Venture into vegan

Today is a ‘break out the bucket list and make a checkmark’ kind of day.  Marathon? Done!

We had great weather, lots of supportive friends, and enough energy to push through all 26.2 long, hilly miles of the Seattle Marathon.  It was a smooth run (minus a few choice words that just slipped out at certain points!), and a wonderful day.  I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to tearing up a little bit as we crossed the finish line*, but in the best way possible.

To prep for the race, my running buddy, Kristen, and I did a very fun spaghetti dinner last night. Being vegan, Kristen’s diet poses a conundrum for me when I attempt to make treats that she can also enjoy.  Between looking for a vegan option and wanting to use up the leftover cranberries that were still taking up residence in the fridge, my hopes were not high.  But then, in came this gem of a recipe.  It was moist and not too sweet, and the perfect dessert to send us off into marathon-ville.  

*I only disclose this fact because I know full well that the pictures they take at the end of the race will have captured this.  Darn paparazzi

Vegan Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

From Food.com

• 2 cups whole raw cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 5 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons water
• ½ cup walnuts, optional

Directions

Blurry, eh?  As usual, got too excited to eat the cake!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 inch square (or round) cake pan with vegetable oil spray.
2. In the work bowl of a food processor, process the cranberries a few times until approximately quartered (or chop them by hand). Transfer the cranberries to a small bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder, and spices) to the bowl of the food processor and process briefly to blend.
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the remaining (wet) ingredients. Then add in the dry ingredients and cranberries to the mixing bowl, using the muffin method to combine (e.g., mix as little as possible, leaving the batter airy and light). Mix in walnuts, if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake until the bread has shrunk slightly away from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean (about 45 minutes, or 55 if using a loaf pan). If you cool it in the pan briefly (for about 5 minutes) it will be easier to remove it from the pan, but do not leave it sitting in the pan too long or it will get soggy on the bottom. Turn onto a rack to cool completely before putting in a airtight container, where it will keep for about 4 days, after which it begins to dry out.

Thankful Thanksgiving

Growing up, Thanksgiving has traditionally been marked by a large gathering at my parents’ house in Maryland, with a feast of turkey, stuffing, and desserts galore.  One dessert in particular, Mom’s cranberry-apple crisp, has become my emblem for Thanksgiving.  She bakes it in a white Corningware dish that is approximately the size of Africa, and the moment it pops out of the oven, I go to town.

Knowing that I would be away for the holidays, I decided that if I couldn’t be at the traditional celebration, I would bring a piece of the traditional celebration to me.  I called Mom a few weeks ago to get this heirloom of a family recipe, and imagine my surprise when she tells me, “It’s on page 622 of your Jane Brody cookbook.”  So much for the multi-generational story I had cooked up in my head!  Then again, it doesn’t change how good it tastes!

It has been a wonderful whirlwind of a year, filled with good friends, love, strong family ties, and a whole lot of positive people.  Thank you to all of you who are such wonderful influences on my life--I truly am lucky to be surrounded by you.  Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

“Mom’s” Cranberry Apple Crisp
Adapted from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book
3 cups cranberries (1 12-ounce package)
2 large apples, unpeeled, cored and sliced thin
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup all purpose flour, divided
¾ cup rolled oats (regular or quick)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1. In a large bowl, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of flour. Transfer the mixture into a greased 6 cup shallow baking dish.
2. In the same bowl (no need to wash it), combine the remaining flour, brown sugar, oats, and nuts. Stir in the melted butter or margarine and mix the ingredients well (the mixture should be crumbly). Sprinkle the oat mixture over the fruit mixture.
3. Bake the crisp in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the crisp is lightly browned. Let the crisp stand for 10 minutes before serving.

No-Knead Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
Recipe from The Kitchn
Makes 2 dozen rolls
3/4 cup warm water
1 scant tablespoon active-dry yeast
1 cup (9 ounces) mashed sweet potatoes**
1 cup milk - whole or 2% preferably
1/4 cup unsalted butter - melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1. Combine the water and yeast in a large mixing bowl and let stand until the yeast is dissolved. 2. Add the mashed sweet potatoes, the milk, the melted butter, the brown sugar, and the salt. Stir until all ingredients are evenly combined. Add the flour, stirring until a shaggy dough is formed and no more dry flour is visible. This dough will be very sticky.
3. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let stand until doubled in bulk, at least 2 hours or as long as 5 hours. The dough can be used immediately, but it’s easier to work with if you can refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. The dough can also be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
4. When ready to shape the rolls, sprinkle your work surface with a little flour and turn the dough out on top. Sprinkle a little more flour on top and press the dough into a thick disk. Use a bench scraper or knife to divide the dough into 24 pieces. Shape into balls and place about 5 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise until the rolls are roughly doubled in size, about 45 minutes in a warm kitchen.
5. About 20 minutes before the rolls are finished rising, preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
6. Remove the cover, brush the top of the rolls with egg yolk, and bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, until they are puffed and toasted brown. Serve warm or room temperature. Rolls are best the first day, but will stay fresh for several days after if stored in an airtight container.

**To make the mashed sweet potatoes, roast a medium-sized (roughly 9 ounce) sweet potato in a 400° oven until completely soft. Strip off the skin and mash.

Wegman's to the rescue

 This weekend is the one that I’ve been anticipating for months on end.  Loading up on carbs, resting and relaxing, and a quick 26.2 mile jog around Seattle. That’s right.  I have willingly and knowingly signed up for my very first marathon, and boy oh boy, it came up quickly.  I’m nervous, excited, and most of all, ready to get it over with already!

Lucky for me, my high-carb, low-activity week lined up perfectly with two amazing events: Thanksgiving and snOMG (as my coworker, Lorena, put it, “leave it to the media to make us sound like total teeny bopper wimps.” Well put, Lorena, well put.).  Seattle received an underwhelming 2.5 inches of snow, but the city has been incapacitated for going on 3 days now.  Who’s complaining?  Not this girl.

Logically, the extra rest time should be used for productive things. Like cooking!  And even though I didn’t think I could possibly eat any more butternut squash, on came my lightbulb when I remembered this recipe from Wegman’s from years back.

In a word: yummydeliciouseasyascouldbe.

Tomorrow starts Thanksgiving cookstravaganzathon. On tap for my kitchen: sweet potato rolls and a cranberry-apple crisp.  And I did just happen to buy a 3lb. bag of walnuts, so who knows what other kinds of mischief we can get into!

Happy holiday, everyone!

Butternut Squash with Baby Spinach
Serves 8 as a side, 4 as a main dish

One 3lb. butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 large red onions, chopped or diced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon parsley
salt and pepper to taste
6 oz. baby spinach
¾ cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Dice squash and onions and mix with olive oil and spices in large bowl.
3. Roast for 55 minutes, or until squash is tender and lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and toss with spinach and dried cranberries.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Twisted Split Pea Soup

It is time for yet another round of “Amy and Sharon’s Fabulous Soup Swapping Extraordinaire”.  Amy and I are both members of a fantastic, local CSA (New Roots Organics), which provides a great variety of seasonal produce, delivered right to your doorstep (yes, that sounds like a salespitch. But come on, it’s literally to your doorstep!).  

The really nice thing about New Roots is that they let you pick your frequency of delivery, which is ideal for one person who couldn’t possibly eat an entire box’s contents in a single week (not for lack of trying, mind you!).  The downside to this is that Amy and I receive our boxes on alternating weeks.  This means that soup swapping on the non-delivery weeks requires a little bit more creativity.

This soup is delivered right from pantry heaven.  A small ingredient list and a fast cooking time make it a cinch to prepare.  Did I mention that it’s also delicious?

Twisted Split Pea Soup
Adapted from (101 Cookbooks)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups dried split green peas, rinsed
5 cups water
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups of broccoli florets, cut small (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
Additional olive oil and paprika to drizzle on top

1.Rinse the split peas and pull out any blackened beans.  In a large bowl, soak the peas for approximately 4 hours prior to cooking.  Leave plenty of room for the peas to expand.

2. Add olive oil to a big pot over med-high heat. Stir in carrots, onions, and salt and cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two. Add the split peas, water, and spices (I also recommend a little bit of bouillon powder, just to enhance the flavor).

3. Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but still a touch al dente). If you’re including the broccoli, or any other veggie for that matter, add that in around the 15 minute mark to allow the veggies to just cook through without getting soggy.

4. Using a large cup or mug ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside. Use a hand blender (or regular blender) to puree the soup that is still remaining in the pot.

5. Stir the reserved (still chunky) soup back into the puree - you should have a soup that is nicely textured. If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time. Stir in the lime juice and taste. If the soup needs more salt or pepper, add more a bit at a time until the flavor of the soup really pops.

6. Ladle into bowls or cups, and serve each drizzled with olive oil and topped with a good pinch of smoked paprika.

*For one bowl, I tried adding a few shavings of some very delicious parmesan reggiano.  I’m not sure I recommend parmesan + curry powder, though some might disagree...

Moroccan Monday

It worked!  Forget men, the way to a TEENAGER’s heart is through food.  My cousin’s visit this past weekend was a blast--we ate, gabbed, danced, wandered, and ate some more.  Here’s a picture of us doing the chocolate tour at Theo Chocolate Factory.  Cute, no?

Needless to say, if life lesson #47 is that food impresses teenagers (especially peanut butter cookies. Take note!), lesson #48 would be that teenagers can sleep. A lot.  Now, I knew this, but somehow had forgotten just what that meant.  So while Dear Cousin snoozed away on Sunday morning, I got a chance to whip up a batch of hearty, root vegetable-filled stew.

Let me say, I changed the recipe a bit from the original (link with the recipe).  This is delicious, could definitely handle even more spicing.  The original recipe called for preserved lemons (of which I had none), so perhaps that played into the flavor difference?  Regardless, the stew still turned out great, and I will be lapping this up for lunch with gusto!

Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
* 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 butternut squash, large dice
* 1 pound sweet potatoes, large dice
*1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
* 2.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
* 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
* 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 3/4 cup brined kalamata olives, chopped
* Handful fresh parlsey leaves, chopped

1. Heat olive oil in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add squash, potatoes, and broccoli rabe, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and parsley, if using. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and olives. Smitten Kitchen suggested serving this over couscous, garnished with parsley and toasted almonds, but the stew also works well on its own.

Life lesson 47: How to impress a teenager

I have a visitor this weekend. A very important visitor.  A very important 16 year old visitor. Do you know how to impress a smarter-than-average, totally “with it”, 16 year old visitor?  Nope, me neither.  So where do I always turn when in doubt? The kitchen.  Ahhh. That relief feels good.

The plan: cookies to hook her attention tonight, gingerbread with banana and chocolate to put her in a good mood tomorrow morning, and a tour of the local chocolate factory to keep her cruising on through the afternoon.  I think I might be on to something here.  

Seems hopeful, right?

Chocolate Banana Gingerbread
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup molasses
2 medium bananas, mashed
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons raw turbinado sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices in a bowl.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until pale yellow and smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in molasses and mashed bananas. Add half of dry ingredients, just mixing until combined, then add buttermilk. Add remaining dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and pour batter in. Top with raw turbinado sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 16 cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.
4. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Un-beet-able

So good. So good. Soo gooood.

Cooking for one can be a blast.  It’s an opportunity to experiment and try new things, avoiding any pressure if things turn out, um, creatively. But cooking for someone else is a different story. Especially if it’s a boy someone else. Especially if you want to knock said boy someone’s very adorable, argyle socks off.

Serve the pizza with a side salad and baked apples over ice cream for dessert. Easy, seasonal, and pretty to look at.

The boy’s verdict on this meal: “Mind Blowing”.

We’ll take it.

Roast Beet, Goat Cheese & Arugula Pizza
2 golden beets, peeled, halved & then cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 T olive oil plus more for greasing the pan
kosher salt
1 small onion, thinly sliced or diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c grated mozzarella
2 oz goat cheese
handful of arugula, stems removed
Spices: thyme, Penzey’s Bavarian Spice Mix

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Use whatever dough recipe you prefer.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ll admit to using Trader Joe’s premade pesto dough.  If you make your own, I’d consider adding some basil or parsley into the dough--it added a really nice, subtle flavor.
3. Cook the beets however you prefer.  I’m a beet boiler, but roasting them in a 400F oven with a bit of olive oil and salt would really enhance their flavor.
4. Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic until the onions are brown, basically to the point of caramelization.  Set aside for pizza assembly.
5. Spread the dough onto a greased baking sheet or pizza stone, and brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
6. Sprinkle with a thin layer of mozzarella, then layer on arugula, onions, beets, and goat cheese (in that order).
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden, and the bottom of the crust is browned.

Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Baked Apples
2 apples, the more flavorful, the better
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Shake of allspice
Pinch cloves
1 cup hot water
Handful of raisins
Handful of walnuts
1 tablespoon of candied ginger, chopped finely

1. Pre-heat oven to 375-degrees.
2. Remove the core of the apples, creating a well inside the apple approximately 3/4 to 1 inch wide.
3. Mix the brown sugar, oatmeal, spices and extras in a small bowl. Fill the empty wells of the apples with this mixture.
4. Place the apples in a baking dish, and pour the water into the bottom of the dish. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
5. Bake for 20 minutes and remove foil. Continue baking uncovered until the apples are baked through and the brown sugar has melted into a syrup, an additional 20-30 minutes.
6. You can test the apples to see if they’re done by poking a knife into the apple through the center well. It should slide easily with no resistance. The skin on the apples will also become wrinkled and soft by the end of cooking.
7. Serve with a scoop of ice cream. Whipped cream or panna cotta would also be delicious as a base.