Crunchy Muffins

"Crunchy" because they're, well, a little crunchy, and "crunchy" because they have lots of different grains and very little added sugar. Your kitchen will smell amaaaazzziing when baking these and they make a wholesome and satisfying breakfast when warmed and topped with nut butter and cinnamon.

Crunchy Muffins (makes 12)

1 cup flour
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup wheat bran
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup soy milk
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 ripe banana
2 Tbls. coconut oil
1/4 cup sucanat (Unrefined cane sugar. Don't be too hard on yourself if you just use regular sugar.)
1/4 cup wheat berries
1/4 cup amaranth
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds

Start by soaking the wheat berries and amaranth in warm water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a small bowl combine the milks and vinegar. The mixture will thicken and curdle slightly.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, wheat bran, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork or a potato masher. Stir in the coconut oil and sucanat. Add the milk mixture and combine.

Add in the dry mixture and stir until not-quite-fully combined. Drain the grains that have been soaking and mix in with the seeds until just combined.

Divide the batter equally among 12 lined muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Brownies

Per our usual late-night snack, Aaron and I made some random cookies from scratch with no semblance of a recipe whatsoever. A little of this, a little of that, a rough estimation of ingredients ratios and a few minutes later we have a tasty cookie, never to be repeated again. However this one was so good that Aaron requested I figure out how to make it again. Which I did, in a gluten-free version, for some events we had later that week with gluten-free guests. We still have a couple in the fridge and in my opinion they taste even better after a few days in the fridge. We also crumbled up some of them and put them in vanilla ice cream, which has been delish.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Brownies (makes 16 large brownies)

1/2 cup of oats

1/4 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/2 Tbls. Ener G Egg Replacer powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 Tbls. cocoa powder

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 Tbls. water

1 Tbls. vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grind the oats in your blender or food processor to make oat flour and combine in a medium bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients (everything on the list through and including cocoa powder). 

 

In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread into a greased 8x8" or 9x9" square baking pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

This is the "before" baking picture. I forgot the "after" baking picture, but it looks like a pan of brownies.

Summer's End Grain Salad

I decided to make a fancy dinner Sunday night which meant that making lunch for the week had to be something quick and easy. Behold the power of the food processor. Yes I can chop 5 different fruits and veggies in less than a minute, thank you very much. If you don't have a food processor this will take some chopping but you can still get the job done. This salad is bright and happy - perfect for the week of 80 degree temperatures as we head into October... And my friend Grace said it looks quite tasty if you need more endorsement to make it!

Summer's End Grain Salad (serves 4)

1 cup wheat berries
2 apples (any kind), cut into large slices
3 leaves of kale
1 cucumber
2 large carrots, peeled
1/2 cup parsley
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
Heavy drizzle each of apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and olive oil

Cook the wheat berries according to package directions. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon by dragging the spoon lengthwise down the cucumber.

Once the wheat berries have cooled transfer them to a large bowl. Use the chop setting on your food processor to chop the leaves and the parsley and add them to the wheat berries. Switch to the coarse shredding option and shred the apples, carrots, and cucumber. Add to the bowl.

Add in the chick peas, sunflower seeds, and dressings and stir to combine.

Herbed Bulgar Salad with Edamame

This is admittedly not the cheapest grain salad I've ever made. Herbs aren't that expensive per se, but their cost-per-use skyrockets when you have to buy a whole bunch only to use a bit. Can you freeze herbs? Is there a way to extend their life and actually get your money's worth? I'd love to know. Other than the bulgar this is gluten-free, so substitute the grain if you don't eat gluten. And parsley and/or basil would be nice additions to this salad, if you have them on hand.

Herbed Bulgar Salad with Edamame (makes 5 lunch-sized portions)

1 1/4 cup dry bulgar, cooked according to package directions.
1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame, steamed according to package directions and cooled
3 large lacinato kale leaves, chopped
Fronds from 3 springs of fresh dill
1/4 cup mint leaves, torn (if you chop them they oxidize faster)
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

You know the drill. Mix everything in a large bowl. Eat.

Like Christmas in a bowl.

Dinner Rolls

I love bread. Even in our society's darkest days when people were afraid of carbs, it was cool. More for me. I used to be intimidated by baking bread but it is actually quite simple. These rolls are perfect if you are serving them as an accompaniment to whatever else you're cooking for dinner because you can start them first, then prepare whatever else you're making, and they'll be done in time to join the rest of the meal.

Dinner Rolls (makes 4)

2-3 Tbls. of seeds/nuts/grains/etc. (Whatever you want that gives texture and oomph to your bread. Totally optional.)
1/2 Tbls. agave nectar
1/4 cup warm water, plus more as needed
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast 
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. wheat gluten*
1/2 Tbls. olive oil

* Wheat gluten looks like flour but behaves very differently when mixed with water. It is basically just the protein part of flour and is what gives bread that bread-y quality. It is also the thing that people with gluten sensitivities can't eat. Not at all necessary for this recipe as flour already has gluten in it, but it will make your rolls that much more tastier.

If adding nuts, seeds, etc. soak them in warm water while you prepare the dough. I used flax seeds and wheat berries for this recipe.

In a small bowl dissolve the agave nectar in the warm water. Gently stir in the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes until bubbly and foamy. If it doesn't do this either your yeast was too old or your water was the wrong temperature. Try again.

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, olive oil, and wheat gluten (if using). Add the yeast mixture and stir as best you can, then switch to kneading to incorporate all of the flour. Depending on the humidity in your home and the flour quality you may need to add more water. If you do add just a teeny bit at a time until all of the flour just sticks and the dough forms a ball. Knead for a few more minutes. Then put it back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm place for about an hour or so, or until the dough doubles in size. 

Before rising

After rising

Punch the dough to release the gasses (this is my favorite part). Drain the seeds, etc. if using and knead to incorporate into the dough. If you are not adding anything, just knead the dough a little bit. Separate into 4 sections,  and roll into balls. Place on a baking tray and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. While the dough is resting preheat the oven to 350 F.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the rolls are lightly browned on top and sound hollow when the bottom is tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Coconut "Clif" Bars

When Aaron says things like "I would buy Clif bars more often if they weren't so expensive," I hear "I am challenging you to make this in our kitchen, and to make it vegan." This recipe took a couple revisions, but they finally got Aaron's stamp of approval. He likes chocolate and coconut, so chocolate and coconut we did. 11 grams of protein. And they happen to be gluten-free. Take that, Clif.

Chocolate Coconut "Clif" Bars (makes 6)

3/4 cup oats
6 medjool dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for at least 15 minutes
1 can black soy beans, drained and rinsed (these are different than black beans, make sure the can says black SOY beans)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3 Tbls. raw shelled hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts)
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
2 Tbls. ground flax seed
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 Tbls. water

Preheat the oven to 300 F. 

Put the oats in the food processor on high for a minute or two, until they are crumbly and form a meal.

Add the rest of the ingredients and process until they form a paste. (If your food processor is just not having it, gradually add a bit more water, but only as much as needed so it will actually blend.) Grease an 8" square pan and press the batter evenly into the pan. 

Bake for 20 minutes. Cool in the fridge and cut into 6 bars. Wrap individually and store in the fridge.

For the record, Aaron requested a protein bar with 10g of protein because that's what Clif bars have. But these have 11.

Tabouleh-Inspired Lunch Salad

Tabouleh is one of my favorite salads. So refreshing and flavorful. For this salad, I took a typical tabouleh and gave it some oomph. It takes a little prep time (including the feta cheese, which needs a few hours to marinate), but is so worth it. It's the kind of salad I make on Sunday to take for lunch that week.

Tabouleh-Inspired Lunch Salad (makes 10-11 cups, 5 servings)

1 1/4 cup (dry) bulgar, cooked according to package directions, and cooled
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
5 scallions, chopped
1 bunch parsley (just the leaves), chopped
4 large leaves kale, chopped
A few sprigs of mint, chopped (just the leaves)
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon (fresh, not bottled)
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Salt & pepper
1 recipe "feta cheese"

If you haven't cooked your bulgar yet, start cooking it and chop the veggies while it is cooking. Transfer to a large bowl and stir frequently to cool. 

Combine the bulgar, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, kale, mint, and chick peas in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and add the lemon juice, a few shakes of garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix again until thoroughly combined.

Before I show you the mixed salad, how beautiful are these tomatoes??!

Now I realize this is not the classiest presentation, but it's what's convenient for packing my lunch. Serve this however you'd like. But if you're making it in bulk for travel, scoop a heaping 2 cups of the salad in each of 5 containers and top with 1/3 cup of the feta cheese.

And this, dear friends, is how I make lunch for a week in less than an hour.

Bratwursts

Well it has been a while since I posted! For a good reason...Aaron and I moved and I was in boards-studying mode. But now that we are all settled in and I PASSED my boards expect lots of new eats from our new kitchen. I first made these brats for a cookout earlier in the summer but they needed some revision, so this is the much-better take 2. I was inspired by the Jalpeno Hot Dog recipe from Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites but I haven't actually made those yet so no clue on how the taste compares. At any rate, Aaron said this was one of the best vegan "meats" I have ever made and that he would totally eat it again. The fact that we had them with homemade pretzel buns certainly helped :).

Bratwursts (makes 4)

1/2 cup + 1 Tbls. veggie broth
2 Tbls. cashews, preferably soaked in water for a few hours and drained
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbls. + 1 tsp. white miso
Squirt of lemon juice
3/4 cup TVP
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion poweder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. nutritional yeast

In a blender combine the broth, cashews, vinegar, liquid smoke, miso, and lemon juice.

Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and heat until boiling, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the TVP, stir, and cover. Let rest for 10 minutes. It will look like oatmeal.

While the TVP is soaking, combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.

Using your hands, add the dry mix to the TVP mix and combine thoroughly. Shape into 4 balls and let them sit for 20 minutes.

You can either bake these in the oven or, grill them, or roast them over an open flame (just don't drop it in the fire...not that I did that...). If you're baking them, preheat the oven to 375 F while they're resting. No matter how you're cooking them, prepare 4 sheets of tin foil while the mixture is resting.

After 20 minutes shape them into bratwurst-y shapes.

Wrap each dog in foil and twist the ends.

If baking, place on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.

Or you can roast them over an open flame.

Let cool for a minute before unwrapping. Serve topped with anything you want except ketchup.

Chef Pasta

Have you seen the movie Chef? It's still out in a few theaters and I highly recommend it. The movie stars (and was written and directed by) Jon Favreau (Pete Becker, the Ultimate Fighting Champion...please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks of him like this) and features a lot of food and an all-star cast. There's a scene in the movie where Jon whips up a pasta dish for Scarlett Johansson and oh. my. does it look delicious! So I wanted to make it myself. It's super simple and cooks in about 10 minutes. I used fresh parsley from the farmer's market, by the way, which I think was the star of this dish. Oh heck, all of it was the star. Like Jon Favreau.

Chef Pasta (serves 2)

2 servings linguine
2 cloves garlic, chopped*
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 lemon
1/4-1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbls. olive oil

*In the movie Jon slices his into slivers. I didn't know how to do this without risking the integrity of my fingers but go for it if you want.

In a medium sized pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. While it is heating, chop the garlic and start the water for the pasta. Cook the garlic, 1/8 tsp. of salt, and red pepper in the oil, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the garlic just starts to brown.

The garlic should look good about the same time as the water is boiling for the pasta. Cook the pasta for one minute less than the directions specify. While it is cooking, add the parsley to your garlic mix and stir frequently.

As soon as the pasta is done, drain it and add to the parsley mix and cook for another minute or so, adding 1/8 tsp. sea salt (or to your liking).

Divide into 2 bowls and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Call yourself a chef!

This was after a few bites. My patience was out the window.

Spicy Ginger Basil Stir Fry

At any Thai restaurant Aaron always gets basil fried rice, and I have to admit the basil part is genius. Basil is so versatile because it goes with both sweet and savory dishes and it is herbal enough to add to any dish but not so herbal that it overpowers it. I wanted to add a little kick to my dinner (and also use the George Forman, which I got Aaron as a gift a while back and is almost exclusively used for meat. Pick your jaw up off the floor, the grill plates go in the dishwasher.) so I came up with this stir fry recipe. Super tasty and on the table in 45 minutes. I'd call it a winner!

Spicy Ginger Basil Stir Fry (serves 4)

1/2 block of tofu
1/4 cup + 2 Tbls. Bragg's liquid aminos (or soy sauce, or tamari), divided
2 Tbls. agave nectar
1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
~1 1/2 cups veggie broth (enough to cook the rice)
3 Tbls. sesame oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Thai chilis, minced*
1 Tbls. fresh grated ginger, plus more for serving
3-4 cups chopped broccoli florets (2 medium sized crowns)
2 leaves kale, chopped
1/2 cup frozen edamame
1/4 cup packed basil leaves, torn
2 Tbls. brown miso
1 Tbls. mirin
Splash of rice wine vinegar
1 green onion

*I like mildly spicy foods and with 1 chili my eyes did water a bit. So spice as you like.

Start by pressing the tofu. Give it 10-15 minutes and while it is pressing make sure you have the rest of the ingredients prepared.

In a shallow tupperware combine 1/4 cup of the Bragg's with the agave nectar for the tofu marinade. Slice the tofu slabs diagonally and marinate for 10-15 minutes.

After you start marinating the tofu start cooking the rice (using veggie broth) according to package directions. When the rice is about halfway done, start heating the sesame oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, chili, and ginger and sauté for a few minutes, until fragrant.

Heat up your grill pan (or a frying pan, if you don't have a grill for the tofu or would rather pan sear it). Then add the broccoli to the pan and continue to sauté for a few more minutes. Right after you add the broccoli remove the tofu from the marinade but KEEP the marinade. Brush the tofu with the remaining sesame oil and cook until the outside has caramelized (it should be done about the time everything else is).

When the broccoli has just started to turn bright green, add the kale and edamame and keep cooking.

While the broccoli is cooking, combine the remaining 2 Tbls. Bragg's, miso, mirin, and rice wine vinegar with the remaining marinade.

When the rice is done, add the rice to the veggie mixture along with the new sauce you just made and the basil and cook for a few more minutes.

Tofu should be done now!

Serve the rice combination topped with tofu, fresh grated ginger, and chopped green onion.

Curried Fritters with Chili Lime Cream

While flipping through Zite the other day I came across a recipe for carrot fritters with chili lime cream. I glanced at the recipe and quickly realized it was not vegan, but it sounded super tasty so I took matters into my own hands - literally. The result is something so uber tasty I gobbled it up in about 4 minutes. It sounds complicated but only takes about 45 minutes to put together. I couldn't find the original recipe to credit for the inspiration so if you posted it please let me know so I can link up properly!

Curried Fritters with Chili Lime Cream (serves 4)

For the cream:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for a few hours
1/4 - 1/2 cup cold water (depending on how long you soaked the cashews and how thick you want your sauce)
Juice of 1 lime
3/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 -1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. white vinegar

For the fritters:
2 medium yukon gold potatoes
1 medium carrot
1/4 of a red onion
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbls. fresh grated ginger
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. coriander
Canola oil

Blend together all of the ingredients for the cream until smooth. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the fritters.

Wash the potatoes (peel if you want) and peel the carrot. Shred (takes 2 seconds if your food processor has a shredding blade) and squeeze out the excess water. Transfer to a colander to drain.

Switch to the chopping blade on your food processor and add the onion, chickpeas, garlic, ginger, and seasonings. Pulse until the mixture resembles large crumbs and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the carrots and potatoes and mix using your hands.

Heat a generous amount of canola oil in a large pan over medium heat. Form small patties with the mixture and fry about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels and serve with the chili lime cream.

Variation: Use zucchini instead of potato in the fritter.

Variation: Add a cup of cilantro and a handful of mint leaves to the cream.

Even better: Combine the above two variations. My dear friend Lily and her husband William were in town last weekend and this, along with bread pudding, was a big brunch hit!