Kinako Sesame Cookies

Kinako Sesame Cookies

(adapted from Veggie Meal Plans)

2/3 c spelt flour

1/3 c raw sugar

2 T kinako powder

1 T cornstarch

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/2 t powdered ginger

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

3 T tahini

2 T non-dairy milk

2 T oil

2 T molassas

1/4 t almond extract

2 T black sesame seeds

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and wet ingredients in a small bowl. Add wet to dry, stirring just enough to incorporate. Bake for about 8 minutes at 350F.

Vegetable Alecha

Ethiopian food is a family favorite.

This is hardly traditional, but it’s an easy, healthy stew.

Vegetable Alecha

1/2 head cabbage, in chunks

4-6 carrots

1 onion

1 medium potato

2-3 cloves garlic

1 T grated ginger

1 T vegan margarine

2 1/2 c water

1 t bouillon paste

3 bay leaves

1 t tumeric

1/2 t curry powder

1/2 t ginger powder

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan melt margarine and saute onions until soft. Add water and bouillon and bring to a boil before adding remaining ingredients. simmer on medium heat until potatoes are tender. Enjoy alone or with injera.

Vegan Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is my favorite Japanese food, hands down.

There are two main types: Osaka-style and Hiroshima-style. I prefer Hiroshima style because its layers of noodles, vegetables, crepe-like pancake, sweet sauce, and whatever the fuck you want.

I’m still perfecting the okonomiyaki crepe, but for now, the crepe recipe from Veganomicon works greats.

Okonomiyaki Basics

noodles (soba, udon, ramen)

cabbage

bean sprouts

Savory crepes (from Veganomicaon)

Okonomiyaki sauce

Okonomi means “however you like it”, and I usually like mine with some combination of: kimchi, mochi, sesame seeds, ume and shiso. Or you know, ALL of them.

Additional toppings

kimchi

mochi cakes

sesame seeds

umeboshi

cheese

shiso leaves

veganaise

aoi nori (seaweed flakes)

anything else you can think of!

Okonomiyaki Sauce

(an art not a science, go with yer tongue)

4 parts ketchup

3 parts vegan Worcestershire

1 part mustard

1 part molassas

1 part soy sauce

minced ginger (optional)

umeboshi paste (optional)

cayenne (optional)

Step 1: Soba

Step 2: cabbage, sprouts and hidden extras

Step 3: crepe

Step 4: Sauce

Step 5: Toppings

Step 6: Devour!

Mission: Ice Cream

Now I don’t want to say that I’ve conquered New York’s vegan scene, because I have only begun to unlock the vegan secrets of the city. But I do feel that I have a much better grasp, and I can leave the city in 2 months knowing I got to eat a lot of the great food the city has to offer.

Most importantly, vegan ice cream.

Ice Cream Soda @ Lula's Sweet Apothecary

Hot Fudge on Carmel Popcorn Peanut Crunch @ Lula's Sweet Apothecary

Cake Batter Float and PB&J/Maple &Waffles Sundae with Carmel Sauce @ Lula's

Lula’s Sweet Apothecary is a goldmine. Friendly and adorable, you can try as many flavors as you need to before coming to the impossible decision of what to order. I’ve yet to try a less than outstanding flavor and the hot fudge is to die for. Always looking for any excuse to return.

Stogo is also fantastic, with their saltly caramel pecan and mexican hot chocolate flavors. Somehow I can never catch a picture before it’s gone. Although I must admit, their staff suck compared to Lula’s, which is a shame because they used to be equally amazing.

All this amazing ice cream inspired me to DIY it, despite my lack of an ice cream maker.  I attempted this Sweet Potato Ice cream (sans pecans) by simply mixing with a hand mixer every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours in the freezer, and it turned out great!

Sweet Potato ice cream

Now that I’ve unlocked the secret, I have a yearning to make ice cream all the time. Summer is going to be out of control.

Poppyseed Cake

One of my first food memories was at my sister’s high school graduation. I was 5 and and in my all-unitards-all-the-time-phase and my mother made my sister a beautiful Poppyseed Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, covered in edible flowers.

For many years following, that was the cake I always requested, given the chance.

Sometime after going vegan, it occurred to me that I could actually make the cake myself. And thank goodness, because those 4 eggs and that 3/4 cup of butter weren’t helping anybody.

1/3 c poppyseeds

3/4 c soymilk

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup Earth Balance

1 1/4 cup sugar

4 T ground flax seeds

1 T cornstarch

8 T water

1 1/2 t vanilla

2 c flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 salt

Soak poppyseeds in soymilk for an hour.

Cream earth balance and sugar together. Add applesauce, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flax, water and cornstarch. Set asaide for a few minutes before adding to sugar mixture.

Add baking soda and flour, alternating with the soaked poppyseeds. Stir until combined.

Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes for cupcakes/45 minutes for cake.

Serve with cream cheese frosting.

Couscous for every meal

Two things happened this week.

One, I acquired a huge bag of apples and pears for $2 from the Union Square Farmer’s Market.

Two, I ran. out. of. oatmeal.

This last sent my mornings spinning into unknown territority.

Luckily, all hope was not lost as I managed to have a ton of couscous cooked and ready to be loved.

Breakfast Couscous

1 cup couscous, cooked

1/4-1/2 cup water or juice

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 pear, chopped

1 T Agave (or other sweetener)

1/2 t cardamom

1/2t cinnamon

1/8 t ginger

1/8 t nutmeg (optional)

currants

dried apricots

cashews

Combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat. There should be enough water to make the couscous soup-y, but the couscous will absorb the liquid quicky. When desired consistency is achieved, remove from heat and enjoy.

This is a spin-off of this recipe at 101Cookbooks.

Curry Apple CousCous

1 c cooked couscous

1 T Earth Balance

1 apple, chopped

1 T shallot, chopped

4-6 dried apricots

1-2 dates

1 T curry powder

1/2 t cardamom

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t ginger powder

handful of cashews

Melt the earth balance and add apple and shallots. Cook until apple begins to soften then add spices. Mix until the apple is covered then add couscous and all remaining ingredients. Cook on low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

豆乳 Nabe (Soymilk Stew)

Winter is Nabe season in Japan.

As far as I can tell, nabe can encompass almost anything as long as it’s a hot pot of stuff the looks so bubbly and warm you just want to climb in it like it was an onsen.

My favorite type on nabe is 豆乳鍋 (Tounyuu nabe)–Soymilk stew.

It super warming and filling and all the things nabe is supposed to be, while still being somewhat healthy.

Tounyuu Nabe

4 cups vegetable or kombu stock

1  cups soymilk (more if you like it super rich)

2 T miso paste

Vegetables! It doesn’t really matter what, as long as they’re cut into cute shapes. Some ideas include: leeks, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, daikon, bean sprouts, bok choi, etc.

Tofu (also can be cute)

1-2 cups rice OR noodles (leftovers work well)

1-2 T grated raw daikon per person (optional)

Ponzu (optional)

Chili oil (optional)

(my veggies failed at cuteness.)

Nabe take 1:

Combine stock, miso and soymilk and bring to a simmer. Add vegetables in cutely arranged piles. (Take pictures while it’s still cute.) Simmer until denser vegetable are soft.

Serve topped with grated daikon (optional but highly recommended as this is the best part), ponzu, and chili oil.

Nabe take 2:

Now the pot is less cute. Chances are there are some straggling vegetables and a fair amount of broth. To make the best use of the delicious broth, add rice or noodles and heat for 5-10 minutes. Watch it turn into delicious miso gravy porridge and then enjoy. Standard rules for daikon, ponzu and chili oil still apply.