Tasty Tester Roundup

I had a few days off this week, so I recipe tested my butt off!

First, the sweet stuff from Carla's Vegan Bakesale testing:

Rich Brownies...the egg replacer is pureed raw cashews! So decadent and genius! Gently spiced with hints of cinnamon and ancho chili powder. So nice! Malva Bundt Cake...a super moist, sweet, and comforting apricot bundt cake! It even got an Apricot Jam Glaze for extra sweet and stickiness!

Pineapple Mango Mint Upside Down Cake...something sunny and flavorful to make watching LOST even MORE enjoyable!! Mint and pineapple? Yes, yes, and yes!!!

Now for some savory stuff from Melisser's upcoming The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life!

Chipotle Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes....spicy, smoky, and just all around amazing!! Perfectly paired with some homemade veggie burgers. Also, holla for the great local sweet potatoes!

And then there's Austrian Potato Salad! How can you not loooooove potato salad?! I even got these yummy local new potatoes and chives for it! Similar to a German potato salad, served warm with tons of onions and dill pickles in it. Mayo free too! Potatoes are the bomb, and so is Melliser!

Brownie vs. Blondie

Forget Edward vs. Jacob or Republicans vs. Democrats....the REAL debate is brownies vs. blondies!!! I have made both of these sweet treats in the past few days, and I honestly still can't decide. Which side are you on??

The blondies: Nutty Blondies. Tester recipe for Vegan Bakesale (upcoming cookbook from Carla of The Vegan Year blog!). These were awesome, and they make a pretty convincing for the side of the blondies!! Vanilla-y, butterscotch-y, and nutty...and a texture right in the middle of fudgy and cakey. I especially love the crunch in the middle of the soft, gooey part! The brownies: Chocolate Brownies from The Joy of Vegan Baking. I have never made this recipe before, though I've loooooved everything else from this book, and I can't believe I waited! This was one of my favorite vegan brownies ever. Honestly. Very fudgy, which I loved, and a nice crispy crust formed on top, a perfect medium for powdered sugar. And they have applesauce in them instead of oil! Wow!! Another strong case, indeed.

Well, since I can't decide which one I like better, I think I'll just take both! Here's to really good blondies and brownies!

All The Glory That Is Seitan Piccata...

If you've never had anything "piccata" style, I feel almost certain you have not fully lived. The bold and savory flavors that are created from the combination of capers, lemons, white wine, onions, garlic, shallots, and parsley are absolutely stunning to the mouth. I am not exaggerating here, either! Then to bless breaded and pan-fried homemade seitan with this deliciousness is just so good it should be illegal. But it's not, which is why I served it at my supper club last weekend!! Yay! I used the Seitan Piccata with Lemon-Caper Sauce recipe in the Candle Cafe Cookbook, which really turns out perfectly every time. And it's so gooooooooood!!!

I served the seitan on a pile of Creamed Local Spinach (made with Earth Balance, soy creamer, salt, and pepper. simple and yum.) and Herbed Potato Cakes. I have been really into things in cake or patty or fritter form lately, so I kind of just went with it to create a nice starch for this meal. And they are wonderful!! The recipe below will feed a lot of people, like 24, so feel free to half or quarter it if you aren't running an underground restaurant out of your house! :)Herbed Potato Cakes (serves 24, makes approx. 48 patties)
5 lbs yukon gold or russet potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, small diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup celery, small diced
1/4 cup vegan margarine
2 cups soymilk
6 cups whole wheat flour
3 Tbs baking powder
1 Tbs sea salt
1/2 Tbs white pepper
1/2 Tbs black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like a little heat)
1 Tbs dried thyme
1/2 Tbs dried dill
1/2 cup fresh sage, chopped and tightly packed
2 Tbs agave nectar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Oil for frying

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the diced potatoes. Boil for approximately 20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
When the potatoes have cooled, add the margarine and soymilk, and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy in texture. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Let rest for 10-15 minutes. While the dough rests, preheat oven to 375 F.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Coat pan with oil and allow to heat.
When oil is ready, drop prepared dough by 1/2 cup scoops onto heated pan. Let cook for about 3 minutes, until beginning to get golden brown. Flip the patty over and cook 3-4 more minutes, again looking for a golden crust. Transfer patty to a sheet pan, which will go into the oven. Repeat process until all of the dough has been used up; this should produce roughly 48 cakes. Bake the fried potato cakes in preheated oven for 15 minutes, to get the inside fully cooked and create a fluffy interior. Serve immediately over creamed spinach and top with seitan piccata and lemon-caper sauce.


Even with that delectable meal, there was OF COURSE room for dessert!! I looooove frosted brownies and the combo of pb and chocolate, so I made these two loves combine in this Peanut Butter-Cocoa Brownie! The brownie is the Deluxe Cocoa Brownie from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar...another winner from that beautiful book! The frosting is a Peanut Buttercream, based on the recipe in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Dusted with fair trade cocoa powder, too!! Man, these vegan baked goods are so proactive! They were definitely satisfying my sweet tooth that day! Decadent, rich, delicious, and seriously induce need of a post-meal nap! Though next time, I would make them "bomb" style and drench the top in chocolate ganache....there will be a next time soon I can tell!

Mint Julep Brownies

I was so thrilled this week when Bianca finally posted a tester dessert recipe for her upcoming Cookin' Crunk Cookbook! These are her Mint Julep Brownies! Chocolate, mint, and bourbon make a happy little trinity in these awesome, fudgy, and dense brownies! These were my personal little protest to the cruelty of the Kentucky Derby that took place yesterday...my delicious protest!! Thanks for giving me a dessert, Bianca!

Chili and Cornbread--and other stuff, too!

Today being a rainy, dreary day put me in the perfect mood for making one of my favorite comfort meals: chili and cornbread! I love the combination of the sweetness from the cornbread and the spiciness of the chili. it's perfect.Tempeh Chili (with some Tofutti Sour Supreme)

Tempeh Chili (serves 8-ish hungry peeps)

2 T canola oil

2 yellow onions, minced

1 green pepper, minced (reds work here, too!)

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 jalapenos, minced

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 cup tomato paste

1 can red kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

2-8oz. packages tempeh

1 T hot sauce

1/4 cup Bragg's or tamari

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup chili powder

2 T cumin

1 T paprika

2 tsp cayenne

2 tsp chipotle powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder

In a large pot, heat 2 T canola oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and peppers until softened, then add the garlic, jalapeno, and spices, then reduce heat to low. Saute for 10 minutes. Add in the crumbled tempeh, return heat to medium, and saute for 5 more minutes. Stir in the cans of tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, Bragg's, hot sauce, and cocoa powder. Bring this all to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve piping hot with a dollop of vegan sour cream and a chunk of cornbread!

A slice of cornbread with Earth Balance and agave...

Whole Grain Cornbread (serves 8 to 12)

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 Tbs baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 Tbs sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup applesauce

2 cups soymilk

1/2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water (to rinse out blender left-overs)

1 cup corn

1 jalapeno, minced (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a 9 by 13 pan. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Fold in the corn and jalapeno. Blend the wet ingredients, except the water, together in a blender. Pour in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour water in blender and swirl around to get all the leftover batter, then add to bowl. Combine everything until just mixed, but do not over mix! Bake for 2o to 25 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm, slathered with lots of Earth Balance and agave nectar!!

My slice of whole grain cornbread, served with some roasted local squash and breadcrumbs!

A few days ago, I made my favorite Thai Peanut Noodles for dinner, and it was really pretty...but I forgot to post about it! I used mugwort soba noodles, baked tofu, and a saute of garlic, ginger, onions, cabbage, carrots, and broccoli, then topped with my creamy, spicy peanut sauce that I have posted about before. If you've never had a good peanut sauce, give this one a try! For reals.

Thai Peanut Noodles

I have also made some delish desserts this week. I think frosting may be the most important part of a good treat, I must confess! Earlier in the week, I made the Toasted Coconut Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Holy Moses I loved these! I even made my own chocolate-covered espresso beans for the garnish...I was proud :) These are wonderfully paired with a nice mug of Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut Yogi Tea with some Silk creamer and agave!!

Toasted Coconut Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream Frosting and Chocolate-Covered Coffee Beans

Thursday night, I made an AMAZING batch of Banana Brownies with Peanut Buttercream Frosting, based off of a recipe that I like to make at work. Probably the best brownies I have ever made. The peanut butter-chocolate-banana combination is HEAVEN. Yay for over-ripe bananas! And frosting!!

Banana-Chocolate Chip Brownies with Peanut Buttercream Frosting

Banana Brownies (makes 12)

2 large bananas

1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c canola oil

1 cup soy milk

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a 9 by 13 pan. Blend bananas, sugar, vanilla, oil, and soymilk in blender. Pour into a large bowl. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into oiled pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely, then frost with PB frosting!

Peanut Buttercream Frosting

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening

1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine

1 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 T soy milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Cream the shortening and margarine together until well combined. Add in the peanut butter and combine some more. Sift in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, adding in the soymilk between batches. After mixing the second cup of powdered sugar, add in the vanilla and whip for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use, then spread on cooled banana brownies.

Steve's hand, getting ready to put his brownie into his hungry belly...