Vegan Mini Chip Shortbread Cookies

 

I spent a good portion of my childhood shoveling these cookies in my mouth when my mother's head was turned the other way. I LOVED THEM and could not ever get enough. They're rich and buttery and perfectly chocolatey and now I'll never have to go without them again.

• 2 sticks vegan butter (room temperature)
• 2/3 C powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C mini chocolate chips 
• 
  In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together for 3 minutes.
  Beat in vanilla extract.
• Add flour to the bowl in half cup increments, being careful not to blow it all over the place.
• Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold in chocolate chips.
• Transfer dough to a ziploc bag and refrigerate for 2 hours (I left mine overnight).
• 
  
• When ready to bake:
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.Roll dough out on a floured work surface and cut into desired shapes. You could also press the dough into a pan and cut into squares after baking.Bake for 13-15 minutes or until slightly golden. You want them to still be pale! 

• Devour.

The Very Best Vegan Alfredo.

It really is the best, I promise. It's smooth and creamy, insanely rich and tofu-free.

1 lb fettuccine noodles (I do NOT recommend whole wheat pasta here)

1 stick (or 8 T) Earth Balance butter

1 C vegan parmesan (I like Galaxy Natural Foods version)

1 C vegan cream (I used Silk coffee creamer)

Pinch of nutmeg

S&P to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente, or about 10 mins.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cream and heat through (do not let it boil!), then add cheeze and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If the sauce gets too thick, try and save a ladleful of cooking water from the pasta and use that to thin it out.

Toss pasta and sauce together, sprinkle with more parmesan & some parsley and dig in.

Vegan Pistachio Gelato: a novel.

DID YOU HEAR THAT, INTERNET? VEGAN. PISTACHIO. GELATO. I was an ice cream fiend in my pregan days. Some of my favorite memories include stopping at Thrifty's with my mom or grandma and getting a huge cone of chocolate brownie ice cream after a day of thrift shopping or the countless nights in high school that I spent hanging out with a bunch of friends at Coldstone demolishing a 'love it' size bowl of cake batter ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. I wasn't introduced to pistachio flavored..anything until one Christmas when my mother decided to make a pistachio cheesecake for dessert. The general reaction was confusion. Pistachio cheesecake? All I knew about pistachios was that my grandpa got a huge bag of them for Christmas from my uncle EVERY YEAR (still does) and I would always sneak a handful once he opened them. Despite my trepidation, I tried the pale green dessert and something in my taste buds changed forever. IT WAS MAGICAL. It's been years since I last had a bite of one but I can still remember it perfectly. Smooth, creamy, tart cheesecake with a rich, nutty flavor. Buttery chocolate graham crust. Chocolate shavings, toasted pistachios and perfectly piped, perfectly rich, homemade whipped cream on top. After that I needed pistachio anything. Pudding. Cookies. Ice cream. You name it, I ate it.

Cut to vegan days. Pistachio flavored delights had left me forever. I tried pudding, cookies, and cupcakes and they all failed spectacularly. I had given up hope until just a few days ago when an ice cream maker entered our home and my mother announced she was making pistachio gelato. I was determined to make a vegan version.

Veganizing especially dairy-ladden recipes is always like playing with fire and usually ends in disaster. I was also extra cautious because pistachios happen to be $14 a pound at Sunflower, er Sprouts. Imagine the stars in my eyes when I came across David Lebovitz's recipe for pistachio gelato WITH NO EGGS. It was love at first sight and I just knew it would work. And it did. It's perfect. Rich and creamy and packing a serious pistachio punch. Mission success.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/09/pistachio-gelat/
I subbed full fat coconut milk to up the richness but I'm sure any other milk will do.

I didn't even bother searching for 'Bronte Crema di Pistacchio' because Vegan Pie In The Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero happens to have a pistachio paste recipe! I was so excited when Candice gave me this book for Christmas and even more so when I learned there is a pistachio pudding pie recipe. That's next on my list.  Here is their recipe for pistachio paste:

1 C raw, shelled pistachios
1 T almond or grapeseed oil (I used canola but I think any light tasting oil will do)
2-3 T powdered sugar

Pulse pistachios and oil in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Be warned this takes forever. I had to add some water to it because the mixture kept clumping up and getting stuck. Once you get it as smooth as possible, add in the powdered sugar until a paste is formed. Also know that it is sticky and thick as hell. I about broke an arm trying to whisk the paste into the cooked cornstarch mixture so I might suggest using a handheld mixer if you want it to be creamy. I didn't mind the lumps and bumps because I added some chopped, toasted pistachios to it after I took it out of the ice cream maker, anyway.

Enjoy.

Sayonara 2012.

Blogspot? Who blogs anymore? I do! Another year has come and gone and it's been another six months since my last post. I'll skip the pleasantries and move on to the highlights of 2012:

-Love: I played the single party girl role for awhile, but the universe had other plans and brought Levi and I back together again. I am so thankful that it did.

-Life: In August, I made the extremely difficult decision to move to my parents' house in West Jordan to save money/decide what I'm doing my life. The result: Levi and I will move downtown in/by March, go to school to get my AAS at SLCC then head to Weber State to get a paralegal certification and move out of Utah to a location that will be determined at a later date. Somewhere in there I plan to buy another car as well.

-Travels: CA (twice), MN, PA, NY, AZ, ID and NV.  I also went camping a ton!

-Random incidents worth noting: I went through SIX cell phones this year, the most recent of which was dropped in a toilet twice and came out unscathed. I was physically attacked by my paranoid schizophrenic neighbor, twice. I got on a first name basis with the owner of a pizza place from spending so many nights being drunk and starving (single party girl phase). Kristan came to visit! I lost two IDs and debit cards. Actually, the whole year was filled with minor unfortunate events and bizarre stories from my apartment building. I'll stop here.

My agenda for 2013 is ambitious to say the least. I've already started out on a good foot, so let's cross our fingers for continuity. See you in six months.

Rosemary & garlic polenta fries with marinara.

Pecan-Mushroom Meatball Subs.

http://sundaymorningbananapancakes.blogspot.com/

I basically see mushrooms as soldiers for the devil himself but for some reason a few months ago I was drawn to repin this recipe. Last night Allie and I decided to test it out and it was delicious. The texture was perfect, the flavor was perfect and it was relatively easy/cheap to make. We used pecans instead of walnuts, spread Tofutti cream cheeze on the rolls before toasting them under the broiler and sliced up some fresh basil to top it all off.  I was worried that without a sauce they would be dry but there was just the right amount of moisture and tons of flavor. I'll support the purchasing of mushrooms now just to make these.

Camping in Logan Canyon

 

 

 

I spent the weekend camping in Logan Canyon with Allie, Brandon, Emily, Steve & Alli. I'd never been north of Salt Lake before and Logan Canyon was beautiful. It was so nice to get away for awhile, even though we were dumped with a ton of snow the last night we were there. I can't wait for an entire summer of this.

Bok choy, edamame & red pepper in fire roasted tomato peanut sauce.

I found this recipe on pinterest awhile ago and saved it because the idea of fire roasted tomatoes in a peanut sauce seemed nuts (pun intended, thank you). I finally got around to making it tonight. It was simple, fast, made a TON and tasted spicy, smoky and peanutty.

You can find the recipe here: http://peasandthankyou.com/2011/06/27/vegan-values-noodle-salad-with-peanut-mmmm-sauce/

Enjoy.

Welcome to 25.

My week long birthday celebrations have officially come to an end. I spent last weekend in Vegas with Cynthia, Allie & Kristina and last night Sam and I had a joint party at Candice's house. I really am lucky to have so many people who care about me even though I'm such an asshole sometimes. Thanks guys!

Split pea soup with tempeh bacon.

I've never had split pea soup until last month. In my pregan days, I was the pickiest eater on the planet and split pea soup did not fit into my diet of chicken strips, macaroni n' cheese. Split pea soup was green and full of vegetables and, therefore, sent from the devil himself as far as I was concerned. Now that I have seen the light and know that vegetables are our friends, I want to eat this all the time.

Olive oil

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1/2 pkg tempeh bacon

3 bay leaves

1 T soy sauce

1 tsp thyme

1 1/2 C dried split peas

8 C vegetable/chikn broth

1/2 C white wine

Saute veggies in olive oil over medium heat until soft, 10ish minutes. Add garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add broth, seasonings and split peas and bring to boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium, cover and simmer for about an hour.

Sometime while it's cooking, fry tempeh bacon in olive oil over medium heat until crisp and set aside. Do not eat it all. Or do and cook more.

After the soup has simmered, you'll have to decide whether you want it hearty and chunky or smooth and velvety. I'm obsessed with my food processor and all things smooth, so I chose the latter. Once it's done simmering, fish out the bay leaves, add wine and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want it chunky, just add tempeh bacon and dig in. If you're going to blend it, make sure to let it cool before you start and add the tempeh after.

Makes: a ton.
Lasts: forever.

The gentile's guide to falafel.

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas

1/4 C whole wheat bread crumbs

2 T whole wheat flour

1/4 medium sized onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Toss everything in a food processor (no substitute for this!) and pulse until everything is mixed but not pureed mush. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

Make tahini dressing in the mean time.

When ready to cook, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Shape dough into balls and flatten into patties. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side and drain on paper towels when done.

Tahini dressing:

8 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 C sesame tahini

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Several dashes of fresh black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 C cold water

Few sprinkles sugar

2 T Tofutti sour cream

Heat garlic in olive oil over low until fragrant. Dump everything in food processor and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

I made a wrap with a whole wheat tortilla, 2 falafel patties, avocado, spinach, hot sauce and tahini dressing and it was dreamy.

Pilates.

If I can do this, anyone can.

Weekend.

book I am currently reading | finally got some snowfall and was able to wear my Burberry rain boots | chocolate kahlua cupcakes for Cynthia's birthday party on Saturday | tofu scramble with hashbrowns and avocado to nurse my hangover on Sunday

Senate Bean Soup.

While browsing Tastespotting one day I came across a tasty sounding recipe for a bean soup on this link. The ingredient list was short and sweet and although winter hasn't officially reared her barren head yet, I've been in the mood for creamy goodness. Take that how you will. I feel like soup is something that you just shouldn't ever use a recipe for, but I wanted to try it anyway and made only a few minor changes. Make it. Eat it. Love it.
 

1 (15 oz) can white/cannelini beans

1 1/4 C water

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp Earth Balance (I also added a few rounds of olive oil)

1/2 C chopped onion

1/2 C chopped parsley

1/3 C celery, chopped

2 tsp liquid smoke

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp hot sauce

4 garlic cloves or 1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 large bay leaf (I used a handful of small broken ones which were a bitch to fish out at the end)

1 medium white potato, baked (I used two small red potatoes)

I also added about about 1/2 C of white wine because I'm a booze hound.

1/2 C plain soymilk

Saute onions, celery and garlic in oil and butter over medium heat until soft. Add wine, drained beans, water, bay leaf, salt, parsley, onion, celery, liquid smoke, hot sauce, pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer while potato bakes.

 

Bake potato in microwave until tender.

 

Remove bay leaf from pot and set pot aside to cool. Roughly chop potato and set aside to cool.

 

Toss the potatoes and 1-2 cups of the bean mixture into a food processor ONCE COOLED and puree. If you put hot soup in a food processor the lid will pop off and melt your face with molten soup lava. Patience is good here.

 

Add the pureed mix to the bean and broth mix and add in the soymilk to thin. You can puree the whole thing if you want, or leave out the food processor step and enjoy a chunky, hearty soup.

Waffles & jade.

Whole wheat flax belgian waffles with maple agave made on my fancy new waffle maker that brother got me for Christmas.

On 2011.

With a new year just around the corner, I figured it was time for a deliciously cliche 2011 review post. So what happened this year? Someone once said that living life right means you don't remember it, but I'll try my best:

-I sold my car and embraced the pedestrian lifestyle.
-After another unsuccessful living situation, I vowed the next roommate I have will be the maggots decaying my flesh in the grave.
-I maintained my goal of working out regularly and eating better!
-I picked up crafting and rekindled my love of cooking.
-I officially became single.
-My family took our first vacation together in years/I finally saw southern Utah for the first time!
-I went camping in Utah for the first time.
-I lost some friends I didn't expect to lose and gained all sorts of new ones.
-I watched my family struggle with ups and downs and grow so much closer because of it.

Nothing really major happened. I didn't start college. I didn't get married or pregnant or buy a house (though a lot of my friends did). I had lots of daily disasters and stressful situations and realized, yet again, that I can handle whatever mud gets thrown in my face.

So, bring it on 2012. I'm ready to live like we're dyin'.

The last of the Christmas spew.

Amanda couldn't fly back to CA for Christmas, so our family took her in. Christmas eve was a wild party with lots of booze, dancing, games, laughing, hugging and shouting of "MAN I LOVE YOU GUYS" or statements to that effect. My brother has 5 videos on his cell phone of my entire family (dad included!) dancing to LMFAO. I can't show you because we all agreed the next day to keep it a family-eyes-only gem, but trust me, it's pretty damn hilarious.

I made out like a bandit with Christmas gifts; food processor, belgian waffle maker, cookie sheets and a silpat to name a few. For dinner I decided to try my hand at a seitan pot pie with phyllo crust and it was a huge success!

Overall, I was beyond pleased with the holiday this year. Food, family, and fun are what it's all about.

Christmas at the Lynn's.

I love my parents' house during the holidays. The air is thick with the smell of fresh baked goods and curse words and profanities aplenty (which isn't a far cry from the norm, but the difference at Christmas is there are pretty lights and fake trees to look at).

D-day is five days away and I haven't really been able to get into the Christmas spirit yet. I suppose it's because I can't afford to go all out like I have in years past or maybe it's because my California heart has grown to love a white Christmas and it's still bone dry outside. Who knows. I AM pretty pumped about the gifts I have for everyone this year. Tonight I'm planning on baking a bunch of cookies for my work party and am hoping that will fill me with more holiday joyz.

Seasons greetings. Feliz navidad. Happy Hannukkah. Merry Christmas. Happy solstice and that jazz.

Christmas at the Anderson's.

Lord of the rings.