Pistachio love. (Muffins for World Pistachio Day.)

Apparently February 26th is World Pistachio Day. Of course, as much as I love pistachio nuts I had no idea World Pistachio Day existed until  this week. And though it seems like a convenient made-up holiday for marketing purposes, I'm more than happy to oblige. I love pistachios. So in honor of the pretty little green nut that's so popular for party food, I've come up with these pretty muffins for you. Long live the pistachio!

A quick note about my muffin recipes before we start:  We never go through a full twelve muffin recipe here, so I rarely make a full recipe from any of my cookbooks.  One of the many lovely things about vegan baking is that you can easily halve non-yeasted baking recipes without worrying about dealing with trying to use half an egg or something equally as crazy.  Because we usually only need six muffins unless I'm taking them to share, most of my recipes will only make six from here on out. Feel free to double the recipe to make a full twelve if you'd like*,  but I like the freedom of being able to bake several different kinds of muffins during the week without worrying about leftovers or the temptation of stuffing myself. In addition, gluten free baked goods seem to dry out a lot faster than wheat-based ones--so not having leftovers is actually a good thing. Unless you like cardboard muffins, that is. But enough talk--on to the recipe!



Pistachio rosewater muffins (makes 6)

1/2 cup almond milk

1/4 cup agave

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp rosewater

1 cup  all-purpose gluten-free flour mix

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup raw pistachios, roughly chopped**

Preheat oven to 375; line a muffin tin with six paper liners.

Whisk together the wet ingredients (almond milk through rosewater) in a large bowl until completely smooth.  Sift in the dry ingredients (flour through salt); mix well. Stir in the chopped pistachios.  Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the tin before serving.

*If you double the recipe, please remember to add a minute or two to the muffins' baking time.

**You can use roasted, salted pistachio nutmeats instead. If you do, though, don't use the salt called for in the recipe. The salt in the nuts will be enough.

Cookbook Review: Urban Vegan

I've long been reading Denise Balcavage's blog, Urban Vegan. When her first book came out I ordered it almost immediately--even before I heard wonderful things about her recipe for tiramisu.  I was not disappointed.  I've now had this book for quite some time, and have been very impressed with everything I've tried so far.  If you have a favorite gluten-free flour mix (I alternate between my own mix and Bob's Red Mill GF flour) you can make most of the baking recipes without trouble. (I have not tried the tiramisu gluten-free yet, though I am reviewing it here later.)

Earlier this week I worked on some of the baking recipes, subbing Bob's Red Mill GF flour one for one and adding a little xanthan gum.  The Citrus-Scented Blueberry Muffins were a big hit here, but my kids were even happier when I made the English Muffins.  The muffins worked so well, even gluten-free, that I have since made another batch and plan to bake them regularly. We had them simply, spread with peanut butter, for breakfast; then I used them to make the quintessential toddler food (English muffin pizzas) for lunch. This recipe is simply a winner.



Since purchasing Urban Vegan I've made several of the soups, all of them delicious.  I especially enjoyed the Pumpkin-Daal Soup and Hot and Sour Coconut Soup. This week I made the 10 Minute Corn Consommé for the first time.  It's probably the simplest soup I've had in a while, and so comforting without being heavy.  It's one of those recipes you can't believe you never thought of doing yourself, but now will be heating up all the time for a quick lunch.



Although this one isn't gluten free, I can't really review Urban Vegan without mentioning Balcavage's Tira Mi Su. It's just perfection. I never dreamed I'd have a dairy- and egg-free tiramisu that would really pass muster, but this one really does do just that. There's not much else to say about it. Just look at the photo I took way back when I made it:



When you're done going through the main chapters of the book, don't forget to check out Urban Vegan's sauce and beverage sections. There are some really great recipes in there, and many of the sauces are  free of gluten and soy. (The beverages are predominantly cocktails and are gluten- and soy-free, but a few call for beer. I don't really drink, so I'm not up on the animal-friendly status of gluten-free beers.)

My only issue with this book is a minor one: Urban Vegan is full of recipes calling for vegan versions of sour cream, cream cheese, and other ingredients. While I really appreciated that when I first cut out dairy, I try to stay away from too many faux-whatevers now. If you're anti-Earth Balance you may want to skip some of the recipes. I do still make the recipes calling for those ingredients--they're great recipes, after all--but I don't make them that often. The Tira Mi Su is one that, despite the "vegan" versions of ingredients in the recipe, I'll make again as soon as I can figure out whether the cake can be made gluten-free without sacrificing any of the texture.

Bottom line (I never know how to end these things without sounding silly, so bear with me):  Urban Vegan is well worth the expenditure. There are a few recipes that have made my usual rotation (the English muffins being one of them) and I would buy the book again for those alone. There's also enough fancy food in Balcavage's book to satisfy a dedicated meat-eater at a dinner party, which is more than I can say for many cookbooks.

Cookbook Review: American Vegan Kitchen

I've written about American Vegan Kitchen many times already, but wanted to update with a full review since it's AVK week in the Post Punk Kitchen Cookbook Challenge.  I admit I'm a bit biased on this one, since I tested for Tami.  That being said, this book really is quite good. There's a little something for everyone in it, from salads to hearty soups and stews, to deep fried goodness, to one of the best apple pies I've had.  (Not to mention the seitan recipes if you aren't gluten-free.)  I'm going to focus on the naturally gluten free and easily de-glutened recipes with this review, though, since there's plenty in it for those of use living without wheat.

Tester photo: Garlic baked potato

This potato come courtesy Carla's latest project.  I have to admit something: After photographing this I scraped off the scallions and ate it plain. No olive oil, no salt, no Earth Balance, no nothing. Just garlic baked potato loveliness.

Overnight spiced apple-pear sauce

We love eating applesauce here; my kids virtually inhale the stuff. Lately I've been getting great deals on apples and pears at the international market I frequent--$0.69/lb for the apples and about $1.00/lb for several varieties of pears!  I decided to stock up and make some overnight apple sauce in the crock pot, and to add in some of the pears I got for variety. It has the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and the hint of cardamom flavor really complements the pear. Use your choice of apples and pears here.  (I tend to throw in whatever varieties are on sale when I go shopping, and it always turns out perfectly.)



Overnight spiced apple-pear sauce

3 lbs  apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch dice

3 lb pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch dice

2 tsp ground cardamom

3/4 cup water

Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 10-12 hours (overnight); then puree with an immersion blender. Serve warm. Ladle unused sauce into clean (airtight) jars, allow to cool completely, then seal and refrigerate for up to a week.

Tester photo: glazed grapefruit

This one is a tester for Tami of Vegan Appetite. My mom used to make broiled grapefruit with brown sugar when I was little. I had no idea at the time that it was such a healthy dish, only that those grapefruit were super sweet and delicious.  Tami's innovative technique and use of maple instead of brown sugar makes her version even better than my mother's (sorry Mom).

Cookbook Review: The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

Suspecting a while back that I had a problem with wheat and/or gluten in general, I picked up a copy of The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam along with a five pound bag of almond flour after reading a number of posts on Ginger Lemon Girl highlighting almond flour as a fantastic and healthy (unless you're nut-allergic, that is) baking ingredient. It seems obvious--almonds are so versatile with their flavor that it seems natural to use them in both sweet and savory baking.  So with a new book and a huge bag of flour to work with I set to cooking through a few of the recipes.



One of the first things I noticed was the heavy reliance on eggs. I don't think this is anything new for most gluten-free baking books, so it wasn't particularly surprising.  I think most egg-free bakers are so used to using egg substitutes--from yogurt to chia to flax to Ener-G--that it's almost second-nature to modify recipes. That being said, there were a few recipes in the book that I think would be near impossible to modify to being egg free due to requiring more than six or seven eggs. (Of course they were also very heavy desserts, so I probably didn't need to be making them anyway.) There are plenty of egg-free recipes, though, that need no adapting, so don't you worry! I don't think the inclusion of eggs in a lot of recipes is hard to get around.  I have been using 1 Tbsp chia seed, ground in a coffee grinder, mixed with 3 Tbsp water for 1 egg. So far so good.  (You really only run into trouble with recipes calling for 4 or more eggs, but even that I think is workable with a little effort.)  On a more positive note, there are a few recipes that do not call for eggs at all, so don't worry if you're a new baker not up to subbing ingredients . Here's one example of a naturally vegan recipe--the simple tart crust. I used the crust to make the apple galettes from Veganomicon before Valentine's Day. It held up really well and tasted fantastic with the apples.



Okay--on to more recipes.  As I thumbed through the book I noticed that the author included a sweetness scale with every recipe (low/medium/high). I like this idea, especially for a book predominantly focused on baking. In fact, the very first recipe is for banana blueberry muffins; they contained zero refined sugar. (All the sweetness comes from the bananas mashed into the batter.)  All of the recipes I tried were good with minor egg-replacement substitutions as necessary, but the pie crusts, cookies, and sandwich bread were stand-outs as far as taste and texture are concerned.  I think my favorite recipe is the snickerdoodles (in the first photo). They're just sweet enough to count as  a cookie, but with only half a cup of sweetener in a recipe that makes 36 cookies, you could easily eat one for breakfast and not feel too guilty.

Below is the pecan pie with a dark chocolate crust. I made it with a mix of other nuts because I didn't have pecans on hand. I only had a minor issue with the pie--the agar in the filling gave it a bit of a weird texture. I think it could use a less liquid filling to nuts, but overall it wasn't too sweet and the chocolate crust... Oh, the chocolate crust. (So good!) I'll be making it again with a different filling ratio and with the called-for pecans, for while the mixed nuts were tasty it probably wasn't the best substitution I've ever made.  It's hard to beat pecans, after all!



There were really only one real negative to the book, and that is that there is an  entire chapter on meaty and fishy dishes, where almond flour is used as breading or similar. I only skimmed that chapter, and am not particularly interested in looking further. That being said, it's clearly not marketed as a vegan--or even vegetarian--book, so I definitely do not fault the author. It's just a bit of a bummer for those of us who avoid those foods.

Now for the big test:  Would I buy this again? Absolutely. I would buy this for a friend, too, which is not usual for me when talking about a non-vegan cookbook.  I think the health benefits of baking with a low-reliance on refined grains is huge, and the recipes have been overwhelmingly tasty and easy to veganize.

GF stuffed shells with white bean-cashew "ricotta"

My favorite vegan cheese--of any kind, really--is the cashew ricotta from Veganomicon. Unfortunately, I rarely make it because my daughter is sensitive to eating too much soy. After a bit of experimenting I came up with this recipe that relies on white beans and cashews as a base, making for a nutritious  soy-free alternative to Isa Moskowitz' and Terry Romero's classic.  (And may I say, if you are not soy free, please try their recipe at least once. It is beyond delicious.)  Here I've used my ricotta in a very simple version of stuffed shells. I par-boiled 8 oz large rice shells (Tinkyada brand) for about 9 minutes, drained and filled them, and arranged in a baking dish covered with about a cup homemade marinara. I then topped the pasta with another 2 cups sauce and baked at 350 F for 25 minutes.



White bean-cashew "ricotta" (makes about 3 cups)

1 1/2 cups cooked small white beans, or 1 15-oz can drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces, covered with water and soaked overnight, drained

juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup  olive oil

1 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb blend (optional)

Put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

---

Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays 6/28/11

My cook-bookshelf, and a project

A commenter on my Facebook page, in an open call for post and content suggestions, asked for me to post more cookbook reviews. I have since cataloged my books (minus a couple I have lent to friends for a couple of weeks and a few I've given to you, my lovely readers) and am ready to tackle the project! Within arm's reach as I sit here writing this are a grand total of twenty eight cookbooks. I have on the way--eventually--a few more that are either tester copies or pre-orders.  All this after I've given the under-used ones away! (I think I have a serious problem.)



So here's the goal: I am going to try to post one review every week until my cookbooks have all been reviewed here on my blog. And to make it easier for you to find these reviews once they've been written and are hidden in the archives, I now have a tab at the top of the page that will link you to each and every review (updated, of course, as I write).

(What have I gotten myself into?)

Roasted zucchini stuffed with smoky quinoa salad

I don't usually crave salad-stuffed vegetables in the winter, but since I've been feeling a lot better I had a craving for something fresh and colorful like summer, but with the convenience of the preserved produce available year-round. Smoked sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and capers star in this light and lovely meal. We ate this with the Chickpeas Romesco from Veganomicon, but any Mediterranean-inspired bean dish will do. Alternatively, serve two zucchini per person and have this for a light lunch. This recipe makes more than enough salad to stuff the squash, so serve the remaining salad on the side or keep it for the next day. The flavor will only improve with a little time!



Roasted zucchini stuffed with smoky quinoa salad (Serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a light main dish)

4 medium zucchini, about 2 lbs

2/3 cup cooked, cooled quinoa

1 Tbsp capers, drained

1/4 cup smoked sun-dried tomatoes, minced*

1/2 cup finely chopped (jarred) roasted red bell pepper, about 1/2 pepper

1/4 cup packed Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped

2 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat your broiler.  Using a sharp knife, cut one of the  zucchini lengthwise about 1/2 inch in from the edge of the squash. Set the smaller part of the squash aside. Using a melon-baller or small spoon, carefully scoop out most of the squash's insides. Set the scooped-out flesh aside with the other remnants. Repeat with the remaining squash.  Then roughly chop the remaining bits of zucchini and place into a large bowl; set aside.  Place the hollowed-out zucchini on a cookie sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Broil for 5 minutes, then turn over carefully and broil for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Put the remaining ingredients in the bowl with the chopped zucchini flesh.  Mix gently, but well, and allow to sit while the roasted zucchini cool to room temperature (at least 30 minutes).

To serve: Carefully spoon a few tablespoons of the quinoa salad into each pepper. Serve the remaining salad on the side or refrigerate and save for the next day.

*Note: I happened across smoked sun-dried tomatoes at Wegmans a while back and am now completely addicted.  I also found them today on Amazon here. I already loved sun-dried tomatoes, but these add so much extra depth, and no re-hydrating necessary to achieve a chewable texture.

---

Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays on 6/21/11 and Allergy-Friendly Fridays 7/1/11.

GF coconut scones, and an announcement

Last year my daughter came home from preschool calling Valentine's Day "Love Day," and it stuck here at chez Celia. Forget about St. Valentine--happy Love Day to you all!  Go give your friends and loved ones a big hug and tell them how much you care.

/smarm

Okay, so here's the deal folks: This blog is now 100% gluten-free.  I found out this last week that I'm highly sensitive to wheat, after finally having allergy tests done. (I'm also sensitive to dairy, and my son allergic to eggs, but that's really not relevant to my cooking at all; it just makes dining out a little trickier.) While I've been feeling sorry for myself since Thursday {pout--no more seitan}, I think it's time to buck up and just start cooking and baking fantastic gluten-free treats. I've done a little of that already, but from now on it's all wheat- and gluten-free food, all the time. Hooray for happy tummies!  Along the same lines, if you or someone you cook for has food allergies, please feel free to email me with requests. I've been trying hard to include some soy-free foods, since my daughter is sensitive to too much soy (not sure about allergies yet).  I know there are probably plenty of others out there with sensitivities and/or allergies, so comment or email, or post on the Facebook page. I promise to try to come up with things that you can eat! I've just been so overwhelmed with the cleaning these past few days that I want to be able to help make delicious vegan food without the ingredients that make us sick.

Phew. That was long. Okay, now to the food!

I've been playing a lot with coconut in all its forms over the past few months. I love baking with coconut oil for a couple of reasons: First, it has a similar melting point to butter and shortening, so it's perfect for creating flaky biscuits and pie crusts. And it doesn't have a list of ten or more ingredients like most vegan butter substitutes. I mean, don't get me wrong--I love Earth Balance on toast and anywhere butter flavor belongs. I would just prefer something a little less, well, processed.  Don't worry too much about coconut oil being a saturated fat. It's still a plant oil and in moderation is fine.

Coconut flour has also been in my pantry cupboard at all times since the beginning of January. I buy the Bob's Red Mill stuff because it seems to be the finest texture. (Really, the only thing I don't buy from Bob's Red Mill is almond flour, but that's another post.) Coconut flour is magical. Per 28 g (1 ounce), coconut flour has 4 g protein, 16 g total carbohydrates, and a whopping 10 grams of fiber. (As a comparison, 100% whole wheat flour has 3.4 g protein, 19.5 g total carbohydrates, and 3.4 g fiber per 1 ounce.)  If that's not appealing, I don't know what is. If you're watching carbohydrate and starch intake, this is a great flour to use. Besides that, it's delicious. Win, win, right? Before I went wheat-free I subbed a few tablespoons of coconut flour for wheat flour in muffins--as per package instructions--and loved it.  This is my first time showcasing coconut flour as the main ingredient in a dish, so I'm super excited about the tenderness of these scones.  Speaking of the scones, you don't have to make them in heart shapes. After today, I'm not making any heart-shaped foods until next February, but will still make these either in the traditional triangle shape or with different cookie cutters. Enjoy!



Coconut scones (gluten-, soy-, and nut-free; makes 6)

1 cup hemp milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup arrowroot starch

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 cup coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 375 F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the hemp milk, vinegar, vanilla, and brown rice syrup until well-combined. Set aside.  In a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). Using a pastry cutter or clean fingers, cut in the coconut oil until the mixture looks like pebbles. Pour in the wet ingredients and mix well.

Turn out the dough onto a work surface. (No need to flour it!) Gently pat into a 3/4 to 1 inch thick circle.  Cut out shapes with medium-sized (2" diameter or so) cookie cutters and gently place on the baking sheet.  Gather up the dough and repeat until you've used it up.  (See note for alternate shaping.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden. There may be a few darker bits on the scones, but that's okay.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving with a nice dollop of your favorite fruit preserves and a cup of your favorite tea. (Or use them for strawberry shortcake!)

Alternative shaping: Pat the dough into a 1 inch-thick circle. Using a sharp knife, cut into 6 wedges. Transfer to the cookie sheet and bake according to directions.

Red velvet muffins

It's no secret around here that I'm in love with red velvet cupcakes. Unfortunately it's not a good idea for me to eat them everyday, complete with the cream cheese frosting.  Since we're on a Valentine's Day kick, I thought it might be fun to make some muffins for breakfast that had beets for a subtle color, and just a little cocoa for that signature red velvet taste. They're whole grain and have a whole beet grated in (though the flavor is neutral and just slightly sweet), so these muffins are a perfect healthy antidote to red velvet lust in the morning.



Red velvet muffins (makes 12)

1 cup hemp milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 medium beet, peeled

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract*

1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour**

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Combine the hemp milk and apple cider vinegar into a large bowl; allow to curdle for a few minutes.  Grate the beet in with a microplane grater. (If you don't have a microplane grater, use the very smallest side of your box grater.)  Add the coconut oil and extracts; mix very well.  Sift in the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. Divide evenly between the muffin tins. The tins will be about 1/2 to 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

*For nut-free peeps: Get rid of the almond extract and add 1/2 tsp more vanilla.*

**Note for the GF folks: I'm reasonably certain that these can be converted to a gluten-free muffin with a 1:1 sub of your favorite GF flour mix and 1/2 tsp xanthan gum. I've never had problems converting muffins, so if you decide to do this you should be fine.**

---

Shared at Allergy-Friendly Friday 6/10/11. Full page of great links here.

Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays 7/5/11.

Vegan truffles! (Product rave, possibly for the zillionth time.)

I love chocolate, perhaps more than I should. I especially love truffles; they're the perfect size and usually rich enough to keep my consumption to one or maybe two.  Let me, if you would, give you a little hint: Order some Bluestocking Bonbons from Lagusta's Luscious. Lagusta is based in New York state and makes all her truffles from organic and fair trade chocolate, and really fantastic artisanal ingredients. I can say without exaggeration that her chocolates are my all-time favorites. (And I just bought into the Chocolate of the Month Club, something I normally wouldn't do for a product or really anything else. What can I say? I'm hooked.)  I got my mother-in-law addicted too--she now gets these for birthday and Christmas gifts. Am I a bad influence? I say no.



This month I got my shipment of the January chocolate (white chocolate yuzu) and the February chocolates, detailed in the link above. As you can see, they go quickly around here.  The anatomical hearts are made with cocoa nibs, coffee, cherry, and salt--and even my four year old begged for a second one. (That's a pretty intense flavor for a little kid; I'm glad she's adventurous!)

*I didn't get asked to write this review, nor was I compensated in any way.  I gladly shell out my own money for the products I like and to support fantastic small businesses that act on their ethics.

Food Network Friday: hamburguesas rellenas con chiles (stuffed burgers with poblanos)

It's been quite a long time since I participated in a Food Network Friday, so I'll rehash the idea for those of you who are new readers or are not familiar. A group of us have been veganizing awesome-looking recipes from the Food Network every couple of weeks on Fridays.  I don't remember who started the project, but I believe it was Tami of Vegan Appetite (and American Vegan Kitchen fame).  At any rate, it's been quite a while since I participated and since we've even done a Food Network Friday, so when this recipe for Chile Relleno Burgers was picked for this round I got super excited and promised to participate.  This is my entry for this week's edition. Its base is a gluten- and soy-free trio of grains--quinoa, red rice, and amaranth--with some spices and chia to round out the 'meat' of the burger. I stuffed it with a mixture of vegan cheese and chopped, roasted poblano; and I topped the burgers with poblano guacamole and salsa. Make sure you check out Tami's blog (linked above) for the full recap and other entries! I can't wait to see them myself.





Hamburguesas rellenas con chiles

1 poblano chile

2 tsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, ground

1/2 cup red rice

1/2 cup quinoa

1/4 cup amaranth

2 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth or water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup vegan Mexican- or cheddar-style cheese, preferably a melty variety (like Daiya or a homemade thick cheesy sauce)

1 ripe Haas avocado

1 lime

4-5 large flour or rice tortillas

salsa, for serving

Preheat your broiler. Place the poblanos on a baking sheet, place in the oven, and broil until charred (a couple of minutes). Turn over and char the other side.  Take the chilies out of the oven and place in a bowl of ice water. In a couple of minutes slip the skins off with your fingers, remove the chilies from the water, chop finely, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat.  Add the onions; saute for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.  Add the grains. Toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the broth, salt, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat, add the chia seeds. Re-cover the pan and let sit until room temperature.

Heat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Scoop about 1/4 cup of the grain mixture onto the baking sheet. Then flatten into about 1/2 inch thick patties. Repeat until you have five.  Mix 1/2 of the chopped poblano with the vegan cheese. Divide evenly among the patties, putting the cheese mixture into the middle.  Using wet hands--the mix is sticky!--scoop out a bit more of the grain mixture and pat onto the top of the cheese, covering it completely, repeating for all five burgers.  Spray the top of the burgers with a bit of cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes.  Then take out of the oven and let cool a bit.

While waiting for the burgers to cool a little mash the avocado in a medium bowl. Mix in the juice of one lime and the remaining chopped poblano. Add a pinch of salt if you like.

To serve: Place each burger patty onto one half of a large tortilla. Top with a dollop of the guacamole and a spoonful of salsa.  Gently fold the ends of the tortilla inward. Then fold the far half over to form a bit of a pocket.  (Alternatively, you can serve this in a pita if you like. I just prefer tortillas.)

Heart-shaped bread, two ways

Last week I saw this post on the Artisan Bread in Five blog and was inspired to try out my own heart-shaped loaves.  I love making interesting breads for special occasions--and for everyday, really--so trying this idea out seemed  like the perfect way to combat the mid-winter blues.  A few days ago I posted about Valentine's Day pita bread; today I have for you two different heart-shaped loaves. One loaf I crafted from a basic unenriched dough that I usually use for baguettes, the other from a veganized version of the Artisan Bread in Five chocolate dough as per Zoë François' suggestion on the aforementioned post.



For this bread I baked at 450 F for just under 30 minutes (after a 30 minute rest) with a water-filled broiler tray beneath the baking sheet to create that nice crackling crust.



The chocolate dough is harder to work with cold, so if you plan on using that to make a shaped loaf I suggest using it before it's been chilled. I baked this one at 350 for 25 minutes after letting it rest for 90 minutes.

Gluten-free chocolate cherry mini loaves

In all my years of baking, I've only just invested in a few mini-loaf tins.  My mother always made a chocolate chip-cherry Christmas bread in mini tins that made for fantastic gifts.  While my mother's bread was basically a glorified fruitcake made with chocolate chips and maraschino cherries, this is a cocoa-flavored quickbread made with almond flour and dried cherries. There's plenty of nutrition, and just enough sweetness to keep the kid in you happy.  This is perfect for an easy homemade hostess gift--or keep it for yourself. I won't tell!



Chocolate cherry mini loaves (Makes 2 mini loaves)

2 cups lightly packed almond flour (8 oz)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 Tbsp arrowroot starch

2 Tbsp ground flaxseed

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp cold coffee (or water + 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder)

1/2 cup agave nectar

2/3 cup dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease two mini loaf tins.

Mix the almond flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, arrowroot, and flaxseed meal in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl whisk together the coconut oil, coffee, and agave.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.  Fold in the dried cherries.  Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf tins.  Bake for 30-32 minutes until firm.  (A toothpick will come out almost clean. Don't wait to take it out until the toothpick is totally clean or it'll get dry!) Remove the tins from the oven and allow the loaves to cool in the tins for at least 30 minutes before serving. If using for gifts, allow to cool completely before wrapping in plastic, either still in the tins or by themselves.

Raw pistachio-rosewater gelato

Remember that post about the cashew-based gelato I got for (gasp) over $8 a couple of weeks ago? Well, this week the wheels started turning in my head--scary as that may be--and I decided to make my own raw gelato in the ice cream maker I got ages ago. Because why not? It turns out you can make a pretty decent frozen dessert with a few high-quality ingredients for about half the price of the store-bought stuff. Chances are this will turn out to be the first in a series of posts about ice creams, both nut-based and otherwise. This one is a Middle Eastern-inspired pistachio-rosewater blend that is like heaven for your mouth.



Pistachio-rosewater gelato (makes approximately 1 pint)

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained

2 large Medjool dates, pitted, soaked overnight with the cashews, drained

2/3 cup cold water

2 tsp rosewater

pinch sea salt

1/2 cups raw pistachio meats, divided

Chop 1/4 cup of the pistachios.  Set the chopped and whole pistachio nutmeats aside in a small bowl. Put the cashews, dates, water, rosewater, and sea salt in a blender.  Blend at high speed for about 2 minutes, until completely smooth and creamy. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. In the last 5 minutes of freezing, add the whole and chopped pistachios. (Freeze for a final 5 minutes.)  Spoon the gelato into an air-tight container and freeze for at least 2 hours, until firm.  Take the gelato out of the freezer approximately 5 minutes before serving to allow it to soften just a bit.

---

Shared at Simply Sugar- & Gluten- Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday 5/31/11.

Tester photo: Chipotle peanut butter hummus

This is a teaser photo of a recipe I recently tested for Carla Kelly, whose first book (Quick and Easy Vegan Bakesale) is coming out very soon. This is from her second project; I'm thrilled to be testing for her again. I've been bad about getting photos of the recipes I've tested over the past couple of months, and am trying to remedy that. I figured something as delicious as chipotle peanut butter hummus (genius!) is a good place to start.



(PS: Buy her book! I have tester photos throughout this blog and cannot recommend the book enough for all bakers and lovers of baked goods.  So, everyone!)

Valentine's Day pita bread

Nothing says Valentine's Day like heart-shaped food.  Why not make homemade pita bread--one of the easiest yeasted breads to bake--into heart shapes? Better yet, make it with pink dough! I promise you that although this easy no-knead dough has beets for color and a little extra nutrition you won't taste them at all.  My recipe is slightly peppery, but feel free to leave the pepper out if you want a more neutral dough.



Valentine's Day pita bread

Preheat the oven to 500 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly flour a work surface. Tearing off small chunks of any basic bread dough (such as the beet dough found below), dust with additional flour and flatten into 1/4" thick rounds. Then shape gently into hearts.  Bake for 5 minutes, until puffy. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.  Wrap loosely with a clean kitchen towel or cloth napkin until ready to serve.  (Serve warm, the day of baking.)

 

Basic beet bread dough (makes about 2 lbs of dough)

3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

scant 1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 medium beet, finely grated

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

Mix everything in a large bowl. Cover loosely and let rest for two hours or so.  Use immediately or refrigerate, covered loosely, for up to five days.  Use it any way you might use a basic un-enriched dough (e.g., for boules, baguettes, pitas, etc.).

Mark Bittman's espresso black bean chili

Something about this weekend screams Southwestern food to me. Might it have something to do with the Superbowl being in Texas this weekend? Maybe. Or maybe it's because it's still winter and I just want spicy food. Either way, I've got two things to post about today.  The first is a video of the lovely Kim Lahn of Vegan Conversion Challenge making her tequila-scented queso in a tailgating appetizer competition. On television. I've actually made this queso in a test for her and can vouch for its awesomeness.  (Kim, you're a rock star. That is all.)  The recipe is on her blog, and the video here.

Okay, now on to other spicy deliciousness.  I am a huge fan of Mark Bittman for both his food and his commentary on food politics. He's a voice of reason in an otherwise Monsanto- and government subsidy-heavy world of big agriculture. Bittman just started writing an opinion column at the New York Times; his first article, a food manifesto of sorts, can be found here.  Now to the food: My parents had Bittman's How to Cook Everything on the bookshelf when I was growing up.  My mom loved the book; when she passed a few years ago the  book went to my sister. He now has several other cookbooks out, including How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, which is a good resource for anyone who needs ideas for how to cook beans and vegetables.



I don't have the book, but this recipe for Espresso Black Bean Chili from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is posted on Bittman's website. It's another budget-friendly recipe, and probably cost me $6 or $7 to prepare the whole batch. (I didn't do a full calculation since several ingredients are small amounts of pantry staples.) It is so good. The coffee adds a fantastic depth of flavor, making an otherwise simple recipe quite special.  The only issue with the recipe online is that it doesn't state how much water to use.  I covered the already-soaked beans by an inch or so and checked the liquid levels several times when cooking. No big deal. It's perfect for Super Bowl Weekend since it makes a ton of food and requires very little effort. Serve it with the usual toppings and a side of chips and Kim's queso for the perfect party fare.

White wine-poached pears

Fresh fruit is one of my absolute favorite desserts. In summer I like berries drizzled with cashew crème or dipped in chocolate ganache. Even a simple fruit salad will do.  But in winter, I like my fruit cooked.  One of my favorite cookbooks for fruity desserts (and everything else, really) is Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein.  She has multiple recipes for poached peaches, pears, and apples (along with granitas and macerated melon)--mostly in some kind of wine or liqueur.  Today I splurged a bit and got some Bosc pears to poach in the white wine I've had sitting in my fridge for a while.  I took inspiration from Klein's book highlighting classic Mediterranean cuisine and came up with these wine-poached pears for two that are perfect for a light dessert after a romantic Valentine's Day meal.



White wine-poached pears (serves 2)

2 ripe-but-firm Bosc pears, peeled, halved, and carefully cored with a melon baller or small spoon (stems left on)

2 cups dry white wine

1/3 cup honey

1 cinnamon stick

juice from 1 lemon

Combine the wine, honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a medium lidded saucepan (about 2-3 quarts). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the pear halves carefully; then cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until just fork tender. (You don't want them mushy.)  Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Bring the liquid back to a boil. Cook until the liquid has reduced to about  1/2 cup--about 20 more minutes.   Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.  To serve, arrange two pear halves in a shallow bowl. Spoon half the wine syrup over each serving.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. (Pair with sparkling wine or cider, or an espresso.)

Gluten-free chocolate cherry almond muffins

 



Gluten-free chocolate cherry almond muffins

1/2 cup + almond flour

1/2 cup millet flour

1/2 cup arrowroot starch

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup + 2 Tbsp almond milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup dried cherries

 

Bake 25 min at 375

Classic crêpes, egg- and gluten-free

I love crêpes, though I grew up calling them Swedish pancakes and eating them at my grandmother's house topped, of course, with lingonberry preserves.    My recipe for gluten-free crêpes was inspired by Isa Moskowitz' wheat version in Vegan Brunch. I kept Moskowitz' general liquid: dry ratio but changed up the flours and sweetener.  I've used lots of chickpea flour to give that eggy flavor of the classic recipe, and brown rice syrup to keep them from being too sweet. My husband likes these filled with chocolate peanut butter; my daughter prefers sliced strawberries and cashew crème. Fill them with your favorite toppings to make these crêpes your own!



Classic crêpes (makes 8)

1 3/4 cups almond milk

1/3 cup chickpea flour

1/3 cup fine brown rice flour

1/3 cup potato starch

2 Tbsp brown rice syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

cooking spray, for frying

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high for 1 minute. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Take the batter out of the refrigerator and blend again, on high, for 30 seconds. Working quickly, spray the skillet with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour 1/3 cup batter into the center of the skillet, and quickly but gently swirl the pan until the batter has spread out into a thin circle.  Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until the top of the crepe has turned from shiny to matte and the tiny bubbles have popped. (This is exactly like regular pancakes.)  Very carefully flip the crepe with a flexible spatula.  Cook for an additional 30 seconds, then transfer to a large plate and cover with aluminum foil while cooking the rest of the crepes.  Repeat process for the remaining pancakes, making sure to spray the skillet again with cooking spray for each crêpe. Serve rolled or folded with fresh berries or your choice of other toppings.

Note: This recipe was shared on Cybele Pascal's Allergy-Friendly Friday on 4/23/11. Please check out the other lovely recipes shared here.

Look out, vampires: Whole grain linguine with 40 clove pasta sauce

A while back my husband and I saw a pasta sauce on the Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate: With Garlic that looked to die for.  Melissa d'Arabian highlighted a roasted garlic pasta sauce from Bove's in Burlington, Vermont.*  Immediately my husband wanted to recreate this at home.  And really, who wouldn't? Garlic is super healthy and anti-inflammatory, and more importantly it's just plain awesome. Garlic haters (are there such things?) and the Undead should watch out, though, since my version of the sauce features a full three heads of fresh garlic, pan roasted until tender for a sweet and mellow taste.



Whole grain linguine with 40 clove pasta sauce (serves 4)

3 heads garlic, cloves peeled and left whole (about 40 cloves), divided**

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1/2 tsp dried

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, fire roasted if possible

salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional, to taste

1 lb whole wheat linguine (Use brown rice pasta to make this gluten-free.)

Mince four cloves of garlic; set aside in a small bowl. Add the remaining garlic and the olive oil to a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the cloves of garlic are pale golden and soft, stirring occasionally.  Watch closely after about 10 minutes to make sure they don't get too dark. Remove the cloves of garlic from the pan with a slotted spoon; place them in a small bowl, and set aside.   Add the minced garlic and thyme to the olive oil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.  Add the wine and tomatoes; stir until well-combined.  Bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove the lid and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Add the reserved cloves of roasted garlic. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 more minutes while you cook 1 pound of whole grain (wheat or brown rice) linguine. Drain the pasta, toss gently with the sauce, and serve immediately.

*Clearly I need to spend more time in Vermont, since this is the second dish I've recreated from the state after watching an episode of Best Thing...

**Time saving tip:  Although I prefer to peel the cloves of garlic myself because they're fresher when straight from the bulb, if you're short on time and patience you're welcome to use those pre-peeled cloves of garlic found in the refrigerated section of your grocery's produce department.

---

This recipe was shared on the 5/6/11 Allergy Friendly Friday over at Cybele Pascal's site.  Click here for more great recipes!