gluten-free cakes, for which I will be returning (amongst other things)

Foliage

2008-02-18T21:08:00.001-08:00

I recently discovered the foliage setting on my camera and though I'd share the flowers I recieved last week on Valentines Day. The boquet is mainly composed of roses and lillies. I never knew lillies smelt so amazing! I enjoy flowers most when they're growing wildly in fields yet there's something about recieving flowers that really makes you feel special.

If only lime trees grew outside my window...

2008-02-09T23:23:00.000-08:00

...I would create the most lovely lime juice concentration and offer lime daiquiris to the people of the streets. Unfortuanetely my current location is not overly accomodating of lime growth so store bought limes and concentrate will have to suffice.

Lime daiquiris are simple to prepare yet quite satisfying none the less.

Lime Daiquiri (single)

10-15 ice cubes

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup rum

3 TBL lime concentrate

A lime

________________

Chop ice in blender

Blend in run and lime concentrate

Slice 1/2 the lime and place in glass

Pour in daiquiri and sqeeze in the juice from the remaining lime half

Bread: The Free World

2008-01-22T20:59:00.000-08:00

On a coldsnowyslushyicydesolatedark night, the kind in which old men curse when they walk outside to find their car covered in stubborn snow, my man friend and I ventured to the old Italian district in Northern Boston.

We really had no solid ideals for the evening, simply experience the old Italian District, make an attempt for continual warmth. Our evenings were made, however, when we came upon large garbage bins of bread, baguette-like, though obviously not since we were in the Italian district. Though not warm, the bread was still soft and most likely had been made in the last 24 hours.

We took as many loaves as our arms could carry, but had to leave most of it behind.

Bo Thai

2008-01-21T22:15:00.000-08:00

Bo Thai was yet another result of a random excursion, however this time it took place on the other side of the country. What started out as a trek in search of a vegan restaurant located somewhere in Allston ended at a warm and very pleasing Thai restaurant.

My man friend and I walked nearly and hour in the darkness of the Boston night, searching for a vegan restaurant that just didn't appeal once we arrived. We opted for Bo Thai instead and were quite satisfied.

With only three tables, Bo Thai caters greatly to the take-out and delivery community. Though the menu contained non-vegan items, the women said that most of their customers were vegan and that the vast majority of the menu could be veganized.

We ordered a number of items including Tom Yum (hot and sour soup), sweet and sour vegetable stir fry, cashew nut stir fry with vegetables and tofu and fresh spring rolls.

The Tom Yum Soup was just what we needed (and more) to warm us from the cold night. It contained a great deal of chili spice which made it's presence even more well known with each swallow.

Sweet and Sour Vegetable Stir Fry with Rice

Cashew Nut Stir Fry with Vegetables, Tofu and Rice

1369 Coffee House

2008-01-21T22:03:00.000-08:00

1369 seems to be quite popular amongst Cambridge locals. It's a great place to go and drink quality coffee, meet a friend, settle into a great book or simply people watch. During my visit to 1369, there happened to be a man who sat drawing a pair of people who sat tables away.

The coffee was unique to any I have had previously in life. I want to say there was almost a saltiness to my soy mocha but I hesitate to do so as I am still becoming a coffee connoisseur and am afraid I cannot yet adequately talk knowledgeably about coffee. Simply stated though, the atmosphere and mocha created by 1369 contributed to the loveliness of the day.

San Francisco: El Balazo

2008-01-21T21:46:00.000-08:00

In its myriad of brightness, El Balazo is hard to miss. It's one of the many treasures of Haight street in San Franciso, with its gourmet yet simple menu of authentic mexican food. I

feel lucky to have randomly come upon it when looking for a place to stop for lunch.

El Balazo caters to a plethora of types. I was quite impressed by their selection of tortilla bowls for my vegetarian taco salad. I had the opportunity to choose from spinach, white or whole wheat. They layered it with rice, beans (choice of pinto or black beans), lettuce, sir fried veggies which included zucchini and mushrooms, salsa and guacamole. I was quite satisfied to say the least.

My taco salad was paired with tortilla chips and cabbage salad on the side (both homeade), and equally as delicious.

Cinnamon Rolls

2007-12-31T23:58:00.000-08:00

I have not had cinnamon rolls since before I went vegan and it has been worth the wait.
They're my sister's creation with a little help from The Joy of Vegan Baking.
She filled them with a concoction of walnuts, cinnamon, brown sugar and vegan butter and dressed them with a rich vanilla icing.

Note: The pictures do not do justice to the reality of goodness felt by my taste buds this morning while eating one for breakfast.

Soup: Roasted Butternut in broth of Coconut Milk

2007-12-31T23:40:00.000-08:00

If I could, I would eat homemade vegan soup every day for lunch and dinner. (Soup for breakfast weirds me out) I'd dedicate an entire blog to soup.

One of the greatest things about soup is that it is so versatile. Often times, it's best when unplanned: you have something in the refrigerator (squash in this case) that needs to be used so you spontaneously make some soup of it.

This soup was made using the Roasted Butternut Squash recipe from Vegan World Fusion. It has a coconut broth and is spiced with a hint of cumin. It's great for a cold, drizzling day because not only does the soup's warmness neat your body and soul but the spices leave their heat within long after being consumed.

Like Girl Scouts - only better

2007-12-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make these Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Cookies for quite some time and finally had the chance now that finals are over and break has begun.

I used this caramel recipe instead and it worked out fine. The cookies were ridiculously messy and absolutely delicious.

Would you like some Apple with your Caramel?

2007-12-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

Yet another dorm-style creation- I wouldn't recommend using plastic forks as sticks unless you absolutely have to.
The whole process was actually pretty low maintenance, easy and a lot of fun. I didn't have a candy thermometer so used a caramel recipe that didn't require one. The recipe calls for one cup of the sweetened condensed milk. I used the recipe provided for the sweetened condensed milk but added all of it to the caramel mixture which worked well.
Toppings may include chocolate sauce, pretzels (my favorite), walnuts etc. I encourage you to be creative.

Needums: I guess its a Maine thing...

2007-12-11T00:00:00.001-08:00

My neighbor from the east coast recently introduced me to a Maine delicacy.

Not only are needums delicious, they're also a simple and extremely low maintenace treat to create.

Simply combine potatoes, sugar and cocount and you've got goodness. Traditionally they're cut into squares and dipped in chocolate... however she did it dorm style in which there's no double broiler in sight and the closest thing to a jelly roll pan is a disposable pie plate.

Winter Flowers

2007-12-08T17:47:00.001-08:00

Camp Food

2007-11-24T21:24:00.000-08:00

As a pre-orientation to college, I participated in an environmental service project with 12 amazing people. We lived together for 9 days in the depths of a temperate rainforest, 9 miles in, camping along the Hoh River in Northern Washington state. In addition to the amazing people the trip involved some amazing trees, sunsets and food!

Towards the end of the trip we were left with an assortment of miscelaneous items: 6 tubes of pesto, one onion, a few peppers, lots of spices, tomato sauce, oil and bread in crumbles. The bread crumbs were lighly stir fried and spiced. Meanwhile, the onion and peppers were chopped and sauteed oil. The pesto and tomato sauce was added until hot and then served over the bread crumbs. MSR Dragonfly stoves were used as heating agents while rocks were used as cutting boards.

One of the planned meals was a Thai dish that was really quite simple but wonderful. Rice noodles were cooked and then stirfried in a lightly spiced curry sauce with cashews.

Review: Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential'

2007-08-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

Anthony Bourdain is an asshole. With that said, however, I enjoyed reading this book...or well most parts anyway. Bourdain takes you into the kitchen frenzy of New York's culinary scene.

His text ignited my inner desire to become a vegan chef and left me wanting to know more about great cuisine and go cook something vegan and delicious.

I think reading this book as vegan ensures a completely different perspective than that of non-vegans. Such a great concentration is placed on feasting upon the dead, french delicacies such as fois gras, veal, and amazing creatures from the sea (which is really quite saddening). These "delicacies" are tradition, passed down from generation to generation but a transition is definitely being made. Some are stiff about their food preferences but it's becoming quite trendy to eat more natural- delicious food that maybe raw and significantly contributes less to the warming of planet earth.

(This have went from review to rant/rave) I feel my English skills slipping away as a the summer passes. Thankfully I'll be continuing my English and writing skills this fall.

Confessions of a Chocoholic

2007-05-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

Velvet Cake from How it All Vegan

filled with

Caramel Filling From Vive Le Vegan

covered in

Chocolate Frosting

Gnocchi

2007-02-25T19:14:00.000-08:00

In an attemp to cure stomach cramps that I swear are out to kill me, Imade some gnocchi.

It seemed to do the trick however, gnocchi is best made with the one you love.

But it's Sunday night and the only date I have is with the stack of homework that seems to have grown over the weekend so gnocchi alone must suffce.

Note: Itailicezed because I mock alone. In actuality I'm not alone but rather in my sister's presence as she plays Moby's latest song over and over and over on myspace. Well her space.

The preparation of gnocchi is really very simple. You don't even need a recipe ,just flour and potatoes or yams or sweet potatoes. Tonight was the first time I ever did it with yams which were fine but I still think that I like potatoes better.

To prepare the dough you can really cook the potatoes any way you like.

Boil them. Cook them in the oven. Roast them over a campfire. Bake them with a recycled cardboard box. Steam them.

Just make sure they're soft.... or your trek to gnocchi may become a difficult one.

Smash the potatoes and start combining with flour. For about six small potatoes or two medium to large yams, I would recommend about 2 cups. But add the flour in parts just until you have a doughy glob that you can roll- just like when you made snakes with playdo as a child (or still do).

Then cut into inch sized pieces.

The next step is ridge making.

(Ridges help sauce stick to the pasta)

You can invest in a gnocchi ridege maker or the fork.

Press rideges gently into gnocchi.

Then drop the gnocchi into salted boiling water. When they're done they'll rise to the top. (About 2 or 3 minutes)

Remove from water with a slotted spoon and enjoy!

A Few Gnocchi tips-

Don't let the name scare you. Its really quite delicious to say and eat
Salt the water well and make sure it's boiling like crazy before you drop in the gnocchi
A ridge maker is absolutely necessary, well not really but it's more fun

Gnocchi is way better than boxed pasta

Just a little pepper on top will do or go for some pesto or marinara or roasted red pepper sauce