Sunday, February 24, 2013

Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Chocolate Mousse




Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Chocolate Mousse

Servings: 12 Cupcakes

Rich chocolate mousse with a hint of raspberry transforms these traditional golden vanilla cupcakes into decadent little treats. This recipe was adapted from Moskowitz and Romero's Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. 

Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Ingredients:

1 12 ounce Package of Extra Firm Tofu.

1/8 Cup Almond or Coconut Milk (I decrease the liquid ratio to my frosting recipes due to the high level of moisture in the air, so if you don't live in a tropical climate, you may want to experiment with increasing the liquid here to 1/4 cup).

1/2 Cup Confectioners' Sugar 

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1 3.5 Ounce Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar (increase this to two bars for EXTRA dark chocolatey goodness). 

Preparation:

1. Crumble the tofu into a food processor or blender, being sure to squeeze out all excess liquid. Add the almond milk and vanilla. Puree until completely smooth and transfer to a medium sized mixing bowl. 

2. Melt the chocolate. If you are microwave-phobic like us, this is a quick method for melting chocolate into a nice workable form without all the extra radiation tidbits. Fill a small pot half way with water and place on the stove at medium-high heat. Bring the water to a light boil and place a small pan or metal bowl on top. Fill the pan with the chocolate, broken into quarters, and use a spatula to mix the chocolate as it melts. Once it is melted, carefully remove it from the heat (using a pot holder) and continue to stir until thoroughly mixed. 

3. Add the chocolate and the confectioners' sugar (1/8 cup at a time) to the tofu mixture and mix until combined. Taste for sweetness. Add additional confectioners' sugar (1/8 cup at a time) until desired sweetness level is acquired. 

4. Transfer the mousse to the refrigerator and let chill for one hour. The longer the mousse chills, the easier it is to work with for piping frosting. 

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients:


1 Cup Almond Milk

1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/4 Cup Flour

3/4 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

2 Tbsp Cornstarch

1/3 Cup Coconut Oil (or Canola Oil)

3/4 Cup Sugar

2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract 

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and get your cupcake tin ready by lining or lightly coating with non-stick agent (such as coconut oil spray).

2. Combine the almond milk and the apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for a few minutes, then stir in the coconut oil, sugar and vanilla. 

3. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until no large clumps remain. Be careful not to over mix. 

4. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way and bake for 20 - 22 minutes. Check by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done so set them aside to cool. If the toothpick comes out sticky or moist, return the cupcakes for another 2 minutes. Be sure to let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. 

5. Enjoy and try not to eat them all in one sitting!



Agave Coriander Glazed Tempeh with Miso Tahini Somen and Ginger Kale




Agave Coriander Glazed Tempeh

Servings: 2 Large

Tempeh has been a staple in Indonesia for over 2000 years. It is a highly nutritious fermented food traditionally made from soybeans. Tempeh's high protein content and ability to absorb flavor makes it a wonderful main dish or addition to any entree. The savory sweet combination of this recipe delivers a satisfying finish. We especially enjoy this dinner on rainy evenings when winter is in full swing on the island. 

Ingredients:

1 8 Oz. Box of Tempeh (We prefer Turtle Island Foods Organic Five Grain Tempeh)

2 Tbsp Olive or Coconut Oil

1 Tbsp Whole Coriander Seeds 

1/4 Cup Agave 

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari

1 Tsp Lemon Juice (Preferably from a fresh lemon)

Preparation:

1. Dry roast the coriander seeds in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Be sure to move the seeds around the pan to avoid burning. They should become fragrant and begin to pop after about 2-3 minutes. Remove them from the heat and grind with a mortar and pestle or use a coffee grinder to crush the seeds. It's okay if they are not finely ground. They create a nice dimension of texture to the glaze.

2. Combine the agave, soy sauce, lemon juice, crushed coriander and olive oil in a food processor or blender and blend until agave is thoroughly mixed through. Transfer the glaze to a shallow bowl and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat and prepare the tempeh. Slice the tempeh into 1/4 inch thick strips and dredge strips in your glaze. When the frying pan is heated, place tempeh strips onto the pan and let cook for about 5-7 minutes. Check the tempeh strips after 5 minutes. When they are a deep golden color, pour half of the remaining glaze onto the strips and flip. Cook for another 5 minutes, pour remaining glaze on top and flip one last time. If tempeh is sticking to the pan, add additional olive oil one tbsp. at a time. Check the tempeh after 2 minutes and transfer to a plate once it reaches a dark, caramelized color. Enjoy! 




Sunday, February 17, 2013

Toasted Coconut Mochi



Toasted Coconut Mochi 

Servings: One 9x11 Pyrex Dish

My partner fell in love with this chewy Japanese treat while we were living in Waikiki on Oahu. Since we're pretty far out in the country on the Big Island, I decided to make it at home for a fun Saturday night dessert after spending the afternoon at the beach with some friends. A sweet neighbor shared her family recipe with me which proved to be quite yummy! 

Ingredients: 

1 box of Mochiko (Sweet Rice Four)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 Can of Coconut Milk

3/4 cup of Non-Dairy Milk (I used Almond Milk)

1 1/2 cups of Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 Cups of Toasted Coconut

Coconut Oil Spray (or other non-stick agent)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. 

3. Meanwhile, it's time to toast the coconut. Place the coconut shreds in a frying pan and turn heat on stove to low. Be sure to watch the coconut as it will burn quickly. As the pan begins to heat, the coconut shreds will turn a light golden color. Stir the coconut to ensure equal heat distribution. This takes about 3-4 minutes depending on the strength of your burner/stove. The coconut is done toasting when it becomes a deep golden color. It will become fragrant as well. Transfer it immediately to the bowl containing the dry ingredients as it will continue to cook if left in the hot pan. 

4. Combine your wet ingredients in the larger of your two mixing bowls. 

5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until smooth (there will be flakes of coconut but we don't want any other chunks in there). 

6. Transfer the whole mixture into your greased (I prefer using coconut oil spray) pyrex and cover with a baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes. 

7. After 50 minutes is up, carefully remove from the oven and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of toasted coconut evenly on the mochi. Return to the oven and cook, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. 

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely (about 1 hour) before cutting into rectangles and enjoy! 

Tofu Scramble





Tofu Scramble 

Servings: 2

One of my favorite quick breakfasts, this basic tofu scramble recipe is a staple which lends to easy customization and improvising with any fresh ingredients you have on hand. 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of extra firm tofu, drained

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (Add up to 1/2 cup for an extra cheesy scramble)

half of one small onion diced

1 green pepper diced (I used half green and half red pepper here)

2 tbsp of Earth Balance or olive oil

Pinch of turmeric

1 tsp garlic powder (or fresh garlic finely minced)

1 tsp Italian seasoning (or herbs of your choice)

Salt & Pepper to taste 

Preparation:

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add Earth Balance or Olive oil. Add onion and lightly sauté until translucent. Add peppers and spices, stirring to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add tofu, being sure to squeeze out all excess water over the sink. Stir to combine and add turmeric. Lower heat to low and continue to cook until heated all the way through. Add nutritional yeast and stir to combine. For extra cheesiness, 1 tbsp of Vegenaise can be added in addition to the extra nutritional yeast. 

3. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve garnished with fresh herbs and a big cup of coffee!