I try to make it to Disneyland twice a year with my mom and the kids. We usually end up going in Spring and Fall when the weather is great, the lines short and the days long. I learned after our first visit, while chewing on some greasy soggy pizza, that bringing a lunch was definitely the way to go. At this point I would be very hard pressed to find something I could even eat, let alone enjoy. In terms of the kids: they run so much smoother on higher grade octane, so its worth my time to pack a nutritious lunch for everyone to eat. It always gives us something to look forward to at the half point during the day, and leaves me feeling like I have enough energy to finish it out without loosing my mind.
I have packed a variety of things throughout the years. The kids typically get a sandwich, vegetables, and fruit. In the past I have packed the adults salads, or a pasta dish. This time around I was still looking for ways to use herbs (this is going to be a theme for months to come) and wanting something loaded with protein and flavor.
The other factor to think about when packing a lunch is something that can be made the day before but taste delicious as Room Temperature left overs. I wasn’t sure how this would taste the next day at noon, but it was wonderful. I actually preferred it room temperature to right out of the oven. It allowed the filling to solidify, and the crust to firm.
This recipe screamed spring with fresh leaks and asparagus. The filling was incredibly creamy and delicious packed full of green. I really enjoyed the textural difference of the crust to the soft filling, and the crunchy asparagus on top to the soft cooked asparagus within.
I packed up two large slices of quiche, and a giant spinach salad full of sliced oranges, green olives, red onion, almonds and white beans, and headed out the door with two excited kids ready for a day of fun. Lunch time was a success, and once we had food in our bellies I asked the kids if they wanted to pick a treat at Disney. A churro, a mickey shaped ice cream, cotton candy? ‘We’re full’. Really??? Maybe you should pick something for the car ride home then (I didn’t want any regrets). So they decided to split a churro – their idea not mine. After finishing our day, and picking up a light saber and mickey and minnie we headed for the car. Do you want your churro now? No.
The best testament to a great lunch is that I threw the churro away when I got home. It was uneaten, and they were still full in every way from a very nourishing day.
Asparagus and Leek Quiche
(slightly adapted from The Real Food Daily Cookbook)
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FOR THE CRUST:
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3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
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3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
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1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon sea salt
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1/4 cup canola oil
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3 to 5 tablespoons water
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FOR THE FILLING:
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12 ounces asparagus, trimmed
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4 tablespoons olive oil
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3 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons minced garlic
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4 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano (this seemed like a lot so I cut it in half. after tasting I think it could have used the full amount)
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4 teaspoons chopped thyme (this seemed like a lot so I cut it in half. after tasting I think it could have used the full amount)
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1 3/4 pounds water-packed firm tofu, drained
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3 tablespoons umeboshi paste (Did not have this on hand so I used 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of umeboshi vinegar)
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3/4 tcaspoon sea salt
To make the crust: Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Blend the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, haking powder, and salt in a food processor. Pulse in the oil until the mixture resembles coarse meal, then mix in enough water to form moist clumps. Gather the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk. Press the dough into a 9-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. To make the Filling: Cut off the top 3 1/2-inches of the asparagus tips and set aside. Cut the lower portion of the asparagus stalks into thin slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, the sliced asparagus stalks, oregano, and thyme. Saute for 8 minutes, or until the leeks are tender. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and cook just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and place on paper towels to drain further. Blend the tofu, uineboshi paste, salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon garlic in a food processor until smooth and creamy Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the leek mixture. To assemble the quiche: Spread the tofu mixture over the prepared crust, mounding slightly in the center. Arrange the asparagus tips like the spokes of a wheel atop the filling, with the tips pointing toward the edge. Bake the quiche for 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden. Let stand 10 minutes, cut into wedges and serve.
Brownies are one of those things that I periodically crave from time to time (yes I’m being redundant). Weeks when I’m feeling particularly stressed out, or overwhelmed tend to draw me into the kitchen to make something rich and decadent. It is rare that I make anything with little to no nutritional content, but this week seemed like good reason to make exception. Sometimes you need to eat something so pleasurable, so divine, that the lack of anything good for you is exactly where the good lies. Why was this week so challenging… two words… potty training.
I shouldn’t complain. As potty training goes my little gal was as good as it gets. We haven’t had an accident yet, and it really wasn’t all that big of a deal. She did have an irrational (in her mind very rational) fear of using the potty for the first two days which meant there was a lot of crying and neediness. Now that we finished day four I feel like we are getting somewhere, and spent the day at Disneyland, diaper free to celebrate.
Because I wanted to stick close to home, and let her use the potty as much as possible, neither of us have done anything but hang out in the living room and kitchen. When I asked Coco if she thought brownies were a good idea, she was in complete agreement, and we went to work. This recipe is so simple that the ingredients are key. DO NOT SKIMP.
I found that they needed the full 55 minutes or even more to bake, and they still appeared ‘undone’ in some places’ but I pulled them out of the oven and crossed my fingers and it was absolutely the right decision. I believe the ‘undone’ look is what makes them so fudgy and wonderful. The were uneven on the top, crackled, and sticky to the touch, but they cut fairly easily after refrigeration and tasted unlike any brownie I have ever eaten. It would be unfair to call them ‘Vegan Brownies’ because they are as good if not better than any traditional ones I have eaten. Like I said, they are full of sugar, white flour, rich dark chocolate, and straight up canola oil, and every single thing they lacked in the ‘good for you’ category felt very good to me.
Fudgy Brownies
(adapted slightly from Sticky Fingers Bakery)
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup brewed expresso
- 1 tablespoon non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (recommended: Earth Balance)
- 2 ounces (vegan/non dairy) dark chocolate (58% or darker), finely chopped or pistoles
- 2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Using a double boiler, heat the coffee, margarine, and dark chocolate, stirring, until the chocolate is melted and the ingredients are thoroughly combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and salt and mix together with the paddle attachment. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the chocolate chips. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, then cut into squares.
I have a very dear friend who enjoys ‘tastings’ just as much as I do. We have had a variety of experiences exploring new food and drink; from Temecula World of Wine tour to a seven course tasting menu at a local ‘top chef’ restaurant. When I read about the LA Vegan Beer and Food Festival I thought she may just be game to join me. Less for the food (she is not vegan) perhaps for the beer, but mainly because she is someone who always enjoys a new experience, and more than anyone I know can have fun AND emanate joy in almost any scenario. She has the ability to bring me out of myself – not an easy task- and remind me of the importance of truly being present.
Once I approached her with the idea, she said sure! Lets go for your birthday. It was a perfect idea, so she got tickets {VIP of course, she is over the top good to me}, and we made our way to the Roxy in Hollywood. I should have had some preconceived notion of who the festival’s demographic would be solely based on the venue, and the fact that it was being called a ‘festival’, but for some reason I didn’t. Probably because I have learned of so many people who choose to eat a plant based diet, and most of them seem a lot like me.
The crowd was very young, very alternative, very enthusiastic, very daring with their hair color choices, and skin art sensations. It reminded me so much of my days in architecture school, the small gatherings we would have Friday afternoons at 5 when studio got out. There was a hopeful energy in those moments, and a palpable feeling that we were all embarking on the unknown. I clearly remember feeling bigger than life, making ‘different’ choices than the friends I had in high school, and very firmly standing up for my then varying opinions about life – typically seen through my pair of creative lenses.
Being surrounded by this younger crowd with values I completely support and live by, I was reminded of how far Ive come in the past ten or fifteen years. I make my choices based on a whole different set of criterion, and with a better traveled perspective. I have a very real sense of time and place, and a real appreciation for those who choose to do it their own way.
Surprisingly while my pal and I sat on the grassy green knoll {astro turf over concrete} and ate our ‘seabirds‘ beer battered avocado tacos {to die for} surrounded by crashed out twenty year olds wearing canvas sneakers and big smiles, I didn’t long to go back. I felt honored to be sitting across from a woman who spends her days fighting an uphill battle in the name of public education, listening to her stories, admiring her courage. I felt proud of the choices I make every day, the places I spend my energies, the family I am a part of, and the lifestyle that I carefully craft each day in order to promote health, peace and kindness. I feel like an official grown up, fighting the good fight, and even in moments feeling victorious.
Mostly I felt great to be at a place celebrating something I think makes so much sense. I loved that I could eat or drink anything I wanted and know that there wasn’t an animal that came near it. I appreciated the creativity in which some of the vendors were cooking, and the focus on quality instead of quantity. The energy there was very positive, people were outrageously friendly, and it was hard to not immediately feel a part of a community. I left with a smile on my face, and a perfect amount of beer in my tummy. Until next year…
I’ve had a jar of peanut butter and a bag of chocolate chips sitting on my kitchen counter for a week now.
The craving was strong, but I wasn’t sure how I wanted to satisfy it. I have about four different chocolate peanut butter recipes that are in the que of things to make. The other three were eliminated because they all called for vegan graham crackers, which are near impossible to find. Most graham crackers are made with honey, so I have been on a search for some that are not. I finally found some from an online resource and am waiting patiently to begin baking. In the mean time I just happen to have all the ingredients for these bars.
These come together really quickly and very easily. Now that I said that, I have to mention that they are STICKY. Be prepared to get a little dirty! I love getting my hands into things, so it was a lot of fun.
I felt that they needed more chocolate chips than the original recipe calls for, but really what doesn’t need more chocolate? The peanut butter flavor is very present without being overwhelming. They are rich and fun to eat without containing any processed sugar.
Both my husband and my dad gave the ‘OMG’ response upon first taste. Then of course the ‘these are amazing for being vegan’ line, or something along those lines. I have to agree, they are amazing – very much their own thing, not trying to masquerade as something they aren’t. They are brown rice through and through.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cripsy Treats
(adapted from ‘The Kind Diet’)
Ingredients
- 1 box brown rice crisps cereal
- 1 3/4 cups brown rice syrup
- Fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
- 3/4 to 1 cup Vegan chocolate chips
Pour rice cereal into a large bowl. Heat the syrup with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat. When the rice syrup liquefies, add the peanut butter and stir until well combined. Pour over the rice cereal. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
Once thoroughly mixed and cooled to room temperature, stir in the chocolate chips. Make sure the mixture is cool, or you will end up with melted chocolate instead of chocolate chips in your treats.
Turn the mixture out into an 8×8” baking dish. Wet the bottom of a glass slightly and press the mixture evenly into the pan. Let cool for 1 hour — if you can — before cutting into squares or bars.
Before transitioning to a plant based diet one of my favorite comfort meals was a big bowl of turkey bolognese. It was a recipe that I had perfected over time, and one that was a sure fire bet when company came over.
I have spent a lot of time trying to replicate my old steady, and I finally got it down. Until becoming vegan, I had never heard of textured vegetable protein [TVP]. What is TVP? :: it is the by product of extracting soybean oil which creates a defatted soy flour product. Because TVP is extruded, it causes a change in the structure of the soy protein which results in a fibrous spongy matrix that is similar in texture to meat. It is relatively flavorless, and takes on the flavor of whatever it is rehydrated in. It has a texture almost identical to ground meat, and is relatively inexpensive. It has a very long shelf life before it is hydrated. In a nutshell… this stuff rocks!
I made this dish recently at a bookclub gathering I attented and it went over very well. Although I think people may have been nervous (it looks like meat, its not meat, what will it taste like?) once they tried it I got very positive feedback. I knew there were a few tweaks I wanted to make, but it was close.
When I had my parents over for dinner this week I decided to give it another go. I know that they both love pasta, and my dad who has been a tremendous sport about trying my often daunting meals (and I think actually enjoying them) loves Italian food, and a good Bolognese. Lets just say, he had seconds, and my mom took some for lunch the next day.
Vegan Bolognese
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 small onions , chopped
2 carrot , diced
4 garlic cloves , minced
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 to 1 cup good red wine
2 cup textured vegetable protein , not re-hydrated
4 tablespoons soy sauce (or Braggs liquid aminos)
2 cup vegetable stock
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes OR 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes + two jars of favorite tomato sauce
1/2 cup basil , chopped
1 lb whole wheat penne
Directions:
In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Don’t add too much as you will be adding soy sauce later for color. Then add dry italian seasonings and crushed red pepper, if using. Add minced garlic and stir until fragrant. Next add the dry TVP, and stir to coat evenly with onion, carrot and spice mixture.Then add the soy sauce, which will give the TVP great flavor, and a bit darker color. Add the red wine and scrape the good bits off the bottom. Pan will be dry, so quickly add the cup of vegetable broth to rehydrate the tvp. Stir to coat all the tvp well, scraping the sides of the pan if needed.
Let simmer for a minute or two.
Next add your can of tomato paste, mix well and cook for a minute or two before adding the large can of crushed tomatoes. Add two jars of favorite tomato sauce – or another 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes. As sauce begins to bubble, be sure to stir in the tomato paste into the crushed tomatoes. Add chopped basil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or for several hours to develop flavor.
Cook whole wheat pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta and place in large serving bowl. Top with bolognese sauce.
It was one of those weekends. Well really it was one of those weeks that lead into one of those weekends. This past Wednesday was my birthday. I kept it pretty low key this year. When friends or family asked what I would like to do to celebrate, I really just wanted to go for a great meal, have a glass of wine, and enjoy their company. It felt right just do lay low, and keep it simple. In doing so, I got to try and revisit a few restaurants that I adore. My husband took me to Madeleine Bistro for dinner the weekend before (they are only open on weekends). Other than completely over ordering because I wanted to try everything on the menu, and consequently leaving feeling TOO full, it was divine. A couple highlights were their beet ‘pate’ over what tasted exactly like a goat cheese crouton, and the ‘filet no fish’ sandwich. It was an inventive meal filled with all kinds of surprises. That week I also meet some girlfriends for yoga (ok one girlfriend actually made it to the yoga party) and beer at Blue Dog Beer Tavern. This is my favorite place to go; I can walk there it is so close, AND they continue to add more and more Vegan options to their menu. One of my girls so thoughtfully researched and then brought cupcakes from No Udder Desserts. They made my heart sing. The carrot cake was fantastic, with the chocolate as my runner up. On the evening of my birthday my family met at Real Food Daily . The nachos there are out of this world. I did hear a chorus of complaints from the men at the table, but I was pleased they tried it, and went along for the ride. Friday night was Tavern with a couple great friends whose birthdays all fall within a week of ours. By the time we got to Saturday I was ready for a serious break, but the activities were just beginning. Isaac’s social calendar for the weekend was jammed packed. TBall, Birthday Parties, a carnival at the school he will attend next year, a trip to the post office to renew his passport… AHHHH!
When I stepped out into the garden on Saturday morning and saw the bounty of herbs that awaited, I took a deep breath and started harvesting. I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I needed something comforting, full of fresh vegetables and herbs, rich and healthful at the same time. I remembered reading this recipe from the Candle Cafe when I received their cookbook. They had suggested having the crust line the bottom of the dish and the top of the pie. I wanted to eliminate the bottom crust, and add more vegetables.
I love that the crust for this pie contains not margarine. There is a small about of sunflower oil to hold it together, but other than that it is not full of fat, and uses whole grains. The crust is loaded with fresh herbs as is the pie. The sauce which is made from soy milk, wine, a little flour and margarine, is rich and thick and really very similar to that of a traditional pot pie without feeling overwhelmingly heavy. You could easily make this dish with or without the tofu. It pairs wonderfully with the other vegetables, but if you are trying to avoid soy, just substitute extra potato or sweet potato in its place.
We served them along side a simple salad with lettuce from our garden. I made some olive croutons, and added avocado, red onion, tomato, cucumber, and vegan honey mustard dressing from Follow Your Heart. I rarely use store bought dressing, but this one is great! I have a major love affair going with follow your heart, but I will talk about this in another post, very soon I promise.
My last attempt at making pot pies was for company, my in laws to be specific, and lets just say it was a disaster. The recipe did not saute the vegetables before hand, and the sauce never thickened enough. You were left with hard veggies in a milky broth, not good. I have had pot pie cold feet ever since, but I am back, and next time the come visit, this will be first on my list of things to make. I think they will adore it as much as we did.
Savory Vegetable Pot Pie
(adapted from the Candle Cafe Cookbook)
Filling:
1 tblsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
1/2 russet potato, peeled and finely diced (if two half potatoes seem wasteful, you could use a whole one of either….just sayin’…)
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup finely diced zucchini
1 package (about 1 lb) firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup soy milk
2 tblsp. soy margarine
2 tblsp. unbleached white lour
1 tblsp. chopped fresh or dried tarragon
1 tblsp. chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
1 rosemary sprig
1 thyme sprig
1 tblsp. sea salt
1 tblsp. freshly ground pepper
Herbed Crust:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup sunflower oil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
pinch of salt
2/3 cup of water
Pre-heat the oven and grease a 1 qt baking dish. (I used four ramekins in lieu of a larger dish)
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add garlic, potatoes, celery, carrots, peas and zucchini and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients. Cook slowly over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and set aside.
To make the crust, mix the flours in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and knead until it comes together. You might need slightly more or less water than specified.
Scoop your filling into the ramekins. Roll out the rest of the dough and cut out ‘lids’ for your pies that are about an inch larger in circumference. Place the dough on top of the pie, and trim off any excess. Cut a few vent holes into the top and bake until golden brown (30-40 mins). I broiled mine for about four minutes at the end for a little extra color.
Let stand for MORE THAN few minutes before serving, or as my father in law Paul would say, you are in for some ‘roof hangers’.
While I was browsing Have Cake Will Travel’s blog last week and stumbled upon the Kale Bagel recipe, I stumbled upon this one as well. It was our week to bring snack to Isaac’s tball game, and I wanted to bake something for the kids to enjoy. It seems like most of the post game snacks we have been receiving are processed packaged snack food, bought in bulk {for the obvious reasons}, served with sugary juice. I absolutely understand the need to do this at times… it is easy, and inexpensive, and kids really do love it. It seems it is what they have grown to expect and what they look forward to – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
We don’t eat a lot of processed packaged foods in our house, primarily because I just don’t buy them. I have succumb to the Annie’s bunny crackers, and organic juice boxes from time to time, but I try to keep it real, and I love to bake and make, so it always feels better to serve the kids something wholesome and fresh.
I asked Isaac what he thought his friends may like, and he came up with Muffins {specifically blueberry}. Perfect! I had been looking for an excuse to make this recipe!
These muffins are almost as healthy as they get; no refined sugar, sweetened with Sucanat and applesauce, overflowing with fruit, and filled with whole grain flour. I don’t want to lie to you, these taste ‘healthy’ in the best possible way. They aren’t’ overly sweet or rich, they contain very little fat, and lots of fiber, and there is a zero guilt factor associated with eating, in my case, a couple at a time.
They could have used a little bit more orange for my taste. Next time I would add the zest of the orange along with the juice to get an extra punch of orange flavor.
I packed these up in brown paper lunch bags along side a wedge of watermelon, and yes (gulp) a box of juice {yes organic}, and handed them out to the kids after a great game. The response was pretty funny, most kids just looked at the muffin, like what the heck is that??? There were a couple that tried it, maybe a few enjoyed it??? Isaac ate one, and asked for another after lunch, so that is really all I can ask for, well that and the two kids who didn’t show up to the game and left me their muffin.
Blueberry Orange Muffins
(adapted from have cake will travel)
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup Sucanat
1 tablespoonbbaking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup fresh orange juice + Zest of two oranges
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 375°F . Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, Sucanat, baking powder, orange zest and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk applesauce, juice, and oil.
Fold wet ingredients into dry, being careful not to over mix. Fold in blueberries.
Divide batter equally into muffin cups.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack.
Yield: 12 muffins
Note: I doubled this recipe, and it only yielded 17 muffins scoped with a standard half cup ice cream scoop. Perhaps my scoops were too generous, not sure.
I can take no credit for this recipe, other than having dreamed of it, wished for it, been floored when I found it, and baked it. If there are two things I LOVE more than almost anything {almost=chocolate+peanut butter}its Kale, AND Bagels. Kale I love so much that you can almost always find at least three bunches of it in my vegetable drawer or crammed in my fridge. I can easily eat a bunch at lunch and one at dinner, and it always leaves me wanting more. I steam it, saute it, bake it, eat it raw in salads. I haven’t found any single food that leaves me feeling better.
As for bagels, I’m a Jewish girl, born in Toronto, with a grandfather who owned more than one bagel bakery in his lifetime. Bagels literally run through my blood. I rarely eat them anymore because I find them heavy, and they just dont pack enough of a nutritional punch. They tend to sit like a lump in my belly leaving me feeling nothing but icky, and cream cheese used to really cause me grief before I made the transition to a vegan diet.
When I came across Celine’s Steen’s Have Cake Will Travel an amazing vegan cooking blog, my heart swooned. She is making beautiful thoughtful recipes, AND she had posted a recipe for Kale Bagels.
Whenever my eyes scan the word Kale in a recipe I stop and read on, seeing them next to the word Bagel was almost more than I could handle. I immediately wrote Celine and thanked her for blogging and sharing all that she does, and then I made me some bagels.
I loved the title of Celine’s Post : Have you done your Kagels today? So funny, and so perfect. I also appreciated that for whatever reason {i suspect they were gone before she got a chance} there was no photograph featured with this post. This let my mind wander and explore what these bagels could possibly look like before I started making them.
These lived up to every expectation I had. Their crust made the perfect bite, and their centers were chewy and wonderful. I did substitute half of the bread flour for whole wheat flour, and would even consider playing with this ratio again to see how much whole grain flour I could use without loosing their ‘chew’.
The kale did not take a back seat, but was proud and boasted all of its rich meaty {i can hear the carnivores mocking me now} flavor. I enjoyed mine for lunch topped with Tofu Cream Cheese {man this stuff is good} shaved cucumber, sliced organic beefsteak tomato with flaked sea salt and pepper and rings of red onion. And because I need more green than that, some spinach and orange salad.
Please go make these, and please read Celine’s blog. www.havecakewilltravel.com She is a genius.
Kale Bagels
(slightly adapted, from have cake will travel)
Kale Bagels:
One bunch kale, about 8 ounces (225 g), stems and ribs removed, torn into small pieces, thoroughly cleaned
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 large clove garlic, grated
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, cook on medium-high heat until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Transfer and pack down really tight (with a spoon) into a glass measure, and cover with water until reaching the 2-cup mark.
Blend with an immersion blender, or transfer to a countertop blender.
Check that the temperature is at about 100°F and stir in:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
Set aside for a couple of minutes.
In a large bowl, add:
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups bread flour + 2 cups whole wheat flour + whole wheat flour for kneading
Combine kale/water mixture with salt and flour. Use your mixer with the dough hook attachment and kneed for 6-8 minutes OR transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and pliable. Shape into a ball.
Lightly coat a large bowl with about 1 teaspoon of any oil, turn dough around to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.
Punch down dough. Divide it into 8 equal portions, shape into balls by pulling at the dough from the sides onto the bottom, to cloak. If the dough retracts when you try to shape it, give it 5 minutes to rest until it cooperates.
Insert your thumb in the center of each dough ball, and twirl dough around it until the hole reaches about 1 1/2 inches in size.
Let rest for about 15 minutes.
In the meantime, bring water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Prepare a couple of large baking sheets with parchment paper, a silicone baking mat, such a Silpat, or grease them with a little oil. (I manage to fit all bagels on a single large baking sheet, but you decide what you like best.)
Once the bagels have rested, place 4 bagels at a time in the saucepan, and let boil for 1 minute in all, flipping them over after 30 seconds: try to avoid having them get too close to one another.
Scoop out bagels with a slotted spoon. Place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all bagels have been boiled.
Bake for about 24 minutes, one sheet at a time, until the bagels are golden brown and sound hollow when the bottom is tapped. Let cool on a wire rack.
Yield: 8 bagels
When my son started mommy and me at his preschool I was faced with the inevitable responsibility of being the ‘mommy’ and attending class with him two days a week for two hours. It is a hefty time commitment spent with ten or so other mothers, and their toddlers. Due to the length of the class, and the format (mothers share war stories while toddlers play ((AND fight over toys, pull hair, push, cry)) you learn a whole lot about the other women you spend this time with. I won the jackpot in Isaac’s mommy and me and met a couple mothers who have grown to become amongst my closest friends and dearest allies. Our children have grown up together and still remain close friends. Currently in their last year of preschool, I know Isaac often talks about what it will be like without these friends at school with him next year.
Now we have seconds, and are in mommy and me together – A G A I N. Very soon these little guys will be headed off to preschool on their own. As each of them turn two I am reminded of how quickly time has passed, and how big these littles actually are. One of the mothers I mentioned above, and the best friend a girl could ask for, approached me about designing an invitation for her son second birthday party. She is very good with big ideas. She very often knows what she wants, and only needs help executing as a means of making her vision a reality. Her son loves building, stacking, putting things in, taking them out… this led her to the idea of having a ‘building’ themed party. She was clear about not wanting a construction theme, but rather one that centered on architecture and engineering. If there was any invitation I could get excited about it was this one. A fantastic marriage of my architectural experience, and love for graphic design.
You never want to disappoint your friends, and I really wanted to do something special for this little guy. I have known this sweet boy from the day he was born, and my daughter adores him. They too will continue to be in class together, and share the same special relationship their older siblings already do. I wanted to design something special for him.
The invitations were designed in AutoCAD, the same program I would use to do the construction documents on any architectural project. I wanted them to feel authentic and as close to an actual working drawing as possible.
(screen shot out of AutoCAD)
I decided to use the traditional blue print in the envelope to add color, and a modern half size black and white line drawing as the invitation. The envelopes were custom designed, each cut and pasted together with the recipients name printed directly onto the front. I thought it would be fun for his friends to unfold something that was larger in scale, and I knew by increasing the size of the drawing it would allow for more room to add information. I recycled old file folders, and made closure sleeves to nest the drawings in. The were sealed with a simple paper clip.
Each of these invites were made with love and care. The process was truly collaborative. I always appreciate this friend’s ideas. They are little gold seeds that leave me feeling inspired and excited. Its always a fun day when she asks me to meet her at Blue Dog for a post yoga brew, and starts with… ‘I have an idea’….
(this poster is hanging in my son’s room)
When I started this little blog two years ago I intended it to be a personal journal, a means of documenting many of the things I do each day that keep me sane and whole. I am admittedly a little bit obsessive about the projects I take on. A seed of an idea can spring into my head on a Monday and by Friday Im in neck deep, bathing in the efforts of a full blown project that always teaches me something about the craft of making and the depths of where I’m willing to go to continue growing and learning as a creative person.
Until now I have felt somewhat alone in this journey. I have read so many different blogs of people who were on similar quests, but the things that they were passionate about were slightly different, or singularly focused. Oddly enough when I made the plunge to turn my vegetarian lifestyle into a vegan one a few months ago so many aspects of my life began to connect. As I began researching ‘Vegan Blogs’ for recipe ideas and inspiration I stumbled upon three different sites that I completely connect with. I have reached out to each of these women individually just to say thank you, and to tell them that I love what they are doing. Each of their work is different, but has a common thread: compassion. These women are creating compassionately and thoughtfully. The love that they put into their work is palpable even when reading about it from my computer monitor. They are humble, funny, work hard, care deeply about the world around them, and have reminded me of the importance of sharing what you make.
Over the next month I will make a recipe from each of their blogs and feature it on Hungary Louis. It will give you a flavor for the work they do, and why I think its so spectacular. In saying that, I wanted to share who these three women were, and give links to their websites. They are just too good to keep to myself. I hope you enjoy reading about their work as much as I have.
CUTE AND DELICIOUS
Hi! I’m Alix.
I like to make things.
I live in Los Angeles and love movies a lot. This blog is a chronicle of my life, cooking vegan desserts and fancy recipes, working on craft projects, making films, riding bikes and everything in between.
I’m married to this awesome guy, Shawn. He has a vegan blog too, you may know him as Little Vegan Planet. We just had our wedding in February of 2011.
We made a feature film together: Brainwashed Love. Hopefully sometime we’ll get to show it to everyone.
I also have two sweet kitties, Meeme and Mochi.
OH LADYCAKES
I’m a small tomboy lady who dwells in Denver. Aside from spending long hours in the kitchen, I enjoy over sized mugs of coffee, a good shift dress and running my fingers along wrought iron fences. I started baking in late 2007 for a coworker who I found to be rather handsome. Turns out the best way to a mans heart is through his stomach, becuase we’ve been kicking it for over four years, now. As for ladycakes, he’s the one who gave me the name. And I happen to think it’s the cutest thing in the world.
Oh, and I have five brothers. You know, in case you were wondering why I say some of the inappropriate things I do. Being around that much testosterone, for a majority of your life, will do that to a lady.
FORK AND BEANS
Welcome to Fork and Beans! I’m Cara and I truly could not be more excited that you are taking the time to check this place out. My hope in starting this blog was to create a site where people with dietary restrictions will not only feel normal, but find that eating without certain ingredients can still be good. At Fork and Beans, I refuse to hear the words, “I can no longer eat that!” Instead I strive to transform all of your favorite classics into something amazing without feeling like the odd man out. Every recipe here is made without gluten, eggs, and dairy but you will never taste the difference!
