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Tag Archive: Vegan

Dairy-Free Coffee Ice Cream

Written on August 19, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

When you go to Starbucks there are almost too many decision. First you have to choose a drink, then a size, then a milk, then any other number of questions—what happened to plain old coffee? I’m just kidding; of course you should go with a tall caramel frappuccino with whipped cream.

I tried making this recipe because a friend told me vanilla soy milk makes the coffee taste better. If I didn’t buy the ingredients and make it myself I probably wouldn’t know this was dairy-free at all. The flavor is rich and dark and sweet.

I suggest anywhere from 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup of sugar for this recipe because it depends on the other ingredients you use. If you use a flavored creamer and milk, use less sugar than you would if you use unsweetened varieties. At any point you can grab a spoon and taste how sweet the mix is, but keep in mind that the colder it is the less sweet it will taste.

Dairy-Free Coffee Ice Cream

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 8 servings):

2 cups soy milk creamer
2 cups soy milk
3 6oz instant coffee packets
1/4-3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Pour 1 cup of soy milk creamer into a large bowl.
Add the contents of the instant coffee packets and whisk until they’ve completely dissolved.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved.
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Move the ice cream to a safe container and freeze for an additional 2 hours until the ice cream has frozen.
Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften before scooping.

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Italian White Bean Salad

Written on August 8, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

This is one of my favorite things I’ve eaten this Summer, which is saying a lot since I love sweets and it’s a savory recipe. It’s just the prefect, refreshing thing to throw together and put on a plate and enjoy without ever turning on the oven.

The ingredients here are really simple: White beans, sundried tomatoes, onions, basil, dressing and seasoning. That’s all you need! Don’t let the raw onions scare you; soaking them in a little cold water first takes out the bite in their flavor but leaves them cool and crunchy. You might want to freshen your breath afterwards with a homemade peppermint patty.

Like all recipes, make sure to season these to taste. If the beans you used were cooked in salt, make sure to use less to keep the flavor light and fresh.

Italian White Bean Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

2 cans white beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onions
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

Let the onions soak in cold water for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water from the onions and lightly pat them dry.
Toss all of the ingredients except for the salt together in a large bowl.
Taste the beans and season with the salt as necessary.
Serve cold or at room temperature.

Italian White Bean Salad

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Homemade Peppermint Patties

Written on August 5, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I’m a candy addict. I like having a little after every meal; it just leaves a better taste in your mouth than pasta sauce or vegetables ever could. That’s probably why I’ve blogged this recipe 2 or 3 times in the past couple of years. But it’s so good I have to post it again.

I’ll admit I love the store-bought, corn syrup laden candy you get at grocery stores and movie theaters. Now and again though it’s fun to make your own. And it can be a great way to impress your family and friends.

I’d recommend looking for dark chocolate chips for this recipe; the bitterness of the chocolate is a nice contrast to the minty sweet filling. You can use butter in place of the coconut oil if that’s what you have on hand.

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 24 patties):

2 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 Tablespoons agave nectar(or any liquid sweetener)
1 1/2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, softened or melted
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 bag(12oz) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the powdered sugar, agave nectar, coconut oil, peppermint extract, and water. Continue mixing with your hands until it comes together and forms a dough ball.
Take off chunks of filling from the dough ball and roll them into 3/4-inch balls. Press the balls down in between your hands and form patties.
Lay the patties out on a baking tray on a non-stick surface and refrigerate or freeze for 20 minutes until firm
Melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double-boiler. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Dip the frozen filling into the melted chocolate with a fork until the top and bottom are covered. Wipe off any excess chocolate from the bottom and lay it on the lined baking tray.
Refrigerate the patties for 10 minutes before removing them from the paper. Keep refrigerated when not eating.

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Black Bean Mole Sauce

Written on July 25, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

Every now and then I find an old recipe on this from a couple of years ago, poorly written with even worse photos. Especially when it’s one I loved I’m always tempted to make it again and give it the recognition it should have.

This recipe’s a one food-processor wonder. The ingredient list is a little long, but all you have to do is throw it together, blend it up, and heat to serve—that’s it. It’s also remarkably creamy and flavorful with a sauce for no fat or animal products in it, so it makes a great, healthy crowd-pleaser.

The finished sauce should be slightly spicy with a cool finish. You can adjust it by adding more or less cayenne and chili powder and as always season it to taste.

Black Bean Mole Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1 1/4 cups):

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
5 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon mustard seed
~1/4 cup water

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients except for the water into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Slowly add the water while blending until the sauce reaches a fluid yet thick consistency.
Heat up before serving. Scoop a generous amount over protein like tofu, tempeh, or chicken.

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How To Make Perfect Home Fries

Written on July 19, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Well cooked home fries are one of my favorite foods. I always look for them on a menu when I’m out to eat(clearly I only choose very classy places that would serve home fries at 6pm); they beat plain old french fries any day.

Years of cooking these spuds have taught me that home fries are all about two things: Seasoning and cooking time. Salt, herbs, and onions all make for a really taste treat once the flavors are absorbed into the home fries. You also can’t rush perfection. The best way to get a golden, crispy outside and a soft starchy inside is to cook these low and slow, giving each side a chance to sizzle on the bottom of the pan.

You’ll definitely want to double or even triple the recipe if you’re cooking for a crowd because these’ll fly off the plate. Season them to taste as always; you can add any number of herbs and spices to make them spicy, garlicky, or even slightly sweet.

How To Make Perfect Home Fries

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 par-cooked medium Russet potatoes*
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
Couple sprigs of rosemary
1/4 teaspoon pepper

*I usually bake mine for 40 minutes, let them cool, and then keep them in the refrigerator to have on hand whenever I want to make these. You can also par-cook them in the microwave or by boiling them as long as they’re firm enough to slice when done.

Method:

Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Add in the onions and sauté them until they become translucent.
Dice the potatoes into small bites, about 1/2-inch squares. Leave the skins on for a rustic look and texture.
Add the potatoes into the pan with the onions along with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil and salt.
Cook on medium heat, tossing the pan every couple of minutes to flip the potatoes. Cook for 10-15 minutes until most of the sides look browned and crispy and the oil has been soaked up.
Finish by seasoning with pepper.
Serve hot.

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Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

Written on July 4, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

Brown sugar is an ingredient I don’t use enough. When I find it in the pantry, I could eat it by the spoonful. It reminds me of cinnamon rolls and apple crumbles, and so does this simple granola recipe.

I usually like to add some sort of healthy fat like almonds or peanut butter to my granola but wanted to try something different. There’s only 2 Tablespoons of oil in the entire batch and no nuts. If you’re looking for a leaner breakfast, this will definitely fit the bill.

You can add more spices to suit your favorite flavors. Swapping in pumpkin pie spice or adding your own nutmeg and allspice will give it a slightly nuttier flavor. Make sure to use gluten-free oats if dealing with a gluten allergy.

Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, oil, water, cinnamon, and salt until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are evenly mixed.
Pour the oats out onto a non-stick baking surface and spread them out into a thin layer.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the oats are crisp and turn golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Add the raisins into the granola and mix well.
Store in a sealed container at room temperature when not enjoying.

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Vegetarian Grilling

Written on June 2, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Italian Tofu & Bell Pepper Skewers

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Serves 3-4):

1 block extra-firm tofu, pressed
4 bell peppers, seeded
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
Grilling skewers

Method:

Dice the tofu and peppers into 1-inch squares.
In a Ziploc bag, mix together the rest of the ingredients.
Toss the tofu and bell peppers with the marinade in the bag and let it rest for 2-4 hours.
Preheat your grill to around 400 degrees.
Put the ingredients on the grilling skewers.
Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning the skewer sticks every few minutes to a different side.
Remove from the grill. Serve hot.

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Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Written on May 16, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

At some point recently I could feel myself becoming one of those vegetarians who doesn’t actually eat enough vegetables. Its not that I don’t like them—I love them. I’ll order them off of a menu any chance I get. But more often than not I cook for myself, and by cook I mean make oatmeal, open a yogurt container, scramble eggs or microwave a potato.

That’s definitely a habit I need to change. I never regret buying and cooking vegetables when I do, especially not these sprouts. Anything is delicious with some good olive oil and vinegar. I thought I was making a lot at the time but this hardly lasted me two meals.

If you want to make this fancy, you can add some other roasting vegetables into the mix with the brussels sprouts. These would especially be good with some julienned onions and diced potatoes(the kind not made in a microwave).

Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1lb brussels sprouts, washed and cut
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Make sure all of your brussels sprouts are clean and trimmed.
In a large bowl, toss together all of the ingredients.
Spread the sprouts out on a roasting pan.
Roast for 20-30 minutes until the sprouts are cooked and the edges begin to crisp.
Remove from the oven and serve hot.

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Strawberry Cashew Granola

Written on April 23, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

The best thing about Spring so far has been buying produce that’s not potatoes or shipped from the other side of the country at the supermarket. I even got suckered into buying a plant just because it was on sale and comes from a local town; I’m a marketer’s dream.

After a long, exciting weekend outdoors I couldn’t bring myself to do much more on Sunday night other than stay in watching TV and making this granola. Thankfully the recipe is simple enough that you can throw it together whenever. The next morning I slept through my alarm for almost an hour and hastily threw together a breakfast of yogurt, fresh strawberries, and this granola. Even on the run it tasted delicious.

The flavor of this granola is very subtle which is great over plain or vanilla yogurt in the morning before your taste buds really wake up. If you don’t feel like making the strawberry syrup you can also mix 6 Tablespoons of maple syrup with 2 Tablespoons of a good strawberry jam and have the same flavor.

Strawberry Cashew Granola

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 1/2 cups):

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup strawberry syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mix together the oats, syrup, salt, and oil.
Spread the oat mixture over a non-stick baking surface in a thin layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the oats are toasted.
Remove from the oven and let the granola cool.
Break the granola apart and toss the clumps with the cashews.
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

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Homemade Strawberry Syrup

Written on April 15, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

The best part about making anything at home is the flavors. Artificial dyes and ingredients just never taste as good as the real deal. You can buy strawberry flavored maple syrup that vaguely tastes like skittles with absolutely no maple syrup in it, but why do that when you can make something with actual strawberries?

Since Spring is here, Driscolls offered to send me some coupons to use their fresh berries as a recipe ingredient. I was shocked how many recipes they already have on their website including a large section of gluten-free recipes; 106 and they’re still adding more—that’s no joke.

I was inspired to make this syrup because I hadn’t made chickpea flour pancakes in a long time. At first I was just going to cook the berries into the pancakes but that didn’t seem quite as exciting as making a strawberry maple syrup. All you need is the whipped cream and it’s a decadent breakfast.

I originally planned to use this for pancakes and waffles, but after tasting it it’s hard to think of a food this wouldn’t be delicious on. I’m already planning to pick up a pint of vanilla ice cream from the store to drizzle this on. You can also use it in any recipe in place of maple syrup.

Homemade Strawberry Syrup

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1 1/2 cups):

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup hulled strawberries
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

In a small pot over a burner, combine the sugar and water and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Boil the water until the simple syrup reduces to about half of its original volume.
While the water is boiling, puree the strawberries and maple syrup in a blender or food processor until they make a smooth sauce.
Off of the heat, combine the strawberry puree and simple syrup and whisk together. Whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon as well.
Put the pot back onto the stove and continue boiling until the syrup reduces to about half of its volume again. Don’t over-reduce the syrup to be quite as thick as maple syrup because once it cools off of the heat it will thicken.
Store any extra sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator when not enjoying.

This is also a really delicious topping on plain oatmeal and oatbran for those days you don’t quite feel like making pancakes.

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