Saturday, July 24, 2010

vegan baby!!!!

I know I have mentioned my love for all things butter and eggs which means you are probably reading the title of this post and thinking has Katelin lost her mind no butter no eggs?  Don't fear I am still as dairy and egg friendly as always.  At the ripe old age of almost 27 I still have a glass of milk with dinner and think that bread is best with butter.  With that said I still wanted to get into the world of vegan baking because well a certain person I happen to be totally smitten with prefers a non dairy lifestyle and just had a birthday so I decided this would be the prefect time let go of the butter. (no one get excited this person is not a boy its still just me and miles in my bed)
DSCN1265
Now most people about to make vegan something or other for the first time would think to look at other blogs or website to find good vegan recipes I decided to just experiment and figure it out on my own so while I do think I came up with a winner of a recipe there are probably some better substitutions then what I came up with.  I also wanted to cut out flour  so the consistency was a bit wet.
DSCN1237
I happened to make these little guys at my mom's house since I have been staying there a few nights a week I am taking classes in the suburbs so I am living a bit like a nomad following the food, also known as my mom and mimi cooking all meals for me they are special ladies.  When I said I wanted to bake vegan cookies I had to explain to my grandparents what vegan was verse vegetarian  and my mom kept calling them "vaguen" which was super funny to me she hates when I tease her but I actually liked it I feel like most vegans I know are actually "vaguen" and i don't blame them who can say no to cheese all the time??  Just as many vegetarians are actually flexatrians there could be a whole dictionary for words to describe people and how they eat.  


Until recently I have been a total omnivore, I will eat any type of food I don't discriminate against any animal or plant my body is made to digest it all and in large quantity at that.  Now I find myself like so many others having a moral dilemma about food, I blame this all on Michael Pollan well thats not totally fair lets add Alice Waters and Jim Denevan to the mix and really the list could go on.  In an ideal world I would buy my meats straight from the farm and have a vegetable garden in the backyard maybe have a goat or two and make my own cheese and while I'm at it lets have a few chickens for fresh eggs everyday.  Sounds amazing right?  I see it as my future but for now I just don't eat processed things buy veggie from the farmers market or organic and limit my consumption of the bloody stuff that I very much enjoy.
DSCN1245
I also want to bake better less white sugar less white flour more good for you ingredients so for this recipe I not only took out eggs and butter but added almond meal instead of flour and about 1/2 the amount of sugar.  They turned out really good my non vegan family devoured them and from what I was told by the birthday girl her family ravished them as well.  all in all first vegan recipe success!


CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES
makes about 3 dozen


3 cups rolled oats
1 cup smart balance spread 
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup almond meal 
1/4 flour (okay so i did use a little flour it just looked to runny)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 banana mushed up 
1 cup chocolate chips (trader joe's  are dairy free or just get some really nice chocolate and chop it up)
3/4 cup brown sugar
hand full of shredded coconut not the sugary stuff


preheat oven to 350 degrees
combine smart balance, sugar,vanilla, and mushed banana mix until smooth and sorta fluffyish. Then add in slowly oats, almond meal, flour, salt, and baking soda.  mix until well combined then drop in chocolate and coconut(I like coconut but this can be omitted if you want).  Scoop onto cookie sheets and bake for 12 minutes they will still look pretty soft but let them sit and they will firm up a bit. 
DSCN1260
I think I would add more oats next time and also chill the dough since it was super wet to scoop

If you have any vegan recipes you would like to share please do I want to make more treats also any tips using less flour totally welcome!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

making things!

I am so excited to share my first letterpress project with you.  I made letterpress recipe cards and finally got around to taking some photos of them.  I went from never making art anymore to taking a letterpress, painting and drawing class.  I am in total art over load and love it!   I can't wait to start sending these out as gifts and also passing out my recipes on to friends.  
DSCN1322DSCN1333DSCN1319DSCN1324DSCN1323
coming soon....my first vegan recipe ever!!! (and it turned out really good)

Sunday, July 11, 2010

who wants pie to go??

Sorry its been so long I had to take a little vacation from life and spent a fine few days in Rhinelander Wisconsin eating cheese, drinking beer, and enjoying the view.  It was beyond amazing better then I imagined it to be. 
the view from the swinging chair and Reu who brought me to this lovely place
While there I had planned to bake a pie  with rhubarb fresh for the garden but it seemed more important to take a nap.  So now that I have returned to the land of hot sticky heat I thought why not slave over the stove on my day off and make little tiny bitty hand pies.  It was a really good idea and was a happy end to a very busy and somewhat stressful week drawing and painting class are kicking my bum big time! 
Part of the reason I decided to make mini pies was that I couldn't decide between peach and cherry.  Peach is my personal favorite but the cherries looked amazing and were so cheap they might as well have been free.  I obviously would have just made two pies but I don't own two pie plates, this something I should remedy.  With the mini pies I could make both so the decision was made. 
Recently I have been asked my thoughts on pre made pie crust and although I have never used any I am not against them in anyway.  I just personally think making dough is possibly the easiest thing ever and there for why buy it already made?  If you are going to use pre made crust I bet that Trader Joe's one is damn good since pretty much everything they make is good.   With everything else just look at the ingredients dough should only be flour, butter (or some sort of fatty oil like coconut or palm oil) , salt and water.

PASTRY DOUGH (adapted from MARTHA)
2 3/4 cups flour
8 ounces cold butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice cold water

I know making dough scares people so I am gonna give you all the best tips I can

Start with all cold ingredients even the the flour.  If you are using a pastry cutter or mixer also chill the bowl you will be mixing in.  If you are using a food processor it mixes so fast don't worry about it. Cut the butter up into small pieces and chill again.  Mix the flour, salt and the butter together just until it is combined DO NOT OVER MIX it should be very chunky lumps of butter/flour.  Slowly start to add in the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough looks crumbly but when pinched hold together well.  At this point separate the dough into to rounds and wrap in plastic and put in the refrigerator for at least an hour but up to 24hrs you can even freeze it for later but its a bit harder to work with. While the dough is resting in the fridge get your fillings together so they can sit and get all juicy and delicious


PEACH FILLING
2 cups chopped very ripe peaches
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons brown sugar


combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and let sit for a few minutes (same the cherry)


CHERRY FILLING
2 cups pitted cherries (if you don't have a cherry pitter the squish the cherry with a the flat side of a large knife the pit will be easy to pop out)
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 finely chopped walnuts


also a little cream or and egg yolk for brushing 




Now its time to roll out the dough.  I always start with a big piece of parchment lightly floured.  Take one round of dough out the refrigerator and sprinkle with flour, also flour the rolling pin.   Now roll out the dough until about 1/8 inch thick.  I like to roll out into an oval but any shape can work.  Now take a 5 inch round cookie cutter and start cutting.   Once all the circles are cut place them in fridge to chill and repeat with the second round of dough.  In total you should have about 18 rounds.  If you want more just use a smaller circle.  You also want to pre heat the oven at this point to about 425 degrees.


To assemble the pies  swipe a little cream or egg yolk around the edge of the circle of dough then filling the circle with about 2 tablespoons of filling.  Don't over fill for the pies will be really hard to pinch closed.  fold the dough over and pinch the seam closed with your fingers or with a fork.  Lightly brush the top with cream or yolk and then give a little tiny slit with a sharp knife so steam can escape and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.  Then bake for about 20 minute or until filling is bubbling out of the top and they are nice and golden brown.


 next post...all about the recipe cards i just made!