Deviled Potatoes

I found this recipe while browsing my favorite vegan websites one night.  Now, I don't think I ever actually ate a traditional deviled egg before I was vegan, as I don't really like mayonnaise or really hard boiled eggs that much.  But this recipe looked delicious and simple and perfect for vegan Easter.  It would also be an impressive item for any potluck or picnic.

I followed the recipe found here and added some garlic and onion powder.  Garnish with paprika and dill.

Italian Apple Cake with Pastry Cream

The Original

Do you all remember my post from last summer about the best meal I ever ate?  At a family owned Tuscan vineyard I had a delicious, five course lunch that ended with an outrageously good dessert: pear cake with pastry cream and macerated strawberries.  I've thought a lot about the meal but I never dreamed of veganizing it until a few weeks ago.  There's a new vegan company that makes "The Vegg" a vegan egg yolk product.  They sent me a package for free but I didn't know what I would do with it.  Fast forward last week to when I was watching the Barefoot Contessa at my parents house while on spring break.  She made strawberry tarts with pastry cream.  As she beat five egg yolks with sugar it was like a lightbulb went off in my head.  I can do that now!  I found a recipe for Italian apple cake that seemed very similar to the pear cake I add.  And then I spent yesterday bringing it all together.

The Vegan

Pastry Cream (adapted from Ina Garten):

• 2 teaspoons of the vegg + 1/2 cup almond milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups scalded almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance buttery spread
• 1 tablespoon vegan coffee creamer (or more almond milk)

In a small blender blend the vegg with almond milk.  It will look and smell like real egg yolks almost instantly, it's crazy.  In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat the yolks with sugar on medium high speed for 4 minutes, until thick.  Reduce to low speed and add the cornstarch.

Keep the mixer on low then add the scalded milk.  Pour all of the mixture back into a saucepan and cook on low heat.  Stir with a wooden spoon constantly, until it thickens.  This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.  When it appears to be almost boiling switch to a whisk and whisk vigorously for two minutes.  When the mixture is very thick, like a pudding, add the vanilla, butter, and creamer.  Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and cool in the fridge.  Serve cold.


Apple Cake (original recipe here):

• Earth Balance buttery spread + flour for dusting the pan
• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seed + 6 tablespoons water)
• 1 Ener-G egg (1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg + 2 tablespoons water)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread, melted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used granny smith)
• Powdered sugar for dusting as a garnish

 Preheat the oven to 350.  Butter and flour an 8-inch spring form pan.

Combine the flax and Ener-G eggs with sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.  Beat for about 5 minutes, until thick.  Gradually add the flour, milk, and butter.  Scrape down the sides after adding each ingredient.  Increase speed to medium high and beat for 3 minutes.  Add the baking powder and vanilla, beating for an additional 2 minutes.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan.  Arrange the apple slices vertically, core side down.  Begin laying the apple slices at the outside of the pan, working to the center.

Bake for about 50 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for ten minutes, then remove the sides of the pan.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve with pastry cream and fresh fruit.    

Southwestern Style Pizza

I'm sorry about the hiatus but I'll spare you with my whining about how busy grad school makes me and get straight to this recipe.  I make pizza roughly once a week.  I usually make a BBQ tofu pizza (which eventually I'll post the recipe for that one too) but this past week I wanted something different.  I had a package of Daiya pepperjack style shreds instead of mozzarella, and that was the basis for my inspiration.  I poked around my pantry, freezer, fridge, and produce bowl and came up with this beauty.

Southwestern Pizza:

• 1 recipe pizza dough (your favorite or pick it up from your local grocery store)
• Tomato sauce (I think salsa would also be great)
• Daiya pepperjack cheese
• Nutritional yeast
• 1/3 cup corn kernels (canned or defrosted frozen)
• 1/3 cup cooked black beans
• 1/2 small onion, sliced (red onion would also be good)
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced

Preheat your oven to 450 (or whatever temperature is recommended for your pizza dough recipe).  Shape your dough on a pizza pan.  Spread your preferred amount of sauce.  Spread a thin amount of cheese.  Even spread corn, beans, onion, and cilantro.  Top with sliced avocado, then sprinkle a bit more cheese and nutritional yeast.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until the crust is brown and the cheese is brown and bubbly.  Slice and serve.

If you're skeptical about baking avocado, I also think topping your cooked pizza with homemade guacamole would also be delicious.  Other potential toppings would be vegan chorizo, bell peppers, or jalapenos.  The possibilities are endless!

Alfajores

For me, it just wouldn't be Christmas without alfajores.  Alfajores are a shortbread type of cookie, with dulce de leche in the middle.  My best friend's family is from Peru (and Bolivia) and she and her mom always make me alfajores for Christmas, as they are my all time favorite cookie.  Having recently gone vegan, they expressed their sadness that I would no longer be able to eat their alfajores.  I took this as a challenge.  And thankfully, I succeeded!  I will be bringing these to our Christmas Eve dinner, as I think they could fool any omni alfajor expert.

Alfajores:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar + more for dusting
• Zest of half a lime
• 11 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread, divided
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine coconut milk, 1 tablespoon Earth Balance buttery spread, and brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat. When almost boiling reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes, until thick like dulce de leche. Cool.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.  Combine flour, powdered sugar, and lime zest in a large mixing bowl.  Add the buttery spread and mix with an eletric hand mixer. Mix until a dough ball is formed. It's ok if it's slightly crumbly.  Roll out dough on a floured surface until 1/4 inch thick.  Use a shot glass to cut out the cookies. Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet (or line with parchment paper).  Bake for 5-7 until the edges are barely light brown. Cool.  Make cookie sandwiches by spreading the cooled dulce de leche inbetween two cookies.  Dust finished cookies with powdered sugar.

Christmas Party 2012

Last night I had a Christmas party for my new grad school friends.  They came over to help decorate my tree, watch Elf (best Christmas movie ever?), and share in some general Christmas cheer since the semester is finally over.  I provided them with a few snacks that everyone seemed to enjoy.  For the savory I had some celery and carrot sticks with hummus.  I also made a vegan goat cheese spread which was really delicious and served with triscuits.  The recipe for the cheese can be found here.  I also made the mushroom bruschetta from my friend's blog Vegan Pandamonium.  The only thing I changed was adding 1/4 cup or so of nutritional yeast.  A few of my friends felt it necessary to sample the mushrooms right out of the pan.  It's such a simple recipe but very impressive.  Definitely a crowd pleaser.

For the sweet I made the sugar cookies from Vegan Heartland.  I set up a decorating station with four different colors of frosting and some sprinkles.  Everyone had a lot of fun with this.  And you can send the guests home with their creations.

And a Christmas party wouldn't be complete without some hot chocolate.  I'm not sure which blog my friend found the recipe from but it was super simple and delicious.

Vegan Crockpot Hot Chocolate:

• 4 cups original almond milk (soy would probably work well too)
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Add all of the ingredients in your crockpot.  Whisk together until there are no lumps.  Put on the lid and turn your crockpot on low.  Cook for four hours, stirring occasionally.  I served it with a candy cane for stirring, giving it a nice peppermint flavor.  A friend also brought peppermint schnapps if you like even more peppermint. 

Pumpkin Waffles

Vegan Mofo is winding down but it feels like fall is finally starting here in Florida.  For brunch yesterday I made the pumpkin waffles from the Post Punk Kitchen.  They were amazing!  Delicious and tasting like fall.  I already had almost everything on hand and just did some simple substitutions for what I didn't have.  The recipe turned out perfect and it made a ton!  I now have breakfast for the rest of the week. 

Pumpkin Waffles from the PPK:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 15 oz canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine almond milk and vinegar, let curdle.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk together.  Pour wet into dry and stir until combined.  Prepare waffles in your waffle iron.  Serve with Earth Balance and real maple syrup.

Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer and reheat in the toaster.

Central Florida Veg Fest

 Have I mentioned how much I love living in an area that has not one, but two Veg Fests?  Because I really really love it.  The boyfriend and I hopped on I-4 yesterday to get to the Central Florida Veg Fest in Orlando, only about an hour drive from us.  We got there just in time to hear Dr. Melanie Joy speak.  Her presentation was awesome.  As a graduate student in sociology I find Dr. Joy to be really inspiring as she teaches both sociology and psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston.  I was able to talk to her afterwards and she was really nice and approachable.

But let's get on to the most important thing: the food.  We started out sharing a plate of vegan nachos with chili and queso.  Easily my favorite last year it definitely claimed that place in my heart again.  The added pieces of tempeh to the chili.  They were messy and delicious, exactly what nachos should be. 

We also had a meatball sub that I failed to take a picture of.  We scarfed it down pretty quickly; it was delicious.  As if we hadn't eaten enough food already we shared the combo plate of Indian food: a samosa, rice, stewed chickpeas, and jalebi (fried dough soaked in syrup).  We love Indian food and for $5, the plate was a bargain.

So after the nachos, sub, and Indian food we still had room for dessert.  The boyfriend had a chocolate cupcake with fall spice and cayenne frosting.  It was really good, he loved it.  I had the pumpkin espresso cupcake, a perfect taste of fall.  Overall, we had an awesome time.  I can't wait for 2013 so we can do it all over again!