Archives for posts with tag: Terry Hope Romero

Double Feature: Tahini Lime Cookies and Blueberry Ginger Spelt Muffins

July 22, 2010 //
2

It was a baking bonanza in my kitchen yesterday with me making not one, but two kinds of baked goods: Tahini Lime Cookies and Blueberry Ginger Spelt Muffins.

The cookies are adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. I’ve made a few different cookie recipes from their cookbook and haven’t had a bad one yet. The Tahini Lime Cookies reminded me of a shortbread cookie, but not as dense. They weren’t super sweet, which I liked, but they were surprisingly rich. However, the lime zest cut through the cookie’s richness and added a wonderful punch of flavor.

Tahini Lime Cookies

Adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1/2c non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening

3/4c sugar

1/2c tahini, at room temperature

3 tablespoons of non-dairy milk

Grated zest from 3 limes (~ 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4c all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4c of black sesame seeds (I only had white sesame seeds on hand)

Preheat oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat together shortening and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the tahini, 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk, lime zest, and vanilla.  Then mix in all of the dry ingredients. Mix in remaining flour. Dough should hold together at this point, but if not, add up to 2 additional tablespoons of the remaining non-dairy milk.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and flatten slightly. Place on cookie sheets and flatten a bit more. Sprinkle and lightly press sesame seeds into top.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.

After I made the cookies, I decided that I might as well throw together some blueberry muffins for breakfast. I had already made a big mess in the kitchen from the cookies, so what’s a few more bowls?

This blueberry muffin recipe is adapted from Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. I’ve made it several times and it’s my favorite blueberry muffin recipe. The spelt flour adds a wonderful heartiness to the muffins without being too heavy or dense. And the ginger (I used freshly grated ginger) adds a nice spicy kick as you devour them.

Blueberry Ginger Spelt Muffins

Adapted from Vegan Brunch

Makes about a dozen muffins

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups soymilk (0r your favorite non-dairy milk)

1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt

1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups spelt flour

Preheat the oven to 375 F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin (I used silicone muffin cups instead).

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, sugar, and grated fresh ginger in a large bowl. Mix with a whisk or a fork to combine. Make a well in the center and add the yogurt, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Fold in the blueberries

Scoop into muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes or so (check doneness by inserting a small knife or toothpick into the center of a muffin and seeing if it comes out clean). Try to let them cool a bit before eating. Try.

Enjoy!

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Categories food, vegan

Yellow Rice with Garlic & Black Beans

July 14, 2010 //
0

I got a little too ambitious with my meals with this week. I had planned on making a big, elaborate meal from Viva Vegan! that included the Yellow Rice with Garlic, Venezuelan-style Black Beans, and Cuban “Ropa Vieja” Style Latin Shredded Seitan. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Well, thanks to a busy schedule, I ended up making the Yellow Rice with Garlic, skipping the seitan dish, and improvising on the black beans. Oh well, maybe next time. But the Yellow Rice with Garlic was amazing. Now that I’ve made it, I really do want to make the other dishes.

For the black beans, I did start with the onion-pepper sofrito as suggested in the cookbook. It’s basically garlic, green peppers, and onions simmered in olive oil and little salt and pepper for about 30 minutes. I added black beans, ½ cup canned diced tomatoes, cumin, brown sugar, and salt and pepper, and simmered away for about 30 minutes.

I also created the annatto-infused oil for the rice by simmering 2 tablespoons of annatto seeds in ½ cup of canola oil for about 3 minutes. The oil really made the dish. This rice recipe alone was worth the purchase of the cookbook.

Also, I doubled the recipe for the rice and beans because I wanted to have leftovers for the next day. I love to cook, but I don’t love to cook every night.

Yellow Rice with Garlic (adapted from Viva Vegan!)

Ingredients:

4 tbsp annatto-infused oil

8 cloves garlic, chopped finely

2 cups uncooked basmati rice

3 cups water

2 vegetable broth cubes

Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large, wide pot, combine the annatto oil and garlic over medium heat until sizzling and fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in the rice to coat with the oil. Pour in the water and add the vegetable broth cubes. Increase the heat and bring up to a rolling boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat.

I served mine with a few slices of avocado on top.

Enjoy!

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Categories food, vegan

Savory Fresh Corn Pancakes (Cachapas)

July 11, 2010 //
0

This recipe comes from my new vegan cookbook, Viva Vegan! and was my first foray into Latin cooking. Instead of the beans and rice dish that I was going to make, I decided to start with this first. I have to say that it tested both my cooking skills and my patience. But the result was pretty tasty, even if it didn’t turn out exactly as it was supposed to, and despite my troubles, I definitely plan on making these again.

My problems started with my cast iron skillet. I’ve had it for a while now and it’s well seasoned, but for some reason, my corn pancake wanted to stick to it. So I switched to my non-stick pan, and though it still wanted to stick, eventually I was able to coax the pancake enough to flip it. I also had problems with my pancakes trying to burn on me. I turned down the heat a bit, but I just couldn’t get the right temperature setting. My pancakes certainly didn’t look as pretty as they do in the cookbook, but the flavors were there.

I used Daiya mozzarella-style cheese for the corn pancake filling, which added a wonderful creaminess to the dish. It’s definitely the best cheese alternative out there right now. I served them with a side of black beans that had been cooked with some fresh garlic, and salt and pepper. I also added sliced avocado, onion, and a dash of hot sauce.

Savory Fresh Corn Pancakes (Cachapas)

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh or frozen corn (thawed and drained)

½ cup almond or soy milk

1/3 cup Venezuelan- or Columbian-style masarepa

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

3 tbsp sugar

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

peanut or canola oil for frying

Daiya mozzarella-style cheese

Directions:

Combine corn, milk, masarepa, flour, ground flaxseed, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a food processor or blender and pulse until it resembles creamed corn. (I had to add extra milk because it was too thick.) Let the batter sit for 10 minutes and stir a few times before using.

Heat a large, well-seasoned cast-iron pan or griddle over medium heat. Generously oil the pan with oil or cooking spray.

Scoop 1/3 cup of batter and spread on the pan using a circular motion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on one side. Flip and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on the cooked side after you’ve flipped it the first time. After the bottom has cooked for 2 minutes, fold the pancake over the cheese like an omelet. Cook for another minute to melt the cheese.

Enjoy!

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Categories food, vegan

Oh You Pretty Things

July 9, 2010 //
0

Sorry for the lag in posts. I’ve been cooking, but not anything that is blog-worthy. I have been stocking up on all kinds of Latin ingredients to start making recipes from Viva Vegan!. I’m planning on making a beans and rice recipe this weekend, but it’s going to require some planning and prepping ahead of time, which I plan to do today.

In the meantime, enjoy this video from David Bowie:

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Categories food, music, vegan

New Vegan Cookbook

July 4, 2010 //
5

I just picked up a new vegan cookbook, Viva Vegan! by Terry Hope Romero. She is also the co-author of Veganomicon, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookies Jar, and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. It has tons of Latin-inspired vegan dishes that look and sound amazing! Sweet and Spicy Seitan-Potato Empanadas, Arepas with Sexy Avocado-Tempeh Filling, and Chocolate para Churros? Does it get any better?

The book also includes some really interesting drink concoctions that also sound delicious, including a Real Brown Sugar Limeade and Michelada (Spicy, Salty, Ice-Cold Beer).

Hopefully, if my food budget permits this week, I’ll be able to make a few dishes from the book and post them soon!

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Categories food, vegan

Spaghetti and Beanballs

June 23, 2010 //
0

Comfort food means different things to different people. Some people like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, some like hamburgers and fries, and others like mac and cheese. For me, comfort food means spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and a salad.

This recipe is adapted from my very first vegan cookbook, Veganomicon. The original recipe calls for a bigger can of kidney beans, but I just had a 15 oz can on-hand. I changed some, but not all, of the ingredient amounts. In other words: I winged it.

You wouldn’t think that kidney beans would make a firm, “meaty,” meatball, but they do. The beanballs are very flavorful and satisfying, and much healthier than the fake meat alternatives out there.

Beanballs

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ tbsp tamari

1 ½ tbsp tomato paste

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove

¼ tsp lemon zest

½ cup panko or plain bread crumbs

¼ cup vital wheat gluten

½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp dried thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mash the kidney beans in a mixing bowl until no whole beans are left.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix with a fork.

Use your hands to knead the mixture for a minute.

Roll the bean mixture into walnut-size balls and place onto a baking sheet greased with olive oil. Drizzle the tops with a little more olive oil.

Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes.

Take out of the oven and spoon some of your marinara sauce over them to coat and place back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Serve over spaghetti, and top with your marinara sauce and a little nutritional yeast.

Enjoy!

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Categories food, vegan

My Vegan Cookbook Arsenal

April 5, 2010 //
6

As much I would like to take credit for the yummy recipes that I post on here, my inspiration comes from an arsenal of vegan cookbooks, magazines, and blogs that are filled with amazing food.

Below is a list of my collection of vegan cookbooks, along with my favorite recipes from each, and recipes that I can’t wait to try next.

Veganomicon

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

This cookbook was my first introduction to vegan cooking. It showed me just how delicious vegan food could be. Some of the recipes are a bit time-consuming, but so worth it.

Favorite Recipes: Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Carmelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping, Leek and Bean Cassoulet with Biscuits, Eggplant-Potato Moussaka with Pine Nut Cream, Potato and Kale Enchiladas with Roasted Chile Sauce, Chickpea Cutlets

Can’t Wait to Try: Acorn Squash and Black Bean Empanadas

The Joy of Vegan Baking

By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

This cookbook is a must-have for any aspiring vegan. It has absolutely everything you need to know about vegan baking and then some. The recipes are endless and delicious.

Favorite Recipes: Lemon Cheesecake, Jam-Filled Oat Bran Muffins, No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, Chocolate Cake, Cornbread, Pancakes, Mulled Cider, Hot Chocolate (I could go on and on.)

Can’t Wait to Try: No-Bake Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Chunks

Vegan with a Vengeance

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz

I haven’t cooked as much out of this cookbook as much as the others (and I’m not sure why), but the few recipes that I’ve made have been delicious.

Favorite Recipes: Tofu Dill Salad Sammiches, Tempeh Reuben, Mushroom and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto, Brooklyn Pad Thai

Can’t Wait to Try: Green Thai Curry

Vegan Yum Yum

By Lauren Ulm

If you’re just getting into veganism (or even if you’ve been a vegan for a while), I highly recommend you buy this cookbook first. The book and her website are my favorite sources for recipes. I love her flavor combinations, and her recipes are easy and for the most part, budget-friendly.

Favorite Recipes: Mac and Cheeze (the best I’ve ever had), Black Bean Soup, Sweet Chili Lime Tofu, Tamarind Tofu Cabbage Bowl, Red and White Cauliflower Bake, Italian Rice and Beans, Creamy Mushroom Broccoli Bake, Pepita Fettucini with Spinach and Cranberries

Can’t Wait to Try: Gnocchi with Thyme Vinaigrette and Lemon Cashew Cream

Vegan Brunch

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz

I’ve only made a few recipes from this cookbook, but that’s only because I don’t do brunch all that often. This is the book I use to make my breakfast scramble. Sooo good!!

Favorite Recipes: Basic Scrambled Tofu, Blueberry Ginger Spelt Muffins, Herbed Whole Wheat Drop Biscuits

Can’t Wait to Try: Tempeh Sausage Pastry Puffs

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

This cookbook is filled with vegan cupcake recipes. Need I say more? But this is a fairly recent addition to my cookbook collection, so I’ve only made a few recipes from it. All have been easy to make and delicious.

Favorite Recipes: Banana Split Cupcakes, Brooklyn vs. Boston Cream Pie Cakes, Your Basic Chocolate Cupcakes, Golden Vanilla Cupcakes

Can’t Wait to Try: Pistachio Rosewater Cupcakes

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

This is also a recent addition to my collection, but I’m already sold. As much as I love the cookie recipes from The Joy of Vegan Baking, this has the best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe, in my opinion.

Favorite Recipes: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Can’t Wait to Try: Caramel Pecan Bars

If you have any recipe or cookbook recommendations, I’d love to hear them!!!

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Categories food, vegan
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