Happy Holiday Blues

There is holiday tune that has the line “I wish it could be this time of year all year long.” When I first heard that a screaming voice in my head yelled, “HELL NO.” So Happy holiday season! Is anyone else not feeling the joy and blessing of this time of year? I’m always so excited to celebrate, deck my home, bake my cookies and daze off in the twinkle of white lights. This year I feel like I’m missing the holiday spirit and I don’t know why. It could possibly be the fact that global warming is making for some manic weather here in Chicago, and of course each different weather mood consists of no snow. Or maybe just walking out my door and into the streets has me swarmed with over crowded everything, shops, buses, restaurants. It makes me want to hide away.

I had a realization during Thanksgiving, while cooking, and baking and bustling about, I was thinking, why, why do all of this for just one day? And then I started to prep my Bompa’s Cranberry Pie, a recipe so near and dear to my heart I make sure there is extra so I can eat it for post holiday breakfasts for the days to come. Every time I look at the recipe I think of Bompa and the wonderful memories I have of our time together. This is the greatest part of celebrating the holidays with friends and family, we never really remember the pain in our bellies from being filled to the max, or the taste of the meal months later. What we remember is the time in the kitchen learning mom’s tricks to making the moistest turkey or the conversations and laughs around the dinner table. All of my memories of these days are so vivid and so diverse and I need to remember those faces and stories when I’m stressed with kitchen duties, grocery lines and hours of preparation.

So that is my motivation for this time of year, making new memories and keeping with old traditions. The newest tradition that has been in place for the past four years is my annual cookie exchange. What started as a simple bring cookies to exchange party has turned into a battle of baking giants as well as a side splitting white elephant gift exchange and this year was one of the best. Yes while I exhaustively prepped food for days the laughter and newest baking creations made every moment of preparation worth it.

If you are like me and you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed and fearful that the holidays are losing their true meaning, in your moment of stress close your eyes and remember one holiday memory. Then take a deep breath and keep going and if all else fails there are only about 17 days left!

 

The 2012 winner of the Pooping Reindeer Trophy and Best Cookie was Scott Randel for his Peppermint Oreo Balls

KISS – Keep It Simple Silly

Big news, I had my first article posted on another blog site! My current employer The Chopping Block, has given me the opportunity to write a monthly article. Want to know what organic foods you should by, check out The Organic Debate.

Well the Holidays are in full force and I found it easy to slip back into my hosting routine. The changes I do see are that while I like to come up with elaborate food events in my head based on budget and lack of time the mantra “KISS” has to be repeated over and over… Keep It Simply Silly (made some change to make it positive). While keeping it simple definitely limits the stress and maximizes my socializing time, it does take work to stay on track. With that in mind I thought I would start posting some easy fun Thanksgiving Food options for those who may need an extra side dish or some Vegan alternatives.

Our simple menu for my Halloween dinner party consisted of:

 – Roasted Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

– Arugula Salad with Apples and Celery

– Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our simple menu for the Bi-Election Party consisted of: 

– Italian Comfort Popcorn (not vegan, but it one the vote that night, its simple – plain popcorn, olive oil, salt, fresh ground pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese, it one in a landslide) 

– Coconut Curry Carmel Corn 

– Mama Emmy Lou’s Special Spaghetti Sauce (it’s a secret for now)

– Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Carmel Frosting (this recipe is still a work in progress)

Stay tuned for some Thanksgiving specialties and if you have any requests I’m up for a cooking challenge.

Culture, Cuisine and Cambodia

If you can’t tell I am fascinated by cooking and cuisine. This isn’t anything new, I remember when I was young and my parents would come home from their date nights and I would make them tell me in detail what they ordered for dinner. I love food especially the preparation and cultural influence that goes into every meal. While yes, I don’t eat meat, I still appreciate all types of food and the celebration that surrounds every bite.

With that I signed up for another cooking adventure while in Cambodia. I knew nothing of Cambodian cuisine before I arrived but the cover of my cook book that was presented to me during class read this:

“Thank you for taking part in our cooking class. Cambodia’s tragic past has resulted in the loss of many recipes, and poverty means many families are unable to buy the ingredients needed for Khmer dishes. By participating in our class you are helping rebuild Cambodia’s culinary reputation and knowledge. Cambodian cuisine is not hot and spicy like its neighbors, but rather relies on layers of flavors from fresh herbs and spices. We hope you go home and share these dishes with your family and friends.”

So family and friends here are some of my favorites:
Khmer Mango Salad, a new competitor to my favorite papaya salad. This salad is made with green mango and a sauce that is the perfect balance of sweet, sour and salty a wonderfully refreshing experience in every bite.
Amok is a classic Khmer dish that is eaten during times of celebration. A savory, creamy curry that is the perfect balance of flavors. Because most families are too poor to purchase the ingredients for Amok it is only eaten during special occasions. It usually has fish in it, but I also had one with tofu that was just as good.

I learned how to properly roll fresh spring rolls. While the wonderful veggie combination inside provides for a healthy snack, the amazing dipping sauce that accompanies the dish is a must.
Finally look at what I made. As many of you know baking is a favorite pass time of mine and now I have a new treat to share with you all. Nom Tong Noun is a light thin cookie that reminded me of a really good cake ice cream cone. You use a special flat waffle iron to cook the cookies so I’ll have to find that but the fun design makes them ever so fancy.

Our class started with visiting a local village family. I was a little uncomfortable being in this families home because I felt as if they were on display for us or that we were intruding in their privacy. With every visit to this family’s home the class provides a pound of rice which helps the family immensely. I later asked my tour guide about my concerns and he told me that they enjoy meeting western people because they have never been exposed to western cultures, therefore it is an experience for them as well. He did give me three other factors to know when visiting a Cambodian home:

1. When offered food or drink you must always accept, even if you are vegetarian and they offer you a meat dish you must take a small bite as a sign of respect. It is incredibly disrespectful to say no to something that is offered to you.

2. Cambodians believe that if a meal is created it should be shared with everyone, therefore if you have left overs that you give as a hand out it is very disgraceful towards them.

3. If you want to bring gifts or candy for the village children don’t throw them on the ground or into the air for the children to gather. The parents see this as animal behavior and don’t want the children scavenging for the food off the ground.

As many of you know I have talked of adoption for some time. I had thought about visiting an orphanage while in Cambodia and then I saw this. I was so embarrassed that I hadn’t thought of that myself. Rather then going to an orphanage I found this restaurant Haven their mission states, “Haven is a training restaurant & sanctuary for young adult orphans in Cambodia who have to leave the orphanage and have nowhere to go. We offer these young people accommodation, food, medical treatment as well as a place to work and train in gastronomy. After they finish their training we help them find a permanent position. Our aim is to support these young people in their emotional and professional development and give them a real chance in life – and we believe that helping them to help themselves is the best form of support.”
The food was fantastic and supporting this cause is very important to me.

And so my time in Cambodia has come to an end. While it was a hard visit emotionally, I did learn a lot about the culture, history and myself. I will cherish my experience and time here.

Welcome Summer – Coconut Lemon Fruit Tarts

Happy First Day of Summer! Like most American’s we have finally been hit by the heat wave that has been slowly moving across the country. While the heat will drive most of us out of the kitchen I thought I would post these final two recipes before I head off on my adventure.

Summer Fruit Tarts with Coconut Lemon Cream:

Cookie Shell:

–       1 ¾ c. Flour

–       ½ tsp. Baking Powder

–       ¼ tsp. Salt

–       ½ c. Earth Balance

–       ¾ c. Sugar

–       2 T. Almond Extract

–       2-3 Flax Eggs (1 Flax Egg equals 1 T. ground Flax Seed with 3 T. warm water)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer, add in almond extract once sugar and butter are fully combined
3. Combine dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt
4. Combine dry ingredients with butter and sugar recipe
5. Add in two flax eggs, if the dough is still crumbly and not coming together add in third flax egg.
6. Using a mini muffin tin, roll the dough into small balls as seen below.
7. Bake for ten minutes, then take the dough out and using a teaspoon measuring spoon press the center of each ball down creating a cup
8. Bake for another 6 to 10 minutes, you want to take the cookie out while they are still soft and make sure not to over cook them
9. Set aside and cool

Coconut Lemon Cream: 

–       1 can Coconut Milk (place can in refrigerator until you are ready to use)

–       2 T. Tapioca Flour or Arrow Root, these fours are used as a thickening agent and are very similar to corn starch which you could use if you don’t have the other two flours

–       2/3 c. Powdered Sugar

–       ¾ container of Tofutti Cream Cheese

–       1 lemon, you’ll need the zest and the juice

1. Using a mixer, pour the entire can of Coconut Milk into the mixing bowl, you will see that the can is half a thick white cream and the other have a murky white liquid. Once the entire can is in the bowl pour out the murky white liquid, you can leave some but drain out the majority of the liquid.
2. Start the mixer and add in the Tapioca Flour/Arrow Root and powdered sugar until completely combined
3. Add in the Tofutti cream cheese and lemon juice and zest, whip together until there are no lumps from the Tofutti cream cheese
4. Scrap the Coconut Lemon Cream into a large Ziploc bag and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve

Once you are ready to serve the tarts cut off one corner of the bottom of the Ziploc bag and pipe the cream into the cups. Then add any variation of fruit to each tart. I like using strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and kiwi based on the colors. You can prepare the tarts earlier before serving just make sure to refrigerate them between the prep and the serve time.

Enjoy!

The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Like peanut butter and jelly, bagels and cream cheese and french fries and ketchup, some foods are better in pairs than alone. This I find true with a cold glass of almond milk and a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie, the sweet and saltiness of the cookie is only complimented more with a refreshingly cold glass of milk.

 A dear friend and continual food sampler made a request last week for my Vegan Chocolate Chip cookies, I was slightly confused because I didn’t have a go-to recipe that was Vegan, but of course I was up for the challenge. I came up with one of the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had, and that is saying a lot as my Mother is the chocolate chip cookie queen. You all be the judge.

 

The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes about 20 cookies

• ¾ c. sugar
• ½ c. maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon molasses
• 8 tablespoons of Earth Balance butter
• 3 flax eggs – 3 tablespoons of ground flax seed mixed with 9 tablespoons of warm water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups flour – next time I will use white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour for extra health benefits
• 2 tablespoons apple sauce (optional)
• 1 c. vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ c. walnuts (optional)

– Preheat oven at 325

1. Combine sugar, maple syrup, molasses, Earth Balance and vanilla in mixer and mix until smooth
2. Make three flax eggs combining 3 tablespoons ground flax seed with 9 tablespoons warm water, let stand for a couple of minutes and then add to butter mixture 
3. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda 
4. Add flour mixture in parts to butter and sugar mixture, when fully combined add some more until all ingredients are combined
5. At this point if you find the dough to be a little dry add in the apple sauce to make the cookies softer
6. Add in the chocolate chips and if you also want to add walnuts add about ½ a cup
7. I used a silicone baking mat on the cookie tray and made my cookies larger, but create any size cookie you like and bake for 15 to 20 minutes; check after 15 minutes, the goal is for the cookies to be soft so you don’t want to over bake them.

Enjoy with a cold glass of any of your favorite non-dairy milks!

It’s Fall That Means Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wow, time has flown by. Last time I wrote it was Labor Day weekend and I was promising you lots of fun Fall recipes and look Halloween is already next weekend. To update you on the Salted Caramel Cupcakes, they were a hit, but I am working on making them in a smaller serving size, stay tuned in December I’ll have the recipe for you.

Back to the Fall season, I’ve been doing a lot of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. I’m working on perfecting some soups and other non-dessert dishes since the pattern of my blog pots have a very sweet theme.

Outside of the kitchen life has gotten a bit crazy, this is what I call my Wedding Season. My very good friends John and Danielle got married last weekend, in a magnificent wedding here in Chicago.

My best friend Kasey is getting married in Cabo San Lucas in 24 days, and of course you know my sister is getting married in May, so there has been a lot of wedding planning, packing and celebrating.

In honor of my favorite time of year I’ve made a cookie that seems to be a Fall hit! Pumpkin and Chocolate Chips are a wonderful combination and this recipe is simple yet the flavors linger making you crave all activities Fall related, like apple picking and pumpkin carving. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

serving size 12

• 2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour (or you can do 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour)
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 1 can Pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ½ cup Earth Balance Butter
• ¼ teaspoon Ground Clove
• ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

    1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees
    2. Combine sugar and Earth Balance butter in electric mixer until fully combined add in vanilla, pumpkin and mix

    3. 
In a separate bowl combine all other ingredients (you can sift the ingredients together to make the cookies a little less dense)

        I use a strainer over another bowl and combine the dry ingredients and then shake them into the bowl below.

   

 

4. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients
5. Fold in chocolate chips
6. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, they are supposed to be soft not too hard

HAPPY FALL!

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I began exploring the vegan world I realized the easiest way to introduce my friends and family into this lifestyle was by taking advantage of their “sweet tooth”, “Do you like that? Want more? Its vegan!”

Alicia Silverstone’s book The Kind Diet, was the first vegan book I bought. I was salivating over all the yummy desserts she offered recipes for; peanut butter cups, rice crispy treats, brownies. I loved the idea of baking treats that were better for you. Now before I go any further I must make a Disclaimer: treats are treats, no matter if they are vegan or chocked full of butter and eggs, so the key to remember is moderation!

I had a lot of people to convince that this lifestyle change I was embarking on did not mean I was giving up flavor in exchange for the healthy alternative. So I have been baking a lot, and with each recipe I have started to substitute healthier ingredients, while making sure that the flavor stayed the same. “Do you like that? Want more? Not only is it vegan but I have added fiber, substituted in better sugar and whole wheat!” I promise they couldn’t tell the difference, you won’t be able to either.

Here is one of my most favorite cookie recipes. Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies. What I love most about these cookies is the combination of rolled oats mixed with the gooey raisins and chocolate, together they create such a satisfying flavor. Even my sister who is not a fan of raisins was pleasantly surprised how much she loved the combination. They take no time to whip up, which could be dangerous, but they are simple and delicious.

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients*

1 cup Old-Fashion Oats/ Rolled Oats

1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or Whole Wheat White Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

½ teaspoon Salt

½ cup Agave Syrup

2 tablespoons Ground Flax Seed

½ cup Earth Balance Butter

1 teaspoon Vanilla

⅓ cup Soy Milk or Almond Milk

½ cup Raisins

½ cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

* Some of the ingredients may be a little foreign, but you will use them a lot so it is a good time to search them out, although I think your local grocery store is as far as you will have to go. Below is an explanation of the ingredients and where you can find them.

1.            Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.            Soften the butter in the microwave for no more then 30 seconds

3.            You can use a stand mixer or mix the ingredients by hand, mix butter, milk, vanilla and sugars together

4.            In another large bowl, combine oats, flours, baking powder and salt together

5.            Add dry mixture a little at a time to wet ingredients, until combined

6.            Fold in chocolate chips and raisins

7.            Spoon dough onto ungreased cookie sheet, spacing an inch apart

8.            Bake 10-13 minutes or until cookies are set and edges are golden brown
 (watch at 10 minutes you don’t want to over cook the cookies so that they are dry)

9.            Allow cookies to rest on cookie sheet for one minute before transferring to a cooling rack

10.            Enjoy and store any remaining cookies in an airtight container!

Old-Fashion Oats or Rolled Oats: are great, they make a hardy bowl of oatmeal, and I literally have them on my counter in my kitchen because I use them all the time. Bob’s Red Mill brand is where my loyalty lies and you can find Bob’s and all other oat options at grocery stores. Check out the natural foods section, you may spend a dollar more but the ingredient list should only read whole grain oats.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour/ Whole Wheat White Flour: you will love this for all your baking needs. Not only does it give you the added benefits from whole wheat vs. using the more processed white flour, but also you won’t taste the difference. I usually buy this at Whole Foods, but I know Fred Meyer has it in their natural foods section, as should most other grocery stores.

Agave Syrup: a wonderful addition to the sugar world. Agave Syrup is a sugar product in liquid form that has a lower glycemic index, which means that consuming it won’t raise your insulin levels. Using agave syrups, maple syrups and other sugars in their natural form is always a better substitute to white sugar, because they are a less processed product. You can find agave syrup at most grocery stores and you can buy it in bulk from Costco. If you like sugar in your coffee, try agave syrup it works great. But remember that Agave Syrup is sweeter than sugar so you won’t need as much.

Ground Flax Seed: flax seeds contain high levels of dietary fiber, and you all know that adding fiber to your diet can never hurt. Flax seeds also have omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are not only good for your heart but also play a crucial role in brain function and growth and development. They don’t add much to the

flavor of the cookie but I love adding the extra nutrients. You want to make sure you buy the ground flax seed. Once you open the container store the rest in your refrigerator for future recipes. Adding a tablespoon or two to smoothies and oatmeal is a great way to increase your fiber. I believe you can find ground flax seed in the natural section of most grocery stores.

Earth Balance: if you change one habit make it your margarine habit. Margarine brands such as “I Can’t Believe Its

Not Butter,” “Country Crock” and “Blue Bonnet” are the worst foods you can put in your bodies. Margarine is one molecule away from being plastic. If hydrogen wasn’t added to it, it would be plastic. That is like melting your Tupperware and spreading it on a piece of toast. Scientifically the problem with margarine lies with its level of trans fat, largely a man-made fat. Trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oils, making the oil more solid and less likely to spoil. This process is called hydrogenation or partial hydrogenation and allows stick margarine to be firm at room temperature. So you want to read the labels to find foods that don’t have hydrogenated oils or partial hydrogenated oils. Earth Balance is a great substitute, it has none of the bad oils, and like everything else in moderation it does the trick. You can also find Earth Balance at many grocery stores.

Milk Substitutes: almond milk, 100% organic soymilk, hemp milk, coconut milk, are all great milk substitutes for you. I won’t go into the gory details, but if you are interested in reading why eliminating milk from your diet is a good idea do some Google searches. With baking unsweetened almond milk and/or soymilk are great options that I always have in my refrigerator. Because of their popularity you can find these products at all grocery stores.

Vegan Chocolate Chips: are simply a darker chocolate chip that has no dairy in it. I get mine at Whole Foods and they say Vegan on the label. But if you can find a chocolate chip with no butter or milk that will work as well. Again search in the natural food section of a grocery store.