Some have said, “An Unrefined Vegan? Yeah, girlfriend can’t do gluten-free!” Well, I’m here to tell you not only that I can, but that I AM doing GF over at Richa’s blog today. That’s right – old Ms. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is hangin’ at Vegan Richa today with a rice flour-xanthan-gum kinda recipe for chocolatey and blueberrily whoopie pies.
Be sure and spend some time exploring her site when you visit. You WILL leave hungry. Thank you, Richa, for inviting me to share!
A couple of weeks ago, Ike’s aunt (Kel’s sister) sent him a care package that included a bag of doggy snickerdoodles. Snickerdoodles for a dog?! Curious, I opened the bag and the smell of cinnamon made me want to reach in and pop one of the little biscuits straight into my mouth! Ike felt the same way and inhaled his after a single satisfying crunch. The ingredient list didn’t have one funky item on it and in fact, was pretty much the standard snickerdoodle recipe. I could have eaten one if I weren’t vegan.
I couldn’t let Ike have all of the fun so I made a batch of vegan ‘doodles for myself and Kel. This was a cookie I’ve never baked before and I don’t know why I’ve waited. The flavor reminds me of the little pieces and strips of dough left over from when my mom baked up a pie. She’d sprinkle the pieces with cinnamon and sugar and bake until crispy.
Thick and soft, these cookies go beautifully with tea.
One year and one day ago: Sweet potato-pumpkin Pie with Pecan-Maple Sugar Crumble
Snickerdoodles
Makes ~18
2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. powdered stevia
2 tbsp. egg replacer (I used Bob Red Mill’s brand) + 6 tbsp. water (whisk together until smooth)
3/4 cup coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup maple sugar
1/4 cup sanding sugar
2 tsp. spice blend (or just cinnamon)
Preheat the oven to 400F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and stevia. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl, mix the egg replacer/water with the applesauce, coconut oil and maple sugar. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until combined – this makes a very thick cookie dough.
Form pieces of dough into 1 1/4″ balls and then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on baking sheets. Using a flat-bottomed glass, gently press the cookies slightly to flatten them.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Let cool on wire racks.
Ike’s snickerdoodles.
On a wild hare a few weeks back, I entered a baking contest over at Earth Balance (via their Made Just Right site) – something I have heretofore never done. Since I only had a short time to come up with an original recipe, I decided to go with something familiar – something I knew tasted good. So once again I returned to the mocha spice cake recipe I created for the Virtual Vegan Potluck. I thought a creamy, melty maple-flavored ganache would be the perfect topping. It tasted great, but clearly I need to work on my decorating skills!
I didn’t take home the prize for best cupcake; nor did I win the grand prize (a trip to Las Vegas), but it was fun participating – and I did end up getting a very unexpected prize for best photo. Thank you, Earth Balance! (Visit the original recipe at Made Just Right here. And check out the delicious winning recipes while you’re there.)
One year ago today: Better Than Doughnuts: Peanut Butter & Jam-filled Tangzhong Bread
One year and one day ago: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip, Cranberry & Pecan Cookies
Mocha Spice Cupcakes w/ Maple Crème Ganache
Makes 12
Batter
2 cups strong, freshly-brewed coffee
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup maple sugar
½ cup vegan butter or coconut oil (or a blend)
2 tbsp. flaxseed meal
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup AP flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. powdered stevia
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/3 cup sweetened cacao nibs
Ganache
¾ cup vegan butter, softened
¼ cup coconut oil, softened
6 tbsp. nut milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. maple extract
¼ cup maple syrup (more or less, depending on taste)
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin tins w/ paper muffin cups or spray lightly with oil.
Make the ganache first as it needs a couple of hours to chill.
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut spread, coconut oil, nut milk, vanilla & maple extracts and maple syrup. Place in the refrigerator to firm and chill.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, stevia, baking powder, baking soda and spices.
In another bowl, whisk together the hot coffee w/ the cocoa powder, maple sugar, EB Coconut Spread, flaxseed meal and vanilla extract. Whisk to thoroughly combine and then pour into the dry mixture. Stir well, pressing out any lumps. Stir in the cacao nibs.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cupcakes are firm and springy on top.
Allow to cool completely.
To finish the ganache, pour the mixture into a blender – it should be firming up, but not completely solid – and process until very smooth and creamy. Either pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes or simply spread over the tops.
Keep cupcakes in the refrigerator as the ganache will soften at room temperature.
The inspiration for this crumbly, buttery cookie came from Whole Food’s winter coupon book. Their cookie is also vegan, but called for mandarin oranges – which I couldn’t find that particular shopping day – a whopping 1 1/4 cups white sugar and boring, old all-purpose flour.
Creamsicle-Coconut Cookies
Makes 2 dozen
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup dates, soaked, drained and chopped
1/4 cup maple sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut oil
zest of one orange
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup unrefined sanding sugar
Preheat oven to 325F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the 1/4 cup coconut flakes and 1/4 cup sugar and set aside. Have a small bowl filled with water handy, along w/ a flat-bottomed glass.
In a food processor, add the orange juice, dates, maple sugar and vanilla extract and process until fairly smooth. You will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times. Pour this mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, 1/2 cup coconut flakes, orange zest, cornstarch and baking powder. Pour the date mixture into the dry mixture and thoroughly combine. The mixture will be very stiff and crumbly. Add more orange juice or some nut milk if the dough does not come together when pressed.
Scoop up enough dough to make a 1 1/2″ ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and continue with the remainder of the dough. Dip the glass in water, then in the sugar-coconut mixture and press down firmly on each cookie. Bake for about 14 minutes, switching pans halfway through. Cool on a wire rack.
Christmas and mint. How did they become an item? The red-and-white-swirled candy canes dangling from stuffed stockings? The tiny pastel-colored, melt-away candies piled in bowls that appear only in December? The Santa- and snowman-shaped chocolate candies filled with a gooey mint center? Or maybe the cool of mint recalls drifts of snow and icy winds. It can’t be helped. Mint reminds me of Christmas.
This is the classic chocolate cream cheese muffin but without the dairy and a little bit less of the guilt. I’ll take one of these over a candy cane any day.
A quick but important aside to thank one of my very favorite bloggers – Nicole, of Cauldrons and Cupcakes – for naming An Unrefined Vegan as one of her Blogs of the Year. If you haven’t met Nicole, do yourself and your psyche a favor and go visit. Nicole is a gentle, wise and sensitive soul who shares of herself without reservation; her readers reap the benefits.
One year ago today: Onion & Walnut-Stuffed Beer Bread
Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Muffins
Makes ~22
Mint Cream Cheese:
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
1/2 cup silken tofu
1/2 tsp. white miso
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tbsp. egg replacer
3 tbsp. nut milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
~1/4 cup cacao nibs
Muffin batter:
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. powdered stevia
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cups nut milk
1 tbsp. flaxseed meal
4 oz. unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp. brown rice vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F and line ~22 muffin tins with paper or silicon muffin cups.
Make the cream cheese filling:
In a food processor, add all of the filling ingredients, except for the cacao nibs, and process until very smooth. Taste and adjust for sweetness and mintiness. Stir in the cacao nibs. Set aside.
Make the batter:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda and powdered stevia (no, I did not forget to add salt). In a medium-sized bowl, combine the nut milk, flaxseed meal, applesauce, vinegar and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until thoroughly combined.
Fill muffin tins about 2/3 full with batter and then top each muffin with a heaping tablespoonful of filling. Bake for about 20 minutes – do not overbake – and remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes or so on cooling racks, then remove from the tins.
Every generation has its version of “the good old days.” For some, the memories are sepia-toned or come in shades of black, white and gray. For me they’re tinged with the yellow fade peculiar to photos from the late 60s to mid-70s. The era of unenviable hairstyles, long lines at the gas station, The Brady Bunch and the game of Life…
To read the rest of the story and get the recipe for these soft, spicy and delicious Molasses Crinkles, please visit my guest post at Keepin’ It Kind. Kristy – a talented and creative vegan cook and one of the gentlest souls out there – is hosting a virtual cookie exchange with lots of great bloggers and the recipes so far have been print-worthy to say the least. The fun started November 27 and continues through December. Thank you, Kristy, for inviting me to the party!
One year ago today: Whole Wheat & Almond Meal Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you had to pick the ultimate comfort food, what would it be? Pot pie? A spicy curry? Macaroni and cheese? Or maybe hot cocoa (hot cocoa sounds more comforting than hot chocolate) or a warm brownie topped with ice cream? Winter is just around the corner – though some days it feels as if it’s already here – so my cooking changes from quick and cool to hearty, warm and comforting.
Chili, in almost any form but the ones including meat, is one of my favorite comfort foods. You can put it together quickly and let it simmer gently for hours – and it tastes better the next day. I recently made the version from In Vegetables We Trust (Slow-Cooker Chili) which includes a hint of unsweetened cocoa to mellow and deepen the beany, peppery flavors.
What’s comfort without cozy chocolate? If you didn’t see this recipe on Somer’s blog, Vedged Out, then you must be hibernating. And I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you were. I mixed up a batch of her Double Chocolate Coconut Pecan Cookies and my belly and I felt contented, satisfied and downright happy despite the flurries blowing outside. In fact, I laughed at them between bites.
For me, rice is one of the most comforting foods around. This may be because when I was a kid my mom made the most delicious rice on the planet – buttery and creamy and heavy on the ground black pepper. When I was a young lass living on my own there were evenings when it was me, the TV and a big bowl of steaming, hot rice. This is why I included AstigVegan’s delicious Kalamansi Coconut Risotto recipe in my comfort food hall of fame. It’s got all the things I love: creamy rice, coconut milk, lemon zing and mushrooms. (Sorry, Richa, I couldn’t get kalamansi here in Utah so I made due with lemon juice and some orange zest!)
If there’s anything more comforting than chocolate, it’s…more chocolate. I made these babies one Sunday afternoon when I needed a heavy dose of comfort. Big fat flakes of snow were flying outside. The foothills of the Wasatch were barely visible in the fog of white. Ike had wisely tucked himself back into his doggy bed and Paul Westerberg provided background music with one of his most plaintive tunes, Here Comes A Regular. The enticing smell of melted chocolate takes the cold edge off of any winter day. I got the original recipe from Things My Belly Likes (Maple Coconut Chocolates), and I hit the print button before you could say Give me a Mounds bar! I messed around (i.e., made it more complicated than it needed to be) with the recipe and have included it below.
One year ago today: Pesto Pasta e Fagioli
One year and one day ago: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cherry-Apricot Compote
Maple Coconut Coffee Chocolates with Add-ins
Makes ~30 (using small muffin cups)
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 heaping tbsp. Dandy Blend (herbal coffee substitute), optional
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/8 cup sweet cacao nibs (with a little extra for sprinkling on top of the chocolate)
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped (with a little extra for sprinkling on top of the chocolate)
1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (with a little extra for sprinkling on top of the chocolate)
I lined up my paper and silicon mini muffin cups on baking sheets and got all of the ingredients ready to go before I melted the chocolate and coconut oil. Mise en place. It’s a good thing. Sprinkle the pecans into the bottoms of 1/3 of the muffins cups; sprinkle the cacao nibs into the bottoms of 1/3 of the muffin cups. You’ll be stirring the flaked coconut into the remaining 1/3 of the melted chocolate/coconut oil mixture – so hold off on sprinkling that into the bottom of the cups.
In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil and chocolate over low heat Whisk occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract. They’ll sizzle so watch your eyes. For really smooth chocolate, put the cocoa powder and Dandy Blend through a sieve and add to the melted chocolate. Whisk until smooth and melted.
Carefully pour the chocolate into the pecan- and cacao nib-fille cups. Now, stir in the 1/3 cup flaked coconut into the rest of the chocolate and pour into the remaining muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the chocolate cups w/ the corresponding add-in so that later you know which chocolate you are popping into your mouth.
Chill the cups until firm.
Much more prim and proper than their deep dark chocolate cousins, these vanilla cupcakes with a chai truffle center also pack a less powerful caloric punch. The cupcake is based on a recipe from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook by Lindsay Nixon.
One year ago today: Asparagus & Cilantro Soup
One year and one day ago: Tempeh Bacon, Fig Chutney & Apple Sandwiches
Vanilla Chai Truffle Cakes
Makes 10
Truffle Filling:
1/2 cup dates, roughly chopped, soaked for a few hours
1/2 cup pecans, soaked for a few hours
1 tbsp. crystallized ginger, chopped
1/4 tsp. anise seed, ground
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
pinch salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup almond milk
Cupcakes:
1 cup almond milk
1/2 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Make the truffle filling:
Drain and rinse the dates, pecans and crystallized ginger and put them in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground.
Meanwhile, carefully melt the chocolate chips and the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder. When melted and combined, remove from the heat and set aside.
Spoon the mixture date/pecan mixture into a blender and add the almond milk, all of the spices and the chocolate/coconut oil mixture. Process until silky smooth. Pour into an air-tight container and refrigerate for a few hours to firm.
Make the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly oil 8 muffin tins (fill the empty tins half-ful with water). In a small saucepan, slowly heat the milk and scrape the vanilla bean so that the seed paste comes out. Drop the bean into the milk. When the milk just starts to bubble around the edges, remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a smaller bowl, combine the applesauce, maple sugar and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins and bake for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the muffin tins from the oven and drop truffle filling by the teaspoonful+ on top of each muffin – gently pressing the filling into the cupcake. Return the muffin tins to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cupcake is firm and a toothpick comes out clean (from the cake, not the truffle). Let cool for a few minutes before removing cupcakes from the pan. Serve warm.
(The truffle filling would also make an excellent frosting.)
I’m still recovering from the gigantic feast that was Thanksgiving over at Somer’s house. You can get the (long) list of delicious plant-based dishes here. Other than at the buffet at Bellagio in Vegas, I’ve never before seen so much food.
So even though I’m giving my digestive system a much-needed break, I’m still thinking about the macadamia nut brie, the mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, the rolls, the sweet potatoes, the mini cashew-rice loaves…and…the dessert table. Yes, dessert had it’s own table. In fact, it spilled over onto two tables. There was a beautiful raspberry pie, two pumpkin pies and an incredible chocolate peanut butter tart from Amanda at Good Clean Food.
There were also my contributions, including the one pictured above. A big spoon and I could have made quick solo work of the whole thing, but I was compelled to share because that is what Thanksgiving is all about. Please make this recipe. It is outstanding and it comes from the creative mind of Gabby at Veggie Nook. Don’t let the humble name - No-Bake Pumpkin Mousse Cake - fool you. It’s special. And cuz it was a holiday I made it extra special and topped it with coconut creme.
I also made two apple pies; recipes based on a walnut-crusted pie from the pages of the November 2012 Cooking Light magazine. I added dried, tart cherries to one of them just for fun.
I also brought along a hazelnut pumpkin cheesecake with a chocolate-hazelnut topping. The recipe is a mish-mash of several cheesecake recipes – and I’ve included it below. This turned out to be a big hit with the kids, I think because of the chocolate on top.
Oh – and if you entered the Compassion Couture giveaway over at the Virtual Vegan Potluck blog and want to know if you won – please click here.
One year ago today: Fig Chutney
Hazelnut Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ Chocolate-Hazelnut Topping
Serves 8
1 recipe Hazelnut Shortbread, cooled (keep shortbread in springform pan)
1 1/2 cups vegan cream cheese
1/2 cup sweet tofu ricotta (recipe follows)
2 tbsp. egg replacer powder (I use Bob’s Red Mill) + 6 tbsp. water, whisk and set aside
3/4 cup maple sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/4 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp. coconut oil
Chocolate-Hazelnut Topping
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skins mostly removed and chopped
1 1.15 oz. packet Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Blend
Preheat oven to 300F.
Place cream cheese and ricotta in a large bowl. Beat until smooth. (I don’t have a hand-mixer so I mixed mine in my Vitamix blender). Add the maple sugar, vanilla, egg replacer mixture, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Beat until very smooth. Stir in the pumpkin puree.
Pour the batter over the top of the cooled shortbread. Bake for 1 hour or until the center of the cheesecake barely moves when touched. Remove from oven and run a knife around the edge. Cool on a wire rack then cover and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on a plate (if you’re really skilled, remove the bottom part of the pan, too.) In a small saucepan melt the chocolate chips, the nut butter and coconut oil. Pour over the cheesecake and chill ‘cake again until the chocolate sets.
If you’re still with me, it must mean you’d like the recipe for sweet tofu ricotta. Here ’tis:
Sweet Tofu Ricotta
Makes more than you need for the cheesecake
1 14 oz. package firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 -2 tbsp. agave nectar
1/2 tbsp. white miso
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tbsp. almond milk
1/4 cup cashews, finely ground
pinch salt
In a large bowl, combine the agave nectar, miso, vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt and almond milk. Crumble the tofu into the bowl and add the cashews. Stir until everything is well-combined. Use immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Shortbread is not bread
and shortbread is not short.
It is medium in length
and a biscuit, of sorts.It was brought in the long boats;
the boats, which were long,
that belonged to the Vikings;
kings of Vi, who were strong.And it commonly comes
in a tartan type tin
that is just long enough
to keep shortbread in.- by Well-Wisher, as posted on ABC.Tales
I hope Well-Wisher doesn’t mind that I used his/her poem here. It’s so cute and well, I couldn’t think of a thing to say about shortbread – at least not that I hadn’t said before (here and here) – and went looking for help. You will see this shortbread again soon, but as team-player rather than the solo star. I did a taste run to see if it would work as the crust for my pumpkin cheesecake and realized it was delicious on its own. Though I admit it’s very 80s kind of dessert – this recipe would also work well as a crust for fruit pizza.
PS There’s still time to enter to win a $25 gift certificate from Compassion Couture. Please visit the Virtual Vegan Blog to get your name added.
One year ago today: Tasteless and Slow-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Hazelnut Shortbread
Makes 8 wedges
