Brownies with a KICK

Last night I went to a New Years Eve party and wanted to bring brownies. Since I knew there would be numerous, yummy chocolaty choices, I decided to do something different. I am a fan of dark chocolate candy bars spiced with hot peppers and this was my inspiration. The result was a crowd pleaser and I was happy to discover that the brownie was still deliciously sweet but had a pleasant after burn. It wasn't too spicy. No one ran to the kitchen for a glass of water. If I had added more heat, I don't know if the positive reaction would have been the same. I guess if you tweak this recipe, know thy audience!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

You'll need 2 mixing bowls, one for dry, one for wet. If you don't have two big bowl, you can use a smaller one for the wet.

DRY BOWL (mix the following throughly):
~1 1/2 cup sugar (I like to use organic sugar)
~ 1 1/3 cup flour
~3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
~3/4 tsp baking powder
~1/4 tsp sea salt
~1/4 tsp ground habanero chile powder (I used the Spice Island brand which is SUPER hot, one little morsel on your tongue can be a fiery inferno to the faint hearted. There is also a warning label on the bottle! If I used cayenne, I would probably add more. Use your best judgement if you alter the type of chile powder.)


WET BOWL: 
Rapidly mix together: 
~ 2 tsp ground flax seed/ flax meal
~ 2 tbsp water
Now add the following and throughly mix together:
~1/2 cup water
~3/4 cup apple sauce (plain, not sweetened)
~2 tsp vanilla extract


Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient and stir until batter is smooth. Pour into lightly oiled glass baking pan (8X8). Bake for 40 minutes. The brownies will come out VERY moist and gooey. If you like a more cake-like brownie, cook for a little longer. 


I topped the brownies with a couple of dried hot peppers and glazed the brownies with a mixture of powder sugar, vanilla, red food coloring and a tiny bit of water. Then I added glittery sprinkles. I used the hot peppers as a decoration but mostly as a warning device. None of the topping is necessary. 

Gluten Free - Cinnamon Raisin Bread

My husband and I are trying to reduce our gluten intake. So I've been experimenting with various gluten-free flours and ingredients. Last night I made a loaf of cinnamon Raisin Bread that turned out really yummy. 

In a large bowl MIX the following DRY ingredients:

~ 1 cup sorghum flour (try Bob's Red Mill brand)

~1 + 1/8 cup oat flour (try Bob's Red Mill brand)

~ 1/2 cups Brown Rice Flour (I get this in bulk or use Bob's Red Mill)

~1/2 cup tapioca starch (I get this really cheap at Asian markets, but Bob's Red Mill makes this too)

~3 tsp of Xantham Gum (this is a key ingredient - don't leave this item out, it won't form correctly)

~1 tsp sea salt

~1 Tbsp Yeast (I buy this at Costco where I can get a huge container of this for less than the price of a few little packages at the grocery store. Just be sure to keep it in your fridge.)

~1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Cinnamon (I get this from Costco in a huge container, which is pretty affordable)

~ 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Organic Pure Cane Sugar (I get this at Costco too, 1 giant bag costs a little more than one regular size bag at the grocery store)

MIX THESE DRY INGREDIENTS THEN ADD 

~1 or 1 + 1/2 cup organic raisins (I get these in a giant bag at Costco)

In another bowl MIX the following WET ingredients:

~2 Tbsp + 1 tsp flax meal with 6 Tbsp water - MIX TOGETHER before adding the rest of the wet ingredients (I just got a giant bag of this at Costco for a great price, but you can buy the flax seeds in bulk and grind your own flax meal)

~1 Tbsp agave syrup (you could add a little more to make the bread sweet)

~2 Tbsp flax oil (I got this from Costco too)

~1 tsp apple cider vinegar (I used the Bragg's brand)

~1-3/4 cups water 

Add the wet to the dry and thoroughly mix. It will form into a globulous dough.

Get your bread maker ready to go with the basket and kneading paddle in place. Scoop the dough into the basket so that it fills the bottom evenly.

Set your bread maker for GLUTEN-FREE (if you don't have this option, set it for WHITE), 1.5 POUNDS, DARK browning. (Your bread maker will knead the dough and bake it, which should take less than 2 hours).

Whole Wheat - Flax Bread (Using A Bread Maker)

My Mother-in-law gave me an awesome bread maker a couple of years ago for Christmas. I've attempted making bread a handful of times with the machine, but the result was always dry. I finally pin pointed some of my problems and I hope you can learn from my mistakes.

MISTAKES I MADE: 

~Using ONLY whole wheat flour rather than a combination of flours

~Using fast action yeast. I know this stuff must work, but I always had problems with my bread not rising. 

~Not using molasses. The inclusion of this ingredient turned the bread from bland to yummy. 

~Trying to use whole flax seeds rather than flax meal. Besides appearance, there's no reason to use whole flax seeds since your body digests ground flax better. 

~I never added vital wheat gluten. When added, the bread has a spongier, soft consistency. 

After searching the internet for tips people had regarding vegan bread making using bread makers, I settled on the ingredients below and was thrilled with the results. 

MAKES 2 POUND LOAF

In your bread maker add the following ingredients in this order: 

~11 ounces water (room temperature)

~1 1/2 tsp sea salt

~1 1/2 tbsp (no sugar added) apple sauce

~2 tbsp molasses (spray your measuring spoon with oil first and the molasses rolls right out of the spoon)

~2 cups wheat flour for bread making

~1 cup whole wheat flour for bread making

~1/2 cup wheat bran

~1 tsp vital wheat gluten

~1/4 cup ground flax

Make a well in the middle and add:

~2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Set bread maker for the following:

~2 pound loaf

~Whole wheat setting

~Medium darkness

Once bread is done, remove from bread maker and cool on rack. This bread tasted really good warm. 

Baked Pasta

I know, I know.....I haven't updated my blog for a LONG while! During the warmer months, I've been making a lot of cold dishes. I've hosted and attended several gatherings over the last few months, where I've been able to share my new cold/room temperature creations. Although I enjoy creating these cold dishes, I just can't seem to get very motivated to write about the subject. So instead, I'm going to tell you about my new favorite casserole dish I created. The concept was based on the baked spaghetti my mom made when I was a kid. However, I've put more of a gourmet spin on it.

Set oven to 350 degrees.

1st: Prepare around 14 to 16 ounces of pasta (I personally like penne made from flax and whole wheat) based on package cooking instructions.

2nd: While step one is in progress, add the following to a large soup pot (all ingredients are optional after the first two) and cook on medium-high:
~1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
~1/4 to 1/3 container of vegan (tofu) cream cheese
~2 to 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
~1 tablespoon olive oil
~1/4 to 1/3 cup white wine
to taste.....add...
~chopped fresh or dried basil
~chopped fresh or dried oregano
~paprika
~red chili flakes
~fresh ground pepper
~fresh ground sea salt
~roasted or fresh garlic (chopped)
~agave syrup

3rd: add any or all of the following to the sauce and simmer on low:
~1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
~approximately 1 pound of seitan chopped into bite sized pieces (or a package of faux chicken chopped into small pieces) OR
~1/2 to 1 cup TVP (hydrated with equal parts water first)

4th: In a large mixing bowl add the following and mix thoroughly:
~one block firm tofu (mashed with fork into a smooth yet chunky consistency)
~onion and garlic powder (to taste)
~salt and pepper (to taste)
~dried basil (to taste)
~1/8 cup nutritional yeast (add more to taste)

5th: Scoop a few spoonfuls of the mixing bowl contents and add it to the sauce.

6th: Add cooked pasta to sauce and fully mix. Pour contents into large baking dish.

7th: In the mixing bowl, add the following and mix thoroughly with tofu:
~1 jar or can of artichoke hearts (drained/chopped)
~2 to 3 handfuls of bread crumbs (I use the vegan seasoned bread crumbs from Trader Joe's)

8th: Spread the mixture over the top of the pasta, covering the entire casserole. Sprinkle additional bread crumbs on top. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. You may need to broil it shortly to get the top nice and brown.

This dish is rather filling, but it goes nicely with a side of steamed broccoli or spinach salad. I also like to pair it with crusty bread served with hot, roasted garlic and a bowl of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.

Lasagna Rolls

Boy, I have been really slacking off on writing in my blog. I've been cooking a lot, but I haven't documented anything I've created in a while. The other night I made a special dinner for my hubby, which included my first attempt at lasagna rolls. They came out really yummy, so before I forget what I did, I better blog it. 

(Ingredients indicated in bold font)

Cook as per package instructions: 

~1 large box of whole wheat lasagna (I used the type that also has flax)

In a food processor blend the following: 

~1 block of firm tofu (drained)

~1/4 cup or so of kalamata olives

~1 to 2 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil

~1/3 cup or so of sun dried tomatoes (in the oil)

~1/4 cup or so nutritional yeast

~1/4 cup or whatever amount you want of pine nuts

~as much fresh spinach as you can add to the food processor (add in two stages if needed)

~fresh or dried basil to taste

~red chili flakes (optional) to taste

~sea salt and ground pepper to taste

~paprika to taste

Make sure you sample the mixture. If you want it spicier add more chili, paprika and pepper. If you think the flavors are too subtle add more sea salt (just add a little at a time until you get the balance right). 

Heat oven at 350 degrees

In a large rectangular baking dish (I used a glass dish) line the bottom of the pan with:

~1 third jar of spaghetti sauce (I used a tangy tomato and basil)

Creating the rolls:

~On a large surface (such as an over-sized cutting board) lay out as many of the cooked lasagna noodles as possible. 

~Using a spatula, scoop out mixture and spread evenly over the entire surface of the noodles.

~Roll each noodle tightly and place seam down in the baking dish. 

~Continue until pan is full and mixture is all used up. 

~Pour the remainder of the spaghetti sauce over the noodles (used a spoon if needed to get it more even on each roll)  

~Grate a 1/2 block of soy mozzarella and sprinkle on top of the rolls. 

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. If cheese doesn't bubble up, broil for a minute or so - but don't burn it. Also, you don't want to over cook it because the sauce will dry up. 

TIPS: 

1. My local grocery store occasionally puts whole wheat and/or flax noodles on sale. I stock up whenever they're on sale. This is a great item to keep on hand in your pantry because it has a long shelf life. 

2. This recipe calls for several items that I get at Costco on a regular basis due to the enormous savings. These items are: sun dried tomatoes in oil, kalamata olives, dried basil, fresh spinach, pine nuts, ground pepper, chili flakes, paprika and extra virgin olive oil. I cook with these ingredients a lot. They're extremely versatile, which can be used in Italian and Mediterranean dishes. 

Flax and Cornmeal Flapjacks

I have no idea what the exact amount of the ingredients were, but these flapjacks turned out healthy, hearty and yummy. I just threw stuff in a bowl and viola. I'll try to recreate what I did....

Heat up griddle

In a medium size mixing bowl add the following (I used a bowl the a pour spout, if you have one I'd use it) - 

2/3 cup medium coarse cornmeal (I used Bob's Red Mill brand)

1/4 cup (maybe a tiny bit more) flax seed flour/meal

2 to 3 pinches of baking powder

3 to 4 pinches of baking soda

4 or 5 grinds of sea salt

3/4 cup very hot water - mix all contents together with whisk

Now add approximately 2 to 3 teaspoons of olive oil - stir

Then add approximately 1/4 cup soy milk - stir. If mixture is not runny enough for pancakes then add a little more soy milk. Don't make it too runny, just enough so that it will pour nicely. 

Pour out mixture on to griddle, making 8 small flapjacks. 

Serve with vegan margarine, sliced bananas, chopped walnuts and maple syrup.