gluten-free?

I'm on a new mission...
to eat gluten-free for one month, and see where it gets me.


I've also been trying to not be lazy and actually use the food I have as the refrigerator contents dwindle... and I came up with this delicious GF black bean burgers.


*Borat voice* Great success!


Served with (burnt) sweet potato fries (on accident). And a pear cider! or two. I made a total guess with the oat flour, but it turned out really well! (I used it last week in the most DIVINE pie crust ever - I'll post the link to that next...)


--
Gluten-free black bean burgers

1 jalapeño
2 cloves garlic
2 x 15.5 ounce can black beans (drained)
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. chili powder
olive oil
1/2 large onion
1 c. frozen corn
3/4 c. gluten-free oat flour


1. Combine jalapeño & garlic cloves in food processor. Add 1 can black beans and continue to blend and combine well.
2. Put  blended beans in a bowl, add second can of beans (whole) and mix.
3. Add cumin & thyme mix.
4. Chop onion. Heat pan with olive oil (enough to cover, 1-2 tbsp) and put in onion. Sauté until clear.
5. Add corn (and then some...) to onion and sauté until corn is not frozen and is slightly brown. Keeping the pan with the onions on, add some oil and allow to heat.
6. Add corn and onions to black beans.
7. Stir oat flour into black bean mixture.
8. Spoon black bean mix into patties in the pan (too wet to use hands, really), with pan on medium heat.
9. Flip when sides are brown.
10. Enjoy! with ketchup is good. Salsa would be yummy, too.


lovies,


A

choco choco chip

Well it's definitely been decided: this new mixer is.da.bomb.

I've never made cookies so fast and painlessly. And I never knew you could cream butter and sugar so perfectly.

These are chocolate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from a recipe I found on TasteSpotting.com. Thank you, internets.

Does oatmeal make things healthier?

They kind of taste like chocolate cereal, but better I think. Super fast, super easy. I promise to make something healthy next time.

Yummy lovies

summer return

It seems I unofficially decided to take the summer off from blogging, seeing as how my last post was in April... but now, I am back! With a new toy, to boot.

This is Sir-Mix-A-Lot, a birthday/anniversary present from the hubs.

Really I think he is trying to tell me to bake him some cookies and/or start mass-producing and selling cupcakes. I'll go with the first for now. I can't WAIT to use this little beauty. He (she? feels like a she to me...) is the color "almond cream" - that title alone probably sold me on this one over the others.

What to make first? I guess this depends on what I have...chocolate chips? Those will do.

Meanwhile, I can watch the dogs from the kitchen window.

lovies, ya'll

green chili

This chili recipe comes from one of my newest recipe books, Veganomicon. Don't be fooled by the name (if you speak Spanish!). This dish is unique, but truly delicious, especially if you like salsa verde.

Manzana Chili Verde

Ingredients :

(it looks like a lot but many of these things are cooking staples that you might likely already have)

--

1 lb. baby yukon gold potatoes or other thick-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2 in. pieces (bite-size)

2 tbps. vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, diced (I used vidalia since all my yellow ones were not yellow but brown...)

3 jalapeños, seeded and sliced thinly

2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. dry white wine (any white wine??)

1 lb. tomatillos (about 6-10 depending on size), papery skin removed, washed and chopped into bite-size pieces

2 granny smith apples, cored, quartered, and sliced thinly

2 c. veg. broth (I substitute some of the broth for water)

1 c. fresh cilantro

1/4 c. chopped scallions [NOTE: I did not have scallions and completely left them out...oops. I think it still survived]

1 can (15-ounces) small white beans (I used Navy beans) drained and rinsed

juice of 1 lime

avocado slices for garnish (also didn't have these...)

Directions:

--

- cover the potatoes with water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, cover and let boil for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are soft

- preheat a soup pot over medium-high heat

- saute onion, jalapeño and poblanos in oil for about 10 min. until everything is softened and onions are slightly brown

[Note: I used the seeds from about 1 jalapeño and it wasn't nearly as spicy as I would have liked...this is kind of hit or miss, really, because sometimes jalapeños aren't that hot and sometimes they are like fire-mouth. so really, just be brave. I think that after cooking so long the spicyness fades, but I could be completely wrong here...so, yeah. Be aware.]

- add garlic, cumin, oregano and salt and saute for 1 more minute

- add white wine and tomatillos, raise heat slightly for about 5 minutes, so the tomatillos can release their juices (yum)

- add the apples, vegetable broth/water, scallions, and 1/2 c. of the cilantro

- lower heat and simmer on medium-low-ish for 20 minutes

pause.

- use immersion blender to partially puree everything (could use regular blender but it's more mess. immersion blender = only about $25 and worth every dime)

- taste for sweetness/tartness (tomatillos are finicky)

- add a teaspoon or two of sugar if needed

- add cooked potatoes and beans, simmer for a few more minutes

- add remaining cilantro and lime juice, ladle into bowls and decorate with avocado and scallions (if you have them...) y ya! listo para comer.

This chili was seriously good and I'm pretty sure I'll make it again...

Ze lime en ze coconut

I'm back I'm back!

And this recipe is much overdue... A woman at work, who I met only once (at the party that these were made for), stopped me in a bathroom on campus to ask me for this recipe... I made them for a retirement party held for another woman at work and everyone loved them. Seriously.Did they know the cupcakes were vegan, too? Nope. Totes doesn't matter. They are delish. And beautiful, to boot.

Coconut Lime Cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World

Ingredients:

1/3 c. coconut oil

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 c. cocnut milk

1/4 c. soy milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. coconut extract (somehow I had to go to 3 stores to find this...)

1 tbsp. lightly packed finely grated lime zest

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. unsweetened coconut (I also had a hell of a time finding this, and actually? I never did. So I used 1/2 the amt. of sugar called for and a little less than 1 c. coconut)

Frosting (below)

1 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut

Thinly sliced limes, cut in half, and then cut up to the peel

Lime Buttercream Frosting:

Note: The icing is super sweet, but worth it. The lime zest in it looks so adorable, too.

1/2 c. non-hydrogenated shortening (Kroger's)

1/2 c. non-hydrogenated margarine (Earth Balance, of course!)

3 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. finely grated lime zest

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350. Line cupcake pan w/liners

2. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over very low heat. Once melted, turn the heat off but leave it in the pan on the stove so that it stays warm and does not solidify.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil and sugar. Add the coconut milk, soy milk, vanilla, coconut extract & lime zest. Mix to combine.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth. Add the coconut & mix to incorporate

5. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until the cupcake top springs back when touched & a toothpick inserted through the center comes out clean.

6. Cool completely before icing.

To assemble:

Heap the frosting onto the cupcakes. Place the flaked coconut on a pie plate. Gently roll the cupcakes, sides first, in the coconut. Place decorative lime slices on top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

YUMMMM.

Leftovers from... leftovers?

One thing I am getting used to (and, don't tell Stephen, seeing the excitement in the challenge of it) is planning out meals and getting the most out of the ingredients we buy. Thankfully, we have a car, but our grocery shopping is nothing like it was when we lived in Huntsville. Stephen worked at an all natural grocery store that was less than a mile from our apartment and always on the way home from work for me. I loved it because it meant grocery shopping on an almost daily basis. We got what we needed for the day and not much else, and I could always count on things being fresh and healthy (for the most part).

Here in NJ, the closest all-natural grocery store is about 20 minutes away. We have a conventional store close by that we go to on Stephen's day off (i.e. when I can use our car), and I can honestly tell you I'm not tempted to buy lots of crap (corn, sugar, soy- that's all I see when I go to the grocery store now!) when doing my weekly grocery shopping. So, it's still weird to only go to the grocery store once a week, but I'm relishing the challenge and already seeing how it will force me to be a little more creative in the kitchen. And I like that.

So, today's recipe is 1. delicious and 2. leftover from leftovers... which may sound gross, like it's just been sitting around for a week or so, but I promise you that that's not the case and I just ate a lot of potatoes over the course of 3 days.

Recipe #1:
Perfect breakfast potatoes
I originally made these for brinner (breakfast for dinner) one night. And had LOTS of leftovers. Also, it should be noted that usually I put butter in my perfect breakfast potatoes (right?!), but this particular time I didn't because I was using so much butter for the rest of brinner. So, that being said, I thought these potatoes were delicious as is.

4-5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and diced
Cooking Spray (I used the Olive Oil variety)
1- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
1/4- 1/2 (depending on your preference) yellow onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder (I hate using it, but the truth is I didn't have any garlic and it worked just fine. There. I said it. Whew)

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Give your cast iron (yes, the perfect potatoes are made perfect by the cast iron) a good spray. Then dump your potatoes and onion in and drizzle them with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Give them a good toss to ensure every last potato gets a little bit of seasoning.
3. Roast at 425 for 30 minutes or so. Check 'em every 10 and make sure they aren't burning and they're cooking evenly etc. etc.
4. Serve 'em hot with a fried egg on top!


So, I reused these potatoes when I made some veggie burritos and they were just delicious. But, alas, I still had more potatoes...

And I really enjoy potatoes and Tex-Mex flavors, so I kind of went that route with my leftover leftovers...

Leftover Tacos
Gross... this recipe needs a new title. No one will want to make something called Leftover Tacos. Hah.

1-2 cups leftover breakfast potatoes
1/2 andouille sausage link, diced
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup of diced kale
1/2 chipotle in adobo sauce, finely diced
1 cup beans of your choice (I had some leftover pintos, rinsed, drained and then cooked in some spices)
salt and pepper to taste
fresh or jarred jalapenos
2 flour tortillas, warmed

1. Heat your trusty cast iron skillet that's been oiled up already over medium heat.
2. Toss in the andouille and onion and cook for 5-10 minutes, making sure neither burns.
3. Throw in your leftover potatoes and chipotle, turning to coat.
4. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, then add kale and cover with a lid.
5. Heat flour tortillas and beans in microwave.
6. Check potato/andouille for seasonings, add salt and pepper if needed.
7. Spoon evenly onto flour tortillas and jalapenos.


This was a quick, easy and delicious lunch the other day and I'm definitely making it again... the next time I make way too many potatoes.

Until next time.
-Amanda

A move. Some news. And some favorite things.

Well, well, well!

Over the last month or so (Yikes! Has it been that long?) Stephen and I made the 900 mile move from Huntsville, AL. to Jersey City, NJ. I'm still saying, "We moved to New York" because it gets a much better (positive) reaction than, "We moved to Jersey." It was a good move for us- Stephen was offered a really great opportunity in Jersey, and I'm pursuing a couple different and exciting opportunities in NYC!

I'm particularly excited about some new things happening to this blog. First and foremost: a new design! By someone who knows what they are doing! I wish I could tell you my one graphic design class in college prepared me for making this blog look pretty, but alas, it didn't. So I'm enlisting some professionals.

In addition to a new design, I'm going to start posting favorite products, events, links to other blogs and great food articles and (because this is what it's all about) MORE recipes!

While our little Huntsville apartment was just fine and dandy, our kitchen was not the best for food photography. I'm extremely excited about my bright, sunny, airy kitchen and what all that natural light will do for capturing the essence of a great recipe. Because let's be honest: if you've got a great recipe but a bad photo... who's going to want to try it out? Might as well not have the photo, right? Right. So, I'm looking forward to that!

So, without further adieu, here are some of my favorite things. I've really, really been enjoying them recently:

1. Chemex coffee
We've been using a chemex to brew for some time now,
and while every now and then I crave a french press,
this method is always something Stephen and I can agree on.
It's easy and consistent and produces a nice, clean cup of coffee.
Coffee recommendations: Counter Culture's Kayanza Burundi.

2. La Tejea Raspberry Jam
2 ingredients make up this delightfully light, balanced jam:
raspberries and sugar.
Spreadable, sweet and tart.
Perfect on toast. From Spain.

3. Maya Kaimal Spicy Ketchup
This is quite possibly one of the most delicious things
I've ever tasted.
Doesn't really taste like traditional ketchup at all.
I put it on everything. I'm confident you will, too!

That's all for now, folks.

Until next time-
Amanda

Gone Veg

Well that didn't work.

Two things that did not work this week, actually, and here is why:

lentils with kale and roasted kabocha - sounds perfect, right? to be totally honest, the lentils and kale actually turned out pretty good, but my kabocha squash, my favorite squash!! was very under ripe (how on earth am i supposed to know when this thing is ripe. like, seriously) and very dry (sometimes roasting something at a higher temperature works... and sometimes it doesn't.) i think the combo of those two made for some not-so-tasty-and-creamy-but-very-dry-instead kabocha chunks.

so that was a bummer. but after soaking for the past two days, it is a little better.

zucchini and ginger pasta w/tofu - first of all, the tofu is not what made this dish wonky (as most non-tofu-eaters would probably exclaim). contrary, i totally underestimated how much zucchini/ginger/tofu i had and very much over estimated the amount of penne pasta that comes out of one box. i mean, c'mon. it could feed 8 people, and there are only 2 slash 3 of us here.

also, low-sodium tamari is not a substitute for shoyu. it's probably close, but it didn't really cut it. i did find a bottle of shoyu in the pantry and threw some more in at the end (sodium-haters nightmare. i will likely have weird dreams tonight).

i mean, it doesn't taste bad or anything. it is just way way way not as special as i was planning. boo.

on a lighter note, i am going to yoga in 26 minutes, yay.

and on a brighter note....!! my books are here!!

ya'll, i think this book weighs at least 6lbs. it might be more.

another picture might do it justice:

my newest/most used cook books to date. it's turning out that loving books and loving cooking make a dangerous combination for my wallet.

but what i am most excited about:

cupcakes to come this weekend, for sure. gluten-free ones, to boot. andrea will be thrilled.

xo

It's gotta be you

I wasn't exactly sure what to title this post, so thank you Backstreet Boys.

"It's gotta be you! *Alllll the wayyy.*

Well, it definitely IS this cupcake today.

I haven't baked anything in a couple of weeks, probably since my banana bread fiasco. Which, looking back, really wasn't that bad... but I was scarred for a bit, I suppose. Anyways, Rafael and I have been pondering business venture ideas and cupcakes have come up more than once (mind you, a cupcake shop just opened last year down the street from our house. I've been once. Not so impressed...) And while I toy back and forth with vegetarian/vegan, I'm on a vegan-kick at the moment and have been wanting to make vegan cupcakes for awhile.

So, today presented the perfect timing!

Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet could be considered one of my bibles, and I have finally made her Favorite Cupcake. I found another frosting to use, since hers calls for soy milk powder (?) and I couldn't find it for the life of me, not even at Sevenanda, and I didn't want runny frosting, eww.

Well regardless of how the cupcakes turn out, this frosting might be the best I've ever made (recipe below). I used Earth Balance butter, which is a true staple in mi casa. If I can ever recommend anything ever to anyone, EVER, I recommend Earth Balance. Seriously, this "butter" is way better than any real butter I have ever tasted. Ever. And you can get it at any grocery store - Kroger, Publix, Trader Joe's, even the Buford Highway Farmer's Market carries it.

It.is.the.bomb.

While the cupcake isn't the very best I've ever had, the frosting makes it taste like it.

Alicia's Favorite Cupcakes

2/3 c. hemp or soy milk (I used plain soy. Vanilla might be good?)

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2/3 c. agave nectar

1/3 c. safflower oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Line muffin pan.

Combine the milk and vinegar and set aside for about 5 minutes or until it bubble a little (it should be known that I was staring at this mixture up close for a few minutes straight looking for bubbles. I finally gave up and determined that they must be there somewhere).

Then add the agave, oil and vanilla and whisk.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until there are no more lumps. Pour into tins and bake about 15-18 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into cupcake).

Let cool in pan a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. earth balance (room temp)

2-3 tbsp. soy milk (I used plain)

1 tbsp. vanilla extract (I just throw some in at my mind's discretion)

2 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

Blend the earth balance, a dash of soymilk & the vanilla, then add a little sugar to get things started. Then add sugar/cocoa powder until well blended and smooth, adding soy milk as needed when it gets too dry. Y ya! Done.

I don't know why I was unsure about the frosting at first. The main ingredient is still the same: SUGAR. Duh. Yum.

I thought I was putting on too much frosting, but turns out it wasn't quite enough, but then I didn't have the patience to get it out of the fridge and oops, the cupcake was gone.

I ordered this book last week and I can't wait for it come! Please hurry up, pleeease, with your other cookbook friend.

So until that book arrives, I will finish eating my icing. With a spoon.

adina :)

The Best Thing I've Ever Made: Part 1

I love cooking, and every now and then I totally fudge up whatever it is that I am making. Then I take some "me" time, reflect on how and why and what went wrong, then I consult the Dalai Lama, reflect some more, take more "me" time, cry, reflect, "me" time... and so on until I muster up the courage to try again. And during these dark times, I feed poor Stephen hot dogs and french fries and frozen peas. Bless our hearts.

However, most of the time I'm successful. And Stephen will let me know, one way or the other, just how successful of a culinary venture it was. It's something I kinda like about the guy. There are a few different (read: adorable) ways Stephen lets me know which meals are keepers:

There is the few-bites-into-the-meal, "This is one of the best things you've ever made" way.

Then there is the, "This is something you could make at a dinner party" way.

Then there is the "This-is-so-good-I'm-not-going-to-waste-time-telling-you-how-good-it-is, I'm -just-going-to-eat-it" way.

And my personal favorite occurs when I set in front of him a beautifully plated dinner and he just says, "Oh baby."

Now, if "Oh, baby" was some kind of rating system on this blog (and I'm thinking it definitely should be), this recipe would get 5 out of 5 "Oh, Baby's" (Oh, Babies? I think it's Oh, Babies, but I feel like things just got a little weird...)

Anyways, Stephen grew up in a house full of boys, eating things like biscuits and gravy. I did not. I've eaten traditional biscuits and gravy maybe once before, and I didn't like it. There's so much variation with biscuits and gravy, and I most likely was served frozen biscuits with gravy that came from a box. So, that could account for my unlikely, anti-Southern aversion to biscuits and gravy. Also, do you know what's in biscuits and gravy? Butter, lard, flour, buttermilk, cream, sausage... So, so bad for you. But as I've learned, so, so good when done right.

Enough with my issues, and onto one of "the best things I've ever made." This is truly an easy, versatile recipe that you should keep in your arsenal. It's simple enough for everyday, but the addition of the sweet potato and chipotle to the biscuits and the substitution of chorizo for regular sausage really gives this recipe, for lack of better words, a "wow" factor. You could definitely have people over and serve them this. Definitely. I got the recipe from the great Homesick Texan. Who never fails.

Sweet potato biscuits w/ chorizo cream gravy

Sweet potato biscuit ingredients:
1 sweet potato (about 1/2 pound)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) of cold butter, sliced
1/2 cup buttermilk or half-and-half

Chorizo cream gravy ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 pound Mexican chorizo, crumbled
2 tablespoons of flour

1 1/2 cups of milk

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt black pepper and chipotle powder to taste.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Poke holes in the sweet potato with a fork and place on a foil-lined sheet. Place in the oven and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Leaving the oven on, remove the sweet potato and slice in half, lengthwise. Scoop out 1/2 cup* of flesh, reserving the rest for another use. *I'd use more than 1/2 cup. I thought the biscuits turned out GREAT, but, if you like sweet potatoes at all, use more- I'd say maybe even a whole cup. This, however, is going to throw your recipe off a bit, so be prepared with some extra flour.*

2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and chipotle powder. Cut the stick of butter into pieces, and work into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the 1/2 cup of cooked sweet potato and the buttermilk, mixing until a bit loose and sticky.

3. Pour dough out on a floured surface, and knead for a minute. The dough will be smooth but a bit wetter than a regular biscuit dough, so you can sprinkle more flour on the surface if you find it’s sticking too much. Take the dough into a ball, and hit it with a rolling pin, turning it and folding it in half every few whacks. Do this for a couple of minutes. Roll out dough until it’s a quarter of an inch thick and then fold it in half.

4. Using a round cutter (can use a glass or a cup if don’t have a biscuit cutter) cut out your biscuits from folded dough (I just used my hands and divided the dough up. No harm, no foul.). Place on a greased baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet close together (so they rise up not out) and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

5. While the biscuits are baking, make the chorizo gravy. Warm the oil in a skillet on medium heat, and cook the chorizo until browned. With a slotted spatula, remove chorizo from the skillet and place on a plate. Drain the oil from the pan reserving 2 tablespoons in the skillet.

6. Combine the oil in the pan with the flour in a hot skillet and while continuously stirring cook on medium low for a couple of minutes until a roux is formed. Add milk slowly to skillet and mix with the roux using either a whisk or wooden spoon (be sure and press out any lumps). Turn heat to low and continue stirring until mixture is thickened, a couple more minutes. 


7. Stir in the chorizo and cilantro, and add salt, black pepper and chipotle powder to taste. If gravy is too thick for your taste, you can thin it by adding either more milk or water a tablespoon at a time. *Mine was a little thick, so I alternated adding milk and water until it thinned out- then checked again to make sure it had enough salt and pepper.*

To assemble the biscuits and gravy, slice each biscuit in half and drizzle with gravy.

Yield: 4 servings

yum.

Until next time.

-Amanda