I love my local library. You just never know what treasures you can to find. For a not-so-vegan-friendly community where I live (that is, it’s hard to find a restaurant that doesn’t use animal products in every dish), I’ve been surprised to discover quite a few books on vegan topics.
The latest find is RAW from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein — two celebrated US chefs who actively promote sustainable living and showcase it through their incredible culinary pursuits. Many of which are featured in RAW.
With recipes such as Mediterranean Cheese Salad with Dragon Crackers and Indian Red Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream and Pecan Praline, this talented duo show just how diverse and satisfying a raw diet can be (although they do include not-so-veganesque raw honey in some recipes, which I’d suggest switching up with raw agave nectar).
Plus with gorgeous pics from photographer Tim Turner you’ll want to un-cook every recipe in the book. I’m starting with the sweet stuff: banana chocolate tart with caramel and chocolate sauces, minus the honey of course.
If we vegans get tired of talking protein, we can always switch the subject to iron. One of my favourite ways to ensure I get a good amount of iron is by drinking blackstrap molasses (stir a teaspoon or two into a cup of warm water).
This by-product of sugar cane processing is also packed full of other nutrients that are beneficial, no matter your diet of choice.
Check out some of these health-boosting benefits:
• As many a meat eater may tell you, animal meat is loaded with iron. What they likely won’t mention is that blackstrap molasses provides more iron for less calories and is totally fat-free.
• When you’re pregnant or menstruating your need for iron increases. Two teaspoons a day gives about 15 per cent of the daily recommended iron intake. Add raw green to your diet to really pump up your iron.
• Blackstrap molasses is a great source of calcium. Calcium is essential to life (and doesn’t come from cows milk as the marketing hype suggests). I recently heard that, besides strengthening bones, calcium binds and removes toxins from the colon and helps with prevention of migraine attacks.
• It’s also an excellent source of copper and manganese and a great source of potassium and magnesium.
My blackstrap molasses of choice is from Wholesome Sweeteners. It’s fair trade, organic and of course, vegan.
If drinking molasses isn’t your thing, check out these delish-looking gingerbread cakes from fab recipe site Vegan Yum Yum, just in time for Christmas. When I make my batch, I’m going to substitute crushed flax instead of the egg replacer. I’m also not into margarine, so will check out some more natural vegan alternatives.
Gingerbread Cakes
Makes 9 small layer cakes
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp Ginger
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Cup Molasses (unsulphured, like Grandma’s brand)
2/3 Cup Hot Water
1/2 Cup Earth Balance Margarine
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Ener-g Egg, optional
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Earth Balance Margarine
1 lb Confectioner’s Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Zest from 1 Lemon
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Mix the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl until well combined.
Prepare two 8×8 baking pans as follows: grease the pans with margarine. Lay a square of parchment paper down in the inside of the pans, cut to fit the bottoms. Grease the paper as well. Use some of the try mixture you just made to flour the pans, shaking/tapping out any extra.
Whisk molasses and hot water together.
Cream the margarine and sugar. Whip the mixture with the optional Ener-g egg until light and fluffy.
While Thanksgiving may be an American tradition, I’m including it on my yearly calendar because I love the idea of expressing gratitude for all of the amazing things that fill my life (and even the not so amazing — because you learn from those, right?). I’m a big believer that anything we give out (whether it be gratitude or even the not-so-nice-stuff) comes right back at’cha.
So, in celebration of this wee American tradition (November 26), I’m sharing a pumpkin cheesecake recipe from Rachel Fracassa, via one of my fave social sites, Welikeitraw.com. Now this is definitely something to give thanks for! YUM.
Oh, and I say skip the Tofurky (yech) and get straight to dessert because this is one sweet snack that is actually good for your health. Bless you, raw food!
Raw Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 Cups Pecans
- 1/3 Cup Raisins
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- Salt
Filling
- 1/2 Cup Soft Dates, pitted and packed
- 1/2 Cup Agave
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 2 Cups Cashews, soaked 2 hours, drained
- 1/2 Cup Young Coconut Meat
- 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, warmed to liquid
- 1/2 Cup Irish Moss Paste
Pumpkin Topping
- 3/4 Cup Pumpkin, chopped
- 1/4 Cup Carrots, peeled and chopped
- 6 Tablespoons Water
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 1/4 Cup Dates, soaked
- 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Directions
- To make the crust: In a food processor, process pecans, raisins, cinnamon, and salt until the mixture begins to stick together. Press the crust mixture evenly in the bottom of an 8-inch spring form pan.
- To make the filling: Process the dates, agave, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. Add the pumpkin, cashews and coconut meat and process until completely smooth. Add the coconut oil and irish moss and process until well incorporated. Pour the filling onto the crust.
- To make the topping: Place the pumpkin and carrot along with the water and lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the dates and pumpkin pie spice and blend again until smooth. Spread the pumpkin topping evenly on top of the filling.
- Chill at least 3 hours before serving
Servings: 8
Notes
- If you don’t have Irish Moss, don’t fret. You can make the cheesecake without it, but serve it straight from the refrigerator.
- If you have an aversion to eating raw pumpkin, peeled carrots can be substituted for pumpkin at any time.
- To make a pumpkin drizzle instead of topping, replace the dates with 2 tablespoons of Agave.
I was busy in the kitchen yesterday, whipping up a couple of recipes I sourced on the web (who needs recipe books anymore?). First on the agenda were banana muffins from The Jazzy Vegetarian and I’ve got to say, they were incredible (and tasted just like banana bread). You can also change them up by adding raw cacao nibs, cinnamon and apple or whatever takes your fancy. Plus they only take a few minutes to whip up. Thanks to Vegan Digest for the pic (my batch weren’t around long enough to snap!).
Next on the list was Shepherd’s Pie from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch – this dish is a must-try. I changed it up a little and included a whole onion, used kale instead of chard, and topped it off with a combination of potato and kumara (sweet potato). You could also add some nutritional yeast at the end for a delicious cheesy flavour. Thanks Bitches, it was delish!
Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 6 to 8
* 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
* 2 shallots, thinly sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
* 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
* 1-1⁄2 cups lentils
* About 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
* 2 tomatoes, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
* 1 bunch (about 1⁄2 pound) chard, leafy parts only, cut into 1⁄2-inch strips
* 6 cups Mashed Potatoes
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart stockpot over medium. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the garlic, herbes de Provence, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for1 minute, or until the shallots are browned. Add the lentils and 2-1⁄2 cups of the vegetable stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender and the stock is absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and transfer the lentil mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish, spreading it evenly.
Add the remaining 1⁄2 cup of stock to the pot and return it to high heat. When the stock comes to a boil, add the chard and the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 4 minutes. (If the pan gets dry before the chard is cooked, add more stock, 2 tablespoons at a time.) Add the chard to the casserole dish, spreading it evenly. Top with the mashed potatoes, spreading them evenly.
Place the casserole dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until thoroughly heated through and the potatoes are slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.
After the serious nature of the last post, it’s time to lighten things up with some time in le kitchen.
I’m about to try my hand at whipping up a vegan cupcake recipe from Karina’s Kitchen (aka the fabulous Gluten-free Goddess). This recipe caught my eye not only because it looks delish (see pic below), but because it’s soy-free (and that folks, is a very good thing).
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Icing
If you don’t care for the taste of coffee, use plain water or a light rice milk in the batter in place of the coffee and make a vanilla or chocolate flavored icing.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with parchment or paper liners.
Whisk together the dry ingredients:
3/4 rounded cup sorghum flour
3/4 rounded cup potato starch, cornstarch or tapioca starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
Add in and beat until smooth:
1 cup warm coffee (not too hot or it will make the potato starch gluey)
1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer beaten with 1/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons light olive oil
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon light tasting vinegar
Beat the batter for a full two to three minutes until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth.
Using an ice cream scoop, plop the batter into the cups and smooth the tops.
Bake in the center of a preheated oven till done- about 20 minutes or so.
Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack (don’t let them sit in the baking pan too long or they’ll get soggy).
Frost when completely cooled. See recipe for coffee flavored icing below.
Karina’s Notes on gluten-free vegan batter:
Gluten-free vegan batters are a tad different than wheat and white flour batters. They are stiffer at first, then stretch and get sticky as the xanthan gum and egg replacer do their thing.
If the batter “climbs” the beaters, slow down the speed and slightly lift the beaters to encourage the batter to move back down into the bowl. Move your beater around the bowl in figure eights, at a slight angle. Practice your technique- soon you’ll be winging around gluten-free vegan baking like a pro.
Vegan Coffee Icing Recipe
2 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
2-3 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening
2-4 ounces cold coffee, as needed
1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla
Starting with the least amount of liquid, beat the sugar to incorporate the shortening, coffee and vanilla. if you need more liquid, add a small amount at a time. beat for two minutes or so until smooth.
If you need to stiffen the frosting, add a little more confectioner’s sugar.
Chill the frosting before using it. I chill it, covered, for roughly an hour.
Frost the cupcakes. Cover in an air-tight container until serving. best eaten the first day. If making ahead of time, chill frosted cakes briefly in the freezer before wrapping individually and freezing.
Makes twelve cupcakes.
1) Thou shall not preach. Veganism isn’t a religion.
2) Thou shall inform with understanding. I too was a meat-eater not so long ago.
3) Thou shall lead by example. Glowing complexion and a flat tummy. Check.
4) Thou shall ask for vegan foods at every coffee shop and restaurant I visit. Consumer demand creates supply.
5) Thou shall start an online diary to share all things vegan with anyone who takes an interest.
I became vegan about a year and a half ago. I skipped the vegetarian bit (although I’d given up red meat some years earlier) and dived straight into the vegan pool, to realise I’m a strong swimmer. But to swim well, I’ve discovered, you need to have reasons for doing it. In my pool, there are plenty of sharks to keep me on task. The more reasons you have for becoming vegan, the less it feels like a diet. The more reasons, and being vegan simply becomes a fabulous way of life.
Here’s the deal. Leading a lifestyle free of animal products (spanning food, fashion and anything in between) isn’t about joining an exclusive club. It’s also not a religion. Sure, when you have a solid understanding as to why going vegan is a great health choice for you and the planet it’s hard not to get excited. Heck, I’ve wanted to shout it from the rooftops (and to the nearest butcher) on occassion. But if there’s one thing I have learned on my journey so far, it’s that everyone is on their own path of discovery.
So what are my main reasons for going vegan? Here’s a very brief outline:
• I’ve been allergic to dairy from birth and never gone ga-ga over steak and sausages. Being dairy and meat free is the healthiest choice for my mind and body (and soul, but that’s a whole post on it’s own … stay tuned for that one);
• I believe animals have as much right to be on the planet as I do. It wouldn’t be right for me to take an animal’s life when I can survive perfectly well on all the other goodies God’s green earth provides. If it’s ludicrous to eat a horse, what makes eating a cow any different?
• The biggest cause of global pollution comes from the raising and slaughtering of animals. Being vegan is the greenest thing you can do.
• I understand that meat and dairy consumption leads to diseases such as cancer. My choice is to live a long, dis-ease-free life.
To celebrate whatever stage of your journey you’re at, here’s a delicious raw vegan dessert recipe from The Raw Food Chef. Yummo.
Pomegranate Cheesecake with Clementine Gelato
For the base
1c cashews
2T agave
1/4c coconut oil
2t vanilla extract
¼t salt
2t lemon juice
• First process cashews to flour.
• Add remaining ingredients and process again.
• Press into the bottom of 9” springform pan and place in fridge whilst working on filling.
For the filling
3c cashews, soaked for 1 – 2 hours
1c coconut oil
1/2c lemon juice
2T vanilla extract
1/2t salt
3/4c agave
1 1/2c pomegranate juice
1/2c beetroot juice (optional, just for colour)
• Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender under smooth.
• Pour on top of the base.
• Place in the freezer to set. Once it’s set, the cheesecake can be moved to, and stored in, the fridge until ready to eat.
For the Clementine Gelato
2c cashews
½c coconut butter/oil
¼c agave nectar
1t vanilla extract
3c almond milk*
1c clementine juice
2t clementine zest
Pinch salt
• Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Taste for sweetness, you may need to add extra agave if your clementines weren’t that sweet.
• Pour mixture into a rectangular container and place in the freezer to set. Once set, pass through a juicer with a homogenising attachment on. Alternatively, you can pour the mixture (unfrozen) into an ice-cream maker.
*Almond milk is made by blending 1c of almonds with 3c of water, and straining through a nut milk bag or sieve.
