Tag Archives: food

Sweet Harmony | Push-Fold-Turn

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“Push…fold…turn…”

It’s a mantra of sorts. Do you know what I’m talking about?

Picture Angel Girl wearing my Hello Kitty apron on the other side of the kitchen table, mirroring my movements and my mantra, “push, fold, turn…“

I toss a handful of bench flour on the silicone mat so the dough won’t stick, and hand her a portion of the cinnamon roll dough to start kneading.

“Like this, watch me. With this part of your hand, push…fold…turn.”

“Like this, Grandma?”

“That’s perfect. Let’s say it together.”

We work and speak in harmony…”Push, fold, turn. Push, fold, turn.”

“You can tell it’s ready because it feels smooth. How does your dough feel?”

“Super smooth, Grandma!”

“Awesome! Now we’ll let our dough rise and finish creating our yummy cinnamon rolls.”

“I can’t wait!”

“Neither can I, but we have to follow all the steps to make your Great Grandma Charlotte’s recipe exactly like she taught me.”

After the dough doubled in sized, both the Angels helped to roll it out, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and they allowed me to complete the process.

One more proofing (no one was patient) and the sweet bread was finally ready to bake.

Dad and Mom came home JUST as they came out of the oven and we all gorged ourselves on more cinnamon rolls than we probably should have.

In case you’re wondering, we don’t ice our cinnamon rolls. We like them just like this.

Dad complimented me, “These are really the best you ever made!”

Do you know what the secret ingredient was?

I do.

It was the sweet, loving assistance of two curly haired angel kids.

Push, fold, turn…

Tofu Snowball Cookies | Vegan Recipe

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Every so often I feel like Emmymade when I try out or tweak a new recipe. (If you don’t know who she is, Emmymade has a YouTube channel with about three million subscribers.)

Aren’t they pretty? Read all the way through…

I searched for ways to incorporate tofu in sweet recipes and I found a bunch of ideas for tofu cookies.

Here’s my version:

Tofu Snowball Cookies
1/2 cup tofu (silken works best but I used what I had)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup oil
2 cups flour

Blend oil and tofu in food processor until smooth.
Add all the other ingredients.
Cover and chill for thirty minutes.


Shape into balls on parchment lined baking sheet.
(The dough felt very rubbery to me as I was forming the balls, very different from other cookie doughs…)
Chill again for thirty minutes.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until the top looks dry.


Let cool for a couple minutes.
Roll in powdered sugar.
Cool completely.

They tasted absolutely disgusting!

I’m not a fan, ewww.

I had an old Border Collie named Victor who would eat almost anything and I don’t think even he would have eaten these cookies, that’s how bad they are! It would have been hilarious to watch his face as he spit them out or found a place to bury them in the garden. Miss you, Victor!

If you try this recipe, please let me know if your results are more edible than mine.

I think the rubbery Play Doh texture should have been a huge red flag, but it was an experiment. Sometimes my recipes work out and sometimes they don’t!

#epicfail

UPDATE: After a few hours, I tried another one and the wait definitely improved the flavor and texture, so I won’t toss them in the compost.

BEST Crispy Tofu With Spicy Mayo Dipping Sauce

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This recipe is everything, and SO easy. Vegan, of course.

The secret to success is freezing the tofu before cooking. Here’s what to do. Drain the tofu, cut into squares, place on a plastic cutting board, and freeze.

Don’t be worried if the tofu changes color; it’s all good, and the color change means the texture of the tofu will be chewier and even more delicious.

When it’s nice and frozen (took a couple hours for me) place in a bag with some cornstarch and shake.

Add three tablespoons of oil to a pan and heat until shimmering. I like avocado oil.

Be patient and don’t check on the crispy progress too soon. You’ll know the tofu is ready to turn when it releases easily from the pan.

You could also bake in a 350 degree oven or place in an air fryer, but this time I used the cooktop ‘cos it was quicker.

When it’s brown and crispy on both sides, sprinkle with a little cracked pepper, and serve.

For my yummy Dipping Sauce, mix 1/3 cup vegan mayo with a tablespoon of Sriracha. Add a little chopped cilantro. This sauce is very similar in taste to the Japanese mayo at sushi restaurants.

It’s seriously SO full of flavor, I could almost eat an entire block of tofu. Not kidding.

National Pancake Day – Best Buckwheat Pancakes

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Happy National Pancake Day!
It’s not just Fat Tuesday; it’s the day to celebrate pancakes, too!

When the original Angel Boy was young, my pancakes were a source of extreme disappointment. They looked inviting on the outside, but the interior was often mushy and undercooked.

Finally, my son had such a fear of my pancakes that he refused to eat them. It was quite traumatic for him, and I can understand that. Poor guy.

Things have changed with the Angels.

I worked hard to perfect my pancake game and I can now proudly claim to make the BEST Buckwheat Pancakes in my little part of the world.

There’s something incredibly delicious about the addition of buckwheat flour that elevates these pancakes.

They are in such high demand that I often need to whip up two batches. I can’t flip them fast enough to toss them on the plates of those feral little creatures.

Past traumas have been healed; my grown up angel boy can put away a giant stack without being frightened that he’s going to bite into uncooked pancake batter.

I had to get a big griddle to handle the demand and it’s like a Grandma Diner.

“More pancakes, please!”

Two versions of my famous pancakes; it’s easy to make *vegan.

Best Buckwheat Pancakes
Whisk together in bowl:
1 egg
1 cup milk/plant based etc.
2 TBS veg oil
1 TBS brown sugar or agave
1 tsp vanilla
Add:
1/2 cup white or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix just until moistened, batter should be lumpy. Don’t overmix. Let batter sit for a few minutes. Cook on hot oiled griddle until brown on both sides (and cooked all the way through haha.)
Options: add cinnamon, chopped apples, sliced bananas, berries.

*To make it vegan, use only plant based milk, delete the egg, and add two teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar as the final ingredient.

Crispy Garbanzo Beans

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Have you tried this trendy snack? High in protein, vitamins, fiber, and minerals, chickpeas are full of nutrients. They’re a much healthier alternative to fried potato and tortilla chips.

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com

I can’t make them fast enough–they get eaten as soon as I finish with one batch.

Some recipes suggest oven roasting, but I prefer the cooktop, so this is my version:

Ingredients:
2 cans garbanzo beans, also called chick peas (or cook your own)
Oil
Season with sea salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes, garlic powder

Directions:
Drain and rinse garbanzo beans in a strainer, rubbing the beans until the thin, slimy covering comes off, and discard.

Spread out on a baking sheet covered in paper towels or a clean towel. The secret to success is to get the beans as dry as possible.

When they’re dry, empty into a bowl and coat with one tablespoon of neutral vegetable oil. Don’t season at this time.

Over medium high heat add a tablespoon of oil to a large skillet. Add the garbanzo beans in one layer. Let them cook without disturbing. If you hear a few pops, that’s normal. After about ten minutes, check on them and turn the beans so all sides can become crispy and brown.

At this time, add salt, garlic powder, and any other seasonings you prefer.

Keep pan roasting until they become beautifully golden brown and crispy. The drier they were to start with will shorten the roasting time.

Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet to completely cool before storing in a tightly sealed container.

They’re supposed to last a few days but I’ve watched my son eat them all at one sitting, so I don’t have any personal info to share about that.

Enjoy!

Veggie Tomato-y Tofu Soup #Vegan

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Perfect for this cooler autumn weather…

Last weekend was my monthly refrigerator cleaning project and I thought I’d toss everything I could into a pot and create some sort of soup.

The good news is I have a scrumptious pot of healthy soup to last a few days; the bad news is that now empty refrigerator and a need to hit the grocery store.

Here’s what I found to work with:
-Mushrooms
-Red Pepper
-Carrots
-Celery
-Onion
-Broccoli
-Fresh chard and garden herbs
-Tofu

I first cubed and marinated the tofu in a little olive oil and Italian herbs with spicy dried red peppers.

I didn’t have any Better Than Bouillon  (vegan) which is too bad as it’s amazing, and I didn’t have homemade stock, so I pan roasted the veggies in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for a long time to develop fond on the bottom of the pan.

FYI: Fond are the brown particles found at the bottom of pans after browning vegetables. It adds flavor and moisture to a dish.

When I saw all those yummy little brown bits, I added a bit of water to make it easy to scrape up, then I added the marinated tofu, along with one large can of San Marzano tomatoes and one can of water.

FYI: I like to use the best Italian tomatoes because I think it really makes a flavor difference, especially when they’re the star of the show.

I added one scant teaspoon sugar and sea salt/pepper to taste along with these garden herbs:

Thyme, bay leaves, sage, oregano, and a lot of basil, saving some to sprinkle on just before serving.

Such vibrant colors! Simmered for about 45 minutes, pulled out the stems of the herbs as the leaves had fallen away as it cooked.

Before serving, I used my immersion blender to make the texture velvety and creamy.

YUM!

Options: Add cooked beans, lentils, pasta. croutons

Serve with fresh basil and vegan parmesan shreds.

In a Bit of a Pickle

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After the winds and rain subsided, I checked on my garden and discovered two previously hidden cucumbers.

I remember planting a few seeds of the pickling variety but everyone was all mixed up and I couldn’t tell which was which until I saw these gigantic specimens.

I haven’t completely decided if I’ll eat them fresh and possibly not pickle them, because I didn’t discover any others that were ready.

And this one, too, not quite as deformed.

I’ve had success with pickling vegetables, here’s a post about that:
https://enchantedseashells.com/2015/07/06/easy-peasy-refrigerator-pickles-meatlessmonday/

There was an unexpected sprinkle this morning; not forecasted, but welcome nonetheless.

Happy Monday!

EASY Three-Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

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The Angel Kids always request my homemade ice cream when they visit but that usually involves ingredients I personally don’t like to use or eat, although I do it for them.

Feeling sorry for the chunk of body part that was chopped off a couple days ago, I thought that a bowl of chocolate ice cream would make me feel much better.

I didn’t want to go to the store and buy vegan ice cream loaded with all kinds of chemicals and other ingredients that help it replicate dairy ice cream and I’m allergic to coconut which is the mainstay for most vegan ice cream, so I decided to make my own.

I had an unopened container of almond milk from the kids’ recent visit and decided to do a little experimenting.

The result was SO satisfying. It actually tastes very similar to a fudgesicle and that’s not a bad thing.

It’s not super creamy but it’s very chocolate-y and yummy. Substituting one cup of full fat coconut milk for one cup of almond milk or a little corn syrup would provide a much smoother texture but all I really cared about was the chocolate. If I make it again, I will add a couple tablespoons of maple syrup, but this is a quick and easy recipe.

I think this is a great recipe to use for homemade popsicle molds. I didn’t, but you could add mini chocolate chips or berries and that would be yummy, too.

It’s fun to experiment and I’m never sorry if I fail because I’ll try something different next time, but this was a success.

PS If you’re counting, I don’t consider vanilla to be an ingredient!

Grape + Blueberry Jam

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All my grapes became ripe at the same time which made an easy decision to embark on a grape jam project.

I found lots of recipes for grape jelly but I wanted to include some of the texture that a whole grape can provide and not merely strain out the skins and pulp for the juice.

Always experimenting, I also had a half full container of 100% pure blueberry juice that I used for the Angel’s smoothies so they wouldn’t be refused because they were a yucky GREEN color. It perfectly masks the kale and spinach, teehee.

Every summer, my mom and I used to make pickles and jams and preserves, enough jewel-colored Mason jars to last until the following spring, but I haven’t done it in a while.

She was way more scientifically precise than I could ever hope to be as I never had her patience, but most of the time my creations taste pretty good.

It’s hot and humid, not the greatest weather to cook pots of boiling grapes, but once I started, I was committed to finishing this project.

I didn’t can them in a proper water bath but filled containers for the refrigerator and freezer.

The most time consuming part was separating every grape from its tiny little stem–thank goodness my grapes were seedless — so I set aside about four cups to use whole, and cooked the rest of the grapes separately to strain. I might have zero patience but I’m clever!

At the last minute I decided to add ginger and cinnamon. Those two ingredients elevated the flavor more than I could have imagined.

I lost the identification tag, so I don’t know exactly what type of grape I have, but they’re seedless and very sweet. This was only half of the grapes I used.

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I cooked them in two pots, added the sugar equally along with ginger and cinnamon, and skimmed off the white foam:

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Strained the one pot of grapes that weren’t cleaned as diligently…

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After that, I combined both pots of grapes, added the blueberry juice and pectin, let it come to a rolling boil for another minute, and the mixture was ready to fill freshly sterilized containers. I wasn’t going to use pectin because I thought there was enough natural pectin, but I had some and it’s vegan, so I added it.

Disaster! I’m sure most people are smarter than me and wouldn’t fill plastic containers with boiling liquid. Life lessons, right? I licked a bit off the counter and it’s DELICIOUS. Don’t you think that container reminds you of Picasso’s melting clocks? I do! Such a mess.

Much better!

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I had to hurry and sterilize a lot of glass jars and didn’t have time to scrape off the labels, but they’re clean and bacteria-free. After cooling, it jelled beautifully. I’m very happy with the results!

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Here’s the recipe I created.

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Happy Valentine’s Day | For Chocolate Lovers | Vegan Lentil Brownies

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I’ve had a bit of success with Black Bean & Beet Brownies and Lentil Cookies but I’ve never tried simply Lentil Brownies, so I baked some this morning before it got too hot to have the oven on.

They look good, right? But the real question is how do they taste?

If you’ve ever had Black Bean Brownies, you might have detected a slightly weird beany texture, so I hoped this lentil version would eliminate that.

These brownies are TRULY surprisingly yummy! They’re very moist and chocolate-y. I can’t tell they contain lentils, which IS a wonderful source of protein, so this is also a healthy snack.

Tips:
1. Really cook the lentils until they’re mushy.
2. Refrigerate the pan for at least a couple hours after frosting before cutting and eating.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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