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Rosemary Flatbread

After rummaging and finding absolutely nothing that sounded tasty in the fridge, I decided to make a nice crispy flatbread.  These are so unbelievably easy and the dough can be kept in the fridge for about a week, used for breadsticks, flatbread, pizza, dinner rolls.  My measurements are probably less than precise, I generally measure things in the palm of my hand and in pinches!

Rosemary Flatbread Dough

2c AP flour

1/2c warm water

1tbs raw sugar or honey

Fresh rosemary or dried, to taste.  I use a handful.

1tsp salt

1tsp dry yeast

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Optional:

1tbsp garlic paste

Balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Combine warm water and dry yeast in separate bowl or mug, set aside for a few minutes until it looks foamy.  Combine all dry ingredients, add the yeast mixture and knead until well combined and stretchy.  You can do this by hand, if you plan to do that I do recommend letting it rest once the ingredients are combined for at least five minutes before you start kneading … it’ll be way easier to deal with.  I just turn on my mixer and let it work for me.  Place in greased, large glass bowl and cover with a clean, slightly damp towel.  Put this somewhere warm to rest, I like to leave mine in the oven (while it’s off).  Check on it every 30 minutes or so, I’ve had unpredictable results with dry yeast before so am really not confident in giving a set time but it may be up to two hours.  Punch it down once it’s doubled (this part is always fun), turn onto a floured surface and tuck it into a ball-ish shape.  Turn the bowl upside down over it, leave it to rest 15-20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 400f.  Hey, I said this was easy, not quick.  :)  When you return your dough will be puffed once more, you can roll it out into a flatbread with a rolling pin or use your hands.  I like to cut it into four portions and make 4 smaller flatbreads, flattened with my hands.  By now your oven is nice and hot, toss cornmeal onto a large cookie sheet, pizza pan or anything else flat and oven safe. Place your flatbread, brush liberally with your olive oil and then bake until golden 10-15 minutes. 

Options: You can spread garlic paste on top of your bread after brushing your olive oil on for a deliciously garlicky bread.  I love having a drizzle of balsamic over the top right as it comes from the oven, it adds this wonderful tart note and enhances all of the flavors of yeast, rosemary and garlic!

Dairy Free Almond ‘Milk’ Chocolate Spread

I have a slight obsession with Nutella, which unfortunately has milk in it.  I’ve been playing with mixes and trying things out to see if I could make a spread that really satisfies the Nutella craving.  Today I made a spread with raw almonds that is actually sort of amazing, now if I ever manage to find some hazelnuts I’ll add those in and see what happens!

Almond ‘Milk’ Chocolate Spread:

1c raw almonds, soaked overnight then drained

1/4c raw sugar

1/4c natural cocoa powder

1/4c coconut oil

1tbsp soy lecitin(optional but helps emulsify)

pinch of sea salt

Pulse in blender or food processor until combined, then blend until smooth and creamy.  Refrigerate for best results.  You can roast your almonds if you prefer but I find roasted almonds don’t have that pronounced ‘milk’ flavor I like.

Do Chua - Quick Pickled Daikon

Continuing with the banh mi fixation - this is the stuff that is on the sandwich that gives it that sweet, sour, salty, crunchy awesomeness.  It is made from daikon, which is a large mild type of radish is very rich in vitamin C (excellent during cold season) and very low in calories.  And it is shockingly easy to make.  This is how I made mine:

1 medium sized daikon (you can use part of a large one but they seem to have a lot less flavor)

1 carrot

1/2c rice wine vinegar

1/2c lukewarm water

2 tbsp raw sugar

2 tsp sea salt, divided

reusable container that can hold 2 cups, anything will work but I used a mason jar

Chop daikon and carrot into matchsticks, they must be small and uniform to pickle quickly.  You should have about 1 1/2 - 2 cups.  Pour one teaspoon of salt over the daikon and carrot, work the salt into them well and then let sit for 10 minutes or until they are noticeably smaller and flexible, this happens fast.  Rinse well, place them into the container you’re going to keep them in.  In a bowl combine your vinegar, water, sugar and salt, mix until well combined then pour over your vegetables.  Put the lid on your container, shake it a bit then sit it in the fridge for an hour.  They’re ready to eat.  For some reason it reminds me a little of coleslaw, but they’re super light, tasty and make a great side dish(or topping on sandwiches, of course).  I’m still surprised at how simple and easy this is considering how amazing the flavor is!  They will keep in the fridge for at least a month … if they last that long :)

Mochi!

I wish mochi was more common here, because it really is the perfect answer to gummy candy cravings for meat and gluten free households.  

Mochi is, as best I can describe it, a sort of stretchy, chewy gummy dessert of Japanese ethnicity.  It’s ingredients are very simple; sweet rice, sugar and water.  Traditional mochi is an involved process that involves pounding rice and mortars and pestles and hours of work … modern mochi is much, much simpler.

Glutinous rice flour, or mochiko, is readily available at most U.S. grocery stores now, usually under the brand Koda.  One box of that will make you a lot of mochi, so don’t be disappointed by its small size.  Now grab your sugar of choice, my favorite is raw sugar and it gives a subtle caramel note to everything you use it in. 

The process is easy but it does require a microwave, and a glass container with a lid (or you can use plastic wrap).

The measurements are one to one, rice, water and sugar.  So one cup of rice flour, one cup sugar, one cup water but this is very flexible … if you don’t want really sweet just decrease your sugar.  I whisk the dry ingredients until well combined to prevent any clumps and then dribble water in a thin stream while whisking until everything is incorporated.  It will be very liquid.

Prepare your glass dish by lightly oiling the sides and pour your batter in, cover or wrap and microwave for anywhere from 4-8 minutes, once everything is one uniform color and firmed it’s done.  Don’t remove the lid, just sit it aside for 5 more minutes.  Then that’s it.  You can dust it with potato starch, corn starch, powdered sugar, cocoa powder … whatever keeps it from sticking to you like crazy :)  I like to turn mine out on a tray and just use a pizza wheel to cut bite sized pieces to eat, you can also cut larger pieces and put a filling in them.

This is one of the most flexible recipes there is, you can use juice instead of water, add any flavorings of fruits you like … and it’s delicious gummy candy in just a few minutes.  Without animal products, without gluten!  

mango mochi dipped in chili!

Vegan Tamales - They’re Easy

Tamales are a Christmas tradition for a lot of families, I know they are over here!  They are, however, usually made with lard and meat broth in the masa as well as meat fillings and often butter.  So this makes finding a vegan tamale troublesome.  They are, however, very easy to make!

3c instant masa (this is found in many super markets now, it may say nixtamalized masa, usually says para tamales)

1/2c vegan shortening or pure coconut oil

1tbs baking powder

few cups of your favorite broth (I honestly have no exact measurement, just until the consistency is right) and any flavor will work though i love mushroom and veggie

Whip up your shortening until it’s  bit fluffier and very soft.  Add the masa and baking powder and mix well … it will be very crumbly.  With your mixer on medium-low, begin dribbling in your broth 1/4 cup at a time.  Once your mixture looks like thick peanut butter it’s done.  I usually let it rest for at least an hour before making my tamales.  Fillings are limited only by imagination, you can put anything you like in there.

For sweet tamales, instead of broth use some juice. Pineapple juice and apple juice work great and your filling ingredients can just be mixed right into the masa.  Pineapple, walnuts and raisins is one of my favorites.  My dad made some with cocoa powder in the masa and strawberries inside that were amazing! **edit: I just made some sweet tamales with pineapples, pecans and coconut milk in the masa - super, super delicious.  So coconut milk makes a really nice, rich replacement for broth!

I’m not going to give tamale rolling instructions here, I figure you either know how to do that already or you can shuffle over to youtube and find some good video guides :)

Merry Christmas!

I Veganized the Cookie Dough Truffles

And they are still completely awesome.

1/2c vegan shortening(I use earth balance, love it’s flavor) or coconut oil

1.5c raw sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1/2c tapioca flour

1/2c rice flour

vanilla (either seeds or extract)

a few teaspoons cold water

1/2 bag vegan chocolate chips 

Cream shortening, sugar, salt and vanilla until lighter in color and fluffy.  Add your flours and the mixture should come together slightly dry and crumbly, you can add a teaspoon of water at a time until it makes a solid dough.  Add chocolate chips, mix until combined and then chill for at least an hour.  Roll into truffle-sized balls.  Melt the other half of your chocolate chips and dip your truffles.  These are delicious and super easy.  You can always use all purpose flour and real butter if you like, the results will be similar.  For a peanut butter cookie dough variation omit the chocolate chips and use just 1/4c of shortening, adding 1/4c of peanut butter.  :)

Vegan Nutella!

For those of us that can’t have dairy, the avoidance of Nutella is a sad fact of life(and in moments of weakness I still go for it, then regret it, hah!).  Even the Nutella-esque offbrand ones all contain milk.  My solution?  Make my own Nutella substitute.  And since I love dark chocolate I’ve totally fallen for this.

1c hazelnuts 

1/4c cocoa powder

1/2c powdered sugar(you can substitute with a syrup type sweetener and lessen your oil amount accordingly)

4tbsp coconut oil

1/4tsp salt

I like to roast my hazelnuts lightly first, I just put them into a dry nonstick skillet on medium heat until I smell them(this only takes a couple minutes), shake them a bit and then toss them into the food processor. Put the coconut oil in over the warm hazel nuts and add everything else.  Pulse until very well blended.  Depending on the nuts you use your mix may need a little adjusting, sometimes you’ll get nice fresh and oily hazelnuts and then sometimes get ones that just go to powder in an instant.  If mixture is too dry, add a couple drops of your oil of choice (I like sunflower) and blend well.  I recommend just a drop or two at a time because it’s very easy to over-do the oil, and impossible to go back.  I also like to add a teaspoon of soy lecitin to mine, it stabilizes it and keeps the oil from separating back out but it is not needed.

The stuff tastes like a wonderful, dark chocolate hazelnut truffle.  In fact should you want to make some truffles you can melt some dark chocolate and incorporate it into the mix, then chill to have a firmer texture that you can roll into balls.  Nom.

Vegan Caramel Experiment: Success  :)