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Chickpea Stew

Posted on August 12, 2013 by auburnchick

A couple of days ago, the Mr’s mom sent me a recipe for Chickpea Stew.  It sounded good, so I didn’t waste any time mixing up a pot.

I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth that was originally in the recipe.

I’m posting the recipe below the picture.  Instead of plum tomatoes, I used one can of diced tomatoes.

The next time I make this, I will not add the parsley.  The cooking I’ve done this summer has taught me about spices and herbs, and I have a better idea of what I like and don’t like.  Parley tastes a bit like kale to me, so I think I’ll leave it off next time.

Other than that, this is a delicious recipe!  If you are serving more than four people, double the recipe.  It is very easy to prep for, and cook time is under thirty minutes.  It is a hearty stew that leaves bellies full and satisfied.

Enjoy!

CHICKPEA STEW 

2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 t. dried thyme
1 C diced (1/4″) red onion
1 t. honey
2 T. finely minced garlic
1 t. fresh lemon juice
1 t. ground cumin
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz) plum tomatoes, chopped, with juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place olive oil in heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add onion, stirring occasionally until wilted, about 12 minutes.  Add garlic during the last 2 minutes.  Stir in cumin and cook 2 minutes more to mellow the flavors.

Add chickpeas, tomatoes with juices, thyme, honey, lemon juice, broth, salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.  Adjust seasonings and stir in the parsley.

Serves 4.

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Deluxe Cocoa Brownies

Posted on July 30, 2013 by auburnchick

So, I’ve been blogging about the dinners I’ve been making, but I’ve left out the desserts that have accompanied said dinners.

First up is my batch of Deluxe Cocoa Brownies.  The recipe is in the book Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

I made my first batch (yes, I said first) early last week.  I’d had my eye on that recipe the moment I’d seen it while thumbing through my book after it arrived in the mail.

The first batch was good, but it was a teensy bit overcooked.  Brownies can be a bit difficult to bake simply because you don’t want them too gooey, but you also need the batter done enough to eat.

Although my family enjoyed the brownies, I was determined to make them better, so I headed back to the store and bought a couple of different items.

The first was a silky tofu, which is part of the recipe.

Although I’ve been a vegan for over two years, I haven’t fully embraced all of the specific ingredients used to cook these types of dishes.  The staple of my diet has been beans, fruits, and vegetables.  Now that I’ve gotten into baking, I’ve discovered the value of cooking with tofu.

With that said, the repeated baking of these brownies taught me another valuable lesson:  all tofu is not the same.

There’s a reason why recipes ask for silky or extra firm.

It has to do with texture.

l could tell, immediately upon opening the package of tofu, that it was very different from the others I’d recently been using.  It was much softer.  I had to use a spoon to scoop it out.

I used a food scale to measure out the required amount and proceeded to make the brownies as instructed.

The other item I bought at the store was a bag of vegan chocolate chips, which I added to the batter before putting it in the oven.  I had not done this the first time because it was not part of the original recipe.  It was suggested as an alternative.

I’ve always loved chocolate but have found myself unable to eat it with my new eating lifestyle.  I figured the more “chocolate,” the better.

I watched my timer carefully and poked the brownies more than a couple of times checking for done-ness.  I figured out that withdrawing a toothpick that had a little bit of brownie stuck to it was okay because the pan kept cooking after I pulled it from the oven.

One final inspiration that struck me on Round 2 of brownie making was to whip up a pan of chocolate ganache, which I drizzled over the top.

You should have seen my guys’ eyes light up when I set this on the table after dinner…

The big test was the taste.  I wanted to find out if they were better than the first batch.

Obviously, from looking at the picture above, you can see how moist these brownies were.

The texture was very smooth and chocolate-y.

The guys raved over them.  The Mr. declared this to be the best dessert I’ve made since embarking on my baking adventure.

That’s when I started telling the guys about the tweaks I’d made…dropping the bombshell that there was tofu in the brownies.

Their jaws dropped open, and they began sputtering, “Tofu…you put tofu in these?”

And then they started laughing…hysterically.

They could not change their minds about the brownies.  They could not take back their words of delight over this dessert.

The brownies did not last long because, as Chicky explained, I’d cut them so small that she had to eat two at a time.

heehee

I made a third batch the next day for my small group and returned home with two left in the pan.

I’m calling this recipe, with my modifications, the Ramped Up Deluxe Cocoa Brownies.

Yum!

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Tofu Scramble – Undistinguishable from Non-Vegan Food

Posted on July 25, 2013 by auburnchick

While perusing Chicky’s cooking board on Pinterest, I came across a site that has a number of links to vegan-friendly dishes.

I was drawn to the Tofu Scramble recipe because I had tofu in the refrigerator, and I knew I needed to cook it.

I added quite a few veggies…mushrooms, a sliced onion, basil (my new favorite herb), garlic, green pepper, and fresh tomato chunks.

Tumeric is the spice that gives this dish its yellow color.  I’d never owned tumeric before beginning my odyssey into cupcake baking.

I grew excited as I was cooking this dish.  It resembled scrambled eggs, which I haven’t eaten in ages.

The taste was quite flavorful, with all of the veggies playing a role in the chorus that sang in my mouth.

From the looks of it, the link provided when you click on Tofu Scramble (above) contains many recipes that look both do-able and delicious.

As always, I’ll keep you posted when I try something new!

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

A Baking Fiend

Posted on July 22, 2013 by auburnchick

Ok.

I have a confession to make.

While I haven’t been working, per se, I have been studying…

My vegan cookbooks, that is!!

I’ve been on a mission to make yummy vegan cupcakes and other desserts.  You’ve seen a couple of the cupcakes.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time shopping for ingredients.  One of my local Walmarts had this amazing assortment of extracts…three entire shelves!!

I went a little crazy, I’m afraid, and stocked up…

On Friday, I needed to find a dessert to take to my small group meeting that evening.

I decided to make Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes.  They are similar to Red Velvet Cake.  The frosting is a custard type…very different from the buttercream I’d been making.

Ok…so the frosting…well…it had some issues.  The taste, though, was DIVINE.  I haven’t had custard in YEARS.  I could have eaten this stuff with a spoon.

I took most of the cupcakes with me and returned with one left.  It didn’t last long.

Because I am the ultimate good student, I knew I needed to figure out why I had the issue with the consistency of my frosting.  What better way than to try again?

The frosting came out almost identical…dang…despite making sure the custard I’d made beforehand had completely cooled.  I don’t think I properly creamed my sugar, margarine, and shortening.  I’ll be working on this skill.  Darn.  I hate that.  😀

One change I made when making the cupcake batter was that I added the proper amount of food coloring after purchasing a large bottle (don’t you dare tell me how unhealthy it is…I know but I don’t do unhealthy hardly ever any more so whatever).  I also added a little bit more almond extract.

Oh word.  The extra wet ingredients may have made a difference.

The second batch of cupcakes were soooo moist and delicious!

Look!

On Saturday, I received a new vegan baking book in the mail…

You may be astute enough to recognize that it’s written by the same gals who authored the cupcake book I’ve been using.  It got great reviews on Amazon, so of course I had to order it.

Thumbing through the book was a pure delight.  There’s so much helpful information in the beginning sections.  They provide how-to’s for making recipes gluten-free and even more organic.

One of the tips I picked up was to check my oven temperature, which can cause a lot of problems when baking.

I already owned an oven thermometer, so I pulled it out as I prepared to make my first batch of cookies from this book.

I’ve always thought that my oven heated quickly.  It beeps when the temperature reaches what I’ve programmed.

I was very surprised when I discovered that my oven had only reached 250 degrees!!!  THAT is why recipes tell you to turn on the oven first!  I’ve always figured that I was wasting electricity by leaving it on too long!  Lesson learned!

So…back to the baking.

When I showed the Mr. my new book, he told me that he wanted Chocolate Chip Cookies…his favorite.  Coincidentally, that was the first recipe in the book!

I started the recipe and realized, just as I was adding my flour, that I had not added my soy milk to the sugar mixture, which I was supposed to prepare first.

I dumped everything and started over.

Yes, I wanted to get this right.

After adding the soy milk and following the recipe even more closely, things resembled how they were described in the book.

Imagine that!

Here’s what the cookies looked like when I pulled them out of the oven…

I had to put them back in for an extra two minutes.  They were a lot more wet than they were supposed to be.  However, that two minutes did their thing.  When it was time to eat…well…take a look for yourself at how “normal” my vegan cookies were…

I am so thrilled that I can finally indulge the sweet tooth that had been dormant for so long.

There are many recipes in this book that will be fighting for priority status.

You know I’ll keep you posted!

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

S’mores Cupcakes!

Posted on July 15, 2013 by auburnchick

I had somewhat of a baking fail on Saturday.

I won’t provide the details, but I will say that I think it was the fault of the recipe, not Yours Truly.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a cupcake fail.  It was a dessert recipe the Mr. had found on Facebook.  I won’t be making that recipe again.

With that failure in mind, I felt the need to redeem myself.

I’d already purchased items for my next batch of cupcakes, but I’d put off the baking all week.

It was time…

To make…

S’mores Cupcakes…with buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache drizzle…

We here at Chez AuburnChick are food critics, let me tell you.

Here’s what we decided.

The flavor of the cupcakes is delicious.  There’s cinnamon in the batter, and it comes through.

The texture is strange though.

The recipe calls for soy yogurt.  Because I live in Podunk, USA, I could not find soy yogurt ANYWHERE.  Ugh.

I googled for a substitute and discovered that I could use buttermilk.

Being lactose-intolerant and a vegan, but being in possession of the following recipe book (in which the above recipe can be found), I’d learned that vegan buttermilk can be made by mixing together a spot of apple cider vinegar with soy milk.

I substituted this for the yogurt.

I’d also substituted coconut oil for the canola oil per a discussion I’d had with the owner of the health food store I frequent.

The cupcake batter was liquidy but with strange little lumps.

I still don’t know why.

It’s got to be one of the above substitutions.

The cupcakes did cook though, but the texture is very spongy.

My buttercream also did not come out as well as the Golden Vanilla cupcakes I made last weekend.

I have no idea why.

I figured out that adding more powdered sugar doesn’t help in this situation.

The icing was still yummy…just not as fluffy as I’d like.

I’m learning that there is a science to baking, and practice really does make perfect.

I am having a lot of fun practicing, let me tell you!

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes – Vegan Friendly!

Posted on July 8, 2013 by auburnchick

As you know, a couple of weeks ago, I purchased this book…

I paid more than I should have…purchased it locally instead of online where I could have gotten a better deal.

BUT…

It has been worth every penny!

Last week, I made the mint chocolate cupcakes.

They had turned out extremely well.

Last night, I went for something that everyone would like…Golden Vanilla Cupcakes.

I made them “very” golden by adding tumeric, as the recipe suggested.  For the record, I found this spice at Target.  It was the ONLY place I could find it!  The cupcakes did, indeed, come out of the oven looking golden.

The icing for the mint cupcakes from the week before had turned out a bit too wet, so I was nervous this go-round.

This time I made the Vanilla Buttercream frosting.  I had even purchased non-hydrogenated margarine and shortening…vegan of course.

I followed the instructions EXACTLY and grew excited when I tasted it.

It was so sweet and…get this…LIGHT…just as the recipe described it.

I was able to use the icing contraption I’d purchased from Pampered Chef.  It came with several different tips.

The icing was the perfect consistency!

The most fun part was adding the Rich Ganache (there’s a special extra something in there to make it “rich” in nature) on top.

I wanted to drizzle it, but my usage of a fork and then a spoon proved horrible looking.

Chicky suggested I pour it into a baggie and snip the corner.

Genius idea!

The ganache was thinner than the buttercream frosting, so the icing contraption would not have sufficed.  The baggie worked beautifully!

I decorated all but one this way.  The Mr. didn’t want buttercream on his, so I only put ganache on that one.

I was eager for the family to try them given my preview of the icing.

Rooster had a friend over.  This friend’s mom is well known for her cooking, so I was nervous.

From the picture below, you can see that there weren’t many cupcakes left over after the first round of eating…

Chicky was amazed, once again, at the texture.

Both this and the mint chocolate cupcakes turned out moist and light.

The buttercream icing could not have turned out better.  It paired perfectly with the ganache.

If you’re looking for a healthier way of eating desserts, I highly recommend this book.

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Posted on June 30, 2013 by auburnchick

Yesterday, Chicky and went to the bookstore where I picked up this book…

The book has a lot of helpful information, including the why’s of using certain ingredients, the how-to-fix-boo-boos tips and tricks, and lots of other helpful suggestions.

I couldn’t wait to begin!

Now, you do know that I do not cook very often.  In fact, I avoid it like the plague; however, I’ve gotten tired of not getting dessert.  Chicky has been cooking quite a bit and indulging her sweet tooth…making delicious yummies for the guys.  I decided to take matters into my own hands!

For my first recipe, I went all out and made Chocolate Mint Cupcakes.  Chicky and I visited the grocery store and picked up a few items…

I began by making the basic chocolate cupcakes that are found near the front of the book.  We didn’t have toothpicks, so we used a fork to test for doneness.

While these cooled, I made the mint icing.  It turned out too thin, but I think that I can fix this by adding less milk next time.  You’ll see, in the picture below, that the icing ran all over the tops of the cupcakes.  No worries.  I’ll work on presentation later.

😀

The final step in this recipe was making the chocolate ganache.

Oh word, but I’d heard this word before on The Food Network, but I’d never actually eaten it, not to mention cooked it.

It was soooo easy…just soy milk and chocolate chips!  Seriously!

I put a dollop of ganache on the top of each mint-iced cupcake.

Then, it was time to try one.

Have you ever watched Cupcake Wars?  I have.  Plenty of times.  Which is how I learned about vegan cupcakes.

I felt a little like Florian as I sniffed my cupcake before carefully peeling the liner off.

I did not, however, eat the cupcake with a fork.

I am a redneck; hence, I am not quite that refined.

I did notice that the texture looked good.

And then the first bite.

Oh.

My.

Golly.

It was everything I’d hoped for and then some.

I had worried about the cupcakes being completely cooked.  Chicky had assured me, in her all-cooking-know-how-way that they would continue to cook a bit in the muffin pan.

It was cooked perfectly!

And the taste?

I’d also worried about the mint being too overpowering; however, it was perfectly balanced with the taste of the chocolate.

The ganache on top made for that extra umph that my mouth had been craving for so long.

Lord have mercy!

I do not think that anyone would be able to distinguish these cupcakes from non-vegan ones.

Who says you need eggs and regular milk?

Being vegan doesn’t mean you have to be deprived from tasty food…even if you do have to make it yourself sometimes.

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Blow Your Mind Tomato Basil Pasta

Posted on June 28, 2013 by auburnchick

I saw the following recipe posted by a friend on Facebook and knew I had to give it a try.

It is completely vegan-friendly and super easy for non-cooks like myself.

The recipe turned out DELICIOUS!!!  Things I would change:

  • Add two cans of petite diced tomatoes with extra seasonings like chilis or something else (all I had was the plain kind)
  • Only add a dash of red pepper flakes.  I went too heavy because I like spicy food.  Oops.
  • Make sure I stir frequently to prevent the pasta from clumping together.

Photo from http://comfortspringstation.tumblr.com

Here’s the recipe (copied and pasted from http://comfortspringstation.tumblr.com/post/53664534559/blow-your-mind-tomato-basil-pasta-no) but originally from TexasOnlineCookbooks.com:

Blow your MIND” Tomato Basil Pasta! – No Straining, just Stirring
Throw it all in the pot, INCLUDING the uncooked Pasta, and cook! – Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta

Ingredients:
12 ounces pasta (Shown  Linguine)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid ( I used zesty red pepper flavor)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.
Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot.

Filed under: Vegan | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Vegan Chocolate Cake!

Posted on April 7, 2013 by auburnchick

A couple of weeks ago, Christina posted a link on my Facebook wall.

The link took me to a recipe for a Vegan Chocolate Cake.

The recipe didn’t call for many ingredients.  The only thing I was lacking was the time to make it.

I found that time today.

After sending the Mr. after the ingredients I didn’t already have in the house, I got busy.

Prep time was about ten minutes, tops.

I poured the batter into a 9″ round pan, adding parchment paper and a sprinkling of flour to prevent sticking.

Per a comment I had read below the recipe, I set the timer for 35 minutes.

Here’s what it looked like when I pulled it out of the oven…

The Mr. came in for a taste.

He’s a picky sort of fellow.  Cake is important to him.

Even he had to agree that the cake was moist.

He also agreed that nobody would EVER guess that this cake could be given the “vegan” label, which typically makes people turn their noses up at things.

Oh word, but this cake is tres delicious!

I’m ecstatic because I can FINALLY eat dessert!!!

I highly recommend this recipe!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Epic Fail

Posted on July 12, 2012 by auburnchick

Saturday night, the Mr. and I were trying to decide where to eat for dinner.

He’d seen a commercial for some tasty dish at Applebee’s, so we decided to go there.

The menu was colorful and thick.

As I thumbed through it, I grew nervous.

I always do when I eat at a “new” restaurant.  It’s been years since I ate at an Applebee’s, and I wasn’t a vegan the last time.

To my dismay, I could not find a single dish that didn’t have meat or cheese on it.

Not.

One.

The Mr. asked the dreaded question, “Is there anything you can eat?”

That’s when my face grew red, and I started getting upset and angry.

Now, I realize that I can special-order dishes, requesting that an ingredient or two be left off, but my question is WHY?

Why do I have to draw attention to myself?

One thing I loathe is making a spectacle of myself.

I do that accidentally all the time.

I hate feeling singled out.

Sure, being vegan is a choice I made; however, being lactose intolerant is not by choice.

My choice to be vegan has led to my better health, and I feel better about myself mentally because I look better.  I shaved off fifteen pounds the first three weeks I started eating this way.

That is saying something.

I vented to the Mr., but I felt bad because I knew I was ruining his dinner experience.

What I wound up deciding to do was to order a house salad.

It looked like a safe choice.

I asked if cheese came on it, and after being told yes, I requested that it be left off.

So, all was well.

Meanwhile, I continued to vent.

Grrr.

Then.

Dinner came.

The Mr. had ordered a steak, and he looked pleased.

Until.

He saw my salad.

He saw it before I did and tried to warn me that I was about to get mad again.

Guess what was on my salad?

BACON BITS!!

Even before I stopped eating meat, I’d stopped eating anything that came from a pig.

Go read about it sometime.  Pig meat is incredibly unhealthy for you.

I was beyond mad.

Nowhere on the menu were the ingredients for that salad listed.

Now, I know that maybe I should have asked, specifically, but it was a HOUSE SALAD!

The server came back, and I asked her to take the salad back and to take it off of my bill.

I was nice, I promise, but I know my face showed my fury.

I told her that I didn’t blame her.

It really wasn’t her fault.

By then, I’d completely lost my appetite.

The Mr. was visibly upset, and he wasn’t going to finish dinner until I insisted that he do so.

Let me tell you that the server did not come to our table again until it was time for our check.

She didn’t come to refill our water.

Nothing.

I was, at that point, not very impressed with her.  She was not very professional.

We paid and left.

I am on the rampage.

I am declaring myself a voice for vegans everywhere!

Listen, Food Industry.

You MUST stop ignoring people with special dietary needs!

Why should we have to draw attention to ourselves by special ordering things because there’s NOTHING FOR US on your menus?

Yes, I am very aware of how it’s probably not cost effective to plan vegan meals.

I realize that we’re in the minority.

Does that mean that you should blow off my needs?

How hard would it be to include a meat-free salad and a pasta dish that has marinara sauce?

I.

Am.

A.

Human.

Who.

Needs.

To.

Eat.

Take a page from Chili’s, a favorite restaurant of mine.

A few months ago, I noticed, in very small print (hey, Chili’s, make that print larger!), that this restaurant establishment offers a black bean burger as a substitute for any of its regular burgers.

Betcha most of you didn’t know that, eh?

And you know what?

It’s DELICIOUS!

I eat it often.

It makes me feel like I’m eating a real meal.

Chili’s also has a delicious salad…Caribbean, I think.

And you know the funny thing?

There’s a note underneath it that you can ADD meat.

While I’m at it, let me throw out kudos to Burger King, which has a veggie burger on its menu.

Sure, I have to order it without mayo, but hey, that’s okay with me.

Sure, it’s fast food and probably not the healthiest, but at least I have an option when I’m on the road visiting my baby girl at college.

Sunday night, the Mr. and I were trying to decide what to do for dinner (please note that sad as it is, I rarely cook any more.  Don’t judge me please.).

The Mr. looked at me and pointedly said, “I’m not choosing after the epic fail of last night.”

I went with a local Chinese restaurant, which has VEGAN FRIENDLY food.

This place even has vegetable rolls.

I was in happy land.

I also had a full belly.

I have a list of restaurants that I can/will eat at.

After Saturday night’s experience, I can promise you that my list will probably NEVER include Applebee’s again.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

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