Getting some use out of my ramekins

It was one of those days.

I walked into the kitchen with good ideas and good intent and I walked out with a firm kick in my pride.

Ouch.
I hate that.

I'll be honest and say that sometimes I can be rather melodramatic. You know... the cake didn't turn out so it must mean I'm a terrible baker, and oh my gosh now I'm rethinking my career decisions, and my life is over now I might as well just quit while I'm ahead.

Um. Hello! Drama queen, please exit stage left. Thank you.

So today I got right back into the water. Let's just say that my pride is regained so I guess my life can continue. I'm satisfied.

I realized a few things today. Let me share them with you:

1) Raw desserts always turn out for me. I just can't seem to screw them up. I like this;
2) Baked goods are having less and less appeal to me. More often than not I am now turning to raw food for both meals and for snacks (read: I bought a big bag of cacao so lots of chocolate-y things). And probably most importantly;
3) It's ok for things not to go perfectly all the time. I will have bad days. I just have to make the best of them.

I might edit the post later and post the recipe.

That is, I will if I can remember it.

Cheers!

P.S. You can totally see where my finger slipped onto one of the cakes in that last picture. Oops! I'll just eat that one, too...

Happy Cookies

I promised myself I would stay away from any sugars that weren't natural for this month, but I caved in. Truth is, I was really feeling a nice chocolate chip cookie today. I read something along the lines of if you are craving something than you shouldn't deny yourself whatever that is, to an extent, obviously.

I'm not sure if I was really craving one or if it was just an excuse for chocolate.

This recipe very closely resembles one from the Veganomicon, and that's because I was using it as a guide.

Gluten-, Soy- and Nut-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Veganomicon.

2 scant cups certified gluten-free oat flour (or gluten-free oats ground into a flour to equal this amount)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
Scant 1/2 cup organic, raw sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 GF egg replacer (like PaneRiso brand)
1/4 cup rice milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3-3/4 cup allergy-friendly chocolate chips (such as EnjoyLife brand)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment; set aside.

Combine oat flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together prepared egg replacer, sugars, oil, milk and vanilla until emulsified.

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until mixed. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Drop tablespoon-fuls of batter onto prepared cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on sheets 5-6 minutes before transferring onto wire rack to finish cooling. Or just eat them warm. Whatever.

Yield: 22 cookies

Let it Snow!

Happy December!


After months of wondering when it was going to happen, snow finally arrived here yesterday. I was afraid it would never come. I'm so relieved.

I'm in the spirit for the holidays now. I need snow to get me started and on my merry way, so now I'm totally ok with playing my Christmas music and deck(ing?) the halls now.

For this month, I have a few things planned to keep my oven busy. I will be sharing, of course! 'Tis the season, and all.

For now, I have no recipe for these bars. I actually forget how I made them... as I took this photo back in October. All I remember is that they were full of chocolate and coffee.

Yeah. I will work on that memory thing, I promise.

Hungry for Stories, and Chocolate

I didn't get a chance to post anything about Remembrance Day yet this week because I've been awfully busy with work, so forgive me for being a day late.

I love history. It was always my favourite subject in school, and I used to dedicate a lot of my time to reading non-fictions during my recreational time (back when I had an excess of it). My family is the same way; my mom keeps our family's genealogy records and is constantly updating them, my brother has assumed history as a minor in university, and my sister had recently developed an interest and is going on a school trip this spring to Belgium to see the war memorials and so on.

Despite this, my family's roots aren't really in history. My ancestors were all simple farmers, right up to my mother's father (who was actually rejected to join the army during the war because his 'trigger' finger on his right had was cut off when he was a boy, even though he was actually left handed).

I'm trying to say that we doing have any hero stories or special badges or medals passed down. I used to be a little ashamed of this. But then I though, alas, there had to be some who stayed behind.

Since I work at a retirement home, I was lucky enough to have some of the residents show me medals and pictures from their late husbands. It was really fascinating. I often fantasize about what it would have been like to live during that time, and this isn't something I go and tell people, but I think on this kind of thing often.

One woman was married when she was seventeen. Seventeen. I'm older than that now, I thought. Because her eyesight isn't so good, I read out a little poem for her about soldiers going off to war. I finish, and I notice her eyes are glistening, and she's no longer looking at me. And it hits me.

"Where did all the years go?" She asked, to no one in particular.

I just sat there, awestruck. She's holding and old leather case in which two hand-coloured photographs are kept: from nearly century ago, an elegant, young married couple in their late teens.

I can't help it, I just think of my grandparents who have been gone so long, when I was so young, that I can barely remember their faces now. Where did all the years go, indeed.

I think I can learn a lot of things from these people. There are things I would like to ask my grandparents and stories I would like to hear, but I cannot do that, so this will suffice. All the residents have some stories to tell, they're just waiting for someone to listen. More than being proud, I believe they just don't want those memories to be forgotten. Therefore, they are looking for someone to pass down those stories to, so the memories of their loved ones can continue on. I'm always all-ears.


I'm not too sure where I was going with that, it's a bit of a mess. Just like those chocolate sables at the top of this post. If you haven't forgotten them already, throughout my blabbering.

I think I messed up, probably because I didn't measure the baking soda (oops). They certainly don't look like these. But they taste good. I will try this recipe again and actually measure things properly this time. I just get impatient, you know? It's chocolate, for goodness sake.

Vegans Are Sneaky Creatures

The best thing about vegan baking (besides the fact that it is vegan, of course) is that it is so innovative. I think even omnivores have to give credit to this. From the flax 'egg' to sneaking beans into our desserts (and therefore making them healthy. Am I right, or am I right?), vegan's are always finding new ways to re-create old favourites that are traditionally made with the use of egg and dairy products.

Vegan food never fails to surprise and amaze me. Whilst browsing the web, I often come across some truly lovely adaptations and inventions alike that only aid to inspire me.

If you didn't know it, I am another one of those chocolate fanatics. I tend to sneak it into everything. Chocolate bars tempt me at natural food stores. I will use any excuse to have it for breakfast, or put it in something "healthy". Black bean brownies totally fit that bill, right? I mean—hello!: beans are healthy. And chocolate is too. Dark chocolate. Yeah!

I have been meaning to make black bean brownies for awhile. It's always in the back of my mind, and I have collected quite a few different recipes—all of which I plan to test out. So first let me tell you what I like in a brownie: I like a little crust or 'skin' on the top; a dense, moist interior; and a rush of good chocolate flavour that will stick it to my frequent chocolate cravings.

I know what people think about vegan baked goodies, and brownies in particular. It is difficult to achieve a perfect brownie, regardless (especially since everyone's preferences are different, if only slightly), but a vegan brownie? You mean no eggs? Good luck! I don't necessarily disagree, but I do think it is possible to create great vegan brownies.

This recipe is one that I adapted slightly from My Little Celebration's adaption. I quite like it. There could have been more of a crust on them, and I may have underbaked them because I forgot when I put them in the oven so... I guessed. Oh well! These are seriously super chocolate-y, fudge-y and moist. You could use regular unsweetened cocoa powder but for some reason I have a bias for the dutch-processed variety. No clue why.

It really is true what they say about black bean brownies: you would never know there are beans in there. So go ahead and have two or three for second breakfast. After all, beans and chocolate are totally good for you. Feel free to add a handful of vegan chocolate chips or chopped nuts. More for your health!

EDIT (28 Oct 2011): If they're too gooey for you, (I don't mind a little gooey-ness but) you can just put them in the fridge for about an hour or so and they will firm up nicely. Still chewy and fudge-y, just not as gooey as they are at room temp.

Super Fudge-y Black Bean Brownies
Adapted from here.

1-1/2 cups cooked black beans
2 flax 'eggs'
3 tbsp. canola oil (or coconut oil, melted—use refined if you don't want the coconut flavour)
Scant 3/4 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
Dash of salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Scant 3/4 cup raw sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 heaping tsp instant coffee powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-in. baking dish and set aside.

Prepare flax 'eggs' (2 tbsp flax meal mixed with 6 tbsp warm water) and allow to sit and thicken 3-5 minutes.

In bowl of food processor, combine all ingredients (except add-ins, if using) and puree until smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared dish. Bake for 30 minutes (I think it was about 30 minutes... oops!), or until top is dry and brownie has started to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before removing and cutting into squares of your desired size.

Chocolate is Good for the Soul

(Ignore the terrible photo, it's still dark and rainy!)

Please keep me away from chocolate. I must be on a chocolate high. It's getting a little ridiculous. First I made the chocolate loaf from yesterday's post, then I made these raw chocolate ganache tortes, then I bought an organic dark chocolate bar, and now I'm looking at black bean brownie recipes. Yeah.

These are a little sad-looking, I know. I probably should have made them in a small loaf pan, as suggested (I used an 8-x8-inch because one just happened to be on my counter) so that they would be taller but they are so incredibly delicious, that I won't complain this time.

My only change in the recipe was using cacao powder in the filling because I ran out of cocoa powder, and I left out a tablespoon of agave. They were very sweet, but I won't complain about that either since I love anything rich, sweet and indulgent. A lot.

Muckin' Around

It rained again today. I love rainy days, but every day this week so far has been rain. Boo!

On days like this, I get the urge to throw a bunch of ingredients from around my kitchen into a bowl or food processor and see what comes out of it. Call it an effort to relieve myself of boredom or some supernatural power of rain, but this always happens.

Sometimes I get good results. Sometimes I should probably be less of a mad scientist and more of a baker. But lets not talk about bad things. I'm all about the good right now.

I decided I haven't made enough bread lately (yeah right!) and I figured I couldn't go wrong with something chocolate.

In this case, I think it needed more flour, and probably some baking soda, so I won't be posting a recipe until I do another trial or two. Just know that there is chocolate and coffee. And mushy ripe bananas. And some more chocolate.

When You Feed an Alligator Muffins...

Perhaps it should be mentioned my photography is less than creative, and the lighting is sometimes funny-looking, and the angles are a bit odd.

Perhaps it should be said that I am one lazy kid and more often than not, I forget to bring my sad, little cherry-red Nikon with me on baking excursions.

It should also be known that, perhaps, I will leave readers (will I have any now that I've told you of my lacking photography?) a gift or two in the form of typos. They are a part of my life, no matter how hard I try to kick them out.

So, now that you know a little bit about me, you should also know that today is the first day of Vegan MoFo 2011. Oh, yes, it's exciting!

This is my first year participating, and as such, I had a bit of a pickle thinking of what my theme will be. I don't mean to be boring, so pardon my lack of imagination, but I decided my theme would be something along the lines of 'a day in the life of a vegan', and a new vegan, at that. I'll be doing a lot of baking so expect many baked goods and recipes by the side of a not-so-flattering photos (if I remember). Additionally you'll catch a couple of product reviews, lists of whatever I find wonderful and vegan, and stories.

Time to kick this off with some muffins, because everyone appreciates muffins.

But do you notice the little specks of green embedded in these dense, chocolate morsels? That would be avocado. I know what you're thinking, and you are correct: avocados + muffins = weird. Strangely enough, it works. These muffins are wonderfully moist and dense (not in a bad way, of course) like a muffin should be. They aren't too sweet and all you can taste is chocolate. No avocado taste what-so-ever.

In fact, they are so good, that I question you if you don't try making these. I just slightly adapted this recipe by using dutch-process cocoa, only 1/2 teaspoon of salt (1/2 a tablespoon seemed a little overboard) and using 1 cup all-purpose with 3/4 cup whole wheat flour as I cannot for the life of me find whole wheat pastry flour.

Don't you think these look a little Halloween-ish with their green spots? Let's go ahead and say I did that on purpose. Now who's creative?