Yearly Archives: 2011

Snickerdoodle Dessert Hummus

Written on January 17, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

It’s back! After I tried my last batch of dessert hummus, I was eager to make a new flavor. A lot of you pointed out that it looks(and tastes!) like cookie dough. Well, one of my favorite cookies is the classic snickerdoodle; I love the cinnamon sugar crunch on the outside. And since cinnamon, almonds, and chickpeas all share an earthy flavor, I had a feeling this would work out. And it did!

Snickerdoodle Dessert Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups of chickpeas, drained and washed
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
cinnamon sugar for garnish

Peel your chickpeas(recommended) and add them in a food processor with the almond butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Process for about 30 seconds to a minute, until all the ingredients have mixed and the dip is smooth.

Move to a serving bowl and garnish with cinnamon sugar on top.

The obvious question is “How do you serve this?” Well, I would lay it out on a platter with

graham crackers
apple slice
baby carrots
cinnamon pita chips
mini-chocolate bars

I have to admit that my favorite way to eat these are a spoon; that’s the benefit of cooking for yourself alone.

142 Comments - Leave a comment!

Sweet And Sour Sauce

Written on January 16, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

One of my favorite cuisine’s to cook now is Asian. Maybe it’s because there’s something so good about take-out food that you make yourself; maybe it’s because it’s practically impossible to eat out at an Chinese restaurant and avoid gluten; or maybe it’s because I’m Italian/French/Polish and have no place cooking with these flavors and I like being a rebel. Whatever it is, I think fake-out take-out dishes are the bee’s knees right now, and this sauce is a great condiment to pour on anything to give it that flavor. I’ve used it on tofu, broccoli, chicken—you name it—and it hasn’t disappointed.

Sweet And Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring it to a slight boil. Continue boiling it until it has reduced half of its volume and the sauce has thickened.

You’ll know it’s done when it starts to coat the bottom of the pan like this as you tilt it.

Be careful not to over boil and turn this into a candy. In that case, remove it from the heat and stir in some hot water until it reaches the right consistency.

Store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

This doesn’t make that much sauce, so you might want to double the recipe if you’re going to use it a lot. On the other hand, it packs a lot of flavor so you only need about 1/2 a tablespoon for each serving. It’s sweet; it’s sour; it’s delicious. And there’s no scary ingredients, too, when you make it yourself.

23 Comments - Leave a comment!

We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident

Written on January 15, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Uncategorized

That silken tofu does not work as an egg substitution in these brownies. You know what does work after you’ve decided all you want is a pan of delicious brownies? Eggs.

That writing a resume is ridiculously depressing, especially once you realize that knowing all the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s Speak Now CD isn’t a “skill set”

That the people at Coconut Bliss not only make terrific vegan ice cream, but amazing hoodies, too.

That dessert hummus will be huge in 2012. Just wait.

That Taza chocolate is seriously the best there is. And no, the people at Taza have not endorsed this blog nor have I ever had any contact with them(but if anybody knows somebody who knows somebody whose cousin’s roommate has connections, my email is Evan@thewannabechef.net).

That spending Christmas gift cards on I Love Lucy season 5 is a much wiser investment than anything else you could have bought.

34 Comments - Leave a comment!

Have Snow Day, Will Bake

Written on January 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

In case you weren’t aware, it snowed in the North East on Wednesday. I’m just kidding; I’m aware that this is all the news stations talked about. I mean, they cancelled Days of Our Lives on Wednesday to talk about the weather for Christ’s sake. That means the storm was a big f*cking deal.

I don’t remember when snow in New England became front page news. It seems like when I was in Elementary school, it snowed, they cancelled school, and that was that. There weren’t any news stations coining “Snowmageddon” or “Snowpocalypse”. We simply stayed home and ate. And ate, and ate, and ate.

I had leftover coconut milk from something I made a few weeks ago(is it bad that I have no recollection of what this was?). I smelled it and it didn’t seem rotten, so I figured I’d better use it before I have to toss it. I made a 1/2 batch of my favorite cake recipe from the Sweet Utopia cookbook called “Chocolate Midnight Cake”. I love this because it’s rich, moist, and the perfect texture; you’d never guess this was vegan or gluten-free!

While those were baking I cleaned the dishes and watched the snowfall. I’d say we got at least 16 inches, probably more. I, for one, find that exciting. But I’m also the one who didn’t shovel at all and had nowhere to go on a Wednesday, so take my enthusiasm and think of it what you may.

And then the cupcakes came out perfectly! They need frosting, don’t they? There might be another storm this weekend, so I’ll save that for then.

In other news, the winning comment of the Goji Gourmet giveaway is:

Congratulations, Nourhan, who like most of you thought chocolate chip sounded the best. I’ll contact you and we’ll get you your cookies immediately. If you didn’t win, you can check out my copycat recipe for a similar taste. Happy Friday!

26 Comments - Leave a comment!

Vegged-Out Quinoa

Written on January 13, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Sometimes you just want a lot of warm vegetables, you know? I made this one day that I wanted to bulk up some quinoa and just veg out. It was perfect with some baked tofu thrown on top, and then a few days later as a side dish with roasted chicken. My favorite thing about this is how flavorful it is, and it doesn’t even start with stock. I know vegetable/chicken stock is a great thing to keep in your pantry, but I just don’t. It’s easier that way. And you won’t even notice it’s missing here because there’s already so much to love.

Vegged-Out Quinoa

Ingredients(Makes 4 to 6 servings):

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil
2 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen spinach
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Start by heating up your butter or oil over medium heat in a large pan.

Chop all of your vegetables and add them into the heated pan. Keep an eye on this and stir for about 10-15 minutes until the onion is translucent and just beginning to caramelize.

While that’s cooking, measure out your quinoa. Rinse and drain it first to remove the saponin.

*If you’re using a rice cooker, add your quinoa and two cups of water in and turn it on to the appropriate setting.

**If you’re using the stove, wait until the vgetables are done coking. Then add the quinoa and water into the same pot and bring it to a boil. Cover the pan and turn off the heat and wait for the quinoa to absorb the water.

Add in your salt, pepper, and parsley right before cooking.

Once the quinoa is fully cooked and the water has been absorbed, add in the honey and spinach and fold them into the mix. Serve hot.

This is sweet, it’s savory, a little bitter and kissed with salt. It has a great flavor all its own and can stand up to any protein on a dish. And it’s a real crowd-pleaser. I think adding all the vegetables just gives you an excuse to eat more because it’s so darn healthy.

39 Comments - Leave a comment!

Copycat: Goji And Chocolate Chip Oaties

Written on January 12, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Have you entered this giveaway yet? If you haven’t, you should.

But even if you don’t win, here’s a recipe to make you feel like a winner. These are my favorite cookies to make. They’re easy, delicious, and use normal, healthy ingredients you can feel good about eating any day. And because it’s so adjustable, I knew I could make it feel more like a Goji Gourmet cookie.

For the copycat, I used signature ingredients from the Goji Gourmet line including goji berries, chocolate chips, oatmeal, and almonds in the form of almond butter. You can certainly adjust the mix-ins in the batter, though chocolate chips never disappoint.

Goji And Chocolate Chip Oaties(adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients(Makes 24 cookies):

2 cups oatmeal, divided
3/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
~~1/4 cup water~~ Omitted because my batter was wet enough
1 (large)banana, mashed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup chocolate chips(let’s just say I used more)
1/4 cup goji berries

Take 1 cup of oatmeal and process it in a food processor until it’s been turned into a flour. Add all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until the batter has come together. Chill the dough for 10-20 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees. When the dough is cold, break off chunks and roll them into 1-inch dough balls. Place the balls on lined baking trays and bake for 25-30 minutes until they’re firm to the touch.

I hesitate to call any dessert “healthy”, but with whole grains, dried fruit, and healthy fats from the nut butter, these certainly won’t break any New Years resolutions.

26 Comments - Leave a comment!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus

Written on January 11, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

If you’re a longtime reader, then this recipe will look familiar. This single-handedly changed how I thought of hummus in general when I first made it over the Summer. After listing it on my Top 10 of 2010 list, I knew I wanted to make it again. So now I’m reposting the recipe with new step-by-step pictures, because I have nothing better to do now most days than cook and take pictures of my food(I know, it’s a rough vacation). Enjoy! And do try this because it never disappoints; it makes even the biggest skeptics believe that hummus has a place in dessert.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups):

2 cups chickpeas
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Drain, measure, wash, and peel your chickpeas. Peeling them isn’t absolutely necessary but it makes for the creamiest hummus and really is worth the effort.
In a food processor, add the first 4 ingredients and process until the hummus is smooth and emulsified(the one thing no one wants for dessert is chunky chickpea pieces in their dessert).
Remove the blade and fold in the chocolate chips. Move into a deep serving bowl and serve with graham crackers or baby carrots.

“How can that possibly be good?” you may be wondering. The maple syrup makes this deliciously sweet; and the chickpeas, peanuts, and syrup all have a same earthiness that pairs with one another really well. The result is a creamy dip reminiscent of cookie dough only with healthy fats and fiber.

Who’s ready to dig in?

188 Comments - Leave a comment!

Homemade Bacon Salt®

Written on January 10, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Uncategorized

Let me tell you about a little seasoning called Bacon Salt®. What is it? Well, it’s name pretty much says it all: It’s salt infused with bacon that adds a smoky brininess to dishes. When I saw a recipe for Bacon Salt® in the new issue of Food Network Magazine, I about jumped off the couch to make it. I know the holidays are over, but if you made this for your friends they would be delighted, and only slightly question your sanity.

Homemade Bacon Salt®

Ingredients:

6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup coarse sea salt
<3/4 teaspoon ground peppercorn

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Lay your bacon out in single strips over a cookie rack and put that in a baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the bacon is crisp and starting to blacken(It should look overcooked rather than how you’d normally eat bacon).

Once the bacon has cooled, use a paper towel to press out any excess oil.

Transfer the bacon to a food processor and process until there are only small chunks and a paste begins to form. Add in the sea salt and ground pepper(note: whole peppercorns will not break up in the food processor) and continue to process until the salt breaks up into smaller pieces and mixes with the bacon. Transfer to an airtight jar and keep in the refrigerator when not using.

Understandably, this isn’t for everyone. It’s not for vegetarians and it’s not kosher. But if you’re a carnivore, this is for you. Add it to baked potatoes, macaroni and cheese, seared steak—anything savory that needs a kiss of salt. Bacon truly does make it better.

57 Comments - Leave a comment!

Sunday Confessional 4

Written on January 9, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Sunday Confessional

A week after I made a chocolate flourless cake, our guests brought over Godiva’s chocolate flourless cake. It was better than mine, and now I’m determined to bake a better one even if I clog all my arteries doing it.

I’ve never seen any of the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies. I don’t think this is a big deal but when I told my friends you’d have thought I told them I eat babies.

I did not realize peppermint patties were my mother’s favorite candies when I made them. To be fair, I’m pretty sure she’s said the same about peanut M&M’s, Reeses, Whoppers, and Junior Mints. And I have, too.

I’ve started running again. I’m convinced I look excellent in my runner’s tights and want to wear them around even when I’m not running.

I burnt this pan during my 2 hours of cooking these dumplings. But wait, I burnt it boiling water. I even own the cookbook How To Boil Water. Apparently, I need to go back and reread it.

I really wish my high school friends would join Twitter because Facebook stalking is so 2010.

Past Sunday Confessionals:

Sunday Confessional 1

Sunday Confessional 2

Sunday Confessional 3

25 Comments - Leave a comment!

Goji Gourmet Giveaway

Written on January 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Giveaway

Last year, I sampled a small company’s superfood-packed cookies and fell in love with their taste and texture. At the time, they were only available in certain parts of New York and online, but now Goji Gourmet is sold across the country and still growing strong. They sell bite-sized cookies filled with whole grains, real ingredients, and—of course—their trademark goji berries.

Even though these cookies are “healthy”, they are filled with flavor. This past week, I tried making a copycat recipe which I have to say is really good, but not quite as soft as the original(I’ll post the recipe soon). Now I have the chance to share these amazing cookies with you.

Giveaway

All 5 Flavors Pack One commenter will win an 5-flavor pack from Goji Gourmet. Please leave a separate comment for each entry. I’ll randomly pick a winner on Friday, the 14th. There are 3 ways to enter.

1. Comment on which flavor of Goji Gourmet cookies sounds most appealing to you.

2. “Like” Goji Gourmet on Facebook

3. Follow Goji Gourmet on Twitter

If you’re on Facebook or twitter, you can like or follow me, too, for kicks and giggles(I’m good for giggles). Good luck!

74 Comments - Leave a comment!