Almond Rhubarb Muffins

Something weird happened with blogger.

I posted this recipe yesterday, but it got put back to draft status. 

Lame.

I struggled to find a rhubarb recipe that didn't involve strawberries. I didn't have any strawberries and didn't want to go out and buy them for any ridiculously involved pie. What I did have were some nice stalks of rhubarb from my spring CSA and no clue of what to do with them.

That predicament was cured with a simple Google search and a few substitutions. I successfully veganized and healthified an almond rhubarb muffin recipe that I found and made some freaking tasty muffins!

Rhubarb Almond Muffins

makes 16 regular sized muffins (though I have no idea why the recipe would be for 16 muffins, I used one regular muffin tin and half of a mini muffin tin)

prep time: 10 minutes

bake time: 15-18 minutes

ingredients

• 2/3 pounds rhubarb, tops removed and ends trimmed
• 2 ½ cups unsifted whole wheat flour
• ¾ cups chopped almonds
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup turbinado sugar
• 1 ¼ cups water
• ½ cups applesauce
• 1 chia egg (1tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water, mix and let sit)
• 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
• ½ cups dates, chopped

directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat sixteen 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups with cooking spray. Wash rhubarb stalks; coarsely chop and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, water, applesauce, chia egg, and vanilla until combined. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened; the batter will be lumpy. Fold rhubarb and dates into batter. Spoon batter into muffin cups.
4. Bake muffins until a knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean -- 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Peace, Love & Bagels,

Nanaimo Bars

I am having a bit of writer's block lately and I have been too busy to upload my pictures of our homemade bagels (no worries, you'll get the recipe soon). Instead I am going to work on removing any links to my old blog and deleting it from the world completely. So, this *delicious* recipe is a repost from the old blog. 

Trust me, this recipe is golden. 

I found this recipe on a beautiful vegan food blog... madcap cupcake. As the name suggests, there are many many many dessert recipes. If I wasn't skipping out on desserts during Lent, I would be making these tonight. These things are dangerous to have around...just be careful if you're planning on making any. 

Oh and if you haven't seen it already, Angela came up with a few variations on these bars too. I haven't tried any of her recipes yet, but I'm sure they're to live for as well

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom layer

1/2 cup earth balance (or other vegan margarine)

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tbsp flax meal

3 tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups crushed graham crackers or crumbs

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Middle layer

1/4 cup earth balance (or other vegan margarine)

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tbsp vanilla custard powder * 

3 tbsp plain soy milk

* easy to find in Canada but sometimes difficult to find in the U.S. – instant vanilla pudding powder can be substituted.

Top layer

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1 tbsp earth balance (or other vegan margarine)

Assembly:

• To make bottom layer: Grease a 9-inch square cake pan. I lined the bottom with parchment that stuck out the top so I could lift everything out after – this makes cutting the bars easier (I didn’t want to scratch up my nice pan)
• In a small bowl, beat flax meal and water together until frothy, set aside.
• In a sauce pan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup earth balance, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla . Add flax mixture and stir constantly until mixture thickens.
• Add graham crackers crumbs, coconut, and chopped nuts, stirring to combine.
• Press the mixture into the greased pan.

• To make middle layer: In a large bowl, beat together 1/4 cup earth balance, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla custard powder, and soy milk until creamy.
• Spread custard mixture over graham cracker base in pan. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

• To make top layer: Melt semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tbsp earth balance. Pour over chilled bars and spread over top. Return to refrigerator to chill until firm (at least 1 hour).

• I recommend checking in on the squares after maybe ten minutes of this final chilling phase – or as soon as the chocolate topping begins to set a bit enough to score. While it’s still soft, score just the top chocolate layer with the lines you will cut along later. This way you will be able to cut the squares cleanly afterward when the chocolate is fully set, without cracking the tops (like I did).
• Serves 9-16, depending on how you divide them.

Oh, one more thing...I have some big news!! Brandon and I will be welcoming a new puppy into our family this Sunday! Stay tuned for puppy posts!!!

Daring Bakers: Meringue Filled Coffee Cake

I normally don't post on the weekends, but this is a special event for me...another Daring Bakers challenge.

Last time, I tried my hand at Panna Cotta with marginal success. This time we're talking serious coffee cakery which I would name an uber success! This month's challenge was brought to us by Jamie and Ria (and the letter C) who decided on a yeast-risen coffee cake/nut roll.

I brought mine into the office for a coworker's birthday and it was a big hit! Unfortunately, I'm not eating desserts in observance of Lent, so other people's opinions will have to do for the time being. I do plan on re-making this cake for Easter so it can be enjoyed by yours truly!

Meringue Filled Coffee Cake

Makes two cakes, about 10" in diameter

for the dough:

• 4 cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) flour
• ¼ cup (55 g / 2 oz.) sugar
• ¾ teaspoon (5 g / ¼ oz.) salt
• 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) active dried yeast
• ¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) whole milk
• ¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz. water (doesn’t matter what temperature)
• ½ cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 large eggs at room temperature

for the meringue:

• 3 large egg whites at room temperature (use the yolks + a bit of water for an egg wash before baking)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup (110 g / 4 oz.) sugar

for the filling:

• cup (110 g / 4 oz.) chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 Tablespoons (30 g / 1 oz.) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (170 g / 6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate

directions:

Prep the dough - In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (230 g) of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted. 

With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 1 cup (150 g) flour and beat for 2 more minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1 ½ cups of flour remaining) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.

Place the dough in a lightly greased (I use vegetable oil) bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

Prep your filling - In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling if using. You can add the chopped nuts to this if you like, but I find it easier to sprinkle on both the nuts and the chocolate separately.

Make the meringue - In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque. Add the vanilla then start adding the ½ cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

Assemble the cakes - Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Punch down the dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 ½ cm) rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) from the edges. Sprinkle half of your filling of choice evenly over the meringue (ex: half of the cinnamon-sugar followed by half the chopped nuts and half of the chocolate chips/chopped chocolate).

Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.

Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier), make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 ½ cm) intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.

Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings.

Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.

This seems like an awful lot of work, but the resulting cake (actually, nut roll is a more accurate term) is beautiful. I got a lot of positive feedback from the eaters of this cake so I'm just going to relay that to you.  Like I said, I will be re-making this for Easter, when I can indulge in the decadence and deliciousness that is this beautiful coffee cake. 

Do you have a favorite coffee cake recipe?

Peace, Love & Bagels,

Homemade Yogurt

First off, I got so many amazing comments on yesterday's post. Thank you all! I am so blessed that I have been exposed to so many wonderful people who love Cleveland more than I thought was even possible. People like you all are definitely what makes this city such an amazing place to live. Thank you!

Now, let's make some yogurt!

Disclaimer: I haven't had any success with making yogurt without a yogurt maker. That being said, it can be done. If you don't have a yogurt maker, follow directions here, or here.

or here.

Anyway, I have tried the crock pot method and the oven method (let me tell you, it helps if you have a pilot light in the oven) but I finally caved and bought a yogurt maker - because both of those methods are much more work (call me lazy, it's okay). 

Making yogurt at home is far and away more economical than buying it. I can make a week's worth of yogurt with less than a half gallon of milk - which probably amounts to less than $3.00 although if you're me, you buy your milk from the farmer's market for $3.50 per half gallon. According to suite101.com, yogurt can cost upwards of $.017 per ounce, while milk hovers around $.05 per ounce (we're talking organic, mind you). So do the math. 

Oh, not to mention the environmental cost of having all those yogurt containers filling up landfills! I love homemade yogurt.

All you really need is milk and a starter (better known as the commercially available yogurt of your choice).

Using the ratio 1 tablespoon of yogurt starter for every 500mL of milk, you can make any amount of yogurt you want. For my yogurt maker, they say to use the amount of milk that would fill up the seven jars it comes with and one jar full of starter. 

What you need is: 

• a yogurt starter (go to store and buy a serving of plain yogurt)
• milk, any type
• dry milk powder, as a thickener (optional)
• flavorings (also optional)
• thermometer

What you need to do:

• In a saucepan, slowly heat the milk until it hits 180 degrees (Fahrenheit). Stir every now and then with a whisk. Make sure you watch the temp, because it can heat up pretty quickly and you don't want to burn the milk. It will be just about ready to boil at 180 deg. If you pay attention to anything in this process, it should be this step.
• Let the milk cool back down to about room temperature. It can still be warm, but if you do the wrist test (like with a baby bottle) it shouldn't feel warm. 
• Mix the starter completely into the milk. This might be easiest if you use about half a cup of your warmed milk and mix it with all the starter to essentially dissolve the starter in the milk THEN pour it into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Mix it in completely!
• Pour into yogurt maker according to instructions (or find a way to insulate it until it becomes yogurty - 8-10 hours)

A few notes:

• I like to strain my yogurt through a coffee filter for about an hour before eating it, so it's thicker and creamier. Also because I don't really care for the whey. 
• Adding milk powder to your milk is supposed to make the yogurt creamier, but I haven't tried this so I can't speak intelligently on it.
• Using different types of yogurt for starters (Stonyfield Farms, Fage, Chobani) will produce different results as far as flavor, creaminess and setting time. So will using different types of milk (whole, 2%, skim). Try a few combos and figure out what your fave is!

This was my own version of fruit on the bottom yogurt - Fruit on the Bottom Mango Yogurt!!

This is yet another step in the right direction to one of my 2011 goals: make things that I would normally buy at the grocery store!

It's time for my afternoon snack...homemade yogurt with diced mango and granola!!!

Peace, Love & Bagels,

Sprouted Wheat Crackers

Anyone need a good recipe for a tea party???

Foodbuzz decided to get in on Kelly Ripa's Tea Party For A Cause, where on Kelly Confidential, you can select a perfect tea party outfit for Kelly's Tea Party for a Cause. When you do, Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (please head over there if you want to help out!) So, Electrolux and Foodbuzz are partnering to host a Top 9 Tea Party Takeover this Friday, to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research. For every perfect tea part recipe posted by a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, Foodbuzz will donate $50 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. 

Definitely sounds like something I want to participate in! Here is my contribution to ovarian cancer research: 

Sprouted Wheat Crackers!

adapted from Angela from Oh She Glows  recipe for Homemade Wheat Thins

ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 cups sprouted wheat flour*
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top
• 1 tsp wasabi powder
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla 

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt and wasabi powder).
3. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly (I used two forks to do this). Mix water and vanilla and pour into flour/butter mixture, stir until it comes together. Then get in there with your hands and squeeze away until the dough really comes together. Add a tiny bit of water if it seems too dry.
4. Split the dough in half (or any workable amount) and roll out on a floured surface until very thin, maybe about 1/16 inch thick. Before your last roll, sprinkle salt, sesame seeds or whatever you want to top your crackers with and roll it into the dough. Cut using a pizza cutter, into any shape/design your little heart desires. Transfer crackers to baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Mine only took 8 minutes, but it might take more if you use a baking mat. Watch them, as they will burn quickly. Let cool completely and enjoy with some hummus or your favorite dip! Store in an air-tight container.

Makes enough crackers to fill two baking sheets.

*NOTE: wondering about sprouted wheat flour? You can always sub regular flour in here, but sprouted is much more fun and has a different nutritional profile, as sprouting awakens the grain! I did the sprouting/grinding myself. Just get some wheat berries, sprout them in a jar or sprouter and dehydrate (using a dehydrator, or lots of sun) for 4-6 hours, until they're completely dry. Then use your coffee or spice grinder to grind the sprouted wheat berries into flour. It takes a bit of advanced planning to do this so start a few days before you want to make your crackers. Oh, and you can sometimes get sprouted flour at the health food store.

I was super happy with the way these crackers turned out! Crunchy and salty. The wasabi powder didn't make it spicy at all - just added a little depth to the flavor. It was great with our South Euclid made Dill Hummus! I wanted to make some of my almond hummus, but we had several tubs in the fridge already. If you have a party (a tea party perhaps?) that you need to supply with some munchies - these crackers are the bees knees. 

Peace, Love & Bagels,

Blogger Interview + a Recipe!

Happy St. Patty's Day! I hope everyone is staying safe and green today (although, I know...it's not easy being green!)

Today I have a real treat for you guys...an interview with Lindsay from Happy Herbivore! Lindsay is doing a blog book tour to promote her new cookbook, so I decided to take the opportunity to have her answer a few questions for all the Peace, Love & Bagels readers out there!  I've been following Happy Herbivore since I was introduced to the blogosphere. I absolutely love her low-fat and fat-free, vegan recipes and have tried many of them myself (this is one of my favorites!)

Lindsay was also awesome enough to let you all in on a sneak peak recipe from her book! Don't forget to check out her Black Bean Burgers at the bottom of this post!!

But First, a little more about Lindsay...

Lindsay S. Nixon is a rising star in the culinary world, praised for her ability to use everyday ingredients to create healthy, low fat recipes that taste just as delicious as they are nutritious. Lindsay's recipes have been featured in Vegetarian Times, Women's Health Magazine and on The Huffington Post. Lindsay is also a consulting chef at La Samanna, a luxury resort and four-star restaurant in the French West Indies. You can learn more about Lindsay and sample some of her recipes at happyherbivore.com

Now, onto the interview: 

Did you grow up in a family that practiced a plant-based, vegan or even a "healthy" lifestyle and how has it influenced you as an adult?
I grew up largely a vegetarian out of a love for animals, but it was against the wishes and desires of my entire family, who took great pride in feeding me meat (saying it was soy) or things with meat in it (like soup made from chicken broth) and not telling me.


Thankfully, they've all come around and are at least supportive. My parents even adopted meatless mondays, and my sister is vegan too now. It's been a long road, for sure.

What made you decide to eat a solely vegan diet?
Originally I went vegan because I'd heard it would clear my skin, help me lose weight, give me more energy and fix some digestive issues --- and it did! But the reasons I stay vegan run much deeper. I'm moved by the plight of farm animals, the environmental impact, the health benefits --- there are so many reasons why I continue to be vegan.

Having published a cookbook, I'm sure you know a thing or two about being very busy. What are your some tips you have for navigating a hectic day when you want to do it all?
Time management. I can't stress how crucial that is--- I really sit down and plan my day. I assign things like chores and exercise the way people schedule meetings or dates

What made you decide to publish The Happy Herbivore Cookbook? 
It's a story of being in the right place at the right time with the right experience. I wasn't sure I even wanted to write a cookbook, but then I (by pure luck) met a great publisher who happened to be looking for someone like me to write a cookbook -- and the rest is history. We were a match made in heaven.

What goes into publishing a cookbook?
Oh gosh, there is so much work involved. First you need to write the book -- the recipes, the table of contents, index, glossary -- then there is the layout, and taking pictures, then there are several edits of the book, then there is trying to decide on the cover and title (hardest part) and double-checking and cross checking to get page numbers... it takes about a year all in all.

What tips do you have for PL&B readers who might be thinking about putting their recipe collection in print?
Don't romanticize it too much. Writing a book is a lot of hard work and it's not particularly lucrative... you have to do it because you love it. Also keep in mind that there are a lot of vegan cookbooks out there now, so the market is very competitive. Most publishers are looking for a "new idea" and someone with a lot of notoriety-- a strong fan base.

What is your favorite recipe in The Happy Herbivore Cookbook?
I have a lot of favorites that I kind of go between. Lately I can't seem to get enough of the nachos, though a week ago I was gaga for cornbread and the week before that portobello steaks.

Any closing thoughts for the PL&B readers?
Thank you for this opportunity -- and my favorite bagel is a whole wheat everything with tofu cream cheese and olives!

Black Bean Burgers (makes 3) - I love a good and quick meal, and this burger fits the bill perfectly. 

15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c fresh cilantro, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
whole-wheat breadcrumbs or instant oats
whole-wheat buns

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside. Pulse beans in a food processor until mashed well or alternatively, mash with a fork. Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine with cilantro and spices. Add breadcrumbs or oats as necessary until the mixture can be handled and isn't terribly sticky, about 1/4 c. If after 1/4 c. it's still too sticky, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Shape mixture into 3 patties. Lightly spray with cooking spray (optional) and bake 7 minutes. Flip and re-spray (optional) and bake another 7 to 10 minutes until thoroughly warm and crisp on the outside. Serve immediately. Because there is no oil, these patties dry out if you let them sit.

Thanks Lindsay! Keep up the great work and best of luck with your lovely cookbook!!

Peace, Love & Bagels,

Guest Post: Easy Multi-talented Marinara Sauce

This guest post comes courtesy of Brandon (it took me months to get him to finally write a post!!) It's a delicious sauce recipe, but it is going to be more of a guideline than a recipe...you can include about a million variations on this sauce. I leave all the sauce-making up to Brandon since he is AMAZING at it! We not only use this sauce for your standard pasta with marinara, but we've used it as a sauce for pizza (and for baked potato pizza bites), as a dip with pita chips, as well as on our wraps or any other dish we can possibly think up. It freezes well so we always make enough to feed a small army.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Howdy folks! 

I am happy to have been so inspired by Rebecca's capacity to efficiently blog about life and FOOD, that I am now writing my first food blog!  YEEHAAW! 

I've been making sauce since I lived on Mayberry over 3-4 years ago.  It is my favorite "family meal."  Sauce is easy to make for large quantities of family and friends. 

Lets talk about sauce!

Start with crushing and and chopping the garlic. 

Then finely chop a delicious onion.

Put both onions and garlic into the large pot, that you will be simmering your sauce in, and saute' them til your heart is content. 

Then add (my favorite to use) the "Traditional" Prego sauce...aka very bland, but nice and thick.  Why do I choose a very bland sauce?  So I can spice it myself of course!  We'll talk about spices in a moment.  Now, lets talk about all the delicious veggies to include in your sauce. 

You can choose any/all of your favorite veggies, or use whatever you have leftover in the refrigerator.  I generally slice all the veggies into nice bite-sized pieces. Here is what Becca and I used:

Green Pepper

 

 Red Pepper

Fresh red tomatoes diced for texture 

Carrots, mushrooms and broccoli.  Sorry, no pictures of these veggies, but here is a fun one (cause cooking is fun!)

Once all of your fresh veggies have been chopped, sliced and diced, ad them to your sauce and let simmer for a good 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

While the sauce is simmering, you can jazz it up with your favorite spices!  I generally use basil, oregano, thyme, salt/pepper and, as Becca and I enjoy spicy foods, red pepper flakes.  AND, the one "lucky" bay leaf!  Whomever gets the lucky bay leaf in their meal, will be just that....LUCKY!

Generally I try and let the sauce sit (in the fridge is fine) for a day, so all the flavors can marry together,  but I've also had it for dinner that night!  Tis good no matter what!

I love making this sauce, as it can be used for many things.  The most obvious is pasta!

It also makes a quick and delicious pizza!  All you need is dough (you can ask Becca how to make dough) and your favorite cheese!  

I also really enjoy using the sauce for dipping my tortilla chips in (chips and salsa is generally my "go to" snack....sorry no picture).

Thanks so much for your interest in my special sauce!  Remember, be creative with it and HAVE FUN!