Vegan Cupcakes!!

I made chocolate cupcakes with creme frosting today, using a recipe from Chloe's Kitchen (page 205). I made things simpler and frosted them without putting the creme inside or the chocolate ganache on top. They are delicious and I can honestly say one would never know they are vegan cupcakes. I would not hesitate to serve these anytime. And they are relatively easy to make, which is a bonus.

I bet you didn't know that replacing eggs with vinegar in cake recipes is one way of making them vegan or dairy free. Yep, it's true. And the vinegar taste bakes off so you never taste it!

Voila!

My version doesn't look nearly as fancy as Chloe's, but it sure did taste yummy!

I think I'm going to try making her Thin Mint Cookies next...a vegan version of the popular Girl Scout Cookie!

Cookbook Ramblings

I recently bought Chloe's Kitchen - 125 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Making the Food you Love the Vegan Way. The author, Chloe Coscarelli, is the first vegan cook to win "Cupcake Wars" with a vegan cupcake! This is her very first cookbook. I found her online (somehow) and had read her website, which has plenty of recipes posted there: Chef Chloe

Actually, I found out about Chloe's new cookbook through her website and promptly pre-ordered it after reading through some of the delectable recipes on her website. And the best part is, the ingredients are mostly common and easily found in any supermarket, and many are usually found in most people's pantries. There are only a few staples that she recommends buying special and having on hand for her vegan recipes, but even those I easily found at my local natural markets or even in the natural foods sections at the supermarket.

And so....I began cooking my way through Chloe's Kitchen and prepared her recipe for Vegetable Biryani (page 172). The flavors are strong and delish, and quite a change from what we are used to savoring, it being a dish popular in India. Unfortunately, I did not have a couple of the spices needed, but I decided to go ahead with it and make substitutions. So, the next time I make it, I need to be sure I have all the proper ingredients, because I know it can make a world of difference. I also added red kidney beans as an extra source of protein. There were plenty of leftovers, as well!

Vegetable Biryani

Today, I decided to make the Hot 'N' Crusty Farmers Market Panini from the recipe on Chloe's website. Again, I was missing an ingredient or two, and I don't have a stove top grill pan or a panini press, so I improvised. Even so, the panini was delicious, savory, and VERY filling. Her recipe says it serves 4-6, and I got 2 large panini sandwiches out of it, one for me one for the hubs. I am sure that anyone would love this for a meal, vegan or not!

Hot 'N' Crusty Farmers Market Panini

Next up: one of Chloe's wonderful looking vegan desserts or cakes. Not only is her "Cupcake Wars" championship cupcake recipe in her cookbook, but there are additional recipes for sweets and cakes on her website! I have a serious sweet tooth and am thrilled at the prospect of being able to bake and eat sweets occasionally and not worry about just what some of the ingredients are! I am hoping to get some cupcakes made tomorrow and will be sure to share my results.

Who said eating vegan is boring? With Chloe in my kitchen (and on my laptop), I can't imagine ever being bored with choosing to have a plant-based diet.

By the way, Ms. Coscarelli has been appearing on many TV shows, as well as holding book signings at bookstores across the US of A. If you haven't heard of her yet, you will...trust me. She is taking the vegan cooking world by storm and I cannot wait to see what her next cookbook will include!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Vegetable Pot Pie (Vegan Version)

Well, its been a while since I've posted a recipe or just meanderings. I have to say I have gotten somewhat bored with cooking and trying to put together delish meals that are meat and cheese free. We all get bored and unexcited about food once in a while, and the last month or so has been my time. So, I'm planning on digging in and finding more recipes to try in my two new cookbooks, as well as the new one I'm about to receive from Amazon (hopefully soon).

Below I am posting a recipe for Veggie Pot Pie, which I have wanted to make for a while now and finally did so last night. Although I became frustrated and stressed out a bit while making the crust, in the end it turned out quite nicely and was delicious! Two things I will remember for next time (and there WILL be a next time): 1. Use my food processor to make the pie crust dough and 2. Add more veggies. I have not yet used my food processor to make crust, so it didn't occur to me until I was almost done struggling with the darn thing and trying to make it cohesive. Next time, I will definitely use the food processor. And, while I did put lots of veggies in the pie, I still could have added more and it would have been even more delish, filling and satisfying.

Vegetarian Pot Pie (Vegan Version)

Use a deep dish pie plate or a casserole dish of similar size.

Filling:
3 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup of flour (approximate) or use corn starch
Chopped Vegetables: broccoli, zucchini, corn, green beans, carrots, cauliflower, etc. I didn't measure but I'd say probably around 4 cups.
Parsley, Thyme, Savory, and/or any other herb/spice you like. Again, no measurements, I just add them in small increments until it looks/smells or tastes about right.
1/2 teaspoon (or more) of minced garlic

Crust:
2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup margarine, softened (I used Earth Balance Soy Free)
5-6 Tablespoons of water

Preheat oven 425 degrees. Pour vegetable broth into saucepan heat until just boiling. Using a whisk, stir flour slowly into broth until thickened. (This takes a while, so be patient.) Add the herbs, spices and garlic and turn down to low.

Crust: Mix flour and salt together and cut in margarine with a pastry cutter or use food processor, until dough looks crumbly. Stir in water with a fork. Roll dough into a ball and divide in half. Roll out one half and put into bottom of pie plate. Roll second half so it is ready for use once the pie ingredients are added. Add veggies to pie plate and spread out evenly. Pour thickened sauce over veggies and cover with top layer of pie crust. Seal edges and trim, as necessary. With a sharp knife, make 3 small slits in top of crust for steam to escape. If desired, cover edge of crust with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning, and remove foil 15 minutes before done.

Put on middle rack of oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until top of crust is lightly browned.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy with a small green salad, or, if you did not put potatoes in the filling of the pie, make garlic mashed potatoes and serve on the side.

My husband, Anthony, enjoying his THIRD serving!

Bon appetit!