The Raw Vegan Princess
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
MPMs Marvellous, Perfect, Magnificent Maple Pecan Muffins
I had you fooled, didn't I? You all thought "hmm, she must not have made muffins on Friday like she normally does." Would I do that? Me, the muffin princess? Of course not - I couldn't get through the week without my muffin friday.
And it was a paricularly enjoyable one this week because I made a big splash out at the shop and bought real maple syrup - from a tree! up until about a year ago I didn't realise that what I had always eaten as a child wasn't real maple syrup, rather, it was maple 'flavoured' syup, but just to give you an idea of the junk I was consuming, here are some of the ingredients: sugar, glucose (from wheat), colour (caramel), flavours, food acid (citric), sulphate.
There's a few more too. The difference between this and the real maple syrup is out of this world - it was delicious!!! I don't know why, but I associate maple syrup with autumn - can anyne suggest why? Is this when the syrup is 'harvested' (hey, I'm from Australia okay - I don't know much about maple syrup. My mother didn't even know it came from a tree until I told her!) So anyway, being the last friday in autumn I decided to go with the maple syrup, and I just think pecans are the perfect partner.So without further ado:
Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups self raising wholewheat flour
-1/2 cup cornmeal
-1 1/2 tsp baking powder
-EnerG Egg (or similar) equivelant to 1/2 an egg
-1/3 cup pure maple syrup
-2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
-1/4 cup low fat soymilk
-1/4 to 1/2 cup water
-as many pecans as you want
Instructions:
This is getting a bit repetative... preheat your oven. In one bowl combine all the dry ingredients then in another combine the wet ones (I suggest mixing the 'egg' up before you start so it has a chance to do its thing) and then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until combined (don't overmix). Stir through the pecans and place in silicone muffin pans. Bake until risen and browned - was actually typing my Midweek Munchies post while these cooked and they got a little bit longer than I intended but the centre has a beautiful soft texture and the contrast with the crunchiness of the tops was good.
This made 8 (i think).
The photo shows off my real maple syrup and after taking it I also realised that it has the shape of geese flying in v formation - so its even more Canadian!
Sunday, May 28, 2006
I still have Dreena Burton's The Everyday Vegan
(until next Thursday) and I'm trying to make the most of it, so last night I made lentil miso patties. I did change the recipe a bit - to start off with, I didn't have any red lentils so I used green ones, and I added spinach to the mixture (because you can't have a meal without leafy greens in it somewhere!) and I didn't have any ground coriander. But other than that, I followed the recipe - and it was REALLY good! It was also a major new-expereince meal, because I have never had hoisin sauce before and I only got miso for the first time last week and this is the second thing I've used it in. The other change I made was to grill the patty rather than frying it - with olive oil for frying the fat content of the patty was 2.7g, so I cut this back a little. So anyway, I strongly advise you to make this if you have access to this excellent recipe book!
Dreena advises in the book that this is not a patty which works well like a hamburger on a bun, so I decided to couple it with quite possibly my favourtie veggie, sweet potato. The beauty of this vegetable is that it's like having dessert but with no sugar or fat! I baked my sweet potato for about 35-40mins, then cut it open, poked some pieces of tinned pineapple into the top and sprinkled with ground nutmeg (the best accompaniment to sweet potato). Then stick it under the grill for 5-7 mins and enjoy. This was as good as I knew it would be!
Thanks for stopping by and have a good day everyone!
P.S Sorry about the bad photo - the batteries in my camera died and I had to use Dad's and it was all a big rush so I couldn't get a good shot, unfortunately. :-(
Friday, May 26, 2006
Click here for the Midweek Munchies code
Click here for Harmonia's blog
Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!
Technorati Tag: Midweek Munchies
A special thanks to Running2Ks and Rift for all of their help with coding, graphics, and encouragement for this project.
PURPOSE of Midweek Munchies: Put together by a small group of Veg Women, we hope to spread the word about healthy vegetarianism while obtaining idea starters for meals, recipes, learn about new products, and meet other female veg*n bloggers. Visiting and commenting on other participants lists are encouraged but not required. Have fun and Go Veg!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
This is a non-edible kind of Muffin - how can a muffin be non-edible, you say? Well, here's the answer:
This adorable guinea pig is named Muffin. Actually, she was named Muffin - the reason I am posting this is that it was three years on Sunday since she passed away, at the ripe old age of seven. I am an absolute guinea pig lover (I currently have four) but this love affair began with Muffin when I was eight. Back then I was not obsessed with the edible kind of Muffin and I have no idea what prompted me to name her this, but it certainly works out nicely for this blog post! After I got Muffin (from a pet shop - I was uneducated back then) I adopted Spunky from a boy at my school who had to get rid of him (their other three piggies died in rather unpleasant circumstances, so I like to think I rescued Spunkster) but although Muffin was definately a girl and Spunky was definately a boy, nothing happened. In SIX YEARS not one baby. Looking back now, that is a very good thing, as the world doesn't need more babies of any domestic animal, but at the time I was rather disappointed. Muffin and Spunky lived together happily for six years, absolutely devoted to each other - when Spunky had a stroke I thought Muff would die of a broken heart, but by this point she was living with Brandy Pudding (another piggy named after food - this is because she is very pudding shaped!!) so I think that took her mind off things. She eventually died almost a year after Spunky, while I was at school.
So that's the story of the non-edible Muffin! Back to food blogging tomorrow. Have a good day and thanks for visiting!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
I don't know what you're expecting with that title... what could be so exciting? Well, to most people, the thing which has excited me greatly would probably not be very interesting at all, but for me it is so I'm sharing it with you. I have a vegan cookbook, in my house, right now. I don't own it (it's from the library) but I have it here. It is the third edition of Dreen Burton's (vegan kitchen goddess) The Everyday Vegan and it only just came to my local library - I believe I may actually be the first person to borrow it out ever. Here in Austrlia, veganism is nowhere near as common as it seems to be in America - many people don't even know what it is. The idea of seeing the word 'vegan' written anywhere other than a vegetarian restaurant or maybe wholefood store is ludicrous and vegan cookbooks don't exist in bookshops. Needless to say, my find in the library rendered me speechless and desperate to jump up and down.
Anyway, last night I made 'Cornmeal Chili Bake.' I imagine that Dreena probably would prefer it if I didn't post the recipe but you can all enjoy the photo.
To be honest, I didn't love it - I knew I was taking a risk because although I'm not a total spice-o-phobe, I'm also not a huge fan. I think I would have been nicer if I had been able to taste the flavours a little more rather than just worrying about the fact that my mouth was on fire, but that's just me. I have some frozen and will be taking for lunch at uni - hopefully the freezing/defrosting might reduce the spiciness a little. By the way, I don't know who she's serving but in the book it says 'Serves 5-6'... I made half the recipe and got enough for 1 dinner and 4 lunches! Sorry this post is a bit short, but I have only two weeks of semester left and work is getting heavy! I still have this cookbook for two more weeks, so you can eagerly await some more Dreena creations!
Friday, May 19, 2006
TDMs - Tropical Delight Muffins
Yay, it's muffin time again! How I do adore Fridays. These muffins aren't quite as delightful as I was hoping but they are good and I have a feeling that they will be better when they have cooled. Anyway, who can not love something with chunks of mango in it? Also, I had considerably less pineapple than I thought so that flavour is really lacking - don't you hate it when you've been planning something for days and then it doesn't come together as you hoped? The muffins look really good though, and my photography skills are definately improving! (At least for muffins). By the way, how cool is this plate? I picked it up at the local "Good Sammy" (staffed by intellectually disabled people - I guess it's what you Americans call a 'thrift store'). It cost 75cents and was hand painted in Italy! I think I'm going to start collecting interesting crockery. Okay, here is the muffin recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups self raising wholemeal flour
- 1/4 cup unbleached plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp vegan brown sugar
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice. I used fresh (how I love my juicer) but bottled is fine.
- 1/4 cup low fat soymilk
- 2 tbsp rice malt syrup/agave nectar/other liquid sweetner
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tbsp desicated coconut, toasted in a frying pan
- lots of dried tropical fruit*
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180C before you start. In a large mixing bowl combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and sugar, making a well in the centre. Whisk together all the liquid ingredients in a separate bowl and then add to the dry indgredients, stirring to combine. Stir through the coconut and fruit then spoon into silicone muffin pans and bake for 25 mins or until browned and springy.
I'll let you know tomorrow but, as I said, I think you would be better off letting them cool a little.
** For the fruit I used dried paw paw and mango, which was just heavenly to bite into - this was left over from Easter. If you want something a little cheaper (as these certainly aren't) you could use apricots, peaches or pineapple.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Click here for the Midweek Munchies code
Click here for Harmonia's blog
Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!
Technorati Tag: Midweek Munchies
A special thanks to Running2Ks and Rift for all of their help with coding, graphics, and encouragement for this project.
PURPOSE of Midweek Munchies: Put together by a small group of Veg Women, we hope to spread the word about healthy vegetarianism while obtaining idea starters for meals, recipes, learn about new products, and meet other female veg*n bloggers. Visiting and commenting on other participants lists are encouraged but not required. Have fun and Go Veg!
Monday, May 15, 2006
Asparagus and Kale with Delicious Ginger Sauce
I have recently come to love green vegetables - not just how they taste but they're beautiful, vibrant aliveness. (I eat them almost raw in most dishes). I have wanted to try asparagus for ages and finally bought some but I couldn't find any dishes that really appealed to me with it as the main ingredient, so I decided to make it up as I went. And I don't want to sound conceited but it was really amazingly delicious. I would love it if someone would try this recipe and tell me what you think - is it as good as I think it is, or am I just a bit jaded. Anyway, here is the recipe.
Ingredients:
For the sauce
- 1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 small-medium clove garlic, crushed
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
- dash lemon juice (I cheated, and used bottled)
- 3/4 tsp corn starch
- 3 or 4 tbsp water
- 3/4 tsp powdered veggie stock mixed with 1/4 cup boiling water
- 2 large leaves of kale, chopped
- 3 spears (or whatever you call them) of asparagus sliced diagonally
- 8 cashews
- as much rice vermicelli or other thin noodle as you want
Instructions:
Bring the veggie stock and water to a boil in a non-stick fry pan over medium heat and then add the asparagus. Let this cook for about 5 mins and while it is doing so, whisk together all the sauce ingredients. As the asparagus is getting a little bit tender, add in the chopped kale and then cook until the stock is all evaporated away. Add the cashews and fry for about one minute, stirring, then pour in the sauce and keep cooking and stirring. As the sauce is thickening, prepare the noodles. This may vary depending on what sort you're using - for me, this just meant place noodles in a bowl cover with boiling water and leave for 2 - 5 minutes then drain. When sauce is thickened to the desired consistency, drain noodles, place on plate, top with asparagus etc and enjoy!
P.S IF you're going to take a photo and you're noodles are white, don't use a white plate!
Sunday, May 14, 2006
CZMs - Cool, Zinging, Marvellous Carob Zucchini Muffins
Okay so maybe they're not zingin' - good but not zinging - but how many adjectives start with 'z'? It was back to experimentation on Muffin Friday (in case you hadn't noticed, I bake one batch of muffins every week on Friday) this week and as I had half a zucchini sitting in the frisge, I decided to use it. **I actually forgot to add any spices to these muffins - I realised as soon as they went in the oven but it was a bit late then! So if making them again (which I 'might') then I would add about 1/4 - 1/2 tsp nutmeg. These muffins have helped me discover that I really love carob - I have never tried it before because as an omnivore/vegetarian I was never a big chocolate fan, but it is actually really nice. And virtually fat free! I actually split this recipe in half at the end and put carob chips in half and walnut in the other half, but the carob ones are much nicer. The picture came out really great too! So if you're looking for something a bit different, try these.
Ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups self raising wholewheat flour
- 1/3 cup unbleached plain flour
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp vegan brown sugar
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg**
- 1/2 cup low fat soymilk
- 1/4 cup plus about2 tbsp water
- 1 scant tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- about 1/4 cup grated/ mashed zucchini (skin included is okay)
- carob chips to taste (I used a biggish handful)
Instructions:
Preheat a fan-forced gas oven to about 190 degrees Celsius (hotter if not fan-forced). In a large bowl combine the flours, baking powder, sugar and nutmeg. Place all the liquid ingredients in another bowl and whisk together with a metal whisk, then stir in the zucchini. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then stir through the carob chips and place into silicone muffin pans. Bake for about 20 mins or until risen and slightly browned. Let cool slightly and enjoy!
This made about 9 medium muffins.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
I can't believe it's been a whole week since I posted! The first time I've missed Midweek Munchies! It has just been the most incredibly hectic week because my mum went home to South Australia so I had extra stuff to do around the house, plus I have so much going on at uni... ahhhhh, stress! And it's only going to get worse because I have exams soon! But from now on I promise to write once every two days at least. Until I can write some more later, here is a picture of the beautiful kitty with whom I share my home, Asante Sana. (This means thankyou in Swahili. We all just call her Sana).
And here is us having a big cuddle! (Sorry about the spooky eyes)
Sunday, May 07, 2006
BDWMs - Beautiful, Delicious, Wonderful, Magical Banana Date Walnut Muffins
and a smoothie
Moving away from the past few weeks when I have been getting really creative and inventing muffin recipes as I go, this week I sort-of followed this recipe of Susan's for Banana Date Walnut Muffins, with the following changes:
-to start with, i only made half the recipe
-less salt (just a sprinkle)
-regular soymilk, with a splash of vanilla essence
-less sugar
-blackstrap molasses in place of agave nectar (but a little more)
-more walnuts
As Susan says, you can leave the dates and/or walnuts out and change the name accordingly - i was going to cut down on the fat by leaving out the walnuts but I didn't, and I'm glad. I think you could leave out the dates and the muffins wouldn't suffer too much, but the walnuts are essential! My muffins didn't rise up quite as much as I was hoping but they are YUMMY! I actually missed the density I usually have and I feel a bit guilty about the quantity of refined flour, but I keep telling myself that there is hardly any sugar or fat in these muffins - that's how much they taste like 'normal' muffins. If you are looking for fat free vegan muffins that don't taste vegan or fat free, these are the answer to your prayers. I recommend them!
Yesterday morning, I decided to make a smoothie. I have had a banana hanging around in the freezer for a week, and it was time to use it. I wanted to make asmoothie with out the refined-ness (and added fat) of soymilk, so on Friday night I put some slivered blanched almonds and rolled oats (equal to 1/8 cup or so) in 1/4 cup water in my food processor bowl and left them to soak overnight. In the morning I blended them up and added the banana, plus I juiced about 1/3 punnet strawberries and stuck that in there. Then I added about 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses and had a little taste test... not bad, but bland and boring. So I decided I would have to add some soymilk and then for consistency i stuck in about 1 tbsp silken tofu. Then I chucked in a date, for sweetness. Still not exciting. So, inspired by Ms Mercedes, I threw in an (albeit small) handful of baby spinach... and it was delicious! Seriously, this was a yummy smoothie! If you don't enjoy having to chew your smoothies a bit this probably isn't for you, but I loved it!
Sorry my blogging is a bit sporadic at the moment... there are only three weeks of semester left before exams and I have a million things due so all my internet time seems to be spent doing research!
Friday, May 05, 2006
Click here for the Midweek Munchies code
Click here for Harmonia's blog
Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!
Technorati Tag: Midweek Munchies
A special thanks to Running2Ks and Rift for all of their help with coding, graphics, and encouragement for this project.
PURPOSE of Midweek Munchies: Put together by a small group of Veg Women, we hope to spread the word about healthy vegetarianism while obtaining idea starters for meals, recipes, learn about new products, and meet other female veg*n bloggers. Visiting and commenting on other participants lists are encouraged but not required. Have fun and Go Veg!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
This is a very quick post giving you a photographic FLOG of what I ate today. This came about because I wanted to show off the cool little bag I take my lunch to uni in and also because my breakfast was so pretty I just HAD to take a photo. So, here we go:
Breakfast - 99% fat free blueberry soy yoghurt sprinkled with poppy seeds, rolled oats and craisins
1 cup of fresh squeezed orange and graprefruit juice (not pictured).
Lunch - salad consisting of lettuce, tomato, carrot, corn, beetroot, sweet potato* drizzled with rice malt syrup. (All organic except the corn and beetroot).This is in the larger container on the bottom.
8 roasted, unsalted cashews in the container with the red lid (yes I counted them - I'm a bit obsessive about having even numbers of things!)
1 apple
Dinner - Tofu and Pineapple Kebabs with Tomato-ey Sauce (I can't be bothered putting a link to this but if you like the picture look through the archives and you'll find it.)
*Yes, I have sweet potato in my salad and yes, it is raw. Try it - it is really yummy!
If you're interested, my totally cool insulated lunch bag comes from PETA - I absolutely adore it!
Thanks for stopping by and see you all tomorrow!
Monday, May 01, 2006
The Moosewood Cookbook and a Pie
I have never been to Moosewood. I have no idea where it is. I never intend to go to America (no offense, I'm just not a traveller) but now I know that even if I do I don't think I'll go to Moosewood. I've heard so much talk about it that I thought it would be great but when I borrowed the cookbook from my local library I was SORELY disappointed. I knew it was a vegetarian, not vegan restaurant but I thought it would have a fair few vegan options... it doesn't. Nearly every recipe is chock full of cheese, cream or sour cream - YUCK! Bad for the animals and bad for you! But I did find one appealing recipe and I made it yesterday (with serious modifications). The original recipe is called "Homemade Sesame Crackers" but I didn't have any sesame seeds so it became homemade flax crackers. They were yummy, and will go well with a variety of dips. So here goes:
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup plain white flour
-1/2 cup self raising wholewheat flour
-1/4tsp salt
-1 tbsp flax seeds
-2 tbsp silken tofu
-1/2 tsp rice malt syrup
-1/3 cup cold water
Instructions:
Mix together the flours and salt. Place the flax seeds (ground or whole - I used a combination) in a non-stick fry pan and toast until they start popping and jumping around (preferably remove before they jump all over the kitchen :-) and add the the flours and salt. Now mix it the tofu so that the mixture is just sort of lumpy and still dry. Add the water progressively, mixing as you go, until the dough is a workable consistency (not too wet) then mix through the rice malt syrup. PLace on a floured surface and knead lightly then roll out very thin (as thin you like - thicker ones have soft, chewy texture whereas thin ones are very crispy. Both are nice). Cut using a cookie cutter to your desired shape/size and prick all over with a fork. Place on a sheet of baking paper and put in a preheated oven at about 190C. Cook until brown (10- 15 mins). I think this made about 15 - 20 crackers of diamter about 2.5cm (1 inch). Eat with dip or however you desire!
To go with these I made this dip, it was yummy but definately needs some refining (which I will be doing in the not too distant future - I have discovered that I love creating and eating dips almost as much as muffins! Well, maybe not quite but they're my savoury equivelant). Here's what went into it:
-broccoli stems, outer layers peeled off and boiled until very tender, mashed up with
-lemon juice
-some dukkah (a spice containing cummin powder, sea salt and a host of other things)
Before cooking (in my oven!)
Now onto my pie. I don't have time to post the recipe so here is a link to what it is based on : "http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/dinner-pies/quiche-laverne"
I think it's stupid to call this a quiche because, by definition, quiches are full of cholesterol bombs (eggs) and cheese. Why imitate something cruel and unhealthy, why not just call it a tofu pie, cos that's what it is? The pastry for this sounds very odd but it was delicious (especially for an onion lover!) and a great alternative to the normal pastry recipe of oil and flour (YUCK). I will be using it again. The only significant change I made was adding veggies to the filling - red and green capsicum, mushroom, baby spinach and, yes, more onion! It was good - I halved the recipe and this still gave me enough for dinner (with a little salad) and three portions frozen for uni lunches.
Have a good day/night (depending on where you are in the world!) and thanks for stopping by!
After cooking.